Itoteza ryatumye muri Antiyokiya haba ukwiyongera

IGIHE habagaho itotezwa rikaze nyuma y’aho Sitefano yiciwe azira imyizerere ye, benshi mu bigishwa ba Yesu barahunze bava i Yerusalemu. Kamwe mu turere bagiye gushakiramo ubuhungiro ni Antiyokiya yo muri Siriya, ku birometero 550 ugana mu majyaruguru (Ibyakozwe 11:19). Ibintu byakurikiyeho byari kuzagira ingaruka ku mateka y’Ubukristo yose uko yakabaye. Kugira ngo dusobanukirwe ibyabaye, biri bube ingirakamaro kugira ibintu bike tumenya ku birebana na Antiyokiya.

Ku birebana n’imijyi yo mu Bwami bw’Abaroma mu bihereranye n’ubunini, uburumbuke n’akamaro, Antiyokiya yarutwaga gusa na Roma hamwe na Alexandrie. Uwo mujyi munini wa Siriya wari wihariye akarere ko mu majyaruguru y’uburasirazuba bw’inyanja ya Mediterane. Umujyi wa Antiyokiya (ari wo Antakya y’ubu ho muri Turukiya) wari wubatswe ku Ruzi rwa Orontes rugendamo amato, rwahuzaga ibyambu byawo n’umujyi wa Seleucia Pieria uri ku birometero 32. Wagenzuraga imwe mu nzira zikomeye zanyuragamo ibicuruzwa hagati ya Roma n’Ikibaya cya Tigris-Euphrates. Kubera ko wari ihuriro ry’ubucuruzi, wakoranaga ubucuruzi n’ubwami bwose uko bwakabaye, kandi wari urimo ibikorwa by’abantu b’ingeri zose bajyanaga amakuru y’amadini aho yari ari hose mu bwami bw’Abaroma.

Idini ry’Abagiriki na filozofiya yabo byari byarasagambye muri Antiyokiya. Ariko kandi, umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Glanville Downey yagize ati “mu gihe cya Kristo, udutsiko tw’ingirwadini twa kera hamwe na za filozofiya byari bisigaye ari ikibazo kireba imyizerere y’umuntu ku giti cye, kubera ko abantu bashakaga uko banyurwa mu birebana n’idini nta we bisunze bashaka umuti w’ibibazo byabo n’ibyo bifuza” (Byavanywe mu gitabo cyitwa A History of Antioch in Syria). Hari benshi banyurwaga n’idini rya Kiyahudi ryemeraga ko hariho Imana imwe, bakumva banyuzwe n’imihango yaryo hamwe n’amahame mbwirizamuco yaryo.

Abayahudi benshi bari baratuye muri Antiyokiya kuva uwo mujyi washingwa mu mwaka wa 300 M.I.C. Bavuga ko ugereranyije babarirwaga hagati ya 20.000 na 60.000, bakaba bari bagize ibice bisaga 10 ku ijana by’abaturage b’aho. Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Josephus yavuze ko ingoma y’abami bitwaga Abaselewuside yateraga inkunga Abayahudi ngo bature muri uwo mujyi, ikabaha uburenganzira bwose bw’abenegihugu. Icyo gihe, Ibyanditswe bya Giheburayo byabonekaga mu Kigiriki. Ibyo byabyukije ugushimishwa kw’abantu bashyigikiraga ibyiringiro by’Abayahudi bishingiye kuri Mesiya. Ku bw’ibyo rero, mu Bagiriki hari haravuyemo abantu benshi bahindukiriye idini rya Kiyahudi. Ibyo bintu byose byatumye Antiyokiya iba umurima urumbuka wo gukoreramo umurimo wa Gikristo wo guhindura abantu abigishwa.

Kubwiriza abanyamahanga

Benshi mu bigishwa ba Yesu batotejwe bagatatana bavuye i Yerusalemu bagejeje ukwizera kwabo ku Bayahudi gusa. Ariko kandi, muri Antiyokiya bamwe mu bigishwa bari baturutse i Kupuro n’i Kurene bavuganye “n’Abagiriki” (Ibyakozwe 11:20). N’ubwo umurimo wo kubwiriza Abayahudi bavugaga Ikigiriki hamwe n’abari barahindukiriye idini rya Kiyahudi wari warakomeje guhera kuri Pentekoti yo mu mwaka wa 33 I.C., umurimo wo kubwiriza muri Antiyokiya wasaga n’aho ari mushya. Ntiwarebaga Abayahudi bonyine. Ni iby’ukuri ko Umunyamahanga Koruneliyo hamwe n’umuryango we bari barahindutse abigishwa. Ariko kandi, byasabye ko Yehova aha intumwa Petero iyerekwa kugira ngo amwemeze ko kubwiriza Abanyamahanga byari ibintu bikwiriye.—Ibyakozwe 10:1-48.

Mu mujyi wari urimo Abayahudi benshi kandi bahatuye kera, kandi akaba ari nta rwango rukaze rwari hagati y’Abayahudi n’Abanyamahanga, abantu batari Abayahudi barabwirizwaga kandi bakakira neza ubutumwa bwiza. Uko bigaragara, muri Antiyokiya hari hari umwuka mwiza watumye habaho ayo majyambere, kandi ‘abantu benshi barizeye’ (Ibyakozwe 11:21). Kandi igihe Abayahudi bahindukiriye idini rya Kiyahudi bari barahoze basenga imana z’abapagani babaga Abakristo, bari bafite ibikwiriye byose mu buryo bwihariye kugira ngo babwirize abandi Banyamahanga bari bakizisenga.

Itorero ry’i Yerusalemu rimaze kumva amajyambere yari muri Antiyokiya ryohereje Barinaba kugira ngo ajye kugenzura uko byifashe. Kuba ari we ryahisemo byari bihuje n’ubwenge kandi byuje urukundo. Yakomokaga i Kupuro, kimwe na bamwe mu bari baratangiye kubwiriza abatari Abayahudi. Barinaba agomba kuba yarumvaga yisanga mu Banyamahanga bo muri Antiyokiya. Na bo bagomba kuba baramubonagamo umuntu w’umuturanyi basanzwe bamenyereye.a Yashoboraga kwishyira mu mwanya wabo akiyumvisha umurimo wari urimo ukorwa. Bityo rero, ‘asohoyeyo, kandi abonye ubuntu bw’Imana, aranezerwa, abahugura bose ati “mugume mu Mwami Yesu, mumaramaje mu mitima yanyu,” ’ kandi “abantu benshi bongererwa Umwami Yesu.”—Ibyakozwe 11:22-24.

Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Downey yagize ati “impamvu zishobora kuba zaratumye kampeni ya mbere yo kubwiriza muri Antiyokiya igira icyo igeraho, zishobora kuba ari uko muri uwo mujyi abamisiyonari batagombaga gutinya abafana b’Abayahudi nk’abo bari barahuye na bo i Yerusalemu; nanone kandi, byaba byaratewe n’uko uwo mujyi wategekwaga n’umusirikare kubera ko wari umurwa mukuru wa Siriya, kandi ku bw’ibyo ukaba wari ufite umutekano kurushaho, badashobora guhura n’ibikorwa by’inzererezi nk’uko byari byaragenze i Yerusalemu, aho abategetsi b’intara ya Yudaya basaga n’aho (nibura muri icyo gihe) batashoboye guhagarika ibikorwa by’abafana b’Abayahudi.”

Mu gihe Barinaba yari ari muri iyo mimerere myiza kandi afite byinshi byo gukora, birashoboka ko yabonye ko akeneye ubufasha, maze atekereza incuti ye Sawuli. Kuki yatekereje Sawuli, cyangwa Pawulo? Uko bigaragara ni ukubera ko n’ubwo Pawulo atari umwe mu ntumwa 12, yari yarahawe kuba intumwa ku banyamahanga (Ibyakozwe 9:15, 27; Abaroma 1:5; Ibyahishuwe 21:14). Ku bw’ibyo rero, Pawulo yari akwiriye rwose kuba mugenzi we bafatanya kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza mu Banyamahanga bo mumujyi wa Antiyokiya (Abagalatiya 1:16). Bityo, Barinaba yagiye i Taruso gushaka Sawuli, maze amuzana muri Antiyokiya.—Ibyakozwe 11:25, 26; reba agasanduku kari ku ipaji ya 26-27.

Biswe Abakristo biturutse ku buyobozi bw’Imana

Barinaba na Sawuli bamaze umwaka wose “bigisha abantu benshi; kandi mu Antiyokiya ni ho abigishwa batangiriye kwitwa Abakristo [“biturutse ku buyobozi bw’Imana,” NW ] .” Abayahudi bashobora kuba atari bo babaye aba mbere mu kwita abigishwa ba Yesu Abakristo (mu Kigiriki) cyangwa Abamesiya (mu Giheburayo), kuko batemeraga ko Yesu ari we Mesiya cyangwa Kristo, bityo bakaba batarashoboraga kugaragaza mu buryo buziguye ko bemera ko ari we binyuriye mu kwita abigishwa be Abakristo. Hari bamwe batekereza ko abapagani bashobora kuba ari bo babahimbye Abakristo mu buryo bwo kubasekera cyangwa babitewe no kubannyega. Icyakora, Bibiliya yo igaragaza ko izina Abakristo ryatanzwe n’Imana.—Ibyakozwe 11:26, NW.

Mu Byanditswe bya Gikristo bya Kigiriki, inshinga yakoreshejwe yerekeza kuri iryo zina rishya, muri rusange ihindurwamo “kwitwa,” buri gihe iba ifitanye isano n’ikintu ndengakamere, cy’ubuhanuzi cyangwa gikomoka ku Mana. Ku bw’iyo mpamvu, hari intiti ziyihinduramo ngo “kuvuga ubuhanuzi,” “kuvuga ibintu bikomoka ku Mana,” cyangwa “gutanga itegeko rikomoka ku Mana, cyangwa inama, kwigisha ibiturutse mu ijuru.” Kubera ko abigishwa ba Yesu biswe Abakristo “biturutse ku buyobozi bw’Imana” (NW ), birashoboka ko Yehova yayoboye Sawuli na Barinaba bakita iryo zina.

Iryo zina rishya ryakomeje gukoreshwa. Nta wari kuzongera kwibeshya ku bigishwa ba Yesu abitiranya n’agatsiko k’idini rya Kiyahudi, kuko bari batandukanye na ryo cyane. Ahagana mu mwaka wa 58 I.C., abategetsi b’Abaroma bari bazi neza abo Abakristo ari bo (Ibyakozwe 26:28). Dukurikije uko umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Tacite abivuga, ahagana mu mwaka wa 64 I.C., iryo zina ryanakoreshwaga cyane mu baturage b’i Roma.

Yehova akoresha abantu be bizerwa

Ubutumwa bwiza bwagize amajyambere akomeye muri Antiyokiya. Binyuriye ku migisha ya Yehova no ku cyemezo abigishwa ba Yesu bari barafashe cyo gukomeza kubwiriza, Antiyokiya yabaye ihuriro ry’Ubukristo bwo mu kinyejana cya mbere. Imana yakoresheje itorero ryaho kugira ngo ibe ari ryo iheraho ikwirakwiza ubutumwa bwiza kugeza mu bihugu bya kure. Urugero, muri Antiyokiya ni ho intumwa Pawulo yahagurukiraga buri gihe igiye mu ngendo z’ubumisiyonari zikomeye.

Mu bihe bya none, kugira umwete no kumaramaza mu gihe cyo kurwanywa na byo byagiye bigira uruhare mu gukwirakwiza Ubukristo bw’ukuri, bigatuma benshi bashobora kumva ubutumwa bwiza no kugaragaza ko babufatana uburemere.b Bityo rero, niba hari abakurwanya kubera ko ushyigikira ugusenga k’ukuri, zirikana ko Yehova afite impamvu zituma abireka bikagenda bityo. Kimwe no mu kinyejana cya mbere, muri iki gihe abantu bagomba kubona uburyo bwo kumva ibihereranye n’Ubwami bw’Imana no guherera ku ruhande rwabwo. Kuba wariyemeje umaramaje gukomeza gukorera Yehova uri uwizerwa, bishobora kuba ari byo ukeneye gusa kugira ngo ufashe umuntu kugira ubumenyi nyakuri bw’ukuri.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Agasanduku/​Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 26 n’iya 27]

“Imyaka yahise nta gakuru” ka Sawuli

AHANTU ha nyuma Sawuli yaherukaga kuvugwa mu gitabo cy’Ibyakozwe mbere y’uko yimuka ajya muri Antiyokiya ahagana mu mwaka wa 45 I.C., ni igihe ubugambanyi bwo kumwicira i Yerusalemu bwaburizwagamo maze bagenzi be b’abizera bakamwohereza i Taruso (Ibyakozwe 9:28-30; 11:25). Ariko kandi, ibyo byabaye hashize imyaka icyenda mbere y’aho, ahagana mu mwaka wa 36 I.C. Hagati aho se yakoraga iki—muri icyo gihe cyitwa ko ari imyaka yahise nta gakuru ka Sawuli?

Sawuli yavuye i Yerusalemu ajya mu bihugu by’i Siriya n’i Kilikiya, maze abo mu matorero y’i Yudaya bumva abantu bavuga bati “uwaturenganyaga kera, noneho arigisha iby’idini yarimburaga kera” (Abagalatiya 1:21-23). Iyo nkuru ishobora kuba yarerekezaga ku bikorwa yakoreye muri Antiyokiya ari kumwe na Barinaba, ariko kandi na mbere y’icyo gihe nta gushidikanya ko Sawuli atari yicaye ubusa. Ahagana mu mwaka wa 49 I.C., hari amatorero runaka yari ari i Siriya n’i Kilikiya. Rimwe ryari riri muri Antiyokiya, ariko hari bamwe batekereza ko hari andi ashobora kuba yarashinzwe biturutse ku murimo Sawuli yakoze muri iriya myaka yahise nta gakuru ke.—Ibyakozwe 11:26; 15:23, 41.

Intiti zimwe na zimwe zitekereza ko ibintu bikomeye byabaye mu mibereho ya Sawuli bishobora kuba byarabaye muri icyo gihe. Biragoye kumenya igihe yaba yaragereweho n’amakuba menshi yagiye ahura na yo mu murimo we ari ‘umukozi wa Kristo’ (2 Abakorinto 11:23-27). Ni ryari Abayahudi bakubise Sawuli inkoni 39 ibihe bitanu? Igihe yakubitwaga inga ibihe bitatu yari ari he? Ni hehe yashyizwe mu mazu y’imbohe ‘kubarusha’? Ibyo gufungirwa i Roma byaje nyuma. Dufite inkuru imwe ivuga ibihereranye n’igihe kimwe yakubiswe akanafungwa—icyo gihe akaba yari ari i Filipi. Ariko se, bite ku bihereranye n’ibindi bihe (Ibyakozwe 16:22, 23)? Umwanditsi umwe avuga ko muri icyo gihe Sawuli yari arimo “abwiriza ibihereranye na Kristo mu masinagogi y’Abayahudi batatanye mu buryo bwatumaga abayobozi ba kidini hamwe n’aba gisivili bamutoteza.”

Sawuli inkuge zamumenekeyeho incuro eshatu, ariko Ibyanditswe bitanga ibisobanuro birambuye ku gihe kimwe gusa, bikaba byarabaye nyuma y’aho arondoreye amakuba ye igihe yandikiraga Abakorinto (Ibyakozwe 27:27-44). Bityo rero, izindi ncuro eshatu zishobora kuba zaramubayeho igihe yari ari mu ngendo ze tudafite icyo tuziho. Niba kimwe muri ibyo bintu cyangwa se byose byarabayeho muri kiriya gihe cy’ “imyaka yahise nta gakuru” ke, ntibitangaje kuba inkuru yabyo yaramenyekanye i Yudaya!

Ikindi kintu gisa n’aho cyabaye muri icyo gihe cyasobanuwe muri 2 Abakorinto 12:2-5. Sawuli yagize ati ‘nzi umuntu wo muri Kristo, wazamuwe, akajyanwa mu ijuru rya gatatu, ubu hashize imyaka cumi n’ine, muri Paradizo, akumva ibitavugwa, ibyo umuntu adakwiriye kuvuga.’ Uko bigaragara, Sawuli yari arimo yiyerekezaho. Kubera ko ibyo yabyanditse ahagana mu mwaka wa 55 I.C., tubaze imyaka 14 mbere y’aho twasubira mu mwaka wa 41 I.C., muri cya gihe cy’ “imyaka yahise nta gakuru” ke rwagati.

Nta gushidikanya ko iryo yerekwa ryatumye Sawuli agira ubumenyi bwimbitse bwihariye. Mbese, kwari ukugira ngo abone ibimukwiriye kuko yari “intumwa ku banyamahanga” (Abaroma 11:13)? Mbese, byaba byaragize ingaruka ku birebana n’ukuntu nyuma y’aho yatekerezaga, uko yandikaga n’uko yavugaga? Mbese, imyaka iri hagati y’igihe yahindukiye n’igihe yahamagariwe kujya muri Antiyokiya yari iyo kumutoza no kugira ngo abe umuntu ukuze mu buryo bw’umwuka ushobora kuzahabwa inshingano mu gihe cyari kuzaza? Uko ibisubizo by’ibyo bibazo byaba biri kose, dushobora kwiringira tudashidikanya ko igihe Barinaba yamutumiraga ngo aze kumufasha kuyobora umurimo wo kubwiriza muri Antiyokiya, Sawuli wari ufite ishyaka yari yarabaye umuntu ushoboye gusohoza iyo nshingano mu buryo bwuzuye.—Ibyakozwe 11:19-26.

[Ikarita yo ku ipaji ya 25]

(Niba wifuza kureba uko bimeze, reba mu Munara w’Umurinzi)

SIRIYA

Oronte

Antiyokiya

Selukiya

KUPURO

INYANJA YA MEDITERANE

Yerusalemu

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 24]

Hejuru: Antiyokiya yo muri iki gihe

Hagati: Amajyepfo ya Selukiya

Hepfo: Urukuta rwo ku cyambu cya Selukiya