IKhaphadosiya—Lapho Abantu Babehlala Emizini Eqoshwe Umoya Namanzi
UMPHOSTOLI UPETRU wake wakhuluma ngeKhaphadosiya. Phakathi kwalabo ababhalela incwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumulelwe, kwakukhona ‘nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezazihlakazekele eKhaphadosiya.’ (1 Petru 1:1) IKhaphadosiya yayiyizwe elinjani? Kungani izakhamuzi zakhona zazihlala emizini eyayiqoshwe ematsheni? Zahlangana kanjani nobuKristu?
Isihambi samazwe saseBrithani, uW. F. Ainsworth, esavakashela eKhaphadosiya ngawo-1840, sathi: “Sazithola sesidunguza esiminyaminyeni samadwala ayizinkomishana nayizinsika.” Indlela ehlukile le ndawo ebukeka ngayo isazimangaza nanamuhla izivakashi ezifika kule ngxenye yeTurkey. Ezigodini zaseKhaphadosiya “kunezithombe” zamatshe ezingavamile eziminyene, zimi zithule zithé cwaka. Ezinye ungathi oshimula abakhulu abangamamitha angu-30 noma ngaphezulu ubude. Kanti ezinye zifana nezinkomishana ezinkulu zika-ice cream, noma izinguzunga zamatshe amade acijile, noma amakhowa amakhulukazi.
Yeka indlela eziba zinhle ngayo lezi zithombe eziveza imibala engafani lapho zikhanyiswa ilanga phakathi nosuku! Ekuseni ziba bomvana (pale pink). Emini ziyashintsha zibe mhloshana (bleached ivory), kuthi ukushona kwelanga kuzishintshe zibe sagolide (golden ocher). Yini eyakha lesi ‘siminyaminya samadwala ayizinkomishana nayizinsika’? Futhi kungani abantu bakule ndawo bawenza imizi yabo la madwala?
Aqoshwe Umoya Namanzi
IKhaphadosiya isenkabeni yeNhlonhlo Yase-Anatolia, exhumanisa i-Asia neYurophu. Le ngxenye yezwe ngabe iyinkangala ukube ibingenazo izintaba-mlilo zayo ezimbili. Ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka eyadlula, ukuqhuma okukhulu kwalezi zintaba-mlilo kwamboza le ndawo ngezinhlobo ezimbili zamadwala—i-basalt eqinile ne-tufa ethambile, idwala elimhlophe elakhiwa umlotha wentaba-mlilo osuke usuqinile.
Njengoba imifula, izimvula nomoya kwakuqala kukhukhula leyo tufa ethambile, kwavuleka imihosha. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amanye amawa agudle le mihosha adilika kancane kancane akha inqwaba yezinsika zezinkomishana eziyitshe, okwabangela ukuba leli zwe libe nezithombe zamatshe ezingatholakali kwenye indawo emhlabeni. Amanye ala madwala ayizinkomishana ábe esebukeka njengamakhekheba ezinyosi angempela. Izakhamuzi zendawo zaqopha amakamelo edwaleni elithambile zabe sezinezela amanye amakamelo njengoba umkhaya wawukhula. Zathola nokuthi la makamelo apholile ehlobo nokuthi afudumele ebusika.
Ukuhlala Empambana-mgwaqo Yempucuko
Abantu baseKhaphadosiya ababehlala emihumeni cishe babeyoba onkom’ idla yodwa ukube babengahlali empambana-mgwaqo ebalulekile yempucuko. Umzila wezohwebo odumile, iSilk Road, ongamakhilomitha angu-6 500, oxhumanisa uMbuso WaseRoma neChina, wawudlula eKhaphadosiya. Ngaphandle kwabahwebi, amabutho asePheresiya, aseGrisi nawaseRoma, ayehamba kuwo lo mzila. Lezi zihambi zaletha imibono emisha yenkolo.
Ngekhulu lesibili B.C.E., imizana yamaJuda yayisikhona eKhaphadosiya. Futhi amaJuda ayevela kuyo le ndawo ayekhona eJerusalema ngonyaka ka-33 C.E. Ayeze lapho ukuze agubhe uMkhosi WePhentekoste. Ngakho, umphostoli uPetru washumayela nakumaJuda aseKhaphadosiya ngemva kokuthululwa komoya ongcwele. (IzEnzo 2:1-9) Kusobala ukuthi amanye asabela esigijimini sakhe futhi abuyela ekhaya nenkolo yawo asanda kuyithola. Ngakho, uPetru wahlanganisa namaKristu aseKhaphadosiya encwadini yakhe yokuqala.
Nokho, njengoba iminyaka yayihamba, amaKristu aseKhaphadosiya aqala ukuthonywa amafilosofi amaqaba. Abaholi abathathu ababevelele besonto laseKhaphadosiya bangekhulu lesine, baze bayivikela ngamandla inkolelo kaZiqu-zintathu engasekelwe emiBhalweni. Labo baholi babengoGregory waseNazianzus, uBasil Omkhulu nomfowabo uGregory waseNyssa.
UBasil Omkhulu wakhuthaza nokuphila njengezindela. Imizi ephansi yabantu baseKhaphadosiya eyayiqoshwe ematsheni yayikufanelekela kahle ukuphila okuphansi okwakukhuthazwa uBasil Omkhulu. Njengoba umphakathi wezindela wawukhula, kwakhiwa amasonto anazo zonke izinto zesonto ngaphakathi kwezinye zezinkomishana ezinkulu. Ngekhulu le-13, kwase kunamasonto angaba amakhulu amathathu ayeqoshwe emadwaleni. Amaningi awo aye alondolozwa kwaze kwaba namuhla.
Nakuba la masonto nezigodlo zezindela kungasasetshenziswa, indlela yokuphila yabantu bakhona ayishintshanga kangako kula makhulu eminyaka adlule. Imihume eminingi iseyimizi yokuhlala. Bambalwa kubantu abavakashela iKhaphadosiya abangayibabazi indlela izakhamuzi zakhona zomdabu ezazishintsha ngayo izinto ezakhiwe imvelo zaba imizi ehlangabezana nezidingo zangempela.
[Ibalazwe ekhasini 24, 25]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
IKHAPHADOSIYA
IChina (ICathay)