Ingabe Igama Elithi Jehova Kufanele Livele ETestamenteni Elisha?

INGABE kunendaba ngempela ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu liyavela yini eBhayibhelini? Kusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu wazizwa kanjalo. Igama lakhe, elimelelwa izinhlamvu ezine zeziHebheru ezaziwa ngokuthi i-Tetragrammaton, livela izikhathi ezingaba ngu-7 000 embhalweni wokuqala wesiHebheru ngokuvamile obizwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elidala.a

Izazi zeBhayibheli ziyavuma ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu likhona eTestamenteni Elidala, noma imiBhalo YesiHebheru. Kodwa eziningi zinomuzwa wokuthi lalingekho emibhalweni yokuqala yesiGreki ebizwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elisha.

Kwenzekani-ke lapho umlobi weTestamente Elisha ecaphuna izindima zeTestamente Elidala okuvela kuzo i-Tetragrammaton? Kulezi zimo, abahumushi abaningi basebenzisa igama elithi “Nkosi” esikhundleni segama likaNkulunkulu. INguqulo Yezwe Elisha YemiBhalo Engcwele ayiwulandeli lo mkhuba ovamile. Isebenzisa igama elithi Jehova izikhathi ezingu-237 emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, noma iTestamente Elisha.

Abahumushi beBhayibheli babhekana naziphi izinkinga uma kufanele banqume ukuthi balisebenzise yini igama likaNkulunkulu eTestamenteni Elisha? Kunaziphi izizathu zokusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu kule ngxenye yemiBhalo Engcwele? Futhi ukusetshenziswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu eBhayibhelini kukuthinta kanjani?

Inkinga Yokuhumusha

Imibhalo yesandla yeTestamente Elisha esinayo namuhla akuyona eyokuqala. Eyokuqala eyalotshwa uMathewu, uJohane, uPawulu nabanye yayisetshenziswa kakhulu, futhi ngenxa yalokho yaguga ngokushesha. Ngenxa yalokho, kwenziwa amakhophi, futhi lapho nawo eguga, kwenziwa amanye. Phakathi kwezinkulungwane zamakhophi eTestamente Elisha akhona namuhla, amaningi enziwa okungenani ngemva kwamakhulu amabili eminyaka kulotshwe imibhalo yokuqala. Kubonakala sengathi ngaleso sikhathi ababekopisha le mibhalo bakhipha i-Tetragrammaton bafaka igama elithi Kuʹri·os noma Kyʹri·os, igama lesiGreki elisho “iNkosi,” noma bakopisha besebenzisa imibhalo okwakwenziwe kanjalo kuyo.b

Lapho esekwazi lokhu, umhumushi kumelwe anqume ukuthi bukhona yini ubufakazi obunengqondo bokuthi i-Tetragrammaton yayikhona ngempela emibhalweni yokuqala yesiGreki. Ingabe bukhona lobo bufakazi? Cabangela izizathu ezilandelayo:

• Lapho uJesu ecaphuna iTestamente Elidala noma efunda kulo, walisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu. (Duteronomi 6:13, 16; 8:3; IHubo 110:1; Isaya 61:1, 2; Mathewu 4:4, 7, 10; 22:44; Luka 4:16-21) Osukwini lukaJesu nabafundi bakhe, i-Tetragrammaton yayivela emakhophini ombhalo wesiHebheru walokho ngokuvamile okubizwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elidala, njengoba kunjalo nanamuhla. Nokho, kwaphela amakhulu eminyaka izazi zicabanga ukuthi i-Tetragrammaton yayingekho emibhalweni yenguqulo yesiGreki i-Septuagint yeTestamente Elidala, kanye nasemibhalweni yeTestamente Elisha. Kodwa maphakathi nekhulu lama-20, izazi zathola okuthile okuphawulekayo—zazithole izingxenye ezithile ezindala kakhulu zenguqulo ye-Septuagint yesiGreki eyayikhona ngosuku lukaJesu. Lezo zingxenye ziqukethe igama likaNkulunkulu, elibhalwe ngezinhlamvu zesiHebheru.

• UJesu walisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu futhi walazisa abanye. (Johane 17:6, 11, 12, 26) UJesu washo ngokucacile: “Ngizé ngegama likaBaba.” Wagcizelela nokuthi imisebenzi yakhe wayeyenza “egameni [likaYise].” Empeleni, igama likaJesu ngokwalo lisho ukuthi “uJehova UyiNsindiso.”—Johane 5:43; 10:25.

• Igama likaNkulunkulu livela lifushanisiwe emiBhalweni YesiGreki. KusAmbulo 19:1, 3, 4, 6, igama likaNkulunkulu liyingxenye yenkulumo ethi “Aleluya,” noma “Haleluya.” Le nkulumo ngokwezwi nezwi isho ukuthi “Dumisani uJah, nina bantu!” UJah uyisifushaniso segama elithi Jehova.

• Imibhalo yokuqala yamaJuda ibonisa ukuthi amaKristu angamaJuda ayelisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu emibhalweni yawo. I-Tosefta, iqoqo elilotshiwe lemithetho edluliselwa ngomlomo eyaqedwa cishe ngo-300 C.E., isho lokhu mayelana nemibhalo yamaKristu eyayishiswa ngeSabatha: “Izincwadi zabaVangeli kanye nezincwadi zama-minim [okucatshangwa ukuthi ayengamaKristu angamaJuda] azisindi emlilweni. Kodwa zivunyelwa ukuba zishele lapho, . . . zona kanye nezikhombo ezikuzo ezikhuluma ngeGama LikaNkulunkulu.” Le ncwadi efanayo icaphuna uRabbi Yosé waseGalile, owaphila ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesibili C.E., ethi ngezinye izinsuku zesonto “umuntu udabula ingxenye yezikhombo zeGama LikaNkulunkulu [ezisemibhalweni yamaKristu] azigcine, abese eshisa ingxenye esele yombhalo.” Ngakho, kunobufakazi obunamandla bokuthi amaJuda ayephila ngekhulu lesibili C.E. ayekholelwa ukuthi amaKristu ayelisebenzisa igama likaJehova emibhalweni yawo.

Abahumushi Bayisingathé Kanjani Le Nkinga?

Ingabe INguqulo Yezwe Elisha iwukuphela kweBhayibheli elibuyisela igama likaNkulunkulu lapho lihumusha imiBhalo YesiGreki? Cha. Ngokusekelwe ebufakazini obungenhla, abahumushi abaningi beBhayibheli banomuzwa wokuthi igama likaNkulunkulu kufanele libuyiselwe lapho behumusha iTestamente Elisha.

Ngokwesibonelo, izinguqulo eziningi zeTestamente Elisha zezilimi zase-Afrika, eMelika, e-Asia naseziqhingini zasePacific zilisebenzisa kaningi igama likaNkulunkulu. (Bheka ishadi elisekhasini 21.) Ezinye zalezi zinguqulo ezamuva, njengeBhayibheli lesiRotuma (1999), elisebenzisa igama elithi Jihova izikhathi ezingu-51 emavesini angu-48 eTestamente Elisha, kanye nenguqulo yesiBatak-Toba (1989) yase-Indonesia, esebenzisa igama elithi Jahowa izikhathi ezingu-110 eTestamenteni Elisha. Igama likaNkulunkulu liye latholakala nasezinguqulweni zesiFulentshi, isiJalimane neSpanishi. Ngokwesibonelo, uPablo Besson wahumusha iTestamente Elisha ngeSpanishi ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20. Inguqulo yakhe isebenzisa igama elithi Jehová kuJude 14, futhi kunemibhalo yaphansi engaba yikhulu ebonisa ukuthi cishe lena iyona ndlela enembile yokuhumusha igama likaNkulunkulu.

Ngezansi kunezibonelo ezithile zezinguqulo zesiNgisi eziye zasebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu eTestamenteni Elisha:

• A Literal Translation of the New Testament . . . From the Text of the Vatican Manuscript, kaHerman Heinfetter (1863)

• The Emphatic Diaglott, kaBenjamin Wilson (1864)

• The Epistles of Paul in Modern English, kaGeorge Barker Stevens (1898)

• St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, kaW. G. Rutherford (1900)

• The Christian’s Bible—New Testament, kaGeorge N. LeFevre (1928)

• The New Testament Letters, kaJ.W.C. Wand, uMbhishobhi waseLondon (1946)

Muva nje, inguqulo ethandwayo ka-2004 ye-New Living Translation yasho la mazwi esanduleleni sayo ngaphansi kwesihlokwana esithi “Ukuhumusha Amagama KaNkulunkulu”: “Sihumushé i-tetragrammaton (YHWH) ngokungaguquki ngokuthi ‘NKOSI,’ sisebenzisa osonhlamvukazi abancane abavamile ezinguqulweni zesiNgisi. Lokhu kuzohlukanisa leli gama kwelithi ʹadonai, esilihumushe ngokuthi ‘Nkosi.’” Khona-ke lapho ikhuluma ngeTestamente Elisha, ithi: “Igama lesiGreki elithi kurios lihunyushwe ngokungaguquki ngokuthi ‘Nkosi,’ ngaphandle kokuthi lihunyushwe ngokuthi ‘NKOSI’ nomaphi lapho umbhalo weTestamente Elisha ucaphuna ngokuqondile eTestamenteni Elidala, futhi kuleyo ndawo umbhalo ubhalwe ngosonhlamvukazi abancane.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Ngakho, abahumushi baleli Bhayibheli bayavuma ukuthi i-Tetragrammaton (YHWH) kufanele ifakwe kulezi zingcaphuno zeTestamente Elisha.

Ngokuthakazelisayo, ngaphansi kwesihlokwana esithi “I-Tetragrammaton ETestamenteni Elisha,” i-Anchor Bible Dictionary ithi: “Kunobufakazi obuthile bokuthi i-Tetragrammaton, iGama LikaNkulunkulu, elithi Yahweh, lalivela kwezinye noma kuzo zonke izingcaphuno zeTestamente Elidala eziseTestamenteni Elisha lapho imibhalo yeTestamente Elisha iqala ukulotshwa.” Isazi uGeorge Howard sithi: “Njengoba i-Tetragram yayisabhalwa emakhophini eBhayibheli lesiGreki [i-Septuagint] ayakha imiBhalo yebandla lokuqala, kunengqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi abalobi beTestamente Elisha, lapho becaphuna emiBhalweni, bayilondoloza i-Tetragram embhalweni weBhayibheli.”

Izizathu Ezimbili Ezigculisayo

Kusobala-ke ukuthi INguqulo Yezwe Elisha yayingelona iBhayibheli lokuqala elaliqukethe igama likaNkulunkulu eTestamenteni Elisha. Njengejaji elicelwa ukuba lahlulele ecaleni lasenkantolo elingenabo ofakazi bokuzibonela abasaphila, iKomiti Yezwe Elisha Yokuhumusha IBhayibheli yabuhlaziya ngokucophelela bonke ubufakazi obuhilelekile. Ngokusekelwe emaqinisweni, yanquma ukufaka igama likaJehova enguqulweni yayo yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Phawula izizathu ezimbili ezigculisayo ezabangela ukuba le komiti yenze lokho.

(1) Abahumushi babekholelwa ukuthi njengoba imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki yaphefumulelwa njengemiBhalo YesiHebheru engcwele, ukunyamalala ngokungazelele kwegama likaJehova kulo mbhalo kwakubonakala kungezwakali.

Kungani leso siphetho sinengqondo? Cishe maphakathi nekhulu lokuqala C.E., umfundi uJakobe watshela abadala baseJerusalema: “USimeyoni useyilandise ngokuphelele indlela uNkulunkulu anaka ngayo izizwe ngokokuqala ukuze athathe kuzo isizwe segama lakhe.” (IzEnzo 15:14) Ingabe kuzwakala kunengqondo kuwe ukuthi uJakobe wayengasho la mazwi kanti kwakungekho muntu ekhulwini lokuqala owayazi noma esebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu?

(2) Lapho kutholakala amakhophi e-Septuagint ayenegama likaNkulunkulu esikhundleni selithi Kyʹri·os (iNkosi), kwaba sobala kubahumushi ukuthi osukwini lukaJesu amakhophi emiBhalo yesiGreki—kanye neyesiHebheru—ayenalo igama likaNkulunkulu.

Kubonakala sengathi isiko lokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu lokususa igama lakhe emibhalweni yesiGreki lavela kamuva. Wena ucabangani? Ingabe uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe babengalikhuthaza isiko elinjalo?—Mathewu 15:6-9.

Biza “Igama LikaJehova”

Ngempela, imiBhalo ngokwayo inikeza “ubufakazi” obuqinisekile bokuthi amaKristu okuqala ayelisebenzisa ngempela igama likaJehova emibhalweni yawo, ikakhulukazi lapho ecaphuna izindima zeTestamente Elidala eziqukethe lelo gama. Akungabazeki-ke ukuthi INguqulo Yezwe Elisha inesisekelo esiqinile sokubuyisela igama likaNkulunkulu, elithi Jehova, emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki.

Lokhu kwaziswa kukuthinta kanjani? Ecaphuna imiBhalo YesiHebheru, umphostoli uPawulu wakhumbuza amaKristu aseRoma: “Wonke umuntu obiza igama likaJehova uyosindiswa.” Khona-ke wabuza: “Bayombiza kanjani lowo abangabanga nokholo kuye? Bayoba kanjani nokholo kulowo abangezwanga ngaye?” (Roma 10:13, 14; Joweli 2:32) Izinguqulo zeBhayibheli ezisebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu lapho kufaneleka khona zikusiza ukuba usondele kuYe. (Jakobe 4:8) Ngempela, kuyilungelo ukuba sivunyelwe ukwazi nokubiza igama likaNkulunkulu siqu, elithi Jehova.