ŴANTHU ŵanandi ŵakuyitemwa chomene mphinjika ndipo ŵakuyichindika chomene. Buku linyake likuti mphinjika “ntchimanyikwiro chikuru cha chisopa Chachikhristu.” (The Encyclopædia Britannica) Nangauli vili nthena, Ŵakhristu ŵaunenesko ŵakugwiliskira ntchito mphinjika yayi pakusopa. Chifukwa wuli?

 Chifukwa chikuru ntchakuti Yesu Khristu wakafwira pa mphinjika yayi. Lizgu la Chigiriki ilo kanandi likung’anamulika kuti “mphinjika” ni stau·rosʹ. Mazgu agha ghakung’anamura waka “khuni lakunyoloka.” Baibolo linyake likuti: “[Stau·rosʹ] ni makuni ghaŵiri ghakupinjikana yayi . . . mu Baibolo la Malemba gha Chigiriki [Testamente la Sono], mulije mazgu agho ghakuyowoya za mphinjika panji makuni ghaŵiri ghakupinjikana.”—The Companion Bible.

Awo ŵakalembanga Baibolo para ŵakukhumba kuyowoya chinthu icho Yesu wakapayikikapo, ŵakalembanga lizgu linyake. Ŵakalembanga lizgu la Chigiriki lakuti xyʹlon. (Milimo 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Ŵagalatiya 3:13; 1 Petrosi 2:24) Lizgu ili likung’anamura “thabwa” panji “khuni.”

Pakulongosora chifukwa icho ŵakagwiliskiranga ntchito khuni limoza pera kupayikapo munthu, buku linyake ku German la mutu wakuti Mphinjika na Kupayika Munthu, likuti: “Makuni ghakaŵa ghakusoŵa pa malo agho ŵakasankha kuti ŵapayikengepo ŵanthu. Ntheura, ŵakajinthanga pasi khuni limoza pera. Ndipo pakupayika ŵanthu ŵakwananga, ŵakatoranga mawoko na kughakaka pamoza kuchanya, panji kughakhoma na muzumali. Malundi nagho ŵakaghakakanga panji kughakhoma.”—Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung.

Kweni Mazgu gha Chiuta ndigho ghangatiphalira unenesko. Mpositole Paulosi wakayowoya kuti: “Khristu wali kutigura, na kutifwatura ku nthembo ya Dango apo iyo wakazgoka nthembo m’malo mwa ise, chifukwa kuli kulembeka kuti: ‘Ngwakutembeka munthu waliyose uyo wapayikika pa khuni.’” (Ŵagalatiya 3:13) Pa lemba ili, Paulosi wakayowoya fundo iyo yili pa Dotoronome 21:22, 23, apo pakuyowoya za khuni, mphinjika yayi. Pakuti munthu wakaŵanga ‘wakutembeka’ para wakomeka pa khuni, lekani ntchakwenelera yayi kuti Ŵakhristu ŵaŵikenge mu nyumba zawo vithuzithuzi vyakulongora Khristu wapayikika.

Palije ukaboni wakulongora kuti Ŵakhristu ŵakagwiliskiranga ntchito mphinjika pakusopa mu vyaka 300 vyakwambilira kufuma apo Yesu wakafwira. Kweni mu vyaka vya m’ma 300 C.E., Constantine wakanjira Chikhristu chautesi ndipo ndiyo wakambiska kuti mphinjika yiŵe chimanyikwiro cha mpingo wake. Tikumanya yayi icho Constantine wakachitira nthena, chifukwa Yesu Khristu wakapayikika pa mphinjika yayi. Nakuti ŵanthu  awo ŵakasopanga ŵachiuta ŵatesi ndiwo ŵakambiska vyakusopa mphinjika. Pa fundo iyi buku linyake likuti: “Mphinjika yikaŵapo pambere Chikhristu chindize ndipo yikusangikaso na ŵanthu awo Mbakhristu yayi.” (The New Chatholic Encyclopedia) Mabuku ghanyakeso ghanandi ghakulongora kuti ŵanthu awo ŵakasopanga chilengiwa na awo ŵakachitanga maluso ghakukhwaskana na kugonana ndiwo ŵakagwiliskiranga ntchito mphinjika.

Chifukwa wuli pera Ŵakhristu nawo ŵakamba kugwiliskira ntchito mphinjika? Ŵakwenera kuti ŵakakhumbanga kuti ŵakope luŵiro ŵanthu ŵambura kusopa Chiuta kuti ŵanjire Chikhristu chautesi. Kweni Baibolo likukanizga kusopa vinthu ivyo ŵanthu ŵambura kusopa Chiuta ŵakusopa. (2 Ŵakorinte 6:14-18) Baibolo likukanizgaso kusopa vikozgo kwa mtundu uliwose. (Ekisodo 20:4, 5; 1 Ŵakorinte 10:14) Ndicho chifukwa Ŵakhristu ŵaunenesko ŵakugwiliskira ntchito mphinjika yayi pakusopa. *