Xelisani Ukholo Lwabo

‘Wazenzela Izigqibo Entliziyweni Yakhe’

UMARIYA wehla kwiesile awayekhwele kulo iiyure eziliqela. UYosefu wayehamba phambi kwakhe esinge eBhetelehem. UMariya weva usana lushukuma esiswini sakhe.

UMariya wayesele eza kubeleka; iBhayibhile ithi ‘wayenzima.’ (Luka 2:5) Njengoko babedlula emasimini, mhlawumbi abalimi ababebabona babezibuza ukuba ngumfazi otheni lo usendleleni ekhulelwe ngolu hlobo. Kwakutheni ukuze uMariya abe kude nekhaya lakhe iNazarete?

Yonke le nto yaqala kwiinyanga ezingaphambili xa ibhinqa eliselula elingumYuda lafumana esona sabelo sikhethekileyo kuyo yonke imbali yoluntu. Laliza kuzala umntwana owayeza kuba nguMesiya, uNyana kaThixo! (Luka 1:35) Njengoko lalisele lisondele ixesha lokuba lizale, kwanyanzeleka ukuba lithabathe olu hambo. Ngoxa wayekolu hambo, ukholo lukaMariya lwavavanywa ngokuqatha. Makhe sibone ukuba yintoni eyamncedayo wahlala omelele ngokomoya.

Uhambo Olusinge EBhetelehem

YayingengoYosefu noMariya kuphela ababekolu hambo. UAgasto Kesare wayesandul’ ukukhupha umyalelo wokuba abantu babhaliswe, ngenxa yoko abantu kwafuneka babuyele kwiidolophu ababezalelwe kuzo. Wenza ntoni uYosefu? Ingxelo ithi: “KwanoYosefu wenyuka evela eGalili, ephuma kwisixeko saseNazarete, esiya kwelakwaYuda, kwisixeko sikaDavide, esibizwa ngokuba yiBhetelehem, ngenxa yokuba elilungu labendlu nentsapho kaDavide.”—Luka 2:1-4.

UKesare akazange nje asuke awise lo mthetho ngeli xesha. Kwisiprofeto esabhalwa malunga neenkulungwane ezisixhenxe ngaphambili kwathiwa uMesiya wayeza kuzalelwa eBhetelehem. Kwakukho idolophu ebizwa ngokuba yiBhetelehem eyayikumgama oziikhilomitha ezili-11 ukusuka eNazarete. Noko ke, esi siprofeto sacacisa ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuzalelwa ‘eBhetelehem Efrata.’ (Mika 5:2) Namhlanje, iNazarete naloo dolophana zahlulwa ngummandla oneenduli oziikhilomitha ezili-150. Yile Bhetelehem ke awayalelwa ukuba eze kuyo uYosefu, kuba yayilikhaya likaKumkani uDavide—uYosefu nomfazi wakhe babephuma kulo mlibo.

Ngaba uMariya uyasixhasa isigqibo sikaYosefu sokuya eBhetelehem, ekubeni olu yayiza kuba luhambo olunzima kuye? Kuyabonakala ukuba kwakusaqala ukwindla ngoko kwakusenokuna nanini na. Ukongezelela koko, ibinzana elithi “wenyuka evela eGalili” lifanelekile, kuba iBhetelehem yayimalunga neemitha ezingama-760 ukuphakama—ngoko babeza kunyuka eqhineni iintsuku eziliqela. Mhlawumbi babeza kuhamba ixesha elide kakhulu kuba kwakuza kufuneka bahambe bephumla ngenxa kaMariya. Ngoku umele ukuba wayefuna ukuba kufuphi nekhaya, apho wayeza kuncedwa yintsapho nabahlobo bakhe xa efikelwa yinimba. Akungathandabuzeki ukuba kwakufuneka inkalipho ukuze athabathe olu hambo.

ULuka uthi uYosefu ‘waya kubhaliswa noMariya.’ Kwakhona uthi uMariya ‘wayenikelwe kuYosefu ngokwesithembiso somtshato.’ (Luka 2:4, 5) Ukuba ngumfazi kaYosefu kwaba negalelo elikhulu kwizigqibo ezazisenziwa nguMariya. Umyeni wakhe wayemjonga njengokhokelayo kwizinto zokomoya, esamkela indima ayinikwe nguThixo yokuba ngumncedi wakhe nokuxhasa izigqibo azenzayo.a Ngoko waloyisa olu vavanyo lokholo ngokuthobela.

Kumele ukuba yintoni enye eyamenza wathobela? Ngaba wayesazi isiprofeto esasisithi uMesiya wayeza kuzalelwa eBhetelehem? IBhayibhile ayitsho. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayesazi, kuba sasisaziwa ziinkokeli zonqulo nangabantu ngokubanzi. (Mateyu 2:1-7; Yohane 7:40-42) UMariya wayezazi iZibhalo. (Luka 1:46-55) Noko ke, enoba wathabatha olo hambo kuba ethobela umyeni wakhe, umthetho karhulumente, okanye isiprofeto sikaYehova—mhlawumbi ngenxa yazo zonke ezi zinto—waba ngumzekelo obalaseleyo. UYehova uyawaxabisa amadoda nabafazi abathobekileyo. Ekubeni ukuthobela kujongelwa phantsi namhlanje, uMariya wabamisela umzekelo omhle bonke abantu abathembekileyo.

Ukuzalwa KukaKristu

Umele ukuba wavuya kakhulu uMariya akubona iBhetelehem. Njengoko babesenyuka iinduli, bedlula kwimithi yeminquma—ezinye zezityalo ezivunwa mva—mhlawumbi uMariya noYosefu babecinga ngembali yale dolophana. Yayincinane kakhulu ukuba ibalwe phakathi kwezixeko zakwaYuda, kanye njengokuba uMika waprofetayo; kodwa kulapho wazalelwa khona uBhohazi, uNahomi, noDavide, kwiminyaka engaphezu kwewaka eyadlulayo.

UMariya noYosefu bafika kukho inyambalala yabantu kuloo dolophana. Abanye babefike ngaphambi kwabo ukuza kubhalisa, ngoko babengenandawo abaza kulala kuyo.b Kwafuneka baye kulala esitalini. Sinokuyithelekelela indlela awayekhathazeke ngayo uYosefu njengoko ebona umfazi wakhe esezintlungwini awayengazange abe nazo ngaphambili. Kulapho waqala khona ukuba nenimba.

Abafazi banokuvelana noMariya. Kwiminyaka engama-4 000 ngaphambili, uYehova wathi abafazi babeza kuba nenimba xa bezala ngenxa yesono abasizuz’ ilifa. (Genesis 3:16) Abukho ubungqina obubonisa ukuba uMariya akazange abe nayo inimba. ULuka akathethi nto ngenimba awayenayo, kodwa uthi: “Wazala unyana wakhe, izibulo.” (Luka 2:7) Ewe, uMariya wazala “izibulo” lakhe—kubantwana bakhe abasixhenxe. (Marko 6:3) Lo ke yena wayeza kwahluka. Wayengelozibulo lakhe nje kuphela, kodwa ‘wayelizibulo likaYehova kwindalo yonke,’ okuphela koNyana amzeleyo!—Kolose 1:15.

Le ngxelo yongezelela isithi: “Wamsongela ngezithandelo zelaphu waza wambeka emkhumbini.” (Luka 2:7) Imidlalo nemizobo engokuzalwa kukaYesu, imenza abonakale elusizana. Kwenzeka ntoni kanye kanye? Umkhumbi sisitya esikhulu ezazisondlelwa kuso izilwanyana. Le ntsapho yayihlala esitalini, indawo engacocekanga nenomoya omdaka. Akakho umzali owayenokuzalela usana lwakhe kwindawo enjalo ngaphandle kokuba yayingekho enye indawo. Inkoliso yabazali iba nebhongo neqhayiya ngabantwana babo. Bamele ukuba babenebhongo ngokwenene uMariya noYosefu ngalo Nyana kaThixo!

Noko ke, abazange basong’ izandla; kodwa benza konke okwakusemandleni abo. Ngokomzekelo, uMariya walunyamekela usana lwakhe, walusongela ngamalaphu, waza walubeka emkhumbini ukuze lulale, eqinisekile ukuba lufudumele yaye lukhuselekile. Akazange avumele imeko awayekuyo ngelo xesha ukuba imphazamise ekunyamekeleni usana lwakhe. Yena noYosefu babesazi ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo abanokumenzela yona lo mntwana kukumnyamekela ngokomoya. (Duteronomi 6:6-8) Namhlanje, abazali abalumkileyo benza okufanayo njengoko bekhulisa abantwana babo kweli hlabathi lingamkhathalelanga uThixo.

Utyelelo Olukhuthazayo

Ngequbuliso kwenzeka isiphithiphithi esiphazamisayo. Kwafika abelusi esitalini, belangazelela ukubona le ntsapho, ngokukhethekileyo usana. Aba belusi babenemincili, bengakwazi ukuzibamba luvuyo. Beza begxalathelana bebuya ezindle, apho babesalusa khona imihlambi yabo.c Baxelela abazali ababemangalisiwe ngezinto ezazenzekile. Ngoxa babesezindle kwafika ingelosi ezinzulwini zobusuku. Yonke loo ndawo yazaliswa bubuqaqawuli bukaYehova, yaye ingelosi yabaxelela ukuba eBhetelehem kusandul’ ukuzalwa uKristu, okanye uMesiya. Babeza kulufumana olo sana lulele emkhumbini, lusongelwe ngezithandelo zelaphu. Emva koko kwenzeka eyona nto imangalisayo—kwabonakala umkhosi weengelosi, udumisa uYehova!

Ayimangalisi ke ngoko into yokuba la madoda athobekileyo agxalathelana ukuya eBhetelehem! Amele ukuba avuya ngokwenene akubona olu sana lusandul’ ukuzalwa kwindawo ebichazwe yingelosi. Awazange azifihle ezi ndaba. ‘Alibhengeza ilizwi. Yaye bonke abo bevayo bamangaliswa zezi zinto babezixelelwa ngabalusi.’ (Luka 2:17, 18) Ngokuqinisekileyo iinkokeli zonqulo zelo xesha zazibajongela phantsi abelusi. Kodwa uYehova wayewaxabisa la madoda athobekileyo nathembekileyo. Umele ukuba wavakalelwa njani uMariya lolu tyelelo?

Ngokuqinisekileyo uMariya wayediniwe, kodwa waphulaphula ngenyameko. Yaye “wawagcina onke la mazwi, ezenzela izigqibo entliziyweni yakhe.” (Luka 2:19) Kuyabonakala ukuba eli bhinqa lalicinga nzulu ngezinto. Lalisazi ukuba esi sigidimi sengelosi sibalulekile. UThixo walo uYehova, wayefuna limazi lize limxabise unyana walo. Alizange lanele nje kukuphulaphula, kodwa loo mazwi lawagcina entliziyweni ukuze licamngce ngawo kwiinyanga nakwiminyaka eyayiza kulandela. Le yeyona nto ibalaseleyo kukholo lukaMariya ukutyhubela ubomi bakhe.

Ngaba uza kuwulandela umzekelo kaMariya? ILizwi likaYehova lizaliswe ziinyaniso ezibalulekileyo. Noko ke, ezo nyaniso akukho nto zinokusinceda ngayo ukuba asinikeli ngqalelo kuzo. Oko sikwenza ngokufunda iBhayibhile rhoqo—njengeLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. (2 Timoti 3:16) Ngoko nathi njengoMariya kufuneka sizigcine entliziyweni izinto zokomoya ukuze sikwazi ukwenza izigqibo. Ukuba siyacamngca ngezinto esizifunda eBhayibhileni nangendlela esinokusisebenzisa ngayo isiluleko sikaYehova, ukholo lwethu luya kukhula.

Izinto Ezingakumbi Ezifuna Ukugcinwa

Ngosuku lwesibhozo usana luzelwe, uMariya noYosefu bamalusa umntwana ngokoMthetho kaMoses, baza bamthiya igama elinguYesu njengoko babeyalelwe. (Luka 1:31) Emva kweentsuku ezingama-40 bamsa etempileni eYerusalem, eyayingekude kuyaphi naseBhetelehem. Ekubeni intsapho yabo yayingathath’ intweni banikela ngamahobe amabini asendle okanye amavukuthu amabini ukuze kwenziwe idini lokuhlanjululwa ngokuvisisana noMthetho. Abazange babe neentloni ngokungakwazi ukunikela ngemvana nehobe ababenikela ngazo abanye abazali. Ukuba lapho kwabakhuthaza.—Luka 2:21-24.

USimeyon owayesele ekhulile weza kubo waza wamxelela ezinye izinto awayemele azigcine entliziyweni uMariya. Wayethenjiswe ukuba wayeza kumbona uMesiya ngaphambi kokuba afe, yaye umoya oyingcwele kaYehova wambonisa ukuba uYesu unguMsindisi ekwakuprofetwe ngaye. Waphinda walumkisa uMariya ngentlungu ekwakuza kufuneka ayinyamezele. Wathi wayeza kuva ikrele elide lityhutyha umphefumlo wakhe. (Luka 2:25-35) Loo mazwi amele ukuba amnceda uMariya wakwazi ukunyamezela lakufika elo xesha linzima emva kwamashumi amathathu eminyaka. Emva kukaSimeyon, uAna umprofetikazi wambona uYesu owayesengumntwana waza waqalisa ukuthetha ngaye kuye wonk’ ubani owayekuxabisa ukuhlangulwa kweYerusalem.—Luka 2:36-38.

UYosefu noMariya benza isigqibo esifanelekileyo ngokuzisa usana lwabo kwitempile kaYehova eseYerusalem. Olu yayiluhambo lokuqala lukaYesu lokuya kwitempile kaYehova nolwaluza kuqhubeka ubomi bakhe bonke. Ngoxa babelapho, bazibhokoxa enkonzweni kaYehova baza bafundiswa yaye bakhuthazwa. Ngokuqinisekileyo uMariya umele ukuba wemka etempileni ukholo lwakhe lomelele nentliziyo yakhe iphuphuma ziinyaniso zokomoya awayeza kucamngca aze abelane nabanye ngazo.

Kuyinto entle namhlanje ukubona abazali bexelisa loo mzekelo. Abazali abangamaNgqina kaYehova bahamba nabantwana babo xa besiya ezintlanganisweni. Aba bazali benza konke okusemandleni abo enkonzweni kaThixo, bekhuthaza amanye amakholwa. Yaye babuya bomelele, bonwabile, yaye befunde izinto ezininzi abanokwabelana ngazo nabanye. Umenywa ngokufudumeleyo ukuba uye kwiintlanganiso zawo. Ukuba wenjenjalo, ukholo lwakho luya komelela njengolukaMariya.

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USimeyon wasikelelwa ngokubona uMsindisi owayexelwe kwangaphambili