UJesu Kristu Ubufakazi Bokuthi Wake Waphila Emhlabeni

ABANTU abaningi abakaze bambone ngokwabo usosayensi odumile okuthiwa u-Albert Einstein. Kwamanye amazwe, abaningi abamazi nokuthi ungubani. Nokho, imibiko ethembekile yalokho akufeza ibonisa ukuthi wayekhona. Ithonya lakhe liyabonakala ekusetshenzisweni kwezimiso zakhe kwezesayensi. Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi bayazuza kugesi, ngezinye izikhathi ophehlwa ngokusebenzisa izimiso azithola.

Lokho kuyasebenza nakuJesu Kristu, obhekwa njengomuntu onethonya elikhulu kakhulu emlandweni. Lokho okwabhalwa ngaye nobufakazi obubonakalayo bethonya ayenalo kubonisa ngaphandle kokungabaza ukuthi wayekhona ngempela. Nakuba kuthakazelisa lokho okusanda kutholwa mayelana nombhalo kaJakobe ovubukuliwe okukhulunywe ngako esihlokweni esandulele, ukuthi uJesu wayekhona ngempela akuxhomekile kulo mvubukulo noma kunoma yimuphi omunye. Iqiniso liwukuthi, singabuthola ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wayekhona kulokho izazi-mlando zezwe ezakubhala ngaye nangabalandeli bakhe.

Ubufakazi Bezazi-mlando

Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngobufakazi bukaFlavius Josephus, isazi-mlando esingumJuda sangekhulu lokuqala esasingumFarisi. Wakhuluma ngoJesu Kristu encwadini ethi Jewish Antiquities. Nakuba abanye beyingabaza indawo yokuqala uJosephus asho kuyo ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya, uProfesa uLouis H. Feldman waseYeshiva University uthi bambalwa abaye bayingabaza indawo yesibili akhuluma ngaye kuyo. Lapho, uJosephus wathi: “[U-Ananus umpristi ophakeme] wabiza abahluleli beSanhedrini waletha phambi kwabo indoda okwakuthiwa uJakobe, umfowabo kaJesu owayebizwa ngokuthi uKristu.” (Jewish Antiquities, XX, 200) Yebo, umFarisi, ilungu lehlelo abalandeli balo abaningi ababengafihli ukuthi bayizitha zikaJesu, wakuvuma ukuthi wayekhona ‘uJakobe, umfowabo kaJesu.’

Ithonya lokuthi uJesu wayekhona lalibonakala emisebenzini yabalandeli bakhe. Lapho umphostoli uPawulu eboshiwe eRoma cishe ngo-59 C.E., amadoda avelele kumaJuda athi kuye: “Ngokuqondene naleli hlelo siyazi ukuthi kukhulunywa kabi ngalo kuyo yonke indawo.” (IzEnzo 28:17-22) Ayebiza abafundi bakaJesu ngokuthi ‘yileli hlelo.’ Uma kwakukhulunywa kabi ngabo yonke indawo, cishe izazi-mlando zezwe zaziyobika ngabo, akunjalo?

UTacitus, owazalwa cishe ngo-55 C.E. nobhekwa njengesinye sezazi-mlando ezinkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni, wakhuluma ngamaKristu encwadini yakhe ethi Annals. Elandisa ngokubheca kukaNero amaKristu ngecala lomlilo omkhulu owaqubuka eRoma, wabhala wathi: “UNero walibheca ngecala futhi walishushisa kabuhlungu ngokwedlulele iqembu elalizondwa ngenxa yezenzo zalo ezenyanyekayo, umphakathi owawulibiza ngokuthi amaKristu. UChristus, okwasuselwa kuye igama elithi amaKristu, wabulawa omunye umbusi wakithi wesifunda uPontiyu Pilatu ngesikhathi kubusa uTiberiyu.” Imininingwane yalo mlando iyavumelana nokwaziswa okuphathelene noJesu waseBhayibhelini.

Omunye umlobi owakhuluma ngabalandeli bakaJesu uPliny Omncane, umbusi waseBithynia. Cishe ngo-111 C.E., uPliny wabhalela uMbusi uTrajan, embuza ukuthi kufanele awenze njani amaKristu. UPliny wabhala wathi abantu ababebekwe icala lokuthi bangamaKristu bengewona, babesho amazwi esicelo konkulunkulu bakhulekele nomfanekiso kaTrajan, ukuze nje babonise ukuthi babengewona amaKristu. UPliny waqhubeka wathi: “Kuthiwa labo abangamaKristu ngempela ngeke ubaphoqelele ukuba benze lokhu.” Lokho kufakazela ukuthi wayekhona ngempela uKristu, obalandeli bakhe babezimisele ukudela ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yokukholelwa kuye.

Ngemva kokukufingqa lokho izazi-mlando zangekhulu lokuqala nelesibili leminyaka ezakubhala ngoJesu Kristu nabalandeli bakhe, i-Encyclopædia Britannica (uhlelo lwango-2002) iphetha ngokuthi: “Lokhu kulandisa okuhlukahlukene kubonisa ukuthi ezikhathini zasendulo ngisho nezitha zobuKristu zazingangabazi ukuthi uJesu wayekhona ngempela, okwaze kwaqalwa ukuphikwa ekupheleni kwekhulu le-18, phakathi nekhulu le-19 nasekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, futhi kungenazizathu ezanele.”

Ubufakazi Babalandeli BakaJesu

“IThestamente Elisha linikeza cishe bonke ubufakazi bomlando wokuphila nokufa kukaJesu nobendlela amaKristu okuqala ayekuchaza ngayo ukubaluleka kwakhe,” kusho i-Encyclopedia Americana. Abagxeki bangase bangabamukeli ubufakazi beBhayibheli bokuthi uJesu wayekhona. Nokho, imikhakha emibili yobufakazi esekelwe ekulandiseni kwemiBhalo isiza ngokuyinhloko ukubonisa ukuthi uJesu wake waphila ngempela emhlabeni.

Njengoba sibonile, izimiso eziqavile u-Einstein azithola zifakazela ukuthi wayekhona. Ngokufanayo, izimfundiso zikaJesu zifakazela iqiniso lokuthi wayekhona. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngeNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni, inkulumo edumile uJesu ayinikeza. (uMathewu, izahluko 5-7) Umphostoli uMathewu wabhala ngethonya laleyo ntshumayelo wathi: “Izixuku zakhexa ngendlela yakhe yokufundisa; ngoba wayezifundisa njengomuntu onegunya.” (Mathewu 7:28, 29) Ngokuphathelene nethonya le ntshumayelo eye yaba nalo kubantu emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, uProfesa uHans Dieter Betz wathi: “Ithonya iNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni elinayo lizidlula kude izimiso zobuJuda nobuKristu, ngisho nesiko laseNtshonalanga.” Wanezela wathi le ntshumayelo ‘ikhanga ngendlela engavamile emhlabeni wonke.’

Cabanga ngala mazwi alandelayo okuhlakanipha afingqiwe nawusizo atholakala eNtshumayelweni yaseNtabeni athi: “Noma ubani okushaya ngempama esihlathini sesokunene, mphendulele nesinye futhi.” “Nakekelani ukuba ukulunga kwenu ningakwenzi phambi kwabantu.” “Ningalokothi nikhathazeke ngosuku olulandelayo, ngoba usuku olulandelayo luyoba nezalo izinkathazo.” “Ningawaphonsi amaparele enu phambi kwezingulube.” “Qhubekani nicela, niyophiwa.” “Zonke izinto enifuna abantu bazenze kini, nani kumelwe nizenze ngokufanayo kubo.” “Ngenani ngesango elincane.” “Niyobazi ngezithelo zabo.” “Yonke imithi emihle ithela izithelo ezinhle.”—Mathewu 5:39; 6:1, 34; 7:6, 7, 12, 13, 16, 17.

Ngokuqinisekile uke wawezwa amanye ala mazwi noma umqondo wawo. Mhlawumbe aseyizaga olimini lwakho. Wonke athathelwe eNtshumayelweni yaseNtabeni. Ithonya le ntshumayelo elinayo kubantu nasemasikweni amaningi likufakazela ngokuqinile ukuthi ‘umfundisi omkhulu’ wayekhona.

Ake sithi othile wazisungulela umuntu okuthiwa uJesu Kristu. Ake sithi futhi lowo muntu wayehlakaniphe ngokwanele ukuba akwazi ukusungula izimfundiso okuthiwa eBhayibhelini zafundiswa uJesu. Wayengeke yini ngobuhlakani enze ngokusemandleni akhe ukuba uJesu nezimfundiso zakhe amukeleke kubo bonke abantu? Nokho, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “AmaJuda acela izibonakaliso namaGreki afuna ukuhlakanipha; kodwa thina sishumayela ngoKristu owabethelwa, oyimbangela yokukhubeka kumaJuda kodwa owubuwula ezizweni.” (1 Korinte 1:22, 23) Isigijimi sikaKristu owabethelwa sasingakhangi kumaJuda nasezizweni. Nokho, lowo kwakunguKristu amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala amemezela ngaye. Kungani kwakumenyezelwa ngoKristu obethelwe? Okuwukuphela kwencazelo eyanelisayo ingaba ukuthi abalobi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki baloba iqiniso ngokuphila kukaJesu nangokufa kwakhe.

Omunye umkhakha wobufakazi osekela ukuthi uJesu wayekhona ngempela utholakala ekushumayeleni ngenkuthalo kwabalandeli bakhe ngezimfundiso zakhe. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-30 kuphela uJesu eqale inkonzo yakhe, uPawulu wayengase athi izindaba ezinhle ‘zashunyayelwa kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.’ (Kolose 1:23) Yebo, izimfundiso zikaJesu zasakazekela kulo lonke izwe lasendulo naphezu kokuphikiswa. UPawulu, naye owashushiswa njengomKristu, wabhala wathi: “Uma uKristu engavuswanga, ukushumayela kwethu ngokuqinisekile kuyize, nokholo lwethu luyize.” (1 Korinte 15:12-17) Uma ukushumayela ngoKristu owayengavuswanga kwakuyoba yize, ukushumayela ngoKristu ongakaze abe khona kwakuyoba yize nakakhulu. Njengoba sifundile embikweni kaPliny Omncane, amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayezimisele ukufela ukukholelwa kwawo kuKristu Jesu. Abeka ukuphila kwawo engozini ngenxa kaKristu ngoba wayengokoqobo; waphila emhlabeni njengoba ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kubika.

Ububonile Ubufakazi

Kwakumelwe nakanjani amaKristu akholelwe ovukweni lukaJesu Kristu ngaphambi kokuba ashumayele. Ngeso lakho lengqondo, nawe ungambona uJesu ovusiwe ngokubona ithonya analo namuhla.

Ngaphambi nje kokuba abethelwe, uJesu wanikeza isiprofetho esinezici eziningi mayelana nokuba khona kwakhe esikhathini esizayo. Wabonisa nokuthi wayezovuswa futhi ahlale ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu alindele isikhathi sokuthathela izitha zakhe isinyathelo. (IHubo 110:1; Johane 6:62; IzEnzo 2:34, 35; Roma 8:34) Ngemva kwalokho wayeyoxosha uSathane namademoni akhe ezulwini.—IsAmbulo 12:7-9.

Kwakuyokwenzeka nini konke lokho? UJesu wanikeza abafundi bakhe ‘isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’ Isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali sasihlanganisa nezimpi ezinkulu, ukuntuleka kokudla, ukuzamazama komhlaba, ukuvela kwabaprofethi bamanga, ukwanda kokungabi namthetho nezifo ezimbi eziwumshayabhuqe. Izenzakalo ezibuhlungu njengalezi kwakumelwe zilindelwe, ngoba ukuxoshwa kukaSathane uDeveli kwakuyoletha ‘umaye emhlabeni.’ UDeveli wehlele emhlabeni “ethukuthele kakhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, isibonakaliso sihlanganisa nokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso “emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke.”—Mathewu 24:3-14; IsAmbulo 12:12; Luka 21:7-19.

Njengezingxenye zephethini ezihlangana ngendlela evumelanayo zenze ingubo ephelele, izinto uJesu azibikezela ziye zenzeka. Kusukela ekuqaleni kweMpi Yezwe I ngo-1914, siye sabona ubufakazi obuyinhlanganisela bokuba khona kukaJesu Kristu okungabonakali. Uyabusa njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi unethonya elikhulu. Ukuthi uphethe lo magazini esandleni sakho kuwubufakazi bokuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso uyenziwa namuhla.

Ukuze uyiqonde ngokwengeziwe imiphumela yokuba khona kukaJesu, kudingeka utadishe iBhayibheli. Kunganjani ubuze oFakazi BakaJehova ngemininingwane yokuba khona kukaJesu?

[Izithombe ekhasini 5]

UJosephus, uTacitus noPliny Omncane bakhuluma ngoJesu Kristu nabalandeli bakhe

[Umthombo]

All three images: © Bettmann/CORBIS

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

AmaKristu okuqala ayeqiniseka ukuthi uJesu wayekhona ngempela