EDIWAK miliọn owo ẹkpono ẹnyụn̄ ẹma cross. The Encyclopædia Britannica okot cross “akpan idiọn̄ọ ido ukpono Christ.” Nte ededi, ata mme Christian isikamake cross ke utuakibuot. Ntak mîsikamake?

Akpan ntak edi nte ke Jesus Christ ikakpaha ke cross. Ikọ Greek emi ẹwakde ndikabade nte “cross” edi stau·rosʹ. Ke nditịm ntịn̄, enye ọwọrọ “nnennen eto m̀mê ndọdọnọ eto.” The Companion Bible ọdọhọ ete: “Akananam [Stau·rosʹ] iwọrọke eto iba emi ẹmende kiet ẹbiọn̄ enye eken . . . N̄kpọ ndomokiet idụhe ke usem Greek emi ẹkedade ẹwet [Obufa Testament] oro akam ọnọde ekikere aban̄a eto iba.”

Ke ediwak itien̄wed, mme andiwet Bible ẹda ikọ efen ẹtịn̄  ẹban̄a n̄kpọ emi Jesus ọkọkọn̄ọde akpa. Enye edi ikọ Greek oro xyʹlon. (Utom 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatia 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) Ikọ emi ọwọrọ “eto” m̀mê “okpoyon̄.”

Ke anamde an̄wan̄a ntak emi ẹkewakde ndikọn̄ owo ke eto n̄wot, n̄wed oro Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung (Cross ye Edikọn̄ ke Cross), emi Hermann Fulda ewetde, ọdọhọ ete: “Odu-uwem eto ikesidụhe ke kpukpru ebiet emi ẹkemekde nte itie uwot owo. Ntre ẹma ẹsiwụk anyan eto ke isọn̄. Utọ eto ntem ke ẹkesidian mme abiatibet ubọk ke enyọn̄ ẹbọp m̀mê ẹkọn̄, ndien ẹma ẹsibọp m̀mê ẹkọn̄ ukot mmọ n̄ko.”

Nte ededi, akakan uyarade oro akpanamde ẹnịm emi ke akpanikọ odu ke Ikọ Abasi. Apostle Paul ọdọhọ ete: “Christ edep nnyịn osio ke isụn̄i Ibet ebe ke ndikabade ndi n̄kpọ isụn̄i ke ibuot nnyịn, koro ẹwet ntem ẹte: ‘Owo ekededi eke ẹkọn̄de ke eto ẹdi n̄kpọ isụn̄i.’” (Galatia 3:13) Ke itie emi, Paul okot oto Deuteronomy 21:22, 23, emi etịn̄de in̄wan̄-in̄wan̄ aban̄a eto, idịghe cross. Sia ediwot owo ke utọ usụn̄ emi akanamde owo oro edi “n̄kpọ isụn̄i,” ikpọfọnke mme Christian ẹda ndise emi Christ ọkọn̄ọde ke eto ẹbana ufọk mmọ.

Edieke itọn̄ọde ke ini emi Christ akakpade ibat isua 300, n̄kpọ ndomokiet idụhe ndisọn̄ọ ke mbon emi ẹkekotde idemmọ mme Christian ẹma ẹsikama cross ke utuakibuot. Nte ededi, ke ọyọhọ isua ikie inan̄, Akwa Edidem Constantine emi ekedide okpono ndem ama akabade edi owo Ido Ukpono Christ mbon nsọn̄ibuot onyụn̄ anam ẹkama cross nte idiọn̄ọ ido ukpono emi. Inamke n̄kpọ m̀mê nso ntak ke Constantine ekenyene, cross ikenyeneke n̄kpọ ndomokiet ndinam ye Jesus Christ. Ke akpanikọ, cross ọtọn̄ọ oto mme okpono ndem. New Catholic Encyclopedia enyịme ete: “Cross ama odu ke eyo emi Ido Ukpono Christ mîkodụhe onyụn̄ odu n̄ko ke mme idụt emi Ido Ukpono Christ mîdụhe.” Ediwak n̄wed efen ẹdọhọ ke cross enyene ebuana ye edituak ibuot nnọ mme n̄kpọ obot ye mme edinam ukpono ndem emi ẹbuanade idan̄.

Do, ntak emi ẹkesịnde udọn̄ ẹte ẹkama idiọn̄ọ mme okpono ndem emi-e? Etie nte ntak ekedi man emem utom ọnọ mme okpono ndem ndinyịme “Ido Ukpono Christ.” Edi, Bible enen̄ede akpan owo ndikpono idiọn̄ọ ukpono ndem ekededi.  (2 Corinth 6:14-18) N̄wed Abasi onyụn̄ akpan orụk ukpono ndem ekededi. (Exodus 20:4, 5; 1 Corinth 10:14) Ke ntre, ata eti ntak odu emi anamde mme ata Christian ẹkûkama cross ke utuakibuot. *