ISabatha

Incazelo: Elithi iSabatha lithathwa kwelesiHeberu elithi sha-vathʹ, elisho “ukuphumula, ukupheza, ukuyeka.” Isimiso sesabatha esasinikezwe eMthethweni kaMose sasihlanganisa usuku lweSabatha lwamasonto onke, izinsuku eziningana ezengeziwe eziphawulwe onyakeni ngamunye, unyaka wesikhombisa, kanye nonyaka wamashumi amahlanu. ISabatha lamasonto onke lamaJuda, usuku lwesikhombisa lwesonto lawo lwekhalenda, lisukela ekushoneni kwelanga ngoLwesihlanu kuze kube sekushoneni kwelanga ngoMgqibelo. Amaningi amaKristu okuzisholo aye agcina iSonto njengosuku lwawo lokuphumula nolokukhulekela; amanye aye anamathela osukwini olubekwe eceleni ekhalendeni lamaJuda.

Ingabe amaKristu angaphansi kwesibopho sokugcina usuku lwesabatha lwamasonto onke?

Eks. 31:16, 17: “AbakwaIsrayeli bayakuligcina isabatha, balilonde ezizukulwaneni zabo libe-yisivumelwano esiphakade [“isivumelwano sesikhathi esinganqunyiwe,” NW]. Liluphawu phakathi kwami nabantwana bakwaIsrayeli kuze kube-phakade.” (Phawula ukuthi ukugcina isabatha kwakuluphawu phakathi kukaJehova noIsrayeli; lokhu bekungeke kwaba njalo uma wonke umuntu wayebophekile ukuba agcine iSabatha. Igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “esinganqunyiwe” kuyiNW lithi ‛oh·lamʹ, ngokuyisisekelo elisho inkathi yesikhathi, ngokombono wamanje, engaziwa noma efihlekile embonweni kodwa eyisikhathi eside. Lokho kungase kusho ukuthi phakade, kodwa akusho lokho ngempela. KuNumeri 25:13 igama elifanayo esiHeberu lisetshenzisiwe ebupristini, obaphela kamuva, ngokwamaHeberu 7:12.)

Roma 10:4: “Isiphetho somthetho nguKristu, kube-ngukulunga kubo bonke abakholwayo.” (Ukugcina isabatha kwakuyingxenye yalowoMthetho. UNkulunkulu wasebenzisa uKristu ukuba alethe lowoMthetho ekupheleni kwawo. Ukuba kwethu nokuma okuhle noNkulunkulu kuxhomeke okholweni kuKristu, hhayi ekugcineni isabatha lamasonto onke.) (NabaseGalathiya 4:9-11; Efesu 2:13-16)

Kol. 2:13-16: “[UNkulunkulu] esithethelela zonke izono zethu; esehlangulé incwadi yecala lethu, emelana nathi . . . Ngakho makungabikho-muntu onilahla ngokudla nesiphuzo, noma ngemikhosi, noma ukwethwasa kwenyanga, noma amasabatha.” (Uma umuntu engaphansi koMthetho kaMose futhi ahlulelwa njengonecala lokungcolisa iSabatha, kwakumelwe akhandwe ngamatshe ibandla lonke aze afe, ngokukaEksodusi 31:14 noNumeri 15:32-35. Abaningi abalwela ukugcinwa kweSabatha banesizathu sokujabula ngokuthi asisekho ngaphansi kwalowoMthetho. Njengoba kuboniswe embhalweni ocashunwe lapha, ukuma okuhle noNkulunkulu akusadingi ukugcinwa kwemfuneko yesabatha eyanikwa amaIsrayeli.)

ISonto laba kanjani usuku oluyinhloko lokukhulekela engxenyeni enkulu yeLobukholwa?

Nakuba uKristu avuswa ngosuku lokuqala lwesonto (manje olubizwa ngokuthi iSonto), iBhayibheli alinawo umyalo wokubekela lolusuku lwesonto eceleni njengolungcwele.

“Ukugcinwa kwegama elidala lobuQaba elithi ‘Dies Solis,’ noma ‘iSonto,’ lomkhosi wamaKristu wamasonto onke, ngezinga elikhulu, kungenxa yokuhlangana kobuqaba [nalokho okuthiwa] umuzwa wobuKristu lokho usuku lokuqala lwesonto olwatuswa ngakho nguConstantine [esimemezelweni ngo-321 C.E.] kubantu bakhe, amaQaba namaKristu ngokufanayo, ‘njengosuku oluhlonishwayo lweLanga.’ . . . Kwakuyindlela yakhe yokuvumelanisa izinkolo ezingezwani zoMbuso ngaphansi kwenhlangano eyodwa.”—Lectures on the History of the Eastern Church (New York, 1871), A. P. Stanley, k. 291.

Ingabe uAdamu wanikezwa imfuneko yokugcina isabatha ngaleyondlela labopha yonke inzalo yakhe?

UJehova uNkulunkulu waphumula ngokuqondene nemisebenzi yendalo ebonakalayo yasemhlabeni ngemva kokulungiselela umhlaba ukuba uhlalwe ngumuntu. Lokhu kuphawulwe kuGenesise 2:1-3. Kodwa akukho lutho embhalweni weBhayibheli oluthi uNkulunkulu wayala uAdamu ukuba agcine usuku lwesikhombisa lwesonto ngalinye njengesabatha.

Dut. 5:15: “Wokhumbula ukuthi wawuyinceku [Israyeli] ezweni laseGibithe nokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakukhipha khona ngesandla esinamandla nangengalo eyeluliweyo; ngalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakuyala ukugcina usuku lwesabatha.” (Lapha uJehova uhlanganisa ukunikeza kwakhe umthetho wesabatha nokukhululwa kukaIsrayeli ebugqilini baseGibithe, hhayi nezenzakalo zase-Edene.)

Eks. 16:1, 23-29: “Ibandla lonke labantwana bakwaIsrayeli lafika ehlane laseSini . . . ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwenyanga yesibili emva kokuphuma ezweni laseGibithe. . . . [UMose] wathi kuzo: Lokhu kuyikho uJehova akukhulumileyo: kusasa kulusuku lokuphumula, isabatha elingcwele likaJehova; . . . Anokubutha [imana] izinsuku eziyisithupha, kepha ngosuku lwesikhombisa kuyisabatha; akuyikubakho ngalo. . . . UJehova wathi kuMose: . . . Bhekani, njengalokho uJehova eniphile isabatha.” (Ngaphambi kwalokhu, kwakukhona ukwehlukaniswa kwamasonto ngezinsuku eziyisikhombisa lilinye, kodwa kwakungokokuqala ukuba kukhulunywe ngokugcina isabatha.)

Ingabe uMthetho kaMose uhlukaniswe waba izingxenye “zemikhosi” “nezokuziphatha,” futhi ingabe “umthetho wokuziphatha” (Imiyalo Eyishumi) iyawabopha amaKristu?

Ingabe uJesu wabhekisela eMthethweni ngendlela eyabonisa ukwehlukaniswa kwawo izingxenye ezimbili?

Math. 5:17, 21, 23, 27, 31, 38: “Ningathi ngizé ukuchitha umthetho nabaprofethi; angizanga ukuchitha, ngizé ukugcwalisa.” Manje, phawula ukuthi uJesu wahlanganisani emazwini akhe aqhubekayo. “Nizwile kwathiwa kwabasendulo: Ungabulali [Eks. 20:13, uMyalo Wesithupha]; . . . Ngakho-ke nxa uletha umnikelo wakho ealtare, [Dut. 16:16, 17; okungeyona ingxenye yeMiyalo Eyishumi] . . . Nizwile kwathiwa: Ungaphingi [Eks. 20:14; uMyalo Wesikhombisa]. Kwathiwa: Yilowo nalowo olahla umkakhe kamnike incwadi yesahlukaniso [Dut. 24:1; okungeyona ingxenye yeMiyalo Eyishumi]. Nizwile kwathiwa: Iso ngeso, izinyo ngezinyo [Eks. 21:23-25; okungeyona ingxenye yeMiyalo Eyishumi].” (Ngakho-ke uJesu wahlanganisa iMiyalo Eyishumi nezinye izingxenye zoMthetho, akazange ayihlukanise. Ingabe thina kumelwe siyiphathe ngokuhlukile?)

Lapho uJesu ebuzwa, “Mfundisi, imuphi umyalo omkhulu emthethweni na?” ingabe wayihlukanisa yodwa iMiyalo Eyishumi? Kunalokho, waphendula: “Woyithanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho. Yilowo umyalo omkhulu nowokuqala. Owesibili ofana nawo uthi: Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena. Kuleyomiyalo emibili kubambelela umthetho wonke nabaprofethi.” (Math. 22:35-40) Uma abanye benamathela eMiyalweni Eyishumi (Dut. 5:6-21), bethi iyawabopha amaKristu kodwa eminye ayiwabophi, ingabe eqinisweni abaphiki lokho uJesu akusho (ecaphuna kuDut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18) ngokuqondene nokuthi imiphi imiyalo emikhulu?

Lapho libhekisela ekupheleni koMthetho kaMose, ingabe iBhayibheli lisho ngokuqondile ukuthi iMiyalo Eyishumi yayihlanganisiwe kulokhu okwapheliswa?

Roma 7:6, 7: “Kepha kalokhu sikhululiwe emthethweni, sifile maqondana nalokho esasibanjwa yikho . . . Ngakho siyakuthini na? Umthetho uyisono na? Qha nakanye; kepha bengingasazanga isono, uma bekungengomthetho; ngokuba ukufisa bengingakwazanga, uma umthetho ubungashongo ukuthi: Ungafisi.” (Lapha, ngokushesha nje ngemva kokubhala ukuthi amaKristu angamaJuda ‘ayekhululiwe emthethweni,’ isiphi isibonelo soMthetho uPawulu abhekisela kuso? UMyalo Weshumi, ngaleyondlela ebonisa ukuthi wawuhlanganisiwe eMthethweni manje ayesekhululwe kuwo.)

2 Kor. 3:7-11: “Uma inkonzo yokufa, enamagama aqoshiwe ematsheni, yafika inenkazimulo, ngangokuba abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babengenakubuka ubuso bukaMose ngenxa yenkazimulo yobuso bakhe eyayingephelayo, pho, inkonzo kaMoya ayiyikuba-nenkazimulo kakhulu kunayo na? . . . Ngokuba uma lokho obekuzakuphela kwaba-nenkazimulo, ikakhulu okumiyo njalo kunenkazimulo.” (Lapha kubhekiselwe emthethweni ‘owawuqoshwe ngamagama ematsheni’ futhi kuthiwa “abantwana bakwaIsrayeli babengenakubuka ubuso bukaMose” ngesikhathi ulethwa kubo. Kuchazani lokhu? UEksodusi 34:1, 28-30 uyabonisa ukuthi ukunikezwa kweMiyalo Eyishumi; lena kwakuyimiyalo eyayiqoshwe etsheni. Ngokusobala lena ihlanganisiwe kulokho umbhalo lapha othi “obekuzakuphela.”)

Ingabe ukuqedwa koMthetho kaMose, kuhlanganise neMiyalo Eyishumi, kusikisela ukususwa kwakho konke ukuzibamba kokuziphatha?

Lutho neze; eziningi zezindinganiso zokuziphatha ezibekwe eMiyalweni Eyishumi zaphawulwa futhi ezincwadini eziphefumlelwe zemiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki. (Nokho, awuzange uphawulwe futhi umthetho wesabatha.) Kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umthetho muhle kangakanani, uma nje ukuthambekela ekoneni kusabusa izifiso zomuntu, kuyoba khona ukwephulwa komthetho. Nokho, ngokuqondene nesivumelwano esisha, esiye sathatha indawo yesivumelwano soMthetho, amaHeberu 8:10 athi: “Ngokuba yilesi esiyisivumelwano engiyakusenza nendlu kaIsrayeli emva kwalezozinsuku, isho iNkosi: ngiyakufaka imithetho yami engqondweni yabo, ngiyilobe ezinhliziyweni zabo, ngibe-nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe-ngabantu bami.” Yeka ukuthi imithetho enjalo inamandla kangakanani kunaleyo eqoshwe ezibhebheni zamatshe!

Roma 6:15-17: “Siyakona ngokuba singephansi komthetho kodwa phansi komusa na? Qha nakanye. Anazi yini ukuthi lowo enizinikela kuye ukuba nibe-yizinceku zokumlalela, niyizinceku zakhe enimlalelayo, noma ezesono kube-ngukufa noma ezokulalela kube-ngukulunga, na? Kepha makabongwe uNkulunkulu ukuthi nina enaniyizinceku zesono senilalela ngenhliziyo indlela yesifundiso enanikelwa kuyo.” (Bheka futhi eyabaseGalathiya 5:18-24.)

Libaluleke ngani kumaKristu iSabatha lamasonto onke?

Kukhona “ukuphumula kwesabatha” amaKristu ahlanganyela kukho nsuku zonke

EyamaHeberu 4:4-11 ithi: “Ngokuba ushilo [uNkulunkulu] endaweni ethile [kuGenesise 2:2] ngosuku lwesikhombisa ukuthi: UNkulunkulu waphumula ngosuku lwesikhombisa emisebenzini yakhe yonke; nakulendawo [iHubo 95:11] uthi futhi: Abayikungena ekuphumuleni kwami. Ngakho-ke lokhu kusasele ukuba abanye bangene kukho, nalabo abashunyayezwa kuqala ivangeli bengangenanga ngokungalaleli, uyanquma futhi usuku oluthile oluthiwa Namuhla, esho ngoDavide [kumaHubo 95:7, 8] emva kwesikhathi esingaka njengokushiwo kuqala ukuthi: Namuhla, uma nilizwa izwi lakhe, ningazenzi-lukhuni izinhliziyo zenu. Ngokuba uma uJoshuwa wayebaphumuzile, wayengayikukhuluma emva kwalokhu ngolunye usuku. Ngakho-ke kubasalele abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuphumula kwesabatha. Ngokuba ongenile ekuphumuleni kwakhe yena uphumula emisebenzini yakhe njengoNkulunkulu kweyakhe. Ngakho-ke masikhuthalele ukungena kulokho kuphumula, ukuze kungawi-muntu ngalesosiboniso sokungalaleli.”

Yini amaKristu lapha akhuthazwa ukuba aphumule kuyo? “Emisebenzini” yawo. Misebenzi mini? Imisebenzi ayefuna ngayo kuqala ukuzibonakalisa engalungileyo. Awasakholelwa ukuthi angazenza afanelekele ukuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu azuze ukuphila okuphakade ngokuhambisana nemithetho ethile nokugcina izinsuku. Lelo kwakuyiphutha lamaJuda ayengenalukholo, lawo ‘ngokufuna ukumisa ukulunga kwawo, awakuthobelanga ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 10:3) AmaKristu eqiniso ayaqaphela ukuthi sonke sazalwa siyizoni nokuthi kungokukholwa emhlatshelweni kaKristu kuphela lapho sonke singaba ngabalungileyo kuNkulunkulu. Azama ukuthatha ngokungathi sína zonke izimfundiso zeNdodana kaNkulunkulu futhi azisebenzise. Ngokuthobeka amukela iseluleko nokusolwa eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Lokhu akusho ukuthi acabanga ukuthi angazizuzela ngokwawo ukuvunyelwa nguNkulunkulu ngalendlela; kunalokho, akwenzayo kuwukubonakaliswa kothando lwawo nokholo. Ngenkambo enjalo yokuphila agwema “isiboniso sokungalaleli” sesizwe samaJuda.

“Usuku lwesikhombisa,” okubhekiselwe kulo kuGenesise 2:2, lwalungelona nje usuku lwamahora angama-24. (Bheka amakhasi 90, 91 ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi “Indalo.”) Ngokufanayo, “ukuphumula kwesabatha” amaKristu eqiniso ahlanganyela kukho akulinganiselwe osukwini lwamahora angama-24. Ngokuba nokholo nokulalela iseluleko seBhayibheli, angakujabulela nsuku zonke, futhi ikakhulukazi ayokwenza kanjalo esimisweni esisha sikaNkulunkulu.

Kukhona ukuphumula ‘kwesabatha’ leminyaka eyinkulungwane okuphambi kwesintu

Marku 2:27, 28: “[UJesu] wayesethi kubo: Isabatha lenzelwa umuntu, umuntu akenzelwanga isabatha. Ngokunjalo iNdodana yomuntu iyinkosi yesabatha.”

UJesu wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayemise iSabatha njengesibonakaliso phakathi kukaNkulunkulu noIsrayeli, nokuthi lalihloselwe ukubakhulula emisebenzini yabo. UJesu futhi wayeqaphela ukuthi ukufa kwakhe kwakuyonikeza isisekelo sokugudluza uMthetho kaMose njengogcwaliseka kuyena. Wayeqaphela ukuthi uMthetho, kanye nemfuneko yawo yesabatha, ‘wawuyisithunzi sezinto ezinhle ezizayo.’ (Heb. 10:1; Kol. 2:16, 17) Ngokuqondene ‘nalezo zinto ezinhle’ kukhona “isabatha” azoba yiNkosi yalo.

NjengeNkosi yamakhosi, uKristu uyobusa wonke umhlaba iminyaka eyinkulungwane. (IsAm. 19:16; 20:6; IHu. 2:6-8) Ngesikhathi esemhlabeni, uJesu ngomusa wenza eminye yemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo yokuphulukisa ngeSabatha, ngaleyondlela ebonisa uhlobo lwenkululeko ayoyilethela abantu bazo zonke izizwe phakathi nokuBusa kwakhe Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. (Luka 13:10-13; Joh. 5:5-9; 9:1-14) Labo abayiqondayo incazelo yangempela yeSabatha bayoba nethuba futhi lokuzuza kulokho kuphumula ‘kwesabatha.’

Uma Umuntu Ethi—

‘AmaKristu kumelwe agcine iSabatha’

Ungase uphendule: ‘Ngicela ukwazi ukuthi kungani uzizwa ngaleyondlela?’ Khona-ke mhlawumbe unganezela: ‘Lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngalo ngokuqinisekile kumelwe kubuse ukucabanga kwethu ngalendaba, akunjalo? . . . Kuneminye imibhalo yeBhayibheli engiyithole iwusizo kulendaba. Ngicela ukuyifunda kanye nawe. (Khona-ke sebenzisa izingxenye ezifanelekile zalendaba emakhasini andulelayo.)’

‘Kungani ningaligcini iSabatha?’

Ungase uphendule: ‘Impendulo yami iyoya ngokuthi iliphi isabatha obhekisele kulo. Bewazi ukuthi iBhayibheli likhuluma ngamasabatha angaphezu kwelilodwa? . . . UNkulunkulu wanikeza amaJuda imithetho yesabatha. Kodwa bewazi ukuthi iBhayibheli likhuluma ngolunye uhlobo lwesabatha amaKristu okumelwe aligcine?’ Khona-ke mhlawumbe unganezela: (1) ‘Asigcini usuku olulodwa lwesonto njengeSabatha ngoba iBhayibheli lithi leyomfuneko ‘yayizophela.’ (2 Kor. 3:7-11; bheka ukukhulumela ngalokhu emakhasini 122-124.)’ (2) ‘Kodwa kukhona isabatha esiligcina njalo. (Heb. 4:4-11; bheka amakhasi 124, 125.)’