Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi
◼ Ingabe kufanelekile ngowesifazane ongumKristu ukuba asebenzise izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba noma izimonyo, ashintshe umbala wezinwele zakhe, noma alandele imikhuba efana naleyo?
Esikhathini esidlule kanye nasosukwini lwethu, abanye abathi balandela iBhayibheli baye baba nemibono enamandla kodwa ehlukene kakhulu mayelana nokuhloba.a
Abesifazane emasontweni athile bazigwema ngokuphelele izimonyo nezinto eziyigugu zokuhloba. Ngokwesibonelo, incwadi ethi The Amish People ibika ukuthi “abenzi lutho ngokubukeka kwabo okungokomzimba ngoba banomuzwa wokuthi noma yiliphi ilungu elinesithakazelo esinamandla ekubukekeni okungokwezwe liyasongelwa, ngenxa yokuthi [leso]sithakazelo kufanele sigxiliswe ekucabangeleni okungokomoya kunokungokomzimba. Amanye . . . ayocaphuna imiBhalo.”
Khona-ke umbhalo owacashunwa kwakungeyoku-1 Samuweli 16:7: “UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: Ungabheki isimo sakhe nobude bomzimba wakhe . . . umuntu ubheka okusemehlweni, kepha uJehova ubheka okusenhliziyweni.” Nokho, lowombhalo wawubhekisela ebudeni bomfowabo kaDavide uEliyabe. Kusobala emongweni ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengakhulumi lapha ngemikhuba yokuzilungisa, njengokuthi uDavide noma abafowabo babezilungisa yini izinwele zabo noma babesebenzisa izinto zokuhlobisa ezingutsheni zabo.—Genesise 38:18; 2 Samuweli 14:25, 26; Luka 15:22.
Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi abanye abakholelwa ukuthi amaKristu kufanele abe angazenzi lutho ngendlela ehlukile, angasebenzisi izimonyo noma izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba, bafuna ukusekelwa ngemibhalo esetshenziswe ngokungeyikho. Eqinisweni iBhayibheli aliyinikezi incazelo eningiliziwe yokuzilungisa; futhi alivumeli imikhuba ethile yokuzimonyonga lenqabele eminye. Linikeza iziqondiso ezinengqondo. Ake sizicabangele futhi sibone ukuthi zingasetshenziswa kanjani namuhla.
Umphostoli uPawulu wanikeza lesiqondiso esiphefumlelwe: “Ngifisa ukuba abesifazane bazihlobise ngezingubo ezilungiswe kahle, ngesizotha nokuhluzeka kwengqondo, hhayi ngezitayela zokweluka izinwele nangegolide, noma amaparele, noma izambatho ezibiza kakhulu.” (1 Thimothewu 2:9, NW) Ngokufanayo uPetru wabhala: “Ukuhloba kwenu makungabi-ngokungaphandle, okokwaluka izinwele, nokokufaka igolide, noma okokugqoka izingubo, kepha makube-ngumuntu osithekileyo wenhliziyo ohloba ngokungabhubhiyo komoya omnene onokuthula, okuyigugu phambi kukaNkulunkulu.”—1 Petru 3:3, 4.
Amagama esiGreki ahunyushwe lapho ngokuthi “hlobisa,” “lungiswe kahle,” nelithi “ukuhloba” ayisimo selithi koʹsmos, eliwumsuka futhi wegama elithi “cosmetic,” okusho “ukwenza muhle [ikakhulukazi] ibala.” Ngakho leyomibhalo isisiza ukuba siphendule imibuzo ephathelene nokusetshenziswa kwezinto zokuzilungisa noma izimonyo, izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba, nezinye izici zokuhloba kwabesifazane.
Ingabe uPawulu noPetru babesho ukuthi amaKristu kumelwe agweme ukweluka izinwele zawo, ukufaka amaparele nezinto eziyigugu zokuhloba zegolide, noma, ngokunweba ukusebenza kwalokhu, ukusebenzisa izinto zokuzilungisa? Cha. Ukuthi yilokho abebekusho bekuyodinga futhi ukuba odade abangamaKristu bagweme ‘ukugqoka izingubo.’ Nokho, uDorka, owavuswa nguPetru, wayethandeka ngoba wayenzela abanye odade ‘izingubo.’ (IzEnzo 9:39) Ngakho-ke, eyoku-1 Thimothewu 2:9 neyoku-1 Petru 3:3, 4 azisho ukuthi odade kumelwe bagweme ukweluka, amaparele, izingubo, nokunye. Kunalokho, uPawulu wayegcizelela isidingo sesizotha nokuhluzeka kwengqondo ekuzilungiseni kwabesifazane. UPetru wabonisa ukuthi abesifazane kufanele banikeze ukunakekela okukhulu emoyeni wabo wangaphakathi ukuze bazuze abayeni babo abangakholwa, bangagxili ekubukekeni kwangaphandle noma ezimonyweni.
Kalula nje, akukhona ukuthi iBhayibheli lenqabela yonke imizamo yokuthuthukisa noma yokunezela ukubukeka komuntu. Ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu, amadoda nabesifazane ngokufanayo, zasebenzisa izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba. (Genesise 41:42; Eksodusi 32:2, 3; Daniyeli 5:29) UEsteri othembekile wemukela uhlelo olubanzi lokuthuthukisa ubuhle kanye nezimonyo, iziqholo, nokuhlikihlwa ngamafutha. (Esteri 2:7, 12, 15; qhathanisa noDaniyeli 1:3-8.) UNkulunkulu wathi wayehlobise ngokomfanekiso uIsrayeli ngamasongo, umgexo, icici lasekhaleni, nangamacici. Lokho kwaba nengxenye ekubeni abe ‘muhle kakhulu impela.’—Hezekeli 16:11-13.
Nokho, lokho kulandisa okukuHezekeli kuphethe isifundo esimelene nokugxila kwethu ekubukekeni. UNkulunkulu wathi: “Wethemba ebuhleni bakho, wafebela igama lakho, wathululela bonke abadlulayo ubufebe bakho, baba-ngobakhe.” (Hezekeli 16:15; Isaya 3:16, 19) Ngaleyondlela, uHezekeli 16:11-15 ugcizelela ukuhlakanipha kweseluleko sakamuva sikaPawulu noPetru ngokuphathelene nokungagcizeleli ekubukekeni kwangaphandle. Uma owesifazane ekhetha ukuzihlobisa ngezinto eziyigugu zokuhloba, isilinganiso nesitayela kufanele kuhambisane nesizotha, kungeqisi noma kubukise, futhi kube ubukhazikhazi.—Jakobe 2:2.
Kuthiwani ngokusebenzisa kowesifazane ongumKristu izimonyo, njengokokugcoba izindebe, okokupenda izihlathi, noma okokugcoba amajwabu amehlo nokokugqamisa amehlo? Izazi zemivubukulo kwaIsrayeli nangakhona ziye zathola izitsha zezimonyo, kuhlanganise nokokuzisebenzisa nezibuko. Yebo, abesifazane basemaZweni Asempumalanga asendulo babesebenzisa izimonyo okwakuyizandulela zemikhiqizo eminingi yanamuhla. Igama lendodakazi kaJobe uKereni-Haphuki cishe lalisho “Uphondo Lukapende Omnyama (Wamehlo),” noma isitsha sezimonyo zamehlo.—Jobe 42:13-15.
Ezinye izinto zokuzilungisa zazisetshenziswa kwaIsrayeli, nokho izibonelo zeBhayibheli zibonisa ingozi yokweqisa. Eminyakeni eminingi ngemva kokuba ebe indlovukazi yakwaIsrayeli, uIzebeli “wagqaba amehlo akhe, wahlobisa ikhanda lakhe.” (2 AmaKhosi 9:30) Kamuva lapho echaza indlela uIsrayeli afuna ngayo ukunaka kokuziphatha okubi kwezizwe ezingamaqaba, uNkulunkulu wathi ‘wazivunulisa ngezivunulo zegolide, noma wagqaba amehlo akhe ngomuthi, wazenza-muhle.’ (Jeremiya 4:30; Hezekeli 23:40) Lawomavesi namanye awasho ukuthi akulungile ukusebenzisa izindlela zokwenziwa ukuze umuntu athuthukise ukubukeka kwakhe. Noma kunjalo, indaba kaIzebeli isikisela ukuthi wagcoba upende omningi omnyama emehlweni akhe kangangokuba wawungabonakala nakude, wabonwa ngisho nanguJehu engaphandle kwesigodlo. Siyini isifundo kulokhu? Ungafaki izimonyo kakhulu ngaphezu kwesilinganiso, ngendlela yokweqisa.b
Yiqiniso, akekho owesifazane osebenzisa izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba noma izimonyo obengase asho ukuthi izindlela zakhe siqu nezilinganiso azifanelekile. Nokho, akunakuphikwa ukuthi ngenxa yokungalondeki noma ukuthonywa ezokukhangisa ezixhaphazayo, owesifazane angaba nomkhuba wokusebenzisa izimonyo kakhulu. Angase ajwayelane kakhulu nokubukeka okuba umphumela kangangokuba ahluleke ukuqaphela ukuthi kuyashayisana ‘nesizotha nokuhluzeka kwengqondo’ kwabesifazane abaningi abangamaKristu.—Bheka uJakobe 1:23, 24.
Kuyavunywa, ukukhetha kuyehlukahluka; abanye besifazane basebenzisa izimonyo noma izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba ezincane noma bangazisebenzisi nhlobo, abanye basebenzisa ezengeziwe. Ngakho kuwukuhlakanipha ukungahluleli muntu osebenzisa isilinganiso esihlukile sezimonyo noma izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba. Esinye isici siyisiko lendawo. Ukuthi izindlela ezithile ziyamukeleka kwelinye izwe (noma zazivamile ezikhathini zasendulo) akusho ukuthi zivumelekile endaweni okuyo namuhla.
Owesifazane ongumKristu ohlakaniphile ngezikhathi ezithile uyohlolisisa indlela azilungisa ngayo, ezibuza ngokwethembeka okukhulu: ‘Ingabe ngivame ukufaka izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba noma izimonyo ezengeziwe (noma ezigqamile) ukudlula amaKristu amaningi endaweni yakithi? Ingabe ngifanisa ukuzilungisa kwami nokosaziwayo abaqhoshayo noma abadlali bamabhayisikobho abazidlayo, noma ingabe ngiqondiswa ngokuyinhloko iseluleko esikweyoku-1 Thimothewu 2:9 neyoku-1 Petru 3:3, 4? Yebo, ingabe ukuzilungisa kwami ngempela kunesizotha, kubonisa inhlonipho yangempela ngemibono yabanye nemizwa?’—IzAga 31:30.
Abesifazane abanabayeni abangamaKristu bangacela ukuzwa umbono wabo kanye neseluleko. Futhi, uma sicelwa ngobuqotho, iseluleko esiwusizo singase sitholakale kwabanye odade. Kodwa kunokuphendukela kumngane onokukhetha okufanayo, kungase kube ngcono ukukhuluma nodade asebekhulile abakulinganisela kwabo nokuhlakanipha kuyahlonishwa. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 AmaKhosi 12:6-8.) IBhayibheli lithi abe-sifazane asebekhulile abahloniphekayo ‘mabafundise abesifazane abasha ukuba babe-ngabaqondileyo, abamhlophe ukuba izwi likaNkulunkulu lingahlanjalazwa.’ (Thithu 2:2-5) Akekho umKristu ovuthiwe obengafuna ukuba ukusebenzisa kwakhe izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba noma izimonyo ngokungenasizotha kubangele iZwi likaNkulunkulu noma abantu bakhe ukuba ‘kuhlanjalazwe.’
Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli ngoTamari kubonisa ukuthi ukuzilungisa kowesifazane kungambonisa njengowohlobo oluthile, kuthumele isigijimi esinamandla. (Genesise 38:14, 15) Yisiphi isigijimi esidluliselwa isitayela sezinwele nombala wezinwele (uma zishintshwe umbala) zowesifazane ongumKristu noma ukusebenzisa kwakhe izinto eziyigugu zokuhloba nezimonyo? Ingabe siwukuthi: Lena inceku kaNkulunkulu ehlanzekile, enesizotha, futhi elinganiselayo?
Othile obona amaKristu enkonzweni yasensimini, noma oba khona emihlanganweni yethu, kufanele ahlabeke umxhwele. Izingqapheli ngokuvamile zinjalo. Abesifazane abaningi abangamaKristu abanikezi-sizathu sokuba umuntu wangaphandle aphethe, ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngokuthi abazinakile, noma ngakolunye, ngokuthi bazimonyonge noma bahlobe ngokweqile; kunalokho, bazilungisa “njengokufanele abesifazane abashoyo ukuthi besaba uNkulunkulu.”—1 Thimothewu 2:10.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Ekhulwini lesithathu leminyaka C.E., uTertullian wathi abesifazane “abahlikihla isikhumba sabo ngemithi, bagcobe izihlathi zabo ngempuphu ebomvu, bagqamise amehlo abo ngeantimony [emnyama], bayona kuYe.” Wabuye wagxeka nalabo abashintsha umbala wezinwele zabo. Esebenzisa ngokungeyikho amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 5:36, uTertullian wasola: “Bayayiphikisa iNkosi! ‘Bheka!’ bayasho, ‘kunokuba senze [izinwele zethu] zibe mhlophe noma zibe mnyama, sizenza zibe phuzi.’” Wanezela: “Ungathola ngisho nabantu abanamahloni ngokuthi sebebadala, futhi bazama ukuguqula izinwele zabo ezimhlophe zibe mnyama.” Lowo kwakuwumbono kaTertullian ngokwakhe. Kodwa wayesonta izinto, ngoba impikiswano yakhe yonke yayisekelwe embonweni wakhe wokuthi abesifazane bayimbangela yokuqalekiswa kwesintu, ngakho kufanele ‘bahambe njengoEva, belila futhi bedabukile’ ngenxa ‘yesihlamba sesono sokuqala.’ IBhayibheli aliyisho into enjalo; uNkulunkulu wabonisa ukuthi uAdamu uyena owabangela ukuba nesono kwesintu.—Roma 5:12-14; 1 Thimothewu 2:13, 14.
b Esikhathini esingeside esidlule abezindaba eUnited States baveza obala isimo esihlazisayo somvangeli othile weTV, kuyilapho umkakhe onendima elingana neyakhe cishe adonsa ukunakekela okungangalokho. Ngokwemibiko yezindaba, wakhula ekholelwa ukuthi “kokubili izimonyo namabhayisikobho” kwakuyisono, nokho kamuva wawushintsha umbono wakhe futhi waphawuleka “ngezimonyo” ezazinohlonze “kangangokuba zazibukeka sengathi zibaziwe.”
[Izithombe ekhasini 31]
Okutholwe emivubukulweni okuvela eMpumalanga Ephakathi: Ibhokisi lezimonyo elenziwe ngophondo lwendlovu, isibuko, nemigexo yegolide netshe elibomvu
[Umthombo]
Zozintathu: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.