Imitha Yokukhanya—Emikhulu Nemincinane (Icandelo Lokuqala)

“Umendo wamalungisa unjengokukhanya komso, okuya kuba mhlophe ngokuba mhlophe, kude kube semini enkulu.”—IMIZEKELISO 4:18.

1. Kutheni inyaniso iye yatyhilwa ngokuthe ngcembe?

UKUTYHILWA kweenyaniso zokomoya ngokuthe ngcembe ngemitha yokukhanya, ngokuvisisana neMizekeliso 4:18, kungqina ubulumko bukaThixo. Kwinqaku elandulelayo, siyibonile indlela le ndinyana eyazaliseka ngayo ngamaxesha abapostile. Ukuba inxalenye enkulu yenyaniso yeZibhalo yayityhilwe yonke ngaxeshanye, loo nto ibiya kusiphandla ize isidide—kanye ngokufana noko kwenzekayo xa uphuma emqolombeni omnyama tshu uze uthi ntlaa nokukhanya okuqaqambileyo kwelanga. Ngaphezu koko, inyaniso etyhilwa ngokuthe ngcembe ilomeleza ngokuqhubekayo ukholo lwamaKristu. Ilenza liqaqambe ngakumbi ithemba lawo yaye iwenza ucace ngakumbi umendo aza kuhamba kuwo.

‘Umkhonzi Othembekileyo Noqondayo’

2. UYesu wabonisa ukuba wayeya kusebenzisa bani ekunikeleni ukukhanya kokomoya kubalandeli bakhe, yaye elo lungiselelo liquka oobani?

² Ngamaxesha abapostile uYesu Kristu wakhetha ukusebenzisa iindlela ezingaphaya kwamandla emvelo ukunika abalandeli bakhe imitha yokukhanya yokuqala. Sinemizekelo emibini yoku: IPentekoste yowama-33 C.E. nokuguqulwa kukaKorneli ngowama-36 C.E. Emva koko, uKristu ukhethe ukusebenzisa abameli abangabantu, kanye njengokuba waxela kwangaphambili wathi: “Ngubani na ke loo mkhonzi uthembekileyo, uqondayo, eyathi inkosi yakhe yammisa phezu kwabendlu yayo, ukuze abanike ukudla ngexesha elifanelekileyo? Unoyolo loo mkhonzi, iya kuthi yakufika inkosi yakhe imfumane esenjenjalo. Inene ndithi kuni, iya kummisa phezu kwayo yonke impahla yayo.” (Mateyu 24:45-47) Lo mkhonzi wayengenakuba ngumntu omnye kuphela ngenxa yokuba wayeza kunikela ukudla kokomoya ukususela ngexesha elaqalisa ngalo ibandla lamaKristu ngePentekoste de iNkosi, uYesu Kristu, ifike ize kumphendulisa. Izibakala zibonisa ukuba olu didi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo luquka onke amaKristu athanjisiweyo njengeqela elisemhlabeni nangaliphi na ixesha.

3. Ngoobani ababequkiwe kumalungu okuqala odidi lomkhonzi?

³ Ngoobani ababequkiwe phakathi kwamalungu okuqala odidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo? Omnye yayingumpostile uPetros, owathobela umyalelo kaYesu othi: “Dlisa izimvu zam.” (Yohane 21:17) Omnye wamalungu okuqala odidi lomkhonzi yayinguMateyu, owabhala incwadi yeVangeli ebizwa ngegama lakhe, noPawulos, uYakobi noYuda, ababhala iileta eziphefumlelweyo. Umpostile uYohane, owabhala incwadi yeSityhilelo, incwadi yakhe yeVangeli, neeleta zakhe, naye wayelilungu lodidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo. La madoda abhala ngokuvisisana nothumo lukaYesu.

4. Ngoobani ‘abendlu’?

⁴ Ukuba bonke abathanjiswa njengeqela, kungakhathaliseki apho bahlala khona emhlabeni, bangamalungu odidi lomkhonzi, ngoobani ‘abendlu’? Ikwangaba bathanjiswa kodwa begqalwa ngembono eyahlukileyo—ngokwabantu ngabanye. Ewe, njengabantu ngabanye babeya kuba ‘ngumkhonzi’ okanye ‘ngabendlu,’ kuxhomekeka ukuba babedlulisa ukudla kokomoya okanye babekutya kusini na. Ngokomzekelo: Njengoko kubhaliwe kweyesi-2 kaPetros 3:15, 16, umpostile uPetros ubhekisela kwiileta zikaPawulos. Xa ezifunda, uPetros wayeya kuba njengomnye wabendlu otya ukudla kokomoya okunikelwa nguPawulos njengommeli wodidi lomkhonzi.

5. (a) Kwenzeka ntoni kumkhonzi ebudeni beenkulungwane zasemva kokufa kwabapostile? (b) Kwenzeka ntoni ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-19?

⁵ Ngokuphathelele oku, incwadi ethi God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached yathi: “Asiyazi kakuhle indlela udidi ‘lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo’ olwabakho ngayo lwaza lwakhonza ngayo ukutyhubela iinkulungwane zasemva kokufa kwabapostile beNkosi uYesu Kristu, asinayo ingxelo engokwembali ecacileyo. Kubonakala ukuba esinye isizukulwana sodidi ‘lomkhonzi’ sasisondla isizukulwana esilandelayo. (2 Timoti 2:2) Kodwa kwinxalenye yokugqibela yenkulungwane yeshumi elinesithoba kwakukho abantu aboyika uThixo ababekuthanda ukudla kokomoya kweBhayibhile eNgcwele nababenomnqweno wokuzondla ngako . . . Iiklasi zokufundisisa iBhayibhile . . . zasekwa zaza zahambela phambili ekuqondeni iinyaniso ezisisiseko zeZibhalo eziNgcwele. Abantu abanyanisekileyo nabangazingciyo phakathi kwaba bafundi beBhayibhile babelangazelela ukwabelana nabanye ngezi nxalenye zibalulekileyo zokudla kokomoya. Babenomoya wokuthembeka ‘womkhonzi’ omiselwe ukunika ‘abendlu ukudla’ kokomoya okuyimfuneko ‘ngexesha elifanelekileyo.’ ‘Babeqonda’ ukuba elo yayilixesha elichanileyo nelifanelekileyo yaye babeziqonda nezona ndlela zilungileyo zokunikela oko kudla. Bazama ukukunikela.”—Iphepha 344-5.a

Imitha Yokukhanya Yokuqala Kumaxesha Anamhlanje

6. Sisiphi isibakala esiphawulekayo ngokuphathelele ukutyhilwa kwenyaniso ngokuthe ngcembe?

⁶ Isibakala esiphawulekayo ngokuphathelele abo babesetyenziswa nguYehova ukuzisa oku kukhanya kokomoya kwanda ngokuthe ngcembe sikukuba abazange bazizukise. Isimo sengqondo awayenaso uC. T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society, sasisesokuba kwakukholekile eNkosini ukuba isebenzise izakhono zabo ezingento. Mayela namagama iintshaba zakhe ezazithanda ukuwasebenzisa, uMzalwan’ uRussell wakwenza kwacaca gca ukuba akazange adibane “nomlandeli kaRussell” yaye kwakungekho nto “ibubuRussell.” Lonke uzuko lwalusiya kuThixo.

7. Bubuphi ubungqina obanikelwa nguMzalwan’ uRussell nezinxulumani zakhe obubonisa ukuba ngokwenene babenxulumene nodidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo?

⁷ Xa sijonga imiphumo, asinakuthandabuza ukuba umoya oyingcwele kaYehova wawusalathisa oko kwakusenziwa nguMzalwan’ uRussell nezinxulumani zakhe. Banikela ubungqina bokuba babenxulumene nomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo. Nangona abefundisi abaninzi ngelo xesha babezibanga bekholelwa ukuba iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo nokuba uYesu unguNyana kaThixo, baxhasa iimfundiso zobuxoki ezifana nezaseBhabhiloni, ezinjengoBathathu Emnye, ukungafi komphefumlo womntu, nentuthumbo kanaphakade. Ngokuvisisana nedinga likaYesu, ngokwenene ngumoya oyingcwele owabangela ukuba imigudu yokuzithoba kaMzalwan’ uRussell nezinxulumani zakhe yenze inyaniso iqaqambe kunangaphambili. (Yohane 16:13) Abo Bafundi beBhayibhile bathanjisiweyo banikela ubungqina bokuba ngokwenene babeyinxalenye yodidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo, olunothumo lokunikela ukudla kokomoya kwabendlu yeNkosi. Imigudu yabo yaba luncedo kakhulu ekuhlanganisweni kwabathanjiswa.

8. Ziziphi iinyaniso ezisisiseko ngoYehova, iBhayibhile, uYesu Kristu, nomoya oyingcwele abaziqonda ngokucacileyo aBafundi beBhayibhile?

⁸ Kuyamangalisa ukubona indlela uYehova, esebenzisa umoya oyingcwele, awabanceda kakhulu ngayo aba Bafundi beBhayibhile bokuqala ngemitha yokukhanya. Okokuqala, bangqina ngokucacileyo ukuba uMdali ukho yaye unegama elikhethekileyo elinguYehova. (INdumiso 83:18; Roma 1:20) Babona ukuba uYehova uneempawu ezibalaseleyo ezine—amandla, okusesikweni, ubulumko nothando. (Genesis 17:1; Duteronomi 32:4; Roma 11:33; 1 Yohane 4:8) La maKristu athanjisiweyo angqina ngokucacileyo ukuba iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo yaye iyinyaniso. (Yohane 17:17; 2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Ukongezelela, ayekholelwa ukuba uNyana kaThixo, uYesu Kristu, wadalwa yaye wanikela ngobomi bakhe njengentlawulelo yalo lonke uluntu. (Mateyu 20:28; Kolose 1:15) Umoya oyingcwele, kunokuba ube sisiqu sesithathu sikaBathathu Emnye, waqondwa njengamandla kaThixo asebenzayo.—IZenzo 2:17.

9. (a) Ziziphi iinyaniso aBafundi beBhayibhile abaziqonda ngokucacileyo ngokuphathelele imeko yomntu nekamva elinikelwa yiBhayibhile? (b) Ziziphi ezinye iinyaniso abakhonzi bakaYehova abazibona ngokucacileyo?

⁹ ABafundi beBhayibhile babona ngokucacileyo ukuba umntu akanamphefumlo ungafiyo kodwa ungumphefumlo ofayo. Baqonda ukuba “umvuzo wesono kukufa,” kungekhona ukuthuthunjiswa ngonaphakade, kuba akukho ndawo isisihogo esivuthayo. (Roma 5:12; 6:23; Genesis 2:7; Hezekile 18:4) Ukongezelela, babona ngokucacileyo ukuba ingcamango yendaleko ayisekelwanga zibhalweni yaye ayinasihlahla tu kwaphela. (Genesis, isahluko 1 nesesi-2) Kwakhona baqonda ukuba iBhayibhile inikela ithemba lokuphila kwiindawo ezimbini—ukuphila ezulwini kubalandeli bakaKristu abathanjisiweyo abali-144 000 nokuphila emhlabeni oyiparadisi ‘kwisihlwele esikhulu’ esingenakubalwa ‘sezinye izimvu.’ (ISityhilelo 7:9; 14:1; Yohane 10:16) Abo Bafundi beBhayibhile bokuqala baqonda ukuba umhlaba umi ngonaphakade yaye awuyi kutshiswa, njengokuba iinkonzo ezininzi zazifundisa oko. (INtshumayeli 1:4; Luka 23:43) Kwakhona baqonda ukuba ukubuya kukaKristu kwakungayi kubonakala nokuba wayeya kwandula agwebe iintlanga aze enze umhlaba ube yiparadisi.—IZenzo 10:42; Roma 8:19-21; 1 Petros 3:18.

10. Ziziphi iinyaniso aBafundi beBhayibhile abaziqondayo ngokuphathelele ubhaptizo, ukwahlulahlula abefundisi namarhamente, neSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu?

¹⁰ ABafundi beBhayibhile bafunda ukuba ubhaptizo olungokweZibhalo alungombandela wokuphehlelela iintsana kodwa ngokuvisisana nomyalelo kaYesu okuMateyu 28:19, 20, lukukuntywiliselwa kwamakholwa afundisiweyo. Babona ukuba ukwahlulahlula amarhamente nabefundisi akusekelwanga Zibhalweni. (Mateyu 23:8-10) Ngokwahlukileyo koko, onke amaKristu amele abe ngabashumayeli beendaba ezilungileyo. (IZenzo 1:8) ABafundi beBhayibhile baqonda ukuba iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu sifanele senziwe kube kanye kuphela ngonyaka, ngoNisan 14. Ngaphezu koko, babona ukuba i-Ista yiholide yobuhedeni. Ukongezelela, abo bathanjiswa babenentembelo gqitha yokuba umsebenzi wabo wawuxhaswa nguThixo kangangokuba abazange bafune nkongozelo. (Mateyu 10:8) Ukususela ekuqaleni, babeqonda ukuba amaKristu amele aphile ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile, equka ukuhlakulela isiqhamo somoya oyingcwele kaThixo.—Galati 5:22, 23.

Imitha Yokukhanya Eyandayo

11. Kukuphi ukukhanya okwathi thaa kuthumo lwamaKristu nakumzekeliso kaYesu wezimvu neebhokhwe?

¹¹ Ngokukodwa ukususela ngowe-1919 abakhonzi bakaYehova babesikelelwa ngemitha yokukhanya eyandayo. Elinjani lona ukuqaqamba ilitha lokukhanya elathi thaa kwindibano yowe-1922 eyayiseCedar Point xa uJ. F. Rutherford, umongameli wesibini weWatch Tower Society, wagxininisa ngamandla ukuba eyona mbopheleleko iphambili yabakhonzi bakaYehova ‘kukubhengeza, ukubhengeza, ukubhengeza uKumkani nobukumkani bakhe’! Kanye kunyaka olandelayo, ukukhanya okuqaqambileyo kwathi thaa kumzekeliso wezimvu neebhokhwe. Kwabonwa ukuba esi siprofeto sasiya kuzaliseka kulo mhla weNkosi siphila kuwo, kungekhona kwikamva ebudeni beWaka Leminyaka njengokuba kwakucingwa ngaphambili. Ebudeni beWaka Leminyaka, abazalwana bakaKristu abayi kugula, yaye abayi kuvalelwa entolongweni. Ngapha koko, ekupheleni kweWaka Leminyaka, nguYehova uThixo oya kugweba, kungekhona uYesu Kristu.—Mateyu 25:31-46.

12. Liliphi ilitha lokukhanya elabakho ngokuphathelele iArmagedon?

¹² Ngowe-1926 elinye ilitha lokukhanya eliqaqambileyo latyhila ukuba imfazwe yeArmagedon yayingayi kuba yinguqu yasentlalweni, njengoko aBafundi beBhayibhile babekhe bacinga njalo. Kunoko, yayiya kuba yimfazwe uYehova aya kuwabonisa kuyo ngokucacileyo amandla akhe kangangokuba bonke abantu baya kweyiseka lelokuba unguThixo.—ISityhilelo 16:14-16; 19:17-21.

IKrismesi—Iholide Yobuhedeni

13. (a) Kukuphi ukukhanya okwanikelwayo ngemibhiyozo yeKrismesi? (b) Kutheni imihla yokuzalwa yayisangabhiyozelwa? (Quka umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹³ Kungekudala emva koko, ilitha lokukhanya labangela aBafundi beBhayibhile bayeka ukubhiyozela iKrismesi. Ngaphambili iKrismesi yayisoloko ibhiyozelwa ngaBafundi beBhayibhile ehlabathini lonke, yaye ukubhiyozelwa kwayo kwikomkhulu laseBrooklyn kwakuba sisihlandlo sovuyo olukhulu. Kodwa kwaqondwa ukuba ukugcinwa kukaDisemba 25 eneneni kwakububuhedeni yaye ngumhla owakhethwa yiNgqobhoko ewexukileyo ukuze yenze kube lula ukuguqula abahedeni. Ukongezelela, kwafunyaniswa ukuba uYesu wayengenakuzalwa ebusika, ekubeni ngexesha lokuzalwa kwakhe, abalusi babesalusa imihlambi yabo emadlelweni—nto leyo ababengenakuyenza ebusuku ngasekupheleni kukaDisemba. (Luka 2:8) Kunoko, iZibhalo zibonisa ukuba uYesu wazalwa malunga no-Oktobha 1. Kwakhona aBafundi beBhayibhile baqonda ukuba amadoda afane abizwe ngokuba zizazi awatyelela uYesu malunga neminyaka emibini emva kokuzalwa kwakhe ayezizazi ezingabahedeni.b

Igama Elitsha

14. Kutheni igama elithi aBafundi beBhayibhile lalingabachazi kakuhle into abayiyo abantu bakaYehova?

¹⁴ Ngowe-1931 ilitha eliqaqambileyo lenyaniso labatyhilela abo Bafundi beBhayibhile igama elingokweZibhalo elifanelekileyo. Abantu bakaYehova babeqonda ukuba babengenakwamkela naliphi igama kumagama ababewanikwa ngabantu, njengelithi abalandeli bakaRussell, abaVakalisi Bokuza Kwewaka Leminyaka, “noosihog’ asikho.”c Kodwa kwakhona baqalisa ukuqonda ukuba igama ababezibiza ngalo—elithi aBafundi beBhayibhile Bezizwe Ngezizwe—lalingabachazi kakuhle into abayiyo. Babengengobafundi beBhayibhile nje kuphela. Ngapha koko, babebaninzi abanye ababefunda iBhayibhile kodwa ababengafani kwaphela naba Bafundi beBhayibhile.

15. Liliphi igama elamkelwa ngaBafundi beBhayibhile ngowe-1931, yaye kutheni lifanelekile nje?

¹⁵ ABafundi beBhayibhile balifumana njani igama elitsha? Kangangeminyaka iThe Watch Tower yayibalaselisa igama likaYehova. Ngoko ke, kwakufaneleke gqitha ukuba aBafundi beBhayibhile bamkele igama elifumaneka kuIsaya 43:10: “Ningamangqina am, utsho uYehova, nina ningumkhonzi wam endimnyulileyo; ukuze nazi, nikholwe ndim, niqonde ukuba ndim; phambi kwam akubunjwanga thixo, nasemva kwam akuyi kubakho namnye.”

Ukuthethelelwa ‘Nesihlwele Esikhulu’

16. Kutheni iziprofeto ezithetha ngokubuyiselwa zazingasebenzi ekubuyeleni kwamaYuda okwemvelo ePalestina, kodwa zisebenza koobani?

¹⁶ Kumqulu wesibini wencwadi ethi Vindication, eyapapashwa yiWatch Tower Society ngowe-1932, ilitha lokukhanya latyhila ukuba iziprofeto ezithetha ngokubuyiselwa ezabhalwa nguIsaya, uYeremiya, uHezekile, nabanye abaprofeti zazingasebenzi (njengokuba kwakukhe kwacingwa njalo) kumaYuda okwemvelo, awayebuyela ePalestina engenalukholo yaye eneentshukumisa zobupolitika. Kunoko, ezi ziprofeto zithetha ngokubuyiselwa, ezazaliseka ngomlinganiselo omncinane xa amaYuda abuya ekuthinjweni yiBhabhiloni ngowama-537 B.C.E., zazaliseka ngomlinganiselo omkhulu ngokukhululwa nokubuyiselwa koSirayeli wokomoya ukususela ngowe-1919 nasekuchumeni kwiparadisi yokomoya enanditshwa ngabakhonzi bokwenyaniso bakaYehova namhlanje.

17, 18. (a) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ngelitha lokukhanya, yintoni eyabonwa iyinjongo kaYehova ephambili? (b) Liliphi ilitha lokukhanya ngokuphathelele ISityhilelo 7:9-17 elabakho ngowe-1935?

¹⁷ Ekuhambeni kwexesha, imitha yokukhanya yatyhila ukuba injongo ephambili kaYehova, asikokusindisa abantu, kodwa kukuthethelelwa kolongamo lwakhe. Owona mxholo ubalulekileyo weBhayibhile wabonwa ukuba, asiyontlawulelo, kodwa buBukumkani, ngenxa yokuba buya kuthethelela ulongamo lukaYehova. Elinjani lona ilitha lokukhanya! AmaKristu azahluleleyo ayengasakuxhalabelanga ngokuyintloko ukuya ezulwini.

¹⁸ Ngowe-1935 ilitha eliqaqambileyo lenyaniso latyhila ukuba isihlwele esikhulu esikhankanywe kwiSityhilelo 7:9-17 asilodidi lwesibini lwasezulwini. Kwakucingwa ukuba abo bakhankanywe kwezo ndinyana bangabanye babathanjiswa ababengathembekanga ncam yaye ngoko bami phambi kwetrone kunokuba bahlale kwiitrone belawula njengookumkani nababingeleli kunye noYesu Kristu. Kodwa ayikho nje kwaphela into ekukungathembeki ncam. Umntu uyathembeka okanye angathembeki. Ngoko kwabonwa ukuba esi siprofeto sasibhekisela kwisihlwele esikhulu esingenakubalwa esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga esihlanganiswayo ngoku nesinethemba lasemhlabeni. ‘Bazizimvu’ zikaMateyu 25:31-46 “nezinye izimvu” zikaYohane 10:16.

Umnqamlezo—Awulophawu LobuKristu

19, 20. Kutheni umnqamlezo ungenakuba luphawu lobuKristu bokwenyaniso?

¹⁹ Kangangeminyaka emininzi aBafundi beBhayibhile babebalaselisa umnqamlezo njengophawu lobuKristu. Babenayo nebheji “enomnqamlezo nesithsaba.” NgokweBhayibhile yesiXhosa, uYesu wacela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathwale “umnqamlezo” wabo, yaye abaninzi bakholelwa ukuba wafela emnqamlezweni. (Mateyu 16:24; 27:32) Kwakhona kangangamashumi eminyaka olu phawu lwalukwiphepha elingaphambili lephephancwadi iWatch Tower.

²⁰ Incwadi ethi Ubutyebi, eyapapashwa nguMbutho ngowe-1936, yachaza ngokucacileyo ukuba uYesu Kristu akazange afele emnqamlezweni, kodwa wafela kwisibonda, okanye emthini omi nkqo. Ngokutsho kwenye incwadi, igama lesiGrike (stau·rosʹ) eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umnqamlezo” kwiBhayibhile yesiXhosa “libonisa, ngokuyintloko, ipali okanye isibonda esimi nkqo. [Eli gama] limele lahlulwe kuhlobo lomnqamlezo wasecaweni onezibonda ezibini. . . . Umnqamlezo wavela kwiKhaledi yamandulo, yaye wawusetyenziswa njengomfuziselo kathixo uTamuzi.” Kunokuba sinqulwe, isixhobo awabethelelwa kuso uYesu sifanele sicekiswe.

21. Yintoni eza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

²¹ Ikho neminye imizekelo yemitha yokukhanya emikhulu naleyo inokugqalwa njengemincinane. Ukuze ufumane ingxubusho yayo, nceda ubone inqaku elilandelayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Uyakhumbula Na?

◻ Ngubani ‘umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo,’ yaye ngoobani ‘abendlu’?

◻ Yiyiphi eminye imitha yokukhanya yokuqala kumaxesha anamhlanje?

◻ Kwakutheni ukuze igama elitsha elithi, amaNgqina kaYehova, lifaneleke?

◻ Ziziphi iinyaniso ezibalaseleyo ezatyhilwa ngowe-1935?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]

UC. T. Russell nezinxulumani zakhe basasaza ukukhanya kokomoya, kodwa lonke uzuko lwalusiya kuYehova