USathana—Ngaba Ngumntu Wasentsomini Okanye Wokwenene Ongendawo?

IMVELAPHI yobungendawo ibibangela umdla kubantu abacingayo kumaxesha amandulo. IA Dictionary of the Bible, ebhalwe nguJames Hastings, ithi: “Ekuqaleni kokusebenza kwesazela ebantwini umntu wazifumana ejamelene namandla awayengakwazi ukuwalawula, yaye awayenempembelelo eyingozi okanye etshabalalisayo.” Kwakhona le ncwadi inye ithi: “Abantu bamandulo ngokuzenzekelayo babefuna oonobangela, yaye babeyichaza le mimoya nezinye izinto ezenzekayo zendalo njengezibangelwa ngumntu othile.”

Ngokutsho kwababhali-mbali, ukukholelwa koothixo abaziidemon nemimoya engendawo kuyinto eyaqala ngaphambili kwimbali yaseMesopotamiya. Abemi baseBhabhiloni yamandulo babekholelwa ukuba elemimoya, okanye “elabafileyo,” lalilawulwa nguNergali, uthixo okhohlakeleyo owaziwa ngokuba “ngulowo utshisayo.” Kwakhona babezoyika iidemon, yaye babezama ukungxengxeza kuzo ngokuziculela iingoma zobugqi. Kwiintsomi zaseYiputa, uSet wayenguthixo wobungendawo, “eboniswa njengoneempawu zerhamncwa elihle, elinempumlo encinane enegophe, neendlebe ezitsolo nezithe nta, nomsila oqinileyo nonjengefolokhwe.”—Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology.

Nangona amaGrike namaRoma ayenoothixo abanesisa nabakhohlakeleyo, babengenathixo ubalasele ngobubi. Izithandi zobulumko zabo zazifundisa ukuba kukho iimpembelelo ezimbini ezichaseneyo. Ngokutsho kukaEmpedocles, yayiLuthando neSiphithiphithi. Ngokutsho kukaPlato, ihlabathi ‘lalineMiphefumlo’ emibini, omnye owenza okulungileyo nomnye owenza ubungendawo. Njengoko uGeorges Minois echaza kwincwadi yakhe ethi Le Diable (UMtyholi), “kwinkonzo yabahedeni [abangamaGrike aseRoma] uMtyholi wayengaziwa.”

EIran, kunqulo lwamaZoroaster kwakufundiswa ukuba kukho uthixo ophakamileyo onguAhura Mazda, okanye uOrmazd, owadala uAngra Mainyu, okanye uAhriman, owakhetha ukwenza ubungendawo waza ngaloo ndlela waba nguMoya Wentshabalalo, okanye uMtshabalalisi.

KubuYuda, kuthethwa ngoSathana ngendlela elula, njengoTshaba lukaThixo olwabangela kwakho isono. Kodwa emva kweenkulungwane ezininzi, oko kwaxutyaniswa neengcamango zabahedeni. IEncyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Kwabakho inguqulelo enkulu . . . ngenkulungwane yokugqibela ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ngeli xesha unqulo [lwamaYuda] . . . lwamkela iinkalo ezininzi zeempembelelo ezimbini apho uThixo noomoya abalungileyo nabenyaniso besilwa ezulwini nasemhlabeni noomoya abanamandla abangendawo nabanenkohliso. Kubonakala ukuba oku kwakuyimpembelelo yonqulo lwasePersi.” IThe Concise Jewish Encyclopedia ithi: “Ubani wayezikhusela kwezi demon ngokuthobela imithetho nokusebenzisa amakhubalo.”

Imfundiso YamaKristu Awexukileyo

Kanye njengokuba ubuYuda bamkela iingcamango ezingavumelaniyo neBhayibhile ngokuphathelele uSathana needemon, amaKristu awexukileyo avelisa iingcamango ezingavisisaniyo neZibhalo. IThe Anchor Bible Dictionary ithi: “Enye yeemfundiso zamandulo zezakwalizwi etenxileyo yeyokuba uThixo wakhulula abantu bakhe ngokuhlawula uSathana.” Le ngcamango yeza noIrenaeus (ngenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo). UOrigen wayihambisela phambili (ngenkulungwane yesithathu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo), owathi “umtyholi wayenelungelo elingokwasemthethweni lokulawula abantu” yaye wakugqala “ukufa kukaKristu . . . njengentlawulelo eyahlawulwa kumtyholi.”—History of Dogma, nguAdolf Harnack.

Ngokutsho kweThe Catholic Encyclopedia, “kangangeminyaka enokuba liwaka [ingcamango yokuba intlawulelo yahlawulwa kuMtyholi] iye yanendima ebalulekileyo kwimbali yonqulo,” yaye yahlala iyinxalenye yenkolelo yecawa. Abanye Abaseki Bonqulo, kuquka uAugustine (wenkulungwane yesine ukuya kweyesihlanu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo), bayamkela ingcamango yokuba intlawulelo yahlawulwa kuSathana. Ekugqibeleni, ngenkulungwane ye-12 C.E., abafundi bezakwalizwi abangamaKatolika uAnselm noAbelard bafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba idini likaKristu alizange linikelwe kuSathana kodwa lanikelwa kuThixo.

Iinkolelo Zamandulo

Nangona kwinkoliso yamabhunga eCawa yamaKatolika kungazange kuthethwe nto ngoSathana, ngowe-1215 C.E., kwiFourth Lateran Council kwathethwa ngoko iNew Catholic Encyclopedia ikubiza ngokuba “sisivumo sokholo esiluqilima.” ISivumo Sokholo 1 sasisithi: “Umtyholi nezinye iidemon badalwa nguThixo belungile, kodwa ngenxa yezenzo zabo baba ngabangendawo.” Ihlabela mgama isithi babexakekile bezama ukuhenda abantu. Le ngcamango yamva yathandwa gqitha ngabantu abaninzi ebudeni bamaXesha Aphakathi. USathana wayengunobangela wayo nantoni na engaqhelekanga, njengokugula okungaziwayo, ukufa ngesiquphe, okanye isivuno esibi. Ngowe-1233 C.E., uPope Gregory IX wadlulisela izilumkiso eziliqela ezivela kuPopi ngokuchasene nabawexuki, kuquka neso sasisiya kwiiLuciferians, ekunokuba yayingabanquli bakaMtyholi.

Inkolelo yokuba abantu bangalawulwa nguMtyholi okanye ziidemon zakhe kungekudala yabangela abantu baphakuzela—besoyika abakhafuli nokuthakathwa. Ukususela ngenkulungwane ye-13 ukusa kweye-17, kulo lonke elaseYurophu nakumazwe aseNtshona Merika angamathanga aseYurophu abantu babesoyika amagqwirha. Kwanabaseki bobuProtestanti uMartin Luther noJohn Calvin bakuxhasa ukuzingelwa kwamagqwirha. EYurophu, ukuba kukho amarhe okuba ubani uyathakatha okanye ahletywe ngothile ukuba wenjenjalo, umntu onjalo wayesiwa kwiiNkundla zamaRoma Katolika zokuNcina Amakholwa nakwiinkundla zasekuhlaleni. Ngokuqhelekileyo abantu babengcungcuthekiswa ukuze bavume ukuba “banetyala.”

Abo babefunyanwa benetyala babenokugwetyelwa ukufa ngokutshiswa, okanye eNgilani naseSkotlani, ngokuxhonywa. Ithetha ngenani labantu abafa ngale ndlela, iThe World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Ukususela ngowe-1484 ukusa kowe-1782, ngokutsho kwababhali-mbali abathile, kwicawa yamaKristu kwabulawa amabhinqa anokuba ngama-300 000 ngenxa yobugqwirha.” Ukuba uSathana wayengunobangela wale ntlekele yamandulo, wayesebenzisa bani—abo babulawayo okanye abatshutshisi bonqulo abanempambano?

Ukukholwa Nokungakholelwa Kwanamhlanje

Kwinkulungwane ye-18 kwanda imbono yokwamkela nezinye iingcamango, nto leyo eyabizwa ngokuba liXesha Lokhanyo. IEncyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Intandabulumko nengcamango yeXesha Lokhanyo yabangela ukuba amaKristu angamgqali umtyholi njengomntu wokwenene kodwa umntu weentsomi zamaXesha Aphakathi.” ICawa yamaRoma Katolika ayizange ivale umlomo ngale nto yaye yayiqinisekisa inkolelo yayo ngoSathana uMtyholi kwiFirst Vatican Council (1869-70), yaza yayigxininisa ngelizwi elingaqinanga kangako kwiSecond Vatican Council (1962-65).

Ngokusemthethweni, njengoko iNew Catholic Encyclopedia ivuma “iCawa iyakholelwa kwiingelosi nakwiidemon.” Noko ke, iThéo, isichazi-magama samaKatolika sesiFrentshi, siyavuma ukuba “amaKristu amaninzi namhlanje akavumi ukuba ubungendawo obusehlabathini bubangelwa ngumtyholi.” Kwiminyaka yakutshanje abafundi bezakwalizwi abangamaKatolika bebechul’ ukunyathela xa kufikelelwa kulo mbandela, bengxabalaze phakathi kwemfundiso yamaKatolika esemthethweni nendlela yokucinga yezi mini. IEncyclopædia Britannica, ithi: “Imfundiso yobuKristu eyamkela zonke iingcamango ibonakala ilwamkela ulwimi olusetyenziswa yiBhayibhile xa ithetha ngoSathana ‘njengolufuziselayo’ olungafanele luthatyathwe ngokoqobo—ilinge lasentsomini lokuchaza indlela izinto ezingayo nobungakanani bobungendawo kwindalo iphela.” Ngokuphathelele amaProtestanti, kwale ncwadi ithi: “UbuProtestanti bale mihla obamkele zonke iingcamango bubonakala bungasiboni isizathu sokukholelwa kumtyholi wokwenene.” Kodwa ngaba amaKristu okwenyaniso afanele akugqale oko iBhayibhile ikuthethayo ngoSathana njengento nje “efuziselayo”?

Oko Kufundiswa ZiZibhalo

Iingcamango neemfundiso zabantu azikhange zinikele inkcazelo evakalayo ngemvelaphi yobungendawo kunoko kufumaneka eBhayibhileni. Oko iZibhalo zikuthethayo ngoSathana kusinceda siqonde imvelaphi yobungendawo nokubandezeleka kwabantu, nesizathu sokuba ugonyamelo olubi lusiya luthabatha unyawo nyaka ngamnye.

Bambi basenokubuza: ‘Ukuba uThixo unguMdali olungileyo nonothando, kutheni ukuze adale isidalwa somoya esingendawo njengoSathana?’ IBhayibhile ichaza ukuba yonke imisebenzi kaYehova uThixo ifezekile yaye zonke izidalwa zakhe ezikrelekrele uzinike inkululeko yokuzikhethela. (Duteronomi 30:19; 32:4; Yoshuwa 24:15; 1 Kumkani 18:21) Ngoko ke, umntu womoya owaba nguSathana, kumele ukuba wadalwa efezekile waza waphambuka kwindlela yenyaniso nobulungisa ngokuthanda kwakhe.—Yohane 8:44; Yakobi 1:14, 15.

Ngeendlela ezininzi, ikhondo likaSathana lokuvukela liyafana nelo ‘lokumkani waseTire,’ owachazwa kumbongo ‘njengowayegqibelele ngobuhle’ yaye ‘wayengenasiphoso ezindleleni zakhe ukususela kwimini yokudalwa kwakhe kwada kwafumaneka intswela-bulungisa kuye.’ (Hezekile 28:11-19) USathana akazange asukuzane nobukhulu bukaYehova okanye naMandla akhe Okudala. Wayenokukwenza njani oko, ekubeni yena kuqala uSathana wayedalwe nguThixo? Noko ke, wayicel’ umngeni indlela uYehova awayelusebenzisa ngayo ulongamo lwakhe. Kumyezo wase-Eden, uSathana wakwekwa esithi uThixo wayebandeza abantu bokuqala ababini into ababenelungelo layo nento ababexhomekeke kuyo ukuze baphile. (Genesis 3:1-5) Waphumelela ekwenzeni uAdam noEva bavukele ulongamo lukaYehova lobulungisa ebangela ukuba bona nenzala yabo babe nesono baze bafe. (Genesis 3:6-19; Roma 5:12) Ngaloo ndlela iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uSathana ungoyena nobangela oyintloko wokubandezeleka kwabantu.

Ngaxa lithile ngaphambi koMkhukula, ezinye iingelosi zavukela kunye noSathana. Zazambathisa imizimba yabantu ukuze zanelise iminqweno yazo engokwesini neentombi zabantu. (Genesis 6:1-4) Ebudeni boMkhukula, ezi ngelosi ziwexukileyo zabuyela kummandla wokomoya kodwa kungekhona ‘kwisigxina sazo’ noThixo ezulwini. (Yude 6) Zathotyelwa kwimeko yesithokothoko sobumnyama obungokomoya. (1 Petros 3:19, 20; 2 Petros 2:4) Zaba ziidemon, zingasekho phantsi kolongamo lukaYehova kodwa zilawulwa nguSathana. Ngoxa kubonakala ukuba azizange zikwazi ukuphinda zizambathise imizimba yenyama, sekunjalo iidemon zinamandla amakhulu okuphembelela iingqondo nobomi babantu, yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo zingunobangela wogonyamelo olukhulu olukhoyo namhlanje.—Mateyu 12:43-45; Luka 8:27-33.

Isiphelo Solawulo LukaSathana Sikufuphi

Licacile elokuba ihlabathi namhlanje lilawulwa yimimoya engendawo. Umpostile uYohane wabhala: “Ihlabathi liphela lisemandleni ongendawo.”—1 Yohane 5:19.

Noko ke, isiprofeto seBhayibhile esizalisekileyo sibonisa ukuba uMtyholi uya ezenza nzima ngakumbi izinto emhlabeni kuba uyazi ukuba ‘unexesha elifutshane’ kuphela eliseleyo lokudubaduba umhlaba ngaphambi kokuba avalelwe. (ISityhilelo 12:7-12; 20:1-3) Isiphelo solawulo lukaSathana siya kuvulela ihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa, apho iinyembezi, ukufa, neentlungu ziya kube “zidlule.” Kuya kwandula ke, ukuthanda kukaThixo “kwenzeke . . . emhlabeni, njengasezulwini.”—ISityhilelo 21:1-4; Mateyu 6:10.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 4]

Abemi baseBhabhiloni babekholelwa kuNergali (ekuqaleni ngasekhohlo); uthixo onogonyamelo; uPlato (ekhohlo) wayekholelwa “kwiMiphefumlo” emibini echaseneyo

[Inkcazelo]

Cylinder: Musée du Louvre, Paris; Plato: National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 5]

UIrenaeus, uOrigen noAugustine bafundisa ukuba intlawulelo yahlawulwa kuMtyholi

[Inkcazelo]

Origen: Culver Pictures; Augustine: From the book Great Men and Famous Women

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

Ukoyikwa kwamagqwirha kwakhokelela ekubeni kubulawe abantu abangamakhulu ezigidi

[Inkcazelo]

From the book Bildersaal deutscher Geschichte