Ayengobani AmaMaccabee?

KWABANINGI, inkathi yamaMaccabee ifana nebhokisi eliyinkimbinkimbi eliqopha izenzakalo elifihleke esikhathini esiphakathi nenkathi yokuqedwa kwezincwadi zokugcina zemiBhalo YesiHeberu nokufika kukaJesu Kristu. Njengoba nje imininingwane ethile yembuleka lapho kucwaningwa ibhokisi elinjalo lendiza ngemva kokuphahlazeka kwayo, kungazuzwa ukuqonda okuthile ngokucwaningisisa inkathi yamaMaccabee—inkathi yoshintsho neyezinguquko esizweni samaJuda.

Ayengobani amaMaccabee? Abuthinta kanjani ubuJuda ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya owayebikezelwe?—Daniyeli 9:25, 26.

Igagasi LeSimiso Sokuguqulela Abantu EbuGrekini

U-Alexander Omkhulu wanqoba wonke amazwe ukusuka eGrisi kuze kuyoshaya eNdiya (ngo-336-323 B.C.E.). Umbuso wakhe omkhulukazi waba nengxenye ekusakazekeni kweSimiso Sokuguqulela Abantu EbuGrekini—ukubaguqulela olimini nasesikweni laseGrisi. Izikhulu namabutho ka-Alexander bashada nabesifazane bendawo, bebangela ukuxubana kwamasiko amaGreki nawesizwe sakwelinye izwe. Ngemva kokufa kuka-Alexander, umbuso wakhe wahlukana waba ngaphansi kojenene bakhe. Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesibili leminyaka B.C.E., u-Antiochus III wozalo lwasebukhosini bamaGreki angamaSeleucid eSiriya wathatha u-Israyeli ekubuseni kwamaPtolemy angamaGreki aseGibithe. AmaJuda akwa-Israyeli athonywa kanjani umbuso wabaGuqukele EbuGrekini?

Esinye isazi-mlando siyabhala: “Njengoba amaJuda ayengenakukugwema ukuthintana nomakhelwane bawo abaGuqukele EbuGrekini, futhi engenakukugwema nakakhulu ukuthintana nabafowabo abakwelinye izwe, ukungenwa isiko nezindlela zokucabanga zamaGreki kwakungenakugwemeka. . . . Ukuphefumula nje enkathini yokuGuqulela Abantu EbuGrekini kwakuhilela ukuhogela isiko lamaGreki!” AmaJuda amukela amagama esiGreki. Ngamazinga ahlukahlukene, amukela amasiko nokugqoka kwamaGreki. Kancane kancane ayeya ewalingisa ngendlela ecashile.

Ukonakala Kwabapristi

Ababesengozini eyengeziwe yokuthonywa iSimiso Sokuguqulela Abantu EbuGrekini kumaJuda kwakungabapristi. Kwabaningi babo, ukwamukela iSimiso Sokuguqulela Abantu EbuGrekini kwakusho ukuvumela ukuba ubuJuda buhambisane nezikhathi. Omunye wamaJuda anjalo kwakunguJason (ngesiHeberu okuthiwa uJoshuwa), umfowabo wompristi ophakeme u-Onias III. Lapho u-Onias ayesaye e-Antiyokiya, uJason wafumbathisa iziphathimandla zamaGreki. Ezifumbathiselani? Ezinxenxela ukuba zimmise njengompristi ophakeme esikhundleni sika-Onias. Umbusi wamaGreki angamaSeleucid u-Antiochus Epiphanes (wango-175-164 B.C.E.) wakwamukela ngokushesha ayekufumbathiswa. Ababusi abangamaGreki babengakaze bangenele ezindabeni zabapristi abaphakeme bamaJuda ngaphambili, kodwa u-Antiochus wayedinga imali yokusekela imikhankaso yezempi. Wayekujabulela nokuba nomholi ongumJuda owayezothuthukisa ngokwengeziwe iSimiso Sokuguqulela Abantu EbuGrekini. Ecelwe uJason, u-Antiochus wenza iJerusalema laba idolobha lamaGreki (polis). Futhi uJason wakha inkundla yezemidlalo lapho amaJuda asemasha, ngisho nabapristi, ayedlalela khona imidlalo yokuncintisana.

Kwalandela olunye uzungu. Eminyakeni emithathu kamuva uMenelaus, okungenzeka wayengeyena owozalo lobupristi, wathembisa ukufumbathisa ngemali eyengeziwe, uJason wabe esebaleka. Ukuze akhokhele u-Antiochus, uMenelaus wathatha izizumbulu zemali engcebweni yethempeli. Njengoba u-Onias III (owayesekudingisweni e-Antiyokiya) ayekhuluma ngokumelene nalokhu, uMenelaus wahlela ukuba abulawe.

Lapho kusakazeka amahemuhemu okuthi u-Antiochus wayeseshonile, uJason wabuyela eJerusalema namadoda ayinkulungwane eyozama ukuthatha isikhundla sompristi ophakeme kuMenelaus. Kodwa u-Antiochus wayengashonanga. Lapho ezwa ngesenzo sikaJason nangeziyaluyalu ezaziphakathi kwamaJuda zokumelana nezimiso zokuGuqulela Abantu EbuGrekini, u-Antiochus waphindisela.

U-Antiochus Uthatha Isinyathelo

Encwadini yakhe ethi The Maccabees, uMoshe Pearlman uyabhala: “Nakuba imibhalo ingacacisi, kubonakala sengathi u-Antiochus waphetha ngokuthi ukuvumela inkululeko enkolweni yamaJuda kwakube yiphutha elingokwezombangazwe. Kuye, ukuvukela kwakamuva kwaseJerusalema kwakungabangelwanga izisusa ezingokwenkolo nje kuphela kodwa kwakubangelwe isimo esasiseJudiya sokuchema neGibithe, futhi le mibono engokwezombangazwe yayibe yingozi ngenxa yakho kanye ukuthi amaJuda, wona kuphela phakathi kwabo bonke abantu bakhe, ayefune futhi avunyelwa ukuba azihlukanise ngokwenkolo ngezinga elikhulu. . . . Wanquma ukuthi lokhu kwakuzoqedwa.”

Oyisikhulu sikahulumeni wama-Israyeli noyisazi u-Abba Eban ukubeka ngamafuphi lokho okwalandela: “AmaJuda abulawa ngobuningi amahlandla alandelana eduze phakathi nonyaka ka-168 no-167 [B.C.E.], kwacekelwa phansi iThempeli, futhi ukuqhuba inkolo yobuJuda kwenqatshelwa. Ukusoka nokugcina iSabatha kwaba nesigwebo sokufa. Ukweyiswa kokugcina kwaba ngo-December 167, lapho, ngokuyala kuka-Antiochus, kwakhiwa i-altare likaZeus phakathi eThempelini, futhi kwakudingeka amaJuda anikele ngenyama yengulube—empeleni, engcolile ngokomthetho wamaJuda—kunkulunkulu wamaGreki.” Phakathi nale nkathi, uMenelaus namanye amaJuda aGuqukele EbuGrekini baqhubeka ezikhundleni zabo, bekhonza ethempelini elase lingcolisiwe.

Nakuba amaJuda amaningi ayesamukela iSimiso Sokuguqulela Abantu EbuGrekini, iqembu elisha elalizibiza ngokuthi amaHasid—abahloniphayo—lalikhuthaza ukulalelwa koMthetho KaMose ngokuqinile. Benengwe abapristi abaGuqukele EbuGrekini, abantu abavamile baya ngokuya bechema namaHasid. Kwaqala inkathi yokufela ukholo njengoba amaJuda ezweni lonke ayephoqelelwa ukuba enze ngokuvumelana namasiko nemihlatshelo yobuqaba noma abulawe. Izincwadi zamaMaccabee ezinokwaziswa okungaqinisekisiwe zinokulandisa okuningana kwabesilisa, abesifazane nezingane abakhetha ukubulawa kunokuhlehla okholweni lwabo.

Ukuthatha Isinyathelo KwamaMaccabee

Izenzo ezeqisayo zika-Antiochus zashukumisela amaJuda amaningi ukuba alwele inkolo yawo. EModiʼin, esenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeJerusalema eduze nedolobha laseLod lanamuhla, umpristi okuthiwa uMattathias wabizelwa enkabeni yomuzi. Njengoba uMattathias ayehlonishwa umphakathi wendawo, ummeleli wenkosi wazama ukumenza abe nengxenye emhlatshelweni wobuqaba—ukuze asindise ukuphila kwakhe futhi abekele wonke umphakathi isibonelo. Lapho uMattathias enqaba, omunye umJuda weza ngaphambili, ezimisele ukuhlehla okholweni lwakhe. Ethukuthele, uMattathias wahlwitha isikhali wambulala. Eshaqiswe isenzo sobudlova sale ndoda endala, amasosha amaGreki athatha isikhathi ukusabela. Ngemizuzwana nje, uMattathias wayesebulele nesikhulu samaGreki. Amadodana amahlanu kaMattathias nezakhamuzi zomuzi banqoba amabutho amaGreki ngaphambi kokuba azivikele.

UMattathias wamemeza: ‘Bonke abashisekela uMthetho mabangilandele.’ Bebalekela ukuhlasela kokuphindisela, yena namadodana akhe babalekela esifundeni esasisegqumeni. Futhi lapho lokho ababekwenzile kusakazeka, amaJuda (kuhlanganise namaHasid amaningi) abalandela.

UMattathias wamisa indodana yakhe uJudah phezu kwebutho lezempi. Mhlawumbe ngenxa yobuqhawe bukaJudah empini, wabizwa ngokuthi uMaccabee, okusho ukuthi “isando.” UMattathias namadodana akhe babizwa ngokuthi amaHasmonaean, okuyigama elisuselwa egameni lomuzi iHeshmon noma kubabamkhulu owayebizwa kanjalo. (Joshuwa 15:27) Nokho, njengoba uJudah Maccabee aba ngovelele phakathi nokuvukela, wonke umkhaya wabizwa ngokuthi amaMaccabee.

Ukuthathwa Kabusha Kwethempeli

Phakathi nonyaka wokuqala wokuvukela, uMattathias namadodana akhe bakwazi ukuhlela ibutho elincane lempi. Ngaphezu kwesikhathi esisodwa, ibutho lempi lamaGreki lahlasela amaqembu amaHasid ayelwa ngeSabatha. Nakuba ayengazivikela, ayengenakweqa umthetho weSabatha. Ngakho-ke, kwabulawa abantu abaningi. UMattathias—manje owayesebhekwa njengonegunya ngokwenkolo—wakhipha umthetho owawuvumela amaJuda ukuba azivikele ngeSabatha. Lo mthetho awuzange ugcine ngokuvuselela ukuvukela kodwa wenza nokuthi ebuJudeni abaholi benkolo bakwazi ukuvumelanisa umthetho wobuJuda nezimo ezishintshayo. ITalmud ibonisa lolu shintsho emazwini amuva athi: “Bavumele bone iSabatha elilodwa ukuze bangcwelise amaSabatha amaningi.”—Yoma 85b.

Ngemva kokushona kukayise owayesekhulile, uJudah Maccabee waba umholi ongenakungatshazwa weqembu labavukeli. Eqaphela ukuthi wayengeke akwazi ukunqoba izitha zakhe empini yokubhekana ngeziqu zamehlo, wasungula izindlela ezintsha, ezinjengezezimpi zabashokobezi zanamuhla. Wahlasela amabutho ka-Antiochus ezindaweni lapho ayengenakusebenzisa khona izindlela zawo ezivamile zokuzivikela. Ngochungechunge lwezimpi, uJudah wabe esephumelela ukunqoba amabutho amakhulu kakhulu kunawakhe.

Bebhekene nemibango yasekhaya nokudlondlobala kwamandla eRoma, ababusi boMbuso wamaSeleucid abazange bakhathazeke kangako ngokuqinisekisa ukugcinwa kwemithetho emelene nobuJuda. Lokhu kwavulela uJudah indlela yokuba ahlasele aze ayofika kuwo kanye amasango aseJerusalema. Ngo-December 165 B.C.E. (noma mhlawumbe ngo-164 B.C.E.), yena namabutho akhe bathumba ithempeli, bahlanza izitsha zalo, futhi balinikezela kabusha—ngemva kweminyaka emithathu egcwele lingcolisiwe. AmaJuda agubha lesi senzakalo njalo ngonyaka ngeHanukkah, umkhosi wokunikezela.

Ezombangazwe Ngaphezu Kokuhlonipha UNkulunkulu

Umgomo wokuvukela wawusufinyelelwe. Ukwenqatshelwa kokuqhuba ubuJuda kwakususiwe. Ukukhulekela nokwenza imihlatshelo ethempelini kwase kubuyiselwe. Esenelisekile, amaHasid alishiya ibutho lempi likaJudah Maccabee, abuyela emakhaya awo. Kodwa uJudah wayeseneminye imibono. Wayesenebutho lempi eliqeqeshwe kahle, ngakho kungani ayengalisebenziseli ukumisa umbuso ozimele wamaJuda? Izisusa ezingokwenkolo ezabangela ukuba kuqalwe ukuvukela manje zase zithathelwa indawo izisusa ezingokombangazwe. Ngakho waqhubeka umzabalazo.

Efuna ukusekelwa ekulweni kwakhe nokubuswa ngamaSeleucid, uJudah Maccabee wenza isivumelwano neRoma. Nakuba abulawa empini ngo-160 B.C.E., umfowabo waqhubeka nomzabalazo. Umfowabo kaJudah uJonathan washintsha izinto ukuze ababusi bamaSeleucid bamvumele ukuba abe umpristi ophakeme nombusi waseJudiya, nakuba ayesalokhu engaphansi kombuso wabo. Lapho uJonathan ekhohliswa, ethunjwa futhi ebulawa ngenxa yogobe lwabaseSiriya, umfowabo uSimeon—wokugcina kubafowabo bakaMaccabee—wathatha umbuso. Ngaphansi kokubusa kukaSimeon, iminonjana yokugcina yokubusa kwamaSeleucid yasuswa (ngo-141 B.C.E.). USimeon wavuselela isivumelwano neRoma, futhi abaholi bamaJuda bamamukela njengombusi nanjengompristi ophakeme. Ngakho kwamiswa umbuso ozimele wamaHasmonaean ophethwe amaMaccabee.

AmaMaccabee amisa kabusha ukukhulekela ethempelini ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya. (Qhathanisa noJohane 1:41, 42; 2:13-17.) Kodwa njengoba abapristi babengasethenjwa ngenxa yezenzo zabapristi abaGuqukele EbuGrekini, isimo saba sibi nakakhulu ngaphansi kwamaHasmonaean. Yebo, ukubusa kwabapristi abanomqondo wezombangazwe kunokuba kube inkosi esohlwini lozalo lukaDavide othembekile akuzange kulethe izibusiso zangempela kumaJuda.—2 Samuweli 7:16; IHubo 89:3, 4, 35, 36.

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

UMattathias, uyise kaJudah Maccabee, wamemeza: ‘Bonke abashisekela uMthetho mabangilandele’

[Umthombo]

Mattathias appealing to the Jewish refugees/The Doré Bible Illustrations/Dover Publications