“Panjodzi Mugungwa”

MUZARIMA rousiku, chikepe chakatakura vanhu 276 chinoswedera pedyo nechitsuwa chiri muMediterranean. Vashandi vemo uye vatakurwi vaneta nokuramba vachitorwa-torwa mudutu remvura kwamazuva 14. Pavanoona nzvimbo ine jecha kwavakuedza, vanoedza kunomisa chikepe ipapo. Asi muromo wacho unobayirira kwazvo usingazununguki, uye masaisai anotyora-tyora shure kwacho. Vose vari muchikepe vanosiya chikepe ndokukwanisa kusvika kumahombekombe eMerita vachishambira kana kubatirira pamapuranga kana pane zvimwe zvinhu. Vatonhorwa uye vaneta, vanobva mumafuro ane hasha. Pakati pavatakurwi pane muapostora wechiKristu Pauro. Ari kuendeswa kuRoma kundotongwa.—Mabasa 27:27-44.

Kuna Pauro, kuputsikirwa nechikepe pachitsuwa cheMerita kwakanga kusiri chinhu chokutanga chinotyisa mugungwa. Makore mashomanene izvi zvisati zvaitika, akanyora kuti: “Katatu ndakaputsikirwa nechikepe, usiku humwe namasikati ndakanga ndiri mugungwa.” Akawedzera kuti ainge ari “panjodzi mugungwa.” (2 VaKorinte 11:25-27) Kufamba nomugungwa kwainge kwabetsera Pauro kuita mugove wake waakapiwa naMwari se“muapostora wavahedheni.”—VaRoma 11:13.

Kufamba nomugungwa muzana ramakore rokutanga kwakanga kuri kukuru sei? Kwakabetsera sei kuparadzira chiKristu? Kwakanga kwakachengeteka sei? Rudzii rwezvikepe zvaishandiswa? Uye vatakurwi vaigariswa sei?

Zvaidira Roma Kushambadza Mugungwa

VaRoma vakatumidza Mediterranean kuti Mare Nostrum—Gungwa Redu. Kudzora nzira dzemugungwa kwakanga kuchikosha kuRoma nokuda kwezvikonzero zvinopfuura zvamauto chete. Mazhinji emaguta eUmambo hweRoma akanga ari zviteshi kana kuti zvikepe zvaisvika nokushandisa nzira idzi. Somuenzaniso, Roma yainge iine chiteshi chayo chezvikepe muOstia yaiva pedyo, nepo Korinte yaishandisa Lechaeum neKenkrea, uye Siria yeAntiokia dzaisvika nokushandisa Serukia. Kubatanidzwa kwekufamba zvakanaka mugungwa pakati pezviteshi izvi kwakaita kuti kurukurirano nemaguta anokosha ikurumidze uye kwakanga kuchiyamura kuti pave nokutarisirwa kwakanaka kwemaruwa eRoma.

Roma yakanga ichivimbawo nebhizimisi rezvikepe kugovera zvokudya zvayo. Iine chiverengero chavanhu vanodokusvika miriyoni imwe, Roma yakanga ichida kudya kwakawanda—kwaiva pakati pematani 250 000 kana 400 000 pagore. Kudya kwose uku kwaibvepi? Flavius Josephus anodzokorora mashoko aHerod Agrippa achitaura kuti North Africa yaipa Roma zvokudya kwemwedzi misere yegore, nepo Egipita yaitumira kudya kwakakwana kutsigira guta iri kweimwe mwedzi mina yainge yasara. Zviuru zvezvikepe zvakanga zvichibatanidzwa mukugovera kudya muguta iroro.

Kuchigovera zvinodikanwa zvavaRoma zvoumbozha, kubudurira kwekushambadza nezvikepe kwakanga kuchigovera marudzi ose ezvinhu. Zvicherwa, mabwe, uye mamabhura zvakanga zvichitumirwa kubva kuKupro, Girisi neEgipita, uye mapuranga akanga achitakurwa kubva kuRebhanoni. Waini yaibva Smirna, nzungu dzaibva kuDhamasko, madate aibva kuParestina. Mafuta nerabha zvakanga zvichitorwa kuKirikia, wuru kuMireto neRaodhikia, micheka kuSiria neRebhanoni, mucheka wepepuru kuTire neSidoni. Dhayi yaitumirwa kubva kuTiatira nemagirazi aibva kuAreksandria neSidhoni. Sirika, shinda, nyanga dzenzou, uye masipaisi zvaitengwa kuChina nekuIndia.

Chii chinogona kutaurwa nezvechikepe chakanga chaputsika paMerita chiina Pauro? Chaiva chikepe chezvokudya, “chikepe cheAreksandria chaienda Itaria.” (Mabasa 27:6, mashoko emuzasi, NW) Zvikepe zvezvokudya zvakanga zviri zvavaGiriki, vaFenike, nevaSiria, avo vaizvifambisa nokuzvishongedza. Zvisinei, zvikepe zvakanga zvakahayiwa neHurumende. “Semukuunganidza mitero,” anodaro wezvenhau William M. Ramsay, “hurumende yakaona zviri nyore kupa basa kuchibvumirano pane kuzvirongera pachayo mashandire evanhu uye zvishandiso zvaidiwa pamabasa mahombe akadaro.”

Pauro akapedzisa rwendo rwake rwekuRoma muchikepe chaiva nomufananidzo waiti “Vanakomana vaZeusi.” Ichiwo chakanga chiri chikepe chekuAreksandria. Chakamiswa kuPuteori muGulf yeNaples, chiteshi icho zvikepe zvizhinji zvezvokudya zvaiwanzomira. (Mabasa 28:11-13) Kubva kuPuteori—mazuva ano yave kunzi Pozzuoli—zvinhu zvakaburutsirwa panyika kana kuti zvakatakurwa mumagwa zvakananga kurutivi rwokumusoro kusvika kuRwizi rwaTiber rwuri pakati peRoma.

Vatakurwi Muzvikepe Zvokutakura Zvinhu?

Nei Pauro nevarwi vaive vakamurinda vakafamba nechikepe chokutakura zvinhu? Kupindura mubvunzo uyu, tinoda kuziva zvazvaireva kufamba mugungwa semutakurwi mumazuva iwayo.

Muzana rokutanga ramakore C.E., kwakanga kusina zvikepe zvokutakura vanhu. Zvikepe zvaishandiswa navafambi zvakanga zviri zvikepe zvevatengesi. Uye vanhu vose—kubatanidza vaye vane zvinzvimbo muHurumende, vanhu vakadzidza zvikuru, vaparidzi, varoyi, vanyori vemifananidzo, vamhanyi, vatengesi, vashanyi, uye vanoenda kunzvimbo tsvene—vaigona kudai vakafamba nazvo.

Chokwadika, kwakanga kune magwa maduku aitakurira vanhu nezvinhu nechokumahombekombe egungwa. Pauro aigona kudai akashandisa chinhu chakadaro ku“yambukira Makedhonia” achibva Troa. Zvikepe zviduku zvingave zvakamutakura kuenda nekudzoka kuAtene kanopfuura kamwe chete. Pauro angavewo akashandisa zvikepe zviduku murwendo rwake rwapashure kubva kuTroa kuenda kuPatara achipfuura nepazvitsuwa pedyo nemahombekombe eAsia Minor. (Mabasa 16:8-11; 17:14, 15; 20:1-6, 13-15; 21:1) Kushandiswa kwezvikepe zviduku zvakadaro kwakachengetedza nguva, asi zvaisagona kunyanya kuenda kure nenyika yakaoma. Saka zvikepe zvakaenda naPauro kuKupro ndokuzoenda kuPamfiriya nezvaakafambisa kubva kuEfeso kuenda kuKesaria uye kubva Patara kuenda Tire zvaifanira kunge zvakati kurei. (Mabasa 13:4, 13; 18:21, 22; 21:1-3) Chikepe icho chakaputsika naPauro kuMerita chaigonawo kunge chaive chihombe. Zvikepe izvi zvingave zvakanga zvakakura sei?

Mamwe mabhuku akatungamirira imwe nyanzvi kutaura kuti: “[Chikepe] chiduku pane zvose chainzi chinobatsira nevanhu vekare chairema anenge matani 70 kusvika 80. Ukuru hwaizivikanwa kwazvo, zvikuru-kuru munguva yomukurumbira wevaGiriki, hwaiva hwematani 130. Kunyange zvazvo chaigona kuoneka kazhinji, chairema matani 250, chakanga chiri chaizvoizvo chakakura kudarika chaizivikanwa. Munguva dzavaRoma zvikepe zvaishandiswa kutakura zvinhu zvehurumende zvakanga zvakakura, uremu hwaidiwa huri matani 340. Zvikepe zvikuru kupfuura zvimwe zvose zvaifamba mumvura zvaisvika matani 1300, kana kuti zvakati kurei zvishoma.” Maererano netsananguro yakanyorwa muzana ramakore rechipiri C.E., Isis chikepe chezvokudya cheAreksandria chakanga chichipfuura mamita 55 kureba, chaiva anenge mamita 14 kufara, chaiva nepokutakurira zvinhu pakadzika anenge mamita 13, uye zvimwe chaigona kutakura zvokudya zvinopfuura matani chiuru uye zvichida mazana mashoma evanhu.

Vafambi vakanga vachitarisirwa sei muchikepe chezvokudya? Sezvo zvikepe zvakanga zvichingova bedzi zvezvinhu, vanhu vaifungwa nezvavo munzvimbo yechipiri. Pakanga pasina zvokudya kana zvimwewo zvaigoverwa, kunze kwemvura chete. Vaigona kurara pauriri hwechikepe, zvichida vachidzivirirwa netende dzaingomiswa usiku chete dzobviswa mangwanani acho. Kunyange zvazvo vafambi vaigona kubvumidzwa kushandisa mokubikira pakubika, vaifanira kunge vakazvishongedzera pachavo nezvinhu zvose zvaidiwa pakubika, kudya, kugeza, uye kurara—kubva kumidziyo yokubikira kusvika kumagumbezi.

Rwendo muGungwa—Rwakanga Rwakachengeteka Sei?

Vasina zvokushandisa—kunyange kambasi—vatungamiriri venzira dzezvikepe vemuzana ramakore rokutanga vaishanda zvakaoma nekungotarira chete. Naizvozvo, rwendo rwakanga rwakachengeteka chaizvo kana uchiona zvakanaka—kazhinji kazhinji kubva pakupera kwaMay kusvika pakati paSeptember. Mumwedzi miviri inotangira uye inouya pashure penguva iyi, vatengesi vaigona kuva nemukana wokufamba. Asi munguva yechando, mhute nemakore zvaigarodzikatidza zviratidzo zvenyika uye masikati zvaidzikatidza zuva uye nyeredzi usiku. Kufamba nezvikepe kwainzi hakuitwi (Latin, mare clausum) kubva musi wa11 November kusvikira 10 March, kunze kwekunge pane zvinodikanwa chaizvo kana zvokukurumidzira. Avo vaifamba mwaka wava kunopera vaigona kusangana nenjodzi yokupedzera chando mune zvimwe zviteshi.—Mabasa 27:12; 28:11.

Pasinei zvapo nekuva kune ngozi uye kusabvira nguva yose yegore, kufamba nechikepe kwaiva nezvakwakanakira here pane kufamba panyika? Hungu, chaizvoizvo! Kufamba mugungwa kwakanga kusinganyanyi kunetesa, kwakachipa, uye kuchikurumidza. Nemhepo yakanaka, chikepe chaigona kufamba zvichida makiromita 150 pazuva. Kufamba kwakarovedzeka parwendo rurefu netsoka kwaiva makiromita 25 kusvika 30 pazuva.

Nguva yaipedzerwa pakufamba yaitsamira chose chose pamhepo. Rwendo rwekubva kuEgipita kuenda kuItaria rwaiva rwokuramba vachirwisana nemhepo, kunyange munguva yakanakisisa yokufamba. Nzira yokugurisira nguva dzose yakanga iri yokupfuura nekuRode kana Mira kana chimwe chezviteshi zvemumhenderekedzo dzeRikia muAsia Minor. Pashure pekusangana nemadutu uye kurasikirwa nenzira yacho, pane imwe nguva chikepe chezvokudya Isis chakamira muPiraeus mazuva 70 pashure pekubva kuAreksandria. Chichibetserwa nemhepo dzekuchamhembe kwakadziva kumadokero, nguva yekudzoka kubva Itaria yaigona sezvinobvira kuitwa namazuva 20 kusvika 25. Nenzira dzapanyika, rwendo rwakafanana kuenda kana kuti kudzoka rwaida anopfuura mazuva 150 mumamiriro ekunze akanaka.

Mashoko Akanaka Akaendeswa Kure Mhiri Kwamakungwa

Sezviri pachena Pauro aiziva nezvengozi dzokufamba mugungwa mumwaka usiriwo. Akatopa zano rokusafamba September opera kana kutanga kwaOctober, achiti: “Varume, ndinoona kuti rwendo rwedu ruchava nokutambudzika nokurashikirwa kukuru, zvisa[ti] zviri zvomutoro nechikepe bedzi asi nokwoupenyu hweduwo.” (Mabasa 27:9, 10) Zvisinei, mukuru weuto aitungamirira haana kuteerera mashoko aya, uye izvi zvakaguma nokuputsika kwechikepe paMerita.

Pakazosvika mugumo webasa rake roufundisi, Pauro ainge aputsikirwa nechikepe kanenge kana. (Mabasa 27:41-44; 2 VaKorinte 11:25) Asi, kufungisisa pamusoro pezviitiko izvi hakuna kuita kuti vaparidzi vamashoko akanaka vekare varege kufamba nomugungwa. Vakashandisa zvakazara mikana yaivapo yokufamba kuparadzira mashoko eUmambo. Uye vachiteerera murayiro waJesu, uchapupu hwakapiwa kure nokwakafara. (Mateo 28:19,20; Mabasa 1:8) Nemhaka yeushingi hwavo, kutenda kweavo vakatevedzera muenzaniso wavo, uye nhungamiro yomudzimu mutsvene waJehovha, mashoko akanaka akasvika kunzvimbo dziri kure kure dzinogara vanhu dzapasi.

[Vakatipa Mufananidzo uri papeji 31]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.