IZIGIDI zabantu ziyasihlonipha isiphambano njalo ziyasithanda. Ibhuku lezokuchwayisisa i-Encyclopædia Britannica lithi isiphambano “luphawu olungumgogodla emasontweni esiKhristu.” Kodwa amaKhristu eqiniso kawasisebenzisi isiphambano ekukhonzeni kwawo. Kungani engasisebenzisi?

Isizatho esikhulu yikuthi uJesu Khristu kafelanga esiphambanweni. Ibala lesiGiriki elijayele ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “isiphambano” ngelithi stau·rosʹ, elitsho “ugodo oluqondileyo.” I-Companion Bible ithi: “Ibala elithi [Stau·rosʹ] alikaze lisetshenziswe ukuchaza izigodo ezimbili ezinqunyiswe esinye phezu kwesinye . . . Emibhalweni yesiGiriki [iThestamente eLitsha] akulandawo lapho esithola khona ukuthi lokhu kungabe kusitsho izigodo ezimbili.”

 Emavesini amanengi, abalobi beBhayibhili basebenzisa elinye ibala nxa bekhuluma ngalapho uJesu abethelwa khona. Libala lesiGiriki elithi xyʹlon. (ImiSebenzi 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; KwabaseGalathiya 3:13) Ibala leli litsho “umgoqo,” loba“ugodo, kumbe isihlahla.”

Ibhuku elithi The Cross and the Crucifixion, elabhalwa nguHermann Fulda lichaza ukuthi kungani ugodo oluqondileyo lwalujayele ukusetshenziswa nxa kubulawa abantu. Lithi: “Kwezinye izindawo zomphakathi lapho okwakubulawelwa khona abantu kwakungelazihlahla. Ngakho ugodo lwalugejelwa phansi. Izephulamthetho zazibotshelwa kumbe zibethelwe kulo izandla ziphezulu inyawo ziphansi.”

Kodwa ubufakazi obedlula bonke esilabo buvela eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: “UKhristu wasihlenga esiqalekisweni somthetho ngokuba yisiqalekiso ngenxa yethu, ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu wonke olengiswa esihlahleni.’” (KwabaseGalathiya 3:13) Lapha uPhawuli uphinda amazwi acacileyo akuDutheronomi 21:22, 23 akhuluma ngesihlahla, hatshi isiphambano. Njengoba indlela le yokubulala yayisenza ukuthi umuntu abe ‘ngoqalekisiweyo,’ akulunganga ukuthi amaKhristu acecise ezindlini zawo ngezithombe zikaKhristu esesiphambanweni.

Akulabufakazi bokuthi okweminyaka engu-300 kusukela ekufeni kukaKhristu, labo ababezithi bangamaKhristu bake basebenzisa isiphambano ekukhonzeni kwabo. Kodwa ngekhulu lesine, iNkosi eyayingumhedeni uConstantine yaphenduka yaba lilunga lamaKhristu ahlamukayo yakhuthaza ukuthi isiphambano sibe luphawu lwawo. Lanxa singayazi inhloso kaConstantine, isiphambano kasilani loJesu Khristu. Isiphambano sivele sona saqalisela kumahedeni. Ibhuku lokuchwayisisa i-New Catholic Encyclopedia liyakuvuma lokho. Lithi: “Isiphambano siyatholakala emasikweni ayekhona isiKhristu singakabi khona lalawo ayengalani lesiKhristu.” Obunye ubufakazi butshengisa ukuthi isiphambano sasisetshenziswa ukukhonza imvelo kanye lesiko lobuhedeni lezemacansini.

Manje kungani lolu phawu lobuhedeni lwasekelwa kangaka? Kukhanya angathi lokhu kwakusenzelwa ukuthi abahedeni bamukele “isiKhristu.” Lanxa kunjalo iBhayibhili liyakucacisa ukuthi ukuzinikela kuloba yiluphi uphawu lwesihedeni kubi. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:14-18) IMibhalo ayikuvumeli ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhonzeni. (U-Eksodusi 20:4, 5; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:14) Ngenxa  yalokhu, amaKhristu eqiniso alesizatho esihle sokungasebenzisi isiphambano ekukhonzeni. *