Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi Balo Magazini

Kungani OFakazi BakaJehova Bengasisebenzisi Isiphambano Ekukhulekeleni?

OFakazi BakaJehova bakholelwa ngokuqinile ekutheni ukufa kukaJesu Kristu kwaba yisihlengo esavula ithuba lokuphila okuphakade kulabo ababonisa ukholo kuye. (Mathewu 20:28; Johane 3:16) Nokho, abakholelwa ukuthi uJesu wafela esiphambanweni, njengoba kuye kuboniswe ezithombeni ezivamile. Bakholelwa ukuthi uJesu wafela esigxotsheni esiqondile esingenakhuni oluvundlile.

Ukusetshenziswa kwesiphambano kuhlehlela emuva eMesopotamiya, eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili ngaphambi kukaKristu. Kwakuhlotshiswa ngeziphambano nasemadwaleni aqoshiwe eNkathi Yethusi, amakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu. Abantu abanjalo abangewona amaKristu babesebenzisa iziphambano “njengophawu lomlingo . . . oluvikelayo, oluletha inhlanhla,” kubhala uSven Tito Achen, isazi-mlando saseDenmark esinguchwepheshe wezimpawu, encwadini ethi Symbols Around Us. Yingakho i-New Catholic Encyclopedia ivuma: “Isiphambano sitholakala kukho kokubili amasiko angaphambi kobuKristu nangewona awobuKristu, futhi sifanekisela ngokuyinhloko izinto ezisemkhathini noma ezingokwemvelo.” Pho, kungani amasonto ekhethe isiphambano njengophawu lwawo olungcwele?

UW. E. Vine, isazi saseBrithani esihlonishwayo, uveza la maqiniso anzima: “Maphakathi nekhulu lesithathu A.D. . . . amaqaba amukelwa emasontweni . . . futhi ngokuyinhloko avunyelwa ukuba alondoloze izimpawu zawo zobuqaba. Ngenxa yalokho kwamukelwa u-Tau noma u-T, . . . onokhuni oluvundlile olwehlisiwe.”

UVine ubuye aphawule ukuthi kokubili ibizo elithi “isiphambano” nesenzo esithi “bethela” kubhekisela “esigxotsheni . . . esihlukile ohlotsheni lwesiphambano sesonto esinezingodo ezimbili.” Ivumelana nalokhu, i-Companion Bible yase-Oxford University ithi: “Ubufakazi bubonisa . . . ukuthi iNkosi yabulawelwa esigxotsheni esiqondile, hhayi ezingodweni ezimbili eziphambene.” Ngokusobala, amasonto aye amukela isiko elingqubuzana neBhayibheli.

Isazi-mlando esicashunwe ngenhla, u-Achen, sithi: “Emakhulwini amabili eminyaka ngemva kokufa kukaJesu cishe amaKristu ayengalusebenzisi nhlobo uphawu lwesiphambano.” Sinezela ukuthi kumaKristu okuqala, isiphambano “kumelwe ukuba sasimelela ngokuyinhloko ukufa nobubi, njengesaha noma isihlalo sikagesi sokubulala abantu sezizukulwane zakamuva.”

Okubaluleke nakakhulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini eyasetshenziswa ekuhlukumezeni nasekubulaleni uJesu, akukho mfanekiso noma uphawu lwayo okufanele lukhulekelwe amaKristu. IBhayibheli liyayala: “Kubalekeleni ukukhonza izithombe.” (1 Korinte 10:14) UJesu uqobo wachaza uphawu lwangempela lwabalandeli bakhe beqiniso. Wathi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.”—Johane 13:35.

Kuzo zonke izindaba zokukhulekela, oFakazi BakaJehova, njengamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala, balwela ukulandela iBhayibheli esikhundleni samasiko. (Roma 3:4; Kolose 2:8) Ngenxa yalokho, abasisebenzisi isiphambano ekukhulekeleni.

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

Umfanekiso obonisa inkosi eyiqaba yase-Asiriya igaxe isiphambano, cishe ngo-800 B.C.E.

[Umthombo]

Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum