Ingabe Bewazi?

Umphostoli uPawulu wahamba ngamuphi umgwaqo lapho eya eRoma okokuqala?

▪ IzEnzo 28:13-16 zithi umkhumbi uPawulu ahamba ngawo lapho eya e-Italiya wafikela ePhutheyoli (namuhla ebizwa ngokuthi iPozzuoli), eChwebeni LaseNaples. Wabe eselibangisa eRoma ehamba ngoMgwaqo i-Aphiyo, umgwaqo omkhulu wakulo muzi.

UMgwaqo i-Aphiyo wethiwa ngo-Appius Claudius Caecus, isikhulu saseRoma esaqala ukuwakha ngo-312 B.C.E. Lo mgwaqo owawungamamitha angaba mahlanu nengxenye kuya kwayisithupha ububanzi nowawenziwe ngamatshe amakhulu entabamlilo wakhiwa wagcina usungamakhilomitha angu-583 ukusuka eRoma uya eningizimu-mpumalanga. Wawuxhumanisa iRoma netheku laseBrundisium (namuhla elibizwa ngokuthi iBrindisi) elalikufaka eMpumalanga. Njalo ngemva kwamakhilomitha angaba ngu-24, abantu ababesohambweni babema bathenge izinto abazidingayo, balale noma bashintshe amahhashi noma izinqola ababehamba ngazo.

Nokho, cishe uPawulu wayelubhadula ngonyawo. Ingxenye yoMgwaqo i-Aphiyo ayihamba yayingamakhilomitha angu-212. Wadlula iPontine Marshes, indawo eyayihlala iswakeme futhi inamaxhaphozi eyabangela ukuba omunye umlobi waseRoma akhononde ngokuthi igcwele omiyane futhi inuka kabi. Enyakatho nje yalawo maxhaphozi kwakuneSigcawu sika-Aphiyo—esiqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-65 ukusuka eRoma—neTresi Thaberne, indawo yokuphumula eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-50 ukusuka kulo muzi. AmaKristu asuka eRoma ayemlinde kulezi zindawo ezimbili uPawulu. Kwathi lapho ewabona “wabonga uNkulunkulu, wama isibindi.”—IzEnzo 28:15.

Hlobo luni lwesibhebhe okukhulunywa ngalo kuLuka 1:63?

▪ IVangeli likaLuka lithi abangane bakaZakariya bambuza ukuthi uzoyetha liphi igama indodana yakhe eyayisanda kuzalwa. UZakariya “wacela isibhebhe waloba ukuthi: ‘NguJohane igama lakhe.’” (Luka 1:63) Ngokwencwadi ethile, igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “isibhebhe” libhekisela “ocezwini lokubhala oluncane lokhuni olwaluvame ukukhuhlwa ngengcina yezinyosi (beeswax).” Lolu cezu olunengcina lwalube selufakwa amapulangwe ezinhlangothini zalo ezine. Esebenzisa ipeni lokubhala kulezi zibhebhe, umlobi wayengabhala noma yini afisa ukuyibhala. Lokho akubhalile kwakungase kucishwe kubuye kubhalwe okunye.

Incwadi ethi Reading and Writing in the Time of Jesus ithi: “Imidwebo yasePompeii, izithombe eziqoshiwe zasezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zoMbuso WaseRoma nezibhebhe ezatholakala lapho kumbiwa ezindaweni eziningi kusukela eGibhithe kuya eHadrian’s Wall [eNyakatho Brithani] zibonisa ukuthi izibhebhe zazisetshenziswa kakhulu.” Abantu abahlukahlukene kungenzeka babenazo izibhebhe ezinjalo—abahwebi, izikhulu zikahulumeni mhlawumbe ngisho namaKristu athile angekhulu lokuqala.

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

Umgwaqo I-Aphiyo

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

Isibhebhe sengcina somsebenzi wengane yesikole sangekhulu leminyaka lesibili C.E.

[Umthombo]

By permission of the British Library