Ingabe Kunokuvumelana Phakathi ‘Kwethempeli LikaNkulunkulu’ Nezithombe EGreece?

NGALOLU suku lwasehlobo olushisa bhé, ilanga lishaya ematsheni abenyezelayo. Nokho, lokhu kushisa okukhiph’inhlanzi emanzini akubonakali kuwunciphisa umdlandla nokuzimisela okukhulu kwesixuku sezihambeli ezizinikele zenkolo yamaGreki yobu-Orthodox eziphokophele endlini yokukhuleka esesiqongweni saleli gquma.

Ubona isalukazi esesikhathale sayingcuba, esihambe sadabula lonke lelizwe, sizama kanzima ukuqhubeka sihamba ngezinyawo zaso ezikhathele. Uma ukhuphukhuphuka, kunendoda ezimisele emfoma umjuluko njengoba ikhamelela izama ukudabula esixukwini sabantu abadudulanayo. Futhi intombazanyana ebonakalayo ukuthi isezinhlungwini futhi ikhathazekile, igaqa ngamadolo agxaza igazi. Uyini umgomo wabo? Ukufika ngesikhathi ukuze bathandaze phambi kwesithombe ‘sikasanta’ wodumo, futhi uma kungenzeka, basithinte futhi basiqabule.

Izenzakalo ezifana nalesi zenzeka kaningi emhlabeni wonke ezindaweni ezilungiselelwe ukubonisa inhlonipho ‘kosanta.’ Kusobala ukuthi zonke lezi zihambeli zenkolo ziyaqiniseka ukuthi ngalendlela zilandela indlela kaNkulunkulu yokusondela kuye, kanjalo zibonise ukuzinikela nokholo lwazo. Incwadi ethi Our Orthodox Christian Faith ithi: “Sikhumbula [“osanta”], futhi sinikeze ubuqu babo obungcwele inkazimulo nodumo . . . , futhi sicela basithandazele phambi kukaNkulunkulu futhi basinxusele futhi basisize ezidingweni zokuphila kwethu eziningi. . . . Siphendukela koSanta abenza izimangaliso . . . ngenxa yezidingo zethu ezingokomoya nezingokomzimba.” Futhi, ngokweziqondiso ezimiswe yisigungu seSonto LamaRoma Katolika, “osanta” kufanele banxuswe njengabameleli kuNkulunkulu, futhi kokubili izinto ezihlangene nabo nezithombe ‘zosanta’ kufanele kuhlonishwe.

Ukukhathalela okuyinhloko komKristu oqotho kufanele kube ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:24) Ngenxa yalesi sizathu ake sicabange ngamaqiniso athile aphathelene nendlela ukuhlonishwa ‘kosanta’ okwaqala ngayo ukuba yingxenye yemikhuba engokwenkolo yeLobukholwa. Ukuhlola okunjalo kufanele kube okukhanyisela kakhulu kuwo wonke umuntu ofisa ukusondela kuNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo.

Indlela “Osanta” Abamukelwa Ngayo

Wonke amaKristu okuqala ayehlanzwe ngegazi likaKristu nayehlukaniselwe inkonzo kaNkulunkulu njengezindlalifa zesikhathi esizayo kanye noKristu imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki iwabiza ngokuthi “abangcwele,” noma “osanta.” (IzEnzo 9:32; 2 Korinte 1:1; 13:13)a Abesilisa nabesifazane, abavelele nabaphansi ebandleni, bonke babechazwa ngokuthi “abangcwele” ngenkathi bephila lapha emhlabeni. Ngokusobala ukuqashelwa kwabo njengosanta ngokomBhalo akuzange kugodlwe kuze kube ngemva kokufa kwabo.

Nokho, ngemva kwekhulu lesibili C.E., lapho kuqala ubuKristu bezihlubuki, kwakunokuthambekela kokuzama ukwenza ubuKristu buthandwe, bube inkolo eyayiyokhanga abantu abangamaqaba futhi yamukeleke ngokushesha kubo. Lamaqaba ayekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi, kanti lenkolo entsha yayibambelele ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu oyedwa. Ngakho ukuvumelana kwakungenzeka ngokuba kwamukelwe “osanta,” ababeyothatha indawo yonkulunkulu basendulo, onkulunkulu abangabantu namaqhawe asezinganekwaneni. Iphawula ngalokhu, incwadi ethi Ekklisiastiki Istoria (Umlando Wesonto) ithi: “Kwakulula ngalabo ababephendukela ebuKristwini besuka ekubeni amaqaba ukuhlobanisa amaqhawe abo ayesalahlwa nabantu ababengabafel’ukholo nokuqala ukubanikeza udumo ngaphambili ababelunikeza [amaqhawe abo] angaphambili. . . . Nokho, kwakuvame kakhulu ukuba ukunikezwa kosanta udumo olunjalo kube ukukhulekela izithombe uqobo lwako.”

Enye incwadi yezikhombo ichaza indlela “osanta” abangeniswa ngayo kweLobukholwa: “Lapho kunikezwa osanta beSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox udumo, sithola izinkomba ezisobala zethonya elinamandla inkolo yamaqaba eyayinalo. Izimfanelo okwakuthiwa ngezonkulunkulu base-Olympia ngaphambi kokuba [abantu] baguqulelwe ebuKristwini manje kwase kuthiwa ngezosanta. . . . Kusukela eminyakeni yokuqala yalenkolo entsha, sibona abalandeli bayo befaka umProfethi u-Eliya esikhundleni sikankulunkulu welanga (uPhoebus Apollo), bakha amasonto phezu, noma eduze, kwamanxiwa amathempeli asendulo noma izindawo ezingcwele zalonkulunkulu, ikakhulukazi phezu kwamagquma nezintaba, kuzo zonke izindawo lapho amaGreki asendulo ayedumisa khona umniki-kukhanya uPhoebus Apollo. . . . Bafanisa ngisho nonkulunkulukazi oyiNcasakazi u-Athena neNcasakazi uMariya uqobo. Kanjalo, isikhala esavuleka lapho isithombe sika-Athena sidilizwa savaleka emphefumulweni womkhulekeli wakhe oguquliwe.”—Neoteron Enkyklopaidikon Lexikon (ISichazamazwi Esisha Esisanqolobane Yolwazi), Umqulu 1, amakhasi 270-1.

Ngokwesibonelo, hlola isimo esasikhona e-Athens kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kwekhulu lesine C.E. Iningi labantu ababehlala kulelo dolobha lalisengamaqaba. Elinye lamasiko abo angcwele kakhulu kwakuyizimfihlakalo zase-Eleusis, isenzakalo esinezigaba ezimbili,b esasigujwa minyaka yonke ngo-February edolobheni lase-Eleusis, elisebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-23 ukuya enyakatho-ntshonalanga ye-Athens. Ukuze abe khona kulezi zimfihlakalo, amaqaba ase-Athens kwakudingeka ahambe ngeNdlela Engcwele (Hi·e·raʹ Ho·dosʹ). Bezama ukwenza enye indawo yokukhulekela, abaholi bakuleli dolobha basebenzisa ubuhlakani bangempela. Kuwo lowo mgwaqo, cishe ebangeni elingamakhilomitha ayishumi ukusuka e-Athens, kwakhiwa isigodlo sezindela saseDaphni ukuze sikhange amaqaba futhi siwavimbele angayi ezimfihlakalweni. Isonto lesigodlo lakhiwa phezu kwesisekelo sethempeli lasendulo okwakungelikankulunkulu wamaGreki uDaphnaios, noma uPythios Apollo.

Ubufakazi bokungena konkulunkulu bamaqaba ekuhlonishweni ‘kosanta’ buyatholakala nasesiqhingini saseKithira, eGreece. Kwesinye seziqongo zalesi siqhingi, kunezindlu zokuthandaza ezimbili ezincane zohlobo lwaseByzantium—enye yazo inikelwe ‘kuSanta’ George, enye eNcasakazini uMariya. Ukuvubukula kwembula ukuthi lena kwakuyindawo engcwele yasesiqongweni saseKrethe yasendulo esasiyindawo yokukhulekela eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-3 500 edlule. Phakathi nekhulu leminyaka lesithupha noma lesikhombisa C.E., “amaKristu” akha indlu yawo yokukhuleka ‘kuSanta’ George khona kanye lapho kwakukade kuyindawo engcwele esesiqongweni. Lesi sinyathelo sasinencazelo enkulu; leso sikhungo esithuthukile senkolo yabantu baseKrethe yasendulo sasiqondisa imizila yasolwandle e-Aegean Sea. Lamasonto amabili akhiwa kulendawo ukuze kuqinisekwe ukuthi kutholakala umusa weNkosazana Yethu ‘noSanta’ George, kuthi lona wamuva akhunjulwe ngosuku olufanayo ‘nolomvikeli wamatilosi’ “uSanta” Nicholas. Iphephandaba elalibika ngokutholwa kwalokhu lathi: “Namuhla umpristi [wesonto lamaGreki lobu-Orthodox] uzokwenyuka intaba, njengoba nje nasezikhathini zasendulo umpristi waseKrethe yasendulo ayenza,” ukuze enze izinkonzo ezingokwenkolo!

Efingqa izinga ubuKristu bezihlubuki obathonywa ngalo yinkolo yamaGreki yobuqaba, umcwaningi womlando uphawula ukuthi: “Ngokuvamile isisekelo esinobuqaba senkolo yamaKristu asishintshi ezinkolelweni ezithandwayo, kanjalo kufakazele ukuthi isiko lihlala isikhathi eside.”

‘Ukukhulekela Esikwaziyo’

UJesu wathi kowesifazane ongumSamariya: ‘Thina sikhulekela esikwaziyo, abakhulekeli beqiniso bayokhulekela uBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso, ngoba ngempela uBaba ufuna abanjalo ukuba bamkhulekele.’ (Johane 4:22, 23) Phawula ukuthi ukukhulekela ngeqiniso kuyimfuneko! Ngakho-ke akunakwenzeka ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ngokwamukelekayo ngaphandle kolwazi olunembile lweqiniso nothando olujulile ngalo. Inkolo yobuKristu yeqiniso kumelwe isekelwe eqinisweni, hhayi emasikweni nasemikhubeni eyenanwe ebuqabeni. Siyazi ukuthi uJehova uzizwa kanjani lapho abantu bezama ukumkhulekela ngendlela engalungile. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu emzini wasendulo waseGrisi, iKorinte: “Ikuphi ukuvumelana okukhona phakathi kukaKristu noBeliyali? . . . Linakuvumelana kuni ithempeli likaNkulunkulu nezithombe?” (2 Korinte 6:15, 16) Noma imuphi umzamo wokuvumelanisa ithempeli likaNkulunkulu nezithombe uyenyanyeka kuye.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiBhalo iwulahla ngokucacile umqondo wokukhuleka ‘kosanta’ ukuze babe abameleli kuNkulunkulu. Emthandazweni wakhe oyisibonelo, uJesu wafundisa ukuthi imithandazo kumelwe iqondiswe kuBaba kuphela, njengoba aqondisa abafundi bakhe: “Khona-ke, kumelwe nithandaze ngalendlela: ‘Baba wethu osemazulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho.’” (Mathewu 6:9) UJesu waqhubeka wathi: “Mina ngiyindlela neqiniso nokuphila. Akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami. Uma nicela noma yini egameni lami, ngiyoyenza.” Futhi umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Kukhona uNkulunkulu oyedwa, nomlamuleli oyedwa phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu, umuntu, uKristu Jesu.”—Johane 14:6, 14; 1 Thimothewu 2:5.

Uma sifuna ngempela ukuba uNkulunkulu ezwe imithandazo yethu, kubalulekile ukuba sisondele kuye ngendlela eshiwo yiZwi lakhe. Egcizelela okuwukuphela kwendlela esebenzayo yokusondela kuJehova, uPawulu wabhala nokuthi: “UKristu Jesu nguye owafa, yebo, eqinisweni owavuswa kwabafileyo, ongakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, osincengelayo futhi.” “Uyakwazi futhi ukusindisa ngokuphelele labo abasondela kuNkulunkulu ngaye, ngoba uyaphila ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuba abancengele.”—Roma 8:34; Heberu 7:25.

‘Ukukhulekela Ngomoya Nangeqiniso’

UbuKristu bezihlubuki babungenawo amandla angokomoya nokusekela komoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu ukuze bushukumise amaqaba ukuba alahle ukukhulekela kwawo kwamanga futhi alandele izimfundiso eziyiqiniso zikaJesu Kristu. Bamukela izinkolelo nemikhuba yamaqaba lapho bufuna abaphendukile, amandla nokuthandwa. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu abuvezanga amaKristu eqiniso, amukelekayo kuNkulunkulu nakuKristu, kodwa baveza amakholwa-mbumbulu, “ukhula” olungawufanelekeli uMbuso.—Mathewu 13:24-30.

Nokho, phakathi nalesi sikhathi sokuphela, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaJehova kunomkhankaso omkhulu wokubuyisela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Abantu bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke, kungakhathaliseki izizinda zabo ezingokwesiko, ezingokwenhlalo, noma ezingokwenkolo, bazama ukwenza ukuphila kwabo nezinkolelo kuvumelane nezindinganiso zeBhayibheli. Uma ufuna ukufunda okwengeziwe ngendlela yokukhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngomoya nangeqiniso,” siza uthintane noFakazi BakaJehova lapho uhlala khona. Bayokujabulela kakhulu ukukusiza ukuba unikele inkonzo engcwele eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, ngokusekelwe emandleni akho okucabanga nolwazi olunembile lweZwi lakhe. UPawulu wabhala: “Nginincenga ngobubele bukaNkulunkulu, bafowethu, ukuba nethule imizimba yenu ingumhlatshelo ophilayo, ongcwele, owamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, uyinkonzo engcwele ngamandla enu okucabanga. Futhi niyeke ukulolongwa nifane nalesisimiso sezinto, kodwa maniguqulwe ngokushintsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nizitholele ngokwenu intando kaNkulunkulu enhle neyamukelekayo nepheleleyo.” Futhi kwabaseKolose wathi: “Kusukela ngosuku esezwa ngalo ngakho, [asiyekanga] ukunithandazela futhi sicela ukuba nigcwale ulwazi olunembile ngentando yakhe kukho konke ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda okungokomoya, ukuze nihambe ngokufanele uJehova ngenjongo yokumjabulisa ngokugcwele njengoba niqhubeka nithela isithelo kuyo yonke imisebenzi emihle futhi nanda olwazini olunembile ngoNkulunkulu.”—Roma 12:1, 2; Kolose 1:9, 10.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Ukusetshenziswa Okungabazisayo KweParthenon

Ngemiyalo ephathelene nedolobha lase-Athens (438 C.E.), uMbusi uTheodosius II ‘owayengumKristu’ waqeda amasiko nezimfihlakalo zamaqaba, wavala amathempeli obuqaba. Ngemva kwalokho ayengase aguqulelwe ekubeni amasonto obuKristu. Okuwukuphela kwemfuneko yokuguqulwa kwethempeli ngokuphumelelayo kwakuwukuba lihlanjululwe ngokulifaka isiphambano!

Elinye lamathempeli okuqala aguqulwa kwakuyiParthenon. Kwenziwa ukulungisa okukhulu ukuze iParthenon ikufanelekele kahle ukusetshenziswa njengethempeli ‘lobuKristu.’ Kusukela ngo-869 C.E., yaba yisonto lombhishobhi lase-Athens. Ekuqaleni yayihlonishwa njengesonto ‘Lokuhlakanipha Okungcwele.’ Kungenzeka ukuthi lesi kwakuyisikhumbuzo esihlosiwe sokuthi “umnikazi” wokuqala waleli thempeli, u-Athena, wayewunkulunkulukazi wokuhlakanipha. Kamuva lanikezelwa ‘kuyiNkosazana Yethu Yase-Athens.’ Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka angu-8 lisetshenziswa ama-Orthodox, leli thempeli laguqulelwa ekubeni isonto lamaKatolika likaSt. Mary wase-Athens. Lokho “kushintshashintshwa” okungokwenkolo kweParthenon kwaqhubeka lapho abantu baseTurkey beyiguqulela ekubeni indawo yokukhulekela yamaSulumane ngekhulu le-15.

Namuhla iParthenon, ithempeli lasendulo labantu abangamaDorian elinikelwe ku-Athena Parthenos (“iNcasakazi”), unkulunkulukazi wamaGreki wokuhlakanipha, livakashelwa izinkulungwane zezihambeli zamazwe ngenxa yokuba kwalo nobuciko bobuchwepheshe bamaGreki bezokwakha.

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Isigodlo sezindela saseDaphni—enye indawo yokukhulekela yamaqaba ase-Athens yasendulo