IKrisimesi—Ngaba Ngokwenene YeyobuKristu?
NGOKUTSHO kweThe World Book Encyclopedia, “iKrisimesi lusuku amaKristu abhiyozela ukuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu ngalo.” Sekunjalo, le ntyilalwazi ikwathi: “AmaKristu okuqala ayengakubhiyozeli ukuzalwa [kukaYesu] kuba ayekugqala ukubhiyozela ukuzalwa kwakhe nawuphi na umntu njengesiko lobuhedeni.”
Incwadi ethi The Making of the Modern Christmas, ebhalwe nguGolby noPurdue, iyavumelana noku: “AmaKristu okuqala ayengakubhiyozeli ukuzalwa kukaKristu. Imihla yokuzalwa yayinxulumene nezenzo zobuhedeni; iincwadi zeVangeli aziwukhankanyi konke konke owona mhla awazalwa ngawo uKristu.”
Ukuba imibhiyozo yemihla yokuzalwa ayinamvelaphi yabuKristu, kwenzeka njani ukuba umhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu ube ngumsitho “wamaKristu” obalasele kangaka?
Imvelaphi Yobuhedeni ‘YeKrisimesi’
“Wonk’ ubani wayesidla yaye agcobe, umsebenzi nokushishina kwakuyekwa ngokupheleleyo lonke elo xesha, izindlu zazihonjiswa nge-laurel nangezityalo ezisoloko ziluhlaza, abahlobo babetyelelana yaye bephana izipho, yaye abathengi babebapha izipho abaxhasi babo. Yayiba lixesha lemigcobo nenceba, yaye abantu babezifica kuzo zonke iintlobo zokuzonwabisa.”—Paganism in Christian Festivals, nguJ. M. Wheeler.
Ngaba le nkcazelo iyayifanela imibhiyozo yeKrisimesi oyaziyo? Okumangalisayo kukuba le yayingeyoKrisimesi! Kunoko, le yinkcazelo yeSaturnalia—umbhiyozo weveki yonke wamaRoma angabahedeni onxibelelene nokujika kwelanga ebusika (uboniswe kwiphepha elandulelayo). Umhla wokuzalwa kwelanga elingoyiswayo wawubhiyozelwa ngoDisemba 25, umhla womsitho obalulekileyo kunqulo lwaseRoma lukaMithras.
Ngokutsho kweThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, “UDisemba 25, umhla wokuzalwa kukaMithras, uthixo wokukhanya waseIran . . . nomhla onikezelwe kwilanga elingenakoyiswa, kwanomhla osemva kweSaturnalia, wamkelwa yicawa njengeKrisimesi, umhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu, ukuze ifihle eyona ntsingiselo yale mibhiyozo.” Ngoko umbhiyozo womhla wokuzalwa wabahedeni waqhubeka ngokuguqula nje amagama, ukusuka kuMithra ukuya kuKristu!
Noko ke, usenokuvakalelwa kukuba ukuzalwa koNyana kaThixo, uYesu, kwakuyinto ekhethekileyo, efanele ikhunjulwe. Ukubona oko iBhayibhile ikutshoyo ngoku kuya kwenza kukhanye ngokwenene.
Isiganeko Esivuyisayo
Isahluko sesibini sencwadi yeVangeli kaLuka sisinika inkcazelo engakumbi. ULuka usixelela ngendlela izithunywa zasezulwini, abalusi abathobekileyo, abakhonzi bakaThixo abazinikeleyo, kwanoMariya abasabela ngayo kwesi siganeko siphawulekayo.
Okokuqala khawucinge ‘ngabalusi ababehlala ezindle, belinda ebusuku imihlambi yabo,’ nto leyo babengenakuyenza kwiingqele zobusika. Xa kwabonakala ‘isithunywa seNkosi’ baza ubuqaqawuli bukaThixo bababengezelela ngeenxa zonke, abalusi boyika ekuqaleni. Bayeka ukoyika xa isithunywa sezulu sacacisa sathi: “Musani ukoyika; kuba, yabonani, ndinishumayeza iindaba ezilungileyo zovuyo olukhulu, oluya kuba kubo bonke abantu; ngokuba nizalelwe namhlanje . . . uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi.” Xa “inkitha yomkhosi wasemazulwini” wezithunywa zezulu yavela ngequbuliso, abalusi baqonda ukuba lo uzelweyo wayahlukile kubo bonke abanye abakha bazalwa. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, izithunywa zezulu azizange ziluzisele izipho usana olwalusandul’ ukuzalwa. Kunoko, izithunywa zezulu zadumisa uYehova, zisithi: “Uzuko kuThixo enyangweni, uxolo emhlabeni, inkolelo ebantwini.”—Luka 2:8-14.
Njengoko kulindelekile, abalusi bafuna ukuzibonela ngawabo olu sana, kuba yayinguYehova owayevakalise esi siganeko sivuyisayo. Xa balufumanayo olu sana lulele emkhumbini, baxelela abazali balo oko kwakuthethwe sisithunywa sezulu. Emva koko abalusi bahamba, “bemzukisa bemdumisa uThixo,” kungekhona usana.—Luka 2:15-18, 20.
UMariya, unina kaYesu, ngokungathandabuzekiyo wakuvuyela ukuzalwa kwezibulo lakhe ngokunempumelelo. Kodwa ‘wayeziguquguqula ezi zinto entliziyweni yakhe.’ Wandula ke, ephelekwa ngumyeni wakhe, uYosefu, waya eYerusalem ethobela uMthetho kaMoses. Lo yayingengombhiyozo womhla wokuzalwa. Kunoko, yayilixesha lokunikezela usana kuThixo, “njengoko kubhaliweyo emthethweni weNkosi, kwathiwa, Yonke into eliduna, evula isizalo, ize kuthiwe ingcwele eNkosini.”—Luka 2:19, 22-24.
Etempileni eYerusalem, uMariya noYosefu badibana noSimon, ochazwa nguLuka ‘njengelungisa, elimoyikayo uThixo, elilinde intuthuzelo kaSirayeli.’ Ngaphantsi kokuphefumlelwa, waxelelwa ukuba wayengayi kufa engambonanga “uKristu weNkosi.” Okwenzekayo emva koko nako ‘kwakungomoya kaThixo.’ USimon waluthabathela ezingalweni zakhe usana, kungekhona ukuze aluphe isipho, kodwa, kunoko, ukuze abonge uThixo, esithi: “Uyamndulula ngoku umkhonzi wakho enoxolo, Mnini-nto-zonke, ngokwelizwi lakho; ngokuba amehlo am alubonile usindiso lwakho, olulungisileyo ebusweni bazo zonke izizwe.”—Luka 2:25-32.
Emva koko, umprofetikazi oselekhulile uAna wasondela. Naye “wathelela ekudumiseni uThixo. Wayethetha ngomntwana lowo kubo bonke ababelindele ukukhululwa kweJerusalem.”—Luka 2:36-38, TE.
UMariya, uSimon, uAna, abalusi, kwanezithunywa zezulu, bonke bakuvuyela ukuzalwa kukaYesu. Noko ke, nceda uphawule ukuba abazange benze mbhiyozo womhla wokuzalwa, bengazange banikezele zipho. Kunoko, bazukisa uYehova, uMlungiseleli osezulwini wosindiso lwabo.
Sekunjalo, bambi basenokuqiqa ngelithi, ‘Ngokuqinisekileyo ukupha izipho zeKrisimesi akunakuba kuphosakele, kuba akazange na “amadoda amathathu azizilumko” amphe izipho uYesu?’
Izipho ZeKrisimesi
Kwakhona makhe sihlolisise ingxelo yeBhayibhile. Uya kuyifumana kwincwadi yeVangeli kaMateyu, isahluko 2. Akukhankanywa mbhiyozo wamhla wakuzalwa konke konke, kunganikelwa naxesha lithe ngqo, nangona ngokucacileyo kwakulixesha elithile emva kokuzalwa kukaYesu. Kwindinyana 1, uMateyu ezi ndwendwe uzibiza ngokuba ‘zizazi [maʹgoi, ngesiGrike] ezivela empumalanga,’ ngenxa yoko zazingabahedeni abangenalwazi ngoYehova uThixo. Inkwenkwezi eyayilandelwa ngala madoda yawakhokelela, kungekhona kwindawo kanye awazalelwa kuyo uYesu eBhetelehem, kodwa eYerusalem, apho kwakulawula uKumkani uHerode.
Xa lo mlawuli ungendawo waweva ebuzisa ‘ngalowo uzelweyo, ukumkani wamaYuda,’ waluman’ indlebe nababingeleli ukuze bafumanise eyona ndawo ‘ubeya kuzalelwa kuyo uKristu’ ukuze ayalele ukuba loo mntwana abulawe. Ababingeleli baphendula ngokucaphula isiprofeto sikaMika esalatha iBhetelehem njengendawo awayeya kuzalelwa kuyo uMesiya. (Mika 5:2) Ngobuqhophololo uHerode wayalela iindwendwe zakhe esithi: “Hambani niye nicokise ukubuzisa ngomntwana lowo; xa ke nithe namfumana, ze nindibikele, ukuze nam ndiye kumnqula.” Izazi zahamba indlela yazo, nenkwenkwezi “izandulela, yada yaya kuma phezu kwendawo abekuyo umntwana lowo.” Phawula ukuba uchazwa ‘njengomntwana,’ kungekhona njengosana olusandul’ ukuzalwa.—Mateyu 2:1-10.
Njengoko zisenza izidwangube zaseMpuma ezityelele umlawuli, izazi ezingabahedeni zawa phantsi zaza “zanikela [kumntwana] iminikelo, igolide, nentlaka emhlophe, nemore.” UMateyu uyongezelela: “Zathi, kuba zihlatyelwe nguThixo ephupheni ukuba zingabuyi ziye kuHerode, zemka ngayimbi indlela ukuya ezweni lakowazo.”—Mateyu 2:11, 12.
Ngokusuka kule ngxelo imfutshane yeZibhalo, bambi abantu basenokuzama ukufumana into yokuxhasa ukuphana kwabo izipho zeKrisimesi. Sekunjalo, incwadi ethi Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore icacisa ukuba isiko langoku lokupha izipho lisuka kwizipho zeSaturnalia ezazinikelwa ngamaRoma kubamelwane bawo abangamahlwempu. “Icawa yokuqala . . . ngobulumko yatshintshela intsingiselo yazo kwisikhumbuzo esingokwesithethe sezipho zeZazi.” Hayi indlela okwahluke ngayo oku kubanquli bokwenyaniso—njengabalusi abathobekileyo—abadumisa uThixo kuphela ekuzalweni kukaYesu!
Mhlonele UKristu NjengoKumkani!
Namhlanje uYesu akaselulo usana. UnguMlawuli onamandla, uKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo basezulwini, yaye ufanele ahlonelwe ngolo hlobo.—1 Timoti 6:15, 16.
Ukuba ngoku ungumntu omkhulu, ngaba wakha waneentloni, xa abantu bebonisana ngeefoto zakho zobusana phambi kwakho? Liyinyaniso elokuba, iifoto ezinjalo zikhumbuza abazali bakho ngovuyo ababenalo ekuzalweni kwakho. Kodwa ngoku ekubeni uzazi kakuhle ukuba ungubani, ngaba ngokuqhelekileyo akuthandi ukuba abanye bakubone njengoko unjalo? Ngokufanayo, khawucinge ngendlela okubonisa ukungamhloneli ngayo uKristu Yesu ukuthi abo bathi bangabalandeli bakhe nyaka ngamnye bazixakekise ngezithethe zabahedeni zeKrisimesi nangokuhlonela imveku kangangokuba bangakwazi ukumhlonela njengoKumkani. Kaloku, kwanakwinkulungwane yokuqala, umpostile ongumKristu uPawulos wakuqonda ukufaneleka kokucinga ngoKristu njengoko anjalo ngoku—uKumkani ezulwini. UPawulos wabhala: “Nokuba ke besimazi uKristu ngokwenyama, kungoku asisamazi ngokwenyama”! (Akekeliswe sithi.)—2 Korinte 5:16.
UKristu, njengoKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo, kungekudala uza kuzalisekisa idinga lesiprofeto lokuphelisa iintlungu, ukubandezeleka, izifo, nokufa. Nguye oza kuqinisekisa ukuba kukho izindlu ezaneleyo nomsebenzi onik’ umvuzo wabantu bonke phantsi kweemeko zeParadisi apha emhlabeni. (Isaya 65:21-23; Luka 23:43; 2 Korinte 1:20; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Ngokuqinisekileyo, ezi zizizathu ezaneleyo zokukuphepha ukungamhloneli uYesu!
Elandela umzekelo kaKristu, amaKristu okwenyaniso azabalazela ukupha abamelwane bawo esinye sezona zipho zibalaseleyo ekunokuphiswa ngazo—ukuqonda injongo kaThixo, okunokukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 17:3) Olu hlobo lokupha isipho luwazisela uvuyo olukhulu, kwanjengokuba uYesu watshoyo: “Ukupha kunoyolo ngaphezu kokuphiwa.”—IZenzo 20:35; Luka 11:27, 28.
AmaKristu anomdla wokwenene omnye ngomnye akafumani bunzima ekubonakaliseni uthando lwawo ngokuzenzekelayo ngalo naliphi na ixesha lonyaka. (Filipi 2:3, 4) Ukwenza nje umzekelo olula, olunjani uvuyo obeluya kubangelwa kukufumana umfanekiso owenziwe ngumKristu oselula awuzobe, emva kokuphulaphula intetho yeBhayibhile, njengendlela yokubonakalisa umbulelo! Sikwakhuthaza ngokufanayo isipho ebesingalindelwanga esivela kwisizalwana njengembonakaliso yothando lwaso. Ngokufanayo, abazali abangamaKristu bavuya kakhulu xa bekhetha izihlandlo ezifanelekileyo zokupha abantwana babo izipho ebudeni bonyaka. Esi sisa samaKristu asidyojwa kukucinga ngembopheleleko eza nemihla yemibhiyozo okanye izithethe zobuhedeni.
Ngenxa yoku, namhlanje amaKristu angaphezu kwezigidi ezine ezinesiqingatha aphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga akayibhiyozeli iKrisimesi. La ngamaNgqina kaYehova, azixakekisa rhoqo ngokunikela ubungqina ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kubamelwane bawo. (Mateyu 24:14) Kusenokwenzeka udibane nawo xa etyelela ekhayeni lakho, mhlawumbi kungentsuku zatywala. Ngamana ukwamkela kwakho ngomdla oko akuphathele kona kungakhokelela intsapho yakho kuvuyo olukhulu, njengoko nifunda indlela yokudumisa uYehova uThixo yonke imihla yonyaka.—INdumiso 145:1, 2.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]
AmaKristu apha abamelwane bawo esinye sezona zipho zibalaseleyo—ukuqonda injongo kaThixo okukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 4]
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