Neema na Amani

Neema inamaanisha neema isiyostahiliwa. Amani inamaanisha utulivu na uhuru kutoka kwa wasiwasi. Tunapopokea neema kutoka kwa mtu ye yote, na kuwa na amani naye pia, (mke/mke, familia, ndugu, marafiki, wafanyakazi wenzetu) tunaridhika, na hata tunapoifurahia tunatamani iendelee milele, tukijua kabisa haitawezekana. t. Kila kitu katika mahusiano yetu kinaonekana kuwa na maisha yenye ukomo. Lakini Paulo hakuona hivyo!

Grace means unmerited favor. Peace means quietude and freedom from concern.  When we receive grace from anyone, and have peace with them also, (spouse, family, brethren, friends, co-workers) we are content, and even as we enjoy it we wish it could continue forever, knowing full well it won’t.  Everything in our relationships seem to have a limited life.  But Paul didn’t see it that way!

Mtume anafungua kila moja ya nyaraka zake kutoka kwa Warumi kupitia Filemoni kwa kutumia neno la kichwa la “neema na amani kwenu.” (Ni katika Waebrania pekee ambapo hatupati salamu kama hiyo, na ingawa wengi wanaamini kwamba aliandika waraka huo, huu ni ushahidi mmoja dhidi yake.)

The Apostle opens each one of his epistles from Romans through Philemon by using the title phrase of “grace and peace unto you.”  (Only in Hebrews do we not find such a greeting, and while many believe he wrote that epistle, this is one evidence against it.)

Inashangaza kuona uthabiti ambao Paulo anafungua Nyaraka zake kwa kutumia kifungu hiki cha maneno. Kwa kweli ni zaidi ya kifungu hiki cha maneno tu, anatumia sentensi, “Neema na amani zitokazo kwa Mungu Baba yetu na Bwana Yesu Kristo iwe kwenu.” Kwa Timotheo na Tito (lakini si Filemoni) anaipanua hadi, “Neema, na rehema, na amani iwe kwenu.” Maneno haya yalikuwa na shukrani kwa Paulo ambayo haionekani kwa urahisi kwetu. Paulo alisifu ukweli kwamba Neema na Amani hii (na rehema kwa Wazee kwenye misheni) ilitoka kwa “Mungu Baba yetu na Bwana Yesu Kristo.” Hizi hazikutoka kwa wanadamu na zingefifia, lakini kutoka kwa Mungu na Kristo na dhamana ya kudumu.

It is amazing to see the consistency with which Paul opens his Epistles by using this phrase.  In fact it is more than just this phrase, he uses the sentence, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  To Timothy and Titus (but not Philemon) he expands it to, “Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you.”  These words had an appreciation to Paul that is not as readily apparent to us.  Paul praised the fact that this Grace and Peace (and mercy to the Elders on a mission) came from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  These were not from men and would fade away, but from God and Christ with a guarantee of permanence.

Neema katika matukio haya yote ni kutoka kwa neno la Kigiriki Charis (Strong’s 5485). Inamaanisha mapenzi mema, fadhili-upendo, upendeleo, na inapopatikana kikamilifu ni hali ambayo hutoa furaha, raha, furaha, utamu, haiba na kupendeza. Ni zawadi ya bure ya Mungu kwetu; hatustahili chochote tulichofanya au tunaweza kufanya. Kwa hiyo, tunapata ufikiaji kwa Kristo, kuhesabiwa haki, kwa kila baraka na utakaso. Hakuna tunachopokea kutoka kwa Mungu ambacho si kwa neema. Kama tungeweza kupokea yote ambayo Neema inatupatia, tungeyapata kikamilifu. Neema yenyewe ni zawadi ya ajabu kiasi gani, na inatuletea karama nyingi sana!

Grace in all these cases is from the Greek word Charis (Strong’s 5485).  It means good will, loving-kindness, favor, and when perfectly attained it is a condition which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm and loveliness.   It is the free gift of God to us; unmerited by anything we have done or can do.  By it, we have access to Christ, to justification, to every blessing and to sanctification.  There is nothing we receive from God that is not by grace. If we could receive all which Grace offers to us, we would have perfectly attained it.  What a phenomenal gift grace itself is, and what rich gifts it brings to us!

Amani katika matukio haya yote ni kutoka kwa neno la Kigiriki Eirene (Strong’s 1515). Inamaanisha maelewano na maelewano kati ya watu au vikundi, na hali ya usalama, usalama, ustawi, furaha, na utulivu. Inapofikiwa kikamilifu ni hali ya uhakikisho huo na ya kutosheka, kwamba hakuna kitu kingine kitakachotafutwa au kutamanika. Haijumuishi kila jambo na inajumuisha kila hamu ya haki.

Peace in all these cases is from the Greek word Eirene (Strong’s 1515).  It means harmony and concord between persons or groups, and a condition of security, safety, prosperity, felicity, and tranquility.  When perfectly achieved it is a state of such assurance and of such contentment, that nothing else would be sought or desired. It excludes every concern and includes every right desire.

Na tuguswe moyoni na hili kama Paulo, na tuwaombee ndugu zetu hili. Na sisi sote tujinufaishe na haya ili kupokea kwa kipimo kamili na cha kudumu yale yote wanayotoa na kuwahakikishia. Waache wasiwe wa kawaida. Sikiliza sala hii, si tu unaposoma ufunguzi wa Nyaraka za Paulo, bali isikie kutoka kwa Mungu Baba na kutoka kwa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo kila wakati unapozungumza nao, au pamoja na ndugu. Usiipokee Neema ya Mungu bure, wala usiikose Amani ipitayo akili zote. Pokea baraka zote wanazotoa.

May we be as impressed in heart with this as was Paul, and pray this for our brethren.  May we all advantage ourselves of these to receive in full and permanent measure all that they offer and assure.  Let them not become common.  Hear this prayer, not only when you read the opening of Paul’s Epistles, but hear it from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ every time you converse with them, or with the brethren.  Take not the Grace of God in vain, and miss not the Peace that passes all understanding. Receive all the blessings they offer.

Na tusalimiane kila mara kwa mawazo, ikiwa si kwa maneno, kwa “Neema na Amani iwe kwenu, zitokazo kwa Mungu Baba yetu, na kwa Bwana Yesu Kristo,” ili iwe na matokeo sawa katika mioyo na maisha yetu kama ilivyokuwa kwa Paulo. 

Let us always greet each other in thought, if not in word, with “Grace and Peace unto you from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ,” that it might have the same impact in our hearts and lives as it did for Paul.

J. Knapp ©CDMI