Neʼe Ko Ai Ia Teofile ʼo Atiokia?

“ ʼE KE fakahigoaʼi ia ʼau ko te Kilisitiano, ohage ʼe ko he meʼa fakaufiufi hakita ʼamo te higoa ʼaia, kae kia ʼau, ʼe ʼau tala fakahagatonu atu ko ʼau ko te Kilisitiano, pea ʼe ʼau ʼamo te higoa ʼaia ke ʼau liliu ko he tahi ʼe ʼofainaʼi e te ʼAtua, ʼo ʼau fakaʼamu ke ʼi ai hoku ʼaoga ki te ʼAtua.”

Koia, ʼe kamata feiā e Teofile tana tohi matalelei ʼaē ʼe koga tolu, ʼaki tona kupu tāfito ʼaenī Theophilus to Autolycus. ʼE ko te kamata ʼaia ʼo tana fakafeagai ki te ʼapositasia ʼo te lua sēkulō. ʼAki he lototoʼa, ʼe fakahā e Teofile ko ia ʼe ko he tisipulo ʼa Kilisito. ʼE hā mai, kua ina fakapapau ʼi tona loto ke ina fai ia meʼa fuli ke liliu ko he tahi “ ʼe ʼofainaʼi e te ʼAtua,” ʼo mulimuli ki te faka ʼuhiga ʼo tona higoa ʼi te lea faka Keleka. Kae neʼe ko ai koa ia Teofile? Ko te temi fea ʼaē neʼe maʼuli ai? Pea koteā te gāue ʼaē neʼe ina fakahoko?

Tona Hisitolia

ʼE mole lahi te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe tou ʼiloʼi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te hisitolia ʼo Teofile. Neʼe taupau ia ia e tana ʼu mātuʼa, ʼaē neʼe mole ko he ʼu Kilisitiano. Ki muli age, neʼe hoki tafoki ia Teofile ki te Lotu Faka Kilisitiano, ʼi tana ʼosi ako fakalelei te Tohi-Tapu. Neʼe liliu ko te ʼēpikopō ʼo te kokelekasio ʼi Atiokia ʼo Silia, ʼaē kua higoa ʼi te temi nei ko Antakya, ʼi Tulukia.

ʼO mulimuli ki te fakatotonu ʼa Sesu, neʼe fai faka mafola te kau Kilisitiano ʼo te ʼuluaki sēkulō ki te hahaʼi ʼo Atiokia. Neʼe fakamatala e Luka te fua lelei ʼo tanatou gāue, ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: “Ko te nima ʼa Sehova neʼe kau mo nātou, pea ko te tokolahi ʼo te hahaʼi ʼaē neʼe liliu ko te hahaʼi tui, neʼe nātou maliu ki te ʼAliki.” (Gāue 11:20, 21) ʼAki te takitaki ʼa te ʼAtua, neʼe fakahigoaʼi te kau tisipulo ʼa Sesu Kilisito ko te kau Kilisitiano. Ko te higoa ʼaia neʼe ʼuluaki fakaʼaogaʼi ʼi Atiokia ʼo Silia. (Gāue 11:26) ʼI te ʼuluaki sēkulō ʼo totatou temi, neʼe folau te ʼapositolo ko Paulo ki Atiokia ʼo Silia, pea neʼe liliu te kolo ʼaia ko te kolo ʼaē neʼe ina fakatuʼutuʼu ai tana gāue. Ko Palanapasi mo Paulo, ʼaē neʼe nā kaugā ʼolo mo Soane Maleko, neʼe nātou kamata tanatou ʼuluaki folau faka misionea mai Atiokia.

ʼE mahino ia, neʼe fakaloto mālohiʼi ʼaupito te kau ʼuluaki Kilisitiano ʼo Atiokia e te ʼu ʼaʼahi faka apositolika ki tonatou kolo. ʼE mahino papau ia, ko tanatou tali fakafiafia ia te moʼoni ʼo te Folafola ʼa te ʼAtua, neʼe tupu ʼuhi ko te ʼu ʼaʼahi fakaloto mālohi ʼo te tui, ʼaē neʼe fai e te kau fakafofoga ʼo te ʼuluaki sēkulō ʼo te kolesi pule. (Gāue 11:22, 23) ʼIo, neʼe ko he meʼa fakaloto mālohi kia nātou hanatou sisio ki te tokolahi ʼaupito ʼo te hahaʼi ʼo Atiokia, ʼe nātou foaki tonatou maʼuli kia Sehova ʼAtua! Kae, neʼe hoki tupu ia Teofile ʼi Atiokia hili kiai taʼu e 100 tupu.

Neʼe ʼui e te tagata tohi hisitolia ko Eusèbe, ko Teofile neʼe ko te ono ʼēpikopō ʼo Atiokia, talu mai te temi ʼo te kau ʼapositolo ʼa Kilisito. Neʼe tohi e Teofile te ʼatu ʼu palalau pea mo te ʼu manatu ʼe fakafeagai ki te ʼu manatu faka heletiko. ʼE kau ia ia ki te toko 12 peʼe laka ake, ʼo te kau tagata ʼo tona temi ʼaē neʼe nātou puipui te Lotu Faka Kilisitiano.

Tou Vakaʼi Te ʼu Meʼa ʼAē Neʼe Ina Tohi

Moʼo tali ki tanā fai palalau ʼi muʼa atu, ʼe faitohi ia Teofile ki te tagata pagani ko Autolycus, ʼaki te ʼu ʼuluaki palalau ʼaenī: “Ko he poto palalau pea mo he faʼahiga palalau ʼe logo mālie, ʼe ko he meʼa fakatupu fiafia, pea ko te vikiviki mai te ʼu faʼahi ʼaia, ʼe fakafiafia ai te vaʼiga ʼo te hahaʼi noa, ʼaē neʼe fakahehemaʼi tonatou ʼatamai.” ʼE fakamahino e Teofile ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: “Ko ia ʼaē ʼe ʼofa ki te moʼoni ʼe mole ina tokagaʼi ia te ʼu palalau matamatalelei, kae ʼe ina vakaʼi te faka ʼuhiga moʼoni ʼo te ʼu palalau . . . Neʼe ke tauʼi ia ʼau ʼaki te ʼu palalau ʼe mole hona ʼuhiga, ʼo ke laupisi ki tou ʼu ʼatua papa pea mo tou ʼu ʼatua maka, ʼaē neʼe faʼu ʼaki te hāmale, mo togi, ka mole sisio pea mo logo ki he meʼa, he ko te ʼu tamapua, pea ʼe ko te gāue ʼo te ʼu nima ʼo te tagata.”​—Vakaʼi ia Pesalemo 115:​4-8.

ʼE fakahā e Teofile te loi ʼo te tauhi tamapua. ʼAki tana faʼahiga faitohi māhani, logope la te lahi fau ʼo tana ʼu palalau, ʼe ina faigaʼi ʼaki he ʼu palalau mālie, ke ina fakahā te faka ʼuhiga totonu ʼo te ʼAtua moʼoni. ʼE ina ʼui fēnei: “ ʼE mole feala ke fakamatalatala peʼe feafeaʼi te agaaga ʼo te ʼAtua, pea ʼe mole feala ke kita sio ki ai. Koteʼuhi ʼi tona kolōlia ʼe mole feala ke kita mahino kia ia, ʼe mole feala ke fakafuafua tona lahi, ʼi tona māʼoluga ʼe mole feala ke kita ʼiloʼi ia ia, ʼi tona mālohi ʼe mole hona fakatatau, ʼi tona poto ʼe mole feala hona fakafihiʼi, ʼi tona agalelei ʼe mole hona tatau, ʼi tona finegaloʼofa ʼe mole feala ke maʼu he ʼu palalau ki ai.”

ʼO hilifaki ki te fakamatamatala ʼaia ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼAtua, ʼe toe hoko atu e Teofile, ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: “Kae ko ia te ʼAliki, koteʼuhi ʼe pule ki te ʼatulaulau katoa; ko te Tāmai, koteʼuhi neʼe kua maʼuli ia ka mole heʼeki tupu ia meʼa fuli; ko te Tupuʼaga, koteʼuhi ʼe ko ia ʼaē neʼe ina fakatupu te ʼatulaulau; ko te Māʼoluga, heʼe māʼoluga age ia meʼa fuli; pea ko te Māfimāfi, koteʼuhi ko Ia Totonu ʼe ina puleʼi ia meʼa fuli pea mo ina maʼu ia meʼa fuli ʼi ʼona nima.”

Ki muli age, ʼi tana tokagaʼi te ʼu meʼa tāfito ʼaē neʼe fakahoko e te ʼAtua, ʼe fakaʼaogaʼi e Teofile tana ʼu faʼahiga palalau ʼaē ʼe totonu pea mo tana fai liuliuga, ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: “Koteʼuhi ko te lagi neʼe ko Ia ʼaē neʼe gāue kiai, ko te kele neʼe ko Ia ʼaē neʼe ina fakatupu, ko te tai ʼe ko te gāue ʼo tona ʼu nima; neʼe ko Ia ʼaē neʼe ina fakatupu te tagata pea neʼe ina faʼu te tagata ki Tona paki; neʼe ko Ia ʼaē neʼe ina fakatupu te laʼā, te māhina, pea mo te ʼu fetuʼu, ke liliu ko he ʼu fakaʼiloga, pea ko te ʼu fasiga taʼu, te ʼu ʼaho, mo te ʼu taʼu, neʼe ina fakatupu ke nātou tauhi pea mo kaugana ki te tagata; pea ko meʼa fuli ʼaē neʼe mole maʼuli, neʼe fakamaʼuli e te ʼAtua, ke feala ʼaki Tana ʼu gāue ʼaia ke ʼiloʼi e te hahaʼi tona ʼuhiga māʼoluga pea mo nātou mahino kiai.”

Ko te tahi faʼahiga fai ʼa Teofile moʼo tauʼi te ʼu ʼatua loi ʼo tona temi, ʼe hā ʼi tana ʼu palalau ʼaenī kia Autolycus: “Ko te ʼu higoa ʼo nātou ʼaē ʼe ke ʼui ʼe ke atolasioʼi, ko te ʼu higoa ʼo te hahaʼi mamate. . . . Pea neʼe ko te ʼu faʼahiga tagata feafeaʼi ia nātou? Ko Saturne neʼe mole kai tagata koa la, ʼo ina matehi pea mo ina kai tana fānau totonu? Pea ʼe feala ke tou palalau ki tona foha ko Supitelo, . . . ʼaē neʼe fakahuhu e te tao . . . Pea mo te tahi ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe ina fai,​—tana ʼu felāveʼi fakasino mo tona ʼu kāiga, tana tono, pea mo tana ʼu aga fakalialia ʼi te ʼu felāveʼi fakasino.”

ʼI tana tahi ʼu palalau, ʼe fakamālohiʼi e Teofile tana fakafeagai ki te tauhi tamapua pagani. ʼE ina tohi fēnei: “Tahi ʼaē meʼa, ʼe feala ke tou fakamatalatala te ʼatu manu kehekehe ʼaē ʼe atolasioʼi e te kau Esipito, te ʼu pili, te ʼu pipi, mo te ʼu manu fekai, te ʼu manulele, pea mo te ʼu ika ʼo te vaitafe . . . Ko te kau Keleka pea mo te tahi ʼu puleʼaga, ʼe nātou atolasio ki te ʼu maka pea mo te papa, pea mo te tahi ʼu faʼahiga meʼa.” “Kae ʼe ʼau atolasio ʼau ki te ʼAtua maʼuli pea mo moʼoni,” ko te ʼui ʼaia ʼa Teofile.​—Vakaʼi ia 2 Samuele 22:47; Gāue 14:15; Loma 1:​22, 23.

Ko He Fakamoʼoni ʼe Maʼuhiga

Ko te ʼu tokoni pea mo te ʼu fakaloto mālohi ʼo te tohi ʼaē e koga tolu ʼa Teofile, ʼaē ʼe fakafifihi ki te manatu ʼa Autolycus, ʼe lahi tonatou ʼu agaaga pea ʼe lahi te ʼu meʼa ʼe talanoa kiai. Ko te tahi ʼu tohi fakatupu fifihi ʼa Teofile, neʼe fai moʼo fakafeagai kia Hermogène mo Marcion. Tahi ʼaē meʼa, neʼe ina fai te ʼu tohi moʼo akoʼi pea mo fakaloto mālohiʼi te hahaʼi, ʼo ina hilifaki kiai te ʼu fakamatala ʼo te ʼu Evaselio. Kae, neʼe taupau te ʼu tohi e tolu kia Autolycus, ko te foʼi tohi e tahi.

Ko te ʼuluaki tohi, ʼe ko he akonaki neʼe tohi kia Autolycus moʼo puipui ʼo te Lotu Faka Kilisitiano. Ko te lua tohi kia Autolycus ʼe fakafeagai ki te lotu faka pagani ʼa te hahaʼi, ki te ʼu manatu ʼaē ʼe lau ka mole moʼoni, ki te kau filosofia, pea mo te hahaʼi ʼaē ʼe palalau fakatuketuke. ʼI te tolu tohi ʼa Teofile, ʼe fakatatau ai te ʼu tohi faka pagani pea mo te Tohi-Tapu.

ʼI te kamata tohi ʼo te tolu tohi ʼa Teofile, ʼe hā ʼaki mai ko Autolycus neʼe kei manatu ia ko te Folafola ʼo te moʼoni ʼe ko he fagana. ʼE valokiʼi e Teofile ia Autolycus, ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: “ ʼE ke tali leleiʼi te hahaʼi vale ʼaia. Ko te tupuʼaga la ʼaia ʼo te uga ʼo koe e te hahaʼi vavale ʼaia ke ke tali te ʼu palalau ʼaē ʼe mole hona ʼaoga, pea mo ke tui ki te meʼa ʼaē ʼe lau tāfito e te hahaʼi.”

Neʼe koteā “te meʼa ʼaē ʼe lau tāfito e te hahaʼi”? ʼE fakahā e Teofile peʼe haʼu maifea te faʼahi ʼaia. Ko te hahaʼi fasituʼu “ ʼaki ʼonatou ʼu laugutu ʼaē ʼe heʼe aga faka lotu, ʼe nātou tukugakoviʼi hala mātou, [ia mātou] ʼaē ʼe atolasio ki te ʼAtua, pea mo fakahigoaʼi ko te kau Kilisitiano, ʼo nātou lau ʼe mātou fefoakiʼaki ʼomātou ʼu ʼohoana ke mātou fai mo nātou he ʼu felāveʼi fakasino; pea tahi ʼaē meʼa, ʼe nātou lau ʼe mātou fai te ʼu felāveʼi fakasino mo ʼamatou ʼu tokolua totonu, pea ko te meʼa ʼaē ʼe fakafeagai ʼaupito ki te ʼAtua pea mo fakalialia ia meʼa fuli, ʼe nātou lau ʼe mātou kai tagata.” Ko te gāue ʼa Teofile neʼe ko te tauʼi ʼo te manatu hala faka pagani ʼaia, ʼaē neʼe fai ki te kau Kilisitiano ʼo te lua sēkulō. Neʼe ina fakaʼaogaʼi te mālama ʼo te moʼoni ʼaē ʼe maʼu ʼi te Folafola ʼaē ʼe haʼu mai te ʼAtua.​—Mateo 5:​11, 12.

Ko te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe nātou fakamoʼoni ai ko Teofile neʼe ina ʼiloʼi lelei te Folafola ʼa te ʼAtua, ʼe ko tana fakaʼaogaʼi tuʼumaʼu te ʼu vaega faka Tohi-Tapu ʼo te ʼu tohi faka Hepeleo pea mo Keleka. Neʼe kau ia ia ki te ʼu ʼuluaki hahaʼi ʼaē neʼe nātou fakamahino te ʼu Evaselio. Ko te ʼatu ʼu manatu ʼa Teofile ʼaē neʼe ina fai ʼo ʼuhiga mo te Tohi-Tapu, ʼe ina fakahā lelei mai ai te manatu tāfito ʼaē neʼe maʼu ʼi tona temi. Neʼe ina fakaʼaogaʼi te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe ina ʼiloʼi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu tohi faka Tohi-Tapu, moʼo fakahā ʼe lahi age ia ʼi te ʼu filosofia faka pagani.

Ko te fakatuʼutuʼu ʼo te tohi gāue ʼa Teofile, tana ʼu faʼahiga palalau ʼaē moʼo akoʼi ʼo te hahaʼi, pea mo tana ʼu palalau ʼaē neʼe ina fai liuliuga, ʼe lagi feala ke mole leleiʼia e ʼihi. ʼI te temi nei, ʼe mole feala ke tou ʼui pe neʼe lave feafeaʼi te ʼapositasia ʼaē neʼe fakakikite, ki te tonu ʼo tana ʼu manatu. (2 Tesalonika 2:​3-​12) Kae, ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe mate ai, ʼi te teitei taʼu 182 ʼo totatou temi, ʼe hā mai ai neʼe liliu ia Teofile ko he tahi neʼe ina puipui mālohi te Lotu Faka Kilisitiano, pea ko te kau Kilisitiano moʼoni ʼo totatou temi ʼe nātou fia ʼiloʼi tana ʼu tohi.

[Paki ʼo te pasina 30]

ʼAki he lototoʼa, neʼe fakafihi ia Teofile ki te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe lau e Autolycus

[Haʼuʼaga ʼo te paki pasina 28]

Illustrations on pages 28 and 30 reproduced from Illustrirte Pracht - Bibel/Heilige Schrift des Alten und Neuen Testaments, nach der deutschen Uebersetzung D. Martin Luther’s