Ngaba Ubusazi?

Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu kuSawule xa wayesithi: “Wenzakala ukhaba iimviko nje”?—IZenzo 26:14.

▪ Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, abalimi babesebenzisa uviko ukuze isilwanyana singabhaduli ngoxa belima. Uviko yayiyintonga ebaziweyo emalunga neemitha ezimbini ezinesiqingatha ubude. Kwelinye icala yayinocingo olubukhali. Ukuba isilwanyana sasinokutyhala olu mviko, sasinokuzenzakalisa. Elinye icala lalidla ngokuba nencakuba ekwakunokususwa ngayo ubumdaka, umhlaba okanye izityalo ekhubeni.

Maxa wambi iimviko zaziba zizixhobo zokulwa. Umgwebi nomlwi wamaSirayeli uShamgare wabulala amaFilisti angama-600 “ngoviko lweenkomo.”—ABagwebi 3:31.

IZibhalo ziphinda zithethe ngaso ngendlela efuziselayo. Ngokomzekelo wathi amazwi ezilumko “anjengeemviko,” anokunceda umhlobo ukuba enze isigqibo esifanelekileyo.—INtshumayeli 12:11.

UYesu ovusiweyo wasebenzisa isigama esifanayo. Wacebisa uSawule owayetshutshisa amaKristu ukuba ayeke ‘ukukhaba iimviko.’ Eli binzana lisenza sicinge ngesilwanyana esinenkani esingafuniyo ukuzithoba kumnini waso. Ngobulumko uSawule wasabela kakuhle kwisiluleko sikaYesu waza watshintsha indlela awayephila ngayo, waba ngumpostile uPawulos.

AmaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ayelibala njani ixesha xa kumnyama?

▪ AmaYuda awayephila ngenkulungwane yokuqala Yexesha Eliqhelekileyo ayesebenzisa ilanga ukujonga ixesha emini. Noko ke, xa isibhakabhaka sinamafu okanye kusebusuku, ayesebenzisa iclepsydra, okanye iwotshi esebenza ngamanzi. Ngaphandle kwamaYuda, amaYiputa, amaPersi, amaGrike namaRoma nawo ayesisebenzisa esi sixhobo.

Ngokutsho kweThe Jewish Encyclopedia, iMishnah neTalmud ziyathetha ngeclepsydra “zisebenzisa amagama ahlukeneyo, mhlawumbi ukuze zicacise iindidi ezahlukeneyo, kodwa onke athetha into enye; ukuphuma kwamanzi ngokuthe ngcembe, lithetha loo nto igama elithi ‘clepsydra’ ngesiGrike.”

Yayisebenza njani iclepsydra? Amanzi ayephuma emngxunyeni omncinane osemazantsi esitya aze angene kwesinye. Umntu wayenokubala ixesha ngokujonga iqondo lamanzi kwisitya esingentla okanye esingezantsi, zozibini ezi zitya zazidla ngokuba nophawu olubonisa umkhamo ahle ngawo amanzi.

Iinkampu zomkhosi wamaRoma zazisebenzisa ezo wotshi ukuze zazi ixesha ebusuku. Ukutshintsha kwexesha kwakudla ngokuvakala ngokuvuthelwa kwexilongo. Umntu olivayo elo xilongo wayesazi ukuba iqala ize iphele nini imilindo emine.—Marko 13:35.