UPhilo Wase-Aleksandriya Ufaka Ukucabanga Kwakhe EmiBhalweni

NGO-332 B.C.E., u-Alexander Omkhulu wakhuphula ibutho lakhe laya eGibhithe. Ngaphambi kokuba aqhubeke enqoba izwe elisempumalanga, wamisa umuzi awubiza ngokuthi i-Aleksandriya. Lo muzi waba isikhungo samasiko amaGreki. Cishe ngo-20 B.C.E., kwazalwa omunye umnqobi lapho, ozikhali zakhe kwakungezona izinkemba nemikhonto, kodwa kwakuyimicabango yefilosofi. Waziwa ngokuthi uPhilo Wase-Aleksandriya, noma uPhilo Judaeus ngenxa yesizinda sakhe sobuJuda.

Ukuhlakazeka okwenzeka ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E., kwabangela ukuba amaJuda amaningi ahlale eGibhithe. Izinkulungwane zahlala e-Aleksandriya. Nokho, kwakunezinkinga phakathi kwamaJuda namaGreki. AmaJuda ayenqaba ukukhulekela onkulunkulu bamaGreki, kuyilapho amaGreki eyeya imiBhalo YesiHebheru. Ngenxa yokuthi wayefunde ezikoleni zamaGreki futhi ekhuliswe ngamaJuda, uPhilo wayeyazi le mpikiswano. Wayekholelwa ukuthi ubuJuda buyinkolo yeqiniso. Kodwa ngokungafani nabaningi, uPhilo wayefuna indlela enokuthula yokuguqulela abeZizwe kuNkulunkulu. Wayefuna ukwenza ubuJuda bamukeleke kubo.

Incazelo Entsha Emibhalweni Emidala

UPhilo wayekhuluma isiGreki, njengamaJuda amaningi ayehlala e-Aleksandriya. Ngakho wayetadisha inguqulo i-Septuagint yesiGreki yemiBhalo YesiHebheru. Njengoba ayehlolisisa umbhalo we-Septuagint, waqiniseka ukuthi wawunezici zefilosofi futhi uMose “wayeyisazi sefilosofi esiyingcweti.”

Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, izihlakaniphi zamaGreki zazikuthole kunzima ukwamukela izindaba zonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi—izinganekwane zamaGreki zasendulo zemidondoshiya namademoni. Zaqala ukuchaza kabusha lezo zindaba zakudala. Isazi somlando wamaGreki uJames Drummond sasho lokhu ngaleyo ndlela: “Isazi sefilosofi sasifuna izincazelo ezicashile zalezo zinganekwane, bese sithi ngokwenyanyeka nokungabi nangqondo kwazo [lezo zinganekwane] kumelwe ukuba abalobi babeqonde ukuveza iqiniso elithile elijulile noma elifundisayo ngezincazelo zabo ezivusa inkanuko.” Le nqubo ibizwa ngokuthi ukuchaza ngendlela engokomfanekiso, futhi uPhilo wazama ukuyisebenzisa ukuze achaze imiBhalo.

Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngencwadi kaGenesise 3:22 enguqulweni i-Septuagint kaBagster, ethi: “INkosi uNkulunkulu yenzela u-Adamu nomkakhe izingubo zesikhumba, futhi yabagqokisa.” AmaGreki ayenomuzwa wokuthi ukwenza izingubo kwakumehlisa isithunzi uNkulunkulu Ophakeme. Ngakho uPhilo wayenomuzwa wokuthi lelo vesi lalifanekisela okuthile futhi wathi: “Izingubo zesikhumba zifanekisela isikhumba esingokwemvelo, okusho ukuthi, umzimba wethu; ngoba uNkulunkulu lapho edala ingqondo yokuqala, wayibiza ngokuthi u-Adamu; ngemva kwalokho wabe esedala umoya, awunika igama lokuthi uKuphila. Okwesithathu, ngenxa yesidingo wenza nomzimba, ngokomfanekiso wabiza lokho ngokuthi ingubo yesikhumba.” Ngakho uPhilo wazama ukuchaza isenzo sikaNkulunkulu sokugqokisa u-Adamu no-Eva njengephuzu lefilosofi okufanele licatshangwe.

Cabanga nangencwadi kaGenesise 2:10-14, echaza lapho kwakuvela khona amanzi asensimini yase-Edene futhi ekhuluma ngemifula emine eyayigeleza ensimini. UPhilo wazama ukuthola incazelo ejulile yalawo mazwi futhi abheke ngalé kokuma kwezwe. Ngemva kokukhuluma ngezwe, wathi: “Mhlawumbe nale ndima inencazelo engokomfanekiso; imifula emine iyizimpawu zezimfanelo ezine.” Wayecabanga ukuthi umfula iPhishoni ufanekisela ukuhlakanipha, umfula iGihoni uwuphawu lokuzibamba, iThigrisi [iHidekeli] ifanekisela amandla bese i-Ewufrathe ifanekisela ubulungisa. Ngakho ukuchaza ngendlela engokomfanekiso kwangena esikhundleni sokuma kwezwe.

UPhilo wasebenzisa ukuchaza ngendlela engokomfanekiso ukuze ahlaziye umlando wokudala, ukulandisa ngoKhayini ebulala u-Abela, uZamcolo wangosuku lukaNowa, ukuphithaniswa kwezilimi eBhabhele kanye nezimiso eziningi zoMthetho KaMose. Njengoba isibonelo esisesigabeni esandulelayo sibonisa, wayevame ukuyivuma incazelo engokoqobo yevesi leBhayibheli bese eveza ukuqonda kwakhe okungokomfanekiso ngamazwi anjengalawa: “Mhlawumbe kumelwe sicabange ngalezi zinto ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso.” Kuyadabukisa ukuthi emibhalweni kaPhilo, ukufanekisa kugqame kakhulu, kuyilapho incazelo esobala yemiBhalo inyamalala.

Ungubani UNkulunkulu?

UPhilo waveza ngomfanekiso onamandla ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona. Ngemva kokuchaza izwe, imifula, amaplanethi nezinkanyezi, waphetha: “Umhlaba uyindalo eyenziwe ngobuciko nangobuhlakani ngaphezu kwayo yonke indalo ekhona, njengokungathi uye wakhiwa othile onekhono elivelele futhi onolwazi oluphelele ukudlula wonke umuntu. Kungale ndlela esiye sathola ngayo umbono wokuba khona kukaNkulunkulu.” Lokhu ukucabanga okunengqondo.—Roma 1:20.

Kodwa lapho uPhilo echaza ubunjalo bukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, waphaphalaza kakhulu eqinisweni. UPhilo wathi uNkulunkulu “akanazo izimfanelo ezikhethekile” futhi “akaqondakali.” UPhilo akazange ayikhuthaze imizamo yokufunda ngoNkulunkulu, wathi “kuwubuphukuphuku ngempela ukuzama ukudlulela ngale, uze uhlolisise ubunjalo noma izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ezikhethekile.” Lo mqondo awuveli eBhayibhelini, kodwa uvela esazini sefilosofi esiyiqaba uPlato.

UPhilo wathi uNkulunkulu ngeke aze aqondakale, kangangokuthi akunakwenzeka ukuba simbize ngegama. UPhilo wathi: “Ngakho-ke, kwakunengqondo ukuthi alikho ibizoqho elalifaneleka ayengabizwa ngalo lowo empeleni onguNkulunkulu ophilayo.” Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuphikisana kangakanani neqiniso!

IBhayibheli libonisa ngokusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu unegama. IHubo 83:18 lithi: “Wena, ogama lakho linguJehova, wena wedwa ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.” Incwadi ka-Isaya 42:8 icaphuna uNkulunkulu ethi: “NginguJehova. Yilelo igama lami.” Kungani uPhilo, umJuda owayewazi la mavesi eBhayibheli, afundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanalo igama? Kungenxa yokuthi wayechaza unkulunkulu wefilosofi yamaGreki ongenagama futhi ongenakufinyelelwa, hhayi uNkulunkulu ophilayo waseBhayibhelini.

Uyini Umphefumulo?

UPhilo wafundisa ukuthi umphefumulo uyinto ehlukile emzimbeni. Ekhuluma ngomuntu, uthi “unomzimba nomphefumulo.” Ingabe umphefumulo ungafa? Ake uzwe incazelo kaPhilo: “Ngesikhathi sisaphila, kunjengokungathi umphefumulo wethu ufile futhi ungcwatshwe emzimbeni wethu, njengasethuneni. Kodwa uma [umzimba] ufa, umphefumulo wethu uyaphila ngendlela yawo efanele, usukhululiwe emzimbeni omubi futhi ofile obewugcinwe kuwo.” KuPhilo, ukufa komphefumulo kwakungokomfanekiso. Empeleni awufi. Uyinto engafi.

Kodwa, iBhayibheli lifundisani ngomphefumulo? Incwadi kaGenesise 2:7 ithi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wabe esebumba umuntu ngothuli lomhlabathi wafuthela emakhaleni akhe umoya wokuphila, umuntu waba ngumphefumulo ophilayo.” NgokweBhayibheli, abantu abanayo imiphefumulo; kodwa bayiyo imiphefumulo.

IBhayibheli lifundisa nokuthi umphefumulo uyafa. UHezekeli 18:4 uthi: “Umphefumulo owonayo—yiwo oyokufa.” Ngale miBhalo singafinyelela esiphethweni esifanele: Umuntu ungumphefumulo. Ngakho, lapho umuntu efa, umphefumulo uyafa.—Genesise 19:19.a

Ngemva kokufa kukaPhilo, amaJuda awazange esazilandela izimfundiso zakhe. Nokho, eLobukholwa lanamathela ezimfundisweni zakhe. U-Eusebius nabanye abaholi benkolo babekholelwa ukuthi uPhilo wayephendukele ebuKristwini. UJerome wathi wayengomunye woFata beSonto. AmaKristu ayizihlubuki, esikhundleni samaJuda, alondoloza imibhalo kaPhilo.

Imibhalo kaPhilo yabangela ushintsho olukhulu enkolweni. Ithonya lakhe laholela amaKristu okuzisholo ukuba amukele imfundiso engafundiswa imiBhalo yokuthi umphefumulo awufi. Futhi imfundiso kaPhilo ngoLogos (noma, uLizwi) yaholela ekuqaleni kwenkolelo kaZiqu-zintathu, imfundiso yamaKristu ayizihlubuki futhi engekho eBhayibhelini.

Ningadukiswa

Ekutadisheni kwakhe imiBhalo YesiHebheru, uPhilo waqiniseka ukuthi “akashiyi lutho olungachazwanga ngokomfanekiso okungenzeka lufihleke olimini olulula.” Nokho, ngokuqondene noMthetho kaNkulunkulu njengoba kulotshwe kuDuteronomi 4:2, uMose wathi: “Akumelwe ninezele ezwini enginiyala ngalo, futhi akumelwe nisuse utho kulo, ukuze nigcine imiyalo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu enginiyala ngayo.” Enezinhloso ezibonakala zizinhle, uPhilo wanezela ukucabanga kwakhe okuningi okufana nofasimba oluwugqinsi, olwafiphaza imfundiso ecacile yeZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe.

Umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Ukunijwayelanisa kwethu namandla nokuba khona kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu akubanga ngokulandela izindaba ezingamanga eziklanywe ngobuciko.” (2 Petru 1:16) Ngokungafani nemibhalo kaPhilo, iseluleko sikaPetru ayesibhekise ebandleni lamaKristu okuqala sasisekelwe eqinisweni nasekuqondiseni komoya kaNkulunkulu, “umoya weqiniso,” owawaqondisa kulo lonke iqiniso.—Johane 16:13.

Uma ufuna ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu okukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhelini, udinga isiqondiso esiyiqiniso, hhayi izincazelo ezisekelwe ekucabangeni kwabantu. Udinga ulwazi olunembile ngoJehova nangentando yakhe, futhi kudingeka uthobeke ukuze ube umfundi oqotho. Uma utadisha iBhayibheli unaleso simo sengqondo esihle, uyokwazi “imibhalo engcwele, ekwazi ukukuhlakaniphisela insindiso ngokholo olumayelana noKristu Jesu.” Uyobona ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu lingakwenza ‘ufaneleke ngokugcwele, uyihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle.’—2 Thimothewu 3:15-17.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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UMUZI UPHILO AYEHLALA KUWO

UPhilo wayehlala futhi esebenza e-Aleksandriya yaseGibhithe. Kwase kungamakhulu eminyaka lowo muzi uyikomkhulu lomhlaba wonke lezincwadi kanye nezingxoxo zezazi.

Abafundi babefundiswa izazi ezidumile ezazifundisa ezikoleni ezazikulo muzi. Umtapo wase-Aleksandriya wawudumile emhlabeni wonke. Izincwadi ezazikuwo zanda zaze zafinyelela emakhulwini ezinkulungwane njengoba izisebenzi zakuwo zazifuna ukuthola amakhophi azo zonke izincwadi.

Kamuva, ukuthandwa umhlaba wonke kwe-Aleksandriya nolwazi eyayiluqongelele kwaphela kancane kancane. Ababusi baseRoma baphakamisa umuzi wabo futhi isikhungo samasiko saya eYurophu. Ukuwa kwe-Aleksandriya kwafinyelela emvuthwandaba ngekhulu lesikhombisa C.E. lapho abahlaseli bewunqoba lo muzi. Kuze kube namuhla, izazi-mlando zisakukhalela ukulahlekelwa yilowo mtapo owawudumile futhi ezinye zithi intuthuko kwezempucuko yaphazanyiswa ngeminyaka eyinkulungwane.

[Umthombo]

L. Chapons/Illustrirte Familien-Bibel nach der deutschen Uebersetzung Dr. Martin Luthers

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UKUCHAZA NGENDLELA ENGOKOMFANEKISO NAMUHLA

Ngokuvamile umfanekiso (allegory) “inkulumo esebenzisa abantu nezenzo ezimelela okuthile futhi eziqanjiwe ukuze iveze amaqiniso nezimiso ezibanzi mayelana nokuphila kwabantu.” Imibhalo esebenzisa imifanekiso kuthiwa iyizimpawu zezinto ezicashile ezibaluleke kakhulu. Ukuze bachaze iBhayibheli, namuhla abanye abafundisi benkolo basebenzisa ukuchaza ngendlela engokomfanekiso njengoba kwenza uPhilo wase-Aleksandriya.

Cabanga ngoGenesise izahluko 1 kuya ku-11, lapho kulotshwe khona ngomlando wabantu kusukela ekudalweni kuya ekusakazekeni kwabantu embhoshongweni waseBhabhele. Maqondana nale ngxenye yeBhayibheli, inguqulo yamaKatolika, i-New American Bible, ithi: “Ukuze amaqiniso aqukethwe yilezi zahluko aqondakale kubantu bakwa-Israyeli ababemiselwe ukuwalondoloza, kwadingeka ukuba abekwe ngendlela evamile kubantu bangaleso sikhathi. Ngenxa yalokhu, lokho okushiwo amaqiniso ngokwawo kumelwe kuhlukaniswe ngokucacile esambathweni esingamazwi.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi uGenesise izahluko 1 kuya ku-11 akumelwe athathwe njengoba enjalo. Kunalokho, njengesambatho (ingubo) esimboza umzimba, amazwi anencazelo ejulile.

Nokho, uJesu wafundisa ukuthi lezo zahluko zokuqala zencwadi kaGenesise ziyiqiniso elingokoqobo. (Mathewu 19:4-6; 24:37-39) Nomphostoli uPawulu kanye noPetru benza okufanayo. (IzEnzo 17:24-26; 2 Petru 2:5; 3:6, 7) Abafundi beBhayibheli abaqotho bayazenqaba izincazelo ezingavumelani nalo lonke iZwi likaNkulunkulu.

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Indlu enkulu yesibani yase-Aleksandriya

[Umthombo]

Archives Charmet/Bridgeman Art Library