“Akoʻi Koe Tonu”

CITIUS, altius, fortius—vave ange, māʻolunga ange, mālohi ange! Ko e ngaahi tuʻunga lelei eni naʻe feinga ki ai ʻa e kau ʻatelita ʻi Kalisi mo Loma ʻo e kuonga muʻá. ʻI he laui senituli, ʻi Olympia, Delphi, mo Nemea pea ʻi he ʻIsimasi ʻo Kolinitoó, naʻe fai ai ʻa e ngaahi ʻatelita maʻongoʻonga fakataha mo e “tāpuaki” ʻa e ngaahi ʻotuá ʻi he malumalu ʻo hono siofi vēkeveke ʻe he kau mamata ʻe laui afe. Ko e monū ʻo e feʻauhi ʻi he ngaahi sipoti ko ení ko e ola ia ʻo e ngaahi taʻu lahi ʻo e ngāue mālohi. ʻE ʻomai ʻe he ikuná ʻa e lāngilangi ki he kau ikuná pea ki honau kolo nofoʻangá.

ʻOku ʻikai fakaʻohovale ʻi ha ʻātakai fakafonua pehē, ʻa hono fakahoa ʻe he kau faʻu-tohi ʻo e Ngaahi Konga Tohitapu Faka-Kalisi Kalisitiané ʻa e lova fakalaumālie ʻa e kau Kalisitiané ki he ngaahi ʻatelitá. Ke fakahaaʻi ʻa e ngaahi poini mālohi fakafaiakó, ko e ongo ʻapositolo ko Pita mo Paulá fakatouʻosi naʻá na ngāueʻaki pōtoʻi ʻa e ngaahi talanoa fakatātā naʻe makatuʻunga ʻi he ngaahi sipotí. ʻI hotau ʻahó, ʻoku hokohoko atu ai ʻa e lova faka-Kalisitiane lahi tatau. Ko e kau Kalisitiane ʻi he ʻuluaki senitulí naʻe pau ke nau fekuki mo e fokotuʻutuʻu ʻo e ngaahi meʻa faka-Siú; ko kitautolu he ʻaho ní kuo pau ke tau ‘feʻauhi’ mo ha fokotuʻutuʻu ʻi māmani lahi ʻi he ofi ki he fakaʻauhá. (2 Timote 2:5; 3:​1-5) ʻE ʻiloʻi nai ʻe he niʻihi ko ʻenau “lova ʻo e tuí” ʻoku hokohoko ia pea ʻoku fakaongosia. (1 Timote 6:​12, The New English Bible) Ko hano sivi ʻa e niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi faitatau fakaʻatelita he Tohitapú ʻe fakamoʻoniʻi ʻa ʻene mātuʻaki ʻaongá.

Ko ha Tokotaha Faiako Lelei ʻAupito

Ko e lavameʻa ʻa ha ʻatelitá ʻoku fakatuʻunga lahi ia ʻi he tokotaha faiakó. ʻI he fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi sipoti motuʻá, ʻoku pehē ʻe he Archaeologia Graeca: “Naʻe fakafatongiaʻaki ʻa e kau feʻauhí ke nau fakapapau ʻo pehē kuo nau fakamoleki ʻa e māhina kakato ʻe hongofulu ʻi he fakamālohisino teuteú.” ʻOku fiemaʻu foki ʻe he kau Kalisitiané ʻa e ako mālohi. Naʻe faleʻi ʻe Paula ʻa Tīmote, ko ha mātuʻa Kalisitiane: “Akoʻi koe tonu ʻaki ʻa e anga-līʻoa fakaʻotuá ko hoʻo taumuʻa.” (1 Timote 4:7, NW) Ko hai ʻa e tokotaha faiako ʻo ha “ʻatelita” Kalisitiane? ʻOku ʻikai ha toe taha ka ko Sihova ko e ʻOtuá tonu! Naʻe tohi ʻe he ʻapositolo ko Pitá: “Ko e ʻOtua ʻo e ʻofa maʻataʻatā kotoa pē . . . te ne fakaʻosi tonu ho akoʻí, te ne ʻai koe ke ke tuʻumaʻu, te ne ʻai koe ke ke mālohi.”​—1 Pita 5:10, NW.

Ko e kupuʻi lea ‘fakaʻosi ho akoʻí’ ʻoku haʻu ia mei he foʻi veape faka-Kalisi ʻa ia ʻi hono fakatatau ki he Theological Lexicon of the New Testament, ʻoku ʻuhinga tefitó “ko hono ʻai ha meʻa [pe tokotaha] ke feʻunga ki hono taumuʻá, teuteuʻi ia mo feʻunuʻaki ia ki hono ngāueʻakí.” ʻI he founga tatau, ko e Greek-English Lexicon ʻa Liddell mo Scott ʻoku fakamatala ai ko e foʻi veape ko ení ʻe lava ke fakaʻuhingaʻi ia ko e “teuteuʻi, akoʻi, pe teuteuʻi fakaʻāuliliki.” ʻI he ngaahi founga fē ʻoku ‘teuteuʻi, akoʻi, pe teuteuʻi fakaʻāuliliki ai kitautolu’ ʻe Sihova ki he lova faka-Kalisitiane ʻoku fiemaʻú? Ke mahinoʻi ʻa e fakahoá, tau fakakaukau angé ki he niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi founga ʻoku ngāueʻaki ʻe he kau faiakó.

Ko e tohi The Olympic Games in Ancient Greece ʻoku pehē ai: “Ko e faʻahinga naʻa nau tokanga ki hono akoʻi ʻa e toʻutupú naʻa nau ngāueʻaki ʻa e founga tefito ʻe ua, ko e ʻuluaki aí naʻe fakataumuʻa ia ki hono fakalotolahiʻi ʻa e tokotaha akó ke ne fai ʻa e feinga fakaesino lahi taha ʻe ala lavá koeʻuhi ke lavaʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi ola lelei tahá, pea ko hono uá ki hono fakaleleiʻi ʻa ʻene foungá mo e sīpingá.”

ʻI he founga meimei tatau, ʻoku fakalotolahiʻi mo fakaivimālohiʻi kitautolu ʻe Sihova ke tau aʻu ki heʻetau malava māʻolunga tahá pea ke fakaleleiʻi ʻetau ngaahi pōtoʻi ʻi heʻene ngāué. ʻOku fakalongomoʻuiʻi kitautolu ʻe hotau ʻOtuá fakafou ʻi he Tohitapú, ko ʻene kautaha fakamāmaní, mo e ngaahi kaungā Kalisitiane matuʻotuʻá. ʻOkú ne akoʻi kitautolu ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi fakafou ʻi he akonakí. (Hepelu 12:​6) ʻI he taimi kehé te ne fakaʻatā nai ʻa e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi mo e ngaahi faingataʻa kehekehe ke hoko mai kia kitautolu koeʻuhi ke tau lava ai ʻo fakatupu ʻa e kātakí. (Semisi 1:​2-4) Pea ʻokú ne tokonaki mai ʻa e mālohi ʻoku fiemaʻú.  ʻOku pehē ʻe he palōfita ko ʻAiseá: “Ko kinautolu oku tatali kia Jihova e fakafoou ho nau malohi; te nau buna hake aki ae kabakau o hage koe faga ikale; te nau lele ka e ikai vaivai; bea te nau eveeva ka e ikai bogia.”—Aisea 40:​31, PM.

Hiliō he meʻa kotoa, ʻoku foaki lahi mai ʻe he ʻOtuá kia kitautolu hono laumālie māʻoniʻoní, ʻa ia ʻokú ne fakaivimālohiʻi kitautolu ke hokohoko atu ai hono fai kiate ia ʻa e ngāue fakahōifuá. (Luke 11:13) ʻI he ngaahi tuʻunga lahi kuo kātekina fuoloa ai ʻe he kau sevāniti ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻa e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi lōloa mo faingataʻa ʻo e tuí. Ko e faʻahinga kuo nau fai iá ko e kau tangata mo e kau fefine anga-maheni ʻo hangē pē ko kitautolú. Ka ko ʻenau falala kakato ki he ʻOtuá kuo nau malava ai ke kātaki. Ko e moʻoni ‘ko e makehe atu ʻo e mafaí ʻoku ʻa e ʻOtuá ia ʻo ʻikai meiate kinautolu.’—2 Kolinito 4:7.

Ko ha Tokotaha Faiako Kaungāongoʻi

Ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi ngāue ʻa ha tokotaha faiako he kuonga muʻá “ko hono fakafuofua ʻa e faʻahinga mo e lahi ʻo e ngaahi fakamālohisino naʻe fiemaʻu ki he tokotaha ʻatelitá pea mo e sipoti tefitó,” ko e lau ia ʻa ha mataotao ʻe taha. ʻI hono akoʻi kitautolu ʻe he ʻOtuá, ʻokú ne fakakaukauʻi hotau ngaahi tuʻunga tāutahá, ngaahi malavá, faʻungá mo e ngaahi ngātangá. ʻOku faʻa hoko lolotonga hotau akoʻi ʻe Sihová, ʻoku tau kōlenga ai kiate ia, ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe fai ʻe Siopé: “Manatu muʻa, kuo ke ngaohi au hange ko e ʻumea.” (Siope 10:9) ʻOku anga-fēfē ʻa e tali ʻa ʻetau tokotaha faiako kaungāongoʻí? Naʻe tohi ʻe Tēvita fekauʻaki mo Sihova: “ʻOku ne ʻilo ʻe ia hota anga; ʻoku ne manatu ai pe ko e efu pe kitaua.”​—Sāme 103:14.

ʻOkú ke maʻu nai ha palopalema fakaemoʻui lelei mafatukituki ʻokú ne fakangatangata ʻa e meʻa ʻoku lava ke fai ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú, pe ʻokú ke fāinga nai mo e tuʻunga totonu fekauʻaki mo koé. Mahalo pē ʻokú ke feinga ke taʻofi ha tōʻonga kovi, pe ʻokú ke ongoʻi nai ʻoku ʻikai malava ke ke fehangahangai mo e tenge mei he toʻumeʻa ʻi he kaungāʻapí, ʻi he ngāueʻangá, pe ʻi he ʻapiakó. Ko e hā pē nai ho ngaahi tuʻungá, ʻoua ʻaupito ʻe ngalo ʻoku mahinoʻi ʻe Sihova hoʻo ngaahi palopalemá ʻo lelei ange ia ʻi ha toe taha kehe​—ʻo kau ai mo koe! ʻI he tuʻunga ko ha tokotaha faiako tokangá, ʻokú ne ʻi ai maʻu pē ke tokoniʻi koe kapau ʻokú ke ʻunuʻunu ofi kiate ia.​—Semisi 4:8.

 Ko e kau faiako he kuonga muʻá naʻe “lava ke nau fakafaikehekeheʻi ʻa e ongosiá pe ko e tuʻunga vaivai naʻe ʻikai hoko mei he ngaahi fakamālohisinó ka mei ha ngaahi tupuʻanga fakasaikolosia kehe, ʻiteʻita, loto-mafasia mo e alā meʻa pehē. . . . Ko e mafai ʻo e [kau faiakó] naʻe fuʻu lahi ia he naʻe aʻu ʻo nau vakaiʻi naʻa mo e ngaahi moʻui fakafoʻituitui ʻa e kau ʻatelitá pea fakakau atu ʻa e meʻa naʻa nau fakakaukau ʻoku fiemaʻú.”

ʻOkú ke ongoʻi ongosia he taimi ʻe niʻihi pe vaivai koeʻuhi ko e ngaahi tenge hokohoko mo e ngaahi fakatauele ʻa e māmani ko ení? ʻI he tuʻunga ko ho tokotaha faiakó, ʻoku mahuʻingaʻia vēkeveke ʻa Sihova ʻiate koe. (1 Pita 5:7) ʻOkú ne vave ke ʻiloʻi ʻiate koe ha fakaʻilonga pē ʻo ha vaivai pe ongosia fakalaumālie. Neongo ʻoku fakaʻatuʻi ʻe Sihova ʻetau fili tauʻatāiná pe fili fakafoʻituituí, ʻi he tokanga ki heʻetau lelei taʻengatá, ʻokú ne tokonaki mai ʻa e tokoni feʻunga mo e fakatonutonu ʻi he taimi ʻoku fiemaʻu aí. (Aisea 30:21) Anga-fēfē? Fakafou ʻi he Tohitapú mo e ngaahi tohi faka-Tohitapú, ko e kau mātuʻa fakalaumālie ʻi he fakatahaʻangá, mo ʻetau fetokouaʻaki anga-ʻofá.

“Fakamaʻumaʻu ʻi he Meʻa Kotoa Pe”

Ko e moʻoni, naʻe lahi ange ʻa e meʻa ʻoku fiemaʻu ke lavameʻa aí ʻi he maʻu pē ha tokotaha faiako leleí. Naʻe fakatuʻunga ʻa e meʻa lahi ʻi he tokotaha ʻatelitá tonu pea ʻi heʻene tukupā ki he ako mālohí. Naʻe fefeka ʻa e laó, koeʻuhi naʻe kau ʻi he akó ʻa e fakaʻehiʻehi mālohi mei he ʻolokaholó mo e faʻahinga ʻo e meʻakaí. Ko Hōlasi, ko ha tokotaha faʻu-maau ia ʻo e ʻuluaki senitulí K.M., naʻá ne pehē ko e kau feʻauhí “naʻa nau fakaʻehiʻehi mei he kakai fefiné mo e uainé” ke “aʻusia ʻa e taumuʻa naʻa nau fakaʻamu fuoloa ki aí.” Pea fakatatau ki he mataotao Tohitapu ko F. C. Cook, ko e faʻahinga naʻe kau ʻi he ngaahi sipotí naʻe pau ke nau fou ʻi he “mataʻofi-kita [mo e] fakangatangata ʻi he meʻakaí . . . ʻo feʻunga mo e māhina ʻe hongofulu.”

Naʻe ngāueʻaki ʻe Paula ʻa e fakafehoanaki ko ení ʻi heʻene tohi ki he kau Kalisitiane ʻi Kolinitoó, ko ha kolo naʻe mātuʻaki alāanga mo e ngaahi Sipoti faka-ʻIsimasi ofi maí: “ʻIlonga ha taha ʻoku kau ʻi he fakapuepue, ʻoku ne fakamaʻumaʻu ʻi he meʻa kotoa pe.” (1 Kolinito 9:25) ʻOku fakaʻehiʻehi ʻa e kau Kalisitiane moʻoní mei he tuli ki he meʻa fakamatelié, ʻulungaanga taʻetāú, mo e ngaahi founga moʻui taʻemaʻa ʻa e māmaní. (Efeso 5:​3-5; 1 Sione 2:​15-​17) Ko e ngaahi tōʻonga taʻefakaʻotua mo taʻefakatohitapú kuo pau ke toe toʻo ia ʻo fetongiʻaki ʻa e ngaahi ʻulungaanga hangē ko Kalaisí.​—Kolose 3:​9, 10, 12.

ʻE lava fēfē ke fai eni? Ko e meʻa ʻe taha, fakatokangaʻi ʻa e tali ʻa Paulá fakafou ʻi ha fakatātā mālohi: “ʻOku te tokeia hoto sino, mo takipopulaʻi: naʻa ʻiloange, hili ʻeku fai ʻa e angi ki he kakai kehe, pea u hoko au ko e liʻekina.”—1 Kolinito 9:27.

He mālohi ē ko e poini naʻe ʻomai heni ʻe Paulá! Naʻe ʻikai te ne fakaongoongoleleiʻi ʻa e fakamamahiʻi kita fakaesinó. ʻI hono kehé, naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ko iá tonu naʻe ʻi ai ʻene ngaahi fepaki ʻi loto. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi, naʻá ne fai ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻá ne fakaʻamu ke ʻoua ʻe faí pea ʻikai te ne fai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻá ne holi ke faí. Ka naʻá ne faitau ke ʻoua ʻaupito ʻe fakaʻatā ʻa hono ngaahi vaivaiʻangá ke ne puleʻi ia. Naʻá ne ‘tokeia hono sinó,’ ʻo puleʻi mālohi ʻa e ngaahi holi mo e ngaahi tōʻonga fakakakanó.​—Loma 7:​21-​25.

ʻOku fiemaʻu ki he kau Kalisitiane kotoa pē ke nau fai ʻa e meʻa tatau. Naʻe fakamatala ʻa Paula fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi liliu naʻe fai ʻe he niʻihi ʻi Kolinitō ʻa ia naʻa nau kau ki muʻa ʻi he feʻauakí, tauhi ʻaitolí, faka-Sōtomá, kaihaʻá, mo e hā fua. Ko e hā naʻá ne ʻai ke nau malava ʻo liliú? Ko e mālohi ʻo e Folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá mo e laumālie māʻoniʻoní fakataha mo ʻenau fakapapauʻi ke muimui ki aí. “Ka naʻa mou fufulu kimoutolu,” ko e lea ia ʻa Paulá, “ka naʻe fakaului kimoutolu ki he faʻahinga tapu, ka naʻe ngaohi kimoutolu ko e kau angatonu ʻi he huafa ʻo e ʻEiki ko Sisu Kalaisi, pea ʻaki ʻa e Laumalie ʻo hotau ʻOtua.” (1 Kolinito 6:​9-11) Naʻe tohi meimei tatau ʻa Pita fekauʻaki mo e faʻahinga naʻa nau tuku ʻa e ngaahi tōʻonga kovi peheé. ʻI he tuʻunga ko e kau Kalisitiané, naʻa nau fai kotoa ʻa e ngaahi liliu moʻoni.​—1 Pita 4:​3, 4.

 Ngaahi Feinga Taumuʻa Lelei

Naʻe fakatātaaʻi ʻe Paula ʻa ʻene fakakaukau taha mo fakahangatahá ʻi he tuli ki he ngaahi taumuʻa fakalaumālié ʻi heʻene pehē: “Ko e anga ʻeni o ʻeku fuhu, ʻoku ʻikai te u tuki matangi.” (1 Kolinito 9:26) ʻE fakahanga fēfē ʻe ha tokotaha feʻauhi ʻa ʻene ngaahi tukí pe haʻó? Ko e tohi The Life of the Greeks and Romans ʻokú ne tali ia: “Naʻe ʻikai ko e ivi mālohi fakaaoaó pē naʻe fiemaʻú, ka naʻe toe pehē foki ki he sio tokanga ki hano ʻiloʻi ʻa e ngaahi tafaʻaki vaivaiʻanga ʻo e tokotaha ʻoku fepaki mo iá. Naʻe toe ʻaonga tatau pē mo e ngaahi fuʻu haʻo pōtoʻi naʻe ako ʻi he ngaahi akoʻanga fangatuá, pea mo e vave ʻi hono ikunaʻi ʻa e tokotaha ʻoku fepaki mo iá.”

Ko hotau kakano taʻehaohaoá ʻa e taha ʻo e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku tau fepaki mo iá. Kuo tau ʻiloʻi ʻa hotau “ngaahi tafaʻaki vaivaiʻanga” fakafoʻituituí? ʻOku tau loto-lelei ke sio kia kitautolu ʻo hangē ko e sio mai kia kitautolu ʻa e niʻihi kehé—tautefito ki he sio mai nai ʻa Sētane kia kitautolú? ʻOku fiemaʻu ki he meʻa ko iá ʻa e ʻanalaiso fakaekita faitotonu mo e fakafuofua fakaekita pea mo e loto-lelei ke fai ha ngaahi liliu. Ko e kākaaʻi-kitá ʻoku mātuʻaki hoko ngofua ia. (Semisi 1:​22) He faingofua ē ke fakatonuhiaʻi ha ʻalunga ʻo ha tōʻonga taʻefakapotopoto! (1 Samiuela 15:​13-​15, 20, 21) ʻOku tatau ia mo e “tuki matangi.”

ʻI he ngaahi ʻaho fakaʻosi ko ení, ko e faʻahinga ʻoku nau loto ke fakahōifuaʻi ʻa Sihova pea maʻu ʻa e moʻuí ʻoku ʻikai totonu ke nau toumoua ʻi hono fai ʻa e fili ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e tonú mo e halá, ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e fakatahaʻanga ʻa e ʻOtuá pea mo e māmani fakameleʻí. Kuo pau ke nau fakaʻehiʻehi mei he veiveiua, ʻo ‘lotolotoua mo taʻemāu ʻenau anga kotoa pe.’ (Semisi 1:8) ʻOku ʻikai totonu ke nau fakamoleki ʻenau ngaahi feingá ʻi he ngaahi ngāue taʻefuá. ʻI he taimi ʻoku muimui ai ha tokotaha ʻi he ʻalunga fakakaukau taha fakahangatonu ko ení, te ne fiefia ai pea ʻoku ‘ha ai ki he kakai kotoa ʻene laka ki muʻá.’—1 Timote 4:15.

ʻIo, ʻoku hoko atu ʻa e lova faka-Kalisitiané. Ko Sihova​—ʻa hotau Tokotaha-Faiako Maʻongoʻongá—ʻokú ne tokonaki anga-ʻofa mai ʻa e fakahinohino mo e tokoni ʻoku fiemaʻu ki heʻetau kātakí mo e ikuna taupotú. (Aisea 48:17) ʻI he hangē ko e kau ʻatelita ʻo e kuonga muʻá, ʻoku fiemaʻu ke tau fakatupulekina ʻa e akonakiʻi-kitá, mapuleʻi-kitá, mo e fakakaukau taha ʻi heʻetau faitau ki he tuí. Ko ʻetau ngaahi feinga taumuʻa leleí ʻe fakapaleʻi lahi.​—Hepelu 11:6.

[Puha ʻi he peesi 31]

‘Tākai ʻAki Ia ʻa e Lolo’

Ko e konga ʻo e akoʻi fakaʻatelita ʻi Kalisi ʻo e kuonga muʻá naʻe fai ia ʻe he tokotaha tākaí. Ko ʻene ngāué ko hono tākai ʻaki e loló ʻa e sino ʻo e kau tangata naʻe teu ke nau fakamālohisinó. Ko e kau faiakó “naʻa nau fakatokangaʻi ko ha fotofota pōtoʻi ʻo e ngaahi uouá ki muʻa ʻi he akó naʻe ʻi ai hono ngaahi ola ʻaonga, pea pehē foki ko ha fotofota feʻunga mo tokanga naʻe tokoni ia ki he fakaʻosiʻosi mo e fakaakeake ʻa ha tokotaha ʻatelita naʻá ne fakakakato ha taimi ako lōloa,” ko e fakamatala ia ʻa e The Olympic Games in Ancient Greece.

ʻI he hangē ko e lava ke hoko hono ngāueʻaki ha lolo moʻoni ki he sino ʻo ha tahá ʻo fakafiemālie, faitoʻo, mo fakamoʻuí, ko hono ngāueʻaki ʻa e Folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá ki ha tokotaha “ʻatelita” Kalisitiane helaʻiá ʻe lava ke ne fakatonutonuʻi, fakafiemālieʻi mo fakamoʻui ia. Ko ia ai, ʻi he malumalu ʻo e tataki meia Sihová, ko e kau tangata taʻumotuʻa ʻo e fakatahaʻangá ʻoku enginaki ke nau lotu maʻa ha tangata pehē ʻi he tuʻunga fakatātā “ʻo tākai ʻaki ʻa e lolo ʻi he huafa ʻo e ʻEiki,” ko ha tuʻunga ʻoku fiemaʻu ki hono lavaʻi ʻa e fakaakeake fakalaumālié.​—Semisi 5:​13-15; Sāme 141:5.

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ʻI he hili ʻo ha feilaulau, ʻoku fuakava ʻa e kau ʻatelitá kuo nau ako ʻo feʻunga mo e māhina ʻe hongofulu

[Maʻuʻanga Tā]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Maʻuʻanga ʻo e Tā ʻi he peesi 29]

Copyright British Museum