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Pitanje: – Hoćete li objasniti temu Povratka? |
Question.—Will you explain the subject of Return? |
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Odgovor: – Bahá’u’lláh je ovo pitanje jasno i potpuno objasnio u Knjizi Íqán.113 Pročitajte je i istina ovog pitanja postat će bjelodana. No, kad već pitate, objasnit ću to ukratko. Počet ćemo objašnjavati od Evanđelja, jer tamo se jasno kaže da kad se Ivan, Zaharijin sin, pojavio i donio ljudima radosne vijesti o Kraljevstvu Božjem, oni su ga upitali: “Tko si ti? Jesi li ti obećani Mesija?” On je odgovorio: “Ja nisam Mesija”. Onda su ga upitali: “Jesi li ti Ilija?” “Nisam.”114, rekao je. Te riječi pokazuju i dokazuju da Ivan, sin Zaharijin, nije bio obećani Ilija. Međutim, na dan preobraženja na Gori Tabor Krist je jednostavno rekao da je Ivan, sin Zaharijin, obećani Ilija. |
Answer.—Bahá’u’lláh has explained this question fully and clearly in the Íqán.113 Read it, and the truth of this subject will become apparent. But since you have asked about it, I will explain it briefly. We will begin to elucidate it from the Gospel, for there it is plainly said that when John, the son of Zacharias, appeared and gave to men the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God, they asked him, “Who art thou? Art thou the promised Messiah?” He replied, “I am not the Messiah.” Then they asked him, “Art thou Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”114 These words prove and show that John, the son of Zacharias, was not the promised Elias. But on the day of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor Christ said plainly that John, the son of Zacharias, was the promised Elias. |
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U poglavlju 9, stihovi 11-13, Markova Evanđelja, kaže se: “I upitaše Ga, govoreći: ‘Zašto književnici vele da prvo ima doći Ilija?’ ‘Bez Sumnje – on im odvrati – najprije ima doći Ilija, da sve opet stavi na svoje mjesto. Kako onda stoji pisano za Sina Čovječjega da će mnogo trpjeti i biti prezren’. Ali Ja vam kažem: Ilija je došao, a oni su postupili s njim kako su htjeli, kako je pisano za njega”. |
In chapter 9, verses 11–13, of the Gospel of Mark, it is said: “And they asked Him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.” |
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U poglavlju 17, stih 13, Mateja, kaže se; “Tada razumješe učenici da im govori o Ivanu Krstitelju”. |
In chapter 17, verse 13, of Matthew, it is said: “Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.” |
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Upitali su Ivana Krstitelja: “Jesi li ti Ilija”? On je odgovorio: “Ne, nisam”, premda se u Evanđelju kaže da je Ivan Krstitelj bio obećani Ilija, a i Krist je to također jasno rekao.115 Dakle, ako je Ivan Ilija, zašto je onda rekao: “Nisam”? A ako on nije bio Ilija, zašto je Krist rekao da jest? |
They asked John the Baptist, “Are you Elias?” He answered, “No, I am not,” although it is said in the Gospel that John was the promised Elias, and Christ also said so clearly.115 Then if John was Elias, why did he say, “I am not”? And if he was not Elias, why did Christ say that he was? |
| 6 |
Objašnjenje je sljedeće: misli se na stvarnost savršenosti, a ne na ličnost – tj., ista Ilijina savršena svojstva postojala su i u Ivanu Krstitelju i točno su se u njemu ostvarila. Zato je Ivan Krstitelj bio obećani Ilija. U ovom slučaju uzimaju se u obzir svojstva, a ne bit116. Na primjer, prošle je godine bio cvijet, a i ove godine je izrastao cvijet; kažem da se vratio prošlogodišnji cvijet. No međutim, ja ne mislim da se isti cvijet u njegovoj točnoj osobnosti vratio; ali, budući da su svojstva ovoga cvijeta jednaka svojstvima cvijeta od prošle godine – on ima isti miris, nježnost, boju i oblik – kažemo da se vratio prošlogodišnji cvijet i da je ovaj cvijet prošli cvijet. Kad dođe proljeće, kažemo da se vratilo proljeće od lani stoga što sve što smo mogli vidjeti prošloga proljeća postoji i u ovom proljeću. Zato je Krist rekao: “Vidjet ćete sve što se zbilo u danima prošlih Proroka”. |
The explanation is this: not the personality, but the reality of the perfections, is meant—that is to say, the same perfections that were in Elias existed in John the Baptist and were exactly realized in him. Therefore, John the Baptist was the promised Elias. In this case not the essence,116 but the qualities, are regarded. For example, there was a flower last year, and this year there is also a flower; I say the flower of last year has returned. Now, I do not mean that same flower in its exact individuality has come back; but as this flower has the same qualities as that of last year—as it has the same perfume, delicacy, color and form—I say the flower of last year has returned, and this flower is the former flower. When spring comes, we say last year’s spring has come back because all that was found in last year’s spring exists in this spring. That is why Christ said, “You will see all that happened in the days of the former Prophets.” |
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Prikazat ćemo to još jednim primjerom. Posije se prošlogodišnje sjeme, izrastu grane i lišće, pojave se cvjetovi i plodovi, i sve se ponovno vrati u sjeme. Kad se to drugo sjeme zasije, iz njega će izrasti drvo i još jednom će se vratiti grane, lišće, cvjetovi i plodovi, i drvo će se pojaviti u savršenosti. Budući da je i početak bio sjeme, a i kraj je bio sjeme, kažemo da se sjeme vratilo. Kad pogledamo tvar drveta, vidimo da je to druga tvar, ali kad pogledamo cvjetove, listove i plodove, vidimo da su stvoreni isti miris, nježnost i okus. Tako se savršenost drveta vratila po drugi put. |
We will give another illustration. The seed of last year is sown, branches and leaves grow forth, blossoms and fruits appear, and all has again returned to seed. When this second seed is planted, a tree will grow from it, and once more those branches, leaves, blossoms and fruits will return, and that tree will appear in perfection. As the beginning was a seed and the end is a seed, we say that the seed has returned. When we look at the substance of the tree, it is another substance, but when we look at the blossoms, leaves and fruits, the same fragrance, delicacy and taste are produced. Therefore, the perfection of the tree has returned a second time. |
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Jednako tako, pogledamo li povratak osobe, to je druga osoba; no gledamo li na svojstva i savršenosti, vratilo se ono što je isto. Stoga, kad je Krist rekao: “To je Ilija”, mislio je: ova osoba je objava milosti, savršenosti, karaktera, svojstava i vrlina Ilijinih. Ivan Krstitelj je rekao: “Ja nisam Ilija”. Krist je mislio na kvalitete, savršenosti, karakter i vrline i jednog i drugog, a Ivan je mislio na svoju tvar i osobnost. To je poput ove svjetiljke: ona je bila ovdje prošle noći, a večeras opet gori, a sjat će i sutra navečer. Kažemo da svjetiljka večeras sja istim svjetlom kao i prošle noći, te da se ono vratilo. Ovo se odnosi na svjetlo, a ne na ulje, fitilj ili držač. |
In the same way, if we regard the return of the individual, it is another individual; but if we regard the qualities and perfections, the same have returned. Therefore, when Christ said, “This is Elias,” He meant: this person is a manifestation of the bounty, the perfections, the character, the qualities and the virtues of Elias. John the Baptist said, “I am not Elias.” Christ considered the qualities, the perfections, the character and the virtues of both, and John regarded his substance and individuality. It is like this lamp: it was here last night, and tonight it is also lighted, and tomorrow night it will also shine. We say that the lamp of this night is the same light as that of last night, and that it has returned. It refers to the light, and not to the oil, the wick or the holder. |
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Ova je tema potpuno i jasno objašnjena u Kitáb-i-Íqán. |
This subject is fully and clearly explained in the Kitáb-i-Íqán. |
