IBhayibhili kalifanani lamanye amabhuku enkolo njalo yilo lodwa elenelisa ukuntshintsha ukuphila kwabantu. Kanti njalo alikho elinye ibhuku eliye lahlolisiswa laphinda lachothozwa njengeBhayibhili.

Ezinye izifundiswa ziyakuthandabuza ukuthi amaBhayibhili esiwasebenzisayo lamuhla ayahambelana yini lemibhalo yakuqala. Esinye isikhwicamfundo sezenkolo sathi: “Asilalo iqiniso lokuthi esilakho yikho kanye okwakusemibhalweni yakuqala. AmaBhayibhili esilawo khathesi agcwele amaphutha. Amanengi awo abhalwa sekulamakhulu eminyaka imibhalo yakuqala itshabalele, yikho etshiyene kakhulu lemibhalo yakuqala.”

Indlela abanye abakhule befundiswa ngayo yenza bacine besola ukuthi iBhayibhili lileqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo uFaizal owakhulela emulini engayisiyo yamaKhristu wafundiswa ukuthi iBhayibhili libhuku elingcwele kodwa elaselintshintshwe ngabantu. Uthi: “Lokhu kwabangela ukuthi ngingabathembi abantu ababefuna ukuxoxa lami ngeBhayibhili. Phela iBhayibhili ababelalo lalivele selintshintshiwe, lingasafanani lemibhalo eyayikhona kuqala.”

Kodwa kulendaba yini ukuthi iBhayibhili lantshintshwa loba alintshintshwanga? Cabanga ngemibuzo le: Ungazithemba yini izithembiso eziduduzayo eziseBhayibhilini nxa ungelaqiniso lokuthi zazikhona yini emibhalweni yakuqala? (KwabaseRoma 15:4) Aluba amaBhayibhili esilawo ebegcwele amaphutha kuphela ubungazisebenzisa yini izimiso eziseBhayibhilini ezindabeni zemuli yakho, ekukhetheni isonto loba umsebenzi ongawenza?

Lanxa singaselayo imibhalo yeBhayibhili yakuqala, kulemibhalo yeBhayibhili yasendulo eminengi kakhulu esingayikhangela. Kuyini okwenza imiBhalo le yangatshabalaliswa yikubola, yikuhlaselwa ngabantu loba ukuntshintshwa? Lokhu kungakunceda njani ukuthi uwathembe amaBhayibhili akhona lamuhla? Khangela izimpendulo zemibuzo le ezihlokweni ezilandelayo.

UHLUPHO: Ngesikhathi abalobi labomabhalani bebhala iBhayibhili babebhalela ezikhumbeni kanye lasemaphepheni enziwe ngolunye uhlobo lomhlanga okuthiwa yi-papyrus. (2 KuThimothi 4:13) Izinto lezi zazingenza njani ukuthi iBhayibhili litshabalale?

Amaphepha enziwe ngemihlanga ayajujuka njalo ayaphangisa ukudabuka abe esevuthuka. URichard Parkinson loStephen Quirke abahlola imbali e-Egypt bathi: “Iphepha leli liyabola kusale sekuzintambontambo loba sekuyimpuphu. Nxa ligoqiwe lingakhunta kanti nxa ligqitshelwe lingadliwa ngamagundwane loba yizibungu ikakhulu umuhlwa.” Amanye amaphepha avunjululwayo agugiswa yikuba sendaweni elokukhanya lokuba sendaweni emanzi.

Izikhumba zona ziqinile kulamaphepha la kodwa lazo ziyaguga nxa zingaphathwa butshapha loba zingabekwa endaweni elokukhanya loba emanzi.a Kanti njalo zingadliwa yizibungu. Ibhuku elithi Everyday Writing in the Graeco-Roman East liveza ukuthi lezi ngezinye izizatho ezenza imibhalo eminengi yakudala ingatholakali lamuhla. Aluba iBhayibhili labola ngabe konke elikumumutheyo lakho sokwanyamalala.

OKWENZA LANGATSHABALALI: Umthetho owawuphiwe amaJuda wawusithi inkosi ngayinye kwakumele ‘izilobele umthetho,’ okutsho amabhuku okuqala amahlanu eBhayibhili. (UDutheronomi 17:18) Kanti njalo omabhalane benza amakhophi amanengi emibhalo le okokuthi ngekhulu lokuqala C.E. b, iMibhalo yayisatholakala emasinagogeni ako-Israyeli laseMakhedoniya. (ULukha 4:16, 17; ImiSebenzi 17:11) Kodwa kuyini okwenza eminye imibhalo eyalotshwa ntolontolo itholakale lalamuhla?

Esinye isifundiswa sezenkolo okuthiwa nguPhilip W. Comfort sithi: “Ukuze amaJuda alondoloze iMibhalo ayefaka incwadimgoqwa phakathi kwezimbiza zebumba.” AmaKhristu lawo aqhubeka esenza njalo. Yikho kutholakale eminye imibhalo yeBhayibhili eyabhalwa kudala ezimbizeni zebumba, ezimbalwini lakwezinye izindawo ezilugwadule.

IMPUMELA: Izinkulungwane zemibhalo yakuqala yeBhayibhili ezingaba leminyaka engu-2 000 zilokhu zikhona lalamuhla. Ayikho eminye imibhalo yakudala elondolozwe ngalindlela!

UHLUPHO: Abezombusazwe kanye labafundisi babezigijimisela okwabo okungavumelani leBhayibhili. Babesebenzisa izikhundla zabo ukuze bavimbele abantu ukuthi bahumutshe amaBhayibhili lokuthi bawaprinte kanye lokuthi babe lawo. Nanzi izibonelo ezimbili:

• Phose ngo-167 B.C.E.: Inkosi yase-Asiriya u-Antiochus Epiphanes, wafaka umthetho wokuthi kutshabalaliswe yonke iMibhalo yesiHebheru ngoba wayefuna ukuthi amaJuda angene enkolweni yesiGiriki. Isazimlando uHeinrich Graetz sathi sibhala ngezikhulu zika-Antiochus sathi: “Zazisithi zingathola imibhalo yoMthetho zaziyidabula ziyitshise njalo zibulale bonke ababeyibala.”

• Phakathi kuka-500 C.E. kusiya ku-1500 C.E.: Abakhokheli bamaKatolika bacunulwa yikuthi abanye ebandleni basebetshumayela lokho okufundiswa liBhayibhili kulokuthi bafundise imfundiso yamaKatolika. Yikho-ke babeka umthetho wokuthi umuntu abe lebhuku lamaHubo kuphela futhi libe ngelibhalwe ngolimi lwesiLathini. Owayetholakala elelinye ibhuku ngaphandle kwaleli kwakuthiwa ngumhlamuki. Iziphathamandla zelinye ibandla zatshela amadoda ebandla ukuthi “athembeke, azimisele njalo ahlale ezingela abahlamuki . . . ayefuza kuzo zonke izindlu okwakulabantu ababecatshangelwa ukuthi baleBhayibhili. . . . Indlu eyayizatholakala ileBhayibhili kwakumele idilizwe.”

Aluba izitha zeBhayibhili zenelisa ukulitshabalalisa, umlayezo walo wawuzahle unyamalale.

OKWENZA LANGATSHABALALI: Okwenza inkosi u-Antiochus yangaphumeleli yikuthi amaJuda amanengi ayesesabalele ayahlala kwezinye izindawo. Ezinye izifundiswa lazo zicabangela ukuthi ngekhulu lokuqala C.E. amaJuda ayehlala kwezinye izindawo ayemanengi kulalawo ayesele ko-Israyeli. AmaJuda ayegcina iMibhalo emasinagogeni njalo yiyo eyaqhubeka isetshenziswa yizizukulwane ezalandelayo okugoqela lamaKhristu.—ImiSebenzi 15:21.

Ngesikhathi kulicala ukutholakala uleBhayibhili, abantu ababelithanda babalesibindi sokuqhubeka belihumutsha njalo besenza amakhophi alo esiba manengi. Kungenzakala ukuthi phakathi lekhulu lesi-15, kulezingxenye zeBhayibhili ezasezihunyutshwe ngezindimi ezingaba ngu-33 lanxa imitshina yokuprinta yayingakabi khona. Ngemva kwalokho iBhayibhili laqalisa ukuhunyutshwa kanye lokuprintwa ngesilinganiso esikhulu.

IMPUMELA: Lanxa iBhayibhili lalihlaselwa ngamakhosi alamandla kanye labafundisi, lilokhu lihunyutshwa njalo lisakazwa kakhulu ukwedlula amanye amabhuku. IBhayibhili lintshintshe ukuphila kwabantu abanengi, amanye amazwe asekele imithetho yawo kulo njalo ezinye izindimi zilamabala athethwe eBhayibhilini.

UHLUPHO: Izitha lokubola kanye lokuguga kwehluleka ukulitshabalalisa iBhayibhili. Kodwa abanye omabhalane labahumutshi bake bazama ukuthi bantshintshe umlayezo oseBhayibhilini. Kwezinye izikhathi babezama ukuthi bantshintshe okuseBhayibhilini ukuze kuvumelane lezimfundiso zabo kulokuthi iBhayibhili kube yilo elintshintsha lokho abakukholwayo. Ake sihlole ezinye izibonelo:

• Indawo yokukhonzela: Phakathi kwekhulu lesine lelesibili B.C.E. abalobi be-Samaritan Pentateuch (imibhalo yakuqala emihlanu eseBhayibhilini yesiSamariya) bengezelela u-Eksodusi 20:17 ngamazwi athi “eNtabeni iGerizimi. Kulapho okuzamele lakhe i-alithare.” Lapha amaSamariya ayezama ukuthi iMibhalo isekele imfundiso yabo yokuthi kumele kwakhiwe ithempeli eNtabeni iGerizimi.

• Ubuthathu bukaNkulunkulu: Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka engu-300 iBhayibhili libhaliwe, umlobi we-Trinitarian wengezelela ku-1 Johane 5:7 amazwi athi; “ezulwini, uYise, uLizwi loMoya oNgcwele, laba bathathu banye.” Amazwi la ayengekho emibhalweni yakuqala. Isifundiswa seBhayibhili uBruce Metzger uthi “kusukela ngekhulu lesine” amazwi la “ayesetholakala kakhulu emibhalweni yesiLathini sakudala kanye laseBhayibhilini lesiLathini.”

• Ibizo likaNkulunkulu: Abahumutshi abanengi bakhetha ukukhipha ibizo likaNkulunkulu eMibhalweni belandela isiko lamaJuda. Esikhundleni salo bafaka amabizo okuhlonipha anjengokuthi “Nkulunkulu” loba “Nkosi.” EBhayibhilini amabizo la kawasetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngoMdali kuphela kodwa ayasetshenziswa lanxa kukhulunywa ngabantu lezinto ezikhonzwayo kanye loSathane.—UJohane 10:34, 35; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 8:5, 6; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:4.a

OKWENZA LANGATSHABALALI: Okokuqala, abanye omabhalane babengakunaki lokho ababekubhala besenza ubuqili kodwa inengi labo laliqeqetshwe kuhle liwenza ngobunono umsebenzi lo. Phakathi lekhulu lesithupha leletshumi C.E. omabhalane ababebizwa ngokuthi ngama-Masoretes bakopa iMibhalo yesiHebheru eyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Masoretic. Ukuze babone ukuthi akwenzakali ngitsho lephutha elilodwa babebala ibala ngebala kanye lenhlamvu zawo. Njengoba babekopa besusela emibhalweni yakuqala babesithi bangafika lapho abacabangela khona ukuthi kulephutha bafake uphawu eceleni. Omabhalane laba bala ukuntshintsha lokho okwakuseBhayibhilini. Usikhwicamfundo u-Moshe Goshen-Gottstein wathi: “Babekubona kulicala elikhulu ukuntshintsha umqondo ngabomu.”

Okwesibili, imibhalo yakuqala eminengi incede kakhulu izifundiswa zeBhayibhili ukuthi zibone lapho okulamaphutha khona. Ngokwesibonelo abakhokheli bamasonto bathatha iminyaka leminyaka befundisa ukuthi amaBhayibhili esiLathini yiwo ayeleqiniso, lanxa umbhalo ka-1 Johane 5:7 ulamazwi engezelelwayo. Iphutha leli laselitholakala laseBhayibhilini lesikhiwa okuthiwa yi-King James Version. Kodwa imibhalo emidala abayivumbululayo yona yavezani? U-Bruce Metzger wathi: “Amazwi atholakala [ku-1 Johane 5:7] awakho emibhalweni emidala (njengeyesi-Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Arabic, Slavonic) ngaphandle kweyesiLathini.” Lokhu kwenza ukuthi ngesikhathi belungisisa i-King James Version lamanye amaBhayibhili bawakhupha amazwi la.

Imibhalo emidala iyakufakazela yini ukuthi umlayezo oseBhayibhilini ulondoloziwe sibili? Kwathi sokuvunjululwe ama-Dead Sea Scrolls ngo-1947 izifundiswa zahle zaqathanisa i-Masoretic yesi-Hebheru lalokho okwatholakala kuncwadimgoqwa yeBhayibhili eyayisileminyaka engadlula inkulungwane yabhalwa. Elinye ilunga leqembu elalibhala kutsha ama-Dead Sea Scrolls laphetha ngokuthi incwadimgoqwa eyodwa nje kuphela “isinika ubufakazi esingeke sibuphike bokuthi umsebenzi owenziwa ngomabhalane abangamaJuda phakathi leminyaka edlula inkulungwane bawenza ngokuthembeka langonanzelelo.”

E-Chester Beatty Library ese-Dublin, e-Ireland kulemibhalo ye-papyri emela phose ibhuku ngalinye leMibhalo YamaKhristu YesiGiriki kanye lemibhalo emidala okungenzeka ukuthi yabhalwa sekwadlula iminyaka engu-100 iBhayibhili laqedwa ukubhalwa. I-The Anchor Bible Dictionary ithi: “I-Papyri ilemilayezo emitsha yalokho okwakukhona njalo isinika lobufakazi bokuthi umlayezo oseBhayibhilini awuzange untshintshe.”

IMPUMELA: Ubunengi beminyaka kanye lokutholakala kwemibhalo emidala akuzange kuphambanise umlayezo oseBhayibhilini kodwa kulenze lathuthuka. Ngesikhathi ebhala ngeMibhalo YamaKhristu YesiGiriki u-Frederic Kenyon wathi: “Akula elinye ibhuku lasendulo elifakazelwa ngeminye imibhalo yakudala ukuthi liliqiniso njalo asikho isifundiswa esingaphika ukuthi umlayezo otholakala phakathi uliqiniso.” Isifundiswa u-William Henry Green sakhuluma ngeMibhalo YesiHebheru sathi: “Awukho omunye umsebenzi wendulo owenziwa kuhle kangaka.”

IBhayibhili alizange litshabalale, lokhu kwenze ukuthi lawe ulithole futhi uzibalele lona. Nxa ungathola iBhayibhili elihunyutshwe kuhle kulapho ozabona khona ukuthi ubala okwakuvele kusemibhalweni emidala.a Kuyini okwenze iBhayibhili langatshabalali njengoba bekulula ukuthi lihlaselwe yikubola, ngabantu ababengalifuni kanye lalabo ababezama ukuntshintsha umlayezo walo? Kanti lona liqakatheke ngani?

Abantu abanengi ababala iBhayibhili lamuhla bavumelana lamazwi abhalwa ngumphostoli uPhawuli athi: “IMibhalo yonke yaphefumulelwa nguNkulunkulu.” (2 KuThimothi 3:16) Bakholwa ukuthi okwenze iBhayibhili laphunyuka yikuthi liyiLizwi likaNkulunkulu njalo uNkulunkulu ubelokhu elilondoloza kuze kube lamuhla. UFaizal esike sakhuluma ngaye ekuqaliseni wacina esebala iBhayibhili ukuze abone ukuthi lokho akhula ekufundiswa kuliqiniso yini. Akutholayo kwammangalisa kakhulu. Wabona ukuthi iBhayibhili alizifundisi izimfundiso ezigcwele emasontweni. Waphinda wathintwa kwamancane ngokufunda ngenhloso uNkulunkulu alayo ngathi eyiyo eseLizwini lakhe iBhayibhili.

Uthi: “Sengikwazi khathesi ukuthi iBhayibhili engilalo liyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu. Njengoba uNkulunkulu wadala zonke izinto kambe usengehlulwa yikusinika ibhuku leli aphinde alilondoloze? Ukuba lensolo bekungaba yikweyisa amandla kaNkulunkulu. Ngingubani mina engingaze ngeyise amandla oMninimandla onke?”—U-Isaya 40:8.