Ithuna LikaPetru—Ingabe LiseVatican?

“ITHUNA leNkosi yabaPhostoli litholakele.” Isaziso sokunqoba sikaPapa Pius XII sadluliselwa ngomsakazo waseVatican. Kwakusekupheleni kuka-1950, futhi uchungechunge oluyinkimbinkimbi lokumba ngaphansi kweSakhiwo sikaSt. Peter kwakusanda kuqedwa. Ngokusho kwabanye, imiphumela yalokhu kuhlolwa kwemivubukulo kuye kwabonisa ukuthi ngempela uPetru wangcwatshwa eVatican. Nokho, akubona bonke abavumelana nalokho.

KumaKatolika, iSonto likaSt. Peter eVatican libaluleke ngokukhethekile. “Injongo ebalulekile yohambo lokuyokhuleka eRoma iwukuhlangana nalowo owalandela uPetru esikhundleni nokuthola isibusiso sakhe,” kusho incwadi yamaKatolika, “ngoba uPetru weza eRoma futhi wangcwatshwa lapho.” Kodwa ingabe uPetru wangcwatshwa eRoma ngempela? Ingabe ithuna lakhe liseVatican? Asetholakele yini amathambo akhe?

Imfihlakalo Yemivubukulo

Ukumba, okwaqala ngawo-1940 futhi kwathatha iminyaka ecishe ibe yishumi, kuye kwaba yindaba okuphikiswana kakhulu ngayo. Yini eyatholwa abavubukuli ababemiswe upapa? Phakathi kokunye, bathola indawo yokungcwaba yamaqaba enamathuna amaningi. Phakathi kwawo, ngaphansi kwe-altare likapapa losuku lwanamuhla, bathola isakhiwo esithile, okungukuthi, isakhiwo esiyigugu esakhiwe ngendlela yokuba sikwazi ukungenisa isithombe esibaziwe, sifakwe odongeni olumbozwe ngomcako obomvu futhi esizungezwe izindonga ezimbili ezisemaceleni. Ekugcineni, futhi ngokumangalisayo, kwatholwa nezinsalela ezithile zabantu, okuthiwa, zaphuma kolunye lwalezizindonga ezimbili.

Lapha yilapho izinkulumo ezinalezizincazelo ziqala khona. Ngokwezazi eziningi zamaKatolika, lokho okwatholwa kuqinisekisa indaba yokuhlala nokufela ukholo kukaPetru eRoma phakathi nokubusa kukaNero, mhlawumbe phakathi noshushiso lwango-64 C.E. Futhi kuye kwathiwa lezizinsalela ziyizinsalela zikamphostoli futhi zingabhekwa njengeziyizo ngokombhalo, okuthiwa ngokwenye incazelo, ufundeka kanje, “UPetru ulapha.” Kubonakala sengathi uPapa Paul VI wayesekela lokhu kucabanga lapho ngo-1968 ememezela ukutholwa “kwezinsalela zobuntu zikaSt. Peter, ezifanelwe yikho konke ukuzinikela nokuhlonipha kwethu.”

Nokho, phakathi nalezizincazelo bekunokuphikisana. Isazi semivubukulo esingumKatolika u-Antonio Ferrua, umJesuit owahlanganyela ekumbeni kwaseVatican, uye wavuma izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa ukuthi ‘wayengavunyelwe ukusakaza’ konke akwaziyo ngalendaba, okuyindaba ngokusobala eyayizophikisa ukuzisholo kokuthi izinsalela zikaPetru zitholakele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, incwadi yamaRoma, eyahlelwa uKhadinali ongumKatolika uPoupard futhi yakhishwa ngo-1991, yathi “ukuhlola okungokwesayensi amathambo omuntu atholwa ngaphansi kwezisekelo zoDonga Olubomvu abonakala engahlobene neze nomphostoli uPetru.” Ngokumangalisayo, enguqulweni eyalandela (eyakhishwa kamuva ngo-1991), lenkulumo yanyamalala, futhi kwanezelwa isahluko esisha, esinesihloko esithi “Ngokuqinisekile: UPetru Usesontweni LikaSt. Peter.”

Izincazelo Zalokho Okwatholwa

Kuyakhanya ukuthi lokho okwatholwa kuchazwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene abantu abahlukahlukene. Ngempela, izazi-mlando zamaKatolika ezinegunya elikhulu ziyaqaphela ukuthi “izinkinga ezingokomlando eziphathelene neqiniso lokufel’ ukholo kukaPetru eRoma, nendawo angcwatshwa kuyo, kuyangatshazwa.” Okwatholwa kwembulani?

Ngokusho kwalabo abafuna ukwenza ngokuvumelana namaKatolika, lesisakhiwo esiyigugu “siyisikhumbuzo” uGayu othile akhuluma ngaso, umpristi owaphila ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesithathu. Ngokusho kuka-Eusebius waseKhesariya, isazi-mlando esingumfundisi sekhulu lesine, uGayu wathi ‘wayengabonisa isikhumbuzo sikaPetru eGqumeni LaseVatican.’ Abasekeli balendaba bathi umphostoli wangcwatshwa lapho, ngaphansi kwalesisakhiwo esiyigugu kamuva esaziwa ngokuthi “isikhumbuzo sikaGayu.” Nokho, abanye bachaza imiphumela yokumba ngendlela ehluke ngokuphelele, beveza ukuthi amaKristu okuqala ayengazikhathazi ngokungadingekile ngokungcwaba abafileyo bawo nokuthi nakuba uPetru ayebulawelwe lapho, ukutholakala komzimba wakhe cishe kwakungenakwenzeka. (Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 29.)

Kunalabo abangavumi ukuthi “isikhumbuzo sikaGayu” (uma kuyilokho okwatholwa) siyithuna. Babambelele ekuthini siyisakhiwo esiyigugu esakhiwa ukuze kuhlonishwe uPetru ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesibili nokuthi kamuva “sabhekwa njengesakhiwo esiyigugu samathuna.” Nokho, ngokwesazi semfundiso yenkolo u-Oscar Cullmann “ukumba kwaseVatican akulivezi nakancane ithuna likaPetru.”

Kuthiwani ngamathambo? Kufanele kushiwo ukuthi akukaqondakali ngempela ukuthi lamathambo avelaphi. Njengoba ekhulwini lokuqala indawo yokungcwaba yamaqaba yayikulokho manje okuyiGquma LaseVatican, izinsalela eziningi zabantu zangcwatshwa kulendawo, futhi eziningi seziye zatholakala. Umbhalo ongaphelele (okungenzeka wabhalwa ngekhulu lesine) lowo abanye abathi ubonisa indawo okwatholakala kuyo izinsalela njengethuna lomphostoli, ungase ubhekisele “ekubeni khona okucatshangelwayo kwamathambo kaPetru.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, izazi eziningi zokuhlolwa kwemibhalo eqoshiwe zinombono wokuthi lombhalo ungase usho nokuthi “UPetru akekho lapha.”

‘Ukulandisa Okungenakwethenjelwa’

“Imithombo yangaphambili nenokwethenjelwa okukhulu ayikhulumi ngendawo lapho [uPetru] afela khona ukholo lwakhe, kodwa phakathi kwemithombo yokwaziswa yamuva nengenakwethenjelwa kunokuvumelana kokuthi kwakusendaweni yaseVatican,” kusho isazi-mlando uD. W. O’Connor. Ngakho-ke ukufuna ithuna likaPetru eVatican kwakusekelwe ekulandiseni okungenakwethenjelwa. “Lapho izinsalela ziba nokubaluleka okukhulu,” kuvuma u-O’Connor, “amaKristu aqala ukukholelwa ngobuqotho ukuthi [isikhumbuzo] sikaPetru ngokuqinisekile sasibonisa indawo okuyiyonayona yethuna lakhe.”

Lokhu kulandisa kwaqala ngesikhathi esifanayo naleso sokuhlonishwa kwezinsalela okungekho ngokombhalo. Kusukela ekhulwini lesithathu nelesine kuqhubeke, izikhungo ezihlukahlukene zobufundisi zasebenzisa izinsalela, eziyiqiniso nezingamanga—futhi zizuza ngokomnotho—ekulweleni ukufinyelela ukuphakama “ngokomoya” nokuthuthukisa igunya lazo siqu. Ngakho, bekholelwa ukuthi izinsalela zikaPetru zinamandla ayisimangaliso, abakhulekeli abazinikele bathatha uhambo lokuya ethuneni lakhe elicatshangelwayo. Ekupheleni kwekhulu lesithupha, amakholwa ayephonsa izingubo zawo zekhethelo “ethuneni.” “Ngokuphawulekayo,” kusho okunye ukulandisa kwangalesosikhathi, “uma ukholo lwalowo onxusayo luqinile, lapho ingubo ikhishwa ethuneni, iyobe igcwele isibusiso saphezulu futhi iyoba eyekhethelo ngaphezu kokuba yayinjalo ngaphambili.” Lokhu kubonisa izinga lokholo lokuthatheka lwangalesosikhathi.

Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, izinganekwane ezifana nalena nokulandisa okungenasisekelo kuye kwaba nengxenye ngokuphawulekayo ekukhuleni kwethonya laleSakhiwo SaseVatican. Nokho, kwaphakanyiswa imibono ephikisayo. Ekhulwini le-12 nele-13, amaWaldens akulahla lokhu kweqisa futhi, esebenzisa iBhayibheli, achaza ukuthi uPetru wayengakaze abe seRoma. Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka kamuva, abasekeli beNguquko YamaProthestani baphikisa ngokufanayo. Ekhulwini le-18, izazi zefilosofi ezidumile ziye zakucabangela njengokungenasisekelo lokhu kulandisa, kokubili ngokomlando nangokomBhalo. Izazi ezikhaliphile, ezingamaKatolika nezinye, zinombono ofanayo kuze kube namuhla.

Ingabe UPetru Wafela ERoma?

UPetru, umdobi waseGalile othobekile, ngokuqinisekile akazange abe nanoma imuphi umbono wokuvelela ngaphezu kwabadala ebandleni lamaKristu lekhulu lokuqala. Kunalokho, wazichaza ‘njengomdala okanye nabo.’ (1 Petru 5:1-6, Revised Standard Version) Isimo sikaPetru sokuthobeka siyaphikisana nobukhazikhazi obuzungeze ithuna lakhe elicatshangelwayo, njengoba lingabonwa yinoma isiphi isivakashi esize eSakhiweni SaseVatican.

Ukuze liqinisekise ukuphakama kwalo ngaphezu kwezinye izinkolo zobuKristu, iSonto LamaKatolika liye lafuna ukuphakamisa ukulandisa ‘kwamuva nokungenakwethenjelwa’ okuthi uPetru wahlala isikhathi esithile eRoma. Nokho, kuyamangalisa ukuthi okunye ukulandisa kwakuyothi indawo angcwatshwa kuyo ayikho eVatican, kodwa isendaweni ethile eRoma. Nokho, kungani kunganamathelwa emaqinisweni alotshwe eBhayibhelini, okuwukuphela komthombo wokwaziswa okuqinisekile ngoPetru? NgokweZwi likaNkulunkulu kuyacaca ukuthi, ngokulalela iziqondiso ayezithola endikimbeni ebusayo yebandla lamaKristu eJerusalema, uPetru wafeza umsebenzi wakhe engxenyeni esempumalanga yezwe lasendulo, kuhlanganise neBabiloni.—Galathiya 2:1-9; 1 Petru 5:13; qhathanisa nezEnzo 8:14.

Lapho ebhalela amaKristu eRoma, cishe ngo-56 C.E., umphostoli uPawulu wabingelela amalungu acishe abe ngu-30 alelobandla ngaphandle kokukhuluma ngisho nokukhuluma ngoPetru. (Roma 1:1, 7; 16:3-23) Khona-ke, phakathi kuka-60 no-65 C.E., uPawulu wabhala izincwadi eziyisithupha eseRoma, kodwa uPetru akukhulunywa ngaye—ubufakazi obunamandla obuvumelana nezenzakalo bokuthi uPetru wayengekho lapho.a (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Thimothewu 1:15-17; 4:11.) Umsebenzi kaPawulu eRoma uchazwe ekuphetheni kwencwadi yezEnzo, kodwa nalapha, akubhekiselwa kuPetru. (IzEnzo 28:16, 30, 31) Ngenxa yalokho, ukuhlolwa okunenjongo kobufakazi beBhayibheli, obungaxutshanisiwe nemibono ecatshangelwe kusengaphambili, kungaholela kuphela esiphethweni sokuthi uPetru akazange ashumayele eRoma.b

“Ukuvelela” kukapapa kusekelwe kulokhu kulandisa okungenakwethenjelwa nokusetshenziswa kwemibhalo okusontiwe. UJesu, hhayi uPetru, uyisisekelo sobuKristu. “UKristu uyinhloko yebandla,” kusho uPawulu. (Efesu 2:20-22; 5:23) KwakunguJesu Kristu lowo uJehova amthuma ukuba azobusisa futhi asindise bonke labo abanokholo.—Johane 3:16; IzEnzo 4:12; Roma 15:29; bheka futhi eyoku-1 Petru 2:4-8.

Khona-ke, bonke labo abathatha uhambo oluya kulokho abakholelwa ngobuqotho ukuthi kuyithuna likaPetru ukuze ‘bahlangane nalowo owalandela yena esikhundleni’ babhekene nenkinga yokuthi bakwamukele yini lokhu ‘kulandisa okungenakwethenjelwa’ noma bakholelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu elinokwethenjelwa. Njengoba amaKristu efuna ukuba ukukhulekela kwawo kwamukeleke kuNkulunkulu, ‘abheka kumphelelisi wokukholwa kwawo, uJesu,’ nasesibonelweni esiphelele asishiyele sona ukuba sisilandele.—Heberu 12:2; 1 Petru 2:21.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 29]

“Ukumba akuyembulanga imizila eqinisekile yokuba khona kwethuna ngaphansi kweSakhiwo Esiyigugu; futhi empeleni akukho noma ikuphi ukuqiniseka kokuthi umzimba kaSt. Peter wake watholwa kulabo abambulala ukuze ungcwatshwe umphakathi wamaKristu. Phakathi nezenzakalo ezivamile, umzimba wothile owayeyisihambi (peregrinus), futhi ngokomthetho umzimba wesigelekeqe esivamile, wawungase uphonswe eTiber. . . . Ngaphezu kwalokho, sasingenakuba khona isithakazelo esifanayo sokugcinwa kwezinsalela zomzimba ngalesosikhathi sakudala njengoba kwaba njalo kamuva, lapho ukukholelwa ekupheleni kwezwe okwakusondela sekushabalele namahlelo abafel’ ukholo eqala ukuvela. Ngakho-ke, ukuba nokwenzeka kokuthi umzimba kaSt. Peter awuzange, eqinisweni, utholwe ukuze ungcwatshwe kuyiqiniso.”—The Shrine of St. Peter and the Vatican Excavations, kaJocelyn Toynbee noJohn Ward Perkins.