1. Yitjho ukuthi ngiziphi izinto ezenzeka nakusahlelwa iJerusalema.

NGOMNYAKA ka-607 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaJesu, amajoni-kazi amanengi ahlasela iJerusalema arholwa yiKosi uNebukadinetsari II. IBhayibheli liyasitjela ukuthi mhlokho indlela iingazi ezaphalaka ngayo iyahlahlathelisa ithi, ‘[UNebukadinetsari] wabulala amasokanabo ngesabula endaweni ecwengileko, azange arhawukele amasokana, abantazana, abalupheleko neengoga.  . . Athungelela ithempeli [lakaJehova] ngomlilo abhuruza umthangala weJerusalema; atjhisa zoke iingodlo, atjhabalalisa koke okuligugu okwakulapho.’—2 Kron. 36:17, 19.

2. UJehova wabayelelisa njani abantu beJerusalema ngokubhujiswa kwalo, begodu yini ebeyizokwenzeka kumaJuda?

² Abantu beJerusalema kungenzeka bebazi ukuthi nakuyiJerusalema yona izokuhlaselwa. Phela bese kuminyaka abaphorofidi bakaZimu batjela amaJuda ukuthi nakangasolo aphula imiThetho kaZimu azakunikelelwa ebantwini beBhabheli. Yeke inengi lamaJuda belizokubulawa ngesabula, bese kuthi abazokusala bona-ke bayokuvalelwa esikhungweni seBhabheli bebafe. (Jor. 15:2) Beyinjani ipilo yesikhungwenapho? Njengombana amaJuda athunjelwa eBhabheli, inga-kghani namaKrestu nawo akhe athunjwa? Nangabe kunjalo, athunjwa nini?

3. Ukuthunjelwa eBhabheli bekuhluke ngani kunobugqila beGibhide?

³ Izinto abaphorofidi abathi zizokwenzeka, zenzeka bezadlula. UJehova wasebenzisa uJoromiya, weluleka abantu ebebazokuthunjwa ukuthi okukuphela kwento okufuze bayenza kumukela indlela etja yokuphila leyo bebaphile ebujamwenobo. Wathi: “Yakhani iinkumba nihlale lapho [eBhabheli]. Tjalani iimvande nigome iinthelo zakhona. Godu funani ihlalohle yedorobho enginise kilo ekuthunjweni. Lithandazeleni [kuJehova] ngombana nalinehlalohle, nani nizakuba nehlalohle.” (Jor. 29:5, 7) Boke labo abalalela amezwi kaZimu la baphila ngasuthi abakathunjwa. Abantu ebebabathumbile babavumela nokuthi balungise ezinye zeendaba zabo. Bebavumelekile nokuthi bangayikhamba yoke inarha. IBhabheli beliyikaba yezerhwebo emandulo, begodu iincwadi ezivunjululiweko ziveza bona amaJuda aba ziingkhwari zokuthenga nokuthengisa, ngesikhathi abanye badzimelele kwezobukghwari. Amanye amaJuda aba ziingwili. Ukuthunjelwa eBhabheli bekungafani nokuba ziingqila eGibhide.—Funda u-Eksodusi 2:23-25.

4. Ngaphandle kwama-Israyeli amahlongandlebe, bobani abanye abathintwa kuthunjwa, begodu ukulotjha kwabo uZimu bekukhamba kufikephi?

⁴ Nanyana amaJuda bewaregile nje ngezerhwebo, kghani bewaregile na ngezintweni zakaZimu? Ithempeli lakaJehova ne-aldari lalo bekutjhatjalalisiwe, nehlelo lokusebenza kwabaphristi belingekho. Ebantwini abathunjiweko bekuneenceku zakaZimu ebekungakafaneli bona zijeziswe, kodwana ebezitlhagiswa njengawo woke umuntu esitjhabeni. Kodwana benza abangakwenza bona baphethe umThetho kaZimu. Ngokwesibonelo, uDanyela nabangani bakhe abathathu uShadraki, uMishaka, no-Abhedinigo ngesikhathi baseBhabheli, nabo bazila ukudla okwakuzilwa maJuda. Begodu siyazi ukuthi uDanyela bekahlala athandaza kuZimu. (Dan. 1:8; 6:10) Njengombana bewangaphasi kwamaqaba, amaJuda bekangakghoni ukwenza koke okusemThethweni kaZimu.

5. UJehova wabathembisa ini abantu bakhe, begodu kubayini isithembisweso siqakatheke kangaka?

⁵ Kghani ama-Israyeli bewazakubuyela na endleleni efaneleko yokulotjha uZimu? Emihleni leyo, amathuba wokwenza njalo bekamancani. Phela iBhabheli alizitjhaphululi iinthunjwa zalo. Bathi nabakha umthethwanyanabo loyo khenge bacabange ngoJehova. UZimu bekabathembisile abantu bakhe bona uzobatjhaphulula. IliZwi lakaZimu aliweli phasi.—Isa. 55:11.

6, 7. Kubayini kufuze itlhadlhulwe kabutjha indaba yokuthunjwa liBhabheli lanamhlanjesi?

⁶ Kghani amaKrestu akhe ahlangana nento epheze ifane naleyo eyenzeka eenthunjweni zeBhabheli? Sekuminyaka eminengi isiThalesi sitjho bona abantu bakaZimu banamhlanjesi bathunjelwa eBhabheli ngo-1918, batjhaphululwa ngo-1919. Kodwana kuneenzathu esizokucoca ngazo kilesisihloko nakesilandelako ezenza silihlole kabutjha iphuzweli.

⁷ Cabanga ngalokhu: IBhabheli eliKhulu limbuso wephasi wekolo yamala. Yeke, nangabe iBhabheli labathumba ngo-1918, abantu bakaZimu bebazokugqilazwa yikolo emamala ngendlela ethileko. Kodwana iqiniso liveza ukuthi eminyakeni yangaphambi kwePi yePhasi yokuThoma, iinceku zakaZimu ezikhethiweko besezitjhaphuluka eBhabheli eliKhulu, ziphuma ejogweni lalo. Nanyana kuliqiniso ukuthi abakhethiweko bebatlhoriswa emihleni yepi yephasi yokuthoma, isizi ebebaqalene nalo belilethwa babusi bephasi ingasi iBhabheli  eliKhulu. Yeke, kubonakala ngasuthi abantu bakaJehova khenge bathunjwe yiBhabheli eliKhulu ngo-1918.

8. Akhuhlathulule bona ubuKrestu bamambala badungwa njani. (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁸ NgePentekoste langomnyaka ka-33 emihleni yabapostoli, ummoya ocwengileko wehlela phezu kwamaJuda namaphroselite. AmaKrestu amatjha la aba ‘sisizwe esikhethiweko ubuphristi bobukhosi, isizwe esicwengileko abantu ekungebakaZimu.’ (Funda u-1 Pitrosi 2:9, 10.) Abapostoli ngibo ebebabeke woke amabandla kaZimu ilihlo bekwaba sekufeni kwabo. Kodwana kwathi ngemva kokufa kwabo, kwavela amadoda akhuluma ‘izinto ezingayi ngandlela’ ukuze ‘badurhise abafundi bona balandele bona.’ (IzE. 20:30; 2 Thes. 2:6-8) Inengi lamadoda la bekaneenkhundla eziphezulu ebandleni, bababonisi, kwathi kamuva baba “bobhitjhobhi.” Kwathoma lapho ukuthi kube nabefundisi besondo, ngitjho nanyana uJesu athe: “Nina noke nje nibabafo.” (Mat. 23:8) Amadoda amakhulu la athanda ifilosofi ka-Aristotle noPlato ngeenhliziyo zabo zoke, bathi nabafundisako bafundisa amala, kancanikancani badunga iimfundiso zeliZwi lakaZimu.

9. Hlathulula indlela ubuKrestu bamahlubuka obazibandakanya ngayo emBusweni weRoma, nemiphumela yakhona.

⁹ Ngo-313 emihleni yabapostoli, umBusi wamaRoma uConstantine wenza ubuKrestu bamahlubuka la baba semthethweni. Kusukela ngesikhatheso, umbuso nekerege kwathoma ukubambisana. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva komhlangano womKhandlu weNicaea, uConstantine obekakhona emkhandlwini lowo wathi u-Arius, obekangakhambisani nemibono yomkhandlu, kuzokufuze abalekele kwenye inarha nakangavumi ukuthi uJesu nguZimu. Ngemva kwesikhathi, iSondo lamaKhatholika ebeselidungwe yifundiso engakalungi le, labekwa ngokomthetho ukuthi libe yikolo yoMbuso weRoma obuswa nguTheodosius I (owaphila kusukela ngo-379-395 C.E.), abosomlando bathi amaRoma amaqaba besele amaKrestu eminyakeni yabo-400. Yeke ngesikhathi ubuKrestu bamahlubuka buzibandakanya neenhlangano zomBuso weRoma ubuKrestobo baba liBhabheli eliKhulu. Ngitjho nanyana amaKrestu akhethiweko wamambala afana nekoroyi bekalinga ngamandla ukulotjha uZimu ngendlela efaneleko, ebebakufundisa bekungatjho litho. (Funda uMatewu 13:24, 25, 37-39.) Nakunjalo-ke bewathunjwe yiBhabheli!

10. Yini eyenza abantu ebebafunda iliZwi lakaZimu bona bathome ukusola izinto ebezifundiswa emasondweni?

¹⁰ Ekadeni nokho inengi labantu belikghona ukufunda iBhayibheli ngesiGirigi namkha ngesiLathini. Lokho bekubenza bakghone ukumadanisa phakathi kwalokho okufundiswa masondo wamala nalokho okutjhiwo liliZwi lakaZimu. Ebebakufunda eBhayibhelini kwabenza baphayela ngeqadi yoke imithetho engekho eBhayibhelini eyabekwa masondo wamala. Begodu ukuphikisana nemithetho leyo bekuyingozi, nokubulawa bewungabulawa.

11. IBhayibheli labathobisa njani abafundisi?

¹¹ Kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi amalimi iBhayibheli ebelitlolwe ngawo abantu abanengi besele bangasawazwisisi, godu ngapha namasondo nawo bekenza koke angakwenza ukuze akhandele boke abantu ebebafuna ukutjhugululela iliZwi lakaZimu emalimini akhulunywa babantu. Phela bekubafundisi nabantu abafundileko kwaphela ebesele bakghona ukufunda iBhayibheli, ngitjho nanyana abanye abafundisabo nabo bebangakwazi ukuwafunda nokuwatlola kuhle amalimi lawo. Nanyana ngubani obekangathoma  athi uphikisa okutjhiwo lisondo, ekhabo bekuzakuba sentabeni. Yeke abantu ebebathanda uZimu nabafuna ukuhlangana bekufuze bazifihle, begodu nokuhlanganokho nakho bekungenzeka kungabi khona. Njengombana kwenzeka ebantwini bakaZimu nabathunjelwa eBhabheli, abakhethelwe “ubuphristi bobukhosi” nabo bebangasebenzi ngendlela ehleliweko. Maye nakuliBhabheli eliKhulu lona, belibaminyezele abantu bakaZimu!

12, 13. Ngiziphi izinto ezimbili ezaba nomthelela ekutjhatjhululweni kwabantu bakaZimu eBhabheli eliKhulu? Hlathulula.

¹² Kazi amaKrestu weqiniso azakhe alotjhe uZimu atjhaphulukile? Iye! Ngekupheleni komnyaka ka-15 umkhanyo wathoma ukubonakala lapha nalapha, sithokoza nanzi izinto ezimbili ezasisa tle. Yokuthoma kwabamtjhini wokuphrintha ebewutjhidiswa bulula. Ngesikhathi kungakathonywa ukuphrinthelwa eenarheni ezingancangangapha i-Europe ikhona, iBhayibheli bebalikopolula batlola ngesandla. Ngapha namaBhayibheli nawo bekangathokali lula begodu bekabiza tle. Nabatjhoko bathi phela bekungathatha iinyanga ezilitjhumi zoke bona umkopululi ongumakadabona ukuthi atlole iBhayibheli yinye tere! Ngapha nento ebeyisetjenziswa nakukotjululwako (i-vellum namkha i-parchment) nayo beyibiza khulu! Bese kuthi ukuphrintha iphepha khona, bekuyinto ehle nesebenzisekako. Umuntu obandulwe kuhle bekangaphrintha amaphepha ayi-1 300 ngelanga linye nje kwaphela!

¹³ Enye yezinto eyaqopha umlando, siqunto esathathwa madoda anesibindi ngeminyaka yabo-16. Atjho athi wona nakuliliZwi lakaZimu, azolitjhugululela emalimini akhulunywa babantu. Abatjhugululi abanengi bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini. Lokho kwawahlangahlanganisa tle amasondo. Abadosi phambili bamasondo bebahlalela evalweni, ngombana bebazi ukuthi nanyana ngimuphi umuntu othanda uZimu kungakhathaliseki  ukuthi mfazi namkha yindoda nakaphethe iBhayibheli uyongozi tle! Njengombana besele lifumaneka, abantu besele balifunda. Njengombana balifunda, bathoma babuza imibuzo enjengethi: ‘Kanti kukuphi lapha iliZwi lakaZimu likhuluma khona ngesirhogo lapha kutjhiswa khona abantu abahlongakeleko, nalapha ikhuluma khona ngabopapa nama-cardinals?’ Amasondo amanengi akubona kulihlazo lokhu, begodu athi kudelela ukubuza abarholi bamasondo imibuzo le. Amasondo azilwela. Amadoda nabafazi bakhonjwa ngomuno ngombana azange balalele iimfundiso zesondo, ezinye zeemfundiso zakhonezo bezisekelwe kumafilosofi wabarholi bakade bamasondo u-Aristotle noPlato abaphila ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu Jesu. Amasondo akhipha isigwebo sokufa, begodu nomBuso wasisekela isiquntweso. Into ebeyifunwa babantwaba, bekukulisisa abantu ukufunda iBhayibheli nokuthi bangasathomi basole amasondo. Ngezinga elithileko amano la aphumelela. Kodwana kukhona abajama baqina akhenge bavumele ukuthuselwa yiBhabheli eliKhulu. Phela besele bazizwele ukuthi linjani iliZwi lakaZimu, yeke babetha ngenyawo phasi bathi nakuliliZwi lakaZimu lona, angeze salisa ukulifunda! Lokho-ke kwavula indlela yokutjhatjhululwa kwabantu bakaZimu emasondweni wamala.

14. (a) Ngeminyaka yabo-1800, ngibuphi ubujamo obenza abantu bazwisisa amaqiniso weBhayibheli? (b) Akhusihluthululele bona uMzalwana uRussell walilwela kangangani iqiniso.

¹⁴ Abantu ebebakufisa kukwazi amaqiniso weBhayibheli, babona kuncono ukuthi babalekele kwezinye iinarha lapho amasondo angalawuli khona. Bebafuna ukufunda bebacoce ngalokho abakufundileko, kungekho umuntu obatjela ukuthi kufuze bakholelweni. Kusenarheni ye-United States kwaphela lapho kwaba khona nehlelo lokufunda iBhayibheli, bekungekupheleni kweminayaka yabo-1800. Omunye wabafundabo bekunguCharles Taze Russell. Ekuthomeni umgomo kaMzalwana uRussell bekukuhlolisisa ukuthi ngiliphi isondo elifundisa iqiniso ngeBhayibheli. Yeke wahlolisisa woke amasondo, ngitjho nalawo angasingewobuKrestu. Afuna ukubona ukuthi ayavumelana nalokho okutjhwo yiBhayibheli na. Kwathi asesephasiphezulu nerhubhululo lakhelo, wabona ukuthi alikho nalinye emasondweni lawo elilandela iliZwi lakaZimu. Wabe wahlela nokuhlangana nabafundisi bamasondo athileko, anethemba lokuthi bazothatha lokho yena namadoda ebekabambisene nawo abakufumene eBhayibhelini, bese abafundisabo bayokufundisa abantu emasondwenabo. Abafundisiba bona-ke base bakuphayela ngeqade koke lokho. Iqiniso abaFundi beBhayibhelabo ebekufuze baqalane nalo ngileli: Bengeze kwaba khona ukubambisana phakathi kwabo nabantu abasekela amasondo wamala.—Funda yesi-2 Korinte 6:14.

15. (a) AmaKrestu athunjwa nini yiBhabheli eliKhulu? (b) Esihlokweni esilandelako sizokuphendula miphi imibuzo?

¹⁵ Sesibonile ukuthi amaKrestu athunjelwa eBhabheli ngemva nje kokuhlongakala kwabapostoli. Kodwana kusesenemibuzo malungana nendaba le: Ngibuphi obunye ubufakazi esinabo bokuthi eminyakeni engaphambi kwaka-1914, abakhethiweko bazihlukanisa neBhabheli eliKhulu begodu bangasagqilazwa ngilo? Kuliqiniso na ukuthi uJehova wadana ngebanga lokuthi abantu bakhe baphungula izinga lokutjhumayela hlangana nePi yePhasi yokuThoma? Inga-kghani ukuzibandakanya kwamaKrestu kezepe ngikho okwenza uJehova wadana? Begodu nakhibe amaKrestu agandelelwa masondo wamala kusukela ngekhulu lesibili kuyaphambili, atjhaphululwa nini? Imibuzo le mihle kwamambala. Yeke sizoyiphendula esihlokweni esilandelako.