Ngaba Umphefumlo Uyasinda Ekufeni?

“UMPHEFUMLO: Inxalenye yokomoya yomntu egqalwa njengesindayo emva kokufa nanjengefumana ulonwabo okanye inkxwaleko kwikamva.” (The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary) Ubukhulu becala iinkonzo ezininzi ziyavumelana nale nkcazelo. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Imfundiso esisiseko yokuba umphefumlo womntu awufi yaye uya kuqhubeka uphila emva kokufa komntu . . . ingundoqo kwintandabulumko yobuKristu nakwimfundiso yezakwalizwi.”

Ngoko, mhlawumbi kuya kukothusa ukwazi ukuba le nkolelo ingundoqo inemvelaphi yentandabulumko yobuhedeni. Kude kudala ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu, kwakukholelwa ukuba umphefumlo wawuyinto engenakubambeka neyayinokuphila ngokwahlukileyo emzimbeni. Ngaloo ndlela yayinokusinda ekufeni komzimba, iqhubeke iphila ikwimo yesithunzela, okanye umoya.

AmaGrike ayicacisa le nkolelo ngesigama sentandabulumko. USocrates, isithandi sobulumko esidumileyo samaGrike, uye wacatshulwa esithi: “Umphefumlo, . . . ukuba uphuma unyulu, ungaphumi nayo nayiphi na into eyeyomzimba, . . . ufudukela kwimeko enjengawo, yokungabonakali, engokobuthixo, yokungafi, neyobulumko, xa ufika apho uyonwaba, ukhululwe kwisono nobungendawo noloyiko . . . nabo bonke ububi babantu, uze . . . uphile ngokwenene kuse emaphakadeni kunye noothixo.”—Phaedo, 80, D, E; 81, A.

Asiyomfundiso YeBhayibhile

Ngoko, kwenzeka njani ukuba le nkolelo yobuhedeni ekukungafi komphefumlo ifundiswe kwiNgqobhoko nakubuYuda?

INew Catholic Encyclopedia iyisingela phantsi le nkolelo ngokuthi: “Ingcamango yokusinda komphefumlo emva kokufa ayicacanga kakuhle eBhayibhileni.” Bekuya kuba kokuchane ngakumbi ukuthi imfundiso yokungafi komphefumlo ayifumaneki konke konke eBhayibhileni! Loo ntyilalwazi iyavuma isithi: “Ingcamango yomphefumlo womntu ngokwayo ayifani kwiT[estamente] E[ndala] noko ikuko kwintandabulumko yamaGrike neyanamhlanje.”

Koko kufane kubizwe ngokuba yiTestamente Endala, igama lesiHebhere uneʹphesh, ngokuqhelekileyo eliguqulelwa ngokuthi “umphefumlo,” livela izihlandlo ezingama-754. Koko kufane kubizwe ngokuba yiTestamente Entsha, igama lesiGrike upsy·kheʹ, elikwaguqulelwa ngokuqhelekileyo ngokuthi “umphefumlo,” livela izihlandlo ezili-102. Xa sihlolisisa indlela la magama asetyenziswa ngayo eBhayibhileni, sifumana inkcazelo emangalisayo.

KwiGenesis 2:7 sifunda ukuba uThixo waphefumlela emathatheni ka-Adam impefumlo yobomi, waza uAdam “waba ngumphefumlo ophilileyo [neʹphesh ngesiHebhere,].” Phawula: UAdam akazange anikwe umphefumlo ophilileyo; waba nguwo. Ngamanye amazwi, uAdam osandul’ ukudalwa wayengumphefumlo! Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba iNew Catholic Encyclopedia iqukumbela ngokuthi: “Umphefumlo kwiT[estamente] E[ndala] awuthethi inxalenye yomntu, kodwa umntu ephela—umntu njengesidalwa esiphilayo.”

Ezinye izibhalo ziyakungqina oku. Ngokomzekelo, iLevitikus 7:20 (NW), ibhekisela ‘kumphefumlo osukuba usidla inyama yombingelelo woxolo.’ ILevitikus 23:30 ithi: “Wonke umphefumlo, osukuba usenza namnye umsebenzi.” IMizekeliso 25:25 ithi: “Ngamanzi abandayo emphefumlweni otyhafileyo iindaba ezilungileyo, ezivela ezweni elikude.” Ize INdumiso 105:18 isixelele oku: “Bazicinezela iinyawo zakhe ngamakhamandela, wafika umphefumlo wakhe esinyithini.” Ngoko ke, yintoni enokudla inyama, yenze umsebenzi, ihlaziywe ngamanzi, ize ifakwe nasesinyithini? Ngaba yinxalenye eyahlukileyo, yokomoya yomntu, okanye ngumntu ngokwakhe? Impendulo icacile.

Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, ukuba ngumphefumlo akuphelelanga emntwini kuphela. IGenesis 1:20 isixelela ukuba ngesinye isihlandlo sokudala, uThixo wathi: “Amanzi la makanyakazele inyakanyaka, imiphefumlo ephilileyo.” Ewe, kwaneentlanzi ziyimiphefumlo! Ngesinye isihlandlo sokudala, uThixo wabonisa ukuba “izinto ezizitho zine, nezinambuzane, nezinto eziphilileyo zomhlaba” ziyimiphefumlo!—Genesis 1:24; thelekisa iLevitikus 11:10, 46; 24:18; Numeri 31:28; Yobhi 41:21; Hezekile 47:9.

Ngoko ke, “umphefumlo” eBhayibhileni, awubhekiseli kwisiqu esithile sokomoya esingacacanga esithi siwushiye umzimba emva kokufa. Uthetha umntu okanye isilwanyana, okanye ubomi obo umntu okanye isilwanyana esibunandiphayo.

Kwenzeka Ntoni Emva Kokufa?

Ngoko, ngokucacileyo iBhayibhile iyaphikisana nengcamango yobuhedeni yokuba umntu unomphefumlo ongafiyo. Ucinga ukuba, ngubani owafundisa inyaniso kule nkalo? Ngaba zizithandi zobulumko zamaGrike ezingabahedeni okanye ngabantu bakaThixo bomnqophiso? Ngokuqinisekileyo, yayingabantu bakaThixo, awanikela kubo iLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo.

Noko ke, kusaphakama umbuzo othi, Yintoni eyenzekayo kumphefumlo emva kokufa? Ekubeni umphefumlo ungumntu, ngokucacileyo, umphefumlo uyafa xa umntu esifa. Ngamany’ amazwi, umntu ofileyo ungumphefumlo ofileyo. Oku kungqinwa luthotho lwezibhalo. “Umphefumlo owonayo, kuya kufa wona,” utsho uHezekile 18:4. KuBagwebi 16:30 (NW) sifunda oku: “Wandula ke uSamson wathi: ‘Umphefumlo wam mawufe namaFilisti.’” Ezinye izibhalo zibonisa ukuba imiphefumlo inokunqanyulwa (Genesis 17:14), ixatyelwe ngekrele (Yoshuwa 10:37, NW), ikrwitshwe (Yobhi 7:15), kwaye itshoniswe emanzini (Yona 2:5). Umphefumlo ongasekhoyo, okanye umphefumlo ofileyo, ngumntu ofileyo.—Levitikus 19:28; 21:1, 11.

Ngoko, iyintoni imeko yemiphefumlo efileyo? Ngokucacileyo, ukufa kusisichasi sokuphila. Zonke izivamvo zethu zikwimizimba yethu yokwenyama. Amandla ethu okubona, okuva, nawokucinga axhomekeke ekusebenzeni ngendlela efanelekileyo kwamehlo iindlebe, nengqondo yethu. Ngaphandle kwamehlo asinakubona. Ngaphandle kweendlebe asinakuva. Ngaphandle kwengqondo asinakwenza nantoni na. Xa umntu esifa, onke la malungu omzimba ayayeka ukusebenza. Asibikho.

Ngokuvisisana noku, INtshumayeli 9:5, 10 ithi: “Ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho . . . akukho kwenza, nakucinga, nakwazi, nakulumka kwelabafileyo [engcwabeni], apho uya khona wena.” Ngokufanayo, INdumiso 146:3, 4 ithi: “Musani ukukholosa ngamanene, ngonyana womntu, yena ungenalo usindiso. Uyaphuma umoya wakhe [amandla obomi], abuyele yena emhlabeni wakhe; ngaloo mini ayatshitsha amabhongo akhe.” Ngoko xa abantu (imiphefumlo) besifa, ababikho nje kwaphela.

Kwakuyimfundiso Yobuhedeni Kwaza Kwayimfundiso Esisiseko Yecawa

Abanye basenokubuza: ‘Kodwa ngaba iTestamente Entsha ayikufundisi kusini na ukungafi komphefumlo?’ Nakanye. INew Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma: “IT[estamente] E[ntsha] ivumelana ngokuthembekileyo ne[Testamente Endala] ngombandela wokufa.” Ngamany’ amazwi, “iTestamente Entsha” ifundisa ukuba umphefumlo uyafa. UYesu Kristu wabonisa ukuba wayengakholelwa ukuba umphefumlo awufi. Wabuza: “Okuvumelekileyo ngesabatha kukwenza okulungileyo, kukwenza okubi, kusini na? Kukusindisa, kukubulala [“umphefumlo,” NW], kusini na?” (Marko 3:4) Umpostile uPawulos ongumKritu ngokufanayo wahambisana nembono “yeTestamente Endala” yomphefumlo ngokucaphula iGenesis 2:7: “Ngokunjalo kubhaliwe kwathiwa, owokuqala uAdam waba ngumphefumlo odla ubomi.”—1 Korinte 15:45.

Ngoko, kwenzeka njani ukuba ingcamango kaPlato ibe yimfundiso esisiseko yecawa? IEncyclopœdia of Religion and Ethics, ngokubhalwa nguJames Hastings, iyacacisa: “Xa ivangeli yobuKristu yaphuma kwisango lendlu yesikhungu yamaYuda yangena kuBukhosi baseRoma, ingcamango yomphefumlo ngokusisiseko eyayiyeyamaHebhere yadluliselwa kwintandabulumko yamaGrike, aza wona ayibonda kanobom.” Abefundisi becawa benza umgudu wokwenza isigidimi sabo “siqondakale lula kumazwe aphantsi kwempembelelo yamaGrike,” ngokusebenzisa “isigama neengcamango zamaGrike,” ngokufanayo abefundisi bezakwalizwi bamaYuda baqalisa ukubonisa “impembelelo enamandla kaPlato” kwiincwadi zabo.—Encyclopœdia Judaica.

Ngaloo ndlela imfundiso yeBhayibhile engomphefumlo yatyeshelwa yaza yathatyathelw’ indawo yimfundiso ekucacileyo ukuba yeyobuhedeni. Oku akunakuze nangayiphi na indlela kuthethelelwe ngelokuba kuye kwabenza ubuKristu banomtsalane ngakumbi kuluntu ngokubanzi. Xa wayeshumayela eAtene, isazulu sempucuko yamaGrike, umpostile uPawulos akazange afundise imfundiso esisiseko kaPlato yomphefumlo. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, washumayela imfundiso esisiseko yobuKristu yovuko nangona uninzi lwabaphulaphuli bakhe abangamaGrike lwakufumanisa kunzima ukukwamkela oko wayekuthetha.—IZenzo 17:22-32.

Eneneni, umpostile uPawulos walumkisa ngako nakuphi na ukuxutywa kwenyaniso esekelwe eBhayibhileni nobuhedeni xa wathi: “Kunabudlelane buni na ke ukukhanya nobumnyama? Unakuvumelana kuni na ke uKristu noBheliyali?” (2 Korinte 6:14, 15) Alithandabuzeki elokuba ngokuvumela kweNgqobhoko imfundiso yobuhedeni ibe ngundoqo kwintandabulumko nakwimfundiso yayo yezakwalizwi, iye yazisa ugculelo kuThixo ngokwakhe!

Ithemba Ngabafi

Abantu banenkululeko yokukholelwa koko bakuthandayo. Sekunjalo, alinakuphikwa elokuba imfundiso esisiseko yokungafi komphefumlo ayikho ngokweZibhalo. Ngoko, ngaba abantu abanathemba lobomi emva kokufa?

Emva kokuba uYobhi ebuze lo mbuzo, “Ngaba [umntu] wophila kwakhona na?” (NW) wahlabela mgama enikela impendulo ephefumlelweyo. Wathi: “Ubungabizayo ke [Yehova], ndisabele mna, uwulangazele umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” (Yobhi 14:14, 15) Ewe, iBhayibhile ibathembisa ngovuko bonke abo bakwinkumbulo kaThixo. Uyakulangazelela ukubuyisela ebomini abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo, abanjengoYobhi! UKristu Yesu wabuqinisekisa ubunyaniso beli themba, esithi: “Musani ukumangaliswa kuko oko; ngokuba kuza ilixa abaya kuthi ngalo bonke abasemangcwabeni [“enkumbulo,” NW] balive ilizwi lakhe; baphume ke: abo benza izinto ezilungileyo beze eluvukweni lobomi; nabo ke benza izinto ezimbi, beze eluvukweni lokugwetywa.”—Yohane 5:28, 29.

Xa ixesha lokuzaliseka kweso siprofeto lifika, uIsaya 25:8 uthembisa ukuba, uThixo ‘uya kuginya ukufa kuphele.’ Oku kuthetha ihlabathi ekuya kuthi kulo, njengoko ISityhilelo 21:4 sichaza, “kungabi sabakho kufa.” Ubungathanda na ukuphila kwihlabathi apho kungekho mingcwabo okanye zindlu zabangcwabi, kungekho matye amangcwaba okanye mangcwaba, kungekho zinyembezi ezibangelwa bubuhlungu kodwa kukho iinyembezi zovuyo kuphela?

Liyinyaniso elokuba, usenokuba ukhuliswe ukholelwa kwimfundiso esisiseko yokungafi komphefumlo. Kodwa ngokufundisisa iBhayibhile, usenokwakha ukholo kwizithembiso zeBhayibhile ezikhululayo.a Usenokufunda noko umele ukwenze ukuze udle ilifa oko kuthenjiswa yiBhayibhile, ingekuko ukusinda njengomphefumlo ongafiyo, kodwa ukufumana “ubomi obungunaphakade” kwiParadisi esemhlabeni!—Yohane 17:3; Luka 23:43, NW.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]