Imfundo Ngamaxesha Okubhalwa KweBhayibhile
“Niwafundise oonyana benu.”—DUTERONOMI 11:19.
1. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova unomdla kwimfundo yabakhonzi bakhe?
UYEHOVA unguMfundisi Omkhulu. Akakaze abashiye abakhonzi bakhe besekungazini. Ebesoloko ekulungele ukwabelana nabo ngolwazi. Ubafundisa ukuthanda kwakhe neendlela zakhe. Ukutyhubela amawaka amaninzi eminyaka uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo wayekunye naye, eqhubeka efunda ‘njengengcibi yomsebenzi’ kaThixo. (IMizekeliso 8:30) Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni uYesu wathi: “Ndisuka ndizithethe ezi zinto njengoko wandifundisayo uBawo.” (Yohane 8:28) Ebhekisela kuThixo njengoMfundisi Ongenakuthelekiswa nabani, uElihu wabuza: “Ngubani na umyali onjengaye?” (Yobhi 36:22) Umprofeti uIsaya wathi uYehova ‘unguMyaleli Ozukileyo’ wabantu bakhe waza waprofeta oku: “Bonke abantwana bakho baya kuba ngabafundi bakaYehova, lube lukhulu uxolo lwabantwana bakho.” (Isaya 30:20, NW; Isa 54:13) Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, uYehova unqwenela ukuba izidalwa zakhe ezinengqiqo zibe zezikhanyiselweyo nezifundileyo.
Imfundo Ngamaxesha Oosolusapho
2, 3. (a) Oosolusapho abathembekileyo babeyijonga njani imfundo yabantwana babo, ibe uYehova wamyalela ntoni uAbraham? (b) Yiyiphi injongo ezukileyo eyakhokelela kumyalelo wokufundisa inzala ka-Abraham?
2 Enye yeembopheleleko ezisisiseko zentloko-ntsapho ngexesha loosolusapho yayikukufundisa abantwana bayo nabendlu yayo. Kubakhonzi bakaThixo ukufundisa abantwana babo kwakungumsebenzi wonqulo. UYehova wathi ngomkhonzi wakhe uAbraham: “Ndaze yena, ukuze abawisele umthetho abantwana bakhe, nendlu yakhe emva kwakhe, bagcine indlela kaYehova, benze ubulungisa nokusesikweni, ukuze uYehova amenzele uAbraham into ayithethileyo kuye.”—Genesis 18:19.
3 La mazwi kaThixo abonisa ukuba uYehova wayeyigqala imfundo njengento ebaluleke kakhulu. UThixo wayefuna ukuba uAbraham, uIsake, noYakobi bafundise izindlu zabo iindlela Zakhe zobulungisa nokusesikweni ukuze izizukulwana ezilandelayo zikwazi ukugcina indlela kaYehova. Ngaloo ndlela, uYehova wayeya kuwazalisekisa amadinga akhe angembewu ka-Abraham nokusikelelwa ‘kweentlanga zonke zehlabathi.’—Genesis 18:18; 22:17, 18.
Inkqubo Yemfundo KwaSirayeli
4, 5. (a) Yintoni eyayisahlula inkqubo yemfundo yamaSirayeli kuleyo yezinye iintlanga? (b) Nguwuphi omnye umahluko obalulekileyo ochazwe kwiEncyclopaedia Judaica, yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo yintoni eyaba negalelo kulo mahluko?
4 IEncyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “IBhayibhile ingumthombo oyintloko wokuqonda inkqubo yemfundo kwaSirayeli mandulo.” UYehova wasebenzisa uMoses njengomfundisi wokuqala ongumntu wamaSirayeli. (Duteronomi 1:3, 5; 4:5) UMoses wadlulisela amazwi awayewanikwe nguYehova. (Eksodus 24:3) Ngoko, Eneneni, yayinguThixo uMfundisi wamaSirayeli oyintloko. Oku kukodwa kwayenza yahluka inkqubo yokufundisa yakwaSirayeli kweyezinye iintlanga.
5 Kwale mbekiselo ithi: “Imfundo ephakamileyo okanye ukufunda ukulesa nokubhala eMesopotami naseYiputa kwakuyinto esesikweni yaye kupheleliselwe kudidi lwababhali, nto leyo ekubonakala ukuba yayingenjalo kwaSirayeli. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo lo mahluko wawubangelwa kukuba inkqubo yokubhala ngoonobumba eyayisetyenziswa ngamaHebhere yayilula ngakumbi. . . . Ukubaluleka kokubhala ngoonobumba kwimbali yemfundo akumele kutyeshelwe. Kwabangela ukulahlwa kwezithethe zababhali baseYiputa, eMesopotami, nakwaKanan ngewaka lesibini leminyaka. Ukukwazi ukufunda nokubhala kwakungaselophawu olupheleliselwe kudidi lwababhali nababingeleli abafundileyo, ababenolwazi lwemibhalo entsonkothileyo yoonobumba abasixwexwe nemifanekiso.”
6. Bubuphi ubungqina beBhayibhile obukhoyo bokuba kwasekuqaleni kwembali yawo, amaSirayeli ayengabantu ababekwazi ukufunda nokubhala?
6 IBhayibhile inikela ubungqina bokuba amaSirayeli ayengabantu abakwaziyo ukufunda nokubhala. Kwanangaphambi kokuba angene kwiLizwe Ledinga, axelelwa ukuba abhale imithetho kaYehova emigubasini yawo nasemasangweni awo. (Duteronomi 6:1, 9; 11:20; 27:1-3) Ngoxa ngokungathandabuzekiyo lo myalelo wawufuzisela, ngokuqinisekileyo ngewawungazange ube nentsingiselo kumSirayeli oqhelekileyo ukuba wayengakwazi ukufunda nokubhala. IZibhalo ezinjengoYoshuwa 18:9 naBagwebi 8:14 zibonisa ukuba nabanye ngaphandle kweenkokeli ezinjengoMoses noYoshuwa babekwazi ukubhala kwakudala ngaphambi kokuba kubekho ookumkani kwaSirayeli.—Eksodus 34:27; Yoshuwa 24:26.
Iindlela Zokufundisa
7. (a) Ngokutsho kweZibhalo, abantwana bamaSirayeli babeyifumana koobani imfundiso esisiseko? (b) Yiyiphi inkcazelo enikelwa ngumphengululi weBhayibhile ongumFrentshi?
7 KwaSirayeli, abantwana babefundiswa besebancinane ngooyise noonina. (Duteronomi 11:18, 19; IMizekeliso 1:8; 31:26) KwiDictionnaire de la Bible yesiFrentshi, umphengululi weBhayibhile uE. Mangenot wabhala: “Esakukwazi nje ukuthetha, umntwana wayefunda iindawana ezimbalwa zoMthetho. Unina wayephindaphinda indinyana; xa eyazi, wayemnika enye. Kamva, iindinyana ezibhaliweyo ababekwazi ukuzicengceleza ngentloko babezinikwa. Ngaloo ndlela, babefundiswa indlela yokufunda, yaye xa bebadadlana, babenokuqhubeka nokufunda izinto zonqulo ngokufunda nokucamngca ngomthetho weNkosi.”
8. (a) Yiyiphi indlela yokufundisa esisiseko eyayisetyenziswa kwaSirayeli, kodwa yayinaluphi uphawu olubalulekileyo? (b) Ziziphi iindlela ezazisenza kube lula ukukhumbula ezazisetyenziswa?
8 Oku kubonisa ukuba indlela esisiseko yokufundisa eyayisetyenziswa yayikukufaka entliziyweni izinto ezazifundiswa. Izinto ezazifundiwe ngemithetho kaYehova neenkqubano zakhe nabantu bakhe zazimele zibetheleleke entliziyweni. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Kwakumele kucamngcwe ngazo. (INdumiso 77:11, 12) Ukuze kuncedwe abadala nabancinane bakhumbule, kwakusetyenziswa iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo zokwenza kube lula ukukhumbula. Ezi zaziquka ukulandelelaniswa koonobumba, iindinyana ezilandelelanayo kwindumiso ziqalisa ngonobumba owahlukileyo, ngokokulandelelana kwabo (njengeMizekeliso 31:10-31); imfano-zandi (amagama aqala ngonobumba okanye ngesandi esifanayo); nokusetyenziswa kwamanani, njengalawo asetyenziswe kwinxalenye yokugqibela yeMizekeliso isahluko 30. Okubangela umdla kukuba iKhalenda yaseGezere, omnye weyona mizekelo midala yemibhalo yamandulo yesiHebhere, abanye abaphengululi bacinga ukuba yabhalwa ngumntwana wesikolo ezama ukubethelela izinto kwinkumbulo.
Oko Kwakufundiswa
9. (a) Yayiyintoni inxalenye ebalulekileyo yenkqubo yokufundisa abantwana bamaSirayeli? (b) Intyilalwazi yeBhayibhile ithini mayela nokufundisa okwakusenziwa ngokuphathelele imisitho yaminyaka le?
9 KwaSirayeli imfundo yayingapheleliselwanga ekufundeni ukulesa nokubhala. Esinye isifundo esibalulekileyo esasifundiswa zezembali. Ukufunda ngezenzo ezimangalisayo zikaYehova ezenzela abantu bakhe kwakuyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yoko kwakufundiswa. Ezi zinto zembali zazimele zifundiswe izizukulwana ngezizukulwana. (Duteronomi 4:9, 10; INdumiso 78:1-7) Ixesha lemisitho yemithendeleko yaminyaka le lalivula ithuba elihle lokuba intloko-ntsapho ifundise abantwana bayo. (Eksodus 13:14; Levitikus 23:37-43) Mayela noku iThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ithi: “Xa ubawo efundisa ekhaya naxa ecacisa imbaluleka yemibhiyozo, abantwana bamaHebhere babefundiswa indlela uThixo awazibonakalisa ngayo kubo kwixesha elidluleyo, indlela ababemele baphile ngayo ngoku, noko ayekuko amadinga kaThixo ngekamva labantu Bakhe.”
10. Luluphi uqeqesho lwemisebenzi olwalufunyanwa ngamantombazana? ngamakhwenkwe?
10 Imfundiso yabazali yayiquka ukuqeqeshela umsebenzi. Amantombazana ayefundiswa ubuchule kwimisebenzi yekhaya. Isahluko sokugqibela seMizekeliso sibonisa ukuba le yayimininzi yaye yahlukahlukene; yayiquka ukusonta, ukuluka, ukupheka, ukurhweba, nokuphatha umzi ngokubanzi. Amakhwenkwe ngokuqhelekileyo ayefundiswa umsebenzi wokuziphilisa kayise, enoba kukwezolimo okanye kurhwebo okanye ubugcisa obuthile. Kumaxesha amva oorabhi bamaYuda babedla ngokuthi: “Lowo ungamfundisi umsebenzi oluncedo unyana wakhe umkhulisela ukuba abe lisela.”
11. Yintoni ebonisa injongo eyintloko yemfundo kwaSirayeli, yaye abaselula namhlanje banokufunda ntoni koku?
11 Ubunzulu bokomoya beendlela zokufundisa ezazisetyenziswa kwaSirayeli bubonakala kuyo yonke incwadi yeMizekeliso. Ibonisa ukuba injongo yayikukufundisa “abangenamava” (NW) izinto eziphakamileyo ezinjengobulumko, uqeqesho, ukuqonda, ingqiqo, okusesikweni, ubuqili, ukwazi, namandla okucinga—konke oku kusenziwa ‘ngokoyika uYehova.’ (IMizekeliso 1:1-7; 2:1-14) Ibalaselisa intsusa-senzo efanele ukushukumisela ukuba omnye wabakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje aphucule imfundo yakhe.
Ababingeleli, AbaLevi Nabaprofeti
12. Ngaphandle kwabazali ngoobani abanye ababenenxaxheba ekufundiseni abantu bakwaSirayeli, yaye iyintoni intsingiselo esisiseko yegama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘umthetho’?
12 Ngoxa imfundo esisiseko yayinikelwa ngabazali, ngokubhekele phaya uYehova wayesebenzisa ababingeleli, abaLevi ababengengabo ababingeleli nabaprofeti ukuze abafundise abantu bakhe. Xa wayelusikelela okokugqibela uhlanga lwakwaLevi, uMoses wathi: “Baya kumyala uYakobi ngamasiko akho, bamyale uSirayeli ngomyalelo [ngomthetho, NW] wakho.” (Duteronomi 33:8, 10) Okuphawulekayo kukuba igama elithi ‘umthetho’ ngesiHebhere (toh·rahʹ) lisuka kwingcambu ethi xa ibizwa ithethe “ukubonisa,” “ukufundisa,” “ukuyalela.” IEncyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Ngoko ke intsingiselo yeli gama [torah] ‘kukufundisa,’ ‘imfundiso,’ okanye ‘umyalelo.’”
13. Kutheni uMthetho wakwaSirayeli wawahlukile kwiinkqubo zemithetho zezinye iintlanga?
13 Noku kwawohlula amaSirayeli kwezinye iintlanga kwanakwiintlanga zanamhlanje. Iintlanga zobupolitika namhlanje zinemithetho abantu ngokubanzi abazi embalwa yayo kuphela. Xa abantu besophula umthetho, kufuneka bahlawule iimali ezininzi emagqwetheni ukuze abamele. Izikolo zomthetho zezengcaphephe kuphela. Kodwa, kwaSirayeli uMthetho wawuyindlela kaThixo yokuxelela abantu indlela awayefuna bamnqule ngayo yaye baphile ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kwakhe. Ngokungafaniyo neminye imithetho, wawuquka ukuthanda uThixo nommelwane. (Levitikus 19:18; Duteronomi 6:5) UMthetho wawungeyiyo kwaphela incwadi yemithetho engaphiliyo. Wawunikela imfundiso nemiyalelo ngendlela yobomi eyayimele ifundwe.
14. Sisiphi esinye isizathu esabangela ukuba uYehova abachase ababingeleli abangabaLevi? (Malaki 2:7, 8)
14 Ngoxa babesathembekile, ababingeleli nabaLevi babeyifeza imbopheleleko yabo yokufundisa abantu. Kodwa ngokufuthi, ababingeleli babewutyeshela umsebenzi wabo wokufundisa uhlanga. Oku kungafundiswa kwabantu uMthetho kaThixo kwakuza kuba nemiphumo emibi kubabingeleli nakubantu. Ngenkulungwane yesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uYehova waprofeta: “Bayatshabalala abantu bam kukuswela ukwazi; kuba wena ukucekisile ukwazi, ndiya kukucekisa, ukuba ungabi ngumbingeleli kum. Wawulibala umyalelo kaThixo wakho; ndobalibala abantwana bakho nam.”—Hoseya 4:6.
15. (a) Ukongezelela kubabingeleli, ngoobani uYehova awabenza abafundisi kwaSirayeli, yaye umphengululi weBhayibhile wabhala ntoni ngendima yabo njengabafundisi? (b) Ekugqibeleni kwenzeka ntoni kuSirayeli noYuda ngenxa yokuba baluchasayo ulwazi olungoYehova neendlela zakhe?
15 Kunye nababingeleli, uYehova wavelisa abaprofeti ukuba babe ngabafundisi. Siyafunda: “Waqononondisa uYehova kwaSirayeli nakwaYuda, ngabaprofeti bonke, iimboni ngeemboni, esithi, Buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi, nigcine imithetho yam, imimiselo yam, ngokomyalelo wonke endawumisela ooyihlo, endawuthumela kuni ngesandla sabakhonzi bam abaprofeti.” (2 Kumkani 17:13) Mayela nendima yabaprofeti yokufundisa, umphengululi weBhayibhile ongumFrentshi uRoland de Vaux wabhala: “Nabaprofeti babenothumo lokuyalela abantu; ubuncinane oku kwakuyinxalenye yomsebenzi wabo ngokufanayo nokuxela ikamva kusengaphambili. Yaye ukuphefumlelwa kwabo njengabaprofeti kwakukhokelela ekubeni bashumayele ngegunya lelizwi likaThixo. Ngokuqinisekileyo ngexesha lookumkani ngabaprofeti ababefundisa abantu ngonqulo nokuziphatha; yaye, sinokongezelela sithi, babengabona bafundisi babalaseleyo, ukuba babengasoloko bengabona baphulaphulwayo.” Ngenxa yokungafundiswa ngababingeleli nabaLevi nokusilela kwabantu ukuthobela abaprofeti bakaYehova, amaSirayeli azilahla iindlela zikaYehova. ISamari yawela kuma-Asiriya ngowama-740 B.C.E., yaza iYesusalem netempile yayo zatshatyalaliswa ngamaBhabhiloni ngowama-607 B.C.E.
Imfundo Ngexesha Lokuthinjwa Nasemva Kwalo
16, 17. (a) Yiyiphi inkqubo yemfundo abanyanzelwa ngayo uDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu? (b) Yintoni eyabenza bakwazi ukuyifunda le mfundo yaseBhabhiloni baza sekunjalo bahlala bethembekile kuYehova?
16 Kwiminyaka elishumi ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, uKumkani uYehoyakin neqela labathetheli nababusi bathatyathelwa eBhabhiloni nguKumkani uNebhukadenetsare. (2 Kumkani 24:15) Phakathi kwabo kwakukho uDaniyeli nabanye abantwana basebukhosini abathathu. (Daniyeli 1:3, 6) UNebhukadenetsare wayalela ukuba aba bane bafumane uqeqesho olukhethekileyo lweminyaka emithathu befundiswa “incwadi nolwimi lwamaKaledi.” Ngaphezu koko, babenikwa “umamkelo wemini ngangemini yawo, ekudleni kokumkani nasewayinini ayiselayo.” (Daniyeli 1:4, 5) Oku kwakusenokuba yingozi ngenxa yezizathu eziliqela. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezi zifundo zazingezozifundo zeminyaka emithathu zolwimi nje kuphela. Bambi bacinga ukuba igama elithi “amaKaledi” kule ndinyana alibhekiseli, “kubantu baseBhabhiloni xa bebonke, kodwa libhekisela kudidi olufundileyo.” (The Soncino Books of the Bible) Kumagqabaza akhe ngencwadi kaDaniyeli, uC. F. Keil uthi: “UDaniyeli namaqabane akhe babemele bafundiswe ubulumko bababingeleli neenkcuba-buchopho zamaKaledi, obabufundiswa ezikolweni zaseBhabhiloni.” Umamkelo wokutya kukakumkani nawo wawubachanaba ekophuleni imiqathango yokutya eyayimiswe nguMthetho kaMoses. Ngaba benza njani?
17 Njengesithethi saba bantwana basebukhosini bane bamaYuda, uDaniyeli wakucacisa zisuka nje ukuba babengayi kutya okanye basele izinto ezaziya kuphikisana nezazela zabo. (Daniyeli 1:8, 11-13) UYehova wasisikelela esi sigqibo waza wayenza yathamba intliziyo yomBhabhiloni owayephethe. (Daniyeli 1:9, 14-16) Mayela nezifundo zabo, iziganeko ezalandelayo kubomi bawo omane la maHebhere aselula zikungqina ngokuphandle ukuba ukufundiswa kwawo izithethe zaseBhabhiloni okwakunyanzelekile kangangeminyaka emithathu akuzange kuwenze ashenxe ekunamatheleni kwawo kuYehova nakunqulo lwakhe olunyulu. (Daniyeli, isahluko 3 nesesi-6) UYehova wawanceda akwazi ukuphuma engenawo nomkrwelo koko kuntywiliselwa ngenkani kwimfundo ephakamileyo yaseBhabhiloni. “Abo bantwana bane uThixo wabanika ukwazi, nokuziqonda iincwadi zonke, nobulumko; uDaniyeli waba nokuyiqonda imibono yonke, namaphupha. Ke kuzo zonke iindawo zobulumko bokuqonda, abezibuza kubo ukumkani, wabafumana bebadlula ngokukalishumi zonke izazi nabakhwitsi abasebukumkanini bonke.”—Daniyeli 1:17, 20.
18. Yiyiphi inkqubo yokufundisa eyaqhubekayo kwaYuda emva kokuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni?
18 Emva kokuthinjwa eBhabhiloni, uEzra, umbingeleli ‘intliziyo yakhe owayeyibhekise ekuwufuneni umyalelo kaYehova, awenze, afundise ummiselo nesiko kwaSirayeli,’ waqalisa umsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa. (Ezra 7:10) Koku wancedwa ngabaLevi ababethembekile, ‘ababebaqondisa abantu umyalelo.’ (Nehemiya 8:7) UEzra wayengumphengululi weBhayibhile yaye “engumbhali oyinkunkqele.” (Ezra 7:6) Kwakungomhla wakhe ekwathi kwabalasela udidi lwababhali.
Izikolo ZooRabhi
19. Luluphi udidi lwabafundisi olwalukho kwaSirayeli ngexesha lokuza kukaYesu emhlabeni, yaye ziziphi izizathu ezibalulekileyo ezabangela ukuba yena nabafundi bakhe bangayifundi imfundo ephakamileyo yamaYuda?
19 Ekufikeni kukaYesu emhlabeni, ababhali babeludidi oluphezulu lwabafundisi, ababebambelele kakhulu kwizithethe kunakwiimfundiso eziyinyaniso zeLizwi likaThixo. Babethanda ukubizwa kuthiwe “Rabhi,” sibizo eso esasibonisa imbeko, esithetha ukuthi “oMkhulu (Obalaseleyo).” (Mateyu 23:6, 7, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW) KwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, ngokufuthi ababhali banxulunyaniswa nabaFarisi, nabo abanye babo ababengabafundisi boMthetho. (IZenzo 5:34) UYesu wawagxeka omabini la maqela ngokuliphanga igunya ilizwi likaThixo ngenxa yesithethe sawo nokufundisa “iimfundiso eziyimithetho yabantu.” (Mateyu 15:1, 6, 9) Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba uYesu nenkoliso yabafundi bakhe bengazange bafundiswe kwizikolo zoorabhi.—Yohane 7:14, 15; IZenzo 4:13; 22:3.
20. Oku kuhlolisisa imfundo ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile kusibonise ntoni, yaye yintoni ebonisa ukuba iyafuneka imfundo kubakhonzi bakaYehova?
20 Oku kuqwalasela imfundo ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile kubonise ukuba uYehova unguMyaleli Ozukileyo wabantu bakhe. NgoMoses, uThixo walungiselela inkqubo ephumelelayo yokufundisa kwaSirayeli. Kodwa emva kwexesha elide, kwavela inkqubo yemfundo ephakamileyo yamaYuda eyafundisa izinto ezichaseneyo neLizwi likaThixo. Sekunjalo, nangona uYesu engazange aye kwizikolo ezinjalo zamaYuda, wayenguMfundisi ongenakuthelekiswa nabani. (Mateyu 7:28, 29; 23:8; Yohane 13:13) Kwakhona wathuma abafundi bakhe ukuba bafundise, de kube sekuphelisweni kwale nkqubo yezinto. (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Ukuze bafeze oku, kwakuya kufuneka babe ngabafundisi abanobuchule yaye ngenxa yoko kwakuya kufuneka bafunde. Ngoko namhlanje amaKristu afanele ayijonge njani imfundo? Lo mbuzo uza kuhlolisiswa kwinqaku elilandelayo.
Uvavanyo Lwenkumbulo
◻ Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova unomdla kwimfundo yabakhonzi bakhe?
◻ Inkqubo yemfundo yamaSirayeli yayahluke njani kweyezinye iintlanga?
◻ Abantwana bamaSirayeli babefundiswa ntoni?
◻ Kwakusetyenziswa ziphi iindlela zokufundisa kwaSirayeli?
◻ Kutheni uYesu nabafundi bakhe bengazange baye kwizikolo zemfundo ephakamileyo zamaYuda?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]
Imfundo esisinyanzelo eBhabhiloni ayizange ibangele ukuba uDaniyeli namaqabane akhe bamlahle uYehova