Isikhathi SikaKhisimusi—Sigxilephi?

ABANINGI babheka isikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane njengesikhathi sokuba nomndeni nabangane, isikhathi sokusondelana. Abanye abaningi basibheka njengesikhathi sokuzindla ngokuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu nangendima yakhe ekusindisweni kwesintu. ERussia, ngokungafani nakwamanye amazwe amaningi, abantu babengavumelekile ukugubha uKhisimusi. Nakuba abeSonto LaseRussia Lobu-Orthodox bewugubha ngokukhululekile, phakathi neminyaka eminingi yekhulu lama-20 babengavunyelwe. Kwashintshaphi?

Ngemva nje kokuvukela kwamaBolshevik angamaKhomanisi ngo-1917, iziphathi-mandla zaseSoviet zagxisha abantu umbono wokuthi uNkulunkulu akekho. Isikhathi sikaKhisimusi kanye nemicikilisho ethile ehambisana naso akuzange kusathandeka. UMbuso waqala umkhankaso wokuqeda ukugujwa kukaKhisimusi noNcibijane. Kwaze kwenziwa kwaba into eyaziwayo ukuthi izimpawu ezithile zikaKhisimusi ezazisetshenziswa kuleli zwe zenqatshelwe—njengesihlahla sikaKhisimusi noDed Moroz, noma uMkhulu Oyiqhwa, uFather Christmas waseRussia.

Ngo-1935 kwenzeka ushintsho olwayiguqula kakhulu indlela abantu baseRussia abagubha ngayo isikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane. AmaSoviet aphinde avusa uMkhulu Oyiqhwa, isihlahla sikaKhisimusi nokugujwa kukaNcibijane—kodwa kwaba noshintsho oluthile. UMkhulu Oyiqhwa wayezoletha izipho ngoNcibijane, hhayi ngoKhisimusi. Isihlahla sikaKhisimusi saqedwa kwaba nesihlahla sikaNcibijane! Ngakho lolu suku lwasho okuhlukile eSoviet Union. Eqinisweni uNcibijane wathathela uKhisimusi indawo.

Isikhathi sikaKhisimusi saba isikhathi senjabulo esingahlangene nhlobo nenkolo. Isihlahla sikaNcibijane sahlotshiswa ngemihlobiso yezwe ebonisa inqubekela-phambili yeSoviet Union, hhayi ngemihlobiso yenkolo. Iphephandaba laseRussia i-Vokrug Sveta (Emhlabeni Jikelele) liyachaza: “Umuntu angakwazi ukuhlehla afunde ngomlando waleli zwe lobuKhomanisi ngokubuka isihlahla sikaNcibijane esihlotshiswe ngezinto ezihlukahlukene zangenkathi yeSoviet. Ngaphezu kwezinto ezijwayelekile njengemifanekiso emincane yonogwaja, isihlahla sabe sesifakwa nezinto ezicwebezelayo zokuhlobisa, izinkwa eziyindilinga, imihlobiso engamasikela, izando kanye nogandaganda. Kamuva lezi zinto zasuswa kwafakwa imifanekiso emincane yabasebenza ezimayini, osomkhathi, imishini yokumba uwoyela, ama-rocket nezimoto ezincane ezisetshenziswa enyangeni.”

Kuthiwani ngoSuku LukaKhisimusi? Lwalungagujwa neze. Kunalokho, uhulumeni waseSoviet walwenza lwaba yinto engasho lutho ngokulwenza lube usuku oluvamile lokusebenza. Labo ababefisa ukulugubha ngendlela yenkolo babelugubha ekusithekeni, bezibeka engozini yokuzondwa uMbuso nokujeziswa. Yebo, eRussia yangekhulu leminyaka lama-20 isikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane sashintsha sangabe sisaba iholidi lenkolo kodwa saba umkhosi ongahlangene noNkulunkulu.

Ushintsho Lwamuva

Ngo-1991 iSoviet Union yawa, abantu bathola inkululeko enkudlwana. Saphela kanjalo isimiso soMbuso sokuthi abantu bakholelwe ukuthi uNkulunkulu akekho. Emibusweni emisha ehlukahlukene ezimele, iSonto alizange lisahlangana noMbuso. Abantu abaningi abathanda uNkulunkulu baba nomuzwa wokuthi base bengakwazi ukuphila ngokwezinkolelo zabo. Babona ukuthi enye indlela yokwenza lokhu ukugubha uKhisimusi ngendlela engokwenkolo. Nokho, kungakabiphi abaningi badumala. Ngani?

Unyaka ngamunye leli holidi liba isikhathi sokwenza imali. Yebo, njengaseNtshonalanga, abantu abakhiqiza izinto, abezimakethe nabathengisi basebenzisa lesi sikhathi sikaKhisimusi njengendlela ekahle kakhulu yokugaya imali. Ezitolo kugcwala imihlobiso kaKhisimusi, futhi umculo kaKhisimusi waseNtshonalanga owawungaziwa eRussia udlala udlaliwe. Abantu abathengisayo abaphatha izikhwama ezinkulukazi bathengisela abantu izintwana ezithile ezitimeleni nakwezinye izinto zokuhamba zomphakathi. Yilokho-ke okutholayo namuhla.

Ngisho nalabo abangaboni cala ekutheni kwenziwa imali ngalesi sikhathi sonyaka ingase ibakhathaze into evame ukwenzeka ngalesi sikhathi—ukudakwa kwabantu nemiphumela yako emibi. Udokotela osebenza egunjini labadinga usizo oluphuthumayo esibhedlela saseMoscow wachaza: “Njengodokotela, sazi kahle ukuthi imigidi yangoNcibijane isho ukuthi kuzoba nabantu abafika beshayiwe, belimele, begwaziwe, bedutshuliwe, abaningi belimele ngale ndlela ngenxa yobudlova ekhaya, ukudakwa nezingozi zezimoto.” Ilungu eliphakeme lesigele sososayensi beRussian Academy of Sciences lathi: “Selivele landa kakhulu inani labantu abafa ngenxa yotshwala. Ngonyaka ka-2000 kwakwedlulele. Inani labantu abazibulalayo nababulawayo nalo liyanda.”

Ngeshwa, ukuziphatha okunje phakathi nesikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane eRussia kubhebhetheka nangenxa yesinye isizathu. Ngaphansi kwesihloko esikhulu esithi “Abantu BaseRussia Bagubha UKhisimusi Kabili,” iphephandaba i-Izvestiya liyabika: “Cishe umuntu oyedwa kwabayishumi eRussia uwugubha kabili uKhisimusi. Njengoba isikhungo sezingqapheli iRussian Public Opinion and Market Research siye saphawula, amaphesenti angu-8 abantu okwakhulunywa nabo avuma ukuthi agubha uKhisimusi [ngo-December 25], ngokwekhalenda elibonisa uKhisimusi wamaKatolika, abese ephinda ngo-January 7, ngokwekhalenda lobu-Orthodox . . . Abanye abagubhi uKhisimusi ngezizathu zenkolo kodwa ngoba befuna nje ubumnandi.”a

Ingabe Okwenzeka NgoKhisimusi Namuhla Kubonisa Inhlonipho NgoKristu?

Kusobala ukuthi ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane kuvama kakhulu ukuziphatha uNkulunkulu angakuthandi. Nakuba kudumaza impela lokhu, abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi kufanele bagubhe la maholidi ngenxa yokuthi bahlonipha uNkulunkulu noKristu. Kuyinto encomekayo lapho abantu befisa ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu. Kodwa ingabe uNkulunkulu noKristu bayasijabulela isikhathi sikaKhisimusi? Ake uzwe ngemvelaphi yawo.

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umuntu unamuphi umbono ngesimo sengqondo sabantu baseSoviet ngoKhisimusi, kunzima ukuphikisa amaqiniso alandelayo angokomlando atholakala kuyi-Great Soviet Encyclopedia: “UKhisimusi . . . wathathelwa emkhubeni wangaphambi kobuKristu wokukhulekela onkulunkulu ‘abafa babuye bavuke,’ okwakuwumkhuba owawuvame kakhulu kubantu abangabalimi, ababegubha ‘ukuzalwa’ koMsindisi Ongunkulunkulu, ovuselela imvelo. Lokhu babekwenza minyaka yonke ngenkathi yangenjikalanga yasebusika kusukela ngo-December 21 kuya ku-December 25.”

Ungase ukuthole kuyinto ephawulekayo lokho okushiwo yile encyclopedia: “AmaKristu ayephila emakhulwini okuqala eminyaka ayengawugubhi uKhisimusi. . . . Kusukela phakathi nekhulu lesine leminyaka, amaKristu aqala ukugubha nenjikalanga yasebusika esuselwa ekukhulekelweni kukaMithra, akwenza kwaba umkhosi wobuKristu. Abantu bokuqala abagubha uKhisimusi kwakuyimiphakathi ekholwayo yaseRoma. Ngekhulu leshumi leminyaka, uKhisimusi kanye nobuKristu kwasakazeka eRussia futhi waxutshwa nemikhosi yasebusika yamaSlav asendulo akhonza amadlozi.”

Ungase ubuze, ‘IZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, lithini ngokuzalwa kukaJesu ngo-December 25?’ Empeleni iBhayibheli alilusho usuku uJesu azalwa ngalo, futhi akukho ndawo lapho uJesu ngokwakhe akhuluma khona ngalo, ingasaphathwa-ke eyokuthi kufanele lugujwe. Kodwa iBhayibheli liyasisiza sithole isikhathi sonyaka azalwa ngaso.

NgokweVangeli likaMathewu izahluko 26 no-27, uJesu wabulawa ngoNisani 14 ntambama ngePhasika lamaJuda elaliqale ngo-March 31, 33 C.E. EVangelini likaLuka sifunda ukuthi cishe uJesu wayeneminyaka engu-30 ubudala lapho ebhapathizwa futhi eqala inkonzo yakhe. (Luka 3:21-23) Leyo nkonzo yathatha iminyaka emithathu nengxenye. Ngakho cishe uJesu wayeneminyaka engu-33 nengxenye lapho efa. Ngo-October 1, 33 C.E. wayezoba neminyaka engu-34. ULuka ubika ukuthi ngesikhathi uJesu ezalwa, abelusi ‘babehleli ngaphandle belinde imihlambi yabo ebusuku.’ (Luka 2:8) Abelusi babengeke balinde imihlambi yabo ngaphandle emakhazeni ango-December, futhi eBhetlehema kungenzeka ukuthi lalikhithike nokukhithika. Kodwa babengayilinda cishe ngo-October 1, okuyisikhathi uJesu azalwa ngaso uma kucatshangelwa ubufakazi obukhona.

UNcibijane wona? Njengoba sesibonile, abantu baziphatha ngendlela ehlazisayo ngalolu suku. Naphezu kwemizamo yokuwuhlanganisa nenkolo, nawo unomsuka ongabazisayo.

Kusobala-ke ukuthi njengoba amaqiniso ahambisana nesikhathi sikaKhisimusi noNcibijane ebonisa, iziqubulo ezinjengesithi, uKhisimusi okaJesu azinangqondo neze. Uma kukuphatha kabi ukuthi isikhathi sikaKhisimusi siyisikhathi sokugaya imali nokuthi abantu baziphatha ngendlela engajabulisi, kuhlanganise nemisuka yobuqaba engathandeki ehambisana naleli holidi, ungadumazeki. Ikhona indlela efanele yokubonisa ukuthi siyamesaba uNkulunkulu nokuthi siyamhlonipha uKristu, ngesikhathi esifanayo siqinise izibopho zemindeni yethu.

Indlela Engcono Yokuhlonipha UNkulunkulu NoKristu

IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uJesu Kristu weza emhlabeni ukuze ‘anikele umphefumulo wakhe ube yisihlengo sabaningi.’ (Mathewu 20:28) Wavuma ukubulawa, wafela izono zethu ngokuzithandela. Abathile bangathanda ukubonisa ukuthi bayamhlonipha uKristu, babe nomuzwa wokuthi lokhu bangakwenza ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi. Kodwa njengoba sesibonile, uKhisimusi noNcibijane akuhlangene noKristu futhi ukugujwa kwako kunemisuka yobuqaba. Nakuba isikhathi sikaKhisimusi sibakhanga abanye, siyisikhathi sokugaya imali. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kumelwe sivume ukuthi iholidi likaKhisimusi lihlotshaniswa nokuziphatha okuhlazisayo okungamjabulisi uNkulunkulu noKristu.

Kufanele enzenjani-ke umuntu ofuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu? Kunokunamathela emasikweni abantu angase anelise imizwa ehambisana nenkolo kodwa angqubuzana nemiBhalo, umuntu oqotho uyofuna indlela efanele yokudumisa uNkulunkulu nokuhlonipha uKristu. Iyiphi indlela efanele, futhi kufanele senzeni?

UKristu ngokwakhe uyasitshela: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okuphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo omthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Yebo, umuntu oqotho ngempela ufuna ukufunda izindlela ezinembile zokudumisa uNkulunkulu nokuhlonipha uKristu. Ube eselusebenzisa nsuku zonke ekuphileni kwakhe ulwazi alutholile, hhayi nje ngesikhathi esithile onyakeni. Imizamo enjalo eqotho iyamjabulisa uNkulunkulu, futhi ingaholela ekuphileni okuphakade.

Ungathanda yini ukuba wena nomkhaya wakho nibe phakathi kwalabo abadumisa uNkulunkulu nabahlonipha uKristu ngendlela evumelana nemiBhalo? OFakazi BakaJehova sebesize izigidi zemikhaya emhlabeni wonke ukuba zibe nolwazi olubalulekile lweBhayibheli. Sikucela ukuba uthintane nabo endaweni yakini noma ubhalele ekhelini elifanele ekhasini 2 lalo magazini.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Umsuka Wokugujwa KukaNcibijane

Indela YaseGeorgia EngumOrthodox Ikhuluma Ngesibindi

“Iholidi likaNcibijane linomsuka wamaholidi obuqaba amaningi aseRoma yasendulo. Umhla ka-1 ku-January wawuba iholidi likankulunkulu wamaqaba uJanus, futhi le nyanga iqanjwe ngaye. Isithombe sikaJanus sasinobuso obubili obufulathelene, okwakusho ukuthi wayebona osekwadlula nokwenzeka manje. Abantu babevame ukuthi noma ubani owayenza usuku lokuqala lwenyanga ka-January lube mnandi, lujabulise futhi adle aphuze kakhulu wayeyoba nonyaka ojabulisayo nempilo enhle. Abantu bakithi abaningi bayayikholelwa le nkolelo-ze ngokuqondene noncibijane . . . Phakathi namaholidi athile obuqaba, abantu babenza imihlatshelo konkulunkulu. Abanye babedume kabi ngokudakwa, ngokuphinga nangobufebe. Ngokwesibonelo, ngezinye izikhathi babeminza bedakwa futhi beziphatha ngendlela engcolile ngazo zonke izindlela. Kumelwe sonke sivume ukuthi siye saba nengxenye emikhosini yobuqaba uma sikhumbula ukuthi nathi ngokwethu sasiwugubha kanjani uNcibijane.”—Iphephandaba laseGeorgia

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

ELobukholwa laqala ukukhulekela noMithra

[Umthombo]

Museum Wiesbaden

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Akunakwenzeka ukuthi abelusi babengaphandle nemihlambi yabo emakhazeni angenyanga ka-December