‘Apasa Nilee​—Ni Ateɔ Shi Awoɔ’

TE ANƆKWALE he hiaa bo ha tɛŋŋ? Ani egbaa onaa akɛ apasa efite loo ekɛ anɔkwale ni kɔɔ ŋwɛi kɛ shikpɔŋ Bɔlɔ lɛ he lɛ etee? Enɛ gba Irenaeus, mɔ ko ni ekɛɛ eji Kristofonyo yɛ afii ohai enyɔ yɛ wɔ Ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ Beaŋ lɛ naa waa. Ebɔ mɔdɛŋ ni ekpa Gnosticism (nilee), ni ji mɛi ni amɛkwa Kristojamɔ lɛ he osharai lɛ ahe mama. No mli lɛ bɔfo Paulo etsɔ hiɛ ebɔ Timoteo kɔkɔ akɛ etsi ehe kɛjɛ nɛkɛ ‘apasa nilee’ nɛɛ he.​—1 Timoteo 6:​20, 21.

Irenaeus kɛ ekaa wie eshi apasa tsɔɔmɔ. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔ nɔ lɛ, susumɔ nɔ ni ekɛɛ ni ekɛkpa enitsumɔ babaoo ni ji wolo ni eŋma ni egbɛi ji ‘Apasa Nilee he Mamakpamɔ kɛ Ebutumɔ’ lɛ hiɛ lɛ he. Eŋma akɛ: “Mɛi komɛi ni kpooɔ anɔkwale lɛ kɛ saji ni bɛ mli kɛ yinɔsaji ni sɛɛnamɔ bɛ he, ni bei moŋ ekɛbaa taakɛ bɔfo lɛ wie he [1 Timoteo 1:​3, 4] lɛ miiba mli moŋ fe Nyɔŋmɔ nitsumɔ ni akɛtswaa hemɔkɛyeli amaa shi lɛ. Amɛkɛ amɛnaa dɔkɔbii lɛ miigbala gbɔmɛi ni leee nii lɛ ajwɛŋmɔ kɛmiiya, ni amɛŋɔɔ amɛ nom, ni amɛfiteɔ Nuŋtsɔ lɛ naakpɛɛ nii lɛ, ni amɛwieɔ nibii ni awie he ekpakpa lɛ he efɔŋ.”

Gnostics (ejɛ Hela wiemɔ gnoʹsis mli, ni eshishi ji “nilee”) lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ amɛyɛ nilee ni nɔ kwɔ ni baa kɛtsɔɔ teemɔŋ kpojiemɔ nɔ, ni amɛshwaa amɛkɛɔ akɛ amɛ amɛji “mɛi ni jajeɔ bɔfoi lɛ.” Gnosticism kɛ jeŋ nilee, yiŋsusumɔ, wɔŋjalɔi ateemɔŋ saji futu apasa Kristojamɔ. lrenaeus kpoo akɛ ekɛ ehe aaawo nɔ ko ni tamɔ nɛkɛ mli. Shi moŋ, ekɛ eshihilɛ be fɛɛ te shi eshi hemɔkɛyeli kwamɔ tsɔɔmɔi. Ŋwanejee ko bɛ he akɛ ehiɛ yɛ bɔfo Paulo kɔkɔbɔɔ nɛɛ kɛ nitsumɔ nɔ: “Nyɛkwɛa nyɛhe ni ahia, koni mɔ ko kɛ jeŋ nilee kɛ yaka shishiumɔ akaŋɔ nyɛ nom, yɛ gbɔmɛi ablema saji kɛ je nɛŋ shishijee nibii ni jeee Kristo lɛ anaa.”​—Kolosebii 2:8; 1 Timoteo 4:⁠7.

Mra Mli Shihilɛ kɛ Sɔɔmɔ

Nɔ ko fioo ko pɛ ale yɛ Irenaeus klɛŋklɛŋ shishijee be mli kɛ ehe yinɔsane he. Asusuɔ akɛ eji nuu ni jɛ Asia Bibioo lɛ, ni afɔ lɛ aaafee afi 120 Ŋ.B. kɛ 140 Ŋ.B. lɛ mli, yɛ Smirna maŋ lɛ mli aloo yɛ emasɛi. Irenaeus diɛŋtsɛ ye odase akɛ, beni eji obalaŋta lɛ, no mli lɛ ekɛ Polycarp ni eji nɔkwɛlɔ yɛ Smirna asafo lɛ mli lɛ bɔɔ.

Yɛ be mli ni ekaseɔ nii yɛ Polycarp shishi lɛ, eka shi faŋŋ akɛ Irenaeus kɛ Florinus babɔ naanyo. Polycarp ji mɔ ni sɔmɔ akɛ kpãa ko ni yɔɔ wala mli ni ka amɛ kɛ bɔfoi lɛ ateŋ. Ewie Ŋmalɛi lɛ ahe babaoo, ni ewo ŋaa akɛ akɛ he akpɛtɛ Yesu Kristo kɛ E-bɔfoi lɛ atsɔɔmɔi lɛ ahe. Shi yɛ nɛkɛ Ŋmalɛ naa tsɔsemɔ fɛfɛo nɛɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, yɛ sɛɛ mli lɛ Florinus yagbee Valentinus, Gnostics kuu lɛ hiɛnyiɛlɔ ni ale lɛ waa lɛ tsɔɔmɔi amli!

Irenaeus miisumɔ ni ehere enaanyo kɛ tsutsu hefatalɔ Florinus yiwala koni eba Ŋmalɛ naa tsɔɔmɔ kpakpa lɛ he koni ehere eyiwala kɛjɛ Valentinia tsɔɔmɔ lɛ mli. No hewɔ lɛ enɛ tsirɛ Irenaeus koni eŋma wolo eyaha Florinus, akɛ: “Florinus, nɛkɛ tsɔɔmɔi nɛɛ . . . jeee tsɔɔmɔ kpakpa ni hiɛ shishinumɔ; nɛkɛ tsɔɔmɔi nɛɛ kɛ sɔlemɔ lɛ loo asafo lɛ kpaaa gbee, ni mɛi ni nyiɛɔ amɛsɛɛ lɛ ebuuu nii kwraa; . . . asafoŋ onukpai ni tsɔ wɔhiɛ lɛ kɛ mɛi ni le bɔfoi lɛ jogbaŋŋ lɛ kɛ nɛkɛ tsɔɔmɔi nɛɛ haaa wɔ.”

Yɛ be mli ni ebɔɔ mɔdɛŋ ni ekai Florinus tsɔsemɔ kpakpa ni enine shɛ nɔ kɛjɛ Polycarp ni ale lɛ jogbaŋŋ lɛ dɛŋ lɛ, Irenaeus tee nɔ akɛ: “Mikaiɔ nibii ni tee nɔ yɛ nakai bei lɛ amli lɛ . . . no hewɔ lɛ minyɛɔ migbaa he ni Polycarp ni ajɔɔ lɛ lɛ fɔɔ tamɔ kɛ wiemɔ lɛ . . . kɛ agbɛnɛ bɔ ni ewieɔ sane ni ekɛ Yohane gba kɛ mɛi krokomɛi hu ni na Nuŋtsɔ lɛ he sane lɛ; kɛ bɔ ni ewieɔ wiemɔi ni amɛgba lɛ lɛ.”

Akai Florinus akɛ Polycarp tsɔɔ nɔ ni enine shɛ nɔ “kɛjɛ odasefoi ni nu wala Wiemɔ lɛ anaa lɛ, ni egba fɛɛ taakɛ ekɛ Ŋmalɛi lɛ kpaa gbee lɛ. Nɛkɛ nibii nɛɛ Nyɔŋmɔ tsɔ emɔbɔnalɛ nɔ ekɛha mi, ni minu ni miŋmala fɛɛ mishwie shi, jeee yɛ wolo nɔ, shi moŋ yɛ mitsui mli; ni yɛ Nyɔŋmɔ duromɔ naa lɛ, miyaa nɔ mikaiɔ nɛkɛ nibii nɛɛ fɛɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ yɛ mijwɛŋmɔ mli. Ni [yɛ Valentinia tsɔɔmɔ he lɛ] minyɛɔ miyeɔ odase yɛ Nyɔŋmɔ hiɛ akɛ kɛji akɛ nakai bɔfo kɛ asafoŋ onukpa ni ajɔɔ lɛ lɛ [Polycarp] nu nii ni tamɔ nɛkɛ he lɛ, ekolɛ ebaabolɔ ni etsimɔ etoi . . . Kulɛ ebaajo foi kɛjɛ he ni eta loo edamɔ ni enu nɛkɛ wiemɔi nɛɛ yɛ lɛ.”

Nɔ ko bɛ ni aŋma afɔ shi ni tsɔɔ akɛ Florinus bo Irenaeus wolo ni henumɔ yɔɔ mli ni saa mɔ tsui he nɛɛ toi. Shi Irenaeus wiemɔi lɛ tsɔɔ bɔ ni esusuɔ enaanyo ni esumɔɔ lɛ jogbaŋŋ ni eshi anɔkwale lɛ gbɛ lɛ ni eŋmɛɛ ehe eha hemɔkɛyeli kwamɔ lɛ he ehaa.​—Okɛto 2 Tesalonikabii 2:​3, 7-12 he.

Aleee be mli ni Irenaeus bahi Gaul (France). Yɛ afi 177 Ŋ.B. mli lɛ, no mli lɛ eesɔmɔ akɛ nɔkwɛlɔ yɛ asafo ni yɔɔ Lyons lɛ mli. Abɔ amaniɛ akɛ esɔɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ ye omanye babaoo. Yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ, yinɔsane ŋmalɔ Gregory ni jɛ Tours lɛ bɔ amaniɛ akɛ Irenaeus nyɛ ekɛ be kukuoo tsake mɛi fɛɛ ni yɔɔ Lyons lɛ kɛba Kristojamɔ he. Ŋwanejee ko bɛ he akɛ enɛ ji wiemɔ ni awo he tsɔ.

Shi ni Ateɔ Awoɔ Musubɔɔi

Irenaeus nitsumɔ loo wolo titri, ‘Apasa Nilee he Mamakpamɔ kɛ Ebutumɔ,’ lɛ ji wolo ko ni afɔɔ lɛ tsɛmɔ akɛ “Shi ni Ateɔ Awoɔ Musubɔɔi.” Ajara mli afee lɛ woji enumɔ. Enyɔ ni tsɔ hiɛ lɛ tsɔɔ musubɔɔ kui kɛ jamɔi sɔrɔtoi kɛ kui lɛ ahemɔkɛyelii lɛ amli, titri lɛ Valentinia musubɔɔi lɛ. Ni yɛ etɛ ni eshwɛ lɛ amli lɛ, Irenaeus bɔ mɔdɛŋ koni ekɛ “naataomɔi ni jɛ Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli” atsu he nii.

Yɛ be mli ni ekpaa ewolo ni ji etɛ “Shi ni Ateɔ Awoɔ Musubɔɔi” lɛ hiɛ lɛ, Irenaeus ŋma akɛ: “No hewɔ lɛ nyɛhaa nɔ ni miwie he yɛ woji enyɔ ni etsɔ hiɛ lɛ amli lɛ ahia nyɛjwɛŋmɔ mli; ni kɛ nyɛkɛ enɛ fata he lɛ, nyɛbaana hetoo ni yeɔ emuu nyɛshi musubɔlɔi fɛɛ, ni nyɛbaanyɛ nyɛte shi nyɛwo amɛ yɛ anɔkwayeli mli kɛ agbɛnɛ yɛ ekaa naa koni nyɛkɛfa anɔkwale kome kɛ hemɔkɛyeli ni haa wala lɛ he, nɔ ni Sɔlemɔ lɛ nine shɛ nɔ kɛjɛ bɔfoi lɛ adɛŋ ni ekɛhaa ebii lɛ. Ejaakɛ wɔ fɛɛ wɔ-Nuŋtsɔ lɛ kɛ sanekpakpa lɛ hewalɛ lɛ ha ebɔfoi lɛ, ni wɔtsɔ amɛnɔ wɔkase anɔkwale lɛ, ni ji akɛ, Nyɔŋmɔ Bi lɛ tsɔɔmɔ lɛ​—taakɛ bɔ ni Nuŋtsɔ lɛ kɛɛ amɛ lɛ. ‘Mɔ ni boɔ nyɛ toi lɛ, eboɔ mi toi, ni mɔ ni kpooɔ nyɛ lɛ, eekpoo mi, kɛ mɔ ni tsu mi lɛ hu.’”

Eyɛ mli akɛ Irenaeus kpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ ejeee niŋmalɔ kpakpa moŋ, shi etswa efai shi akɛ ebaakpa Gnosticism loo apasa nilee he “tsɔɔmɔi fɔji” lɛ fɛɛ ahe mama. Etsɛ Ŋmalɛi pii ni ewie he ni ekɛ hesaa wie eshi “apasa tsɔɔlɔi lɛ” “ahiɛkpatamɔ jamɔ kui” lɛ. (2 Petro 2:​1-3) Etamɔ nɔ ni ebawa kɛha Irenaeus akɛ eeebua ewoji lɛ fɛɛ anaa efee lɛ wolo kpo kome. Mɛni hewɔ? Ejaakɛ ebua woji babaoo ni fa diɛŋtsɛ naa eshwie shi.

Nibii ahe mama ni Irenaeus kpa lɛ je kpo faŋŋ yɛ piŋmɔ babaoo kɛ nikasemɔ mli. Esane naataomɔ kakadaji lɛ kɛ saji babaoo ni sɛɛnamɔ yɔɔ he ni kɔɔ he ni Gnosticism ni ji apasa nilee jɛ lɛ he lɛ ha. Irenaeus niŋmaa lɛ hu kɛ saji babaoo ni kɛ hoo lɛ etsɔɔ Ŋmalɛi komɛi ni mɛi ni kɛɛ amɛkɛ amɛhe kpɛtɛɔ Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ he yɛ afii ohai enyɔ Ŋ.B. lɛ naagbee be mli lɛ hiɛ lɛ ha.

Irenaeus maa nɔ mi shii abɔ akɛ eheɔ “Nyɔŋmɔ kome, Tsɛ Ofe lɛ ni fee ŋwɛi kɛ shikpɔŋ kɛ ŋshɔi kɛ nibii fɛɛ ni yɔɔ mli, kɛ Kristo Yesu kome, Nyɔŋmɔ Bi lɛ ni afee lɛ heloo kɛha wɔyiwalaheremɔ lɛ” eyeɔ. Gnostics hemɔkɛyeli lɛ kpooɔ anɔkwalei nɛɛ fɛɛ!

Yɛ be mli ni ewieɔ eshiɔ Gnostic Docetism (tsɔɔmɔ akɛ Kristo baaa yɛ heloo mli kwraa) lɛ, Irenaeus ŋma akɛ: “Esa akɛ Kristo afee gbɔmɔ tamɔ wɔ, kɛ eeenyɛ ekpɔ wɔ kɛjɛ fitemɔ mli ni eha wɔye emuu lɛ. Akɛni esha kɛ gbele ba je lɛ mli kɛtsɔ gbɔmɔ nɔ hewɔ lɛ, nakai nɔŋŋ hu abaanyɛ atsumɔ enɛɛmɛi hu kɛya ni ehe eba sɛɛnamɔ kɛtsɔ gbɔmɔ kome nɔ; eyɛ mli akɛ jeee kɛtsɔ gbɔmɔ ko kɛkɛ ni esa akɛ efee Adam seshinyo nɔ, mɔ ni lɛ diɛŋtsɛ lɛ ebaafee mɔ ni kpɔmɔ he baahia lɛ, shi moŋ kɛtsɔ Adam ni ji enyɔ, mɔ ni hewalɛ ni fe gbɔmɔ nɔ akɛfɔ lɛ, seshinyo hee kɛha wɔ weku lɛ nɔ.” (1 Korintobii 15:45) Yɛ gbɛ kroko nɔ lɛ, Gnostics tsuɔ yiŋtoi enyɔ he nii, amɛheɔ amɛyeɔ akɛ mumɔŋ nibii hi, ni akɛ heloo mli nibii fɛɛ lɛ efɔŋ ni. No hewɔ lɛ amɛkpoɔ gbɔmɔ Yesu Kristo.

Akɛni amɛsusuɔ akɛ heloo naa nibii fɛɛ ji efɔŋ hewɔ lɛ, Gnostics lɛ hu kpooɔ gbalashihilɛ kɛ fɔmɔ, amɛkɛɔ akɛ Satan ji mɔ ni je enɛ shishi. Amɛkɛɔ po akɛ onufu ni hi Eden lɛ yɛ ŋwɛi nilee! Nɔ ni jɛ jwɛŋmɔ ni ahiɛ nɛɛ mli ba ji shihilɛ gbɛ ni afeɔ nii kɛtekeɔ nɔ, ekolɛ akɛ mɛi ni haa amɛshihilɛ feɔ keketee loo amɛkɛ amɛhe woɔ heloo naa nibii amli vii. Akɛni amɛkɛɔ akɛ yiwalaheremɔ baa kɛtsɔɔ Gnosticism teemɔŋ saji amli loo amɛ diɛŋtsɛ amɛnilee nɔ hewɔ lɛ, amɛkpɛlɛɛɛ Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ mli anɔkwalei lɛ anɔ.

Nɔ ni tamɔɔɔ enɛ lɛ, nɔ ni yɔɔ Irenaeus sane mlitsɔɔmɔ lɛ mli hu ji hemɔkɛyeli yɛ Afii Akpe lɛ mli, ni enɛ tsɔɔ akɛ eheɔ toiŋjɔlɛ gbɛkpamɔ yɛ wɔsɛɛ be mli yɛ shikpɔŋ nɔ lɛ eyeɔ. Ebɔ mɔdɛŋ ni eha mligbalamɔi ni yaa nɔ yɛ ebe lɛ mli lɛ afee ekome kɛtsɔ Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ mli hewalɛ lɛ ni ekɛtsu nii lɛ nɔ. Ni akaiɔ lɛ jogbaŋŋ yɛ ejwɛŋmɔ ni mli ka shi, eniiashikpamɔ kɛ sane kojomɔ ni ja lɛ hewɔ.

Eyɛ mli akɛ mɛi komɛi kɛɔ akɛ Irenaeus (ni gbo aaafee afi 200 Ŋ.B. lɛ mli lɛ) ji mɔ ni ha Kristofoi ahemɔkɛyeli lɛ mli anɔkwa tsɔɔmɔi lɛ shwere moŋ, shi esa akɛ akai akɛ enɛ ji be kɛha tsakemɔ kɛ hemɔkɛyeli kwamɔ ni agba afɔ shi lɛ. Eshɛɔ be ni enaatoamɔi lɛ ekomɛi bɛ faŋŋ, eteɔ shi ewoɔ ehe hu po. Shi kɛlɛ, wɔbuɔ hii ni kɛ ekaa wie amɛha Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ mli Ŋmalɛi ni jɛ mumɔŋ lɛ waa fe gbɔmɛi ablema saji lɛ.