Ulwazi Oluqondile NgoNkulunkulu NangeNdodana Yakhe Luholela Ekuphileni
“Ukuphila okuphakade yilokhu ukuba bazi wena-Nkulunkulu wedwa oqinisileyo, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.”—JOHANE 17:3.
1. Kungani ulwazi oluqondile ngoNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu lubaluleke kangaka?
ULWAZI oluqondile ngoNkulunkulu nangeNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, lubalulekile kulabo abafuna ukuphila okuphakade. “Intando [kaNkulunkulu] iwukuthi zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele elwazini oluqondile lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 2:4, NW) Ulwazi olunjalo oluvela eZwini likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe, iBhayibheli, luyosihlomisela ukuba sazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungubani nokuthi ziyini izibopho zethu ngakuye. (2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17; 1 Johane 2:17) Luyosenza futhi ukuba simazi kahle uJesu Kristu nobuhlobo bethu kuye.—IHubo 2:12; Filipi 2:5-11.
2. Yini engaba umphumela wokuntula ulwazi oluqondile?
2 Ngaphandle kolwazi oluqondile, singabanjwa izimfundiso zamanga ezishoshozelwa umphikisi kaNkulunkulu, uSathane uDeveli, ‘ongumqambimanga, noyise wawo.’ (Johane 8:44) Ngakho-ke, uma imfundiso iphikisana neZwi likaNkulunkulu, uma ingamanga, khona-ke ukuyikholelwa nokuyifundisa kuhlazisa uJehova futhi kusiletha ekuphikisaneni naye. Ngakho sidinga ukuhlolisisa imiBhalo ukuze sihlukanise iqiniso emangeni. (IzEnzo 17:11) Asifuni ukuba njengalabo ‘abafunda njalo, kepha bengeke bakwazi ukufika ekulazini iqiniso.’—2 Thimothewu 3:1, 7.
3. Yiyiphi imfundiso yeBhayibheli ecacile ngoNkulunkulu, ngoJesu Kristu, nangomoya ongcwele?
3 Njengoba siye sabona esihlokweni esandulelayo, imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ayiyona imfundiso yeBhayibheli. EZwini likaNkulunkulu siqu usitshela ngokucacile ukuthi unguMdali wazo zonke izinto nokuthi indalo yakhe yokuqala ezulwini yayiyiNdodana yakhe. (IsAmbulo 4:11; Kolose 1:15, 16) UNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni njengomuntu ukuze ilungiselele umhlatshelo wesihlengo, owasebenza njengesisekelo sokuthethelelwa kwezono zesintu, nokuba ikhanyisele ngokwengeziwe abantu abaqotho ngoNkulunkulu nangezinjongo zakhe. (Mathewu 20:28; Johane 6:38) Nokho, imfundiso esobala necacile yokuthi uNkulunkulu noKristu bangabantu ababili abehlukene, nokuthi umoya ongcwele awuyena umuntu kodwa ungamandla kaNkulunkulu ayisiphekupheku, iye yasontwa kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka adlule. Kunalokho, imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu iye yaba imfundiso eyisisekelo yeLobukholwa.
“Mina NoBaba Simunye”
4. Kungani lokho amasonto akushoyo ngoJohane 10:30 kungelona iqiniso?
4 Amasonto ngokuvamile akhomba kuJohane 10:30 ukuze azame ukusekela uZiqu-zintathu, nakuba umuntu wesithathu engaphawulwa kulelovesi. Lapho uJesu wathi: “Mina noBaba simunye.” Kodwa ingabe uJesu wayesho ukuthi yena ngokwakhe unguNkulunkulu uMninimandla, esesimweni esihlukile? Cha, akunakuba njalo njengoba ngaso sonke isikhathi uJesu wathi wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, engaphansi kwaKhe futhi ezithoba kuYe. Khona-ke, wayesho ukuthini uJesu kuJohane 10:30?
5, 6. (a) UJesu wayesho ngamuphi umqondo ukuthi yena noYise babemunye? (b) Lokhu kufanekiswe kanjani ngokuphathelene nabafundi bakaJesu?
5 UJesu wayesho ukuthi wayemunye noYise ngomqondo nangenjongo. Lokhu kungabonwa kuJohane 17:21, 22, lapho uJesu athandaza kuNkulunkulu ukuthi abafundi bakhe bonke “babe-munye, njengalokhu wena-Baba ukimi, nami ngikuwe, ukuba nabo babe-kithina . . . ukuze babe-munye, njengalokhu thina simunye.” Ingabe uJesu wayethandazela ukuba bonke abafundi bakhe babe umuntu oyedwa? Cha, wayethandazela ukuba babe sebunyeni, babe nomqondo ofanayo nenjongo efanayo, njengoba uJesu noNkulunkulu babenjalo.
6 Umqondo ofanayo uyavezwa kweyoku-1 Korinte 1:10, lapho uPawulu ephawula khona ukuthi amaKristu ‘akhulume-zwilinye wonke, kungabikho ukwahlukana phakathi kwawo, kodwa apheleliswe emqondweni munye nasekuboneni kunye.’ Ngakho lapho uJesu ethi yena noYise bamunye, wayengasho ukuthi babengumuntu oyedwa, njengoba nje nalapho ethi abafundi bakhe kufanele babe munye wayengasho ukuthi babe umuntu oyedwa.
Wayengubani “ULizwi”?
7. (a) ELobukholwa lithini ngoJohane 1:1? (b) Kunani kuJohane 1:1 ebonisa ngokushesha ukuthi akukhulunywa ngoZiqu-zintathu?
7 Nokho, kuthiwani ngoJohane 1:1, othi eBhayibhelini lesiZulu elivamile: “Ekuqaleni wayekhona uLizwi, uLizwi wayekuNkulunkulu, uLizwi wayenguNkulunkulu”? UJohane 1:14 usitshela ukuthi “uLizwi waba-yinyama, wakha phakathi kwethu.” ELobukholwa lithi ‘loLizwi’ (ngesiGreki, loʹgos) oweza emhlabeni njengoJesu Kristu wayenguNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ngokwakhe. Nokho, phawula ukuthi ngisho naseBhayibhelini lesiZulu elivamile uJohane 1:1 uthi “uLizwi wayekuNkulunkulu.” Umuntu onomuntu othile akayena lowomuntu. Ngakho ngisho nakulenguqulo, kuboniswa abantu ababili abehlukene. Futhi, akukho muntu wesithathu kaZiqu-zintathu ophawulwayo.
8. Ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli ziyihumusha kanjani ingxenye yokugcina kaJohane 1:1?
8 Ngokuqondene nokusho kweBhayibheli lesiZulu engxenyeni yokugcina kaJohane 1:1 ukuthi “uLizwi wayenguNkulunkulu,” ezinye izinguqulo zisho okuthile okuhlukile. Ezinye zihumusha ngalendlela elandelayo:
1808: “nolizwi wayengunkulunkulu.” IThe New Testament, in an Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Archbishop Newcome’s New Translation: With a Corrected Text, eLondon.
1864: “nonkulunkulu wayenguLizwi.” IThe Emphatic Diaglott, ebhalwe nguBenjamin Wilson, eNew York naseLondon.
1935: “noLizwi wayengowaphezulu.” IThe Bible—An American Translation, ebhalwe nguJ. M. P. Smith noE. J. Goodspeed, eChicago.
1935: “uLogos wayengowaphezulu.” IA New Translation of the Bible, ebhalwe nguJames Moffatt, eNew York.
1975: “nonkulunkulu (noma, owohlobo lwaphezulu) wayenguLizwi.” IDas Evangelium nach Johannes, ebhalwe nguSiegfried Schulz, Göttingen, eJalimane.
1978: “noLogos wayenjengonkulunkulu.” IDas Evangelium nach Johannes, ebhalwe nguJohannes Schneider, eBerlin.
1979: “nonkulunkulu wayenguLogos.” IDas Evangelium nach Johannes, ebhalwe nguJurgen Becker, eWürzburg, eJalimane.
Futhi, ngo-1950 iNew World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, ekhishwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., yahumusha lamazwi, ngokuthi “noLizwi wayengunkulunkulu.”
9. Embhalweni wesiGreki, yini eyandulela ukuvela kokuqala kwebizo uthe·osʹ (nkulunkulu) kuJohane 1:1, okubonisa ukuthi kubhekiselwe kuNkulunkulu umninimandla onke?
9 Ingabe ukuhumusha okunjalo kuyavumelana nokwakhiwa kohlelo lolimi lwesiGreki kuJohane 1:1? Yebo, kuyavumelana. Ibizo lesiGreki uthe·osʹ (unkulunkulu) livela izikhathi ezimbili kuJohane 1:1. Okokuqala libhekisela kuNkulunkulu umninimandla onke, lowo uLizwi ayenaye—“noLizwi [loʹgos] wayekuNkulunkulu [isimo sikathe·osʹ].” Uthe·osʹ wokuqala wandulelwa uhlobo lomunci ocacile wesiGreki uho. Ibizo uthe·osʹ elinomunci ocacile uho ngaphambi kwalo likhomba umuntu ohlukile, kulendaba uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke—“noLizwi wayekuNkulunkulu.”
10. Ngokuphathelene nothe·osʹ wesibili kuJohane 1:1, ukweqiwa komunci ocacile uho kubonisani?
10 Kodwa engxenyeni yokugcina kaJohane 1:1, izinguqulo ezinjengalezi ezihlelwe esigabeni 8 zihumusha uthe·osʹ wesibili (ibizo eliyisilandiso) ngokuthi “owaphezulu” noma “unkulunkulu” (onomunci u“a”) esikhundleni sokuthi “Nkulunkulu.” Ngani? Ngoba uthe·osʹ wesibili uyibizo eliyisilandiso elisebunyeni elivela ngaphambi kwesenzo futhi lingenawo umunci ocacile uho ngesiGreki. Kulelivesi, ukwakhiwa komusho okunje kukhomba isici noma imfanelo yenhloko yomusho. Kuqokomisa uhlobo uLizwi ayilo, ukuthi ‘wayengowaphezulu,’ “unkulunkulu,” kodwa hhayi uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke. Lokhu kuvumelana nemibhalo eminingi ebonisa ukuthi “uLizwi” wayengumkhulumeli kaNkulunkulu, othunyelwe emhlabeni nguNkulunkulu. Njengoba uJohane 1:18 esho: “Akekho owake wabona uNkulunkulu; ngunkulunkulu ozelwe yedwa [iNdodana eyadalwa ezulwini nguNkulunkulu umninimandla onke] osondelene kakhulu noYise nguye [oweza emhlabeni njengomuntu uJesu futhi] ombonakalisile [uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke].”
11. Isiphi isibonelo seBhayibheli esikhona sokufaka komhumushi umunci ongacacile u“a” [wesiNgisi] lapho ungekho ngesiGreki, futhi kungani lokhu kwenziwa?
11 Kunamanye amavesi amaningi eBhayibheli lapho labo ababehumusha besusa esiGrekini beyisa kolunye ulimi befaka khona umunci ongacacile (ngesiNgisi u“a”) ngaphambi kwebizo eliyisilandiso nakuba kungekho munci embhalweni wesiGreki. Lokhu kufakwa komunci enguqulweni kuveza isici noma imfanelo yebizo. Ngokwesibonelo, kuMarku 6:49, lapho abafundi bebona uJesu ehamba phezu kwamanzi, iKing James Version ithi, “bacabanga ukuthi kwakuwumoya [ngesiNgisi, a spirit]” (ngesiGreki, phanʹta·sma). INew World Translation iwahumusha ngokuqonde kakhulu lamazwi ngokuthi, “Bacabanga ukuthi: ‘Umungcwi!’” Ngendlela efanayo, ukuhunyushwa okuqondile kukaJohane 1:1 kubonisa ukuthi uLizwi wayengeyena “uNkulunkulu” kodwa ‘wayewunkulunkulu [ngesiNgisi, a god]’.
12. Yikuphi ukusetshenziswa okufanayo komunci ongacacile u“a” (wesiNgisi) kuJohane 8:44?
12 Izibonelo ezimbili ezicishe zifane naso zitholakala kuJohane isahluko 8, ivesi 44. Ekhuluma ngoDeveli, uJesu lapho uthi: “Yena wayengumbulali wabantu [ngesiNgisi, a manslayer] kwasekuqaleni . . . engumqambimanga [ngesiNgisi, a liar] noyise wawo.” (NW) Ngokufanayo noJohane 1:1, esiGrekini sokuqala ibizo eliyisilandiso kuzo zombili lezizinkulumo (‘umbulali,’ ‘umqambimanga’) landulela isenzo futhi alinawo umunci ocacile. Endabeni ngayinye, kuchazwa isimo noma isici sikaDeveli nasezinguqulweni eziningi zolimi lwanamuhla, kudingekile ukufaka umunci ongacacile (ngesiNgisi “a”) ukuze kuvezwe lokhu. Kanjalo, iBhayibheli lesiZulu lihumusha lezinkulumo ngokuthi, “Wayengumbulali wabantu [ngesiNgisi a murderer] . . . engumqambimanga [ngesiNgisi a liar] noyise wawo.”—Bheka futhi uMarku 11:32; Johane 4:19; 6:70; 9:17; 10:1, 13, 21; 12:6.
“Nkosi Yami, Nkulunkulu Wami”
13, 14. UTomase wayengambiza kanjani uJesu ngokuthi “Nkulunkulu wami” ngaphandle kokusho ukuthi uJesu wayenguJehova?
13 Abantu abakholelwa kuZiqu-zintathu bakhomba futhi kuJohane 20:28 ukuze basekele ukusho kwabo. Lapho uTomase wathi kuJesu: “Nkosi Yami, Nkulunkulu Wami!” Njengoba kuboniswe ngenhla, akukho okusolekayo ekubhekiseleni kukaTomase kuJesu njengonkulunkulu. Okunjalo kwakungavumelana neqiniso lokuthi uJesu, ekuphileni kwakhe kwangaphambi kobuntu, ngokuqinisekile wayengunkulunkulu, okungukuthi, umuntu onamandla, waphezulu. Futhi ngokuqinisekile ubelokhu enjalo kusukela ekufeni kwakhe nasekuvuselweni kwakhe ekuphileni kwasezulwini. UJesu waze ngisho wacaphuna nasencwadini yamaHubo ukuze abonise ukuthi abantu abanamandla babebizwa ‘ngonkulunkulu.’ (IHubo 82:1-6; Johane 10:34, 35) Umphostoli uPawulu waphawula ukuthi kukhona “onkulunkulu abaningi namakhosi amaningi.” (1 Korinte 8:5) Ngisho noSathane ubizwa ngokuthi “unkulunkulu walelizwe.”—2 Korinte 4:4.
14 UKristu usesikhundleni esiphakeme kakhulu kunesabantu abangaphelele, noma uSathane. Uma abanjalo bengabizwa ‘ngonkulunkulu,’ ngokuqinisekile uJesu angabizwa futhi wabizwa ngokuthi unkulunkulu. Ngenxa yesikhundla sakhe esiyingqalizivele maqondana noJehova, uJesu “ungunkulunkulu ozelwe yedwa” (Johane 1:18, NW), “uNkulunkulu Onamandla” (Isaya 9:6), ‘nonkulunkulu’ (Johane 1:1, NW). Ngakho akukho lutho olwalungafanele ngokubiza kukaTomase uJesu ngaleyondlela. UTomase wayesho ukuthi uJesu wayengunkulunkulu kuye, umuntu waphezulu, onamandla. Kodwa wayengasho ukuthi uJesu wayenguJehova, okuyisizathu esenza ukuba uTomase athi, Nkulunkulu “wami”, futhi angamane nje athi “Nkulunkulu”.
15. Ivesi 31 likaJohane isahluko 20 likuveza kanjani ngokucacile ukuthi uJesu ungubani?
15 Emavesini amathathu nje kamuva, kuJohane 20:31, iBhayibheli lithi: “Kodwa lezi zilotshiwe ukuba nikholwe ukuthi uJesu unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” Konke ukungabaza ngalokho uTomase ayekusho kuyaqedwa lapha. Umlobi weBhayibheli uJohane usho ngokucacile ukuthi uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, hhayi uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke ngokwakhe.
Akalingani NoNkulunkulu
16. Ikuphi ukumangalela amaJuda akwenza, futhi uJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthi kwakungamanga?
16 Omunye umbhalo amasonto awusebenzisayo uJohane 5:18. Uthi amaJuda ayefuna ukubulala uJesu ngoba “wabuye wathi uNkulunkulu unguYise, ezenza olingana noNkulunkulu.” Ubani owayethi uJesu uzenza olingana noNkulunkulu? Akuyena uJesu. Uyakucacisa lokhu evesini elilandelayo (19) ngokuthi: “INdodana ingenze-lutho ngokwayo, kuphela lokho ebona uYise ekwenza.” Ngakho uJesu akazange asho ukuthi wayenguNkulunkulu umninimandla onke noma ukuthi ulingana naYe. Wayebonisa amaJuda ukuthi ayenephutha, ukuthi wayengeyena uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuthi wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, nokuthi njengomkhulumeli kaNkulunkulu wayengenze lutho ngokwakhe. Ingabe singamcabangela yini uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke wendawo yonke ethi angenze lutho ngokwakhe? Ngakho amaJuda ambeka icala, futhi uJesu wabonisa ukuthi lingamanga.
17. (a) Yibuphi ubufakazi obucacile obuvela eZwini likaNkulunkulu siqu eliphefumlelwe bokuthi ungubani uJehova, uJesu Kristu, nomoya ongcwele? (b) Yini okumelwe yenziwe nganoma imuphi umbhalo abakholelwa kuZiqu-zintathu abangase bawukhombe emzamweni wokumelela inkolelo yabo?
17 Kanjalo, ebufakazini bukaNkulunkulu eZwini lakhe siqu eliphefumlelwe, ebufakazini bukaJesu, nasebufakazini babafundi bakaJesu, ubufakazi obuqanda ikhanda bubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke noJesu Kristu bangabantu ababili abehlukene, uYise neNdodana. Lobobufakazi futhi bubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi umoya ongcwele awuyena umuntu wesithathu wanoma yimuphi uZiqu-zintathu kodwa ungamandla kaNkulunkulu ayisiphekupheku. Akusizi ukukhipha imibhalo emongweni wayo noma ukuzama ukuyisonta ukuze isekele uZiqu-zintathu. Noma imiphi imibhalo enjalo kumelwe ivumelaniswe nabo bonke ubufakazi obucacile beBhayibheli.
Kungani UZiqu-zintathu Aba Khona?
18. Imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu yavelaphi?
18 Uma ungahlola ikhasi 18 elithi “Ukukhula Okungokomlando Kwemfundiso KaZiqu-zintathu,” uzophawula ukuthi uZiqu-zintathu unemisuka yobuqaba. Akayona imfundiso yeBhayibheli, kodwa wemukelwa eLobukholwa ekhulwini lesine leminyaka. Nokho, esikhathini eside ngaphambi kwalokho, kwakunoziqu-zintathu eBabiloni lasendulo, eGibithe, nakwezinye izindawo. Kanjalo eLobukholwa lafaka umqondo wobuqaba ezimfundisweni zalo. Lokhu kwagqugquzelwa umbusi wamaRoma uConstantine, owayengenaso isithakazelo eqinisweni lalendaba, kodwa owayefuna ukuqinisa umbuso wakhe owawenziwe amaqaba namaKristu ayizihlubuki. Kunokuba abe ukuthuthukiswa kwemfundiso yobuKristu, uZiqu-zintathu wayewubufakazi bokuthi eLobukholwa lalihlubukile ezimfundisweni zikaKristu futhi esikhundleni sazo lalemukele izimfundiso zobuqaba.
19. Kungani imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu yanda?
19 Kungani imfundiso enjalo yayinganda? Ngokuqinisekile, isithakazelo sikaNkulunkulu asifezwa ngokumenza Yena, iNdodana yaKhe, umoya waKhe ongcwele babe abadidayo nabayimfihlakalo. Futhi ukudideka akubasizi abantu. Esikhundleni salokho, lapho abantu bedideka kakhulu ngokuqondene noNkulunkulu nangezinjongo zakhe, kumjabulisa kakhulu uSathane uDeveli, umphikisi kaNkulunkulu, “unkulunkulu walelizwe,” osebenzela ‘ukuphuphuthekisa izingqondo zabangakholwayo.’ (2 Korinte 4:4) Njengoba imfundiso enjalo yenza kubonakale sengathi abefundisi kuphela abangaqonda izimfundiso zeBhayibheli, kubajabulisa kakhulu abaholi benkolo beLobukholwa. Lokhu kubasiza ukuba balondoloze igunya labo phezu kwabantu abavamile.
20. (a) Yiliphi iqiniso elisobala ngoZiqu-zintathu? (b) Ukungenisa ulwazi oluqondile ngamaqiniso akhululayo kuyosho ukuthini ngathi?
20 Nokho, iqiniso ngalendaba lisobala kangangokuthi ngisho nengane ingaliqonda. Umfanyana uyazi ukuthi akayena uyise kodwa bangabantu ababili abehlukene. Ngokufanayo, lapho iBhayibheli lithi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, lisho khona lokho. Leli yiqiniso elisobala, kuyilapho imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ingelona. Ingamanga. Ngakho kumelwe ukuthi yavela kulowo ‘othiwa umhlebi noSathane odukisa izwe lonke.’ (IsAmbulo 12:9) Kodwa amaqiniso asobala naqabulayo ngoNkulunkulu, ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, nangomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu onamandla, akhulula abantu ebugqileni bezimfundiso zamanga ezinemisuka yobuqaba neziqanjwe uSathane. Njengoba uJesu atshela abafuni beqiniso abaqotho: “Niyakulazi iqiniso, neqiniso liyakunikhulula.” (Johane 8:32) Ukungenisa ulwazi oluqondile lwamaqiniso akhululayo, nokwenza ngokuvumelana nawo, ‘kusho ukuphila okuphakade.’—Johane 17:3.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani ulwazi oluqondile ngoNkulunkulu nangeNdodana yakhe lubaluleke kangaka?
◻ UJesu wayesho ukuthini uma ethi, “Mina noBaba simunye”?
◻ UJohane 1:1 uwenza kanjani umahluko phakathi kukaLizwi noNkulunkulu?
◻ Kungani uTomase ayengabiza uJesu ngokufanelekile ngokuthi “Nkulunkulu wami”?
◻ Yavela kanjani imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, futhi ngubani ongumqambi wayo?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 18]
Ukukhula Okungokomlando Kwemfundiso KaZiqu-zintathu
IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, ka-1985, Micropædia, Umqulu 11, ikhasi 928, ithi ngaphansi kwesihloko sikaZiqu-zintathu: “Igama elithi Ziqu-zintathu, noma imfundiso eqondile ayiveli eTestamenteni Elisha, futhi ngisho noJesu nabalandeli bakhe abazange bafune ukuphikisa iShema (isivumo sokholo samaJuda) eTestamenteni Elidala: ‘Yizwa Israyeli: UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova munye.’ (Dut. 6:4)” Le-encyclopedia ithi futhi: “Lemfundiso yanda kancane kancane phakathi namakhulu amaningi eminyaka naphakathi kokuphikisana okuningi. . . . ISigungu SaseNicaea ngo-325 saklama umthetho ofingqiwe ongujuqu waleyomfundiso ekuvumeni kwaso ukuthi iNdodana ‘inesiqu esifanayo . . . njengoYise,’ ngisho nakuba sasho okuncane kakhulu ngoMoya oNgcwele. . . . Ekupheleni kwekhulu lesine leminyaka . . . imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu yaba nesimo eye yaba naso kusukela ngalesosikhathi.”
INew Catholic Encyclopedia, ka-1967, Umqulu 14, ikhasi 299, iyavuma: “Inkulumo ethi ‘uNkulunkulu oyedwa kuBantu abathathu’ ayizange imiswe ngokuqinile, ngokuqinisekile ayizange ifakwe ngokugcwele ekuphileni kobuKristu nasemazwini ayo esivumo sokholo, ngaphambi kokuphela kwekhulu lesine leminyaka. . . . Phakathi koBaba BobuPhostoli, akukho lutho ngisho noluncane olusondela emqondweni onjalo noma kulowombono.”
Ngakho, imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ayikho ngokomBhalo kodwa yemukelwa ngokomthetho esiGungwini SaseNicaea ngonyaka ka-325 C.E. Lemfundiso yafaka umqondo wobuqaba owaqala esikhathini eside ngaphambili eBabiloni naseGibithe lasendulo futhi owawusetshenziswa nakwamanye amazwe. Isazi-mlando uWill Durant saphawula kuyiThe Story of Civilization: Part III, ekhasini 595: “UbuKristu abuzange bubuqede ubuqaba; babamukela. . . . Imiqondo kaziqu-zintathu waphezulu yavela eGibithe.”
KuyiAn Encyclopedia of Religion, eyahlelwa uVergilius Ferm, ngo-1964, emakhasini 793 no-794, ngaphansi kwegama elithi “ziqu-zintathu,” kunohlu loziqu-zintathu baseBabiloni, bamaBuddha, bamaHindu, bamaNorse, bamaTao, nabezinye izinkolo, kuhlanganise nalabo beLobukholwa. Ngokwesibonelo, iphawula ukuthi eNdiya, “uZiqu-zintathu omkhulu uhlanganisa uBrahma, uMdali, uVishnu, uMlondolozi noShiva, uMbhubhisi. Laba bamelela umjikelezo wokuphila, njengoba nje noZiqu-zintathu waseBabiloni owakhiwa uAnu, uEnlil noEa emelela izidingo zokuphila, umoya, amanzi, umhlaba.”
IBritish Museum yaseLondon iqukethe imifanekiso yobuciko ebonisa oziqu-zintathu basendulo, njengoIsis, uHarpokratēs, noNephthys baseGibithe. Incwadi ekhishwe uMnyango walemnyuziyamu Wezinsalela Zenkathi Ephakathi Neyamuva iphawula lokhu okulandelayo okwakuqoshwe ematsheni ayigugu asendulo: “Ngaphambili [uhlangothi], onkulunkulu baseGibithe uHorus-Baït (onekhanda lokhozi), uButo-Akori (inyoka), noHathor (onekhanda lexoxo). Ngemuva [uhlangothi], ivesi lesiGreki elithi ‘UBaït oyedwa, uHathor oyedwa, uAkori oyedwa; amandla alaba ayalingana. Mana njalo Yise wezwe, mana njalo, nkulunkulu owakhiwe abathathu!’ Kanjalo labonkulunkulu bachazwa njengokubonakaliswa okuthathu kwamandla awodwa, ngokunokwenzeka unkulunkulu welanga.”
Umlando uqinisekisa ukuthi uZiqu-zintathu wabolekwa emaqabeni nokuthi wayekhona emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni. Esikhathini eside ngemva kokufa kwakhe, washoshozelwa yilabo ababethonywe amafilosofi obuqaba nalabo ababehlubuke ekukhulekelweni kweqiniso kukaNkulunkulu njengoba kwafundiswa uJesu nabaphostoli.
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
UJesu wathandazela ukuba abafundi bakhe babe munye ngomqondo nangenjongo njengokuba yena noYise babemunye