NUNNA LEH CHATUAN NUNNA

nunna leh chatuan nunna

                                                                                                                      H. Joseph Lalfakmawia

Hmanna naran

‘Nunna’ tia kan sawi zui tak mai hi sawkhaw lam kawk lem lo (secular usage) zawng pawha hman a lo ni tawh ṭhin a. Greek mifing Homer-a hun lai (BCE 850 vel) aṭang daih tawha hman a ni a. A Greek ṭawng chuan ‘zaô’ (ζαω) leh ‘zôe’ (ζωη) a ni a. Homer-a hnu-ah Herodotus-a (c. 484–c. 425 BCE vel) leh Socrates-a (469–399 BCE vel) te pawhin an chhawm chho zel a, mahse an ni hi chuan ‘zôon’ (ζωον) tiin an hmang thung a. ‘Mihring’ emaw, ramsa emaw sawina atan an hmang mai a, ‘thil nung lo’ laka sawi hran nan an hmang a ni.[1] Greek mifing tho Aristotle-a (384–322 BCE) chuan ‘zôe’ (ζωη) tiin a hmang zel thung a, ramsa, mihring leh thlaiten nunna an neih (physical vitality) sawina atana a hmang ta thung.

Thuthlung hlui lam sawidan

Hebrai ṭawnga nunna tia kan hmuh hmasak chu ‘hayyim’ (היימ) a ni a, lei nunna (physical life) sawina a ni (Gen. 27:46 Ex. 1:14, Deut. 28:66; 28:66 2 S 11:11).[2] Israel-hote chuan Thuthlung Hlui hunlai chuan nunna hi he khawvel nena inkaihhnawih thuk tak niin an ngai. Pathianin mihring dam chhung hun atana a ruat niin an ngai nghet hle (Gen. 25:7; 47:28; Deut. 32:39). Dam reina hi an ngaihah chuan Pathianin a thu awihtute tana a malsawmna ropui bîk tak niin an ngai bawk (Gen. 15:15; 25:8; Deut. 5:16; 30:19; Thuf. 3:1 f.; cf. 2 Lalte 20:1ff.).[3] Thuthlung Hluiin ‘nunna’ tia a sawi (hayyim) chu he lei nunna (physical life) hi a ni tihna a nih chu.[4]

‘Nunna’ tih piah lama kan sawi mek Chatuan nunna tih sawina tur ang chi pawh hi a awm tho mai. Hebrai ṭawnga ‘ôlam’ (עולמ) tih hi a Greek ṭawnga ‘aiôn’ (αιων) tih nen a awmzia a thuhmun a, ‘hun chhung’ (period of time) sawina a ni a, a bul leh a tawp hmuh phak loh khawpa sei/rei sawina a ni a, mahse tawpin tai nei lo (infinite period) sawina chu a ni lo. Tlang taka sawi chuan Thuthlung Hlui lamah hian thih theih lohna (immortality) hi hriat a ni lo va. ‘Nunna’ tih pawh chu ‘lei dam chhung nunna leh vanneihna’ tih lam hawi hi a ni tlat a ni. Chuvangin a Greek ṭawng taka ‘zôe aiônios’ (ζωη αιωνιος) tih leh a Hebrai ṭawnga ‘hayyah ôlam’ tih pawh chu ‘lei dam chhung nun rei tak chhung pawh sei’ tihna ang vel a ni ber awm e.[5] Greek ṭawng Thuthlung Hlui bu-ah (Septuagint) hian ‘chatuan’ tia kan lehlin tak mai, ‘aiônios’ (αιωνιος) tih hi vawi 150 zet hman a ni a, mahse hei pawh hi ‘kum rei tak’ (age-lasting) tihna a ni a, ‘tawp nei lo’ (endless) sawina a ni chuang lo.[6]

Pentateuch-a an hmandan
Mosia Lehkhabu Pangate kan tih maiah (Pentateuch/Genesis-Deuteronomy) chuan he thu (hayyim-nunna) hi lei nunna (physical life) tih a ni.[7] Dam chhung kum tia hmanna a awm bawk (shene hayyim).[8]

zawlnei lehkhabu lamah
Zawlnei bu lamah pawh hmandan a hrang lem lo, khawvel a kan lei nunna sawina atan an hmang a, thih theih lohna lam leh chatuana nunna lam hawia hman a ni lo (Amosa 5:4, 14; Jer. 2:13; 17:13). Zawlnei Ezekiel-a chuan mifel a nung ang a, misual erawh chu a thi ang tia a sawinaah pawh tun dam chhung nunna lam a hawitîr zel bawk (Ezek. 3:18 ff.; 14:20; 18:4, 9, 13, 17, 20 ff.; 33:11; 37:5).[9]

Lehkhabu dangah
Sam bu lamah pawh nunna tih thu hi chu kan hmu tam viau a, mahse bu dangte ang thovin tun dam chhung lei nunna lam an hawi zel tho. Pathian/LALPA chu nunna petu leh thihna ata chhanchhuaktu a nihna sawina a awm ṭhin (Ps. 16:11; 27:1; 31:4f. etc). A reizawng lam thu sawina pawh a awm tho va. Mifel chuan dam reina leh tluanna a beisei ṭhin bawk.[10]

He tah hian Sam 16:10, 11 thu,
“Ka thlarau Seol hnênah i hnutchhiah dawn si lo va:
I mi thianghlim hi tawihna hmuh i phal dawn hek lo.
Nangin nunna kawng chu mi hriattir ang a:
I hmaah chuan hlima khah liamna a awm a;

I kut dinglamah chuan kumkhaw lawmna tûr a awm a” hi Thuthlung Hlui lama Thlarau thih lohna tur thu sawina, Davidan a thlarau chu Seola a awm lohva Vanrama a kal tur thu a sawina nia ngai leh hetizawnga hrilhfiah hi an awm ṭhin a. He châng hi innghah nan an hmang ṭhin. Mahse chu pawh chu hrilhfiahna dik tak niin a lang chuang vak lo. Hun/ziak hnuhnung lamah he ngaihdan hi a lang zui lo va. Chubakah thihna ṭihbaiawm tak lakah pawh a thlamuan tlatna leh thihnain a tihchhiat loh tur thu Davidan a sawina mai a ni awm e. Châng 11 thuha ‘kumkhua’ tih pawh hi ‘chatuan’ sawina ang pawh kha a ni chuang lo.

Intertestamental period (thuthlung hlui leh thar inkar)
Intertestamental period tih hi kan hre ṭheuh tawh thovin a lang naa tawi te sawi lawk ang. Zawlnei hnuhnung ber (Malakia) hnu leh Thuthlung Thar hun rawn inṭan inkar chhung kum 400 chuang zet, kan Bible hman lai meka ziah lan loh hun chhung hi intertestamental period chu a ni tiin tawi tein a hrilhfiah puat theih ang. Hetih hun chhung hian Bible-a kan hmuh lem loh thil pawimawh tak tak Israel history-ah a thleng tam hle mai a. Hetih lai hian Greek hovin an awp bet a. An chak em a vangin mihring chaknaa hneh theih pawh an ring pha tawh lo va. Chunglam kut an nghak a ni ber mai. Hei vang hian Messia an sawina pawh tun hma zawnga mihring, Davida thlah aṭanga lo chhuak, lei lal ropui tak ni tura an lo suangtuah chu Van lam mi, tiin Messia pawh lei leh van mi nihna nei kawp ngaihdan a rawn chhuak ta a ni. Hemi hun chhung hian Israel history-a mi pawimawh tak tak Hassidim te, Pharisai te, Essene mi te, an history chhui hla viau mahse lo langsar thar ta Saddukai te, mahnia ro inrelna thar sual chhuaktu Makabia hote an lo lang a ni. ‘Chatuan nunna’ tih thu pawh hi Makabia hote hunlaia indona ropui leh rapthlak tak (Maccabean Revolt) avanga rawn irh chhuak a ni a tih theih awm e. Hetih hunlai hian thuziak ropui tak tak pawh a chhuak nual a ni.

Intertestamental hunlaia thu ziak ropui tak zinga mi 3 Maccabee-ah chuan nunna chu a rei zawnga sawi a ni a. Judaho ngaihdan pangngai aia rei sawina a lang ṭan ta tlat mai.[11] Chutih laia chiang taka lang tho erawh chu nunna chu he lei nunna hi a ni a, malsawmna a ni bawk a,[12] ‘nung’ tih chu ‘hrisel’ tihna emaw, ‘chhanchhuaha awm’ tihna emaw a ni thei bawk.[13] Ṭha taka nun chu dam reina a ni a, sualna chu dam rei lohna a ni tih hi an thinlungah a la awm reng.[14]

Amaherawhchu kan sawi tak ang khan ‘chatuana nunna’ emaw ‘mitthi thawh lehna’ (resurrection) tih tak hi he hunlaia lo irh chhuak ta chauh hi a ni tiin kan sawi thei ang. Kha Makabia hote hunlaia indona lo chhuak kha a ṭobul tlem kan tarlan a ngai ngei ang. Greek lal (Seleucid) Antiochus Epiphanes IV-a (BCE 175-164) kha thlahtute aṭang renga Greek culture theh darh tum em emtu a ni a. Khatih hun lai khan Jerusalem meuh pawh Greek culture chuan a chim nasa em em a. Jerusalem khawpuiah chuan gymnasium an din a. Hei hi tlangvalho saruaka an insawizawina hmun a ni. Juda puithiam la valai deuhte chu an inhnamhnawih nasa hle mai a. Temple inthawina hna meuh pawh hlamchhiah khawp hialin an inham buai a ni. Saruaka an awm ve tak a vangin an serhtan chu an lo zahpui ta a. Inzaina (surgery) hmangin an serhtante chu an tireh leh hial a ni awm e. Hengte avang hian Greek culture hian Juda kulmûtte huat a hlawh em em a ni.

Antiochus Epiphanes IV-a chuan a chhiahkhawntu hotupa Appolonius-a kaihhruaina hnuaiah a sipai 22,000 rual zet chu Sabbath niin Jerusalem khuaah a tîr lut a. Judaho chuan Sabbath ni chuan engmah an chuh ve duh si lova (chumi hre reng chuan Sabbath ni an thlang a ni) mipaho zawng zawng deuh thaw an that a, nunauho chu salah an hrêng ta a. Jerusalem kulh bang pawh an tichhe nghe nghe a ni. Judaho chu an sakhaw serh leh sang hman an khap a. Temple pawh chu Zeus-a biakna a tan an hmang ta mai a. Thlakipin endiktute a tîr a. Chhungtin chu an fapate serh tan thar a khap a, Bible lo kawl ru leh serh tan lui an man chu an that nghal zel bawk a. BCE 167, 25th Kislev (Dec. 15 vel) ni chuan Jerusalem Temple-a halral thil hlan an hlanna ṭhin maichamah chuan Judaho sa thianghlim lo, VAWKSA a hlan ta a, Temple chu an tibawrhbang ta a ni! Zeus hnena inthawina chu hmun tina hmang turin thupek a chhuah bawk a. Puithiam pakhat, Mattathias-ate khua, Modein-ah pawh chuan an rawn kal ve a. Mahse putar Mattathias-a chuan a zawm ve duh lo va. Inthawina hlan tuma Juda pa pakhat rawn pen chhuak chu a that a, lal mitirh pawh chu a that bawk a. Tichuan a fapa pangate leh a zawm duh apiangte nen ram hnuaiah an rawl ta a. Indona a chhuak ta a ni. He indona hi Makabia hote indona (Maccabean Revolt) tia an sawi chu a ni. Kum thum hnuah Makabia hote chuan (Mattathias-a fapa Juda, Makkaba [tuboh] tia an koh tak hming chawia Makabia indona tia sawi a ni. Putar Mattathias-a a thih khan Juda hian a thlak a ni) 164 BCE-ah chuan hnehna an châng ta a. Maicham chu an chhu chhe vek a, a thar hlak an rem leh a. Temple puanzar pawh a tharin an thlak leh a ni. Temple chu an hlan Thianghlim leh ta a, chumi Temple hlan Thianghlim lehna kût chu kût ropui tak, Hanukkah Kût an tih tak hi a ni.

Kha indona kha sakhaw zalenna atana indona a ni a. Temple tihbawhbanna leh Zeus-a biakna atana thil thianghlim lo an ti ta kha an ngaithei lo a ni. Kha indonaah khan Pathian tana indo, mifel leh ṭha nia an hriat mi tam tak an thi ta mai a! Pathian thu awih chu dam reina leh hamṭhatna, awih loh chu chhiatna leh thih hmana tia an hriat ṭhin kha tunah chuan a buai ta tlat mai. Pathian ṭana indonaa thi, mifel leh ṭhate kha engvangin nge an thih? Mi an thih chuan an tawp der a ni lovem ni? Zawhna a tam ta em em a ni.

Daniel-a 12:2,3-ah Chatuan nunna tih thu hi a rawn lang ta zauh mai a, “Tin, an zînga tam tak lei vaivuta mihîl tawhte chu an lo ṭhangharh anga, ṭhenkhat chu chatuan nunaah, ṭhenkhat zahna leh chatuan hmuhsitawmnaah. Tin, a fingate chu vân êng angin an êng ang a, mi tam tak felnaa hawi kîrtîrtute chu arsi angin kumkhaw tlaitluanin an êng ang,” tiin. Zawlnei Daniel-a hi Babulon saltanlai (BCE zabi 6na vel) zawlnei a ni a. Mahse a lehkhabu erawh hi chu an ziak tlai hle a ni (BCE 200na hnu lam). Greek lalho hunlaia an thaw ip pik em em laia helam a hawi avanga an ziah tlai khaw hnu nia ngaih a ni.

Makabia indona hunlai mifel thi tate avanga chatuan nunna thu hian hma rawn sawn ta a ni ber awm e. He chatuan nunna hi thlarau a chak hrim hrim vang emaw lam a ni lo va, Pathianin thihna ata a kaithawh leh avanga nunna thar, chatuan nunna chu lo awm ta a ni. Thih hnua nunna thar tihna a nih chu.[15] Amaherawhchu mitthi zawng zawng hi an tho leh vek ang nge mifelte chauh an tho leh dawn tih te, thawh lehna chu thawk leh khata thleng vek tur nge indawt te tein a thleng zawk dawn tih te, thawh lehnaah chuan mihring thar chu engtin tak nge a lo awm ang tih ngaihdan fum fe tak an la nei thei chuang lo.[16] He thu thar lo irh chhuahna hi tlai khaw hnu daih a nih avangin Saddukaite chuan an pawm lo va. Anni ngaihah chuan Mosia Lehkhabu Pangate (Pentateuch/Torah) chauh hi an Bible a ni a. Lehkhabu dangte hi chu lehkhabu ropui tak ni mah se Pentateuch tlukah erawh an dah lo hle thung. Chuvangin tlai khaw hnua thuziakte hi an pawm thei lo va. Chuvangin thawh lehna thu hi an ring thei lo a ni.[17]

Thuthlung thar lamah
Thuthlung Thar lama chatuan nunna tih lo lang hi a chunga kan sawi mêk nen hian inan tawk lohna a awm ta nual mai. A bîk takin Johana ziak lamah phei chuan a danglam nasa hle a ni. Johana ziak kan en hma hian atlang puia Thuthlung Tharin a sawidan en hmasa ila a ṭhat a rinawm.

Synoptic Gospels (Matthaia, Marka, Luka)
Synoptic Gospel-ah hian ‘nunna’ tih lam hawi sawina thumal pathum a awm a: bios (nitin nun sawina),[18] psyche (thaw, nunna, thlarau [spirit, soul])[19] leh zôe te. A hnuhnung ber zôe tih tak hi kan sawi lai mek hi a ni a, ‘chatuan’ (aiônios-eternal) tih nena hman kawpna pawh a awm bawk.[20]

Zôe tih hi synoptic Gospel-ah hian vawi 16 vel zet hman a ni a. Luka 12:15 leh 16:25-ah hian ‘nunna’ tih sawina ve hrim hrima hman a ni a. A dang zawngah chuan Pathianin nakina a la pêk tur sawina vek a ni. Amaherawhchu he nunna hi tun huna chan/luh/neih theih a ni bawk (Mat. 19:16–17, 29 par.).[21]

Paula lehkhathawnah
Paula hian ‘chatuan nunna’ (zôe aiônios) tih hi vawi kua (9) a hmang a. Hengah hian nunna reizâwng emaw, a seizâwng (quantitative) emaw a sawi lo va; nunna hlu leh ropui leh ṭha (qualitative) sawi nan a hmang ṭhin a, nunna tia kan hriat ṭhan nen hian a inang chiah lo a ni. Nakin hun tem lawkna atana Pathianin a pek a ni tih a sawi (Rom 2:7; 5:21; 6:22, 23; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; 6:12; Tit. 1:2; 3:7).[22]

Johana ziak lamah
Johana hian ‘zôe’ tih hi vawi 36 zet a hmang a; chung zinga vawi 11 zet chu ‘nei’ tih nen a sawi kawp a ni. A awmzia chu he nunna hi neih theih a ni a, neih tur a ni.[23] Nakin lam hun mai ni lovin tun hun pawh a kawk ta tlat mai (Jn 5:24)! Mahse tun hun chauh a sawi bîk chuang lo va, nakina la neih famkim tur ang pawhin a lang (Jn 5:28–29; 6:27; 12:25).[24] Joh. 11:25 thua Isuan, “Kei hi thawhlehna leh nunna chu ka ni; tupawh mi ring chu thi mah sela a nung reng ang,” tia a sawi hi thawhlehna tia kan sawn tlangpui hi a ni ngei mai a. Hetih hunlai hian thawhlehna chungchângah chuan rinhlelhna an nei hauh lo tih a chiang thei ang. Joh. 11:26 thua Isuan, “Mi ring chu kumkhuain an thi lo vang,” a tih hian chu nunna daih rei turzia, tawpin tai nei lo chu a sawi a ni maithei bawk.

Mahse thil mak leh ngaihtuah chian ngai tak mai hetah hian a lang ta a. Chatuan nunna chuan awmze pahnih a nei a ni:

1) mitthite thawhlehna niah chuan chatuan nunna chu kan nei ang a, tawpin tai nei lo chatuana nunna a ni ang;

2) mitthite thawhlehna, nakin hun chauh hi Johana sawi tum a ni lo a ni mai lo va, hei ai mah hian tun huna neih theih chatuan nunna hi a tum bulpui zawk chu a ni. Tun huna chatuan nunna chuan nakina thawhleh huna chatuan nunna kan neih tur a hril zawk chauh niin a sawifiah theih a ni. Isua ngeiin, “Tupawh ka tisa eia ka thisen in chuan chatuana nunna a nei tawh,” (Joh. 6:54) tiin a sawi a. Chatuan nunna chu nakina neih tur chauh a ni lo tih a chiang a ni.[25]

Thu danglam tak mai Johanan a sawi chu chatuan nunna hi a reizâwnga chhut a ni lo va (quantity), a hlutzawnga (quality) chhut a ni zawk tih hi a ni. Chatuan nunna tih pawh hian chu nunna rei turzia lam ni lovin chu nunna hlutzia leh ṭhatzia (quality) lam a sawi zawk a ni. Chu chatuan nunna hlu tak mai chu tun kan damlai ngei aṭanga neih ṭan tur chu a ni a, neih theih a ni bawk.

Tichuan ‘chatuan nunna’ tih pawh chu ni leh thla leh kumzâwnga teh a ni lo va, nakina la chan chauh tur tihna pawh a ni chuang lo hek lo va; tun huna nun hlu leh ropui tak, a famkimna kan la chan belhchhah tura chu a ni tiin a sawi theih ang.[26]

Bibliography

Barrett, C. K. The Gospel According to St. John: An Introduction with Commentary and Notes on the Greek Text. 2nd ed. London: SPCK, 1993.
Bertram, “za,w, zwh,, etc,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Vol. II. Edited by Gerhard Kittel. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, [1974], 1991, 832-877.
Brown, Francis. “~yYIx;.” Brown Driver and Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2004.
Bultmann, Rudolph. “za,w, zwh,, etc.” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Vol. II. Edited by Gerhard Kittel. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, [1974], 1991, 832-877.
Dodd, C. H. The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1952.
Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Theology. Secundarabad: OM Books, 2003.
Jagersma, H. A History of Israel from Alexander the Great to Bar Kochba. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1985.
Jeremias, Joachim. New Testament Theology. Vol. I. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1971.
Johnson, D. H. “Life.” Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Edited by Joel G Green, Scot McKnight, Howard I. Marshall. Downer’s Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1992. 469-471.
Kümmel, Werner Georg. The Theology of the New Testament. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1972.
Ladd, George Eldon. A Theology of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company ,1974.
Lee, Edwin Kenneth. The Religious Thought of St. John. London: SPCK, 1950.
Liddell, Henry George, Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. Software.
Link, H. G. “zwh.” New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Zondervan Reference Software (32 bit edition), 2.7 version.
Scott Jr., J. J. “Life and Death.” Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Edited by Gerald F. Hawthorne and Ralph P. Martin. Leicester: Inter Varsity Press, 1993, 553-555.
Thompson, M. M. “John, Gospel of.” Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Edited by Joel G Green, Scot McKnight, Howard I. Marshall. Downer’s Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1992, 368-383.

[1] H. G. Link, “zwh,” New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Zondervan Reference Software.


[2] Life physical Gn 27:46 Ex 1:14, Dt 28:66; 28:66 2 S 11:11; ~yYI ymey> days of the life of, Ecc 2:3 5:17; 5:19 6:12 8:15; 9:9. Francis Brown, “~yYIx;,” Brown Driver and Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2004).


[3] H. G. Link, “zwh,” NIDNTT.


[4] Gerard von Rad, “za,w, zwh,, etc,” TDNT II, 843.


[5] C. H. Dodd, The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1952), 144.


[6] Edwin Kenneth Lee, The Religious Thought of St. John (London: SPCK, 1950), 196.


[7] Gen. 27:46 Ex 1:14, Dt 28:66; 28:66. BDB.


[8] Gen 23:1; 25:7; 25:17 47:8; 47:9; 47:9; 47:28 Ex 6:16 6:18 6:20. BDB.


[9] H. G. Link, “zwh,” NIDNTT.


[10] Pr 16:15; as consisting of earthly felicity combined (often) with spiritual blessedness: Psalm 30:6 133:3 Pr 3:22 4:13; 4:22 8:35 10:16 11:19 12:28 19:23 21:21 22:4 etc. BDB.


[11] Bertram, “za,w, zwh,, etc,” TDNT II, 851f.


[12] Sir. 31:20; Tob. 8:17; 12:19f; Bar 3:14.


[13] Sir. 31:14; Jud 7:27; I Macc 2:33.


[14] Sir. 4:12; 37:17 etc.


[15] Bultmann, “za,w, zwh,, etc,” TDNT II, 856.


[16] Bultmann, “za,w, zwh,, etc,” TDNT II, 856, 857.


[17] H. Jagersma, A History of Israel from Alexander the Great to Bar Kochba (London: SCM Press Ltd., 1985), 70.


[18] Johnson, “Life,” Dictionary of Jesus…, 469.


[19] Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon. It also signifies the self-conscious individual self and can often be translated by a personal pronoun. Johnson, “Life,” Dictionary of Jesus, 469.


[20] Johnson, “Life,” Dictionary of Jesus…, 469.


[21] Johnson, “Life,” Dictionary of Jesus…, 469.


[22] Scott, Jr., “Life and Death,” Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, 554.


[23] Jn 3:15, 16, 36; 5:24, 40; 6:40, 47, 53, 54; 10:10; 20:31.


[24] D. H. Johnson, “Life,” Dictionary of Jesus…, op. cit., 469.


[25] Dodd, Interpretation, 148.


[26] Dodd, Interpretation, 150.