Justin—Jeŋ Nilelɔ, Hemɔkɛyeli Hefalɔ, kɛ La Odasefonyo
“WƆMIIBI akɛ atao naafolɔmɔi ni akɛshwieɔ Kristofoi lɛ anɔ lɛ mli, ni akɛ, kɛ ana akɛ eji anɔkwale lɛ, agbala amɛtoi bɔ ni sa amɛ . . . Shi kɛji akɛ mɔ ko nyɛɛɛ aye naafolɔmɔ lɛ he odase lɛ, jwɛŋmɔ kpakpa tsiɔ nyɛnaa, akɛ nyɛaafee gbɔmɛi ni sane ko bɛ amɛhe nɛɛ efɔŋ, yɛ huhuuhu wiemɔ hewɔ . . . Ejaakɛ kɛ nyɛle anɔkwale lɛ, ni nyɛfeee nɔ ni ja lɛ, nyɛbaadamɔ Nyɔŋmɔ hiɛ ni naajiemɔ ko bɛ mli.”
Nɛkɛ wiemɔi nɛɛ Justin Martyr, ni akpɛlɛɔ nɔ akɛ eji Kristofonyo ni hi shi yɛ Ŋ.B. afii ohai enyɔ lɛ mli lɛ kɛfɔ Roma maŋtsɛ Antoninus Pius hiɛ. Justin bi ni akɛ jwɛŋmɔŋ hiɛshikamɔ apɛi mɛi ni kɛɔ akɛ amɛji Kristofoi lɛ ashihilɛ kɛ hemɔkɛyelii amli amɛkwɛ. Jalɛsane ni abiɔ ni aye nɛɛ ba kɛjɛ gbɔmɔ ni etsɔ shihilɛ sɔrɔtoi amli ni eji jeŋ nilelɔ lɛ ŋɔɔ.
Egbekɛbiiashi kɛ Tsɔsemɔ
Justin ji Jeŋmajiaŋnyo, afɔ lɛ aaafee afi 110 Ŋ.B. yɛ Samaria yɛ Flavia Neapolis maŋtiase lɛ, ni ji ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ Nablus mli. Etsɛ ehe Samarianyo, eyɛ mli akɛ eeenyɛ efee akɛ etsɛ kɛ enii fɛɛ ji Romabii loo Helabii. Etsɔsemɔ yɛ wɔŋjalɔi akusum nifeemɔi amli, kɛ anɔkwale lɛ he kumai ni yeɔ lɛ lɛ ha ekɛ hiɛdɔɔ kase jeŋ nilee. Akɛni etsui enyɔɔɔ emli yɛ nibii ni epɛi mli yɛ Stoabii, Peripatebii kɛ Pythagorabii ahe lɛ he hewɔ lɛ, eyadi Plato susumɔi lɛ asɛɛ.
Justin wie bɔ ni esumɔɔ ni ekɛ jeŋ nilelɔi agba sane lɛ he yɛ ewoji lɛ ekome mli, ni ekɛɛ: “Mikɛ mihe ha Stoanyo ko; ni yɛ be mli ni mikɛ lɛ ehi shi be saŋŋ, ni minaaa Nyɔŋmɔ he nilee kroko kɛjɛɛɛ eŋɔɔ (ejaakɛ lɛ diɛŋtsɛ lɛ eleee) lɛ, . . . mishi lɛ ni mitee mɔ kroko ŋɔɔ.”—Dialogue of Justin, Philosopher and Martyr, With Trypho, a Jew.
Yɛ no sɛɛ lɛ Justin tee Peripatenyo ko ni sumɔɔ shika fe anɔkwale ŋɔɔ. Justin kɛɛ: “Yɛ be mli ni nuu nɛɛ ehere mi hiɛmɛɛ yɛ gbii fioo ni tsɔ hiɛ lɛ amli lɛ, ebi mi ni miwo lɛ nyɔmɔ bɔni afee ni sanegbaa lɛ akafee nɔ ni enaaa he sɛɛ ko. Mishi lɛ yɛ yiŋtoo nɛɛ nɔŋŋ hewɔ, ejaakɛ miheɔ miyeɔ akɛ ejeee jeŋ nilelɔ ko kwraa.”
Akɛni Justin he miitswa shi akɛ eeena “jeŋ nilee kpakpa” hewɔ lɛ, “etee Pythagorea jeŋ nilelɔ ko ni ehe gbɛi waa—nuu ni susuɔ ekome enilee he babaoo lɛ ŋɔɔ.” Justin kɛɛ: “Beni mikɛ lɛ gba sane ni miisumɔ ni matsɔ etoibolɔ kɛ kaselɔ lɛ, ekɛɛ, ‘Kɛkɛ lɛ mɛni? Ani ole lalai, ŋulamii ahe nilee, kɛ liamɔi akɔntaabuu he nilee? Ani ookpa gbɛ akɛ ooonyɛ oyɔse nakai nibii [ni Nyɔŋmɔ gbeyeishemɔ yɔɔ mli] ni haa shihilɛ feɔ nɔ ni miishɛɛ yɔɔ mli lɛ, yɛ be mli ni atsɔko hiɛ abɔko bo [enɛɛmɛi] ahe amaniɛ lɛ?’ . . . Eshwie mi kɛjɛ ehiɛ yɛ be mli ni mikɛɛ lɛ akɛ mileee enɛɛmɛi ahe nɔ ko lɛ.”
Eyɛ mli akɛ enijiaŋ je wui moŋ, shi Justin tee nɔ etao anɔkwale lɛ kɛtsɔ ehe ni etsɔ kɛtee Plato sɛɛnyiɛlɔi ni ehe gbɛi waa lɛ aŋɔɔ lɛ nɔ. Ekɛɛ: “Kɛkɛ ni miye mibei lɛ pii bɔ ni manyɛ yɛ mɔ ko ni bahi wɔmaŋ lɛ mli etsɛko lɛ ŋɔɔ—nuu ko ni kɛ nilee tsuɔ nii, ni yɔɔ gbɛhe wulu yɛ Plato sɛɛnyiɛlɔi lɛ ateŋ,—ni mitee hiɛ, ni mina nɔyaai wuji daa gbi . . . , nɔ hewɔ lɛ etsɛɛɛ ni mibasusu akɛ mile nii;” ni Justin mu sane naa akɛ, “ni nɛkɛ ji mibuulu-feemɔ lɛ.”
Anɔkwale ni Justin taoɔ kɛtsɔ jeŋ nilelɔi ni ekɛ amɛ ye sharamɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ efee efɔlo. Shi yɛ be mli ni ejwɛŋɔ saji ahe yɛ ŋshɔnaa lɛ, ekɛ Kristofonyo ko ni egbɔ kpe, “nuumo ni moŋ, shi ejeee mɔ ni epuemɔ tsɔɔ akɛ ehe guɔ egbo, nuu ni jie heshibaa kɛ sui ni sa woo kpo.” Sanegbaa ni tee nɔ lɛ gbala ejwɛŋmɔ kɛtee shishijee Biblia mli tsɔɔmɔi ni maa bɔ ni ehe hiaa ni ana Nyɔŋmɔ he anɔkwa nilee lɛ nɔ mi lɛ anɔ.—Romabii 10:2, 3.
Kristofonyo ni atsiii egbɛi ata lɛ kɛɛ Justin akɛ: “Jeeŋmɔ beebe, dani wɔbe nɛɛ aaaba lɛ, hii komɛi hi shi ni amɛtsɛ fe mɛi ni abuɔ amɛ nilelɔi lɛ fɛɛ, ni ji jalɔi ni Nyɔŋmɔ sumɔɔ amɛ hu, ni . . . gba nibii ni baaba amɛfɔ shi, ni nɛkɛ nibii nɛɛ miiba mli bianɛ. Atsɛɔ amɛ gbalɔi. Mɛnɛɛmɛi pɛ na anɔkwale lɛ ni amɛtswa he adafi amɛtsɔɔ gbɔmɛi, . . . ni Mumɔ Krɔŋkrɔŋ yimɔ amɛ obɔbɔ.” Yɛ be mli ni etsɔɔ Justin nibii amli lolo lɛ, Kristofonyo nɛɛ kɛɛ: “Nibii ni amɛŋmala lɛ yɛ lolo, ni eyeɔ ebuaa mɔ fɛɛ mɔ ni kaneɔ lɛ yɛ nibii ashishijee kɛ amɛ naagbee he nilee mli.” (Mateo 5:6; Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 3:18) Taakɛ nuu ni mli hi nɛɛ wo hewalɛ lɛ, Justin kɛ hiɛdɔɔ tao Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli ni etamɔ nɔ ni ehiɛ sɔ nɔ ni ena lɛ kɛ Biblia gbalɛ babaoo, taakɛ anaa yɛ eniŋmaai amli lɛ.
Ewoji kɛ Nitsumɔi Amlikwɛmɔ Jogbaŋŋ
Justin hiɛ sɔ bɔ ni Kristofoi sheee gbele gbeyei lɛ waa. Ebale bɔ ni Hebri Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli tsɔɔmɔi lɛ ji anɔkwale ha lɛ hu. Bɔni afee ni efi esane mlitsɔɔmɔi lɛ asɛɛ yɛ Dialogue With Trypho lɛ mli hewɔ lɛ, Justin tsɛ wiemɔi kɛjɛ 1 Mose, 2 Mose, 3 Mose, 5 Mose, 2 Samuel, 1 Maŋtsɛmɛi, Lalai, Yesaia, Yeremia, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hoshea, Yoel, Amos, Yona, Mika, Zakaria, kɛ Maleaki, kɛ agbɛnɛ kɛjɛ Sanekpakpai lɛ amli. Anaa bɔ ni ehiɛ sɔɔ nɛkɛ Biblia mli woji nɛɛ ha lɛ yɛ sane ni ekɛ Trypho gba lɛ mli, he ni Justin wie Yuda jamɔ ni he Mesia lɛ eye lɛ he yɛ lɛ.
Abɔ amaniɛ akɛ Justin bafee sanekpakpa shiɛlɔ, ni jajeɔ sanekpakpa lɛ yɛ hegbɛ fɛɛ hegbɛ ni eeena mli. Eka shi faŋŋ akɛ efa gbɛ babaoo. Eye ebe lɛ eko yɛ Efeso, ni eka shi faŋŋ akɛ ehi Roma yɛ be kpalaŋŋ mli.
Nɔ ni fata woji ni Justin ŋmala lɛ ahe ji jamɔ he famɔ, ni eŋma ni ekɛmiifa Kristojamɔ he. Etao akɛ eeejie wɔŋjamɔ mli jeŋ nilee mli duŋ kpii lɛ kɛya kɛtsɔ la ni kpɛɔ kɛjɛɔ Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli lɛ nɔ yɛ ewolo, First Apology lɛ mli. Ejaje akɛ jeŋ nilelɔi lɛ anilee lɛ ji apasa nɔ ni shishinumɔ ko bɛ mli kɛ akɛto Kristo wiemɔi kɛ nitsumɔi ni hewalɛ kpele yɔɔ mli lɛ ahe lɛ. (Okɛto Kolosebii 2:8 he.) Justin kpa fai eha Kristofoi ni abuuu amɛ lɛ ni ekɛ ehe eyabɔ amɛhe lɛ. Beni atsake lɛ lɛ sɛɛ fɛɛ lɛ, etee nɔ ewo jeŋ nilelɔi atade lɛ, ni ekɛɛ akɛ enine eshɛ anɔkwa jeŋ nilee kome pɛ lɛ nɔ.
Akɛni afii ohai enyɔ lɛ mli Kristofoi lɛ kpoo akɛ amɛaaja wɔŋjalɔi anyɔŋmɔi lɛ hewɔ lɛ, abu amɛ akɛ mɛi ni leee Nyɔŋmɔ. Justin ha hetoo akɛ: “Wɔjeee mɛi ni leee Nyɔŋmɔ, taakɛ wɔjamɔ lɛ ji lɛ, wɔjaa jeŋ muu fɛɛ Feelɔ lɛ pɛ . . . Wɔ tsɔɔlɔ ni tsɔɔ wɔ nibii nɛɛ ji Yesu Kristo . . . Lɛ ji anɔkwa Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ Bi lɛ.” Justin wie yɛ wɔŋjamɔ he akɛ: “Amɛfeɔ nɔ ni amɛtsɛɔ lɛ nyɔŋmɔ ko lɛ; ni wɔsusuɔ akɛ jeee akɛ jwɛŋmɔ bɛ mli kɛkɛ, shi eteɔ shi ewoɔ Nyɔŋmɔ hu lɛ . . . Mɛɛ buului-anifeemɔ nɛ! ákɛ aaakɛɛ akɛ gbɔmɛi ni bɛ jeŋba lɛ miifee nyɔŋmɔi kɛmiiha ojamɔ.”—Yesaia 44:14-20.
Justin tsɛ wiemɔi pii kɛjɛ Kristofoi a-Hela Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli ekɛtsɔɔ hemɔkɛyeli ni eyɔɔ yɛ gbohiiashitee lɛ, Kristofoi ajeŋba, baptisimɔ, Biblia mli gbalɛ (titri lɛ nɔ ni kɔɔ Kristo he), kɛ Yesu tsɔɔmɔi lɛ amli. Yɛ Yesu he lɛ, Justin tsɛ wiemɔi kɛjɛ Yesaia wolo lɛ mli akɛ: “Nɔyeli lɛ aaaka [Kristo] kɔŋ nɔ.” Justin kɛɛ hu akɛ: “Kɛ wɔmiikpa adesa nɔyeli gbɛ lɛ, belɛ esa akɛ wɔkwa wɔ Kristo lɛ hu.” Ewie kaai ni baa Kristofoi anɔ lɛ kɛ amɛ gbɛnaa nii ahe, ni ema nɔ mi akɛ sɔɔmɔ ni ja ni akɛhaa Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ biɔ ni mɔ afee mɔ ni feɔ E-suɔmɔnaa nii, ni ekɛɛ kɛfata he akɛ “esa akɛ E-tsu gbɔmɛi kɛya jeŋmaji fɛɛ mli ni amɛyashiɛ nɛkɛ nibii nɛɛ.”
The Second Apology of Justin (ni aheɔ ayeɔ akɛ eji klɛŋklɛŋ nɔ lɛ nɔtsamɔ kɛkɛ) lɛ kɔɔ Roma Bɛgwafoi lɛ ahe. Justin kpa Romabii lɛ fai kɛtsɔ Kristofoi lɛ ni awaa amɛ yi yɛ be mli ni amɛbana Yesu Kristo he anɔkwa nilee hewɔ lɛ aniiashikpamɔ ni egba lɛ nɔ. Yɛ bɔ ni Yesu tsɔɔmɔi lɛ anɔ kwɔlɔ ha yɛ jeŋba mli, ni jeɔ kpo yɛ Kristofoi ni ji maŋbii lɛ ajeŋba mli lɛ, tamɔ nɔ ni ejeee fɛi yɛ Roma nɔyelɔi lɛ ahiɛ. Shi moŋ, kaselɔ kɛkɛ ni mɔ ko aaakɛɛ akɛ eji lɛ baanyɛ ekɛ gbele po aba enɔ. Justin wie tsutsu Kristofoi ahemɔkɛyelii ahe tsɔɔlɔ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lucius, ni bi akɛ: “Mɛni hewɔ nyɛgbala nɛkɛ nuu nɛɛ toi, jeee akɛ gbalafitelɔ, loo ajwamaŋbɔlɔ, loo gbɔmɔgbelɔ, loo julɔ, loo ojotswalɔ, aloo mɔ ni abu lɛ fɔ yɛ efɔŋfeemɔ ko he kwraa po, shi nɔ ni ekɛɛ pɛ ji akɛ eji Kristofonyo, gbɛi ni akɛtsɛɔ lɛ kɛkɛ?” lɛ he.
Justin wiemɔi nɛɛ tsɔɔ bɔ ni ana mɛi ni tsɛɔ amɛhe Kristofoi yɛ nakai be lɛ mli lɛ ahe jwɛŋmɔ fɔŋ aha lɛ mli: “No hewɔ lɛ, mi hu miikpa gbɛ akɛ mɛi ni mitsi amɛ ta lɛ ateŋ mɛi komɛi, aloo ekolɛ Crescens, nakai nuu ni sumɔɔ ni ejie ekaafemɔ kɛ fuufeemɔ kpo lɛ baakpaŋ miyi nɔ ni amɛkɛkala mi amɛkpɛtɛ sɛŋmɔtso he; ejaakɛ nuu ni yeɔ odase eshiɔ wɔ yɛ faŋŋ yɛ saji ni enuuu shishi lɛ amli, ni ekɛɔ akɛ Kristofoi lɛ leee Nyɔŋmɔ ni amɛbuuu nii, ni eefee nakai koni asafo yuu ni alaka amɛ lɛ asumɔ esane ni ekɛsa amɛhiɛ lɛ esaaa mɔ ni atsɛɔ lɛ jeŋ nilelɔ. Ejaakɛ kɛji akɛ efolɔɔ wɔnaa yɛ be mli ni ekaneko Kristo tsɔɔmɔi lɛ, belɛ efite kwraa, ni mɛi ni leee nikanemɔ kwraa po, ní yɛ bei babaoo mli lɛ amɛsumɔɔɔ ni amɛwieɔ loo amɛyeɔ saji ni amɛnuuu shishi lɛ ahe odase lɛ po hi kwraa fe lɛ.”
Egbele
Kɛ egbo yɛ Crescens loo e-Heguɔgbelɔi krokomɛi lɛ adɛŋ jio, kɛlɛ agbe Justin he guɔ atsɔɔ Roma nɔyelɔ lɛ akɛ maŋjwalɔ ni abu lɛ fɔ akɛ agbe lɛ. Afo eyitso aaafee afi 165 Ŋ.B. yɛ Roma ni ebatsɔ “martyr,” (eshishi ji “odasefonyo”). No hewɔ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Justin Martyr lɛ.
Gbɛ ni Justin tsɔɔ nɔ eŋmalaa nii lɛ efeŋ nɔ ni tamɔ nilelɔi ni hi shi yɛ egbii lɛ amli ni he esa ni kɛ ŋaalee tsuɔ nii lɛ anɔ̃, shi anɔkwale kɛ jalɛnifeemɔ he ekãa ni eyɔɔ lɛ ji nɔ ni yɔɔ krɔŋŋ yɛ faŋŋ mli. He ni ehi shi yɛ Ŋmalɛi lɛ kɛ Yesu tsɔɔmɔi lɛ anaa kɛyashɛ lɛ, no lɛ anyɛŋ akɛɛ kɛ nɔmimaa. Ni kɛlɛ, abuɔ woji ni Justin ŋmala lɛ waa yɛ emli yinɔsane mli anɔkwalei kɛ Ŋmalɛi ni etsɛ sɛɛ lɛ hewɔ. Ehaa aleɔ mɛi ni tsɛɔ amɛhe Kristofoi yɛ afii ohai enyɔ lɛ mli lɛ ashihilɛ kɛ niiashikpamɔi amli saji.
Nɔ ni sa kadimɔ waa ji Justin mɔdɛŋbɔi koni etsɔɔ maŋtsɛmɛi lɛ bɔ ni yiwaa ni akɛbaa Kristofoi lɛ anɔ lɛ ejaaa kwraa ha. Bɔ ni ekpoo wɔŋjalɔi ajamɔ kɛ jeŋ nilee ni ekpɛlɛ Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ he anɔkwale nilee nɔ lɛ kaiɔ wɔ akɛ bɔfo Paulo kɛ ekãa wie etsɔɔ Epikuromɛi kɛ Stoamɛi ni ji jeŋ nilelɔi lɛ yɛ Ateene yɛ anɔkwa Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ kɛ Yesu Kristo ni atee lɛ shi lɛ he.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 17:18-34.
Justin diɛŋtsɛ yɛ gbohii lɛ ashitee yɛ Afii Akpe lɛ mli lɛ he nilee ko. Ni kwɛ bɔ ni Biblia mli gbohiiashitee he hiɛnɔkamɔ ni ji anɔkwale lɛ woɔ mɔ hemɔkɛyeli hewalɛ ehaa! Ewaje Kristofoi yɛ yiwaa mli ni eha amɛnyɛ amɛŋmɛ amɛtsui shi yɛ kaai babaoo mli, kɛtee gbele mli po.—Yohane 5:28, 29; 1 Korintobii 15:16-19; Kpojiemɔ 2:10; 20:4, 12, 13; 21:2-4.
No hewɔ lɛ Justin tao anɔkwale, ni ekpoo Hela jeŋ nilee. Akɛ mɔ ni fãa jamɔ he lɛ, efa mɛi ni kɛɔ akɛ amɛji Kristofoi lɛ atsɔɔmɔi kɛ nifeemɔi ahe. Ni akɛni ekɛɛ eheɔ Kristojamɔ eyeɔ hewɔ lɛ, ena amanehulu akɛ la odasefonyo. Nɔ ni sa kadimɔ titri ji bɔ ni Justin hiɛ sɔɔ anɔkwale lɛ kɛ ekãa ni ekɛye odase yɛ yiwaa fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, ejaakɛ anaa nɛkɛ sui nɛɛ yɛ Yesu sɛɛnyiɛlɔi diɛŋtsɛ ni yɔɔ ŋmɛnɛ lɛ ashihilɛi amli.—Abɛi 2:4-6; Yohane 10:1-4; Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 4:29; 3 Yohane 4.