Ngaba Kukho Isivumelwano Phakathi “Kwetempile KaThixo” NeziThixo EGrisi?

KUSEHLOTYENI yaye ilanga lihlab’ umhlaba, likhuph’ intlanz’ emanzini. Noko ke, obo bushushu bugqithiseleyo, abubonakali buwudambisa umoya omkhulu wenzondelelo weqela elizinikeleyo lobuOthodoki bamaGrike akuhambo lwezenkolo oluya kwindlu yonqulo ekwincopho yenduli.

Ubona ixhegokazi elidiniweyo, elihambe ukusuka kwelinye icala lelizwe, lirhuqa iinyawo ezinengevane kunzima nokuhamba kukudinwa. Ngaphaya komnqantsa, indoda enolangazelelo ibile imanzi xhopho njengoko inexhala izama ukuphinyela phakathi kwaloo nginginya ityhalanayo. Yaye intombazana encinane, ebonakala nje ngokungatyhileki ebusweni ukuba iyaqaqanjelwa, ikhasa ngamadolo alijaja ligazi. Luyintoni usukelo lwabo? Kukufika ngexesha, ukuze kuthandazwe kuselithuba, yaye ukuba kunokwenzeka, kubanjwe kuze kwangiwe umfanekiso wesithixo abanewonga lokuba “yingcwele.”

Imibono efana nale iyaphindaphindwa kuzo zonke iindawo zehlabathi ezizinikele ekuhloneleni “iingcwele.” Kuyabonakala ukuba, bonke abo bahambela unqulo beyisekile ukuba ngokwenza oku balandela indlela yokufikelela kuThixo, ngaloo ndlela babonakalisa uzinikelo nokholo lwabo. Incwadi ethi Our Orthodox Christian Faith ithi: “Sikhumbula [“iingcwele”], yaye sinikela uzuko nembeko kwaba bantu bangcwele . . . , yaye sicela basithandazele kuThixo zize izibongozo zisincede kwizinto ezininzi esizifunayo ebomini bethu. . . . Sifuna ukukhuselwa yimimangaliso yeeNgcwele . . . kwizinto esizifunayo zokwenyama nezokomoya.” Kwakhona, ngokutsho kwebhunga labaphathi bomthetho weCawa yamaRoma Katolika, “iingcwele” zimiswe njengabalamleli kuThixo, yaye izikhumbuzo nemifanekiso “yeengcwele” zimele zinikwe imbeko.

Inkxalabo engundoqo yomKristu wokwenene ifanele ibe kukunqula uThixo “ngomoya nenyaniso.” (Yohane 4:24) Ngenxa yesi sizathu masiqwalasele eminye imibandela engendlela okwaziswa ngayo ukuhlonelwa “kweengcwele” njengenxalenye yonqulo lweNgqobhoko. Uhlolisiso olunjalo lufanele lube luncedo kakhulu kuye wonk’ umntu onqwenela ukusondela kuThixo ngendlela eyamkelekileyo Kuye.

Indlela Ezamkelwa Ngayo “Iingcwele”

IZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike zibonisa ukuba onke amaKristu okuqala awayehlanjwe ngegazi likaKristu aze amiselwa ngokukhethekileyo ukunikela inkonzo kuThixo njengamalungu aziindlalifa noKristu ayesaziwa “njengabangcwele” okanye “iingcwele.” (IZenzo 9:32; 2 Korinte 1:1; 13:13)a Amadoda nabafazi, abalulekileyo naphantsi ebandleni, onke ayechazwa njengalawo “angcwele” ngoxa ephila apha emhlabeni. Licacile elokuba ukuqondwa kwabo njengeengcwele ngokweZibhalo akubanga yinto eyaqala emva kokuba efile.

Noko ke, emva kwenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo ngoxa uwexuko lobuKristu lwalukhula, kwakukho utyekelo lokuzama ukwenza ubuKristu buthandwe, unqulo olwaluya kuba nomtsalane kubantu abangabahedeni baze balwamkele ngokulula. Aba bahedeni babenqula oothixo abaninzi, yaye kolu nqulo lutsha kwakunqulwa ngokungqongqo uThixo omnye. Ngoko kwakuya kuba lula ukulalanisa ngokwamkela “iingcwele,” ezaziya kuthabatha indawo yoothixo bamandulo, othixo abenziwe ngumntu namaqhawe asentsomini. Igqabaza ngoku, incwadi ethi Ekklisiastiki Istoria (Imbali Yezonqulo) ithi: “Kwabo babeguquka kubuhedeni besiba ngamaKristu, kwakulula ukunxulumanisa imisebenzi yamaqhawe abo alityelweyo nabafeli-nkolo baze baqalise ukuwanika imbeko ababefudula beyinika lawo angaphambili. . . . Noko ke, ngokufuthi ukuzinika imbeko elolo hlobo iingcwele yayikukunqula izithixo ngokupheleleyo.”

Enye imbekiselo ecacisa indlela “iingcwele” ezangeniswa ngayo kwiNgqobhoko ithi: “Ukunikwa kweengcwele imbeko yiCawa yobuOthodoki bamaGrike, sifumana umkhondo ocacileyo wempembelelo enamandla olwalunayo unqulo lobuhedeni. Iimpawu ekwakusithiwa banazo oothixo bamaGrike amandulo ngaphambi kokuba [abantu] baguqukele kubuKristu ngoku zinikwa iingcwele. . . . Ukususela kwiminyaka yangaphambili yonqulo olutsha, sibona abalandeli balo bebeka uMprofeti uElisha endaweni yothixo welanga (uPhoebus Apollo), besakhela iicawa phezu okanye kufuphi neetempile zamandulo okanye kwizibingelelo zaloo thixo, ubukhulu becala kwincopho yeenduli neyeentaba, kuyo yonke indawo amaGrike amandulo ayebeka uPhoebus Apollo onik’ ukukhanya. . . . Bade bafanisa uthixokazi Onyulu waseAthene noMariya Onyulu. Ngaloo ndlela, akubangakho sithuba sivelayo xa isithixo saseAthene satshatyalaliswayo.”—Neoteron Enkyklopaidikon Lexikon (Intyila-lwazi Entsha Yamagama), Umqulu 1, iphepha 270-1.

Ngokomzekelo, khawuqwalasele, imeko yaseAthene ukususela emva phaya ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesine yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Inkoliso yabemi beso sixeko yayisengabahedeni. Enye yezona nkqubo zabo zingcwele yayilitheko lase-Eleusis, iziganeko ezibini,b ezazibakho rhoqo ngonyaka ngoFebruwari kwidolophu yase-Eleusis, ekumgama ongama-23 eekhilomitha kumntla-ntshona weAthene. Ukuze babekho kula matheko, abahedeni baseAthene babemele balandele iNdlela Engcwele (iHi·e·raʹ Ho·dosʹ). Ukuzama ukulungiselela enye indlela yokunqula, iinkokeli zesixeko zangqineka zinobuchule. Kwakwindlela enye, ekumgama omalunga neshumi leekhilomitha ukusuka eAthene, kwakhiwa isakhiwo sesithixokazi esinguDaphni ukutsala abahedeni nokubathintela bangayi kumatheko afihlakeleyo. Le cawa yesi sithixokazi yakhelwa phezu kwesiseko setempile yamandulo eyayakhelwe uthixo wamaGrike uDaphnaios okanye uPythios Apollo.

Ubungqina bokumanyaniswa kokunqulwa kwezithixo zabahedeni “neengcwele” bukwanokufumaneka kwisiqithi saseKithira, eGrisi. Phezu kwenye yeencochoyi zesiqithi, kukho izindlu ezimbini ezincinane zeenkonzo eziyiByzantium—enye yazo yanikezelwa “kwiNgcwele” uGeorge, enye kuMariya Onyulu. Abembi babonisa ukuba esi yayisisiza setempile yaseKrete eyayisencotsheni eyayisebenza njengendawo yonqulo phantse ama-3500 eminyaka eyadlulayo. Ebudeni benkulungwane yesithandathu okanye yesixhenxe yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo “amaKristu” azakhela indlu yawo yokukhonza “iNgcwele” uGeorge kanye kwisiza sendlu yonqulo esencochoyini. Elo yayilicebo lokomfuziselo; elo ziko lonqulo laseKrete liphucukileyo lalilawula indlela yoLwandle lweAegean. Ezo cawa zimbini zakhiwa apho ukuze zibe phantsi kwephiko leNenekazi Lethu “neNgcwele” uGeorge, owabhiyozelwa ngamininye “nomkhuseli ongumatiloshe,” “iNgcwele” uNicholas. Iphephandaba elalithetha ngokufunyaniswa koku lathi: “Namhlanje umbingeleli [wobuOthodoki bamaGrike] uza kunyuka entabeni, kanye njengombingeleli waseKrete kumaxesha amandulo,” ukuze aqhube iinkonzo zonqulo!

Ukushwankathela umkhamo uwexuko lobuKristu olwaphenjelelwa ngawo lunqulo lobuhedeni bamaGrike, umphengululi ongumbhali-mbali walatha ukuba: “Isiseko sobuhedeni sonqulo lobuKristu ngokufuthi sihlala singaguquki kwiinkolelo zalo ezithandwayo, ngaloo ndlela, zibubungqina bokuhlala ixesha elide kwesithethe.”

‘Ukunqula Esikwaziyo’

UYesu wathi kumfazi womSamariya: “Thina sinqula esikwaziyo. . . . Abanquli bokwenyaniso baya kumnqula uBawo ngomoya nenyaniso, kuba, eneneni, uBawo ufuna abanjalo ukumnqula.” (Yohane 4:22, 23) Phawula ukuba ukunqula ngenyaniso kunyanzelekile! Ngoko ke akunakwenzeka ukumnqula uThixo ngokwamkelekileyo ngaphandle kolwazi oluchanileyo nothando olusuk’ entliziyweni ngenyaniso. Unqulo lobuKristu bokwenyaniso lumele lusekelwe kwinyaniso, kungekhona kwizithethe nezenzo ezibolekwe kubuhedeni. Siyayazi indlela uYehova avakalelwa ngayo xa abantu bezama ukumkhonza ngendlela engachananga. Umpostile uPawulos wabhalela amaKristu amandulo angamaGrike kwisixeko saseKorinte esithi: “Yiyiphi na imvisiswano ekhoyo phakathi kukaKristu noBheliyali? . . . Sisiphi na isivumelwano enaso itempile kaThixo nezithixo?” (2 Korinte 6:15, 16) Nawuphi na umzamo wokuvisisanisa itempile kaThixo nezithixo unezothe kuye.

Ngaphezu koko, ngendlela ecace gca, iZibhalo zikukhaba ngawo omane ukuthandaza “kwiingcwele” khon’ ukuze zisebenze njengabalamleli kuThixo. Kumthandazo wakhe ongumzekelo, uYesu wafundisa ukuba imithandazo yayimele ibhekiswe kuBawo kuphela, ekubeni walathisa abafundi bakhe esithi: “Ngoko ke, nina nimele nithandaze ngale ndlela: ‘Bawo wethu osemazulwini, malingcwaliswe igama lakho.’” (Mateyu 6:9) UYesu wahlabela mgama esithi: “Ndim indlela nenyaniso nobomi. Akukho bani uzayo kuBawo ngaphandle kokuza ngam. Ukuba nicela nantoni na egameni lam, ndiza kuyenza.” Yaye umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Kukho uThixo omnye, nomlamli omnye phakathi koThixo nabantu, umntu, uKristu Yesu.”—Yohane 14:6, 14; 1 Timoti 2:5.

Ukuba sikufuna ngokwenene ukuba imithandazo yethu iviwe nguThixo, kufuneka sithethe naye ngendlela elalathisa ngayo iLizwi lakhe. Ebethelela ekuphela kwendlela eyamkelekileyo yokuthetha noYehova, uPawulos kwakhona wabhala oku: “UKristu Yesu ngulowo wafayo, ewe, enyanisweni lowo wavuswayo kwabafileyo, okwisandla sasekunene sikaThixo, nokwasibongozelayo.” “Uyakwazi kwanokubasindisa ngokupheleleyo abo basondela kuThixo ngaye, ngenxa yokuba usoloko ephila ukuze ababongozele.”—Roma 8:34; Hebhere 7:25.

‘Ukumnqula Ngomoya Nenyaniso’

UbuKristu obuwexukileyo abunamandla ngokomoya bungaxhaswa nangumoya oyingcwele kaThixo ukukhuthaza abahedeni balahle unqulo lwabo lobuxoki baze balandele iimfundiso zokwenyaniso zikaYesu Kristu. Buthabathe iinkolelo zobuhedeni baza bazisebenzisa kwiphulo lalo lokufuna amaguquka, igunya nokuthandwa. Ngenxa yesi sizathu bavelisa, ubuKristu obungomelelanga, obungamkelekanga kuThixo nakuKristu, kodwa obungebubo obamakholwa, “ukhula” olungabufanelanga uBukumkani.—Mateyu 13:24-30.

Noko ke, ebudeni beli xesha lesiphelo, phantsi kolwalathiso lukaYehova kukho intshukumo ephawulekayo yokubuyisela unqulo lokwenyaniso. Abantu bakaYehova ehlabathini lonke, kungakhathaliseki amasiko abo, intlalo okanye imvelaphi engokonqulo, bazama ukuvumelanisa ubomi babo neenkolelo nemilinganiselo yeBhayibhile. Ukuba ufuna ukufunda okungakumbi ngendlela yokunqula uThixo “ngomoya nangenyaniso,” nceda dibana namaNgqina kaYehova kwindawo ohlala kuyo. Aya kukuvuyela kakhulu ukukunceda ukuba unikele inkonzo engcwele eyamkelekileyo kuThixo, esekelwe kumandla akho okuqiqa nakulwazi oluchanileyo lweLizwi lakhe. UPawulos wabhala: “Ndiyanibongoza ngeemfesane zikaThixo, bazalwana, ukuba niyinikele imizimba yenu ibe yimibingelelo ephilayo, engcwele, eyamkelekileyo kuThixo, inkonzo ke leyo engcwele ngokwamandla enu engqiqo. Yaye yekani ukumilisa okwale nkqubo yezinto, kodwa guqukani ngokutshintsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nikungqine ngokwenu ukulunga nokwamkeleka nokugqibelela kokuthanda kukaThixo.” Yaye kumaKolose wathi: “Kususela kwimini esevayo ngako oko, singayekanga ukunithandazela nokunicelela ukuba nizaliswe ngolwazi oluchanileyo lokuthanda kwakhe kubulumko bonke nokuqiqa kokomoya, ukuze nihambe ngokumfaneleyo uYehova nize nimkholise ngokuzeleyo njengoko niqhubeka nithwala isiqhamo kuwo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo yaye nisanda elwazini oluchanileyo ngoThixo.”—Roma 12:1, 2; Kolose 1:9, 10.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

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Akunakwenzeka Ukuba Asebenzise IParthenon

Umlawuli “ongumKristu” uTheodosius II, nemithetho ephathelele isixeko saseAthene (438 C.E.), wazibhangisa izithethe zobuhedeni nonqulo olufihlakeleyo, wavala neetempile zabahedeni. Babenokuthi emva koko baguqukele kwiicawa zobuKristu. Ekuphela kwento eyayifuneka ukuze kuguqulwe ngokuphumelelayo itempile yayikukuyihlambulula ngokuyifaka umnqamlezo!

Enye yeetempile zokuqala ukuguqulwa yiParthenon. Yakhiwa ngokutsha ukwenzela ukuba iParthenon ilungele ukusetyenziswa njengetempile “yobuKristu.” Ukususela ngowama-869 C.E., yasebenza njengecawa kabhishophu waseAthene. Ekuqaleni yabekwa njengecawa “Yobulumko Obungcwele.” Le yayinokuba nenjongo esisikhumbuzo eyayikukukhumbula isibakala sokuba “umnini” tempile wokuqala, uAthena, yayinguthixokazi wobulumko. Kamva yanikezelwa “KwiNenekazi Lethu laseAthene.” Emva kokusetyenziswa bubuOthodoki iinkulungwane ezisibhozo, loo tempile ayiguqulela ekubeni yicawa yamaKatolika aseAthene aseSt. Mary. “Ukusetyenziswa kwakhona” okulolo hlobo konqulo lweParthenon kwaqhubeka, xa kwathi ngenkulungwane ye-15 amaOttoman Turks, ayiguqulela ekubeni yindlu yeemonki.

Namhlanje iParthenon, itempile ka-Athena Parthenos (“Onyulu”) wamaDoric amandulo, isithixokazi sobulumko samaGrike, ityelelwa ngamawaka abakhenkethi kuphela njengesakhiwo samaGrike esakhiwe ngobuchule obungaqhelekanga.

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Isakhiwo sonqulo iDaphni—enye indawo yonqulo lwabahedeni bamandulo eAthene