Indawo Olwalungqubana Kuyo Unqulo Lokwenyaniso Nobuhedeni

AMABHODLO ase-Efese yamandulo, kunxweme olusentshona yeTurkey, aye aba yindawo ehlolisiswa kakhulu ngabembi bezinto zakudala kangangeenkulungwane. Kuye kwakhiwa izakhiwo eziliqela, yaye izazinzulu ziye zafumanisa izinto ezithile, zazihlolisisa zaza zabhala inkcazelo ethile ngazo. Ngenxa yoko, iEfese yenye yezona ndawo zithandwayo ngabakhenkethi eTurkey.

Yintoni eye yafunyaniswa nge-Efese? Namhlanje saziwa njengendawo enjani esi sixeko sikhulu nesibangela umdla samandulo? Ukutyelela amabhodlo neMyuziyam yase-Efese eVienna, eOstriya, kuya kusinceda siqonde indlela unqulo lokwenyaniso nobuhedeni obabungqubana ngayo e-Efese. Okokuqala, makhe siqwalasele imvelaphi yale ndawo.

Indawo Eyayifunwa Ngabantu Abaninzi

IEurasia yayiyindawo enezidubedube yaye abantu babefuduka apho ebudeni benkulungwane ye-11 ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Kwakungelo xesha amaGrike aseIonia aqalisa ukuhlala kwintshona yonxweme lwaseAsia Minor. Abo baphambukeli bokuqala badibana nabantu ababesaziwa ngokunqula uthixokazi wabo, thixokazi lowo kamva owaziwa njengoArtemis wase-Efese.

Phakathi kwenkulungwane yesixhenxe ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, abangcuchalazi abangamaCimmeria babesuka kuLwandle Olumnyama kumntla ukuze baphange iAsia Minor. Kamva, malunga nowama-550 B.C.E., kwabakho uKumkani uCroesus waseLydia, umlawuli onamandla owayedume ngobutyebi bakhe obuninzi. Xa kwakusandiswa uBukhosi bamaPersi, uKumkani uKoreshi wazithimba izixeko zaseIonia, kuquka ne-Efese.

Ngowama-334 B.C.E., uAleksandire waseMakedoni waqalisa ukulwa nePersi, ngaloo ndlela waba ngumlawuli omtsha wase-Efese. Emva kokuba uAleksandire efe ngesiquphe ngowama-323 B.C.E., iinjengele zakhe zaqalisa ukuxhwithaxhwithana nge-Efese. Ngowe-133 B.C.E., uAttalus III, ukumkani owayengenamntwana wasePergamo, wanikezela nge-Efese kumaRoma, eyenza ibe yinxalenye yephondo lamaRoma eliseAsia.

Unqulo Lokwenyaniso Lungqubana Nobuhedeni

Xa umpostile uPawulos weza e-Efese ngasekupheleni kohambo lwakhe lwesibini lokushumayela kwinkulungwane yokuqala kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wafumana isixeko esasihlala abantu abamalunga nama-300 000. (IZenzo 18:19-21) Ebudeni bohambo lwakhe lwesithathu lokushumayela, uPawulos wabuyela e-Efese yaye enenkalipho nangakumbi wathetha kwindlu yesikhungu ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Noko ke, emva kweenyanga ezintathu amaYuda amchasa nangakumbi, yaye uPawulos wakhetha ukunikela iintetho zakhe zemihla ngemihla kwiholo yesikolo sikaTirano. (IZenzo 19:1, 8, 9) Waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela iminyaka emibini, esenza nemisebenzi yamandla emangalisayo, njengokuphilisa ngokungummangaliso nokukhupha iidemon. (IZenzo 19:10-17) Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba abaninzi baba ngamakholwa! Ewe, ilizwi likaYehova lasasazeka kuyo yonke indawo, kangangokuba abantu abaninzi ababesenza imilingo ngokuzithandela bazitshisa iincwadi zabo zexabiso.—IZenzo 19:19, 20.

Ukuphumelela kukaPawulos kumsebenzi wokushumayela akuzange kushukumisele abaninzi ukuba bayeke ukunqula isithixokazi uArtemis nje kuphela, kodwa kwabacaphukisa abo bakunqulo lobuhedeni. Ukwenza iitempile zesilivere zika-Artemis yayingumsebenzi onemali kakhulu. Ngenxa yokuba umsebenzi wabo wawusengozini yokuphela, omnye umntu ogama linguDemetriyo waphembelela abenzi besilivere ukuba baqhankqalaze.—IZenzo 19:23-32.

Olu qhushululu lwaphumela ekubeni isihlwele sikhwaze ngathi siphambene kangangeeyure ezimbini sisithi: “Mkhulu uArtemis wamaEfese!” (IZenzo 19:34) Emva kokuba idambile le ngxolo, uPawulos waphinda wawakhuthaza amanye amaKristu waza wahlabela mgama nohambo lwakhe. (IZenzo 20:1) Noko ke, ukuhamba kwakhe esiya eMakedoni akuzange kulenze lingabhangi ihlelo lika-Artemis.

Itempile Ka-Artemis Iyagungqa

Ihlelo lika-Artemis lalizinzile e-Efese. Ngaphambi kwexesha likaKumkani uCroesus, kwakunqulwa uthixokazi uCybele kule ndawo. Ngokuyila umnombo wasentsomini ngokuthi uCybele wayezalana noothixo bamaGrike, uCroesus wayenethemba lokuba amaGrike nabangengawo amaGrike banqule uthixo omnye. Ngenkxaso yakhe, phakathi kwenkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, kwaqaliswa umsebenzi kwitempile yelandela likaCybele, uArtemis.

Le tempile yayisesona sakhiwo sibalaseleyo samaGrike. Akuzange ngaphambili kusetyenziswe amatye amakhulu kangaka enyengane ukuze kwakhiwe isakhiwo esilolu hlobo nesingaka. Loo tempile yatshatyalaliswa ngomlilo ngowama-356 B.C.E. Ukwakhiwa kwakhona kwetempile efanayo kwabangela abantu bafumana imisebenzi yaye oku kwaba ngumtsalane kubahambi abaninzi bezonqulo. Yakhiwe kwisiseko esiziimitha ezingama-73 ububanzi neemitha ezili-127 ubude, itempile eyakhiweyo kwakhona yayimalunga neemitha ezingama-50 ububanzi neemitha ezili-105 ubude. Yayigqalwa njengenye yezona zinto zibalaseleyo zisixhenxe emhlabeni. Noko ke, asinguye wonke ubani wayekholiswa yiyo. Isithandi sobulumko uHeracleitus wase-Efese wafanisa ubumnyama besibingelelo nobumnyama bobungendawo, yaye imilinganiselo yetempile wayeyigqala njengemibi kakhulu ukudlula amarhamncwa. Noko ke, kwabaninzi itempile ka-Artemis e-Efese yayingathi ayisayi kuze iphele. Kodwa imbali ibonisa ukuba oko akuzange kube njalo. Incwadi ethi Ephesos—Der neue Führer (IEfese—Ukhokelo Olutsha) ithi: “Ngenkulungwane yesibini, ukunqulwa kuka-Artemis nabanye oothixo betempile ngequbuliso kwathotha.”

Kwinkulungwane yesithathu kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, iEfese yahlaselwa yinyikima enkulu. Ngaphezu koko, ubutyebi obuninzi betempile ka-Artemis baphangwa ngoomatiloshe abangamaJamani ababekuLwandle Olumnyama, abandula ke bayintumeka ngomlilo le tempile. Le ncwadi ikhankanywe ngasentla ithi: “Ekubeni oyisiwe yaye engakwazi ukuyikhusela indawo ahlala kuyo, uArtemis unokuphinda agqalwe njani njengomkhuseli wesixeko?”—INdumiso 135:15-18.

Ekugqibeleni, ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesine kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uMlawuli uTheodosius I wabuvakalisa “ubuKristu” njengonqulo lukaRhulumente. Kungekudala isakhiwo esasisemagqabini setempile ka-Artemis saba yindawo ekombiwa kuyo ukuze kwenziwe izinto zokwakha. Ukunqulwa kuka-Artemis kwaphela. Umakhi-mkhanya ongabizwanga ngagama ethetha ngombongo wokuzukisa le tempile njengenye yezona zinto zibalaseleyo kwihlabathi lamandulo wathi: “Ngoku yeyona ndawo iphanzisiweyo nebharhileyo.”

Ukusuka KuArtemis Ukusa “KuMama KaThixo”

UPawulos walumkisa amadoda amakhulu ebandla lase-Efese ukuba emva kokuhamba kwakhe kuya kuvela “iingcuka ezicinezelayo” namadoda phakathi kwawo aze “athethe izinto ezijijekileyo.” (IZenzo 20:17, 29, 30) Kwenzeka kanye oko. Iziganeko zibonisa ukuba unqulo lobuxoki, uwexuko kubuKristu, lwanda e-Efese.

Ngowama-431 C.E., e-Efese kwaqhutyelwa khona inkomfa yesithathu kazwelonke, apho kwakuxutyushwa ngohlobo lomntu anguye uKristu. Incwadi ethi Ephesos—Der neue Führer ithi: “Baphumelela abalandeli baka-Aleksandire, ababesithi uKristu wayeluhlobo lomntu omnye, oko kukuthi uKristu wayengumntu onguThixo.” Oku kwaba nemiphumo enzulu. “Isigqibo esafikelelwa e-Efese, apho uMariya wanikwa isikhundla esingaphezulu ukusuka kulowo uzele uKristu kwathiwa ngozele uThixo, akuzange kuseke nje imfundiso yokunqulwa kukaMariya kodwa kwakhona kwavelisa umsantsa omkhulu phakathi ecaweni. . . . Le ngxwabangxwaba isekho unanamhla.”

Ngaloo ndlela, ukunqulwa kukaCybele noArtemis kwathatyathelw’ indawo kukunqulwa kukaMariya “umzali kaThixo” okanye “umama kathixo.” Kanye njengokuba le ncwadi isitsho, “iMfundiso yokunqulwa kukaMariya e-Efese . . . isekho nanamhlanje, yaye ayinakuchazwa ngaphandle kokuyidibanisa neMfundiso yokunqulwa kuka-Artemis.”

Imbali Elibalekileyo

Emva kokuphela konqulo luka-Artemis, iEfese yawohloka. Iinyikima, isifo seengcongconi nokuqhekeka kwezibuko kwenza ubomi baba nzima kakhulu kwesi sixeko.

Ngenkulungwane yesixhenxe kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ubuSlamsi babuqalise ukwanda ngamandla. UbuSlamsi abuzange bumanyanise ama-Arabhu nje kuphela kunqulo lwalo. Iinqanawa zomkhosi wama-Arabhu zayiphanga iEfese ukutyhubela inkulungwane yesixhenxe neyesibhozo kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Yaphela njalo ke iEfese xa izibuko laqhekeka ngokupheleleyo yaye eso sixeko saba ngamabhodlo. Ngokuphathelele eso sixeko sikhulu esasibalasele, iAya Soluk (ngoku eyiSelçuk) kuphela kwendawo encinane eyasindayo.

Ukuhamba Phakathi Kwamabhodlo Ase-Efese

Ukuze abone indlela eyayizukiswa ngayo iEfese, ubani ufanele atyelele amabhodlo ayo. Ukuba uqalisa ukukhenketha kwisango elingasentla, ngokukhawuleza uza kubona iSitrato saseCuretes noMzi Wogcino-zincwadi waseCelsus. Ngasekunene kwesi sitrato, uya kubona iOdeum—iholo encinane yemiboniso eyakhiwa ngenkulungwane yesibini kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Kuba yayihlala abantu abanokuba li-1 500, kusenokwenzeka ukuba yayingasetyenziselwa kuphela ukuqhuba iintlanganiso zebhunga kodwa nanjengendawo yokonwabisa uwonke-wonke. ISitrato saseCuretes sinezakhiwo kumacala omabini, njengeendawo zikaRhulumente zokuhlanganisana apho yayixutyushwa khona imibandela kaRhulumente, itempile kaHadrian, amaqula kawonke-wonke, izindlu ezazakhiwe endulini—izindlu zabantu ababalulekileyo base-Efese.

UMzi Wogcino-zincwadi waseCelsus owakhiwa kwinkulungwane yesibini kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, mhle kakhulu kangangokuba uza kuwuthanda. Imiqulu yawo emininzi yayigcinwa kwimingxuma ethile yegumbi elikhulu lokufundela. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo emine nemihle engaphambili kwisakhiwo yayifuzisela iimpawu ezibalaseleyo ezilindeleke kwisicaka esiphezulu sikarhulumente wamaRoma njengoCelsus, ezo mpawu izezi: Sophia (ubulumko), Arete (ukulunga), Ennoia (uzinikelo) ne-Episteme (ulwazi okanye ukuqonda). Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yantlandlolo inokubonwa kwiMyuziyam yase-Efese eVienna. Ecaleni kwebala eliphambi komzi wogcino-zincwadi, kukho umnyango omkhulu okhokelela kwiTetragonos, indawo yezorhwebo. Kweli bala likhulu, elalirhangqwe ziiveranda ezinophahla, abantu babesenza imisebenzi yabo yorhwebo eqhelekileyo.

Wakudlula apha, ungena kwiSitrato iMarble, esikukhokelela kwindawo enkulu yemiboniso. Ngenxa yokwandiswa ngexesha lolawulo lwamaRoma, le ndawo yomboniso yayihlala abantu abangama-25 000. Umphambili wayo wawuhonjiswe ngeyona ndlela, kusetyenziswa iintsika nemifanekiso eqingqiweyo. Unokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni weso siphithiphithi esenziwa nguDemetriyo umenzi wesilivere phakathi kwesihlwele esasidibene apho.

Isitrato esasisuka kwiholo yomboniso enkulu ukusa kwizibuko lesixeko sasisihle kakhulu. Simalunga neemitha ezingama-500 ubude neemitha ezili-11 ububanzi, yaye sineentsika macala omabini. Indawo yokwenza umthambo ekwiholo yemiboniso nekwizibuko, ezazisetyenziselwa ekuqeqesheni umzimba, zazakhiwe kwesi sitrato. Isango elihle lezibuko ekuqaleni kwesi sitrato yayilisango elikhulu, yaye luphelela apho ke ukhenketho olufutshane kwawona mabhodlo abalaseleyo emhlabeni. IMyuziyam yase-Efese eVienna inomfanekiso owenziwe ngamaplanga wesi sixeko sikhulu sembali kwakunye neqela lezinye izakhiwo zembali.

Ngokuhambahamba kule myuziyam nokubona umfanekiso oqingqiweyo ka-Artemis wase-Efese, umntu unokucinga ngokunyamezela kwamaKristu amandulo e-Efese. Kwakufuneka aphile kwisixeko esasinabantu abaninzi abasebenzelana nemimoya nababemfanyekiswe yintiyo yonqulo. Abanquli baka-Artemis babesichase kanobom isigidimi soBukumkani. (IZenzo 19:19; Efese 6:12; ISityhilelo 2:1-3) Abantu baqala ukulwamkela unqulo lokwenyaniso kwezo meko zingentle. Olu nqulo loThixo wokwenyaniso luza kuqhubeka lukho xa unqulo lobuxoki lwemihla yethu lupheliswa kanye njengoko kwaba njalo ngonqulo lwamandulo luka-Artemis.—ISityhilelo 18:4-8.

[Imaphu/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

IMAKEDONIYA

ULwandle Olumnyama

IASIA MINOR

IEfese

ULwandle LweMeditera

IYIPUTA

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

Amabhodlo etempile ka-Artemis

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 28, 29]

1. Umzi wogcino-zincwadi waseCelsus

2. Umfanekiso weArete xa ukufuphi

3. ISitrato iMarble, esikhokelela kwindawo enkulu yomboniso