Imidlalo Yamandulo Nokubaluleka Kokuphumelela

“WONKE umntu oba nenxaxheba kukhuphiswano uqhelisela ukuzeyisa kuzo zonke izinto.” “Nabani na ongenela ezemidlalo, akathweswa sithsaba ngaphandle kokuba uthobela imigaqo.”—1 Korinte 9:25; 2 Timoti 2:5.

Imidlalo umpostile uPawulos awayebhekisela kuyo yayibaluleke kakhulu kumaGrike amandulo. Imbali isixelela ntoni ngokhuphiswano nangezinto ezazisenzeka kulo?

Kutshanje, bekukho umboniso wemidlalo yamaGrike, onomxholo othi Nike—Il gioco e la vittoria (“Nike—Umdlalo Noloyiso”), eColosseum eRome.a Lo mboniso wawuphendula kanye loo mbuzo yaye ubangela umKristu ukuba acinge ngendlela ayijonga ngayo imidlalo.

Imidlalo Eyayibalasele Mandulo

Imidlalo yayingaqali eGrisi. Sekunjalo, malunga nenkulungwane yesibhozo ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, imbongi engumGrike uHomer wathetha ngabantu ababethanda ukuba ngamaqhawe nababenomoya wokhuphiswano, ababebaxabisa abantu abakwaziyo ukulwa nababeziinjuze zemidlalo. Lo mboniso wacacisa ukuba kwimisitho yamaGrike yayiqalisa njengeziganeko zonqulo ukuze kuzukiswe oothixo balapho kwimingcwabo yamaqhawe. Ngokomzekelo, iIliad kaHomer, enye yezona ncwadi zindala zamaGrike, ithetha ngendlela amajoni abalaseleyo, amaqabane ka-Achilles, ayezibeka ngayo phantsi izixhobo emngcwabeni kaPatroclus aze akhuphisane ukuze abonise amandla anawo kumdlalo wamanqindi, wokujijisana, wokuphosa amacwecwe nentshuntshe, nokubaleka ngeenqwelo zokulwa.

Kwakubhiyozelwa imisitho efanayo kwiGrisi iphela. Incwadana yalo mboniso ithi: “Le misitho yayivelisa ithuba apho amaGrike, kuba ehlonela oothixo bawo, ayeziyeka iingxabano zawo ezingapheliyo nezazinogonyamelo, aze abonakalise umoya wawo wokhuphiswano eseluxolweni: ukhuphiswano lwezemidlalo.”

Iidolophu ezininzi zaqalisa ukuhlanganisana kwiindawo eziqhelekileyo zonqulo ukuze zizukise oothixo bazo ngokwenza ukhuphiswano lwemidlalo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, imisitho emine enjalo—iOlimpiki nemidlalo yaseNemea, yomibini yayisenzelwa uZeyus, nemidlalo iPythian neIsthmian, eyayisenzelwa uApollo noPoseidon—yabaluleka de yaba yimisitho ephambili yamaGrike. Oko kukuthi, nabani na waseGrisi wayenokuba nenxaxheba kuyo. Le misitho yayiba namadini nomthandazo yaye yayizukisa noothixo balapho ngokwenza ukhuphiswano lweemidlalo okanye kubugcisa obuthile.

Omnye weyona misitho midala nebalaseleyo, ekuthiwa wawukho kwangowama-776 B.C.E., wawusenziwa kunyaka wesine ukuze kuzukiswe uZeyus eOlympia. Umsitho owawulandela lowo ngokubaluleka yayingumsitho wePythian. Wona wawuqhutyelwa kwindawo yoosiyazi eyayibalasele ngelo xesha lamandulo, eDelphi, yaye yayiquka imidlalo yeembaleki. Kodwa xa kwakuzukiswa umntu owayenomdla kwimibongo nakumculo, uApollo, kwakugxininiswa kumculo nakumngqungqo.

Oko Kwakusenzeka Apho

Xa kuthelekiswa nemidlalo yeembaleki yale mihla, inani lezinto ezazisenziwa apho zazimbalwa, yaye yayingamadoda kuphela awayenenxaxheba. Kucwangciso lweeOlimpiki zamandulo kwakusenziwa iindidi zemidlalo mhlawumbi ezingekho ngaphezu kweshumi. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo, imifanekiso eyenziwe ngamatye amancinane, nemizobo kwiingqayi zodongwe ezazikumboniso eColosseum zazisithi gqaba-gqaba ngoko kwakusenzeka apho.

Kwakukho ugqatso lweembaleki kwimigama emithathu—umgama, omalunga neemitha ezingama-200; umgama ophindwe kabini, olingana neemitha ezingama-400 xa kuthelekiswe nowanamhlanje, nogqatso olude, lweemitha ezinokuba ngama-4 500. Iimbaleki zazibaleka zize zenze umthambo zihamba ze. Abadlali kwipentathlon babesenza izinto ezintlanu: babebaleka, benze ilong jump, baphose amacwecwe nentshuntshe baze bajijisane. Eminye imidlalo yayiquka umdlalo wamanqindi nepancratium, ekuthiwa “ngumdlalo ondlongondlongo odibanisa amanqindi kunganxitywanga sihlangu samanqindi nokujijisana.” Kwandule ke kubekho ukhuphiswano ngeenqwelo zokulwa kumgama ongaphezu kweemitha ezili-1 600, neenqwelana ezivulekileyo ezilula ezinamavili amancinane ezitsalwa ziinkonyane zamahashe ezimbini okanye ezine okanye ngamahashe aselekhulile.

Umdlalo wamanqindi wawunogonyamelo ngeyona ndlela yaye maxa wambi abantu babesifa. Emanqindini abo, abadlali babenxiba imicu yesikhumba efakwe iintsimbi eziyingozi. Unokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wesizathu sokuba enye imbethi manqindi egama linguStratofonte wayengaqinisekanga enoba ubona ubuso bakhe xa wayezijonge esipilini emva kokulwa ngamanqindi iiyure ezine. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo neyenziwe ngamatye amancinane yamandulo ibubungqina bokuba abadlali bamanqindi babesenokuba bokoboko ngeyona ndlela.

Kumdlalo wokujijisana, kwakuvumeleke ukuba abantu babambane emzimbeni ngasentla kuphela, yaye lowo uphumeleleyo yayingulowo oqale wawisa utshaba lwakhe izihlandlo ezithathu. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, kwipancratium kwakungekho mithetho injalo. Abadlali babenokukhaba, balwe ngamanqindi baze bajijane amalungu. Izinto ezazingavumelekanga yayikukugrumba iliso, ukukrwela nokuluma kuphela. Injongo yalo mdlalo yayikukuluwisa phantsi utshaba lungakwazi ukuzilwela luze luvume ukuba loyisiwe. Abanye babewugqala “njengowona mdlalo usemagqabini eOlympia.”

Kuthiwa eyona pancratium idumileyo yamandulo yabakho kumdlalo wokugqibela kwiOlimpiki ngowama-564 B.C.E. UArrhachion, owakrwitshwayo, wayephaphe ngokwaneleyo ukuze akrune iinzwane zotshaba lwakhe. Utshaba lwakhe, lusezintlungwini, lwanikezela ngoko nangoko ngaphambi kokuba uArrhachion afe. Iijaji zathi isidumbu sikaArrhachion soyisile!

Ugqatso lweenqwelo zokulwa yayiyeyona nto ibalaseleyo yaye kwakhona enye yezona zidumileyo kwizihandiba, ekubeni lowo uphumeleleyo kungenguye umqhubi kodwa umnini wenqwelo yokulwa nowamahashe. Elona xesha linzima kukhuphiswano kwakusekuqaleni kogqatso, xa abaqhubi beenqwelo zokulwa babefanele beme ekuqaleni komgca, naxa bejika kwelinye icala lendlela. Iimpazamo okanye ukungalandeli imigaqo kwakunokubangela iingozi nto leyo yayisenza lo mdlalo udumileyo ubangel’ umdla ngakumbi.

Wawuyintoni Umvuzo?

Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Iimbaleki elugqatsweni zibaleka zonke, kodwa inye kuphela eyamkela umvuzo.” (1 Korinte 9:24) Eyona nto yayibalulekile kukuphumelela. Abantu babengafumani mbasa yesilivere okanye yobhedu, yaye wayengekho umntu oba kwindawo yesibini okanye yesithathu. Lo mboniso wacacisa usithi: “Eyona njongo yembaleki yayikukoyisa, ‘iNike.’ Uloyiso lwalwanele ekubeni lwalubonisa indlela loo mntu abalasele ngayo, emzimbeni nangokuziphatha, yaye abantu bedolophu yakowabo babeba neqhayiya ngaye.” Isimo sengqondo sabo bantu sichazwa kakuhle nguHomer xa esithi: “Ndafunda ukugqwesa ngamaxesha onke.”

Umvuzo owawufunyanwa ngulowo uphumeleleyo kwiMidlalo yamaGrike wawungumfuziselo—isithsaba samagqabi. UPawulos wayesibiza ngokuthi ‘sisithsaba esinokonakala.’ (1 Korinte 9:25) Sekunjalo, lo mvuzo wawubaluleke kakhulu. Wawufuzisela kanye amandla endalo awayebonakala kumandla alowo uphumeleleyo. Eyona njongo ibalulekileyo yokoyisa yayikukusikelelwa ngoothixo. Le miboniso yayibonisa ukuba abakroli nabazobi babesithi uNike, uthixokazi wamaGrike woloyiso onamaphiko, uthwesa lowo uphumeleleyo isithsaba. Xa imbaleki iphumelela eOlympia yayifikelele kwincopho yobomi bayo.

Izithsaba zeOlimpiki zazisenziwa ngamagqabi omnquma wasendle—eyaseIsthmian yayisenziwa ngompayina, eyasePythian ngomthi welaurel, eyaseNemean ngeseleri. Abaququzeleli bale midlalo kwezinye iindawo babekhupha imali okanye eminye imivuzo ukuze batsale abo bakhuphisanayo abaziincutshe. Iingqayi eziliqela ezazikulo mboniso zazingamabhaso kwiMidlalo yaseAthene, eyayidlalelwa eAthens kuzukiswa uthixokazi uAthena. Ekuqaleni ezi ngqayi zazineoli yaseAttica. Umhombiso owawusecaleni kwenye yezi ngqayi wawubonisa lo thixokazi yaye wawunombhalo othi “umvuzo wokhuphiswano lwaseAthena.” Elinye icala lalibonise isiganeko esithile, ekubonakala ngathi ngowembaleki ephumeleleyo.

Izixeko zaseGrisi zazineembaleki ezibalaseleyo, yaye xa ziphumelele zaziba ngamaqhawe kwiindawo ezivela kuzo. Xa abo baphumeleleyo babebuya kwakubhiyozwa kusenziwa ungcelele kuba boyisile. Kwakusenziwa imifanekiso yabo eqingqiweyo ebulela koothixo—uzuko olungafane lunikwe abantu nje—yaye iimbongi zazibabonga ngenxa yenkalipho yabo. Emva koko abo baphumeleleyo babebekwa kwiindawo eziphambili kwimisitho baze bafumane imali eyayivela kuwonke-wonke.

Iindawo Zokwenza Umthambo Neembaleki

Ukhuphiswano lweembaleki lwalugqalwa njengento ebalulekileyo ekukhuleni kwejoni elingummi walapho. Zonke izixeko zamaGrike zazineendawo zokwenza umthambo, apho abafana babesenza khona umthambo baze bafundiswe nobulumko nezinto zokomoya. Izakhiwo zomthambo zazisiba kwiindawo ezinkulu ezivulekileyo ukuze umthambo wenzelwe apho, zingqongwe ziindawo ezinophahla namanye amagumbi afulelweyo awayesetyenziswa njengemizi yogcino-zincwadi namagumbi okufundela. Abantu ababesiya rhoqo kwezi ndawo yayingabafana beentsapho ezizizityebi ababenokukwazi ukuchitha ixesha elininzi befunda kunokuba basebenze. Apho, iimbaleki zazichitha ixesha elininzi zilungiselela imidlalo zincedwa ngabaqeqeshi, ababekwayalela ngokutya ezifanele zikutye baze baqiniseke ukuba iimbaleki azibi nazintlobano zesini.

Imiboniso yaseColosseum yayinika ithuba lokuba abo batyeleleyo babuke imifanekiso emihle yeembaleki zamandulo, yaye inkoliso yayiziikopi zamaRoma zemifanekiso eqingqiweyo yamaGrike. Ekubeni kwiingcamango zamaGrike, ukufezeka komzimba kwakufana nokufezeka ngokuziphatha yaye yayizizihandiba kuphela ezazinokuba njalo, le mizimba imile kakuhle yeembaleki eziphumeleleyo yayifuzisela ubulumko. AmaRoma ayeyixabisa le mifanekiso njengomsebenzi wobugcisa, yaye emininzi yayo yayihombisa amabala emidlalo, amadama okuqubha, izindlu ezinkulu namabhotwe.

Phakathi kwamaRoma, ugonyamelo lwaluthandwa gqitha, ngoko ke zonke izinto ezazisenziwa ngamaGrike eRoma, umdlalo wamanqindi, wokujijisana nepancratium ezo yayizizinto ezazithandwa kakhulu. AmaRoma ayeyigqala le midlalo, kungekhona njengokhuphiswano phakathi kwabantu abalinganayo ukuze kubonwe lowo unamandla, kodwa yayiyindlela nje yokuzonwabisa. Ingcamango yokuqala yokuba xa abantu befunda bafanele babe nenxaxheba kwimidlalo, yayekwa. Kunoko, amaRoma ayiguqula imidlalo yamaGrike yangumthambo owenziwa ngaphambi kwendawo yokuqubha okanye imidlalo yabantu abajongelwa phantsi, kanye njengomlo wamakrele.

AmaKristu Nemidlalo

AmaKristu ayenesizathu sokuyiphepha le midlalo ekubeni yayibandakanya unqulo, yaye “inakuvisisana kuni na itempile kaThixo nezithixo?” (2 Korinte 6:14, 16) Kuthekani ngemidlalo namhlanje?

Kakade ke, imidlalo yanamhlanje ayizukisi oothixo bobuhedeni. Sekunjalo, ngaba akuyonyaniso ukuba eminye imidlalo iba nemibhiyozo efana neyonqulo, nto leyo eyayisenzeka namandulo? Ngaphezu koko, njengoko iingxelo ziye zabonisa kwiminyaka yakutshanje, ukuze ziphumelele, ezinye iimbaleki ziye zasebenzisa iziyobisi ezizinik’ amandla nezibeka impilo nobomi bazo engozini.

KumaKristu, akubalulekanga kangako ukuba nenkangeleko entle ngokwasemzimbeni. Iimpawu zokomoya ‘zomntu ofihlakeleyo wentliziyo’ zizo ezisenza sibe bahle emehlweni kaThixo. (1 Petros 3:3, 4) Siyaqonda ukuba asinguye wonke ubani oba nenxaxheba kwimidlalo namhlanje onomoya wokhuphiswano, kodwa abaninzi banawo. Ngaba ukunxulumana nabo kuya kusinceda ukuba sithobele isibongozo seZibhalo ‘sokungenzi nanye into ngokusukuzana okanye ngokuzigwagwisa, kodwa ngokuthobeka kwengqondo?’ Okanye ngaba unxulumano olunjalo aluyi kuphumela ‘kubutshaba, iimbambano, amakhwele, ukugqajukelwa yimisindo, usukuzwano, izahlukano’?—Filipi 2:3; Galati 5:19-21.

Imidlalo emininzi yanamhlanje abantu abasondelelanayo kuyo isenokuba nogonyamelo. Nabani na otsaleleka kwimidlalo enjalo ufanele akhumbule amazwi eNdumiso 11:5 athi: “UYehova uhlolisisa lowo ulilungisa kwanalowo ungendawo, yaye umphefumlo Wakhe umthiyile ngokuqinisekileyo nabani na othanda ugonyamelo.”

Xa ukwindawo efanalekileyo, umthambo unokuba mnandi, yaye umpostile uPawulos wathi “ingqeqesho yomzimba iyingenelo kancinane.” (1 Timoti 4:7-10) Noko ke, xa wayethetha ngemidlalo yamaGrike, uPawulos wabhekisela kuyo ngokufanelekileyo ukuze nje abonise ukubaluleka kokuba amaKristu abe neempawu ezifana nokuzeyisa nokunyamezela. Injongo kaPawulos yayikukufumana “isithsaba” sobomi obungunaphakade esivela kuThixo. (1 Korinte 9:24-27; 1 Timoti 6:12) Wasibekela umzekelo omhle kulo mbandela.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

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Xa Imbethi-manqindi Igqiba Ukulwa

Lo mfanekiso uqingqiweyo wobhedu wenkulungwane yesine ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo ubonisa imiphumo emibi yomdlalo wamanqindi, apho, ngokutsho komboniso wamaRoma, “ukuxhathisa kwembethi manqindi . . . eyayinganikezeli ebudeni bomlo xa ‘iimbethi manqindi zazixhimfana’ kwakungumzekelo omhle.” Le ngxelo ithi: “Amanxeba omlo osandul’ ukuphela ayesongeza kumanxeba emilo edluleyo.”

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Ugqatso lweenqwelo zokulwa wawuyeyona nto iphambili kwizinto ezazisenziwa kukhuphiswano lamandulo

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Abazobi bamandulo babenomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaNike, uthixokazi woloyiso, ethwesa isithsaba lowo uphumeleleyo