Ukukhanya Kuphelisa Ixesha Lobumnyama
IHLABATHI awayephila kulo uYesu Kristu nabapostile bakhe lalahluke gqitha kwelo lamaxesha okubhalwa kweZibhalo zesiHebhere. Abafundi beBhayibhile abangakuqondiyo oku basenokucinga ukuba inkqubo yentlalo neyonqulo ukusuka kwixesha lomprofeti uMalaki ukusa kwelombhali wevangeli uMateyu yayifana, bengakuqondi kakuhle okwenzekayo kwiminyaka engama-400 ephakathi kwabo.
UMalaki, incwadi yokugqibela yeZibhalo zesiHebhere kwinkoliso yeeBhayibhile zanamhlanje, iqukunjelwa intsalela yamaSirayeli iphinde yazinza kwilizwe lakowayo emva kokukhululwa ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni. (Yeremiya 23:3) AmaYuda azinikeleyo akhuthazwa ukuba alinde imini kaThixo yomgwebo ukuze iphelise ubungendawo kuze kuqalise iXesha likaMesiya. (Malaki 4:1, 2) Ngelo xesha, kwakulawula iPersi. Imikhosi yamaPersi eyayihleli kwaYuda yagcina uxolo yaza yanyanzelisa imithetho yasebukhosini ngegunya lomkhosi.—Thelekisa uEzra 4:23.
Noko ke, amazwe ekuthethwe ngawo eBhayibhileni akazange ahlale ezinzile ukutyhubela iinkulungwane ezine ezalandelayo. Ubumnyama nokudideka ngokomoya kwaqalisa ukuphazamisa. IMpuma Ekufuphi yayidlikidlwa zizidubedube, ubugrogrisi, ingcinezelo, iingcamango zonqulo ezigabadelayo, intanda-bulumko ekungaqinisekwanga ngayo nokuguquguquka kwemeko yasekuhlaleni.
UMateyu, incwadi yokuqala kwiZibhalo zesiGrike zamaKristu, yabhalwa ngelinye ixesha. Imikhosi yamaRoma yayinyanzelisa iPax Romana, okanye uXolo LweRoma. Abantu abathobelayo babejonge phambili ekufikeni kukaMesiya ukuza kuphelisa ukubandezeleka, ingcinezelo nendlala, aze azise ukukhanya ebomini, inkqubela nenzolo. (Thelekisa uLuka 1:67-79; 24:21; 2 Timoti 1:10.) Makhe siqwalasele iziganeko eziphambili ezaguqula ibutho labantu abangamaYuda kwiinkulungwane ezandulela ukuzalwa kukaYesu Kristu.
Ubomi BamaYuda Ngamaxesha Okulawula KwamaPersi
Emva kwesibhengezo sikaKoreshi esakhulula amaYuda ekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni, ngowama-537 B.C.E. iqaqobana lamaYuda nezinxulumani ezingengomaYuda layishiya iBhabhiloni. Le ntsalela isabelayo kwizinto zokomoya yabuyela kumhlaba onezixeko ezitshatyalalisiweyo nelizwe eliyinkangala. AmaEdom, amaFenike, amaSamariya, izizwe zama-Arabhu nezinye iintlanga zaziwunciphisile umhlaba owawukade ungowamaSirayeli ngaphambili. Umhlaba owawungowesizwe sakwaYuda nesakwaBhenjamin waba liphondo lakwaYuda elalikwithanga lasePersi elalibizwa ngokuba yiAbar Nahara (Ngaphesheya koMlambo).—Ezra 1:1-4; 2:64, 65.
IThe Cambridge History of Judaism ithi xa wayephantsi kolawulo lwamaPersi, uYuda waqalisa “ixesha lokukhula kwemida nokwanda kwabemi.” Ngokuphathelele iYerusalem ihlabela mgama isithi: “Abalimi nabahambi bezonqulo babezisa izipho, iTempile nesixeko zatyeba, yaye ubuncwane balapho batsala abarhwebi namagcisa avela kwamanye amazwe.” Nangona amaPersi ayemthobela gqitha urhulumente wasekuhlaleni nonqulo, irhafu yayixhomile ibe yayinokuhlawulwa kuphela ngamatye anqabileyo.—Thelekisa uNehemiya 5:1-5, 15; 9:36, 37; 13:15, 16, 20.
Iminyaka yokugqibela yoBukhosi bamaPersi yaba lixesha elalineziphithiphithi, elalineemvukelo ezininzi zamathanga. AmaYuda amaninzi abandakanyeka kuqhankqalazo olwalungakuNxweme lweMeditera ibe agxothwa aza asiwa emntla, eHyrcania ekuLwandle lweCaspian. Noko ke, inkoliso yamaYuda akubonakali ukuba yachatshazelwa sisohlwayo sasePersi.
Ixesha Lolawulo LwamaGrike
UAlesandire Omkhulu wavela njengehlosi kuMbindi Mpuma ngowama-332 B.C.E., kodwa ukuthengwa kwezinto zamaGrike kwakusele kuqhubeka kweli lizwe. (Daniyeli 7:6) Akuphawula ukuba inkcubeko yamaGrike yayixabisekile kwezobupolitika, wazimisela ukubuguqulela kwizithethe zamaGrike ubukhosi bakhe obabukhula. IsiGrike saba lulwimi lwezizwe ngezizwe. Ulawulo olufutshane luka-Alesandire lwakhuthaza ukuthanda iingxoxo ezigwenxa, ihlombe lezemidlalo nokuthanda izinto ezintle. Ngokuthe ngcembe, kwanamasiko amaYuda athatyathelw’ indawo zizithethe zamaGrike.
Emva kokufa kuka-Alesandire ngowama-323 B.C.E., abo bangena ezihlangwini zakhe eSiriya naseYiputa baba ngabokuqala ukuzalisekisa indima umprofeti uDaniyeli ayibiza ngokuba ‘ngukumkani wasentla’ ‘nokumkani wasezantsi.’ (Daniyeli 11:1-19) Ebudeni bolawulo lwaseYiputa ‘lokumkani wasezantsi,’ uPtolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.E.), iZibhalo zesiHebhere zaqalisa ukuguqulelwa kulwimi lwesiKoine, isiGrike esiqhelekileyo. Le nguqulelo yabizwa ngokuba yiSeptuagint. Iindinyana ezininzi zale ncwadi zacatshulwa kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Ulwimi lwesiGrike lwangqineka luzicacisa kakuhle iintsingiselo zezinto kwihlabathi eliphazamisekileyo nelisebumnyameni ngokomoya.
Emva kokuba uAntiochus IV Epiphanes ebe ngukumkani waseSiriya nerhuluneli yasePalestina (175-164 B.C.E.), ubuYuda baphantsa batshayelwa bathi tu yintshutshiso eyayixhaswa ngurhulumente. AmaYuda anyanzelwa, esongelwa ngokubulawa, ukuba alahle uYehova uThixo aze enze amadini koothixo bamaGrike kuphela. NgoDisemba 168 B.C.E., kwakhiwa isibingelelo sobuhedeni phezu kwesibingelelo esikhulu sikaYehova etempileni eYerusalem, ibe kwakunyuswa kuso amadini aya kwisithixo seOlimpiki uZeyus. Amadoda asemaphandleni othukileyo kodwa akhaliphileyo aqokelelana ndawonye phantsi kokhokelo lukaJudas Maccabaeus aza alwa idabi elibi de ayizuza iYerusalem. Itempile yanikezelwa kuThixo kwakhona, yaye kanye emva kweminyaka emithathu ihlanjelwe, amadini emihla ngemihla avuselelwa.
Ebudeni bexesha eliseleyo lolawulo lwamaGrike, amaYuda ngogonyamelo afuna ukwandisa umhlaba wawo ukuya kutsho kwimida yalo yamandulo. Amandla omkhosi awayesandul’ ukuba nawo awasebenzisa ngendlela engeyoyabuthixo enyanzela abamelwane bawo abangabahedeni ukuba baguquke ebathembisa ngokubabulala. Sekunjalo, ingcamango yamaGrike ngezobupolitika yaqhubeka ilawula izixeko needolophu.
Ebudeni beli xesha, ngokufuthi abo babenenxaxheba kwinkonzo yombingeleli omkhulu babenganyanisekanga. Amaqhinga, ukubulala nobumenemene kwezobupolitika zaziwudyobha umsebenzi wabo. Njengoko umoya owawuphakathi kwamaYuda wawungengowabuthixo, imidlalo yamaGrike yaya ithandwa ngakumbi. Hayi indlela ekwakukhwankqisa ngayo ukubona ababingeleli abaselula beshiya imisebenzi yabo ukuze babe nenxaxheba kuloo midlalo! Iimbaleki ezingamaYuda zada zavuma ukwenziwa utyando olubuhlungu ukuze zibonakale ngokungathi “azolukanga” zize ziphephe ukuphoxeka xa zikhuphisana nabeeNtlanga zihamba ze.—Thelekisa eyoku-1 Korinte 7:18.
Iinguqu Zonqulo
Ngasekuqaleni kweminyaka yasemva kokuthinjwa kwawo, amaYuda athembekileyo akuxhathisa ukuxutywa kweengcamango neentanda-bulumko zabahedeni nonqulo lokwenyaniso olutyhilwe kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere. Incwadi kaEstere, eyabhalwa emva kweminyaka engaphezu kwengama-60 yonxulumano olusondeleyo nePersi, ayinawo nokuba ube mnye umzila wobuZoroaster. Ukongezelela koko, akukho mpembelelo yolu nqulo lwasePersi efumanekayo kwiincwadi zeBhayibhile zikaEzra, uNehemiya, okanye uMalaki, zonke ezabhalwa ebudeni benxalenye yokuqala yexesha lolawulo lwamaPersi (537-443 B.C.E.).
Noko ke, abaphengululi bakholelwa ukuba ebudeni benxalenye yokugqibela yexesha lolawulo lwamaPersi, amaYuda amaninzi amkela ezinye zeembono zabanquli baka-Ahura Mazda, uthixo omkhulu wamaPersi. Oku kubonakala kwiinkolelo neemfundiso ezidumileyo zamaEssene. Amagama aqhelekileyo esiHebhere asingisela koodyakalashe, ezinye izidalwa zasentlango neentaka zasebusuku amaYuda awanxulumanisa nemimoya engendawo nezithunzela zaseBhabhiloni neentsomi zamaPersi.
AmaYuda aqalisa ukuzijonga ngendlela eyahlukileyo iingcamango zabahedeni. Iingcamango ngezulu, isihogo, umphefumlo, uLizwi (Logos) nobulumko zizonke ezi zinto zaqalisa ukuba nentsingiselo entsha. Kwakhona, ngendlela ekwakufundiswa ngayo ngoko, ukuba uThixo wayekude gqitha kangangokuba wayengenakunxibelelana nabantu, wayefuna abameli. Le mimoya ilamlelayo ize ilondoloze amaGrike ayeyibiza ngokuba ziidaimone. Akuba eyamkele ingcamango yokuba iidaimone (iidemon) zinokwenza okulungileyo okanye okungendawo, ngokulula nje amaYuda aba ngamaxhoba olawulo lweedemon.
Ukuguquka kwezinto okuyingenelo kwabandakanya unqulo lwasekuhlaleni. Izindlu zesikhungu zavela ngokukhawuleza njengeendawo amabandla amaYuda asekuhlaleni ayehlanganisana kuzo ukuze afundise yaye aqhube neenkonzo zonqulo. Ukuba zaqala nini, phi kwaye njani izindlu zesikhungu zamaYuda akwaziwa. Ekubeni zazizalisa iimfuno zonqulo zamaYuda akumazwe akude xa engenakuya etempileni, ngokuqhelekileyo kucingelwa ukuba izindlu zesikhungu zasekwa ngexesha lokuthinjwa okanye emva kwexesha lokuthinjwa. Kuyabonakala ukuba zaba ziindawo zembutho ezifanelekileyo ukuze uYesu nabafundi bakhe ‘bavakalise isidima salowo wababizayo ukuba baphume ebumnyameni, bangene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’—1 Petros 2:9.
UbuYuda Bamkela Abantu Abaneengcamango Ezahlukeneyo
Ngenkulungwane yesibini ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, abantu abaneengcamango ezahlukeneyo baqalisa ukuvela. Babengezontlangano zonqulo ezahlukeneyo. Kunoko, babeyimibutho emincinane eyayibunjwe ngabefundisi abangamaYuda, izithandi-bulumko nabezobupolitika ababefuna ukuphembelela abantu baze balawule uhlanga, bonke bephantsi kobuYuda.
AbaSadusi ababetyekele kwezobupolitika ngokuyintloko babeziingcungcu ezimilomo mide, besaziwa ngokuba krelekrele kuthethathethwano ukususela kuqhankqalazo lweeHasmonaean phakathi kwenkulungwane yesibini ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Inkoliso yabo yayingabefundisi, nangona abanye babengoosomashishini nabanini-mhlaba. Ngexesha awazalwa ngalo uYesu, inkoliso yabaSadusi yayithanda ulawulo lwamaRoma ePalestina kuba yayivakalelwa kukuba lwaluzinze ngakumbi kwaye kwakusenokwenzeka ukuba luzigcine zinjalo izinto. (Thelekisa uYohane 11:47, 48.) Igcuntswana labo (elalixhasa uHerode) lalicinga ukuba ulawulo lwendlu kaHerode lwaluya kulungela sonke isizwe. Kakade ke, abaSadusi babengafuni ukuba uhlanga luphathwe ngamaYuda awayenenzondelelo yempambano okanye kubekho nabani na ngaphandle kwababingeleli abakhokelayo etempileni. Iinkolelo zabaSadusi zazibambelele kwizithethe zakudala, ngokuyintloko zisekelwe kwindlela ababeyichaza ngayo imibhalo kaMoses, yaye bebonakalisa ukulichasa ihlelo elalinamandla labaFarisi. (IZenzo 23:6-8) AbaSadusi babezikhaba iziprofeto zeZibhalo zesiHebhere bezijonga njengoqikelelo. Babefundisa ukuba iincwadi zeBhayibhile zembali, ezemihobe nezemizekeliso zazingaphefumlelwanga kwaye zibubuvuvu.
AbaFarisi bavela ebudeni bexesha lamaGrike njengeqela elalisilwa izithethe zamaGrike ezazinxamnye namaYuda. Noko ke, ngemihla kaYesu, babelukhuni, bebambelele kwizithethe, benemithetho emininzi, benekratshi, beguqula abantu ngokuzenza amalungisa yaye bengabafundisi ababefuna ukulawula uhlanga ngemiyalelo yendlu yesikhungu. Ngokuyintloko babesuka kubantu abakudidi oluphakathi yaye bebacekisa abantu abaqhelekileyo. UYesu wayijonga inkoliso yabaFarisi njengefuna ukulungelwa kwayo, abathandi bemali abangenanceba abazele uhanahaniso. (Mateyu, isahluko 23) Babezamkela zonke iZibhalo zesiHebhere ngendlela ababezicacisa ngayo kodwa benikela ingqalelo elinganayo okanye engaphezulu kwizithethe zabo. Babesithi izithethe zabo “zazilucingo olubiyele uMthetho.” Noko ke, kunokuba lucingo, izithethe zabo zalenza alasebenza iLizwi likaThixo zaza zabadidekisa abantu.—Mateyu 23:2-4; Marko 7:1, 9-13.
AmaEssene ayengabantu abakholelwa kwimilingo ekubonakala ukuba babehlala kwiindawo ezincinane ezikwanti. Ayezigqala njengentsalela yokwenene kaSirayeli, eyahlala inyulu ilindele ukwamkela uMesiya othenjisiweyo. AmaEssene ayephila ubomi bokuzibandeza uyolo ngokucamngca, yaye uninzi lweenkolelo zawo lwaluneengcamango zamaPersi nezamaGrike.
Iindidi eziliqela zamaZealot, abathandi bezwe abaphambeneyo babebajonga ngeliso elibi nanjengeentshaba bonke abantu ababesima phambi kwenkululeko yamaYuda. Baye bafaniswa neeHasmonaean yaye ngokuyintloko babesiba nomtsalane kubafana abanosukelo, nabathanda ukubeka ubomi babo emngciphekweni. Bejongwa njengezihange ezigwintayo okanye abaqhankqalazi, babesebenzisa amaqhinga okunqoloba awenza iindlela neendawo zentengiso zaba nobungozi baza bongezelela kumaxhala aloo mihla.
EYiputa, intanda-bulumko yamaGrike yabalasela phakathi kwamaYuda aseAlexandria. Ukususela apho yasasazeka ePalestina nakumaYuda akwimimandla engaphandle kwePalestina. Iingcali ezingamaYuda ezabhala iincwadi ezingaphefumlelwanga nezabhalwa ngabantu abangaziwayo zachaza iincwadi zikaMoses njengezingacacanga, neentsomi ezikruqulayo.
Ngexesha lokulawula kwamaRoma, izithethe zamaGrike zazisele zizise iinguqu ezihlala zihleli kwintlalo, kwezobupolitika nakwintanda-bulumko yasePalestina. Unqulo lwamaYuda olusekelwe eBhayibhileni lwathatyathelw’ indawo bubuYuda, ingxubevange yeengcamango zaseBhabhiloni, ePersi nezaseGrisi ezazixutywe nentwana yenyaniso yeZibhalo. Noko ke, xa bebonke, abaSadusi, abaFarisi namaEssene babengaphantsi kwesi-7 ekhulwini solu hlanga. Ababechanabeka kwesi siphithiphithi semihlambi eyalanayo yayizizihlwele zabantu abangamaYuda, ‘ezazityhafile, zichithakele ngokwezimvu ezingenamalusi.’—Mateyu 9:36.
Kobo bumnyama kwafika uYesu Kristu. Isimemo sakhe sasithuthuzela: “Yizani kum nonke nina nibulalekayo, nisindwayo ngumthwalo, ndoninika ukuphumla.” (Mateyu 11:28) Hayi indlela ekwakuchulumancisa ngayo ukumva esithi: “Ndim ukhanyiselo lwehlabathi”! (Yohane 8:12) Ngokwenene, enye into eyayichwayitisa yayisisithembiso sakhe esivuyis’ intliziyo esithi: “Lowo undilandelayo akasayi kuhamba ebumnyameni; yena uya kuba nalo ukhanyiso lobomi.”—Yohane 8:12.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
UYesu wabonisa ukuba iinkokeli zonqulo ezingamaYuda zazisebumnyameni ngokomoya
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
Ingqekembe enomfanekiso ka-Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)
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Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.