“Mudzi Woposa Midzi Yonse M’Galileya”

PA MTUNDA wa makilomita sikisi ndi theka okha kumpoto chakumadzulo kwa Nazarete, tawuni imene Yesu anakulira, kunali mudzi umene sanautchule m’mabuku a Uthenga Wabwino. Koma wolemba mbiri wina wotchuka wa m’nthawi za atumwi, Flavius Josephus, anauyamikira kuti unali “mudzi woposa midzi yonse m’Galileya.” Mudziwu unali wa Sepphoris. Kodi tikudziwa chiyani za mudziwu?

Herode Wamkulu atamwalira, makamaka m’chaka cha 1 B.C.E., nzika za mudzi wa Sepphoris zinaukira Roma, ndipo mudziwu unawonongedwa. Antipa, mwana wamwamuna wa Herode, anatenga Galileya ndi Pereya ndipo anasankha mudzi wowonongeka wa Sepphoris kuti ukhale malo amene anadzamangapo likulu lake. Anamanganso mudziwo ndipo anaumanga mogwiritsa ntchito mapulani a Agiriki ndi Aroma, koma anthu ambiri amene amakhala m’mudziwo anali Ayuda. Richard A. Batey, yemwe ndi Pulofesa pa koleji inayake anati “mudziwu unakhala likulu la ntchito za maboma a Galileya ndi Pereya,” mpaka pamene Antipa anamanga Tiberiyo cha m’ma 21 C.E. kuti likhale likulu m’malo mwa Sepphoris. Panthawiyi m’pamene Yesu ankakhala pafupi ndi mudziwu.

Pulofesa wina dzina lake James Strange, amene anafukula zinthu za m’mabwinja ku Sepphoris, amakhulupirira kuti poyamba mudziwu unali ndi malo osungira zinthu zakale zofunika, malo osungirako chuma cha boma, malo osungirako zida za nkhondo, mabanki, nyumba zochitirako zinthu zosiyanasiyana, ndi misika yogulitsira ziwiya zadothi, za galasi, za chitsulo, zinthu monga ndolo, mphete ndi zibangili, ndiponso zakudya zosiyanasiyana. Kunali amalonda amene amaluka ndi kusoka zovala ndiponso kunali masitolo kumene amagulitsa mabasiketi, mipando, zodzoladzola zonunkhira ndi zina zambiri. Chiwerengero cha anthu nthawi imeneyo akuti chinali pakati pa 8,000 ndi 12,000.

Kodi Yesu anapitapo kukaona mudzi wotanganidwa umenewo, womwe unali pa mtunda woti munthu angayende ola limodzi kuchokera ku Nazarete? Mabuku a Uthenga Wabwino sanatipatse yankho. Anchor Bible Dictionary imati, “njira ina yachidule yochokera ku Nazarete kukafika ku Kana wa m’Galileya inkadutsa m’mudzi wa Sepphoris.” (Yohane 2:1; 4:46) Kuchokera ku Nazareti, phiri la ku Sepphoris limaonekera, ndipo n’lalitali mamita 120. Ena amakhulupirira kuti Yesu ankaganiza za mudziwu pamene ankapereka fanizo lakuti “mudzi wokhazikika pamwamba pa phiri sungathe kubisika.”​—Mateyu 5:14.

Yerusalemu atagwa mu 70 C.E., Sepphoris anakhala mudzi waukulu wa Ayuda ku Galileya ndipo kenako unakhala malo amene anamangako Sanihedirini, bwalo lalikulu la Ayuda. Kwa kanthawi, mudziwu unakhala malo amene Ayuda amakaphunzira komanso kuphunzitsako.

[Mapu/​Chithunzi patsamba 32]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

Nyanja ya Galileya

GALILEYA

Kana

Tiberiyo

SEPPHORIS

Nazarete

PEREYA

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 32]

Pottery: Excavated by Wohl Archaeological Museum, Herodian Quarter, Jewish Quarter. Owned by Company for the Reconstruction of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, Ltd