Ukuzalwa KukaJesu—Indaba Yangempela

CABANGA ngesenzakalo esaziwa kabanzi emlandweni wezwe lakini. Silondolozwe kahle, sibhalwe izazi-mlando ezingaphezu kwesisodwa. Manje, kuthiwani uma othile ekutshela ukuthi lesi senzakalo asizange senzeke, ukuthi konke lokho kwakuyinganekwane? Noma, uma sikwenza kube okusondele kakhulu kuwe, kuthiwani uma othile ethi okuningi kwalokho umkhaya wakini owakutshela kona ngokuphathelene nokuzalwa kukamkhulu wakho nokuphila kwakhe kwangesikhathi esemncane kungamanga? Kunoma isiphi salezi zimo, khona kanye nje ukusikisela okunjalo kungakuthukuthelisa. Ngokuqinisekile ngeke ukwamukele ngaphandle kokukuhlola!

Nokho, abagxeki namuhla ngokuvamile baphika ukulandisa kweVangeli likaMathewu nelikaLuka kokuzalwa kukaJesu. Bathi lokhu kulandisa kuphikisana ngokungenathemba futhi akunakuvunyelaniswa futhi kokubili kuqukethe amanga aluhlaza kanye nomlando onamaphutha. Ingabe lokho kungaba iqiniso? Kunokwamukela ukumangalela okunjalo, ake sizihlolele ngokwethu imibhalo yamaVangeli. Lapho senza lokho, masibheke ukuthi ingasifundisani namuhla.

Injongo Yokulotshwa

Zisuka nje kuyasiza ukukhumbula injongo yalokhu kulandisa kweBhayibheli. Akuyona imilando yokuphila kwabantu; kungamaVangeli. Lo mehluko ubalulekile. Emlandweni wokuphila komuntu, umlobi angase abhale agcwalise amakhulukhulu amakhasi, ezama ukubonisa indlela umuntu abhala ngaye aba ngayo yilowo muntu owaziwa kangaka. Ngakho, eminye imilando yokuphila komuntu isebenzisa amakhasi amaningi iningiliza ngabazali, ukuzalwa nezikhathi zalabo bantu zasebuntwaneni. Kuhlukile ngamaVangeli. Emibhalweni emine yamaVangeli, nguMathewu noLuka kuphela abakhuluma ngokuzalwa kukaJesu nokuphila kwakhe kwasebuntwaneni. Nokho, injongo yabo ayikona ukubonisa indlela uJesu aba ngayo umuntu aba nguye. Khumbula, abalandeli bakaJesu babeqaphela ukuthi wayephila njengesidalwa somoya ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni. (Johane 8:23, 58) Ngakho uMathewu noLuka abasebenzisanga isikhathi sikaJesu sasebuntwaneni ukuze bachaze uhlobo lomuntu uJesu aba yilo. Kunalokho, bachaza izenzakalo ezazifanelana nenjongo yamaVangeli abo.

Babewabhalela yiphi injongo? Igama elithi “ivangeli” lisho “izindaba ezinhle.” Womabili la madoda ayenomyalezo ofanayo—wokuthi uJesu unguMesiya othenjisiwe, noma uKristu; ukuthi wafela izono zesintu; nokuthi wavuselwa ezulwini. Kodwa laba balobi ababili babenezizinda ezihluke ngokuphawulekayo futhi babebhalela abafundi abahlukene. UMathewu, umthelisi, wenza ukulandisa kwakhe kwafanelana ikakhulu nabafundi abangamaJuda. ULuka, udokotela, wabhalela ‘uTheyofilu ohlonipheka kakhulu’—okungenzeka wayenesikhundla esiphezulu—futhi, lokho kwahlanganisa nabafundi abengeziwe abangamaJuda nabeZizwe. (Luka 1:1-3) Umlobi ngamunye wakhetha izenzakalo ezazifaneleka ngokwengeziwe kubafundi ayebalobela nezazingase zibakholise. Ngakho, umbhalo kaMathewu ugcizelela iziprofetho zemiBhalo YesiHeberu ezagcwaliseka ngokuqondene noJesu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uLuka ulandela indlela eyaziwayo engokomlando okungenzeka ukuthi abafundi abangewona amaJuda babeyijwayele.

Akumangalisi ukuthi ukulandisa kwabo kuyahluka. Kodwa akuphikisani, njengoba kusho abagxeki. Kuyaphelelisana, kuhlangane kahle ukuze kwakhe umbono ophelele.

Ukuzalwa KukaJesu EBetlehema

UMathewu noLuka bobabili baloba isimangaliso esivelele ngokuqondene nokuzalwa kukaJesu—wazalwa incasakazi. UMathewu ubonisa ukuthi lesi simangaliso sasigcwalisa isiprofetho esashiwo u-Isaya emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili. (Isaya 7:14; Mathewu 1:22, 23) ULuka uchaza ukuthi uJesu wazalelwa eBetlehema ngenxa yokuthi ukubhalisa okwamiswa uKesari kwaphoqelela uJosefa noMariya ukuba baye lapho. (Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 7.) Kwakubalulekile ukuthi uJesu wazalelwa eBetlehema. Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, umprofethi uMika wayebikezele ukuthi uMesiya wayeyovela kulo muzana oseduze neJerusalema owawubonakala ungelutho.—Mika 5:2.

Ubusuku uJesu azalwa ngabo buye baduma, baba isisekelo semibukiso yoKuzalwa KukaJesu. Nokho, indaba yangempela ihluke kakhulu kuleyo evame ukuboniswa. Isazi-mlando uLuka, esisitshela ngokubalwa kwabantu okwayisa uJosefa noMariya eBetlehema, sisitshela nangokuchitha kwabelusi lobo busuku obubalulekile bengaphandle nemihlambi yabo. Lezi zimo ezimbili ziye zaholela abacwaningi abaningi beBhayibheli ekubeni baphethe ngokuthi akunakwenzeka ukuthi uJesu wazalwa ngo-December. Bathi uKesari cishe wayengeke aphoqelele amaJuda athambekele ekuvukeleni ukuba athathe uhambo lokuya emizini yakubo phakathi nenkathi yamakhaza nezimvula, okwakungabathukuthelisa ngokwengeziwe laba bantu ababethambekele ekuvukeleni. Izazi ziphawula ukuthi kungabazeka ngendlela efanayo ukuthi abelusi babengahlala ngaphandle esimweni sezulu esibi kangako nemihlambi yabo.—Luka 2:8-14.

Phawula ukuthi uJehova akakhethanga ukumemezela ukuzalwa kweNdodana yakhe kubaholi benkolo abafundile nabanethonya bangaleso sikhathi, kodwa wakhetha izisebenzi ezingabantukazana ezazihlala ngaphandle. Ababhali nabaFarisi cishe babengenandaba nabelusi, ababenezikhathi zokusebenza eziguquguqukayo ezazibenza bangayigcini imininingwane ethile yomthetho odluliselwa ngomlomo. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wabonisa la madoda athobekile nathembekile umusa ngokuwanika udumo olukhulu—izithunywa eziyizingelosi zawazisa ukuthi uMesiya, abantu bakaNkulunkulu okwase kuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka bemlindile, wayesanda kuzalwa eBetlehema. Yila madoda avakashela uMariya noJosefa futhi abona umntwana ongazi lutho olele emkhombeni, hhayi “amakhosi amathathu” avame ukuboniswa emibukisweni yoKuzalwa KukaJesu.—Luka 2:15-20.

UJehova Ubabonisa Umusa Abafuni Beqiniso Abaqotho

UNkulunkulu ubabonisa umusa abantu abathobekile abamthandayo nabanesithakazelo esiqotho ekuboneni ukugcwaliseka kwezinjongo zakhe. Leli iphuzu elivela ngokuphindaphindiwe ezenzakalweni zangesikhathi sokuzalwa kukaJesu. Lapho, ngemva kwesikhathi esingaba inyanga umntwana ezelwe, uJosefa noMariya bemletha ethempelini belalela uMthetho KaMose, benza umnikelo lapho ‘ngamahobhe amabili noma amaphuphu amabili amajuba.’ (Luka 2:22-24) Empeleni uMthetho wawuthi kulethwe imvu, kodwa wawuvuma ukuba kulethwe lokhu okungabizi kakhulu lapho kuswelwe. (Levitikusi 12:1-8) Cabanga ngakho. UJehova uNkulunkulu, uMbusi wendawo yonke, akazange akhethe umkhaya ocebile, kodwa wakhetha ompofu iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo ezelwe yodwa eyayizokhulela kuwo. Uma ungumzali, lokhu kufanele kube isikhumbuzo esicacile sokuthi isipho esingcono kakhulu ongasinika izingane zakho—esingcono kakhulu kunengcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo noma imfundo ephezulu—ikhaya elibeka izinto ezingokomoya kuqala.

Ethempelini, kunabanye abakhulekeli ababili abathembekile nabathobekile uJehova ababonisa umusa. Omunye u-Ana, umfelokazi oneminyaka engu-84 ubudala ‘ongakaze aphuthe ethempelini.’ (Luka 2:36, 37) Omunye indoda ethembekile esikhulile egama layo linguSimeyoni. Bobabili balijabulela kakhulu ilungelo uNkulunkulu abanike lona—lokuba ngaphambi kokuba bafe, babone lowo owayezoba uMesiya othenjisiwe. USimeyoni uyaprofetha ngokuphathelene nalo mntwana. Lesi isiprofetho esinethemba kodwa esithe ukuba nosizi. Ubikezela ukuthi lo mama osemusha, uMariya, ngolunye usuku uyodabuka ngosizi ngenxa yendodana yakhe ethandekayo.—Luka 2:25-35.

Umntwana Usengozini

Isiprofetho sikaSimeyoni siyisikhumbuzo esisangulukisayo sokuthi lo mntwana ongenacala uyozondwa. Ngisho nanjengoba esewusana, le nzondo isikhona. Ukulandisa kukaMathewu kuyaningiliza ukuthi kungani kunjalo. Sekudlule izinyanga eziningana, futhi uJosefa, uMariya noJesu sebehlala endlini eseBetlehema. Bavakashelwa abantu abaningana abangabalindele bakwamanye amazwe. Naphezu kwalokho okufanekiswa emibukisweni engenakubalwa yoKuzalwa KukaJesu, uMathewu akasho ukuthi kwafika amadoda amangaki, futhi akawabizi ngokuthi “amadoda ahlakaniphile,” ingasaphathwa eyokuthi “amakhosi amathathu.” Usebenzisa igama lesiGreki elithi maʹgoi, elisho “ababhula ngezinkanyezi.” Lokhu kukodwa kufanele kunike umfundi umbono wokuthi kunokuthile okubi okwenzekayo lapha, ngoba ukubhula ngezinkanyezi ubuciko iZwi likaNkulunkulu elibulahlayo futhi amaJuda athembekile ayekugwema ngobuqotho.—Duteronomi 18:10-12; Isaya 47:13, 14.

Laba ababhula ngezinkanyezi baye balandela inkanyezi ukusuka empumalanga futhi baphethe izipho ‘zalowo ozelwe Eyinkosi yamaJuda.’ (Mathewu 2:2) Kodwa le nkanyezi ayibaholeli eBetlehema. Ibayisa eJerusalema kuHerode Omkhulu. Akukho muntu emhlabeni okwaziyo futhi onesisusa esinamandla njengesikaHerode sokulimaza uJesu osemncane. Le ndoda enesifiso sokuvelela nengumbulali yayisibulale amalungu amaningana omkhaya wakubo eyayiwabheka njengawusongo.a Ikhathazwe ukuzwa ngokuzalwa ‘kwenkosi yamaJuda’ yangesikhathi esizayo, ithuma laba ababhula ngezinkanyezi ukuba bayofuna Lowo eBetlehema. Njengoba behamba, kwenzeka okuthile okumangalisayo. “Inkanyezi” eyayibaholele eJerusalema ibonakala ihamba!—Mathewu 2:1-9.

Manje, ukuthi lokhu kwakuwukukhanya kwangempela okwakusesibhakabhakeni noma kwakumane kuwumbono, asazi. Kodwa siyazi ukuthi le “nkanyezi” yayingaveli kuNkulunkulu. Ngokunemba okunomphumela omubi, iholela laba bakhulekeli abangamaqaba kuye kanye uJesu—umntwana osengozini nongenakuzisiza, ovikelwe umbazi ompofu nomkakhe kuphela. Ababhula ngezinkanyezi, ababekhohliswe uHerode benganakile, cishe babeyobuyisela umbiko kule nkosi eyayifuna ukuphindisela, okwakuyoholela ekubulaweni komntwana. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyangenela ngephupho futhi ubabuyisela ekhaya ngenye indlela. Khona-ke, “inkanyezi” kumelwe ukuba yayiyithuluzi lesitha sikaNkulunkulu uSathane, esasingenza konke esingakwenza ukuze silimaze uMesiya. Yeka ukuthi kuphambene kanjani neqiniso ukuthi emibukisweni yoKuzalwa KukaJesu “inkanyezi” nababhula ngezinkanyezi bavezwa njengamanxusa kaNkulunkulu!—Mathewu 2:9-12.

Noma kunjalo, uSathane akadeli. Lowo ayemsebenzisa kule ndaba, iNkosi uHerode, uyala ukuba bonke abantwana abaneminyaka engaphansi kwemibili eBetlehema babulawe. Kodwa uSathane akanakuyinqoba impi yokulwa noJehova. UMathewu uphawula ukuthi kudala uNkulunkulu akubona ngisho nalokhu kubulawa okubi kwabantwana abangenacala. UJehova waphinde wamelana noSathane, waxwayisa uJosefa ngengelosi ukuba abalekele eGibithe ukuze alondeke. UMathewu ubika ukuthi esikhathini esithile kamuva uJosefa waphinda wawuthutha umkhaya wakhe omncane futhi ekugcineni wawuzinzisa eNazaretha, lapho uJesu akhulela khona nabafowabo nodadewabo abancane.—Mathewu 2:13-23; 13:55, 56.

Ukuzalwa KukaKristu—Okukushoyo Ngawe

Ingabe uzizwa ngandlela-thile umangazwe yilokhu kulandisa okufushane kwezenzakalo zangesikhathi sokuzalwa kukaJesu nezangesikhathi esemncane? Abaningi bazizwa kanjalo. Kuyabamangaza ukuthola ukuthi lokhu kulandisa empeleni kuyavumelana futhi kunembile, naphezu kokugomela kwabantu abaningi ngokuthi akunjalo. Bamangazwa ukuzwa ukuthi ezinye zezenzakalo zazibikezelwe emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili. Futhi bamangazwa ukuthi ezinye izici eziyisihluthulelo zamaVangeli zihluka ngokuphawulekayo kulokho okuboniswa ezindabeni ezivamile nasemibukisweni Yokuzalwa KukaJesu.

Nokho, mhlawumbe okumangaza nakakhulu ukuthi imikhosi eminingi kangaka yokugujwa kukaKhisimusi evamile ishiya amaphuzu asemqoka okulandisa kwamaVangeli. Ngokwesibonelo, akukhulunywa kangako ngoYise kaJesu—hhayi uJosefa, kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu. Cabanga indlela ayezizwa ngayo lapho enika uJosefa noMariya iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo ukuba bayikhulise futhi bayinakekele. Cabanga ngobuhlungu uBaba wasezulwini abuzwa lapho evumela ukuba iNdodana yakhe ikhulele ezweni lapho inkosi egcwele inzondo yayizokwenza ugobe lokubulawa kwayo ngisho nalapho isengumntwana! Kwakuwuthando olujulile ngesintu olwashukumisela uJehova ukuba azidele ngale ndlela.—Johane 3:16.

UJesu wangempela ngokuvamile akafakwa emikhosini kaKhisimusi. Phela, akukho nambhalo obonisa ukuthi wake watshela abafundi bakhe usuku lokuzalwa kwakhe; futhi akukho okubonisa ukuthi abalandeli bakhe balugubha usuku lokuzalwa kwakhe.

Kwakungelona usuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu kodwa elokufa kwakhe—nokubaluleka kwalo okuyingqopha-mlando—ayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba balukhumbule. (Luka 22:19, 20) Cha, uJesu akazange afise ukukhunjulwa esewumntwana ongenakuzisiza osemkhombeni, ngoba akasenjalo manje. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-60 abulawa, uJesu wazembula kumphostoli uJohane embonweni eyiNkosi enamandla egibele ihhashi eya empini. (IsAmbulo 19:11-16) Kukuleyo ndima okufanele simazi ngayo uJesu namuhla, njengoMbusi woMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, ngoba uyiNkosi eyoshintsha izwe.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 7]

INGABE ULUKA WAYENEPHUTHA?

KWAKUNGENZEKA kanjani ukuthi uJesu, owakhulela eNazaretha futhi waziwa ngokuvamile ngokuthi umNazaretha, azalelwe eBetlehema, eqhele ngebanga elingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-150? ULuka uyachaza: “Manje ngalezozinsuku [ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu] kwaphuma isinqumo kuKesari Awugustu sokuba wonke umhlaba owakhiwe ubhaliswe; (lokhu kubhalisa kokuqala kwenzeka lapho uKhureniyu engumbusi waseSiriya;) futhi bonke abantu baqala ukuhamba ukuze bayobhaliswa, yilowo nalowo emzini wakubo siqu.”—Luka 1:1; 2:1-3.

Abagxeki bayigxeka kakhulu le ndima ngokuthi iyiphutha noma, okubi nakakhulu, iqanjiwe. Bagomela ngokuthi lokhu kubalwa kwabantu nokubusa kukaKhureniyu kwaba ngo-6 noma ngo-7 C.E. Uma beqinisile, lokhu kungenza ukulandisa kukaLuka kungabazeke kakhulu, ngoba ubufakazi busikisela ukuthi uJesu wazalwa ngo-2 B.C.E. Kodwa laba bagxeki bawashaya indiva amaqiniso amabili ayinhloko. Okokuqala, uLuka uyavuma ukuthi kwakunokubalwa kwabantu okungaphezu kokukodwa—phawula ukuthi ubhekisela ‘kulokhu kubhalisa kokuqala.’ Wayazi kahle ukuthi kwakunokunye ukubhalisa kwamuva. (IzEnzo 5:37) Lokhu kubalwa kwabantu kwamuva yilokho isazi-mlando uJosephus esakuchaza, okwaba ngo-6 C.E. Okwesibili, ukubusa kukaKhureniyu akusiphoqeleli ukuba sibeke ukuzalwa kukaJesu kuleso sikhathi samuva. Ngani? Ngoba ngokobufakazi uKhureniyu wakhonza kuleso sikhundla kabili. Izazi eziningi ziyavuma ukuthi isikhathi sokuqala abusa ngaso sasingaba ngo-2 B.C.E.

Abanye abagxeki bathi uLuka wazakhela lokhu kubalwa kwabantu ukuze akhe isizathu sokuba uJesu azalelwe eBetlehema, ngaleyo ndlela egcwalisa isiprofetho sikaMika 5:2. Le nkolelo-mbono yenza uLuka abe umqambimanga wangamabomu, futhi akukho mgxeki ongavumelanisa lokhu kumangalela nesazi-mlando esiqotho esabhala leli Vangeli nencwadi yezEnzo.

Okunye okungekho mgxeki ongakuchaza ukuthi: Ukubalwa kwabantu ngokwako kwakugcwalisa isiprofetho! Ekhulwini lesithupha B.C.E., uDaniyeli waprofetha ngombusi “oyakudlulisa umthelisi emhlobisweni wombuso.” Ingabe lokhu kwasebenza ku-Awugustu nomyalo wakhe wokubalwa kwabantu kwa-Israyeli? Isiprofetho siyaqhubeka sibikezela ukuthi uMesiya, noma ‘isikhulu sesivumelwano,’ ‘wayeyobhujiswa’ phakathi nokubusa kwalowo ozolandela esikhundleni salo mbusi. Ngempela uJesu ‘wabhujiswa,’ wabulawa, phakathi nokubusa kwalowo owalandela esikhundleni sika-Awugustu, uTiberiyu.—Daniyeli 11:20-22.

[Izithombe]

UKesari Awugustu (27 B.C.E.–14 C.E.)

UTiberiyu Kesari (14-37 C.E.)

[Imithombo]

Musée de Normandie, Caen, France

Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Ingelosi kaJehova yabonisa abelusi abathobekile umusa ngokubatshela izindaba ezinhle zokuzalwa kukaKristu