Oyena Mntu Ubalaseleyo Wakha Waphila
NGUBANI onokuthi wayeyindoda ebalaseleyo eyakha yaphila? Ngaba unokuthi nguNowa, owasinda kuMkhukula waza waba ngukhokho wethu? (Genesis 7:1, 21, 22; 9:18, 19) Ngaba unokuthi nguNebhukadenetsare, ukumkani wamandulo owayelawula ihlabathi nowakha isixeko esihle esibizwa ngokuba yiBhabhiloni Enkulu? (Daniyeli 4:28-30) Ngaba mhlawumbi nguAleksandire Omkhulu, ekukhankanywa izinto awazenzayo eBhayibhileni? (Daniyeli 8:5-8, 21-22) Okanye ngaba nguJulius Caesar, umlawuli owaziwayo wamaRoma?
Ngaphantsi nje kweminyaka engama-45 emva kokuba uCaesar okhankanywe ngasentla efile, kwazalwa umntwana eBhetelehem ekuthiwa nguYesu. Ngaba waba yindoda ebalaseleyo eyakha yaphila? Kangangeminyaka elikhulu edluleyo, iThe Historians’ History of the World ithi: “Kwanaxa siyijonga ngeliso elingelilo elonqulo, imisebenzi [kaYesu] yaba nemiphumo ebalasele ngakumbi embalini kunayo nantoni na eyakhe yenziwa ngumntu owakha waphila. Ixesha elitsha embalini neliphawuleka ngenxa yokuzisa kwalo impucuko ehlabathini, libalwa ukususela ekuzalweni kwakhe.”
Nanamhlanj’ oku abantu baba nomdla xa kuthethwa ngoYesu Kristu. Kwiminyaka embalwa edluleyo, amaphephancwadi eendaba aziwayo iTime, iNewsweek, iU.S.News neWorld Report, onke athetha ngaye ngexesha elinye. Uye wakhula umdla ebantwini xa kuthethwa ngoYesu. Ngowama-2004 iphephandaba iToronto Star lathi: “Unempembelelo kwimifanekiso eshukumayo, emculweni yaye kwimpahla enxitywayo kubhalwe igama lakhe. Ungomnye wamaqhawe aziwayo.”
Noko ke, okothusayo kukuba izol’ oku abantu bebephikisana besithi uYesu zang’ abekho. UBruno Bauer (1809-82) wayetshotsh’ entla ekufundiseni oko. Omnye owayamkelayo le mfundiso yayinguKarl Marx. Kutshanje uRobert E. Van Voorst kwincwadi yakhe ethi Jesus Outside the New Testament, wabhala: “UMarx noBauer bayimela ingcamango yokuba uYesu ngumntu wasentsomini yaza kamva incwadi esemthethweni yeSoviet nobunye ubuxoki bamaKomanisi bayisasaza le mfundiso.”
Noko ke, nanamhlanje igcuntswana liyayikhanyela into yokuba ngokwenene uYesu wakha waphila. Abona bantu baninzi bayavuma ukuba uYesu wayengumntu wokwenene yaye wayebalulekile. NgoDisemba 2002, inqaku eliphambili lomhleli kwiWall Street Journal lalinomxholo owawusithi: “Inzululwazi Ayinakumbetha Ngoyaba UYesu.” Umbhali walo waqukumbela ngelithi: “Abaphengululi abaninzi, singekathethi ke ngabantu abangakholelwayo kubukho bukaThixo, baye bayamkela into yokuba uYesu waseNazarethe ngumntu wasembalini.”
Kodwa uYesu wayengaphezulu nje kokuba ngumntu wasembalini. Iphephancwadi iTime lathi: “Oyena mntu unamandla—kungekhona kula mawaka mabini eminyaka kodwa kuyo yonke imbali yoluntu—ibisoloko inguYesu waseNazarete.” Longezelela lisithi: “Sinokulitsolisa elokuba akakho omnye umntu oye wanempembelelo noye wanyamezela ebomini bakhe njengokuba uYesu wenzayo.”
Noko ke, umbuzo osafuna ukuphendulwa uthi: Wayengubani ngokwenene uYesu? Wayevela phi? Yayiyintoni injongo yokuza kwakhe emhlabeni? Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba sazi yonk’ into ngaye?