Ubathathu Emnye—Ngaba Uyafundiswa EBhayibhileni?

“Lulo ke olu uKholo lwamaKatolika, kukuba sinqula uThixo omnye onguBathathu Emnye noBathathu Emnye Omanyeneyo. . . . Ngoko uYise nguThixo, uNyana nguThixo, noMoya oyiNgcwele nguThixo. Yaye sekunjalo abangoThixo abaThathu, kodwa banguThixo Omnye.”

ISIVUMO Sokholo sika-Athanasius siyichaza ngala mazwi imfundiso esisiseko yeNgqobhoko—uBathathu Emnye.a Ukuba ulilungu lecawa, enokuba ungumKatolika okanye umProtestanti, usenokuba waxelelwa ukuba le yeyona mfundiso ibalulekileyo omele ukholelwe kuyo. Kodwa ngaba unako ukuyichaza le mfundiso? Ezinye zezona nkcubabuchopho zibalaseleyo kwiNgqobhoko ziye zavuma ukuba azimqondi uBathathu Emnye.

Ngoko, kutheni ziyikholelwa? Ngaba kungenxa yokuba iBhayibhile iyifundisa le mfundiso? Ubhishophu waseTshetshi ongasekhoyo uJohn Robinson wanikela impendulo exhokonx’ ingcinga kulo mbuzo kwincwadi yakhe eyathengiswa kakhulu ethi Honest to God. Wabhala:

“Indlela yokushumayela nokufundisa ethandwayo imchaza uKristu njengonamandla angaphezu kwawemvelo nto leyo engenakuxhaswa ngeTestamente Entsha. Isuka nje ithi uYesu wayenguThixo, kangangokuba igama elithi ‘uKristu’ nelithi ‘uThixo’ anokusetyenziswa elinye endaweni yelinye. Kodwa akukho ndawo eBhayibhileni asetyenziswe kuyo ngale ndlela. ITestamente Entsha ithi uYesu wayenguLizwi likaThixo, ithi uThixo wayekuKristu, ithi uYesu unguNyana kaThixo; kodwa ayithi uYesu wayenguThixo, ngokulula ngolo hlobo.”

Kwakukho impikiswano ngoJohn Robinson kwiCawa yamaTshetshi. Sekunjalo, ngaba wayechanile xa wayesithi “iTestamente Entsha” ayitsho naphi na ukuba “uYesu wayenguThixo, ngokulula ngolo hlobo”?

Oko IBhayibhile Ikutshoyo

Bambi basenokuwuphendula loo mbuzo ngokucaphula indinyana eqalisa iVangeli ngokubhalwe nguYohane: “Ekuqalekeni ube ekho uLizwi, waye uLizwi ekuye uThixo, waye uLizwi enguThixo.” (Yohane 1:1) Ngaba oko akuphikisani noko kwathethwa nguloo bhishophu waseTshetshi? Akuphikisani. Njengokuba ngokungathandabuzekiyo uJohn Robinson wayesazi, abanye abaguquleli bezi mini bayaphikisana nendlela iBhayibhile yesiXhosa eyiguqulela ngayo loo ndinyana. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba kwibinzana elithi “uLizwi wayenguThixo” kwisiGrike santlandlolo, igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “uThixo” alinaso isakhi esiphuhlisa ukuqiniseka (definite article) esingu-“the.” Kwibinzana elingaphambilana elithi “waye uLizwi ekuye uThixo,” igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “uThixo” liqinisekile, oko kukuthi, linaso isakhi esiphuhlisa ukuqiniseka. Oku kubangela sithi akunakwenzeka ukuba la magama mabini abe anentsingiselo efanayo.

Ngenxa yoko, zimbi iinguqulelo ziyalicacisa eli binzana kwiinguqulelo zazo. Ngokomzekelo, zimbi ziliguqulela eli binzana ngokuthi “uLizwi wayengokobuthixo.” (An American Translation, Schonfield) UMoffatt uyiguqulela ngokuthi “uLogos wayengokobuthixo.” Noko ke, bebonisa ukuba ibinzana elithi “wayengokobuthixo” lalingayi kuba yeyona nguqulelo ifanelekileyo apha, uJohn Robinson nomhlalutyi womongo waseBritani uMhlekazi Frederick Kenyon babonisa ukuba, ukuba oko koko uYohane wayefuna ukukugxininisa, ngewayesebenzise igama lesiGrike elithetha “ubuthixo,” utheiʹos. INew World Translation, ngokuchanileyo iligqala igama elithi “uThixo” njengelingaqinisekanga, yaye icacisa oko kuboniswa yindlela elakhiwe ngayo ngesiGrike, isebenzisa isakhi esiphuhlisa ukungaqiniseki (indefinite article) esiNgesini: “ULizwi wayenguthixo [a god].”

UNjingalwazi C. H. Dodd, umalathisi womsebenzi wokuguqulelwa kweNew English Bible, ugqabaza athi ngale ndlela: “Indlela esenokuguqulelwa ngayo . . . ibiya kuba kukuthi, ‘ULizwi wayenguthixo [a god]’. Njengenguqulelo yegama negama akukho nto iphosakeleyo ngayo.” Noko ke, iThe New English Bible ayiyiguquleli ngolo hlobo le ndinyana. Kunoko, kuloo nguqulelo uYohane 1:1 ufundeka ngolu hlobo: “Ekuqalekeni kwazo zonke izinto, uLizwi wayesele ekho. ULizwi wayehlala noThixo, yaye oko uThixo wayekuko, uLizwi wayekuko.” Kutheni ikomiti eyayiguqulela ingazange ikhethe indlela elula ngakumbi yokuguqulela? UNjingalwazi Dodd uphendula athi: “Isizathu sokuba ingamkelekanga sikukuba iyaphikisana nengcamango kaYohane, yaye enyanisweni iphikisana nayo yonke ingcamango yobuKristu.”—Technical Papers for the Bible Translator, uMqulu 28, Januwari 1977.

Intsingiselo Engangxengwanga YeSibhalo

Ngaba singatsho ukuba ingcamango yokuba uYesu wayenguthixo (a god) yaye engenguye uThixo uMdali iyaphikisana nengcamango kaYohane (oko kukuthi, yompostile uYohane), kunye nayo yonke ingcamango yobuKristu? Makhe sihlolisise iindinyana ezithile zeBhayibhile ezibhekisela kuYesu nakuThixo, ibe siya kubona oko abagqabazi abathile ababephila ngaphambi kokuqulunqwa kwesiVumo Sokholo sika-Athanasius babekucinga ngezo ndinyana.

“Mna noBawo sibanye.”—YOHANE 10:30.

UNovatian (malunga nowama-200-258 C.E.) wagqabaza: “Ekubeni Yena ethe siyinto ‘enye,’[b] mabaqonde ke abagxeki ukuba akathanga singumntu ‘omnye.’ Kuba xa u-nye ekwisini esisesithubeni, ubonisa ukuhlala ngemvisiswano, kungekhona ukumanyana ngokobuqu. . . . Ngaphezu koko, isibakala sokuba athi nye, sibhekisela kwisivumelwano, nokufana kwendlela abagweba ngayo, nakunxulumano olunothando, njengokuba ngokusengqiqweni uBawo noNyana bevumelana ngezigqibo, ngothando nangomsa.”—Treatise Concerning the Trinity, isahluko 27.

“UBawo mkhulu kunam.”—YOHANE 14:28.

UIrenaeus (malunga nowe-130-200 C.E.) wathi: “Sinokufunda Kuye [uKristu] ukuba uBawo ungaphezu kwezinto zonke. Kuba uthi Yena ‘uBawo mkhulu kunam.’ Ngoko ke, iNkosi yethu ithi uBawo ubalasele ngolwazi.”—Against Heresies, iNcwadi II, isahluko 28.8.

“Bubo ke obu ubomi obungunaphakade, ukuba mabakwazi, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, naye uYesu Kristu omthumileyo.”—YOHANE 17:3.

UClement waseAlexandria (malunga nowe-150-215 C.E.) wathi: “Ukwazi uThixo ongunaphakade, umniki woko kungunaphakade, nokuba naye ngolwazi nangokuqonda uThixo, ongowokuqala, noyena uphakamileyo, yaye omnye, nolungileyo. . . . Ngoko lowo ufuna ukuphila ubomi bokwenyaniso uyalelwa ukuba kuqala amazi Yena ‘ekungekho mntu umaziyo, ngaphandle kokuba uNyana amtyhile (Yena).’ (Mat. 11:27) Emva koko kufuneka kufundwe ngobukhulu boMsindisi emva Kwakhe.”—Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? VII, VIII.

“Mnye uThixo, uYise wabo bonke, ophezu kwabo bonke, okubo bonke, ophakathi kwenu nonke.”—EFESE 4:6.

UIrenaeus: “Yaye uchazwa ngaloo ndlela uThixo omnye uBawo, ophezu kwabo bonke, okubo bonke nophakathi kwabo bonke. Ngokwenene uBawo uphezu kwabo bonke, yaye uyiNtloko kaKristu.”—Against Heresies, iNcwadi V, isahluko 18.2.

Aba babhali bamandulo babeziqonda ngokucacileyo ezi ndinyana njengezichaza uBawo njengophakamileyo, ophezu kweento zonke nabantu bonke kuquka uYesu Kristu. Amagqabaza abo akabonisi ukuba babekholelwa kuBathathu Emnye.

Umoya Oyingcwele Utyhila Yonke Inyaniso

UYesu wathembisa abafundi bakhe ukuba emva kokufa nokuvuka kwakhe, babeya kunikwa umoya oyingcwele njengomncedi. Wabathembisa wathi: “Xa athe wafika yena uMoya wenyaniso, uya kunikhokelela kuyo yonke inyaniso; . . . anibikele izinto ezizayo.”—Yohane 14:16, 17; 15:26; 16:13.

Emva kokufa kukaYesu, lazaliseka elo dinga. IBhayibhile inikela ingxelo ngendlela iimfundiso ezintsha ezatyhilwa okanye ezacaciswa ngayo kwibandla lamaKristu ngoncedo lomoya oyingcwele. Ezi mfundiso zintsha zabhalwa kwiincwadi ezathi kamva zaba yinxalenye yesibini yeBhayibhile, iZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, okanye “iTestamente Entsha.” Kulo lonke olu khanyiso lutsha, ngaba ikho into etyhila ubukho bukaBathathu Emnye? Ayikho. Umoya oyingcwele utyhila okuthile okwahluke ngokupheleleyo ngoThixo noYesu.

Ngokomzekelo, ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., emva kokuba umoya oyingcwele uhle phezu kwabafundi ababehlanganisene eYerusalem, umpostile uPetros wanikela ubungqina ngoYesu kwisihlwele esasingaphandle. Ngaba wathetha ngoBathathu Emnye? Khawuqwalasele amanye amazwi awawathethayo, uze uzigqibele wena: “UYesu . . . indoda eqondakalisiweyo nguThixo kuni ngemisebenzi yamandla, nangezimanga, nangemiqondiso, awayenzayo uThixo ngayo phakathi kwenu.” “UThixo wamvusa lo Yesu, esingamangqina ako oko thina sonke.” “UThixo wamenza iNkosi noKristu, kwayena lo Yesu nambethelelayo.” (IZenzo 2:22, 32, 36) Kunokuba afundise uBathathu Emnye, la mazwi awathethwa nguPetros ezaliswe ngumoya abalaselisa ukuba uYesu ungaphantsi kuYise, nokuba usisixhobo sokuzalisekiswa kokuthanda kukaThixo.

Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, omnye umKristu othembekileyo wathetha ngoYesu. UStefano wayephambi kweNkundla yamatyala ukuze aphendule izityholo. Kunoko, uStefano wajika watyhola bona, etyhola abo babemtyholile ngokuthi babefana nooyise-mkhulu ababenemvukelo. Ekugqibeleni, ingxelo ithi: “Ke yena, ezele nguMoya oyiNgcwele, waqwalasela ezulwini, wabona ubuqaqawuli bukaThixo, noYesu emi ngasekunene kukaThixo. Wathi, Yabonani, ndiwabona amazulu evulekile, ndimbona uNyana woMntu emi ngasekunene kukaThixo.” (IZenzo 7:55, 56) Kutheni umoya oyingcwele wamtyhila uYesu ‘enguNyana woMntu’ nje kuphela omi ngasekunene kukaThixo kungekhona njengenxalenye yesiqu sikathixo esilinganayo noYise? Ngokucacileyo, uStefano wayengenayo ingcamango kaBathathu Emnye.

Xa uPetros wasa iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoYesu kuKorneli, kwavela ithuba elibhekele phaya lokutyhila imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye. Kwenzeka ntoni? UPetros wamchazela ukuba uYesu ‘uyiNkosi yabo bonke.’ Kodwa wahlabela mgama wacacisa ukuba oku kuba yinkosi kuvela kumthombo ophakamileyo. UYesu wayengulowo “omisiweyo nguThixo, ukuba abe ngumgwebi wabaphilileyo nabafileyo.” Emva kokuvuka kukaYesu, uYise “wenza ukuba [wamnika imvume yokuba] abonakale” kubalandeli bakhe. Kuthekani ke ngomoya oyingcwele? Uyavela kule ncoko kodwa kungekhona njengomntu wesithathu kaBathathu Emnye. Kunoko, “uThixo wamthambisa [uYesu] ngoMoya oyiNgcwele nangamandla.” Ngaloo ndlela, umoya oyingcwele, kunokuba ube ngumntu, uboniswa njengento engaphiliyo, ngokufanayo “namandla” akhankanywayo nawo kuloo ndinyana. (IZenzo 10:36, 38, 40, 42) Hlolisisa iBhayibhile ngenyameko, ibe uya kufumana ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba umoya oyingcwele awungomntu kodwa ungamandla asebenzayo anokuzalisa abantu, abaqhubele esenzweni, ababangele bavuthe, aze athululwe phezu kwabo.

Ekugqibeleni, umpostile uPawulos wafumana ithuba elihle lokucacisa uBathathu Emnye—ukuba wayeyimfundiso yokwenyaniso—xa wayeshumayela kubantu baseAtene. Kwintetho yakhe, wabhekisela kwisibingelelo sabo esibhalwe “Kongaziwayo UThixo” waza wathi: “Lowo ngoko nimhlonelayo ningamazi, ndinazisa yena mna.” Ngaba wabazisa ngoBathathu Emnye? Akunjalo. Wachaza “uThixo yena, owenza ihlabathi neento zonke ezikulo, lowo, eyiNkosi nje yezulu nomhlaba.” Kodwa kuthekani ngoYesu? “Ngokuba [uThixo] emise umhla, aza kuligweba ngawo elimiweyo ngobulungisa, ngendoda awayimisayo.” (IZenzo 17:23, 24, 31) Akaveli nakancinane uBathathu Emnye apho!

Enyanisweni, uPawulos wacacisa okuthile ngenjongo kaThixo okubangela kube yinto engenakwenzeka ukuba uYesu noYise babe baziinxalenye ezilinganayo zikaBathathu Emnye. Wabhala: “Kuba izinto zonke [uThixo] wazithobela phantsi kweenyawo zakhe [zikaYesu]. Ke xa athi, Izinto zonke zithotyiwe, kuyabonakala ukuba akabalwa lowo wazithobela phantsi kwakhe zonke izinto. Xa ke zithe zathotyelwa phantsi kwakhe zonke izinto, uya kwandula noNyana ngokwakhe athotyelwe phantsi kwalowo wazithobela phantsi kwakhe zonke izinto, ukuze uThixo abe zizinto zonke kubo bonke.” (1 Korinte 15:27, 28) Ngaloo ndlela, uThixo uya kuba esephezu kwabo bonke, kuquka noYesu.

Ngoko, ngaba uBathathu Emnye uyafundiswa eBhayibhileni? Hayi. UJohn Robinson wayechanile. Akakho eBhayibhileni, yaye akayonxalenye “yengcamango yobuKristu.” Ngaba oku ukugqala njengokubalulekileyo kunqulo lwakho? Ufanele wenjenjalo. UYesu wathi: “Bubo ke obu ubomi obungunaphakade, ukuba mabakwazi, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, naye uYesu Kristu omthumileyo.” (Yohane 17:3) Ukuba ukunqula kwethu uThixo sikujonga njengento enzulu, kubalulekile ukuba simazi ukuba ungubani na ngokwenene, njengokuba ezityhilile kuthi. Kuphela kusemva koko esinokutsho ngokwenene ukuba siphakathi ‘kwabanquli abayinyaniso abanqula uBawo ngomoya nangenyaniso.’—Yohane 4:23.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 28]

Intsingiselo engangxengwanga yeSibhalo ibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba uYesu noYise abangoThixo omnye

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 29]

Kutheni umoya oyingcwele ungazange utyhile ukuba uYesu wayenguThixo emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E.?