Ukusetyenziswa Nokusetyenziswa Ngokungafanelekanga Kwemifanekiso Yonqulo

OKU kwenzeka eSt. Petersburg, eRashiya. Ngumhla wesi-2 kuAgasti 1914. Abantu abachwayitileyo abawangawangisa imifanekiso yonqulo bahlanganisene kwibhotwe likamlawuli. Sele kwakhiwe isibingelelo esazulwini seholo enkulu. Umzobo womfazi ophethe umntwana umi phezu kwesibingelelo. Lo mfanekiso wonqulo ubizwa ngokuba ngu-“Vladimir Mother of God.” Izihlwele zabantu ziwujonga njengeyona nto ixabisekileyo eRashiya.

Enyanisweni, kukholelwa ekubeni lo mfanekiso wonqulo wenza imimangaliso. Ngowe-1812, xa imikhosi yaseRashiya yayihlasela uNapoléon, uNjengele Kutuzov wathandaza phambi kwawo. Ngaloo mhla, emva kokufaka ilizwe lakhe emfazweni, uMlawuli uNicholas II uma phambi kwawo. Ephakamise isandla sakhe sasekunene, wenza isifungo: “Ndifunga ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba andisayi kuxola kusekho nokuba lutshaba olunye kumhlaba waseRashiya.”

Kwiiveki ezimbini kamva umlawuli uthabatha uhambo ngezonqulo olusinge eMoscow esiya kuthandazela ukuba uThixo asikelele amajoni akhe. EkwiCawa Yonyuko, uyaguqa aze athandaze phambi komkhusane omkhulu onamatye anqabileyo nonemifanekiso—umkhusane onemizobo kaYesu, kaMariya, wezithunywa zezulu “neengcwele.”

Ezi zenzo zonqulo zasilela ukuyithintela intlekele. Kwithuba elingaphantsi kweminyaka emine, imikhosi yamaRashiya yaba nezigidi ezintandathu zeengxwelerha yaza yalahlekelwa ngumhlaba omkhulu. Ngaphezu koko, umlawuli, umfazi wakhe nabantwana babo abahlanu babulawa ngenkohlakalo. Kunokuba libe phantsi kolawulo lwalo oluneenkulungwane lukho, elo lizwe laqalisa ukulawulwa ngurhulumente owenza iinguqulelo nowayeluchasile unqulo. Ukuthembela kukaMlawuli uNicholas kwimifanekiso yonqulo kwangqineka kulilize.

Sekunjalo, nanamhlanje eRashiya nakwamanye amazwe, izigidi zabantu ziyaqhubeka zihlonela imifanekiso yonqulo. Oku kuphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekileyo. UThixo uzijonga njani izenzo zokuhlonela imifanekiso enjalo? Ibe kuthekani ngesiko lokuyixhoma kwiindonga zamakhaya?

Ithini IBhayibhile?

Xa uYesu wayesemhlabeni, wathobela uMthetho kaThixo owadluliselwa ngoMoses. Oku kwakuquka umthetho wesibini kwimithetho ebizwa ngokuba yiMithetho Elishumi, othi: “Uze ungazenzeli umfanekiso oqingqiweyo, nokuba ngowayiphi na into emilise esezulwini phezulu, nesemhlabeni phantsi, nesemanzini aphantsi komhlaba. Uze ungaqubudi kwezo nto, ungazikhonzi: kuba mna, Yehova Thixo wakho, ndinguThixo onekhwele.”—Eksodus 20:4, 5.

Ngokuvisisana noko, uYesu akazange anqule uThixo esebenzisa imifanekiso okanye imifanekiso eqingqiweyo eyenziwe ngezandla zabantu. Kunoko, unqulo lwakhe lwaluvisisana namazwi avakaliswa nguYise athi: “NdinguYehova, lilo elo igama lam; andiluniki omnye uzuko lwam, nendumiso yam andiyiniki imifanekiso eqingqiweyo.”—Isaya 42:8.

Ngaphezu koko, uYesu wacacisa isizathu sokuba kwakufanele kunqulwe uThixo ngaphandle kokusebenzisa izinto eziphathekayo. Wathi, “Kuza ilixa, xa abanquli abayinyaniso baya kumnqula uBawo ngoMoya nangenyaniso; kuba uBawo ufuna abanjalo ukumnqula. UThixo unguMoya; abo ke bamnqulayo bamelwe kukumnqula ngoMoya nangenyaniso.”—Yohane 4:23, 24.

NjengoYesu, abafundi bakhe bokwenyaniso bafundisa abanye indlela efanelekileyo yokunqula. Ngokomzekelo, umpostile uPawulos wakha wathetha nesihlwele sezithandi zobulumko zamaGrike ezazisebenzisa izithixo ekunquleni oothixo bazo abangabonakaliyo. Wazixelela ngoMdali womntu waza wathi: “Akusifanele ukuba sibe ubuthixo obu bufana negolide nesilivere nelitye, into eqingqwe ngobungcibi nangengcinga yomntu.” Kamva, kwalo mpostile wacacisa ukuba amaKristu ‘ahamba ngokholo, awahambi ngakubona’ nokuba amaKristu afanele ‘akubaleke ukubusa izithixo.’—IZenzo 17:16-31; 2 Korinte 5:7; 1 Korinte 10:14.

Amava obomi ompostile uPetros abonisa ukuba wayengaphozisi maseko ekulungiseni nasiphi na isenzo esasinokukhokelela kunqulo-zithixo. Xa igosa lomkhosi wamaRoma uKorneli laqubuda phambi kweenyawo zakhe, uPetros akazange avume. Wamphakamisa waza wathi: “Phakama; nam ngokwam ndingumntu.”—IZenzo 10:26.

Umpostile uYohane, woyikiswa gqitha yimibono evela kuThixo kangangokuba waqubuda phambi kweenyawo zesithunywa sezulu. Isithunywa sezulu samluleka sathi, “Lumka, ungenjenjalo; kuba ndingumkhonzi kunye nawe, nabazalwana bakho abaprofeti, nabo bawagcinayo amazwi ale ncwadi; qubuda kuThixo.” (ISityhilelo 22:8, 9) Lo mpostile wasixabisa esi siluleko. Ngothando, wasibhala esi siganeko ukuze singenelwe.

Kodwa la mava angasentla adibana njani nokusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso yonqulo? Kaloku, ukuba kwakuphosakele ukuba uKorneli aqubude komnye wabapostile bakaKristu, kuthekani ngokuhlonelwa kwemifanekiso engenabomi “yeengcwele”? Yaye ukuba kwakuphosakele ngomnye wabapostile bakaKristu ukuqubuda phambi kwesithunywa sezulu esiphilayo, ngoko kuthekani ngokuhlonelwa kwemifanekiso enganabomi yezithunywa? Ngokuqinisekileyo, izenzo ezinjalo zichasene nesilumkiso sikaYohane esithi: “Bantwanana, zigcineni kuzo izithixo.”—1 Yohane 5:21.

Njengoncedo Lokufundisa Olungumhombiso

Oku akuthethi kuthi ukuba nemifanekiso nje yesiganeko esithile esiseBhayibhileni lunqulo-zithixo. Eli phephancwadi liyisebenzisa kakuhle imifanekiso yeziganeko zeBhayibhile njengoncedo lokufundisa. Kwakhona, imifanekiso yeziganeko eziseBhayibhileni inokusetyenziselwa ukuhombisa iindonga zezindlu nezakhiwo. Sekunjalo, umKristu wokwenyaniso ebengayi kufuna ukuhombisa ngomfanekiso owaziwa ungohlonelwayo ngabanye, okanye axhome umfanekiso ogqwetha oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile kudonga lwakhe.—Roma 14:13.

Uninzi lwemifanekiso yonqulo yeNgqobhoko inesangqa sokukhanya esijikeleze intloko kaYesu, kaMariya, eyezithunywa zezulu “neyeengcwele.” Esi sangqa sibizwa ngokuba yihalo. Sasivela phi esi sangqa sokukhanya? IThe Catholic Encyclopedia (uhlelo lowe-1987), iyavuma isithi: “Sasingenamvelaphi yobuKristu, kuba sasisetyenziswa ngabazobi nabakroli abangabahedeni ukubonisa umqondiso wesidima namandla amakhulu ezithixo ezahlukahlukeneyo.” Ukongezelela, incwadi ethi The Christians, ebhalwe nguBamber Gascoigne, inefoto ethatyathwe kwiCapitoline Museum eRome yothixo welanga onesangqa sokukhanya. Lo thixo wayenqulwa ngamaRoma angabahedeni. UGascoigne uyacacisa, kamva “isangqa selanga sabolekwa bubuKristu.” Ewe, isangqa selanga sinxulumene nokunqula ilanga kwabahedeni.

Ngaba imifanekiso edibanisa iziganeko eziseBhayibhileni nemiqondiso yonqulo-zithixo lwabahedeni ifanelekile ukuba ingaxhonywa kudonga lwekhaya lomKristu? Akunjalo. IBhayibhile inikela esi siluleko: “Inakudibana kuni na ke itempile kaThixo nezithixo? . . . Phumani phakathi kwabo, nizahlule, itsho iNkosi, Nento engcolileyo ningayichukumisi; ndandiya kunamkela.”—2 Korinte 6:16, 17.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, abo babezibanga bengamaKristu baqalisa ukusigatya eso siluleko. Kwavela uwexuko njengoko uYesu nabapostile bakhe babexele kwangaphambili. (Mateyu 24:24; IZenzo 20:29, 30; 2 Petros 2:1) Ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ukumkani waseRoma uConstantine wenza ukuba ubuKristu obuwexukileyo bube lunqulo lwasebuRhulumenteni. Ngoku iqela elihlanganiseneyo labahedeni laqalisa ukuzibiza “njengamaKristu.” Kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo kubo ukunqula imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yokumkani. Kwakhona babeqhele ukuxhoma imifanekiso yookhokho babo neyabanye abantu abadumileyo. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Icon Painting, uJohn Taylor uyacacisa: “Ngokuvumelana nonqulo lokumkani, abantu babenqula umfanekiso wakhe ozotywe kwilaphu leseyile nasemthini, yaye ukusuka apho ukuya kwindawo ekwakunqulwa kuyo imifanekiso yonqulo kwakungumgama omncinane.” Ngaloo ndlela, ukunqulwa kwemifanekiso ngabahedeni kwathatyathel’ indawo kukunqulwa kwemifanekiso kaYesu, kaMariya, yezithunywa “neyeengcwele.”

Iinkokeli Zecawa Zakuthethelela Njani Oku?

Ngokutsho kweThe Encyclopedia of Religion, iinkokeli zecawa zaphinda zasebenzisa eza zizathu zindala ezazisetyenziswa zizithandi zobulumko ezingabahedeni. Amadoda anjengoPlutarch, uDio Chrysostom, uMaxim waseTire, uCelsus, uPorphyry noJulian avuma ukuba izithixo zazingenabomi. Kodwa aba bahedeni bakuthethelela ukusetyenziswa kwezithixo bebonisa ukuba ezi yayiziindlela zokubanceda ekunquleni oothixo babo abangabonakaliyo. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Meaning of Icons umenzi wemifanekiso eqingqiweyo waseRashiya uLeonid Ouspensky uvuma ngelithi: “Abaseki beCawa basebenzisa isixhobo sentanda-bulumko yamaGrike, bangenisa indlela eyayiqondwa ngayo nesigama sayo kwimfundiso yezakwalizwi yamaKristu.”—Thelekisa eyabaseKolose 2:8.

Abantu abaninzi bafumanisa kunzima ukuyiqonda le mfundiso yezakwalizwi ethethelela ukunqulwa kwemifanekiso eqingqiweyo. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Icon Painting, uJohn Taylor uthi, “Umahluko phakathi kokunqula umfanekiso wonqulo ngenxa yoko usenokuba wawukumela, okanye ukuwunqula . . . wawumncinane gqitha ukuba uqondwe nguye nabani na ngaphandle konemfundo ephakamileyo.”

Kwelinye icala, oko iBhayibhile ikuthethayo ngemifanekiso eqingqiweyo yonqulo kulula ukukuqonda. Khawucinge ngoEmilia, ohlala eRhawutini, eMzantsi Afrika. WayengumKatolika ozinikeleyo nowayeqhele ukuguqa aze athandaze phambi kwemifanekiso. Ngoko, omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova wafika endlwini yakhe. Wavuyiswa kukubona ukuba igama likaThixo, uYehova likho kwiBhayibhile yesiPhuthukezi. (INdumiso 83:18, Almeida) Ekuqhubekeni kwesifundo sakhe seBhayibhile, wabuza: “Ndifanele ndenze ntoni ukuze ndiphephe ukungamkholisi uYehova?” INgqina lalatha kwimifanekiso eseludongeni lwakhe laza lamcela ukuba afunde INdumiso 115:4-8. Ngobo busuku xa umyeni kaEmilia wafikayo ekhaya, wamxelela ukuba ufuna ukwahlukana nemifanekiso yakhe yonqulo. Umyeni wakhe wavuma. Ngosuku olulandelayo, wayalela oonyana bakhe ababini, uTony noManuel, ukuba baqhekeze loo mifanekiso ibe ziingceba baze bayitshise. Namhlanje, kwiminyaka engama-25 kamva, ngaba uEmilia uyazisola ngoku? Nakanye. Enyanisweni, ekunye nentsapho yakhe, uye wanceda abamelwane bakhe abaninzi ukuba babe ngabanquli abonwabileyo bakaYehova.

Kuye kwakho amava anjalo amaninzi. Ngenxa yomsebenzi wokwenza abafundi wamaNgqina kaYehova ehlabathini lonke, izigidi zifunda ukunqula uThixo “ngomoya nangenyaniso.” Nawe unokufumana iintsikelelo kule ndlela iyeyona ilungileyo yokunqula kuba, njengoko uYesu watshoyo, “uBawo ufuna abanjalo ukumnqula.”—Yohane 4:23, 24.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

UMlawuli uNicholas II usikelela imikhosi yakhe esebenzisa umfanekiso wonqulo

[Inkcazelo]

Photo by C.N.