IBhayibhili Lafika Njani Kithi?

IBhayibhili belilokhu likhona kusukela kudala futhi okumangalisa kakhulu yikuthi okubhalwe kulo akuzange kutshintshe. Laphela ukubhalwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-1 900 eyadlulayo. Ekuqaliseni, iBhayibhili lalibhalwe ezintweni ezingahlali isikhathi eside ezinjengesikhumba lamaphepha enziwe ngolunye uhlobo lomhlanga okuthiwa yi-papyrus. Lalibhalwe ngezindimi ezikhulunywa ngabantu abalutshwana namuhla. Kanti njalo ababusi labakhokheli bamasonto babezama ngamandla wonke ukuthi balitshabalalise.

MANJE kwenzakala njani ukuthi libe khona kuze kube khathesi lokuthi litholwe ngabantu abanengi emhlabeni? Ake sikhangele izizatho ezimbili.

IMibhalo Yalondolozwa Ngoba Yayikotshwa

Abako-Israyeli bayilondoloza iMibhalo ngoba babeyikopa kanenginengi. Ngokwesibonelo, inkosi ngayinye yako-Israyeli kwakumele ‘ithathe iphepha lomgoqwa izilobele kulo umthetho osencwadini yabaphristi abangamaLevi.’—UDutheronomi 17:18.

Ama-Israyeli amanengi ayekuthanda ukubala iMibhalo njalo ayengathandabuzi ukuthi iliLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Ababhali ababezingcitshi yibo ababekopa iMibhalo futhi lokhu babekwenza ngonanzelelo. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Ezra owayengumbhali owesaba uNkulunkulu “wayeyisifundiswa esazi kakhulu ngomthetho kaMosi,” owawuvela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. (U-Ezra 7:6) Ababhali okuthiwa ngamaMasoretes ababekopa iMibhalo yesiHebheru (iThestamenti Elidala) ngeminyaka yabo-500 kusiya kubo-900 C.E. babebala inhlamvu zamabala ukuze babe leqiniso lokuthi bakope khona kanye okubhaliweyo. Lokhu kwabanceda ukuthi bakope izinto eziqondileyo njalo kwenza ukuthi iBhayibhili liqhubeke likhona lanxa izitha zazilokhu zizama ngamandla ukulitshabalalisa.

Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-168 B.C.E. umbusi waseSiriya u-Antiochus IV wazama ukutshabalalisa amakhophi eMibhalo yesiHebheru kulo lonke elasePalestine. Elinye ibhuku elikhuluma ngembali yamaJuda lithi: “Loba yiphi incwadimgoqwa yomthetho eyayitholakala yayidatshulwa itshiswe.” IJewish Encyclopedia yona ithi: “Labo ababethunywa ukuthi bakwenze lokhu babesiba lesihluku ebantwini . . . Kwakusithi ungatholakala nje ulebhuku elingcwele . . . ubulawe.” Kodwa amanye amaJuda ayesePalestine lalawo ayehlala kwezinye indawo ayelokhu elawo amakhophi eMibhalo.

Abalobi beMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi (iThestamenti Elitsha) bathi beqeda nje umsebenzi wabo, abanye abantu bahle baqalisa ukuyikopa imibhalo le eyayiphefumulelwe. Ngokwesibonelo, uJohane wabhala iVangeli lakhe ese-Efesu kumbe eduze kwedolobho lelo. Kodwa kwatholakala ikhophi eyayikotshwe eVangelini lelo khonale eGibhithe njalo ingcitshi zithi yayikotshwe kungakadluli iminyaka engu-50 uJohane eqede ukubhala iVangeli lakhe. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi amaKhristu ayesezindaweni ezikhatshana lawo ayelamakhophi eMibhalo engcwele eyayisanda kubhalwa.

Ukusabalala kweLizwi likaNkulunkulu okwenzakala ngemva kweminyaka eminengi uJesu ebuyele ezulwini kwanceda ukuthi liqhubeke likhona. Ngokwesibonelo, ngomnyaka ka-303 C.E., mhlaka 23 February ekuseni amasotsha kaDiocletian umbusi weRoma atheleka kweyinye isonto atshisa amakhophi eMibhalo ayekhonapho njalo kubikwa ukuthi wayebukele kusenzakala konke lokhu. UDiocletian wayecabanga ukuthi ukutshabalalisa iMibhalo engcwele kwakuzaqeda konke okuphathelane lesiKhristu. Ngelanga elilandelayo wakhipha umlayo wokuthi wonke amaBhayibhili ayezatholakala embusweni wakhe atshiswe abantu bekhangele. Kodwa ayisiwo wonke amaBhayibhili atshiswayo futhi kwaphinda kwenziwa lamanye amakhophi. Sikhuluma nje kulamaBhayibhili amabili olimi lwesiGrikhi angaphelanga ukukotshwa okungenzakala ukuthi abhalwa ngesikhathi uDiocletian esanda kukhipha umlayo wokuthi amaBhayibhili atshiswe. Elinye lakhona liseRome, elinye liseBritish Library eLondon, e-England.

Lanxa imibhalo yeBhayibhili yakuqala ingakatholakali, kulezinkulungwane zamakhophi alo abhalwa ngesandla asetholakele. Amanye ngamakhophi eBhayibhili eligcweleyo kumbe ingxenye yalo njalo amanye akhona madala kakhulu. Okuphakathi kweMibhalo le kwatshintshwa yini ngesikhathi ikotshwa? Isikhwicamfundo okuthiwa nguW. H. Green sakhuluma ngeMibhalo yesiHebheru sathi: “Singatsho siphinde ukuthi akula omunye umsebenzi wasendulo osuke wabhalwa ngendlela eqonde kangaka.” USir Fredrick Kenyon, ingcitshi ehlola iMibhalo yeBhayibhili yasendulo iveza ukuthi akuzange kuthathe isikhathi eside ukuthi iMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi iqalise ukukotshwa ngabanye abantu. Uqhubeka esithi lokhu kwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi okukuThestamenti Elitsha akuzange kutshintshe lokuthi iBhayibhili lilonke nje singalithemba. Alikho sibili elinye ibhuku elifanana leBhayibhili.

Ukuhunyutshwa KweBhayibhili

Okwesibili okwenza ukuthi abantu abanengi babe leBhayibhili yikuthi litholakala ngezindimi ezinengi. Lokhu kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ngoba ufuna abantu bezizwe zonke lezindimi bamazi futhi bamkhonze “ngomoya langeqiniso.”—UJohane 4:23,24; UMikha 4:2.

IMibhalo yesiHebheru eyaqala ukuhunyutshwa kwakuyi-Septuagint yesiGrikhi. Yayibhalelwe amaJuda ayekhuluma isiGrikhi ayengahlali ePalestine njalo yahunyutshwa kusasele iminyaka engaba ngu-200 ukuthi uJesu abuye emhlabeni. IBhayibhili eligcweleyo laqalisa ukuhunyutshelwa ezindimini ezinengi kungakadluli iminyaka eminengi libhaliwe. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amakhosi labaphristi okwakumele bancedise abantu ukuthi bathole iBhayibhili yibo ababebavimbela ukuthi babe lalo. Babefuna izimvu zabo zihlale emnyameni yikho babesala ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lihunyutshelwe ezindimini ezazikhulunywa ngabanengi.

Kodwa amadoda ayelesibindi kawazange akulandele lokho okwakufunwa ngohulumende labakhokheli bamasonto. Afaka impilo zawo engozini ukuze ahumutshe iBhayibhili ngezindimi ezazikhulunywa ngabantu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1530 indoda eyayikhuluma isiNgisi okuthiwa nguWilliam Tyndale yahumutsha amabhuku amahlanu okuqala aseMibhalweni yesiHebheru abizwa langokuthi yi-Pentateuch. Lanxa wayephikiswa, waba ngowokuqala ukumutsha iBhayibhili ngesiNgisi esusela olimini lwesiHebheru. Kanti njalo uTyndale waba ngumhumutshi wokuqala ukusebenzisa ibizo elithi Jehova ngesiNgisi. UCasiodoro De Reina oyisikhwicamfundo seBhayibhili saseSpain laye ngomunye wabahumutshi bokuqala abahumutsha iBhayibhili ngesiSpanish, lanxa wayesengozini yokubulawa ngamaKatolika. Ukuze aqede umsebenzi wakhe wokumutsha iBhayibhili wathutha waya e-England, eGermany, eFrance, eHolland laseSwitzerland. *

IBhayibhili lokhe lihunyutshwa njalo lidindwa ngezindimi ezinengi kakhulu. Ukungatshabalali kweBhayibhili kuze kube lamuhla kutshengisa ukuthi amazwi abhalwa ngumphostoli uPhetro aliqiniso. Wathi: “Utshani buyabuna, iluba likhithike, kodwa ilizwi likaJehova likhona kuze kube nini lanini.”—1 UPhetro 1:24-25.

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 [Umfanekiso osekhasini 14]

YILIPHI IBHAYIBHILI OKUMELE NGILIBALE?

Ezindimini ezinengi kulamaBhayibhili atshiyeneyo. Amanye anzima ukubala ngenxa yokuthi alamabala amadala. Ikanti abahumutshi bamanye amaBhayibhili babelandisa kakhulu baze bacine befaka lezinto ezazingekho eMibhalweni yakuqala. Abanye babehumutsha belandela ibala ngebala.

INguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha YeMibhalo Engcwele yesiNgisi eyadindwa ngoFakazi bakaJehova yahunyutshwa yikhomithi elabantu abangaqanjwanga ngamabizo. Ikhomithi le yahumutsha isusa endimini ezasetshenziswa ngabalobi beBhayibhili. Inguqulo le yiyo esetshenziswe ngabahumutshi bezindimi ezingaba ngu-60 ngesikhathi behumutshela ezindimini zabo. Abahumutshi bezindimi lezo babehlolisisa leMibhalo yakuqala ukuze bahumutshe okuqondileyo. Abahumutshi be-Nguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha babelandela iMibhalo yakuqala injengoba injalo, kodwa babesenza njalo nxa okubhaliweyo kusala kucacile futhi kuzwakala. Abahumutshi beBhayibhili leli babefisa ukuthi abantu balizwisise lula njengoba nje kwakunjalo kulabo ababebala iMibhalo yakuqala endulo.

Ezinye izikhwicamfundo sezihlole amaBhayibhili atshiyeneyo ukuze zibone ukuthi okubhaliweyo kuqondile yini lokuthi abahumutshi abatshintshanga bafaka izinto ezisekela lokho abakukholwayo. Elinye iBhayibhili abalihlolayo yi-Nguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha. Omunye okwenzileyo lokhu yisikhwicamfundo uJason David BeDuhn oweyunivesithi yeNorthen Arizona e-United States. Ngo-2003 wethula ibhuku elilamakhasi angu-200 elaliphathelane lamaBhayibhili angu-9 asetshenziswa kakhulu ngabantu abakhuluma isiNgisi. * Ekuchwayisiseni kwakhe wahlola amavesi amanengi okujayele ukuphikiswana ngawo ngoba wayesithi yiwo enza ukuthi abahumutshi bahumutshe okuhambelana lalokho abakukholwayo. Evesini ngayinye wayeqathanisa iMibhalo yesiGrikhi kanye leBhayibhili ngalinye lesiNgisi elihunyutshiweyo ukuze abone ukuthi akula okutshintshwe kwahambelana lalokho okukholwa ngabahumutshi. Watholani?

UBeDuhn uthi abantu abanengi labanye abahlola iBhayibhili bacabanga ukuthi umehluko okhona phakathi kweNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha lamanye amaBhayibhili yikuthi abahumutshi bayo babhala izinto ezivumelana lalokho abakukholwayo. Kodwa uphinda athi okwenza kube lomehluko lo yikuthi amavesi amanengi kuNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha ahunyutshwe ngendlela eqondileyo njalo izikhathi ezinengi inguqulo le inamathela kulokho okwakuvele kukhona eMibhalweni yakuqala. Lanxa uBeDuhn engavumelani lendlela ezinye izinto ezihunyutshwe ngayo kuNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha, uthi iBhayibhili lelo lihunyutshwe ngendlela eqondileyo kakhulu nxa liqathaniswa lamanye amaBhayibhili. Uthi abahumutshi beBhayibhili leli benza umsebenzi omuhle kakhulu.

Isikhwicamfundo solimi lwesiHebheru okuthiwa nguDr Benjamin Kedar laso sakhuluma okuphose kuhambelane lalokho mayelana leNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha. Ngo-1989 wathi abahumutshi beNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuthi bahumutshe izinto ezizwakalayo leziqondileyo. Uphinda athi kazange athole loba yini eBhayibhilini leli etshengisa ukuthi abahumutshi babechasisa izinto ngendlela abafuna ngayo.

Zibuze imibuzo le, ‘Kuyini engifuna ukukuthola nxa ngibala iBhayibhili? Ngifuna iBhayibhili elingahluphiyo ukubala kungelani lokuthi ezinye izinto ezikulo kaziqondanga? Kumbe ngifuna ukubala iBhayibhili elahunyutshwa ngendlela eqondileyo? (2 UPhetro 1:20, 21) Impendulo yakho izakutsho ukuthi uzakhetha liphi iBhayibhili.

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[[Umfanekiso]

“INguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha YeMibhalo Engcwele” itholakala ngezindimi ezinengi

[[Umfanekiso osekhasini 12, 13]

 Umbhalo owakotshwa ngaMasoretes

[[Umfanekiso osekhasini 13]

Isiqephu esilamazwi akuLukha 12:7, athi: “. . . lingesabi; lina liqakatheke kakhulu kulentaka ezinengi”

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Foreground page: National Library of Russia, St. Petersburg; second and third: Bibelmuseum, Münster; background: © The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin