“Simfumene UMesiya”

“SIMFUMENE uMesiya.” “Simfumene lowo uMoses, eMthethweni, nabaProfeti babhala ngaye.” NgamaYuda amabini enkulungwane yokuqala nazinikeleyo elunqulweni awathetha la mazwi amangalisayo. Ekugqibeleni, wafika uMesiya owayekade elindelwe. Ayeqinisekile ukuba nguye!—Yohane 1:35-45.

Xa ucinga ngako oku, ingakumbi xa uhlolisisa imbali kunye nonqulo lwelo xesha, uya kuyifumanisa imangalisa nangakumbi into yokuba loo maYuda ayeqiniseke ngaloo ndlela. Kwakukho abantu abaliqela ababefika ngobumbejembeje besenza nezithembiso ezikhulu ebantwini, kodwa akhawuleza aphela amathemba ababenawo abantu njengoko basilelayo ukukhulula amaYuda kwidyokhwe yobukhoboka yaseRoma.—IZenzo 5:34-37.

Kodwa loo maYuda mabini—uAndreya noFilipu—akazange ayithandabuze into yokuba ayemfumene uMesiya wokwenene. Kunoko, kwiminyaka eyalandelayo, aqiniseka ngakumbi njengoko ayebona ubungqina bemisebenzi yakhe yamandla eyayizalisekisa iziprofeto ezithetha ngoMesiya.

Kwakutheni ukuze bona kunye nabanye abaninzi bakholwe ukuba ngokwenene lo yayinguMesiya, kungekhona omnye wabo babenkwalambisa? Ziziphi iimpawu awayenazo ezazibonisa ukuba unguMesiya wokwenene?

Ingxelo yembali ibonisa ukuba uAndreya noFilipu baphawula ukuba uYesu waseNazarete, owayekade engumchweli, wayenguMesiya ababemlindile. (Yohane 1:45) Umbhali-mbali onocoselelo welo xesha, uLuka, uchaza ukuba uMesiya wafika “ngonyaka weshumi elinesihlanu wolawulo lukaTibheriyo Kesare.” (Luka 3:1-3) Loo nyaka we-15 wolawulo lukaTibheriyo waqala ngoSeptemba wowama-28 C.E. waza waphela ngoSeptemba wowama-29 C.E. Kwakhona uLuka uchaza ukuba ngelo xesha amaYuda ‘ayelindele’ ukufika kukaMesiya. (Luka 3:15) Kutheni ayemlindele ngelo xesha? Makhe sibone.

Iimpawu Zokufanisa UMesiya

Ekubeni uMesiya ephumeza indima ebalulekileyo, kusengqiqweni ukulindela ukuba uMdali, uYehova, anikele iinkcukacha ezicacileyo zokunceda abo bathembekileyo bakwazi ukumfanisa uMesiya. Ngoba? Kaloku oko bekuya kubanceda abo bathembekileyo bangalahlekiswa ngabo bankwalambisayo, njengoko abantu abaninzi beye balahlekiswa.

Xa ummeli karhulumente ethunyelwa kwelinye ilizwe, kulindeleke ukuba avelise ubungqina obucacileyo bokuba ungummeli ngokwenene. Ngokufanayo, uYehova uye wabhala kwangaphambili ubungqina bokufanisa uMesiya. Ngoko, xa “uMmeli Oyintloko” efika, kwakuza kufana nokuba uvelisa ubungqina obubhaliweyo bokumchaza ukuba ungubani na.—Hebhere 12:2.

Iimpawu awayeya kubonwa ngazo zachazwa kwiziprofeto ezininzi zeBhayibhile ezabhalwa kwiinkulungwane zangaphambili. Zachaza ngokweenkcukacha indlela awayeza kuza ngayo uMesiya, ubulungiseleli bakhe, ukubandezeleka kwakhe, nendlela awayeza kufa ngayo. Kubangel’ umdla ukwazi ukuba ezi ziprofeto zachaza kwanovuko lwakhe, ukuphakanyiselwa kwakhe ngasekunene kukaThixo, kwaneentsikelelo zolawulo lwakhe loBukumkani. Ngale ndlela, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zanikela iimpawu ezikhethekileyo ezazinokufanisa umntu omnye kuphela.

Noko ke, ekubonakaleni kukaYesu njengoMesiya ngowama-29 C.E., azizange zizaliseke zonke ngelo xesha iziprofeto ezazibhekisela kuye. Ngokomzekelo, wayengekabulawa aze avuswe. Sekunjalo, uAndreya, uFilipu, nabanye abaninzi bakholwa kuYesu ngenxa yoko wakufundisayo nawakwenzayo. Babona ubungqina obuninzi bokuba wayenguMesiya. Ukuba wawuphila ngelo xesha waza wazibonela ngamehlo obo bungqina, mhlawumbi nawe wawuya kuqiniseka ukuba uYesu wayenguMesiya.

Ubungqina Obuneenkcukacha Ezahlukeneyo

Yintoni eyayiya kukunceda ukuba ufikelele kweso sigqibo? Kangangeenkulungwane, iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zachaza iimpawu awayeza kubonwa ngazo uMesiya. Njengoko abaprofeti babezichaza ngakumbi nangakumbi iinkcukacha zezo mpawu ebudeni beenkulungwane, yacaca ngokupheleleyo indlela yokufanisa uMesiya. UHenry H. Halley wakuzekelisa ngale ndlela oku: “Masithi kungena amadoda aliqela kwigumbi elithile, evela kumazwe ahlukeneyo, yaye akazange abonane okanye ancokole ngaphambili; nganye kuwo ibeka phantsi iqhekeza lelitye lenyengane, yaye xa la maqhekeza edityaniswa abumba umfanekiso oqingqiweyo ogqibeleleyo—ngaba akukho ngqiqweni na ukugqiba kwelokuba lo mfanekiso wazotywa ngumntu omnye waza wathumela amaqhekeza awo kula madoda ahlukeneyo?” Emva koko wabuza wathi: “Ngoko xa sicinga ngeenkcukacha eziphathelele ubomi bukaYesu, ezachazwa ngababhali abahlukeneyo ababephila kwiinkulungwane ezahlukeneyo ngaphambi kokufika kukaYesu, ngaba ayizicacelanga na into yokuba zonke zivela kuMntu omnye onengqondo ebalasele ngokugqithiseleyo?” UHalley waqukumbela ngokuthi oku “kwakungummangaliso obalaseleyo!”

Lo ‘mmangaliso’ wachazwa kwakwincwadi yokuqala yeBhayibhile. Emva kokuchaza isiprofeto sokuqala seBhayibhile esiphathelele uMesiya, umbhali weGenesis wongezelela ngelithi wayeza kuvela kwinzala ka-Abraham. (Genesis 3:15; 22:15-18) Enye inkcazelo yabonisa ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuvela kwisizwe sikaYuda. (Genesis 49:10) Esebenzisa uMoses, uThixo waxelela amaSirayeli ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuba sisithethi kwanomhlanguli ongaphezu kukaMoses.—Duteronomi 18:18.

Ngexesha likaKumkani uDavide, isiprofeto sachaza ukuba uMesiya wayeza kubekwa etroneni njengendlalifa kaDavide yaye ubukumkani Bakhe babuya “kumiselwa ngokuqinileyo ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (2 Samuweli 7:13-16) Incwadi kaMika ichaza ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuzalelwa kwidolophu awayehlala kuyo uDavide, iBhetelehem. (Mika 5:2) UIsaya waxela kwangaphambili ukuba wayeza kuzalwa yintombi enyulu. (Isaya 7:14) Umprofeti uMalaki wachaza ukuba ukuza Kwakhe kwakuza kubhengezwa ngumntu onjengoEliya.—Malaki 4:5, 6.

Enye inkcazelo engqalileyo ngokuphathelele uMesiya ifumaneka encwadini kaDaniyeli. Xa ichaza unyaka wokufika kukaMesiya, le ncwadi ithi: “Yazi ke, uqonde ukuba, ukususela ekuphumeni kwelizwi lokuba ibuyiselwe ize yakhiwe kwakhona iYerusalem kude kuse kuMesiya iNkokeli, yoba ziiveki ezisixhenxe, neeveki ezingamashumi amathandathu anesibini. Iya kubuyiswa, yakhiwe kwakhona, ibe nendawo yembutho nomjelo wamanzi, kodwa ngamaxesha okubandezeleka.”—Daniyeli 9:25.

UKumkani uArtashashta wasePersi wakhupha ‘ilizwi’ lokuba ibuyiselwe ize yakhiwe kwakhona iYerusalem ngonyaka wama-20 wokulawula kwakhe. Waqalisa ukulawula ngowama-474 B.C.E., ngoko unyaka wama-20 wokulawula kwakhe wawungowama-455 B.C.E. (Nehemiya 2:1-8) Ngoko ukususela ekukhutshweni komyalelo wokuba iYerusalem ibuyiselwe ize yakhiwe kwakhona, kwakumele kudlule iiveki zesiprofeto ezingama-69 (iiveki ezisi-7 kunye nezingama-62) ngaphambi kokuba uMesiya afike. Kodwa ke, iiveki zokoqobo ezingama-69 zilingana neentsuku nje ezingama-483, thuba elo elingaphantsi nakwiminyaka emibini. Kodwa xa kusetyenziswa umgaqo othi “usuku lube ngunyaka,” oko kuthetha ukuba uMesiya wayeza kufika emva kweminyaka engama-483, ngowama-29 C.E.—Hezekile 4:6.a

Nangona babekho abantu ababezibanga bengooMesiya ngeminye iminyaka, nguYesu waseNazarete kuphela owavela ngowama-29 C.E. (Luka 3:1, 2) Ngawo loo nyaka, uYesu waya kuYohane uMbhaptizi waza wabhaptizwa emanzini. Emva koko uYesu wathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele njengoMesiya. Kamva, uYohane owayengumanduleli ofana noEliya, wachazela uAndreya kunye nomnye umfundi ngoYesu, embiza ngokuba ‘yiMvana kaThixo esusa isono sehlabathi.’—Yohane 1:29; Luka 1:13-17; 3:21-23.

Umlibo Wokuzalwa Nezinye Iimpawu Zokufanisa UMesiya

Iziprofeto eziphefumlelweyo zachaza iintsapho ezithile zamaYuda awayeza kuvela kuzo uMesiya. Ngoko isengqiqweni into yokuba uMdali owazi zonke izinto alungiselele ukuba uMesiya afike ngexesha ezazisekho ngalo iingxelo zemilibo yokuzalwa ukuze abantu bakwazi ukuphanda umnombo wakhe.

ICyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong ithi: “Ayithandabuzeki into yokuba iingxelo zeminombo yamaYuda zatshabalala ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem [ngowama-70 C.E.], kungekhona ngaphambi koko.” Kukho ubungqina obucacileyo bokuba uMateyu noLuka bazibhala iincwadi zabo zeVangeli ngaphambi kowama-70 C.E. Ngoko bamele ukuba bazihlola ezo ngxelo xa babebhala ngomnombo kaYesu. (Mateyu 1:1-16; Luka 3:23-38) Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ekubeni lo ingumbandela obaluleke gqitha, abantu abaninzi ababephila ngexesha labo bamele ukuba babefuna ukuzihlolela ngokwabo ukuchana kwengxelo yomnombo kaYesu.

Ngaba Ukuzaliseka Kweziprofeto KuYesu Kwenzeke Ngengozi?

Sekunjalo, ngaba inokwenzeka into yokuba ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zikaMesiya kuYesu kube kwenzeka ngengozi? Kolunye udliwano-ndlebe, omnye umphengululi wawuphendula wathi lo mbuzo: “Akunakwenzeka oko. Awakho nje kwaphela amathuba okuba oko kwenzeke ngengozi. Enye ingcali yezibalo yafumanisa ukuba amathuba okuba ezisibhozo nje kuphela kwezo ziprofeto zizaliseke emntwini omnye ngengozi mancinane kakhulu gqitha ngomlinganiselo wesinye kwikhulu lamawaka ezigidi zezigidi.” Xa ezekelisa oku, wathi: “Iingqekembe zemali ezilelo nani, zingawugubungela wonke ummandla waseTexas [mmandla lowo oziskwe khilomitha ezingama-690 000], yaye zibe yimfumba ephakame kangangeemitha eziyi-0,6. Ukuba unokufaka uphawu kwingqekembe enye uze uthathe umntu umvale amehlo, uthi makawutyhutyhe wonke loo mmandla afune loo ngqekembe inophawu, angakanani amathuba okuba ayifumane?” Wandula ke wathi mancinane ngaloo ndlela ke “namathuba okuba kubekho nawuphi na umntu embalini ezinokuzaliseka kuye ngengozi iziprofeto nje ezisibhozo kuphela eziphathelele [uMesiya].”

Ukanti yena uYesu, ebudeni beminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha yobulungiseleli bakhe, wazalisekisa kungekhona nje iziprofeto ezisibhozo, kodwa iziprofeto ezininzi zeBhayibhile. Ngenxa yobo bungqina bubalaseleyo, lo mphengululi uqukumbela ngelithi: “NguYesu kuphela kuyo yonke imbali owazizalisekisayo ezo ziprofeto.”

‘Ukuza’ KukaMesiya

Ngokucacileyo uYesu waseNazarete weza njengoMesiya ngowama-29 C.E. Weza njengoMhlanguli othobekileyo nobandezelekileyo. Akazange eze njengoKumkani owoyisayo owayeza kuphelisa ingcinezelo yamaRoma, njengoko inkoliso yamaYuda kwanabalandeli bakhe babecinga njalo. (Isaya, isahluko 53; Zekariya 9:9; IZenzo 1:6-8) Kodwa iingxelo zibonisa ukuba kwixesha elizayo uya kuza enamandla negunya elikhulu.—Daniyeli 2:44; 7:13, 14.

Abantu abaye bazihlolisisa ngenyameko iziprofeto zeBhayibhile bafumene ubungqina obuqinisekileyo bokuba uMesiya wafika ngenkulungwane yokuqala, yaye uza kubuya kwakhona. Ubungqina bubonisa ukuba ‘wabakho’ okanye wabuya ngowe-1914.b (Mateyu 24:3-14) Ngaloo nyaka, uYesu wabekwa ngokungabonakaliyo etroneni emazulwini njengoKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo. Kungekudala uza kuphelisa wonke umonakalo obangelwe yimvukelo yase-Eden emhlabeni. ULawulo lwakhe Lwewaka Leminyaka luza kubazisela iintsikelelo bonke abo babonisa ukholo kuye njengeMbewu ethenjisiweyo, enguMesiya, ‘osusa isono sehlabathi.’—Yohane 1:29; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.

AmaNgqina kaYehova aya kukuvuyela ukuxubusha nawe ngobo bungqina, aze akubonise eBhayibhileni oko ulawulo lukaMesiya lunokukuzisela kona wena kunye nabo ubathandayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umzobo/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 6, 7]