Yabhalwa Nini IBhayibhile?

IBhayibhile yincwadi eyahlukileyo. Abantu abangaphezu kweebhiliyoni ezintathu bayigqala njengencwadi engcwele. Kuthiwa yeyona ncwadi yakha yathengiswa kakhulu, kushicilelwa imibhalo eyi-6 000 000 000 (iphelele okanye iziinxalenye) ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwama-2 400.

NANGONA iBhayibhile iyeyona ncwadi iye yafundwa kakhulu embalini, ziwa ngokuwa izimvo mayela nexesha eyabhalwa ngalo, ngokukodwa iZibhalo zesiHebhere, ezidla ngokubizwa ngokuba yiTestamente Endala. Mhlawumbi ukhe wafunda ngazo koolindixesha nasezincwadini okanye uye wabona abaphengululi bethetha ngazo kumabonwakude. Ezi ngxelo zilandelayo zibonisa imbono ezikhoyo namhlanje.

▪ “Iincwadi zeBhayibhile zabhalwa ngenkulungwane yesibhozo ukuza kweyesithandathu Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo, okanye ngemihla yomprofeti uIsaya noYeremiya.”

▪ “Kangangeminyaka engamakhulu amabini abaphengululi beBhayibhile bebedla ngokucingela ukuba iBhayibhile yesiHebhere yabhalwa yaza yahlelwa ngexesha lamaPersi namaGrike (ukususela ngenkulungwane yesihlanu ukuya kwinkulungwane yesibini Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo).”

▪ “Zonke iincwadi zeBhayibhile zesiHebhere zabhalwa ngexesha lamaGrike (ukususela ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesi-2 ukuya kweyoku-1 [Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo]).”

UmKristu okholelwa ukuba “sonke iSibhalo siphefumlelwe nguThixo” ufanele azijonge njani ezi zimvo zibethabethanayo? (2 Timoti 3:16) Ukuze sifumane impendulo, makhe siwuhlole ngenxa zonke lo mbandela.

Ubalo Maxesha LweBhayibhile

IBhayibhile yesiHebhere inothotho lweziganeko. Ezi ziganeko zibonisa ukuba iincwadi zokuqala zabhalwa ngexesha likaMoses noYoshuwa malunga neminyaka engama-3 500 eyedlulayo.a USamuweli, uDavide, uSolomon nabanye bongeza ezinye iincwadi ngenkulungwane ye-11 Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ezi ncwadi zalandelwa zincwadi zembali, ezemibongo neziprofeto, ezisusela ngenkulungwane yethoba ukusa kweyesihlanu Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo.

Iziqwenga zezi ncwadi zeBhayibhile, ngaphandle kwencwadi kaEstere, iphakathi kweMisongo Yolwandle Olufileyo. Ubalo maxesha lwalo msongo nokufundwa kwemibhalo-ngqangi yakudala luyaqinisekisa ukuba owona msongo mdala wabhalwa malunga nowama-200 B.C.E. ukusa kowama-100 B.C.E.

Oko Kuthethwa Ngabahlalutyi

Esona sizathu sibenza bayithandabuze indlela yeBhayibhile yokubala ixesha kungenxa yokuba isithi iphefumlelwe nguThixo. Xa ethetha ngalo mba kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Old Testament Documents, uNjingalwazi uWalter C. Kaiser, Omncinane, uthi: “IBhayibhile iyamangaleleka kuba isithi yekaThixo, kwaye ithetha ngemimangaliso noThixo.” Abaphengululi abangakholelwayo ukuba iBhayibhile iphefumlelwe bathi ifanele ihlalutywe njengayo nayiphi na incwadi.

Kangangexesha elithile, imfundiso kaDarwin yokuzivelela kwezinto yasetyenziswa ukuchaza ukuba unqulo lwaqala lungantsonkothanga, lwaqala kunqulwa indalo kwanqulwa oothixo lwaza lwafikelela incopho ngokunqula uthixo omnye. Ekubeni iincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibhile zithetha ngokunqula uThixo omnye, abanye bathi zimele ukuba zabhalwa emva kwexesha ekuthiwa zabhalwa ngalo.

Ukususela ngelo xesha iBhayibhile iye yahlalutywa ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. Ngokomzekelo, isichazi magama seTestamente Endala esisandula ukupapashwa sinamanqaku agxeka indlela ebhalwe ngayo, imbali yayo, ukuchana kweengxelo zayo, indlela iingxelo zayo ezivisisana ngayo nenkcubeko yelo xesha.

Nangona abaphengululi bengavumelani ngexesha lokubhalwa kweBhayibhile, abaninzi bavumelana noluvo lukaNjingalwazi R. E. Friedman. Ubhala athi: “Ababhali bamandulo babebhala imibongo, izicatshulwa nemithetho ukutyhubela amakhulu eminyaka. Abahleli basebenzisa la maxwebhu. Aba bahleli bayisekela kuloo maxwebhu iBhayibhile.”

Incwadi ethi Faith, Tradition, and History ithetha ngala maxwebhu nangezinye iimbono zabantu ngeBhayibhile. Noko ke, xa ishwankathela ithi: “Nangona abaphengululi bevumelana ngokungayithembi iBhayibhile yaye bezithembile iingcamango zabo, abavumelani ngeembono zabo.”

Ubungqina Obuthethelela Amaxesha EBhayibhile

Iincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibhile zazibhalwe kwizinto ezonakalayo. Akukho ngqiqweni ukulindela ukufumana imibhalo yantlandlolo yexesha likaMoses, uYoshuwa, uSamuweli noDavide. Noko ke, sinako ukufunda ubungqina obungangqalanga, obubonisa ukuba ukwamkela amaxesha aseBhayibhileni kufanelekile njengokuba nabanye abaphengululi nabembi bezinto zakudala abahlonelwayo benjenjalo. Busixelela ntoni obu bungqina? Khawuhlole imizekelo embalwa.

▪ Ngaba lwalukhona uncwadi olubhaliweyo malunga nama-3 500 eminyaka eyadlulayo eMbindi Mpuma, njengoko iBhayibhile ibonisa, ngexesha likaMoses noYoshuwa? Yayikhona imibhalo yembali, eyonqulo, eyemithetho kwiMesopotamiya nakwiYiputa yamandulo. Kuthekani ngoMoses namaSirayeli? IDictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch ithi: “Asikho isizathu sokuthandabuza ukuba lwalusele lukhona uncwadi olubhaliweyo ngasekuzeni kuphela kweXesha LoBhedu [malunga nowe-1550 ukusa kowe-1200 Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo] kwaKanan.” Yolek’ umsundulo isithi: “Xa sijonga indlela yokubhala yamandulo, asikho isizathu sokuthandabuza ukuba ezi ncwadi zabhalwa nguMoses, kukwanjalo nangezinye.”—Eksodus 17:14; 24:4; 34:27, 28; Numeri 33:2; Duteronomi 31:24.

▪ Ngaba ababhali beBhayibhile bayisebenzisa imithombo yakudala? Ewe, abanye babebhekisela ‘ezincwadini,’ ekunokwenzeka ukuba zazingamaxwebhu aseburhulumenteni, iingxelo zemilibo, imbali namaxwebhu esizwe naweentsapho.—Numeri 21:14; Yoshuwa 10:13; 2 Samuweli 1:18; 1 Kumkani 11:41; 2 Kronike 32:32.

▪ Kutheni kungakhange kufunyanwe imibhalo yeBhayibhile emidala kuneMisongo Yolwandle olufileyo? Ulindixesha iBiblical Archaeology Review uthi: “Amaxwebhu ompapiri nofele awazange asinde ePalestina, awasindayo ngalawo akwimimandla eyinkqantosi kuphela kufutshane noLwandle Olufileyo. Ezi zinto kwakubhalwa kuzo zazisonakala xa zikumhlaba omanzi. Ukungafunyanwa kwawo, ke ngoko akuthethi kuthi awazange abekho.” Kuye kwafunyanwa amakhulu amatywina odongwe awayesetyenziswa ukutywina amaxwebhu. Amaxwebhu ompapiri nofele aye onakala ngenxa yokutsha okanye umhlaba omanzi, kodwa lawo odongwe aye asinda. La matywina asusela malunga ngenkulungwane yethoba ukuya kweyesihlanu Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo.

▪ Yalondolozwa njani imibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile? Incwadi ethi The Bible as It Was ithi: “Amabali, iindumiso, imithetho neziprofeto esizifundayo namhlanje eBhayibhileni zimele ukuba zakhutshelwa izihlandlo ezininzi, kwangexesha lokubhalwa kweBhayibhile. . . . Ukuba ezi ncwadi zazisoloko zikhutshelwa kwanangamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, kungenxa yokuba zazisetyenziswa; zazinendima ebalulekileyo kubomi babantu. . . . Akakho umntu owayenokukhuphela ezi ncwadi ngaphandle kwenjongo.”—Duteronomi 17:18; IMizekeliso 25:1.

Iincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibhile, kumele ukuba zakhutshelwa iminyaka eli-1 500 de yaba yinkulungwane yokuqala Yexesha Eliqhelekileyo. Incwadi ethi On the Reliability of the Old Testament ithi le nkqubo yokukhuphela ngokuchanileyo yayiquka “ukuhlaziya igrama nendlela yokubhala amagama, nto leyo eyayiqhelekile kuyo yonke iMpuma Ekufutshane yamandulo.”b Oku kusenza sibathandabuze abahlalutyi abagxeka indlela nesimbo sokubhala kwababhali.

Yabhalwa Nini IBhayibhile?

Ngaba kusengqiqweni ukuma ngelokuba ukungabikho kwemibhalo-ngqangi yemihla kaMoses, uYoshuwa, uSamuweli nabanye kubonisa ukuba iincwadi zeBhayibhile azizange zibhalwe ngexesha ekuthiwa zabhalwa ngalo? Abaphengululi abaninzi bayavuma ukuba ukungabikho kwale mibhalo-ngqangi akuthethi kuthi yayingekho. Xa kuthethwa inyani, mingaphi imibhalo eyenziwe ngezinto ezonakalayo eyayinokulondolozeka? Ngokomzekelo, isazi ngezinto zaseYiputa uK A. Kitchen uqikelela ukuba phantse onke amaxwebhu enziwe ngompapiri eYiputa ngaphambi kwamaxesha amaRoma namaGrike atshabalala.

Abo bayihlonelayo iBhayibhile banokuzibuza oku, ‘UYesu wayeyijonga njani iBhayibhile yesiHebhere?’ Imihla yokubhalwa kwayo yayingeyongxaki ngelo xesha. UYesu njengamanye amaYuda wayengenangxaki nobalo maxesha lweZibhalo. Ngaba wabamkela ababhali beencwadi zokuqala?

UYesu wayebhekisela kwimibhalo kaMoses. Ngokomzekelo wathetha ‘ngencwadi kaMoses.’ (Marko 12:26; Yohane 5:46) Wabhekisela kwingxelo ekwiGenesis (Mateyu 19:4, 5; 24:37-39); iEksodus (Luka 20:37); iLevitikus (Mateyu 8:4); iNumeri (Mateyu 12:5); neDuteronomi (Mateyu 18:16). Wathi: “Zonke izinto ezibhaliweyo ngam emthethweni kaMoses nakubaProfeti nakwiiNdumiso zimelwe kukuzaliseka.” (Luka 24:44) Ukuba wamamkela uMoses njengombhali weBhayibhile, ngokungathandabuzekiyo wakwamkela nokuchana kobalo maxesha lweBhayibhile yesiHebhere.

Yabhalwa nini iBhayibhile? Ngaba ubalo maxesha lweBhayibhile lunokuthenjwa? Siye sahlola izimvo zabaphengululi nenkcazelo eseBhayibhileni, nobungqina obungokwembali obungqinelana neBhayibhile, nembono kaYesu. Ngokusekelwe kwezi zibakala zingasentla, ngaba impendulo yakho iya kubonisa ukuba uvumelana noYesu owathi xa wayethandaza kuYise, uYehova uThixo: “Ilizwi lakho liyinyaniso”?—Yohane 17:17.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Isicangca/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 20-23]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

(Ubalo maxesha lubonisa iminyaka ezagqitywa malunga nayo iincwadi zeBhayibhile)

2000 B.C.E.

1800

[Umfanekiso]

Ababhali baseYiputa babesele bebhala ngaphambi kwexesha likaMoses

[Inkcazelo]

© DeA Picture Library/Art Resource, NY

1600

[Umfanekiso]

UMoses wayesele egqibile ukubhala iGenesis ngowe-1513 Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo, esebenzisa izinto ezonakalayo

Genesis 1513 B.C.E.

Yoshuwa

1400

1200

USamuweli

1000 B.C.E.

[Umfanekiso]

Amakhulu amatywina odongwe asekho

Ukususela ngowama-900 ukusa kowama-500 B.C.E.

UYona

800

UIsaya

600

UYeremiya

UDaniyeli

[Umfanekiso]

Uxwebhu lompapiri olusongiweyo, laza labotshwa ngentsontelo latywinwa ngetywina lodongwe

Ukususela kowama-449 B.C.E.

[Inkcazelo]

Imyuziyam yaseBrooklyn, umyolelo kaTheodora Wilbour ovela kwizinto zikayise, uCharles Edwin Wilbour.

400

200

[Umfanekiso]

Imisongo Yolwandle Olufileyo yayisongelwe kwilinen yaza yagcinwa kwiijagi. Yeyona mibhalo midala yeBhayibhile eye yafunyanwa

Ukususela kowama-200 ukusa kowe-100 B.C.E.

[Inkcazelo]

Shrine of the Book, Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem