Igice cya 3

Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bari Abahamya ba Yehova

“MUZAMBERA abahamya . . . kugera mu turere twa kure cyane tw’isi” (Ibyak 1:8). Ayo magambo agaragaza ko Yesu yahaye abigishwa be inshingano yo kuba abahamya. Ariko se bari kuba abahamya ba nde? Yesu yaravuze ati “muzambera abahamya.” Ese ibyo byaba bishatse kuvuga ko batari guhamya Yehova? Oya rwose!

Ahubwo abigishwa ba Yesu bari bafite inshingano itari yarigeze ihabwa undi muntu yo guhamya Yehova na Yesu. Kubera ko abigishwa ba Yesu ba mbere bari Abayahudi b’indahemuka, bari basanzwe bahamya Yehova (Yes 43:10-12). Ariko noneho bagombaga no guhamya ibirebana n’uruhare rw’ingenzi Yesu afite mu kweza izina ry’Imana binyuze ku Bwami buyobowe na Mesiya. Ubwo rero, bahamyaga ibya Yesu bagamije guhesha Yehova ikuzo (Rom 16:25-27; Fili 2:9-11). Bahamije ko Yehova atabeshya, kuko Mesiya cyangwa Kristo wari umaze imyaka isaga 4.000 ategerejwe yashyize akaza.

Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bahamyaga Yehova, bari bafite inshingano yihariye bahuriyeho n’Abakristo b’ukuri muri iki gihe.

“Nimugende muhindure [abantu] abigishwa”

Yesu amaze kuzuka, yabonekeye abigishwa be bari bateraniye ku musozi i Galilaya. Aho ni ho Yesu yahise abahera inshingano, arababwira ati “nimugende muhindure abigishwa mu bantu bo mu mahanga yose, mubabatiza mu izina rya Data n’iry’Umwana n’iry’umwuka wera, mubigisha gukurikiza ibyo nabategetse byose. Kandi dore ndi kumwe namwe iminsi yose kugeza ku mperuka” (Mat 28:19, 20). Reka dusuzume ibintu byari bikubiye muri iyo nshingano itoroshye bari bahawe.

Yesu yarababwiye ati “nimugende.” Bari kugenda bajya kureba ba nde? Ni ‘abantu bo mu mahanga yose.’ Iryo ryari itegeko rishya, kandi ryari kugora cyane Abayahudi bari barabaye Abakristo. (Gereranya n’Ibyakozwe 10:9-16, 28.) Mbere y’uko Yesu aza, Abanyamahanga bazaga muri Isirayeli bazanywe no gusenga Imana y’ukuri bakirwaga neza (1 Abami 8:41-43). Igihe Yesu yatangiraga umurimo we, yategetse intumwa ze ‘kujya kubwiriza,’ ariko bakabwiriza gusa ‘mu ntama zazimiye zo mu nzu ya Isirayeli’ (Mat 10:1, 6, 7). Ariko noneho bari bategetswe kujya kubwiriza abantu bo mu mahanga yose. Ni iyihe ntego bari bafite?

Yesu yarabategetse ati “muhindure [abantu] abigishwa.” Abigishwa be bari bafite inshingano yo guhindura abandi bantu na bo bakaba abigishwa. Iyo nshingano yari ikubiyemo iki? Umwigishwa ni umuntu uba yarigishijwe, ariko atandukanye n’umunyeshuri kuko we aba yemera kandi agakurikiza ibyo yigishwa. Umwigishwa ntiyemera mu mutima we gusa ubutware Yesu afite, ahubwo agaragaza ko amwizera yumvira. Nk’uko inkoranyamagambo imwe ibivuga, ijambo ry’ikigiriki ryahinduwemo “umwigishwa” (ma·the·tesʹ), ryumvikanisha uburyo “umuntu [umwigishwa] yizirika ku byo yigishijwe ku buryo ari byo bigenga imibereho ye yose.”—Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.

Yesu yongeyeho ati ‘mubigishe gukurikiza ibyo nabategetse byose.’ Kugira ngo umuntu yizirike ku nyigisho za Yesu, aba agomba kwigishwa ‘gukurikiza ibyo [Kristo] yategetse byose,’ hakubiyemo n’itegeko yatanze ryo kubwiriza ‘ubutumwa bwiza bw’ubwami’ (Mat 24:14). Icyo gihe ni bwo ashobora kuba umwigishwa nyawe mu buryo buhuje n’ibisobanuro by’iryo jambo. Abari kwemera inyigisho za Yesu kandi bakaba abigishwa nyakuri, ni bo bonyine bari kubatizwa.

Yesu yarabijeje ati “ndi kumwe namwe iminsi yose kugeza ku mperuka.” Inyigisho za Yesu zihora zihuje n’igihe, ntizita agaciro. Ni yo mpamvu no muri iki gihe Abakristo bagomba kubahiriza iryo tegeko ryo guhindura abantu abigishwa.

Ubwo rero abigishwa ba Kristo bahawe inshingano yo guhindura abigishwa mu bantu bo mu mahanga yose. Icyakora kugira ngo bahindure abantu abigishwa ba Kristo, bagombaga guhamya izina ry’Imana Yehova n’Ubwami bwe, nk’uko na Yesu yabigenje (Luka 4:43; Yoh 17:26). Abantu bose bemeye inyigisho za Yesu bakaba abigishwa be, bahindutse Abakristo bahamya Yehova. Umuntu ni we wihitiragamo kuba umwigishwa uhamya Yehova, ntibyari bigisaba ko avukira mu ishyanga ry’Abayahudi. Abahindutse abahamya babikoze babitewe n’urukundo bakundaga Yehova no kuba barifuzaga kugandukira ubutegetsi bwe bw’ikirenga babikuye ku mutima.—1 Yoh 5:3.

Ese koko Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bahamyaga Yehova bashohoje inshingano yo guhamya iby’Imana na Kristo, kandi ‘bahindura abigishwa mu bantu bo mu mahanga yose’?

“Kugera mu turere twa kure cyane tw’isi”

Hashize igihe gito Yesu ahaye abigishwa be iyo nshingano, yasubiye mu ijuru kwa Se (Ibyak 1:9-11). Iminsi icumi nyuma yaho, ku munsi wa Pentekote yo mu mwaka wa 33, umurimo wo guhindura abantu abigishwa watangiye gukorwa mu rugero rwagutse. Yesu yasutse umwuka wera ku bigishwa be bari bategereje, nk’uko yari yarabibasezeranyije. (Ibyak 2:1-4; gereranya na Luka 24:49; Ibyakozwe 1:4, 5.) Uwo mwuka watumye bagira ishyaka, babwiriza ibyerekeye Kristo wazutse n’ukuntu azagaruka ari Umwami ufite ububasha.

Nk’uko Yesu yari yarabibategetse, abo bigishwa bo mu kinyejana cya mbere batangiye guhamya ibyerekeye Imana na Kristo bakiri i Yerusalemu (Ibyak 1:8). Ku munsi mukuru wa Pentekote intumwa Petero yafashe iya mbere, ‘ahamiriza mu buryo bunonosoye’ Abayahudi babarirwa mu bihumbi bari baturutse mu mahanga menshi baje kwizihiza uwo munsi (Ibyak 2:5-11, 40). Mu gihe gito, umubare w’abagabo bizeye wageze ku 5.000 (Ibyak 4:4; 6:7). Nyuma yaho, Filipo yabwirije Abasamariya abagezaho “ubutumwa bwiza bw’ubwami bw’Imana n’ubw’izina rya Yesu Kristo.”—Ibyak 8:12.

Ariko hari byinshi byari bikeneye gukorwa. Kuva mu mwaka wa 36, igihe Koruneliyo wari Umunyamahanga utarakebwe yizeraga, ubutumwa bwiza bwatangiye kugera no ku bantu bo mu mahanga yose batari Abayahudi (Ibyakozwe igice cya 10). Mu gihe gito ubutumwa bwiza bwaramamaye cyane, ku buryo mu mwaka wa 60 intumwa Pawulo yavuze ko ubutumwa bwiza bwari bwaramaze ‘kubwirizwa mu baremwe bose bari munsi y’ijuru’ (Kolo 1:23). Ni yo mpamvu mu mpera z’ikinyejana cya mbere, abigishwa b’indahemuka ba Yesu bari barahinduye abigishwa abantu bo mu turere twose twategekwaga n’ubwami bw’Abaroma: muri Aziya, mu Burayi no muri Afurika.

Kubera ko Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bahamyaga Yehova bageze kuri byinshi mu gihe gito nk’icyo, bituma twibaza tuti ‘ese bari bafite gahunda ihamye bagenderagaho? Niba yari ihari se, yari iteye ite?’

Uko itorero rya gikristo ryayoborwaga

Kuva mu gihe cya Mose, ishyanga ry’Abayahudi ryari rifite umwanya wihariye wo kuba itorero ry’Imana. Iryo torero ryari rifite ubuyobozi bwihariye bwashyizweho n’Imana. Bwari bugizwe n’abakuru ba Isirayeli, abakuru b’imiryango, abacamanza n’abatware (Yos 23:1, 2). Icyakora Abayahudi bambuwe uwo mwanya bitewe n’uko banze Umwana wa Yehova (Mat 21:42, 43; 23:37, 38; Ibyak 4:24-28). Kuri Pentekote yo mu mwaka wa 33, itorero rya gikristo Imana yatoranyije ni ryo ryasimbuye ishyanga rya Isirayeli.a Iryo torero rya gikristo ryayoborwaga rite?

Na mbere y’uko umunsi wa Pentekote ugera, abigishwa ‘bashishikariraga inyigisho z’intumwa,’ bikaba bigaragaza ko izo nyigisho zari zaratumye bunga ubumwe. Uhereye uwo munsi, bateraniye hamwe “bahuje umutima” (Ibyak 2:42, 46). Uko umurimo wo guhindura abantu abigishwa wakomezaga kwamamara, amatorero y’abizera yatangiye gushingwa uhereye i Yerusalemu, hanyuma ashingwa no mu yindi migi (Ibyak 8:1; 9:31; 11:19-21; 14:21-23). Bajyaga bateranira aho abantu bahurira cyangwa mu ngo zabo.—Ibyak 19:8, 9; Rom 16:3, 5; Kolo 4:15.

Ni iki cyatumye itorero rya gikristo ryakomezaga kwiyongera, ridahinduka urugaga rugizwe n’amatorero atandukanye yigenga? Bari bunze ubumwe, bafite Umuyobozi umwe. Kuva itorero ryashingwa, Yesu Kristo yagizwe Umwami n’Umutwe w’itorero, kandi amatorero yose ni ko yabyemeraga (Ibyak 2:34-36; Efe 1:22). Kristo yakurikiraniraga hafi imikorere y’itorero rye ari mu ijuru. Ibyo bishoboka bite? Yifashishaga abamarayika n’umwuka wera Yehova yamuhaye.—Ibyak 2:33; gereranya n’Ibyakozwe 5:19, 20; 8:26; 1 Pet 3:22.

Hari ubundi buryo Kristo yakoreshaga kugira ngo itorero rya gikristo rikomeze kunga ubumwe: yakoreshaga inteko nyobozi. Mu mizo ya mbere, inteko nyobozi yari igizwe n’intumwa za Yesu zizerwa. Nyuma y’igihe runaka, hongewemo abandi bagabo bakuze bo mu itorero ry’i Yerusalemu, urugero nk’intumwa Pawulo, nubwo atari atuye i Yerusalemu. Buri torero ryakurikizaga ubuyobozi ryahabwaga n’abo bagabo bakuze, bari bagize inteko nyobozi. Nanone iyo havukaga ibibazo bijyanye n’imikorere y’itorero cyangwa hari inyigisho bagizeho ikibazo, bitabazaga iyo nteko nyobozi (Ibyak 2:42; 6:1-6; 8:14-17; 11:22; 15:1-31). Ese ibyo byagize akahe kamaro? ‘Ibyo byatumye amatorero akomeza gushikama mu kwizera, kandi umubare wayo ukomeza kwiyongera uko bwije n’uko bukeye.’—Ibyak 16:4, 5.

Inteko nyobozi iyobowe n’umwuka wera, yakurikiraniraga hafi ishyirwaho ry’abagenzuzi n’ababungirije bitwa abakozi b’itorero, bagombaga kwita kuri buri torero. Abo bagabo babaga bujuje ibisabwa byanditse muri Bibiliya. Amatorero yose ni byo yakurikizaga, aho kugendera ku mahame bishyiriyeho mu gace batuyemo (1 Tim 3:1-13; Tito 1:5-9; 1 Pet 5:1-3). Abagenzuzi basabwaga gukurikiza Ibyanditswe no kugandukira ubuyobozi bw’umwuka wera (Ibyak 20:28; Tito 1:9). Abo mu matorero yose, batewe inkunga yo ‘kumvira ababayobora’ (Heb 13:17). Ibyo byatumaga abagize buri torero bunga ubumwe, kandi n’amatorero yose muri rusange akunga ubumwe.

Nubwo mu itorero ryo mu kinyejana cya mbere ryahamyaga Yehova habagamo abagabo bafite inshingano runaka, ntihabagamo abayobozi bo mu rwego rw’idini batandukanye n’abayoboke basanzwe. Bose bari abavandimwe bayoborwa n’Umuyobozi umwe ari we Kristo.—Mat 23:8, 10.

Barangwaga n’imyifatire myiza n’urukundo

Ubuhamya bwatanzwe n’abahamya bo mu kinyejana cya mbere ntibwagarukiraga ku “mbuto z’iminwa” yabo (Heb 13:15). Guhindura abantu abigishwa ni byo byarangaga imibereho y’Abakristo b’icyo gihe. Bityo, uretse no kuba baragezaga ku bandi ibyo bizera, byanahinduye imibereho yabo. Biyambuye kamere ya kera yatumaga bakora ibyaha, bihatira kwambara kamere nshya ihuje n’ibyo Imana ishaka (Kolo 3:5-10). Bari indakemwa kandi bavugishaga ukuri, bakaba abanyamwete n’abantu biringirwa (Efe 4:25, 28). Bari indakemwa mu by’umuco; ubusambanyi bwari ikizira. Nanone birindaga ubusinzi no gusenga ibishushanyo (Gal 5:19-21). Byari bikwiriye rwose ko Ubukristo bwitwa ‘Inzira,’ ni ukuvuga imibereho ishingiye ku kwizera Yesu no kugera ikirenge mu cye.—Ibyak 9:1, 2; 1 Pet 2:21, 22.

Icyakora, hari umuco ukomeye kuruta iyindi wabarangaga. Ni urukundo. Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere barakundanaga, bakita ku byo bagenzi babo bakeneye (Rom 15:26; Gal 2:10). Buri wese yakundaga mugenzi we kuruta uko yikunda. (Gereranya n’Abafilipi 2:25-30.) Babaga biteguye no gupfira bagenzi babo. Ariko ibyo ntibitangaje kuko na Yesu yari yiteguye gupfira abandi. (Yoh 15:13; gereranya na Luka 6:40.) Ni yo mpamvu yabwiye abigishwa be ati “ndabaha itegeko rishya ngo mukundane; nk’uko nabakunze namwe abe ari ko mukundana. Ibyo ni byo bose bazabamenyeraho ko muri abigishwa banjye, nimukundana” (Yoh 13:34, 35). Kristo yategetse abigishwa be gukundana urukundo rurangwa no kwigomwa, kandi Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere barabyubahirije.—Mat 28:20.

‘Ntibari ab’isi’

Kugira ngo Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere basohoze inshingano yabo yo guhindura abantu abigishwa no kuba abahamya b’Imana na Kristo, birinze kurangazwa n’iby’isi; bakomeje kwibanda ku nshingano yabo. Yesu na we ni uko yabigenje. Yabwiye Pilato ati “ubwami bwanjye si ubw’iyi si” (Yoh 18:36). Nanone yabwiye abigishwa be adaciye ku ruhande ati ‘ntimuri ab’isi’ (Yoh 15:19). Uretse na Yesu, abo Bakristo na bo bagombaga gukomeza kwitandukanya n’isi. Ntibivangaga muri politiki cyangwa mu ntambara. (Gereranya na Yohana 6:15.) Birinze kuganzwa n’umwuka w’isi wo kwiruka inyuma y’ubutunzi no gukabya kwinezeza.—Luka 12:29-31; Rom 12:2; 1 Pet 4:3, 4.

Kubera ko Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bitandukanyaga n’isi, babaga batandukanye n’abandi. Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa E. G. Hardy yaranditse ati “Abakristo bari abanyamahanga n’abimukira mu bantu bari babakikije; bumvaga ko iwabo ari mu ijuru kandi ko ibyiringiro byabo ari ubwami butari ubwo ku isi. Ni yo mpamvu kuva itorero rya gikristo ryatangira, abayoboke baryo bagenderaga kure ibintu bifitanye isano na politiki.”

Batotejwe bazira gukiranuka

Yesu yaburiye abigishwa be ati “umugaragu ntaruta shebuja. Niba barantoteje namwe bazabatoteza” (Yoh 15:20). Mbere y’uko Yesu apfira ku giti cy’umubabaro, yaratotejwe cyane (Mat 26:67; 27:26-31, 38-44). Nk’uko yari yarabibwiye abigishwa be, mu gihe gito bahise bahura n’ibitotezo nk’ibyo yahuye na byo (Mat 10:22, 23). Kuki batotejwe?

Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere ntibatinze kumenyekana. Bagenderaga ku mahame mbwirizamuco yo mu rwego rwo hejuru kandi bari inyangamugayo. Bakoraga umurimo wo guhindura abantu abigishwa babigiranye ishyaka n’ubushizi bw’amanga. Ibyo byatumye abantu babarirwa mu bihumbi bareka amadini y’ikinyoma bahinduka Abakristo. Ntibemeraga kwivanga mu bibazo by’isi, kandi ntibasengaga umwami w’abami. Ibyo byatumye batotezwa cyane n’abayobozi b’amadini y’ibinyoma ndetse n’abategetsi bari barababwiwe nabi (Ibyak 12:1-5; 13:45, 50; 14:1-7; 16:19-24). Mu by’ukuri, ababatotezaga bakoreshwaga na “ya nzoka ya kera” ari yo Satani. (Ibyah 12:9; gereranya n’Ibyahishuwe 12:12, 17.) Ni iki Satani yari agamije? Yashakaga gutsemba Abakristo no kuburizamo umurimo wo gutanga ubuhamya bakoraga bashize amanga.

Ariko nta gitotezo na kimwe cyashoboraga gucecekesha abo Bakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bari abahamya ba Yehova. Binyuze kuri Yesu, Imana yari yarabahaye inshingano yo kubwiriza, kandi bari bariyemeje kumvira Imana kuruta abantu (Ibyak 4:19, 20, 29; 5:27-32). Bishingikirizaga ku mbaraga za Yehova, bizeye ko yari kuzagororera abahamya be bakomeje kwihangana.—Mat 5:10; Rom 8:35-39; 15:5.

Amateka yemeza ko ibitotezo by’abategetsi bo mu bwami bw’Abaroma bitatumye Abakristo bahamyaga Yehova bazimangatana. Umuhanga mu by’amateka w’Umuyahudi wo mu kinyejana cya mbere witwaga Josèphe yaravuze ati “abantu bitwa Abakristo, izina bakomoye kuri [Yesu], n’ubu [ahagana mu mwaka wa 93] baracyariho.”—Jewish Antiquities, XVIII, 64 (iii, 3).

Ibyanditswe ku buhamya bwatanzwe n’Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere, bigaragaza neza ibintu byabarangaga. Inshingano bari barahawe yo kuba abahamya b’Imana na Yesu n’iyo guhindura abantu abigishwa, bazishohoje babigiranye ishyaka n’ubushizi bw’amanga. Mu itorero ntihabagamo abayobozi bo mu rwego rw’idini batandukanye n’abayoboke basanzwe, ahubwo bose bari abavandimwe. Bagenderaga ku mahame yo mu rwego rwo hejuru kandi barakundanaga. Ntibivangaga muri politiki cyangwa mu bibazo by’isi. Batotejwe bazira gukiranuka.

Icyakora ahagana mu mpera z’ikinyejana cya mbere, itorero rya gikristo ryari ryugarijwe n’akaga gakomeye cyane katari gupfa kugaragara.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Amagambo yatsindagirijwe yo ku ipaji ya 26]

Abigishwa bashya ntibagombaga kuba abantu bizera ibintu runaka gusa, ahubwo bagombaga kuba abigishwa bumvira

[Amagambo yatsindagirijwe yo ku ipaji ya 27]

Umuntu ni we noneho wihitiragamo kuba umuhamya wa Yehova, aho kubivukana

[Amagambo yatsindagirijwe yo ku ipaji ya 28]

Mu mpera z’ikinyejana cya mbere, Abakristo bahamyaga Yehova bari barahinduye abigishwa mu bantu bo muri Aziya, mu Burayi no muri Afurika

[Amagambo yatsindagirijwe yo ku ipaji ya 29]

Mu Bakristo bo kinyejana cya mbere, ntihabagamo abayobozi b’idini batandukanye n’abayoboke basanzwe

[Agasanduku ko ku ipaji ya 27]

Kubwirizanya ishyaka byatumye Ubukristo bukwirakwira hirya no hino

Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bahamyaga Yehova, bari bafite ishyaka ryinshi ryo gutangaza ubutumwa bwiza bashize amanga, bakabugeza ku bantu benshi bashoboka. Iryo shyaka nta cyashoboraga kurikoma imbere. Edward Gibbon yaravuze ati ‘ishyaka Abakristo bagiraga ryatumye bakwirakwira mu ntara zose no mu migi hafi ya yose yo mu bwami bw’Abaroma’ (“The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”). Nanone mu gitabo Porofeseri J. W. Thompson yanditse yaravuze ati “Ubukristo bwakwirakwiriye mu buryo bwihuse cyane mu bwami bw’Abaroma. Birashoboka ko ahagana mu mwaka wa 100 intara zose zegereye inyanja ya Mediterane zabagamo Abakristo.”​—⁠“History of the Middle Ages.”

[Agasanduku ko ipaji ya 30]

‘Ubukristo bwaratsinze’

Hari izindi nyandiko zidashingiye kuri Bibiliya zemeza ko Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere barangwaga n’urukundo n’imyifatire myiza. Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa John Lord yaranditse ati “ikigaragaza ko Ubukristo bwatsinze, ni uko abemeraga inyigisho zabwo bahindukaga abantu beza. . . . Ibyo bigaragazwa n’uko bari inyangamugayo, ari indakemwa mu by’umuco, bakaba abaturage beza kandi bakarangwa n’imico myiza ya gikristo.”​—“The Old Roman World.”

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 31]

Nubwo inteko nyobozi ari yo yahaga amatorero amabwiriza agenderaho, amatorero yose yumvaga ko Umuyobozi wayo ari Kristo

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 32]

Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bibasiwe n’ibitotezo bikaze