Abakristo ba mbere mu turere twakoreshaga ikigiriki

ABENSHI mu bantu bari batuye mu turere Abakristo ba mbere babwirizagamo, bavugaga ururimi rw’Ikigiriki. Ibyanditswe bakoreshaga babwiriza ubutumwa bwerekeye Yesu, byari mu Kigiriki. Igihe abanditsi bahabwaga umwuka wera kugira ngo bandike inyandiko zaje kwitwa Ibyanditswe bya Kigiriki bya Gikristo, abenshi muri bo banditse mu Kigiriki, kandi bakoresheje imvugo n’ingero zari zoroheye abantu bamenyereye umuco w’Abagiriki. Ariko kandi, ari Yesu, ari intumwa ze, ari n’abanditse Ibyanditswe bya Kigiriki bya Gikristo, nta n’umwe wari Umugiriki. Bose bari Abayahudi.—Abaroma 3:1, 2.

Ni mu buhe buryo ururimi rw’Ikigiriki rwaje kugira uruhare rukomeye mu gukwirakwiza Ubukristo? Ni gute abanditsi b’Abakristo n’abamisiyonari bo mu kinyejana cya mbere batangazaga ubutumwa ku buryo bushimisha abantu bavugaga Ikigiriki? Kuki twagombye gushishikazwa n’amateka yo muri icyo gihe?

Uko umuco w’Abagiriki wakwiriye hose

Mu kinyejana cya kane Mbere ya Yesu, Alexandre le Grand yatsinze Ubwami bw’Abaperesi, maze atangira kwigarurira n’ibindi bice by’isi.  Kugira ngo we n’abami bamusimbuye bahurize hamwe ibihugu bari barigaruriye, bateye abaturage inkunga yo kwiga Ikigiriki no kubaho nk’uko Abagiriki babagaho.

Ndetse na nyuma y’aho Ubwami bwa Roma bwigaruriye u Bugiriki bugakuraho ubutegetsi bwose bwa gipolitiki, umuco w’Abagiriki wakomeje kwiganza mu baturanyi babo. Mu kinyejana cya mbere n’icya kabiri Mbere ya Yesu, Abaroma bo mu miryango ikomeye bakundaga ibintu byose byakomokaga mu Bugiriki. Muri byo twavuga nk’ubugeni, ubwubatsi, ubuvanganzo na filozofiya. Ibyo ni na byo byatumye umusizi witwaga Horace avuga ati “u Bugiriki bwaratsinzwe, ariko na bwo bwatsinze uwabutsinze.”

Mu gihe cy’ubutegetsi bw’Abaroma, imigi ikomeye yo muri Aziya Ntoya, muri Siriya no muri Egiputa yateye imbere, ihinduka ihuriro ry’umuco w’Abagiriki. Kubera ko umuco w’Abagiriki wagendaga uhabwa intebe, winjiye mu bice byose by’imibereho y’abantu, haba mu bigo bya leta, mu mategeko, mu bucuruzi, mu nganda ndetse no mu myambarire. Ubusanzwe, mu migi myinshi y’Abagiriki habaga amazu y’imikino ngororamubiri, aho urubyiruko rwitorezaga. Nanone, habaga amazu y’amakinamico yakinirwagamo imikino yahimbwe n’Abagiriki.

Umuhanga mu by’Amateka witwaga Emil Schürer yaravuze ati “Abayahudi na bo bakuruwe n’uwo muco w’Abagiriki buhoro buhoro, nubwo batabishakaga.” Abayahudi bari bafite ishyaka ry’idini ryabo babanje kurwanya inyigisho za gipagani zajyaniranaga n’imitekerereze y’Abagiriki, ariko amaherezo basanga iyo mitekerereze yarinjiye mu bice byinshi by’imibereho y’Abayahudi. Schürer yakomeje avuga ko n’ubundi “icyo gihugu gito cy’Abayahudi cyari gikikijwe impande zose n’uturere twari twarigaruriwe n’Abagiriki, kandi ko byari ngombwa ko bashyikirana buri gihe n’abari bahatuye, kubera ko bahahiranaga.”

Uruhare rwa Bibiliya yitwa Septante

Kubera ko Abayahudi benshi bimukiye mu turere dukikije Inyanja ya Mediterane bagaturayo, babaga mu migi yari yiganjemo umuco w’Abagiriki, kandi abaturage baho bavugaga ururimi rw’Ikigiriki. Abo bimukira bakomeje kuyoboka idini ryabo ry’Abayahudi, kandi bajyaga i Yerusalemu mu minsi mikuru bagiraga buri mwaka. Ariko kandi, abenshi muri bo bageze aho bibagirwa Igiheburayo. * Ibyo byatumye Ibyanditswe bya Giheburayo bihindurwa mu Kigiriki cyavugwaga na rubanda. Intiti z’Abayahudi zatangiye uwo murimo w’ubuhinduzi ahagana mu mwaka wa 280 Mbere ya Yesu, kandi birashoboka ko zawukoreye muri Egiputa mu mugi wa Alegizandiriya, wari ihuriro rikomeye ry’umuco w’Abagiriki. Bibiliya bahinduye ni yo yiswe Septante.

Iyo Bibiliya yari ingenzi cyane muri icyo gihe. Yabaye nk’urufunguzo rwatumye Abanyaburayi bamenya agaciro k’Ibyanditswe bya Giheburayo. Iyo Septante itabaho, ibyo Imana yakoreye Abisirayeli ntibyari kumenyekana, kubera ko byari byanditswe mu rurimi rwari ruzwi n’abantu bake cyane, ku buryo rutari gutuma ubutumwa bwiza bugera ku isi hose. Mu by’ukuri, Septante yabonekagamo umuco, amagambo ndetse n’ururimi byatumye abantu bo mu moko atandukanye bamenya Yehova Imana. Kuba abantu benshi bari bazi Ikigiriki, byatumye urwo rurimi ruba igikoresho kitagereranywa mu kugeza ku bantu bo hirya no hino ku isi inyigisho z’ukuri kandi zera.

Abahindukiriye idini ry’Abayahudi n’abatinya Imana

Ahagana mu kinyejana cya kabiri Mbere ya Yesu, Abayahudi bari barahinduye ibitabo byabo byinshi by’ubuvanganzo babishyira mu Kigiriki,  kandi icyo gihe bandikaga ibindi bishya muri urwo rurimi. Ibyo byagize uruhare runini mu gutuma Abanyamahanga bamenya amateka y’Abisirayeli, ndetse n’idini ryabo. Abahanga mu by’amateka bavuga ko icyo gihe Abanyamahanga benshi “bifatanyaga n’imiryango y’Abayahudi mu bintu bimwe na bimwe, bakayoboka Imana y’Abayahudi kandi mu rugero runaka bagakurikiza amategeko yabo.”—The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ.

Abanyamahanga bamwe na bamwe bageze n’ubwo bajya mu idini ry’Abayahudi, bemera gukebwa, maze baba abayoboke b’iryo dini. Hari n’abandi bemeye ibintu bimwe na bimwe byo mu idini ry’Abayahudi, ariko banga guhinduka ngo babe abayoboke baryo. Abo ni bo ibitabo by’Abagiriki byakundaga kwita “Abatinya Imana.” Koruneliyo avugwaho kuba yari “umuntu ugira ishyaka ry’iby’Imana kandi akayitinya.” Intumwa Pawulo yahuye n’abantu benshi batinyaga Imana, bifatanyaga n’Abayahudi bari muri Aziya Ntoya no mu Bugiriki. Urugero, igihe yari muri Antiyokiya y’i Pisidiya, yabwiye abari bateraniye mu isinagogi ati “bagabo, Bisirayeli namwe bandi mutinya Imana.”—Ibyakozwe 10:2; 13:16, 26; 17:4; 18:4.

Bityo rero, igihe abigishwa ba Yesu batangiraga kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza mu Bayahudi bari batuye mu tundi turere twari hafi y’i Yudaya, abenshi mu babwumvise bari barakuriye mu muco wa kigiriki. Abo bantu ni bo bari mu mimerere myiza yari gutuma abantu benshi bahinduka Abakristo mu buryo bworoshye. Igihe byari bimaze kugaragara ko Imana yahaye Abanyamahanga ibyiringiro by’agakiza, abigishwa babonye ko ku Mana ‘hatari hakiriho Umuyahudi cyangwa Umugiriki.’—Abagalatiya 3:28.

Uko Abagiriki babwirijwe

Kubera ko Abanyamahanga bari bafite amahame mbwirizamuco yabo ndetse n’imyizerere yabo, bamwe mu Bakristo ba mbere b’Abayahudi babanje gutinya kwakira mu itorero Abanyamahanga bashakaga kuba Abakristo. Ku bw’ibyo, igihe byari bimaze kugaragara ko Imana yemera Abanyamahanga, intumwa n’abakuru b’i Yerusalemu basobanuye ko Abanyamahanga bahindukaga Abakristo basabwaga kwirinda amaraso, ubusambanyi no gusenga ibigirwamana (Ibyakozwe 15:29). Ibyo byari ibintu by’ingenzi ku muntu wese wari ufite imibereho nk’iy’Abagiriki, kubera ko Abagiriki n’Abaroma bari bakabije kugira “irari ry’ibitsina riteye isoni,” no kuryamana n’abo bahuje igitsina. Ibyo bikorwa ntibyari byemewe na gato mu Bakristo.—Abaroma 1:26, 27; 1 Abakorinto 6:9, 10.

Mu kinyejana cya mbere, intumwa Pawulo ni we wari uzwi cyane mu Bakristo b’abamisiyonari babwirizaga abantu bavugaga Ikigiriki. Na n’ubu abatemberera mu mugi wa Atene mu Bugiriki, bashobora kwibonera icyapa gikozwe muri bronze kiri kuri Areyopago, cyibutsa abantu disikuru itazibagirana Pawulo yatangiye muri uwo mugi. Iyo nkuru iboneka mu gice cya 17 cy’igitabo cya Bibiliya cy’Ibyakozwe. Amagambo Pawulo yatangije iyo disikuru agira ati “bagabo bo muri Atene,” ni yo Abagiriki bari basanzwe batangiza ibiganiro mbwirwaruhame. Nta gushidikanya rero ko yatumye abari bamuteze amatwi bumva batuje, harimo n’abahanga mu bya filozofiya bitwaga Abepikureyo n’Abasitoyiko. Aho kugira ngo Pawulo agaragaze ko adashimishijwe n’imyizerere y’abari bamuteze amatwi cyangwa ngo ayinenge, yashatse ukuntu yashyikirana na bo, yemera ko basa n’abita cyane ku by’idini. Yavuze ibirebana n’igicaniro cyabo ‘cy’Imana Itazwi,’ ahera ku bintu bumvikanaho, ababwira ko iyo ari yo Mana yari aje kubabwira.—Ibyakozwe 17:16-23.

Pawulo yageze ku mutima abari bamuteze amatwi ababwira ibintu bashobora kwemera. Yemeranyaga n’Abasitoyiko ko Imana ari yo Soko y’ubuzima bw’abantu, ko abantu bose bafite inkomoko imwe, ko Imana itari kure yacu kandi ko ari yo abantu bakesha kubaho. Pawulo yashyigikiye  icyo gitekerezo asubiramo amagambo yavuzwe n’abasizi b’Abagiriki, ari bo Aratus (mu gisigo yise Phaenomena) na Cleanthes (mu gisigo yise Hymn to Zeus). Abepikureyo na bo basanze hari ibintu byinshi bemeranyagaho na Pawulo, nko kuba Imana ari nzima kandi ishobora kumenyekana. Irihagije, nta cyo ikeneye ku bantu kandi ntiba mu nsengero zubatswe n’abantu.

Amagambo Pawulo yakoresheje abwira abari bamuteze amatwi, bari bayamenyereye. Dukurikije uko igitabo kimwe kibivuga, “isi (kosmos),” “urubyaro,” n’“Imana,” ni amagambo abahanga mu bya filozofiya bakoreshaga kenshi (Ibyakozwe 17:24-29). Pawulo ntiyashakaga guhakana ukuri kugira ngo abone uko abemeza. Ahubwo, amagambo yashorejeho avuga iby’umuzuko n’urubanza, yavuguruzaga imyizerere yabo. Ariko nubwo byari bimeze bityo, yahuje ubutumwa bwe n’imimerere abigiranye ubuhanga, haba mu mvugo no mu bitekerezo, kugira ngo buryohere abo bantu bari baratwawe na filozofiya.

Amenshi mu mabaruwa Pawulo yanditse, yayandikiye amatorero yari mu migi yo mu Bugiriki cyangwa mu ntara z’Abaroma zari zaracengewe n’umuco w’Abagiriki. Muri ayo mabaruwa yabaga yanditswe mu Kigiriki cyiza kandi cyumvikana, harimo ingero n’ibitekerezo byabaga bimenyerewe mu muco w’Abagiriki. Pawulo yavuzemo imikino ngororamubiri, ibihembo byahabwaga uwatsinze, umuherekeza wajyanaga umwana ku ishuri, n’ibindi bintu yavanaga mu mibereho y’Abagiriki (1 Abakorinto 9:24-27; Abagalatiya 3:24, 25). Nubwo Pawulo yabaga yiteguye gukoresha amagambo atiye mu Kigiriki, yamaganiraga kure imico y’Abagiriki n’amahame yo mu madini yabo.

Baba byose ku bantu b’ingeri zose

Intumwa Pawulo yabonye ko yagombaga ‘kuba byose ku bantu b’ingeri zose,’ kugira ngo ageze ubutumwa bwiza ku bandi. Yaranditse ati “ku Bayahudi nabaye nk’Umuyahudi kugira ngo nunguke Abayahudi.” Ku Bagiriki yabaye nk’Umugiriki kugira ngo abafashe gusobanukirwa imigambi y’Imana. Birumvikana ko Pawulo yari yujuje ibisabwa byose kugira ngo akore ibyo, kubera ko yari Umuyahudi wo mu mugi wari waracengewe n’umuco w’Abagiriki. No muri iki gihe rero, Abakristo bose bagombye kubigenza batyo.—1 Abakorinto 9:20-23.

Muri iki gihe abantu babarirwa muri za miriyoni bimukira mu bindi bihugu, bakareka umuco wabo bagafata undi. Ibyo rero bituma Abakristo bahura n’ikibazo cy’ingorabahizi, kubera ko baba bagomba kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza bw’Ubwami bw’Imana, no kubahiriza itegeko bahawe na Yesu ryo ‘guhindura abigishwa mu bantu bo mu mahanga yose’ (Matayo 24:14; 28:19). Incuro nyinshi, babona ko iyo abantu bumvise ubutumwa bwiza mu rurimi rwabo bubagera ku mutima, kandi bakabwitabira.

Kubera iyo mpamvu, igazeti y’Umunara w’Umurinzi Utangaza Ubwami bwa Yehova isohoka buri kwezi mu ndimi 169, naho indi bijyana ari yo Réveillez-vous! igasohoka mu ndimi 81. Ikindi kandi, kugira ngo abenshi mu Bahamya ba Yehova bageze ubutumwa bwiza ku bantu baba bimukiye mu gace batuyemo, bashyiraho imihati bakiga izindi ndimi. Muri izo ndimi biga, harimo n’izikomera cyane nk’Icyarabu, Igishinwa n’Ikirusiya. Baba bafite intego nk’iyo Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bari bafite. Intumwa Pawulo yabivuze neza ubwo yagiraga ati “nabaye byose ku bantu b’ingeri zose, kugira ngo mu buryo bwose nkize bamwe.”—1 Abakorinto 9:22.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Ikarita yo ku ipaji ya 18]

(Niba wifuza kureba uko bimeze, reba mu Munara w’Umurinzi)

Roma

U BUGIRIKI

Atene

AZIYA

Antiyokiya (y’i Pisidiya)

KILIKIYA

SIRIYA

YUDAYA

Yerusalemu

EGIPUTA

Alegizandiriya

Kurene

INYANJA YA MEDITERANE

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 19]

Bibiliya yitwa “Septante” yatumye abantu benshi bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bamenya Yehova

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Israel Antiquities Authority

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 20]

Icyapa kiri kuri Areyopago cyibutsa abantu disikuru Pawulo yahatangiye