LiBhayibheli alilisho ngalokucondzile lilanga Jesu Khristu latalwa ngalo, njengobe kuvetwa nguletincwadzi letilandzelako:

•   “Lilanga lelicondzile Khristu latalwa ngalo alatiwa.”​—I-New Catholic Encyclopedia.

•   “Alatiwa lilanga Khristu latalwa ngalo.”​—I-Encyclopedia of Early Christianity.

 Ngisho nobe liBhayibheli lingawuphendvuli ngalokucondzile umbuto lotsi ‘Watalwa nini Jesu?’ kodvwa likhuluma ngetintfo letimbili letenteka ngesikhatsi atalwa letenta bantfu labanyenti baphetse ngekutsi akatalwanga ngaDecember 25.

Akatalwanga ebusika

1.   Kubhaliswa. Ngaphambi nje kwekutsi Jesu atalwe, Khesari Agustusi wakhipha umyalo wekutsi “bonkhe bantfu labangephansi kwembuso wakhe babhaliswe.” Wonkhe muntfu bekufanele ayobhaliswa “edolobheni lakubo,” lokungenteka bekungatsatsa luhambo lweliviki nobe ngetulu. (Lukha 2:1-3) EmaJuda bekangeke awujabulele lomyalo kunobe ngusiphi sikhatsi semnyaka, mhlawumbe ngenca yekutsi bewusekela kukhokhwa kwemtselo kanye nekubhalisela imphi. Ngako angeke kwenteke kutsi Agustusi bekangayala labantfu kutsi bahambe emabanga lamadze ebusika kuze nje bayobhaliswa.

2.   Timvu. Belusi bebahlala “ngephandle beluse imihlambi yabo ebusuku.” (Lukha 2:8) Incwadzi letsi Daily Life in the Time of Jesus itsi imihlambi beyihlala ngaphandle kusukela “ngeliviki lelingaphambi kweliPhasika [nasekutawuphela March]” kuze kube sekhatsi naNovember. Ichubeka itsi: “Ngesikhatsi sasebusika timvu betivalelwa. Loko nje kukodvwa kukhombisa kutsi lelilanga laKhisimusi angeke kwenteke libe sebusika ngobe umbhali weliVangeli utsi belusi bebangephandle.”

Nakucala likwindla

 Singakhona kubala kutsi Jesu watalwa nini ngekubala sibuyele emuva kusukela ngesikhatsi afa ngeliPhasika langaNisan 14, entfwasahlobo yanga-33 C.E. (Johane 19:14-16) Jesu bekaneminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-30 nakacala umsebenti wakhe wekushumayela lowatsatsa iminyaka lemitsatfu nehhafu. Ngako watalwa nakucala likwindla langa-2 B.C.E.​—Lukha 3:23.

 Njengobe kute bufakazi bekutsi Jesu Khristu watalwa ngaDecember 25, yini leyenta Khisimusi ugujwe ngalelilanga? I-Encyclopædia Britannica itsi kungenteka baholi bemasontfo bakhetsa lelilanga “kuze licondzane nemkhosi wemacaba wemaRoma lebewentiwa ebusika kuze kugujwe ‘kutalwa kwelilanga.’” Ngekusho kwe-The Encyclopedia Americana, tati letinyenti tikholelwa kutsi loku kwentiwa “kuze emacaba lagucukele enkholweni yebuKhristu ayitsandze lenkholo.”