Funda Isifundo KuNikodemo

“UKUBA nabani na ufuna ukundilandela, makazincame, athabathe isibonda sakhe sentuthumbo imihla ngemihla aze aqhubeke endilandela.” (Luka 9:23) Abalobi abangamahlwempu nomqokeleli werhafu odelekileyo basamkela ngoko nangoko eso simemo. Bashiya yonke into baza balandela uYesu.—Mateyu 4:18-22; Luka 5:27, 28.

Eso simemo sikaYesu sisavakala nanamhlanje, yaye abaninzi baye basamkela. Noko ke, abanye abakuvuyelayo ukufundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova baba mathidala ‘ukuzincama baze bathabathe isibonda sabo sentuthumbo.’ Bamathidala ukwamkela imbopheleleko nelungelo lokuba ngabafundi bakaYesu.

Kutheni abanye bethingaza ukwamkela isimemo sikaYesu baze bazahlulele kuYehova uThixo? Kuyavunywa ukuba, abo bangazange bakhuliswe ngengcamango yamaYuda namaKristu yokuba kukho uThixo omnye basenokufuna ixesha elingakumbi ngaphambi kokuba babuqonde ngokuzeleyo ubukho boMdali onamandla. Ukanti, nasemva kokuba beye beyiseka ukuba uThixo ukho ngokwenene, abanye abavumi ukulandela emanyathelweni kaYesu. Banokoyika oko izalamane nabahlobo babo baya kukucinga ngabo ukuba baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Bambi bayalibala ukuba siphila kumaxesha ongxamiseko baze basukele udumo nobutyebi. (Mateyu 24:36-42; 1 Timoti 6:9, 10) Enoba imeko iyintoni na, abo bakubekel’ amangomso ukwenza isigqibo sokuba ngabalandeli bakaYesu, bamele bafunde isifundo kwingxelo kaNikodemo, inkokeli yamaYuda esisityebi, eyayiphila ngomhla kaYesu.

Ukusikelelwa Ngamalungelo Amangalisayo

Malunga neenyanga ezintandathu kuphela emva kokuba uYesu eqalise ubulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni, uNikodemo uyaphawula ukuba uYesu ‘ngumfundisi ovela kuThixo.’ Echukunyiswe yimimangaliso eyayisandul’ ukwenziwa nguYesu eYerusalem ngePasika yowama-30 C.E., uNikodemo uza ngobusuku ukuze avakalise ukholo lwakhe kuYesu nokuze afunde okungakumbi ngalo mfundisi. Ngako oko, uYesu uxelela uNikodemo inyaniso enzulu yokuba kufuneka ubani “azalwe kwakhona” ukuze angene eBukumkanini bukaThixo. Ngesi sihlandlo, uYesu uthetha la mazwi: “Kuba uThixo walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.”—Yohane 3:1-16.

Elinjani ukumangalisa ithemba kuNikodemo! Unokuba sisinxulumani esisondeleyo kuYesu, akwazi ukuzibonela ngawakhe amehlo iinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobomi bukaYesu emhlabeni. Njengomlawuli wamaYuda nomfundisi wakwaSirayeli, uNikodemo unolwazi olunzulu ngeLizwi likaThixo. Unengqondo ebukhali, njengoko oko kwabonakala ekuqondeni kwakhe ukuba uYesu ngumfundisi othunywe nguThixo. UNikodemo unomdla kwizinto zokomoya, yaye uthobeke ngendlela engaqhelekanga. Hayi indlela ekumele ukuba kunzima ngayo ngelungu lenkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda ukuvuma ukuba unyana womchweli olihlwempu uyindoda ethunywe nguThixo! Zonke ezi ziimpawu ezixabiseke kakhulu ukuze umntu abe ngumlandeli kaYesu.

Umdla anawo uNikodemo kule ndoda yaseNazarete awupheli. Emva kweminyaka emibini enesiqingatha, kuMthendeleko weMinquba, uNikodemo uya kwintlanganiso yeSanhedrin. Ngeli xesha, uNikodemo ‘wayesengomnye wabo.’ Ababingeleli abaziintloko nabaFarisi bathumela amagosa ukuba aye kubamba uYesu. Amagosa abuya nale ngxelo: “Akuzange kubekho omnye umntu othetha njengalo.” AbaFarisi baqalisa ukuwagculela besithi: “Anilahlekiswanga nani, akunjalo? Akukho namnye kubalawuli okanye kubaFarisi okholiweyo kuye, akunjalo? Kodwa esi sihlwele singawaziyo uMthetho singabantu abaqalekisiweyo.” UNikodemo akasakwazi ukuzibamba ngoku. Uthi: “Umthetho wethu awumgwebi umntu ngaphandle kokuba kuqala kuviwe kuye kuze kwaziwe oko akwenzayo, andibi kunjalo?” Bandula ke abanye abaFarisi bamgxeke besithi: “Nawe akuphumi Galili, akunjalo? Phengulula uze ubone ukuba akukho mprofeti uza kuveliswa eGalili.”—Yohane 7:1, 10, 32, 45-52.

Malunga neenyanga ezintandathu kamva, ngoMhla wePasika yowama-33 C.E., uNikodemo ubona kusehliswa umzimba kaYesu kwisibonda sentuthumbo. Uncedisa uYosefu waseArimathiya, elinye ilungu leSanhedrin, ekulungiseni umzimba kaYesu ngaphambi kokuba ungcwatywe. Ukulungiselela oko, uNikodemo uza ‘nomqulu wemore nekhala’ onobunzima obumalunga ne-100 leeponti zamaRoma, olingana neekhilogram ezingama-33. Yimali eninzi leyo. Kwakufuneka abe nenkalipho ukuze ajamelane nemiphumo yokunxulunyaniswa ‘nela bhedengu,’ njengoko abanye abaFarisi babembiza njalo uYesu. Aba babini balungisa umzimba kaYesu ngokukhawuleza ngaphambi kokuba ungcwatywe baze bawubeke kwingcwaba elitsha elikufuphi. Noko ke, kwanangeli thuba uNikodemo akakaziwa njengomfundi kaYesu!—Yohane 19:38-42; Mateyu 27:63; Marko 15:43.

Isizathu Sokuba Angathabathi Manyathelo

UYohane akasichazi kwingxelo yakhe isizathu sokuba uNikodemo ‘angasithabathi isibonda sakhe sentuthumbo’ aze alandele uYesu. Noko ke, usithela thsuphe ngezinto ezisenokuba zabangela lo mFarisi angakwazi ukwenza isigqibo.

Okokuqala, uYohane uthi lo mlawuli wamaYuda ‘weza kuYesu ngobusuku.’ (Yohane 3:2) Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uthi: “UNikodemo weza ngobusuku, kungekhona ngenxa yoloyiko, kodwa ukuze aphephe izihlwele ezazinokumphazamisa xa ethetha noYesu.” Ukanti, uYohane uthetha ngoNikodemo ‘njengalowo weza kuYesu ebusuku ekuqaleni’ kwingxelo athetha kuyo ngoYosefu waseArimathiya ‘njengomfundi kaYesu ofihlakeleyo ngenxa yokoyika kwakhe amaYuda.’ (Yohane 19:38, 39) Ngoko ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uNikodemo weza kuYesu ngobusuku ngenxa “yokoyika amaYuda,” kanye njengokuba abanye abantu ngomhla wakhe babesoyika ukuba nento ebadibanisa noYesu.—Yohane 7:13.

Ngaba umathidala ukwenza isigqibo sokuba ngomnye wabafundi bakaYesu ngenxa yokucinga oko kuya kuthethwa zizalamane zakho, abahlobo okanye abo unxulumana nabo? Kukho umzekeliso othi: “Ukungcangcazela ngumntu kubeka umgibe.” Unokuhlangabezana njani nolo loyiko? Lo mzekeliso uhlabela mgama uthi: “Kodwa okholosa ngoYehova uya kukhuselwa.” (IMizekeliso 29:25) Ukuze ukwazi ukukholosa ngoYehova ngaloo ndlela, umele uzibonele ngokwakho ukuba uThixo uya kuzimasa ngamaxesha eengxaki. Thandaza kuYehova, umcele ukuba akunike isibindi sokwenza nezo zigqibo zingekho nzulu kangako ngokuphathelele unqulo lwakho. Ngokuthe ngcembe, ukholo lwakho nokukholosa kwakho ngoYehova kuya kukhula ukusa kwinqanaba lokuba ukwazi ukwenza izigqibo ezinzulu ezivisisana nokuthanda kukaThixo.

Isikhundla esiphakamileyo sikaNikodemo njengelungu lodidi olulawulayo simele ukuba naso samthintela ukuba athabathe amanyathelo abalulekileyo okuzincama. Ngelo xesha, umele ukuba wayesithanda ngokunzulu isigxina sakhe njengelungu leSanhedrin. Ngaba umathidala ukuthabatha amanyathelo okuba ngumlandeli kaKristu ngenxa yokuba unokuphulukana nesikhundla esiphakamileyo onaso ekuhlaleni okanye ngenxa yokuba kufuneka uncame amathuba athile onawo enkqubela phambili? Akukho nanye kwezi zinto enokuthelekiswa nozuko lokukhonza Oyena Uphakamileyo kwindalo iphela, okulungeleyo ukukwanelisa kwizicelo zakho ezivisisana nokuthanda kwakhe.—INdumiso 10:17; 83:18; 145:18.

Enye into ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yabangela uNikodemo akubekel’ amangomso ukwenza isigqibo, bubutyebi awayenabo. NjengomFarisi, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayephenjelelwa ngabanye, “ababengabathandi bemali.” (Luka 16:14) Isibakala sokuba wakwazi ukuthenga umqulu wemore nekhala elixabiso likhulu, bubungqina bokuba wayesisityebi. Abanye namhlanje abakhawulezi ukwenza isigqibo sokuba ngamaKristu ngenxa yokuba bexhalabele izinto zabo eziphathekayo. Noko ke, uYesu waluleka abalandeli bakhe esithi: “Musani ukuxhalela imiphefumlo yenu mayela noko niya kukudla okanye oko niya kukusela, okanye imizimba yenu mayela noko niya kukunxiba. . . . Kuba uYihlo osemazulwini uyazi ukuba ziyimfuneko kuni zonke ezi zinto. Qhubekani, ke ngoko, nifuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bakhe, yaye zonke ezinye izinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.”—Mateyu 6:25-33.

Walahlekelwa Kokuninzi

Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, ingxelo ethetha ngoNikodemo, evela kwincwadi yeVangeli kaYohane kuphela, ayitsho enoba wada waba nguye kusini na umlandeli kaYesu. Ngokutsho kwenye imbali, uNikodemo wayamkela imfundiso kaYesu, wabhaptizwa, watshutshiswa ngamaYuda, yaye washenxiswa esikhundleni sakhe waza ekugqibeleni wagxothwa eYerusalem. Enoba imeko iyintoni na, inye into esiqiniseke ngayo: Walahlekelwa kokuninzi ngenxa yokukubekel’ amangomso ukwenza isigqibo ngoxa uYesu wayesesemhlabeni.

Ukuba uNikodemo wayeqale ukulandela uYesu kwisihlandlo nje sokuqala ukudibana kwakhe neNkosi, ngewayebe ngumfundi osondele kuYesu. Ngenxa yolwazi, ukuqonda, intobeko, nokuphaphela kukaNikodemo izinto zokomoya, ngewayebe ngumfundi obalaseleyo. Ewe, ngewayeve iintetho ezibalaseleyo ezanikelwa nguMfundisi Omkhulu, wafunda izifundo ezibalulekileyo kwimizekeliso kaYesu, azibonele imimangaliso eyayisenziwa nguYesu aze omelezwe ngamazwi kaYesu okugqibela awaluleka ngawo abapostile bakhe. Kodwa walahlakelwa kuko konke oko.

Ukuthingaza kukaNikodemo kwabangela ilahleko enkulu kuye. Akazange asifumane nesimemo sikaYesu esifudumeleyo esithi: “Yizani kum, nonke nina nibulalekayo nenisindwa ngumthwalo, yaye ndiza kunihlaziya. Thabathani idyokhwe yam nize nifunde kum, kuba ndinomoya wobulali, ndithobekile ngentliziyo, kwaye niya kuyifumanela ukuhlaziyeka imiphefumlo yenu. Kuba idyokhwe yam yeyobubele nomthwalo wam ukhaphukhaphu.” (Mateyu 11:28-30) UNikodemo walahlekelwa lilungelo lokuhlaziywa nguYesu ngokwakhe!

Kuthekani Ngawe?

Ukususela ngowe-1914, uYesu Kristu ubekho ezulwini njengoKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo basezulwini. Phakathi kwezinye izinto awazixela kwangaphambili, ezaziya kwenzeka ebudeni bobukho bakhe, wathi: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kushunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; kwandule ke kufike ukuphela.” (Mateyu 24:14) Ngaphambi kokuba isiphelo sifike, loo msebenzi wokushumayela ehlabathini lonke umele ugqitywe. UYesu Kristu uyakuvuyela ukuba abantu abangafezekanga babe nenxaxheba kuwo. Nawe unokuba nesabelo kulo msebenzi.

UNikodemo waqonda ukuba uYesu wayevela kuThixo. (Yohane 3:2) Ngokufundisisa iBhayibhile, nawe kusenokwenzeka ukuba uye wafikelela kweso sigqibo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wenze iinguqulelo ebomini bakho ukuze uphile ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yeBhayibhile. Mhlawumbi uyaya kwiintlanganiso zamaNgqina kaYehova ukuze uzuze ulwazi olungakumbi lweBhayibhile. Masikuncome ngokwenza loo migudu. Ukanti, uNikodemo kwakufuneka enze okungakumbi kunokuba aqonde nje ukuba uYesu wayethunywe nguThixo. Kwakufuneka ‘azincame, athabathe isibonda sakhe sentuthumbo imihla ngemihla aze aqhubeke elandela uYesu.’—Luka 9:23.

Phulaphula oko sikuxelelwa ngumpostile uPawulos. Wabhala: “Sisebenza ndawonye naye, nathi siyanibongoza ukuba ningamkeli ububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo nize niyiphose injongo yabo. Kuba yena uthi: ‘Ndakuva ngexesha elamkelekileyo, ndakunceda ngemini yosindiso.’ Khangelani! Lingoku elona xesha lamkelekileyo. Khangelani! Ingoku imini yosindiso.”—2 Korinte 6:1, 2.

Ngoku lixesha lokuba ube nokholo olukushukumisela ukuba uthabathe amanyathelo. Ukuze ukwazi ukwenza oko, camngca ngezinto ozifundisisa eBhayibhileni. Thandaza kuYehova, umcele ukuba akuncede ube nokholo olunjalo. Njengoko uyibona indlela akunceda ngayo, uxabiso onalo nokumthanda kwakho kuya kukushukumisela ukuba ufune ‘ukuzincama uthabathe isibonda sakho sentuthumbo imihla ngemihla uze uqhubeke ulandela uYesu Kristu.’ Ngaba uza kuthabatha amanyathelo ngoku?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Ekuqaleni, uNikodemo wammela ngenkalipho uYesu

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Nangona wayechaswa, uNikodemo wancedisa ekulungiseni umzimba kaYesu ngaphambi kokuba ungcwatywe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Ufundisiso lobuqu nomthandazo unokukomeleza ukuba uthabathe amanyathelo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Ngaba uya kulamkela ilungelo lokusebenza phantsi kokhokelo lukaYesu Kristu?