“Babizela Ndawonye ISanhedrin”

UMBINGELELI omkhulu nabalawuli bamaYuda babexakiwe bengayazi eyona nto bamele bayenze. Yintoni ababenokuyenza ukuphelisa umbhodamo owawubangelwe nguYesu Kristu? Babephumelele ekumbulaleni, kodwa ngoku abafundi bakaYesu babeshumayeza abantu eYerusalem ngokuvuswa kwakhe. Babenokubavala njani umlomo? Ukuze enze isigqibo, umbingeleli omkhulu namahlakani akhe ‘wabizela ndawonye iSanhedrin,’ inkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda.—IZenzo 5:21.

Ngelo xesha, yayinguPontiyo Pilato, uMlawuli waseRoma owayetsal’ iintambo kwaSirayeli. Yayiqhubana njani iSanhedrin noPilato? Lalihamba liphele phi igunya layo? Yayakhiwe njani iSanhedrin? Kwaye yayisebenza njani?

Imvelaphi YeSanhedrin

Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “Sanhedrin” ngokoqobo lithetha ukuba “masihlale phantsi.” Libinzana elalisetyenziswa xa kuthethwa ngembizo okanye intlanganiso. Ngokwesithethe samaYuda, lalibhekisela kwisigqeba sonqulo esikhupha izigwebo, okanye inkundla.

Ababhali beTalmud, eyahlelwa kwinkulungwane emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-70 C.E., yayichaza iSanhedrin njengesigqeba esasikho kwamandulo. Babecingela ukuba yayibunjwe ngabaphengululi ababedibana ukuze baxubushe iinkalo ezithile zomthetho wamaYuda kwanokuba yayikho ukususela kwixesha uMoses awatyumba ngalo amadoda angama-70 awayeza kumncedisa ekukhokeleni amaSirayeli. (Numeri 11:16, 17) Ababhali-mbali bayaligatya olu luvo. Bathi iSanhedrin yenkulungwane yokuqala yabakho emva kokuba amaYuda ephantsi kwamaPersi. Kwakhona ababhali-mbali bathi akukho nto ibonisa ukuba izifundiswa zeTalmud zaziyimveliso yeSanhedrin kunoko zavela kwisigqeba senkulungwane yesibini neyesithathu soorabhi. Yabakho nini ke iSanhedrin?

IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba abathinjwa ababuyela kwaYuda bevela eBhabhiloni ngowama-537 B.C.E. babenombutho wesizwe. UNehemiya noEzra bathetha ngeenkosana, amadoda amakhulu, izidwangube namasekela-baphathi mhlawumbi esi yayisisiqalo seSanhedrin.—Ezra 10:8; Nehemiya 5:7.

Ixesha lokuqukunjelwa kweZibhalo zamaHebhere ukusa kwelokubhalwa kwencwadi yeVangeli kaMateyu yayilixesha lombhodamo kumaYuda. Ngowama-332 B.C.E., uAleksandire Omkhulu wathimba isixeko sakwaYuda. Emva kokufa kukaAleksandire, iphondo lakwaYuda lawela ngaphantsi kolawulo lweenjengele ezimbini zamaGrike—ekuqaleni umlibo kaPtolemy kamva yalulawulo lomlibo kaSeleucus. Kwiingxelo zolawulo lwenzala kaSeleucus, olwaqala ngowe-198 B.C.E., okwesihlandlo sokuqala kukhankanywa indlu yeengwevu yamaYuda. Kuyabonakala ukuba esi sigqeba sasinamagunya alinganiselweyo, kodwa amaYuda ayekwazi ukuzenzela izigqibo kwizinto ezithile.

Ngowe-167 B.C.E., uKumkani womlibo kaSeleucus uAntiochus IV wazama ukunyanzela amaYuda ukuba amkele inkcubeko yamaGrike. Wangcolisa itempile yaseYerusalem ngokubingelela ngehagu kuZeyus kwisibingelelo sayo. Esi senzo sabangela imvukelo eyakhokelela ekubeni iMaccabees zikhiqe ulawulo lomlibo kaSeleucus zaze zaseka ubukhosi beHasmonaean.a Kwangaxeshanye, ababhali nabaFarisi—ababexhasa le mvukelo beziinkokeli zabantu—bafumana izikhundla eburhulumenteni bengena kwizikhundla zababingeleli.

Yavela apho ke iSanhedrin njengokuba ichazwa kwiZibhalo zesiGrike. Yayiza kuba libhunga elilawula isizwe nenkundla ephakamileyo ecacisa umthetho wamaYuda.

Ukulungelelaniswa Kwamagunya

Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, iphondo lakwaYuda laliphantsi kwamaRoma. Noko ke, amaYuda ayenomlinganiselo othile wenkululeko. Yayiyinkqubo yamaRoma ukubanika umlinganiselo othile wenkululeko abantu abaphantsi kwayo. Ngenxa yoko amagosa amaRoma ayengazidubi ngamatyala asingathwa zinkundla zasekuhlaleni, kwaye ayeziphepha iingxaki ezinokubangelwa kukungafani kwenkcubeko. Injongo yayikukukhuthaza uxolo nokunyaniseka nokubavumela benze amasiko abo nokuba bazilawule ngokwabo. Ngaphandle kokumisela nokukhiqa umbingeleli omkhulu—owayengumongameli weSanhedrin—nokubiza imali yerhafu, amaRoma ayengenelela kwimicimbi yamaYuda xa kukho izinto ezibandakanya izilangazelelo negunya lawo. Njengokuba unokubona kwityala likaYesu, kuyabonakala ukuba amaRoma yayingawo kuphela awayenegunya lokukhupha isigwebo sokufa.—Yohane 18:31.

ISanhedrin yayilawula izinto ezichaphazela ubomi bemihla ngemihla bamaYuda. Yayinamagosa okubamba abantu. (Yohane 7:32) Iinkundla ezincinane zazithetha amatyala amancinane ngaphandle kwamaRoma. Xa ezo nkundla zingakwazi ukwenza isigqibo kwityala elithile, lalisisiwa kwiSanhedrin, isigwebo sayo sasingaphikiswa.

Ukuze ilondoloze amalungelo ayo iSanhedrin kwakufuneka igcine uxolo ize ixhase nolawulo lwamaRoma. Kodwa xa amaRoma erhanela ukuba kukho unyawo lwemfene, ayengenelela aze enze ngokubona kwawo. Elinye ityala akhe angenelela kulo yaba lelompostile uPawulos.—IZenzo 21:31-40.

Amalungu Enkundla

ISanhedrin yayinamalungu angama-71—umbingeleli omkhulu namadoda abalaseleyo angama-70. Ngexesha lamaRoma yayiyilwe zizidwangube zababingeleli (inkoliso yabo ingabaSadusi), izinhanha, nababhali behlelo labaFarisi. Izidwangube ezaziphuma kumlibo wababingeleli zixhaswa ngamadoda athile abalaseleyo, zazinempembelelo kule nkundla.b Ngoxa abaSadusi babesidla ngendeb’ endala, abaFarisi bona babengabantu abanengqondo evulekileyo nabaqhelekileyo ababenempembelelo enkulu ebantwini. Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali uJosephus, abaSadusi babezenza kuba benyanzelekile izinto ezifunwa ngabaFarisi. UPawulos wasebenzisa loo msantsa xa wayezithethelela phambi kweSanhedrin.—IZenzo 23:6-9.

Ekubeni iSanhedrin yayibunjwe zizidwangube amalungu ayo amele ukuba ayekhonza ngokusisigxina nezithuba ezithe zavela zazizaliswa ngokukhethwa ngamalungu akhoyo. Ngokutsho kweMishnah, amalungu ayo ayemele “abe ngababingeleli, abaLevi namaSirayeli aneentombi ezinokutshata nababingeleli,” amaYuda awayenokuba neengxelo zomlibo ezingqina ukuhlambuluka kwawo nemvelaphi yawo. Ekubeni inkundla ephakamileyo yayisongamela zonke iinkundla zamaYuda, kubonakala kusengqiqweni ukucingela ukuba amadoda azenzele igama kwinkundla ezisezantsi ayesenyuselwa akhonze kwiSanhedrin.

Amatyala Eyayinokuwathetha Negunya Layo

AmaYuda ayeyihlonela kakhulu iSanhedrin, kwaye kwakulindeleke ukuba abagwebi benkundla ezincinane basihlonele isigqibo sayo, kungenjalo babenokubulawa. Eyona nto yayizikhathaza ngayo le nkundla yayiziimfaneleko zababingeleli nezinto eziphathelele iYerusalem, itempile yayo nonqulo lwasetempileni. Ngeliphandle iSanhedrin yayithetha amatyala achaphazela elakwaYuda kuphela. Kodwa ke, ekubeni iSanhedrin yayigqalwa njengenegunya lokucacisa uMthetho, yayinempembelelo kuwo onke amaYuda nokuba aphi na. Ngokomzekelo, umbingeleli omkhulu nesigqeba sakhe wayalela iinkokeli zezindlu zesikhungo zaseDamasko ukuba zincedise ekubanjweni kwabalandeli bakaKristu. (IZenzo 9:1, 2; 22:4, 5; 26:12) Ngokufanayo amaYuda eze kwimithendeleko yaseYerusalem ayebuya nezaziso ezenziwe yiSanhedrin.

Ngokutsho kweMishnah, iSanhedrin yayinegunya lokulawula imicimbi ebalulekileyo yesizwe njengabagwebi abadelela izigqibo zayo nokugweba abaprofeti bobuxoki. UYesu noStefano bamangalelwa kule nkundla njengabanyelisi, uPetros noYohane njengabalahlekisa uhlanga, waze uPawulos yena wamangalelwa ngokutshabhisa itempile.—Marko 14:64; IZenzo 4:15-17; 6:11; 23:1; 24:6.

Isigwebo SikaYesu Nabafundi Bakhe

Ngaphandle kwangomhla weSabatha neentsuku ezithile ezingcwele, iSanhedrin yayidibana yonk’ imihla ukususela kwidini lakusasa de ibe ngumbingelelo wangokuhlwa. Amatyala ayethethwa emini kuphela. Ekubeni isigwebo sokufa sasingachazwa de kudlule usuku emva kwetyala, amatyala anjalo ayengamele athethwe ngosuku olwandulela iSabatha okanye umthendeleko. Amangqina ayeyalwa ngokungqongqo ukuba angaphalaz’ igazi elimsulwa. Ngoko ke yayingekho mthethweni into yokuthethwa kwetyala likaYesu ebusuku kwaKayafa ngaphambi komthendeleko. Ukuqwela apho, abagwebi baya kufuna amangqina obuxoki baze bacenga uPilato ukuba agunyazise ukubulawa kukaYesu.—Mateyu 26:57-59; Yohane 11:47-53; 19:31.

ITalmud ithi abagwebi abanegunya lokukhupha isigwebo sokufa, babeye bazame ukumsindisa ummangalelwa ngokubuphicotha ngenyameko ubungqina. Ukanti, uStefano, njengoYesu owayengaphambili alizange lithethwe kakuhle ityala lakhe. Ukuzithethelela kwakhe phambi kweSanhedrin kwaphumela ekubeni axulutywe ngamatye lihlokondiba. Ukuba kwakungazange kungenelele amaRoma, nompostile uPawulos ngewayebulewe ngendlela efanayo. Enyanisweni ke, abagwebi beSanhedrin babequlunqa iyelenqe lokumbulala.—IZenzo 6:12; 7:58; 23:6-15.

Noko ke, kuyabonakala ukuba kwakukho iqaqobana lamalungu alo nkundla awayewuhlonela umthetho. Mhlawumbi umlawuli oselula womYuda owayekhe wathetha noYesu wayelilungu leSanhedrin. Nangona le ndoda yathintelwa bubutyebi bayo, imele ukuba yayineempawu ezintle, kuba uYesu wayimema ukuba ibe ngumlandeli wakhe.—Mateyu 19:16-22; Luka 18:18, 22.

Ukoyika oogxa bakhe kumele ukuba kwenza uNikodemo, “umlawuli wamaYuda,” watyelela uYesu ngamathunz’ obumnyama. Ukanti, uNikodemo wamthethelela uYesu kwiSanhedrin ngokubuza oku: “Umthetho wethu awumgwebi umntu ngaphandle kokuba kuqala kuviwe kuye kuze kwaziwe oko akwenzayo, andibi kunjalo?” Kamva uNikodemo wakhupha “umqulu wemore nekhala” ukuze kulungiselelwe ukungcwatywa komzimba kaYesu.—Yohane 3:1, 2; 7:51, 52; 19:39.

UYosefu waseArimatiya, owayelilungu leSanhedrin, wacela umzimba kaYesu kuPilato waze wawungcwaba kwingcwaba lakhe elitsha. UYosefu “wayelinde ubukumkani bukaThixo,” kodwa, ekubeni wayesoyika amaYuda akazange aziveze ekuhleni njengomlandeli kaYesu. Into encomekayo eyenziwa nguYosefu kukuba akazange avote xa iSanhedrin yayiqulunqa iyelenqe lokubulala uYesu.—Marko 15:43-46; Mateyu 27:57-60; Luka 23:50-53; Yohane 19:38.

Ilungu leSanhedrin uGamaliyeli lacebisa oogxa balo ukuba babakhwelele abafundi bakaYesu. Wolek’ umsundulo wathi “kungenjalo nisenokufunyanwa okunene ningabo balwa nxamnye noThixo.” (IZenzo 5:34-39) Yintoni eyayisenza inkundla ephakamileyo ingaboni ukuba uYesu nabafundi bakhe babexhaswa nguThixo? Kunokuba iSanhedrin yamkele imimangaliso eyayisenziwa nguYesu yathi: “Yintoni na emasiyenze, ngenxa yokuba lo mntu wenza imiqondiso emininzi? Ukuba siyamyeka ngale ndlela, bonke baya kukholwa kuye, aze amaRoma eze ayithabathe indawo yethu nohlanga lwethu.” (Yohane 11:47, 48) Ukunyolukela igunya kwagqwetha umthetho wenkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda. Ngendlela efanayo, kunokuba zivuyisane nabantu abaphilisiweyo ngabafundi bakaYesu, iinkokeli zonqulo ‘zazaliswa likhwele.’ (IZenzo 5:17) Njengabagwebi, zazifanele zoyike uThixo nokusesikweni, kodwa inkoliso yazo yayinganyanisekanga.—Eksodus 18:21; Duteronomi 16:18-20.

Umgwebo KaThixo

Ngenxa yokuba amaSirayeli engazange awuthobele uMthetho kaThixo nokugatya kwawo uMesiya, ekugqibeleni uYehova wawagatya njengabantu abakhethekileyo. Ngowama-70 C.E., amaRoma asitshabalalisa isixeko saseYerusalem netempile yaso aza ayiphelisa inkqubo yezinto yamaYuda ibe ekugqibeleni yade yaphela iSanhedrin.

UMgwebi kaYehova omiselweyo, uYesu Kristu, nguye oya kugqiba ukuba ngawaphi na amalungu eSanhedrin enkulungwane yokuqala akufaneleyo ukuvuswa nokuba ngawaphi kuwo awaye ona nxamnye nomoya oyingcwele. (Marko 3: 29; Yohane 5:22) Sinokuqiniseka ukuba xa uYesu esenza izigqibo ezilolo hlobo uya kwenza ngokusesikweni.—Isaya 11:3-5.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]