Meaning of the Name Rufus
Rufus is a Latin name usually explained as "red," "reddish," or "red-haired." This etymology is well established. Because it was common in the Roman world, the name alone does not identify a person with certainty.
Origin
The name Rufus is of Latin origin.
Who is Rufus in the Bible?
Rufus is best known as the son of Simon of Cyrene, the man compelled to carry Jesus' cross. Paul also greets a Rufus in Romans as one who is chosen in the Lord; it is possible, though not certain, that this is the same person. In either case, the name points to a believer known in early Christian circles.
The story of Rufus in the Bible
The name Rufus appears twice in Scripture, and both mentions are brief yet touching. When Mark introduces Simon of Cyrene, the man compelled to carry the cross of Jesus, he notes that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus — a detail suggesting that Mark's first readers knew Rufus, since a man is only introduced through his sons when those sons are familiar. Paul, in the greetings of Romans, salutes a Rufus whom he calls chosen in the Lord, and adds that Rufus's mother had been a mother to him as well, revealing his affection for the family. Whether the two passages speak of the same man the texts do not say; it seems possible, but it is not certain. Even so, the name traces for us a family touched by the way of the cross and a beloved believer in the Roman church, one of those figures whose few lines make the early church's web of warm relationships visible.
Is Rufus mentioned in the Quran?
The name Rufus does not appear in the Quran; it belongs to early believers mentioned in the New Testament, in Mark and in Romans.
Verses where Rufus appears
- Mark 15:21 —
They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.
- Romans 16:13 —
Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.