Qaphela Ubusimoni!
USIMONI waseSamariya wayehlonishwa kakhulu emphakathini ayehlala phakathi kwawo. Wayephila ngekhulu lokuqala leminyaka C.E., futhi abantu babethatheka ngenxa yemilingo ayeyenza kangangokuthi babethi ngaye: “Lomuntu ungaMandla kaNkulunkulu, angase abizwe ngokuthi amaKhulu.”—IzEnzo 8:9-11.
Nokho, ngemva kokuba uSimoni ebe umKristu obhapathiziwe, waphawula amandla angaphezulu kakhulu kwalawo ayewabonisa ngaphambili. Kwakungamandla ayenikezwe abaphostoli bakaJesu, ayebenza bakwazi ukunika abanye izipho ezimangalisayo zomoya ongcwele. USimoni wahlabeka umxhwele kangangokuthi wathembisa ukunikeza abaphostoli imali futhi wacela: “Nami nginikeni leligunya, ukuze kuthi noma ubani engibeka izandla zami phezu kwakhe amukele umoya ongcwele.”—IzEnzo 8:13-19.
Umphostoli uPetru wamkhuza uSimoni, ethi: “Kwangathi isiliva lakho lingabhubha kanye nawe, ngoba ucabange ukusithola ngemali isipho samahhala sikaNkulunkulu. Awunangxenye nasabelo kulendaba, ngoba inhliziyo yakho ayiqondile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.”—IzEnzo 8:20, 21.
Kukulokhu kulandisa kweBhayibheli lapho kuvela khona igama elithi ‘ubusimoni [simony]’ eliye lachazwa ngokuthi “isono sokuthenga noma ukuthengisa izikhundla noma ukutuselwa ezikhundleni eziphezulu esontweni.” I-New Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma ukuthi kusukela ikakhulukazi ekhulwini lesi-9 kuya kwele-11 “ubusimoni babugcwele ezigodlweni zezindela, kubefundisi abasezikhundleni eziphansi, kubabhishobhi, ngisho nakopapa.” Uhlelo lwesi-9 lwe-Encyclopædia Britannica (lwango-1878) luyaphawula: “Ukufunda umlando wemihlangano yangasese yoPapa kushiya umfundi eqiniseka ukuthi alukho ukhetho olwake lwenziwa olungangcolisiwe ubusimoni, kuyilapho ezimweni eziningi, izenzo zobusimoni emihlanganweni yangasese ziye zaba sobala kakhulu, zaba ezihlazisa kakhulu, zaba ezohlobo olubonakala kalula kakhulu.”
AmaKristu eqiniso namuhla kumelwe aqaphele ubusimoni. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bangase babatuse ngokweqile noma babaphe izipho eziningi labo abangabanika amalungelo engeziwe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, labo abanganikeza amalungelo anjalo bangase bathande labo abakwaziyo—nabavame ukuba magange—ukubapha izipho eziningi. Zombili lezi zimo zihilela ubusimoni, futhi imiBhalo iyilahla ngokusobala inkambo enjalo. UPetru wanxusa uSimoni: “Ngakho-ke, phenduka kulobububi bakho, futhi unxuse uJehova ukuba, uma kungenzeka, uthethelelwe icebo lenhliziyo yakho [“leli qhinga lakho,” New Jerusalem Bible]; ngoba ngiyabona ukuthi uyinyongo enobuthi nesibopho sokungalungi.”—IzEnzo 8:22, 23.
Ngokujabulisayo, uSimoni wabona ukuthi isifiso sakhe sasisibi kangakanani. Wancenga abaphostoli: “Nginxuseleni nina kuJehova ukuba kungabikho neyodwa ezintweni enizishilo engehlelayo.” (IzEnzo 8:24) Eqaphela isifundo esibalulekile esikulokhu kulandisa, amaKristu eqiniso alwela ukugwema noma ikuphi ukungcoliswa ubusimoni.