‘UNkulunkulu Akahlali Emathempelini Enziwe Ngezandla’
A KUNGABAZEKI ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wayewazi kahle amathempeli ka-Athena, ngoba ayethé chithi saka emizini eminingi kwayeyihambela njengesithunywa sevangeli. Ngokwe-Encyclopædia Britannica, u-Athena wayengadumile nje kuphela njengonkulunkulukazi wempi nowokuhlakanipha kodwa nanjengonkulunkulukazi “wezobuciko nayo yonke imisebenzi yobungcweti eyenziwa ngezikhathi zokuthula.”
Ithempeli elalidume kunawo wonke amathempeli ka-Athena kwakuyiParthenon, elakhiwa e-Athene, umuzi owethiwa ngaye lo nkulunkulukazi. Njengoba yayibhekwa njengelinye lamathempeli amakhulu kunawo wonke ezweni lamandulo, iParthenon yayinesithombe sika-Athena esibazwe ngegolide nezinyo lendlovu esingamamitha angu-12. Lapho uPawulu ehambela e-Athene, kwase kuphele iminyaka engaba ngu-500 leli thempeli elakhiwe ngemabula emhlophe lingelivelele kulo muzi.
Njengoba uPawulu ayeshumayela eqenjini labantu base-Athene ‘ngoNkulunkulu ongahlali emathempelini enziwe ngezandla,’ iParthenon yayiphambi kwabo. (IzEnzo 17:23, 24) Mhlawumbe ubuhle bamathempeli ka-Athena noma ubukhazikhazi bezithombe zakhe kwenza ezinye zezilaleli zikaPawulu zabona sengathi u-Athena nguyena owayehlaba umxhwele kakhulu kunoNkulunkulu ongabonakali ezazingamazi. Nokho, njengoba uPawulu akuveza, akufanele kucatshangwe ukuthi uMdali wesintu ‘unjengegolide noma isiliva noma itshe, njengokuthile okuqoshwe umuntu.’—IzEnzo 17:29.
Onkulunkulu nawonkulunkulukazi abanjengo-Athena—abaludumo lwabo lwaluncike emathempelini nasezithombeni zabo—báfika badlula. Isithombe esibaziwe sika-Athena sanyamalala eParthenon ngekhulu lesihlanu C.E., futhi manje sekusele nje kuphela izinsalela zamathempeli akhe ambalwa. Ubani nje nempela namuhla osathembele ku-Athena ukuba amnike ukuhlakanipha nesiqondiso?
Yeka ukuthi uhluke kanjani uJehova, ‘uNkulunkulu ophakade’ okungekho muntu owake wambona nanini. (Roma 16:26; 1 Johane 4:12) Amadodana kaKhora abhala: “Lo Nkulunkulu unguNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo kuze kube phakade. Yena uqobo uyosihola.” (IHubo 48:14) Enye indlela esingathola ngayo isiqondiso sikaJehova uNkulunkulu iwukuba sitadishe iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, nokuba sisebenzise iseluleko salo ekuphileni kwethu.