Ingabe UNkulunkulu Uyayivumela Imikhandlu Engokwenkolo?

IGAMA elithi “umkhandlu” lisikhumbuza isimo esaziwayo sikahulumeni wakithi. Amazwi anjengalawo athi “umkhandlu wedolobha” aqondwa ngokushesha. Nokho, amazwi athi “umkhandlu ongokwenkolo” noma “umkhandlu wesonto” angase angabi ngajwayelekile. Umkhandlu wesonto onjalo uye wachazwa “njengenhlangano emelela isonto enegunya elingacindezeli futhi ngokuvamile lokushaya imithetho ezindabeni ezingokwenkolo, ukuziphatha, nezijeziso zesonto.”

Emikhandlwini eminingi engokwenkolo eyake yenziwa emakhulwini edlule, iSonto lamaRoma Katolika libheka engama-21 njengaleyo ehambisana nenkolo yobuKristu, futhi lena yayisukela eMkhandlwini waseNicaea owawungo-325 C.E. kuze kufike eMkhandlwini Wesibili WeVatican owawungo-1962-65. NgokweThe Encyclopedia Americana, “upapa owengamelayo ubiza imikhandlu evumelana nenkolo yobuKristu, ahlele isimiso, avale umkhandlu, futhi asakaze imithetho yawo. . . . Imikhandlu evumelana nenkolo yobuKristu kanye nopapa iwumthombo wezimfundiso zesonto, futhi ngokuhlangene naye imelela igunya lezimfundiso ezingenakuphikiswa zesonto ezindabeni zenkolo nokuziphatha.”—Umqulu 8, ikhasi 85.

Ukucwaningwa Kwesiqalo Sayo

Abaholi benkolo abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi imikhandlu engokwenkolo yeLobukholwa ingafaniswa nemihlangano yekhulu lokuqala yabaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema. Kanjalo, imikhandlu yamasonto yamanje inegunya elifanayo lokunquma izindaba zenkolo nokuziphatha. (IzEnzo 15:2, 22) Kodwa ingabe imikhandlu yamasonto enjalo igunyazwe nguNkulunkulu? Ingabe uyayivumela?

Ngokuthakazelisayo, kuMarku 3:6 amazwi athi ‘ukucebisana’ avela egameni lesiGreki elisho ‘ukuhlangana kwabantu abaveza imibono yabo nezeluleko.’ Kulelovesi, sifunda ukuthi abaFarisi “bacebisana” nabakaHerode ukuze babhubhise uJesu. Ngokuqinisekile uNkulunkulu akazange awuvumele lowomkhandlu! Futhi uJesu waxwayisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bangathembeli emadodeni anjengalawo. (Marku 8:15) Ingabe isixwayiso esifanayo siyasebenza endabeni yemikhandlu engokwenkolo yeLobukholwa?

UJesu futhi wathi: “Niyakubazi ngezithelo zabo.” (Mathewu 7:20) Ngakho-ke, ake sihlole izithelo zemikhandlu ehlukahlukene yamasonto.

Ibuswa Yini?

NgokweThe Encyclopedia Americana, imikhandlu yezifunda okuyiyona ehlela amasonto obuKatolika eSpain, eBrithani, nakwezinye izindawo ‘ngokuvamile yayibizwa futhi ibuswa ngohulumeni abaphethe.’ Imikhandlu-jikelele yabaholi benkolo evela kuwo wonke umbuso wamaRoma “yayingaziwa ngaphambi koMkhandlu waseNicaea (325 A.D.),” owamiswa nguMbusi uConstantine. Isazimlando saseBrithani uH. G. Wells sasikisela ukuthi uConstantine wangenisa ezombangazwe nokuzimela kweLobukholwa elase livele lihlukene kakade. UWells wabhala: “UConstantine oMkhulu akazange amise umkhandlu waseNicaea kuphela, kodwa yonke imikhandlu emikhulu, emibili eyayiseConstantinople (318 nango-553), owawuse-Efesu (431), nowawuseChalcedon (451) yabizelwa ndawonye uhulumeni ophethe.” Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayengakuvumela kanjani lokho, njengoba amaKristu eqiniso engazami ukuxuba inkolo yawo nezombangazwe kodwa, kunalokho, egcina ukungathathi-hlangothi okuqinile?—Johane 17:16; Jakobe 1:27.

IThe Encyclopedia Americana iyanezela, “Kamuva imikhandlu-jikelele ngokuvamile yayithonywa amandla amakhulu ezombangazwe zesonto nezimpikiswano ezivela ezindaweni ezazilawulwa umbhishobhi noma umbhishobhi omkhulu.” Njengoba leyomikhandlu yamasonto yayigcwele ezombangazwe ezingokwenkolo nezimpikiswano, ayizange ithele izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu ezifana nothando nokuthula. Kunalokho, yayonakaliswe imisebenzi yenyama eyayihlanganisa “ubutha, nokulwa, nomona, . . . nokubanga, nokwahlukana, nokuxokozela.” Ebhekisela emsebenzini yenyama, umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa: “Abenza okunje abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Galathiya 5:19-23) Ngakho-ke, kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi imikhandlu yamasonto yeLobukholwa iye yavunyelwa nguNkulunkulu?

Ubudlova Obesabekayo!

UH. G. Wells wabonisa ukuthi umoya kaConstantine wawubusa izindaba zesonto, futhi waphawula: “Umqondo wokuqeda konke ukuphikisana nokwahlukana, ukuqeda yonke imiqondo, ngokubeka isivumo sokholo esisodwa esiphoqelelwe kuwo wonke amakholwa, . . . kuwumqondo womuntu oyedwa onomuzwa wokuthi ukuze asebenze kumelwe akhululeke ekuphikisweni nasekugxekweni. Ngakho-ke umlando weSonto ngaphansi kwethonya [likaConstantine] manje waba umlando wezimpikiswano zobudlova ngokuqinisekile owalandelwa izimemo zakhe ezingalindelwe ezinokhahlo zobunye. Isonto lathola kuye igunya lokuba likhiphe imithetho futhi lingaphikiswa, limise inhlangano engaphansi kwalo futhi libambisane nombuso.”

Amacala okufundisa izimfundiso eziphambene nezesonto abonakala eyicebo lonya lokususa abaphikisi ababenesibindi sokwedelela imikhandlu yamasonto eLobukholwa. Noma ubani owayeveza umbono ophambene noma azame ngisho nokuveza ubufakazi obungokomBhalo obuphikisana nezimfundiso (imithetho yesonto) eziphoqayo zemikhandlu wayebhekwa njengesihlubuki.

Ukuzimisela ukuqeda izimpikiswano kwaholela ebudloveni obesabekayo. Iningi lalabo ababebekwe icala lokufundisa izimfundiso eziphambene nemithetho yesonto eyaziwayo yomkhandlu lalishiswa ezigxotsheni, lizwa ubuhlungu bokufa kancane kancane njengombukwane wabantu bonke—mhlawumbe ‘egameni likaKristu.’

Ngokwesibonelo, uMkhandlu waseConstance (1414-18 C.E.) wabizwa ukuze uqede impikiswano yokuthi ngubani owayengupapa ovunyelwe futhi ubhekane nezimfundiso eziphambene nezesonto zikaWycliff noHus. Kuthiwa amahhashi ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu athwala abantu ebayisa eConstance ngenxa yalesenzakalo esikhulu. Phakathi nomkhandlu, uJohn Hus wabekwa icala futhi wagwetshwa, khona-ke wadluliselwa kuziphathimandla zezwe futhi washiswa esigxotsheni.

Kuthiwani Ngemfundiso?

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi wonke amaKristu eqiniso ‘akhuluma-zwilinye.’ Kodwa lokhu akubangelwa ukucindezela okulukhuni okungokwenkolo. Kunalokho kungenxa yokuthi izinkolelo zabo nezenzo zisekelwe ngokuyinhloko eZwini likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe. (1 Korinte 1:10; IzEnzo 17:10, 11; 2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) Nokho, imikhandlu yamasonto iphumelela kanjani lapho sicabangela izimfundiso zayo eziyizinqumo?

Nakuba kungase kuthiwe imikhandlu yamasonto ingamatshe aqondisayo angokwenkolo, iye yaba amatshe amangcwaba aphawula lokho okubhubhisa izimfundiso zeqiniso zobuKristu ezingqondweni zabaningi. Ngokwesibonelo: Ngo-325 C.E. uMkhandlu waseNicaea wasungula imfundiso kaKristu Ongumuntu, noma umuntu-Nkulunkulu. Lokhu kuphika ukuthi uJesu eqinisweni wayengumuntu kwaba ngenye yezimfundiso ezidukisa kakhulu zeLobukholwa. (Qhathanisa no-2 Johane 7.) Phela, iye yahlubukisa izigidigidi kuJehova uNkulunkulu yaziyisa kuZiqu-zintathu odidayo! Akukho nowodwa umkhandlu kweyenziwa ngemva kwalokho owenza noma yimuphi umzamo wokulungisa leliphutha. Nokho imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu ngokusobala ayisekelwe ngokombhalo, ngoba uJesu wathi: “UBaba mkhulu kunami.” (Johane 14:28) Ingabe kwakungenzeka ukuthi uNkulunkulu avumele noma yimuphi umkhandlu osithibeza iqiniso ngesikhundla sakho naleso seNdodana yakhe?

Imfundiso emiswe ngomunye umkhandlu ingase ichithwe ngomunye. Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba kuboniswe eshadini elikulesihloko, ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhulekeleni kwenqatshelwa phakathi nomkhandlu owawuseConstantinople ngo-730 C.E. Kodwa ukusetshenziswa kwazo kwabuye kwabuyiswa ushintsho umkhandlu owalwenza kamuva. Yebo, iBhayibheli liyabonisa ukuthi ukwenza izithombe ezingokwenkolo nokuzisebenzisa kuwukukhonza izithombe futhi akubona ubuKristu.—Eksodusi 20:4-6; 1 Johane 5:21.

Njengoba kuphawuliwe futhi eshadini, phakathi kwezimfundiso ezivunyelwa emikhandlwini yamasonto eLobukholwa kwakuwukubhapathizwa kwezinsana, umthetho omisiwe nodingekayo wokungashadi, isihlanzo, nesihogo somlilo. Nokho, imiBhalo ayikusekeli ukubhapathizwa kwezinsana, okunjalo ukungashadi nesihogo somlilo, futhi ayenzi noma yikuphi ukubhekisela esihlanzweni. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; 1 Thimothewu 4:1-3; Jobe 14:13) Njengoba labo abafisela ukuthola umusa kaNkulunkulu kumelwe bakhuleke kuye “ngomoya nangeqiniso,” ubengayivumela kanjani imikhandlu ephoqelela izimfundiso zamanga?—Johane 4:23, 24.

Umhlangano WaseJerusalema

UOtto Karrer wabhala ngokuqondene nemikhandlu engokwenkolo: “Ngaphandle kwalokho okuthiwa uMkhandlu WabaPhostoli [cishe owawungo-49 C.E.], osinqumo sawo siyingxenye yesimemezelo sesiko laphezulu sabaphostoli, yonke imikhandlu ivela ebandleni langemva kwabaphostoli. Ayisiyo eyesikhathi sokuqalwa kwebandla.”—The Councils of the Church.

Ngokusobala, yonke imikhandlu yamasonto yeLobukholwa iye yehluka kakhulu emihlanganweni yekhulu lokuqala leminyaka yabaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema. Babengekho abefundisi abalambele izikhundla ukuze babeke amajoka anzima ezintanyeni zabanye noma bakhwezele amalangabi ezigxobo zokubulawa. Kunalokho, kwakubonakaliswa isithelo soMoya kaNkulunkulu. Izinqumo zazenziwa ngokuqondisa komoya futhi ngokuvumelana neZwi likaNkulunkulu. Futhi leyondlela yokuxazulula imibuzo engokomBhalo namuhla ilandelwa yiNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova.

Incwadi eyathunyelwa ngabaphostoli namadoda amadala aseJerusalema kulabo ayekholwa kanye nabo ngokwengxenye yayithi: “Kwaba-kuhle kuMoya eNgcwele nakithi ukuba singanithwesi umthwalo omkhulu ngaphandle kwalezinto ezifunekayo zokuthi niyeke okuhlatshelwe izithombe, negazi, nokuqumbeleneyo, nobufebe.” (IzEnzo 15:22-29) Lena kwakungeyona imithetho eyayimane ivela kumuntu kodwa kwakuyizindinganiso ezazisekelwe emithethweni yangaphambili yoMniki-mthetho omkhulu.”—Genesise 9:3, 4; Duteronomi 5:8-10, 18; Isaya 33:22.

Lowomhlangano wekhulu lokuqala wabaphostoli namadoda amadala aseJerusalema wawuvunyelwe uNkulunkulu, ngoba izinqumo zawo zazinesibusiso sakhe, futhi waqhubekisela phambili umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso owaletha abeZizwe abaningi ebandleni lobuKristu. Nokho, amaqiniso omlando anikeza ubufakazi obukhanyayo bokuthi uNkulunkulu akakaze neze ayivumele imikhandlu yamasonto eLobukholwa.

[Ishadi ekhasini 26]

IMFUNDISO EVUNYELWE UMKHANDLU UNYAKA

Ukubhapathizwa Kwezinsana Carthage 253 C.E.

Ukungashadi Trent 1545 C.E.

Ukudivosa Ngenxa Yokuphingaa Arles 314 C.E.

Ukwenqatshelwa Kwedivosi Trent 1545 C.E.

Isihogo Somlilo Lyons 1274 C.E.

Florence 1573 C.E.

Ukwenqatshelwa Kwezithombeb Constantinople 730 C.E.

Ukubuyiswa Kwezithombe Constantinople 843 C.E.

Nicaea 787 C.E.

UJesu Owenziwe Umuntu Nicaea 325 C.E.

Chalcedon 451 C.E.

isihlanzo Florence 1573 C.E.

Trent 1545 C.E.

UZiqu-zintathu Nicaea 325 C.E

[Imibhalo yaphansi]