Encwadzini yakhe yesi XX letsi Jewish Antiquities, Flavius Josephus losati semlandvo sangelikhulu lekucala ukhuluma ngekufa “kwaJakobe, umnakaboJesu lobekabitwa ngekutsi nguKhristu.” Tati letinyenti titsi lamavi aliciniso. Nobe kunjalo, letinye tiyakungabata kwetsembeka kwalamanye emavi lamayelana naJesu lakulencwadzi. Lamavi latiwa ngekutsi yi-Testimonium Flavianum, atsi:

“Kwakukhona Jesu indvodza lehlakaniphile, nangabe umtsetfo ukuvumela kumbita ngekutsi yindvodza, ngobe abengumenti wemisebenti lemangalisako—bantfu bebakujabulela kumlalela nakafundzisa liciniso. Wadvonsa emaJuda nebeTive labanyenti kutsi bamlandzele. AbenguKhristu; futsi ngesikhatsi Pilatu atjelwa ngemadvodza laholako emkhatsini wetfu, watsi akabetselwe. Labo labebamtsandza ekucaleni abazange bamshiye, ngobe waphindze wavela kubo aphila ngelilanga lesitsatfu, njengobe baphrofethi baNkulunkulu bakubiketela loku kanye naletinye tintfo letinyenti letimangalisako letimayelana naye; nesive semaKhristu setsiwa ngaye, kodvwa nanyalo sisekhona.”—Josephus—The Complete Works, ihunyushwe nguWilliam Whiston.

Kusukela ekupheleni kwelikhulu lesi-16, kwaba nemphikiswano lenkhulu emkhatsini walabo labebakholelwa kutsi lamavi aliciniso nalabo labebangabata kutsi abhalwa nguJosephus. Serge Bardet, losati semlandvo lesingumFrench nesetincwadzi temasiko akadzeni, wetama kucatulula loko lokwabangela lemphikiswano lesekuphele emakhulu lamane eminyaka ikhona. Washicilela lucwaningo lwakhe encwadzini letsi Le Testimonium Flavianum—Examen historique considérations historiographiques (The Testimonium Flavianum—A Historical Study With Historical Considerations).

Josephus abengesuye umbhali longumKhristu. Abesati semlandvo lesingumJuda; kungaleso sizatfu lemphikiswano beyimayelana nekutsi abite Jesu ngekutsi “unguKhristu.” Nakenta lolucwaningo lwakhe, Bardet watfola kutsi leligama lihambisana “nendlela emaGriki lasebentisa ngayo sakhi sesibanjalo emabitweni ebantfu.” Bardet wachubeka watsi ngembono wemaKhristu langemaJuda, “kusebentisa kwaJosephus ligama lelitsi Christos akugcini ngekuba yintfo lebeyingenteka,” kodvwa kuphindze kube luphawu lwekutsi “baphikisi benta liphutsa lelikhulu kakhulu ngekutsi bangakunaki loko.”

Kungenteka yini kutsi lomunye umbhali wengeta imininingwane letsite kulencwadzi alingisa indlela Josephus labhala ngayo? Nakabuka bufakazi bemlandvo nalokubhaliwe, Bardet waphetsa ngekutsi kute umuntfu lobengakhona kulingisa indlela yaJosephus yekubhala. Kwakungadzingeka kutsi loyo muntfu abe ngumbhali “lonelikhono lekulingisa lendlela yekubhala leyehlukile kuwo wonkhe umlandvo,” ngalamanye emagama avele abe nguJosephus.

Yini leyabangela lemphikiswano? Nakaveta umsuka walemphikiswano, Bardet wachaza kutsi “kunekungabata nge-Testimonium—ngalokungafani naletinye tincwadzi tasendvulo—ngobe kwabutwa imibuto leminyenti ngale-Testimonium.” Uchubeka atsi lemibono lebeyemukeleka kulamakhulu eminyaka lendlulile isekelwe “etisuseni letifihlekile” kunekutsi isekelwe ekuhlolisiseni tiphetfo letifanele talendzaba, letihlobene kakhulu nekwetsembeka kwayo.

Sekutawubonakala kutsi lolucwaningo lwaBardet luyayishintja yini imibono yaletati nge-Testimonium Flavianum. Lolucwaningo lwacinisekisa lesinye sati lesihlonishwako sebuHellenistic bebuJuda nebuKhristu basendvulo, Pierre Geoltrain. Abesolo acabanga kutsi i-Testimonium beyimane yengetiwe, aze ngisho ahlekise ngalabo labebakholwa kutsi iliciniso. Kodvwa-ke wawushintja umbono wakhe. Waphetsa ngekutsi lolucwaningo lwaBardet ngilo lolumente washintja. Geoltrain watsi “kusukela nyalo kuchubeke kute umuntfu lokufanele angabate kutsi lamavi abhalwa nguJosephus.”

Kuliciniso kutsi boFakazi BaJehova banesizatfu lesibacinisekisa kakhulu sekwemukela kutsi Jesu unguKhristu—lesitfolakala eBhayibhelini.—2 Thim. 3:16.