Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi Balo Magazini . . .

Ingabe IGehena Liyindawo Yokuhlushwa Emlilweni?

▪ Ekulandiseni kwamaVangeli, uJesu uxwayisa abalandeli bakhe ngesahlulelo seGehena. Ngokusobala, wayehlose ukuba lesi sixwayiso singathathwa kalula. Nokho, ingabe wayebhekisele ekuhlushweni phakade esihogweni esivuthayo?—Mathewu 5:22.

Okokuqala, ake sibheke leli gama. Igama lesiGreki elithi Geʹen·na lifana nelesiHebheru elithi geh Hin·nomʹ, elisho ukuthi “isigodi sikaHinomu,” noma uma seliphelele geh veneh-Hin·nomʹ, elisho ukuthi isigodi samadodana kaHinomu. (Joshuwa 15:8; 2 AmaKhosi 23:10) Le ndawo, namuhla ebizwa ngokuthi iWadi er-Rababi, iyisigodi esijulile esiwumngcingo esiseningizimu naseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeJerusalema.

Ngezikhathi zamakhosi akwaJuda, kusukela ngekhulu lesi-8 B.C.E., le ndawo yayisetshenziswa amaqaba lapho enza imikhutshana yawo, ehlanganisa ukunikela ngezingane emlilweni. (2 IziKronike 28:1-3; 33:1-6) Umprofethi uJeremiya wabikezela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyokwahlulela abantu baseJudiya ngobubi babo ngokuba babulawe abaseBhabhiloni kuso kanye lesi sigodi.a—Jeremiya 7:30-33; 19:6, 7.

Isazi esingumJuda, uDavid Kimhi (cishe sango-1160 kuya cishe ku-1235 C.E.), sithi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lesi sigodi sashintshwa saba indawo yokulahla udoti eJerusalema. Le ndawo yaba eyokushisa udoti futhi umlilo wawugcinwa uvutha. Noma yini eyayitshingwa kule ndawo yayisha ingqongqe, ibe umlotha.

Abahumushi abaningi beBhayibheli baye bakhetha ukuhumusha igama elithi Geʹen·na ngokuthi “isihogo.” (Mathewu 5:22, iBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile) Ngani? Ngoba babehlobanisa umbono wamaqaba wokuthi ngemva kokufa ababi bahlushwa emlilweni kanye nomlilo ongokoqobo wasesigodini esingaphandle kweJerusalema. Kepha uJesu akazange ahlobanise iGehena nokuhlushwa.

UJesu wayazi ukuthi kwawona umcabango wokushiswa kwabantu bephila uyenyanyeka kuYise wasezulwini, uJehova. Ebhekisela endleleni amadodana kaJuda ayesebenzisa ngayo iGehena elalaziwa ngezinsuku zomprofethi uJeremiya, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Akhé izindawo eziphakeme zaseThofeti, elisesigodini sendodana kaHinomu, ukuze ashise amadodana awo namadodakazi awo emlilweni, into engingazange ngiyiyaleze futhi engazange ifike enhliziyweni yami.” (Jeremiya 7:31) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umbono wokuhlushwa kwabafileyo ungqubuzana nobuntu obunothando bukaNkulunkulu kanye nemfundiso ecacile yeBhayibheli yokuthi abafileyo “abazi lutho.”—UmShumayeli 9:5, 10.

UJesu wasebenzisa elithi “Gehena” ukuze afanekise isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu sokubhubhisa phakade. Ngakho-ke, elithi “Gehena” linencazelo efanayo nenkulumo ethi “ichibi lomlilo” etholakala encwadini yesAmbulo. Zombili lezi zinkulumo zifanekisela ukubhujiswa kwabathile phakade futhi bangabi nethemba lovuko.—Luka 12:4, 5; IsAmbulo 20:14, 15.

[Umbhalo waphansi]