1. Chaza loko lokwenteka nakubhujiswa liJerusalema.

Nga-607 B.C.E., libutfo lelikhulu laseBhabhulona lebeliholwa yiNkhosi Nebukhadnezari II lavimbetela lidolobha laseJerusalema. Likhuluma ngekucitseka kwengati lenengi lokwalandzela, liBhayibheli litsi: ‘[Nebukhadnezari] wabulala onkhe emajaha abo ngenkemba, awabulalela endzaweni lengcwele, angashiyi lutfo loluselusha labadvuna nalabasikati nome talukati nemakhehla. . . . wokhela lithempeli laNkulunkulu ngemlilo, wabhidlita nalolubondza lwaseJerusalema wase ushisa tigodlo tonkhe kanye netimphahla letatinelinani lelikhulu lapho.’​—2 Khr. 36:17, 19.

2. Ngusiphi secwayiso lesimayelana nekubhujiswa kweJerusalema Jehova lasisho, futsi bekutokwentekani kumaJuda?

² Kubhujiswa kweliJerusalema akuzange kutimangalise takhamuti takhona. Besekwendlule iminyaka leminyenti baphrofethi baNkulunkulu bacwayisa emaJuda kutsi nakachubeka nekungawulaleli uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu bekatawunikelwa etandleni tebantfu baseBhabhulona. EmaJuda lamanyenti bekatawubulawa ngenkemba, bese kutsi labo labasindze ekufeni batfunjelwe eBhabhulona. (Jer. 15:2) Bekunjani kuphila kulabo labatfunjelwa eBhabhulona? Kukhona yini kutfunjwa lokwentekile ngesikhatsi sebuKhristu lokufana naloku kwangesikhatsi seBhabhulona? Nangabe kukhona, kwenteke nini?

3. Kwakuhluke njani kutfunjelwa eBhabhulona kunasebugcilini baseGibhithe?

³ Sefika sikhatsi sekutsi kwenteke loko baphrofethi lebebakushilo. Ngemphrofethi wakhe Jeremiya, Jehova weluleka emaJuda labekatawutfunjwa kutsi bekufanele asemukele simo lesisha lebebatawuba kuso. Watsi: “Yakhani tindlu nitinte; hlanyelani tivandze nidle loko letikutselako. Funani futsi kuthula nekuphumelela kulelo dolobha lenganitfumbela kulo kutsi niyewudzingiswa. Likhulekeleni kuSimakadze, ngobe naliphumelela, nani niyawuphumelela.” (Jer. 29:5, 7) Labo labalalela Nkulunkulu baphila imphilo levamile eBhabhulona. Ngekwelizinga lelitsite, batfumbi babo babavumela kutsi baphile ngendlela labafuna ngayo. Letitfunjwa betinenkhululeko yekuya nobe ngabe ngukuphi latifuna kuya khona kulelive. LiBhabhulona bekuyinkhabave yetekutsengiselana emhlabeni wonkhe, tincwadzi letitfolakele titsi linyenti lemaJuda lafundza buciko bekutsenga nekutsengisa nalilapho, kantsi labanye baba bochwephesha bekubata. Lamanye emaJuda aze ema kahle ngekwetemnotfo. Kutfunjelwa eBhabhulona bekungafanani nekuba sigcili eGibhithe, njengobe ema-Israyeli bekake aba tigcili eminyakeni leminyenti ngaphambili.​—Fundza Eksodusi 2:23-25.

4. Ngaphandle kwema-Israyeli langazange alalele uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu, bobani labanye labatfunjelwa eBhabhulona, futsi yini leyenta kwaba matima kukhonta Nkulunkulu?

⁴ Nanobe emaJuda abephila kahle ngesikhatsi atfunjiwe, kutsiwani ngebuhlobo babo naNkulunkulu? Lithempeli laJehova nelilati lalo belibhujisiwe futsi buphristi bebungasasebenti ngendlela lehlelekile. Emkhatsini walabo lebebatfunjiwe bekunetinceku taNkulunkulu lebetingakenti lutfo lolubi, kodvwa kwadzingeka kutsi tihlupheke kanye naso sonkhe sive. Nanobe kunjalo, benta konkhe labangakwenta kuze balalele uMtsetfo waNkulunkulu. Nasi sibonelo, eBhabhulona bekunaDanyela kanye nebangani bakhe labatsatfu​—lokunguShadraki, Meshaki, na-Abednego—​labala kudla lobekungafanele kudliwe ngemaJuda. Siyati nekutsi Danyela abethantaza njalo kuNkulunkulu. (Dan. 1:8; 6:10) Njengobe bebaholwa bantfu labangamkhonti Nkulunkulu, bekumatima ngemJuda lowesaba Nkulunkulu kwenta konkhe lokufunwa nguMtsetfo.

5. Nguliphi litsemba Jehova lalinika bantfu bakhe, futsi kungani lesetsembiso besimangalisa?

⁵ Ema-Israyeli bekatawuphindze akhone yini kukhonta Nkulunkulu ngendlela layemukelako? Ngaleso sikhatsi, bekubonakala kungeke kwenteke. LiBhabhulona belatiwa ngekungatikhululi titfunjwa talo. Noko, loyo mtsetfo awuzange usebente kuJehova. Bekabetsembisile bantfu bakhe kutsi batawukhululwa, futsi nguloko kanye lokwenteka. Loko Nkulunkulu lakwetsembisile kuyenteka.​—Isa. 55:11.

6, 7. Kungani kubalulekile ngatsi kutsi sishintje indlela lebesikucondza ngayo kutfunjwa yiBhabhulona esikhatsini setfu?

⁶ EmaKhristu aye abhekana yini nesimo lesifanana nesalabo lebebatfunjelwe eBhabhulona? Sekuphele iminyaka leminyenti lomagazini utsi tinceku taNkulunkulu tesikhatsi setfu tatfunjwa liBhabhulona nga-1918 futsi takhululwa nga-1919. Noko, ngenca yetizatfu lesitawucoca ngato kulesihloko nakulesilandzelako, kuyihlola kabusha lendzaba bekudzingekile.

⁷ Cabanga nganaku: IBhabhulona Lenkhulu ngumbuso welive wenkholo yemanga. Ngako, kuze tinceku taNkulunkulu titfunjwe yiBhabhulona nga-1918, bekufanele titfunjwe timfundziso temanga tangaleso sikhatsi. Noko, emaciniso akhombisa kutsi  eminyakeni lengetulu kwalelishumi ingakacali Imphi yeLive yekucala, tinceku taNkulunkulu betikhululekile eBhabhulona Lenkhulu. Nanobe kuliciniso kutsi labagcotjiwe bashushiswa ngesikhatsi semphi yelive yekucala, loko kuhlupheka lababhekana nako kwabangelwa babusi bemhlaba, hhayi iBhabhulona Lenkhulu. Ngako kute bufakazi bekutsi tinceku taJehova tatfunjwa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu nga-1918.

8. Chaza kutsi buKhristu beliciniso bonakaliswa kanjani. (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

⁸ NgeliPhentekhoste langa-33 C.E., tinkhulungwane temaJuda kanye nalabo labagucukela enkholweni yebuJuda bagcotjwa ngemoya longcwele. LamaKhristu aba “luhlanga lolukhetsiwe, umbuso webaphristi, sive lesingcwele, nebantfu labayimphahla lekhetsekile.” (Fundza 1 Phetro 2:9, 10) Ngesikhatsi baphostoli basaphila, bawanakekela kahle emabandla ebantfu baNkulunkulu. Kodvwa ngemuva kwekufa kwebaphostoli, kwavela emadvodza lebekakhuluma “tintfo letisontsekile” kuze “advonse bafundzi kutsi bawalandzele.” (Imis. 20:30; 2 Thes. 2:6-8) Linyenti lalamadvodza belihola emabandleni, bababonisi kamuva base batenta babhishobhi. Kwase kucala kuba nebafundisi, nanobe Jesu atsi kubafundzi bakhe: “Nine nibazalwane.” (Mat. 23:8) Emadvodza lahlonishwako lebekatsandza emafilosofi abo-Aristotle naPlato afaka timfundziso temanga kancane kancane esikhundleni setimfundziso letihlantekile teliVi laNkulunkulu.

9. Chaza kutsi uMbuso wemaRoma watisekela njani tihlubuki tebuKhristu futsi waba yini umphumela.

⁹ Ngemnyaka wa-313 C.E., letihlubuki taniketwa imvume nguMbusi waseRoma lokungu-Constantine. Kusukela ngaleso sikhatsi, Lisontfo neMbuso kwacala kusebentisana. Nasi sibonelo, Constantine, lobekalilunga leKomidi yase-Nicaea, wakhokha umtsetfo wekutsi kutfunjwe umphristi Arius ngobe wala kugcugcutela imfundziso yekutsi Jesu unguNkulunkulu. Kamuva, nga-379-395 C.E, nasekubusa Theodosius I, lisontfo lemaRoma Katolika lase liba yinkholo lesemtsetfweni eMbusweni wemaRoma. Tati temlandvo titsi emaRoma abhekwa njengemaKhristu ngelikhulu lesine. Liciniso likutsi ngalesikhatsi letihlubuki titihlanganisa netinhlangano tenkholo letingephansi kweMbuso wemaRoma taba ngemalunga eBhabhulona Lenkhulu. Nobe kunjalo, licembu lelincane lemaKhristu lagcotjiwe lelifana njengakolo, lenta konkhe lokusemandleni kuze likhonte Nkulunkulu, kodvwa bekumatima ngabo kwenta kanjalo. (Fundza Matewu 13:24, 25, 37-39.) Ecinisweni, bebatfunjwe liBhabhulona!

10. Yini lebeyenta bantfu labetsembekile bangavumelani netimfundziso telisontfo ngelikhulu lekucala?

¹⁰ Noko, ngelikhulu lekucala leminyaka bantfu labanyenti bebangakhona kufundza liBhayibheli ngesiGriki nobe ngesiLatin. Loku bekubenta bakhone kucatsanisa timfundziso teliVi laNkulunkulu netimfundziso telisontfo. Ngenca yaloko lebebakufundza eBhayibhelini, labanye abavumelananga netimfundziso telisontfo lebetingekho eBhayibhelini. Loku bekungaba yingoti nobe kusho nekufa nangabe bakuveta loko lokufundziswa liVi laNkulunkulu.

11. Kwenteka kanjani kutsi liBhayibheli ligcine lilawulwa bafundisi?

¹¹ Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, bantfu labanyenti bayekela kufundza liBhayibheli ngetilwimi lebelibhalwe ngato futsi lisontfo lemaRoma lamelana nekuhunyushwa kweliVi laNkulunkulu ngetilwimi letivamile. Ngenca yaleso sizatfu, bekubafundisi kuphela nebantfu labafundzile lebebangakhona kutifundzela liBhayibheli, nanobe labanye  bafundisi bebangakwati kufundza nekubhala. Nobe ngubani lobekaphikisana nalokufundziswa lisontfo bekajeziswa matima. Tinceku taNkulunkulu letigcotjiwe tatihlangana njengemacembu ngasese​—nangabe bakhonile kuhlangana. Njengobe bekunjalo nangekutfunjwa eBhabhulona yasendvulo, labagcotjiwe ‘labangumbuso webaphristi’ bebangakhoni kusebenta ngendlela lehlelekile. IBhabhulona Lenkhulu yabamba bantfu baNkulunkulu bangakhoni nekutsi nyisi!

12, 13. Ngutiphi tizatfu letimbili letabangela kutsi bantfu bacale kukhululeka eBhabhulona Lenkhulu? Chaza.

¹² EmaKhristu eliciniso bekatawuphindze akhululeke yini kutsi akhonte Nkulunkulu ngendlela layemukelako? Yebo! Kukhanya lokuvela kuNkulunkulu kwacala kubonakala. Timbili tizatfu letenta kutsi lokukhanya kucale kubonakala. Sekucala, kusungulwa kwemshini wekushicilela emkhatsini welikhulu lesi-15 leminyaka lobewungatfutfwa uyiswe kulenye indzawo. Ngaphambi kwekutsi tincwadzi tishicilelwe nasemaveni langaseNshonalanga, liBhayibheli belibhalwa ngekucophelela lokukhulu kusetjentiswa sandla. Emakhophi eliBhayibheli bekambalwa futsi adulile. Umbhali lonelikhono bekangatsatsa tinyanga letilishumi kutsi acedze kubhala yinye ikhophi yeliBhayibheli. Ngetulu kwaloko, loko lebebabhalela kuko (i-vellum nobe i-parchment) bekubita kakhulu. Ngakulolunye luhlangotsi, kusebentisa umshini wekushicilela kanye neliphepha kwabonakala kuyindlela lelula, ngobe lomshini bewungakhicita emakhasi langu-1 300 ngelilanga.

¹³ Sizatfu sesibili sikutsi emadvodza lanesibindzi lebekaphila ekucaleni kwelikhulu lesi-16, acala kuhumusha liVi laNkulunkulu ngetilwimi lebetikhulunywa bantfu labavamile. Bahumushi labanyenti bafaka kuphila  kwabo engotini ngenca yalomsebenti. Lisontfo lamangala kakhulu. Nangabe umuntfu lowesaba Nkulunkulu aneliBhayibheli, loko bekungaba yingoti kubafundisi, ngako baholi belisontfo besaba kakhulu. Njengobe liBhayibheli beselitfolakala, bantfu bebalifundza. Njengobe balifundza, bebabuta imibuto lenjengekutsi: ‘Ngukuphi eVini laNkulunkulu lakukhulunywa khona ngekuhlushwa kwebantfu labafile ngembikwekutsi baye ezulwini? Liyakhuluma yini liVi laNkulunkulu ngaboPapa?’ Ngekwembono welisontfo, tintfo tase tonakele kakhulu. Bantfu bebasitsatsaphi sibindzi sekubuta lisontfo imibuto lenje! Lisontfo latiphindziselela. Bantfu bamangalelwa ngekungavumelani netimfundziso telisontfo, letinye tato lebetisekelwe kumafilosofi abo-Aristotle naPlato​—emadvodza laphila ngaphambi kwekuba Jesu atalwe emhlabeni. Lisontfo labeka sigwebo sentsambo kubantfu labanjalo, futsi uMbuso bewuciniseka kutsi loko kuyenteka. Umgomo waloko bekukutsi bantfu bayekele kufundza liBhayibheli nekubuta lisontfo imibuto lemayelana nalo. Lacale labonakala lisebenta lelichinga labo. Bebangakabuti elangeni, bantfu labambalwa labanesibindzi bala kwesatjiswa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu. Besebalifundzile liVi laNkulunkulu futsi besebafuna kwati lokwengetiwe. Besekukhanya kutsi bantfu besebangakhululeka eBhabhulona Lenkhulu.

14. (a) Ngutiphi timo letabangela kutsi bantfu balicondze kancono liBhayibheli ngasekupheleni kwabo-1800? (b) Chaza indlela umzalwane Russell lebekalifuna ngayo liciniso.

¹⁴ Bantfu labanyenti lebebomele liciniso leliBhayibheli batfutsela kulamanye emave lapho lemfundziso yelisontfo beyite emandla khona. Bebafuna kufundza liBhayibheli, balitadishe futsi bacoce ngalo ngaphandle kwekwesatjiswa ngumuntfu. Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yabo-1800, Charles Taze Russell akanye nalabanye bangani bakhe eMelika, bacala luhlelo lwekutadisha liBhayibheli. Ekucaleni, umzalwane Russell bekanemgomo wekutfola kutsi emkhatsini wetinkholo lebetikhona, nguyiphi inkholo lebeyifundzisa liciniso. Bekacatsanisa ngekucophelela timfundziso tetinkholo letinyenti ngisho naleto lebetingasito tebuKhristu naloko lebekufundziswa liBhayibheli. Ngekushesha wabona kutsi kute ngisho nayinye lebeyivumelana naloko lebekushiwo liVi laNkulunkulu. Ngalesinye sikhatsi waze wahlangana nebafundisi bakuleyo ndzawo, anelitsemba lekutsi batakwemukela lokushiwo liBhayibheli futsi bakufundzise emalunga abo emabandleni. Kuyadzabukisa kutsi labafundisi abazange bakwemukele loko. Ngako labafundzi beliBhayibheli kwadzingeka balivume liciniso lelitsi: Bebangeke babe nebudlelwane nalabo lebebasatimisele kubambelela enkholweni yemanga.​—Fundza 2 Khorinte 6:14.

15. (a) EmaKhristu acala nini kutfunjwa yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto letawuphendvulwa esihlokweni lesilandzelako?

¹⁵ Sesibonile kutsi emaKhristu eliciniso atfunjwa liBhabhulona ngekushesha nje ngemuva kwekufa kwemphostoli wekugcina. Nobe kunjalo, kunemibuto lesitibuta yona, lenjengekutsi: “Ngubuphi lobunye bufakazi lesinabo lobukhombisa kutsi eminyakeni lengetulu kwalelishumi ngaphambi kwa-1914, labagcotjiwe besebacala kukhululeka ekutfunjweni yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu?” Kuliciniso yini kutsi Jehova besekangasajabuli ngetinceku takhe ngenca yekutsi besetehlise emandla emsebentini wekushumayela ngesikhatsi seMphi yeLive yekucala? Bakhona yini labanye bazalwane ngaleso sikhatsi labaya emphini futsi ngenca yaleso sizatfu Jehova wangajabuli ngabo? Kwekugcina, nangabe emaKhristu bekatfunjwe yinkholo yemanga kusukela ngelikhulu lesibili kuchubeke, akhululeka nini? Lena yimibuto lebalulekile. Itawuphendvulwa esihlokweni lesilandzelako.