Ingabe Bewazi?
Kungani amafutha anamakha asetshenziswa uMariya ayebiza kangaka?
Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokufa kukaJesu, uMariya, udadewabo kaLazaru, “weza nomfuma we-alabhaste wamafutha anamakha, abiza kakhulu, inadi loqobo,” futhi wathela ngawo uJesu. (Marku 14:3-5; Mathewu 26:6, 7; Johane 12:3-5) Ukulandisa kukaMarku noJohane kuthi la makha ayebiza odenariyu abangu-300—cishe umholo wonyaka wonke wesisebenzi esivamile.
Ayevelaphi la makha abizayo? Umthombo wenadi, okukhulunywa ngalo eBhayibhelini kuthiwa isitshalo esincane esinamakha (i-Nardostachys jatamansi) esitholakala eziNtabeni zaseHimalaya. Inadi elibizayo lalivame ukuxutshwa nezinye izithako futhi ngezinye izikhathi kwenziwe elomgunyathi. Nokho, bobabili uMarku noJohane basebenzisa inkulumo ethi “inadi loqobo.” Iqiniso lokuthi la mafutha anamakha ayebiza kangaka libonisa ukuthi kungenzeka ayevela kude eNdiya.
Kungani ukulandisa kukaMarku kuchaza ukuthi uMariya ‘wavula umfuma we-alabhaste ngokuwuphula’? Umfuma wawakhiwa ube nentamo encane eyayingavaleka ngci ukuze amakha ayigugu angaphumi. Encwadini yakhe ethi Discoveries From the Time of Jesus, u-Alan Millard uthi: “Kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani lona wesifazane owayenovalo ayengaphula [intamo yomfuma], engakwazi ukulinda ukuze awuvule phezulu, okwakhipha wonke la makha ayigugu.” Lokhu kungachaza ukuthi kungani “indlu yagcwala iphunga lamafutha anamakha.” (Johane 12:3) Isipho esibizayo ngempela, kodwa esasifaneleka. Ngani? Lona wesifazane onokwazisa wayesanda kubona uJesu evusa umfowabo othandekayo, uLazaru.—Johane 11:32-45.
Ingabe iJeriko laliwumuzi owodwa noma emibili?
UMathewu, uMarku noLuka bonke babika ngokuphulukisa okuyisimangaliso okwenzeka eduze naseJeriko. (Mathewu 20:29-34; Marku 10:46-52; Luka 18:35-43) UMathewu noMarku bathi uJesu wenza lesi simangaliso lapho ‘ephuma’ eJeriko. Kodwa uLuka uthi senzeka lapho uJesu “esondela” eJeriko.
Osukwini lukaJesu, ingabe wawumunye umuzi okuthiwa iJeriko noma yayimibili? Incwadi ethi Bible Then & Now iyaphendula: “Ezikhathini zeTestamente Elisha iJeriko lase lakhiwe kabusha ebangeni elingaba yimayela (amakhilomitha angu-1,6) eningizimu yomuzi omdala. UHerode Omkhulu wayakhe isigodlo sakhe sasebusika lapho.” Lokhu kufakazelwa yincwadi ethi Archaeology and Bible History, ethi: “IJeriko lesikhathi sikaJesu laliwumuzi oyizingxenye ezimbili. . . . Umuzi omdala wamaJuda wawuqhele cishe ngemayela emzini wamaRoma.”
Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu wenza lesi simangaliso lapho ephuma emzini wamaJuda elibangise emzini wamaRoma, noma okuphambene nalokho. Ngokusobala, ukwazi izimo ezazikhona ngesikhathi kulotshwa kusisiza sicacelwe yilokho okungase kubonakale kuwukuziphikisa.
[Isithombe ekhasini 31]
Umfuma we-Alabhaste
[Umthombo]
©Réunion des Musées Nationaux/Art Resource, NY