Apocalypse​—Mbese, Ni Iyo Gutinywa Cyangwa Ni Iyo Gutegerezanywa Amatsiko?

“Muri iki gihe apocalypse si ikintu kivugwa muri Bibiliya gusa, ahubwo yabaye ikintu gishoboka cyane rwose.”​—Byavuzwe na Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, wahoze ari umunyamabanga mukuru w’Umuryango w’Abibumbye.

UBWO buryo umuyobozi ukomeye mu isi yakoreshejemo ijambo “apocalypse,” bugaragaza ukuntu abantu benshi baryumva n’uko baribona rikoreshwa muri za filimi no mu mitwe y’ibitabo, mu ngingo zo mu magazeti no mu nkuru zandikwa mu binyamakuru. Rituma umuntu atekereza ku cyago cyugarije isi. Ariko se mu by’ukuri, ijambo “apocalypse” risobanura iki? Kandi se mu buryo bw’ingenzi kurushaho, ni ubuhe butumwa bukubiye mu gitabo cya Bibiliya cyitwa Apocalypse, cyangwa Ibyahishuwe?

Ijambo “apocalypse” rikomoka ku ijambo ry’Ikigiriki risobanurwa ngo “guhishura,” cyangwa “kuvanaho igitwikirizo.” Ni iki cyakuweho igitwikirizo, cyangwa cyahishuwe mu gitabo cy’Ibyahishuwe cyo muri Bibiliya? Mbese, bwari ubutumwa buhereranye no kurimbuka gusa, integuza isura ibyo gutsembwaho kw’abantu hatagize n’umwe urokoka? Igihe umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Jean Delumeau, akaba ari umwe mu bagize Institut de France yabazwaga icyo yatekerezaga kuri Apocalypse, yagize ati “ni igitabo gitanga ihumure n’ibyiringiro. Abantu bagiye bakabiriza ibigikubiyemo, bakibanda gusa ku bice byacyo bivuga iby’amakuba.”

Kiliziya yo Hambere na Apocalypse

Ni gute “Abakristo” ba mbere babonaga Apocalypse hamwe n’ibyiringiro itanga ku bihereranye n’Ubutegetsi bwa Kristo bw’Imyaka Igihumbi (Millenium) buzategeka isi? Uwo muhanga mu by’amateka nanone yagize ati “kuri jye mbona ko muri rusange Abakristo bo mu binyejana bike bya mbere bari bafite ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi. . . . Mu Bakristo bo mu binyejana bya mbere bizeraga Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi hari harimo cyane cyane uwitwaga Papias, akaba yari umwepisikopi wa Hierapolis ho muri Aziya Ntoya, . . . Mutagatifu Justin wavukiye muri Palesitina, akaba yariciwe i Roma azira ukwizera kwe mu mwaka wa 165, Mutagatifu Irénée, wari umwepisikopi wa Lyon akaba yarapfuye mu mwaka wa 202, Tertullien wapfuye mu mwaka wa 222, hamwe . . . n’umwanditsi ukomeye witwaga Lactance.”

Ku bihereranye na Papias bavuga ko ashobora kuba yariciwe i Perugamo mu mwaka wa 161 cyangwa mu wa 165 I.C. azira ukwizera kwe, igitabo cyitwa The Catholic Encyclopedia kigira kiti “Umwepisikopi Papias wa Hierapolis, akaba yari umwigishwa wa Mutagatifu Yohana, yasaga n’uwaharaniraga ibyo kwizera Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi. Yavugaga ko inyigisho ye yari yarayikomoye ku bantu babayeho mu gihe cy’Intumwa, kandi Irénée avuga ko abandi ‘bari bagize Inteko Nyobozi y’itorero ryo hambere,’ bari barabonye kandi bakumva umwigishwa Yohana, bamumenyeyeho ko kwizera Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi ari kimwe mu bigize inyigisho y’Umwami. Dukurikije Eusebius . . . Papias yemeje mu gitabo cye ko umuzuko w’abapfuye wari kuzakurikirwa n’imyaka igihumbi y’ubwami bwa Kristo bugaragara hano ku isi kandi bw’ikuzo.”

Ni iki ibyo bitubwira ku bihereranye n’ingaruka igitabo cya Apocalypse, cyangwa Ibyahishuwe cyagize ku bizera ba mbere? Mbese, cyabateye ubwoba cyangwa cyabateye kugira ibyiringiro? Mu buryo bushishikaje, abahanga mu by’amateka berekeza ku Bakristo bo mu gihe cya mbere babita ko ari abantu biringira Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi (chilliastes mu Gifaransa), rikomoka ku magambo y’Ikigiriki khiʹli·a eʹte asobanurwa ngo (imyaka igihumbi). Ni koko, abenshi muri bo bari bazwiho ko bizeraga Ubutegetsi bwa Kristo bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, bwari kuzazana imimerere ya paradizo ku isi. Ahantu hamwe rukumbi muri Bibiliya ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi bigaragara mu buryo butaziguye, ni muri Apocalypse, cyangwa Ibyahishuwe (20:1-7). Bityo rero, aho kugira ngo Apocalypse itere abizera ubwoba, ahubwo yatumye bagira ibyiringiro bihebuje. Umwarimu wo muri kaminuza ya Oxford wigisha amateka ya kiliziya witwa Cecil Cadoux, yanditse mu gitabo cye cyitwa The Early Church and the World, amagambo agira ati “ibitekerezo bihereranye n’ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, n’ubwo amaherezo byaje kurekwa, byamaze igihe kirekire bishyigikiwe mu rugero rwagutse muri Kiliziya, bikigishwa na bamwe mu banditsi bubahwaga cyane kurusha abandi.”

Impamvu Ibyiringiro Bishingiye Kuri Apocalypse Byaretswe

Kubera ko igitekerezo cy’uko benshi mu Bakristo ba mbere, niba atari hafi ya bose, biringiraga Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi bwa Kristo buzategeka ku isi izahinduka paradizo ari ikintu cy’ukuri kitavuguruzwa cyabayeho mu mateka, byagenze bite kugira ngo ibyo ‘bitekerezo bihereranye n’ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi’ bibe ‘amaherezo byaraje kurekwa’? Nk’uko intiti yitwa Robert Mounce yabigaragaje, ijora rishobora kwihanganirwa ryabayeho bitewe n’uko “mu buryo bubabaje, benshi mu bari bafite ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi bararetse ibintu byinshi cyane bitangira kwisukiranya mu bwenge bwabo, kandi igihe cy’imyaka igihumbi bakakibonamo uburyo bwose bwo gukabya gukunda ubutunzi bw’umubiri n’ibinezeza.” Ariko kandi, ibyo bitekerezo birangwa no gukabya byashoboraga kuba byarakosowe bitabaye ngombwa kureka ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi.

Mu by’ukuri, igitangaje ni uburyo bwakoreshejwe n’abarwanyaga ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi kugira ngo babikureho. Igitabo cyitwa Dictionnaire de théologie catholique cyerekeza ku mwambari wa kiliziya y’i Roma witwaga Caius (wabayeho mu mpera z’ikinyejana cya kabiri kugeza mu ntangiriro z’icya gatatu) kivuga ko “kugira ngo akureho ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, yahakanye nta mbebya ko igitabo cya Apocalypse [Ibyahishuwe] hamwe n’Ivanjiri ya Mutagatifu Yohana atari iby’ukuri.” Icyo gitabo ikomeza ivuga ko Dionysius, wari umwepisikopi wa Alexandria mu kinyejana cya gatatu, yanditse inyandiko ndende yasenyaga ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, ivuga ko “kugira ngo abuze abahoze bafite icyo gitekerezo gushingira imyizerere yabo kuri Apocalypse ya Mutagatifu Yohana, ntiyashidikanyije no guhakana ko icyo gitabo atari icy’ukuri.” Uko kurwanya ibyiringiro by’imigisha Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi buzazana mu isi babigiranye ubukana, bigaragaza neza ko hari imbaraga ififitse yari irimo ikorera mu banyatewolojiya bo muri icyo gihe.

Umwarimu wo muri kaminuza witwa Norman Cohn yanditse mu gitabo cye cyitwa The Pursuit of the Millennium, ati “mu kinyejana cya gatatu ni bwo ku ncuro ya mbere habayeho imihati yo gushidikanya ku byiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, ubwo Origène, bikaba bishoboka ko ari we wari ufite ijambo rikomeye mu banyatewolojiya bose ba Kiliziya ya kera, yatangiraga kugaragaza ko Ubwami atari ikintu cyari kuzabaho mu buryo nyakuri, ahubwo ko bwari kuzima mu bugingo bw’abizera gusa.” Origène yishingikirije kuri filozofiya ya Kigiriki aho kwishingikiriza kuri Bibiliya, maze apfobya ibyiringiro bihebuje by’imigisha yari kuzaba ku isi mu gihe cy’Ubwami bwa Kimesiya, abihindura ikintu umuntu adashobora gusobanukirwa, ngo ‘ikintu kizaba . . . mu bugingo bw’abizera.’ Umwanditsi w’Umugatolika witwa Léon Gry yaranditse ati “imbaraga za filozofiya ya Kigiriki zari ziganje . . . buhoro buhoro zatumye ibitekerezo bishingiye ku byiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi bizimira.”

“Kiliziya Yatakaje Ubutumwa Bwayo bw’Ibyiringiro”

Nta gushidikanya, Augustin yari Umwanditsi wa Kiliziya wo hambere wagize uruhare rukomeye mu kuvanga filozofiya ya Kigiriki n’icyasaga n’Ubukristo gusa muri icyo gihe cye. N’ubwo yabanje guharanira ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi abigiranye ishyaka ryinshi, amaherezo yaje kwanga igitekerezo icyo ari cyo cyose cy’uko mu gihe kiza hari kuzabaho Ubutegetsi bwa Kristo bw’Imyaka Igihumbi butegeka isi. Yagoretse ibivugwa mu Byahishuwe igice cya 20 avuga ko ari ikigereranyo gusa.

Igitabo cyitwa The Catholic Encyclopedia kigira kiti “amaherezo Augustin yemeje adashidikanya ko nta Butegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi buzabaho. . . . Atubwira ko umuzuko wa mbere uvugwa muri icyo gice, werekeza ku kuvuka bwa kabiri mu buryo bw’umwuka binyuriye ku mubatizo; kandi ko isabato y’imyaka igihumbi ikurikira imyaka ibihumbi bitandatu mu mateka, ari ubuzima bw’iteka bwose uko bwakabaye.” Igitabo cyitwa The New Encyclopædia Britannica kigira kiti “ibisobanuro bya Augustin by’uko Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi ari ikigereranyo byahindutse inyigisho yemewe ya kiliziya . . . Imyizerere y’Abaporotesitanti Bashaka ko Ibintu Bihinduka bo mu bayoboke ba Ruther, Calvin hamwe n’Abangilikani . . . yakomeje kugirana isano ihamye n’ibitekerezo bya Augustin.” Uko ni ko abayoboke b’amadini ya Kristendomu bavukijwe ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi.

Byongeye kandi, dukurikije umuhanga mu bya tewolojiya wo mu Busuwisi witwa Frédéric de Rougemont, “binyuriye mu kwihakana ukwizera kwe kwa mbere ku bihereranye n’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, [Augustin] yononnye Kiliziya mu buryo butavugwa. Kubera ko izina rye ryari rifite imbaraga nyinshi, yashyigikiye ikosa ryatumye [Kiliziya] ivutswa ubwiza yari ifite ku isi.” Umuhanga mu bya tewolojiya wo mu Budage witwa Adolf Harnack na we yemeza ko kwanga imyizerere y’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi byavukije rubanda rusanzwe “idini rusobanukiwe” birisimbuza “idini rya kera n’ibyiringiro bya kera” ruhabwa “idini rutashoboraga gusobanukirwa.” Kuba mu bihugu byinshi muri iki gihe usanga insengero zisigayemo ubusa, ni igihamya gikomeye kigaragaza ko abantu bakeneye idini hamwe n’ibyiringiro bashobora gusobanukirwa.

Intiti mu bya Bibiliya yitwa George Beasley-Murray yanditse mu gitabo cyayo cyitwa Highlights of the Book of Revelation, amagambo agira ati “kubera ko ahanini ku ruhande rumwe Abagatolika n’Abaporotesitanti bagenderaga ku bitekerezo bya Augustin mu buryo bukomeye, kandi ku rundi ruhande hakaba hari hari udutsiko tw’ingirwadini twari dufite ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, bafatanyirije hamwe mu kubirwanya. Iyo ubabajije ibyiringiro byo gusimbura ibyo ngibyo baha umuntu uri muri iyi si, igisubizo cyemewe bahurizaho ni iki gikurikira: nta bihari. Isi izarimburwa ubwo Kristo azagaruka, isimburwe n’ijuru ry’iteka hamwe n’umuriro w’iteka, aho amateka azibagirana. . . . Kiliziya yatakaje ubutumwa bwayo bw’ibyiringiro.”

Ibyiringiro Bihebuje Byo Muri Apocalypse Biracyariho!

Abahamya ba Yehova bo, biringira badashidikanya ko amasezerano ahebuje yerekeranye n’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi azasohozwa. Mu kiganiro umuhanga mu by’amateka w’Umufaransa witwa Jean Delumeau yagiranye na porogaramu ya televiziyo yo mu Bufaransa ku ngingo yari ifite umutwe uvuga ngo “Umwaka wa 2000: Gutinya Apocalypse,” yagize ati “Abahamya ba Yehova bakurikiza neza neza umurongo w’abafite ibyiringiro by’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi, kubera ko bavuga ko vuba aha . . . tuzinjira mu gihe cy’imyaka 1.000 y’ibyishimo​—ariko tubanje kunyura mu byago bikomeye.”

Ibyo ni byo intumwa Yohana yabonye mu iyerekwa, kandi ikabisobanura mu gitabo yanditse cya Apocalypse, cyangwa Ibyahishuwe. Yaranditse iti “mbona ijuru rishya n’isi nshya . . . Numva ijwi rirenga rivuye kuri ya ntebe rivuga riti ‘dore ihema ry’Imana riri hamwe n’abantu, kandi izaturana na bo, na bo bazaba abantu bayo, kandi Imana ubwayo izaturana na bo, ibe Imana yabo. Izahanagura amarira yose ku maso yabo, kandi urupfu ntiruzabaho ukundi, kandi umuborogo cyangwa gutaka cyangwa kuribwa ntibizabaho ukundi: kuko ibya mbere bishize.’ ”​—Ibyahishuwe 21:1, 3, 4.

Abahamya ba Yehova barimo barakora umurimo wo mu rwego rw’isi yose wo kwigisha Bibiliya, kugira ngo batume abantu benshi uko bishoboka kose bagira ibyo byiringiro. Bazishimira kugufasha kumenya byinshi kurushaho ku birebana na byo.

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Papias yavuze ko inyigisho y’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi yayikomoraga mu buryo butaziguye ku bantu babanye n’intumwa

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Tertullien yizeraga Ubutegetsi bwa Kristo bw’Imyaka Igihumbi

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Cliché Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris

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“Binyuriye mu kwihakana ukwizera kwe kwa mbere ku bihereranye n’ubutegetsi bw’imyaka igihumbi, [Augustin] yononnye Kiliziya mu buryo butavugwa”

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Isi izahinduka Paradizo yasezeranyijwe muri Apocalypse ni ikintu dukwiriye gutegerezanya amatsiko menshi