“Nakuba Ningazange Nimbone, Niyamthanda”
“Nakuba ningazange nimbone, niyamthanda. Nakuba ningakhangelanga kuye okwangoku, kodwa niqhelisela ukholo kuye yaye niyaphuphuma yimihlali.”—1 PETROS 1:8.
1. Nangona kungekho mntu emhlabeni namhlanje okhe wambona uYesu, bambi abantu bonqulo bazabalazela njani ukubonakalisa ukuzinikela kuye?
AKAKHO umntu ophilayo namhlanje emhlabeni owakha wambona uYesu Kristu. Kodwa, izigidi zabantu zithi ziyamthanda. Minyaka le ngoJanuwari 9, eManila, kwiiPhilippines, umfanekiso oqingqiweyo olingana nomntu kaYesu Kristu othwele umnqamlezo urhuqwa ezitratweni koko kuye kwabizwa ngokuba ngowona mboniso ubalaseleyo, nobukekayo wonqulo oludumileyo kwelo lizwe. Isihlwele esidlobayo luvuyo siyatyhalana; abantu bade bakhwele phezu kwabanye bezama ngamandla ukuba bachukumise loo mfanekiso. Abaninzi abeze kubukela ngokuyintloko batsalwa ngumngcelele owenziwa kulo mthendeleko. Ukanti abanye ngokuqinisekileyo ngabantu abaziva betsaleleke ngokunyanisekileyo kuYesu. Njengobungqina boko, basenokunxiba umnqamlezo okanye basenokuya rhoqo ecaweni. Noko ke, ngaba unqulo-zithixo olunjalo lunokugqalwa njengonqulo lokwenyaniso?
2, 3. (a) Ngoobani kubalandeli bakaYesu abambonayo nabamphulaphulayo xa wayethetha? (b) Ngoobani abanye abamthandayo baza bakholelwa kuYesu ngenkulungwane yokuqala, nangona bengazange bambone ngamehlo?
2 Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, ngabantu abangamawaka amaninzi kwiphondo laseRoma lakwaYuda, laseSamariya, lasePereya nelaseGalili abambona baza bamphulaphula ngokobuqu uYesu Kristu. Baphulaphula njengoko wayecacisa iinyaniso ezivuyisayo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Babengamangqina okuzibonela emimangaliso awayenzayo. Abanye kwaba baba ngabafundi abazinikeleyo, beyisekile kwelokuba ‘wayenguKristu, uNyana woThixo ophilayo.’ (Mateyu 16:16) Noko ke, abo umpostile uPetros wababhalela incwadi yakhe yokuqala babengekho phakathi kwaba.
3 Abo uPetros wayethetha nabo babekumaphondo aseRoma iPonto, iGalati, iKapadokiya, iAshiya neBhithiniya—onke akummandla oyiTurkey namhlanje. UPetros wababhalela oku: “Nakuba ningazange nimbone, niyamthanda. Nakuba ningakhangelanga kuye okwangoku, kodwa niqhelisela ukholo kuye yaye niyaphuphuma yimihlali ngovuyo olungathethekiyo noluzukisiweyo.” (1 Petros 1:1, 8) Babemaze njani uYesu Kristu ukusa kumlinganiselo wokuba bamthande yaye bakholelwe kuye?
4, 5. Kwenzeka njani ukuba abo bantu babengazange bambone uYesu bafunde lukhulu ngaye kangangokuba bamthande yaye bakholelwe kuye?
4 Kubonakala ukuba, bambi babeseYerusalem xa umpostile uPetros wayenikela ubungqina kwisihlwele esasiye kumthendeleko wePentekoste ngowama-33 C.E. Emva komthendeleko abafundi abaninzi bahlala eYerusalem ukuze bafumane imiyalelo engakumbi kubapostile. (IZenzo 2:9, 41, 42; thelekisa eyoku-1 kaPetros 1:1.) Kuhambo lobuvangeli awayeluphindaphinda, umpostile uPawulos ngenzondelelo waphumeza ubulungiseleli nakubantu ababehlala kummandla awathi kamva uPetros wathumela incwadi yakhe yokuqala yeBhayibhile eyayibizwa ngegama lakhe.—IZenzo 18:23; 19:10; Galati 1:1, 2.
5 Kwakutheni ukuze abo bantu, ababengazange bambona uYesu, batsaleleke kakhulu kangako kuye? Namhlanje, kutheni kukho izigidi ezingakumbi, emhlabeni wonke, ezimthanda ngokunzulu?
Izinto Abazivayo
6. (a) Ukuba wawubuphulaphule ubungqina bukaPetros ngoYesu ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., ngewawuve ntoni? (b) Loo nto yabachaphazela njani ababemalunga nama-3000 ababekho?
6 Ukuba wawuseYerusalem xa uPetros wayethetha kweso sihlwele sasiye emthendelekweni ngowama-33 C.E., ngewawuve ntoni ngoYesu? Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo imimangaliso awayenzayo yayibonisa ukuba wayethunywe nguThixo. Wawuya kuva ukuba, nangona abantu abanesono bambulalayo uYesu, wayengasekho engcwabeni kodwa wayevusiwe waza wanyuselwa ezulwini kwisandla sokunene sikaThixo. Wawuya kuva ukuba ngokwenene uYesu, unguKristu, uMesiya ababebhale ngaye abaprofeti. Wawuya kuva ukuba ngoYesu Kristu, umoya oyingcwele wathululwa phezu kwabalandeli bakhe ukuze bakwazi ukunikela ubungqina ngokukhawuleza kubantu ababevela kwiintlanga ezininzi ngezinto ezingummangaliso ezazisenziwa nguThixo ngoNyana wakhe. Iintliziyo zabaninzi ababephulaphule uPetros ngeso sihlandlo zachukumiseka ngokunzulu, ibe abamalunga nama-3000 babhaptizwa njengabafundi abangamaKristu. (IZenzo 2:14-42) Ukuba wawulapho, ngaba ngewawulithabathile elo nyathelo libalulekileyo?
7. (a) Ukuba wawukwa-Antiyokwe xa umpostile uPawulos wayeshumayela apho, ngewawuve ntoni? (b) Kutheni abanye ababekweso sihlwele baba ngamakholwa baza babelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo?
7 Ukuba wawuphakathi kwabo babekho xa umpostile uPawulos wayefundisa kwa-Antiyokwe kwiphondo lamaRoma laseGalati, yintoni enye ongewawuyifundile ngoYesu? Ngewawuve uPawulos ecacisa ukuba ukugwetyelwa ukufa kukaYesu ngabalawuli baseYerusalem kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili ngabaprofeti. Ngewawuve ngobungqina bokuzibonela bokuvuswa kukaYesu. Ngokuqinisekileyo ngewawuchukunyiswe yingcaciso kaPawulos yokuba ngokuvuswa kukaYesu kwabafileyo, uYehova wayeqinisekisa ukuba lowo ngokwenene wayenguNyana kaThixo. Kwaye ngaba intliziyo yayingayi kuzaliswa luvuyo njengoko wawusiva ukuba ukuxolelwa kwezono okwakunokwenzeka ngokukholelwa kuYesu kwakunokukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade? (IZenzo 13:16-41, 46, 47; Roma 1:4) Beqonda ukubaluleka koko babekuva, bambi bakwa-Antiyokwe baba ngabafundi, bekhuthele ekwabelaneni nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo, nangona ukwenjenjalo kwakuthetha ukuba babeya kujamelana nentshutshiso ekrakra.—IZenzo 13:42, 43, 48-52; 14:1-7, 21-23.
8. Ukuba wawusentlanganisweni kwibandla lase-Efese xa kwakufunyanwa incwadi kaPawulos, ngewawuve ntoni?
8 Kuthekani ukuba wawukwibandla lamaKristu lase-Efese, kwiphondo laseRoma laseAshiya, xa kwafunyanwa incwadi ephefumlelweyo kaPawulos eyayisiya kubafundi? Yintoni ongewawuyifundile kuyo ngendima kaYesu ekuzaliseni injongo kaThixo? Kuloo ncwadi uPawulos wacacisa ukuba ngoKristu zonke izinto ezisezulwini nezisemhlabeni zaziya kuphinda zivisisaniswe noThixo, nokuba isipho sikaThixo ngoKristu sasisiya kubantu bazo zonke iintlanga, nokuba abantu ababefile emehlweni kaThixo ngenxa yeziphoso zabo babenziwe baphila ngokukholelwa kuKristu, nokuba ngenxa yeli lungiselelo, kwakhona kwakunokwenzeka ukuba abantu babe ngoonyana abathandwayo nguThixo.—Efese 1:1, 5-10; 2:4, 5, 11-13.
9. (a) Yintoni enokukunceda uqonde enoba uyayifumana kusini na intsingiselo yoko uPawulos wakubhalela abase-Efese? (b) Abazalwana ababekumaphondo aseRoma abakhankanywa nguPetros bachaphazeleka njani ngoko babekufunda ngoYesu?
9 Ngaba ukuba noxabiso ngayo yonke le nto kwakunokulwenza nzulu uthando lwakho ngoNyana kaThixo? Ngaba olo thando lwalunokubuchaphazela ubomi bakho bemihla ngemihla, njengoko umpostile uPawulos wakhuthazayo kwisahluko 4 ukusa kwesesi-6 kweyabase-Efese? Ngaba olo xabiso lwalunokukushukumisela ekubeni uzihlole ngenyameko izinto eziza kuqala ebomini bakho? Ngenxa yokuthanda uThixo nokuba nombulelo kuNyana wakhe, ngaba wawunokwenza uhlengahlengiso oluyimfuneko ukuze ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ngokwenene kube yeyona nto ingundoqo ebomini bakho? (Efese 5:15-17) Ngokuphathelele indlela awachaphazeleka ngayo amaKristu aseAshiya, eGalati nakwamanye amaphondo aseRoma ngoko ayekufunda, umpostile uPetros wawabhalela esithi: “Nakuba ningazange nimbone [uYesu Kristu], niyamthanda. . . . Niqhelisela ukholo kuye yaye niyaphuphuma yimihlali ngovuyo olungathethekiyo noluzukisiweyo.”—1 Petros 1:8.
10. (a) Ngokungathandabuzekiyo yintoni eyafak’ isandla kuthando lwamaKristu okuqala ngoYesu? (b) Thina sinokungenelwa njani?
10 Yayikho enye into ngokuqinisekileyo eyayifake isandla kuthando awayenalo ngoNyana kaThixo loo maKristu okuqala awayethetha nawo uPetros. Yayiyintoni leyo? Ngexesha uPetros wayebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala, ubuncinane zazimbini iincwadi zeVangeli—ekaMateyu nekaLuka—ezazisele zifundwa ngabantu. AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala awayengazange ambone uYesu ayenokufunda ezi ngxelo zeVangeli. Nathi sinako ukwenjenjalo. Iincwadi zeVangeli azizongxelo nje zobuciko; zinazo zonke iimpawu zeyona mbali inokuthenjwa. Kuloo mazwi aphefumlelweyo, sifumana okuninzi okulwenza nzulu uthando lwethu ngoNyana kaThixo.
Umoya Awawubonakalisayo
11, 12. Yintoni ekwenza umthande uYesu ngokuphathelele umoya awawubonakalisa kwabanye abantu?
11 Kwingxelo ebhaliweyo yobomi bukaYesu, sifunda indlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabanye abantu. Umoya awawubonakalisayo usazichukumisa nangoku iintliziyo zabantu, kwiminyaka engaphezu kwe-1960 emva kokuba efile. Wonk’ ubani ophilayo usindwa yimiphumo yesono. Izigidi ezininzi zingamaxhoba okungabikho kokusesikweni, zilwa nesigulo esithile, okanye ngasizathu sithile ziziva zidakumbile. Kubo bonke abanjalo, uYesu uthi: “Yizani kum, nonke nina nixhamlekayo nenisindwa ngumthwalo, yaye ndiza kunihlaziya. Thabathelani kuni idyokhwe yam nize nifunde kum, kuba ndinomoya wobulali ibe ndithobekile ngentliziyo, kwaye niya kuyifumanela ukuhlaziyeka imiphefumlo yenu. Kuba idyokhwe yam yeyobubele nomthwalo wam ukhaphukhaphu.”—Mateyu 11:28-30.
12 UYesu wayebaxhalabele gqitha abangamahlwempu, abalambileyo nabalusizi. Xa iimeko zazifuna enze oko, wayede ondle inyambalala yabantu ngokungummangaliso. (Luka 9:12-17) Wabakhulula kumasiko acinezelayo. Kwakhona wakha ukholo lwabo kwilungiselelo likaThixo lokuphelisa ingcinezelo yezobupolitika neyezoqoqosho. UYesu akazange awutyumze umoya wabo babesele becinezelekile. Ethantamisa yaye enothando, ngobuchule wabakhuthaza abanobulali. Wabahlaziya abo babefana nengcongolo etyumkileyo negobileyo nabo babefana nemisonto yeflakisi eyayisele iza kucima. Ukususela ngoko ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, igama lakhe belinika ithemba, kwanakwiintliziyo zabo bangazange bambone.—Mateyu 12:15-21; 15:3-10.
13. Kutheni indlela uYesu awaqhubana ngayo naboni inomtsalane ebantwini?
13 UYesu akazange akwamkele ukwenza ububi, kodwa wabonakalisa ukuqonda kubantu ababenze iimpazamo ebomini kodwa ababebonakalisa inguquko nababeguqukela kuye ukuze bafumane uncedo. (Luka 7:36-50) Wayehlala phantsi atye nabantu ababecekiswa libutho labantu xa wayevakalelwa kukuba oko kwakuya kuvelisa ithuba lokuba abancede ngokomoya. (Mateyu 9:9-13) Ngenxa yomoya awawubonakalisayo, izigidi zabantu abakwiimeko ezifanayo abangazange bambone uYesu ziye zashukunyiselwa ekubeni zimazi yaye zibe nokholo kuye.
14. Yintoni enomtsalane kuwe ngendlela uYesu awanceda ngayo abagulayo, abaneziphene okanye abafelweyo?
14 Indlela uYesu awaqhubana ngayo nabantu ababegula okanye ababeneziphene isinika ubungqina bothando nemfesane yakhe namandla akhe okubazisela isiqabu. Ngaloo ndlela, xa indoda eyayigula ineqhenqa yaya kucela uncedo kuye, uYesu akazange ahlehle akuyibona. Yaye akazange axelele loo ndoda ukuba, nangona wayeyisizela, imeko yayo yayisele ihambele phambili kakhulu ibe kwakungekho nto yayinokwenziwa ukuze incedwe. Le ndoda yambongoza isithi: “Nkosi, ukuba nje uyafuna, unako ukundenza ndihlambuluke.” Engaphozisanga maseko, uYesu wolula isandla sakhe waza wayichukumisa loo ndoda ineqhenqa, esithi: “Ndiyafuna. Yenziwa uhlambuluke.” (Mateyu 8:2, 3) Ngesinye isihlandlo ibhinqa elithile lafuna ukuphiliswa ngokuthi lingabonwa lichukumise umphetho wesambatho sakhe. UYesu waqhubana nalo ngendlela enobubele neyomelezayo. (Luka 8:43-48) Yaye xa wayebona umngcelele womngcwabo, wasikwa yimfesane ngenxa yomhlolokazi owayebuhlungu efelwe ngokuphela konyana wakhe. Nangona uYesu wayengazange avume ukusebenzisa amandla awanikwe nguThixo ukuze azilungiselele ukutya ngokungummangaliso, wawasebenzisa ngokukhululekileyo ukuze avuse loo ndoda ifileyo aze ayibuyisele kunina.—Luka 4:2-4; 7:11-16.
15. Kukuchaphazela njani ukufunda nokucamngca ngeengxelo ezingoYesu?
15 Njengoko sifunda ezi ngxelo yaye sicamngca ngomoya owabonakaliswa nguYesu, uthando lwethu luba nzulu ngalo uye wanikela ngobomi bakhe bobuntu ukuze siphile ngonaphakade. Nangona singazange simbone, siziva sitsalelekile kuye, yaye sifuna ukulandela emanyathelweni akhe.—1 Petros 2:21.
Ukwayama Kwakhe Ngokuthobekileyo KuThixo
16. UYesu wayenikela ingqalelo koobani ngokuyintloko, ibe wasikhuthaza ukuba senze ntoni?
16 Ngaphezu kwako konke oku, uYesu wanikela ingqalelo yakhe neyethu kuYise osezulwini, uYehova uThixo. Wachaza owona myalelo mkhulu eMthethweni, esithi: “Umele umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.” (Mateyu 22:36, 37) Wabongoza abafundi bakhe esithi: “Yibani nokholo kuThixo.” (Marko 11:22) Xa babejamelene novavanyo olunzima lokholo lwabo, wababongoza esithi: “Nithandaze ngokuqhubekayo.”—Mateyu 26:41.
17, 18. (a) UYesu wakubonakalisa njani ukwayama kwakhe ngokuthobeka kuYise? (b) Kutheni kubalulekile kuthi oko wakwenzayo?
17 UYesu ngokwakhe wamisela umzekelo. Umthandazo wawubalulekile ebomini bakhe. (Mateyu 14:23; Luka 9:28; 18:1) Xa kwafika ixesha lokuba akhethe abapostile bakhe, uYesu akazange ayame ngokhetho lwakhe, nangona ngaphambili zonke iingelosi ezulwini zaziphantsi kolwalathiso lwakhe. Ngokuthobeka wachitha ubusuku bonke ethandaza kuYise. (Luka 6:12, 13) Xa wayejamelene nokubanjwa nokubulawa kabuhlungu, uYesu kwakhona waguqukela kuYise, ethandaza ngokunyanisekileyo. Akazange abe nembono yokuba wayemazi kakuhle uSathana ibe wayenokumelana nayo nantoni na eyayinokwenziwa ngulowo ungendawo. UYesu wayiqonda indlela ekwakubaluleke ngayo ukungasileli. Olunjani ugculelo ukusilela kwakhe okwakuya kuluzisa kuYise! Yaye enjani ilahleko kubantu, amathemba obomi babo awayexhomekeke kwidini elaliza kunikelwa nguYesu!
18 UYesu wathandaza ngokuphindaphindiweyo—xa wayenabapostile bakhe kwigumbi eliphezulu eYerusalem waza wathandaza nangakumbi kumyezo waseGetsemane. (Mateyu 26:36-44; Yohane 17:1-26; Hebhere 5:7) Xa wayebandezeleka kwisibonda sentuthumbo, akazange abathuke abo babemgculela. Kunoko, wathandazela abo babesenza ngenxa yokungazi esithi: “Bawo, baxolele, kuba abakwazi oko bakwenzayo.” (Luka 23:34) Wayesoloko ecinga ngoYise, “ezinikele kulowo ugweba ngobulungisa.” Amazwi okugqibela awawathethayo xa wayekwisibonda sentuthumbo ayengumthandazo owawusiya kuYise. (1 Petros 2:23; Luka 23:46) Hayi indlela esinombulelo ngayo, kuba ngenxa yokwayama kwakhe ngokupheleleyo kuYehova, uYesu wasiphumeza ngokuthembeka isabelo awayesinikwe nguYise! Nangona singazange simbone uYesu Kristu, hayi indlela esimthanda ngayo ngenxa yoko wakwenzayo!
Ukubonakalisa Uthando Lwethu Ngaye
19. Ekubonakaliseni kwethu uthando ngoYesu, luluphi uqheliselo esimele siluphephe ngokupheleleyo njengolungafanelekanga?
19 Sinokungqina njani ukuba uthando esithi sinalo alupheleli emlonyeni kuphela? Ekubeni uYise, owayethandwa nguYesu, wayengakuvumeli ukwenziwa kwemifanekiso eqingqiweyo ize iphathwe njengezinto zokunqulwa, ngokuqinisekileyo asiyi kubonakalisa imbeko kuYesu ngokunxiba loo mifanekiso iqingqiweyo emiqaleni yethu okanye ngokuyiphatha ezitratweni. (Eksodus 20:4, 5; Yohane 4:24) Bekungayi kuba kukumbeka uYesu ukuba siye kwiinkonzo zonqulo, kwanokuba oko sikwenza izihlandlo eziliqela ngeveki, ukuba asiphili ngokuvisisana neemfundiso zakhe iveki yonke. UYesu wathi: “Lowo unemiyalelo yam aze ayigcine, lowo nguye ondithandayo. Ngokulandelayo lowo undithandayo uya kuthandwa nguBawo.”—Yohane 14:21, 23; 15:10.
20. Ziziphi ezinye izinto eziya kubonisa enoba simthanda ngokwenene uYesu?
20 Yiyiphi imiyalelo awasinika yona? Owokuqala, ngowokunqula uThixo wenyaniso, uYehova, nokunqula yena yedwa. (Mateyu 4:10; Yohane 17:3) Ngenxa yendima yakhe kwinjongo kaThixo, uYesu wakwafundisa ukuba simele siqhelisele ukholo kuye njengoNyana kaThixo nokuba oko simele sikwenze ngokuphepha imisebenzi engendawo nangokuhamba ekukhanyeni. (Yohane 3:16-21) Wasiluleka ukuba sifune tanci uBukumkani bukaThixo nobulungisa bakhe, sibeke ezi zinto phambili kumaxhala eentswelo zokwenyama. (Mateyu 6:31-33) Wasiyalela ukuba sithandane njengoko wasithandayo. (Yohane 13:34; 1 Petros 1:22) Yaye wasithuma ukuba sibe ngamangqina enjongo kaThixo, njengoko wenzayo. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20; ISityhilelo 3:14) Nangona engazange ambone uYesu, amaNgqina kaYehova amalunga nezigidi ezintlanu namhlanje aqhutywa luthando lokwenene ngaye ukuze agcine loo miyalelo. Ukungamboni kwawo ngokobuqu uYesu akuluthomalalisi nakancinane uzimiselo lwawo lokuthobela. Akhumbula oko iNkosi yawo yakutshoyo kumpostile uTomas: “Ngenxa yokuba undibonile uyakholwa na? Banoyolo abo bangaboniyo ukanti bayakholwa.”—Yohane 20:29.
21. Singenelwa njani ngokubakho kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu, esiya kuqhutywa ngeCawa, Matshi 23?
21 Sinethemba lokuba uya kuba phakathi kwabo baya kuhlanganisana emhlabeni wonke kwiiHolo zoBukumkani zamaNgqina kaYehova emva kokutshona kwelanga ngeCawa, Matshi 23, 1997, ukuze bakhumbule eyona mbonakaliso ibalaseleyo yothando lukaThixo kuluntu nokukhumbula ukufa koNyana wakhe owayenyanisekile, uYesu Kristu. Into ethethwayo neyenziwayo ngeso sihlandlo ifanele ilwenze nzulu uthando lwethu ngoYehova nangoNyana wakhe ize ngaloo ndlela isenze sibe nomnqweno ongakumbi wokwenza imiyalelo kaThixo.—1 Yohane 5:3.
Ubunokuphendula Uthini?
◻ Abo yayisiya kubo incwadi yokuqala kaPetros bamazi baza bamthanda njani uYesu?
◻ Ziziphi ezinye zezinto ezaviwa ngamaKristu okuqala ezikuchukumisayo?
◻ Yintoni eyenza uthando lwakho lube nzulu ngoYesu ngokuphathelele umoya awawubonakalisayo?
◻ Kutheni ukwayama ngokuthobeka kukaYesu ngoThixo kubaluleke kangaka kuthi?
◻ Sinokulubonakalisa njani uthando lwethu ngoYesu Kristu?
[Pictures On Page 16, 17]
Siziva sitsalelekile kuYesu ngenxa yomoya awawubonakalisayo