Epafrodito—Nthumwi ya Afilipi — Watchtower LAIBULALE YA PA INTANETI

Epafrodito—Nthumwi ya Afilipi

“MUMLANDIRE mwa Ambuye, ndi chimwemwe chonse; nimuchitire ulemu oterewa,” Paulo analembera Afilipi motero. Mosakayikira tingakhale achimwemwe ngati woyang’anira wachikristu anganene moyamikira choncho za ife. (Afilipi 2:29) Koma kodi Paulo anali kunena za yani? Ndipo munthuyo anali atachita chiyani choyenerera chiyamikiro chimenecho?

Yankho la funso loyambalo ndilo Epafrodito. Kuti tiyankhe lachiŵirilo, tiyeni tilongosole za mikhalidwe imene inasonkhezera Paulo kulemba mawu ameneŵa.

Pafupifupi 58 C.E., Afilipi anamva kuti Paulo anakokedwa kumtulutsa m’kachisi ndi kupandidwa ndi khamu laukali mu Yerusalemu, anamangidwa ndi akuluakulu, ndipo, atamponya m’ndende wosadziŵa chotulukapo chake, anali atamsamutsira ku Roma mu unyolo. (Machitidwe 21:27-33; 24:27; 27:1) Povutika maganizo pa kutetezereka kwake, iwo ayenera kukhala atadzifunsa za zimene akanamchitira. Anali osauka mwakuthupi ndipo okhala kutali ndi Paulo, chotero thandizo limene akanapereka likanakhala lochepa. Komabe, mawu oyamikira amene anasonkhezera Afilipi kuchirikiza utumiki wake kalelo anali owasonkhezerabe; zimenezi zinali chonchodi, popeza kuti iye anali mu mkhalidwe wovuta.—2 Akorinto 8:1-4; Afilipi 4:16.

Afilipi ayenera kukhala atalingalira za kuti kaya ngati mmodzi wa iwo ayenera kukaona Paulo ndi mtulo ndi kukamthandiza ngati anafuna kanthu kena kalikonse. Komano unali ulendo wautali ndi wotopetsa, ndipo kukamthandizako mwina kunali kwangozi! Joachim Gnilka akunena kuti: “Kulimba mtima kunafunika kuti munthu akaone wa mkaidi, makamaka kukaona munthu amene ‘mlandu’ wake unaoneka kukhala wosadziŵika bwino.” Mlembi wa mabuku Brian Rapske akuti: “Panali ngozi inanso pa kukhala woyandikana kwambiri kapena kuchitira chisoni mkaidi kapena malingaliro ake. . . . Kulankhulana kapena kuchita kanthu kena mwangozi kukanachititsa mkaidi ndi womthandiza yemwe kuphedwa.” Kodi Afilipi akanatumiza yani?

Tingathe kuona bwino lomwe kuti ulendo wa mtundu umenewu ukanawachititsa kuvutika maganizo ndi kusadziŵa zomwe zidzachitika, koma Epafrodito (osati musokonezedwe ndi Epafra wa ku Kolose) anadzipereka kuchita utumiki wovuta umenewo. Malinga ndi dzina lake, limene lili logwirizanitsidwa ndi Afrodito, mwina poyamba anali Wakunja wotembenukira ku Chikristu—mwana wa makolo olambira mulungu wachikazi wachigiriki wachikondi ndi wa kubala ameneyo. Pamene Paulo analembera Afilipi powathokoza chifukwa cha kuoloŵa manja kwawo, iyeyo anamlongosola bwino Epafrodito kukhala “mtumwi wanu, ndi wonditumikira pa chosoŵa changa.”—Afilipi 2:25.

Kuchokera m’zimene Baibulo limanena ponena za Epafrodito, titha kuzindikira kuti ngakhale kuti anatamandidwa chifukwa cha kukhala wokonzekera kudzipereka mu utumiki umenewu kwa Paulo ndi wa mpingo wakwawo, Epafrodito anali ndi mavuto ofanana ndi amene tingakhale nawo. Tiyeni tilingalire za chitsanzo chake.

“Wonditumikira pa Chosoŵa Changa”

Sitimadziŵa bwinobwino tsatanetsatane wake, koma tingathe kuyerekezera kuti Epafrodito anafika ku Roma atatopa pa ulendo wake. Mwinamwake anayenda mu Via Egnatia, msewu wachiroma umene unadutsa m’Makedoniya. Mwina angakhale atadutsa nyanja ya Adria kukafika “kumunsi” kwa ndomo ya Italy ndiyeno kuyenda mu Appian Way kumka ku Rome chakumpoto. Unali ulendo wotopetsa (wamakilomitala 1,200 kupita kokha) umene mwina unatenga nyengo yoposa mwezi umodzi.—Onani bokosi patsamba 29.

Kodi Epafrodito anayamba ulendowo ndi mzimu wotani? Anali atatumizidwa kukachita “utumiki wapadera,” kapena lei·tour·giʹa, kwa Paulo. (Afilipi 2:30, NW) Liwu limeneli lachigiriki poyamba linali kutanthauza ntchito ya Boma yochitidwa modzifunira ndi nzika. Pambuyo pake, linadzatanthauza mtundu wa utumiki umene Boma linafuna moumiriza nzika zimene makamaka zinayenerera kuuchita. Pa kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kwa liwuli m’Malemba Achigiriki, katswiri wina akunena kuti: “Mkristu ndi munthu amene amagwirira ntchito Mulungu ndi anthu, choyamba, chifukwa chakuti amafuna kutero, ndi mtima wake wonse, chachiŵiri, chifukwa amamva kukhala ali wofunikira kuchita zimenezo, chifukwa chakuti chikondi cha Kristu chimamkakamiza.” Inde, Epafrodito anasonyeza mzimu wabwino kwambiri chotani nanga!

‘Anaika Moyo Wake pa Ngozi’

Pogwiritsira ntchito liwu lobwerekera m’chinenero cha otchova juga, Paulo akunena kuti Epafrodito ‘anaika [pa·ra·bo·leu·saʹme·nos] moyo wake pa ngozi,’ kapena kwenikweni, ‘anaika moyo wake pa pinyolo’ kaamba ka utumiki wa Kristu. (Afilipi 2:30, NW) Sitiyenera kuganiza kuti Epafrodito anachita kanthu kena kopusa; m’malo mwake, kukwaniritsidwa kwa utumiki wake wopatulika kunaloŵetsamo ngozi ina. Kodi mwina iyeyo anayesa kuchita utumiki wachithandizowo mu nthaŵi yoipa ya chaka? Kodi anachita khama pa kuyesa kumaliza ulendowo atadwala pamalo ena ake ali m’njira? Mulimonse mmene zingakhalire, Epafrodito “anadwaladi pafupi imfa.” Mwinamwake iye anafunikira kukhala ndi Paulo kuti amtumikire, chotero mtumwiyo mwachionekere anafuna kufotokoza chifukwa chake iyeyo anabwerera mwamsanga kuposa mmene anamyembekezerera.—Afilipi 2:27.

Komabe, Epafrodito anali munthu wolimba mtima amene anali wofunitsitsa kudzipereka mopanda dyera kuti apereke thandizo kwa olifuna.

Tingadzifunse kuti, ‘Kodi ndingathandize kufikira pati abale anga auzimu amene ali m’mikhalidwe yovuta?’ Mzimu wokonzekera kuthandiza umenewo siwodzisankhira kwa Akristu. Yesu anati: ‘Ndikupatsani inu lamulo latsopano, kuti mukondane wina ndi mnzake; monga ndakonda inu, kuti inunso mukondane wina ndi mnzake.’ (Yohane 13:34) Epafrodito anachita utumiki wake “pafupi imfa.” Pamenepo, Epafrodito anali chitsanzo chabwino cha munthu amene anali ndi “mtima” umene Paulo analimbikitsa Afilipi kukhala nawo. (Afilipi 2:5, 8, 30) Kodi tingakhale okonzekera kufika pamenepo?

Chikhalirechobe, Epafrodito anapsinjika mtima. Chifukwa ninji?

Kupsinjika Mtima Kwake

Dziyerekezereni kuti ndinu Epafrodito. Paulo anasimba kuti: “Anali wolakalaka inu nonse, [anapsinjika, NW] mtima chifukwa mudamva kuti anadwala.” (Afilipi 2:26) Epafrodito anadziŵa kuti abale a mumpingo wake anadziŵa kuti iyeyo anali kudwala ndipo sanathe kuthandiza Paulo m’njira imene anayembekezera. Kwenikweni, zingachite ngati kuti Epafrodito anachititsa Paulo kuvutika mtima kwambiri. Kodi mwina sing’anga Luka, bwenzi la Paulo, angakhale atafunikira kuleka kuchita zinthu zina kuti akasamalire Epafrodito?—Afilipi 2:27, 28; Akolose 4:14.

Mwina monga chotsatirapo chake, Epafrodito anapsinjika mtima. Mwinamwake anaganiza kuti abale a mumpingo wake anali kumlingalira kukhala wosakhoza kuchita zinthu. Mwina anamva kukhala ndi liwongo ndipo ‘analakalaka’ kuwaona kuti awatsimikizirenso za kukhulupirika kwake. Paulo anagwiritsira ntchito liwu lamphamvu kwambiri lachigiriki, a·de·mo·neʹo, “kukhala wopsinjika mtima,” kufotokozera mkhalidwe wa Epafrodito. Malingana ndi kunena kwa katswiri J. B. Lightfoot, liwu limeneli lingasonyeze “mkhalidwe wa kusokonezeka maganizo, wosakhazikika, wocheukitsidwa pang’ono, umene umachititsidwa ndi kusokonezeka kwa m’thupi kapena kutsenderezeka kwa maganizo, monga chisoni, manyazi, kugwiritsidwa mwala, ndi zina zotero.” Kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kwina kokha kwa mawu ameneŵa m’Malemba Achigiriki kwagwirizanitsidwa ndi ululu waukulu wa Yesu m’munda wa Getsemane.—Mateyu 26:37.

Paulo anagamula kuti chinthu chabwino koposa chikanakhala kubwezera Epafrodito kwa Afilipi ndi kalata yofotokoza kubwerera kosayembekezereka kwa nthumwi yawo. Ponena kuti, “ndinayesa nkufunika kutuma kwa inu Epafrodito,” Paulo akuzindikira kuti anali ndi thayo la kubwerera kwake, motero akumathetsa chikayikiro chimene chikanakhalapo chakuti Epafrodito analephera. (Afilipi 2:25) Mosiyana ndi zimenezo, Epafrodito anatsala pang’ono kutaya moyo wake kuti amalize utumiki wake! Paulo akuvomereza mwamphamvu kuti ‘amlandire mwa Ambuye, ndi chimwemwe chonse; namuchitire ulemu wotereyu; pakuti chifukwa cha ntchito ya Kristu anafikira pafupi imfa, wosasamalira moyo wake, kuti akakwaniritse chipereŵero cha utumiki wawo wa kwa iye.’—Afilipi 2:29, 30.

“Muchitire Ulemu Oterewa”

Amuna ndi akazi amtima wofanana ndi wa Epafrodito ayeneradi kuyamikiridwa. Amadzipereka kuti atumikire. Taganizani za awo amene adzipereka kukatumikira kutali ndi kwawo monga amishonale, oyang’anira oyendayenda, kapena a pa amodzi a maofesi anthambi za Watch Tower Society. Ngati ukalamba kapena kudwaladwala ziletsa ena a iwo kuchita zimene anali kuchita panthaŵi ina, iwo amayenerera ulemu ndi kuwaŵerengera chifukwa cha utumiki wawo wokhulupirika wa zaka zambiri.

Chikhalirechobe, matenda ofoola angakhale choyambitsa kupsinjika mtima kapena kudziona kukhala waliwongo. Munthu angafune kuchita zambiri. Ha, nzogwiritsa mwala chotani nanga! Aliyense amene ali mu mkhalidwe umenewu angapeze phunziro kwa Epafrodito. Ndi iko komwe, kodi iye anadwala dala? Ndithudi ayi! (Genesis 3:17-19; Aroma 5:12) Epafrodito anafuna kutumikira Mulungu ndi abale ake, koma matenda anamletsa.

Paulo sanadzudzule Epafrodito chifukwa cha malingaliro ake koma anauza Afilipi kukhala naye pafupi. Momwemonso, tiyenera kutonthoza abale athu pamene ali opsinjika mtima. Kaŵirikaŵiri tingawatamande chifukwa cha chitsanzo chawo cha utumiki wokhulupirika. Popeza kuti Paulo anayamikira Epafrodito, akumalankhula bwino za iye, ayenera kukhala atatonthozedwa, zikumachotsa kupsinjika mtima kwake. Ifenso tingakhulupirire kuti ‘Mulungu sali wosalungama kuti adzaiŵala ntchito zathu, ndi chikondicho tidachionetsera ku dzina lake, umo tidatumikira oyera mtima ndi kuwatumikirabe.’—Ahebri 6:10.

[Bokosi patsamba 29]

Zovuta za Ulendowo

Masiku ano kuyenda ulendo pakati pa mizinda iŵiri yaikulu ya ku Ulaya, wofanana ndi uja umene Epafrodito anapanga, sikungafunikire kuyesayesa kwakukulu. Mukhoza kuyenda ulendowo bwinobwino pa ndege ya jeti kwa ola limodzi kapena maola aŵiri. Kupanga ulendo wotero m’zaka za zana loyamba kunali kosiyana kotheratu. Kalelo, kuyenda kumka kumalo ena kunali kovuta. Woyenda pansi anali kuyenda mtunda wa makilomitala apakati pa 30 ndi 35 patsiku, ali mumkhalidwe wa kachedwe kosiyanasiyana ndi ngozi zosiyanasiyana, kuphatikizapo “olanda.”—2 Akorinto 11:26.

Bwanji nanga za m’malo ogonamo usiku ndi zofunika paulendo?

Wolemba mbiri Michelangelo Cagiano de Azevedo akusonyeza kuti m’misewu yachiroma, “munali ma mansione, mahotela achikwanekwane, okhala ndi zakudya, mosungira nyama zoyendera, ndi malo ogona antchito awo; pakati pa ma mansione aŵiri otsatizana, panali ma mutatione angapo, kapena malo opumira, pamene munthu ankasinthirapo akavalo kapena magaleta ndi kupeza zofunika za paulendo.” Malo a alendo ameneŵa anali ndi mbiri yoipa kwambiri popeza kuti ankadzazidwa ndi anthu osauka kwambiri. Kuwonjezera pa kubera apaulendo, osunga malo ofikirapo alendo kaŵirikaŵiri anali kuwonjezera ndalama zawo ndi ndalama za mahule. Wolemba ndakatulo zosuliza wachilatini Juvenal ananena kuti aliyense amene anaumirizika kukakhala m’malo a alendo a mtundu umenewo anali “kugona pafupi ndi anthu ankhalwe, pamodzi ndi amalinyero, mbala, ndi akapolo othaŵa, kugona pafupi ndi opachika anthu ndi opanga mabokosi a maliro . . . Aliyense amamwera m’kapu imodzimodziyo; palibe munthu amene ali ndi kama wakewake, kapenanso thebulo kusiyapo la onse.” Alembi ena akale anadandaula za madzi oipa ndi zipinda, zimene zinali zodzalamo anthu mopambanitsa, zauve, zachinyezi, ndi zodzazidwa ndi nthata.

[Mapu/Chithunzi patsamba 27]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

Roma

[Chithunzi]

Wapaulendo m’nthaŵi ya Roma

[Mawu a Chithunzi]