Taitusi—“Ko e Kaungāngaue Oʻoku ʻi he Fai Kiate Kimoutolu”

NAʻE malanga hake ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi ʻa e ngaahi palopalema ʻi he fakatahaʻanga Kalisitiane ʻi he ʻuluaki senitulí. Naʻe pau ke fakaleleiʻi ʻa e ngaahi meʻá ni, pea naʻe fiemaʻu heni ʻa e loto-toʻa mo e talangofua. Ko ha tangata naʻe lavameʻa ʻi he fehangahangai mo ha pole pehē ʻo lahi hake ʻi he tahá, ko Taitusi. ʻI he tuʻunga ko ha tokotaha naʻe kaungāngāue mo e ʻapositolo ko Paulá, naʻá ne fai ʻa e ngaahi feinga tōtōivi ke tokoniʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé ke fai ʻa e ngaahi meʻá ʻi he founga ʻa Sihová. Ko ia ai, naʻe tala ʻe Paula ki he kau Kalisitiane ʻi Kolinitoó ko Taitusí ‘ko e kaungāngaue ʻoʻona ʻi he fai kiate kinautolú.’​—2 Kolinito 8:23.

Ko hai ʻa Taitusi? Ko e hā ʻa e tafaʻaki naʻá ne ngāue ai ʻi hono fakaleleiʻi ʻa e ngaahi palopalemá? Pea ʻoku malava fēfē ke tau maʻu ha ʻaonga mei he fakakaukau atu ki hono ʻulungāngá?

Ko e Fakakikihi Fekauʻaki mo e Kamú

Ko Taitusí ko ha tokotaha Kalisi naʻe ʻikai kamu. (Kaletia 2:3)a Koeʻuhi ʻoku ui ia ʻe Paula ‘ko ha foha moʻoni ʻi he lotu ʻokú na taha aí,’ ko Taitusí nai ko ha taha ʻo e fānau fakalaumālie ʻa e ʻapositoló. (Taitusi 1:4; fakafehoanaki mo 1 Timote 1:2.) Naʻe kau ʻa Taitusi mo Paula, Panepasa, mo e niʻihi kehe mei ʻAniteoke, Sīlia, ʻi he taimi naʻa nau ō ai ki Selusalema ʻi he 49 T.S. nai ke lāulea ki he fehuʻi fekauʻaki mo e kamú.​—Ngāue 15:​1, 2; Kaletia 2:1.

Naʻe fokotuʻu ʻo pehē koeʻuhi ko e tafoki ʻa e kau Senitaile taʻekamú naʻe fai ʻa e lāulea ki ai ʻi Selusalema, naʻe ʻave ʻa Taitusí ke fakahaaʻi ko e kau Siú mo e ʻikai Siú ʻe malava ke nau maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá tatau ai pē pe naʻa nau kamu pe ʻikai. Ko e niʻihi ʻo e kau mēmipa ʻo e fakatahaʻanga Selusalemá ʻa ia naʻa nau Fālesi ki muʻa pea toki tali ʻa e lotu faka-Kalisitiané naʻa nau fakakikihiʻi ʻo pehē ko e kau Senitaile kuo tafoki maí naʻe pau ke nau kamu mo tauhi ʻa e Laó, ka naʻe talitekeʻi ʻa e fakakikihí ni ia. Ko hono kounaʻi ʻa Taitusi mo e kau Senitaile kehé ke nau kamú, ne mei fakaʻikaiʻi ai ʻa e makatuʻunga ia ʻa e fakamoʻuí ʻi he ʻofa maʻataʻatā ʻa Sihová pea ʻi he tui kia Sīsū Kalaisí, kae ʻi he ngaahi ngāue ʻa e Laó. Ne toe mei hoko ia ko hono talitekeʻi ʻa e fakamoʻoni ko ia ko e kau Senitailé, pe kakai ʻo e ngaahi puleʻangá, naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e laumālie māʻoniʻoni ʻo e ʻOtuá.​—Ngāue 15:​5-12.

Naʻe Fekauʻi ki Kolinitō

ʻI he taimi naʻe fakaleleiʻi ai ʻa e fakakikihi fekauʻaki mo e kamú, naʻe ʻoange kia Paula mo Panepasa ʻa e mafai kakato ke malanga ki he ngaahi puleʻangá. ʻI he taimi tatau pē, naʻá na toe feinga ke hanganaki fakakaukau ki he kau masivá. (Kaletia 2:​9, 10) Ko e moʻoni, ʻi he toe lave ko ʻeni kia Taitusi ʻi he lēkooti fakamānavaʻí ʻi he taʻu nai ʻe ono ki mui maí, ʻokú ne ʻi Kolinitō ko e talafekau ʻa Paula ʻi hono fokotuʻutuʻu maau ha tātānaki maʻá e faʻahinga tapú. Ka, ʻi he ʻalu atu ʻa Taitusi ke fai ʻa e ngāué ni, naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ʻokú ne ʻi ha toe tuʻunga faingataʻa.

ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he fetuʻutaki ʻa Paula mo e kau Kolinitoó naʻá ne fuofua tohi kiate kinautolu ke ‘ʻoua te nau feʻiloaki mo e kakai ʻoku feʻauakí.’ Naʻe pau ke ne tala kiate kinautolu ke fakamavaheʻi ha tokotaha feʻauaki taʻefakatomala mei honau lotolotongá. ʻIo, naʻe fai ʻe Paula ha tohi fefeka kiate kinautolu, ʻo fai ia mo e “fuʻu pani loʻimata.” (1 Kolinito 5:​9-13; 2 Kolinito 2:5 [2:​4, PM]) ʻI he taimi tatau pē, naʻe fekauʻi ʻa Taitusi ki Kolinitō ke tokoni ʻi he tātānaki naʻe fakahoko ai maʻá e kau Kalisitiane Siutea naʻe masivá. ʻOku hangehangē, naʻe toe fekauʻi ia ke ne siofi ʻa e tali ʻa e kau Kolinitoó ki he tohi ʻa Paulá.​—2 Kolinito 8:​1-6.

ʻE anga-fēfē ʻa e tali ʻa e kau Kolinitoó ki he akonaki ʻa Paulá? ʻI he hohaʻa ke ʻilo iá, naʻe fekauʻi nai ʻe Paula ʻa Taitusi mei ʻEfesō ke kolosi ʻi he Tahi ʻĪsiení ki Kolinitō, fakataha mo e ngaahi fakahinohino ke ne līpooti mai ʻi he vave taha ʻe malavá. Kapau naʻe kakato ha fononga pehē ki muʻa pea ngata ʻa e folaú koeʻuhi ko e faʻahitaʻu momokó (vaeuaʻanga nai ʻo Nōvemá), naʻe malava ke ʻalu vaka ʻa Taitusi ki Taloasi pe ko ha fononga lalo lōloa ange ʻi ʻuta ʻo fou atu ʻi he Hellespont. Naʻe aʻu tōmuʻa nai ʻa Paula ia ki he feituʻu naʻá na alea te na fetaulaki ki ai ʻi Taloasí, koeʻuhi ko e maveuveu naʻe fakalanga ʻe he kau tufunga tuki-silivá ʻo ʻai ai ia ke ne mavahe vave ange mei ʻEfesō ʻi he taimi naʻá ne ʻamanaki ki aí. ʻI he hili ha tatali loto-hohaʻa ʻi Taloasi, naʻe fakatokangaʻi ʻe Paula heʻikai ke fononga tahi mai ʻa Taitusi. Ko ia, naʻe mavahe fakavave leva ʻa Paula ʻo fononga atu ʻi ʻuta ʻi heʻene ʻamanaki te ne fetaulaki mo ia ʻi he halá. ʻI he aʻu pē ki he kelekele ʻo ʻIulopé, naʻe fou leva ʻa Paula ʻi he Via Egnatia, pea faifai pē ʻo ne fetaulaki mo Taitusi ʻi Masitōnia. Naʻe nonga lahi mo fiefia ʻa Paula, he naʻe lelei ʻa e ngaahi ongoongo mei Kolinitoó. Naʻe tali lelei ʻe he fakatahaʻangá ʻa e akonaki ʻa e ʻapositoló.​—2 Kolinito 2:​12, 13; 7:​5-7.

Neongo naʻe hohaʻa ʻa Paula ʻo fekauʻaki mo e faʻahinga talitali ʻe hokosia ʻe heʻene talafekaú, naʻe tokoniʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa Taitusi ke ne fakahoko ʻene fekaú. Naʻe tali ʻa Taitusi ʻaki ʻa e “ʻapasia mo e tailiili.” (2 Kolinito 7:​8-15) Ke ngāueʻaki ʻa e ngaahi lea ʻa e tokotaha faifakamatala ko W. D. Thomas: “ʻOku lava ke tau fakakaukau atu, ʻi he ʻikai ke fakavaivaiʻi ʻa e valoki fefeka ʻa Paulá, naʻe fai ʻe [Taitusi] ʻa e kōlenga pōtoʻi mo fakapotopoto ki he kau Kolinitoó; ʻo fakapapauʻi kiate kinautolu ko Paulá, ʻi he lea ko ia naʻá ne faí, naʻe ʻi heʻene fakakaukaú ʻa e lelei fakalaumālie pē maʻanautolu.” ʻI he hokohoko atú, naʻe hoko ʻa Taitusi ʻo ʻofa ʻi he kau Kalisitiane Kolinitoó koeʻuhi ko ʻenau loto-talangofuá mo e ngaahi liliu ʻaonga naʻa nau faí. Ko ʻenau tōʻonga tāú kuo fakamoʻoniʻi naʻe hoko ko ha matavai ia ʻo e fakalototoʻa kiate ia.

Fēfē ʻa e tafaʻaki ʻe taha ʻo e fononga ʻa Taitusi ki Kolinitoó​—ke fokotuʻutuʻu ʻa e tātānaki maʻá e faʻahinga tapu ʻi Siuteá? Naʻe toe ngāue foki ʻa Taitusi ki he meʻa ko iá, ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku malava ke maʻu mei he fakamatala ʻoku hā ʻi he 2 Kolinitoó. ʻOku ngalingali naʻe fai ʻa e tohi ko iá ʻi Masitōnia he lolotonga ʻa e faʻahitaʻu fakatōlau ʻo e 55 T.S., ʻi he hili pē ʻa e fetaulaki ʻa Taitusi mo Paulá. Naʻe tohi ai ʻe Paula ko Taitusí, ʻa ia naʻá ne kamataʻi ʻa e tātānakí, naʻe fekau atu ʻi he taimi ko ʻení fakataha mo e ongo tokoni ʻoku ʻikai hā hona hingoá koeʻuhi ke fakakakato ʻa e meʻa ko iá. ʻI he mahuʻingaʻia fakamātoato ʻi he kau Kolinitoó, naʻe loto-lelei ʻaupito ʻa Taitusi ke foki. ʻI he foki ko ʻeni ʻa Taitusi ki Kolinitoó, ʻoku hangehangē naʻá ne ʻave ai ʻa e tohi fakamānavaʻi hono ua ʻa Paula ki he kau Kolinitoó.​—2 Kolinito 8:​6, 17, 18, 22.

Naʻe ʻikai ke ngata pē ʻi he hoko ʻa Taitusi ko ha tokotaha fokotuʻutuʻu maau leleí ka naʻá ne toe hoko ko e faʻahinga tangata naʻe malava ke falalaʻanga ʻo tuku ki ai ha ngaahi fekau pelepelengesi ʻi he ngaahi tuʻunga faingataʻá. Naʻá ne loto-toʻa, matuʻotuʻa, mo tuʻumaʻu. ʻOku hā mahino naʻe fakakaukau ʻa Paula kia Taitusi ʻokú ne lavameʻa ʻi he fekuki mo e ngaahi pole hokohoko naʻe fakahoko ʻe he “haʻa aposetolo makehe atu na” ʻo Kolinitoó. (2 Kolinito 11:5) Ko e ongo ko ʻeni fekauʻaki mo Taitusí ʻoku fakapapauʻi ia ʻe heʻene hā hono hoko ʻi he ngaahi Konga Tohitapú, ʻi ha toe vāhenga-ngāue faingataʻa.

ʻI he Motu ko Kēlití

ʻOku ngalingali ko e taimi ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e 61 mo e 64 T.S., naʻe tohi ai ʻa Paula kia Taitusi, ʻa ia naʻe ngāue ʻi he taimi ko iá ʻi he motu Metiteleniane ko Kēlití. Naʻe tuku ai ia ʻe Paula ke ne “fai atu ʻa e fakatonutonu ʻo e ngaahi meʻa naʻe toe” pea mo “fakanofo faifekau ʻi he kolo hokohoko.” ʻI he tuʻu fakalūkufuá, naʻe ongoongoa ʻa e kau Kēlití ʻi heʻenau hoko ko e kau “loi: ko e fanga manu fekai kinautolu; ko e koto kete pe fakapikopiko.” Ko ia ai, ʻi Kēliti, ʻe toe fiemaʻu ai kia Taitusi ke ne ngāue ʻi he loto-toʻa mo tuʻumaʻu. (Taitusi 1:​5, 10-12) Ko ha ngafa lahi ʻaupito ia, he naʻe hangē ia ko hano fakafōtunga ʻa e kahaʻu ʻo e Lotu faka-Kalisitiané ʻi he motú. ʻI hono fakamānavaʻí, naʻe tokoni ʻa Paula kia Taitusi ʻaki hono fakapapauʻi ʻa e meʻa ke ne vakai ki ai ʻi ha faʻahinga ʻe taau ke hoko ko ha kau ʻovasia. Ko e ngaahi tuʻunga poto taau ko iá ʻoku kei ngāueʻaki pē ʻi he fekauʻaki mo hono fakanofo ʻo e kau mātuʻa Kalisitiané.

ʻOku ʻikai fakahaaʻi ʻe he ngaahi Konga Tohitapú ia ʻa e taimi naʻe mavahe ai ʻa Taitusi mei Kēlití. Naʻá ne ʻi ai ʻo lōloa feʻunga kia Paula ke ne kole kiate ia ke ne tokonaki maʻá e ngaahi fiemaʻu kia Sena mo ʻApolosí, ʻa ia naʻá na kiʻi tuʻu ai ʻena fonongá ʻi ha taimi ʻoku ʻikai fakapapauʻi. Ka heʻikai ke fuʻu fuoloa ʻa Taitusi ʻi he motú. Naʻe palani ʻa Paula ke fekau atu ʻa ʻĀtema pe ko Tikiko ki ai, pea ʻe fetaulaki leva ʻa Taitusi mo e ʻapositoló ʻi Naikopoli, ngalingali ko e kolo tuʻu-ki-muʻa ʻo e hingoa ko iá naʻe tuʻu ʻi he tokelau-hihifo ʻo Kalisí.​—Taitusi 3:​12, 13.

Mei he fakamatala nounou fakamuimui ʻa e Tohitapú kia Taitusí, ʻoku tau ako mei ai ʻoku ngalingali ko e taʻu 65 T.S. nai, naʻe fekau ai ia ʻe Paula ki he toe vāhenga-ngāue ʻe taha. Naʻe ʻave ai ia ki Talamati, ko ha potu fonua hahake ʻo e Tahi ʻAtalaiatikí ʻi Kolōtia ʻi he ʻaho ní. (2 Timote 4:10) ʻOku ʻikai ke tala mai kiate kitautolu ia ʻa e meʻa naʻe teu ke fai ʻe Taitusi aí, ka ʻoku pehē naʻe fekau ia ki aí ke ne tokangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa fakaefakatahaʻangá pea ngāue ai ʻi he ngāue fakamisinale. Kapau ko ia, ʻe ngāue ʻa Taitusi ʻi ha tufakanga meimei tatau mo ia naʻá ne ngāue ai ʻi Kēlití.

He houngaʻia lahi ē ka ko kitautolu ki he kau ʻovasia Kalisitiane matuʻotuʻa hangē ko Taitusí! Ko ʻenau mahino maʻalaʻala ki he ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni Fakatohitapú mo ʻenau ngāueʻaki loto-toʻa kinautolú ʻoku tokoni ia ki hono maluʻi ʻa e tuʻunga fakalaumālie ʻo e fakatahaʻangá. ʻAi ke tau faʻifaʻitaki ki heʻenau tuí pea ʻai ke hangē ko Taitusí ʻaki hono pouaki ʻa e ngaahi lelei fakalaumālie ʻo hotau kaungātuí.​—Hepelu 13:7.

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 31]

Naʻe hoko ʻa Taitusi ko ha kaungāngāue loto-toʻa ki ha lelei maʻá e kau Kalisitiane ʻi Kolinitoó mo ha feituʻu kehe