UMartin Luther—Indoda Eyayinesiphiwo
“KUTHIWA oyena mntu kubhalwe ngaye kakhulu embalini [nguMartin Luther] xa singayibali inkosi yakhe uYesu Kristu.” Latsho njalo iphephancwadi iTime. Amazwi nezenzo zikaLuther zaba negalelo ekuqalisweni koHlaziyo—iqela lonqulo ekuthiwa “leza notshintsho oluphawulekayo kwimbali yabantu.” Ngaloo ndlela watshintsha iziseko zonqulo eYurophu waza wasusa ubumnyama bamaxesha aphakathi kwelo lizwekazi. Kwakhona uLuther wabeka isiseko sokubhalwa kolwimi lwesiJamani. Inguqulelo yakhe yeBhayibhile iseyeyona ithandwa gqitha ngabantu abantetho isisiJamani.
Wayengumntu onjani uMartin Luther? Kwenzeka njani ukuba abe negalelo elingaka kwimicimbi yaseYurophu?
ULuther Uba Ngumphengululi
UMartin Luther wazalelwa e-Eisleben, eJamani ngoNovemba 1483. Nangona uyise wayesebenza kumgodi wobhedu wakwazi ukuba nemali eyaneleyo yokufundisa uMartin kwizikolo eziphucukileyo. Ngowe-1501, uMartin waba ngumfundi kwiYunivesithi yase-Erfurt. Kwithala leencwadi lalapho, wafunda iBhayibhile okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Wathi: “Le ncwadi yayiluncuthu mazangwa, yaye ndaqonda ukuba ndakuze ndibe nethamsanqa gqitha ukuba ndinokuba nayo ngenye imini.”
Xa wayeneminyaka engama-22 ubudala, uLuther waya kwindlu yeemonki yaseAugustine, e-Erfurt. Kamva wafunda kwiYunivesithi yaseWittenberg, waza wafumana isidanga kwezakwalizwi. ULuther wayezigqala engamkeleki phambi koThixo yaye maxa wambi wayedla ngokudandatheka ngenxa yokutyiwa sisazela. Kodwa ukufunda iBhayibhile, ukuthandaza nokucamngca kwamnceda wayiqonda kakuhle indlela uThixo abajonga ngayo aboni. ULuther wayiqonda into yokuba inkoliseko kaThixo ayifunyanwa nje. Kunoko, ifumaneka ngenxa yobubele obungasifanelanga kwabo banokholo.—Roma 1:16; 3:23, 24, 28.
ULuther wafikelela njani kwisigqibo sokuba olu lwazi lwakhe lutsha lwaluchanile? UKurt Aland, ongunjingalwazi ophanda ngembali yecawa yokuqala nemibhalo yeTestamente Entsha wabhala wathi: “Wacamngca ngayo yonke iBhayibhile ukuze abone enoba olu lwazi lutsha luyavisisana nezinye iinguqulelo zeBhayibhile kusini na, ibe wafumanisa ukuba luyaxhaswa kuyo yonke indawo.” Imfundiso yokusindiswa ngokholo, kungekhona ngemisebenzi okanye izenzo zenguquko, iye yahlala iyeyona mfundiso kaLuther isisiseko.
Wayekucaphukela Ukuhlawulelwa Kwezono
Ukuqonda kukaLuther indlela uThixo abajonga ngayo aboni kwamxabanisa neCawa yamaRoma Katolika. Ngelo xesha yayisaziwa ngokubanzi into yokuba emva kokufa, aboni bafanele bohlwaywe kangangethuba elithile. Noko ke, kwakusithiwa eli thuba linokuncitshiswa ngokuhlawulwa kwemali, ngokomyalelo kapopu. UJohann Tetzel, owayengummeli kaBhishopu Omkhulu uAlbert waseMainz, wayeneshishini elikhulu lokuhlawulisa abantu abaqhelekileyo ngezono zabo. Abaninzi babekujonga oku njengokuhlawulela izono zexesha elizayo.
ULuther wayeyithiy’ egazini ke le nto yokuhlawulelwa kwezono. Wayeyazi into yokuba abantu abamele benze ingeniso ngoThixo. Ngokwindla lowe-1517, wabhala iingongoma zakhe ezidumileyo ezingama-95, etyhola icawa ngokusebenzisa kakubi imali, iimfundiso zayo nezithethe zonqulo. Efuna ukukhuthaza uhlaziyo, kungekhona imvukelo, uLuther wathumela imibhalo yezi ngongoma zakhe kuBhishopu Omkhulu uAlbert waseMainz nakwabanye abaphengululi abaliqela. Uninzi lwababhali-mbali luchaza owe-1517 neminyaka eyalandelayo njengesiqalo soHlaziyo.
Lo kaLuther wayengeyedwa ekukhalazeleni izinto ezimbi ezenziwa ecaweni. Kwiminyaka elikhulu ngaphambilana, umhlaziyi wonqulo ongumCzech uJan Hus wayekhe wayigxibha le nto yokuhlawulelwa kwezono. Kwanangaphambi koHus, uJohn Wycliffe waseNgilani wakha wayitsho into yokuba ezinye izithethe zecawa azisekelwanga eZibhalweni. UErasmus waseRotterdam noTyndale waseNgilani ababephila ngexesha likaLuther, bacela ukuba kubekho uhlaziyo. Kodwa ngenxa yokuvelisa kukaJohannes Gutenberg waseJamani umatshini wokushicilela osebenzisa oonobumba abanokushenxiswa, izikhalazo zikaLuther zavakala nakwimimandla ekude kunezabanye abahlaziyi.
Ngowe-1455 kwakusetyenziswa umatshini wokushicilela kaGutenberg eMainz. Ngasekupheleni kwaloo nkulungwane, babesele bekho oomatshini bokushicilela kwiidolophu ezingama-60 zaseJamani kwanakweminye imimandla eli-12 yaseYurophu. Kwakuqala embalini ukuba abantu bakhawuleze ukwaziswa ngezinto ezibangela umdla. Mhlawumbi ngaphandle kwemvume yakhe, iingongoma ezingama-95 zikaLuther zashicilelwa zaza zasasazwa. Umbandela wokuhlaziywa kwecawa wawungaseyonto nje yasekuhlaleni. Washukuxwa ngokubanzi, yaye akuzange kube kudala uMartin Luther waba yeyona ndoda idumileyo eJamani.
“Inyanga Nelanga” Zithabath’ Amanyathelo
Kangangeenkulungwane, iYurophu yayiphantsi kwegunya lamaziko amabini anamandla: uLawulo Olungcwele lwamaRoma neCawa yamaRoma Katolika. UHanns Lilje, owayesakuba ngumongameli weLutheran World Federation wathi: “Umlawuli nopopu babeyintlaka nexolo kanye njengelanga nenyanga.” Noko ke, kwakungaqinisekwanga ngokuba ngubani ilanga, yaye ingubani yona inyanga. Ebutsheni benkulungwane ye-16, omabini la maziko ayesele efikelele incopho yolawulo lwawo. Kwakusele kubonakala ukuba luyeza utshintsho.
Akubona ezi ngongoma zingama-95, uPopu Leo X watyityimbisel’ umnwe uLuther esithi uza kumsika ecaweni ukuba akarhoxi kule nto yakhe. Ngenkalipho, uLuther wayitshisa esidlangalaleni ileta kapopu eyayinezisongelo waza wapapasha ezinye iincwadi ezazikhuthaza abasemagunyeni ukuba bahlaziye icawa ngaphandle kokuvumelana nalo popu. Ngowe-1521, uPopu Leo X wamsika uLuther. Wathi uLuther akukhalaza esithi udlelw’ indlala, uMlawuli uCharles V wathi lo mhlaziyi makavele phambi kwengqungquthela okanye intlanganiso yaseWorms. Uhambo lukaLuther olwathabatha iintsuku ezili-15 ukusuka eWittenberg ukuya kutsho eWorms ngoAprili 1521 lwalufana nomngcelele woloyiso. Wayexhaswa ngumntu wonke, yaye bonke abantu babefuna ukumbona.
EWorms, uLuther wema phambi komlawuli, iinkosana negqiza elalithunyelwe ngupopu. UJan Hus wabizelwa kwinkundla efanayo eConstance ngowe-1415 yaye watshiselwa esibondeni. Njengoko icawa nomlawuli zazijonge kuye, uLuther akazange avume ukurhoxa ngaphandle kokuba abachasi bakhe babenokungqina ngokusuka eBhayibhileni ukuba akachananga. Kodwa wayengekho umntu osondele kwaukusondela kuye ngokukhumbula iZibhalo. Uxwebhu olubizwa ngokuba yiEdict of Worms lwachaza iziphumo zelo tyala. Lwachaza ukuba lo kaLuther uvalwe umlomo yaye iincwadi zakhe azikho mthethweni. Ekubeni wayesikwe ngupopu yaye evalwe umlomo nangumlawuli, ngoku wayesengozini yokubulawa.
Izinto zatshintsha ngesiquphe. Xa wayebuyela eWittenberg, uFrederick owayenesisa waseSaxony wenza ngathi uyamthimba uLuther. Ngale ndlela uLuther wakhuseleka kwiintshaba zakhe. ULuther wathutyeleziswa waya kufakwa kwinqaba ekude nabantu yaseWartburg, apho wafika wakhulisa intshebe ezenza mntu wumbi—owaziwa njengoMhlekazi Jörg.
ISeptember Bible Ithandwa Gqitha
Kangangeenyanga ezilishumi ezalandelayo, uLuther wahlala kwinqaba yaseWartburg ebaleka umlawuli kwakunye nopopu. Incwadi ethi Welterbe Wartburg ithi “ixesha awalichitha eWartburg yaba lelona walisebenzisa kakuhle nangobuchule ebomini bakhe.” Enye yezona zinto zibalulekileyo ebomini bakhe, ukuguqulela kwakhe ngesiJamani umbhalo kaErasmus weZibhalo zesiGrike, wakugqibezelela apho. Ekubeni yapapashwa ngoSeptemba 1522 ingabhalwanga igama likaLuther njengomguquleli, le nguqulelo yaziwa ngokuba yiSeptember Bible. Yayixabisa 1 1/2 guilders—mali leyo elingana nomvuzo wonyaka wesicakakazi. Sekunjalo, iSeptember Bible yayifunwa ngamandla. Kwisithuba seenyanga ezili-12, kwashicilelwa imibhalo engama-6 000 ngemiqulu emi-2, yaye kwiminyaka eli-12 kwakuseza kulandela eminye imiqulu engama-69.
Ngowe-1525, uMartin Luther watshata noKatharina von Bora, owayesakuba ngunongendi. UKatharina wayephum’ izandla ekulawuleni umzi yaye wayemphelelisa umyeni wakhe njengomntu owayenezinwe. Intsapho kaLuther ayizange iphelele kwinkosikazi yakhe nabantwana abathandathu kodwa yayiquka nezihlobo, abaphengululi neembacu. Ekukhuleni kwakhe, uLuther waduma njengomcebisi kangangokuba, abaphengululi ababefikela emzini wakhe babephatha iintsiba namaphepha ukuze babhale izinto awayezithetha. Loo maphepha adityaniswa aza enziwa umqulu onomxholo othi Luthers Tischreden (Incoko KaLuther Yasetafileni). Kangangethuba elide, yaba yeyona ncwadi isasazwa gqitha ngolwimi lwesiJamani, ilandela iBhayibhile.
Umguquleli Onesiphiwo Nengcungela Yombhali
Ngowe-1534, uLuther wayesele egqibile ukuguqulela iZibhalo zesiHebhere. Wayekwazi ukulungelelanisa isimbo sokubhala, iimvakalelo, nesigama sakhe. Loo nto yenza ukuba avelise iBhayibhile eyayiqondakala nakubantu abaqhelekileyo. Egqabaza ngesimbo sakhe sokuguqulela, uLuther wabhala wathi: “Sifanele sincokole noomama abasekhaya, abantwana abasezitratweni namadoda aqhelekileyo asezimarikeni, siyiphulaphulisise indlela abathetha ngayo size siguqulele kanye ngaloo ndlela.” IBhayibhile kaLuther yabeka isiseko solwimi olubhalwayo olwathi kamva lwasetyenziswa kulo lonke elaseJamani.
Isiphiwo salo kaLuther njengomguquleli sasidibene nobuchule bakhe njengombhali. Kuthiwa ngalo lonke ixesha lokusebenza kwakhe zazingapheli iiveki ezimbini engabhalanga nto. Ezinye kwezi zinto wayezibhala zazibukhali kanye njengombhali wazo. Ukuba nezokuqala awazibhalayo zazibukhali ngolo hlobo, kuyabonakala ukuba ukwaluphala akuzange kuyitshintshe indlela yokubhala kaLuther. Izincoko awazibhala kamva zaba bukhali ngakumbi. Ngokutsho kweLexikon für Theologie und Kirche, iincwadi zikaLuther zidiza “indlela awayenomsindo ngayo” “nokuswela kwakhe ukuthobeka nothando,” kwakunye “nokuzimisela kwakhe ngokusuka entliziyweni ukuphumeza uthumo lwakhe.”
Xa kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yabantu Abakumgangatho Ophantsi, nokubulawa kwabantu abaphantsi kweenkosi ngokungenalusini, kwacelwa uluvo lukaLuther kulo mba. Ngaba zazivakala izizathu zaba bantu zokukhalazela iinkosi zabo? ULuther akazange afune ukuxhaswa ngabantu ngokunikela impendulo eyayiza kwanelisa abona bantu baninzi. Wayekholelwa kwelokuba abakhonzi bakaThixo bafanele bathobele abo basemagunyeni. (Roma 13:1) Ngeliphandle, uLuther wathi, aba bavukeli mabavalwe umlomo ngenkani. Wathi: “Nabani na okwaziyo makabahlabe, ababethe ababulale.” UHanns Lilje wathi ngenxa yale mpendulo uLuther “akathandwa nanamhlanje ngabantu.” Ukongezelela, izincoko ezabhalwa nguLuther kamva ngokuphathelele amaYuda angazange avume ukuguqukela kubuKristu, ngokukhethekileyo eso sithi On the Jews and Their Lies, zabangela ukuba kuthiwe lo mbhali akawathandi amaYuda.
Igalelo LikaLuther
UHlaziyo olwaphenjelelwa ngamadoda anjengoLuther, uCalvin, noZwingli, lwakhokelela kunqulo olutsha olubizwa ngokuba bubuProtestanti. Elona galelo likhulu likaLuther kubuProtestanti yayiyimfundiso yakhe esisiseko yokusindiswa ngokholo. Amanye amagunya aseJamani axhasa ubuProtestanti aza amanye axhasa ubuKatolika. UbuProtestanti banda baza baxhaswa eScandinavia, eSwitzerland, eNgilani, naseNetherlands. Namhlanje bunamakhulu ezigidi zamarhamente.
Abaninzi ababengazithandi zonke iinkolelo zikaLuther basamhlonela kakhulu. Indawo eyayisakuba yiGerman Democratic Republic, equka iEisleben, iErfurt, iWittenberg, neWartburg ekwimida yayo, ngowe-1983 yabhiyozela iminyaka engama-500 yokuzalwa kukaLuther. Lo Rhulumente wobuSoshiyali wamgqala njengoyena mntu waba negalelo kwimbali nenkcubeko yaseJamani. Ngaphezu koko, umfundisi ongumKatolika weminyaka yee-1980 wathi xa wayeshwankathela igalelo awaba nalo lo kaLuther: “Akukho mntu uza emva koLuther owayenokufika kumgangatho wakhe.” UNjingalwazi Aland wabhala wathi: “Nyaka ngamnye, kupapashwa ubuncinane iincwadi ezintsha ezingama-500 ezithetha ngoMartin Luther noHlaziyo—yaye zifumaneka phantse ngazo zonke iilwimi eziphambili ehlabathini.”
UMartin Luther wayekrelekrele ngeyona ndlela, enenkumbulo engathethekiyo, eliciko lokuthetha yaye ekhuthele emsebenzini wakhe. Kanti wayengenamonde, ethetha rhabaxa, yaye wayelucaphukela uhanahaniso. Xa wayesekhukweni lokufa e-Eisleben ngoFebruwari 1546, uLuther wabuzwa ngabahlobo bakhe enoba wayeya kubambelela kwiinkolelo zakhe awayezifundise abanye. Waphendula ngelithi: “Ewe.” ULuther wafa kodwa basebaninzi abantu ababambelele kwezo nkolelo.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
ULuther wakuchasa ukuhlawulelwa kwezono
[Inkcazelo]
Mit freundlicher Genehmigung: Wartburg-Stiftung
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
ULuther akazange avume ukurhoxa ngaphandle kokuba abachasi bakhe babenokungqina ngokusuka eBhayibhileni ukuba akachananga
[Inkcazelo]
From the book The Story of Liberty, 1878
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 29]
Igumbi lalo kaLuther kwiNqaba iWartburg, apho waguqulela khona iBhayibhile
[Inkcazelo]
Both images: Mit freundlicher Genehmigung: Wartburg-Stiftung
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
From the book Martin Luther The Reformer, 3rd Edition, published by Toronto Willard Tract Depository, Toronto, Ontario
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 30]
From the book The History of Protestantism (Vol. I)