Incwadi Yabo Bonke Abantu
“UNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.”—IZENZO 10:34, 35.
1. Wasabela kanjani omunye uprofesa lapho ebuzwa ukuthi wayecabangani ngeBhayibheli, futhi yini anquma ukuyenza?
UPROFESA othile wayezihlalele ekhaya ngeSonto ntambama, engalindele zivakashi. Kodwa lapho omunye wodadewethu abangamaKristu efika kwakhe, walalela. Udadewethu wakhuluma ngokungcola nekusasa lomhlaba—izihloko ezamkhanga lo profesa. Nokho, lapho ethi usebenzisa iBhayibheli engxoxweni yabo, wabonakala engathandisisi. Ngakho udadewethu wambuza ukuthi wayecabangani ngeBhayibheli.
“Liyincwadi ekahle eyabhalwa amadoda athile ahlakaniphile,” kuphendula uprofesa, “kodwa akufanele uzikhathaze kangako ngeBhayibheli.”
“Wake walifunda iBhayibheli?” kubuza udadewethu.
Emangele, lo profesa kwadingeka avume ukuthi wayengakaze alifunde.
Udadewethu wabe esebuza: “Ungakhuluma kanjani ngokuqiniseka okungaka ngencwadi ongakaze uyifunde?”
Udadewethu wayeqinisile. Lo profesa wanquma ukulihlola iBhayibheli abese-ke ezakhela noma imuphi umbono ngalo.
2, 3. Kungani iBhayibheli liyincwadi evaliwe kubantu abaningi, futhi lokhu kusibekela yiphi inselele?
2 Lo profesa akayedwa kulokhu. Abantu abaningi banemibono abangashintshi kuyo ngeBhayibheli ngisho noma bengakaze balifunde bona ngokwabo. Kungenzeka banalo iBhayibheli. Kungenzeka bayavuma nokuthi liyigugu njengoba liyincwadi ebhalwe kahle noma engokomlando. Kodwa kwabaningi, liyincwadi evaliwe. Abanye bathi, ‘Anginaso isikhathi sokufunda iBhayibheli.’ Abanye bayazibuza, ‘Incwadi yasendulo ingakuthinta kanjani ukuphila kwami?’ Imibono enjalo isibekela inselele yangempela. OFakazi BakaJehova bakholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi iBhayibheli ‘liphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi linenzuzo yokufundisa.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) Nokho, singabaqinisekisa kanjani abantu ukuthi kufanele balihlole iBhayibheli kungakhathaliseki isizinda sohlanga lwabo, isizwe noma ubuzwe?
3 Ake sixoxe ngezizathu ezithile ezenza iBhayibheli likufanelekele ukuhlolwa. Ingxoxo enjalo ingasihlomisela ukuba sikwazi ukubonisana nalabo esihlangana nabo enkonzweni yethu, mhlawumbe sibenze babone ukuthi kufanele bakuhlole lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, lokhu kuhlola kufanele kuqinise olwethu ukholo lokuthi iBhayibheli liyilokho elithi liyikho ngempela—“izwi likaNkulunkulu.”—Heberu 4:12.
Incwadi Esakazwe Kabanzi Kunazo Zonke Emhlabeni
4. Kungani kungase kuthiwe iBhayibheli liyincwadi esakazwe kabanzi kunazo zonke emhlabeni?
4 Okokuqala, iBhayibheli liyakufanelekela ukuhlolwa ngoba liyincwadi esakazwe futhi yahunyushwa kabanzi kunazo zonke kuwo wonke umlando wesintu. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-500 edlule, inguqulo yokuqala eyanyatheliswa ngezinhlamvu ezihlelwa ngesandla yaphuma emshinini wokunyathelisa kaJohannes Gutenberg. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, kuye kwanyatheliswa amaBhayibheli, aphelele noma izingxenye zawo, alinganiselwa ezigidini eziyizinkulungwane ezine. Ngo-1996, iBhayibheli lilonke noma izingxenye zalo, lase lihunyushelwe ezilimini ezingu-2 167 ezinkulu neziyimixhantela.a Abantu abangaphezu kwamaphesenti angu-90 bomkhaya wesintu bayakwazi ukuthola okungenani ingxenye yeBhayibheli ngolimi lwabo. Ayikho enye incwadi—engokwenkolo noma enye—esondelayo nokusondela kulawa manani!
5. Kungani kufanele silindele ukuba iBhayibheli litholakale kubo bonke abantu emhlabeni?
5 Izibalo zizodwa azifakazeli ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, ngokuqinisekile kufanele silindele ukuba umbhalo ophefumulelwe uNkulunkulu utholakale kubantu emhlabeni wonke. Kakade, iBhayibheli ngokwalo lisitshela ukuthi “uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.” (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Ngokungafani nanoma iyiphi enye incwadi, iBhayibheli liye leqa imingcele yamazwe lanqoba nemigoqo yobuhlanga. Ngempela, iBhayibheli liyincwadi yabo bonke abantu!
Umlando Oyingqayizivele Wokulondolozwa Kwalo
6, 7. Kungani kungamangazi ukuthi ayikho imibhalo yeBhayibheli yokuqala eyaziwayo ekhona, futhi lokhu kuphakamisa muphi umbuzo?
6 Kunesinye isizathu esenza iBhayibheli likufanelekele ukuhlolwa. Liye lasinda kokubili ezingqinambeni zemvelo nezingabantu. Umlando wokulondolozeka kwalo naphezu kwezinselele ezinkulu uyingqayizivele ngempela phakathi kwemibhalo yasendulo.
7 Ngokusobala abalobi beBhayibheli babhala ngoyinki kuyi-papyrus (eyayenziwa ngesitshalo saseGibithe esinegama elifanayo) nesikhumba esishukiwe (sezilwane).b (Jobe 8:11, NW) Nokho, izinto ezinjalo zokubhalela zinezitha eziyimvelo. Isazi u-Oscar Paret siyachaza: “Zombili lezi zinto okwakubhalelwa kuzo zonakaliswa ngendlela efanayo umswakama, isikhutha nomuhlwa onhlobonhlobo. Sazi kokuhlangenwe nakho kwethu kwansuku zonke ukuthi iphepha ngisho nesikhumba esiqinile konakala ngokushesha uma kungavikelekile noma kusegumbini elinomswakama.” Ngakho akumangalisi ukuthi ayikho imibhalo yokuqala esekhona eyaziwayo; cishe yabola kudala. Kodwa uma imibhalo yokuqala yonakaliswa izitha eziyimvelo, iBhayibheli lasinda kanjani?
8. Emakhulwini eminyaka, imibhalo yeBhayibheli yalondolozeka kanjani?
8 Ngokushesha ngemva kokubhalwa kwemibhalo yokuqala, kwenziwa amakhophi abhalwe ngesandla. Empeleni, ukukopisha uMthetho nezinye izingxenye zemiBhalo Engcwele kwaba umsebenzi ofundelwayo kwa-Israyeli wasendulo. Ngokwesibonelo, umpristi u-Ezra uchazwa ngokuthi “wayengumbhali echwepheshile emthethweni kaMose.” (Ezra 7:6, 11; qhathanisa neHubo 45:1.) Kodwa la makhophi ayenziwe nawo ayonakala; ekugcineni kwakudingeka kwenziwe amanye amakhophi abhalwe ngesandla esikhundleni sawo. Le nqubo yokukopisha amakhophi yaqhubeka amakhulu eminyaka. Njengoba abantu bengaphelele, ingabe amaphutha abakopishi awushintsha kakhulu umbhalo weBhayibheli? Inqwaba yobufakazi ibonisa ukuthi akubanga njalo!
9. Isibonelo samaMasorete sikubonisa kanjani ukucophelela okukhulu nokunemba kwabakopishi beBhayibheli?
9 Akukhona nje ukuthi abakopishi babechwepheshe kakhulu kodwa futhi babenenhlonipho ejulile ngamagama ababewakopisha. Igama lesiHeberu elisho “umkopishi” libhekisela ekubaleni nasekubhaleni imininingwane. Ukuze sibone ukucophelela okukhulu nokunemba kwabakopishi, cabanga ngamaMasorete, abakopishi bemiBhalo YesiHeberu ababephila phakathi nekhulu lesithupha neleshumi C.E. Ngokwesazi uThomas Hartwell Horne, babebala ukuthi “uhlamvu ngalunye lohlu lwezinhlamvu [zesiHeberu] luvela kangaki kuyo yonke imiBhalo YesiHeberu.” Cabanga ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokho! Ukuze bagweme ukweqa ngisho nohlamvu olulodwa, laba bakopishi abazinikele babengagcini ngokubala amagama ababewakopisha kodwa nezinhlamvu. Ngokubala kwesinye isazi, kubikwa ukuthi babala izinhlamvu ezingu-815 140 emiBhalweni YesiHeberu! Umzamo onjalo wenkuthalo waqinisekisa ukuthi imibhalo iba seqophelweni eliphezulu lokunemba.
10. Kunabuphi ubufakazi obuqand’ikhanda bokuthi imibhalo yesiHeberu neyesiGreki, izinguqulo eziningi zanamuhla ezisekelwe kuyo, iqukethe amazwi anembile abalobi bokuqala?
10 Eqinisweni kunobufakazi obuqand’ikhanda bokuthi imibhalo yesiHeberu neyesiGreki, izinguqulo zanamuhla ezisekelwe kuyo, inikeza amazwi abalobi bokuqala ngokwethembeka okuphawulekayo. Lobu bufakazi buhlanganisa izinkulungwane zamakhophi eBhayibheli abhalwe ngesandla—amakhophi alinganiselwa ku-6 000 emiBhalo YesiHeberu ephelele noma izingxenye zayo nangaba ngu-5 000 emiBhalo YamaKristu ngesiGreki—aye asinda kwaze kwaba usuku lwethu. Ukuhlaziya okuqhathanisa ngokucophelela imibhalo yesandla eminingi ekhona kuye kwenza izazi zombhalo zakwazi ukuthola noma imaphi amaphutha abakopishi nalokho okwakubhalwe ekuqaleni. Ngakho lapho sikhuluma ngombhalo wemiBhalo YesiHeberu, isazi uWilliam H. Green sasingathi: “Kungashiwo ngokukhululeka ukuthi ayikho enye incwadi endala eye yadluliselwa ngokunemba okungaka.” ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ingathenjwa nayo ngendlela efanayo.
11. Ngokweyoku-1 Petru 1:24, 25, kungani iBhayibheli liye lasinda kwaze kwaba usuku lwethu?
11 Yeka indlela okwakungase kube lula ngayo ukuba iBhayibheli lishabalale ukube kwakungengenxa yamakhophi ayebhalwa ngesandla athathe isikhundla sawokuqala, enesigijimi sawo esiyigugu! Kunesizathu esisodwa kuphela sokusinda kwalo—uJehova unguMlondolozi noMvikeli weZwi lakhe. Njengoba iBhayibheli ngokwalo lisho kweyoku-1 Petru 1:24, 25: “Yonke inyama injengotshani, futhi yonke inkazimulo yayo injengembali yotshani; utshani buyabuna, futhi imbali iwe, kodwa izwi likaJehova lihlala kuze kube phakade.”
Ukuhunyushelwa Ezilimini Eziphilayo Zesintu
12. Ngaphezu kokukopishwa ngokuphindaphindiwe amakhulu eminyaka, iyiphi enye ingqinamba iBhayibheli elabhekana nayo?
12 Ukusinda phakathi namakhulu eminyaka okukopishwa ngokuphindaphindiwe kwakuyinselele ngokwako, kodwa iBhayibheli lalibhekene nenye ingqinamba—ukuhunyushelwa ezilimini zesimanje. IBhayibheli kumelwe likhulume ngolimi lwabantu ukuze likhulume nezinhliziyo zabo. Nokho, ukuhumusha iBhayibheli—njengoba linezahluko ezingaphezu kuka-1 100 namavesi angaphezu kuka-31 000—akuwona umsebenzi olula. Nokho, emakhulwini eminyaka, abahumushi abazinikele bayamukela ngokuzimisela le nselele, ngezinye izikhathi babhekana nezingqinamba ezazibonakala zingenakunqotshwa.
13, 14. (a) Umhumushi weBhayibheli uRobert Moffat wabhekana nayiphi inselele e-Afrika ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19? (b) Abantu abakhuluma isiTswana basabela kanjani lapho iVangeli likaLuka litholakala ngolimi lwabo?
13 Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela iBhayibheli elahunyushelwa ngayo ezilimini zase-Afrika. Ngonyaka ka-1800, kwakunezilimi ezingaba mbalwa nje ezazibhalwa kulo lonke elase-Afrika. Amakhulukhulu ezinye izilimi ezikhulunywayo ayengenasimiso ayebhalwa ngaso. Umhumushi weBhayibheli uRobert Moffat wayebhekene nale nselele. Ngo-1821, eneminyaka engu-25 ubudala, uMoffat waqala umkhankaso phakathi kwabantu base-Afrika eseningizimu abakhuluma isiTswana. Ukuze afunde ulimi lwabo olwalungabhalwa, wazihlanganisa nalaba bantu. UMoffat wabekezela, futhi ngaphandle kosizo lwezincwadi zolimi zokucathulisa noma izichazamazwi, wagcina eselwazi kahle lolu limi, wasungula indlela yokulubhala, wayesefundisa abeTswana abathile ukufunda lowo mbhalo. Ngo-1829, ngemva kokuba esebenze phakathi kwabeTswana iminyaka engu-8, waqeda ukuhumusha iVangeli likaLuka. Kamuva wathi: “Ngazi abantu ababehamba ibanga elide bezothola amakhophi kaSanta Luka. . . . Ngangiye ngibabone bethola izingxenye zencwadi kaSanta Luka, bakhale, bazinkonkoshele ezifubeni zabo, bachiphize izinyembezi zokubonga, kuze kube yilapho ngibatshela ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi, ‘Nizongcolisa izincwadi zenu ngezinyembezi.’” UMoffat waxoxa nangomlisa woMdabu owabona abantu abayidlanzana befunda iVangeli likaLuka wayesebabuza ukuthi baphetheni. “Izwi likaNkulunkulu,” bephendula. “Liyakhuluma?” kubuza lo mlisa. “Yebo,” kusho bona, “likhuluma nenhliziyo.”
14 Abahumushi abazinikele njengoMoffat banikeza abantu abaningi base-Afrika ithuba lokuqala lokuxhumana ngokubhala. Kodwa laba bahumushi banikeza abantu base-Afrika isipho esiyigugu ngisho nangaphezulu—iBhayibheli ngolimi lwabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMoffat wafundisa abeTswana igama laphezulu, futhi walisebenzisa kuyo yonke inguqulo yakhe.c Ngakho, abeTswana babebiza iBhayibheli ngokuthi “umlomo kaJehova.”—IHubo 83:18.
15. Kungani iBhayibheli liphila ngempela namuhla?
15 Abanye abahumushi ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba babhekana nezingqinamba ezifanayo. Abanye baze bafaka ngisho nokuphila kwabo engozini ukuze bahumushe iBhayibheli. Cabanga ngalokhu: Ukube iBhayibheli lalihlalé lingezilimi zakudala zesiHeberu nesiGreki kuphela, mhlawumbe ngabe kade “lafa,” ngoba ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lezo zilimi cishe zashabalala ngokuphelele enkumbulweni yabaningi futhi azizange zaziwe ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba. Nokho, iBhayibheli liyaphila ngempela ngoba, ngokungafani nanoma iyiphi enye incwadi, likwazi “ukukhuluma” nabantu emhlabeni wonke ngolimi lwabo. Ngenxa yalokho, umyalezo walo uhlala ‘usebenza kwabalikholelwayo.’ (1 Thesalonika 2:13) I-Jerusalem Bible ihumusha la mazwi ngokuthi: “Lisengamandla aphilayo phakathi kwenu nina enilikholelwayo.”
Liyakufanelekela Ukwethenjwa
16, 17. (a) Ukuze iBhayibheli libe elinokwethenjelwa, yibuphi ubufakazi okufanele bube khona? (b) Nikeza isibonelo esisodwa esibonisa ubuqotho bomlobi weBhayibheli uMose.
16 Abanye bangase bazibuze, ‘Ingabe iBhayibheli lingathenjwa ngempela? Ingabe likhuluma ngabantu abake baphila ngempela, izindawo ezazikhona ngempela, nangezenzakalo ezenzeka ngempela?’ Ukuze silethembe, kufanele kube nobufakazi bokuthi lalotshwa abalobi abacophelelayo nabathembekile. Lokhu kusiletha kwesinye isizathu sokuhlola iBhayibheli: Kunobufakazi obuqinile bokuthi linembile futhi lingathenjwa.
17 Abalobi abathembekile babengeke babhale ngokuphumelela nje kuphela kodwa babeyobhala nangokwehluleka, bangabhali ngezici ezinhle nje kuphela kodwa nangezimbi. Abalobi beBhayibheli babonisa ubuqotho obunjalo obuqabulayo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngobuqotho bukaMose. Phakathi kwezinto azibika ngokungagwegwesi, kwakunokungabi kwakhe igagu ekukhulumeni, ngokubona kwakhe okwakumenza angafaneleki ukuba umholi ka-Israyeli (Eksodusi 4:10); iphutha lakhe elikhulu elamenza wangangena eZweni Lesithembiso (Numeri 20:9-12; 27:12-14); ukuphambuka komfowabo, u-Aroni, owabambisana nama-Israyeli ahlubukayo ekwakheni isithombe sethole legolide (Eksodusi 32:1-6); ukuvukela kukadadewabo, uMiriyamu, nesijeziso sakhe esiphoxayo (Numeri 12:1-3, 10); ukuhlambalaza kwabashana bakhe uNadabi no-Abihu (Levitikusi 10:1, 2); nokukhononda nokububula ngokuphindaphindiwe kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu uqobo. (Eksodusi 14:11, 12; Numeri 14:1-10) Ingabe ukubika okunjalo, okungagwegwesi nokungafihli lutho akubonisi yini ukulikhathalela ngobuqotho iqiniso? Njengoba abalobi beBhayibheli babezimisele ukubika ngokwaziswa okungekuhle ngabantu ababathandayo, abantu bakubo, ngisho nangabo ngokwabo, akusona yini leso isizathu esiphathekayo sokuyethemba imibhalo yabo?
18. Yini eqinisekisa ukuba nokwethenjelwa kwemibhalo yabalobi beBhayibheli?
18 Ukuvumelana kwabalobi beBhayibheli nakho kugcizelela ukwethembeka kwemibhalo yabo. Kuyamangalisa ngempela ukuthi amadoda angu-40 abhala phakathi nesikhathi esiyiminyaka engaba ngu-1 600 ayavumelana, ngisho nalapho sekuziwa emininingwaneni emincane. Nokho, lokhu kuvumelana akuhleliwe ngokucophelela ngendlela eyenza kusoleke sengathi kwakuvunyelwene ngakho ngasese. Ngokuphambene nalokho, kusobala ukuthi kwakungahlosiwe ukuba imininingwane ehlukahlukene ivumelane; ngokuvamile kucacile ukuthi lokhu kuvumelana kwaqondana nje.
19. Ukulandisa kwamaVangeli ngokuboshwa kukaJesu kukwembula kanjani ukuvumelana okusobala ukuthi kwakungahlosiwe?
19 Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngesenzakalo esenzeka ngobusuku bokuboshwa kukaJesu. Bonke abalobi bamaVangeli abane baloba ukuthi omunye wabafundi wakhipha inkemba futhi wagalela inceku yompristi ophakeme, wayisusa indlebe. Nokho, uLuka kuphela ositshela ukuthi uJesu ‘wayithinta indlebe wayiphulukisa.’ (Luka 22:51) Kodwa akukhona yini lokho ebesingakulindela kumlobi owayaziwa ngokuthi “udokotela othandekayo”? (Kolose 4:14) Ukulandisa kukaJohane kusitshela ukuthi kubo bonke abafundi ababekhona, owasebenzisa inkemba uPetru—okuyinto engamangazi uma kucatshangelwa ukuthambekela kukaPetru kokuba namawala nokuxhamazela. (Johane 18:10; qhathanisa uMathewu 16:22, 23 noJohane 21:7, 8.) UJohane ubika nomunye umniningwane obonakala ungadingekile: “Igama lalesisigqila kwakunguMalkusi.” Kungani kunguJohane yedwa osho igama lale ndoda? Incazelo itholakala eqinisweni elinganakekile elimane nje lavela ekulandiseni kukaJohane kuphela—uJohane “wayaziwa ngumpristi ophakeme.” Wayaziwa nangabasendlini yompristi ophakeme; izinceku zazimjwayele, naye ezijwayele.d (Johane 18:10, 15, 16) Khona-ke, kufanele ukuba uJohane alisho igama lendoda eyalinyazwa, kuyilapho bengalisho abanye abalobi bamaVangeli okusobala ukuthi babengayazi le ndoda. Ukuvumelana kwayo yonke le mininingwane kuyamangalisa, nokho kusobala ukuthi kwakungahlosiwe. Kunenqwaba yezibonelo ezinjengalezi kulo lonke iBhayibheli.
20. Yini abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho okudingeka bayazi ngeBhayibheli?
20 Ngakho ingabe singalethemba iBhayibheli? Ngokuqinisekile! Ubuqotho babalobi beBhayibheli nokuvumelana kweBhayibheli ngokwalo kwenza kukhanye bhá ukuthi liyiqiniso. Abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho kudingeka bazi ukuthi bangalethemba iBhayibheli, ngoba liyiZwi eliphefumulelwe ‘likaJehova uNkulunkulu [weqiniso, NW].’ (IHubo 31:5) Kunezizathu ezengeziwe ezenza iBhayibheli libe incwadi yabo bonke abantu, njengoba isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngakho.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Kusekelwe emananini anyatheliswe i-United Bible Societies.
b Phakathi nokuboshwa kwakhe kwesibili eRoma, uPawulu wacela uThimothewu ukuba eze “nemiqulu, ikakhulukazi eyesikhumba.” (2 Thimothewu 4:13) Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayecela izingxenye zemiBhalo YesiHeberu ukuze akwazi ukuzitadisha esejele. Amazwi athi “ikakhulukazi eyesikhumba” angase abonise ukuthi wayekhuluma ngakho kokubili imiqulu ye-papyrus neminye yesikhumba.
c Ngo-1838, uMoffat waqeda inguqulo yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Ngosizo lukazakwabo kulo msebenzi, waqeda ukuhumusha imiBhalo YesiHeberu ngo-1857.
d Ukuthi uJohane wayejwayelene nompristi ophakeme nabendlu yakhe kuyaboniswa futhi kamuva kulokhu kulandisa. Lapho esinye sezigqila zompristi ophakeme simangalela uPetru ngokuba omunye wabafundi bakaJesu, uJohane uyachaza ukuthi lesi sigqila ‘sasiyisihlobo somuntu ondlebe yakhe uPetru ayinquma.’—Johane 18:26.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani kufanele ukuba silindele ukuba iBhayibheli libe incwadi etholakala kunazo zonke emhlabeni?
◻ Kunabuphi ubufakazi bokuthi iBhayibheli liye lalondolozwa linembile?
◻ Yiziphi izingqinamba labo ababehumusha iBhayibheli abahlangabezana nazo?
◻ Yini eqinisekisa ukuba nokwethenjelwa kwemibhalo yeBhayibheli?