Analalikira Uthenga Wabwino ku Tesalonika Movutikira Kwambiri

Mzinda wa Tesalonika, womwe masiku ano umadziwika kuti Thessaloníki kapena Salonika, ndi mzinda wotukuka umene uli mphepete mwa nyanja kumpoto chakum’mawa kwa Greece. Mzinda umenewu ulinso ndi mbiri ya Akhristu oyambirira, makamaka yokhudza utumiki wa Paulo amene anali mtumwi wachikhristu kwa anthu a mitundu ina.​—MACHITIDWE 9:15; AROMA 11:13.

CHA m’ma 50 C.E., Paulo ndi Sila anafika mumzinda wa Tesalonika. Umenewu unali ulendo wachiwiri wa Paulo waumishonale, ndipo unali mpata wawo woyamba kuti akalalikire uthenga wabwino wonena za Khristu ku Ulaya.

Pa nthawi imene ankafika ku Tesalonika ayenera kuti ankakumbukirabe zimene zinawachitikira ali ku Filipi, likulu la chigawo cha Makedoniya. Ali mumzinda umenewo iwo anamenyedwa komanso kuikidwa m’ndende. Ndipotu pa nthawi ina mtumwi Paulo anauza Akhristu a ku Tesalonika kuti analalikira kwa iwo “uthenga wabwino wa Mulungu movutikira kwambiri.” (1 Atesalonika 2:1, 2) Kodi zinthu ku Tesalonika zinawayendera bwanji? Kodi chinachitika n’chiyani atayamba kulalikira mumzindawu? Kodi anapezamo anthu omvetsera uthenga wabwino? Choyamba, tiyeni tikambirane zina ndi zina zokhudza mzindawu.

Poyamba Mumzindawu Munali Mavuto Ambiri

Dzina loti Tesalonika linachokera ku mawu awiri achigiriki otanthauza “anthu a ku Thessaly” ndiponso “kupambana” ndipo akusonyeza kuti mumzindawu munali kulimbana komanso nkhondo. Anthu ambiri amakhulupirira kuti mu 352 B.C.E., Mfumu Filipo Wachiwiri wa ku Makedoniya, yemwenso anali bambo ake a Alekizanda Wamkulu, anagonjetsa fuko la anthu a m’chigawo chapakati cha Girisi ku Thessaly. Anthu amanena kuti pofuna kumakumbukira kupambanako, iye anapereka dzina loti Thessalonice kwa mwana wake wamkazi, amene anadzakwatiwa ndi Kasanda amene anadzalowa ufumu m’malo mwa Alekizanda yemwe anali mchimwene wake wa Thessalonice. Cha m’ma 315 B.C.E., Kasanda anamanga mzinda kumadzulo kwa chilumba chotchedwa Chalcidice ndipo anautcha dzina la mkazi wake. Kwa nthawi yaitali mumzinda wa Tesalonika munkachitika mikangano.

Mzinda wa Tesalonika unali m’mbali mwa Nyanja ya Aegean ndipo unali wolemera chifukwa unali ndi doko labwino kwambiri. Pa nthawi ya Roma wakale, msewu waukulu wotchedwa Via Egnatia womwe unali wotchuka unkadutsanso mumzindawu. Popeza mzinda wa Tesalonika unali ndi doko labwino kwambiri komanso msewu waukulu, unali umodzi mwa malo amene Ufumu wa Roma unkagwiritsa ntchito polandira ndi kutumiza katundu kumayiko ena komanso pochita malonda. Patapita zaka zambiri, kulemera kwa mzindawu kunachititsa kuti mitundu yozungulira monga Agoti, Asilavo, Afulanki, Avenetia, ndi anthu a ku Turkey afune kulanda mzindawu. Ina mwa mitundu imeneyi inkalanda malowo mwa nkhondo ndipo inkapha anthu ambiri. Koma tsopano tiyeni tikambirane za ulendo wa Paulo wokalalikira mumzindawu, nthawi yoyamba pamene iye anafunika  kuyesetsa kuti anthu a mumzindawu amve uthenga wabwino.

Zimene Paulo Anachita Atafika ku Tesalonika

Nthawi zambiri Paulo akangofika mumzinda, ankayamba kaye walalikira kwa Ayuda chifukwa iwo ankadziwa Malemba. Iye ankaona kuti zimenezi zingathandize kuti akambirane nawo mosavuta komanso zingathandize kuti iwo amvetse uthenga wabwino. Katswiri wina ananena kuti zimene Paulo ankakonda kuchitazi, zikusonyeza kuti iye ankadera nkhawa Ayuda anzake kapena ankachita zimenezi n’cholinga chofuna kugwiritsa ntchito Ayudawo komanso anthu ena oopa Mulungu kuti apeze poyambira kugwira ntchito yake yolalikira kwa anthu amitundu ina.​—Machitidwe 17:2-4.

Choncho Paulo atangofika ku Tesalonika, analowa m’sunagoge ndipo “anakambirana [ndi Ayuda] mfundo za m’Malemba. Iye anali kufotokoza ndi kusonyeza umboni wolembedwa powatsimikizira kuti kunali koyenera kuti Khristu avutike ndi kuuka kwa akufa. Anali kunena kuti: ‘Yesu amene ndikumulalikira kwa inu, ndiye Khristu.’”​—Machitidwe 17:2, 3, 10.

Mfundo imene Paulo anatsindika, yonena za udindo wa Mesiya komanso kuti Mesiyayo ndi ndani, inayambitsa kusiyana maganizo. Mfundo yoti Mesiya anayenera kuvutika ndi kufa inali yosiyana ndi zimene Ayuda ankakhulupirira zokhudza Mesiya. Iwo ankakhulupirira kuti Mesiya adzawalanditsa ku ulamuliro wankhanza wa Aroma. Choncho pofuna kuwakhutiritsa kuti zimene iye ananena zinali zoona, Paulo “anakambirana nawo” komanso ‘anawafotokozera’ ndi ‘kuwasonyeza umboni’ wa m’Malemba. Zimenezi zikusonyeza kuti iye ankaphunzitsa mogwira mtima. * Koma kodi Ayudawo anatani pamene Paulo ankawafotokozera mfundo zofunikazi?

Zotsatira Zabwino Ngakhale Kuti Anakumana ndi Mavuto

Ayuda ena, Agiriki amene analowa Chiyuda komanso “amayi ambiri olemekezeka” anamvetsera uthenga umene Paulo ankalalikira. Amayi a ku Makedoniya amenewa akutchedwa kuti ‘amayi olemekezeka’ chifukwa anali ndi maudindo apamwamba. Iwo anali pa ntchito zapamwamba, anali ndi katundu, anali ndi ufulu wosiyanasiyana komanso ankachita mabizinezi. Panali zipilala zimene zinamangidwa polemekeza azimayi oterewa. Mofanana ndi mayi wabizinezi wa ku Filipi, dzina lake Lidiya, amene anamvetsera uthenga wabwino, nawonso azimayi a ku Tesalonika amenewa anamvetsera. Iwo ayenera kuti anali ochokera m’mabanja ochita bwino kapena anali akazi a anthu otchuka.​—Machitidwe 16:14, 15; 17:4.

Koma Ayuda ena anachita nsanje. Choncho anatengana ndi “anthu ena oipa, anthu osowa chochita amene anali kungokhala pamsika. Iwowa anapanga gulu lachiwawa ndi kuyambitsa chipolowe mumzindamo.” (Machitidwe 17:5) Kodi anthu amenewa anali ndani? Katswiri wina wa Baibulo ananena kuti amenewa anali anthu amene “ankakhala moyo wotayirira ndipo anali anthu osafunika.” Iye ananenanso kuti: “Sikuti iwo kwenikweni ankachita chidwi kuti adziwe zimene Paulo ankaphunzitsa. Koma mofanana ndi mmene anthu okonda chiwawa amachitira, ankangosangalala ndi kuchita zinthu zachiwawa.”

Iwo “anakhamukira kunyumba ya Yasoni [yemwe ankasunga Paulo m’nyumba mwake], kukafuna atumwiwo kuti awatulutsire ku gulu lachipolowelo.” Koma atalephera kum’peza Paulo, anapita kwa akuluakulu a mzindawo. Choncho “anakokera Yasoni ndi abale ena kwa olamulira a mzindawo, akufuula kuti: ‘Anthu awa amene abweretsa mavuto padziko lapansi kumene kuli anthu, tsopano akupezekanso kuno.’”​—Machitidwe 17:5, 6.

 Popeza mzinda wa Tesalonika unali likulu la chigawo cha Makedoniya, unkadzilamulira wokha pa zinthu zina ndi zina. Ena mwa anthu amene ankalamulira mzindawu anali anthu amene ankasankhidwa kusamalira nkhani zina ndi zina zochitika mumzindawu. ‘Olamulira a mzinda’ * amenewa anali akuluakulu a boma ndipo anali ndi udindo waukulu wokhazikitsa bata mumzindamo komanso kuonetsetsa kuti simukuchitika zinthu zimene zingachititse kuti boma la Roma lilowererepo n’kuwalanda mwayi wochita zinthu zina. Choncho iwo ayenera kuti anakhumudwa atamva kuti pali anthu ena amene akuchita zinthu zimene zingasokoneze mtendere wa mumzindawu.

Kenako anthu aja ananamiziranso Akhristuwo mlandu wina womwe unali woopsa kwambiri. Iwo anati: “Anthu onsewa akuchita zotsutsana ndi malamulo a Kaisara. Akunena kuti eti kulinso mfumu ina dzina lake Yesu.” (Machitidwe 17:7) Buku lina linanena kuti pamenepa ankawaimba “mlandu woukira ndi kupandukira” mafumu achiroma, omwe “sankalola kuti m’zigawo zonse zimene zinkalamulidwa ndi Aroma munthu azitchula dzina la mfumu [ina] kupatula ngati waloledwa ndi mafumuwo.” Komanso, popeza kuti Yesu amene Paulo ankalalikira kuti ndi Mfumu, anaphedwa ndi akuluakulu a Roma pa mlandu woukira boma ngati womwewu, mlandu umene Akhristuwa ankaimbidwawu unaoneka ngati woona.​—Luka 23:2.

Olamulira a mzinda anakwiya kwambiri ndi nkhani imeneyi. Koma popeza panalibe umboni wokwanira komanso anthu oimbidwa mlanduwo panalibe, “analipiritsa Yasoni ndi enawo ndalama, kenako anawamasula.” (Machitidwe 17:8, 9) N’kutheka kuti pamenepa Yasoni ndi Akhristu enawo anatulutsidwa pa belo atatsimikizira kwa olamulirawo kuti Paulo achoka mumzindawo ndipo sadzabweranso kudzayambitsa chisokonezo. Paulo ayenera kuti ankafotokoza za zimenezi pamene ananena kuti “Satana anatchinga njira” n’kumulepheretsa kuti asabwererenso mumzindamo.​—1 Atesalonika 2:18.

Poona mmene zinthu zinaliri, Paulo ndi Sila ananyamuka usiku ulendo wopita ku Bereya. Kumeneku utumiki wa Paulo unkayenda bwino, koma zimenezi zinakwiyitsa Ayuda a ku Tesalonika aja amene ankadana ndi ntchito ya Paulo. Choncho iwo anayenda ulendo wamakilomita 80 kupita ku Bereya n’cholinga choti akayambitse chipolowe kumeneko potsutsana ndi Paulo ndi Sila. Choncho pasanapite nthawi Paulo ananyamukanso, ulendo wopita ku Atene koma kumenekonso anakumana ndi mavuto kuti alalikire uthenga wabwino.

Mavuto Amene Mpingo Watsopano Unakumana Nawo

N’zosangalatsa kuti mpingo watsopano unakhazikitsidwa ku Tesalonika. Komabe Akhristu kumeneko anakumananso ndi mavuto ena kuwonjezera pa kutsutsidwa. Mumzindawu munali anthu ambiri osalambira Yehova komanso achiwerewere ndipo zimenezi zinkamudetsa nkhawa Paulo. Kodi zinthu zikanawathera bwanji Akhristu kumeneko?​—1 Atesalonika 2:17; 3:1, 2, 5.

Akhristu a ku Tesalonika ankadziwa kuti akasiya kuchita nawo miyambo yachipembedzo komanso zinthu zina, anthu omwe poyamba anali anzawo awakwiyira ndiponso azidana nawo. (Yohane 17:14) Ku Tesalonika kunalinso akachisi ambiri a milungu yachigiriki monga Zeu, Atemi, Apolo ndi milungu ina ya ku Iguputo. Komanso kulambira Kaisara kunali kofala pa nthawiyo, ndipo anthu onse ankayenera kuchita nawo miyambo yokhudza zimenezo. Aliyense  amene ankakana kulambira Kaisara ankaonedwa ngati woukira boma la Roma.

Kulambira mafano kunachititsa kuti anthu ambiri akhale ndi khalidwe lachiwerewere. Pochita miyambo yokhudza kulambira Cabirus, mulungu wa ku Tesalonika, Diyonisiyo ndi Afolodito, komanso Isisi mulungu wa ku Iguputo, anthu ankachita zachiwerewere komanso ankaledzera. Kuwonjezera pamenepa, anthu ambiri audindo ankangotenga akazi amene akuwafuna n’kumakhala nawo ndipo uhule unali ponseponse moti chigololo sichinkaonedwanso ngati tchimo. Chikhalidwe cha mumzindawu chinali chosokonekera chifukwa chotengera chikhalidwe cha Aroma. Buku lina limanena kuti ku Roma “kunkapezeka amuna ndi akazi ambirimbiri amene ntchito yawo inali kuthandiza anthu a mumzindawu kukwaniritsa zilakolako zawo zathupi ndipo madokotala ankalangiza anthu kuti asamapewe zinthu zimene zingayambitse chilakolako chogonana.” N’chifukwa chake Paulo analangiza Akhristu a ku Tesalonika kuti ayenera “kupewa dama,” ndi “chilakolako chosalamulirika cha kugonana” komanso “zodetsa.”​—1 Atesalonika 4:3-8.

Anapambana Nkhondo ya Chikhulupiriro

Akhristu a ku Tesalonika anafunika kuyesetsa kuti akhalebe ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba. Ngakhale kuti Akhristuwa ankatsutsidwa, ankakumana ndi mavuto, ndiponso ankakhala pakati pa anthu osaopa Mulungu komanso amakhalidwe oipa, Paulo anawayamikira chifukwa cha ‘chikhulupiriro chawo, ntchito zawo zachikondi komanso kupirira kwawo.’ Iye anawayamikiranso chifukwa cha zimene anachita pothandizira kuti uthenga wabwino ulalikidwe kulikonse.​—1 Atesalonika 1:3, 8.

M’chaka cha 303 C.E., Akhristu onse amene ankakhala mu Ufumu wa Roma anazunzidwa kwambiri. Amene anayambitsa chizunzochi anali Kaisara Galerius amene ankakhala mumzinda wa Tesalonika ndipo anamanga zinthu zambiri zokongola mumzindawu. Mabwinja a zina mwa zinthu zimene anamangazi adakalipo mpaka pano ndipo anthu amapita kukaona zinthu zimenezi.

Masiku ano nthawi zambiri a Mboni za Yehova amalalikira mumzinda wa Thessaloníki pafupi ndi zinthu zimene munthu wodana ndi Chikhristu ameneyu anamanga. Ngakhale kuti pa nthawi ina m’zaka za ma 1900 a Mboni za Yehova ankagwira ntchito yawo yolalikira movutika kwambiri chifukwa choti ankatsutsidwa, panopa mumzindawu muli mipingo ya Mboni za Yehova pafupifupi 60. Zimenezi zikusonyeza kuti ntchito yolalikira uthenga wabwino imene inayamba zaka zambiri m’mbuyomu ikukumanabe ndi mavuto koma ikukhalabe ndi zotsatira zabwino.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Mapu patsamba 18]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

Via Egnatia

MAKEDONIYA

Filipi

Amfipoli

Tesalonika

Bereya

THESSALY

Nyanja ya Aegean

ATENE

[Zithunzi patsamba 20, 21]

Pamwamba: Mzinda wa Thessaloníki

Pansi: Nyumba Yosambira ya Aroma yomwe inali mkati mwa msika

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Two bottom left images: 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Zithunzi patsamba 21]

Nyumba yozungulira imene ili pafupi ndi Chipilala cha Galerius; Chithunzi cha kaisala Galerius; kulalikira pafupi ndi Chipilala cha Galerius

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Middle image: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 18]

Head medallion: © Bibliothèque nationale de France; stone inscription: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism