AmaKristu Nebutho Labantu Namhlanje
“Niya kuthiywa ziintlanga zonke ngenxa yegama lam.”—MATEYU 24:9.
1. Lwaluya kuba yintoni uphawu olwahlula ubuKristu?
UKWAHLUKA ehlabathini kwakuluphawu olwalusahlula amaKristu okuqala. Ethandaza kuYise wasezulwini, uYehova, uKristu wathi ngabafundi bakhe: “Ndibanike ilizwi lakho; laza ihlabathi labathiya, ngokuba bengengabo abehlabathi, njengokuba nam ndingenguye owehlabathi.” (Yohane 17:14) Xa wasiwa phambi koPontiyo Pilato, uYesu wathi: “Ubukumkani bam asibubo obeli hlabathi.” (Yohane 18:36) Ukwahluka kobuKristu bamandulo ehlabathini kungqinelwa ziZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike nangababhali-mbali.
2. (a) Ngaba ulwalamano lwabalandeli bakaYesu nehlabathi lwaluya kuguquka ekuhambeni kwexesha? (b) Ngaba uBukumkani bukaYesu babuza kubakho ngokuguquka kweentlanga?
2 Ngaba kamva uYesu watyhila ukuba ulwalamano lwabafundi bakhe nehlabathi lwaluya kuguquka nokuba uBukumkani bakhe babuya kubakho ngokuguqukela kwehlabathi kubuKristu? Akunjalo. Akukho nanye into abalandeli bakhe abaphefumlelwa ukuba bayibhale emva kokufa kukaYesu ebhekisela kwinto enjalo nangayiphi na indlela. (Yakobi 4:4 [eyabhalwa kungekudala emva kowama-62 C.E.]; 1 Yohane 2:15-17; 5:19 [eyabhalwa malunga nowama-98 C.E.]) Ngokuchasene noko, iBhayibhile inxulumanisa “ubukho” bukaYesu “nokuza” kwakhe emva koko esemandleni oBukumkani “nokuqosheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto,” okuya kufikelela incopho yako “ekuphelisweni,” okanye ekutshatyalalisweni kwayo. (Mateyu 24:3, 14, 29, 30, NW; Daniyeli 2:44; 7:13, 14) Kumqondiso uYesu awawunikelayo wepa·rou·siʹa, okanye ubukho bakhe, wathi ngabalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso: “Ngelo xesha baya kuninikela ekubandezelweni, banibulale; niya kuthiywa ziintlanga zonke ngenxa yegama lam.”—Mateyu 24:9.
AmaKristu Okwenyaniso Namhlanje
3, 4. (a) Intyilalwazi yamaKatolika iwachaza njani amaKristu okuqala? (b) AmaNgqina kaYehova namaKristu okuqala achazwa ngawaphi amazwi afanayo?
3 Liliphi iqela lonqulo namhlanje elaziwa ngokuthembeka kwimigaqo yobuKristu nokwahluka ehlabathini, yaye amalungu alo athiyiweyo yaye atshutshiswayo? Kaloku, yiyiphi intlangano yamaKristu yomhlaba wonke efana ngandlela zonke nendlela achazwa ngayo amaKristu okuqala kwimbali? Ngokuphathelele aba, iNew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “AmaKristu amandulo, nangona ekuqaleni ayegqalwa njengelinye nje ihlelo lamaYuda, azingqina ahlukile ngeemfundiso zawo zezakwalizwi, yaye ingakumbi ngenzondelelo yamalungu awo, ayekhonza njengamangqina kaKristu ‘kulo lonke elakwaYuda nelaseSamariya, kude kuse nasekupheleni komhlaba’ (IZenzo 1.8).”—UMqulu 3, iphepha 694.
4 Phawula ibinzana elithi “ayegqalwa njengelinye nje ihlelo,” “ahlukile ngeemfundiso zawo,” “ngenzondelelo . . . njengamangqina.” Ngoku phawula indlela kwaloo ntyilalwazi ewachaza ngayo amaNgqina kaYehova: “Ihlelo . . . AmaNgqina eyiseke ngokwenene ukuba ukuphela kwehlabathi kuya kufika kwiminyaka nje embalwa. Le nkolelo icacileyo ibonakala iyeyona nto iwenza aqhubeke enenzondelelo engapheliyo. . . . Imbopheleleko esisiseko yelungu ngalinye leli hlelo kukunikela ubungqina ngoYehova ngokuvakalisa uBukumkani Bakhe obuzayo. . . . IBhayibhile ayigqala njengokuphela komthombo weenkolelo zawo nanjengaleyo ilawula ihambo yawo . . . Ukuze ubani abe liNgqina lokwenyaniso ufanele ashumayele ngandlel’ ithile.”—UMqulu 7, iphepha 864-5.
5. (a) Iimfundiso zamaNgqina kaYehova zahluke kweziphi iinkalo? (b) Nikela imizekelo ebonisa ukuba iinkolelo zamaNgqina kaYehova ziyavisisana neZibhalo.
5 Iimfundiso zamaNgqina kaYehova zahluke kweziphi iinkalo? INew Catholic Encyclopedia ikhankanya ezimbalwa: “Wona [amaNgqina kaYehova] ayamgatya uBathathu Emnye njengonqulo-zithixo lobuhedeni . . . UYesu amgqala njengelona Ngqina likaYehova libalaseleyo, ‘uthixo’ (amguqulela njalo uYohane 1.1), ongekho ngaphantsi kuye nabani na ngaphandle koYehova. . . . Wafa engumntu waza wavuswa enguNyana ongenakufa ongumoya. IiNtlungu nokufa kwakhe lixabiso awalihlawulayo ukuze afumanele uluntu ilungelo lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni kwakhona. Eneneni, ‘indimbane enkulu’ (Isi 7.9) yamaNgqina okwenyaniso inethemba leParadisi esemhlabeni; kuphela ngabali-144 000 abathembekileyo (Isi 7.4; 14.1, 4) abanokunandipha uzuko lwasezulwini noKristu. Abangendawo baya kutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo. . . . Ubhaptizo—amaNgqina alwenza ngokuntywiliselwa . . . luyimbonakaliso yangaphandle yokuzahlulela kwawo kwinkonzo kaYehova uThixo. . . . AmaNgqina kaYehova aye aba ngundaba-mlonyeni ngenxa yokungavumi ukutofelwa igazi . . . Ukuziphatha kwawo emtshatweni nangokwesini kungqongqo ngokwenene.” AmaNgqina kaYehova asenokuba ahlukile kwezi nkalo, kodwa ukuma kwawo kuzo zonke ezi ngongoma kusekelwe ngokuqinileyo eBhayibhileni.—INdumiso 37:29; Mateyu 3:16; 6:10; IZenzo 15:28, 29; Roma 6:23; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10; 8:6; ISityhilelo 1:5.
6. Kukuphi ukuma amaNgqina kaYehova abambelele kuko? Ngoba?
6 Le ncwadi yamaRoma Katolika yongezelela ukuba ngowe-1965 (kubonakala ukuba lowo ngunyaka eli nqaku elabhalwa ngawo) “amaNgqina ayengekazigqali njengenxalenye yebutho awayephila kulo.” Kubonakala ukuba umbhali wayecinga ukuba ngokuhamba kwexesha nanjengokuba amaNgqina kaYehova esanda ngakumbi yaye esiya “esiba neempawu ezininzi ngakumbi zecawa kunezehlelo,” ayeya kuba yinxalenye yeli hlabathi. Kodwa oko akwenzekanga. Namhlanje ekubeni amaNgqina eliphinda kane inani lawo langowe-1965, amaNgqina kaYehova ebesoloko ebambelele kukuma kwawo ngokuphathelele eli hlabathi. ‘Awangabo abehlabathi,’ njengokuba uYesu ‘wayengenguye owehlabathi.’—Yohane 17:16.
Ahlukile Kodwa Awanabutshaba
7, 8. Njengokuba kwakunjalo ngamaKristu okuqala, yintoni eyinyaniso ngamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje?
7 Ecaphula ummeli wokholo wenkulungwane yesibini uJustin Martyr ethethelela amaKristu, uRobert M. Grant kwincwadi yakhe ethi Early Christianity and Society wabhala: “Ukuba amaKristu ebekhuthaza imvukelo ebeya kuzifihla ukuze afikelele usukelo lwawo. . . . Angabona bantu bancedisana nomlawuli kumba woxolo nolungelelwano.” Ngokufanayo, namhlanje amaNgqina kaYehova aziwa ehlabathini lonke ngokuba ngabemi abathanda uxolo nabalungeleleneyo. Oorhulumente, balo nabaluphi na uhlobo, bayazi ukuba akukho nto bamele bayoyike kumaNgqina kaYehova.
8 Umbhali wamanqaku omhleli kuMntla Merika wabhala: “Ubani umele abe nentelekelelo egqwethekileyo nengaphilanga ukuze akholelwe ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova asisisongelo kuyo nayiphi na inkqubo yezobupolitika; awanamvukelo yaye athanda uxolo kanye njengokuba iqela lonqulo limele libe njalo.” Kwincwadi yakhe ethi L’objection de conscience (Ukungakwenzi Okuthile Ngenxa Yesazela), uJean-Pierre Cattelain uyabhala: “AmaNgqina azithoba ngokwenene kwabasemagunyeni ibe ngokuqhelekileyo ayayithobela imithetho; ayazihlawula iirhafu zawo ibe awafuni kubaphikisa, kubaguqula, okanye kubatshabalalisa oorhulumente, kuba awazikhathazi ngemicimbi yeli hlabathi.” Lo kaCattelain uyaqhubeka ongezelele ukuba kuphela kuxa uRhulumente efuna ubomi bawo, abahlulele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo, athi amaNgqina kaYehova angavumi ukuthobela. Koku axelisa amaKristu okuqala.—Marko 12:17; IZenzo 5:29.
Awaqondwa Kakuhle Ngabo Balawulayo
9. Ngokuphathelele ukwahluka ehlabathini, nguwuphi umahluko obalaseleyo phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala namaKatolika anamhlanje?
9 Inkoliso yabalawuli bamaRoma yayingawaqondi kakuhle amaKristu okuqala yaye ngenxa yoko yayiwatshutshisa. Ibonisa isizathu soku, incwadi ethi The Epistle to Diognetus, abanye abacinga ukuba yabhalwa ngenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ithi: “AmaKristu ahlala ehlabathi, kodwa awayonxalenye yehlabathi.” Kwelinye icala, iBhunga Lesibini laseVatican, kuMgaqo-siseko walo Onyanzelisayo weCawa, yathi amaKatolika afanele “afune ubukumkani bukaThixo ngokubandakanyeka kwimicimbi yehlabathi” aze “asebenzele ukungcwaliswa kwehlabathi ngaphakathi.”
10. (a) Abalawuli babewajonga njani amaKristu okuqala? (b) Ngokufuthi amaNgqina kaYehova ajongwa njani, ibe asabela njani?
10 Umbhali-mbali uE. G. Hardy uthi abalawuli baseRoma babewagqala amaKristu okuqala “njengathiyekileyo nanehlombe lempambano ngandlel’ ithile.” Umbali-mbali womFrentshi uÉtienne Trocmé uthetha “ngendlela abasemagunyeni bamaGrike nabamaRoma achubekileyo ababekuthiye ngayo oko babekugqala njengehlelo elingaqhelekanga laseMpuma [amaKristu].” Imbalelwano phakathi koPliny Omncinane, irhuluneli yamaRoma eBithynia, noMlawuli uTrajan ibonisa ukuba abo babelawula ngokuqhelekileyo babengabazi kakuhle ukuba bunjani na ngokwenene ubuKristu. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, ngokufuthi abalawuli behlabathi abawaqondi kakuhle ibe bawathiyile amaNgqina kaYehova. Noko ke, oku akuwothusi yaye akuwakhwankqisi amaNgqina.—IZenzo 4:13; 1 Petros 4:12, 13.
“Lichasiwe Ezindaweni Zonke”
11. (a) Ziintoni ezazithethwa ngamaKristu okuqala, yaye yintoni eye yathethwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova? (b) Kutheni amaNgqina kaYehova engenanxaxheba kwezobupolitika?
11 Kuthethwa ngamaKristu okuqala kwathiwa: “Ngalo elo hlelo kuyazeka kuthi, ukuba lichasiwe ezindaweni zonke.” (IZenzo 28:22) Ngenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo umhedeni uCelsus wathi ubuKristu babunomtsalane kwabona bantu bathiyekileyo ebuthweni kuphela. Ngokufanayo kuye kwathiwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova “inkoliso yawo, angabona bantu bahlelelekileyo ebuthweni lethu.” Umbhali-mbali wecawa uAugustus Neander wanikela ingxelo yokuba “amaKristu ayechazwa njengabantu abafileyo ngokubhekisele kwihlabathi, nabangento yanto kuyo yonke imicimbi yobomi; . . . yaye kwakubuzwa ukuba babungayintoni na ubomi, ukuba bonke abantu babenjengawo?” Ngenxa yokuba amaNgqina kaYehova esala ukubandakanyeka kwezobupolitika, nawo ngokufuthi atyholwa ngokungabi loncedo ebuthweni labantu. Kodwa anokuba phambili njani kwezobupolitika aze kwangaxeshanye abe ngabathetheleli boBukumkani bukaThixo njengobukuphela kwethemba loluntu? AmaNgqina kaYehova awanikela ingqalelo amazwi ompostile uPawulos: “Bunyamezele ububi, njengomphumi-mkhosi olungileyo kaKristu Yesu. Akukho namnye uthi, ephuma umkhosi, azibhijele ngemicimbi yobu bomi; ukuze amkholise lowo umnyulele ukuphuma umkhosi.”—2 Timoti 2:3, 4.
12. Kukweyiphi inkalo ebalulekileyo akwahluke ngayo amaNgqina kaYehova nto leyo ewafanisa namaKristu okuqala?
12 Kwincwadi yakhe ethi A History of Christianity, uNjingalwazi K. S. Latourette ubhala athi: “Enye yezinto amaKristu okuqala awayengavisisani ngazo nehlabathi lamaGrike namaRoma yayikukungabi nanxaxheba emfazweni. Kwiinkulungwane ezintathu zokuqala akukho mbhalo wamaKristu usekhoyo kulo mhla wethu owakhuthaza ukuthabatha inxaxheba kwamaKristu emfazweni.” Incwadi kaEdward Gibbon ethi The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire ithi: “Kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba amaKristu, ngaphandle kokuba alahle umsebenzi ongcwele ngakumbi, abe ngamajoni, oomantyi, okanye abalawuli.” Ngokufanayo amaNgqina kaYehova athabatha ukuma kokuba ngoondilele ngokupheleleyo yaye alandela imigaqo yeBhayibhile eyandlalwe kuIsaya 2:2-4 nakuMateyu 26:52.
13. Atyholwa ngelithini amaNgqina kaYehova, kodwa izibakala zibonisa ntoni?
13 Iintshaba zamaNgqina kaYehova ziwatyhola ngokuqhekeza iintsapho. Liyinyaniso elokuba zikho iintsapho ezahlukanayo xa elinye ilungu okanye angakumbi esiba ngamaNgqina kaYehova. UYesu waxela kwangaphambili ukuba oku kwakuya kwenzeka. (Luka 12:51-53) Noko ke, xa kubalwa kufunyaniswa ukuba imitshato eqhekeka ngenxa yesi sizathu imbalwa gqitha. Ngokomzekelo, phakathi kwamaNgqina kaYehova eFransi, isibini esinye esitshatileyo kwezintathu siquka iqabane elingeloNgqina. Sekunjalo umlinganiselo woqhawulo-mtshato phakathi kwale mitshato yahluleleneyo awuphakamanga kunalowo welo lizwe xa lilonke. Ngoba? Umpostile uPawulos noPetros banikela isiluleko sobulumko, esiphefumlelweyo kumaKristu atshate nabantu abangakholwayo, yaye amaNgqina kaYehova azabalazela ukulandela amazwi abo. (1 Korinte 7:12-16; 1 Petros 3:1-4) Ukuba umtshato owahluleleneyo uyaqhekeka, phantse ngalo lonke ixesha oku kubangelwa liqabane elingeloNgqina. Kwelinye icala, amawaka amaninzi emitshato aye ancedwa kukuba amaqabane omtshato eye aba ngamaNgqina kaYehova aza aqalisa ukusebenzisa imigaqo yeBhayibhile ebomini bawo.
AngamaKristu, Kungekhona Abantu Abakholelwa KuBathathu Emnye
14. Ayetyholwa ngelithini amaKristu okuqala, yaye kutheni oku kumangalisa?
14 Kuyamangalisa ukuba kuBukhosi bamaRoma, esinye sezityholo ezazibekwa amaKristu okuqala sasikukuba awakholelwa kuThixo. UGqr. Augustus Neander ubhala athi: “Ukuthi abo babakhanyelayo oothixo, abangakholelwayo kuThixo, . . . kwakuyindlela eqhelekileyo amaKristu awayebizwa ngayo phakathi kwabantu.” Hayi indlela ekumangalisa ngayo ukuba amaKristu, awayenqula uMdali ophilayo kungekhona oothixo abaninzi, abizwe ngokuba ngabo bangakholelwayo kuThixo ngabahedeni ababenqula “kungekhona oothixo, kodwa imisebenzi yezandla zabantu, imithi namatye.”—Isaya 37:19.
15, 16. (a) Bambi abantu bonqulo baye bathini ngamaNgqina kaYehova, kodwa oku kuphakamisa wuphi umbuzo? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova angamaKristu ngokwenene?
15 Okunye okumangalisayo sisibakala sokuba namhlanje ezinye iincwadi kwiNgqobhoko zithi amaNgqina kaYehova awangomaKristu. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba amaNgqina awayamkeli imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye. Ngokutsho kwengcaciso yeNgqobhoko egqwethekileyo, “amaKristu ngabo bamkela uKristu njengoThixo.” Ngokwahlukileyo koku, isichazi-magama sezi mini sichaza isibizo esithi “umKristu” ngokuthi “ngumntu okholelwa kuYesu Kristu nolandela iimfundiso zakhe” yaye sichaza “ubuKristu” ngokuthi “lunqulo olusekelwe kwiimfundiso zikaYesu Kristu nenkolelo yokuba wayengunyana kaThixo.” Liliphi iqela efaneleka kulo ngokona kona le ngcaciso?
16 AmaNgqina kaYehova amkela obukaYesu ubungqina bomntu anguye. Wathi: “NdinguNyana kaThixo,” akazange athi, “NdinguThixo uNyana.” (Yohane 10:36; thelekisa uYohane 20:31.) Amkela amazwi ompostile uPawulos aphefumlelweyo ngoKristu athi: “Owathi, ekwimo efana nekaThixo, akakugqala ukulingana noThixo njengento awayenokuyixhakamfula.”a (Filipi 2:6, The New Jerusalem Bible) Incwadi ethi The Paganism in Our Christianity ithi: “UYesu Kristu akazange khe ayikhankanye loo nto [amalungu alinganayo kaBathathu Emnye], yaye akukho ndawo kwiTestamente eNtsha elivela kuyo igama elithi ‘uBathathu Emnye’. Le ngcamango yamkelwa yiCawa kuphela emva kweminyaka engamakhulu amathathu ifile iNkosi yethu; yaye imvelaphi yale ngcamango yeyobuhedeni ngokupheleleyo.” AmaNgqina kaYehova amkela imfundiso yeBhayibhile ngoKristu. AngamaKristu, awangobantu abakholelwa kuBathathu Emnye.
Awahambisani Nokumanyaniswa Kweecawa
17. Kutheni amaNgqina kaYehova engahambisani nemigudu yokumanyanisa iicawa, okanye uzwelonke?
17 Ezinye izinto ezimbini akhalazelwa ngazo amaNgqina kaYehova kukuba awafuni ukuba nenxaxheba kwimigudu yokumanyanisa iicawa yaye enza oko kubizwa ngokuthi “kukunyanzelela abantu ukuba babe ngamaguquka.” NamaKristu okuqala ayegculelwa ngezi ndlela zimbini. Alinakukhanyelwa elokuba iNgqobhoko, kunye neenxalenye zayo zobuKatolika, ubuOthodoki nobuProtestanti, iyinxalenye yehlabathi. NjengoYesu, amaNgqina kaYehova ‘awayonxalenye yehlabathi.’ (Yohane 17:14, NW) Anokuzidibanisa njani ngeenkqubo zikazwelonke neentlangano zonqulo ezikhuthaza ihambo neenkolelo ezingezozabuKristu?
18. (a) Kutheni amaNgqina kaYehova engenakugxekwa xa esithi ngawo kuphela anqula ngendlela yokwenyaniso? (b) Ngoxa ekholelwa ukuba alunqulo lokwenyaniso yintoni angenayo amaRoma Katolika?
18 Ngubani ngokufanelekileyo onokuwagxeka amaNgqina kaYehova ngokukholelwa, njengokuba ayesenza amaKristu okuqala, ukuba ngawo kuphela anqula ngendlela yokwenyaniso? KwaneCawa yamaKatolika, nangona ngohanahaniso isithi iyahambisana nemigudu yokumanyanisa iicawa, ithi: “Sikholelwa ukuba olu nqulo lokwenyaniso lunye luyaqhubeka lukho kwiCawa yobuKatolika nabaPostile, iNkosi uYesu eyayiphathisa umsebenzi wokuyisasaza kubo bonke abantu xa yathi kubapostile bayo: ‘Hambani ngoko niye kuzenza abafundi zonke iintlanga.’” (iBhunga leVatican II, “ISigqibo ngeNkululeko yoNqulo”) Noko ke, kubonakala ukuba inkolelo enjalo ayanele ukufaka kumaKatolika inzondelelo engapheliyo yokuphuma aye kwenza abafundi.
19. (a) AmaNgqina kaYehova azimisele ukwenza ntoni, yaye ngayiphi intsusa-senzo? (b) Yintoni eza kuhlolisiswa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
19 AmaNgqina kaYehova anayo loo nzondelelo. Azimisele ukuqhubeka enikela ubungqina logama nje uThixo esafuna enjenjalo. (Mateyu 24:14) Ubungqina abunikela ngenzondelelo kodwa kungekhona ngesinyanzelo. Bushukunyiswa luthando ngommelwane, kungekhona yintiyo ngabantu. Athemba ukuba abantu abaninzi kangangoko baya kusindiswa. (1 Timoti 4:16) NjengamaKristu okuqala, azabalazela ‘ukuhlala enoxolo nabantu bonke.” (Roma 12:18) Indlela akwenza ngayo oku iza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a Ukuze ufumane ingxubusho ngesi sicatshulwa ngokuphathelele uBathathu Emnye, bona IMboniselo (yesiNgesi), Juni 15, 1971, iphepha 355-6.
Impinda
◻ Luluphi uphawu olwalusahlula amaKristu okuqala, yaye amaNgqina kaYehova afana njani nawo?
◻ AmaNgqina kaYehova abonisa kweziphi iinkalo ukuba angabemi abalungileyo?
◻ Abalawuli babewagqala njani amaKristu okuqala, ibe ngaba kukho umahluko namhlanje?
◻ Ulweyiseko lwamaNgqina lokuba anenyaniso luwashukumisela ukuba enze ntoni?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 12]
AmaNgqina kaYehova azimisele ukuqhubeka enikela ubungqina logama nje uThixo esafuna enjenjalo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
UPilato wathi: “Nanko umntu”—Lowo wayengeyonxalenye yehlabathi.—Yohane 19:5
[Inkcazelo]
“Ecce Homo” by A. Ciseri: Florence, Galleria d’Arte Moderna / Alinari/Art Resource, N.Y.