Tertullian Nsɛm a Ɛte sɛ Nea Ɛbɔ Abira

‘NSƐDI bɛn na ɛwɔ Kristoni ne nyansapɛfo ntam? N’sɛdi bɛn na ɛwɔ obi a okyinkyim nokware ne obi a ɔhyɛ mu den na ɔde kyerɛkyerɛ ntam? Ntease bɛn na ɛda Nyansapɛfo nkyerɛkyerɛ ne Asɔre de ntam?’ Afeha a ɛto so abien ne abiɛsa Y.B. mu nhomakyerɛwfo Tertullian na obisaa nsɛm a emu yɛ den saa no. Wobebuu no sɛ “wɔn a wokura Asɔre no ne nkyerɛkyerɛ a wɔde kyerɛkyerɛe wɔ ne bere so ho nsɛm a edi mu sen biara no biako.” Ɛkame ayɛ sɛ nyamesom ho ade biara nni hɔ a na onnim.

Ebia ade a na wɔde nim Tertullian yiye ne ne nsɛm a ɛte sɛ nea ntease nnim na ɛbɔ ne ho abira, te sɛ nea edidi so yi no: “Sɛ Onyankopɔn yɛ Ne ho ketewaa a, na ɔyɛ kɛse ankasa.” “Ɛsɛ sɛ yegye [Onyankopɔn Ba no wu no] di ɔkwan biara so, efisɛ ɛyɛ nea ntease nnim.” “Wosiee [Yesu], na onyanee bio; ɛyɛ nokware ankasa, efisɛ ɛyɛ biribi a entumi nyɛ yiye.”

Ɛnyɛ nsɛm a Tertullian kae nko na na ɛbɔ ne ho abira. Ɛwom sɛ na ne nsusuwii ne sɛ ɔbɛkyerɛw nsɛm de agyina nokware ne asɔre no nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi de, nanso okyinkyim nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ ankasa. Nsɛntitiriw a ɔka de taa Kristoman akyi no bɛdanee nkyerɛkyerɛ a akyiri yi nhomakyerɛwfo gyinaa so nyaa Baasakoro nkyerɛkyerɛ no. Nea ɛbɛyɛ na yɛahu sɛnea eyi bae no, ma yenni kan nsusuw Tertullian ankasa ho kakra.

“Ná Otumi Ka Nsɛm a Aba Wom”

Yennim Tertullian asetra ho nsɛm pii. Nhomanimfo dodow no ara gye tom sɛ wɔwoo no bɛyɛ 160 Y.B. mu wɔ Carthage, Afrika Atifi fam. Ɛda adi sɛ onyaa nhomasua a ɛkɔ anim na na onim nnipa a wokura nyansapɛ adwene wɔ ne bere so no yiye. Nokwarem no, ade a ɛmaa n’ani begyee Kristosom ho ne ɔpɛ a na Kristofo wɔ sɛ wobewu ama wɔn gyidi no. Ɛdefa Kristofo mogyadansefo wu ho no, obisae sɛ: “Hena na obesusuw ho a n’ani nnye sɛ obehu dekode a ɛma wɔyɛ saa? hena na sɛ ohu dekode a ɛma wowu no a, onnye yɛn nkyerɛkyerɛ no?”

Bere a Tertulllian bɛyɛɛ Kristoni no, ɔbɛyɛɛ nhomakyerɛwfo a odi mu a ɔde ahokokwaw ka nsɛm a ɛtɔ asom na nyansa wom. The Fathers of the Church nhoma no ka sɛ: “Ná [ɔwɔ] ahokokwaw bi a nyamekyerɛfo a aka no nni bi. Ná otumi ka nsɛm a aba wom.” Nhomanimfo bi kae sɛ: “Ná Tertullian [mmrɛ] nsɛmfua ho te sɛ nea ebia ɔde nsɛmfua no bɛhyehyɛ kasamu, na na ɛyɛ mmerɛw sɛ wobɛte ne nsɛm ntiantia a ɔka ase sen nea ɛware no. Ebia eyi nti na na nkurɔfo taa fa ne nsɛm ntiantiaa ka na wɔntaa mfa ne nsɛm a ɛwoware nka no.”

Ɔkasa Maa Kristosom

Tertullian nhoma a agye din sen biara ne Apology, a wosusuw sɛ ɛyɛ nhoma a tumi wom sen biara a wɔakyerɛw de ataa Kristosom akyi no mu biako. Ɔkyerɛw no bere a na wɔn a wokura gyidihunu taa de basabasayɛ ba Kristofo so no. Tertullian taa Kristofo yi akyi kasa tiaa ayayade a na wɔde yɛ wɔn no. Ɔkae sɛ: “[Asɔretiafo] susuw sɛ Kristofo na wɔde amanehunu ne atoyerɛnkyɛm biara a ɛto nkurɔfo no ba. . . . Sɛ Nil anyiri anfɔw mfuw, sɛ wim tebea ansakra, sɛ asasewosow, ɔkɔm, anaa yaredɔm  bi si a—ntɛm ara wɔteɛm sɛ: ‘Montow Kristofo no mma gyata no!’”

Ɛwom sɛ na wɔtaa bɔ Kristofo sobo sɛ wonni Ɔman no nokware de, nanso Tertullian bɔɔ mmɔden kyerɛe sɛ wɔne ɔmamma a wotumi de ho to wɔn so sen biara. Bere a ɔtwee adwene sii mmɔden bebrebe a wɔabɔ sɛ wobetu aban no agu so no, ɔkaee n’atamfo sɛ na saa atirisopamfo no fi abosonsomfo mu, ɛnyɛ Kristofo mu. Tertullian daa no adi sɛ sɛ wokum Kristofo a, ɛyɛ adehwere ma Ɔman no.

Nhoma afoforo a Tertullian kyerɛwee no kaa Kristofo asetra ho asɛm. Sɛ nhwɛso no, wɔ ne nhoma On the Shows mu no, Tertullian de afotu ma faa anigyede, abosonsom agodie ne guasodeyɛ bi a na ɛnsɛ sɛ Kristofo de wɔn ho hyem ho. Ɛda adi sɛ na nnipa bi wɔ hɔ a wɔabɛyɛ Kristofo foforo a na wonhu abirabɔ a ɛwɔ Bible nkyerɛkyerɛ ne abosonsom agodie a wɔde wɔn ho behyem mu. Nea ɛbɛyɛ na Tertullian asiesie wɔn nsusuwii no, ɔkyerɛwee sɛ: “Hwɛ ade tantan a ɛyɛ sɛ obi befi Onyankopɔn asɔredan mu akɔ ɔbonsam de mu—obefi honhom fam nneɛma ho akɔ atantanne ho.” Ɔkae sɛ: “Ade a wonyɛ no, ɛnsɛ sɛ woka ho asɛm.”

Okyinkyim Nokware no Bere a Ɔrebɔ Ho Ban No

Tertullian fii ne nhoma a wɔato din Against Praxeas no ase sɛ: “Akwan pii so na ɔbonsam asɔre atia nokware no ne no adi asi. Ɛtɔ mmere bi a, ne botae ne sɛ ɔbɛsɛe nokware no bere a ɔbɔ ho ban no.” Wontumi nkyerɛ onii ko a ɔbarima a ɔbɔɔ ne din wɔ ne nhoma no mu sɛ Praxeas no yɛ pefee, nanso Tertullian kasa tiaa ne nkyerɛkyerɛ a ɛfa Onyankopɔn ne Kristo ho no. Obuu Praxeas sɛ obi a Satan de no di dwuma anifere kwan so bɔ mmɔden sɛ ɔbɛsɛe Kristosom.

Ná ɔsɛmpɔw titiriw a ɛwɔ wɔn a wɔkyerɛ sɛ wɔyɛ Kristofo no mu saa bere no ne abusuabɔ a ɛda Onyankopɔn ne Kristo ntam no. Ná ɛyɛ den ma wɔn mu binom, titiriw wɔn a wɔyɛ Helafo no, sɛ wobegye adi sɛ Onyankopɔn biako pɛ na ɔwɔ hɔ, na wɔagye adi bere koro no ara sɛ Yesu ne Agyenkwa ne Odimafo. Praxeas bɔɔ mmɔden sɛ obedi wɔn haw no ho dwuma, na ɔkyerɛkyerɛe sɛ Yesu yɛ Agya no a ɔsakraa ne ho, na nsonsonoe biara nni Agya no ne Ɔba no ntam. Saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi a wɔfrɛ no ahosakra nkyerɛkyerɛ no, kyerɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn daa ne ho adi “sɛ Agya no bere a Ɔbɔɔ ade na ɔde Mmara no mae no; ɔdaa ne ho adi sɛ Ɔba no bere a ɔsakraa ne ho bɛyɛɛ Yesu Kristo no, na ɔdaa ne ho adi sɛ Honhom Kronkron bere a Kristo kɔɔ soro no.”

Tertullian kyerɛe sɛ Kyerɛwnsɛm no daa no adi pefee sɛ nsonsonoe da Agya no ne Ɔba no ntam. Bere a ɔfaa 1 Korintofo 15:27, 28 mu asɛm kae no, ɔkae sɛ: “Nea ɔde (nneɛma nyinaa) guu obi nan ase, ne Onii a wɔde nneɛma nyinaa guu ne nan ase no—kyerɛ sɛ Nnipa baanu na wɔwɔ hɔ.” Tertullian twee adwene sii Yesu ankasa nsɛm so sɛ: “M’agya no yɛ kɛse sen me.” (Yohane 14:28) Bere a ɔde Hebri Kyerɛwnsɛm no afã bi, te sɛ Dwom 8:5 redi dwuma no,  ɔkyerɛɛ sɛnea Bible no ka sɛ Ɔba no “ba fam” no. Tertullian de baa awiei sɛ: ‘Enti Agya no yɛ soronko wɔ Ɔba no ho, na ɔso sen Ɔba no. Sɛnea Nea ɔwo obi yɛ onipa biako, na Onii a wɔwo no nso yɛ onipa foforo no; saa ara na Nea ɔsoma obi no yɛ onipa biako, na Onii a wɔsoma no no nso yɛ onipa foforo; na bio nso, Obiako na ɔyɛ nneɛma, na Onii a wɔnam ne so yɛ nneɛma no yɛ onipa foforo.”

Tertullian buu Ɔba no sɛ ɔhyɛ Agya no ase. Nanso, bere a ɔrebɔ mmɔden akasa atia ahosakra nkyerɛkyerɛ no, ‘odwen traa nea wɔakyerɛw no.’ (1 Korintofo 4:6) Bere a Tertullian dii mfomso susuwii sɛ ɔbɛfa nkyerɛkyerɛ foforo so akyerɛ sɛ Yesu yɛ kronkron no, ɔde nnyinasosɛm a ɛne “nnipa baasa a wokura nyamesu biako” dii dwuma. Ɔnam saa adwenkyerɛ yi so bɔɔ mmɔden kyerɛe sɛ Onyankopɔn, ne Ba no, ne honhom kronkron no yɛ nnipa baasa a ɛsono wɔn mu biara, nanso wɔbom yɛ onyame biako. Enti Tertullian ne obi a odii kan de Latin asɛmfua a wɔkyerɛ ase “baasakoro” no dii dwuma maa Agya, Ɔba, ne honhom kronkron no.

Hwɛ Yiye Wɔ Wiase Nyansapɛ Ho

Ɛyɛɛ dɛn na Tertullian tumi nyaa “nnipa baasa a wokura nyamesu biako” nkyerɛkyerɛ no? Ade foforo a ɛwɔ ɔbarima no ho a na ɛte sɛ nea ɛbɔ ne ho abira no—adwene a na okura wɔ nyansapɛ ho—ma yenya mmuae no. Tertullian frɛɛ nyansapɛ sɛ “nnipa ne ‘ahonhommɔne nkyerɛkyerɛ.’” Ɔkasa tiaa denneennen sɛ ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔde nyansapɛ taa Kristofo nokware akyi. Ɔkae sɛ: “Munnnye mmɔden biara a wɔbɔ sɛ wɔde Stoafo, Plato, ne kasa bi nyansapɛ bɛsɛe Kristosom no nntom.” Nanso, Tertullian ankasa de wiase nyansapɛ dii dwuma kɛse bere a na ɛne n’ankasa nsusuwii hyia no.—Kolosefo 2:8.

Nhoma bi ka sɛ: “Ná ɛhwehwɛ sɛ wɔde Helafo nsusuwii ne wɔn nkyerɛkyerɛ taa baasakoro nkyerɛkyerɛ no akyi na atu mpɔn ma wɔde adi dwuma.” The Theology of Tertullian nhoma no ka sɛ: “[Na ɛyɛ] mmara ne nyansapɛ mu nsusuwii ne nsɛm a wɔde abom anifere kwan so no na ɛmaa Tertullian tumi hyehyɛɛ baasakoro nkyerɛkyerɛ no wɔ ɔkwan a edi mu so, na ɛmfa ho akwanside ahorow ne emu sintɔ no, ɛma wonyaa biribi a wogyinaa so akyiri yi de nkyerɛkyerɛ no kɔɔ Nicaea Aguabɔ no ase.” Enti, Tertullian nkyerɛkyerɛ—nnipa baasa a wokura nyamesu biako—no dii dwuma titiriw de trɛw nyamesom mu mfomso a ɛwɔ Kristoman nyinaa mu no mu.

Tertullian bɔɔ afoforo sobo sɛ wɔsɛe nokware no bere a wɔbɔ mmɔden sɛ wɔbɛbɔ ho ban no. Nanso wɔ ɔkwan a ɛmfata so no, bere a ɔde Bible mu nokware a efi Onyankopɔn home mu fraa nnipa nyansapɛ no, afiri koro no ara yii no. Enti momma yɛmfa Kyerɛwnsɛm mu kɔkɔbɔ a ese ‘ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛfam nnaadaa ahonhom ne ahonhommɔne kyerɛkyerɛ ho’ no nto yɛn koma so.—1 Timoteo 4:1.

[Mfonini ahorow wɔ kratafa 29, 30]

Tertullian kasa tiaa nyansapɛ nanso ɔde dii dwuma de trɛw n’ankasa nsusuwii mu

[Asɛm Fibea]

Pages 29 and 30: © Cliché Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris

[Mfonini wɔ kratafa 31]

Nokware Kristofo kwati sɛ wɔde nnipa nyansapɛ bɛfra Bible mu nokware