Intanda-bulumko Yamagrike Ngaba Yabuphucula UbuKristu?
“UbuKristu, nangona babuzichasile izithethe zamaGrike nezamaRoma angabahedeni, bazamkela iintanda-bulumko zawo.”—The Encyclopedia Americana.
PHAKATHI kwabo baye banempembelelo kakhulu kwiingcamango “zobuKristu,” “iNgcwele” uAugustine inkqenkqeza phambili. Ngokutsho kweThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, uAugustine “wayesoloko ecinga ngonqulo olukwiTestamente Entsha luvangwe ngokupheleleyo neengcamango zikaPlato zentanda-bulumko yamaGrike; ikwayiloo ngcamango eyabangela kwadluliselwa umphumo waloo ngxubevange kwiNgqobhoko eyayiyilwa ngamaRoma Katolika amaxesha aphakathi kunye namaProtestanti eXesha Leenguquko.”
Okunene ingcamango ka-Augustine iye yahlala ihleli. Ethetha ngomlinganiselo eye intanda-bulumko yamaGrike yayiphembelela ngawo iNgqobhoko, uDouglas T. Holden wathi: “Izifundo zezakwalizwi zamaKristu ziye zaxutywa nentanda-bulumko yamaGrike kangangokuba ziye zazala abantu abangumxube weenxalenye ezisithoba eziyingcamango yamaGrike nenxalenye enye eyingcamango yamaKristu.”
Bambi abaphengululi bakholelwa ngamandla ukuba loo mpembelelo yentanda-bulumko iye yabuphuhlisa ubuKristu ukususela ekusekweni kwabo, yaphucula imfundiso yabo, yaza yayenza yeyisela nangakumbi. Ngaba oku kwaba njalo? Yaqalisa njani yaye nini impembelelo yentanda-bulumko yamaGrike? Phofu ngaba ngokwenene yabuphucula okanye yabungcolisa ubuKristu?
Kuya kusinceda ukuphicotha ungcelele lweziganeko olususela kwinkulungwane yesithathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo ukusa kwinkulungwane yesihlanu yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, sihlolisise amabinzana amane angaqhelekanga: (1) “UbuYuda bamaGrike,” (2) “UbuGrike bamaKristu,” (3) “UbuKristu bamaGrike,” kunye (4) “Nentanda-bulumko yamaKristu.”
“UbuYuda BamaGrike”
Okokuqala, ibinzana elithi “UbuYuda bamaGrike,” enyanisweni alidibani. Unqulo lokuqala lwamaHebhere, olwalusekwe nguThixo wokwenyaniso, uYehova, lwalungamele lungcoliswe ngeengcamango ezibubuxoki zonqulo. (Duteronomi 12:32; IMizekeliso 30:5, 6) Noko ke, zisuka nje ukucoceka kolo nqulo kwasongelwa bubungendawo boqheliselo lonqulo lobuxoki kunye neengcamango ezazilungqongile—ezazinjengempembelelo yamaYiputa, amaKanan namaBhabhiloni. Okulusizi kukuba, amaSirayeli avumela unqulo lwawo lokwenyaniso lonakaliswa kakhulu.—ABagwebi 2:11-13.
Kwiinkulungwane ezithile kamva, xa iPalestina yamandulo yaba yinxalenye yoBukhosi baseGrisi obabuphantsi kuka-Aleksandire Omkhulu ngenkulungwane yesine ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, loo monakalo waya uthabath’ unyawo de washiya isihlava esihlala sihleli nesikrekrethayo. UAleksandire wagayela amaYuda emkhosini wakhe. Unxulumano lwamaYuda nabathimbi bawo abatsha lwayiphembelela kanobom ingcamango yamaYuda yonqulo. Imfundo yamaYuda yonganyelwa ziingcamango zamaGrike. Kuthiwa uMbingeleli Omkhulu uJason waseka isikolo sesiGrike eYerusalem ngowe-175 B.C.E. ukuze akhuthaze iimfundiso zikaHomer.
Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, mSamariya uthile, owayebhala kwisiqingatha sesibini senkulungwane yesibini ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wafuna ukuchaza imbali yeBhayibhile ngokwengcamango yamaGrike. Iincwadi zamaYuda ezingaphefumlelwanga, ezinjengoJudith noTobit, zibhekisela kumabali amaGrike avuselela inkanuko yesini. Kwabakho iqela lezithandi zobulumko ezingamaYuda ezazama ukuxuba iingcamango zamaGrike nonqulo lwamaYuda neBhayibhile.
Oyena mntu wayetshotsha phambili kule nto yayinguPhilo, umYuda owayephila ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Wamkela iimfundiso zikaPlato (owayephila ngenkulungwane yesine ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo), ezikaPythagoras nezamaStoyike. AmaYuda aphenjelelwa kanobom ziimbono zikaPhilo. Xa eshwankathela oku kutofelwa kweengcamango zamaGrike kwizithethe zamaYuda, umbhali ongumYuda uMax Dimont uthi: “Ziphuculwe ziingcamango zikaPlato, iingcamango zika-Aristotle, nenzululwazi kaEuclid, abaphengululi abangamaYuda bayifunda iTorah besebenzisa izixhobo ezitsha. . . . Baqhubeka besongezelela ingcamango yamaGrike kwizityhilelo zamaYuda.”
Ethubeni, amaRoma abugagamela uBukhosi bamaGrike, ethimba iYerusalem. Oku kwavula ithuba lokuba kwenzeke iinguqu ezinkulu nangakumbi. Kuthe kufika inkulungwane yesithathu yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, zabe iimfundiso zentanda-bulumko nezonqulo zeenkcuba-buchopho ezazizabalazele ukuphuhlisa nokuqulunqa iingcamango zikaPlato ziqalisa ukuvela, xa zizonke zisaziwa ngokuba yiNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato. Le ngcamango nakanjani yayiza kuba nempembelelo enkulu kumaKristu awexukileyo.
“UbuGrike BamaKristu”
Ebudeni beenkulungwane zokuqala ezintlanu zexesha lethu eliqhelekileyo, izifundiswa ezithile zazama ukubonisa ukuba kukho ulwalamano olukhoyo phakathi kwentanda-bulumko yamaGrike nenyaniso etyhiliweyo yeBhayibhile. Incwadi ethi A History of Christianity ithi: “Iinkcuba-buchopho ezingamaKristu zaziza kuwabonisa amaGrike awayephila kumashumi eminyaka ngaphambi kukaKristu njengawayezabalaza ngenkalipho kodwa efunze endenxe kwimizamo yawo yokwazi uThixo, ngokungathi kunjalo, ezama ukuzakhela uYesu kuloo mpembelelo ingengako yama-Athene, ezakhela ubuKristu ngezo ngqondwana zawo zimfutshane zibhuqwa bubuhedeni.”
UPlotinus ((205-270 C.E.), umanduleli wezo ngcali, wayila inkqubo eyayisekelwe ngokuyintloko kwiingcamango zikaPlato. NguPlotinus owafakelela ingcamango yokuba umphefumlo wahlukile emzimbeni. UNjingalwazi E. W. Hopkins wathetha wenjenje ngoPlotinus: “Iingcamango zakhe . . . zaba nempembelelo kakhulu kubaqulunqi beenkolelo zamaKristu.”
“UbuKristu BamaGrike” “Nentanda-bulumko YamaKristu”
Ukususela ngenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, iingcali “ezingamaKristu” zenza umgudu onamandla wokufikelela izifundiswa ezingabahedeni. Phezu kwaso nje isilumkiso esicacileyo sikampostile uPawulos nxamnye ‘neentetho ezililize ezihlambela oko kungcwele’ kunye ‘neempikiswano zoko kubizwa ngokuba “lulwazi” kuxokwa,’ aba bafundisi bafakelela kwimfundiso yabo iingcamango ezithile zentanda-bulumko yamaGrike awayebangqongile. (1 Timoti 6:20) Umzekelo kaPhilo wabonisa ukuba kwakunokwenzeka ukuvisisanisa iBhayibhile neengcamango zikaPlato.—Thelekisa eyesi-2 kaPetros 1:16.
Kakade ke, kuyo yonke le nquleqhu, eyona nto yachaphazelekayo yinyaniso yeBhayibhile. Abafundisi “abangamaKristu” bazama ukubonisa ukuba ubuKristu babusiya calanye neengcamango zamaGrike nezamaRoma. UClement wakwa-Alesandire kunye no-Origen (ngenkulungwane yesibini neyesithathu yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo) benza iNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato yaba sisiseko soko kwaye kwaba ‘yintanda-bulumko yamaKristu.’ UAmbrose (339-397 C.E.), ubhishopu waseMilan, “wamkela inkoliso yeemfundiso zamaGrike zelo xesha, ezamaKristu nezabahedeni ngokufanayo—ngokukodwa iincwadi . . . zomhedeni uPlotinus owayekholelwa kwiNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato.” Wazama ukuqulunqela izifundiswa ezingamaRomaOk for X ubuKristu bodidi. NoAugustine walandela ekhondweni.
Kwinkulungwane kamva, uDionysius waseAreyopago (owayekwabizwa ngokuba ngusinga-Dionysius), mhlawumbi owayeyimonki engumSiriya, wazama ukudibanisa iNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato kunye neemfundiso “zamaKristu.” Ngokutsho kwenye intyila-lwazi, ezakhe “iincwadi zaseka ikhondo eliqinisekileyo leNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato kwinkoliso yemfundiso nonqulo lwamaKristu . . . nto leyo eye yazala iinkalo ezahlukeneyo zonqulo ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje.” Okunjani kona ukungasinanzi isilumkiso sikampostile uPawulos esinxamnye ‘nentanda-bulumko nenkohliso elambathayo yesithethe sabantu’!—Kolose 2:8.
Oothunywashe Abonakalisayo
Iye yaphawuleka into yokuba “amaKristu akholelwa kwiNtanda-bulumko KaPlato ayezibeka kwindawo yokuqala izityhilelo kwaye ayeyigqala intanda-bulumko kaPlato njengesona sixhobo silungileyo kwezikhoyo sokuqonda nesokuthethelela iimfundiso zeZibhalo nezithethe zecawa.”
KwanoPlato wayeyisekile ukuba umphefumlo awufi. Ngenxa yoko, enye yezona mfundiso zobuxoki ziphambili ezangena kwizifundo “zamaKristu” yeyokungafi komphefumlo. Ukwamkela le mfundiso akunakuze nanini na kuthethelelwe ngelithi kwakusenzelwa ukuba ubuKristu bube nomtsalane nangakumbi ebantwini. Xa wayeshumayela eAthene, phakathi kanye kwisazulu sezithethe zamaGrike, umpostile uPawulos akazange afundise imfundiso kaPlato engomphefumlo. Kunoko, wafundisa imfundiso yamaKristu yovuko, nangona inkoliso yabaphulaphuli bakhe abangamaGrike yakufumanisa kunzima ukuyamkela into awayeyithetha.—IZenzo 17:22-32.
Ngokungafaniyo nentanda-bulumko yamaGrike, iZibhalo ziyichaza icace into yokuba umphefumlo awuyonto umntu anayo kodwa uyinto umntu ayiyo. (Genesis 2:7) Xa esifa, umphefumlo awubikho. (Hezekile 18:4) INtshumayeli 9:5 isixelela oku: “Abadla ubomi bayazi ukuba baya kufa; ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho, abasabi namvuzo; ngokuba balityelwe, abasakhunjulwa nganto.” Imfundiso yokungafi komphefumlo ayifundiswa eBhayibhileni.
Enye imfundiso ekhohlisayo yephathelele isikhundla sikaYesu ngaphambi kokuba abe ngumntu, ingcamango yokuba wayelingana noYise. Incwadi ethi The Church of the First Three Centuries iyacacisa: “Imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye . . . ayizange ivele kwiZibhalo zamaYuda nezamaKristu.” Yavela phi ke? Le mfundiso “yaphuhliswa, yaza yafakwa kubuKristu, ngaBaseki ababekholelwa kwiNtanda-bulumko kaPlato.”
Okunene, ekuhambeni kwexesha xa aBaseki beCawa babephenjelelwe kanobom yiNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato, abo bakholelwa kwimfundiso kaBathathu Emnye batsho baxhelelw’ eXhukwane. Kuyabonakala ukuba iNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato yenkulungwane yesithathu yabenza bakwazi ukudibanisa izinto ezingadibaniyo—benza uThixo oneziqu ezithathu wanguThixo omnye. Besebenzisa ingqiqo yentanda-bulumko, bema ngelithi abantu abathathu babenokuba nguThixo omnye ngoxa bona bebathathu!
Noko ke, inyaniso yeBhayibhile iyicacisa mhlophe into yokuba nguYehova kuphela onguThixo uSomandla, uYesu Kristu nguNyana Wakhe amdale wangaphantsi kunaye, kwaye umoya oyingcwele ungamandla Akhe asebenzayo. (Duteronomi 6:4; Isaya 45:5; IZenzo 2:4; Kolose 1:15; ISityhilelo 3:14) Imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye iyamgculela okuphela koThixo oyinyaniso kwaye ibaphixanis’ iingqondo abantu, ibenza bamnikel’ umva loo Thixo bangamqondiyo.
Elinye ixhoba lempembelelo yeNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato kwiingcamango zamaKristu yayilithemba elisekelwe eZibhalweni lolawulo lwewaka leminyaka. (ISityhilelo 20:4-6) UOrigen wayesaziwa njengowayengafuni nokubabona abo babekholelwa kulawulo lwewaka leminyaka. Yintoni le yayimenza ayichase kangaka imfundiso esekelwe eBhayibhileni yolawulo lukaKristu lweminyaka eliwaka? IThe Catholic Encyclopedia iyaphendula: “Ngenxa yeNtanda-bulumko Ehlaziyiweyo KaPlato ezazisekelwe kuyo iimfundiso zakhe . . . , [uOrigen] akazange abaxhase abo babekholelwa kulawulo lwewaka leminyaka.”
Inyaniso
Akukho nanye kwezi zinto zichazwe ngasentla eyaba negalelo kwinyaniso. Le nyaniso sithetha ngayo ziimfundiso zamaKristu ezifumaneka eBhayibhileni xa zizonke. (2 Korinte 4:2; Tito 1:1, 14; 2 Yohane 1-4) IBhayibhile ikuphela komthombo wenyaniso.—Yohane 17:17; 2 Timoti 3:16.
Noko ke, utshaba lukaYehova, lwenyaniso, loluntu, nolobomi obungunaphakade—uSathana uMtyholi, “isibulala-mntu” kunye “noyise wabo ubuxoki”—luye lwasebenzisa amaqhinga ahlukeneyo ukuze lungxenge loo nyaniso. (Yohane 8:44; thelekisa eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 11:3.) Phakathi kwezona zixhobo zinamandla azisebenzisileyo ziimfundiso zezithandi zobulumko zamaGrike ezingabahedeni—enyanisweni uyibona kuzo indlela acinga ngayo—ngelizama ukugqwetha oko kuqulethwe ziimfundiso zamaKristu.
Oku kuvangwa kwemfundiso yamaKristu nentanda-bulumko yamaGrike ezingadibaniyo kulilinge lokungcolisa inyaniso yeBhayibhile, lokuyenza ingabi namandla kwaye ingabi namtsalane kwabo balulamileyo, abanyanisekileyo nabafundisekayo abafuna inyaniso. (1 Korinte 3:1, 2, 19, 20) Kwakhona kuyayingcolisa imfundiso ecocekileyo yeBhayibhile, ibe loo nto yenza ingaqondakali neyona nto iyinyaniso nebubuxoki.
Namhlanje, phantsi kolwalathiso lweNtloko yebandla, uYesu Kristu, imfundiso yamaKristu okwenyaniso iye yabuyiselwa. Kwakhona, abo bayifuna ngokunyaniseka inyaniso banokulibona lula ibandla lamaKristu okwenyaniso ngokujonga iziqhamo zalo. (Mateyu 7:16, 20) AmaNgqina kaYehova akulungele yaye anomdla wokubanceda abanjalo ukuba bafumane amanzi angangxengwanga enyaniso aze abancede babambelele ngokuthe nkqi kwilifa lobomi obungunaphakade elinikelwa nguBawo wethu, uYehova.—Yohane 4:14; 1 Timoti 6:19.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 11]
UAugustine
[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]
Greek text: From the book Ancient Greek Writers: Plato’s Phaedo, 1957, Ioannis N. Zacharopoulos, Athens; Plato: Musei Capitolini, Roma