Filemoni na Onesimo—Bunze Ubumwe mu Muryango wa Gikristo w’Abavandimwe

RUMWE mu nzandiko zahumetswe z’intumwa Pawulo, ruvuga ibihereranye n’ikibazo cyasabaga gusuzumanwa ubwitonzi, cyari hagati y’abagabo babiri. Umwe ni Filemoni, undi akaba Onesimo. Abo bagabo bari bantu ki? Ni iki cyatumye Pawulo ashishikazwa n’imimerere barimo?

Filemoni, ari na we wohererejwe urwo rwandiko, yari atuye i Kolosayi muri Aziya Ntoya. Mu buryo butandukanye n’uko byari bimeze ku bandi Bakristo benshi bo muri ako karere, Filemoni we yari aziranye na Pawulo, akaba yari yaremeye ubutumwa bwiza bitewe n’umurimo wo kubwiriza wakozwe n’iyo ntumwa (Abakolosayi 1:1; 2:1). Pawulo yari amuziho kuba ari umuntu ‘ukundwa, basangiye umurimo.’ Filemoni yari intangarugero mu byo kwizera n’urukundo. Yari umuntu ugira umuco wo kwakira abashyitsi, kandi akaba isoko igarurira ubuyanja bagenzi be b’Abakristo. Uko bigaragara, Filemoni yari n’umuntu wifite, kubera ko inzu ye yari nini bihagije, ku buryo yaberagamo amateraniro y’itorero ryo muri ako karere. Bavuga ko Afiya na Arukipo, abo bakaba ari abandi bantu babiri berekezwaho mu rwandiko rwa Pawulo, umwe ashobora kuba yari umugore we undi akaba umwana we w’umuhungu. Nanone kandi, Filemoni yari afite nibura umugaragu umwe, ari we Onesimo.​—Filemoni 1, 2, 5, 7, 19b, 22.

Ahungira i Roma

Ibyanditswe ntibitubwira impamvu Onesimo yari i Roma hamwe na Pawulo, mu bilometero bisaga 1.400 uturutse imuhira, ari na ho urwandiko rwohererejwe Filemoni rwandikiwe, ahagana mu mwaka wa 61 I.C. Ariko kandi, Pawulo yabwiye Filemoni ati “niba hari icyo [Onesimo] yagucumuyeho, cyangwa akaba afite umwenda wawe, ubimbareho” (Filemoni 18). Ayo magambo yumvikanisha neza ko Onesimo yari afitanye amakimbirane na shebuja Filemoni. Urwandiko rwa Pawulo rwandikiwe kunga abo bagabo babiri.

Bavuga ko Onesimo yahunze amaze kwiba Filemoni, kugira ngo abone icyo yishyura mu rugendo yari agiye gukora, ahungira i Roma. Yari afite intego y’uko nahagera, aziyoberanyiriza mu kivunge cy’abantu benshi babagayo.a Muri gahunda y’ibintu y’Abagiriki n’Abaroma, abantu babaga batorotse, bateraga ikibazo gikomeye, atari kuri ba nyir’abo bagaragu gusa, ahubwo no ku butegetsi. Roma ubwayo, ivugwaho ko yari “isanzwe izwiho kuba ari ubuhungiro” bw’abagaragu babaga batorotse.

Ni gute Pawulo yaje guhura na Onesimo? Nta bwo Bibiliya ibitubwira. Ariko kandi, mu gihe uwo mudendezo mushya yari abonye wayoyokaga, Onesimo ashobora kuba yarabonye ko yari yarishyize mu mimerere y’akaga gakomeye. Mu mudugudu wa Roma, umutwe wihariye w’abapolisi washakishaga abagaragu babaga baratorotse, icyo kikaba cyarabonwaga ko ari kimwe mu byaha bikomeye cyane kurusha ibindi byose, byari bizwi mu mategeko ya kera. Dukurikije uko Gerhard Friedrich yabivuze, “abagaragu babaga batorotse bagafatwa, bashyirwagaho icyasha mu ruhanga. Akenshi bababazwaga urubozo . . . , bakajugunyirwa inyamaswa mu bibuga by’imikino, cyangwa bakabambwa kugira ngo abandi bagaragu barebereho, be kuzigana urugero rwabo.” Friedrich yavuze ko bishoboka ko Onesimo amaze gushirirwa n’amafaranga yari yaribye, maze agashakisha aho yakwihisha cyangwa yabona akazi agaheba, yaba yarasabye Pawulo kumurwanaho no kumuvuganira, akaba yari yarumvise ibihereranye na Pawulo mu gihe yari akiba kwa Filemoni.

Abandi bumva ko Onesimo ari we washatse gusanga imwe mu ncuti za shebuja, yiringiye ko binyuriye ku ruhare rwayo, yashoboraga kongera kugirana imishyikirano myiza na shebuja wari waramurakariye mu buryo bukwiriye, bitewe n’indi mpamvu runaka. Amateka agaragaza ko ubwo bwari “uburyo busanzwe kandi bwogeye abagaragu bakoreshaga, bwo kugira uwo biyambaza mu gihe babaga bageze mu makuba.” Niba ari uko byari bimeze rero, nk’uko intiti yitwa Brian Rapske ibivuga, mu gihe Onesimo yakoraga ikosa ryo kwiba, “ashobora kuba yararikoze agamije cyane cyane kubona uburyo bwo kugera ku muhuza Pawulo, kurusha uko yaba yari agamije gucika.”

Pawulo Amufasha

Uko impamvu yateye Onesimo guhunga yaba yari imeze kose, biragaragara ko yashatse ubufasha bwa Pawulo, kugira ngo yiyunge na shebuja wari waramurakariye. Ibyo byabereye Pawulo ikibazo. Yari ari kumwe n’umuntu wahoze ari umugaragu utizera, akaba noneho yari umugizi wa nabi wahunze. Mbese, iyo ntumwa yari kugerageza kumufasha, yumvisha incuti yayo y’Umukristo ko itagomba gukoresha uburenganzira ihabwa n’amategeko, bwo gutanga igihano yihanukiriye? Ni iki Pawulo yagombaga gukora?

Uko bigaragara, mu gihe Pawulo yandikiraga Filemoni, uwo muntu wari waratorotse yari amaze igihe runaka abana n’iyo ntumwa. Hari hashize igihe kirekire bihagije, kugira ngo Pawulo ashobore kuvuga ko Onesimo yari yarabaye ‘mwene Data ukundwa’ (Abakolosayi 4:9). Pawulo yavuze yerekeza ku mishyikirano ye bwite yo mu buryo bw’umwuka yari afitanye na Onesimo, agira ati “ndakwingingira umwana wanjye nabyariye mu minyururu yanjye.” Mu ngaruka zose byashoboraga kugira, iyo yo igomba kuba ari yo Filemoni atari yiteze cyane. Iyo ntumwa yavuze ko wa mugaragu wari warahoze ‘atagira umumaro’ kera, yari agarutse ari umuvandimwe w’Umukristo. Ubu noneho, Onesimo yari ‘kugira [umumaro],’ bityo akabaho mu buryo buhuje n’icyo izina rye risobanura.​—Filemoni 1, 10-12.

Onesimo yari yarabaye ingirakamaro cyane kuri iyo ntumwa yari ifunzwe. Mu by’ukuri, Pawulo yashoboraga kuba yaramugumanye, ariko uretse n’uko byari kuba binyuranyije n’amategeko, yari no kuba arengereye uburenganzira bwa Filemoni (Filemoni 13, 14). Mu rundi rwandiko rwanditswe hafi muri icyo gihe, rukaba rwarandikiwe itorero ryateraniraga mu rugo rwa Filemoni, Pawulo yerekeje kuri Onesimo, amwita ngo “mwene Data wo kwizerwa, kandi ukundwa, mwene wanyu.” Ibyo byerekana ko Onesimo yari yaramaze kugaragaza ko ari umuntu ukwiriye kwiringirwa.​—Abakolosayi 4:7-9.b

Pawulo yateye Filemoni inkunga yo kwakira neza Onesimo, ariko ntiyakoresheje ubutware bwe bwo kuba ari intumwa, kugira ngo amutegeke kubigenza atyo, cyangwa guha umudendezo umugaragu we. Kubera ubucuti n’urukundo byarangwaga hagati ya Pawulo na Filemoni, Pawulo yari yizeye adashidikanya ko Filemoni yari “[k]uzakora n’ibiruta” ibyo yari amusabye (Filemoni 21). Icyo amagambo ngo “n’ibiruta” ashobora kuba yarumvikanishaga, nta bwo gisobanutse neza, bitewe n’uko Filemoni ari we wenyine wari ufite uburenganzira bwo gufata umwanzuro w’icyo yari gukora ku bihereranye na Onesimo. Hari bamwe babona ko amagambo ya Pawulo ari uburyo bw’amarenga, bwo kwisabira ko uwo muntu wari watorotse ‘yakongera akagarurwa, kugira ngo akomeze gufasha Pawulo nk’uko yari yaratangiye kubigenza.’

Mbese, Filemoni yaba yaremeye ibyo Pawulo yamusabye amwinginga, ku birebana na Onesimo? Nta wakwirirwa ashidikanya ko yabyemeye, n’ubwo ibyo bishobora kuba bitarashimishije abandi bantu b’i Kolosayi bari bafite abagaragu, bakaba bashobora kuba barifuzaga ko Onesimo yahanwa by’intangarugero, kugira ngo abagaragu babo na bo barebereho, be kuzigana urugero rwe.

Onesimo​—Umuntu Wahindutse

Ibyo ari byo byose, Onesimo yasubiye i Kolosayi afite kamere nshya. Kubera ko imbaraga z’ubutumwa bwiza zari zarahinduye imitekerereze ye, nta gushidikanya ko yahindutse umwe mu bantu bizerwa bari bagize itorero rya Gikristo ryo muri uwo mudugudu. Ibyanditswe ntibigaragaza niba amaherezo Filemoni yarahaye Onesimo umudendezo mu buryo busesuye. Icyakora, dufatiye ku ruhande rw’iby’umwuka, uwari waratorotse yari yarahindutse umuntu ufite umudendezo. (Gereranya na 1 Abakorinto 7:22.) Ihinduka nk’iryo ribaho no muri iki gihe. Iyo abantu bashyize mu bikorwa amahame ya Bibiliya mu mibereho yabo, imimerere barimo na kamere zabo birahinduka. Abahoze mbere bafatwa nk’aho nta cyo bamariye umuryango w’abantu, bafashwa guhinduka abaturage b’intangarugero.c

Mbega imimerere itandukanye yabayeho, bitewe no guhindukirira ukwizera nyakuri! Mu gihe Onesimo wa mbere ashobora kuba yari ‘utagira umumaro’ kuri Filemoni, nta gushidikanya ko Onesimo mushya we yabayeho mu buryo buhuje n’izina rye, ari umuntu “ugira umumaro.” Kandi mu by’ukuri, byabaye imigisha kuba Filemoni na Onesimo barunze ubumwe mu muryango wa Gikristo w’abavandimwe.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Agasanduku ko ku ipaji ya 30]

Abagaragu mu Gihe cy’Amategeko y’Abaroma

Mu gihe cy’imitegekere y’Abaroma yari iriho mu kinyejana cya mbere I.C., umugaragu yagombaga byanze bikunze kugerwaho n’ingaruka zituruka ku byiyumvo bya hato na hato bya shebuja, irari rye ry’ibitsina n’umujinya we. Dukurikije uko umuhanga mu gutanga ibisobanuro ku magambo witwa Gerhard Friedrich yabivuze, “mu buryo bw’ibanze kandi bwemewe n’amategeko, umugaragu ntiyari umuntu, ahubwo yari ikintu nyiracyo yashoboraga gukoresha uko ashatse. . . . Yashyirwaga mu rwego rumwe n’amatungo hamwe n’ibikoresho, kandi amategeko agenga abaturage nta gaciro yamuhaga habe na mba.” Umugaragu ntiyashoboraga gusaba ko yarenganurwa mu karengane ahura na ko, hakurikijwe amategeko. Mbere na mbere, yagombaga gusohoza ibyo shebuja amutegetse byose. Ibihano shebuja yashoboraga kumuha mu gihe yabaga arakaye, nta mipaka byagiraga. Ndetse no mu gihe habaga hakozwe agakosa koroheje, yabaga afite ububasha bwo kwica no gukiza.*

N’ubwo umukire yashoboraga kuba afite abagaragu babarirwa mu magana menshi, urugo rufite imibereho iciriritse ugereranyije, na rwo rwashoboraga kuba rufite babiri cyangwa batatu. Intiti yitwa John Barclay yagize iti “imirimo yakorwaga n’abagaragu bo mu rugo, yari inyuranye cyane. Usanga abagaragu cyangwa abaja barabaga abarinzi b’urugo, abatetsi, bakakira abantu muri resitora, bagakora isuku, bakajyana ubutumwa, bakarera abana, bagakora umurimo wo kwita ku bana bakanabonsa, kandi bakaba abambari b’umuntu, tutavuze n’abakozi bashinzwe imirimo inyuranye umuntu yashoboraga gusanga mu mazu arushijeho kuba manini y’abakungu. . . . Mu magambo yumvikana neza, imimerere y’ubuzima bw’umugaragu wo mu rugo, yari ishingiye cyane ku myifatire ya shebuja, kandi ibyo byashoboraga kugira ingaruka nziza cyangwa mbi: ufite shebuja w’umugome byashoboraga kumuzanira amakuba y’urudaca, ariko ufite shebuja w’umugiraneza kandi w’umunyabuntu, byashoboraga gutuma yumva iyo mibereho ishobora kwihanganirwa kandi ikarangwa n’icyizere. Hari ingero zizwi cyane zihereranye n’abakorewe ibikorwa by’ubugome, zanditswe mu nyandiko za kera, ariko hari n’inyandiko nyinshi cyane zihamya ibyiyumvo bisusurutsa byarangwaga hagati y’abagaragu bamwe na bamwe na ba shebuja.”

*Ku birebana n’ubucakara mu bwoko bw’Imana bwo mu bihe bya kera, reba igitabo Insight on the Scriptures, cyanditswe na Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., Umubumbe wa 2, ku ipaji ya 977-979.