Saul—Dɔwɔnu Tiatia na Aƒetɔ La

SAUL si tso Tarso nye amesi tia Kristo yomedzelawo yome hewua wo tsã. Gake etsɔme si to vovo kurae nɔ Aƒetɔa si nɛ. Saul ava zu nusi tututu ŋuti wòtsi tre ɖo vevie la teƒenɔla ɖedzesi aɖe. Yesu gblɔ be: “Amesia [Saul] enye dɔwɔnu tiatia nam, be wòatsɔ nye ŋkɔ la ayi ɖe trɔ̃subɔlawo kple fiawo kpakple Israel-viwo ƒe ŋku me.”—Dɔwɔwɔwo 9:15.

Saul ƒe agbenɔnɔ esime wònye “vlodola” tsã la trɔ keŋkeŋ esime wokpɔ nublanui nɛ ale be wòva zu Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo ƒe “dɔwɔnu tiatia” aɖe. (Timoteo I, 1:12, 13) Esi Saul va zu Kristotɔ apostolo Paulo la, etrɔ ŋusẽ si ʋãe wòkpɔ gome le kpeƒuƒu Stefano me eye wòti Yesu ƒe nusrɔ̃lawo yome le mɔ vovovowo nu la ɖe nu bubuwo ŋu kura. Edze ƒã be Yesu kpɔ nɔnɔme nyui aɖewo le Saul ŋu. Nɔnɔme kawoe? Amekae nye Saul? Aleke amesi wònye la na be wòdze na nyateƒe tadedeagu la dodo ɖe ŋgɔe? Ðe míate ŋu asrɔ̃ nane tso nuteƒekpɔkpɔ siwo su esi la mea?

Ƒome si me Saul Tso

Esime woƒu kpe Stefano le ƒe 33 M.Ŋ. ƒe Pentekostea megbe teti la, “ɖekakpui” koe Saul nye. Esime wònɔ agbalẽ ŋlɔm na Filemon le ƒe 60-61 M.Ŋ. me lɔƒo la, ezu ‘ame tsitsi.’ (Dɔwɔwɔwo 7:57; Filemon 9) Agbalẽnyalawo gblɔ be le blematɔwo ƒe ƒexexlẽ nu la, “ɖekakpui” anye amesi le ƒe 24 kple 40 domee, eye “ame tsitsi” anye amesi xɔ tso ƒe 50 vaseɖe ƒe 56. Le esia ta ɖewohĩ ƒe ʋee aɖewo le Yesu dzidzi megbee woanya dzi Saul.

Ɣemaɣi la, Yudatɔwo nɔ xexeame ƒe akpa vovovowo. Dukɔ bubuwo ƒe wo dzi dzedze, kluvinyenye, aboyoɖeɖe wo, asitsatsa, kple ʋuʋu le wo ɖokui si nye nusiwo na wokaka tso Yudea la dometɔ aɖewo. Togbɔ be Saul tso Yudatɔ siwo le gbedzi ƒe ƒome me hã la, ete gbe ɖe alesi woléa Sea me ɖe asii dzi esi wògblɔ be ‘ŋkeke enyiagbee wotso aʋa na ye eye yetso Israel-dukɔa me, tso Benyamin ƒe to la me, Hebri-vidzidzi tso Hebritɔwo me; le sea nu la, Farisitɔe yenye.’ Saul tɔ ame xɔŋkɔ aɖe si nɔ woƒe toa me—Israel fia gbãtɔ—ƒe Hebrigbe me ŋkɔ. Esi Saul si tso Tarso nye Roma-vidzidzi tso edziɣi ke ta la, Latingbe me ŋkɔ si nye Paullus hã nɔ Saul si.—Filipitɔwo 3:5; Dɔwɔwɔwo 13:21; 22:25-29.

Saul dzidzi Romatɔe fia be dumevinyenye ƒe mɔnukpɔkpɔ aɖe nɔ tɔgbuia aɖe si. Le mɔ ka nu? Eƒe mɔnu geɖe li. Tsɔ kpe ɖe dumevinyenyea domenyinyi ŋuti la, wote ŋu nanɛ ame ɖekaɖekawo alo amewo ƒe ƒuƒoƒo le esi wodze le nanewo koŋ ta loo, le dunyahehe ta loo, alo abe Dziɖuɖua ƒe dɔ ɖedzesi aɖe wɔwɔ ƒe teƒeɖoɖo ene. Kluvi si te ŋu ƒle ablɔɖe tso Romatɔ aɖe gbɔ, alo esi Romatɔ aɖe na ablɔɖee la ŋutɔ zua Romatɔ. Nenema ke amesi ŋu woɖe asi le le Roma-srafowo me la hã ate ŋu azui. Amesiwo le dutanyigba siwo dzi ɖum Roma le la hã ate ŋu ava zu dukɔmeviwo. Wogblɔ hã be le ɣeyiɣi aɖe me la, wotsɔ ga gbogbo aɖe ƒlea dumevinyenyee. Míenya alesi Saul ƒe ƒomea wɔ dumevinyenye su wo si o.

Gake míenya be Tarso si nye Roma ƒe dziɖuƒe si nye Kilikia (si le Turkey ƒe anyiehe gome) ƒe du vevi kple fiadu la mee Saul tso. Togbɔ be Yudatɔwo ƒe ƒuƒoƒo si lolo ʋee nɔ nutoa me hã la, afima gbenɔnɔ ana be Saul nanya nu geɖe tso Trɔ̃subɔdukɔwo ƒe agbenɔnɔ ŋu. Tarso nye du gã si me kesinɔnuwo bɔ ɖo si wonya nyuie be enye Helatɔwo ƒe dekɔnuwo srɔ̃ƒe. Wosusui be amesiwo nɔ afima le ƒe alafa gbãtɔ me la anɔ ame 300,000 va ɖo 500,000. Enye asidu si nɔ Asia Sue, Siria, kple Mesopotamia dome mɔ gã dzi. Asitsatsa kple gbadzaƒe siwo ƒo xlãe, siwo nyoa nukuwo abe bli, wein, kple ɖeti ene koŋ gbɔe Tarso ƒe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ tso. Wolɔ̃a avɔgbadɔtuvɔ siwo wotsɔ gbɔ̃fu lɔ̃e le avɔlɔ̃ƒe siwo wɔ ŋgɔyiyi.

Saul ƒe Sukudede

Saul, alo Paulo, wɔ dzadzraɖo siwo dze la na eɖokui kple hena alɔdodo eƒe dutanyanyuigbɔgblɔdɔa to avɔgbadɔwɔwɔ me. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 18:2, 3; 20:34) Wo de Tarso tɔwo nye avɔgbadɔwɔlawo. Anye be Saul srɔ̃ avɔgbadɔa wɔwɔ le fofoa gbɔ le eƒe ɖevime.

Saul ƒe gbesese—vevietɔ alesi wòse Helagbe si nye gbe si wodona le Roma Fiaɖuƒea me wu la nyuie—hã ɖe vi geɖe nɛ le eƒe dutanyanyuigbɔgblɔdɔa me. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 21:37–22:2) Esi wolé ŋku ɖe eƒe nuŋɔŋlɔwo ŋuti la, wode dzesii be Helagbe si wòŋlɔ la le etɔxɛ. Mezã Hela nyagbe xoxowo alo agbalẽnyala gãwo ƒe nyagbɔgblɔwo le eƒe nuŋɔŋlɔwo me o, ke boŋ esɔ kple esi wotsɔ ŋlɔ Septuagint, Hebri Ŋɔŋlɔawo si gɔme woɖe ɖe Helagbe me si me wòyɔa nya tsoe edziedzi la tɔ. Agbalẽnyala vovovowo nɔ te ɖe kpeɖodzi sia dzi tsɔe be ɖewohĩ Saul anya srɔ̃ Helagbe yi ŋgɔ vie le Yudatɔwo ƒe suku aɖe me. Agbalẽnyala Martin Hengel gblɔ be: “Le blema ɣeyiɣiwo me la, ame aɖeke medea suku nyui aɖeke—vevietɔ Helatɔwo ƒe suku—femaxee o; zi geɖe la, ebia ŋutilã me alɔdodo aɖe ƒomevi.” Eyata Saul ƒe sukudede na wosusui be anye ame ŋkutawo ƒe ƒome aɖe mee wòtso.

Ðewohĩ esime Saul xɔ ƒe 13 la, eyi eƒe sukua dzi le Yerusalem si didi kilometa 840 tso wo de. Gamaliel, si nye Farisitɔwo ƒe kɔnyinyiwo fiala, si wonya nyuie hedea bubu eŋu lae fia nui. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 22:3; 23:6) Nusɔsrɔ̃ mawo, siwo woate ŋu atsɔ asɔ kple nusiwo wosrɔ̃na egbea le yunivɛsiti la ʋu gãnyenye ƒe mɔnukpɔkpɔ le Yuda-subɔsubɔ me nɛ.a

Eƒe Ŋutetewo Zazã ɖe Mɔ Nyui Nu

Esi wodzi Saul ɖe Yudatɔwo ƒe ƒome me eye wònɔ dugã si me Helatɔwo kple Romatɔwo bɔ ɖo ta la, enya nu tso dukɔ etɔ̃ me tɔwo ŋu nyuie. Ðikeke mele eme o be Paulo ƒe gbe geɖe sese kple dukɔ vovovo me tɔwo dome nɔnɔ kpe ɖe eŋu wòzu ‘nusianu na amewo katã.’ (Korintotɔwo I, 9:19-23) Eƒe Romatɔnyenye ʋu mɔ nɛ emegbe be wòaʋli eƒe subɔsubɔdɔa ta le se nu eye wòatsɔ nyanyuia ayi ɖe dziɖula gãtɔ kekeake si nɔ Roma Fiaɖuƒea me la ŋkumee. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 16:37-40; 25:11, 12) Nyateƒee, ŋutete siwo nɔ Saul si, eƒe agbalẽnyanya, kple eƒe amenyenye nɔ nyanya na Yesu si wofɔ ɖe tsitre la, amesi gblɔ na Anania be: “Heyi, elabena amesia enye dɔwɔnu tiatia nam, be wòatsɔ nye ŋkɔ la ayi ɖe trɔ̃subɔlawo kple fiawo kpakple Israel-viwo ƒe ŋku me; elabena nye la mafiae alesi wòle nɛ be, wòakpe fu geɖe le nye ŋkɔ la ŋuti.” (Dɔwɔwɔwo 9:13-16) Esime Saul zã eƒe dzonɔameme ɖe mɔ nyuitɔ nu la, ewɔ akpa vevi aɖe le Fiaɖuƒe gbedasia kaka ɖe anyigbamamã siwo le didiƒe ke la me.

Yesu ƒe Saul tiatia hena dɔdasi tɔxɛ aɖe wɔwɔ nye nudzɔdzɔ tɔxɛ aɖe le Kristotɔwo ƒe ŋutinya me. Ke hã ŋutete kple nɔnɔme vovovo siwo woate ŋu azã bliboe atsɔ akaka nyanyuiae la le Kristotɔ siwo katã li egbea si. Esi Saul se nusi dim Yesu le tso eyama si gɔme la, mehe ɖe megbe kura o. Ewɔ nusianu si wòate ŋui tsɔ do Fiaɖuƒenuwo ɖe ŋgɔe. Ðe wòle nenema le wò hã gowòmea?

[Etenuŋɔŋlɔ]

[Aɖaka/Nɔnɔmetata si le axa 30]

Ŋkɔŋɔŋlɔ Kple Kpeɖoɖo Romatɔnyenye Dzi

Le ƒe 4 kple 9 M.Ŋ. me la, Augusto de se eve tsɔ ɖo Roma-vidzidzi ŋutɔŋutɔwo ƒe ŋkɔ dede agbalẽ me anyii. Ne wodzi vi la, ele be woade ɖevia ƒe ŋkɔ agbalẽ me le ŋkeke 30 domee. Le nuto siwo dzi Roma ɖuna me la, ele be ƒomea natɔ asi akɔ le ame hahoowo ƒe nuŋlɔɖi dɔwɔƒe si dzi woda asi ɖo ƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃la aɖe ŋkume agblɔ be menye ahasivie ɖevia nye o eye enye Roma-vidzidzi. Woŋlɔa dzilawo ƒe ŋkɔ, ɖevia ƒe ŋkɔ kple nenye be ŋutsu alo nyɔnue wònye, kpakple ɣletiŋkeke si dzi wodzii hã. Do ŋgɔ na se siawo dede kura gɔ̃ hã la, wogbugbɔ xlẽa dumevi siwo katã le Roma ƒe dugãwo, dutanyigbawo, kple nutowo me ƒe ŋkɔ ŋlɔna ƒe atɔ̃ ɖesiaɖe.

Eyata woate ŋu akpɔ nuŋlɔɖi xoxo siwo wodzra ɖo nyuie me anya ame ƒe dumevinyenye. Wote ŋu ŋlɔa nuŋlɔɖi sia ƒe kpeɖodzi ɖe nuŋlɔkpe kpokploe siwo wokpa kple ati (esiwo wokpana wònyea eve wote ŋu tsɔ bua wo nɔewo dzii) la dzi na amewo. Le agbalẽnyala aɖewo ƒe nukpɔsusu nu la, esime Paulo gblɔ be Roma-vidzidzie yenye la, ɖewohĩ etsɔ nane ɖo kpe edzii. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 16:37; 22:25-29; 25:11) Esi wònye wobua Romatɔnyenye abe “nu kɔkɔe” ƒe amesinɔnɔ kloe ene eye wòʋua mɔnukpɔkpɔ geɖe ƒe agbo na ame ta, wobua nuŋlɔɖi siawo tɔtrɔ agɔdzedze gã aɖee ŋutɔ. Wowua amesi da alakpa trɔ eƒe dumevinyenye.

[Afi Si Míexɔ Mɔɖeɖe Tso]

Historic Costume in Pictures/Dover Publications, Inc., New York

[Aɖaka/Nɔnɔmetata si le axa 31]

Saul ƒe Roma Ŋkɔ

Nu etɔ̃ ya teti nɔa Roma-vi ɖesiaɖe si nye ŋutsu ƒe ŋkɔ me. Dzigbeŋkɔ, tɔgbuiŋkɔ (si ɖea hlɔ̃ si me wòtso la fiana), kple megbeŋkɔ nɔa esi. Eƒe kpɔɖeŋu nyanyɛ aɖee nye Gaius Julius Caesar. Biblia meyɔa Roma ŋkɔawo katã o, gake ŋutinya me nuŋlɔɖiwo gblɔ be Agripa ŋkɔe nye Marcus Julius Agrippa. Woyɔa Galio be Lucius Junius Gallio. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 18:12; 25:13) Ame ƒe ŋkɔ etɔ̃awo dometɔ eve mamlɛawo si ƒe kpɔɖeŋuwo le Ŋɔŋlɔawo mee nye Pontio Pilato (ete kpe dzi nuŋɔŋlɔ), Sergio Paulo, Klaudio Lisia, kple Porkio Festo.—Dɔwɔwɔwo 4:27; 13:7; 23:26; 24:27.

Míate ŋu agblɔe kple kakaɖedzi ne Saul ƒe ŋkɔ alo eƒe megbeŋkɔe nye Paullus o. Enye nusi bɔ be woatsɔ ŋkɔ aɖe si ame ƒe ƒometɔwo alo ame nyanyɛwo nayɔ na ame akpe ɖe amea ƒe ŋkɔ ŋu. Ate ŋu anye hã be woate ŋu ayɔ Saul si menye Roma ŋkɔ o la nɛ ɖe eteƒe. Agbalẽnyala aɖe gblɔ be: “[Saul] mate ŋu anye Roma ŋkɔ gbeɖe o, gake ate ŋu asɔ nyuie na aƒeme ŋkɔ si woagate ŋu atsɔ na Romatɔe.” Le teƒe siwo wodoa gbe vovovowo le la, nɔnɔmeawoe anya fia ŋkɔ si ƒomevi ame aɖe adi be woayɔ na ye.

[Afi Si Míexɔ Mɔɖeɖe Tso]

Photograph by Israel Museum, ©Israel Antiquities Authority