Ukutholakala Kwemibhalo YeBhayibheli Eyigugu

EMAKHULWINI eminyaka adlule, izinto okwakubhalwa kuzo zazingatholakali kalula njenganamuhla. Ukuze izikhumba nezinye izinto okwakubhalwa kuzo ziphinde zisetshenziswe, zazikhuhlwa noma ziphalwe ngenjongo yokususa imibhalo engasadingeki. Ngisho namaphepha aqinile enziwe ngesikhumba ayesuswa imibhalo yeBhayibheli ukuze aphinde asetshenziselwe ukubhala ezinye izinto.

I-Codex Ephraemi Syri ingomunye wemibhalo yeBhayibheli obalulekile owacinywa kwase kubhalwa omunye phezu kwawo. Le codex ibaluleke kakhulu ngoba iphakathi kwamakhophi amadala kakhulu ezingxenye zemiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki asekhona namanje. Ngakho, iphakathi kwemibhalo engcono kakhulu esiza ekuboneni ukunemba kwale ngxenye yeZwi likaNkulunkulu.

ImiBhalo yeBhayibheli eyayikule codex yangekhulu lesihlanu yacishwa ngekhulu le-12 C.E., kwase kubhalwa phezu kwayo izintshumayelo ezingu-38 zesazi esingumSiriya, u-Ephraem. Ekupheleni kwekhulu le-17, izazi zaqala ukuphawula ukuthi kwakunemiBhalo yeBhayibheli eyayisicimekile. Eminyakeni embalwa eyalandela, kwenziwa imizamo yokuthola ukuthi kwakubhalweni ngaphambili. Kwaba wumzukuzuku omkhulu ukubona konke okwakubhaliwe ngenxa yokuthi uyinki wawungasabonakali kahle, amakhasi amaningi esegugile futhi sekuneminye imibhalo eyayibhalwe phezu kwawo. Kwasetshenziswa amakhemikhali ukuze imiBhalo yeBhayibheli igqame futhi ifundeke, kodwa konke kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. Ngakho, izazi eziningi zaphetha ngokuthi okwakubhaliwe kwakungeke kuphinde kufundeke.

Ekuqaleni kwawo-1840, uKonstantin von Tischendorf, umJalimane owayazi izilimi eziningi, wasebenza kanzima ukuze atadishe le codex. Wachitha iminyaka emibili efunda okwakubhalwe kulowo mbhalo wesandla. Waphumelela kanjani ukuwufunda kuyilapho abanye behluleka?

UTischendorf wayeyazi kahle indlela yokubhalwa kwezinhlamvu zesiGreki ezingofeleba.a Njengoba ayenamehlo abukhali, wathola ukuthi uma ephakamisela le codex ngasekukhanyeni wayekwazi ukubona imibhalo yokuqala. Namuhla, uma zifuna ukwenza imisebenzi ecishe ifane nalena, izazi zisebenzisa izinsiza-kubona ezinjengemisebe yelanga, i-infrared kanye namaza okukhanya.

UTischendorf wanyathelisa lokho akuthola kuyi-Codex Ephraemi ngo-1843 nango-1845. Lokhu kwamakhela igama lokuba umhlaziyi ovelele wemibhalo yesandla yesiGreki yasendulo.

I-Codex Ephraemi ingamasentimitha angaba ngu-31 ubude nangu-23 ububanzi, futhi ingenye yemibhalo yesandla yasendulo enamakhasi angahlukaniswanga ngezinhlu. Emakhasini angu-209 atholakala, angu-145 akha ingxenye yemiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki ngaphandle kweyesi-2 Thesalonika neyesi-2 Johane. Amanye amakhasi ayizingxenye zemiBhalo YesiHebheru.

Namuhla, le codex igcinwe eNational Library yaseParis, eFrance. Nakuba kungaziwa ukuthi lo mbhalo wesandla wavelaphi, uTischendorf wayecabanga ukuthi wavela eGibhithe. Izazi zibheka i-Codex Ephraemi njengelinye lamaqoqo amane abalulekile emibhalo yeBhayibheli yesiGreki ebhalwe ngofeleba. Amanye alawo maqoqo iSinaitic, i-Alexandrine neVatican ka-1209 futhi wonke awangekhulu lesine nelesihlanu C.E.

Isigijimi semiBhalo Engcwele siye salondolozwa ngokuyisimangaliso ngezindlela eziningi, ngezikhumba nangamakhasi ayecinywa aphinde abhalwe. Nakuba kunabantu abazama ukuwuqeda nya lo mBhalo weBhayibheli, isigijimi sawo sasinda. Lokhu kusenza siwethembe ngempela amazwi omphostoli uPetru owathi: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu lihlala phakade.”—1 Petru 1:25.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Umdwebo/Isithombe ekhasini 16]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-“Codex Ephraemi Syri,” umbhalo obalulekile owawusucimekile owafundwa uTischendorf (1815-1874)

UMBHALO WOKUQALA

UMBHALO ONGAPHEZULU WENTSHUMAYELO YESIGREKI

[Umthombo]

© Bibliothèque nationale de France

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

I-“Codex Sinaiticus,” eyatholakala eMzini Wezindela i-St. Catherine

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

UTischendorf