Ingabe IBhayibheli Lithembisa IPharadesi Lasemhlabeni?
“IPHARADESI igama lezulu,” kusho iThe World Book Encyclopedia. “UJesu wasebenzisa leligama ngalengqondo lapho ekhuluma nesela elalifa esiphambanweni.”
Kodwa ingabe ngempela uJesu Kristu walithembisa isela elalifa iPharadesi lasezulwini? Noma walithembisa iPharadesi lasemhlabeni?
Isithembiso Sokuphila Kwasezulwini
Akukho kungabaza ngokuthi uJesu wabathembisa ukuphila ezulwini abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile. Ngobusuku obandulela ukukhashelwa kwakhe, wathembisa: “Ekhaya likaBaba kukhona izindlu eziningi; . . . ngiya ukunilungisela indawo. Nanxa ngiya nginilungisela indawo, ngobuye ngize, nginibuyisele kimi ukuba lapho ngikhona nibe-khona nani.” Yeka isithembiso esihle sokuphila kwasezulwini!—Johane 14:2, 3.
UJesu uyobusa ezulwini njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Futhi uNkulunkulu ubekhetha phakathi kwesintu abantu ukuba babuse naye. IBhayibheli liyasitshela ukuthi uKristu wenzani ngalaba abakhethiweyo: “Wabenza babe-ngumbuso nabapristi kuNkulunkulu wethu, babuse emhlabeni.”—IsAmbulo 5:10; 2 Thimothewu 2:11, 12.
Umphostoli uJohane wathi labo “abathengwa ebantwini” ukuba babuse noKristu ezulwini bayoba izi-144 000. Bayoba “umhlambi omncane” uma beqhathaniswa nabo bonke labo abamukela ukuphila okuphakade. (IsAmbulo 14:1-3; Luka 12:32; Johane 10:16) Kwabanjalo ababenethemba lokwamukelwa ezulwini, uKristu wathembisa: “Onqobayo ngiyakumnika ukuba adle kuwo umuthi wokuphila oseParadisi likaNkulunkulu.” (IsAmbulo 2:7; Johane 16:33; 1 Johane 5:4) ‘LeliParadisi likaNkulunkulu’ elingokomfanekiso lisemazulwini angabonakali.
Nokho, ingabe kungokufanelekile ukucabangela ukuthi izulu ukuphela kwePharadesi elibekwe phambi kwabo bonke abalandeli bakaJesu? Njengoba umenzi wobubi onozwela engazange alinqobe izwe ngokuphishekela inkambo yokwethembeka kuNkulunkulu kodwa ayebulawa ngokufanele ngezenzo zakhe ezimbi, iliphi iPharadesi uKristu amthembisa lona?
Liyini IPharadesi Elathenjiswa Umenzi Wobubi?
Omunye wabenzi bobubi owayelenga eceleni kukaJesu wathi: “Wena awusiye uKristu na? Zisindise kanye nathi.” Kodwa umenzi wobubi onozwela wamkhuza. Khona-ke, ephendukela kuJesu, wathi: “Ngikhumbule, nxa usufike embusweni wakho.” Kulokho uJesu wenza isithembiso esiphawulekayo: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe namuhla: ‘Uzakuba nami ePharadesi.’”—Luka 23:39-43, NW.
Likuphi leloPharadesi elathenjiswa? Indlela lelivesi elihunyushwe ngayo kweziningi izinguqulo zamaBhayibheli iye yathonya umbono wabantu abaningi ngokuqondene nalokhu. Amaningi amaBhayibheli afundeka njengeBhayibheli lesiZulu: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Namuhla uzakuba nami eParadisi.” Khona-ke, ngokwalezinguqulo, ngalo lolosuku uJesu nomenzi wobubi abafa ngalo baya ePharadesi. Kodwa, kwakungenzeka kanjani lokho, ngoba iBhayibheli lithi uJesu waya eHayidese, noma eSheoli, lapho efa? Umphostoli uPetru, ekhuluma ngokuvuka kwaKhe lapho ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu, wathi: “Akashiywanga eHayidese, [iSheoli, ngesiHeberu] . . . UJesu lo uNkulunkulu wamvusa.”—IzEnzo 2:31, 32; IHubo 16:10.
Njengoba ngokusobala uJesu wayeseSheoli noma eHayidese (ithuna elivamile lesintu), ngaphambi kokuvuka kwakhe, iCommentary on the Holy Scriptures kaJ. P. Lange ithi: “Nokho, ngaleliPharadesi kumelwe siqonde ukuthi akulona iPharadesi lasezulwini . . . kodwa liyingxenye yeSheoli emelene neGehena, nayo futhi eyayibizwa ngokuthi iPharadesi.”
U-D. D. Whedon kweyakhe iCommentary on the Gospels unikeza isizinda esithile maqondana nalombono ngePharadesi, echaza: “Leligama [elithi Pharadesi) ladluliselwa iBandla lamaJuda [lisuka ePharadesi lokuqala e-Edene] liya engxenyeni ebusisiwe yeHayidese, noma isimo esiphakathi kokufa nokuvuka. Ngaphandle kwakho konke ukungabaza kwakuyinhloso kaJesu ukuchaza lokhu, ngokuthi iPharadesi, eseleni elalifa.”
Ingabe iPharadesi “ingxenye ebusisiwe yeHayidese?” Lona ngokusobala kwakuwumbono owasungulwa abafundisi bamaJuda; ngokuqinisekile awuyona into efundiswa emiBhalweni engcwele yesiHeberu. Abaningi abasontayo namuhla abawamukeli umqondo wokuthi iPharadesi liyingxenye yeHayidese. IThe Catholic Encyclopedia iyaphawula: “Ngokwencazelo evamile yezazi zenkolo zamaKatolika nabahlaziyi, ipharadesi kulendaba lisetshenziswa njengelinye igama lezulu lababusisiweyo lapho lelosela liyoya khona noMsindisi.”
Abalobi abaningi bamaProthestani bavumelana nalombono wamaKatolika. U-J. G. Butler, encwadini yakhe iThe Bible-Work, uthi: “Yeka usuku okwaba yilo kuleyondoda eyayifa! Ekuseni yayiyisoni igwetshwe phambi kwenkantolo yokwahlulela emhlabeni; ngaphambi kokuba ukuhlwa kusibekele amagquma aseSiyoni yamukelwa enkantolo yasezulwini.”
Kodwa ake ume! Siye sabona ngokweBhayibheli, ukuthi uJesu waya eSheoli, noma eHayidese, lapho efa, hhayi ezulwini. Wayefile izinsuku ezintathu, engezwa ethuneni elivamile lesintu. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Ngakho wayengenakuya ezulwini. IBhayibheli lithi uJesu wabuyela ezulwini emva kwezinsuku ezingama-40 ngemva kokuvuka kwakhe.—IzEnzo 1:3, 6-11.
Ngokusobala, uJesu wayethembisa umenzi wobubi ukuthi wayeyovuselwa ePharadesi; uJesu wayengasho ukuthi wayezophila ePharadesi ngalo lolosuku. Ngakho ukuhunyushwa okuqondile kwamazwi kaJesu yilokhu: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe namuhla, Uzakuba nami ePharadesi.” Izinguqulo eziningi zamaBhayibheli zifundeka ngalendlela, enye yazo (iLamsa) ithi embhalweni wayo waphansi: “Imibhalo yasendulo yayingenazo izimpawu zenkulumo. Ikhefana lalingafakwa ngaphambi noma ngemva kukanamuhla.”
Ngakho-ke liyokuba kuphi iPharadesi uJesu alithembisa umenzi wobubi? Futhi liyojatshulelwa nini?
IPharadesi Lasemhlabeni
Khumbula, ekuqaleni sikhulume ngendalo kaNkulunkulu yePharadesi e-Edene khona lapha emhlabeni. Ngokusobala kwakuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba abe nePharadesi lasemhlabeni lapho isintu sasiyojabulela ukuphila phakade ngokuthula nokulondeka. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyovumela ukuba lenjongo yakhe ingagcwaliseki? Akunakwenzeka. Uthi: “Ngiyakwenza yonke intando yami.” “Ngikhulumile, ngiyakukufikisa.” (Isaya 46:10, 11) Yebo, uNkulunkulu uyokwenza lokho akujongile! Futhi isithembiso sakhe yilesi: “Abalungileyo bazakudla ifa lomhlaba, bahlale kuwo njalonjalo.”—IHubo 37:29.
Ngakho-ke lapho sifunda ngesithembiso sikaJesu sePharadesi kumenzi wobubi, ezingqondweni zethu simelwe sibe nombono womhlaba owenziwe waba indawo enhle okungahlalwa kuyo, njengengadi egcwele izithelo, ngoba yilokho igama elithi “pharadesi” elikushoyo. Ingabe uJesu uyoba lapha emhlabeni oyiPharadesi nalowo owayengumenzi wobubi? Cha, uJesu uyoba sezulwini ebusa njengeNkosi ePharadesi lasemhlabeni. Uyoba naleyondoda ngengqondo yokuthi uyoyivusa kwabafileyo futhi anakekele izidingo zayo, kokubili ngokomoya nangokwenyama.
Ngokusobala umenzi wobubi wayengesiye umKristu othembekile onqobayo owayengafanelekela ukuphila njengombusi ezulwini kanye noKristu. Wenza izinto ezimbi, njengoba kwakwenza izigidi zabantu uJesu ayozivusa. (IzEnzo 24:15) Kodwa benza lezizinto ezimbi ngoba babengayazi intando kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke ePharadesi bayofundiswa ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu, futhi bayoba nethuba lokubonisa ukuthi bayamthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu ngokwenza intando yakhe.
Umbono WePharadesi
Nakuba ifinyelela esiphethweni sokuthi iPharadesi “liyindawo ehlukile emhlabeni,” iNew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Ukuthula nokulunga okuphelele, okuyolethwa inkosi yobuMesiya kuyoba njengokwaleloPharadesi elikuIs[aya[ 11:6-11.” Cabangela iPharadesi elihle elichazwe lapho. Ngemva kokukhuluma ngokubusa kweNkosi yobuMesiya, uJesu Kristu, lesiprofetho esishukumisa inhliziyo esikuIsaya isahluko se-11 siqhubeka sithi Isa 11 emavesini 6 kuya ku-9:
“Impisi iyakuhlala newundlu, ingwe ibuthise ndawonye nezinyane lembuzi, ithole nebhongo lengonyama kukhuluphaliswe kanyekanye, nomntwana omncane uyakukuqhuba. Inkomo nebhere kuyakuklaba, amazinyane akho abuthise ndawonye, ingonyama idle utshani njengenkabi. Umntwana oncelayo uyakudlala ngasemgodini webululu, olunyuliweyo elulele isandla sakhe esiseleni sikamantshingeyana. Abayikwenza okubi, bangachithi entabeni yonke yami engcwele, ngokuba umhlaba uyakugcwala ukumazi uJehova njengamanzi asibekela ulwandle.”
Kukuphi lapho izimo zePharadesi ezichazwe kahle kangaka lapha ziyogcwaliseka khona? Abafundisi benkolo beLobukholwa abakholelwa ukuthi ziyogcwaliseka ngempela emhlabeni. “Zonke izici zomfanekiso onikezwe nguIsaya zigcizelela ukuba khona kwesimo esingokwenyama emhlabeni,” kuvuma uProfesa J. P. Lange. Kodwa uyanezela: “Lesiprofetho ngeke sigcwaliseke kulembulunga. Kufanele sicabangele izisekelo ezintsha ezingokomoya, nesimo esingokwenyama esitusekayo esiyokwenzelwa ukugcwaliseka kwalokhu.”
Kodwa ingabe lesiprofetho sichaza ngokomfanekiso ukuthula nokulondeka abantu abayokujabulela epharadesi lasezulwini? Lutho neze! Sichaza izimo zalapha emhlabeni. Kakade namuhla enhlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni kabanzi kukhona isimo sokuchuma okungokomoya, ukuthula nokulondeka. njengoba kufanekiswe ngalendlela enhle ngumprofethi kaNkulunkulu uIsaya. Nokho, ingabe izimo ezinjalo zepharadesi ziyokwanda ukuze zigcwaliseke ngendlela engokoqobo?
Iqiniso, abaningi abafundisi benkolo beLobukholwa bangase bawuhleke usulu umbono wokuthi uNkulunkulu uyokwenza izilwane zibe nokuthula esinye nesinye kanye nabantu futhi. Kodwa singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke uyoluletha lolushintsho olumangalisayo ezilwaneni. Njengoba omunye umhlaziyi weBhayibheli aphawula ngokuphathelene nalesiprofetho seBhayibheli: “Uma konke bekungokomfanekiso, isiza ngani imininingwane enjalo ngokuqondene noshintsho ezilwaneni? Kungabonakala futhi ukuthi kukhona ukufana noma ukuqhathaniseka nesimo sangaphambi kokuba umuntu awele esonweni. Ngaphambi kokungena kwesono ezweni izilwane zaziwusizo kumuntu futhi zaqanjwa nguye amagama. Konke uNkulunkulu ayekwenzile kwakukuhle. Ubutha phakathi komuntu nezilwane, babungaziwa.”
Ngokuqinisekile, yeka ukufana okuhle okuphakathi kwalencazelo yesiprofetho esikuIsaya ngokubusa kukaMesiya nezimo ezazikhona ensimini yase-Edene! Lapho, “ukumazi uJehova” kwakwandile, njengoba ngokungangabazeki uNkulunkulu ayekhulumisana nendodana yakhe yasemhlabeni ephelele, uAdamu. IBhayibheli lisho ngokukhanyayo ukuthi izilwane ngalesosikhathi zazinikwe “yonke imifino eluhlaza ibe-ngukudla.” Zazingadli ezinye izilwane. (Genesise 1:30) Futhi izilwane zazizithoba kumuntu, zilalela umyalo wokuba zize phambi kwakhe ukuze ziqanjwe amagama.—Genesise 2:19, 20.
Yeka ubuhle okuyoba yibo ukubona isimo esinjalo sobunye nokulondeka esibuyiselwe emhlabeni wonke! Yeka ilungelo okuyoba yilo ukujabulela iPharadesi elikhazimulayo lasemhlabeni lapho bonke abantu bethandana omunye nomunye nalapho lokho kuthula okuhle phakathi kwabantu kuyobonakaliswa ngisho nawukuphela kobutha phakathi kwezilwane! Ngempela, iBhayibheli liyalithembisa iPharadesi lasemhlabeni!
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
Ingabe lezizimo ziyovama ngempela emhlabeni?