Umbhalo Waphansi

a Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, njenganamuhla, abanye abantu babekwazi ukufunda abanye bengakwazi, kodwa ikhono lokufunda lalisakazeke kakhulu kunokuba abanye abantu becabanga. (Qhathanisa noIsaya 29:11, 12) Eqinisweni, iThe Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion ithi: “Ulwazi lokufunda kubonakala sengathi lwalusakazeke kakhulu kuIsrayeli wasendulo.”

Imiyalo kaNkulunkulu kwakumelwe ibhalwe ezinsikeni zomnyango futhi iboshwe ezandleni—okuyizinto ezazingenakusho lutho kubantu ababengakwazi ukufunda. (Duteronomi 6:8, 9; 27:8) Inkosi kwakumelwe izibhalele esayo isiboniselo somthetho futhi isifunde nsuku zonke. (Duteronomi 17:15, 18, 19) Insizwa yaseSukoti yabhala amagama ezikhulu zedolobha lakubo.—AbAhluleli 8:14.

Ukufunda nokubhala kwakungalinganiselwe esigabeni sabafundile kuphela. Encazelweni yakhe yencwadi yabaHluleli, uJames D. Martin wabhala ukuthi “obunye bobufakazi bethu bakuqala ngokubhalwa kwama-alfabethi kwakuqoshwe ezindongeni zemihume yizigqila ezimayini zaseSinayi. UAmose wayengumalusi othobekile. UMika wayengumprofethi wasemaphandleni emzini waseMoresheti. (Amose 1:1; Mika 1:1) Kodwa nokho bobabili babhala izincwadi zeBhayibheli.

Incwadi yeBhayibheli engaphefumlelwe kaMaccabees wokuQala, ngokunokwenzeka eyabhalwa ngokuphathelene nengxenye yamuva yeminyaka yekhulu lesibili B.C.E., ibonisa ukuthi abantu babeneziboniselo zoMthetho emakhaya abo. (1 Maccabees 1:55-57) Umlobi-mlando ongumJuda uJosephus waveza umbono wakhe ngekhulu lokuqala wokuthi uMthetho uyala ukuba abantwana “bafundiswe ukufunda, futhi bafunde kokubili imithetho nezenzo zoyisemkhulu.—Against Apion, II ikh. 375 (25).