Akhristu Oyambirira Ndiponso Milungu ya Aroma

M’KALATA imene analembera Trajan, yemwe anali mfumu ya Aroma, kazembe wa ku Bituniya dzina lake Pliny Wamng’ono anati: “Anthu amene ndinkawaimba mlandu wokhala Akhristu ndinkawafunsa ngati anali Akhristu, ndipo akavomera ndinkawafunsanso kachiwiri ndi kachitatu uku ndikuwaopseza kuti apatsidwa chilango. Akaumirira kunena kuti ndi Akhristu, ndinkalamula kuti aphedwe.” Koma amene ankakana kuti sanali Akhristu mwa kunyoza Khristu ndiponso kulambira fano la mfumu komanso zifanizo za milungu imene Pliny anabweretsa m’khoti, iye analemba kuti: “Ndinkaona kuti ndi bwino kuti ndiwamasule.”

Akhristu oyambirira ankazunzidwa chifukwa chokana kulambira mfumu ndiponso zifanizo za milungu yosiyanasiyana. Nanga bwanji zipembedzo zina zomwe zinali mu Ufumu wa Roma? Kodi ndi milungu iti imene inkalambiridwa, ndipo Aroma ankaiona bwanji? N’chifukwa chiyani Akhristu ankazunzidwa chifukwa chokana kupereka nsembe kwa milungu ya Aroma? Mayankho a mafunso amenewa atithandiza kudziwa mmene tingachitire tikakumana ndi nkhani zokhudza kukhulupirika kwathu kwa Yehova.

Zipembedzo mu Ufumu wa Roma

Popeza anthu mu Ufumu wa Roma ankalankhula zinenero zambiri ndipo anali ndi zikhalidwe zosiyanasiyana, panalinso milungu yosiyanasiyana yomwe ankailambira. Ngakhale kuti Chiyuda chinali chipembedzo chachilendo kwa Aroma, iwo ankachivomereza ndipo ankachiteteza. M’kachisi ku Yerusalemu, kawiri pa tsiku ankapereka nsembe ya tiana tankhosa tiwiri ndi ng’ombe. Nsembe imeneyi inkaipereka m’malo mwa Kaisara ndiponso mtundu wa Aroma. Kaya nsembe zimenezi zinkasangalatsa mulungu mmodzi kapena yambiri, Aroma analibe nazo ntchito. Koma iwo ankaona kuti kuchita zimenezi kunali umboni wokwanira wosonyeza kuti Ayuda anali okhulupirika kwa Aroma.

Kulambira kwachikunja kunali kofala m’timagulu ta zipembedzo takumeneko. Anthu ambiri ankakhulupirira nthano za Chigiriki ndipo kuombeza maula kunali ponseponse. Zipembedzo zomwe ankati n’zochokera kum’mawa zinkalonjeza otsatira ake kuti azikhala ndi moyo wosafa, azitha kudziwa zinthu ndiponso azilankhula ndi milungu pochita miyambo ina. Zipembedzo zimenezi zinafalikira mu ufumu wonse wa Aroma. Chakumayambiriro kwa zaka za m’ma 100 C.E., anthu ambiri ankapembedza milungu ya ku Iguputo monga Serapis ndi Isis, mulungu wa nsomba wa ku Suriya, Atargatis, ndiponso wa dzuwa wa ku Perisiya, Mithra.

Buku la Machitidwe limasonyeza zinthu zachikunja zimene  zinkachitika Chikhristu chitangoyamba kumene. Mwachitsanzo, kazembe wachiroma wa ku Kupuro ankacheza kwambiri ndi Myuda wina wamatsenga. (Mac. 13:6, 7) Paulo ndi Baranaba ali ku Lusitara, anthu a kumeneko ankaganiza kuti iwo anali milungu ya Chigiriki yotchedwa Hereme ndi Zeu. (Mac. 14:11-13) Ali ku Filipi, Paulo anakumana ndi mtsikana wina yemwe ankachita zamatsenga. (Mac. 16:16-18) Ali ku Atene, mtumwiyu ananena kuti anthu akumeneko ‘ankaopa kwambiri milungu kuposa mmene ena ankachitira.’ Mumzinda womwewo anaonanso guwa la nsembe lolembedwa kuti: “Kwa Mulungu Wosadziwika.” (Mac. 17:22, 23) Anthu a ku Efeso ankalambira mulungu wamkazi Atemi. (Mac. 19:1, 23, 24, 34) Anthu a pachilumba cha Melita ananena kuti Paulo anali mulungu chifukwa atalumidwa ndi njoka sanapwetekedwe. (Mac. 28:3-6) Akhristu ankafunika kukhala osamala kuti zinthu zoterezi zisaipitse kulambira kwawo koyera.

Chipembedzo cha Aroma

Pamene ufumu wawo unkakula, Aroma anayamba kukhulupirira milungu ina yatsopano. Iwo ankaona kuti milungu imeneyi ndi yomwe ankaidziwa poyamba koma yangosintha. M’malo mothetsa timagulu ta chipembedzo timene Aroma anatigonjetsa, iwo ankativomereza ndi kuyamba kulambira milungu ya timaguluto. Choncho, ku Roma kunali zipembedzo zosiyanasiyana popeza kunalinso anthu azikhalidwe zosiyanasiyana. Ku Roma kunalibe lamulo loti munthu azilambira Mulungu mmodzi yekha. Anthu ankatha kulambira milungu yosiyanasiyana nthawi imodzi.

Mulungu wamkulu pa milungu imene Aroma ankailambira anali Jupita, yemwe ankatchedwa kuti wabwino ndiponso wamkulu koposa. Iwo ankaganiza kuti mphamvu za Jupita zimaonekera mu mphepo, mvula, mphezi ndiponso ziphaliwali. Ankaganizanso kuti Jupita ankacheza kwambiri ndi mlongo wake, Juno, yemwe anali mulungu wa mwezi ndipo ankati iye ndi amene ankayang’anira zochitika zonse pamoyo wa akazi. Ankanenanso kuti mwana wake wamkazi dzina lake Minerva anali mulungu wa zosemasema, ntchito, luso losiyanasiyana ndiponso nkhondo.

Aroma ankalambira milungu yambirimbiri. Milungu yotchedwa Lares ndi Penates inali ya banja. Ndipo Vesta anali mulungu wa malo osonkhera moto. Mulungu wa nkhope ziwiri, Janus, anali woyambitsa zinthu zonse. Ntchito iliyonse ngakhale chinthu chilichonse chinali ndi mulungu wake. Mwachitsanzo, Pax anali mulungu wa mtendere, Salus wa thanzi, Pudicitia wa kudzichepetsa ndi kukhala woyera, Fides wa kukhulupirika,  Virtus wa kulimba mtima ndipo Voluptas wa chisangalalo. Aroma ankakhulupirira kuti milungu yawo ndi imene inkatsogolera zochita zawo zonse. Choncho kuti zinthu ziwayendere bwino pa zimene akuchita, ankafunika kusangalatsa mulungu wa zimene akuchitazo mwa kupemphera, kupereka nsembe ndiponso kuchita mapwando.

Njira imodzi yodziwira zofuna za milungu inali kuombeza. Ndipo imodzi mwa njira zikuluzikulu imene ankachitira zimenezi inali kuona ziwalo za mkati za nyama imene inkaperekedwa nsembe. Iwo ankaganiza kuti mmene ziwalozi zinkaonekera, zinkasonyeza kuti milungu yakana kapena yavomereza zimene akufuna kuchitazo.

Chakumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 100 B.C.E., Aroma anayamba kukhulupirira kuti milungu yawo yaikulu inali yofanana ndi milungu ina ya Agiriki. Mwachitsanzo, iwo ankati Jupita ankafanana ndi Zeu ndipo Juno ankafanana ndi Hera. Aroma ankakhulupiriranso nthano zina zimene zinkagwirizana ndi milungu ya Chigiriki. Nthano zimenezi zinkanenanso zoipa za milunguyi, popeza inali ndi zofooka ndiponso, mofanana ndi anthu, inkalephera kuchita zinthu zina. Mwachitsanzo Zeu ankanenedwa kuti ndi wogwirira anthu, wogona ana ndiponso kuti ankagonana ndi zamoyo zomwe ankati zimafa ndiponso zina zomwe ankati zili ndi moyo wosafa. Zinthu zimene milunguyi inkachita mopanda manyazi, zomwe nthawi zambiri ankaonerera m’mabwalo a masewero, zinkachititsa anthu amene ankailambira kuganiza kuti nawonso akhoza kumachita makhalidwe oipa amenewa.

N’kutheka kuti anthu ena ophunzira ankaona ngati nthano zimenezi zinali zochitika zenizeni. Ena ankanena kuti zinkaphiphiritsira zinthu zina. Mwina izi n’zimene zinachititsa Pontiyo Pilato kufunsa funso lodziwika kwambiri lakuti, “Choonadi n’chiyani?” (Yoh. 18:38) Anthu ena amati funsoli limangonena “maganizo a anthu ophunzira akuti n’zosatheka kudziwa bwinobwino zoona zake za zinthu zina.”

Kulambira Mfumu

Kulambira mfumu kunayamba mu ulamuliro wa Augustus (27 B.C.E. mpaka 14 C.E.). Makamaka m’zigawo za kum’mawa komwe kunkakhala anthu olankhula Chigiriki, anthu ankayamikira kwambiri Augustus chifukwa choti anabweretsa mtendere pambuyo pa nthawi yaitali ya nkhondo. Anthu ankafuna chitetezo chosatha kudzera mwa ulamuliro wa munthu. Ankafuna ulamuliro umene ukanathetsa vuto la kusiyana zipembedzo, kulimbikitsa kukonda dziko lako ndiponso kugwirizanitsa dziko kudzera mwa “mpulumutsi.” Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti mafumu aziwaona ngati milungu.

Ngakhale kuti nthawi imene Augustus anali moyo sanalole anthu kumutchula kuti ndi mulungu, iye anaumirira kuti dziko la Aroma, lomwe linali mulungu Roma Dea, lizilambiridwa. Augustus atamwalira, anthu ankati anali mulungu. Choncho anthu azipembedzo ndiponso anthu ena m’zigawo zina ankalemekeza kwambiri likulu la mfumu ndiponso olamulira ake. Sipanatenge nthawi kuti chipembedzo chatsopano cholambira mfumu chimenechi chifalikire ku zigawo zonse ndipo chinali njira yosonyezera ulemu ndiponso kukhulupirika ku Boma.

Domitian yemwe anali mfumu ya Aroma kuyambira mu 81 mpaka mu 96 C.E., ndiye anali woyamba kuuza anthu kuti azimulambira monga mulungu. Pa nthawi ya ulamuliro wake, Aroma anaona kuti Akhristu anali osiyana ndi Ayuda ndipo anatsutsa chipembedzo chimene chinkaonedwa kuti n’chatsopano. Ndipo zikuoneka kuti inali nthawi ya ulamuliro wa Domitian pamene mtumwi Yohane anaikidwa m’ndende pa chilumba cha Patimo chifukwa ‘chochitira umboni za Yesu.’​—Chiv. 1:9.

Buku la Chivumbulutso linalembedwa nthawi imene Yohane anali pa chilumbachi. M’buku limeneli ananena za Antipa, Mkhristu amene anaphedwa ku Pegamo, lomwe linali likulu la chipembedzo cholambira mfumu. (Chiv. 2:12, 13)  Nthawi imeneyi boma liyenera kuti linayamba kuuza Akhristu kuti azichita miyambo ya chipembedzo cha Boma. Kaya zimenezi zinali choncho kapena ayi, cha m’ma 112 C.E., Pliny ankafunitsitsa kuti Akhristu ku Bituniya azichita nawo miyambo ya boma monga mmene kalata yopita kwa Trajan, yomwe yatchulidwa kumayambiriro kwa nkhani ino, inanenera.

Trajan ankaona kuti njira imene Pliny ankatsatira poweruza milandu inali yabwino ndipo analamula kuti Akhristu amene akana kulambira milungu ya Aroma, aziphedwa. Trajan anati: “Koma munthu akakana kuti si Mkhristu ndipo akasonyeza poyera mwa kuvomereza milungu yathu, munthu wotereyu ankayenera kukhululukidwa akalapa (ngakhale kuti poyamba tinkamukayikira).”

Aroma sankamvetsa kuti pangakhale chipembedzo chimene chimafuna kuti anthu ake azilambira Mulungu mmodzi yekha. Iwo ankaganiza kuti ngati milungu ya Aroma sinkafuna zimenezi ndiye n’chifukwa chiyani Mulungu wa Akhristu ankafuna zimenezi? Ankaona kuti kulambira milungu ya Boma kunkangosonyeza kuti munthu akuvomereza dongosolo landale lomwe linalipo. Choncho kukana kulambira milunguyi unali mlandu woukira boma. Koma Pliny anaona kuti sangathe kukakamiza Akhristu kuti azilambira boma. Kwa iwo kuchita zimenezi kukanasonyeza kusakhulupirika kwa Yehova ndipo Akhristu ambiri oyambirira anasankha kufa m’malo molambira mfumu.

N’chifukwa chiyani tiyenera kuchita chidwi ndi nkhani imeneyi? M’mayiko ena anthu amafunika kulemekeza zizindikiro za boma. Akhristufe timalemekeza ulamuliro wa boma. (Aroma 13:1) Koma pa nkhani ya miyambo yokhudza mbendera, timaona kuti ndi bwino kulambira Yehova Mulungu yekha chifukwa n’zimene amafuna ndiponso n’zimene malangizo a m’Mawu ake amatiuza kuti “thawani kupembedza mafano” ndiponso “pewani mafano.” (1 Akor. 10:14; 1 Yoh. 5:21; Nah. 1:2) Yesu anati: “Yehova Mulungu wako ndi amene uyenera kumulambira, ndipo utumiki wako wopatulika uyenera kupita kwa iye yekha basi.” (Luka 4:8) Choncho, tiyeni tipitirizebe kukhala okhulupirika kwa Mulungu amene timalambira.

[Mawu Otsindika patsamba 5]

Akhristu oona amalambira Yehova yekha basi

[Zithunzi patsamba 3]

Akhristu oyambirira anakana kulambira mfumu ndiponso zifanizo za milungu

Mfumu Domitian

Zeu

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Emperor Domitian: Todd Bolen/​Bible Places.com; Zeus: Photograph by Todd Bolen/​Bible Places.com, taken at Archaeological Museum of Istanbul

[Chithunzi patsamba 4]

Akhristu a ku Efeso anakana kulambira mulungu wamkazi Atemi yemwe anali wotchuka.​—Mac. 19:23-41