Rufus Ῥοῦφος
Son of Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus' cross
Who is Rufus in the Bible?
Rufus was the son of Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry Jesus' cross on the way to His crucifixion (Mark 15:21). Simon, a visitor from Cyrene in North Africa, was selected by the soldiers to bear this burden, and Mark's specific naming of Rufus and his brother Alexander suggests they were known to the early Christian community. Some scholars believe this Rufus may be the same person to whom Paul sends greetings in Romans 16:13, describing him as "chosen in the Lord" and mentioning his mother as a maternal figure to Paul himself. If this identification is correct, it would indicate that Rufus became a devoted follower of Jesus, transforming from a bystander at the crucifixion into an active member of the early church. Rufus's story demonstrates how God used ordinary people, even those impressed into service, to participate in Christ's redemptive work.
Biography
Rufus is mentioned in Mrk.15.21 as the son of Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus on the way to His crucifixion. Simon was from Cyrene, a city in present-day Libya, and he was visiting Jerusalem, likely for the Passover festival. The fact that Mark specifically names Rufus and his brother Alexander suggests that they were known to the early Christian community and may have become followers of Jesus. In Rom.16.13, Paul sends greetings to a man named Rufus, whom he describes as "chosen in the Lord," and to his mother, who had also been a mother figure to Paul. While it is not certain, some scholars believe that this Rufus could be the same person mentioned in Mark's Gospel, as the sons of Simon of Cyrene. If this is the case, it would indicate that Rufus not only witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus but also became a prominent member of the early church. However, due to the commonness of the name Rufus, this connection remains speculative.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentMark 1 verse
- Mark 15:21
"Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Greek | Ῥοῦφος |
Rufus
2) Paul sends greetings to Roman Christians, "Rufus the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine" (Ro 16:13).
Rufus was well known among those for whom Mark primarily wrote his Gospel, and according to tradition this was the Christian community at Rome. There seems no reason to doubt, therefore, that the Rufus of Mark and the Rufus of Paul are the same person. The name, meaning "red," "reddish," was, however, one of the commonest of slave names; the identification of these two is therefore merely a conjecture. The Rufus whom Paul greets is "the chosen in the Lord," i.e. "that choice Christian" (Denhey). Since all Christians are "chosen," this title must express some distinction. The mother of Rufus had played the mother's part to Paul on some occasion of which we are ignorant, hence the phrase "his mother and mine" (compare Mr 10:30).
S. F. Hunter
rug: Alternative rendering of a word (semikhah) in Jud 4:18 the Revised Version (British and American), "mantle" the King James Version. The translation is doubtful; Oxford Hebrew Lexi