Bwana Amefufuka: Kaburi Tupu na Kristo Aliye HaiThe Lord Is Risen: The Empty Tomb and the Living Christ
Kaburi Tupu, Kujitokeza Kwake, Njia ya Kwenda Emau, Tomaso, na Agizo KuuThe Empty Tomb, the Appearances, the Road to Emmaus, Thomas, and the Great Commission
1. Kaburi Tupu1. The Empty Tomb
Alfajiri na mapema siku ya kwanza ya juma, kungali giza, wanawake walikuja kaburini wakiwa na manukato ili kuupaka mwili — Mariamu Magdalene na wengine waliokuwa wamemfuata tangu Galilaya. Walipokuwa wakienda waliulizana wao kwa wao ni nani atakayewavingirishia lile jiwe kubwa mlangoni pa kaburi, kwa maana lilikuwa kubwa mno.Very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, the women came to the tomb with spices to anoint the body — Mary Magdalene and the others who had followed Him from Galilee. As they walked they wondered among themselves who would roll away the great stone from the door, for it was very large.
Lakini palikuwa na tetemeko kuu la nchi; malaika wa Bwana alikuwa ameshuka, akalivingirisha lile jiwe, akaketi juu yake. Sura yake ilikuwa kama umeme na mavazi yake meupe kama theluji, na askari waliokuwa wakilinda "wakatetemeka kwa hofu, wakawa kama wafu" (Mathayo 28:3–4). Wanawake walikuta jiwe limevingirishwa na kaburi likiwa tupu, na malaika akawaambia, "Msiogope ninyi... Hayupo hapa; kwa maana amefufuka, kama alivyosema. Njoni, mpatazame mahali alipolazwa Bwana" (Mathayo 28:5–6). "Mbona mnamtafuta aliye hai kati ya wafu?" (Luka 24:5).But there had been a great earthquake; an angel of the Lord had descended, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow, and the soldiers on guard "shook for fear of him, and became like dead men" (Matthew 28:3–4). The women found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty, and the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid... He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Matthew 28:5–6). "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" (Luke 24:5).
Mariamu alikimbia kwa Petro na Yohana na habari hiyo: "Wamemwondoa Bwana kaburini." Wale wawili wakapiga mbio pamoja; Yohana akampita Petro, akafika kaburini kwanza lakini akasimama mlangoni; kisha Petro akaingia, akaviona vitambaa vya sanda vimelala, na ile leso iliyokuwa kichwani pake imekunjwa mahali pa peke yake (Yohana 20:6–7) — si fujo ya wezi, bali utaratibu wa utulivu wa Yeye aliyefufuka na kuweka kando nguo zake za kaburini. Ndipo Yohana naye akaingia, na "akaona, akaamini" (Yohana 20:8).Mary ran to Peter and John with the news, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb." The two ran together; John outran Peter and reached the tomb first but waited at the door; then Peter went in and saw the linen cloths lying there, and the cloth that had been around His head folded together in a place by itself (John 20:6–7) — not the wild disorder of a robbery, but the quiet order of One who had risen and laid His grave clothes aside. Then John also went in, and "he saw and believed" (John 20:8).
2. Bwana Aliyefufuka Anajitokeza2. The Risen Lord Appears
Mariamu Magdalene alibaki nje ya kaburi akilia. Alipoinama kuchungulia ndani, aliona malaika wawili waliovaa nguo nyeupe wameketi pale mwili ulipokuwa umelazwa, nao wakamwuliza, "Mama, unalilia nini?" "Kwa sababu wamemwondoa Bwana wangu," akasema, "wala sijui walikomweka." Kisha akageuka, akamwona Yesu amesimama pale, ingawa hakumtambua, akadhani ni mtunza bustani. "Mama, unalilia nini? Unamtafuta nani?" Alisema neno moja tu — "Mariamu!" — na aliposikia jina lake alimtambua, akapaza sauti, "Raboni!" yaani, Mwalimu (Yohana 20:15–16).Mary Magdalene lingered weeping outside the tomb. Stooping in, she saw two angels in white sitting where the body had lain, and they asked her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" "Because they have taken away my Lord," she said, "and I do not know where they have laid Him." Then she turned and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know Him and supposed He was the gardener. "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" He said only one word — "Mary!" — and at the sound of her name she knew Him and cried, "Rabboni!" which is to say, Teacher (John 20:15–16).
"Usinishike; kwa maana sijapaa bado kwenda kwa Baba... Lakini enenda kwa ndugu zangu ukawaambie, 'Ninapaa kwenda kwa Baba yangu naye ni Baba yenu, kwa Mungu wangu naye ni Mungu wenu'" (Yohana 20:17). Hakupaswa kumshikilia katika hali ile ya zamani ya kuwepo kwake duniani; alipaswa kwenda kuwaambia wengine. Hivyo Mariamu Magdalene akawa wa kwanza kupeleka neno, "Nimemwona Bwana!" Aliwakuta pia wale wanawake wengine njiani, nao wakamshika miguu wakamsujudia (Mathayo 28:9). Mashahidi wa kwanza wa ufufuo walikuwa wanawake — jambo ambalo hakuna mtungaji wa hadithi wa zama zile angalilichagua, na kwa hiyo lenyewe ni alama tulivu ya ukweli."Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father... but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God'" (John 20:17). She was not to hold Him to the old manner of His earthly presence; she was to go and tell. So Mary Magdalene became the first to carry the word, "I have seen the Lord!" He met the other women on the way as well, and they held Him by the feet and worshiped Him (Matthew 28:9). The first witnesses of the resurrection were women — a detail no inventor of that age would have chosen, and so itself a quiet mark of the truth.
3. Njia ya Kwenda Emau3. The Road to Emmaus
Siku ile ile wanafunzi wawili walikuwa wakienda kijiji kimoja kiitwacho Emau, wakiwa na huzuni, wakizungumza juu ya mambo yote yaliyotokea. Yesu mwenyewe akakaribia akaenda pamoja nao, lakini macho yao yalizuiwa wasimtambue. "Ni maneno gani haya mnayosemezana hivi mnapotembea?" akauliza, nao wakasimama, nyuso zao zikiwa na huzuni. Wakamweleza yule Mgeni habari za Yesu wa Nazareti, nabii mwenye uweza, aliyesulibiwa na wakuu wao; "lakini sisi tulikuwa tukitumaini ya kuwa yeye ndiye atakayewakomboa Israeli"; na habari ya kushangaza ya wale wanawake kwamba kaburi lilikuwa tupu.That same day two disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus, downcast, talking over all that had happened. Jesus Himself drew near and walked along with them, but their eyes were restrained, and they did not know Him. "What kind of conversation is this?" He asked, and they stood still, sad. They told the Stranger of Jesus of Nazareth, a mighty prophet, crucified by their rulers; "we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel"; and of the women's astonishing report that the tomb was empty.
Ndipo akawaambia, "Enyi msio na akili, wenye mioyo mizito ya kuamini... Je! Haikumpasa Kristo kupata mateso hayo na kuingia katika utukufu wake?" Akaanza kutoka Musa na manabii wote, akawaeleza katika Maandiko yote mambo yaliyomhusu yeye mwenyewe (Luka 24:25–27) — msalaba na kaburi tupu havikuwa ajali, wala kushindwa; Agano la Kale lote lilikuwa likielekeza kwenye jambo hili tangu mwanzo. Walipokaribia kijiji, alijifanya kama anataka kuendelea mbele, lakini wakamsihi sana, "Kaa pamoja nasi, kwa maana ni karibu na jioni, na mchana umekwisha kupungua" (Luka 24:29); basi akaingia kukaa pamoja nao. Mezani alitwaa mkate, akaubariki, akaumega — na wakati huo huo macho yao yakafumbuka, wakamtambua, naye akatoweka mbele ya macho yao. "Je! Mioyo yetu haikuwa ikiwaka ndani yetu, hapo alipokuwa akisema nasi njiani na kutufunulia Maandiko?" (Luka 24:32). Wakaondoka saa ile ile wakarudi mbio Yerusalemu.Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe... Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25–27) — the cross and the empty tomb were no accident, no defeat; the whole of the Old Testament had been pointing to this all along. As they drew near the village, He made as though He would go farther, but they urged Him, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent" (Luke 24:29); so He went in to stay with them. At the table He took bread, blessed and broke it — and in that moment their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished from their sight. "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32). They rose that very hour and ran back to Jerusalem.
4. Chumba cha Juu na Tomaso4. The Upper Room and Thomas
Jioni ile, milango ikiwa imefungwa kwa hofu ya viongozi, Yesu alikuja akasimama katikati yao akasema, "Amani iwe kwenu." Akawaonyesha mikono yake na ubavu wake, nao wanafunzi wakafurahi walipomwona Bwana. "Tazameni mikono yangu na miguu yangu... Nishikeshikeni, mwone; kwa maana roho haina mwili na mifupa, kama mnavyoniona mimi kuwa nayo" (Luka 24:39). Ili kuthibitisha zaidi kwamba hakuwa pepo bali amefufuka katika mwili halisi, aliomba chakula, akala kipande cha samaki wa kuokwa mbele yao (Luka 24:42–43). Kisha tena, "Amani iwe kwenu; kama vile Baba alivyonituma mimi, mimi nami nawatuma ninyi." Akawavuvia, akawaambia, "Pokeeni Roho Mtakatifu" (Yohana 20:21–22).That evening, the doors shut for fear of the authorities, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said, "Peace be with you." He showed them His hands and His side, and the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. "Behold My hands and My feet... Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have" (Luke 24:39). To prove further that He was no ghost but risen in true body, He asked for food and ate a piece of broiled fish before them (Luke 24:42–43). Then again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And He breathed on them, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:21–22).
Lakini Tomaso hakuwa pamoja nao, na walipomwambia, hakuamini: "Mimi nisipoziona mikononi mwake alama za misumari, na kutia kidole changu katika mahali pa misumari... sitaamini kamwe" (Yohana 20:25). Baada ya siku nane wanafunzi walikuwa ndani tena, na Tomaso pamoja nao, naye Yesu akaja, milango ikiwa imefungwa, akasimama katikati yao. Akamgeukia Tomaso: "Lete hapa kidole chako, uitazame mikono yangu... wala usiwe asiyeamini, bali aaminiye." Tomaso akajibu, akamwambia, "Bwana wangu na Mungu wangu!" (Yohana 20:28). Yesu akamwambia, "Tomaso, kwa kuwa umeniona, umeamini; wa heri wale wasioona, wakaamini" (Yohana 20:29) — neno la baraka linalomfikia kila mwamini tangu siku ile.But Thomas was not with them, and when they told him, he would not believe: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails... I will not believe" (John 20:25). Eight days later the disciples were inside again, and Thomas with them, and Jesus came though the doors were shut and stood among them. He turned to Thomas: "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands... Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29) — a word of blessing reaching down to every believer since.
5. Agizo Kuu, Kupaa, na Maana ya Ufufuo5. The Great Commission, the Ascension, and the Meaning of the Resurrection
Kando ya Bahari ya Galilaya Bwana aliyefufuka alimrejesha Petro, aliyekuwa amemkana mara tatu. Mara tatu alimwuliza, "Wanipenda?" na mara tatu akamwagiza, "Lisha kondoo zangu" (Yohana 21:15–17) — neema ya kutosha kumwinua aliyeanguka na kumtuma tena kazini.By the Sea of Galilee the risen Lord restored Peter, who had denied Him three times. Three times He asked, "Do you love Me?" and three times He charged him, "Feed My sheep" (John 21:15–17) — grace enough to lift up the fallen and send him out again.
Kisha, juu ya mlima mmoja huko Galilaya, alitoa Agizo Kuu: "Nimepewa mamlaka yote mbinguni na duniani. Basi, enendeni, mkawafanye mataifa yote kuwa wanafunzi, mkiwabatiza kwa jina la Baba, na Mwana, na Roho Mtakatifu; na kuwafundisha kuyashika yote niliyowaamuru ninyi; na tazama, mimi nipo pamoja nanyi siku zote, hata ukamilifu wa dahari" (Mathayo 28:18–20). Kazi ya kanisa inabubujika kutoka kwenye kaburi tupu.Then, on a mountain in Galilee, He gave the Great Commission: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18–20). The work of the church flows out of an empty tomb.
Naye akawaongoza mpaka Bethania, akainua mikono yake akawabariki, na ikawa alipokuwa akiwabariki, alijitenga nao, akachukuliwa juu mbinguni (Luka 24:50–51; Matendo 1:9). Walipokuwa wakikaza macho kutazama juu, watu wawili waliovaa nguo nyeupe wakasema, "Yesu huyu... atakuja jinsi iyo hiyo mlivyomwona akienda zake mbinguni" (Matendo 1:11). Yeye aliyefufuka atarudi pia.And when He had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them, and while He blessed them He was parted from them and carried up into heaven (Luke 24:50–51; Acts 1:9). As they gazed upward, two men in white said, "This same Jesus... will so come in like manner as you saw Him go" (Acts 1:11). He who rose will also return.
Basi, ufufuo una maana gani? Ni "Amina" ya Baba kwa "Imekwisha" ya Mwana — uthibitisho wa wazi kwamba dhabihu ilikubaliwa, deni lililipwa kweli, na mauti yenyewe yalishindwa. "Na kama Kristo hakufufuka... imani yenu ni bure; mngali katika dhambi zenu" (1 Wakorintho 15:17); lakini Kristo amefufuka, limbuko lao waliolala, na kwa sababu yeye yu hai, wote wanaomtumaini wataishi pia. Alionwa na Petro, kisha na wale Kumi na Wawili, kisha na ndugu zaidi ya mia tano pamoja (1 Wakorintho 15:5–6); mashahidi walikuwa wengi na kaburi lilikuwa tupu. Na kama yeye alivyofufuka, ndivyo wote walio wake watakavyofufuka — ufufuo wake ukiwa limbuko na rehani ya ufufuo wetu wenyewe.What, then, does the resurrection mean? It is the Father's "Amen" to the Son's "It is finished" — the open proof that the sacrifice was accepted, the debt was truly paid, and death itself was conquered. "If Christ is not risen... your faith is futile; you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17); but Christ is risen, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, and because He lives, all who trust Him will live also. He was seen by Peter, then by the Twelve, and then by more than five hundred at once (1 Corinthians 15:5–6); the witnesses were many and the tomb was empty. And as He rose, so all who are His will rise — His resurrection the firstfruits and the pledge of our own.
Na Uungu na ubinadamu wake bado vinasimama pamoja. Mwili ule ule uliosulibiwa na kuzikwa ulifufuka, ukaonekana na kuguswa, ukala pamoja nao, lakini ukapita katika milango iliyofungwa na kuchukuliwa juu katika utukufu — mwanadamu kweli, Mungu kweli, Bwana aliye hai. Hadithi iliyoanzia horini na kuendelea hadi msalabani haiishii katika kaburi la kuazimwa. Inaishia kwa Kristo aliye hai anayewaambia walio wake, katika kila kizazi, "Mimi nipo pamoja nanyi siku zote." Kaburi halikuwa mwisho wa hadithi bali mlango wa kuingia katika uzima usio na mwisho.And the divine and human stand together still. The very body that was crucified and buried rose again, was seen and touched and ate among them, yet passed through shut doors and was taken up into glory — truly man, truly God, the living Lord. The story that began in a manger and ran on to a cross does not end in a borrowed tomb. It ends with a living Christ who says to His own, in every age, "I am with you always." The grave was not the end of the story but the doorway into endless life.