Wakhusela, Walungiselela, Wazingisa

UYOSEFU uphosa omnye umthwalo kwiesile. Yiba nomfanekiso wakhe elunguza kulo lali yaseBhetelehem ingenazibane zokukhanyisa aze abetha iesile lakhe ngesandla ezimbanjeni lize liqalise ukuhamba. Ngokuqinisekileyo wayecinga ngohambo olude oluphambi kwakhe, uya eYiputa! Ilizwe lasemzini, elinolwimi namasiko angawaziyo—iza kumelana njani intsapho yakhe encinane nolu celomngeni?

Kwakungelula ukuphalaza ezi ndaba zibuhlungu emfazini wakhe, uMariya, kodwa uYosefu waqweb’ isibindi waza wamxelela. Wamxelela ngephupha lakhe apho ingelosi yamxelela esi sigidimi sivela kuThixo: Ukumkani, uHerode, ufuna ukubulala umntwana wabo omncinane! Kwakufuneka banduluke ngoko nangoko. (Mateyu 2:13, 14) UMariya wayexhalabe gqitha. Yayingenzeka njani into yokuba kubekho umntu ofuna ukubulala umntwana omsulwa, nongenabungozi? Bobabini uMariya noYosefu babengayiqondi loo nto. Kodwa bakholosa ngoYehova, balungela uhambo.

Ekubeni abantu baseBhetelehem babelele bengazi ukuba kwenzeka ntoni, uYosefu, uMariya noYesu bathi nyebelele bemka ngobusuku. Bebhekise amabombo emazantsi kuthi qheke ukusa, ufanele ukuba wayezibuza ukuba kuza kuba njani apho aya khona. Umchweli ophantsi wayenokuzikhusela njani kutshaba olunamandla ngolo hlobo? Ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukusoloko eyinyamekela intsapho yakhe? Ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukuphumeza isabelo sakhe esinzima asikwe nguYehova uThixo, sokuba anyamekele aze akhulise lo mntwana wahlukileyo? UYosefu wayejamelene nocelomngeni olungaphaya kwamandla akhe. Njengoko siza kuqwalasela indlela awenza ngayo ukuze amelane nomqobo ngamnye, siza kubona isizathu sokuba ootata namahlanje nathi sonke sifanele sixelise ukholo lukaYosefu.

UYosefu Wayikhusela Intsapho Yakhe

Kwiinyanga ezingaphambili, kwidolophu yakowabo eNazarete, batshintsha ubomi bukaYosefu umlibe emva kokuba egane intombi kaHeli. UYosefu wayemazi uMariya njengentombi emsulwa nethembekileyo. Kodwa kamva wafumanisa ukuba ukhulelwe! Wayeceba ukumala ngasese ukuze angamhlazisi.a Noko ke, ingelosi yathetha naye ephupheni, imchazela ukuba uMariya wayenziwe nzima ngumoya oyingcwele kaThixo. Ingelosi yolek’ umsundulo yathi unyana aza kumzala “uya kusindisa abantu bakowabo ezonweni zabo.” Yaphinda yamqinisekisa uYosefu isithi: “Musa ukoyika ukumthabatha umse ekhaya uMariya.”—Mateyu 1:18-21.

UYosefu, ilungisa nendoda ethobelayo, yenza kanye loo nto. Wenza esona sabelo sinzima: ukukhulisa nokunyamekela unyana ongengowakhe kodwa oyena uxabisekileyo kuThixo. Kamva, ethobela umyalelo waseburhulumenteni, uYosefu waya kubhalisa nomfazi wakhe okhulelweyo eBhetelehem. Kulapho wazalelwa khona umntwana.b

UYosefu akazange ayibuyisele eNazarete intsapho yakhe. Kunoko yahlala eBhetelehem, iikhilomitha nje ezimbalwa ukusuka eYerusalem. Babengamahlwempu, kodwa uYosefu wenza konke okusemandleni ukuze akhusele uMariya noYesu ekubandezelekeni. Kangangexesha elifutshane, bahlala kwikhaya eliphantsi. Kwaza kwandule xa uYesu wayengaselo sana kodwa engumntwana—mhlawumbi ongaphezu konyaka ubudala—baphinda batshintsha ngesiquphe ubomi babo kwakhona.

Kwafika iqela lamadoda, izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zaseMpumalanga, zifanele ukuba zazivela eBhabhiloni. Zalandela inkwenkwezi eyazikhokelela ekhayeni likaYosefu noMariya yaye zikhangela umntwana owayeza kuba yikumkani yamaYuda. La madoda ayenentlonelo enzulu.

Enoba zazisazi okanye zazingazi, ezi zazi ngeenkwenkwezi zabubeka esichengeni ubomi bukaYesu. Inkwenkwezi ezaziyibonile yaqala yazisa eYerusalem kuqala kungekhona eBhetelehem. Apho baxelela uKumkani uHerode ongendawo ukuba bakhangela umntwana oza kuba ngukumkani wamaYuda. Oku kwamenza wajwaqeka ngumona.—Funda inqaku elithi “Imibuzo Yabafundi . . . Ngubani Owathumela ‘Inkwenkwezi’?” kwiphepha 29.

Noko ke, okuvuyisayo, kukuba kwakukho abantu abanamandla ngaphezu kukaHerode ababelungelelanisa izinto. Njani? Ezi ndwendwe zakhupha izipho, yaye azizange zifune mbuyekezo. Kumele ukuba kwakungumnqa kuYosefu noMariya ukuzibhaqa sele “benegolide, intlak’ emhlophe nemore”—izinto ezixabisekileyo! Ezi zazi ngeenkwenkwezi zazizimisele ukumchazela uKumkani uHerode apho umntwana akhoyo. Noko ke, uYehova wangenelela. Esebenzisa iphupha, wayalela ezo zazi ngeenkwenkwezi ukuba zibuyele ekhaya ngenye indlela.—Mateyu 2:1-12.

Kancinane nje emva kokuba izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zihambile, uYosefu wafumana esi silumkiso silandelayo ngengelosi kaYehova isithi: “Vuka, thabatha umntwana oselula nonina, usabele eYiputa, uze uhlale apho de ndikhuphe izwi; kuba uHerode sele eza kumfuna umntwana oselula ukuze amtshabalalise.” (Mateyu 2:13) Njengoko, besele sitshilo kwasekuqaleni, uYosefu wathobela ngoko nangoko. Wabeka ukhuseleko lomntwana kuqala ngaphezu kwayo yonke into waza wasabela eYiputa nentsapho yakhe. Ekubeni abo bavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi babahedeni bapha intsapho kaYosefu izipho ezixabisekileyo, ngoku babenokukwazi ukuba nezinto zokuba nceda kolo hambo.

Iintsomi ezikwiincwadi ezingaphefumlelwanga zalwenza lwasisiganeko esimnandi uhambo oluya eYiputa, zithi uYesu walwenza lwalufutshane ngokungummangaliso, wabenza abaphangi ababinabungozi, wade wabangela ukuba nemithi yesundu igobe ukuze uMariya akwazi ukufumana iziqhamo.c Inyaniso kukuba olu yayiluhambo olude oluqoboya oluya kwilizwe elingaziwayo.

Kuninzi okunokufundwa ngabazali kuYosefu. Wawuyeka ngoko nangoko umsebenzi wakhe wancama ulonwabo ukuze akhusele intsapho yakhe kwingozi. Kucacile ukuba, intsapho yakhe wayeyijonga njengesipho esingcwele asiphiwe nguYehova. Namhlanje abazali bakhulisa abantwana babo kwihlabathi eliyingozi, ihlabathi elinemikhosi enokwenzakalisa, yonakalise okanye ibulale abantwana. Hayi indlela abancomeka ngayo oomama nootata abangalibazisiyo njengoYosefu, abawa bevuka ukuze bakhusele abantwana babo kwezo mpembelelo!

UYosefu Wayinyamekela Intsapho Yakhe

Kuyabonakala, ukuba le ntsapho ayizange ihlale ixesha elide eYiputa, kuba akuzange kube kudala ingelosi yaxelela uYosefu ukuba uHerode ubhubhile. UYosefu wabuyela kwilizwe labo. Isiprofeto saxela kwangaphambili ukuba uYehova wayeza kubiza unyana wakhe “aphume eYiputa.” (Mateyu 2:15) UYosefu wanceda ekuzalisekeni kwaso, kodwa wayeza kuhlala phi nentsapho yakhe ngoku?

UYosefu wayephaphile. Wayemlumkele, uArchelaus, owangena ezihlangwini zikaHerode owayekhohlakele njengaye. Ukhokelo lobuthixo lwalathisa uYosefu ukuba intsapho yakhe ayise emntla, kude neYerusalem namayelenqe ayo, kwidolophu yakowabo eGalili.

Babephila ubomi obulula. IBhayibhile ithi uYosefu wayengumchweli, isebenzisa igama eliquka ukwenza izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ngomthi, njengokugawula imithi, ayirhuqe aze ayincwele ukuze kwakhiwe ngayo izindlu, izikhephe, ibhulorho ezincinane, iinqwelo, amavili, iidyokhwe nazo zonke izixhobo ekusetyenzwa ngazo efama. (Mateyu 13:55) Yayingumsebenzi oqobayo. Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile umchweli wayedla ngokusebenzela ecaleni kwendlu yakhe okanye kwishedi ekufutshane nendlu yakhe.

UYosefu wayesebenzisa izixhobo ezahlukahlukeneyo, ezinye ufanele ukuba wazifumana kuyise. Ufanele ukuba wayesebenzisa isikwere, ilothe yokulinganisa, itshokhwe, izenjana, isarha, izembe, ihamile, ihamile eyenziwe ngomthi, itshizili, idrili, iintlobo ezahlukahlukeneyo zeglu mhlawumbi nezikhonkwane nangona zazibiza kakhulu.

Yiba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaYesu eseyinkwenkwana ebukela uyise omkhulisayo uYosefu esebenza. Amehlo athe ntsho kuye njengoko esebenza, ngokuqinisekileyo wayemangaliswa kukubona indlela anamandla ngayo nezandla zakhe ezomeleleyo, ubugcisa obusezandleni zakhe, nobukrelekrele abubona emehlweni akhe. Mhlawumbi uYosefu wabonisa lo nyana wakhe uselula indlela yokwenza imisebenzi engekho nzima kangako njengokugudisa indawo ezirhabaxa eplangeni esebenzisa isikhumba sentlanzi esomileyo. Ngokomzekelo, ufanele ukuba wamfundisa ukwahlula imithi awayeyisebenzisa—njengesikamore, um-oki okanye umnquma.

Kwakhona uYesu wafunda nokuba ezo zandla zomeleleyo ezazigawula imithi, ziyincwele zize ziyidibanise ikwazizo ezi ezazimfunqula zize zimthuthuzele yena, umama wakhe nabantakwabo. Ewe, uYosefu noMariya babe nentsapho eyandayo ekugqibeleni yaquka abantwana abathandathu kuquka. (Mateyu 13:55, 56) Kwakufuneka azibhokoxe ngakumbi uYosefu ukuze anyamekele aze ondle intsapho yakhe yonke.

Sekunjalo, uYosefu wayeqonda ukuba ukunyamekela intsapho yakhe ngokomoya kokona kubalulekileyo. Ngoko ke, wayechitha ixesha efundisa abantwana bakhe ngoYehova uThixo nemithetho Yakhe. Yena noMariya babedla ngokuya nabo kwindlu yesikhungu yasekuhlaleni, apho uMthetho wawufundwa ngokuvakalayo uze ucaciswe. Mhlawumbi, uYesu wayenemibuzo emininzi emva kwezo ntlanganiso yaye uYosefu wayezama ukumanelisa ngokomoya. Kwakhona, uYosefu wayedla ngokuya nentsapho yakhe kwimithendeleko eyayisiba seYerusalem. Ukuze babhiyozele ipasika yaminyaka le, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYosefu kwakuye kufuneke ukuba ahambe iveki ezimbini iikhilomitha ezili-113 ukuya nokubuya eYerusalem.

Iintloko ntsapho zamaKristu namhlanje zenza ngendlela efanayo. Ziyazibhokoxa ngenxa yabantwana bazo, zikubeka phambili kunayo nayiphi na enye into ukubaqeqesha ngokomoya, kuquka izinto zeli hlabathi. Zenza unako nako ukuze ziye nabantwana kwiindibano ezinkulu nezincinane. NjengoYosefu, bayazi ukuba ayikho enye into engcono abanokuyenzela abantwana babo.

“Sibandezelekile Engqondweni”

Xa uYesu wayeneminyaka eli-12 ubudala, uYosefu waya nentsapho yakhe eYerusalem njengesiqhelo. KwakungePasika, ixesha lokubhiyoza, intsapho ezinkulu zazihamba kunye kwiindlela zasemaphandleni ezifukufuku. Njengoko babesondela kumhlaba waseYerusalem ophakamileyo, abantu abaninzi babedla ngokucula ingoma yezinyuko. (INdumiso 120–134) Isixeko sisenokuba sasizele simi ngeembambo ngamakhulu amawaka abantu. Emva koko, iintsapho zazibuyela emakhayeni azo. Mhlawumbi, uYosefu noMariya, ekubonakala ukuba babexakeke zezinye izinto bacinga ukuba uYesu uhambe namanye amalungu entsapho. Emva kosuku bemkile eYerusalem bafumanisa ukuba uYesu ulahlekile!—Luka 2:41-44.

Bexhalabile, bamkhangela bada baya kufika eYerusalem kwakhona. Khawube nomfanekiso ngqondweni wendlela esasahluke ngayo esi sixeko njengoko bekhangela ezitratweni unyana wabo, bemana bemkhwaza. Uphi lo mntwana? Ngosuku lwesithathu bemkhangela, ngaba uYosefu waqalisa ukuziva esilele ekunyamekeleni esi sabelo singcwele asinikwe nguYehova? Ekugqibeleni waya etempileni. Nalapho bakhangela de baya kufika kwigumbi elalisetyenziswa ngamadoda afundileyo nawazi uMthetho, ayehlanganisene kulo—noYesu elapho phakathi kwawo! Unokuyithelekelela indlela abaziva ngayo uYosefu noMariya!—Luka 2:45, 46.

UYesu wayephulaphule loo madoda afundileyo yaye ewabuza imibuzo. Lo madoda ayethe khamnqe yindlela lo mntwana aqonda naphendula ngayo. Kule ngxelo uYosefu akathethi. Kodwa uMariya waba thethela bobabini xa esithi: “Mntwana, bekutheni na ukuze usiphathe ngale ndlela? Naku mna noyihlo sibandezelekile engqondweni sifunana nawe.”—Luka 2:47, 48.

Ngaloo ndlela, ngamagama nje ambalwa, iLizwi likaThixo lisizobela umfanekiso ocacileyo wokuba ngumzali. Kunokubangela uxinezeleko—nokuba umntwana ufezekile! Ukukhulisa abantwana kweli hlabathi lanamhlanje linobungozi kunokubangela ‘ukubandezeleka engqondweni,’ kodwa ootata noomama banokuthuthuzelwa kukwazi ukuba iBhayibhile iyaluqonda ucelomngeni abajongene nalo.

Okuvuyisayo, kukuba uYesu wayekweyona ndawo awayeziva esondele kuYise wasezulwini uYehova, efunxa ngomdla yonke into awayenokuyifunda. Ngaloo ndlela, wabaphendula kakuhle ngokunyaniseka abazali bakhe esithi: “Bekutheni na ukuze nihambe nifunana nam? Beningazi na ukuba ndimele ndibe sendlwini kaBawo?”—Luka 2:49.

Ngokuqinisekileyo uYosefu wayemana ecinga ngala mazwi amaxesha amaninzi. Mhlawumbi asenokuba ayemenza azive enelunda. Ngapha koko, wazibhokoxa ngamandla ekukhuliseni umntwana wakhe ukuze avakalelwe ngale ndlela ngoYehova uThixo. Ngelo xesha eseyinkwenkwana, uYesu wayesele eneemvakalelo ezifudumeleyo ngegama elithi “bawo”—ezi mvakalelo ngokuyintloko zaxonxwa kukukhuliswa nguYosefu.

Ukuba ungutata, ngaba uyaliqonda ilungelo onalo lokunceda abantwana bakho baqonde oko kuthethwa kukuba ngutata onothando nokhuselayo? Ngendlela efanayo, ukuba ukhulisa abantwana ongabazalanga, khumbula umzekelo kaYosefu uze ngamnye kwabo bantwana umphathe ngendlela eyahlukileyo nexabisekileyo. Bancede basondele kuBawo wabo wasezulwini, uYehova uThixo.

UYosefu Wazingisa

Zimbalwa izinto ephinda izithethe iBhayibhile ngobomi bukaYosefu, kodwa kuhle ukuba siziphonononge. Sifunda ukuba uYesu “waqhubeka ezithobile kubo.” Kwakhona sifumanisa ukuba “uYesu waqhubeka esenza inkqubela ebulumkweni nasekukhuleni ngomzimba nasekukholekeni kuThixo nasebantwini.” (Luka 2:51, 52) Atyhila ntoni loo mazwi ngoYosefu? Izinto eziliqela. Sifunda ukuba uYosefu waqhubeka ethabatha ukhokelo kwindlu yakhe, kuba unyana wakhe ofezekileyo wayemhlonela yaye emthobela.

Kwakhona sifunda ukuba uYesu waqhubeka ekhula ebulumkweni. Ngokuqinisekileyo waba negalelo elikhulu ekuncedeni unyana wakhe kule nkalo. Ngalo mihla amaYuda ayenesaci awayesihlonela. Sasibonisa ukuba ngamadoda embutho kuphela anokuba zizilumko zokwenene, ngoxa bona abarhwebi abanje ngabachweli, amafama nabantu abasebenza ngesinyithi “abangenakuze bakwazi ukugweba ngokusesikweni; yaye abanakuze bakwazi ukuthetha imizekeliso.” Kamva, uYesu wakubhenca ukuba lilize kweso saci. Xa wayeseyinkwenkwana, kwakukangaphi esiva uyise, ongumchweli othobekileyo, emfundisa kakuhle “ngokuba sesikweni nangemigwebo” kaYehova! Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, yayizizihlandlo ngezihlandlo.

Sisenokububona ubungqina bempembelelo kaYosefu kwindlela awakhula ngayo uYesu. Ekubeni wayenyanyekelwa kakuhle, uYesu wakhula wayindoda eyomeleleyo nesempilweni. Ngaphezu koko, uYosefu wamqeqesha lo nyana wakhe ukuba abe lichule emsebenzini wakhe. UYesu wayengaziwa ngokuba ngunyana womchweli kuphela kodwa “nanjengomchweli.” (Marko 6:3) Ngaloo ndlela, waphumelela uYosefu ekumqeqesheni. Iintloko ntsapho zenza ngobulumko ngokuxelisa umzekelo kaYosefu, zibanyamekela kakuhle abantwana bazo yaye baqinisekisa ukuba bayakwazi ukuzixhasa.

Xa sifika kwixesha lokubhaptizwa kukaYesu eBhayibhileni xa eneminyaka engama-30 ubudala, sifumanisa ukuba uYosefu akusathethwa ngaye. Ubungqina bubonisa ukuba uMariya wayengumhlolokazi ngexesha wayeqalisa ukushumayela. (Funda ibhokisi ethi “Wasweleka Nini uYosefu?” ekwiphepha 27.) Nakuba kunjalo, uYosefu washiya umzila ocacileyo—umzekelo oqaqambileyo katata owakhusela intsapho yakhe, wayinyamekela waze wazingisa ngokuthembeka kwade kwasa ekupheleni. Namphi na ubawo, intloko ntsapho okanye namphi na umKristu, uya kuba wenza kakuhle ngokuxelisa ukholo lukaYosefu.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 27]

Wasweleka Nini uYosefu?

Siyazi ukuba uYosefu wayesaphila xa uYesu wayeneminyaka eli-12 ubudala. Kuloo minyaka ukutsha oluninzi lwamaYuda lwaluqalisa ukufunda umsebenzi kayise ngokusebenza naye xa luneminyaka eli-15. Kucacile ukuba uYosefu waphila ixesha elide ngokwaneleyo kuba wakwazi ukufundisa uYesu ukuba ngumchweli. Ngaba wayesaphila xa uYesu wayeqalisa ukushumayela eneminyaka emalunga nama-30 ubudala? Kuyathandabuzeka. Ngelo xesha kuyathethwa ngomama kaYesu, abantakwabo noodade njengabasaphilayo kodwa akuthethwa nto ngaye. Ngesinye isihlandlo uYesu wakhe wabizwa ngokuba ‘ngunyana kaMariya,’ kungekhona unyana kaYosefu. (Marko 6:3) UMariya kuthethwa ngaye njengowenza izigqibo, ngaphandle kokuthetha nomyeni wakhe. (Yohane 2:1-5) Lo nto yayingaqhelekanga ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile ngaphandle kokuba wayengumhlolokazi. Ekugqibeleni, njengoko wayesifa, uYesu wathi kumpostile uYohane makanyamekele unina. (Yohane 19:26, 27) Kwakungayi kuba yimfuneko oko ukuba uYosefu wayesaphila. Ngoko ke, kuyabonakala ukuba uYosefu wasweleka eselula uYesu. Njengonyana omkhulu, uYesu waqhubeka neshishini lokuchwela enyamekela intsapho de kwasekubhaptizweni kwakhe.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

UYosefu akazange alibazise ukukhusela umntwana

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

UYosefu wayezibhokoxa ukuze anyamekele intsapho yakhe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

UYosefu wayedla ngokuya kunqula etempileni eYerusalem nentsapho yakhe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

UYosefu wamqeqeshela ukuba abe ngumchweli unyana wakhe