Isahluko 1
Kungani Sifunda IBhayibheli?
Siphila ezweni elinezinkinga eziningi kakhulu namakhambi ambalwa kakhulu. Izigidi eziningi ziyalamba njalo. Amanani andayo aba yimilutha yezidakamizwa. Imikhaya eminingi ngokwandayo iyahlukana. Ubuhlobo bobulili phakathi kwezihlobo nobudlova bomkhaya kukhishwa njalo ezindabeni. Umoya esiwuphefumulayo namanzi esiwaphuzayo kungenwa ubuthi kancane kancane. Kuyilapho, abaningi ngokwandayo bethu baba yizisulu zobugebengu. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi izinkinga ezinjengalezi ziyoke zixazululeke?
1. (Hlanganisa nesethulo.) Yiziphi izinkinga zanamuhla ezibonisa ukuthi isintu sidinga isiqondiso?
NGAPHEZU kwalokho, siphila enkathini yezinqumo ezinzima. Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi bamelene ngokuqinile nokukhishwa kwezisu, bakubiza ngokuthi ukubulala ongakazalwa. Abanye banomuzwa oqine ngokufanayo wokuthi abesifazane banegunya ngemizimba yabo siqu futhi kufanele bazinqumele endabeni enjalo. Abaningi babheka ubungqingili, ukuphinga, nobuhlobo bobulili bangaphambi komshado njengokuziphatha okubi ngokweqile. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi lemikhuba iyindaba yokuzikhethela komuntu siqu. Ubani okumelwe asho ukuthi ubani oqinisile futhi ubani osephutheni?
2, 3. Abaningi namuhla balibheka kanjani iBhayibheli?
2 IBhayibheli linikeza isiqondiso ezindabeni zokuziphatha, futhi lichaza amakhambi aphumelelayo ezinkingeni zobugebengu, indlala, nokungcola. Inkinga iwukuthi, abantu abaningi abasalibheki iBhayibheli njengelinegunya ezindabeni ezinjalo. Ngesinye isikhathi, lake lalalelwa ngenhlonipho—okungenani eNtshonalanga. Nakuba iBhayibheli lalotshwa abantu, esikhathini esidlule iningi kweLobukholwa lalemukela njengeZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi lalikholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe owaphefumlela elikuqukethe.
3 Nokho, namuhla, kuyimfashini ukungabaza cishe noma yini: amasiko, imiqondo, izimiso zokuziphatha, ngisho nobukhona bukaNkulunkulu. Ikakhulukazi, abantu bangabaza ukubaluleka kweBhayibheli. Abaningi sengathi balicabangela njengeliphelelwe isikhathi nelingasebenzi. Zimbalwa izihlakaniphi zanamuhla ezilibheka njengeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Abantu abaningi bakhetha ukuvumelana nesazi uJames Barr, esabhala: “Ukulandisa kwami ngokwakheka kwesiko elingokweBhayibheli kuwukulandisa komsebenzi womuntu. Kungamazwi omuntu ngezinkolelo zakhe.”1
4, 5. Kungani kubalulekile ukwazi ukuthi iBhayibheli liphefumlelwe uNkulunkulu noma cha? Iyini injongo yalencwadi?
4 Ingabe lokhu kungumbono wakho? Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi iBhayibheli liyizwi likaNkulunkulu, noma elomuntu? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uwuphendula kanjani lowombuzo, cabangela leliphuzu: Uma iBhayibheli limane nje liyizwi lomuntu, khona-ke kusho ukuthi ayikho impendulo ecacile ngezinkinga zesintu. Abantu kuyodingeka bazame ngokusemandleni abo ukufinyelela impumelelo ethile ngaphandle kwesiqondiso, benethemba lokugwema ngandlela-thile ukuziqothula ngobuthi noma ukuziqhumisa ngempi yenuzi. Kodwa uma iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu, liyilokho kanye esikudingayo ukuba kusichushise kulesikhathi esinzima.
5 Lencwadi izonikeza ubufakazi bokuthi iBhayibheli ngempela liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. Futhi abanyathelisi banethemba lokuthi ngemva kokuba usucabangele lobufakazi, uzoqaphela ukuthi iBhayibheli liqukethe ukuphela kwezimpendulo ezinengqondo ezinkingeni zesintu. Nokho, okokuqala singathanda ukudonsela amaqiniso ambalwa ekunakekeleni kwakho, lawo ngokwawo, enza iBhayibheli likufanelekele ukuba ulicabangele.
Incwadi Ethengwa Kakhulu Ngaso Sonke Isikhathi
6, 7. Yimaphi amaqiniso aphawulekayo ngeBhayibheli adinga ukuba siwanake?
6 Okokuqala, liyincwadi ethengwa kakhulu kunazo zonke, esakazwa kakhulu kuwo wonke umlando. Ngokohlelo luka-1988 lwencwadi iGuinness Book of World Records, kulinganiselwa ukuthi kwanyatheliswa amakhophi ayizi-2 500 000 000 phakathi kuka-1815 no-1975. Lelo yinani elikhulu kakhulu. Ayikho enye incwadi emlandweni eye yasondela ngisho nokusondela eBhayibhelini ngamanani okusakazwa.
7 Ngaphandle kwalokho, ayikho enye incwadi eye yahunyushelwa ezilimini eziningi kangaka. IBhayibheli manje lingafundwa, lilonke noma ingxenye, ngezilimi ezingaphezu kwe-1 800 ezihlukene. INhlangano YeBhayibheli YaseMelika ibika ukuthi manje litholakala kumaphesenti angama-98 omphakathi waleplanethi yethu. Cabanga ngomzamo omkhulu ohilelekile ekukhiqizeni izinguqulo eziningi kangaka! Iyiphi enye incwadi eye yathola ukunakwa okunjalo?
Incwadi Enethonya
8, 9. Yimaphi amazwi aye ashiwo abanye abonisa ithonya iBhayibheli eliye laba nalo?
8 INew Encyclopædia Britannica ibiza iBhayibheli ngokuthi “cishe iqoqo lezincwadi elinethonya kunawo wonke emlandweni womuntu.”2 Imbongi yaseJalimane yekhulu le-19 leminyaka uHeinrich Heine yavuma: “Kalula nje ukukhanyiselwa enginakho ngikuthole ngokufunda incwadi . . . iBhayibheli. Libizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi imiBhalo ENgcwele. Lowo olahlekelwe uNkulunkulu wakhe angamthola futhi kulencwadi.”3 Phakathi nalelokhulu leminyaka elifanayo, umshisekeli omelene nokugqilazwa kwabantu uWilliam H. Seward wamemezela: “Lonke ithemba lentuthuko yomuntu lixhomeke ethonyeni elikhula njalo leBhayibheli.”4
9 UAbraham Lincoln, umongameli we-16 weUnited States, wabiza iBhayibheli ngokuthi “isipho esihle kunazo zonke uNkulunkulu ake wasinikeza umuntu . . . Ukuba kwakungengenxa yalo sasingeke sikwazi okuhle nokubi.”5 Umahluleli waseBrithani uMnumzane William Blackstone waqokomisa ithonya leBhayibheli lapho ethi: “Kulezisekelo ezimbili, umthetho wemvelo nomthetho wesambulo [iBhayibheli], kuncike yonke imithetho yabantu, okungukuthi, ayikho imithetho yabantu okufanele ibekezelelwe ukuba iphikisane nalezi.”6
Liyazondwa Futhi Liyathandwa
10. Ukuphikisa iBhayibheli kuye kwaboniswa kanjani?
10 Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kumelwe siphawule ukuthi kuwo wonke umlando ayikho enye incwadi eye yaba isisulu sokuphikiswa ngisho nesenzondo ngokunamandla kangaka. AmaBhayibheli aye ashiswa emililweni yasobala, kusukela eNkathini Ephakathi kuze kube sekhulwini lethu leminyaka lama-20. Futhi ukufunda noma ukusakaza iBhayibheli kuye kwajeziswa ngezinhlawulo nangokuvalelwa emajele ngisho nasezikhathini zanamuhla. Emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, “amacala” anjalo ngokuvamile ayeholela ekuhlushweni nasekufeni.
11, 12. UTyndale walubonakalisa kanjani uthando lwakhe ngeBhayibheli?
11 Okufana nalokhu kuye kwaba ukuzinikela okukhuthazwe iBhayibheli. Abaningi baye baphikelela ukulifunda naphezu kokushushiswa ngonya. Cabanga ngoWilliam Tyndale, iNgisi lekhulu le-16 leminyaka owafundiswa eYunivesithi YaseOxford futhi waba umfundisi ohlonishwayo eYunivesithi YaseCambridge.
12 UTyndale wayelithanda iBhayibheli. Kodwa ezinsukwini zakhe, iziphathimandla zenkolo zaphikelela ekubeni ziligcine lingesiLatin, ulimi olwalungasasebenzi. Ngakho, ukuze alenze litholakale kubantu bakubo, uTyndale wazimisela ukuhumusha iBhayibheli ngesiNgisi. Njengoba lokhu kwakuphambene nomthetho, uTyndale kwadingeka adele umsebenzi wakhe owanelisayo ayewufundele futhi abalekele eYurophu. Waphila ukuphila okunzima kombaleki isikhathi eside ngokwanele ukuba ahumushe imiBhalo YesiGreki (“iTestamente Elisha”) neminye yemiBhalo YesiHeberu (“iTestamente Elidala”) ngolimi lwakubo; kodwa ekugcineni waboshwa, watholakala enecala lokuba imbuka, futhi waklinywa, kwashiswa nomzimba wakhe.
13. Iyiphi enye into eyenza iBhayibheli libe eliyingqayizivele ngempela?
13 UTyndale umane ungomunye nje wenani elikhulu labantu abaye badela konke ukuze bafunde iBhayibheli noma balenze litholakale kwabanye. Ayikho enye incwadi eye yathonya amadoda nabesifazane abavamile abaningi kangaka ukuba bafinyelele amazinga anjalo esibindi. Ngenxa yalokhu, iBhayibheli ngempela alinakuqhathaniswa.
Ukugomela Kokuthi LiyiZwi LikaNkulunkulu
14, 15. Ikuphi ukugomela abalobi beBhayibheli abakwenzayo ngokuphindaphindiwe?
14 IBhayibheli futhi liyingqayizivele ngenxa yokugomela okwenziwa abaningi babalobi balo. Abantu abangaba ama-40, kuhlanganise namakhosi, abelusi, abadobi, izisebenzi zikahulumeni, abapristi, okungenani ujenene oyedwa, nodokotela, baba nesandla ekulotshweni kwezingxenye ezihlukahlukene zeBhayibheli. Kodwa ngokuphindaphindiwe, labalobi bagomela ngokufanayo: ukuthi babengabhali imiqondo yabo siqu kodwa ekaNkulunkulu.
15 Ngakho, ngokuvamile eBhayibhelini sifunda amazwi anjengalawa: “UMoya kaJehova wakhuluma ngami; izwi lakhe lalisolimini lwami” noma, “Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova-Sebawoti.” (2 Samuweli 23:2; Isaya 22:15) Encwadini ayithumelela umvangeli okanye naye, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Yonke imibhalo iphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu ilungele ukufundisa, nokusola, nokuqondisa, nokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu aphelele, apheleliselwe yonke imisebenzi emihle.”—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.
16. Imiphi imibuzo iBhayibheli elikhuluma ngayo?
16 Ngokuvumelana nokugomela kokuthi liyizwi likaNkulunkulu, hhayi elomuntu, iBhayibheli liphendula imibuzo engaphendulwa uNkulunkulu kuphela. Ngokwesibonelo, lichaza isizathu sokwehluleka kohulumeni babantu ukuletha ukuthula okuhlala njalo, indlela abantu abangakuthola ngayo ukwaneliseka okujulile ekuphileni, nalokho ikusasa elikuphathele umhlaba nesintu esikuwo. Manje, njengomuntu ocabangayo, kumelwe ukuba uye wazibuza ngalokhu nangeminye imibuzo efanayo ezikhathini eziningi. Kungani okungenani ungakucabangeli ukuba nokwenzeka kokuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi kanjalo ngokuyingqayizivele liyakwazi ukunikeza izimpendulo ezinegunya?
17, 18. (a) Ikuphi okunye ukumangalelwa okuye kwenziwa ngokumelene neBhayibheli okuxoxwa ngakho kulencwadi? (b) Yiziphi izihloko ezengeziwe ezizohlanganiswa?
17 Sikukhuthaza ukuba uhlolisise ubufakazi obunikezwe kulencwadi. Ezinye zezahluko zayo zizoxoxa ngokugxekwa kweBhayibheli okuvame ukuzwakala. Ingabe iBhayibheli alilona elingokwesayensi? Ingabe liyaziphikisa? Ingabe liqukethe umlando ongokoqobo noma inganekwane nje? Ingabe izimangaliso ezilotshwe eBhayibhelini zenzeka ngempela? Kunikezwe ubufakazi obunengqondo bokuphendula lemibuzo. Ngemva kwalokhu, kuxoxwa ngezibonakaliso ezinamandla zokuphefumlelwa kwaphezulu kweBhayibheli: iziprofetho zalo, ukuhlakanipha kwalo okujulile, nethonya elimangalisayo elinalo ekuphileni kwabantu. Ekugcineni, sizobona ukuthi iBhayibheli lingaba naliphi ithonya ekuphileni kwakho.
18 Nokho, okokuqala sizoxoxa ngendlela esalithola ngayo iBhayibheli. Ngisho nomlando walencwadi emangalisayo unikeza ubufakazi bokuthi inomsuka ongaphezu nje kowomuntu.
[Isithombe esigcwele ikhasi ekhasini 4]
[Isithombe ekhasini 6]
IBhayibheli liyincwadi esakazwa kakhulu kunazo zonke nehunyushwe kakhulu kunazo zonke kuwo wonke umlando
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Njengoba lomfanekiso oqoshwe okhunini wekhulu le-15 leminyaka ubonisa, abaningi babeshiswa bephila “ngecala” lokufunda iBhayibheli
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
Abalobi beBhayibheli bagomela ngokuthi babephefumlelwe nguNkulunkulu