UWessel Gansfort—“Umgqugquzeli Wezinguquko Wangaphambi KweNkathi Yezinguquko”

Amagama athi Luther, Tyndale nelithi Calvin ajwayelekile kubo bonke abafunda ngeNkathi Yezinguquko YamaProthestani eyaqala ngo-1517. Nokho, bambalwa abantu abalaziyo igama likaWessel Gansfort. Uye wabizwa ngokuthi “uMgqugquzeli Wezinguquko wangaphambi kweNkathi Yezinguquko.” Ungathanda yini ukwazi okwengeziwe ngale ndoda?

UWESSEL wazalwa ngo-1419 edolobheni laseGroningen eNetherlands. Ngekhulu le-15, babembalwa abantu ababenamathuba okuya esikoleni, kodwa uWessel waya. Nakuba ayehlakaniphile, kwadingeka ukuba ayeke isikole eneminyaka engu-9 ngenxa yokuthi abazali bakhe babempofu kakhulu. Waba nenhlanhla nokho ngoba umfelokazi othile ocebile wezwa ngokuhlakanipha kukaWessel osemncane, wamthatha ukuze amkhulise wamkhokhela nezindleko zokufunda. Ngakho, wakwazi ukuqhubeka nesikole. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, wathola iziqu ze-Master of Arts. Kubonakala sengathi kamuva wanikwa nesiqu sokuba udokotela wemfundiso yenkolo.

UWessel wayelomele kakhulu ulwazi. Nokho, ngosuku lwakhe yayimbalwa imitapo. Ngisho noma ukunyathelisa ngomshini wezinhlamvu ezihlelwa ngesandla kwase kukhona ngesikhathi sakhe, iningi lezincwadi lalisabhalwa ngesandla futhi libiza. UWessel wayeyilungu leqembu lezazi ezaziphuma zingena emitatsheni nasezigodlweni zezindela zifuna imibhalo yesandla eyivelakancane nezincwadi esezalitshalwa. Ngemva kwalokho zazicobelelana ngalokho ezazikutholile. Waqoqa ulwazi oluningi futhi wagcwalisa incwajana yakhe ngezingcaphuno namazwi athathwe ezincwadini zasendulo zesiGreki nesiLatini. Ezinye izazi zemfundiso yenkolo zazivame ukungamethembi uWessel ngoba wayazi izinto eziningi kakhulu ezingakaze zizizwe. UWessel wayebizwa ngokuthi i-Magister Contradictionis, noma iGagu Lenkulumo-mpikiswano.

“Kungani Ungangiholeli KuKristu?”

Eminyakeni engaba ngu-50 ngaphambi kweNkathi Yezinguquko, uWessel wahlangana noThomas à Kempis (cishe wango-1379-1471), ngokuvamile okukholelwa ukuthi nguye owaloba incwadi edumile ethi De Imitatione Christi (Ukulingisa uKristu). UThomas à Kempis wayeyilungu lenhlangano ebizwa ngokuthi iBrethren of the Common Life, okuyinhlangano eyayigcizelela isidingo sokuphila ukuphila kokuzinikela. Umbhali womlando kaWessel wathi uThomas à Kempis wakhuthaza uWessel izikhathi eziningana ukuba acele usizo kuMariya. UWessel waphendula ngokuthi: “Kungani ungangiholeli kuKristu, omema ngomusa bonke abasindwayo ukuba beze kuye?”

Kubikwa ukuthi uWessel wenqaba ukugcotshwa njengomfundisi. Lapho ebuzwa ukuthi kungani enqaba ukuphuca ukhakhayi, noma ukwenza ishanda ekhanda elimveza njengomunye wabefundisi, waphendula ngokuthi wayengesabi ukuphanyekwa uma nje ayengafa esaphile kahle engqondweni. Ngokusobala wayebhekisele ekutheni abefundisi abagcotshiwe babengabeka amacala, futhi kubonakala sengathi ukuphuca ukhakhayi kwakubasindisa ngempela abefundisi abaningi ekuphanyekweni! UWessel wamelana naneminye imikhuba yenkolo evamile. Ngokwesibonelo, wagxekwa ngokwenqaba ukukholelwa ezimangalisweni ezazichazwe encwadini edumile yangesikhathi sakhe, i-Dialogus Miraculorum. Ephendula wathi: “Kungaba ngcono ukufunda imiBhalo Engcwele.”

“Sazi Kuphela Lokho Esikubuzayo”

UWessel wafunda isiHebheru nesiGreki futhi wathola ulwazi oluningi ngemibhalo yoBaba Besonto bokuqala. Uthando lwakhe ngezilimi zeBhayibheli zakuqala luphawuleka kakhulu, nakuba aphila ngaphambi kuka-Erasmus noReuchlin.a Ngaphambi kweNkathi Yezinguquko, isiGreki sasaziwa kancane. EJalimane kuphela zazimbalwa izazi ezazijwayele isiGreki, futhi zazingekho izincwadi zokufunda lolo limi. Kusobala ukuthi uWessel waxhumana nezindela ezingamaGreki ezazibalekele eNtshonalanga ngemva kokuwa kweConstantinople ngo-1453, futhi wasifunda kuzo isiGreki. Ngalezo zinsuku, isiHebheru sasikhulunywa amaJuda kuphela, futhi kubonakala sengathi uWessel wafunda isiHebheru kumaJuda aguqukile.

UWessel wayelithanda kakhulu iBhayibheli. Wayelibheka njengencwadi ephefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi ekholelwa ukuthi zonke izincwadi eziseBhayibhelini ziyavumelana ngokuphelele. KuWessel, ukuchazwa kwamavesi eBhayibheli kwakumelwe kuvumelane nomongo futhi kungasontwa. Zonke izincazelo ezisontekile kwakufanele zixwaywe njengezingahambisani neBhayibheli. Elinye ivesi leBhayibheli ayelithanda kakhulu lisencwadini kaMathewu 7:7, lithi: “Qhubekani nifuna, niyothola.” Ngenxa yalokho okushiwo yilelo vesi, uWessel wayekholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi kuyinzuzo ukubuza imibuzo, ethi “sazi kuphela lokho esikubuzayo.”

Isicelo Esiphawulekayo

UWessel wavakashela eRoma ngo-1473 futhi wavunyelwa ukuba akhulume noPapa Sixtus IV, upapa wokuqala kwabayisithupha okuziphatha kwakhe okubi ekugcineni kwabangela iNguquko YamaProthestani. Isazi-mlando uBarbara W. Tuchman ubonisa ukuthi uSixtus IV waqala inkathi ‘yokungabi namahloni, yokungafihli, yokuphishekela ngonya inzuzo yomuntu siqu namandla kwezombusazwe.’ Wathusa umphakathi ngokufunela izihlobo zakhe izikhundla ngaphandle kokufihla. Esinye isazi-mlando sabhala ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi uSixtus wayefuna ukwenza isikhundla sobupapa sibe ibhizinisi lasekhaya. Bambalwa abalokotha bamelana nalokho kusebenzisa kabi amandla.

Nokho, uWessel Gansfort wayehlukile. Ngelinye ilanga uSixtus wathi kuye: “Ndodana, cela noma yini oyifunayo, futhi sizokunika yona.” UWessel waphendula ngokushesha: “Bab’ ongcwele, . . . njengoba wena lapha emhlabeni uphethe isikhundla sokuba umpristi nomalusi ophakeme kunabo bonke, ngicela . . . ukuba ufeze umsebenzi wakho ophakeme ngendlela yokuthi uma uMalusi Omkhulu wezimvu . . . efika, athi kuwe: ‘Wenze kahle, nceku enhle nethembekile, ngena enjabulweni yeNkosi yakho.’” USixtus waphendula ngokuthi kwakuwumsebenzi wakhe lowo futhi uWessel kwakufanele azicelele yena okuthile. UWessel waphendula: “Ngakho ngicela ukuba ungiphe iBhayibheli lesiGreki nesiHebheru eliseMtatsheni WaseVatican.” Upapa wamnika lona kodwa wathi uWessel wayenze ngobuwula futhi kwakufanele ngabe ucele ukugcotshwa njengombhishobhi!

“Amanga Nesono”

Njengoba ayeyidinga kakhulu imali yokwakha iSonto eselidumile iSistine, uSixtus waqala ibhizinisi lokuba abantu bakhokhe ukuze kuthethelelwe izono zabafileyo. Lokhu kuthethelelwa kwezono kwathandwa kakhulu. Incwadi ethi Vicars of Christ—The Dark Side of the Papacy ithi: “Abafelokazi, abafelwa nabazali abashonelwe basebenzisa yonke imali yabo ukuze bakhiphe abantu ababathandayo eSihlanzweni.” Abantu abavamile bakujabulela ukuthethelelwa kwezono ngoba babekholelwa ngokugcwele ukuthi upapa angaqinisekisa ukuthi abantu ababathandayo bazoya ezulwini.

Nokho, uWessel wayekholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi iSonto LamaKatolika, kuhlanganise nopapa, lalingenawo amandla okuthethelela izono. UWessel wakusho obala ukuthi ukuthethelelwa kwezono ngemali “kungamanga nesono.” Futhi wayengakholelwa ukuthi ukuze uthole intethelelo ezonweni kudingeka uvume izono kubefundisi.

UWessel waphinde wakungabaza ukungabi naphutha kukapapa, ethi izisekelo zezinkolelo zaziyoba buthaka uma kwakulindeleke ukuba njalo abantu bakholwe opapa, ngoba babewenza amaphutha. UWessel wabhala: “Uma ababhishobhi benqaba imiyalo kaNkulunkulu bese bemisa imiyalo yabo abayenzile, . . . abakwenzayo nabakufundisayo kuyize.”

UWessel Ucaba Indlela Yezinguquko

UWessel washona ngo-1489. Nakuba amelana namanye amaphutha esonto, wahlala engumKatolika. Futhi akazange ajeziswe isonto ngenxa yokuba imbuka. Nokho, ngemva kokufa kwakhe, izindela zamaKatolika ezishiseka ngokweqile zazama ukucekela phansi izincwadi zakhe ngoba zazibhekwa njengezingavumelani ngokuphelele nezimfundiso zesonto. Ngesikhathi sikaLuther, igama likaWessel lase licishe lilitshalwe. Azikho izincwadi zakhe ezanyatheliswa, futhi kwakusele kuphela imibhalo yesandla embalwa. Uhlelo lokuqala lwezincwadi zikaWessel lwaze lwanyatheliswa phakathi kuka-1520 no-1522. Lwaluhlanganisa nencwadi eyayibhalwe uLuther eyayincoma izincwadi zikaWessel.

Nakuba uWessel ayengeyena uMgqugquzeli Wezinguquko njengoLuther, wawadalula obala amanye amaphutha aholela eNkathini Yezinguquko. Empeleni, i-Cyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong imchaza ‘njengomuntu obaluleke kakhulu phakathi kwabantu baseJalimane abasiza ekucabeni indlela eya eNkathini Yezinguquko.’

ULuther wabona ukuthi uWessel wayehambisana naye. Umlobi uC. Augustijn uyabhala: “ULuther ufanisa isikhathi sakhe nokwenzeka kuye nesikhathi sika-Eliya nalokho okwenzeka kuye. Njengoba nje umprofethi ayecabanga ukuthi wayewukuphela komuntu osele ukuze alwe izimpi zikaNkulunkulu, noLuther waba nomuzwa wokuthi wayeyedwa ekulweni kwakhe nesonto. Kodwa ngemva kokufunda izincwadi zikaWessel wabona ukuthi iNkosi yayisindise ‘insali kwa-Israyeli.’” “ULuther uze athi: ‘Ukube ngangizifunde ekuqaleni izincwadi zakhe, izitha zami zazingase zicabange ukuthi uLuther wayefunde yonke into kuWessel, umoya wakhe uvumelana kakhulu nowami.’”b

“Niyothola”

Lapho iNkathi Yezinguquko iqala, ayizange ibe yinto eyisigubhukane. Imibono eyaholela eziNguqukweni yayisinesikhathi ikhona. UWessel wabona ukuthi ukonakala kopapa kwakuzogcina kuholele esifisweni sokuba kube nezinguquko. Wake wathi komunye umfundi: “Mfana wami okukhuthalele ukufunda, uzophila kuze kube usuku lapho izimfundiso . . . zezazi zemfundiso yenkolo ezingqubuzanayo ziyolahlwa khona yizo zonke izazi zobuKristu beqiniso.”

Nakuba uWessel ayewazi amanye amaphutha nemikhuba eyonakele yosuku lwakhe, akakwazanga ukulembula ngokuphelele iqiniso leBhayibheli. Noma kunjalo, kuye, iBhayibheli kwakuyincwadi okufanele ifundwe futhi itadishwe. Ngokwencwadi ethi A History of Christianity, uWessel “wayekholelwa ukuthi njengoba liphefumulelwe uMoya Ongcwele, iBhayibheli linegunya elikhulu ezindabeni zenkolo.” Namuhla, amaKristu eqiniso akholelwa ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Nokho, amaqiniso eBhayibheli awasafihlekile futhi akusenzima ukuwathola. Isimiso seBhayibheli esilandelayo siyiqiniso nakakhulu namuhla kunangesikhathi esidlule: “Qhubekani nifuna, niyothola.”—Mathewu 7:7; IzAga 2:1-6.

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UEESSEL NEGAMA LIKANKULUNKULU

Ngokuvamile, igama likaNkulunkulu libhalwe ngokuthi “Johavah” ezincwadini zikaWessel. Nokho, kunezindawo ezimbili lapho uWessel esebenzise khona elithi “Jehova.” Lapho exoxa ngemibono kaWessel, umlobi uH. A. Oberman waphetha ngokuthi uWessel wayenomuzwa wokuthi ukube uThomas Aquinas nabanye babesazi isiHebheru, “babeyothola ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu elembulelwa uMose alisho ukuthi ‘ngiyilowo enginguye’ kodwa lisho ukuthi ‘ngiyoba yilokho engiyoba yikho.’”c INguqulo Yezwe Elisha inikeza incazelo enembile ethi “Ngiyoba yilokho engiyoba yikho.”—Eksodusi 3:13, 14.

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Manuscript: Universiteitsbibliotheek, Utrecht

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UWessel waphikisana nokudayisa ukuthethelelwa kwezono okwagunyazwa uPapa Sixtus IV