UKhisimusi—Ingabe UwubuKristu Ngempela?
NGOKUSHO kwe-World Book Encyclopedia, “uKhisimusi usuku amaKristu agubha ngalo ukuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu.” Nakuba kunjalo, le-encyclopedia iphinde ithi: “AmaKristu okuqala ayengakugubhi ukuzalwa [kukaJesu] ngoba ayebheka ukugujwa kosuku lokuzalwa kwanoma ubani njengesiko lobuqaba.”
Ethi The Making of the Modern Christmas, kaGolby noPurdue, iyavuma: “AmaKristu okuqala awazange akugubhe ukuzalwa kukaKristu. Kwazona nje izinsuku zokuzalwa zazihlanganiswa nemikhuba yamaqaba; amaVangeli awasho lutho ngosuku oluqondile lokuzalwa kukaKristu.”
Uma ukugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa kungenaso isizinda sobuKristu, usuku lokuzalwa kukaKristu lwaba kanjani umkhosi ovelele ‘wamaKristu’?
Imvelaphi Yobuqaba ‘KaKhisimusi’
“Wonke umuntu wayezitika futhi ezijabulisa, umsebenzi nezohwebo kwakumiswa ngokuphelele okwaleyonkathi, izindlu zazihlotshiswa nge-laurel nange-evergreen, abangane babevakashelana futhi baphane izipho, nabathengi babepha labo abathenga kubo izipho. Yonke leyonkathi yayiyinkathi yokujabula nokuthula, futhi abantu babezitika ngazo zonke izinhlobo zokuzijabulisa.”—Paganism in Christian Festivals, kaJ. M. Wheeler.
Lencazelo iyahambelana yini nemigubho kaKhisimusi oyaziyo? Okumangalisayo ukuthi lona kwakungewona uKhisimusi! Kunalokho, lena incazelo ye-Saturnalia—umkhosi wamaqaba waseRoma owawuthatha isonto lonke owawuhlangene nokungena kobusika (oboniswe ekhasini elibhekene naleli). Usuku lokuzalwa kwelanga elinganqotshwa lwalugujwa ngo-December 25, okwakuwusuku olukhulu lwemikhosi yenkolo yaseRoma kaMithra.
Ngokusho kwe-New Encyclopædia Britannica, “u-December 25, okuwusuku lokuzalwa kukaMithra, unkulunkulu wase-Iran wokukhanya . . . nosuku olwalunikezelwe elangeni elinganqotshwa, kuhlanganise nosuku olungemva kwe-Saturnalia, wamukelwa isonto njengoKhisimusi, ukuzalwa kukaKristu, ukuze avumelane nalemikhosi.” Ngakho lokhu kugujwa kwalolusuku lokuzalwa lobuqaba kwaqhubeka ngokumane kushintshwe amagama nje kuphela, ukusuka kuMithra kuya kuKristu!
Nokho, ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi ukuzalwa kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu, kwakuyinto ekhethekile, edinga ukukhunjulwa. Ukubheka lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngalokhu kuzoba usizo kakhulu.
Isenzakalo Esijabulisayo
Isahluko sesibili seVangeli likaLuka sisinikeza incazelo eyisizinda. ULuka usitshela indlela izingelosi zasezulwini, abelusi abathobekile, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele, kanye noMariya ngokwakhe ezasabela ngayo kulesisenzakalo esiphawulekayo.
Okokuqala cabanga ‘ngabelusi ababehlezi endle belinda imihlambi yabo ebusuku,’ ababengeke bakwenze phakathi nobusika. Lapho “ingelosi yeNkosi” ibonakala futhi inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ibakhanyisa nxazonke, abelusi baqale besaba. Isiqinisekiso safika lapho ingelosi ichaza: “Ningesabi; ngokuba bhekani‚ nginibikela izindaba ezinhle zokuthokoza okukhulu okuzakuba kubantu bonke ukuthi nizalelwe namuhla uMsindisi onguKristu iNkosi.” Lapho “uquqaba lwebandla lasezulwini” lwezingelosi luvela ngokushesha, abelusi bazi ukuthi lokhu kuzalwa kwakwehlukile kukho konke okunye. Ngokuthakazelisayo, lezizingelosi azizange zinikeze usana olusanda kuzalwa izipho. Kunalokho lezizingelosi zadumisa uJehova zithi: “Udumo kuNkulunkulu kweliphezulu‚ nokuthula emhlabeni kubantu abathokozelwa nguye.”—Luka 2:8-14.
Njengokulindelekile, abelusi babefuna ukuzibonela mathupha lomntwana, ngoba nguJehova owayememezele lesisenzakalo esijabulisayo. Lapho bethola umntwana elele emkhombeni, batshela abazali bakhe lokho okwakushiwo izingelosi. Khona-ke abelusi bahamba, “bemdumisa, bembonga uNkulunkulu,” hhayi umntwana.—Luka 2:15-18, 20.
Akungabazeki ukuthi uMariya, unina kaJesu, wajabula ngokubeletha izibulo lakhe ngokuphumelelayo. Kodwa wabuye “wazindla enhliziyweni yakhe.” Khona-ke, ehamba nomyeni wakhe, uJosefa, waya eJerusalema elalela uMthetho kaMose. Lona kwakungewona umgubho wosuku lokuzalwa. Kunalokho, kwakuyisikhathi sokuletha umntwana kuNkulunkulu, “njengokulotshiwe emthethweni weNkosi ukuthi: Konke okwesilisa okuyizibulo kuyakuthiwa okwahlukaniselwe iNkosi.”—Luka 2:19, 22-24.
Ethempelini eJerusalema, uMariya noJosefa bahlangana noSimeyoni, lowo uLuka amchaza ngokuthi “wayelungile‚ emesaba uNkulunkulu‚ ebhekile induduzo kaIsrayeli.” Engaphansi kokuphefumlelwa, wayetsheliwe ukuthi ngeke aze afe engakamboni “uKristu weNkosi.” Okwenzeka ngemva kwalokho kwenzeka “ngoMoya [kaNkulunkulu].” USimeyoni wathatha umntwana wamgona, cha, wayengamuphi isipho, kodwa kunalokho, ebusisa uNkulunkulu, ethi: “Sale usumukisa ngokuthula inceku yakho; Somandla‚ njengezwi lakho‚ ngokuba amehlo ami abonile insindiso yakho oyilungisele ebusweni babantu bonke.”—Luka 2:25-32.
Ngemva kwalokho, umprofethikazi u-Ana wasondela. Naye “wamtusa uNkulunkulu; wakhuluma ngaye kubo bonke ababebheké ukukhululwa kweJerusalema.”—Luka 2:36-38.
UMariya, uSimeyoni, u-Ana, abelusi, kuhlanganise nezingelosi zasezulwini, bonke bajabula ekuzalweni kukaJesu. Nokho, siza uphawule ukuthi abazange bazitike ekuzijabuliseni kwangosuku lokuzalwa, futhi abazange bahileleke ekuphaneni izipho. Kunalokho, bakhazimulisa uJehova, uMlungiseleli wasezulwini walendlela yensindiso.
Nokho, abanye bangase babe nomqondo wokuthi, ‘Empeleni ukuphana izipho ngoKhisimusi ngeke kwaba okungalungile, ngoba angithi ‘nezazi ezintathu’ zahlonipha uJesu ngezipho?’
Izipho ZikaKhisimusi
Ake siphinde sihlole ukulandisa kweBhayibheli. Uzokuthola kulotshwe eVangelini likaMathewu, isahluko 2. Akukhulunywa ngokugujwa kosuku lokuzalwa, futhi akukho sikhathi esikhethekile esinikezwayo, nakuba ngokusobala kungesikhathi esithile ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu. Evesini 1, uMathewu ubiza lezizihambeli ngokuthi ‘izazi [ngesiGreki, maʹgoi] ezivela empumalanga,’ ngakho-ke kwakungamaqaba ayengazi lutho ngoJehova uNkulunkulu. Lenkanyezi lamadoda ayeyilandela ayiwaholelanga ngokuqondile endaweni uJesu ayezalelwe kuyo eBetlehema, kodwa yawaholela eJerusalema, lapho kwakubusa khona iNkosi uHerode.
Lapho lombusi omubi ezwa lamadoda ebuza ‘ngalowo ozelwe eyinkosi yabaJuda,’ wafuna abapristi ukuze athole kahle “ukuthi uKristu uzakuzalelwaphi” ukuze ayale ukuba lomntwana abulawe. Abapristi baphendula ngokucaphuna isiprofetho sikaMika esasikhomba ukuthi indawo uMesiya ayezozalelwa kuyo kwakuseBetlehema. (Mika 5:2) UHerode ngokuzenzisa wayala izihambeli zakhe: “Hambani nibuzisise ngomntwana; kuyakuthi nxa nimfumene‚ ningitshele ukuba nami ngiye ngikhuleke kuye.” Izazi zaqhubeka nendlela yazo, futhi inkanyezi “yahamba phambi kwazo‚ yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho umntwana [omncane, NW] ekhona.” Qaphela ukuthi uchazwa ngokuthi “umntwana omncane,” hhayi usana olusanda kuzalwa.—Mathewu 2:1-10.
Njengenjwayelo yezikhulu zaseMpumalanga ezihambele umbusi, lezizazi ezingamaqaba zawa phansi “zamkhunga [umntwana omncane] ngezipho: igolide namakha nenhlaka.” UMathewu uyanezela: “Kwathi ziyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho ukuba zingabuyeli kuHerode‚ zabuyela ezweni lakubo ngenye indlela.”—Mathewu 2:11, 12.
Ngokwalokhu kulandisa okufushane okungokomBhalo, abanye abantu bangase bazame ukuthola isisekelo sokuphana kwabo izipho ngoKhisimusi. Nakuba kunjalo, i-Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore iyachaza ukuthi lelisiko elikhona manje lokuphana ngezipho lasunguleka eziphweni ze-Saturnalia amaRoma ayezipha omakhelwane bawo abampofu. “Isonto lokuqala . . . lakudlulisela ngokuhlakanipha ukubaluleka kwako lakuhlobanisa nomkhuba wesikhumbuzo sezipho zamaMagi.” Yeka indlela lokhu okuphambene ngayo nabakhulekeli beqiniso—njengabelusi abathobekile—abamane badumisa uNkulunkulu ekuzalweni kukaJesu!
Dumisa UKristu NjengeNkosi!
Namuhla uJesu akaseyena umntwana. UnguMlamuleli onamandla, iNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi kufanele adunyiswe kanjalo.—1 Thimothewu 6:15, 16.
Uma ungumuntu omdala, wake wazizwa yini unamahloni lapho abantu bebuka izithombe zakho usengumntwana phambi kwakho? Yiqiniso, izithombe ezinjalo zikhumbuza abazali bakho ngenjabulo ababa nayo lapho uzalwa. Kodwa manje njengoba nawe usungumuntu ngokwakho, ngokuvamile awukhethi yini ukuba abanye bakubheke ngokwalokho oyikho? Ngomqondo ofanayo, yeka ukuthi kuwukungamhloniphi kanjani uKristu Jesu lapho labo abazisholo ukuthi bangabalandeli bakhe behileleka kakhulu unyaka ngamunye emikhubeni yobuqaba kaKhisimusi futhi bedumisa usana kangangokuba bahluleke ukumdumisa njengeNkosi. Phela, ngisho nangekhulu lokuqala, umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu wabonisa ukufaneleka kokucabanga ngoKristu njengalokho ayikho manje—iNkosi esezulwini. UPawulu wabhala: “Nokuba besimazi uKristu ngokwenyama‚ nokho manje asisamazi.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.)—2 Korinte 5:16.
UKristu, njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ngokushesha uzofeza isithembiso esingokwesiprofetho sokuqeda ubuhlungu, ukuhlupheka, izifo, nokufa. Nguye ozoqinisekisa ukuba khona kwezindlu ezanele nomsebenzi owanelisayo kubo bonke abangaphansi kwezimo zePharadesi lapha emhlabeni. (Isaya 65:21-23; Luka 23:43; 2 Korinte 1:20; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Ngokuqinisekile, lezizizathu zanele ukuba sigweme ukungamhloniphi uJesu!
Elandela isibonelo sikaKristu uqobo, amaKristu eqiniso aphishekela ukupha omakhelwane bawo esinye sezipho ezinkulu kunazo zonke ezinganikezwa umuntu—ukuqonda injongo kaNkulunkulu, okungaholela ekuphileni okuphakade. (Johane 17:3) Loluhlobo lokuphana izipho luwalethela injabulo enkulu, njengoba nje noJesu asho: “Kubusisekile ukupha kunokwamukela.”—IzEnzo 20:35; Luka 11:27, 28.
AmaKristu akhathalelana ngobuqotho awatholi bunzima ekubonisaneni uthando ngokukhululekile nganoma isiphi isikhathi sonyaka. (Filipi 2:3, 4) Njengesibonelo esilula nje, yeka ukuthi kungajabulisa kanjani ukwamukela umdwebo ovela kumntwana ongumKristu, okwathi ngemva kokuzwa inkulumo engokweBhayibheli, wawudweba ebonakalisa ukubonga! Okukhuthaza ngendlela efanayo isipho esingalindelekile esivela esihlotsheni njengesibonakaliso sothando lwaso. Ngokufanayo, abazali abangamaKristu bathola injabulo enkulu lapho bekhetha izikhathi ezifanelekayo phakathi nawo wonke unyaka ukuze baphe izingane zabo izipho. Loluhlobo lokupha kobuKristu alonakaliswa umuzwa wokubopheka onokuzenzisa ngezinsuku zemigubho noma amasiko obuqaba.
Ngenxa yalokho, namuhla amaKristu angaphezu kwezigidi ezine nengxenye azo zonke izizwe awawugubhi uKhisimusi. AngoFakazi BakaJehova, abahlala bematasa bepha omakhelwane babo ubufakazi obuphathelene nezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 24:14) Kungaba kuhle kakhulu uma ungase ubonane nabo uma bekuvakashela ekhaya lakho, mhlawumbe ngokushesha. Kwangathi ukwamukela kwakho ngentshiseko lokho abakulethele khona kungaholela umkhaya wakho enjabulweni enkulu, njengoba nifunda indlela yokudumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu mihla yonke onyakeni.—IHubo 145:1, 2.
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
AmaKristu apha omakhelwane bawo esinye sezipho ezinkulu kunazo zonke—ukuqonda injongo kaNkulunkulu eholela ekuphileni okuphakade
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 4]
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