Kodi Mukudziwa?

Kodi guwa lansembe la “Mulungu Wosadziwika” limene mtumwi Paulo anapeza ku Atene linali chiyani?​—Machitidwe 17:23.

▪ Anthu angapo achigiriki olemba mabuku analemba zokhudza maguwa ansembe oterewa. Mwachitsanzo, wolemba mbiri wina yemwenso anali katswiri wodziwa za malo, yemwe anakhalapo m’zaka za m’ma 100 C.E., dzina lake Pausanias, ananena kuti ku Olympia kunali “guwa lansembe la milungu Yosadziwika.” Komanso katswiri wina wodziwa kulankhula bwino yemwenso anali katswiri wa nzeru za anthu, dzina lake Philostratus, ananena kuti anthu a ku Atene “ankamanga maguwa ansembe popereka ulemu kwa milungu yosiyanasiyana, ngakhale kwa milungu yosadziwika.”

Wolemba mabuku wina wa m’zaka za m’ma 200 C.E., dzina lake Diogenes Laertius, analemba nkhani inayake imene imafotokoza zimene zinachititsa kuti ku Atene kukhale “maguwa ansembe opanda mayina.” Nkhaniyo, yomwe inachitika cha m’ma 500 kapena 600 B.C.E., imanena za mmene munthu wina, dzina lake Epimenides, anathetsera mliri womwe unagwa ku Atene. Diogenes analemba kuti: “Iye [Epimenides] anatenga nkhosa . . . n’kupita nazo ku Areopagi ndipo atafika kumeneko anasiya nkhosazo kuti zizipita kulikonse komwe zingafune. Iye anauza anthu kuti azizitsatira ndipo pamalo alionse omwe nkhosa iliyonse ingagone, aziperekapo nsembe kwa mulungu wa m’deralo. Anthu amanena kuti zimenezi zinachititsa kuti mliriwo uthe. Choncho, mpaka pano m’madera ambiri a ku Atika muli maguwa ansembe osalembedwa dzina la mulungu aliyense.”

Buku lina limanena kuti n’kutheka kuti chinthu china chimene chinachititsa kuti anthu a ku Atene azimanga maguwa ansembe a milungu yosadziwika n’choti “ankaopa kuti angalephere kulemekeza mulungu wina amene sakumudziwa. Iwo ankaona kuti zimenezi zingachititse kuti asalandire madalitso kuchokera kwa mulunguyo kapena zingachititse kuti mulunguyo awakwiyire.”​—The Anchor Bible Dictionary.

N’chifukwa chiyani Ayuda a m’nthawi ya atumwi ankadana ndi okhometsa misonkho?

▪ Nthawi zonse anthu sasangalala akaona anthu okhometsa misonkho. Koma m’nthawi ya atumwi, Aisiraeli ankaona anthu amenewa kuti ndi oipa kwambiri komanso achinyengo.

Boma la Roma limene linkalamulira pa nthawiyo linkafuna kuti anthu azipereka msonkho wokwera kwambiri. Akuluakulu a boma ankatolera ndalama za msonkho wa minda ndiponso msonkho wa munthu aliyense. Iwo ankapereka ntchitoyi kwa munthu amene walonjeza kuti azibweretsa ndalama zambiri akatolera ndalama za msonkho pa katundu wolowa ndi kutuluka m’dzikolo komanso katundu wodutsa m’dzikolo kupita dziko lina. Choncho, Ayuda abizinezi ankapeza ufulu woti azitolera msonkho m’madera awo. Buku lina limanena kuti, popeza Ayuda amenewa ankatumikira Aroma omwe ankadedwa kwambiri, Ayuda anzawo ankadana nawo kwambiri chifukwa ankawaona kuti ndi “anthu opanduka ndiponso oukira, amene anali odetsedwa chifukwa chogwirizana ndi anthu osatumikira Mulungu.”​—M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia.

Anthu okhometsa misonkho ankachita chinyengo kwambiri ndipo ankalemera chifukwa cha ndalama zimene ankabera Ayuda anzawo. Ena ankatchaja msonkho wokwera kwambiri wosagwirizana ndi katundu n’cholinga chakuti ndalama inayo ikhale yawo. Enanso ankanamizira milandu anthu osauka n’cholinga chakuti awabere ndalama. (Luka 3:13; 19:8) Chifukwa cha zimenezi okhometsa misonkho ankaonedwa mofanana ndi anthu ochimwa ndipo buku lina limanena kuti “anali osayenera kukhala oweruza kapena kukhala mboni pa mlandu.”​—The Jewish Encyclopedia; Mateyu 9:10, 11.

[Chithunzi patsamba 18]

Guwa Lansembe la Mulungu Wosadziwika Lomwe Lili M’mabwinja a ku Pegamo, ku Turkey

[Chithunzi patsamba 18]

Chithunzi cha ku Roma Chosonyeza Munthu Wokhometsa Misonkho cha M’zaka za m’ma 100 Kapena 200 C.E.

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Erich Lessing/​Art Resource, NY