Yarwaniriye ubutumwa bwiza i Tesalonike

Umugi wa Tesalonike, muri iki gihe witwa Thessaloníki cyangwa Salonika, uri ku cyambu cyo mu majyaruguru y’uburasirazuba bw’u Bugiriki. Uwo mugi wagize uruhare rukomeye mu mateka y’Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere, cyane cyane mu murimo wa Pawulo, wari intumwa ku banyamahanga.​—IBYAKOZWE 9:15; ABAROMA 11:13.

AHAGANA mu mwaka wa 50, Pawulo na mugenzi we Silasi wamuherekezaga mu ngendo, bagiye mu mugi wa Tesalonike. Icyo gihe Pawulo yari mu rugendo rwe rwa kabiri rw’ubumisiyonari, akaba ari bwo bwa mbere bari bagiye kubwiriza ubutumwa bwerekeye Kristo mu karere ubu gasigaye kitwa u Burayi.

Nta gushidikanya ko igihe bageraga i Tesalonike, bari bacyibuka ukuntu bakubiswe kandi bagafungirwa i Filipi, umugi wari ukomeye mu karere ka Makedoniya. Kandi koko, nyuma yaho Pawulo yandikiye Abatesalonike ko igihe yabasuraga, yari yarabwirije ‘ubutumwa bwiza bw’[Imana] arwana intambara ikomeye’ (1 Abatesalonike 2:1, 2). Ese bari kwakirwa neza i Tesalonike? Byari kugenda bite iyo bahabwiriza? Ese abantu baho bari kwitabira ubutumwa bwiza? Reka tubanze dusuzume amateka y’uwo mugi wa kera.

Umugi wahuye n’ibibazo

Izina Tesalonike ubwaryo, rikomoka ku magambo abiri asobanura “Abatesaliyani” no “kunesha,” kandi ryumvikanisha intambara no kurwana. Birazwi ko mu mwaka wa 352 Mbere ya Yesu, Umwami Philippe wa II wa Makedoniya, akaba yari se wa Alexandre Le Grand, yanesheje ubwoko bw’abantu bari batuye mu karere ka Thessalie kari hagati mu Bugiriki. Uwo mwami ngo yaba yarise umwe mu bakobwa be Thessalonice, kugira ngo bijye bimwibutsa urwo rugamba yatsinze. Uwo mukobwa we yaje gushakana n’uwitwa Cassandre, umwe mu basimbuye musaza we Alexandre. Ahagana mu wa 315 Mbere ya Yesu, Cassandre yubatse umugi mu burasirazuba bw’umwigimbakirwa wa Chalcidique maze awitirira umugore we. Amateka y’umugi wa Tesalonike agaragaza ko wagiye uberamo imyivumbagatanyo.

Icyakora uwo mugi wari ukize. Wari ufite kimwe mu byambu karemano byiza cyane ku nyanja ya Égée. Mu gihe cy’Abaroma, uwo mugi wari wubatse ku muhanda munini bitaga Via Egnatia. Kuba umugi wa Tesalonike wari wubatse ahantu h’ingenzi, ni ukuvuga hafi y’inyanja n’imihanda, byatumaga uba umwe mu migi yakorerwagamo imirimo y’ubucuruzi mu gihe cy’ubwami bw’Abaroma. Mu gihe cy’imyaka myinshi, ubukire bw’uwo mugi bwagiye butuma Abagoti, Abasilave, Abafura, Abavenesiyani n’Abanyaturikiya, bifuza kuwigarurira. Ndetse bamwe muri bo bagiye bawigarurira ku ngufu kandi hamenetse amaraso. Ariko noneho, reka twibande ku rugendo Pawulo yahakoreye, igihe intambara yo kurwanirira ubutumwa bwiza yatangiraga.

Pawulo agera i Tesalonike

Iyo Pawulo yabaga ageze mu mugi bwa mbere, akenshi yabanzaga kubwiriza Abayahudi, kubera ko kuganira na bo byamworoheraga bitewe n’uko babaga bamenyereye Ibyanditswe, bityo akabafasha gusobanukirwa ubutumwa bwiza. Hari intiti yavuze ko ako kamenyero Pawulo yari afite kagaragaza ko yitaga ku baturage bo mu gihugu cye cyangwa ko yageragezaga kwifashisha Abayahudi n’abandi bantu bubahaga Imana, “kugira ngo abone uko atangira kubwiriza Abanyamahanga.”—Ibyakozwe 17:2-4.

Ku bw’ibyo, igihe Pawulo yageraga i Tesalonike yabanje kwinjira mu isinagogi, maze ‘yungurana ibitekerezo [n’Abayahudi] akoresheje Ibyanditswe, abasobanurira ko byari ngombwa ko Kristo ababara kandi akazuka mu bapfuye. Yabahaga ibihamya abereka n’aho byanditse, ati “Yesu uwo mbabwira, ni we Kristo.”’​—Ibyakozwe 17:2, 3, 10.

Iyo Pawulo yabaga yigisha, yibandaga kuri Mesiya n’uruhare rwe mu mugambi w’Imana, iyo ikaba yari ingingo abantu batavugagaho rumwe. Igitekerezo cyo kuba Mesiya yari kuzababazwa cyari gihabanye n’ibyo batekerezaga, kuko bumvaga ko Mesiya yari kuzaza ari intwari ku rugamba igenda inesha. Kugira ngo Pawulo yemeze Abayahudi, ‘yunguranye na bo ibitekerezo,’ ‘arabasobanurira,’ kandi ‘abaha ibihamya abereka n’aho byanditse,’ ibyo bikaba ari ibintu biranga umwigisha w’umuhanga.a Ariko se abari bateze Pawulo amatwi bakiriye bate izo nyigisho zihebuje yabagezagaho?

Bageze kuri byinshi ariko bahuye n’ibigeragezo

Mu bakiriye ubutumwa bwa Pawulo, harimo bamwe mu Bayahudi, Abagiriki benshi bari barahindukiriye idini ry’Abayahudi n’“abagore b’abanyacyubahiro.” Imvugo ngo “abagore b’abanyacyubahiro” irakwiriye, kubera ko abagore bo muri Makedoniya bari mu rwego rwo hejuru. Bemererwaga gukora akazi ka leta, bakagira imitungo itimukanwa, bagahabwa uburenganzira bumwe na bumwe kandi bagacuruza. Hanakorwaga ibishushanyo byo kubibukiraho. Nk’uko umugore w’umucuruzi w’i Filipi witwaga Lidiya yemeye ubutumwa bwiza, bamwe mu bagore b’i Tesalonike b’abanyacyubahiro, urugero nk’abaturukaga mu miryango ikomeye cyangwa abari batunzwe n’abagabo bakomeye, na bo bemeye ubutumwa.—Ibyakozwe 16:14, 15; 17:4.

Icyakora Abayahudi bo bagize ishyari. Bafashe “abantu babi b’inzererezi birirwaga mu isoko, birema agatsiko maze batangira guteza akaduruvayo mu mugi” (Ibyakozwe 17:5). Ariko se izo nzererezi zari bantu ki? Hari intiti mu bya Bibiliya yavuze ko bari abantu b’“ibirara n’imburamukoro.” Yunzemo ati “urebye, ntibari bashishikajwe n’ubutumwa bwa Pawulo. Icyakora kimwe n’utundi dutsiko tw’inzererezi, bashoboraga gushukwa mu buryo bworoshye, maze bakaba bakora ibikorwa ibyo ari byo byose by’urugomo.”

Abantu bari muri ako gaco “bateye kwa Yasoni [wari ucumbikiye Pawulo], bajya kubashakisha kugira ngo babazane imbere ya rubanda.” Bamaze kubura Pawulo, basubiye ahari ubuyobozi bukuru bw’umugi. ‘Bakurubanye Yasoni n’abandi bavandimwe babashyira abatware b’umugi, barasakuza bati “aba bagabo boretse isi yose bageze n’ino.”’​—Ibyakozwe 17:5, 6.

Kubera ko Tesalonike yari umurwa mukuru wa Makedoniya, yari ifite ubwigenge bucagase. Zimwe mu nzego zayo zigengaga harimo inteko y’abaturage, yakemuraga ibibazo byabo. “Abatware b’umugi”b bari abayobozi bo mu rwego rwo hejuru, bari bafite inshingano yo kurwanya akaduruvayo no gukemura ikibazo cyose cyashoboraga gutuma Abaroma batabara, kandi umugi ukaba watakaza ubusugire bwawo. Ubwo rero, byari bikwiriye ko bahangayikishwa no kumva ko amahoro y’abaturage yahungabanyijwe n’abo bantu “bateza akaduruvayo.”

Ibyo birangiye, babareze ikintu gikomeye cyane. Baravuze bati “aba bantu bose bagandira amategeko ya Kayisari, bavuga ko hariho undi mwami witwa Yesu” (Ibyakozwe 17:7). Hari igitabo cyavuze ko ibyo byumvikanishaga “kugandisha abantu no kwigomeka” ku bami b’abami, “batashoboraga kwemera ko izina ry’[undi] mwami rivugwa mu ntara iyo ari yose bigaruriye, batabitangiye uburenganzira.” Nanone kandi kuba Yesu, uwo Pawulo yavugaga ko ari Umwami, yari yarishwe n’abategetsi b’Abaroma bamuziza ko yagandishije abaturage, byatumaga ibirego byabo birushaho kugira ireme.​—Luka 23:2.

Ibyo byateje imvururu mu batware b’umugi. Ariko kubera ko nta bimenyetso bifatika bahawe, kandi abaregwaga bakaba batari bahari, ‘batse Yasoni n’abandi bavandimwe ingwate ihagije, barabareka baragenda’ (Ibyakozwe 17:8, 9). Iyo ngwate ishobora kuba ari yo Yasoni n’abandi Bakristo batanze, kugira ngo bizeze abo batware ko Pawulo yari kuva muri uwo mugi kandi ntawugarukemo ngo yongere guteza akaduruvayo. Birashoboka ko icyo ari cyo Pawulo yerekezagaho, igihe yavugaga ko ‘Satani yamuzitiye’ akamubuza gusubira muri uwo mugi.​—1 Abatesalonike 2:18.

Kubera ko ibintu bitari bimeze neza, Pawulo na Silasi boherejwe i Beroya nijoro. Abantu bo muri uwo mugi na bo bakiriye neza ubutumwa bwa Pawulo, ariko ibyo byarakaje cyane Abayahudi bamurwanyaga babaga i Tesalonike, ku buryo bakoze urugendo rw’ibirometero 80 bajya i Beroya, bajyanywe no guteza imyivumbagatanyo mu baturage, babashishikariza kurwanya Pawulo na Silasi. Pawulo yasubiye mu mugi wa Atene, ariko intambara yo kurwanirira ubutumwa bwiza yari igikomeza.​—Ibyakozwe 17:10-14.

Itorero rishya rirwana intambara

Igishimishije ni uko mu mugi wa Tesalonike hari hamaze gushingwa itorero. Ariko kandi, ikibazo Abakristo baho bari bahanganye na cyo si ukurwanywa gusa. Bari bakikijwe n’abapagani bari barirundumuriye mu bikorwa by’ubwiyandarike, kandi ibyo byahangayikishaga Pawulo. Abavandimwe be bari kubyitwaramo bate?​—1 Abatesalonike 2:17; 3:1, 2, 5.

Abakristo b’i Tesalonike bari bazi ko nibareka kwifatanya mu bikorwa by’idini no mu bikorwa mbonezamubano byaberaga muri uwo mugi, bari kwangwa n’abahoze ari incuti zabo kandi bakabarakarira (Yohana 17:14). Uretse n’ibyo, umugi wa Tesalonike wari wuzuye insengero z’imana z’Abagiriki urugero nka Zewu, Arutemi na Apolo hamwe n’izindi mana z’Abanyegiputa. Ibikorwa byo gusenga umwami w’abami na byo byari byogeye kandi abaturage bose basabwaga kubyifatanyamo. Kwanga kubyifatanyamo byari kugaragaza ko bigometse ku butegetsi bw’Abaroma.

Gusenga ibigirwamana akenshi byajyanaga n’ibikorwa by’ubwiyandarike. Ikigirwamana cyarindaga umugi wa Tesalonike cyitwaga Cabirus, icyitwaga Isis cyo muri Egiputa hamwe n’ibindi nka Dionysos na Aphrodite, byose byari bihuriye ku kintu kimwe: imihango yo kubisenga yarangwaga n’ubusambanyi bw’akahebwe n’ubusinzi. Nanone ubuharike n’ubusambanyi byari byeze. Abantu babonaga ko gusambana atari icyaha. Hari igitabo cyavuze ko bari baracengewe n’umuco w’Abaroma, kigira kiti “muri uwo mugi hari abagabo n’abagore benshi bari bariyimeje kumara umuturage wese irari iryo ari ryo ryose yabaga afite, kandi abaganga bagiraga abantu inama yo kutifata mu gihe bagize iryo rari.” Ni yo mpamvu Pawulo yagiriye Abakristo inama yo “kwirinda ubusambanyi,” kudatwarwa n’“irari ry’ibitsina” hamwe n“ibikorwa by’umwanda.”​—1 Abatesalonike 4:3-8.

Batsinze urugamba

Abakristo b’i Tesalonike bagombaga gukora uko bashoboye kugira ngo barwanirire ukwizera kwabo. Koko rero, nubwo barwanyijwe, bagahura n’ingorane kandi bakaba barabanaga n’abantu b’abapagani n’abasambanyi, Pawulo yarabashimiye kuko ‘umurimo wabo warangwaga no kwizera n’imirimo bakoranaga umwete babitewe n’urukundo, no kwihangana.’ Nanone yabashimiye uruhare bagize mu gukwirakwiza ubutumwa bwiza hirya no hino.​—1 Abatesalonike 1:3, 8.

Mu mwaka wa 303, Ubwami bwa Roma bwatangiye gutoteza abantu bavugaga ko ari Abakristo. Ibyo bitotezo byatejwe na Kayisari Galère wabaga i Tesalonike, kandi akaba yari yarahubatse amazu y’akataraboneka. Na n’ubu amatongo y’amwe muri ayo mazu aracyariho, ku buryo ba mukerarugendo bashobora kuyasura.

Muri iki gihe, Abahamya ba Yehova b’i Thessaloníki babwiriza abaturanyi babo, akenshi bakabikorera imbere y’amazu yubatswe n’uwo muntu wangaga Abakristo urunuka. Nubwo mu kinyejana cya 20 hari igihe bajyaga babwiriza barwanywa cyane, ubu muri ako karere hari amatorero agera kuri 60 y’Abahamya babwirizanya ishyaka. Imihati bashyizeho igaragaza ko intambara yo kurwanirira ubutumwa bwiza yatangiye kera, ubu hakaba hashize ibinyejana byinshi, na n’ubu igikomeza kandi bakaba bagenda bayitsinda.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Ikarita yo ku ipaji ya 18]

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

Via Egnatia

MAKEDONIYA

Filipi

Amfipoli

Tesalonike

Beroya

THESSALIE

Inyanja ya Egée

ATENE

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 20 n’iya 21]

Hejuru: Thessaloniki muri iki gihe

Munsi: Amaduka n’inzu y’abaroma yo kogeramo ahahoze isoko

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Two bottom left images: 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 21]

Inzu yiburungushuye iri hafi y’urwibutso rwa Galère; igishushanyo cya Kayisari Galère; abantu babwiriza hafi y’urwibutso rwa galère

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Middle image: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Aho ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 18 yavuye]

Head medallion: © Bibliothèque nationale de France; stone inscription: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism