Imiqulu Yasendulo—Itholakala Kanjani Inkathi Eyalotshwa Ngayo?

Imiqulu Yasendulo—Itholakala Kanjani Inkathi Eyalotshwa Ngayo?

NGO-1844, isazi seBhayibheli uKonstantin von Tischendorf wavakashela isikhungo sezindela saseSt. Catherine, esingaphansi kweNtaba iSinayi eGibhithe. Lapho ecwaninga emitatsheni yaso yezincwadi, wathola imiqulu yesikhumba esezingeni eliphawulekayo. Ngenxa yokuthi wayefundele i-paleography,a uTischendorf waqaphela ukuthi le miqulu yayingamakhasi athathwe kuyi-Septuagint, inguqulo yesiGreki yemiBhalo YesiHebheru, noma “iTestamente Elidala.” Wabhala: “Ngangingakaze ngiyibone into endala njengala makhasi emibhalo yaseSinayi.”

Le miqulu, eyakha ingxenye yalokho kamuva okwaziwa ngokuthi umBhalo WaseSinayi (i-Codex Sinaiticus), kuthiwa yalotshwa ngekhulu lesine C.E. Lo mBhalo WaseSinayi ungomunye wemiqulu yasendulo yemiBhalo YesiHebheru nesiGreki etholakala ngobuningi ngempela izazi ezingase ziyihlole.

Ukuthuthuka Kwendlela Yokuhlaziya Imibhalo Yasendulo YesiGreki

Indela yehlelo likaBenedict, uBernard de Montfaucon (1655-1741), yabeka isisekelo sendlela ehlelekile yokuhlola imibhalo yesiGreki. Kamuva, ezinye izazi zanezela imibono yazo. UTischendorf wenza umsebenzi omkhulu wokubhala uhlu lwemibhalo yeBhayibheli yesiGreki emidala kakhulu eyayisemitatsheni yezincwadi eYurophu. Wathatha nohambo kaningana oluya eMpumalanga Ephakathi, wahlola amakhulu emibhalo, futhi wanyathelisa imiphumela ayeyitholile.

Ekhulwini lama-20, abahlaziya indlela yokubhalwa kwemibhalo yasendulo bathola namanye amathuluzi awusizo. Elinye lala mathuluzi kwakuwuhlu lukaMarcel Richard lwamakhasi angu-900 achaza imibhalo yesiGreki engu-55 000, yeBhayibheli nengeyona eyeBhayibheli, etholakala emitatsheni yezincwadi engu-820 nakubantu ngabanye. Le ndathane yokwaziswa isiza abahumushi kanye nabahlaziyi bemibhalo yesandla ukuba banembe kakhudlwana ekutheni le mibhalo yalotshwa nini.

Indlela Okunqunywa Ngayo Isikhathi Sokulotshwa Kwemibhalo

Ake sithi uhlanza igumbi elisophahleni lwendlu endala bese uthola incwadi yakudala ebhalwe ngesandla kodwa engenalo usuku. Uyazibuza, ‘Eyanini?’ Kusenjalo uthola enye incwadi yakudala. Indlela yokubhala, isandla, izimpawu zenkulumo nezinye izici zifana nezencwadi yokuqala. Kodwa okukujabulisa kakhulu ukuthi le ncwadi yesibili inosuku eyabhalwa ngalo. Nakuba ungenakukwazi ukunquma unyaka incwadi yokuqala eyabhalwa ngawo, ungaba nombono ongakusiza ukuba ulinganisele inkathi yokubhalwa kwencwadi engenalo usuku.

Ababhali abaningi basendulo babengalubhali usuku abaqede ngalo ukubhala amakhophi abo emibhalo yeBhayibheli. Ukuze zinqume inkathi okungenzeka umbhalo waqedwa ngayo, izazi ziqhathanisa le mibhalo neminye, kuhlanganise nemibhalo yasendulo engeyona eyeBhayibheli okwaziwayo ukuthi yalotshwa nini, bese zenza isinqumo ngokwendlela yokubhala, izimpawu zolimi, izifushaniso nokunye. Kodwa kuye kwatholakala amakhulu amaningana emibhalo yasendulo enezinsuku eyalotshwa ngazo. Njengoba yalotshwa ngesandla ngesiGreki, isukela cishe ku-510 C.E. kuya ku-1593 C.E.

Ukuthola Umbono Ngokuhlaziya Indlela Yokubhala

Abahlaziyi bahlukanisa imibhalo yesandla yasendulo yesiGreki ngemikhakha emibili eyisisekelo—ukubhala ngokuhlukanisa izinhlamvu, okusezingeni eliphezulu futhi nelifanelekile, bese kuba ukubhala ngokuhlanganisa izinhlamvu, okuyindlela yokubhala esheshayo esetshenziswa ezincwadini okungezona ezezazi. Ababhali bamaGreki babesebenzisa nezitayela ezihlukahlukene zezinhlamvu, ezingahlukaniswa ngokuthi osonhlamvukazi, ofeleba (uhlobo oluthile losonhlamvukazi), izinhlamvu ezihlangene kanye nezinhlamvu ezincane. Kusukela ekhulwini lesine B.C.E. kuze kube sekhulwini lesi-8 noma lesi-9 C.E., kwakusetshenziswa indlela yokubhala ngokuhlukanisa izinhlamvu ezingofeleba. Ukubhala ngezinhlamvu ezincane ezihlukanisiwe kwasetshenziswa kusukela ekhulwini lesi-8 noma lesi-9 C.E. kuya maphakathi nekhulu le-15, lapho kwaqala khona indlela yokunyathelisa ngezinhlamvu zomthofu eYurophu. Ukubhala ngezinhlamvu ezincane kwakushesha futhi kuthatha indawo encane, okwakonga kokubili isikhathi nesikhumba esasisetshenziswa ekulobeni.

Abahlaziyi banezindlela abazithandayo zokunquma isikhathi imibhalo eyalotshwa ngaso. Ngokuvamile, baqale bahlaziye wonke umbhalo. Ngenxa yokuthi ngokuvamile kwakuthatha isikhathi eside ukuba kube noshintsho olukhulu endleleni yokubhala ngesandla, ukuhlaziya umbhalo, nakuba kuwusizo, kunikeza umbono nje obanzi wesikhathi umbhalo owalotshwa ngaso.

Ngokujabulisayo, kunezinye izindlela ezingconywana zokunemba inkathi yokulotshwa. Zihlanganisa ukuphawula indlela nesikhathi okwaqala ngaso imikhuba ethile yokubhala. Ngokwesibonelo, emibhalweni yesiGreki yangemva konyaka ka-900 C.E., ababhali baqala ukusebenzisa kakhulu izinhlamvu ezihlangene. Baqala nokubhala phakathi kwemigqa (okuyindlela ezinye izincwadi zamaGreki ezazibhalwa ngayo) kanye nezinsiza-kuphimisa okuthiwa izimpawu zokuphefumula.

Isandla somuntu asivamile ukushintsha kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe. Ngakho-ke, isikhathi sokulotshwa kwemibhalo asinakulinganiselwa phakathi nenkathi yeminyaka engu-50. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngezinye izikhathi ababhali babekopela emibhalweni emidala, benze ikhophi yabo ibonakale indala kunalokho eyikho. Nokho, nakuba kwakunezinselele eziningi, kuye kwanqunywa isikhathi sokulotshwa kwemibhalo eminingana yeBhayibheli ebalulekile.

Ukunquma Inkathi Yokulotshwa KwemiBhalo YeBhayibheli YesiGreki Ebalulekile

UmBhalo Wesandla Wase-Alexandria (i-Codex Alexandrinus), manje ogcinwe eBritish Library, wawungowokuqala emibhalweni yeBhayibheli ebalulekile eyanikezwa izazi. Uqukethe ingxenye enkulu yeBhayibheli futhi ubhalwe ngofeleba besiGreki esikhunjeni esithambile. Lo mbhalo kuthiwa walotshwa ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesihlanu C.E., ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yoshintsho olwenzeka ekubhaleni ngofeleba phakathi kwekhulu lesihlanu nelesithupha, njengoba kubonakala embhalweni onosuku owalotshwa ngalo okuthiwa i-Dioscorides yaseVienna.b

Umbhalo wesibili obalulekile owanikezwa izazi, umBhalo WaseSinayi (i-Codex Sinaiticus), owatholwa uTischendorf esikhungweni sezindela saseSt. Catherine. Lo mbhalo owalotshwa ngofeleba besiGreki esikhunjeni, uqukethe ingxenye yemiBhalo YesiHebheru ethathwe enguqulweni i-Septuagint yesiGreki kanye nayo yonke imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Amakhasi angu-43 alo mbhalo agcinwe eLeipzig, eJalimane; angu-347 aseBritish Library eLondon; kanti izingxenye zamakhasi amathathu ziseSt. Petersburg, eRussia. Lo mbhalo kuthiwa walotshwa engxenyeni yokugcina yekhulu lesine C.E. Leyo nkathi isekelwa amathebula asemaceleni amakhasi emaVangelini okwaziwa ukuthi avela nesazi-mlando sekhulu lesine u-Eusebius waseKhesariya.c

Umbhalo wesithathu obalulekile umBhalo WaseVatican uNo. 1209 (i-Codex Vaticanus), ekuqaleni owawuqukethe lonke iBhayibheli ngesiGreki. Lo mbhalo wavela ohlwini lweVatican Library ngokokuqala ngqa ngo-1475. Lo mbhalo, owalotshwa ngofeleba besiGreki emakhasini angu-759 esikhumba esithambile, uqukethe ingxenye enkulu yeBhayibheli, ngaphandle kwengxenye enkulu kaGenesise, ingxenye yamaHubo, nezingxenye ezithile zemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Izazi zithi lo mbhalo walotshwa ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesine C.E. Zafinyelela kanjani kuleyo nkathi? Indlela obhalwe ngayo ifana neyomBhalo WaseSinayi, nawo owalotshwa ngekhulu lesine. Kodwa-ke, umbhalo waseVatican ubhekwa njengomdala kunalona. Ngokwesibonelo, phakathi kwezinye izinto, awunazo izikhombo zemibhalo etholakala emanothini ka-Eusebius.

Igugu Elatholwa Enqwabeni Kadoti

Ngo-1920 iJohn Rylands Library eManchester, eNgilandi, yathola inqwaba yamakhasi e-papyrus ayesanda kumbiwa enqwabeni kadoti eGibhithe lasendulo. Lapho sihlola lezi zinto, ezazihlanganisa izincwadi, amarisidi namaphepha okubalwa kwabantu, isazi uColin Roberts sabona isiqeshana esasinamagama esiwaziyo—amavesi ambalwa kaJohane isahluko 18. Lona kwakuwumbhalo wamaKristu wesiGreki omdala kunayo yonke eyayisitholakele kuze kube ngaleso sikhathi.

Lesi siqeshana sagcina sesaziwa ngokuthi iJohn Rylands Papyrus 457, eyaziwa emhlabeni kabanzi ngokuthi i-P⁵². Lo mbhalo owalotshwa ngofeleba besiGreki, kuthiwa walotshwa ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesibili—phakathi namashumi nje ambalwa eminyaka kulotshwe umbhalo wokuqala weVangeli likaJohane! Okuphawulekayo ukuthi lo mbhalo uvumelana cishe ncamashi nalokho okwatholakala emibhalweni yesandla yakamuva.

Eyasendulo Kodwa Inembile!

Encwadini yakhe ethi The Bible and Archæology, umhlaziyi wemibhalo waseBrithani uSir Frederic Kenyon wabhala lokhu mayelana nemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki: “Kokubili ubuqotho kanye nokwethembeka kwezincwadi zeTestamente Elisha kungase kubhekwe njengokuqinisekile.” Ngokufanayo, lapho sikhuluma ngokwethembeka kwemiBhalo YesiHebheru, isazi uWilliam H. Green sathi: “Kungashiwo ngokukhululeka ukuthi ayikho enye incwadi endala eye yakopishwa ngokunemba okungaka.”

Lawo mazwi asikhumbuza amazwi omphostoli uPetru: “Yonke inyama injengotshani, futhi yonke inkazimulo yayo injengembali yotshani; utshani buyabuna, imbali iwe, kodwa izwi likaJehova lihlala phakade.”—1 Petru 1:24, 25.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

a “I-paleography . . . ukuhlaziya indlela yokubhala yasendulo neyangenkathi ephakathi. Iphathelene nemibhalo esezintweni ezigugayo, njenge-papyrus, izikhumba, noma iphepha.”—The World Book Encyclopedia.

b I-Dioscorides yaseVienna yalotshelwa uJuliana Anicia othile, owafa ngo-527 noma ngo-528 C.E. Lo mbhalo “uyisibonelo sokuqala ngqa sombhalo owalotshwa ngofeleba esikhunjeni okungalinganiselwa ukuthi walotshwa nini.”—An Introduction to Greek and Latin Palaeography, ka-E. M. Thompson.

c Lokho okuthiwa amanothi ka-Eusebius kuyizinhlu zamathebula, noma isimiso semibhalo evumelanayo, “esibonisa ukuthi yiziphi izindima eVangelini ngalinye ezifana nezindima ezikwamanye amaVangeli.”—Manuscripts of the Greek Bible, kaBruce M. Metzger.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 21]

Ngokuhlaziya imibhalo ebonisa inkathi eyalotshwa ngayo, abahlaziyi bemibhalo yesandla bayakwazi ukunquma inkathi yokulotshwa kwemibhalo engenazo izinsuku

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 20]

Ukuthola Ukuthi UMqulu Ka-Isaya WasoLwandle Olufile Mdala Kangakanani

UMqulu wokuqala wasoLwandle Olufile wencwadi yeBhayibheli ka-Isaya, owatholalaka ngo-1947, wawulotshwe esikhunjeni kusetshenziswa umbhalo wesiHebheru wangaphambi kwamaMasorete. Kuthiwa owangasekupheleni kwekhulu lesibili B.C.E. Izazi zafinyelela kanjani kulolo suku? Zawuqhathanisa nezinye izincwadi zemibhalo yesiHebheru zase zinquma ngemva kokuhlaziya indlela obhalwe ngayo ukuthi walotshwa phakathi kuka-125 B.C.E. no-100 B.C.E. Ukuhlaziya lo mqulu ngenqubo ye-carbon-14 nakho kwanikeza ubufakazi obengeziwe.

Ngokumangalisayo, ukuqhathanisa iMiqulu YasoLwandle Olufile nemibhalo yamaMasorete, eyalotshwa ababhali okuthiwa amaMasorete ngemva kwamakhulu amaningi eminyaka, kubonisa ukuthi akukho shintsho ezimfundisweni.d Umahluko omningi okhona uhilela nje indlela amagama abhalwe ngayo nohlelo lolimi. Okunye okuphawulekayo ukuthi i-Tetragrammaton—ongwaqa abane besiHebheru abakha igama likaNkulunkulu elithi Jehova—ivela kaningi emqulwini ka-Isaya.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

d AmaMasorete, ayengabakopishi abacophelelayo abangamaJuda, aphila phakathi nengxenye yesibili yenkulungwane yokuqala C.E.

[Ishadi/Izithombe ekhasini 20, 21]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Umbhalo Wesandla WesiGreki

Umbhalo wezinhlamvu ezihlukanisiwe (obhalwe ngofeleba)

Kusukela ekhulwini lesine B.C.E. kuya ekhulwini lesi-8 noma lesi-9 C.E.

Umbhalo wezinhlamvu ezincane

Kusukela ekhulwini lesi-8 noma lesi-9 C.E. kuya ekhulwini le-15 C.E.

Imibhalo Ebalulekile

400

200

Umqulu wasoLwandle Olufile

Wangasekupheleni kwekhulu lesibili B.C.E.

B.C.E.

C.E.

100

IJohn Rylands Papyrus 457

Yango-125 C.E.

300

UmBhalo WaseVatican uNo. 1209

Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesine

UmBhalo WaseSinayi

Wekhulu lesine

400

UmBhalo Wase-Alexandriya

Wasekuqaleni kwekhulu lesihlanu

500

700

800

[Izithombe ekhasini 19]

Ngenhla: UKonstantin von Tischendorf

Kwesokudla: UBernard de Montfaucon

[Umthombo]

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 20]

Dead Sea Scroll: Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem

[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 21]

Typographical facsimile of Vatican Manuscript No. 1209: From the book Bibliorum Sacrorum Graecus Codex Vaticanus, 1868; Reproduction of Sinaitic Manuscript: 1 Timothy 3:16, as it appears in the Codex Sinaiticus, 4th century C.E.; Alexandrine Manuscript: From The Codex Alexandrinus in Reduced Photographic Facsimile, 1909, by permission of the British Library