UMichael Servetus​—Indoda Eyazimela Yodwa Ekuthungatheni Iqiniso

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ESPAIN

Ngo-October 27, 1553, uMichael Servetus washiswa esigxotsheni eGeneva, eSwitzerland. UGuillaume Farel—okunguyena owabulala uMichael futhi owayeyinxusa likaJohn Calvin—waxwayisa izibukeli: “[UServetus] uyindoda ekhaliphile futhi akungabazeki ukuthi wayecabanga ukuthi ufundisa iqiniso, kodwa wawela ezandleni zikaDeveli. . . . Nani kumelwe niqaphe ukuze kungenzeki okufanayo!” Sasenzeni lesi sisulu esineshwa ukuze sifanelekele ukufa kabuhlungu kangaka?

UMICHAEL SERVETUS wazalwa ngo-1511 emzini waseVillanueva de Sijena, eSpain. Kusukela esemncane, wayengumfundi okhaliphile. Umlobi owabhala ngokuphila kukaMichael uthi “wathi eqambe efinyelela iminyaka engu-14 ubudala, wabe esefunde isiGreki, isiLatini nesiHebheru, futhi wayesenolwazi oluningi ngefilosofi, izibalo kanye nemfundiso yenkolo.”

Lapho uServetus eqala ukuba yibhungwana, uJuan de Quintana, umpristi ongumeluleki wenkosi yaseSpain uCharles V, wamqasha njengesikhonzi sakhe. Lapho ehambe ngomsebenzi, uServetus wayekubona ukuhlukana okungokwenkolo eSpain, lapho amaJuda namaSulumane ayedingiselwe khona noma eguqulelwe ngenkani enkolweni yobuKatolika.a

Lapho uServetus eseneminyaka engu-16 ubudala, waya e-University of Toulouse, eFrance, eyofundela ubumeli. Wayeqala ngqá ukubona iBhayibheli eliphelele lapho. Nakuba ukulifunda kwakwenqatshelwe ngokuqinile, uServetus walifunda ngomshoshaphansi. Ngemva kokulifunda lonke okokuqala, wafunga ukuthi uzophinde alifunde “izikhathi eziyizinkulungwane.” Kungenzeka ukuthi iBhayibheli ayelifunda eToulouse kwakuyi-Complutensian Polyglot, inguqulo eyamenza wakwazi ukufunda imiBhalo ngezilimi zokuqala (isiHebheru nesiGreki), kuhlanganise nesiLatini eyayihunyushelwe kuso.b Ukufunda kwakhe iBhayibheli ngokucophelela, kanye nokuwohloka kokuziphatha kwabefundisi ayekubone eSpain, kwaluzamazamisa kakhulu ukholo lwakhe enkolweni yamaKatolika.

Ukungabaza kukaServetus kwaqina nakakhulu lapho esemkhosini wokugcotshwa kukaCharles V. Le nkosi yaseSpain yagcotshwa uPapa uClement VII njengombusi woMbuso Ongcwele WamaRoma. Upapa, owayeqhwakele esihlalweni sakhe esithwalwayo, wamukela le nkosi, yona yamanga ezinyaweni. Kamuva uServetus wabhala: “Ngazibonela ngawami lo mbukwane, upapa eqhwakele emahlombe amakhosana, ehamba ekhulekelwa abantu emigwaqweni.” Wehluleka ukuvumelanisa lo mbukwane wokuzazisa nesimo sokuzithoba esikhuthazwa ezincwadini zamaVangeli.

Ukufuna Kwakhe Iqiniso Elingokwenkolo

Ngobuhlakani, uServetus wayeka ukusebenza noQuintana wayeseqala ukuzifunela iqiniso eyedwa. Wayekholelwa ukuthi isigijimi sikaKristu sasingaqondiswanga ezazini zemfundiso yenkolo noma yefilosofi kodwa kubantu abavamile ababeyosiqonda maqede basisebenzise. Ngakho, wanquma ukuhlola imibhalo yeBhayibheli ngezilimi zokuqala, futhi enqabe noma iyiphi imfundiso ephikisana nemiBhalo. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi igama elithi “iqiniso” namanye amagama ahlobene nalo avela kaningi kunanoma iliphi elinye igama emibhalweni yakhe.

Ngokuhlola kwakhe umlando neBhayibheli, uServetus wafinyelela isiphetho sokuthi ubuKristu bonakaliswa kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala kuya kwelesithathu eNkathini yethu Evamile. Wathola ukuthi uConstantine nabamlandela esikhundleni babekhuthaze izimfundiso zamanga, ezenza ukuba imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu igcine seyamukelwa ngokomthetho. Lapho eseneminyaka engu-20 ubudala, uServetus wanyathelisa incwadi yakhe ethi On the Errors of the Trinity, eyamenza waba isisulu esiyinhloko seNkantolo Yokuqulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki.

UServetus wayezibona ngokucacile izinto. Wabhala: “Alikho igama elithi uZiqu-zintathu eBhayibhelini. . . . UNkulunkulu simazi ngoKristu, hhayi ngemibono yethu yokuqhosha yefilosofi.”c Wafinyelela nesiphetho sokuthi umoya ongcwele awuyena umuntu, kodwa ungamandla kaNkulunkulu asebenzayo.

UServetus washukumisela abathile ukuba bavumelane naye. Umgqugquzeli weNguquko ongumProthestani, uSebastian Franck, wabhala: “Epheshaneni lakhe, uServetus waseSpain umi kwelokuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu oyedwa vó. Kanti isonto lamaRoma lona limi kwelithi kukhona abantu abathathu kuNkulunkulu oyedwa. Kodwa mina ngivumelana nale ndoda yaseSpain.” Noma kunjalo, kokubili iSonto LamaRoma Katolika namasonto obuProthestani awazange amxolele uServetus ngokubekela imfundiso yawo eyinhloko inselele.

Ukuhlola kukaServetus iBhayibheli kwaholela ekubeni enqabe nezinye izimfundiso zesonto, futhi wayebheka ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe njengomkhuba ongavumelani nemiBhalo. Ngakho, ekhuluma ngamaKatolika namaProthestani esikhathini esingangonyaka nesigamu ngemva kokunyathelisa incwadi ethi On the Errors of the Trinity, uServetus wathi: “Phakathi kwala maqembu amabili, alikho engivumelana nalo noma engiphikisana nalo kukho konke. Ngoba kimi kubonakala sengathi wonke aneqiniso elithile nephutha elithile, kodwa ngamunye ubona iphutha lomunye futhi akekho obona amaphutha akhe.” Ngempela, wayezimele yedwa ekuthungatheni iqiniso.d

Nokho, ubuqotho bukaServetus abuzange bumvimbele ekubeni afinyelele iziphetho ezingelona iqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, ekubaleni kwakhe wathi i-Armagedoni nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane kwakuyofika ngesikhathi esaphila.

Ukufuna Iqiniso Elingokwesayensi

Ephoqelekile ukuba abalekele abashushisi bakhe, uServetus wazishintsha igama wayeseba nguVillanovanus futhi wanquma ukuhlala eParis, lapho athola khona iziqu zobudokotela nezobuciko. Ilukuluku lakhe kwezesayensi lamholela ekubeni asike izidumbu zabantu ukuze aqonde indlela osebenza ngayo umzimba womuntu. Ngenxa yalokho, uServetus wathola indlela esisebenza ngayo isimiso sokujikeleza kwegazi emaphashini—akhuluma ngaso encwadini yakhe ethi The Restitution of Christianity. Leli qiniso elisha walithola eminyakeni engu-75 ngaphambi kokuba uWilliam Harvey achaze indlela esisebenza ngayo sonke isimiso sokujikeleza kwegazi.

UServetus wabhala nohlelo olusha lwencwadi kaPtolemy ethi Geography. Yathandwa kakhulu kangangokuba abanye bathi ungumsunguli wesayensi yanamuhla eqhathanisa ukuma kwamazwe omhlaba nesayensi ephathelene namasiko ezizwe. Kamuva, lapho kuqulwa icala lakhe eGeneva, uServetus waquliswa ngokuchaza iPalestine njengezwe elinamasimu ayingcosana futhi elingakhiqizi. UServetus wazivikela ngokuthi incazelo yakhe yayisekelwe kulokho leli zwe eliyikho namuhla kunalokho elaliyikho enkathini kaMose, lapho ngokungangabazeki laligeleza ubisi noju.

UServetus wabhala nencwadi ethi Universal Treatise on Syrups eyayiqukethe amasu amasha futhi alinganiselayo emkhakheni othile kwezokwelapha. Ingcebo yolwazi lwezokwelapha etholakala kuleyo ncwadi yamenza waba ingqalabutho kwezokuthakwa kwemithi nokusetshenziswa kwamavithamini. Ngenxa yobuciko bakhe emikhakheni eminingi kangaka, esinye isazi-mlando sathi uServetus “ungomunye wongqondongqondo abakhulu emlandweni wesintu, owaba negalelo elikhulu empucukweni yomhlaba wonke.”

Umphikisi Onamandla

Ngaso sonke isikhathi abafuni beqiniso baba nabaphikisi abaningi. (Luka 21:15) Phakathi kwezitha eziningi zikaServetus kwakukhona uJohn Calvin, owayemise umbuso wamaProthestani owawulawula ngobushiqela eGeneva. Ngokwesazi-mlando uWill Durant, uCalvin ‘wayengeyena umashiqela osebenzisa umthetho noma izikhwepha, kodwa kwakungenxa yokuthi wayenobuntu obunjalo vele futhi engundlovu kayiphikiswa futhi “wayezimisele njenganoma yimuphi upapa ukuphikisana nokukholelwa komuntu kulokho akukhethayo.”

Kungenzeka ukuthi uServetus noCalvin bahlangana eParis besebasha bobabili. Ubuntu babo bangqubuzana zisuka nje, futhi uCalvin waba isitha esinonya sikaServetus. Nakuba uCalvin ayengumholi weNguquko yamaProthestani, wagcina emangalele uServetus eNkantolo YamaKatolika Yokuqulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki. UServetus wasinda ngokulambisa eFrance, lapho kwashiswa khona isithombe sakhe obala. Nokho, wabonwa futhi waboshwa edolobheni laseGeneva elingasemngceleni, lapho izwi likaCalvin laliwumthetho khona.

UCalvin wamphatha ngonya uServetus ngesikhathi esejele. Noma kunjalo, empikiswaneni yakhe noCalvin ngesikhathi kuqulwa icala lakhe, uServetus wathi uzimisele ukuguqula imibono yakhe, uma nje umphikisi wakhe engamnika izizathu ezizwakalayo ezingokomBhalo. UCalvin wehluleka ukwenza kanjalo. UServetus walahlwa icala, wathola isigwebo sokushiswa esigxotsheni. Nguye yedwa umphikisi ongokwenkolo owashiswa amaProthestani ephila nosithombe sakhe sashiswa amaKatolika obala.

Umlweli Wenkululeko Engokwenkolo

Nakuba uCalvin amqothula lo mphikisi wakhe, walahlekelwa igunya lokumisa izindinganiso zokuziphatha. Ukubulawa kukaServetus ngale ndlela engenabulungisa kwabathukuthelisa kakhulu abantu abanengqondo kulo lonke elaseYurophu, futhi kwaba yisona sikhali esinamandla sabalweli benkululeko yabantu yokuzikhethela, ababemi kwelokuthi akukho muntu okufanele abulawelwe izinkolelo zakhe ezingokwenkolo. Bazimisela nakakhulu ukuqhubeka belwela inkululeko engokwenkolo.

Emazwini ayo alahla lesi senzo, imbongi engumNtaliyane uCamillo Renato yathi: “Akuyena uNkulunkulu noma umoya wakhe okhuthaze lesi senzo. UKristu akazange abaphathe ngale ndlela abaphikisi bakhe.” Kanti uSébastien Chateillon, umlweli ongumFulentshi wamalungelo abantu, wabhala: “Ukubulala umuntu akukona ukuvikela imfundiso ethile, kodwa kuwukubulala umuntu nje qha.” UServetus ngokwakhe wayethe: “Ngikubheka njengendaba engathí sina ukubulala umuntu ngenxa nje yokuthi wenzé iphutha ekuchazeni imibhalo ethile, kuyilapho sazi kahle ukuthi ngisho nabakhethiweyo bangase badukiswe benze amaphutha.”

Ikhuluma ngethonya eliqhubekayo ukubulawa kukaServetus okwaba nalo, incwadi ethi Michael Servetus—Intellectual Giant, Humanist, and Martyr ithi: “Ukufa kukaServetus kwaletha inguquko enkulu emibonweni yabantu nasendleleni yabo yokucabanga, eyayivelele kusukela ngekhulu lesine.” Iyanezela: “Ngokombono ongokomlando, uServetus wafela ukuba amalungu omphakathi wanamuhla athole inkululeko kanembeza.”

Ngo-1908 kwamiswa itshe lesikhumbuzo sikaServetus edolobheni lase-Annemasse eFrance, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha amahlanu ukusuka lapho afela khona. Umbhalo oqoshiwe ufundeka kanje: “UMichel Servet[us], . . . udokotela nesazi sokuma komhlaba nesokusebenza komzimba womuntu, waba negalelo elikhulu enhlalakahleni yesintu ngezinto ezingokwesayensi azithola, ngokuzinikela kwakhe ekunakekeleni abantu abagulayo nabampofu futhi engavumeli muntu ukuba alawule inkululeko yakhe yokusebenzisa ingqondo nonembeza wakhe. . . . Wayengenakuzanyazanyiswa kalula ezinkolelweni zakhe. Wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yeqiniso.”

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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UServetus Negama Elithi Jehova

Ukufuna kukaServetus iqiniso kwamholela nasekusebenziseni igama elithi Jehova. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngemva kokuba uWilliam Tyndale esebenzise leli gama enguqulweni yakhe ye-Pentateuch, uServetus wanyathelisa incwadi ethi On the Errors of the Trinity—asebenzisa igama elithi Jehova kuyo yonke. Kule ncwadi, wachaza: “Elinye igama, elingcwele kunawo wonke, elithi יהוה, . . . lingahunyushwa ngalezi zindlela ezilandelayo, . . . ’ubangela ukuba kube khona,’ ‘wenza izinto zibe khona,’ ‘umenzi wokuphila.’” Waphawula: “Igama elithi Jehova lingasetshenziswa ngokufanele kuBaba kuphela.”

Ngo-1542, uServetus wahlela nenguqulo edumile yeBhayibheli lesiLatini kaSantes Pagninus (eboniswe ngezansi). Emaphuzwini akhe aningilizayo aseceleni kombhalo, uServetus waphinde waqokomisa igama likaNkulunkulu. Wabhala igama elithi Jehova nasezikhombweni eziseceleni zemibhalo ebalulekile njengeHubo 83:18, lapho kusetshenziswe khona igama elithi “Nkosi” evesini ngokwalo.

Encwadini yakhe yokugcina, ethi The Restitution of Christianity, uServetus washo la mazwi maqondana negama likaNkulunkulu, elithi Jehova: “Kusobala . . . ukuthi kwakunabantu abaningi ababeliphimisela leli gama ezikhathini zamandulo.”

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Itshe lesikhumbuzo e-Annemasse, eFrance

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Umfanekiso oqoshiwe wangekhulu le-15 obonisa ukubhapathizwa ngempoqo kwamaSulamane ayehlala eSpain

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Capilla Real, Granada

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Ikhasi lokuqala kwethi “On the Errors of the Trinity”

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From book De Trinitatis Erroribus, by Michael Servetus, 1531

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UServetus wathola indlela esisebenza ngayo isimiso sokujikeleza kwegazi emaphashini

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Anatomie descriptive et physiologique, Paris, 1866-7, L. Guérin, Editor

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Incwadi kaServetus ethi “Universal Treatise on Syrups” yavela namasu amasha emkhakheni wezokuthakwa kwemithi

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UJohn Calvin waba isitha esinonya sikaServetus

[Umthombo]

Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 18]

Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid