AmaKristu Eqiniso Ayalihlonipha IZwi LikaNkulunkulu

“Izwi lakho liyiqiniso.”—JOH. 17:17.

BHEKA LA MAPHUZU:

Umhlangano owawuse-Jerusalema ngo-49 C.E. uhluke kanjani emikhandlwini yamasonto eyalandela?

Obani abanye babalweli beZwi likaNkulunkulu abaphila ngeNkathi Ephakathi?

Iyiphi indlela yokutadisha iBhayibheli eyasetshenziswa amaKristu athembekile ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800, futhi kungani yayiphumelela?

 1. Kulokho wena okuphawulile ngoFakazi BakaJehova, yisho isici esisodwa esibalulekile abahluke ngaso kwezinye izinkolo.

CABANGA ngengxoxo yokuqala ezuzisayo owaba nayo nomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Yini oyikhumbulayo ngayo? Abaningi bangaphendula ngokuthi, ‘Ngahlatshwa umxhwele ukuthi lowo Fakazi wasebenzisa iBhayibheli ukuze aphendule yonke imibuzo yami.’ Yeka ukuthi sajabula kanjani ukuthola ukuthi iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba, kwenzekani kithi lapho sifa nokuthi liyini ithemba ngabathandekayo bethu abafile!

 2. Iziphi ezinye zezizathu ezakwenza walazisa iBhayibheli?

² Nokho, njengoba sasiqhubeka sifunda, saqaphela ukuthi iBhayibheli lenza okungaphezu kokuphendula imibuzo yethu ephathelene nokuphila, ukufa nekusasa. Saqaphela ukuthi iBhayibheli liyincwadi ewusizo kunazo zonke ezinye izincwadi emhlabeni. Iseluleko salo asiphelelwa isikhathi, futhi labo abasilandela ngokucophelela baphila ukuphila okujabulisayo futhi bayaphumelela. (Funda iHubo 1:1-3.) AmaKristu eqiniso awakaze amukele iBhayibheli “njengezwi labantu, kodwa njengezwi likaNkulunkulu, njengoba nje liyilo ngempela.” (1 Thes. 2:13) Ukubukeza kafushane umlando kuyosenza siwubone ngokucacile umahluko okhona phakathi kwalabo abalihlonipha ngempela iZwi likaNkulunkulu nalabo abangalihloniphi.

UDABA OLUBUCAYI LUYAXAZULULWA

 3. Iluphi udaba olwalusongela ubunye bebandla lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala, futhi lwalungaletha yiphi ingozi?

³ Phakathi neminyaka engu-13 ngemva kokugcotshwa kukaKorneliyu, oweZizwe wokuqala ongasokile, kwaphakama udaba olwasongela ubunye bebandla lobuKristu. Abantu abaningi beZizwe babamukela ubuKristu. Umbuzo wawuwukuthi, Kwakufanele yini amadoda asokwe ngokwesiko lamaJuda ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe? Kwakungelula ngamaJuda ukuphendula lo mbuzo. AmaJuda agcina uMthetho ayengalokothi angene emzini womuntu weZizwe, ingasaphathwa eyokujabulela ubudlelwane obuseduze naye. AmaKristu angamaJuda kakade ayeseshushiswa kakhulu ngenxa yokushiya inkolo yawo yangaphambili. Uma ayesezoqhubekela phambili amukele abantu beZizwe abangasokile, kwakuyomane kulivule nakakhulu igebe elaliphakathi kwamaJuda agcina uMthetho namaKristu futhi kwenze amaKristu ahlanjalazwe ngokwengeziwe.—Gal. 2:11-14.

 4. Obani ababizwa ukuba baxazulule lolu daba, futhi imiphi imibuzo eyayingaphakama ezingqondweni zababebukele?

⁴ Ngo-49 C.E., abaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema, nabo ababengamaJuda asokile, “bahlangana ukuze bayihlole le ndaba.” (IzE. 15:6) Kwabe sekulandela ingxoxo ethakazelisayo esekelwe ezimfundisweni zeBhayibheli, hhayi inkulumo-mpikiswano engaqondakali evame ukuba khona phakathi kwabefundisi benkolo bephikisana ngezincazelo zamagama ezingathi shu. Kwavezwa imibono eqinile ethinta nhlangothi zombili zalolu daba. Ingabe babeyovumela lokho okuthandwa abanye kubo noma ubandlululo lunqobe? Ingabe amadoda amadala ayenomthwalo wemfanelo ayeyohlehlisa ukwenza isinqumo kuze kube yilapho isimo esingokwenkolo kwa-Israyeli sesithuthuke ngendlela ewavunayo? Noma ingabe ayeyohlangabezana, kube khona ukuyekethisa okuthile nhlangothi zombili, ayesohlangothini ngalunye alungise ukuma kwawo kuze kube yilapho sekufinyelelwe ukuvumelana okuthile?

 5. Umhlangano owaba seJerusalema ngo-49 C.E. uhluke ngaziphi izindlela ezibalulekile emikhandlwini yamasonto eyahlangana emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva?

⁵ Kuvamile ukuba emikhandlwini yamasonto kube khona ukuyekethisa nokukhankasela ukusekelwa. Nokho, kulowo mhlangano owawuseJerusalema, akukho kuyekethisa okwaba khona; futhi abekho ababekhankasa becela ukuba kusekelwe uhlangothi lwabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwafinyelelwa isinqumo ngazwi-linye. Kwakungenzeka kanjani lokhu? Nakuba umuntu ngamunye owayekhona ayezizwa ngokuqinile ngombono wakhe, bonke babelihlonipha iZwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi leyo mibhalo engcwele yayiqukethe isihluthulelo sokuxazulula udaba olwalusezithebeni.—Funda iHubo 119:97-101.

6, 7. ImiBhalo yasetshenziswa kanjani ekuxazululeni udaba lokusoka?

⁶ Amavesi asiza ekuxazululeni lolu daba aku-Amose 9:11, 12. Nakhu akushoyo njengoba ecashunwe encwadini yezEnzo 15:16, 17: “Ngiyobuya futhi ngilakhe kabusha idokodo likaDavide eliwele phansi; futhi ngiyowakha kabusha amanxiwa alo ngiphinde ngilimise, ukuze labo abasele kubantu bamfune ngobuqotho uJehova, kanye nabantu bazo zonke izizwe, abantu ababizwa ngegama lami, kusho uJehova.”

⁷ Kodwa omunye angase athi, ‘Mana kancane, lawo mavesi awasho ukuthi kwakungadingekile ukuba amakholwa eZizwe asokwe.’ Uyobe eqinisile; nokho, amaKristu angamaJuda wona ayeyolithola iphuzu. Ayengabheki abantu beZizwe abasokile ‘njengabantu bezizwe’ kodwa njengabafowabo. (Eks. 12:48, 49) Ngokwesibonelo, ngokwenguqulo ye-Septuagint kaBagster, u-Esteri 8:17 ufundeka kanje: “Abantu abaningi beZizwe basokwa, futhi baba amaJuda.” Ngakho, lapho imiBhalo ibikezela ukuthi labo abasele bendlu ka-Israyeli (amaJuda namaJuda angamaproselithe asokile) kanye “nabantu bazo zonke izizwe” (abeZizwe abangasokile) babeyoba isizwe esisodwa esibizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu, kwakucaca ukuthi yayisho ukuthini. Kwakungadingeki ukuba abeZizwe abafuna ukuba amaKristu basokwe.

 8. Kungani kwakudinga isibindi ukusekela isinqumo esenziwa?

⁸ IZwi likaNkulunkulu nomoya wakhe kwaholela lawo maKristu aqotho ukuba “avumelane ngazwi-linye.” (IzE. 15:25) Ngisho noma leso sinqumo sasingase senze amaKristu angamaJuda ashushiswe ngokwengeziwe, lawo ayethembekile asisekela ngokugcwele njengoba sasisekelwe eBhayibhelini.—IzE. 16:4, 5.

UMAHLUKO OPHAWULEKAYO

 9. Isiphi isici esisodwa esiyinhloko esaholela ekungcolisweni kokukhulekela kweqiniso, futhi iyiphi imfundiso ebalulekile eyathinteka?

⁹ Umphostoli uPawulu wabikezela ukuthi ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, ukholo lobuKristu lwaluyongcoliswa izimfundiso zamanga. (Funda eyesi-2 Thesalonika 2:3, 7.) Abanye balabo abangazange bayibekezelele “imfundiso ephilayo” kwaba abathile ababenemithwalo yemfanelo ebandleni. (2 Thim. 4:3) UPawulu waxwayisa abadala bosuku lwakhe: “Phakathi kwenu ngokwenu kuzovela amadoda, akhulume izinto ezisontekile ukuze amonyule abafundi ukuba bawalandele.” (IzE. 20:30) I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ichaza isici esisodwa esiyinhloko esaholela ekucabangeni okusontekile: “AmaKristu ayeqeqeshwe ngezinga elithile ngefilosofi yamaGreki aqala ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakudingeka achaze ukholo lwawo ngokuvumelana nayo, kokubili ukuze anelise ukucabanga kwawo futhi aguqule abantu abangakholwa ababefundile.” Imfundiso ebalulekile eyasontwa ukuze yamukeleke kwabangakholwa yayiphathelene nokuthi ungubani uJesu Kristu. IBhayibheli limbiza ngokuthi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu; abathandi befilosofi yamaGreki baphikelela ekutheni unguNkulunkulu.

10. Impikiswano yokuthi uKristu ungubani ngabe yaxazululwa kanjani?

¹⁰ Lowo mbuzo kwaphikiswana ngawo emikhandlwini yamasonto eminingi. Le mpikiswano ngabe yaxazululwa kalula nje ukube ababekuleyo mikhandlu babenenhlonipho efanele ngemiBhalo, kodwa babengenjalo abaningi. Eqinisweni, iningi labo laya kuleyo mikhandlu selinqumile kakade, futhi lapho iphela lahamba ligxile kakhulu kunangaphambili emibonweni yalo. Imithetho nezimemezelo zamasonto ezavela kuleyo mihlangano azizange zibhekisele ngisho nokubhekisela emiBhalweni.

11. Igunya lalabo okuthiwa oBaba Besonto laphakanyiswa kanjani ngaphezu kweZwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi ngani?

¹¹ Kungani imiBhalo ingazange icatshangelwe ngokuphelele? Isazi uCharles Freeman siphendula ngokuthi labo ababekholelwa ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu, “bakuthola kunzima ukuphikisa amazwi amaningi kaJesu ayebonisa ukuthi wayengaphansi kukaNkulunkulu uYise.” Ngenxa yalokho, isiko lesonto nemibono yezikhulu zenkolo zakamuva kwathatha indawo yamaVangeli. Kuze kube namuhla, abefundisi abaningi baphakamisa amazwi angaphefumulelwe alabo okuthiwa oBaba Besonto ngaphezu kweZwi likaNkulunkulu! Uma uke waxoxa ngemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu nomuntu ophuma esikoleni sobufundisi, cishe uye wakuphawula lokho.

12. Iliphi ithonya elibi umbusi othile aba nalo?

¹² Isici esiphawulekayo ngalezo zinkulumo-mpikiswano zaleyo mikhandlu ukungenela kwababusi bamaRoma. Mayelana nale ndaba, uProfesa Richard E. Rubenstein wabhala lokhu ngokuqondene noMkhandlu WaseNicaea: “UConstantine wayebonise [ababhishobhi] umusa omkhulu futhi ebacebise ngendlela ababengayiphuphi nakuyiphupha. Ngesikhathi esingaphansi konyaka, lo mbusi omusha wayesebuyisele futhi wavuselela cishe wonke amasonto abo, wabanika imisebenzi nezikhundla ababephucwe zona . . . Wayenike abefundisi bobuKristu amalungelo ngaphambili ayetholwa abapristi abangamaqaba.” Ngenxa yalokho, “uConstantine wayesesimweni esimenza abe nethonya elikhulu—mhlawumbe nesokunquma ngaphandle kokuphikiswa—endleleni izinto okufanele zenziwe ngayo eNicaea.” UCharles Freeman waqinisekisa: “Manje, kwase kubekwe isandulela [esiyindinganiso] sokuthi umbusi unelungelo lokungenela ezindabeni zeSonto hhayi ngenjongo yokuliqinisa kuphela kodwa nokuba athonye izimfundiso zalo.”—Funda uJakobe 4:4.

13. Ucabanga ukuthi iziphi izici ezathonya abaholi benkolo emakhulwini eminyaka angemva kwekhulu lokuqala ukuba bazishaye indiva izimfundiso zeBhayibheli ezicacile?

¹³ Nakuba izikhulu zesonto zakuthola kunzima ukunquma ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayengubani ngempela, abantu abaningi abavamile babengenayo leyo nkinga. Ngenxa yokuthi babengenasithakazelo sokugcwalisa amakhukhu abo ngegolide lombusi noma sokuthuthukisa ukuma kwabo ezigabeni zabefundisi, bakwazi ukubheka izinto ngomqondo ovulekile, ngokwalokho okushiwo imiBhalo. Futhi yilokho kanye abakwenza. Isazi semfundiso yenkolo sangaleso sikhathi, uGregory waseNyssa, sasho la mazwi abhuqayo ngokuqondene nabantu abavamile: “Abathengisi bezingubo, abashintshi bemali nabathengisi bokudla bonke bayizazi zemfundiso yenkolo. Uma ufuna ukwazi ukuthi imali yakho inesisindo esingakanani, isazi sefilosofi esithile sizokuchazela ukuthi iNdodana ihluke kanjani kuYise. Uma ubuza ukuthi isinkwa siyimalini, impendulo ozoyithola izokutshela ukuthi uYise mkhulu kuneNdodana. Uma kungenzeka ubuze ukuthi amanzi okugeza aselungile yini, uzothola impendulo ethi iNdodana yadalwa isuselwa ezeni.” Yebo, ngokungafani namalungu esigaba sabefundisi, abantu abaningi abavamile babesekela iziphetho zabo eZwini likaNkulunkulu. UGregory nabangane bakhe babeyokwenza kahle ukube babalalela!

“UKOLWENI” ‘NOKHULA’ KUKHULA NDAWONYE

14. Kungani singaphetha ngokuthi kumelwe ukuba ayelokhu ekhona amaKristu eqiniso agcotshiwe emhlabeni kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala kuqhubeke?

¹⁴ Emfanekisweni awenza, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala kuqhubeke, amaKristu eqiniso agcotshiwe ayolokhu ekhona emhlabeni. Wawafanisa ‘nokolweni’ okhula phakathi ‘kokhula.’ (Math. 13:30) Yebo, asinakugomela ukuthi ibaphi abantu noma amaqembu abantu ababengabesigaba sikakolweni sabagcotshiwe, kodwa singaqinisekisa ukuthi bekulokhu kunabantu abaye bavikela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi futhi badalula izimfundiso zesonto ezingqubuzana nemiBhalo. Ake sicabangele izibonelo ezimbalwa.

15, 16. Yisho abanye babantu ababonisa ukulihlonipha iZwi likaNkulunkulu.

¹⁵ UmBhishobhi Omkhulu u-Agobard WaseLyons, eFrance, (779-840 C.E.), wakhuluma ngokumelene nokukhulekelwa kwezithombe, amasonto anikezelwe kosanta nezinkonzo ezinemicikilisho nemikhuba yesonto engqubuzana nemiBhalo. Omunye wababephila ngesikhathi sakhe umBhishobhi uClaudius, naye wawenqaba amasiko esonto futhi wamelana nokuthandaza kosanta nokuhlonishwa kwezithombe ezingcwele. Ekhulwini le-11, umBhishobhi Omkhulu, uBerengarius WaseTours, eFrance, waxoshwa esontweni ngoba enqaba imfundiso yamaKatolika yokushintsha kwezifanekiselo zeSidlo SeNkosi zibe ezingokoqobo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, waphikelela ekutheni iBhayibheli laliphakeme kunamasiko esonto.

¹⁶ Ngekhulu le-12 kwaba nabantu ababili ababethanda iqiniso leBhayibheli, uPeter WaseBruys noHenry WaseLausanne. UPeter wesula esikhundleni sobufundisi ngoba enenkinga yokubona ukuthi izimfundiso zamaKatolika zokubhapathizwa kwezinsana, ukushintsha kwezifanekiselo zeSidlo SeNkosi zibe ezingokoqobo, ukuthandazela abafileyo nokukhulekela isiphambano zihlangana kanjani nemiBhalo. Ngo-1140, uPeter wabulawa ngenxa yezinkolelo zakhe. UHenry, owayeyindela, wakhuluma ngokumelene nemikhuba eyonakele eyayenziwa esontweni nangezinkonzo zesonto ezinemicikilisho ezazingqubuzana nemiBhalo. Waboshwa ngo-1148 wabhadla ejele ukuphila kwakhe konke.

17. Iziphi izinyathelo ezibalulekile ezathathwa uWaldo nabalandeli bakhe?

¹⁷ Cishe ngesikhathi uPeter WaseBruys ashiswa ngaso ephila ngokugagamela agxeke isonto, kwazalwa umuntu owaba nethonya elinamandla ekusakazekeni kweqiniso leBhayibheli. WayengowakwaValdès, noma wakwaWaldo.a Ngokungafani noPeter WaseBruys noHenry WaseLausanne, yena wayengumuntukazana esontweni, kodwa elazisa kakhulu iZwi likaNkulunkulu waze wadela izinto zakhe ezibonakalayo futhi wahlela ukuba izingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli zihunyushelwe olimini olwalukhulunywa kakhulu eningizimu-mpumalanga yeFrance. Abanye bakujabulela kakhulu ukuzwa isigijimi seBhayibheli ngolimi lwabo baze nabo badela izinto zabo ezibonakalayo futhi bachitha isikhathi sabo esiningi bexoxa nabanye ngeqiniso leBhayibheli. Isonto lakubona kuyisiphazamiso esikhulu lokho. Ngo-1184, la madoda nabesifazane abashisekayo, kamuva ababizwa ngokuthi amaWaldens, upapa wabaxosha esontweni kwathi umbhishobhi wabakhipha emizini yabo. Lesi senzo empeleni sasiza ekusakazeni isigijimi seBhayibheli kwezinye izindawo. Ekugcineni, abalandeli bakaWaldo, bakaPeter WaseBruys nabakaHenry WaseLausanne kanye nababanye abaqembuka base betholakala ezingxenyeni eziningi zeYurophu. Kunabanye abalweli beqiniso leBhayibheli abavela emakhulwini eminyaka alandela: UJohn Wycliffe (1330-1384), uWilliam Tyndale (c. 1494-1536), uHenry Grew (1781-1862) noGeorge Storrs (1796-1879).

“IZWI LIKANKULUNKULU ALIBOSHIWE”

18. Chaza indlela yokutadisha iBhayibheli eyayisetshenziswa abafundi beBhayibheli abaqotho bekhulu le-19 nokuthi kungani yayiphumelela.

¹⁸ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izitha zeqiniso leBhayibheli zazizama kangakanani, azikwazanga ukuvimbela ukusakazeka kwalo. Incwadi yesi-2 Thimothewu 2:9 ithi: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu aliboshiwe.” Ngo-1870 iqembu labafundi beBhayibheli abaqotho laqala ukufuna iqiniso. Iyiphi indlela elayisebenzisa ekutadisheni? Kwakuba khona ophakamisa umbuzo bese kuxoxwa ngawo. Babebheka yonke imiBhalo ehlobene nalelo phuzu, bese kuthi lapho sebanelisekile ngokuvumelana kwalawo mavesi, basho ukuthi baphetha ngokuthini bese lokho kubhalwa phansi. Akukukhuthazi yini ukwazi ukuthi njengabaphostoli namadoda amadala ekhulu lokuqala, lawo madoda athembekile, “okhokho bethu ngokomoya” bangasekupheleni kwawo-1800, babezimisele ukuvumelanisa izinkolelo zabo ngokuqinile neZwi likaNkulunkulu?

19. Sithini isihloko sonyaka sika-2012, futhi kungani sifaneleka?

¹⁹ IBhayibheli liseyisisekelo sezinkolelo zethu. Icabanga ngalokhu, iNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova ikhethe ukuba isihloko sonyaka sika-2012 kube amazwi kaJesu awasho ngokuqiniseka: “Izwi lakho liyiqiniso.” (Joh. 17:17) Njengoba wonke umuntu ofisa ukwamukelwa nguNkulunkulu kumelwe ahambe eqinisweni, kwangathi sonke singaqhubeka silwela ukuqondiswa iZwi likaNkulunkulu.

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Isihloko sethu sonyaka sika-2012 sithi: “Izwi lakho liyiqiniso.”—Joh. 17:17

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UWaldo

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UWycliffe

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UTyndale

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UGrew

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UStorrs