EMHLANGANWENI okhethekile owawuseNagoya, eJapane, ngo-April 28, 2013, u-Anthony Morris weNdikimba Ebusayo wenza isaziso esivusa amadlingozi: ukukhululwa kwencwadi entsha yesiJapane enesihloko esithi The Bible—The Gospel According to Matthew. Lo mhlangano wawethanyelwe abangaphezu kuka-210 000 abebekhona mathupha noma bexhunywe nge-video. Ngemva kokuzwa lesi saziso, izethameli zaveza injabulo yazo ngehlombe elide.

Lolu hlelo lweVangeli LikaMathewu luthathwe kuyi-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha. Kodwa le ncwadi enamakhasi angu-128 ihlukile. UMfoweth’ uMorris wachaza ukuthi iklanyelwe ukusiza abantu abasensimini yesiJapane. Ihluke ngani le ncwadi? Kungani idingeka? Abantu bayamukele kanjani?

Indlela incwadi ethi Matthew ebhalwe ngayo yamangaza abantu abaningi. Izinhlamvu zesiJapane zingase zibhalwe zehle noma zivundle ekhasini, futhi izinto eziningi ezinyathelisiwe, kuhlanganise nezincwadi zethu, zibhalwe ngendlela evundlile. Nokho, le ncwadi entsha inezinhlamvu ezibhalwe zehla, okuyindlela efana neyamaphephandaba nezinye izincwadi zesiJapane. Abantu abaningi abangamaJapane bakuthola kulula ukufunda le ndlela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izihloko ezivame ukuba phezulu ekhasini zibekwe njengezihlokwana phakathi endabeni ukuze kusizwe umfundi awabone kalula amaphuzu ayinhloko.

Abazalwane nodade baseJapane baqala ukuyifunda ngokushesha le ncwadi. Udade osevile eminyakeni engu-80 wathi: “Sekukaningi ngifunda incwadi kaMathewu, kodwa ukubhalwa kwalena ngezinhlamvu ezehlayo kanye nezihlokwana kungisize ukuba ngiyiqonde kakhudlwana iNtshumayelo Yasentabeni.” Omunye udade osemncane wabhala: “Ngayifunda yonke ngesikhathi esisodwa le ncwadi ethi Matthew. Mina ngijwayele indlela evundlile, kodwa abantu abaningi abangamaJapane bathanda eyehlayo.”

Kungani le ncwadi yeBhayibheli eyodwa iwusizo ngokukhethekile ensimini yaseJapane? Nakuba abantu abaningi abangamaJapane bengazi okuningi ngeBhayibheli, bazimisele ukulifunda. Abaningi abangakaze balibone iBhayibheli sebezoba nethuba lokuphatha ingxenye yalo ngezandla zabo bayifunde.

Kungani kukhethwe incwadi kaMathewu? Iningi lamaJapane licabanga ngoJesu Kristu lapho lizwa igama elithi “iBhayibheli.” Ngakho, incwadi kaMathewu yakhethwa ngoba inokulandisa kohlu lozalo lukaJesu, ukuzalwa kwakhe, iNtshumayelo yakhe Yasentabeni edumile nesiprofetho sakhe esivusa amadlingozi esiphathelene nezinsuku zokugcina. Konke lokhu kuyizindaba abantu abaningi abangamaJapane abanesithakazelo kuzo.

Abamemezeli baseJapane baqala ukuyihambisa ngentshiseko le ncwadi entsha endlini ngendlu nasezimpindelweni. Omunye udade wabhala: “Manje  senginamathuba engeziwe okuhambisela abantu basensimini yethu iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Empeleni, ngakwazi ukuhambisela othile ikhophi eyodwa yencwadi ethi Matthew ntambama ngalo kanye usuku lomhlangano okhethekile!”

Abamemezeli bayihambisa kanjani le ncwadi entsha? Abantu abaningi baseJapane bayazazi izinkulumo ezinjengezithi ‘isango elincane,’ ‘amaparele phambi kwezingulube,’ nethi, “ningalokothi nikhathazeke ngosuku olulandelayo.” (Mathewu 6:34; 7:6, 13) Bayamangala ukuthola ukuthi lawa ngamazwi kaJesu Kristu. Lapho bewabona kule ncwadi ethi Matthew, abaningi bathi: “Kudala ngifuna ukufunda iBhayibheli okungenani kanye nje.”

Lapho abamemezeli bephindela kulabo abathathe ikhophi yale ncwadi, abaninikhaya bavame ukuthi bafundé ingxenye ethile ngokushesha noma sebeyifunde yonke. Indoda esiyevile eminyakeni engu-60 yatshela omunye ummemezeli: “Ngiyifunde izikhathi eziningi ngiphindelela futhi yangiduduza. Ngicela ungifundise okwengeziwe ngeBhayibheli.”

Incwadi ethi Matthew iyahanjiswa nasekushumayeleni kwasobala. Lapho esenkonzweni, omunye udade wanikeza intokazi ethile eyayithathe le ncwadi ikheli lakhe le-e-mail. Ngemva kwehora, le ntokazi yathumelela udade i-e-mail yathi isifunde ingxenye ethile yale ncwadi futhi ifuna ukwazi okwengeziwe. Ngemva kwesonto, le ntokazi yaqhutshelwa isifundo seBhayibheli sokuqala, ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho yaqala ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla.

Kuye kwathunyelwa amakhophi angaphezu kuka-1 600 000 encwadi ethi Matthew emabandleni aseJapane. Inyanga ngayinye, oFakazi bahambisela abantu amakhophi angamashumi ezinkulungwane. Isandulela sale ncwadi siveza imizwa yabanyathelisi bayo lapho sithi: “Sithemba ngobuqotho ukuthi ukufunda le ncwadi kuyojulisa isithakazelo sakho eBhayibhelini.”