Ngokuphambene nemfundiso edumile kaKhisimusi, iBhayibheli aliwasebenzisi amagama athi “izazi ezintathu” noma “amakhosi amathathu” ukuchaza izihambi ezafika zizobona uJesu ngemva kokuzalwa kwakhe. (Mathewu 2:1) Kunalokho, umlobi weVangeli uMathewu usebenzisa igama lesiGreki elithi ma’goi lapho echaza labo abavakashela uJesu. Leli gama cishe lichaza ochwepheshe ababhula ngezinkanyezi neminye imilingo. a AmaBhayibheli amaningi ababiza ngokuthi “ababhula ngezinkanyezi” noma “amamagi.” b

•  Kwafika “izazi” ezingaki?

•  Ingabe lezi “zazi” zazingamakhosi?

•  Ayengobani amagama alezo “zazi” ezavakashela uJesu?

•  Zamvakashela nini uJesu lezi “zazi”?

•  Ingabe uNkulunkulu owabangela ukuba lezi “zazi” zilandele “inkanyezi” yaseBethlehema?

 Kwafika “izazi” ezingaki?

 IBhayibheli alisitsheli, kanti isibalo sazo siyahlukahluka kuye ngokwezincazelo zabantu. Ngokwe-Encyclopedia Britannica, “AbaseMpumalanga babeka inani lalezi zazi ku-12, kodwa abaseNtshonalanga babeka isibalo sazo emadodeni amathathu, cishe ngenxa yezipho ezintathu ‘igolide, nenhlaka yempepho nemure’ (Mathewu 2:11) azinikeza umntwana.”

 Ingabe lezi “zazi” zazingamakhosi?

 Nakuba emasikweni kaKhisimusi lezi zivakashi ngokuvamile zichazwa ngaleyo ndlela, akukho eBhayibhelini lapho zibizwa khona ngamakhosi. Ngokwe-Encyclopedia Britannica, leso siqu sanezelwa emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva njengenxenye yamasiko ayenza le “ndaba ibabazeke kakhulu.”

 Ayengobani amagama alezi “zazi?”

 IBhayibheli alisitsheli amagama alaba ababhula ngezinkanyezi. Ngokwe-International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “imizamo yokubiza ngamagama (njengokuthi uGaspar, uMelchior, noBalthasar) isekelwe ezinganekwaneni.”

 Zamvakashela nini uJesu lezi “zazi”?

 Kungenzeka ukuthi laba ababhula ngezinkanyezi bavakashela uJesu ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile ngemva kokuzalwa kwakhe. Lokhu kusobala ngoba iNkosi uHerode, owayefuna uJesu abulawe, wayala ukuba kubulawe abafana ababeneminyaka emibili ubudala nangaphansi. Wayesekela leyo minyaka kulokho ayekutshelwe izazi zezinkanyezi.—Mathewu 2:16.

 Ababhula ngezinkanyezi abazange bamvakashele uJesu ngobusuku azalwa ngabo. IBhayibheli lithi: “Lapho bengena endlini bambona umntwana enoMariya unina.” (Mathewu 2:11) Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi lo mndeni ngaleso sikhathi wawusuhlala endlini nokuthi uJesu wayengaselona usana olusemkhombeni.—Luka 2:16.

 Ingabe nguNkulunkulu owabangela ukuba lezi “zazi” zilandele “inkanyezi” yaseBethlehema?

 Abanye abantu bakholelwa ukuthi nguNkulunkulu owathumela lokho okwaziwa ngokuthi inkanyezi yaseBethlehema ukuba iqondise ababhula ngezinkanyezi kuJesu. Ake sibone ukuthi kungani lokhu kungeke kube yiqiniso.

•   Lokho okwakubonakala njengenkanyezi kwaqale kwaholela ababhula ngezinkanyezi eJerusalema. IBhayibheli lithi: “Kweza eJerusalema ababhula ngezinkanyezi bevela eMpumalanga, bathi: ‘Uphi lowo ozelwe oyinkosi yamaJuda? Ngoba sibone inkanyezi yakhe siseMpumalanga, futhi size ukuzomkhothamela.”—Mathewu 2:1, 2.

•   INkosi uHerode ingeyokuqala ukuyalela ababhula ngezinkanyezi ukuba baye eBethlehema hhayi “inkanyezi.” Lapho ezwa ngembangi “eyinkosi yamaJuda,” uHerode waphenya ukuthi wayezozalelwaphi uKristu othenjisiwe. (Mathewu 2:3-6) Lapho ezwa ukuthi wayezozalelwa eBethlehema, watshela ababhula ngezinkanyezi ukuba baye lapho, bafune umntwana, bese bebuya bamtshele.

   Yingaleso sikhathi lapho ababhula ngezinkanyezi baya khona eBethlehema. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngemva kokuba inkosi ibatshele lokhu bahamba, bheka! inkanyezi ababeyibone ngesikhathi beseMpumalanga yahamba phambi kwabo, yaze yama phezu kwalapho umntwana ayekhona.”—Mathewu 2:9

•   Ukubonakala “kwenkanyezi” kwasusa izenzakalo ezasongela ukuphila kukaJesu futhi kwaphumela ekubulaweni kwabantwana abangenacala. Lapho ababhula ngezinkanyezi behamba eBethlehema, uNkulunkulu wabaxwayisa ukuba bangabuyeli kuHerode.—Mathewu 2:12.

 Wenze njani uHerode? IBhayibheli lithi: “Lapho uHerode ebona ukuthi ababhula ngezinkanyezi babemhlakaniphele, wathukuthela kakhulu, wayesethumela wayala ukuba kubulawe bonke abafana eBhetlehema nakuzo zonke izifunda zakhona, kusukela kwabaneminyaka emibili ubudala nangaphansi, ngokwesikhathi ayesitholisise kahle kwababhula ngezinkanyezi.” (Mathewu 2:16) UNkulunkulu wayengeke abangele into embi kanjalo ukuba yenzeke.—Jobe 34:10