Ingathenjwa Yini Lencwadi?

“EBhayibhelini ngithola izimpawu ezengeziwe eziqinisekile zokwethembeka kunakunoma imuphi umlando wezwe.”—Kusho usaziwayo oyisazi sesayensi esiyiNgisi, uSir Isaac Newton.¹

INGABE lencwadi—iBhayibheli—ingathenjwa? Ingabe ikhuluma ngabantu ababephila ngempela, izindawo ezazikhona ngokoqobo, ngisho nezenzakalo ezenzeka ngempela? Uma kunjalo, kufanele kube nobufakazi bokuthi yalotshwa abalobi abacophelelayo, abathembekile. Bukhona lobo bufakazi. Obuningi babo buye batholakala bugqibeke ngaphansi komhlaba, futhi obuningi ngokwengeziwe bukuyona ngokwayo lencwadi.

Ukumba UbuFakazi

Izinto zobuciko ezazisetshenziswa endulo ezatholakala emazweni eBhayibheli ziye zafakazela ukunemba kweBhayibheli ngokomlando nangokomumo wezwe. Ake ucabangele nje obunye bobufakazi obuye bambiwa abavubukuli.

Abafundi beBhayibheli bamazi kakhulu uDavide, ibhungu elinesibindi elingumalusi elaba inkosi yakwa-Israyeli. Igama lakhe livela izikhathi ezingu-1 138 eBhayibhelini, futhi amazwi athi ‘iNdlu kaDavide’—ngokuvamile abhekisela ohlwini lwakhe lobukhosi—avela izikhathi ezingu-25. (1 Samuweli 16:13; 20:16) Nokho, kuze kube muva nje, bebungekho ubufakazi obucacile ngaphandle kweBhayibheli bokuthi uDavide wake waphila. Ingabe uDavide wayemane nje engumuntu wenganekwane?

Ngo-1993 iqembu labavubukuli, elaliholwa uProfesa Avraham Biran, lathola into eyisimanga, eyabikwa kuyi-Israel Exploration Journal. Endaweni eyayinendunduma yamandulo eyayibizwa ngokuthi iTel Dan, engxenyeni esenyakatho nelakwa-Israyeli, lathola itshe le-basalt. Kuleli litshe kwakuqoshwe amagama athi “iNdlu kaDavide” nathi “iNkosi yakwa-Israyeli.”² Lombhalo oqoshiwe, owabhalwa kudala ekhulwini lesi-9 B.C.E., kuthiwa uyingxenye yesikhumbuzo sokunqoba esakhiwa ama-Aramu—izitha zika-Israyeli ezazihlala ngasempumalanga. Kungani lombhalo wasendulo oqoshiwe ubaluleke kangaka?

Esinye isihloko esasisekelwe embikweni kaProfesa Biran nozakwabo uProfesa Joseph Naveh, esasikuyi-Biblical Archaeology Review sathi: “Kuyaqala ukuba igama likaDavide litholakale kunoma imuphi umbhalo wasendulo oqoshiwe ngaphandle kweBhayibheli.”³a Kunokunye okuphawulekayo ngalombhalo oqoshiwe. Inkulumo ethi “iNdlu kaDavide” ibhalwe njengegama elilodwa. Isazi solimi uProfesa Anson Rainey siyachaza: “Isehlukanisi samagama . . . ngokuvamile asifakwa, ikakhulukazi uma ukuhlangana kwalezo zingxenye kwakha ibizoqho elaziwa kahle. Ngokuqinisekile elithi ‘iNdlu kaDavide’ laliyibizoqho elinjalo elaziwayo kwezombangazwe nakwezomumo wezwe maphakathi nekhulu lesi-9 B.C.E.”⁵ Ngakho iNkosi uDavide nohlu lwayo lwamakhosi babaziwa kahle endulo.

Ingabe iNineve—umuzi omkhulu wase-Asiriya okukhulunywa ngawo eBhayibhelini—ikhona ngempela? Muva nje ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19, abagxeki abathile beBhayibheli benqaba ukukukholelwa lokho. Kodwa ngo-1849, uSir Austen Henry Layard wavubukula amanxiwa esigodlo seNkosi uSaneheribi eKuyunjik, indawo eyayibonakala iyingxenye yeNineve lasendulo. Inkukhu yanqunywa umlomo kulabo bagxeki. Kodwa kwakukukhulu okwakuzokwembulwa yilamanxiwa. Ezindongeni zekamelo elalivikelwe kahle kwakunomfanekiso obonisa ukuthunjwa komuzi oyinqaba, abathunjwa beqhutshwa beyiswa phambi kwenkosi eyayibahlasele. Ngaphezu kwenkosi kunalombhalo oqoshiwe: “USaneheribi, inkosi yezwe, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi i-nîmedu futhi wahlola impango (eyayithathwe) eLakishi (La-ki-su).”⁶

Lomfanekiso namazwi aqoshiwe, okungase kubonwe eBritish Museum, kuvumelana nokulandisa kweBhayibheli ngokuthunjwa komuzi wakwaJuda waseLakishi nguSaneheribi, okubikwe kweyesi-2 AmaKhosi 18:13, 14. Ekhulumela ukubaluleka kwalokho okwatholakala, uLayard wabhala: “Zingakatholakali lezi zinto, ubani owayengakholelwa ukuthi kwenzeka, ukuthi ngaphansi kwendunduma yomhlaba nemfucumfucu eyayisemanxiweni aseNineve, kwakuzotholakala umlando wezimpi ezimbili phakathi kukaHezekiya [inkosi yakwaJuda] noSaneheribi, owabhalwa uSaneheribi ngokwakhe ngaso kanye isikhathi ezalwiwa ngaso, futhi oqinisekisa ngisho nangemininingwane emincane ukuba yiqiniso komlando weBhayibheli?”⁷

Abavubukuli baye bamba izinto eziningi zobuciko ezazisetshenziswa—izitsha zobumba, amanxiwa, izibhebhe zamatshe, imali ewuhlweza, izincwadi zomlando, izikhumbuzo kanye namazwi aqoshiwe—okuqinisekisa ukunemba kweBhayibheli. Abavubukuli baye bathola umuzi wamaKaledi wase-Uri, isikhungo sezentengiselwano nesenkolo lapho u-Abrahama ayehlala khona.⁸ (Genesise 11:27-31) UMlando kaNabonidasi, owavubukulwa ngekhulu le-19, uchaza ukuwela kweBabiloni kuKoresi Omkhulu ngo-539 B.C.E., okuwumlando olandiswa kuDaniyeli isahluko 5.⁹ Umbhalo oqoshiwe (izingcezu zawo ezigcinwe eBritish Museum) owatholakala ekhothameni laseThesalonika lasendulo onamagama ababusi bomuzi uchazwa ngokuthi i-“politarch,” okuyigama elingaziwa ezincwadini zamaGreki eziseqophelweni eliphezulu kodwa elasetshenziswa umlobi weBhayibheli uLuka.¹⁰ (IzEnzo 17:6, umbhalo waphansi we-NW) Ngakho ukunemba kukaLuka kwafakazelwa—njengoba kwase kufakazelwe kakade kweminye imininingwane.—Qhathanisa noLuka 1:3.

Nokho, abavubukuli abavumelani ngaso sonke isikhathi, ingasaphathwa-ke eyokuvumelana neBhayibheli. Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli ngokwalo linobufakazi obuqand’ikhanda bokuthi liyincwadi engase yethenjwe.

Lilandisa Ngobuqotho

Izazi zomlando ezithembekile ngeke zibike ngokunqoba nje kuphela (njengombhalo oqoshiwe okhuluma ngokuthumba kukaSaneheribi iLakishi) kodwa ziyobika nangokunqotshwa, hhayi nje ngempumelelo kuphela kodwa nangokwehluleka, hhayi nje ngamandla kuphela kodwa nangobuthakathaka. Zimbalwa izazi zomlando ezibonisa ukwethembeka okunjalo.

Ngokuphathelene nezazi zomlando zase-Asiriya, uDaniel D. Luckenbill uyachaza: “Ngokuvamile kusobala ukuthi ukuzazisa kwamakhosi kwakubangela ukuba amaqiniso omlando afihlwe.”¹¹ Zibonisa lokho “kuzazisa kwamakhosi,” izincwadi zomlando wenkosi yase-Asiriya u-Ashurnasirpal zikhuluma ngokuqhosha: “Ngingowasebukhosini, ngiyinkosi, ngiyaphakanyiswa, nginamandla, ngiyahlonishwa, ngiyakhazinyuliswa, ngingowesigaba esiphezulu, ngiyiqhawe, ngiyisiqhwaga futhi nginesibindi sengonyama!”¹² Ingabe ubuyokwamukela njengomlando oyiqiniso konke okufunda ezincwadini zomlando ezinjalo?

Ngokuphambene, abalobi beBhayibheli babonisa ubuqotho obuqabulayo. UMose, umholi wama-Israyeli, wabika ngokungagwegwesi ngokushiyeka komfowabo, u-Aroni, udadewabo uMiriyamu, abashana bakhe uNadabi no-Abihu, okwabantu bakubo kanye nangamaphutha akhe siqu. (Eksodusi 14:11, 12; 32:1-6; Levitikusi 10:1, 2; Numeri 12:1-3; 20:9-12; 27:12-14) Amaphutha amabi eNkosi uDavide awazange afihlwe kodwa abhalwa phansi—futhi lokho kwenziwa uDavide esabusa njengenkosi. (2 Samuweli, izahluko 11 no-24) UMathewu, umlobi wencwadi ebizwa ngaye, ulandisa ngendlela abaphostoli (ayengomunye wabo) abaphikisana ngayo ngokuthi ubani obalulekile kubona nangendlela abamshiya ngayo uJesu ngobusuku abanjwa ngabo. (Mathewu 20:20-24; 26:56) Abalobi bezincwadi zemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki bavuma ukuthi zazikhona izinkinga, kuhlanganise nokuziphatha okubi kobulili nokuhlukana okwakukhona kwamanye amabandla amaKristu akuqala. Futhi babengagwegwesi lapho bekhuluma ngalezo zinkinga.—1 Korinte 1:10-13; 5:1-13.

Ukubika okunjalo, okungagwegwesi nokukhululekile kubonisa ukulikhathalela ngobuqotho iqiniso. Njengoba abalobi beBhayibheli babezimisele ukubika ngokwaziswa okungekuhle ngabathandekayo babo, abantu bakubo, ngisho nangabo ngokwabo, akusona yini leso isizathu esiphathekayo sokuyethemba imibhalo yabo?

Linembile Ngokwemininingwane

Ezinkantolo zamacala ukuba yiqiniso kobufakazi obunikezwa ufakazi ngokuvamile kubonakala ngamaphuzu amancane. Ukuvumelana kwamaphuzu amancane kungabonisa ukunemba nokuba yiqiniso kobufakazi, kuyilapho ukungqubuzana kwezinto ezishiwoyo kungabubonisa njengobungamanga. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, indaba engenaso nesincane isici—lapho yonke imininingwane ihlelwe khona ngokucophelela—ingabonisa ukuba ngamanga kwalobo bufakazi.

“Ubufakazi” babalobi beBhayibheli benza kanjani kulokhu? Abalobi beBhayibheli babonisa ukuvumelana okuphawulekayo. Kunokuvumelana okukhulu ngisho nangemininingwane emincane. Nokho, lokho kuvumelana akuhlelwanga ngenhloso, okungenza kusoleke sengathi kwavunyelwana ngakho ngasese. Abukho nobuncane ubufakazi bobuqili kulokhu kuvumelana, ngokuvamile abalobi babeloba izinto ezivumelanayo bengakuhlelanga. Cabanga ngezinye izibonelo.

Umlobi weBhayibheli uMathewu wabhala: “Futhi uJesu, lapho efika endlini kaPetru, wabona umkhwekazi wakhe elele phansi egula enemfiva.” (Mathewu 8:14) UMathewu lapha ukhuluma ngephuzu elithakazelisayo kodwa elingabalulekile: UPetru wayeshadile. Leli phuzu elingelutho kangako lifakazelwa uPawulu, owabhala: “Anginalo yini ilungelo lokuhamba nenkosikazi engumKristu, njengabo bonke abaphostoli . . . kanye noKhefase?”b (1 Korinte 9:5, The New English Bible) Umongo ubonisa ukuthi uPawulu wayezilwela ekugxekweni ngokungafanele. (1 Korinte 9:1-4) Ngokusobala, leli phuzu elincane—ukuthi uPetru wayeshadile—uPawulu akakhulumi ngalo ukuze asekele ukunemba kokulandisa kukaMathewu kodwa kuthuke nje kuqondana.

Bobane abalobi bamaVangeli—uMathewu, uMarku, uLuka noJohane—babika ukuthi ngobusuku bokuboshwa kukaJesu, omunye wabafundi bakhe wahosha inkemba wagadla encekwini yompristi omkhulu, wayisusa indlebe. IVangeli LikaJohane kuphela elilandisa ngephuzu elingabonakala lingadingekile: “Igama lalesisigqila kwakunguMalkusi.” (Johane 18:10, 26) Kungani kunguJohane yedwa osho igama lalomuntu? Emavesini ambalwa kamuva ukulandisa kunikeza iphuzu elingasho lutho kangako elingashiwo kwenye indawo: UJohane “wayaziwa umpristi ophakeme.” Wayaziwa ngisho nangabendlu yompristi ophakeme; izinceku zazimjwayele, naye ezijwayele. (Johane 18:15, 16) Khona-ke, kufanele ukuba uJohane alisho igama lendoda eyalinyazwa, kuyilapho bengalisho abanye abalobi bamaVangeli ababengayazi lendoda.

Ngezinye izikhathi, okunye ukulandisa akuyinikezi imininingwane echazayo kodwa kumane kwenzeke ithintwe kwenye indawo. Ngokwesibonelo, ukulandisa kukaMathewu ngokuqulwa kwecala likaJesu phambi kweSanhedrini yamaJuda kuthi abanye abantu ababekhona “bamshaya ngezimpama ebusweni, bethi: ‘Siprofethele, wena Kristu. Ubani okushayile?’” (Mathewu 26:67, 68) Kungani babefuna ukuba uJesu “aprofethe” ukuthi ushaywe ubani, kuyilapho lowo omshayile ayemi phambi kwakhe? UMathewu akachazi. Kodwa abanye abalobi ababili bamaVangeli baveza lowo mniningwane oshiyiwe: Abashushisi bakaJesu babezimboze ubuso ngaphambi kokuba bammukule. (Marku 14:65; Luka 22:64) UMathewu ulandisa indaba yakhe engenaxhala lokuthi uyinikeze yonke yini imininingwane.

IVangeli LikaJohane lilandisa ngokubuthana kwesixuku esikhulu sizokuzwa ukufundisa kukaJesu. Ngokokulandisa, lapho uJesu ebona isixuku, “wathi kuFiliphu: ‘Sizozithengaphi izinkwa ukuze laba badle?’” (Johane 6:5) Kubo bonke abafundi ababekhona, kungani uJesu abuza uFiliphu ukuthi babengazithengaphi izinkwa? Umlobi akasho. Nokho, endabeni efanayo, uLuka ubika ukuthi lesi senzakalo senzeka eduze naseBetsayida, umuzi ongasogwini olusenyakatho noLwandle LwaseGalile, futhi ngaphambidlana iVangeli LikaJohane lithi “uFiliphu wayevela eBetsayida.” (Johane 1:44; Luka 9:10) Ngakho kwakunengqondo ukubuza kukaJesu umuntu owayeseduze nomuzi wakubo. Ukuvumelana kwemininingwane kuyamangalisa, nokho kusobala ukuthi akuzange kuhlelwe.

Kwezinye izimo ukungashiwo kwemininingwane ethile kumane nje kwenezele ekuthembekeni komlobi weBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, umlobi wamaKhosi okuQala ulandisa ngesomiso esikhulu kwa-Israyeli. Sasisikhulu kangangokuba inkosi ayikwazanga ukuthola amanzi notshani obanele bokugcina amahhashi ayo neminyuzi kuphila. (1 AmaKhosi 17:7; 18:5) Kodwa ukulandisa okufanayo kubika ukuthi umprofethi u-Eliya wayaleza ukuba alethelwe amanzi amaningi eNtabeni yaseKarmeli (ayezowasebenzisela ukwenza umnikelo) agcwaliswe umsele ongathatha indawo engamamitha-skwele angu-1 000. (1 AmaKhosi 18:33-35) Njengoba kwakunesomiso nje, avelaphi lawo manzi? Umlobi wamaKhosi okuQala akazange azikhathaze ngokuchaza. Nokho, noma ubani ohlala kwa-Israyeli wayazi ukuthi iKarmeli yayisogwini loLwandle LwaseMedithera, njengoba kubonisa ukulandisa okwathuke kwenziwa kamuva kulendaba. (1 AmaKhosi 18:43) Ngakho, amanzi olwandle ayeyotholakala kalula. Ukube lencwadi enemininingwane engaka kwezinye izindawo yayimane nje iyinganekwane ezishaya iqiniso, umlobi wayo, owayengaba umkhohlisi ohlakaniphile, wayengayishiya kanjani impicabadala esobala kangaka embhalweni wakhe?

Ngakho ingabe iBhayibheli lingathenjwa? Abavubukuli baye bamba izinto zobuciko ezanele ezazisetshenziswa ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi iBhayibheli likhuluma ngabantu abangokoqobo, izindawo ezingokoqobo nangezenzakalo ezingokoqobo. Nokho, okuqinisekisa nakakhulu ubufakazi obutholakala eBhayibhelini ngokwalo. Abalobi abaqotho abazange bafihle izinto ezimbi ezenziwa abathile—nezazenziwa yibo imbala—baloba wonke amaqiniso njengoba enjalo. Ukuvumelana kwangaphakathi kwemibhalo, kuhlanganise nokuvumelana okungahlosiwe, kunikeza “ubufakazi” obuqand’ikhanda beqiniso. Njengoba “kunezimpawu ezifakazela ukwethembeka,” ngempela iBhayibheli, liyincwadi esingayethemba.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Ucezu lweTel Dan

[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

Umdwebo oqoshwe odongeni lwase-Asiriya ubonisa ukuhlaselwa kweLakishi, okukhulunywe ngakho kweyesi-2 AmaKhosi 18:13, 14