THE
I-WORD
DECEMBER 1908
| I-Copyright 1908 ka-HW PERCIVAL |
AMADODA NABANGANE
Kungani ngezinye izikhathi kuthiwa uJesu wayengomunye wabasindisi besintu nokuthi abantu basendulo babekhona nabasindisi babo, esikhundleni sokuthi unguMsindisi wezwe, njengoba kubanjwe yiLobukholwa lonke?
Isitatimende kungenxa yezimbangela eziningana. Abanye basho lokhu ngoba bekuzwile kwenziwa abanye; abanye, abajwayelene nomlando wasendulo, ngoba umlando wabantu basendulo uqopha iqiniso lokuthi baba nabasindisi abaningi. Abasindisayo bezizwe ezahlukahlukene bahluka ngokuya ngezidingo zabantu eza kubo, futhi into ethile abazosindiswa kuyo. Ngakho-ke kwaqhamuka umsindisi oyedwa ezokhulula abantu esishayweni esiwumshayabhuqe, noma indlala, noma ekuhlaselweni yisitha noma isilo sasendle. Omunye umsindisi wabonakala ekhulula abantu avela kubo osokeni ukuba abafundise izilimi, ubuciko kanye nesayensi edingekayo kwimpucuko, noma ukukhanyisela imiqondo yabo nokuqonda kwabo. Noma ngubani ofunde ngandlela thile kwezinhlelo zomhlaba zenkolo uzobona ngokusobala ukuthi abasindisi bavela emakhulwini eminyaka noma ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka ngaphambi kosuku lapho uJesu azalwa ngalo.
Uma uJesu kuthiwa ungumsindisi womhlaba yiwo wonke eLobukholwa, ukumenyezelwa okunjalo bekungaba yicebo lokungazi nokuzikhukhumeza kwabo bonke eLobukholwa, kodwa ngenhlanhla kweLobukholwa lokhu akunjalo. Eminyakeni sekwephuzile ikakhulukazi, izwe lasentshonalanga seliya ngokuya lijwayelana kakhulu nemibhalo nemibhalo yabanye abantu, futhi kukhonjiswa umuzwa onobungane ngokwengeziwe nobudlelwano obuhle nalabo bezinye izinhlanga nezinkolelo zabo. Umhlaba wasentshonalanga uye wafunda ukwazisa izitolo zokuhlakanipha okuphakathi kwengcebo yemibhalo yabantu basendulo. Umoya wakudala wabantu abambalwa abakhethwe nguNkulunkulu noma abazikhethele ukusindiswa ezinombolweni eziningi zangesikhathi esedlule uye wanyamalala futhi endaweni yawo kuza ukuqashelwa kobulungiswa namalungelo abo bonke.
Ungasitshela ukuthi kukhona yini abantu abagubha ukuzalwa kwabahlengikazi babo noma ngokuzungeze usuku lwangamashumi amabili nanhlanu kaDisemba (ngesikhathi ilanga lisho ukungena uphawu lweCapricorn?
Usuku lwamashumi amabili lukaDecember lwaluyisikhathi senjabulo enkulu eGibhithe, futhi kwaba nomkhosi wokuhlonipha usuku lokuzalwa lukaHorus. Phakathi kwemikhuba nemikhosi ebhalwe ezincwadini ezingcwele zaseShayina, umkhosi wezinye izinkolo zakudala ulandelwa eduze. Ngesonto lokugcina kuZibandlela, ngesikhathi semvula yasebusika, izitolo nezinkantolo kuyavalwa. Imikhosi yezenkolo ibe isigujwa futhi ibizwa ngokuthi imikhosi yokubonga ku-Tie Tien. I-Persian Mithras yayibizwa ngokuthi umlamuleli noma umsindisi. Bagubhe usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa mhla zingama-XNUMX kuZibandlela phakathi kwentokozo enkulu. Kwaqashelwa ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi ilanga liyama bese liqala ukubuyela ngasenyakatho ngemva kokuhamba kwakhe isikhathi eside eningizimu, futhi kuthiwa kwakubekwe izinsuku ezingamashumi amane zokubonga nomhlatshelo. AmaRoma ayegubha usuku lwamashumi amabili nanhlanu kuZibandlela ngomkhosi omkhulu wokuhlonipha uBacchus, njengoba kwakungaleso sikhathi lapho ilanga laqala khona ukubuya ebusika. Ezikhathini zamuva, lapho imikhosi eminingi yasePheresiya yethulwa eRoma, ngalolo suku lwalugujwa njengomkhosi wokuhlonipha uMithras, umoya welanga. AmaHindu anemikhosi eyisithupha elandelanayo. Ngomhla zingama-XNUMX kuZibandlela abantu bahlobisa izindlu zabo ngamatshe ezimbali namaphepha acwetshiwe futhi emhlabeni wonke benzela abangani nezihlobo izipho. Ngakho-ke kuzobonakala ukuthi ngalolu suku abantu basendulo nabo babekhonza futhi bajabule. Ukuthi kwenzeka ngesikhathi senkwindla yasebusika akunakuba izingozi nje noma izinto eziqondane. Kunengqondo kakhulu ukusho ukuthi, phakathi kwakho konke ukuhlangana okusobala kwesikhathi esedlule, kuneqiniso eliyisisekelo lokubaluleka okungaqondakali okujulile.
Kuthiwa abanye ukuthi ukuzalwa kukaKristu kungukuzalwa okungokomoya. Uma kunjalo, kungani uKhisimusi igubha umzimba womzimba ngokudla nokuphuza, ngendlela engokwenyama, okungafani kakhulu nemibono yethu engokomoya?
Isizathu salokhu sibuyela emuva kumaKristu asendulo. Emizamweni yabo yokukala izimfundiso zabo nezinkolelo zabahedeni nabahedeni, bafaka nemikhosi yabo kukhalenda labo. Lokhu kuphendule inhloso ephindwe kabili: kwanelisa amasiko alabo bantu futhi kwaholela ekutheni bacabange ukuthi isikhathi kufanele sibe ngcwele kukholo olusha. Kepha, ekwamukelweni kwemikhosi nemikhosi, umoya owakhuthaza laba ulahlekile futhi kwaba yizimpawu kuphela ezinesihluku kunazo zonke ezazigcinwe kubantu basenyakatho, abakwaDruids nabaseRoma. Abezothando lwasendlini babefakwa futhi amalayisense agcwele avunyelwe; ukuminza nokudakwa kwakukhona ngaleso sikhathi. Nabantu bokuqala, imbangela yenjabulo yabo yingenxa yokubona kwabo ukuthi iLanga selidlulise iphuzu eliphansi kakhulu enkambweni yakhe ebonakalayo nokuthi kusuka ngomhla wamashumi amabili nanhlanu kuDisemba aqale uhambo lwakhe, olwaluzodala ukubuya kwentwasahlobo futhi luzobasindisa kusukela kubanda nokuchithwa kobusika. Cishe konke ukugujwa kwethu ngenkathi kaKhisimusi kwavelaphi nabasendulo.
In 'Izikhathi Nabangane,' kweVol. 4, ikhasi 189, kuthiwa ngoKhisimusi kusho 'Ukuzalwa kwelanga elingabonakali lokukhanya, i-Christ Principle,', njengoba liqhubeka, 'Kufanele lizalwe ngaphakathi komuntu.' Uma lokhu kunjalo, ingabe kuyalandela ukuthi ukuzalwa kukaJesu ngokomzimba futhi kwaba ngomhla wamashumi amabili nanhlanu kuDisemba?
Cha, ayilandeli kangako. Eqinisweni kushiwo ku “Moments nabangani” ngenhla kubhekiselwe ukuthi uJesu akayona umzimba wenyama. Ukuthi ungumzimba ohlukile kusuka kwawomzimba-yize uzalwa uphuma emzimbeni. Uhlobo lokuzalwa lwenziwe lapho futhi kwahlukaniswa phakathi kukaJesu noKristu. UJesu ungumzimba ovikela ukungafi. Eqinisweni, ukungafi akutholwa yinoma yimuphi umuntu kuze kube yilapho kuzalelwa uJesu noma umzimba ongafi. Nguwo lo mzimba ongafiyo, uJesu, noma ukuthi owaziwa ngeliphi igama lakudala, okuyiwona umsindisi womuntu futhi kuze kube yilapho esezelwe lapho wasindiswa ekufeni. Umthetho ofanayo usasebenza nanamuhla njengoba wawenza ngaleso sikhathi. Umuntu ofayo uye waba ongafi, ngaphandle kwalokho wayengeke afe. Kepha umuntu osenokungafi ngeke afe, ngaphandle kwalokho akafanga. Umuntu kufanele-ke athole ukungafi ngaphambi kokuba afe, noma ngenye indlela yokuphinda azalwe kabusha futhi aqhubeke nokuzalwa kabusha, aze asindiswe ekufeni umzimba wakhe ongafi uJesu. Kepha uKristu kasiwona umzimba, njengoJesu. Kithi nakithi, uKristu uyisimiso hhayi umuntu noma umzimba. Ngakho-ke kuye kwathiwa uKristu kufanele azalwe ngaphakathi. Lokhu kusho ukuthi, kulabo abangafi, ukuthi izingqondo zabo zikhanyiselwe ukuba khona kwenqubo kaKristu futhi bayakwazi ukuqonda iqiniso lezinto.
Uma uJesu noma uKristu bengazange baphila futhi bafundise njengoba kufanele ngabe wakwenza, kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi iphutha elinjalo ngabe selikhona amakhulu eminyaka futhi kufanele linqobe namuhla?
Amaphutha nokungazi kunqoba kuze kube yilapho kuthathelwa indawo ulwazi; ngolwazi, ukungazi kunyamalala. Akukho ndawo yababili. Uma kungekho lwazi, kungaba ulwazi lwezinto ezibonakalayo noma olungokomoya, kumele samukele amaqiniso njengoba enjalo. Ukufisa ukuthi amaqiniso ahluke ngeke kubashintshe. Akukho maqiniso emlandweni aphathelene nokuzalwa kukaJesu noma kukaKristu. Amagama athi uJesu noKristu abekhona emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kokuzalwa okuphakemeyo. Asinawo umlando wokuthi wayekhona ngaleso sikhathi okuthiwa wazalwa ngaso. Ukuthi lowo owayephila — futhi obangele ukuphazamiseka nokuqashelwa njengomlingiswa obalulekile — kwakufanele anganakwa yizazi-mlando zangaleso sikhathi akunangqondo. UHerode, inkosi, kuthiwa wabangela ukuba izingane eziningi zibulawe ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi “ingane encane” ayiphile. Kuthiwa uPilatu wagweba uJesu, kanti noJesu kuthiwa uvuke ngemuva kokubethelwa kwakhe. Akukho nasisodwa salezi zehlakalo ezingakaze zibhalwe izazi-mlando zangalesosikhathi. Ukuphela kwerekhodi esinalo yilokho okuqukethwe emaVangelini. Lapho sibhekene nalawa maqiniso ngeke sathi ukuzalwa okudumile kuyiqiniso. Okuhle kakhulu okungenziwa ukukunikeza indawo phakathi kwezinganekwane nezinganekwane zomhlaba. Ukuthi siyaqhubeka ngephutha lethu maqondana nokuzalwa nokufa kukaJesu akumangazi. Kuyindaba yesiko nomkhuba nathi. Iphutha, uma kunephutha, likhona nalabo obaba besonto bokuqala abenze isimangalo futhi basungula imfundiso yokuzalwa nokufa kukaJesu.
Ingabe usho ukusho ukuthi umlando wobuKristu awuyona into kodwa intokwane, ukuthi impilo kaKristu iyinkolelo, futhi ukuthi cishe iminyaka eyi-2,000 izwe liye lakholelwa emlandisweni?
Umhlaba awukholwanga kubuKristu cishe iminyaka engama-2,000 XNUMX. Izwe alikholelwa kubuKristu namuhla. AmaKhristu uqobo lawo awakholelwa ngokwanele ezimfundisweni zikaJesu zokuphila ingxenye eyikhulu yazo. AmaKristu, kanye nomhlaba wonke, aphikisana nezimfundiso zikaJesu empilweni nasemsebenzini wabo. Akukho kufundisa okukodwa kukaJesu okuqashelwa ngokuphelele ngamaKristu. Mayelana nomehluko phakathi kweqiniso nentsomi, sesishilo ukuthi akukho maqiniso maqondana nokuzalwa komlando nokuphila kukaJesu. Izinganekwane nezinsumansumane ziphethwe ngamaKristu amaningi ukuze abe yisisekelo sezinkolo zobuhedeni, kepha ukholo lobuKristu lusekilasini linye. Empeleni, inkolo yobuKristu inesisekelo esincane eqinisweni kunezinkolo eziningi zomhlaba. Lokhu akusho ukuthi ubuKristu abungamanga, nokuthi zonke izinkolo zingamanga. Kunesisho sakudala sokuthi kuwo wonke ama-mythos kukhona ama-logo. Inganekwane ilandisa equkethe iqiniso elinamandla. Lokhu kunjalo nangobuKristu. Iqiniso lokuthi abaningi kangaka bazuzile emlandweni wakuqala nasezikhathini zethu ngokukholelwa empilweni namandla okusindisa kaJesu kumele babe namandla athile ayimfihlo; amandla alo alapha Ukuvela kwanoma yimuphi uthisha omkhulu noma ukufundisa kuya ngomthetho othile, umthetho wemijikelezo, noma wezinkathi zonyaka. Isikhathi sokuzalwa kukaJesu esithandekayo kwakuwumjikelezo noma inkathi yokumenyezelwa nokukhula kweqiniso elisanda kwembulwa. Sikholwa ukuthi cishe ngaleso sikhathi kwakukhona phakathi kwabantu umuntu owayethole ukungafi, ukuzalwa kwesidumbu sikaJesu esekukhulunyiwe ngaye, ukuthi lapho esethole lokho, wanikeza imfundiso yokungafi kulabo ababecabanga ukuthi bayakwazi ukumukela futhi baqonde Kwaqoqeka kuye inani elikhulu ababebizwa ngokuthi abafundi bakhe. Ukuthi awukho umlando walokhu kungenxa yokungaziwa kwakhe kubantu ababengayazi imfihlo ephathelene nempilo yokungafi. Ukuhlala futhi afundise abafundi bakhe isikhashana, wabe esehamba, futhi izimfundiso zakhe zamenyezelwa abafundi bakhe. Isizathu sokuphikelela ekukholweni kukaKristu nezimfundiso zakhe ukuthi ngaphakathi komuntu kukhona ukuqiniseka okucashile ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi angafi. Le nkolelo yakamuva iboniswa ezimfundisweni ibandla elihlanekezela lazo njengamanje.
Umngani [HW Percival]