Isahluko 2
IBhayibhile Ilwela Ukusinda
Buziinkalo ezininzi ubungqina bokuba ngokwenene iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo. Nkalo nganye inamandla, kodwa xa zonke zihlanganisiwe azinakuphikiswa bani. Kwesi sahluko nakwesilandelayo, siya kuxubusha ngenkalo enye yobungqina eyile: imbali yeBhayibhile njengencwadi. Inyaniso ikukuba, ingummangaliso ngokwenene into yokuba ibe le ncwadi imangalisayo iye yasinda ukuza kufikelela kulo mhla. Ziqwalaselele ngokwakho izibakala ezimayela noku.
1. Ziziphi iinkcukacha ezikhoyo ngeBhayibhile?
IBHAYIBHILE ingaphezulu kokuba yincwadi nje. Ilithala leencwadi elityebileyo elineencwadi ezingama-66, zimbi zimfutshane ezinye zazo zinde kakhulu, ziqulethe umthetho, isiprofeto, imbali, imibongo, isiluleko, kwanokuninzi ngakumbi. Iincwadi zokuqala ezingam-39 kwezi zabhalwa kwisithuba seenkulungwane eziliqela ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKristu—ubukhulu becala ngolwimi lwesiHebhere—ngamaYuda okanye amaSirayeli awayethembikile. Ngokufuthi le nxalenye ibizwa ngokuba yiTestamente Endala. Iincwadi zokugqibela ezingama-27 zabhalwa ngesiGrike ngamaKristu yaye zaziwa ngukubanzi njengeTestamente Entsha. Ngokobungqina obungaphakathi kuzo kwanangenkoliso yemithombo yenkcazelo yamandulo, ezi ncwadi zingama-66 zabhalwa kwisithuba esimalunga neminyaka eli-1 600, ukususela kwixesha laxa iYiputa yayiligunya elongamileyo zaza zagqitywa xa iRoma yayisisithandanekazi sehlabathi.
YiBhayibhile Kuphela Eyasindayo
2. (a) Yayinjani imeko kwaSirayeli xa kwaqaliswa ukubhalwa iBhayibhile? (b) Ziziphi ezinye iincwadi ezabhalwayo ebudeni belo xesha?
2 Ngaphezu kwama-3 000 eminyaka eyadlulayo, xa kwaqaliswayo ukubhalwa kweBhayibhile, amaSirayeli ayeluhlanga nje olunye oluncinane phakathi kwezininzi ezaziseMbindi Mpuma. UYehova wayenguThixo wawo, ngoxa iintlanga ezaziwangqongile zazinentlaninge edidayo yoothixo noothixokazi. Ebudeni belo thuba, amaSirayeli ayengekuphela kwabantu ababevelisa uncwadi olungokonqulo. Kwanezinye iintlanga zabhala iincwadi ezazityhila okuthile ngonqulo lwazo nezinto ezazizezexabiso elikhulu kwizizwe zazo. Ngokomzekelo, alithandabuzeki elokuba ibali lesiAkkad lenkokeli uGilgamesh elivela kwelaseMesopotami neentsomi zaseRas Shamra, ezibhalwe ngesiUgarit, (ulwimi oluthethwa kwindawo ngoku engumntla welaseSiriya), zazidume kunene. Uncwadi oluninzi lwaloo mihla lwalukwaquka iincwadi ezinjengethi The Admonitions of Ipu-wer nethi The Prophecy of Nefer-rohu ngolwimi lwesiYiputa, amaculo abhekiswe koothixo abahlukahlukeneyo ngesiSumeri, neencwadi ezibuprofeti ezazibhalwe ngesiAkkad.1
3. Yintoni ephawula iBhayibhile njengeyahlukileyo kolunye uncwadi lonqulo olwaluveliswa eMbindi Mpuma kwangeli thuba linye?
3 Phofu ke, zonke ezi ncwadi zaseMbindi Mpuma zehlelwa lilishwa elifanayo. Zalityalwa, yaye kwaneelwimi ezazibhalwe ngazo azizange zibuye zibe sathethwa. Kuphela kube kwiminyaka yakutshanje abathe abembi bezinto zakudala neengcali kwimfundo yeelwimi noncwadi lwamandulo zafunda ngobukho bazo zaza zafumanisa nendlela yokuzifunda. Kwelinye icala, iincwadi zokuqala ezabhalwayo zeBhayibhile yesiHebhere ziye zasinda ukuza kuthi ga kwixesha lethu yaye zisafundwa ngokubanzi. Maxa wambi abaphengululi bathi iincwadi zesiHebhere eziseBhayibhileni zazithatyathwe ngandlel’ ithile kwezo ncwadi zamandulo. Kodwa isibakala sokuba uncwadi oluninzi kangako lwalityalwa ngoxa iBhayibhile yesiHebhere yasindayo sibonisa ukuba iBhayibhile yahluke ngokuphawulekayo.
Abagcini BeLizwi
4. Ziziphi iingxaki ezinzulu zamaSirayeli ezisenokuba zakwenza kwabonakala kuthandabuzeka ukusinda kweBhayibhile?
4 Musa ukuphazama, ngokwembono yabantu ukusinda kweBhayibhile kwakungeyonto ekwakuqinisekiwe ukuba yoba njalo nakanjani na. Amabutho abantu abayivelisayo eva ubunzima bezilingo eziqatha nengcinezelo ekrakra kangangokuba ukusinda kwayo ukuza kufikelela kumhla wethu kuyinto emangalisayo ngokwenene. Kwiminyaka yangaphambi koKristu, amaYuda awavelisa iZibhalo zesiHebhere (“iTestamente Endala”) ayeluhlanga oluncinane ngentelekiso. Ayephila ubomi obunganqabisekanga phakathi kwamazwe anamandla kwezobupolitika awayesukuzana kuba efuna ukongamelana. AmaSirayeli kwafuneka alwele ukusinda kwayo nxamnye neentlanga ezazilandelelana kwigunya lokulawula, ezinjengamaFilisti, amaMowabhi, ama-Amoni namaEdom. Ngethuba laxa amaHebhere ayahlulahlulelwe kubukumkani obubini, uBukhosi baseAsiriya obukhohlakeleyo baphants’ ukubucima igama ubukumkani basentla, ngoxa amaBhabhiloni abutshabalalisayo ubukumkani basezantsi, ebarhuqela abemi bawo ekuthinjweni ekwabuya kuko kuphela nje imbinana kuma-70 eminyaka kamva.
5, 6. Kwenziwa waphi amalinge awabubeka engozini ubomi bamaHebhere njengabantu abahlukileyo?
5 Kukwakho neengxelo ezingokubhujiswa kohlanga luphela okwakulingwe nxamnye namaSirayeli. Emva phayaa ngemihla kaMoses, uFaro wayalela ukuba babulawe bonke abantwana bawo abangamakhwenkwe ababesandul’ ukuzalwa. Ukuba umyalelo wakhe wawuthotyelwe, amaHebhere ngewayecinywe igama kwaphela tu cwaka. (Eksodus 1:15-22) Kwiminyaka kamva, xa amaYuda ayephantsi kolawulo lwamaPersi, iintshaba zawo zenza iyelenqe lokuba kukhutshwe umthetho owawucetyelwe ukuwatshayela kuthi tu. (Estere 3:1-15) Ukusilela kweli yelenqe kusabhiyozelwa unangoku kuMsitho wePuri wamaYuda.
6 Kanti kwiminyaka ethile kamva xa amaYuda ayelawulwa ngamaSiriya, uKumkani uAntiochus IV wazama ngamandla ukuluguqulela kwiindlela zobuGrike olo hlanga, elunyanzelela ukuba lulandele amasiko amaGrike nokuba lunqule oothixo bamaGrike. Naye watsho phantsi. Kunokuba atshatyalaliswe okanye amkele iingcamango zezinye iintlanga, amaYuda asinda ngoxa inkoliso yeentlanga ezaziwangqongile zadakayo phezu komhlaba olunye emva kolunye. Yaye iZibhalo zesiHebhere zeBhayibhile zasinda kunye nawo.
7, 8. Ukusinda kweBhayibhile kwasongelwa njani ziimbandezelo ezafunyanwa ngamaKristu?
7 AmaKristu, awavelisa inxalenye yesibini yeBhayibhile (“iTestamente Entsha”), ayekwaliqela elicinezelweyo. Inkokeli yawo, uYesu, yabulawa njengesaphuli-mthetho esingungantweni. Kungabanga thuba lide nje emva kokufa kwakhe, amagunya amaYuda ePalestina azama ukuwadobelela. Xa ubuKristu bandayo de baya kufikelela nakwamanye amazwe, amaYuda awazingela amaKristu, ezama ukuthintela umsebenzi wawo wobuvangeli basemazweni.—IZenzo 5:27, 28; 7:58-60; 11:19-21; 13:45; 14:19; 18:5, 6.
8 Ngexesha likaNero, isimo sengqondo sangaphambili samagunya amaRoma sokulunyamezela olo nqulo saguquka. UTacitus waqhayisa “ngeentuthumbo ezivuyisa intliziyo” awathwaxwa ngazo amaKristu nguloo mlawuli uneengcwangu, yaye ukususela ngexesha lakhe ukusa phambili, ukuba ngumKristu kwakulityala ubani awayegwetyelwa ukufa ngenxa yalo.2 Ngowama-303 C.E., uMlawuli uDiocletian wathabatha inyathelo ngokungqalileyo nxamnye neBhayibhile.a Ngomgudu wokutshabalalisa ubuKristu, wayalela ukuba zonke iiBhayibhile zamaKristu zazifanele zitshiswe.3
9. Ngekwakwenzeke ntoni ukuba ayephumelele amaphulo okutshatyalaliswa kwamaYuda namaKristu?
9 La maphulo engcinezelo nokutshatyalaliswa kohlanga luphela ayesisisongelo sokwenene ekusindeni kweBhayibhile. Ukuba amaYuda ayelandele indlela yamaFilisti neyamaMowabhi okanye ukuba yayiphumelele imigudu yegunya lamaYuda nelamaRoma yokutshabalalisa ubuKristu, ngubani ongewayeyibhalile waza wayilondoloza iBhayibhile? Okuvuyisayo kukuba, abalondolozi beBhayibhile—amaYuda kuqala kwaza kamva yangamaKristu—abazange batshatyalaliswe, yaye iBhayibhile yasinda. Phofu ke, kwakukho esinye isisongelo esinzulu sokutshabalalisa iBhayibhile okanye ubuncinane sokonakalisa ubunyulu bayo.
Imibhalo Eneemposiso
10. Yalondolozwa njani iBhayibhile ntlandlolo?
10 Uninzi lwezi ncwadi zamandulo esele zikhankanyiwe ezalibalekayo kamva zazikrolwe ematyeni okanye zibhalwe kumacwecwe omdongwe awomeleleyo nangaphuki lula. Kwakungenjalo ngeBhayibhile. Ntlandlolo yayibhalwe kwiphepha elenziwe ngengcongolo okanye elenziwe ngezintsu—zinto ezo zonakala lula. Ngaloo ndlela, imibhalo-ngqangi eyaveliswa ngababhali bantlandlolo yathi shwaka kudaladala, kwamhlamnene. Ngoko, yalondolozwa njani iBhayibhile? Imibhalo engamawaka angenakubaleka yabhalwa nzima ngesandla. Le yayiyindlela eqhelekileyo yokukhutshelwa kwencwadi ngaphambi kokuba kuvele inkqubo yokushicilela ngomatshini.
11. Yintoni eyenzekayo ngokungenakuphepheka xa imibhalo-ngqangi ikhutshelwa ngesandla?
11 Noko ke, kukho ingozi ekhoyo ekukhupheleni ngesandla. UMhlekazi uFrederic Kenyon, odumileyo, nongummbi wezinto zakudala nomnyamekeli wamathala eencwadi weMyuziyam yaseBritani wachaza wathi: “Akukabikho sandla samntu nangqondo yakhe esele idaliwe ezinokukwazi ukukhuphela yonke incwadi ende kuze kungabikho nokuba ibe nye impazamo. . . . Liqinisekile elokuba zaziya kubakho iimpazamo.”4 Xa kwakubakho impazamo kumbhalo-ngqangi, yayibuya ibhalwe loo mpazamo xa loo mbhalo-ngqangi ukhutshelwa kwenziwe imibhalo yexa elizayo. Xa kwenziwa imibhalo ekhutshelweyo emininzi kwithuba elide lexesha, kwaye kwabakho iimpazamo ezininzi ezenziwe ngabantu.
12, 13. Ngoobani abazithabathela imbopheleleko yokulondoloza isibhalo seZibhalo zesiHebhere?
12 Ngenxa yokuba kwenziwa amawaka amaninzi emibhalo ekhutshelweyo yeBhayibhile, sazi njani ukuba le nkqubo yokukhutshelwa ayizange iyiguqule ngokokude ingaziwa? Kaloku, khawuqwalasele imeko yeBhayibhile yesiHebhere, “iTestamente Endala.” Kwinxalenye yesibini yenkulungwane yesithandathu Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, xa amaYuda abuyayo ekuthinjweni kwawo eBhabhiloni, iqela labaphengululi abangamaHebhere abaziwa njengamaSopherim, “ababhali,” baba ngabagcini besibhalo seBhayibhile sesiHebhere, yaye kwakuyimbopheleleko yabo ukukhuphela ezo Zibhalo ukuze zisetyenziswe kunqulo lwasesidlangalaleni nolwangasese. Babengamadoda awayezinikele gqitha, awayeziingcali kulo msebenzi, yaye umsebenzi wabo wawungowolona didi luphakamileyo.
13 Ukususela kwinkulungwane yesixhenxe ukusa kweyeshumi yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, amalandela amaSopherim yaba ngamaMasorete. Igama lawo livela kwigama lesiHebhere elithetha “isithethe,” yaye ngokusisiseko nawo ayengababhali ababephathiswe umsebenzi wokulondoloza isibhalo esingokwesithethe sesiHebhere. AmaMasorete ayesenza izinto ngocoselelo olukhulu. Ngokomzekelo, umbhali kwakufuneka asebenzise umbhalo okhutshelweyo owawungqinelwe njengochane ngokufanelekileyo njengalowo wayeya kubhala ngokusuka kuwo, yaye wayengavunyelwanga ukuba abhale nantoni na ngokuphuma kwinkumbulo yakhe. Kwakufuneka ahlole unobumba ngamnye ngaphambi kokuba ambhale.5 Unjingalwazi uNorman K. Gottwald unikela le ngxelo: “Into ebonisa ukuba ayiphumeza ngenyameko imisebenzi yawo kukuba abefundisi bawo banqonqozisa ukuba kuhlolwe iimpazamo kuyo yonke imibhalo-ngqangi emitsha ize imibhalo ekhutshelweyo efunyaniswe ineempazamo ilahlwe ngoko nangoko.”6
14. Yintoni eyafunyanwayo eyenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukungqinela ukuchana kokuguqulelwa kwesibhalo seBhayibhile ngamaSopherim namaMasorete?
14 Sasichane kangakanani isibhalo esasikhutshelwe ngamaSopherim namaMasorete? Ukuza kuthi ga kowe-1947 bekunzima ukuwuphendula loo mbuzo, ekubeni imibhalo-ngqangi epheleleyo yesiHebhere yantlandlolo eyayikho ngaphambi koko yayisusela kwinkulungwane yeshumi yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Noko ke, ngowe-1947 kwafunyanwa iziqwengana zemibhalo-ngqangi eyeyona midala kunene kwimiqolomba ekummandla woLwandle Olufileyo, kuquka iinxalenye zeencwadi zeBhayibhile yesiHebhere. Ezininzi zezi ziqwengana zazibhalwe ngaphambi kwexesha likaKristu. Abaphengululi bazithelekisa ezi ziqwengana nemibhalo-ngqangi yesiHebhere eyayikho ukuze bangqine ukuchana kokukhutshelwa kwaloo mibhalo. Waba yintoni umphumo wolu thelekiso?
15. (a) Waba yintoni umphumo wokuthelekiswa kombhalo-ngqangi kaIsaya womsongo woLwandle Olufileyo nesibhalo samaMasorete? (b) Simele sifikelele kwesiphi isigqibo ngenxa yesibakala sokuba kweminye yemibhalo-ngqangi eyafunyanwa kuLwandle Olufileyo kusetyenziswe amagama awahlukileyo apha naphaya? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi ephepha.)
15 Omnye weyona mibhalo-ngqangi midala eyafunyanwayo wawuqulethe yonke incwadi kaIsaya, yaye kuyamangalisa ukuphawula indlela osondelelene ngayo loo mbhalo nalowo weBhayibhile yamaMasorete esinayo namhlanje. Unjingalwazi uMillar Burrows ubhala oku: “Ubukhulu becala ukungavisisani okukhoyo phakathi komsongo kaIsaya [osandul’ ukufunyanwa] ogcinwe kwiziko leemonki laseSt. Mark nombhalo wamaMasorete kubangelwe ziimpazamo ezibekho ekukhutshelweni. Ngaphandle kwako, umongo wazo, xa uwonke, uvisisana ngokumangalisayo nemibhalo eyafunyanwa kwimibhalo-ngqangi yamaxesha aphakathi. Ukuvisisana okunjalo okukulo mbhalo-ngqangi ekukudala ukho kusinika ubungqina obusiqinisekisa ngakumbi bokuba ngokubanzi umbhalo ongokwesithethe uchanile.”7 Lo kaBurrows wongezelela esithi: “Kuyinto engumnqa ngokwenene ukuba ukutyhubela ithuba elingangewaka leminyaka ube loo mbhalo uguquke kancinane kangako.”b
16, 17. (a) Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba isibhalo seZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike sichanile? (b) Wangqina esithini uMhlekazi uFrederic Kenyon ngesibhalo seZibhalo zesiGrike?
16 Ngokuphathelele inxalenye yeBhayibhile ebhalwe ngesiGrike ngamaKristu, leyo ifane ibizwe ngokuba yiTestamente Entsha, abakhupheli bemibhalo babengabantu abangenabugcisa kodwa abaneziphiwo ezikhethekileyo kunokuba kwakunjalo ngamaSopherim awayeziingcungela eziqeqeshwe ngokukhethekileyo. Kodwa nangona ayesebenza ngaphantsi kwesisongelo sokohlwaywa ngabasemagunyeni, awujonga nzulu umsebenzi wawo. Yaye kukho izinto ezimbini ezisiqinisekisayo ukuba thina namhlanje sinesibhalo ngokusisiseko esifanayo neso sabhalwa ngababhali bantlandlolo. Eyokuqala yeyokuba, sinemibhalo-ngqangi ebalelwa kufutshane kakhulu kwixesha lokubhalwa kwayo kunokuba kunjalo ngenxalenye yeBhayibhile yesiHebhere. Ngokwenene, enye inxalenye yeVangeli kaYohane yabhalwa kwisiqingatha sokuqala senkulungwane yesibini, ngaphantsi kwama-50 eminyaka ukususela kwixesha ekunokwenzeka ukuba uYohane wayibhala ngalo iVangeli yakhe. Eyesibini yeyokuba, imibhalo-ngqangi emininzi eye yasinda inikela ubungqina obukhwankqisayo bokuchana kweso sibhalo.
17 Kule nkalo, uMhlekazi uFrederic Kenyon wangqina esithi: “Kucace mhlophe ukuba umongo wesibhalo seBhayibhile uchanile. Oku kunjalo ngokukhethekileyo kwiTestamente Entsha. Inani lemibhalo-ngqangi yeTestamente Entsha, eyeenguqulelo zangaphambili eziguqulelwe ngokusuka kuyo, neyeengcaphulo ezisuka kuyo, yababhali bamhlamnene beCawa likhulu kangangokuba liqinisekile ngokwenene elokuba kweminye yale mibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo, iye yalondolozwa eyona ndlela ichanileyo yokufunda nasiphi na isibhalo esithandatyuzwayo. Akukho nayiphi na enye incwadi yamandulo ehlabathini ekunokuthethwa ngolo hlobo ngayo.”10
Abantu Neelwimi Zabo
18, 19. Kwenzeka njani ukuba iBhayibhile ingapheleliselwa kwiilwimi eyayibhalwe ngazo ntlandlolo?
18 Ekuhambeni kwethuba, iilwimi zantlandlolo eyayibhalwe ngazo iBhayibhile nazo zaba ngumqobo ekusindeni kwayo. Iincwadi zokuqala ezingama-39 ubukhulu becala zazibhalwe ngesiHebhere, ulwimi lwamaSirayeli. Kodwa isiHebhere asizange saziwe ngabantu abaninzi. Ukuba iBhayibhile yayiyekwe ngolo lwimi, ngeyayingazange ibe nempembelelo enamandla kuhlanga lwamaYuda kwanakubemi abambalwa bezinye iintlanga ababenokuyifunda. Noko ke, ngenkulungwane yesithathu Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ukwenzela ingenelo yamaHebhere awayehlala kwa-Alesandire, eYiputa, kwaqaliswa ukuguqulelwa kwenxalenye yesiHebhere yeBhayibhile iguqulelwa kwisiGrike. Ngelo xesha isiGrike sasilulwimi olwaluthethwa kwizizwe ngezizwe. Ngaloo ndlela, iBhayibhile yesiHebhere yafumaneka lula kwabo babengengomaYuda.
19 Ngethuba kufika ixesha lokubhalwa kwenxalenye yesibini yeBhayibhile, isiGrike sasisathethwa kwiindawo ezininzi, ngoko iincwadi zokugqibela ezingama-27 zeBhayibhile zabhalwa ngolo lwimi. Kodwa asingabo bonke abantu ababenokusiqonda isiGrike. Ngenxa yoko, kwaqalisa ukuvela kweenguqulelo zeenxalenye zesiHebhere nezesiGrike zeBhayibhile ngeelwimi ezazithethwa ngaloo mihla kwiinkulungwane zokuqala, ezinjesiSiriya, isiCopt, isiArmenia, isiGeorgia, isiGoth nesiTiyopiya. Ulwimi olungokwasemthethweni loBukhosi baseRoma lwalusisiLatini, yaye iinguqulelo zesiLatini zenziwa zaninzi kangangokuba kwanyanzeleka ukuba kugunyaziswe ukuveliswa “kwenguqulelo evunyiweyo.” Le nguqulelo yagqitywa ngowama-405 C.E. yaze yaziwa njengenguqulelo yeVulgate (gama elo elithetha “edumileyo” okanye “eqhelekileyo”).
20, 21. Yiyiphi imiqobo eyayikho ekusindeni kweBhayibhile, yaye kutheni le nto le miqobo yoyiswayo nje?
20 Ngaloo ndlela, kwakuphezu kwayo nje imiqobo emininzi eyathi yasinda iBhayibhile ukwehlela kwiinkulungwane zokuqala zeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Abo bayivelisayo babeliqaqobana elalicekiswa nelalitshutshiswa elaliphila ubomi obunzima kwihlabathi elinobutshaba. Kwakusenokuba yinto elula ukuba igqwethwe kakubi xa yayikhutshelwa, kodwa akuzange kube njalo. Ngaphezu koko, yasinda kwingozi yokuba ifumaneke kuphela kubantu ababethetha iilwimi ezithile.
21 Kutheni le nto kwakunzima kangaka ngeBhayibhile ukuba isinde? IBhayibhile ngokwayo ithi: “Ihlabathi liphela lilele kongendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) Ngenxa yoku, besinokulilindela ihlabathi ukuba libe nobutshaba kwinyaniso epapashiweyo, yaye oku kuye kwangqineka kunjalo. Ngoko, kutheni yasindayo nje iBhayibhile ngoxa lwalityalwayo uncwadi oluninzi kakhulu olwalungajamelananga neenzima ezikwanjalo? IBhayibhile iyakuphendula noku. Ithi: “Ke lona ilizwi leNkosi [“uYehova,” NW] lihleli ngonaphakade.” (1 Petros 1:25) Ukuba ngokwenene iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo, akukho gunya labantu linokuyitshabalalisa. Yaye oku kube yinyaniso ukuza kuthi ga nakule nkulungwane yama-20.
22. Kwenzeka yiphi inguqulelo ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesine yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo?
22 Phofu ke, kwinkulungwane yesine yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo kwenzeka ntw’ ithile eyathi ekugqibeleni yaphumela ekuhlaselweni kweBhayibhile ngokutsha yaza yayichaphazela ngokunzulu imbali yaseYurophu. Kwiminyaka nje elishumi emva kokuba uDiocletian ezame ukutshabalalisa yonke imibhalo yeBhayibhile, inkqubo eyayilandelwa ngamagunya alawulayo yaguquka baza “ubuKristu” bavunyelwa ngokwasemthethweni. Kwiminyaka elishumi elinesibini kamva, ngowama-325 C.E., umlawuli waseRoma wayongamele iBhunga laseNicaea “lamaKristu.” Bekunokwenzeka njani ukuba isibakala esibonakala ngathi siyingenelo ngolo hlobo singqineke siyingozi kwiBhayibhile? Siya kuyibona impendulo yoko kwisahluko esilandelayo.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Kule mpapasho, kunokuba kusetyenziswe u-“A.D.” no-“B.C.,” abangokwesithethe, kusetyenziswe u-“C.E.” (iXesha Eliqhelekileyo) no-“B.C.E.” (Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo) abachane ngakumbi.
b Asiyiyo yonke imibhalo-ngqangi eyafunyanwa kuLwandle Olufileyo evumelana ncam nombhalo weBhayibhile owasindayo. Kweminye kusetyenziswe amagama awahluke mpela. Noko ke, oku kwahluka kwamagama akuthethi kuthi intsingiselo esisiseko yesibhalo iye yagqwethwa. Ngokutsho kukaPatrick W. Skehan weYunivesithi yamaKatolika yaseMerika, kwiimeko ezininzi oku kubonisa ukuba “kwadlalwa nje ngamagama ekubekweni [kwesicatshulwa seBhayibhile] ngokusekelwe kumongo waso, ukuze indlela esibekwe ngayo ibe yeyandisiweyo kodwa umongo uhlale unjalo . . . Oko bakwenza ngokuqhutywa yintlonelo enzulu ngesicatshulwa eso sigqalwa njengesingcwele, benesimo sengqondo sokucacisa (njengoko besiya kukubeka njalo) iBhayibhile kwangeBhayibhile yaye oko bekwenza ngendlela abasiguqulela ngayo eso sicatshulwa.”8
Omnye umgqabazi wongezelela esithi: “Phezu kwako nje konke ukungaqiniseki, sihlala sihleli sona isibakala esingundoqo sokuba umbhalo njengoko sinawo ngoku, ngokuyintloko, uwamela ngokufanelekileyo amazwi okoqobo ababhali, bambi babo abaphila malunga namawaka amathathu eminyaka eyadlulayo, yaye asimele kuba namathandabuzo anzulu ngembaluleka yesigidimi esisinikelwa yiTestamente Endala ngenxa yokusetyenziswa kwamagama awahlukileyo.”9
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 19]
Isibhalo SeBhayibhile Esingqinelwe Kakuhle
Ukuze siyiqonde indlela esingqinelwa kakuhle ngayo isibhalo seBhayibhile, kuphela nje kufuneka sisithelekise nolunye uthotho loncwadi lwemihla yamandulo esiye salufumana: iincwadi zamandulo zenkcubeko yamaGrike neyamaRoma. Eneneni, inkoliso yolu ncwadi yabhalwa emva kokuba zagqitywayo iZibhalo zesiHebhere. Akukho ngxelo ibhaliweyo ngokuphathelele amalinge okutshatyalaliswa kohlanga luphela lwamaGrike okanye lwamaRoma, yaye uncwadi lwawo lwalungalondolozwanga kujanyelwene nentshutshiso. Kanti, qwalasela amagqabaza kaNjingalwazi F. F. Bruce:
“Kusekho iqela lemibhalo-ngqangi engazange itshatyalaliswe kwiGallic War kaKesare (eyaqulunqwa phakathi kowama-58 nowama-50 B.C.), kodwa isithoba okanye ilishumi kuphela esekwimeko entle, yaye owona mdala kuyo wabhalwa kwisithuba sama-900 eminyaka emva kokufa kukaKesare.
“Kwiincwadi ezili-142 ezingembali yaseRoma kaLivy (59 B.C.-A.D. 17), zingama-35 kuphela ezisekhoyo; ezi sizaziswe yimibhalo-ngqangi engabalulekanga kangako engekho ngaphezu kwamashumi amabini, yaye mnye kuyo obudala bufikelela kwinkulungwane yesine, nawo lowo uqulethe iziqwengana ezingaphelelanga zeNcwadi III-VI.
“Kwiincwadi ezilishumi elinesine ezithi Histories zikaTacitus (owayephila malunga nowe-A.D. 100) kuphela zezine ezinesiqingatha ezisekhoyo; kwezilishumi elinesithandathu ezithi Annals, zilishumi ezisenamaphepha apheleleyo yaye ezimbini aziphelelanga. Isibhalo sezi nxalenye zingazange zitshabalale seencwadi zakhe ezimbini zembali ezizezona zibalulekileyo sixhomekeke ngokupheleleyo kwimibhalo-ngqangi emibini, omnye ongowenkulungwane yesithoba nomnye wenkulungwane yeshumi elinanye. . . .
“IMbali kaThucydides (owayephila malunga nowama-460-400 B.C.) siyifumene ngokusuka kwimibhalo-ngqangi esibhozo, owona mdala wabhalwa malunga nowe-A.D. 900, kwanakwiziqwengana ezimbalwa zamaphepha enziwe ngengcongolo, zona ezabhalwa malunga nokuqalisa kwexesha lamaKristu.
“Kukwanjalo nangeMbali kaHerodotus (owayephila malunga nowama-488-428 B.C.). Kanti akukho mphengululi ngezinto zenkcubeko yakudala obenokusiphulaphula isimangalo sokuba buyathandabuzeka ubunyaniso beencwadi zikaHerodotus okanye zikaThucydides ngenxa yokuba eyona mibhalo-ngqangi midala yezo ncwadi zabo enokusetyenziswa sithi yabhalwa kwisithuba seminyaka engaphezu kwe-1 300 emva kokuba yabhalwayo imibhalo-ngqangi yantlandlolo.”—The Books and the Parchments, iphepha 180.
Kuthelekise oku nesibakala sokuba kukho amawaka emibhalo-ngqangi yeenxalenye ezahlukahlukeneyo zeBhayibhile. Ibe imibhalo-ngqangi yeZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike ibuyela emva ukusa kwisithuba esikwikhulu leminyaka ukususela kwixesha lokubhalwa kweencwadi zantlandlolo.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
AmaHebhere ayeluhlanga oluncinane olwalusongelwa rhoqo ziintlanga ezinamandla. Lo mfanekiso ukroliweyo wamandulo ubonisa amaHebhere esiwa ekuthinjweni ngama-Asiriya
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]
Ngaphambi kokuvela kwenkqubo yokushicilela ngomatshini, iZibhalo zazikhutshelwa ngesandla
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
UNero wakwe-nza ukuba ngumKristu kwalulwaphulo-mthetho olunesigwebo sokufa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
Ukuhlolisiswa komsongo kaIsaya woLwandle Olufileyo kwangqina ukuba ngokusisiseko le ncwadi iye yahlala ingaguqukanga ukutyhubela ithuba le-1 000 leminyaka
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
UMlawuli uDiocletian wasilela kwimigudu yakhe yokutsha-balalisa iBhayibhile