“Motero Thamangani”

YEREKEZERANI kuti muli m’bwalo lamaseŵera lodzaza ndi anthu achimwemwe. Anthu odzachita maseŵera akuloŵa m’bwalo. Khamulo likufuula kwambiri poona akatswiri awo. Oŵeruza akonzeka kuonetsetsa kuti malamulo akutsatiridwa. Maseŵerawo ali m’kati, phokoso lokondwera ndi lodandaula likumvekera limodzi. Anthu akuchemerera mwamphamvu opambanawo!

Simukuonera maseŵera amasiku ano, komano amene anachitika zaka pafupifupi 2,000 zapitazo pakamtunda kopita kuchilumba cha mzinda wa Korinto. Kumeneku, zaka ziŵiri zilizonse kuyambira m’ma 500 B.C.E. mpaka m’ma 300 C.E., kunkachitika maseŵera otchuka a Isthmian. Kwa masiku ambiri maseŵeraŵa anali achikoka zedi m’Girisi monse. Maseŵerawo sanali mipikisano wamba. Odzachita maseŵerawo ankakonzekera ngati asilikali. Opambana amene ankatamandidwa monga ngwazi ankalandira nkhata za masamba a mitengo. Ankapatsidwa mphatso zambiri, ndipo mzindawo unkawapatsa ndalama zambiri za penshoni kwa moyo wawo wonse.

Mtumwi Paulo ankadziŵa bwino za maseŵera a Isthmian amene ankachitika pafupi ndi Korinto ndipo anayerekezera moyo wa Mkristu ndi mpikisano wothamanga. Mwa kutchula anthu othamanga, a maseŵera ogwetsana pansi, ndi a maseŵera a nkhonya, mwachionekere anasonyeza mapindu a kukonzekera bwino, khama, ndiponso kupirira. N’zoona kuti Akristu amene ankawalemberawo ankadziŵanso za maseŵera ameneŵa. Mosakayikira ena ayenera kuti anakhalapo m’khamu la anthu ochemerera m’bwalo la maseŵera. Choncho anazindikira msanga mafanizo a Paulo. Bwanji ife lerolino? Nafenso tili paliŵiro la ku moyo wosatha. Kodi tingapindule motani ndi mmene Paulo anayerekezera mipikisano imeneyo?

‘Kuthamanga Motsata Malamulo’

Zofunika poloŵa nawo m’maseŵera akalewo zinali zokhwima kwabasi. Wonenerera maseŵerawo ankatenga woseŵera aliyense n’kufunsa anthu oonerera kuti: ‘Kodi pali aliyense amene ali ndi mlandu uliwonse ndi munthu uyu? Kodi ndi mbala kapena chimbalangondo komanso kodi ali ndi moyo ndi makhalidwe oipa?’ Malinga ndi buku lakuti Archaeologia Graeca (Chikhalidwe Chakale Chachigiriki), “palibe munthu amene ankaloledwa kuloŵa mu mpikisano ngati anali wotchuka ndi umbanda, kapena ngati mbale wake [weniweni] anali wambanda.” Ndipo ophwanya malamulo a maseŵerawo anali kuwakhaulitsa mwa kuwatulutsa mu mpikisanowo.

Mfundo imeneyi ikutithandiza kumvetsa mawu a Paulo akuti: “Ngatinso wina ayesana nawo m’makani a maseŵero, samveka korona ngati sanayesana monga adapangana [“sathamanga motsata malamulo a mpikisanowo,” Buku Loyera].” (2 Timoteo 2:5) Mofananamo, kuti tithamange mu mpikisano wofuna moyo, tiyenera kukwaniritsa zimene Yehova akufuna, kugwirizana ndi makhalidwe ake apamwamba monga mmene alili m’Baibulo. Komabe, Baibulo likutichenjeza kuti: “Ndingaliro ya mtima wa munthu ili yoipa kuyambira pa unyamata wake.” (Genesis 8:21) Choncho, ngakhale tili kale mu mpikisano wothamanga, tiyenera kusamala kuti tipitirize kuthamanga mogwirizana ndi malamulo a mpikisanowo kuti Yehova apitirize kutivomereza ndiponso kuti tikalandire moyo wosatha.

Kukonda Mulungu n’kumene kungatithandize kwambiri kuchita zimenezi. (Marko 12:29-31) Chikondi chimenecho chidzatipangitsa kufuna kukondweretsa Yehova ndi kuchita mogwirizana ndi chifuniro chake.​—1 Yohane 5:3.

‘Tayani Cholemetsa Chilichonse’

M’maseŵera akale, othamanga sankalemedwa ndi zovala kapena chida. “Pampikisano wothamanga, . . . opikisanawo ankaoneka ngati ali maliseche,” limatero buku la The Life of the Greeks and Romans (Moyo wa Agiriki ndi Aroma). Kusavala kanthu kunkathandiza oseŵerawo kuthamanga mosavutikira, ndiponso mwachangu. Sankatha mphamvu chifukwa cha zolemetsa zosafunikira. Ndithudi Paulo ankaganiza zimenezi pamene ankalembera Akristu achihebri kuti: “Titaye cholemetsa chilichonse, . . . ndipo tithamange mwachipiriro makaniwo adatiikira.”​—Ahebri 12:1.

Kodi ndi zolemetsa zamtundu wanji zimene zingatilepheretse paliŵiro la kumoyo? Chimodzi ndicho chikhumbo chofuna kuwunjika zinthu zakuthupi zosafunika kwenikweni kapena kufuna kukhalabe moyo wapamwamba. Ena angaone chuma kukhala chimene chingawateteze kapena kuchitenga monga gwero la chimwemwe. ‘Zolemetsa’ zosafunikira zimenezo zingamange miyendo wothamanga potsirizira pake angaone ngati Mulungu ndi wosafunika kwenikweni. (Luka 12:16-21) Moyo wosatha ungaoneke ngati uli kutali. ‘Dziko latsopano silingabwere lero,’ wina angaganize choncho, ‘koma pakalipano tichite nawo za m’dzikoli.’ (1 Timoteo 6:17-19) Kukondetsa zinthu zakuthupi kotereku kungadodometse ena mosavuta paliŵiro lokalandira moyo kapena kuwalepheretsa n’kuuyamba komwe.

Pa Ulaliki wa pa Phiri, Yesu anati: “Palibe munthu angathe kukhala kapolo wa ambuye aŵiri: pakuti pena adzamuda mmodziyo, ndi kukonda winayo; pena adzakangamira kwa mmodzi, nadzanyoza wina. Simungathe kukhala kapolo wa Mulungu ndi wa Chuma.” Atatha kunena kuti Yehova amasamalira zosoŵa za nyama ndi zomera ndiponso kuti anthu ndi amtengo wapatali kuposa zinthu zimenezo, analangiza kuti: “Chifukwa chake musadere nkhaŵa, ndi kuti, tidzadya chiyani? kapena, tidzamwa chiyani? kapena, tidzavala chiyani? Pakuti anthu akunja azifunitsa zonse zimenezo; pakuti Atate wanu wa Kumwamba adziŵa kuti musoŵa zonse zimenezo. Koma muthange mwafuna Ufumu wake ndi chilungamo chake, ndipo zonse zimenezo zidzawonjezedwa kwa inu.”​—Mateyu 6:24-33.

‘Thamangani Mwachipiriro’

Si mipikisano yonse yothamanga yakale imene inali ya mitunda ifupiifupi. Mpikisano wina wotchedwa doʹli·khos unali wamakilomita anayi. Unali mpikisano wachamuna wopima mphamvu ndi kupirira. Malinga ndi mwambo, mu 328 B.C.E., woseŵera wina wotchedwa Ageas, atapambana mpikisano umenewu, anathamanga njira yonse mpaka mu mzinda wakwawo wa Argos, polengeza kupambana kwakeko. Tsiku limenelo, anathamanga mtunda wa makilomita pafupifupi 110!

Mpikisano wothamanga wachikristu nawonso ndi wamtunda wautali umene umayesa chipiriro chathu. N’kofunika kupirira mu mpikisanowu mpaka kumapeto kuti tipeze chiyanjo cha Yehova ndi mphoto yamoyo wosatha. Paulo anathamanga moteromo. Chakumapeto kwamoyo wake, anati: “Ndalimbana nako kulimbana kwabwino, ndatsiriza njirayo, ndasunga chikhulupiriro: chotsalira wandiikira ine korona wa chilungamo.” (2 Timoteo 4:7, 8) Monga Paulo, tiyenera kuthamanga mpaka ‘kutsiriza.’ Ngati chipiriro chathu chikuzirala chifukwa chakuti mpikisano wothamangawu n’ngwautalipo kuposa mmene tinkaganizira, sitidzalandira mphoto yathu. (Ahebri 11:6) Zingakhaletu zomvetsa chisoni chifukwa tatsala pang’ono zedi kufika mzera wotsiriza!

Mphoto

Opambana m’mipikisano yakale yachigiriki ankapatsidwa nkhata zimene kaŵirikaŵiri zinali zopangidwa ndi masamba a mitengo zokongoletsedwa ndi maluŵa. M’maseŵera otchedwa Phythian, opambana ankalandira nkhata za masamba a mtengo wamlombwa. M’maseŵera a Olimpiki ankalandira nkhata za masamba a mtengo wa azitona, ndipo m’maseŵera a Isthmian ankapatsidwa nkhata za mkungudza. “Pofuna kuwawonjezera mphamvu opikisanawo,” akutero katswiri wina wodziŵa Baibulo, “mpikisanowo uli m’kati, nkhata, mphatso zopatsa anthu opambana, komanso nthambi za kanjedza, ankaziyika pampando, kapena patebulo m’bwalo lamaseŵerolo kuti opikisanawo adzitha kuziona bwinobwino.” Kuvala nkhata, unali ulemu waukulu kwa wopambana. Munthu wopambana popita kwawo ankakwera galeta mwachimwemwe poloŵa mu mzinda.

Podziŵa zimenezi, Paulo anafunsa oŵerenga a ku Korinto kuti: “Kodi simudziŵa kuti iwo akuchita makani a liwiro, athamangadi onse, koma mmodzi alandira mfupo? Motero thamangani, kuti mukalandire. . . . Ndipo iwoŵa atero kuti alandire korona [“nkhata,” Buku Loyera] wakuvunda; koma ife wosavunda.” (1 Akorinto 9:24, 25; 1 Petro 1:3, 4) N’zosiyana bwanji! Mosiyana ndi nkhata zovunda za m’maseŵera akalewo, mphoto imene ikuyembekezera anthu omwe akuthamanga mumpikisano wokalandira moyo mpaka kotsirizira sidzavunda.

Ponena za nkhata yabwino imeneyi, mtumwi Petro analemba kuti: “Pakuonekera Mbusa wamkulu, mudzalandira korona wa ulemerero, wosafota.” (1 Petro 5:4) Kodi pali mphoto imene dzikoli lingapereke imene ingafanane ndi kusafa, mphoto yamoyo wosakhoza kufa mu ulemerero wakumwamba pamodzi ndi Kristu?

Lerolino, othamanga achikristu ambiri si odzozedwa ndi Mulungu kukakhala ana ake auzimu ndipo alibe chiyembekezo cha kumwamba. Sakuthamangira mphoto yamoyo wosakhoza kufa. Komabe, Mulungu waika mphoto yapaderanso kutsogolo kwawo. Ndiyo moyo wosatha muungwiro padziko lapansi la paradaiso mu Ufumu wa kumwamba. Kaya ndi mphoto iti imene wothamanga wachikristu akuyesetsa kukalandira, ayenera kuthamanga motsimikiza mtima zedi ndi mwamphamvu kuposa aliyense mu mpikisano wothamanga. Chifukwa chiyani? Chifukwa mphotoyo sidzafota: “Ili ndi lonjezano Iye anatilonjezera ife, ndiwo moyo wosatha.”​—1 Yohane 2:25.

Popeza wothamanga wachikristu akuyembekeza kulandira mphoto yosiyana ndi mphoto ina iliyonse, kodi zinthu zokopa za dzikoli ayenera kuziona motani? Ayenera kukhala ngati Paulo amene anati: “Ndiyesa zonse zikhale chitayiko chifukwa cha mapambanidwe a chizindikiritso (“chidziŵitso,” NW) cha Kristu Yesu Ambuye wanga, chifukwa cha Iyeyu ndinatayikitsa zinthu zonse, ndipo ndiziyesa zapadzala.” Mogwirizana ndi zimenezi, Paulo anathamanga mwa mtondo wadooka! “Abale, ine sindiŵerengera ndekha kuti ndatha kuchigwira; koma chinthu chimodzi ndichichita; poiŵaladi zam’mbuyo, ndi kutambalitsira zam’tsogolo, ndilondetsa polekezerapo, kutsatira mfupo.” (Afilipi 3:8, 13, 14) Paulo anathamanga maso ake onse ali pa mphoto. Ifenso tiyenera kutero.

Chitsanzo Chathu Chabwino Kwambiri

M’maseŵera akale, akatswiri ankatamandidwa kwabasi. Olemba ndakatulo ankalemba za anthu ameneŵa, ndipo osema ziboliboli ankasema zoimira anthu ameneŵa. Wolemba mbiri Věra Olivová akuti “ankasamba mu ulemerero ndipo anali wotchuka kwambiri.” Ndipo akatswiriwo anali zitsanzo za akatswiri achinyamata.

Kodi “katswiri” amene ali chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri kwa Akristu n’ndani? Paulo akuyankha kuti: “Tithamange mwachipiriro makaniwo adatiikira, ndi kupenyerera woyambira ndi womariza wa chikhulupiriro chathu, Yesu, ameneyo, chifukwa cha chimwemwe choikidwacho pamaso pake, anapirira mtanda, nanyoza manyazi, nakhala pa dzanja lamanja la mpando wachifumu wa Mulungu.” (Ahebri 12:1, 2) Inde, ngati tikufuna kuti tipambane mumpikisano wathu wokalandira moyo wamuyaya, tifunika kupenyerera Chitsanzo chathu, Yesu Kristu. Tingachite zimenezi mwa kuŵerenga nthaŵi zonse nkhani za m’Mauthenga Abwino ndi kusinkhasinkha njira zimene tingam’tsanzirire. Kuphunzira kumeneko kudzatithandiza kuzindikira kuti Yesu Kristu anamvera Mulungu ndipo anasonyeza mtundu wa chikhulupiriro chake mwa kupirira kwake. Monga mphoto yakupirira kwake, anayanjidwa ndi Yehova Mulungu ndiponso analandira maudindo apadera ambiri.​—Afilipi 2:9-11.

N’zoona kuti chikondi chinali mkhalidwe waukulu kwambiri wa Yesu. “Palibe munthu ali nacho chikondi choposa ichi, chakuti munthu ataya moyo wake chifukwa cha abwenzi ake.” (Yohane 15:13) Anapereka tanthauzo lakuya la mawu akuti “chikondi” mwa kutiuza kuti tizikonda ngakhale adani athu. (Mateyu 5:43-48) Chifukwa chakuti anakonda Atate wake wakumwamba, Yesu anasangalala kuchita chifuno cha Atate ake. (Salmo 40:9, 10; Miyambo 27:11) Kuona kwathu Yesu monga Chitsanzo chathu ndi wotitsogolera mu mpikisano wovuta wokalandira moyo kudzatisonkhezeranso kukonda Mulungu ndi anansi athu ndi kupeza chimwemwe chenicheni mu utumiki wathu wopatulika. (Mateyu 22:37-39; Yohane 13:34; 1 Petro 2:21) Kumbukirani kuti Yesu satipempha kuchita zinthu zimene sitingathe. Amatitsimikizira kuti: “Ndili wofatsa ndi wodzichepetsa mtima: ndipo mudzapeza mpumulo wa miyoyo yanu. Pakuti goli langa lili lofewa, ndi katundu wanga ali wopepuka.”​—Mateyu 11:28-30.

Monga Yesu, tifunika kuika maso athu pa mphoto imene ikuyembekezera anthu onse opirira kufikira mapeto. (Mateyu 24:13) Ngati tithamanga motsata malamulo a mpikisano, ngati titaya cholemetsa chilichonse, ndiponso ngati tithamanga mwachipiriro, ndithudi tidzapambana. Mphoto imene ikutiyembekezera imatilimbikitsa! Imatipatsa mphamvu chifukwa imatipatsa chimwemwe, chimwemwe chimene chimapangitsa njira imene tikuthamangamo kukhala yosavuta kuyendamo.

[Chithunzi patsamba 29]

Mpikisano wothamanga wachikristu ndi wamtunda wautali wofunika kupirira

[Chithunzi patsamba 30]

Mosiyana ndi othamanga amene amalandira nkhata, Akristu akuyembekezera mphoto yosavunda

[Chithunzi patsamba 31]

Mphoto ndi ya anthu onse opirira kufikira mapeto

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 28]

Copyright British Museum