Umlando KaJosephus Othakazelisayo
SEKUYISIKHATHI eside abafundi bezomlando bezindla ngemibhalo ethakazelisayo kaJosephus. Njengoba azalwa eminyakeni emine ngemva kokufa kukaKristu, wayengufakazi wokuzibonela wokugcwaliseka okushaqisayo kwesiprofetho sikaJesu esimayelana nesizwe samaJuda sekhulu lokuqala. UJosephus wayewumkhuzi wamabutho, usomaqhinga, umFarisi, nesazi.
Imibhalo kaJosephus igcwele imininingwane ekhangayo. Icacisa imibhalo yeBhayibheli inikeze nesiqondiso esifundisayo mayelana nokwakheka kanye nokuma kwezwe lasePalestina. Akumangalisi ukuthi abaningi babheka izincwadi zakhe njengengxenye ebalulekile emtatsheni wabo!
Ukuphila Kwakhe Esakhula
UJoseph ben Matthias, noma uJosephus, wazalwa ngo-37 C.E., okuwunyaka wokuqala wokubusa kombusi waseRoma uCaligula. Uyise kaJosephus wayeyilungu lomkhaya wabapristi. Ngokusho kwakhe, unina wayengumzukulu wompristi omkhulu wamaHasmonaean uJonathan.
Lapho eseminyakeni eyevile eshumini nambili, uJosephus wayengumfundi oshisekayo woMthetho kaMose. Wawahlaziya ngokucophelela womathathu amahlelo obuJuda—abaFarisi, abaSadusi, nama-Essene. Ekhetha lelihlelo elishiwo kamuva, wanquma ukuyohlala noBannus owayehlala yedwa ogwadule, ngokunokwenzeka owayeyi-Essene. Ngemva kokuhlukana nalempilo lapho eneminyaka engu-19 ubudala, uJosephus wabuyela eJerusalema wajoyina abaFarisi.
Ukuya Nokubuya ERoma
UJosephus waya eRoma ngo-64 C.E. eyokhulumela abapristi bamaJuda ababethunyelwe umbusi waseJudiya uFelix kuMbusi uNero ukuba bayoquliswa icala. UJosephus wasinda ngokulambisa lapho ephukelwa umkhumbi endleleni. Kubagibeli abangu-600 ababekulowomkhumbi kwatakulwa abangu-80 kuphela.
Phakathi nokuhambela kukaJosephus eRoma, umdlali wasesiteji othile ongumJuda wamethula kumkaNero, indlovukazi uPoppaea. Lendlovukazi yaba nengxenye ebalulekile empumelelweni yomsebenzi ayezowenza. Ubuhle obubabazekayo balelodolobhakazi baba nethonya elingacimeki kuJosephus.
Lapho uJosephus ebuyela eJudiya, ukuvukela iRoma kwase kugxile kakhulu ezingqondweni zamaJuda. Wazama ukugcizelela kubantu bakubo ubuwula bokulwa neRoma. Engakwazi ukubavimbela futhi ngokunokwenzeka esaba nokubhekwa njengembuka, wakwemukela ukumiswa njengomkhuzi wamabutho amaJuda eGalile. UJosephus waqoqa futhi waqeqesha amadoda akhe waqongelela nezinto ezidingekile elungiselela ukulwa namabutho amaRoma—kodwa kwaba-nhlanga zimuka nomoya. IGalile lanqotshwa impi kaVespasian. Inqaba kaJosephus yaseJotapata yanqotshwa ngemva kokuhaqwa izinsuku ezingu-47.
Lapho ebeka phansi izikhali, uJosephus wabikezela ngobuhlakani ukuthi ngokushesha uVespasian wayezoba umbusi. Eboshwa kodwa engajeziswa ngenxa yesibikezelo sakhe, uJosephus wakhululwa lapho sigcwaliseka. Lokho kwaba inkathi yenguquko ekuphileni kwakhe. Phakathi nesikhathi sempi esalandela, wasebenzela amaRoma njengomhumushi nomxhumanisi. Ebonakalisa ukuvikelwa kwakhe uVespasian namadodana akhe uTitus noDomitian, uJosephus wanezela isibongo sabo esithi Flavius egameni lakhe.
Izincwadi ZikaFlavius Josephus
Umbhalo kaJosephus omdala kakhulu unesihloko esithi The Jewish War. Kunenkolelo yokuthi walungiselela lokulandisa okuyimiqulu eyisikhombisa ukuze abonise amaJuda ngokucacile amandla amakhulu amaRoma nokungawakhuthazi ukuba avukele esikhathini esizayo. Lemibhalo ihlaziya umlando wamaJuda kusukela ekunqotshweni kweJerusalema u-Antiochus Epiphanes (ngekhulu lesibili B.C.E.) kuya eziyaluyalwini zango-67 C.E. Njengofakazi wokuzibonela, uJosephus ube esexoxa ngempi eyafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngo-73 C.E.
Enye yezincwadi zikaJosephus kwakuyi-Jewish Antiquities, umlando wamaJuda onemiqulu engu-20. Iqala ngoGenesise nendalo, iqhubeke ize ifike ekugqashukeni kokulwa neRoma. UJosephus ukulandelela eduze ukulandisa kweBhayibheli, enezela izinkolelo zesizwe sakubo nokuphawula okuseceleni.
UJosephus wabhala indaba ephathelene naye siqu enesihloko esithi nje Life. Kuyo uhlose ukucacisa ukuma kwakhe phakathi nempi futhi aqede lokho asolwa ngakho uJustus waseTiberias. Incwadi yesine—incwadi yokucacisa isimo eyimiqulu emibili enesihloko esithi Against Apion—ivikela amaJuda ekuqondweni kabi.
Ukuqonda Izwi LikaNkulunkulu
Akungabazeki ukuthi umlando kaJosephus omningi unembile. Encwadini yakhe enesihloko esithi Against Apion, ubonisa ukuthi amaJuda awazange azifake izincwadi ze-Apocrypha njengengxenye yemiBhalo ephefumlelwe. Unikeza ubufakazi bokunemba nokuvumelana phakathi kwemibhalo yaphezulu. UJosephus uthi: “Thina asinazo izinqwabanqwaba zezincwadi ezingenakubalwa phakathi kwethu, ezingavumelani futhi eziphikisanayo, . . . kodwa sinezincwadi ezingamashumi amabili nambili kuphela [ezilingana nemiBhalo yethu yanamuhla ehlukaniswe yaba izincwadi ezingu-39], eziqukethe imibhalo egciniwe yaso sonke isikhathi esidlule; okunenkolelo efanele yokuthi ingeyaphezulu.”
Kwethi The Jewish Antiquities, uJosephus unezela imininingwane ethakazelisayo ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli. Uthi “u-Isaka weyeneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanhlanu ubudala” ngesikhathi u-Abrahama embopha izandla nezinyawo ukuze enze ngaye umhlatshelo. NgokukaJosephus, ngemva kokusiza ekwakhiweni kwe-altare, u-Isaka wathi “‘kwakungafanele ukuba azalwe kwasekuqaleni uma ayezokwenqaba intando kaNkulunkulu nekayise’ . . . Ngakho ngokushesha waya e-altare ukuba ayokwenziwa umhlatshelo.”
Ekulandiseni okungokomBhalo kokuphuma kuka-Israyeli eGibithe lasendulo, uJosephus unezela lemininingwane: “Inani lezinqola ezawaxosha lalingamakhulu ayisithupha, kanye nabakhwele amahhashi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amahlanu, nabahamba phansi abayizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili, bonke behlomile.” UJosephus ubuye athi “lapho uSamuweli eneminyaka eyishumi nambili ubudala, waqala ukuprofetha: futhi ngesinye isikhathi lapho elele, uNkulunkulu wambiza ngegama.”—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Samuweli 3:2-21.
Ezinye izincwadi zikaJosephus zinikeza ukuqonda okumayelana nezintela, imithetho, nezenzakalo. Uthi owesifazane owasina edilini likaHerode nowacela ikhanda likaJohane uMbhapathizi kwakunguSalome. (Marku 6:17-26) Okuningi esikwaziyo ngabo bonke oHerode kwalotshwa uJosephus. Uze athi “ukuze afihle ukuguga kwakhe, [uHerode] washintsha izinwele zakhe zaba mnyama.”
Uthuthuva Olukhulu Lokuvukela IRoma
Eminyakeni engaba ngu-33 ngemva kokuba uJesu enikeze isiprofetho sakhe ngokuqondene neJerusalema nethempeli lalo, ukugcwaliseka kwaso kwaqala ukwembuleka. Amaqembu amaJuda afuna izinguquko eJerusalema ayezimisele ukuphuma ejokeni lamaRoma. Ngo-66 C.E., izindaba zalokhu zabangela ukubuthwa nokumiswa kwamabutho amaRoma ngaphansi kombusi waseSiriya u-Cestius Gallus. Umsebenzi wawo kwakuwukudambisa lokho kuvukela nokujezisa izephula-mthetho. Ngemva kokubhubhisa emaphethelweni aseJerusalema, amadoda kaCestius amisa ikamu ahaqa lomuzi obiyelwe ngezindonga. Esebenzisa indlela ebizwa ngokuthi i-testudo, amaRoma azihlanganisa ngokuphumelelayo izihlangu zawo zaba njengomhlane wofudu ukuze avikeleke esitheni. Eqinisekisa ukuphumelela kwalendlela, uJosephus uthi: “Imicibisholo eyayijikijelwa yayiwa, ishibilike ngaphandle kokuwalimaza; ngakho amasosha afohla odongeni, ngaphandle kokuba wona ngokwawo alimale, alungiselela zonke izinto zokokhela isango lethempeli ngomlilo.”
UJosephus uthi, “Kwenzeka ukuthi uCestius . . . awabize amasosha akhe kuleyondawo . . . Wahoxa kulowomuzi, ngaphandle kwesizathu esiphathekayo.” Ngokusobala engazimisele ukukhazimulisa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJosephus wabhala sona kanye isenzo esasilindelwe amaKristu eJerusalema. Kwakuwukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaJesu Kristu! Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yayixwayisile: “Nxa nibona iJerusalema lihaqiwe yizimpi‚ yazini ukuthi sekusondele ukuchithwa kwalo. Khona abaseJudiya mababalekele ezintabeni‚ abaphakathi kwalo baphume‚ abasemaphandleni bangangeni kulo. Ngokuba lezi ziyizinsuku zempindiselo ukuba kugcwaliseke konke okulotshiweyo.” (Luka 21:20-22) Njengoba uJesu ayeyalile, abalandeli bakhe abathembekile babaleka kulowomuzi, bahlala bekude nawo, futhi basinda osizini olwawehlela kamuva.
Lapho amabutho amaRoma ebuya ngo-70 C.E., imiphumela yalokho yalotshwa ngokucacile nguJosephus. Indodana kaVespasian endala, uJenene Titus, wafika ukuzonqoba iJerusalema, nethempeli lalo elihle. Ngaphakathi emzini, amaqembu alwa wodwa ayezama ukulawula. Aphendukela ezindleleni ezeqisayo, futhi kwachitheka igazi eliningi. Abanye “babekhungatheke kakhulu ngezinhlekelele zabo zangaphakathi, kangangokuba base bewafisa amaRoma,” benethemba “lokukhululwa osizini lwabo lwasekhaya,” kusho uJosephus. Lamavukela-mbuso uwabiza ngokuthi “abaphangi” ababecekela phansi impahla yabacebile bebulala nabantu ababalulekile—ababesolwa ngokuthi bazimisele ukuzinikela kumaRoma.
Phakathi nempi yombango, izimo zokuphila eJerusalema zawohlokela emazingeni angacabangeki, nabafile bahlala bengangcwatshiwe. Abavukelayo nabo “balwa bodwa, kuyilapho benyathela izidumbu njengoba zaziyinqwaba.” Baphanga umphakathi, bebulala ukuze bathole ukudla nengcebo. Ukukhala kwalabo abahluphekayo kwakungapheli.
UTitus wawancenga amaJuda ukuba anikele umuzi futhi kanjalo azisindise. “Wathumela uJosephus ukuba ayokhuluma nawo ngolimi lwakubo; ngoba wayecabanga ukuthi ayezothamba uma encengwa umuntu wakubo.” Kodwa amedelela uJosephus. Ngokulandelayo uTitus wakha uthango lwezingodo ezicijile lwazungeza umuzi wonke. (Luka 19:43) Njengoba ithemba lokubaleka lalingasekho nokuhamba kungasekho, indlala “yababhuqabhuqa abantu ngezindlu nangemikhaya.” Impi eqhubekayo yanezela enanini labafile. Engazi ukuthi ugcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli, uTitus walinqoba iJerusalema. Kamuva, lapho ebuka izindonga zalo ezinkulu nezinqaba eziqinile, wathi: “UNkulunkulu kuphela okhiphe amaJuda kulokhu kuvikeleka.” Kwabhubha amaJuda angaphezu kwesigidi.—Luka 21:5, 6, 23, 24.
Ngemva Kwempi
Ngemva kwempi uJosephus waya eRoma. Ejabulela ukuxhaswa abakwaFlavius, wahlala njengesakhamuzi esingumRoma esithabathabeni sendlu eyayikade ihlala uVespasian futhi wathola imali yasebukhosini kanye nezipho ezivela kuTitus. Ngemva kwalokho uJosephus waphishekela imfundo.
Kuyathakazelisa ukuphawula ukuthi uJosephus ngokusobala nguyena owaqamba igama elithi “ukuBusa Kwaphezulu.” Ngokuqondene nesizwe samaJuda, wabhala: “Uhulumeni wethu . . . ungase ubizwe ngokuthi uwukuBusa Kwaphezulu, ngokunikeza uNkulunkulu igunya namandla.”
UJosephus akazange alokothe azibize ngomKristu. Akazange abhale ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa uNkulunkulu. Kodwa, kunokubaluleka okukhanyiselayo emlandweni kaJosephus.
[Isithombe ekhasini 31]
UJosephus ezindongeni zaseJerusalema