IBHAYIBHELI alisitsheli ukuthi uJesu wazalwa nini. Kodwa liyasinikeza isizathu esizwakalayo sokuphetha ngokuthi akazalwanga ngo-December.

Cabanga ngesimo sezulu sango-December eBhetlehema, lapho uJesu azalelwa khona. Inyanga yamaJuda uChislev (engu-November/December) kwakuyinyanga yamakhaza nemvula. Inyanga elandela leyo kwakunguTebeth (December/January). Amakhaza ayeshubisa umnkantsha ngale nyanga, ngezinye izikhathi likhithike ezinkangala. Ake sizwe ukuthi iBhayibheli lithini ngesimo sezulu sale ndawo.

Umlobi weBhayibheli u-Ezra uveza ukuthi uChislev ngempela wawuyinyanga eyaziwa ngamakhaza nemvula. Ngemva kokuba ethe isixuku sasikade sibuthene eJerusalema “ngenyanga yesishiyagalolunye [uChislev] ngosuku lwamashumi amabili  lwenyanga,” u-Ezra ubika ukuthi abantu ‘babeqhaqhazela ngenxa yezihlambi zemvula.’ Mayelana nesimo sezulu ngaleso sikhathi sonyaka, kwabona abantu ababebuthene bathi: “Yinkathi yezihlambi zemvula, asikwazi ukuma ngaphandle.” (Ezra 10:9, 13; Jeremiya 36:22) Yingakho abelusi ababehlala kule ndawo babeqiniseka ukuthi bona nemihlambi yabo abekho ngaphandle ebusuku ngo-December!

Nokho, iBhayibheli lithi abelusi babesendle beluse imihlambi yabo ngobusuku uJesu azalwa ngabo. Eqinisweni, umlobi weBhayibheli uLuka uthi ngaleso sikhathi, abelusi ‘babehlala ngaphandle belinda imihlambi yabo ebusuku’ eduze kwaseBhetlehema. (Luka 2:8-12) Phawula ukuthi abelusi babehlala ngaphandle, akukhona ukuthi bebezihambahambela nje ngaphandle emini. Babenemihlambi yabo endle ebusuku. Ingabe leyo ncazelo yokuthi babehlala ngaphandle iyafanelana nesimo sezulu semvula saseBhetlehema ngo-December? Cha, ayifanelani. Ngakho okwenzeka ngesikhathi uJesu ezalwa kubonisa ukuthi akazalwanga ngo-December. *

IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ngokunembile ukuthi uJesu wafa nini, kodwa kuncane elikushoyo ngokuthi wazalwa nini. Lokhu kusikhumbuza amazwi eNkosi uSolomoni: “Igama lingcono kunamafutha amahle, nosuku lokufa lungcono kunosuku lokuzalwa komuntu.” (UmShumayeli 7:1) Akumangazi-ke ukuthi iBhayibheli lisho okuningi ngenkonzo nokufa kukaJesu kodwa okumbalwa ngesikhathi sokuzalwa kwakhe.