Urupfu rwa Sitefano

Abigishwa bariyongeye cyane muri Yerusalemu, kandi benshi mu batambyi nabo barizera. Sitefano wari wuzuye ukwizera yakoraga imirimo n’ibitangaza bikomeye mu bantu. Abatware b’Abayuda barushijeho kuzabiranywa n’uburakari bukaze ubwo babonaga abatambyi bareka imigenzo yabo, bakareka ibitambo n’amaturo maze bakemera Yesu we gitambo gikomeye. Mu mbaraga mvajuru, Sitefano yacyashye abatambyi n’abatware b’ubwoko bw’Abisirayeli bari baranze kwizera maze yerereza Yesu imbere yabo. Ntabwo bashoboraga gutsinda ubwenge n’imbaraga yavuganaga, maze babonye ko ntacyo ubwabo bashobora kumutwara, baguririra abagabo b’ibigoryi kugira ngo bamushinje ibinyoma ko bumvise avuga amagambo yo gutuka Mose n’Imana. Bahuruje abantu baraza, basumira Sitefano, maze bamushinja ibinyoma ko arwanya urusengero n’amategeko y’Imana. Bahamije ko bumvise avuga ko Yesu w’i Nazareti yakuraho imigenzo bahawe na Mose.IZ 159.2

Ubwo Sitefano yahagararaga imbere y’abamuciraga urubanza, umucyo w’ikuzo ry’Imana waje mu maso he. “Abicaye mu rukiko bose bamutumbiriye, babona mu maso ha Sitefano hasa n’aha marayika.” Ubwo yasabwaga kwiregura ku byo bamuregaga, yatangiriye kuri Mose n’abahanuzi, maze asubiramo amateka y’Abisirayeli n’ibyo Imana yagiye ibakorera kandi yerekana uko Kristo yari yaravuzwe mbere hose mu buhanuzi. Yifashishije iby’amateka y’urusengero maze avuga ko Imana itaba mu nsengero zubatswe n’amaboko y’abantu. Abayuda baramyaga urusengero (ingoro y’i Yerusalemu) kandi bumvaga basuzuguwe cyane iyo bumvaga umuntu uvuga nabi urwo rusengero kuruta uko yavuga Imana nabi. Igihe Sitefano yavugaga ibya Kristo kandi agakomoza no ku rusengero, yabonye ko abantu batari kwita ku magambo ye; maze abacyaha ashize amanga agira ati: “Yemwe abatagonda ijosi, mwe abatakebwe mu mitima no mu matwi, iteka murwanya Umwuka Wera!”(Ibyak. 7:51). Nubwo bakurikizaga imihango igaragara inyuma y’idini yabo, imitima yabo yari yarangiritse kandi yuzuye ibibi bikabije. Yavuze ku bugome bw’abakurambere babo batoteje abahanuzi, kandi anahamya ko abo ari kubwira bo bakoze icyaha gikabije ubwo bangaga kandi bakabamba Kristo. Yarababwiye ati: “Ni nde mu bahanuzi ba sekuruza banyu batarenganyije? Bishe abavuze ibyo kuza kwa wa Mukiranutsi bitari byaba, none namwe mwaramugambaniye muramwica.”IZ 159.3

Ubwo uko kuri kumvikana kandi kwahuranyije kwavugwaga, abatambyi n’abatware bazabiranyijwe n’uburakari maze basumira Sitefano, bahekenya amenyo. “Ariko Sitefano yuzuye Umwuka Wera, arararama, atumbira mu ijuru abona ubwiza bw’Imana na Yesu,” maze aravuga ati: “Dore mbonye ijuru rikingutse, n’Umwana w’umuntu ahagaze iburyo bw’Imana.” Abantu ntibashakaga kumwumva. “Barasakuza cyane biziba amatwi, bamugwirira icyarimwe, baramukurubana bamuvana mu murwa, bamwicisha amabuye.” Maze arapfukama arangurura n’ijwi rirenga ati: “Mwami, ntubabareho iki cyaha.”IZ 160.1

Nabonye ko Sitefano yari umuntu w’Imana ukomeye, ariko by’umwihariko, yahagurukijwe kugira ngo abe mu mwanya w’ingenzi mu itorero. Satani yanejejwe cyane n’urupfu rwa Sitefano, kuko yari azi neza ko abigishwa bazababazwa cyane n’urupfu rwe. Nyamara intsinzi ya Satani yari iy’akanya gato; kuko muri iyo mbaga yarebaga urupfu rwa Stefano, harimo umwe Yesu Kristo yagombaga kwihishurira. Sawuli ntiyigeze agira uruhare mu gutera Sitefano amabuye, ariko yemeye ko yicwa. Yari afite ishyaka mu gutoteza abagize itorero ry’Imana, akabahiga, akajya kubakura mu nzu zabo maze akabashyikiriza abagomba kubica. Sawuli yari umuntu ufite ubushobozi kandi wize amashuri menshi; umuhati we no kuba yarize byatumaga Abayuda bamwubaha cyane, nyamara kandi benshi mu bigishwa ba Kristo bakamutinya. Impano ze zakoreshwaga neza na Satani mu gukomeza kwigomeka ku Mwana w’Imana ndetse no ku bamwizera bose. Ariko Imana ishobora kumenagura imbaraga z’umwanzi gica maze ikabohora abo Satani yagize imbohe. Kristo yari yarahisemo Sawuli kugira ngo abe “igikoresho cyatoranyirijwe” kubwiriza izina rye, gukomeza abigishwa be mu murimo wabo, ndetse no gukora ibirenze kuba mu mwanya wa Sitefano.IZ 160.2