Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere n’imana z’Abaroma

MU RWANDIKO Pline le Jeune wari guverineri w’intara ya Bituniya yandikiye Umwami w’abami wa Roma Trajan, yagize ati “dore uko byagendaga iyo banzaniraga abantu baregaga ko ari Abakristo: nababazaga niba koko ari Abakristo, babyemera, nkababaza ubwa kabiri n’ubwa gatatu mbakangisha ko ndi bubahane. Iyo bakomezaga kuvuga ko ari Abakristo, nategekaga ko babica.” Ku bihereranye n’abihakanaga ko ari Abakristo maze bagatuka Kristo, kandi bakemera gusenga igishushanyo cy’umwami w’abami ndetse n’ibigirwamana Pline yabaga yazanye mu rukiko, yaranditse ati “nategekaga ko babarekura.”

Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere baratotezwaga, bitewe n’uko bangaga gusenga umwami w’abami n’ibishushanyo by’imana zinyuranye. Bite se ku yandi madini yari mu ntara zategekwaga na Roma? Ni izihe mana zasengwaga, kandi se Abaroma bazifataga bate? Kuki Abakristo batotezwaga bazira kwanga gutambira izo mana z’i Roma? Ibisubizo by’ibyo bibazo, bizadufasha guhangana n’ibibazo duhura na byo muri iki gihe, bifitanye isano no kubera Yehova indahemuka.

Amadini yo mu bwami bwa Roma

Uko abantu bari batuye mu ntara zategekwaga na Roma bavugaga indimi nyinshi kandi bafite imico itandukanye, ni na ko bari bafite imana nyinshi basengaga. Nubwo Abaroma batari bazi neza idini rya kiyahudi, barifataga nk’aho ari idini ryemewe (religio licita), kandi bakaririnda. Incuro ebyiri ku munsi, mu rusengero rw’i Yerusalemu hatambwaga abana b’intama babiri n’ikimasa, bigatambirwa Kayisari n’igihugu cya Roma. Niba ibyo bitambo byaranezezaga imana imwe cyangwa nyinshi, nta cyo byari bibwiye Abaroma. Icyabashishikazaga gusa, ni icyo gikorwa, kuko cyagaragazaga ko Abayahudi bari indahemuka ku bwami bw’Abaroma.

Mu bwami bwa Roma hari higanje amadini ya gipagani. Imigenzo y’Abagiriki yemerwaga n’abantu benshi, kandi ubupfumu bwari bwogeye. Habaga ibyo bitaga amadini y’amayobera yo mu Burasirazuba yasezeranyaga abayoboke bayo ukudapfa, kubonekerwa no gushyikirana n’imana zabo bakora imihango y’amayobera. Ayo madini yari yarakwiriye mu bwami bw’Abaroma. Mu binyejana bya mbere, gusenga imana yo muri Egiputa yitwaga Sérapis n’imanakazi Isis, gusenga imanakazi imeze nk’ifi yo muri Siriya yitwaga Atargatis, no gusenga imana y’izuba yo mu Buperesi yitwaga Mithra, byari byarakwiriye hose.

Igitabo cyo muri Bibiliya cy’Ibyakozwe cyerekana neza ko hariho amadini ya gipagani mu gihe cy’Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere. Urugero, icyo gitabo kivuga iby’umutware w’Umuroma w’intara ya Shipure wari kumwe n’umupfumu w’Umuyahudi (Ibyak 13:6, 7). Abantu b’i Lusitira bitiriye Pawulo imana y’Abagiriki yitwaga Herume, na Barinaba bamwita Zewu (Ibyak 14:11-13). Igihe Pawulo yari i Filipi yahuye n’umuja waraguraga (Ibyak 16:16-18). Nanone iyo ntumwa yabonye ko abaturage bo muri Atene ‘basaga n’aho barushaga abandi bose gutinya imana.’ Ikindi kandi, muri uwo mugi yahabonye igicaniro ‘cy’Imana Itazwi’ (Ibyak 17:22, 23). Abantu bo muri Efeso basengaga imanakazi yitwaga Arutemi (Ibyak 19:1, 23, 24, 34). Abaturage bo ku kirwa cya Malita bise Pawulo imana kubera ko bari babonye ubumara bw’inzoka nta cyo bwari bwamutwaye (Ibyak 28:3-6). Muri iyo mimerere rero, Abakristo bagombaga kuba maso kugira ngo birinde ibintu byashoboraga kwanduza ugusenga kwabo k’ukuri.

Imana zasengwaga n’Abaroma

Uko Ubwami bwa Roma bwagendaga bwaguka, Abaroma bemeraga gusenga izindi mana basangaga aho babaga bafashe; bazemeraga batekereza ko ari izo babaga basanzwe bazi ariko zigaragaje mu bundi buryo. Abaroma ntibarwanyaga ugusenga kw’izindi mana z’amahanga, ahubwo na bo barazisengaga. Ku bw’ibyo rero, baje kugira imana nyinshi nk’uko bari bafite imico myinshi. Nanone bari bemerewe gusenga imana iyo ari yo yose. Umuntu yashoboraga gusenga imana zitandukanye.

Mu mana Abaroma bari basanzwe basenga, iyari iy’ingenzi ni iyitwaga Jupiter, nanone ikaba yaritwaga imana nkuru kandi nziza. Abantu bakundaga kuvuga ko yigaragarizaga mu muyaga, mu mvura, mu murabyo no mu nkuba. Nanone kandi, abantu bashyiraga isano hagati y’ukwezi n’imanakazi Junon, mushiki wa Jupiter ikaba n’umugore wayo, kandi bakavuga ko yagenzuraga ibintu byose bigize imibereho y’abagore. Umukobwa wa Jupiter witwaga Minerve, yari imanakazi y’ubukorikori, akazi, imyuga n’intambara.

Abaroma basengaga imana zitagira umubare. Lares na Pénates zari imana z’umuryango. Vesta yari imanakazi y’umuriro. Janus yari imana ifite mu maso habiri kandi yari imana y’intangiriro zose. Buri murimo wose wari ufite imana iwuhagarariye. Abaroma bageraga n’ubwo bagira imana zihagarariye ibintu bidafatika. Pax yari imana y’amahoro; Salus yari imana y’ubuzima bwiza; Pudicitia yari iy’imyifatire myiza n’ubumanzi hamwe n’ubusugi; Fides yari iy’ukwizerana; Virtus yari iy’ubutwari, naho Voluptas ikaba iy’ibyishimo. Buri kintu cyose cyakorwaga mu bwami bwa Roma, haba mu ruhame cyangwa gikorewe ahatagaragara, abantu batekerezaga ko cyatewe n’imana runaka. Ku bw’ibyo, kugira ngo abantu bizere ko ibyo babaga bagiye gukora biri bugende neza, bakoraga imihango yo kugusha neza imana yabaga ibishinzwe, bakayitura ibitambo kandi bakayikorera iminsi mikuru.

Uburyo bumwe bwakoreshwaga bagenzura niba imana zari gutanga imigisha, bwari ukuraguza. Uburyo buzwi cyane bwakundaga gukoreshwa, ni ukugenzura inyama zo mu nda z’amatungo babaga batambye. Batekerezaga ko uko izo nyama zo mu nda zabaga zisa, byagaragazaga niba imana zari kwemera ikintu bagiye gukora cyangwa ko zitari kucyemera.

Kuva mu mpera z’ikinyejana cya kabiri Mbere ya Yesu, Abaroma bagereranyaga imana zabo z’ingenzi n’iz’Abagiriki. Urugero nka Jupiter bakabona ko ari Zewu, Junon bakabona ko ari Héra, bityo bityo. Nanone kandi, Abaroma bemeraga imigani ifitanye isano n’imana z’Abagiriki. Iyo migani ntiyashimagizaga izo mana, kuko zagiraga amakosa n’ubushobozi bugira aho bugarukira nk’uko bimeze ku bantu. Urugero, bavugaga ko Zewu yafataga abantu bakuru ndetse n’abana ku ngufu, ko yagiranaga imibonano mpuzabitsina n’abantu bazima, hamwe n’ibintu byabonwaga ko bidapfa. Akenshi abantu bishimiraga cyane ibikorwa biteye isoni by’izo mana iyo babaga bari mu mazu y’amakinamico. Ibyo byatumaga abayoboke bazo na bo birekura bagakora ibyo bikorwa bibi.

Birashoboka ko abantu bake gusa bize ari bo bafataga iyo migani uko iri. Hari bamwe bumvaga ko ari inkuru z’impimbano zifite icyo zishushanya. Ibyo bishobora kumvikanisha impamvu Ponsiyo Pilato yabajije ikibazo kizwi cyane kigira kiti “ukuri ni iki?” (Yoh 18:38). Ibyo byumvikanisha ko “abantu benshi bize babonaga ko kumenya ukuri nyako bidashoboka.”

Gusenga umwami w’abami

Ku ngoma y’Umwami Awugusito ni bwo ibyo gusenga umwami w’abami byatangiye (yategetse kuva mu mwaka wa 27 Mbere ya Yesu kugeza mu mwaka wa 14). By’umwihariko mu ntara zavugaga Ikigiriki zo mu Burasirazuba, abantu benshi bumvaga bagomba gushimira babikuye ku mutima Awugusito wari waratumye babona amahoro n’uburumbuke nyuma y’igihe kirekire cy’intambara. Abantu bifuzaga kugira umutegetsi wari gukomeza kubarinda. Ikindi kandi, bifuzaga ubuyobozi bwari guhosha amakimbirane yaterwaga n’amadini, bugateza imbere ibyo gukunda igihugu, kandi bukunga abatuye isi binyuze ku ‘mukiza’ wayo. Ibyo byatumye umwami w’abami amera nk’imana.

Nubwo igihe Awugusito yari akiriho atemeraga ko bamwita imana, yaharaniraga ko Ubwami bwa Roma bwafatwa nk’imanakazi igomba gusengwa (Roma Dea). Awugusito yatangiye gufatwa nk’imana amaze gupfa. Uko ni ko ibitekerezo by’amadini no gukunda igihugu by’agakabyo byari mu baturage bo mu ntara zimwe za Roma, byerekejwe ku gusenga Roma n’abami babaga bariho. Uko gusenga umwami w’abami kwari kwadutse ntikwatinze gukwira mu ntara zose, maze guhinduka uburyo bwo kugaragariza leta icyubahiro n’ubudahemuka.

Umwami w’abami Domitien wategetse kuva mu mwaka wa 81 kugeza mu wa 96, ni we mwami wa mbere wa Roma wategetse ko bamusenga nk’imana. Mu gihe cy’ubwami bwe, Abaroma bari baratandukanyije Abakristo n’Abayahudi, kandi bakarwanya icyo babonaga ko ari idini ry’inzaduka. Birashoboka ko mu gihe cy’ubutegetsi bwa Domitien ari bwo intumwa Yohana yaciriwe ku kirwa cya Patimosi, azira “guhamya ibya Yesu.”—Ibyah 1:9.

Igitabo cy’Ibyahishuwe cyanditswe igihe Yohana yari afunzwe. Muri icyo gitabo, yavuze iby’Umukristo witwaga Antipa wiciwe i Perugamo, ahari ihuriro ryo gusenga umwami w’abami (Ibyah 2:12, 13). Icyo gihe, ubutegetsi bwa cyami bushobora kuba bwari bwaratangiye gusaba Abakristo gukora imihango yakorwaga n’idini rya leta. Byaba ari ukuri cyangwa atari ukuri, ikizwi ni uko ahagana mu mwaka wa 112, nk’uko bigaragara mu rwandiko rwohererejwe Trajan rwavuzweho mu ntangiriro y’iyi nkuru, Pline yasabaga Abakristo b’i Bituniya gukora imihango nk’iyo.

Trajan yishimiye ukuntu Pline yakemuraga ibibazo byabaga byamushyikirijwe, agategeka ko Abakristo babaga banze gusenga imana z’Abaroma bicwa. Trajan yaranditse ati “icyakora iyo umuntu yahakanaga ko ari Umukristo, akabigaragaza asenga imana zacu, yarababarirwaga (ntibongere kumugirira urwikekwe) kubera ko yabaga yicujije.”

Leta ya Roma ntiyashoboraga kwemera idini risaba abayoboke baryo kudasengera mu rindi dini. Abaroma ntibumvaga impamvu Imana y’Abakristo yari gusengwa nta yindi bayibangikanyije na yo kandi atari ko byari bimeze ku mana zabo. Abantu bumvaga ko gusenga imana za leta byagaragazaga gusa ko bashyigikiye ubutegetsi. Ku bw’ibyo, kwanga gusenga izo mana byafatwaga nk’aho ari ukugambanira igihugu. Ariko nk’uko Pline yabyiboneye, guhatira abenshi mu Bakristo gusenga izo mana, ntibyari gushoboka. Kuri bo, icyo gikorwa cyari kugaragaza ko bahemukiye Yehova, kandi Abakristo benshi bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bemeraga gupfa, aho gusenga umwami w’abami.

Kuki ibyo byagombye kudushishikaza muri iki gihe? Mu bihugu bimwe na bimwe, abaturage basabwa gusenga ibirango by’igihugu. Kubera ko turi Abakristo, twumvira ubutegetsi bwa leta (Rom 13:1). Icyakora, iyo habaye iminsi mikuru isaba ko duha icyubahiro amabendera, dukurikiza itegeko rya Yehova Imana ridusaba kumusenga wenyine, kandi tugakurikiza inama iboneka mu Ijambo rye igira iti “muhunge ibikorwa byo gusenga ibigirwamana,” n’indi igira iti “mwirinde ibigirwamana” (1 Kor 10:14; 1 Yoh 5:21; Nah 1:2). Yesu yaravuze ati “Yehova Imana yawe ni we ugomba gusenga, kandi ni we wenyine ugomba gukorera umurimo wera” (Luka 4:8). Nimucyo rero dukomeze kubera Imana yacu indahemuka.

[Amagambo yatsindagirijwe yo ku ipaji ya 5]

Abakristo b’ukuri basenga Yehova wenyine

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 3]

Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere ntibasengaga umwami w’abami cyangwa ibishushanyo

Umwami w’abami Domitien

Zewu

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Emperor Domitian: Todd Bolen/​Bible Places.com; Zeus: Photograph by Todd Bolen/​Bible Places.com, taken at Archaeological Museum of Istanbul

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 4]

Abakristo bo muri Efeso ntibasengaga imanakazi yitwaga Arutemi.—Ibyakozwe 19:23-41