Simba Renyika Rechitanhatu—Roma!

Umambo hweRoma hwakatonga panguva apo chiKristu chakavamba. Zivo iri nani yeRoma yakare ichakubetsera kunzwisisa migariro iyo Jesu akaparidzira mairi nomugariro wakanga wakapararira sezvo vateveri vake vapakuvamba vakaparadzira chiKristu munyika yose yaizivikanwa panguva iyeyo.

ROMA, simba renyika rechitanhatu renhau yeBhaibheri, yakanga ichitonga apo Jesu akaberekwa uye apo vaapostora vake vakaparidzira. Girisi, simba renyika rakatanga, yakanga yagovera mutauro wamarudzi ose uyo kudzidzisa kwechiKristu kwaigona kuitwa nawo murutivi irworwo rwose rwenyika—Koine, kana kuti unozivikanwa navose, chiGiriki. Zvino Roma yakagovera migariro nemigwagwa zvakayamura mukupararira kwokukurumidza kwezvokwadi yechiKristu.

Roma, raichimbova guta duku muLatium, Italy, yakakura zvokutungamirira umambo hwenyika hukurusa hwenguva dzakare dzeBhaibheri. Kutanga, iyo yakakura kuti idzore peninsula yeItaly. Iyo yakakurira Carthage ine simba pamhenderekedzo yegungwa yokuchamhembe yeAfrica. Spain, Makedhonia, uye Girisi zvakapinda muudzori hwayo. Ipapo yakatapa Jerusarema muna 63 P.N.V. ndokuita Egipita ruwa rweRoma muna 30 P.N.V. Paukwiriri hwawo, umambo ihwohwu hune simba hwakabva Britain huchidzika kuEgipita uye kubva Portugal huchidzika kuMesopotamia, nyika yeBhabhironi rekare. Iyo yakakomberedza chose chose Mediterranean, iyo yakati Mare Nostrum (Gungwa Redu).

Matongo eRoma akawanda anogona kungoshanyirwa munzvimbo iri yose youmambo ihwohwo hwaisvika kure. Iwe unogona kuona Hadrian’s Wall muBritain, muronga wakaisvonaka paSegovia muSpain, horo yeRoma paOrange, uye nhandare muArles (zvose zviri zviviri muFrance yokumaodzanyemba). Unogona kufamba nomumatongo akanyarara eOstia Antica, pedyo neRoma, uye kushamiswa nePompeii yakare, kumaodzanyemba kweNaples. MuRoma unogona kufungidzira mapoka ane manyemwe muColosseum ndokuona Arch of Titus icho chinochengeta kuparadza kwake Jerusarema netembere yaro muna 70 N.V., kwakadeya kutaurwa naJesu anopfuura makore 35 pachine nguva mberi.

MuRoma yakare vapfumi vaiva nemhuri huru, navabatiri navaranda avo pane dzimwe nguva vaisvika mumazana. Varombo vaitsvikinyidzirwa muzvivako zvine nhurikidzwa dzakawanda idzo dzaiva murutivi memigwagwa ine tsvina, isina kutwasuka. Vashomanene zvikuru vaigona kunzi veboka rapakati. Hurumende yaigovera pachena zvose zviri zviviri mugove wezviyo nevaraidzo kudzivisa varombo kuita chimurega. Mitero yaitorwa mumaruwa yaibhadhara idzi ndyiko.

Uto reRoma

Uto reRoma raiva nomukurumbira rakanga rakaumbwa nechiverengero chakati chamapoka. Boka rimwe nerimwe, rakanga rakaumbwa navarume 4 500 kusvikira ku 7 000, rakanga riri uto rakakwana mariri rimene. Mutungamiriri waro aiva nomutoro chose chose kuna mambo. Boka raikamuraniswa kuva namazana 60, kazhinji kazhinji rakaumbwa navarume vane zana rimwe rimwe nerimwe. Zana raitungamirirwa nomukuru wezana, ainzi “mukuru weuto” muNew World Translation. Akanga ari mukuru wezana aitungamirira varwi vana vakauraya Jesu uye avo, vachicherechedza migariro nezvinhu zvinoshamisa zvakanga zvakapoteredza rufu rwake, vakati: “Zvirokwazvo uyu wakanga ari Mwanakomana waMwari.” (Mateo 27:54; Johane 19:23) Akanga ariwo mukuru wezana, Kornerio, uyo akanga ari asiri muJudha wokutanga asina kudzingiswa kuva muKristu.—Mabasa 10:22.

Mapoka aiva nemireza, sezviri pachena mifananidzo kana kuti zviratidziro zvaiitwa nemiti kana kuti simbi, iyo yaibatira donzo rakafanana nerinobatirwa nemireza yazvino uno. Zvayairangarirwa kuva inoyera, iyoyi yaichengetwa kusvikira pakurasikirwa noupenyu hwomunhu. Encyclopædia Britannica inoti: “Mireza yeRoma yaichengetwa nenamato yorudzidziso mutembere dzeRoma kwakanga kusati kuri kwechienzi kuti mutungamiriri wehondo araire mureza kukandirwa mumuvengi, kuwedzera shingairo kudenho yamasimba masimba yavarwi vake kupfurikidza nokuvanyandura kuti vawanezve icho kwavari zvichida chaiva chinhu chinoyera zvikurusa icho pasi raiva nacho.”

Migwagwa yeRoma Namazita Okuremekedza

Roma yakabatanidza marudzi aiva pasi payo kuva umambo hwenyika. Iyo yakagovera migwagwa kuita kuti mativi ose oumambo ihwohwu ave nyore kusvika. Uye vanhu vaifamba! Ingotarisa zvako ndaza yenzvimbo kwakanga kwabva vanhu vachiuya kuJerusarema nokuda kwoMutambo wePentekosta ya 33 N.V. Ivo vakabva Medhia kure kuchamhembe kwakadziva kumabvazuva, Roma neNorth Africa kure kumadokero, uye kunzvimbo dzakawanda dzaiva pakati.—Mabasa 2:9-11.

Dzakawanda dzenzira dzakaiswa navagadziri veRoma dzichiri kushandiswa nhasi. KuMaodzanyemba kweRoma, unogona kuchaira muAppian Way yakare, iyo muapostora Pauro akapinda nayo muRoma. (Mabasa 28:15, 16) Kwakataurwa kuti migwagwa yeRoma “yakagovera zvinhu zvokufamba napasi zvisingapfuurwi kutozosvikira pakuuya kwenjanji.”—The Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible.

Mukutonga umambo hwavo hwaisvika kure, vaRoma vaiwanzochengeta tsika dzomunzvimbomo. Nokudaro, zviremera zvomunharaunda dzakasiana-siana zvaizivikanwa namazita akawanda akasiana-siana kana kuti mazita okuremekedza. MuModern Discovery and the Bible, A. Rendle Short anotaura kuti kunyange “vezvenhau veRoma vanozivikanwa” havasati vaizoedza ku“pa izvi zviremera zvose zita razvo rakarurama.” Bva, iye anotaura kuti munyori weBhaibheri Ruka “nguva dzose anokwanisa kuwana ururami hwakakwana” muiyi nhau. Somuenzaniso, Ruka anodana Herodhe kuti “tetrarch,” Herodhe Agripa “mambo,” vakuru vakuru veTesaronika “politarch,” uye Sergio Pauro, mutongi weKupro, “mubati wenyika.” (Ruka 3:1; Mabasa 25:13; Mabasa 17:6; Mabasa 13:7; ona New World Translation Reference Bible, mashoko omuzasi.) Pane dzimwe nguva yakanga ichingova zvayo mari yakawanwa muno kana kuti runyoro imomo izvo zvakasimbisa kuti uyu munyori weBhaibheri akashandisa zita rokuremekedza rakarurama panguva yakarurama. Ngwariro yakadaro noururami hufakazi hwokuwedzera hwouzvokwadi hunonyora nahwo Bhaibheri maidi enhau oupenyu nenguva zvaJesu Kristu.a

Umambo nechiKristu

Ungano yechiKristu inobudirira yaiva muRoma. Sezvingabvira iyo yakaumbwa naavo vakahwirira kuRoma pashure okugamuchira chiKristu muJerusarema pazuva rePentekosta 33 N.V. (Mabasa 2:10) Bhuku reBhaibheri rakanyorerwa iyi ungano munenge mugore ra 56 N.V. Gare gare, Pauro akauya kuRoma somusungwa, uye kwamakore maviri iye akapa uchapupu hwakakwana kuvanhu vaishanyira imba yake yokuchengetedzwa. Nokudaro, mitezo yaVarindiri vaMambo, yakadzidza nezveshoko roUmambo, uye kunyange mitezo ye“Imba yaKesari” yakava maKristu.—VaFiripi 1:12, 13; 4:22.

Tsika, mitemo, uye mirau zvoUmambo hweRoma zvinowanzodudzwa muBhaibheri. Chirevo chaAugusto chakaunza Josefa naMaria kuBetrehema, uko Jesu akaberekerwa. Jesu akasimbisa kufanira kwokubhadhara mutero uyo Kesari akaraira. Vaprista vechiJudha vakanyepedzera ruvimbiko kuna Kesari kuti vaite kuti Jesu aurawe. Uye mumutemo weRoma, muapostora wechiKristu Pauro akakwirira mhaka yake kuna Kesari.—Ruka 2:1-6; 20:22-25; Johane 19:12, 15; Mabasa 25:11, 12.

Chifukidziro chesimba chomurwi weRoma—ngowani yake, chifukidziro chesimbi chapachipfuva, nhovo, tsoka dzakashongedzwa, uye munondo—chakashandiswa kuratidzira ukoshi hwezvokwadi, tariro yoruponeso, kururama, kutenda, kuparidzira mashoko akanaka, uye Shoko raMwari sedziviriro dzinotibetsera kumira takasimba mukurwisana nedenho dzaSatani. (VaEfeso 6:10-18; 1 VaTesaronika 5:8) Kwakanga kuri kumuenzaniso womurwi weRoma akasanorangwa uko Pauro akanongedzera apo akaudza Timotio kuva “murwi akaisvonaka waKristu Jesu.” (2 Timotio 2:3, 4, NW) Zvisinei, hondo yomuKristu yakanga iri yomudzimu, kwete yokunyama. Nokudaro, maKristu apakuvamba airamba kubatira muuto reRoma. Justin Martyr (110-165 N.V.) akataura kuti chiKristu “chakachinja zvombo zvedu zvehondo,—minondo yedu kuva miromo yamapadza, uye mapfumo edu kuva zvokurimisa.” MaKristu akawanda akarasikirwa noupenyu hwawo nokuda kwokuramba basa rehondo.

VanaKesari

Roma yakasvika pakakwirira zvikurusa pembiri yayo pasi pavanaKesari. Kungava kwakanaka kuhwirudzura maidi makuru pamusoro pavashomanene vavo, sezvo vakabatanidzwa munhau yeBhaibheri.

Mugore ra 44 P.N.V., Julius Caesar akapondwa. Pakupedzisira Octavian akava mutongi bedzi. Muna 30 P.N.V., Octavian akakurira Egipita, achigumisa umambo hwaPtolemaic wechiGiriki imomo. Ikoku kwakaunza mugumo wokupedzisira kuSimba reNyika reGirisi iro rakanga ravapo chibviro chenguva yaAlexander Mukuru, makore 300 pamberi pezvi.b

Mugore ra 27 P.N.V., Octavian akava mambo. Iye akagamuchira zita rokuremekedza rokuti “Augusto,” kureva kuti “anokudzwa, anoyera.” Iye akatumidzazve zita mwedzi nokuda kwake amene uye akakwereta zuva kubva kuna February kuitira kuti August agova namazuva akawanda somwedzi wakatumidzwa zita raJulio Kesari. Augusto akanga ari mambo apo Jesu akaberekwa, uye iye akatonga kutozosvikira gore ra 14 N.V.—Ruka 2:1.

Tibherio, mutsivi waAugusto, akatonga kuvambira muna 14 kusvikira muna 37 N.V. Mugore rechi 15 rokutonga kwaTibherio, Johane Mubhapatidzi akavamba kuparidzira. Makanga muriwo mukati mokutonga kwake apo Jesu akabhapatidzwa, akaita ushumiri hwake hwapasi hwamakore matatu nehafu, uye akapa upenyu hwake sechibairo. Iye akanga achiri kutonga apo vateveri vaJesu vakavamba kuparadzira chiKristu munyika yaizivikanwa panguva iyoyo.—Ruka 3:1-3, 23.

Gaius, akapiwa zita romusere rokuti Caligula, akatonga kuvambira muna 37 kusvikira kuna 41 N.V. Kraudio (41-54 N.V.) akamutsiva ndokutandanisa vaJudha muRoma, sezvinotaurwa pana Mabasa 18:1, 2. Gare gare akapiwa chepfu nomudzimai wake, uye mwanakomana wake muduku Nero akagara pachigaro choumambo. Mwoto mukuru wakapisa Roma muna July 64 N.V., uchiparadza chinenge chikamu chimwe chezvina cheguta. Wezvenhau Tacitus anotaura kuti kuti azvibvisire amene nyumwiro, Nero akapa mhosva yomwoto pamaKristu, ayo panguva iyoyo “akabvarurwa nembwa ndokuparara” uye “akashurikidzirwa kumarimi ndokupiswa, kubatira sechivheneko usiku, apo chiedza chezuva chakanga chapera. Nero akapa minda yake nokuda kweratidziro yacho.” Mukati meichi chitambudzo, Pauro, uyo akanga aparidzira achibva Jerusarema achienda Roma uye zvichida kunyange kuSpain, akapinzwa mutorongo kwenguva yechipiri. Sezvingabvira iye akaurawa naNero munenge muna 66 N.V.

Mamwe madzimambo eRoma ayo anotifadza anobatanidza Vespasian (69-79 N.V.) mukutonga kwake Titus akaparadza Jerusarema, Titus amene (79-81 N.V.), uye munun’na waTitus Domitian (81-96 N.V.), uyo akamutsidzira kutambudzwa kwapamutemo kwamaKristu. Mukuwirirana negamuchidzanwa, makanga muri mukati meichi chitambudzo umo mukweguru muapostora Johane akapinzwa muutapwa kuchiwi chokurangira chePatmosi. Ipapo iye akapiwa chiono chinofadza chemhedziso yeidzi tsika dzavanhu dzakaipa dzezvinhu nokutsiviwa kwadzo noUmambo hwokudenga hwakarurama hwaMwari, icho Johane akanyora mubhuku reBhaibheri raZvakazarurwa. (Zvakazarurwa 1:9) Sezviri pachena Johane akasunungurwa mukati mokutonga kwamambo akatevera, Nerva, 96-98 N.V., uye Evhangeri yake netsamba nhatu zvakapedzwa pashure pokunge Trajan (98-117 N.V.) avamba kutonga.

Kuderera Kwoumambo hweRoma

Muzana ramakore rechina, Mambo Constantine akasarudza kubatanidza vanhu pasi porudzidziso rumwe rwe“Katurike,” kana kuti rwavose. Tsika dzechihedheni nokuchengeta zvakapiwa mazita “echiKristu,” asi ushati hwekare humwe chetehwo hwakapfuurira. Mugore ra 325 N.V., Constantine akatungamirira dare rechechi paNicaea ndokusarudza kuda dzidziso yoUtatu. Kure nokuva muKristu wechokwadi, Constantine akakurumidza kuwana chikonzero chokuuraya mwanakomana wake mukurusa, Crispus, uye mudzimai wake amene, Fausta.

Constantine akaendesa hurumende yake kuByzantium, iro akatanga kudana kuti Roma Itsva uye gare gare Constantinople (Guta reConstantine). Guta iri paBosporus, apo Europe neAsia zvinosangana, rakaramba riri dzimbahwe roUmambo hweRoma mumabvazuva kwamazana amakore 11, kutozosvikira rawira kumaOttoman Turks muna 1453.

Shure muRoma, rutivi rwokumadokero rwoUmambo hweRoma hwakawira muna 476 N.V., apo mambo akabviswa naMambo Odoacer, mutungamiriri wehondo worudzi rwechiGerman, uye chigaro choumambo chakasiiwa chisina munhu. Gare gare, Charlemagne akaedza kudzorera umambo hwokumadokero uye mugore ra 800 N.V. akagadzwa kuva mambo naPope Leo III. Ipapo, muna 962 N.V., Pope John XII akagadza Otto I kuva mambo woUmambo hweRoma Hutsvene hworudzi rweGerman—zita rokuremekedza rakaregwa bedzi mugore ra 1806.

Zvisinei, pakasvika nguva iyoyo simba renyika rechinomwe nerokupedzisira renhau yeBhaibheri rakanga robuda. Sezvakaporofitwa, irowo raizopfuura, kuti ritsiviwe nehurumende yechigarire, Umambo hwokudenga hwaMwari.—Zvakazarurwa 17:10; Dhanieri 2:44.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mepu iri papeji 26]

(Kana uchida mashoko azere, ona bhuku racho)

Ukuru hwoUmambo hweRoma

Atlantic Ocean

BRITANNIA

GAUL

SPAIN

ITALY

Rome

GREECE

Mediterranean Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

EGYPT

Jerusalem

Tigris

Euphrates

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 28]

Appian Way umo Pauro akafamba achienda Roma