Kungenzeka Yini UKristu Abuye Ngaphandle Kokubonwa?

KUNGANI lombuzo kumelwe uphakame? Kalula nje kungoba uJesu ngokwakhe wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Khona kuyakubonakala ezulwini isibonakaliso seNdodana yomuntu, bese zikhala izizwe zonke zomhlaba, zibone iNdodana yomuntu iza emafwini ezulu, inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu.” (Mathewu 24:30) Kodwa kamuva lapho edla isidlo sakhe sakusihlwa sokugcina nabafundi bakhe, wathi: “Kuseyisikhashana izwe lingasangiboni, kepha niyangibona nina, ngokuba ngiphila mina, nani nizakuphila.” (Johane 14:19) Lokhu okubonakala kusakuphikisana kubuye kwenziwe kudide ngokwengeziwe isambulo esanikezwa umphostoli uJohane eminyakeni engamashumi ayisithupha kamuva. Sifundeka kanje: “Bhekani, uyeza namafu namehlo onke ayakumbona nabo abamgwazayo, nezizwe zonke zomhlaba ziyakulila ngaye.”—IsAmbulo 1:7.

Ingabe konke lokhu ‘ukumbona’ kufanele kuthathwe ngokoqobo? Noma kungenzeka ukuthi kunencazelo ejulile? Ukubaluleka kwalemibuzo kufanekiswa yilokho okwenzeka ekhulwini lokuqala leSikhathi sethu Esivamile, lapho amaJuda amaningi ayelindele uMesiya wawo.

UKUBONAKALA, KODWA ANGAQONDWA

Kusenokuthi emuva lé umbuzo oyinhloko wawuwukuthi, ‘Kungenzeka yini ukuba uMesiya, noma uKristu, abonakale kodwa angaqondwa?’ Ngokusobala wayezobonakala njengomuntu, kodwa ingabe iningi lamaJuda lamphawula njengowayethunywe uNkulunkulu?

Umbiko weBhayibheli uyibonisa ngokukhanyayo indlela iningi lesixuku elasabela ngayo. Ekungeneni kwakhe kokunqoba eJerusalema, lalimemeza: “Hosiyana kuyo iNdodana kaDavide! Ubusisiwe ozayo egameni leNkosi.” Lapho abanye bebuza: “Ngubani lo?” izixuku zaqhubeka zithi: “Lo ungumProfethi, uJesu waseNazaretha laseGalile.” Kwabonakala sengathi lendoda yezimangaliso yayizokwenza okuthile futhi ikhulule amaJuda ejokeni lamaRoma. Kodwa akwenzekanga ngaleyondlela. UJesu wayengahlose khona ukushintsha isimo sobukhosi bezombangazwe kodwa kunalokho, wathuthukisa inkululeko engokomoya nobungcwele obungokwenkolo. Yeka ukudunyazwa kwezifiso zokushisekela ubuzwe zabaningi emuva lé. Lo“mesiya” akazange afaneleke emqondweni wabo ababenawo ngomsindisi kaIsrayeli. Yeka ukuphambana phakathi kwesixuku esinobungane sikaNisan 9 (ngeSonto) noququba lwezichwensi ezinequngo zikaNisan 14 (ngoLwesihlanu)! “Bonke bathi: Makabethelwe . . . Igazi lakhe malibe phezu kwethu naphezu kwabantwana bethu.”—Mathewu 21:9-11; 27:22-25.

Ngenxa yobuthuntu bamehlo awo iningi lamaJuda lalahlekelwa ilungelo elikhazimulayo lokuba amakhosi noKristu embusweni wakhe wasezulwini. Imiqondo yawo yezombangazwe neyokushisekela izwe yafiphaza njengefu umbono wawo wezibusiso ezingokomoya ezaziyobavezela okuhle. Ayefuna umesiya wesizukulwane sawo kuphela nowenkinga yawo enkulu—ukuphatha kwamaRoma izwe lawo. Awamqondanga uMesiya weqiniso naphezu kwazo zonke izincwadi ezichaza ngaye.—Mathewu 1:21–2:6.

INGABE KUKHONA OKUFANA NAKHO NAMUHLA?

Kunokwenzeka yini ukuthi into efanayo seyenzekile ekhulwini lethu lama-20? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi izigidi zilindele ngokungaqondile ukubona uKristu efika ngokoqobo ngamafu?

Sinesici esibonisayo kulesikhathi ngalemibuzo esixwayisweni sikaJesu kubalandeli bakhe: “Khona uma umuntu ethi kini: Bhekani, nangu uKristu, noma: Nanguya, ningakholwa. Ngokuba kuyakuvela okristu bamanga nabaprofethi bamanga, baveze izibonakaliso ezinkulu nezimangaliso, ukuze kudukiswe nabakhethiweyo, uma kungenzeka. Bhekani, senginitshelile ngaphambili.” (Mathewu 24:23-25) Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi ukuba khona kukaKristu akunakubonakala lapha noma endaweni ethile yomhlaba. Ngakho-ke, labo abazishaya ukuba uKristu obuyile, noma abathi baye bambona ‘lapha’ noma ‘laphaya,’ kusenokuthi badukisiwe noma bayakhohlisa.

Isihluthulelo sokuqonda yonke lendaba sisembuzweni owabuzwa abafundi abane bakaKristu eNkosini yabo njengoba babebheka iJerusalema nethempeli lalo beseNtabeni yemiNqumo eseduze. UJesu wayebamangalisile ngokuprofetha ukuthi ithempeli okwakuyiyona ndawo eyinhloko yokukhulekela kwamaJuda ngalesosikhathi, yayizobhujiswa ngokuphelele. Ngakho bambuza: “Sitshele, ziyakwenzeka nini lezizinto, futhi siyakuba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho [ngesiGreki parousía] nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?”

Manje, mhlawumbe ungathanda ukuqhathanisa lombhalo, ocashunwe kuyiNew World Translation, nelakho iBhayibheli. NgokweBhayibheli lesiZulu neAmerican Standard Version, lombhalo ufundeka kanje: “Lokhu kuyakuba-nini, nesibonakaliso sokuza kwakho nesokuphela kwezwe siyakuba yini na?” IThe New English Bible ifundeka kanje: “Siyokuba yini isibonakaliso sokuza kwakho nesokuphela kwezikhathi?” Futhi iThe Living Bible ithi: “Yiziphi izehlakalo eziyobonisa ukubuya kwakho, nokuphela kwezwe?”—Mathewu 24:3.

Izinguqulo eziningi eziphawulwe lapha ziye zadukisa abantu abaningi ngokuqondene nomqondo weqiniso nokusebenza kwempendulo kaJesu kubafundi bakhe. Kungenye into ukuba izehlakalo zibonise ukuthi othile uyeza noma uyabuya, futhi kuyinto ehluke ngokuphelele ngezehlakalo ukufakazela ukuthi umuntu olindelwe usefikile kakade. Mhlawumbe uye wakubona lokhu lapho ulindele othile esiteshini sezindiza noma sesitimela. Kunokufanayo ukuphamba phakathi komehluko wokubuya kukaKristu no“kuba khona” kwakhe njengosekhona kakade lapha. Ingabe lokho kuyakumangalisa?

Kodwa singazi kanjani ukuthi iyiphi inguqulo eqonde ncimishí—“ukuba khona” noma “ukuza”? Make sivule omunye umbhalo osebenzisa igama elifanayo lesiGreki parousía futhi sibone indlela elihunyushwe ngayo kwamanye amaBhayibheli acushunwe ngaphambili. Ngokwesibonelo, kwabaseFilipi 2:12 sifunda ukuthi: “Ngakho-ke, bathandiweyo bami, njengalokhu nilalele ngezikhathi zonke, kungesikho nxa ngikhona [ngesiGreki parousía] kuphela, kodwa ikakhulu manje nxa ngingekho, fezani ukusindiswa kwenu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela.” (IBhayibheli lesiZulu) Manje lapha iThe New English Bible ithi: “Ngakho nani, bangane bami, kumelwe nilalele, njengakuzo zonke izikhathi: kodwa ikakhulu, manje njengoba ngingekho, kunalapho nganginani.” Qhathanisa nabaseFilipi 1:26, abasebenzisa igama elithi parousías.a

Imaphi amagama asetshenziswe lapha njengokuhunyushwa kwelithi parousía? “Ukuba khona” “nokuba nani.” “Ukufika” noma “ukuza” akunakufaneleka. Ngakho-ke, igama eliqondile lesiGreki lo“kuza,” eleúsis, lasetshenziswa umfel’ ukholo ongumKristu uStefanu lapho eveza lombuzo olandelayo oqondile ekuziphenduleleni enkantolo yoMphakathi WamaJuda: “Ngumuphi kubaprofethi oyihlo abangamzingelanga na? Bababulala abamemezela ngaphambili ukuza [ngesiGreki, eleúseos] kolungileyo.”—IzEnzo 7:52.

WAYEBONAKALA NOMA WAYENGAYUKUBONAKALA?

Manje umbuzo uwukuthi, Uma uJesu anikeza izibonakaliso ezibonakalayo zokubonisa ukuba khona kwakhe, ukubuya kwakhe okungokoqobo, ingabe wayeyobonakala noma wayengeyukubonakala ngokwenyama? Kunokuba samukele imiqondo emidala eshiwoyo ngalokhu, masiqondiswe okuboniswa imiBhalo. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPetru wabhala encwadini yakhe yokuqala ephefumulelwe: “Ngokuba naye uKristu wahlupheka kwabakanye ngezono, olungileyo ngenxa yabangalungile, ukuba asiyise kuNkulunkulu, ebulawa enyameni kepha ephiliswa emoyeni.” (1 Petru 3:18) Umphostoli uPawulu wenezela kulobubufakazi, ngokuthi: “Kanjalo thina asisayikwazi umuntu ngokwenyama; nokuba besimazi uKristu ngokwenyama; nokho manje asisamazi [kanjalo].”—2 Korinte 5:16.

Uma uJesu wayezobuya esenyameni, ingabe lokhu kwakuyosizuzisa ngempela isintu, noma kwakuyophambana nezithakazelo zethu ezinkulu? Eqinisweni, kwakuyobangela ukungabaza ubuqiniso bomhlatshelo wakhe nenjongo yokuza kwakhe kokuqala emhlabeni. UKristu ngokwakhe wathi: “Mina ngiyisinkwa esiphilayo esehla ezulwini. Uma umuntu edla lesisinkwa, uyakuphila phakade; futhi-ke isinkwa engizakusinikela [esingabolekwanga isikhashana] ngenxa yokuphila kwezwe siyinyama yami.” (Johane 6:51) Umhlatshelo wakhe uyisisekelo sokuhlengwa kwesintu futhi ukuvukela kwakhe ekuphileni okungokomoya kusho ukuthi sinommeli onobubele ozosinxusela. Kanjalo uPawulu wabhala: “UKristu Jesu owafayo, yebo impela, owavuswa kwabafileyo, ongakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, nguyena osinxuselayo.” Isintu besingenakuzuza lutho uma uKristu ubezoshiya lesisikhundla ukuze abonakale esenyameni emhlabeni.—Roma 8:34.

Khona-ke yini ethatha isikhundla sokuza kwesibili kukaKristu esenyameni? Kubekwe ngokucacile, ukuba khona kwakhe, noma parousía, njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu engabonakali, esinikwe amandla oMbuso eqondisa ukunakekela kwayo emhlabeni. Kungalokho yasinikeza izibonakaliso ezibonakalayo zokufakazela ukuba khona kwayo okungabonakaliyo.—Mathewu 24:3–25:46.

‘WABONAKALA’ KANJANI

Sinalamaphuzu engqondweni, ake sibuyele ematekisini acashunwe ekuqaleni kwalesihloko. Elinye lawo bekuwuJohane 14:19, lapho uJesu athi: “Kuseyisikhashana izwe lingasangiboni, kepha niyangibona nina, ngokuba ngiphila mina, nani nizakuphila.” Yebo, abalandeli bakhe, kodwa hhayi wonke umuntu, bambona ezikhathini ezahlukahlukene ngemva kokuvuka kwakhe. Kwakungesikho ukuthi wayebuye wathatha umzimba wakhe ayewenze umhlatshelo, kodwa kunalokho wayezishintshele emzimbeni ongokwenyama ngokwezidingo zangalesosikhathi, njengoba nezingelosi zazenze kanjalo ngaphambili. (Luka 1:11, 26, 27; 2:9-14) Ezimweni ezimbili, wabonakala kubafundi bakhe lapho bendawonye endlini ‘nakuba iminyango yayivaliwe.’ Ngokuqinisekile akukho sidalwa senyama negazi esivamile esingabonakala siphinde sinyamalale ezimweni ezinjalo.—Johane 20:19, 26; 1 Korinte 15:3-8.

Ngempela, kunencazelo enkulu kakhulu emazwini kaJesu ‘niyakungibona’ kunokubonakala nje kwakhe njengoKristu ovusiwe. Yena ngokwakhe wayethe ngaphambidlana: “Ekhaya likababa kukhona izindlu eziningi; uma bekungenjalo, bengiyakunitshela ukuthi ngiya ukunilungisela indawo. Nanxa ngiya nginilungisela indawo, ngobuye ngize, nginibuyisele kimi ukuba lapho ngikhona nibe-khona nani.” Lapha kwakunophawu olukhanyayo lokuthi abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe babeyohlanganyela naye ikhaya lakhe lasezulwini futhi bambone kulokho kuphila okufanayo.—Johane 14:2, 3.

Kodwa sizosiqonda kanjani isAmbulo 1:7, esibonisa ukuthi ngisho nabangakholwayo baya“kumbona”? Lombhalo uthi: “Bhekani, uyeza namafu, namehlo onke ayakumbona, nabo abamgwazayo, nezizwe zonke zomhlaba ziyakulila ngaye.” Ingabe lokhu kufanele kuthathwe ngokoqobo? Uma uKristu eza ngamafu angokoqobo, amehlo onke angambona kanjani? Uma ebonakala eAustralia, khona-ke ngokuqinisekile akanakubonakala ngesikhathi esifanayo eYurophu nakwezinye izingxenye eziningi zomhlaba, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uphezulu kangakanani. Iqiniso lokuthi ukuba khona kukaKristu kuhlangene nokusetshenziswa okungokomfanekiso kwamafu emibhalweni ehlukahlukene lisisiza ukuba siqonde ukuthi ukuba khona kwakhe akunakubonakala, njengoba amafu ayasitha, njengoba umshayeli wendizamshini noma umqondisi wezinto ezihamba emoyeni azi kahle.

Khona-ke, bangobani abamgwazayo? Ngokuqondile, amabutho amaRoma, kodwa asafa kudala. (Johane 19:23, 32-34) Ngakho lamazwi kumelwe ukuba anokubaluleka okuthile. UJesu ngokwakhe usinikeza lesisici esikhanyisayo emfanekisweni wakhe we‘zimvu nezimbuzi’ lapho ethi: “Njengokuba nikwenzile komunye walaba bafowethu abancane, nikwenzile kimi.” (Mathewu 25:31-46) Ngakho-ke, lezozizwe nalabo bantu abaphatha kabi noma ‘abagwaza’ abafundi bakaKristu emhlabeni kulelikhulu lama-20 kunjengokungathi ‘bagwaza’ uKristu phakathi nalesisikhathi sokuba khona kwakhe okungabonakaliyo. Futhi bayokwenziwa bakwazi ukungathi sína kwalokho abakwenzile nokuthi ubani obahlulelayo. Yebo, “nezizwe zonke zomhlaba” ziyaku“mbona,” noma ziyakuqonda, ukuba khona nokwambulwa kukaKristu ngenxa yoshintsho lwezimo olusheshayo oluyokuzehlela. Ziyoqonda ukuthi uKristu uyabusa ekwahluleleni, kodwa zona akazibonisi umusa. Ziyokuba nesizathu esihle sokulila kamunyu.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izigidi zabantu kuwo wonke umhlaba ziye zaqaphela ukuba khona kukaKristu kusukela emnyakeni wezehlakalo ka-1914. Nakuba zazi ukuthi izimpi, indlala nokuzamazama komhlaba bekukade kujwayelekile ezizukulwaneni eziningi, ziyaqaphela ukuthi asikho esinye sezizukulwane esabona ngisho neyodwa impi yezwe lonke, kungasaphathwa ezimbili. Asikho isizukulwane ngaphambili esasinamandla okubhubhisa umphakathi wesintu ngokoqobo. Nakuba zazi ukuthi isiprofetho sikaKristu saba nokugcwaliseka okuncane ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., ziyakuqaphela futhi ukuthi amazwi esiprofetho akhomba kokuthile okukhulu. Izinto eziningi zesibonakaliso esabikezelwa uJesu zisobala manje, futhi abanye besizukulwane esabona ukuqala kwalezinhlekelele ngo-1914 basaphila.—Mathewu 24:34.

UZOKWENZENJANI?

Ngakho-ke manje umbuzo uwukuthi, isiphi isimo ozosithatha ngokuba khona kukaKristu okungabonakali, (parousía)? Kulesisikhathi esinokukhulayo ukuphika ukulunga abaningi baye bakhetha ukunganaki noma ukuhleka usulu. Kodwa ungakumela ukwenza lokhu uma usebenzelana nenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokusindisa isintu? Ingabe kuwukuhlakanipha ukuchitha kalula iziqinisekiso zoMbusi iNkosi uJehova namalungiselelo esikhathi esizayo omkhaya wesintu? Kulesisici iseluleko sikaPetru sifanelekile: “Nazi kuqala lokhu ukuthi ngezinsuku zokugcina kuyokufika abahleki abahleka usulu, behamba ngezinkanuko zabo, bethi: Siphi isithembiso sokufika kwakhe na? Ngokuba kuselokhu obaba balala, konke kumi kunjalo njengakwasekuqaleni kokudalwa.”—2 Petru 3:3, 4.

Lapho isikhathi sesifika sokubonakaliswa kukaKristu noma sesinyathelo sokwahlulela lelizwe, aliseyikubakhona ithuba lokucela uxolo ngenxa yobuwula noma ukunganaki ngenxa yezimo. UJesu ngokwakhe wakhuluma ngokukhanyayo, ethi: “Khona kuyakubonakala ezulwini isibonakaliso seNdodana yomuntu, bese zikhala izizwe zonke zomhlaba, zibone iNdodana yomuntu iza emafwini ezulu, inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu.” Lokhu kuqaphela ukuba khona kukaKristu okungempoqo kuyoza sekwephuzile ngokwenzuzo yabo. Lokhu kuyosho ukubhujiswa kwalabo abangalalelanga.—Mathewu 24:30; IsAmbulo 1:7; 11:18.

Khona-ke yini ongayenza ukuze wamukele isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu manje? Ngokuzithoba funa uJehova esenokufunyanwa. Funda futhi utadishe iBhayibheli unombono wokwazi indlela uKristu aba ophelele umhlatshelo ohlengayo ngayo ekufikeni kwakhe kokuqala, nokuba khona kwakhe njengenkosi ekhazimulayo engokomoya, kulesisikhathi esiphila kuso. Lokhu kungasho ukuphila nenjabulo kuwe. Thintana noFakazi BakaJehova eHholo loMbuso elisendaweni yakini ngaphandle kokulibala. Bayojabulela ukukusiza ukuba uqonde iBhayibheli lakho, ngaphandle kokukukhokhisa. Uma bengekho oFakazi obaziyo komakhelwane bakho, khona-ke khululeka ukuba ubhalele abanyathelisi balomagazini ekhelini eliseduze eliboniswe ekhasini le-2.—Zefaniya 2:3.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Nakuba izixuku okokuqala zamkhulekela uJesu, akazange ashintshe abe luhlobo lukamesiya abaningi ababelulindele