UPhilo WaseAleksandriya—Wongezelela IZibhalo Ngezinto Aziqikelelayo

NGOWE-332 B.C.E., uAleksandire Omkhulu watyhalela phambili nomkhosi wakhe wangena eYiputa. Ngaphambi kokuba afunzele ngasempuma kwiphulo lakhe lokoyisa ihlabathi, waseka isixeko awasithiya ngokuba yiAleksandriya. Saba liziko lezithethe zamaGrike. Malunga nowama-20 B.C.E., apho kuso kwazalwa elinye iqhawe, lona ezalo izixhobo zazingelokrele nentshuntshe, kodwa iyintanda-bulumko. Laziwa ngokuba nguPhilo waseAleksandriya, okanye uPhilo Judaeus ngenxa yemvelaphi yakhe yobuYuda.

Ukuthi saa kwabantu, emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E., kwenza amaYuda amaninzi ahlala eYiputa. Amawaka kuwo ayehlala eAleksandriya. Noko ke, kwakukho iingxaki phakathi kwamaYuda nabamelwane bawo abangamaGrike. AmaYuda ayesala ukunqula izithixo zamaGrike, ngoxa amaGrike ayehlekisa ngeZibhalo zesiHebhere. Ekubeni wafundiswa ngamaGrike waza wakhuliswa ngamaYuda, uPhilo wayeqhelene naloo mbambano. Wayekholelwa ukuba ubuYuda lunqulo lokwenyaniso. Kodwa ngokwahlukileyo kumaYuda, uPhilo wayefuna indlela yoxolo yokuguqulela abeeNtlanga kuThixo. Wayefuna ukwenza ubuYuda bamkeleke kubo.

Ingcamango Entsha Kwimibhalo Yamandulo

NjengamaYuda amaninzi aseAleksandriya, kowabo uPhilo babethetha isiGrike. Ngoko wayesebenzisa iSeptuagint yesiGrike eguqulelwe ngokusuka kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere xa efunda. Njengoko ehlolisisa izibhalo zeSeptuagint, wagqiba ekubeni ziqulethe iingcamango zentandabulumko nokuba uMoses wayeneyona “ntanda-bulumko igqwesileyo.”

Kwiinkulungwane ezithile ngaphambili, oongqondo-ngqondo bamaGrike bakufumanisa kunzima ukuwamkela amabali oothixo noothixokazi—iingxilimbela needemon zeentsomi zamaGrike zamandulo. Aqalisa ukuzitolika ngokutsha ezo ntsomi zindala. Ethetha ngoko umphengululi weencwadi zamandulo uJames Drummond wathi: “Isithandi-sobulumko sasiqala sifune intsingiselo esitheleyo yezi ntsomi, size sigqibe kwelokuba ngenxa yokuba manyumnyezi kwazo ababhali bazo bakhetha ukudlulisela loo nyaniso yazo ngolwimi olufuziselayo.” Le nkqubo kuthiwa kukuqonda izinto ezinentsingiselo efihlakeleyo nefuziselayo, ibe uPhilo wazama ukusebenzisa yona ukucacisa iZibhalo.

Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngeGenesis 3:21 kwinguqulelo yeSeptuagint kaBagster, ethi: “INkosi uThixo yenzela uAdam nomfazi wakhe izambatho zezintsu, wabanxibisa zona.” KumaGrike ukwenza impahla kwakungumsebenzi ophantsi gqitha ukuba ungenziwa nguThixo. Ngoko uPhilo weza nendlela efuziselayo yokuchaza le ndinyana wathi: “Izambatho zezintsu zifuzisela ulusu lomntu, ngamanye amazwi umzimba wethu; kuba uThixo waqala ngokwenza ingqondo, wathi nguAdam; emva koko wenza umzimba, waza wathi buBomi. Ekugqibeleni, wenza ulusu walubiza ngokuba sisambatho sezintsu.” Ngoko uPhilo wazama ukusenza umbandela wentandabulumko isenzo sikaThixo sokwenzela uAdam noEva izambatho.

Kwakhona qwalasela iGenesis 2:10-14, echaza umthombo wamanzi omyezo wase-Eden ize ikhankanye imilambo emine eyayiphuma kuloo myezo. UPhilo wazama ukufumana eyona ntsingiselo ifuziselwa ngamagama achaza loo myezo. Emva kokuthetha ngomhlaba lowo, wathi: “Mhlawumbi lo mhlathi uqulethe ingcamango yokomfuziselo; kuba le milambo mine imela iimpawu ezine ezibalaseleyo.” Wathi umlambo iPishon ufuzisela ubulumko, iGihon ifuzisela ubungcwele, iTigris ifuzisela inkalipho uze wona umEfrate ufuzisele okusesikweni. Ngoko into yokuba le milambo iyafuzisela yabucima tu ubukho bayo ngokoqobo emhlabeni.

UPhilo wasebenzisa iintetho ezifuziselayo ukuchaza ingxelo yokudalwa, ukubulala kukaKayin uAbheli, uMkhukula womhla kaNowa, ukudubadubeka kweelwimi eBhabheli nothotho lwemigaqo yoMthetho kaMoses. Njengokuba umzekelo okwisiqendu esingaphambili ubonisa, uPhilo wayesoloko eyamkela ngokoqobo indinyana yeBhayibhile andule ke xa eza kuchaza oko ikufuziselayo atshayelele ngala mazwi: “Mhlawumbi simele siqwalasele ezi zinto njengento ezifuziselayo.” Okubuhlungu kukuba kwimibhalo kaPhilo, eyona nto ibalaselayo zezo zinto athi kufuziselwa zona, ngoxa izinto zokoqobo eziseZibhalweni zilahlwa kwesinomhlwa.

Ngubani UThixo?

UPhilo wabuthethelela ubukho bukaThixo ngokusebenzisa imizekeliso enamandla. Emva kokuchaza ilizwe, imilambo, izijikelezi-langa neenkwenkwezi waphetha ngoku: “Ihlabathi ngowona msebenzi wobugcisa wenziwe ngobuchule kuyo yonke indalo, ngokungathi liyilwe ngumntu ofezekileyo nonolwazi olugqibeleleyo. Sesi sibakala ke esenza siqonde ukuba ukho uThixo.” Kusengqiqweni ngokwenene oku.—Roma 1:20.

Kodwa xa wayechaza uThixo uSomandla, uPhilo wacezela kude nenyaniso. UPhilo wathi uThixo “akanazimpawu zithile zimahlulayo” yaye “akanakuqondwa.” UPhilo wayigalela amanzi imigudu yokufuna ukwazi uThixo, esithi “ukuzikhathaza ngokufuna ukwazi iimpawu ezahlula uThixo budenge obungathethekiyo.” Le ngcamango ayiveli Bhayibhileni, kodwa kwisithandi-sobulumko sobuhedeni uPlato.

UPhilo wathi uThixo akanakuqondwa kangangokuba yinto engenakwenzeka kwaphela ukumbiza ngegama. Wathi: “Ngoko kwakufanelekile ukuba angabi nagama limfaneleyo anokubizwa ngalo lowo uyinyaniso uThixo ophilayo.” Oku kutenxe ngokupheleleyo!

IBhayibhile itsho phandle ukuba uThixo unegama lakhe lobuqu. INdumiso 83:18 ithi: “Wena, ogama linguYehova, nguwe wedwa Oyena Uphakamileyo phezu komhlaba wonke.” UIsaya 42:8 ucaphula uThixo esithi: “NdinguYehova. Lilo elo igama lam.” Kwakutheni ukuze uPhilo, umYuda ozaziyo ezi zibhalo zeBhayibhile afundise ukuba uThixo akanalo igama? Kungenxa yokuba wayengachazi uThixo wokoqobo ekuthethwa ngaye eBhayibhileni kodwa wayechaza uthixo ongenakwaziwa wentandabulumko yamaGrike.

Yintoni Umphefumlo?

UPhilo wafundisa ukuba umphefumlo wahlukile emzimbeni. Wathi umntu “ubunjwa ngumzimba nomphefumlo.” Ngaba umphefumlo unokufa? Phawula indlela akuchaza ngayo uPhilo oko: “Xa siphila, ngumzimba wethu ophilayo wona umphefumlo ufile yaye ungcwatywe emzimbeni, ngokungathi usengcwabeni. Kodwa xa sisifa [umzimba], wandula ke umphefumlo uphile, kuba uyakhululeka kubungendawo nomzimba ofileyo ovalelwe kuwo.” Wayesithi ukufa komphefumlo yinto yokomfuziselo. Kuye umphefumlo awufi ngokwenene, kuba awunakufa.

Kodwa, yintoni efundiswa yiBhayibhile ngomphefumlo? IGenesis 2:7 ithi: “Wandula ke uYehova uThixo wabumba umntu ngothuli lomhlaba waza wavuthela impefumlo yobomi emathatheni akhe, umntu ke waba ngumphefumlo ophilayo.” IBhayibhile ithi, abantu abanayo imiphefumlo; kodwa bayiyo imiphefumlo.

IBhayibhile ifundisa nokuba umphefumlo uyafa. UHezekile 18:4 uthi: “Umphefumlo owonayo—kuya kufa wona.” Ezi zibhalo sisinceda sibone ukuba: Umntu ungumphefumlo. Ngoko xa umntu esifa, umphefumlo uyafa.—Genesis 19:19.a

Emva kokufa kukaPhilo, amaYuda akazange amhlonele nganto. Kodwa, yona iNgqobhoko yamqhwabel’ izandla. UEusebius nezinye iinkokeli zeecawa bakholelwa ukuba uPhilo waguqukela kubuKristu. Kuluhlu lwakhe uJerome umchaza njengomnye wabaSeki beCawa. NgamaKristu angabawexuki, kungekhona amaYuda awayilondolozayo imibhalo kaPhilo.

Imibhalo yakhe yakhokelela kwiinguqulelo zonqulo. Impembelelo yakhe yenza abo bathi bangamaKristu bamkela imfundiso engekho Zibhalweni yokungafi komphefumlo. Imfundiso kaPhilo ephathelele uLogos (okanye, uLizwi) yakhokelela ekuveleni kukaBathathu Emnye, imfundiso yamaKristu angabawexuki engekhoyo eBhayibhileni.

Ningalahlekiswa

Ekufundisiseni kwakhe iZibhalo zesiHebhere, uPhilo waqinisekisa ukuba “akukho ntsingiselo ayishiyayo yento efuziselayo ekusenokwenzeka ukuba kukho nto ifihlakele kuyo.” Kodwa ngokutsho kweDuteronomi 4:2, uMoses wathi ngokuphathelele uMthetho kaThixo: “Nize ningongezi ezwini endiniyalela lona, yaye ninganciphisi kulo, ukuze niyigcine imiyalelo kaYehova uThixo wenu endiniyalela yona.” Phezu kwazo nje iinjongo ezintle awayenazo, ukongezelela kukaPhilo izinto eziqikelelwayo kwayigqumelela tu imfundiso ecacileyo yeLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo.

Umpostile uPetros wathi: “Akubanga ngokulandela amabali obuxoki ayilwe ngobuqhetseba esathi saniqhelanisa namandla nobukho beNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.” (2 Petros 1:16) Ngokwahlukileyo kwimibhalo kaPhilo, imfundiso kaPetros kwibandla lamaKristu okuqala yayisekelwe kwizibakala nakulwalathiso lomoya kaThixo, “umoya wenyaniso,” owawubakhokela kuyo yonke inyaniso.—Yohane 16:13.

Ukuba ufuna ukunqula uThixo ochazwa yiBhayibhile, kufuneka ufumane ulwalathiso lwenyaniso, kungekhona uqikelelo olusekelwe kwiingcamango zabantu. Kufuneka ube nolwazi oluchanileyo ngokuphathelele uYehova nentando yakhe, ibe kufuneka uthobeke ukuze ube ngumfundi onyanisekileyo. Ukuba ufunda iBhayibhile uneso simo sengqondo sifanelekileyo, uya kuyazi “imibhalo engcwele, enako ukukunika ubulumko obusa elusindisweni ngokukholwa kuKristu Yesu.” Uya kubona ukuba iLizwi likaThixo linokukwenza ‘uwufanelekele uze uwuxhobele ngokupheleleyo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo.’—2 Timoti 3:15-17.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

IDOLOPHU AWAYEHLALA KUYO UPHILO

UPhilo wahlala waza waxelenga eAleksandriya, eYiputa. Kangangeenkulungwane, eso sixeko saba likomkhulu leencwadi zehlabathi neengxubusho zeenkcuba-buchopho.

Abafundi babefundiswa ziinkcuba-buchopho ezaziwayo kwizikolo zaloo dolophu. Ithala leencwadi laseAleksandriya laba lelona lidumileyo ehlabathini. Laligcina amakhulu amawaka emibhalo njengoko abagcini beencwadi balapho babeqokelela yonk’ into ebhaliweyo.

Kamva, yaya iphela into yokuthandwa kweAleksandriya baphelelwa noovimba bolwazi lwayo. Abalawuli baseRoma babalaselisa esabo isixeko laza iziko lezithethe labaseYurophu. IAleksandriya yatshayelwa ngokupheleleyo kwinkulungwane yesixhenxe yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, xa soyiswa ngabahlaseli eso sixeko. Nanamhla oku, ababhali bembali basakukhalela ukulahleka kwelo thala laliyimbali, bambi bathi kwayibuyisela emva impucuko kangangeminyaka eli-1 000.

[Inkcazelo]

L. Chapons/Illustrirte Familien-Bibel nach der deutschen Uebersetzung Dr. Martin Luthers

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 12]

UKUTOLIKWA KWAMAZWI AFUZISELAYO NAMHLANJE

Amazwi afuziselayo adla ngokuba “ngamazwi achaza oko kufuziselwa ngamanani nezenzo ezichanileyo okanye ubukho babantu.” Imibhalo esebenzisa la mazwi kuthiwa ifuzisela izinto ezibalulekileyo ezifihlakeleyo. NjengoPhilo waseAleksandriya, abanye abafundisi bonqulo namhlanje basebenzisa amazwi afuziselayo ukuchaza iBhayibhile.

Qwalasela iGenesis isahluko 1-11, enengxelo ngembali ukususela ekudalweni kwabantu ukusa ekuchithachithweni kwabo kwinqaba yaseBhabheli. IThe New American Bible, inguqulelo yamaKatolika, ithi ngale nxalenye yeBhayibhile: “Ukuze inyaniso ekwezi zahluko iqondwe ngamaSirayeli kuphela abantu eyayibhalelwa bona, kwasetyenziswa amagama awayesaziwa ngawo kuphela ngelo xesha. Ngenxa yeso sizathu, eyona nyaniso imele iqondwe kakuhle ngokwendlela yawo yokuthetha.” Oku kuthetha ukuba iGenesis isahluko 1-11 ayimele ithatyathwe ngokoqobo. Kunoko, kanye njengokuba isinxibo (impahla) igquma umzimba, ngoko amazwi agquma eyona ntsingiselo yokwenene.

Noko ke, uYesu wafundisa ukuba ezo zahluko zeGenesis zithetha ngezinto zokoqobo. (Mateyu 19:4-6; 24:37-39) Umpostile uPawulos noPetros bazeka mzekweni. (IZenzo 17:24-26; 2 Petros 2:5; 3:6, 7) Abafundi abanyanisekileyo beBhayibhile bayazigatya iingcaciso ezingavumelani nalo lonke iLizwi likaThixo.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Inqaba enkulu yaseAleksandriya

[Inkcazelo]

Archives Charmet/Bridgeman Art Library