Ko Te Po Tapu ʼe Ko He Akonaki Faka Kilisitiano Koa?

ʼI TE manatu ʼa te tohi (The World Book Encyclopedia), “ko te Po Tapu ʼe ko te ʼaho ʼaia ʼe fakamanatuʼi ai te ʼaho tupu ʼo Sesu Kilisito e te kau Kilisitiano.” Kae ʼe toe ʼui pe foki e te encyclopédie: “Ko te kau ʼuluaki Kilisitiano neʼe mole nātou fai te ʼaho tupu ʼo [Sesu] koteʼuhi kia nātou ko te fakamanatu ʼo he ʼaho tupu ʼo he tahi, neʼe ko he agaʼi fenua faka pagani.”

ʼE fakamoʼoni kiai e Golby pea mo Purdue ʼi te tohi (The Making of the Modern Christmas): “Neʼe mole fakamanatuʼi e te ʼu ʼuluaki Kilisitiano te ʼaho tupu ʼo Kilisito. Neʼe fakapipiki te ʼu ʼaho tupu ki te ʼu meʼa faka pagani; ʼe mole talanoa te ʼu Evaselio ki te ʼaho tupu tonu ʼo Kilisito.”

Kapau ʼe mole ʼi ai he fakatafito faka Kilisitiano ʼo te ʼu ʼaho tupu, neʼe feafeaʼi ʼapē te liliu ʼo te ʼaho tupu ʼo Kilisito ko he toʼotoʼoga “faka Kilisitiano” ʼe maʼuhiga?

Ko Te Kamataʼaga Faka Pagani ʼo Te “Po Tapu”

“Ko te hahaʼi fuli ʼe nātou lafeti pea mo fakafiafia, ko te gāue pea mo te ʼu faʼahiga fakatuʼutuʼu gāue kua tuku muʼa ʼi he temi, ko te ʼu ʼapi kua teuteuʼi ʼaki te ʼu lolie pea mo te ʼu ʼakau fuluʼi hega, ko te hahaʼi ʼe nātou fai tanatou ʼu ʼaʼahi ki tonatou ʼu kaumeʼa pea mo nātou fefoakiʼaki te ʼu meʼa ʼofa, pea ko te hahaʼi faifakatau neʼe nātou foaki te ʼu meʼa ʼofa ki ʼonatou ʼu patolo. Ko te temi fuli ʼaia neʼe ko he lakaga ʼo te fakafiafia pea mo te agaʼofa, pea ko te ʼu faʼahiga gaoʼi kehekehe neʼe fai e te hahaʼi.”—Paganism in Christian Festivals, neʼe tohi e J. M. Wheeler.

ʼE ʼalutahi koa te fakamatala ʼaia mo te ʼu fakafiafia faka Po Tapu ʼaē ʼe koutou ʼiloʼi? ʼE fakapuna’maʼuli he neʼe mole ko te Po Tapu ia! Kailoa, ʼe ko he fakamatala ia ʼo te Saturnale—ko te vāhaʼa fakafiafia faka pagani Loma neʼe fakatahiʼi mo te solstice d’hiver (ʼe fakamatalatala ʼi te pasina ʼaē ʼe tafa mai). Ko te ʼaho fakamanatu ʼo te laʼā, neʼe fai ʼi te ʼaho 25 ʼo Tesepeli, neʼe ko te ʼaho lafeti tāfito ʼo te lotu faka Mithra ʼo Loma.

ʼI te manatu ʼa te tohi (The New Encyclopædia Britannica), “ko te ʼaho 25 ʼo Tesepeli, ko te ʼaho tupu ʼo Mithra, ko te ʼatua Pelesia ʼo te mālama pea . . . ko te ʼaho neʼe faka ʼuhigaʼi ki te laʼā mālohi, ʼo toe feiā pe mo te ʼaho ki muli age ʼo te Saturnale, neʼe faka ʼuhiga e te ʼēkelesia ko te Po Tapu, ko te ʼaho tupu ʼo Kilisito, moʼo fakafeagai ki te ʼu ikuʼaga ʼo te ʼu lafeti ʼaia.” Koia ko te toʼotoʼoga ʼo te ʼaho tupu faka pagani neʼe hoholo pe ʼaki te ʼu fetofetogi ʼi te ʼu higoa, mai ia Mithra kia Kilisito!

Kae, ʼe feala pe ke koutou ʼui ko te fānauʼi ʼo te ʼAlo ʼo te ʼAtua, ia Sesu, neʼe ko he meʼa makehe, ʼe tonu ke fakamanatuʼi. Ko te vakaʼi te manatu ʼa te Tohi-Tapu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te faʼahi ʼaia ʼe maʼu ai anai he mālama totonu.

ʼE Ko He Meʼa Fakafiafia

Ko te lua kapite ʼo te Evaselio ʼo Luka ʼe ina fakahā te fakamatala. ʼE ʼui mai e Luka pe neʼe feafeaʼi te aga ʼa te kau ʼaselo ʼi te lagi, te kau tauhi ōvi agavaivai, te ʼu kaugana aga fakamalotoloto ʼa te ʼAtua, pea mo Malia, ki te meʼa maʼuhiga ʼaia neʼe hoko.

Koutou fakatokagaʼi age muʼa, ko “te ʼu tagata tauhi ōvi neʼe nonofo ʼi tuʼa” neʼe “nātou leʼoleʼo tanatou ʼu faga ōvi ʼi te pōʼuli,” ʼaē ko he meʼa neʼe mole nātou fai anai ʼi te temi nive. ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe hā ai te “ ʼaselo ʼa Sehova” pea ko te kolōlia ʼo te ʼAtua neʼe mū ʼo takatakai ia nātou, ʼuluaki neʼe matataku te kau tauhi ōvi. Neʼe nātou maʼu te fakaloto mālohi ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe fakamahino ai e te ʼaselo te meʼa ʼaenī: “ ʼAua naʼa koutou manavasiʼi, heʼe koʼeni ʼe ʼau fakahā atu kia koutou te logo lelei ʼo he fiafia lahi ka maʼu anai e te hahaʼi fuli, heʼe ʼi te ʼaho nei, ʼi te kolo ʼo Tavite, kua tupu tokotou Fakamaʼuli, ʼe ko Kilisito [te] ʼAliki.” ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe hā fakafokifā ai te kau ʼaselo ko “te tokolahi ʼo te kautau ʼaē ʼi selo,” neʼe mahino ki te kau tauhi ōvi ko te tupu ʼaia neʼe kehekehe ia ʼi te ʼu tupu fuli ʼaē. Meʼa maʼuhiga foki, neʼe mole ʼōmai te kau ʼaselo mo he ʼu meʼa ʼofa ki te kiʼi tamasiʼi ʼaē neʼe fānauʼi. Kae neʼe vikiʼi e te kau ʼaselo ia Sehova, ʼo ʼui maʼa nātou: “Kolōlia ki te ʼAtua ʼi te ʼu potu tauʼaluga, pea fīmālie ʼi te kele ʼi te lotolotoiga ʼo te ʼu tagata ʼo te finegalo ʼofa.”—Luka 2:8-14.

Pea neʼe fia sio mata pe foki te kau tauhi ōvi ki te toe ʼaia, he neʼe ko Sehova ʼaē neʼe ina fakahā te meʼa fakafiafia ʼaia. ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe nātou maʼu atu ai te kiʼi tamasiʼi ʼe takoto ʼi te kaiʼaga manu, neʼe nātou ʼui ki te ʼu mātuʼa te meʼa ʼaē neʼe ʼui age e te kau ʼaselo. Pea ko te kau tauhi ōvi neʼe nātou “faka kolōliaʼi pea mo fakavikiviki ki te ʼAtua,” kae mole ki te kiʼi tamasiʼi.—Luka 2:15-18, 20.

Ko Malia, te faʼe ʼa Sesu, ʼe mahino ia neʼe fakafiafia ʼi te iku lelei ʼaē ʼo tana fānauʼi age te tamasiʼi. Kae neʼe ina toe “fakakaukauʼi ʼi tona loto.” Koia, neʼe kaugā fagona mo tona ʼohoana ko Sosefo ki Selusalemi ʼo mulimuli ki te meʼa ʼaē neʼe fakatotonu e te Lao ʼa Moisese. Neʼe mole ko he fakamanatuʼi ʼaia ʼo he ʼaho tupu. Kae neʼe ko he temi ʼaia ke fakahā te tamasiʼi ki te ʼAtua, “ohage ko tona tohi ʼi te lao ʼa Sehova: ‘Ko te tamasiʼi tagata fuli ʼe ina avahi te ʼalo, ʼe tonu anai ke ʼui ʼe maʼoniʼoni maʼa Sehova.’ ”—Luka 2:19, 22-24.

ʼI te fale lotu ʼo Selusalemi, ko Malia pea mo Sosefo neʼe fetaulaki mo Simeone ʼaē neʼe talanoa kiai ia Luka ʼe “agatonu pea mo aga faka lotu te tagata ʼaia, neʼe fakatalitali ia ki te fakafimālie ʼo Iselaele.” ʼO mulimuli pe ki te manatu ʼa te ʼAtua, neʼe ʼui age ki ai ʼe mole mate anai ka mole heʼeki sio “ki te Kilisito ʼa Sehova.” Ko te meʼa ʼaia neʼe toe hoko ki muli age “ ʼaki te mālohi ʼo te laumālie ʼo te [ʼAtua].” Neʼe hapahapai e Simeone te kiʼi tamasiʼi ʼi tona ʼu nima, ʼo mole ina foaki age he meʼa ʼofa kia te ia, kae neʼe ina fakavikiviki ki te ʼAtua, ʼo ʼui maʼana: “ ʼI te temi leva ʼaē, ʼAliki Hau, ke ke tuku tau kaugana ke ʼalu ʼi te ʼāteaina pea mo te fīmālie, ohage pe ko tau folafola mai; he kua sio ʼoku mata ki tau meʼa fakamaʼuli ʼaē neʼe ke teuteuʼi ia mata ʼo te hahaʼi fuli pe.”—Luka 2:25-32.

Pea neʼe fakaōvi age ai te polofeta finematuʼa ko Ana. Neʼe toe “fakafetaʼi [mo] ia ki te ʼAtua pea mo palalau ʼo ʼuhiga mo te tamasiʼi ʼaē neʼe nātou fakatalitali ki te faka ʼāteaina ʼo Selusalemi.”—Luka 2:36-38.

Ko Malia, mo Simeone, mo Ana, pea mo te kau tauhi ōvi, ʼo toe feiā pe mo te kau ʼaselo ʼi selo, neʼe nātou fakafiafia fuli ʼi te fānauʼi ʼo Sesu. Kae koutou fakatokagaʼi, neʼe mole nātou fai he fakafiafia ʼo he ʼaho tupu, peʼe mo fai hanatou ʼu meʼa ʼofa. Kae neʼe nātou fakavikiviki ia Sehova, ia Ia ʼaē ʼi selo ʼe ina foaki tonatou hāofakiʼaga.

Kae ʼe feala pe ke ʼui e ʼihi, ‘ ʼE mahino ia ʼe mole kovi te foaki ʼo he ʼu meʼa ʼofa ʼi te Po Tapu, heʼe ko “te ʼu masi e toko tolu” neʼe mole koa la nātou fakaʼapaʼapa kia Sesu ʼaki he ʼu meʼa ʼofa?’

Te ʼu Meʼa ʼOfa ʼo Te Po Tapu

Tou toe vakaʼi age muʼa te fakamatala faka Tohi-Tapu. ʼE koutou maʼu anai ʼi te Evaselio ʼa Mateo, kapite 2. ʼE mole talanoa ai pe la ki he toʼotoʼoga ʼo he ʼaho tupu, peʼe talanoa ki he temi, he ko te toʼotoʼoga ʼaia neʼe faka ʼuhiga pe ia ʼi te ʼosi fānauʼi ʼo Sesu. ʼI te vaega 1, ʼe toʼo e Mateo te kau hahaʼi ʼaʼahi “ko te kau masi [ko te kupu faka Keleka, magoi] mai te potu hahake,” koia ko te kau pagani neʼe mole ia nātou te mālama ʼaē kia Sehova ʼAtua. Neʼe muliʼi e te ʼu tagata ʼaia te fetuʼu ʼaē neʼe ina taki nātou, neʼe mole ina taki fakahagatonu ki te koga meʼa ʼaē neʼe fānauʼi ai Sesu ʼi Petelehemi, kae ki Selusalemi, koga meʼa neʼe pule ai te Hau ko Helote.

ʼI te logo ʼaē ʼo te pule agakovi neʼe nātou fakalavelave ʼo ʼuhiga mo “ia ʼaē kua tupu ko te tuʼi ʼo te kau Sutea,” neʼe ina tānaki te kau pelepitelo ke kumi peʼe “tonu ke tupu ʼifea ia Kilisito” ke feala hana matehi te tamasiʼi. Neʼe tali age e te kau pelepitelo ʼaki te lea faka polofeta ʼa Mikea ʼaē ʼe ina hinoʼi te koga meʼa ka fānauʼi ai te Mesia ʼi Petelehemi. (Mikea 5:2) Neʼe fakatotonu fakakākā e Helote ki tana ʼu hahaʼi ʼaʼahi, ʼo fēnei: “Koutou ʼolo ʼo kumikumi lelei te kiʼi tamasiʼi, pea ka koutou maʼu, pea ke koutou toe liliu mai ʼo fakahā mai kia te ʼau, ke ʼau ʼalu atu ai mo ʼau ʼo hu kia te ia.” Pea neʼe ʼolo te kau masi ʼi tonatou ala, pea ko te fetuʼu ʼaē “neʼe kua toe muʼamuʼa ia nātou ʼo aʼu ai ki tana ʼalu ʼo tuʼu tonu ifo ʼi te potu ʼaē neʼe nofo ai te kiʼi tamasiʼi.” Koutou fakatokagaʼi ʼe talanoa ki ai ko te “kiʼi tamasiʼi,” kae mole hage ko he toe neʼe hoki fānauʼi age pe.—Mateo 2:1-10.

ʼO mulimuli ki te aga ʼo te Potu Hahake ʼaē ʼe tau mo he kau ʼaliki ʼe ʼolo ʼo ʼaʼahi he pule, ko te kau masi pagani neʼe nātou tō ifo ki lalo pea mo nātou “momoli atu kia te ia te ʼu mōlaga: ko te aulo, mo te olipano pea mo te mila.” ʼE toe ʼui e Mateo: “Pea ʼi te fakaʼiloʼilo e te ʼAtua kia nātou ʼaki te misi, ke ʼaua naʼa toe ʼolo kia Helote, neʼe nātou toe liliu ai ki tonatou fenua ʼi te tahi ala.”—Mateo 2:11, 12.

Mai te fakamatala fakanounou ʼaia ʼaē ʼe haʼu mai te Tohi-Tapu, ʼe feala ke ʼui maʼa ʼihi ʼe nātou maʼu he faʼahi ʼi ai ʼe lagolago ki te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe nātou foaki ʼi te Po Tapu. Kae, ko te tohi (Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore) ʼe ina fakamatala ko te foaki ʼo te ʼu meʼa ʼofa ʼe ko he agaʼi fenua ia ʼe fakatafito ki te ʼu meʼa ʼofa neʼe fai e te kau Loma ki tonatou ʼu tatau māsisiva ʼi te ʼaho ʼo te Saturnale. “Ko te ʼuluaki ʼēkelesia . . . neʼe ina fakaliliu fakapotopoto tona ʼuhiga tonu ki he toʼotoʼoga fakamanatu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu meʼa ʼofa ʼa te kau Masi.” ʼE ko he meʼa kehekehe ia mo te kau atolasio moʼoni—ohage la ko te tauhi ōvi agavaivai—ʼaē neʼe nātou vikiʼi ia te ʼAtua ʼi te fānauʼi ʼo Sesu!

Fakaʼapaʼapaʼi Ia Kilisito Ko Te Hau!

Ia ʼaho nei ko Sesu ʼe mole ko he kiʼi tamasiʼi. Ko ia ko te Tuʼi ʼAliki mālohi, ko te Hau ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼo te ʼAtua ʼi selo, pea ʼe tonu ke fakaʼapaʼapaʼi.—1 Timoteo 6:15, 16.

Kapau ʼi te temi nei kua koutou lalahi, neʼe heʼeki koutou ufiufi koa ʼi te temi ʼaē ʼe fakahā ai ki ʼihi hokotou paki kae kei koutou veliveli? ʼIo, ko te ʼu taʼi paki ʼaia ʼe fakamanatuʼi pe ki takotou ʼu mātuʼa tanatou fiafia ʼaē ʼi takotou tupu. Kae ʼi te temi ʼaenī kua koutou tagata ai, ʼe mole koutou leleiʼia age koa la ke ʼofainaʼi koutou e ʼihi ʼaki tokotou ʼuhiga ʼaē ʼo te temi nei? ʼO toe feiā pe, koutou fakakaukauʼi age te loto heʼe fakafetaʼi ʼaē kia Kilisito Sesu ʼi te temi ʼaē ʼe ʼui e ʼihi ko nātou ko tana ʼu tisipulo kae nātou lolotoga fai ʼi te taʼu fuli pe te ʼu talatisio ʼo te Po Tapu pea mo nātou fakaʼapaʼapaʼi te kiʼi tamasiʼi kae mole nātou fakaʼapaʼapaʼi ia ia ʼi tona ʼuhiga Hau. Koia tatau aipe la ʼi te ʼuluaki sēkulō, ko te ʼapositolo Kilisitiano ko Paulo neʼe ina fakakaukauʼi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te manatu ʼa Kilisito ʼi tona ʼuhiga ʼaē ʼi te temi nei—ko te Hau ʼi selo. Neʼe fēnei te faitohi ʼa Paulo: “Tatau aipe pe neʼe tou ʼiloʼi Kilisito ʼi tona ʼuhiga kakano, ʼe mahino papau ia ʼi te temi nei ʼe mole kei tou ʼiloʼi ia ia ʼi tona ʼuhiga ʼaia.”—2 Kolonito 5:16.

Ko Kilisito, ʼi tona ʼuhiga Hau ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼo te ʼAtua, ʼe ina fakahoko moʼoni anai te fakapapau faka polofeta ke ina toʼo te mamahi, te lotomamahi, te mahaki, pea mo te mate. ʼE ko Ia ʼaē ka ina fakahoko anai te nofoʼaga lelei pea mo fakapale te gāue ʼa te hahaʼi fuli ʼi te ʼu ʼaluʼaga faka Palatiso ʼi te kele. (Isaia 65:21-23; Luka 23:43; 2 Kolonito 1:20; Fakahā 21:3, 4) ʼE mahino ia, ko te ʼu meʼa ʼaia ʼe feʼauga moʼo tekeʼi ke ʼaua naʼa fakalainoaʼi ia Sesu!

ʼO mulimuli ki te faʼifaʼitaki ʼa Kilisito, ko te kau Kilisitiano moʼoni ʼe nātou foaki te toe meʼa ʼofa lahi ʼe faigataʼa ki he tahi ke ina foaki—ko he mālama ki te fakatuʼutuʼu ʼa te ʼAtua, ʼaē ʼe feala ke taki ki te maʼuli heʼegata. (Soane 17:3) Ko te faʼahiga meʼa ʼofa ʼaia ʼe foaki kia nātou te fiafia lahi, ʼo feala ai kia Sesu ke ina ʼui fēnei: “ ʼE lahi age te manuʼia ʼi takita foaki, ʼi te foaki mai ʼaē kia kita.”—Gāue 20:35; Luka 11:27, 28.

Ko te kau Kilisitiano ʼaē ʼe tokakaga moʼoni ki ʼihi, ʼe mole faigataʼa hanatou fakahā tonatou ʼofa ʼi te temi fuli ʼo te taʼu. (Filipe 2:3, 4) Ohage pe ko te kiʼi faʼifaʼitaki ʼaenī, ʼe ko he meʼa fakafiafia he maʼu ʼo he paki mai he Kilisitiano tūpulaga, ko hana faʼahiga fakamālo ʼaia ki he akonaki faka Tohi-Tapu neʼe fagono kiai! ʼE toe fakaloto mālohi ʼi te temi ʼe maʼu ai he meʼa ʼofa ʼe mole tou ʼamanaki kiai mai he kāiga ohage ko he fakaʼiloga ʼo te feʼofaʼaki. ʼO toe feiā pe, ko te ʼu mātuʼa Kilisitiano ʼe lahi age tanatou fiafia mokā ʼe nātou fili te ʼu ʼaluʼaga ʼe lelei moʼo foaki he ʼu meʼa ʼofa ki tanatou fānau. Ko te faʼahiga agaʼofa faka Kilisitiano ʼaia ʼe mole pikisia ai he maʼua ke foaki he ʼu meʼa ʼofa ʼi te ʼu ʼaho fakamanatu ʼaia peʼe ko te talatisio faka pagani.

Koia la ʼaē, ia ʼaho nei ko te kau Kilisitiano e toko fā miliona tupu ʼi te ʼu ʼatu puleʼaga kehekehe, ʼe mole nātou fai te Po Tapu. ʼE ko te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova, ʼaē ʼe nātou maʼumaʼua tuʼumaʼu ʼo foaki ki tonatou ʼu tatau te fakamoʼoni ʼo ʼuhiga mo te logo lelei ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼo te ʼAtua. (Mateo 24:14) ʼE feala pe ke koutou fetaulaki mo nātou mokā nātou ʼolo atu ki tokotou ʼapi, pea lagi kua nātou vave ʼolo atu pe. ʼOfa pe ke haga takotou fagono fakamalotoloto ʼaē ki te meʼa ka nātou tala atu, ʼo taki koutou pea mo tokotou famili ki he toe fiafia lahi, ʼi te temi ʼaē ʼe koutou ako ai peʼe lava feafeaʼi te fakavikiviki ʼo Sehova ʼAtua ʼi te ʼaho fuli pe ʼo te taʼu.—Pesalemo 145:1, 2.

[Paki ʼo te pasina 7]

Ko te kau Kilisitiano ʼe nātou foaki ki tonatou ʼu tatau te toe meʼa ʼofa ʼaē ʼe lahi age—te mālama ki te fakatuʼutuʼu ʼa te ʼAtua ʼaē ko te maʼuli heʼegata

[Haʼuʼaga ʼo te paki pasina 4]

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