Cha, akukho eBhayibhelini noma ezincwadini zomlando lapho sifunda khona ukuthi amaKristu ayebhapathizwa esikhundleni sabantu abafile.

Indlela leli vesi elihunyushwe ngayo emaBhayibhelini amaningi yenza abanye bacabange ukuthi ukubhapathizwa esikhundleni sabantu abafile kwakwenziwa ngosuku lukaPawulu. Ngokwesibonelo, amanye amaBhayibheli athi: “Uma uvuko lungekho, pho bayokwenzenjani labo ababhapathizelwa abantu abafile?”

Nokho, phawula lokho okushiwo yizazi ezimbili zeBhayibheli. UDkt. uGregory Lockwood wathi ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi ubhapathizo olwenziwa “esikhundleni sabantu abafile alusekelwe eBhayibhelini noma emlandweni.” Ngokufanayo, uProfesa uGordon D. Fee wabhala: “Asikho isibonelo sohlobo olunjalo lobhapathizo eBhayibhelini noma emlandweni. NaseTestamenteni Elisha, akukho okufakazela ukuthi ubhapathizo olunjalo lwake lwenziwa amaKristu okuqala noma elinye lamasonto asungulwa ngokushesha nje ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli.”

IBhayibheli lithi abalandeli bakaJesu babeyokwenza ‘abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, bababhapathize, babafundise ukugcina konke’ ayebayale ngakho. (Math. 28:19, 20) Ngaphambi kokuba umuntu abe umfundi obhapathiziwe, kwakudingeka afunde, abe nokholo, futhi alalele uJehova neNdodana yaKhe. Umuntu owayesevele efile futhi esethuneni wayengeke akwazi ukukwenza lokhu; ngisho nomKristu ophilayo wayengeke amenzele kona.—UmSh. 9:5, 10; Joh. 4:1; 1 Kor. 1:14-16.

Pho-ke, wayethini uPawulu?

Abanye abantu baseKorinte babephika ukuthi abantu abafile bayovuswa. (1 Kor. 15:12) UPawulu waphikisana nalowo mbono. Wabonisa ukuthi ‘nsuku zonke wabhekana nokufa.’ Noma kunjalo, wayesaphila. Kodwa naphezu kokubhekana nezimo eziyingozi, wayeqiniseka ukuthi ngemva kokufa, wayezovuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini njengoba kwenzeka nakuJesu.—1 Kor. 15:30-32, 42-44.

AbaseKorinte kwakudingeka baqonde ukuthi ukuba amaKristu agcotshiwe kwakusho ukuthi nsuku zonke babezobhekana novivinyo futhi bafe ngaphambi kokuba bavuswe. Ngakho ‘ukubhapathizelwa kuKristu Jesu’ kwakuhlanganisa ‘nokubhapathizelwa ekufeni kwakhe.’ (Roma 6:3) Ubhapathizo lwabo olungokomfanekiso lwabaholela ekufeni nasekutheni bavuselwe ezulwini.

Eminyakeni engaphezu kwemibili ngemva kokuba uJesu ebhapathizwe emanzini, watshela abafundi bakhe ababili: “Niyobhapathizwa ngobhapathizo engibhapathizwa ngalo.” (Marku 10:38, 39) Ngaleso sikhathi uJesu wayengabhapathizwa emanzini. Wayethi ukuqhubeka eqotho kuNkulunkulu kwakuyoholela ekufeni kwakhe. UPawulu wabhala ukuthi abagcotshiwe ‘babeyohlupheka kanye naye ukuze bakhazinyuliswe kanye naye.’ (Roma 8:16, 17; 2 Kor. 4:17) Ngakho nabo kwakuyomelwe bafe ukuze bavuselwe ekuphileni kwasezulwini.

Ngakho, amazwi kaPawulu angahunyushwa ngokunembile ngale ndlela: “Uma kungenjalo, bayokwenzenjani labo ababhapathizwa ngenjongo yokuba abafile? Uma abafile bengeke bavuswe nhlobo, pho kungani bebhapathizwa ngenjongo yokuba abafile?”