Uwilliam Whiston

UWHISTON waziwa ikakhulu kubafundi beBhayibheli ngokuhumushela kwakhe esiNgisini imibhalo yesazi-mlando esingumJuda sangekhulu lokuqala uFlavius Josephus. Izincwadi ezabhalwa uJosephus zinikeza ukukhanya okukhulu ngomlando wamaJuda kanye nendlela yokuphila kwamaKristu okuqala.

IZINKOLELO ZIKAWHISTON

UWhiston wasebenzisa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe ukuze afunde ngezihloko eziningi, ikakhulukazi ezesayensi nezenkolo. Wayekholelwa ukuthi ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngendalo kunembile nokuthi imiklamo, ubuhle nokuhleleka okusemvelweni kuwubufakazi bokuthi kunoMklami.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, uWhiston wayekholelwa ukuthi amasonto eLobukholwa ayehlukane aba maqembuqembu ngenxa yokuthi abefundisi babechezukile ezimfundisweni zeBhayibheli, bekhetha izimfundiso ezingasekelwe eBhayibhelini namasiko emikhandlu yesonto kanye nalabo ababizwa ngokuthi oFata.

Ngenxa yokuthi uWhiston wayebheka iBhayibheli njengencwadi eyembula iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu, wayinqaba imfundiso yokuhlushwa phakade esihogweni somlilo. Wayeyibheka njengengenangqondo nenonya, futhi eyibheka njengehlambalaza uNkulunkulu. Nokho, into eyamxabanisa ngempela neziphathimandla zesonto, ukwenqaba kwakhe uZiqu-zintathu, imfundiso echaza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi wakhiwa abantu abathathu abalinganayo futhi abaphila phakade—uBaba, iNdodana noMoya Ongcwele. Nakuba kunjalo, kuthiwa onkulunkulu ababathathu kodwa munye.

“UKUSUKA EKUBENI USAZIWAYO KWEZEMFUNDO KUYA EKUKHISHWENI INYUMBAZANE”

Ngemva kocwaningo olunzulu, uWhiston waphetha ngokuthi amaKristu okuqala awazange ayifundise imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu, kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi yemukelwa lapho imibono yenkolo yamanga ingena ebuKristwini.a Abangane bakhe bamxwayisa ngokuba yingozi kokushicilela lokho ayekutholile, kodwa uWhiston wayengenakukwazi ukukushalazela lokho ayekubheka njengokuhlanekezelwa kwalokho uJesu ayikho ngempela, okuwukuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu futhi wadalwa.

INyuvesi yaseCambridge yayikhipha noma ubani esikhundleni ofundisa imibono engqubuzana nezimfundiso zesonto laseSheshi, okusho ukuthi uWhiston wayengalahlekelwa yisikhundla sakhe. Noma kunjalo, akazange athule—ngokungefani noNewton, naye owayebheka imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu njengengamanga kodwa owayeyigodla imibono yakhe. UWhiston wabhala: “Azikho nhlobo izifiso zezwe . . . ezizonginqanda.”

Ngo-1710, uWhiston waxoshwa eCambridge. Ngenxa yokuthi wenqaba ukuyekethisa ezinkolelweni zakhe, uWhiston “wasuka ekubeni usaziwayo kwezemfundo wagcina esekhishwa inyumbazane.” Ngisho nalokho akuzange kumenze esabe. Empeleni, ngesikhathi emangalelwa ngokuba yimbuka, wabhala uchungechunge lwezihloko ezithi Ukuvuselela UbuKristu Bokuqala (Primitive Christianity Revived)—elithi “bokuqala,” lisho ubuKristu obabuqhutshwa abalandeli bakaJesu bokuqala. Kamuva, uWhiston wasungula iNhlangano Ethuthukisa UbuKristu Bokuqala (Society for Promoting Primitive Christianity), eyayihlangana emzini wakhe eLondon.

Nakuba alahlekelwa yisikhundla sokuba uprofesa futhi wadonsa kanzima ngokwezimali okwesikhashana, uWhiston waqhubeka ebhala futhi efundisa ezitolo okuphuzwa kuzo ikhofi eLondon. Ngo-1737, ukuze asize abantu baqonde indlela amaKristu okuqala ayephila ngayo, wakhipha inguqulo yemibhalo kaJosephus. Isanyatheliswa kuze kube manje.

Ngenxa yokuma kwakhe okunesibindi kodwa okwakungathandwa, abaningi namuhla babheka uWhiston “njengomuntu owayexakile,” kusho umlobi uJames E. Force. Nokho, abanye bambheka njengesazi seBhayibheli, njengomuntu owayeqotho ekufuneni iqiniso lenkolo nanjengendoda eyayizimisele ukuphila ngalokho eyayikukholelwa.