UConstantine Omkhulu—Ingabe Wayesekela UbuKristu?

UMbusi waseRoma uConstantine uphakathi kwamadoda ambalwa umlando oye wahlobisa amagama awo ngegama elithi “Omkhulu.” ELobukholwa liye lenezela amazwi athi “santa,” “umphostoli weshumi nantathu,” “ongcwele njengabaphostoli,” nathi ‘okhethwe ngokuQondisa KukaNkulunkulu ukuze alethe inguquko enkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni wonke.’ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abanye bachaza uConstantine ‘njengogcwele igazi, ophawuleka ngobubi obungenakubalwa nogcwele inkohliso, umashiqela oshaqisayo, onecala lobugebengu obesabekayo.’

ABANTU abaningi abathi bangamaKristu baye bafundiswa ukuthi uConstantine Omkhulu wayengomunye wabantu abavelele kakhulu abasekela ubuKristu. Bathi nguye owakhulula amaKristu osizini lokushushiswa amaRoma futhi wawanika inkululeko engokwenkolo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunenkolelo evamile yokuthi wayengumlandeli othembekile wezinyathelo zikaJesu Kristu onesifiso esinamandla sokuqhubekisela phambili ubuKristu. ISonto Lobu-Orthodox Lasempumalanga neSonto Lama-Copt aye amemezela ukuthi uConstantine nonina, uHelena, ‘bangosanta.’ Umkhosi wabo ugujwa ngo-June 3 noma ngo-May 21, ngokwekhalenda lesonto.

Wayengubani ngempela uConstantine Omkhulu? Waba nayiphi indima ekuthuthukiseni ubuKristu ngemva kwesikhathi sabaphostoli? Kusikhanyisela kakhulu ukuvumela umlando nezazi ziphendule le mibuzo.

UConstantine Ongokomlando

UConstantine, indodana kaConstantius Chlorus, wazalelwa eNaissus eSerbia cishe ngonyaka ka-275 C.E. Lapho uyise eba umbusi wesifunda sasentshonalanga yeRoma ngo-293 C.E., wayesempini eDanube ngaphansi kokuyala koMbusi uGalerius. UConstantine wabuyela eBrithani ngonyaka ka-306 C.E. ezobona uyise owayesezofa. Ngemva nje kokushona kukayise, ibutho lempi lakhuphulela uConstantine esikhundleni sokuba umbusi.

Ngaleso sikhathi, abanye abantu abahlanu bathi nabo bango-Augustus. Isikhathi esiphakathi kuka-306 no-324 C.E., saba isikhathi sempi yombango eqhubekayo, okwathi ngemva kwaso uConstantine waba ukuphela kombusi. Ukunqoba kukaConstantine imikhankaso emibili kwamenza waba semlandweni waseRoma futhi waba ukuphela kombusi woMbuso WaseRoma.

Ngo-312 C.E., uConstantine wanqoba uMaxentius ayelwa naye empini yaseMilvian Bridge engaphandle kweRoma. Abavikeli bobuKristu bathi phakathi nalowo mkhankaso, kwakunesiphambano esivuthayo ngaphansi kwelanga esasinamazwi esiLatini athi In hoc signo vinces, okusho ukuthi “Ngalolu phawu nqoba.” Futhi kukholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi uConstantine watshelwa ephusheni ukuba adwebe ngopende izinhlamvu ezimbili zokuqala zegama likaKristu ngesiGreki emahawini ebutho lakhe. Nokho, le ndaba inokushayisana okuningi kwezikhathi nezenzakalo. Incwadi ethi A History of Christianity ithi: “Kunokungqubuzana kobufakazi ngokuphathelene nesikhathi esiqondile, indawo, nemininingwane yalo mbono.” Lapho yamukela uConstantine eRoma, iNdlu Yezigele yobuqaba yambiza ngokuthi u-Augustus omkhulu nangokuthi u-Pontifex Maximus, okusho ukuthi, umpristi ophakeme wenkolo yombuso yobuqaba.

Ngo-313 C.E., uConstantine wahlela ukuba abambisane noMbusi uLicinius, umbusi wezifunda zasempumalanga. Bekhipha iSimemezelo Esilotshiwe Esingokomthetho SaseMilan, bobabili banikeza inkululeko yokukhulekela namalungelo alinganayo kuwo wonke amaqembu enkolo. Nokho, izazi-mlando eziningi zibheka le ncwadi yesimemezelo njengengabalulekile, zithi kwakuyincwadi evamile engokomthetho nje futhi kungeyona incwadi yombuso esemqoka ebonisa ushintsho lwezimiso ngokuphathelene nobuKristu.

Phakathi neminyaka eyishumi eyalandela, uConstantine wanqoba imbangi yakhe yokugcina eyayisasele, uLicinius, futhi waba umbusi ongenakuphikiswa wezwe laseRoma. Ngo-325 C.E., engakabhapathizwa, wengamela umkhandlu omkhulu wokuqala wezikhulu zesonto ‘lobuKristu,’ owalahla imfundiso ka-Arius futhi waloba incwadi yezinkolelo ezisemqoka okuthiwa iSivumo Sokholo SaseNicaea.

UConstantine wagula wabangwa nezibi ngonyaka ka-337 C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi sokugcina sokuphila kwakhe, wabhapathizwa, wabe esefa. Ngemva kokufa kwakhe iNdlu Yezigele yamfaka phakathi konkulunkulu baseRoma.

Inkolo Eswini LikaConstantine

Ibhekisele esimweni sengqondo esivamile ababusi baseRoma bekhulu lesithathu nelesine ababenaso ngenkolo, incwadi ethi Istoria tou Ellinikou Ethnous (Umlando Wesizwe SamaGreki) ithi: “Ngisho nalapho labo ababebekwa ezihlalweni zobukhosi babengathambekele kakhulu kangako enkolweni, bevumelana nesimo sengqondo sangaleso sikhathi, bakuthola kudingeka ukuba banike inkolo isikhundla esibalulekile phakathi kwesimiso sabo sezombangazwe, ukuze nje izenzo zabo zibe nenkolo phakathi.”

Ngokuqinisekile, uConstantine wayeyindoda ehambisana nesikhathi. Lapho eqala umsebenzi wakhe, wayedinga umsekeli “ongokwaphezulu,” futhi lokhu wayengenakukuthola konkulunkulu baseRoma abase bephelelwa ithonya. Umbuso, kuhlanganise nenkolo yawo nezinye izinhlangano, kwase kufadalala, futhi kwakudingeka okuthile okusha nokuvuselelayo kokukusimamisa. I-encyclopedia i-Hidria ithi: “UConstantine wayenesithakazelo esikhethekile ebuKristwini ngoba bungazange busekele ukunqoba kwakhe kuphela kodwa basekela nokuhlelwa kabusha kombuso wakhe. Amasonto obuKristu ayekuyo yonke indawo aba uzime lwakhe lwezombangazwe. . . . Wazifaka phakathi kwezikhulu ezazisezikhundleni eziphakeme ngaleso sikhathi . . . , futhi wacela ukuba zihlale zinobunye.”

UConstantine wabona ukuthi inkolo ‘yobuKristu’—nakuba yayihlubukile futhi yonakaliswe kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi—yayingasetshenziswa ngokunenzuzo njengamandla avuselelayo nahlanganisayo ukuze afeze isu lakhe elikhulu lokubusa njengenkosi. Amukela izisekelo zobuKristu bezihlubuki ukuze athole ukusekelwa ekuthuthukiseni imigomo yakhe yezombangazwe, wanquma ukuhlanganisela abantu ‘ebuKatolikeni’ noma enkolweni eyodwa yendawo yonke. Imikhuba nemikhosi yobuqaba yanikwa amagama ‘obuKristu.’ Futhi abefundisi ‘bobuKristu’ banikwa izikhundla, iholo futhi baba nethonya njengabapristi abangamaqaba.

Efuna ukuba inkolo ivumelane ngenxa yezizathu zezombangazwe, uConstantine wawachitha ngokushesha amazwi aphikisayo ngesisekelo salokho okwakwamukelwa iningi hhayi ngokweqiniso elingokwemfundiso. Ukuhlukana okuphawulekayo ngokwezimfundiso ezingaphikiswa okwakulihlukanisa kakhulu isonto ‘lobuKristu’ kwamnika ithuba lokungenela njengomlamuli “othunywe uNkulunkulu.” Ngokusebenzelana namaDonatist aseNyakatho Afrika nabalandeli baka-Arius engxenyeni esempumalanga yombuso, wathola ngokushesha ukuthi akwanele ukukholisa abantu ukuze akhe inkolo eqinile nebumbene.a Wahlanganisa umkhandlu wezikhulu zesonto okokuqala ngqá emlandweni wesonto ukuze azame ukuxazulula impikiswano evuswa yimfundiso ka-Arius.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “UConstantine Nomkhandlu WaseNicaea.”

Ngokuphathelene noConstantine, isazi-mlando uPaul Johnson sithi: “Esinye sezizathu zakhe eziyinhloko zokubekezelela ubuKristu kungenzeka sasiwukuthi babunika yena noMbuso ithuba lokulawula isimiso seSonto ngokuphathelene nezinto ezivumelekile nokusingathwa kwezingavumeleki.”

Ingabe Wake Waba UmKristu?

UJohnson uyaphawula: “UConstantine akazange akulahle ukukhulekela ilanga futhi wawugcina umfanekiso welanga ezinhlamvwini zemali yakhe.” I-Catholic Encyclopedia iyaphawula: “UConstantine wayezamukela ngokulinganayo zombili izinkolo. Njengo-pontifex maximus, wayengamela ukukhulekela kobuhedeni futhi avikele amalungelo ako.” “UConstantine akakaze abe umKristu,” kusho i-encyclopedia i-Hidria, yenezela: “U-Eusebius waseKhesariya, owabhala umlando wokuphila kwakhe, uthi waba umKristu ngomzuzu wokugcina wokuphila kwakhe. Lokhu akugculisi, ngoba ngosuku olwandulela lolo, [uConstantine] wayenzele uZeus umhlatshelo ngoba naye wayenesiqu esithi Pontifex Maximus.”

UConstantine wayebizwa nangesiqu sobuqaba sika-Pontifex Maximus, umphathi omkhulu wezindaba zenkolo, kwaze kwaba usuku lokufa kwakhe ngo-337 C.E. Ngokuphathelene nokubhapathizwa kwakhe, kunengqondo ukubuza, Ingabe wakwenza ngemva kokuphenduka okuqotho nokuguquka, njengoba kudingekile emiBhalweni? (IzEnzo 2:38, 40, 41) Ingabe kwakuwukufakwa ngokuphelele emanzini njengophawu lokuzinikezela kukaConstantine kuJehova uNkulunkulu?—Qhathanisa nezEnzo 8:36-39.

Ingabe ‘UnguSanta’?

I-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “UConstantine wayekufanelekela ukubizwa ngokuthi Mkhulu ngenxa yalokho akwenza kunalokho ayeyikho. Ngokuqinisekile, uma ehlolwa ngokobuntu bakhe, uba phakathi kwabaphansi kunabo bonke okuye kwasetshenziswa kubo isichasiso [esithi Omkhulu] ezikhathini zasendulo noma zamanje.” Futhi incwadi ethi A History of Christianity iyasazisa: “Ngaphambili kwakunemibiko yokuthi wayenolaka nonya lapho ethukuthele. . . . Wayengakuhloniphi ukuphila komuntu . . . Indlela yakhe yokuphila yaya iba eyobulwane ngokwesabekayo njengoba ayeya eguga.”

Ngokusobala uConstantine wayenezinkinga ezinkulu zobuntu bakhe. Umcwaningi wezomlando uthi “isimo sakhe sokuthukuthela ngokushesha sasivame ukuba yimbangela yokwenza kwakhe izinto ezimbi.” (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukubulawa Kwabohlanga Lwasebukhosini.”) UConstantine wayengenaso “isimo sobuKristu,” kuphikisa isazi-mlando uH. Fisher encwadini yakhe ethi History of Europe. Amaqiniso awambonakalisi engumKristu weqiniso ‘owayegqoke ubuntu obusha’ nokwakungatholakala kuye izithelo zomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu—uthando, injabulo, ukuthula, ukubhekakade, umusa, ubuhle, ukholo, ubumnene nokuzithiba.—Kolose 3:9, 10; Galathiya 5:22, 23.

Imiphumela Yemizamo Yakhe

Njengoba ayengu-Pontifex Maximus wobuqaba—futhi ngenxa yalokho engumholi wenkolo yoMbuso WaseRoma—uConstantine wazama ukuzuza ababhishobhi besonto elihlubukile. Wabathembisa izikhundla ezinegunya, ukuvelela nengcebo njengezisebenzi zenkolo yoMbuso WaseRoma. I-Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma: “Abanye ababhishobhi, bekhohliswa ubukhazikhazi behlalankosi, baze bafinyelela ngisho nasezingeni lokudumisa umbusi njengengelosi kaNkulunkulu, njengesidalwa esingcwele, nasekuprofetheni ukuthi wayeyobusa ezulwini njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”

Njengoba ubuKristu obuhlubukile base budlelana nohulumeni wezombangazwe, baya buba ingxenye yaleli lizwe, yalesi simiso sezwe, futhi badeda ezimfundisweni zikaJesu Kristu. (Johane 15:19; 17:14, 16; IsAmbulo 17:1, 2) Ngenxa yalokho, kwaxutshaniswa “ubuKristu” nezimfundiso nemikhuba yamanga—uZiqu-zintathu, ukungafi komphefumulo, isihogo somlilo, isihlanzo, ukuthandazela abafileyo, ukusebenzisa irosari, izithombe nokunye okunjalo.—Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 6:14-18.

Isonto labuye lazuza ukuthambekela kokubusa ngobushiqela kuConstantine. Izazi uHenderson noBuck zithi: “Konakaliswa isimo esicacile seVangeli, kwaqalwa imikhuba nemikhosi eyeqisayo, abafundisi bobuKristu banikwa izindondo nezinzuzo zezwe, futhi uMbuso kaKristu waguqulwa wenziwa umbuso wezwe ngezinga elikhulu.”

Bukuphi UbuKristu Beqiniso?

Amaqiniso angokomlando embula imbangela yangempela yokuba kukaConstantine “omkhulu.” Kunokuba libe elisungulwe uJesu Kristu, iNhloko yebandla langempela lobuKristu, eLobukholwa ngokwengxenye liwumphumela womzamo wokuthuthukisa ezombangazwe namaqhinga obuqili ombusi wobuqaba. Isazi-mlando uPaul Johnson sibuza ngokufaneleke kakhulu ukuthi: “Ingabe umbuso wazithoba ebuKristwini, noma ingabe ubuKristu bazinikela ekufebeni nombuso?”

Bonke abakufuna ngempela ukunamathela ebuKristwini obuhlanzekile bangasizwa ukuba babone ibandla langempela lobuKristu namuhla futhi bahlanganyele nalo. OFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke bamagange ukusiza abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho ukuba babone ubuKristu beqiniso futhi bakhulekele uNkulunkulu ngendlela eyamukelekayo kuye.—Johane 4:23, 24.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 28]

UConstantine Nomkhandlu WaseNicaea

Iyiphi indima uMbusi uConstantine owayengabhapathiziwe aba nayo eMkhandlwini WaseNicaea? I-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “UConstantine ngokwakhe wengamela, waqondisa izingxoxo ngentshiseko . . . Bekhexiswe umbusi, ababhishobhi, ngaphandle kwababili kuphela, basayina incwadi yezinkolelo ezisemqoka, abaningi babo bengathandisisi neze.”

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili zenkulumo-mpikiswano eshubile yenkolo, lesi sazi sezombangazwe sobuqaba sangenela futhi senza isinqumo esivuna labo ababethi uJesu unguNkulunkulu. Ngani? I-Short History of Christian Doctrine ithi: “UConstantine ngokuyisisekelo wayengayiqondi nhlobo imibuzo eyayibuzwa maqondana nemfundiso yenkolo yamaGreki.” Ayekuqonda kwakuwukuthi ukuhlukana okungokwenkolo kwakuwusongo embusweni wakhe, futhi wayezimisele ukuqinisa umbuso wakhe.

Ngokuphathelene nencwadi yokugcina eyabhalwa eNicaea ngaphansi kwesiqondiso sikaConstantine, i-Istoria tou Ellinikou Ethnous (Umlando Wesizwe SamaGreki) iyaphawula: “Kubonisa ukunganaki [kukaConstantine] izindaba zemfundiso, . . . ukuphikelela kwakhe ngenkani ukuzama ukubuyisela ubunye esontweni kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, futhi ekugcineni ukuzimisela kwakhe ukuthi ‘njengombhishobhi walabo abangaphandle kwesonto’ kumelwe kugcine yena kunoma iyiphi indaba yenkolo.” Ingabe kungenzeka ukuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu wawuqondisa izinqumo ezenziwa kulowo mkhandlu?—Qhathanisa nezEnzo 15:28, 29.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 29]

Ukubulawa Kwabohlanga Lwasebukhosini

Ngaphansi kwalesi sihloko, incwadi ethi Istoria tou Ellinikou Ethnous (Umlando Wesizwe SamaGreki) ichaza lokho ekubiza ngokuthi “amacala anyanyekayo uConstantine awenza emndenini wakhe.” Ngemva nje kokuzuzela uzalo lwakwabo ubukhosi, wayikhohlwa indlela yokujabulela lokho ayekufezile okwakungalindelekile, waqaphela izingozi ezazimzungezile. Njengoba ayengumuntu wezinsolo futhi mhlawumbe eshukunyiswe abantu ababemthopha ngenkohliso, waqala ukuba nezinsolo ngomshana wakhe uLicinianus—indodana ka-Augustus ayebambisene naye ayesembulele kakade—zokuthi wayengase abe imbangi. Ukubulawa kwakhe kwalandelwa ukubulawa kwezibulo lakhe siqu uConstantine, uCrispus, owabulawa usinganina uFausta ngoba ebonakala eyisikhubekiso ekubuseni ngokuphelele kwabantwana abazalwa nguye.

Lesi senzo sikaFausta sagcina siyisizathu sokufa kwakhe okuphawulekayo. Kubonakala sengathi u-Augusta Helena, owaba nethonya endodaneni yakhe uConstantine kwaze kwaba sekupheleni, wayehilelekile kulokhu kubulala. Imizwelo engenangqondo eyayivame ukuqondisa uConstantine nayo yaba nesandla ekubulaweni kwabangane bakhe abaningi nabantu ayebajwayele. Incwadi ethi History of the Middle Ages iyaphetha: “Ukukhipha umyalo wokuba kubulawe indodana yakhe siqu nomkakhe kubonisa ukuthi akazange athonywe yinoma iliphi ithonya elingokomoya ebuKristwini.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 30]

Leli khothamo eliseRoma liye lasetshenziselwa ukukhazimulisa uConstantine

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 26]

Musée du Louvre, Paris