Ingabe Bewazi?

Umphostoli uPawulu wayesho ukuthini lapho ethi emzimbeni wakhe wayethwele ‘izimpawu zokushiswa zenceku kaJesu’?—Galathiya 6:17.

▪ Kungenzeka ukuthi izilaleli zikaPawulu zangekhulu lokuqala zaziwaqonda ngezindlela ezingefani la mazwi. Ngokwesibonelo, endulo kwakusetshenziswa insimbi eshisayo ukuze kubekwe uphawu ezithunjweni zempi, kubaphangi bamathempeli nasezigqileni ezingababaleki. Abantu babekubheka njengehlazo lokhu kubekwa kophawu emzimbeni womuntu.

Nokho, ukubekwa uphawu emzimbeni kwakungabhekwa kabi ngazo zonke izikhathi. Abantu abaningi basendulo babezibeka izimpawu emzimbeni ukuze babonise ukuthi bavela kusiphi isizwe noma inkolo. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament ithi, “amaSiriya ayebonisa ukuzinikela kwawo kunkulunkulu uHadadi no-Atargatis ngokuzibeka izimpawu esihlakaleni noma entanyeni ngensimbi eshisayo . . . Ozinikele kuDionysus wayebekwa uphawu lweqabunga lentandela.”

Abahlaziyi abaningi banamuhla banomuzwa wokuthi uPawulu wayekhuluma ngezibazi azithola eziwombeni zokushaywa ezihlukahlukene phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yobuKristu njengesithunywa sevangeli. (2 Korinte 11:23-27) Nokho, mhlawumbe uPawulu wayethi indlela yakhe yokuphila—hhayi izimpawu ezingokoqobo—yayimphawula njengomKristu.

Ingabe imizi yesiphephelo kwa-Israyeli wasendulo yayiyizindawo zokufihla izinswelaboya?

Emazweni amaqaba asendulo, amathempeli amaningi ayeba imizi yesiphephelo kubabaleki noma ezigebengwini. NgeNkathi Ephakathi, imizi yezindela namasonto nakho kwakuba yimizi yesiphephelo. Nokho, imithetho eyayiqondisa imizi yesiphephelo kwa-Israyeli wasendulo yayiqinisekisa ukuthi ayibi indawo yezinswelaboya.

UMthetho KaMose wawuthi injongo yemizi yesiphephelo ukuvikela kuphela umuntu obulale engahlosile. (Duteronomi 19:4, 5) Lowo muntu wayengabalekela emzini wesiphephelo oseduze lapho ayengeke atholwe khona isihlobo sesilisa sobulewe esasingaziphindiselela. Ngemva kokubeka udaba lwakhe emadodeni amadala omuzi, umbaleki wayahlulelwa esifundeni salapho umufi afele khona. Wayenikwa ithuba lokufakazela ukuthi akanacala. Amadoda amadala ayehlola ubuhlobo phakathi kwakhe nomufi, azame ukuthola ukuthi kwakungenanzondo yini ngaphambili.—Numeri 35:20-24; Duteronomi 19:6, 7; Joshuwa 20:4, 5.

Uma etholakala engenacala, umbaleki wayebuyela emzini wesiphephelo futhi ahlale lapho angayi kwezinye izindawo. Le mizi yayingewona amajele. Umbaleki wayesebenza futhi abe ilungu lomphakathi eliwusizo. Lapho umpristi omkhulu efa, bonke ababaleki babengahamba emizini yesiphephelo babuyele emakhaya.—Numeri 35:6, 25-28.

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 15]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

IMIZI YESIPHEPHELO

1 IKEDESHI

2 IGOLANI

3 IRAMOTI-GILEYADI

4 ISHEKEMI

5 IBHEZERI

6 IHEBRONI

UMfula IJordani