UbuKristu Bekhulu Lokuqala Nonkulunkulu BaseRoma

ENCWADINI ayibhalela uTrajan uMbusi WamaRoma, uPliny Omncane, umbusi waseBhithiniya, wathi: “Yile inqubo engiye ngayisebenzisa ngokuqondene nalabo abamangalelwa phambi kwami ngokuthi bangamaKristu. Bengibabuza ukuthi bangamaKristu yini, futhi uma bevuma bengibabuza okwesibili nokwesithathu ngibasongela ngokubajezisa. Uma bephikelela bengiyala ukuba babulawe.” Ngokuphathelene nalabo ababebulahla ubuKristu ngokuthuka uKristu futhi bakhulekele isithombe sombusi nemifanekiso yonkulunkulu uPliny ayeyilethe esigcawini, wabhala: “Ngikubone kukuhle ukubakhulula.”

AmaKristu okuqala ashushiswa ngenxa yokwenqaba ukukhulekela umbusi nemifanekiso yonkulunkulu abahlukahlukene. Kuthiwani ngezinye izinkolo ezazithe chithi saka eMbusweni WamaRoma? Ibaphi onkulunkulu ababekhulekelwa, futhi amaRoma ayebabheka kanjani? Kungani amaKristu ashushiswa ngenxa yokwenqaba ukwenzela onkulunkulu baseRoma imihlatshelo? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo ziyosisiza namuhla lapho sibhekene nezimo ezifanayo ezihilela ubuqotho bethu kuJehova.

Izinkolo ZoMbuso WamaRoma

Onkulunkulu ababekhulekelwa kuwo wonke uMbuso WamaRoma babebaningi kuhle kwezilimi namasiko akhona. Nakuba ubuJuda babubonakala buyinqaba kumaRoma, abubheka njengenkolo eyamukelekayo (religio licita), futhi abuvikela. Kabili ngosuku ethempelini laseJerusalema, kwakwenzelwa uKhesari nesizwe samaRoma umhlatshelo ngamawundlu amabili nenkunzi. AmaRoma ayengenandaba nokuthi leyo mihlatshelo yayithokozisa unkulunkulu oyedwa noma abaningi. Okwakubalulekile kuwo ukuthi ukuyenza kwakuwubufakazi obanele bokuba qotho kwamaJuda eMbusweni WamaRoma.

Izinhlobonhlobo zokukhulekela kobuqaba zazandile emahlelweni endawo. Izinganekwane zamaGreki zazamukelwa kabanzi, futhi ukubhula kuyinsakavukela. Izinkolo zaseMpumalanga okwakuthiwa ziyimfihlakalo zazithembisa amalungu azo ukuthi ayengeke afe, ayeyokwambulelwa ngokuqondile futhi axhumane nonkulunkulu ngemicikilisho ethile eyimfihlakalo. Lezi zinkolo zasakazekela kuwo wonke umbuso. Amahlelo ayethandwa kakhulu emakhulwini okuqala eminyaka C.E., yilawo ayekhulekela unkulunkulu waseGibhithe uSerapis kanye nonkulunkulukazi u-Isis, unkulunkulukazi oyinhlanzi waseSiriya u-Atargatis nonkulunkulu welanga wasePheresiya uMithra.

Incwadi yeBhayibheli yezEnzo iwubonisa ngokucacile umoya wobuqaba owawukhona ngesikhathi samaKristu okuqala. Ngokwesibonelo, umphathi-sifundazwe saseKhupro ongumRoma wayenomthakathi ongumJuda. (IzE. 13:6, 7) Abantu baseListra babecabanga ukuthi uPawulu unguHermesi nokuthi uBarnaba unguZeyusi, onkulunkulu bamaGreki. (IzE. 14:11-13) Lapho eseFilipi, uPawulu wahlangana nentombazane eyinceku eyayibhula. (IzE. 16:16-18) Lo mphostoli waphawula ukuthi abantu base-Athene ‘babebonakala bethambekele kakhulu kunabanye ekwesabeni onkulunkulu.’ Kulowo muzi, wayebone ne-altare elalibhalwe ukuthi “Kunkulunkulu Ongaziwa.” (IzE. 17:22, 23) Abantu base-Efesu babekhulekela unkulunkulukazi u-Arthemisi. (IzE. 19:1, 23, 24, 34) Abantu ababesesiqhingini saseMelitha bathi uPawulu wayewunkulunkulu ngoba walunywa yinyoka kodwa akwenzekanga lutho kuye. (IzE. 28:3-6) Kulezo zimo, amaKristu kwakudingeka aqaphe amathonya ayengonakalisa ukukhulekelwa kwawo okuhlanzekile.

Inkolo YamaRoma

Njengoba umbuso wawo wawukhula, amaRoma amukela onkulunkulu abasha ayebathola ezizweni ayezinqoba futhi ababheka njengababebonakalisa onkulunkulu ayebazi. Kunokuba ababusi baseRoma bawaqede amahlelo alezo zizwe, babewamukela. Ngakho, inkolo yamaRoma yaba nenqwaba yonkulunkulu kuhle kwabantu bakhona ababenamasiko ahlukahlukene. Ukukhulekela kwaseRoma kwakungadingi ukuba abantu bazinikele kunkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela. Abantu babengakhulekela onkulunkulu abaningana ngesikhathi esisodwa.

Unkulunkulu owayevelele kubantu bomdabu baseRoma kwakunguJupiter, owayebizwa ngokuthi u-Optimus Maximus, okusho ukuthi ongcono nomkhulu kunabo bonke. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi wayezibonakalisa ngomoya, ngemvula, ngombani nangokuduma. Udadewabo kaJupiter, uJuno, obuye abe indlovukazi yakhe owayehlotshaniswa nenyanga, kwakuthiwa uqapha zonke izici zokuphila kwabesifazane. Indodakazi yakhe, uMinerva, yayingunkulunkulukazi wemisebenzi yezandla, ubuchwepheshe, ubuciko nempi.

Uhlu lonkulunkulu bamaRoma lubonakala lungapheli. ULares noPenates babengonkulunkulu bomndeni. UVesta wayengunkulunkulukazi weziko. UJanus onobuso obubili wayengunkulunkulu wazo zonke iziqalo. Umsebenzi ngamunye wawunonkulunkulu wawo. AmaRoma ayekhulekela ngisho nonkulunkulu bezinto ezingabonakali. UPax wayeqapha ukuthula, uSalus eqaphe impilo, uPudicitia isizotha nobumsulwa, uFides ukwethembeka emshadweni, uVirtus isibindi noVoluptas eqaphe injabulo. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi isenzo ngasinye sokuphila komRoma kwasobala nokwangasese sasilawulwa onkulunkulu. Ngakho, ukuze aphumelele kunoma yini ayenzayo, kwakudingeka ajabulise unkulunkulu ofanele ngemithandazo, imihlatshelo nangemikhosi.

Enye indlela yokwazi okwakufunwa yilabo nkulunkulu kwakuwukubheka amabika. Indlela eyinhloko yayiwukubheka izibilini zezilwane ezenziwe umhlatshelo. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi isimo nokubukeka kwazo kwakubonisa ukuthi onkulunkulu babewamukela yini umsebenzi ozokwenziwa.

Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesibili B.C.E., amaRoma ayesefanisa onkulunkulu bawo abavelele nonkulunkulu bamaGreki—uJupiter emfanisa noZeyusi, uJuno emfanisa noHera, njalo njalo. AmaRoma ayesamukele nezinganekwane ezihlobene nonkulunkulu bamaGreki. Lezi zinganekwane zazingabakhulumi kahle labo nkulunkulu ababevezwa benamaphutha nokulinganiselwa njengabantu. Ngokwesibonelo, uZeyusi wayechazwa njengomdlwenguli nomuntu onukubeza izingane owayeba nobuhlobo bobulili nabantu abafayo nalabo okwakuthiwa abafi. Izenzo ezihlazisayo zalabo nkulunkulu—zazivame ukushayelwa ihlombe eleqisayo emidlalweni yeshashalazi yasendulo—zazenza abakhulekeli babo bazizwe benegunya lokuhileleka emanyaleni angachazeki.

Cishe bambalwa abantu abafundile ababezikholelwa lezi zinganekwane. Abanye babezichaza njengemizekeliso. Mhlawumbe yilokho okwabangela uPontiyu Pilatu ukuba abuze umbuzo wakhe odumile othi, “Liyini iqiniso?” (Joh. 18:38) Uye wabhekwa njengobonisa “umuzwa owawuvamile kubantu abafundile, wokuthi ukuzama ukuthola noma yini eyiqiniso ngalezi zinto kwakuyize.”

Ukukhulekela Umbusi

Ukukhulekela umbusi kwaqala ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Augustus (kusukela ngo-27 B.C.E. kuya ku-14 C.E.). Ikakhulu ezifundazweni zaseMpumalanga ezikhuluma isiGreki, abaningi baba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakumelwe nakanjani bambonge u-Augustus, owayenze kwaba nokuchuma nokuthula ngemva kwenkathi ende eyayinezimpi. Abantu babefuna isivikelo esihlala njalo sombusi abambonayo. Babefuna umbuso owawuyokwazi ukunqoba ukwahlukana ngokwenkolo, ukhuthaze ukushisekela ubuzwe, futhi uhlanganise izwe ngaphansi “komsindisi” walo. Ngenxa yalokho, lo mbusi wadunyiswa njengonkulunkulu.

Nakuba u-Augustus ayengavumi ukuba abizwe ngonkulunkulu ngesikhathi esaphila, wagcizelela ukuba kukhulekelwe iRoma Dea eyayiwumfanekiso wombuso waseRoma owenziwe unkulunkulukazi. Waze wakhulekelwa njengonkulunkulu ngemva kokufa kwakhe. Ngakho, uthando lwenkolo nokushisekela ubuzwe kwabantu ezifundazweni kwagxila ekomkhulu lombuso nakubabusi bawo. Lokhu kukhulekela umbusi okusha, okwasakazekela kuzo zonke izifundazwe ngokushesha, kwaba indlela yokukhulekela uMbuso nokuba qotho kuwo.

UDomitian, owabusa kusukela ngo-81 kuya ku-96 C.E., waba ngumbusi wokuqala wamaRoma owafuna ukukhulekelwa njengonkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi sakhe, amaRoma ayesewahlukanisa amaKristu kumaJuda futhi ekuphikisa lokho ayekubheka njengehlelo elisha. Cishe kwakungesikhathi sokubusa kwakhe lapho umphostoli uJohane adingiselwa khona esiqhingini sasePhatmose ngenxa “yokufakaza ngoJesu.”—IsAm. 1:9.

UJohane waloba incwadi yesAmbulo ngesikhathi edingisiwe. Kule ncwadi, ukhuluma ngo-Antipase, umKristu owabulawa ePhergamu, isikhungo esiqavile sokukhulekelwa kombusi. (IsAm. 2:12, 13) Kungenzeka ukuthi umbuso wawusuqalile ukuyala amaKristu ukuba enze imicikilisho yokukhulekela uMbuso. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwase kwenziwa yini noma cha, ngo-112 C.E. uPliny wayesefuna ukuba amaKristu aseBhithiniya enze leyo micikilisho njengoba kuboniswe encwadini ayibhalela uTrajan okukhulunywe ngayo ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko.

UTrajan wayincoma indlela uPliny ayesingatha ngayo amacala ayelethwa kuye futhi wayala ukuba amaKristu ayenqaba ukukhulekela onkulunkulu bamaRoma abulawe. UTrajan wabhala: “Nokho, lapho umuntu ephika ukuthi ungumKristu, futhi ezokwenza kube sobala ukuthi akaseyena, ngokuthandaza konkulunkulu bethu, makaxolelwe uma ephenduka (kungakhathaliseki izinsolo ayebekwe zona).”

AmaRoma ayengacabangi ukuthi kukhona inkolo efuna ukuba abalandeli bayo bazinikele kunkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela. Kwakungadingeki lokhu konkulunkulu bamaRoma, pho kungani uNkulunkulu wamaKristu ayekufuna? Ayenomuzwa wokuthi ukukhulekela onkulunkulu boMbuso kwakumane kubonisa ukuthi uqaphela isimiso sezombangazwe sakhona. Ngakho-ke, ukwenqaba ukubakhulekela kwakubhekwa njengokuvukela umbuso. Njengoba uPliny azibonela, akakwazanga ukuphoqelela iningi lamaKristu ukuba liyekethise kulokhu. Kuwo, ukwenza lokho kwakuyobonisa ukungathembeki kuJehova, futhi amaKristu okuqala amaningi ancamela ukufa kunokuba akhulekele umbusi, okwakuwukukhonza izithombe.

Kungani lokhu kufanele kusithakazelise namuhla? Kwamanye amazwe, izakhamuzi kulindeleke ukuba zikhulekele izimpawu zesizwe. Ngokuqinisekile, thina maKristu siyalihlonipha igunya lohulumeni bezwe. (Roma 13:1) Nokho, endabeni yemikhosi ehilela amafulege esizwe, silalela umyalo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wokuba sizinikele kuye kuphela kanye neseluleko esitholakala eZwini lakhe ‘sokubalekela ukukhonza izithombe’ futhi ‘siziqaphe ezithombeni.’ (1 Kor. 10:14; 1 Joh. 5:21; Nah. 1:2) UJesu wathi: “NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.” (Luka 4:8) Ngakho-ke, kwangathi singaqhubeka sigcina ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu esimkhulekelayo.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]

AmaKristu eqiniso akhulekela uJehova kuphela

[Izithombe ekhasini 3]

AmaKristu okuqala enqaba ukukhulekela umbusi noma imifanekiso yonkulunkulu

UMbusi uDomitian

UZeyusi

[Imithombo]

Emperor Domitian: Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com; Zeus: Photograph by Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com, taken at Archaeological Museum of Istanbul

[Isithombe ekhasini 4]

AmaKristu ase-Efesu enqaba ukukhulekela unkulunkulukazi odumile u-Arthemisi.—IzE. 19:23-41