Umbono WeBhayibheli

Ingabe Amakhosi Amathathu Avakashela UJesu EBetlehema?

NGEMVA kokuzalwa kukaJesu, abantu abavelele baseMpumalanga bafika eBetlehema bezomkhothamela njengenkosi yamaJuda. Kuze kube namuhla abantu abaningi abagubha uKhisimusi emhlabeni wonke bayakukhumbula lokho kuhambela.

Kwezinye izindawo abantu benza imibukiso yoKuzalwa KukaJesu eveza izivakashi zaseMpumalanga zingamakhosi amathathu afika nezipho kuJesu owayesanda kuzalwa. Kanti kwamanye amazwe, izingane ziyamasha zigqoke izingubo “zamaKhosi Angcwele.” Ngisho nakuba sekudlule amakhulu eminyaka angu-20, abantu kuyo yonke indawo basazikhumbula lezo zivakashi ezingajwayelekile. Zazingobani ngempela?

Ingabe Zazingamakhosi?

Umlando ogciniwe walesi senzakalo utholakala eBhayibhelini encwadini kaMathewu. Lapho siyafunda: “Ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu . . . ababhula ngezinkanyezi abavela empumalanga bafika ngolunye usuku eJerusalema babuza, ‘Iphi inkosi yamaJuda esanda kuzalwa? Sibone inkanyezi yayo iphuma futhi sizile ukuze siyikhulekele.’” (Mathewu 2:1, 2, New American Bible) Kungani le nguqulo yeBhayibheli ibiza lezi zivakashi ezivela empumalanga ngokuthi ababhula ngezinkanyezi ingasho ukuthi amakhosi?

Imibhalo lapha isebenzisa ubuningi begama lesiGreki elithi maʹgos. Izinguqulo zeBhayibheli ezihlukahlukene zilihumusha ngokuthi “amadoda ahlakaniphile,” “ababhula ngezinkanyezi,” noma “ababuki bezinkanyezi” noma nje zilihumushe ngokwezwi nezwi ngokuthi “iZazi.” Leli gama libhekisela kulabo abanikeza izeluleko benze nezibikezelo ezisekelwe ekumeni kwezinkanyezi namaplanethi. Ngakho-ke iBhayibheli lichaza lezi zivakashi zaseBetlehema ngokuthi ababhuli, ababesebenzisa imilingo, uNkulunkulu angayivumeli.—Duteronomi 18:10-12.

Ingabe futhi zazingamakhosi? Uma zaziyiwo, kunengqondo ukulindela ukuthi iBhayibheli ngabe lasho. UMathewu 2:1-12 usebenzisa igama elithi “inkosi” izikhathi ezine, kwesinye ubhekisela kuJesu, kanti izikhathi ezintathu ubhekisela kuHerode. Kodwa akukho nakanye lapho ebiza khona iZazi ngokuthi amakhosi. Kuleli phuzu i-Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Akekho uPapa weSonto othi iZazi zazingamakhosi.” NeBhayibheli alisho.

Ingabe Zazintathu?

Inani leZazi alishiwo eBhayibhelini. Noma kunjalo, imibukiso yoKuzalwa KukaJesu namaculo kaKhisimuzi asekela inkolelo evamile yokuthi zazintathu. Ngokusobala lokhu kususelwa eqinisweni lokhu kwakunezinhlobo ezintathu zezipho. Mayelana nalokhu, iBhayibheli lithi: “Futhi bavula amagugu abo bamupha izipho [uJesu], igolide nenhlaka yempepho nemure.”—Mathewu 2:11.

Ingabe kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi ngoba iZazi zamupha izinhlobo ezintathu zezipho, khona-ke kumelwe ukuba iZazi zazintathu? Make sicabangele ukulandisa kwesinye isivakashi esivelele sakwa-Israyeli. Inkosikazi yaseSheba yake yavakashela iNkosi uSolomoni yayipha “amakha, negolide eliningi kakhulu, namatshe ayigugu.” (1 AmaKhosi 10:2) Nakuba kukhulunywa ngezinhlobo ezintathu zezipho, okuwukuphela komuntu okukhulunywa ngaye njengomuphi, yinkosikazi yaseSheba. Inani lezipho eyaziletha alibonisi ukuthi bathathu abantu abeza kuSolomoni kuleso senzakalo. Ngokufanayo, izipho ezintathu ezaphiwa uJesu azihlangene ngalutho nenani labantu abamupha zona.

I-Catholic Encyclopedia iyaphawula: “Abalobi bamaVangeli abalisho inani leZazi, futhi ayikho inkolelo eqinisekile ngale ndaba. Abanye oPapa bakhuluma ngeZazi ezintathu; kungenzeka kakhulu ukuthi bathonywe inani lezipho.” Iyaqhubeka isho ukuthi imisebenzi yobuciko ehlukahlukene ibonisa ezimbili, ezintathu, ezine, ngisho neziyisishiyagalombili zivakashele uJesu. Ezinye izinkolelo zithi zazingu-12. Ayikho ngempela indlela yokuthola ukuthi iZazi zazingaki.

Indaba Edumile Kodwa Engelona Iqiniso

Ngokuphambene nenkolelo edumile, iZazi zaqale zafika eJerusalema ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu, hhayi eBetlehema. Zazingekho ngesikhathi uJesu ezalwa. Kamuva, lapho ziya eBetlehema, iBhayibheli lithi “lapho bengena endlini bambona umntwana omncane.” (Mathewu 2:1, 11) Ngakho-ke kusobala ukuthi ngesikhathi iZazi zivakashela uJesu, umkhaya wakubo wawusuphindele endaweni yokuhlala evamile. Azimtholanga esemkhombeni.

NgokwemiBhalo, indaba edumile yamakhosi amathathu ayekhothamela uJesu lapho ezalwa ayilona iqiniso. Njengoba kushiwo ngenhla, iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi iZazi ezavakashela uJesu zazingewona amakhosi kodwa zazingababhula ngezinkanyezi ababesebenzisa imilingo. Ukulandisa kwemiBhalo akusho ukuthi zazingaki. Futhi, azivakashelanga uJesu lapho ezalwa, lapho esemkhombeni, kodwa esikhathini esithile kamuva, lapho umkhaya wakubo wawusuhlala endlini.

Indaba edumile yamakhosi amathathu nezinye izindaba zikaKhisimusi eziyisiko, nakuba zingelona iqiniso ngokwemiBhalo, zibhekwa njengezindaba zamaholide ezingenangozi. Nokho, amaKristu ayayazisa kakhulu indlela yokukhulekela engenawo amanga. Yile ndlela noJesu ngokwakhe ayezizwa ngayo. Lapho ethandaza kuYise, wake wathi: “Izwi lakho liyiqiniso.” (Johane 17:17) Wathi ‘abakhulekeli beqiniso bayokhulekela uBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso, ngoba ngempela uBaba ufuna abanjalo ukuba bamkhulekele.’—Johane 4:23.

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

“Ukuhlonishwa kweZazi”