Ningakutyesheli Ukuhlanganisana

IZibhalo zithi: “Singakutyesheli ukuhlanganisana kwethu ndawonye, njengoko kulisiko labathile ukwenjenjalo, kodwa masikhuthazane, ngokungakumbi njengoko nibona ukuba imini iyasondela.” (Hebhere 10:25) Kucacile ukuba abanquli bokwenyaniso bamele bahlanganisane kwindawo yonqulo ukuze ‘banyamekelane baze bavuselelane eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle.’—Hebhere 10:24.

XA umpostile uPawulos wayebhala la mazwi ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, amaYuda ayenqula kwitempile eyayintle gqitha eYerusalem. Kwakukho nezindlu zesikhungu. UYesu ‘wafundisa kwindlu yesikhungu nasetempileni, apho onke amaYuda ayebuthelana khona.’—Yohane 18:20.

Xa uPawulos wayebongoza amaKristu ukuba ahlanganisane ukuze akhuthazane, wayecinga ngendawo enjani yokuhlanganisana? Ngaba iicawa ezinkulu zeNgqobhoko zilandela umzekelo welungiselelo letempile yaseYerusalem? Abo bazibiza ngokuba ngamaKristu baqala nini ukuba nezakhiwo ezinkulu zonqulo?

‘Indlu Yegama LikaThixo’

Imiyalelo yokuqala ephathelele indawo yokunqula uThixo ifumaneka kwincwadi yeBhayibhile ye-Eksodus. UYehova uThixo wayalela abantu abanyulileyo—amaSirayeli—ukuba bakhe “umnquba,” okanye “intente yokuhlangana.” Apho kwakuza kugcinwa ityeya yomnqophiso nezinye iimpahla ezingcwele. Wakuba ugqityiwe ngowe-1512 B.C.E., ‘umnquba wazaliswa bubuqaqawuli bukaYehova.’ Loo ntente yayinokufuduswa yayibalulekile kwilungiselelo lokusondela kuThixo ngaphezu kweenkulungwane ezine. (Eksodus, isahluko 25-27; 40:33-38) IBhayibhile ikwabiza le ntente ngokuthi ‘yitempile kaYehova’ nangokuthi ‘yindlu kaYehova.’—1 Samuweli 1:9, 24.

Kamva, xa uDavide wayengukumkani eYerusalem, wavakalisa umnqweno wokwakha indlu esisigxina yokuzukisa uYehova. Noko ke, ekubeni uDavide wayeyindoda eyalwa iimfazwe, uYehova wathi kuye: “Akusayi kulakhela indlu igama lam.” Kunoko, wakhetha unyana kaDavide, uSolomon, ukuba akhe itempile. (1 Kronike 22:6-10) Ngowe-1026 B.C.E., emva kokuyakha iminyaka esixhenxe enesiqingatha, uSolomon wayinikezela itempile. UYehova wakholiswa sesi sakhiwo, waza wathi: “Ndiyingcwalisile le ndlu uyakhileyo ngokubeka igama lam apho ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo; kwaye ngokuqinisekileyo amehlo am nentliziyo yam aya kusoloko elapho.” (1 Kumkani 9:3) Logama nje amaSirayeli ayeza kuqhubeka ethembekile, uYehova wayeya kuhlala ekholisekile yiloo ndlu. Noko ke, ukuba ayephambuka, uYehova wayeya kuyishiya loo ndlu, ize ‘loo ndlu ibe yimfumba yamanxuwa.’—1 Kumkani 9:4-9; 2 Kronike 7:16, 19, 20.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, amaSirayeli aphambuka kunqulo lokwenyaniso. (2 Kumkani 21:1-5) “Ngoko [uYehova] wanyusa nxamnye nabo ukumkani wamaKhaledi. . . . Wayitshisa indlu kaThixo oyinyaniso wadiliza iindonga zeYerusalem; nazo zonke iinqaba zayo zokuhlala bazitshisa ngomlilo kwaneempahla zayo ezinqwenelekayo, ukuze bayonakalise. Ngaphezu koko, wathabatha abaseleyo ekreleni wabathimbela eBhabhiloni, yaye baba ngabakhonzi bakhe naboonyana bakhe.” Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, oku kwenzeka ngowama-607 B.C.E.—2 Kronike 36:15-21; Yeremiya 52:12-14.

Njengoko kwaxelwa kwangaphambi ngumprofeti uIsaya, uThixo wasebenzisa uKumkani uKoreshi wasePersi ukuze akhulule amaYuda kwigunya laseBhabhiloni. (Isaya 45:1) Emva kweminyaka engama-70 ethinjiwe, abuyela eYerusalem ngowama-537 B.C.E. ukuze aphinde ayakhe itempile. (Ezra 1:1-6; 2:1, 2; Yeremiya 29:10) Emva kwexesha elide isakhiwa, loo tempile yagqitywa ngowama-515 B.C.E., yaye unqulo olunyulu lukaThixo lwabuyiselwa. Nangona yayingazukanga njengetempile kaSolomon, yahlala iminyaka ephantse ibe ngama-600. Noko ke, le tempile yaba kwimeko engentle ngenxa yokuba amaSirayeli ayelutyeshele unqulo lukaYehova. Ekufikeni kukaYesu Kristu emhlabeni, uKumkani uHerode wayeyihlaziya le tempile. Kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni kule tempile?

“Akuyi Kusala Litye Phezu Kwelitye”

Ethetha ngetempile yaseYerusalem, uYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe esithi: “Akuyi kusala litye phezu kwelitye apha elingayi kudilizwa.” (Mateyu 24:1, 2) Ngokuvisisana naloo mazwi, indawo eyayisaziwa kangangeenkulungwane njengesazulu sonqulo lukaThixo yatshatyalaliswa ngumkhosi wamaRoma owawuze kuphelisa imvukelo yamaYuda ngowama-70 C.E.a Loo tempile ayizange iphinde yakhiwe. Ngenkulungwane yesixhenxe, amaSilamsi akha indawo engcwele yawo eyaziwa ngokuba yiDome of the Rock, ibe unanamhla isemi kwindawo eyayikade ikuyo indawo yonqulo yamaYuda.

Babeza kunqula njani abalandeli bakaYesu? Ngaba amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala awayengamaYuda ayeza kuqhubeka enqula uThixo kwitempile eyayiza kutshatyalaliswa kungekudala? AmaKristu angengomaYuda ayeza kumnqulela phi uThixo? Ngaba izakhiwo zeNgqobhoko zaziza kuthabathel’ indawo itempile? Incoko eyayiphakathi koYesu nomfazi womSamariya iyasikhanyisela kulo mba.

Kangangeenkulungwane, amaSamariya ayenqula uThixo kwitempile enkulu eyayikwiNtaba yeGerizim yaseSamariya. UmSamariyakazi waxelela uYesu oku: “Ookhokho bethu babenqula kule ntaba; kodwa nina nithi iseYerusalem indawo apho abantu bafanele banqule khona.” UYesu waphendula wathi: “Ndikholelwe, mfazindini, Liyeza ilixa ekuya kuthi ngalo ningamnquli uBawo kule ntaba okanye eYerusalem.” Kwakungayi kufuneka itempile yokoqobo ukuze kunqulwe uYehova, kuba uYesu wacacisa: “UThixo unguMoya, nabo bamnqulayo bamele banqule ngomoya nenyaniso.” (Yohane 4:20, 21, 24) Kamva umpostile uPawulos wathi kwabaseAthene: “UThixo owenza ihlabathi nazo zonke izinto ezikulo, ekubeni Yena, eyiNkosi yezulu nomhlaba, akahlali zitempileni zenziwe ngazandla.”—IZenzo 17:24.

Kucacile ukuba izakhiwo zeecawa zeNgqobhoko azinanto yokwenza nelungiselelo letempile yeXesha langaphambi kwamaKristu. Yaye amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayengenasizathu sokwakha iindawo ezinjalo. Noko ke, emva kokufa kwabapostile ukuphambuka kwiimfundiso eziyinyaniso okwakuxelwe kwangaphambi—uwexuko—kwaqalisa. (IZenzo 20:29, 30) Kwiminyaka ngaphambi kokuba uMlawuli waseRoma uConstantine aguqukele kubuKristu ngowe-313 C.E., abo babezibiza ngokuba bangamaKristu baqalisa ukuphambuka kwiimfundiso zikaYesu.

UConstantine waba negalelo ekuvangeni “ubuKristu” nonqulo lobuhedeni lwaseRoma. IThe Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “NguConstantine ngokwakhe owagunyazisa ukwakhiwa kwezindlu zecawa ezinkulu ezintathu zamaKristu zaseRoma: iSt. Peter’s, iS. Paolo Fuori le Mura, neS. Giovanni yaseLaterano. Nguye . . . owayila iiplani ezimile okomnqamlezo zeecawa zasentshona Yurophu ezakhiwa ukutyhubela amaXesha Aphakathi.” ISt. Peter’s Basilica yaseRoma eyaphinda yakhiwa isagqalwa njengesazulu seCawa yamaRoma Katolika.

Umbhali-mbali uWill Durant uthi: “ICawa yathabatha amasiko nezithethe zonqulo [lwabahedeni] yeRoma yangaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu.” Oku kwakuquka “indlela ezakhiwe ngayo izindlu zecawa.” Ukususela ngenkulungwane ye-10 ukusa kweye-15, ukwakhiwa kweecawa nezindlu zoobhishophu kwakusanda okomlilo wedobo, ibe kwakugxininiswa kwindlela ekwakhiwa ngayo. Kungelo thuba ke ezathi zangenelela ezinye izakhiwo zeNgqobhoko namhlanje ezigqalwa njengezakhiwo zobugcisa.

Ngaba abantu bayahlaziyeka baze bakhuthazeke ngokomoya ngokuya ecaweni? UFrancisco waseBrazil uthi: “Mna, icawa yayindikruqula. Umthendeleko wawungenantsingiselo, uyinto nje ephindaphindwayo eyayingandanelisi. Wawuba ngathi awusapheli.” Sekunjalo, amakholwa okwenyaniso ayalelwa ukuba ahlanganisane. Afanele ahlanganisane njani?

“Ibandla Elisendlwini Yabo”

Indlela amaKristu ahlanganisana ngayo ithatyathelwe kwindlela amakholwa enkulungwane yokuqala awayehlanganisana ngayo. IZibhalo zibonisa ukuba ayedla ngokuhlanganisana kumakhaya abanye. Ngokomzekelo, umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Dluliselani imibuliso yam kuPriska noAkwila abasebenzi abangamadlelane kunye nam kuKristu Yesu, . . . nakwibandla elisendlwini yabo.” (Roma 16:3, 5; Kolose 4:15; Filemon 2) Igama lesiGrike elithetha “ibandla” (ek·kle·siʹa) liguqulelwa ngokuthi “icawa” kwezinye iinguqulelo zesiNgesi, ezinjengeKing James Version. Kodwa eli binzana libhekisela kwiqela labantu abadityaniswa yinjongo efanayo, kungekhona isakhiwo. (IZenzo 8:1; 13:1) Unqulo lwamaKristu okwenyaniso alufuni zakhiwo zonqulo zinobukhazikhazi.

Zaziqhutywa njani iintlanganiso kumabandla amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala? Umfundi uYakobi usebenzisa igama lesiGrike elithi sy·na·go·geʹ xa ebhekisela kwintlanganiso yamaKristu. (Yakobi 2:2) Eli gama lesiGrike lithetha “ukuhlanganisa” yaye maxa wambi endaweni yalo kusetyenziswa elithi ek·kle·siʹa. Noko ke, ethubeni igama elithi “indlu yesikhungu” laba nentsingiselo yendawo okanye isakhiwo ekuhlanganiswana kuso. AmaKristu okuqala angamaYuda ayeyazi into eyayisenziwa kwindlu yesikhungu.b

Ngoxa amaYuda ayehlanganisana etempileni eYerusalem ukuze aqhube imithendeleko yaminyaka le, izindlu zesikhungu zazisetyenziswa njengeendawo zasekuhlaleni zokufunda ngoYehova nokufundiswa uMthetho. Kubonakala ukuba kwezi zindlu zesikhungu kwakuthandazwa kuze kufundwe iZibhalo, zize zixutyushwe ngokucokisekileyo. Xa uPawulos nabanye ababekunye naye baya kwindlu yesikhungu eAntiyokwe, “amagosa ongamelayo kwindlu yesikhungu athumela kubo, esithi: ‘Madoda, bazalwana, ukuba kukho naliphi na ilizwi eninalo lokukhuthaza abantu, lixeleni.’” (IZenzo 13:15) Xa amaKristu angamaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ayehlanganisana kumakhaya abantu, ayesenza okufanayo, esenza iintlanganiso zawo zifundise ngeZibhalo yaye zakhe ngokomoya.

Amabandla Enzelwe Ukukhuthaza

NjengamaKristu amandulo, namhlanje amaNgqina kaYehova ahlanganisana kwiindawo ezingenabugocigoci ukuze afunde iBhayibhile yaye abe nobudlelane. Kangangeminyaka emininzi ebehlanganisana kumakhaya abantu ibe asenjenjalo kwezinye iindawo. Kodwa ngoku amabandla ande aya kutsho ngaphezu kwama-90 000, yaye ahlanganisana kwiindawo ezibizwa ngokuba ziiHolo zoBukumkani. Ezi zakhiwo aziyokozeli yaye azikhangeleki njengeecawa. Zizakhiwo ezindilisekileyo ekungena kuzo amabandla abantu abali-100 ukusa kwabangama-200 veki nganye ukuze baphulaphule yaye bafunde iLizwi likaThixo.

Inkoliso yamabandla amaNgqina kaYehova ahlanganisana kathathu ngeveki. Enye yezi ntlanganiso yintetho yesidlangalala exubusha umbandela obangel’ umdla. Kuye kulandele isifundo esisekelwe eBhayibhileni okanye kwisiprofeto, kusetyenziswa iphephancwadi IMboniselo. Enye intlanganiso sisikolo esenzelwe ukuqeqeshela ukushumayela isigidimi seBhayibhile. Emva kwaso kulandela intlanganiso eyenziwe ngokukhethekileyo ukuze kunikelwe amacebiso obulungiseleli bamaKristu. AmaNgqina aphinda ahlanganisane kanye ngeveki ukuze afundisise iBhayibhile njengamaqela amancinane kumakhaya abantu. Nabani na unokuya kuzo zonke ezi ntlanganiso. Akufunwa nkongozelo.

UFrancisco, okhankanywe ngaphambilana, wazifumanisa ziyinzuzo kakhulu iintlanganiso ezaziqhutywa kwiHolo yoBukumkani. Uthi: “Indawo yonqulo yokuqala endaya kuyo yayisisakhiwo esihle esikumbindi wedolophu, ibe ndemka kuso ndichukumisekile. Abo babezile babenobuhlobo, yaye ndandiluva uthando lwabo. Ndandinomdla wokubuyela. Phofu ke, ukususela ngoko andizange ndiphoswe nayenye intlanganiso. Ezi ntlanganiso zamaKristu zibangel’ umdla yaye ziyayanelisa intswelo endinayo yokomoya. Kwanaxa ndidimazekile, ndiya kwiHolo yoBukumkani, ndiqinisekile ukuba ndiya kugoduka ndikhuthazekile.”

Nawe unako ukufumana imfundiso yeBhayibhile, unxulumano olwakhayo, nethuba lokudumisa uThixo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu zamaNgqina kaYehova. Siyakumema ukuba uye kwiHolo yoBukumkani ekufuphi nawe. Akuyi kuzisola.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 4, 5]

Umnquba yaye kamva neetempile zaziziindawo zokunqula uYehova

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

ISt. Peter’s Basilica eRoma

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

AmaKristu okuqala ayehlanganisana kumakhaya abantu

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8, 9]

AmaNgqina kaYehova aqhuba iintlanganiso zamaKristu kumakhaya abantu nakwiiHolo zoBukumkani