Mark 15:21First Nations VersionOn the way they came across a man who was just passing by, coming in from the countryside. The man’s name was Listening Man (Simon), the father of Man Fighter (Alexander) and Red Man (Rufus). The soldiers forced him to carry the heavy crossbeam for Creator Sets Free (Jesus). The cross was an instrument of torture and terror, used by the People of Iron (Romans) to strike fear into the hearts of any who dared to rise up against their empire. The victim’s hands and feet would be pierced with large iron nails, fastening them to the tree-pole. The victims would hang there, sometimes for days, until they were dead. This was one of the most cruel and painful ways to die ever devised by human beings. See the chapter |
12 Cross References
There were prophets and teachers among the sacred family that gathered in Stands Against (Antioch). There was Son of Comfort (Barnabas), Creator Hears (Simeon) who was also called Black Man (Niger), also Bright Light (Lucius) from Land of Power (Cyrene), Man of Comfort (Manaen) who was taken into the family of Chief Looks Brave (Herod), and Man Who Questions (Saul).
When they were finished putting on their big show, they stripped him of the purple chief blanket and dressed him in his own clothes. The soldiers forced Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to carry a heavy wooden crossbeam on his back. He stumbled under the weight, because he was weak from the beating he had endured, too weak to bear the burden. But they continued to march him down the road to the place where they would nail him to the cross.