Ingabe UJesu Wazalwa Likhithika?

“IQHWA Eliningi Liphazamisa Ukuphila EJerusalema” futhi “Ukukhithika Okuqhubekayo Kukhungathekisa INyakatho.” Izihloko ezinjalo ezigqamile kuyi-Jerusalem Post zaba ezivamile kubafundi abahlala e-Israel ngo-1992, kulokho okwabonakala kungobunye bobusika obubanda kakhulu e-Israel phakathi nalelikhulu leminyaka.

Ngo-January isiqongo seNtaba iHermon sasimbozwe amamitha angu-7 kuya kwangu-12 eqhwa, futhi ubusika babungakapheli. Kusukela eGolan Heights naseGalile Ephezulu kwehle kudlule eJesusalema naseBetlehema eseduze (ongayibona esembozweni), ngisho naseningizimu ukuya eNegeb, ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuphila nenqubo yansuku zonke yabantu base-Israel kwakuphazanyiswa isivakashi esincwala nesizothile, nokho esinamandla. Esinye isihloko se-Jerusalem Post sathi: “Ukukhithika okunamandla kuphumelele izolo ukwenza lokho okuhlule imvula yama-rocket eKatyusha ngesonto elidlule, ukuvala izindawo zokuhlala nokugcina izakhamuzi zivaleleke ngcí emakhaya azo.”

Lobusika obubandayo abulethelanga izakhamuzi zakulelidolobha kuphela umonakalo. Kwafika imibiko yamakhulu ezinkomo namathole, kanye nezinkulungwane zezinkukhu, okwabulawa yiqhwa njengoba amazinga okushisa ebusuku ehla aba ngaphansi kwezingaqhwa. Izimvula ezibandayo ezina ngamandla nazo zana kakhulu, njengokungathi iqhwa lalinganele. Ngolunye usuku, abafana ababili abangabelusi bezimvu, ngokusobala ababezama ngamandla ukusindisa izimvu zabo eziningi ezazikhukhulwe isikhukhula esikhulu, nabo ngokwabo bacwila futhi baminza kulesosikhukhula.

Nakuba lobu kwakungebona ubusika obuvamile baseMpumalanga Ephakathi, umagazini wase-Israel i-Eretz wabika: “Ukwaziswa kwesimo sezulu okuye kwaqoqwa futhi kwagcinwa ezweni lase-Israel eminyakeni engu-130 edlule kwembula ukuthi iqhwa eJerusalema liyinsakavukela into engase ilindelwe . . . Phakathi kuka-1949 no-1980, idolobha laseJerusalema laba nobusika obukhithikayo obungamashumi amabili nane.” Kodwa ingabe lokhu kumane kunokubaluleka kwesimiso sezulu nesithakazelo somuntu, noma ingabe kunencazelo ethile kubafundi beBhayibheli?

 Kubaluleke Ngani KubaFundi BeBhayibheli?

Lapho becabanga ngokuzalwa kukaJesu, abantu abaningi bacabanga ngomfanekiso womkhombe okhangayo ngokomzwelo ngokuvamile okukhangiswa ngawo ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi. Nanguya umntwana uJesu ulele, umbathiswe wafudumala, futhi unakekelwe ngunina, neqhwa limboze izwe elizungezile. Ingabe lombono othandwayo uyavumelana nencazelo yeBhayibheli yalesisenzakalo esingokomlando?

Umlobi weBhayibheli uLuka ulandisa indaba efakazelwe ngokucophelela yokuzalwa kukaJesu: “Kwakukhona abelusi kulelozwe ababehlezi endle, belinda umhlambi wabo ebusuku. Ingelosi yeNkosi yema phambi kwabo, inkazimulo yeNkosi yabakhanyisa nxazonke; besaba ngokwesaba okukhulu. Ingelosi yathi kubo: Ningesabi; ngokuba bhekani, nginibikela izindaba ezinhle zokuthokoza okukhulu okuzakuba-kubantu bonke ukuthi nizalelwe namuhla uMsindisi onguKristu iNkosi emzini kaDavide [eBetlehema]. Nalokhu kuyisiboniselo kini: niyakufumana umntwana embesiwe, elele emkhombeni. Masinyane kwaba-khona kanye nengelosi uquqaba lwebandla lasezulwini, lumdumisa uNkulunkulu, luthi: Udumo kuNkulunkulu kweliphezulu, nokuthula emhlabeni kubantu abathokozelwa nguye.”—Luka 2:8-14.

Uma namuhla ubungafundela umuntu ovamile wase-Israel lendaba bese umbuza ukuthi bekungaba yisiphi isikhathi sonyaka lesi, cishe ubengaphendula ngokuthi, “Isikhathi esiphakathi kuka-April no-October.” Ngani? Impendulo ilula. Kusukela ku-November kuya ku-March yinkathi ebandayo, yemvula e-Israel, futhi u-December 25 ngokuqinisekile usebusika. Abelusi babengenakuhlala endle, balinde imihlambi yabo ebusuku. Lapho ucabangela imibiko esekuqaleni kwalesihloko, ungasiqonda kahle isizathu. IBetlehema, lapho uJesu azalelwa khona, lisezindaweni eziphakeme futhi limane lingamakhilomitha ambalwa kuphela ukusuka eJerusalema. Ngisho naseminyakeni lapho isimo sezulu singesibi kakhulu, kumakhaza ngempela lapho ebusuku phakathi nobusika.—Mika 5:2; Luka 2:15.

 Ukuhlola umlando wangesikhathi sokuzalwa kukaJesu kusikhanyisela iqiniso lokuthi akazalwanga likhithika ngo-December. Nakuba uMariya, unina kaJesu ayesenesikhathi eside ekhulelwe, kwadingeka ukuba athathe uhambo olusuka kubo eNazaretha aye eBetlehema. Yena noJosefa benza kanjalo ukuze bahlangabezane nezimfuneko zokubalwa kwabantu ezazimenyezelwe umbusi wamaRoma uKesari Awugustu. (Luka 2:1-7) Ngenxa yokuzonda kwamaJuda ukubusa kwamaRoma nokukhokhwa kwentela emba eqolo, kakade ayeseduze nokuvukela. Kungani iRoma yayingawacasula ngokungadingekile ngokufuna ukuba iningi lithathe uhambo lokuyobhaliswa phakathi nesimo sezulu sasebusika esibi kakhulu nesiyingozi? Ingabe akunangqondo ngokwengeziwe yini ukuthi lokhu bekungamenyezelelwa inkathi ekufanelekele ukuthatha uhambo, njengasentwasahlobo noma ekwindla?

Izibalo Ezisekelwe EBhayibhelini

Ubufakazi obungokomlando nobungokoqobo buyamlahla u-December, noma iyiphi enye inyanga yasebusika, njengevumelana nokulandisa okuphathelene nokuzalwa kukaJesu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli lembula ngokwesiprofetho isikhathi sonyaka uJesu azalwa ngaso. Kukuphi lapho likwembula khona lokhu?

Encwadini kaDaniyeli, isahluko 9, sithola esinye seziprofetho ezishukumisa kakhulu ngokuphathelene noMesiya. Sichaza kokubili ukuza nokubulawa kwakhe, okwalungiselela umhlatshelo wesihlengo wokuhlawula isono futhi nokubekela isintu esilalelayo isisekelo sokuzuza “ukulunga okuphakade.” (Daniyeli 9:24-27; qhathanisa noMathewu 20:28.) Ngokwalesiprofetho, konke lokhu kwakuyokwenzeka phakathi nesikhathi samasonto angu-70 eminyaka, kusukela ngonyaka ka-455 B.C.E., lapho kukhishwa umyalo wokwakhiwa kabusha kweJerusalema. * (Nehemiya 2:1-11) Ngokuhlukanisa isikhathi kulesisiprofetho, kuyabonakala ukuthi uMesiya  wayeyobonakala ekuqaleni kwesonto lama-70 leminyaka. Lokhu kwenzeka lapho uJesu eziletha ngokwakhe ukuba abhapathizwe ngo-29 C.E., eqalisa ngokomthetho indima yakhe yokuba uMesiya. “Phakathi kwesonto,” noma ngemva kweminyaka emithathu nengxenye, uMesiya wayeyobulawa, ngaleyondlela aqede ukubaluleka kwayo yonke imihlatshelo ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho kaMose.—Heberu 9:11-15; 10:1-10.

Lesisiprofetho sembula ukuthi ubude benkonzo kaJesu babuyiminyaka emithathu nengxenye. UJesu wafa ngePhasika, ngo-Nisan 14 (ngokwekhalenda lamaJuda), entwasahlobo ka-33 C.E. Usuku oluhambisana nalowonyaka bekungaba u-April 1. (Mathewu 26:2) Ukubala iminyaka emithathu nengxenye ukuya emuva kubeka ubhapathizo lwakhe ku-29 C.E. ekuqaleni kuka-October. ULuka usitshela ukuthi uJesu wayeneminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-30 ubudala lapho ebhapathizwa. (Luka 3:21-23) Lokhu bekuyosho ukuthi ukuzalwa kukaJesu kwakucishe kube sekuqaleni kuka-October. Ngokuvumelana nokulandisa kukaLuka, abelusi ngalesosikhathi babeyobe ‘besahlezi endle, belinde umhlambi wabo ebusuku.’—Luka 2:8.

Kuvela Kumuphi Umthombo?

Njengoba ubufakazi bukhomba ekuqaleni kuka-October njengesikhathi sokuzalwa kukaJesu, kungani kugujwa ngo-December 25? I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ibonisa ukuthi lokhu kugujwa kwamukelwa emakhulwini eminyaka amaningi ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu: “Phakathi nekhulu lesine ukugujwa kokuzalwa kukaKristu ngo-December 25 kwamukelwa kancane kancane ngamasonto amaningi aseMpumalanga. EJerusalema, ukumelana noKhisimusi kwathatha isikhathi eside, kodwa ekugcineni wamukelwa.”

Kungani lomkhuba wamukelwa kalula yilabo ababezibiza ngokuthi bangamaKristu emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngemva kukaKristu? I-New Encyclopædia Britannica iyaqhubeka isikhanyisela kulendaba: “Imikhuba yendabuko ehlanganiswe noKhisimusi yavela emithonjeni ehlukahlukene njengomphumela wokuqondana kokugujwa kokuzalwa kukaKristu nokugcinwa kwemikhosi yezolimo nelanga kobuqaba okwakwenziwa maphakathi nobusika. Ezweni lamaRoma i-Saturnalia (December 17) yayiyisikhathi sokujabula nesokuphana izipho. U-December 25 naye wayebhekwa njengosuku lokuzalwa kukankulunkulu wabantu base-Iran oyimfihlakalo uMithra, iLanga Lokulunga.”

Ingabe ngempela konke lokhu “kwakuwukuqondana”? Lutho neze! Kuyiqiniso elingokomlando ukuthi ekhulwini lesine C.E., ngaphansi koMbusi uConstantine, uMbuso wamaRoma washintsha ngokuphawulekayo usuka ekubeni umshushisi wobuKristu waya ekubeni umsekeli “wobuKristu” njengenkolo eyamukelekayo. Njengoba abantu abaningi abavamile, ababengenaso isisekelo salokho okwakushiwo ubuKristu ngempela, babemukela lolukholo olusha, baqala ukugubha imikhosi yabo evamile yobuqaba beyibiza ngeziqu “zobuKristu” ababesanda kuzithola. Yiluphi usuku obelungafaneleka kangcono lokugubha ukuzalwa kukaKristu kuno-December 25, kakade olwase luphawulwe njengosuku lokuzalwa “kweLanga Lokulunga”?

 Ingabe Kunendaba?

Akukho kungabaza ukuthi abalandeli bokuqala bakaJesu, ababenesizinda sobuJuda, abalugubhanga usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa. Ngokwe-Encyclopaedia Judaica, “ukugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa akwaziwa emikhubeni yendabuko yamaJuda.” Ngokuqinisekile amaKristu akuqala ayengenakukwamukela ukugujwa komkhosi onjalo. Kunokuba agubhe usuku lokuzalwa kwakhe, ayeyolalela umyalo kaJesu wokuba akhumbule ukufa kwakhe, okuyisenzakalo ayenosuku lwaso olungenakuphikiswa, okungukuthi, u-Nisan 14.—Luka 22:7, 15, 19, 20; 1 Korinte 11:23-26.

Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kukaKristu, abantu abangamaJuda, ngalesosikhathi ababeyisizwe esikhethiwe sikaNkulunkulu futhi okwakumelwe babalekele ukuthunjelwa kwabo eBabiloni okwakuza, baxwayiswa ngokwesiprofetho: “Mukani, mukani, niphume lapha, ningathinti okungcolileyo, niphume phakathi kwalo, nizihlambulule nina eniphatha izitsha zikaJehova.” (Isaya 52:11) Kwakumelwe baphindele ezweni labo lendabuko ukuze bayovuselela ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova okuhlanzekile. Babengenakukucabanga ukwamukela imikhuba engcolile yobuqaba nezinhlobo zokukhulekela ababezibone eBabiloni.

Akumangalisi ukuthi lomyalo ofanayo uyaphindwa kumaKristu kweyesi-2 Korinte 6:14-18. Esikhundleni sesizwe samaJuda esenqaba uKristu, abalandeli bakhe baba abameleli bokukhulekela okuhlanzekile. Baba nomthwalo wemfanelo wokusiza abanye baphume ebumnyameni obungokomoya futhi bangene ekukhanyeni kweqiniso. (1 Petru 2:9, 10) Babengakwenza kanjani lokhu uma babehlanganise izimfundiso zikaKristu nemikhuba namaholide anomsuka wobuqaba?

Nakuba kungase kube okuthakazelisayo ezintweni ezithandwayo, ukugubha “i-White Christmas” (uKhisimusi Ogujwa Likhithika) kufana ‘nokuthinta okungcolileyo.’ (2 Korinte 6:17) Umuntu omthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu noKristu kumelwe akugweme.

Ngaphandle kweqiniso lokuthi umsuka wawo usemikhosini yobuqaba, siye sabona futhi ukuthi uKhisimusi awumeleli iqiniso, ngoba uJesu wazalwa ngo-October. Yebo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yimuphi umfanekiso ofika engqondweni yomuntu, uJesu umane nje akazalwanga likhithika.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 4, 5]

IJerusalema elimbozwe yiqhwa, njengoba libonakala ngasempumalanga

[Umthombo]

Garo Nalbandian

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Iqhwa eduze nezindonga zaseJerusalema

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Kusesimweni sezulu esifudumele kuphela abelusi ababengahlala kuso nemihlambi yabo yezimvu ebusuku emagqumeni anamadwala, njengoba kuboniswe ngezansi

[Umthombo]

Garo Nalbandian