“IZWI likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla.” (Heb. 4:12) Ngalawo mazwi umphostoli uPawulu waqokomisa amandla ezwi likaNkulunkulu okuthinta izinhliziyo nokuguqula ukuphila.

Nokho, lo mbono wamandla esigijimi seBhayibheli washintshwa ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli lapho kuqala ukuhlubuka okwakubikezelwe. (2 Pet. 2:1-3) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abaholi bamasonto baqala ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu linamandla omlingo. UProfesa Harry Y. Gamble wabhala “ngokusetshenziswa kwemibhalo yamaKristu ekwenzeni imilingo.” Waphawula ukuthi ngekhulu lesithathu leminyaka, uBaba WeSonto u-Origen wasikisela ukuthi “ukuzwa nje amazwi angcwele kuyazuzisa ngandlela-thile: uma amaqaba ekwazi ukwenza imilingo ngamazwi, kumelwe ukuba anamandla kangakanani-ke amazwi angcwele avela emibhalweni.” UJohn Chrysostom owaphila ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lesine leminyaka wabhala ukuthi “uDeveli ngeke alinge asondele endlini eneVangeli.” Wabika nokuthi abanye balengisa entanyeni izindinyana ezithile zamaVangeli njengentelezi enamandla. UProfesa Gamble waphinde waphawula ukuthi isazi semfundiso yenkolo yamaKatolika u-Augustine “sasikubheka njengokuvumelekile ukuba lapho umuntu ephethwe ikhanda abeke iVangeli LikaJohane ngaphansi komcamelo lapho elala”! Ngakho, imibhalo yeBhayibheli yayisetshenziselwa imilingo. Ungalibheka yini iBhayibheli njengentelezi, noma ikhubalo lenhlanhla, engakuvikela kokubi?

Cishe indlela evame kakhulu yokusebenzisa kabi iBhayibheli umkhuba wokubhula ngezincwadi. Kuyini lokhu? Kubhekisela emkhubeni wokuvula nomaphi encwadini, ngokuvamile eBhayibhelini, bese ufunda ivesi lokuqala amehlo akho azohlala kulo ngenkolelo yokuthi lelo vesi lizokunika isiqondiso osidingayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokukaProfesa Gamble, ngelinye ilanga lapho u-Augustine ezwa izwi lengane endlini kamakhelwane lithi: “Thatha ufunde, thatha ufunde,” u-Augustine wakuthatha lokho njengomyalo ovela kuNkulunkulu wokuba avule iBhayibheli afunde ivesi lokuqala nje amehlo akhe azohlala kulo.

Wake wezwa ngabantu okuthi lapho bebhekene nobunzima bathandaze kuNkulunkulu, bese bevula iBhayibheli noma kuphi, bekholelwa ukuthi ivesi lokuqala nje amehlo abo azohlala kulo lizobasiza bakwazi ukuthwala leyo nkinga? Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi babekwenza ngezinhloso ezinhle, lena akuyona indlela okufanele amaKristu afune ngayo isiqondiso semiBhalo.

UJesu waqinisekisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi wayezobathumelela “umsizi, umoya ongcwele.” Waqhubeka wathi: “Wona uyonifundisa zonke izinto futhi unikhumbuze zonke izinto enginitshele zona.” (Joh. 14:26) Ngokuphambene nalokhu, ukubhula ngezincwadi akudingi ukuba ube unolwazi lwemiBhalo.

Umkhuba wokubhula ngezincwadi nokunye ukusetshenziswa kweBhayibheli ngendlela ebonisa ukukholelwa ezeni kuvamile. Nokho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyakulahla ukubheka amabika. (Lev. 19:26; Dut. 18:9-12; IzE. 19:19) “Izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla,” kodwa kumelwe sibe nekhono lokulisebenzisa. Ulwazi olunembile lweBhayibheli oluthuthukisa ukuphila kwabantu, akuthuthukiswa ukusebenzisa le ncwadi ngendlela ebonisa ukukholelwa ezeni. Ukuthola lolu lwazi kuye kwasiza abaningi ukuba babe nezimiso ezinhle zokuziphatha, balahle izindlela zokuphila ezilimazayo, baqinise imikhaya yabo futhi bazakhele ubuhlobo noMlobi weBhayibheli.