Lapho Ukukhulekela Kweqiniso Nobuqaba Kwangqubuzana Khona

SEKUYIMINYAKA engaphezu kweyikhulu abavubukuli becwaningisisa amanxiwa ase-Efesu yasendulo, entshonalanga yogu lwaseTurkey. Ososayensi baye bakha kabusha izakhiwo eziningana, bacubungula futhi bachaza nezinto eziningi ezitholakale lapho. Ngenxa yalokho, i-Efesu ingenye yezindawo ababuki bamazwe abazithanda kakhulu eTurkey.

Yini etholakele nge-Efesu? Yini esingayibona namuhla mayelana nalelo dolobhakazi elithakazelisayo lasendulo? Ukuvakashela kokubili amanxiwa e-Efesu noMnyuziyamu We-Efesu oseVienna, e-Austria, kuzosisiza siqonde ukuthi ukukhulekela kweqiniso kwangqubuzana kanjani nobuqaba e-Efesu. Ake siqale ngesizinda se-Efesu.

Indawo Eyayihahelwa

Phakathi nekhulu le-11 B.C.E., i-Eurasia yayigcwele izibhelu nokufuduka. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho amaGreki ase-Ionia aqala khona ukwenza ugu olusentshonalanga ye-Asia Minor lube ikoloni. Lezo zifiki zokuqala zathola abantu ababaziwa ngokukhulekela kwabo unkulunkulukazi ongumama, kamuva owayezobizwa ngokuthi u-Arthemisi wase-Efesu.

Phakathi nekhulu le-7 B.C.E., kwafika amaCimmerian ayimizulane evela enyakatho oLwandle Olumnyama ezophanga e-Asia Minor. Kamuva, ngawo-550 B.C.E., kwavela inkosi yaseLidiya uCroesus, umbusi onamandla owayedume ngengcebo yakhe enkulu. Lapho uMbuso WamaPheresiya wanda, iNkosi uKoresi yanqoba amadolobha ase-Ionia, kuhlanganise ne-Efesu.

Ngo-334 B.C.E., u-Alexander waseMakedoniya waqala umkhankaso wakhe wokulwa nePheresiya, kanjalo waba umbusi omusha wase-Efesu. Ngemva kokufa kuka-Alexander ngokuzumayo ngo-323 B.C.E., ojenene bakhe bayibanga i-Efesu. Ngo-133 B.C.E., u-Attalus III, inkosi yasePhergamu eyayingenangane, wayinikeza amaRoma i-Efesu, okwayenza yaba ingxenye yesifundazwe seRoma sase-Asia.

Ukukhulekela Kweqiniso Kungqubuzana Nobuqaba

Lapho umphostoli uPawulu efika e-Efesu ngasekupheleni kohambo lwakhe njengesithunywa sevangeli ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., wathola idolobha elinezakhamuzi ezingaba ngu-300 000. (IzEnzo 18:19-21) Ohambweni lwakhe lwesithathu njengesithunywa sevangeli, uPawulu waphindela e-Efesu, futhi wakhuluma esinagogeni ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu esenesibindi esivuselelwe. Nokho, ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu ukuphikisa kwamaJuda kwashuba, uPawulu wanquma ukuzinikeza ehholo lesikole sikaThiranu izinkulumo zakhe zansuku zonke. (IzEnzo 19:1, 8, 9) Waqhubeka eshumayela iminyaka emibili, enza nemisebenzi yamandla engavamile, njengokuphulukisa nokuxosha amademoni. (IzEnzo 19:10-17) Akumangalisi ukuthi abaningi baba amakholwa! Yebo, izwi likaJehova lanqoba, kangangokuthi abantu abaningi ababekade bengabenzi bemilingo bashisa izincwadi zabo ezibizayo.—IzEnzo 19:19, 20.

Ukuphumelela kukaPawulu ekushumayeleni akugcinanga ngokushukumisela abaningi ukuba bayeke ukukhulekela unkulunkulukazi u-Arthemisi kodwa futhi kwathukuthelisa abagqugquzeli balokho kukhulekela kobuqaba. Kwakuyibhizinisi elenza imali ukwenza izindawo zokukhulekela zesiliva zika-Arthemisi. Ebona ibhizinisi labo lisengozini, uDemetriyu othile washoshozela abakhandi besiliva ukuba basuse izibhelu.—IzEnzo 19:23-32.

Lesi sidumo safika ezingeni lapho isixuku samemeza saba inqaba amahora amabili: “Mkhulu u-Arthemisi wabase-Efesu!” (IzEnzo 19:34) Ngemva kokudamba kwalo msindo, uPawulu waphinde wakhuthaza amaKristu ayekanye nawo wayesengena indlela. (IzEnzo 20:1) Kodwa ukuhamba kwakhe aye eMakedoniya akukunqandanga ukuwa kwehlelo lika-Arthemisi elalizogcina liphelile.

Ithempeli Lika-Arthemisi Liyaxegezela

Ihlelo lika-Arthemisi laligxilile impela e-Efesu. Ngaphambi kwesikhathi seNkosi uCroesus, unkulunkulukazi ongumama uCybele wayekhulekelwa kakhulu kuleyo ndawo. Ngokwenza uCybele kube sengathi uyazalana nonkulunkulu basezinganekwaneni zamaGreki, uCroesus wayenethemba lokwakha unkulunkulu ozokwamukelwa yikho kokubili amaGreki nabangewona amaGreki. Waxhasa umsebenzi owaqala phakathi nekhulu lesithupha B.C.E. wokwakhiwa kwethempeli lika-Arthemisi, owayezolandela uCybele.

Leli thempeli laliyingqopha-mlando ekuklanyweni kwezakhiwo zaseGrisi. Kwakungakaze kusetshenziswe izinguzunga ezingako zemabuli ekwakheni isakhiwo salolo hlobo nobukhulu. Lelo thempeli lasha langqongqa ngo-356 B.C.E. Ithempeli elakhiwe kabusha, elalilihle njengelokuqala, lavula imisebenzi futhi ladonsa izihambeli eziningi ezivakashela izindawo ezingcwele. Njengoba lalakhiwe phezu kwesitebhisikazi esingamamitha angaba ngu-73 ububanzi nangu-127 ubude, leli thempeli elakhiwe kabusha lalingaba amamitha angu-50 ububanzi nangu-105 ubude. Lalibhekwa njengesinye sezimangaliso eziyisikhombisa zomhlaba. Nokho, akuwona wonke umuntu owayekujabulela ukuba khona kwalo. Isazi sefilosofi sase-Efesu uHeracleitus safanisa indawo emnyama engase-altare nobumnyama bobubi, futhi sasibheka ukuziphatha kwasethempelini njengokubi ngaphezu kokwezilwane. Nokho, eningini ithempeli lika-Arthemisi elalise-Efesu lalibonakala sengathi alisoze lashonelwa ilanga. Izenzakalo ezalandela zaphika. Incwadi ethi Ephesos—Der neue Führer (I-Efesu—Umqondisi Omusha) ithi: “Ngekhulu lesibili, ukukhulekelwa kuka-Arthemisi nokwabanye onkulunkulu bamaGreki ababaziwa kwancipha ngokushesha.”

Ngekhulu lesithathu C.E., i-Efesu yahlukunyezwa ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaGoth ayehamba ngemikhumbi evela oLwandle Olumnyama aphanga ingcebo enkulu yasethempelini lika-Arthemisi, ayeselishisa. Incwadi esanda kushiwo ithi: “Njengoba ayenqotshiwe futhi ehlulekile ukuvikela indlu yakhe uqobo, u-Arthemisi wayengaqhubeka kanjani ebhekwa njengomvikeli wedolobha?”—IHubo 135:15-18.

Ekugcineni, ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesine C.E., uMbusi uTheodosius I wenza “ubuKristu” baba inkolo yoMbuso ngokugcwele. Kungakabiphi amatshe ayekade akhe ithempeli elihlonishwayo lika-Arthemisi aba inkwali yezinto zokwakha. Ukukhulekelwa kuka-Arthemisi kwashabalala ngokuphelele. Isibukeli esithile esingashiwo ngegama sakhuluma ngesiqubulo esidumisa leli thempeli njengeliyisimangaliso sasendulo, sathi: “Manje seliyindawo engamanxiwa futhi embi.”

Ukusuka Ku-Arthemisi Ukuya ‘Kunina Kankulunkulu’

UPawulu waxwayisa amadoda amadala ebandla lase-Efesu wathi ngemva kokuhamba kwakhe kwakuyovela “izimpisi ezicindezelayo” futhi phakathi kwawo kwakuyovela amadoda ‘ayeyokhuluma izinto ezisontekile.’ (IzEnzo 20:17, 29, 30) Kwenzeka ngempela lokho. Izenzakalo zembula ukuthi ukukhulekela kwamanga, okwakuwubuKristu bezihlubuki, kwanqoba e-Efesu.

Ngo-431 C.E., e-Efesu kwaba nomkhandlu wesithathu wamasonto, lapho kwadingidwa khona indaba yesimo sikaKristu. I-Ephesos—Der neue Führer iyachaza: “Ukunqoba kwabalandeli baka-Alexander, ababethi uKristu unesimo esisodwa kuphela, okungukuthi ungunkulunkulu, . . . kwakucacile.” Lokhu kwaba nemiphumela emikhulu. “Isinqumo esafinyelelwa e-Efesu, esabangela ukuba uMariya akhushulwe esikhundleni sokuba umzali kaKristu abekwe kwesokuba umzali kaNkulunkulu, asigcinanga ngokwakha isisekelo sehlelo likaMariya kodwa futhi sadala uqhekeko lokuqala olukhulu esontweni. . . . Nanamuhla leyo mpikiswano isaqhubeka.”

Ngakho, ukukhulekelwa kukaCybele no-Arthemisi kwathathelwa indawo ukukhulekelwa kukaMariya “umzali kaNkulunkulu” noma “unina kankulunkulu.” Njengoba kusho incwadi eshiwo ngenhla, “iHlelo likaMariya e-Efesu . . . lisekhona nanamuhla, okuyinto enomsuka eHlelweni lika-Arthemisi.”

Ithempeli Eselalitshalwa

Ngemva kokuphela kokukhulekelwa kuka-Arthemisi, ne-Efesu yawohloka. Ukuzamazama komhlaba, umalaleveva, nokunqwabelana kodaka ethekwini kwenza ukuphila kuleli dolobha kwaya kuba nzima.

Ngekhulu le-7 C.E., ubuSulumane base buqale ukusabalala yonke indawo. Abugcinanga ngokwenza izizwe zama-Arabhu zibe munye, zibuswe imibono yabo. Ama-Arabhu ayehamba ngemikhumbi aphanga i-Efesu kuyo yonke inkathi yekhulu le-7 nele-8 C.E. Layishonela okokugcina i-Efesu lapho udaka lugcwala mfí ethekwini layo, idolobha laphenduka amanxiwa. Kulelo dolobhakazi elalilihle lidelile, kwasala indawana eyodwa eyayisenabantu okuthiwa i-Aya Soluk (esiyiSelçuk).

Ukuhambahamba Emanxiweni E-Efesu

Ukuze umuntu athole umbono wenkazimulo i-Efesu eyake yaba nayo, angavakashela emanxiweni ayo. Uma uqala uhambo phezulu ekungeneni, zisuka nje uzowubona kahle uMgwaqo WamaCurete owehla uze uyofika eMtatsheni Wolwazi KaCelsus. Ohlangothini lwesokudla lomgwaqo, iso lakho liyokhangwa i-Odeum—inkundla encane eyakhiwa ngekhulu lesibili C.E. Njengoba yayikwazi ukuhlalisa abantu abangaba ngu-1 500, cishe yayingagcini ngokusetshenziswa njengesigcawu somkhandlu kodwa futhi yayiyindawo yokuzijabulisa yomphakathi. UMgwaqo WamaCurete uphahlwe izakhiwo, ezinjenge-agora yoMbuso lapho kwakudingidwa khona izindaba zoMbuso, ithempeli likaHadrian, imithombo yamanzi kawonk’ uwonke, nezindlu ezisemthambekeni—okwakuhlala kuzo izicukuthwane zase-Efesu.

Ubuhle boMtapo Wolwazi KaCelsus, owakhiwa ngekhulu lesibili C.E., buyokuhlaba umxhwele. Imiqulu yawo eminingi yayigcinwa ezingosini ezisezindongeni egumbini elikhulu lokufundela. Izithombe zetshe ezine ezisebusweni obuhle besakhiwo zazifanekisela izimfanelo eziyinhloko ezazilindeleke kusiphathimandla esiphezulu saseRoma esinjengoCelsus. Lezo zithombe zetshe zazingoSophia (ukuhlakanipha), u-Arete (ubumsulwa), u-Ennoia (ukuzinikela), no-Episteme (ulwazi noma ukuqonda). Imifanekiso yokuqala ngqá ungayibona eMnyuziyamu We-Efesu oseVienna. Eceleni kwegceke elingaphambili lomtapo, kunomnyango omkhulukazi okuyisa kuyi-agora kaTetragonos, imakethe. Kule nkunzi-malanga yesigcawu, esasizungezwe izindawo ezinemipheme zokulula izinyawo, abantu babeqhuba amabhizinisi abo avamile.

Uma usuka lapho ufika eMgwaqweni Wemabuli, oya enkundleni enkulu. Ngemva kokunwetshwa kokugcina kusabusa iRoma, le nkundla yayihlalisa izibukeli ezingaba ngu-25 000. Ingaphambili layo lahlotshiswa laba isimangaliso ngezinsika nangemifanekiso eqoshiwe nebunjiwe. Uvele usibone kahle isiyaluyalu esikhulu esasuswa uDemetriyu, umkhandi wesiliva, ezixukwini ezazibuthanele lapho.

Umgwaqo osuka kule nkundla enkulu uye ethekwini ledolobha awuve umuhle. Ungamamitha angaba ngu-500 ubude nangu-11 ububanzi, uhlotshiswe ngezinsika nhlangothi zombili. Izindawo zokuvivinya umzimba, eyasenkundleni neyasethekwini, zombili ezazenzelwe ukuzilolonga, nazo zakhiwa eceleni kwalo mgwaqo. Isango elihlaba umxhwele letheku elisekugcineni komgwaqo laliwumnyango wokuya emazweni, futhi uhambo lwethu olufushane lwasemanxiweni athakazelisa kakhulu emhlabeni luphelela lapha. UMnyuziyamu We-Efesu oseVienna unomfanekiso wamapulangwe waleli dolobhakazi lasendulo kanye nezakhiwo eziningana zokukhunjulwa.

Uma uhamba kulo mnyuziyamu futhi ubona umfanekiso ka-Arthemisi wase-Efesu, awukwazi ukungacabangi ngokukhuthazela kwamaKristu okuqala e-Efesu. Kwakudingeka aphile edolobheni elibishe ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya neliphuphuthekiswe ubandlululo lwenkolo. Abakhulekeli baka-Arthemisi basiphikisa kakhulu isigijimi soMbuso. (IzEnzo 19:19; Efesu 6:12; IsAmbulo 2:1-3) Kuleyo ndawo elukhuni, ukukhulekela kweqiniso kwasimama. Lokhu kukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso kuzonqoba nalapho inkolo yamanga yanamuhla iphela, njengoba nje ukukhulekelwa kuka-Arthemisi kwasendulo kwaphela.—IsAmbulo 18:4-8.

[Ibalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 26]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

IMAKEDONIYA

ULwandle Olumnyama

I-ASIA MINOR

I-Efesu

ULwandle IMedithera

IGIBHITHE

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

Izinsalela zethempeli lika-Arthemisi

[Izithombe ekhasini 28, 29]

1. UMtapo Wolwazi KaCelsus

2. U-Arete eseduze

3. UMgwaqo Wemabuli, oya enkundleni enkulu