ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TOKONAKI SEPITEMA 23

THE WAY

‘A HONO ‘ALUNGA

PSALM 25:8-9

GOOD AND UPRIGHT IS THE LORD; THEREFORE HE INSTRUCTS SINNERS IN THE WAY. HE LEADS THE HUMBLE IN WHAT IS RIGHT, AND TEACHES THE HUMBLE HIS WAY

SAAME 25:8-9

8 ‘Oku lelei mo angatonu ‘a Sihova, Ko ia ai, ‘oku ne hulu ‘a e hala ki he kau hē na.

9 Ko e anga vaivai te ne tataki ‘i he me‘a ‘oku ngofua: ‘Io, ko e anga vaivai te ne ako ki ai hono hala ‘o‘ona.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Na’e fuofua ui ‘a e kau Kalisitiane, ko e kakai ‘o e ‘Alunga koee (Ngaue 9:2). ‘I he faka-Hepeluu, ‘e lava ke tau pehee, ko e kau Teleki. Ko e nauna, ‘oku ‘uhinga ki ha founga, hala, fononga pe ‘ulungaanga. Ko ia ai, ‘e lava pe ke ngaue’aki ki ha potu kuo a’u ki ai ho va’ee, pe ngaue ki ai ho nima, pe ko ha me’a ‘e taki koe ki ai ‘e ho loto. Ko ha hingoa lelei ki he kau muimui ‘o Sisuu, he na’e katoi ‘e he fo’i leaa ‘a e “ngaue mo e ngaahi mo’oni,” lotu mo e ngaue, tui mo e ‘ofa. Ko e Saame 25 ‘e lava pe ke tau ui ko e Saame Teleki, koe’uhi ‘oku ha tu’o 6 ‘a e fo’i lea ai. Ko e veesi 9 ‘oku kamata’aki ‘a e veape, taleki [“tataki”] pea faka’osi’aki ‘a e nauna, teleki [“hala”]. 

Ko e lea na’e fai ‘e Tomasi kia Sisu, "‘Eiki, ‘oku ‘ikai te mau ‘ilo pē ko ho‘o me‘a ki fē; pea mau ‘ilo fēfē ai ‘a e hala?" Pea tali ‘e Sisu ki ai, "Ko au pē ko e Hala, pea mo e Mo‘oni mo e Mo‘ui" (Sione 14:6). Kapau na’e lea faka-Hepelu ‘a Sisu, na’a ne tali ange, Ko AU ko e TELEKI.” Ko e ‘ALUNGA ia ki he Tamai. He "ko ia te ne akonaki‘i ai ‘a e kau agahala i he hala."- Uesi (Saame 25:8). Ko ia ‘a e Teleki ‘oku ne fakasino mo tataki ki he mo’ui ‘o e feohi mo e Laumalie Ma’oni’oni mo e Tamai. 

"‘Eiki, faka‘ilo mai ho ngaahi founga; Ako kiate au ho ngaahi ‘alunga" (Saame 25:4).

[ENGLISH]

Christians were first called those who belonged to the Way (Acts 9:2). In Hebrew, we would say they belonged to the Derek. This noun refers to a way, road, custom, journey, or behavior. Thus it can refer to where your feet travel, what your hands do, or where your heart leads. It is a good name for following Jesus because it is a broad word that encompasses "deeds and creeds." believing and doing, faith and love. Psalm 25 could be named the Derek Psalm since that noun or its verbal form (darak) occur six times. Verse 9 is especially striking because the opening verb ("he leads") and the closing noun ("way") are darak and derek, bookending the verse.

When Thomas told Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus replied, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Were Jesus speaking Hebrew, he would have said, "I am the derek." He is the path to the Father. He "instructs sinners in the way" (Ps. 25:8). He is the derek that both embodies and leads to life in the communion of the Holy Spirit and the Father.  

"Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths" (Ps. 25:4).