Ukwenyuka KukaMariya—Ingabe Imfundiso Engenakuphikiswa Eyembulwe UNkulunkulu?

UKWENYUKA KukaMariya—imfundiso yokuthi uMariya, unina kaJesu, wenyukela ezulwini ngomzimba wenyama—ithandwa yizigidi zamaRoma Katolika. Isazi-mlando uGeorge William Douglas sithi: “Ukwenyuka KukaMariya, noma ukuyiswa ezulwini, kweNcasakazi uMariya bekuhlonishwa [isikhathi eside] njengedili lakhe elikhulu kunawo wonke nanjengomunye wemicimbi eyinhloko yonyaka weSonto.”

Nokho, izazi zenkolo ezingamaKatolika ziyavuma ukuthi iBhayibheli alikhulumi ngokwenyukela ezulwini okunjalo kukaMariya. Empeleni, ambalwa amaKatolika aqaphelayo ukuthi lemfundiso ethandwayo sekungamakhulu eminyaka kuphikiswana ngayo futhi iyisihloko sezinkulumo-mpikiswano ezishubile. Kwenzeka kanjani-ke ukuba isonto lamukele Ukwenyuka KukaMariya njengemfundiso engenakuphikiswa?a Ingabe sikhona noma yisiphi isizathu sokuyibheka njengeyembulwe ngokwaphezulu? Izimpendulo zalemibuzo akuzona nje ezokusenza sibe nolwazi. Zibaluleke kakhulu kunoma yibaphi abathandi beqiniso.

Ukuvela Kwalemfundiso Engenakuphikiswa

Kungase kukumangaze ukwazi ukuthi emakhulwini okuqala eminyaka ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, umqondo woKwenyukela KukaMariya ezulwini wawungavamile ngokuphelele ekucabangeni kwamaKristu. Isazi senkolo esingumKatolika uJean Galot siyabhala kuyi-Osservatore Romano: “Ekuqaleni, ayikho inkumbulo yokufa kukaMariya eyayihlobene nomphakathi wamaKristu.”

Nokho, ngemva kokuba imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ibe imfundiso yesonto engokomthetho, uMariya waqala ukunikezwa indima ebaluleke ngokwandayo. Waqala ukubizwa ngamagama akhazimulayo, njengokuthi “uNina KaNkulunkulu,” “owakhulelwa ngaphandle kwesono,” “uMlamulelikazi,” nokuthi “iNdlovukazi Yezulu.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, isazi senkolo uGalot sithi, “ukungakhulumi ngesiko elidala kakhulu eliphathelene nokufa kukaMariya akuzange kuwanelise ngokugcwele lawomaKristu ayebheka uMariya njengophelele futhi efuna ukumhlonipha. Ngakho-ke, izincazelo zoKwenyuka KukaMariya, ezaziwumkhiqizo wokucabanga okuthandwayo, zaqala ukuba khona.”

Cishe ngekhulu lesine C.E., lokho okuthiwa i-apocrypha yezazi zemfundiso yokwenyuka kukaMariya kwaqala ukusakazeka. Lemibhalo yanikeza ukulandisa okuhlotshisiwe kokwenyukela kukaMariya ezulwini okucatshangelwayo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngombhalo obizwa ngokuthi “Ukulala KukaNina Ongcwele KaNkulunkulu.” Kuye kwathiwa wabhalwa umphostoli uJohane, kodwa cishe walotshwa eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-400 ngemva kokufa kukaJohane. Ngokwalokhu kulandisa okungamanga, abaphostoli bakaKristu babuthana ngokuyisimangaliso kuMariya, lapho bambona ephulukisa izimpumputhe, izithulu, nezixhwala. Ekugcineni, njengoba kushiwo lapha, abaphostoli bezwa iNkosi ithi kuMariya: “Bheka, umzimba wakho oyigugu uyakuyiswa epharadesi, futhi umphefumulo wakho ongcwele uyoba semazulwini ezintweni eziyigugu zikaBaba ekukhazimuleni okungenakulinganiswa, lapho kunokuthula nokujabula kwezingelosi ezingcwele khona, kuze kube phakade.”

Amakholwa asabela kanjani emibhalweni enjalo? Isazi semfundiso ehlobene neNcasakazi uMariya uRené Laurentin siyachaza: “Ukusabela kwakuhlukene kakhulu. Ngaphandle kokucabanga ngayo ngokwengeziwe, abathatheka kalula bakhohliswa ukukhanga kwendaba ezwakala imnandi. Abanye bayazicasukela lezizindaba eziguquguqukayo, ngokuvamile eziphikisanayo futhi ezingenalo igunya.” Ngakho-ke kuye kwaba nzima ukwamukela ngokomthetho umbono woKwenyuka KukaMariya. Okwanezela ekudidekeni kwakuyiqiniso lokuthi izinsalela okucatshangwa ukuthi ezomzimba kaMariya zazihlonishwa kwezinye izindawo. Lokhu kwakunzima ukukuvumelanisa nenkolelo yokuthi umzimba wakhe wenyama wayiswa ezulwini.

Ekhulwini le-13, uThomas Aquinas, njengezinye izazi eziningi, wayecabanga ukuthi Ukwenyuka KukaMariya kwakungenakuchazwa njengemfundiso engenakuphikiswa, njengoba nje “nemiBhalo ingafundisi ngakho.” Nakuba kunjalo, lenkolelo iyaqhubeka ithandwa, futhi imifanekiso yokwenyuka kukaMariya okucatshangelwayo yabadwebi abaqashelwayo abanjengoRaphael, Correggio, Titian, Carracci, noRubens yaqala ukwanda.

Lendaba yahlala ingaxazululiwe kwaze kwaba muva nje. NgokukaGiuseppe Filograssi ongumJesuit, kwaze kwaba sengxenyeni yokuqala yekhulu lethu leminyaka, izazi ezingamaKatolika ziqhubeka zisakaza “izifundo nezingxoxo ezingavumelani ngaso sonke isikhathi” nombono woKwenyuka KukaMariya osekelwe ekucabangeni. Ngisho nopapa, abanjengoLeo XIII, Pius X, noBenedict XV, “babengasho lutho ngalendaba.” Kodwa ngo-November 1, 1950, ekugcineni isonto lathatha ukuma okuqinile. UPapa uPius XII wamemezela: “Sikuchaza njengemfundiso engenakuphikiswa eyembulwe uNkulunkulu ukuthi lapho inkambo yokuphila kwakhe kwasemhlabeni iphela, uNina KaNkulunkulu Omsulwa, uMariya ohlala eyiNcasakazi wenyuswa ngomzimba nangomphefumulo wayiswa enkazimulweni yasezulwini.”—Munificentissimus Deus.

Inkolelo yokuya kukaMariya ngomzimba ezulwini yayingaseyona indaba yokuzikhethela phakathi kwamaKatolika—manje yase iyimfundiso engenakuphikiswa yeSonto. UPapa uPius XII wamemezela ukuthi “uma noma ubani . . . ezama ukwenqaba noma ekwenza kungabazeke lokho Thina esesikuchazile, kufanele azi ukuthi uhlulekile ukuhlangabezana noKholo olungokwaPhezulu nolwamaKatolika.”

Lokho ImiBhalo Ekushoyo Ngempela

Kodwa kungasiphi isisekelo isonto lathatha lokhu kuma ngesibindi? UPapa uPius XII wathi imfundiso engenakuphikiswa yoKwenyuka KukaMariya “isekelwe ngokuphelele emiBhalweni Engcwele.” Phakathi kwemibhalo okuvame ukubhekiselwa kuyo ukuze kufakazelwe ukwenyukela kukaMariya ezulwini kunoLuka 1:28, 42. Lamavesi athi ngoMariya: “Mawudunyiswe, wena ogcwele umusa, iNkosi inawe: ubusisiwe phakathi kwabesifazane . . . , futhi sibusisiwe isithelo sesisu sakho.” (Douay) Abasekela imfundiso yokwenyuka kukaMariya bathi ngenxa yokuthi uMariya ‘wayegcwele umusa,’ kumelwe ukuba akazange anqotshwe ukufa. Futhi njengoba ‘ayebusisiwe’ ‘njengesithelo sesizalo sakhe,’ kumelwe abe namalungelo alingana nakaJesu—kuhlanganise nokunyukela kwakhe ezulwini. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi lokhu ukucabanga okunengqondo?

Phakathi kokunye, izazi zolimi zithi inkulumo ethi “ogcwele umusa” iwukuhumusha okunganembile futhi inkulumo yesiGreki sokuqala eyasetshenziswa uLuka ihunyushwa ngokunembe ngokwengeziwe ngokuthi “othole umusa kaNkulunkulu.” Ngakho i-Jerusalem Bible yamaKatolika ihumusha uLuka 1:28 ngokuthi: “Jabula, wena othandeke kakhulu!” Akukho sizathu sokuphetha ngokuthi uMariya wenyuselwa ezulwini ngomzimba wenyama ngenxa nje yokuthi ‘wayethandeka kakhulu’ kuNkulunkulu. Umfel’ ukholo wokuqala ongumKristu, uStefanu, ngokufanayo wakhulunyelwa njengowayethandeke kakhulu, noma “ogcwele umusa,” eBhayibhelini lamaKatolika i-Douay—futhi akushiwongo ukuthi wavuswa ngomzimba wenyama.—IzEnzo 6:8.

Nokho, ingabe uMariya akazange abusiswe noma azuze umusa? Yebo, kodwa ngokuthakazelisayo, owesifazane okuthiwa uJayeli emuva ezinsukwini zabahluleli bakwa-Israyeli wayebhekwa ‘njengowayebusisiwe phakathi kwabesifazane.’ (AbAhluleli 5:24, Dy) Ngokuqinisekile akekho ongaphikisa ngokuthi noJayeli wenyuselwa ezulwini ngomzimba wenyama. Ngaphandle kwalokho, umqondo woKwenyuka KukaMariya usekelwe ekucabangeni kokuthi uJesu uqobo wenyukela ezulwini esenyameni. Nokho, iBhayibheli lithi uJesu “waphiliswa,” noma wavuswa, “emoyeni.” (1 Petru 3:18, Dy; qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 15:45.) Umphostoli uPawulu ubuye athi “inyama negazi akunakungena embusweni kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 15:42-50, Dy.

Yiqiniso, iBhayibheli liyakhuluma ngokuvuselwa ezulwini kwamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. Nokho, eyoku-1 Thesalonika 4:13-17 ikwenza kukhanye ukuthi loluvuko lwalungenakuqala kuze kube ‘sekufikeni kweNkosi,’ phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina zalenkathi embi. Kuze kube yilesosikhathi, uMariya wayeyolala ekufeni, kanye nezinkulungwane zamanye amaKristu athembekile.—1 Korinte 15:51, 52.

UMariya—Owesifazane Wokholo

Qiniseka ukuthi ngokusho lokho okungaphambili asiqondile ukudelela uMariya. Ngokungangabazeki, uMariya wayengowesifazane oyisibonelo—okholo lwakhe lufanele ukulingiswa. Wawamukela kalula umthwalo wemfanelo oyilungelo wokuba unina kaJesu, kanye nakho konke ukulingwa nokuzidela okwakuyokuhlanganisa. (Luka 1:38; 2:34, 35) Ekanye noJosefa, wakhulisa uJesu ngokuhlakanipha kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. (Luka 2:51, 52) Wahlala noJesu phakathi nokuhlupheka kwakhe esigxotsheni. (Johane 19:25-27) Futhi njengomfundi othembekile, ngokulalela wasala eJerusalema futhi wabona ukuthululwa komoya kaNkulunkulu ngePentekoste.—IzEnzo 1:13, 14; 2:1-4.

Umbono ophambene ngoMariya awumdumisi uMdali noma uMariya. Imfundiso engenakuphikiswa yoKwenyuka KukaMariya iqinisa ukuzisholo okungenasisekelo kokuthi uMariya usinxusela kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa ingabe uJesu Kristu wake wayisekela imfundiso enjalo? Ngokuphambene, wathi: “Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila; akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwami. Uma nicela utho kimi egameni lami, ngolwenza.” (Johane 14:6, 14; qhathanisa nezEnzo 4:12.) Yebo, uJesu Kristu kuphela, hhayi uMariya, osinxusela kuMdali. NguJesu—hhayi uMariya—okumelwe sisondele ngaye kuMniki-kuphila wethu ukuze “asisize ngesikhathi sesidingo.”—Heberu 4:16, Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition.

Ukwamukela leliqiniso ngoMariya kungase kube buhlungu kwabanye. Okungenani, kungase kusho ukulahla ezinye zezinkolelo osekukade bekholelwa kuzo nemiqondo ethandwayo. Nokho, nakuba ngezinye izikhathi libuhlungu, ekugcineni iqiniso ‘liyamkhulula umuntu.’ (Johane 8:32) UJesu wathi uYise wayefuna labo ababeyomkhulekela “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:24) KumaKatolika aqotho, lamazwi ayinselele.

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INGABE UMARIYA WAFA?

Ingabe uMariya wafa ngempela ngaphambi kokwenyukela kwakhe ezulwini okucatshangelwayo? Izazi zenkolo ezingamaKatolika zizithola zibhekene nezinkinga ezimbili ezingokwenkolo ezingajabulisi kulendaba. I-Nuovo dizionario di teologia iveza ukuthi “bekuyoba nzima ukuthi uMariya wayenelungelo lokugonyelwa ukungafi, lelo ngisho noKristu ayengenalo.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuthi uMariya wafa ngempela kubangela inkinga enzima ngokulinganayo. Isazi senkolo uKari Børresen siphawula ukuthi “ukufa kuyisijeziso sesono sokuqala, leso, [ngokwemfundiso ‘Yokukhulelwa Okumsulwa’], uMariya ayengenaso.” Khona-ke, wayezofa ngasiphi isisekelo? Akumangalisi ukuthi kungani uPapa uPius XII ayigwema ngokucophelela yonke indaba yokufa kukaMariya lapho echaza imfundiso engenakuphikiswa yoKwenyuka KukaMariya.

Ngenhlanhla, imfundiso yeBhayibheli ayinakho ukudideka okunjalo. Akukho lapho lifundisa khona—noma lisikisele nokusikisela—ukuthi uMariya wayewumkhiqizo ‘wokukhulelwa okumsulwa.’ Ngokuphambene, libonisa ukuthi uMariya wayengumuntu ongaphelele owayedinga ukuhlengwa. Ngenxa yalokhu, ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu, waya ethempelini wafike wenza umhlatshelo wesono kuNkulunkulu. (Levitikusi 12:1-8; Luka 2:22-24) Njengabo bonke abanye abantu abangaphelele, ekugcineni uMariya wafa.—Roma 3:23; 6:23.

Leliqiniso elisobala lihluke ngokuphelele emibuzweni engaphenduleki ephakanyiswa imfundiso engenakuphikiswa yoKwenyuka KukaMariya.

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‘Ukwenyuka KweNcasakazi,’ umfanekiso owadwetshwa nguTitian (c.1488-1576)

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Giraudon/Art Resorce, N.Y.

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Ngokuletha umhlatshelo wesono ethempelini ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu, uMariya wavuma ukuthi wayeyisoni esidinga ukuhlengwa