Emenere Ke Cross

Etop otode Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Eke Eboho mme Apostle Duopeba

Man edi anditiene Jesus Christ, ana owo ke usuk ini obiom mbiomo onyuŋ aka ebiet eyomde nwa-idem mme emi ufen odude.

Ke ediwak isua ke edem, ke nkenyenede nneme ke ufɔk ŋwed mbaŋa mbuk ikɔ Abasi eset eke America, eyen ufɔk ŋwed kiet ama obup mi ete, “Ntak emi mme Latter-day Saint mikamake cross nte mbon ufɔk Abasi nte idiɔŋɔ mbuɔtidem mmɔ?”

Ke ntak emi esibupde mme utɔ mbume ntem ebaŋa iberedem nnyin ke Christ, ami nsɔp ndɔhɔ enye nte ke Ufɔk Abasi Jesus Christ eke Ndisana Owo ke Ukperedem Usen eda uwa usio-isop Jesus Christ nte ata akpanikɔ, akpan itiat idak isɔŋ, akpan ukpep ŋkpɔ, ye nte akpatre uwut-ŋkpɔ eke edisana ima Abasi ke akwa uduak abaŋade nditɔ, Esie.¹ Nnam aŋwaŋa ete ke mbɔm erinyaŋa emi esinede ke edinam oro edi akpan ɔnɔ ye enɔ emi enɔde ofuri ubon owo tɔŋɔ ke Adam ye Eve tutu esim etit ererimbot.² Ami mma nkot nto Prophet Joseph Smith, emi ɔkɔdɔhɔde ete, “Kpukpru … ŋkpɔ emi ebaŋade edu ukpono nnyin edi nda-ndian” enɔ Usio-isop Jeus Christ.³

Ekem ami nkot nno enye se Nephi ekewetde ke isua Ikie-itiokiet mbemiso emana Jesus nte: “Ndien … angel oro etiŋ ɔnɔ mi … , ete: Se! Ndien ami nse nnyuŋ nkut Eyenerɔŋ Abasi [emi] ekemenere ke cross enyuŋ ewot ke ntak mme idiɔknkpɔ ererimbot.”⁴

Ye odudu “ima, ebuana, ye ikoot” mi emi okoŋde ekesim akwa ndaha, ami nka iso ndikot! Ɔnɔde mbon Nephi ke Obufa Ererimbot Christ andikiset ete, “Ete Mi ɔkɔdɔŋ Mi ete man ekpemenere mi ke cross; … man ami mkpekeme edi-da kpukpru nnɔ idem mi, … ndien ke ntak emi ke ekemenere mi ke enyɔŋ.”⁵

Ami nkoyom ndikot nto Paul Apostle ke ini nkokutde nte ke enyin ufan mi ɔtɔŋɔ ndise edem. Enye ese ŋkanika esie nte ŋkpɔ nditi enye ke akpana enye odu ke ebiet efen—eke ekpededi—ndien enye efehe adaha aka nsu-nsu ebiet esie. Ntre ke nneme nnyin eketre.

Usenubɔk emi, ke isua 50 ama ekebe, ami moyom nditiŋ ikɔ mma—ekpedi ke idem owo mbufo, kiet-kiet eyese ŋkanika mbufo kiet kiet. Nte ami ndomode ndinam aŋwaŋa ntak emi nnyin mikamake idiɔŋɔ cross, moyom nte etim aŋwaŋa ata ntɔtuŋɔ ukpono ye ima nyenede nnɔ udɔŋ emi ɔyɔhɔde ye mbuɔtidem ye eti ido mbon emi enamde ntre.

Ntak kiet emi nnyin mikamake cross nte idiɔŋɔ oto mme ntɔŋɔ nnyin ke Bible. Ke ntak emi mkpa ke cross ekedide usuŋ owot owo kiet ye ubiak ke Obio Rome, ediwak mme anditiene Jesus ke ntɔŋɔ ema emek nditre ndiwut ŋkpɔ ufen oro. Se mkpa Christ ɔkɔwɔrɔde ekedi akpan ɔnɔ mbuɔtidem mmɔ, edi ke ndaha-isua Ikie ita mmɔ ema eyom ndiwut idiɔŋɔ ikɔ Abasi mmɔ ke mme usuŋ efen.⁶

Edi ke ɔyɔhɔ isua ikie inaŋ ye isua ikie ition, ema eda cross edi nte idiɔŋɔ ofuri ofuri mme Christian, edi eke nnyin idighe “eke ofuri ofuri mme Christian.” Nnyin idighe Catholic mme Protestant, edi, nnyin idi, mfiak mmen ndi ufɔk Abasi, mfiak mmen ndi Ufɔk Abasi Obufa Testament. Ke ntre, mme ntɔŋɔ ye unen nnyin aka edem ɔkɔtɔŋɔ mbemiso ini mme esop, se enimde ke akpanikɔ, ye idiɔŋɔ.⁷ Ke ifiɔk emi, unana idiɔŋɔ emi ekebighide ndidi edi kpa ntiense efen ete ke Ufɔk Abasi Jesus Christ eke Ndisana Owo ke Ukperedem Usen edi mfiak mmen ndi akpanikɔ eke ntɔŋɔ mme Christian.

Ntak efen emi nnyin mikamake idiɔŋɔ cross edi nsɔŋɔ nnyin ke ofuri utibe ŋkpɔ utom Christ—ediye Ediset ke mkpa ye uwa ufen Esie ye mkpa Esie. Ke ndisɔŋɔ ebuana oro, ami meti mme edibot ŋkpɔ iba⁸ emi ediande ke ibibene ke edem enɔ Akpa Presidency ye mme Apostle Duopeba ke mme edisana mbono mmɔ ke temple ke udua ke udua ke kpukpru Thursday ke Salt Lake City. Mme ŋkpɔ emi edi nditi nnyin kpukpru ini mbaŋa ekɔm urua emi ekekpede ye edikan emi Enye akakande emi nnyin idide mme isuŋ utom Esie.

Nnyin iwut anwa anwa usuŋ iba emi Christ akakande ito nnyin ndikama ekpri mbiet ŋkpɔ emi Thorvaldsen akanamde abaŋa Christ emi ekesetde ɔwɔrɔ ye ubɔŋ ke udi ye mme unan Mkpa Esie nte ntiense.⁹

Ke akpatre, nnyin idi-ti idem nnyin ke President Gordon B. Hinckley inikiet ekpep ke, “Uwem mbon nnyin ana [edi] … idiɔŋɔ [mbuɔtidem] nnyin.”¹⁰ Mme ekikere emi—akpan-akpan ekpere-edem—ada mi edi se idide ata akpan nkpɔ ke ofuri mme itie nwed Abasi aka ke cross. Inyenke ebuana ye ŋkpɔ-itɔŋ mme ŋkpɔ-mbana, mme tɔwa mme eto-idiɔŋɔ. Edi, abaŋa, eti ido ye eti edu emi anade nte mme Christian eda edi ke ikot emi Jesus okotde mme ikɔt Esie kiet kiet. Ke ofuri obio ye isua, Enye ama etiŋ ɔnɔ kpukpru nnyin ete, “Edieke eren [mme nwan] ekededi oyomde nditiene mi, yak enye otuk idem esie, onyuŋ emen cross esie, etiene mi.”¹¹

Emi etiŋ abaŋa mme cross emi nnyin ibiomde idihe enye emi nnyin ikɔŋɔde. Man edi anditiene Jesus Christ, ana owo ke usuk ini obiom mbiomo—mbiomo fo mme eke owo efen—onyuŋ aka ebiet eyomde nwa-idem mme emi ufen odude. Ata Christian ikemeke nditiene Ada usuŋ ke mme ŋkpɔ emi enye enyimede ikpɔŋ. Iŋ iŋ. Nnyin itiene Enye ika ke kpukpru ebiet, ye ke, edieke eyomde, iduk ke mme ebiet emi eyɔhɔde ye mme mmɔŋ-eyet ye afanikɔŋ, emi usuk ini nnyin idade ikpɔŋ.

Mɔfiɔk mme owo ke esit Ufɔk Abasi ye ke aŋwa, emi etienede Christ ke ofuri esit. Mɔfiɔk nditɔ emi enyenede ata unɔmɔ ke idem, ndien mɔfiɔk mme ete ye mme eka emi esede mmɔ. Mokut kpukpru mmɔ usuk ini nte enamde utom tutu akak mmɔ, eyomde ukeme, ukpeme, ye mme esisit ini idaresit emi miduhe. Mɔfiɔk ediwak ikpɔ owo midɔhɔ-ndɔ emi eyomde enyuŋ edotde edima ada-nsaŋa, eti ndɔ, ye ufɔk emi ɔyɔhɔde ye nditɔ mmɔ. Udɔŋ efen emi edide nnen nnen ikanke emi, edi ke isua ke isua mfɔn-iso emi idighe kaŋa Mɔfiɔk mbon emi enyenede udɔŋɔ mbe ibuot ke utɔ ke utɔ, emi eyomde unwam nte mmɔ ebɔŋde akam eyuŋ eyiride eyom isɔŋ eŋwɔŋɔ eke nsɔŋ-idem. Mɔfiɔk mbon emi edide mme ɔkpɔi-kpɔi ubene edi, ke kisehe itie mmɔ, eyom eti uwem enɔ mbon mmɔ emade ye mbon unana efen emi edude ke ŋkan-ŋkuk mmɔ. Mɔfiɔk ediwak emi eyomde ete efiɔk se mmɔ edide, uduot, ye utɔ owo mmɔ edide. Meseme mbaŋa mmɔ, nyuŋ nseme ye mmɔ, sia mfiɔkde se mme ubiere mmɔ edidi-de.

Odu esisit ke otu ediwak ndaha idomo emi nnyin ikutde ke uwem, emi enehede eti ke ekɔm-urua odu ɔnɔ owo-mbet. Eke Araunah, emi okoyomde ndinɔ enye ox ye ifia-mfɔn ndiwa uwa ke mfɔn, Edidem David ete, “Iŋ iŋ; edi nyebɔ fi ke ekɔm-urua: … [koro ami] ndi [nɔhɔ] … Jehovah Abasi mi … se mikpaha mi baba okuk ndomo kiet.”¹² Ntre nko ke kpukpru nnyin itiŋ.

Nte nnyin imende mme cross nnyin inyuŋ itiene Enye, edidi ŋkpɔ mfuhɔ edieke udobi mfina nnyin minamke nnyin ikere inyuŋ inyene ata mbɔm ibaŋa mbiomo emi mbon efen ebiomde. Edi akpan ŋkpɔ kiet ke Mkpa ke Cross ke ubɔk Andinyaŋa nnyin ama anyanare ndien ekɔŋ do, ke owo mikikereke edi owut ke nnen nnen ete ke kpukpru eren, wan, ye eyen-ɔŋwɔŋ ke ofuri ubon owo ke edara enyuŋ ekot esin ke ekɔm edifak Esie.¹³

Nte ediye Ediset ke mkpa eke etienede ubiak mkpa ke cross, ntre ke eŋwaŋa ediwak edidiɔŋ ke utɔ ke utɔ enɔ mbon emi eduakde, nte prophet Ŋwed Mormon Jacob etiŋde, “ndibuɔt idem ke Christ, nyuŋ nkut mkpa esie, nyuŋ mbiom cross esie.” Usuk ini mme edidiɔŋ emi esisɔp edi ndien usuk ini mmɔ isɔpke idi, edi ediye utit kabaŋa mfuhɔ idem nnyin edi¹⁴ eŋwɔŋɔ otode Etubom ke idem esie ete ke mmɔ edi ndien ke eyedi. Man ibɔ mme edidiɔŋ emi mbeŋe nte nnyin itiene Enye—itreke, iyikke inyuŋ ifiakke edem, ibɔpke iso ibaŋa utom, ke ini mme mbiomo nnyin edobide nko idighe ke ini, ke esisit ini, usuŋ ekeme ndikim. Eke ɔsɔŋɔ fo, ibere-edem fo, ye ima fo, ami menehede nnɔ ekɔm eke idemi mi. Mfin emi ami nnɔ ikɔ ntiense nte apostle mbaŋa Enye emi “ekemenere”¹⁵ ye eke nsinsi edidiɔŋ emi Enye ɔnɔde mbon emi “ekemenere” ye Enye, kpa Obong Jesus Christ, amen

Mkpri nwed

1. Jeffrey R. Holland, Encylopedia of Mormonism (1992), “Atonement of Jesus Christ,” 1:83.

2. Amulek etiŋ abaŋa Usio-isop Christ nte “akwa ye akpatre uwa” emi edide “akamba ye nsi nsi” ke idaha esie (Alma 34:10). Koro “kpukpru owo eduɔ enyuŋ esop, ndien ana etak ibɔhɔke oto ke usio-isop” (Alma 34:9se nko mme ufaŋ 8–12). President John Taylor adds: “In a manner to us incomprehensible and inexplicable, [Jesus] bore the weight of the sins of the whole world; not only of Adam, but of his posterity; and in doing that, opened the kingdom of heaven, not only to all believers and all who obeyed the law of God, but to more than one-half of the human family who die before they come to years of maturity, as well as to [those] who, having died without law, will, through His mediation, be resurrected without law, and be judged without law, and thus participate … in the blessings of His atonement” (An Examination into and an Elucidation of the Great Principle of the Mediation and Atonement of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [1892], 148–49; Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor [2001], 52–53).

3. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 49.

4. 1 Nephi 11:32–33.

5. 3 Nephi 27:14–15.

6. Edu mme ikɔ abaŋde cross ke mme ukpep-ŋkpɔ Paul (se nte uwut-ŋkpɔ, 1 Ŋwed Corinth 1: 17–18; Ŋwed Mbon Galatia 6:14; Ŋwed Mbon Philippi 3: 18), edi mmɔ emi eketiŋ ebaŋa se ikikponde ikan eto iba emi ekekɔŋde edian kiet, mme mbiet emi ekekpride akan emi. Ke ntre, ke ini Paul eketiŋde abaŋa cross, enye ada ibio usuŋ ke ikɔ Abasi etiŋ abaŋa akwa Usio-isop, ebiet emi mme Latter-day Saint esɔpde eda ye enye enyuŋ ekot eto enye.

7. Mme Christian ke eset nte Andreas Karlstadt (1486–1541) emi ekedide ufan Martin Luther eke efaŋa ke Middle Ages ete ke “idiɔŋɔ cross [ke idem esie] ada ɔnɔ ufen Christ nte owo inyuŋ iwutke eriset ye [odudu] erifak Esie” (in John Hilton III, Considering the Cross: How Calvary Connects Us with Christ [2021], 17).

8. Harry Anderson, Harry Anderson,; ye Harry Anderson, Mary and the Resurrected Lord.

9. Russell M. Nelson, “Opening the Heavens for Help,” Liahona, May 2020, 72–74.

10. Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Symbol of Christ,” Ensign, May 1975.

11. Matthew 16:24

12. 2 Samuel 24:24

13. “His arm is extended to all people who will repent and believe on his name” (Alma 19:36; se nko 2 Nephi 26:33; Alma 5:33).

14. Via dolorosa edi usem Latin emi ɔwɔrɔde “ubiak ɔkpɔsɔŋ usuŋ, usuŋ, mme udim ifiɔk-ukpep” (Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, “via dolorosa”). Esiwak nditiŋ mbaŋa enye ye isaŋ Jesus tɔŋɔ ke ubiere ikpe Esie ke ubɔk Pilate tutu esim Edikɔŋ ke Cross Esie ke Calvary.

15. Se 3 Nephi 27:14–15