Ukuhlola Izici Zetshe LikaNkulunkulu Eliyigugu—IBhayibheli!

NGO-1867 umlimi waseNingizimu Afrika othiwa uSchalk van Niekerk wayebuka abantwana bedlala ngamatshe. Wakhangwa ngelinye elalicwebezela futhi lilihle ngokukhethekile. “Ungalithatha, uma ulifuna,” kusho unina walezingane. Nokho, uvan Niekerk wathumela lelitshe kumuntu oyisazi sesayensi yezinto ezembiwa phansi ukuze alihlole. Abantwana abazange baqaphele ukuthi babedlala ngedayimane elikhulu elibiza uR2 400!

Ingabe kungenzeka ukuthi nawe unetshe eliyigugu kodwa awuqapheli? Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi banalo iBhayibheli, njengamanje lithengiswa kakhulu ukwedlula zonke izincwadi, litholakala lilonke noma izingxenye zalo ngezilimi ezingaphezu kwezingu-1 900. Nokho, abantu abaningi abakaze balifunde iBhayibheli futhi ngalokho kuncane abakwaziyo ngelikuqukethe.

IBhayibheli lithi ‘liphefumlelwe uNkulunkulu’ futhi ngalokho liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. (2 Thimothewu 3:16; qhathanisa neyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:13.) Liyinto eyigugu kakhulu isintu esinayo. Ngalo, sifunda indlela yokuthola okungcono kakhulu ekuphileni manje, futhi okubaluleke nangaphezulu, indlela yokuzuza ukuphila okuphakade! (Johane 17:3, 17) Ingabe ikhona into engaba yigugu ngaphezu kwaleyo?

Nokho, ukuze umuntu aqonde lelitshe eliyigugu kanye nazo zonke izici zalo, kumelwe ajwayelane nalo. Uma uqala ukucabanga ngakho, lokhu kungase kubonakale kunzima. Kakade, iBhayibheli liyiqoqo lezincwadi ezingu-66 ezihlukene. Ziquketheni lezozincwadi? Ingabe sikhona isizathu sokuhlelwa kwazo ngendlela ezibekwe ngayo? Uma kunjalo, umuntu angazithola kanjani izindima ezithile eBhayibhelini?

Ukujwayelana neBhayibheli kuyinselele. Kodwa njengetshe langempela eliyigugu, iBhayibheli linokuvumelana nokuhleleka. Singakubona lokho uma sicabangela kafushane elikuqukethe.

ImiBhalo YesiHeberu—Ikhomba KuKristu

IBhayibheli ngokuvamile lihlukaniswa ngokuthi “iTestamente Elidala” nangokuthi “iTestamente Elisha.” Nokho, lawa ngamagama angafanelekile asikisela ukuthi “iTestamente Elidala” liphelelwe isikhathi futhi alibalulekile kangako. Igama elifaneleke kakhulu laleyongxenye yemiBhalo kungaba ngelithi imiBhalo YesiHeberu, njengoba lengxenye ekuqaleni yayilotshwe ngokuyinhloko ngolimi lwesiHeberu. “ITestamente Elisha” lalotshwa ngesiGreki ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E.; ngakho, libizwa ngokufaneleke kakhulu ngokuthi imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki.

Incwadi yokuqala yeBhayibheli, UGenesise, iqala eminyakeni eyizigidigidi edlule lapho uNkulunkulu edala izulu nomhlaba futhi kamuva eqala ukulungiselela umhlaba ukuba ube indawo yokuhlala umuntu. Umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu udalwa uphelele; nokho, ukhetha inkambo yesono, eba nemiphumela eyinhlekelele enzalweni yawo. Nokho, njengetshe eliyigugu elibonakala ekukhanyeni okulufifi, iBhayibheli linikeza inhlansi yethemba ngesintu esiwile: “imbewu” ekugcineni eyoqeda imiphumela yesono nokufa. (Genesise 3:15, qhathanisa neNW.) Ubani oyoba yileMbewu? UGenesise uqala ukulandelela uhlu lozalo lwaleMbewu ezayo, egxila ekuphileni kwabanye okhokho abathembekile baleMbewu, abanjengoAbrahama, uIsaka noJakobe.

UEksodusi ngokulandelayo uchaza ukuzalwa kukaMose. Ngezindlela eziningi ukuphila kukaMose kufanekisela okwaleyoMbewu ezayo. Ngemva kwezinhlupho eziyishumi, uIsrayeli uqala ukuFuduka (exodus) okukhulu ephuma eGibithe futhi umiswa njengesizwe sikaNkulunkulu esikhethiwe eNtabeni yaseSinayi. ULevitikusi, njengoba igama libonisa, uveza imiyalo kaNkulunkulu yobupristi bamaLevi kwaIsrayeli. UNumeri ulandisa ngezenzakalo lapho amaIsrayeli ayebalwa khona nangezenzakalo ezenzeka phakathi nokuhlala kukaIsrayeli ehlane. Futhi manje, njengoba eselungele ukungena eZweni Lesithembiso, uIsrayeli umukela ukunxusa kukaMose kokugcina. Lena indaba ekuDuteronomi. Ebhekisela eMbewini ezayo, uMose unxusa isizwe ukuba silalele ‘umprofethi uNkulunkulu ayomvusa.’—Duteronomi 18:15.

Kulandela izincwadi ezilandisa ngomlando. Lezi ngokuyinhloko zihlelwe ngokwezikhathi izenzakalo ezenzeke ngazo. UJoshuwa uchaza ukunqotshwa nokuhlukaniswa kweZwe Lesithembiso. AbAhluleli balandisa izenzakalo eziphawulekayo ezenzeka eminyakeni eyalandela ngenkathi uIsrayeli ebuswa uchungechunge lwabahluleli. URuthe ulandisa ngowesifazane owesaba uNkulunkulu, ophila enkathini yabAhluleli futhi oba nelungelo lokuba ukhokhokazi kaJesu Kristu.

Nokho, inkathi yokubusa kwabahluleli iyaphela. USamuweli Wokuqala ulandisa ngokubusa okuyinhlekelele kwenkosi yokuqala yakwaIsrayeli, uSawule, njengoba kubonakala ngamehlo omprofethi uSamuweli. USamuweli Wesibili uchaza ukubusa okuphumelelayo kukaDavide, owalandela uSawule esikhundleni. Khona-ke AmaKhosi Okuqala naweSibili asisusa ekubuseni okukhazimulayo kukaSolomoni asiyisa ekuthunjweni okudabukisayo kwaseBabiloni kwesizwe samaIsrayeli ngo-607 B.C.E. IziKronike Zokuqala nezeSibili zifingqa lomlando njengoba ubhekwa ngombono wesizwe esibuyile sivela kulokhu kuthunjwa. Okokugcina, UEzra, UNehemiya noEsteri bachaza indlela amaIsrayeli abuyiselwa ngayo ezweni lakubo nangomunye womlando wawo owalandela.

Kulandela izincwadi ezisankondlo, eziqukethe ezinye zezinkondlo ezimnandi kakhulu kwezake zabhalwa. UJobe unikeza umfanekiso ovusa amadlingozi wobuqotho ngaphansi kokuhlupheka kanye nomvuzo wakho. Incwadi yamaHubo iqukethe izingoma zokudumisa uJehova nemithandazo yokucela umusa nosizo. Lokhu kuye kwaduduza izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziningi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaHubo aneziprofetho eziningi ezisikhanyisela ngokwengeziwe ngoMesiya ozayo. Incwadi yezAga neyomShumayeli zembula izici zokuhlakanipha kwaphezulu ngezisho esimfushane, kuyilapho IsiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo siyinkondlo yothando ezedlula zonke enencazelo ejulile engokwesiprofetho.

Izincwadi ezingu-17 ezilandelayo—kusukela kuIsaya kuya kuMalaki—ngokuyinhloko ziyiziprofetho. Zonke, ngaphandle kweSililo, zibizwa ngegama lomlobi. Eziningi zaleziprofetho seziye zagcwaliseka ngokuphawulekayo. Zikhomba nasezenzakalweni ezingumvuthwandaba osukwini lwethu nasesikhathini esizayo esingekude.

Ngakho imiBhalo YesiHeberu inikeza ukwehlukahluka esimweni sendaba nasendleleni yokubhala. Nokho, yonke inomongo owodwa. Iziprofetho zayo, izinhlu zozalo nezenzakalo eziphawulekayo zikhazimula ngokuhlakanipha okuwusizo nangencazelo engokwesiprofetho.

ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki—Imbewu Iyavela

Sekuphele iminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezine umuntu ewele esonweni. Ngokushesha emhlabeni kuvela iMbewu osekukade ilindelwe, uMesiya, uJesu! ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ilandisa ngenkonzo yalomuntu ovelele emlandweni wesintu ezincwadini ezine ezihlukene kodwa eziphelelisanayo, ezibizwa ngokuthi amaVangeli. Lezi uMathewu, uMarku, uLuka noJohane.

Yeka ukuthi lokhu kulandisa okune kwamaVangeli kuyigugu kanjani kumaKristu! Kulandisa ngezimangaliso zikaJesu ezimangalisayo, imifanekiso yakhe enengqondo, iNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni, isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka, isihawu sakhe nokumlalela kwakhe okusobala uYise, uthando lwakhe ‘ngezimvu’ zakhe, futhi okokugcina ukufa kwakhe komhlatshelo nokuvuswa okukhazimulayo. Ukufunda ngamaVangeli kwakha uthando olujulile kithi ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, sisondezwa eduze kwalowo owathumela uKristu—uJehova uNkulunkulu. Lokhu kulandisa kukufanele ukufundwa ngokuphindaphindiwe.

IzEnzo Zabaphostoli ziqhubeka lapho amaVangeli agcine khona. Zilandisa ngeminyaka yokuqala yebandla lobuKristu kusukela ezinsukwini zePentekoste kuya ekuboshweni kukaPawulu eRoma ngo-61 C.E. Kulencwadi, sifunda ngoStefanu, umfel’ ukholo wokuqala ongumKristu, ukuguquka kukaSawule, kamuva oba nguPawulu umphostoli, ukungeniswa kwabeZizwe bokuqala abaguqukile nangohambo lukaPawulu oluthakazelisayo lobuvangeli. Lokhu kulandisa kuvusa amadlingozi futhi kwakha ukholo.

Manje kulandela izincwadi ezingamashumi amabili nanye. Ezokuqala ezingu-14, ezibhalwe nguPawulu, zethiwe ngamaKristu noma amabandla ayezibhalelwe; zonke ezinye zethiwe ngabalobi bazo—uJakobe, uPetru, uJohane noJuda. Yeka ukuthi lezincwadi ziqukethe ingcebo engakanani yesiyalo nesikhuthazo! Zikhuluma ngemfundiso nokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho. Zisiza amaKristu ukuba ahlale ehlukile endaweni embi okumelwe aphile kuyo. Zigcizelela isidingo sokuhlakulela uthando lobuzalwane nezinye izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Zibeka isibonelo sokuhlelwa okufanele kwebandla, ngaphansi kokuhola kwamadoda amadala angokomoya.

Njengoba imiBhalo YesiHeberu iphetha ngesiprofetho, nemiBhalo YesiGreki yenza kanjalo. IsAmbulo, esalotshwa umphostoli uJohane cishe ngo-96 C.E., sihlanganisa ndawonye imicu yesiprofetho nesihloko esikhulu seBhayibheli—ukungcweliswa kwegama likaJehova ngoMbuso wakhe wobuMesiya. Uchungechunge lwemibono lubonisa ngomfanekiso ukubhujiswa kwemibuso engokwenkolo, yezempi neyezombangazwe yesimiso sikaSathane esonakele. Lena ithathelwa indawo umuzi kaKristu wobukhosi, ophendulela ukunakekela kwawo ekuphathweni kwezindaba zomhlaba. Ngaphansi kokubusa kwaloMbuso, uNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuthi ‘uzokwesula zonke izinyembezi, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona.’—IsAmbulo 21:4.

Khona-ke, ingabe kukhona ukungabaza ngokuqondene nokuthi iBhayibheli liyitshe eliyigugu elingenaphutha, elibonisa ukukhanya kwaphezulu? Uma ungakaze ulifunde lonke, kungani ungaqali ukwenze njalo manje? Kuzokukhanga ukuvumelana kwalo, uzokhanyiswa ukukhanya kwalo, ushukunyiswe ubuhle balo, futhi uhlabeke umxhwele yisigijimi salo. Ngempela ‘liyisipho esihle esivela kuBaba wokukhanya kwasezulwini.’—Jakobe 1:17.

[Ishadi ekhasini 28, 29]

UHLU LWEZINCWADI ZEBHAYIBHELI

Lubonisa umlobi, indawo ezalotshelwa kuyo, isikhathi sokuqedwa kokulotshwa, kanye nesikhathi esihlanganiswa izenzakalo zencwadi.

Amagama abalobi bezinye izincwadi nawezindawo ezalotshelwa kuzo awaqinisekile. Iminyaka eminingi imane nje iyelele, uphawu a. lusho ukuthi “ngemva,” ub. usho ukuthi “ngaphambi,” futhi uc. usho ukuthi “kungaba,” noma “cishe.”

Izincwadi ZemiBhalo YesiHeberu (B.C.E.)

UEksodusi UMose Ehlane 1512 1657-1512

UEzra UEzra EJerusalema c. ngo-460 537-c. ku-467

UmShumayeli USolomoni EJerusalema b. kuka-1000

UHezekeli UHezekeli EBabiloni c. ngo-591 613-c. ku-591

UDaniyeli UDaniyeli EBabiloni c. ngo-536 618-c. ku-536

UJoweli UJoweli KwaJuda c. ngo-820 (?)

UAmose UAmose KwaJuda c. ngo-804

UObadiya UObadiya c. ngo-607

UJona UJona c. ngo-844

UMika UMika KwaJuda b. kuka-717 c. u-777-717

UNahume UNahume KwaJuda b. kuka-632

UHabakuki UHabakuki KwaJuda c. ngo-628 (?)

UZefaniya UZefaniya KwaJuda b. kuka-648

UZakariya UZakariya EJerusalema 518 520-518

UMalaki UMalaki EJerusalema a. kuka-443

Izincwadi ZemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki (C.E.)

UMarku UMarku ERoma c. ngo-60-65 29-33 C.E.

AbaseRoma UPawulu EKorinte c. ngo-56

1 Korinte UPawulu E-Efesu c. ngo-55

2 Korinte UPawulu EMakedoniya c. ngo-55

Abase-Efesu UPawulu ERoma c. ngo-60-61

AbaseFilipi UPawulu ERoma c. ngo-60-61

AbaseKolose UPawulu ERoma c. ngo-60-61

1 Thimothewu UPawulu EMakedoniya c. ngo-61-64

2 Thimothewu UPawulu ERoma c. ngo-65

KuFilemoni UPawulu ERoma c. ngo-60-61

AmaHeberu UPawulu ERoma c. ngo-61

1 Petru UPetru EBabiloni c. ngo-62-64