ISonto NoMbuso EByzantium

UMSUNGULI wobuKristu akazange agudle iguma lapho ekhuluma ngomahluko ocacile okufanele ube khona phakathi kwabalandeli bakhe nezwe lesintu esidediselwe kude noNkulunkulu. UJesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Uma beniyingxenye yezwe, izwe belizothanda lokho okungokwalo. Manje ngenxa yokuthi aniyona ingxenye yezwe, kodwa nginikhethile kulelizwe, ngenxa yalokhu izwe liyanizonda.” (Johane 15:19) Ekhuluma noPilatu, ummeleli wombuso wosuku lwakhe, uJesu wathi: “Umbuso wami awuyona ingxenye yalelizwe.”—Johane 18:36.

Ukuze amaKristu afeze umsebenzi wawo wokushumayela kuze kube “nasezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba,” kwakudingeka akugweme ukuphazanyiswa izindaba zezwe. (IzEnzo 1:8) NjengoJesu, amaKristu okuqala ayengangeni kwezombusazwe. (Johane 6:15) Kwakuphawuleka ukuthi amaKristu ayengabi nezikhundla emphakathini noma izikhundla zokuphatha. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lokhu kwashintsha.

“Ingxenye Yezwe”

Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile sekufe owokugcina kubaphostoli, abaholi benkolo ngokuzithandela baqala ukushintsha umbono wabo ngabo nezwe. Baqala ukuba nombono “wombuso” ongekho nje kuphela ezweni kodwa futhi oyingxenye yalo. Kuzosivula amehlo ukubheka indlela inkolo nezombusazwe okwakuthandelene ngayo eMbusweni WaseByzantium—uMbuso WaseRoma Wasempumalanga, owawunenhloko-dolobha eByzantium (manje eyi-Istanbul).

ISonto LaseByzantium, nesikhungo salo eByzantium, lalingumakhonya kulo mphakathi lapho ngokwesiko inkolo yayinethonya elikhulu khona. Isazi-mlando sesonto uPanayotis Christou sake sathi: “Abantu baseByzantium babekholelwa ukuthi umbuso wabo wasemhlabeni uwumfanekiso woMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” Nokho, ababusi bona babengenayo leyo nkolelo ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngenxa yalokho, ngezinye izikhathi kwakubanjwana ngezihluthu phakathi kweSonto noMbuso. I-Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium ithi: “Ukuziphatha kwababhishobhi baseConstantinople [noma eByzantium] kwakuhlukahluka kakhulu, ngezinye izikhathi beba izithingithingi zombusi onamandla . . . , babambisane nombusi kube nempumelelo . . . , babuye bamelane ngokuqinile nentando yombusi.”

Umbhishobhi omkhulu waseConstantinople, inhloko yeSonto Lasempumalanga, waba nethonya kakhulu. Nguye owayebeka umbusi esihlalweni, abese elindela ukuba umbusi abe umvikeli oqotho  weSonto Lobu-Orthodox. Umbhishobhi omkhulu wayecebe kakhulu, njengoba kwakunguye owayelawula umcebo omkhulu wesonto. Amandla wayewathola kokubili ngokuba negunya phezu kwezindela ezazingenakubalwa nangethonya ayenalo kubantu abaphansi.

Ngokuvamile umbhishobhi omkhulu wayekwazi ukumshaya indiva umbusi. Wayengase amsongele ngokumnquma ebandleni—ephoqelela intando yakhe ngegama likaNkulunkulu—noma asebenzise ezinye izindlela ababusi ababengase basuswe ngazo esikhundleni.

Njengoba ukulawula kombuso ngaphandle kwenhloko-dolobha kwakuya kuba buthaka, ababhishobhi yibo ababevama ukuba namandla emadolobhaneni akubo, belingana nababusi bezifundazwe, ababebekwe ezikhundleni ngosizo lwabo ababhishobhi. Ababhishobhi babesingatha amacala asezinkantolo namabhizinisi noma nini lapho isonto lithinteka kulezi zinto—ngisho nanoma lalingathinteki. Imbangela yalokhu kwakuwukuthi abapristi nezindela, bonke ababengaphansi kwababhishobhi bendawo, babebalelwa emashumini ezinkulungwane.

 Ezombusazwe Nokuthengiswa Kwezikhundla Zesonto

Njengoba sesibonile ngenhla, isikhundla sobufundisi sase singasahlukaniseki nezombusazwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuba khona kwabefundisi abaningi nemisebenzi yabo kwakudinga izimali ezinkulu. Abefundisi abaningi abakhulu babephila ngokunethezeka. Njengoba isonto lalidlondlobala ngamandla nangengcebo, ubumpofu nobungcwele bobuphostoli banyamalala. Abanye abapristi nababhishobhi babekukhokhela ukumiswa kwabo. Ukuthengiswa kwezikhundla zesonto kwakuyinto evamile kuyo yonke imikhakha kuze kufike phezulu. Abefundisi abanabasekeli abayizinginga babencintisana befuna izikhundla zasesontweni kumbusi.

Ukufumbathisa nakho kwakuyindlela yokuthonya abaholi abakhulu benkolo. Lapho iNdlovukazi uZoe (c. 978-1050 C.E.) yenza ukuba kubulawe umyeni wayo uRomanus III futhi ifuna ukushada neshende layo elalizoba uMbusi, uMichael IV, ngokushesha yabizela esigodlweni uMbhishobhi Omkhulu u-Alexius. Esefikile, u-Alexius wezwa ngokufa kukaRomanus nangenkonzo okwakulindeleke ukuba ayenze njengombhishobhi omkhulu. Kwaba nzima ku-Alexius ngoba ngalobo busuku isonto laligubha u-Good Friday. Nokho, wazamukela izipho ezinkulu azinikwa yindlovukazi wayeseyenzela lokho eyayikucela.

Ukuthobela Umbusi

Ngezinye izikhathi emlandweni woMbuso WaseByzantium, umbusi wayesebenzisa ilungelo lakhe lokumisa ababhishobhi lapho kukhethwa umbhishobhi omkhulu waseConstantinople. Ngalezo zikhathi, akekho owayengaba umbhishobhi omkhulu noma owayengaqhubeka enguye uma umbusi engathandi.

UMbusi u-Andronicus II (1260-1332) wakuthola kudingekile ukushintsha ababhishobhi abakhulu izikhathi ezingu-9. Kweziningi zalezo zikhathi, injongo yayiwukubeka umbhishobhi omkhulu owayezondansela isiginci sombusi. Ngokwencwadi ethi The Byzantines, omunye umbhishobhi omkhulu waze wabhala phansi ethembisa umbusi ukuthi “uzokwenza noma yini ayifunayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iphambene kangakanani nomthetho, futhi uzogwema yonke into umbusi angayithandi.” Kabili ababusi bazama ukuphoqelela intando yabo esontweni ngokugcoba inkosana yasebukhosini ukuba ibe umbhishobhi omkhulu. UMbusi uRomanus I wenza indodana yakhe uTheophylact, ibhobhodlelana elineminyaka engu-16, yaba umbhishobhi omkhulu.

Uma umbhishobhi omkhulu ayehluleka ukwenza intando yakhe, umbusi wayengase amphoqe ukuba asuke esikhundleni noma ayale isigungu sesonto ukuba simsuse. Incwadi ethi Byzantium ithi: “Emlandweni waseByzantium, iziphathimandla eziphakeme ngisho noMbusi uqobo babelokhu beba neqhaza elikhulu ngokwengeziwe ekukhethweni kwababhishobhi.”

Kuhlezi umbhishobhi omkhulu eceleni kwakhe, umbusi futhi wayengamela nemihlangano yabefundisi. Wayeqondisa izinkulumo-mpikiswano, ahlele izivumo zokholo, aphikisane nababhishobhi nezihlubuki, zona ayezithembisa ukushiswa esigxotsheni. Umbusi wayebuye aqinise izinqumo ezenziwe emkhandlwini futhi aqinisekise ukuthi kwenziwa ngokuvumelana nazo. Ababemphikisa wayengababeki nje kuphela icala lokwedelela umbusi kodwa futhi wayethi bayizitha zesonto noNkulunkulu. Omunye umbhishobhi omkhulu wangekhulu lesithupha wathi,  “akumelwe kwenziwe lutho eSontweni oluphikisana nentando nemiyalo yoMbusi.” Ngokuvamile, ababhishobhi ababeseduze nesigodlo—amadoda anolimi, athonyekayo, afumbathiseka kalula—babebuthaka njengombhishobhi wabo omkhulu.

Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uMbhishobhi Omkhulu u-Ignatius (c. 799-878 C.E.) enqabela uNdunankulu uBardas ukuba adle izifanekiselo zomzimba kaJesu, undunankulu waziphindiselela. UBardas wahilela u-Ignatius ogobeni nasemizamweni yokuvukela umbuso okwakuthiwa yenziwe. Umbhishobhi omkhulu waboshwa futhi wadingiswa. Esikhundleni sakhe, undunankulu waqinisekisa ukuthi kubekwa uPhotius, umuntu ongelutho okwathi ngezinsuku eziyisithupha wayesezifinyelele zonke izikhundla waze wafika kwesokuba umbhishobhi omkhulu. Ingabe uPhotius wayenazo izimfanelo ezifuneka kuleso sikhundla esingokomoya? Kuthiwa wayengumuntu “ofisa izikhundla, ezidla ngendlela engakaze ibonwe, engekho ofana naye ngobungcweti kwezombusazwe.”

Izimfundiso Zenkolo Ekufezeni Ezombusazwe

Ngokuvamile ukuphikisana ngezindaba zobu-orthodox nezezihlubuki kwakuyisembozo sokuphikisana ngezombusazwe, futhi ababusi abaningi babeqhutshwa ezombusazwe kunayisifiso sokuletha izimfundiso ezintsha. Umbusi wayenelungelo lokusho izimfundiso zesonto nokuphoqa isonto ukuba lithobele intando yakhe.

Ngokwesibonelo, uMbusi uHeraclius (575-641 C.E.) walwa kanzima ezama ukulungisa ukungaboni ngaso linye ngesimo sikaKristu okwakusonga ukudala uqhekeko embusweni wakhe owawuvele untekenteke. Njengomzamo wokwakha ukuvumelana, waqamba imfundiso entsha ebizwa ngokuthi i-Monothelitism. * Ukuze-ke aqiniseke ukuthi izifundazwe zaseningizimu azimhlamuki, uHeraclius wakhetha umbhishobhi omkhulu omusha wase-Alexandria, uCyrus wasePhasis owayehambisana nale mfundiso esekelwa umbusi. Umbusi akagcinanga nje ngokwenza uCyrus umbhishobhi omkhulu, wamenza nemantshi enkulu yaseGibithe, ephethe ababusi bakhona. Esebenzisa nezindledlana zoshushiso, uCyrus waphumelela ukuvumisa ingxenye enkulu yesonto laseGibithe.

Isivuno Esibuhlungu

Kwakungenzeka kanjani lezi zenzakalo zibonise imfundiso nomoya womthandazo kaJesu athi kuwo abalandeli bakhe ‘babengeke babe ingxenye yezwe’?—Johane 17:14-16.

Abaholi ababethi bangamaKristu ezikhathini zaseByzantium nakamuva baye bakhokha kanzima ngokugaxeka kwabo kwezombusazwe nasezimpini zezwe. Kukutshelani lokhu kuhlaziya umlando okufushane? Ingabe abaholi beSonto LaseByzantium bawuthola umusa kaNkulunkulu noKristu?—Jakobe 4:4.

Abaholi abanjalo abafisa izikhundla kanye namashende abo ababenzelanga lutho ubuKristu beqiniso. Le ngxube engcolile yenkolo nezombusazwe iyimelele kabi inkolo ehlanzekile eyafundiswa uJesu. Kwasengathi singafunda emlandweni sihlale ‘singeyona ingxenye yezwe.’

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 10]

“KUHLE KUKANKULUNKULU EHAMBAHAMBA EMAZULWINI”

Izenzakalo ezihilela uMbhishobhi Omkhulu uMichael Cerularius (c. 1000-1059) ziyibonisa kahle indima inhloko yesonto engaba nayo ezindabeni zoMbuso kanye nokufisa izikhundla okuhilelekile. Esethole isikhundla sokuba umbhishobhi omkhulu, uCerularius wafuna okwengeziwe. Uchazwa ngokuthi wayengumuntu odelelayo, ogabadelayo, nolukhuni—“eziphatha kuhle kukankulunkulu ehambahamba emazulwini.”

Ngokufisa ukuzikhuphula, uCerularius waphehla uqhekeko nopapa eRome ngo-1054, waphoqelela umbusi ukuba akwamukele loku kwahlukana. Ejabula ngalokhu kunqoba, uCerularius wahlela ukuba kubekwe uMichael VI esihlalweni sobukhosi wamsiza ukuba aqinise ubukhosi bakhe. Ngemva konyaka, waphoqa lo mbusi ukuba asuke esihlalweni sobukhosi, wabeka u-Isaac Comnenus (c. 1005-1061) esikhundleni sakhe.

Ukulwa kwababhishobhi abakhulu nombuso kwakhula. UCerularius—eqiniseka ngokusekela komphakathi—wasonga, wafuna izinto ngenkani, wasebenzisa nobudlova. Isazi-mlando sangesikhathi sakhe saphawula: “Wabikezela ukuwa koMbusi ngamagama angenanhlonipho, enhlamba, ethi, ‘Ukhushulwe yimi, sithutha ndini; kodwa ngizokwehlisa.’” Nokho, u-Isaac Comnenus wenza ukuba aboshwe, agqunywe ejele, futhi adingiselwe e-Imbros.

Izibonelo ezinjalo zibonisa ukuthi ingakanani inkathazo eyayingadalwa umbhishobhi omkhulu waseConstantinople nokuthi wayengamelana ngesibindi esingakanani nombusi. Kaningi umbusi kwakufanele asebenzelane namadoda anjalo, ayengosombusazwe abayizingcweti, abakwazi ukumshaya indiva umbusi kanye nebutho lempi.

 [Ibalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 9]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Ubukhulu BoMbuso Wase-Byzantium

Ravenna

Rome

MACEDONIA

Constantinople

Black Sea

Nicaea

Ephesus

Antioch

Jerusalem

Alexandria

Mediterranean Sea

[Umthombo]

Map: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Izithombe ekhasini 10, 11]

UComnenus

URomanus III (kwesobunxele)

UMichael IV

INdlovukazi uZoe

URomanus I (kwesobunxele)

[Imithombo]

Comnenus, Romanus III, and Michael IV: Courtesy Classical Numismatic Group, Inc.; Empress Zoe: Hagia Sophia; Romanus I: Photo courtesy Harlan J. Berk, Ltd.

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

UPhotius

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

UHeraclius nendodana

[Umthombo]

Heraclius and son: Photo courtesy Harlan J. Berk, Ltd.; all design elements, pages 8-12: From the book L’Art Byzantin III Ravenne Et Pompose