THE

IWORD

DISEMBA 1908

AMADODA NABAHLOBO

Kutheni ngamanye amaxesha kuthiwa uYesu wayengomnye wabasindisi babantu kunye nokuba abantu bexesha elidlulileyo babenabo nabahlanguli babo, endaweni yokuba bathi unguMsindisi wehlabathi, njengoko kubanjwe yiNgqobhoko yonke?

Le ngxelo ibangelwa zizizathu ezininzi. Abanye benza ingxelo kuba beyivile yenziwe ngamanye; abanye, abaqhelene nembali yakudala, kuba imbali yabantu bakudala irekhoda inyani yokuba baye basindisa abaninzi. Abasindisayo boluntu obahlukeneyo ngokweemfuno zabantu abasondelayo, kwaye into eza kusindiswa kuyo. Yiyo ke loo nto kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwasindisa omnye umntu ukuba ahlangule kwindyikitya yokufa, okanye yindlala, okanye kungenelele utshaba okanye irhamncwa. Omnye umsindisi wabonakala ekhulula abantu awayevela kubo ekoneni ukuze abafundise iilwimi, ubugcisa kunye nesayensi eyimfuneko kwimpucuko, okanye ukukhanyisela iingqondo zabo kunye nokuqonda. Nabani na ofunda ngenye yeenkqubo zonqulo zehlabathi uya kubona ngokucacileyo ukuba abasindisi bavela kwiinkulungwane okanye amawaka eminyaka ngaphambi komhla ekuthiwa wazalwa ngawo.

Ukuba uYesu kuthiwa ungumsindisi wehlabathi yiyo yonke iNgqobhoko, ukubhengezwa okunjalo kuya kuba yinto ebalaseleyo yokuziqhenya nokuzikhukhumalisa kwayo yonke iNgqobhoko, kodwa ngethamsanqa kwiNgqobhoko oku akunjalo. Kwiminyaka yokugqibela ikakhulu, ilizwe lasentshona sele liqhele kwaye liyaziwa ngakumbi ngeembali kunye nezibhalo zabanye abantu, kwaye imvakalelo yobungane ngakumbi kunye nobudlelwane obuhle buboniswa kwabo bezinye izizwe kunye neenkolelo zabo. Umhlaba wasentshona ufundile ukuxabisa iivenkile zobulumko eziqulathwe kubuncwane bokubhaliweyo babantu bakudala. Umoya odala wabantu abambalwa abonyulwe nguThixo okanye abazimeleyo ukuba basindiswe kumanani angenakubalwa adlulileyo uye wanyamalala kwaye endaweni yawo kuza ukubonwa kobulungisa kunye namalungelo abo bonke.

Ngaba ungasitshela ukuba kukho na abantu ababhiyozela ukuzalwa kwabahlanguli babo okanye malunga nomhla wamashumi amabini anesihlanu kaDisemba (ngexesha elithethwa ilanga ukuba lingene uphawu lweCapricorn?

Umhla wamashumi amabini kuDisemba yayilixesha lolonwabo olukhulu eYiputa, yaye kwakuqhutywa umthendeleko wokuzukisa ukuzalwa kukaHorus. Phakathi kwezithethe nemisitho echazwe kwiincwadi ezingcwele zaseTshayina, umthendeleko wezinye iinkonzo zakudala ulandelwa ngokusondeleyo. Ngethuba leveki yokugqibela kaDisemba, ngexesha le-solstice yasebusika, iivenkile kunye neenkundla zivaliwe. Imikhosi yenkolo iye yabhiyozelwa kwaye ibizwa ngokuba yimithendeleko yoMbolelo kwiTie Tien. UMithra wasePersi wayebizwa ngokuba ngumlamli okanye umsindisi. Babhiyozela usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesihlanu kuDisemba phakathi kwemivuyo emikhulu. Kwaqondwa ukuba ngelo xesha ilanga liyama lize liqalise ukubuyela ngasemntla emva kokuphambukela kwakhe ixesha elide emazantsi, yaye kuthiwa kwakubekelwe bucala iintsuku ezingamashumi amane zombulelo namadini. AmaRoma abhiyozela umhla wamashumi amabini anesihlanu kaDisemba ngomthendeleko omkhulu wokuhlonipha uBacchus, njengoko kwakunjalo ngelo xesha ilanga laqala ukubuya kwakhe kwi-solstice yasebusika. Kamva, xa imisitho emininzi yamaPersi yaziswa eRoma, kwangolo suku lunye lwalusenziwa njengomthendeleko wokuzukisa uMithras, umoya welanga. AmaHindu anemithendeleko emithandathu elandelelanayo. Ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesihlanu kaDisemba abantu bahombisa izindlu zabo ngeentyatyambo kunye nephepha elihonjisiweyo kwaye jikelele benza izipho kubahlobo nakwizalamane. Ngoko kuya kubonakala ukuba ngalo mhla abantu bamandulo babenqula kwaye bagcobe. Into yokuba kwakunjalo ngexesha lasebusika ayinakuba ziingozi nje okanye ngamabona-ndenzile. Kusengqiqweni ngakumbi ukucinga ukuba, kuzo zonke izinto ezenzekayo kwixesha elidlulileyo, kukho inyaniso esisiseko yokubaluleka okungaqondakaliyo.

Kuthiwa ngabanye ukuba ukuzalwa kukaKristu kukuzalwa ngokomoya. Ukuba kunjalo, kutheni uKrismesi ibhiyozelwa ngomzimba wenyama ngokutya nokusela, ngendlela ebonakalayo, into ehluke kakhulu kwimibono yethu yokomoya?

Isizathu sale nto sibuyela kumaKhristu enkulungwane yokuqala. Kwimizamo yabo yokujikeleza iimfundiso zabo kunye neenkolelo zabahedeni nabahedeni, badibanisa iminyhadala yabo kwikhalenda yabo. Oku kuphendule kabini: kwanelisa amasiko abo bantu kwaye kwakhokelela ekubeni bacinge ukuba ixesha kufanelekile ukuba lingcwele kukholo olutsha. Kodwa, ukwamkela imithendeleko kunye neminyhadala, umoya okhuthaza ezi zinto waphulukana neyona nto yayiyeyona mpawu zibukhali igcinwe phakathi kwamadoda asemantla, iDruids kunye namaRoma. Imibutho yezilwanyana zasendle yangeniswa kwaye imvume epheleleyo yayivunyelwe; ubudlakudla nokunxila kwabakho ngelo xesha. Ngabantu bokuqala, unobangela wovuyo lwabo kungenxa yokuqaphela kwabo ukuba iLanga sele lidlulile kwelona nqanaba liphantsi kwikhosi yakhe ebonakalayo kwaye ukusuka ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesihlanu kuDisemba yaqala uhambo lwayo, olwaluya kubangela ukubuya kwentwasahlobo kwaye lwaluza kubasindisa ukusuka ebusika nasekuphanzisweni kobusika. Phantse wonke umthendeleko wethu ngexesha leKrisimesi imvelaphi yabo yakudala.

In 'Amaxesha okuhlala nabahlobo,' Vol. I-4, iphepha 189, kuthiwa iKrisimesi kuthetha 'ukuzalwa kwelanga elingabonakaliyo, uMgaqo kaKristu,' njengoko, eqhubeka, 'Ufanele ukuzalwa emntwini.' Ukuba oku kunjalo, ngaba kuyalandela ukuba ukuzalwa kukaYesu ngokwenyama kwakwangomhla wamashumi amabini anesihlanu kuDisemba?

Hayi, ayilandeli. Ngapha koko kuthiwa kwi "Moments naabahlobo" apha ngasentla kubhekiswa ku-Yesu asinguye umzimba wenyama. Ingumzimba owahlukileyo okomzimba-nangona uzalwe uphuma kwaye ungowokwasemzimbeni. Uhlobo lokuzalwa olwenziweyo kwaye umahluko wenziwa phakathi kukaYesu noKristu. UYesu ngumzimba oqinisekisa ukungafi. Ngapha koko, ukungafi akufunyanwa nanguwuphi na umntu de kube kuzelwe uYesu okanye umzimba ongafiyo. Ngumzimba ongafiyo, nguYesu, okanye ngalo naliphi na igama eyayisaziwa ngalo kubantu basendulo, enguMsindisi woMntu kwaye de kube ukuzalwa kwakhe wasindiswa ekufeni. Umthetho ofanayo uhleli ulungile namhlanje njengoko wawusenza ngelo xesha. Umntu ofayo akafanga engafiyo, kungenjalo ngekhe afe. Kodwa umntu ongafiyo akanakufa, kungenjalo ke yena ungafiyo. Umntu ke ngoko kufuneka afumane ukungafi ngaphambi kokuba afe, okanye enye into yokuphinda azalwe kwakhona aze aqhubeke ephinde azalwe ngokutsha, ade asindiswe ekufeni ngumzimba wakhe ongafiyo onguYesu. Kodwa uKrestu akangomzimba, njengoko anjalo noYesu. Kithi nakithi, uKrestu ngumgaqo hayi umntu okanye umzimba. Ke ngoko kuye kwathiwa uKrestu kufuneka azalwe ngaphakathi. Oku kuthetha, kwabo bangafi, ukuba iingqondo zabo zikhanyiselwe bubukho bomgaqo kaKristu kwaye bayakwazi ukuqonda inyaniso yezinto.

Ukuba uYesu okanye uKrestu akazange aphile kwaye afundise njengoko kufanelekile ukuba kwenziwe, kwenzeka njani ukuba impazamo enjalo ibinokubakho kangangeenkulungwane ezininzi kwaye kufanele ukuba ibe njalo kule mihla?

Iimpazamo kunye nokungazi zihlala zikho ade atshintshwe ulwazi; ngolwazi, ukungazi kutshona. Akukho ndawo yabo bobabini. Ngaphandle kolwazi, nokuba lolwezinto okanye ulwazi lokomoya, kufuneka sizamkele njengoko zinjalo. Ukunqwenela iinyaniso ukuba zahluke akunakubatshintsha. Akukho zibakala kwimbali malunga nokuzalwa kukaYesu okanye uKrestu. Amagama athi uYesu noKristu babekho kwiinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba umntu azalwe ngokutsha. Asinangxelo yakubakho ngelo xesha kusithiwa wazalwa. Ukuba umntu owayephila-kwaye obangele ukuphazamiseka nokugqalwa njengomntu obalulekileyo-ngewayengathathelwa ingqalelo ngababhali-mbali belo xesha akukho ngqiqweni. UHerode, lo kumkani, kuthiwa wabangela ukuba abantwana abaninzi babulawe ukuze aqiniseke ukuba “umntwana oselula” akafanele aphile. Kuthiwa uPilato wamgweba uYesu, kwaye yena u-Yesu kuthiwa wavuka emva kokubethelelwa emnqamlezweni. Akukho nanye kwezi zinto zibalaseleyo eye yabhalwa ngababhali-mbali belo xesha. Eyona irekhodi sinayo yile iqulathwe kwiincwadi zeVangeli. Ngaphambili kwezi zibakala asinakubanga ukuba ukuzalwa okuphambili kuyinyani. Okona kulungileyo kunokwenziwa kukuyinika indawo phakathi kweentsomi kunye neentsomi zehlabathi. Ukuthi siqhubeke kwimpazamo yethu malunga nokuzalwa nokufa kukaYesu ayimangalisi. Ngumcimbi wesiko kunye nemikhwa yethu nathi. Impazamo, ukuba kukho isiphoso, ilele kwabo bangooCawe bokuqala abathi benza ibango lokuzalwa kukaYesu.

Ngaba usho ukuthini ukuba imbali yobuKristu ayiyinto kodwa inkolelo, ukuba ubomi bukaKristu yimbali, kwaye ukuba malunga ne-2,000 iminyaka ihlabathi liye lakholelwa kwiingcali?

Umhlaba ungakholelwa kubuKristu phantse iminyaka eyi-2,000. Umhlaba awakholelwa kubuKristu namhlanje. Nawo ngokwawo amakholwa awakholelwa ngokwaneleyo kwiimfundiso zikaYesu zokuphila ikhulu labo. MaKristu, kunye nehlabathi liphela, bayazichasa iimfundiso zikaYesu ebomini babo nasemsebenzini. Akukho nanye imfundiso zikaYesu egcinwa ngokupheleleyo ngamaKristu. Ngokumahluko phakathi kwenyani nentsomi, sithethatheli ukuba akukho nyaniso malunga nokuzalwa kwembali kunye nobomi bukaYesu. Intsomi kunye neentsomi zibanjwa ngamaKristu amaninzi ukuze zibe sisiseko seenkolelo zobuhedeni, kodwa ukholo lobuKristu lukwisigaba esinye. Ngokokwenyani, inkolo yobuKristu inesiseko esingaphantsi kwenyani kuneenkolo ezininzi zehlabathi. Oku akuthethi ukuba ubuKristu bobuxoki, nokuba zonke iinkolo zibubuxoki. Kukho intetho endala ethi kuyo yonke intsomi kukho iilogo. Intsomi yingxelo equkethe inyaniso ebalulekileyo. Oku kuyinyani kubuKristu. Inyani yokuba uninzi luye lwangenelwa kwimbali yokuqala nakumaxesha ethu ngokukholelwa kubomi namandla okusindisa kaYesu kufuneka babe namandla athile ayimfihlo; Apha amandla ayo ephela. Ukubonakala kwawo nawuphi na utitshala omkhulu okanye ukufundisa kuhambelana nomthetho othile, umthetho wemijikelezo, okanye wamaxesha onyaka. Ixesha lokuzalwa kukaYesu elidumileyo yayingumjikelo okanye ixesha lokukhuthaza nokukhulisa inyaniso esandula kutyhilwa. Siyakholelwa ukuba ngelo xesha kwakukho umntu owafumana ukungafi, ukuzalwa komzimba kaYesu esele ubhekisiwe, wathi akuba efezekisile, wanikela imfundiso yokungafi komntu awayecinga ukuba angayamkela kwaye ayiqonde. Kwaqokelela kuye inani elabizwa ngokuba ngabafundi bakhe. Ukuba ayikho imbali yale nto ibangelwa kukungaziwa kwakhe kubantu ababengazi nto ngemfihlakalo engobomi bokungafi. Ukuhlala kunye nokufundisa abafundi bakhe okwethutyana, wemka, kwaye iimfundiso zakhe zazikhutshelwa ngabafundi bakhe. Isizathu sokuzingisa kwinkolelo ka-Kristu kunye neemfundiso zakhe kukuba ngaphakathi komntu uqinisekile ukuba umntu unokungafi. Le nkolelo yamva nje ifumana ukucaciswa kwiimfundiso icawe ezigqwetheleyo zangoku.

Umhlobo [HW Percival]