Isahluko 2
Ukulwela KweBhayibheli Ukuphila
Kunemicu eminingi yobufakazi ebonisa ukuthi iBhayibheli ngempela liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. Umucu ngamunye uqinile, kodwa lapho yonke ihlanganiswe ndawonye, ingengenakunqamuka. Kulesahluko nakwesilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngomucu owodwa nje wobufakazi: umlando weBhayibheli njengencwadi. Iqiniso liwukuthi, kuyisimangaliso ngempela ukuba lencwadi emangalisayo iye yasinda kuze kube namuhla. Cabangela lamaqiniso ngokwakho.
1. Iyini eminye imininingwane ngeBhayibheli?
IBHAYIBHELI lingaphezu nje kokuba incwadi. Liwumtapo ocebile wezincwadi ezingama-66, ezinye zimfushane nezinye zinde impela, ziqukethe umthetho, isiprofetho, umlando, izinkondlo, iseluleko, nokunye okuningi. Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKristu, kwalotshwa ezokuqala ezingama-39 zalezincwadi—eziningi ngolimi lwesiHeberu—zilotshwa amaJuda athembekile, noma amaIsrayeli. Lengxenye ngokuvamile ibizwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elidala. Izincwadi zokugcina ezingama-27 zalotshwa amaKristu ngesiGreki futhi zaziwa kakhulu ngokuthi iTestamente Elisha. Ngokobufakazi obungaphakathi kuzo namasiko amadala kakhulu, lezincwadi ezingama-66 zalotshwa enkathini engaba iminyaka eyi-1 600, eyaqala lapho iGibithe lingumbuso onamandla futhi yaphela lapho iRoma iwumbuso omkhulu emhlabeni.
IBhayibheli Kuphela Elasinda
2. (a) Sasiyini isimo sikaIsrayeli lapho iBhayibheli liqala ukulotshwa? (b) Iziphi ezinye izincwadi ezilotshiwe ezakhiqizwa phakathi nenkathi efanayo yesikhathi?
2 Eminyakeni engaphezu kwezi-3 000 edlule, lapho kuqala ukulotshwa kweBhayibheli, uIsrayeli wayeyisizwe esisodwa nje esincane phakathi kweziningi eMpumalanga Ephakathi. UJehova wayenguNkulunkulu waso, lapho izizwe ezisizungezile zazinonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi abahlukahlukene abadidayo. Phakathi naleyonkathi yesikhathi, amaIsrayeli kwakungewona wodwa akhiqiza izincwadi zenkolo. Ezinye izizwe nazo zakhiqiza izincwadi ezilotshiwe ezibonisa inkolo yazo nezimiso zezizwe zazo. Ngokwesibonelo, izinganekwane zabantu baseAkkad ngoGilgamesh waseMesopotamiya nezinkondlo ezinde ezilandisayo zikaRas Shamra, ezabhalwa ngesiUgarit (ulimi olwalukhulunywa kulokho manje okuyinyakatho yeSyria), ngokungangabazeki zazithandwa kakhulu. Izincwadi eziningi zaleyonkathi zazihlanganisa nezincwadi ezinjengethi The Admonitions of Ipu-wer neProphecy of Nefer-rohu ngolimi lwesiGibithe, amaculo okudumisa onkulunkulu abahlukahlukene abhalwe ngesiSumer, nezincwadi ezingokwesiprofetho ngesiAkkad.1
3. Yini ephawula iBhayibheli njengelihlukile kwezinye izincwadi zenkolo ezakhiqizwa eMpumalanga Ephakathi phakathi nenkathi efanayo?
3 Nokho, zonke lezincwadi zaseMpumalanga Ephakathi, zahlangabezana nenhlekelele efanayo. Zalibaleka, ngisho nezilimi ezazibhalwe ngazo zaphela nyá. Kwakuseminyakeni yamuva kuphela lapho izazi zemivubukulo nezazi zezilimi nemithetho yazo zafunda khona ngokuba khona kwazo futhi zathola indlela yokuzifunda. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izincwadi zokuqala ezilotshiwe zeBhayibheli lesiHeberu ziye zasinda kuze kube sesikhathini sethu futhi zisafundwa kakhulu. Ngezinye izikhathi izazi zigomela ngokuthi izincwadi zesiHeberu eziseBhayibhelini ngandlela-thile zasuselwa kulezozincwadi ezindala zobuciko. Kodwa iqiniso lokuthi eziningi kakhulu zalezozincwadi zalibaleka kuyilapho iBhayibheli lesiHeberu lasinda libonisa iBhayibheli njengelihluke ngokuphawulekayo.
Abavikeli BeZwi
4. Yiziphi izinkinga ezingathi sína zamaIsrayeli okungenzeka zabonakala zenza ukusinda kweBhayibheli kungabazeke?
4 Ungalenzi iphutha, ngokombono womuntu ukusinda kweBhayibheli kwakungeyona into eyayisiqinisekile. Imiphakathi eyalikhiqiza yabhekana nokuvivinywa okunzima nokucindezelwa okubuhlungu kangangokuba ukusinda kwalo kuze kube sosukwini lwethu kuyamangaza ngempela. Eminyakeni engaphambi kukaKristu, amaJuda akhiqiza imiBhalo YesiHeberu (“iTestamente Elidala”) ayeyisizwe esincane uma eqhathaniswa. Ayehlala ngokungalondekile phakathi kwemibuso enamandla yezombangazwe eyayiqhubukushana ibanga ubukhulu. UIsrayeli kwakudingeka alwele ukuphila kwakhe nohide lwezizwe, njengamaFilisti, abakwaMowabi, abakwa-Amoni, nabakwaEdomi. Phakathi nenkathi lapho amaHeberu ehlukene eyimibuso emibili, uMbuso wama-Asiriya ononya wawuqothula umbuso wasenyakatho, kanti abaseBabiloni babhubhisa umbuso waseningizimu, bethatha abantu bebasa ekuthunjweni okwathi kubo kwabuya insali kuphela ngemva kweminyaka engama-70 kamuva.
5, 6. Imiphi imizamo eyenziwa eyafaka engozini khona kanye ukuba khona kwamaHeberu njengabantu abahlukile?
5 Kunanemibiko yokuqothulwa kwesizwe okwazanywa kumaIsrayeli. Emuva ezinsukwini zikaMose, uFaro wayaleza ukuba kubulawe zonke izingane zawo zabafana ezazisanda kuzalwa. Ukuba umyalo wakhe wawugciniwe, abantu abangamaHeberu ngabe babhuqwa baphela nyá. (Eksodusi 1:15-22) Kamuva kakhulu, lapho amaJuda eba ngaphansi kokubusa kwamaPheresiya, izitha zawo zaceba ukuba kukhishwe umthetho owawuhloselwe ukuwaqothula. (Esteri 3:1-15) Ukwehluleka kwalolozungu kusagujwa eMkhosini WamaJuda WePhurimi.
6 Ngemva kwalokho, lapho amaJuda engaphansi kweSiriya, iNkosi uAntiochus IV yazama kanzima ukuguqula lesizwe sibe amaGreki, isiphoqelela ukuba silandele amasiko amaGreki futhi sikhulekele onkulunkulu bamaGreki. Nayo futhi yahluleka. Esikhundleni sokuba aqothulwe noma ahlanganiswe nesinye isizwe, amaJuda asinda, kuyilapho amaqembu amaningi ezizwe eziwazungezile enyamalala ngokulandelana emhlabeni. Futhi imiBhalo YesiHeberu yeBhayibheli yasinda kanye nawo.
7, 8. Ukuhlupheka kwamaKristu kwakusongela kanjani ukusinda kweBhayibheli?
7 AmaKristu, akhiqiza ingxenye yesibili yeBhayibheli (“iTestamente Elisha”), nawo ayeyiqembu elicindezelwayo. Umholi wawo, uJesu, wabulawa njengesigebengu esivamile. Ezinsukwini zokuqala ngemva kokufa kwakhe, iziphathimandla zamaJuda zasePalestina zazama ukuwacindezela. Lapho ubuKristu busakazekela kwamanye amazwe, amaJuda awazingela, ezama ukuthikameza umsebenzi wawo wezithunywa zevangeli.—IzEnzo 5:27, 28; 7:58-60; 11:19-21; 13:45; 14:19; 18:5, 6.
8 Ngesikhathi sikaNero, isimo sengqondo sokuqala sokuwabekezelela seziphathimandla zamaRoma sashintsha. UTacitus waqhosha ‘ngokuhlushwa okubuhlungu kakhulu’ okwenziwa kumaKristu yilowombusi ononya, futhi kusukela esikhathini sakhe kuqhubeke, ukuba umKristu kwakuyicala elinesijeziso sokufa.2 Ngo-303 C.E., uMbusi uDiocletian wamelana ngokuqondile neBhayibheli.a Emzamweni wokuqeda ubuKristu, wayaleza ukuba kushiswe wonke amaBhayibheli obuKristu.3
9. Yini engabe yenzeka ukuba imikhankaso yokuqothula amaJuda namaKristu yayiphumelele?
9 Lemikhankaso yokucindezelwa nokuqothulwa kwesizwe yayiwusongo lwangempela lokusinda kweBhayibheli. Ukuba amaJuda ayelandele indlela yamaFilisti neyabakwaMowabi noma ukuba imizamo yamaJuda kuqala kwase kuba eyeziphathimandla zamaRoma yokuqeda ubuKristu yayiphumelele, ubani owayeyoloba iBhayibheli futhi alilondoloze? Ngokujabulisayo, abavikeli beBhayibheli—amaJuda kuqala kwase kuba amaKristu—abazange baqothulwe, futhi iBhayibheli lasinda. Nokho, kwakunolunye usongo olungathi sína uma lungelona olokusinda kweBhayibheli, okungenani olobuqotho balo.
Amakhophi Ayenamaphutha
10. Ekuqaleni iBhayibheli lalondolozwa kanjani?
10 Eziningi zezincwadi ezindala eziphawulwe ngaphambili ezalibaleka ngokuhamba kwesikhathi zaziqoshwe ematsheni noma zagxivizwa ezibhebheni zobumba eziqinile. Akunjalo ngeBhayibheli. Lona ekuqaleni lalilotshwe ephepheni lepapyrus noma esikhumbeni esilukhuni—izinto ezonakala kalula. Ngakho, imibhalo yesandla eyakhiqizwa abalobi bokuqala yanyamalala kudala kakhulu. Khona-ke, lalondolozwa kanjani iBhayibheli? Amakhophi ayizinkulungwane ezingenakubalwa abhalwa ngesandla ngokukhandleka. Lena kwakuyindlela evamile yokwenza amanye amakhophi encwadi ngaphambi kokuba kufike indlela yokunyathelisa.
11. Yini eyenzeka nakanjani lapho kukopishwa imibhalo yesandla?
11 Nokho, kunengozi ekukopisheni ngesandla. UMnumzane uFrederic Kenyon, isazi semivubukulo esidumile nomphathi womtapo wezincwadi woMnyuziyamu WaseBrithani, wachaza: “Asikadalwa isandla somuntu nobuchopho okungakopisha yonke incwadi ende ngaphandle kokwenza nelincane iphutha. . . . Amaphutha ayezongena nakanjani.”4 Lapho iphutha lingena embhalweni wesandla, laliphindwa uma lowo mbhalo wesandla usetshenziswa njengesisekelo samakhophi esikhathi esizayo. Lapho kwenziwa amakhophi amaningi phakathi nesikhathi eside, kwakungena amaphutha amaningi abantu.
12, 13. Obani abathatha umthwalo wokulondoloza umbhalo wemiBhalo YesiHeberu?
12 Ngokucabangela amakhophi ayizinkulungwane eziningi eBhayibheli enziwa, sazi kanjani ukuthi lenqubo yokwenza amakhophi ayizange ilishintshe kakhulu kangangokuba lingabe lisabonakala? Nokho, cabanga ngeBhayibheli lesiHeberu, “iTestamente Elidala.” Engxenyeni yesibili yekhulu lesithupha leminyaka B.C.E., lapho amaJuda ebuya ekuthunjweni kwawo kwaseBabiloni, iqembu lezazi ezingamaHeberu elalaziwa ngokuthi amaSopher, “ababhali,” laba ngabagcini bombhalo weBhayibheli wesiHeberu, futhi kwakuwumthwalo walo ukukopisha leyomiBhalo ukuze isetshenziswe ekukhulekeleni kwasobala nokwangasese. Lalingamadoda anezisusa eziphakeme, angochwepheshe, futhi umsebenzi wawo wawungowezinga eliphakeme kakhulu.
13 Kusukela ekhulwini lesikhombisa leminyaka kuye kweleshumi leSikhathi sethu Esivamile, izindlalifa zamaSopher zazingamaMasorete. Igama lawo livela egameni lesiHeberu elisho “isiko,” futhi eqinisweni nawo ayengababhali ababenikezwe umsebenzi wokulondoloza umbhalo wesiHeberu ongokwesiko. AmaMasorete ayecophelela. Ngokwesibonelo, umbhali kwakudingeka asebenzise ikhophi eqinisekiswe ngokufanelekile njengombhalo wakhe oyinhloko, futhi wayengavunyelwe ukubhala noma yini ngekhanda. Kwakudingeka ahlole uhlamvu ngalunye ngaphambi kokuba alubhale.5 UProfesa Norman K. Gottwald uyabika: “Okunye kokucophelela ababenza ngakho imisebenzi yabo kuboniswe emfunekweni ebekwe oRabi yokuthi yonke imibhalo yesandla emisha kwakudingeka ihlolwe amaphutha futhi amakhophi ayenamaphutha kwakudingeka alahlwe ngalesosikhathi.”6
14. Ukutholakala kwani okwenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukuqinisekisa ukudluliselwa kombhalo weBhayibheli ngamaSopher namaMasorete?
14 Kwakunembe kangakanani ukudluliselwa kombhalo ngamaSopher namaMasorete? Kwakunzima ukuphendula lowombuzo kuze kube ngo-1947, ngoba imibhalo yesandla ephelele yesiHeberu yokuqala kunayo yonke eyayitholakala yayisukela ekhulwini leshumi leminyaka leSikhathi sethu Esivamile. Nokho, ngo-1947, kwatholakala ezinye zezingcezu zemibhalo yesandla ezindala kakhulu emihumeni esendaweni engasoLwandle Olufile, kuhlanganise nezingcezu zezincwadi zeBhayibheli lesiHeberu. Izingcezu eziningana zazisukela esikhathini esingaphambi kukaKristu. Izazi zaqhathanisa lezingcezu nemibhalo yesandla yesiHeberu eyayikhona ukuze ziqinisekise ukunemba kokudluliselwa kombhalo. Waba yini umphumela walokhu kuqhathanisa?
15. (a) Waba yini umphumela wokuqhathanisa umbhalo wesandla womqulu wasoLwandle Olufile kaIsaya nombhalo wamaMasorete? (b) Kufanele siphethe ngani eqinisweni lokuthi eminye yemibhalo yesandla eyatholakala oLwandle Olufile ibonisa izinga elithile lokungafani kombhalo? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)
15 Enye yezincwadi ezindala kakhulu ezatholakala kwakuyincwadi ephelele kaIsaya, futhi ukufana okuseduze kombhalo wayo nalowo weBhayibheli lamaMasorete esinalo namuhla kuyamangalisa. UProfesa Millar Burrows uyabhala: “Okuningi ukwehluka phakathi komqulu kaIsaya ogcinwe eSt. Mark [otholakale muva nje] nombhalo wamaMasorete kungachazwa njengamaphutha okukopisha. Ngaphandle kwalokhu, sekukonke, kunokuvumelana okuphawulekayo nombhalo otholakala emibhalweni yesandla yeNkathi Ephakathi. Ukuvumelana okunjalo embhalweni wesandla omdala kangako kunikeza ubufakazi obuqinisekisayo bokunemba okukhulu kombhalo wesizwe.”7 UBurrows uyanezela: “Kuyindaba emangalisayo ukuthi phakathi neminyaka engaba inkulungwane lombhalo washintsha kancane kangaka.”b
16, 17. (a) Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi umbhalo wemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki uthembekile? (b) Yini eyafakazelwa uMnumzane Frederic Kenyon ngombhalo wemiBhalo YesiGreki?
16 Ngokuqondene nengxenye yeBhayibheli eyalotshwa amaKristu ngesiGreki, ebizwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elisha, abakopishi babenjengezimfundamakhwela ezinekhono kunokuba njengamaSopher angochwepheshe aqeqeshwe kakhulu. Kodwa njengoba babesebenza ngaphansi kosongo lokujeziswa iziphathimandla, babheka umsebenzi wabo ngokungathi sína. Futhi izinto ezimbili ziyasiqinisekisa ukuthi thina namuhla sinombhalo ofana nalowo owalotshwa abalobi bokuqala. Okokuqala, sinemibhalo yesandla eseduze kakhulu nesikhathi sokulotshwa kunokuba kunjalo ngengxenye yesiHeberu yeBhayibheli. Ngempela, enye ingxenye yeVangeli likaJohane isukela engxenyeni yokuqala yekhulu lesibili leminyaka, iminyaka engaphansi kwama-50 kusukela cishe esikhathini uJohane abhala ngaso iVangeli lakhe. Okwesibili, inani eliphelele lemibhalo yesandla eye yasinda linikeza ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokwethembeka kombhalo.
17 Kuleliqophelo, uMnumzane Frederic Kenyon wafakaza: “Akunakuba ukugomela okuqine kakhulu ukuthi ngokomongo umbhalo weBhayibheli uqinisekile. Ikakhulukazi lokhu kunjalo ngeTestamente Elisha. Inani lemibhalo yesandla yeTestamente Elisha, lezinguqulo zokuqala ezasuselwa kulo, nelezingcaphuno ezivela kulo kubalobi abadala kakhulu beSonto, likhulu kangangokuba kungokuqiniseke ngokoqobo ukuthi indlela eqondile okumelwe kufundwe ngayo noma iyiphi indinyana engabazisayo ilondolozwe komunye walemithombo yasendulo. Lokhu akunakushiwo nganoma iyiphi enye incwadi yasendulo emhlabeni.”10
Abantu Nezilimi Zabo
18, 19. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba iBhayibheli lingagcini kuphela ezilimini elalibhalwe ngazo ekuqaleni?
18 Izilimi zokuqala iBhayibheli elabhalwa ngazo nazo futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi zaziyisithiyo ekusindeni kwalo. Izincwadi zokuqala ezingama-39 zazilotshwe kakhulu ngesiHeberu, ulimi lwamaIsrayeli. Kodwa isiHeberu asikaze saziwe kakhulu. Ukuba iBhayibheli lahlala lilotshwe ngalololimi, lalingasoze laba nanoma iliphi ithonya kwabanye ngaphandle kwesizwe samaJuda nabambalwa bezinye izizwe ababekwazi ukusifunda. Nokho, ekhulwini lesithathu leminyaka B.C.E., ukuze kuzuze amaHeberu ayehlala eAlexandria, eGibithe, kwaqala ukuhunyushwa kwengxenye yesiHeberu yeBhayibheli ngesiGreki. IsiGreki ngalesosikhathi sasiwulimi lwezizwe zonke. Ngakho, iBhayibheli lesiHeberu latholakala kalula kwabangemaJuda.
19 Lapho kufika isikhathi sokuba ingxenye yesibili yeBhayibheli ilotshwe, isiGreki sasisakhulunywa kakhulu, ngakho izincwadi zokugcina ezingama-27 zeBhayibheli zalotshwa ngalololimi. Kodwa akuwona wonke umuntu owayekwazi ukuqonda isiGreki. Ngakho, izinguqulo zazo zombili izingxenye zesiHeberu nezesiGreki zeBhayibheli ngokushesha zaqala ukuvela ngezilimi zansuku zonke zalawomakhulu okuqala eminyaka, njengesiSiriya, isiCopt, isiArmenia, isiGeorgia, isiGoth, nesiTopiya. Ulimi olungokomthetho loMbuso WaseRoma kwakuyisiLatin, futhi izinguqulo zesiLatin zenziwa ngamanani amakhulu kangangokuthi kwadingeka kumiswe “inguqulo egunyaziwe.” Lena yaqedwa cishe ngo-405 C.E. futhi yaziwa ngokuthi iVulgate (okusho ukuthi “ejwayelekile” noma “evamile”).
20, 21. Zaziyini izithiyo ekusindeni kweBhayibheli, futhi kungani zanqotshwa?
20 Ngakho, iBhayibheli lasinda naphezu kwezithiyo eziningi kuze kube semakhulwini okuqala eminyaka eSikhathi sethu Esivamile. Labo abalikhiqiza babengamaqembu amancane ayezondwa futhi eshushiswa ephila ukuphila okunzima ezweni elinenzondo. Lalingaphendukezelwa kalula kabi enqubweni yokukopisha, kodwa alizange. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lasinda engozini yokuba litholakale kuphela kubantu abakhuluma izilimi ezithile.
21 Kungani kwakunzima kangaka ngeBhayibheli ukuba lisinde? IBhayibheli ngokwalo lithi: “Izwe lonke limi ebubini.” (1 Johane 5:19) Ngokucabangela lokhu, besingalindela izwe ukuba libe nenzondo ngeqiniso elinyathelisiwe, futhi lokhu kuye kwabonakala kunjalo. Khona-ke, kungani iBhayibheli lasinda lapho ezinye izincwadi eziningi kangaka ezingazange zibhekane nobunzima obufanayo zalibaleka? IBhayibheli liyawuphendula nawo lombuzo. Lithi: “Izwi [likaJehova] limi kuze kube-phakade.” (1 Petru 1:24) Uma iBhayibheli ngempela liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu, awekho amandla omuntu angalibhubhisa. Futhi kuze kube kulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka, lokhu kuye kwaba iqiniso.
22. Yiluphi ushintsho olwenzeka ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesine leminyaka leSikhathi sethu Esivamile?
22 Nokho, ekhulwini lesine leminyaka leSikhathi sethu Esivamile, kwenzeka okuthile lokho ngokuhamba kwesikhathi okwaphumela ekuhlaselweni okusha kweBhayibheli futhi okwayithonya ngokunamandla inkambo yomlando waseYurophu. Iminyaka eyishumi nje ngemva kokuba uDiocletian ezame ukubhubhisa wonke amakhophi eBhayibheli, isimiso sombuso sashintsha futhi “ubuKristu” bamukelwa ngokomthetho. Eminyakeni eyi-12 kamuva, ngo-325 C.E., umbusi waseRoma wangamela iSigungu “samaKristu” saseNicaea. Kungani intuthuko eyayibonakala iyinhle kanjalo yayiyozibonakalisa iyingozi eBhayibhelini? Sizoyibona impendulo esahlukweni esilandelayo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Kulencwadi, esikhundleni sokusebenzisa isifushaniso esivamile esithi “A.D.” nesithi “B.C.,” kusetshenziswe esinembe kangcono esithi “C.E.” (iSikhathi Esivamile) nesithi “B.C.E.” (ngaphambi kweSikhathi Esivamile).
b Akuyona yonke imibhalo yesandla eyatholakala oLwandle Olufile eyavumelana ncamashí nombhalo weBhayibheli okhona. Eminye yabonisa ukwehlukahlukana okukhulu kwamagama asetshenziswa. Nokho, lokhu kuhlukahlukana akusho ukuthi incazelo eyisisekelo yombhalo iye yaphendukezelwa. NgokukaPatrick W. Skehan weYunivesithi YamaKatolika YaseMelika, okuningi kubonisa “ukubukezwa [kombhalo weBhayibheli] ngesisekelo sokuvumelana okusemqoka kwamaqiniso awo, kangangokuba umqondo uyanwebeka kodwa umongo uhlala unjalo . . . Isimo sengqondo esiyisisekelo yileso senhlonipho ephelele ngombhalo obhekwa njengongcwele, isimo sengqondo sokuchaza (njengoba singakubeka) iBhayibheli ngeBhayibheli kukho kanye ukudluliselwa kombhalo ngokwakho.”8
Omunye umhlaziyi uyanezela: “Naphezu kwakho konke ukungaqiniseki, iphuzu elisemqoka lisala limile lokuthi umbhalo njengoba sinawo manje, ngokuyinhloko, umelela ngokwethembeka wona kanye amazwi abalobi, abanye babo abaphila cishe eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezintathu edlule, futhi akudingeki sibe nokungabaza okungathi sína ngephuzu lokonakaliswa komongo mayelana nokubaluleka kwesigijimi iTestamente Elidala okudingeka lisinikeze sona.”9
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 19]
Umbhalo WeBhayibheli Oqinisekiswe Kahle
Ukuze siqonde indlela umbhalo weBhayibheli oqinisekiswe kahle ngayo, sidinga kuphela ukuwuqhathanisa nelinye iqoqo lezincwadi esinalo lasendulo: izincwadi ezamukelekayo zaseGrisi nezaseRome. Eqinisweni, eziningi zalezincwadi zabhalwa ngemva kokuba imiBhalo YesiHeberu isiqediwe. Yayingekho imizamo elotshiwe yokuqothulwa kwesizwe samaGreki noma amaRoma, futhi izincwadi zabo azizange zilondolozwe zibhekene noshushiso. Nokho, phawula ukukhulumela kukaProfesa F. F. Bruce:
“Ngencwadi ethi Gallic War kaKhesari (eyalotshwa phakathi kuka-58 no-50 B.C.) kunemibhalo yesandla eminingana esekhona, kodwa iyisishiyagalolunye noma iyishumi kuphela esekahle, futhi omdala kunayo yonke uhlehlela eminyakeni engaba ama-900 ngemva kwesikhathi sikaKhesari.
“Ezincwadini eziyi-142 zomlando wamaRoma zikaLivy (59 B.C.-A.D. 17), ezingama-35 kuphela ezisekhona; lezi sizazi ngenxa yemibhalo yesandla ebalulekile engeqi kwengamashumi amabili, owodwa kuphela kuyo, futhi yilowo oqukethe izingxenye zeziNcwadi III-VI, omdala kangangekhulu lesine leminyaka.
“Ezincwadini eziyishumi nane zikaTacitus ezithi Histories (cishe ngo-A.D. 100) ezine nengxenye kuphela ezisekhona; ezincwadini zakhe eziyishumi nesithupha ezithi Annals, ziyishumi eziphelele ezisekhona nezimbili ezingaphelele. Umbhalo walezingxenye ezisekhona zezincwadi zakhe ezimbili ezinkulu zomlando uncike ngokuphelele emibhalweni yesandla emibili, omunye owekhulu lesishiyagalolunye leminyaka nomunye weleshumi nanye. . . .
“UMlando KaThucydides (cishe ngo-460-400 B.C.) siwazi ngenxa yemibhalo yesandla eyisishiyagalombili, owokuqala kunayo yonke cishe ungoka-A.D. 900, nezicucu ezimbalwa zepapyrus, zasekuqaleni kwenkathi yobuKristu.
“Kungokufanayo nangoMlando KaHerodotus (cishe ngo-488-428 B.C.). Nokho asikho nesisodwa isazi esivelele ebesingayilalela impikiswano yokuthi ukwethembeka kukaHerodotus noma uThucydides kuyangabazeka ngenxa yokuthi imibhalo yesandla yokuqala yezincwadi zabo esingayisebenzisa ingeyamuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwe-1 300 kuneyokuqala.”—The Books and the Parchments, ikhasi 180.
Qhathanisa lokhu neqiniso lokuthi kunemibhalo yesandla eyizinkulungwane yezingxenye ezihlukahlukene zeBhayibheli. Futhi imibhalo yesandla yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ihlehlela emuva phakathi neminyaka eyikhulu yesikhathi sokulotshwa kwezincwadi zokuqala.
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AmaHeberu ayeyisizwe esincane esasisongelwa njalo izizwe ezinamandla kunawo. Lomfanekiso oqoshiwe wasendulo ubonisa amanye amaHeberu eyiswa ekuthunjweni ngama-Asiriya
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Ngaphambi kokufika kwendlela yokunyathelisa, imiBhalo yayikopishwa ngesandla
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UNero wenza ukuba umKristu kwaba icala elinesijeziso sokufa
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Ukuhlolwa komqulu wasoLwandle Olufile kaIsaya kwabonisa ukuthi lencwadi yayingazange ishintshe ngempela ngemva kwenkathi yeminyaka eyi-1 000
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UMbusi uDiocletian wahluleka emizamweni yakhe yokubhubhisa iBhayibheli