Ingabe Bewazi?

Yayiyini injongo yokubalwa kwabantu okwaholela ekutheni uJesu azalelwe eBhetlehema?

IVangeli likaLuka lisitshela ukuthi lapho uKhesari Awugustu ekhipha umyalo wokuba kubalwe abantu kuwo wonke uMbuso WaseRoma, “bonke abantu bahamba bayobhaliswa, yilowo nalowo emzini wakubo.” (Luka 2:1-3) UJosefa, usingayise kaJesu, wayevela eBhetlehema, futhi uhambo yena noMariya abaluthatha belalela umyalo wenkosi lwaholela ekuzalweni kukaJesu eBhetlehema. Lokhu kubhalisa kwakusiza ekuqoqweni kwezintela nasekubuthelweni kwezinsizwa empini.

Ngesikhathi amaRoma enqoba iGibhithe ngo-30 B.C.E., ukubalwa kwabantu kwakuyinqubo okwase kuyiminyaka umbuso waseGibhithe uyilandela. Izazi zikholelwa ukuthi amaRoma athatha indlela yabaseGibhithe yokubala abantu ayisebenzisa kuwo wonke umbuso wawo.

Umyalo owakhishwa umbusi waseGibhithe ongumRoma ngo-104 C.E. ufakazela ukuthi yayikhona ngempela le nqubo yokubalwa kwabantu. Ikhophi yalowo myalo igcinwe eBritish Library, futhi ifundeka kanje: “UGaius Vibius Omkhulu, uMbusi waseGibhithe (uthi): Njengoba sekufike isikhathi sokuba kubalwe zonke izindlu ukuze kutholakale inani labantu, kubalulekile ukuba siphoqe bonke abantu abangahlali ezigodini zabo ngezizathu ezithile, ukuba babuyele emakhaya ukuze babalwe ngokuvumelana nomthetho futhi babuyele emasimini abo basebenze ngokuzikhandla.”

Kungani uJosefa ayecabanga ukunikeza uMariya incwadi yesehlukaniso kanti babesathembisene umshado nje kuphela?

IVangeli likaMathewu lithi ngesikhathi uJosefa noMariya ‘besathembisene umshado’ uJosefa wathola ukuthi uMariya wayekhulelwe. Ngenxa yokuthi wayengazi ukuthi uMariya ‘ukhulelwe ngomoya ongcwele,’ kumelwe ukuba uJosefa wacabanga ukuthi uMariya wayengathembekanga kuye, ngakho wafuna ukumnika incwadi yesehlukaniso.—Mathewu 1:18-20.

Emphakathini wamaJuda, abantu ababethembisene umshado babebhekwa njengasebeshadile. Nokho, babengahlali ndawonye njengendoda nomfazi kuze kube yilapho sekuqedwe zonke izimfanelo zomshado. Isithembiso sasibhekwa njengesibophayo ngempela kangangokuthi uma umshado wawumiswa—ngenxa yokuthi umkhwenyana ushintshe umqondo noma ngezizathu ezithile ezizwakalayo—umakoti wayengakhululekile ukushada nomunye umuntu kuze kube yilapho esenikwe incwadi yesehlukaniso. Uma indoda yayithembisa owesifazane umshado bese ifa ngaphambi kokuba bashade, lowo wesifazane wayebhekwa njengomfelokazi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma owesifazane ayelala nomunye umuntu wesilisa ebe ethembisene nomunye, wayebhekwa njengophingile futhi wayebulawa.—Duteronomi 22:23, 24.

Kubonakala sengathi uJosefa wabona ukuthi uMariya wayezohlazeka uma abantu bengezwa ukuthi ukhulelwe. Nakuba ayenomuzwa wokuthi kumelwe azise abasemagunyeni, wayefuna ukumvikela ukuze angahlazeki. Yingakho anquma ukumnika incwadi yesehlukaniso ngasese. Phela ukuba kukamama ongayedwa nencwadi yesehlukaniso kwakubonisa ukuthi wayeseke washada ngaphambili.

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Umyalo wokubalwa kwabantu owakhishwa umbusi waseGibhithe ongumRoma ngo-104 c.e.

[Umthombo]

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