Ukunikela Okuzisa Uvuyo

UGENIVAL, ohlala kumatyotyombe akumntla-mpuma weBrazil, wayenyamekela umfazi nabantwana bakhe ngomvuzo omncinane awayewufumana ngokuba ngumantshingilane esibhedlele. Phezu kwabo nje ubunzima awayekubo, uGenival wayenikela izishumi ngokunyaniseka. Ephulula isisu uthi: “Maxa wambi intsapho yam ibilala ingatyanga, kodwa bendifuna ukunika uThixo konke endinako, enoba oko kwakuthetha ntoni.”

Emva kokuphelelwa ngumsebenzi, uGenival waqhubeka enikela izishumi. Umfundisi wakhe wayembongoza ukuba avavanye uThixo ngokunikela ngemali eninzi. Lo mfundisi wamqinisekisa ngelithi uThixo wayeza kumsikelela kakhulu. Ngoko ke uGenival wagqiba kwelokuba athengise indlu yakhe aze anikele ecaweni ngemali awayeza kuyifumana.

AsingoGenival kuphela onikela ngokunyanisekileyo. Amahlwempu amaninzi anikela izishumi kuba efundiswe ziicawa zawo ukuba izishumi yinto eyimfuneko ngokutsho kweBhayibhile. Ngaba oko kuyinyaniso?

Ukunikela Izishumi NoMthetho

Umyalelo wokunikela izishumi wawuyinxalenye yoMthetho uYehova uThixo awayewunike izizwe ezili-12 zikaSirayeli wamandulo ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-3 500 eyadlulayo. Loo Mthetho wawusithi isishumi semveliso yomhlaba neziqhamo zemithi nesishumi somhlambi wezimvu zazifanele zinikwe isizwe sabaLevi ukuxhasa inkonzo yaso emnqubeni.—Levitikus 27:30, 32; Numeri 18:21, 24.

UYehova wawaqinisekisa amaSirayeli ukuba uMthetho ‘wawungayi kuba nzima kuwo.’ (Duteronomi 30:11) Lo gama ethobela imiyalelo kaYehova ngokuthembekileyo, kuquka ukunikela izishumi, wawathembisa ukuba isivuno sawo sasiya kuba yintabalala. Ukuze akhuseleke, ayefanele alungiselele ukunikela isishumi esongezelelekileyo kanye ngonyaka, ngokuqhelekileyo esasinikelwa xa uhlanga luhlanganisene kwimisitho yonqulo. Ngaloo ndlela, ‘umphambukeli nenkwenkwe engenayise nomhlolokazi, babenokudla banele.’—Duteronomi 14:28, 29; 28:1, 2, 11-14.

UMthetho awuzange umisele isigwebo esingqalileyo sokunganikeli isishumi, kodwa umSirayeli ngamnye wayebophelelekile ukuba axhase unqulo lokwenyaniso ngale ndlela. Enyanisweni, uYehova wawabek’ ityala amaSirayeli awayetyeshela ukunikela izishumi ngomhla kaMalaki esithi ‘bamphanga izishumi neminikelo.’ (Malaki 3:8, New International Version) Ngaba amaKristu anganikeli isishumi anokubekwa ityala elifanayo?

Kaloku, makhe sicinge ngoku. Imithetho yelizwe elithile ayisebenzi kwamanye amazwe. Ngokomzekelo, umthetho othi abaqhubi beemoto eBritani mabaqhube kwicala lasekhohlo awusebenzi kubaqhubi baseFransi. Ngokufanayo, umthetho ofuna ukuhlawulwa kwezishumi wawuyinxalenye yomnqophiso okhethekileyo phakathi kukaThixo nohlanga lwakwaSirayeli. (Eksodus 19:3-8; INdumiso 147:19, 20) YayingamaSirayeli kuphela awayengaphantsi kwaloo mthetho.

Ngaphezu koko, nangona kuyinyaniso ukuba uThixo akatshintshi, maxa wambi imiyalelo yakhe iyatshintsha. (Malaki 3:6) IBhayibhile ichaza ngokungqalileyo ukuba ukufa kukaYesu okulidini, ngowama-33 C.E., ‘kwawucima’ okanye ‘kwawubhangisa,’ uMthetho ‘kwanomyalelo wokuqokelela izishumi.’—Kolose 2:13, 14; Efese 2:13-15; Hebhere 7:5, 18.

Ukunikela KwamaKristu

Noko ke, iminikelo yokuxhasa unqulo lokwenyaniso yayisafuneka. UYesu wayalela abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘babe ngamangqina kude kuse kwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba.’ (IZenzo 1:8) Njengoko inani labo bakholwayo lalisanda, kwakufuneka abafundisi nabaveleli abangamaKristu abangakumbi ukuze batyelele baze bomeleze amabandla. Maxa wambi abahlolokazi, iinkedama nabanye abasweleyo babefanele banyanyekelwe. AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayehlangabezana njani nezi ndleko?

Malunga nowama-55 C.E., kwenziwa isicelo kwabeeNtlanga abangamaKristu eYurophu naseAsia Minor kucelelwa ibandla elihlwempuzekileyo kwelakwaYuda. Kwiileta zakhe ezazisiya kwibandla laseKorinte, umpostile uPawulos wachaza indlela ekwakusenziwa ngayo “ukuqokelelela abo bangcwele.” (1 Korinte 16:1) Usenokumangaliswa ngoko kutyhilwa ngamazwi kaPawulos ngendlela amaKristu anikela ngayo.

Umpostile uPawulos akazange awenze azive enyanzelekile amanye amakholwa ukuba anikele. Eneneni, amaKristu aseMakedoni awayephantsi ‘kovavanyo’ yaye ‘ekubuhlwempu obunzulu’ kwakufuneka ‘abongoze ngokubongoza okukhulu ukuba abe nelungelo lokunikela ngobubele nokuba abe nesabelo kubulungiseleli obumiselwe abo bangcwele.’—2 Korinte 8:1-4.

Enyanisweni, uPawulos wakhuthaza amaKorinte awayemi kakuhle ukuba axelise abazalwana baseMakedoni ababenesisa. Sekunjalo, enye incwadi ithi, ‘akazange anikele imiyalelo, kunoko wakhetha ukucela, ukubongoza, okanye ukukhuthaza. Ukuba amaKorinte ayenyanzelwe ukuba anikele, ngengazange anikele ngokuzithandela nangokusuk’ entliziyweni.’ UPawulos wayesazi ukuba “uThixo uthanda umphi ochwayitileyo,” kungekhona onikela “ngokukrokra okanye ngokunyanzelwa.”—2 Korinte 9:7.

Ukholo nolwazi oluninzi kwakunye nothando lokwenyaniso ngamanye amaKristu kwakunokuwenza amaKorinte anikele ngokuzithandela.—2 Korinte 8:7, 8.

“Njengoko Egqibile Entliziyweni Yakhe”

Kunokuba uPawulos ayichaze ngokungqalileyo imali okanye umlinganiselo othile, wacebisa ukuba “ngosuku lokuqala evekini, ngamnye . . . ufanele abekele ecaleni imali ethile ngokwemali ayifumanayo.” (Akekeliswe sithi; 1 Korinte 16:2, NIV) Ngokuceba nangokubekela ecaleni imali ethile rhoqo, amaKorinte ayengenakuziva enyanzelekile ukuba anikele ekrokra okanye ngokudyuduzela xa uPawulos efika. MKristu ngamnye, kwakufanele azenzele isigqibo sokuba uza kunikela ngamalini, ngoko ‘akugqibe entliziyweni yakhe.’—2 Korinte 9:5, 7.

Ukuze avune ngesisa, amaKorinte ayefanele ahlwayele ngesisa. Akuzange kuthiwe makanikele ngako konke anako. UPawulos wawaqinisekisa esithi: ‘Andinanjongo yokuba oku kube nzima kuni.’ Iminikelo ‘yamkeleka ngakumbi ngokoko ubani anako, kungekhona ngokoko angenako.’ (2 Korinte 8:12, 13; 9:6) Kwileta yakhe yesibini, lo mpostile walumkisa: ‘Ukuba nabani na akabalungiseleli abo bangamalungu endlu yakhe, ngokuqinisekileyo ulukhanyele ukholo yaye mbi ngaphezu kongakholwayo.’ (1 Timoti 5:8) UPawulos wayengakhuthazi ukunikela ngendlela eza kwaphula lo mgaqo.

Kuyabonakala ukuba uPawulos wayesongamela umsebenzi ‘wokuqokelelela abo bangcwele’ ababeswele. Akukho ndawo eZibhalweni ethi uPawulos okanye abanye abapostile babelungiselela ukuqokelela okanye ukufumana izishumi ukuze baxhase imisebenzi yabo. (IZenzo 3:6) Esoloko enombulelo ngezipho awayezithunyelelwa ngamabandla, uPawulos wayezabalazela ukukuphepha ukuba “luxanduva oluziindleko” kubazalwana bakhe.—1 Tesalonika 2:9; Filipi 4:15-18.

Ukunikela Ngokuzithandela Namhlanje

Kucacile ukuba, ebudeni benkulungwane yokuqala, abalandeli bakaKristu babenikela ngokuzithandela, benganikeli izishumi. Noko ke, usenokuzibuza enoba le iseyindlela ephumelelayo yokuhlangabezana neendleko zokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nokunyamekela amaKristu asweleyo.

Khawucinge ngoku kulandelayo. Ngowe-1879 ababhali beli phephancwadi balitsho latsola elokuba abasayi “kungqiba okanye bacele abantu balixhase.” Ngaba eso sigqibo siye saphazamisa imigudu yamaNgqina kaYehova yokushumayela inyaniso yeBhayibhile?

Ngoku, amaNgqina asasaza iiBhayibhile, iincwadi zamaKristu nezinye iincwadi kumazwe angaphezu kwama-235. IMboniselo, iphephancwadi elifundisa ngeBhayibhile, ekuqaleni kwakusasazwa imibhalo yalo engama-6 000 ngenyanga eyayishicilelwe ngolwimi olunye. Ukususela ngoko liye lashicilelwa kabini ngenyanga ngemibhalo engaphezu kwezi-24 000 000 ngeelwimi ezili-146. Ukuze alungelelanise umsebenzi wawo wokufundisa ngeBhayibhile emhlabeni wonke, amaNgqina aye akha okanye afumana amasebe kumazwe ali-110. Ukongezelela, aye akha iindawo ezininzi zasekuhlaleni zokuhlanganisana kuquka neeholo zendibano ezinkulu ezinokuhlala abo banomdla wokuzuza imfundiso engakumbi yeBhayibhile.

Ngoxa ukunyamekela iimfuno zabantu zokomoya kuyeyona nto iphambili, amaNgqina kaYehova akazityesheli iimfuno zokwenyama zamanye amakholwa. Xa abazalwana bawo bethwaxwa ziimfazwe, ziinyikima, iimbalela, nezaqhwithi, ayakhawuleza ukunikela uncedo ngamayeza, ukutya, impahla nezinye izinto eziyimfuneko. Olu ncedo luxhaswa yiminikelo eyenziwa ngumKristu ngamnye nangamabandla.

Ngaphezu kokuba kuphumelela, ukunikela ngokuzithandela kususa umthwalo kwabo basweleyo, njengoGenival, okhankanywe ngaphambilana. Ngethamsanqa, ngaphambi kokuba athengise indlu yakhe, uGenival watyelelwa nguMaria, umkhonzi wexesha elizeleyo wamaNgqina kaYehova. UGenival uthi: “Loo ncoko yasindisa intsapho yam kwiingxaki ezingeyomfuneko.”

UGenival wafumanisa ukuba umsebenzi weNkosi awuxhomekekanga kwizishumi. Eneneni, ukunikela ngezishumi akuseyomfuneko engokweZibhalo. Uye wafunda ukuba amaKristu ayasikelelwa xa enikela ngesisa kodwa akanyanzelekanga ukuba anikele ngaphezu kwamandla awo.

Ukunikela ngokuzithandela kuye kwamvuyisa gqitha uGenival. Uvuyo lwakhe uluchaza ngale ndlela: “Ndisenokunikela okanye ndinganikeli isishumi, kodwa ndiyavuyiswa koko ndikunikelayo, yaye ndiqinisekile ukuba uYehova naye uyavuya.”

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 6]

Ngaba Abaseki Bonqulo Bamandulo Bafundisa Ukuba Kunikelwe Izishumi?

“Abazizityebi phakathi kwethu bafanele bancede abasweleyo . . . Abo bami kakuhle, nabanomoya ovumayo, bafanele banikele oko bagqibe ngako.”—The First Apology, Justin Martyr, malunga nowe-150 C.E.

“Eneneni, amaYuda anikela izishumi zezinto awayenazo Kuye, kodwa lawo aye azuza inkululeko azibekela ecaleni zonke izinto zawo ukuze anikele ngazo kwinjongo yeNkosi, . . . njengaloo mhlolokazi owayelihlwempu owaphosa yonke into awayenayo kwindawo yokugcina imali kaThixo.”—Against Heresies, Irenaeus, malunga nowe-180 C.E.

“Nangona sinendawo yokugcina imali, ayigcini imali yokuthenga usindiso, ngokungathi unqulo luthengwa ngemali. Ngosuku oluthile enyangeni, ukuba ubani uyathanda, ngamnye ufaka umnikelo omncinane; kuphela ukuba uyafuna, yaye uyakwazi: kuba akukho mntu unyanzelwayo; wonke umntu unikela ngokuzithandela.”—Apology, Tertullian, malunga nowe-197 C.E.

“Njengokuba iCawa yayikhula yaye kuvela amahlelo amaninzi, kwaba yimfuneko ukubeka imithetho eyayiza kuqinisekisa ukuba abefundisi baxhaswa ngokufanelekileyo nangokusisigxina. Ukuhlawulwa kwezishumi kuvela kuMthetho Omdala . . . Umgaqo-siseko wokuqala oqinisekileyo ngalo mbandela ubonakala ufumaneka kwincwadi ebhalwe ngoobhishophu ababehlanganisene eTours ngowama-567 [nakwimithetho yecawa] eyamiselwa kwiBhunga laseMacon ngowama-585.”—The Catholic Encyclopedia.

[Inkcazelo]

Coin, top left: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4, 5]

Ukunikela ngokuzithandela kubangela uvuyo

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

Iminikelo yokuzithandela ixhasa umsebenzi wokushumayela, wokunikela uncedo xa kukho intlekele nokwakhiwa kweendawo zokuhlanganisana