Justin​—Nyansapɛfo, Ɔkamafo, Ne Mogya Dansefo

YƐPƐ sɛ mohwehwɛ sobo a wɔde bɔ Kristofo no mu, na sɛ wosi so dua sɛ ɛte saa a, momma wɔn asotwe a ɛfata wɔn . . . Nanso sɛ obiara ntumi mmu yɛn fɔ wɔ biribi ho a, atɛmpa siw mo kwan sɛ mubegyina atesɛm bɔne so ayɛ nnipa a wɔn ho nni asɛm bɔne . . . Efisɛ, sɛ woasua nokware no na wonnyɛ nea ɛteɛ a, worennya anoyi biara wɔ Onyankopɔn anim.”

Nsɛm yi na Justin Martyr, a na ɔyɛ obi a ɔkyerɛ sɛ ɔyɛ Kristoni a ɔtraa ase wɔ afeha a ɛto so abien Y.B. mu no de kɔdan Roma ɔhempɔn Antoninus Pius. Justin kae sɛ ɔmma asennifo mfa adwempa nhwehwɛ wɔn a wɔkyerɛ sɛ wɔyɛ Kristofo no asetra ne wɔn gyidi mu. Ɔbarima a ne ho abakɔsɛm ne ne nyansapɛ yɛ anigye yiye na obisae sɛ wommu atɛntrenee yi.

N’asetra Mfiase ne Ne Ntetee

Justin yɛ Amanaman muni, wɔwoo no bɛyɛ 110 Y.B. wɔ Samaria kurow Flavia Neapolis, a ɛyɛ nnɛyi Nablus mu. Ɔfrɛɛ ne ho Samariani, ɛwom sɛ ebia na ne papa ne ne nenabarima yɛ Romafo anaasɛ Helafo de. Abosonsom amanne a wɔde tetee no, ne ɔpɛ a onya maa nokware no ma ɔde nsiyɛ suaa nyansapɛ. Esiane sɛ n’ani annye nhwehwɛmu a ɔyɛe wɔ Stoafo, Peripatetikfo, ne Pythagoras akyidifo mu nti, odii Plato nyansapɛ akyi.

Wɔ ne nhoma ahorow no biako mu no, Justin ka ɔpɛ a na ɔwɔ sɛ ɔne nyansapɛfo bɛbɔ nkɔmmɔ no ho asɛm sɛ: “Mede me ho maa Stoani bi; mede bere pii traa ne nkyɛn, na bere a mannya Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ foforo biara (efisɛ n’ankasa nnim) no, . . .migyaw no hɔ na mekɔɔ ɔfoforo nkyɛn.”​—Dialogue of Justin, Philosopher and Martyr, With Trypho, a Jew.

Afei Justin kɔɔ Peripatetikni bi a n’ani gye sika ho yiye sen nokware no nkyɛn. Justin se: “Bere a ɔbarima yi agye me wɔ nna kakraa a edi kan no akyi no, ɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ mentua sika no, na ama mfaso aba yɛn nkɔmmɔbɔ no so. Ɔno nso, migyaw no hɔ a na migye di sɛ ɔnyɛ nyansapɛfo koraa.”

Esiane sɛ na Justin ho pere no sɛ ɔbɛte “nyansapɛ a ɛso nni” nti, “ɔkɔɔ Pythagoras akyidini bi a wagye din yiye nkyɛn​—ɔbarima bi a obu n’ankasa nyansa kɛse.” Justin se: “Bere a mibisabisaa no nsɛm, na mewɔ ɔpɛ sɛ mɛyɛ ne tiefo ne suani no, ɔkae sɛ, ‘Afei dɛn? So wowɔ nnwom, nsoromma, ade susuw ho akontaa ho nimdeɛ? So wohwɛ kwan sɛ wubehu nneɛma [pa] a ɛma wonya asetra a anigye wom no mu bi, bere a wonnii kan nkaa [eyinom] ho asɛm nkyerɛɛ wo no?’ . . . Bere a meka kyerɛɛ no sɛ minnim no, ɔkae sɛ mimfi hɔ nkɔ.”

Ɛwom sɛ Justin aba mu bui de, nanso ɔkɔɔ so hwehwɛɛ nokware denam Plato akyidifo a wɔagye din nkyɛn a ɔkɔe no so. Ose: “Enti, mede me bere pii traa obi a na wabɛtra yɛn kurom hɔ nkyɛe no nkyɛn sɛnea metumi​—ɔbarima nyansafo bi a okura dibea a ɛkorɔn wɔ Plato akyidifo mu​—na minyaa nkɔso, minyaa nkɔso a ɛsen biara da biara . . ., ma enti wɔ bere kakraa bi mu no, misusuwii sɛ mayɛ onyansafo; na ɛno ne m’agyimisɛm,” saa na Justin de baa awiei.

Mfaso amma nokware a Justin hwehwɛe denam nkitaho a ɔne nyansapɛfo dii no so. Nanso bere a na ɔredwen nneɛma ho wɔ mpoano no, ohyiaa Kristoni akwakoraa bi, “ɔyɛ akwakoraa de, nanso ɔnyɛ abomfiaa, na na ɔda odwo ne nidi su adi.” Nkɔmmɔ a wɔbɔe no twee n’adwene sii Bible nkyerɛkyerɛ atitiriw a ɛtwe adwene si sɛnea ehia sɛ onya Onyankopɔn ho nokware nimdeɛ so no so.​—Romafo 10:2, 3.

Kristoni a wammɔ no din no ka kyerɛɛ Justin sɛ: “Na mmarima bi a wɔtraa ase ansa na wɔrewo saa anyansapɛfo a wobu wɔn nyinaa no atra ase bere tenten ansa na bere yi reba, na wɔyɛ atreneefo a Onyankopɔn dɔ wɔn a . . . wɔhyɛɛ nsɛm a ebesisi, a mprempren ɛresisi ho nkɔm. ‘Wɔfrɛ eyinom sɛ adiyifo. Eyinom nkutoo na wohuu nokware no na wɔbɔɔ ho dawuru kyerɛɛ nnipa, . . . na na Honhom Kronkron ahyɛ wɔn ma.” Kristoni no kɔɔ so kanyan Justin akɔnnɔ na ɔkae sɛ: “Nea wɔkyerɛw no da so ara wɔ hɔ, na ɛboa nea wakenkan no kɛse wɔ nneɛma mfiase ne awiei ho nimdeɛ a ɔwɔ no mu.” (Mateo 5:6; Asomafo no Nnwuma 3:18) Bere a owura yamyefo no hyɛɛ no no, Justin de nsiyɛ hwehwɛɛ Kyerɛwnsɛm no mu, na ɛte sɛ nea onyaa ɛno ne Bible mu nkɔmhyɛ ho anisɔ bi, sɛnea wohu wɔ ne nhoma a ɔkyerɛwee mu no.

Ne Nhoma Ahorow no mu a Yɛbɛhwehwɛ Akɔ Akyiri

Justin ani gyee akokoduru a Kristofo nyae bere a wɔrebewu no ho. N’ani sɔɔ Hebri Kyerɛwnsɛm no mu nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ no nso. Nea ɛbɛyɛ na Justin afoa nsɛm a ɔkae wɔ ne Dialogue With Trypho no mu no nsɛmmoa no, ɔfaa nsɛm fii Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomium, 2 Samuel, 1 Ahene, Dwom, Yesaia, Yeremia, Hesekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Yoel, Amos, Yona, Mika, Sakaria, ne Malaki, ne Nsɛmpa no mu kae. Wohu n’ani a ɛsɔɔ Bible mu nhoma yi wɔ ɔne Trypho nkɔmmɔbɔ a Justin kaa Yudasom a na egye Mesia no di no ho asɛm wom no mu.

Wɔkae sɛ na Justin yɛ ɔsɛmpakafo, a na ɔde hokwan biara a onya no ka asɛmpa no. Ebia otuu kwan kɔɔ mmeae pii. Ɔde ne bere no bi traa Efeso, na ebia ɔtraa Roma kyɛe kakra.

Nsɛm a wɔde gyee Kristosom ti ka nhoma a Justin kyerɛwee no no ho. Wɔ ne First Apology no mu no, ɔpɛe sɛ ɔbɔ abosonsom nyansapɛ sum kabii no gu denam hann a efi Kyerɛwnsɛm no mu no so. Ɔka sɛ nyansapɛfo nyansa yɛ atoro ne adehunu, na tumi wɔ nsɛm a Kristo kae ne ne nnwuma mu. (Fa toto Kolosefo 2:8 ho.) Justin srɛ ma Kristofo a wobuu wɔn animtiaa a ɔkyerɛe sɛ ɔka wɔn ho no. Ɔsakrae akyi no, ɔkɔɔ so hyɛɛ nyansapɛfo atade, na ɔkae sɛ wanya nokware nyansapɛ koro no.

Esiane sɛ afeha a ɛto so abien no mu Kristofo powee sɛ wɔbɛsom abosonsomfo anyame nti, na wobu wɔn sɛ wonnye nni sɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ hɔ. Justin kae sɛ: “Yɛnyɛ wɔn a wonnye Onyankopɔn nni, na yɛsom amansan no Yɛfo . . . Nea ɔkyerɛkyerɛ yɛn eyinom ne Yesu Kristo . . . Ɔne nokware Nyankopɔn no Ba.” Justin kaa abosonsom ho asɛm sɛ: “Wɔyɛ nea wɔfrɛ no onyame; a ɛnyɛ sɛ yebu no sɛ agyimisɛm nko, na mmom animtiaa a wobu Onyankopɔn nso . . . Nkwaseasɛm bɛn ara ni! sɛ wɔbɛka sɛ nnipa a wonni ahosodi nwene anyame na woasom wɔn.”​—Yesaia 44:14-20.

Bere a Justin atwe adwene asi Kristofo Hela Kyerɛwnsɛm no so no, ɔda gyidi a ɔwɔ wɔ owusɔre, Kristofo abrabɔ, asubɔ, Bible nkɔmhyɛ (nea ɛfa Kristo ho titiriw) ne Yesu nkyerɛkyerɛ mu no adi. Ɛdefa Yesu ho no, Justin fa asɛm fi Yesaia nhoma no mu ka sɛ: ‘Ahenni no bɛda Kristo mmati so.’ Justin ka nso sɛ: “Sɛ yɛhwehwɛ onipa ahenni a, ɛsɛ sɛ yɛpa yɛn Kristo no nso.” Ɔka Kristofo sɔhwɛ ne asɛyɛde ahorow ho asɛm, na ɔkyerɛ sɛ ɔsom pa a wɔde ma Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ sɛ wɔyɛ N’apɛde, na ɔkɔ so ka sɛ “ɛsɛ sɛ Ɔsoma nkurɔfo kɔ ɔman biara mu kɔbɔ nneɛma yi ho dawuru.”

Ɔde The Second Apology of Justin (a wogye di sɛ ɛyɛ nea edi kan no ntoaso kɛkɛ no) kɔmaa Romafo Mmarahyɛ Bagua no. Justin srɛ Romafo no denam Kristofo a wɔtaa wɔn, bere a wɔanya Yesu Kristo ho nimdeɛ akyi no osuahu ahorow a ɔka kyerɛe no so. Na ɛte sɛ nea Yesu nkyerɛkyerɛ no mu abrabɔ pa a ɛso nni, a ɛda adi wɔ Kristofo a wɔyɛ ɔman mma no abrabɔ mu no ho nni mfaso ahe biara mma Roma aban mpanyimfo no. Mmom, osuani kɛkɛ a obi bɛka sɛ ɔyɛ no betumi ama wɔakum no. Ɛdefa Kristofo nkyerɛkyerɛ ho kan ɔkyerɛkyerɛfo bi ho no, Justin faa obi a wɔfrɛ no Lucius a obisae nea edi so yi asɛm kae sɛ: “Dɛn nti na moatwe ɔbarima yi aso, a ɛnyɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ɔwaresɛefo, anaa aguaman, anaa owudifo, anaa ɔkorɔnfo, anaa odwowtwafo, anaa obi a moabu no fɔ wɔ bɔne biara ho koraa, na mmom efisɛ waka kɛkɛ sɛ wɔfrɛ no Kristoni?”

Asɛm a Justin kae yi kyerɛ sɛnea adwene a ɛnteɛ a na wokura wɔ wɔn a wɔkyerɛ sɛ wɔyɛ Kristofo ho no te: “Enti, me nso mehwɛ kwan sɛ wɔn a mabobɔ wɔn din no mu binom, anaasɛ ebia Crescens a ɔpɛ agyimisɛm ne ahohoahoa no bɛpam me tiri so na wɔde me afam dua ho; efisɛ ɔbarima a ɔde nsɛm a ɔnte ase di adanse tia yɛn wɔ baguam, na ɔka sɛ Kristofo nnye Onyankopɔn nni, na wɔn ho ntew, na ɔyɛ saa na wanya nnipadɔm a wadaadaa wɔn no anim dom na wasɔ wɔn ani no mfata edin nyansapɛfo. Sɛ ɔkasa tia yɛn bere a ɔnkenkan Kristo nkyerɛkyerɛ no a, waporɔw koraa, na wɔn a wonnim akenkan ne akyerɛw a wɔntaa nka anaasɛ wonni nsɛm a wɔnte ase ho adansekurum no ye koraa sen no.”

Ne Wu

Sɛ ebia ɛyɛ Crescens anaasɛ Cynicfo foforo bi no, wɔkasa tiaa Justin kyerɛɛ Roma aban mpanyimfo no sɛ otutu ɔman no ase na wobuu no kumfɔ. Bɛyɛ 165 Y.B no, wotwaa ne ti wɔ Roma na ɔbɛyɛɛ “martyr” (asekyerɛ ne sɛ “ɔdansefo”). Enti na wɔfrɛ no Justin Martyr no.

Ebia Justin nhoma no akenkan nyɛ dɛ na wamfa anifere ankyerɛw te sɛ ne bere so nhomanimfo afoforo no de, nanso ɛda adi sɛ ne nnamyɛ ma nokware ne adetrenee no yɛ nokware. Wɔrentumi nka sɛnea ɔbɔɔ ne bra ma ɛne Kyerɛwnsɛm no ne Yesu nkyerɛkyerɛ hyiae no pefee. Nanso, abakɔsɛm ne Kyerɛwsɛm mu nsɛm pii a ɛwɔ Justin nhoma ahorow mu no nti, wobu no sɛ ɛsom bo. Ɛma wohu wɔn a wɔkyerɛe sɛ wɔyɛ Kristofo wɔ afeha a ɛto so abien no mu asetra ne wɔn osuahu ahorow.

Nea ɛfata sɛ wɔka ho asɛm ne mmɔden a Justin bɔe sɛ ɔbɛma ahempɔn no ahu atɛnkyea a ɔtaa a wɔde baa Kristofo so yɛ no. Abosonsom ne nyansapɛ a ɔpowee na ogyee Onyankopɔn Asɛm mu nokware nimdeɛ toom no ma yɛkae sɛ wɔ Atene no, ɔsomafo Paulo de akokoduru kaa nokware Nyankopɔn ne Yesu Kristo a wɔanyan no ho asɛm kyerɛɛ Epikurofo ne Stoafo no.​—Asomafo no Nnwuma 17:18-34.

Na Justin ankasa wɔ awufo sɔre wɔ Mfirihyia Apem no mu no ho nimdeɛ bi. Na hwɛ sɛnea Bible mu nokware a ɛfa owusɔre anidaso ho no hyɛ gyidi den! Awowaw Kristofo wɔ ɔtaa mu, na ama wɔatumi agyina sɔhwɛ akɛse ano, akosi owu mu mpo.​—Yohane 5:28, 29; Korintofo 15:16-19; Adiyisɛm 2:10; 20:4, 12, 13; 21:2-4.

Enti, Justin hwehwɛɛ nokware na ɔpow Helafo nyansapɛ. Sɛ ɔkamafo no, ogyee wɔn a wɔkyerɛ sɛ wɔyɛ Kristofo no nkyerɛkyerɛ ne nneyɛe no ti. Na esiane sɛ n’ankasa kyerɛe sɛ ɔyɛ Kristoni nti, owuu mogya dansefo wu. Nea ɛfata sɛ yɛka ho asɛm titiriw ne anisɔ a na Justin wɔ ma nokware no, ne akokoduru a ɔde dii adanse wɔ ɔtaa mu, efisɛ wohu saa su horow yi wɔ Yesu nokware akyidifo a wɔwɔ hɔ nnɛ no asetra mu.​—Mmebusɛm 2:4-6; Yohane 10:1-4; Asomafo no Nnwuma 4:29; 3 Yohane 4.