UYesu Kristu—Ubungqina Bokuba Wayephila Emhlabeni

NGABA uyakholelwa ukuba indoda ekuthiwa nguAlbert Einstein yakha yaphila? Unokuvuma ngokulula ukuba uyakholelwa, kodwa yintoni ekubangela ukholelwe? Inkoliso yabantu ayizange isibone isazinzulu esidumileyo uAlbert Einstein. Kwamanye amazwe, uninzi alumazi nokumazi. Sekunjalo, iingxelo ezinokuthenjwa zezinto awazenzayo zibubungqina bokuba wayephila. Ubungqina bokuba lo mntu wakha waphila bubonwa ngokusetyenziswa kwezinto awazifumanisayo zenzululwazi. Ngokomzekelo, abantu abaninzi basebenzisa umbane, kwezinye iimeko, oveliswa ngenkqubo eyafunyaniswa nguye.

Kunjalo nangoYesu Kristu, oyena mntu udumileyo embalini. Oko kwabhalwayo ngaye nempembelelo awaba nayo ebantwini bubungqina obunamandla bokuba wakha waphila. Nangona umbhalo okroliweyo kaYakobi owafunyanwa zizazinzulu ngezinto ezembiweyo ubangela umdla, njengoko kuthethwe ngawo kwinqaku elandulelayo, ubungqina bokuba uYesu wakha waphila abuxhomekekanga kulo mbhalo ukroliweyo okanye nawuphi na omnye. Eneneni, sinokufumana ubungqina bobukho bukaYesu koko ababhali-mbali abaye bakubhala ngaye nangabalandeli bakhe.

Ubungqina Bababhali-mbali

Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngobungqina bukaFlavius Josephus, umbhali-mbali ongumYuda wenkulungwane yokuqala owayengumFarisi. Wathetha ngoYesu Kristu kwincwadi ethi Jewish Antiquities. Nangona abanye bebuthandabuza ubunyaniso bembekiselo yokuqala apho uJosephus wathi uYesu nguMesiya, uNjingalwazi uLouis H. Feldman waseYeshiva University uthi bambalwa abantu abaye babuthandabuza ubunyaniso bembekiselo yesibini. Apho uJosephus uthi: “[UAnas umbingeleli omkhulu] wahlanganisa abagwebi beSanhedrin waza wazisa indoda egama linguYakobi, umntakwaboYesu obizwa ngokuba nguKristu.” (Jewish Antiquities, XX, 200) Ewe, umFarisi, ilungu lehlelo amarhamente alo amaninzi ayeziintshaba ezaziwayo zikaYesu, wakuvuma ukuba “uYakobi, umntakwaboYesu” wayephila.

Indlela ubukho bukaYesu obaba nempembelelo ngayo ibonakala kwizinto ezenziwa ngabalandeli bakhe. Xa umpostile uPawulos wavalelwa entolongweni eRoma malunga nowama-59 C.E., amadoda awayephambili kumaYuda athi kuye: “Kuba eneneni, siyazi ukuba eli hlelo lichasiwe kuyo yonk’ indawo.” (IZenzo 28:17-22) Ayebiza abafundi bakaYesu ngokuthi “eli hlelo.” Ukuba babechasiwe kuyo yonke indawo, ngaba ababhali-mbali bebengayi kuthetha ngabo?

UTacitus, owazalwa ngowama-55 C.E. nowaziwa njengombhali-mbali obalaseleyo emhlabeni, wathetha ngamaKristu kwingxelo yakhe iAnnals. Kwingxelo engoNero owatyhola amaKristu ngomlilo omkhulu waseRoma ngowama-64 C.E., wabhala esithi: “UNero walityabeka eli tyala kubantu ababethiyiwe ngenxa yezenzo zabo ezazicekiswa waza wabatshutshisa ngeyona ndlela, abantu ababebizwa ngokuba ngamaKristu. UKristu, elisuka kuye eli gama, wohlwaywa ngokuqatha ebudeni bolawulo lukaTibheriyo ngesigwebo esawiswa lelinye lamabamba ethu, uPontiyo Pilato.” Iinkcukacha zale ngxelo ziyafana nenkcazelo engoYesu ekuthethwa ngaye eBhayibhileni.

Omnye umbhali owathetha ngabafundi bakaYesu yayinguPliny Omncinane, irhuluneli yaseBhithiniya. Malunga nonyaka we-111 C.E., uPliny wabhalela uMlawuli uTrajan, efuna ukwazi ngendlela yokuqhubana namaKristu. UPliny wabhala esithi abantu ababetyholwa ngokuba ngamaKristu, babedla ngokuqubuda koothixo baze banqule umfanekiso oqingqiweyo kaTrajan, ukuze babonise nje ukuba abangomaKristu. UPliny waqhubeka esithi: “Kuthiwa akunakuwanyanzela amaKristu okwenyaniso ukuba enze la masiko.” Oko kububungqina bokuba uKristu wakha waphila, yaye abalandeli bakhe babeka ubomi babo esichengeni kuba bekholelwa kuye.

Xa ishwankathela oko kuthethwe ngababhali-mbali beenkulungwane zokuqala ezimbini ngoYesu Kristu nabafundi bakhe, iThe Encyclopædia Britannica (uhlelo lowama-2002) iqukumbela yenjenje: “Ezi ngxelo zivela kubantu abahlukahlukeneyo zibubungqina bokuba kumaxesha amandulo kwaneentshaba zobuKristu azizange zibuthandabuze ubukho bukaYesu nto leyo abantu abaye bayiphikisa okokuqala yaye bekwenza oko ngezizathu ezingavakaliyo ekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-18, ebudeni beye-19, nasekuqaleni kweyama-20.”

Ubungqina Babalandeli BakaYesu

IThe Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “ITestamente Entsha inikela phantse bonke ubungqina ngembali yobomi bukaYesu nokufa kwakhe nendlela awayebaluleke ngayo kumaKristu okuqala.” Abantu abathandabuzayo basenokungafuni ukwamkela iBhayibhile njengobungqina bokuba uYesu wakha waphila. Sekunjalo, kukho izizathu ezibini ezingokweZibhalo ezisinceda siqonde ukuba uYesu wakha waphila emhlabeni.

Njengokuba sibonile, iingcamango ezibalaseleyo zikaEinstein zibubungqina bokuba wayekhe wakho. Ngokufanayo, iimfundiso zikaYesu zibubungqina bokuba wayephila. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngeNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni, intetho edumileyo eyanikelwa nguYesu. (Mateyu, isahluko 5-7) Umpostile uMateyu wabhala ngendlela eyabaphembelela ngayo abantu loo ntshumayelo esithi: “Zathi khamnqa izihlwele yindlela yakhe yokufundisa; kuba wayefundisa njengomntu onegunya.” (Mateyu 7:28, 29) Ngokuphathelele indlela loo ntshumayelo eyabaphembelela ngayo abantu kangangeenkulungwane, uNjingalwazi uHans Dieter Betz wabhala: “Impembelelo yeNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni izodlula lee izithethe zamaYuda nezobuKristu, nkqu nezaseNtshona.” Wongezelela esithi, “wonke umntu unokuzuza” kule ntshumayelo.

Phawula la mazwi obulumko alandelayo aluncedo afumaneka kule Ntshumayelo yaseNtabeni: “Othe wakumpakaza esidleleni sakho sasekunene, mphethulele nesinye.” “Lumkani ukuba ubulungisa benu ningabenzi phambi kwabantu.” “Musani ukuxhalela ingomso, kuba ingomso liya kuba namaxhala alo.” ‘Iiperile zenu ningaziphosi phambi kweehagu.’ “Qhubekani nicela, niya kunikwa.” “Zonke izinto . . . enifuna abantu bazenze kuni, yenzani ngokunjalo nani kubo.” “Ngenani ngesango elimxinwa.” “Nobaqonda ngeziqhamo zabo.” “Wonke umthi olungileyo uvelisa isiqhamo esihle.”—Mateyu 5:39; 6:1, 34; 7:6, 7, 12, 13, 16, 17.

Alithandabuzeki elokuba ukhe wayiva le ntetho okanye umongo wayo. Mhlawumbi sele isisaci kulwimi lwakho. Yonke le ntetho ithatyathwe kwiNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni. Indlela le ntshumayelo eye yabachaphazela ngayo abantu neendlela zokuphila iye yabubungqina obucacileyo bokuba “umfundisi omkhulu” wakha waphila.

Makhe sithi mntu uthile uye waziyilela umntu ogama linguYesu Kristu. Masithi loo mntu wayekrelekrele kangangokuba wazakhela iimfundiso ekuthiwa zezikaYesu ekuthethwe ngaye eBhayibhileni. Ngaba ebengasayi kwenza uYesu neemfundiso zakhe zamkeleke kubantu ngokubanzi? Sekunjalo, umpostile uPawulos wathi: “AmaYuda acela imiqondiso namaGrike afuna ubulumko; kodwa thina sishumayela uKristu ebethelelwe, nto leyo esisikhubekiso kumaYuda nebubudenge kwiintlanga.” (1 Korinte 1:22, 23) Isigidimi sokuba uKristu ubethelelwe sasingabangeli mdla kumaYuda nakwabeentlanga. Noko ke, amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayeshumayela kanye ngaloo Kristu. Kwakutheni ukuze ashumayele ngoKristu obethelelweyo? Kuphela kungenxa yokuba ababhali beZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike babhala inyaniso ngobomi nokufa kukaYesu.

Esinye isizathu esixhasa ukuba uYesu wayephila sibonakala ngokungadinwa kwabalandeli bakhe ukushumayela ngeemfundiso zakhe. Malunga neminyaka nje engama-30 emva kokuba uYesu waqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe, uPawulos wayenokuthi iindaba ezilungileyo “zashunyayelwa kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.” (Kolose 1:23) Eneneni, iimfundiso zikaYesu zasasazeka kuyo yonke imimandla eyayikho ngelo xesha phezu kwayo nje inkcaso. UPawulos, naye owayetshutshiswa njengomKristu, wabhala: “Ukuba uKristu akavuswanga, ngokuqinisekileyo ukushumayela kwethu kulilize, nokholo lwethu lulilize.” (1 Korinte 15:12-17) Ukuba kwakuza kuba lilize ukushumayela ngoKristu ongavuswanga, ukushumayela ngoKristu ongazange aphile kwaukuphila kwakuza kuba lilize nangakumbi. Njengoko sifunda kwingxelo kaPliny Omncinane, amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayekulungele ukufa kuba ekholelwa kuKristu Yesu. Abeka ubomi bawo esichengeni ngenxa kaKristu kuba wayengumntu wokwenene yaye wakha waphila emhlabeni njengoko ingxelo yeVangeli ibonisa.

Uye Wabubona Ubungqina

Ukuze amaKristu ashumayele ayefanele kuqala akholelwe kuvuko lukaYesu Kristu. Nawe, ngamehlo engqondo unokumbona uYesu ovusiweyo xa ubona indlela anempembelelo ngayo kubantu namhlanje.

Ngaphambi kokuba uYesu abethelelwe, wanikela isiprofeto esibalulekileyo ngobukho bakhe kwixesha elizayo. Kwakhona wabonisa ukuba wayeya kuvuswa aze ahlale ngakwisandla sasekunene sikaThixo elindele ixesha lokuba enze okuthile ngeentshaba zakhe. (INdumiso 110:1; Yohane 6:62; IZenzo 2:34, 35; Roma 8:34) Emva koko, wayeya kuthabatha amanyathelo okugxotha uSathana needemon zakhe ezulwini.—ISityhilelo 12:7-9.

Kuya kwenzeka nini konke oko? UYesu wanika abafundi bakhe ‘umqondiso wobukho bakhe nowokupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto.’ Umqondiso wokubona ubukho bakhe obungabonakaliyo wawuquka iimfazwe ezinkulu, ukunqongophala kokutya, iinyikima, ukuvela kwabaprofeti bobuxoki, ukwanda kolwaphulo-mthetho neendyikitya zokufa. Iziganeko ezimbi ngolo hlobo zazimele zilindelwe, kuba ukugxothwa kukaSathana uMtyholi kwakuya kuthetha ‘uyeha kuwo umhlaba.’ UMtyholi uye wehlela emhlabeni “enomsindo omkhulu, esazi ukuba ixesha analo lifutshane.” Ukongezelela, lo mqondiso uquka ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani “kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga.”—Mateyu 24:3-14; ISityhilelo 12:12; Luka 21:7-19.

Izinto ezaprofetwa nguYesu ziye zenzeka. Ukususela ekuqhambukeni kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I ngowe-1914, siye sabubona ubungqina bobukho bukaYesu Kristu obungabonakaliyo. Ulawula njengoKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo yaye unempembelelo enkulu. Isibakala sokuba wena uphethe eli phephancwadi sibubungqina bokuba umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani uyaqhubeka namhlanje.

Ukuze uqonde ngokubhekele phaya ukuba uYesu ukho, ufanele ufundisise iBhayibhile. Kutheni ungabuzi amaNgqina kaYehova ngeenkcukacha zobukho bukaYesu?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 5]

UJosephus, uTacitus, noPliny Omncinane bathetha ngoYesu Kristu nabalandeli bakhe

[Inkcazelo]

All three images: © Bettmann/CORBIS

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

AmaKristu okuqala ayeqinisekile ukuba uYesu wayengumntu wokwenene