IBhayibheli Lalwa Nezifo Ngaphambi Kokuba Isayensi Ilwe Nazo
Noma nini lapho kukhulunywa ngeBhayibheli namuhla, abantu abaningi abangenalwazi kalula nje bayaliphebeza njengelingakufanele ukunakwa. Bayenqaba ukuvula izingqondo zabo ukuze babone ukuthi eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane eyedlule lasho izinto umuntu wesimanje azifunde muva nje noma asazozifunda. Lokhu kuyiqiniso ngokuphathelene nezenzakalo zezwe, uhulumeni, isayensi yezinkanyezi, indawo ezungezile, umlando wemvelo, isayensi yokusebenza komzimba, kanye nesayensi yokusebenza kwengqondo. Kuyiqiniso futhi nangezifo.
IBHAYIBHELI liyincwadi yokuphila. Ayikho enye incwadi noma iqoqo lezincwadi elihlanganisa indima ebanzi kangaka ezicini eziningi kangaka zokuphila. Impilo enhle nokuphila kuhlobene, ngakho akufanele kumangaze ukuthi iBhayibheli linezimiso eziningi ezihlobene ngokuqondile nempilo. IBhayibheli likhuluma ngezifo eziningi, ezinjengochoko, ukuvuvuka kwemithanjana yendunu (hemorrhoids), isikhukhu (edema), kanye nokuphatheka kabi kwesisu.—Duteronomi 24:8; 28:27; Luka 14:2; 1 Thimothewu 5:23.
IBhayibheli alizange libhalelwe ngokuyinhloko ukuba lisifundise ngezifo ezingokomzimba. Nokho, lokho kwaziswa elikunikezayo kunembile ngokwesayensi futhi kuyazuzisa ukuba kubukezwe. Umzimba womuntu wawumangalisa kumhubi wasendulo, futhi ngokuphathelene nawo wabhala: “Ngokuba wena [Jehova] uzenzile izinso zami, wangaluka esiswini sikamame. Ngiyakukubonga, ngokuba ngenziwa ngokwesabekayo nangokumangalisayo; imisebenzi yakho iyamangalisa; umphefumulo wami uyakwazi kahle. Amathambo ami ayengafihlekile kuwe, lapho ngenziwa ekusithekeni, ngibunjwa ezindaweni ezijulileyo zomhlaba. Amehlo akho angibona ngiseyihlule; zonke izinsuku zami zalotshwa encwadini yakho, zanqunywa, lungakafiki nolulodwa kuzo.”—IHubo 139:13-16.
Ngisho nakuba umbungu ubiyelwe ebumnyameni besibeletho, uJehova uyawubona ubumbeka namathambo ekhula. Kuye ‘ubumnyama buwukukhanya.’ (Ivesi 12) Akukho ukucashela uJehova. Ngokwezokwelapha, umbungu uvikelwa kunina, kodwa uDavide waphefumulelwa ukuba akuveze lokhu eminyakeni eyinkulungwane ngaphambi kukaKristu. Umbungu awuyona ingxenye yomzimba futhi umzanyana uyawuvikela kumama ngaleyondlela ungenqatshwa njengongeyona ingxenye yomzimba, ngokuvamile okubizwa ngokuthi “umgoqo womzanyana,” lowo ofeza ‘lokhu kubiyela okubaluleke kakhulu.’
Nokho, iqiniso elishiwo yilomhubi alilona elingokwezokwelapha kodwa lingokomBhalo, okungukuthi uJehova ubona konke, ngisho nasekusithekeni kwesibeletho.
Kusukela ngesikhathi sokukhulelwa, ‘zonke izingxenye zomzimba wethu zibhalwa phansi’ emthethweni wezici zofuzo engqamuzaneni yeqanda eselihlangene nesidoda esizalweni sikamama. Futhi, isikhathi ‘ngokuphathelene nezinsuku ebezizokwakheka ngazo,’ ngasinye ngokulandelana okufanele, kunqunywa amawashi amaningi angokwemvelo ahlelwe ngaphakathi emangqamuzaneni.
Umhubi uDavide wayengayazi yonke lemininingwane engokwesayensi, kodwa uJehova, owamphefumulela ukuba alobe lelihubo, wayeyazi, ngoba nguYena owadala umuntu kwasekuqaleni. Ngisho nakuba abacusumbuli bephika ukuthi uDavide owaloba lencwadi, kodwa kwabona kudingeka bavume ukuthi lelihubo labhalwa emakhulwini eminyaka amaningi ngaphambi kukaKristu.
IBhayibheli Ligxila Ekuvimbeleni
Lapho sibuyekeza imithetho kaNkulunkulu eyanikezwa amaIsrayeli ngoMose emakhulwini eminyaka angu-15 ngaphambi kukaKristu, kuyabonakala ukuthi ukugcizelela okukhulu kwalowoMthetho ngokuphathelene nempilo ngokucacile kwakugxiliswe ekuvimbeleni. Ngokwesibonelo, kuDuteronomi 23:13, uthi: “Ube-nesimbo ezikhalini zakho; kuyakuthi lapho uya ngaphandle, umbe ngaso, ubuye usibekele okuphumile kuwe.” Lomthetho wokugqiba indle wawuyisinyathelo esithuthuke kakhulu sokuvimbela ukuze kuvinjelwe izifo ezithwalwa izimpukane salmonellosis, ishigellosis, ityphoid, nezinye izifo eziningi zohudo oluba negazi, ezisabulala izinkulungwane zabantu namuhla ezindaweni lapho lesimiso singalandelwa khona.
ULevitikusi isahluko 11 uyaqinisekisa ngokobufakazi ukuthi isifo singasakazwa isilokazane, isilwane esiququdayo, futhi okubaluleke kakhulu, ngamanzi angcolile. Lokhu kwamuva kufakazela buthule lesimiso sokuthi isifo sibangelwa izilongoshane, okubonisa ukuthi iBhayibheli lithuthuke kakhulu kunoLeeuwenhoek (1683) noma uPasteur (ekhulwini le-19 leminyaka). Kungashiwo okufanayo ngokuvalela umuntu onesifo, okushiwo kuLevitikusi isahluko 13 endabeni yabantu abanochoko.
Imithetho evimbelayo ephathelene nokudla ekuLevitikusi 11:13-20 yayihlanganisa nezilwane ezidla inyama, ezinjengokhozi, amaosprey, nezikhova, kanye nezilwane ezidla izinto ezifile, njengegwababa nenqe. Njengoba zingezokuqala ochungechungeni lohlu lokudla, ziba nesilinganiso esikhulu sikashevu. Izilwane eziphansi ochungechungeni lohlu lokudla zidla loshevu ngezilinganiso ezingezinkulu zona ngokwazo, kuyilapho lezozilwane eziphezulu ochungechungeni lohlu lokudla ziba nenqwaba yawo. UMthetho kaMose wawukuvumela ukudliwa kwezinye izilwane ezidla uhlaza futhi ezazingekho ochungechungeni lohlu lokudla lwezilwane ezinenqwaba kashevu. Enye inyama enqatshelwe yayifukamela izilongoshane eziphila ngezinye njengalezo ezibangela itrichinosis.
Ukwenqabela kweBhayibheli ukusetshenziswa kabi kwegazi, okwakuseMthethweni kaMose ezindaweni eziningana, manje ngemva kweminyaka engu-3 500 ubonakala unengqondo ngokwezokwelapha. (Genesise 9:4; Levitikusi 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-16; 19:26; Duteronomi 12:16; 15:23) Lomthetho ovimbelayo uyaphindwa emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki kuzEnzo 15:20, 29 kanye no-21:25. Ezokwelapha zizama ukunciphisa noma ukungalisebenzisi nhlobo igazi elithekelisiwe kudialysis yezinso, umshini ompompa igazi enhliziyweni, kanye nasekuhlinzweni okuvamile. Isifo sesibindi esinezinhlobo eziningi, ingculaza, isifo okuthiwa icytomegalovirus, kanye nezinye izifo eziningi eziba segazini ziba izikhumbuzo ezidabukisayo kubantu abanolwazi abangayinaki imithetho kaNkulunkulu.
Ukuvivinya umzimba kubalulekile ukuze ube nempilo enhle, futhi iBhayibheli liyazivuma izinzuzo zakho. Ukuvivinya umzimba ngenkuthalo kathathu ngesonto okungenani imizuzu engaba ngu-20 isikhathi ngasinye kunganciphisa izingozi enhliziyweni nasesimisweni somjikelezo wegazi. Kwandisa uhlobo lwecholesterol iHDL evikelayo, kwandisa isilinganiso samandla akho, futhi kwenezele ekubeni kwakho nomzimba olula kanye nomuzwa wokuzizwa uphila. Nakuba iBhayibheli likuqaphela ukubaluleka kokuvivinya umzimba, likubeka endaweni engaphansi kuneyokuthuthukisa ingokomoya okungokubalulekile: “Ukujwayeza umzimba kusiza ingcosana, kepha ukumesaba uNkulunkulu kusiza ezintweni zonke, kunesithembiso salokhukuphila nalokho okuzayo.”—1 Thimothewu 4:8.
Imithetho yokuziphatha yeBhayibheli isebenza njengesivikelo esikhulu ezifweni ezidluliselwa ngobulili, ngokungangabazeki ezazikhona kodwa zingakaziwa noma mhlawumbe zingakaqashelwa izihlakaniphi emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka.—Eksodusi 20:14; Roma 1:26, 27; 1 Korinte 6:9, 18; Galathiya 5:19.
“Incwadi Enemba Kakhulu Engokwesayensi”
UHippocrates wayengudokotela ongumGreki wekhulu lesine nelesihlanu leminyaka B.C.E. oye waziwa ngokuthi “ubaba wezokwelapha,” kodwa okuningi iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngezifo kwabhalwa uMose, cishe eminyakeni eyinkulungwane ngaphambi kwalokho. Nokho, okuphawulekayo, iAMA News yashicilela incwadi eyayivela kudokotela eyayithi: “Abacwaningi bezokwelapha abanolwazi olungcono kakhulu manje abenza umsebenzi omuhle kakhulu bafinyelela esiphethweni sokuthi iBhayibheli incwadi enemba kunazo zonke engokwesayensi. . . . Amaqiniso aphathelene nokuphila, ukuxilongwa kwezifo, ukwelashwa, kanye nemithi yokugoma njengoba kushiwo eBhayibhelini kuthuthuke kakhulu futhi kuthembeke kakhulu kunezimfundiso zikaHippocrates, eziningi okungakaqinisekwa ngazo, futhi ezinye ezitholakala ukuthi ziyiphutha kakhulu.”
UDkt. A. Rendle Short kafushane encwadini yakhe ethi Bible and Modern Medicine, ngemva kokuveza ukuthi imithetho yenhlanzeko phakathi kwezizwe ezazizungeze uIsrayeli yayingeyeqophelo eliphansi kakhulu uma yayikhona, wathi: “Khona-ke, kungokumangalisa kakhulu ukuthi encwadini enjengeBhayibheli, okugonyelwa ngokuthi ayivumelani nesayensi, kufanele kube khona umthetho wenhlanzeko, futhi okumangaza ngendlela efanayo ukuthi isizwe esasisanda kukhululwa nje ebugqilini, ngokuvamile esasinqotshwa izitha futhi sithunjwe njalo ngezikhathi ezithile, kufanele ezincwadini zaso zomthetho sibe neqoqo lemithetho yezempilo elihlakaniphile nelinengqondo kangaka.”
Izinkinga Ezihilela Ingqondo Nomzimba
IBhayibheli liye labonakala lithuthukile ngokwezokwelapha ekuqapheleni kwalo ukuhlobana kwengqondo nomzimba kokunye ukuphazamiseka kwempilo ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba lokho kwamukelwe kabanzi endimeni yezokwelapha. Ngaphezu kwalokho, incazelo yeBhayibheli ngendima yengqondo ekubonakaleni kwesifo esingokomzimba iseyisibonelo sokuqonda okucacile. IzAga 17:22 zithi: “Inhliziyo eyenamileyo iyikhambi elihle, kepha umoya owaphukileyo uyomisa amathambo.” Qaphela ukuthi akukho kwahlulela lapha, kumane nje kuyinkulumo eyiqiniso. Akukho seluleko sokutshela ocindezeleke ngokwemizwelo yokungajabuli ukuba ayeke ukucindezeleka, njengokungathi kulula kanjalo.
Isimo sengqondo esiqondile siwusizo; ukukhathazeka kuyisimo sengqondo esiphambene futhi kuyalimaza. “Ukukhathazeka enhliziyweni yomuntu kuyayithobisa, kepha izwi elihle liyayithokozisa.” (IzAga 12:25) Isahluko 18, nevesi 14, lezAga liyakufanelekela ukuba sizindle ngalo: “Umoya womuntu uyasekela ubuthakathaka bakhe, kepha ngubani ongathwala umoya owaphukileyo na?” Lombhalo usikisela ukuthi ikhono lomuntu lokumelana nanoma iliphi izinga lokugula okungokomzimba lingathuthukiswa ngokuthola ukusekela emandleni akhe angokomoya.
UJames T. Fisher, oyisazi sezifo zengqondo ngokuphathelene nokubaluleka kwesimo sengqondo eNtshumayelweni kaJesu yaseNtabeni wathi: “Ukuba ubungathola ingqikithi yazo zonke izihloko ezinokwethenjwa ezake zabhalwa izazi zokusebenza kwengqondo kanye nezezifo zayo ezinekhono kakhulu ngokuphathelene nempilo yengqondo—ukuba ubungazihlanganisa, futhi uzihlunge, futhi ukhiphe amazwi awukuthemeleza—ukuba ubungathatha ukwaziswa okunobufakazi kuphela, futhi ukuba ubungathola ulwazi olungokwesayensi olungaxutshiwe olushiwo ngokucacile izimbongi ezinekhono kunazo zonke ezikhona, ubungaba nomqondo oyinqaba nongaphelele weNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni.”—A Few Buttons Missing, ikhasi 273.
Imizwelo engokwengqondo ingathonya impilo yethu engokomzimba, kodwa lokhu kukodwa akusho ukuthi ukugula ngokomzimba okungokoqobo akukho. Khona-ke kubalulekile ukuba kuqala kuzanywe ukusiza ngezidingo ezingokomzimba okungenani kutholakale ukuthi isifo sinhloboni, kuyilapho ngesikhathi esifanayo kukhuthazwa isimo esiqondile sengqondo nomoya, okuzosiza lowomuntu ukuba akhuthazele. Lokhu kubaluleke ngokukhethekile lapho kungenzeka kungabi khona indlela eqondile yokuselapha kulesimiso sezinto samanje.
Ngemva kokona kuka-Adamu, ukufa kwaba into evele ibe khona emangqamuzaneni ofuzo aso sonke isintu. (Roma 5:12) Ngakho, ngokuvamile akulungile ukuchaza imbangela yesifo esithile somuntu njengehlobene nengokomoya lakhe. Lokhu kubalulekile ukukukhumbula lapho kubhekanwe nezinkinga zabantu abasesimweni esingokomzwelo esibuthakathaka.
Indima Kadokotela
AmaKristu kufanele asebenzelane kanjani nodokotela kanye nezokwelapha zanamuhla? Ekuhloleni iBhayibheli, asisitholi isisekelo esingokomBhalo sokunika odokotela inhlonipho engabafanele noma ukubheka ubuchwepheshe bezokwelapha njengobuwukuphela kwethemba lempilo enhle. Kunalokho, kunobufakazi obubonisa okwehlukile. UMarku usitshela ‘ngowesifazane owayenomopho’ iminyaka eminingi “owayethole izinhlungu eziningi kodokotela abaningi, futhi owayechithe konke ayenakho, engasizakalanga ngalutho, kodwa kunalokho wagula kakhulu.” (Marku 5:25-29, NW) Nakuba lesifo esivamile sivame ukwelashwa ngokuphumelelayo namuhla, izifo eziningi azelapheki, futhi njalo kutholwa izifo eziningi ezintsha ezingelapheki.
Nokho, iBhayibheli alilusekeli uhlangothi olweqisayo oluthathwa abanye ababheka ukwelapha ngemithi okuyisiko njengokunosizo oluncane noma okungenalo nhlobo. Abanye abanandaba nodokotela futhi esikhundleni sakhe babheka kubo ngokwabo noma ezinye izindlela ezingezona ezokwelapha ezingase zibe indlela esetshenziswayo ngalesosikhathi. KwabaseKolose 4:14, incazelo kaLuka njengodokotela “othandekayo” ngokungangabazeki yayibhekisele ezimfanelweni zakhe ezingokomoya kunasemakhonweni akhe ezokwelapha. Nokho, ilungelo alijabulela lokubhala ingxenye yemiBhalo Engcwele ngaphansi kokuphefumulelwa ngokunokwenzeka lalingeke linikezwe umuntu owayenendlela yokwelapha ngokungavumelani nezindinganiso ezamukelekayo noma ezingokombhalo.
Kunobufakazi obusikisela ukuthi uLuka wayelapha ngendlela eyayisetshenziswa ngesikhathi sakhe, esebenzisa amagama kanye nencazelo yezokwelapha esikisela ithonya likaHippocrates. Nakuba uHippocrates ayenganembi njalo, wazama ukwenza ukwelapha kube nengqondo futhi walahla inkolelo-ze kanye nezimfundiso mbumbulu ezingokwenkolo zezokwelapha. Futhi, umfanekiso olula kaJesu okuLuka 5:31 othi, “Abaphilileyo abadingi inyanga, ngabagulayo bodwa,” wawungeke ube nakubaluleka ukuba kwakungamukelwa ukuthi labo abanolwazi lwezokwelapha babenqaba usizo oluthile ekubhekaneni nezifo.
Asikho isisekelo esingokomBhalo sokuba nombono oweqisayo wokwenqaba ukusetshenziswa kwama-antibiotic, noma ama-antiseptic, noma izidambisa zinhlungu lapho kunesidingo sokuba zisetshenziswe. UJeremiya 46:11 no–51:8 ukhuluma ngebhalisamu lakwaGileyadi okungenzeka ukuthi lalinezithako ezelaphayo ezazidambisa izinhlungu kanye nenzuzo yokwenza igciwane lingaqhubeki. Asikho isimo esingokomBhalo noma esingokwemfundiso esimelene nokuphuza imithi.
Nokho, izilinganiso ezinkulu zama-antibiotic azizange zikwazi ukumelana nokungavikeleki okuqhubekayo ezifweni ezithathelwanayo ezithwalwa izimpukane, omiyane, kanye neminenke—okuyisifo esingu ngqá phambili ekubangeleni ukufa emhlabeni wonke. Izisebenzi zezempilo kuye kwadingeka ziphindele emuva futhi ziqale ngezimiso eziyisisekelo zeBhayibheli zokulahlwa kwendle okungenangozi, ukuvikelwa kwamanzi, ukunqandwa kwezinto ezithwalwa izinambuzane, kanye nezixwayiso ekuthintaneni kwabantu omunye nomunye kanye nokuya kwesandla emlonyeni. Muva nje ngawo-1970, abahlengikazi kanye nodokotela baye bakhunjuzwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngezimpawu ezinanyathiselwa kosinki basezibhedlela nangenhla kwemibhede yeziguli ezifundeka kanje: “Geza Izandla”—okuyindlela yokuqala yokuvimbela ukusakazeka kwesifo.
Izwi Lesixwayiso
Labo abanikeza izeluleko zezempilo—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi udokotela, ichiropractor, ihomeopath, noma umngane onezinhloso ezinhle kodwa ngokunokwenzeka ongenalo ulwazi—baba nomthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu noma nini lapho beluleka othile onempilo engeyinhle. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi uma iseluleko abasinikezayo silimaza noma siphambukisa, sibandlulula, noma sibambezela usizo oluye lwaba oluphumelelayo ezikhathini eziningi. Kunezixwayiso ezanele eBhayibhelini ezibhekiswe kubelaphi nasezigulini ukuba baqaphele imilingo kanye nemimoya kulokho okungase kube ukufuna komuntu siqu usizo ngamehlo amnyama. Khumbula izAga 14:15: “Ongenalwazi uyakholwa ngamazwi onke.”
Ingabe izimiso ezihlelwe emiBhalweni Engcwele ziwusizo ekulondolozeni impilo namuhla? Njengoba nje injongo eyinhloko yoMthetho kaMose kwakungeyokuvikela, ngokufanayo nanamuhla, indlela yokuvikela ekunakekeleni impilo iye yabonakala iyinzuzo kakhulu kunaleyo ngokuyinhloko esekelwe ekwelapheni. Isifundo sanamuhla seNhlangano Yezwe Yezempilo ekuzameni ukuqalisa ukwelashwa kwezifo kwanamuhla emazweni ampofu yilesi: “Ukuvimbela kungcono kunokwelapha.”
Ekuphetheni, umKristu kufanele abe nombono wenhlonipho, nowesikhathi eside ngempilo enomgomo wokusebenzisa impilo enhle kube udumo kuNkulunkulu ekuqhubekiseleni phambili umsebenzi ojabulisayo woMbuso. Futhi ngaphansi kokubusa kwalowoMbuso, isithembiso siwukuthi: “Abakhé khona abayikusho ukuthi: Ngiyagula.”—Isaya 33:24.
[Isithombe ekhasini 4]
“Amathambo ami ayengafihlekile kuwe lapho ngenziwa ekusithekeni”