Umbono WeBhayibheli

‘Isitsha Esibuthakathaka’—Ukweyisa Abesifazane?

“KUNGANI ABESIFAZANE BEHLULELWA NGOBULILI BABO KUNOKUBA BAHLULELWE NGOKUHLANGENWE NAKHO, IKHONO, NOKUHLAKANIPHA KWABO?”—UBETTY A.

“ABESIFAZANE BENZIWA BACABANGE UKUTHI BAYIZIDALWA EZIPHANSI.”—ULYNN H.

INGABE amazwi eBhayibheli athi ‘isitsha esibuthakathaka’ ayabehlisa abesifazane? Ivesi leBhayibheli esixoxa ngalo litholakala kweyoku-1 Petru 3:7, ethi: “Kanjalo, madoda, hlalani nabo ngokokwazi, njengalokhu owesifazane eyisitsha esibuthakathaka, nibanike udumo, lokhu beyizindlalifa zomusa wokuphila kanye nani, ukuze imikhuleko yenu ingathiywa.”

Lapho uPetru ebhalela amaKristu ayekholwa kanye nawo lamazwi, abesifazane babenamalungelo ambalwa kakhulu, hhayi ezweni lamaqaba lasendulo kuphela kodwa nasemphakathini wamaJuda ayizihlubuki. Ingabe uPetru namaKristu okuqala babesekela umbono owawuvamile ngalesosikhathi ngabesifazane?

Ingabe Bayizitsha Ezingelutho?

Abafundi bekhulu lokuqala bamazwi kaPetru babeyowaqonda kanjani amazwi athi ‘isitsha esibuthakathaka’? Igama lesiGreki elisho isitsha (skeuʹos) lasetshenziswa kaningana emiBhalweni YesiGreki futhi libhekisela ezitsheni nasemathuluzini ahlukahlukene. Ngokubiza abesifazane ngokuthi ‘isitsha esibuthakathaka,’ uPetru wayengabehlisi, ngoba lamazwi ayebonisa ukuthi nendoda yayiyisitsha esibuthaka. Eminye imibhalo yeBhayibheli isebenzisa ulimi olungokomfanekiso olufanayo lapho ibhekisela kokubili kwabesifazane namadoda, njengokuthi ‘izitsha zobumba’ (2 Korinte 4:7) nokuthi ‘izitsha zomusa’ (Roma 9:23). Yiqiniso, uPetru uveza abesifazane njengabobulili ‘obubuthakathaka’ phakathi kwalobu obubili. Kodwa amaRoma 5:6 asebenzisa elithi ‘buthakathaka’ ukubhekisela kubo bonke abantu—abesilisa nabesifazane. Ngakho-ke, amaKristu okuqala ayengenakubheka amazwi athi ‘isitsha esibuthakathaka’ njengajivaza abesifazane.

Kunalokho, amazwi kaPetru ayengase abhekwe njengaphakamisa isikhundla sabesifazane. Ngosuku lukaPetru abesifazane babengahlonishwa. Njengoba uNkulunkulu ayebone esikhathini eside kusengaphambili, amadoda ayevame ukucindezela futhi axhaphaze abafazi bawo ngokomzimba, ngokobulili, nangokomzwelo. (Genesise 3:16) Ngakho, iseluleko sikaPetru emadodeni angamaKristu eqinisweni sasisho ukuthi: Ningawasebenzisi kabi amandla umphakathi wezwe owanikeze amadoda.

Ake sihlolisise igama elithi ‘buthakathaka.’ UPetru kulelivesi wayengabhekiseli ezicini ezingokomzwelo, kodwa ezicini zomzimba. Amadoda ayizitsha ezibuthaka; uma kuqhathaniswa, abesifazane bayizitsha ezibuthakathaka kakhudlwana. Kanjani? Ukwakheka kwamathambo nemisipha ngokuvamile kwenza amadoda abe namandla engeziwe ngokomzimba. Nokho, akukho okubonisa ukuthi uPetru wayeqhathanisa amandla angokomzwelo, angokomoya, noma engqondo. Ngempela, uma kuziwa ekusabeleni ngokomzwelo ezenzakalweni, abesifazane bangachazwa kangcono ngokuthi bahlukile emadodeni, hhayi ukuthi babuthakathaka noma baqine kakhudlwana. IBhayibheli lichaza ubuntu obuvelele, ukukhuthazela, nokuhlakanipha kwabesifazane ababelandela indlela kaNkulunkulu—njengoSara, uDebora, uRuthe, no-Esteri, uma sibala abambalwa. Amadoda athobekile awakutholi kunzima ukuqaphela ukuthi abesifazane bangahlakanipha kakhulu kunawo.

Nokho, abanye bakholelwa ukuthi ukubhekisela kwabesifazane ngokuthi ‘babuthakathaka’ kusho ukuthi bangabantu abaphansi. Kodwa cabangela lesisibonelo. Umuntu othile unezitsha ezimbili eziwusizo. Esinye siqinile, kodwa esinye asiqinile kangako. Ingabe isitsha sesibili asaziswa kakhulu ngoba asiqinile kangako? Eqinisweni, ngokuvamile esingaqinile siphathwa ngokunakekela nangenhlonipho eyengeziwe kunesiqinile. Ingabe-ke owesifazane akabalulekile ngenxa yokuthi unamandla amancane ngokomzimba kunendoda? Ngokuqinisekile akunjalo! UPetru akawasebenzisi amazwi athi ‘isitsha esibuthakathaka’ ukuze alulaze abesifazane, kodwa ukuze akhuthaze inhlonipho.

“Kanjalo . . . Ngokokwazi”

UPetru wanxusa amadoda ukuba ‘kanjalo ahlale nabo [abafazi bawo] ngokokwazi.’ “Kanjalo” njengobani? Emavesini angaphambili uPetru wayekhuluma ngokukhathalela kukaKristu kothando ngabalandeli bakhe, futhi wayala amadoda ukuba anakekele abafazi bawo “kanjalo.” (1 Petru 2:21-25; 3:7) Ngaso sonke isikhathi uKristu wayebeka inhlalakahle nezithakazelo zabafundi bakhe ngaphambi kwezifiso zakhe ziqu nalokho akuthandayo. Wayenesithakazelo enhlalakahleni yabo engokomoya nengokomzimba, futhi wayecabangela ukulinganiselwa kwabo. Amadoda kumelwe alingise isibonelo sikaKristu sothando, aphathe abafazi bawo “kanjalo.”

Umshado ojabulisayo awuzenzakaleli. Bobabili indoda nomfazi kumelwe bayazi indlela yokunezela ekuphumeleleni komshado wabo. Ngakho, iseluleko sikaPetru esokuba amadoda aqhubeke ehlala nabafazi bawo “ngokokwazi.” Amadoda kudingeka afunde indlela uJehova neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, abasebenzelana ngayo nabesifazane. Kudingeka azi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba abaphathe kanjani abafazi bawo.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, amadoda kudingeka abazi kahle abafazi bawo—imizwa yabo, amandla abo, ukulinganiselwa kwabo, abakuthandayo, nabangakuthandi. Kudingeka azi indlela yokuhlonipha ukuhlakanipha, okuhlangenwe nakho, nesithunzi sabafazi bawo. IBhayibheli lithi: “Madoda, thandani omkenu, njengalokho noKristu ulithandile ibandla, wazinikela ngenxa yalo. Kanjalo amadoda afanele ukuthanda omkawo njengemizimba yawo. Othanda umkakhe uzithanda yena. Ngokuba akakho owake wazonda eyakhe inyama, kepha uyayondla, ayiphathe kahle.”—Efesu 5:25, 28, 29.

Nibanike Udumo

Lapho uPetru ebhekisela kwabesifazane ‘njengesitsha esibuthakathaka,’ wabuye wathi amadoda kufanele ‘abanike udumo.’ NgesiGreki, ibizo elithi ti·meʹ lidlulisela umqondo wodumo, ukwazisa, ukubaluleka, ukuba igugu. Ngamanye amazwi, ukubanika udumo akusona nje isenzo somusa kodwa ukuqaphela lokho okubafanele. UPawulu wayala wonke amaKristu, amadoda nabesifazane, ngalendlela: “Thandanani ngenhliziyo ngothando lobuzalwane; ekwazisaneni nandulelane.”—Roma 12:10.

Ngokuqinisekile uJehova uNkulunkulu akababheki abesifazane njengezinto nje zokubukisa. Kwa-Israyeli, imithetho kaNkulunkulu yayisebenza ngendlela efanayo emadodeni nabesifazane ababenecala lokuphinga, ubuhlobo bobulili nesihlobo, ukulala nesilwane, nobunye ubugebengu. (Levitikusi 18:6-17, 23, 29; 20:10-12) Abesifazane babejabulela izinzuzo zamaSabatha, imithetho ebusa amaNaziri, imikhosi, namanye amalungiselelo amaningi oMthetho. (Eksodusi 20:10; Numeri 6:2; Duteronomi 12:18; 16:11, 14) Umama, kanye nobaba, kwakufanele bahlonishwe futhi balalelwe.—Levitikusi 19:3; 20:9; Duteronomi 5:16; 27:16; IzAga 1:8.

Amavesi 10 kuya ku-31 ezAga isahluko 31 adumisa “umfazi okhutheleyo” ngenxa yokwethembeka kwakhe, inkuthalo, nokuhlakanipha ekunakekeleni imithwalo yakhe yemfanelo eminingi. Wayeqashelwa ngokufanelekile ngokuhlanganyela kwakhe ekusingatheni ibhizinisi lomkhaya, kanye nezinye izindaba zezimali. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuhluke kanjani esimweni sengqondo samanye amadoda abheka abesifazane njengemihlobiso nje! Kamuva, ebandleni lokuqala lobuKristu, abesifazane baqiniswa ngomoya ongcwele njengofakazi bakaKristu. (IzEnzo 1:14, 15; 2:3, 4; qhathanisa noJoweli 2:28, 29.) Ngakho, abanye besifazane bamiselwe ukuba abahluleli basezulwini bamadoda, abesifazane, ngisho nezingelosi. (1 Korinte 6:2, 3) Yiqiniso, abesifazane kwakungamelwe bafundise emhlanganweni webandla; nakuba kunjalo, zazikhona izikhathi lapho abesifazane abangamaKristu babengathandaza noma baprofethe ngazo. Bababelwe ukuba abafundisi babesifazane abasebasha, abantwana, nalabo abangaphandle kwebandla.—Mathewu 24:14; 1 Korinte 11:3-6; Thithu 2:3-5; qhathanisa neHubo 68:11.

Okunye okuhle okubonisa lokho uPetru ayekucabanga lapho ekhuluma ngokubanika udumo kutholakala kweyesi-2 Petru 1:17. Lapho sifunda ukuthi uJehova wadumisa uJesu ngokuzwakalisa ukumamukela phambi kwabanye ngokuthi: “Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo.” Ngokufanayo, indoda kufanele ibonise ngezenzo zayo, obala nangasese, ukuthi inika umkayo udumo.

Izindlalifa Zokuphila

Kuwo wonke umlando, ngokuvamile amadoda aye abheka abesifazane njengabangafanelwe udumo noma inhlonipho—njengesigqila, noma njengethuluzi nje lokwanelisa amadoda. Umbono wobuKristu wokunika abesifazane udumo ngokuqinisekile ubanikeza inhlonipho enkulu. I-Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament iphawula ukuthi umyalo kaPetru “uqukethe iqiniso elibaluleke kakhulu ngokuphathelene nabesifazane. Ngaphansi kwazo zonke izimiso zenkolo ngaphandle kwesimiso sobuKristu, owesifazane uye wabhekwa njengongaphansi kwendoda ngazo zonke izindlela. UbuKristu bufundisa ukuthi . . . ufanelwe yiwo wonke amathemba nezithembiso ezinikezwa yinkolo. . . . Leliqiniso elilodwa beliyoqeda ukwehliswa kwabesifazane kuyo yonke indawo, futhi liqede ngokushesha ingxenye yobubi besintu bezenhlalo.”

Njengoba kokubili amadoda nabesifazane bengabakaKristu, kunesizathu esingathi sína sokuba amadoda azise omkawo njengempahla kaKristu. Ngokushesha ngemva kokubhekisela kwabesifazane ‘njengesitsha esibuthakathaka,’ amazwi kaPetru ayaqhubeka: “Lokhu beyizindlalifa zomusa wokuphila kanye nani, ukuze imikhuleko yenu ingathiywa.” (1 Petru 3:7b) UPetru wabonisa ukuthi uma indoda iphatha kabi umkayo lokho kwakungalimaza ubuhlobo bayo noNkulunkulu, kuthiye imithandazo yayo.

Amazwi athi ‘isitsha esibuthakathaka’ awahloselwe neze ukweyisa abesifazane. Nakuba uJehova abeka amadoda njengezinhloko zemikhaya, akakuvumeli ukuba amadoda aphathe kabi abesifazane. Kunalokho, uyala ukuba indoda, isebenzisa ulwazi, kufanele imnakekele futhi imnike udumo owesifazane.

IBhayibheli liyala kokubili amadoda ashadile nangashadile ukuba anike abesifazane udumo, angabaphathi njengabantu abaphansi. Amadoda nabesifazane abakhulekela uNkulunkulu ngobuqotho futhi abahloniphanayo bayothola izibusiso ezicebile ezivela kuNkulunkulu.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 7:16.

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 19]

Miss G. E. K. / Artist: Alice D. Kellogg 1862-1900

Courtesy of Joanne W. Bowie