‘Khetha Amadoda Anamandla, Amesabayo UNkulunkulu’
“Futhi-ke wozifunela phakathi kwabantu bonke amadoda anamandla amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo engalungile, uwabeke phezu kwabo.”—EKSODUSI 18:21.
1. Kungani amazwi “umbonisi” ‘nendoda endala’ ethakazelisa ngokukhethekile koFakazi BakaJehova?
“KUSUKELA esikhathini sikaHomer [cishe ngekhulu lesi-9 leminyaka B.C.E.] kuze kube sezinsukwini zethu amagama amaningi aye anyamalala; amaningi amanye aye avela. Uepískopos [umbonisi] nopresbýteros [indoda endala] aye aqhubeka ekhona.” Lokhu kukhulumela kwesazi sesiGreki sanamuhla kuqokomisa amandla ajulile omqondo walamagama esiGreki asho “umbonisi” ne“ndoda endala.” Izinkulungwane zeminyaka lamagama aye ahlanganiswa nengxenye ebalulekile yelungiselelo likaJehova elingokwenhlangano ngabantu bakhe. Uma uhlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova, khona-ke lengxoxo elandelayo yendlela lamagama angena ngayo ebandleni lobuKristu iyoba ethakazelisa ngokukhethekile kuwe
2, 3. Obani uMose ayemelwe ukubaqinisekisa ukuze akhonze njengomholi wamaIsrayeli okhethwe uNkulunkulu?
2 Eqinisweni, umlando weBhayibheli usibuyisela emuva kakhulu kunembongi engumGreki uHomer. Ngekhulu le-16 leminyaka B.C.E. uMose wamukela ukuthunywa uJehova ukuba abuyele eGibithe futhi ahole amaIsrayeli aphume ebugqilini. Njengoba ayengekho kubantu bakubo iminyaka engama-40, wayezochazela bani ngobufakazi belungelo lokuthunywa kwakhe? “Hamba” kusho uNkulunkulu, “ubuthe amalunga [amadoda amadala, NW; ngesiGreki, gerousía, “isigungu sabadala”; bheka iSeptuagint Version] akwaIsrayeli . . . Bayakulalela izwi lakho; uyakufika wena kanye namalunga [amadoda amadala, NW] akwaIsrayeli enkosini yaseGibithe.”—Eksodusi 3:16, 18.
3 Ngokusobala, kusukela esikhathini sezinzalamizi amadoda amadala ayaziswa kakhulu ngenxa yokuhlangenwe nakho kwawo, ulwazi, ukuhlakanipha nesahlulelo esiqondile. Yiwona uMose okwakumelwe awaqinisekise ukuze amamukele njengomholi wabo owayemiswe uNkulunkulu ukuze bakhululwe.
Izimfanelo Zamadoda Amadala KwaIsrayeli
4. Ikuphi ukusikisela uJetiro akunikeza uMose, futhi kwaphumelaphi?
4 Ngenkathi amaIsrayeli esogwadule, ekhululekile kubacindezeli bawo abangamaGibithe, umthwalo wemfanelo kaMose wokwahlulela esizweni waba nzima. Umkhwe wakhe owayevakashile, uJetiro, wakubona ngokucace kangangokuthi wanikeza ukusikisela okunosizo ngokusobala okwaba nokuvunyelwa uJehova. Wathi: “Lokhu okwenzayo akukuhle. Uyakudinwa nokudinwa, wena nalababantu abanawe, ngokuba lokhu kuyakusinda; awunakukwenza uwedwa. Kalokhu lalela izwi lami, ngikululeke, uNkulunkulu abenawe; ngithi: Yiba-ngumkhulumeli wabantu phambi kukaNkulunkulu, ulethe izindaba kuNkulunkulu . . . Futhi-ke wozifunela phakathi kwabantu bonke amadoda anamandla amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo engalungile . . . [a]thwalisane nawe.” (Eksodusi 18:17-23) Lelilungiselelo elisha lokwahlulela kwaIsrayeli lasiza ekunabiseleni umthwalo nakwamanye amadoda afanelekayo. Ibandla lakwaIsrayeli manje laba nendikimba ehleliwe yabadala abafanelekayo yokuphatha izindaba zokwahlulela nokungezwani.
5. Ingabe uMose wayemelwe akhethe noma imaphi amadoda amadala ayekhona?
5 Yeka ukungafani nalesisimiso sezwe samanje lapho beyingcosana kakhulu abazazisa ngempela izimiso eziphakeme—lapho ukufumbathisa nokonakala kulimaza ababusi nababuswayo! Emuva lé kuIsrayeli wasendulo amadoda ayezokhonza noMose ekuqondiseni ukulunga esizweni kwakumelwe akhethwe ngokucophelela. Njengoba uJetiro asho: “Futhi-ke wozifunela phakathi kwabantu bonke amadoda anamandla amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo engalungile, uwabeke phezu kwabo.” (Eksodusi 18:21) Kwakungeyona nje indaba yokukhetha amadoda amadala ngeminyaka. UMose kwakumelwe ‘azifunele’ amadoda anamandla, afanelekayo, azonda inzuzo engalungile. Yeka indinganiso emangalisayo ngalabo abamelwe banakekele izithakazelo zabantu bakaJehova namuhla!
Amadoda Amadala Aqiniswe UJehova
6, 7. Isiphi isenzo uJehova asithatha ukuze amise amadoda amadala kwaIsrayeli?
6 Esikhathini esithile kamuva amaIsrayeli akhononda ngezimo ehlane. Enomuzwa wokuthi umthwalo wokuqondisa isizwe wawusumkhulu kakhulu manje kuye, uMose wabika inkinga kuJehova. Laliyini ikhambi likaNkulunkulu? Siyafunda: “UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: Ngibuthele amadoda angamashumi ayisikhombisa amalunga [amadoda amadala, NW; ngesiGreki, presbytéron, Septuagint Version] akwaIsrayeli, owaziyo ukuthi angamalunga [amadoda amadala, NW; presbyteroi] abantu nezinduna zabo, . . . ngithathe okomoya ophezu kwakho, ngikubeke kuwo; ayakuthwala umthwalo wabantu kanye nawe.”—Numeri 11:16, 17.
7 UMose wenza njengoba ayeyaliwe, futhi siyatshelwa: “UJehova wehla ngefu, wakhuluma kuye, wathabatha okomoya ophezu kwakhe, wakubeka kumalunga [amadoda amadala, NW; presbytérous] angamashumi ayisikhombisa; kwathi umoya [u]sahlezi kuwo, aprofetha.” (Numeri 11:24, 25) Lapha kwakunobufakazi obusobala bokumiswa okungokwasezulwini kwala“madoda amadala.” UJehova wayeye wahlelela abantu bakhe ukukhululwa ebugqilini futhi manje wayesebenzisa ‘amadoda anamandla, athembekileyo, amesabayo uNkulunkulu’ ukuba ahlanganyele noMose umthwalo wemfanelo wobuholi nokuqondisa.
8. Lapho amaIsrayeli ezinza eZweni Lesithembiso, iyiphi ingxenye amadoda amadala ayifeza?
8 Ngemva kwesikhathi, amaIsrayeli azulayo anqoba iZwe Lesithembiso futhi ahlala njengakuqala endaweni eqondile emadolobheni nasemadolobhakazini, njengoba kwakuyindlela yawo yokuphila eGibithe. Lokhu kwasho ukuthi amadoda amadala manje aba nomthwalo wemfanelo ngabantu ngezinga lomphakathi. Asebenzela imiphakathi yawo ehlukene, njengendikimba yababonisi abangabahluleli nezinduna ngenxa yokuqondisa kokulunga nokulondoloza ukuthula, ukuhleleka okuhle nokuphila okungokomoya.—Duteronomi 16:18-20; 25:7-9; Ruthe 4:1-12.
Ingabe Ubumpunga Banele?
9, 10. Kanye nokuvuthwa okungokomzimba, iziphi ezinye izimfuneko ze‘ndoda endala’? Nikeza ukusekela okungokomBhalo.
9 Khona-ke, ingabe okwandulelayo kusho ukuthi noma iyiphi indoda endala kwaIsrayeli ngokuzenzekelayo yayingaba “indoda endala” esikhundleni sokwahlulela noma sokuphatha? Ingabe isilinganiso esithile sobudala sasingaguqula umIsrayeli abe “indoda endala” ngalowomqondo? Cha, isiphetho esinjalo sasingeke sibe nengqondo. UElihu wabeka izindaba ngokucacile, ethi: “Abakhulu abahlakaniphile, nabadala abaqondi ukwahlulela.” Futhi umshumayeli ohlakaniphile wabhala: “Ubumpunga bungumqhele wodumo; [uma, NW] bufumaniswa endleleni yokulunga.” (Jobe 32:6, 9; IzAga 16:31; UmShumayeli 12:9, 10) ImiBhalo yesiHeberu ibonisa ngokukhanyayo ukuthi ‘endodeni endala’ efanelekayo ubudala ngeminyaka nokuhlangenwe nakho kwakuhlanganiswa nokuhlakanipha nenkambo yokulunga yokuziphatha.
10 Nokho, ubudala beminyaka nokuhlangenwe nakho kubaluleke kakhulu. Ukuze afanelekele amalungelo enkonzo, amadoda amadala kumelwe amukele ukuqondisa komoya kaNkulunkulu futhi azuze ukuqonda iZwi lakhe. Akwanele ukukwazi ukucaphuna imibhalo. Ukwazi indlela yokuyisebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha kuyisici esibalulekile ‘ngendoda endala.’—IzAga 4:7-9; Thithu 1:9.
Amadoda Amadala Ebandleni LobuKristu
11, 12. (a) Ingabe imiphakathi yamaJuda yayisenawo yini amadoda amadala lapho uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni? (b) Abadala babemiswa ngaphansi kwaluhlobo luni lwelungiselelo ebandleni lobuKristu?
11 Ngalokhu esiye sakucabangela, kusobala ukuthi kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo ‘amadoda amadala’ afanelekayo aye asetshenziswa ukuba ahole ezindabeni zabantu bakaJehova. Kodwa ngesikhathi uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni amaJuda ayemise indikimba eyinhloko yabapristi nabadala eJerusalema eyayaziwa ngokuthi umphakathi [iSanhedrin, NW]. Yasebenza njengenkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda. (Mathewu 26:57-68) Nakuba kunjalo, ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi amaqembu amadoda amadala ayesakhuthele ezindabeni zomphakathi emadolobheni futhi hhayi nje esilinganisweni sesizwe.—Luka 7:3-5.
12 Sinalesisizinda esingokomlando engqondweni, kulula ukubona indlela ibandla lakuqala lobuKristu elaliyoqhubeka ngayo lisebenzisa ilungiselelo elingokwasezulwini elifana nalelo elavunyelwa uJehova ngesikhathi sikaMose. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa komoya kaNkulunkulu ongcwele, labo abamiswe njenga“madoda amadala,” noma abadala, ebandleni lobuKristu babeyoba ‘amadoda anamandla, athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo engalungile, amesabayo uNkulunkulu.’
13. Kungani kwakudingeka amadoda akhuthele, anamandla ebandleni lobuKristu?
13 Kusukela ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E. kuya phambili ibandla labakholwayo lakhula ngokushesha. (IzEnzo 2:41; 4:4) Babengahlukanisiwe baba amaqembu angasese ezifundo zeBhayibheli angawodwa, njengokungathi babeyinkolo yobuJuda yeziNdela ePalestina. UbuKristu babungeyona into yangasese. Kwakumelwe benziwe bube yinto eyaziwa uwonk’ uwonke, baziswe ezizweni. (Mathewu 5:14-16; 28:19, 20) Ngenxa yalesizathu, amadoda akhuthele, anamandla, ayedingeka ukuba ahole ekuhleleni umsebenzi wobuKristu. Ngokunengqondo babeyoba “amadoda amadala.”
Izimfanelo ‘Zamadoda Amadala’
14. Iziphi izimfuneko zabadala uPetru aziqokomisa?
14 Ngokuqinisekile, eshumini lesikhombisa leminyaka lesiKhathi Esivamile izimfanelo ezingokomoya zase zimisiwe ngalawomadoda amadala ayezohola ebandleni lobuKristu. Kanjalo sithola kubhekiselwe kaningi kuwona ezincwadini zabaphostoli uPetru noPawulu. Ngokwesibonelo, uPetru wabhala:
“Ngakho ngiyawancenga amalunga aphakathi kwenu . . . : Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ophakathi kwenu, kungabi-ngokucindezelwa kodwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu, kungabi-ngenxa yenzuzo eyihlazo kodwa ngenhliziyo evumayo, kungabi-njengabazenza amakhosi phezu kwamabandla enabelwa wona, kodwa nibe-yizibonelo zomhlambi.” (1 Petru 5:1-3)
Ngokunengqondo, lapho uPetru egcizelela ukuthi “amadoda amadala” kwakumelwe angakhonzi “ngenxa yenzuzo eyihlazo kodwa ngenhliziyo evumayo,” wayephinda iseluleko sokuthi uMose wayemelwe akhethe ‘amadoda anamandla, amesabayo uNkulunkulu, athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo engalungile.’—Eksodusi 18:21.
15. Iziphi izimfuneko ze“ndoda endala” uPawulu azibeka?
15 UPawulu, encwadini yakhe esisebenzini esikanye naye esithembekile uThithu, owayekhonza esiqhingini saseKrethe eMeditera, wamyala ukuba ‘ahlele okuseleyo’ ebandleni futhi ‘amise amadoda amadala [presbytérous] emizini yonke.’ Ngokuthakazelisayo, igama lesiGreki elihunyushwa ngokuthi “amadoda amadala” libonisa “indoda evuthiwe, efanelekayo ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwayo nenobuhlakani bokubusa umkhaya wayo noma abantu.” (Episcopos y Presbyteros, nguProfessor Manuel Guerra y Gómez) Lomqondo futhi uqokonyisiwe ezimfanelweni uPawulu azicacisa kuThithu ngalawomaKristu ayezofanelekela ukukhonza njengababonisi. Wabhala:
“Uma kukhona ongasolekiyo, indoda emfazi munye, enabantwana abakholwayo abangenakusolwa ngokushinga nabangalaleliyo. Ngokuba umbonisi [isiGreki, epískopon] kumelwe ukuba abe-ngongasolekiyo njengomphathimuzi kaNkulunkulu, ongaziqhenyi, ongesiso isififane, ongesiso isiphuzi, ongesiso isilwi, ongesiye ohahela inzuzo embi, kepha ophatha kahle izihambi, othanda okuhle, oqondileyo, olungileyo, ongcwele, ozithibayo, obambelele ezwini elithembekileyo ngokwesifundiso, aze abe-nakho nokuyala ngesifundiso esiphilileyo nokwahlula abaphikayo.” (Thithu 1:5-9)
Ukubukezwa ngokucophelela kwalezizimfuneko kuyasisiza ukuba siqaphele ukuthi ‘indoda endala’ ebandleni lobuKristu kwakumelwe ifinyelele izinga eliphakeme lokuziphatha nesimo esingokomoya.
16. Sazi kanjani ukuthi abadala futhi babengababonisi ekhulwini lokuqala C.E.?
16 Kuyathakazelisa futhi ukuphawula indlela uPawulu asebenzisa ngayo amazwi esiGreki upresbyteros noepískopos, ‘indoda endala’ ‘nombonisi.’ Kulokhu singaqonda ukuthi indoda endala efanelekayo yayigcwalisa imisebenzi yombonisi ebandleni. Amanye amavesi abonisa ukuthi kwakungaba nabaningi ababonisi abanjalo abangamadoda amadala ebandleni elifanayo.—IzEnzo 14:23; 20:28; Filipi 1:1.
17. (a) Iziphi izimfuneko zombonisi uPawulu azithumela kuThimothewu? (b) Kungani umdala kumelwe futhi abe ngokhuthele emsebenzini wokushumayela?
17 Ekubhaleleni uThimothewu, uPawulu futhi wahlela izimfuneko zombonisi, kepha ngamazwi ahluke kancane, mhlawumbe ecabangela izimo ezihlukile. (1 Thimothewu 3:1-7) Njengoba ibandla lakuqala lobuKristu ngokwesimo salo laliyinhlangano yobuvangeli, kwakungangatshazwa ukuthi lamadoda amadala ayezoba ngashisekayo ekumemezeleni izindaba ezinhle. Kwakungekho ukuvilapha.—Luka 24:46-48; 1 Korinte 9:16; qhathanisa noMathewu 25:24-27.
Ukuhlubuka Kuyangena
18. Ukuhlubuka kwasithinta kanjani isikhundla sababonisi?
18 Njengoba ibandla laliqhubekela phambili ekhulwini lesibili nelesithathu leminyaka, izinto zaqala ukushintsha. Ukuhlubuka okwakuye kwabikezelwa kwagxila. (IzEnzo 20:29, 30; 2 Petru 2:1) Amadoda ahahayo avela phakathi kwabo kanye abadala emabandleni. Ngezisusa ezonakele aqala ukubheka isikhundla sawo sobubonisi njengesikhundla samandla nodumo. Abanye ababonisi bamabandla baze ngisho baba “ababhishobhi” ababusa phezu kwesifunda sobubhishobhi noma iqembu lamabandla. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lababhishobhi bavotelwa yibandla esikhundleni, abanye kulo bengababusi abanethonya. Ngakho-ke, njengoba esinye isazimlando esingumKatolika sabhala: “Lokhu kwaletha ingozi enkulu ngempela, ikakhulukazi kusukela esikhathini lapho loludumo lobubonisi lukhula futhi lezikhundla zihambisana neholo elikhulu nezinto ezibonakalayo . . . [kanjalo] ziphakamisela amadoda ezombangazwe ezifundeni zababhishobhi ezinethonya kakhulu.”
19. Wawuyini umphumela wokugcina wokuhlubuka?
19 Yebo, umbhishobhi ngamunye waphakama njengenkosi yezwe enamandla. Lokhu kwabangela ukwehlukana nokungezwani kweLobukholwa, elase lipheze kudala ukuba ubuKristu beqiniso. Ilungiselelo elingokwasezulwini lababonisi abangabadala abanamandla, abathembekileyo, abanengqondo engokomoya lalulazeka laba umbuso wababhishobhi. Inkonzo yokuzithandela ebandleni yaguqulwa yaba umsebenzi okhokhelwayo odinga iminyaka yemfundo ephakeme kwezenkolo, ulwazi olucatshangelwayo nemithetho yesonto eyinhlanganisela.
20. Imiphi imibuzo edinga izimpendulo manje?
20 Ingabe lokhu kwasho ukuthi ubuKristu beqiniso, kanye nelungiselelo labo lokuqala elingokwasezulwini ngebandla ngalinye, babungeke bubuyiselwe? Noma ingabe ukukhanya okuphilile kwenkonzo enikezwa “amadoda amadala,” noma “ababonisi,” kwakulahleke phakade? Futhi kuthiwani ngesiprofetho sikaIsaya esikhomba ekuphakanyisweni kwenhlangano engokwasezulwini? Siyaphawula: “Esikhundleni sethusi ngiyakuletha igolide, nasesikhundleni sensimbi ngiyakuletha isiliva; esikhundleni somuthi ithusi, nasesikhundleni samatshe insimbi, ngibeke ukuthula kube-ngababonisi bakho, nokulunga kube-ngababusi bakho.” (Isaya 60:17) Isihloko esilandelayo sizoyiphendula lemibuzo ebalulekile.
Ungaphendula?
□ Uhlobo olunjani lwamadoda akhethwa ukuba ahlanganyele umthwalo wemfanelo wokwahlulela noMose kuIsrayeli wasendulo?
□ Kukusiphi isikhundla “amadoda amadala” akhonza kuso lapho uIsrayeli esezinze eZweni Lesithembiso?
□ Iziphi ezinye izimfanelo ezivelele ezilindeleke kubadala abangamaKristu, noma ababonisi?
□ Ukuhlubuka okwabikezelwa kwalithinta kanjani ilungiselelo labadala?
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
Amadoda amadala akwaIsrayeli ayekhonza njengabahluleli emasangweni omuzi