Amasiko KaKhisimusi—Ingabe AwubuKristu?

ISIKHATHI sikaKhisimusi sesifikile. Kusho ukuthini lokho kuwe, emkhayeni wakho nakubangane bakho? Ingabe yisikhathi sezinto ezingokomoya, noma kumane kuyisikhathi sezinjabulo nokuzithokozisa? Ingabe yisikhathi sokucabanga ngokuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu noma esokungazikhathazi ngezinkambiso zobuKristu?

Njengoba ucabanga ngaleyo mibuzo, khumbula ukuthi amasiko kaKhisimusi angase ahlukahluke, kuye ngokuthi uhlalaphi. Ngokwesibonelo, eMexico nakwamanye amazwe aseLatin-America, ngisho negama lawo lihlukile. Enye i-encyclopedia iveza ukuthi igama lesiNgisi elithi Christmas “lisuselwa kwelidala elithi Christes Masse, iMisa LikaKristu.” Nokho, i-Navidad, noma uKuzalwa, njengoba ubizwa kanjalo kula mazwe aseLatin-America, ibhekisela ekuzalweni kukaKristu. Ake uthi ukuhlola eminye yemidanti yaseMexico. Lokhu kungase kukusize ekubumbeni owakho umbono ngale nkathi yamaholide.

Ama-Posada, “Izazi Ezintathu” Ne-Nacimiento

Amadili aqala ngo-December 16 ngama-posada. Incwadi i-Mexico’s Feasts of Life ithi: “Yisikhathi sama-posada, izinsuku zokwesasa eziyisishiyagalolunye zangaphambi kosuku lukaKhisimusi, zokugubha ukuzulazula kukaJosefa noMariya bebodwa emzini waseBetlehema nesikhathi lapho bethola umusa nendawo yokukhosela ekugcineni. Imindeni nabangane bayabuthana njalo ebusuku ukuze badlale izigcawu zalokho okwenzeka ezinsukwini ezandulela ukuzalwa kukaKristu.”

Ngokwesiko, iqembu labantu liphatha izithombe zikaMariya noJosefa liye emzini othile lifike licele ngengoma ukukhoseliswa, noma i-posada. Labo abasendlini baphendula ngengoma, ekugcineni izivakashi zingeniswe endlini. Kube sekuqala idili, kube nabathile—abavalwe amehlo futhi baphathiswa induku—abashintshana ngokuzama ukuphihliza i-piñata, ukhamba olukhulu oluhlotshisiwe olulengiswa ngendophi. Kuthi uma seluphukile, kuqoqwe okuphume kulo (uswidi, izithelo nokunye okunjalo). Kube sekulandela ukudla, iziphuzo, umculo nokudansa. Kwenziwa amadili e-posada angu-8 kusukela ngo-December 16 kuya ku-December 23. Ngomhla ka-24, kugujwa i-Nochebuena (ubusuku bangaphambi kukaKhisimusi), futhi imindeni yenza umzamo wokuba ndawonye esidlweni esikhethekile.

Kungakabiphi, kube sekufika uNcibijane, ogujwa ngamadili anomsindo omkhulu. Kusihlwa ngo-January 5, kuthiwa i-Tres Reyes Magos (“izazi ezintathu”) ilethela izingane amathoyizi. Umvuthwandaba uba yidili lango-January 6, lapho kudliwa khona i-rosca de Reyes (ikhekhe elimi sandandatho). Njengoba kudliwa leli khekhe, othile uzothola ocezwini lwakhe unodoli omncanyana omelela umntwana uJesu. Owutholile ubophekile ukuhlela nokwenza idili lokugcina ngo-February 2. (Kwezinye izindawo kuba nonodoli abancane abathathu abamemele “izazi ezintathu.”) Njengoba ubona, amadili ahambisana noKhisimusi alokhu eqhubekile.

Ngale nkathi, i-nacimiento (umbukiso woKuzalwa) uvelele impela. Kuhilelekeni kuwo? Ezindaweni zomphakathi, emasontweni nasemizini yabantu kumiswa imifanekiso yabantu bokuzakhela (abakhulu noma abancane) bokhuni noma  bobumba. Bamelela uJosefa noMariya beguqe phambi komkhombe onomntwana osanda kuzalwa. Ngokuvamile kuba nabelusi ne-Los Reyes Magos (“izazi”). Konke lokhu kusesitebeleni, futhi kungase kube nezilwane ezenza lo mfanekiso uphelele. Nokho, umuntu oqavile umntwana osanda kuzalwa, ngeSpanishi okuthiwa yi-el Niño Dios (uNkulunkulu owuMntwana). Lo muntu obalulekile angase abekwe lapho ngobusuku obandulela uKhisimusi.

Ukuhlolisisa Amasiko OMfanekiso Wokuzalwa

Mayelana nokugujwa kukaKhisimusi ngokwendlela okwaziwa ngayo ngokuvamile emhlabeni wonke, i-Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “Iningi lamasiko ahlotshaniswa noKhisimusi manje lalingewona amasiko kaKhisimusi ekuqaleni kodwa lalingamasiko angaphambi kobuKristu nangahambisani nobuKristu amukelwa yisonto lobuKristu. ISaturnalia, umkhosi wamaRoma owawugujwa phakathi no-December, waba yisibonelo samasiko amaningi okuzithokozisa ahambisana noKhisimusi. Ngokwesibonelo, kwathathelwa kulo mkhosi ukwenziwa kwamadili amakhulu, ukuphana ngezipho nokukhanyisa amakhandlela.”

ELatin America, kungase kwenziwe lawo masiko ayisisekelo oKuzalwa kanye namanye anezelwe. Ungase uzibuze ukuthi, ‘Kazi asukaphi.’ Uma singagwegwesi nje, abaningi abafuna ukunamathela eBhayibhelini bayaqaphela ukuthi amanye amasiko amane ayimikhuba yama-Aztec. I-Universal, iphephandaba laseMexico City, yathi: “Abefundisi bezinkolo ezihlukahlukene basizakala ngokuthi imikhosi eminingi yekhalenda lamaNdiya lemigidi yayiqondana nekhalenda lemidanti yokukhulekela yobuKatolika, ngakho basebenzisa lokhu ukuze basekele umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela ivangeli nowezithunywa zevangeli. Esikhundleni semigubho yonkulunkulu bangaphambi kwezinkambiso zaseLatin-America bangenisa imigubho yonkulunkulu bobuKristu, bafaka imikhosi nemidanti yesiLungu, kodwa futhi basebenzisa nemigubho yamaNdiya, okwaphumela kuyingxubevange yamasiko okwavela kuyo izinkambiso zaseMexico.”

I-Encyclopedia Americana iyachaza: “Kudala  imidlalo yoKuzalwa [kukaJesu] yaba yingxenye yokugujwa kukaKhisimusi . . . Umfanekiso wasesontweni wokuzalwa [kukaJesu] kuthiwa waqalwa nguSanta Francis.” Le midlalo ebonisa ukuzalwa kukaKristu yayidlalwa emasontweni ekuqaleni kwenqubo yokwakhiwa kwamakoloni eMexico. Yayihlelwa yizindela zamaFranciscan ukuze zifundise amaNdiya ngoKuzalwa kukaJesu. Kamuva ama-posada athandwa ngokwengeziwe. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwakuhlosweni ngawo ekuqaleni, indlela ama-posada enziwa ngayo namuhla isho lukhulu ngawo. Uma useMexico ngale nkathi, ubona noma uzwe lokho umlobi we-Universal akuqokomisa emazwini akhe: “Ama-posada, ayeyindlela yokusikhumbuza ngohambo lwabazali bakaJesu befuna indawo yokukhosela lapho uNkulunkulu owuMntwana ayengazalelwa khona, namuhla amane ayizindawo zokudakwa, ukuzitika, ukuminza, ize leze nobugebengu obandayo.”

Umqondo we-nacimiento wavela ngezikhathi zokwakhiwa kwamakoloni ususelwa emibukisweni yokuqala yabantu abangokoqobo emasontweni. Nakuba ikhanga kwabanye, ingabe ikuveza ngokunembile lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo? Lowo mbuzo uyafaneleka. Lapho kufika labo okuthiwa yizazi ezintathu—empeleni okwakungababhula ngezinkanyezi—uJesu nomkhaya wakubo babengasahlali esitebeleni. Kwase kudlule isikhathi, futhi lo mkhaya wawusuhlala endlini. Uzokuthola kuthakazelisa ukuphawula lokhu ekulandiseni okuphefumulelwe okukuMathewu 2:1, 11. Ungaphawula nokuthi iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi babebangaki ababhula ngezinkanyezi. *

ELatin America, izazi ezintathu zithatha isikhundla sikaFather Christmas. Nakhona, njengoba kwenziwa kwamanye amazwe, abazali abaningi bafihla amathoyizi endlini. Ekuseni ngo-January 6, izingane ziyawafuna, kube njengokungathi alethwe yizazi ezintathu. Lesi yisikhathi sokwenza imali kubathengisi bamathoyizi, futhi abanye babo baye benza izizumbulu zemali ngalokho abantu abaningi abanezinhliziyo eziqotho abakubonayo ukuthi kumane kuyiphupho. Abaningi impela bayayeka ukukholelwa kule nsumansumane yezazi ezintathu, ngisho nezingane ezincane imbala. Nakuba kubaphatha kabi abanye ukuthi bayancipha abakholelwa kule nsumansumane, yini ongayilindela ngephupho eliye lalondolozwa ngenxa nje yesiko nenzuzo yezentengiselwano?

AmaKristu okuqala ayengawugubhi uKhisimusi, noma uKuzalwa. Enye i-encyclopedia ithi ngalokhu: “Lo mkhosi wawungagujwa emakhulwini okuqala esonto lobuKristu, njengoba amaKristu ngokuvamile ayegubha ukufa kwabantu abaphawulekayo kunokuzalwa kwabo.” IBhayibheli likuhlobanisa namaqaba ukugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa, hhayi nabakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu beqiniso.—Mathewu 14:6-10.

Yebo, lokhu akusho ukuthi akuzuzisi ukufunda nokukhumbula izenzakalo zangempela ezihilelekile ekuzalweni kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuyiqiniso kunikeza ukuqonda nezifundo ezibalulekile kubo bonke abafuna ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.

Ukuzalwa KukaJesu NgokweBhayibheli

Uzothola ukwaziswa okunokwethenjelwa mayelana nokuzalwa kukaJesu emaVangelini kaMathewu noLuka. Abonisa ukuthi ingelosi  uGabriyeli yafika kowesifazane ongashadile ogama lakhe linguMariya emzaneni waseGalile iNazaretha. Yaletha muphi umyalezo? “Bheka! uzokhulelwa esibelethweni sakho futhi ubelethe indodana, kumelwe uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJesu. Lena iyoba nkulu futhi iyobizwa ngokuthi iNdodana YoPhezukonke; futhi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyoyinika isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavide uyise, futhi iyobusa njengenkosi phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube phakade, futhi umbuso wayo ngeke ube nakuphela.”—Luka 1:31-33.

Lo myalezo wammangaza kakhulu uMariya. Njengoba ayengashadile, wathi: “Lokhu kuyokwenzeka kanjani, njengoba ngingabi nabuhlobo bobulili nendoda?” Ingelosi yaphendula: “Umoya ongcwele uzokwehlela phezu kwakho, futhi amandla oPhezukonke akusibekele. Ngenxa yalesosizathu futhi lokho okuzelwe kuyobizwa ngokuthi kungcwele, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” UMariya, eqaphela ukuthi lokhu kwakuyintando kaNkulunkulu, wathi: “Bheka! Intombazane kaJehova eyisigqila! Kwangathi kungenzeka kimi njengokwesimemezelo sakho.”—Luka 1:34-38.

Ingelosi yatshela uJosefa ngokuzalwa okuyisimangaliso ukuze angahlukanisi noMariya, okuyinto ayehlela ukuyenza ngemva kokuba ezwe ngokukhulelwa kwakhe. Ngemva kwalokho wazimisela ukusingatha umthwalo wokunakekela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 1:18-25.

Umyalo ovela kuKesari Awugustu wabe usuphoqa uJosefa noMariya ukuba bahambe eNazaretha eseGalile baye eBetlehema eJudiya, emzini wokhokho babo, bayobhaliswa. “Ngesikhathi belapho, izinsuku zokuba abelethe zaphelela. Futhi wayibeletha indodana yakhe, izibulo, futhi wayibopha ngemidweshu yendwangu wayibeka emkhombeni, ngoba abayitholanga indawo ekamelweni lokungenisa.”—Luka 2:1-7.

ULuka 2:8-14 uchaza okwalandela: “Futhi kulelozwe elifanayo kwakukhona abelusi behlala ngaphandle futhi belinde imihlambi yabo phakathi nemilindo ebusuku. Futhi ngokushesha ingelosi kaJehova yema ngakubo, futhi inkazimulo kaJehova yabengezela kubo nxazonke, futhi besaba kakhulu. Kodwa ingelosi yathi kubo: ‘Ningesabi, ngoba, bhekani! ngimemezela kini izindaba ezinhle zenjabulo enkulu bonke abantu abazoba nayo, ngoba nizalelwe namuhla uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi, emzini kaDavide. Futhi yilesi isibonakaliso kini: Nizothola usana luboshwe ngemidweshu yendwangu lulele emkhombeni.’ Futhi kungazelelwe kanye nengelosi kwaba noquqaba lwebutho lasezulwini, ludumisa uNkulunkulu futhi luthi: ‘Inkazimulo kuNkulunkulu ezindaweni eziphakeme eziphezulu, naphezu komhlaba ukuthula phakathi kwabantu abathakazelelwayo.’”

Ababhula Ngezinkanyezi

Ukulandisa kukaMathewu kuthi ababhula ngezinkanyezi abavela eMpumalanga bafika eJerusalema befuna indawo okwakuzelwe kuyo iNkosi yamaJuda. INkosi uHerode yaba nesithakazelo esikhulu kulokhu—kodwa hhayi ngezinhloso ezinhle. “Ebathumela eBetlehema, wathi: ‘Hambani nimfune ngokucophelela umntwana omncane, futhi uma senimtholile nibuye nizongibikela, ukuze nami ngiye ukuyomkhothamela.’” Ababhula ngezinkanyezi bamthola umntwana omncane futhi “bavula amagugu abo bamupha izipho, igolide nenhlaka yempepho nemure.” Kodwa abaphindelanga kuHerode. “[Banikwa] isixwayiso saphezulu ephusheni ukuba bangabuyeli kuHerode.” UNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ingelosi ukuze axwayise uJosefa ngezinhloso zikaHerode. UJosefa noMariya babe sebebalekela eGibithe nendodana yabo. Izama ukubulala le Nkosi entsha, iNkosi uHerode yabe isiyala ukuba kubulawe abafana basendaweni yaseJerusalema. Baphi abafana? Labo ababeneminyaka emibili ubudala kuya phansi.—Mathewu 2:1-16.

Singafundani Kulokhu Kulandisa?

Ababhula ngezinkanyezi abafika—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi babebangaki—babengamkhulekeli uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Embhalweni waphansi, inguqulo yeBhayibheli i-La Nueva Biblia Latinoamérica (uHlelo luka-1989) ithi: “Laba [benzi bemilingo] babengewona amakhosi, kodwa babengababhuli nabapristi benkolo yobuqaba.” Babezè ngokuvumelana nolwazi lwabo lwezinkanyezi ababezinikele kuzo. Ukube uNkulunkulu wayefuna ukubaqondisa emntwaneni omncane, babeyoyiswa endaweni eqondile ngaphandle kokuba baqale badlule esigodlweni sikaHerode eJerusalema. Kamuva, uNkulunkulu wangenela washintsha  indlela ababezohamba ngayo ukuze avikele umntwana.

Ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi lokhu kulandisa kuvame ukwenziwa kungaqondakali futhi kunandiswe ngendlela eyenza kucashe okuyiyona nto ebaluleke kakhulu: ukuthi lo mntwana wazalelwa ukuba abe yiNkosi enhle kakhulu, njengoba kwakushiwo kuMariya nakubelusi. Cha, uJesu Kristu akaseyena umntwana manje, noma ngisho ingane ekhulakhulile. UyiNkosi ebusayo yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, maduze nje ozosusa konke ukubusa okuphikisana nentando kaNkulunkulu, futhi uzoxazulula zonke izinkinga zesintu. Yilowo Mbuso esisuke siwucela emthandazweni othi Baba Wethu.—Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:9, 10.

Emazwini izingelosi ezawasho kubelusi sithola ukuthi ithuba lensindiso lisavulekele bonke abazimisele ukuzwa umyalezo wezindaba ezinhle. Labo abathola umusa kaNkulunkulu baba “abantu abathakazelelwayo.” Kunamathemba amangalisayo okuthula kulo lonke izwe elingaphansi koMbuso kaJesu Kristu, kodwa abantu kumelwe bazimisele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Ingabe inkathi kaKhisimusi yenza kwenziwe lokhu, futhi ingabe ibonisa leso sifiso? Abantu abaningi abaqotho abafuna ukulandela iBhayibheli banomuzwa wokuthi impendulo isobala.—Luka 2:10, 11, 14.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 4]

ABANYE BANGAMANGALA

Encwadini yakhe ethi The Trouble With Christmas, umlobi uTom Flynn waveza iziphetho ezafinyelelwa ngemva kweminyaka yokucwaninga ngoKhisimusi:

“Inani elikhulu kakhulu lamasiko esiwahlobanisa noKhisimusi manje lisuka emasikweni enkolo obuqaba angaphambi kobuKristu. Amanye awo ahlobene nezenhlalo, ubulili noma ukwakheka kwendawo yonke, ngendlela engase iholele abantu besimanje abafundile nabawabhekisisayo amasiko ukuba bawayeke la masiko uma beke bayiqonda ngokucace kakhudlwana imisuka yawo.”—Ikhasi 19.

Ngemva kokunikeza insada yokwaziswa okusekelayo, uFlynn ubuyela ephuzwini eliyisisekelo: “Enye yezinto eziyinqaba kunazo zonke ngoKhisimusi yindlela okukuncane ngayo kuwo okuwubuKristu ngempela. Lapho sesisuse izici zawo ezavela ngaphambi kobuKristu, ingxenye enkulu yalokho okusalayo yilokho okwavela ngemva kobuKristu, hhayi ngesikhathi sobuKristu ngempela.”—Ikhasi 155.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ukumenyezelwa kokuzalwa kukaJesu kwalungiselela indima yakhe yesikhathi esizayo njengeNkosi kaNkulunkulu ekhethiwe