“Ukomeze kuvuga kandi ntuceceke”

1-3. Kuki intumwa Pawulo yagiye i Korinto, kandi se ni izihe ngorane yahuye na zo?

HARI mu mpera z’umwaka wa 50. Intumwa Pawulo yari i Korinto, umugi wari ukize w’ubucuruzi wari utuwe n’abaturage benshi b’Abagiriki, Abaroma n’Abayahudi.a Pawulo ntiyari yaje muri uwo mugi azanywe no kugura cyangwa kugurisha cyangwa se gushaka akazi. Yari yaje i Korinto azanywe n’impamvu ikomeye cyane kurushaho. Yari yazanywe no guhamya iby’Ubwami bw’Imana. Icyakora, Pawulo yari akeneye aho acumbika, kandi yari yariyemeje kutaremerera abandi. Ntiyifuzaga ko hagira utekereza ko ashakira inyungu mu murimo wo kuvuga ijambo ry’Imana. Yari kubigenza ate?

² Pawulo yari azi kuboha amahema. Kuboha amahema ni umurimo utoroshye, ariko yifuzaga gukoresha amaboko ye kugira ngo abone ibimutunga. Ese yari kubona akazi muri uwo mugi warimo abantu benshi? Ese yari kuhabona icumbi rikwiriye? Nubwo Pawulo yari ahanganye n’izo ngorane zose, ntiyigeze yirengagiza umurimo we w’ingenzi, ari wo wo kubwiriza.

³ Byaje kuba ngombwa ko Pawulo aguma i Korinto igihe kirekire, kandi umurimo wo kubwiriza yakoze wagize icyo ugeraho. Ibyo Pawulo yakoreye i Korinto bitwigisha iki, kandi se ni iki kizadufasha gukomeza guhamya iby’Ubwami bw’Imana mu ifasi tubwirizamo?

4, 5. (a) Igihe Pawulo yari i Korinto yari acumbitse he, kandi se ni uwuhe mwuga yakoraga? (b) Pawulo yamenye ate kuboha amahema?

⁴ Pawulo amaze kugera i Korinto, yakiriwe n’umugabo n’umugore b’Abayahudi bakundaga gucumbikira abashyitsi, ari bo Akwila n’umugore we Purisikila, cyangwa Purisika. Uwo mugabo n’umugore we bagiye gutura i Korinto bitewe n’uko Umwami w’abami Kalawudiyo yari yategetse “Abayahudi bose kuva i Roma” (Ibyak 18:1, 2). Akwila na Purisikila ntibakiriye Pawulo iwabo mu rugo gusa, ahubwo bamwakiriye no mu mwuga bakoraga. Iyo nkuru igira iti “[Pawulo] aguma mu rugo rwabo kubera ko bari bahuje umwuga wo kuboha amahema, nuko bakajya bakorana” (Ibyak 18:3). Pawulo yakomeje gucumbika muri urwo rugo rw’uwo mugabo n’umugore bakundaga gucumbikira abashyitsi mu gihe cyose yamaze akorera umurimo i Korinto. Igihe Pawulo yari akiri kwa Akwila na Purisikila, ashobora kuba ari bwo yanditse amwe mu mabaruwa yaje kujya ku rutonde rw’ibitabo byemewe bya Bibiliya.b

⁵ Bishoboka bite ko Pawulo wari ‘warigishijwe na Gamaliyeli,’ yakoraga n’umwuga wo kuboha amahema (Ibyak 22:3)? Uko bigaragara, Abayahudi bo mu kinyejana cya mbere ntibabonaga ko kwigisha abana babo umwuga byabateshaga agaciro kabone niyo abo bana babaga barize andi mashuri. Kubera ko Pawulo yakomokaga i Taruso muri Kilikiya, uwo mugi ukaba wari uzwi cyane bitewe n’imyenda yakorwagamo amahema yitwa silisiyumu, ashobora kuba yaramenye uwo mwuga akiri muto. Kuboha amahema byari bikubiyemo iki? Umwuga wo kuboha amahema wabaga ukubiyemo kuboha imyenda y’ihema cyangwa gukata ibitambaro bikomeye no kubidoda kugira ngo bakoremo amahema. Uko byaba byarakorwaga kose, wari umurimo utoroshye.

6, 7. (a) Pawulo yabonaga ate umwuga wo kuboha amahema, kandi se ni iki kigaragaza ko Akwila na Purisikila na bo babibonaga batyo? (b) Muri iki gihe Abakristo bakurikiza bate urugero rwa Pawulo, Akwila na Purisikila?

⁶ Pawulo ntiyabonaga ko kuboha amahema ari byo by’ingenzi mu mibereho ye. Yakoraga uwo mwuga agamije gusa kubona ikimutunga mu gihe yakoraga umurimo wo gutangaza ubutumwa bwiza “nta kiguzi” (2 Kor 11:7). Akwila na Purisikila babonaga bate umwuga wabo? Kubera ko bari Abakristo, nta gushidikanya ko babonaga kazi nk’uko Pawulo yakabonaga. Igihe Pawulo yavaga i Korinto mu mwaka wa 52, Akwila na Purisikila bajyanye na we muri Efeso, inzu yabo ikajya iberamo amateraniro (1 Kor 16:19). Nyuma yaho, basubiye i Roma hanyuma bongera kugaruka muri Efeso. Uwo mugabo n’umugore barangwaga n’ishyaka bashyize inyungu z’Ubwami mu mwanya wa mbere, kandi babaga biteguye gufasha abandi. Ibyo ni byo byatumaga bashimwa n’“amatorero yose yo mu banyamahanga.”—Rom 16:3-5; 2 Tim 4:19.

⁷ Abakristo bo muri iki gihe bakurikiza urugero rwa Pawulo, Akwila na Purisikila. Muri iki gihe ababwiriza barangwa n’ishyaka bakorana umwete ‘kugira ngo batagira uwo baremerera’ (1 Tes 2:9). Ababwiriza b’Ubwami benshi b’igihe cyose ni abo gushimirwa, kubera ko bashaka akazi bakora igice cy’umunsi cyangwa se bakagakora rimwe na rimwe, kugira ngo babone ikibatunga mu gihe bakora umurimo wabo w’ibanze, ni ukuvuga umurimo wa gikristo. Abagaragu ba Yehova benshi bishimira kwakira abagenzuzi b’uturere mu ngo zabo, nk’uko Akwila na Purisikila babigenje. Abagira “umuco wo kwakira abashyitsi” bazi ukuntu kwakira umushyitsi bishobora kuba isoko y’inkunga kandi bigakomeza umuntu cyane.—Rom 12:13.

8, 9. Pawulo yabyitwayemo ate igihe yarwanywaga bitewe n’uko yabwirizaga Abayahudi ashyizeho umwete, kandi se nyuma yaho yagiye kubwiriza he?

⁸ Kuba Pawulo yarabonaga ko akazi kari ako kumufasha gukora umurimo wa Yehova byigaragaje igihe Silasi na Timoteyo bamuzaniraga impano nyinshi bavanye i Makedoniya (2 Kor 11:9). Icyo gihe Pawulo yahise “arushaho kubwiriza ijambo ry’Imana ashyizeho umwete [“yiyegurira wese ijambo ry’Imana,” Bibiliya Ntagatifu]” (Ibyak 18:5). Icyakora, iyo mihati myinshi yashyizeho akabwiriza Abayahudi, yatumye arwanywa cyane. Kugira ngo Pawulo agaragaze ko atari kuzabazwa amaraso yabo kuko banze kwemera ubutumwa burokora ubuzima bwerekeye Kristo, yakunkumuye imyenda ye abwira Abayahudi bamurwanyaga ati “amaraso yanyu sinzayabazwe. Njye nta kosa mfite. Uhereye ubu, nigiriye mu banyamahanga.”—Ibyak 18:6; Ezek 3:18, 19.

⁹ None se Pawulo yagiye kubwiriza he? Umugabo witwaga Titiyo Yusito, ushobora kuba yari yarahindukiriye idini ry’Abayahudi, inzu ye ikaba yari hafi y’isinagogi, yemereye Pawulo gukoresha inzu ye. Bityo Pawulo yaretse kubwiririza mu isinagogi yimukira kwa Yusito (Ibyak 18:7). Yakomeje gucumbika kwa Akwila na Purisikila igihe yari i Korinto, ariko agakorera ibikorwa bye byose bijyanye no kubwiriza kwa Yusito.

10. Ni iki kigaragaza ko Pawulo atari yariyemeje kubwiriza abanyamahanga gusa?

¹⁰ Ese kuba Pawulo yaravuze ko yari agiye kubwiriza abanyamahanga byaba bishaka kuvuga ko yaretse rwose kwita ku Bayahudi bose n’abandi bahindukiriye idini ry’Abayahudi, hakubiyemo n’ababaga biteguye kwitabira ubutumwa yabwirizaga? Ibyo si ko byari bimeze. Urugero, ‘umuyobozi w’isinagogi witwaga Kirisipo yizeye Umwami, n’abo mu rugo rwe bose barizera.’ Uko bigaragara, benshi mu bateraniraga mu isinagogi bifatanyije na Kirisipo, kubera ko Bibiliya ivuga ko ‘Abakorinto benshi bumvise ubutumwa, na bo bakizera bakabatizwa’ (Ibyak 18:8). Bityo, inzu ya Titiyo Yusito ni yo itorero rya gikristo ryari rimaze gushingwa i Korinto ryateraniragamo. Niba inkuru yo mu Byakozwe yaravuzwe nk’uko Luka yari asanzwe avuga inkuru, agakurikiranya ibivugwamo akurikije igihe byabereye, ubwo abo Bayahudi cyangwa abahindukiriye idini ry’Abayahudi babaye Abakristo nyuma y’aho Pawulo akunkumuriye imyenda ye. Ibyo byaba bigaragaza neza ukuntu Pawulo yashyiraga mu gaciro agahuza n’ibyo abantu bakeneye.

11. Ni mu buhe buryo Abahamya ba Yehova muri iki gihe bigana Pawulo mu gihe bagerageza kubwiriza abantu bo mu madini yiyita aya gikristo?

¹¹ Mu bihugu byinshi muri iki gihe, amadini yiyita aya gikristo yashinze imizi kandi agira uruhare rukomeye ku bayoboke bayo. Mu bihugu bimwe na bimwe no mu birwa, abamisiyonari bo mu madini yiyita aya gikristo bakoze ibishoboka byose kugira ngo bahindure abantu. Abantu biyita Abakristo akenshi baba barabaswe n’imigenzo y’idini, nk’uko byari bimeze ku Bayahudi b’i Korinto mu kinyejena cya mbere. Ariko kimwe na Pawulo, twebwe Abahamya ba Yehova tubwiriza abantu nk’abo tubigiranye ishyaka, tugahera ku bintu baba basanzwe bazi muri Bibiliya, uko byaba bingana kose. Nubwo hari igihe baturwanya, cyangwa abayobozi b’amadini yabo bakadutoteza, ntiducika intege. Mu bantu “bafite ishyaka ry’Imana ariko ridahuje n’ubumenyi nyakuri,” hashobora kuba harimo benshi bicisha bugufi tugomba gushakisha kugeza igihe tubaboneye.—Rom 10:2.

12. Ni iki Pawulo yijejwe mu iyerekwa?

¹² Niba Pawulo yarigeze ashidikanya ku birebana no gukomeza kubwiriza i Korinto, agomba kuba atarongeye gushidikanya igihe Umwami Yesu yamubwiriraga mu iyerekwa nijoro ati “ntutinye, ahubwo ukomeze kuvuga kandi ntuceceke, dore ndi kumwe nawe kandi nta muntu uzagutera ngo akugirire nabi, kuko hari abantu benshi muri uyu mujyi bazanyizera” (Ibyak 18:9, 10). Mbega iyerekwa riteye inkunga! Umwami ubwe yijeje Pawulo ko yari kumurinda ikintu icyo ari cyo cyose cyashoboraga kumugirira nabi, kandi ko muri uwo mugi hari abantu benshi bakwiriye kumva ubutumwa. Pawulo yakiriye ate iryo yerekwa? Iyo nkuru igira iti “arahaguma, amarayo umwaka n’amezi atandatu, abigisha ijambo ry’Imana.”—Ibyak 18:11.

13. Ni ibihe bintu Pawulo ashobora kuba yaratekereje igihe yari ageze hafi y’intebe y’urubanza, ariko se ni iyihe mpamvu yari afite yo kwitega ko bitari kumugendekera bityo?

¹³ Pawulo amaze hafi umwaka i Korinto, yabonye indi gihamya y’uko Umwami yari amushyigikiye. ‘Abayahudi bibasiye Pawulo baramurwanya,” bamujyana imbere y’intebe y’urubanza (Ibyak 18:12). Bamwe batekereza ko iyo ntebe yari podiyumu y’amabuye y’urugarika y’ubururu n’umweru, ikaba yari hafi y’isoko ry’i Korinto. Imbere y’iyo ntebe hari imbuga nini abantu benshi bashoboraga guteraniraho. Ibyo abashakashatsi mu byataburuwe mu matongo babonye, bigaragaza ko iyo ntebe y’urubanza ishobora kuba yari hafi cyane y’isinagogi, ikaba itari iri kure y’inzu ya Yusito. Igihe Pawulo yagendaga yegera intebe y’urubanza, ashobora kuba yaratekereje igihe Sitefano yaterwaga amabuye, ari na we rimwe na rimwe bavuga ko ari we mumaritiri, cyangwa uwahowe Imana wa mbere w’Umukristo. Pawulo, icyo gihe witwaga Sawuli, yari yaremeye ko “yicwa” (Ibyak 8:1). None se ibintu nk’ibyo byari kuba no kuri Pawulo? Oya, kubera ko yari yarasezeranyijwe ko ‘nta muntu wari kuzamugirira nabi.’—Ibyak 18:10.

14, 15. (a) Ni ikihe kirego Abayahudi bareze Pawulo, kandi se kuki Galiyo yanze kwakira ikirego cyabo? (b) Byagendekeye bite Sositeni, kandi se amaherezo ye ashobora kuba yarabaye ayahe?

¹⁴ Byagendekeye bite Pawulo igihe yari ageze imbere y’intebe y’urubanza? Umucamanza wari wicaye kuri iyo ntebe ni umutware wa Akaya witwaga Galiyo, akaba yari mukuru wa Sénèque wari umuhanga mu bya filozofiya. Abayahudi bareze Pawulo bagira bati “uyu muntu akora ibinyuranyije n’amategeko, akayobya abantu abigisha gusenga Imana mu bundi buryo” (Ibyak 18:13). Abayahudi bavugaga ko Pawulo yahinduraga abantu mu buryo butemewe n’amategeko. Icyakora, Galiyo yabonye ko nta ‘kintu kibi’ cyangwa “icyaha gikomeye” Pawulo yari yakoze (Ibyak 18:14). Galiyo ntiyifuzaga kwivanga mu mpaka z’Abayahudi. N’ikimenyimenyi, Galiyo yanze kwakira icyo kirego na mbere y’uko Pawulo agira icyo avuga yiregura. Abamuregaga bararakaye. Uwo mujinya bawutuye Sositeni, ushobora kuba ari we wari warasimbuye Kirisipo ku buyobozi bw’isinagogi. Badukiriye Sositeni “bamukubitira mu rukiko.”—Ibyak 18:17.

¹⁵ Kuki Galiyo atabujije abo bantu gukubita Sositeni? Birashoboka ko Galiyo yatekerezaga ko Sositeni ari we wari uyoboye ako gatsiko karwanyaga Pawulo, bityo Sositeni akaba yarimo agerwaho n’ingaruka z’ibikorwa bye. Ibyo byaba ari ukuri cyangwa atari ukuri, bishobora kuba byaragize akamaro. Mu rwandiko rwa mbere Pawulo yandikiye itorero ry’i Korinto hashize imyaka myinshi nyuma yaho, yavuzemo umuntu witwaga Sositeni, amwita umuvandimwe (1 Kor 1:1, 2). Ese uwo Sositeni yaba ari wa wundi wakubitiwe i Korinto? Abaye ari we, ibintu bibabaje yahuye na byo byaba ari byo byamufashije guhinduka Umukristo.

16. Amagambo Umwami wacu yavuze agira ati “ukomeze kuvuga kandi ntuceceke, dore ndi kumwe nawe,” adufasha ate mu murimo wacu?

¹⁶ Ibuka ko igihe Abayahudi bari bamaze kwanga ubutumwa Pawulo yababwiraga, ari bwo Umwami Yesu yamwijeje ati “ntutinye, ahubwo ukomeze kuvuga kandi ntuceceke, dore ndi kumwe nawe” (Ibyak 18:9, 10). Byaba byiza tuzirikanye ayo magambo, cyane cyane mu gihe abantu banze kwemera ubutumwa tubagezaho. Ntuzigere wibagirwa ko Yehova asoma ibiri mu mutima kandi akireherezaho abantu bafite umutima utaryarya (1 Sam 16:7; Yoh 6:44). Mbega ukuntu ibyo bidutera inkunga yo gukomeza guhugira mu murimo! Buri mwaka hari abantu babarirwa mu bihumbi amagana babatizwa, ni ukuvuga ko buri munsi habatizwa ababarirwa mu magana. Abantu bumvira itegeko ryo ‘guhindura abantu bo mu bihugu byose abigishwa,’ na bo Yesu abaha icyizere agira ati “ndi kumwe namwe iminsi yose kugeza ku mperuka.”—Mat 28:19, 20.

17, 18. Pawulo ashobora kuba yaratekerezaga iki igihe yari mu bwato agiye muri Efeso?

¹⁷ Ntidushobora kumenya neza niba uko Galiyo yashubije abaregaga Pawulo byaratumye itorero rya gikristo ry’i Korinto ryari rimaze gushingwa rigira agahenge. Icyakora, Pawulo yamazeyo “indi minsi myinshi” abona gusezera ku bavandimwe be b’i Korinto. Mu mwaka wa 52, yateguye urugendo rwo kujya muri Siriya ahagurukiye ku cyambu cya Kenkireya cyari ku birometero 11 mu burengerazuba bwa Korinto. Icyakora, mbere y’uko Pawulo ava i Kenkireya, “yiyogoshesheje umusatsi asigaho muke, kuko yari amaze gukora ibyo yari yarasezeranyije Imana” (Ibyak 18:18).c Nyuma yaho, yajyanye na Akwila na Purisikila bambuka inyanja ya Égée bajya muri Efeso muri Aziya Ntoya.

¹⁸ Igihe Pawulo yafataga ubwato avuye i Kenkireya, ashobora kuba yaratekerezaga ku gihe yamaze i Korinto. Yari yarahaboneye ibintu byinshi yibukaga bikamushimisha kandi bigatuma yumva anyuzwe. Umurimo yari amaze amezi 18 akorera i Korinto wari waragize icyo ugeraho. Itorero rya mbere ry’i Korinto ryari ryarashinzwe, rikaba ryarateraniraga mu nzu ya Yusito. Mu bantu bizeye harimo Yusito, Kirisipo n’abo mu rugo rwe n’abandi benshi. Pawulo yakundaga abo bantu bari barizeye, kuko ari we wari warabafashije guhinduka Abakristo. Nyuma yaho yaje kubandikira, avuga ko bari urwandiko rwemeza ko akwiriye rwanditswe ku mutima we. Natwe tugirana ubucuti nk’ubwo n’abantu twafashije bakaba Abahamya. Rwose twumva tunyuzwe iyo tubona abo bantu twagereranya n’“inzandiko zemeza ko dukwiriye.”—2 Kor 3:1-3.

19, 20. Pawulo yakoze iki amaze kugera muri Efeso, kandi ni iki tumwigiraho mu birebana no kwishyiriraho intego zo mu buryo bw’umwuka no kuzigeraho?

¹⁹ Pawulo amaze kugera muri Efeso yahise atangira kubwiriza. ‘Yinjiye mu isinagogi maze afasha Abayahudi gusobanukirwa ibyanditswe’ (Ibyak 18:19). Icyo gihe Pawulo yamaze muri Efeso igihe gito. Nubwo bamusabye kugumayo igihe kinini, “ntiyabemereye.” Igihe yasezeraga ku Befeso yarababwiye ati “nzagaruka kubasura Yehova nabishaka” (Ibyak 18:20, 21). Nta gushidikanya ko Pawulo yari azi ko muri Efeso hari hakeneye kubwirizwa cyane. Iyo ntumwa yateganyaga kuzagaruka, ariko yahisemo kurekera icyo kibazo mu maboko ya Yehova. Mbese urwo si urugero rwiza twagombye gukomeza kuzirikana? Kugira ngo tugere ku ntego zo mu buryo bw’umwuka, tugomba gufata iya mbere. Icyakora, tugomba buri gihe kwishingikiriza ku buyobozi bwa Yehova kandi tugakora ibihuje n’ibyo ashaka.—Yak 4:15.

²⁰ Pawulo yasize Akwila na Purisikila muri Efeso, afata ubwato ajya i Kayisariya. Uko bigaragara, ‘yagiye’ i Yerusalemu gusuhuza itorero ryaho (Ibyakozwe 18:22). Hanyuma Pawulo yagiye aho yari atuye muri Antiyokiya ya Siriya. Urugendo rwe rwa kabiri rw’ubumisiyonari rwari rurangiye neza. Ni iki cyari kimutegereje mu rugendo rwe rwa nyuma rw’ubumisiyonari?