Ngaba Ibandla Lokuqala Lafundisa Ukuba UThixo UnguBathathu Emnye?

Icandelo 4—Yavela Nini Yaye Njani Imfundiso KaBathathu Emnye?

Amanqaku okuqala amathathu olu ngcelele abonise ukuba imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye ayizange ifundiswe nguYesu nabafundi bakhe kwanangabaSeki BeCawa bokuqala. (IMboniselo kaNovemba 1, 1991; Februwari 1, 1992; neka-Aprili 1, 1992) Eli nqaku lokugqibela liza kuxubusha indlela imfundiso kaBathathu emnye eyavela ngayo nangendima yeBhunga laseNicaea ngowama-325 C.E.

NGONYAKA wama-325 C.E., umlawuli ongumRoma uConstantine wabiza ibhunga loobhishophu kwisixeko saseNicaea eAsia Minor. Injongo yakhe yayikukucombulula iimpikiswano zonqulo ezaziqhubeka ngokubhekisele kulwalamano loNyana kaThixo noThixo uSomandla. Ngokubhekisele kwiziphumo zelo bhunga, iEncyclopædia Britannica ithi:

“UConstantine ngokwakhe wayengumququzeleli, etsal’ iintambo ngokupheleleyo kwezo ngxoxo, ibe yaba nguye owavela necebo . . . lokuba kubhalwe umgaqo obalulekileyo obonakalisa ulwalamano lukaKristu noThixo kwisivumo sokholo esakhutshwa libhunga, ‘lowo wokuba usisiqu esinye [ho·mo·ouʹsi·os] noYise.’ . . . Betatazelela umlawuli, oobhishophu, ngaphandle kwababini kuphela, basityobela isivumo sokholo, abaninzi babo bengavumelani kwaphela nezazela zabo.”⁠¹

Ngaba lo mlawuli ungumhedeni wangenelela ngenxa yeenkolelo zakhe ezingokweBhayibhile? Akunjalo. IA Short History of Christian Doctrine ithi: “Ngokusisiseko uConstantine wayengayiqondi konke konke imibuzo eyayibuzwa kwizifundo zezakwalizwi zesiGrike.”⁠² Ekuphela kwento awayeyiqonda kukuba iimpikiswano ezingokonqulo zazisongela umanyano lobukhosi bakhe, yaye wayefuna ziconjululwe.

Ngaba Lamisela Imfundiso KaBathathu Emnye?

Ngaba iBhunga laseNicaea lamisela, okanye laqinisekisa, uBathathu Emnye njengemfundiso yeNgqobhoko? Abaninzi bacinga ukuba kunjalo. Kodwa izibakala zibonisa okwahlukileyo.

Isivumo sokholo esavakaliswa lelo bhunga sazichaza izinto ezithile ezingoNyana kaThixo neziya kuvumela abefundisi abahlukahlukeneyo ngandlel’ ithile bamjonge njengolinganayo noThixo uYise. Sekunjalo, ukubona oko iSivumo Sokholo saseNicaea singazange sikuthethe kwenza kuthi qwenge. Njengokuba sapapashwa ntlandlolo, isivumo sokholo siphela sathi:

“Sikholelwa kuThixo omnye, uBawo ongusomandla, umenzi wezinto zonke ezibonakalayo nezingabonakaliyo;

“NakwiNkosi enye enguYesu Kristu, uNyana kaThixo, ozelwe nguYise, okuphela kwamzeleyo, oko kukuthi, ngokwemo kaYise, uThixo ovela kuThixo, ukhanyiso oluvela kukhanyiso, uThixo oyinyaniso ovela kuThixo oyinyaniso, ozelweyo kungekhona owenziweyo, okwimo enye noYise, ezabakho Ngaye zonke izinto, izinto ezisezulwini nezinto ezisemhlabeni, Owathi ngenxa yethu bantu nangenxa yosindiso lwethu wehla waza waba yinyama, esiba ngumntu, wafa waza wavuka kwakhona ngosuku lwesithathu, wanyukela ezulwini, yaye uza kuzokugweba abaphilayo nabafileyo;

“NakuMoya Oyingcwele.”⁠³

Ngaba esi sivumo sokholo sithi uBawo, uNyana nomoya oyingcwele ngabantu abathathu kuThixo omnye? Ngaba sithi aba bathathu bayalingana ngobunaphakade, ngamandla, ngesikhundla nangobulumko? Hayi, asitsho. Apha asinikeli nayiphi na ingcamango yabantu abathathu komnye. ISivumo Sokholo saseNicaea santlandlolo asizange simisele okanye siqinisekise uBathathu Emnye.

Eyona nto siyithethayo, eso sivumo sokholo, silinganisa uNyana noYise ngendlela yokuba “bakwimo enye.” Kodwa asithethi nto elolo hlobo ngomoya oyigcwele. Kuphela sithi “sikholelwa . . . nakuMoya Oyingcwele.” Leyo asiyomfundiso kaBathathu Emnye weNgqobhoko.

Kwanebinzana eliyintloko lokuba “bakwimo enye” (ho·mo·ouʹsi·os) lalingathethi ukuba elo bhunga lalikholelwa kukulingana ncam kukaBawo noNyana. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi:

“Kuyathandabuzeka enoba elo Bhunga lalifuna ukuqinisekisa ukulingana kwemo kaBawo noNyana.”⁠⁴

Ukuba elo bhunga lalisithi uNyana noYise babebanye ngokulingana, sekunjalo yayingazukuba nguBathathu Emnye lowo. Yayiya kuba ngubabini kuThixo omnye, ingabi ngubathathu komnye njengokuba kufuneka kube njalo ngokwemfundiso kaBathathu Emnye.

“Imbono Yabambalwa”

ENicaea, ngaba bonke oobhishophu babekholelwa ukuba uNyana wayelingana noThixo? Akunjalo, kwakukho ukuphikisana ngeembono. Ngokomzekelo, enye imbono yayiyeka-Arius, owafundisa ukuba uNyana wayenexesha lesiqalo yaye ngenxa yoko wayengalingani noThixo kodwa wayengaphantsi kuzo zonke iinkalo. Kwelinye icala, uAthanasius, wayekholelwa ukuba ngandlel’ ithile uNyana wayelingana noThixo. Yaye zazikho nezinye iimbono.

Ethetha ngesigqibo selo bhunga sokugqala uNyana ekwimo enye nekaThixo, uMartin Marty uthi: “Enyanisweni iBhuga laseNicaea lanikela imbono yabambalwa; eso sivumelwano sasinganelisi yaye sasingamkelwa ngabaninzi ababengahambisani neembono zikaArius.”⁠⁵ Ngokufanayo, incwadi ethi A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church ithi “ingcamango ecacileyo ekwimo yemfundiso echasene neembono zika-Arius yamkelwa ngabambalwa kuphela, nangona aba bambalwa baphumelela ekufumaneni injongo yabo ifeziwe.”⁠⁶ Yaye i-A Short History of Christian Doctrine ithi:

“Into ekwabonakala ingamkeleki ngokukodwa koobhishophu abaninzi nabafundi bezakwalizwi baseMpuma yayiyingcamango eyafakwa kwisivumo sokholo nguConstantine ngokwakhe, uhomoousios [“bakwimo enye”], eyathi kwimpikiswano eyalandelayo eyayiphakathi kobuothodoki noqhekeko yaba ngunobangela wengxwaba-ngxwaba.”⁠⁷

Emva kwelo bhunga, ukuphikisana kwaqhubeka kangangamashumi eminyaka. Abo babehambisana nengcamango yokulinganisa uNyana noThixo uSomandla bade abathandwa kangangexesha elithile. Ngokomzekelo, uMartin Marty uthi ngoAthanasius: “Ukuthandwa kwakhe kwabakho kwaza kwaphanza yaye wayesoloko egxothwa [kwiminyaka yasemva kwelo bhunga] kangangokuba waba ngunothwal’ impahlana wokwenene.”⁠⁸ UAthanasius wachitha iminyaka eyimbacu ngenxa yokuba amagosa ezopolitiko naweecawa azichasa iimbono zakhe zokuba uNyana wayelingana noThixo.

Ngoko ukuthi iBhunga laseNicaea ngowama-325 C.E. lamisela okanye laqinisekisa imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye akuyonyaniso. Okwathi kamva kwaba yimfundiso kaBathathu Emnye kwakungekho ngelo xesha. Ingcamango yokuba uYise, uNyana nomoya oyingcwele ngamnye wayenguThixo oyinyaniso yaye bayalingana ngobunaphakade, ngamandla, ngesikhundla nangobulumko, kodwa sekunjalo banguThixo omnye—abantu abathathu kuThixo omnye—ayizange iveliswe lelo bhunga okanye ngabaSeki BeCawa bokuqala. Njengokuba incwadi ethi The Church of the First Three Centuries isithi:

“Imfundiso yale mihla ethandwayo kaBathathu Emnye . . . ayixhaswa yimibhalo kaJustin [Martyr]: yaye oku kunokutshiwo nangabo bonke abaSeki BeCawa bangaphambi kweBhunga laseNicaea; oko kukuthi, ngabo bonke ababhali abangamaKristu kangangeenkulungwane ezintathu emva kokuzalwa kukaKristu. Liyinyaniso elokuba bayathetha ngoBawo, uNyana noMoya oyingcwele okanye wesiprofeto, kodwa ingekuko njengabalinganayo, ingekuko njengabakwisikhundla esinye, kungekhona njengaBantu Abathathu Komnye, ngayo nayiphi na ingqiqo ngoku evunyiweyo ngabantu abakholelwa kuBathathu Emnye. Isibakala sikokuchasene noko. Imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye, njengoko ichazwe ngaba baSeki BeCawa, yayahluke ngokupheleleyo kwimfundiso yale mihla. Esi sibakala siya kuhlala sikho naphantsi kovavanyo njengaso nasiphi na isibakala kwimbali yeengcamango zabantu.”

“Sicel’ umngeni nabani na ukuba achaze umbhali obalulekileyo abe mnye, ebudeni bezo nkulungwane zokuqala zintathu, owayeyikholelwa le mfundiso [kaBathathu Emnye] ngendlela ekholelwa ngayo ngoku.”⁠⁹

Ngoko ke, ibhunga laseNicaea layimela loo nguqulelo. Lavulela ukwamkelwa ngokusesikweni koNyana njengolinganayo noYise, yaye oko kwavulela indlela ingcamango eyalandelayo kaBathathu Emnye. Incwadi ethi Second Century Orthodoxy, nguJ. A. Buckley, ithi:

“Ubuncinane kwade kwangasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesibini, iBandla zwenibanzi lahlala limanyene kwingqiqo enye esisiseko; bonke bebamkela ubukhulu bukaBawo. Bonke bemgqala uThixo uBawo onguSomandla njengokuphela komkhulu, ongaguqukiyo, ongachazekiyo nongenasiqalo. . . .

“Ekufeni kwabo babhali nezo nkokeli zenkulungwane yesibini, iBandla lazifumanisa . . . lisondela kancinane ngokungayekeleliyo kuloo ngcamango . . . ekwathi kwelo Bhunga laseNicaea kwafikelelwa kwincopho yako konke oku kukhukuliswa ngokuthe ngcembe kokholo lwantlandlolo. Apho, igcudwana loonkom’ iyahlaba, lanyanzelisa oko kunxaxha kwalo kuninzi olungoovumazonke, yaye lixhaswa ngamagosa ezopolitiko, labanyenzelisa, labakhohlisa laza laboyikisa bonke abo babezabalazela ukulondoloza ubunyulu bokuqala bokholo lwabo bungenasiphako.”⁠¹⁰

IBhunga LaseConstantinople

Ngowama-381 C.E., iBhunga laseConstantinople lasiqinisekisa iSivumo Sokholo saseNicaea. Yaye longezelela nenye into. Labiza umoya oyingcwele ngokuthi “iNkosi” nangokuthi “umniki-bomi.” Isivumo sokholo esongezelelweyo sowama-381 C.E. (okuthetha ukuba ngokwenyaniso oko kusetyenziswa ezicaweni namhlanje nokubizwa ngokuba “siSivumo Sokholo saseNicaea”) sibonisa ukuba iNgqobhoko yayisecicini lokucacisa imfundiso ehambele phambili yabakholelwa kuBathathu Emnye. Kanti, kwaneli bhunga alizange liyigqibezele le mfundiso. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ivuma isithi:

“Kubangel’ umdla ukuba kwiminyaka engama-60 emva kweBhunga laseNicaea I ibhunga laseConstantinople I [381 C.E.] lamkhupha uhomoousios ekuchazeni kwalo ukuba uMoya Oyingcwele unguThixo.”⁠¹¹

“Abaphengululi bebedidwe kukuba eso sivumo sokholo sasibonakala singaphelelanga; ngokomzekelo, ukusilela kwaso ukusebenzisa igama elithi homoousios kuMoya Oyingcwele njengolinganayo noBawo noNyana.”⁠¹²

Kwaloo ntyila-lwazi ivuma oku: “Uhomoousios akakho eZibhalweni.”⁠¹³ IBhayibhile ayilisebenzisi elo gama kumoya oyingcwele okanye kuNyana njengolinganayo noThixo. Libinzana elingekhoyo eBhayibhileni elakhokelela kwimfundiso kaBathathu Emnye engekhoyo eBhayibhileni, eneneni, echaseneyo neBhayibhile.

Kwanasemva kweBhunga laseConstantinople, kwaqengqeleka iinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye yamkelwe kwiNgqobhoko iphela. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Kumazwe aseNtshona . . . kubonakala ukuba akuzange kuthethwe nto ngeBhunga laseConstantinople I nangesivumo sokholo salo.”⁠¹⁴ Le ncwadi ibonisa ukuba isivumo sokholo selo bhunga sasingagqalwa ngokubanzi eNtshona kwade kwayinkulungwane yesixhenxe okanye eyesibhozo.

Abaphengululi bakwavuma ukuba iSivumo Sokholo sika-Athanasius, ngokufuthi esasicatshulwa njengengcaciso esisiseko nexhasa uBathathu Emnye, sasingabhalwanga nguAthanasius kodwa sabhalwa kamva ngumbhali ongaziwayo. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica igqabaza isithi:

“Esi sivumo sokholo sasingaziwa liBandla laseMpuma de kwayinkulungwane ye-12. Ukususela kwinkulungwane ye-17, ngokubanzi abaphengululi baye bavuma ukuba iSivumo Sokholo sika-Athanasius sasingazange sibhalwe nguAthanasius (owafa ngowama-373) kodwa mhlawumbi saqanjwa kumazantsi eFransi ebudeni benkulungwane yesihlanu. . . . Kubonakala ngathi impembelelo yesi sivumo sokholo ibigqugqisile kumazantsi eFransi neSpeyin ngenkulungwane yesithandathu neyesixhenxe. EJamani sasisetyenziswa kwisithethe sonqulo secawa ngenkulungwane yethoba nangaxa lithile kamva eRoma.”⁠¹⁵

Indlela Eyavela Ngayo

Imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye yaqala ukuvela ngokuthe ngcembe ukutyhubela iinkulungwane. Iingcamango ezingobathathu emnye zezithandi zobulumko zamaGrike ezinjengoPlato, owayephila kwiinkulungwane eziliqela ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKristu, ngokuthe ngcembe zanyebelezela kwiimfundiso zecawa. Kunjengokuba iThe Church of the First Three Centuries isithi:

“Sixhasa elokuba imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye yayilwa ngokuthe ngcembe ibe yayilwa mva ngokwentelekiso; yavela kumthombo owawahluke ngokupheleleyo kulowo iZibhalo zamaKristu nezamaYuda zazithatyathwe kuwo; yanda yaza yafakelwa kubuKristu, ngoncedo lwabaSeki beCawa ababexhasa imfundiso kaPlato; ngexesha likaJustin nakwithuba elide emva koko, ukwahluka nokuba ngaphantsi koNyana kwakufundiswa zwenibanzi; yaye oko okuseyimbonakalo nje yokuqala emfiliba kaBathathu Emnye kwaye kwabonakala.”⁠¹⁶

Ngaphambi kobukho bukaPlato, oothixo abaneziqu ezithathu okanye oobathathu emnye, babexhaphakile eBhabhiloni naseYiputa. Yaye imigudu yabantu becawa yokutsalela abangakholwayo kwilizwe lamaRoma yakhokelela ekungenisweni ngokuthe ngcembe kwezinye zezo ngcamango kubuKristu. Ekugqibeleni oku kwakhokelela ekwamkelweni kwenkolelo yokuba uNyana nomoya oyingcwele babelingana noYise.a

Kwanegama elithi “uBathathu Emnye” laya lisamkelwa ngokuthe ngcembe. Kwakusebudeni besiqingatha sokugqibela senkulungwane yesibini awathi uTheophilus, ubhishophu wakwa-Antiyokwe eSiriya, wabhala ngesiGrike echaza igama elithi tri·asʹ, elithetha “uthixo oneziqu ezithathu” okanye “ubathathu emnye.” Kwakhona umbhali wesiLatini uTertullian eCarthage, eMntla Afrika, kwiincwadi zakhe wachaza igama elithi trinitas, elithetha “ubathathu emnye.”b Kodwa igama elithi tri·asʹ alifumaneki kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike eziphefumlelweyo, yaye negama elithi trinitas alifumaneki kwinguqulelo yeBhayibhile yesiLatini ebizwa ngokuba yiVulgate. Akukho nalinye kula magama elivela eBhayibhileni. Kunoko igama “uBathathu Emnye,” elisekelwe kwiingcamango zabahedeni, lanyebelezela kuncwadi lweecawa laza emva kwenkulungwane yesine laba yinxalenye yemfundiso yabo.

Ngaloo ndlela, kwakungekuba abaphengululi bayihlolisisa iBhayibhile ngokucokisekileyo ukuze babone enoba imfundiso elolo hlobo yafundiswa kuyo. Kunoko, ubukhulu becala le mfundiso yamiselwa ziipolitiki zehlabathi nezecawa. Kwincwadi ethi The Christian Tradition, umbhali uJaroslav Pelikan utsalel’ ingqalelo “koothunywashe abangenakuthanani nezakwalizwi abaveliswa kuloo ngxoxo, abaninzi babo ababebonakala benako ukumisela imiphumo yayo, suke barhoxiswa kukuvela kwabanye abakwanempembelelo efanayo neyabo. Ngokufuthi le mfundiso iye yabonakala ilixhoba—okanye imveliso—leepolitiki zecawa neempikiswano zabantu ngabanye.”⁠¹⁷ Unjingalwazi waseYale uE. Washburn Hopkins ukubeka oku ngale ndlela: “Ingcaciso yokugqibela yokwamkelwa kukabathathu emnye ngokubanzi yayingumbandela weepolitiki zecawa.”⁠¹⁸

Hayi indlela engekho ngqiqweni ngayo imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye xa ithelekiswa nemfundiso elula yeBhayibhile yokuba uThixo uphakamile yaye akukho ulingana naye! Kunjengokuba uThixo esithi, “ninokundifanisa, nindilinganise, nindinxulumanise nabani na ukuba sifane?”—Isaya 46:5.

Oko Yayikumela

Yintoni eyayimelwa kukuvela okuthe ngcembe kwengcamango kaBathathu Emnye? Yayiyinxalenye yokunxaxha kubuKristu bokwenyaniso okwaxelwa kwangaphambili nguKristu. (Mateyu 13:24-43) Umpostile uPawulos wakwaxela kwangaphambili ngowexuko oluzayo:

“Ngokuqinisekileyo liyeza ixesha laxa abantu, benganeliswa konke konke yimfundiso ephilayo, bosuka balangazelele izinto ezintsha baze bazifunele abafundisi abaninzi bokubafundisa izinto abazilangazelelayo; ibe kunokuba baphulaphule inyaniso, baya kuphethukela kwiintsomi.”—2 Timoti 4:3, 4, iJerusalem Bible yamaKatolika.

Enye yezo ntsomi yayiyimfundiso kaBathathu Emnye. Ezinye iintsomi ezafakelwa kubuKristu nezathi zavela ngokuthe ngcembe yayizezi: ukungafi komphefumlo womntu okungokwemvelo, intlambululo miphefumlo, iLimbo nentuthumbo kanaphakade esihogweni somlilo.

Ngoko iyintoni imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye? Eneneni iyimfundiso yobuxoki ezimilisa ngathi yeyobuKristu. Yamiselwa nguSathana ukuze akhohlise abantu, enze uThixo abe ngodidayo noyimfihlelo kubo. Oku kuphumela ekubeni babe ngabakulungeleyo ukwamkela nezinye ingcamango zobuxoki zonqulo noqheliselo oluphosakeleyo.

“Ngeziqhamo Zabo”

KuMateyu 7:15-19, uYesu wathi unako ukulahlula unqulo lobuxoki kunqulo lokwenyaniso ngale ndlela:

“Balumkeleni abaprofeti ababuxoki, abeza kuni ngezambatho zeegusha, ngaphakathi ke beziingcuka eziqwengayo. Nobaqonda ngeziqhamo zabo. Kukha kukhiwe iidiliya emithaneni enameva, namakhiwane ezinkunzaneni, yini na? Ngokunjalo yonke imithi elungileyo ivelisa iziqhamo ezihle, ke wona umthi ongenguwo uvelisa iziqhamo ezibi . . . Wonke umthi ongavelisi ziqhamo zihle uyagawulwa, uphoswe emlilweni.”

Qwalasela omnye umzekelo. UYesu wathi kuYohane 13:35: “Ngayo le nto baya kwazi bonke ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba nithe nathandana.” Kwakhona, kweyoku-1 kaYohane 4:20 neyama-21, iLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo livakalisa oku:

“Ukuba umntu uthe, ndiyamthanda uThixo, wamthiya umzalwana wakhe, ulixoki; kuba lowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe ambonileyo, angathini na ukumthanda uThixo angambonanga? Nguwo lo umthetho esinawo uvela kuye: ukuba athi lowo umthandayo uThixo, amthande nomzalwana wakhe.”

Sebenzisa umgaqo osisiseko wokuba amaKristu amele athandane, koko kwenzekayo kwiimfazwe nezixholoxholo zeli hlabathi zale nkulungwane. Abantu bonqulo olunye lweNgqobhoko babedibana kumathafa edabi baze babulalane ngenxa yeeyantlukwano zobuhlanga. Icala ngalinye lalizibanga lingamaKristu, yaye icala ngalinye lalixhaswa ngumfundisi walo, owayebanga ngelokuba uThixo ungakwicala labo. Oko kubulawa “komKristu” ngomnye “umKristu” kusisiqhamo esibi. Kukuvukelwa kothando lobuKristu, kukukhanyelwa kwemithetho kaThixo.—Bona kwaneyoku-1 kaYohane 3:10-12.

Imini Yomgwebo

Ngaloo ndlela, ukunxaxha kubuKristu akuzange kukhokelele kwiinkolo zokungahloneli Thixo kuphela, njengemfundiso kaBathathu Emnye, kodwa kwakwakhokelela kwizenzo zokungahloneli Thixo. Kanti, kukho imini yomgwebo ezayo, kuba uYesu wathi: “Wonke umthi ongavelisi ziqhamo zihle uyagawulwa uphoswe emlilweni.” Kungeso sizathu iLizwi likaThixo libongoza lisithi:

‘Phumani kulo [unqulo lobuxoki], bantu bam, ukuze ningadlelani nalo ngezono zalo. Ngokuba izono zalo ziye zafikelela emazulwini, nezinto zalo zokungalungisi uzikhumbule uThixo.’—ISityhilelo 18:4, 5.

Kungekudala uThixo uya ‘kubeka ezintliziyweni’ zamagunya obupolitika ukuba alujikele unqulo lobuxoki. Aya ‘kuluphanzisa . . . ayidle inyama yalo, alutshise ngomlilo.’ (ISityhilelo 17:16, 17) Unqulo lobuxoki luya kutshatyalaliswa ngonaphakade kunye neentanda-bulumko zalo zobuhedeni ngoThixo. Ngokungathi kunjalo, uThixo uya kuthi kwaba baqhelisela unqulo lobuxoki njengokuba uYesu watshoyo ngomhla wakhe: “Indlu yenu ishiywa nani ize.”—Mateyu 23:38.

Unqulo lokwenyaniso luya kusinda kwimigwebo kaThixo, khon’ ukuze, ekugqibeleni, imbeko nozuko zinikelwe kuLowo uYesu wathi ‘ngokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso.’ NguLowo wachazwa ngumdumisi owathi: “Wena, ugama linguYehova, unguwe wedwa osenyangweni phezu kwehlabathi lonke.”—Yohane 17:3; INdumiso 83:18.

Iimbekiselo:

 1. IEncyclopædia Britannica, yowe-1971, uMqulu 6, iphepha 386.

 2. I-A Short History of Christian Doctrine, nguBernhard Lohse, yowe-1963, iphepha 51.

 3. I-Ibid., iphepha 52-3.

 4. INew Catholic Encyclopedia, yowe-1967, uMqulu VII, iphepha 115.

 5. I-A Short History of Christianity, nguMartin E. Marty, yowe-1959, iphepha 91.

 6. I-A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, nguPhilip Schaff noHenry Wace, yowe-1892, uMqulu IV, iphepha xvii.

 7. I-A Short History of Christian Doctrine, iphepha 53.

 8. I-A Short History of Christianity, iphepha 91.

 9. IThe Church of the First Three Centuries, nguAlvan Lamson, yowe-1869, iphepha 75-6, 341.

10. ISecond Century Orthodoxy, nguJ. A. Buckley, yowe-1978, iphepha 114-15.

11. INew Catholic Encyclopedia, yowe-1967, uMqulu VII, iphepha 115.

12. I-Ibid., uMqulu IV, iphepha 436.

13. I-Ibid., iphepha 251.

14. I-Ibid., iphepha 436.

15. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, yowe-1985, uHlelo lwe-15, iMicropædia, uMqulu 1, iphepha 665.

16. IThe Church of the First Three Centuries, iphepha 52.

17. IThe Christian Tradition, nguJaroslav Pelikan, yowe-1971, iphepha 173.

18. IOrigin and Evolution of Religion, nguE. Washburn Hopkins, yowe-1923, iphepha 339.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22]

UThixo uya kubangela ukuba amagunya opolitiko alujikele unqulo lobuxoki

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Unqulo lokweyaniso luya kusinda kwimigwebo kaThixo