Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi

Ufanele enze ntoni umKristu xa ebizwa kumsebenzi wabachopheli-tyala (“jury”)?

Kwamanye amazwe, kwinkqubo yokugweba amatyala kusetyenziswa amaqumrhu abachopheli-tyala anyulwa phakathi kwabahlali. Kwindawo ekwenziwa kuyo oku, umKristu umele agqibe ngendlela aya kusabela ngayo xa eyalelwa ukuba aye kuchophela ityala elithile. AmaKristu amaninzi ngesazela esicocekileyo aye agqiba kwelokuba imigaqo yeBhayibhile ayikuchasi ukuya, kwananjengokuba uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhednego bawuthobelayo umyalelo worhulumente waseBhabhiloni wokuya kwithafa laseDura nanjengokuba uYosefu noMariya baya eBhetelehem ngomyalelo wamagunya amaRoma. (Daniyeli 3:1-12; Luka 2:1-4) Noko ke, kukho izinto ezifanele ziqwalaselwe ngamaKristu anyanisekileyo.

Amaqumrhu abachopheli-tyala awasetyenziswa kuwo onke amazwe. Kwamanye amazwe, amatyala abemi nawolwaphulo-mthetho agwetywa yijaji evunyiweyo okanye liqela lazo. Kwezinye iindawo, kulawula umthetho wabantu, ibe amaqumrhu abachopheli-tyala ayinxalenye yenkqubo yokugweba. Sekunjalo, inkoliso yabantu ayinalwazi lungako ngendlela amaqumrhu abachopheli-tyala akhethwa ngayo nomsebenzi wawo. Ngoko ke ukufumana ingcombolo ngalo mba kuya kuba luncedo enoba ujamelene nomsebenzi wokuchophela ityala okanye akunjalo.

Abantu bakaThixo bagqala uYehova njengoMgwebi Ophakamileyo. (Isaya 33:22) KuSirayeli wamandulo, amadoda anamava awayethe tye nangakhethi buso ayekhonza njengabagwebi ukuze acombulule iimbambano aze enze izigqibo ngemibandela ephathelele umthetho. (Eksodus 18:13-22; Levitikus 19:15; Duteronomi 21:18-21) Xa uYesu wayesemhlabeni, amatyala ayexoxwa yiSanhedrin, inkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda. (Marko 15:1; IZenzo 5:27-34) Lalingekho ilungiselelo lokuba umYuda oqhelekileyo abe kwiqumrhu labachopheli-tyala.

Amanye amazwe ayesebenzisa abemi njengamaqumrhu achophela amatyala. Ityala likaSocrates lavavanywa ngabachopheli-tyala abangama-501. Ukuvavanywa kwetyala liqumrhu labachopheli-tyala kwakusenziwa kwiRiphabliki yaseRoma, nangona oko kwapheliswa ngexesha labalawuli. Kamva, uKumkani uHenry III waseNgilani wenza ilungiselelo lokuba ummangalelwa agwetywe ngabamelwane bakhe. Kwakusithiwa ekubeni bemazi ummangalelwa, isigwebo sabo sasiya kufaneleka ngakumbi kunakwityala ekwakufuneka azingqine engenatyala ngokulwa okanye ngokunyamezela ukungcungcuthekiswa okuthile. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, inkqubo yequmrhu labachopheli-tyala yaguquka yaba lilungiselelo ekuthi iqela labemi lichophele ityala elithile lize lenze isigqibo esisekelwe kubungqina. Ijaji evunyiweyo yayibanceda babone iingongoma ezinokusetyenziswa njengobungqina.

Ziyahluka iindidi zala maqumrhu, amanani amalungu awo, noko kubandakanyekileyo ukuze kufikelelwe isigqibo. Ngokomzekelo, eUnited States, iqumrhu elikhulu labachopheli-tyala (grand jury) elinamalungu ali-12 ukusa kwangama-23 liyagqiba enoba kukho ubungqina obaneleyo ukuze ubani abekw’ ityala ngokwaphula umthetho kusini na; aligqibi enoba unetyala okanye umsulwa. Ngokufanayo, kwiqumrhu labaphanda ngetyala (iqumrhu labancini), amalungu aphonononga ubungqina ukuze agqibe enoba ulwaphulo-mthetho lwenziwe kusini na.

Xa inkoliso yabantu icinga ngequmrhu labachopheli-tyala, icinga ngeqela labemi abali-12 abasenkundleni—enoba kuxoxwa imbambano ephakathi kwabantu okanye lityala lolwaphulo-mthetho—abaphulaphula ubungqina ukuze bagqibe enoba ummangalelwa unetyala okanye umsulwa. Eli liqumrhu labachopheli-tyala elincinane (petit jury), xa lithelekiswa nequmrhu elikhulu labachopheli-tyala. Ngokuqhelekileyo, inkundla ithumela isaziso sokuya kumsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala kubantu abakhethwe kuludwe lwabavoti, abaqhubi beenqwelo-mafutha abanamaphepha-mvume okuqhuba, okanye abanye. Bambi basenokungafaneleki ngokuzenzekelayo, njengabakhe bagwetywa ngaphambili nabangaphilanga kakuhle engqondweni. Abanye—abanjengoogqirha, abefundisi, amagqwetha, okanye oosomashishini abasakhasayo—basenokucela ukungabandakanywa, oko kuxhomekeka kumthetho wasekuhlaleni. (Bambi basenokungabandakanywa kuba izazela zabo ziyichasa ngokunzulu ibe zingabavumeli ukuba benze inkonzo yokuchophela amatyala.) Noko ke, abasemagunyeni bayiphelisa ngokuthe ngcembe into yokuba abathile bangabandakanywa ukuze bonke banyanzeleke ukuba benze umsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala, mhlawumbi bephindaphinda ngokuhamba kweminyaka.

Asingabo bonke abaya kumsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala abachophela ityala. Kwiqela labantu ababizelwa umsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala, bambi bayakhethwa bengabhungiswanga ukuze bachophele ityala elithile. Emva koko ijaji ihlola amaqela omabini namagqwetha awo aze achaze uhlobo lwetyala. Ikunye naloo magqwetha ihlola lungu ngalinye eliza kuchophela elo tyala. Eli lithuba lokuthetha xa ubani engafuni kuchophela olo hlobo lwetyala ngenxa yesazela.

Eli qela kufuneka liphungulwe liye kutsho kwinani eliza kuchophela elo tyala. Ijaji iya kugxotha nabani na obonakala ngathi unedolo ngenxa yomdla anawo kwelo tyala. Kwakhona, amagqwetha amacala omabini anelungelo lokugxotha amalungu ambalwa abachopheli-tyala. Nabani na ogxothiweyo kwiqumrhu labachopheli-tyala ubuyela kwiqela labachopheli-tyala elilindele ukukhethwa ukuze lichophele amanye amatyala. Amanye amaKristu akule meko aye asebenzisa elo xesha ukuze anikele ubungqina obungacwangciswanga. Emva kweentsuku eziliqela, umsebenzi womntu wokuchophela ityala uyaphela, enoba ukhe wachophela ityala okanye akenjanga njalo.

AmaKristu azabalazela ‘ukunyamekela eyawo imicimbi,’ kungekhona ukubandakanyeka “kwimicimbi yabanye abantu.” (1 Tesalonika 4:11; 1 Petros 4:15) Xa umYuda othile wacela uYesu ukuba agwebe umcimbi owawuphathelele ilifa, waphendula: “Mntundini, ngubani na ondimisele ukuba ngumgwebi okanye umahluli phezu kwenu?” (Luka 12:13, 14) UYesu wayeze kuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani, kungekhona ukugweba amatyala. (Luka 4:18, 43) Impendulo kaYesu isenokuba yabangela ukuba loo ndoda isebenzise indlela yokuzinzisa imbambano eyayisekelwe kuMthetho kaThixo. (Duteronomi 1:16, 17) Nangona ezo ngongoma zisengqiqweni, ukusabela xa ubizwa ukuba uye kwenza umsebenzi wokuchophela ityala kwahlukile ekugxuphulekeni kwimicimbi yabanye. Iyafana nemeko kaDaniyeli noogxa bakhe abathathu. Urhulumente waseBhabhiloni wabayalela ukuba baye kwithafa laseDura, ibe ukwenjenjalo kwabo akuzange kwaphule uMthetho kaThixo. Into abayenza emva koko ingomnye umcimbi, njengoko iBhayibhile ibonisa.—Daniyeli 3:16-18.

Emva kokuba abakhonzi bakaThixo bekhululekile kuMthetho kaMoses, kwafuneka bajamelane neenkundla zasekuhlaleni kumazwe ahlukahlukeneyo. Umpostile uPawulos wabongoza “abo bangcwele” baseKorinte ukuba bacombulule iingxabano zabo ebandleni. Ngoxa wayebhekisela kwinkqubo yemithetho yeenkundla zasekuhlaleni ‘njengabantu abangengomalungisa,’ uPawulos akazange akhanyele ukuba ziphumeza indima ethile ekusingatheni imicimbi yasekuhlaleni. (1 Korinte 6:1) Wazithethelela ngokwakhe kwinkundla yamaRoma, de wabhenela kuKesare. Oku akuthethi kuthi iinkundla zasekuhlaleni ngokusisiseko ziphosakele.—IZenzo 24:10; 25:10, 11.

Iinkundla zasekuhlaleni zisisandla ‘samagunya ongameleyo.’ Loo magunya “abekwe nguThixo kwizikhundla zawo ezilinganiselweyo,” kwaye awisa aze anyanzelise imithetho. UPawulos wabhala: “Lingumlungiseleli kaThixo kuwe ukuze kulungelwe wena. Kodwa ukuba wenza oko kubi, yoyika: kuba aliliphathanga ngaphandle kwenjongo ikrele; kuba lingumlungiseleli kaThixo, umphindezeli wokubonakalisa ingqumbo kulowo uqhelisela oko kubi.” AmaKristu ‘akalichasi igunya’ njengoko lisenza loo misebenzi isemthethweni, kuba akafuni ‘kuzimisa ngokunxamnye nalo’ aze agwetywe.—Roma 13:1-4; Tito 3:1.

Xa ephonononga oothunywashe, amaKristu afanele aqwalasele enoba aya kuzenza izinto ezithile ezifunwa nguKesare kusini na. UPawulos waluleka: “Nika bonke [amagunya awongamelayo] oko kubafaneleyo, lowo kufuneka irhafu kuye, mnike irhafu; lowo kufuneka unikelo kuye, mnike unikelo; lowo kufuneka uloyiko kuye, mnike uloyiko olo.” (Roma 13:7) Oku kucace okwekat’ emhlophe ehlungwini xa kuthethwa ngokuhlawula irhafu. (Mateyu 22:17-21) Ukuba uKesare uthi abemi bamele banikele ngexesha baze benze nemigudu ukuze bacoce iindlela okanye benze omnye umsebenzi ophakathi kwemisebenzi kaKesare, mKristu ngamnye umele agqibe enoba uya kuwenza kusini na.—Mateyu 5:41.

Amanye amaKristu aye agqala inkonzo yokuchophela amatyala njengokunika uKesare okukaKesare. (Luka 20:25) Kumsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala into engamandla kukuphulaphula ubungqina nokuvelisa imbono enyanisekileyo ngezibakala okanye ngomthetho. Ngokomzekelo, kwiqumrhu elikhulu labachopheli-tyala, ngamalungu alo agqiba enoba ubungqina bufuna ubani eze enkundleni; awatsho ukuba unetyala. Kuthekani ngetyala eliqhelekileyo? Kwimbambano ephakathi kwabantu, iqumrhu labachopheli-tyala linokuncomela ukuhlawulwa komonakalo okanye imbuyekezo. Kwityala lolwaphulo-mthetho, kufuneka ligqibe enoba ubungqina buxhasa isigqibo sokuba ummangalelwa unetyala. Maxa wambi lincomela isigwebo esingokwasemthethweni esimele sisetyenziswe. Emva koko urhulumente usebenzisa igunya lakhe ‘ukubonakalisa ingqumbo kulowo uqhelisela oko kubi,’ okanye ‘aphumeze isohlwayo kubenzi-bubi.’—1 Petros 2:14.

Kuthekani ukuba umKristu uvakalelwa kukuba isazela sakhe asimvumeli ukuba asebenze kwiqumrhu labachophele ityala elithile? IBhayibhile ayiwukhankanyi umsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala, ngoko akanakuthi, ‘Ukuba lilungu lequmrhu labachopheli-tyala kuchasene nonqulo lwam.’ Ngokuxhomekeke kwelo tyala, usenokuchaza ukuba ukuba lilungu lequmrhu labachopheli-tyala elinjalo kuchasene nesazela sakhe. Usenokwenjenjalo ukuba elo etyala libandakanya ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini, ukuqhomfa, ukubulala umntu, okanye omnye umbandela alawulwa kuwo lulwazi lweBhayibhile, kungekhona umthetho nje wabantu. Noko ke, eneneni kunokwenzeka ukuba ityala akhethelwe ukuba alichophele lingabandakanyi iimbambano ezinjalo.

UmKristu oqolileyo usenokucinga nangokuba naye uya kuba efake isandla kwisigwebo esiwiswa ziijaji. (Thelekisa iGenesis 39:17-20; 1 Timoti 5:22.) Ukuba ngempazamo ummangalelwa uye wafunyaniswa enetyala waza wagwetywa intambo, ngaba umKristu olilungu lequmrhu elichophele elo tyala naye unokuba netyala legazi? (Eksodus 22:2; Duteronomi 21:8; 22:8; Yeremiya 2:34; Mateyu 23:35; IZenzo 18:6) Xa kwakuxoxwa ityala likaYesu uPilato wafuna ukuba “msulwa egazini lalo mntu.” Esitsha ziintambo amaYuda athi: “Igazi lakhe liza phezu kwethu naphezu kwabantwana bethu.”—Mateyu 27:24, 25.

Ukuba umKristu uza kwenza umsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala, eyalelwa ngurhulumente, kodwa ngenxa yesazela sakhe akavuma ukuchophela ityala elithile phezu kwako nje ukunyanzelwa yijaji, loo mKristu ufanele akulungele ukujamelana nemiphumo—esenokuba kukuhlawuliswa okanye ukuvalelwa entolongweni.—1 Petros 2:19.

Xa siwusonga lo mba, umKristu ngamnye ojongene nomsebenzi wokuchophela ityala ufanele agqibe ngekhondo aya kulithabatha, ngokusekelwe kulwazi lwakhe lweBhayibhile nakwisazela sakhe. Amanye amaKristu aye awenza umsebenzi wokuchophela amatyala aza achophela amatyala athile. Amanye aye aziva enyanzelekile ukuba angavumi kwanaxa ejamelene nesohlwayo. UmKristu ngamnye ufanele azigqibele ngokwakhe oko aya kukwenza, ibe abanye abamele basigxeke isigqibo sakhe.—Galati 6:5.