“REVEREND” TIA SAKHAW HRUAITUTE KOH HI???

1. THU KAMKEUNA

Vawiin chu Thupui danglam deuh hlek i khel dâwn teh ang u. Kan sawi avang hian thil awmdân chu a inthlâk dâwn chuang lova, siam țhat a nih phah dâwn chuang bawk lo. Mahse, thudik leh thil dik tak hriat zêl hi a țha-in ka hria. Hmân deuh khân, Dr. L.R. Colney khân, “HONORARY DOCTORATE” degree D.D. dawngten an hming bula “DR” an dah hi tihdân tur a nih loh thu a rawn ziak tawh a.

Tunah hian, Sakhaw Hruaitute hian an hming bulah “REVEREND” tih hi an dah deuh vek niin a lang a. Hei hi tihdân tur a ni rêng em? tih, Bible zirtirna leh Khawvêla Rawngbawltu lâr leh chhuanawm țhenkhat-te hnên ațangin kan thlir dâwn a ni.  

2. “REVEREND” HI ENGTIK AŢANGA HMAN ŢAN NGE?

Sakhaw Hruaitute koh nâna “Reverend” tia kan hman tlâng lawn tak hi, Kristian-ten Kohhran-a Pastor-te kohna (title) atâna an hman “Mi zahawm tak or Zah tlâk” tihna a ni. Lehkha a thiam êm avang leh a zir sân êm avanga a hlawhchhuah leh an pêk a ni lova. He “Reverend” title neitu hi, a țawngkam, chêtzia, nungchang, thiltih-te, rilru put-hmang te ațanga teh-a tisa leh thlarauva entawn tlâk, zah tlâk, chawimawi tlâk, fak tlâk leh rawngbawltu zahawm tak a nih avanga he “Reverend” title ropui tak hi pêk a ni.   

Professor Burton S. Easton (General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church) chuan, he “REVEREND” tia koh (Reverend title) hi Catholic kohhran-in an Sakhaw hruaitute koh nân (a courtesy designation for clergymen) Ireland leh a chheh vêlah an hmang țan a, America-ah a darh chho va, Protestant Kohhran zingah England ramah kum 1865 vel atangin an hmang ve țan a.

Tichuan, khawvêla Kohhran hrang hrangah an lo hmang chho ta niin a sawi (Ferm, 661). Hun lo kal zêlah, Kohhran țhenkhatah chuan, “Reverend” tih mai pawh ni lovin, Sakhaw hruaitu dinhmun sâng zawk chelh-te chu “Very Reverend,” “Right Reverend,” leh “Most Reverend” tih te hiala koh/vuah an ni mêk a ni.

2. “REVEREND” TIA IN KOH HI BIBLE ZIRTIRNA A NI EM?

Tunlai Kohhran-in Sakhaw Hruaitute koh nân-a kan hman lâr tak, “REVEREND” tia in koh hi Bible (Thuthlung Thar)-ah ziak hmuh tur a awm lova, Kohhran Hmasa-te in-zirtirna leh hman țhin pawh a ni lo bawk (No New Testament Authority). Kum 1985 vel bawr ațanga chin-chhuah leh hman țan niin alang.

Lal Isua țawngkam hi ngun takin chhiar la, engnge i ngaihdan?  

“An thiltih zawng zawng chu mihring hmuh atân a ni, an tih zawk țhin ni, an thil bun leh khimte chu an tihlai a, an puan hmâwr fem an tibuk țhin a, ruaițhehnaah hmun țha ber te, inkhawmna inah thutphah țha ber te, dawr hmuna chibai buk te, miten ‘Rabbi’ an tih te an ngaina si țhin a. “Nangni erawh chu Rabbi’ tihin awm suh u; in Zirtirtu chu pakhat chauh a ni                 a, nangni zawng zawng chu unau in ni si a. Tin, lei chungah hian tumah ‘Ka pa’ ti suh u; in Pa chu pakhat chauh a ni, vana mi khi. ‘Hruaitute’ tihin awm hek suh u, in hruaitu chu pakhat chauh a ni, Krista chu. In zinga ropui ber chu in rawngbâwltuah a awm zawk tur a ni. Tupawh inngaihlu apiang an tlâwm ang a, tupawh inngaitlâwm apiang chawimawiin an awm ang” (Mt. 23:5-12).

A chunga Bible-a Lal Isua thusawi ațanga thil lang chiang tak pakhat chu, Sakhaw hruaitute “RABBI” or “REVEREND” tia koh hi Lal Isua’n a remti lova, a dem hle niin a lang (the use of Rabbi or Reverend as a clerical title, is condemned by our Lord Jesus Christ). He thu a sawina dinhmun (context) en phei chuan a chiang lehzual a.

Lal Isua hian, Sakhaw hruaitute (Pharisai & Lehkhaziaktute) a sawisêlnaah, he thu hi a sawichhuak a ni, tih kan hmu. Hei hi a chhan chu, Sakhaw hruaitute hian an nihna (Reverend title, or Rabbi title)-te hi mahni in-chawimawi leh in-fak nân an hman a hlau a. Hei hi Rabbi or Reverend title hi Lal Isua’n an hman a duh loh chhan, leh a sawisêl chhan niin alang.

Richard C. H. Lenski, Bible Scholar ropui tak chuan, “Eng ang nihna (title) pawh nise, kan Ringtu-puite min enhniam tir thei chi rêng rêng leh, chutiang lam hawi nihna neih châkna emaw, chutiang chawimawina dawn châkna emaw chu sual lian tak a ni ang” a lo ti nghe nghe a ni.

Albert Barnes, Presbyterian Bible Scholar ropui tak, pawhin Richard C.H. Lenski rilru chiah khi rawn țawmpuiin, “Reverend” tia in koh te, honorary degree “Doctor of Divinity” dawng ten mahni hmingbula “Dr” an dah te hi a tih chi loh thu a sawi a. Tin, Tirhkoh Paula leh Tirhkoh Petera te “Mithianghlim Paula” or “Mithianghlim Petera” (Saint Peter or Saint Paul) tia koh te pawh, Bible zirtirna a ni lova, hman loh tur a nih thu a sawi bawk.

Bible Chhuizauna țha tak mai THE PULPIT COMMENTARY ziaktu Dr. A. Lukyn Williams chuan, hetiang nihna (title) inpêk hi a that lohzia Bible-ah kan hmu tawh a. Korinth khuaa Kohhran-te zingah a thleng tawh a, “Kei Paula pâwl”, “Kei Apollova pâwl” tiin, nihna (title) leh an Pâwl dintu hial hming an inchhâl hial hman a nih kha. Kha khân, thil țha lam aiin, thil țha lo lamah, ințhenna leh in erna, inremlohna leh inhmuhsitna bâk a thlen lo, a lo ti tawh nghe nghe a ni (1 Cor. 1:12. 397).

Chuvangin, “Hei hi Pastor Andrew a ni a, India Evangelical Church-in Pastor atâna an ordain a ni” han tih te chu a pawina awm hauh lovang. Chutihlaiin, “Hei hi Reverend Andrew a ni” han in tih êm êm chu, a sawitu leh a dawngsawngtu tân ngaihthlâk a nuam zân lo mai thei a ni.

3. BIBLE-AH “REVEREND” TIH HI MIHRING KOH NÂN A HMANG EM?

Bible pumpuiah hian “Reverend” tia an koh mihring hi hmuh tur a awm lova. Lal Isua Zirtir-te awm hunlai Kohhran hmasate hunah pawh khân, hetiang “Nihna” (title) hi an la hmang lo tih a chiang hle. Entirna pêk tur Bible-ah a awm lo (No Biblical example or reference).

Paula leh Petera te khân, an nihna-te kha ziak lang duh ta sela chuan, “Rabbi Saula or Rabbi Paula” tiin an inziak ngei ang. Mahse, chutia ti ta lo chuan, “UNAUPA DUH TAK PAUL” (beloved brother Paul) tih chauhvin an inziak ta thung a ni (2 Pet. 3:15).

Hei hi a chhan ber nia lang chu, “Reverend” leh “Rabbi” te hi a zira zirchhuah chi an ni lova (not a earned degree or title, or professional degree), Rawngbawltu chawimawina atâna miin an pêk leh an kohna a nih vang a ni.

Chuvangin, “Reverend” or “Rabbi” tih te hi chu Rawngbawlna huang pâwnah (outside Christian/Church ministry) phei chuan a chhawm-a chhawm chi awzawng a ni lovang tih a rin theih a ni.

Bible-ah chuan, Pathian hming hi “Thianghlim leh Zahawm” (Holy and reverend) a nih thu chiang takin a inziak a (Psalm 111: 9). Pathian bâk, Thianghlim leh Zahawm tia han koh tlâk hi an awm lo a ni. “Reverend” tih hi Hebrai țawng “YARE” (from the root YR’) tih ațanga lâk a ni a. A awmzia chu, “hlauhawm, hlauh tur, țih tur, chawimawi tur leh biak tur, etc.” (terror, to be afraid of, to be awed by, to honor, worship,” etc.) tihna a ni.

Hemi thumal leh a tlukpui hi vawi 485 lai Thuthlung Hlui-ah hman a ni a, a hmanna zawng zawng deuh thaw (80%)-ah hian Pathian sawi nân vek a hmang bawk (See, Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, 2.527ff).

Bible (ThuthlungHlui)-ah hian “reverend” tia an  sawi hi mihring 2 leh hmun 1 a awm a. Mihring te chu, Mosia leh Joshua kha an ni a, Lalpa Biakbuk (Pathian chenna In) kha zah tur, chawimawi tur leh hlauh tur zingah khan a tel ve (Lev. 19:3, Lev. 19:30, Josh. 4:14).

Mahse, Title atân an hmang lo. Entirnan, Rev. Moses, Revd Moses or Rev. Holy Sanctuary, etc. an inti lova, Israel te, Kohhran hmasa-te leh Lal Isua ngei pawh khân “Reverend” tiin a ko lo. Chuvangin, Hming bula, Nihna (tile) anga hmang leh pu turin mihring hian a tlin em? a tlâk em? tih hi inzawt ila.

4. THU TLÂNGKAWMNA

Tunlaia Sakhaw hruaitute “Reverend” tia koh hi a dik lo hul-hual kan ti lova, dik lo kan tih theih pawh a ni lo. An Kohhran Inkhawmpui leh Kohhran Inkaihhruaina-in an Sakhaw hruaitute koh nân-a an remtih chu tumahin an sawisêl sak phâk a ni lo.

Hetih lai hian, mahni lamah zahawmna nei lêm si lo, a hminga title atâna “Reverend” (mi zahawm tak) tih ang chi inpêk hi a țul ber em? Kan tân a zahthlâk zâwk em? “REVEREND” (MI ZAHAWM TAK) tih title hi pu tlâk kan ni meuh em?

Hemi tlukpui “PASTOR” tih hi a tâwk viau lawmni? tih hi ngaihtuah zui atân ka rawn chhawpchhuak a ni. He Article Ziaktu pawh hi, Presbyterian Church of Seoul atanga lo kal, Presbyterian Pastor-in India Evangelical Church Kohhran-ah February 15, 2012 khân Pastor atân an ordain a. Mahse, tun thlengin a hming bulah “Reverend” tih a dah (ziak) ngai lo. IEC Kohhran chuan “Reverend” title hi an pe a, a Work ID ah leh an address apiangin an ziak țhin thung.

Tin, “Reverend” title hi Secular (medical or academic) leh Theological Circle-a a zira an zir chhuah (earned degree) “Doctor of Philosophy” te nên-a tehkhin chi a ni lo tih kha hre reng bawk ila. Kan sawi tawh ang khân, “Reverend” leh “Honorary Doctor of Divinity” te hi chu chawimawina atâna a pêk-a an pêk a ni.

A tawp berah chuan, he Thu hi zim deuhvin kan thlir palh ang tih ka hlau hle mai. Mizoram leh a chhunga Kohhran ringawt  hmeh-bel lo turin rilru i seng ang u. He Thu hi Khawvêl pum huap Issue a ni a, Khawvêla Kohhran hrang hrangte Tihdan phung (Tradition & Practices of Churches) a nghawng vek a ni,  tih i hre reng ang u.

REFERENCES

1. Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. 1997. Willem A. VanGemeren, Ed. Vol. 2. Zondervan: Grand Rapids: MI.

2. Ferm, Vergilius Ferm. 1945. An Encyclopedia of Religion. The Philosophical Library: New York, NY.

3. Lenski, R. C. H. 1943. Commentary on Matthew. Augsburg: Minneapolis, MN.

4. Robertson, A. T. 1930. Word Pictures in the New Testament. Vol. 1. Broadman: Nashville, TN.

5. The Pulpit Commentary. 1950. Matthew. Williams, A. Lukyn. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, MI.