Saula—Ko ha Ipu Mātuʻaki Fili ki he ʻEikí

KO SAULA ʻo Tāsusí ko ha tokotaha fakafepaki anga-fakapō ia ʻo e kau muimui ʻo Kalaisí. Ka naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e kahaʻu kehe naʻe tuku tauhi ʻe he ʻEikí maʻana. Naʻe pau ke hoko ʻa Saula ko ha fakafofonga tuʻu-ki-muʻa ʻo e meʻa tofu pē ko ia naʻá ne fakafepakiʻi mātuʻaki mālohí. Naʻe pehē ʻe Sīsū: “Ko e ipu matuʻaki fili ʻeni aʻaku [ʻa Saula], ke hapai hoku hingoa ʻi he ʻao ʻo e Senitaile, mo e ngaahi tuʻi, mo haʻa Isileli foki.”​—Ngāue 9:​15.

Ko e moʻui ʻa Saula ʻi he tuʻunga ko e “pauʻu” naʻe liliu fakaʻaufuli ia ʻi he taimi naʻe fakahaaʻi ai kiate ia ʻa e mēsí peá ne hoko ai ko e “ipu matuʻaki fili” ʻa e ʻEiki ko Sīsū Kalaisí. (1 Timote 1:​12, 13) Ko e ngaahi feinga ko ia naʻá ne ueʻi ʻa e kau ʻi hono tolomakaʻi ʻo Sitīvení pea mo e ngaahi ʻohofi kehe ʻo e kau ākonga ʻa Sīsuú naʻe fakahanga ia ki he ngaahi taumuʻa kehekehe fakakātoa ʻi he taimi naʻe hoko ai ʻa Saula ko e ʻapositolo Kalisitiane ko Paulá. Naʻe sio maʻalaʻala ʻa Sīsū ki he ngaahi fasi-ʻa-anga lelei ʻia Saulá. Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi fasi-ʻa-angá? Ko hai ʻa Saula? Naʻe anga-fēfē hono ʻai ia ʻe hono ʻātakaí ke feʻunga ki hono ngāueʻaki ʻi hono fakalahi atu ʻa e lotu moʻoní? ʻE lava ke tau ako ha meʻa mei he meʻa naʻá ne hokosiá?

ʻĀtakai Fakafāmili ʻo Saulá

ʻI he taimi ʻo e fakapoongi ʻo Sitīvení ʻi he hili pē ʻa e Penitekosi he 33 T.S., naʻe kei “talavou” ai ʻa Saula. ʻI heʻene tohi kia Filimone ʻi he 60-​61 T.S. nai, naʻá ne “motuʻa” ai. (Ngāue 7:​58; Filimone 9) ʻOku pehē ʻe he kau mataotaó, fakatatau ki he fakafuofua ʻo e ngaahi taʻumotuʻá he kuonga muʻá, ko e “talavou” ngalingali naʻe ʻuhinga ia ki he taʻumotuʻa ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e 24 mo e 40, neongo ia ko ha “motuʻa” ʻoku mei he taʻu 50 ia ki he taʻu 56. Ko ia, hangehangē naʻe fanauʻi ʻa Saula ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu siʻi pē hili e ʻaloʻi ʻo Sīsuú.

Naʻe nofo ʻa e kau Siú ʻi he taimi ko iá ʻi he ngaahi konga lahi ʻo e māmaní. Ko honau ikunaʻí, tukupōpulá, tuli fakapuleʻangá, pisinisí mo e fili tauʻatāina ke hiki ki ha fonuá naʻe kau ia ʻi he ngaahi tupuʻanga tefito ʻo ʻenau movete mei Siuteá. Neongo ko hono fāmilí ko e kau Siu ʻo e movete mai ko ia, ʻoku fakamamafaʻi ʻe Saula ʻenau mateaki ki he Laó, ʻi he fakamatala ko ia naʻá ne ‘ʻaho valu leva pea kamu, naʻa ne tupu ko e Isileli, ko ha haʻa Penisimani, ko e Hepelu tupu mei he kau Hepeluú; ka lau ki he Laó, ko e Falesi ia.’ Naʻe ngāueʻaki ʻe Saula ʻa e hingoa Hepelū tatau ko ha mēmipa ʻiloa ʻo hono matakalí​—ʻa e ʻuluaki tuʻi ʻo ʻIsilelí. ʻI hono tuʻunga ko ha Loma mei hono fanauʻí, ko Saula ʻo Tāsusí naʻe toe ʻi ai hono hingoa faka-Latina, ko e Paulo.​—Filipai 3:5; Ngāue 13:21; 22:​25-​29.

Ko Saula ʻi hono fanauʻi ko ha Lomá naʻe ʻuhinga iá ko e taha ʻo ʻene fanga kui tangatá naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e monū ʻo e hoko ko e tangataʻifonuá. ʻO anga-fēfē? ʻOku ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻe niʻihi naʻe ala lava ai. Tuku kehe hono maʻu tukufakaholo ʻa e tangataʻifonuá, naʻe lava ke ʻoange ki he faʻahinga tāutaha pe ngaahi kulupu ha ngaahi pale makehe, ki ha taau fakapolitikale pē, pe ko ha pale ʻi ha ngāue lavameʻa ki he Puleʻangá. Ko ha pōpula ʻokú ne malava ke fakatau mai ʻa ʻene tauʻatāiná mei ha Loma, pe ko ha taha ʻoku fakatauʻatāinaʻi ʻe ha tangataʻifonua Loma, ʻe hoko ia tonu ko ha Loma. ʻE pehē pē mo ha mēmipa ki muʻa ʻo e kautaú ʻi hono tukuange mei he ngaahi kongakau Lomá. Naʻe lava ke hoko ʻi ha taimi ʻa e kakai tuʻufonua ʻo e feituʻú ʻoku nau nofo ʻi he ngaahi kolonia Lomá ko ha kau tangataʻifonua. Naʻe toe pehē foki, ʻi he ngaahi vahaʻa taimi pau naʻe maʻu mai ʻaki ʻa e tangataʻifonuá ʻa e fuʻu totongi paʻanga lahi. Ko e anga ʻo e hū ʻa e tangataʻifonuá ki he fāmili ʻo Saulá ʻoku kei misiteli pē ia.

ʻOku tau ʻiloʻi naʻe haʻu ʻa Saulá mei Tāsusi, ko e kolo tefito mo e kolomuʻa ʻo e vahefonua Loma ʻo Silisiá (ʻoku ʻi he taimí ni ia ʻi he fakatonga ʻo Toaké). Neongo naʻe nofo ha kakai Siu tokolahi ʻi he feituʻú, ko e moʻui aí naʻá ne toe fakaeʻa ʻa Saula ki he anga-fakafonua faka-Senitailé. Ko Tāsusí ko ha kolo lahi ia mo moʻumoʻua naʻe ʻiloa ko ha senitā ʻo e ako Fakaului faka-Kalisí, pe faka-Kalisí. ʻOku fokotuʻu ʻe he ngaahi fakafuofuá ʻa hono tokolahi ʻi he ʻuluaki senitulí ki he vahaʻa ʻo e toko 300,000 mo e toko 500,000. Ko ha senitā fefakatauʻaki ia ʻi he hala lahi ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo ʻĒsia Maina, Sīlia, mo Mesopotēmiá. Naʻe tupu ʻa e moʻumoʻua ʻa Tāsusí mei he komēsialé pea ʻi he kelekele lelei ʻa e lautoka takatakaí, ʻa ia naʻe ngaohi tefito ai ʻa e uite, uaine, mo e līneni. Mei heʻene ngaohiʻanga tupenu moʻumoʻuá naʻe haʻu mei ai ʻa e tupenu fulufuluʻikosi ʻa ia naʻe ngaohi mei ai ʻa e ngaahi tēnití.

Ako ʻa Saulá

Naʻe fai ʻe Saula, pe Paula, ha tokonaki faitotonu maʻana peá ne poupouʻi ʻene ngaahi ngāue fakamisinalé ʻaki ʻa e ngaohi tēnití. (Ngāue 18:​2, 3; 20:34) Ko e pisinisi ʻo e ngaohi tēnití naʻe anga-maheniʻaki ia ʻi hono kolo tupuʻangá, ʻa Tāsusi. ʻOku ngalingali naʻe ako ʻe Saula ʻa e pisinisi ngaohi tēnití mei heʻene tamaí ʻi heʻene kei siʻí.

Ko e ʻilo ʻa Saula ki he ngaahi leá​—tautefito ki heʻene pōtoʻi ʻi he lea faka-Kalisí, ʻa e lea anga-maheni ʻa e ʻEmipaea Lomá​—naʻe toe fakamoʻoniʻi ai ʻa ʻene mahuʻinga taʻehanotatau ʻi heʻene ngāue fakamisinalé. (Ngāue 21:37​–22:2) ʻOku pehē ʻe he kau faiʻanalaiso ʻo ʻene ngaahi tohí naʻe lelei ʻaupito ʻa ʻene lea faka-Kalisí. Ko ʻene ngaahi leá ʻoku ʻikai ke fakakuonga muʻa pe tuʻunga fakaako, ka, ʻi hono kehé ʻoku tapua mai ai ʻa ia ʻoku ʻi he Septuagint, ʻa e liliu faka-Kalisi ʻo e Ngaahi Konga Tohitapu Faka-Hepeluú ʻa ia naʻá ne faʻa hiki lea mei ai pe toe fakalea. ʻI he fakamoʻoni ko ení, ʻoku pehē ʻe he kau mataotao kehekehe naʻe maʻu ʻe Saula ha ako tefito lelei pe māʻolunga ange ʻi he faka-Kalisí, mahalo pē ʻi ha akoʻanga faka-Siu. “ʻI he kuonga muʻá ko ha ako lelei ange​—tautefito ko ha ako faka-Kalisi​—naʻe ʻikai fai taʻetotongi ia; ko hono laó, naʻe tomuʻa fakakaukauʻi ki ai ha tokoni fakamatelie,” ko e lau ia ʻa e mataotao ko Martin Hengel. Ko ia ai, ʻoku pehē ʻi he ako ʻa Saulá naʻá ne haʻu mei ha fāmili ʻiloa.

Ngalingali, ʻi heʻene taʻu 13 nai, naʻe hoko atu ʻe Saula ʻene akó ʻi Selusalema, ko e kilomita nai ia ʻe 840 mei ʻapi. Naʻe akoʻi ia ʻi he vaʻe ʻo Kāmelielí, ko ha faiako ʻiloa mo fakavīkivikiʻi māʻolunga ʻo e talatukufakaholo faka-Fālesí. (Ngāue 22:​3; 23:6) Ko e ngaahi ako ko iá, ʻoku fakahoa ia ki ha ako ʻunivēsiti ʻi he ʻahó ni, naʻá ne fakaava ai ʻa e matapā ʻo e faingamālie ki hono maʻu ʻa e tuʻu-ki-muʻa ʻi he lotu faka-Siú.a

Ngāueleleiʻaki ʻa e Ngaahi Pōtoʻí

ʻI hono fanauʻi ki ha fāmili Siu ʻi ha kolo Fakaului faka-Kalisi mo faka-Loma, naʻe kau ai ʻa Saula ki ha kalasi ʻe tolu. Ko ha ʻātakai lea kehekehe fakaemāmani ʻoku ʻikai ha toe veiveiua naʻá ne tokoniʻi ia ke hoko ko e “meʻa kehekehe ki he kakai kehekehe.” (1 Kolinito 9:​19-​23) Ko ʻene hoko ko e tangataʻifonua Lomá naʻá ne fakaʻatā ai ia ki mui ke ne maluʻi fakalao ʻa ʻene ngāue fakafaifekaú pea ʻave ʻa e ongoongo leleí ki he ʻao ʻo e mafai māʻolunga taha ʻi he ʻEmipaea Lomá. (Ngāue 16:​37-​40; 25:​11, 12) Ko e moʻoni, ko e ʻātakai ʻo Saulá, akó, mo e ʻulungāngá naʻe ʻiloa ia ʻe Sīsū naʻe toetuʻú, ʻa ia naʻá ne pehē kia ʻAnanaia: “ʻAlu pe; he ko e ipu matuʻaki fili ʻeni aʻaku, ke hapai hoku hingoa ʻi he ʻao ʻo e Senitaile, mo e ngaahi tuʻi, mo haʻa Isileli foki: he ko au te u fakahā kiate ia ʻae ngaahi fuʻu mamahi ʻe to kiate ia koeʻuhi ko hoku hingoa.” (Ngāue 9:​13-​16) ʻI he fou ʻi he hala totonú, ko e faivelenga ʻa Saulá naʻe hoko ia ko e meʻangāue ʻi hono fakamafola ʻa e pōpoaki ʻo e Puleʻangá ki he ngaahi feituʻu mamaʻó.

Ko e fili ʻe Sīsū ʻa Saula ki ha ngāue makehé ko ha meʻa laulōtaha ia ʻi he hisitōlia faka-Kalisitiané. Neongo ia, ko e kau Kalisitiane kotoa ʻi he ʻaho ní ʻoku nau maʻu tāutaha ʻa e ngaahi pōtoʻi mo e ngaahi ʻulungaanga ʻa ia ʻe lava ke ngāueʻaki ola lelei ia ʻi hono fakamafola ʻa e ongoongo leleí. ʻI he mahino kia Saula ʻa e meʻa naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe Sīsū meiate iá, naʻe ʻikai te ne toe tatali. Naʻá ne fai ʻa e meʻa kotoa naʻá ne malavá ke poupouʻiʻaki ʻa e ngaahi meʻa mahuʻinga ʻo e Puleʻangá. ʻOku hoko moʻoni ia ʻiate koe?

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]

[Puha/Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 30]

Lēsisita mo e Fakapapauʻi ʻo e Tangataʻifonua Lomá

Ko hono lēsisita ʻo e fānau mali ʻa e tangataʻifonua Lomá naʻe fokotuʻu ia ʻe ʻAokositusi ʻaki ʻa e ongo lao ʻe ua ʻa ia naʻe fakahoko ia ʻi he taʻu 4 pea ʻi he taʻu 9 T.S. Naʻe pau ke fai ʻa e lēsisitá ʻi loto ʻi he ʻaho ʻe 30 ʻo hono fanauʻí. ʻI he ngaahi vahefonuá, naʻe pau ke fai ʻe ha fāmili ha kole ʻi he ʻao ʻo ha fakamaau ʻi he ʻōfisi lēkooti kakai totonú, ʻo fakahaaʻi ai ko e kiʻi tama mali pea naʻá ne tangataʻifonua Loma. Ko e hingoa ʻo e ongo mātuʻá, ko e tangata pe fefine ʻa e tamá mo hono hingoá, pea mo e ʻaho fāʻeleʻí naʻe toe lēsisita mo ia. Naʻa mo e ki muʻa ke fakahoko mai ʻa e ngaahi lao ko ení, ko e lēsisita ʻo e kau tangataʻifonua ʻi he ngaahi kolo mavahe, ngaahi kolonia, mo e ngaahi kolo puleʻi fakaefakamaau faka-Loma kotoa pē naʻe fakafoʻou ia ʻi he taʻu ʻe nima kotoa pē ʻo fakafou ʻi ha tohi kakai.

Ko e tuʻunga ʻo e tokotahá naʻe lava ke fakahaaʻi ia ʻaki ʻa e vakai ki ha fakamoʻoni ʻo e ngaahi lēkooti kuo tauhi lelei. Ko e ngaahi tatau fakamoʻoni ʻo e ngaahi lēkooti peheé naʻe lava ke maʻu ia ʻi ha ngaahi konga papa toʻotoʻo (ʻo e ngaahi pepa pelupelu). ʻI he fakakaukau ʻa e kau mataotao ʻe niʻihi, ʻi he taimi naʻe taukaveʻi ai ʻe Paula ʻa ʻene tangataʻifonua Lomá, naʻá ne malava nai ke ʻoange ha tohi fakamoʻoni ko ha kaungāfakamoʻoni. (Ngāue 16:37; 22:​25-​29; 25:11) Koeʻuhi naʻe fai ʻa e vakai ki he tangataʻifonua Lomá ʻokú ne meimei maʻu ʻa e “anga toputapu” peá ne fakanofo ai ha taha ki he ngaahi monū lahi, ko e tohi nima kākaaʻi ʻo e ngaahi tohi fakamoʻoni peheé naʻe hoko ia ko ha hia mafatukituki lahi fakaʻulia. Ko hono tohi nima loiʻi ha tuʻunga ʻo ha taha naʻe tautea mate ia.

[Maʻuʻanga ʻo e Tā]

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

[Puha/Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 31]

Hingoa Faka-Loma ʻo Saulá

Ko e tangataʻifonua Loma kotoa pē naʻá ne maʻu ʻo ʻikai siʻi hifo ʻi he ngaahi konga ʻe tolu ki hono hingoá. Naʻe ʻi ai hono hingoa ʻuluaki, ko ha hingoa fakafāmili (felāveʻi mo hono matakalí, pe gens), mo ha fakaiku. Ko e fakatātā ʻiloa ʻe taha ko Keio Suliasi Sisa. ʻOku ʻikai ʻomai ʻe he Tohitapú ʻa e ngaahi hingoa kakato faka-Lomá, ka ko e ngaahi maʻuʻanga fakamatala fakaemāmaní ʻoku tala mai ai kiate kitautolu ko ʻAkilipá naʻe Mākisi Suliasi ʻAkilipa. Ko Kalió naʻe Lusiasi Suniasi Kalio. (Ngāue 18:12; 25:13) Ko e ngaahi fakatātā Fakatohitapu ki he hingoa ʻe ua fakamuimui ʻo ha hingoa ʻe tolu ʻo ha tokotaha ko e Ponitō Pailato (tātongitongi ʻi laló), Sēsio Paula, Kāloti Lisia, mo Posio Fesito.​—Ngāue 4:​27; 13:7; 23:26; 24:27.

ʻOku ʻikai malava ke fokotuʻu ʻaki ʻa e fakapapau pe ko e Pauló ko e ʻuluaki hingoa ia ʻo Saulá pe ko hono fakaikú. Naʻe ʻikai ngali-kehe ke tānaki anga-maheni atu pē ha toe hingoa ʻe taha ʻa ia naʻe uiʻaki nai ha taha ʻe hono fāmilí mo e ngaahi mahení. ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, ko ha hingoa ʻikai faka-Loma ʻo hangē ko e Saulá naʻe lava ke ngāueʻaki ia ko ha fetongi. “[Ko e Saulá] ʻe ʻikai ʻaupito feʻunga ia ke hoko ko ha hingoa faka-Loma,” ko e lau ia ʻa ha mataotao ʻe taha, “ka ko ha hingoa tuʻufonua ʻoku ʻoange ko ha signum ki ha tangataʻifonua Loma ʻe lelei moʻoni ia.” ʻI he ngaahi feituʻu lea kehekehé, ʻe fakapapauʻi nai ʻi he tuʻungá pe ko fē ʻi hono ngaahi hingoá ʻe fili nai ʻe ha tangata ke ngāueʻakí.

[Maʻuʻanga ʻo e Tā]

Photograph by Israel Museum, ©Israel Antiquities Authority