UMichael Servetus Wema Yedwa Kwiphulo Lakhe Lokufuna Inyaniso

NGUMBHALI KAVUKANI! ESPEYIN

Ngo-Oktobha 27, 1553, uMichael Servetus watshiselwa kwisibonda eGeneva, eSwitzerland. UGuillaume Farel—owatshisa uMichael nokwangumkhokeli kaJohn Calvin—walumkisa abo babebukele esithi: “[UServetus] yindoda elumkileyo ngokuqinisekileyo eyayicinga ukuba ifundisa inyaniso, kodwa waphenjelelwa nguMtyholi. . . . Nilumke nani ningehlelwa yinto efanayo!” Yintoni le wayeyenzile uServetus ukuze afe kabuhlungu kangaka?

UMICHAEL SERVETUS wazalwa ngowe-1511 kwidolophana yaseVillanueva de Sijena, eSpeyin. Eselula, esikolweni wayephum’ emagqabini. Ngokutsho komnye umbhali ngobomi babantu, “xa wayeneminyaka eli-14 ubudala, wayesele efunde ukuthetha isiGrike, isiLatini nesiHebhere, yaye wayenolwazi olwaneleyo lwentandabulumko, izibalo nezakwalizwi.”

Xa uServetus wayesekwishumi elivisayo, uJuan de Quintana, umcebisi wonqulo woMlawuli waseSpeyin uCharles V, wamqesha njengesandla sakhe. Xa wayehambe nenkosi yakhe, uServetus waphawula ukuba iinkonzo azivisisani eSpeyin, yaye amaYuda namaSilamsi ayegxothiwe okanye anyanzelwa ukuba aguqukele kubuKatolika.a

Xa wayeneminyaka eli-16 ubudala, uServetus wahamba waya kufundela ubugqwetha kwiYunivesithi yaseToulouse, eFransi. Kulapho waqala khona ukubona iBhayibhile epheleleyo. Nangona wayengavumelekanga ukuyifunda iBhayibhile, uServetus wayezimela aze ayifunde. Emva kokuba eyifunde wayigqiba okokuqala, wazimisela ukuphinda ayifunde “kangangezihlandlo eziliwaka.” Kunokwenzeka ukuba iBhayibhile uServetus awayifundayo eToulouse yayiyiComplutensian Polyglot, inguqulelo eyamenza wafunda iZibhalo ngeelwimi zantlandlolo (isiHebhere nesiGrike), kunye nenguqulelo yesiLatini.b Emva kokufunda iBhayibhile, nokubona ubuqhophololo babefundisi baseSpeyin, uServetus waphelelwa lukholo kwicawa yamaKatolika.

Wathandabuza ngakumbi uServetus emva kokuya kumsitho wokubekw’ esihlalweni kukaCharles V. Lo kumkani waseSpeyin watheswa isithsaba nguPopu Clement VII njengomlawuli woBukhosi Obungcwele BaseRoma. Ngoxa upopu wayehleli kwisihlalo sakhe sobukhosi esiphakanyiswayo, ukumkani weza waza wancamisa iinyawo zakhe. Kamva uServetus wabhala esithi: “Ndizibonele ngawam amehlo upopu ethwelwe emagxeni amaphakathi, esisicigogo sokwenene, yaye ezukiswa ngabantu ababemngqongile ezitratweni.” UServetus wakufumanisa kunzima ukunxulumanisa ukuzigasa okungaka nesigidimi esilula seencwadi zeVangeli.

Iphulo Lakhe Lokufuna Inyaniso

Engabhungisanga, uServetus wayeka ukusebenzela uQuintana waza waqalisa iphulo lakhe eyedwa lokufuna inyaniso. Wayekholelwa kukuba isigidimi sikaKristu sasingajoliswanga kubefundisi okanye kwizithandi-bulumko kodwa kubantu abaqhelekileyo ababeza kusiqonda baze basisebenzise. Ngoko ke, wazimisela ukufunda iBhayibhile ngeelwimi zantlandlolo nokuyigatya nayiphi na imfundiso engavumelaniyo neZibhalo. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, igama elithi “inyaniso” namanye amagama anxulumene nalo avela izihlandlo ezininzi kunalo naliphi elinye igama kwiincwadi zakhe.

Kwizifundo zakhe zembali nezeZibhalo, uServetus wafumanisa ukuba ubuKristu bonakala kwiinkulungwane ezintathu zokuqala kwiXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Wafumanisa ukuba uConstantine namalandela akhe baxhasa iimfundiso zobuxoki ekugqibeleni ezakhokelela ekubeni imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye yamkelwe njengemfundiso esemthethweni. Eneminyaka engama-20 ubudala, uServetus wapapasha incwadi yakhe ethi On the Errors of the Trinity, nto leyo eyamenza walixhoba eliphambili Lokuncinwa Kwamakholwa.

UServetus wayeziqonda kakuhle izinto. Wabhala esithi: “EBhayibhileni, akuthethwa nakancinane ngoBathathu Emnye. . . . UThixo asimazi ngeengcamango zethu zentanda-bulumko, kodwa ngoKristu.”c Kwakhona wafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba umoya oyingcwele asingomntu, kodwa ngamandla kaThixo asebenzayo.

Abanye bakwamkela oko kwakuthethwa nguServetus. UMxhasi Wohlaziyo ongumProtestanti, uSebastian Franck, wathi: “Ummi waseSpeyin, uServetus, kwincwadi yakhe ugxininisa esithi uThixo unesiqu esinye kuphela. Yona icawa yamaRoma iphikisa ngelithi uThixo mnye kodwa uneziqu ezintathu. Mna ndivumelana nale ndoda yaseSpeyin.” Noko ke, iCawa yamaRoma Katolika neecawa zamaProtestanti azizange ziphinde zimxolele uServetus emva kokuba ebhence imfundiso yazo ephambili.

Kwakhona ukufunda kwakhe iBhayibhile kwamenza uServetus akazamkela nezinye iimfundiso zecawa, yaye wakubona kungavumelani neZibhalo ukusebenzisa imifanekiso eqingqiweyo. Ngenxa yoku, emva konyaka onesiqingatha epapashe incwadi ethi On the Errors of the Trinity, ngentlonelo uServetus wathi xa ethetha ngamaKatolika nangamaProtestanti: “Kukho izinto endingavumelaniyo nendivumelana nazo kwezi nkonzo zombini. Zombini zineemfundiso ezithile eziyinyaniso neempazamo, kodwa nganye iyazibona iimpazamo zenye kodwa ayiziboni ezayo.” Yena wazimela ngenkqay’ elangeni kwiphulo lakhe lokufuna inyaniso.d

Noko ke, ukunyaniseka kwakhe akuzange kumthintele uServetus ukuba naye enze iimpazamo. Ngokomzekelo, wathi iArmagedon noLawulo lukaKristu Lweminyaka Eliwaka lwaluza kufika esaphila.

Uphando Lwakhe Lwenzululwazi

Enyanzelekile ukuba abhace ngenxa yeentshaba zakhe, uServetus wazitshintsha igama wanguVillanovanus waza waya kuhlala eParis, apho wafumana isidanga sobugcisa nobugqirha. Umdla awayenawo kwinzululwazi wambangela ukuba aqhaqhe umzimba womntu ngenjongo yokukhangela indlela osebenza ngayo. Servetus waba ngummi wokuqala waseYurophu ukuchaza indlela igazi elihamba ngayo emiphungeni. Oko wakufumanisayo kuqukiwe kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Restitution of Christianity. Le nkcazelo intsha wayifumana kwiminyaka engama-75 ngaphambi kokuba uWilliam Harvey achaze indlela igazi elihamba ngayo emzimbeni.

Kwakhona uServetus wabhala uhlelo olutsha lwencwadi ethi Geography eyayibhalwe nguPtolemy. Olu hlelo lutsha lwamkelwa ngokubanzi kangangokuba abantu abaninzi bambiza ngokuthi ngumseki wenzululwazi yejografi nesifundo ngeentlanga. Kamva, xa kwakuchotshelwe ityala lakhe eGeneva, uServetus wagwetywa ngokuthi iPalestina inamasimi agqagqeneyo yaye ingumqwebedu. UServetus wazithethelela ngokuthi apha wayechaza indlela eyiyo namhlanje kungelilo ixesha likaMoses xa ePalestina kwakubaleka amasi nobusi.

Kwakhona uServetus wabhala incwadi ethi Universal Treatise on Syrups eyachaza indlela entsha nelungeleleneyo yeyeza elithile. Loo ncwadi isisisele senyathi xa kuthethwa ngamayeza kangangokuba ungugqirha wokuqala ukusebenzisa iivithamini. Ngenxa yobuchule bakhe kwiinkalo ezininzi, umbhali-mbali othile umchaza uServetus ‘njengomnye weengcaphephe embalini, umntu oye wanegalelo kwimpucuko yehlabathi.’

Utshaba Olunamandla

Abantu abafun’ inyaniso soloko beneentshaba ezininzi. (Luka 21:15) Omnye weentshaba zikaServetus yayinguJohn Calvin, inkokeli enguzwilakhe yeenkonzo zamaProtestanti, eGeneva. Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali uWill Durant, uCalvin “akazange abeke imithetho okanye anyanzele abantu ukuba bamthobele, kodwa wayengqongqo yaye njengabo bonke oopopu, wayengavumi ukuba abantu baqulunqe iinkolelo zabo.”

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uServetus noCalvin badibana eParis xa bobabini babesengabafana. Zisuka nje bangquzulana okweenkabi zebhokhwe, yaye ukususela ngoko uCalvin noServetus baba yinyoka nesele. Nangona uCalvin wayeyinkokeli yeenkonzo zamaProtestanti zoHlaziyo, ekugqibeleni wammangalela uServetus kwinkundla yamaKatolika yokuNcina Amakholwa. UServetus wasinda ngezikaSibi eFransi, apho kwatshiswa khona umfanekiso wakhe oqingqiweyo. Noko ke, wabhaqwa waza wabanjwa kwisixeko esikumda weFransi, iGeneva, apho wayekhonya khona uCalvin.

UCalvin wamngcungcuthekisa uServetus ngoxa wayesentolongweni. Noko ke, kwingxoxo yakhe noCalvin ngoxa wayesematyaleni, uServetus wavuma ukuziguqula iingcamango zakhe, ukuba nje uCalvin wayenokuzixhasa ngeZibhalo iingcamango zakhe. Yaqin’ inqawa kuCalvin. Emva kokuchotshelwa kwetyala lakhe, uServetus wagwetyelwa ukutshiselwa esibondeni. Abanye ababhali-mbali bathi nguye kuphela umqhekeki wonqulo amaKatolika atshisa umfanekiso wakhe aza wona amaProtestanti amtshisa ephila.

Umququzeleli Wenkululeko Yonqulo

Nangona uCalvin wayelubulele utshaba lwakhe, abantu bayeka ukumhlonela. Waba nezothe kubo bonke abantu abaqiqayo eYurophu ngenxa yokubulala kwakhe uServetus engenatyala, yaye abalweli benkululeko bagxininisa kwelokuba kungaze kubulawe nabani na ngenxa yeenkolelo zakhe zonqulo. Bangqisha ngonyawo phantsi besilwela inkululeko yonqulo.

Imbongi engumTaliyane uCamillo Renato enomsindo wathi: “UThixo nomoya wakhe akayalelanga ukuba abantu abanjalo babulawe. UKristu akazange ababulale abo babemchasa.” USébastien Chateillon, umlweli wamalungelo abantu eFransi wathi: “Ukubulala asikokukhusela imfundiso ethile, kodwa kukubulala.” Naye uServetus wayethe: “Yinto enzulu ukubulala umntu ngenxa yembambano kwindlela atolika ngayo izibhalo, ngoxa sisazi ukuba kwanabanyuliweyo basenokwenza impazamo.”

Ibhekisa kwinxeba elinzulu lokubulawa kukaServetus, incwadi ethi Michael Servetus—Intellectual Giant, Humanist, and Martyr ithi: “Ukufa kukaServetus kwaziguqula iinkolelo neengcinga zabantu ukususela kwinkulungwane yesine.” Yongezelela ngokuthi: “Imbali ibonisa ukuba, uServetus wafa ukuze inkululeko yonqulo ibe lilungelo elisemthethweni kubantu banamhlanje.”

Ngowe-1908 kwamiswa umfanekiso kaServetus oqingqiweyo kwisixeko saseFransi, iAnnemasse, kwiikhilomitha ezinokuba ntlanu ukusuka kwindawo awafela kuyo. Kuwo kubhalwe la mazwi: “UMichel Servet[us], . . . isazi sejografi, ugqirha, ingcali ngokusebenza kwamalungu omzimba, owafak’ isandla kwimpilo-ntle yabantu ngezinto awazifumanisa kwinzululwazi, ukuzibhokoxa kwakhe enceda abantu abagulayo namahlwempu, ukuzimisela kwakhe ukungaphenjelelwa ziingcamango zabantu nokuphulaphula isazela sakhe. . . . Wayengashenxi kwizinto azikholelwayo. Wancama ubomi bakhe ngenxa yenyaniso.”

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 21]

UServetus Negama Elithi Yehova

Iphulo likaServetus lokufun’ inyaniso lamenza wasebenzisa igama likaYehova. Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa emva kokuba uWilliam Tyndale esebenzise eli gama kwinguqulelo yakhe yePentateuch (iincwadi zokuqala ezintlanu zeBhayibhile), uServetus wapapasha incwadi ethi On the Errors of the Trinity—awalisebenzisa kuyo yonke igama likaYehova. Kule ncwadi wacacisa esithi: “Elinye igama, elona lingcwele kuwo onke, elithi יהוה, . . . lisenokutolikwa ngale ndlela ilandelayo, . . . ”‘Ubangela kubekho,’ ‘obangela izinto zakho,’ ‘imbangi yobomi.’” Wathi: “Igama elithi Yehova ngokuchanileyo linokubhekisela kuphela kuBawo.”

Ngowe-1542, kwakhona uServetus waba ngumhleli wenguqulelo yeBhayibhile evunyiweyo yesiLatini kaSantes Pagninus (eboniswe ngezantsi). Kwiimbekiselo zakhe ezininzi eziseludinini, uServetus waphinda walibalaselisa igama likaThixo. Waliquka igama elithi Yehova kwiimbekiselo eziseludinini kwizibhalo eziphambili njengeNdumiso 83:18, apho kwakusetyenziswe khona igama elithi “Nkosi.”

Kwincwadi yakhe yokugqibela ethi, The Restitution of Christianity, uServetus wathi ngokuphathelele igama likaThixo elithi Yehova: “Licacile elokuba . . . babebaninzi abantu ababelibiza eli gama kumaxesha amandulo.”

[Umfanekiso]

Umfanekiso oqingqiweyo oseAnnemasse, eFransi

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Umkrolo wenkulungwane ye-15 obonisa ukubhaptizwa ngenkani kwamaSilamsi awayehlala eSpeyin

[Inkcazelo]

Capilla Real, Granada

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]

Iphepha lokuqala lencwadi ethi “On the Errors of the Trinity”

[Inkcazelo]

Okusuka kwincwadi ethi De Trinitatis Erroribus, nguMichael Servetus, 1531

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

UServetus wayihlolisisa inkqubo yokuhamba kwegazi emiphungeni

[Inkcazelo]

Anatomie descriptive et physiologique, Paris, 1866-7, L. Guérin, Editor

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Incwadi kaServetus ethi “Universal Treatise on Syrups” yathetha ngeendlela ezintsha zonyango

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

UJohn Calvin wayelutshaba olunengcwangu lukaServetus

[Inkcazelo]

Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid