Ingabe Bewazi?

Umphostoli uPawulu wayekhuluma ngani ngesikhathi ekhuluma ‘ngodwendwe lokunqoba’?

▪ UPawulu wabhala: ‘UNkulunkulu usihola odwendweni lokunqoba kanye noKristu futhi wenza iphunga lolwazi ngaye lizwakale ngathi kuyo yonke indawo! Ngoba kuNkulunkulu siyiphunga likaKristu elimnandi phakathi kwalabo abasindiswayo naphakathi kwalabo ababhubhayo; kulaba ababhubhayo siyiphunga elivela ekufeni liyise ekufeni, kwabasindiswayo siyiphunga elivela ekuphileni liyise ekuphileni.’—2 Korinte 2:14-16.

Lo mphostoli wayekhuluma ngomkhuba wamaRoma wokwenza udwendwe lokuhalalisa ebonga ujenene wempi ngokunqoba izitha zoMbuso. Kuleyo migidi, kwakuthathwa impango futhi abathunjwa bempi babekleliswa ukuze babukwe. Ujenene onqobile wayebongwa, anconywe. Ngemva kodwendwe, kwakuhlatshwa izinkabi futhi cishe abathunjwa abaningi babebulawa.

I-International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ithi isingathekiso esithi ‘iphunga likaKristu elimnandi’ elimelela ukuphila kwabathile nokufa kwabathile “cishe sisuselwa emkhubeni wamaRoma wokushisa impepho phakathi nodwendwe. Iphunga elalimelela ukunqoba kulabo abangabanqobi lalikhumbuza abathunjwa ukuthi cishe bazoyiswa kwagoqanyawo.”a

Zaziyini “izindawo eziphakeme” okukhulunywa ngazo kakhulu emiBhalweni YesiHebheru?

▪ Lapho ama-Israyeli esezongena eZweni Lesithembiso, uJehova wawatshela ukuba aqede zonke izindawo zokukhulekela zamaKhanani ayehlala lapho. Wawayala: “Kumelwe . . . niyibhubhise yonke imifanekiso yabo yamatshe, nayo yonke imifanekiso yabo yensimbi ebunjiweyo kufanele niyibhubhise, nazo zonke izindawo zabo eziphakemeyo ezingcwele kufanele nizibhuqe.” (Numeri 33:52) Kungenzeka ukuthi lezo zindawo zokukhulekela kwamanga zazisemagqumeni noma zazingamapulatifomu akhiwe ezindaweni ezithile, njengaphansi kwezihlahla noma emizini. (1 AmaKhosi 14:23; 2 AmaKhosi 17:29; Hezekeli 6:3) Lezo zindawo zazingase zibe nama-altare, izinsika noma izigxobo ezingcwele, imifanekiso, izinti zezitsha zempepho nezinto ezithile zokukhulekela.

Ngaphambi kokwakhiwa kwethempeli laseJerusalema, ama-Israyeli ayekhulekela uJehova ezindaweni azigunyazile imiBhalo ezibiza ngokuthi izindawo eziphakeme. Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uSamuweli wanikela ngemihlatshelo “endaweni ephakeme” emzini ongagagulwanga ngegama ezweni laseZufi. (1 Samuweli 9:11-14) Nokho, ngemva kokwakhiwa kwethempeli, amakhosi amaningana ayethembekile kuJehova azama ukuqeda “izindawo eziphakeme” ezweni.—2 AmaKhosi 21:3; 23:5-8, 15-20; 2 IziKronike 17:1, 6.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Ucezu lomfanekiso wodwendwe lokunqoba kwamaRoma ngekhulu lesibili C.E.

[Umthombo]

Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Izinsika ezingcwele emanxiweni aseGezeri