Aliculile pa Kushimikila Imbila Nsuma mu Tesalonika

Umusumba wa Tesalonika, uo beta muno nshiku ukuti Thessaloníki nelyo Salonika, musumba uukankaala uwabela lwa ku kapinda ka ku kuso mu Greece. Muli uyu musumba mwaliba ne cabu. Ku kale, uyu musumba wali uwacindama sana ku Bena Kristu ba kubalilapo, maka maka pa nshita Paulo, umutumwa ku bena fyalo, aleshimikila imbila nsuma.—IMILIMO 9:15; ABENA ROMA 11:13.

NALIMO cali ni mu mwaka wa 50 C.E., e lyo Paulo na Sila baile ku Tesalonika. Kuli Paulo, ulu lwali lwendo lwalenga bubili ulwa bumishonari, kabili e wali umuku wa kubalilapo ukuyabila imbila nsuma pali Kristu ku ncende iyo beta muno nshiku ukuti ku Bulaya.

Ukwabula no kutwishika, ilyo bafikile ku Tesalonika bafwile baletontonkanya pa fyo babapumine no kubabika mu cifungo ilyo bali mu Filipi, umusumba uwacindama uwa mu Makedonia. Na kuba, ilyo papitile imyaka, Paulo aebele Abena Tesalonika ukuti ilyo abatandalile abilile kuli bena “imbila nsuma ya kwa Lesa no kucula nga nshi.” (1 Abena Tesalonika 2:1, 2) Bushe ifintu mu Tesalonika fyali no kubako bwino? Cinshi cali no kucitika nga bashimikilamo imbila nsuma? Bushe abantu bali no kukutika? Natutale tulande pali uyu wine musumba.

Umusumba Umwaleba Sana Inkondo Kale

Nangu fye lishina lya kuti Tesalonika, ilyafuma ku mashiwi yabili aya ciGriki ayapilibula ukuti “abena Thessaly” na “ukucimfya,” lipilibula ukulwishanya no kulwa. Caishibikwa ukuti mu 352 B.C.E., Imfumu Philip II iya ku Makedonia, wishi wa kwa Alekisanda Mukalamba alicimfishe umutundu umo mu Thessaly, ku Grisi. Pa kwibukisha ifyo acimfishe ubu bulwi, batila ainike umwana wakwe umwanakashi ishina lya kuti Thessalonice, uwaishileupwa kuli Cassander. Cassander e wapyene Alekisanda ndume ya kwa Thessalonice. Nalimo mwali ni mu 315 B.C.E., e lyo Cassander akuulile umusumba lwa ku masamba ya Chalcidice Peninsula kabili ainike uyu musumba ishina lya mukashi wakwe. Mu Tesalonika mwaleba sana inkondo.

Na kabili umusumba wa Tesalonika wali ukankaala. Mwali icabu icisuma sana icabelele pali Bemba ya Aegean. Ilyo abena Roma baleteka, umusebo ukalamba uwa Via Egnatia wapitile muli uyu wine musumba. Pa mulandu na po uyu musumba wabelele, cali icayanguka ku buteko bwa bena Roma ukulacitilamo amakwebo ne fyalo fimbi. Pa myaka iingi abena Goth, abena Slav, abena Frank, abena Venetia na bena Turkey balekumbwa uyu musumba pantu mwali icuma. Pa kucimfya uyu musumba, bamo balebomfya fye amaka e lyo no kwipaya abekala musumba. Lekeni nomba tulande pa fyo Paulo aculile ilyo aile mu kushimikila muli uyu musumba.

Paulo Afika mu Tesalonika

Paulo nga afika mu musumba umo ashashimikilamo, alebalilapo ukushimikila ku baYuda pantu balishibe amalembo. Ici calelenga ukuti canguke ukulanshanya na bo no kubafwa ukumfwikisha imbila nsuma. Umuntu umo uwasambilila sana atile, ifi Paulo alecita filanga ukuti nalimo alipoosele sana amano ku baYuda banankwe, nelyo ukuti alefwaya ukubomfya abaYuda na baletiina Lesa nge nshila ya kushimikililamo ku bena Fyalo.—Imilimo 17:2-4.

E ico ilyo Paulo afikile mu Tesalonika, aile mwi sunagoge, kabili “alelanshanya na [baYuda] Amalembo, alelondolola no kubapeela ubushininkisho bwa mu malembo ukuti Kristu ali no kucula no kwima ku bafwa, no kuti: ‘Uyu e Kristu, uyu Yesu uo ine ndesabankanya kuli imwe.’”—Imilimo 17:2, 3, 10.

Ili lyashi Paulo alandile pali Mesia no mulimo akwata, lyashi ilyo abaYuda balekansaninapo. AbaYuda bale-enekela ukuti Mesia ali no kubalubula ku mitekele ya bena Roma, kanshi filya aculile baletwishika nga ca kuti ali e Mesia. Pa kubanashanasha, Paulo ‘alilanshenye’ na bo, ‘alibalondolwelele,’ no “kubapeela ubushininkisho” bwa mu Malembo, kabili ifi e fisambilisha kasambilisha umusuma.a Bushe abaYuda bacitile shani ilyo abasambilishe ifi fyebo fyacindama?

Mu Mulimo Wabo Mwalifumine Ifisuma Nangu ca Kuti Baliculile

AbaYuda bamo na baGriki abengi abasumine imipepele ya baYuda, na “banakashi abalumbuka abengi,” balipokelele imbila nsuma iyo Paulo abilile. Ukubomfya amashiwi ya kuti “abanakashi abalumbuka” kwalilolelemo pantu mu Makedonia mwali abanakashi abacindikwe sana. Balikwete ififulo ifikalamba mu buteko, balekwata impanga ne fyuma, balibapeeleko insambu shimo ku buteko, kabili balecita na makwebo. Balebemikila ne fimpashanya ifyalelanga ukuti balibacindike. Nga filya fine Lidia uwa ku Filipi uwalecita amakwebo apokelele imbila nsuma, e fyo na banakashi aba ku Tesalonika abalumbwike bacitile. Nalimo aba banakashi bafumine ku ndupwa ishisuma nelyo bali bakashi ba bashimucindikwa.—Imilimo 16:14, 15; 17:4.

Lelo abaYuda balyumfwile ubufuba. Basendele “abantu bamo ababifi amalofwa aba pa maliketi kabili balonganike ibungwe no kucita icimfundawila.” (Imilimo 17:5) Bushe aba bantu bali ni bani? Uwasoma Baibolo umo alondolwele ukuti bali “bantu bacabecabe kabili bacintomfwa.” Alandile no kuti: “Cimoneka kwati ilyashi Paulo aleshimikila talyacindeme kuli bena; lelo baleya fye ukuli konse uko babeta ukuli ifimfulunganya, nga filya fine utubungwe utwingi utwa bacintomfwa tucita.”

Aba bantu “basanshile ing’anda ya kwa Yasone [ukwafikilile Paulo] no kufwaya ukufumisha abatumwa kwi bungwe.” Ilyo bafililwe ukusanga Paulo, “bakulile Yasone na ba bwananyina bamo no kubatwala ku ntungulushi sha mu musumba, balebilikisha abati: ‘Aba bantu mumfwa abasongelekanya abantu mpanga yonse e beshile na kuno.’”—Imilimo 17:5, 6.

Abena Tesalonika balikweteko amaka ya kuiteka pantu e bali mu musumba uukalamba uwa Makedonia. Balikwete amaka ya kulolekesha pa milandu yalekanalekana mu musumba. “Intungulushi sha mu musumba,” nelyo ba politarchb bali ni bacilolo bakalamba aba buteko, abali no mulimo wa kushininkisha ukuti mu musumba muli umutende kabili balecincintila ne fingalenga abena Roma ukubengilila no kubapoka amaka. Kanshi bafwile balyumfwile ububi ilyo baumfwile ukuti kwali abaleleta icimfulunganya mu musumba.

Lyena, balibabepeshe ubufi ubukalamba ubwa kuti: “Aba bonse balekaanya ifipope fya kwa Kaisare, baletila kuli imfumu imbi, Yesu.” (Imilimo 17:7) Icitabo cimo icilanda pa fya mu Baibolo catila ifi balandile calolele mu kuti “balipondokele no kwimina” ubuteko, kabili ubuteko “bwalikeenye abantu ukulalanda pa muntu [umbi] mu citungu bacimfya ukuti ni mfumu, kano fye nga babasuminisha.” Na kabili, apo Yesu uo Paulo alebila ukuti ni Mfumu balimwipeye ku bena Roma pa mulandu wa kumubepesha ukuti aleimina ubuteko, calengele bamone kwati ifi babepeshe abatumwa fya cine.—Luka 23:2.

Intungulushi sha mu musumba shalifulilwe icine cine. Lelo apo tapali ubushininkisho bwine bwine e lyo nabo balebepesha tababasangile, “ilyo bapokele indalama sha cikatila mulandu kuli Yasone na bambi babalekele baye.” (Imilimo 17:8, 9) Ishi ndalama shali kwati ciikatilo ico Yasone na Bena Kristu bambi balipiile ukulangilila ukuti Paulo aali no kufuma mu musumba kabili takabwele na kabili no kuleta icimfulunganya. Nalimo ici e co Paulo alelandapo ilyo atile ‘Satana alimucilikiile’ pa kuti ekabwelela mu musumba na kabili.—1 Abena Tesalonika 2:18.

Pa mulandu ne fyacitike, ilyo bwailile, aba bwananyina baebele Paulo na Sila ukuti baye ku Berea. Ku Berea na ko, abantu abengi balikutike ku mbila nsuma, lelo ici calengele abalwani bakwe abaYuda aba mu Tesalonika ukufulwa nga nshi ica kuti baile ku Berea apaali amakilomita 80 ku kutunka abantu pa kuti bemine Paulo na Sila. Tapakokwele, Paulo alimine ubulendo na kabili ukulola ku Atena, lelo na ko kwine ali no kuculila imbila nsuma.—Imilimo 17:10-14.

Amafya Ayo Icilonganino Cipya Cakwete

Icaweme ca kuti icilonganino calipangilwe mu Tesalonika, lelo ukulunda pa kubakaanya, Abena Kristu balikwete amafya na yambi. Abantu bali mu Tesalonika balepepa balesa ba bufi, bali balalelale, kabili ici calisakamike Paulo. Bushe aba bwananyina bali no kucita shani?—1 Abena Tesalonika 2:17; 3:1, 2, 5.

Abena Kristu mu Tesalonika balishibe ukuti nga baleka ukucitako ifyo abantu balecita mu bwikashi no kuleka ukupepa balesa ba bufi, abali ifibusa fyabo kale bali no kubakankamba no kubapata. (Yohane 17:14) Na kabili, mu Tesalonika mwali imfuba ishingi apo balepepela balesa ba baGriki pamo nga Seu, Artemi, Apolo e lyo na balesa bambi aba bena Egupti. Ukupepa Kaisare na ko kwaliseekele, kabili abekala musumba bonse balingile ukulamupepa. Balemona abantu abalekaana ukupepa Kaisare ukuti balepondokela abena Roma.

Ukupepa ifilubi kwalengele abantu ukulacita ubupulumushi bwabipisha. Kwali Cabirus, lesa mukalamba uwa bena Tesalonika; Dionysus na Aphrodite; na Isis lesa wa bena Egupti. Pa kupepa aba balesa, abantu balekolwa no kucita ubulalelale. Abantu balecita sana ubulalelale kabili tabalemona ukuti lubembu. Abena Tesalonika balekonka intambi sha bena Roma. Icitabo cimo catile, “kwali abaume abengi na banakashi aba mu musumba abo incito yabo yali fye ya kupwisha insuuna ya bantu ba mu musumba, kabili na badokota balekoselesha abantu ukukanalafwila mu kati ne nsuuna.” Ici e calengele Paulo ukweba Abena Kristu ba mu Tesalonika ‘ukutaluka ku bulalelale,’ ku “nsuuna yalubana” na ku ‘kukowela.’—1 Abena Tesalonika 4:3-8.

Abena Tesalonika Balicimfishe Amafya

Abena Kristu mu Tesalonika balingile ukulwisha sana pa kutwalilila aba citetekelo. Nangu ca kutila balebakaanya, balecula, e lyo na mu musumba baleikala mwali abalepepa balesa ba bufi ne mibele yabipa, Paulo alibatashishe pa mulandu wa ‘citetekelo cabo, ukutemwa, no kushipikisha,’ e lyo na pa fyo babombeshe pa kusalanganya imbila nsuma mu ncende shonse.—1 Abena Tesalonika 1:3, 8.

Mu 303 C.E., Ubuteko bwa bena Roma bwatendeke ukucusha sana bonse abaleti Bena Kristu. Uwalengele ukuti batendeke ukucusha Abena Kristu ni Kaisare Galerius, uwaleikala mu Tesalonika kabili uwakuulilemo ifikuulwa ifingi ifya lulumbi. Ifitantaala fimo ifya ifi fikuulwa e po fyaba na lelo kabili abatandashi balaya mu kufimona.

Muno nshiku, Inte sha kwa Yehova balashimikila abantu mu Thessaloníki, ilingi baba fye mupepi ne fikuulwa ifyo uyu muntu umunkalwe uwapatile Abena Kristu akuulile. Nangu ca kutila pa nshita imo mu ma 1900 abaleshimikila imbila nsuma balebacusha nga nshi, pali ino nshita mu Thessaloníki mwaba ifilonganino fya Nte sha kwa Yehova nalimo 60. Ukubombesha kwabo kulanga ukuti ukuculila imbila nsuma ukwatendeke kale sana kucili kuletwalilila kabili abantu abengi balekutika.

[Amafutunoti]

[Mapu pe bula 18]

(Nga mulefwaya ukumona mapu, moneni muli magazini)

Via Egnatia

MAKEDONIA

Filipi

Amfipoli

Tesalonika

Berea

THESSALY

Bemba ya Aegean

ATENA

[Ifikope pe bula 20, 21]

Pa muulu: Umusumba wa Thessaloníki uwa muno nshiku

Pe samba: Amatuuka ne cikuulwa ca bena Roma ica kusambilamo

[Ifikope pe bula 21]

Icikuulwa cabulungana mupepi ne cikuulwa Galerius akuulile; icikope ca kwa Kaisare Galerius; baleshimikila mupepi ne cikuulwa Galerius akuulile

[Abatusuminishe Ukubomfya Icikope pe bula 18]

Head medallion: © Bibliothèque nationale de France; stone inscription: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Abatusuminishe Ukubomfya Icikope pe bula 20]

Two bottom left images: 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Abatusuminishe Ukubomfya Icikope pe bula 21]

Middle image: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism