Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi
Kumelwe enze njani umKristu lapho enikezwa isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji (“juror”)?
Kwamanye amazwe, isimiso sokwahlulela sisebenzisa abasizi bejaji abakhethwe emphakathini. Endaweni okwenzekayo kuyo lokhu, umKristu kumelwe anqume indlela ayosabela ngayo lapho etshelwa ukuba eze esabelweni sokuba umsizi wejaji. Ngonembeza abahle, amaKristu amaningi aye aphetha ngokuthi izimiso zeBhayibheli azikulahli ukuvela, njengoba nje noShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedi-Nego balalela isiqondiso sikahulumeni waseBabiloni sokuba bavele ethafeni laseDura nanjengoba uJosefa noMariya baya eBetlehema lapho iziphathimandla ezingamaRoma zibayale ukuba benze njalo. (Daniyeli 3:1-12; Luka 2:1-4) Nokho, kunezici amaKristu aqotho angazicabangela.
Ukusetshenziswa kwabasizi bejaji akwenziwa yonke indawo. Kwamanye amazwe, amacala ezakhamuzi nawobugebengu anqunywa yijaji eliqeqeshiwe noma isigungu samajaji. Kwezinye izindawo, kukhona lokho okubizwa ngokuthi umthetho wendawo, futhi abasizi bejaji bayingxenye yenqubo yokwahlulela. Noma kunjalo, iningi labantu alinawo umbono ocacile ngendlela abasizi bejaji abakhethwa ngayo nalokho abakwenzayo. Ngakho ukuthola umqondo obanzi kuzosiza kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ubhekene nesabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji noma cha.
Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqaphela uJehova njengoMahluleli Ophakeme. (Isaya 33:22) Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, amadoda ayenokuhlangenwe nakho, eqotho futhi engakhethi akhonza njengabahluleli ukuze axazulule izimpikiswano futhi anqume kwezomthetho. (Eksodusi 18:13-22; Levitikusi 19:15; Duteronomi 21:18-21) Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni, umsebenzi wokwahlulela wawusingathwa yiSanhedrini, inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda. (Marku 15:1; IzEnzo 5:27-34) Kwakungekho lungiselelo lokuba umJuda ovamile abe seqenjini labasizi bejaji abayizakhamuzi.
Amanye amazwe ayesebenzisa amaqembu abasizi bejaji akhiwe yizakhamuzi. USocrates waquliswa icala phambi kwabasizi bejaji abangu-501. Ukuquliswa phambi kwabasizi bejaji kwakukhona nakuyiRepublic yaseRome, nakuba kwaqedwa ngaphansi kwababusi. Kamuva, iNkos’uHenry III yaseNgilandi yenza ukuba ummangalelwa ahlulelwe omakhelwane bakhe. Kwakunombono wokuthi njengoba bemazi ummangalelwa, isahlulelo sabo siyoba nobulungisa kunezinqubo zokuba azame ukufakazela ukuthi akanacala ngokulwa noma ngokubhekana nesigameko esithile. Njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka, isimiso sabasizi bejaji sashintsha saba ilungiselelo lapho iqembu lezakhamuzi lalilalela icala bese lifinyelela isinqumo ngokusekelwe ebufakazini. Ijaji eliqeqeshiwe lalibaqondisa emaphuzwini aphathelene nobufakazi.
Izinhlobo zabasizi bejaji ziyahlukahluka, inani labo, nalokho okuhilelekile ekufinyeleleni isinqumo. Ngokwesibonelo, e-United States, iqembu elikhulu labasizi bejaji (grand jury) abangu-12 kuya ku-23 linquma ukuthi kunobufakazi obanele yini ukuba umuntu athweswe icala lobugebengu; alinqumi ukuthi unecala yini noma akanacala. Ngokufanayo, eqenjini eliphenyayo labasizi bejaji (jury of inquest), abasizi bejaji bahlaziya ubufakazi ukuze banqume ukuthi senziwa yini isenzo sobugebengu.
Iningi labantu lapho licabanga ngeqembu labasizi bejaji, licabanga ngesigungu sezakhamuzi ezingu-12 ecaleni—empikiswaneni yezakhamuzi noma ecaleni lobugebengu—esilalela ubufakazi ukuze sinqume ukuthi othile unecala yini noma akanacala. Leli yiqembu elincane labasizi bejaji (petit jury), ngokungafani neqembu elikhulu labasizi bejaji (grand jury). Ngokuvamile, inkantolo ithumela isaziso kubantu abathile sokuba bamukele isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji abasuke bekhethwe ohlwini lwabavotayo, abashayeli abagunyaziwe, noma okufanayo. Ngokuzenzakalelayo abanye bangase bangafaneleki, njengezinswelaboya ezilahlwe amacala nabantu abakhubazekile engqondweni. Kuye ngomthetho wezwe, abanye—njengodokotela, abefundisi, abameli, noma abanikazi bamabhizinisi amancane—bangase bafune ukukhululwa. (Abanye bangase bakhululwe ngenxa yokuba nezizathu eziqinile zomuntu siqu zokwenqaba inkonzo yokuba umsizi wejaji ngenxa kanembeza.) Nokho, iziphathimandla ziya zihlunga izizathu zokukhululwa ukuze wonke umuntu abopheke ukuba amukele isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji, mhlawumbe kaningana phakathi neminyaka ethile.
Akubona bonke ngempela abasamukelayo isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji abahlanganyelayo ekuqulweni kwecala njengabasizi bejaji. Phakathi kwabantu abatholakalayo ababizelwe isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji, kukhethwa noma yibaphi ukuze bahlanganyele kulelo cala. Ijaji libe selisho ukuthi ummangali nommangalelwa bangobani futhi lichaze nobunjalo becala. Yena kanye nabameli bahlola umuntu ngamunye ongase abe umsizi wejaji. Yilesi isikhathi sokukhuluma uma umuntu enesizathu sikanembeza sokungahlanganyeli ekuqulweni kwecala ngenxa yobunjalo becala.
Leli qembu kudingeka lincishiswe lize libe inani elizoba khona ngokoqobo lapho kuqulwa lelo cala. Ijaji liyocela ukuba baphume noma ibaphi labo okungenzeka kungabazeke ukuthi abathathi hlangothi ekuqulweni kwecala ngenxa yokuba nesithakazelo ecaleni. Futhi abameli bohlangothi ngalunye banelungelo lokukhipha abasizi bejaji abambalwa. Noma ibaphi abakhishwa kuleso sigungu sabasizi bejaji baphindela eqenjini labasizi abalindile ukuze balindele ukukhethwa kwamanye amacala. Lapho ekulesi simo, amanye amaKristu aye asebenzisa lesi sikhathi ukuze afakaze ngokwethukela. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezithile, isabelo somuntu sokuba umsizi wejaji siyaphela, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uye waba yini umsizi wejaji ngempela noma cha.
AmaKristu azama ‘ukunaka izindaba zawo siqu,’ angangeni “ezindabeni zabanye abantu.” (1 Thesalonika 4:11; 1 Petru 4:15) Lapho umJuda ecela uJesu ukuba ahlulele odabeni lwefa, waphendula: “Ndoda, ubani ongimise umahluleli noma umahlukanisi phezu kwenu?” (Luka 12:13, 14) UJesu wezela ukuzomemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, hhayi ukuzolamula ezindabeni zomthetho. (Luka 4:18, 43) Impendulo kaJesu kungenzeka yashukumisela lendoda ukuba isebenzise indlela yokuxazulula izingxabano eyayivezwe eMthethweni kaNkulunkulu. (Duteronomi 1:16, 17) Nakuba lawo maphuzu esebenza, ukusabela esiqondisweni sokuba wamukele isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji kuhlukile ekuzigaxeni ezindabeni zabanye. Kuthi akufane nesimo sabangane bakaDaniyeli abathathu. Uhulumeni waseBabiloni wabayala ukuba baye ethafeni laseDura, futhi ukwenza kwabo kanjalo akuzange kwephule uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Abakwenza kamuva kwakuyindaba ehlukile, njengoba iBhayibheli libonisa.—Daniyeli 3:16-18.
Ngemva kokuba izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziyekile ukuba ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose, kwadingeka zisebenzelane nezinkantolo zezwe emazweni ahlukahlukene. Umphostoli uPawulu wanxusa “abangcwele” eKorinte ukuba ukungezwani bakuxazululele ngaphakathi ebandleni. Nakuba abiza amajaji ezinkantolo zezwe ngokuthi “abantu abangalungile,” uPawulu akazange akuphike ukuthi ayenendima ekusingatheni izindaba zezwe. (1 Korinte 6:1) Wazivikela esimisweni sokwahlulela samaRoma, waze wadlulisela necala lakhe kuKesari. Akukhona ukuthi izinkantolo zezwe azilungile zona ngokwazo.—IzEnzo 24:10; 25:10, 11.
Izinkantolo zezwe ziyisici ‘samagunya aphakeme.’ “Ami ezikhundleni zawo ezilinganiselwe ebekwe uNkulunkulu,” futhi amisa imithetho aqikelele nokuthi iyagcinwa. UPawulu wabhala: “Liyisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu kuwe ngokwenzuzo yakho. Kodwa uma wenza okubi, yesaba; ngoba aliyiphethe ngokungenanjongo inkemba; ngoba liyisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu, umphindiseli wokubonisa ulaka kulowo okwenza umkhuba okubi.” AmaKristu ‘awaliphikisi igunya’ njengoba lenza imisebenzi yomthetho enjalo, ngoba awafuni ‘ukuthatha ukuma ngokumelene nalo’ abese ethola isahlulelo.—Roma 13:1-4; Thithu 3:1.
Lapho elinganisela izici, amaKristu kufanele acabangele ukuthi angazithoba yini ezimfunweni ezithile zikaKesari. UPawulu weluleka: “Nikezani bonke [abayiziphathimandla eziphakeme] okubafaneleyo, lowo ofuna intela, intela; lowo ofuna inkokhiso, inkokhiso; lowo ofuna ukwesatshwa, ukwesaba okunjalo.” (Roma 13:7) Lokho kuqondile ngokuqondene nentela eyimali. (Mathewu 22:17-21) Uma uKesari ethi izakhamuzi kumelwe zinikele ngesikhathi nemizamo yazo ekucoceni imigwaqo noma ekwenzeni omunye umsebenzi ophakathi kwemisebenzi kaKesari, umKristu ngamunye kufanele anqume ukuthi uzozithoba yini.—Mathewu 5:41.
Amanye amaKristu aye abheka inkonzo yokuba umsizi wejaji njengokunikela kuKesari okungokukaKesari. (Luka 20:25) Esabelweni sokuba umsizi wejaji, umsebenzi uwukulalela ubufakazi bese unikeza umbono oqotho ngamaqiniso athile noma amaphuzu omthetho. Ngokwesibonelo, eqenjini elikhulu labasizi bejaji, abasizi banquma ukuthi ubufakazi benza kufaneleke yini ukuba kubekwe othile icala; abanqumi ukuthi unecala yini. Kuthiwani ngokuqulwa kwecala okuvamile? Ecaleni lezakhamuzi, iqembu labasizi bejaji lingase lithi makukhishwe inhlawulo yomonakalo noma isinxephezelo. Ecaleni lobugebengu, banquma ukuthi ubufakazi buyasisekela yini isinqumo sokuthi ummangalelwa unecala. Ngezinye izikhathi baveza ukuthi isiphi isigwebo esishiwo umthetho okufanele sisetshenziswe. Khona-ke uhulumeni usebenzisa igunya lawo ‘ubonise ulaka kulowo okwenza umkhuba okubi,’ noma ‘unikeze isijeziso kubenzi bokubi.’—1 Petru 2:14.
Kuthiwani uma umKristu enomuzwa wokuthi unembeza wakhe awumvumeli ukuba abe seqenjini elithile labasizi bejaji? IBhayibheli alikhulumi ngesabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji, ngakho akanakukusho ukuthi, ‘Kuphambene nenkolo yami ukuba kunoma iliphi iqembu labasizi bejaji.’ Angase asho ukuthi ukuba seqenjini labasizi bejaji ecaleni elithile kuyaphikisana nonembeza wakhe siqu, kuye ngecala. Lokhu kungaba yiqiniso uma icala lihilela ukuziphatha okubi, ukukhipha isisu, ukubulala umuntu, noma enye indaba lapho ukucabanga kwakhe kuqondiswa ulwazi lweBhayibheli, hhayi nje umthetho wezwe. Nokho, empeleni kungenzeka kakhulu ukuthi icala akhethwe ukuba abe kulo alihileli izindaba ezinjalo.
UmKristu ovuthiwe angase acabange nangokuthi uyohlanganyela yini ekubeni necala ngenxa yesigwebo esikhishwa amajaji. (Qhathanisa noGenesise 39:17-20; 1 Thimothewu 5:22.) Uma isinqumo sokuthi ummangalelwa unecala sinephutha futhi agwetshelwe ukubulawa, ingabe umKristu oseqenjini labasizi bejaji uyohlanganyela ecaleni legazi? (Eksodusi 22:2; Duteronomi 21:8; 22:8; Jeremiya 2:34; Mathewu 23:35; IzEnzo 18:6) Ecaleni likaJesu uPilatu wafuna ‘ukuba msulwa egazini lalomuntu.’ AmaJuda asholo phezulu ukuthi: “Igazi lakhe malehlele phezu kwethu naphezu kwabantwana bethu.”—Mathewu 27:24, 25.
Uma umKristu esamukela isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji, lapho eyalwe uhulumeni, kodwa ngenxa kanembeza wakhe siqu enqaba ukuhlanganyela ekuqulweni kwecala elithile naphezu kokugcizelela kwejaji, lowo mKristu kufanele akulungele ukubhekana nemiphumela—engaba inhlawulo noma ukuboshwa.—1 Petru 2:19.
Sekucatshangelwe konke, umKristu ngamunye obhekana nesabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji kumelwe anqume ukuthi iyiphi inkambo ayoyilandela, ngokusekelwe ekuqondeni kwakhe iBhayibheli nakunembeza wakhe. Amanye amaKristu aye amukela isabelo sokuba umsizi wejaji futhi aye aba semaqenjini athile abasizi bamajaji. Amanye aye azizwa ephoqelekile ukuba enqabe ngisho nalapho ebhekene nokujeziswa. UmKristu ngamunye kufanele azinqumele ukuthi uyokwenzenjani, futhi abanye akufanele bagxeke isinqumo sakhe.—Galathiya 6:5.