Isixeko SaseKorinte—“Umakhonya Kumazibuko Amabini”

UKUBA ujonga imaphu yaseGrisi, uya kuphawula ukuba ubukhulu becala eli lizwe libunjwa ngusingasiqithi nesinye isiqithi esisemazantsi. Kukho umhlaba onokuba ziikhilomitha ezintandathu ububanzi odibanisa ezi ziqithi zibini. Esi siqwengana somhlaba esibizwa ngokuba yi-Isthmus yaseKorinte, sidibanisa usingasiqithi wePeloponnesia osemazantsi kunye nenxalenye esemantla yelizwe.

Kukwakho nenye into eyenza lo mhlaba ubaluleke. Uye wabizwa ngokuba yibhulorho yaselwandle ngenxa yokuba kummandla ose mpuma kukho iSaronic Gulf engena kulwandle iAegean nempuma yeMeditera, kwicala elingasentshona liGophe laseKorinte, elikhokelela kulwandle i-Ionian, ulwandle iAdriatic nentshona yeMeditera. Kanye kweso siphithiphithi ufumana isixeko saseKorinte, esasibalulekile kuhambo lobuvangeli lukampostile uPawulos, nesasidume ngobutyebi, ubomi obutofotofo nangokuziphatha okubi.

Isixeko Esibalulekileyo

Isixeko saseKorinte simi ngakwintshona yalo mmandla. Sixhakwe ngamazibuko amabini—iLechaeum entshona neKenkreya empuma. Ngenxa yeso sizathu, isazi nzulu ngokuma komhlaba uStrabo waseGrisi wathi iKorinte “ngumakhonya kumazibuko amabini.” Ngenxa yendawo esakhiwe kuyo, isixeko saseKorinte saye sakhonya kurhwebo lwehlabathi silawula indlela yasemhlabeni esuka emntla iye ezantsi neyolwandle esuka empuma iye entshona.

Ukususela kumaxesha amandulo, iinqanawa ezisuka empuma (eAsia Minor, eSiriya, eFenike, naseYiputa) nase ntshona (eItali nase Speyini) zazifika nemithwalo, ziyothule kwelinye lala mazibuko ize ithuthwe isiwe kwizibuko elikwelinye icala kuhanjwa kwindlela yomhlaba. Apho imithwalo yayifika ilayishwe kwezinye iinqanawa luze luqhubeke uhambo. Nazo iinqanawa ezincinane zazikhe zithwalwe zize zihanjiswe kwindlela yomhlaba ebizwa ngokuba yidiolkos.—Bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 27.

Yintoni eyayisenza oomatiloshe bakhethe ukuyothula imithwalo ukuze inqumle kwindlela yasemhlabeni? Kungenxa yokuba babephepha ukuhamba umgama ongangeekhilomitha ezingama-200 kulwandle olulwatyuzayo lwePeloponnese esemazantsi. Oomatiloshe babengafuni nokuyibona iCape Malea, kangangokuba kwakude kubekho nentetho ethi: “ECape Malea akuyi lubuyayo.”

IKenkreya—Izibuko Eladibekayo

Iinqanawa ezivela kulwandle lwaseAsia zazifika zime kwizibuko laseKenkreya, elalimalunga neekhilomitha ezili-11 kwimpuma yaseKorinte. Namhlanje inxalenye yalo iye yadibeka ngenxa yeenyikima ezantlitha izibuko ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo. UStrabo wayichaza iKenkreya njengezibuko elixakekileyo nelityebileyo, ukanti yona intanda bulumko yaseRoma uLucius Apuleius wayibiza ngokuba “lizibuko elikhulu elihlala lixakekile ngenxa yeenqanawa ezivela kwamanye amazwe.”

Ngexesha lamaRoma, eli zibuko lalinamadokisi amabini awayeziimitha ezili-150 ukuya kwezingama-200. Kuwo kwakunokuma neenqanawa ezizimitha ezingama-40 ubude. Xa kwakusembiwa kumzantsi ntshona walo kwafunyanwa amabhodlo etempile ekucingelwa ukuba yayiyekathixokazi uIsis. Izakhiwo ezafunyanwa ngakwelinye icala zona kusenokwenzeka ukuba yayizezika-Aphrodite. Aba thixokazi babini babejongwa njengabakhuseli boomatiloshe.

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba yayilolurhwebo lweenqanawa olwenza uPawulos waba ngumenzi weentente eKorinte. (IZenzo 18:1-3) Incwadi ethi In the Steps of St. Paul ithi: “Njengokuba ubusika babusondela, abenzi beentente neeseyile baseKorinte babexakeka ngakumbi. Inokuba babeqasha nawuphi na umntu owayekwazi ukuthunga kuba kaloku izibuko lalizala ziinqanawa ezazifuna ukulungiswa nokulayishwa kwakhona.”

Emva kokuhlala eKorinte ngaphezu kweenyanga ezili-18, uPawulos wakhwela isikhephe eKenkreya waya e-Efese malunga nowama-52 C.E. (IZenzo 18:18, 19) Ngaxa lithile kwiminyaka emine emva koko kwasekwa ibandla lamaKristu eKenkreya. IBhayibhile ithi uPawulos wacela amaKristu aseRoma ukuba ancede umfazi ongumKristu uFibhi “webandla eliseKenkreya.”—Roma 16:1, 2.

Namhlanje, iindwendwe ezityelela iKenkreya ziqubha kumanzi acwengileyo entsalela yelo zibuko eladibekayo. Inkoliso yazo ayazi ukuba kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo, amaKristu ayexakekile eshumayela nabarhwebi beshishina apho. Kukwanjalo nangelinye izibuko laseKorinte iLechaeum esentshona.

ILechaeum—Isango ElingaseNtshona

Kwakukho isitrato esibizwa ngokuba yiLechaeum Road esasisuka e-agora okanye emarikeni yaseKorinte siye kwizibuko iLechaeum elisentshona, elikumgama oziikilomitha ezimbini. Iinjineli zaye zemba elunxwemeni zaza zakha izibuko nendawo yokukhusela iinqanawa kwimimoya yalapho evuthuza ngamandla. Eli lalikhe laba lelinye lawona mazibuko makhulu kwiMeditera. Abembi bezinto zakudala baye bafumana amabhodlo elighthouse nomfanekiso oqingqiweyo kaPoseidon ephethe isibane.

Macala omabini eLechaeum Road eyayikhuselwe zindonga ezomeleleyo, kwakukho indawo yokuhamba abantu, izakhiwo zikarhulumente, iitempile neevenkile. Kumele ukuba apho uPawulos wayedibana nabathengi, abantu abazihambelayo, oonovenkile, amakhoboka, oosomashishini nabanye—abantu awayenokushumayela kubo.

ILechaeum yayingelo zibuko nje lorhwebo kuphela kodwa yayikwasisigqubu somkhosi wamanzi. Abanye bathi itrireme, enye yeenqanawa zakudala zokulwa, yakhiwa eLechaeum ngumenzi weenqanawa waseKorinte uAmeinocles malunga ne-700 B.C.E. Umkhosi waseAthene wasebenzisa itrireme ukuze woyise amaPersi eSalamis ngowama-480 Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo.

Namhlanje ekuphela kwento eseleyo kwelo zibuko lalikade lixakekile “ngamachibi nje aneengcongolo namanzi amnyama.” Awunakutsho ukuba kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo apha kwakukade kumi elinye lawona mazibuko makhulu kulo mmandla weMeditera.

IKorinte Yawabangela Iingxaki AmaKristu

Amazibuko aseKorinte akazange avulele nje urhwebo kuphela kodwa achanaba nabantu balapho kwimpembelelo embi. Yinyaniso ukuba la mazibuko atsala oosomashishini ezisa nobutyebi. IKorinte yatyeba ngenxa yerhafu ephakamileyo eyayibizwa kumazibuko ayo. Esi sixeko sasiqokelela irhafu nakwiindlela zaso. Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesixhenxe Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, abantu balapho bade bayekiswa ukuhlawula irhafu ngenxa yemali eninzi eyayifunyanwa ngurhulumente kwiimarike nakumazibuko alapho!

Ukongezelela koko iKorinte yayifumana ingeniso engakumbi kubarhwebi ababehlala apho. Uninzi lwabo lwaluphila ubomi obutofotofo yaye luzifica nangokuziphatha okubi. Kwakuhlala kugcwele oomatiloshe abayenza yatyeba iKorinte. Njengokuba uStrabo esitsho, babeyisaphaza imali. Abantu balapho babesenza imisebenzi emininzi, kuquka ukulungisa iinqanawa.

Ngemihla kaPawulos, eso sixeko sasinabemi abamalunga nama-400 000, sisodlulwa yiRoma, iAleksandriya neAntiyokwe yaseSiriya kuphela. EKorinte kwakuhlala amaGrike, amaRoma, ama-Siriya, amaYiputa, namaYuda. Kumazibuko ayo kwakuhlala kufika abahambi, abezemidlalo, amagcisa, iintanda-bulumko, oosomashishini, kunye nabanye abantu. Abo bantu babenikela ngezipho etempileni yaye bebingelela nakoothixo. Konke oku kwayenza iKorinte yaba sisixeko esithandwayo—kodwa oku kwaba nemiphumo emibi.

Incwadi ethi In the Steps of St. Paul ithi: “iKorinte eyayinamazibuko amabini neyayineenqanawa zamazwe asemzini kumazibuko ayo, yaba sisixeko esihlala abantu abasuka kwiindawo ngeendawo nabafika nemikhuba emdaka yeendawo ababesuka kuzo.” Kweso sixeko kwakuhlanganisene amanyala aseMpuma namanyundululu aseNtshona. Kungenxa yoko le nto abantu baseKorinte babeziphatha kakubi bethanda nobutyebi ngeyona ndlela—iKorinte yayisesona sixeko sinamanyala kunazo zonke izixeko zeGrisi yamandulo. Ukuba ngumKorinte, kwakungamaphutha hlathinye nokuziphatha okubi.

Ukuphila nabantu abathanda ubutyebi nokuziphatha okubi kwakunokuba yingxaki kumaKristu. Abalandeli bakaYesu eKorinte kwakufuneka balulekwe ukuba baziphathe kakuhle phambi kukaThixo. Yiloo nto eyabangela ukuba uPawulos akukhalimele ukubawa, ukuphanga, nokuziphatha okubi kwiileta awazibhalela abaseKorinte. Xa ufunda ezo leta ziphefumlelweyo, uyayiva impembelelo embi amaKristu ekwakufuneka ajamelane nayo.—1 Korinte 5:9, 10; 6:9-11, 18; 2 Korinte 7:1.

Sekunjalo, zazikho iingenelo zokuxubana kwabantu eKorinte. Esi sixeko sasisoloko sifumana iimbono ezintsha. Abahlali balapho babengabantu abanegqondo ephangaleleyo kunabantu bezinye izixeko awayezityelela uPawulos. Omnye umhlalutyi weBhayibhile uthi: “Kule dolophu yakudala esezibukweni kwakuhlangana iMpuma neNtshona nto leyo eyayisenza abantu balapho beve iingcamango ezintsha, intanda bulumko kunye nonqulo lwezinye iindawo.” Ngenxa yoko, iinkonzo ezahlukeneyo zazivunyelwa, yaye oku kwenza uPawulos washumayela lula apho.

Amazibuko amabini aseKorinte—iKenkreya neLechaeum—aba negalelo kubutyebi nakudumo lweso sixeko. Kwala mazibuko manye enza kwaba nzima kumaKristu ukuphila eKorinte. Nathi siphila kwihlabathi elifanayo nelo. Iimpembelelo ezonakalisayo, nje ngobutyebi nokuziphatha okubi zingalonakalisa ukholo lwabantu bakaThixo. Ngoko ke, siya kube senza kakuhle xa sithobela isiluleko esiphefumlelweyo sikaPawulos esasisiya kumaKristu aseKorinte.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

IDIOLKOS—UKUHAMBISA IMITHWALO EMHLABENI

Xa amalinge okwakha umjelokazi aphanza ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesixhenxe Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, umlawuli waseKorinte uPeriander weza necebo lokuba imithwalo ihanjiswe emhlabeni.a Le ndlela eyayibizwa ngokuba yidiolkos, igama elithetha “ukurhuqa,” yayakhiwe ngamatye amakhulu awayembelwe emhlabeni kwaza kwafakwa nemiqobo eyayiqatywe amafutha. Iimpahla ezazothulwa ezinqanaweni kwelinye izibuko zazilayishwa kwiinqwelo zize zirhuqwe ngamakhoboka azise kwizibuko elikwelinye icala. Maxa wambi neenqanawa ezincinane ezithwele imithwalo zazihanjiswa kule ndlela.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 25]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

GREECE

Gulf of Corinth

Port of Lechaeum

Ancient Corinth

Cenchreae

Isthmus of Corinth

Saronic Gulf

Peloponnese

IONIAN SEA

Cape Malea

AEGEAN SEA

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Iinqanawa zemithwalo zinqumla kwiCorinth Canal namhlanje

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Izibuko laseLechaeum

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Izibuko laseKenkreya

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com