Rufus

In Bible versions:

Rufus: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV

a son of Simon of Cyrene and the brother of Alexander

---

red

Arts:

Arts Topics: Portraits of Rufus from Cyrene

Greek

Strongs #4504: Roufov Rhouphos

Rufus = "red"

1) name of a certain Christian

4504 Rhouphos hroo'-fos

of Latin origin; red; Rufus, a Christian:-Rufus.

Rufus [EBD]

red, the son of Simon the Cyrenian (Mark 15:21), whom the Roman soldiers compelled to carry the cross on which our Lord was crucified. Probably it is the same person who is again mentioned in Rom. 16:13 as a disciple at Rome, whose mother also was a Christian held in esteem by the apostle. Mark mentions him along with his brother Alexander as persons well known to his readers (Mark 15:21).

Rufus [NAVE]

RUFUS
Son of Simon, Mark 15:21.
Probably identical with the Rufus in Rom. 16:13.

RUFUS [SMITH]

(red) is mentioned in (Mark 15:21) as a son of Simon the Cyrenian. (Luke 23:26) (A.D. 29.) Again, in (Romans 16:13) the apostle Paul salutes a Rufus whom he designates as "elect in the Lord." This Rufus was probably identical with the one to whom Mark refers.

RUFUS [ISBE]

RUFUS - roo'-fus (Rhouphos): The name is mentioned twice: (1) Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled to bear the cross of Jesus, is "the father of Alexander and Rufus" (Mk 15:21); (2) Paul sends greetings to Roman Christians, "Rufus the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine" (Rom 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 Mk 10:30).

S. F. Hunter