ISabatha

Ingcaciso: Igama elithi sabatha lithatyathwe kwelesiHebhere elithi sha·vathʹ, elithetha “ukuphumla, ukuyeka, ukunqumama.” Inkqubo yesabatha eyayiyilwe kuMthetho kaMoses yayiquka usuku lweeveki ngeeveki lweSabatha, iqela leentsuku ezithile ezongezelelekileyo ezazikho nyaka ngamnye, kunyaka wesixhenxe, nakunyaka wamashumi amahlanu. ISabatha yeeveki ngeeveki yamaYuda, usuku lwesixhenxe lweveki ngokwekhalenda yawo, luqalisa ekutshoneni kwelanga ngoLwesihlanu de kube sekutshoneni kwelanga ngoMgqibelo. Abantu abaninzi abathi bangamaKristu ngokwesithethe baye bagcina iCawa njengosuku lwabo lokuphumla nelokunqula; abanye baye banamathela kusuku olubekelwe bucala kwikhalenda yamaYuda.

Ngaba amaKristu aphantsi kwemfanelo yokugcina usuku lwesabatha yeeveki ngeeveki?

Eks. 31:16, 17: “Oonyana bakaSirayeli mabayigcine ke isabatha, bayenze isabatha kwizizukulwana zabo: ingumnqophiso ongunaphakade [“wexesha elingasikelwanga mda,” NW]. Phakathi kwam noonyana bakaSirayeli, ngumqondiso ongunaphakade [ongasikelwanga mda].” (Phawula ukuba ukwenziwa kwesabatha kwakungumqondiso phakathi koYehova noSirayeli; oku kwakungayi kuba njalo ukuba wonke umntu wayekwanemfanelo yokugcina iSabatha. Igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “unaphakade” kwiBX lelithi ‛oh·lamʹ, ngokusisiseko elithetha ithuba lexesha elithi, ngokwembono yangoku, libe lelingasikelwanga mda okanye elingabonakaliyo kodwa elilithuba elide. Oko kunokuthetha unaphakade, kodwa akunyanzelekanga ukuba kube njalo. KwiNumeri 25:13, kwaeli gama lesiHebhere lisetyenzisiwe kububingeleli, obathi kamva baphela, ngokutsho kwamaHebhere 7:12.)

Roma 10:4: “Intsingiselo yomthetho nguKristu, ukuze abe bubulungisa kubo bonke abakholwayo.” (Ukugcina isabatha kwakuyinxalenye yaloo Mthetho. UThixo wasebenzisa uKristu ukuze aphelise loo Mthetho. Ukufumana kwethu ukuma okububulungisa noThixo kuxhomekeke ekukholweni kuKristu, kungekhona ekugcineni isabatha yeeveki ngeeveki.) (KwanamaGalati 4:9-11; Efese 2:13-16)

Kol. 2:13-16: “[UThixo] enixolele zonke iziphoso. Ewucimile umbhalo wesandla owalana nathi, owawumelene nathi ngayo imimiselo, . . . Makungabikho mntu ngoko unigwebayo ngento edliwayo, nangento eselwayo, nangendawo yomthendeleko, nangenyanga ethwasileyo, nangeesabatha.” (Ukuba umntu wayephantsi koMthetho kaMoses ibe egwetyiwe ngenxa yokuba netyala lokungcolisa iSabatha, wayemele axulutywe ngamatye lilo lonke ibandla, ngokutsho kwe-Eksodus 31:14 neNumeri 15:32-35. Abaninzi abathethelela ukugcinwa kwesabatha bamele bavuye kuba singekho phantsi kwaloo Mthetho. Njengoko kuboniswe kwisibhalo esicatshulwe apha, ukuma okukholekileyo noThixo akusafuni ukuba kugcinwe imfuneko yesabatha eyanikelwa kuSirayeli.)

Kwenzeka njani ukuba iCawa ibe lusuku oluphambili lokunqula kuninzi lwabantu beNgqobhoko?

Nangona uKristu wayevuswe ngosuku lokuqala lweveki (ngoku olubizwa ngokuba yiCawa), iBhayibhile ayiqulathanga myalelo wokuba lubekelwe bucala olo suku lweveki njengolungcwele.

“Ukukhunjulwa kwegama elidala lobuHedeni elithi ‘Dies Solis,’ okanye ‘iCawa,’ kumsitho wamaKristu weeveki ngeeveki, ngokomlinganiselo omkhulu, kubangelwa kukumanyana kwabaHedeni [nokufane kuthiwe] ngamaKristu olwathi usuku lokuqala lweveki lwanconyelwa nguConstantine [kummiselo wowama-321 C.E.] ‘njengosuku lokuhlonelwa kweLanga’ ngabalawulwa bakhe, abaHedeni namaKristu. . . . Le yayiyindlela yokuvisisanisa iinkonzo ezaziphantsi koBukhosi nezazingavisisani ukuze zibe phantsi komgaqo omnye ofanayo.”—Lectures on the History of the Eastern Church (New York, 1871), A. P. Stanley, iphe. 291.

Ngaba imfuneko yokugcinwa kwesabatha yayinikelwe kuAdam yaza ngaloo ndlela yenziwa yaba yebopha yonke inzala yakhe?

UYehova uThixo waphumla kwimisebenzi yakhe ebonakalayo, indalo yasemhlabeni emva kokulungiselela umhlaba ukuba umiwe ngabantu. Oku kuchazwe kwiGenesis 2:1-3. Kodwa akukho nto kwingxelo yeBhayibhile ethi uThixo wayalela uAdam ukugcina usuku lwesixhenxe lweveki nganye njengesabatha.

Dut. 5:15: “Ukhumbule [Sirayeli] ukuba ube ulikhoboka ezweni laseYiputa, wakukhupha khona uYehova uThixo wakho ngesandla esithe nkqi, nangengalo eyolukileyo; ngenxa yoko ukuwisele umthetho uYehova uThixo wakho, ukuba uwugcine umhla wesabatha.” (Apha uYehova unxibelelanisa ukunikela kwakhe umthetho wesabatha nokuhlangulwa kukaSirayeli kubukhoboka baseYiputa, akakunxibelelanisi neziganeko zase-Eden.)

Eks. 16:1, 23-29: “Lonke ibandla loonyana bakaSirayeli . . . lafika entlango yaseSin, . . . ngosuku lweshumi elinesihlanu lwenyanga yesibini yokuphuma kwabo ezweni laseYiputa. . . . [UMoses] wathi kuzo, Yiyo loo nto ayithethileyo uYehova, Ngomso luphumlo; yisabatha engcwele kuYehova; . . . [Imana] noyibutha imihla emithandathu; ngomhla wesixhenxe yisabatha; ayi kubakho ngawo. . . . Wathi uYehova kuMoses, . . . Niyabona ke, uYehova uninike isabatha.” (Ngaphambi koku, iiveki zazisahlulwa zibe ziintsuku ezisixhenxe inye, kodwa oku kwakukokokuqala ukuba kuthethwe ngokugcinwa kwesabatha.)

Ngaba uMthetho kaMoses wahlulwe waba ziinxalenye “ezingokomsitho” “nezingokokuziphatha,” ibe ngaba “umthetho wokuziphatha” (IMithetho Elishumi) uyasebenza kumaKristu?

Ngaba uYesu wabhekisela kuMthetho ngendlela ebonisa ukwahlulwa kwawo ube ziinxalenye ezimbini?

Mat. 5:17, 21, 23, 27, 31, 38: “Ningabi ndize kuchitha umthetho, nokuba ngabaprofeti; andize kuchitha, ndize kuzalisekisa.” Ke, khawuphawule oko uYesu wakuqukayo kumagqabaza akhe abhekele phaya. “Nivile ukuba kwathiwa kumanyange, Uze ungabulali [Eks. 20:13; uMthetho Wesithandathu]; . . . Ngoko xa sukuba uwusondeza umnikelo wakho esibingelelweni [Dut. 16:16, 17; lowo asiyonxalenye yeMithetho Elishumi], . . . Nivile ukuba kwathiwa kumanyange, Uze ungakrexezi [Eks. 20:14; uMthetho Wesixhenxe]. Kwathiwa ke, Othe wamala umfazi wakhe, makamnike incwadi yokwahlukana [Dut. 24:1; lowo asiyonxalenye yeMithetho Elishumi]. Nivile ukuba kwathiwa, Iliso maliphindezelwe ngeliso, nezinyo ngezinyo [Eks. 21:23-25; lowo asiyonxalenye yeMithetho Elishumi].” (Ngoko, uYesu wayidibanisa iMithetho Elishumi nezinye iinxalenye zoMthetho, engenzi mahluko phakathi kwayo. Ngaba ke thina simele siyiphathe ngokwahlukileyo?)

Xa uYesu wabuzwa oku, “Mfundisi, owona myalelo mkhulu emthethweni nguwuphi na?” ngaba wayibekela bucala iMithetho Elishumi? Kunoko, waphendula ngelithi: “Uze uyithande iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nangomphefumlo wakho uphela, nangengqondo yakho iphela. Nguwo lowo owokuqala nomkhulu umthetho. Owesibini ke ufana nawo: Uze umthande ummelwane wakho ngoko uzithanda ngako. Kule mithetho yomibini kuxhomekeke umyalelo uphela nabaprofeti.” (Mat. 22:35-40) Ukuba abathile babambelela kwiMithetho Elishumi (Dut. 5:6-21), besithi iyasebenza kumaKristu kodwa eminye ayisebenzi, abathi na ngokwenene bachase oko uYesu wakuthethayo (xa wayecaphula iDut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18) ngokubhekisele kwinto yokuba yiyiphi na imithetho eyiyeyona mikhulu?

Xa ithetha ngokudlula koMthetho kaMoses, ngaba iBhayibhile ngokungqalileyo ithi iMithetho Elishumi yayiqukiwe koko kwaphelayo?

Roma 7:6, 7: “Ke ngoku sikhululwe thina kuwo uMthetho, safayo nje kwesasibanjwe kuko, . . . Sithini na ke? Umthetho usisono na? Nakanye! Ke ngendingasazanga isono, ukuba bekungengamthetho; kuba nenkanuko ngendingayazanga, ukuba umthetho ubungatshongo ukuthi, Uze ungakhanuki.” (Apha, emva nje kokubhala ukuba amaKristu angamaYuda ‘ayekhululwe eMthethweni,’ nguwuphi umzekelo oseMthethweni uPawulos awuchazayo? NguMthetho Weshumi, ngaloo ndlela ebonisa ukuba wawuqukiwe kuMthetho ababekhululwe kuwo.)

2 Kor. 3:7-11: “Ukuba ulungiselelo olo lubulalayo, lukroliweyo ematyeni ngombhalo, lweza lunobuqaqawuli, ngokude oonyana bakaSirayeli bangabi nakuqwalasela ebusweni bukaMoses, ngenxa yobuqaqawuli bobuso bakhe, ubuqaqawuli ke obebuza kubhanga: lungathini na ulungiselelo lwakhe uMoya, ukungabi nobuqaqawuli ngokugqithiseleyo? . . . Kuba xa oko bekuza kubhanga kunobuqaqawuli, kokukhona oku kuhleliyo kunobuqaqawuli.” (Apha kuthethwa ngomthetho ‘okroliweyo ematyeni ngombhalo’ ibe kuthiwa ‘oonyana bakaSirayeli babengenakuqwalasela ebusweni bukaMoses’ ngesihlandlo sokunikelwa kwawo kuwo. Yintoni echazwa koku? IEksodus 34:1, 28-30 ibonisa ukuba oku kwakusekunikelweni kweMithetho Elishumi; le yayiyimithetho eyayikrolwe elityeni. Ngokucacileyo le mithetho iqukiwe koko isibhalo apha sithi ‘kwakuza kubhanga.’)

Ngaba ukubhangiswa koMthetho kaMoses, kuquka iMithetho Elishumi, kuthetha ukushenxiswa kwayo yonke imiqathango yokuziphatha?

Akunjalo konke konke; uninzi lwemilinganiselo yokuziphatha eyandlalwe kwiMithetho Elishumi yaphinde yachazwa kwiincwadi eziphefumlelweyo zeZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. (Noko ke, awuzange uphindwe uchazwe umthetho wesabatha.) Kodwa kungakhathaliseki indlela olunge ngayo umthetho, lo gama nje utyekelo lwesono lulawula iinkanuko zomntu, uza kuchaswa. Noko ke, ngokubhekisele kumnqophiso omtsha, othabathele indawo umnqophiso woMthetho, amaHebhere 8:10 athi: “Ngokuba nangu wona umnqophiso, endiya kuwenzela indlu kaSirayeli emva kwaloo mihla, itsho iNkosi: Ndiya kuthi, ndiyibeke imithetho yam engqondweni yabo, ndiyibhale ezintliziyweni zabo, ndibe nguThixo kubo, nabo babe ngabantu kum.” Hayi indlela enemiphumo ngakumbi ngayo imithetho enjalo kunaleyo yayikrolwe ematyeni!

Roma 6:15-17: “Kuthiweni na ngoko? Sone na, kuba singephantsi kwamthetho, siphantsi kobabalo? Nakanye! Anazi na ukuba lowo nizinikela kuye ukuba ngabakhonzi bokumlulamela, ningabakhonzi ngoku kulowo nimlulamelayo: Nokokuba ningabesono, nisingise ekufeni, nokokuba ningabolulamo, nisingise ebulungiseni? Makubulelwe ke kuThixo, ukuba nithe, beningabakhonzi besono, nawululamela ngokwentliziyo umfuziselo wemfundiso enanikelwayo kuwo.” (Bona kwanamaGalati 5:18-24.)

ISabatha yeeveki ngeeveki inayiphi intsingiselo kumaKristu?

Kukho ‘ukuphumla okungokwesabatha’ amaKristu akufumanayo mihla le

AmaHebhere 4:4-11 athi: “[UThixo] wakha wathetha ngawo [kwiGenesis 2:2] umhla wesixhenxe, ukuthi, Waza waphumla uThixo ngawo umhla wesixhenxe kuyo yonke imisebenzi yakhe; athi kule [INdumiso 95:11] kananjalo, Unakanye ukuba bokha bangene ekuphumleni kwam. Ekubeni ngoko kusalindeleke ukuthi kubekho bathile bangenayo kuko, baye abo, bashunyayezwayo iindaba ezilungileyo kuqala, bengangenanga ngenxa yokungeva: ubuya amise mini ithile, esithi ngoDavide, [kwiNdumiso 95:7, 8], Namhlanje, emveni kwexesha elingakanana; njengokuba kuthiwe, Namhla, ukuba nithe naliva ilizwi lakhe, Musani ukuzenza lukhuni iintliziyo zenu. Kuba uYoshuwa, ukuba ubebaphumzile, ange engabuyanga athethe ngawo omnye umhla. Ngoko ke abantu bakaThixo balindwe luphumlo olunjengolwesabatha. Kuba lowo ungeneyo ekuphumleni kwakhe, naye ngokwakhe uphumle kuyo imisebenzi yakhe, njengoThixo kweyeyakhe. Masikhuthalele ngoko ukungena koko kuphumla, ukuze kungabikho namnye ubuya eyele kwakuloo mzekelo wokungeva.”

AmaKristu apha abongozelwa ukuba aphumle entwenini? ‘Kwimisebenzi yawo.’ Yiphi imisebenzi? Imisebenzi awayesithi ngaphambili akufune ngayo ukuzingqina engamalungisa. Akasakholelwa ukuba anokuba ngakholisekileyo kuThixo aze azuze ubomi obungunaphakade ngokuthobela imithetho ethile nezikhumbuzo. Leyo yayiyimpazamo eyenziwa ngamaYuda angathembekanga awathi, ‘ngokufuna ukumisa obawo ubulungisa, akabululamela ubulungisa bukaThixo.’ (Roma 10:3) AmaKristu okwenyaniso ayaqonda ukuba thina sonke sazalwa singaboni nokuba kuphela kungokholo kwidini likaKristu anokuthi nabani na abe nokuma okububulungisa noThixo. Azabalazela ukuzithabathela entliziyweni aze azisebenzise zonke iimfundiso zoNyana kaThixo. Ngokuthobekileyo ayasamkela isiluleko nesohlwayo esivela kwiLizwi likaThixo. Oku akuthethi ukuba acinga ukuba anokuzenza abe ngakholisekileyo ngale ndlela; kunoko, akwenzayo kuyimbonakaliso yothando nokholo lwawo. Ngekhondo lobomi obulolo hlobo ayakuphepha ‘ukungeva’ kohlanga lwamaYuda.

‘Umhla wesixhenxe,’ ekubhekiselwe kuwo kwiGenesis 2:2, yayingengomhla nje wama-24 eeyure. (Bona iphepha 103, 104, phantsi komxholo othi “InDalo.”) Ngokufanayo, “uphumlo olunjengolwesabatha” olufunyanwa ngamaKristu okwenyaniso alupheleliselwanga kusuku oluneeyure ezingama-24. Ngokuba nokholo nokuthobela isiluleko seBhayibhile, anokulunandipha imihla ngemihla, ibe aya kwenjenjalo ngokukhethekileyo kwinkqubo entsha kaThixo.

Kukho uphumlo ‘lwesabatha’ yeminyaka eliwaka olungaphambili koluntu

Marko 2:27, 28: “[UYesu] wayesithi kubo, iSabatha le yabakho ngenxa yomntu, asingumntu owabakhoyo ngenxa yesabatha. Ngoko ke uNyana woMntu lo uyiNkosi yayo nesabatha.”

UYesu wayesazi ukuba uYehova wayemisele iSabatha njengomqondiso phakathi koThixo noSirayeli, ibe injongo yayo yayikukuwakhulula kwimisebenzi yawo. Kwakhona uYesu wayeqonda ukuba ukufa kwakhe kwakuza kubangela kubekho isizinzi sokushenxiswa koMthetho kaMoses njengoko ukuzaliseka kwawo kwafunyanwa kuye. Wayeqonda ukuba uMthetho, owawunemfuneko yawo yesabatha, ‘wawunesithunzi nje sezinto ezilungileyo eziza kubakho.’ (Heb. 10:1; Kol. 2:16, 17) Ngokubhekisele kwezo ‘zinto zilungileyo’ kukho “isabatha” yena aza kuba yiNkosi yayo.

NjengeNkosi yeenkosi, uKristu uya kulawula kuwo wonke umhlaba kangangeminyaka eliwaka. (ISityhi. 19:16; 20:6; INdu. 2:6-8) Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni, ngenceba uYesu wenza eminye yemisebenzi yakhe eyiyeyona imangalisayo yokuphilisa ngeSabatha, ngaloo ndlela ebonakalisa uhlobo lwenkululeko eya kuluzisa ebantwini abaphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga ebudeni boLawulo lwakhe Lweminyaka Eliwaka. (Luka 13:10-13; Yoh. 5:5-9; 9:1-14) Abo bayiqondayo intsingiselo yokwenene yeSabatha baya kuba nethuba lokungenelwa nakuphumlo ‘lwesabatha.’

Ukuba Ubani Uthi—

‘AmaKristu amele ayigcine iSabatha’

Usenokuphendula uthi: ‘Makhe ndikubuze ukuba kungani uvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela nje?’ Mhlawumbi usenokongeza uthi: ‘Okuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngayo ngokuqinisekileyo kumele kulawule indlela esicinga ngayo ngalo mbandela, akunjalo na? . . . Kukho izibhalo ezithile zeBhayibhile endizifumanise ziluncedo kulo mbandela. Ndicela ukuba undivumele ndikubonise zona. (Yandula ke usebenzise amacandelo afanelekileyo ombandela okumaphepha awandulelayo.)’

‘Kutheni le nto ningayigcini nje iSabatha?’

Usenokuphendula uthi: ‘Impendulo yam inokuxhomekeka ekuthini yiyiphi na iSabatha oyicingayo. Ubusazi na ukuba iBhayibhile ithetha ngeesabatha eziliqela? . . . UThixo wanikela imithetho yesabatha kumaYuda. Kodwa ubusazi na ukuba iBhayibhile ithetha ngohlobo olwahlukileyo lwesabatha amaKristu amele ayigcine?’ Mhlawumbi usenokongeza uthi: (1) ‘Asigcini suku lunye evekini njengeSabatha kuba iBhayibhile ithi loo mfuneko ‘yayiza kubhanga.’ (2 Kor. 3:7-11; bona amagqabaza angalo mbandela kwiphepha 312, 313.)’ (2) ‘Kodwa ikho isabatha esiyigcina rhoqo. (Heb. 4:4-11; bona iphepha 313, 314.)’