Incwadi Yabantu Bonke

“UThixo akakhethi buso, kodwa kwiintlanga zonke umntu omoyikayo aze asebenze ubulungisa wamkelekile kuye.”—IZENZO 10:34, 35.

1. Wasabela njani omnye unjingalwazi xa wayebuzwa oko wayekucinga ngeBhayibhile, ibe sisiphi isigqibo awafikelela kuso?

UNJINGALWAZI othile wayethe zava ekhayeni lakhe ngenye imva kwemini yangeCawa, engalindele zindwendwe. Kodwa xa omnye woodade wethu abangamaKristu wangena endlwini yakhe, waphulaphula. Lo dade wathetha ngokungcoliswa nangekamva lomhlaba—mibandela leyo eyayibangel’ umdla kule ndoda. Noko ke, xa wafaka iBhayibhile kule ngxubusho, le ndoda yabonakala imathidala. Ngoko ke lo dade wambuza oko akucingayo ngeBhayibhile.

“Yincwadi esemagqabini eyabhalwa ziinkcuba-buchopho zamadoda,” yaphendula ngelitshoyo le ndoda, “kodwa iBhayibhile asinto unokuzikhathaza kakhulu ngayo.”

“Ngaba wakha wayifunda iBhayibhile?” lo dade wabuza.

Eyinkuku esikw’ umlomo, lo njingalwazi wanyanzeleka avume ukuba akazange ayifunde.

Wandula ke wabuza udade: “Ungathetha njani uqiniseke ngencwadi ongazange uyifunde?”

Udade wethu wayehlab’ emxholweni. Lo njingalwazi wagqiba ekubeni akhe ayihlolisise iBhayibhile andule ke ukuzakhela imbono ngayo.

2, 3. Kutheni iBhayibhile iyincwadi evaliweyo kubantu abaninzi, yaye oko kusizisela luphi ucelomngeni?

² Asingulo njingalwazi kuphela onale mbono. Abantu abaninzi baneembono ezingenakujikwa ngeBhayibhile nangona bengazange bayifunde ngokobuqu. Basenokuba banayo iBhayibhile. Basenokude bavume ukuba iyafundisa okanye iyincwadi exabisekileyo yembali. Kodwa kwabaninzi yincwadi nje ehleli ivaliwe. Bambi bathi: ‘Andinalo ixesha lokufunda iBhayibhile.’ Bambi bayazibuza: ‘Incwadi endala ngolu hlobo ingalulutho njani ebomini bam?’ Iimbono ezinjalo zisizisela ucelomngeni lokwenene. AmaNgqina kaYehova, akholelwa ngokungenakujikwa mntu kwelokuba iBhayibhile ‘iphefumlelwe nguThixo kwaye iyingenelo ekufundiseni.’ (2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Noko ke, sinokubeyisela njani abantu kwelokuba bafanele bayihlolisise iBhayibhile ingakhathaliseki imvelaphi yabo yobuhlanga okanye eyobuzwe?

³ Makhe sixubushe ezinye zezizathu zokuba kufuneke siyihlolisise iBhayibhile. Ingxubusho enjalo iza kusixhobisa ukuze siqiqe nabo sidibana nabo kubulungiseleli bethu, mhlawumbi sibeyisele kwelokuba bafanele bakuhlolisise oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile. Kwangaxeshanye, le ngxubusho ifanele ilomeleze ukholo lwethu kwelokuba iBhayibhile, ngokwenene, njengoko isitsho—‘ililizwi likaThixo.’—Hebhere 4:12.

Eyona Ncwadi Isasazwe Kakhulu Ehlabathini

4. Kutheni kunokutshiwo ukuba iBhayibhile yeyona ncwadi isasazwe kakhulu ehlabathini?

⁴ Okokuqala, iBhayibhile ifanelwe kukuhlolisiswa kuba ukuza kuthi ga ngoku yeyona ncwadi isasazwe yaza yaguqulelwa ngokubanzi kuyo yonke imbali yabantu. Kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-500 eyadlulayo, uhlelo lokuqala lwashicilelwa kusetyenziswa umatshini wokushicilela kaJohannes Gutenberg osebenzisa oonobumba abanokushenxiswa. Ukususela ngoko, kuthelekelelwa ukuba kuye kwashicilelwa malunga namawaka amane ezigidi zeeBhayibhile, iphelele okanye inxalenye yayo. Ngowe-1996, iBhayibhile epheleleyo okanye amacandelo ayo aye aguqulelwa kwiilwimi nakwiziyelelane ezingama-2167.a Ubuncinane bangaphezu kwama-90 ekhulwini kwintsapho yabantu abanenxalenye ethile yeBhayibhile ngolwimi lwabo. Ayikho enye incwadi—yonqulo okanye yenye into—esondela kwaukusondela apho!

5. Kutheni sifanele silindele ukuba iBhayibhile ifumaneke kubantu abasehlabathini lonke?

⁵ Amanani ewodwa akabobungqina bokuba iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo. Noko ke, ngokuqinisekileyo sifanele silindele ukuba ingxelo ebhaliweyo ephefumlelwe nguThixo ifumaneke kubantu abasehlabathini lonke. Ngapha koko, iBhayibhile ngokwayo isixelela ukuba “uThixo akakhethi buso, kodwa kwiintlanga zonke umntu omoyikayo aze asebenze ubulungisa wamkelekile kuye.” (IZenzo 10:34, 35) Ngokwahlukileyo kuyo nayiphi na enye incwadi, iBhayibhile iye yadlulela ngaphaya kwemida yobuzwe yaza yoyisa nemiqobo yobuhlanga. Ngenene, iBhayibhile yincwadi yabantu bonke!

Inengxelo Eyahlukileyo Yokulondolozwa

6, 7. Kutheni kungengomnqa ukuba kungabikho namnye kwimibhalo yantlandlolo yeBhayibhile, yaye oku kuphakamisa yiphi imibuzo?

⁶ Sikho esinye isizathu sokuba sifanele siyihlolisise iBhayibhile. Iye yatyhubela imiqobo yemvelo neyabantu. Ingxelo engokulondolozwa kwayo phezu kwayo nje imiqobo enjengentaba yahluke ngokwenene kweyeencwadi zamandulo.

⁷ Kuyabonakala ukuba ababhali beBhayibhile babhala amazwi abo ngeinki kumpapiri (owawenziwe ngesityalo saseYiputa esibizwa ngelo gama) kunye nezikhumba (ezenziwe ngeemfele zezilwanyana).b (Yobhi 8:11) Noko ke, ezi zinto zokubhala zineentshaba zemvelo. Umphengululi uOscar Paret uchaza athi: “Zombini ezi zinto zokubhalela zisesichengeni ngokufanayo sokufunyanwa kukufuma, ukonakala namanundu ahlukahlukeneyo. Siyazi ngokusuka kumava ethu emihla ngemihla indlela ekulula ngayo ukuba iphepha, kwanesikhumba esilushica, sonakale xa sibethwa ngumoya okanye sisegumbini elifumileyo.” Ngoko ayisikhwankqisi into yokuba kungekho namnye kwimibhalo yantlandlolo osekhoyo; mhlawumbi yavuthuluka yaphela kwakudala. Kodwa ukuba imibhalo yantlandlolo yadlula neentshaba zemvelo, iBhayibhile yona isinde njani?

8. Imibhalo yeBhayibhile iye yalondolozwa njani ukutyhubela iinkulungwane?

⁸ Kungekudala emva kokuba imibhalo yokuqala ibhaliwe, kwaqaliswa ukuveliswa kwemibhalo ekhutshelwe ngesandla. Eneneni, ukukhuphela uMthetho neenxalenye ezithile zeZibhalo Ezingcwele kwaye kwaba ngumsebenzi wempangelo kuSirayeli wamandulo. Ngokomzekelo, umbingeleli uEzra uchazwa ngokuba “waye engumbhali [“engumkhupheli,” NW] oyinkunkqele emyalelweni kaMoses.” (Ezra 7:6, 11; thelekisa INdumiso 45:1.) Kodwa imibhalo eyayiveliswa yayinokonakala nayo; ekugqibeleni kwafuneka kwenziwe eminye imibhalo ekhutshelwe ngesandla endaweni yayo. Lo msebenzi wokukhuphela waqhubeka ukho kangangeenkulungwane. Ekubeni abantu bengafezekanga, ngaba iimpazamo zabakhupheli zawutshintsha ngokupheleleyo umongo weBhayibhile? Ubungqina obungenambaliso buthi akunjalo!

9. Umzekelo wamaMasorete ukubonisa njani ukucoselela nokuchana kwabakhupheli beBhayibhile?

⁹ Aba bakhupheli babengezongcaphephe nje kuphela kodwa babekwanentlonelo enzulu ngamazwi ababewakhuphela. Igama lesiHebhere elithetha “umkhupheli” libhekisela ekubaleni nasekubhaleni ingxelo. Ukuze ubone indlela ababecoselela nababechane ngayo abakhupheli, khawucinge ngamaMasorete, abakhupheli beZibhalo zesiHebhere ababephila phakathi kwenkulungwane yesithandathu neyeshumi yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Ngokutsho komphengululi uThomas Hartwell Horne, babebala “izihlandlo elivela ngazo igatya ngalinye lonobumba [wesiHebhere] kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere ziphela.” Khawucinge nje ngokuthethwa koku! Ukuze bangashiyi nonobumba omnye jwi, aba bakhupheli bazinikeleyo babengabali nje amagama ababewakhuphela kuphela kodwa kwanoonobumba. Ewe, ngokokubala komnye umphengululi, kuthiwa babephicotha oonobumba ngabanye abangama-815 140 abakwiZibhalo zesiHebhere! Lo mgudu wenkuthalo waqinisekisa umgangatho ophakamileyo wokuchana.

10. Bubuphi ubungqina obeyisayo obukhoyo bokuba imibhalo yesiHebhere neyesiGrike ezisekelwe kuyo iinguqulelo zale mihla ngokuchanileyo isebenzisa amagama awasetyenziswa ngababhali bantlandlolo?

¹⁰ Phofu ke, bukho ubungqina obubambekayo bokuba umbhalo wesiHebhere nowesiGrike ezisekelwe kuyo iinguqulelo zale mihla usebenzisa kanye amazwi awayesetyenziswe ngababhali bantlandlolo. Obu bungqina buquka amawaka emibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile ebhalwe ngesandla—eyeZibhalo zesiHebhere epheleleyo okanye iinxalenye zayo iqikelelwa kuma-6000 ize eyeZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike ibe malunga nama-5000—eye yasinda ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje. Ukuhlalutywa ngocoselelo nokuthelekiswa kwemibhalo-ngqangi emininzi ekhoyo kuye kwenza abaphengululi bemibhalo bakwazi ukuwabhaqa nawaphi na amakhwiniba abakhupheli baze bafumanise inguqulelo yantlandlolo. Ngenxa yoko, egqabaza ngomongo weZibhalo zesiHebhere, umphengululi uWilliam H. Green wayenokuthi: “Kusenokutshiwo kuqinisekiwe ukuthi ayikho enye incwadi yamandulo eye yakhutshelwa ngokuchane kangaka.” Sinokuba nentembelo efanayo ngeZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike.

11. Ngokutsho kweyoku-1 kaPetros 1:24, 25, kutheni iBhayibhile iye yasinda ukuza kutsho kumhla wethu?

¹¹ Hayi indlela ebekunokuba lula ngayo ukuba iBhayibhile yonakale ukuba yayingekho imibhalo ekhutshelweyo eyayithabathel’ indawo eyamandulo, iqulethe isigidimi sayo esixabisekileyo! Sinye kuphela isizathu sokuba isinde—uYehova unguMlondolozi noMkhuseli weLizwi lakhe. Njengoko iBhayibhile ngokwayo isitsho, kweyoku-1 kaPetros 1:24, 25: “Yonke inyama injengengca, yaye lonke uzuko lwayo lunjengentyatyambo yengca; ingca iyabuna, nentyatyambo iyavuthuluka, kodwa ilizwi likaYehova lihlala likho ngonaphakade.”

Iguqulelwa Kwiilwimi Ezisetyenziswa Luluntu

12. Ukongezelela kwiinkulungwane zokukhutshelwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo, yiyiphi eminye imiqobo eye yajamelana nayo iBhayibhile?

¹² Ukusinda kwayo nangona ibikhutshelwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo kangangeenkulungwane kwakulucelomngeni ngokwako, kodwa iBhayibhile yajamelana nomnye umqobo—ukuguqulelwa kwayo kwiilwimi ezithethwa luluntu. IBhayibhile imele ithethe ngolwimi lwabantu ukuze ifikelele iintliziyo zabo. Noko ke, ukuguqulela iBhayibhile—enezahluko ezingaphezu kwe-1100 kunye neendinyana ezingama-31 000—akuyondlwan’ iyanetha. Noko ke, ukutyhubela iinkulungwane, abaguquleli abazinikeleyo baluthabatha ngezandla ezingenamkhinkqi olu celomngeni, bejamelana nemiqobo ebibonakala ngathi yintaba.

13, 14. (a) Luluphi ucelomngeni awajamelana nalo umguquleli weBhayibhile uRobert Moffat eAfrika ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane ye-19? (b) Abantu abantetho isisiTswana basabela njani xa iVangeli kaLuka yafumaneka ngolwimi lwabo?

¹³ Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngendlela iBhayibhile eyaguqulelwa ngayo kwiilwimi zaseAfrika. Ngowe-1800, zazimalunga ne-12 kuphela iilwimi ezibhalwayo kwiAfrika iphela. Amakhulukhulu ezinye iilwimi ezazithethwa zazingabhalwa. Olu yayilucelomngeni awayejamelene nalo umguquleli weBhayibhile uRobert Moffat. Ngowe-1821, eneminyaka engama-25 ubudala, lo kaMoffat waqalisa iphulo lakhe phakathi kwabantu abantetho isisiTswana abasemazantsi eAfrika. Ukuze afunde ulwimi lwabo olwalungabhalwa, wahlala phakathi kwabo bantu. OkaMoffat wazingisa de ekugqibeleni, engenazincwadi zakulufunda olo lwimi okanye izichazi-magama, wayingcaphephe kolu lwimi, evelisa indlela yokulubhala waza wafundisa abanye babeTswana ukufunda loo ndlela yokulubhala. Ngowe-1829, emva kokusebenza phakathi kwabeTswana kangangeminyaka esibhozo, wawuqabelisa umsebenzi wokuguqulela iVangeli kaLuka. Kamva wathi: “Kukho abathile ababehamba imigama emide beze kufuna imibhalo yencwadi yeNgcwele uLuka. . . . Babesithi xa befumana iinxalenye zencwadi yeNgcwele uLuka, zithi waxa iinyembezi, bayinkonye ezifubeni zabo, belila iinyembezi zombulelo, kangangokuba kwabaliqela ndandiye ndithi, ‘Niza kuzonakalisa iincwadi zenu ngezi nyembezi.’” Kwakhona lo kaMoffat wabalisa ngendoda yaseAfrika ethile eyabona iqela labantu lifunda iVangeli kaLuka yaza yabuza ukuba yintoni na le babeyiphethe. Baphendula: “Lilizwi likaThixo.” “Ngaba liyathetha?” yabuza ngelitshoyo le ndoda. Bathi: “Ewe, lithetha nentliziyo.”

¹⁴ Abaguquleli ababezinikele abanjengalo kaMoffat bavulel’ ama-Afrika amaninzi ithuba lokuqala lokunxibelelana ngokubhalelana. Kodwa aba baguquleli banika abantu baseAfrika isipho eside saxabiseka nangakumbi—iBhayibhile ngolwimi lwabo lweenkobe. Ngaphezu koko, okaMoffat wafaka igama likaThixo kwisiTswana, yaye walisebenzisa elo gama kuyo yonke inguqulelo yakhe.c Ngaloo ndlela, abeTswana babiza iBhayibhile ngokuthi “ngumlomo kaYehova.”—INdumiso 83:18.

15. Kutheni iBhayibhile iphile qete namhlanje?

¹⁵ Nabanye abaguquleli kwiindawo ngeendawo zehlabathi babejamelene nemiqobo efanayo. Bambi bade babeka nobomi babo esichengeni ukuze baguqulele iBhayibhile. Khawufan’ ucinge nje: Ukuba iBhayibhile yayiyekwe ikwisiHebhere nesiGrike samandulo, ngeyathi “shwaka” kudala, kuba ethubeni ezo lwimi zaphantse zaba zilityelwe ngabantu kwaye zazingaziwa kwiindawo ezininzi zomhlaba. Ukanti, iBhayibhile iphile qete kuba, ngokungafaniyo nezinye iincwadi, inako “ukuthetha” nabantu abasehlabathini lonke ngeelwimi zabo. Ngenxa yoko, isigidimi sayo sihlala ‘sisebenza kwabo bakholelwa kuso.’ (1 Tesalonika 2:13) IThe Jerusalem Bible la mazwi iwaguqulela ngolu hlobo: “Lisengamandla aphilayo phakathi kwenu nina bakholelwa kulo.”

Ifanele Ukuthenjwa

16, 17. (a) Ukuze iBhayibhile ithembeke, bubuphi ubungqina obufunekayo? (b) Nika umzekelo ube mnye wokungafihlisi kombhali weBhayibhile uMoses.

¹⁶ Bambi basenokuzibuza, ‘Ngaba ngokwenene sinokuyithemba iBhayibhile? Ngaba ithetha ngabantu ababephila ngokwenene, iindawo ezazikho ngenene, neziganeko ezenzeka ngokwenyaniso?’ Ukuze siyithembe, kufanele kubekho ubungqina bokuba yabhalwa ngababhali abanenyameko nabanyanisekileyo. Oku kusingenisa kwesinye isizathu sokuhlolisisa iBhayibhile: Kukho ubungqina obubambekayo bokuba ichanile yaye inokuthenjwa.

¹⁷ Ababhali abanyanisekileyo bebengayi kubhala iingxelo ezingempumelelo kuphela kodwa bebeya kubhala nangeentsilelo, kungekhona ngokomelela kuphela kodwa nangobuthathaka. Babenjalo ke ukungafihlisi ababhali beBhayibhile. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngokungafihlisi kukaMoses. Phakathi kwezinto awazidandalazisa elubala yayibubuyilo bakhe, ngokutsho kwakhe obabumenza angakufanelekeli ukuba yinkokeli yamaSirayeli (Eksodus 4:10); impazamo enzulu awayenzayo neyaphumela ekubeni angangeni kwiLizwe Ledinga (Numeri 20:9-12; 27:12-14); intsilelo yomkhuluwa wakhe, uAron, owasebenzisana namaSirayeli anemvukelo ekwenzeni umfanekiso wethole legolide (Eksodus 32:1-6); imvukelo yodade wabo, uMiriyam, nesohlwayo sakhe esamhlazisayo (Numeri 12:1-3, 10); ubutshijolo boonyana bomkhuluwa wakhe uNadabhi noAbhihu (Levitikus 10:1, 2); ukukhalaza nokudumzela ngokuphindaphindiweyo kwabantu bakaThixo. (Eksodus 14:11, 12; Numeri 14:1-10) Ngaba ukunikela ingxelo enjalo ukudandalaza, nengafihlisiyo akubonisi nkxalabo engazenzisiyo ngenyaniso? Ekubeni ababhali beBhayibhile babekulungele ukunikela inkcazelo engentle ngabo babathandayo, ngabantu babo nangeziqu zabo, ngaba asinasizathu sivakalayo sokuzithemba iincwadi zabo?

18. Yintoni eyenza iincwadi zababhali beBhayibhile zithembeke?

¹⁸ Kwakhona ukuvisisana kwababhali beBhayibhile kwenza imibhalo yabo ibe nokuthenjwa. Kuyinto engummangaliso ukuba amadoda angama-40 awayebhala kwisithuba seminyaka engaphezu kwe-1600 avisisane, kwanangeenkcukacha ezincinane. Noko ke, le mvisiswano asinto icetywe ngenyameko kangangokuba ide idale isikrokro. Kunoko, kuyacaca ukuba iinkcukacha ezahlukeneyo ziyavisisana ngoxa zingabhalwanga nganjongo ithile; ngokufuthi kuye kucace nakuthathatha ukuba imvisiswano izenzekele.

19. Ingxelo yeVangeli engokubanjwa kukaYesu ikutyhila njani ukuvisisana okucace mhlophe ukuba akucetywanga?

¹⁹ Ngokomzekelo, qwalasela isiganeko esenzeka ngobusuku bokubanjwa kukaYesu. Ababhali beeVangeli bobane babhala ukuba omnye wabafundi wathi rhuthu ikrele waza watsho kanobom kwikhoboka lombingeleli omkhulu, eyisusa indlebe yaloo ndoda. Noko ke, nguLuka kuphela osixelela ukuba uYesu “wayichukumisa indlebe waza waliphilisa.” (Luka 22:51) Kodwa ngaba besingayi kukulindela oko kumbhali owayesaziwa ngokuba ‘ngugqirha oyintanda’? (Kolose 4:14) Ingxelo kaYohane isixelela ukuba kubo bonke abafundi ababekho, nguPetros owayephethe ikrele—nto leyo engengomnqa ngenxa yokuthand’ ukungxama nokudyuduzela kukaPetros. (Yohane 18:10; thelekisa uMateyu 16:22, 23 noYohane 21:7, 8.) UYohane ubuye avele nenye inkcukacha ebonakala ingenamsebenzi: “Igama lekhoboka elo lalinguMalko.” Kutheni inguYohane yedwa osinika igama lale ndoda? Impendulo siyifumana kwisolotya elithiwa thsuphe kudlulwa kwingxelo kaYohane kuphela—uYohane “wayesaziwa ngumbingeleli omkhulu.” Kwakhona wayesaziwa yindlu yombingeleli omkhulu; abakhonzi babemqhelile, ibe naye ebazi.d (Yohane 18:10, 15, 16) Ngoko ke, akumangalisi ukuba uYohane akhankanye igama lale ndoda yonzakeleyo, ngoxa abanye ababhali beVangeli, ekubonakala ukuba babengayazi le ndoda, bengalikhankanyi. Ukuvisisana kwazo zonke ezi zibakala kungummangaliso, ukanti kucace mhlophe ukuba akucetywanga. Mininzi imizekelo enjengalo efumaneka eBhayibhileni iphela.

20. Yintoni ekufuneka abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo bayazi ngeBhayibhile?

²⁰ Ngoko ngaba sinokuyithemba iBhayibhile? Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo! Ukungafihlisi kwababhali beBhayibhile ndawonye nokuvisisana kweBhayibhile kusinika isiqinisekiso esicace gca sokuba iyinyaniso. Abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo kufuneka bazi ukuba banako ukuyithemba iBhayibhile, kuba iliLizwi eliphefumlelweyo ‘likaYehova uThixo wenyaniso.’ (INdumiso 31:5) Zisekho izizathu ezongezelelekileyo zokuba iBhayibhile ibe yincwadi yabantu bonke, njengoko inqaku elilandelayo liza kuzixubusha.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ubunokuphendula Uthini?

◻ Kutheni sifanele silindele ukuba iBhayibhile ibe yeyona ncwadi ifumaneka lula ehlabathini?

◻ Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bokuba iBhayibhile ibilondolozwe kakuhle?

◻ Yiyiphi imiqobo ababejamelana nayo abo babeguqulela iBhayibhile?

◻ Yintoni eyenza iincwadi zeBhayibhile zikufanelekele ukuthenjwa?