Incazelo engokwesiprofetho yezinhlanzi eziseBhayibhelini.
Lapho usuphinde futhi! Inhlanzi leyo! Uzophinde ukuthole yonke indawo! Yebo, yonke indawo. Ikakhulukazi ezimotweni. Ngemuva kwezimoto, ukucacisa. Emgwaqweni - lapho ubona lolo phawu lwenhlanzi. Imelelani, leyo nhlanzi? Ngabe ukhona ongangitshela ukuthi leyo nto isho ukuthini?
KuLuka isahluko 5: 1-9, sifunda ngokubanjwa kwezinhlanzi ngokuyisimangaliso:
Ngelinye ilanga uJesu emi ngasechibini laseGenesaretha, abantu babemcindezele belalele izwi likaNkulunkulu. Wabona emaphethelweni amanzi izikebhe ezimbili, ezazishiywe lapho ngabadobi, ababegeza amanetha abo.3Wangena kwesinye sezikebhe, esakwaSimoni, wamcela ukuba asuse kancane ogwini. Wabe esehlala phansi wafundisa abantu esemkhunjini.
4Eseqedile ukukhuluma, wathi kuSimoni: 'Faka emanzini ajulile, nehlise amanetha, nibambe.'
5USimon waphendula wathi, Master, sisebenze kanzima ubusuku bonke futhi asibambanga lutho. Kodwa ngoba usho njalo, ngizokwehlisa amanetha.
6Sebekwenzile lokho, babamba izinhlanzi eziningi kakhulu, okokuthi amanetha abo aqala ukudabuka.7Base bekhomba abalingani babo kwesinye isikebhe ukuba beze bazobasiza, beza bagcwalisa izikebhe zombili zagcwala zaze zaqala ukucwila.
8Lapho uSimoni Petru ekubona lokhu, waguqa ngamadolo kaJesu, wathi: “Suka kimi, Nkosi; Ngiyindoda enesono!9Ngoba yena nabo bonke ayehamba nabo bamangala ngokubanjwa kwezinhlanzi ababezibambile.
Izinhlanzi zobuKristu
Yini ongitshela yona? Ingabe leyo nhlanzi iwuphawu lobuKristu? Ayikho imbongolo engakubheka lokho njengeqiniso! AmaKrestu nenhlanzi, ahlobene ngani omunye nomunye? Noma ingabe uzamcolo uzobuya maduze; yonke inkatho izobe ingenalutho. Cha? Yini-ke? Ngabe amaKristu kwesinye isikhathi athi blub-blub-blub?
Hhayi bo! Awufuni ukungitshela ukuthi nawe awuzazi ncamashi. Ingabe kuliqiniso? AmaKrestu amaningi awazi yini ukuthi leyo nhlanzi isho ukuthini? Bese kuyisikhathi sokuthi othile achaze lokho!
Incazelo yenhlanzi
Manje-ke, nansi incazelo yami. Hlala nje phambi kwawo.
Uphawu lwenhlanzi lwasendulo kusukela ekuqaleni kwenkathi yethu futhi lwasungulwa ngamaKristu okuqala. Ngaleso sikhathi, amaRoma ayebusa ezindaweni eziningi zomhlaba. Ngoba ukukholwa kuNkulunkulu munye nokwazi iNkosi eyodwa, uJesu Kristu, kwakungavunyelwe (kwakuyingozi ekusetshenzisweni kwenkosi), amaKrestu embusweni waseRoma kwakudingeka aqaphele izitatimende zawo. Bafuna izimpawu zansuku zonke ezazingeke zivele ngokushesha, kepha lokho kwakwanele ukusho ukuze bakhuthazane. Inhlanzi kwakuyisibonakaliso esinjalo. Kuwuphawu lukaJesu Kristu.
Ichthys
Izinhlanzi, ngakho-ke, zingenye yezimpawu zamaKristu ezindala kakhulu. Yayisivele isetshenziswe ngamaKristu cishe ngonyaka we-70, lapho kwase kuvele imiphakathi embalwa yamaKristu, ekhula ngokumelene nengcindezelo. AmaKristu ayeshushiswa ngezikhathi ezithile, kwesinye isikhathi endaweni, kodwa nakuwo wonke uMbuso WaseRoma.
Izincazelo ezahlukahlukene zokuhlukunyezwa zilondoloziwe, kufaka phakathi ukubethelwa nokubulawa okwaphela phakathi kwezilwane zasendle ezinkundleni. Izinhlanzi zaziyisihlonzi esiphephile samaKristu kulesi sikhathi esinzima. Kwakuwuphawu olwaluthandeka emcabangweni.
Hhayi ukuthi inhlanzi ngokwayo isho okuningi. Kwakumayelana nencazelo yezinhlamvu zegama elithi inhlanzi. IsiGreki kwakuwulimi lomhlaba ngaleso sikhathi. Kwezepolitiki, indlela yokucabanga yamaRoma (Latin) yagcwala, ngokwesiko, indlela yokucabanga yamaGrikhi.
Igama lesiGrikhi elithi inhlanzi lithi ‘ichthus.’ Kuleli gama, izinhlamvu zokuqala zamagama athile neziqu zikaJesu zifihliwe: Iesous Christos THeou Uios Soter (Jesus Christ, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uMsindisi). Yilokho eyayikhuluma ngakho! Inhlanzi yayifana ne-password. Iphasiwedi esayiniwe. Noma ngubani owadonsa inhlanzi wakhombisa ngaphandle kwamagama ukuthi ungumKristu: wavuma isitatimende sokholo lapho izinhlamvu ngazinye zegama ichthus zibhekiswa khona.
Uphawu lwenhlanzi ngaleyo ndlela lusebenze njengokuvuma (okufihlekile) kokholo lwabo kumaKristu akhuluma isiGreki. Kepha asho ukuthini amagama enza izinhlanzi ezingama-ichthus uphawu oluqakatheke kangaka lobuKristu? Ichthus imele lokhu:
Ngiyathandeka Jesu
CH UChristos Christ
TH THou God’s
U Uios Ndodana
S Soter uMsindisi
UJesu
UJesu wayehlala kwa-Israyeli eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili eyedlule, ngaleso sikhathi eyayingeyona ingxenye yombuso wamaRoma. Yize amaBatavians namaKanines Faten besasahlala ezweni lethu, bekukhona isiko elichumayo lokubhala kwa-Israyeli amakhulu eminyaka. Abaphila ngaleso sikhathi ngakho-ke babhala umlando wokuphila kukaJesu. Izincwadi zabo zitholakala eBhayibhelini.
Sifunda ukuthi uJoseph, umbazi waseNyakatho yakwa-Israyeli, wayalwa nguNkulunkulu ukuba abize ingane eyayizozala uMoya kaNkulunkulu kuMariya (umakoti wakwakhe osemncane) uJesu. Igama elithi Jesu lisho ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasindisa. Yindlela yesiGreki yegama lesiHeberu elithi Joshua (isiHeberu kwakuwulimi lokuqala lwakwa-Israyeli). Ngaleli gama, umsebenzi wokuphila kukaJesu wavalwa: wayezosindisa abantu esikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu emandleni esono nokugula.
Futhi impela, ngesikhathi esebenza kwa-Israyeli, wenza izimangaliso eziphawulekayo, ekhulula abantu kuzo zonke izinhlobo zezifo namandla wamademoni. Wabuye wathi: Yilapho iNdodana ikukhulula kuphela lapho uyokhululeka ngokweqiniso. Ngemuva kweminyaka emithathu, nokho waboshwa futhi wagwetshelwa ukufa esiphambanweni, ithuluzi lokuhlukumeza laseRoma. Abaphikisana naye bamemeza:
Isethembiso esenziwe ngegama lakhe kanye nokulindela ayekuvusile empilweni yakhe kwabukeka ngathi kukhanseliwe. Kuze kwaba yizinsuku ezintathu, kubonakala ukuthi uvukile ethuneni. IBhayibheli linikeza imininingwane eningiliziwe ngokufa nokuvuka kwakhe futhi likhuluma ngabafakazi bokuzibonela abangamakhulu amahlanu abambona ebuya. UJesu wayelihlonipha igama lakhe. Wayesinqobile isitha sokugcina, ukufa - wayengakwazi yini ukusindisa abantu, lapho? Kungakho abalandeli bakhe baphetha ngokuthi: Igama lakhe yilona kuphela emhlabeni elingasindisa umuntu.
UKristu
Izincwadi eziseBhayibhelini lapho impilo kaJesu yabhalwa khona (amavangeli amane) zibhalwe ngesiGreki. Kungakho uJesu abizwa ngoKristu ngesiqu sakhe sesiGreki. Lelo gama lisho ogcotshiweyo.
Kusho ukuthini ukuba ogcotshiweyo? Kwa-Israyeli, abapristi, abaprofethi namakhosi babegcotshwa ngamafutha ngemisebenzi yabo: lokho kwakuyinkokhiso ekhethekile nesiqinisekiso esivela kuNkulunkulu. NoJesu wagcotshwa (uNkulunkulu wamgcoba ngoMoya oNgcwele) ukuze asebenze njengompristi, umprofethi kanye nenkosi. NgokweBhayibheli, munye kuphela umuntu owayengenza le misebenzi emithathu ngasikhathi sinye. KwakunguMesiya (igama lesiHeberu elisho uKristu noma Ogcotshiweyo) owathenjiswa uNkulunkulu.
Kakade ezincwadini zokuqala zeBhayibheli (ezabhalwa emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu), lo Mesiya wamenyezelwa ngabaprofethi. Manje wayeselapho! Abalandeli bakaJesu baletha uJesu njengoMesiya owayezobakhulula embuthweni wamaRoma futhi anikeze u-Israyeli indawo ebalulekile ebalazweni lomhlaba.
Kepha uJesu wayenomunye umbuso engqondweni owawungeke umiswe waze wahamba indlela engezansi wanqoba ukufa. Ngemuva kwalokho wayezoya ezulwini futhi anikeze uMoya oNgcwele kubantu ababefuna ukubona ubukhosi bakhe ezimpilweni zabo. Encwadini yeBhayibheli iZenzo, ukulandelana kwamavangeli amane, singafunda ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka ngempela.
INdodana kaNkulunkulu
Ngokwesiko lakwa-Israyeli, iNdodana endala yayiyindlalifa ebaluleke kakhulu. Ubaba lo wamnika igama lakhe nempahla yakhe. UJesu ubizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu eBhayibhelini. UNkulunkulu uyamqinisekisa njengeNdodana yakhe ethandekayo lapho ebhapathizwa. Ube esethola uMoya oNgcwele futhi ngaleyo ndlela athole udumo olumfanele njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
Empilweni kaJesu, ubona uthando olukhulu phakathi kukaNkulunkulu, uBaba noJesu iNdodana. Njengomfana oneminyaka eyishumi nambili, uthi kuJoseph noMary, kumele ngibe matasa ngezinto zikaBaba. Kamuva, uzothi, ngenza kuphela lokho engibona uBaba ekwenza. uma uBaba. Uthi ngenxa yakhe, singathathwa njengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, ukuze nathi sibize uNkulunkulu ngoBaba wethu.
IBhayibheli ligcizelela ukuthi uJesu wayengumuntu ngokuphelele hhayi uNkulunkulu ohlukile. Kodwa futhi wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, amandla esono ayengenamandla phezu kwakhe. WayenguNkulunkulu osesimweni somuntu, ezithoba futhi eba ngumuntu wokusindisa abantu.
UMsindisi
IBhayibheli liyincwadi engokoqobo. Awuzange ucabange kanjalo? Ngazo zonke izindlela ezingenzeka, kuyacaca ukuthi zinjani izinto nabantu. Asikwazi ukuphila ngendlela uNkulunkulu afuna siphile ngayo. Siyizigqila zemikhuba yethu emibi, ngakho-ke, sihlala siphikisana nathi uqobo. UNkulunkulu akakwazi ukuvumela ububi esinecala labo. Ukungabi nabulungisa esimenza kuye, nemvelo yethu inkulu kakhulu kangangokuba sonke isijeziso sincane kakhulu.
Silahlekile. Kepha uNkulunkulu uyasithanda. Kunendlela eyodwa kuphela yokuphuma kule nkinga: Kumele akhiphe. Kumele sinikezwe kusuka emoyeni wesono onakekelwa yisitha, uSathane. UJesu weza emhlabeni ngalowo myalelo.
Waya empini noSathane futhi wamelana namandla esono. Futhi wenza okwengeziwe. Wayemela izono zethu njengommeleli wabo bonke abantu futhi wezwa imiphumela, ukufa. Ushone esikhundleni sethu. Ngamandla kaMoya oNgcwele, wabuye wavuka kwabafileyo, emvumela ukuba asikhulule esonweni ukuze sivumelane noNkulunkulu.
UJesu ungumsindisi wethu ukuze kungadingeki sinqotshwe ukwahlulelwa, kepha singasindiswa sibonga umusa kaNkulunkulu. Leyo nsindiso ithinta abantu ezenzweni zabo. Wonke umuntu ohlala noJesu uguqulwa nguMoya oNgcwele ngaphakathi afunde ukuphila njengokuthanda kukaNkulunkulu. Lokho kwenza impilo njengomKrestu ibe nenjongo futhi ijabulise, sibe nethemba lekusasa elinethemba.
UJesu unqobile, yize umhlaba usabhekene nemiphumela yesono. Sesingahlanganyela ekunqobeni kwakhe futhi siphile ebudlelwaneni obuvulekile noNkulunkulu, noma ithonya lesono lisasebenza. Ngelinye ilanga konke kuzoba kusha. Lapho uJesu ebuya, ukunqoba kwakhe kudluliselwa kuyo yonke indalo. Lapho-ke ukuhlengwa uNkulunkulu anakho engqondweni sekuqediwe.
Sethemba ukuthi, lolu cwaningo olufushane lukunikeze ukuqonda okuthe xaxa encazelweni yophawu lwenhlanzi. Into eyodwa iyacaca. Isitatimende uJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uMsindisi sinokuqukethwe okukhokhisiwe ngokungangabazeki okuvezwe ngamaKristu okuqala ngokumangala, ukwesaba, nokubonga lapho bechaza incazelo yesibonakaliso se-ichthus.
Kepha kunokunye ukusho ngakho. Isitatimende sokholo esicashe ngemuva kophawu lwenhlanzi sisanyakazisa izigidi zabantu. Ngakho-ke, nanamuhla, izinhlanzi ze-ichthus ziyathandeka kumaKristu amaningi njengophawu lokholo lwawo. Ngifuna ukusho ezinye izinto ezimbalwa ngalokho.
Uphawu lwenhlanzi manje
Singasho izinto ezintathu mayelana nencazelo yophawu lwenhlanzi namuhla.
Okokuqala, amaKristu asashushiswa ngezinga elikhulu ngenxa yezinkolelo zawo. Imibiko yokuhlukumezeka ayivamile ukwenza izindaba. Noma kunjalo, izinhlangano ezikhethekile zibika ukushushiswa kobuKristu cishe kuwo wonke amazwe aseNyakatho Afrika naseMpumalanga Ephakathi (kufaka phakathi u-Israyeli), eNdiya, e-Indonesia, eChina, eCuba, eMexico, ePeru nakwamanye amazwe.
Okwesibili, kubonakala sengathi ibandla lobuKrestu - njengasemakhulwini okuqala enkathi yethu - livame ukukhula likhule licindezelwe. Ungasho nokuthi ubuKristu emhlabeni wonke abukaze bukhule ngokushesha njengeminyaka engamashumi amahlanu edlule. Ivangeli likaJesu Krestu alilahlekelwanga nhlobo amandla alo okuveza, yize ungacabanga ngenye indlela ezweni lethu elingenankolo.
Lokho kungiletha ephuzwini lesithathu. Umphakathi wethu uphonsa izimiso eziningi zobuKrestu olwandle. Kodwa-ke kunabantu njalo abathola amandla evuselela impilo evangeli. Futhi, abaphathi bayabona ukuthi ubuKrestu bunganikeza imihlahlandlela ngezinkambiso namagugu ukuphendula imibuzo eyinkimbinkimbi ehlala emphakathini wethu.
Kukhona ukuqaphela okukhulayo phakathi kwamaKrestu ukuthi bathule isikhathi eside kakhulu. Amasonto nemiphakathi yezenkolo njengamanje yakha amaqembu amancane okusondeza ukholo kulabo abanentshisekelo. Abantu abahlukahlukene bavula izindlu zabo ukuze bathole, ngeBhayibheli, ukuthi uJesu ungubani nokuthi ithonya lomoya wakhe lingasho ukuthini empilweni yomuntu uqobo nasendaweni yakhe ngesikhathi semihlangano engahlelekile. Ivangeli liyaphila futhi liyaphila.
Ngakho-ke: kungani inhlanzi? Ukusetshenziswa kophawu lwe-ichthus kukwenza kucace ukuthi nanamuhla, abantu abaningi bayihlonipha kakhulu incazelo yaso. Noma ngubani ophethe leyo nhlanzi uthi: UJesu Kristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uMsindisi!
Okuqukethwe