MTANDA umakondedwa komanso kulemekezedwa ndi anthu ambiri. Buku lina limanena kuti mtanda ndi “chizindikiro chachikulu chodziwira chipembedzo chachikhristu.” (The Encyclopædia Britannica) Komabe, Akhristu oona sagwiritsa ntchito mtanda polambira Mulungu. Kodi iwo sagwiritsa ntchito mtanda chifukwa chiyani?

 Chifukwa chachikulu n’chakuti Yesu sanafere pamtanda. Mawu achigiriki amene nthawi zambiri amamasuliridwa kuti “mtanda” ndi stau·rosʹ. Mawu amenewa kwenikweni amatanthauza “mtengo wowongoka.” Baibulo lina limafotokoza kuti: “Mawu akuti [Stau·rosʹ] satanthauza matabwa awiri okhomedwa mowasemphanitsa . . . M’malemba Achigiriki [a Chipangano Chatsopano] mulibe mawu aliwonse osonyeza kuti anagwiritsa ntchito matabwa awiri.”—The Companion Bible.

Palinso mawu ena achigiriki omwe olemba Baibulo anagwiritsa ntchito kwambiri potchula za chinthu chimene anapachikapo Yesu. Mawu ake ndi akuti xyʹlon. (Machitidwe 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Agalatiya 3:13; 1 Petulo 2:24) Mawu amenewa amangotanthauza “thabwa,” “ndodo” kapena “mtengo.”

Pofotokoza chifukwa chake ankapachika anthu pamtengo wamba, buku lina linanena kuti: “Mitengo inali yosowa m’malo ambiri amene ankapachikirako anthu. Chifukwa cha zimenezi, ankangozika pansi thabwa lililonse kapena mtengo. Pamenepo m’pamene ankamangirirapo kapena kukhomerera anthu opalamula milandu. Mikono ya anthuwo ankaipititsa m’mwamba n’kuimangirira kapena kuikhomerera ndipo nthawi zambiri ankachitanso chimodzimodzi ndi miyendo yawo m’munsi mwa mtengowo.”—The Cross and the Crucifixion, lolembedwa ndi Hermann Fulda.

Koma umboni waukulu wosonyeza kuti Yesu sanapachikidwe pamtanda timaupeza m’Mawu a Mulungu. Mtumwi Paulo ananena kuti: “Khristu anatigula ndi kutimasula ku temberero la Chilamulo ndipo iyeyo anakhala temberero m’malo mwa ife, chifukwa Malemba amati: ‘Ndi wotembereredwa aliyense wopachikidwa pamtengo.’” (Agalatiya 3:13) Apa mtumwi Paulo anagwira mawu lemba la Deuteronomo 21:22, 23, lomwe limanena za mtengo, osati mtanda. Popeza kuti munthu akapachikidwa pamtengo woterewu ankakhala “temberero,” sizingakhale bwino kuti Akhristu azikongoletsa nyumba zawo ndi chizindikiro cha Yesu ali pamtanda.

Palibe umboni uliwonse wosonyeza kuti Akhristu amene anakhalapo zaka 300 zoyambirira Yesu ataphedwa, ankagwiritsa ntchito mtanda polambira. Koma pambuyo pa nthawi imeneyi, Mfumu Kositantini inalowa Chikhristu cha anthu ampatuko ndipo inalimbikitsa Akhristuwo kuti azigwiritsa ntchito mtanda ngati chizindikiro chawo. Sizikudziwika kuti iye anachita zimenezi chifukwa chiyani, koma palibe kugwirizana kulikonse pakati pa mtanda ndi Yesu Khristu. Anthu achikunja ndi amene ankagwiritsa ntchito mtanda.  Buku lina la Akatolika limanena kuti: “Mtanda umapezeka m’miyambo imene anthu anali nayo asanalowe Chikhristu ndiponso m’miyambo ina yomwe si yachikhristu n’komwe.” (New Catholic Encyclopedia) Mabuku enanso amasonyeza kuti mtanda unkagwiritsidwa ntchito ndi anthu amene ankalambira zinthu zachilengedwe ndiponso kuchita miyambo yachikunja yokhudza kugonana.

Komano n’chifukwa chiyani anthu analimbikitsa mwambo wachikunja umenewu? Ayenera kuti anachita zimenezi n’cholinga chofuna kukopa anthu achikunjawo kuti ayambe Chikhristu. Komatu Baibulo limaletsa zogwiritsa ntchito chizindikiro chilichonse chachikunja. (2 Akorinto 6:14-18) Malemba amaletsanso kugwiritsa ntchito mafano kwa mtundu uliwonse. (Ekisodo 20:4, 5; 1 Akorinto 10:14) Choncho, pali zifukwa zomveka zimene zimachititsa kuti Akhristu oona asamagwiritse ntchito mtanda polambira. *