Buku lina limanena kuti: “Akhristu akale sankagwiritsa ntchito mafano polambira . . . Anthu anayamba kugwiritsa ntchito mafano m’zaka za m’ma 300 ndi 400 C.E. Iwo ankachita zimenezi poganiza kuti anthu osaphunzira angadziwe bwino mfundo zachikhristu pogwiritsa ntchito mafano osati powalalikira kapena powawerengera mabuku.”​—Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, lolembedwa ndi McClintock ndi Strong, Voliyumu 4, tsamba 503 ndi 504.

Limanena kuti: “Usadzipangire iwe wekha fano losema, kapena chifaniziro chilichonse cha zinthu za m’thambo la kumwamba, kapena za m’dziko lapansi, kapena za m’madzi a pansi pa dziko; usazipembedzere izo, usazitumikire izo.” (Eksodo 20:4, 5) N’chifukwa chake mtumwi Yohane analembera Akhristu a m’nthawi yake kuti: “Ana apamtima inu, pewani mafano.”​—1 Yohane 5:21.

Kodi ndi zoona kuti mafano amangothandiza anthu kukhala paubwenzi ndiponso kulemekeza munthu amene fanolo likuimira, monga mmene matchalitchi amanenera? Buku lina limati: “N’kutheka kuti poyamba, mafano ankathandiza pophunzitsa ndiponso ankawagwiritsa ntchito monga zokongoletsera; n’chifukwa chake anthu ankanena kuti ndi abwino. Koma patapita nthawi, anayamba kuwalambira. Chitsanzo cha zimenezi ndi mafano amene anayamba kutchuka m’tchalitchi cha Eastern Orthodoxy.” (The Encyclopedia of Religion) Komabe, mneneri Yesaya anafunsa kuti: “Mudzafanizira Mulungu ndi yani tsopano, kapena kumuyerekeza ndi chithunzithunzi chotani?”​—Yesaya 40:18.

Yerekezani ndi mavesi awa: Yesaya 44:13-19; Machitidwe 10:25, 26; 17:29; 2 Akorinto 5:7