Ithetha Ntoni I-Ista KuThixo?
I-ISTA—“ukumkanikazi wemibhiyozo!” ifestum festorum!—kuthiwa ikukubhiyozelwa kovuko lukaKristu. Kodwa wathini uYesu ngokukhumbula uvuko lwakhe? Ngaba abapostile basiyalela ukuba silubhiyozele? Ngaba ukubhiyozela i-Ista ngumyalelo onikelwe nguThixo okanye ngaba sisithethe sabantu? Unokuzifumana lula iimpendulo kule mibuzo ngokuhlolisisa imithombo emibini yenkcazelo—imbali neBhayibhile.
Okuthethwa Yimbali
Okokuqala, ithini imbali? Ebhala kwinkulungwane yesihlanu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, umbhali-mbali uSocrates Scholasticus wathi kwincwadi yakhe ethi Ecclesiastical History: “Kum kubonakala ngathi umsitho weIsta uye waziswa ecaweni ukususela kwindlela ethile eyayisetyenziswa kudala, kanye njengokuba amanye amasiko amaninzi eye avela.”
Incwadi ethi Curiosities of Popular Customs ichaza ukuba yayiyinkqubo “yeCawa ukunikela imibhiyozo yobuhedeni intsingiselo yobuKristu ukusa kumkhamo wokuba ingabi nakwahlukaniswa nayo. Kwimeko yeIsta inguqulelo yayilula ngokumangalisayo. Ukuvuyela ukuphuma kwelanga lendalo, nokuvuka kwendalo kukufa kwasebusika, kwaguquka kwaba kukuvuyela ukuphuma kweLanga lobulungisa, ekuvusweni kukaKristu engcwabeni. Neminye imibhiyozo yobuhedeni eyayisenziwa malunga nomhla wokuqala kuMeyi yenziwa ukuba ingqamane nombhiyozo weIsta.” Kongezelelwa iinkalo ezininzi ezintsha.
Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Celebrations, uRobert J. Myers uyavuma, esithi “izithethe ezininzi zobuhedeni zokuzalwa ngokutsha, ezazibhiyozelwa xa ubusuku bulingana nemini ngexesha lasentwasahlobo, zaba yinxalenye yalo mbhiyozo.” Ezi ngxelo zixhaswa yiThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, ethi: “Ngoko kwanangexesha le-Ista, njengeleKrismesi, amasiko aqhelekileyo abonakalisa amasiko amaninzi obuhedeni asekhoyo—kule meko, kunxulumene nezithethe zokuchuma zasentwasahlobo, njengemifuziselo yeqanda nomvundla weIsta.”
Ngaba Inemvelaphi Yobuhedeni?
Ngoko, kucacile ukuba i-Ista njengoko ibhiyozelwa namhlanje izele zizithethe namasiko obuhedeni. Noko ke, oku akuthethi ukuba ukubhiyozela i-Ista akunxulumananga neziganeko ezithile eziseBhayibhileni.
Ngokomzekelo, kuye kwabhekiselwa kwi-Ista njengelandela iPasika yamaYuda, isiganeko esiseBhayibhileni. Incwadi ethi Curiosities of Popular Customs isixelela ukuba “kwiCawa yamandulo i-Ista yayingomhla ofanayo nePasika, njengoko enyanisweni le mibhiyozo mibini ifana ngemvelaphi.” Ngoko, akumangalisi ukuba, kwiilwimi ezininzi, njengesiFrentshi, isiGrike, iSpanish nesiTaliyane, nezinye, igama elithetha i-Ista liyafana okanye liyelelene nelithetha iPasika.
Noko ke, amaKristu okuqala akazange enze umsitho waminyaka le wokubhiyozela iPasika yamaYuda eyenziwe eyamaKristu. IAbingdon Dictionary of Living Religions ithi ngeIsta: “Eneneni umbhiyozo wamandulo wawungumbhiyozo waminyaka le (umhla we-14 kuNisan, ngokwekhalenda yeenyanga zamaYuda) wokubethelelwa kukaYesu.”
IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wahlanganisana nabafundi bakhe kwigumbi elikhulu ukuze enze iPasika yamaYuda. (Marko 14:12-16) Kwaba semva kwayo, iPasika yakhe yokugqibela, awathi uYesu wasungula oko kwaziwa ngokuba siSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa. Wandula wabayalela oku abafundi bakhe: “Oku kwenzeleni ukundikhumbula.”—Luka 22:19.
Esi Sidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa, esasifanele sikhunjulwe kanye ngonyaka, sasikukukhunjulwa kokufa kukaYesu. Umpostile uPawulos wathi ngokuphathelele lo mbhiyozo waminyaka le: “Ngamaxesha onke enisukuba nisidla eso sonka, niyisele loo ndebe, niyakwazisa ukufa kweNkosi.”—1 Korinte 11:25, 26.
Ukungxengelelwa Kweemfundiso ZeBhayibhile
Ethobela lo myalelo ungokweZibhalo, amaKristu okwenyaniso ayekwenza oku nyaka ngamnye ngomhla we-14 kuNisan. Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha, abantu baqalisa ukubhiyozela novuko lukaYesu. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ichaza ukuba “amaKristu okuqala ayebhiyozela iPasika yeNkosi ngaxeshanye namaYuda, ebudeni bobusuku beNyanga ezeleyo yokuqala (yepasika), inyanga yokuqala yentwasahlobo (ngoNisan 14-15). Phakathi kwinkulungwane yesibini, inkoliso yeecawa yawutshintsha lo mbhiyozo waba ngeCawa emva komsitho wamaYuda.”
Incwadi ethi Seasonal Feasts and Festivals ithi: “Kuyabonakala ukuba kuphela kwaba ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesine eYerusalem awathi uLwesihlanu Olungileyo noSuku LweIsta zagcinwa njengezikhumbuzo ezahlukeneyo.”
Bambi abaphengululi bakholelwa ukuba ngenxa yobutshaba obandayo phakathi kwabo babesithi bangamaKristu namaYuda, zimbi iinkokeli zeNgqobhoko azizange zifune ukuba umhla weyona holide yazo ibalulekileyo ungqamane ncam nomhla weyona holide ibalulekileyo yamaYuda. Esi simo sengqondo sakhokelela kutshintsho. Ekuhambeni kwexesha inkoliso yeNgqobhoko yaqalisa ukubhiyozela uvuko lukaYesu ngeCawa yokuqala emva kwenyanga ezeleyo emva kosuku olunemini elingana nobusuku entwasahlobo yaza yalwenza owona mbhiyozo wayo ubalulekileyo wonqulo. Ngenxa yoko yakujonga njengento engabalulekanga ukubhiyozela ukufa kukaYesu.
Ngoko, ngokwale mithombo, eneneni i-Ista yeNgqobhoko ithabathel’ indawo isikhumbuzo saminyaka le nesasisenziwa ntlandlolo sokufa kukaYesu.
Okuthethwa YiBhayibhile
Ithini iBhayibhile ngeIsta? Kakade ke, iZibhalo zinikela ubungqina obuninzi ngesibakala sokuba uYesu wavuka. Uvuko lukaKristu luyimfundiso esisiseko yobuKristu bokwenyaniso. Kucace mhlophe ukuba umpostile uPawulos wayekukholelwa oku. Wathi: “Ukuba ke uKristu akavukanga, koba akunto ukushumayela kwethu. Loba luyalambatha nokholo lwenu. Ukuba ke uKristu akavukanga, loba luyinto engeyanto ukholo lwenu, noba nisesezonweni zenu.”—1 Korinte 15:14, 17.
Sekunjalo, iBhayibhile ayikukhankanyi nokukukhankanya ukukhunjulwa kwaminyaka le kovuko lukaYesu. Umbhali-mbali uSocrates Scholasticus wathi: “UMsindisi nabapostile bakhe abazange basiwisele mthetho wokugcina lo msitho: ibe kwiTestamente Entsha asisongelwa ngaso nasiphi na isohlwayo, okanye isiqalekiso ngokuwugatya.” Kutshanje iphephancwadi iThe Christian Century lathi kwinqaku lalo elingeIsta: ‘AmaKristu okuqala aqalisa ukubhiyozela uvuko kwinkulungwane yesibini.’ Ngenxa yoko, i-Ista yavela sele kukudala bafayo bonke abapostile nasemva kokuba kuqoshelisiwe ukubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Asiyondaba yakwamkhozi into yokuba isithethe seIsta siyinto yabantu kunokuba sibe yinto evela kuThixo.
Noko ke, bambi basenokubuza oku: ‘Yintoni ephosakeleyo ngokukhumbula uvuko lukaYesu?’ Enyanisweni, iBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba amaKristu kufuneka abhiyozele i-Ista. Kodwa ngaba kukho nayiphi na into eBhayibhileni ekuthintelayo oku?
Unqulo Oluhlambulukileyo Nolungadyobhekanga
Kuyavunywa ukuba akukho salelo singqalileyo eBhayibhileni ngokuphathelele ukubhiyozela uvuko lukaYesu. Noko ke, iBhayibhile iyawalumkisa amaKristu ngokungxengelela unqulo olunyulu ngezithethe ezenziwe ngabantu. Oku kuya kusebenza ngokukhethekileyo kwisithethe, esinjengeIsta, esixubene namasiko obuhedeni nemibhiyozo yamandulo yonqulo lobuxoki.
Kwingabula-zigcawu yencwadi yakhe enamaphepha ali-123 ethetha ngeIsta, uAlan W. Watts wathi: “Ibali elipheleleyo elingeIsta lingowona mxube untsonkothileyo wembali nentsomi—ngokokude umsebenzi onzima wokuzahlula ezi zinto zimbini ungabi nakwenzeka kwincwadi emfutshane.” Ekubeni oku kunjalo ngeIsta, ngaba uThixo uya kulwamkela unqulo lwethu ukuba luquka umxube onjalo wamasiko obuhedeni? Akunjalo. UThixo wamkela kuphela “unqulo lona oluhlambulukileyo, olungadyobhekileyo.” Yaye oku kuthetha ukuba ‘ubani azigcine engenabala kulo ihlabathi,’ nto leyo eya kuquka amasiko ehlabathi anxulumene neIsta.—Yakobi 1:27.
Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa amaKristu ngokungenisa ebandleni izithethe ezenziwe ngabantu xa wathi: “Lumkani, kungabikho bani unithimbayo ngayo intanda-bulumko, nangokulukuhla okungento yanto, ngokwesithethe sabantu, ngokweziqalelo zehlabathi, kungengokukaKristu.”—Kolose 2:8.
UYesu wathetha ngokuchasene nezithethe zamaYuda ezaziziguqula iinyaniso ezingokweZibhalo nezazilungxengelela unqulo lokwenyaniso. KuMarko 7:6-8, kubhalwe la mazwi kaYesu kwiinkokeli zonqulo zomhla wakhe: “Watyapha uIsaya ukuprofeta ngani, bahanahanisi, njengokuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Aba bantu bandibeka ngomlomo, kanti yona intliziyo yabo ikude lee kum. Bafumana ke bendihlonela, befundisa iimfundiso eziyimithetho yabantu. Kuba nithi, niwuyeka okaThixo umthetho, nibambe isithethe sabantu.”
Kweyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 6:14-17, iBhayibhile isilumkisa isenjenje: “Musani ukunxulumana nabolunye uhlobo, abangakholwayo ke; kuba kunakwabelana kuni na ubulungisa nokuchasa umthetho? Kunabudlelane buni na ke ukukhanya nobumnyama? Unakuvumelana kuni na ke uKristu noBheliyali? Unasahlulelwano sini na okholwayo nongakholwayo? . . . Kungoko ndithi, Phumani phakathi kwabo, nizahlule, itsho iNkosi, nento engcolileyo ningayichukumisi.”
Isikhumbuzo Saminyaka Le Sokufa Kwakhe
Ukongezelela, ngokwemfundiso yeBhayibhile, ilungiselelo lokusindiswa kwethu liquka idini likaYesu lobomi bakhe obufezekileyo, uvuko lwakhe nokunikela kwakhe ixabiso ledini lakhe kuThixo ezulwini. Zonke ezi nkalo zibalulekile. (Hebhere 7:25; 9:11-14) UYesu wayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba minyaka le bakhumbule ukufa kwakhe. Ukufa kwakhe kuphela kwesiganeko amaKristu ayalelwe ngokweZibhalo ukuba asikhumbule.
Kulo nyaka izigidi zamaNgqina kaYehova ziya kuhlanganisana emva kokutshona kwelanga, ngoAprili 17 (ngoNisan 14), 1992, ukuze zikhumbule ukufa kukaYesu. Esi sikhumbuzo siya kuquka intetho ecacisa intsingiselo yokufa kukaKristu okulidini. Iya kukunceda uwuxabise umkhamo wothando lukaYehova uThixo ngoluntu ekunikeleni kwakhe okuphela koNyana wakhe amzeleyo khon’ ukuze unandiphe ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade. Hlangana nathi ngowona mhla ubalulekileyo wowe-1992!
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 6]
Imibhiyozo yobuhedeni yenziwa ukuba ingqamane nombhiyozo weIsta
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 8]
IBhayibhile ayikukhankanyi nokukukhankanya ukukhunjulwa kwaminyaka le kovuko lukaYesu
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 6]
Iyintoni Imvelaphi Yegama Elithi “Ista”?
▪ “Eli gama, elisetyenziswa kuphela phakathi kwabantu abantetho isisiNgesi nesiJamani, ngayo yonke indlela kubonakala ukuba, lisuka kwelo lothixokazi wamaSaxon angabahedeni, uOstara, uOsterr, okanye uEastre. Wayesisimntwiso seMpuma [East], sentsasa, sentlakohlaza.”—Curiosities of Popular Customs, nguWilliam S. Walsh.
▪ “Umbhali wamandulo oliNgesi wencwadi engengxelo yeziganeko, uBede Ohloniphekileyo, usixelela ukuba igama elithi ‘Ista’ ntlandlolo yayiligama lothixokazi wokusa wamaNgesi namaSaxon, owaziwa ngokuba nguEostre okanye uOstara, umbhiyozo wakhe ophambili wawusenziwa ngexesha apho imini ilingana nobusuku ekuqaleni kweNtwasahlobo. NgokaBede kuphela osixelela ngoku, kuba akukho ngxelo ingothixokazi onjalo efumanekayo nakweyiphi na indawo. Kodwa akunakwenzeka ukuba okaBede, njengomKristu ozinikeleyo, ebenokuvela nje akhe entloko ukuze aqambe imvelaphi yobuhedeni yeIsta. Kodwa enoba wayekho okanye akazange abekho uthixokazi onjalo, kubonakala ukuba kunokwenzeka ukuba kukho ukudibana okuthile kwembali phakathi kwegama elithi ‘Ista’ nelithi ‘East [Mpuma],’ apho ilanga liphuma khona.”—Easter—Its Story and Meaning, nguAlan W. Watts.
▪ “Imvelaphi yegama lomsitho woVuko lukaKristu ngokuqhelekileyo iye yagqalwa njengevela kuEastre, uthixokazi wentwasahlobo wamaNgesi namaSaxon. Noko ke, uphando lwakutshanje olwenziwa nguKnobloch . . . lunikela enye inkcazelo.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.
▪ “Mhlawumbi igama lesiNgesi elithi Easter, njengelesiJamani elithi Ostern, livela kuEostur, igama lesiNorse elithetha ixesha lentwasahlobo, nelingasuki kwigama elinguEostre, igama lothixokazi wamaNgesi namaSaxon.”—The Encyclopedia of Religion.
[Isicangca esikwiphepha 8]
I-ISTA IPASIKA
NgesiDanish påske påske
NgesiDatshi Pasen joods paasfeest
NgesiFinnish pääsiäinen pääsiäinen (juutalaisten)
NgesiFrentshi Pâques La Pâque
NgesiGrike Paskha Paskha
NgesiJamani Ostern Passah
NgeSpanish Pascua florida Pascua
NgesiSwahili Pasaka Pasaka
NgesiTaliyane Pasqua Pasqua ebraica
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]
Izithethe zamandulo ezinemvelaphi yobuhedeni zaphawulwa njengezobuKristu zaza zongezelelwa kwimibhiyozo yeIsta
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
UYesu wasungula iSidlo seNkosi Sangokuhlwa nabafundi bakhe