Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope

by Esau McCaulley

passion of Christ. He says that Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross.14 Cyrene is a city in North Africa in what we now call Libya. In the same way that Mary’s giving birth is seen an image of Christian faithfulness, Simon’s cross carrying is a physical manifestation of the spiritual reality that Christian discipleship involves the embrace of suffering. Mark states that Simon is the father of Rufus and Alexander. Why mention these men? The most logical answer is that Rufus and Alexander were known to Mark’s audience.15 If anyone was tempted to doubt the veracity of Mark’s account of the crucifixion, they could ask Rufus and Alexander, living members of the Christian community. We cannot say for sure when or how, but at some point this African father became convinced of the truth of the gospel and passed that faith to his sons and possibly his wife (Rom 16:13).16 At the moment in which Christ is reconciling the world to himself on the cross, an African family is making its first steps toward the kingdom.