Wayebukeka Kanjani UJesu?

UBUFAKAZI bezomlando mayelana nendlela uJesu ayebukeka ngayo buthonywa kakhulu izici ezithile. Lokhu kubangela umehluko omkhulu endleleni aye wavezwa ngayo lapho bemdweba.

Lezi zici zimbili, amasiko ezwe nenkathi umfanekiso owadwetshwa ngayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinkolelo ezingokwenkolo zabadwebi kanye nalabo ababayala ukuba badwebe zathonya indlela uJesu adwetshwa ngayo.

Emakhulwini eminyaka, abadwebi abadumile, njengoMichelangelo, uRembrandt noRubens, bacophelela kakhulu lapho beveza ukubukeka kukaKristu kwangaphandle. Njengoba imidwebo yabo yayigcwele izifanekiso nezici eziyimfihlakalo, yayithonya kakhulu imibono evamile yokuthi uJesu wayebukeka kanjani. Kodwa imifanekiso yabo yayisekelwe kuphi?

Lokho Umlando Okushoyo

Imidwebo yangaphambi koMbusi waseRoma uConstantine, owaphila cishe kusukela ngo-280 kuya ku-337 C.E., yayivame ukuveza uJesu ‘njengoMalusi Omuhle’ osemusha onezinwele ezincane noma ezinde eziphothene. Lapho ikhuluma ngalokhu, incwadi ethi Art Through the Ages ithi: “Ngokuvamile, uMalusi Omuhle angatholakala kusukela emidwebweni yamaGreki Asendulo [angamaqaba] kuya emidwebweni yaseGibithe, kodwa lapha umelela umvikeli othembekile womhlambi wamaKristu.”

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, leli thonya lobuqaba laba namandla ngokwengeziwe. Le ncwadi iyanezela: “UJesu wayefaniswa kalula nonkulunkulu abadumile bamazwe aseMediterranean, ikakhulukazi uHelios (u-Apollo), unkulunkulu welanga [omqhele wakhe wobungcwele wanikwa uJesu kwathi kamuva wanikwa “osanta”], noma umfuziselo wakhe wasempumalanga owaguqulelwa ebuRomeni, uSol Invictus (Ilanga Elingenakunqotshwa).” Empeleni, ethuneni elikhulu elatholakala ngaphansi kweSt. Peter’s eRoma, uJesu ubizwa ngokuthi u-Apollo “ogibele amahhashi enqola yelanga ehamba ezulwini.”

Nokho, lo mqondo womdwebo kaJesu osemusha awuzange uhlale isikhathi eside. Encwadini yakhe ethi Christian Iconography, u-Adolphe Didron uphawula okwenzeka: “UKristu, ekuqaleni owayevezwa njengomuntu osemusha, uya eguga ngokudlula kwamakhulu eminyaka . . . njengoba nobuKristu nabo bukhula.”

Umbhalo wekhulu le-13 leminyaka obonakala njengencwadi eyabhalwa umlisa othile okuthiwa uPublius Lentulus, ebhalela iSigele saseRoma, unikeza incazelo yokubukeka kukaJesu, uthi “wayenezinwele ezinombala we-hazel-nut engavuthiwe [onsundu] futhi zazibushelelezi kuze kufike ezindlebeni, kodwa ukusuka ezindlebeni zaziphothekile zithanda ukuba nsundu kakhudlwana futhi zicwebezela, zilengela emahlombe akhe; zihlukaniswe phakathi . . . , intshebe igcwele ubuso yayinombala wezinwele zakhe, ingeyinde kodwa yayiyibhaxa esilevwini; . . . amehlo ayempunga . . . ecwebile.” Le ncazelo engamanga kamuva yathonya abadwebi abaningi. I-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Abantu benkathi ngayinye babeveza uhlobo lukaKristu abaluthandayo.”

Lokho okwakwenziwa enkathini ngayinye kwakwenziwa nayizinhlanga nezinkolo ezihlukahlukene. Le encyclopedia iphawula ukuthi imidwebo yenkolo yezithunywa zevangeli e-Afrika, emazweni aseMelika nase-Asia iveza uKristu waseNtshonalanga onezinwele ezinde; kodwa ngezinye izikhathi “izici zabomdabu” ziye zanezelwa ekubukekeni kwakhe.

AmaProthestani nawo aye aba nabadwebi bawo, nabo abachaza ukubukeka kukaKristu ngendlela yabo. Encwadini yakhe ethi Christ and the Apostles—The Changing Forms of Religious Imagery, uF. M. Godfrey uyaphawula: “Ukudweba kukaRembrandt uKristu odabukisayo kwabangelwa umbono wamaProthestani amchaza njengolusizi, ozacile nophaphathekile, . . . umfanekiso oveza umbono wamaProthestani womphefumulo ozigodlayo nozincisha injabulo.” Uthi lokhu kuvezwa “ukuzaca komzimba waKhe, ukuzidela [ukuziphatha ngengalo eqinile] enyameni, ‘ukuzithoba, usizi nesizotha [uRembrandt] ayecabanga ukuthi kuphawula inkathi yobuKristu.”

Nokho, njengoba sizobona, ukuvezwa kukaKristu emidwebweni yeLobukholwa ebuthaka, enomqhele wobungcwele, engenazo ezimfanelo zobudoda, ebhocobele, enezinwele ezinde akunembile. Empeleni, kuhluke ngokuphelele kuJesu weBhayibheli.

IBhayibheli Nokubukeka KukaJesu

‘NjengeWundlu likaNkulunkulu,’ uJesu wayengenasici, ngakho akungabazeki ukuthi wayeyindoda ebukekayo. (Johane 1:29; Heberu 7:26) Futhi ngokuqinisekile wayengabhocobele njengoba imidwebo edumile imveza enjalo. Yiqiniso, wahlangabezana nezimo eziningi ezicindezelayo ekuphileni kwakhe, kodwa ngokuvamile wayefana noYise ngokuphelele, ‘uNkulunkulu ojabulayo.’—1 Thimothewu 1:11; Luka 10:21; Heberu 1:3.

Ingabe izinwele zikaJesu zazizinde? AmaNaziri kuphela okwakungamelwe agunde izinwele zawo noma aphuze iwayini, futhi uJesu wayengeyena umNaziri. Ngakho akungabazeki ukuthi naye wayegunde kahle njengamanye amadoda akwaJuda. (Numeri 6:2-7) Wayeliphuza newayini ngokulinganisela lapho enabanye, futhi lokhu kugcizelela iphuzu lokuthi wayengeyena umuntu obhocobele. (Luka 7:34) Empeleni, wenza iwayini ngokuyisimangaliso edilini lomshado eKhana laseGalile. (Johane 2:1-11) Futhi kusobala ukuthi wayenentshebe, okufakazelwa isiprofetho sokuhlupheka kwakhe.—Isaya 50:6.

Kuthiwani ngebala lesikhumba nezici zikaJesu? Ngokunokwenzeka zazingezamaJuda. Wayethole lezi zici kunina, uMariya, owayengumJuda. Okhokho bakhe babengamaJuda, ohlwini lozalo lwamaHeberu. Ngakho uJesu wayenebala nezici ezifana nezamaJuda.

Ngisho nalapho ephakathi kwabaphostoli bakhe, kusobala ukuthi uJesu wayengahlukile kubo ngokomzimba, ngoba uJuda kwadingeka ukuba amkhaphele ezitheni zakhe ngophawu lokumanga. Ngakho, uJesu wayengahlukile esixukwini. Futhi kuyiqiniso lokhu, ngoba okungenani esehlakalweni esisodwa, wahamba nesixuku engabonakali esuka eGalile eya eJerusalema.—Marku 14:44; Johane 7:10, 11.

Nokho, abanye baye baphetha ngokuthi uJesu wayebuthaka. Kungani bekhuluma kanjalo? Phakathi kokunye, kungenxa yokuthi wayedinga usizo ukuze athwale isigxobo sakhe sokuhlushwa. Kanti wafa kuqala emadodeni amathathu ayebethelwe.—Luka 23:26; Johane 19:17, 32, 33.

UJesu Wayengebuthaka

Ngokuphambene nezinkulumo ezivamile, iBhayibheli alimchazi uJesu njengowayebuthaka noma engenazo izimfanelo zobudoda. Kunalokho, lithi ngisho nalapho esakhula, “waqhubeka ethuthuka ekuhlakanipheni nasekukhuleni ngokomzimba nasemseni kaNkulunkulu nowabantu.” (Luka 2:52) Ingxenye enkulu yeminyaka engu-30 wayengumbazi. Lona akubonakali kwakuwumsebenzi womuntu obuthaka ngokomzimba, ikakhulukazi ngaleyo nkathi lapho yayingekho imishini yesimanje yokusebenza. (Marku 6:3) Futhi uJesu waxosha izinkomo, izimvu nabashintshi bemali ethempelini egumbuqela amatafula abo. (Johane 2:14, 15) Nalokhu kubonisa ukuthi wayeyindoda enamandla.

Phakathi neminyaka yokugcina emithathu nengxenye elapha emhlabeni, uJesu wahamba amakhulu amakhilomitha eshumayela. Nokho, abafundi abakaze basikisele ukuthi ‘aphumule kancane.’ Kunalokho, nakuba abanye babo babengabadobi abayizidlakela, uJesu wathi kubo: “Wozani, nina ngokwenu, ngasese endaweni engenabantu futhi niphumule kancane.”—Marku 6:31.

I-Cyclopædia kaM’Clintock noStrong ithi: “Ukulandisa kwawo wonke amavangeli kubonisa ukuthi [uJesu] wayewumqemane.” Khona-ke, kungani ayedinga usizo ukuze athwale isigxobo sakhe sokuhlushwa, futhi kungani afa ngaphambi kwabanye ayebethelwe nabo?

Isici esiyinhloko kwaba ukucindezeleka okukhulu. Lapho sekusondele ukuba abulawe, uJesu wathi: “Ngempela, nginobhapathizo okumelwe ngibhapathizwe ngalo, futhi yeka ukuthi ngicindezeleka kangakanani luze luphele!” (Luka 12:50) Lokhu kucindezeleka kwambangela ‘umunyu’ ngobusuku bakhe bokugcina: “Eba nomunyu waqhubeka ethandaza ngobuqotho ngokwengeziwe; futhi izithukuthuku zakhe zaba njengamathonsi egazi awela emhlabathini.” (Luka 22:44) UJesu wayazi ukuthi amathemba esintu okuphila okuphakade ayexhomeke ekuthembekeni kwakhe kuze kube sekufeni. Yeka ubunzima ayebhekene nabo! (Mathewu 20:18, 19, 28) Wayazi futhi ukuthi wayezobulawa njengeselelesi ‘esiqalekisiwe’ abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, wayekhathazekile ngokuthi lokhu kwakuyoletha isihlamba kuYise.—Galathiya 3:13; IHubo 40:6, 7; IzEnzo 8:32.

Ngemva kokukhashelwa, wabhekana nonya olukhulu. Ecaleni-mbumbulu elaqulwa phakathi kwamabili, izikhulu zezwe zamhleka usulu, zamkhafulela futhi zamshaya nangezibhakela. Kwaphinde kwaqulwa icala ekuseni ukuze kwenziwe icala lasebusuku libonakale lisemthethweni. Lapho, uJesu waquliswa uPilatu; kwase kuba uHerode, yena namabutho akhe abamenza inhlekisa uJesu; kwase kuba uPilatu futhi. Ekugcineni, uPilatu wathi makabhaxabulwe. Lokhu kwakungekhona ukubhaxabulwa nje okuvamile. Ikhuluma ngokuthi umuntu wayeshaywa kanjani eRoma, i-Journal of the American Medical Association yathi:

“Ngokuvamile kwakusetshenziswa isiswebhu esifushane . . . esinemicu yesikhumba embalwa engalukiwe noma elukiwe engalingani ngobude, okwakuboshelwa kuyo ezindaweni ezithile izinsinjana eziyindilinga noma amathambo emvu acijile. . . . Njengoba amasosha amaRoma ayeshaya umhlane wesisulu ngamandla amakhulu, la mabhola ensimbi ayebangela amanxeba ajulile, futhi imicu yesikhumba namathambo emvu kwakungena kujule esikhunjeni nasezicutshini ezingaphansi kwesikhumba. Khona-ke, njengoba ukushaywa kwakuqhubeka, ukusikeka kwamanxeba kwakufinyelela emisipheni engaphansi emathanjeni futhi kubangele imicu yenyama evengekile eyophayo.”

Ngokusobala, ayesemphelele kudala amandla uJesu ngaphambi kokuba ayothwala isigxobo esasimsinda. Empeleni, i-Journal of the American Medical Association yaphawula: “Ukuhlukunyezwa ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo ngamaJuda namaRoma, kanye nokungakutholi ukudla, amanzi nobuthongo, nakho kwaba nesandla ekumenzeni buthaka. Ngakho-ke, ngisho nangaphambi kokubethelwa, uJesu wayesesimweni esibucayi ngokomzimba.”

Ingabe Kubalulekile Ukuthi Wayebukeka Kanjani?

Kusukela encazelweni elotshiwe kaLentulus eyihaba ukuya emifanekisweni yochwepheshe bokudweba abadumile nezingilazi zamafasitela ezihlotshisiwe zanamuhla, eLobukholwa libonakala lithanda lokho okudonsa amehlo. Umbhishobhi omkhulu waseTurin, ongumgcini weNdwangu yaseTurin eyimpikiswano, wathi: “Amandla ayingqayizivele ashukumisayo omfanekiso kaJesu Kristu kufanele alondolozwe.”

Nokho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyeqa ngamabomu imininingwane enjalo ‘eshukumisayo’ yokubukeka kukaJesu. Ngani? Ibingaba yisithiyo kulokho okusho ukuphila okumi phakade—ulwazi lweBhayibheli. (Johane 17:3) UJesu ngokwakhe—isibonelo sethu—“akabheki ukubonakala kwabantu kwangaphandle” njengokubalulekile. (Mathewu 22:16; qhathanisa neyabaseGalathiya 2:6.) Ukugcizelela ukubukeka kukaJesu kuyilapho amaVangeli aphefumulelwe engasho lutho ngakho kuwukuphikisa injongo yawo. Empeleni, uJesu, njengoba sizobona esihlokweni esilandelayo, akasenawo ngisho nomzimba wenyama.a

[Imibhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

UKristu obuthaka, ophaphathekile wabadwebi beLobukholwa uhlukile uma eqhathaniswa nemifanekiso kaJesu esekelwe ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli

[Umthombo]

Jesus Preaching at the Sea of Galilee by Gustave Doré