Muʻaki Lotu Faka-Kalisitiané mo e Ngaahi ʻOtua ʻo Lomá

ʻI HA tohi ki he ʻEmipola Loma ko Talāsení, naʻe pehē ai ʻe Pilini ko e Siʻi, ko e kōvana ʻo Pitiniá: “Ko e meʻa eni kuó u fai ki he faʻahinga naʻe tukuakiʻi mai kiate au ko e kau Kalisitiané. Naʻá ku ʻeke ange pe ko e kau Kalisitiane kinautolu, pea kapau naʻa nau vetehia, naʻá ku ʻeke tuʻo ua mo tuʻo tolu ange fakataha mo e fakamanamana ʻo e tautea. Kapau naʻa nau piki pē ki ai, naʻá ku tuʻutuʻuni ke tāmateʻi kinautolu.” Ki he faʻahinga ko ia naʻa nau fakafisingaʻi ʻa e lotu faka-Kalisitiané ʻaki ʻa e laukovi kia Kalaisi pea lotu ki ha ʻīmisi ʻo e ʻemipolá mo e ʻīmisi ʻo e ngaahi ʻotuá ʻa ia naʻe ʻomai ʻe Pilini ki he fakamaauʻangá, naʻá ne tohi: “Naʻá ku fakakaukau naʻe totonu ke tukuange kinautolu.”

Naʻe fakatangaʻi ʻa e muʻaki kau Kalisitiané ʻi heʻenau fakafisi ke lotu ki he ʻemipolá mo e ʻīmisi ʻo e ngaahi ʻotua kehekehé. Fēfē ʻa e ngaahi lotu kehe ʻi he kotoa ʻo e ʻEmipaea Lomá? Ko e ngaahi ʻotua fē naʻe fai ki ai ʻa e lotú, pea naʻe anga-fēfē ʻa e vakai kia kinautolu ʻa e kau Lomá? Ko e hā naʻe fakatangaʻi ai ʻa e kau Kalisitiané ʻi heʻenau fakafisi ke feilaulau ki he ngaahi ʻotua ʻo Lomá? Ko e tali ki he ngaahi fehuʻi ko ení ʻe tokoniʻi ai kitautolu ke tau ʻiloʻi ʻa e meʻa ke fai ʻi he ʻīsiu meimei tatau he ʻahó ni ʻoku kau ki ai ʻa e mateaki kia Sihová.

Lotu ʻa e ʻEmipaeá

Ko e kehekehe ʻa e ngaahi ʻotua naʻe lotu ki ai ʻi he kotoa ʻo e ʻEmipaea Lomá naʻe lahi fau tatau pē ia mo e kehekehe ʻi he leá mo e anga fakafonuá. Neongo ʻa e hā ngali faikehe ʻa e lotu faka-Siú ki he kau Lomá, naʻa nau vakai ki ai ko ha religio licita, pe ko ha lotu ʻiloa, pea nau maluʻi ia. Tuʻo ua ʻi he ʻaho taki taha ʻi he temipale ʻi Selusalemá, naʻe feilaulauʻi ai ha lami ʻe ua mo ha pulu kia Sisa mo e puleʻanga Lomá. Pe naʻe fakafiemālieʻi ʻe he ngaahi feilaulaú ni ha ʻotua ʻe taha pe ngaahi ʻotua tokolahi naʻe ʻikai mahuʻinga ia ki he kau Lomá. Ko e meʻa naʻe mahuʻinga kia kinautolú ko e ʻomai ʻe he tōʻonga ko ení ʻa e fakamoʻoni feʻunga ʻo e mateaki ʻa e kau Siú ki Loma.

Ko e lotu panganí ʻi he founga kehekehe naʻe failahia ia ʻi he lotu fakaeouau ʻi he feituʻú. Ko e talatupuʻa faka-Kalisí naʻe talilahia ia, pea naʻe failahia ai ʻa e tongafisí. Ko e ngaahi lotu fakamisiteli naʻe taku mei he Hahaké naʻe talaʻofa ai ki he kau lotú ʻa e moʻui taʻefaʻamate, maʻu fakahā fakahangatonu, mo e fakaofiofi ki he ngaahi ʻotuá fakafou ʻi he ngaahi ouau fakafaimana. Ko e ngaahi lotú ni naʻe mafola ia ʻi he kotoa ʻo e ʻemipaeá. Naʻe manakoa ʻi he muʻaki ngaahi senituli T.S. ʻa e ngaahi lotu fakaeouau ʻa e ʻotua ʻIsipite ko Selapisi mo e ʻotua-fefine ko ʻĪsisi, ʻotua-fefine ika Sīlia ko ʻAtakatisi, mo e ʻotua-laʻā Pēsia ko Mītila.

 Ko e tohi Ngāué ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻoku fakahaaʻi mahino ai ʻa e ʻatimosifia pangani naʻe takatakai ʻi he muʻaki lotu faka-Kalisitiané. Hangē ko ení, ko e kōvana Loma ʻo Saipaló naʻe fakafeʻao holo ia ʻe ha tokotaha faimana Siu. (Ng. 13:6, 7) ʻI Līsita naʻe fetoʻoaki ai ʻe he kakai ʻo e feituʻú ʻa Paula mo Panepasa mo e ongo ʻotua Kalisi ko Siupita mo Meakuli. (Ng. 14:11-13) ʻI he taimi naʻá ne ʻi Filipai aí, naʻe fetaulaki ai ʻa Paula mo ha kaunanga naʻe fai tongafisi. (Ng. 16:16-18) ʻI ʻAtenisi naʻe fakamatala ʻa e ʻapositoló ko hono kakaí ‘naʻa nau matamata hulu atu ʻi he tauhi faʻahikehé.’ ʻI he kolo ko iá, naʻá ne toe sio ai ki ha ʻōlita naʻe tongi ai ʻa e lea “moʻo ha ʻOtua teʻeki ʻiloa.” (Ng. 17:22, 23) Ko e kau nofo ʻi ʻEfesoó naʻa nau lotu ki he ʻotua-fefine ko Taiana. (Ng. 19:1, 23, 24, 34) ʻI he motu ko Mēlitá, naʻe pehē ai ʻe he kakaí ko Paulá ko ha ʻotua koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai hoko ha kovi kiate ia ʻi hono uʻu ʻe ha ngata. (Ng. 28:3-6) ʻI he ngaahi taimi peheé, naʻe fiemaʻu ai ki he kau Kalisitiané ke maluʻi kinautolu mei he ngaahi tākiekina naʻe lava ke ne fakameleʻi ʻenau lotu maʻá.

Lotu ʻa Lomá

ʻI he tupulaki ʻa honau ʻemipaeá, naʻe tali ai ʻe he kau Lomá ʻa e ngaahi ʻotua foʻou naʻa nau pehē ko e fakahā kehekehe mai pē ia ʻo e ngaahi ʻotua ne nau ʻosi ʻiloʻi. ʻI he ʻikai fakangata ʻosi ʻa e ngaahi lotu fakaeouau mulí, naʻe tali ia ʻe he kau ikuna ʻo Lomá ʻo nau ohi. Naʻe hoko ai ʻa e lotu ʻa Lomá ʻo kehekehe tatau pē mo hono kakai ʻo e anga fakafonua kehekehe. Naʻe ʻikai mahuʻinga ʻi he lotu ʻa Lomá ʻa e lotu ki ha ʻotua pē tahá. Naʻe lava ke lotu ʻa e kakaí ki he ngaahi ʻotua kehekehe ʻi he taimi tatau.

Naʻe tuʻu-ki-muʻa ʻi he ngaahi ʻotua tuʻufonua ʻo Lomá ʻa Siupita, naʻe ui ko ʻOpitimasi Mekisimasi, ko e lelei tahá ia mo e lahi tahá. Naʻe pehē tokua naʻe hā mai ia tonu ʻi he matangí, ʻuhá, ʻuhilá mo e maná. Ko e tuofefine ʻo Siupitá ʻa ia ko e kuini ko Suno, naʻe felāveʻi ia mo e māhiná, naʻe pehē naʻá ne tokangaʻi ʻa e tafaʻaki kotoa ʻa e moʻui ʻa e kakai fefiné. Ko hono ʻofefiné ʻa Mineva ko e ʻotua-fefine ia ʻo e ngāue fakameaʻá, ngāué, ʻātí pea mo e taú.

Ko e ngaahi ʻotua Lomá naʻe hā ngali ʻikai hano ngataʻanga. Ko Lalesi mo Penatesí ko e ongo ʻotua ia ʻo e fāmilí. Ko Vesitā ko e ʻotua-fefine ia ʻo e tofunangá. Ko e ʻotua mata-ua ko Sānusí ko ha ʻotua ia ʻo e kamataʻanga kotoa pē. Ko e ngāue taki taha naʻe ʻi ai pē hono ʻotua tefito. Naʻe aʻu ʻo ʻai ʻe he kau Lomá ʻa e ʻotua ki he anga taki taha. Naʻe maluʻi ʻa e melinó ʻe Pēkisi, ko Sālusi ʻa e moʻui leleí, ko Putikitia ʻa e anga-fakanānaá mo e anga-maʻá, ko Faitesi ʻa e mateakí, ko Vētusi ʻa e loto-toʻá,  pea ko Volapitasi ʻa e fiefiá. Ko e tōʻonga kotoa pē ʻa e kakai Lomá mo ʻenau moʻui fakafoʻituituí naʻe pehē tokua naʻe fakamoʻulaloa ia ki he finangalo ʻo e ngaahi ʻotuá. Ko ia ke fakapapauʻi ha ola lelei ʻi ha feinga, naʻe pau ke fakafiemālieʻi ʻa e ʻotua totonú ʻaki ʻa e ngaahi lotu fakaeouau, ngaahi feilaulau mo e ngaahi kātoanga.

Ko e founga ʻe taha ke fakapapauʻi ai ʻa e finangalo ʻo e ngaahi ʻotuá ko e kumi ki he vavaló. Ko e founga tefito ʻo e ngaahi tōʻongá ni ko hono vakaiʻi ʻa e toʻotoʻonga ʻo e fanga manu kuo feilaulauʻakí. Naʻe pehē tokua ko e tuʻunga mo e fōtunga ʻo e ngaahi ʻōkani ko ení naʻe fakahaaʻi ai pe naʻe ʻikai hōifua mai ʻa e ngaahi ʻotuá pe naʻa nau leleiʻia ʻi he meʻa naʻe teu ke faí.

ʻI he konga ki mui ʻo e senituli hono ua K.M., naʻe fakapapauʻi ai ʻe he kau Lomá ʻoku tatau honau ngaahi ʻotua tefitó mo e ngaahi ʻotua ko ia ʻo e kau Kalisí—ʻa Siupita mo Siusi, Suno mo Hila, mo hai fua. Naʻe toe ohi foki ʻe he kau Lomá ʻa e talatupuʻa naʻe ʻalu fakataha mo e ngaahi ʻotua Kalisí. Ko e ngaahi talatupuʻa ko ení naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito fakahekehekeʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi ʻotuá, ʻa ia naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e mele mo e ngaahi ngātanga tatau mo e tangatá. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻa Siusi ko ha ʻotua tohotoho mo pāʻusiʻi ʻa e fānaú ʻa ia naʻe fehokotaki fakasino mo e kakaí pea mo e faʻahinga ʻoku taku ʻoku taʻefaʻamaté. Ko e ngaahi hokosia taʻenā ʻa e ngaahi ʻotuá—naʻe faʻa pasipasiʻi fefeka ia ʻi he ngaahi fale faiva ʻi he kuonga muʻá—ʻo fakangofua ai ʻa ʻenau kau lotú ke nau kau ʻi he ngaahi tōʻonga ololalo tahá.

Ngalingali ko e kakai ako tokosiʻi pē naʻa nau tali moʻoni ʻa e ngaahi talatupuʻá. Naʻe fakaʻuhingaʻi ia ʻe he niʻihi ko e talanoa fakaefakatātā. ʻE fakamatalaʻi nai ʻe he meʻá ni ʻa e fehuʻi ʻiloa ʻa Ponitō Pailato, “Ko e ha tū ʻa e moʻoni?” (Sione 18:38) Kuo ngāueʻaki ia ke fakamatalaʻi ʻaki “ha ongoʻi anga-maheni ʻa e kau tangata potó, ʻo kulanoa ai ʻa e feinga ke fakapapauʻi ha meʻa pau ʻi he ngaahi meʻá ni.”

Lotu ki he ʻEmipolá

Ko e pule ʻa ʻAokositusí (27 K.M. ki he 14 T.S.) naʻe fakaʻilongaʻi ai ʻa e kamataʻanga ʻo e lotu ki he ʻemipolá. Tautefito ʻi he ngaahi vahefonua lea faka-Kalisi ʻo e Hahaké, naʻe ongoʻi houngaʻia moʻoni ʻa e tokolahi ʻia ʻAokositusi, ʻa ia naʻá ne kamataʻi ha tuʻunga lakalakaimonū mo e melino hili ha vahaʻa taimi lōloa ʻo e taú. Naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe he kakaí ha maluʻi hokohoko ʻe ha mafai hā mai. Naʻa nau holi ki ha fokotuʻutuʻu ʻa ia naʻe lava ke ikuʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi faikehekehe fakalotú, pouaki ʻa e mamahiʻi-fonuá, pea fakafāʻūtahaʻi ʻa e māmaní ʻi he malumalu ʻo hono “fakamoʻuí.” Ko hono olá, naʻe hilifaki ai ʻa e fakalāngilangi fakaʻotua ki he ʻemipolá.

Neongo naʻe ʻikai fakangofua ʻe ʻAokositusi ʻa e niʻihi kehé ke nau ui ia ko ha ʻotua ʻi heʻene kei moʻuí, naʻá ne vilitaki ke ʻai ʻa Loma ko ha ʻotua-fefine—ko Loma Tea—ʻo fai ki ai ʻa e lotú. Naʻe ʻai ʻa ʻAokositusi ko ha ʻotua hili ʻene maté. Ko e fakakaukau fakalotú mo e mamahiʻi-fonua ʻi he ngaahi vahefonuá naʻe fakahanga fakatouʻosi ia ki he senitā ʻo e ʻemipaeá mo hono kau pulé. Ko e lotu fakaeouau foʻou ki he ʻemipolá, ʻa ia naʻe vave ʻene mafola ki he kotoa ʻo e ngaahi vahefonuá, naʻe hoko ia ko ha founga ʻo hono fakahāhā ʻa e fakaʻapaʻapa mo e mateaki ki he Puleʻangá.

Ko Tomitiani, ʻa e ʻemipola mei he 81 ki he 96 T.S. ʻa e ʻuluaki pule Loma ke ne kounaʻi ʻa e lotu kiate ia ko ha ʻotuá. ʻI he aʻu mai ki hono taimí, naʻe fakafaikehekeheʻi ai ʻe he kau Lomá ʻa e kau Kalisitiané mei he kau Siú pea fakafepakiʻi ʻa e meʻa naʻe vakai ki ai ko ha lotu fakaeouau foʻou. ʻOku ngalingali ko e lolotonga e pule ʻa Tomitianí naʻe fakaheeʻi ai ʻa e ʻapositolo ko Sioné ʻi he motu ko Pātimosí ʻi heʻene “fakamoʻoni naʻe fai [kia] Sisu.”—Fkh. 1:9.

Ko e tohi Fakahaá naʻe hiki ia lolotonga ʻa hono fakaheeʻi ʻo Sioné. Naʻá ne lave ai kia ʻAnitipasa, ko ha Kalisitiane naʻe tāmateʻi ʻi Peakamosi, ko ha senitā mahuʻinga ʻo e lotu ki he ʻemipolá. (Fkh. 2:12, 13) ʻI he taimi ko ení, naʻe kamata nai ke kounaʻi ʻe he founga-pule fakaʻemipolá ke fakahoko ʻe he kau Kalisitiané ʻa e ngaahi ouau ʻo e  lotu ʻa e Puleʻangá. Pe naʻe pehē eni pe ʻikai, ʻi he 112 T.S., hangē ko ia naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻi he tohi kia Talāseni naʻe lave ki ai he kamata ʻo e fakamatala ko ení, naʻe kounaʻi ai ʻe Pilini ʻa e kau Kalisitiane ʻi Pitiniá ke nau fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi ouau peheé.

Naʻe vikiʻi ʻe Talāseni ʻa hono fakahoko ʻe Pilini ʻa e ngaahi keisi naʻe ʻomai kiate iá pea tuʻutuʻuni ke tāmateʻi ʻa e kau Kalisitiane naʻa nau fakafisi ke lotu ki he ngaahi ʻotua Lomá. “Kae kehe,” ko e tohi ia ʻa Talāsení, “ʻi he fakaʻikaiʻi ʻe ha tokotaha ko ha Kalisitiane iá, pea ʻai ke hā mahino ʻoku ʻikaí, ʻaki ʻa e lotu ki hotau ngaahi ʻotuá, tuku ke fakamolemoleʻi ia (neongo ha huʻuhuʻu ki ai ki muʻa) ʻi heʻene fakatomalá.”

Ko e fakakaukau faka-Lomá naʻe ʻikai lava ke tupu ia mei he lotu naʻe kounaʻi ai ʻa e līʻoa maʻataʻatā mei hono kau muimuí. Naʻe ʻikai fiemaʻu ia ʻe he ngaahi ʻotua Lomá, ko e hā ai ka fiemaʻu ia ʻe he ʻOtua ʻo e kau Kalisitiané? Naʻe pehē ko e lotu ki he ngaahi ʻotua ʻo e Puleʻangá naʻe fakahaaʻi pē ai ʻa hono ʻiloʻi ʻo e fokotuʻutuʻu fakapolitikalé. Ko ia ai, ko e fakafisi ke lotu kia kinautolú naʻe lau ia ko e talisone. Hangē ko ia naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe Piliní, naʻe halaʻatā ha founga ke fakamālohiʻi ai ʻa e tokolahi taha ʻo e kau Kalisitiané ke nau fai ki ai. Kia kinautolu, ko ha tōʻonga pehē ʻe fakahaaʻi ai ʻa e taʻefaitōnunga kia Sihova, pea ko e fuʻu tokolahi ʻo e muʻaki kau Kalisitiané naʻa nau saiʻia ange ke mate kae ʻikai fai ha lotu ʻaitoli ki he ʻemipolá.

Ko e hā ʻoku totonu ai ke mahuʻinga eni kia kitautolu he ʻaho ní? ʻI he ngaahi fonua ʻe niʻihi, ʻoku ʻamanekina ai ʻa e tangataʻifonuá ke nau fakalāngilangiʻi ʻa e ngaahi fakaʻilonga fakafonuá. ʻI he tuʻunga ko e kau Kalisitiané, ʻoku tau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi moʻoni ʻa e tuʻunga mafai ʻo e ngaahi puleʻanga fakamāmaní. (Loma 13:1) Kae kehe, ʻi heʻene hoko mai ki he ngaahi kātoanga ʻoku kau ki ai ʻa e ngaahi fuka fakafonuá, ʻoku ueʻi kitautolu ʻe he fiemaʻu pau mai ʻe Sihova ko e ʻOtuá ʻa e līʻoa maʻataʻataá mo e akonaki ʻa ʻene Folofolá ke “hola mei he tauhi-aitoli” pea “taʻofi [kitautolu] mei he tauhi aitoli.” (1 Kol. 10:14; 1 Sione 5:21; Nehu. 1:2) Naʻe pehē ʻe Sīsū: “Ko Sihova ko ho ʻOtuá kuo pau ke ke lotu ki aí, pea ko ia toko taha pē kuo pau ke ke fai ki ai ʻa e ngāue toputapú.” (Luke 4:8, NW) Ko ia ai, ʻofa ke tau hokohoko atu ʻa e tauhi maʻu ʻo ʻetau mateaki ki he ʻOtua ʻoku tau lotu ki aí.

[Fakamatala ʻi he peesi 5]

Ko e kau Kalisitiane moʻoní ʻoku nau līʻoa maʻataʻatā kia Sihova

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 3]

Ko e muʻaki kau Kalisitiané naʻa nau fakafisi ke lotu ki he ʻemipolá pe ko e ʻīmisi ʻo e ngaahi ʻotuá

ʻEmipola Tomitiani

Siusi

[Credit Lines]

Emperor Domitian: Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com; Zeus: Photograph by Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com, taken at Archaeological Museum of Istanbul

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 4]

Naʻe fakafisi ʻa e kau Kalisitiane ʻi ʻEfesoó ke lotu ki he ʻotua-fefine manakoa ko ʻĀtemisí.—Ng. 19:23-41