Ngaba UYesu Wazalwa Ebusika?

“IKHEPHU Elikhithika Ngamandla Limisa Yonke Into EYerusalem” yaye “Oku Kukhithika Kungayekeleliyo Kuyaligungqisa ElaseNtla.” Ngowe-1992 kwiThe Jerusalem Post imixholo enjalo yaba yeqhelekileyo kubafundi bamaphephandaba kwaSirayeli, kobo busika bungqineke bubobunye bobona bebunengqele eqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo kule nkulungwane kwaSirayeli.

NgoJanuwari incopho yeNtaba iHermon yayigutyungelwe likhephu elimalunga neemitha ezisi-7 ukuya kwezili-12, yaye ubusika babungekazukuphela. Ukususela kwiGolan Heights kwanakuMntla welaseGalili ukuhla ugqitha iYerusalem neBhetelehem ekufuphi nayo (njengoko kuboniswe kwiphepha elingaphandle), ukuya kutsho emazantsi kwelaseNegeb, ngokuphindaphindiweyo olu ndwendwe luthambileyo, kodwa lunamandla lwalubangela ukuba ubomi kwanemisebenzi yemihla ngemihla yamaSirayeli ingahambeli ndawo. Elinye inqaku le The Jerusalem Post lathi: “Izolo likhithike ngamandla kangangokuba liphumelele ekwenzeni oko imijukujelwa emininzi ebizwa ngokuba ziiKatyusha ingakwazanga ukukwenza kwiveki ephelileyo, ukuvala iidolophu nokugcina abemi bevaleleke kwizindlu zabo.”

Obu busika abuphazamisanga abahlali basezixekweni kuphela. Iingxelo zibonisa amakhulu eenkomo namathole, kwanamawaka amantshontsho eenkuku, abulawa yingqele njengoko ebusuku amaqondo obushushu ayesihla abe ngaphantsi kweqondo lomkhenkce. Ngokungathi ubukho belo khephu babunganele, kwabakho neemvula ezinkulu ezibandayo ezabangela umonakalo. Ngenye imini, amakhwenkwe amabini awayesalusa, ekubonakala ukuba ayezizinxadanxada ezama ukuhlangula iqela leegusha zawo ezazisimka nesikhukula akhukuliseka aza arhaxwa seso sikhukula.

Nangona obu yayibubusika obungaqhelekanga eMbindi Mpuma, iphephancwadi lakwaSirayeli iEretz lathi: “Ingxelo yemozulu yelizwe lakwaSirayeli yeminyaka eli-130 edluleyo eye yahlanganiswa yaza yabhalwa ibonisa ukuba eYerusalem ikhephu yinto eqheleke ngakumbi kunokuba kulindelwe . . . Phakathi kowe-1949 nowe-1980, kwisixeko saseYerusalem kuye kwakhithika ikhephu ebusika izihlandlo ezingamashumi amabini anesine.” Kodwa ngaba oku kubaluleke kwiingcali zemozulu nabantu abanomdla kuphela, okanye kunentsingiselo ekhethekileyo kubafundi beBhayibhile?

Kubaluleke Njani Oku Kubafundi BeBhayibhile?

Xa becinga ngokuzalwa kukaYesu, abantu abaninzi bazakhela umfanekiso-ngqondweni ochulumancisayo wasesitalini samahashe oboniswa ngokufuthi ngexesha leKrismesi. Nanko umntwana uYesu elele, esongelwe ngokufudumeleyo yaye egcinwe ngunina, ngaphandle umhlaba ugqunywe likhephu. Ngaba le mbono ithandwayo iyavisisana nenkcazelo yeBhayibhile engesi siganeko sibalulekileyo embalini?

Umbhali weBhayibhile uLuka ngenyameko ubalisa le ngxelo ineenkcukacha engokuzalwa kukaYesu: “Kwaye kukho abalusi kwakwelo lizwe, behlala ezindle, belinda ebusuku imihlambi yabo. Babona ngesithunywa seNkosi simi phezu kwabo, bathi nobuqaqawuli beNkosi bababengezelela ngeenxa zonke; besuka boyika ngokoyika okukhulu. Isithunywa eso sathi kubo, Musani ukoyika; kuba, yabonani, ndinishumayeza iindaba ezilungileyo zovuyo olukhulu, oluya kubo bonke abantu; ngokuba nizalelwe namhlanje emzini kaDavide [iBhetelehem] uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi. Nantsi ke into eyokuba ngumqondiso kuni: nofumana lusana lusongelweyo eziqhiyeni, lulele emkhumbini wesitali. Kwabakho ngesiquphe, ndawonye nesithunywa eso, inkitha yomkhosi wasemazulwini, idumisa uThixo, isithi, Uzuko kuThixo enyangweni, uxolo emhlabeni, inkolelo ebantwini.”—Luka 2:8-14.

Ukuba le ngxelo ubuza kuyifundela ummi oqhelekileyo wakwaSirayeli namhlanje uze umbuze ixesha lonyaka ekunokuba kwenzeka ngalo oku, mhlawumbi ebeya kuphendula athi, “Phakathi ko-Aprili no-Oktobha.” Ngoba? Impendulo icacile. KwaSirayeli, ukususela kuNovemba ukuya kuMatshi lixesha lemvula nengqele, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo uDisemba 25 usebusika. Abalusi babengenakuhlala ezindle, belinde emadlelweni imihlambi yabo ebusuku. Ukuba ucinga ngeengxelo ezisekuqaleni kweli nqaku, unokusiqonda kakuhle isizathu soko. IBhetelehem, indawo awazalelwa kuyo uYesu, imi kwindawo ephakamileyo yaye imalunga neekhilomitha ezimbalwa ukusuka eYerusalem. Kwanakwiminyaka apho imozulu ingabandi ngokugqithiseleyo, ebudeni bexesha lasebusika ingqele iqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo apho ebusuku.—Mika 5:2; Luka 2:15.

Ukukhangela kwimbali ngexesha lokuzalwa kukaYesu kuyasicacisa isibakala sokuba akazange azalwe ebudeni bokubakho kwekhephu ngoDisemba. Unina kaYesu, uMariya, nangona kwakusemnyango ukuba azale, kwafuneka athabathe uhambo olusuka kwikhaya lakhe eNazarete asinge eBhetelehem. Wahamba noYosefu ukuze bathobele umthetho wobalo lwabantu owawumiselwe ngumlawuli waseRoma uKesare Awugusto. (Luka 2:1-7) Abantu bakwaYuda, bengaluthandi ulawulo lwaseRoma nerhafu yalo exhomileyo, babesele besecicini lemvukelo. IRoma yayinokuthini ukubacaphukisa ngokungeyomfuneko ngokufuna ukuba abantu abaninzi bathabathe uhambo ukuze babhaliswe ebudeni bemozulu enganyamezelekiyo neyingozi ngolo hlobo yasebusika? Ngaba akukho ngqiqweni ngakumbi ukukholelwa ukuba lo mthetho wawiswa ngexesha elikufanelekeleyo ukuthabatha uhambo, elinjengentwasahlobo okanye ukwindla?

Ubalo-maxesha Olusekelwe EBhayibhileni

Ubungqina bembali nobezibakala bubonisa ukuba uDisemba, okanye nayiphi na enye inyanga yasebusika, akanakuba yinyanga echanileyo yengxelo engokuzalwa kukaYesu. Ngaphezu koko, ngokwesiprofeto iBhayibhile ibonisa ixesha lonyaka awazalwa ngalo uYesu. Ikubonisa phi oku?

Kwincwadi kaDaniyeli, isahluko 9, sifumana esinye sezona ziprofeto ezichulumancisayo ngokuphathelele uMesiya. Ichaza ukuza kwanokubulawa kwakhe, okwalungiselela idini lentlawulelo ukuze kucanyagushelwe isono kuze kumiselwe isizinzi sokuba uluntu oluthobekileyo luzuze “ubulungisa obungunaphakade.” (Daniyeli 9:24-27; thelekisa uMateyu 20:28.) Ngokutsho kwesi siprofeto, konke oku kwakuya kuzalisekiswa malunga neeveki ezingama-70 zeminyaka, eziqalisa ngonyaka wama-455 B.C.E., xa kwaphuma umyalelo wokuba ibuye yakhiwe iYerusalem.a (Nehemiya 2:1-11) Ngokobalo-maxesha lwesi siprofeto, kubonakala ukuba uMesiya wayeya kubonakala ekuqaleni kweveki yama-70 yeminyaka. Oku kwenzeka ngowama-29 C.E. xa uYesu wazinikela ukuba abhaptizwe, eyiqalisa ngokusemthethweni indima yakhe yokuba nguMesiya. ‘Kwisiqingatha seveki’ okanye emva kweminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha, uMesiya wayeya kubulawa, ngaloo ndlela ephelisa ixabiso lawo onke amadini aphantsi komnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses.—Hebhere 9:11-15; 10:1-10.

Esi siprofeto sibonisa ukuba ubude bexesha lobulungiseleli bukaYesu babuyiminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha. UYesu wafa ngePasika, ngoNisan 14 (ngokwekhalenda yamaYuda), entwasahlobo yowama-33 C.E. Usuku olungqamana nolo iya kuba nguAprili 1. (Mateyu 26:2) Xa sibala sibuya umva iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha isifikisa kusuku lokubhaptizwa kwakhe ngowama-29 C.E. ekuqaleni kukaOktobha. ULuka usixelela ukuba uYesu wabhaptizwa emalunga neminyaka engama-30 ubudala. (Luka 3:21-23) Oku kuthetha ukuba uYesu wazalwa malunga nasekuqaleni kukaOktobha. Ngokuvisisana nengxelo kaLuka, ngelo xesha lonyaka abalusi ‘basesezindle, belinda ebusuku imihlambi yabo.’—Luka 2:8.

Ivela Phi?

Ekubeni ubungqina busalatha ekuqaleni kukaOktobha njengexesha awazalwa ngalo uYesu, kutheni kubhiyozelwa ngoDisemba 25? IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ibonisa ukuba lo mbhiyozo wamkelwa kwiinkulungwane ezithile emva kokuzalwa kukaYesu: “Ebudeni benkulungwane yesi-4 ukubhiyozelwa kokuzalwa kukaKristu ngoDisemba 25 kwamkelwa ngokuthe ngcembe yinkoliso yeecawa zaseMpuma. EYerusalem, iKrismesi yayikhe yachaswa ixesha elide, kodwa ekugqibeleni yamkelwa.”

Kwakutheni ukuze eli siko lamkelwe ngokulula kangaka ngabo babezibiza ngokuba ngamaKristu kwiinkulungwane ezininzi emva kobukho bukaKristu? IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica iwucacisa ngokubhekele phaya lo mbandela: “Amasiko aqhelekileyo anxulumene neKrismesi avela kwimithombo eyahlukahlukeneyo ngenxa yokudibana kokubhiyozelwa kokuzalwa kukaKristu nemihla yokuchuma neyelanga egcinwa ngabahedeni malunga naxa ubusika buphakathi. KumaRoma uSaturnalia (Disemba 17) wayelixesha lolonwabo nokuphana izipho. UDisemba 25 wayegqalwa njengomhla wokuzalwa kothixo oyimfihlelo waseIran uMithra, iLanga Lobulungisa.”

Ngaba ngokwenene konke oku “kwakudibana”? Nakanye! Sisibakala esingokwembali ukuba ngenkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, phantsi koMlawuli uConstantine, uBukhosi baseRoma baguquka ngokuphawulekayo busuka ekutshutshiseni ubuKristu baza baxhasa “ubuKristu” njengonqulo olwamkelekileyo. Njengoko abemi abangakumbi basekuhlaleni, ababengenalwazi ngentsingiselo echanileyo yobuKristu, babesamkela olu kholo lutsha, baqalisa ukubhiyozela imisitho yabo eqhelekileyo yobuhedeni beyibiza ngeendlela ezintsha “zobuKristu.” Luluphi usuku olwalunokufaneleka ngakumbi lokukhumbula ukuzalwa kukaKristu ingenguye uDisemba 25, owayesele ephawulwe njengomhla wokuzalwa ‘kweLanga Lobulungisa’?

Ngaba Kwenza Umahluko?

Akukho sizathu sakuthandabuza ukuba abalandeli bokuqala bakaYesu, ababenemvelaphi yobuYuda abazange balubhiyozele usuku lokuzalwa kwakhe. Ngokutsho kweEncyclopaedia Judaica, “ukukhumbula imihla yokuzalwa akwaziwa kwizithethe eziqhelekileyo zamaYuda.” Ngokuqinisekileyo amaKristu okuqala ngewayengasamkelanga isikhumbuzo esinjalo. Kunokukhumbula umhla wokuzalwa kwakhe, ayeya kuhlonela umyalelo kaYesu wokukhumbula ukufa kwakhe, awayeqinisekile ngosuku lwako olunguNisan 14.—Luka 22:7, 15, 19, 20; 1 Korinte 11:23-26.

Iinkulungwane ngaphambi kobukho bukaKristu, amaYuda, ngoko awayeluhlanga olunyuliweyo lukaThixo ngokuprofetayo alunyukiswa ngokukhululwa kwawo ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni: “Mkani, mkani, phumani apho; musani ukuphatha nto iyinqambi; phumani phakathi kwayo; zenzeni nyulu, nina bathwali beempahla zikaYehova.” (Isaya 52:11) Ayeza kubuyela kwilizwe lawo ukuze amisele kwakhona unqulo olunyulu lukaYehova. Kwakungenakwenzeka amkele amasiko angcolileyo abahedeni kwaneentlobo zonqulo ezazigcinwa eBhabhiloni.

Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba, amaKristu aphinde ayalwe ngolu hlobo kweyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 6:14-18. Endaweni yohlanga lwamaYuda olungazange lumamkele uKristu, abalandeli bakhe baba ngabameli bonqulo olunyulu. Babenembopheleleko yokunceda abanye baphume kubumnyama bokomoya beze ekukhanyeni kwenyaniso. (1 Petros 2:9, 10) Babenokukwenza njani oku ukuba babexuba iimfundiso zikaKristu kunye namasiko neeholide ezinemvelaphi yobuhedeni?

Enoba kungabonakala kunomtsalane kangakanani kubantu abaninzi, ukubhiyozela “iKrismesi Okwenziwa Ngexesha Lekhephu” kufana ‘nokuchukumisa into eyinqambi.’ (2 Korinte 6:17) Lowo umthanda ngokwenene uThixo noKristu umele akuphephe.

Ngaphandle kwesibakala sokuba imvelaphi yayo iyeyemibhiyozo yabahedeni, kwakhona sibonile ukuba iKrismesi ayichananga, ekubeni uYesu wazalwa ngo-Oktobha. Ewe, enoba ubani anganomfanekiso-ngqondweni onjani na, licacile elokuba uYesu akazange azalwe ebusika.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4, 5]

IYerusalem igqunywe likhephu, njengoko kubonwa ngakwicala elingasempuma

[Inkcazelo]

Garo Nalbandian

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

Ikhephu ecaleni kweendonga zaseYerusalem

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Abalusi banokuhlala nemihlambi yabo ebusuku ecaleni kwenduli enamatye kuphela ngexesha elifudumeleyo, njengoko kunokubonwa ngezantsi

[Inkcazelo]

Garo Nalbandian