Imibuzo Yabafundi . . .

Ngaba IGehena Yindawo Yokuthuthumbisa?

▪ Kwiincwadi zeVangeli, uYesu ulumkisa abafundi bakhe ngokugwetyelwa eGehena. Kucacile ukuba uYesu wayefuna isilumkiso sakhe sinikelwe ingqalelo. Noko ke, ngaba wayethetha ngokutshiswa esihogweni ngonaphakade?—Mateyu 5:22.

Makhe siqale ngokuhlalutya eli gama. Igama lesiGrike elithi Geʹen·na lithetha into enye negama lesiHebhere elithi geh Hin·nomʹ elithetha “intlambo yakwaHinom,” okanye xa liphelele geh veneh-Hin·nomʹ, elithetha “intlambo yoonyana bakaHinom.” (Yoshuwa 15:8; 2 Kumkani 23:10) Eli nxiwa, namhlanje elibizwa ngoku yiWadi er-Rabab, yintlambo enzulu emxinwa esemzantsi emzantsi ntshona weYerusalem.

Kumaxesha ookumkani bakwaYuda, ukususela ngenkulungwane yesibhozo B.C.E., le ntlambo kwakusenzelwa kuyo izithethe zabahedeni, kuquka ukubingelela ngabantwana emlilweni. (2 Kronike 28:1-3; 33:1-6) Umprofeti uYeremiya waxela kwangaphambili ukuba loo ntlambo ayeza kubulawelwa kuyo amaYuda ngamaBhabhiloni esohlwaywa nguThixo ngenxa yobungendawo bawo.a—Yeremiya 7:30-33; 19:6, 7.

Ngokutsho komphengululi ongumYuda uDavid Kimhi (c. 1160-c. 1235 C.E.), le ntlambo kamva yatshintshwa yasetyenziselwa ukulahla inkunkuma yesixeko saseYerusalem. Le ndawo yasetyenziswa njengezala elalisoloko liqhuma. Nantoni na elahlwa kulo yayisitsha ibe luthuthu.

Abaguquleli abaninzi beBhayibhile baye baguqulela igama elithi Geʹen·na ngokuthi “sisihogo.” (Mateyu 5:22, iKing James Version) Ngoba? Kungenxa yokuba babenxulumanisa imfundiso yabahedeni yokutshiswa kwabantu abangendawo kwisihogo somlilo nomlilo wokoqobo okwintlambo engaphandle kweYerusalem. Noko ke, uYesu akazange anxulumanise iGehena nokuthuthumbisa.

UYesu wayesazi ukuba ukutshiswa kwabantu bephila kwakulisikizi kuYise wasezulwini, uYehova. Ebhekisela kwindlela eyayisetyenziswa ngayo iGehena ngemihla yomprofeti uYeremiya, uThixo wathi: “Bazakhile iindawo eziphakamileyo zaseTofete, esentlanjeni yoonyana bakaHinom, ukuze batshise oonyana babo neentombi zabo emlilweni, nto leyo ndingabayalelanga yona nengathanga qatha entliziyweni yam.” (Yeremiya 7:31) Ngaphezu koko, ingcamango yokuthuthunjiswa kwabafileyo iyangqubana nobuntu bukaThixo bothando nemfundiso ecacileyo yeBhayibhile yokuba abantu abafileyo “abazi nto konke konke.”—INtshumayeli 9:5, 10.

UYesu wasebenzisa ibinzana elithi “Gehena” efuzisela ukutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo okubangelwa sisigwebo sikaThixo. Ngenxa yoko, “iGehena” inentsingiselo efanayo ‘nedike lomlilo’ ekuthethwe ngalo kwincwadi yeSityhilelo. Omabini la mabinzana afuzisela intshabalalo kanaphakade ekungekho luvuko kuyo.—Luka 12:4, 5; ISityhilelo 20:14, 15.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]