IBhayibhili libhuku elidala kakhulu. Lidala kangakanani? Laqalisa ukulotshwa eMiddle East eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 500 eyadlulayo. Ngalesosikhathi, kwakulombuso wamaShang owawudume kakhulu eChina njalo kwakusasele iminyaka engaba yinkulungwane ukuthi inkolo yamaBuddha iqalise e-India.—Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Iqiniso Mayelana LeBhayibhili.”

Ukuze ibhuku libe lusizo ebantwini njalo libaqondise, kumele lizwisiseke njalo lihambelane lalokho abakudingayo. Linjalo iBhayibhili. Lisinika izimpendulo ezisuthisayo zemibuzo eqakatheke kakhulu empilweni.

Ngokwesibonelo, sewake wazibuza yini ukuthi, ‘Sadalelwani?’ Umbuzo lo usutshayise abantu ngamakhanda okwezinkulungwane zeminyaka, futhi ulokhu usabahlupha lalamuhla. Kodwa impendulo yawo itholakala ezahlukweni ezimbili zokuqala kuGenesisi, ibhuku lokuqala eliseBhayibhilini. Kulapho iBhayibhili elisitshela khona ngokwenzakala “ekuqaleni,” eminyakeni engamabhiliyoni eyadlulayo, lapho kudalwa imithala, izinkanyezi, umhlaba, lakho konke okusemkhathini. (UGenesisi 1:1) Ngemva kwalokho lisilandisela ukuthi kwahamba njani ukuze umhlaba ube yindawo ehlalekayo, ukuthi izinto ezitshiyeneyo eziphilayo zaba khona njani, ukuthi abantu badalwa njani kanye lokuthi konke lokhu kwadalelwani.

IBhayibhili lisinika iseluleko esingasisiza ukuthi simelane lezinhlupho zansuku zonke. Iseluleko salo kasinzima ukuzwisisa. Kulezinto ezimbili ezenza kube njalo.

Okokuqala, iBhayibhili lisebenzisa ulimi olucacileyo, olungakhekheleziyo njalo oluhlabusayo. Esikhundleni sokusebenzisa amazwi adida abantu kumbe angani ngawezinganekwane, iBhayibhili lisebenzisa amabala alula loba esiwajayeleyo. Ngitsho lalapho lichaza izinto ezinzima, lisebenzisa amazwi esiwakhuluma nsuku zonke.

Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uJesu efundisa wayesebenzisa imizekeliso eminengi abantu ababeyizwisisa futhi eyayihambelana lalokho okwakusenzakala nsuku zonke ezimpilweni zabo. Imizekeliso yakhe eminengi itholakala kulokho okujayele ukubizwa ngokuthi yiNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni ebhalwe ezahlukweni 5 kusiya ku-7 kuMathewu. Omunye wabiza intshumayelo le ngokuthi “yinkulumo elusizo” njalo wananzelela ukuthi injongo yayo “kayisiyo yokugcwalisa izingqondo zethu ngolwazi, kodwa ngeyokusiqondisa lokusitshengisa indlela okumele siphile ngayo.” Uyenelisa ukuzibala izahluko lezi uziqede ngemizuzu engaba ngu-15 kusiya  kwengu-20, njalo uzamangala ukuthi amazwi kaJesu ayelamandla kakhulu lanxa ayelula.

Okunye okwenza ukuthi iBhayibhili lizwisiseke lula yilokho elikumumetheyo. Kalisilo bhuku elilezindatshana kumbe izinganekwane kuphela. Kodwa njengoba i-The World Book Encyclopedia isitsho ukuthi ingxenye yeBhayibhili enkulu “iphathelane labantu ababedumile kanye labantukazana,” futhi likhuluma “ngezinhlupho abalwisana lazo, ithemba ababelalo, amaphutha abo kanye lokuphumelela kwabo.” Kulula ukuthi sizazi izindaba lezi eziphathelane labantu abanjengathi abake baphila kanye lezinto ezazisenzakala, lokuthi sizwisise izifundo eziqakathekileyo esizithola eBhayibhilini.—KwabaseRoma 15:4.

Ukuze wenelise ukuzwisisa ibhuku elithile, kumele libe libhalwe ngolimi olwaziyo. Kungenzakala ukuthi lamuhla iBhayibhili selitholakala ngolimi oluzwisisayo kungelani lokuthi uhlala ngaphi loba usuka kuliphi ilizwe. Nanku okwenziwayo ukuze iBhayibhili litholakale ngezindimi ezehlukeneyo.

Ukuhunyutshwa kwalo. IBhayibhili lalilotshwe ngesiHebheru, ngesi-Aramu langesiGiriki. Lokhu kwakusenza ukuthi babe balutshwana kakhulu abantu ababelibala. Ngakho ukuze litholakale lakwezinye izindimi, abahumutshi basebenze gadalala. Benze umsebenzi omkhulu sibili, nanku phela selitholakala ngezindimi ezingaba ngu-2 700 liphelele loba liyingxenye. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi abantu abedlula amaphesenti angu-90 bayenelisa ukubala iBhayibhili ngolimi lomdabuko wabo.

Ukuphrintwa kwalo. Kudala iBhayibhili lalibhalelwa ezintweni ezaziguga masinyane ezazigoqela izikhumba kanye lohlobo lwephepha olwalusenziwa nge-papyrus. Ukuze imibhalo ihlale ikhona kwakumele ikotshwe kutsha nxa impahla eyayibhalelwe kuyo isigugile futhi lokhu kwakumele kwenziwe ngonanzelelo. Ngalesosikhathi intengo yeBhayibhili yayisemba eqolo njalo balutshwana ababesenelisa ukulithenga. Kodwa ukusungulwa komtshina wokuphrinta eminyakeni edlula 550 eyadlulayo kwenza ukuthi amaBhayibhili acine esetholakala ngobunengi. Okunye ukuhlola okuke kwenziwa kuveza ukuthi sokwaphrintwa amaBhayibhili adlula 5 bhiliyoni, kungaba yilo lonke loba ingxenye yalo.

Alikho elinye ibhuku eliphathelane loNkulunkulu elitholakala njengeBhayibhili. Lokhu kwenza kucace ukuthi iBhayibhili libhuku okumele silizwisise. Lanxa kunjalo kungaba nzima ukulizwisisa. Pho ungenzani ukuze uthole indlela ongalizwisisa ngayo? Kungakunceda ngani ukulizwisisa? Bala isihloko esilandelayo ukuze uthole impendulo.