Constantine Mukuru—Aitsigira chiKristu Here?

Mutongi weRoma Constantine ari pakati pavarume vashoma avo vane mazita akanatswa munhau neshoko rokuti “Mukuru.” ChiKristudhomu chakawedzera mashoko okuti “musande,” “muapostora wegumi newechitatu,” “mutsvene akaenzana nevaapostora,” uye ‘akasarudzwa Nokutungamirira kwaMwari kuti aite chinjo hurusa munyika yose.’ Mumurangariro wakasiyana, vamwe vanorondedzera Constantine se“akasvibiswa neropa, anozivikanwa nezviito zvakaipa zvisingaverengeki uye akazara nokunyengera, . . . mudzvinyiriri anotyisa, ane mhosva dzinonyangadza.”

VAKAWANDA vanotaura kuva vaKristu vakadzidziswa kuti Constantine Mukuru akanga ari mumwe wevakabetsera chiKristu akatanhamara zvikurusa. Vanomurumbidza kuti akasunungura vaKristu munhamo yokutambudzwa nevaRoma uye achivapa rusununguko rworudzidziso. Uyezve, zvinodavirwa nevakawanda kuti akanga ari muteveri akatendeka wemakwara aJesu Kristu ane chishuvo chakasimba chokupfuudzira zvinangwa zvechiKristu. Chechi yeEastern Orthodox uye Chechi yeCopt dzakazivisa vose vari vaviri iye naamai vake, Helena, se“vasande.” Mutambo wavo unochengetwa musi waJune 3 kana kuti pana May 21, maererano nekarenda yechechi.

Ndiani chaizvoizvo akanga ari Constantine Mukuru? Akaitei mukubudirira kwechiKristu chapashure pavaapostora? Zvinopa nzwisiso zvikuru kubvumira kuti nhau nenyanzvi zvipindure mibvunzo iyi.

Constantine Munhau

Constantine, mwanakomana waConstantius Chlorus, akaberekerwa muNaissus muSerbia munenge mugore ra293 C.E. Apo baba vake vakava mambo wemaruwa okumavirazuva kweRoma muna 295 C.E., akanga achirwa paDanube achitungamirirwa naMambo Galerius. Constantine akadzoka kurutivi rwababa vake vakanga vachirwara zvikuru muBritain mugore ra306 C.E. Nokukurumidza pashure porufu rwababa vake, Constantine akakwidziridzwa nemauto kunzvimbo yokuva mambo.

Panguva iyoyo, vamwe vanhu vashanu vakataura kuti vaiva Madzimambo. Nhambo yepakati pa306 na324 C.E., pashure pokunge Constantine ava mambo mumwe, yakanga iri nguva yehondo yemukati menyika isingaperi. Kukunda muhondo mbiri kwakavimbisa Constantine nzvimbo munhau yeRoma uye kwakamuita mutongi mumwe weUmambo hweRoma.

Muna 312 C.E., Constantine akakurira murwisi wake Maxentius muhondo yepaMilvian Bridge kunze kweRoma. Vatsigiri vechiKristu vakataura kuti mukurwa ikoko, pakaoneka pasi pezuva chipiyaniso chaipfuta moto chakanga chine mashoko echiLatin okuti In hoc signo vinces, anoreva kuti “Kurira nechiratidzo ichi.” Zvinodavirwawo kuti muchiroto, Constantine akaudzwa kuti apende mavara maviri ezita raKristu muchiGiriki panhoo dzemauto ake. Zvisinei, nhau iyi ine zvikanganiso zvakawanda zvokuverengwa kwenguva, zvakaitika, uye vanhu. Bhuku rinonzi A History of Christianity rinoti: “Pane kurwisana kwoufakazi pamusoro penguva chaiyoiyo, nzvimbo, uye mashoko ane udzame echiono ichi.” Richigamuchira Constantine muRoma, Dare rechihedheni rakamuzivisa saAugustus mukuru uye Pontifex Maximus, ndiko kuti, mupristi mukuru werudzidziso rwechihedheni rwoumambo hwacho.

Muna 313 C.E., Constantine akaronga usahwira naMambo Licinius, mutongi wemaruwa okumabvazuva. Kupfurikidza noMurayiro weMilan, pamwe chete vakapa rusununguko rwokunamata nekodzero dzakaenzana kumapoka ose orudzidziso. Vezvenhau vakawanda, zvisinei, havakoshesi kukosha kwegwaro iri, vachitaura kuti yakanga ichingova tsamba yenguva dzose yehurumende uye kwete gwaro guru ramambo rinoratidza chinjo yomuitiro kuchiKristu.

Mumakore gumi akatevera, Constantine akakurira mukwikwidzani wake wokupedzisira akanga asara, Licinius, uye akava mutongi asingapokanidzwi wenyika yeRoma. Muna 325 C.E, asati abhabhatidzwa, akatungamirira dare guru rokutanga revafundisi vechechi ye“chiKristu”, iro rakashora chiArian uye rakagadzira gwaro rezvitendero zvinokosha rainzi Nicene Creed.

Constantine akarwara zvokufa mugore ra337 C.E. Panguva yokupedzisira iyoyo youpenyu hwake, akabhabhatidzwa, uye pashure pezvo akafa. Pashure porufu rwake Dare racho rakamuisa pakati pavamwari veRoma.

Rudzidziso Mukuronga kwaConstantine

Nezvemurangariro wavose kurudzidziso waiva nemadzimambo eRoma emazana emakore rechitatu nerechina, bhuku rinonzi Istoria tou Ellinikou Ethnous (Nhau Yorudzi rwechiGiriki) rinoti: “Kunyange apo avo vaiva pachigaro choumambo vakanga vasina mirangariro yorudzidziso yakasimba zvakadaro, vachibvuma kufunga kwenhambo yacho, vakazviwana zvakafanira kukoshesa rudzidziso mukati mezvirongwa zvavo zvematongerwe enyika, kuti vangobatanidza kuita kworudzidziso muzviito zvavo.”

Zvirokwazvo, Constantine akanga ari munhu aienderana nenguva yake. Pakutanga kwebasa rake, aida tsigiro yakati ya“Mwari”, uye iyoyi yakanga isingagoni kupiwa navamwari veRoma vakanga vachipera simba. Umambo hwacho, kubatanidza rudzidziso rwahwo nemamwe masangano, hwakanga huchiderera, uye chimwe chinhu chitsva uye chinopa simba chakanga chichidikanwa kuti chihusimbisezve. Enisaikoropidhiya inonzi Hidria inoti: “Constantine aifarira chiKristu zvikurukuru nemhaka yokuti chaitsigira kwete bedzi kukunda kwake asiwo kurongwazve kwoumambo hwake. Machechi echiKristu akanga ari kwose kwose akava vatsigiri vake vezvematongerwe enyika. . . . Akazvikomberedza nevakuru vakuru vorudzidziso venguva dzacho . . . , uye akakumbira kuti varambe vakabatana.”

Constantine akaziva kuti rudzidziso rwe“chiKristu”—pasinei zvapo nokuti rwakanga rwaramba kutenda uye rwakashatiswa zvikuru panguva iyoyo—rwaigona kushandiswa nokubudirira sesimba rinosimbisazve uye rinobatanidza mukubatira chirongwa chake chikuru chokudzora umambo. Achigamuchira zvikonzero zvechiKristu chakaramba kutenda kuti awane tsigiro yokupfuudzira zvinangwa zvake pachake zvematongerwe enyika, akasarudza kubatanidza vanhu pasi porudzidziso rumwe rwe“katurike,” kana kuti rwapasi pose. Tsika dzechihedheni nemhemberero zvakapiwa mazita e“chiKristu.” Uye vafundisi ve“chiKristu” vakapiwa nzvimbo, mibhadharo, uye pesvedzero zvevapristi vechihedheni.

Achitsvaka kunzwana kworudzidziso nokuda kwezvikonzero zvematongerwe enyika, Constantine aiparadza nokukurumidza vapi nevapi vaiva nemirangariro yakasiyana, kwete nezvikonzero zvechokwadi chorudzidziso, asi nemhaka yokugamuchirwa nevazhinji. Misiyano mikuru yezvitendero mukati mechechi ye“chiKristu” yakakamukana zvikuru yakamupa mukana wokupindira semuyananisi “akatumwa naMwari.” Kupfurikidza nokubata kwake navaDonatus muNorth Africa uye vateveri vaArius muchikamu chemabvazuva choumambo hwacho, nokukurumidza akaziva kuti kupesvedzera kwakanga kusina kukwana mukuumba kutenda kwakasimba, kwakabatana.a Akaunganidza dare rokutanga munhau yechechi revafundisi paaiedza kupedza gakava rechiArian.—Ona bhokisi rakanzi “Constantine neDare reNicaea.”

NezvaConstantine, wezvenhau Paul Johnson anoti: “Chimwe chezvikonzero zvake zvikuru zvokushivirira chiKristu chingave chakanga chiri chokuti zvaimupa iye neHurumende mukana wokudzora muitiro weChechi padzidziso inogamuchirwa uye kubatwa kwedzidziso dzaipesana nedzidziso inogamuchirwa.

Akazombova muKristu Here?

Johnson anotsinhira achiti: “Constantine haana kumborega kunamata zuva uye akachengeta mufananidzo wezuva pamari yake.” Catholic Encyclopedia inotsinhira kuti: “Constantine aifarira zvakaenzana marudzidziso ose ari maviri. Semupristi mukuru aitarisira kunamata kwavahedheni uye aidzivirira kodzero dzako.” “Constantine haana kumbova muKristu,” inodaro enisaikoropidhiya Hidria, ichiwedzera kuti: “Eusebius weCaesarea, uyo akanyora nhau youpenyu hwake, anotaura kuti akava muKristu munguva yokupedzisira youpenyu hwake. Izvi hazvipwisi, nokuti muzuva repashure, [Constantine] akanga apa chibayiro kuna Zeus nemhaka yokuti aidanwawo nezita rokuremekedza rokuti Pontifex Maximus.”

Kusvika kuzuva rorufu rwake muna 337 C.E., Constantine akanga ane zita rokuremekedza rokuti Pontifex Maximus, mukuru mukuru wenhau dzorudzidziso. Nezverubhabhatidzo rwake, zvine mufungo kubvunza kuti, Rwakatangirwa nokupfidza kwechokwadi uye kutendeuka, sezvinodikanwa muMagwaro here? (Mabasa 2:38, 40, 41) Rwakanga rwuri kunyudzwa mumvura kwakakwana here sechiratidzo chekuzvitsaurira kwaConstantine kuna Jehovha Mwari?—Enzanisa naMabasa 8:36-39.

“Musande”?

Encyclopædia Britannica inoti: “Constantine akanga achifanira kunzi Mukuru nemhaka yezvaakaita panzvimbo pezvaakanga ari semunhu. Kana akaedzwa maererano nounhu hwake, zvirokwazvo, ari pakati pevasingakwanisi zvikuru kushandisirwa shoko rokuti [Mukuru] munguva dzekare kana kuti munguva dzazvino uno.” Uye bhuku rinonzi A History of Christianity rinotiudza kuti: “Kwakanga kune mishumo yapakuvamba yehasha dzake dzamasimba masimba uye utsinye hwake ashatirwa. . . . Akanga asingaremekedzi upenyu hwavanhu . . . Upenyu hwake hwapachivande hwakava hunotyisa sezvo aikwegura.”

Sezviri pachena Constantine akanga ane zvinetso zvakakomba zvounhu. Munzveri wezvenhau anotaura kuti “kushatirwa kwake kakawanda ndiko kwakanga kuri chikonzero chokupara kwake mhaka.” (Ona bhokisi rakanzi “Kuponda Kwamambo.”) Constantine akanga asiri “munhu wechiKristu,” anodaro wezvenhau H. Fisher mubhuku rake rinonzi History of Europe. Maidi haamuratidzi semuKristu wechokwadi akanga apfeka “unhu hutsva” uye akanga ane zvibereko zvomudzimu mutsvene waMwari—rudo, mufaro, rugare, mwoyo murefu, mutsa, kunaka, kutenda, unyoro, uye kuzvidzora.—VaKorose 3:9, 10, NW; VaGaratia 5:22, 23.

Migumisiro Yenhamburiko Dzake

SaPontifex Maximus wechihedheni—uye naizvozvo mukuru mukuru worudzidziso weUmambo hweRoma—Constantine akaedza kuwana ushamwari hwemabhishopi echechi yakaramba kutenda. Akavapa nzvimbo dzine simba, utanhamari, uye pfuma sevakuru vakuru vorudzidziso rweHurumende yeRoma. Catholic Encyclopedia inobvuma ichiti: “Mamwe mabhishopi, apofumadzwa norunako rwenzvimbo dzoumambo, akatosvika pakurumbidza mambo wacho sengirozi yaMwari, semunhu anoyera, uye kuporofita kuti, seMwanakomana waMwari, aizotonga mudenga.”

Sezvo chiKristu chakaramba kutenda chakafarirwa nehurumende yezvematongerwe enyika, chakaramba chichiwedzera mukuva rutivi rwenyika ino, rwegadziriro ino yenyika, uye chakabva padzidziso dzaJesu Kristu. (Johane 15:19; 17:14, 16; Zvakazarurwa 17:1, 2) Somugumisiro, pakava nokubatana kwe“chiKristu” nedzidziso dzenhema nemiitiro—Utatu, kusafa kwemweya, moto wehero, purigatori, kunyengeterera vakafa, kushandisa marosari, mifananidzo, zvidhori, uye zvimwe zvakafanana.—Enzanisa na2 VaKorinte 6:14-18.

Kubva kuna Constantine, chechi yakagarawo nhaka yokushandisa simba zvisina kufanira. Nyanzvi Henderson naBuck dzinoti: “Kupfava kweEvhangeri kwakashatiswa, miitiro inoorora nemitambo zvakatangwa, rukudzo rwenyika nemibhadharo zvakapiwa vadzidzisi vechiKristudhomu, uye Umambo hwaKristu zvikurukuru hwakachinjwa kuva umambo hwenyika ino.”

ChiKristu Chechokwadi Chiri Kupi?

Maidi enhau anoratidza chokwadi chiri seri kwe“ukuru” hwaConstantine. Panzvimbo pokuva chakatangwa naJesu Kristu, Musoro weungano yechiKristu chechokwadi, chiKristudhomu murutivi mugumisiro weuchenjeri hwezvematongerwe enyika nemanomano okunyengera amambo wechihedheni. Nenzira yakafanira zvikuru, wezvenhau Paul Johnson anobvunza kuti: “Umambo hwakazvipa kuchiKristu, kana kuti chiKristu chakazviitisa uhure noumambo here?”

Vose vanoda chaizvoizvo kutsigira chiKristu chakachena vanogona kubetserwa kuziva ndokusonganira neungano yechiKristu chechokwadi nhasi. Zvapupu zvaJehovha munyika yose zvinodisa zvikuru kubetsera vanhu vane mwoyo yakatendeseka kuziva chiKristu chechokwadi ndokunamata Mwari nenzira inogamuchirika kwaari.—Johane 4:23, 24.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

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CONSTANTINE NEDARE RENICAEA

Mambo Constantine asina kubhabhatidzwa akaita basai paDare reNicaea? Encyclopædia Britannica inoti: “Constantine pachake akatungamirira, achidzora nokushingaira kurukurirano dzacho . . . Atyiswa zvikuru namambo, mabhishopi, kunze kwevaviri bedzi, akasaina chitendero chacho, vakawanda vavo vachirwisana zvikuru nezvavaifunga.”

Pashure pemwedzi miviri yekakavadzano dzorudzidziso dzehasha, uyu wezvematongerwe enyika wechihedheni akapindira ndokutsigira avo vaitaura kuti Jesu akanga ari Mwari. Asi nei? “Constantine akanga asinganzwisisi chose chose mibvunzo ipi neipi yakanga ichibvunzwa nevafundisi vechiGiriki,” rinodaro bhuku rinonzi A Short History of Christian Doctrine. Chaainzwisisa chakanga chiri chokuti kukamukana kworudzidziso kwaityisidzira umambo hwake, uye akanga akatsunga kubatanidza umambo hwake.

Nezvegwaro rokupedzisira rakagadzirwa muNicaea munhungamiro yaConstantine, Istoria tou Ellinikou Ethnous (Nhau Yorudzi rwechiGiriki) rinotsinhira kuti: “Rinoratidza kuti kusasarura [kwaConstantine] nhau dzorudzidziso, . . . kuomerera kwake nechisimbwa pakuedza kudzorera kubatana muchechi pasinei zvapo nechaiitika, uye pakupedzisira kupwiswa kwake kuti iye sa‘bhishopi weavo vakanga vari kunze kwechechi’ aiita chisarudzo chokupedzisira pamusoro penhau yorudzidziso ipi neipi.” Mudzimu waMwari waigona here kutsigira zvisarudzo zvakaitwa padare iroro?—Enzanisa naMabasa 15:28, 29.

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“Kuponda Kwamambo”

Pasi pomusoro uno, bhuku rinonzi Istoria tou Ellinikou Ethnous (Nhau Yorudzi rwechiGiriki) rinorondedzera charinoti “mhaka dzemhuri dzinonyangadza dzakaparwa naConstantine.” Nokukurumidza pashure pokutanga imba yake youmambo, akakanganwa nezvokufarikanya zvaakaita zvakanga zvisingakarirwi uye akaziva ngozi dzakanga dzakamupoteredza. Sezvo aiva munhu anonyumwira uye zvimwe aikusvudzirwa kuita chiito nevanobata kumeso vane udyire, akatanga kunyumwira muzukuru wake Licinianus—mwanakomana waAugustus biyake waakanga atoponda—seangangova mukwikwidzani. Kupondwa kwake kwakateverwa nokuurawa kwemwanakomana wedangwe waConstantine pachake, Crispus, uyo akaurawa naamai vake vokurera Fausta nemhaka yokuti airatidzika seadzivisa simba rachose chose revana vavo.

Chiito ichi chaFausta pakupedzisira chakanga chiri chikonzero chorufu rwake rwaikatyamadza. Zvinoratidza sokuti Augusta Helena, aipesvedzera mwanakomana waConstantine kusvikira pamugumo, akanga achibatanidzwa mukuponda uku. Mirangariro isina mufungo yaiwanzodzora Constantine yakaparirawo kupondwa kukuru kweshamwari dzake dzakawanda nevasonganiri. Bhuku rinonzi History of the Middle Ages rinogumisa richiti: “Kuurawa—tisingatauri nezvekupondwa—kwemwanakomana wake pachake nomudzimai wake kunoratidzira kuti akanga asingatapurwi nepesvedzero ipi neipi yomudzimu muchiKristu.”

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“Arch” iyi yakavakwa muRome mukukudza Constantine

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Musée du Louvre, Paris