Filipai mo Kolose

Naʻe faitohi ʻa Paula ki he kakai Filipaí mo Kolosé lolotonga ʻene nofo pōpula ʻi he pilīsoné pe nofo pōpula pē ʻi hono ʻapí. Neongo e ngaahi tūkunga ko ʻení, ka ʻoku ʻi he ʻū tohi ko ʻení ha niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi tohi fakatuʻamelie mo fakalotolahi taha ʻa Paulá.

Ko ha kolo mahuʻinga ʻa Filipai ʻi Masitōnia. Ko e fuofua kolo ia ʻo e Siasí ke fokotuʻu ʻi he vahefonuá ni. Hili ʻene fuofua ʻaʻahi ʻi he AD 50, naʻe toe ʻaʻahi ʻa Paula ki he Kāingalotu Filipaí lolotonga ʻene fononga fakafaifekau hono tolú fakafuofua ki he AD 56. ʻI heʻene tohí, naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe Paula ʻene houngaʻia ʻi he ʻofa mo e tokoni fakapaʻanga naʻe fai ʻe he Kāingalotu ʻi Filipaí kiate ia lolotonga ʻene fononga fakafaifekau hono uá mo hono tuku pōpula iá.

Naʻe tohi ʻe Paula naʻe “talangofua maʻu ai pē” ʻa e kakai Filipaí ʻo tatau pē taimi naʻá ne ʻi ai aí mo e ʻikai ke ne ʻi aí. Naʻe pehē ʻe ha mataotao ʻe taha: “Ko e hā ha toe tohi ki ha siasi naʻe fai ai ha fakamatala pehē? Naʻe ʻikai lava ʻe Paula ke lea ʻaki ha meʻa pehē ki he kakai Kolinitoó pe kakai Kalētiá, ko ia ʻoku tuʻu ʻa e kakai Filipaí ʻi he ngataʻanga māʻolunga ʻo e tuʻunga ʻo e tui faivelengá. Ko e meʻa ne akoʻi ʻe Paula kiate kinautolú ʻoku fakahā lahi taha ia ʻi he kaveinga ʻo e founga ʻoku maʻu ai ʻa e hakeakiʻí.”

Naʻe tuʻu ʻa Kolose ( naʻe sipela he taimi ʻe niʻihi ko e “Kolosae”) ʻi ha maile nai ʻe 100 ki he fakahahake ʻo ʻEfesoó. Naʻe hoko e koló kimuʻa ko e taha ʻo e kolo ʻiloa taha ʻi he feituʻú. ʻI he taimi ʻo Paulá naʻe “hoko ia ko ha kiʻi kolo fefakatauʻaki koloa ʻi he halanga fefakatauʻaki mei Loma ki he hahaké.” Ngalingali naʻe teʻeki ke ʻaʻahi ʻa Paula ki he Kāingalotu Kolosé kimuʻa peá ne fai ʻene tohi kiate kinautolú.

“ʻE lava ke fakamatalaʻi fakanounou ʻa e pōpoaki ki he kakai Kolosé ʻi ha tefito lalahi ʻe tolu: ko e māʻolunga taha ʻa Kalaisí, ngaahi tokāteline loi ʻoku feinga ke fakaʻauha ʻa e tokāteline ʻo Kalaisí, mo e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni te ne tokoniʻi kitautolu ke tau hoko ʻo hangē ko Kalaisí.”

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe Paula naʻe hoko hono tuku pōpula iá ke fakalakalaka ai ʻa e ongoongoleleí. ʻOku ngalingali ko ʻene lave ki he palasi ʻi he veesi 13 ko ha fakamatala ia ki he kau leʻo ʻo e palasí mo e kau ʻaʻahi kehe naʻa nau fanongo ki hono malangaʻi ʻe Paula ʻa e ongoongoleleí mei he fale fakapōpulá. ʻIkai ngata aí, naʻe maʻu ʻe he kāingalotu ʻo e Siasí ha loto-toʻa mei he sīpinga ʻa Paulá pea “ʻāsili ai [ʻenau] loto-toʻa ke lea ʻaki ʻa e folofolá.”

Naʻe ngāue ʻaki ʻe Paula ha himi faka-Kalisitiane, peá ne poupouʻi ʻa e kāingalotu Filipaí ke nau muimui ʻi he sīpinga talangofua mo loto-fakatōkilalo ʻo e Fakamoʻuí. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he himí naʻe ʻi he maama fakalaumālié ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ʻi he “tatau [ʻo e] ʻOtuá.” Naʻá ne maʻu ha natula fakalangi, hangē ko e ʻOtuá. ʻI hono fakahaaʻi ʻe Sīsū Kalaisi ʻEne tuʻunga tatau mo e ʻOtuá naʻe “ʻikai ko Haʻane faʻao mei he ʻOtuá Hono tuʻunga faka-ʻOtuá.”

Naʻe āfeitaulalo ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ʻo hifo mei Hono tuʻunga faka-ʻOtua ʻi he maama fakalaumālié ʻo Ne “toʻo kiate ia ʻa e tatau [ʻo ha] tamaiʻoeiki.” ʻI hono fakalea ʻe tahá, naʻe finangalo lelei ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ke hifo mei Hono nāunau ʻi he maama fakalaumālié ke ʻai kiate Ia ʻa e ngaahi tūkunga ʻo e moʻui fakamatelié. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Paula naʻe hoko e tuʻunga tatau ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi mo e ʻOtuá ke Ne feʻunga makehe ai ke hoko ko hotau Fakamoʻuí. Hili e mamahi ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ʻi he kolosí, ʻe hakeakiʻi Ia ʻe he ʻOtuá pea ʻoange kiate Ia “ʻa e huafa ʻoku māʻoluga taha pē ʻi he hingoa kotoa pē.”

ʻOku faitatau e pōpoaki ʻa Paulá mo e ngaahi akonaki ʻa Nīfai kau ki he “āfeitaulalo ʻa e ʻOtuá.”

ʻOku liliu ʻa e “fakahaá” ʻi he veesi ko ʻení mei ha foʻi lea faka-Kalisi ʻoku ʻuhinga ki he loto-taha, tala totonu, pe fakahīkihikiʻi. ʻE iku pē ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻe he kakai kotoa pē ko Sīsū ʻa e Kalaisí, ʻo tatau ai pē pe naʻa nau fili ke muimui kiate Ia lolotonga ʻenau moʻuí pe ʻikai. ʻOku akoʻi ʻe he Tohi ʻa Molomoná mo e Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakavá ʻe hoko ʻa e ʻilolahia ko ʻení ʻi he ʻAho ʻo e Fakamāú.

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Paula ʻi he Filipai 2:4–12, naʻe hanga ʻe Sīsū Kalaisi ʻo “fakamoulaloa‘i ia” pea mamahi ʻo “mate ʻi he ʻakaú” kae lava ke Ne hoko ko hotau Fakamoʻui. ʻI he fakakaukau ki he ʻofa mo e talangofua naʻe fakahā ʻe Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻoku naʻinaʻi mai ʻa Paula ke tau “ngāue ke lava‘i [hotau fakamoʻuí ʻi he manavahē mo e tetetete.”

ʻOku ʻikai ʻuhinga e foʻi lea faka-Kalisi ʻoku liliu ko e “ngāue ke lavaʻí” ke “ngāue ki [hoʻo] fakamoʻuí” ʻi he fakaʻuhinga ʻoku tau ngāueʻi hotau fakamoʻuí ʻo fakafou ʻi he ngaahi ngāue leleí. Ka, ʻoku ʻuhinga ia ki he hokohoko atu e ngāue fakaākongá. Naʻe fehuʻi ʻe Palesiteni Tāleni H. ʻOakesi fekauʻaki mo e veesi 12, “ʻE lava nai ke ʻuhinga [ia] ko e fakakātoa ʻo ʻetau māʻoniʻoní te tau maʻu ai ʻa e fakamoʻuí mo e hakeakiʻí?” ʻIkai, naʻá ne fakamatala ʻo pehē, ʻi he “ʻosi kotoa ʻetau talangofuá mo e ngaahi ngāue leleí, he ʻikai lava ke fakahaofi kitautolu mei he nunuʻa ʻo ʻetau ngaahi angahalá taʻe kau ai e ʻaloʻofa ʻoku ʻomi ʻe he fakalelei ʻa Sīsū Kalaisí.”

ʻOku liliu ʻa e “manavaheé” mei he foʻi lea faka-Kalisi ko e phobos, ʻa ia ʻe lava ke fakatou ʻi ai hano ʻuhinga kovi (ilifia, tailiili, pe manavahē) mo ha ngaahi ʻuhinga lelei (fakaʻapaʻapa, ʻapasia, pe ofo). ʻI he tūkunga ko ʻení, ko hono ʻuhingá ko e ʻapasia ki he ʻEikí. ʻI he veesi 13, naʻe fakamahinoʻi ʻe Paula ko e “ʻOtuá ia ʻokú ne ngāue ʻiate kimoutolu, ʻi hono finangalo lelei ke mou … fai ki ai.”

ʻOku faʻa ʻuhinga ʻa e foʻi lea kulī ʻi he folofolá ki ha taha ʻoku taʻetaau. Ko e “fanga kulī” naʻe lea ki ai ʻa Paulá ko e kau Siutasí—ko e kakai ia naʻa nau akoʻi kuo pau ke muimui ʻa e kau ului ki he tui faka-Kalisitiané ʻi ha ngaahi anga fakafonua pau ʻa e kau Siú, kau ai ʻa e kamú. Naʻe fakaʻaluma ʻe Paula ʻo ne lave ki he kau Siutasí ko e kakai ʻoku nau hifi ʻa e kakanó, pe ko e “kau tuʻusí.” ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, naʻe ui ʻe Paula ʻa e kakai fuakava ʻa e ʻOtuá “ko e kamu.” Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Paula ko kinautolu ʻoku hū ki he ʻOtuá mo fiefia ʻia Kalaisí ko e “kamu” moʻoní ia pe kakai ʻo e fuakavá.

Naʻe tukuange ʻe Paula ha ngaahi meʻa lahi ʻi he taimi naʻá ne hoko ai ko ha tokotaha muimui ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, kau ai hono tuʻunga māʻolunga ko ha Fālesi Siú. Naʻe ʻikai tokanga ʻa Paula ki heʻene ngaahi feilaulaú mo e ngaahi aʻusia he kuohilí, ka naʻá ne lea fekauʻaki mo e vilitaki “ki he fakaʻilongá, ko e koloa ʻo e ui māʻoluga ʻa e ʻOtuá.”

Naʻe maʻu ʻe Paula ha fakafiemālie ʻia Sīsū Kalaisi, pea naʻá ne hanganaki atu ke ne “kau ʻi heʻene ngaahi mamahí.” Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā Niila A. Mekisuele ʻo pehē: “ʻI he taimi ʻoku tau toʻo ai ʻa e haʻamonga ʻa Sīsuú kiate kitautolú, ʻoku tau kau ai ki he meʻa naʻe ui ʻe Paula ko e ʻkau ʻi [he] ngaahi mamahi [ʻa Kalaisí]ʼ [Filipai 3:10]. Tatau ai pē pe ʻoku tau faingataʻaʻia ʻi ha mahaki pe ongoʻi tuenoa, fakamaau taʻetotonu pe fakafisingaʻi, mo e alā meʻa pehē, ʻe hoko ʻetau fanga kiʻi faingataʻaʻia īkí, ʻo kapau te tau angavaivai, ko ha konga mahuʻinga ʻo hotau natulá. ‘E lahi ange leva ʻetau houngaʻiá ‘o ‘ikai ngata pē ‘i he ngaahi mamahi ‘a Sīsū maʻatautolú, ka ʻi Hono ‘ulungaanga taʻe-hano-tataú, ‘o ueʻi ai kitautolu ke tau moihū fakamātoato ange pea aʻu ʻi feinga ke hangē ko Iá.”

Ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi tōʻonga hala naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe ha niʻihi ʻo e Kāingalotu Kolosé ko e moihū ki he kau ʻāngeló. Naʻe iku ʻeni ki he taʻe-femahinoʻaki fekauʻaki mo e tuʻunga faka-ʻOtua ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí. Naʻe fakamamafaʻi mahino ʻe he pōpoaki ʻa Paulá ʻa e tuʻunga māʻolunga taha ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻo tatau pē ʻi he kotoa e ngaahi fakatupu ʻa e Tamai Hēvaní pea mo e ʻulu ʻo e Siasí.

Naʻe fakamoʻoni ʻa Paula ʻoku “nofo ʻa e fonu kotoa pē” ʻia Sīsū Kalaisi. Naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe Paula ke mahino ki he Kāingalotu Kolosé ʻoku māʻolunga ange ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi mo ʻEne ongoongoleleí ʻi he ngaahi fakakaukau fakapoto mo e ngaahi tui fakalotu kehe kotoa pē.

ʻI hono fakamatalaʻi ʻe Paula ʻoku ʻikai lava ʻo sio ki he ʻOtuá, naʻá ne ʻuhingá ʻoku ʻikai ke tau sio kiate Ia ka ʻoku ʻikai ko e ʻuhingá he ʻikai pē lava ha taha ʻo sio kiate Ia. Ko e ʻuhinga ʻa e ʻAposetoló neongo ʻoku ʻikai mamata hotau mata fakakakanó ki he ʻOtuá he taimí ni, ka ʻoku fakafōtunga mai ʻe he fotu mo e ʻulungaanga ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí ʻa e Tamaí. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Sefilī R. Hōlani ʻo pehē, “ʻI he meʻa kotoa pē naʻe hāʻele mai ʻa Sīsū ke folofola ʻaki mo fakahokó, kau ai pea tautautefito ki Heʻene mamahi mo e feilaulau fakaleleí, naʻá Ne fakahaaʻi mai ai kiate kitautolu ʻa e tuʻunga mo e ʻulungaanga ʻo e ʻOtua ko ʻetau Tamai Taʻengatá.”

“Ko Sīsū ʻa e ʻuluaki ʻi he fānau fakalaumālie ʻa ʻetau Tamai Fakahēvaní, pea ko e ʻAlo pē Taha naʻe Fakatupu ʻo e Tamaí ʻi he kakanó, pea ko e ʻuluaki ke toe tuʻu hake mei he maté ʻi he Toetuʻú.”

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā Tēvita A. Petinā ʻo pehē: “Naʻe naʻinaʻi ʻa e ʻAposetolo ko Paulá ki he kakai tui ne nau tali ʻa e ʻEikí: ʻKe mou ʻaʻeva ʻiate iaʼ [Kolose 2:6].

“ʻOku fakamamafaʻi ʻe he ʻaʻeva mo e Fakamoʻuí ha ongo tafaʻaki mahuʻinga ʻe ua ʻo e tuʻunga fakaākongá: (1) ko e talangofua ki he ngaahi fekau ʻa e ʻOtuá, mo hono (2) manatuʻi mo tauhi ʻa e ngaahi fuakava toputapu ʻoku fakafetuʻutaki ai kitautolu ki he Tamaí mo e ʻAló.”

Vakai, “Filimone 1:10–17. Ko e hā e meʻa ʻoku tau ʻilo fekauʻaki mo e nofo pōpulá (slavery) ʻi he kuonga ʻo e Fuakava Foʻoú?”

• David L. Frischknecht, “The Condescension of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, Dec. 2011, 51–55

• Dallin H. Oaks, “What Think Ye of Christ?,” Ensign, Nov. 1988, 65–68

• Bonnie H. Cordon, “Fakaʻaongaʻi ʻa e Faingamālie Kotoa Pē ke Fakamoʻoniʻi ai ʻa Kalaisi,” Liahona, Mē 2023, 10–12

• Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Grandeur of God,” Liahona, Nov. 2003, 70–73