IiHolide

Ingcaciso: Ziintsuku ezidla ngokuphawulwa zilixesha lokungaphangeli nokungayi esikolweni ukuze kubhiyozelwe isiganeko esithile. Iintsuku ezinjalo zisekwanokuba ngamathuba emigidi yentsapho okanye yendawo. Abantu abanenxaxheba basenokuzijonga njengezizezonqulo okanye zizezasekuhlaleni okanye njengemicimbi yehlabathi.

Ngaba iKrismesi sisikhumbuzo esisekelwe eBhayibhileni?

Umhla wesi sikhumbuzo

ICyclopædia kaM’Clintock noStrong ithi: “Ukugcinwa kweKrismesi akuzange kumiselwe ngokobuthixo, kungazange kuvele nakwiTestamente Entsha. Usuku lokuzalwa kukaKristu alunakufunyanwa kwiTestamente Entsha, okanye, ngokwenene, nakuwuphi na omnye umthombo.”—(New York, 1871), Umqu. II, iphe. 276.

ULuka 2:8-11 ubonisa ukuba abalusi babesezindle ebusuku ngexesha lokuzalwa kukaYesu. Incwadi ethi Daily Life in the Time of Jesus ithi: “Imihlambi . . . yayiba sebuhlanti ngethuba lasebusika; ibe ngokwale nkcazelo nje kuphela kusenokubonwa ukuba umhla omiselweyo weKrismesi, ebusika [kumntla weikhweyitha], awunakufane ube ngochanileyo, ekubeni iVangeli isithi abalusi babesezindle.”—(New York, 1962), Henri Daniel-Rops, iphe. 228.

IThe Encyclopedia Americana isazisa oku: “Isizathu sokumiselwa kukaDisemba 25 njengeKrismesi sifihlakele ngandlel’ ithile, kodwa kudla ngokuthiwa olu suku lwakhethwa ukuze lungqamane nemigidi yabahedeni eyayiqhubeka malunga nexesha lasebusika [kumntla weikhweyitha], xa iintsuku ziqalisa ukuba nde, ukuze kubhiyozelwe ‘ukuzalwa kwakhona kwelanga.’ . . . ISaturnalia yamaRoma (umgidi owawunikelwa kuSaturn, uthixo wolimo, nakumandla ahlaziyiweyo elanga), nayo yayiqhubeka ngeli xesha, ibe amasiko athile eKrismesi acingelwa engavela kwesi sikhumbuzo samandulo sabahedeni.”—(1977), Umqu. 6, iphe. 666.

INew Catholic Encyclopedia ivuma oku: “Umhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu awaziwa. IiVangeli azibonisi suku zingabonisi nenyanga . . . Ngokwengcamango eyaboniswa nguH. Usener . . . neyamkelwa ngabaphengululi abaninzi namhlanje, ukuzalwa kukaKristu kuthiwa kwenzeka ngomhla waxa kukho eyona mini imfutshane ebusika (ngoDisemba 25 ngokwekhalenda kaJulian, ngoJanuwari 6 ngokweyamaYiputa), ngenxa yokuba ngolu suku, njengoko ilanga laliqalisa ukubuyela kwisibhakabhaka sasentla, abahedeni abazinikeleyo bakaMithra babekhumbuza idies natalis Solis Invicti (umhla wokuzalwa kwelanga elingenakoyiswa). NgoDis. 25, 274, uAurelian wayevakalise uthixo welanga njengomxhasi ophambili wobukhosi waza wanikela itempile kuye eCampus Martius. IKrismesi yaqalisa ngexesha laxa isithethe sokunqulwa kwelanga sasinamandla gqitha eRoma.”—(1967), Umqu. III, iphe. 656.

Izazi, okanye iiMagi, ezazikhokelwa yinkwenkwezi

Ezo Magi ngokwenene yayingabavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi ababevela empuma. (Mat. 2:1, 2, NW, NE) Nangona ukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi kuxhaphakile phakathi kwabantu abaninzi namhlanje, olu qheliselo lugatywa ngamandla eBhayibhileni. (Bona iphepha 328, 329, phantsi komxholo omkhulu othi “IliShwa.”) Ngaba uThixo wayenokwalathisa abantu ababesenza uqheliselo Awayelugxeka kumntwana osandul’ ukuzalwa onguYesu?

UMateyu 2:1-16 ubonisa ukuba inkwenkwezi yabakhokela aba bavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi okokuqala ukuya kuKumkani uHerode bandula ke baya kuYesu emva koko uHerode wafuna ukubulala uYesu. Akukho nto ithethwayo ngelokuba kukho nabani na owabona “inkwenkwezi” ngaphandle kwabavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi. Emva kokuba bemkile, isithunywa sezulu sikaYehova samlumkisa uYosefu ukuba asabele eYiputa ukuze akhusele umntwana. Ngaba loo “nkwenkwezi” yayingumqondiso ovela kuThixo okanye yayivela kubani owayefuna ukuba uNyana kaThixo atshatyalaliswe?

Phawula ukuba ingxelo yeBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba balufumana usana olunguYesu lusemkhumbini wesitali, njengoko kudla ngokuboniswa kwimizobo yeKrismesi. Xa aba bavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi bathi bafika, uYesu nabazali bakhe babehlala endlwini. Ngokubhekisele kubudala bukaYesu ngelo xesha, khumbula ukuba, ngokusekelwe koko uHerode wakuvayo ngabavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi, wakhupha umthetho wokuba onke amakhwenkwe akwisithili saseBhetelehem aneminyaka emibini ubudala nangaphantsi kwakufanele abulawe.—Mat. 2:1, 11, 16.

Isipho esinikelwayo njengenxalenye yesikhumbuzo; amabali angoSanta Claus, uFather Christmas, njl.

Uqheliselo lokunikana izipho zeKrismesi alusekelwanga koko kwakusenziwa ziiMagi. Njengoko kuboniswe ngasentla, azizange zifike ngexesha lokuzalwa kukaYesu. Ngokubhekele phaya, zanikela izipho, zingazange ziphane, kodwa zapha umntwana onguYesu, ngokuvisisana noko kwakulisiko xa utyelela abantu abaziwayo.

IThe Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “Ebudeni beSaturnalia . . . kwakusesamela izidlo, yaye kwakunikwana ngezipho.” (1977, Umqu. 24, iphe. 299) Kwiimeko ezininzi oko kubonisa umoya wokuphana ngeKrismesi—ukunikana izipho. Isimo sengqondo esibonakaliswa ngokunikana okulolo hlobo izipho asizisi lonwabo lokwenene, kuba oko kuvukela imigaqo yobuKristu enjengaleyo ifumaneka kuMateyu 6:3, 4 nakweyesi-2 yabaseKorinte 9:7. Ngokuqinisekileyo umKristu unokunikela izipho kwabanye njengembonakaliso yothando ngamanye amaxesha ebudeni bonyaka, esenjenjalo ngokufuthi kangangoko efuna.

Kuxhomekeke apho bahlala khona, abantwana baxelelwa ukuba izipho ziziswa nguSanta Claus, uNicholas Ongcwele, uFather Christmas, uPère Noël, uKnecht Ruprecht, ziiMagi, uJultomten onguhili (okanye uJulenissen), okanye igqwirha elaziwa njengoLa Befana. (The World Book Encyclopedia, 1984, Umqu. 3, iphe. 414) Kambe ke, alikho ibali kula eliyinyaniso ngokwenene. Ngaba ukubaliswa kwamabali anjalo kwenza abantwana bayihlonele inyaniso, ibe ngaba uqheliselo olunjalo luyamzukisa uYesu Kristu, owafundisa ukuba uThixo umele anqulwe ngenyaniso?—Yoh. 4:23, 24.

Ngaba kukho nayiphi na into ephosakeleyo ekubeni nesabelo kwimigidi esenokuba neemvelaphi ezingezozabukristu lo gama nje ungenziwa ngenxa yonqulo?

Efe. 5:10, 11: “Nicikida ukuba yintoni na ekholekileyo kakuhle kwiNkosi. Kanjalo musani ukuba nabudlelane ngemisebenzi yobumnyama engenasiqhamo; makube kukhona niyohlwayayo.”

2 Kor. 6:14-18: “Kunakwabelana kuni na ubulungisa nokuchasa umthetho? Kunabudlelane buni na ke ukukhanya nobumnyama? Unakuvumelana kuni na ke uKristu noBheliyali? Unasahlulelwano sini na okholwayo nongakholwayo? Inakudibana kuni na ke itempile kaThixo nezithixo? . . . Kungoko ndithi, Phumani phakathi kwabo, nizahlule, itsho iNkosi [uYehova, NW], nento engcolileyo ningayichukumisi; ndandiya kunamkela, . . . nibe ngoonyana neentombi kum; itsho iNkosi uSomandla.” (Ukumthanda ngokwenyaniso uYehova nomnqweno onamandla wokumkholisa kuya kunceda umntu ukuba ahlukane noqheliselo olungelolwabukristu olusenokuba nomtsalane ngokweemvakalelo. Umntu omazi nomthanda ngokwenene uYehova akanaluvo lokuba ngokuzinxwema kuqheliselo oluzukisa oothixo bobuxoki okanye olukhuthaza ubuxoki nangayiphi na indlela ubandezwa ulonwabo. Uthando lokwenyaniso lumbangela ukuba avuye, angavuyeli kungalungisi, kodwa avuyiswe yinyaniso. Bona eyoku-1 yabaseKorinte 13:6.)

Thelekisa iEksodus 32:4-10. Phawula ukuba amaSirayeli amkela uqheliselo lonqulo lwamaYiputa kodwa alunika igama elitsha elithi, “ngumthendeleko kuYehova.” Kodwa uYehova wawohlwaya ngokuqatha ngenxa yoku. Namhlanje sibona nje uqheliselo lwenkulungwane yama-20 olunxulumene neeholide. Zimbi zisenokubonakala zingenabungozi. Kodwa uYehova wazibonela ngawakhe amehlo uqheliselo lonqulo lwabahedeni ezi holide eziphuma kulo. Ngaba indlela azijonga ngayo ayimele ibe koko sikuxhalabeleyo?

Umzekelo: Masithi kufika isihlwele kwikhaya lenene elithile sisithi sizokukhumbuza umhla walo wokuzalwa. Alisithandi isikhumbuzo semihla yokuzalwa. Alithandi ukubona abantu besidla ngokugqithiseleyo okanye benxila okanye bebandakanyeka kwihambo evakalala. Kodwa bambi bayazenza zonke ezo zinto, baze bezise izipho kuye wonk’ ubani olapho ngaphandle kwalo! Phezu kwako konke oko, bakhetha umhla wokuzalwa womnye weentshaba zeli nene njengomhla wesikhumbuzo. Ebeya kuvakalelwa njani loo mntu? Ngaba wena ubungafuna ukuba yinxalenye yoku? Oku koko kanye kwenziwa zizikhumbuzo zeKrismesi.

Ivela phi i-Ista namasiko anxulumene nayo?

IThe Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Akubonakali ukuba umgidi weIsta wawugcinwa kwiTestamente Entsha, okanye kwimibhalo yabaseki abangabapostile. Ubungcwele bamaxesha akhethekileyo yayiyingcamango eyayingekho ezingqondweni zamaKristu okuqala.”—(1910), Umqu. VIII, iphe. 828.

IThe Catholic Encyclopedia isixelela oku: “Amasiko abahedeni amaninzi gqitha, awayekhumbuza ukubuya kwentwasahlobo, atyekele kwi-Ista. Iqanda lingumqondiso wobomi obukhulayo benxalenye yokuqala yasentwasahlobo. . . . Umvundla ungumqondiso wabahedeni ibe ubusoloko ungumqondiso wokuchuma.”—(1913), Umqu. V, iphe. 227.

Kwincwadi ethi The Two Babylons, ebhalwe nguAlexander Hislop, sifunda oku: “Lithetha ntoni igama elithi Ista? Asilogama lobuKristu. Linemvelaphi kumaKaledi. I-Ista yiAstarte, amanye amagama kaBeltis, ukumkanikazi wezulu, ogama lakhe, . . . njengoko lifunyanwa nguLayard kumatye esikhumbuzo ama-Asiriya, linguIshtar. . . . Leyo yimbali yeIsta. Izinto ezixhaphakileyo ezisagcinwayo ebudeni beli thuba lesikhumbuzo zibuqinisekisa ngokwaneleyo ubungqina bembali ngokubhekisele kwimvelaphi yaseBhabhiloni. Izonkana ezithambileyo zangoLwesihlanu Olungileyo ezenziwe zangumnqamlezo, namaqanda aqholiweyo ePasch okanye eCawa yeIsta, ayekho kwizithethe zamaKaledi kanye njengokuba kusenziwa njalo ngoku.”—(New York, 1943), iphe. 103, 107, 108; thelekisa uYeremiya 7:18.

Ngaba isikhumbuzo soNyaka Omtsha sichasekile kumaKristu?

Ngokutsho kweThe World Book Encyclopedia, “Umlawuli waseRoma uJulius Caesar wamisela uJanuwari 1 njengoSuku loNyaka Omtsha ngowama-46 B.C. AmaRoma olu suku alunikela kuJanus, uthixo wamasango, weengcango, weziqalo. Inyanga kaJanuwari yathiywa ngoJanus, owayenobuso obuziindidi ezimbini—obunye babukhangele phambili nobunye bukhangele ngasemva.”—(1984), Umqu. 14, iphe. 237.

Kokubini umhla namasiko anxulumene nesikhumbuzo soNyaka Omtsha zahlukile kumazwe ngamazwe. Kwiindawo ezininzi umgidi onengxolo nokusela ziyinxalenye yale migidi. Noko ke, amaRoma 13:13 aluleka ngelithi: “Masihambe sizibekile ngokwasemini; kungabi sezindywaleni nasekunxileni; kungabi sekuphimiseni naseburheletyweni; kungabi sezinkanini nasemoneni.” (Bona kwaneyoku-1 kaPetros 4:3, 4; Galati 5:19-21.)

Yintoni esisiseko seeholide zokukhunjulwa “kwemimoya yabafileyo”?

Uhlelo lowe-1910 lweThe Encyclopædia Britannica luthi: “Usuku Lwemiphefumlo Yonke . . . lusuku olubekelwe bucala kwiCawa yamaRoma Katolika lokukhunjulwa kwabathembekileyo abangasekhoyo. Esi sikhumbuzo sisekelwe kwimfundiso yokuba imiphefumlo yabathembekileyo ethi ekufeni ibe ayikacocwa kwizono enokuxolelwa kuzo, okanye engekahlawulelwa kwizigqitho zexa elidluleyo, ayinakuba noMbono Wezulu, ibe isenokuncedwa ibe nawo ngomthandazo nangedini lomthendeleko. . . . Iinkolelo ezithile ezidumileyo ezinxulumene noSuku Lwemiphefumlo Yonke zinemvelaphi yobuhedeni yaye zezamandulo. Ngaloo ndlela abafileyo kukholelwa ukuba ngokuxolelaniswa kwamazwe amaninzi amaKatolika babuyela kumakhaya awayekade engawabo ngobusuku bayo Yonke Imiphefumlo baze badle ukutya kwabaphilileyo.”—Umqu. I, iphe. 709.

IThe Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “Amasiko anxibelelene neHalloween anokulandwa evela kumgidi wamaDruid kumaxesha angaphambi kwamaKristu. AmaCelt ayenemigidi yoothixo ababini abaphambili—uthixo welanga nothixo wabafileyo (owayebizwa ngokuba nguSamhain), umgidi wakhe wawuqhutywa ngoNovemba 1, ekuqalekeni koNyaka Omtsha wamaCelt. Umgidi wabafileyo ngokuthe ngcembe wahlanganiswa nesithethe samaKristu.”—(1977), Umqu. 13, iphe. 725.

Incwadi ethi The Worship of the Dead ibonisa le mvelaphi: “Iintsomi zazo zonke iintlanga zamandulo zinxibelelene neziganeko zoMkhukula . . . Amandla ale ngxoxo aboniswe sisibakala sokwenziwa komgidi omkhulu wabafileyo kukhunjulwa esi siganeko, kungekuphela nje ziintlanga ezisondeleleneyo, kodwa kwanezinye ezahlukahlukene ngokubanzi, ezahlulwe ziilwandlekazi naziinkulungwane zexesha. Ngaphezu koko, lo mgidi uqhutywa ngabo bonke kwangosuku olunye okanye malunga nalapho ekwathi ngalo, ngokutsho kwengxelo kaMoses, kwabakho uMkhukula, oko kukuthi, ngosuku lweshumi elinesixhenxe lwenyanga yesibini—inyanga ephantse ingqamane noNovemba wethu.” (London, 1904, Colonel J. Garnier, iphe. 4) Ngaloo ndlela ezi zikhumbuzo ngokwenene zaqalisa ngokuzukiswa kwabantu uThixo awayebatshabalalise ngenxa yobubi babo ngomhla kaNowa.—Gen. 6:5-7; 7:11.

Iiholide ezinjalo ezizukisa “imimoya yabafileyo” ngokungathi iyaphila komnye ummandla zichasene nengcaciso yeBhayibhile engokufa njengemeko yokungazi ngokupheleleyo.—INtshu. 9:5, 10; INdu. 146:4.

Ngokubhekisele kwimvelaphi yenkolelo yokungafi komphefumlo womntu, bona iphepha 107, 108, phantsi komxholo omkhulu othi “UkuFa,” nephepha 286, 287, phantsi kothi “UmPhefumlo.”

Luvela phi uSuku lukaValentine?

IThe World Book Encyclopedia isixelela oku: “USuku lukaValentine lubakho ngemini yomgidi wabafelinkolo ababini abahlukeneyo nabangamaKristu abanegama elinguValentine. Kodwa amasiko anxulumene nolu suku . . . mhlawumbi aphuma kumsitho wamandulo wamaRoma obizwa ngokuba yiLupercalia owawuqhutywa ngayo yonke imihla ye-15 kuFebruwari. Lo msitho wawuhlonela uJuno, uthixokazi waseRoma wabafazi nomtshato, noPan, uthixo wemvelo.”—(1973), Umqu. 20, iphe. 204.

Luvela phi uqheliselo lokubekela bucala usuku lokuzukisa oomama?

IEncyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Ngumsitho ovela kwisiko lokunqula umama kwiGrisi yamandulo. Ngaphambili unqulo lukamama, olwalunemigidi eyenzelwa uCybele, okanye uRhea, uMama Omkhulu Woothixo, lwalusenziwa ngomhla we-15 kuMatshi kulo lonke elaseAshiya Mayna.”—(1959), Umqu. 15 iphe. 849.

Yiyiphi imigaqo yeBhayibhile ecacisa imbono yamaKristu ngemigidi yokukhumbula iziganeko kwimbali yobupolitika yeentlanga?

Yoh. 18:36: “Waphendula uYesu wathi [kwirhuluneli yamaRoma], Ubukumkani bam asibubo obeli hlabathi.”

Yoh. 15:19: “Ukuba [balandeli bakaYesu] beningabehlabathi, ihlabathi linge likuthanda okwalo; ke ngokuba ningengabehlabathi, ndaninyulayo mna kulo ihlabathi, ngenxa yoko linithiyile ihlabathi.”

1 Yoh. 5:19: “Ihlabathi liphela lilele kongendawo.” (Thelekisa uYohane 14:30; ISityhilelo 13:1, 2; Daniyeli 2:44.)

Ezinye iiholide zasekuhlaleni nezesizwe

Zininzi. Asizizo zonke ezinokuxutyushwa apha. Kodwa inkcazelo engokwembali enikelwe ngasentla ibonisa oko kunokuhlolwa ngokunxibelelene nayo nayiphi na iholide, ibe imigaqo yeBhayibhile esele ixutyushiwe inikela ukhokelo oluhle kwabo banomnqweno onamandla wokwenza okukholisa uYehova uThixo.