INDODA ethile yathola ipheshana phansi esitimeleni esasiya eNew York City. Lelo pheshana lalithi ‘umphefumulo womuntu uyafa.’ Le ndoda eyayingumfundisi yaba nesithakazelo futhi yaqala ukulifunda. Yamangala ngoba yayingakaze iyingabaze imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo. Ngaleso sikhathi yayingazi ukuthi ubani umbhali waleli pheshana. Noma kunjalo, leli phuzu layihlaba umxhwele. Yathola ukuthi lisekelwe emiBhalweni futhi okwakubhaliwe kwakukufanelekela ukuhlolisiswa.

Lo mfundisi kwakunguGeorge Storrs. Lokhu kwenzeka ngo-1837, unyaka uCharles Darwin aqala ngawo ukubhala encwajaneni yakhe imibono kamuva eyaba inkolelo-mbono yokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Ngaleso sikhathi iningi labantu lalisakholelwa kakhulu kuNkulunkulu. Abaningi babelifunda iBhayibheli futhi belihlonipha kakhulu.

Kamuva uStorrs wathola ukuthi leliya pheshana lalibhalwe uHenry Grew wasePhiladelphia, ePennsylvania. UGrew wayekholelwa kakhulu esimisweni esithi “umBhalo . . . uzichaza wona kangcono.” UGrew nozakwabo babelokhu betadisha iBhayibheli ngomgomo wokwenza ukuphila kwabo nezinto abazenzayo zivumelane neseluleko salo. Ukulitadisha kwabo kwembula amaqiniso amahle kakhulu asemiBhalweni.

Ethintwe yilokho okwakubhalwe uGrew, uStorrs wayifunda ngokucophelela imiBhalo ukuze athole ukuthi ithini ngomphefumulo futhi waxoxa ngale ndaba nabanye abefundisi. Ngemva kokutadishisisa iminyaka emihlanu, ekugcineni uStorrs wanquma ukulenza laziwe kabanzi leli qiniso lemiBhalo eliyigugu ayesanda kulithola. Ekuqaleni, walungiselela intshumayelo eyodwa ayezoyinikeza ngeSonto ngo-1842. Nokho, wabona isidingo sokunikeza nezinye izintshumayelo ezimbalwa ukuze ayicacise kahle le ndaba. Izintshumayelo zakhe ezikhuluma ngokufa komphefumulo womuntu zagcina zibe yisithupha, futhi wazinyathelisa, wabiza leyo ncwadi ngokuthi i-Six Sermons [Izintshumayelo Eziyisithupha]. UStorrs wayeqhathanisa imiBhalo ukuze embule iqiniso eliyigugu eligqitshwe izimfundiso zeLobukholwa ezingabonisi inhlonipho ngoNkulunkulu.

IBhayibheli lithi abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe bagqoka ukungafi njengomvuzo wokwethembeka kwabo. (1 Korinte 15:50-56) Uma ukungafi kuwumvuzo wabathembekile, uStorrs waphetha ngokuthi akunakwenzeka ukuthi umphefumulo wababi awufi. Kunokuhlawumbisela, wahlola imiBhalo. Wafunda uMathewu 10:28, ofundeka kanje: ‘Mesabeni onamandla okubhubhisa umphefumulo nomzimba esihogweni.’ (IBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile) Ngakho umphefumulo ungabhujiswa. Wafunda noHezekeli 18:4, othi: “Umphefumulo  owonayo uyakufa.” (IBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile) Lapho kuhlolisiswa lonke iBhayibheli, iqiniso eliyigugu lalivele lihlale obala. UStorrs wabhala: “Uma umbono wami ngale ndaba unembile, khona-ke nezingxenye eziningi zomBhalo eziye zasithwa yile nkolelo edumile ziyacaca, zijabulise, zizwakale futhi zibe namandla.”

Kodwa kuthiwani ngemiBhalo efana noJude 7? Lo mBhalo uthi: “Ngokufanayo iSodoma neGomora nemizi eyizungezile, ngemva kokuba nayo, ngendlela efanayo nokwandulele, yenze ubufebe ngokweqile futhi yalandela inyama ngenjongo yokuyisebenzisa ngendlela engeyona eyemvelo, ibekwe phambi kwethu njengesibonelo esiyisixwayiso ngokuthola isijeziso sokwahlulela somlilo waphakade.” Lapho befunda lo mBhalo, abathile bangase baphethe ngokuthi imiphefumulo yalabo ababhujiswa eSodoma naseGomora ihlushwa emlilweni kuze kube nini nanini. UStorrs wabhala: “Masiqhathanise imiBhalo.” Wabe esecaphuna eyesi-2 Petru 2:5, 6, efundeka kanje: ‘Nezwe lamandulo akaliyekanga‚ kodwa wamlondoloza uNowa mhla eletha uzamcolo ezweni elingamesabi uNkulunkulu; nemizi yaseSodoma neGomora wayahlulela wayichitha ngokuyiphendula umlotha‚ eyenza ibe yisiboniso kubo abangayikumesaba uNkulunkulu.’ (IBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile) Yebo, iSodoma neGomora yaphendulwa umlotha, izakhamuzi zakhona zabhujiswa phakade.

UStorrs wachaza: “UPetru wenza uJude acace kakhudlwana. Zombili lezi zincwadi zibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi izoni zilindelwe yini. . . . Izahlulelo ezatholwa izwe lamandulo, iSodoma neGomora, ziyisiyalo, isixwayiso, noma ‘isibonelo’ esiqhubekayo noma ‘esimi njalo,’ kubo bonke abantu kuze kube sekupheleni komhlaba.” Ngakho, uJude wakhuluma ngomphumela womlilo waseSodoma neGomora ngokuthi ungowaphakade. Lokho akulishintshi nakancane iqiniso lokuthi umphefumulo womuntu uyafa.

Akukhona ukuthi uStorrs wayesebenzisa imiBhalo esekela umbono wakhe, eminye angayinaki. Wayecabangela umongo wevesi ngalinye kuhlanganise nencazelo yeBhayibheli. Uma kubonakala sengathi ivesi lingqubuzana neminye imiBhalo, uStorrs wayehlola lonke iBhayibheli ukuze athole incazelo enengqondo.

Phakathi kwalabo abazihlanganisa noGeorge Storrs kwakunensizwa eyayihlela iqembu elitadisha iBhayibheli ePittsburgh, ePennsylvania. Igama layo kwakunguCharles Taze Russell. Enye yezingxoxo zikaCharles zokuqala ezikhuluma ngemiBhalo yanyatheliswa ngo-1876 kumagazini i-Bible Examiner, owawuhlelwa uStorrs. URussell wavuma ukuthi abafundi beBhayibheli bokuqala babebe nethonya kuye. Kamuva lapho esengumhleli we-Zion’s Watch Tower, walwazisa usizo lukaStorrs olukhulu, lokho akusho nakubhala.

Lapho eneminyaka engu-18, uC. T. Russell wahlela ikilasi elitadisha iBhayibheli, wenza nokuba kube nendlela ehlelekile yokulitadisha. U-A. H. Macmillan, owayengumfundi weBhayibheli kanye noRussell, wayichaza le ndlela kanje: “Kwakuba khona obuza umbuzo. Ngemva kwalokho kwakuxoxwa ngawo. Kwakubhekwa yonke imiBhalo ehlobana nalelo phuzu bese kuthi lapho sebanelisekile ngokuvumelana kwalawo mavesi, basho ukuthi bafika kusiphi isiphetho futhi basibhale phansi.”

URussell wayeqiniseka ukuthi uma iBhayibheli libhekwa lilonke, kumelwe lembule umyalezo ongaguquguquki novumelana nobuntu boMlobi walo, uNkulunkulu. Uma kuba nevesi leBhayibheli elibonakala kunzima ukuliqonda, uRussell wayekholelwa ukuthi kufanele licaciswe futhi lichazwe amanye amavesi eBhayibheli.

Nokho, kwakungaqali ngoRussell noma ngoStorrs noma ngoGrew ukuvumela imiBhalo izichaze yona. Le nqubo endala kakhulu yaqalwa uMsunguli WobuKristu, uJesu Kristu. Wayesebenzisa imiBhalo eminingi ukuze  acacise incazelo eyiqiniso yomBhalo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abaFarisi begxeka abafundi bakhe ngokukha izikhwebu ngeSabatha, uJesu wasebenzisa ukulandisa okukweyoku-1 Samuweli 21:6 ukuze abonise indlela okufanele usetshenziswe ngayo umthetho weSabatha. Abaholi benkolo babeyazi leyo ndaba ekhuluma ngoDavide namadoda akanye naye abadla izinkwa zokubukwa. UJesu wabe esekhuluma ngengxenye yoMthetho eyayithi ngabapristi bozalo luka-Aroni kuphela okwakufanele badle izinkwa zokubukwa. (Eksodusi 29:32, 33; Levitikusi 24:9) Noma kunjalo, uDavide watshelwa ukuba azidle lezo zinkwa. UJesu waphetha leli phuzu elikholisayo ngokucaphuna incwadi kaHoseya: “Ukube benikuqondile ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokhu, ‘Ngifuna isihe, hhayi umhlatshelo,’ ngabe anibalahlanga laba abangenacala.” (Mathewu 12:1-8) Yeka isibonelo esihle sokuqhathanisa imiBhalo ukuze iqondwe ngokunembile!

Abalandeli bakaJesu banamathela kuleyo ndlela yokuqhathanisa imiBhalo ukuze ibacacele kangcono. Lapho umphostoli uPawulu efundisa abantu eThesalonika, “wabonisana nabo ngemiBhalo, echaza futhi ebonisa ngezingcaphuno ukuthi kwakudingekile ukuba uKristu ahlupheke futhi avuke kwabafileyo.” (IzEnzo 17:2, 3) Nasezincwadini zakhe eziphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu, uPawulu wavumela iBhayibheli ukuba kube yilona elizichazayo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho ebhalela amaHebheru, wacaphuna imiBhalo eminingi ukuze afakazele ukuthi uMthetho wawuyisithunzi sezinto ezinhle ezizayo.—Hebheru 10:1-18.

Yebo, abafundi beBhayibheli abaqotho ekhulwini leminyaka le-19 nasekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20 babelandela leyo ndlela yobuKristu. Ukuqhathanisa imiBhalo kusenziwa nakumagazini INqabayokulinda. (2 Thesalonika 2:15) OFakazi BakaJehova basebenzisa lesi simiso lapho behlaziya umBhalo.

Lapho sifunda iBhayibheli, singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaJesu esihle nesabalandeli bakhe abathembekile? Okokuqala, singacabangela umongo womBhalo ocatshangelwayo. Umongo ungasisiza kanjani siqonde incazelo? Nasi isibonelo. Cabanga ngamazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 16:28: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini kukhona abanye kulaba abemi lapha abangeke bakunambithe nhlobo ukufa baze babone iNdodana yomuntu kuqala iza embusweni wayo.” Abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi la mazwi awazange agcwaliseke ngoba bonke abafundi bakaJesu ababekhona lapho esho la mazwi bafa ngaphambi kokumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu emazulwini. I-Interpreter’s Bible ize isho lokhu ngaleli vesi: “Lesi sibikezelo asizange sigcwaliseke, futhi kamuva amaKristu abona kudingeka ukuba achaze ukuthi sasingokomfanekiso.”

Nokho, umongo waleli vesi, kuhlanganise nomongo osencwadini kaMarku noLuka olandisa indaba efanayo usisiza ukuba siqonde incazelo yangempela yalo mBhalo. Yini eyashiwo uMathewu ngemva nje kwamazwi acashunwe ngenhla? Wabhala: “Ezinsukwini eziyisithupha kamuva uJesu wathatha uPetru noJakobe noJohane umfowabo wabanyusela entabeni ephakeme bebodwa. Waguqulwa isimo phambi kwabo.” (Mathewu 17:1, 2) UMarku noLuka nabo bahlobanisa amazwi kaJesu ngoMbuso nokulandisa kokuguqulwa isimo. (Marku 9:1-8; Luka 9:27-36) Ukuza kukaJesu emandleni oMbuso kwaboniswa ngokuguqulwa kwakhe isimo, ukubonakala kwakhe ekhazimula phambi kwabaphostoli abathathu. UPetru ufakazela leli phuzu lapho ekhuluma ‘ngamandla nokuba khona kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu,’ ngokuqondene nokubona kwakhe uJesu eguqulwa isimo.—2 Petru 1:16-18.

Kuthiwani uma ungawuqondi umBhalo nangemva nokucabangela umongo wawo? Kungase kukusize ukuwuqhathanisa neminye imiBhalo, ube nomqondo weBhayibheli lilonke. Ithuluzi elihle kakhulu lokwenza lokhu litholakala kuyi-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha YemiBhalo  Engcwele, manje esitholakala iphelele noma iyingxenye ngezilimi ezingu-57. Kuyo kunohlu lwezikhombo eziseceleni eziba phakathi nendawo nekhasi ezinhlelweni zayo eziningi. Ungathola izikhombo ezingaphezu kuka-125 000 kuyi-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References, etholakala ngezilimi eziningi eziyinhloko. “Isethulo” salelo Bhayibheli siyachaza: “Ukuqhathaniswa kwezikhombo ngokucophelela nokuhlolwa kwemiBhalo yaphansi ehambisana nazo kwembula ukuthi izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezingu-66 ziyavumelana, kufakazele nokuthi zakha incwadi eyodwa ephefumulelwe uNkulunkulu.”

Ake sibone indlela okungasisiza ngayo ukusebenzisa izikhombo ukuze siqonde umBhalo. Isibonelo salokhu umlando ka-Abrama noma u-Abrahama. Cabanga ngalo mbuzo: “Ubani owayehola lapho u-Abrama nomkhaya wakhe bephuma e-Uri?” UGenesise 11:31 ufundeka kanje: “UThera wathatha u-Abrama indodana yakhe, noLoti . . . noSarayi umalokazana wakhe, . . . baphuma naye e-Uri lamaKhaledi baya ezweni laseKhanani. Ngemva kwesikhathi bafika eHarana bahlala khona.” Uma umuntu efunda leli vesi angase aphethe ngokuthi nguThera, uyise ka-Abrama, owayehola. Nokho, kuyi-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha, sithola izikhombo ezingu-11 zaleli vesi. Esokugcina sisikhomba kuzEnzo 7:2, lapho sifunda khona ngesiyalo sikaStefanu esasiya kumaJuda ekhulu lokuqala: “UNkulunkulu wenkazimulo wabonakala kukhokho wethu u-Abrahama lapho eseMesophothamiya, ngaphambi kokuba ahlale eHarana, futhi wathi kuye, ‘Phuma ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho uye ezweni engizokutshengisa lona.’” (IzEnzo 7:2, 3) Ingabe uStefanu wayephambanisa lokhu nokusuka kuka-Abrama eHarana? Kusobala ukuthi akunjalo ngoba leli vesi liyingxenye yeZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe.—Genesise 12:1-3.

Pho kungani uGenesise 11:31 ethi “uThera wathatha u-Abrama indodana yakhe” nabanye emndenini wakhe baphuma e-Uri? UThera wayeseyinhloko yomndeni wezinzalamizi. Wavuma ukuhamba no-Abrama, ngakho kwathiwa nguyena owathutha umndeni wawuyisa eHarana. Ngokuqhathanisa nangokuvumelanisa le miBhalo emibili, ngamehlo ethu engqondo singakubona kahle okwenzeka. Ngenhlonipho, u-Abrama wenza uyise wavuma ukushiya i-Uri ngokuvumelana nomyalo kaNkulunkulu.

Lapho sifunda imiBhalo, kufanele sicabangele umongo nokushiwo yiBhayibheli lilonke. Naku amaKristu atshelwa khona: “Asamukelanga umoya wezwe, kodwa umoya ovela kuNkulunkulu, ukuze sazi izinto esizinikwe uNkulunkulu ngomusa. Lezi zinto futhi siyazikhuluma, hhayi ngamazwi esiwafundiswe ukuhlakanipha kwabantu, kodwa ngamazwi esiwafundiswe umoya, njengoba sihlanganisa izindaba ezingokomoya namazwi angokomoya.” (1 Korinte 2:11-13) Yebo, kumelwe sinxuse uJehova asisize siqonde iZwi lakhe futhi sizame ‘ukuhlanganisa izindaba ezingokomoya namazwi angokomoya’ ngokuhlola umongo womBhalo okuxoxwa ngawo nangokuhlola eminye imiBhalo ehlobene. Kwangathi singaqhubeka sithola amaqiniso ayigugu ngokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu.