Ukushikashikekela IBhayibheli LesiGreki Sanamuhla

Kungakumangaza ukwazi ukuthi eGrisi, izwe ngesinye isikhathi elibizwa ngokuthi isizinda sokucabanga okukhululekile, sekuyisikhathi eside kudonsiswana kanzima ngokuhumushela iBhayibheli olimini lwabantu abavamile. Kodwa ubani owayengaphikisana nokukhishwa kweBhayibheli lesiGreki eliqondakala kalula? Kungani umuntu ayengase afune ukuvimbela ukukhishwa kwalo?

UMUNTU angase acabange ukuthi abantu abakhuluma isiGreki basesimweni esingcono, njengoba ingxenye enkulu yemiBhalo Engcwele ekuqaleni yayibhalwe ngolimi lwabo. Nokho, isiGreki sanamuhla sihluke kakhulu esiGrekini senguqulo i-Septuagint yemiBhalo YesiHeberu nesemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Eqinisweni, kule minyaka engamakhulu ayisithupha edlule iningi labantu abakhuluma isiGreki liye lathola isiGreki seBhayibheli sinzima njengolimi lwakwelinye izwe. Sekusetshenziswa amagama amasha esikhundleni samadala, kanti namagama, ukuhlelwa kolimi nokumiswa kwemisho sekushintshile.

Iqoqo lemibhalo yesandla yesiGreki esukela ekhulwini lesithathu kuya kweleshumi nesithupha libonisa ukuthi kwakwenziwa imizamo yokuhumushela i-Septuagint esiGrekini sakamuva. Ngekhulu lesithathu, uGregory, umbhishobhi waseNeocaesarea (c. 213-c. 270 C.E.), wahumushela incwadi yomShumayeli esiGrekini esilula eyisusela kuyi-Septuagint. Ngekhulu le-11, umJuda okuthiwa uTobias ben Eliezer owayehlala eMacedonia wahumushela izingxenye zePentateuch ye-Septuagint esiGrekini sansuku zonke. Waze wasebenzisa izinhlamvu zesiHeberu ukuze kusizakale amaJuda aseMacedonia ayekhuluma isiGreki kuphela kodwa efunda izinhlamvu zesiHeberu. IPentateuch ephelele yalolu hlobo yakhishwa eConstantinople ngo-1547.

Ukukhanya Okuthile Ebumnyameni

Ngemva kokuba izingxenye ezithile zoMbuso WaseByzantium ezikhuluma isiGreki ziwele kuma-Ottoman ngekhulu le-15, iningi labantu bakhona lasala lingabantu abangafundile. Nakuba lalinamalungelo amaningi ngaphansi koMbuso Wama-Ottoman, ngokunganaki, iSonto Lobu-Orthodox layeka imihlambi yalo yaba abantukazana abampofu nabangafundile. Umlobi ongumGreki uThomas Spelios wathi: “Umgomo owawubaluleke kakhulu weSonto Lobu-Orthodox nesimiso salo semfundo kwakuwukuvikela amalungu alo ekungeneni kobu-Islam nasemangeni obuRoma Katolika. Ngenxa yalokho, imfundo yamaGreki yayingathuthuki okutheni.” Kuleso simo esingenathemba, abantu abathanda iBhayibheli babona isidingo sokunika abantu abacindezelekile impumuzo nenduduzo etholakala encwadini yeBhayibheli yamaHubo. Kusukela ngo-1543 kuya ku-1835, kwakunezinguqulo ezingu-18 zamaHubo ngesiGreki esivamile.

Inguqulo yokuqala ephelele yesiGreki yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki yahunyushwa ngo-1630 uMaximus Callipolites, indela engumGreki  yaseCallipolis. Lokhu kwenziwa ngaphansi kokuqondisa nokunakekela kukaCyril Lucaris, inhloko yaseConstantinople eyayizoguqula iSonto Lobu-Orthodox. Nokho, phakathi esontweni, uLucaris wayenabaphikisi, ababengafuni kwenziwe izinguquko noma kuhunyushelwe iBhayibheli ezilimini ezivamile. * Walengiswa kuthiwa uyimbuka. Noma kunjalo, ngo-1638 kwanyatheliswa amakhophi angaba ngu-1 500 enguqulo kaMaximus. Ngenxa yale nguqulo, ngemva kweminyaka engu-34 isigungu sobu-Orthodox eJerusalem sathi imiBhalo “akufanele ifundwe yinoma ubani, kodwa yilabo abasinga ezintweni ezijulile zomoya ngemva kokwenza ucwaningo olufanele.” Lokhu kwasho ukuthi imiBhalo kufanele ifundwe abefundisi abafundile kuphela.

Ngo-1703, uSeraphim, indela engumGreki yasesiqhingini saseLesbos, wazama ukukhipha uhlelo olubukeziwe lwenguqulo kaMaximus eLondon. Lapho izithembiso zosizo lwezimali ezivela esigodlweni saseNgilandi zingafezeki, wanyathelisa lolo hlelo ngemali yakhe. Esanduleleni esivuthayo, uSeraphim wagcizelela isidingo sokuba “wonke umKristu owesaba uNkulunkulu” afunde iBhayibheli, futhi wagxeka abefundisi abasezikhundleni eziphezulu zesonto ‘ngokufuna ukwemboza ukuziphatha kwabo okungafanele ngokugcina abantu bengalazi [iBhayibheli].’ Njengoba ungalindela, abaphikisi bakhe abangama-Orthodox bambopha eRussia bamdingisela eSiberia, lapho afela khona ngo-1735.

Ekhuluma ngendlala enkulu engokomoya yabantu abakhuluma isiGreki ngaleso sikhathi, umfundisi ongumGreki washo lokhu mayelana nohlelo lwakamuva olubukeziwe lwenguqulo kaMaximus: “AmaGreki alamukela ngothando nangokulangazela leli Bhayibheli Elingcwele namanye. Alifunda. Ezwa ubuhlungu bawo budamba, futhi ukholo lwawo kuNkulunkulu . . . lwavutha.” Nokho, abaholi bawo benkolo babenovalo lokuthi uma abantu beqala ukuliqonda iBhayibheli, kwakuzodaluleka izinkolelo nezenzo zabefundisi ezingasekelwe emiBhalweni. Ngakho-ke, ngo-1823 nango-1836, isigungu esibusayo sabefundisi baseConstantinople sakhipha umthetho wokuba kushiswe wonke amakhophi ezinguqulo zeBhayibheli ezinjalo.

Umhumushi Onesibindi

Kulokhu kuphikisa okukhulu nokunxanela ulwazi lweBhayibheli ngobuqotho, kwavela umuntu oqavile owayezoba nendima ebalulekile ekuhunyushelweni kweBhayibheli esiGrekini sangaleso sikhathi. Lo muntu onesibindi kwakunguNeofitos Vamvas, oyisazi sezilimi esivelele noyisazi seBhayibheli esiqashelwayo, ngokuvamile owayebhekwa njengomunye ‘wabaFundisi Besizwe.’

UVamvas wayebona ngokucacile ukuthi iSonto Lobu-Orthodox yilo elalinecala ngokungazi kwabantu ngezinto ezingokomoya. Wayekukholelwa kakhulu ukuthi ukuze abantu baphashanyiswe ngokomoya, iBhayibheli kwakudingeka lihunyushelwe esiGrekini esasikhulunywa ngaleso sikhathi. Ngo-1831, esizwa ezinye izazi, waqala ukuhumushela iBhayibheli esiGrekini sezifundiswa. Inguqulo yakhe ephelele yakhishwa ngo-1850. Njengoba iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox lalingafuni ukumsekela, wabambisana ne-British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) ekunyatheliseni nasekusakazeni inguqulo yakhe. Isonto lambiza ngokuthi “ungumProthestani,” kungakabiphi wazithola esekhishwa inyumbazane.

Inguqulo kaVamvas yayinamathele kakhulu kuyi-King James Version ngakho yaba namaphutha aleyo nguqulo ngenxa yokulinganiselwa kwangaleso sikhathi kolwazi lweBhayibheli  nololimi. Nokho, kwaphela iminyaka eminingi iwukuphela kweBhayibheli abantu abanalo ngesiGreki sangaleso sikhathi. Ngokuthakazelisayo, inegama likaNkulunkulu ezindaweni ezine, elibhala ngokuthi “Ieová.”—Genesise 22:14; Eksodusi 6:3; 17:15; AbAhluleli 6:24.

Lalamukela kanjani iningi labantu leli Bhayibheli kanye namanye aqondakala kalula? Ngendlela emangalisayo! Emkhunjini owawuseziqhingini zaseGreece, umthengisi we-BFBS ‘waxinwa yizikebhe ezigcwele abantwana ababezofuna [amaBhayibheli], kangangokuthi waphoqeleka ukuba atshele ukaputeni ukuba angene indlela’ funa aphelele endaweni eyodwa wonke amaBhayibheli akhe! Kodwa abaphikisi abazange basonge izandla.

Abapristi bobu-Orthodox baxwayisa abantu ngamaBhayibheli anjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, edolobheni lase-Athens abantu baphucwa amaBhayibheli. Ngo-1833, umbhishobhi wobu-Orthodox waseCrete washisa amakhophi “eTestamente Elisha” awathola esigodlweni sezindela. Ikhophi eyodwa yafihlwa umpristi, nabantu basezindaweni eziseduze bawafihla amakhophi abo waze wahamba lo mbhishobhi.

Ngemva kweminyaka ethile esiqhingini saseCorfu, inguqulo kaVamvas yeBhayibheli yavinjelwa isiGungu Esingcwele seSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox. Ukulithengisa kwenqatshelwa, kwathi amakhophi asekhona ashiswa. Esiqhingini saseChios, eSíros, naseMykonos, ulaka lwabefundisi bendawo lwenza kwashiswa amaBhayibheli. Kodwa ukuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli kwakusazovinjelwa nakakhulu.

Indlovukazi Iba Nesithakazelo EBhayibhelini

Ngawo-1870, iNdlovukazi u-Olga yaseGreece yabona ukuthi iningi lamaGreki lalisenolwazi oluncane lweBhayibheli. Ikholelwa ukuthi ulwazi lwemiBhalo lwaluzosiduduza futhi lusiqabule isizwe, yazama ukwenza ukuba iBhayibheli lihunyushelwe olimini olulula kunolwenguqulo kaVamvas.

Lapho bezixoxela nje, umbhishobhi omkhulu wase-Athens nenhloko yesiGungu Esingcwele, uProkopios, babeyikhuthaza indlovukazi kulo mzamo wayo. Nokho, lapho ifaka isicelo esiGungwini Esingcwele sokuba igunyazwe ngokomthetho, kwenqatshwa. Naphezu kwalokho, yaphikelela yafaka esinye isicelo, kwaphinde kwenqatshwa, ngo-1899. Ingakunaki lokho kwenqatshelwa, yanquma ukukhipha amakhophi ambalwa alolo hlelo ngezindleko zayo. Lokhu kwenzeka ngo-1900.

Abaphikisi Abangontamo-lukhuni

Ngo-1901, i-Acropolis, iphephandaba elivelele lase-Athens, yashicilela iVangeli likaMathewu elalihunyushelwe esiGrekini esenziwe lula lihunyushwe u-Alexander Pallis, umhumushi owayesebenza  eLiverpool, eNgilandi. Isisusa sikaPallis nozakwabo kwabonakala ‘siwukufundisa amaGreki’ “nokusiza isizwe siphinde sivuke.”

Abafundi bemfundiso yobu-Orthodox kanye noprofesa babo bathi le nguqulo “ihlekisa ngamagugu angcwele esizwe,” ihlambalaza umBhalo Ongcwele. Inhloko yaseConstantinople uJoakim III yakhipha incwadi egxeka le nguqulo. Le mpikiswano yajika yaba indaba yezombusazwe, yasetshenziswa ngobuqili amaqembu alwayo ezombusazwe.

Abantu ababenethonya kubanyathelisi base-Athens baqala ukuhlasela inguqulo kaPallis bethi abasekeli bayo ‘bathi akekho uNkulunkulu,’ ‘bangamambuka,’ ‘namanxusa eminye imibuso’ ahlose ukuhlakaza umphakathi wamaGreki. Kusukela ngo-November 5 kuya ku-8, 1901, abafundi babhikisha e-Athens begqugquzelwa amalungu eSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox asadla ngoludala kakhulu. Bathelekela amahhovisi e-Acropolis, bamasha baya esigodlweni, bathatha ngodlí i-University of Athens, bathi uhulumeni makagudluke. Lapho izibhelu sezishisa kwabulawa abantu abangu-8 ngesikhathi itholene phezulu namabutho empi. Ngakusasa, inkosi yathi umBhishobhi Omkhulu uProkopios makehle esikhundleni, kwathi ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva sonke isiGungu sikaHulumeni sashiya phansi.

Ngemva kwenyanga abafundi baphinde babhikisha, futhi bashisa ikhophi yenguqulo kaPallis obala. Bakhipha izwi lesinqumo eliphikisana nokusakazwa kwale nguqulo bathi noma ubani owenza umzamo onjalo esikhathini esizayo makajeziswe kanzima. Lokhu kwaba ibhaxa lokwenqabela ukusetshenziswa kwanoma iyiphi inguqulo yeBhayibheli yesiGreki esivamile. Inkathi yobumnyama ngempela!

“Izwi LikaJehova Lihlala Kuze Kube Phakade”

Umthetho owenqabela ukusetshenziswa kweBhayibheli lesiGreki esivamile waqedwa ngo-1924. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox liye lahluleka ngokuphelele emizamweni yalo yokwenza abantu bangalitholi iBhayibheli. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bahlahla indlela ekufundiseni ngeBhayibheli eGreece, njengoba beye benza nakwamanye amazwe amaningi. Kusukela ngo-1905, baye basebenzisa inguqulo kaVamvas ukusiza izinkulungwane zabantu abakhuluma isiGreki ukuba zazi amaqiniso eBhayibheli.

Kule minyaka edlule, izazi eziningi noprofesa baye benza imizamo encomekayo yokukhipha iBhayibheli ngesiGreki sanamuhla. Namuhla, kunezinguqulo ezingaba ngu-30 zeBhayibheli, liphelele noma liyingxenye, eziqondakalayo kumGreki ovamile. Eyigugu ngempela kuzo yinguqulo yesiGreki i-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, eyakhululwa ngo-1997 ukuze kusizakale abantu abayizigidi ezingu-16 abakhuluma isiGreki emhlabeni wonke. Le nguqulo ekhishwa oFakazi BakaJehova ihumusha iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngendlela efundeka kalula neqondakalayo, inamathela ngokwethembeka embhalweni wokuqala.

Ukulwela ukukhipha iBhayibheli ngesiGreki sanamuhla kubonisa iqiniso elibalulekile. Kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi naphezu kwemizamo yomuntu yokulwisana nalo, “izwi likaJehova lihlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Petru 1:25.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

UCyril Lucaris waqondisa ukuhunyushelwa kokuqala kwemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ephelele iyiswa esiGrekini, ngo-1630

[Umthombo]

Bib. Publ. Univ. de Genève

[Izithombe ekhasini 28]

Ezinye zezinguqulo zesiGreki esivamile: AmaHubo anyatheliswa: (1) ngu-Ilarion ngo-1828, (2) nguVamvas ngo-1832, (3) nguJulianus ngo-1643. “ITestamente Elidala” elanyatheliswa: (4) nguVamvas ngo-1840

INdlovukazi u-Olga

[Imithombo]

Bibles: National Library of Greece; Queen Olga: Culver Pictures

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 26]

Papyrus: Reproduced by kind permission of The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 29]

Papyrus: Reproduced by kind permission of The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin