Zaqala nini ukubakho izindlu zesikhungu?

IGAMA elithi “indlu yesikhungu” livela kwigama lesiGrike elithetha “indibano” okanye “ukuhlanganisana.” Kufanelekile ukuba zibizwe ngolu hlobo ezi zindlu, kuba kwakudala amaYuda ayedibanela kuzo ukuze afundiswe nokuze akhonze. IZibhalo ZesiHebhere azithethi nto icacileyo ngezindlu zesikhungu, kodwa kuyacaca kwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike ukuba ezi zindlu zazisele zikhona ngexesha labapostile.

Abaphengululi abaninzi bathi izindlu zesikhungu zaqala ukubakho xa amaYuda ayethinjelwe eBhabhiloni. IEncyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Abathinjwa babengenatempile, bengekho kwilizwe labo, ngoko xa befuna ukuthuthuzelwa babedla ngokudibana, mhlawumbi ngeeSabatha baze bafunde iZibhalo.” Emva kokuba amaYuda ekhululiwe ekuthinjweni, kubonakala ngathi aqhubeka edibana ukuze athandaze aze afunde iZibhalo, ibe ayesakha izindlu zesikhungu naphi na apho ayehlala khona.

Ngexesha labapostile, izindlu zesikhungu zaziyeyona ndawo akhonzela kuyo amaYuda nezazisenziwa kuyo izinto zasekuhlaleni ngabantu abahlala kufutshane noLwandle LweMeditera, kuMbindi Mpuma, nakwaSirayeli. UProfesa Lee Levine weHebrew University of Jerusalem uthi: “Izindlu zesikhungu zaziyindawo yokufunda, yezidlo ezingcwele, yokuxoxa amatyala, yokuqokelela iimali zasekuhlaleni, nekwakuqhutyelwa kuzo iintlanganiso zepolitiki nezasekuhlaleni.” Uphinda athi: “Eyona nto yayiphambili eyayisenziwa, kukukhonza.” Ngoko siyabona ukuba kwakutheni ukuze uYesu aye qho kwizindlu zesikhungu. (Marko 1:21; 6:2; Luka 4:16) Wayefundisa aze akhuthaze abantu ababekhona. Emva kokuba kuqaliswe ibandla lamaKristu, nompostile uPawulos wayeshumayela kakhulu kwizindlu zesikhungu. Abantu ababefuna ukusondela kuThixo babedla ngokuya kwizindlu zesikhungu, ngoko xa uPawulos efika edolophini, wayeqala ngokushumayela kwizindlu zesikhungu.​—IZe. 17:1, 2; 18:4.