Ingabe UJohane UMbhapathizi Wayekhona Ngempela?
Ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kukhuluma ngendoda okuthiwa uJohane uMbhapathizi, eyashumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu eJudiya. Ingabe umlando weBhayibheli wale ndoda unembile? Cabanga ngalokhu:
IBhayibheli lithi: “UJohane uMbhapathizi wafika eshumayela ehlane laseJudiya, ethi: “Phendukani ngoba uMbuso wamazulu ususondele.’” (Mathewu 3:1, 2) Ingabe imithombo yezwe ingawaqinisekisa la mazwi? Yebo.
Isazi-mlando sangekhulu lokuqala uFlavius Josephus sayichaza le ndoda okuthiwa “uJohane, eyayibizwa ngoMbhapathizi,” ‘eyakhuthaza amaJuda ukuba aphile ukuphila okulungile,’ “azinikele uNkulunkulu” nokuba “ahlanganyele obhapathizweni.”—I-Jewish Antiquities, Book XVIII.
IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi uJohane wamsola uHerode Antipase, owayengumbusi wesigodi saseGalile nasePhereya. UHerode wayemane engumJuda owayehlala ethi ungaphansi koMthetho kaMose. UJohane wamgxeka uHerode ngokushada nomkamfowabo uHerodiya. (Marku 6:18) Nalokhu kwaziswa kufakazelwa yimithombo yezwe.
Isazi-mlando uJosephus sathi u-Antipase “[wamthanda kakhulu] uHerodiya” futhi “wakhuluma naye ngendaba yokumshada.” UHerodiya wavuma futhi washiya umyeni wakhe ukuze ashade no-Antipase.
IBhayibheli libika ukuthi “abantu baseJerusalema nakulo lonke iJudiya nezwe lonke elizungeze iJordani baphuma baya [kuJohane] futhi wayebabhapathiza eMfuleni iJordani.”—Mathewu 3:5, 6.
UJosephus ngokufanayo uyayisekela le mininingwane ngokubhala ukuthi abantu beza “beyizixuku” bezobona uJohane wabhala nokuthi “izintshumayelo zakhe zabathinta izinhliziyo ngezinga elikhulu.”
Ngokusobala, isazi-mlando sangekhulu lokuqala uJosephus saqiniseka ukuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi wayengumuntu ongokoqobo. Nathi singaqiniseka ngalokho.