“Ndinokwirira Kuna Kesari!”

MHOMHO inobata mumwe murume asingagoni kuzvidzivirira ndokutanga kumurova. Vanofunga kuti anofanira kufa. Pazvinongova pachena kuti vava kuda kumuuraya, mauto anosvika uye anobvuta murume wacho kubva muboka racho revanhu riri kumurwisa. Murume wacho muapostora Pauro. Vari kumurwisa vaJudha vari kuramba zvakasimba kuparidza kwake vachimupa mhosva yokusvibisa temberi. Vamununura vaRoma, vachitungamirirwa nomukuru wavo Kiraudhiyasi Risiyasi. Mumvongamupopoto iyoyo Pauro asungwa achipomerwa kunzi mutadzi.

Zvitsauko zvinomwe zvokupedzisira zvebhuku raMabasa zvinoratidza nyaya yakatanga nokusungwa uku. Kunzwisisa kwakabva naPauro munyaya dzomutemo, zvaaipomerwa, kuzvidzivirira kwaaiita, uye kuziva chimwe chinhu nezvemafambisirwo aiitwa nyaya dzematare neRoma kunotiita kuti tinzwisise zvitsauko izvi.

Muusungwa Mumaoko aKiraudhiyasi Risiyasi

Rimwe remabasa aKiraudhiyasi Risiyasi raiva rokuchengeta runyararo muJerusarema. Mukuru kwaari pachinzvimbo, gavhuna weRoma wokuJudhiya, aigara muKesariya. Zvakaitwa naRisiyasi panyaya yaPauro zvinogona kuonekwa sokudzivirira munhu ari kurwiswa uye sokusunga munhu ari kukanganisa runyararo. Zvakaitwa nevaJudha zvakatuma Risiyasi kuendesa musungwa wake kukamba yemauto kuTower of Antonia.—Mabasa 21:27–22:24.

Risiyasi aifanira kuziva kuti Pauro akanga aita sei. Mumhirizhonga iya, hapana chaakanga ambonzwa. Saka asingamboswerononoka, akarayira kuti Pauro ‘aongororwe achiita zvokuzvamburwa, kuti azive nei vakanga vachimuitira mheremhere zvakadai.’ (Mabasa 22:24) Aya ndiwo maitirwo azvaiitwa kuti pawanike umboo kubva kuvapari vemhosva, nhapwa, nevamwe vakaderera muupenyu. Chamboko chacho chairoveswa (flagrum) chingava chaiita zvacho zvavaida izvozvo, asi chaive chinhu chinokuvadza. Zvimwe zvezvamboko izvi zvaive nemapundu esimbi airembera pangetani. Zvimwe zvaive netambo dzakapfekerwa-pfekerwa mapfupa akapinza nezvidimbu zvesimbi. Zvaikuvadza muviri zvakaipisisa, zvichimwaura nyama ichisara yava zvipenga-zvipenga.

Ipapo ndipo pakazivisa Pauro kuti chizvarwa cheRoma. MuRoma asina kubatwa nemhaka aisabvumirwa kuzvamburwa, saka kutaura kwaPauro kodzero dzake kwakachinja zvinhu pakarepo. Kushungurudza kana kuti kuranga chizvarwa cheRoma kwaigona kuita kuti mukuru mukuru weRoma arasikirwe nechinzvimbo chake. Zvinobva zvanzwisisika kuti nei Pauro aisabatwa sezvaiwanzoitwa vasungwa, achibvumirwa kushanyirwa.—Mabasa 22:25-29; 23:16, 17.

Asina chokwadi nezvaipomerwa zvacho, Risiyasi akaenda naPauro kuSanihedrini kunonzwa nezvebongozozo racho. Asi Pauro akanomutsa gakava paakataura kuti aitongerwa nyaya yorumuko. Mhirizhonga yacho yakanga yakakura zvokuti Risiyasi aityira kuti Pauro angangoitwa kanyama-kanyama, uye zvakare Risiyasi hapana zvaaigona kuita kunze kwokutomubvuta kubva kuvaJudha vakanga vakashatirwa.—Mabasa 22:30–23:10.

Risiyasi akanga asingadi kuti muRoma afire mumaoko ake. Paakanzwa kuti vari kumurangana, akakurumidza kuita kuti musungwa wake aendeswe kuna Kesari. Mafambisirwo aiitwa nyaya dzomumatare ndeokuti paidiwa mishumo inoratidza mhosva yomusungwa paanoendeswa kudare riri pamusoro. Mishumo iyoyo yaizosanganisira zvakawanikwa pakubvunzurudza kwokutanga, zvikonzero zvokumukwidza kumusoro, uye kuti nyakuferefeta anoona sei nyaya yacho. Risiyasi akashuma kuti Pauro ‘aipomerwa nhau dzoMutemo wevaJudha, asi asingapomerwi kana chinhu chimwe zvacho chakafanirwa norufu kana zvisungo,’ uye akarayira vapomeri vaPauro kuti vaendese zvichemo zvavo kwaikwidzwa nyaya, kuna Ferikisi.—Mabasa 23:29, 30.

Gavhuna Ferikisi Anokundikana Kutara Mutongo

Simba nouchangamire hwaFerikisi ndizvo zvaidzora mitongo yomumatare mupurovhinzi yose. Aigona kutevedzera tsika dzemo kana aida zvake kana kuti kushandisa mitemo chaiyo yehurumende—yaishandiswa pavanhu vakakwirira munzanga nevakuru-vakuru vehurumende. Iwoyo wainzi ordo, kana kuti rundaza. Aigonawo kushandisa yainzi extra ordinem, nzira yokutonga nayo yaigona kushandiswa pakutonga mhaka ipi zvayo. Gavhuna wepurovhinzi aisatarisirwa ‘kufunga nezvezvaiitwa kuRoma, asi zvaifanira kuitwa kwose kwose.’ Saka zvakawanda zvaisiyirwa kuti aizvionere.

Hazvisi zvose zvinozivikanwa pamusoro pomutemo weRoma, asi nyaya yaPauro inotorwa so“muenzaniso wenhoroondo yezvaiitwa pakutonga pachishandiswa hurongwa hweextra ordinem.” Gavhuna, achibatsirwa navanachipangamazano, aizonzwa zvinenge zvichipomerwa nevanhuwo zvavo. Nyakupomwerwa aidaidzwa kuti atarisane nevapomeri vake, aigona kuzvidzivirira, asi mutoro wokupa uchapupu wakanga uri kumupomeri. Mejasitiriti aipa mutongo waaiona wakakodzera. Aigona kuupa pakarepo kana kuzoupa pane imwe nguva isingazivikanwi, apo nyakupomerwa anenge akafanopfigirwa. Imwe nyanzvi inonzi Henry Cadbury yakati “hapana mubvunzo kuti sezvo aive nesimba rakadaro, mukuru mukuru weRoma aigona kubvuma ‘kufurirwa’ kana kupiwa chiokomuhomwe—kuti abudise, ape mhosva kana kuti ambomira kupa mutongo.”

Mupristi Mukuru Ananiyasi, varume vakuru vechiJudha, uye Teturo vakapomera Pauro zviri pamutemo pamberi paFerikisi vachiti aiva ‘munhu anonetsa anonyandura kumukira pakati pevaJudha.’ Vakati ndiye aive makonya “wekapoka kevekuNazareta” uye kuti akaedza kusvibisa temberi.—Mabasa 24:1-6.

Vakatanga kurwisa Pauro pakutanga vaive vafunga kuti ndiye akanga apinza mumwe weMarudzi ainzi Tirofimo muchivanze chainzi ndechevaJudha chete.a (Mabasa 21:28, 29) Kutaura zvazviri, aive nemhosva yokupinda paasingabvumirwi ndiTirofimo. Asi dai vaJudha vaizoturikira zvainzi zvakaitwa naPauro zvokubatsira munhu kuti apinde paasingabvumirwi, izvozvowo zvaigona kunzi imhosva inotongerwa munhu rufu. Uye zvinoita sokuti Roma yakanga yabvumirana nepfungwa yokuti mhosva iyoyi itongerwe munhu rufu. Saka dai Pauro akanga asungwa nemapurisa etemberi panzvimbo paRisiyasi, Sanihedirini ingadai yakamutonga ndokumupa mutongo pasina chinetso.

VaJudha vairangarira kuti zvaidzidziswa naPauro zvakanga zvisiri zvechiJudha, kana kuti chitendero chepamutemo (religio licita). Panzvimbo paizvozvo, chaifanira kutorwa sechisiri chepamutemo, kunyange kunzi ndechokupandukira.

Vaitiwo Pauro akanga “achinyandura kumukira pakati pevaJudha vose mupasi rose rinogarwa.” (Mabasa 24:5) Mambo Kiraudhiyasi akanga achangobva kushoropodza vaJudha vaive kuAlexandria nokuda kwoku“kurudzira nyika yose kuti ipinde mudambudziko.” Kufanana kwakanga kwakaita nyaya dzacho kunoshamisa. “Idzi ndidzo mhosva dzaive dzakanyatsokodzera kupomera munhu Mukutonga kwaKiraudhiyasi kana kuti kumavambo okutonga kwaNero,” akadaro munyori wezvakaitika kare A. N. Sherwin-White. “VaJudha vaiedza kufurira gavhuna kuti aone kuparidza kwaPauro sekwakangofanana nokukonzera kusagadzikana pakati pevaJudha vose vaive muUmambo ihwohwo. Vaiziva kuti magavhuna akanga asingadi kupa munhu mutongo pamusoro penyaya dzechitendero chete saka vakaedza kuita kuti nyaya yacho irerekere kune zvematongerwe enyika.”

Pauro akazvidzivirira kubva papomero imwe achienda pane imwe. ‘Handina kumbokonzera nyonganyonga. Ichokwadi kuti ndiri mukavanoti “kapoka,” asi izvi zvinongoreva kuchengeta mitemo yechiJudha. Vamwe vaJudha vokuAsia ndivo vatanga bongozozo racho. Kana vachiramba, vanofanira kuva pano kuti vataure.’ Nokutaura uku Pauro akaita kuti zvaipomerwa zvive nharo dzechitendero pakati pevaJudha, idzo dzaaiziva kuti vaRoma vaisagona kunyatsogadzirisa. Achingwarira kusatsamwisa vaJudha vakanga vatogara vachinetsa kudzora, Ferikisi akamisa dare racho kusvikira kunguva isingazivikanwi, zvichibva zvamanikidza kuti pasava nezvimwe zvaizoitwa panyaya yacho. Pauro haana kuiswa kuvaJudha, vaizviti vanoziva mitemo yavo, kana kuti kutongwa nomutemo wevaRoma, kana kusunungurwa. Ferikisi aisagona kumanikidzwa kutara mutongo, uye pamusoro pokuda kufadza vaJudha, aive zvakare nechimwe chinangwa chokunonoka—aitarisira kuti Pauro aizomupa chiokomuhomwe.—Mabasa 24:10-19, 26.b

Kuchinja Kwakazoita Zvinhu Mumaoko aPokiyo Fesito

MuJerusarema vaJudha vakamutsiridza kupomera kwavo mushure memakore maviri pakasvika Pokiyo Fesito, gavhuna mutsva, vachikumbira kuti Pauro aunzwe kumatare avo. Asi Fesito akaomesa musoro akavapindura kuti: “Haasiriwo maitire echiRoma kugamuchidza munhu upi noupi sedzvene munhu wacho anopomerwa asati asangana nevapomeri vake chiso nechiso ndokuwana mukana wokutaura achizvidzivirira pamusoro pezvaanopomerwa.” Munyori wezvakaitika kare Harry W. Tajra akati: “Fesito akakurumidza kuona kuti pairanganwa kutongera rufu chizvarwa cheRoma.” Saka vaJudha vakaudzwa kuti vazotura nyaya yavo kuKesariya.—Mabasa 25:1-6, 16.

Ikoko vaJudha vakati Pauro “haachafaniri kurarama,” asi vasingapi uchapupu, uye Fesito aiziva kuti Pauro hapana chaakanga aita chaikodzera rufu. “Vaingovawo zvavo nedzimwe nharo naye pamusoro pokunamata kwavo mwari uye pamusoro pomumwe Jesu akanga afa asi uyo Pauro akaramba achiti mupenyu,” akadaro Fesito achitsanangurira mumwe mukuru mukuru.—Mabasa 25:7, 18, 19, 24, 25.

Zvaive pachena kuti Pauro akanga asina kana nemhaka yezvematongerwe enyika, asi mugakava rezvokunamata, vaJudha vangava vaiti dare ravo ndiro rainyatsoigona. Pauro aizoenda kuJerusarema here kunotongerwa nyaya idzi? Fesito akabvunza Pauro kana aizodaro, asi waiva mubvunzo usina kukodzera. Kuendeswa kuJerusarema ari parimandi uko vapomeri vake vaizova vatongi kwaireva kuisa Pauro mumaoko evaJudha. “Ndimire pamberi pechigaro chokutonga chaKesari, pandinofanira kutongwa,” akadaro Pauro. “Handina kuitira vaJudha chinhu chakaipa . . . Hapana munhu angandigamuchidza kwavari sedzvene. Ndinokwirira kuna Kesari!”—Mabasa 25:10, 11, 20.

Kutaurwa kwemashoko aya nechizvarwa cheRoma kwaibva kwamisa kutonga kwose kwomupurovhinzi. Kodzero yake yokukwidza nyaya (provocatio) yakanga “isingakoni, yainzwisisika uye yaibudirira.” Aona kuti zvaiwirirana nomutemo kubva kuvaimupa zano, Fesito akazivisa kuti: “Wakwirira kuna Kesari; uchaenda kuna Kesari.”—Mabasa 25:12.

Fesito akafara kubvisa Pauro. Sezvaakazobvuma kuna Herodhi Agiripa II mazuva mashomanana pava paya, nyaya yacho yakamukangaidza. Saka Fesito aifanira kunyora pasi mashoko enyaya yacho aizoenda kuna mambo, asi kwaari, zvaipomerwa zvacho zvaisanganisira zvinhu zvakadzama zvisinganzwisisiki zvomutemo wechiJudha. Zvisinei, Agiripa aiva nyanzvi munyaya dzakadaro, saka paakati aifarira akabva akumbirwa kubatsira kunyora tsamba yacho. Achitadza kunzwisisa zvaitaurwa naPauro kuna Agiripa, Fesito akashamatata: “Wave kupenga, Pauro! Kudzidza zvikuru kuri kukupengesa!” Asi Agiripa ainyatsonzwisisa zvakakwana. “Ungandinyengetedza kuva muKristu nenguva pfupi,” akadaro. Chipi zvacho chavaifunga nezvezvaitaurwa naPauro, Fesito naAgiripa vaibvumirana kuti Pauro akanga asina mhaka uye kuti aidai akabudiswa dai akanga asina kukwidza nyaya yake kuna Kesari.—Mabasa 25:13-27; 26:24-32.

Mugumo Worwendo Rwokunotongwa

Paakasvika muRoma, Pauro akadana vakuru vakuru vechiJudha achida kuti avaparidzire uye kuti aone kuti vaizivei nezvake. Izvozvo zvingava zvakamubatsira kuziva kuti varovereri vake vaive nechinangwa chei. Zvaive zvisingashamisi kuti zviremera zveJerusarema zvikumbire kubatsirwa nevaJudha veRoma mukutonga nyaya, asi Pauro akanzwa kuti hapana zvavakanga vaudzwa nezvake. Achimirira kutongwa, Pauro akabvumidzwa kurenda imba nokuparidza akasununguka. Kumurerutsira kwakadaro kungava kwakareva kuti mukuona kwevaRoma, Pauro aive asina mhaka.—Mabasa 28:17-31.

Pauro akaramba ari muusungwa kwemamwe makore maviri. Nei? Bhaibheri haripajekesi. Kuongororwazve kwenyaya yacho kwaizoitika kana vapomeri vake vauya kuzomuroverera, asi zvichida vaJudha vokuJerusarema, vachiziva kuti hapana nyaya apa, havana kuzombouya. Zvichida nzira yaishanda yokuti vaite kuti Pauro arambe akapfigirwa kwenguva refu sezvinobvira yaiva yokurega kuuya. Chipi zvacho chingava chakaitika, zvinoratidzika sokuti Pauro akamira pamberi paNero, akanzi haana mhaka, akapedzisira asunungurwa kuti atangisezve basa rake roumishinari—makore mashanu mushure mokusungwa kwake.—Mabasa 27:24.

Vavengi vechokwadi vagara ‘vachiita zvakashata nemitemo’ kuti vadzivise basa rechiKristu rokuparidza. Izvi hazvifaniri kutishamisa. Jesu akati: “Kana vakanditambudza, vachakutambudzaiwo.” (Pisarema 94:20; Johani 15:20) Asi Jesu anotivimbisa rusununguko rwokuudza nyika yose mashoko akanaka. (Mateu 24:14) Nokudaro, sokungodzivisa kwakaita Pauro kupikiswa nokutambudzwa, Zvapupu zvaJehovha nhasi zvino“dzivirira nokusimbisa zviri pamutemo mashoko akanaka.”—VaFiripi 1:7.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]