Ngaba UYohane Umbhaptizi Wayengumntu Wokwenene?
Iincwadi zevangeli zeBhayibhile zithetha ngoYohane umBhaptizi owayeshumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo kwaYuda. Ngaba ezi zinto zithethwa yiBhayibhile ngoYohane ziyinyani? Khawujonge ezi zinto zilandelayo:
IBhayibhile ithi: “UYohane umBhaptizi weza kushumayela entlango kwelakwaYuda, esithi: ‘Guqukani, kuba sele buza kufika uBukumkani bamazulu.’” (Mateyu 3:1, 2) Ngaba bukhona obunye ubungqina obuvumelana nesi sibhalo? Ewe.
Umbhali-mbali wakudala uFlavius Josephus kwincwadi yakhe wathetha ngendoda “enguYohane umBhaptizi, eyakhuthaza amaYuda ukuba ahambe endleleni elungileyo azinikele kuThixo aze abhaptizwe.”—Jewish Antiquities, Incwadi yesi-18.
IBhayibhile ithi uYohane walungisa uHerode Antipas, owayengumlawuli waseGalili nasePereya. UHerode wayezichaza njengomYuda othobela umthetho kaMoses. UYohane wamxelela uHerode ukuba wenze into embi ngokutshata uHerodiya umfazi womntakwabo. (Marko 6:18) Nale vesi inabo ubungqina obuyixhasayo obufumaneka kwezinye iincwadi.
Umbhali-mbali uJosephus wabhala ukuba uAntipas “wayemthanda uHerodiya, waza wamxelela ukuba ufuna batshate.” UHerodiya wavuma washiya umyeni wakhe waza watshata noAntipas.
IBhayibhile ithi “babesiya kuye bonke abantu bevela eYerusalem, kwelakwaYuda nakwiilali ezikufutshane neYordan, ukuze ababhaptize kuMlambo iYordan.”—Mateyu 3:5, 6
Nale uJosephus uyayingqina. Wabhala wathi, abantu babesiza “ngobuninzi” kuYohane ibe “izinto awayebafundisa zona babezithanda.”
Kucacile ukuba umbhali-mbali wakudala uJosephus wayebona uYohane umBhaptizi njengomntu wokwenene. Ngoko nathi sifanele senze njalo.