If Mark’s gospel was written either in Rome or for the church there, then those receiving this letter will have known our next person that Paul sends greetings to.
For it is only in his gospel that he mentions the man who carried the cross of Jesus, his sons also being named: “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.” Mark 15:21
So who is our person today?
“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord” (Romans 16 v 13)
Surely Paul isn’t using the word ‘chosen’ to indicate his salvation. Chosen for what?
Perhaps chosen to be in the story of the cross. His dad carried the cross of Christ. That is quite a claim! I wonder if the sons were there with their father accompanying him on his business trip. Maybe Rufus watched his father carry the cross? Were the sons as chosen as their father? Chosen to be near and part of the cross. The father, Simon, was the principal character but his sons journeyed in that experience.
Rufus was living in Rome and was part of the church. He was chosen and maybe this is the beautiful reason why he was.
I have always found it a gracious privilege that my son and daughter have followed my path with the cross of Christ. It is the most important thing I have ever done in leading them this way. Others don’t have that blessing as yet but I know this is their prayer that the children are not forgotten in the story of God.
Missions Paul 