Ukukhanya Kuqeda Inkathi Yobumnyama
IZWE langesikhathi sikaJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe lalihluke kakhulu kwelangezikhathi zemiBhalo YesiHeberu. Bengakuqapheli lokhu, abafunda iBhayibheli bangase bacabange ukuthi isimo esingokwenhlalo nesingokwenkolo sangesikhathi somprofethi uMalaki siqhubeka kuze kube sesikhathini somlobi weVangeli uMathewu, bekungaqondi okwenzeka phakathi neminyaka engu-400 ebahlukanisayo.
Incwadi kaMalaki, okuyincwadi yokugcina yemiBhalo YesiHeberu emaBhayibhelini amaningi osuku lwanamuhla, iphetha lapho insali yakwa-Israyeli isibuyele ezweni lakubo ngemva kokukhululwa ekuthunjweni eBabiloni. (Jeremiya 23:3) AmaJuda azinikele akhuthazwa ukuba alindele usuku lukaNkulunkulu lokwahlulela olwaluzosusa ububi ezweni futhi lungenise iNkathi YobuMesiya. (Malaki 4:1, 2) Phakathi naleso sikhathi, kwakubusa iPheresiya. Amabutho asePheresiya ayehlala kwaJuda agcina ukuthula futhi asekela imiyalo yasebukhosini ngamandla ezempi.—Qhathanisa no-Ezra 4:23.
Nokho, amazwe aseBhayibhelini ashintsha phakathi namakhulu eminyaka amane alandela. Ubumnyama nokudideka okungokomoya kwaqala ukungena ngesinyenyela. IMpumalanga Eseduze yazanyazanyiswa ubudlova, ubushokobezi, ukucindezelwa, ukucabanga okungokwenkolo okuhlukile, ifilosofi yokucabangela, nokudideka okubangelwa amasiko.
Incwadi kaMathewu, okuyincwadi yokuqala yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki, yabhalwa enkathini ehlukile. Amabutho aseRoma angenisa ngenkani i-Pax Romana, noma uKuthula KwaseRoma. Abantu abahlonipha uNkulunkulu babekulindele ngokulangazela ukufika kukaMesiya ezoqeda ukuhlupheka, ubushiqela, nobumpofu, futhi enze ukuphila, ukuchuma, nokuthula kukhanye. (Qhathanisa noLuka 1:67-79; 24:21; 2 Thimothewu 1:10.) Ake sihlole izimbangela ezinkulu zokushintsha kwesimo somphakathi wamaJuda emakhulwini eminyaka andulela ukuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu.
Ukuphila KwamaJuda Ngezikhathi ZamaPheresiya
Ngemva kwesimemezelo sikaKoresi esakhulula amaJuda ekuthunjweni eBabiloni, ngo-537 B.C.E., iqembu lamaJuda nababenawo abangemaJuda laphuma eBabiloni. Lensali esabelayo ngokomoya yabuyela ezweni elalinemizi ecekelwe phansi neliyincithakalo. Indawo ka-Israyeli eyayikade ingudedangendlale yayisithathwe abakwa-Edomi, abaseFenike, amaSamariya, izizwana zama-Arabhu, nabanye. Ingxenye kaJuda noBenjamini eyayisele yaba isifundazwe sakwaJuda embusweni wamaPheresiya owawubizwa ngokuthi i-Abar Nahara (Phesheya KoMfula).—Ezra 1:1-4; 2:64, 65.
Ngaphansi kokubusa kwePheresiya, uJuda waqala ukuba ‘nenkathi yokudlondlobala nokukhula kwenani labantu,’ kusho i-Cambridge History of Judaism. Iqhubeka ithi ngeJerusalema: “Abantukazana nezihambi zaziletha izipho, iThempeli nomuzi kwaceba, futhi umcebo wabo waheha abathengisi nezingcweti zakwamanye amazwe.” Nakuba abasePheresiya babewuvumela uhulumeni nenkolo yendawo, intela yayimba eqolo futhi yayikhokhwa ngamatshe ayigugu kuphela.—Qhathanisa noNehemiya 5:1-5, 15; 9:36, 37; 13:15, 16, 20.
Iminyaka yokugcina yoMbuso wamaPheresiya yayinesiyaluyalu esikhulu, iphawulwa ukuvukela kwababusi. AmaJuda amaningi ayengasoGwini lwaseMedithera ahileleka ekuvukeleni abe esedingiselwa enyakatho ekude, eHyrcania eCaspian Sea. Nokho, kubonakala sengathi ukusabela kwePheresiya ngokukhipha isijeziso akuzange kuyithinte ingxenye enkulu kaJuda.
Inkathi YamaGreki
Ngo-332 B.C.E., u-Alexander Omkhulu wagxumela iMpumalanga Ephakathi njengengwe, kodwa izinto ezivela eGreece zase zithandwa kakade ngisho nangaphambi kwesikhathi sakhe. (Daniyeli 7:6) Eqaphela ukuthi impucuko yamaGreki yayisiza ngokwezombangazwe, ngamabomu waqala ukuguqulela umbuso wakhe owawanda ebuGrekini. IsiGreki saba ulimi lomhlaba wonke. Ukubusa kuka-Alexander kwesikhashana kwabhebhethekisa uthando lwezimpikiswano zobuqili, ukushisekela ezemidlalo, nokwazisa izinto ezinhle. Kancane kancane, ngisho namasiko amaJuda anqotshwa ukuguqukela ebuGrekini.
Ngemva kokufa kuka-Alexander ngo-323 B.C.E., abamlandela e-Aramu naseGibithe baba abokuqala ukufeza izindima umprofethi uDaniyeli azibiza ngokuthi “inkosi yaseningizimu” “nenkosi yasenyakatho.” (Daniyeli 11:1-19) Phakathi nokubusa ‘kwenkosi yaseningizimu’ yaseGibithe, uPtolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.E.), imiBhalo YesiHeberu yaqala ukuhunyushelwa kuyisiKoine, isiGreki esivamile. Lenguqulo yabizwa ngokuthi i-Septuagint. Amavesi amaningi alenguqulo acashunwa emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki. Ulimi lwesiGreki lwabonakala luphumelela kakhulu ekudluliseleni amazinga ahlukahlukene omqondo anikeza ukukhanyiselwa ezweni elididekile nelimnyama ngokomoya.
Ngemva kokuba u-Antiochus IV Epiphanes ebe inkosi yase-Aramu nombusi wasePalestina (175-164 B.C.E.), inkolo yobuJuda yacishe yaqedwa ushushiso olwalusekelwa uhulumeni. Ngokusongelwa ngokufa, amaJuda aphoqwa ukuba alahle uJehova uNkulunkulu nokuba enze imihlatshelo konkulunkulu bamaGreki kuphela. Ngo-December 168 B.C.E., kwakhiwa i-altare lamaqaba phezu kwe-altare elikhulu likaJehova ethempelini laseJerusalema, futhi kwenziwa kulo imihlatshelo kuZeus wase-Olympus. Amadoda asemaphandleni ayeshaqekile kodwa enesibindi abuthana ngaphansi kokuhola kukaJudas Maccabaeus alwa impi eshubile kwaze kwaba yilapho ezuza iJerusalema. Ithempeli lanikezelwa kabusha kuNkulunkulu, futhi ngemva kweminyaka emithathu egcwele lingcolisiwe, iminikelo yansuku zonke yavuselelwa.
Phakathi nenkathi yamaGreki esele, abomphakathi wamaJuda bafuna ngendlov’ iyangena ukunweba indawo yabo ifike emingceleni yayo yasendulo. Ubuqhawe babo empini ababesanda kubuthola basetshenziswa ngendlela engenakho ukuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngokuphoqa omakhelwane babo abangamaqaba ukuba baphenduke uma babengafuni ukufa. Noma kunjalo, inkolelo-mbono yezombangazwe yamaGreki yaqhubeka ibusa amadolobha namadolobhana.
Phakathi nalesi sikhathi, ababebanga ukuba abapristi abakhulu ngokuvamile babonakele. Izikhundla zabo zazingcoliswe amaqhinga, ukubulala, nobuqili bezombangazwe. Njengoba umoya wokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu wawanda phakathi kwamaJuda, imidlalo yamaGreki yathandwa ngisho nakakhulu. Yeka indlela okwakumangaza ngayo ukubona abapristi abasebasha bedebesela imisebenzi yabo ukuze bahlanganyele kulemidlalo! Abadlali abangamaJuda babeze bavume ukuhlinzwa okubuhlungu ukuze babe ‘abangasokile’ kanjalo bagweme ukuphoxeka lapho bencintisana nabeZizwe behamba-ze.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 7:18.
Izinguquko Ezingokwenkolo
Eminyakeni yokuqala yangemva kokudingiswa, amaJuda athembekile amelana nokuxutshwa kwemiqondo namafilosofi obuqaba nenkolo yeqiniso eyayembulwe emiBhalweni YesiHeberu. Incwadi ka-Esteri, eyabhalwa ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwengu-60 yokusebenzelana eduze nePheresiya, ayinawo umkhondo wobuZoroastrian. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akukho thonya lalenkolo yasePheresiya elitholakala ezincwadini zeBhayibheli zika-Ezra, uNehemiya, noma uMalaki, zonke ezabhalwa phakathi nengxenye yokuqala yenkathi yamaPheresiya (537-443 B.C.E.).
Nokho, izazi zikholelwa ukuthi phakathi nengxenye yokugcina yenkathi yamaPheresiya, amaJuda amaningi aqala ukwamukela eminye yemibono yabakhulekeli baka-Ahura Mazda, unkulunkulu wasePheresiya oyinhloko. Lokhu kuyavela kuzinkolelo-ze nezinkolelo ezithandwayo zama-Essene. Ezingqondweni zamaJuda, amagama esiHeberu avamile asho izimpungushe, nezinye izilwane zasogwadule, nezinyoni ezihamba ebusuku aqala ukuhlotshaniswa nemimoya emibi nezilwane zasebusuku zezinganekwane zaseBabiloni nasePheresiya.
AmaJuda aqala ukubheka imibono yobuqaba ngamanye amehlo. Imiqondo yezulu, isihogo, umphefumulo, uLizwi (Logos), nokuhlakanipha yonke yaba nezincazelo ezintsha. Futhi uma uNkulunkulu ayekude kangangokuthi wayengasakhulumisani nabantu, njengoba kwakufundiswa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi, wayedinga abameleli. AmaGreki ayebiza lemimoya engabameleli nabaqaphi ngokuthi ama-daimon. Njengoba ayeye amukela umbono wokuthi ama-daimon (amademoni) ayengaba mahle noma abe mabi, amaJuda avulekela kalula ekulawuleni kwamademoni.
Inguquko eyakhayo yayihilela ukukhulekela kwendawo. Kwaqhibuka amasinagoge aba izindawo lapho amabandla endawo amaJuda ayehlangana khona ukuze amukele futhi abambe izinkonzo ezingokwenkolo. Ukuthi amasinagoge amaJuda aqala nini ngokuqondile, kuphi, futhi kanjani akwaziwa. Njengoba ayenelisa izidingo zokukhulekela zamaJuda asemazweni akude lapho ayengeke akwazi ukuya ethempelini, abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi amasinagoge asungulwa ezikhathini zokudingiswa noma ngemva kwazo. Ngokuphawulekayo, aba izinkundla ezinhle zokuba uJesu nabafundi bakhe ‘bamemezele kabanzi ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu, lowo obiza abantu baphume ebumnyameni bangene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.’—1 Petru 2:9.
Inkolo YobuJuda Yamukela Amaqembu Ezinkolelo Ezihlukahlukene
Ekhulwini lesibili B.C.E., kwaqala ukuvela amaqembu ezinkolelo ezihlukahlukene. Ayengezona izinhlangano zenkolo ezihlukile. Kunalokho, ayeyizinhlangano ezincane zabefundisi, izazi zefilosofi, nabashisekeli bezombangazwe abangamaJuda ababefuna ukuthonya abantu nokulawula isizwe, ngaphansi kwesigubuzelo senkolo yobuJuda.
Ngokuyinhloko abaSadusi ababethambekele kwezombangazwe babeyizikhulu ezinothile, baziwa ngokuhlakanipha kwabo ekusingatheni izimo kusukela ekuvukeleni kwamaHasmonaean phakathi nekhulu lesibili leminyaka B.C.E. Abaningi babo babengabapristi, nakuba abanye babengosomabhizinisi nabanikazi bezindawo. Ngesikhathi uJesu ezalwa, abaSadusi abaningi babethanda ukubusa kwamaRoma iPalestina ngoba babecabanga ukuthi kwakuzinze kakhudlwana futhi cishe kwakuyolondoloza isimo esasikhona. (Qhathanisa noJohane 11:47, 48.) Isigaba esiphansi (abalandeli bakaHerode) sasikholelwa ukuthi ukubusa komkhaya kaHerode kwakuyofanelana kangcono nombono wesizwe. Nakuba kunjalo, abaSadusi babengafuni ukuba isizwe siphathwe amaJuda ashiseka ngokweqile noma ukuba kube khona noma ubani olawula ithempeli ngaphandle kwabapristi. Izinkolelo zabaSadusi zaziyisidala, zisekelwe ngokuyinhloko encazelweni yabo yemibhalo kaMose, futhi zibonisa ukuphikisana kwabo nehlelo elinamanda labaFarisi. (IzEnzo 23:6-8) AbaSadusi babenqaba iziprofetho zemiBhalo YesiHeberu njengeziwukucabangela. Babefundisa ukuthi izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziwumlando, izinkondlo, neziyizaga zazingaphefumulelwe futhi zazingadingekile.
AbaFarisi baqala ukuba khona phakathi nenkathi yamaGreki besabela ngokunamandla ekuguqulelweni ebuGrekini okwakumelene nobuJuda. Nokho, ngosuku lukaJesu, babenenkani, beboshwe amasiko, bethanda imithetho, beqhosha, bengabashumayeli nabafundisi abazenza abalungile ababefuna ukulawula isizwe ngokufundisa emasinagogeni. Babevela ikakhulukazi esigabeni sabantu esiphakathi futhi bedelela abantu abavamile. UJesu wayebheka abaFarisi abaningi njengabathandi bemali ababezifunela okwabo, abangenasihe, ababegcwele ubuzenzisi. (Mathewu, isahluko 23) Babamukela yonke imiBhalo YesiHeberu bese beyichaza ngendlela yabo kodwa benza amasiko abo adluliselwa ngomlomo abaluleka ngokulinganayo noma ngaphezu kwayo. Babethi amasiko abo ‘ayewuthango olubiyela uMthetho.’ Nokho, esikhundleni sokuba uthango, amasiko abo enza iZwi likaNkulunkulu laba ize futhi adida abantu.—Mathewu 23:2-4; Marku 7:1, 9-13.
Ama-Essene ayengabantu abangaqondakali, ngokusobala ababehlala emiphakathini embalwa engayodwa. Ayezibheka njengensali yeqiniso ka-Israyeli, ekulindele ngobumsulwa ukwamukela uMesiya othenjisiwe. Ama-Essene ayephila ukuphila kokuzindla kokuzincisha okungokwenkolo, futhi eziningi zezinkolelo zawo zazibonisa imiqondo yamaPheresiya namaGreki.
AmaZealot ezinhlobo eziningana ayeshisekela izwe lawo, ayeshukunyiswa inkolo, ayebulala wonke umuntu ayembheka njengesitha owayegxambukela embusweni wamaJuda owawuzimele. Aye afaniswa namaHasmonaean futhi ayethandwa kakhulu yizinsizwa ezifisa okuhle, nezithanda injabulo. Njengoba ayebhekwa njengeqembu lababulali noma abavukeli, ayenamasu okulwa okwenza ukuba imigwaqo yasemaphandleni nezindawo zomphakathi zibe ingozi futhi kwanezela ezinkathazweni zangaleso sikhathi.
EGibithe, kwachuma ifilosofi yamaGreki phakathi kwamaJuda ase-Aleksandriya. Kusukela lapho yanda yaya ePalestina nasemaJudeni aseDiaspora ayesakazeke yonke indawo. Abasunguli bezinkolelo-mbono abangamaJuda ababhala i-Apocrypha nePseudepigrapha bathi imibhalo kaMose yayiyimizekeliso engacacile, nengashukumisi.
Lapho kufika inkathi yamaRoma, ukuguqulelwa ebuGrekini kwase kuyishintshe unomphela iPalestina ngokwenhlalo, ngokwezombangazwe, nangokwefilosofi. Inkolo yamaJuda engokweBhayibheli yayisithathelwe indawo inkolo yamaJuda, ingxubevange yemiqondo yaseBabiloni, ePheresiya, naseGreece eyayixutshwe nesilinganiso esithile seqiniso elingokomBhalo. Nokho, sebebonke, abaSadusi, abaFarisi, nama-Essene babakha amaphesenti angaphansi kwangu-7 esizwe. Uquqaba lwabantu abangamaJuda lwalubanjwe emsingeni walamandla aphikisanayo, ‘luphundleke futhi luhlakazeke njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.’—Mathewu 9:36.
Kulowo mnyama ezweni kwafika uJesu Kristu. Isimemo sakhe esiqinisekisayo sasiduduza: “Wozani kimi, nina nonke enikhandlekayo nenisindwayo, ngizonenza niqabuleke.” (Mathewu 11:28) Yeka ukuthi kuvusa amadlingozi kanjani ukumuzwa ethi: “Mina ngiwukukhanya kwezwe”! (Johane 8:12) Futhi sasijabulisa ngempela isithembiso sakhe esenamisa inhliziyo: “Lowo ongilandelayo akasoze ahamba ebumnyameni, kodwa uyoba nokukhanya kokuphila.”—Johane 8:12.
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
UJesu wabonisa ukuthi abaholi benkolo abangamaJuda babesebumnyameni obungokomoya
[Isithombe ekhasini 28]
Uhlamvu lwemali olunomfanekiso ka-Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
[Umthombo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.