Diocletian An̄wana ye Ido Ukpono Christ
KE USỌRỌ abasi Terminus eke mbon Rome ke February 23, 303 E.N., emi ẹkenịmde ke Nicomedia ke Asia Minor, kpa obufa ibuot obio ukara oro, mme owo ẹma ẹn̄wana ye kiet eken ke ndiwụt ufre-idụt mmọ. Edi owo ikekwe ekpri otu mme Christian do.
Otode ke eti itie oro ufọkubọn̄ mmọ ẹkedude, Diocletian Andikara ye udiana esie, Galerius Caesar ẹma ẹda ẹse itie mbonoesop Christian n̄kann̄kụk oro. Ke ẹnọde idiọn̄ọ, mbonekọn̄ ye mme akamautom ukara ẹma ẹbe ẹdụk ufọkidụn̄ Christian emi, ẹyịp n̄kpọ, ẹnyụn̄ ẹfọp mme Bible oro mmọ ẹkekụtde. Ke akpatre, mmọ ẹma ẹwụri ufọk oro.
Ntem ini ukọbọ oro akabiatde ukara Diocletian ama ọtọn̄ọ. Mme ewet mbụkeset ẹnọ enye enyịn̄ nte “akpatre akamba ukọbọ,” “ukọbọ oro akamade afai akan,” idem “se mîkprike ikan edisọhi enyịn̄ oro Christian mfep.” Ndidụn̄ọde ndyọ ndyọ n̄wọrọnda n̄kpọntịbe ẹmi anam ẹtịm ẹdiọn̄ọ.
Ukpono Ndem Atuaha ye Ido Ukpono Christ
Diocletian, emi akamanade ke Dalmatia, kpa ikpehe oro akakabarede edi Yugoslavia, ama enyene uwọrọiso ke otu udịmekọn̄ Rome. Ke ẹtan̄ade enye nte andikara ke 284 E.N., enye ama akabade ọwọrọ etop ke ndinam ukpụhọde ke ukaraidem ke ini enye ọkọtọn̄ọde ukara owo inan̄, ndikara obio ukara oro. Diocletian ama emek Maximian, kpa akani ekemmọ owo ekọn̄, ndidi udiana esie, kpa Ọyọhọ Owo iba oro ẹmenerede itie, ye san̄asan̄a mbiomo ke ikpehe obio ukara edem usoputịn. Diocletian ye Maximian ẹma ẹnyene udiana Caesar ẹmi ẹkenọde unen ndida itie mmọ. Constantius Chlorus akanam n̄kpọ nte Caesar ọnọ Maximian, ke adan̄aemi Galerius otode Thrace ekenyenede odudu ke idak Diocletian.
Galerius Caesar, ukem nte Diocletian, ekedi enyene-ifịk andikpono mme abasi ndem. Ke enyenede udọn̄ ndibọ andikara itie, Galerius ama anam nte n̄kpọ eke okopde ndịk aban̄a unana edinam akpanikọ ke utomekọn̄. Enye ikamaha odudu mbonekọn̄ oro okosụk ọkọride-kọri, ẹmi ẹkedọhọde nte idide mme Christian. Ke ekikere andikara oro, mmọ ndisịn ndibuana ke edinam ukpono ndem ọkọwọrọ ndin̄wana ye ukara esie. Ntre Galerius ama akpak Diocletian ete anam n̄kpọ ndisọhi Ido Ukpono Christ mfep. Ke akpatre, ke ini etuep eke 302 ye 303 E.N., andikara oro ama onyịme ye ekikere Caesar aban̄ade usua Christian onyụn̄ onyịme ndiwot mbon ẹmi nsion̄o ke otu mbonekọn̄ ye mme ọwọrọiso owo. Edi Diocletian ikamaha uduọkiyịp, okopde ndịk ete ke ndiwot Christian eyedemede mbon en̄wen ndibiere ndisọn̄ ibuot.
Edi, sia mîyụhọke ke nte ẹsede ẹban̄a mfịna emi, Diocletian ama osobo ye ikpọ mbonekọn̄ ye mme akamautom ukara, esịnede Hierocles, andikara Bithynia. Enyene-ifịk owo Greek emi ama ebere ye afai afai edinam oro ẹkedade ẹtiene kpukpru Christian. Un̄wam oro Diocletian ọkọnọde mme abasi idụt Rome ama ada okosịm en̄wan ye Ido Ukpono Christ. Utịp, nte ekemde ye Diocletian and the Roman Recovery, emi Stephen Williams ewetde, ekedi “ekọn̄ oro ukpan mîdụhe ke ufọt mme abasi Rome ye abasi mme Christian.”
Mme Ibet
Man akaiso ke ubịnikọt ukọbọ esie, Diocletian ama onịm ibet inan̄ ke adiana ke adiana. Ke usen kiet ama ekebe nte ẹkeda ekọn̄ ẹdụk Nicomedia, enye ama ọnọ uyo ete ẹwụri kpukpru itie mbonoesop ye inyene Christian onyụn̄ owụk ete ẹtan̄ kpukpru ndisana n̄wed ẹdi ẹnyụn̄ ẹfọp. Ẹma ẹdorode mme Christian oro ẹkamade ikpọ itie ke Ukara ẹfep.
Ke ini ikan̄ okobụberede asak utịm ikaba ke esịt okụre andikara, nduduọhọ okodoro mme Christian oro ẹkenamde utom do ke idem. Emi ama anam ẹnịm ọyọhọ ibet iba, emi ọkọdọhọde ete ẹmụm ẹnyụn̄ ẹsịn kpukpru bishop, nyobiowo, ye deacon ke ufọk-n̄kpọkọbi. Ke ọnọde odudu ete ẹnọ ufen edieke oro edide se ẹyomde, ọyọhọ ibet ita ama odomo ndinam irenowo ẹmi ẹsọn̄ ibuot, oyomde ete mmọ ẹwa uwa ẹnọ mme abasi Rome. Ọyọhọ ibet inan̄ ama aka anyan akan oro onyụn̄ anam n̄kpa edi ufen oro ẹnọde owo ekededi oro ọdọhọde nte idide eke Ido Ukpono Christ.
Oyobio afai oro okosụn̄ọde oto oro ama osion̄o mbon oro ẹkediọn̄ọde nte traditores (emi ọwọrọde, “mbon oro ẹkọn̄ọde mfan̄”) edi, mbon oro ẹbiade Abasi ye Christ mbia ẹmi ẹdomode ndinyan̄a uwem mmọ ke ndiyak N̄wed Abasi mmọ nnọ. Nte ekemde ye ewet mbụkeset oro, Will Durant, “ediwak tọsin Christian ẹma ẹkan̄ . . . Edi n̄wakn̄kan mbon oro ẹkekọbọde ẹma ẹsọn̄ọ ẹda; ndien edikụt m̀mê edikop mbụk nsọn̄ọnda mmọ ke idak ndutụhọ ama ọsọn̄ọ mbuọtidem mbon oro ẹkeyokde onyụn̄ odụri mbufa mme andibuana edi ke esop oro ẹkekọbode mi.” Mme Christian ke Phrygia, Cappadocia, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, Egypt, ye ke ata ediwak ikpehe efen ke Obio Ukara Rome ẹma ẹsobo n̄kpa usụn̄ Abasi.
Ewetmbụk ido ukpono oro Eusebius eke Caesarea ọkọdọhọ ke ediwak tọsịn Christian ẹma ẹkpan̄a ke ini ukọbọ oro. Ke n̄kan̄ eken, Edward Gibbon, andiwet The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, ọnọ ibat oro ekpride akan tọsịn iba. Ewetn̄wed kiet anam an̄wan̄a ete, “Gibbon ese ediwak mbụk ẹmi ye eyịghe, ẹtode mbon oro ẹdide Christian ẹmi ẹn̄wanade nditoro mbon oro ẹkekpade n̄kpa usụn̄ Abasi nnyụn̄ nsọn̄ọ mbuọtidem mme anam-akpanikọ.” Enye akaiso ete, “N̄kponinua odu ke mme andiwet oro mmemmem mmemmem ẹwọn̄ọrede ibat ibat n̄kpan̄a ẹsịn ke ‘uwak’, ẹmi mîwụtke ubahade ndomokiet ke ufọt n̄kpan̄a oro ẹkoide-koi ye enye oro ẹnyịkde-nyịk; ye oro ẹbụkde nte ndiọi unam ke iyatesịt ẹwaide mme abiatibet edi emi ‘odudu oro akande eke owo’ eketrede mmọ nditụk mme Christian. Edi, ẹkam ẹtịbi ikọ ẹdi man ẹda ẹbian̄a owo, se isụhọde ọdiọk ekem.” Ke akpanikọ ukọbọ oro ekesịnede afai akan ama otịbe oro akasan̄ade ye ndutụhọ, edifọp ke ikan̄, ibak ibak umia, ye mme ufatikan̄ oro ẹkedade ẹtụhọde owo.
Ndusụk owo ẹdọhọ ke Galerius, utu ke Diocletian, ekedi andisịn nsọk nnọ ukọbọ oro. Prọfesọ William Bright ke n̄wed The Age of the Fathers, ọdọhọ ete, “Idịghe ye unana akpan ntak ke ẹkot akakan ukeme eke ukara ererimbot ukpono ndem ndisọhi uwem Obio Ubọn̄ oro mîdịghe eke ererimbot emi mfep ẹdian Diocletian, utu ke Galerius, kpa ata andikọtọn̄ọ enye.” Edi, idem ke otu mme andikara inan̄, Diocletian ekenyene akakan odudu, nte ewetn̄wed oro, Stephen Williams ọdọhọde: “Eyịghe ndomokiet idụhe nte ke Diocletian ama enyene odudu ke kpukpru akpan mbet ke Obio Ukara oro tutu ke 304, onyụn̄ enyene akpan mbiomo ke ukọbọ oro tutu ke isua oro.” Diocletian ama ọduọ udọn̄ọ ndien ke akpatre asana ukara ayak ke 305 E.N. Ke n̄kpọ nte isua itiokiet ke oro ebede, ukọbọ oro akakade iso okowụt ndot ndot usua oro Galerius ekenyenede aban̄a kpukpru n̄kpọ oro ẹnyenede ebuana ye Ido Ukpono Christ.
Ido Ukpono Christ eke Ọyọhọ Isua Ikie Inan̄
Mme omụm-owo mbọribọ n̄kpọntịbe ẹmi akadade itie ke ntọn̄ọ ntọn̄ọ ọyọhọ isua ikie inan̄ ẹsọn̄ọ se apostle Paul ye Peter, ọkọrọ ye mme ewetn̄wed eke odudu spirit eken ẹkebemde iso ẹtịn̄. “Owo eke edide ata abiatibet,” kpa otu mme ọkwọrọ ederi ẹmi ẹdọhọde nte idide mme Christian, emi ẹkebemde iso ẹtịn̄ ama ọtọtọn̄ọ, nte mme ibet Diocletian, akpan akpan ọyọhọ iba, owụtde. (2 Thessalonica 2:3, 4; Utom 20:29, 30; 2 Peter 2:12) Etisịm ọyọhọ isua ikie inan̄, mme edinam mbon nsọn̄ibuot ama ododu. Ediwak mbon oro ẹkedọhọde nte idide mme Christian ẹkedi mbonekọn̄ Rome. Nte Christian ndomokiet ikodụhe adan̄aoro emi ọkọsọn̄ọde ‘omụm nti ikọ’ oro ẹkebọde ke ubọk mme apostle akama?—2 Timothy 1:13.
Eusebius asiak ndusụk mbon unọmọ ukọbọ, idem etịn̄de in̄wan̄în̄wan̄ aban̄a ndutụhọ, ufen, ye n̄kpa usụn̄ Abasi mmọ ke akpatre. Edide kpukpru mbon oro ẹkekpade n̄kpa usụn̄ Abasi mi ẹkekpa ye nsọn̄ọnda ẹnọ akpanikọ oro ẹkeyararede ke ini oro, nnyịn ikemeke nditịn̄ kemi. Nte eyịghe mîdụhe ndusụk mmọ ẹma ẹda item oro Jesus ọkọnọde ete ẹtre edisiak isio n̄ka, oburobụt ido, ye edikan̄ mbuọtidem ke usụn̄ ekededi ẹsịn ke esịt. (Ediyarade 2:15, 16, 20-23; 3:1-3) Nte an̄wan̄ade, mbụk itịn̄ke iban̄a ndusụk mme anam-akpanikọ oro ẹkebọhọde. (Matthew 13:24-30) Ke akpanikọ, mme usụn̄ oro ẹkedade nditre an̄wan̄wa utuakibuot eke mme Christian ama okụt unen tutu itiat editi eke ini oro emi ẹwetde ke usem Spain otoro Diocletian ke ‘ndiketre nsunsu ekikere aban̄ade Christ.’ Edi, mme ukeme oro ẹkesịnde man ẹbọ ẹnyụn̄ ẹsobo N̄wed Abasi, kpa akpan ikpehe ke en̄wan oro Diocletian akan̄wanade ye Ido Ukpono Christ, ama okpu ndisọhi Ikọ Abasi mfep ofụri ofụri.—1 Peter 1:25.
Ke mîkwe unen ke ndisọhi Ido Ukpono Christ mfep ofụri ofụri, Satan kpa Devil, andikara ererimbot emi, ama akaiso ye n̄kari n̄kari edinam esie ebe ke Constantine Andikara, emi akakarade ọtọn̄ọde ke 306 osịm 337 E.N. (John 12:31; 16:11; Ephesus 6:11, ikọ idakisọn̄ ke NW) Okpono ndem Constantine ikan̄wanake ye mme Christian. Utu ke oro, enye ama okụt nte odotde ndibuak ukpono ndem ye edinịm ke akpanikọ eke mme Christian nnam akabade edi ido ukpono Idụt.
Nso ntọt odu ntem ọnọ kpukpru nnyịn! Ke ini nnyịn isobode afai afai ukọbọ, ima oro nnyịn inyenede inọ Jehovah eyen̄wam nnyịn ndifep edikan̄ mbuọtidem man inyene ubọhọ ibio ini. (1 Peter 5:9) Kpasụk ntre, nnyịn idiyakke ini emem ọbọ nnyịn nsọn̄idem Christian ọduọk. (Mme Hebrew 2:1; 3:12, 13) Edisọn̄ọ nyịre ye mme edumbet Bible eyenam nnyịn inam akpanikọ inọ Jehovah, kpa Abasi emi ekemede ndinyan̄a ikọt esie.—Psalm 18:25, 48.
[Ebiet Ẹdade Ndise Ẹto ke page 28]
Musei Capitolini, Roma