Isibingelelo SoThixo Ongaziwayo
MALUNGA nowama-50 C.E., umpostile uPawulos watyelela elaseAthene, eGrisi. Apho wabona isibingelelo esasinikelwe kuthixo ongaziwayo yaye kamva oku wakukhankanya xa wayenikela ubungqina ngoYehova.
Eqalisa intetho yakhe kwiMars’ Hill, okanye eAreyopago, uPawulos wathi: “Madoda aseAthene, ndiyabona ukuba ezintweni zonke nibonakala ngathi nizinikele ngakumbi ekoyikeni izithixo kunokuba abanye benjalo. Ngokomzekelo, ngoxa bendidlula ndaza ndaqwalasela ngenyameko izinto zenu ezihlonelwayo ndifumene nesibingelelo ekubhalwe kuso kwathiwa ‘Kongaziwayo uThixo.’ Ngoko ke oko ninikela kuko uzinikelo lobuthixo ngokungazi, ndivakalisa kona kuni.”—IZenzo 17:22-31.
Nangona isibingelelo saseAthene singazange sifunyanwe, zikho izibingelelo ezifanayo kweminye imimandla yaseGrisi. Ngokomzekelo, isazi sejografi esingumGrike senkulungwane yesibini uPausanias wathetha ngezibingelelo ‘zoothixo Abangaziwayo’ ePhaleron engekude kuyaphi eAthene. (Description of Greece, Attica I, 4) Ngokutsho kwale ncwadi ifanayo, eOlympia kwakukho “isibingelelo soothixo Abangaziwayo.”—Eleia I, XIV, 8.
Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Life of Apollonius of Tyana (VI, III), umbhali ongumGrike uPhilostratus (malunga nowe-170 ukusa malunga nowama-245 C.E.) wathi eAthene “kukho nezibingelelo ezinikelwe koothixo abangaziwayo.” Yaye kwiLives of Philosophers (1.110), (malunga nowama-200 ukusa kowama-250 C.E.) uDiogenes Laertius wathi kwimimandla eyahlukahlukeneyo yaseAthene kukho “nezibingelelo ezingenamagama.”
Nawo amaRoma ayenezibingelelo zoothixo abangaziwayo. Kumfanekiso okhoyo apha usenokubona esasenziwe ngenkulungwane yokuqala okanye yesibini Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo sigcinwe ePalatine Antiquarium eRoma, eItali. Umbhalo waso wesiLatin ubonisa ukuba mhlawumbi sasinikelwe “kuthixo okanye kuthixokazi”—ibinzana “elifumaneka ngokufuthi kwimithandazo okanye kumazwi okunikezela abhalwa kumatye okanye kwimibhalo yeencwadi.”
Abaninzi abakamazi “uThixo owenza ihlabathi nazo zonke izinto ezikulo.” Kodwa njengokuba uPawulos waxelela abantu baseAthene, lo Thixo—uYehova—‘akakude kuye ngamnye wethu.’—IZenzo 17:24, 27.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 32]
Altar: Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma