Imitshato Ebekekileyo Emehlweni KaThixo Nawabantu
“Kwabakho itheko lomtshato eKana . . . UYesu nabafundi bakhe babemenyiwe nabo kwelo theko lomtshato.”—YOHANE 2:1, 2.
1. Ingxelo engoYesu eKana isenza sinikele ingqalelo entwenini?
UYESU, unina nabanye abafundi bakhe, babelwazi uvuyo oluziswa ngumtshato obekekileyo kubantu bakaThixo. UKristu waba negalelo ekwenzeni omnye umtshato ukuba ube semagqabini ngokwenza ummangaliso wokuqala obhaliweyo, esongeza kulonwabo lweso sihlandlo. (Yohane 2:1-11) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wakha waya kumtshato wamaKristu afuna ukukhonza uYehova ngolonwabo. Mhlawumbi ukhangele phambili kowakho umtshato okanye uncedisa umhlobo wakho ekulungiseleleni umtshato wakhe ukuze uphumelele. Yintoni onokuyenza ukuze loo mtshato uphumelele?
2. Yiyiphi inkcazelo iBhayibhile enayo ngokuphathelele umsitho womtshato?
2 AmaKristu aye afumanisa ukuba amacebiso afumaneka kwiLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo aluncedo kwindoda nebhinqa abaceba ukutshata. (2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Liyinyaniso elokuba iBhayibhile ayinikeli zinkcukacha ngendlela umtshato wamaKristu omele uqhutywe ngayo. Oku kusengqiqweni kuba amasiko noko kufunwa ngumthetho kuyahluka kuxhomekeka kwindawo nexesha abantu abaphila kulo. Ngokomzekelo, kuSirayeli wamandulo kwakungekho msitho womtshato. Kusuku lomtshato, umyeni wayezisa umtshakazi endlwini yakhe okanye endlwini kayise. (Genesis 24:67; Isaya 61:10; Mateyu 1:24) Eli nyathelo lasesidlangalaleni lalimela umtshato, ngaphandle kokwenza umsitho womtshato owenziwa ngokuqhelekileyo namhlanje.
3. Kwakusenzeka ntoni eKana xa uYesu wenza ummangaliso?
3 AmaSirayeli ayelazi eli nyathelo njengomsitho womtshato. Emva koko, kwakusenziwa itheko lomtshato njengokuba kuchazwa kuYohane 2:1. Ezinye iinguqulelo ziyichaza le ndinyana ngolu hlobo: “Kwakukho umtshato eKana.” Kodwa kulwimi lwantlandlolo eli gama lithetha “itheko lomtshato” okanye “isidlo somtshato.”a (Mateyu 22:2-10; 25:10; Luka 14:8) Le ngxelo yenza kucace ukuba uYesu wayekho yaye waba negalelo kulonwabo lwetheko elalinxulumene nomtshato wamaYuda. Phofu ke, eyona ngongoma kukuba oko kwakusaziwa njengomsitho womtshato ngelo xesha kwahlukile kwindlela eqhelekileyo yanamhlanje.
4. Amanye amaKristu akhetha uhlobo olunjani lomtshato yaye kutheni?
4 Kumazwe amaninzi namhlanje, amaKristu afuna ukutshata afanele akufanelekele ngokusemthethweni. Ukuba kunjalo, anokutshata nangayiphi na indlela eyamkelekileyo. Isenokuba ngumsitho nje omncinane oqhutywa yijaji, usodolophu okanye umfundisi wecawa ogunyaziswe nguRhulumente. Abanye abakhetha ukutshata ngale ndlela, bacela izalamane okanye abahlobo abangamaKristu ukuba babe ngamangqina angokwasemthethweni mhlawumbi bavuyisane nabo kweso sihlandlo sovuyo. (Yeremiya 33:11; Yohane 3:29) Ngokufanayo, amanye amaKristu asenokukhetha ukuba singabikho isibhadlalala setheko esinokufuna kucetywe kakuhle size sifune nemali eninzi. Asenokulungiselela isidlo esincinane nabahlobo abasondeleyo. Nokuba yintoni thina esikhetha ukuyenza, simele sikhumbule ukuba amanye amaKristu aqolileyo asenokuba nembono eyahlukileyo kweyethu.—Roma 14:3, 4.
5. Kutheni amaKristu amaninzi ekhetha ukuba kubekho intetho yomtshato yaye le ntetho iquka ntoni?
5 Amanye amaKristu akhetha ukuba nentetho esekelwe eBhayibhileni kumtshato wawo.b Akhumbula ukuba uYehova ngumsunguli womtshato yaye kwiLizwi lakhe uye walungiselela amacebiso obulumko ngendlela umtshato onokuphumelela ngayo uze uzise uvuyo. (Genesis 2:22-24; Marko 10:6-9; Efese 5:22-33) Uninzi lwabantu abatshatayo bafuna abahlobo abangamaKristu nezalamane babekho kweso sihlandlo sovuyo. Noko ke, simele sizijonge njani izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ezifunwa ngumthetho, iindlela zokwenza umtshato kunye namasiko enziwa ekuhlaleni? Kweli nqaku siza kuqwalasela iimeko ezahlukeneyo ngokwendawo ngeendawo. Ezinye zinokwahluka kakhulu kwindlela owazi ngayo okanye kwindlela izinto ezenziwa ngayo kwindawo ohlala kuyo. Noko ke, unokuphawula imigaqo okanye iinkalo eziqhelekileyo nezibalulekileyo kubakhonzi bakaThixo.
Umtshato Obekekileyo—Ngumtshato Osemthethweni
6, 7. Kutheni sifanele sibe nomdla kwimicimbi engokwasemthethweni malunga nomtshato yaye oku kunokwenziwa njani?
6 Nakuba uYehova engumsunguli womtshato, oorhulumente babantu banegunya ngezinto ezenziwa ngabantu abatshatayo. Oku kufanele kube njalo. UYesu wathi: “Buyiselani izinto zikaKesare kuKesare, kodwa izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.” (Marko 12:17) Ngokufanayo, umpostile uPawulos wayalela ngolu hlobo: “Yonke imiphefumlo mayiwathobele amagunya awongamileyo, kuba akukho gunya libekho ngaphandle kukaThixo; amagunya akhoyo abekwe nguThixo kwizikhundla zawo ezilinganiselweyo.”—Roma 13:1; Tito 3:1.
7 Kumazwe amaninzi nguKesare okanye amagosa karhulumente agqiba enoba ubani uyakufanelekela ukutshata. Ngaloo ndlela, xa amaKristu amabini akhululekileyo ngokweZibhalo ekhetha ukutshata, afanele athobele imithetho yasekuhlaleni. Oku kunokuquka ukufumana imvume, ukusebenzisa ubani ogunyaziswe ngokwasemthethweni nokubhalisa umtshato. Xa uKesare Agasto wayalela “ubhaliso,” uMariya noYosefu bathobela, baza bahamba baya eBhetelehem ukuze baye “kubhaliswa.”—Luka 2:1-5.
8. Ubophelela kangakanani umtshato yaye yintoni eyenziwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova ukubonisa ukuba ayakuqonda oku?
8 Xa amaKristu amabini etshata ngokusemthethweni, olo manyano luyawabophelela phambi kwamehlo kaThixo. AmaNgqina kaYehova akawuphindi umsitho womtshato ngokubhalisa ngokuphindaphindiweyo, okanye enze izifungo zomtshato ezidla ngokwenziwa ngabanye xa bebhiyozela isikhumbuzo sokugqiba iminyaka engama-25 okanye engama-50 betshatile. (Mateyu 5:37) (Ezinye iicawa aziwamkeli umtshato obhaliswe ngamagosa karhulumente. Ezi cawa zithi loo mtshato awufanelekanga ngaphandle kokuba kubekho umfundisi okanye umshumayeli otshatisayo okanye owazisa abo batshatayo njengendoda nomfazi.) Kumazwe amaninzi, urhulumente ugunyazisa omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova ukuba abe ngumtshatisi osemthethweni. Ukuba oko kuvumelekile, lo mzalwana usenokufuna ukutshatisa kwiHolo yoBukumkani kuze kubekho nentetho yomtshato. Le yindawo yonqulo lokwenyaniso yasekuhlaleni kwaye iyeyona ndawo ilifaneleyo eli lungiselelo lasungulwa nguThixo.
9. (a) Ukuba kutshatisa urhulumente, yintoni anokukhetha ukuyenza amaKristu atshatayo? (b) Banokubandakanyeka njani abadala kumalungiselelo omtshato?
9 Kwamanye amazwe, umthetho ugunyazisa ukuba abantu abatshatayo batshate kwiofisi karhulumente, njengakwiholo okanye enye indawo emiselweyo yasekuhlaleni okanye phambi kwegosa likarhulumente. Emva kokuba etshate ngokwasemthethweni amaKristu amaninzi akhetha ukuba kunikelwe intetho yomtshato kwiHolo yoBukumkani kwangolo suku okanye olulandelayo. (Intetho yeBhayibhile ayinikelwa sekudlule iintsuku ezininzi emva kokutshata ngokusemthethweni, kuba atshate emehlweni kaThixo nawabantu kuquka ibandla lamaKristu.) Ukuba abo baza kutshata ngokusemthethweni bafuna ukusebenzisa iHolo yoBukumkani ethile, bamele kwangethuba bacele imvume kubadala abayila iKomiti Yenkonzo Yebandla. Emva kokuba iqinisekile ukuba abo batshatayo banegama elihle nebandla, aba baveleli baya kuqiniseka ukuba ixesha lomtshato aliphazamisani nexesha leentlanganiso zebandla kunye nezinye izinto ekucwangciswe ukuba ziza kwenziwa eholweni. (1 Korinte 14:33, 40) Kwakhona bamele baqonde amalungiselelo aya kwenziwa eholweni baze bagqibe enoba kuya kwenziwa isaziso sokusetyenziswa kwayo kusini na.
10. Ukuba kufanele kutshatise igosa laseburhulumenteni, oku kunokuyichaphazela njani intetho yomtshato?
10 Umdala onikela intetho yomtshato ufanele azame ukuyinikela ngendlela ekhuthazayo, ibe yeyakhayo ngokomoya yaye ibe nesidima. Ukuba abo batshatayo batshatiswe ligosa likarhulumente, lo mdala umele atsho ngokucacileyo ukuba batshatiswe ngomthetho kaKesare. Ukuba izifungo zomtshato azenziwanga ngoxa bebetshatiswa ligosa likarhulumente, abo batshatayo basenokufuna ukuzenza ebudeni bentetho.c Ukuba ukutshatiswa ligosa likarhulumente kuquka izifungo kodwa abo batshatayo bafuna ukufunga phambi koYehova kunye nebandla, banokukwenza oku besebenzisa isigama sexesha elidluleyo, bebonisa ukuba sele ‘bebotshelelwe dyokhwen’ inye.’—Mateyu 19:6; 22:21.
11. Batshata njani abantu kwezinye indawo, yaye oku kuyichaphazela njani intetho yomtshato?
11 Kumazwe athile, umthetho usenokungagunyazisi ukuba abantu benze umsitho othile okanye babhalise kwigosa likarhulumente. Xa benika igosa likarhulumente uxwebhu lomtshato olusayiniweyo, bagqibile ukutshata. Kulapho ke kubhaliswa khona isatifiketi somtshato. Ngaloo ndlela indoda nomfazi baya kulugqala olo suku njengosuku lwabo lomtshato. Njengokuba sele sibonisile ngasentla, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abo batshatayo basenokufuna kulandele intetho esekelwe eBhayibhileni enikelwa ngumzalwana oqolileyo ngokomoya kwiHolo yoBukumkani. Uya kwazisa abo bakhoyo ukuba abo batshatayo sele bewubhalisile umtshato. Naziphi na izifungo ziya kwenziwa ngendlela echazwe kwisiqendu se-10 nombhalo osemazantsi weso siqendu. Abo bakhoyo kwiHolo yoBukumkani baya kuvuyisana nabo basandul’ ukutshata yaye banokuzuza kwicebiso elivela kwiLizwi likaThixo.—INgoma yazo iiNgoma 3:11.
Umtshato Wesintu Nowakwarhulumente
12. Uyintoni umtshato wesintu yaye kucetyiswa ukuba kwenziwe ntoni emva kwaloo mtshato?
12 Kwamanye amazwe, abanye batshata ngomtshato wesintu. Apha akuthethwa nje ngoomasihlalisane, nto leyo esenokugqalwa njengeyamkelekileyo ngomlinganiselo othile kwezinye iindawo nangona ingenguwo umtshato osemthethweni ngokupheleleyo.d Sithetha ngomtshato ogqalwa ngabantu njengesithethe sokutshata seso sizwe okanye saloo ndawo. Oku kusenokuquka ukugqiba ukulobola nokwamkelwa kwekhazi, nto leyo ethetha ukuba abo bantu batshate ngokusemthethweni nangokweZibhalo. Urhulumente uwugqala loo mtshato wesintu njengosemthethweni nobophelelayo. Ngokuqhelekileyo, umtshato onjalo wesithethe usenokubhaliswa baze abo batshatileyo bafumane isatifiketi somtshato. Ukubhaliswa komtshato kusenokusikhusela eso sibini, naxa kunokwenzeka ukuba umfazi abe ngumhlolokazi kuze kukhusele nabantwana babo. Ibandla linokukhuthaza nabani na otshate umtshato wesintu ukuba abhalise umtshato wakhe ngokukhawuleza. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, kubonakala ngathi kuMthetho kaMoses, umtshato nokuzalwa kwabantwana kwakubhalwa phantsi ngokusemthethweni.—Mateyu 1:1-16.
13. Emva komtshato wesintu, yintoni efanele yenziwe kwintetho yomtshato?
13 Xa indoda nomfazi betshata ngomtshato wesintu, loo mtshato usemthethweni. Njengokuba sele sitshilo ngaphambilana, amaKristu atshate umtshato wesintu osemthethweni anokufuna kunikelwe intetho yomtshato, kubekho izifungo eHolweni yoBukumkani. Ukuba oko kuyenzeka, isithethi siya kutsho kwabo bakhoyo ukuba eso sibini siye satshata ngokuvumelana nomthetho kaKesare. Inye kuphela intetho enjalo eya kunikelwa. Kaloku mnye lo mtshato, kutshatwe ngokusemthethweni ngokwesithethe esaziwayo kwaza kwanikelwa intetho yeZibhalo enye. Ukulandelelana ngokukhawuleza kwezi ndlela zimbini zokutshata, ukuba kunokwenzeka, zenzeke ngosuku olunye, kunokuwenza umtshato wamaKristu ubekeke emehlweni abantu basekuhlaleni.
14. Unokwenza ntoni umKristu ukuba unokutshata umtshato wesintu nokutshata kwarhulumente?
14 Kwamanye amazwe apho umtshato wesintu ujongwa njengosemthethweni, kubakho nelungiselelo lokutshata kwarhulumente. Loo mtshato wenziwa phambi kwegosa likarhulumente yaye unokuquka ukwenza izifungo nokusayina uxwebhu lomtshato. Amanye amaKristu akhetha olu hlobo lomtshato kunomtshato wesintu. Akukho sizathu singokwasemthethweni sokutshata ngazo zombini ezi ndlela; zombini zisemthethweni. Oko siye sathetha ngako ngentetho yomtshato nokwenza izifungo kwisiqendu 9 nese-10 kuyasebenza nalapha. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba abo batshatileyo batshate ngokubekekileyo phambi koThixo nabantu.—Luka 20:25; 1 Petros 2:13, 14.
Ukugcina Umtshato Ubekekile
15, 16. Yiyiphi indima ebalulekileyo intlonelo enayo emtshatweni?
15 Xa kwavela ingxaki kumtshato wokumkani wamaPersi, umcebisi wakhe oyintloko, uMemukan wadlulisela icebiso elihle lokuba—‘bonke abafazi baya kubanika imbeko abayeni babo.’ (Estere 1:20) Kwimitshato yamaKristu, akuyomfuneko ukuba uKumkani ongumntu awise umthetho; abafazi bayafuna ukubonakalisa intlonelo kubayeni babo. Ngokufanayo, amadoda angamaKristu ‘abanika imbeko’ abafazi bawo yaye ayabancoma. (IMizekeliso 31:11, 30; 1 Petros 3:7) Ukubonakalisa intlonelo emtshatweni akumele kube yinto eyenzeka emva kweminyaka emininzi. Imele ibonakaliswe ukususela nje kusuku lomtshato kuze kuqhubeke kunjalo.
16 Le ntlonelo ayifanele ibonakale phakathi kwendoda nebhinqa okanye indoda nomfazi ngosuku lwabo lomtshato. Umdala ongumKristu onikela intetho yomtshato, umele ayinikele ngesidima. Le ntetho imele inikelwe ngokungqalileyo kwabo batshatayo. Ngenxa yokuba sibonakalisa intlonelo kwabo batshatayo, isithethi asisayi kubalaselisa uburharha okanye senze iintsomi ezihlekisayo. Asimele sithethe ngezinto ezinokwenza abo batshatayo okanye abaphulaphuli bazive beneentloni. Kunoko, siya kuzama ukuba nobubele, intetho ibe yeyakhayo size sibalaselise uMsunguli womtshato namacebiso Akhe abalaseleyo. Ewe, intetho enikelwa ngesidima nguloo mdala iya kuba negalelo elikhulu kuloo mtshato nokuze kuzukiswe uYehova uThixo.
17. Kutheni amaKristu efanele ahlonele umthetho kwimitshato yawo?
17 Kusenokwenzeka ukuba zininzi iinkalo ezingokutshata ngokusemthethweni ozibonileyo kweli nqaku. Ezinye zazo zisenokungasebenzi kwindawo ohlala kuyo. Noko ke, sonke simele siqiniseke ukuba amalungiselelo emitshato yethu njengamaNgqina kaYehova abonisa ukuba siyayihlonela imithetho yasekuhlaleni, nemithetho kaKesare. (Luka 20:25) UPawulos usibongoza esithi: “Nikani bonke oko kubafaneleyo, lowo kufuneka irhafu kuye, mnikeni irhafu; lowo kufuneka unikelo kuye, mnikeni unikelo; . . . lowo kufuneka imbeko kuye, mnikeni imbeko leyo.” (Roma 13:7) Ukususela kusuku lokuqala lomtshato, amaKristu umele ubonise intlonelo kwilungiselelo elibekwe nguThixo namhlanje.
18. Yiyiphi enye inkalo yomtshato esimele sinikele ingqalelo kuyo yaye sinokuyifumana phi inkcazelo ngalo mbandela?
18 Kwimitshato emininzi yamaKristu kudla ngokulandela isidlo okanye itheko lomtshato. Khumbula ukuba uYesu wakha waya kwitheko elinjalo. Ukuba kukho imbutho enjalo, isiluleko seBhayibhile sisinceda njani ukuze sizukise uThixo nokuze loo mbutho ibashiye benegama elihle abo batshatayo kuquka nebandla lamaKristu? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuwuphendula lo mbuzo.e
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Eli gama linye linokusetyenziswa kwisidlo esingenanto yakwenza nomtshato.—Estere 9:22, Septuagint.
b AmaNgqina kaYehova asebenzisa ulwandlalo lwemizuzu engama-30 olunomxholo othi “Umtshato Obekekileyo Emehlweni KaThixo.” Olu lwandlalo lusekelwe eBhayibhileni, lunamacebiso amahle afumaneka kwincwadi ethi Imfihlelo Yolonwabo Lwentsapho nakwezinye iincwadi zamaNgqina kaYehova. Le ntetho iluncedo kwabo batshatayo nabamenyiweyo.
c Ngaphandle kokuba umthetho wasekuhlaleni ugunyazisa ngenye indlela, kunokusetyenziswa ezi zifungo zizukisa uThixo. Umyeni uya kuthi: “Mna [igama lomyeni] ndiyakuthabatha wena [igama lomtshakazi] ukuba ube ngumfazi wam womtshato, ukuba ndikuthande ndize ndikunyamekele ngokuvisisana nomthetho ongokobuthixo obekelwe amadoda angamaKristu kwiZibhalo Ezingcwele, logama nje siya kube siphila kunye emhlabeni ngokuvisisana nelungiselelo likaThixo lomtshato.” Umtshakazi uya kuthi: “Mna [igama lomtshakazi] ndiyakuthabatha wena [igama lomyeni] ukuba ube yindoda yam yomtshato, ukuba ndikuthande, ndikunyamekele ndize ndikuhlonele ngokunzulu ngokuvisisana nomthetho ongokobuthixo obekelwe abafazi abangamaKristu kwiZibhalo Ezingcwele, logama nje siya kube siphila kunye emhlabeni ngokuvisisana nelungiselelo likaThixo lomtshato.”
d IMboniselo kaMeyi 1, 1962 yesiNgesi, iphepha 287, ithetha ngokuhlalisana.
e Funda inqaku elithi “Yiba Nesidima Novuyo Olungakumbi Kusuku Lomtshato Wakho,” eliqala kwiphepha 28.
Ngaba Usakhumbula?
• Kutheni simele sibe nomdla kwiinkalo ezingokwasemthethweni nezingokomoya zomtshato?
• Ukuba amaKristu atshatiswa ligosa likarhulumente, yintoni anokucinga ngokuyenza emva koko?
• Kutheni kunikelwa intetho yomtshato kwiHolo yoBukumkani?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
KuSirayeli mandulo, umyeni wayezisa umtshakazi wakhe endlwini yakhe okanye endlwini kayise.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
Emva komtshato wesintu, amaKristu anokufuna ukuba kunikelwe intetho yomtshato kwiHolo yoBukumkani