Imigede Yokungcwaba—Yayiyini?
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-ITALY
Emihumeni emnyama, efihleke emathunjini eRoma yasendulo, kukhona imigede yokungcwaba. Iyini ngempela? Yayakhiwelwani?
NGOKUYISISEKELO, imigede yokungcwaba iyimihume embiwe edwaleni esetshenziswa njengamathuna. Kucatshangwa ukuthi igama elithi “umgede wokungcwaba,” okungaqinisekwa ngencazelo yalo (ngokunokwenzeka elisho ukuthi “emigodini”), kwakuyigama lendawo elichaza amathuna athile e-Appian Way eduze naseRoma. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lasetshenziswa kuwo wonke amathuna angaphansi komhlaba. Nakuba kunemigede yokungcwaba ezingxenyeni eziningi zendawo yaseMeditteranean, leyo eseRoma iyona eyaziwa kakhulu futhi emikhulu kunayo yonke—ubude bayo obuphelele bulinganiselwa emakhilomitheni angamakhulu ambalwa. Kuye kwatholakala engaba ngu-60, yonke engamakhilomitha ambalwa ngaphandle kwenkaba yalomuzi wasendulo eduze nemigwaqo emikhulu yondunankulu eyayixhuma iRoma nezifundazwe zayo.
Kubonakala sengathi phakathi nekhulu lokuqala, amaKristu aseRoma ayengenawo amathuna awo siqu kodwa ayengcwaba abafileyo bawo eduze kwamaqaba. Maphakathi nekhulu lesibili, lapho ababethi bangamaKristu base kakade beqale ukuthonywa imicabango yobuqaba, abaguqukela ebuKristwini benza kwatholakala indawo yamathuna “amaKristu.” Ukuze kuxazululwe inkinga yendawo ngaphandle kokuqhelela kude nomuzi, kwaqalwa ukumba.
Umlando Wemigede Yokungcwaba
Ukumba kokuqala cishe kwenziwa eduze nemithambeka yamagquma noma ezinkwalini ezilahliwe. “Khona-ke,” kuchaza uLudwig Hertling no-Engelbert Kirschbaum encwadini yabo ekhuluma ngemigede yokungcwaba, “umsebenzi waqala emhumeni ocishe ulingane nomuntu ngobude. Imihume eseceleni yayimbiwa iye ngakwesokudla nangakwesobunxele, futhi kamuva yayingahlanganiswa emaphethelweni ayo ngomunye umhubhe omalungana nowokuqala. Ngaleyo ndlela kwakwakheka inxanxathela elula kodwa eyayiqhubeka iba nkulu futhi iba inkimbinkimbi.”
Intuthuko enkulu yenzeka phakathi nekhulu lesithathu nelesine; ngalesi sikhathi, okwakwamukeleka enkolweni yobuKristu kwase kungcoliswe ngokuphelele izimfundiso nemikhuba yobuqaba. Lapho kwenzeka lokho okuthiwa ukuguquka kukaConstantine ngo-313 C.E., imigede yokungcwaba yaba impahla yeSonto LaseRoma, futhi eminye ekugcineni yaba mikhulu ngempela. Sekukonke, imigede yokungcwaba yaseRoma yayingaba namathuna angamakhulu ezinkulungwane, uma kungezona izigidi.
Phakathi nalenkathi lamathuna ahlotshiswa futhi akhuliswa, futhi kwakhiwa izitebhisi ezintsha ukuze izivakashi ezandayo zikwazi ukungena. Udumo lwamathuna okwakucatshangwa ukuthi awopapa nabafel’ ukholo lwase lusakazeke kakhulu (ikakhulukazi enyakatho yeYurophu) kangangokuthi imigede yokungcwaba yavakashelwa kakhulu phakathi nohambo lokuya endaweni engcwele. Lapho iRoma iwa futhi kuqala ukuhlasela kwamaqaba ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesihlanu, yonke lendawo yaba ingozi kakhulu, futhi ukusetshenziswa kwemigede yokungcwaba njengamathuna kwaphela.
Phakathi nekhulu lesi-8, lamathuna alimala kakhulu njengoba ayengaphangwa amabutho ahlaselayo kuphela kodwa futhi, ngokukaHertling noKirschbaum, “nangabalamuli bamaRoma abazithobayo” abakhipha inkindlane yezikhumbuzo ezingcwele bazinikeza “abaphathi bezindlu zezindela baseJalimane nabaseFrance ababezishisekela kakhulu izinto ezingcwele” ukuze bandise ubuhle bamathempeli nezindlu zabo zezindela. Njengoba ayengakwazi ukuvuselela noma ukuvikela lemigede yokungcwaba, uPapa Paul I wayisa iningi lezinsalela zamathambo endaweni elondekile ngaphakathi komuzi, lapho kamuva kwakhiwa khona amahholo amakhulu phezu kwalokho okwakukholelwa ukuthi kuyizinsalela “zabafel’ ukholo abangcwele.” Lemigede yokungcwaba ngokwayo yashiywa futhi yalibaleka.
Izincwadi zokuqondisa zasendulo zekhulu lesihlanu kuya kwelesi-9, ezazilungiselelwe ukuqondisa izivakashi kulamathuna adumile, zanikeza izazi imikhondo eyigugu okwathi, ekhulwini le-17 futhi kamuva le-19, zaqala ukufuna, ukuphenya, nokuhlola amathuna ayembozwe amanxiwa nohlaza. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, kuye kwenziwa ukucwaninga nokuvuselela okuningi, futhi namuhla ungavakashela eziningana zalezi zindawo ezishukumisayo.
Ukuvakashela Umgede Wokungcwaba
Sizithola siku-Appian Way, umgwaqo umphostoli uPawulu ahamba ngawo lapho eyiswa eRoma njengesiboshwa. (IzEnzo 28:13-16) Nakuba siqhele ngamakhilomitha amathathu kuphela kulomuzi wasendulo, kakade sesisemaphandleni, sizungezwe izihlahla ezinde zikaphayini nezomsayiphuresi ezikhula phakathi kwamatshe esikhumbuzo namanxiwa alomgwaqo omkhulu owake waba matasa.
Ngemva kokuthenga amathikithi okungena, sehla ngezitebhisi siye ekujuleni okungamamitha angu-12. Umqondisi uyachaza ukuthi lomgede wokungcwaba unezitezi ezinhlanu ezihlukene, ezifinyelela ekujuleni okungamamitha angu-20, okwatholakala amanzi ngaphansi kwazo. Eqinisweni, iRoma izungezwe amadwala athambile entaba-mlilo, okulula ukuwavundulula kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo aqinile.
Sihamba emhubheni owumngcingo, oyimitha ububanzi namamitha angaba mabili nengxenye ukuphakama. Izindonga ezinsundu zimaholo futhi zinomswakama futhi zisenezimpawu ezisobala ezashiywa amapiki ezisebenzi ezamba lemihume eminyene. Amathuna asezinhlangothini zombili avulwa futhi aphangwa kudala, kodwa amanye asenezinsalela zamathambo. Njengoba sithubeleza ebumnyameni, siqaphela ukuthi sizungezwe izinkulungwane zamathuna.
Indlela eyonga imali nephumelela kakhulu yokungcwaba abafileyo yayiwukumba imigodi ewunxande ezindongeni, omunye ngaphezu komunye. Lemigodi ngokuvamile yayiba nesidumbu esisodwa kodwa ngezinye izikhathi zibe mbili noma zibe ntathu. Yayivalwa ngezitini, amakhekheba emabula, noma ama-tile obumba olushisiwe, bese iqiniswa ngomcako. Eminingi ayibhalwe lutho. Yayibonwa ngezinto ezincane ezazibekwa ngaphandle—uhlamvu lwemali noma igobolondo elicindezelwe emcakweni othambile noma, njengaseThuneni likaPriscilla, unodoli omncane owenziwe ngamathambo, okucatshangwa ukuthi washiywa abazali abasosizini ababelilela ukufa kwendodakazi yabo ngaphambi kwesikhathi. Amathuna amaningi mancane, alingene nje izinsana ezisanda kuzalwa.
Sabuza: “Singabazi kanjani ubudala bemigede yokungcwaba?” Umqondisi wethu waphendula: “Akukho kuqagela ngalokho. Niyalubona loluphawu?” Siyagoba ukuze sihlole uphawu olukuyi-tile lobumba olushisiwe okuvalwe ngalo omunye walemigodi. “Lesi sitembu sagxivizwa lapho kwenziwa leli-tile. Amafektri, amaningi awo okwakungawasebukhosini, ayegxiviza ukwaziswa ezitineni nakuma-tile ayewakhiqiza okubonisa umgede ubumba olwathathwa kuwo, igama lefektri, induna, ondunankulu (izimantshi ezinkulu) ababephethe ngalowo nyaka, njalonjalo. Lesi isici esiwusizo kakhulu ekutholeni isikhathi esinembile amathuna enziwa ngaso. Amadala kakhulu enziwa maphakathi nekhulu lesibili C.E., futhi awamuva cishe ngo-400 C.E.”
Inhlanganisela Yemibono
Abanye balabo ababesebenzisa lezi zindawo ngokusobala babenolwazi oluthile lwemiBhalo Engcwele, njengoba amathuna amaningana ehlotshiswe ngemifanekiso eseBhayibhelini. Nokho, alukho uphawu lokukhulekelwa kukaMariya noma ezinye izinto ezivame kakhulu ebucikweni “obungcwele” bamuva, njengalokho okubizwa ngokuthi umnqamulezo.
Sibona futhi nemifanekiso engahlobene neze neBhayibheli. “Yiqiniso,” kuvuma lomqondisi wezihambi. “Imifanekiso eminingi kulemigede yokungcwaba neminye ithathwe ebucikweni bamaqaba. Ungathola unkulunkulu wamaGreki namaRoma oyiqhawe u-Orpheus; uCupid noPsyche, abamelela isimo somphefumulo kulokhu kuphila nokuzayo; umvini nesivuno samagilebhisi, okuwuphawu lukaDionysius oludumile lwenjabulo yangemva kokufa. Okuthathwe ngokuphelele ebucikweni bokukhulekela izithombe, ngokwesazi esithile esingumJesuit, u-Antonio Ferrua, ukwenziwa samuntu kwabantu abangaphili: izinkathi ezine zonyaka ezimelelwa izithixo zothando; imifanekiso eyinkimbinkimbi nakakhulu emelela izinkathi ezine zonyaka, iHlobo lithweswe umqhele wezinhlamvu zommbila neminduze; njalonjalo.”
Imifanekiso evelela njalo yilena: ipigogo, uphawu lokungafi, njengoba kwakuthiwa inyama yalo ayiboli; i-phoenix yasenganekwaneni, nayo emelela ukungafi, njengoba kwakuthiwa ibulawa amalangabi kodwa iphinde ivuke emlotheni; imiphefumulo yabafileyo, ezungezwe izinyoni, izimbali, nezithelo, ijabulela idili ngemva kokufa. Inhlanganisela yangempela yemibono yobuqaba neyeBhayibheli!
Eminye imibhalo iwukubonakaliswa kokholo okuthinta inhliziyo, okubonakala iveza inkolelo yokuthi abafileyo balele, balindele uvuko: “U-Aquilina ulele ngokuthula.” (Johane 11:11, 14) Ngokuphambene nezimfundiso ezingokomBhalo, eminye imibhalo iveza umbono wokuthi abafileyo bangasiza noma bakhulumisane nabaphilayo: “Khumbula umyeni wakho nezingane”; “Usithandazele”; “Ngiyanithandazela”; “Ngisekuthuleni.”
Kodwa kungani kunalenhlanganisela yemibono engokomBhalo neyobuqaba? Isazi-mlando uJ. Stevenson sithi: “UbuKristu bamanye amaKristu babugcwele imibono ethathwe emlandweni wawo wobuqaba.” Ngokusobala, “abalandeli” baseRoma babengasenzi ngokuvumelana nolwazi olwadluliselwa abalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso.—Roma 15:14.
Njengoba siqhubeka nohambo lwethu, ithonya lokuzinikela kwabafileyo okungasekelwe emibhalweni liba sobala nakakhulu. Abaningi babefisa ukungcwatshwa eduze nethuna lothile owayebhekwa njengomfel’ ukholo, benomqondo wokuthi ngesikhundla sakhe enkazimulweni yasezulwini, umfel’ ukholo wayengangenela, asize ongaphansi ukuba athole umvuzo ofanayo.
Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi lemigede yokungcwaba yayingaphansi komuzi, kodwa lokho akunjalo. Yonke ingamakhilomitha ambalwa ngaphandle kwenkaba yomuzi. Eqinisweni, isishaya-mthetho saseRoma sasikwenqabela ukungcwaba ngaphakathi emzini. UMthetho Wezibhebhe Eziyishumi Nambili, owamiswa ekhulwini lesihlanu B.C.E., wawuthi: Hominem mortuum in urbe ne sepelito neve urito (Abafileyo abanakungcwatshwa noma bashiswe ngaphakathi emzini).
Umqondisi wezivakashi uyaphawula: “Iziphathimandla zaziwazi kahle lamathuna, kahle kangangokuthi phakathi noshushiso loMbusi uValerian, lapho amaKristu ayenqatshelwe ukungena kulemigede yokungcwaba, uPapa Sixtus II wabulawa lapho etholakala lapha (ngo-258 C.E.).”
Njengoba sithatha elinye futhi ijika kulendawo eyinkimbinkimbi, sibona ukukhanya kosuku ekugcineni komhubhe, futhi siyaqaphela ukuthi uhambo lwethu selufinyelele ekupheleni. Sivalelisa umqondisi wethu wezivakashi, simbonga ngokwaziswa okuthakazelisayo, futhi njengoba sinyuka ezinye izitebhisi siphumela ngaphandle, sizithola sizindla ngalokho esiye sakubona.
Ingabe lezi izinsalela zobuKristu beqiniso? Lutho neze. ImiBhalo yaprofetha ukuthi ngokushesha ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, kwakuyovela ukungcoliswa kwezimfundiso ezafundiswa uJesu nabafundi bakhe. (2 Thesalonika 2:3, 7) Ngempela, ubufakazi esibubonile, bokukhulekelwa kwabafileyo nabafel’ ukholo kanye nombono womphefumulo ongafi, abubona ubufakazi bokholo olusekelwe ezimfundisweni zikaJesu, kodwa kunalokho buwubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bethonya lobuqaba elinamandla elase likhona kakade phakathi kwamaKristu aseRoma ayizihlubuki ekhulwini lesibili kuya kwelesine leSikhathi sethu Esivamile.
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