Isihlengo—Imfundiso YeLobukholwa Edukile

ISIHLENGO, inkolelo yokuthi uJesu wafela isintu esinesono, siyisisekelo sobuKristu beqiniso. Nokho, lemfundiso sekukade igxekwa futhi ihlekwa usulu izazi zenkolo zeLobukholwa.

Kungani kunjalo? Ingabe uJesu ngokwakhe akazange athi kuMarku 10:45: “INdodana yomuntu ayizelanga ukukhonzwa kepha ukukhonza nokunikela ukuphila kwayo, kube-yisihlengo sabaningi”?

Abanye baye bathi uJesu akazange awasho lawomazwi, bathi ngemva kokufa kwakhe lawa asungulwa ngaphansi kwethonya lomphostoli uPawulu. Abanye baphikisa ngokuthi elithi “isihlengo” lapha liwucezu lwenkulumo noma ngokuthi lemfundiso ivela enganekwaneni yamaGreki! Ngakho isihlengo siye sanyamalala ngokuphelele ezimfundisweni zesonto.

Nokho, ungase uzibuze ukuthi amaKristu okuqala ayekuqonda kanjani ukufa kukaJesu. UPawulu uyasitshela kweyesi-2 Korinte 5:14, 15: “Uthando lukaKristu luyasiqhubezela, sikubona lokhu ukuthi munye owafela bonke . . . ukuze abaphilayo bangabe besaziphilela bona, kodwa baphilele yena owabafelayo, wabuye wavuka.” Yeka ukuthi lemfundiso yayilula ngokucace kanjani—ingenazo nhlobo izinguquko eziyinkimbinkimbi eyadlula kuzo kamuva ezandleni zezazi zenkolo zamasonto.

Ingabe kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wasungula lemfundiso? Cha, ngoba uyachaza kweyoku-1 Korinte 15:3: “Okokuqala nganinika lokho engakwamukela nami ukuthi uKristu wafa ngenxa yezono zethu njengokwemibhalo.” Ngokusobala, esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba uPawulu abhale izincwadi zakhe, amaKristu kakade ayekuqonda ukuthi ukufa kukaJesu kwakungumhlatshelo, inani langempela elakhokhwa ukuze kuhlengwe isintu esinesono, isihlengo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba uPawulu ebonisa, bakuqonda ukuthi ukufa kukaJesu kwakugcwalisa ‘imibhalo,’ okungukuthi, iziprofetho ezinjengeHubo 22 noIsaya 53 emiBhalweni YesiHeberu, noma “iTestamente Elidala.”

Imibuzo Engaphenduliwe

Uma ukhetha ukuzihlolela amaqiniso ngokwakho, uzothola ukuthi izimfundiso zezihlubuki zangena kancane kancane ebuKristwini emuva eduze nesikhathi sabaphostoli. (IzEnzo 20:29, 30; 2 Thimothewu 4:3, 4) Nokho, ukukholelwa emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaKristu kwaphikelela, njengoba kubonisa imibhalo yoBaba Besonto bokuqala. Nokho, lapho izazi zenkolo zakamuva zihlolisisa imfundiso yesihlengo, zaqhamuka nemibuzo enzima, enjengokuthi, Isihlengo sakhokhwa kubani? Kungani inkokhelo enjalo yayidingekile?

Ekhulwini lesine leminyaka C.E., uGregory waseNyssa nabanye bachaza umbono wokuthi isihlengo sasikhokhwe kuSathane uDeveli! Baphikisa ngokuthi, uSathane wayebambe isintu, futhi isihlengo sakhokhwa kuye ukuze kukhululwe isintu. Nokho, owayephila ngalesosikhathi othiwa uGregory waseNazianzus wabona isikhala esikhulu kulombono. Wawusikisela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayekweleta uDeveli—into engenangqondo ngempela! Noma kunjalo, umqondo wokuthi isihlengo sakhokhwa kuDeveli wathandwa futhi wahlala ukhona amakhulu eminyaka.

Ingabe isihlengo sasingakhokhwa kuNkulunkulu ngokwakhe? UGregory waseNazianzus waba nomuzwa wokuthi wayebona inkinga nakulombono futhi. Njengoba ‘sasingagqilaziwe [nguNkulunkulu],’ kungani isihlengo kwakungadingeka sikhokhwe kuye? Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘ingabe uBaba wayengakujabulela ukufa kweNdodana yakhe’ ngokufuna ngenkani isihlengo? Yimibuzo ebonakala inzima eyabonakala ibangela ukungabaza isihlengo ngokwaso.

Ukufa Kwesihlengo

Ukuhlola kwakho lendaba kungase kukuyise ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-12 leminyaka. UAnselm, uMbhishobhi Omkhulu waseCanterbury, wazama ukuphendula lemibuzo encwadini yakhe ethi Cur Deus Homo (Isizathu Sokuba UNkulunkulu Abe Umuntu). Lencwadi yafundisa ukuthi ukufa kukaKristu kwaba njengendlela yokwanelisa ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwaphezulu, nakuba kungabanga njengesihlengo. UAnselm wayekholelwa ukuthi ukuthethelela isono ngesihlengo ngaphandle kokwanelisa ukwahlulela ngokulunga kwakuyofana nokushiya isono singalungisiwe. “Kodwa uNkulunkulu akanakushiya lutho lungalungisiwe eMbusweni waKhe,” kusho uAnselm. Khona-ke, uNkulunkulu wayilungisa kanjani lendaba?

Ebonisa ukuthi ‘isono sihlambalaza uNkulunkulu,’ uAnselm wathi kwakungeke kwanele “ukumane nje kubuyiselwe okwakuthathwe” yisono sika-Adamu. Njengoba uNkulunkulu wayethukiwe, isihlengo—ngisho nomhlatshelo womuntu ophelele—sasingeke sanele. Lomfundisi wathi, “lapho kucatshangelwa inhlamba athukwa ngayo, okungaphezu kokwathathwa kumelwe kubuyiselwe.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) UAnselm waphikisa ngokuthi lokhu kwafuna ukufa komuntu owayeyikho kokubili “uNkulunkulu nomuntu”!

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wena usabela kanjani ezimfundisweni zika-Anselm, zabanqoba ababephila esikhathini sakhe futhi ziyaqhubeka ziba nethonya osukwini lwethu. Phela, ngegalelo elilodwa, uAnselm waqinisa imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu futhi wabulala eyesihlengo, okungenani kweLobukholwa! Elithi “ukwaneliseka” laba isaga sezazi zenkolo, kuyilapho igama elithi “isihlengo” linyamalala kancane kancane. Nokho, imibono ka-Anselm yayisekelwe cishe ngokuphelele ekucabangeni okubonakala kuyiqiniso, hhayi eBhayibhelini. Futhi njengoba isikhathi sidlula, izazi ezinjengoThomas Aquinas zaqala ukuxephula embonweni ka-Anselm ‘wokwaneliseka’ ngokucabanga kokuhlakanipha kwazo siqu. Ukucabangela kwadlanga. Imibono yesihlengo yanda, futhi impikiswano yaqhubekela phambili isuka emiBhalweni futhi yangena yajula ekucabangeni komuntu, kuyifilosofi nasezimfihlakalweni.

Inkathi Yenguquko Nesihlengo

Nokho, ake sisondele kancane esikhathini sethu. Lapho kuqubuka isivunguvungu seNkathi Yenguquko YamaProthestani ekhulwini le-16 leminyaka, kwasungulwa iqembu eleqisayo elithiwa amaSocinian.a Laphika ukuthi ukufa kukaJesu nganoma iyiphi indlela “kwasenza safanelekela ukusindiswa,” lithi imfundiso enjalo “iyakhohlisa, inephutha, futhi ingebulala kakhulu . . . , ayivumelani kokubili nemiBhalo kanye nokucabanga.” (The Racovian Catechisme) Njengoba uNkulunkulu ethethelela ngesihle, kwakungadingeki ukwaneliswa kokwahlulela ngokulunga. Lathi ukufa kukaKristu kwahlenga ngokuthi kwashukumisela abantu ukuba balingise isibonelo sakhe esiphelele.

Lihlaselwa yilabaphikisi kanye nabanye, iSonto LamaKatolika laqala ukuhlasela liziphindisela, labiza uMkhandlu waseTrent (wango-1545 kuya ku-1563 C.E.). Kodwa lapho kumelelwa izimpikiswano eziningi ezingokwezimfundiso, lomkhandlu wabonakala untengantenga futhi ungacacile ngemfundiso yesihlengo. Wakhuluma ‘ngokufaneleka kukaJesu Kristu’ futhi wasebenzisa igama elithi “ukwaneliseka” kodwa waligwema ngokucophelela igama elithi “isihlengo.” Ngakho, isonto lama kude kakhulu lingazihilele kunoma yisiphi isimo esicacile esingokomBhalo. Umnyango oholela ekucabangeleni wahlala uvuleke gengelezi.

Isizathu Sokuba Abaholi Benkolo Bahluleke

Kusukela eMkhandlwini waseTrent, izazi zenkolo—zamaKatolika nezamaProthestani ngokufanayo—ziye zasungula imibono yesihlengo engenakubalwa. (Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 7.) Nokho, akubonakali kunokuvumelana ngokushiwo ukufa kukaKristu. Izazi zenkolo zivumelana kuphela ekudeleleni kwazo igama elingokomBhalo elithi “isihlengo,” zikhetha ukulishaya indiva, zililulaze, noma zinciphise ukubaluleka kwalo. Okushiwo ukufa kukaKristu kuchazwa ngolimi olukhethekile, ngokusonteka okuyinkimbinkimbi kokucabanga okukhohlisayo, nangamagama amakhulu, anjengokuthi “ithonya elingokokuziphatha” nathi “ukwaneliseka okungokomzimba okumelelayo.” Esikhundleni sokwakha ukholo ekufeni kukaKristu, abefundisi beLobukholwa baye benza isigxobo sakhe sokuhlushwa saba inkimbinkimbi edidayo.

Siyini isizathu esiyisisekelo salokhu kwehluleka okukhulu? Isazi senkolo esingumKatolika uBoniface A. Willems sithi lokhu kwabangelwa iqiniso lokuthi izazi zenkolo “zifundiswa kuqashelisisiwe ukuthi zahlukanisiwe”—zidediselwe kude kakhulu nezidingo zangempela zabantu.b Ingabe awuthambekeli ekuvumelaneni nalesosiphetho? Nokho, uJeremiya 8:9 uyaqhubeka, ebonisa umsuka wangempela walenkinga: “Bheka, balilahlile izwi likaJehova, banokuhlakanipha kuni na?”

Kuyavunywa, imfundiso yesihlengo ingase iphakamise imibuzo ethile enzima. (2 Petru 3:16) Kodwa esikhundleni sokufuna izimpendulo emiBhalweni, izazi zenkolo ziye zasebenzisa ukuhlakanipha nokucabanga kwabantu. (1 Korinte 1:19, 20; 2:13) Ziye zagabadela ngokuba zenqabe noma yiziphi izingxenye zeBhayibheli ezingavumelani nezinto ezizithandayo—noma imibono. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Ziye zakhuthaza izimfundiso ezingekho ngokomBhalo, njengemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu. (Johane 14:28) Futhi ukwehluleka kwazo okukhulu kuwukuthi ziye zenza ukusindiswa komuntu kwaba yinto eyinhloko, zazishaya indiva izindaba ezibaluleke kakhulu ezihilela igama noMbuso kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 6:9, 10.

Ummeleli Wesihlengo

Manje, siza uqhubekisele ukuhlola kwakho ngasekupheleni kwawo-1800. Umuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu othiwa uCharles Taze Russell wazihlukanisa nemfundiso yenkolo enethonya futhi waqala ukunyathelisa wona kanye lomagazini—IWatch Tower. “Kusukela kowokuqala,” kukhumbula uRussell, “ubulokhu ungummeleli okhethekile weSihlengo.”

INqabayokulinda iyaqhubeka isebenza kanjalo kuze kube namuhla. Eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu, iye yanikeza izizathu ezizwakalayo ezingokomBhalo zokukholelwa emfundisweni yesihlengo, futhi iye yanikeza izimpendulo ezinengqondo nezingokomBhalo ezinseleleni zabagxeki. Ngakho-ke manje sikumema ukuba uqhubeke uhlolisisa lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngokufa kukaJesu nangalokho okukushoyo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

IZIBONELO ZEMIBONO YOKUHLENGWA

◻ UMBONO WOBUHOLI, NOMA KAHULUMENI: Lona wasungulwa iSazi Senkolo esingumDashi uHugo Grotius ekhulwini le-17 leminyaka ukuze aphikise imibono yamaSocinian. UGrotius wabheka ukufa kukaKristu “njengohlobo oluthile lwesivumelwano esingokomthetho, uNkulunkulu efeza indima yoMholi noma uMbusi, futhi umuntu efeza eyesoni.”—IEncyclopædia of Religion and Ethics kaHastings.

◻ UMBONO WOKUHLANGULWA OBALULEKILE: Lona wahlongozwa ngo-1946 isazi senkolo esingumProthestani uClarence H. Hewitt. Wabheka umsebenzi kaKristu, hhayi njengokhokhela isijeziso esingokomthetho, kodwa ‘njengosikhulula ekubusweni umthetho wesono nokufa futhi obangela ukuguquka nosizi lokwesaba uNkulunkulu, kanjalo kusiletha esimweni esithethelelekayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu.’

◻ UKUHLENGWA NGOKUHLANGANA KOBUKRISTU: Isazi senkolo esingumRoma Katolika uBoniface A. Willems (1970) silinganisa “isihlengo” kanye “nokuphenduka ekuzaziseni kwethu nasekuvulelaneni izinhliziyo zethu.” Siyanezela: “Umqondo wobuKristu wokuthile okuthatha indawo yokunye noma ukuhlupheka ukuze kuzuze abanye uwukuthi umuntu uyazazi ukuthi uxhumene ngobunye nohlanga lwesintu olonakaliswe yisono. . . . Khona-ke iSonto liwukuhlangana kwalabo abazimisele ukuphila enkonzweni ekhethekile ngenxa yabanye.”

◻ UMBONO OYIZABA: Lona wahlongozwa isazi senkolo esingumKatolika uRaymund Schwager ngo-1978. Salahla umqondo wokuthi uNkulunkulu “wayeyofuna iso ngeso.” Sibheka umhlatshelo kaKristu njengohlobo oluthile lokuhlanza (ukwenza msulwa) oluvumela umphakathi wesintu ukuba ukhiphe—futhi ulahle—ukuthambekela kobudlova onakho kusukela ekuzalweni.

◻ UKUHLENGA OKUNGOKWEZENHLALA-KAHLE NEZOMBANGAZWE: Isazi senkolo esingumBaptist uThorwald Lorenzen sabhala ngo-1985: “UNkulunkulu akamane nje afune ukuthethelelwa kwesoni okungokwenkolo kodwa futhi nenkululeko engokwezombangazwe yabampofu nabacindezelwe. . . . Ngakho-ke, ukufa kukaJesu kwembula uNkulunkulu okukhathalelayo ukwelashwa kwazo zonke izici zokuphila komuntu.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Izazi zenkolo zamaProthestani nezamaKatolika ziye zasungula imibono eminingi ngokuhlengwa nangesihlengo, kodwa iBhayibheli lifundisani?