In Third Thessalonians, we learn more details about the trip from where Jesus was held after the trial, to Golgotha where he was crucified. And how Simon got stuck with carrying His cross...
3 Thes 24:12-27 KJV - "And then didst the Centurion commandeth Christ to carry His cross, yea, even unto Golgotha, where there He was to be crucified in accordance with the will of the people in the square. 13 Yet seeing that Christ did stumble under the weight, and desiring to be done with his day's work as soon as possible, the Centurion did cause it to be asked if any would aid He who called Himself the Son of Man.
14 Promptly did Joebadiah, son of Jimbadiah, speak up, and sayeth, 'I shall aid my Savior, for my love for Him is greater than that of any man present, and I would repay Him in a small way with my service here today!' The Centurion nodded, but before he could transfer the cross to Joebadiah, another voice calleth out from the crowd.
15 Then it was that Frankadee, son of Ronadee called out unto them saying, 'Hold, for it is I who loves my Savior more than any other man, and I who will in this small way aid He who has gave me so much!'
16 Then the crowd did marvel, saying amongst themselves, 'Who is this common criminal that inspireth such love?' and even the Centurion was sorely impressed. He said unto each of them, 'Today you serve your friend well, and hark unto my counsel, for I know of such matters, and know that it will take the both of you working together, for the cross is heavy, and the way is long.' And with that he placed one on each side, that Christ in the middle would have his burden lightened.
17 Yet then it was that as the three walked side by side, Joebadiah on the left, Christ in the middle carrying but a fraction of the weight, and Frankadee on the right carrying as much of the weight as Joebadiah, that trouble came upon them. 18 For yet while the end of the Avenue of the Tent Makers was yet a half a block away, near where the road split in twain, there didst come upon the two bearers of the weight of the cross the spirit of contention.
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| "Hey, if thine wanteth my help, then ye shall heedeth my counsel!" |
19 In that Joebadiah said, 'Yonder is the turn off, thus we taketh the left and go past the Roman supply house, then go until we come to the Avenue of the Myrrh Peddlers, and proceed 120 cubits till the road to Golgotha.' 20 Yet Frankadee was sore amazed, and saideth unto Joebadiah, 'Nay, for as I have lived here all my years, even unto two score and five, nought have I been without familiarity with this city, and it is the right whereby we shall turneth, even past the Hall of the Legionaires, and thus to the Avenue of the Publicans, and then passing with wide berth the Pit of the Lepers, take the next turn off past that to the road where thus it goeth to the Hill of Skulls, yea, even that called Golgotha!'
21 Then didst they both curse and revile each other, each knowing the other to be wrong, or at least being assured in their pride that they each were right. 22 Having reached the turning point, each did leave off the carrying of the cross, with Joebadiah proclaiming, 'I shall not carry a cross in the wrong manner, as thus it would take the longer, with nought more glory!' 23 while Frankadee retorted, 'Nor shall I be set on a fool's errand, going out of my way when such a way is not the shorter, but the longer, and my way being the shorter one!'
24 Thus then in their argument, it grew so heated, and they so absorbed, that nought did they notice that Jesus had stumbled and fallen again, as the whole weight of the cross bore down upon Him who now had no aid, and seeing this, and seeing how the two were more concerned with being right then aiding their friend Jesus, the Centurion shook his head dolefully, 25 even with sadness in his heart, and summoned a man from the crowd, yea, even Simon of Cyrene, for he had a look of feeling sympathy with Jesus, and the Centurion judged that here was a man who would not let his pride interfere with his charity toward Jesus.
26 The Centurion was thus shown as right in his assessment, even in his insight into the heart of Simon, for thus did Simon simply go where pointed to, with nought a complaint about which way was shorter, or which had a gentler slope, or which was quicker or yet even safer. 27 Simon instead let the love of Jesus guide him, knowing that the lifting of the burden, however long the journey could be, was the real gift, not demonstrating who had the greater knowledge of the better route."
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