“Babizela Ndawonye ISanhedrini”

UMPRISTI ophakeme nababusi bamaJuda babesambathekile. Benzenjani ukuze banqande lo mlilo wequbula ophathelene noJesu Kristu? Babekwazile ukumbulala, kodwa manje abafundi bakaJesu babegcwalisa lonke iJerusalema ngendaba yokuvuka kwakhe. Bathuliswe kanjani? Ukuze kudingidwe lolu daba, umpristi ophakeme nabasizi bakhe “babizela ndawonye iSanhedrini,” eyinkantolo ephakeme yesizwe samaJuda.—IzEnzo 5:21.

Ngaleso sikhathi ekhulwini lokuqala, umuntu owayenegunya eliphakeme kwa-Israyeli kwakungumbusi ongumRoma uPontiyu Pilatu. Kodwa iSanhedrini yayisebenzelana kanjani noPilatu? Amalungelo ayo ayehamba ibanga elingakanani? Yayakhiwa obani iSanhedrini? Futhi yayisebenza kanjani?

Ukuvela KweSanhedrini

Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “Sanhedrini” ngokwezwi nezwi lisho ukuthi “ukuhlala phansi ndawonye.” Kwakuyigama elalivame ukusetshenziselwa umhlangano noma imbizo. KumaJuda ngokuvamile lalisetshenziselwa umkhandlu wokwahlulela wenkolo, noma inkantolo.

Abalobi beTalmud, eyahlanganiswa phakathi namakhulu eminyaka angemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., bachaza iSanhedrini ngokuthi iwumkhandlu omdala. Babecabanga ukuthi yayilokhu ikhona futhi yakhiwa izazi ezazihlangana ukuze zidingide izindaba zomthetho wamaJuda futhi bekholelwa ukuthi yaqala ngesikhathi uMose ehlanganisa amadoda amadala angu-70 ukuze amsize ekuholeni u-Israyeli.  (Numeri 11:16, 17) Izazi-mlando ziyaphikisana nalo mbono. Zithi umkhandlu ofana neSanhedrini yekhulu lokuqala waze waba khona ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ebuswa abasePheresiya. Izazi-mlando zithi futhi izazi ezishiwo abalobi beTalmud zibonakala zihambisana kangcono nemikhandlu yorabi yekhulu lesibili nelesithathu, hhayi neSanhedrini. Khona-ke yaqala nini iSanhedrini?

IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi izithunjwa ezabuyela kwaJuda ziphuma ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni ngo-537 B.C.E. zazinenhlangano eyayilawula isizwe. Incwadi kaNehemiya neka-Ezra zikhuluma ngezikhulu, amadoda amadala, izicukuthwane nababusi abangamaphini—mhlawumbe ababeyisiqalo seSanhedrini eyaba khona kamuva.—Ezra 10:8; Nehemiya 5:7.

Inkathi esukela ekupheleni kwemiBhalo YesiHebheru kuya ekubhalweni kweVangeli likaMathewu kwakuyinkathi yesiyaluyalu kumaJuda. Ngo-332 B.C.E., u-Alexander Omkhulu wadla izwe laseJudiya. Ngemva kokufa kwakhe, iJudiya laba ngaphansi kwemibuso emibili yamaGreki—kwaqale kwaba owohlu lozalo lukaPtolemy, kwabe sekuba owozalo lukaSeleucus. Isigele samaJuda sivela okokuqala emibhalweni egciniwe yokubusa kwabohlu lukaSeleucus, olwaqala ngo-198 B.C.E. Cishe amandla alo mkhandlu ayelinganiselwe, kodwa wawunika amaJuda umuzwa wokuthi ayenombuso wawo.

Ngo-167 B.C.E., iNkosi u-Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) yozalo lukaSeleucus yazama ukuphoqelela amasiko amaGreki kumaJuda. Yangcolisa ithempeli laseJerusalema ngokwenzela uZeyusi umhlatshelo wengulube kulo. Lokhu kwasusa udweshu amaMaccabee aphumelela kulo ukuzikhulula ekubusweni uhlu lozalo lukaSeleucus futhi amisa umbuso wobukhosi bamaHasmonaean. * Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ababhali nabaFarisi—abaholi boquqaba olwalusekela lolu dweshu—baqhoqhobala izintambo zokuphatha isizwe beziphuca isigaba sabapristi.

ISanhedrini echazwe emiBhalweni YesiGreki yayiqala ukwakheka. Yagcina isiwumkhandlu ophethe isizwe futhi iyinkantolo yokwahlulela ephakeme eyayisetshenziswa ekuchazeni umthetho wamaJuda.

Ukuhlukaniselana Amandla Okuphatha

Ngekhulu lokuqala, iJudiya lalingaphansi kombuso wamaRoma. Nokho, amaJuda ayenenkululeko ethile. AmaRoma ayenenkambiso yokunikeza izizwe ezingaphansi kwawo amandla athile okuzihlelela ohulumeni bazo. Ngakho, izikhulu zamaRoma zazingazikhathazi ngemisebenzi eyayenziwa izinkantolo zendawo, futhi zigwema izinkinga ezazingase ziphakame ngenxa yokungafani kwamasiko. Lokhu zazikwenzela ukuba kube nokuthula ngesikhathi esifanayo zazinxenxa izakhamuzi zezifundazwe ukuba zingahlubuki ngokuzivumela ukuba zigcine amasiko azo futhi empeleni zizibuse. Ngaphandle kokuthi amaRoma ayenelungelo lokumisa nokugudluza umpristi ophakeme—owayengamele iSanhedrini—nelokukhokhisa intela, ayengenela ezindabeni zamaJuda kuphela lapho kuthinteka ubukhosi bawo. Njengoba sibonile ekuqulweni kwecala likaJesu, kubonakala sengathi umbuso  wamaRoma wawuligodlile ilungelo lokukhipha isigwebo sentambo.—Johane 18:31.

Ngakho iSanhedrini yayilawula izindaba eziningi zamaJuda zangaphakathi. Yayinezikhonzi ezazibopha abeqe umthetho. (Johane 7:32) Izinkantolo ezincane zaziqula amacala amancane nezindaba zemibango ngaphandle kokungenela kwamaRoma. Lapho izinkantolo ezincane zihluleka ukufinyelela isinqumo ecaleni elithile, lalidluliselwa kuyiSanhedrini, eyayibe isikhipha isinqumo esiwujuqu.

Ukuze iqhubeke ijabulela la malungelo, kwakudingeka iSanhedrini iqinisekise ukuthi kunokuthula futhi isekele umbuso waseRoma. Kodwa uma amaRoma esola ukuthi sengathi kunamacala ezombangazwe, ayengenela futhi enze ngendlela yawo. Isibonelo salokhu ukuboshwa komphostoli uPawulu.—IzEnzo 21:31-40.

Amalungu Enkantolo

ISanhedrini yayinamalungu angu-71—umpristi ophakeme namadoda avelele esizweni angu-70. Ngezikhathi zamaRoma yayakhiwa izicukuthwane ezingabapristi (ikakhulukazi abaSadusi), izicukuthwane ezithathwe emphakathini nezazi ezingababhali zeqembu labaFarisi. Izicukuthwane ezingabapristi, zisekelwa amadoda avelele athathwe emphakathini, zazinezwi elithe xaxa enkantolo. * Nakuba abaSadusi babenamathela kakhulu emasikweni, abaFarisi babenomqondo ovulekile futhi yibona ababevame ukuba nethonya elikhulu kubantu. Ngokwesazi-mlando uJosephus, abaSadusi babengahambisani ngokugcwele nezinto ezazifunwa abaFarisi. UPawulu wawusebenzisa ngokunenzuzo umbango nokwahlukana ngokwezinkolelo okwakukhona phakathi kwala maqembu lapho ezivikela phambi kweSanhedrini.—IzEnzo 23:6-9.

Iqiniso lokuthi iSanhedrini yayakhiwa ikakhulukazi yizicukuthwane lenza kuqagulwe ukuthi zaziba amalungu phakade nokuthi uma kuvuleka izikhala, ababezivala babekhethwa amalungu asekhona. NgokweMishnah, amalungu amasha kwakudingeka abe “abapristi, amaLevi, nama-Israyeli amadodakazi awo ayevunyelwe ukuba ashade nabapristi,” okungukuthi amaJuda ayengaveza imibhalo egciniwe yohlu lozalo lwawo efakazela ukuthi lwalungangcolisiwe. Njengoba inkantolo ephakeme yayengamela umsebenzi wokwahlulela sonke isizwe, kubonakala kunengqondo ukuthi amadoda ayezakhele igama ezinkantolo ezincane ayekhushulwa athole izihlalo kuyiSanhedrini.

Ububanzi Begunya Layo

AmaJuda ayeyihlonipha kakhulu iSanhedrini, futhi abahluleli bezinkantolo ezincane babebophekile ukuba bamukele isinqumo sayo, ngale kwalokho isijeziso sasiwukufa. Le nkantolo yayikhathalela ikakhulukazi ukufaneleka kwabapristi nezindaba eziphathelene neJerusalema, ithempeli lalo nokukhulekela okwakuqhutshwa kulo. Empeleni, amandla okulawula eSanhedrini ayephelela eJudiya kuphela. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi yayibhekwa njengephakeme ekuchazeni uMthetho, yayinegunya lokunquma izindinganiso zokuziphatha nasemiphakathini yamaJuda eyayisemhlabeni wonke. Ngokwesibonelo, umpristi ophakeme nesigungu sakhe wayala abaholi bamasinagoge aseDamaseku ukuba babambisane ekubopheni abalandeli bakaKristu. (IzEnzo 9:1, 2; 22:4, 5; 26:12) Ngokufanayo, amaJuda ayeya eJerusalema ngemikhosi cishe ayedlulisela izimemezelo ezenziwe yiSanhedrini emakhaya.

NgokweMishnah, iSanhedrini yayiwukuphela kwegunya ezindabeni ezibalulekile zesizwe, ekusebenzelaneni nabahluleli ababedelela izinqumo zayo nasekwahluleleni abaprofethi bamanga. UJesu noStefanu bavela phambi kwale nkantolo bemangalelwe ngokuthi bayahlambalaza, uPetru noJohane ngokuthi baphambukisa isizwe kanti uPawulu ngokuthi ungcolisa ithempeli.—Marku 14:64; IzEnzo 4:15-17; 6:11; 23:1; 24:6.

Ukwahlulelwa KukaJesu Nokwabafundi Bakhe

Ngaphandle kwangeSabatha nangezinye izinsuku ezingcwele, iSanhedrini yayihlala esigcawini sayo nsuku zonke kusukela lapho kunikelwa umhlatshelo wasekuseni kuze kube yilapho  kunikelwa owakusihlwa. Amacala ayequlwa ngamahora asemini kuphela. Njengoba izigwebo zokufa zazingakhishwa kuze kube ngosuku olulandela olwecala, amacala anjalo kwakungamelwe aqulwe ngosuku olwandulela iSabatha noma umkhosi. Ofakazi babeyalisiswa ngokungathí sina kokuchitha igazi elingenacala. Ngakho-ke ukuqulwa kwecala likaJesu ebusuku nokulahlwa kwakhe ngecala okwenzeka emzini kaKayafase ngosuku olwandulela olomkhosi kwakuphambene nomthetho. Okubi nakakhulu, abahluleli ngokwabo bafuna ofakazi bamanga futhi bagqugquzela uPilatu ukuba akhiphe isigwebo sokuba uJesu abulawe.—Mathewu 26:57-59; Johane 11:47-53; 19:31.

ITalmud ithi abahluleli bamacala anesigwebo sokufa, babezinika isikhathi sokucubungulisisa ubufakazi bezama ukumsindisa ummangalelwa. Nokho, njengoJesu, uStefanu akazange ahlulelwe ngaleyo ndlela. Ukuzivikela kwakhe phambi kweSanhedrini kwaholela ekukhandweni kwakhe ngamatshe yisixuku. UPawulu naye ngabe wabulawa ngendlela efanayo ukube amaRoma awangenelanga. Empeleni, abahluleli beSanhedrini bakha uzungu lokumbulala.—IzEnzo 6:12; 7:58; 23:6-15.

Okungenani amalungu ambalwa enkantolo kubonakala sengathi ayenezimiso ezinhle. Kungenzeka ukuthi umbusi osemusha ongumJuda owakhuluma noJesu wayeyilungu leSanhedrini. Nakuba ingcebo yakhe yaba isithiyo, kumelwe ukuba wayenezimfanelo ezinhle njengoba uJesu ammemela ukuba abe umlandeli wakhe.—Mathewu 19:16-22; Luka 18:18, 22.

Kungenzeka ukwesaba ukuthi babeyothini abanye abahluleli ayekanye nabo kwenza ukuba uNikodemu, “umbusi wamaJuda,” avakashele uJesu ebusuku. Noma kunjalo, uNikodemu wamvikela uJesu phambi kweSanhedrini ngokubuza: “Umthetho wakithi awumahluleli umuntu ngaphandle kokuba uqale ngokumuzwa futhi wazi lokho akwenzayo, akunjalo?” Kamuva uNikodemu waletha “umqulu wemure nenhlaba” ukuze isidumbu sikaJesu silungiselelwe ukungcwatshwa.—Johane 3:1, 2; 7:51, 52; 19:39.

UJosefa wase-Arimatheya, ongelinye ilungu leSanhedrini, waba nesibindi sokucela isidumbu sikaJesu kuPilatu futhi wasingcwaba ethuneni lakhe elisha. UJosefa “wayelindele umbuso kaNkulunkulu,” kodwa ukwesaba amaJuda kwamvimbela ukuba azibonakalise njengomunye wabafundi bakaJesu. Nokho, okuhle ngaye ukuthi akazange ahambisane neSanhedrini etulweni layo lokubulala uJesu.—Marku 15:43-46; Mathewu 27:57-60; Luka 23:50-53; Johane 19:38.

UGamaliyeli, omunye owayeyilungu leSanhedrini, weluleka abahluleli abakanye naye ukuba bahlukane nabafundi bakaJesu. Wathi: “Ngaphandle kwalokho, mhlawumbe ningatholakala empeleni ningabantu abalwa noNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 5:34-39) Yini eyayivimbela le nkantolo enkulu ukuba ibone ukuthi uJesu nabafundi bakhe babesekelwa uNkulunkulu? Esikhundleni sokuvuma ukuthi uJesu wayenza izimangaliso, iSanhedrini yathi: “Sizokwenzenjani, ngoba lo muntu wenza izibonakaliso eziningi? Uma simyeka ngale ndlela, bonke bazokholwa nguye, futhi amaRoma azofika athathe kokubili indawo yethu nesizwe sethu.” (Johane 11:47, 48) Ukuhahela amandla kwaphendukezela ubulungisa bale nkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda. Ngokufanayo, esikhundleni sokujabula lapho abafundi bakaJesu bephulukisa abantu, laba baholi benkolo “bagcwala umhawu.” (IzEnzo 5:17) Njengabahluleli, kwakufanele ngabe babesaba uNkulunkulu futhi benobulungisa, kodwa iningi labo lalikhohlakele futhi lingathembekile.—Eksodusi 18:21; Duteronomi 16:18-20.

Isahlulelo Saphezulu

Ngenxa yokuthi u-Israyeli akazange awulalele uMthetho kaNkulunkulu futhi wenqaba noMesiya, uJehova wagcina esalile lesi sizwe njengabantu bakhe abakhethiwe. Ngo-70 C.E., amaRoma abhubhisa umuzi waseJerusalema nethempeli lawo futhi asiqeda sonke isimiso sezinto samaJuda, makhathaleni aqeda neSanhedrini ngokwayo.

UJesu Kristu, uMahluleli omiswe uJehova, uyonquma ukuthi akhona yini amalungu eSanhedrini yekhulu lokuqala akufanelekelayo ukuthola uvuko nokuthi yimaphi one umoya ongcwele. (Marku 3:29; Johane 5:22) Singaqiniseka ukuthi lapho enza lezo zinqumo, uJesu uyosebenzisa ubulungisa obuphelele.—Isaya 11:3-5.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]