Kukuphi Okuyinyaniso NgeBhetelehem NeKrismesi?

“XA SICINGA ngeMfihlelo yaseBhetelehem asinakuyithintela into yokuba kuphakame imibuzo namathandabuzo athile ezingqondweni zethu.”—IBethlehem, nguMaria Teresa Petrozzi.

Usenokubuza oku, ‘Kutheni kukho imibuzo namathandabuzo nje?’ Ngapha koko, iinkolelo ezahlukahlukeneyo ngokuphathelele iKrismesi, neendawo ezinxibelelene nezi nkolelo, zisekelwe kwisiganeko sokwenyaniso. Okanye ngaba zisekelwe kuso?

Wazalwa Nini?

Mayela nomhla awazalwa ngawo uYesu, uMaria Teresa Petrozzi ubuza oku: “Kanye kanye wazalwa nini uMhlawuleli? Sithanda ukwazi kungekuphela nje unyaka kodwa kwanenyanga, umhla neyure. Indlela echanileyo yokulazi elo xesha asiyinikwanga.” INew Catholic Encyclopedia iyakuxhasa oku: “Umhla wokuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu unokuqikelelwa kuphela.” Ngokuphathelele umhla ekuthiwa uKristu wazalwa ngawo ithi: “Umhla kaDisemba 25 awungqamani nokuzalwa kukaKristu koko ungqamana nomgidi weNatalis Solis Invicti, umsitho waseRoma wokuzalwa kwelanga elingashukumiyo.”

Ngoko usenokubuza uthi, ‘Ukuba uYesu akazange azalwe ngoDisemba 25, wazalwa nini?’ Ngokusuka kuMateyu isahluko 26 nesama-27, siyaqonda ukuba uYesu wafa ngexesha lePasika yamaYuda, eyaqala ngoAprili 1, 33 C.E. Ngaphezu koko, uLuka 3:21-23 usixelela ukuba uYesu wayemalunga nama-30 eminyaka ubudala xa waqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe. Ekubeni ubulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni bathabatha iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha, wayemalunga nama-33 1/2 eminyaka ubudala ngexesha lokufa kwakhe. UKristu wayeya kuba neminyaka engama-34 epheleleyo ubudala kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva, okwakuya kuthi ngolo hlobo kube malunga no-Oktobha 1. Ngoku ukuba sibala sibuyela emva ukuze sibone ixesha uYesu awazalwa ngalo, sifikelela, kungekhona kuDisemba 25 okanye kuJanuwari 6, kodwa malunga no-Oktobha 1 wonyaka wesi-2 B.C.E.

Kwakhona kuphawuleka ukuba ebudeni benyanga kaDisemba, eBhetelehem nakwiingingqi ezikufuphi imozulu iba yeqhaqhazelisa amazinyo, eneemvula ezinengqele ibe maxa wambi kubakho nekhephu. Umntu akanakubafumana abalusi benemihlambi yabo ezindle ebusuku ngelo xesha. Imozulu elolu hlobo asinto intsha. IZibhalo zinikela ingxelo yokuba ukumkani wakwaYuda uYehoyakim “wayehleli endlwini yasebusika ngenyanga yesithoba [enguChislev, engqamana noNovemba-Disemba], kubasiwe elukhambeni phambi kwakhe.” (Yeremiya 36:22) Wayefuna ukuba kubaswe ukuze afudumale. Ngokubhekele phaya, kuEzra 10:9, 13 sifumana ubungqina obucacileyo bokuba inyanga enguChislev yaye “ilixesha lemvula, akunakumiwa phandle.” Kukonke oku kubonisa ukuba imozulu yaseBhetelehem ngoDisemba ayingqamani nengcaciso yeBhayibhile ngeziganeko ezinxibelelene nokuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu.—Luka 2:8-11.

Wazalelwa Phi?

Yiyiphi indlela efanelekileyo esimele siwujonge ngayo ummandla owaba yinxalenye yempembelelo yokuliwa ‘imfazwe ekwaphalazwa igazi elininzi kuyo’ yaseCrimea (ngowe-1853-56), eyathi yasuba imiphefumlo yamajoni angaphezu kwekhulu lamawaka aseFransi? Ngaba ngenene loo mmandla kulapho kwazalelwa khona uYesu?

Okokuqala, iBhayibhile ayiyikhankanyi indawo echanileyo awazalelwa kuyo uYesu. UMateyu noLuka bayayiqinisekisa into yokuba ukuzalwa kukaYesu kwazalisekisa isiprofeto esingoMesiya esikuMika 5:2, esasixele kwangaphambili ukuba “oya kuba ngumlawuli kwaSirayeli, oziphumo zakhe zisusela kwamandulo,” wayeya kuvela eBhetelehem. (Mateyu 2:1, 5; Luka 2:4) Zombini ezi ngxelo zeVangeli zikhankanya kuphela izinto nje ezibalulekileyo, ezizezi, ukuba uYesu wazalelwa eBhetelehem nokuba, ngokutsho kukaLuka, olu sana lwalusongelwe eziqhiyeni lwaza lwalaliswa emkhumbini wesitali.—Luka 2:7.

Kwakutheni ukuze ababhali beencwadi zeVangeli banganikeli iinkcukacha ezingakumbi? UMaria Teresa Petrozzi uthi: “Ngokucacileyo, ababhali beencwadi zeVangeli bazishiya ezi nkcukacha kuba bezigqala zingabalulekanga.” Enyanisweni, kucacile ukuba uYesu wayengazigqali njengezibaluleke ngokukhethekileyo iinkcukacha zokuzalwa kwakhe, kuba akakhe acatshulwe nakanye ekhankanya enoba ngumhla wokuzalwa kwakhe okanye eyona ndawo iyiyo awazalelwa kuyo. Nakubeni wazalelwa eBhetelehem, uYesu akazange ayigqale loo ndawo njengekhaya lakhe, kodwa kwabhekiselwa kummandla welaseGalili ‘njengelakowabo.’—Marko 6:1, 3, 4; Mateyu 2:4, 5; 13:54.

Ngokufunda uYohane 7:40-42 kubonakala ukuba abantu ngokuqhelekileyo babengayazi indawo awazalelwa kuyo, becinga ukuba wazalelwa kwelaseGalili: “Babesithi abanye, uKristu angavela kwelaseGalili yini na?” Ngokusekelwe koko kubhalwe kuYohane 7:41, iThe Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem igqiba ngelithi: “Ukuphakama kweengxubusho ezinjalo akusingqini sibubuxoki isibakala sokuba uKristu wazalelwa eBhetelehem; kodwa ubuncinane kubonisa ukuba uninzi lwezinxulumani Zakhe lwalungakwazi oko.”

Kucacile ukuba ebudeni bokuphila kukaYesu emhlabeni, akazange ahambe ebhengeza iinkcukacha zokuzalwa kwakhe. Akazange ahambe ebalaselisa indawo awazalelwa kuyo. Ngoko, sisiphi isizathu esibangela kukholelwe kwelokuba uMqolomba Wozalo Olungcwele yindawo uYosefu awamzisa kuyo uMariya ukuba azalele kuyo?

UPetrozzi uvuma ngokuphandle esithi: “Akunakwaziwa ngokuqinisekileyo enoba lo mqolomba wawungomnye wemiqolomba emininzi elapho kummandla waseBhetelehem, okanye ngumqolomba owawusetyenziswa njengesitali kwindlu yabahambi. Phofu ke, imbali engokonqulo eyaziwa ukususela kwisiqingatha sokuqala senkulungwane yesi-2 icacile; ngumqolomba osisitali.”—Akekeliswe sithi.

Yimbali Nje Engokonqulo

UMaria Teresa Petrozzi noR. W. Hamilton, kunye nabanye abafundi abahlukahlukeneyo bembali yaseBhetelehem, babonisa ukuba uJustin Martyr, wenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wayengowokuqala ukuvela nebango elithi uYesu wazalelwa emqolombeni, ngaphandle kokuchaza ukuba yayinguwuphi na. Mayela nala mazwi kaJustin Martyr lo kaHamilton ugqiba ngelithi: “La mazwi ayengasekelwanga ntweni ibe ukuthi iNgcwele uJustin yayicinga ngomqolomba okhethekileyo, nokude kuthiwe yayibhekisela kuMqolomba Wozalo Olungcwele owaziwayo ngoku, bekuya kuba kukugxininisa ngokugqith’ emgceni ubungqina obungenasiseko.”

Kumbhalo osemazantsi uHamilton ubhala oku: “Ingxelo Yozalo Olungcwele ekwincwadi engaphefumlelwanga ethi ‘Book of James’ okanye ‘Protevangelium,’ eyabhalwa malunga nelo xesha, ikwathetha ngomqolomba, kodwa iwuchaza njengokummandla okufuphi neBhetelehem. Lo gama nje usabalulekile embalini eli bali libonisa ukuba imbali engokonqulo ngelo xesha yayingekalinxibelelanisi nayo nayiphi na indawo ekhethekileyo, ngokuqinisekileyo ingenguwo noMqolomba Wozalo Olungcwele.”

Ababhali bezonqulo benkulungwane yesithathu uOrigen noEusebius bayinxibelelanisa le mbali ingokonqulo eyayisaziwa ngelo xesha nendawo ethile ekhethekileyo. Lo kaHamilton uqiqa ngelithi: “Lakuba nje eli bali linxityelelaniswe nomqolomba othile lalingenakungakholelwa; ibe kunokutshiwo nje ngokulula ukuba umqolomba owawuboniswa iindwendwe kungekudala emva kowama-200 A.D. wawufana noMqolomba Wozalo Olungcwele okhoyo ngoku.”

UW. H. Bartlett, kwincwadi yakhe ethi Walks About the City and Environs of Jerusalem (ngowe-1842), ethetha ngalo mqolomba washwankathela ngelithi: “Nangona ngokwembali yonqulo kusithiwa le yindawo awazalelwa kuyo uMsindisi wethu, yaye ihlonelwa ukususela mandulo, ngokwamazwi eNgcwele uJerome, eyaphila yaza yafela kumqolomba okufuphi, kukho ukungavani okuthile ngale ndawo, ngokungathi maxa wambi imiqolomba isetyenziswa njengezitali ePalestina, le indawo inzulu ngqitha ukuze ibe yayiya kukulungela ukusetyenziselwa loo njongo; ibe, ukongezelela koku, xa siqwalasela utyekelo lweemonki lokumisela iindawo ekwenzeka kuzo iziganeko eziphawulekayo ezisezibhalweni njengemiqolomba, mhlawumbi ngenxa yobuhle beendawo ezinjalo, phantse singaqiniseka ngoluvo lokuba le asiyondawo ichanileyo.”

Sisiphi isigqibo esinokufikelela kuso ngokusuka kubungqina obungokwembali esinabo nakwisibakala esingokweZibhalo nesibaluleke ngakumbi, sokuba uYesu okanye abafundi bakhe abazange bayibalaselise nangayiphi na indlela indawo awazalelwa kuyo? Kucacile ukuba xa uKumkanikazi uHelena, unina kaConstantine Omkhulu, wamisela iCawa Yozalo Olungcwele ngonyaka wama-326 C.E., wakwenza oko ngokusekelwe koko lo kaHamilton abhekisela kuko ngokuthi ‘kukunxityelelaniswa kwesithethe samandulo.’ Kwakungasekelwanga kubungqina bembali okanye beBhayibhile.

Oku kusikhokelela kwisigqibo esingakumbi sokuba eyona ndawo awazalelwa kuyo uKristu ayaziwa. Ngoko ke, ngaba kusengqiqweni ngabathembekileyo ukuba bakhenkethe ngezonqulo besiya kwiindawo ezinjengoMqolomba Wozalo Olungcwele baze bazihlonele? Eneneni, ukuba oko bekuyimfuneko kumaKristu, ngaba uYesu ngewayengabaxelelanga abafundi bakhe ngale mfanelo okanye kwanaloo mnqweno wakhe? Ngaba oko ngekungabhalwanga kwiLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile, ukuze lonke uluntu lukufunde? Njengokuba ubungqina obunjalo bungekho kwaubakho kwiZibhalo Ezingcwele, kuhle ukuba sihlolisise oko uYesu wakugqala njengento efanele ukukhunjulwa.

Ukuba siyaphengulula, ekuphela kwento esiya kufumanisa ukuba abafundi bakaYesu babemele bayikhumbule kuzo zonke izizukulwana yayikukufa kwakhe okulidini. Wafa entwasahlobo, kungekudala emva kokwenza iPasika yokugqibela nabafundi bakhe. Ngeso sihlandlo wayalela abafundi bakhe abathembekileyo ukuba benze isidlo sokomfuziselo besebenzisa isonka esingenagwele, njengematzoth, newayini ebomvu. Ngokuphathelele lo msitho ungenabugocigoci, owaqhutywa okokuqala ngoAprili 1, 33 C.E., wayalela oku: “Oku kwenzeleni ukundikhumbula.”—Luka 22:19, 20.

Ethobela lo myalelo ongokweZibhalo owakhutshwa nguYesu, amaNgqina kaYehova ehlabathini lonke minyaka le enza iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu okulidini. Le ndibano yamaKristu awayiqhubeli kwindawo ethile ekhethekileyo kwigumbi eliphezulu eYerusalem, kuba uYesu akazange akuthethe oko. Kodwa kulo lonke ihlabathi, ahlanganisana kwiiHolo zawo zoBukumkani nakwezinye iindawo ezifanelekileyo zokuhlanganisana ezikufuphi. Isikhumbuzo esilandelayo siya kuba ngoMatshi 30, 1991, ngemva kokutshona kwelanga. Uyamenywa ukuba ubekho kwiHolo yoBukumkani yamaNgqina kaYehova ekufutshane nekhaya lakho.

Ukuze ubekho kulo msitho ubalulekileyo njengoko uthobela umyalelo kaYesu, akuyomfuneko ukuba uye eYerusalem okanye eBhetelehem. UYesu okanye abafundi bakhe, abazange babalaselise iindawo ezithile njengezazulu zokunqula kwamaKristu. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uYesu waxelela umSamariyakazi, owayesekele unqulo lwakhe eGerizim, intaba ekwelakwaSamari, ngentla kweYerusalem: “Ntokazindini, kholwa ndim, ukuba kuza ilixa, eningasayi kuthi nakule ntaba, naseYerusalem, nimnqule uBawo. Kodwa kuza ilixa, nangoku selikho, xa abanquli abayinyaniso baya kumnqula uBawo ngoMoya nangenyaniso; kuba uBawo ufuna abanjalo ukumnqula.”—Yohane 4:21, 23.

Abo banqula uBawo ngomoya nangenyaniso abaxhomekekanga kwiindawo ezikhethekileyo, njengeBhetelehem, okanye kwizinto ezithile, njengemifanekiso eqingqiweyo, ukuze banqule. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Sikowethu nje emzimbeni, sikude kowethu enkosini (kuba sihamba ngokholo, asihambi ngakubona).”—2 Korinte 5:6, 7.

Noko ke, usenokuqiqa ngelithi, umntu unokumnqula njani uThixo ngendlela eyamkelekileyo kuye? Kwixesha elizayo xa omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova ekutyelele ekhayeni lakho, nceda umbuze oko.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 5]

Ebusika, ummandla okufuphi neBhetelehem usenokulala ikhephu. Ngaba abalusi bebengalala ezindle neegusha zabo?

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

ICawa Yozalo Olungcwele eBhetelehem nomqolomba wayo ophantsi komhlaba

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Inkcazelo]

Garo Nalbandian