Labhalwa Nini IBhayibheli?

IBhayibheli liyincwadi eyingqayizivele. Abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu balibheka njengencwadi engcwele. Kuthiwa liyincwadi ethengiswa kakhulu kunazo zonke, futhi kulinganiselwa ukuthi kuye kwanyatheliswa amakhophi alo angaba ngu-6 000 000 000 (liphelele noma liyingxenye) ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-2 400.

NAKUBA iBhayibheli liyincwadi eye yafundwa abantu abaningi emlandweni, kunemibono eminingi mayelana nokuthi labhalwa nini, ikakhulu imiBhalo YesiHebheru, ngokuvamile ebizwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elidala. Kungenzeka ukuthi ikhona eminye imibono oke wayifunda ezincwadini noma oke wayizwa lapho izazi zivele ezinhlelweni zethelevishini. Nansi eminye yemibono yamuva.

▪ “Ingxenye enkulu yezincwadi zeBhayibheli yabhalwa phakathi nekhulu leminyaka lesi-8 kuya kwelesithupha B.C.E. noma ezinsukwini zabaprofethi u-Isaya noJeremiya.”

▪ “Emakhulwini eminyaka amabili adlule, izazi zeBhayibheli zazivame ukuphetha ngokuthi iBhayibheli LesiHebheru labhalwa futhi lahlelwa ngenkathi yamaPheresiya namaGreki (phakathi nekhulu lesihlanu kuya kwelesibili B.C.E.), futhi umsebenzi omningi wenziwa ngale nkathi.”

▪ “Yonke imibhalo yeBhayibheli LesiHebheru ekhona manje yabhalwa ngenkathi yamaGreki (ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesibili kuya kwelokuqala [B.C.E.]).”

UmKristu okholelwa ukuthi “yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu” kufanele ayibheke kanjani le mibono engqubuzanayo? (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Ukuze sithole impendulo, ake siyihlole nhlangothi zonke le ndaba.

Uhlelo Lwezikhathi LweBhayibheli

ImiBhalo YesiHebheru iqukethe izikhombo eziningi zohlelo lokulandelana kwezenzakalo. Zibonisa ukuthi izincwadi zokuqala zabhalwa ngesikhathi sikaMose noJoshuwa, cishe eminyakeni engu-3 500 edlule.a USamuweli, uDavide, uSolomoni nabanye benezela izincwadi phakathi nekhulu le-11 B.C.E. Zabe sezilandelwa izincwadi zomlando, zezinkondlo nezeziprofetho zangekhulu lesi-9 kuya kwelesihlanu B.C.E.

Amakhophi noma izingxenyana zalezi zincwadi zeBhayibheli, ngaphandle kwencwadi ka-Esteri, kuphakathi kwemiQulu YasoLwandle Olufile. Izazi zahlola le miqulu zisebenzisa i-carbon 14 (imisebe ye-carbon) kanye ne-paleography (ucwaningo lwemiqulu yasendulo) futhi zathola ukuthi imiqulu emidala kakhulu kulena cishe eyango-200 B.C.E. kuya ku-100 B.C.E.

Okushiwo Abagxeki

Isizathu esiyinhloko esenza abagxeki balungabaze uhlelo lwezikhathi lweBhayibheli ukuthi lona iBhayibheli lithi liphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu. UProfesa Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. uyakhuluma ngalokhu encwadini yakhe ethi The Old Testament Documents. Uthi: “Okwenza abantu bangawukholwa umbhalo [weBhayibheli] ukuthi wona ngokwawo uthi uphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi ukhuluma ngezimangaliso nangoNkulunkulu.” Izazi ezingafuni ukukholelwa ukuthi iBhayibheli liphefumulelwe zithi kufanele lihlolisiswe ngokucophelela njenganoma iyiphi enye incwadi.

Kwake kwaba nesikhathi lapho kwakusetshenziswa khona umbono kaDarwin ukuze kuchazwe indlela izinkolo zabantu eziye zashintsha ngayo njengoba isikhathi sihamba. Ekuqaleni kwakukhulekelwa indalo, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwakhulekelwa onkulunkulu abaningi abahlukahlukene, futhi ekugcineni kwakhulekelwa unkulunkulu oyedwa. Ngenxa yokuthi izincwadi zeBhayibheli zokuqala zikhuluma ngokukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu oyedwa, abanye bacabanga ukuthi kumelwe ukuba zabhalwa eminyakeni yamuva kunaleyo okuthiwa zabhalwa ngayo.

IBhayibheli liye lahlaziywa ngezindlela ezinhlobonhlobo kusukela ngaleso sikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, isichazamazwi esisanda kunyatheliswa seTestamente Elidala siqukethe izihloko eziningilizayo ezigxeka iBhayibheli, indlela elabhalwa ngayo, ukunemba kokulandisa kwalo nendlela okuhlobana ngayo namasiko.

Nakuba izazi zingavumelani ngesikhathi okwabhalwa ngaso izincwadi zeBhayibheli, eziningi zisekela umbono kaProfesa R. E. Friedman. Uthi: “Ababhali basendulo babhala izincwadi zezinkondlo, zolimi olubhalwa phansi nezomthetho amakhulu ngamakhulu eminyaka, abahleli babe sebesebenzisa lezo zincwadi njengemithombo. Labo bahleli basebenzisa leyo mithombo ukuze babhale iBhayibheli.”

Incwadi ethi Faith, Tradition, and History ikhuluma ngeminingi yale mithombo neminye imibono egxeka iBhayibheli. Nokho, iphetha kanje: “Nakuba izazi zivumelana ngokuthi aziyethembi kahle imiBhalo futhi zizishaya isifuba ngemibono yazo, kodwa zibuye zigxekane zodwa.”

Ukuvikela Uhlelo Lwezikhathi LweBhayibheli

Izincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibheli zabhalwa ezintweni ezigugayo nezidabukayo. Ngakho, asinakulindela ukuthi iyoke itholakale imibhalo yokuqala noma amakhophi okuqala angesikhathi sikaMose, uJoshuwa, uSamuweli noma uDavide. Nokho, singakwazi ukufunda ubufakazi bomlando kwezinye izindawo, obusikisela ukuthi ukwamukela izinsuku ezishiwo iBhayibheli kunengqondo, njengoba nje izazi eziningi ezihlonishwayo nabavubukuli zizamukela. Busitshelani lobo bufakazi? Nazi izibonelo ezimbalwa.

▪ Ingabe izincwadi ezibhaliwe zase zikhona eminyakeni engu-3 500 edlule eMpumalanga Ephakathi yasendulo ngesikhathi sikaMose noJoshuwa, njengoba iBhayibheli libonisa? Izincwadi zomlando, zenkolo, zomthetho nezinye zenziwa eMesophothamiya naseGibhithe lasendulo. Kuthiwani ngezincwadi ezabhalwa uMose namanye ama-Israyeli? I-Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch iyaphendula: “Asikho isidingo sokungabaza ukuthi izincwadi ezibhaliwe zase zikhona ngeNkathi Yempucuko eKhanani [cishe ngo-1550 kuya ku-1200 B.C.E.].” Iyenezela: “Njengoba ukubhala kwakuyinto evamile, asikho isizathu sokuba kuthiwe izincwadi zikaMose zazingakabhalwa. Kungashiwo okufanayo nangezinye eziningi.”—Eksodusi 17:14; 24:4; 34:27, 28; Numeri 33:2; Duteronomi 31:24.

▪ Ingabe ababhali beBhayibheli basebenzisa imithombo yasendulo? Yebo, abanye babhekisela ‘ezincwadini’ okungenzeka kwakuyizincwadi zombuso, zohlu lozalo, zomlando, zezizwe nezemindeni.—Numeri 21:14; Joshuwa 10:13; 2 Samuweli 1:18; 1 AmaKhosi 11:41; 2 IziKronike 32:32.

▪ Kungani zingekho izincwadi zeBhayibheli zasendulo ezindala kunemiQulu YasoLwandle Olufile eziye zatholakala? Iphephabhuku elithi Biblical Archaeology Review liyachaza: “I-papyrus nezincwadi zesikhumba kwashabalala ezindaweni eziningi zasePalestina, kwasinda kuphela ezindaweni ezomile njengalezo ezizungeze uLwandle Olufile. Lezi zincwadi ziyakhunta emhlabathini oswakeme. Khona-ke, ukuthi azizange zitholakale akusho ukuthi azikaze zibe khona.” Eqinisweni, kuye kwatholakala amakhulu ezimpawu zobumba ezazisetshenziselwa ukubopha izincwadi. Ama-papyrus nezincwadi zesikhumba kwashabalala ngenxa yokusha noma umswakama, kodwa izimpawu zobumba zasinda. Lezi zimpawu ezangekhulu lesi-9 kuya kwelesihlanu B.C.E.

▪ Imibhalo yesandla yeBhayibheli yalondolozwa kanjani? Incwadi ethi Bible as It Was ithi: “Izindaba, amahubo, imithetho neziprofetho ezikhona namuhla neziyingxenye yeBhayibheli kungenzeka ukuthi zakopishwa izikhathi eziningi kakhulu ngisho nangesikhathi sokulotshwa kweBhayibheli uqobo. . . . Uma le mibhalo yakopishwa izikhathi eziningi phakathi nesikhathi seBhayibheli, kwakungenxa yokuthi yayisetshenziswa; yayinengxenye ethile ewusizo ekuphileni kwansuku zonke. . . . Akekho-ke umuntu obengazihlupha ngokukopisha into engelona usizo.”—Duteronomi 17:18; IzAga 25:1.

Lokhu kusho ukuthi inqubo yokukopisha izincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibheli yathatha cishe iminyaka engu-1 500 kwaze kwaba sekhulwini lokuqala C.E. Incwadi ethi On the Reliability of the Old Testamentb ithi le nqubo yokukopisha ngokunembile yayihlanganisa “ukuthuthukisa izindlela zokubhalwa kolimi nokupelwa kwamagama, futhi yayisetshenziswa kulo lonke elaseMpumalanga Eseduze endulo.” Ngakho-ke, azizwakali izizathu zokugxeka imibhalo ngenxa nje yendlela ebhalwe ngayo.

Labhalwa Nini IBhayibheli?

Ingabe kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi ukungabi khona kwemibhalo yesandla yangesikhathi sikaMose, uJoshuwa, uSamuweli nabanye kusho ukuthi izincwadi zeBhayibheli azibhalwanga kudala njengoba kushiwo? Izazi eziningi ziyavuma ukuthi ukungabi khona kobufakazi akusho ukuthi azikaze zibe khona. Uma sibheka izinto ngendlela enengqondo, zingaki izinto ezibhalwe ezintweni ezigugayo nezibolayo ezazingalondolozeka? Isazi sezinto ezindala zaseGibhithe uK. A. Kitchen sahlawumbisela ukuthi cishe ashabalala wonke amakhophi e-papyrus yaseGibhithe abhalwa ngaphambi kwenkathi yamaGreki namaRoma.

Abantu abahlonipha iBhayibheli bangase bazibuze, ‘UJesu wayeyibheka kanjani imiBhalo YesiHebheru?’ Indaba yokuthi yabhalwa nini yayingeyona impikiswano ngaleso sikhathi. Njengawo wonke amaJuda, kusobala ukuthi uJesu wayekubheka njengokuyiqiniso ukwaziswa okusemiBhalweni kohlelo lokulandelana kwezenzakalo. Ingabe wayekholelwa ukuthi izincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibheli zabhalwa abantu okuthiwa bazibhala?

UJesu wabhekisela emibhalweni kaMose. Ngokwesibonelo, wakhuluma ‘ngencwadi kaMose.’ (Marku 12:26; Johane 5:46) Wakhuluma ngokulandisa okukuGenesise (Mathewu 19:4, 5; 24:37-39); okuku-Eksodusi (Luka 20:37); okukuLevitikusi (Mathewu 8:4); okukuNumeri (Mathewu 12:5); nokukuDuteronomi (Mathewu 18:16). Wathi: “Zonke izinto ezilotshwe ngami emthethweni kaMose nakubaProfethi nakumaHubo kumelwe zigcwaliseke.” (Luka 24:44) Uma uJesu ayekholelwa ukuthi uMose, kuhlanganise nabanye, wayibhala imibhalo yeBhayibheli, asingabazi ukuthi wayelubheka njengolunembile nohlelo lokulandelana kwezenzakalo olusemiBhalweni YesiHebheru.

Labhalwa nini-ke iBhayibheli? Ingabe uhlelo lwalo lwezikhathi luthembekile? Siye sahlola imibono eminingi yezazi ezigxekayo kanye nokwaziswa kweBhayibheli uqobo, ubufakazi bomlando obuseceleni nombono kaJesu. Ngokusekelwe kulokhu kwaziswa, ingabe impendulo yakho ibonisa ukuthi uyavumelana noJesu owathi lapho ethandaza kuYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu: “Izwi lakho liyiqiniso”?—Johane 17:17.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ishadi/Izithombe emakhasini 20-23]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

(Uhlelo lwezikhathi lubonisa iminyaka okungenzeka izincwadi zeBhayibheli zaqedwa ngayo)

2000 B.C.E.

1800

[Isithombe]

Ababhali baseGibhithe babhala izincwadi ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaMose

[Umthombo]

© DeA Picture Library / Art Resource, NY

1600

[Isithombe]

UMose waqeda uGenesise ngo-1513 B.C.E., futhi wabhala ezintweni ezigugayo

UGenesise 1513 B.C.E.

UJoshuwa

1400

1200

USamuweli

1000 B.C.E.

[Isithombe]

Izimpawu zobumba eziningi ziye zasinda

Ezango-900 kuya ku-500 B.C.E.

UJona

800

U-Isaya

600

UJeremiya

UDaniyeli

[Isithombe]

Incwadi ye-“papyrus” egoqwe ngentambo yase inamekwa uphawu lobumba

Eyango-449 B.C.E.

[Umthombo]

Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Theodora Wilbour from the collection of her father, Charles Edwin Wilbour

400

200

[Isithombe]

ImiQulu YasoLwandle Olufile yayigoqwa ngendwangu yelineni bese igcinwa ezitsheni. Iyimibhalo yeBhayibheli emidala kakhulu esatholakele

Kusukela ngo-200 kuya ku-100 B.C.E.

[Umthombo]

Shrine of the Book, Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem