Ngaba Le Ncwadi Iyavumelana Nenzululwazi?

Unqulo nenzululwazi bezikhe zayinyoka nesele. Kwiinkulungwane ezidlulileyo abezakwalizwi abathile babezikhaba ngaw’ omane izinto ezafunyaniswa yinzululwazi xa becinga ukuba ziza kuphazamisana nendlela abayitolika ngayo iBhayibhile. Kodwa ngaba ngokwenene inzululwazi ilutshaba lweBhayibhile?

UKUBA ababhali beBhayibhile babexhasa iimbono zenzululwazi ezazisamkelwa ngokubanzi ngamaxesha abo, le ncwadi ibiya kuba neembono ezingachananga zenzululwazi ezibonwa nanguthathatha. Ukanti ababhali bayo abazange bazixhase ezo ngcamango ziphosakeleyo ngokwenzululwazi. Kunoko, abazange banele nje ukubhala iingxelo ezichanileyo ngokwenzululwazi kodwa zaziphikisana neembono ezazisamkelwa ngelo xesha.

Unjani Umhlaba?

Loo mbuzo ubuyintsinda-badala ebantwini kangangamawaka eminyaka. Mandulo kwakucingwa ukuba umhlaba uthe tyaba. Ngokomzekelo, abantu baseBhabhiloni babekholelwa ukuba indalo iphela yibhokisi okanye ligumbi uze umhlaba wona ube ngumgangatho walo. Ababhali beVeda abangamaIndiya babecinga ukuba umhlaba uthe tyaba yaye abantu bahleli kwicala elinye kuphela lawo. Uhlanga lomthonyama lwaseAsia lwalucinga ukuba umhlaba ufana netreyi enkulu.

Kwangenkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, isithandi sobulumko esingumGrike uPythagoras weza nengcamango yokuba ekubeni inyanga nelanga zingqukuva, nomhlaba umele ukuba ungqukuva. UAristotle (kwinkulungwane yesine ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo) naye wakuvuma oko, esitsho nokuthi into engqina ukuba umhlaba ungqukuva kukusithwa komhlaba yinyanga ngamaxesha athile. Isithunzi somhlaba enyangeni sibonakala sinegophe.

Noko ke, loo ngcamango yokuba umhlaba uthe tyaba (neyokuba abantu bahlala ngaphezulu kuphela kuwo) ayizange iyekwe ngokupheleleyo. Yayingangeni ezingqondweni zabanye inkcazelo esengqiqweni yokuba umhlaba ungqukuva—ingcamango yeeantipodes.a ULactantius, ingcali kwezobuKristu yenkulungwane yesine kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wayihlaba kanobom loo mbono. Wayeqiqa ngelithi: “Ngaba ukho umntu ongabhadlanga ngokokude acinge ukuba kukho abantu abahamba bejongise iintloko ezantsi? . . . nokuthi izityalo nemithi ikhula ijongise ezantsi? imvula, nekhephu nesichotho ziyenyuka?”⁠²

Le ngcamango yeeantipodes yabashiya abezakwalizwi bexinene iingqondo. Abanye babecinga ukuba, ukuba kwakukho abantu abahlala kwelinye icala lomhlaba, ayinakubakho indlela yokudibana nabantu abaqhelekileyo kuba ulwandle lusenokuba lubanzi gqitha ukuba lunganqunyulwa okanye akukho mntu unokukwazi ukunqumla kummandla otshisa ngeyona ndlela ongqonge i-ikhweyitha. Ngoko babevela phi abo bantu bahlala kwelinye icala lomhlaba? Bephixene ingqondo, bambi kwabezakwalizwi basuka bazixelela ukuba akukho bantu bahlala kwelinye icala lomhlaba, okanye bahambisana neliya likaLactantius, lokuba umhlaba awukho ngqukuva kakade!

Sekunjalo, ingcamango yokuba umhlaba ungqukuva yaqhubeka imi, yaye ekugqibeleni yamkelwa ngokubanzi. Kusekuqaleni kwale nkulungwane yama-20 kuphela apho abantu baye bakwazi ukuwushiya umhlaba baze bantingele phezulu ukuze bakwazi ukuqinisekisa ngokuzibonela ngamehlo abo ukuba umhlaba yingqukuva.b

Yayisithini yona iBhayibhile kuko konke oku? Kwinkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, xa kwakuxhaphake imbono yokuba umhlaba uthe tyaba, kwiinkulungwane ezininzi ngaphambi kokuba izithandi zobulumko zamaGrike zithi umhlaba kusenokwenzeka ukuba ungqukuva, yaye kumawaka eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba abantu bawushiye umhlaba baze bawujonge besesibhakabhakeni, umprofeti ongumHebhere uIsaya wathetha la mazwi alula athi: “Ngulo uhlala phezu kwesazinge sehlabathi.” (Isaya 40:22, akekeliswe sithi.) Igama lesiHebhere elithi chugh, apha eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘isazinge,’ lisenokuguqulelwa ngokuthi “ingqukuva.”⁠³ Ezinye iinguqulelo zeBhayibhile zifundeka ngolu hlobo, “ingqukuva yomhlaba” (Douay Version) nangokuthi “umhlaba ongqukuva.”—Moffatt.c

Umbhali weBhayibhile uIsaya akazange azilandele iintsomi ezazixhaphakile ngomhlaba. Kunoko, wabhala amazwi angazange abe nokuphikiswa kukuhambela phambili kwenzululwazi.

Umhlaba Uxhaswe Yintoni?

Kumaxesha amandulo, abantu babexakene neminye imibuzo ephathelele indalo yonke: Umhlaba uxhaswe ngantoni? Yintoni exhase ilanga, inyanga neenkwenkwezi? Babengazi nto ngomxhuzulane wendalo, owafunyaniswa nguIsaac Newton waza wawupapasha ngowe-1687. Imbono yokuba izinto ezisezulwini, ngokungathi kunjalo, zijinga nje emoyeni yayiyintsomi kubo. Ngaloo ndlela, amaxesha amaninzi inkcazelo yabo yayidla ngokubonisa ukuba umhlaba nezinto ezisesibhakabhakeni zixhaswe yinto ethile.

Ngokomzekelo, enye ingcamango yamandulo yayisithi, mhlawumbi eyeza nabantu ababehlala kwisiqithi esithile, umhlaba ungqongwe ngamanzi amaninzi ibe udada kuloo manzi. AmaHindu wona ayecinga ukuba umhlaba uneziseko ezininzi, esinye siphezu kwesinye. Umi phezu kweendlovu ezine, ezo ndlovu zona zimi phezu kofudo olukhulu, ufudo lona lumi phezu kwenyoka ezisongileyo edada kumanzi endalo. UEmpedocles, isithandi sobulumko esingumGrike senkulungwane yesihlanu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, sasikholelwa ukuba umhlaba uxhaswe sisaqhwithi ibe seso saqhwithi esibangela ukuba izinto ezisesibhakabhakeni zihambe.

Ezona mbono zazinefuthe elikhulu zezika-Aristotle. Nangona wayenengcamango yokuba umhlaba ungqukuva, wayephika alale ngomhlana xa kusithiwa umhlaba ujinga esithubeni. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi On the Heavens, xa wayekhaba ingcamango yokuba umhlaba umi phezu kwamanzi, wathi: “Akunakwenzeka ukuba amanzi, nomhlaba, ajinge nje esithubeni: kumele kubekho into aphezu kwayo.”⁠⁴ Ngoko, ‘uphezu’ kwantoni ke umhlaba? UAristotle wayefundisa ukuba ilanga, inyanga, neenkwenkwezi zimi phezu kweengqukuva eziqinileyo okwaziyo ukubona ngaphaya kwazo. Enye yayiphakathi kwenye, umhlaba—omileyo—wona usesizikithini sazo. Njengokuba ezi ngqukuva zijikeleza, izinto ezikuzo—ilanga, inyanga nezijikelezi-langa—zazihamba zinqumla isibhakabhaka.

Loo ngcaciso ka-Aristotle yayibonakala isengqiqweni. Ukuba kwakungekho nto ixhase izinto ezisesibhakabhakeni, yintoni eyayizigcina ziphezulu? Ezo mbono zika-Aristotle obekekileyo zazisamkelwa njengenyaniso kangangeminyaka enokuba ngama-2000. Ngokutsho kweThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, kwinkulungwane ye-16 neye-17 iimfundiso zakhe zazijongwa “njengeemfundiso zonqulo” ngabantu becawa.⁠⁵

Emva kokuba kuveliswe izibona-kude, iingcali ngeenkwenkwezi zaqala zayithandabuza ingcamango ka-Aristotle. Sekunjalo babhula besela de uMhlekazi uIsaac Newton wachaza ukuba izijikelezi-langa zimi nje emoyeni, zibanjwe ngamandla angabonakaliyo—umxhuzulane. Kwakubonakala kungumnqa, yaye noogxa bakaNewton babekholwa bengakholwa ukuba isibhakabhaka siyimpengempenge nje, siyindawo nje evulekileyo.d⁠⁶

Ithini yona iBhayibhile kulo mba? Kwiminyaka emalunga nama-3 500 eyadlulayo, iBhayibhile yalichaza phandle elokuba umhlaba umi “phezu kokungeni.” (Yobhi 26:7) KwisiHebhere samandulo, igama elithi “kokungeni” (beli-mahʹ) elisetyenziswe apha lithetha “into engekhoyo.”⁠⁷ IContemporary English Version isebenzisa ibinzana elithi, “emoyeni.”

Ngezo ntsuku abantu babengenawo kwaphela umfanekiso-ngqondweni womhlaba njengesijikelezi-langa esijinga “emoyeni.” Ukanti, kwakudaladala, umbhali weBhayibhile wabhala amazwi ayinyaniso ngokwenzululwazi.

IBhayibhile Nenzululwazi Yezonyango—Ngaba Ziyavumelana?

Inzululwazi yezonyango yale mihla isifundise okuninzi ngokuphathelele ukusasazeka nokuthintelwa kwezifo. Ezamayeza kwinkulungwane ye-19 zeza nendlela yezonyango yococeko—ucoceko olunciphisa izifo ezosulelayo. Oko kwaba nemiphumo engathethekiyo. Baba mbalwa gqitha abantu abasulelwa zizifo nabafa phambi kwexesha.

Noko ke, oogqirha bamandulo babengayiqondi kakuhle indlela ezisasazeka ngayo izifo, bengayiqondi nendlela ugutyulo oluzithintela ngayo izifo. Alimangalisi ke elokuba uninzi lweendlela zabo zokunyanga zijongwa njengezazingenankcubeko namhlanje.

Enye yezona ncwadi zindala zezonyango yiEbers Papyrus, eyingqokelela yenkcazelo yezonyango yaseYiputa, eyabhalwa malunga nowama-1550 B.C.E. Lo msongo uneendlela zokunyanga ezinokuba ngama-700 zezigulo ngezigulo “ezinjengokulunywa yingwenya nezinjengokuqaqanjelwa luzipho lonyawo.”⁠⁸ IThe International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia ithi: “Ulwazi ngezamayeza lwaba gqirha lwalusemva gqitha, lunobugqi obuninzi yaye lukhabana mpela nenzululwazi.”⁠⁹ Inkoliso yamachiza abo ayengeloncedo, kodwa wambi kuwo ayeyingozi gqitha. Xa kunyangwa inxeba, elinye lamayeza elalinconyelwa kukuthambisa umxube owenziwe ngelindle lomntu elidityaniswe nezinye izinto.⁠¹⁰

Le ncwadi ithetha ngamayeza aseYiputa yabhalwa ngexesha elimalunga nelokubhalwa kweencwadi zokuqala zeBhayibhile, ezaziquka uMthetho kaMoses. UMoses, owazalwa ngowama-1593 B.C.E., wakhulela eYiputa. (Eksodus 2:1-10) Ekubeni wayelilungu lentsapho kaFaro, “wayalelwa kubo bonke ubulumko bamaYiputa.” (IZenzo 7:22) Wayeqhelene ‘noogqirha’ baseYiputa. (Genesis 50:1-3, NW) Ngaba loo ndlela yabo yezonyango eyayingeloncedo neyayiyingozi yaba nefuthe kwiincwadi zakhe?

Akunjalo. Kunoko, uMthetho kaMoses wawunemiyalelo yogutyulo eyayiphucuke gqitha kuneyelo xesha. Ngokomzekelo, umthetho wamajoni asezinkampini wawuyalela ukuba ilindle ligqunyelelwe kude nenkampu. (Duteronomi 23:13) Le yayiyindlela esemgangathweni yokuthintela izifo. Yayinceda ukuze kugcinwe amanzi ecocekile yaye yathintela izifo zokuhambisa kwesisu ezithwalwa ziimpukane nezinye izigulo zokuhambisa kwesisu ezisuba ubomi bezigidi nyaka ngamnye kumazwe aneendlela zogutyulo ezingekho mgangathweni.

UMthetho kaMoses wawuneminye imiyalelo yogutyulo eyayikhusela amaSirayeli angafumani izifo ezasulelayo. Umntu owayenesifo esasulelayo okanye ekwakurhanelwa ukuba unesifo esasulelayo wayesuswa ebantwini. (Levitikus 13:1-5) Iimpahla okanye izitya ezikhe zadibana nesilwanyana esizifeleyo (esisenokuba sibulewe sisifo esithile) zazimele zihlanjwe ngaphambi kokuba zisetyenziswe okanye zitshatyalaliswe. (Levitikus 11:27, 28, 32, 33) Nabani na owayechukumisa isidumbu wayejongwa njengenqambi yaye wayemele alandele imiyalelo yokuzihlambulula eyayiquka ukuhlamba iimpahla zakhe nokuhlamba umzimba. Ebudeni bezo ntsuku zisixhenxe eyinqambi, wayemele angachukumisi namnye umntu.—Numeri 19:1-13.

Lo mthetho wococeko usibonisa ubulumko ababengenabo oogqirha belo xesha. Kumawaka eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba inzululwazi yezonyango yazi ngeendlela ezisasazeka ngayo izifo, iBhayibhile yachaza iindlela ezisengqiqweni zokuthintela izifo. Alimangalisi ngoko elokuba uMoses wakwazi ukuthetha ngamaSirayeli ngokubanzi njengaphila iminyaka engama-70 okanye engama-80.e—INdumiso 90:10.

Usenokulivuma elokuba la mazwi angasentla avela eBhayibhileni achanile ngokwenzululwazi. Kodwa akho namanye amazwi aseBhayibhileni asenokungagqinwa zezenzululwazi. Ngaba oko kuyenza iBhayibhile ikhabane nenzululwazi?

Ukwamkela Izinto Ezingenakungqinwa

Ukungangqinwa kwamazwi athile akusoloko kuthetha ukuba abubuxoki. Ubungqina benzululwazi bulinganiselwe ngenxa yokuba umntu akanakukwazi ukufumanisa ubungqina obaneleyo bento yonke yaye akanakukwazi ukunikela zonke iinkcukacha ngayo. Kodwa ezinye iinyaniso akukho ndlela yokuzingqina kuba akukho bungqina buye bagcinwa, ubungqina obukhoyo abucacanga okanye abufumaneki, okanye ubuchule nobugcisa benzululwazi abukwazi ukude businike isigqibo esipheleleyo. Ngaba oku kunjalo nangenye inkcazelo eseBhayibhileni engenabo ubungqina obubonakalayo?

Ngokomzekelo, oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngommandla womoya onabantu bokomoya akukho nto kunokungqinwa ngayo—okanye ekunokuphikiswa ngayo—ngokwenzululwazi. Oku kunjalo nangemimangaliso ekhankanywe eBhayibhileni. Ubungqina obungokwenzululwazi yokuma komhlaba obuphathelele uNogumbe womhla kaNowa abanelanga ncam ukuba bunganelisa abantu abathile. (Genesis, isahluko 7) Ngaba simele sifikelele kwisigqibo sokuba akazange abekho? Iziganeko ezingokwembali zisenokungacaci ngenxa yokuhamba kwexesha neenguqulelo ezithile. Akungebi ke oko bekusenzeka emhlabeni kangangamawaka eminyaka kugqumelele bonke ubungqina boMkhukula?

Liyavunywa elokuba, iBhayibhile inamazwi angenakungqinwa okanye angenakuphikiswa ngobungqina bezinto ezibonakalayo ngoku. Kodwa ngaba oko kumele kusimangalise? IBhayibhile asiyoncwadi yenzululwazi. Noko ke, yincwadi yenyaniso. Sele sibuxubushile ubungqina obeyisayo bokuba ababhali bayo babengamadoda engqibelelo nanyanisekileyo. Yaye xa ayethetha ngemibandela enokuthanani nenzululwazi, amazwi awo ayechanile yaye engahambisani neengcamango “zenzululwazi” zamandulo ezangqineka ziziintsomi nje ezibubuvuvu. Ngaloo ndlela iBhayibhile nenzululwazi aziyonyoka nesele. Buninzi ubungqina obunokukunceda uphangalale kwindlela oyijonga ngayo iBhayibhile.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 21]

Ukungangqinwa kwamazwi athile akusoloko kuthetha ukuba abubuxoki

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Kumawaka eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba abantu bazibonele ukuba umhlaba ungqukuva besesibhaka-bhakeni, iBhayibhile yawubiza ngokuthi ‘isazinge sehlabathi’

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

UMhlekazi uIsaac Newton wachaza ukuba ngumxhuzulane ogcine izijikelezi-langa zisemoyeni