“Umhlobiso Wayo Yonke IGalile”

ENDAWENI eqhele nje ngamakhilomitha ayisithupha nengxenye enyakatho-ntshonalanga yeNazaretha, umuzi uJesu akhulela kuwo, kwakunedolobha elingaphathwa nhlobo emaVangelini. Nokho, isazi-mlando esingumJuda esidumile sangekhulu lokuqala, uFlavius Josephus, salibabaza kakhulu, sathi “lalingumhlobiso wayo yonke iGalile.” Leli dolobha kwakuyiSepphoris. Yini eyaziwayo ngaleli dolobha?

Ngemva kokufa kukaHerode Omkhulu, cishe ngonyaka wokuqala B.C.E., izakhamuzi zaseSepphoris zavukela iRoma, okwaholela ekubhujisweni kwedolobha lazo. Indodana kaHerode, u-Antipase, yathola iGalile nePeraea njengefa futhi yakhetha ukuba inhloko-dolobha yayo entsha yathiwe emanxiweni aseSepphoris. Lelo dolobha lakhiwa kabusha ngendlela yokwakha yaseGrisi naseRoma, kodwa laligcwele abantu abangamaJuda. NgokukaProfesa uRichard A. Batey, iSepphoris “yaba isikhungo esiyinhloko sikahulumeni sokulawula iGalile nePhereya,” kwaze kwaba yilapho u-Antipase akha iThibheriya cishe ngo-21 C.E. eyenza inhloko-dolobha esikhundleni seSepphoris. Ngalesi sikhathi uJesu wayehlala budebuduze naleli dolobha.

UProfesa uJames Strange, oye wemba eSepphoris, uthi ucabanga ukuthi leli dolobha lake laba nemitapo yokugcina izinto ezindala, indawo yomcebo, indawo yokugcina izikhali, amabhange, izakhiwo zomphakathi nezimakethe ezithengisa izinto ezenziwe ngobumba, izingilazi, izinto ezenziwe ngensimbi, ubucwebe nezinhlobonhlobo zokudla. Kwakunabantu abelukayo, abathengisa izingubo zokugqoka, izitolo ezithengisa obhasikidi, impahla yasendlini yokhuni, amakha nezinye izinto ezinjalo. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi abantu ababehlala lapho ngaleso sikhathi babephakathi kwezinkulungwane ezingu-8 nezingu-12.

Ingabe uJesu wake waya kuleli dolobha elikhulu eliphithizelayo, eliqhele ngehora elilodwa uma uhamba ngezinyawo usuka eNazaretha? AmaVangeli awasho. Nokho, i-Anchor Bible Dictionary ithi “indlela elula eya eKhana laseGalile usuka eNazaretha yayinqamula eSepphoris.” (Johane 2:1; 4:46) Uma useNazaretha, wawungalibona igquma laseSepphoris eliphakeme ngamamitha angaba ngu-120. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi lapho uJesu enza umfanekiso othi “umuzi ophezu kwentaba ungefihleke,” cishe wayekhuluma ngaleli dolobha.—Mathewu 5:14.

Ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., iSepphoris yaba idolobha lamaJuda eliyinhloko eGalile, kamuva yaba indawo yeSanhedrini, inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda. Leli dolobha lake lachuma laba isikhungo sokufunda samaJuda.

[Ibalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 32]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

ULwandle LwaseGalile

IGALILE

IKhana

IThibheriya

ISEPPHORIS

INazaretha

IPHEREYA

[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 32]

Pottery: Excavated by Wohl Archaeological Museum, Herodian Quarter, Jewish Quarter. Owned by Company for the Reconstruction of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, Ltd