Umuntu Omkhulu Kunabo Bonke Owake Waphila
UBUNGAKHETHA bani njengomuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke abake baphila? UNowa, owasinda kuZamcolo futhi waba ukhokho wabo bonke abaphilayo manje? (Genesise 7:1, 21, 22; 9:18, 19) UNebukhadinezari, umbusi wezwe wamandulo owakha idolobha elihle kakhulu alibiza ngokuthi iBhabhiloni Elikhulu? (Daniyeli 4:28-30) Mhlawumbe u-Alexander Omkhulu, okukhulunywa ngaye ngisho nasesiprofethweni seBhayibheli ngokuhlabana kwakhe? (Daniyeli 8:5-8, 21, 22) Noma kuthiwani ngoJulius Caesar, umbusi wamaRoma odumile?
Kungakapheli neminyaka engu-45 efile uCaesar okusanda kukhulunywa ngaye, kwazalwa umntwana okuthiwa uJesu eBhetlehema. Ingabe waba umuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke owake waphila? Eminyakeni engaba yikhulu edlule, incwadi ethi The Historians’ History of the World yathi: “Kuwo wonke umlando, imisebenzi [kaJesu] yayiphawuleka kakhulu kunemisebenzi yanoma yimuphi omunye umuntu, ngisho nakubantu abangenandaba nenkolo. Izizwe ezivelele emhlabeni zithi inkathi entsha yaqala ngesikhathi sokuzalwa kwakhe.”
Kuze kube namuhla, abantu banelukuluku elikhulu ngoJesu Kristu. Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, omagazini abavelele base-United States of America i-Time, i-Newsweek ne-U.S.News and World Report bonke banyathelisa izihloko zezembozo eziyinhloko ezazikhuluma ngoJesu ngasikhathi sinye. Empeleni, kubonakala sengathi leli lukuluku elikhulu kangaka ngoJesu liye landa. “Usenethonya elikhulu emabhayisikobho, emculweni nakwezemfashini,” kuphawula iphephandaba i-Toronto Star ngo-2004. “Usengomunye wabantu esibabheka njengamaqhawe adumile.”
Kodwa okudidayo ukuthi esikhathini esingeside kakhulu esidlule, abanye babemi kwelokuthi uJesu akakaze abe khona. UBruno Bauer (1809-82) wayenguthisha ovelele owayenalowo mbono. Omunye wabafundi bakhe kwakunguKarl Marx. Muva nje, uRobert E. Van Voorst, encwadini yakhe ethi Jesus Outside the New Testament, wabhala: “Kamuva uMarx wayeyohlanganisa imfundiso yakhe nemibono kaBauer yokuthi uJesu wayengumuntu wasenganekwaneni, futhi izincwadi ezingokomthetho zaseSoviet nezinkolelo-ze zamaKhomanisi zawusakaza kabanzi lo mbono.”
Nokho, namuhla bambalwa abaphikayo ukuthi uJesu wake waphila ngempela. Empeleni, abantu abaningi bavuma ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi uJesu wayengumuntu ongokoqobo futhi obaluleke kakhulu. Isihloko somhleli se-Wall Street Journal ka-December 2002 sathi: “Isayensi Ayinakumshaya Indiva UJesu.” Umlobi waso waphetha: “Izazi eziningi, ngaphandle kwezimbalwa ezithi uNkulunkulu akekho, sezikwamukele kakade ukuthi uJesu waseNazaretha wake waba khona ngempela emlandweni.”
Kodwa uJesu wayengaphezu nje kokuba umuntu osemlandweni. Umagazini i-Time wabika: “Kungadingeka umuntu aphume nezizathu ezingavamile ngempela ukuze aphike ukuthi uJesu waseNazaretha wayengumuntu onamandla kunabo bonke—hhayi kule minyaka eyizinkulungwane ezimbili nje kuphela kodwa kuwo wonke umlando wesintu.” Wanezela: “Kunganikezwa isizathu esinesisindo sokuthi akekho omunye umuntu ekuphileni owake waba nethonya elinamandla nelihlala njalo njengoJesu.”
Nakuba kunjalo, kusenale mibuzo: Wayengubani ngempela uJesu? Wayevelaphi? Wayeze ngayiphi injongo emhlabeni? Futhi kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukuba sazi konke esingase sikwazi ngaye?