Umbono WamaKristu Ngezithombe

“NIKUYEKILE ukukhulekela izithombe . . . nase niba izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu ongokoqobo, ophilayo,” kwabhala umphostoli uPawulu ebhalela amaKristu aseThesalonika. (1 Thesalonika 1:9a) Yebo, amaKristu amaningi akuqala ngesinye isikhathi ake aba ngabakhulekeli bezithombe abangamaqaba. (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Kodwa lapho eba amaKristu, ayiyeka imikhuba yokukhulekela izithombe.

Nokho, ukukhothama phambi kwezithombe kwakuvame kakhulu, kangangokuthi amaKristu ayehlekwa usulu ngenxa yokuthi ayekhulekela ngaphandle kwezithombe. Amanye amaqaba ayeze ngisho awabeke icala lokuba abangakholelwa kuNkulunkulu! Khona-ke, kamuva ukuhlonishwa kwezithombe kwasakazeka kanjani kabanzi kangaka kweLobukholwa?

Izithombe ZeLobukholwa—Zivelaphi?

Imikhuba eminingi yamaqaba yangeniswa phakathi “kwamaKristu” ngemva kokuguquka kokuzisholo kombusi wamaRoma uConstantine. “Kusukela ezinsukwini zikaConstantine,” kusho isazi-mlando senkolo uEdwyn Bevan encwadini yakhe ethi Holy Images, “ukusetshenziswa kwesiPhambano njengophawu kwaba okuvamile kuwo wonke umphakathi wamaKristu futhi ngokushesha sathola izinhlobo ezihlukene zokukhulekelwa.” Lokhu kwacaba indlela yezinye izinhlobo zokukhulekelwa kwezithombe. Yona lencwadi iyaphawula: “Kubonakala kunokwenzeka ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba imifanekiso nezithombe kunikezwe inhlonipho wawusungenile umkhuba wokukhulekela uphawu lwesiPhambano, wona ngokwawo . . . ongatholakali ematsheni amaKristu ezikhumbuzo noma ezintweni zemidwebo yenkolo ngaphambi kokuba uConstantine abeke isibonelo kuyilabarum [ifulegi lezempi elihlanganisa isiphambano].”

Lesiqalo saqhubeka. Ekhulwini lesishiyagalombili C.E., uJohn waseDamaseku, obhekwa ‘njengosanta’ ngamasonto amaRoma Katolika nawobuOrthodox BaseMpumalanga, wabhala: “Njengoba oBaba abangcwele bagumbuqela amathempeli nezindawo zokukhulekela odeveli, base bemisa esikhundleni sazo izindawo zokukhulekela emagameni oSanta futhi siyabakhulekela, ngakho nazo izithombe zodeveli bazigumbuqela, futhi esikhundleni sazo bamisa izithombe zikaKristu, noNina KaNkulunkulu, noSanta.”

Kulokhu, uThomas Aquinas, “usanta” wamaRoma Katolika wekhulu le-13 leminyaka, wenezela: “Inhlonipho efanayo kufanele iboniswe esithombeni sikaKristu nakuKristu ngokwaKhe . . . IsiPhambano sihlonishwa ngenhlonipho efanayo njengoKristu, okuwukuthi, ngenhlonipho yelatria [incazelo yamaKatolika yohlobo lokukhulekela oluphakeme kunazo zonke], futhi ngenxa yalesosizathu sikhuluma nesiPhambano futhi sisinxuse njengoba nje senza Kowazibethela.”

UAquinas usabhekwa ngamaKatolika njengengxenye ebalulekile emfundisweni “yokuhlonishwa kwezithombe.” NgokweNew Catholic Encyclopedia, “ukuhlonishwa kwezithombe” kwakumelwe kumlinde “ukuze kuthole incazelo yakho siqu egcwele.” Nakuba kunjalo, kuyacaca ukuthi ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe “kobuKristu” kwakumane nje kuthatha isikhundla sokukhulekelwa kwezithombe kobuqaba.

Ukuvumela Ukusetshenziswa Kwezithombe Zenkolo

Abaningi namuhla abahlonipha izithombe zenkolo bangakwenqaba ukubizwa ngokuthi bangabakhulekeli bezithombe. Nokho, ukwenqaba kwabo ekubizweni okunjalo akukusha. Ekhulwini lesine leminyaka, “uSanta wokuzisholo uAugustine wakuhleka usulu ukucabanga kwabangewona amaKristu abakhulekela izithombe, ethi: “Kukhona umphikisi othile ozibona efundile, futhi othi, angilikhulekeli lelotshe, nalesosithombe esingenangqondo; . . . angisikhulekeli lesithombe; kodwa ngihlonipha engikubonayo, bese ngikhonza engingamboni.” Ngamanye amazwi, babethi bakhulekela umuntu ongabonakali kuphela omelelwa izithombe zabo. “Ngokunikeza Iokhu kulandisa ngezithombe zabo,” kwenezela uAugustine, “bazibona bengabaphikisi abafanelekayo, ngoba abazikhulekeli izithombe, futhi nakuba kunjalo bayabakhulekela odeveli.”—Expositions on the Book of Psalms ebhalwe nguAugustine, IHubo xcvii 9.

Nakuba abefundisi bamaRoma Katolika beye bashesha ukugxeka ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe kobuqaba, lapho kuziwa ekusebenziseni kwabo siqu izithombe, ngokuvamile baye baphendukela kukho kanye ukuzithethelela lokho abathi amaqaba aye akusebenzisa. Ngokwesibonelo, mayelana nezithombe zikaKristu, uMariya, “noSanta,” uMkhandlu WaseTrent wangekhulu le-16 leminyaka wamemezela: “Kumelwe zinikezwe inhlonipho efanele; nokho, akusho ukuthi kukholelwa ukuthi kukhona noma ibuphi ubungcwele noma usizo kuzo okuzothi ngalesosizathu kudingeke ukuba zihlonishwe.” Khona-ke, kungani zihlonishwa? “Ngoba inhlonipho eziyiboniswayo,” kuchaza lomkhandlu, “ibhekiselwa kokungokoqobo ezikumelelayo, ukuze ngezithombe esizangayo futhi sithule izigqoko bese sizithoba phambi kwazo, sihloniphe uKristu nosanta, ezifana nabo.”

Kuze kube namuhla iSonto LamaRoma Katolika liyaqhubeka livumela ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe ngezizathu ezifanayo: zokuthi izithombe zimane nje ziyindlela yokugxilisa ukunakekela kowasezulwini omelelwa yizo nokuthi izithombe azinalo usizo namandla. Nokho, lokhu kuye kwabonakala kuyiqiniso ngaliphi izinga emkhubeni ongokoqobo? Ingabe bonke abasebenzisa izithombe bayakukholelwa ngempela ukuthi azinabo ‘ubungcwele noma usizo’?

Izithombe—Umbono Womkhulekeli

ESeville, eSpain, kukhona ingxabano yokushabasheka phakathi kwabalandeli beNcasakazi ula Macarena nabeNcasakazi ude la Esperanza. ESontweni Elikhulu LaseChartres, eFrance, kukhona iziNcasakazi ezintathu—iNkosazana Yethu yeNsika, iNkosazana Yethu yoMgodi Ongaphansi Kwesonto, neNkosazana Yethu ‘yeBelle Verriere’—ngayinye inabayo siqu abazinikele kuyo. Ngokusobala abakhulekeli bayaqiniseka ngokuthi isithombe sabo seNcasakazi ngandlelathile siphakeme kunezinye izithombe—ngisho nakuba zonke izithombe ezintathu zimelela umuntu oyedwa! Khona-ke, ngokukhanyayo inhlonipho ayinikezwa okumelelwayo, kodwa inikezwa izithombe ngokwazo.

Ngakho, lokho iSonto LamaRoma Katolika elikuthethelela njengokukhulekela kokudlulisela ngokuvamile kuphumela ekubeni ukukhulekelwa okungokoqobo kwesithombe. Ukukhohlisa kwenkolo akusho lutho lapho kuziwa emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka omkhuba ongokoqobo.

Lithini IBhayibheli?

Iseluleko seBhayibheli siyaziphikisa izimfundiso zabefundisi. UNkulunkulu wakwenza kwakhanya kuIsrayeli wasendulo ukuthi ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe wayekulahla ngokuphelele. (Eksodusi 20:4, 5; Duteronomi 4:15-19) Yiqiniso, okunye okumelelayo, njengenyoka yethusi eyenziwa uMose, kwakuvunyelwe. Nokho, ukukhothama ukuze kukhulekelwe izinto ezinjalo kwakwenqatshelwa ngokuqinile.—Numeri 21:9; 2 AmaKhosi 18:1, 4.

Ngezinye izikhathi uIsrayeli akakulalelanga lokhu kunqatshelwa kokukhulekelwa kwezithombe. Ngokwesibonelo, eSinayi, uIsrayeli wenza ithole legolide ukuze alikhulekele. Yeka ukuthi kwakuhlambalaza kanjani ngabo ‘ukuguqula inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu bayinikeze inkabi emelelayo, edla uhlaza’! (IHubo 106:20, NW) Kodwa njengabanye abantu benkolo namuhla, babethi abayikhulekeli inkabi, kodwa uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe! “‘Nangu uNkulunkulu wakho, Israyeli,’ bamemeza ‘owakukhipha ezweni laseGibithe.’” (Eksodusi 32:1-5) Nokho, uJehova akakubekezelelanga lokhu kukhulekela “kokudlulisela,” lokhu kubuyiselwa okusobala kwenkolo yaseGibithe. (IzEnzo 7:39-41) Kwasephula ngokuqondile isivumelwano ababesingenele eSinayi, futhi kwafaka uIsrayeli engozini yokubhujiswa ngokuphelele.—Eksodusi 32:9, 10, 30-35; Duteronomi 4:23.

Nokho, kungani, uJehova uNkulunkulu amelana ngokuqine kangaka nezithombe? Phakathi kokunye, izithombe azinamandla; azilutho. (Duteronomi 32:21a; IHubo 31:6) UJeremiya wathi zazifana nezithusa-magwababa, ezingaphefumuli. (Jeremiya 10:5, 14) Ngokufanayo uIsaya wabahleka usulu labo abasebenzisa ingxenye yesihlahla ukuba baphembe umlilo wokupheka nenye ingxenye ukuba benze unkulunkulu. Lomprofethi uxwayisa ngokuthi abakhulekeli abanjalo bezithombe “abazi lutho, abezwa lutho. Amehlo abo avalekile ukuze bangaboni, nenhliziyo yabo ukuze bangaqondi.”—Isaya 44:13-18.

Enye ingozi ebhubhisa ngokukhethekile ehlangene nokukhulekelwa kwezithombe iwukuba nokwenzeka kokuba isithombe sisebenze njengento yokuxhumana nemimoya yamademoni. Umhubi wathi ngamaIsrayeli: “Bekhonza izithombe zamaqaba, bazithola besogibeni lokuhlabela amademoni amadodana abo siqu namadodakazi.” (IHubo 106:35-37; qhathanisa noLevitikusi 17:7; Duteronomi 32:17.) Ngenxa yalokho, kwangena ezinye izinkolelo-ze nemikhuba yemimoya. Esinye isibonelo eseNkosi uManase, owavuselela ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe kwaIsrayeli. Ngokulandelayo, “wakhela lonke ibandla lasezulwini ama-altare emagcekeni amabili eThempeli” futhi “wenza ubungoma nemilingo.”—2 AmaKhosi 21:1-6.

ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ixwayisa ngezingozi ezifanayo. IThe New Bible Dictionary ithi: “Ukuhlasela kweTestamente Elidala ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe . . . kuqaphela amaqiniso amabili afanayo uPawulu ayezowaqinisekisa kamuva: okuthi isithombe sasingelutho, kodwa ukuthi nakuba kunjalo kwakukhona amandla angokomoya obudemoni okwakumelwe acatshangelwe, nokuthi ngaleyondlela isithombe sasiqukethe ingozi eqinisekile engokomoya.” UPawulu wabhala: “Siyazi ukuthi izithombe aziphili ezweni ngempela nokuthi akukho nkulunkulu ngaphandle kwaKhe.” Kodwa kamuva waxwayisa: “Imihlatshelo abayenzayo bayihlabela amademoni angeyena uNkulunkulu. Angifisi ukunibona ninenhlanganyelo namademoni.”—1 Korinte 8:4; 10:19, 20.

Yebo, amandla omoya ababi alangazelela ukuletha abantu ngaphansi kokulawula kwawo. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngoba akuzona izitha ezingabantu okufanele silwe nazo, kodwa nabaBusi naMandla abavela ebumnyameni balelizwe, ibutho elingokomoya lobubi obusezulwini.” (Efesu 6:12) Ngakho-ke ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe kwanoma iluphi uhlobo kubulala ukuqonda komuntu okungokomoya, kukhuthaza inkolelo-ze, futhi kwenza ukulawulwa ababusi balelizwe elimnyama futhi elibi kube lula.

Ukukhulekela ‘Ngeqiniso’

Abantu abaningi abaqotho basebenzisa izithombe ukuba basondele eduze noMuzwi wemikhuleko. Ukusondela eduze noNkulunkulu kuyafiseleka. Kodwa ingabe sikhululekile ukuba sizikhethele indlela yethu siqu yokusondela kuye? Ngokuqinisekile kumelwe sifune indlela yokusondela kuye ethokozisa uNkulunkulu, hhayi thina. UJesu wathi: “NgiyiNdlela, iQiniso nokuPhila. Akekho ongeza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami.” (Johane 14:6) Lokhu kwakuyokuchitha kusengaphambili ukusebenzisa izithombe zokukhulekela. UJesu waqhubeka wafundisa: “Kodwa ihora liyeza—eqinisweni selifikile kakade—lapho abakhulekeli beqiniso beyokhulekela uBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso: yilolohlobo lomkhulekeli uBaba alufunayo. UNkulunkulu ungumoya, nalabo abakhulekayo kumelwe bakhuleke ngomoya nangeqiniso.”—Johane 4:23, 24.

Ingabe umuntu ongumoya angamelelwa isithombe esibonakalayo? Cha. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isithombe singaba sihle kanjani, asisoze sayifanela inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho isithombe sikaNkulunkulu sasingasoze sibe eseqiniso. (Qhathanisa namaRoma 1:22, 23.) Ingabe umuntu ubeyobe ‘ekhuleka ngeqiniso’ uma esondela kuNkulunkulu ngesithombe esithile esikhohlisayo?

OFakazi BakaJehova baye basiza izinkulungwane zabantu ukuba bayeke imikhuba yokukhulekela izithombe nokuthi babe ‘uhlobo lwabakhulekeli uBaba alufunayo.’ Ngemva kokuboniswa ngokuvela eBhayibhelini indlela uNkulunkulu abheka ngayo izithombe, abaningi baye bashukunyiswa ukuba bazisuse izithombe emakhaya abo nasendleleni yabo yokukhulekela. (Qhathanisa noDuteronomi 7:25.) Yiqiniso, bekungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi ngabanjalo ukuba benze kanjalo. Kodwa baye bashukunyiswa isifiso esiqotho sokunamathela ngokuseduze eZwini likaNkulunkulu iBhayibheli, elixwayisa amaKristu eqiniso: “Bantwana, xwayani onkulunkulu bamanga [ngokwezwi nezwi, izithombe].”—1 Johane 5:21, umbhalo waphansi.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Ingabe ‘Ama-Ayikoni Awalokothi Abe Izithombe’?

Igama elithi “Ayikoni” libhekisela ohlotsheni olukhethekile lwesithombe, okuwukuthi, imifanekiso ependiwe yenkolo ehlonishwa amalungu eSonto LobuOrthodox BaseMpumalanga. Ezinye zimelela uKristu; ezinye zimelela uZiqu-zintathu, uMariya, “osanta,” noma izingelosi. NjengamaRoma Katolika, abefundisi bobuOrthodox bavumela ukuhlonishwa kwama-ayikoni njengesenzo esivumelekile esidlulisela ukuzinikela kosezulwini omelelwayo. “I-ayikoni,” kusho umfundisi waseRussia, uSergey Bulgakov, “lihlala liyinto nje futhi alilokothi libe isithombe noma idlozi.”

Nokho, ngesikhathi esifanayo, iSonto LobuOrthodox BaseMpumalanga lifundisa ukuthi i-ayikoni lingaletha izinzuzo ezikhethekile kumkhulekeli othandaza phambi kwalo, uma nje i-ayikoni liye “langcweliswa” isonto. “Umkhosi wokubusiswa kwe-ayikoni,” kusho uBulgakov encwadini yakhe ethi The Orthodox Church, “uveza ukuxhumana phakathi kwesithombe nalokho esikumelelayo, phakathi kwalokho okumelelwayo nomfanekiso ngokwawo. Ngokubusiswa kwe-ayikoni kaKristu, ukuhlangana okungaqondakali kothembekile noKristu kwenziwa kube nokwenzeka. Kungokufanayo ngama-ayikoni eNcasakazi noSanta; umuntu angase athi, ama-ayikoni abo andisa ukuphila kwabo lapha ngaphansi.”

Ngaphezu kwalokho, ama-ayikoni amaningi kaMariya kukholelwa ukuthi anamandla okwenza izimangaliso. “Nakuba esezulwini,” kugomela uBulgakov, “kithi usaphila ukuphila kwezwe lethu, uhlupheka ngokuhlupheka kwalo, futhi ukhala ngezinyembezi zalo. Ukhulumela izwe phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu. Uziveza ezweni ngama-ayikoni akhe enza izimangaliso.”