Ukusebenza “Entsimini”—Ngaphambi Kokuba Kuvunwe
ABAFUNDI boyena Mfundisi Mkhulu lalibakhohlile. UYesu wayesandul’ ukubabalisela ibali elifutshane ngengqolowa nokhula. Lalingomnye wemizekeliso eliqela awayeyenzile ngolo suku. Ekuwugqibeni kwakhe, inkoliso yabo babemphulaphule yemka. Kodwa abalandeli bakhe babesazi ukuba imele ukubakho intsingiselo ethile kwimizekelo yakhe—ngokukodwa lowo uphathelele ingqolowa nokhula. Babesazi ukuba uYesu wayengengomntu nje ubalisa kamnandi.
UMateyu uthi babuza besithi: “Sicacisele umzekeliso wokhula entsimini.” Xa wayephendula, uYesu wawuchaza loo mzekeliso, exela kusengaphambili ngowexuko olukhulu olwaluza kubakho phakathi kwabo babesithi bangabafundi bakhe. (Mateyu 13:24-30, 36-38, 43) Kwenzeka oko, ibe uwexuko lwanwenwa okomlilo wedobo emva kokufa kukampostile uYohane. (IZenzo 20:29, 30; 2 Tesalonika 2:6-12) Impembelelo yalo yazalisa yonk’ indawo kangangokuba umbuzo owawuphakanyiswe nguYesu, obhalwe kuLuka 18:8, wabonakala ufanelekile: “Xa uNyana woMntu efika, uya kulufumana ngokwenene na ukholo emhlabeni?”
Ukufika kukaYesu kwakuya kuphawula isiqalo ‘sokuvunwa’ kwamaKristu anjengengqolowa. Oko kwakuya kuphawula “ukupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto,” okwaqalisa ngowe-1914. Ayifanele isimangalise into yokuba kwakukho abanye abanomdla kwinyaniso yeBhayibhile ngaphambi kwesiqalo sokuvuna.—Mateyu 13:39.
Xa uhlolisisa ingxelo yembali uya kufumanisa ukuba ngokukodwa ukususela ngenkulungwane ye-15, iingqondo zabantu zavuselelwa, kwanaphakathi kwamarhamente eNgqobhoko awayefana ‘nokhula,’ okanye oosingamaKristu. Njengoko iBhayibhile yayisiya ifumaneka lula yaye neencwadi ezinoludwe lwamagama eBhayibhile zilungiswa, abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo baqalisa ukuziphengulula ngenyameko iZibhalo.
Ukukhanya Kuyaqaqamba
Phakathi kwabo bantu babephila ngasebutsheni benkulungwane ye-19, kwakukho uHenry Grew (1781-1862), waseBirmingham, eNgilani. Xa wayeneminyaka eli-13 ubudala, wanqumla iAtlantiki nentsapho yakhe besinge eUnited States, baza bafika ngoJulayi 8, 1795. Bahlala eProvidence, eRhode Island. Abazali bakhe babemenze wayithanda iBhayibhile. Ngowe-1807, xa wayeneminyaka engama-25 ubudala, uGrew wamenywa ukuba aye kukhonza njengomfundisi kwiCawa yaseBhaptizi eHartford, eConnecticut.
Wayithabatha nzulu imbopheleleko yakhe yokufundisa waza wazama ukunceda abo babephantsi kwakhe ukuba baphile ngokuvisisana neZibhalo. Noko ke, wayekholelwa ekushenxiseni nabani na owayesona ngabom ukuze agcine ibandla licocekile. Maxa wambi kwakufuneka yena namanye amadoda anembopheleleko ecaweni bagxothe (basuse kubudlelane) abo babehenyuza okanye besenza eminye imikhwa engacocekanga.
Zazikho ezinye iingxaki ezazimphazamisa ecaweni. Kwakukho amanye amadoda awayengengawo amarhamente kodwa elawula imicimbi yasecaweni yaye ehlabela xa kuculwa enkonzweni. La madoda ayevota kwimibandela ephathelele ibandla ibe ngaloo ndlela ayeyilawula imicimbi yalo. Ngokusekelwe kumgaqo wokwahluka ehlabathini, uGrew wayekholelwa ngamandla kwinto yokuba ngamadoda athembekileyo kuphela afanele enze loo misebenzi. (2 Korinte 6:14-18; Yakobi 1:27) Ngokwembono yakhe, into yokuba abangakholwayo bacule amaculo okudumisa uThixo yayisisinyeliso. Ngenxa yoku kuma, ngowe-1811, uHenry Grew wagxothwa yicawa. Amanye amalungu awayeneembono ezifanayo azahlula ecaweni kwangelo xesha.
Ukuzahlula KwiNgqobhoko
Eli qela, elaliquka uHenry Grew, laqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile ngenjongo yokuvisisanisa ubomi balo nezinto elizenzayo kunye nesiluleko sayo. Kungekudala ufundisiso lwalo lwalenza layiqonda ngakumbi inyaniso yeBhayibhile lwaza lwalenza lazibhenca iziphoso zeNgqobhoko. Ngokomzekelo, ngowe-1824, uGrew wabhala ebeka izizathu ezivakalayo zokuba uBathathu Emnye abe akayonyaniso. Khawubone nje ingqiqo awayeyisebenzisa kwesinye sezicatshulwa zeencwadi zakhe: “‘Ngokuphathelele loo mhla, nelo lixa akukho mntu waziyo, kungekho nazingelosi ezisezulwini, nkqu noNyana, kodwa nguBAWO.’ [Marko 13:32] Phawula indlela ezilandelelaniswa ngayo izikhundla. NguMntu, ziiNgelosi, nguNyana, nguBawo. . . . INkosi yethu isifundisa ukuba nguBawo kuphela owayesazi ngaloo mhla. Kodwa oko akuyonyaniso, ukuba, njengoko abanye besitsho, uBawo, uLizwi, noMoya Oyingcwele ngabantu abathathu kuThixo omnye; kuba ngokutsho kwale [mfundiso kaBathathu Emnye,] . . . uNyana wayewazi ngokulinganayo noBawo.”
UGrew walubhenca uhanahaniso lwabefundisi nabaphathi bomkhosi ababezenza ngathi bakhonza uKristu. Ngowe-1828 wenza esi sindululo: “Ngaba ikho into engafanelekanga ngaphezu kokuba umKristu aphume egumbini lakhe langasese, apho ebethandazela iintshaba zakhe, aze ayalele amajoni akhe ukuba axabele iintliziyo zezo ntshaba ngezixhobo ezibulalayo? Kwelinye icala, uyixelisa kakuhle iNkosi yakhe xa yayisifa; kodwa ke uxelisa bani kwelinye? UYesu wabathandazela ababulali bakhe. AmaKristu ayababulala abo abathandazelayo.”
Ethetha phandle, uGrew wabhala: “Siya kude simkholelwe nini uSomandla xa esiqinisekisa esithi ‘akangowokuhlekisa?’ Siya kukuqonda nini oko lukuko, nobulumko olunabo, olo nqulo lungcwele olufuna ukuba sizikhwebule kwanakwizinto ‘ezibonakala zibubungendawo?’ . . . Ngaba asikokumnyemba uNyana woyingcwele, ukucinga ukuba unqulo lwakhe lufuna umntu azenze ingelosi kwelinye icala, luze lumvumele ukuba azenze idemon kwelinye icala?”
Ubomi Obungenasiphelo Abufunyanwa Ngokuzenzekelayo
Ebudeni baloo minyaka yangaphambi kokusetyenziswa kukanomathotholo nomabonwakude, eyona ndlela eyayisetyenziswa ngumntu wonke ukuze avakalise imbono yakhe yayikukubhala nokusasaza amaphecana. Malunga nowe-1835, uGrew wabhala iphecana elibalulekileyo elabhenca imfundiso yokungafi komphefumlo neyesihogo esivutha umlilo njengezingasekelwanga kwizibhalo. Wayevakalelwa kukuba ezi mfundiso zazimnyelisa uThixo.
Eli phecana laliza kuba nempembelelo efikelela kude. Ngowe-1837, uGeorge Storrs owayeneminyaka engama-40 ubudala wafumana umbhalo walo ekuloliwe. UStorrs wayeyinzalelwane yaseLebanon, eNew Hampshire, ngelo xesha ehlala eUtica, eNew York.
Wayengumfundisi ohlonelwayo weMethodist-Episcopal Church. Wathi akufunda eli phecana, wachukunyiswa ziingxubusho ezinamandla ezinxamnye nezi mfundiso zeNgqobhoko zisisiseko, awayengazange azithandabuze ngaphambili. Wayengamazi umbhali walo, ibe uzokudibana noHenry Grew emva kweminyaka ethile, ubuncinane ngowe-1844, xa bobabini babehlala ePhiladelphia, ePennsylvania. Noko ke, uStorrs wawufundisisa eyedwa lo mbandela kangangeminyaka emithathu, ethetha nabanye abefundisi kuphela ngawo.
Ekugqibeleni, ekubeni kwakungekho mntu uziphikisayo izinto awayezifunda, uGeorge Storrs wagqiba kwelokuba wayengenakukwazi ukuthembeka kuThixo esengumWesile. Warhoxa ngowe-1840 waza wafudukela eAlbany, eNew York.
Ngasebutsheni bentwasahlobo yowe-1842, uStorrs wanikela iintetho ezintandathu ngomxholo othi “An Inquiry—Are the Wicked Immortal? [Uphando—Ngaba Abangendawo Abafi?]” Abantu abanomdla baba baninzi kangangokuba wayihlaziya waza wayipapasha, ibe kwiminyaka engama-40 eyalandelayo, kwahanjiswa imibhalo yayo engama-200 000 eUnited States naseBritani. UStorrs noGrew baba ngamahlakani kwiimpikiswano eziphathelele imfundiso yokungafi komphefumlo. UGrew waqhubeka eshumayela ngenzondelelo de waya kulala kobandayo ngoAgasti 8, 1862, ePhiladelphia.
Kamsinya emva kokuba uStorrs enikele iintetho ezintandathu esisandul’ ukuzikhankanya, waba nomdla kwintshumayelo kaWilliam Miller, owayelindele ukuba uKristu abuye ngokubonakalayo ngowe-1843. Kangangeminyaka emibini, uStorrs wayekukhuthalele ukushumayela esi sigidimi etyhutyha umntla mpuma welaseUnited States. Emva kowe-1844, akazange aphinde abeke usuku lokubuya kukaKristu, ukanti wayengayichasanga into yokuba abanye baphande ubalo-maxesha. UStorrs wayekholelwa ukuba ukubuya kukaKristu kwakusemnyango nokuba kwakubalulekile ukuba amaKristu ahlale ethe qwa yaye ephaphile ngokomoya, elungele usuku lokuhlolwa. Kodwa wahlukana neqela likaMiller kuba lalisamkela iimfundiso ezingezozazibhalo, ezinjengokungafi komphefumlo, ukutshiswa kwehlabathi, nokungabikho kwalo naliphi na ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade kwabo bafe bengazi.
Kwakuza Kukhokelela Entwenini Ukuthanda UThixo?
UStorrs wemkiswa yimbono yamaSabatha yokuba uThixo wayeza kuvusa abangendawo ngenjongo nje yokuphinda ababulale. Wayengabufumani ubungqina obusuka kwiZibhalo beso senzo sif’ amanqe nesibonisa ukuba uThixo unenqala. UStorrs noogxa bakhe babaxa izinto baza bagqiba kwelokuba abangendawo babengayi kuvuswa konke konke. Nangona babenzinyelwa kukuchaza izibhalo ezithile ezithetha ngokuvuswa kwabangengomalungisa, isigqibo sabo sasibonakala sivisisana nothando lukaThixo emehlweni abo. Kungekudala kwakuza kulandela elinye inyathelo ekuqondeni injongo kaThixo.
Ngowe-1870, uStorrs wagula kakhulu waza akakwazi ukusebenza kangangeenyanga ezithile. Ebudeni beli xesha, wakwazi ukuphinda ahlolisise konke oko wayekufunde kwiminyaka yakhe engama-74. Wagqiba kwelokuba wayephose nkalo ithile ebalulekileyo kwinjongo kaThixo ngoluntu echazwe kumnqophiso ka-Abraham—eyokuba ‘zonke iintsapho zomhlaba ziya kuzisikelela ngenxa yokuba uAbraham eliphulaphule ilizwi likaThixo.’—Genesis 22:18; IZenzo 3:25.
Kwatsho kwathi qatha ngcamango yimbi engqondweni yakhe. Ukuba “zonke iintsapho” zaziza kusikelelwa, ngaba akufuneki bonke bazive iindaba ezilungileyo? Baza kuziva njani? Ngaba zazingasele zifile izigidi zezigidi zabantu? Xa wayehlabela mgama ehlolisisa iZibhalo, wafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba kwakukho iindidi ezimbini zabafi “abangendawo”: abo babelukhabe ngawo omane uthando lukaThixo, kunye nabo babefe bengazi nto.
UStorrs wagqiba kwelokuba aba bachazwe mva babeza kuvuswa kwabafileyo ukuze bafumane ithuba lokungenelwa kwidini lentlawulelo likaKristu uYesu. Abo balamkelayo babeya kuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. Abo bangalamkeliyo babeya kutshatyalaliswa. Ewe, uStorrs wayekholelwa ukuba kwakungekho mntu unokuvuswa nguThixo ngaphandle kokuba abe nethemba. Ekugqibeleni, kwakungekho mntu owayeza kubulawa sisono sika-Adam ngaphandle kuka-Adam! Kodwa kuthekani ngabo baphila ebudeni bokubuya kweNkosi uYesu Kristu? Ekugqibeleni uStorrs wabona ukuba kwakuza kufuneka kuqaliswe iphulo lokushumayela elaliza kugubungela ihlabathi lonke ukuze bafikelelwe. Wanqatyelwa yindlela eyayinokwenziwa ngayo loo nto, kodwa ngokholo wabhala: “Baninzi gqitha abathi, kuba bengayiboni indlela into emele yenziwe ngayo, bayichase loo nto, ngokungathi uThixo akanakukwazi ukuyenza loo nto kuba bona bengayiboni indlela yokuyenza.”
UGeorge Storrs wafa ngoDisemba, 1879, kwikhaya lakhe eBrooklyn, eNew York, kwizitrato ezimbalwa nje ukusuka kwindawo kamva eyayiza kuba sisazulu sephulo lokushumayela ehlabathini lonke awayelilangazelela ngentumekelelo.
Kufuneka Ukukhanya Okungakumbi
Ngaba amadoda anjengoHenry Grew noGeorge Storrs ayeyiqonda ngendlela esiyiqonda ngayo inyaniso namhlanje? Akunjalo. Ayewuqonda umzabalazo wawo, njengoko uStorrs watshoyo ngowe-1847: “Kuya kuba kuhle ukuba sikhumbule ukuba sisandul’ ukuphuma kumaxesha obumnyama becawa; yaye akuyi kuba ngumnqa ukuba sifumanise ukuba kusekho ‘iingubo zobuBhabhiloni’ esisazinxibileyo nesizigqala njengenyaniso.” Ngokomzekelo, uGrew wayeyixabisa intlawulelo eyeziswa nguYesu, kodwa wayengaqondi ukuba “yintlawulelo [elinganayo],” ngamany’ amazwi, ubomi bomntu obufezekileyo obaphilwa nguYesu bahlawulela ubomi bomntu obufezekileyo obalahlwa nguAdam. (1 Timoti 2:6) Kwakhona ngokungaqondi uHenry Grew wayekholelwa ukuba uYesu wayeza kubuya aze alawule ngokubonakalayo emhlabeni. Noko ke, uGrew wayekuxhalabele ukungcwaliswa kwegama likaYehova, nto leyo ababembalwa kakhulu abantu ababenomdla kuyo ukususela ngenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo.
NoGeorge Storrs wayengaziqondi ngendlela echanileyo ezinye iingongoma ezibalulekileyo. Wayekwazi ukubona ubuxoki obabuntyontyelwa ngabefundisi, kodwa maxa wambi wayezibaxa gqitha izinto. Ngokomzekelo, kubonakala ukuba wathi xa wayesabela kwimbono yabefundisi bobuothodoki ngoSathana, uStorrs wabaxa izinto ngokukhaba kwaingcamango yokuba uMtyholi ungumntu wokwenene. Wamkhaba ngaw’ omane uBathathu Emnye; ukanti, wayengaqinisekanga de kwasekusondeleni kokufa kwakhe ukuba umoya oyingcwele ungumntu kusini na. Ngoxa ekuqaleni uGeorge Storrs wayelindele ukuba ukubuya kukaKrisltu kungabonakali, wayecinga ukuba ekugqibeleni wayeza kubonakala. Noko ke, kuyabonakala ukuba omabini la madoda ayenyanisekile yaye engenakumbi, ibe asondela gqitha enyanisweni xa ethelekiswa namanye amaninzi.
‘Intsimi’ uYesu awayichaza kumzekeliso wengqolowa nokhula yayingekakulungeli kakuhle ukuvunwa. (Mateyu 13:38) UGrew, uStorrs nabanye babesebenza “entsimini” belungiselela ukuvuna.
UCharles Taze Russell, owaqalisa ukupapasha eli phephancwadi ngowe-1879, wabhala wenjenje ngeminyaka yakhe yangaphambili: “INkosi yasinika abantu abaninzi ukusinceda sifundisise ilizwi Layo, phakathi kwabo esingabalula, umzalwana wethu othandekayo nosele ekhulile, uGeorge Storrs, othe, ngokuthetha nangokubhala wasinceda kakhulu; kodwa ke besisoloko singafuni kuba ngabalandeli babantu, enoba balunge yaye balumke kangakanani na, kodwa ‘singaBalandeli bakaThixo njengabantwana abaziintanda.’” Ewe, abafundi abanyanisekileyo beBhayibhile babenokungenelwa kwimigudu yamadoda anjengoGrew noStorrs, kodwa ke into ebalulekileyo yayikukuhlolisisa iLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile, njengomthombo wokwenene wenyaniso.—Yohane 17:17.
[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Okwakukholelwa NguHenry Grew
Igama likaYehova liye lagculelwa, yaye kufuneka lingcwaliswe.
UBathathu Emnye, ukungafi komphefumlo, nesihogo esivutha umlilo ziimfundiso ezinobuqhophololo.
Ibandla lamaKristu lifanele lahluke kwihlabathi.
AmaKristu akafanele abe nenxaxheba kwiimfazwe zeentlanga.
AmaKristu akakho phantsi komthetho weSabatha yangoMgqibelo okanye yangeCawa.
AmaKristu akafanele abe ngamalungu emibutho efihlakeleyo, enjengeeFreemasons.
Akufanelanga kubekho udidi lwabefundisi nolwamarhamente phakathi kwamaKristu.
Izibizo zonqulo zivela kumchasi-Kristu.
Onke amabandla afanele abe nequmrhu labadala.
Abadala bamele babe ngcwele kuyo yonke ihambo yabo, bangagculeleki.
Onke amaKristu amele ashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo.
Kukho abantu abaza kuphila ngonaphakade kwiParadesi esemhlabeni.
Iingoma zamaKristu zifanele zidumise uYehova noKristu.
[Inkcazelo]
Photo: Collection of The New-York Historical Society/69288
[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
Okwakukholelwa NguGeorge Storrs
UYesu wanikela ngobomi bakhe njengexabiso lentlawulelo yoluntu.
Ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo akukenziwa (ngowe-1871).
Ngenxa yoko, isiphelo sasingekabi kufutshane ngelo xesha (ngowe-1871). Kwakuza kufuneka kubekho isizukulwana sexesha elizayo ekwakuza kushunyayelwa kuso.
Kukho abantu abaza kubudla ilifa ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni.
Kuza kubakho uvuko lwabo bonke abafe bengazi. Abo balamkelayo idini lentlawulelo likaKristu baza kufumana ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni. Abo bangalamkeliyo baza kutshatyalaliswa.
Ukungafi komphefumlo nesihogo esivutha umlilo ziimfundiso ezingamhloneliyo uThixo.
ISidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa ngumbhiyozo oqhutywa minyaka le ngoNisan 14.
[Inkcazelo]
Photo: SIX SERMONS, by George Storrs (1855)
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 29]
Ngowe-1909, uC. T. Russell, umhleli we-“Zion’s Watch Tower,” wafudukela eBrooklyn, eNew York, eUnited States