UYehova UnguMncedi Wam
“Khalipha uze uthi: ‘UYehova ungumncedi wam; andisayi koyika. Unokundenza ntoni na umntu?’”—HEBHERE 13:6, “NW.”
1, 2. (a) Umdumisi nompostile uPawulos bayivakalisa njani intembelo ababenayo ngoYehova? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?
UYEHOVA UTHIXO ungumthombo woncedo ongenakusilela. Ngokusuka kumava umdumisi wayekwazi oku ibe wakwazi ukuthi: “UYehova ungakum, andoyiki; angandenza ntoni na umntu?” (INdumiso 118:6) Amazwi afanayo avakaliswa ngumpostile uPawulos xa wabhala incwadi yakhe ephefumlelweyo eyayisiya kumaKristu angamaHebhere.
2 Kuyabonakala ukuba ecaphula amazwi omdumisi ngokusuka kwiSeptuagint yesiGrike, uPawulos waxelela amaHebhere awayekhonza kunye nawo oku: “Khalipha uze uthi: ‘uYehova ungumncedi wam; andisayi koyika. Unokundenza ntoni na umntu?’” (Hebhere 13:6) Kwakutheni ukuze lo mpostile abhale ngolu hlobo? Yaye yintoni esinokuyifunda kumongo wala mazwi?
Siluswele Uncedo LukaYehova
3. (a) Kwakuphantsi kwaziphi iimeko awathi uYehova wazingqina enguMncedi kaPawulos? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze amaKristu angamaHebhere amfune ngokukhethekileyo uYehova njengoMncedi wawo?
3 UPawulos wayelingqina elizinikeleyo elalinobungqina bokuba uYehova unguMncedi walo. UThixo wamnceda lo mpostile phezu kwazo nje iingxaki awayejamelene nazo. UPawulos wavalelwa entolongweni, wabethwa, waza waxulutywa ngamatye. Kwiihambo zakhe njengomlungiseleli ongumKristu, wahlangabezana nokwaphukelwa ngumkhombe kuquka nezinye iingozi ezininzi. Wayeqhelene kakuhle nobunzima, ukungalali ebusuku, iindlala, ukunxanwa kwanobuze. Wathi, “Ndingasazibali zona izinto ezingaphandle kwezo, ndingungelwe imihla ngemihla kukuwaxhalela onke amabandla kaThixo.” (2 Korinte 11:24-29) UPawulos wayewaxhalabele kangako amaKristu angamaHebhere. Kwakusekukufuphi ukuba iYerusalem itshatyalaliswe, yaye abazalwana noodade abangamaYuda balo mpostile ababekwelakwaYuda babeza kujamelana neemvavanyo ezinkulu zokholo. (Daniyeli 9:24-27; Luka 21:5-24) Ngoko uYehova wayeza kufuneka kubo njengoMncedi wabo.
4. Sisiphi isiluleko esisiseko esikho kuyo yonke incwadi eya kumaHebhere?
4 Kwintshayelelo yencwadi eyayisiya kumaKristu angamaHebhere, uPawulos wabonisa ukuba uncedo oluvela kuThixo lwaluya kufumaneka kuphela ukuba babemphulaphule uNyana kaThixo, uYesu Kristu. (Hebhere 1:1, 2) Le ngongoma yaphuhliswa kule ncwadi. Ngokomzekelo, ukuxhasa esi siluleko, lo mpostile wabakhumbuza abo bafunda le ngxelo ukuba amaSirayeli ohlwaywa entlango ngenxa yokungathobeli. Enjani yona indlela amaKristu angamaHebhere awayengayi kusinda ngayo ukuba ayekugatyile oko uThixo wayewaxelele kona ngoYesu aza angabawexuki abanamathele kumthetho kaMoses owawubhangisiwe lidini likaKristu!—Hebhere 12:24-27.
Ukusebenza Kothando Lobuzalwana
5. (a) Sisiphi esinye isiluleko esinikelwa yincwadi yamaHebhere? (b) UPawulos wathini ngothando?
5 Incwadi eyayisiya kumaHebhere yanikela isiluleko kwabo babeza kuba ziindlalifa zoBukumkani basezulwini ngendlela ababefanele bamlandele ngayo lowo unguMzekelo wabo, uYesu Kristu, ‘benikela inkonzo engcwele benokugubha nokoyika uThixo,’ baze bamenze uYehova uMncedi wabo. (Hebhere 12:1-4, 28, 29, NW) UPawulos wababongoza abo babekhonza naye ukuba bahlanganisane rhoqo nokuba ‘balolane eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle.’ (Hebhere 10:24, 25) Ngoko waluleka esithi: “Uthando lobuzalwana maluhlale luhleli.”—Hebhere 13:1.
6. Kungayiphi ingqiqo awathi uYesu wanika abafundi bakhe “umthetho omtsha” mayela nothando?
6 UYesu wayefuna ukuba abalandeli bakhe babe nothando olunjalo, kuba wathi: “Ndiniwisela umthetho omtsha, wokuba nithandane, njengoko ndinithandileyo nina, ukuze nani nithandane. Ngayo le nto baya kwazi bonke, ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba nithe nathandana.” (Yohane 13:34, 35) Lo ‘yayingumthetho omtsha’ kuba wawufuna kwenziwe okungaphezu komthetho kaMoses owawusithi: “Uze umthande ummelwane wakho ngoko uzithanda ngako.” (Levitikus 19:18) “Umthetho omtsha” wenza okungaphezu kunokufuna nje ukuba umntu athande ummelwane wakhe njengoko azithanda ngako. Wawufuna uthando lokuzincama de kufikelele kwinqanaba lokuba ubani anikele ngobomi bakhe ngenxa yomnye. Ubomi bukaYesu nokufa kwakhe kwamisela umzekelo wohlobo lothando olunjalo. UTertullian wabhekisela kolu phawu lwahlulayo xa wacaphula amazwi awathethwa ngabantu behlabathi mayela namaKristu esithi: “‘Khawukhangele indlela abathandana ngayo . . . nendlela abakulungele ngayo ukufelana.’”—Apology, isahluko XXXIX, 7.
7. Uthando lobuzalwana lwabonakala ngokucacileyo njani emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E.?
7 Uthando lobuzalwana lwalubonakala ngokucacileyo phakathi kwabafundi bakaYesu emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. Kangangokuba amakholwa awayesandul’ ukubhaptizwa awayesuka kwiindawo ezikude ayenokuhlala ithuba elide eYerusalem aze afunde okungakumbi ngelungiselelo likaThixo lokusindisa ngoKristu, “bonke ke ababekholwa babendawonye, benobudlelane ngeento zonke. Baye bethengisa nangemihlaba nangempahla yabo, babele bonke, njengoko ebethi ubani aswele ngako.”—IZenzo 2:43-47; 4:32-37.
8. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bokuba uthando lobuzalwana lukho phakathi kwamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje?
8 Kukho uthando lobuzalwana olunjalo phakathi kwamaNgqina kaYehova kwixesha lethu. Ngokomzekelo, emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, uthando olunjalo lwashukumisela abantu bakaThixo ukuba banikele uncedo kangangeminyaka emibini enesiqingatha. AmaNgqina aseKhanada, eSweden, eSwitzerland, eUnited States nakwamanye amazwe anikela ngempahla nemali ukuze amakholwa angoowawo athenge ukutya kumazwe awayedlakazwe yimfazwe anjengeOstriya, iBelgium, iBulgaria, iTshayina, iCzechoslovakia, iDenmark, iNgilane, iFinland, iFransi, iJamani, iGrisi, iHungary, i-Itali, iNetherlands, iNorway, iPhilippines, iPoland neRomania. Oku kukunyela nje intambo, kuba abakhonzi bakaThixo kutshanje baye babonakalisa uthando olunjalo kumaKristu awayengamaxhoba okuthwaxwa ziinyikima zomhlaba ePeru naseMexico, zizivunduvundu ezaziseJamaica, naziintlekele ezikwanjalo kwezinye iindawo. Ngale ndlela nangezinye ezininzi, abantu bakaYehova ‘bayaqhubeka bebonakalisa uthando lobuzalwana.’
Yiba Ngobuka Iindwendwe
9. (a) Luluphi uphawu lobuthixo olukhankanywa kumaHebhere 13:2? (b) Kungayiphi indlela abathe abathile bengazi ‘babuka izithunywa zezulu’?
9 Ngokulandelayo uPawulos ukhankanya olunye uphawu olubonakaliswa ngabo bangabalandeli bakaKristu, ‘ukunikela inkonzo engcwele ngokugubha nokoyika uThixo,’ baze bamenze uYehova uMncedi wabo. Wabongoza esithi: “Musani ukukulibala ukubuka iindwendwe; kuba ngokwenjenjalo inxenye ibuke izithunywa zezulu, ingazi.” (Hebhere 13:2) Ngubani owathi engazi ‘wabuka izithunywa zezulu’? Ewe, usolusapho uAbraham wamkela izithunywa zezulu ezithathu. (Genesis 18:1-22) Ezibini zahamba, yaye umtshana wakhe uLote wabamemela endlwini yakhe eSodom aba bahambi babini babengaziwa kuloo ndawo. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba balale, indlu kaLote yayijikelezwe lihlokondiba, ‘elalithabathela kumfana lise exhegweni.’ Lafuna ngegunya ukuba uLote azikhuphele kulo iindwendwe ngeenjongo zokuziphatha okubi kunye nazo, kodwa uLote wabetha ngenqindi phantsi esala. Nangona uLote wayengazi ekuqaleni, wayebuke izithunywa zezulu, ezathi kamva zamnceda yena neentombi zakhe basinda ekufeni xa ‘uYehova wanisa phezu kweSodom neGomora isulfure nomlilo ophuma emazulwini.’—Genesis 19:1-26.
10. Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezinanditshwa ngamaKristu abuka iindwendwe?
10 AmaKristu abuka iindwendwe anandipha iintsikelelo ezininzi. Aphulaphula amava akhuthazayo abaliswa ziindwendwe zawo aze angenelwe kunxulumano olwakhayo olungokomoya. UGayo wanconywa ngokubamkela ngobubele abo babekhonza naye “nabasemzini,” kanye njengokuba ngoku abantu abaninzi bakaYehova bebuka abaveleli abahambahambayo. (3 Yohane 1, 5-8) Ukubuka iindwendwe luphawu olufunekayo ukuze umiselwe njengomdala. (1 Timoti 3:2; Tito 1:7, 8) Kwakhona kuyaphawuleka ukuba uYesu wabathembisa ngeentsikelelo zoBukumkani abantu ababumvu abathi ngobubele benze okuhle ‘kubazalwana’ bakhe abathanjisiweyo.—Mateyu 25:34-40.
Bakhumbuleni Abo Batshutshiswayo
11. Sisiphi isizathu esabangela ukuba isiluleko esikumaHebhere 13:3 sibe sesifanelekileyo?
11 Abo banqwenela ukufumana uncedo lukaYehova baze ‘banikele kuye inkonzo engcwele ngokugubha nangokoyika uThixo’ abamele babalibale abo bakhonza nabo ababandezelekileyo. UPawulos wayeziqonda iimbandezelo ezazinyanyezelwe ngamaKristu awayephethwe kakubi. Kwithuba elithile ngaphambilana, abafundi babesasazekile ngenxa yentshutshiso, neqabane lakhe uTimoti lalisandul’ ukukhululwa entolongweni. (Hebhere 13:23; IZenzo 11:19-21) Abavangeli basemazweni abangamaKrsitu nabo babesenza umsebenzi wokuhamba beseka amabandla amatsha okanye bewomeleza ngokomoya lawo ayekho. Ekubeni abazalwana noodade abaninzi ababebulaleka ngoko babengabeeNtlanga, ngokunokwenzeka amaKristu athile angamaHebhere ngewayengazange abonakalise uvelwano olupheleleyo ngawo. Ngoko, sasifanelekile esi siluleko: “Bakhumbuleleni abakhonkxiweyo, ninge nikhonkxiwe nani; nabo ke baphathwa kakubi, njengokuba nisemzimbeni nani.”—Hebhere 13:3.
12. Sinokusisebenzisa njani isiluleko sokuwakhumbula amaKristu angoowethu aphethwe kakubi?
12 AmaHebhere ayebonakalise ‘uvelwano ngabo babesezintanjeni’ kodwa kwakungafunekanga abalibale abanjalo ababekhonza kunye nawo bethembekile, enoba babengamaYuda okanye babengabeeNtlanga. (Hebhere 10:34) Kodwa kuthekani ngathi? Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyawakhumbula amaKristu aphethwe kakubi? Kwezinye iimeko kusenokuba kokufanelekileyo ngathi ukubhena kumagosa aseburhulumenteni ngokubhala iileta ngelinge lokunceda amakholwa angoowethu asentolongweni ngenxa yokholo lwawo kumazwe apho umsebenzi wokushunyayelwa koBukumkani uvaliweyo khona. Sifanele siwakhumbule ngokukodwa emithandazweni yethu, de amanye siwakhankanye ngamagama, ukuba kunokwenzeka. Ukutshutshiswa kwawo kusichaphazela ngokunzulu, yaye uYehova uyaziphulaphula izikhungo zethu ezinyanisekileyo ezingawo. (INdumiso 65:2; Efese 6:17-20) Ngoxa singekho kwisisele esinye sentolongo, kuba ngathi sikhonkxwe nawo yaye siyakwazi ukunikela uncedo nokuwakhuthaza. Ngokuqinisekileyo amaKristu athanjisiweyo ayavelana nabanye abathanjiswa abaphethwe kakubi. (Thelekisa eyoku-1 yabaseKorinte 12:19-26.) Aba banenkxalabo efanayo ngamaqabane abo atshutshiswayo anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, abeva ubunzima bokuphathwa kakubi ngeendlela ezininzi ngabo babatshutshisayo. Uvelwano olunjalo lufanelekile, ekubeni sonke sinemizimba yenyama yaye kunokwenzeka ukuba sityhubele ubunzima nentshutshiso njengabakhonzi bakaYehova.—1 Petros 5:6-11.
Umtshato Umele Ubekeke
13. Ngokusisiseko, uPawulos wathini kumaHebhere 13:4?
13 Ukulandela umzekelo kaKristu ‘nokunikela inkonzo engcwele kuYehova ngokugubha nokoyika uThixo’ kufanele kuchaphazele indlela esibakhathalele ngayo abanye ngeendlela ezininzi. Ekubeni uPawulos wathi “nisemzimbeni nani,” wakhankanya ulwalamano olungokomzimba, nkalo leyo evulela ithuba lokubonakalisa inkathalo efanelekileyo ngabanye. (Hebhere 13:3) AmaKristu angamaHebhere wawayalela esithi: “Umtshato mawubekeke ngeendlela zonke, nesilili masingadyojwa; ke abenza umbulo nabakrexezi, uThixo uya kubagweba.” (Hebhere 13:4) Hayi indlela esifaneleke ngayo eso siluleko, ekubeni ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini kwakwesamele kuBukhosi baseRoma! AmaKristu anamhlanje nawo akwafanele awanikele ingqalelo la mazwi ngenxa yemigaqo ephantsi yehlabathi nesibakala sokuba nyaka ngamnye abangamawaka besuswa kubudlelane ebandleni ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini.
14. Ubuya kutsho njani ukuba umtshato ubekekile?
14 Phakathi kwabo bangazange bawuxabise umtshato, yayingamaYuda awayephila ngexesha likaPawulos. Ngokuqhelekileyo ayehlala engamasoka, njengabathile kwiinkalo zobufundisi namhlanje abathi ngokuphosakeleyo bakugqale ukuhlala bengamasoka kungcwele ngakumbi kunokutshata. Noko ke, oko uPawulos wakuxelela amaKristu angamaHebhere ngokucacileyo kwabonisa ukuba umtshato ubekekile. Ukuxabiseka kwawo kwabonakala ngokucacileyo xa uNahomi wavakalisa lo mnqweno koomolokazana bakhe ababengabahlolokazi, uRute no-Orpa: “UYehova makaninike nifumane indawo yokuphumla, elowo endlwini yendoda yakhe.” (Rute 1:9) Kwenye indawo, uPawulos walatha ukuba ‘ngamaxesha asemva inxenye iya kumka elukholweni, ingavumi ukuba kutshatwe.’—1 Timoti 4:1-5.
15. Ngoobani ababegqalwa njengabahenyuzayo nabakrexezayo kumaHebhere 13:4, yaye uThixo uya kubagweba njani?
15 Ngaphambili amaHebhere awayekhe aphantsi komthetho kodwa angeniswa kumnqophiso omtsha ayewazi umthetho othi: “Uze ungakrexezi.” (Eksodus 20:14) Kodwa ayekwihlabathi eliziphethe kakubi yaye ayesifuna isilumkiso esithi: ‘Isilili masingadyojwa; ke abenza umbulo nabakrexezi, uThixo uya kubagweba.’ Phakathi kwabo bahenyuzayo ngabantu abangatshatanga ababandakanyeka kwisini. Ngokukhethekileyo abakrexezi ngabo batshatileyo abahlalisana nabo bangengawo amaqabane abo, bedyobha isilili sabo. Ekubeni abahenyuzi nabakrexezi abangaguqukiyo befanelwe ngumgwebo kaThixo oqatha, abasayi kwamkelwa kwiYerusalem eNtsha yasezulwini bengasayi kunandipha ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani. (ISityhilelo 21:1, 2, 8; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Esi silumkiso sokungadyojwa kwesilili sikwafanele siwenze amaKristu atshatileyo asiphephe isimo sengqondo esingokwesini sokungcola namaqabane awo, nakuba kungekokungcola ukubonakalisa uthando olubalaseleyo ngendlela efanelekileyo emtshatweni.—Bona IMboniselo, kaSeptemba 1, 1983, iphepha 26-31.
Yaneliseka Zizinto Onazo Ngoku
16, 17. Kwathiwani kumaHebhere 13:5 kwaye kwakutheni ukuze amaHebhere asifanelekele esi siluleko?
16 Siya kwaneliseka ukuba silandela lowo unguMzekelo wethu size ‘sinikele inkonzo engcwele ngokugubha nokoyika uThixo,’ siqinisekile ukuba uYehova unguMncedi wethu. Ukubandakanyeka ngokunzulu kusukelo lokufuna izinto eziphathekayo kusenokuba sisilingo esikhulu. Kodwa amaKristu akamele ayekelele kuso. AmaHebhere axelelwa oku: “Isimilo senu masibe sesingathandi mali, yanelani zizinto eninazo; kuba etshilo yena ukuthi, Andiyi kukha ndikuyekele; wabuya wathi, Andiyi kukha ndikushiye.” (Hebhere 13:5) Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke ukuba alulekwe ngale ndlela?
17 Mhlawumbi amaHebhere ayeyixhalabele gqitha imali ngenxa yokuba ayecinga “indlala enkulu” ngexesha lokulawula kukaKlawudiyo Kesare (41-54 C.E.) Loo ndlala yayibomvu ngokokude amaKristu athumela izinto ebonelela abazalwana bawo ababekwelakwaYuda. (IZenzo 11:28, 29) Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali ongumYuda uJosephus, le ndlala yaqhubeka iminyaka emithathu okanye ngaphezulu, ibangela ubuhlwempu obucinezelayo kwelakwaYuda naseYerusalem.—Antiquities of the Jews, XX, 2, 5; 5, 2.
18. Sifunda ntoni kwisiluleko esikumaHebhere 13:5?
18 Ngaba kukho okuthile esikufundayo koku? Ewe, kuba kungakhathaliseki ukuba sisenokuba ngamahlwempu kangakanani na, asifanele siyithande imali okanye sizixhalabise ngokugqith’ emgceni ngayo. Kunokuba sixhalabele unqabiseko lwezinto eziphathekayo, mhlawumbi side sibe ngamabawa, sifanele ‘sanele zizinto esinazo.’ UYesu wathi: “Funani ke tanci ubukumkani bukaThixo nobulungisa bakhe, zaye zonke ezo zinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” (Mateyu 6:25-34) Kwakhona wabonisa ukuba sifanele sinikele ingqalelo ekubeni sibe ‘zizityebi kuThixo’ kuba ‘ubomi bethu abumi ngabuninzi bempahla esinayo.’ (Luka 12:13-21) Ukuba ukuthanda imali kubutyityimbisela umnwe ubumoya bethu, ngoko, sifanele sisinikele ingqalelo isiluleko sikaPawulos esasisiya kumaHebhere size kwakhona sikhumbule ukuba, “ukuhlonela uThixo, kundawonye nokwanela, kusekelezele inzuzo enkulu.”—1 Timoti 6:6-8.
Kholosa NgoYehova
19. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso uThixo awasinika uYoshuwa, yaye oku kufanele kusichaphazele njani?
19 Njengabalandeli bakaYesu abafuna ‘ukunikela inkonzo engcwele ngokugubha nokoyika uThixo,’ simele singathembeli emalini kodwa sithembele kuBawo wethu wasezulwini, oncedo lwakhe lubalulekileyo. Enoba sijamelene naziphi na iingxaki, sifanele sikhumbule oko asiqinisekisa kona: “Andiyi kukha ndikuyekele; wabuya wathi, Andiyi kukha ndikushiye.” (Hebhere 13:5) Apha uPawulos wayebhekisela kumazwi kaThixo awayesiya kuYoshuwa: “Andiyi kukuyekela, andiyi kukushiya.” (Yoshuwa 1:5; thelekisa iDuteronomi 31:6, 8.) UYehova akazange amshiye uYoshuwa, yaye akasayi kusilahla ukuba sikholosa Ngaye.
20. (a) Uthini umxholo wonyaka wowe-1990? (b) Ngaphandle koloyiko, yintoni esifanele siqhubeke siyenza?
20 Uncedo lukaThixo olungasileliyo luya kubonakaliswa ngokungakumbi phakathi kwamaNgqina kaYehova kwiinyanga ezizayo, kuba umxholo wawo wonyaka wowe-1990 ufundeka ngolu hlobo: “Khalipha uze uthi: ‘UYehova ungumncedi wam.’” La mazwi afumaneka kumaHebhere 13:6 (NW), apho uPawulos wacaphula amazwi omdumisi waza waxelela amaHebhere oku: “Khalipha uze uthi: ‘UYehova ungumncedi wam; andisayi koyika. Unokundenza ntoni na umntu?’” (INdumiso 118:6) Nangona sitshutshiswa, asoyiki, kuba abantu banokwenza kuphela oko kuvunyelwa nguThixo. (INdumiso 27:1) Kwanaxa simele sife njengabagcini bengqibelelo, sinethemba lovuko. (IZenzo 24:15) Ngoko masiqhubeke silandela lowo unguMzekelo wethu ‘ekunikeleni inkonzo engcwele ngokugubha sisoyika uThixo,’ siqinisekile ukuba uYehova unguMncedi wethu.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ Kwakutheni ukuze amaKristu angamaHebhere alufune ngokukhethekileyo uncedo lukaYehova?
◻ “Uthando lobuzalwana” lwabantu bakaYehova ‘luye lwahlala luhleli’ njani?
◻ Kutheni ufanele ubuke iindwendwe?
◻ Yintoni esinokuyenza ukubonisa ukuba siyabakhumbula abakhonza nathi abaphethwe kakubi?
◻ Kutheni umtshato umele ugcinwe ubekekile?