Rufus
Who he was
Rufus is mentioned in Romans 16:13 as a member of the Christian community in Rome. Paul describes him as "chosen in the Lord," indicating that he was a faithful and distinguished believer. Paul also sends greetings to Rufus' mother, whom he says had been like a mother to him as well. This suggests that Rufus and his mother had a close relationship with Paul and had shown him kindness and hospitality, possibly during his missionary travels. The fact that Paul singles out Rufus and his mother for special mention implies that they were well-known and respected within the Roman church. Some scholars speculate that this Rufus could be the same person as the son of Simon of Cyrene mentioned in Mark 15:21, but there is no conclusive evidence to support this connection.
Every mention
Romans 1 mention
What the dictionary says
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.
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain