Rufus
Pronounced ROO-fus
- Meaning
- "Red-haired; Red"
- Origin
- Latin
Rufus means "red-haired" or "red" in Latin. In the New Testament, Rufus appears in Romans 16:13, where Paul sends a deeply personal greeting: "Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine." This remarkable phrase — "his mother and mine" — reveals that Rufus's mother had been like a mother to Paul himself. Many scholars connect this Rufus with the son of Simon of Cyrene, the man compelled to carry Jesus' cross. Mark's Gospel identifies Simon as "the father of Alexander and Rufus" (Mark 15:21) — naming the sons suggests they were known to Mark's audience, likely the Roman church. If this connection is correct, Rufus's father literally carried the cross of Christ. This family's story arc — from a random passerby pressed into service to a household that mothered the apostle Paul — is one of the most beautiful examples of God's providence in Scripture.
Spiritual meaning
Rufus — 'chosen in the Lord' — came from a family marked by the cross. His father carried Jesus' cross; his mother nurtured Paul. Their story shows how one moment of service to Christ can transform a family's destiny for eternity.
Related verses (KJV)
"Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine."
Romans 16:13 (KJV) →"And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross."
Mark 15:21 (KJV) →