Luke 23:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For no one else accepted to bear the cross, because the wood was counted an abomination. Accordingly upon Simon the Cyrenian they imposed as it were to his dishonour the bearing of the cross, which others refused. Here is fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah, Whose government shall be upon his shoulder. (Isa. 9:6.) For the government of Christ is His cross; for which the Apostle says, God hath exalted him. (Phil. 2:9.) And as for a mark of dignity, some wear a belt, others a head dress, so our Lord the cross. And if thou seekest, thou wilt find that Christ does not reign in us save by hardships, whence it comes that the luxurious are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Signifying that in the time to come women would be bereft of their children. For when war breaks out upon the land of the Jews, all shall perish, both small and great. Hence it follows, For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, &c.

But John relates that Jesus bore His own cross, from which is understood that He was Himself carrying His cross, when He went forth to that place which is called Calvary; but as they journeyed Simon was forced into the service on the road, and the cross was given him to carry as far as that place.

Christ therefore bearing His cross, already as a conqueror carried His trophies. The cross is laid upon His shoulders, because, whether Simon or Himself bore it, both Christ bore it in the man, and the man in Christ. Nor do the accounts of the Evangelists differ, since the mystery reconciles them. And it is the rightful order of our advance that Christ should first Himself erect the trophy of His cross, then hand it down to be raised by His martyrs. He is not a Jew who bears the cross, but an alien and a foreigner, nor does he precede but follow, according as it is written, Let him lake up his cross, and follow me. (Matt. 16:24, Luke 9:23.)

Matthew provides additional insights (Matthew 27:33-37), and upon reading them, you will undoubtedly uncover pertinent connections to the present context. In Matthew's account, every aspect regarding the Passion of Christ is explained meticulously, capturing the essence without any omissions.

He has called Himself the green wood and us the dry, for He has in Himself the life and strength of the Divine nature; but we who are mere men are called the dry wood.

Simon is by interpretation “obedient,” Cyrene “an heir.” By this man therefore the people of the Gentiles are denoted, who formerly foreigners and aliens to the covenant, have now by obedience been made heirs of God. But Simon coming out of a village, bears the cross after Jesus, because forsaking the pagan rites, he obediently embraces the footsteps of our Lord’s Passion. For a village is in Greek called πάγος, from whence Pagans derive their name.

Two offenders (Luke 23:32), who were likewise sentenced to crucifixion and undoubtedly bore their own crosses, were taken alongside the Lord to face execution. According to ancient tradition, one of these offenders was named Gestas, while the other was known as Dismas. There is scant accurate information regarding their transgressions; it appears, however, that they were affiliated with Barabbas and participated in the insurrection and killings associated with him. As noted by St. Mark (15:7), Barabbas had accomplices imprisoned with him, and their fate was to be determined before the feast, likely culminating in crucifixion, given the severity of their crimes.

The adversaries of Christ were not satisfied. They exerted every effort to disgrace Him in front of the masses. Consequently, according to their desires, two notorious criminals were being taken alongside Jesus to meet their fate. What a victory this seemed for the malevolent foes of Christ! The Savior's prophecy came to pass: ‘Amen, amen I say to you, that you will weep and mourn, and the world will rejoice’ (John 16:20). The Sanhedrin celebrated, and the Pharisees and scribes were filled with delight; success was entirely theirs. The wicked, deceitful servants were expelling the Heir from His vineyard, and this was witnessed by all of Israel.

St. John provides a concise account here, simply stating that as Christ was condemned to die and taken away, He made His way to Calvary while "bearing His cross." The initial three Gospels describe how, during this journey, they encountered Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled by the soldiers to carry the cross behind Jesus, as Christ, worn out from His immense sufferings, could not bear the cross to Golgotha himself. Additionally, one Gospel writer, Luke, notes that a multitude of faithful women followed Him, mourning deeply for Him. In His comforting words, the Lord shifts their focus from Himself to their own circumstances, foretelling the judgment of God upon Jerusalem.

This location was known as the place of the skull, or Golgotha. The term Golgotha in Hebrew signifies forehead or skull, thus it was also referred to as the forehead. According to ancient Jewish tradition, Adam was laid to rest at this site, which is why it is believed to symbolize a human skull beneath the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Alongside Christ, two thieves were brought to be executed, and in crucifying them, Pilate aimed to instill fear in other criminals amidst the prevailing dire circumstances. This action was intended to diminish the rampant thievery of the time, which frequently escalated into political uprisings.

In light of the large assembly present at the festival in Jerusalem, likely seeking to amplify the terror and spectacle of the execution, Pilate arranged for two criminals to be crucified alongside the Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 23:32; Mt. 27:38; Mk. 15:27; Jn. 19:18). Thus, the crowd witnessed three crosses as they made their way from Pilate's judgment seat to Golgotha. For more on the crucifixion, see Luke 23:33.