“Masithelekise IZibhalo”
ENYE indoda yachola iphecana kuloliwe owawusiya kwisiXeko saseNew York. Kweli phecana kwakubhalwe oku: ‘Umphefumlo womntu uyafa.’ Le ndoda eyayingumfundisi yaba nomdla yaza yaqalisa ukulifunda. Yamangaliswa kuba ayizange ikhe iyithandabuze imfundiso yokungafi komphefumlo. Ngelo xesha, le ndoda yayingazi ukuba eli phecana libhalwe ngubani. Sekunjalo, yafumanisa ukuba oko kwakubhalwe kwelo phecana kusengqiqweni, kusekelwe eZibhalweni yaye yaziva ifuna ukulifunda.
Lo mfundisi yayinguGeorge Storrs. Oku kwenzeka ngowe-1837 yaye kwangaloo nyaka uCharles Darwin wabhala izimvo zakhe kamva ezaba yimfundiso yendaleko. Abantu abaninzi ngelo xesha babesazithanda izinto zonqulo yaye babekholelwa kuThixo. Abaninzi babeyifunda iBhayibhile yaye babeyigqala njengegunya.
Kamva uStorrs wafumanisa ukuba eli phecana lalibhalwe nguHenry Grew wasePhiladelphia, ePennsylvania. UGrew wayenamathele ngokungqongqo kumgaqo wokuba “isibhalo . . . sizicacisa ngokwaso.” UGrew namaqabane akhe babefunda iBhayibhile ngenjongo yokuvisisanisa ubomi nezenzo zabo, noko babekufunda. Bafumana iinyaniso zeZibhalo ezibangel’ umdla.
Iphecana elalibhalwe nguGrew, lamkhuthaza uStorrs ukuba ahlolisise oko iZibhalo zikufundisayo ngomphefumlo yaye wakuxubusha oku nabanye abefundisi. Emva kokufundisisa iminyaka emihlanu, uStorrs wagqiba ekubeni ayipapashe inyaniso yeZibhalo awayesandul’ ukuyifumana. Ekuqaleni, walungiselela intshumayelo enye awayeza kuyinikela ngeCawa ngowe-1842. Noko ke, wavakalelwa kukuba ufanele alungiselele iintshumayelo eziliqela ukuze ivakale kakuhle into awayeyithetha. Ekugqibeleni, waba neentshumayelo ezintandathu ezahlukahlukeneyo awazipapashayo ezithetha ngomphefumlo womntu yaye umxholo wazo wawusithi Six Sermons. UStorrs wayethelekisa izibhalo ukuze atyhile iinyaniso ezazigqwethwa ziimfundiso zeNgqobhoko ezinyelisa uThixo.
Ngaba IBhayibhile Ifundisa Ukuba Umphefumlo Awufi?
IBhayibhile ithi abalandeli bakaYesu abathanjisiweyo bavuzwa ngokungafi ngenxa yokuthembeka. (1 Korinte 15:50-56) UStorrs waqiqa ngelithi, ukuba ukungafi ngumvuzo wokuthembeka, abangendawo abanakuwufumana. Kunokuba azame ukufunisela, wahlolisisa iZibhalo. Wahlola uMateyu 10:28 ngokweKing James Version, othi: “Yoyikani lowo utshabalalisa umphefumlo kwanomzimba esihogweni.” Ngoko umphefumlo unokutshatyalaliswa. Wacaphula noHezekile 18:4, othi: “Umphefumlo owonayo kuya kufa wona.” (KJ) Inyaniso yacaca gca xa kuhlolisiswa iBhayibhile yonke. UStorrs wathi: “Ukuba le nkolelo ndinayo ngomphefumlo ichanile, nezinye iindinyana zeZibhalo ebezingacacanga kakuhle ngokuphathelele umphefumlo zitsho zacaca mhlophe yaye zinentsingiselo ngakumbi.”
Kodwa kuthekani ngezibhalo ezifana noYude 7? Uthi: “Kananjalo iSodom neGomora nezixeko ezazingakuzo, emva kokuba nazo ngohlobo olufanayo nabangaphambili zahenyuza ngokugqithiseleyo zaza zalandela inyama ngokuchasene nemvelo, zibekwe phambi kwethu njengomzekelo osisilumkiso ngokuva isohlwayo sesigwebo somlilo ongunaphakade.” Xa befunda le ndinyana, abanye basenokugqiba kwelokuba imiphefumlo yabo bafa eSodom naseGomora ithuthunjiswa emlilweni ngonaphakade. UStorrs wathi: “Masithelekise iZibhalo.” Emva koko wacaphula eyesi-2 kaPetros 2:5, 6, ethi: “Engazange ayeke nokohlwaya ihlabathi lamandulo, kodwa wagcina uNowa, umshumayeli wobulungisa ekhuselekile kunye nabanye abasixhenxe xa wazisa unogumbe phezu kwehlabathi labantu abangenabuthixo; yaye wazigwebela isohlwayo izixeko iSodom neGomora ngokuthi azifinyeze zibe luthuthu, emisela abantu abangenabuthixo umzekelo wezinto eziza kuza.” Ewe, iSodom neGomora zatsha zaba luthuthu, zatshatyalaliswa ngonaphakade, zona nabemi bazo.
UStorrs wathi: “UPetros usenza sicacelwe kakuhle yincwadi kaYude. Zombini ezi ndinyana zibonisa ingqumbo kaThixo nxamnye naboni. . . . Umgwebo wehlabathi lamandulo, iSodom neGomora usisilumkiso, okanye ‘umzekelo ongunaphakade’ kubo bonke abantu de kuse ekuphelisweni kwehlabathi.” Ngoko uYude wayebonisa ukuba ukutshatyalaliswa kweSodom neGomora ngomlilo kuya kuhlala kungumzekelo ngonaphakade. Oko akunanto yakwenza nesibakala sokuba umphefumlo womntu uyafa.
UStorrs akazange akhethe izibhalo ezixhasa imbono yakhe aze azigatye ezinye. Wayehlolisisa umongo wendinyana nganye awuthelekise neBhayibhile. Xa indinyana ethile ibonakala iphikisana nezinye izibhalo, uStorrs wayehlola iBhayibhile yonke ukuze afumane inkcazelo esengqiqweni.
Ukufundisisa KukaRussell IZibhalo
Phakathi kwabo baba ngamaqabane kaGeorge Storrs kwakukho nomfana owayeqokelele iqela labafundi beBhayibhile ePittsburgh, ePennsylvania. Igama lakhe yayinguCharles Taze Russell. Elinye lamanqaku akhe okuqala asekelwe eZibhalweni lapapashwa ngowe-1876 kwiphephancwadi elibizwa ngokuba yiBible Examiner, uStorrs owayengumhleli walo. URussell wavuma ukuba abafundi beBhayibhile bangaphambili baba nempembelelo kuye. Kamva, njengomhleli weZion’s Watch Tower, wayeluxabisa uncedo awayelufumana kuStorrs.
Xa wayeneminyaka eli-18 ubudala, uC. T. Russell waqokelela iqela labafundi beBhayibhile waza waqalisa inkqubo ethile elaliza kufundisisa ngayo iBhayibhile. UA. H. Macmillan, owayengumfundi weBhayibhile kunye noRussell, wathi xa echaza le nkqubo: “Omnye kweli qela wayebuza umbuzo. Uze loo mbuzo uphendulwe liqela lonke. Emva koko lalijonga zonke izibhalo ezinokuthanani naloo ngongoma, lakuba lanelisekile kukuba zonke ezo ndinyana ziyavisisana, lifikelele kwisigqibo lize lisibhale phantsi.”
URussell wayeyisekile kukuba xa iBhayibhile ihlolisiswa yonke, kumele kufunyanwe isigidimi esivisisanayo nesingqinelanayo noMbhali wayo. Xa kukho indinyana ethile yeBhayibhile ekunzima ukuyiqonda, uRussell wayevakalelwa kukuba ifanele icaciswe ngokufunda ezinye iindinyana zeBhayibhile.
Ukuthelekisa IZibhalo Kusekelwe EBhayibhileni
Noko ke, uRussell, uStorrs noGrew babengengabokuqala ukuthelekisa iZibhalo xa befuna ukucacelwa yindinyana ethile. Umntu wokuqala ukwenza oku nguMsunguli wobuKristu, uYesu Kristu. Wayesebenzisa izibhalo eziliqela xa efuna ukucacisa intsingiselo yendinyana ethile. Ngokomzekelo, xa abaFarisi babegxeka abafundi ngokukha izikhwebu zombona ngeSabatha, uYesu wacaphula eyoku-1 kuSamuweli 21:6 ukuze ababonise indlela osebenza ngayo umthetho weSabatha. Iinkokeli zonqulo zaziyazi ingxelo kaDavide namadoda akhe awatya izonka zokuboniswa. Emva koko uYesu wacaphula inkalo yoMthetho eyayibonisa ukuba ngababingeleli abayinzala ka-Aron kuphela ababefanele batye isonka sokuboniswa. (Eksodus 29:32, 33; Levitikus 24:9) Sekunjalo, kwathiwa uDavide makasitye eso sonka. UYesu waqukumbela incoko yakhe ngokucaphula incwadi kaHoseya ethi: “Ukuba nanikuqondile okuthethwa kukuthi, ‘Ndifuna inceba, kungekhona umbingelelo,’ ngeningakhange nibagwebele isohlwayo abo bangenatyala.” (Mateyu 12:1-8) Onjani ukuba mhle umzekelo wokuthelekisa izibhalo ukuze uqonde indinyana ethile!
Nabalandeli bakaYesu basebenzisa indlela efanayo yokuthelekisa izibhalo ukuze bacacise indinyana ethile. Xa umpostile uPawulos wayefundisa amaTesalonika, “waqiqa nawo ngeZibhalo, ecacisa yaye engqina ngeembekiselo ukuba kwakuyimfuneko ngoKristu ukubandezeleka nokuvuka kwabafileyo.” (IZenzo 17:2, 3) Nakwiincwadi zakhe eziphefumlelweyo, uPawulos wayevumela iBhayibhile ukuba izicacise. Ngokomzekelo, xa wayebhalela amaHebhere, wacaphula izibhalo ezininzi ukuze angqine ukuba uMthetho wawusisithunzi sezinto ezintle ezizayo.—Hebhere 10:1-18.
Ewe, abafundi beBhayibhile abanyanisekileyo ababephila ngenkulungwane ye-19 nasekuqaleni kweyama-20 babebuyela kwindlela eyayisetyenziswa ngamaKristu ngaphambili. Iphephancwadi IMboniselo lisaqhubeka lithelekisa izibhalo. (2 Tesalonika 2:15) AmaNgqina kaYehova asebenzisa lo mgaqo xa ehlalutya isibhalo.
Hlolisisa Umongo
Xa sifunda iBhayibhile, singawuxelisa njani umzekelo omhle kaYesu nabalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo? Okokuqala, sinokuhlola umongo wesibhalo esisifundayo. Umongo unokusinceda njani siqonde intsingiselo yeso sibhalo? Ngokomzekelo, masiqwalasele amazwi awathethwa nguYesu kuMateyu 16:28: “Inene ndithi kuni kukho abathile kwabo bemi apha abangayi kungcamla kufa konke konke de kuqala bambone uNyana womntu esiza esebukumkanini bakhe.” Abanye basenokucinga ukuba la mazwi akazange azaliseke kuba bonke abafundi bakaYesu ababekho xa wayewathetha bafa ngaphambi kokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bumiselwe emazulwini. IThe Interpreter’s Bible ithi ngale ndinyana: “Esi siprofeto asizange sizaliseke yaye kamva amaKristu abona kufanelekile ukuba achaze ukuba la mazwi ayebusafobe.”
Noko ke, umongo wale ndinyana kuquka nowengxelo efanayo kaMarko noLuka, usinceda siqonde eyona ntsingiselo yesi sibhalo. Wathini uMateyu emva nje kokuthetha la mazwi acatshulwe ngasentla? Wabhala: “Kwiintsuku ezintandathu kamva uYesu wathabatha uPetros noYakobi noYohane umntakwabo baza banyuka intaba ephakamileyo bebodwa. Yaye wenziwa kumila kumbi phambi kwabo.” (Mateyu 17:1, 2) UMarko noLuka nabo banxulumanisa amazwi kaYesu aphathelele uBukumkani nengxelo yokwenziwa kumila kumbi. (Marko 9:1-8; Luka 9:27-36) Ukuza kukaYesu ekumandla oBukumkani kwabonakaliswa ekwenziweni kwakhe kumila kumbi, ebonakala ekuzuko lwakhe phambi kwabapostile abathathu. UPetros uyakungqina oku xa ethetha ‘ngamandla nobukho beNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu’ ebhekisela kwisiganeko sokubona kwakhe uYesu esenziwa kumila kumbi.—2 Petros 1:16-18.
Ngaba Uvumela IBhayibhile Izicacise?
Kuthekani ukuba akusiqondi isibhalo esithile nasemva kokuba uye wahlolisisa wonke umongo? Into enokukunceda kukuthelekisa eso sibhalo nezinye izibhalo, ukuze ukwazi ukufumana imbono yeBhayibhile yonke. Enye into enokukunceda yiNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeZibhalo Ezingcwele, efumaneka iphelele okanye inxalenye yayo, ngeelwimi ezingama-57. Le nguqulelo inemibhalo eseludinini kwiphepha ngalinye. Imibhalo eseludinini ingaphezu kwama-125 000. “Intshayelelo” yeNew World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References ithi: “Xa uhlolisisa ngocoselelo imibhalo eseludinini kuquka imibhalo esemazantsi uya kufumanisa ukuba iincwadi zeBhayibhile ezingama-66 ziyavisisana, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba ziyila incwadi enye ephefumlelwe nguThixo.”
Masibone indlela imibhalo eseludinini enokusinceda ngayo siqonde indinyana ethile. Masithabathe umzekelo ka-Abram okanye ka-Abraham. Umbuzo ngulo: Ngubani owakhokelayo ekuphumeni kuka-Abram nentsapho yakhe eUre? IGenesis 11:31 ithi: “UTera wathabatha uAbram unyana wakhe noLote, . . . noSarayi umolokazana wakhe, . . . baza baphuma naye eUre yamaKhaledi baya kwilizwe lakwaKanan. Ethubeni bafika kwelakwaHaran baza bahlala khona.” Xa umntu efunda le ndinyana kuphela unokucinga ukuba nguyise ka-Abraham, uTera owakhokelayo. Noko ke, kwiNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha, ili-11 imibhalo eseludinini ebhekisela kule ndinyana. Owokugqibela kule mibhalo ziZenzo 7:2, apho sifunda ngesibongozo sikaStefano esasisiya kumaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala: “UThixo wozuko wabonakala kukhokho wethu uAbraham ngoxa wayeseMesopotamiya, ngaphambi kokuba ahlale kwaHaran, yaye wathi kuye, ‘Phuma kulo ilizwe lakowenu nakwizalamane zakho uze kwilizwe endiya kukubonisa lona.’” (IZenzo 7:2, 3) Ngaba uStefano wayephazama apha, ebhekisela kwixesha lokuhamba kuka-Abram kwaHaran? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo, kuba le ndinyana yinxalenye yeLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo.—Genesis 12:1-3.
Kutheni ke iGenesis 11:31 isithi “uTera wathabatha uAbram unyana wakhe” namanye amalungu entsapho yakhe baza baphuma eUre? UTera wayesengusolusapho. Wavuma ukuhamba noAbram ngaloo ndlela wanikwa imbeko yokufudusela intsapho yakhe kwaHaran. Xa sithelekisa ezi ndinyana zimbini, sikuqonda kakuhle oko kwenzekayo. UAbram wathethathethana noyise ngentlonelo emcela ukuba bafuduke eUre ngokuvumelana nomyalelo kaThixo.
Xa sifunda iZibhalo, sifanele sihlolisise umongo nembono yeBhayibhile iphela. Nasi isibongozo esiya kumaKristu: “Thina samkela, kungekhona umoya wehlabathi, kodwa umoya ovela kuThixo, ukuze sizazi izinto esizinikwe ngobubele nguThixo. Ezi zinto sikwazithetha, kungekhona ngamazwi afundiswa ngobulumko babantu, kodwa ngalawo afundiswa ngomoya, njengoko sidibanisa imibandela yokomoya namazwi okomoya.” (1 Korinte 2:11-13) Eneneni, sifanele sicele uYehova ukuba asincede siqonde iLizwi lakhe size sizame ‘ukudibanisa imibandela yokomoya namazwi okomoya’ ngokuhlola umongo wesibhalo size sisithelekise nezinye izibhalo. Ngamana singaqhubeka silifunda iLizwi likaThixo ukuze sifumane iinyaniso ezixabisekileyo.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 12]
Abafundi beBhayibhile benkulungwane ye-19 ababethelekisa izibhalo ukuze bafumane inkcazelo ngeSibhalo esithile: UGeorge Storrs, uHenry Grew, uCharles Taze Russell, noA. H. Macmillan
[Inkcazelo]
Ngasentla: SIX SERMONS, nguGeorge Storrs (1855); ezantsi kwayo: Collection of The New-York Historical Society/69288
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
Umpostile uPawulos wacaphula ezinye izibhalo ukucacisa oko wayekufundisa