Bewati Yini?
Bewuyinhlamba yini lomfanekiso waJesu lomayelana ‘netinja’?
Sitfombe semaGriki nobe semaRoma semntfwana lophetse umdlwane (kusukela ngelikhulu lekucala B.C.E. kuya ekhulwini lesibili C.E.)
Ngalelinye lilanga Jesu angephandle kwemncele wema-Israyeli esifundzeni saseRoma eSiriya, kweta wesifazane longumGriki atocela lusito. Imphendvulo yaJesu beyinemfanekiso lobewucatsanisa labo lebebangesiwo emaJuda kanye ‘netinja.’ Ngaphansi kwemtsetfo waMose, tinja betibhekwa njengetilwane letingcolile. (Levithikhusi 11:27) Ingabe Jesu bekametfuka yini lona wesifazane longumGriki kanye nalabo lebebangesiwo emaJuda?
Cha, bekangabetfuki. Jesu wachazela bafundzi bakhe kutsi bekanake kakhulu emaJuda. Ngako wachazela lowesifazane loko bekakusho, watsi: “Akukalungi kutsi kudla kwebantfwana kulahlwe etinjeni.” (Matewu 15:21-26; Makho 7:26) KumaGriki nakumaRoma, tinja bekutilwane letitsandvwako lebetihlala nebanikati bato etindlini futsi nebantfwana bebatsandza kudlala nato. Ngako ligama lelitsi ‘inja’ kungenteka lamenta wacabanga ngentfo lejabulisako naletsandzekako. Lowesifazane longumGriki wacale wazindla ngalamavi aJesu, wase uphendvula utsi: “Yebo, Nkhosi, ucinisile, kodvwa netinja tiyawatfola emavutfuluka lasele kubanikati bato.” Jesu wamncoma lowesifazane ngekukholwa kwakhe futsi wayiphilisa nendvodzakati yakhe.—Matewu 15:27, 28.
Besikahle yini leseluleko semphostoli Pawula, sekutsi bashayeli bemkhumbi bangasheshi bahambe?
Sitfombe semkhumbi lobatiwe wekutfwala timphahla (ngelikhulu lekucala C.E.)
Lomkhumbi lobuwulayishe Pawula umyisa e-Italy bewulwisana nemoya lomkhulu waselwandle. Ngesikhatsi umkhumbi uphumula, lomphostoli weluleka bashayeli bemkhumbi kutsi baluhlehlise luhambo lwabo, bangasachubeki nalo. (Imisebenti 27:9-12) Besikhona yini sizatfu sekutsi asho njalo?
Bashayeli bemkhumbi basendvulo bebati kahle kutsi ngesikhatsi sasebusika bekuyingoti kuhamba ngemkhumbi elwandle lwaseMedithera. Imikhumbi beyingahambi kusukela emkhatsini waNovember kuya emkhatsini waMarch. Kodvwa loluhambo Pawula abekhuluma ngalo belutawuba ngaSeptember nobe October. Encwadzini yakhe letsi Epitome of Military Science, umbhali longumRoma, Vegetius (wangelikhulu lesine C.E.) watsi: “Kuhamba ngemkhumbi kuletinye tinyanga kukahle, kuletinye kuhle kuba netingoti kantsi kuletinye akuhambeki sanhlobo.” Vegetius watsi kuhamba ngemkhumbi bekuphephile kusukela ngaMay 27 kuya kuSeptember 14 kantsi tinyanga lebetingabatisa naleto lebetiyingoti, beticala ngaSeptember 15 kuya kuNovember 11 kanye nakuMarch 11 kuya kuMay 26. Pawula lobekahle ahamba ngetikhatsi letitsite, bekatati kahle letikhatsi. Labashayeli bemkhumbi bebatati kahle nabo letikhatsi, kodvwa abazange basilalele ngemabomu seluleko saPawula. Lomkhumbi kuloluhambo wagcina uphihlikile.—Imisebenti 27:13-44.
