“Tiyenera Kumvera Mulungu Koposa Anthu”

Kuchitira Umboni Bwino Lomwe “Molimba Mtima”

GULU lachiwawa lakonzeka kumenya ndi kupha mtumiki wokhulupirika wa Mulungu. Atatsala pang’ono kuti athane naye, asilikali achiroma akukwatula munthuyo pagulu la anthu omwe amuwukirawo ndi kukamusunga. Zimenezi zinali chiyambi cha zochitika zimene zinatenga zaka pafupifupi zisanu. Zotsatira zake n’zakuti akuluakulu a maudindo apamwamba a m’boma la Roma anamva za Yesu Khristu.

Munthu yemwe akuzunzidwayo ndi Paulo. Cha m’ma 34 C.E., Yesu ananena kuti Paulo (Saulo) adzanyamula dzina Lake pamaso pa “mafumu.” (Machitidwe 9:15) Pomafika chaka cha 56 C.E., mawu amenewa anali asanakwaniritsidwe. Komano mtumwiyu atatsala pang’ono kumaliza ulendo wake wachitatu wa umishonale, zinthu zinali pafupi kusintha.

Anamenyedwa Koma Sanasiye

Paulo ali paulendo wake wopita ku Yerusalemu, ndipo kudzera “mwa mzimu,” Akhristu ena akum’chenjeza kuti akazunzidwa koopsa ngati atapita ku mzindawo. Molimba mtima, Paulo akuti: “Ine ndili wokonzeka osati kumangidwa kokha, komanso kukafa ku Yerusalemu chifukwa cha dzina la Ambuye Yesu.” (Machitidwe 21:4-14) Paulo atangofika kumene m’kachisi ku Yerusalemu, Ayuda ochokera ku Asiya amene akudziwa bwino ntchito yolalikira ya mtumwiyu, akuyambitsa chipwirikiti n’cholinga choti amuphe. Mwamsanga, asilikali achiroma akubwera kudzam’pulumutsa. (Machitidwe 21:27-32) Kupulumutsidwa kumeneku kukuchititsa kuti Paulo akhale ndi mwayi wapadera kwambiri, wolalikira choonadi chonena za Khristu kwa anthu oopsa ndiponso a udindo wapamwamba.

Kulalikira Anthu Ovuta Kuwapeza

Pomuteteza Paulo, asilikaliwo akum’kokera ku masitepe a kumalo achitetezo otchedwa Tower of Antonia. * Ali pa masitepe amenewa, mtumwiyu akuchitira umboni mwamphamvu kwa gulu la chipembedzo lachiwawalo. (Machitidwe 21:33–22:21) Komano iye atangotchula za cholinga chake chokalalikira kwa anthu omwe sanali Ayuda, chipwirikiticho chikuyambanso. Kenaka mkulu wa asilikali, Lusiya, akulamula kuti Paulo afunsidwe mafunso uku akum’kwapula, n’cholinga choti anene chifukwa chake Ayuda akumuimba mlandu. Komabe, kukwapulidwako kukulephereka pamene Paulo akunena kuti iye ndi nzika ya Roma. Patsiku lotsatira, Lusiya akum’tenga Paulo kupita naye ku Bungwe Lalikulu la Ayuda kuti adziwe chifukwa chake Ayuda akumuimba mlandu.​—Machitidwe 22:22-30.

Ataimirira pamaso pa khoti lalikulu limeneli, Paulo akupezanso mwayi wina wapadera wochitira umboni kwa Ayuda anzake. Mlaliki wopanda manthayu akulalikira za chikhulupiriro chake cha kuuka kwa akufa. (Machitidwe 23:1-8) Ayudawo akufunabe kumupha, ndipo asilikaliwo akum’tenga Paulo kupita naye kumpanda kwawo. Tsiku lomwelo usiku, iye akulandira chilimbikitso chogwira mtima kuchokera kwa Ambuye: “Limba mtima! Pakuti monga wandichitira ine umboni bwino lomwe mu Yerusalemu, ukandichitiranso umboni mofananamo ku Roma.”​—Machitidwe 23:9-11.

Chiwembu chofuna kupha Paulo chikulephereka pamene mtumwiyu akuzembetsedwa n’kupita naye ku Kaisareya, mzinda wachiroma umenenso unali likulu la Yudeya. (Machitidwe 23:12-24) Ali ku Kaisareya, Paulo akupeza mwayi winanso wapadera kwambiri, ndipo iye akuchitira umboni kwa “mafumu.” Choyamba, mtumwiyu akumuuza Bwanamkubwa Felike kuti palibe umboni uliwonse wotsimikizira kulakwa kwake. Kenaka, Paulo akulalikira kwa Felike ndi mkazi wake Durusila ponena za Yesu, kudziletsa, chilungamo, ndiponso za chiweruzo chomwe chikubwera m’tsogolomu. Komabe, Paulo akukhala m’ndende kwa zaka ziwiri, chifukwa Felike akuganiza kuti Paulo apereka chiphuphu, koma Paulo sakupereka.​—Machitidwe 23:33–24:27.

Felike atalowedwa m’malo ndi Fesito, Ayuda akuyesetsanso  kuti Paulo aimbidwe mlandu ndi kuphedwa. Mlanduwo ukuyambikanso ku Kaisareya, ndipo posafuna kuti ukazengedwe ku Yerusalemu, Paulo akunena kuti: “Ine ndaimirira pamaso pa mpando woweruzira milandu wa Kaisara . . . Ndikupempha kukaonekera kwa Kaisara!” (Machitidwe 25:1-11, 20, 21) Patapita masiku angapo, mtumwiyu akukaonekera pamaso pa Mfumu Herode Agiripa Wachiwiri, ndipo mfumuyo ikuti: “M’kanthawi kochepa ukufuna kundikopa kuti ndikhale Mkhristu.” (Machitidwe 26:1-28) Kenaka cha m’ma 58 C.E., Paulo akutumizidwa ku Roma. Monga mkaidi kumeneko, mtumwi wachanguyo akupitiriza kupeza njira zolalikirira Khristu kwa zaka ziwiri. (Machitidwe 28:16-31) Zikuoneka kuti patapita nthawi, Paulo anakaonekera pamaso pa Mfumu Nero, yomwe inamupeza kuti alibe mlandu, ndipo pomaliza pake anamasulidwa ndi kuyambiranso ntchito yake ya umishonale. Palibe umboni wina uliwonse wosonyeza kuti atumwi ena anali ndi mwayi wolalikira uthenga wabwino kwa anthu otchuka ndi apamwamba ngati mmene anachitira Paulo.

Monga mmene nkhani ino yasonyezera, mtumwi Paulo anachita zinthu mogwirizana ndi mfundo yodziwika bwino imene Akhristu anzake analankhula pamaso pa khoti la Chiyuda yoti: “Ife tiyenera kumvera Mulungu monga wolamulira, osati anthu.” (Machitidwe 5:29) N’chitsanzo chabwinotu kwambiri kwa ife! Ngakhale kuti anthu anachita zinthu zambiri n’cholinga choyesetsa kulepheretsa utumiki wake, mtumwiyu anamvera ndi mtima wonse lamulo loti achitire umboni bwino lomwe. Chifukwa chomvera Mulungu mokhulupirika, Paulo anachita ntchito yake monga “chiwiya . . . chosankhika” chotengera dzina la Yesu “kwa amitundu, ngakhalenso kwa mafumu ndi ana a Isiraeli.”​—Machitidwe 9:15.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Bokosi/​Zithunzi patsamba 9]

KODI PAULO ANKANGOFUNA KUDZITETEZA?

Poikira ndemanga pa funso limeneli, mlembi wina dzina lake Ben Witherington, III, analemba kuti: “Malinga ndi mmene Paulo . . . ankaonera zinthu, chinthu chofunika kwa iye sichinali choti adziteteze, koma kuti achitire umboni uthenga wabwino kwa akuluakulu a boma, Ayuda ndi anthu omwe sanali Ayuda. . . . Zoona zake n’zakuti, uthenga wabwino ndi umene uli pamlandu.”