MWAMUNA wina anapeza kapepala m’sitima yopita ku mzinda wa New York City. M’kapepalako munali mfundo yakuti ‘moyo wa munthu umafa.’ Atachita nako chidwi, mwamunayo, yemwe anali mbusa, anayamba kuwerenga kapepalako. Anadabwa chifukwa anali asanakayikirepo chiphunzitso chakuti moyo sufa. Panthawiyo, sankadziwa amene analemba kapepalako. Komabe, anaona kuti kapepalako kali ndi mfundo zogwira mtima, za m’Malemba ndiponso koyenera kukaphunzira bwinobwino.

Dzina la mbusayu linali George Storrs. Ndipo zimene tafotokozazi zinachitika mu 1837, chaka chimene Charles Darwin analemba koyamba m’kope lake, maganizo amene kenako anadzakhala chiphunzitso chakuti zamoyo zinakhalako mwa kuchita kusanduka kuchokera ku zinthu zina. Panthawi imeneyo, anthu ambiri anali opembedza, ndipo ambiri anali kukhulupirira kuti kuli Mulungu. Ambiri ankawerenga Baibulo ndipo ankalilemekeza.

Kenako, Storrs anadziwa kuti yemwe analemba kapepalako ndi Henry Grew wa ku Philadelphia, ku Pennsylvania. Grew ankakhulupirira kwambiri mfundo yakuti “malemba . . . amadzimasulira okha.” Grew ndi anthu ena amene ankakhulupirira zimenezo anakhala akuphunzira Baibulo ndi cholinga chosintha moyo wawo ndi zochita zawo kuti zigwirizane ndi uphungu wa m’Baibulo. Kuphunzira kwawo kunavumbula mfundo za choonadi chamtengo wapatali cha m’Malemba.

Polimbikitsidwa ndi zimene Grew analemba, Storrs anaona mosamala zimene Malemba amanena pankhani ya moyo ndipo anakambirana nkhaniyo ndi abusa anzake. Patatha zaka zisanu akuphunzira mwakhama, Storrs anaganiza kuti afalitse choonadi cha m’Malemba chamtengo wapatali chimene anapezacho. Poyamba, anakonza ulaliki umodzi woti akapereke pa tsiku Lamlungu m’chaka cha 1842. Koma, anaona kufunika koti aperekenso maulaliki ena angapo kuti afotokoze bwino nkhaniyi. Maulaliki ake onse onena zoti moyo wa munthu umafa anakwana sikisi, ndipo anawasindikiza m’buku lakuti Six Sermons. Storrs anayerekezera lemba ndi lemba linzake kuti avumbule choonadi chamtengo wapatali chimene chinali chitakwiririka m’ziphunzitso zosalemekeza Mulungu za Matchalitchi Achikristu.

Baibulo limanena za otsatira a Yesu odzozedwa kuti adzapatsidwa moyo wosafa monga mphoto chifukwa cha kukhulupirika kwawo. (1 Akorinto 15:50-56) Storrs anaganiza kuti, ngati moyo wosafa uli mphoto ya anthu okhulupirika, ndiye kuti moyo wa anthu ochimwa sungakhale wosafa. M’malo moyendera maganizo akewo, iye anafufuza m’Malemba. Anaona lemba la Mateyu 10:28, lomwe limati: “Muope Iye, wokhoza kuwononga moyo ndi thupi lomwe m’gehena.” Choncho moyo ungathe kuwonongedwa.  Anawerenganso lemba la Ezekieli 18:4, lomwe limati: “Moyo wochimwawo ndiwo udzafa.” Ataganizira mfundo za m’Baibulo lonse, anatulukira choonadi chamtengo wapatali. Storrs analemba kuti: “Ngati zimene ndikukhulupirirazi zili zoona, ndiye kuti mbali zambiri za Malemba, zimene zakhala zosamveka bwino pa chiphunzitso chofala choti moyo sufa, zimveka bwino tsopano, zikhala zosangalatsa, ndiponso zatanthauzo ndi zogwira mtima.”

Koma bwanji nanga za malemba monga Yuda 7? Lembali limati: “Monga Sodomu ndi Gomora, ndi midzi yakuizungulira, potsatana nayoyo, idadzipereka kudama, ndi kutsata zilakolako zachilendo, iikidwa chitsanzo, pakuchitidwa chilango cha moto wosatha.” Atawerenga lemba limeneli, ena anganene kuti moyo wa anthu amene anaphedwa m’Sodomu ndi Gomora ukuzunzidwa kosatha m’moto. Storrs analemba kuti: “Tiyeni tiyerekezere Lemba ndi Lemba linzake.” Kenako anagwira mawu lemba la 2 Petro 2:5, 6, limene limati: “Ndipo sanalekerera dziko lapansi lakale, koma anasunga Nowa . . . , pakulitengera dziko la osapembedza chigumula; ndipo pakuisandutsa makala midzi ya Sodomu ndi Gomora anaitsutsa poigwetsa, ataiika chitsanzo cha kwa iwo akakhala osapembedza.” Zoonadi, midzi ya Sodomu ndi Gomora inasandutsidwa phulusa, inawonongedwa kosatha limodzi ndi anthu amene ankakhalamo.

Storrs anafotokoza kuti: “Buku la Petro limatiuza mfundo ina yowonjezera pa imene ili m’buku la Yuda. Tikayerekezera mabuku awiriwa, timaona bwino kwambiri mmene Mulungu wasonyezera kusakondwa ndi anthu ochimwa. . . . Ziweruzo zimenezo zomwe zinaperekedwa kale m’Sodomu ndi Gomora, ndi chenjezo kapena ‘chitsanzo’ ‘chosatha’ kwa anthu onse a padziko lapansi.” Choncho buku la Yuda linanena kuti zomwe moto umene unawononga Sodomu ndi Gomora unachita pa midzi imeneyi zinali zosatha. Zimenezi sizikusintha mwanjira ina iliyonse mfundo yakuti moyo wa munthu umafa.

Storrs sankangogwiritsa ntchito malemba okhawo amene akugwirizana ndi zimene ankafufuza. Iye ankaona nkhani ya lemba lililonse komanso zimene Baibulo lonse limanena. Ngati vesi lina likuoneka kuti likutsutsana ndi malemba ena, Storrs ankaona m’Baibulo lonse kuti apeze tsatanetsatane wa nkhani yonse.

Mwa anthu amene anagwirizana ndi George Storrs, panali mnyamata wina amene ankakonza gulu loti liziphunzira Baibulo ku Pittsburgh, ku Pennsylvania. Dzina lake anali Charles Taze Russell. Imodzi mwa nkhani zake zoyamba zofotokoza Malemba inasindikizidwa mu 1876 m’magazini yakuti Bible Examiner, yomwe mkonzi wake anali Storrs. Russell ananena kuti anathandizidwa ndi ophunzira Baibulo oyambirira. Kenako, monga mkonzi wa magazini yakuti Zion’s Watch Tower, anayamikira thandizo limene Storrs anam’patsa mwa mawu a pakamwa ndiponso zimene anali kumulembera.

Ali ndi zaka 18, C. T. Russell anakonza kalasi la phunziro la Baibulo ndi kukhazikitsa njira yomwe aziphunzirira Baibulo. Wophunzira Baibulo wina, yemwe ankagwirizana ndi Russell, dzina lake A. H. Macmillan, anafotokoza njira yophunzirira Baibulo imeneyo kuti: “Munthu ankafunsa funso, ndipo ankakambirana funsolo. Ankayang’ana malemba onse ogwirizana ndi funsolo ndipo kenako, akakhutira kuti malembawo akugwirizana, ankalemba zimene apezazo.”

Russell ankakhulupirira kuti, ngati Baibulo liphunziridwa lonse lathunthu, lingavumbule uthenga wosatsutsana komanso wogwirizana ndi khalidwe la Mulungu amene analilemba. Ngati mbali ina ya Baibulo ikuoneka kukhala yovuta kumvetsa, Russell ankakhulupirira kuti iyenera kumveketsedwa ndi kufotokozedwa ndi mbali zina za Baibulo lomwelo.

Komatu, Russell, Storrs, kapena Grew sanali anthu oyamba kulola Malemba kudzimasulira okha. Zimenezi zinayamba ndi munthu amene anayambitsa Chikristu, Yesu Kristu. Iye ankagwiritsa ntchito malemba osiyanasiyana pofuna kumveketsa tanthauzo lenileni la lemba. Mwachitsanzo, Afarisi atadzudzula ophunzira  ake chifukwa chobudula ngala za tirigu pa Sabata, Yesu anafotokoza kuchokera m’nkhani ya pa 1 Samueli 21:6 mmene lamulo la Sabata liyenera kugwirira ntchito. Atsogoleri achipembedzowo ankaidziwa bwino nkhaniyo, yomwe imati Davide ndi amuna ake anadya mikate yoonetsa. Kenako Yesu anatchula mbali ya Chilamulo imene imati ansembe a m’banja la Aroni ndi amene ankayenera kudya mkate woonekera umenewo. (Eksodo 29:32, 33; Levitiko 24:9) Komabe, Davide anauzidwa kuti adye mikateyo. Yesu anatsiriza nkhaniyi yogwira mtimayi ndi mawu ochokera m’buku la Hoseya, kuti: “Mukadadziwa n’chiyani ichi, Ndifuna chifundo, si nsembe ayi; simukadaweruza olakwa iwo osachimwa.” (Mateyu 12:1-8) Chimenechi n’chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri choyerekezera lemba ndi malemba ena pofuna kudziwa zenizeni.

Otsatira a Yesu anagwiritsa ntchito njira yomweyi yogwiritsa ntchito malemba ena kuti amvetse bwino za lemba lina. Pamene mtumwi Paulo ankaphunzitsa anthu ku Tesalonika, “anakambirana nawo kuchokera m’Malemba. Anali kufotokoza ndi kusonyeza umboni wolembedwa powatsimikizira kuti kunali koyenera kuti Khristu avutike ndi kuuka kwa akufa.” (Machitidwe 17:2, 3, NW) M’makalata ake ouziridwa ndi Mulungu, Paulo analolanso kuti Baibulo lidzimasulire lokha. Mwachitsanzo, m’kalata yomwe analembera Ahebri, ankagwira mawu malemba ambiri pofuna kutsimikizira kuti Chilamulo chinali mthunzi wa zinthu zabwino zimene zinali kubwera.​—Ahebri 10:1-18.

Inde, ophunzira Baibulo oona a m’zaka za m’ma 1800 ndiponso kumayambiriro kwa zaka za m’ma 1900, anangoyambitsanso njira yachikristu imeneyi. Kuyerekezera lemba ndi malemba ena kukupitirira m’magazini ya Nsanja ya Olonda. (2 Atesalonika 2:15) Mboni za Yehova zimagwiritsa ntchito mfundo imeneyi pofuna kumvetsa bwino lemba.

Tikamawerenga Baibulo, kodi tingatsanzire motani chitsanzo chabwino cha Yesu ndi otsatira ake okhulupirika? Choyamba, tingaganizire za nkhani imene mukupezeka lembalo. Kodi nkhaniyo ingatithandize motani kumvetsa tanthauzo la lembalo? Mwachitsanzo, tiyeni tione mawu a Yesu amene ali pa Mateyu 16:28, akuti: “Indetu ndinena kwa inu, kuti alipo ena a iwo aima pano sadzalawa ndithu imfa, kufikira adzaona Mwana wa munthu atadza mu ufumu wake.” Ena angaganize kuti mawu amenewa sanakwaniritsidwe chifukwa chakuti ophunzira onse a Yesu amene analipo nthawi imene ankanena mawu amenewa anafa, Ufumu wa Mulungu usanakhazikitsidwe kumwamba. Buku lina lofotokoza za Baibulo lakuti The Interpreter’s Bible ponena za vesili limati: “Ulosiwu sunakwaniritsidwe, ndipo m’kupita kwa nthawi Akristu anaona kuti ndi bwino kufotokoza kuti izi zinali zophiphiritsira chabe.”

Komabe, nkhani imene muli vesili, komanso m’nkhani zofanana nayo zolembedwa ndi Marko ndi Luka, zimatithandiza kumvetsa tanthauzo lenileni la lembali. Kodi Mateyu anasimba chiyani pambuyo pa mawu amene agwidwa pamwambawa? Analemba kuti: “Atapita masiku asanu ndi limodzi, Yesu anatenga Petro, ndi Yakobo, ndi Yohane mbale wake, napita nawo paokha paphiri lalitali; ndipo iye anasandulika pamaso pawo.” (Mateyu 17:1, 2) Marko ndiponso Luka anagwirizanitsa ndemanga ya Yesu yonena za Ufumu ndi nkhani ya kusandulika kwake. (Marko 9:1-8; Luka 9:27-36) Kusandulika kwa Yesu, pamene anaoneka waulemerero pamaso pa atumwi atatuwo, kunali chithunzithunzi cha kubwera kwake m’mphamvu ya Ufumu. Petro anatsimikizira kuti zimenezi n’zoona chifukwa pamene ankanena za kusandulika kwa Yesu kumene iye anaona, anatchula za “mphamvu ndi za kukhalapo kwa Ambuye wathu Yesu Khristu.”​—2 Petro 1:16-18, NW.

Bwanji ngati simukumvetsabe lemba linalake ngakhale mutaganizira za nkhani yake? Mungapindule poyerekezera lembalo ndi malemba ena, uku mukuganizira zimene Baibulo lonse limanena. Baibulo la New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, limene tsopano likupezeka  lathunthu kapena mbali yake chabe m’zinenero 57, lingakuthandizeni kwambiri kuchita zimenezi. Baibuloli lili ndi mndandanda wa malemba owonjezera monga maumboni, amene amapezeka padanga limene limakhala pakati pa tsamba lililonse mu ambiri a Mabaibulo amenewa. Mungapeze malemba oterewa oposa 125,000 m’Baibulo la New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures​—With References. “Mawu Oyamba” m’Baibulo limeneli amanena kuti: “Kuyerekezera bwino malemba opezeka mu mndandanda wa malemba owonjezera ndiponso kuunika bwino mawu am’munsi amene aikidwa, kungavumbule mgwirizano wa mabuku a m’Baibulo 66, kusonyeza kuti akupanga buku limodzi, louziridwa ndi Mulungu.”

Tiyeni tione mmene kugwiritsira ntchito malemba owonjezera kungatithandizire kumvetsa tanthauzo la lemba. Titenge chitsanzo cha mbiri ya Abramu, kapena kuti Abrahamu. Taganizirani funso ili: Kodi ndi ndani amene anali kutsogolera pamene Abramu ndi banja lake ankachoka ku Uri? Lemba la Genesis 11:31 limati: “Tera anatenga Abramu mwana wake wamwamuna, ndi Loti . . . ndi Sarai mpongozi wake, . . . ndipo anatuluka pamodzi nawo ku Uri wa kwa Akaldayo kuti amuke ku dziko la Kanani, ndipo anafika ku Harana, nakhala kumeneko.” Mwa kungowerenga zimenezi, munthu angaganize kuti bambo wake wa Abramu, Tera, ndi amene anatsogolera. Komabe, m’Baibulo la New World Translation, timapezamo malemba owonjezera okwanira 11 pa vesi limeneli. Lemba lomalizira ndi Machitidwe 7:2, pamene timawerenga chenjezo la Stefano kwa Ayuda a m’zaka l00 zoyambirira kuti: ‘Mulungu wa ulemerero anaonekera kwa kholo lathu Abrahamu, pokhala iye m’Mesopotamiya, asanayambe kukhala m’Harana; nati kwa iye, Tuluka ku dziko lako ndi kwa abale ako, ndipo tiye ku dziko limene ndidzakusonyeza iwe.’ (Machitidwe 7:2, 3) Kodi Stefano ankasokoneza zimenezi ndi kuchoka m’Harana kwa Abramu? Mwachidziwikire ayi, chifukwa iyi ndi mbali ya Mawu a Mulungu, omwe ndi ouziridwa.​—Genesis 12:1-3.

Nanga n’chifukwa chiyani lemba la Genesis 11:31 limanena kuti “Tera anatenga Abramu mwana wake wamwamuna” ndi anthu ena a m’banja lake ndi kutuluka ku Uri? Chifukwa chakuti Tera anali adakali mtsogoleri wa banjalo. Anavomereza kupita ndi Abramu ndipo n’chifukwa chake akutchedwa kuti anasamutsa banjalo kupita ku Harana. Poyerekezera ndiponso pogwirizanitsa malemba awiriwa, tingamvetse chenicheni chimene chinachitika. Mwaulemu, Abramu anawakhutiritsa bambo ake kuti achoke ku Uri mogwirizana ndi lamulo la Mulungu.

Tikamawerenga Malemba, tiyenera kuganizira za nkhani yake ndiponso zimene Baibulo lonse limanena. Akristu akuuzidwa kuti: “Sitinalandire mzimu wa dziko, koma mzimu wochokera kwa Mulungu, kuti tidziwe zinthu zimene Mulungu watipatsa mokoma mtima. Timalankhulanso zinthu zimenezi, osati ndi mawu ophunzitsidwa ndi nzeru za anthu, koma ndi mawu amene mzimu watiphunzitsa, pamene tikuphatikiza zochitika zauzimu ndi mawu auzimu.” (1 Akorinto 2:11-13, NW) Inde, tiyenera kupempha Yehova kuti atithandize kumvetsa Mawu ake ndi kuyesa ‘kuphatikiza zochitika zauzimu ndi mawu auzimu’ poona nkhani imene muli lembalo, ndiponso poona malemba ena ogwirizana nalo. Tiyeni tipitirize kupeza mfundo zamtengo wapatali za choonadi pophunzira Mawu a Mulungu.