Ithemba Elingcono Ngomphefumulo

AMASOSHA aseRoma ayengakulindele lokhu. Njengoba etheleka enqabeni yaseMasada esentabeni, inqaba yokugcina yamabutho amaJuda angabavukeli, azilungiselela ukuhlasela izitha zawo, alindela ukumemeza kwamabutho nokuklabalasa kwabesifazane nezingane. Kunalokho ezwa ubuqhuqhuqhu bamalangabi kuphela. Njengoba ehlola lenqaba evuthayo, amaRoma athola iqiniso elesabekayo: izitha zawo—abantu abangaba ngu-960—zase zifile kakade! Ngendlela ehleliwe, amabutho amaJuda ayebulale imikhaya yawo siqu, abe esebulalana wodwa. Umuntu wokugcina wayezibulale ngokwakhe.a Yini eyayiwaholele kulokhu kubulalana nokuzibulala okushaqisayo?

Ngokwesazi-mlando sangaleso sikhathi uJosephus, imbangela enkulu kwakuyinkolelo yokungafi komphefumulo. U-Eleazar Ben Jair, umholi wamaZealot aseMasada, wayeqale wazama ukwenza abantu bakhe bakholwe ukuthi ukuzibulala kwakuyoba okuhloniphekile kunokubulawa amaRoma noma ukuba isigqila sawo. Ebona ukuthi bayangabaza, waqala inkulumo evusa usinga ephathelene nomphefumulo. Wabatshela ukuthi umzimba umane nje uyisithiyo, ijele lomphefumulo. “Kodwa lapho, usukhululekile emthwalweni owudonsela phansi emhlabeni bese uwuvalela,” eqhubeka, “umphefumulo ubuyela endaweni okungeyawo, khona-ke empeleni uhlanganyela emandleni abusisekile nasemandleni angenamingcele ngokuphelele, uhlale ungabonakali emehlweni abantu njengoNkulunkulu uQobo.”

Kwaba njani ukusabela? UJosephus ubika ukuthi ngemva kokuba u-Eleazar ekhulume wageq’ amagula ngalokhu, “zonke izilaleli zakhe zayinqamula inkulumo yakhe futhi zigcwele intshiseko engalawuleki zaphuthuma ukuyokwenza lesi senzo.” UJosephus uyanezela: “Njengokungathi zisangene zathathela ngejubane, omunye nomunye efuna ukushesha kunomunye, . . . zazingenwe isifiso esingalawuleki sokubulala amakhosikazi azo, izingane zazo, ngisho nazo ngokwazo.”

Lesi sibonelo esishaqisayo sibonisa indlela imfundiso yomphefumulo ongafi engawushintsha ngokuphelele ngayo umbono ovamile wabantu ngokufa. Abakholelwa kulemfundiso bafundiswa ukuthi ukufa bangakubheki njengesitha esikhulu somuntu, kodwa bakubheke njengesango nje elikhulula umphefumulo ukuze ujabulele ukuphila okuphakeme. Kodwa kungani lawo maZealot angamaJuda ayekholelwa kulokhu? Abaningi bangase bacabange ukuthi imibhalo yawo engcwele, imiBhalo YesiHeberu, ifundisa ukuthi umuntu unomoya ophilayo ngaphakathi kwakhe, umphefumulo ophumayo uqhubeke uphila ngemva kokufa. Ingabe kunjalo ngempela?

Umphefumulo EmiBhalweni YesiHeberu

Ngelilodwa nje, akunjalo. Khona kanye encwadini yeBhayibheli yokuqala ngqá, uGenesise, sitshelwa ukuthi umphefumulo awukhona okuthile onakho, kodwa ungokuthile oyikho. Ngokuqondene nokudalwa kuka-Adamu, umuntu wokuqala, siyafunda: “Umuntu waba-kanjalo umphefumulo ophilayo.” (Genesise 2:7, omalukeke sizenzele.) Igama lesiHeberu elisetshenziswe lapha elisho umphefumulo, elithi neʹphesh, livela izikhathi ezingaphezulu kakhulu kuka-700 emiBhalweni YesiHeberu, lingawunikezi nakanye umqondo wengxenye yomuntu ehlukile, engabonakali, nengumoya. Ngokuphambene, umphefumulo uyabonakala, uyinto engokoqobo, uyinyama.

Bheka imibhalo ekhonjiwe elandelayo eBhayibhelini lakho, ngoba igama lesiHeberu elithi neʹphesh litholakala kuyo yonke. Ikubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi umphefumulo ungaba sengozini, (Hezekeli 13:18; IHubo 17:13; 22:20); ungathinta izinto (Jobe 6:7); ungavalelwa ngezinsimbi (IHubo 142:7); ungafisa ukudla, ungahlushwa ngokuzila ukudla, ungaquleka ngenxa yendlala nokoma; futhi ungaphathwa isifo esizacisayo noma ngisho uqwashe ngenxa yosizi. (Duteronomi 12:20; IHubo 35:13; 69:10; 106:15; 107:9; 116:7) Ngamanye amazwi, ngenxa yokuthi umphefumulo wakho unguwe, wena uqobo, noma yini engenzeka kuwe ingenzeka nasemphefumulweni wakho.b

Ingabe-ke lokhu kusho ukuthi empeleni umphefumulo ungafa? Yebo. Kunokuba kuthiwe ayifi, emiBhalweni YesiHeberu kukhulunywa ngemiphefumulo yabantu njengebulawayo, edwengulwayo, nefayo. (Hezekeli 13:19; IHubo 7:2; 78:50) “Umphefumulo owonayo uyakufa,” kusho uHezekeli 18:4. Kuyacaca ukuthi ukufa kuyisiphetho sayo yonke imiphefumulo engabantu, njengoba sonke sona. (IHubo 51:5) Umuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu, watshelwa ukuthi isijeziso sesono singukufa—hhayi ukudluliselwa endaweni yomoya nokungafi. (Genesise 2:17) Futhi lapho ona, kwakhishwa isigwebo: “Ngokuba ungumhlabathi, uyakuphenduka umhlabathi.” (Genesise 3:19) Lapho u-Adamu no-Eva befa, bamane baba yilokho iBhayibheli elivame ukukubiza ngokuthi ‘imiphefumulo efileyo’ noma ‘imiphefumulo eshonile.’—Numeri 5:2, NW; 6:6, NW.

Akumangalisi ukuthi i-Encyclopedia Americana ithi ngomphefumulo emiBhalweni YesiHeberu: “Umqondo weTestamente Elidala ngomuntu ungowento eyimbumba, hhayi inhlanganisela yomphefumulo nomzimba.” Iyanezela: “I-nefesh . . . ayiqondwa njengesebenza ngokuhlukile kunomzimba.”

Ngakho, amaJuda akholekile ayekholelwa ukuthi kuyini ukufa? Kalula nje, ayekholelwa ukuthi ukufa kuyinto ephambene nokuphila. IHubo 146:4 lisho lokho okwenzeka lapho umoya, noma amandla okuphila, ephuma kumuntu: “Umoya wakhe uyaphuma, yena abuyele emhlabathini wakhe; ngalona lolosuku amacebo akhe ayaphela.”c Ngokufanayo, iNkosi uSolomoni yabhala ukuthi abafileyo “abazi-lutho.”—UmShumayeli 9:5.

Kungani-ke amaJuda amaningi ekhulu lokuqala, njengamaZealot aseMasada, ayeqiniseka kangaka ngokungafi komphefumulo?

Ithonya LamaGreki

AmaJuda awawutholanga eBhayibhelini lomqondo, kodwa awuthola kumaGreki. Phakathi nekhulu lesikhombisa nelesihlanu B.C.E., kubonakala sengathi lomqondo wasuka emahlelweni enkolo yamaGreki angaqondakali wangena kuyifilosofi yamaGreki. Kwase kuyisikhathi eside uthandwa kakhulu umqondo wokuphila kwangemva kokufa lapho imiphefumulo emibi yayijeziswa khona kabuhlungu, futhi lomqondo wagxila wabe ususakazeka. Izazi zefilosofi zazilokhu ziphikisana ngesimo sangempela somphefumulo. UHomer wayethi umphefumulo uphuma ngokuphazima kweso lapho umuntu efa, wenze umsindo ozwakalayo wokubhuza, wokunswininiza, noma wokuhashazela. U-Epicurus wayethi empeleni umphefumulo unesisindo, ngakho-ke, ungumzimba omncane.d

Kodwa mhlawumbe ummeleli omkhulu wokungafi komphefumulo kwakunguPlato, isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki sangekhulu lesine B.C.E. Indlela akuchaza ngayo ukufa komfundisi wakhe, uSocrates, yembula izinkolelo ezifana kakhulu nezamaZealot aseMasada emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva. Njengoba isazi u-Oscar Cullmann sikubeka, “uPlato usibonisa indlela uSocrates afa ngayo ngokuthula nokuzotha okuphelele. Ukufa kukaSocrates kungukufa okuhle. Akubonakali lutho lapha olwesabekayo ngokufa. USocrates akanakukwesaba ukufa, njengoba empeleni kusikhulula emzimbeni. . . . Ukufa kungumngane omkhulu womphefumulo. Ufundisa kanjalo; ngakho ufa ngokuvumelana kahle nemfundiso yakhe.”

Ngokusobala kwakuphakathi nenkathi yabakwaMaccabees, ngekhulu lesibili leminyaka ngaphambi kukaKristu, lapho amaJuda eqala ukwamukela lemfundiso yamaGreki. UJosephus usitshela ukuthi, ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., abaFarisi nama-Essene—amaqembu enkolo yamaJuda ayenamandla—bayamukela lemfundiso. Izinkondlo ezithile okungenzeka ukuthi zalotshwa ngaleyo nkathi zibonisa inkolelo efanayo.

Nokho, kuthiwani ngoJesu Kristu? Ingabe yena nabalandeli bakhe bawufundisa lomqondo ovela enkolweni yamaGreki?

Umbono WamaKristu Okuqala Ngomphefumulo

AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayengawubheki njengamaGreki umphefumulo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela ukufa komngane kaJesu uLazaru. Ukube uLazaru wayenomphefumulo ongafi owaphuma ngokuphazima kweso lapho efa, ukhululekile futhi ujabule, ingabe indaba ekuJohane isahluko 11 yayingeke ifundeke ngendlela ehluke kakhulu? Ngokuqinisekile uJesu wayeyobatshela abalandeli bakhe ukube uLazaru wayesezulwini ephila sáka; ngokuphambene, wenanela amazwi emiBhalo YesiHeberu wabatshela ukuthi uLazaru ulele, akezwa lutho. (Joh 11 Ivesi 11) Ngokuqinisekile uJesu wayeyojabula ukube umngane wakhe wayejabulela ukuphila okusha okuyisimangaliso; kunalokho, simthola ekhala obala ngenxa yokufa kwakhe. (Joh 11 Ivesi 35) Ngokuqinisekile, ukube umphefumulo kaLazaru wawusezulwini, uzitika ngentokozo yokungafi, uJesu wayengeke abe nonya ngokuthi ambuyise ukuba azophila iminyakana eyengeziwe “ejele” elingumzimba wenyama ongaphelele phakathi kwesintu esigulayo nesifayo.

Ingabe uLazaru wabuya ekufeni engawuvali umlomo ngezinsuku zakhe ezine ezimangalisayo eyisidalwa somoya esikhululekile, esingenawo umzimba? Cha, akazange. Abantu abakholelwa ekungafini komphefumulo baphendula ngokuthi lokhu kwakungenxa yokuthi lokho uLazaru akujabulela kwakungachazeki. Kodwa lelo phuzu aligculisi; noma kunjalo, ingabe uLazaru wayengeke atshele abathandekayo bakhe okungenani khona lokho—ukuthi uye wajabulela into emangalisa ngendlela engachazeki? Kunalokho, uLazaru akakhulumanga lutho nganoma yini ayeyijabulele ngenkathi efile. Cabanga ngakho—athule nendaba evusa ilukuluku lokwazi kubantu ukudlula noma iyiphi enye: yokuthi ukufa kunjani! Sinye kuphela isizathu sokuthula kwakhe. Akukho ayengakusho. Abafileyo balele, abezwa lutho.

Ngakho, ingabe iBhayibheli liveza ukufa njengomngane womphefumulo, indlela evamile yokudlulela kwesinye isigaba sokuphila? Cha! KumaKristu eqiniso anjengomphostoli uPawulu, ukufa kwakungemngane; ‘kwakuyisitha sokugcina.’ (1 Korinte 15:26) AmaKristu awakubheki ukufa njengokungokwemvelo, kodwa akubheka njengokungathandeki, okuphambene nemvelo, ngoba kuwumphumela oqondile wesono nokuhlubuka kuNkulunkulu. (Roma 5:12; 6:23) Akukaze kube yingxenye yenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala ngesintu.

Nokho, amaKristu eqiniso awawona angenathemba ngokuphathelene nokufa komphefumulo. Ukuvuka kukaLazaru kungokunye kokulandisa kweBhayibheli okuningi okusibonisa ngokucacile ithemba langempela nelingokomBhalo ngemiphefumulo efile—uvuko. IBhayibheli lifundisa ngezinhlobo ezimbili ezihlukene zovuko. Iningi lesintu elilele emathuneni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lingabalungile noma abangalungile, linethemba lokuvuselwa ekuphileni okungunaphakade ePharadesi lapha emhlabeni. (Luka 23:43; Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15) Iqembu elincane uJesu alibiza ngokuthi ‘umhlambi wakhe omncane,’ linethemba lokuvuselwa ekuphileni okungenakufa njengezidalwa zomoya ezulwini. Laba, abahlanganisa nabaphostoli bakaKristu, bayobusa noKristu Jesu phezu kwesintu futhi basibuyisele ekupheleleni.—Luka 12:32; 1 Korinte 15:53, 54; IsAmbulo 20:6.

Khona-ke, kungani sithola amasonto eLobukholwa engafundisi uvuko, kodwa efundisa ukungafi komphefumulo womuntu? Cabangela impendulo eyanikezwa isazi senkolo uWerner Jaeger kwethi The Harvard Theological Review emuva ngo-1959: “Iqiniso elibaluleke kakhulu emlandweni wemfundiso yobuKristu kwakungelokuthi umsunguli wemfundiso yenkolo yobuKristu, u-Origen, wayeyisazi sefilosofi kaPlato esikoleni sase-Alexandria. Wafaka emfundisweni yobuKristu yonke lendaba ebanzi yomphefumulo, ayeyithathe kuPlato.” Ngakho isonto lenza khona kanye lokho amaJuda ayekwenzile emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili! Lalahla izimfundiso zeBhayibheli lakhetha ifilosofi yamaGreki.

Umsuka Wangempela Walemfundiso

Bevikela imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo, abanye bangase babuze, Kungani lemfundiso efanayo ifundiswa ngandlela-thile, izinkolo zezwe eziningi kangaka? ImiBhalo inikeza isizathu esiqondile sokudlanga kangaka kwalemfundiso emiphakathini yalelizwe ethanda inkolo.

IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi” futhi limveza ngokuqondile uSathane ‘njengombusi walelizwe.’ (1 Johane 5:19; Johane 12:31) Kusobala ukuthi izinkolo zezwe azizange zikhululeke ethonyeni likaSathane. Ngokuphambene, ziye zaba nengxenye enkulu ezinkathazweni nasezingxabanweni ezisemhlabeni namuhla. Futhi endabeni yomphefumulo, zibonakala zibonakalisa umqondo kaSathane ngokucacile. Kanjani?

Khumbula amanga okuqala ashiwo. UNkulunkulu wayetshele u-Adamu no-Eva ukuthi uma bona kuye umphumela wawuyoba ukufa. Kodwa uSathane waqinisekisa u-Eva: “Aniyikufa nokufa.” (Genesise 3:4) Yebo, u-Adamu no-Eva bafa; babuyela othulini njengoba uNkulunkulu ayeshilo. USathane, ‘uyise wamanga,’ akazange awayeke amanga akhe okuqala. (Johane 8:44) Ezinkolweni eziningi eziphambukayo emfundisweni yeBhayibheli noma eziyishaya indiva ngokuqondile, kusanikezwa umqondo ofanayo: ‘Awuyikufa nokufa. Umzimba wakho ungase ushabalale, kodwa umphefumulo wakho uzoqhubeka uphila, phakade—njengoNkulunkulu!’ Ngokuthakazelisayo, noSathane wayetshele u-Eva ukuthi ‘uyoba-njengoNkulunkulu’!—Genesise 3:5.

Yeka ukuthi kungcono kanjani ukuba nethemba elingasekelwe emangeni noma kumafilosofi abantu, kodwa eqinisweni. Yeka ukuthi kungcono kanjani ukuqiniseka ukuthi abathandekayo bethu abafile abezwa lutho emathuneni, kunokuba sikhathazeke ngokuthi ukuphi umphefumulo wabo ongafi! Akudingekile ukuba lokhu kulala kwabafileyo kusesabise noma kusicindezele. Ngandlela-thile, abafileyo singase sibabheke njengabasendaweni yokuphumula ephephile. Kungani sithi ephephile? Ngoba iBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa ukuthi abafileyo abathandwa uJehova bayaphila ngomqondo okhethekile. (Luka 20:38) Bayaphila enkumbulweni yakhe. Lowo umcabango oduduza kakhulu ngoba inkumbulo yakhe ayinamingcele. Uzimisele ukubuyisela izigidi ezingenakubalwa zabantu abathandekayo ekuphileni futhi azinike ithuba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—Qhathanisa noJobe 14:14, 15.

Usuku olukhazimulayo lovuko luyofika, njengoba zonke izithembiso zikaJehova kumelwe zigcwaliseke. (Isaya 55:10, 11) Ake ucabange nje kugcwaliseka lesi siprofetho: “Kodwa abafileyo bakho bayaphila, izidumbu zabo ziyophinde zivuke. Labo abalele emhlabathini bayovuka bamemeze ngenjabulo; ngoba amazolo akho angamazolo okukhanya okubenyezelayo, futhi umhlaba uyophinda uzale labo okukade bafa.” (Isaya 26:19, The New English Bible) Ngakho abafileyo abalele emathuneni baphephe njengengane esizalweni sikanina. ‘Bazozalwa’ kungekudala, babuyiselwe ekuphileni emhlabeni oyipharadesi!

Yiliphi ithemba elingcono kunalelo?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

AmaZealot angamaJuda aseMasada ayekholelwa ukuthi ukufa kwakuyokhulula imiphefumulo yawo