V. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

Once again the humility of Jesus is shown by His being below Simon. Jesus is carrying only the bottom of the Cross, but His Head is bowed in exhaustion. It is not merely the weight of the wood, but the weight of our sins that Jesus carries now. In the lower left we once again have tools: a ladder and a hammer. On the one hand they remind us of the sign that will be hung above Christ: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. On the other hand, however, the ladder is showing us that the Cross is the way for us to climb to Heaven.