“Ungazenzeli umfanekiso oqoshiwe noma isimo esinjenganoma yini esemazulwini phezulu noma esemhlabeni ngaphansi noma esemanzini ngaphansi komhlaba. Ungazikhothameli futhi unganxenxelwa ukuba uzikhonze.”—Eksodusi 20:4, 5.

Ukukhothanyelwa kwezithombe kulahlwa ngokuphelele emiBhalweni YesiHebheru, eyaziwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elidala

UMBONO OVAMILE

Ngokwe-New Catholic Encyclopedia, amaJuda ayenezithombe eziningi ezazihlobene nokukhulekela kwawo “futhi le mifanekiso yayihlonishwa, idunyiswa futhi ikhothanyelwa.” * Njengezibonelo, leyo encyclopedia ikhuluma ngemifanekiso eminingi eqoshiwe yezithelo, izimbali nezilwane okwakuhlotshiswe ngayo ithempeli laseJerusalema.—1 AmaKhosi 6:18; 7:36.

OKUFANELE UKWAZI

Ngokuphambene nalokho okushiwo i-New Catholic Encyclopedia, amaJuda athembekile awakaze akhothamele ngisho nowodwa wemifanekiso eqoshiwe noma izithombe ezazisethempelini. Empeleni, akukho ndawo eBhayibhelini ekhuluma ngomIsrayeli othembekile osebenzisa isithombe ekukhulekeleni.

OKUSHIWO YIBHAYIBHELI

UNkulunkulu wathi ngomprofethi u-Isaya, “Angisoze nganika muntu omunye inkazimulo yami, noma imifanekiso ebaziwe udumo lwami.”—Isaya 42:8.

‘Linakuvumelana kuni ithempeli likaNkulunkulu nezithombe? Yekani ukuthinta into engcolile.’—2 Korinte 6:16, 17.

“AmaKristu okuqala ayeyoshaqiswa ukusikisela nje kokuba kubekwe izithombe emasontweni, futhi ayeyobheka ukukhothama noma ukuthandaza phambi kwazo njengento efana nokukhonza izithombe.”—History of the Christian Church

UMBONO OVAMILE

I-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi, “Akufanele kungatshazwe manje ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhulekeleni kwamaKristu okuqala. Imigede yokungcwaba yamaKristu, iyimibukiso ethandwayo yobuciko bamaKristu okuqala. . .  Ngisho nezithombe zezinganekwane ziqhakambisa izindawo ezingcwele zokukhulekela kanye namangcwaba.” *

OKUFANELE UKWAZI

Izithombe ezindala kunazo zonke kwezatholakala kule migede yokungcwaba—imihume engaphansi komhlaba eyayisetshenziselwa ukungcwaba—ezangekhulu lesithathu. Cishe leyo iminyaka engaba ngu-200 ngemva kokufa kukaJesu. Ngakho, lokho i-New Catholic Encyclopedia ekubiza ngokuthi “ukukhulekela kwamaKristu okuqala,” akukhona ngempela ukukhulekela kwamaKristu kwasekuqaleni—lokho okwakwenziwa abafundi bakaJesu bangekhulu lokuqala futhi okuchazwe emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, eyaziwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elisha. Iqiniso lokuthi izithombe ezinjalo zazisemigedeni yokungcwaba, libonisa ukuthi ngekhulu lesithathu, labo ababezibiza ngamaKristu base bethathe isiko lalabo ababengewona amaKristu lokusebenzisa izithombe, ngenjongo yokubaguqula. *

OKUSHIWO YIBHAYIBHELI

“Kubalekeleni ukukhonza izithombe.”—1 Korinte 10:14.

“Ziqapheni ezithombeni.”—1 Johane 5:21.

Ukukhothanyelwa kwezithombe kuwumkhuba wenkolo ongasekelwe eBhayibhelini. Ngenxa yalokho, oFakazi BakaJehova abazikhothameli izithombe, futhi abanazo izithombe ezikhulekelwa emasontweni emakhaya abo noma ezindaweni zabo zokukhulekela

UMBONO OVAMILE

I-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi, “Njengoba ukukhulekela okunikezwa isithombe kufinyelela futhi kuphelela kuphela kumuntu omelelwa yiso, ukukhulekela okufanayo okufanele lowo muntu kunganikezwa lesi sithombe njengoba simelela umuntu.”

OKUFANELE UKWAZI

Lapho uJesu efundisa abalandeli bakhe indlela yokuthandaza, akazange abatshele ukuthi basebenzise izithombe. Kwawona lowo mbono wokusebenzisa isithombe ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu weqiniso awutholakali emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki.

OKUSHIWO YIBHAYIBHELI

“NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.”—Mathewu 4:10.