Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as the voice; being entitled: COMPASS: THE STUDY BIBLE FOR NAVIGATING YOUR LIFE. Matthew 27:26-32 read as follows:
"26 So Pilate released Barabbas, and he had Jesus flogged and handed over to be crucified. 27 The governor's soldiers took Jesus into a great hall, gathered a great crowd, 28 and stripped Jesus of His clothes, draping Him in a bold scarlet cloak, the kind that soldiers sometimes wore. 29 They gathered some thorny vines, wove them into a crown, and perched that crown upon His head. They stuck a reed in His right hand, and then they knelt before Him, this inside-out, upside-down King. They mocked Him with catcalls.
Soldiers: Hail, the King of the Jews!
30 They spat on Him and whipped Him on the head with His scepter of reeds, 31 and when they had their fill, they pulled off the bold scarlet cloak, dressed Him in His own simple clothes, and led Him off to be crucified. 32 As they were walking, they found a man called Simon of Cyrene and forced him to carry the cross."
The word "draft" is defined as follows:
". . . . - v.t. . . . . 2 To select and draw off, as for military service; conscript. . . ." [ See NEW ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY Including THESAURUS of SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS, PMC Publishing Company, Inc., 118 EAST 28th STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10016, dictionary portion: pages 1-1150, Copyright 1992, by J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, p. 294. ]
Moreover, the word "conscript," in the above-given definition, is defined as follows:
". . . adj. 1 Registered; enrolled. 2 Compulsorily enlisted, as a soldier or an armed force. - n. One who is compulsorily enrolled for military service; a draftee. - v.t. . . . To force into military service; draft. . . ." [ Ibid., pp. 213, 214. ]
The word "Cyrene," as found in verse thirty-two ( above ), is defined as follows:
". . . a city of Libya in northern Africa (Matt. 27:32); probably modern Shahhat." [ See BIBLE ALMANAC, PACKER, JAMES I., A.M., D.Phil., TENNEY, MERRILL C., A.M., Ph.D., and WHITE, WILLIAM, JR., Th.M., Ph.D., THE OLD-TIME GOSPEL HOUR, LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA, Copyright 1980 by Thomas Nelson Publishers, p. 693. ]
Thus, Simon, a man from Libya, was forced ( or drafted ) into military service by the governor's soldiers ( cf. verses twenty-seven and thirty-two ).
Simon was a family man, for we find in Mark 15:21 that he was "the father of Rufus and Alexander." However, the name of his wife is not mentioned in the sacred text of the Holy Bible ( see also Luke 23:26, for example ). There is no indication in Scripture of him attempting to dodge this draft.
His military service was singular in nature, namely, to bear the cross of Jesus. The soldiers who drafted him were not only opposed to Jesus, they were directly involved in His crucifixion ( see verse thirty-one ). Bearing the cross of Jesus carries with it the understanding that He is opposed to the concept of freedom of religion ( or the justifying of false religion - see Matthew 7:21-23, for example ), for example.
Christians ( see Acts 11:26, for example ) who join the United States military will have such an influence on their fellow soldiers ( see Ephesians 4:25, for example ). Those who are drafted ( if there is one in the future ) must do the same. Follow Simon's example.
Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see Psalm 119:65-73, 142, and 151, John 17:1, 3, and 17, and 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ). If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
