It’s common knowledge for most Christians that Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry Jesus’s cross on the day of his crucifixion. However, John 19:17 appears to say that Jesus carried his own cross. Is this a contradiction? Let’s begin by looking at the scriptures.

‎“And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a ‎Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha” (John 19:17) ‎

“Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon ‎by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.” (Matthew 27: 32) ‎

John 19:17 states that he went out carrying his own cross to the place of the skull. Matthew ‎‎27:31-32 tells us that he was led out to be crucified and that it was only as they were going ‎out to Golgotha that Simon was forced to carry the cross.‎

Mark 15:20-21 agrees with Matthew and gives us the additional information that Jesus ‎started out from inside the palace. As Simon was on his way in from the country, it is clear ‎that he was passing by in the street. This implies that Jesus carried his cross for some ‎distance, from the palace into the street. Weak from his floggings and torture, it is likely that ‎he either collapsed under the weight of the cross or was going very slowly. In any case, the ‎soldiers forced Simon to carry the cross for him. Luke 23:26 is in agreement, stating that ‎Simon was seized as they led Jesus away.‎

Matthew the Evangelist says they led him to the crucifixion meaning that they actually ‎walked from the place of flogging on their way to Golgotha. He continues by saying that while ‎they were leaving, meaning that they were leaving the city from the city gate. This means they were closer to the place of flogging than the place of ‎crucifixion, where they mocked Simon of Cyrene who was entering the city‏.‏

So, we understand from Matthew that Christ began the gruelling journey first, then, as they were ‎leaving the city from the city gate, Simon of Cyrene was stopped and was forced to take ‎over. Thus, the contradiction vanishes.