Ingabe Ungakholelwa EBhayibhelini?
UKUKHOLELWA eBhayibhelini kusasakazekile, ngisho nakuleli lizwe lesimanje. Ngokwesibonelo, ekuhloleni kwamuva nje kukaGallup kwabantu baseMelika, abangamaphesenti angu-80 bathi bayakholelwa ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kunesibalo esikhulu kangako endaweni ohlala kuyo noma cha, ungaqonda ukuthi amakholwa anjalo alindele ukufundiswa iBhayibheli esontweni. Kodwa ngokuvamile akubi njalo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngemfundiso yokujeziswa komphefumulo ngemva kokufa.
Ingabe kukhona lapho iBhayibheli lifundisa khona ngesihlanzo noma isihogo somlilo? Namuhla, izazi eziningi kweLobukholwa zingaphendula ngocha. I-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Sekukonke, imfundiso yamaKatolika yesihlanzo isekelwe esikweni, hhayi emBhalweni Ongcwele.” Ngokuphathelene nesihogo, i-Dictionary of Christian Theology iyaphawula: “[ETestamenteni Elisha] sithola ukuthi isihogo somlilo asiyona ingxenye yokushumayela kwakuqala.”
Eqinisweni, ikhomishane yemfundiso yeSonto LaseSheshi muva nje yaba ngundab’uzekwayo lapho itusa ukuba imfundiso yesihogo somlilo ilahlwe ngokuphelele. UDkt. Tom Wright, oyinhloko ye-Litchfield Cathedral, uthi imifanekiso yesihogo yangesikhathi esidlule “yenza uNkulunkulu waba isilwane futhi yashiya izibazi zokusha ezingqondweni zabaningi.” Umbiko wekhomishane uchaza isihogo ngokuthi “ukungabi bikho ngokuphelele.”a Ngokufanayo, ngokuphathelene nombono wamaKatolika, i-New Catholic Encyclopedia iyaphawula: “Imfundiso yenkolo namuhla ibheka inkinga yesihogo ngombono wokuhlukaniswa noNkulunkulu.”
Eqinisweni, lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngomphefumulo kuyangqubuzana nemfundiso yesihlanzo neyesihogo somlilo. IBhayibheli likhuluma kaningi ngokufa kwemiphefumulo. “Umphefumulo owonayo uyakufa.” (Hezekeli 18:4; qhathanisa iBhayibheli Elivamile ne-Douay Version yamaKatolika.) NgokweBhayibheli, abafileyo abezwa lutho, abakwazi ukuzwa ubuhlungu. “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayakufa, kepha abafileyo abazi-lutho.” (UmShumayeli 9:5) Ithemba elinikezwa iBhayibheli ngabafileyo elovuko lwangesikhathi esizayo. Lapho umngane kaJesu uLazaru efa, uJesu waqhathanisa ukufa nokulala. Udadewabo kaLazaru uMarta wakhuluma ngethemba elifundiswa eBhayibhelini lapho ethi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyovuka ovukweni ngosuku lokugcina.” Ngokuvusa uLazaru kwabafileyo, uJesu waliqinisekisa lelo themba lesintu.—Johane 5:28, 29; 11:11-14, 24, 44.
Izazi-mlando zithi imfundiso yokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ohlukile, ongafi ayizange ivele eBhayibhelini kodwa kuyifilosofi yamaGreki. I-New Catholic Encyclopedia iphawula ukuthi amaHeberu asendulo awazange acabange ukuthi umuntu wayehlanganisa umzimba wenyama nomphefumulo ongabonakali. Ithi ngezinkolelo zamaHeberu: “Lapho umoya wokuphila ungena kumuntu wokuqala uNkulunkulu ayemakhe ngomhlabathi, waba ‘isidalwa esiphilayo’ (G[enesise] 2.7). Ukufa kwakungabhekwa njengokuhlukana kwezici ezimbili ezikumuntu, njengakuyifilosofi yamaGreki; umoya wokuphila uyaphuma bese umuntu esala ‘eyisidalwa esifile’ (L[evitikusi] 21.11; N[umeri] 6.6; 19.13). Esimweni ngasinye igama elithi ‘isidalwa’ lingaba igama lesiHeberu [elithi neʹphesh], ngokuvamile elihunyushwa ngokuthi ‘umphefumulo’ kodwa, eqinisweni, cishe lisho umuntu.”
Yona leyo encyclopedia iphawula ukuthi izazi zamaKatolika muva nje “ziye zabambelela ekutheni [iTestamente Elisha] alifundisi ukungafi komphefumulo ngomqondo [wamaGreki] aguqulwe Isimiso Sokuguqulela Abantu EbuGrekini.” Iyaphetha: “Ikhambi eliyisisekelo lale nkinga ngeke litholakale ekucabangeleni okungokwefilosofi kodwa litholakala esiphweni esingaphezu kwemvelo soVuko.”
IBhayibheli Noma Isiko?
Nokho, yangena kanjani ezimfundisweni zesonto imibono engasekelwe eBhayibhelini? Amasonto amaningi athi iBhayibheli liyigunya lawo eliphakeme kunawo wonke. Ngokwesibonelo, akukudala uPapa John Paul II ekhulume ngesidingo sokuba umBhalo “wamukelwe ngabathembekile njengoyiqiniso ngokuphelele nanjengendinganiso ephakeme kakhulu yokholo lwethu.” Nokho, ngokuvamile kuyinto eyamukelekayo ukuthi izimfundiso zeLobukholwa namuhla azifani ncamashí nezamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala. Amasonto amaningi abheka ushintsho njengoluyingxenye yokuthuthuka kwemfundiso yesonto kancane kancane. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iSonto LamaKatolika linombono wokuthi isiko lesonto linegunya elifanayo nemiBhalo. I-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi isonto “alibheki iqiniso njengelisekelwe emBhalweni kuphela, lingahlanganisiwe nesiko, noma njengelisekelwe esikweni kuphela, lingahlanganisiwe nomBhalo.”
Ngokomlando, amasonto aye afaka izimfundiso ezisekelwe esikweni kuphela esikhundleni salezo ezingokomBhalo. Eqinisweni, amasonto amaningi manje akholelwa ukuthi izimfundiso zeBhayibheli zinephutha. Ngokwesibonelo, i-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi “kusobala ukuthi amazwi amaningi aseBhayibhelini amane nje awalona iqiniso lapho ehlolwa ngokolwazi lwanamuhla lwesayensi nomlando.” Ngokuphathelene nemfundiso yeBhayibheli yokuthi abafileyo abezwa lutho, iyanezela: “Ngisho nasezindabeni zenkolo, [iTestamente Elidala] lifakazela ukungapheleli kolwazi . . . lokuphila ngemva kokufa.” I-encyclopedia icaphuna iHubo 6:5 (ivesi 6 kwamanye amaBhayibheli) njengesibonelo salokhu: “Akukho ukukhumbula wena ekufeni; ngubani oyakukubonga endaweni yabafileyo na?” Ezinye izikole zabefundisi namakolishi amaProtestani akusafundisi ukuthi iBhayibheli alinaphutha. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, iSonto LamaKatolika likholelwa ukuthi linegunya lokufundisa, elichaza ngalo lokho okufundiswa eBhayibhelini. Nokho, ungase uzibuze, ‘Kuthiwani uma lezi zincazelo zibonakala ziphikisana nemiBhalo?’
Ukubaluleka KwemiBhalo
UJesu wakhomba ngokuphindaphindiwe emiBhalweni njengenegunya, ngokuvamile eqala amazwi akhe ngokuthi: “Kulotshiwe.” (Mathewu 4:4, 7, 10; Luka 19:46) Ngokuqinisekile, lapho uJesu ekhuluma ngesimo somuntu emshadweni, akazange asekele inkulumo yakhe kulokho okucatshangelwayo kwefilosofi yamaGreki, kodwa wayisekela ekulandiseni kukaGenesise kokudala. (Genesise 1:27; 2:24; Mathewu 19:3-9) Ngokusobala, uJesu wayebheka imiBhalo njengephefumulelwe uNkulunkulu neneqiniso. Lapho ethandaza kuNkulunkulu, wathi: “Izwi lakho liyiqiniso.”—Johane 17:17.b
IBhayibheli lilandisa ngokusola kukaJesu abaholi benkolo bosuku lwakhe: “Ngobuhlakani nibekela eceleni umyalo kaNkulunkulu ukuze nilondoloze isiko lenu. . . . Kanjalo nilenza ize izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesiko lenu.” (Marku 7:6-13) Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPawulu wamelana nokucindezela kokuba afake ifilosofi yamaGreki noma amasiko anephutha kulokho ayekufundisa. Waxwayisa: “Xwayani: mhlawumbe kungase kube khona othile oyomuka nani njengezisulu zakhe ngefilosofi nenkohliso eyize ngokwesiko labantu.” (Kolose 2:8; 1 Korinte 1:22, 23; 2:1-13) Akhona amasiko, noma izimfundiso, uPawulu anxusa amaKristu ukuba awalondoloze, kodwa ayesekelwe emiBhalweni futhi evumelana ngokuphelele nayo. (2 Thesalonika 2:13-15) “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi inenzuzo,” kubhala uPawulu, “ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu afaneleke ngokugcwele, ayihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle.”—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.
UPawulu wabona kusengaphambili ukuchezuka emiBhalweni. Waxwayisa uThimothewu: “Kuyoba khona inkathi yesikhathi lapho bengayikuyibekezelela khona imfundiso enempilo, . . . futhi bayofulathelisa izindlebe zabo eqinisweni.” Wamnxusa: “Nokho, wena hlala usangulukile kuzo zonke izinto.” (2 Thimothewu 4:3-5) Kodwa kanjani? Enye indlela iwukuba ‘nengqondo enhle.’ Isichazamazwi sesiGreki sichaza leli gama leBhayibheli ngokuthi “ukuzimisela ukufunda nokuhlola okuthile ngokungathathi hlangothi.” ULuka wasebenzisa la mazwi ukuze achaze izilaleli zikaPawulu zaseBereya yekhulu lokuqala. Izimfundiso zikaPawulu zazizintsha kuzo, futhi zazingafuni ukudukiswa. Ezitusa, uLuka wabhala: “[AbaseBereya] babenengqondo enhle kunalabo baseThesalonika, ngoba bamukela izwi ngokulangazela okukhulu kakhulu kwengqondo, behlola ngokucophelela imiBhalo nsuku zonke ukuthi zinjalo yini lezizinto.” Ukuba kwabaseBereya abanengqondo enhle akuzange kubenze bangabaze, bangakholwa yinoma yini. Kunalokho, ukuhlola kwabo okuqotho kwaphumela ekubeni “abaningi kubo [babe] amakholwa.”—IzEnzo 17:11, 12.
Izinzuzo Zokuphila Ngokuvumelana NeBhayibheli
AmaKristu okuqala ayephawulwa ngokunamathela eBhayibhelini nangothando lwawo lokuzidela. Nokho, namuhla abantu abaningi ‘banesimo sokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kodwa bazibonakalisa bengathembekile emandleni ako.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:5) Namuhla, noma yiluphi uhlobo lobuKristu olungavumelani nolokuqala alunakuba namandla angempela angaba nethonya elihle ekuphileni kwabantu. Ingabe lokhu kuyasiza ekuchazeni ukuthi kungani, engxenyeni enkulu yeLobukholwa, sibona ubudlova, ukuziphatha okubi, ukuwohloka komkhaya nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo okwandayo? Kwamanye amazwe “obuKristu,” kunezimpi zobuhlanga ezinonya ngisho naphakathi kwamalungu enkolo eyodwa.
Ingabe umoya wengqondo enhle wabaseBereya sewaphela? Ingabe likhona iqembu labantu namuhla elikholelwa eBhayibhelini futhi liphile ngokuvumelana nalo?
I-Encyclopedia Canadiana iyaphawula: “Umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova uwukuvuselelwa nokumiswa kabusha kobuKristu bokuqala obabuqhutshwa uJesu nabafundi bakhe phakathi nekhulu lokuqala nelesibili leminyaka lesikhathi sethu.” Ibhekisela koFakazi, i-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Babheka iBhayibheli njengeliwukuphela komthombo wezinkolelo zabo nezimiso zokuziphatha.”
Akungabazeki ukuthi lesi isizathu esiyinhloko sokuba oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke baziwe ngokuchuma kwabo okungokomoya, ukuthula nenjabulo. Ngakho-ke, sikhuthaza abafundi balo magazini ukuba bafunde okwengeziwe ngezimfundiso zeBhayibheli ezinempilo ngokomoya. Ulwazi olwengeziwe lungaholela ekulethembeni ngokwengeziwe iBhayibheli nasekubeni nokholo oluqine ngokwengeziwe kuNkulunkulu. Izinzuzo zaphakade zokholo olunjalo ziwufanele impela umzamo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a I-National Public Radio—“Morning Edition”
b Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwengeziwe ngokuphathelene nokuba kweBhayibheli elinokwethenjelwa, bheka incwajana ethi Incwadi Yabo Bonke Abantu, enyatheliswa i-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
[Isithombe ekhasini 6]
Umphostoli uPawulu nabanye babeshumayela emakethe
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
OFakazi BakaJehova “babheka iBhayibheli njengeliwukuphela komthombo wezinkolelo zabo nezimiso zokuziphatha”