Ithonya LikaJesu Emhlabeni Wonke
“KONKE okubikwe emavangelini uJesu akusho ngasese nasobala wayengakusho ngamahora amabili,” kubhala umhumushi weBhayibheli u-Edgar Goodspeed. “Yize kukuncane kunjalo kwakushukumisa, kufinyelela ekujuleni kwenhliziyo kuyithinte, kangangokuthi singasho kugcwale umlomo ukuthi akekho omunye umuntu olithonye kangaka izwe.”
Lapho uJesu Kristu ephetha inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-33 C.E., abalandeli bakhe babengamadoda nabesifazane abangaba ngu-120. (IzEnzo 1:15) Namuhla, bangaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili abantu abathi bangamaKristu. Abanye abangamakhulukhulu ezigidi bayavuma ukuthi uJesu wayengumprofethi. Impela, izimfundiso zakhe zisithonye ngendlela eyinqaba isintu.
Ngisho nabaholi abangewona amaKristu balivuma ithonya uJesu analo emhlabeni wonke. Ngokwesibonelo, urabi ongumJuda uHyman Enelow wabhala: “UJesu ungumuntu othandwa kakhulu, okufundwa kakhulu ngaye, futhi onethonya kakhulu kunabo bonke emlandweni wesintu ongokwenkolo.” U-Enelow wathi futhi: “Ubani nje ongalifaka esilinganisweni ithonya likaJesu esintwini? Uthando aluphembile, induduzo ayinikezile, izenzo ezinhle abangele abantu ukuba bazenze, ithemba nenjabulo akwakhile—konke lokhu akunakuqhathaniswa nalutho emlandweni wesintu. Kubantu abavelele nabalungile abake baba khona, akekho osondelayo nokusondela kuJesu ngokuthandwa nangokuba nethonya emhlabeni wonke. Ungumuntu okhanga kunabo bonke emlandweni.” Umholi wamaHindu uMohandas K. Gandhi yena wathi: “Akekho umuntu engimaziyo odlula uJesu ngalokho akwenzele isintu. Eqinisweni, ubuKristu abunaphutha.” Kodwa wanezela: “Inkinga yinina maKristu. Anisondeli nokusondela ekuphileni ngokuvumelana nezimfundiso zenu.”
Sekukudala eLobukholwa laziwa ngokungaphili ngokuvumelana nezimfundiso zikaJesu. UCecil John Cadoux, isazi-mlando sobuKristu, wathi “abaholi bobuKristu bakuqaphela kudala . . . ngawo-140 A.D. ukonakala kwezinto kancane kancane ekuziphatheni kwabeSonto.” Wathi: “Lokhu kuxega ekunamatheleni ezindinganisweni zokuqala kwakuyobhebhethekisa umkhuba wokulingisa izindlela zezwe.”
Lo mkhuba wadlanga ngekhulu lesine, lapho uMbusi waseRoma uConstantine amukela ubuKristu. UCadoux wabhala: “Izazi-mlando ziye zasibona, futhi ezinye zazo zasisola, isimo esibucayi iSonto elazifaka kuso ngokuzihlanganisa noConstantinus.” Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka alandela, abantu abathi bangamaKristu baye benza inqwaba yamahlazo ahlambalaza igama likaKristu.
Ngakho, imibuzo okufanele isihluphe yilena: UJesu wafundisani ngempela? Futhi izimfundiso zakhe kufanele zibe naliphi ithonya kithi?
[Isithombe ekhasini 3]
“Akekho umuntu engimaziyo odlula uJesu ngalokho akwenzele isintu.”—Mohandas K. Gandhi
[Isithombe ekhasini 3]
“Akekho omunye umuntu olithonye kangaka izwe.”—Edgar Goodspeed
[Umthombo]
Culver Pictures