“Njuririye kuri Kayisari”

AGATSIKO k’inzererezi kafashe umugabo utagira kirengera, maze gatangira kumukubita. Abari bagize ako gatsiko batekerezaga ko yari akwiriye gupfa. Mu gihe byasaga n’aho haburaga gato ngo uwo mugabo yicwe, abasirikare barahagobotse maze bagobotora uwo mugabo mu nzara z’imbaga y’abantu b’abanyarugomo, ariko ku kaburembe. Uwo mugabo ni intumwa Pawulo. Abari bamuteye ni Abayahudi barwanyaga bivuye inyuma umurimo wo kubwiriza Pawulo yakoraga kandi bamushinjaga kuba yarahumanyije urusengero. Abamutabaye ni Abaroma, bari bayobowe n’umukuru wabo witwaga Kilawudiyo Lusiya. Muri urwo rujijo Pawulo yahise afatwa nk’umuntu ukekwaho kuba ari umugizi wa nabi.

Ibice birindwi bya nyuma by’igitabo cy’Ibyakozwe bigaragaza urubanza rwatangiranye n’igihe yari amaze gufatwa. Gusobanukirwa ubwenegihugu bwa Pawulo, ibyo bamureze, uko yireguye no kugira ikintu runaka tumenya ku bihereranye n’ibihano byatangwaga n’Abaroma, bituma turushaho gusobanukirwa ibyo bice.

Ari mu Maboko ya Kilawudiyo Lusiya

Inshingano ya Kilawudiyo Lusiya yari ikubiyemo gucunga umutekano i Yerusalemu. Uwari umukuriye, umutware w’Umuroma wategekaga i Yudaya, yari atuye i Kayisariya. Ibyo Lusiya yakoreye Pawulo bishobora kubonwa ko ari igikorwa cyo kurinda umuntu ibikorwa by’urugomo no gufunga umuntu ubuza abandi amahoro. Uko Abayahudi babyitabiriye byatumye Lusiya ajyana imfungwa ye mu kigo cy’abasirikare mu Munara wa Antoniya.​—Ibyakozwe 21:27–22:24.

Lusiya yagombaga kumenya icyo Pawulo yari yakoze. Mu gihe cy’akaduruvayo, nta cyo yari yamenye. Bityo, nta kujijinganya, yahise ategeka ko Pawulo ‘atatishwa ibiboko, kugira ngo amenye icyateye abantu kumuvugiriza induru’ (Ibyakozwe 22:24). Ubwo ni bwo buryo bwakoreshwaga muri rusange kugira ngo abagizi ba nabi, abacakara n’abandi bemere icyaha. Ikiboko cyakoreshwaga (bitaga flagrum), gishobora kuba cyaragiraga ingaruka nziza mu gutuma babigeraho, ariko cyari igikoresho giteye ubwoba. Zimwe muri izo nkoni bakubitwaga zabaga zikozwe n’utwuma twibumbabumbye twabaga tunagana ku minyururu. Izindi zabaga zifite imikoba ihambiriweho amagufwa ashinyitse n’uduce tw’ibyuma. Byaremaga ibisebe biryana cyane, bigatanyaguza umubiri.

Mu gihe bari bagiye kumugenza batyo, Pawulo yahishuye ko yari afite ubwenegihugu bw’Abaroma. Umuroma wabaga nta cyo ashinjwa ntiyashoboraga gukubitwa ikiboko, bityo kuba Pawulo yarasabye ko uburenganzira bwe bwubahirizwa byagize ingaruka ako kanya. Gufata nabi cyangwa guhana umuturage w’Umuroma byashoboraga gutuma umutware w’Umuroma atakaza umwanya we. Mu buryo bwumvikana, uhereye icyo gihe, Pawulo yatangiye gufatwa nk’imfungwa yihariye, yashoboraga gusurwa.​—Ibyakozwe 22:25-29; 23:16, 17.

Kubera ko Lusiya atari azi neza ibyo Pawulo yaregwaga, yamujyanye imbere y’Urukiko Rukuru rwa Kiyahudi kugira ngo abone impamvu zatumye bamugirira umujinya ukaze. Ariko kandi, Pawulo yatumye havuka impaka ubwo yavugaga ko yaryozwaga ikibazo cy’umuzuko. Habaye impaka nyinshi cyane, ku buryo Lusiya yagize ubwoba bw’uko Pawulo yashoboraga gutanyaguzwa; bityo byabaye ngombwa ko Lusiya yongera kumushikuza Abayahudi bari barakaye.​—Ibyakozwe 22:30–23:10.

Lusiya ntiyashakaga ko Umuroma yakwicirwa mu maboko ye. Mu gihe yari amaze kumenya iby’umugambi wari wacuzwe wo kumwica, yihutiye kujyana imfungwa ye i Kayisariya. Amategeko yasabaga ko raporo zivuga ibihereranye n’urubanza zaherekeza imfungwa mu gihe zabaga zigiye mu nzego z’ubucamanza zisumbuyeho. Izo raporo zabaga zikubiyemo ibyo iperereza rya mbere ryagezeho, impamvu z’ingamba zafashwe n’uko uwakoze iperereza abona ibihereranye n’urwo rubanza. Lusiya yavuze ko Pawulo ‘yaregwaga impaka zo mu mategeko [y’Abayahudi], ariko ko nta cyo yarezwe gikwiriye kumwicisha cyangwa kumubohesha,’ kandi yategetse ko abashinjaga Pawulo batanga ibirego byabo imbere y’umutware Feliki.​—Ibyakozwe 23:29, 30.

Umutware Feliki Ananirwa Gusoma Urubanza

Ubucamanza bw’intara bwari bushingiye ku bubasha bwa Feliki n’ubutware bwe. Yashoboraga gukurikiza imigenzo yo mu karere iyo yabaga abishaka cyangwa agakurikiza amategeko ahana​—yarebaga abantu b’ibikomerezwa n’abategetsi. Ayo mategeko ahana ni yo bitaga ordo, cyangwa urutonde rw’amategeko. Nanone kandi, yashoboraga kwifashisha amategeko yitwaga extra ordinem, yashoboraga gukoreshwa mu gufatira imyanzuro uwakoze icyaha icyo ari cyo cyose. Umutware w’intara yabaga yitezweho ‘kudasuzuma ibyagombaga gukorwa i Roma gusa, ahubwo yarebaga n’ibyagombaga gukorwa muri rusange.’ Bityo, ibintu byinshi yagombaga kubikora uko abyumva.

Ibintu byose bihereranye n’amategeko y’Abaroma si ko bizwi, ariko urubanza rwa Pawulo ruvugwaho kuba ari “inkuru y’intangarugero ihereranye n’uburyo bwo gutanga ibihano mu rwego rw’intara, bashingiye ku mategeko yitwaga extra ordinem.” Umutware, abifashijwemo n’abajyanama, yumvaga ibirego byatangwaga n’abantu buri muntu ku giti cye. Uwaregwaga yarahamagarwaga kugira ngo umurega amushinje ahibereye, kandi yashoboraga kwiregura, ariko ibihamya byatangwaga n’uwaregaga. Umucamanza yatangaga igihano icyo ari cyo cyose yabonaga ko gikwiriye. Yashoboraga guhita afata umwanzuro cyangwa agasubika urubanza mu gihe kitazwi, icyo gihe uwaregwaga akaba yarakimaraga mu buroko. Umuhanga witwa Henry Cadbury, yagize ati “nta gushidikanya ko kubera ko umutware yabaga afite ububasha bwo gukora ibyo yishakiye, yashoboraga ‘kugibwa mu matwi mu buryo budakwiriye,’ no guhongerwa​—haba ari ukugira ngo uregwa agirwe umwere, akatirwe, cyangwa urubanza rusubikwe.”

Umutambyi Mukuru Ananiya, abakuru b’Abayahudi na Teritulo, bari bashinje Pawulo ku mugaragaro imbere ya Feliki ko yari ‘icyago, cyagomeshaga abantu bo mu Bayuda bose.’ Bavuze ko ari we wari ku isonga ry’ab’ “igice cyitwa icy’Abanazareti,” kandi ko yagerageje guhumanya urusengero.​—Ibyakozwe 24:1-6.

Abari babanje gutera Pawulo batekerezaga ko yaziraga ko yari yarajyanye Umunyamahanga witwaga Tirofimu mu rugo rwagenewe Abayahudi gusaa (Ibyakozwe 21:28, 29). Mu by’ukuri, uwo bari bahimbiye ko yarenze ku mategeko ni Tirofimu. Ariko kandi, niba Abayahudi baratekereje ko igikorwa bibwiraga ko Pawulo yakoze cyari igikorwa cyo gushyigikira icyaha, na cyo cyari kubonwa ko ari icyaha gihanishwa urupfu. Kandi byasaga n’aho Roma yari yaratanze uburenganzira bw’uko uwakoze icyo cyaha yakwicwa. Bityo, iyo Pawulo aza kuba yarafashwe n’abapolisi barindaga urusengero rw’Abayahudi aho gufatwa na Lusiya, Urukiko Rukuru rwa Kiyahudi rwashoboraga kumukatira nta nkurikizi.

Abayahudi bavugaga ko Pawulo atigishaga idini rya Kiyahudi, cyangwa idini ryemewe n’amategeko (religio licita). Ahubwo, bavugaga ko ibyo yigishaga byagombaga gufatwa nk’ibitemewe n’amategeko, ndetse ko byari bigamije guhirika ubutegetsi.

Nanone, bavugaga ko Pawulo ‘yagomeshaga abantu bo mu Bayuda bose bari mu bihugu byose’ (Ibyakozwe 24:5). Umwami w’abami Kilawudiyo yari aherutse kwamagana Abayahudi babaga muri Alexandrie abaziza kuba ‘barateje icyorezo ku isi hose.’ Dutangazwa no kubona ukuntu ibyo birego bihuje. Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa A. N. Sherwin-White, yagize ati “icyo kirego ni cyo rwose Umuyahudi yagombaga kuregwa mu gihe cy’Umwami witwaga Kilawudiyo cyangwa mu ntangiriro z’ubutegetsi bwa Nero. Abayahudi bari barimo bagerageza koshya umutware kugira ngo umurimo wo kubwiriza Pawulo yakoraga ufatwe nk’igikorwa gihwanye no guteza imivurungano mu baturage b’Abayahudi bose bari batuye mu Gihugu. Bari bazi ko abatware batari biteguye guhamya abantu icyaha bashingiye ku birego birebana n’idini gusa, ku bw’ibyo bakaba baragerageje kugoreka ibirego bishingiye ku idini bakabyitirira ibya politiki.”

Pawulo yarireguye ingingo ku yindi. Yagize ati ‘sinigeze nteza imivurungano. Ni iby’ukuri ko ndi uwo mu bo bita “igice,” ariko ibyo byumvikanisha ko nkurikiza amategeko y’Abayahudi. Abayahudi bamwe na bamwe bo muri Aziya ni bo bateje imyivumbagatanyo. Niba hari ikibazo bafite, bagombye kuza hano bakakivuga.’ Mu buryo bw’ibanze, ibyo birego byose Pawulo yabivunjemo impaka za kidini zari mu Bayahudi, ku buryo Roma itari ifite icyo yazikoraho. Kubera ko Feliki yirindaga kurakaza Abayahudi bari basanzwe barigize kagarara, yasubitse urubanza, aruhagarika ku ngufu. Pawulo ntiyahawe Abayahudi, bo bavugaga ko bafite ububasha bwo guca urwo rubanza, ndetse nta n’ubwo yakatiwe hakurikijwe itegeko ry’Abaroma; yewe, nta n’ubwo yarekuwe! Feliki ntiyashoboraga guhatirwa guca urubanza, kandi uretse kuba yarashakaga ubutoni ku Bayuda, yari afite indi mpamvu yatumaga arutinza​—yiringiraga ko Pawulo yari kumuha ruswa.​—Ibyakozwe 24:10-19, 26.b

Ihinduka Rikomeye mu Gihe cy’Ubutegetsi bwa Porukiyo Fesito

Abayahudi bahimbye bundi bushya ibirego byabo hashize imyaka ibiri, igihe bari i Yerusalemu mu gihe Porukiyo Fesito, umutware mushya, yari ahageze, basaba ko bahabwa Pawulo bakajya kumucira urubanza. Ariko kandi, yashubije akomeje ati “si umuhango w’Abaroma gutanga umuntu ngo apfe, abamurega batari imbere ye, akemererwa kwiregura ibirego.” Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Harry W. Tajra, yagize ati “Fesito yahise amenya ko bari barimo bacura umugambi wo kumanika Umuroma batabanje kumucira urubanza.” Bityo, Abayahudi babwiwe ko bagombaga gutanga ibirego byabo i Kayisariya.​—Ibyakozwe 25:1-6, 16.

Aho i Kayisariya, Abayahudi bemeje ko Pawulo ‘atari agikwiriye kubaho,’ nyamara nta gihamya batanze, kandi Fesito yamenye ko nta cyo Pawulo yari yakoze cyamwicisha. Fesito yasobanuriye undi mutware ati “bamurega impaka zo mu madini yabo, n’iz’umuntu witwa Yesu wapfuye, uwo Pawulo yavugaga ko ari muzima.”​—Ibyakozwe 25:7, 18, 19, 24, 25.

Uko bigaragara, Pawulo yari umwere mu bihereranye n’ibirego bya politiki yashinjwaga, ariko mu mpaka zihereranye n’iby’idini, Abayahudi bashobora kuba baravugaga ko urukiko rwabo ari rwo rwonyine rwashoboraga guca urwo rubanza. Mbese, Pawulo yari kujya i Yerusalemu kugira ngo acirwe urubanza ku bihereranye n’icyo kibazo? Fesito yabajije Pawulo niba yarashakaga kujyayo koko, ariko mu by’ukuri icyo gitekerezo nticyari gikwiriye. Kohereza urubanza i Yerusalemu aho abamushinjaga bari kuba abacamanza byumvikanisha ko Pawulo yari guhabwa Abayahudi. Pawulo yaravuze ati “mpagaze imbere y’intebe y’imanza ya Kayisari, ni ho nkwiriye gucirirwa urubanza. Nta kibi nagiriye Abayuda . . . nta muntu ubasha kubampa. Njuririye kuri Kayisari.”​—Ibyakozwe 25:10, 11, 20.

Kuba Umuroma yarabaga avuze ayo magambo byatumaga ububasha bwose bw’inkiko zo ku rwego rw’intara burangira. Uburenganzira bwe bwo kujurira (provocatio) bwari “buhuje n’ukuri, bwumvikana kandi bugomba kubahirizwa.” Ku bw’ibyo, nyuma yo gusuzumira hamwe n’abajyanama be uko ibintu byakozwe, Fesito yaravuze ati “ujuririye kuri Kayisari; nuko rero urajyeyo.”​—Ibyakozwe 25:12.

Fesito yashimishijwe no kwikuraho Pawulo. Nk’uko yabyemereye Herode Agiripa wa II hashize iminsi runaka nyuma y’aho, urwo rubanza rwari rwaramuyobeye. Hanyuma, Fesito yagombaga kwandikira umwami w’abami urupapuro rwasobanuraga ibya Pawulo, ariko kuri Fesito, ibyo birego byatanzwe byarebanaga n’ibibazo by’isobe bitumvikanaga neza byo mu mategeko y’Abayahudi. Ariko kandi, Agiripa yari yarazobereye mu birebana n’ibyo bintu, bityo ubwo yagaragazaga ko bimushishikaje, yahise asabwa kubafasha gutegura urwo rwandiko. Kubera ko Fesito yananiwe kwiyumvisha amagambo Pawulo yavugiye imbere ya Agiripa, yariyamiriye ati “urasaze, Pawulo; ubwenge bwawe bwinshi buragushajije”! Nyamara, Agiripa we yabisobanukiwe neza cyane. Yaravuze ati “ubuze hato ukanyemeza kuba Umukristo!” Uko baba bariyumvishaga ibitekerezo bya Pawulo kose, Fesito na Agiripa bemeye ko Pawulo yari umwere kandi ko yashoboraga kurekurwa iyo ataza kuba yajuririye kuri Kayisari.​—Ibyakozwe 25:13-27; 26:24-32.

Urugendo rwo Kuburana Rurangira

Mu gihe bari bageze i Roma, Pawulo yahamagaje abagabo bakomeye bo mu Bayahudi atari ukugira ngo ababwirize gusa ahubwo nanone ari ukugira ngo amenye icyo bari bamuziho. Ibyo bishobora kuba byarahishuye ikintu runaka gihereranye n’imigambi y’abamushinjaga. Ni ibintu byari bisanzwe ko abatware b’i Yerusalemu biyambaza Abayahudi babaga i Roma mu gihe babaga basuzuma ibirego, ariko Pawulo yumvise ko nta mabwiriza bari baratanze ku bimwerekeyeho. Mu gihe Pawulo yari ategereje kuburanishwa, yemerewe gukodesha inzu maze akajya abwiriza yisanzuye. Kudohorerwa bene ako kageni bishobora kuba byarasobanuraga ko ku Baroma Pawulo yari umwere.​—Ibyakozwe 28:17-31.

Pawulo yamaze indi myaka ibiri afunzwe. Kubera iki? Nta byinshi Bibiliya ibivugaho. Umuntu wabaga yarajuriye ubusanzwe yakomezaga gufungwa kugeza ubwo abamuregaga bazaga kugira ngo bakurikirane ibirego batanze, ariko wenda Abayahudi bari i Yerusalemu ntibigeze bahagera, bitewe n’uko babonaga ko urubanza rwabo rwari rudafashije. Wenda bibwiraga ko uburyo bwiza cyane kuri bo bwo gucecekesha Pawulo igihe kirekire uko bishoboka kose, kwari ukutigera bitaba urubanza. Uko byari biri kose, biragaragara ko Pawulo yahagaze imbere ya Nero, ahanagurwaho icyaha, maze amaherezo ararekurwa kugira ngo asubire mu mirimo ye y’ubumisiyonari​—hashize imyaka igera hafi kuri itanu nyuma y’aho afatiwe.​—Ibyakozwe 27:24.

Kuva kera, abarwanya ukuri bagiye “bagira amategeko urwitwazo rw’igomwa” kugira ngo batambamire umurimo wo kubwiriza. Ibyo ntibyagombye kudutangaza. Yesu yagize ati “niba bandenganyije, namwe bazabarenganya” (Zaburi 94:20; Yohana 15:20). Nyamara kandi, Yesu yanatwijeje ko dufite umudendezo wo kubwira abari mu isi yose ubutumwa bwiza (Matayo 24:14). Ku bw’ibyo, nk’uko intumwa Pawulo yananiye ibitotezo ikananira n’abayirwanyaga, ni na ko Abahamya ba Yehova muri iki gihe ‘barwanirira ubutumwa bwiza.’​—Abafilipi 1:7.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]