Zazingoobani IiMaccabees?
KWABANINZI ixesha leeMaccabees lisisintsompothi sento efihlakeleyo eyenzeka phakathi kwexesha lokugqitywa kokubhalwa kweencwadi zokugqibela zeZibhalo zesiHebhere nokufika kukaYesu Kristu. Kanye njengokuba kunokufumaneka iinkcukacha ezithile xa kuphicothwa okwenzekileyo emva kokuntlitheka kwenqwelo-moya, uphando lunokusinceda siqonde izinto ezenzeka ngexesha leeMaccabees—ixesh’ apha leenguqu nelokuphethuka kwezinto kuhlanga lwamaYuda.
Zazingoobani iiMaccabees? Zaba naliphi ifuthe kubuYuda ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya okwakuxelwe kwangaphambili?—Daniyeli 9:25, 26.
Ukungena Kwezithethe ZamaGrike
UAleksandire Omkhulu wathimba amazwe ukususela eGrisi ukuya kuma ngeIndiya (ngowama-336 ukusa kowama-323 B.C.E.). Ubukumkani bakhe obukhulu baba negalelo ekusasazekeni kwezithethe zamaGrike—ulwimi neenkolelo zaseGrisi. Amagosa namajoni ka-Aleksandire atshata namabhinqa alapho, nto leyo eyabangela ukuxubana kweenkolelo zamaGrike nezasemzini. Emva kokuba uAleksandire lo eyibekile inqawa, iinjengele zakhe zahlulelana ngobukumkani bakhe. Ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesibini ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, uAntiochus III okumnombo wobukumkani bamaGrike obabulawulwa ngamalandela kaSeleucus aseSiriya wahlutha uSirayeli phantsi kolawulo lobukumkani lwamalandela kaPtolemy angamaGrike aseYiputa. Lwawachaphazela njani amaYuda akwaSirayeli ulawulo lwamaGrike?
Kaloku omnye umbhali-mbali uthi: “Ekubeni amaYuda ayengakwazi ukubaphepha abamelwane bawo abaphenjelelwe bubuGrike, kungasathethwa ke ngoogxa bawo abakwezinye iindawo, kwanyanzeleka ukuba amkele iinkolelo zamaGrike nendlela yokucinga yamaGrike. . . . Kwaukuphila nje ngexesha ekwakugquba ngalo ubuGrike wawungenakuphuma umsulwa kwiinkolelo zamaGrike!” AmaYuda athiywa amagama esiGrike. Ngomlinganiselo owahlukeneyo amkela izithethe zamaGrike nendlela yawo yokunxiba. Engaqondanga angenwa ngumoya wokuxelisa abanye.
Ukonakala Kwababingeleli
Phakathi kwamaYuda awaphenjelelwa gqitha zizithethe zamaGrike kwakukho ababingeleli. Kuninzi lwabo, ukwamkela ubuGrike kwakuthetha ukwenza ubuYuda buhambisane namaxesha. Omnye umYuda owayenjalo yayinguJason (ekuthiwa nguYoshuwa ngesiHebhere), umntakwabo mbingeleli omkhulu uOnias III. Ngoxa uOnias wayesatsibe kwelakwa-Antiyokwe, uJason wanyoba amagunya aseGrisi. Wayeyenzela ntoni loo nto? Wayefuna bamisele yena Jason njengombingeleli omkhulu endaweni kaOnias. Umlawuli ongumGrike owayekumnombo wobukumkani obabulawulwa ngamalandela kaSeleucus uAntiochus Epiphanes (ngowe-175 ukusa kowe-164 B.C.E.) wakwamkela nje ngokulula oko kunyotywa. Phambili phayaa abalawuli abangamaGrike abazange baphazamisane nelungiselelo lababingeleli abakhulu lamaYuda, kodwa uAntiochus lo wayefuna nje imali yokuxhasa amaphulo akhe ezomkhosi. Kwakhona kwakuthe ngco kuye xa kukho inkokeli engumYuda eyayiza kuba sisiquququ ifaka ezi zithethe zamaGrike ebantwini. UJason wacela uAntiochus ukuba iYerusalem ayinike iwonga lesixeko samaGrike (polis). Waza uJason wakha indawo yokwenza umthambo apho yayiba nguwashiywa nowashiywa amaYuda aselula kwanababingeleli bekhuphisana emidlalweni.
Isikhuni sabuya nomkhwezeli. Emva kweminyaka emithathu uMenelaus, ekusenokuba wayengekho kumnombo wababingeleli, wanyoba yena ngemali ethe chatha ibe uJason waphel’ emehlweni. Ukuze ahlawule uAntiochus, uMenelaus wathabatha iimali ezinamagama ezazibubuncwane betempile. Wathi kanti uzonisele uOnias III (owayebhacele kwelakwa-Antiyokwe) ngokuvul’ umlomo echasa le nto, kuba uMenelaus wenza amayelenqe okumbulala.
Kwavakala ngeempukane eziluhlaza ukuba uAntiochus selede waya kulala koobawomkhulu, nto leyo eyabangela uJason abuyele eYerusalem kunye newaka lamadoda ngelokuhlutha ububingeleli obukhulu kuMenelaus. Kodwa kwakungekho Antiochus wayefile. Uthe esakuva ngezinto ezenziwa nguJason nengxwabangxwaba phakathi kwamaYuda evukela izithethe zamaGrike, uAntiochus wabuya enombi wona umsindo.
UAntiochus Wenz’ Intw’ Ibonakale
UMoshe Pearlman ubhala athi kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Maccabees: “Nangona kungekho bungqina bunesihlahla, kuyabonakala ukuba uAntiochus lo wayezixelele ukuba abezobupolitika babeyiphosile ngokunika amaYuda inkululeko yonqulo. Yena wayecinga ukuba imvukelo eyayisandul’ ukuqhuma eYerusalem yayingabangelwa ziinjongo ezintle ngonqulo kodwa yayibangelwa kukuthand’ iYiputa kwamaYuda, ibe ezi mvakalelo zobupolitika ayezibonisa ngendlela eyingozi kuba ngamaYuda odwa, phakathi kwabantu awayebalawula, awafuna aza avunyelwa ukuqhekeka ngokonqulo. . . . Wabetha ngenqindi phantsi esithi le yona into iza kuncothulwa neengcambu.”
Igosa laseburhulumenteni kwaSirayeli nelikwangumphengululi uAbba Eban lithi xa lishwankathela iziganeko ezenzeka emva koko: “Izinto zenzeka ngendlela eshiy’ amehlo ngonyaka we-168 nowe-167 [B.C.E.], amaYuda abulawa okwezilwanyana, iTempile yaphangwa, unqulo lwamaYuda lwavalw’ umlomo. Wayegwetyelw’ ukufa umntu owalukayo nogcina iSabatha. NgoDisemba 167 kwenzeka eyona nto yaba sisinyeliso, le yokuyalela kuka-Antiochus ukuba kwakhiwe isibingelelo sikaZeyus phakathi eTempileni, ibe kwakufuneka amaYuda abingelele ngenyama yehagu—nto leyo eyayingcolile ngokomthetho wamaYuda—kulo thixo wamaGrike.” Ngeli xesha kusenzeka yonke le nto, uMenelaus namanye amaYuda awayamkele izithethe zamaGrike baqhubeka bekwizikhundla zabo, bengamagosa kwitempile eyayisele ingcolile.
Ngoxa amaYuda amaninzi amkela izithethe zamaGrike, kwavela iqela elitsha elalizibiza ngokuba ngamaHasid—abantu abazinikeleyo—nelalikhuthaza ukuba uMthetho kaMoses uthotyelwe ngokungqongqo. Becatshukiswa ngababingeleli abamkele izithethe zamaGrike, abantu abaqhelekileyo baya besondela ngakumbi kula maHasid. Laqala phantsi ke ixesha lokufel’ ukholo kuba amaYuda kulo lonke elo anyanzeliswa ukuba akhethe ukulandela izithethe nokubingelela ngendlela yabahedeni okanye afe. Iincwadi ezingaphefumlelwanga zeeMaccabees zithetha gqitha ngamadoda, amabhinqa nabantwana abaninzi abakhetha ukufa kunokuba banikezele.
IiMaccabees Zithabatha Amanyathelo
Ukugabadela kuka-Antiochus kwabangela ukuba amaYuda amaninzi alwele unqulo lwawo. EModiʼin, ekumntla-ntshona weYerusalem kufutshane nesixeko sanamhlanje ekuthiwa yiLod, umbingeleli ekuthiwa nguMatatiya wabizelwa esizikithini saloo dolophu. Ekubeni uMatatiya lo wayehlonelwa ngabantu balapho, ummeli kakumkani wazama ukumphembelela ukuba abe nenxaxheba kwimibingelelo yobuhedeni—ukuze asindise ubomi bakhe aze amisele umzekelo kubo bonke abantu balapho. Uthe akwala uMatatiya, kweza omnye umYuda owayesele ezimisele ukunikezela. Eligqabi ngumsindo, uMatatiya wathi hlasi ikrele waza wamcim’ igama. Esothuswe bobu bugwinta bungakanana benziwe yile ngwevu, amajoni angamaGrike aphath’ eyeka. Kwimizuzwana nje embalwa uMatatiya wayesele ebulele isithwala-ndwe esingumGrike. Oonyana abahlanu bakaMatatiya nabemi baloo dolophu bawoyisa amajoni amaGrike ngaphambi kokuba akwazi nokuzikhusela.
Wadanduluka wathi uMatatiya: ‘Wonk’ umntu onenzondelelo ngoMthetho makandilandele.’ Ngelokuzama ukubaleka impindezelo, enoonyana bakhe babalekela kummandla oneenduli. Ibe njengoko yaya idula into abayenzileyo, amaYuda (kuquka uninzi lwamaHasid) abalandela.
UMatatiya wabeka unyana wakhe onguJudah njengomphathi-mkhosi. Mhlawumbi ke ngenxa yokuba uJudah lo wayeligorha kwezomkhosi, kwathiwa nguMaccabee, gama elo elithetha “ihamile.” UMatatiya noonyana bakhe babizwa ngokuba ngamaHasmonaeans, gama elo elalisuka kwidolophu ebizwa ngokuba yiHeshmon okanye kukhokho othile owayebizwa ngelo gama. (Yoshuwa 15:27) Ekubeni uJudah Maccabee kwakukhalwa ngaye kuloo mvukelo, ngoko yonke loo ntsapho kwathiwa ziiMaccabees.
Ukubuyiselwa Kwetempile
Kunyaka nje wokuqala waloo mvukelo, uMatatiya noonyana bakhe bahlanganisa umkhosi omncinane. Amaxesh’ amaninzi, amajoni angamaGrike ayebahlasela ngeSabatha abaphumi-mkhosi abangamaHasid. Nangona ayekwazi ukuzikhusela, ayefana nje nabotshw’ iinyawo nezandla kuba ayengenakuphazamisana neSabatha. Yaba yinyhikatyhawe ke, kubulawana ngendlela emanyumnyezi. UMatatiya—ngoku owayesele engusomaqhuz’ othile kwezonqulo—wamisela umthetho owawuza kuvumela amaYuda ukuba angazikhusela ngeSabatha. Lo mthetho awuzange uhlaziye izinto kule mvukelo nje kuphela kodwa wongezelela kubuYuda indlela eyayiza kuvumela iinkokeli zonqulo ukuba ziwuguqule umthetho wamaYuda ziwuvisisanise nokutshintsha kweemeko. Amazwi akwiTalmud ayenza icace kakuhle le nto xa esithi: “Mabangcolise iSabatha ibe nye ukuze bangcwalise iiSabatha zibe ninzi.”—Yoma 85b.
Emva kokufa kukayise owayesele aluphele, uJudah Maccabee waba ngutshotsh’ entla kule mvukelo. Eyiqonda kakuhle into yokuba akanakuloyisa utshaba lwakhe etshatshalazeni, wavela neendlela ezintsha, njengobunqolobi bale mihla. Wayichana imikhosi ka-Antiochus kwiindawo engenakukwazi ukuzikhusela kuyo ngeendlela eziqhelekileyo. Kumadabi aliqela, uJudah waphumelela ngolo hlobo, ebeth’ asukele imikhosi eyodlula lee eyakhe ngobukhulu.
Ngenxa yeengxwabangxwaba ezazilapho negunya laseRoma elalifun’ ukuba yinto ngobunto bayo, abalawuli kuBukumkani bamalandela kaSeleucus abazange babe sazikhathaza kangako ngokuyekisa amaYuda izithethe zawo. Loo nto yabangela ukuba uJudah lo abe ngath’ uyaqinisa ukuhlasela de waya kufikelela kanye phaya emasangweni eYerusalem. NgoDisemba 165 B.C.E. (okanye ngowe-164 B.C.E.), yena namajoni akhe bayizuza itempile, bazihlamba izitya zayo baza baphinda bayinikezela—kwiminyaka emithathu kanye emva kokuba ingcolisiwe. AmaYuda ayesenza isikhumbuzo sesi siganeko nyaka ngamnye ebudeni beHanukkah, engumsitho wonikezelo.
Akusalwelwa Nqulo Ngoku Sekupolitikwa
Le mvukelo yayisele iyifezile injongo yayo. Isusiwe yonke imiqobo ethintela ukuphila ngobuYuda. Luphinde lwaqala phantsi unqulo nokunikelwa kwamadini etempileni. Kuthe ngco ngaphakathi kuwo, amaHasid awushiya umkhosi kaJudah Maccabee aza abuyela emakhayeni awo. Kodwa ngoku uJudah wayesele eneziny’ iingqondo. Wacinga ukuba xa ndinomkhosi onamandla ngolu hlobo, kutheni ndingasebenzisi kwawona lo ndimisele uburhulumente bamaYuda obuzimeleyo? Kwakungasalwelwa olwa nqulo lwaluvumbulule yonke laa mvukelo ngoku injongo yayisezezobupolitika. Kwasele kusithiwa phambili ke ngomzabalazo.
Eneqikili lokuncediswa xa esilwa nxamnye namalandela kaSeleucus, uJudah Maccabee lo watyikitya isivumelwano neRoma. Nangona wabulawa edabini ngowe-160 B.C.E., abantakwabo baqhuba nedabi. Umntakwabo Judah uJonathan wasebenzisa ubuqili ekwenzeni abalawuli abangamalandela kaSeleucus bavume ukummisela njengombingeleli omkhulu nomlawuli kwaYuda, nangona wayesengaphantsi kwegunya labo. Emva kokuba uJonathan lo eqhathiwe, wabanjwa waza wabulawa ngeyelenqe elalenziwe yiSiriya, umntakwabo uSimeon—owayengowokugqibela kubafana bakwaMaccabee—wazithabathela kuye iintambo. Ukungena kwakhe ezintanjeni uSimeon, wazincothula wazijula kude iingcambu ezazisasele zolawulo lwamalandela kaSeleucus (ngowe-141 B.C.E.). Waphinda ke uSimeon wabopha amaqhina onxibelelwano neRoma, nabalawuli abangamaYuda ke bamamkela njengomlawuli nombingeleli omkhulu. Bamiswa ngolo hlobo ke uburhulumente obuzimeleyo bamaHasmonaean bulawulwa ziiMaccabees.
IiMaccabees zaphinda zalumisela unqulo etempileni ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya. (Thelekisa uYohane 1:41, 42; 2:13-17.) Kodwa njengoko izenzo zababingeleli abamkela izithethe zamaGrike zabangela ukuba ububingeleli abathenjwa, kwada kwaba ngakumbi ke kumaHasmonaean. Eneneni, ukulawulwa ngababingeleli abangqondo zizele iipolitiki kunokulawulwa ngukumkani okumnombo othembekileyo kaDavide akuzange kuzise zintsikelelo zokwenene kubantu abangamaYuda.—2 Samuweli 7:16; INdumiso 89:3, 4, 35, 36.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
UMatatiya, onguyise kaJudah Maccabee wadanduluka wathi: ‘Wonk’ umntu onenzondelelo ngoMthetho makandilandele’
[Inkcazelo]
Mattathias appealing to the Jewish refugees/The Doré Bible Illustrations/Dover Publications