Ukusetshenziswa Okuhle Nokubi Kwemifanekiso Engokwenkolo

INKUNDLA ise-St. Petersburg, eRussia. Usuku u-August 2, 1914. Abantu abeneme abavayizelisa imifanekiso emoyeni baye babuthana esigodlweni sombusi waseRussia. Enkabeni yehholo elikhulu kuye kwakhiwa i-altare. Phezu kwalelo altare kunomdwebo wowesifazane ophethe umntwana. Lomfanekiso ubizwa ngokuthi “uMama kaNkulunkulu uVladimir.” Izixuku ziwubheka njengegugu elingcwele kunawo wonke eRussia.

Empeleni, kunenkolelo yokuthi lomfanekiso wenza izimangaliso. Ngo-1812, lapho amabutho aseRussia emasha ngokumelene noNapoléon, uJenene Kutuzov wathandaza phambi kwawo. Manje, ngemva kokunikela ngezwe lakhe empini, uMbusi uNicholas II umi phambi kwawo. Ephakamise isandla sakhe sokunene, wenza isifungo: “Ngifunga ngiyagomela ukuthi ngeke ngilokothe ngenze ukuthula uma nje kusekhona isitha ngisho nesisodwa endaweni yaseRussia.”

Emasontweni amabili kamuva lombusi uthatha uhambo oluya endaweni engcwele eMoscow eyofuna ukuba isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu sibe phezu kwamabutho akhe. Esontweni i-Cathedral of the Assumption, uyaguqa futhi uthandaza phambi kwesihenqo esikhulu esihlotshiswe ngamatshe ayiyigugu—esinemidwebo kaJesu, uMariya, izingelosi, ‘nosanta.’

Lezizenzo ezingokwenkolo zehluleka ukuvimbela inhlekelele. Eminyakeni engaphansi kwemine, amabutho aseRussia afelwa abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyisithupha futhi alahlekelwa indawo enkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lombusi, umkakhe, nabantwana babo abahlanu babulawa ngesihluku. Esikhundleni sokubuswa amakhosi okwase kunamakhulu eminyaka kukhona, lelizwe laqala ukubuswa uhulumeni wabavukeli omelene nenkolo. Ukuthembela koMbusi uNicholas emifanekisweni kwaba yize.

Nokho, kuze kube namuhla izigidi ziyaqhubeka zihlonipha imifanekiso eRussia nakwamanye amazwe. Lokhu kuphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile. UNkulunkulu uzibheka kanjani izenzo zokukhulekela ezenziwa phambi kwemifanekiso enjalo? Futhi kuthiwani ngomkhuba wokuyiphanyeka ezindongeni emakhaya?

Lithini IBhayibheli?

Lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, wawulalela uMthetho kaNkulunkulu owanikezwa ngoMose. Lona wawuhlanganisa nowesibili walokho okubizwa ngokuthi iMiyalo Eyishumi, othi: “Ungazenzeli izithombe ezibaziweyo, namfanekiso wokusezulwini ngaphezulu, nowokusemhlabeni phansi, nowokusemanzini phansi komhlaba; ungazikhothameli, ungazikhonzi, ngokuba mina-Jehova uNkulunkulu wakho nginguNkulunkulu onomhawu.”—Eksodusi 20:4, 5.

Ngenxa yalokho, uJesu akazange akhulekele uNkulunkulu ngosizo lwemifanekiso noma izithombe ezibaziwe ezenziwe ngabantu. Kunalokho, ukukhulekela kwakhe kwakuvumelana nesimemezelo sikaYise: “NginguJehova; yilo igama lami; angiyikunika omunye inkazimulo yami, nezithombe ezibaziweyo udumo lwami.”—Isaya 42:8.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu wachaza ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu kungafanele akhulekelwe ngosizo lwezinto ezingokoqobo. “Isikhathi siyeza‚” esho, “lapho abakhulekayo abaqinisileyo beyakukhuleka kuBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso; ngokuba uBaba ufuna abakhuleka kuye abanjalo. UNkulunkulu unguMoya; abakhuleka kuye bafanele ukukhuleka ngomoya nangeqiniso.”—Johane 4:23, 24.

NjengoJesu, abafundi bakhe beqiniso bafundisa abanye indlela eqondile yokukhulekela. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPawulu wake wakhuluma nesixuku sezazi zefilosofi ezingamaGreki  ezazisebenzisa izithombe ekukhulekeleni onkulunkulu bazo abangabonakali. Wazitshela ngoMdali womuntu wase ethi: “Akufanele ukuba sithi ubuNkulunkulu bufana negolide noma isiliva noma itshe‚ okuqoshwé ngekhono nangesu lomuntu.” Kamuva, lomphostoli wachaza ukuthi amaKristu ‘ahamba ngokukholwa, awahambi ngokubona’ nokuthi amaKristu kumelwe ‘abalekele ukukhonza izithombe.’—IzEnzo 17:16-31; 2 Korinte 5:7; 1 Korinte 10:14.

Okuhlangenwe nakho ekuphileni kukamphostoli uPetru kubonisa ukuthi wayeshesha ukulungisa noma isiphi isenzo esasingase siholele ekukhonzeni izithombe. Lapho induna yekhulu engumRoma uKorneliyu iwa ngasezinyaweni zakhe, uPetru wenqaba. Wasukumisa uKorneliyu, ethi: “Sukuma‚ nami ngingumuntu nje.”—IzEnzo 10:26.

Ngokuqondene nomphostoli uJohane, wethuswa kakhulu imibono yaphezulu kangangokuba wawa ngasezinyaweni zengelosi. “Musa,” kweluleka ingelosi. “Ngiyinceku kanye nawe nabazalwane bakho abaprofethi nabagcina amazwi alencwadi; khuleka kuNkulunkulu.” (IsAmbulo 22:8, 9) Umphostoli wasazisa leseluleko. Ngothando, waloba lesenzakalo ukuze sizuze.

Kodwa okuhlangenwe nakho okungenhla kuhlobene kanjani nokusetshenziswa kwemifanekiso engokwenkolo? Nokho, uma kwakungalungile ngoKorneliyu ukuba akhothame phambi komunye wabaphostoli bakaKristu, kuthiwani ngokuhlonipha imifanekiso ‘yosanta’ engaphili? Futhi uma kwakungalungile ngomunye wabaphostoli bakaKristu ukuba akhothame phambi kwengelosi ephilayo, khona-ke kuthiwani ngokuhlonishwa kwemifanekiso yezingelosi engaphili? Ngokuqinisekile, izenzo ezinjalo ziyaphikisana nesixwayiso sikaJohane: “Bantwanyana‚ zilindeni ezithombeni.”—1 Johane 5:21.

Njengezinsiza-kufundisa Zokuhlobisa

Lokhu akusho ukuthi ukuba nje nomfanekiso wesenzakalo esithile esingokweBhayibheli kuwukukhonza izithombe. Lomagazini uyisebenzisa kahle imifanekiso yezenzakalo ezingokweBhayibheli  njengezinsiza-kufundisa. Futhi imifanekiso yezenzakalo ezingokweBhayibheli ingasetshenziselwa ukuhlobisa izindonga zezindlu nezakhiwo. Nokho, umKristu weqiniso ngeke afune ukuhlobisa ngomfanekiso okwaziwayo ukuthi abanye bayawuhlonipha, futhi ngeke aphanyeke odongeni lwakhe umfanekiso olimelela kabi iBhayibheli.—Roma 14:13.

Eminingi yemifanekiso yeLobukholwa ibonisa isiyingi sokukhanya sizungeze ikhanda likaJesu, uMariya, izingelosi, ‘nelosanta.’ Lokhu kubizwa ngokuthi i-halo. Yavelaphi i-halo? “Umsuka wayo wawungewona owobuKristu,” kuvuma i-Catholic Encyclopedia (uhlelo luka-1987), “ngoba yayisetshenziswa abadwebi nabaqophi abangamaqaba ukuba ibe uphawu olumelela isithunzi esikhulu namandla onkulunkulu abahlukahlukene.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, incwadi ethi The Christians, kaBamber Gascoigne, inesithombe sikankulunkulu welanga esine-halo esatholwa eCapitoline Museum eRome. Lonkulunkulu wayekhulekelwa amaRoma angamaqaba. Kamuva, kuchaza uGascoigne, ‘i-halo yelanga yatshelekwa ubuKristu.’ Yebo, i-halo ihlangene nokukhulekelwa kwelanga kwamaqaba.

Ingabe imifanekiso ehlanganisa izenzakalo ezingokweBhayibheli nezimpawu zokukhulekelwa kwezithombe kwamaqaba iyakufanelekela ukuphanyekwa odongeni lwekhaya lomKristu? Cha. IBhayibheli liyeluleka: “Linakuvumelana kuni ithempeli likaNkulunkulu nezithombe na? . . . Ngakho-ke phumani phakathi kwabo‚ nahlukane nabo‚ isho iNkosi; ningathinti okungcolileyo; khona ngiyakunamukela.”—2 Korinte 6:16, 17.

Njengoba isikhathi sasihamba, labo ababezisholo ukuthi bangamaKristu baqala ukusishaya indiva iseluleko esinjalo. Kwavela ukuhlubuka, njengoba kwakubikezelwe uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe. (Mathewu 24:24; IzEnzo 20:29, 30; 2 Petru 2:1) Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesine C.E., umbusi waseRoma uConstantine wenza ubuKristu bezihlubuki baba inkolo yeSizwe. Manje uhide lwamaqaba lwaqala ukuzibiza ngokuthi ‘lungamaKristu.’ Umkhuba ovamile phakathi kwawo kwakuwukukhulekelwa kwezithombe zombusi. Futhi ayevame ukuphanyeka imifanekiso yokhokho bawo neyabanye abantu abadumile. “Ngokuvumelana nenkolo yombusi,” kuchaza uJohn Taylor encwadini yakhe ethi Icon Painting, “abantu babekhulekela umfanekiso wakhe owawudwetshwe endwangwini nowawubazwe ngokhuni, futhi ukukhulekela umbusi nokuhlonipha imifanekiso kwakusondelene.” Kanjalo ukukhulekelwa kwemifanekiso kwamaqaba kwathathelwa indawo ukuhlonishwa kwemifanekiso kaJesu, uMariya, izingelosi, ‘neyosanta.’

Abaholi Bamasonto Bakuthethelela Kanjani Lokhu?

Ngokwe-Encyclopedia of Religion, abaholi bamasonto baphikisa ngamaphuzu afanayo amadala njengoba kwenza izazi zefilosofi ezingamaqaba. Amadoda anjengoPlutarch, uDio Chrysostom, uMaxim waseTyre, uCelsus, uPorphyry, noJulian avuma ukuthi izithombe zazingaphili. Kodwa lamaqaba akuthethelela ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ephikisa ngokuthi lezi zaziwusizo ekukhulekeleni onkulunkulu bawo abangabonakali. Umenzi wemifanekiso waseRussia uLeonid Ouspensky uyavuma encwadini ethi The Meaning of Icons: “OFata beSonto basebenzisa ithuluzi lefilosofi yamaGreki, benza umqondo nolimi lwayo kuvumelane nemfundiso yenkolo yobuKristu.”—Qhathanisa neyabaseKolose 2:8.

Abantu abaningi bakuthola kunzima ukuqonda ukuthethelelwa kokuhlonishwa kwemifanekiso okungokwemfundiso yenkolo. “Umehluko phakathi kokukhulekela umfanekiso ngenxa yalokho ongase ukumelele, noma ukuwukhulekela nje ngokuqondile . . . wawumncane kakhulu ukuba ungaphawulwa yinoma ubani ngaphandle kwezifundiswa,” kusho uJohn Taylor kwethi Icon Painting.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngemifanekiso engokwenkolo kulula ukukuqonda. Cabangela u-Emilia, ohlala eGoli, eNingizimu Afrika. WayengumKatolika ozinikele futhi evame ukuguqa athandaze phambi kwemifanekiso. Khona-ke, omunye woFakazi  BakaJehova wangqongqoza emnyango wakhe. Wajabula ukubona eBhayibhelini lesiPutukezi ukuthi uNkulunkulu unegama, elithi Jehova. (IHubo 83:18, Almeida) Phakathi nesifundo sakhe seBhayibheli, wabuza: “Yini okumelwe ngiyenze ukuze ngigweme ukudumaza uJehova?” LoFakazi wakhomba imifanekiso ephanyekwe odongeni lwakhe futhi wamcela ukuba afunde iHubo 115:4-8. Ngalobobusuku lapho umyeni ka-Emilia efika ekhaya, wamtshela ukuthi ufuna ukulahla imifanekiso yakhe yenkolo. Wavuma. Ngosuku olulandelayo, watshela amadodana akhe amabili, uTony noManuel, ukuba baphule lemifanekiso ibe izicucu futhi bayishise. Namuhla, ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-25, ingabe u-Emilia uyazisola ngalokhu? Cha. Empeleni, ekanye nomkhaya wakhe, uye wasiza abaningi bomakhelwane bakhe ukuba babe abakhulekeli bakaJehova abajabulayo.

Okuhlangenwe nakho okufanayo kuye kwenzeka izikhathi eziningi. Ngenxa yomsebenzi wokwenza abafundi womhlaba wonke woFakazi BakaJehova, izigidi zifunda ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” Nawe ungathola izibusiso kulendlela ephakeme yokukhulekela, ngoba njengoba uJesu asho, “uBaba ufuna abakhuleka kuye abanjalo.”—Johane 4:23, 24.

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Umbusi uNicholas II ebusisa amabutho akhe ngomfanekiso

[Umthombo]

Photo by C.N.