Isidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa—Kufanele Sigujwe Kangaki?

UKHISIMUSI, ama-Ista, izinsuku “zosanta.” Amasonto eLobukholwa agubha amaholide namadili amaningi. Kodwa uyazi yini ukuthi mingaki imikhosi uJesu Kristu ayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba bayigubhe? Impendulo iwukuthi, Munye vó! Alikho nelilodwa kulawa amanye amadili elagunyazwa uMsunguli wobuKristu.

Uma kuwukuthi uJesu wamisa umkhosi owodwa kuphela, kusobala ukuthi ubaluleke kakhulu. AmaKristu kufanele awugubhe njengoba nje uJesu ayala. Lomkhosi ovelele wawuyini?

Umkhosi Okuwukuphela Kwawo

Lomkhosi waqalwa uJesu ngosuku afa ngalo. Wayeseligubhile idili lamaJuda lePhasika nabaphostoli bakhe. Khona-ke wadlulisela isinkwa sePhasika esingenamvubelo kubo, ethi: “Lokhu kungumzimba wami onikelwa nina.” Ngokulandelayo, uJesu wadlulisa indebe yewayini, ethi: “Lesisitsha siyisivumelwano esisha egazini lami elithululelwa nina.” Wathi futhi: “Lokhu kwenzeni ngezikhathi zonke ukuba ningikhumbule.” (Luka 22:19, 20; 1 Korinte 11:24-26) Lomkhosi ubizwa ngokuthi iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, noma iSikhumbuzo. Uwukuphela komkhosi uJesu ayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawugubhe.

Amasonto amaningi athi lomkhosi ayawenza kanye nawo wonke amanye amadili awo, kodwa amaningi awo awugubha ngendlela ehlukile kunaleyo uJesu ayala ngayo. Mhlawumbe umehluko ophawuleka kakhulu inani lezikhathi lomkhosi ogujwa ngazo. Amanye amasonto awugubha nyanga zonke, masonto onke, ngisho nansuku zonke. Ingabe yilokho uJesu ayekuhlosile lapho etshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi: “Lokhu kwenzeni ngezikhathi zonke ukuba ningikhumbule”? I-New English Bible ithi: “Yenzani lokhu njengesikhumbuzo sami.” (1 Korinte 11:24, 25) Isikhumbuzo noma usuku lokukhumbula okuthile lugujwa kangaki? Ngokuvamile, kanye ngonyaka.

Khumbula futhi ukuthi uJesu waqala lomkhosi wabe esefa ngosuku lukaNisan 14 ekhalendeni lamaJuda.a Kwakuwusuku lwePhasika, umkhosi owawukhumbuza amaJuda ngokusindiswa kwawo okukhulu eGibithe ekhulwini le-16 B.C.E. Ngalesosikhathi umhlatshelo wewundlu wasindisa amazibulo amaJuda, kuyilapho ingelosi kaJehova yawabulala wonke amazibulo aseGibithe.—Eksodusi 12:21, 24-27.

Lokhu kusisiza kanjani ukuba siqonde? Nokho, umphostoli ongumKristu uPawulu wabhala: “Nelethu iphasika lihlatshiwe‚ elinguKristu.” (1 Korinte 5:7) Ukufa kukaJesu kwakuwumhlatshelo wePhasika omkhulu, kunikeza isintu ithuba lensindiso enkulu ngokwengeziwe. Ngakho-ke, kumaKristu iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu sithathé indawo yePhasika lamaJuda.—Johane 3:16.

IPhasika laliwumkhosi waminyaka yonke. Khona-ke, ngokunengqondo neSikhumbuzo sinjalo. IPhasika—usuku uJesu afa ngalo—ngaso sonke isikhathi laliba ngosuku lwe-14 lwenyanga yamaJuda uNisan. Ngakho, ukufa kukaKristu kufanele kukhunjulwe kanye ngonyaka ngosuku lwekhalenda oluqondene noNisan 14. Ngo-1994 lolosuku lungoMgqibelo, March 26, ngemva kokushona kwelanga. Nokho, kungani amasonto eLobukholwa engazange enze lolusuku lube usuku lokugujwa ngokukhethekile? Ukuhlola umlando kafushane kuzowuphendula lowombuzo.

Inqubo Yabaphostoli Iba Sengozini

Akungabazeki ukuthi phakathi nekhulu lokuqala C.E., labo ababeqondiswa abaphostoli bakaJesu babegubha iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngendlela ayeyale ngayo. Nokho, phakathi nekhulu lesibili leminyaka, abanye baqala ukusishintsha isikhathi sokugujwa kwaso. ISikhumbuzo basigubha ngosuku lokuqala lwesonto (manje osekuthiwa iSonto), hhayi ngosuku oluqondana noNisan 14. Kungani kwakwenziwa lokho?

KumaJuda, usuku lwaluqala cishe ngehora lesithupha kusihlwa luqhubeke kuze kube isikhathi esifanayo ngosuku olulandelayo. UJesu wafa ngoNisan 14, 33 C.E., owaqala ngoLwesine kusihlwa kwaze kwaba ngoLwesihlanu kusihlwa. Wavuswa ngosuku lwesithathu, ngeSonto ekuseni ngovivi. Abanye babefuna ukuba ukugujwa kokufa kukaJesu kube ngosuku lwesonto olungaguquki unyaka ngamunye, esikhundleni sokuba kube ngosuku uNisan 14 ayeba ngalo. Futhi usuku lokuvuswa kukaJesu babelubheka njengolubaluleke ukudlula olokufa kwakhe. Ngakho, bakhetha olwangeSonto.

UJesu wayala ukuba kukhunjulwe ukufa kwakhe, hhayi ukuvuswa kwakhe. Futhi njengoba iPhasika lamaJuda liba ngosuku olwehlukile unyaka ngamunye, ngokwekhalenda likaGregory esilisebenzisayo manje, kumane kube sobala ukuthi kwakuyoba ngokufanayo nangeSikhumbuzo. Ngakho-ke abaningi babambelela elungiselelweni lokuqala futhi bagubha iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngoNisan 14 unyaka ngamunye. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi babizwa ngokuthi amaQuartodeciman, okusho “Abantu bosuku lweshumi nane.”

Ezinye izazi zaqaphela ukuthi ‘labaBantu bosuku lweshumi nane’ babelandela indlela yakuqala yabaphostoli. Esinye isazi sezomlando sathi: “Mayelana nosuku lokugubha iPascha [iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa], umkhuba wamasonto amaQuartodeciman ase-Asia wawuhambisana nowesonto laseJerusalema. Ngekhulu lesibili lamasonto ngePascha yawo eyayiba ngomhlaka-14 kuNisan ayekhumbula insindiso eyalethwa ukufa kukaKristu.”—Studia Patristica, Umqulu V, 1962, ikhasi 8.

Impikiswano Iyakhula

Nakuba abaningi e-Asia Minor babelandela inqubo yabaphostoli, eRoma usuku lwangeSonto lwabekelwa eceleni ukuba lube usuku lomkhosi. Cishe ngonyaka ka-155 C.E., uPolycarp waseSmirna, owayengummeleli wamabandla ase-Asia, wavakashela eRoma ukuze ayoxoxa ngalenkinga nangezinye. Ngeshwa, asikho isivumelwano okwafinyelelwa kuso kulendaba.

U-Irenaeus waseLyons wabhala kwenye incwadi: “No-Anicetus [waseRoma] akakwazanga ukwenza uPolycarp ukuba angakugubhi lokho ayekugubha ngaso sonke isikhathi noJohane umfundi weNkosi yethu nabanye abaphostoli ayehlanganyela nabo; noPolycarp akakwazanga ukwenza u-Anicetus ukuba akugubhe, ngoba yena wayethi kufanele abambelele emasikweni abadala abangaphambi kwakhe.” (Eusebius, Incwadi 5, isahluko 24) Phawula ukuthi kuthiwa uPolycarp wasekela ukuma kwakhe egunyeni labaphostoli, kuyilapho u-Anicetus wayethanda isiko labadala bangaphambili baseRoma.

Lempikiswano yashuba ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesibili C.E. Cishe ngo-190 C.E., uVictor othile wamiswa njengombhishobhi waseRoma. Wayekholelwa ukuthi iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa kufanele sigujwe ngeSonto, futhi wayefuna ukusekelwa abanye abaholi abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka. UVictor wacindezela amabandla ase-Asia ukuba ashintshele kulelilungiselelo langeSonto.

Ephendula egameni labase-Asia Minor, uPolycrates wase-Efesu wenqaba ukukuvumela lokhu kucindezela. Wathi: “Lolusuku silugcina ngaphandle kokuluphazamisa, asenezeli, futhi asisusi lutho.” Wabe esebala abantu abanegunya abaningi, kuhlanganise nomphostoli uJohane. “Bonke laba,” esho, “bagubha usuku lweshumi nane lwePascha ngokuvumelana neVangeli, abazange nakancane baphambuke kuyo.” UPolycrates wanezela: “Mina, ngokwami, mzalwane, . . . angithuswa izinsongo. Ngoba labo abangcono kunami bathe, Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.”—Eusebius, Incwadi 5, isahluko 24.

UVictor ayimjabulisanga lempendulo. Enye incwadi yomlando ithi “wanqamula ubudlelwane nawo wonke amaSonto ase-Asia, futhi wathumela izincwadi zakhe ezijikeleza kuwo wonke amaSonto ayehambisana nombono wakhe, ewayala ukuba angadlelani nalawomaSonto.” Nokho, “lesisenzo sakhe samawala nesokugabadela asizange samukeleke kahle kuwo wonke amadoda ahlakaniphile naqotho eqembu lakhe, amaningana kuwo ambhalela izincwadi ezishisayo, emyala . . . ukuba alondoloze uthando, ubunye, nokuthula.”—I-Antiquities of the Christian Church kaBingham, Incwadi 20, isahluko 5.

Ukuhlubuka Kuyangeniswa

Naphezu kokuphikisa okunjalo, amaKristu e-Asia Minor aya ngokuya ehluka endabeni yokuthi iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa kumelwe sigujwe nini. Ukungafani kwase kungene ngokunyenya kwezinye izindawo. Abanye babegubha yonke leyonkathi esukela kuNisan 14 kuze kube usuku lwangeSonto elilandelayo. Abanye babesigubha izikhathi eziningana lesisenzakalo—masonto onke ngosuku lwangeSonto.

Ngo-314 C.E. uMkhandlu wase-Arles (eFrance) wazama ukuliphoqelela lelilungiselelo lamaRoma nokucindezela nanoma yimaphi amanye ahlukile. AmaQuartodeciman ayesasele aqinisela. Ukuze axazulule lendaba kanye nezinye ezase zehlukanisa labo ababethi bangamaKristu embusweni wakhe, ngo-325 C.E. umbusi oyiqaba uConstantine wabiza umhlangano wabafundisi, uMkhandlu waseNicaea. Lomkhandlu wakhipha isinqumo esasiyala bonke abase-Asia Minor ukuba bahambisane nenqubo yaseRoma.

Kuyathakazelisa ukuphawula enye yezimpikiswano ezaphakama ngenxa yokuyeka ukugubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu ngokuhambisana nosuku olusekhalendeni lamaJuda. Ethi A History of the Christian Councils, kaK. J. Hefele, ithi: “Kwathiwa akufanelekile ngempela ngalomkhosi, ongcwele kunayo yonke, ukuba ulandele isiko (ukubala) kwamaJuda, ayengcolise izandla zawo ngecala elesabeka kunawo wonke, futhi izingqondo zawo ezaziphuphuthekisiwe.” (Umqulu 1, ikhasi 322) Ukuba sesimweni esinjalo esasibhekwa “‘njengokulithobela okuhlazisayo’ iSinagoge okwakucasula iSonto,” kusho uJ. Juster, ocashunwe kuyi-Studia Patristica, Umqulu IV, 1961, ikhasi 412.

KwakuyiNzondo ngamaJuda! Labo ababegubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu ngalolosuku afa ngalo babebhekwa njengabaphendulela abantu ebuJudeni. Kwase kulibalekile ukuthi noJesu ngokwakhe wayengumJuda nokuthi ukuze lolusuku lube olubalulekile wayenikele ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yesintu. Kusukela kulesosikhathi kuqhubeke, amaQuartodeciman alahlwa njengezihlubuki nanjengabangela uqhekeko futhi ashushiswa. UMkhandlu wase-Antioch wango-341 C.E. wanquma ukuthi kwakufanele kunqanyulwe ubudlelwane nawo. Naphezu kwalokho, amaningi awo ayesekhona ngo-400 C.E., futhi aqhubeka ekhona ngamanani amancane isikhathi eside ngemva kwalokho.

Kusukela kulezozinsuku, eLobukholwa liye lehluleka ukubuyela elungiselelweni likaJesu lasekuqaleni. UProfesa William Bright wavuma: “Lapho usuku olukhethekile, uGood Friday, lumiselwa ukuba lube usuku lweSikhumbuzo Sokuhlupheka kukaKristu, kwase kwephuze kakhulu ukuba lugcine ngokuba luhlobane ‘nepascha’ leyo uSt. Paul ayeyihlanganise nokufa okuwumhlatshelo: lokhu kuhlobana kwakusetshenziswe ngokukhululekile emkhosini Wovuko ngokwawo, futhi kwaqala ukushayisana kwemibono mayelana nendlela yenkambiso yamasonto eLobukholwa akhuluma isiGreki nesiLatini.”—The Age of the Fathers, Umqulu 1, ikhasi 102.

Kuthiwani Namuhla?

Ungase ubuze, ‘Ngemva kwayo yonke leminyaka, ingabe kunendaba ngempela ukuthi iSikhumbuzo sigujwa nini?’ Yebo, kunendaba. Lezinguquko zenziwa amadoda angontamolukhuni ayefuna amandla okubusa. Abantu balandela eyabo imibono esikhundleni sokulalela uJesu Kristu. Isixwayiso somphostoli uPawulu sagcwaliseka ngokusobala: “Mina ngiyazi ukuthi emva kokumuka kwami kuzakungena kini izimpisi ezihahayo zingawuhawukeli umhlambi‚ naphakathi kwenu [maKristu] kuzakuvuka amadoda akhuluma okudukisayo‚ ahunge abafundi ukubalandela.”—IzEnzo 20:29, 30.

Lapha kuhileleke indaba yokulalela. UJesu wamisa umkhosi owodwa kuphela ukuba ugujwe amaKristu. IBhayibheli lichaza ngokusobala ukuthi kumelwe ugujwe kanjani futhi nini. Ngubani-ke onelungelo lokukuguqula lokho? AmaQuartodeciman asendulo abhekana nokushushiswa nokunqanyulwa kobudlelwane nawo kunokuba ahlehle kulendaba.

Kungase kukuthakazelise ukwazi ukuthi emhlabeni asekhona amaKristu azihloniphayo izifiso zikaJesu nagubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe ngosuku alumisa. Kulonyaka, oFakazi BakaJehova bazohlangana ndawonye emaHholo OMbuso abo emhlabeni wonke ngemva kuka-6:00 ntambama ngoMgqibelo, March 26—ekuqaleni kosuku lwe-14 lukaNisan. Khona-ke bayokwenza lokho kanye uJesu athi kufanele kwenziwe kulesisikhathi esibaluleke kakhulu. Kungani ungasigubhi kanye nabo iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa? Ngokuba khona kwakho, nawe ungabonisa ukuthi uyazihlonipha izifiso zikaJesu Kristu.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

“LESOSIHLENGO ESIYIGUGU”

Umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu ungaphezu kokuba imfundiso. UJesu wathi ngaye ngokwakhe: “INdodana yomuntu ayizelanga ukukhonzwa kepha ukukhonza nokunikela ukuphila kwayo‚ kube-yisihlengo sabaningi.” (Marku 10:45) Wachaza futhi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe [lesintu] kangaka‚ waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi‚ kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Kwabafileyo, isihlengo sivula indlela yovuko neyethemba lokuphila okuphakade.—Johane 5:28, 29.

Lapho kugujwa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa kusuke kukhunjulwa ukufa kukaJesu Kristu okubaluleke kakhulu. Umhlatshelo wakhe ufeza okuningi kakhulu! Owesifazane othile owayeqeqeshwe abazali abesaba uNkulunkulu futhi osehambe eqinisweni likaNkulunkulu amashumi amaningi eminyaka wazwakalisa ukubonga kwakhe ngalamazwi:

“Sibheka phambili eSikhumbuzweni. Unyaka ngamunye siya ngokuya sibaluleka. Eminyakeni engu-20 edlule ngikhumbula ngimi endlini okugcinwa kuyo izidumbu, ngibuka ubaba wami othandekayo futhi ngifinyelela ekuwaziseni ngenhliziyo yonke umhlatshelo. Ngaphambi kwalokho wawukade uyindaba engiyazi ngekhanda nje kuphela. Oh, ngangiyazi yonke imibhalo futhi ngikwazi nokuyichaza! Kodwa kwaba ngesikhathi ngilibona iqiniso elibuhlungu lokufa lapho inhliziyo yami yathi ukugxuma kancane yinjabulo ngalokho esiyokwenzelwa ngalesosihlengo esiyigugu.”