Mark 15:21 — ExegesisTAB

The verse begins with kai {Καὶ | Kaí} linking this scene to the preceding narrative as a continuation of events. The main finite verb is angareuousin {ἀγγαρεύουσιν | angareúousin} “they compel,” a present tense form often used as a historical present in Mark, giving vividness to the account. Its direct object is the entire accusative string paragonta tina Simōna Kyrēnaion erchomenon ap’ agrou {παράγοντά τινα Σίμωνα Κυρηναῖον ἐρχόμενον ἀπ’ ἀγροῦ | parágonta tina Símōna Kurēnaîon erchómenon ap’ agroû}. Within this, paragonta “passing by” and erchomenon “coming” are participles that both modify the understood head “someone,” further specified appositionally as “Simon the Cyrenian.” The prepositional phrase ap’ agrou “from the field/country” adds background, indicating his origin at that moment and highlighting the incidental nature of his involvement. The appositional accusative ton patera Alexandrou kai Rouphou {τὸν πατέρα Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Ρούφου | tón patera Alexándrou kaí Roúphou} provides additional identification through familial relationships, likely assuming the audience’s awareness of Alexander and Rufus. The purpose conjunction hina {ἵνα | hína} introduces a subordinate clause with arē {ἄρῃ | árē}, an aorist subjunctive, expressing the intended result of the compulsion: “so that he might carry.” The object of arē is ton stauron autou {τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ | tón staurón autoû}, “His cross,” where autou is a third person masculine pronoun whose referent is the condemned central figure of the passion narrative. In translation, the accusative chain is rendered as a descriptively rich noun phrase modifying “Simon,” the hina-clause becomes an explicit purpose infinitive (“so that he might carry / to carry”), and the historical present is conveyed with past tense in English while maintaining the force of involuntary conscription.