Ubumnene—Imfanelo YobuKristu Ebaluleke Kakhulu
“Gqokani . . . ubumnene.”—KOLOSE 3:12.
1. Yini eyenza ubumnene bube imfanelo emangalisayo?
LAPHO isimo sezulu sicwathile, kuba mnandi, kujabulise. Lapho umuntu emnene, kuba mnandi ukuba naye. Nokho, inkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yathi: ‘Ulimi olumnene lungaliphula ithambo.’ (IzAga 25:15) Ubumnene yimfanelo emangalisayo ehlanganisa ubumnandi namandla.
2, 3. Ubumnene buhlobene kanjani nomoya ongcwele, futhi yini esizoyihlola kulesi sihloko?
2 Umphostoli uPawulu wabala ubumnene phakathi ‘kwezithelo zomoya’ akhuluma ngazo kweyabaseGalathiya 5:22, 23. Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ubumnene” evesini 23 le-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha livame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “ukuthobeka” noma “isizotha” kwezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli. Empeleni ezilimini eziningi kunzima ukuthola igama elifanelana ncamashí naleli lesiGreki ngoba lona alisho ukuzotha noma ukuthobeka kwangaphandle, kodwa lisho ubumnene nomusa wangaphakathi; hhayi indlela umuntu aziphatha ngayo, kodwa isimo sengqondo nesenhliziyo yakhe.
3 Ukuze sikuqonde ngokugcwele lokho okushiwo ubumnene nokubaluleka kwako, ake sihlole izibonelo ezine zeBhayibheli. (Roma 15:4) Njengoba sizihlola, ngeke nje sifunde ukuthi le mfanelo iyini kodwa nokuthi ingazuzwa futhi ibonakaliswe kanjani kukho konke esikwenzayo.
‘Bungobenani Elikhulu Emehlweni KaNkulunkulu’
4. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyabazisa ubumnene?
4 Njengoba ubumnene bungesinye sezithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu, kunengqondo ukuthi kufanele buhlobane eduze nobuntu bukaNkulunkulu obumangalisayo. Umphostoli uPetru wabhala ukuthi ‘umoya onokuthula nobumnene ungowenani elikhulu emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.’ (1 Petru 3:4) Yebo, ubumnene buyimfanelo kaNkulunkulu; uJehova ubazisa kakhulu. Ngokuqinisekile, lokhu kukodwa kuyisizathu esanele sokuba zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zihlakulele ubumnene. Nokho, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, iGunya eliphakeme kunawo wonke, ububonisa kanjani ubumnene?
5. Ngenxa yobumnene bukaJehova, sinaliphi ithemba?
5 Lapho umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu, u-Adamu no-Eva, wephula umyalo ocacile kaNkulunkulu othi ungadli emthini wolwazi lokuhle nokubi, wakwenza ngamabomu. (Genesise 2:16, 17) Lokho kungalaleli ngamabomu kwaphumela ekubeni bona nenzalo yabo babe nesono, bafe, futhi bahlukaniswe noNkulunkulu. (Roma 5:12) Nakuba kwakufaneleka ngokugcwele ukuba uJehova akhiphe leso sahlulelo, akazange awudube umkhaya wesintu awubheke njengongenakuphinde ulunge noma uhlengeke. (IHubo 130:3) Kunalokho, ngenxa yomusa wakhe nokuzimisela ukungaqinisi isandla ngokwedlulele—okuwukubonakaliswa kobumnene—uJehova walungiselela indlela isintu esinesono esasingasondela ngayo kuye futhi samukeleke. Yebo, ngesipho somhlatshelo wesihlengo seNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, uJehova wenza sikwazi ukusondela esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi esiphakeme ngaphandle kokwesaba.—Roma 6:23; Hebheru 4:14-16; 1 Johane 4:9, 10, 18.
6. Ubumnene babonakala kanjani endleleni uNkulunkulu áphatha ngayo uKhayini?
6 Ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni, ubumnene bukaJehova babonakala lapho uKhayini no-Abela, amadodana ka-Adamu, beletha imihlatshelo kuNkulunkulu. Ebona isimo sezinhliziyo zabo, uJehova wawala umnikelo kaKhayini kodwa ‘wambheka ngomusa’ u-Abela nomnikelo wakhe. Ukwenamela kukaNkulunkulu u-Abela othembekile nomhlatshelo wakhe kwamthukuthelisa uKhayini. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi: “UKhayini wavutha intukuthelo enkulu, ubuso bakhe banyukubala.” Wenze njani uJehova? Ingabe samcasula isimo sengqondo esibi sikaKhayini? Cha. Ngobumnene, wabuza uKhayini ukuthi kungani ethukuthele kangaka. UJehova waze wachaza nokuthi yini uKhayini angayenza ukuze athole “ukuphakanyiswa.” (Genesise 4:3-7) Ngempela, uJehova uyisibonelo esiphelele sobumnene.—Eksodusi 34:6.
Ubumnene Buyakhanga Futhi Buyaqabula
7, 8. (a) Singabuqonda kanjani ubumnene bukaJehova? (b) Amazwi kaMathewu 11:27-29 ambulani ngoJehova noJesu?
7 Enye yezindlela ezingcono kakhulu zokuqonda izimfanelo zikaJehova ezingenakuqhathaniswa ukutadisha ukuphila nenkonzo kaJesu Kristu. (Johane 1:18; 14:6-9) Lapho eseGalile ngonyaka wesibili womkhankaso wakhe wokushumayela, uJesu wenza imisebenzi eminingi yamandla eKhorazini, eBhetsayida, naseKapernawume namaphethelo. Nokho, iningi labantu laliqhosha, lingenandaba, futhi lenqaba ukukholwa. Wasabela kanjani uJesu? Nakuba abakhumbuza ngamazwi anamandla imiphumela yokungabi nalukholo kwabo, wafikelwa isihawu ngobuhlwempu obungokomoya bama-ʽam ha·ʼaʹret, abantu abaphansi nabavamile phakathi kwabo.—Mathewu 9:35, 36; 11:20-24.
8 Lokho uJesu akwenza kamuva kwabonisa ukuthi ‘umazi ngokugcwele uYise’ futhi uyamlingisa. UJesu wamema abantu abavamile ngala mazwi afudumele: “Wozani kimi, nina nonke enikhandlekayo nenisindwayo, ngizonenza niqabuleke. Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu nifunde kimi, ngoba nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo, nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka.” Yeka ukuthi lawo mazwi abaduduza futhi abaqabula kangakanani labo ababecindezelekile! Kwathina namuhla ayasikhanga. Uma sigqoka ubumnene ngobuqotho, siyoba phakathi kwalabo ‘iNdodana ethanda ukumambula kubo’ uYise.—Mathewu 11:27-29.
9. Iyiphi imfanelo ehlobene nobumnene, futhi kukanjani uJesu eyisibonelo esihle kulokhu?
9 Imfanelo ehlobene eduze nobumnene ukuthobeka, ‘ukuthobeka ngenhliziyo.’ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuqhosha kuholela ekuziphakamiseni futhi ngokuvamile kungenza umuntu aphathe abanye ngokhahlo, angabi naluzwela. (IzAga 16:18, 19) UJesu wabonisa ukuthobeka kuyo yonke inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni. Ngisho nalapho engena eJerusalema sekusele izinsuku ezingaba ngu-8 ukuba afe futhi edunyiswa njengeNkosi yamaJuda, uJesu wayehluke kakhulu kubabusi bezwe. Wagcwalisa isiprofetho sikaZakariya esiphathelene noMesiya: “Bheka! INkosi yakho iza kuwe inomoya omnene, igibele imbongolo, yebo, ithole lembongolo, inzalo yesilwane esithwalayo.” (Mathewu 21:5; Zakariya 9:9) Umprofethi othembekile uDaniyeli wabona umbono lapho uJehova enika iNdodana yakhe igunya lokubusa. Esiprofethweni esingaphambi kwaleso, wayechaze uJesu ‘njengophansi kunabo bonke besintu.’ Ubumnene nokuthobeka kuyahambisana ngempela.—Daniyeli 4:17; 7:13, 14.
10. Kungani ubumnene bobuKristu bungasikiseli ukuba ntekenteke?
10 Ubumnene obujabulisayo obuboniswa uJehova noJesu busisiza ukuba sisondele kubo. (Jakobe 4:8) Yebo, ukuba mnene akusikiseli ukuba ntekenteke. Lutho neze! UJehova, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, ubonisa amandla amakhulu. Ukungalungi kumenza avuthe ngolaka. (Isaya 30:27; 40:26) NoJesu wabonisa ukuzimisela ngamandla ukungayekethisi, ngisho nalapho ehlaselwa uSathane uDeveli. Wenqaba ukubekezelela izenzo zokuhweba eziphambene nomthetho zabaholi benkolo bosuku lwakhe. (Mathewu 4:1-11; 21:12, 13; Johane 2:13-17) Kodwa, waqhubeka emnene lapho esingatha ukushiyeka kwabafundi bakhe, futhi wabubekezelela ngesineke ubuthakathaka babo. (Mathewu 20:20-28) Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sabuchaza kahle ubumnene kanje: “Ngalé komusa kukhona ukuqina kwensimbi.” Kwangathi singayibonisa le mfanelo enjengekaKristu—ubumnene.
Umuntu Omnene Kunabo Bonke Osukwini Lwakhe
11, 12. Uma sicabanga ngendlela akhuliswa ngayo, kungani ubumnene bukaMose babuvelele?
11 Isibonelo sesithathu esizosihlola esikaMose. IBhayibheli limchaza ngokuthi “wayemnene ukubadlula kude bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.” (Numeri 12:3) Le ncazelo yabhalwa iphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu. Ubumnene bukaMose obuvelele bamenza wamukela isiqondiso sikaJehova.
12 UMose wakhuliswa ngendlela engavamile. UJehova waqiniseka ukuthi le ndodana yabazali abangamaHebheru abathembekile iyasinda ngesikhathi kunokukhohlisa nokubulala. Lapho uMose esemncane wayenakekelwa unina, owamfundisa ngokucophelela ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. Kamuva, uMose wathathwa kubo wayohlala endaweni eyayihluke kakhulu. “UMose wafundiswa kukho konke ukuhlakanipha kwabaseGibhithe,” kulandisa umfel’ ukholo wokuqala, uStefanu. “Eqinisweni, [uMose] wayenamandla ngamazwi nangezenzo zakhe.” (IzEnzo 7:22) Ukholo lwakhe lwabonakala lapho ebona ukungabi nabulungisa bezinduna zikaFaro zezigqila ezazibenza kubafowabo. Ngenxa yokubulala umGibhithe ayembone eshaya umHebheru, uMose kwadingeka abaleke eGibhithe aye ezweni lakwaMidiyani.—Eksodusi 1:15, 16; 2:1-15; Hebheru 11:24, 25.
13. Iminyaka engu-40 uMose ayihlala kwaMidiyani yaba naliphi ithonya kuye?
13 Eseneminyaka engu-40 ubudala, uMose kwadingeka azinakekele ehlane. Lapho ekwaMidiyani, wahlangana namadodakazi kaRehuweli angu-7, wawasiza ekuphuziseni umhlambikazi kayise. Lezi zintokazi zafika ekhaya zaxoxela uRehuweli ngenjabulo ukuthi “owaseGibhithe othile” wayezisindise kubelusi ababezihlupha. UMose wahlala nalo mkhaya, ecelwe nguRehuweli. Izinhlupheko ayebhekane nazo azimenzanga waba nenzondo; futhi azimenzanga wangakwazi ukufunda ukuvumelanisa indlela yakhe yokuphila ifanelane nezimo zakhe ezintsha. Isifiso sakhe sokwenza intando kaJehova asizange neze sinciphe. Phakathi neminyaka engu-40 enzima, enakekela izimvu zikaRehuweli, eshada noZiphora futhi ekhulisa amadodana akhe, uMose waba nale mfanelo agcina aziwa ngayo futhi wayithuthukisa. Yebo, ngezinhlupheko, uMose wafunda ukuba mnene.—Eksodusi 2:16-22; IzEnzo 7:29, 30.
14. Chaza isenzakalo esabonisa ubumnene bukaMose esenzeka lapho ehola u-Israyeli.
14 Ngemva kokuba uJehova embeke umholi wesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, imfanelo kaMose yobumnene yayisabonakala. Insizwa ethile yabikela uMose ukuthi u-Elidadi noMedadi babeprofetha ekamu—nakuba babengekho lapho uJehova ethululela umoya wakhe emadodeni amadala angu-70 ayezoba abasizi bakaMose. UJoshuwa wathi: “Nkosi yami Mose, bavimbele!” UMose waphendula ngobumnene wathi: “Ingabe unesikhwele ngami? Cha, ngifisa sengathi bonke abantu bakaJehova bebengabaprofethi, ngoba uJehova ubeyobeka umoya wakhe phezu kwabo!” (Numeri 11:26-29) Ubumnene basiza ekubohliseni leso simo esishubile.
15. Nakuba uMose ayengaphelele, kungani isibonelo sakhe sifanelwe ukulandelwa?
15 Ngesinye isikhathi, kubonakala sengathi uMose wehluleka ukubonisa ubumnene. EMeriba, ngaseKadeshi, akamkhazimulisanga uJehova, uMenzi Wezimangaliso. (Numeri 20:1, 9-13) Nakuba uMose ayengaphelele, ukholo lwakhe olungaxegi lwamsekela kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe, futhi ubumnene bakhe obuvelele busithinta inhliziyo ngisho nanamuhla.—Hebheru 11:23-28.
Ukhahlo Nobumnene
16, 17. Sithola siphi isixwayiso endabeni kaNabali no-Abhigayili?
16 Isibonelo esiyisixwayiso savela ngesikhathi sikaDavide, ngaphambi nje kokufa komprofethi kaNkulunkulu uSamuweli. Sihilela umbhangqwana oshadile, uNabali nomkakhe, u-Abhigayili. Babengafani neze! U-Abhigayili “wayemuhle ngokukhalipha,” kanti umyeni wakhe yena ‘wayenokhahlo enemikhuba emibi.’ UNabali wenqaba ngokwedelela lapho uDavide ecelela amabutho akhe ukudla, amabutho ayevikele imihlambi kaNabali emaseleni. Enentukuthelo ehambisana nokulunga, uDavide nebutho lakhe babhinca izinkemba zabo banikela kuNabali.—1 Samuweli 25:2-13.
17 Lapho u-Abhigayili ezwa okwakwenzekile, waphuthuma walungisa isinkwa, iwayini, inyama, namakhekheba amagilebhisi namakhiwane omisiwe waphuma wayohlangabeza uDavide. Wamnxusa wathi: “Masibe phezu kwami, nkosi yami, lesi siphambeko; futhi ngicela uvumele incekukazi yakho ikhulume ezindlebeni zakho, ulalele amazwi encekukazi yakho.” Ukuncenga kuka-Abhigayili ngobumnene kwayithambisa inhliziyo kaDavide. Ngemva kokulalela incazelo ka-Abhigayili, uDavide wathi: “Makatuswe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okuthumele kulolu suku ukuba ungihlangabeze! Futhi makubusiswe ukuba nengqondo kwakho, ubusiswe nawe ongivimbele kulolu suku ukuba ngingangeni ecaleni legazi.” (1 Samuweli 25:18, 24, 32, 33) Ukhahlo lukaNabali lwagcina luholele ekufeni kwakhe. Izimfanelo ezinhle zika-Abhigayili zagcina zimlethele injabulo yokuba umkaDavide. Ubumnene bakhe buyisibonelo kubo bonke abakhonza uJehova namuhla.—1 Samuweli 25:36-42.
Phishekela Ubumnene
18, 19. (a) Iziphi izinguquko ezibonakalayo lapho sigqoka ubumnene? (b) Yini engasisiza sizihlole ngempumelelo?
18 Ubumnene buyimfanelo efuneka nakanjani. Bungaphezu kokwenza ngesizotha; buyimfanelo ekhangayo yesimo senhliziyo, eqabula abanye. Kungenzeka esikhathini esidlule sasijwayele ukukhuluma nokwenza ngokhahlo. Nokho, lapho sifunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli sashintsha saba nomusa kakhudlwana. UPawulu wakhuluma ngalolu shintsho lapho enxusa amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Gqokani ububele bothando lomzwelo, umusa, ukuthobeka, ubumnene, nokubekezela.” (Kolose 3:12) IBhayibheli lifanisa lolu shintsho nolwezilwane zasendle ezinonya—impisi, ingwe, ingonyama, ibhere nemfezi—ezishintsha zibe izilwane ezifuywayo ezinokuthula—iwundlu, izinyane, ithole nenkomazi. (Isaya 11:6-9; 65:25) Lezo zinguquko zobuntu ziphawuleka kangangokuthi abazibonayo bayamangala. Nokho, thina siyaqaphela ukuthi lolu shintsho lubangelwa ukusebenza komoya kaNkulunkulu, ngoba ubumnene bungesinye sezithelo zawo ezimangalisayo.
19 Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi ngemva kokwenza izinguquko ezidingekayo nokuzinikezela kuJehova, akube kusadingeka sisebenzele ukuba mnene? Akunjalo neze. Phela, nezingubo ezintsha zidinga ukuhlala zinakekelwa ukuze ziqhubeke zihlanzekile futhi zibukeka. Ukusinga eZwini likaNkulunkulu nokuzindla ngezibonelo eliziqukethe kusisiza sizibheke kabusha ngobuqotho. Isibuko esiyiZwi eliphefumulelwe likaNkulunkulu sivezani ngawe?—Jakobe 1:23-25.
20. Singaphumelela kanjani ekuboniseni ubumnene?
20 Ngokwemvelo nje, isimo senhliziyo sabantu asifani. Kwezinye zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu kulula ukubonisa ubumnene kunakwezinye. Nokho, wonke amaKristu kudingeka ahlakulele izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu, kuhlanganise nobumnene. UPawulu wakhuthaza uThimothewu ngothando: “Phishekela ukulunga, ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ukholo, uthando, ukukhuthazela, ubumnene bomoya.” (1 Thimothewu 6:11) Igama elithi “phishekela” lisikisela ukuthi kudingeka ukuzikhandla. Enye inguqulo yeBhayibheli ihumusha lesi sikhuthazo ngokuthi ‘gxilisa inhliziyo yakho’ kubo. (I-New Testament in Modern English, kaJ. B. Phillips) Uma wenza umzamo wokuzindla ngezibonelo ezinhle eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu, zingaba ingxenye yalokho oyikho, njengokungathi zifakwé ngaphakathi kuwe. Ziyokulolonga zikuqondise.—Jakobe 1:21.
21. (a) Kungani kufanele siphishekele ubumnene? (b) Kuzoxoxwa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?
21 Indlela esiziphatha ngayo kwabanye ibonisa izinga esithuthuke ngalo kulokhu. “Ubani ohlakaniphile noqondayo phakathi kwenu?” kubuza umfundi uJakobe. “Makabonise imisebenzi yakhe ngokuziphatha kwakhe okuhle ngobumnene bokuhlakanipha.” (Jakobe 3:13) Singayibonisa kanjani le mfanelo yobuKristu ekhaya, enkonzweni yobuKristu nasebandleni? Isihloko esilandelayo sinikeza iziqondiso eziwusizo.
Ukubukeza
• Ufundeni ngobumnene esibonelweni
• sikaJehova?
• sikaJesu?
• sikaMose?
• sika-Abhigayili?
• Kungani kudingeka siphishekele ubumnene?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Kungani uJehova awubheka ngomusa umnikelo ka-Abela?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
UJesu wabonisa ukuthi ubumnene buhambisana nokuthobeka
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
UMose wabeka isibonelo esihle sokuba mnene