- Lalvensanga Khawlhring
Khawvela Kristian tlûklehdingâwn 2.6 vêl zet zînga a tam berte hian, mihringah hian kan thih hnu pawha thlarau nung zui zel, thi thei tawh lo, chhia leh tha hriatna la nei thei awmin an ring a. Hetiang rinna hi milem be mite sakhuanaah pawh a lâr hle a, he thurin thlipui tleh hi a nat êm avângin khawvêla sakhaw hrang hrang hi nuai loh a bar pawh a nei âwm lo ve. Hei hi a nihna dik tak hrethiam tûr chuan Bible-in ‘soul’ (thlarau) a sawi awmzia hi kan hriatthiam a tûl a ni.
Engvanga ‘Soul’ awmzia chu hriatfiah ngai nge a nih?
Mizo tawngah hian ‘Soul’ leh ‘Spirit’ tihte hi, ‘thlarau’ tia lehlin theih ve ve a nih avâng leh, a hmanna a zirin tawngkam hrang hranga lehlin thin a nih avângin, hriatthiam a awlsam zâwk nân sâp tawnga a nih ang ang hian kan sawi zêl mai ang a. Hebrai tawnga nephesh tih leh Greek tawnga psuche tihte hi Thlarau (soul) tiin Bible-ah hian lehlin a ni ve ve a, chutih rualin nunna (life) tih te, mî (person) tih te, rilru (mind) sawi nân te leh a hun leh hmun a zirin, thil dang dangin lehlin a ni. Milem be mite sakhuaah hian thlarau thih theih lohna (immortality of soul) te, thih hnua thlarau insawnkuala rinna (transmigration of soul) te hi a lâr hle a, hetiang rinna hi ringtute zîngah pawh a mikhual lo hle, chu chu a hnuaia ‘soul’ (thlarau) hrilhfiahna tlêmtê pawh hian a lantîr thei âwm e.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature-ah chuan ‘Soul’ chu, “chawhpawlh loh, tak nei lo, thil sakhat (matter) leh pianzia (form) in a siam ni si lo a ni; thil sakhat (matter) ngawt chuan thlarau (soul) angin a ngaihtuahin a che vel thei si lo va,” tiin hrilhfiah a ni.[1]
King James Dictionary-in soul awmzia a hrilfiahna chu, “Thlarau thil, chhia leh tha hriatna nei leh thi thei lo thil mihringa awm a ni; mihring p>ng, ramsa â te laka tihrang a, ngaihtuah theihna leh thil chhut thiamnate a neihtîrtu niin, chu chuan chhia leh tha hriatnaa rorêl theiah a siam a ni. Thlarau thih theih lohna hi kristian inrelbawlnaa thu bulpui (fundamental article) a ni….” tih a ni.[2]
Thlarau thih theih lohna (immortality of soul) chungchang hi American Tract Society Bible Dictionary pawhin Pathian inpuanna nghenchhan sakhua (Kristian) tan chuan, “thurin bulpui” ni hialin a sawi a, ramsate nêna kan danglamna sawiin, “mihringah chuan thlarau thil, hisap theihna, thlarau thi thei lo, . . . a awm a . . . chu chu Pathian anpuia siam kan nihna ber pawh a ni. A ngaihtuah thin tlat avangin thlarau thil a ni ngei tur a ni a; thlarau thil a nih avângin thi thei lo a ni ngei tur a ni bawk,” tiin.[3]
Khawvela Kristian kohhran pawl lian ber Roman Catholic pawhin ‘soul’ (thlarau) an hrilhfiahnaah, “Kohhran chuan thlarau zawng zawng hi Pathianin a siam nghal niin – nu leh pate atanga lo awm a ni lo va, thi thei lo a ni bawk tiin a zirtir a. Thihna hmanga taksa atanga then hran a nihin a boral ve lo va, hun tawpa thawhlehnaah taksa nan a la infin khâwm leh ang,” tiin.[4]
Hengte atang mai pawh hian thlarau thi thei lo (immortality of soul) zirtirna hian Kristiante rinnaah hian hmun a luah thuk hlê tih a hriat theih a, he rin dân hi engtianga lo piang nge, Bible behchhan a ni em tihte chiang zâwkin i lo en teh ang.
Thlarau thi thei lo rinna tobul :
Pathian ni si lo, thi thei lo thil awma ngaih tlatna hi Setana atanga chhuak liau liau a ni a. Setana’n Evi hnena, “Thi teh suh e,” (Genesis 3:4) a tih atang khan, Pathian thu awih lo chung pawha chatuana nung ve reng thei tura inngaih tlatna – bumna – hi a lo awm daih tawh a ni. Pathian dinhmun chuhpui phâka inngâi Setana meuh pawhin thih theih lohna chu a nei bîk rêng rêng lo va, chatuana awm ngai reng reng tawh lo tûrin tihboral a la ni dâwn a ni (Ezekiela 28:19).
Thuthlung hlui hunah khan, Babulon mite sakhuaah thi tawhte thlarau chuan hmun lailum a luah a. Babulon hote kha thlarau thih theih lohna thurin ring bur mai an ni bawk.[5] Historian hmasa ber an tih thin Herodotus-a khân, “Aigupta mite kha mihring thlarau hi a thi thei lo a ni tih thurin na taka rawn puang hmasa ber an ni,” tiin a sawi a; ram dangte hian Aigupta mite lak atanga an zir hma chuan hetiang hian an ring ngai lo niin sawi a ni bawk.[6] German scholar Baron Bunsen-a pawhin, “Aigupta mite hi thlarau thih theih lohna thurin zirtir hmasa ber tute an ni a, Herodotus atanga Aristotle thlenga Grik ziak mi zawng zawngten an sawi thu dik a ni. Chu chu hriatrengna lungphunte hian ropui takin an nemnghet bawk,” tiin a sawi.[7] Babulon mite chuan pawm nghet hle mahsela, a tilâr tak tak chu Aigupta mite niin an lang a. Chutiang anih chuan he thurin lo pianna chu Bible ni lovin, Aigupta a ni pawh kan ti thei awm e.[8] Chutih rual chuan Babulon mite leh Aigupta miten thlarau thih theih lohna an rin dan leh, tuna kristian tam ber ten an rin dan erawh a inang diak diak tawh lo thung.
Greek philosopher Plato-a khan, taksa hi thlarau (soul) tan in (prison) niin a ngai a, mi a thih hian chu thlarau thi thei lo (immortal soul) chu a zalen ta niin a ngai bawk. He ngaihdan hian Kristian sakhua pawh a rawn luhchilh chho ta zel niin a lang a, kum zabi 3-na AD vel kha Plato-a thlarau ngaihdanin Kristianna a rawn luhchilh tan hun niin ngaih a ni. Kum zabi 13-naah khân Italian philosopher leh Catholic puithiam ni bawk Thomas Aquinas-a khân he rinna hi a rawn khâwr pum ta a,[9] tichuan kum 1513-ah Roman Catholic kohhran chuan thlarau thih theih lohna thurin chu thutak angin a lo pawm ta bawk a ni.[10]
Hmânlâi Aigupta mite khan mihring thlarau chu thinlunga awm niin an ngai a. Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) khan thluak hi chan darhin thlarau (soul) hmuhchhuah theih a inring thung a; hetih hunlaia ngaihdan tlanglawn takah chuan, thluak lairil takah hian kan thlarau (soul) chu awm a ni tih a ni.
Heng thurin leh ngaihdânte hian ‘soul’ chu mihring chhung khawi emawa awm, hriatna leh ngaihtuahna te pawh nei thei, taksa a thih pawha thi ve thei lo niin a ngai a ni ber mai.
Bible Zirtirna:
Pathianin lei vaivut atanga mihring a siam khan, a hnarah nunna thaw a thaw lut a, tichuan mihring chu minung (living soul) a lo ni ta mai a (Genesis 2:7).
· Taksa (Body) + Nunna thâw = Mi nung (Living Soul)
He laia mihring siam a nih dân hian ‘soul nung’ a lo awm theih dân chu sawiin, nunna thâw leh taksa a lo inbelhbawm khan a ni tih a sawi a; tin, mihringin soul a nei ni lovin, amah mihring kha soul a ni tih a sawi zawk a ni. Paula pawhin chiang takin, “Chutiang bawkin, ‘Mihring hmasa ber Adama chu mi nung (living soul) a lo ni,’ tih ziak a ni; Adama hnuhnûng zâwk chu nunna petu thlarau a lo ni a,” tiin a sawi.
Hei bakah hian soul chu mi/mihring pakhat sawi nan hman a nih dan thenkhat lo en i la:
Jeremia 13:17 “Mahse, in ngaihthlâk loh chuan in chapona avângin fianrialah ka tap ka tap ang (my soul shall weep); Ka mittui pawh nasa takin a luang reng ang, Lalpa berâm rual chu sala kaih an nih avângin.” Helaia tap tap tur hi Jeremia ni lo, amaha thil awm eng emaw, a pêng pakhat emaw ni lovin, Jeremia (mi pakhat) kha a ni a, chu chu soul tih a ni.
Jeremia 52:28-30 “Hêng hi Nebukadnezzaran mipui sala a hruaite chu an ni: kum sarihnaah chuan Juda sângthum leh sawmhnih leh pathum; Nebukadnezzara kum sâwm leh kum riatnaah chuan Jerusalem atangin mi (souls) zariat leh sawmthum leh pahnih salah a hruai a; Nebukadnezzara kum sawmhnih leh kum thumnaah chuan Nebuzaradana, vêngtu pâwl hotu chuan Juda mi (souls) zasarih leh sawmli leh panga salah a hruai a. An (souls) zavai chuan sângli leh zaruk an ni.” Helaia sala an hruaite pawh hi soul sangli leh zaruk tih a ni.
Tirhkohte 2:41 “Tin, a thu zâwm apiangin baptisma an chang ta a; chumi niah chuan mi (souls) sângthum laia belhchhahin an awm a.”Baptisma chang thei mihring kha soul chu a ni.
Soul tih hi mi tu emaw laka mahni insawi nân hman a nih thin avângin, mi pakhat a nihna târlang turin hming aiawh (pronoun) angin hman a ni thîn.[11]
Hebrai tawngah chuan “min zuah hram rawh” (let me live) tih an sawi dan chu “ka soul zuah hr^m rawh” (let my soul live) tih a ni. ‘Ka soul’ a tih hi eng dang mah ni lovin, amah Ben-hadada kha a ni mai (1 Lalte 20:32 CL).
Genesis 12:13 “Tichuan, nangmah avângin min ti tha ang a, min (my soul – YLT 1898) zuah dâwn nia,’ a ti a.” He lai thûah pawh hian Abrama’n amah insawi nân soul tih a hmang a ni.
Genesis 27:4 thu a, “ka thih hmain malsawmna ka lo hlan ang che,” [MKJV] tihah pawh hian, malsawmna hlantu chu “my soul” (ka/keimah) tih tho a ni. Chuvangin soul tih chu mihring pumhlum, nunna nei thei mi pakhat sawina a ni tih kan hre thei.
Soul chu a thi thei: Kan sawi tawh angin soul tih hian kan taksa chhunga thil eng emaw, a hranpaa awm ve ni lovin, mi pakhat pumhlum (thil hriat theihna, thil duh leh chak theihna, lungpuamna, hlimna leh lawmna te nei thei) hi a kawk thîn a, chatuana daih a nih loh avângin taksa a thi ang thovin a thi thei a, Bible atangin tlêm azâwng i lo en teh ang.
Ezekiela 18:4 “Ngai rawh u, nunna (souls) zawng zawng ka ta vek a ni, pa nunna (soul) ka ta a ni ang bawkin fapa nunna (soul) pawh ka ta a ni; thil tisualtu apiang an (soul) thi ang.
Sam 89:48 “Eng mi nge thih ni hmêl hmu lova nunga, Seol kut atanga a nunna (soul) chhanhim tûr chu?”
Leviticus 19:8 “A ei apiang chuan, Lalpa thil thianghlim a tihbawrhbân avângin, a khawlohna mawh a phur ang a; chu mi (soul) chu a chipuite zîng ata tuithlârin a awm zâwk ang.”
Joba 36:14 “Mi bawlhhlawhte zîngah chuan An vânglaiin an thi a.” [Their soul dieth in youth,... YLT 1898]
Hêngte atang hian Bible-in ‘soul’ a hman dân chu chiang zâwkin kan hre thei a. Mihringa thil awm râu eng emaw, thi thei lo, taksa thih hnua nung reng ni lo vin, taksa leh nunna thaw (Heb. Neshamah) an inbelhbawm khân, ‘soul nung’ a lo awm ta chauh a, nunna thâw leh taksa a inthen hran chuân chu ‘soul’ chu a thi leh mai a ni. Mi a thih tawh chuan, hriatna neia, huatna leh hmangaihna te nei zui zêl tur a awm tawh hek lo (Thuhriltu 9:5,6).
· Taksa (Body) – Nunna thâw = Mitthi (Thuhriltu 12:7; Sam 104:29)
Grik leh Latin kohhran pa tam berte khân he zirtirna (thlarau thih theih lohna) hi an pawm lo va, Kristian hmasa berte pawh khan an pawm chuang lo. Kum zabi pakhatna atanga kum zabi 2-na laihâwl thlenga kohhran pate (Apostolic Fathers, viz., Barnabas, Clement, Hermas, Ignatius, Polycarp) pawh kha thlarau thih theih lohna chungchangah leh hremhmun tâwp nei lo, chatuan tawrhna, thlarau thi thei lo leh, hetiang chîah hian an ngâwi hlauh a; chutiang rin a hnêkin, an zavai hian thih theih lohna chu kan la chan tûr thil, thawhlehnaa Kristaah chauh kan chan tûr niin an ngâi zâwk a ni. Mitthite chu muhîl anga sawiin, misualte chu thîin an boral ang a, tihral leh tihchhiat niin, hâla tihtlâwm dêr tûr anni tih an nemnghet mawlh mawlh mai a ni. Ni li zet Lazara a thih hnua Isua’n Marthi a hnem tum khan Marthi chhanna chu, “Ni kin nia thawhlehnaah chuan a tholeh ang tih ka hria e,” tiin a chhâng a (Johana 11:24), thih veleha thawhlehna ni lovin “ni kin nia thawhlehna” chu an lo beisei tlat a ni. Tirhkoh Paula’n Thessalonika khuaa ringtu, an hmangaih sûn tawhte (muhil tawhte) a hnem tum pawh khan, an chhungkhat boraltate chu vanrama Pathian an fak tawh thuin a thlamuan lo va, “Lalpa ngei chu au thawm nen, vantirhkoh chungnung ber aw nen, Pathian tawtawrawt ri nen, van atangin a lo chhuk” leh hunah kan la intâwkkhawm leh dâwn a, chuti chuan kumkhuain Lalpa hnenah kan awm tawh dawn a ni tiin a hnem a, chutianga lo inthlamuan thin tur chuan a chah bawk a ni (1 Thessalonika 4:13-18).
Encyclopedia ngaihsan hlawh tak mai, American Jewish Archives phei chuan, “Tûnlâi khawvêla Juda-te finna hna thawhah chuan chhinchhiah tlâk ber a ni” ti hiala a sawi Jewish Encyclopedia chuan, “taksa a ral hnuah pawh thlarau a la nung zêl a ni tih rinna hi mawltêa rin maina aiin, thil bul chhuina leh Pathian thu ngaihruatna thû hlâ a ni ber a. Hetiang tak hian Bible khawiah mah zirtir a ni ngai hek lo. . . Judate zînga thlarau thi thei lo thurin rawn luhna hi Grik mite ngaihdan leh a bîk takin a tilârtu ber Plato-a finna thu (philosophy) âtangin a ni ber a. Ani hian Babulon leh Aigupta mite thlir dân mak taka an chawmfin, Orphic leh Eleusinian thumak te a paltlangpui bawk a…” tiin a sawi.[12]
Thlarau thi thei lo zirtirna hlauhawmna:
1) Thlarau thih theih lohna thurin hian Krista tlanna hnathawh hi a lairil takah a hnâwl a, chu chuan chiang takin khâ (tlanna) hnathawh kha thil chuangliam leh tûl lovah a chantîr a ni.[13]
2) Bible-a awm lo zirtirna tamtakin thlarau thi thei lo ngaihdan hi innghah nân a hmang a, chûng zîngah chuan thih hnua thlarau tlen faina hmun (purgatory) awma rinna te, sual hremna laka ngaihdamna (indulgence) te, mitthi puala tawngtâi, sakramen, leh thilpêk pêk te, hremhmun kâng tâwp lo te, Mari leh mithianghlimte dahsân luattukna te (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5 leh Exod. 20:4), pian nawn lehna te, mitthi tawh thlarau biakna te (Deut. 18:10-12; 2 Kor. 11, 14) hi an tel.[14]
3) Isua Krista lo kal lehna te, mitthi thawhlehna te leh, khawvel tâwpa rorelna te hi he thurin hian a dik lovin a hrilhfiah a, thutak êng a tithim a ni. “Mitthi tawhte, vanram emaw, hremhmun emaw, thlarau tlen faina hmun emawa an awm daih tawh si chuan, khawvel tâwpa rorelna chu thil chuangtlâi mai a ni ang.”[15]
4) He zirtirna hian Pathian nungchang hi a dik lovin a lantîr a ni. He rindan hi a dik a nih chuan mihring siam thû (Genesis 2:7)-ah hian Pathian chu dâwt hmang anga langin, a rinngam loh tihna a ni ang a; tin, Pathian chuan lainatna nei hauh lovin vanram atangin leia an hmangaihte hrehawm leh na tuar thlir reng a phal tihna a ni ang. Chu bakah, Pathian chu roreltu dik lo tak leh nunrâwng, rei lo tê (kan dam chhûng chu kum 70 emaw lek a ni a - Sam 90:10) sualna avânga tâwpintâi awm lova hrem duh Pathian a ni tihna a ni ang.[16]
Thih theih lohna (Immortality) chu:
Sâp tawnga thih theih lohna (Immortality) tih hi thil pahnihah chauh Bible hian a hmang a; pakhatnaah chuan Pathian chungchangah niin, “Amah (Pathian) chauh chuan thih theih lohna (immortality) a nei” tih a sawi a (Timothea 6:16). A dawt lehah chuan ringtuten Isua Krista lo kal leh hunah, thawhlehnaa kan la chan tur niin a sawi bawk a, he thi thei taksa hian “thih theih lohna a sin bawk tur a ni” tiin min hrilh a ni (1 Korinth 15:51-54; Rom 2:7). “Thih theih lohna hi delhkilh nei a ni a, a chhan chu Isua Krista leh Aman min tiam chatuan nunna chauh lo chu chatuana nunna kawng dang a awm lo. Krista kan mimal chhandamtua kan pawm a, Thlarau thianghlim siam thara kan awm veleha kan lo dawn tâk thil a ni. Thih theih lohna kan chan tak tak hun erawh chu, Krista lo kal leh hunah chauh a ni ang.”[17]
Mihring fate zawng zawng hi sualna avânga chatuana boral tur (Rom 6:23), nunna thing rah ei phâk tawh lo kan ni a (Genesis 3:24). Chatuana nunna chu Pathian fapa kan aiawha thîa tho leha kaltlang chauh lo chuan kan nei thei lo (Johana 3:16). Chatuan nunna (thih theih lohna) hi mi felte leh misualten an chan tlân vek tûr ni lovin, “thil tha ti fan fan” tute hnenah chauh Pathianin a pe dâwn tih Bible chuan min hrilh a (Rom 2:6,7), chumi ep chiah chu misualte chan ve tûr chu a ni dâwn a, chu chu “Chatuana boralna” a ni ang (2 Thessalonika 1:9,10; Thupuan 20:9). Zirtirna pakhat – Thlarau thih theih lohna thurin – in taksa thihna hi (thlarau) thih theih lohna kawngka anga a sawi laiin Bible chuan, thih theih lohna kawngka awm chhun chu Isua Krista chauh a ni tih min hrilh thung a ni.
1 Johana 5:11,12 “Hriattîrna chu hei hi a ni, Pathianin chatuana nunna min pe a, chumi nunna chu a Fapaah a awm a ni. Fapa neitu chuan nunna chu a nei; Pathian Fapa nei lotu chuan nunna chu a nei lo.”
[1] McClintock, John, and James Strong. “Soul.” Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, Harper and Brothers, 1870, studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/mse/s/soul.html.
[2] “Soul.” King James Dictionary, www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/kjd/s/soul.html. Accessed 28 July 2022.
[3] “Soul.” American Tract Society Bible Dictionary, www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ats/s/soul.html. Accessed 28 July 2022.
[4] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. 366. www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c1p6.htm.
[5] Clifford R. Goldstein, ed,. Adult Sabbath School Lesson: Three Cosmic Messages. (2 june, 2023)
[6] Canright, D. M. History of the Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul. Battle Creek, Michigan, Steam Press, 1871. pp.14.
[7] Baron Bunsen, C. C. J. Egypt’s Place in Universal History. 4 vols. London, Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1860. pp. 639
[8] Canright, D. M., op. cit., pp. 34.
[9] Mueller, Ekkehardt. “Immortality?” Biblical Research Institute, www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/immortality-and-the-soul/. Accessed 28 July 2022.
[10] “What Is Your Soul, According to the Bible?” Adventist.Org, www.adventist.org/death-and-resurrection/what-is-your-soul-according-to-the-bible/?_ga=2.120452623.627849290.1657980558-1019858245.1657980558#. Accessed 28 July 2022.
[11] Rodríguez, Ángel Manuel. “Meaning of the Word ‘Soul’ in the Bible.” Biblical Research Institute, www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/meaning-of-the-word-soul-in-the-bible. Accessed 28 July 2022
[12] Singer, Isidore, ed., “Immortality of the Soul.” The Jewish Encyclopedia, 1901, studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/i/immortality-of-the-soul.html.
[13] Ball, Bryan W., op. cit.,
[14] Mueller, Ekkehardt, op. cit.,
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid.
[17] Blanco, Jack J. “Lesson 4 (Spirit, Soul, Body).” Sabbath School Net, Pacific Press, 1999, ssnet.org/lessons/99b/less04.html.