AmaKristu Okuqala Nezwe

CISHE eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili edlule, kwenzeka isenzakalo esimangalisa kunazo zonke eMpumalanga Ephakathi. INdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa yathunywa ukuba izophila isikhashana ezweni lesintu ivela ekhaya lakubo lasezulwini. Iningi lesintu lasabela kanjani? Umphostoli uJohane uyaphendula: “[UJesu] wayekhona ezweni, izwe lavela ngaye; kepha izwe alimazanga. Weza kokwakhe [u-Israyeli], abakhe abamamukelanga.”—Johane 1:10, 11.

Izwe lamane langamamukela uJesu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngani? UJesu wachaza esinye isizathu lapho ethi: “Izwe . . . liyangizonda, ngokuba ngifakaza ngalo ukuthi imisebenzi yalo mibi.” (Johane 7:7) Ekugcineni, lona kanye lelizwe—limelelwe abaholi abathile benkolo abangamaJuda, inkosi yakwa-Edomi, nesazi sezombangazwe esingumRoma—labulala uJesu. (Luka 22:66–23:25; IzEnzo 3:14, 15; 4:24-28) Kuthiwani ngabalandeli bakaJesu? Ingabe izwe laliyozimisela ngokwengeziwe ukubamukela? Cha. Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, uJesu  wabaxwayisa: “Uma beningabezwe, izwe belizakuthanda okwalo, kepha lokhu ningesibo abezwe kodwa nganikhetha mina ezweni, kungalokho izwe linizonda.”—Johane 15:19.

Ngezikhathi Zabaphostoli

Amazwi kaJesu aba yiqiniso. Emasontweni ambalwa nje ngemva kokufa kwakhe, abaphostoli bakhe baboshwa, basongelwa, futhi bashaywa. (IzEnzo 4:1-3; 5:17, 18, 40) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uStefanu oshisekayo wahudulelwa phambi kweSanhedrin yamaJuda wabe esekhandwa ngamatshe waze wafa. (IzEnzo 6:8-12; 7:54, 57, 58) Kamuva, umphostoli uJakobe wabulawa iNkosi uHerode Agrippa I. (IzEnzo 12:1, 2) Phakathi nohambo lwakhe lwezithunywa zevangeli, uPawulu wathola ushushiso olwalushoshozelwe amaJuda ayebalekele kuleyondawo.—IzEnzo 13:50; 14:2, 19.

AmaKristu okuqala asabela kanjani ekuphikisweni okunjalo? Ezinsukwini zokuqala, lapho izikhulu zenkolo zinqabela abaphostoli ukuba bashumayele ngegama likaJesu, abaphostoli bathi: “Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.” (IzEnzo 4:19, 20; 5:29) Lokhu kwaqhubeka kuyisimo sabo sengqondo noma nini lapho kuphakama ukuphikiswa. Nakuba kunjalo, umphostoli uPawulu waluleka amaKristu aseRoma ukuba “azithobe phansi kwamandla ombuso [ohulumeni].” Wabuye waweluleka: “Uma kungenzeka, ngokwenu hlalisanani ngokuthula nabantu bonke.” (Roma 12:18; 13:1) Ngakho, amaKristu okuqala kwakufanele afinyelele ukulinganisela okunzima. Ayelalela uNkulunkulu njengoMbusi wawo oyinhloko. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kwakufanele azithobe ngaphansi kwamagunya ezwe futhi azame ukuhlalisana ngokuthula nabantu bonke.

AmaKristu Ezweni LamaRoma

Emuva ezweni lekhulu lokuqala loMbuso wamaRoma, ngokungangabazeki amaKristu azuza kuyi-Pax Romana, noma uKuthula KwamaRoma, okwakulondolozwa ibutho lezempi lamaRoma. Ukubusa okuqinile komthetho nokuhleleka, imigwaqo emihle, nohambo lwasolwandle oluphephile uma kuqhathaniswa kwenza kwaba nesimo esivumela ukwanda kobuKristu. Ngokusobala amaKristu okuqala ayeqaphela ukuthi akweleta umphakathi futhi alalela umyalo kaJesu ‘wokunika uKesari okukaKesari.’ (Marku 12:17) Ebhalela umbusi ongumRoma u-Antoninus Pius (138-161 C.E.), uJustin Martyr wathi amaKristu, “ngokuzimisela okukhulu ngaphezu kwabo bonke abantu,” ayekhokha izintela zawo. (First Apology, isahluko 17) Ngo-197 C.E., uTertullian watshela ababusi abangamaRoma ukuthi abathelisi babo “babefanele babonge amaKristu” ngendlela ayekhokha ngayo ngobuqotho izintela zawo. (Apology, isahluko 42) Lena kwakungenye indlela ayelandela ngayo iseluleko sikaPawulu sokuthi kufanele athobele amagunya aphakeme.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokwezinga izimiso zawo zobuKristu ezaziyowavumela ngalo, amaKristu okuqala azama ukuhlalisana ngokuthula nomakhelwane bawo. Kodwa lokhu kwakungelula. Izwe elaliwazungezile ngokuyinhloko lalinokuziphatha okubi futhi licwile ekukhonzeni izithombe kwamaGreki namaRoma, okwakusanda kwenezelwa kukho ukukhulekela umbusi. Inkolo yamaRoma yobuqaba ngokuyinhloko yayiyinkolo yoMbuso, ngakho noma ikuphi ukwenqaba ukuhlanganyela kuyo kwakungase kubhekwe njengokuba isitha soMbuso. Lokhu kwawabekaphi amaKristu?

Uprofesa wase-Oxford u-E. G. Hardy wabhala: “UTertullian ubala izinto eziningi umKristu oqotho ayengenakuzenza, ezinjengalezo ezihilela ukukhonza izithombe: ngokwesibonelo isifungo esivame ukwenziwa lapho kungenelwa isivumelwano esithile; ukukhanyiswa kweminyango  emikhosini ethile, njll.; yonke imikhosi yobuQaba engokwenkolo; imidlalo namasekisi; umsebenzi wokufundisa ngezincwadi [zobuqaba ezamukelekayo] zezwe; inkonzo yezempi; ukwamukela izikhundla emphakathini.”—Christianity and the Roman Government.

Yebo, kwakunzima ukuhlala ezweni lamaRoma ngaphandle kokulahla ukholo lobuKristu. Umbhali waseFrance ongumKatolika u-A. Hamman uyabhala: “Kwakungenakwenzeka ukwenza noma yini ngaphandle kokubhekana nonkulunkulu othile. Ukuma komKristu kwakumlethela izinkinga zansuku zonke; wayengaphili njengabantu abavamile emphakathini . . . Wayebhekana nezinkinga eziqhubekayo ekhaya, emgwaqweni, nasemakethe . . . Emgwaqweni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyisakhamuzi esingumRoma noma cha, umKristu kwakufanele amboze ikhanda lakhe lapho edlula ngasethempelini noma esithombeni esiqoshiwe. Wayengakugwema kanjani ukwenza kanjalo ngaphandle kokuba asoleke, futhi wayengavuma kanjani ngaphandle kokwenza isenzo sokwethembeka? Uma ayekwezebhizinisi futhi edinga ukuboleka imali, kwakudingeka afunge ngegama lonkulunkulu kubabolekisi bezimali. . . . Uma emukela isikhundla esithile emphakathini, kwakulindeleke ukuba enze umhlatshelo. Uma ebuthiwe, wayengakugwema kanjani ukwenza isifungo nokuhlanganyela emikhosini yenkonzo yezempi?”—La vie quotidienne des premiers chrétiens (95-197) (Ukuphila Kwansuku Zonke Phakathi KwamaKristu Okuqala, 95-197 C.E.).

Izakhamuzi Eziqotho, Kodwa Ezikhulunyelwa Kabi

Cishe ngo-60 noma ngo-61 C.E., lapho uPawulu eseRoma elindele ukuquliswa icala uMbusi uNero, amaJuda aholayo athi ngokuphathelene namaKristu okuqala: “Siyazi ngalelihlelo ukuthi liyaphikiswa ezindaweni zonke.” (IzEnzo 28:22) Umbhalo ongokomlando ufakazela ukuthi kwakukhulunywa kabi ngamaKristu—kodwa ngokungafanele. Encwadini yakhe i-Rise of Christianity, u-E. W. Barnes uyalandisa: “Ezincwadini zayo zokuqala ezingokomthetho inhlangano yamaKristu ichazwe njengeziphethe kahle negcina umthetho. Amalungu ayo ayefisa ukuba izakhamuzi eziqotho nezithembekile. Azigwema izici ezimbi nokonakala kobuqaba. Ekuphileni kwangasese ayefuna ukuba omakhelwane abanokuthula nokuba abangane abathembekile. Ayefundiswa ukuba abahluzekile, abakhuthele nabaphila ukuphila okuhlanzekile. Ngisho naphakathi kokonakala okwakudlangile nokuyekelela, uma ethembeka ezimisweni zawo, ayeba athembekile naneqiniso. Izindinganiso zawo zokuziphatha kobulili zaziphakeme: ifindo lomshado lalihlonishwa futhi ukuphila komkhaya kuhlanzekile. Enezindinganiso ezinjalo, umuntu wayengase acabange ukuthi ayengeke abe izakhamuzi ezihluphayo. Nokho, isikhathi eside ayengafunwa, ekhulunyelwa kabi futhi ezondwa.”

Njengoba nje izwe lamandulo lingazange limqonde uJesu, lalingawaqondi namaKristu ngakho-ke laliwazonda. Njengoba ayenqaba ukukhulekela umbusi nonkulunkulu bobuqaba, abekwa icala lokuphika ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu. Uma kwenzeka inhlekelele, ayesolwa ngokuthi acasulé onkulunkulu. Ngenxa yokuthi ayengayi emidlalweni yokuziphatha okubi noma emibukisweni yokulwa ehilela ukuchithwa kwegazi, ayebhekwa njengabantu abangazihlanganisi nomphakathi, ngisho ‘nanjengabantu abazonda uhlanga lwesintu.’ Izitha zawo zazithi imikhaya yayihlukaniswa “ihlelo” lobuKristu nokuthi ngenxa yalokho laliyingozi ekusimameni kwezenhlalo. UTertullian wakhuluma ngamadoda angamaqaba ayencamela ukuba abafazi bawo baphinge kunokuba babe amaKristu.

AmaKristu ayegxekwa ngoba ayemelene nokukhishwa kwezisu, okwakwenziwa kakhulu ngalesosikhathi. Nokho, izitha zawo zaziwabeka icala lokubulala izingane. Kwakubikwa ukuthi emihlanganweni yawo ayephuza igazi lezingane ezenziwe umhlatshelo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, izitha zawo zazizama ukuwaphoqelela ukuba adle amasoseji enziwe ngegazi, zazi ukuthi lokhu kwakumelene nonembeza wawo. Ngaleyondlela labobaphikisi babeziphikisa bona ngokwabo.—Tertullian, Apology, isahluko 9.

 Babengafunwa Njengehlelo Elisha

Isazi-mlando uKenneth Scott Latourette sabhala: “Nokho kwakusekhona ezinye izinto ubuKristu obabuhlekwa ngazo usulu ngenxa yokuthi babusanda kusungulwa futhi buphikisana nezinto zakudala zezimbangi zabo [ubuJuda nezinkolo zobuqaba zamaGreki namaRoma].” (A History of the Expansion of Christianity, Umqulu 1, ikhasi 131) Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesibili C.E., isazi-mlando esingumRoma uSuetonius sabiza ubuKristu ngokuthi “inkolelo-ze entsha nelimazayo.” UTertullian wafakazela ukuthi lona kanye igama elithi ubuKristu lalizondwa nokuthi amaKristu ayeyihlelo elingathandwa. Ekhuluma ngendlela izikhulu zoMbuso wamaRoma ezazibheka ngayo amaKristu ngekhulu lesibili, uRobert M. Grant wabhala: “Umbono oyisisekelo wawuwukuthi ubuKristu babumane nje buyinkolo engadingekile, mhlawumbe buyinkolo eyingozi.”—Early Christianity and Society.

Ayebekwa Icala Lokuphendulela Abantu Enkolweni Yawo Ngokubahlasela

Encwadini yakhe i-Les premiers siècles de l’Eglise (Amakhulu Eminyaka Okuqala Esonto) uprofesa waseSorbonne uJean Bernardi wabhala: “[AmaKristu] kwakufanele ahambe futhi akhulume kuzo zonke izindawo nanoma ubani. Emigwaqweni emikhulu nasemadolobheni, ezindaweni zomphakathi nasemakhaya. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ayemukelwa noma awamukelwa. Kwabampofu, nakwabacebile abasindwa impahla yabo. Kwabancane nakubabusi bezifunda zamaRoma . . . Kwakudingeka aye emigwaqweni, agibele imikhumbi, aye nasemaphethelweni omhlaba.”

Ingabe ayekwenza lokhu? Ngokusobala ayekwenza. UProfesa Léon Homo ulandisa ukuthi umbono womphakathi wawumelene namaKristu okuqala ngenxa “yokuphendulela kwawo abanye enkolweni yawo ngentshiseko.” UProfesa Latourette uthi lapho amaJuda ayephelelwa intshiseko yawo yokuphendulela abantu enkolweni yawo, “amaKristu, ngakolunye uhlangothi, ayefeza ukuthunywa kwawo ngentshiseko futhi ngaleyondlela azibangela inzondo.”

Ngekhulu lesibili C.E., isazi sefilosofi esingumRoma uCelsus sagxeka izindlela zokushumayela zamaKristu. Sathi ubuKristu babungobabantu abangafundile nokuthi ‘babungagculisa kuphela iziwula, izigqila, abesifazane, nezingane ezincane.’ Sabeka amaKristu icala lokuthi afunza “abantu abakhohliseka kalula ngezimfundiso ezithile,” ebenza “bakholwe ngaphandle kokucabanga ngendlela ehluzekile.” Sathi ayetshela abafundi bawo abasha ukuthi: “Ningabuzi mbuzo; kholwani nje kuphela.” Nokho, ngokuka-Origen, uCelsus ngokwakhe wavuma ukuthi “kwakungebona abantu abangafundile bodwa nabezinga eliphansi ababeholwa imfundiso kaJesu ukuba bamukele inkolo yaKhe.”

Awayona Ingxenye Yezinhlangano Ezimelela AmaSonto

AmaKristu okuqala abuye agxekwa ngoba ayethi aneqiniso likaNkulunkulu oyedwa weqiniso. Ayengakwamukeli ukuba yingxenye yezinhlangano ezimelela amasonto, noma ukuxubanisa izinkolo. ULatourette wabhala: “Ngokungafani nezinye izinkolo zangalesosikhathi, [amaKristu] ayezizonda ezinye izinkolo. . . . Ngokuphambene nokungabandlululi okukhulu okwakuphawula ezinye izinkolo, ayethi aneqiniso elingenakuphikwa.”

Ngo-202 C.E., uMbusi uSeptimius Severus wakhipha umyalo onqabela amaKristu ukuba aguqule abantu babe amakholwa. Nokho, lokhu  akuzange kuwayekise ukufakaza ngokholo lwawo. ULatourette uchaza umphumela: “Ekwenqabeni kobuKristu bokuqala ukuhambisana nobuqaba bangalezozikhathi namasiko ezenhlalo amaningi nemikhuba yokuziphatha kwangalezozikhathi [ubuKristu bokuqala] baba nobunye futhi baba yinhlangano eyenza umphakathi wamelana nabo. Khona kanye ukugqashuka okwakudingeka ukuze bangene kubo kwanikeza abalandeli babo ukholo olwaba umthombo wamandla okumelana noshushiso nowentshiseko yokuthola amakholwa amaningi.”

Ngakho-ke, irekhodi elingokomlando lisobala. Ngokuyinhloko, amaKristu okuqala, nakuba ayezama ukuba izakhamuzi eziqotho futhi ezama ukuhlalisana ngokuthula nabantu bonke, enqaba ‘ukuba ingxenye yezwe.’ (Johane 15:19) Ayewahlonipha amagunya. Kodwa lapho uKesari ewanqabela ukuba ashumayele, ayengenakwenza ngokunye kodwa kwakufanele aqhubeke eshumayela. Azama ukuhlalisana ngokuthula nabantu bonke kodwa enqaba ukuyekethisa ezindinganisweni zokuziphatha nasekukhulekeleni izithombe kobuqaba. Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu, ayengafunwa, ekhulunyelwa kabi, ezondwa futhi eshushiswa, njengoba uKristu ayebikezele ukuthi kwakuyoba njalo.—Johane 16:33.

Ingabe ukuhluka kwawo ezweni kwaqhubeka? Noma ingabe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, labo ababethi baqhuba ubuKristu basishintsha isimo sabo sengqondo kulokhu?

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 4]

“Ukuma komKristu kwakumlethela izinkinga zansuku zonke; wayengaphili njengabantu abavamile”

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]

“UbuKristu [babuhlekwa] usulu ngenxa yokuthi babusanda kuba khona futhi buphikisana . . . nezinto zasendulo zezimbangi zabo”

[Isithombe ekhasini 3]

Ngenxa yokuthi amaKristu enqaba ukukhulekela umbusi ongumRoma nonkulunkulu abangamaqaba, abekwa icala lokuphika ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu

[Umthombo]

Museo della Civiltà Romana, Roma

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayaziwa njengabashumayeli abashisekayo besigijimi soMbuso

 [Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 2]

Cover: Alinari/Art Resource, N.Y.