IAthene—“Umuzi Wonkulunkulu Abaningi”

UZEUS, uHera, uArtemis, uApollo, uAres,—kunokwenzeka uye wezwa okungenani ngoyedwa walabo-nkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi. Okusele kwemifanekiso yabo kungatholakala eAthene, “umuzi wonkulunkulu abaningi.” Nokho, oqhame kakhulu kuzo zonke izithixo zasendulo zamaGreki kwakunguAthena, owayebizwa ngokuthi unkulunkulukazi wokuhlakanipha. Kwethiwa ngaye iAthene nethempeli lakhe, iParthenon, engesinye sezakhiwo esidume ngokubukeka kahle.

Lapho sibuka okusele okuningi kwalabonkulunkulu bamatshe kulo lonke elaseAthene, isivakashi kulelidolobha elikhulu lezwe eliyinkimbinkimbi elicishe libe nenani labantu abayizigidi ezimbili nengxenye singacabanga kahle ngamazwi akhulunywa lapho umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu. Ngemva kokudabula imigwaqo yomuzi, wathi: “Ngiyabona ngakho konke ukuthi nikhonza kakhulu onkulunkulu.”—IzE. 17:22.

UMBONO OBANZI

Ake sithi siqala ngombono obanzi ngeAthene. Ngemoto, sihamba sidabule emgwaqweni omncane osiholela phezulu lapho kuqala khona inqola ehamba ngocingo emoyeni. Ngemva kwemizuzu emibalwa, sifika esiqongweni seNtaba iLycabettus, intaba ebheke phansi ewumbhoshongo ocijile osinikeza umbono omuhle womuzi. Ngokwesiko, isonto likaSt. George, elakhiwe ngasekupheleni kwesiqongo, lakhiwe endaweni lapho kwakumi khona ialtare likaZeus. Ngenkathi sisathola iziphuzo ezibandayo esitolo, sijabulela lombono.

Ubusuku buyasondela. Isifudumezi ebesigcwele kuwo wonke umuzi phakathi nosuku siya sincipha kancane. Ngaseningizimu ntshonalanga ehlangene neAthene ngamamayela uma siphuma sibona iPiraeus. Kulelitheku elikhulu nendawo yezemisebenzi yaseGrisi ingcebo yezwe enjengeminqumo, umvini nezinye izithelo kuphuma lapha kuya ezingxenyeni eziningi zezwe. Kulendawo ephakeme esibuka kuyo, siphawula ukuthi iAthene izungezwe izintaba futhi igcwele amatshe ezikhumbuzo, amamyuziyamu namasonto.

Njengoba kuba mnyama, ngokushesha sikhangwa okuthile. Ngakolunye uhlangothi lwesigodi iAthene ekuso, kukhona amalambu akhanyise ngaphandle ayi-1 500, akhanyise eAcropolis. Umbukwane omuhle ngempela!

UKUSUKA EAGORA KUYA EARIYOPHAGU

Kumelwe nakanjani siye eAcropolis ngakusasa. Simisa imoto yethu kweminye imigwaqo ecinene eduze neAcropolis futhi sihamba ngezinyawo. Ngaphansi ngakwesobunxele sibona amanxiwa eAgora yasendulo, noma isigcawu. Yayingeyona nje kuphela indawo yokushintshiselana ngezinto zemisebenzi, kodwa futhi kwakuyindawo yokuphikisana nokuqhuba imisebenzi yedolobha. Ngokuqinisekile, iAgora kwakuyindawo yeningi eyinhloko. Yingakho umphostoli uPawulu achitha lapho isikhathi cishe ngo-50 C.E. lapho evakashele eAthene ngohambo lwakhe lwesibili lobuvangeli. “Ngakho-ke wakhuluma esinagogeni kubaJuda nakuwo amakholwa nasesigcawini (iAgora) imihla ngemihla kubo abasuke bekhona.” Isimo sabo sokufuna ukwazi siboniswa yilamazwi: “Ngokuba bonke abaseAthene nabafokazi abakhé khona babengazilibazisi ngokunye, kuphela ngokukhuluma nokuzwa izindaba ezintsha.”—IzE. 17:17, 21.

UPawulu ngokwakhe ngokushesha wahileleka engxoxweni nezazi ezithile zamaEpikhuru namaStokiyu, futhi akuthathanga isikhathi ngaphambi kokuba “base bemthatha, bamyisa eAreyophagu, bethi: Ungesazise ukuthi siyini lesisifundiso esisha esikhulunywa nguwe na?” (IzE. 17:18, 19) Namuhla iAgora indawo ethakazelisayo phakathi eAthene, indawo lapho abenza amapikiniki nabadwebi ababalekela izivakashi eziningi eziphethe amakhamera eAcropolis.

Nakuba ukunakekela kwethu kugxile kulendawo yesimanje, asinakukhohlwa ukuthi isimo sikaPawulu sasisengozini kakhulu. Wayesolwa ‘njengomemezela onkulunkulu abangaziwayo,’ futhi umthetho wawuthi, ‘akukho muntu oyoba nabanye onkulunkulu, noma abasha; noma akhulekele ngasese abanye onkulunkulu abangaziwayo ngaphandle kwalaba abavunyelwe emphakathini.” Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi, umphostoli wabanjwa futhi wayiswa eAreyophagu ukuze abuzwe. Nangayiphi indlela, umlando weBhayibheli ngeAreyophagu usiphoqelela ukuba sihlolisise isiqongo salelogama.

Siyaphumelela ekutholeni indlela, futhi indlela emfushane nje isibeka phansi eAreyophagu, noma esiQongweni iMars, ngasenyakatho ntshonalanga neAcropolis. Kuyisikhathi esijabulisayo. Mhlawumbe simi kuyo kanye indawo lapho uPawulu ayemi khona futhi enikeza ubufakazi bakhe esibukhumbulayo obulotshwe kuzEnzo 17:22-31. Ngakolunye uhlangothi lwesiqongo esincane sithola inkulumo edumile kaPawulu eqoshwe ensimbini. Sesifikile-ke isikhathi sokuba sivule amaBhayibheli ethu futhi sithole lokho okwenzeka lapho emakhulwini eminyaka ayi-19 edlule.

UKUSHUMAYELA KWAKUQALA EATHENE KUVEZA IZITHELO

Ubufakazi bukaPawulu obunokuhlakanipha phambi kwamadoda afundisiwe aseAthene kuyisifundo esihle kakhulu sokuhlakanipha nokuqonda. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, waveza iphuzu elihle elingokomthetho, impikiswano efanelekile yokuphendula icala lokungenisa unkulunkulu omusha. Umphostoli wabonisa ukuthi wayeshumayela ngaye kanye uMdali wezulu nomhlaba, lowo ongahlali emathempelini enziwe ngezandla zabantu. UPawulu ngokuhlakanipha watshela izilaleli zakhe ukuthi wayememezela kuzona “UNKULUNKULU ONGAZIWAYO,” lowo zona ngokwazo ezazimenzele ialtare futhi ngokungazi ezazimkhulekela. Umphostoli waletha “Lonkulunkulu Ongaziwayo” eduze kwabo ngokucaphuna encwadini ka-Aratus umlobi wezinkondlo ongumCilicia, naseculweni likaZeus likaCleanthes. Khona-ke uPawulu wayengatshela abaseAthene ukuthi ezinye zezimbongi zabo zazithe “ngokuba futhi siyinzalo yakhe” ngakho-ke bonke abantu bakhona ngaYe.

UPawulu waqhubeka wabonisa ukuthi loNkulunkulu uyokwahlulela umhlaba ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisile. Njengesiqinisekiso salokhu, uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo. Kulapho-ke, lapho inkulumo kaPawulu yanqanyulwa khona, ngoba “kwathi bezwa ngokuvuka kwabafileyo abanye bahleka usulu, kepha abanye bathi: Siyakuphinda sikuzwe ngaleyondaba.” Kwenzekani-ke?

UPawulu waphuma phakathi kwabo, kodwa impikiswano yakhe eyinhloko yayiholele ezenzweni ezingaphezu kwezimbili ezihlukahlukene. Kwakukhona futhi iqembu lesithathu, ngoba “amadoda athile anamathela kuye, akholwa; phakathi kwawo kwakukhona noDiyonisiyu waseAreyophagu, nowesifazane ogama lakhe linguDamari, nabanye kanye nabo.” (IzE. 17:32-34) Ngakho-ke, ubuKristu bakuqala bakhula “emzini wonkulunkulu abaningi.”

UKUZINDLA NGOMLANDO WALOMUZI

IAcropolis iphakeme kancane uma usuka eAriyophagu. Sakhwela izitebhisi ezinhle ezenziwe ngemabula yePropylaea (noma iForegates), ngokwenyukela okuhle eParthenon, isiqongo seAcropolis. Ngakwesokunene sethu kukhona ithempeli okuthiwa iWingless Victory, kodwa unkulunkulukazi walo akasekho kulo. Sadlula endleleni enhle yePropylaea, leyo nakuba yayisigugile kancane, inikeza umbono onamandla wokuthi lesi kwakuyisakhiwo esikhulu. Lapho sifika ekupheleni kwezitebhisi, sibona amanxiwakazi eParthenon. Yakhiwa nini, futhi yini eyabangela ukuba yakhiwe?

Indabuko yeAthene ifihlakele endulo, nakuba abavubukuli bambula okuthile ngomlando wayo wakuqala. Ekhulwini lesikhombisa B.C.E., umuzi wawubuswa yiEupatridae, uhulumeni owasebenzisa amandla ezombangazwe futhi wabusa eAriyophagu eyayiyinkantolo eyinhloko yamacala angalesosikhathi. Ekhulwini elilandelayo isishayamthetho esibizwa ngokuthi yiSolon sabeka isisekelo sokubusa kweningi. Khona-ke iAthene yaba indawo eyinhloko yombuso wokuqala owaba nohlobo lukahulumeni obuswa yiningi.

Ukuphakama koMbuso wamaMede namaPheresiya kwasongela kanzima iGrisi futhi njengoba umprofethi uDaniyeli ayebikezele, inkosi yesine yasePheresiya ‘yayivusa bonke ukulwa nombuso waseJavani (Grisi).’ (Dan. 11:2) Leyompi enamandla yaqhubeka kwaze kwaba lapho ‘inkosi yesine’ uXerxes wasePheresiya ephakamisa umbuso wakhe wonke futhi wahlasela iGrisi ngo-480 B.C.E. Waze wafinyelela eAthene futhi washisa izinqaba zaseAcropolis. Nokho, abase-Athene babhubhisa izinqola zempi zamaPheresiya eSalamis, futhi baphoqelela amaPheresiya ukuba ahlehle. AbaseAthene bahola eGrisi ngamabutho abo anamandla.

Inkathi emangalisayo yaqala eAthene. Phakathi naleyonkathi yokuchuma ngaphansi kombusi owayenamandla uPericles, umuzi waba oholayo ngakwezempucuko ezweni lasendulo. IAthene yachuma njengendawo eyinhloko yemfundo igcwele oprofesa, othisha abafundile nezazi ezinjengoSocrates, uPlato noAristotle. Izikole ezine zezazi zamiswa lapho: iPlatonic, iPeripatetic, esamaEpikhuru nesamaStoyiku. (IzE. 17:18, 19) Ngalesosikhathi, futhi, izakhiwo eziningi ezinhle namathempeli kwakhiwa, phakathi kwakho kwakukhona iParthenon, isakhiwo esiyinhloko senkolo yobuqaba yasendulo.

IMIBHALO IMELENE NOKUHLAKANIPHA KWABANTU

Ngenkathi uJesu nabaphostoli besemhlabeni iAthene yayisabalulekile ngezikole nangolwazi lwezwe. Kusukela eGrisi ukuhlakanipha kwabantu kwasakazekela kwezinye izingxenye zezwe. Eqinisweni uPawulu kwakumelwe axwayise ngisho ibandla lamaKristu eAsia Minor: “Xwayani funa kube-khona onithumbayo ngokuhlakanipha nangenkohliso eyize njengokwemvelo yabantu, . . . kungenjengokukaKristu.” UPawulu wayeshumayela ngoKristu, futhi njengoba umphostoli asho: “Kwakufihlwé kuye amagugu onke okuhlakanipha nawokwazi.”—Kol. 2:3, 8.

Lapho elobela abaseKorinte ababeseGrisi, uPawulu wamelana kanzima nokuhlakanipha kwabantu. Ekulweleni ubuKristu beqiniso, wabeka ukuhlakanipha kwabantu endaweni yakho, ethi: “Uma umuntu phakathi kwenu ethi uhlakaniphile kulesisikhathi, akabe-yisiwula, ukuze ahlakaniphe. . . . INkosi iyazazi izenzo zabahlakaniphileyo ukuthi ziyize.” (1 Kor. 3:18-20) Yebo, akukhona nje ukuthi izizindlo zabo ziyize kodwa ngisho nemisebenzi yabo yezandla iyaphela. Ake ubheke nje iAcropolis. Asisekho isithombe esasibazwe ngegolide sika-Athene. Sekusele nje kuphela ingxenye yeParthenon. Futhi kuthiwani nge-Erechtheum, ialtare elaliwumxhantela lika-Athene noPoseidon? Kusele obuncane kakhulu ubuhle bayo obuqhoshisayo.

Njengoba sehla neAcropolis futhi sehla nezitebhisi zenqaba yePropylaea, sikhumbula amazwi kamphostoli uPawulu enkantolo yaseAthene: “Akufanele ukuba sithi ubuNkulunkulu bufana negolide noma isiliva noma itshe, okuqoshwé ngekhono nangesu lomuntu.”—IzE. 17:29.

UBUKRISTU BEQINISO BUSEKHONA

Kuloluhambo lokuzijabulisa, ukwazile yini ukuthola okuthile okungokomoya ngeAthene lasendulo nelanamuhla? Ukuze uzwe lokho okungokomoya ngokuphelele, yebo, kudingeka uzijwayelanise nabantu. Izivakashi eziningi ziye zathola ukuthi abaseAthene bangabantu abangenisa izihambi ngempela. Akuyona nje into ethuka yenzeka ukuthi igama lesiGreki elisho abafokazi lisho futhi isivakashi ngoba amaGreki anomoya omuhle kubantu angabazi.

Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi ubuKristu beqiniso obubonakaliswa ilomoya, babungabuye bugxile eAthene nakuyo yonke iGrisi. Ngani? EAthene iyodwa kukhona oFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kwezi-7 000 abahlanganyela emabandleni ayi-110! Kuyo yonke iGrisi, kukhona oFakazi BakaJehova abayizi-20 000. Nakuba, njengoPawulu bebhekwa ‘njengabamemezeli babanye onkulunkulu,’ bayaqhubeka bememezela “UNKULUNKULU ONGAZIWAYO,” uJehova, kuzakhamuzi zaseAthene nakuyo yonke iGrisi.

Uhambo lwethu seluphelile, futhi bheka emuva. Lapho sibheka kude emuva, sibona okokugcina iAcropolis. Ilanga elishonayo liphendula isiqongo somuzi esenziwe ngemabula sibe igolide elicwebezelayo. Yeka umbono omuhle! Kodwa ikakhulukazi sijatshuliswa ukuthi abaningi manje bajabulela ukukhanyiselwa okungokomoya eAthene, komdala “umuzi wonkulunkulu abaningi.”