Umphathi Othembekile NeNdikimba Ebusayo
“Ubani ngempela ongumphathi othembekile, oqondayo, lowo inkosi yakhe eyommisa phezu kwezikhonzi zayo ukuba aqhubeke ezinika isilinganiso sazo sokudla ngesikhathi esifanele?”—LUKA 12:42.
1, 2. Imuphi umbuzo obalulekile owaphakanyiswa uJesu ngenkathi enikeza isibonakaliso esiyinhlanganisela sezinsuku zokugcina?
NGESIKHATHI enikeza isibonakaliso esiyinhlanganisela sezinsuku zokugcina, uJesu waphakamisa lo mbuzo: “Ngubani ngempela oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo emiswe inkosi yayo phezu kwabendlu yayo, ukuze ibanike ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi esifanele?” UJesu wabe eseqhubeka ethi ukwethembeka kwale nceku kwakuyovuzwa ngokuthi imiswe phezu kwazo zonke izinto zeNkosi.—Math. 24:45-47.
2 Ezinyangeni eziningana ngaphambili, uJesu wayebuze umbuzo ocishe ufane. (Funda uLuka 12:42-44.) Kulowo mbuzo wabiza le nceku ngokuthi “umphathi” futhi wabhekisela “kwabendlu” ngokuthi ‘izikhonzi zakhe.’ Umphathi umuntu owengamele indlu futhi obekwa phezu kwezinceku. Kodwa naye uyinceku. Ingubani le nceku, noma umphathi, futhi ikulungiselela kanjani ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele’? Kubalulekile ngathi sonke ukuba siwazi umzila osetshenziswayo ekwabiweni kokudla okungokomoya.
3. (a) Abahlaziyi beLobukholwa baye bazama ukuwachaza kanjani amazwi kaJesu ‘ngenceku’? (b) Ubani “umphathi” noma “inceku,” futhi obani “izikhonzi” noma “abendlu”?
3 Abahlaziyi beLobukholwa bavame ukubheka la mazwi kaJesu njengabhekisele kulabo abasezikhundleni eziphezulu phakathi kwamaKristu okuzisholo. Kodwa uJesu, “inkosi” emfanekisweni, akashongo ukuthi kuyoba nesixuku sezinceku ezihlakazeke emaqenjini ahlukahlukene eLobukholwa. Kunalokho, washo ngokucacile ukuthi kwakuyoba ‘nomphathi’ noma “inceku” eyodwa kuphela ayezoyimisa phezu kwakho konke okungokwakhe. Ngakho, njengoba lo magazini uvame ukuchaza, umphathi kumelwe ukuba umelela ‘umhlambi omncane’ wabafundi abagcotshiwe njengeqembu. Ngokomongo weVangeli likaLuka, uJesu wayesanda kukhuluma ngabo. (Luka 12:32) Elithi ‘izikhonzi’ noma “abendlu” libhekisela eqenjini elifanayo kodwa kuqokonyiswa indima yazo njengabantu ngabanye. Nanku umbuzo othakazelisayo ophakamayo, Ingabe ilungu ngalinye lalesi sigaba senceku linengxenye ekulungiseleleni ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele? Impendulo iba sobala lapho sihlolisisa okushiwo imiBhalo.
Inceku KaJehova Endulo
4. UJehova wasibiza ngokuthini isizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, futhi yini okubalulekile ukuba siyiphawule ngaleso sizwe?
4 UJehova wabiza abantu bakhe, isizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, ngokuthi inceku. Phawula ukuthi kula mazwi alandelayo wasebenzisa kokubili inkulumo esebuningini nesebunyeni: “‘Ningofakazi bami,’ usho uJehova, ‘yebo inceku yami engiyikhethile.’” (Isaya 43:10) Wonke amalungu aleso sizwe ayehlanganisiwe kuleso sigaba esisodwa senceku. Nokho, kubalulekile ukuphawula ukuthi kwakungabapristi kuphela kanye namaLevi ayengebona abapristi ababenomthwalo wemfanelo wokufundisa isizwe.—2 IziKr. 35:3; Mal. 2:7.
5. NgokukaJesu, iluphi ushintsho olukhulu olwaluyokwenzeka?
5 Ingabe isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasiyinceku uJesu ayekhuluma ngayo? Cha. Siyazi ukuthi akunakuba yiso ngenxa yalokho uJesu akusho kumaJuda osuku lwakhe: “Niyophucwa umbuso kaNkulunkulu unikwe isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.” (Math. 21:43) Kusobala ukuthi kwakuzoba noshintsho. UJehova wayeyosebenzisa isizwe esisha. Noma kunjalo, ngokuphathelene nemfundo engokomoya, umsebenzi wenceku esemfanekisweni kaJesu uyefana ‘nowenceku’ kaNkulunkulu kwa-Israyeli wasendulo.
Ukuvela Kwenceku Ethembekileyo
6. Isiphi isizwe esisha esaba khona ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., futhi obani ababa ingxenye yaso?
6 Isizwe esisha, “u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,” sakhiwa ama-Israyeli angokomoya. (Gal. 6:16; Roma 2:28, 29; 9:6) Saba khona ngenkathi kuthululwa umoya kaNkulunkulu ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Ngemva kwalokho, wonke amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya aba ingxenye yaleso sizwe manje esasesikhonza njengesigaba senceku esimiswe iNkosi, uJesu Kristu. Ilungu ngalinye laleso sizwe lanikezwa umyalo wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle nokwenza abafundi. (Math. 28:19, 20) Kodwa ingabe wonke amalungu aleli qembu ayezohileleka ekulungiseleleni ukudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi? Ake sibone indlela imiBhalo ewuphendula ngayo lo mbuzo.
7. Ekuqaleni, wawuyini umsebenzi oyinhloko wabaphostoli, futhi kamuva wanda kanjani?
7 Lapho uJesu emisa abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12, ngokuyinhloko wabathuma ukuba bashumayele izindaba ezinhle kwabanye. (Funda uMarku 3:13-15.) Lesi sabelo sasivumelana nencazelo eyisisekelo yegama lesiGreki elithi apostolos, elisuselwa esenzweni esisho “ukuthunywa.” Nokho, njengoba isikhathi sasihamba futhi sekuzomiswa ibandla lobuKristu, indima yomphostoli yaba ‘isikhundla sobubonisi.’—IzE. 1:20-26.
8, 9. (a) Yini abaphostoli abangu-12 ababeyikhathalela ngokuyinhloko? (b) Obani abanye abanikezwa imithwalo yemfanelo eyengeziwe, eyagunyazwa nayindikimba ebusayo?
8 Yini abaphostoli abangu-12 ababeyikhathalela ngokuyinhloko? Impendulo singayithola kulokho okwenzeka ngemva kosuku lwePhentekoste. Lapho kuqala impikiswano ngokwabelwa kwabafelokazi ukudla, abaphostoli abangu-12 babizela abafundi ndawonye bathi: “Akukhona okujabulisayo ukuba sishiye izwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze sabe ukudla ematafuleni.” (Funda izEnzo 6:1-6.) Ngaleso sikhathi, abaphostoli bamisa abanye abazalwane abafanelekayo ukuze banakekele “lo msebenzi odingekile,” ukuze abaphostoli bazinikele “enkonzweni yezwi.” UJehova walibusisa leli lungiselelo ngoba “izwi likaNkulunkulu laqhubeka landa, isibalo sabafundi saqhubeka siphindaphindeka kakhulu eJerusalema.” (IzE. 6:7) Ngakho, umthwalo wemfanelo oyinhloko wokulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya wawusemahlombe abaphostoli.—IzE. 2:42.
9 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abanye baphathiswa imithwalo yemfanelo emikhulu. Liqondiswa umoya ongcwele, ibandla lase-Antiyokiya lathuma uPawulu noBarnaba njengezithunywa zevangeli. Kamuva, nabo baziwa njengabaphostoli nakuba babengahlanganiswa nabokuqala abangu-12. (IzE. 13:1-3; 14:14; Gal. 1:19) Indikimba ebusayo eJerusalema yakugunyaza ukumiswa kwabo. (Gal. 2:7-10) Ngemva nje kwalokho, uPawulu waba nengxenye ekulungiseleleni ukudla okungokomoya ngokuthi abhale incwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumulelwe.
10. Ekhulwini lokuqala, ingabe wonke amaKritu agcotshwe ngomoya ayehilelekile ekulungiseleleni ukudla okungokomoya? Chaza.
10 Nokho, ingabe wonke amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya ayehilelekile ekwengameleni umsebenzi wokushumayela nasekulungiseleleni ukudla okungokomoya? Cha. Umphostoli uPawulu uyasitshela: “Akubona bonke abangabaphostoli, akunjalo? Akubona bonke abangabaprofethi, akunjalo? Akubona bonke abangabafundisi, akunjalo? Akubona bonke abenza imisebenzi yamandla, akunjalo?” (1 Kor. 12:29) Nakuba wonke amaKristu azelwe ngomoya ayehlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela, ambalwa kuphela—amadoda angu-8—asetshenziswa ekubhaleni izincwadi ezingu-27 zemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki.
Inceku Ethembekileyo Namuhla
11. Ikuphi ‘okungokweNkosi’ inceku eyamiswa ukuba ikunakekele?
11 Amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 24:45 abonisa ngokucacile ukuthi isigaba senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo sasizobe sisekhona emhlabeni phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela. IsAmbulo 12:17 sibhekisela kulaba ‘njengabaseleyo’ benzalo yowesifazane. Njengeqembu, le nsali iye yamiswa phezu kwakho konke okungokukaKristu lapha emhlabeni. ‘OkungokweNkosi’ umphathi othembekile amiswe ukuba akunakekele kubhekisele ezintweni zeNkosi ezisemhlabeni, ezihlanganisa izikhonzi zoMbuso zasemhlabeni nezakhiwo ezisetshenziselwa ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle.
12, 13. UmKristu wazi kanjani ukuthi ubizelwe ezulwini?
12 UmKristu wazi kanjani ukuthi unethemba lasezulwini futhi uyingxenye yale nsali yama-Israyeli angokomoya? Impendulo itholakala emazwini omphostoli uPawulu awabhalela labo ababenethemba lasezulwini njengaye: “Bonke abaholwa ngumoya kaNkulunkulu, laba bangamadodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngoba anamukelanga umoya wobugqila obangela ukwesaba futhi, kodwa namukela umoya wokutholwa njengamadodana, umoya esikhamuluka ngawo sithi: ‘Abha, Baba!’ Umoya ngokwawo ufakazelana nomoya wethu ukuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, uma singabantwana, siyizindlalifa futhi: ngempela izindlalifa zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu, uma kodwa sihlupheka kanye naye ukuze sikhazinyuliswe kanye naye.”—Roma 8:14-17.
13 Ngamafuphi nje, laba bantu bagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu futhi bathola ‘ubizo,’ noma “isimemo” sokuya ezulwini. (Heb. 3:1) Lesi simemo sivela kuNkulunkulu. Bona babe sebesabela masinyane ngaphandle kokungabaza noma ukwesaba, bamukele lokhu kuzalwa njengamadodana kaNkulunkulu. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 2:20, 21.) Ngakho abazikhetheli leli themba, kodwa uJehova obabeka uphawu lwakhe noma obanika umoya ongcwele.—2 Kor. 1:21, 22; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4.
Umbono Ofanele
14. Abagcotshiwe bakubheka kanjani ukubizwa kwabo?
14 Laba abagcotshiwe kufanele bazibheke kanjani njengoba belindele umvuzo wabo wasezulwini? Bayaqaphela ukuthi nakuba beye bathola isimemo esihle kakhulu, simane nje siyisimemo. Kumelwe bahlale bethembekile kuze kube sekufeni ukuze bathole umklomelo. Ngokuzithoba, bananela la mazwi kaPawulu: “Bazalwane, angikazibheki njengosewubambile; kodwa yinye into ekhona ngakho: Njengoba ngikhohlwa izinto ezingemuva futhi ngilulekela phambili ezintweni ezingaphambili, ngiphishekela emgomweni ukuze ngithole umklomelo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu.” (Fil. 3:13, 14) Insali egcotshiwe kumelwe yenze konke engakwenza ukuze ‘ihambe ngokufanele ukubizwa eyabizwa ngakho, ngokuthobeka kwengqondo okuphelele,’ ikwenze lokhu “ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela.”—Efe. 4:1, 2; Fil. 2:12; 1 Thes. 2:12.
15. AmaKristu kufanele ababheke kanjani labo abadla izifanekiselo eSikhumbuzweni, futhi abagcotshiwe bazibheka kanjani?
15 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amanye amaKristu kufanele ambheke kanjani umuntu othi ugcotshiwe abese eqala ukudla izifanekiselo eSikhumbuzweni? Akufanele amahlulele. Le ndaba iphakathi kwalowo muntu noJehova. (Roma 14:12) Nokho, amaKristu agcotshwe ngempela awafuni ukuqashelwa okukhethekile. Awakholelwa ukuthi ukugcotshwa kwawo kuwenza abe nokuqonda okukhethekile, okudlula ngisho nokwamanye amalungu ‘esixuku esikhulu’ angomakad’ ebona. (IsAm. 7:9) Awakholelwa ukuthi anomoya ongcwele kakhulu kunabangane bawo ‘bezinye izimvu.’ (Joh. 10:16) Awalindele ukuphathwa ngendlela ekhethekile; futhi awacabangi ukuthi ukudla kwawo izifanekiselo kuwenza abe ngcono kunabadala abamisiwe ebandleni.
16-18. (a) Ingabe bonke abagcotshiwe bahilelekile ekwambulweni kwamaqiniso amasha angokomoya? Bonisa. (b) Kungani singekho isidingo sokuba iNdikimba Ebusayo ithintane nabo bonke abathi bagcotshiwe?
16 Ingabe bonke abagcotshiwe abasemhlabeni wonke bayingxenye yomzila wokwambula amaqiniso amasha angokomoya? Cha. Nakuba isigaba senceku njengeqembu sinomthwalo wemfanelo wokondla abendlu, akuwona wonke amalungu aso anemithwalo yemfanelo efanayo noma imisebenzi efanayo. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 12:14-18.) Njengoba kuphawuliwe ekuqaleni, ekhulwini lokuqala, bonke babehileleke emsebenzini obalulekile wokushumayela. Kodwa abambalwa kakhulu abasetshenziswa ekulobeni izincwadi zeBhayibheli nasekwengameleni ibandla lobuKristu.
17 Ngokwesibonelo, ngezinye izikhathi imiBhalo ikhuluma ‘ngebandla’ njengelithatha isinyathelo esithile lapho kusingathwa izindaba zokwahlulela. (Math. 18:17) Nokho, empeleni kusuke kungabadala abathatha lesi sinyathelo njengabameleli bebandla. Abadala abakhulumi nawo wonke amalungu ebandla ukuze bathole imibono yawo ehlukahlukene ngaphambi kokuba benze isinqumo. Bafeza indima abayabelwe uNkulunkulu; bamelela lonke ibandla.
18 Nanamuhla, amadoda agcotshiwe ambalwa kuphela anomthwalo wemfanelo wokumelela isigaba senceku. Akha iNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova. La madoda agcotshwe ngomoya engamela umsebenzi woMbuso nesimiso sokulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya. Njengasekhulwini lokuqala, iNdikimba Ebusayo ayithintani nelungu ngalinye lesigaba senceku ngaphambi kokuba yenze izinqumo. (Funda izEnzo 16:4, 5.) Nokho, bonke oFakazi abagcotshiwe bamatasa kakhulu emsebenzini obalulekile wokuvuna owenziwayo manje. Njengesigaba, “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” yakha umzimba owodwa, kodwa njengabantu ngabanye, banemisebenzi ehlukahlukene.—1 Kor. 12:19-26.
19, 20. Imuphi umbono onokulinganisela isixuku esikhulu esinawo ‘ngenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’ nangeNdikimba Ebusayo?
19 La maqiniso osekukhulunywe ngawo kufanele asithinte kanjani isixuku esikhulu esikhulayo esinethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni? Njengengxenye yezinto zeNkosi, siyakujabulela ukubambisana ngokugcwele namalungiselelo enziwa iNdikimba Ebusayo, emelela “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.” Amalungu esixuku esikhulu ayakwazisa ukudla okungokomoya okukhiqizwa ngaphansi kokuqondisa kweNdikimba Ebusayo. Kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, njengoba ehlonipha isigaba senceku, amalungu esixuku esikhulu ayaqaphela ukuba angaphakamisi noma imuphi umuntu othi uyingxenye yaleso sigaba. Akekho umKristu ogcotshwe umoya kaNkulunkulu ngempela oyofuna noma oyolindela ukuba aphathwe ngaleyo ndlela.—IzE. 10:25, 26; 14:14, 15.
20 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ‘singabendlu,’ abayingxenye yensali egcotshiwe, noma singamalungu esixuku esikhulu, masizimisele ukubambisana ngokugcwele nomphathi othembekile kanye neNdikimba Ebusayo. Kwangathi ngamunye wethu ‘angahlala elindile’ futhi sizibonakalise sithembekile kuze kube sekupheleni.—Math. 24:13, 42.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
• Ubani “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo,” futhi obani abendlu?
• Umuntu wazi kanjani ukuthi unobizo lwasezulwini?
• Ubani ngokuyinhloko onomthwalo wemfanelo wokulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya okusha?
• Umuntu ogcotshiwe kufanele azibheke kanjani?
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Namuhla, iNdikimba Ebusayo imelela isigaba senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo. Kwakunelungiselelo elifanayo ekhulwini lokuqala