Umbono WeBhayibheli

Ingabe Imivubukulo Iyadingeka Ukuze Sibe Nokholo?

Ngo-1873 umfundisi oyiNgisi uSamuel Manning wabhala ngokuqondene neJerusalema: “Bethathekile, abantu abahambela izindawo ezingcwele bathutheleka lapha bevela emajukujukwini omhlaba. Izindonga ezikhumuzelayo, imigwaqo exathukayo namanxiwa ayizimvithi kuyathandwa kakhulu futhi kuhlonishwa izigidi zabantu, ukwedlula noma iyiphi enye indawo emhlabeni.”

OKUNGENANI kusukela ngesikhathi soMbusi WaseRoma uConstantine abantu bebelokhu behuhwa iZwe Elingcwele (iJerusalema).a Sekuyiminyaka engaba ngu-1 500 izivakashi zifika zihamba, zifuna ukwaziswa okungokwenkolo kuleli Zwe Elingcwele nokuzizwela ukuthi kunjani ukuba kulo. Kodwa okumangalisayo ukuthi izazi zaze zaqala ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19 ukuhamba nalezi zivakashi, yaqala kanjalo inkathi yokuvubukula izinto eziqondene neBhayibheli—ukuhlola izinto ezenziwe ngesandla, ukufunda ngabantu, izindawo nezilimi zeZwe Elingcwele lasendulo.

Imivubukulo izenze zaqondakala kakhulu ezinye izici eziningi zezikhathi zeBhayibheli. Kanti futhi ezikhathini eziningi amarekhodi emivubukulo aye avumelana nomlando weBhayibheli. Kodwa ingabe umKristu uyaludinga ulwazi lwemivubukulo ukuze abe nokholo? Ukuze sithole impendulo, ake sibheke indawo okuvubukulwe kuyo izinto eziningi—umuzi waseJerusalema nethempeli lawo.

‘Akusoze Kwashiywa Itshe Phezu Kwetshe’

Ngo-Nisan 11 ekhalendeni lamaJuda, entwasahlobo ka-33 C.E., uJesu Kristu, ehamba nabanye babafundi bakhe, walishiya okokugcina ithempeli eJerusalema. Ngesikhathi sebebheke eNtabeni Yeminqumo, umfundi othile wathi: “Mfundisi, bheka! yeka uhlobo lwamatshe futhi yeka uhlobo lwezakhiwo!”—Marku 13:1.

La maJuda athembekile ayemthanda ngokujulile uNkulunkulu nethempeli lakhe. Ayeziqhayisa ngalezi zakhiwo ezinkulu ezinhle nangamasiko ezaziwamelele ayeseneminyaka engamakhulu angu-15. UJesu wamphendula ngendlela eyamshaqisa umfundi wakhe: “Ingabe uyazibona lezizakhiwo ezinkulu? Akusoze kwashiywa lapha itshe phezu kwetshe lingadilizelwa phansi.”—Marku 13:2.

Njengoba uMesiya owayethenjisiwe ayesekhona, uNkulunkulu wayengavumela kanjani ukuba ithempeli laKhe libhujiswe? Abafundi bakaJesu babezosizwa umoya ongcwele kancane kancane ukuze baqonde ukuthi wayesho ukuthini. Kodwa-ke la mazwi kaJesu ahlangana kanjani nemivubukulo yeBhayibheli?

‘Umuzi’ Omusha

NgePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., isizwe samaJuda salahlekelwa umusa kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 21:43) Ngenxa yalokho, kwaba khona okuthile okukhulu nakakhulu—uhulumeni wasezulwini oyolethela sonke isintu izibusiso. (Mathewu 10:7) Njengoba isiprofetho sikaJesu sasishilo, iJerusalema nethempeli lalo labhujiswa ngo-70 C.E. Imivubukulo iyakusekela lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngalesi sehlo. Kodwa ukholo lwamaKristu aluncikile ekutheni amanxiwa alelo thempeli lasendulo atholakele yini noma cha. Ukholo lwawo luncike kwelinye iJerusalema, kodwa leli liwuhlobo oluhlukile lomuzi.

Ngonyaka ka-96 C.E., umphostoli uJohane, owayesizwile isiprofetho sikaJesu sokubhujiswa kweJerusalema nethempeli lalo futhi waphila waze wabona sigcwaliseka, wanikwa lo mbono: “Ngabona nomuzi ongcwele, iJerusalema Elisha, wehla uvela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu.” Izwi elivela esihlalweni sobukhosi lathi: “Uyohlala [nesintu], futhi siyoba abantu bakhe. Futhi uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyoba naso. Futhi uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni aso, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona.”—IsAmbulo 21:2-4.

Lo “muzi” wakhiwa amaKristu athembekile ayokhonza njengamakhosi kanye noKristu ezulwini. Bebonke bakha uhulumeni wasezulwini—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu—oyobusa emhlabeni, ubuyisele isintu ekupheleleni phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane. (Mathewu 6:10; 2 Petru 3:13) AmaKristu angamaJuda ekhulu lokuqala, ayezoba ingxenye yalelo qembu, abona ukuthi akukho lutho ayenalo esimisweni sezinto samaJuda okwakungaqhathaniswa nelungelo lokubusa noKristu ezulwini.

Ebhala ngesikhundla esivelele ayenaso ebuJudeni, umphostoli uPawulu ubakhulumela bonke: “Noma iziphi izinto ezaziyinzuzo kimi, lezi ngizishaye indiva ngenxa kaKristu. Phela, ngalokho, ngempela zonke izinto ngizishaya indiva futhi ngenxa yenzuzo edlula zonke izinto yolwazi ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yami.”—Filipi 3:7, 8.

Njengoba umphostoli uPawulu ayewuhlonipha kakhulu uMthetho kaNkulunkulu nelungiselelo lethempeli, kusobala ukuthi amazwi akhe awasho ukuthi la malungiselelo aphezulu kwakumelwe baweye.b (IzEnzo 21:20-24) UPawulu wayemane ebonisa ukuthi ilungiselelo lobuKristu laliphakeme kunesimiso sobuJuda.

Akungabazeki ukuthi uPawulu namanye amaKristu angamaJuda ekhulu lokuqala babenolwazi oluqondile ngezici eziningi ezithakazelisayo zesimiso sezinto samaJuda. Futhi njengoba imivubukulo isikhanyisela okuthile ngesikhathi esidlule, ezinye zalezo zici amaKristu asengaziqonda manje. Kodwa phawula ukuthi uPawulu watshela insizwa enguThimothewu ukuba igxile kukuphi: “Zindla ngalezizinto [eziphathelene nebandla lobuKristu]; ugxile kuzo, ukuze intuthuko yakho ibonakale kubo bonke abantu.”—1 Thimothewu 4:15.

Kuhle ukuthi imivubukulo ephathelene neBhayibheli iye yasenza sasiqonda nakakhulu isizinda seBhayibheli. Kodwa amaKristu ayazi ukuthi ukholo lwawo aluncikile ebufakazini obuvunjululwe abantu, kodwa luncike eZwini likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli.—1 Thesalonika 2:13; 2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.

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Ngenhla: IJerusalema ngo-1920; uhlamvu lwemali lwaseRoma olwalusetshenziswa amaJuda ngo-43 C.E.; ipomegranati emhlophe ngokuphaphathekile eqhakazile, cishe eyavela ethempelini likaSolomoni ngekhulu lesi-8 B.C.E.

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Pages 2 and 16: Coin: Photograph © Israel Museum, Jerusalem; courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority; pomegranate: Courtesy of Israel Museum, Jerusalem