Bararwanye urugamba kugira bamamaze inkuru nziza i Tesalonika

Tesalonika, ahitwa Tesaloniki canke Salonika muri iki gihe, ni igisagara giteye imbere gifise ikivuko, kikaba kiri mu buraruko bushira ubuseruko bw’Ubugiriki. Ico gisagara caragize uruhara ruhambaye muri kahise k’abakirisu bo mu kinjana ca mbere, na canecane mu bijanye n’igikorwa caranguwe na Paulo, ya ntumwa ya Kristu ku mahanga.​—IVYAKOZWE 9:15; ABAROMA 11:13.

NKO mu mwaka wa 50 G.C. (G.C. bisobanura “mu Gihe Cacu”), Paulo n’uwo bari bafadikanije urugendo, ari we Silasi, barashitse i Tesalonika. Bari mu rugendo rw’ubumisiyonari rugira kabiri rwa Paulo, kakaba ari ko karyo ka mbere bari baronse ko gushikana inkuru nziza yerekeye Kristu mu gice c’isi ubu citwa Uburaya.

Bashitse i Tesalonika, nta gukeka ko bari bacibuka neza ingene bakubiswe bakongera bagapfungwa i Filipi, igisagara gikuru ca Makedoniya. Kukaba nkako, mu nyuma Paulo yarabwiye Abanyatesalonika yuko igihe yabagendera yamamaje “inkuru nziza y’Imana hariko n’urugamba rukomeye.” (1 Abatesalonika 2:1, 2) Aho i Tesalonika vyoba vyari kworoha gusumba i Filipi? Igikorwa co kwamamaza cogenze gute muri ico gisagara? Coba covuyemwo ivyiza? Imbere ya vyose, reka turabe ivyerekeye ico gisagara ca kera ubwaco.

Igisagara caranzwemwo imidurumbanyo

N’izina Tesalonika ubwaryo, irikomoka ku majambo abiri y’ikigiriki asobanura “Abanyatesali” be n’“intsinzi,” ririmwo iciyumviro c’ukurwana urugamba. Bivugwa yuko mu 352 B.G.C. (B.G.C. bisobanura “imbere y’igihe cacu”), Umwami Filipo wa kabiri wa Makedoniya, se wa Alegizandere Mukuru, yanesheje ubwoko bumwe bwo hagati mu Bugiriki i Tesali. Bivugwa ko mu kwibukiriza iyo ntsinzi yaciye yita umwe mu bakobwa biwe Tesalonike, uno akaba yahavuye atwarwa na Kasandere, uwasubiriye musazawe Alegizandere ku ngoma. Nko mu 315 B.G.C., Kasandere yarubatse igisagara ku ruhande rwo mu burengero rw’agace k’isi kinjira mu mazi kitwa Chalcidique, aca agiha izina ry’umugore wiwe. Igisagara ca Tesalonika camye gitabagurwa n’indyane muri kahise kaco kose.

Tesalonika cari n’igisagara gitunze. Cari gifise kimwe mu bivuko bitakozwe n’abantu vyiza kuruta ibindi vyose vyo ku kiyaga Égée. Mu gihe c’Abaroma, ico gisagara cari kandi giherereye hafi y’ibarabara rurangiranwa ryitwa Via Egnatia. Kubera ko ico gisagara ca Tesalonika cari ahantu heza gutyo iruhande y’ikiyaga n’iruhande y’amabarabara, cari kimwe mu bibanza bacishamwo ibidandazwa mu Nganji y’Uburoma. Mu myaka n’iyindi, ubutunzi bw’ico gisagara bwatumye abantu benshi bamiramitwa: uri abitwa Abagoti, uri Abaslave, uri Abafranki, uri Abanyavenize n’Abanyatirkiya. Bamwebamwe muri bo bacigaruriye ku nguvu kandi harinze guseseka amaraso. Reka ubu na ho twibande ku rugendo rwa Paulo, igihe urugamba rwo kwamamaza inkuru nziza rwatangura.

Paulo ashika i Tesalonika

Paulo ashitse mu gisagara gishasha, akenshi yaca abanza gutumbera Abayuda kubera ko bari bamenyereye Ivyanditswe vyeranda, bikaba ari vyo yaca afatirako mu kuyaga na bo kugira abafashe gutahura inkuru nziza. Incabwenge imwe mu vya Bibiliya ibona yuko ico kintu Paulo yama akora gishobora kuba cerekana yuko yari arajwe ishinga n’Abayuda bagenziwe canke ko yarondera ukuntu Abayuda n’abandi batinya Imana bomubera nk’ikiraro acako kugira arangurire igikorwa ciwe mu Banyamahanga.​—Ivyakozwe 17:2-4.

Paulo ashitse rero i Tesalonika, yaciye abanza kwinjira mw’isinagogi y’Abayuda maze “azirikana hamwe na bo afatiye ku Vyanditswe, asigura yongera yemeza akoresheje ibintu vyanditswe yuko vyari nkenerwa ko Kristu acumukura hanyuma akazuka mu bapfuye, avuga kandi ati: ‘Uyo ni we Kristu, uyo Yezu ndiko ndabamenyesha.’”​—Ivyakozwe 17:2, 3, 10.

Paulo yarashize ahabona Mesiya uwo ari we be n’uruhara arangura, iyo nyigisho ikaba yarateye impari. Inyigisho y’uko Mesiya yashikiwe n’imibabaro, yari ihushanye n’ivyiyumviro Abayuda bari bafise kuko bari biteze Mesiya abarwanira akabakiza. Kugira Paulo ajijure Abayuda, yarakoresheje ubuhinga nyabwo buranga umwigisha kirumara: yarabafashije ‘kuzirikana,’ ‘arasigura’ yongera ‘aremeza akoresheje ibintu vyanditswe’ mw’Ijambo ry’Imana.a None abo yariko arabwira ivyo bintu vy’agaciro bavyakiriye gute?

Baroranirwa ariko bagashikirwa n’ivyago

Abayuda bamwebamwe n’Abagiriki benshi bahindukiriye idini ry’Abayuda hamwe n’“abagore bakurubakuru batari bake” barakiriye ubutumwa Paulo yashikirije. Iyo mvugo ngo “abagore bakurubakuru” irabereye koko kubera ko abagore b’i Makedoniya bahabwa ikibanza kiri hejuru mu kibano. Barashingwa amabanga muri Leta, bakagira amatungo n’amatongo vyabo bwite, bakagira uburenganzira bumwebumwe mu vy’igihugu, bagakora n’urudandaza. Mbere barubakirwa ivyibutso vyo kubatera iteka. Nk’uko Lidiya wa mudandazakazi w’i Filipi yari yarakiriye inkuru nziza, abagore bakurubakuru b’i Tesalonika na bo nyene barayakiriye bimwe biboneka. Abo bagore bashobora kuba bari abapfasoni bo mu miryango yiyubashe canke abagore b’abagabo bakomakomeye b’abenegihugu.​—Ivyakozwe 16:14, 15; 17:4.

Ariko rero, Abayuda ryaciye riniga. Baciye barondera abo kubafasha, ni ukuvuga “abagabo bamwe b’ababisha mu birirwa bicaye mu kaguriro, barema akagwi baca batangura gutera intureka mu gisagara.” (Ivyakozwe 17:5) Abo bagabo bari abantu bwoko ki? Incabwenge imwe mu vya Bibiliya ivuga ko bari “ibihumbu n’imburakimazi.” Yongerako iti: “Nta cerekana ko bari bababaye na gato ubutumwa Paulo yashikiriza; ahubwo riho, cokimwe n’utundi tugwi dutera umudugararo, bari abantu bihutira kujana na rwo kandi bakokezwa ngo bakore ibikorwa ivyo ari vyo vyose vy’ubukazi.”

Ako kagwi kaciye “[g]atera inzu ya Yasoni [uwari yakiriye Paulo], barondera kuzana Paulo na Silasi ku mugwi w’abari bagumutse.” Babuze Paulo, baciye bitura abakuru b’igisagara bo ku rwego rwo hejuru. Ni kwo guca “baburuta Yasoni n’abavukanyi bamwe, babajana ku batware b’igisagara, basemerera bati: ‘Ba bantu batembagaje isi bari n’ino.’”​—Ivyakozwe 17:5, 6.

Kubera ko igisagara ca Tesalonika cari co mugwa mukuru wa Makedoniya, cari gifise ubwigenge ku rugero runaka. Mu bari bagize intwaro yaho yigenga harimwo inama y’abanyagihugu canke y’abenegihugu yatunganya ibibazo vy’abanyagihugu baho. Abo “batware b’igisagara”b bari abategetsi bakurubakuru bajejwe kuzigama urutonde no guhwamika ibintu vyashobora gutuma Abaroma bahaseruka, bigatuma ico gisagara gitakaza uduteka cari gifise. Bumvise rero yuko ngo abo bagumutsi Paulo na Silasi bageramiye amahoro y’abanyagihugu, bari guca bahagarika umutima.

Hinge rero ba bagabo bace bashikiriza icagirizo c’agacamutwe bati: “Abo bantu . . . barwanya ingingo zashinzwe na Sezari, bakavuga ko hariho uwundi mwami, ari we Yezu.” (Ivyakozwe 17:7) Umunyatewolojiya umwe avuga ko ukwo kwari ukwagirizwa “ukugumuka n’ukugarariza” abami b’Inganji y’Uburoma, bano bakaba “batashobora kwemera ko hagira izina ry’[uwundi] mwami rivugwa mu ntara n’imwe mu zaneshejwe, kiretse babitangiye uruhusha.” Vyongeye, kuba Yezu, uwo Paulo yamamaza ko ari Umwami, yari yarishwe n’abategetsi b’Abaroma yagirizwa ubugumutsi nyene, vyatuma ivyo bariko bagiriza ba Paulo biboneka ko ari ukuri.​—Luka 23:2.

Abatware b’igisagara baciye bahagarika umutima. Ariko kubera ko ata bimenyamenya bifashe vyari bihari kandi abagirizwa bakaba bari bababuze, aho nya batware b’igisagara “bamariye kuronka ingwati ihagije kuri Yasoni n’abandi, . . . [baciye ba]barekura.” (Ivyakozwe 17:8, 9) Iyo ngwati Yasoni n’abandi bakirisu batanze ishobora kuba yari ingwati itanga icemeza ko Paulo yovuye muri ico gisagara kandi ntagaruke guteza umudurumbanyo. Ico kintu gishobora kuba ari co Paulo yashaka kuvuga igihe yandika ko ‘Shetani yazibiye inzira yiwe’ akamubuza kugaruka muri ico gisagara.​—1 Abatesalonika 2:18.

Bigenze gutyo, Paulo na Silasi baciye barungikwa i Beroya mw’ijoro. Igikorwa Paulo yaranguriye aho i Beroya na co nyene cararoraniwe, mugabo Abayuda bamurwanya b’i Tesalonika vyarabariye mu mutwe ku buryo baciye bagira urugendo rw’ibilometero 80 n’i Beroya bajanywe no kugumura amasinzi ngo arwanye Paulo na Silasi. Bidatevye, Paulo yaciye asubira gufata akayira aja i Atene, mugabo urugamba rwo kwamamaza inkuru nziza ntirwari bwarangire.​—Ivyakozwe 17:10-14.

Ishengero rishasha ryari rihanzwe

Biranezereye kubona ishengero ryarashinzwe i Tesalonika. Ariko ukurwanywa si co kintu conyene cari gihanze abakirisu baho. Baba mu kibano cuzuyemwo ubupagani n’ubuhumbu, ivyo bikaba vyaratera Paulo umutima uhagaze. Yaribaza ukuntu vyogendeye abavukanyi biwe.​—1 Abatesalonika 2:17; 3:1, 2, 5.

Abakirisu b’i Tesalonika bari bazi neza ko baramutse baretse kugira uruhara mu bintu bijanye n’ikibano canke n’idini vyo muri ico gisagara, vyotumye abahoze ari abagenzi babo bajingitwa bakabarakira. (Yohani 17:14) Vyongeye, i Tesalonika hari huzuye insengero z’imana z’Abagiriki nka Zeyu, Arutemi na Apolo, hamwe n’iz’imana z’Abanyamisiri zimwezimwe. Ivy’ugusenga umwami w’Inganji y’Uburoma na vyo nyene vyari vyiganje, kandi zina mwenegihugu yakubitirwa gukurikiza imigenzo ijanye n’ukwo gusenga. Uwahirahira akanka kubigira yarashobora guca yitwa ko agararije Uburoma.

Gusenga ibigirwamana vyaratuma hakorwa ubuhumbu butagira izina. Kabirusi, imana ihambaye y’i Tesalonika, Diyonisi na Aforodite, be na Izisi yo mu Misiri, izo mana zose zari n’ico zihuriyeko: uburyo zasengwa bwari bwuzuyemwo ubushegabo n’akaborerwe vy’agahomerabunwa. Aho i Tesalonika, ubumaraya n’ukubana kw’abatubakanye vyari vyiraye. Ubusambanyi ntibwabonwa ko ari igicumuro. Muri ico kibano cisunga imico y’Abaroma, igitabu kimwe kivuga ko “abanyagihugu [baho] bashobora kwikora ku bagabo no ku bagore benshi cane bakora akazi ko guhaza icipfuzo cose umuntu afise; kandi abaganga batanga impanuro y’uko umuntu adakwiye kwica mwene ivyo vyipfuzo.” Ntibitangaje kubona Paulo yarahanuye ashimitse abakirisu baho ‘kwirinda ubusambanyi’ n’“inambu y’umubiri y’intahomwa” be n’“ubuhumane.”​—1 Abatesalonika 4:3-8.

Baratsinze urugamba

Abakirisu b’i Tesalonika babwirizwa kurwanira ukwizera bivuye inyuma. Ariko naho barwanywa, bagashikirwa n’ingorane kandi bakaba mu kibano cuzuyemwo ubupagani n’ubuhumbu, Paulo yarabakeje kubera ‘igikorwa cabo kiva ku kwizera, ukubira akuya kwabo kuvuye ku rukundo, be n’ukwihangana kwabo,’ no kubera uruhara bagize kugira inkuru nziza ikwiragire hose.​—1 Abatesalonika 1:3, 8.

Mu 303 G.C., mu Nganji y’Uburoma haradutse uruhamo rukaze ku bakirisu. Umuntu yakokeje cane urwo ruhamo ni Sezari Galeriyo, uwaba i Tesalonika akaba kandi yarahasharije n’inyubakwa nziza cane. Ibisigarira vya zimwezimwe muri izo nyubakwa biracariho ku buryo ingenzi zishobora kubiratira ijisho.

Muri iki gihe, Ivyabona vya Yehova b’i Tesaloniki barabwira abandi bantu inkuru nziza, kenshi bakayibabwira bahagaze imbere y’ivyo uwo mwansi w’ubukirisu w’ikirara yubatse. Naho mu kinjana ca 20 vyagiye birashika bagakora ico gikorwa bari mu ruhamo rukaze, ubu mu karere kose k’ico gisagara hari amashengero nka 60 y’Ivyabona vya Yehova b’abanyamwete. Akigoro bagira karerekana ko urugamba rwo gukwiragiza inkuru nziza rutararangira be n’uko rukibandanya kuvamwo ivyiza naho rumaze ibinjana n’ibindi rutanguye.

[Utujambo tw’epfo]

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(Ushaka igisomwa cose, raba iki kinyamakuru)

Ibarabara Via Egnatia

MAKEDONIYA

Filipi

Amfipoli

Tesalonika

Beroya

TESALI

Ikiyaga Égée

ATENE

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Hejuru: Tesaloniki muri iki gihe

Hepfo: Inyubakwa y’imiheto n’ubwogero mu kaguriro (Agora)

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Amafoto abiri yo munsi ibubamfu: 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

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Inyubakwa y’umuzingi hafi y’icubakano ciswe umuheto wa Galeriyo; ishusho ya Sezari Galeriyo; abariko bamamaza hafi y’umuheto wa Galeriyo

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Agafoto ko hagati: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

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Umudari uriko umutwe: © Bibliothèque nationale de France; ivyandiko biri kw’ibuye: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism