‘Etia Nimdeɛ​—A Wɔboa Frɛ No Sa’

NOKWARE ho hia wo dɛn? So ɛhaw wo sɛ atoro asɛe nokware a ɛfa ɔsoro ne asase Bɔfo no ho no anaasɛ akata so? Eyi haw Irenaeus, obi a wɔkyerɛ sɛ na ɔyɛ Kristoni wɔ Yɛn Bere yi so afeha a ɛto so abien no mu no kɛse. Ɔbɔɔ mmɔden sɛ ɔbɛpa Nimdeɛsɛm a na ɛyɛ Kristosom mu ɔwae bi no atosɛm ahorow a ɛyɛ hu no ho ntama. Na ɔsomafo Paulo adi kan abɔ Timoteo kɔkɔ sɛ ɔnnan ne ho mfi ‘nimdeɛ a wɔboa frɛ no sa’ a ɛte saa ho.​—1 Timoteo 6:20, 21.

Irenaeus de akokoduru kasa tiaa ɔkyerɛkyerɛ a mfomso wom. Sɛ nhwɛso no, susuw nea ɔkae wɔ ne nhoma a ɔtoo din “The Refutation and Overthrow of the Knowledge Falsely So Called” (“Nimdeɛ a Wɔboa Frɛ no Sa no a Wɔpow na Wɔbɔ Gu”) no nnianim asɛm mu no ho. Ɔkyerɛwee sɛ: “Nnipa binom a wɔapow nokware no de atosɛm ne anato hunu reba yɛn mu a ɛde akasakasa mmom na ɛba, sɛnea ɔsomafo no kae no [1 Timoteo 1:3, 4], sen sɛ ɛbɛboa Onyankopɔn adwuma a ɛne sɛ ɛbɛhyɛ gyidi den. Wɔde wɔn kasa a wɔde anifere ahyehyɛ no yiye dan ayemfo adwene, wɔfa wɔn nnommum, wɔsɛe Awurade no ahyɛde ahorow, na wɔyɛ nea wɔaka no yiye no asɛefo abɔnefo.”

Nimdeɛfo (a efi Hela asɛmfua gnoʹsis a ɛkyerɛ “nimdeɛ” mu) no kae sɛ wɔwɔ nimdeɛ a ɛkorɔn denam kokoam adiyi so, na wɔhoahoaa wɔn ho sɛ wɔyɛ “asomafo no nteɛsofo.” Na Nimdeɛsɛm de nyansapɛ, ani a wɔde bu ade, ne abonsonsom ahintasɛm ne Kristosom a awae afrafra. Irenaeus powee sɛ obenya eyinom biara mu kyɛfa. Mmom no, ɔde ne nkwa nyinaa sɔre tiaa abususɛm nkyerɛkyerɛ. Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ na onim hia a ɛho hia sɛ wɔde ɔsomafo Paulo kɔkɔbɔ yi di dwuma no yiye: “Monhwɛ yiye na obi amfa nyansapɛ ne nnaadaa hunu a ɛnam nnipa atetesɛm ne wiase mfitiasesɛm so na ɛnnam Kristo so ammɛfa mo nnommum.”​—Kolosefo 2:8; 1 Timoteo 4:7.

N’asetra Mfiase ne ne Som Adwuma

Yennim Irenaeus asetra mfiase ne n’ankasa ho abakɔsɛm ho nsɛm pii. Wɔtaa kyerɛ sɛ na ofi Asia Kumaa, wɔwoo no afe 120 Y.B. ne afe 140 Y.B. ntam hɔ baabi wɔ Smirna kurom anaasɛ baabi a ɛbɛn hɔ. Irenaeus ankasa di adanse sɛ ne mmofraase pɛɛ no, na onim Polycarp a na ɔyɛ ɔhwɛfo wɔ Smirna asafo no mu no.

Ɛbɛyɛ sɛ bere a Irenaeus resua ade wɔ Polycarp ase no na ɔfaa Florinus adamfo. Ná Polycarp yɛ obi a ohuu asomafo no. Ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ Kyerɛwnsɛm mu pii na ɔkamfo kyerɛe dennen sɛ wɔmmfa wɔn ho mmata Yesu Kristo ne asomafo no nkyerɛkyerɛ. Nanso, Kyerɛwnsɛm mu ntetee pa yi nyinaa akyi no, akyiri yi Florinus tɔɔ Valentinus a na ɔyɛ Nimdeɛfo kuw no ɔkannifo a ɔsen biara no nkyerɛkyerɛ mu!

Irenaeus pɛe sɛ n’adamfo Florinus a na anka ɔne no bɔ fekuw no san ba Kyerɛwnsɛm mu kyerɛ pa no ho, na wogye no fi Valentinus nkyerɛkyerɛ no mu. Enti, biribi kaa Irenaeus ma ɔkyerɛw nhoma kɔmaa Florinus, na ɔkae sɛ: “Florinus, nkyerɛkyerɛ yi . . . nyɛ nea ntease pa wom; nkyerɛkyerɛ yi ne asɔre no nhyia, na ɛfa wɔn a wonsuro Onyankopɔn koraa no ho; . . . mpanyimfo a wodii yɛn kan, a na wonim asomafo no yiye no, amfa saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi amma yɛn.”

Irenaeus rebɔ mmɔden akae Florinus ntetee pa a na wɔanya wɔ Polycarp a na wobu no kɛse no nan ase no, ɔtoaa so sɛ: “Mekae nsɛm a esisii saa mmere no . . . ma enti mitumi ka faako a na Polycarp a na wɔahyira no no taa tra kasa no mpo . . . Afei nso sɛnea na ɔka ɔne Yohane, ne afoforo a wobuu Awurade no nantew no ho asɛm, ne sɛnea na ɔkae wɔn nsɛm no nso.”

Wɔkaee Florinus sɛ Polycarp kyerɛkyerɛɛ nea onya fii “nkwa Asɛm no ho adansefo a wɔde wɔn ani hui [na] ɔkaa ne nyinaa sɛnea ɛne Kyerɛwnsɛm no hyia. Nneɛma yi na wɔnam Onyankopɔn mmɔborohunu so de maa me, metee saa bere no, mekyerɛw too hɔ, ɛnyɛ krataa so na mmom me komam; na Onyankopɔn dom nti mekɔ so de m’adwene kae nneɛma yi pɛpɛɛpɛ. Na [ɛdefa Valentinus nkyerɛkyerɛ no ho no] mitumi di adanse Onyankopɔn anim sɛ, sɛ ɔpanyin a na wɔahyira no a ɔtraa ase asomafo no bere so [Polycarp] tee ade a ɛte saa a, anka ɔbɛteɛm na wasisiw n’aso . . . Anka obeguan afi beae a ɔwɔ, sɛ ɔte hɔ anaasɛ ogyina hɔ, a ɔtee nsɛm a ɛte sɛɛ no.”

Kyerɛwtohɔ biara nni hɔ a ɛkyerɛ sɛ Florinus tiee Irenaeus nhoma a ɛka koma na tumi wom no. Nanso Irenaeus nsɛm no da sɛnea na adamfo a ɔdɔ no a na wafi nokware kwan no so na wagyae ne ho mu ama ɔwae no ho asɛm haw no nokwarem no adi.​—Fa toto 2 Tesalonikafo 2:3, 7-12 ho.

Yennim bere a Irenaeus kɔtraa Gaul (France). Afe 177 Y.B. mu no, na ɔsom sɛ ɔhwɛfo wɔ asafo a ɛwɔ Lyons no mu. Wɔbɔɔ amanneɛ sɛ ne som adwuma wɔ hɔ no sow aba pii. Nokwarem no, abakɔsɛm kyerɛwfo Gregory a ofi Tours bɔɔ amanneɛ sɛ bere tiaa mu no Irenaeus tumi sakraa Lyonfo nyinaa baa Kristosom mu. Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ na eyi yɛ asɛm a wɔka ma ɛtra so.

Etia Abususɛm

Na wɔtaa frɛ Irenaeus nhoma titiriw a ɛne “The Refutation and Overthrow of the Knowledge Falsely So Called” (“Nimdeɛ a Wɔboa Frɛ no Sa no a Wɔpow na Wɔbɔ Gu”) no “Against Heresies” (“Etia Abususɛm”). Wɔkyekyem yɛ no nhoma anum. Abien a edi kan no kura abususɛm fekusɛm gyidi ahorow ho nkyerɛkyerɛ a wɔde kasa tia, titiriw no Valentinus abususɛm no. Nhoma abiɛsa a aka no mu no, Irenaeus bɔ mmɔden sɛ ɔde “Kyerɛwnsɛm mu akyinnyegye” besisi hɔ.

Wɔ Irenaeus nhoma a ɛto so abiɛsa a ɛne “Against Heresies” no nnianim asɛm no mu no, ɔkyerɛw sɛ: “Enti momma nea maka wɔ nhoma abien a edi kan no mu no ntra mo adwene mu; na sɛ mode eyi ka ho a, mubenya mmuae a efi me hɔ a etia abususɛnkafo nyinaa, na mubetumi de nokwaredi ne akokoduru asɔre atia wɔn ama gyidi a ɛyɛ nokware biako pɛ ne nea ɛma nkwa no a Asɔre no anya afi asomafo no hɔ na ɔde ma ne mma no. Efisɛ yɛn nyinaa Awurade de asɛmpa no tumi maa n’asomafo no, na yɛnam wɔn so na yɛn nso yɛasua nokware no, kyerɛ sɛ, Onyankopɔn Ba no nkyerɛkyerɛ​—sɛnea Awurade ka kyerɛɛ wɔn no, ‘Nea otie mo no tie me, na nea ɔpow mo no pow me, ne nea ɔsomaa me no.’”

Ɛwom sɛ Irenaeus gye toom sɛ na ɔnyɛ ɔkyerɛwfo pa biara de, nanso na wasi ne bo sɛ ɔbɛpa Nimdeɛsɛm “nkyerɛkyerɛ bɔne” no ho ntama. Ɔfa kyerɛw nsɛm pii ka asɛm kyerɛkyerɛ mu na ogye akyinnye nnam so tia “ɔsɛe fekusɛm” no “atoro akyerɛkyerɛfo.” (2 Petro 2:1-3) Ɛte sɛ nea ɛyɛɛ Irenaeus den sɛ ɔbɛboaboa ne nkyerɛwee no ano ma ayɛ nea ɛfata. Dɛn ntia? Efisɛ na waboaboa nsɛm a ɛdɔɔso pii ano.

Nneɛma ho ntama a Irenaeus pa no bɛdaa adi ɛyaw ne adesua pii akyi. N’akyinnyegye tenten no ma yenya Nimdeɛsɛm fibea ne ɛho adwene no ho nsɛm pii. Afei nso anyɛ yiye koraa no, Irenaeus nkyerɛwee no yɛ Kyerɛwnsɛm mu adwene a na ebinom a wɔka sɛ wɔbata Onyankopɔn Asɛm no ho wɔ afeha a ɛto so abien Y.B. no awiei no da so ara kura mu no bi anoboaboa a ɛsom bo.

Irenaeus tĩ mu si so dua sɛ ogye “Onyankopɔn biako, Agya a ɔyɛ Ade Nyinaa so Tumfoɔ a ɔyɛɛ ɔsoro, ne asase, ne ɛpo, ne nea ɛwom nyinaa, ne Kristo Yesu biako, Onyankopɔn Ba a wɔyɛɛ no honam maa yɛn nkwagye” no di. Nimdeɛfo no pow nokwasɛm ahorow yi!

Irenaeus rekasa atia Nimdeɛfo kyerɛkyerɛ a ɛne sɛ Kristo amma onipa tebeam da no, ɔkyerɛwee sɛ: “Sɛ Kristo begye yɛn afi ɔporɔw mu na wayɛ yɛn pɛ a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ onipa, te sɛ yɛn. Sɛnea bɔne ne owu nam onipa so na ɛbaa wiase no, saa ara na onipa nkutoo na obetumi apopa afi hɔ ɔkwan a ɛteɛ so na ɛho aba yɛn mfaso; nokwarem no, ɛwom sɛ ɛnsɛ sɛ ɛyɛ Adam aseni biara kɛkɛ, ma enti n’ankasa ayɛ nea ohia ogye, na mmom ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ Adam a ɔto so abien, a wɔnam anwonwa kwan so woo no, yɛn abusua no ɔwofo foforo.” (1 Korintofo 15:45) Ɔkwan foforo so no, na Nimdeɛfo no yɛ Gyidi Abienfo, a na wogye di sɛ honhom mu nneɛma ye na mmom nneɛma afoforo nyinaa ne ɔhonam yɛ bɔne. Enti, wɔpow onipa Yesu Kristo no.

Esiane sɛ na Nimdeɛfo no susuw sɛ honam nyinaa yɛ bɔne nti, wɔpow aware ne awo nso, na na wɔkyerɛ sɛ Satan na ɔde eyinom bae. Wɔkae sɛ Eden, ɔwɔ no ne ɔsoro nyansa fibea mpo! Saa adwene yi de asetra kwan a ɛtra so na ɛbae, sɛ ɛyɛ nneɛma a wɔde kame wɔn ho anaasɛ honam fam nneɛma a wɔde wɔn ho hyɛ mu pii no. Esiane sɛ na wɔka sɛ nkwagye nam Nimdeɛsɛm mu ahintasɛm, anaasɛ obi ankasa ho mu nimdeɛ so na ɛba nti, wɔannye Onyankopɔn Asɛm mu nokware no antom koraa.

Nea ɛne no bɔ abira no, nea na ɛka Irenaeus akyinnyegye ahorow no ho ne Mfirihyia Apem no mu gyidi, na ɛdaa daakye asetra a asomdwoe wom wɔ asase so ho anidaso mu ntease bi adi. Ɔbɔɔ mmɔden sɛ ɔbɛka akuw a na ɛredɔɔso ne bere so no abom denam Onyankopɔn Asɛm no mu tumi a ɔde dii dwuma so. Wɔde ne nsusuwii a emu da hɔ, ne nhumu a ɛteɛ, ne atɛmpa no na ɛtaa kae no.

Ɛwom sɛ ebinom ka sɛ Irenaeus (a owui bɛyɛ 200 Y.B. mu no) na ɔmaa Kristofo gyidi no nokware kyerɛkyerɛ nyaa nkɔso de, nanso ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkae sɛ na ne bere no yɛ nsakrae ne ɔwae a wɔka siei no bere. Ɛtɔ mmere bi a, n’akyinnyegye no mu nna hɔ yiye, ɛbɔ ne ho abira mpo. Nanso, nnipa a wɔde akokoduru kasa maa Onyankopɔn Asɛm a efi honhom mu a wɔakyerɛw no mmom, na ɛnyɛ nnipa atetesɛm no adanse no som bo kɛse ma yɛn.