“Simtholile UMesiya”

“SIMTHOLILE uMesiya.” “Simtholile lowo uMose kanye nabaProfethi abaloba ngaye eMthethweni.” Ngekhulu lokuqala amaJuda amabili azinikele asho leyo mibiko engalindelekile. Ekugcineni, wayesefikile uMesiya owayelindelwe. Ayeqiniseka ngalokho!—Johane 1:35-45.

Uma ucabanga ngomlando nangesimo esingokwenkolo esasikhona ngaleso sikhathi, ungabona ukuthi ukuqiniseka kwawo kwakuphawuleka kakhulu. Kwakuvele abakhululi-mbumbulu abaningi ababebukisa kakhulu futhi benza izithembiso eziningi, kodwa lawo mathemba ayeshabalala lapho labo bantu behluleka ukukhulula amaJuda ejokeni lamaRoma.—IzEnzo 5:34-37.

Nokho, lawo maJuda amabili—u-Andreya noFiliphu—awazange athandabuze ukuthi ayemtholile uMesiya wangempela. Kunalokho, eminyakeni eyalandela, ukuqiniseka kwawo kwakhula njengoba ayeyibona ngokoqobo imisebenzi yamandla eyayenziwa yile ndoda igcwalisa okwakubikezelwe ukuthi kwakuyokwenziwa uMesiya.

Kungani la madoda amabili nabanye abaningi baba nokholo kuye, beqiniseka ngokuthi kwakungeyena nje uMesiya-mbumbulu noma umkhohlisi owayezobadumaza? Yibuphi ubufakazi obamenza waba uMesiya wangempela?

Ngokomlando, u-Andreya noFiliphu bambona uJesu waseNazaretha, ngaphambili owayengumbazi, ukuthi unguMesiya othenjisiwe nowayesenesikhathi eside elindelwe. (Johane 1:45) ULuka, isazimlando esicophelelayo sangaleyo  nkathi, uthi lokhu kubonakala kukaMesiya kwenzeka “ngonyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Khesari.” (Luka 3:1-3) Lowo nyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu waqala ngo-September wango-28 C.E. futhi waphela ngo-September wango-29 C.E. ULuka uqhubeka athi ngaleso sikhathi amaJuda ‘ayelindele’ ukufika kukaMesiya. (Luka 3:15) Kungani ayelindelwe ngaleso sikhathi esikhethekile? Sizobona.

Ubufakazi Obabuzoveza UMesiya

Njengoba indima kaMesiya ibalulekile, kunengqondo ukulindela ukuba uMdali, uJehova, anikeze izinkomba ezazizosiza abaqaphile nabathembekile ukuba bambone uMesiya othenjisiwe. Isizathu? Ukuze abantu abaqaphile bangakhohliswa abakhohlisi, njengoba kwakwenzeke kanjalo kwabaningi.

Lapho inxusa lifika komunye uhulumeni lilindeleke ukuba liqinisekise isikhundla salo ngezincwadi zobufakazi ezidingekayo. Ngokufanayo, uJehova wazibhala kudala izimfuneko uMesiya ayeyohlangabezana nazo. Ngakho, lapho “uMmeli Oyinhloko” efika, kwakuzoba sengathi ufika nalezo zincwadi noma ubufakazi obabuzoqinisekisa ukuthi ungubani.—Hebheru 12:2.

Izimfuneko zikaMesiya zashiwo eziprofethweni eziningi eziseBhayibhelini ezabhalwa emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba afike. Zabikezela nemininingwane emincane kakhulu ngendlela uMesiya ayezofika ngayo, inkonzo yakhe, ukuhlushwa kwakhe ngabanye abantu nendlela ayezofa ngayo. Ungase ube nesithakazelo ekwazini ukuthi lezo ziprofetho ezinokwethenjelwa zabikezela nangokuvuswa kwakhe, ukuphakanyiselwa kwakhe esandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu nezibusiso ezaziyolethwa uMbuso wakhe wangesikhathi esizayo. Ngale ndlela, iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zanikeza indlela eyingqayizivele engafaniswa nemigqa yomunywe, okungaba eyomuntu oyedwa kuphela.

Yiqiniso, ngesikhathi uJesu ebonakala ngo-29 C.E., akuzona zonke iziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya ezagcwaliseka ngaleso sikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, wayengakabulawa futhi engakavuswa. Noma kunjalo, u-Andreya, uFiliphu nabanye abaningi baba nokholo kuJesu ngenxa yalokho akufundisa nakwenza. Empeleni, babona ubufakazi obuningi bokuthi unguMesiya isibili. Ukube wawuphila ngaleso sikhathi futhi utadishe mathupha ubufakazi ngengqondo evulekile, kungenzeka ukuthi nawe wawuzoqiniseka ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya.

Ubufakazi Obunezici Ezihlukahlukene

Yini eyayingakusiza ukuba ufinyelele leso siphetho? Emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, abaprofethi baseBhayibhelini banikeza izimfuneko ezikhethekile uMesiya okwakuzodingeka ahlangabezane nazo, ezazizomveza ngokukhanyayo. Njengoba abaprofethi babenikeza leyo mininingwane emakhulwini eminyaka, ubufakazi bukaMesiya baqala ukuvela kancane kancane. UHenry H. Halley waphawula: “Cabanga ngamadoda athile avela Emazweni Ahlukahlukene, angakaze abonane, noma angakaze axoxe, engena ekamelweni, futhi yileyo naleyo iveze ucezu Lwemabula Olusikiwe, okuthi uma lezo zingcezu Zihlanganisiwe zakhe isithombe Esiphelele—ingabe ukhona ongasichaza lesi senzakalo ngaphandle kokuphetha ngokuthi Umuntu Othile uye wenza Umklamo, wabe esethumela indoda ngayinye ucezu?” Ube esebuza: “Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi le Nhlanganisela Emangalisayo Yokuphila Nomsebenzi kaJesu, ehlanganiswe Abalobi Abahlukahlukene ababephila Emakhulwini Eminyaka Ahlukahlukene, Iminyaka Ngaphambi Kokuba UJesu Afike, ihlangane kahle ngaphandle kokuthi UMQONDO ONGAPHEZU KOWOMUNTU wawengamele lokho Kuloba?” UHalley waphetha ngokuthi ‘kwakuyiSimangaliso Sezimangaliso!’

Lesi “simangaliso” saqala encwadini yokuqala yeBhayibheli. Ngaphezu kwesiprofetho sokuqala eBhayibhelini esasibonisa indima kaMesiya, umlobi kaGenesise wabhala ukuthi uMesiya wayezovela ohlwini lozalo luka-Abrahama. (Genesise 3:15; 22:15-18) Enye inkomba yembula ukuthi uMesiya wayezovela esizweni  sakwaJuda. (Genesise 49:10) Esebenzisa uMose, uNkulunkulu watshela ama-Israyeli ukuthi uMesiya wayezoba umkhulumeli nomkhululi omkhulu ngisho nakunoMose.—Duteronomi 18:18.

Ngesikhathi seNkosi uDavide, iziprofetho zembula ukuthi uMesiya wayezoba indlalifa yesihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavide futhi umbuso waKhe ‘wawuzoma uqine kuze kube nini nanini.’ (2 Samuweli 7:13-16) Incwadi kaMika yaveza ukuthi uMesiya wayezozalelwa emzini kaDavide, eBhetlehema. (Mika 5:2) U-Isaya wabikezela ukuthi wayezozalwa incasakazi. (Isaya 7:14) Umprofethi uMalaki wabikezela ukuthi ukuza kwaKhe kwakuzokwandulelwa othile onjengo-Eliya.—Malaki 4:5, 6.

Eminye imininingwane echaza ngoMesiya yatholakala encwadini kaDaniyeli. Sikhomba kuwo kanye unyaka wokuvela kukaMesiya, isiprofetho sithi: “Kufanele wazi futhi uqonde ukuthi kusukela ekuphumeni kwezwi lokuba kubuyiselwe futhi kwakhiwe kabusha iJerusalema kuze kufike uMesiya uMholi, kuyoba ngamasonto ayisikhombisa, namasonto angamashumi ayisithupha nambili. Liyobuya futhi empeleni lakhiwe kabusha, libe nesigcawu nomsele wamanzi olizungezile, kodwa ezikhathini ezinzima.”—Daniyeli 9:25.

Ngonyaka wama-20 wokubusa kwayo, inkosi yasePheresiya u-Aritahishashita yakhipha ‘izwi’ lokuba kubuyiselwe futhi kwakhiwe kabusha iJerusalema. Ukubusa kwayo kwaqala ngo-474 B.C.E., ngakho unyaka wama-20 wokubusa kwayo wawungo-455 B.C.E. (Nehemiya 2:1-8) Ngakho, kusukela ekukhishweni komyalo wokubuyiselwa nokwakhiwa kabusha kweJerusalema nokuvela kukaMesiya kwakuzoba inkathi yamasonto angu-69 (angu-7 uwahlanganisa nangu-62) angokwesiprofetho. Yiqiniso, amasonto angokoqobo angu-69 alingana nezinsuku ezingu-483 kuphela, noma ayisikhathi esingaphansi kweminyaka emibili. Kodwa uma kusetshenziswa ukubala kweBhayibheli okuthi “usuku lumelele unyaka,” lesi siprofetho sembula ukuthi uMesiya wayezovela ngemva kweminyaka engu-483, ngo-29 C.E.—Hezekeli 4:6. *

Nakuba ngezikhathi ezihlukahlukene kwavela abantu abaningana abazibiza ngokuthi oMesiya, nguJesu waseNazaretha kuphela owabonakala emhlabeni ngo-29 C.E. (Luka 3:1, 2) Ngawo kanye lowo nyaka, uJesu waya kuJohane uMbhapathizi futhi wabhapathizwa emanzini. Ngaleso sikhathi uJesu wagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele njengoMesiya. Kamuva uJohane, umanduleli onjengo-Eliya owabikezelwa, wathula uJesu ku-Andreya nakomunye umfundi, embiza ngokuthi “iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa isono sezwe.”—Johane 1:29; Luka 1:13-17; 3:21-23.

Uhlu Lozalo Olubonisa UMesiya

Iziprofetho eziphefumulelwe zahlanganisa uMesiya nemikhaya ethile yamaJuda. Ngakho, kunengqondo ukuthi uMdali onokuqonda konke wayezohlela ukuba uMesiya afike ngesikhathi imibhalo yezinhlu zozalo isatholakala ukuze ifakazele uhlu lwakhe lozalo.

I-Cyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong ithi: “Akungatshazwa ukuthi imibhalo yezinhlu zozalo lwezizwe nemindeni yamaJuda yacekelwa phansi ngesikhathi kubhujiswa iJerusalema [ngo-70 C.E.], hhayi ngaphambi kwalokho.” Kunezinkomba ezicacile ezibonisa ukuthi uMathewu  noLuka babhala amaVangeli abo ngaphambi kuka-70 C.E. Ngakho, kungenzeka ukuthi bahlola le mibhalo ngesikhathi behlanganisa ukulandisa kwabo ngohlu lozalo lukaJesu. (Mathewu 1:1-16; Luka 3:23-38) Ngokuqinisekile endabeni ebaluleke njengale, abaningi ababephila nabo babengafuna ukuzibonela ngawabo uhlu lozalo lukaJesu.

Ingabe Zagcwaliseka KuJesu Ngengozi?

Nokho, kungenzeka yini ukuthi ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya kuJesu kwenzeka ngengozi? Kwenye ingxoxo, esinye isazi saphendula: “Lutho neze. Amathuba mancane kakhulu kangangokuba kwakungacishe kungenzeki nhlobo. Othile wahlanganisa izinto futhi wafika esiphethweni sokuthi ngisho namathuba okuba iziprofetho ezingu-8 kuphela zigcwaliseke kumuntu oyedwa [mancane kakhulu].” Sifanekisa, sathi: “Uma ungabeka ama-dollar esiliva ayizigidi eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu [hundred million billion], angamboza indawo yaseTexas [okuyindawo engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-690 000] futhi abe amafidi amabili ukuphakama. Phakathi kwawo wonke lawa, uma ungafaka i-dollar lesiliva elilodwa uphawu bese uthatha umuntu umvale amehlo azulazule yonke leyo ndawo futhi acoshe uhlamvu olulodwa, angakanani amathuba okuba acoshe lolu olunophawu?” Sabe sesithi ayengako-ke “amathuba okuba iziprofetho [zikaMesiya] ezingu-8 nje kuphela zigcwaliseke kumuntu oyedwa emlandweni.”

Nokho, phakathi neminyaka emithathu nengxenye yenkonzo yakhe, uJesu akagcwalisanga nje iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezingu-8 kodwa wagcwalisa eziningi. Sicabangela lobo bufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda, leso sazi saphetha: “Kuwo wonke umlando uJesu kuphela owakwazi ukugcwalisa iziprofetho zeBhayibheli eziningi kangaka.”

“Ukuza” KukaMesiya

Kusobala ukuthi uMesiya wabonakala ngo-29 C.E. enguJesu waseNazaretha. Weza njengoMhlengi othobekile futhi owahlupheka. Akezanga njengeNkosi enqobayo ukuze azophula ijoka elicindezelayo lamaRoma, njengoba iningi lamaJuda ngisho nabalandeli bakhe lalilindele. (Isaya, isahluko 53; Zakariya 9:9; IzEnzo 1:6-8) Nokho, kwabikezelwa ukuthi ngesikhathi esizayo wayezoza enamandla kanye negunya elikhulu.—Daniyeli 2:44; 7:13, 14.

Ukutadisha ngokucophelela iziprofetho zeBhayibheli kuye kwaqinisekisa abantu abanengqondo emhlabeni wonke ukuthi uMesiya weza ngekhulu lokuqala nokuthi wayezobuya. Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi ukubuya kwakhe okwabikezelwa, ukuqala ‘kokuba khona’ kwakhe, kwagcwaliseka ngo-1914. * (Mathewu 24:3-14) Ngalowo nyaka, uJesu wabekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi emazulwini njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi abantu bengamboni. Maduze, uzosusa emhlabeni yonke imiphumela yokuhlubuka kwase-Edene. Phakathi nokuBusa kwakhe kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane uyobe esebusisa bonke ababonisa ukholo kuye njengeNzalo ethenjisiwe, uMesiya ‘osusa isono sezwe.’—Johane 1:29; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

OFakazi BakaJehova bangakujabulela ukuxoxa nawe ngalobo bufakazi bakubonise eBhayibhelini nalokho ukubusa kukaMesiya okungakwenzela kona wena nabathandekayo bakho.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Umdwebo/Izithombe ekhasini 6, 7]

ngo-455 B.C.E., ngo-29 C.E., ngo-1914, Maduze uMesiya

kwaphuma ‘izwi kuvela uMesiya wabekwa uzoqeda

lokuba uMesiya esihlalweni ububi futhi enze

kubuyiselwe sobukhosi umhlaba ube

iJerusalema’ ezulwini ipharadesi

iminyaka engu-483

(amasonto angokwesiprofetho

angu-69)—Daniyeli 9:25