Krisimisi—ndeyechiKristu Zvirokwazvo Here?
MAERERANO neThe World Book Encyclopedia, “Krisimisi izuva pariri vaKristu vanochengeta zuva rokuberekwa kwaJesu Kristu.” Kunyanguvezvo, enisaikoropidhiya yacho inotiwo: “VaKristu vapakuvamba havana kuchengeta kuberekwa [kwaJesu] nemhaka yokuti vairangarira kuchengetwa kwokuberekwa kwomunhu upi noupi kuva tsika yechihedheni.”
The Making of the Modern Christmas, rakanyorwa naGolby naPurdue, rinobvuma, kuti: “VaKristu vapakuvamba havana kuchengeta kuberekwa kwaKristu. Mazuva okuberekwa maari amene akanga akabatanidzwa nemiitiro yechihedheni; Evhangeri hadzitauri chinhu pamusoro pomusi chaiwoiwo wokuberekwa kwaKristu.”
Kana kuchengetwa kwamazuva okuberekwa kusina mashoko ekare echiKristu, zuva rokuberekwa kwaKristu rakava sei mutambo “wechiKristu” wakatanhamara zvakadaro?
Mavambo Echihedheni e“Krisimisi”
“Munhu ari wose aidya madyo uye aifara, basa nebhizimisi kwenhambo yakati zvaimiswa chose, dzimba dzaishongedzwa namaruva nemiti ine mashizha anoramba akasvibira, shanyo nezvipo zvaitsinhanwa pakati peshamwari, uye vabetserwi vaipa zvipo kuvabetseri vavo. Nhambo yacho yose yakanga iri yokufara nomutsa, uye marudzi ose evaraidzo aipindwa maari navanhu.”—Paganism in Christian Festivals, rakanyorwa naJ. M. Wheeler.
Iyi rondedzero inokodzera mitambo yeKrisimisi yaunoziva here? Nenzira inoshamisa iyi yakanga isiri Krisimisi! Panzvimbo pezvo, iyoyo irondedzerwo yeSaturnalia—mutambo weRoma wechihedheni wevhiki yose waibatanidzwa newinter solstice (unoratidzirwa papeji iri pamhiri). Zuva rokuberekwa kwezuva risingakundwi raichengetwa pana December 25, zuva guru ramabiko rorudzidziso rweRoma rwaMithra.
Maererano neThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, “December 25, zuva rokuberekwa kwaMithra, mwari weIran wechiedza uye . . . zuva rakatsaurirwa kuzuva risingakundwi, pamwe chete nezuva rapashure peSaturnalia, rakagamuchirwa nechechi seKrisimisi, kuberekwa kwaKristu, kukurira migumisiro yeiyi mitambo.” Naizvozvo kuchengeta zuva rokuberekwa kwechihedheni kwakapfuurira nechinjo duku mumazita, kubva pana Mithra kuenda kuna Kristu!
Zvisinei, ungarangarira kuti kuberekwa kwoMwanakomana waMwari, Jesu, kwakanga kuri chimwe chinhu chaicho, kwakafanirwa nokuyeukwa. Kurangarira icho Bhaibheri rinorondedzera pamusoro paikoku kuchabvumikisa kuva kunorayiridza zvikuru.
Chiitiko Chinofadza
Ru 2 Ganhuro rechipiri reEvhangeri yaRuka rinogovera mashoko ekare. Ruka anotiudza kuti ngirozi dzokudenga, vafudzi vanozvininipisa, vabatiri vakazvipira vaMwari, uye Maria amene vakaita sei kuichi chiitiko chinokosha.
Tanga kurangarira “vafudzi . . . vaigara kuuragu” vakanga “vachirinda mapoka avo usiku,” uko vangadai vakanga vave vasingaiti mukati mechando. Apo “mutumwa waShe” akaoneka uye mbiri yaMwari yakapenya yakavakomba, vafudzi pakutanga vakatya. Nyaradzo yakauya apo ngirozi yakatsanangura, kuti: “Musatya; nokuti tarirai, ndinokuparidzirai mashoko omufaro mukuru, uchava wavanhu vose; nokuti nhasi mazvarirwa muguta raDhavhidhi Muponesi, ndiye Kristu Ishe.” Apo “vazhinji vehondo yokudenga” vengirozi vakaoneka kamwe kamwe, vafudzi vakaziva kuti uku kuberekwa kwakanga kwakasiyana nokumwe kwose. Nenzira inofadza, ngirozi hadzina kuunzira mucheche akanga achangobva kuberekwa zvipo. Panzvimbo pezvo, ngirozi dzakarumbidza Jehovha, dzichiti: “Mwari ngaarumbidzwe kumusoro-soro, norugare ngaruve navanhu vaanofarira.”—Ruka 2:8-14.
Nenzira yomuzvarirwo, vafudzi vaida kuzvionera vamene uyu mwana, nokuti akanga ari Jehovha uyo akanga azivisa chiitiko chacho chinofadza. Apo vakawana mucheche ari muchidyiro, vakaudza vabereki izvo ngirozi dzakanga dzataura. Vafudzi ipapo vakaenda, “vachikudza nokurumbidza Mwari,” kwete mwana.—Ruka 2:15-18, 20.
Maria, amai vaJesu, pasina kupokana vakafara pamusoro pokuberekwa kunobudirira kwedangwe rake. Asi iyewo akanga “afungisisa mumwoyo make.” Ipapo, achiperekedzwa nomurume wake, Josefa, iye akaenda kuJerusarema achiteerera Mutemo waMosesi. Uku kwakanga kusati kuri kuchengetwa kwezuva rokuberekwa. Panzvimbo pezvo, yakanga iri nguva yokupa mucheche kuna Mwari, “sezvazvakanyorwawo pamurayiro waShe, zvichinzi: Mwanarume mumwe nomumwe unotanga kuzarura chizvaro, uchanzi mutsvene waShe.”—Ruka 2:19, 22-24.
Patembere muJerusarema, Maria naJosefa vakasangana naSimeoni, uyo Ruka anorondedzera so“munhu wakarurama waida Mwari, waitarira kunyaradzwa kwavaIsraeri.” Mukufuridzirwa, iye akanga audzwa kuti haasati aizofa asati aona “Kristu waShe.” Chakatevera kuitika chaivawo “nomweya” waMwari. Simeoni akabata mucheche mumaoko ake, aiwa, kwete kuti amupe chipo, asi, panzvimbo pezvo, kuti arumbidze Mwari, achiti: “Zvino, tenzi, muranda wenyu ngaaende hake norugare sezvamakareva; nokuti meso angu aona ruponeso rwenyu, rwamakagadzira pamberi pavanhu vose.”—Ruka 2:25-32.
Tevere, mukweguru muporofitakadzi Ana akauya pedyo. Iyewo “akatenda Mwari, akataura pamusoro pake kuna vose vakanga vachitarira kusunungurwa kweJerusarema.”—Ruka 2:36-38.
Maria, Simeoni, Ana, vafudzi, pamwe chete nengirozi dzokudenga, vose vakafara pakuberekwa kwaJesu. Tapota cherechedza, zvisinei, kuti havana kupinda mumafaro ezuva rokuberekwa, uyewo havana kupinda mukupa zvipo. Panzvimbo pezvo, ivo vakarumbidza Jehovha, Mugoveri wokudenga womutoo wavo woruponeso.
Zvisinei, vamwe vangarangarira kuti, ‘Zvirokwazvo kupa zvipo kwepaKrisimisi hakugoni kuva kusakarurama, nokuti “vachenjeri vatatu” havana kukudza Jesu nezvipo here?’
Zvipo zvepaKrisimisi
Zvakare ngatinzverei nhoroondo yeBhaibheri. Uchaiwana yakanyorwa muEvhangeri yaMateo, ganhuro yechipiri. Hamududzwi kuchengetwa kupi nokupi kwezuva rokuberekwa, uyewo hamupiwi nguva chaiyo ipi neipi, kunyange zvazvo sezvinooneka yakanga iri nguva yakati pashure pokuberekwa kwaJesu. Mundima 1, Mateo anodana vashanyi kuti “vachenjeri [chiGiriki, maʹgoi] vakasvika . . . vachibva mabvazuva,” nokudaro vahedheni vasina zivo yaJehovha Mwari. Nyeredzi iyo ava varume vakatevera yakavatungamirira, kwete zvakananga kunzvimbo yokuberekwa kwaJesu muBhetrehema, asi kuJerusarema, uko Mambo Herodhe aitonga.
Apo uyu mutongi akaipa akavanzwa vachibvunza nezva“Mambo wavaJudha wakazvarwa,” iye akabvunza vaprista kuti awane chaizvoizvo “kuti Kristu uchaberekwepi” kuitira kuti agogona kuita kuti mwana wacho aurawe. Vaprista vakapindura kupfurikidza nokunokora mashoko uporofita hwaMika uhwo hwakaratidza nzvimbo yokuberekwa kwaMesiya muBhetrehema. (Mika 5:2) Herodhe akarayira nenzira yokunyengera vashanyi vake, kuti: “Endai munatsobvunzisisa zvomwana; kana mamuwana, mundiudze, kuti neniwo ndiuye kuzomunamata.” Vazivi venyeredzi vakaenda, uye nyeredzi “yakavatungamirira, kusvikira yandomira pamusoro peimba pakanga pane mwana.” Cherechedza kuti anorondedzerwa so“mwana,” kwete somwana achangobva kuberekwa.—Mateo 2:1-10.
Sezvakakodzera vapfumi vokuMabvazuva vaishanyira mutongi, vazivi venyeredzi vechihedheni vakawira pasi “vakamupa [mwana muduku] zvipo zvendarama, nezvinonhuwira, nemura.” Mateo anowedzera, kuti: “Vakati vanyeverwa pakurota naMwari, kuti varege kudzokera kuna Herodhe, vakaenda kunyika yavo neimwe nzira.”—Mateo 2:11, 12.
Kubva muiyi nhoroondo pfupi yapaMagwaro, vamwe vanhu vangaedza kuwana tsigiro yokupa zvipo kwavo kwepaKrisimisi. Kunyanguvezvo, Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore rinotsanangura kuti tsika yazvino yokupa zvipo inowana mavambo ayo muzvipo zveSaturnalia izvo vaRoma vaipa vavakidzani vavo varombo. “Chechi yapakuvamba . . . yakachinjira nouchenjeri ukoshi hwayo kukuchengeta kwomuitiro kwezvipo zvaMagi.” Iwoyu musiyano wakadini navanamati vechokwadi—vakadai savafudzi vanozvininipisa—vakangorumbidza zvavo Mwari pakuberekwa kwaJesu!
Kudza Kristu saMambo!
Nhasi Jesu haasati achiri mwana. Iye ndiMambo ane simba, Mambo woUmambo hwokudenga hwaMwari, uye iye anofanira kukudzwa saakadaro.—1 Timotio 6:15, 16.
Kana iwe zvino wava mukuru, wati wambonzwa uchikwenudzwa here apo, uripo, vanhu vakaratidza mapikicha ako somwana? Chokwadi, mapikicha akadaro anoyeuchidza vabereki vako nezvomufaro wavo pakuberekwa kwako. Asi zvino izvo wava nokuzivikanwa kwako umene, hausati uchiwanzoda kuti vamwe vakuone sezvauri here? Nenzira yakafanana, funga kuti kunozvidza sei kuna Kristu Jesu apo avo vanotaura kuva vateveri vake vanova vakanyura kwazvo gore rimwe nerimwe mumagamuchidzanwa echihedheni eKrisimisi nomukukudza mucheche uyo vanokundikana kukudza saMambo. Chokwadi, kunyange muzana rokutanga ramakore, muapostora wechiKristu Pauro akarangarira pamusoro pokufanira kwokufunga nezvaKristu sezvaari zvino—Mambo mudenga. Pauro akanyora, kuti: “Kunyange takaziva Kristu, panyama kubvira zvino hatichamuzivi saizvozvo”!—2 VaKorinte 5:16.
Kristu, saMambo woUmambo hwaMwari, achakurumidza kuzadzika chipikirwa chouporofita chokubvisa marwadzo, kutambura, hosha, uye rufu. Iye Ndiye achavimbisa dzimba dzakakwana nebasa rinotusa nokuda kwavose mumamirire ezvinhu eParadhiso pano pasi pano. (Isaya 65:21-23; Ruka 23:43; 2 VaKorinte 1:20; Zvakazarurwa 21:3, 4) Zvirokwazvo, izvi zvikonzero zvakakwana kudzivisa kuzvidza Jesu!
Vachitevera muenzaniso waKristu amene, vaKristu vechokwadi vanovavarira kupa vavakidzani vavo chimwe chezvipo zvikurusa munhu upi noupi anogona kupa—kunzwisiswa kwechinangwa chaMwari, uko kunogona kutungamirira kuupenyu husingagumi. (Johane 17:3) Rudzi urwu rwokupa zvipo rwunovaunzira mufaro mukuru, kunyange sezvo Jesu akati: “Kupa kuno mufaro chaiwo kupfuura kugamuchira.”—Mabasa 20:35; Ruka 11:27, 28.
VaKristu vane fariro yechokwadi mune mumwe nomumwe havawani chinetso mukuratidzira nomuzvarirwo rudo rwavo panguva ipi neipi yegore. (VaFiripi 2:3, 4) Somuenzaniso wakapfava, waizova mufaro wakadini kugamuchira pikicha inobva kumuduku wechiKristu uyo, pashure pokuteerera hurukuro yeBhaibheri, akainyora seratidziro yokuonga! Chine kurudziro zvakaenzana ndicho chipo chisingakarirwi chinobva kuhama yokunyama sechiratidzo chorudo rwaiyeyo. Nenzira yakafanana, vabereki vechiKristu vanowana mufaro mukuru apo vanosarudza nhambo dzakafanira mugore rose kuti vape zvipo kuvana vavo. Rudzi urwu rworupo rwechiKristu harushatiswi nomusengwa unozivikanwa pamazuva okuchengetwa kana kuti negamuchidzanwa rechihedheni.
Somugumisiro, nhasi vaKristu vanopfuura mamiriyoni mana nehafu vanobva mumarudzi ose havachengeti Krisimisi. Ivava Zvapupu zvaJehovha, izvo zvinozvibatikanisa zvimene nguva dzose nokupa kuvavakidzani vazvo uchapupu pamusoro pamashoko akanaka oUmambo hwaMwari. (Mateo 24:14) Ungasangana nazvo apo zvinoshanyira musha wako, zvichida nokukurumidza. Kugamuchira kwako kwokudisa zvazvinokuunzira ngakutungamirire mhuri yako kumufaro mukuru, sezvaunodzidza nzira yokurumbidza nayo Jehovha Mwari zuva riri rose regore.—Pisarema 145:1, 2.
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 7]
VaKristu vanopa vavakidzani vavo chimwe chezvipo zvikurusa—kunzwisiswa kwechinangwa chaMwari uko kunotungamirira kuupenyu husingagumi
[Vakatipa Mufananidzo uri papeji 4]
Culver Pictures