Ngaba Siyifuna Ngenene Imibhalo Yantlandlolo?

KWIMINYAKA enokuba ngama-3 000 eyadlulayo, indoda ethile eyayisele ikhulile yakuMbindi Mpuma yabhala imbali yehlabathi ukususela ekuqaleni ukusa kumhla wayo. Loo ncwadi, eyathi yaba ziincwadi ezinde ezintlanu, imele ukuba yayingumgudu omkhulu. Le ndoda yayineminyaka engaphezu kwama-80 ubudala xa yaqalisa ingxelo yayo. Yona okanye uhlanga lwakowayo babengenandawo isisigxina ababehlala kuyo kodwa babesihla benyuka kwiNtlango yaseSinayi. Noko ke, ekugqibeleni oko le nkonde yakubhalayo kwaba yinxalenye yeyona ncwadi ibalulekileyo yakha yabonwa ehlabathini.

Loo ndoda yayinguMoses, owanikwa nguThixo ilungelo lokukhokela uhlanga lukaSirayeli wamandulo ekuphumeni kubukhoboka belizwe laseYiputa. Iincwadi ezintlanu eyazibhalayo namhlanje zaziwa ngokuba yiPentatiki, inxalenye yokuqala yeZibhalo Ezingcwele. UMoses wayekhokelwa ngumoya oyingcwele, okanye amandla asebenzayo kaThixo. Ngenxa yoko, kwananamhla sinokuyifunda imibhalo yakhe size ngokobuqu singenelwe gqitha. Kodwa maxa wambi abantu babuza oku: ‘Ngaba ngenene sinokuba nentembelo emazwini kaMoses nawabanye ababhali beBhayibhile? Ngaba sinayo imibhalo-ngqangi yabo yantlandlolo? Ukuba asinayo, yayaphi? Yaye sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba oko kuseBhayibhileni ngokwenene koko ababhali bayo bakubhalayo ekuqaleni?’

Izinto Abazisebenzisayo

Kukho izizathu ezininzi zokuba nentembelo yokuba iBhayibhile ayiguqukanga koko yayikuko ukususela ekubhalweni kwayo kokuqala. Liyinyaniso elokuba, asinayo imibhalo-ngqangi yantlandlolo yababhali beBhayibhile. Kodwa eneneni besingenakulindela ukuba sibe nayo loo mibhalo-ngqangi. Ngoba? Ngenxa yezinto abayibhala kuzo, isiko elithile lamandulo lamaYuda nokuguquka kwamaxesha ukususela ekubhaleni kwabo.

Okokuqala, khawuqwalasele izinto ababezisebenzisa. Ezinye izinto zisekho ezazibhalwe xa kwakuyilwa iBhayibhile. Kodwa inkoliso yezi yayibhalwe ematyeni okanye kumacwecwe odongwe, nto ezo zinokuhlala ithuba elide. Noko ke, kubonakala ukuba iBhayibhile ntlandlolo yayibhalwe kwinto eyayisonakala ngokulula. Ngokomzekelo, eminye imibhalo yombhali weBhayibhile uYeremiya yatshiswa nguKumkani uYehoyakim. (Yeremiya 36:21-31) Amacwecwe amatye okanye odongwe ayengenakonakaliswa ngokulula ngolo hlobo.

Ngoko, yintoni eyasetyenziswa ngababhali beBhayibhile ekubhaleni? Ewe, “waqeqeshwa ke uMoses kubo bonke ubulumko bamaYiputa,” ibe eyona nto yayisetyenziselwa kakhulu ukubhala eYiputa yayiliphepha lemizi (papyrus). (IZenzo 7:22) Ngoko ke, kunokwenzeka ukuba uMoses wabhala kule nto inokonakala ngokulula. Enye into eyayiqhelekile eyayisetyenziselwa ukubhala kuMbindi Mpuma yayisisikhumba sesilwanyana—ufele olusukiweyo okanye izintsu. Mhlawumbi uYeremiya wabhala kwisikhumba. Isikhumba okanye iphepha laliya kutsha xa uKumkani uYehoyakim waphosa umsongo kaYeremiya emlilweni.

Liyinyaniso elokuba, kwimozulu ebaleleyo nenkqantosi yaseYiputa, imibhalo-ngqangi emininzi yamaphepha yahlala ikho kangangamawaka eminyaka. Kodwa leyo yimeko engaqhelekanga. Ngokuqhelekileyo, iphepha lemizi nesikhumba zonakala ngokukhawuleza. Umphengululi uOscar Paret uthi: “Zombini ezi zinto zisetyenziselwa ukubhala ngomlinganiselo ofanayo nomkhulu ziyonakaliswa kukufuma, ukungunda, naziintlobontlobo zeempethu. Ngenxa yamava amihla le siyayazi indlela elonakala ngokulula ngayo iphepha, okanye kwanesikhumba esilushica, xa sikwindawo evulekileyo okanye kwigumbi elimanzi.”

KuSirayeli wamandulo, apho yaveliswa khona inkoliso yeencwadi zeBhayibhile, imozulu yayingentle ukuba kungalondolozwa imibhalo-ngqangi. Ngenxa yoko, kunokwenzeka ukuba imibhalo-ngqangi emininzi yantlandlolo yeBhayibhile yaguga kwakudala. Kwanokuba ayizange yenjenjalo, kukho isiko lamandulo lamaYuda elalinokwenza kube nzima ukuba ihlale ikho ukuza kuthi ga kumhla wethu. Liyintoni elo siko?

Ukungcwatywa Kwemibhalo-ngqangi

Ngowe-1896 umphengululi owavumbulula kwigenizah yaseCairo wafumana imibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo engama-90 000 eyabangela inguqulelo kuphengululo olungembali yaseMbindi Mpuma. Yintoni igenizah? Yaye oku kunakuthanani nemibhalo yantlandlolo yeBhayibhile?

Igenizah ligumbi apho amaYuda amandulo ayebeka khona imibhalo-ngqangi egugileyo ngenxa yokusetyenziswa. Umphengululi uPaul E. Kahle ubhala oku: “AmaYuda ayedla ngokuphosa zonke iintlobo zezinto ezibhaliweyo nezishicilelweyo kumagumbi anjalo awayesakhiwa kufuphi okanye kwizindlu zawo zesikhungu; injongo yoku yayingekokuzilondoloza apho, kodwa yayikukuzibeka ukuze zingaphazanyiswa okwethuba elithile. AmaYuda ayenoloyiko lokuba hleze imibhalo enjalo esenokuba inegama likaThixo ihlanjelwe ngokusetyenziswa kakubi. Ngoko imibandela enjalo ebhaliweyo—yaye kamva neshicilelweyo—kangangezihlandlo ezininzi yayisisiwa kumhlaba ongcwalisiweyo ize ingcwatywe; ngaloo ndlela yatshabalala. Kwenzeka nje ngamabona-ndenzile ukuba iGeniza yaseCairo ilityalwe zize izinto ezikuyo zingehlelwa lilishwa elehlela izinto ezazikwezinye iiGeniza.”—The Cairo Geniza, iphepha 4.

Kuthekani ukuba umbhalo-ngqangi wantlandlolo weBhayibhile wawuhleli ukho de kwavela eli siko? Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, loo mbhalo-ngqangi ngewawugugile ngenxa yokusetyenziswa yaye wawuya kungcwatywa.

Iziganeko Zembali

Ekuqwalaseleni oko kusenokuba kwenzeka kwimibhalo-ngqangi yantlandlolo yeBhayibhile, uthunywashe wokugqibela ofanele ukhunjulwe yimbali yezidubedube yamazwe ekwabhalwa kuwo iBhayibhile. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngoko kwenzekayo kwezo ncwadi zabhalwa nguMoses owayesel’ aluphele. Sixelelwa oku: “Kwathi, akugqiba uMoses ukuwabhala amazwi alo myalelo encwadini ada agqitywa, uMoses wabawisela umthetho abaLevi, ababethwala ityeya yomnqophiso kaYehova esithi, Yithabatheni incwadi yalo myalelo, niyibeke ecaleni letyeya yomnqophiso kaYehova uThixo wenu.”—Duteronomi 31:24-26.

Ityeya yomnqophiso yayingumkhumbi ongcwele owawufuzisela ubukho bukaThixo phakathi kwamaSirayeli. Wathwalelwa kwiLizwe Ledinga (kunye nemibhalo-ngqangi kaMoses), apho wawugcinwa kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Kangangethuba elithile, wathinjwa ngamaFilisti. Kamva, uDavide ukumkani wakwaSirayeli wayibuyisela eYerusalem iTyeya, yaye ekugqibeleni yabekwa kwitempile eyayakhiwe apho nguKumkani uSolomon. Kodwa uKumkani uAhazi wakha isibingelelo sobuhedeni etempileni yaye ekugqibeleni wayivala. UKumkani uManase wayizalisa ngezinto zonqulo lobuhedeni.

Kwelo thuba, kwenzeka ntoni kwityeya yomnqophiso nakwimibhalo-ngqangi kaMoses? Asazi, kodwa ubuncinane eminye yayo yalahleka. Ngemihla yoKumkani uYosiya, abasebenzi basetempileni bengalindelanga bafumana “incwadi yomyalelo,” mhlawumbi eyona ncwadi yabhalwa nguMoses. (2 Kumkani 22:8) Okuninzi eyayikuqulethe ukumkani wayeqala ukukuva, yaye ukufundwa kwayo kwaba luvuselelo olukhulu olungokomoya.—2 Kumkani 22:11–23:3.

Emva kokufa kukaYosiya, abantu bakwaYuda baba ngabangathembekanga kwakhona yaye ekugqibeleni bafuduselwa eBhabhiloni. Itempile yatshatyalaliswa, yaye yonke into yexabiso eyayilapho yasiwa eBhabhiloni. Akukho ngxelo ngokuphathelele oko kwenzeka kwiTyeya okanye kwincwadi exabisekileyo eyafunyanwa ngomhla kaYosiya. Phofu ke, kwiminyaka ethile kamva xa amaYuda amaninzi awayebuyele kwilizwe lawo ayekhuthazwa ukuba ayakhe kwakhona iYerusalem aze abuyisele unqulo olunyulu, umbingeleli uEzra nabanye babafundela ekuhleni ‘incwadi yomyalelo kaMoses.’ (Nehemiya 8:1-8) Ngenxa yoko, kwakusekho impinda yemibhalo yantlandlolo. Yayivela phi?

Ukukhuphela ILizwi LikaThixo

UMoses waprofeta ngexesha laxa uSirayeli wayeya kulawulwa ngukumkani waza wabhala lo myalelo ukhethekileyo: “Wothi, xenikweni athe wahlala etroneni yobukumkani bakhe, azibhalele impinda yombhalo yalo myalelo encwadini, ethabatha kwephambi kwababingeleli abaLevi.” (Duteronomi 17:18) Ngenxa yoko, kwakuza kwenziwa eminye imibhalo ekhutshelweyo yeZibhalo.

Ekugqibeleni ukwenza imibhalo ekhutshelweyo yeZibhalo kwaba ngumsebenzi osisigxina kwaSirayeli. Eneneni, INdumiso 45:1 ithi: “Ulwimi lwam lusiba lombhali okhawulezayo.” Ababhali abanjengoShafan noTsadoki bakhankanywa ngamagama. Kodwa oyena mbali waziwayo wamandulo yayinguEzra, owathi kwakhona wangomnye wababhali beBhayibhile bantlandlolo. (Ezra 7:6; Nehemiya 13:13; Yeremiya 36:10) Kwanaxa kwakusabhalwa iinxalenye zokugqibela zeBhayibhile, ezo ncwadi zazisele zigqityiwe zazikhutshelwa zize zisasazwe.

Xa uYesu Kristu wayesemhlabeni, imibhalo yeZibhalo zesiHebhere (iGenesis ukusa kuMalaki) yayifumaneka kungekuphela nje eYerusalem kodwa ngokucacileyo kwanakwizindlu zesikhungu zaseGalili. (Luka 4:16, 17) Ewe, kwiBhereya ekude eseMakedoni, amaYuda aneengqondo eziphangaleleyo akwazi ‘ukuzincina izibhalo imihla ngemihla’! (IZenzo 17:11) Namhlanje kusekho imibhalo-ngqangi ekhutshelweyo enokuba li-1 700 yemibhalo yeencwadi zeBhayibhile ezabhalwa ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu, ndawonye nemalunga nama-4 600 yaleyo yayilwa ngabafundi bakhe (uMateyu ukusa kwiSityhilelo).

Ngaba le mibhalo ekhutshelweyo yayichanile? Ewe, yayichane gqitha. Abakhupheli abaziinkunkqele kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere (ababebizwa ngokuba ngabaBhali) babekuxhalabele gqitha ukuphepha naziphi na iimpazamo. Xa behlola umsebenzi wabo, babebala amagama kwanoonobumba bombhalo-ngqangi ngamnye ababewukhuphele. Ngoko ke, uYesu, umpostile uPawulos nabanye ababedla ngokucaphula amazwi ababhali bamandulo beBhayibhile babengakuthandabuzi ukuchana kwemibhalo ababeyisebenzisa.—Luka 4:16-21; IZenzo 17:1-3.

Liyinyaniso elokuba, ababhali abangamaYuda kwanababhali bamva abangamaKristu babengengabo abangenakwenza mpazamo. Iimpazamo zazikho, kodwa imibhalo emininzi esekhoyo iyasinceda ukuba sizibone ezi mpazamo. Njani? Kaloku, ababhali abahlukahlukeneyo benza iimpazamo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngenxa yoko, ngokuthelekisa iincwadi zababhali abahlukahlukeneyo, sinokuzibona iimpazamo zabo ezininzi.

Isizathu Esinokusibangela Sibe Nentembelo

Ngowe-1947 ngokungalindelekanga kwafunyanwa imisongo ethile yamandulo kwimiqolomba ekufuphi noLwandle Olufileyo. Le misongo yabonisa indlela ekuye kwaba kokuchane ngayo ukukhutshelwa kweZibhalo. Phakathi kwale misongo kwakukho umbhalo wencwadi yeBhayibhile kaIsaya owawumalunga neminyaka eliwaka ubudala kunayo nayiphi na eminye imibhalo-ngqangi eyayikho ngaphambili. Kanti, uthelekiso lwabonisa ukuba ekuphela komahluko owawukho phakathi kombhalo-ngqangi woLwandle Olufileyo nemibhalo yamva yayizizinto ezinjengolandelelwaniso lwamagama nomgaqo-ntetho. Umongo weendinyana wawungaguqukanga emva kweminyaka eliwaka yokukhuphela! Ngokuphathelele umongo weZibhalo zesiHebhere, umphengululi uWilliam Henry Green ngoko ke wayenokuthi: “Kusenokutshiwo kuqinisekiwe ukuthi ayikho enye incwadi yamandulo eye yakhutshelwa ngokuchane kangaka.” Kuye kwathethwa okufanayo ngokuchana kokhutshelo lweZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike.

Kuyinyaniso ukuba, bekuya kusivuyisa ukufumana umbhalo wokoqobo uMoses okanye uIsaya awawubhalayo. Kodwa eneneni akuyomfuneko ukuba sibe nayo loo mibhalo yantlandlolo. Into ebalulekileyo asingombhalo kodwa koko ukuquletheyo. Yaye okumangalisayo kukuba, phezu kwako nje ukudlula kweenkulungwane ezininzi zezidubedube nokukhutshelwa okuqhubekayo, sinokuba nentembelo yokuba iBhayibhile isenaloo nkcazelo yayifumaneka kuloo mibhalo yantlandlolo yamandulo. Ngenxa yoko, la mazwi eZibhalo aye angqineka eyinyaniso: “Yonke inyama injengengca, nabo bonke ubuqaqawuli bomntu bunjengentyatyambo yengca. Ingca iyoma, ivuthuluke nentyatyambo yayo; ke lona ilizwi leNkosi lihleli ngonaphakade.”—1 Petros 1:24, 25.