Lokho Abanye Abakhunjulwa Ngakho

EMINYAKENI engaba izinkulungwane ezintathu eyedlule, uDavide wayebalekela inkosi yakwa-Israyeli uSawulu. UDavide wathumela ukuba bayomcelela ukudla namanzi kuNabali, umfuyi ocebile wezimvu nezimbuzi. Empeleni, uNabali kwakufanele abonise uDavide nabalandeli bakhe umusa ngenxa yokuthi babevikele imihlambi yakhe. Nokho, uNabali wenqaba ukubamukela emzini wakhe. Waze ngisho waklabalasa ethuka abalandeli bakaDavide. UNabali wayedlala ngomlilo, ngoba uDavide wayengeyena umuntu wokuthathwa kalula nje.—1 Samuweli 25:5, 8, 10, 11, 14.

Isimo sengqondo sikaNabali sasihlukile esikweni laseMpumalanga Ephakathi lokungenisa izihambi. Ngakho, hlobo luni lwegama uNabali azakhela lona? Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi ‘wayenokhahlo enemikhuba emibi’ futhi ‘eyindoda engelusizo lwalutho.’ Igama lakhe lisho ‘ukungabi nangqondo,’ futhi walilandela ngempela igama lakhe. (1 Samuweli 25:3, 17, 25) Ungathanda ukukhunjulwa kanjalo? Ingabe unokhahlo futhi ulukhuni lapho usebenzelana nabanye, ikakhulukazi uma kubonakala sengathi abanamandla? Noma, ungumuntu onomusa, owamukela izihambi nocabangelayo?

U-Abhigayili—Owesifazane Onengqondo

Ngenxa yokuba nokhahlo, uNabali wangena enkingeni. UDavide nabalandeli bakhe abangu-400 bahloma ngezinkemba zabo banikela kuNabali beyomfundisa isifundo. U-Abhigayili, umkaNabali, wezwa ukuthi kwenzekeni. Wabona ukuthi impi isisemnyango. Yini ayengayenza? Washesha walungisa ukudla okuningi wayesehamba eyovimba uDavide nabalandeli bakhe. Lapho ehlangana nabo, wanxusa uDavide ukuba angachithi igazi ngaphandle kwesizathu. Inhliziyo kaDavide yathamba. Wasilalela isicelo sakhe wahoxa. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalezi zenzakalo, uNabali wafa. UDavide, eqaphela izimfanelo ezinhle zika-Abhigayili, wabe esemthatha emenza umkakhe.—1 Samuweli 25:14-42.

Hlobo luni lwedumela u-Abhigayili azakhela lona? ‘Wayemuhle ngokukhalipha,’ noma ‘ehlakaniphile,’ njengoba isiHebheru sakuqala sikubeka kanjalo. Kusobala ukuthi wayenengqondo futhi azi ukuthi kufanele asithathe kanjani isinyathelo futhi nini. Wathatha isinyathelo ngobuqotho evikela umyeni wakhe oyisiwula nomkhaya wakhe enhlekeleleni. Ekugcineni wafa, kodwa enedumela elihle lokuba owesifazane onengqondo.—1 Samuweli 25:3; New International Version.

Imuphi Umlando UPetru Azakhela Wona?

Ake siqhubekele phambili siye ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. sibheke abaphostoli bakaJesu abangu-12. Akungatshazwa ukuthi owayeveza imizwa yakhe kunabo bonke nowayekhuluma engacabanganga kwakunguPetru, noma uKhefasi, owayekade engumdobi eGalile. Ngokusobala wayenesibindi engasabi ukuveza imizwa yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, kunesikhathi lapho uJesu ageza khona izinyawo zabafundi bakhe. Wenzenjani uPetru lapho sekuyithuba lakhe lokuba agezwe izinyawo?

UPetru wathi kuJesu: “Nkosi, wena ungigeza izinyawo na?” Ephendula uJesu wathi kuye: “Lokho engikwenzayo awukuqondi manje, kodwa uzokuqonda ngemva kwalezi zinto.” UPetru waphendula wathi: “Ngokuqinisekile awusoze wangigeza izinyawo.” Phawula ukuthi uPetru waphendula ngokuqiniseka kodwa engacabanganga. UJesu wamphendula kanjani?

UJesu wamphendula wathi: “Ngaphandle kokuba ngikugeze, awunasabelo nami.” USimoni Petru wathi kuye: “Nkosi, makungabi izinyawo kuphela, kodwa nezandla nekhanda.” Manje uPetru usesho okuhluke ngokuphelele! Kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi abantu babesazi isimo sengqondo sikaPetru. Wayengenabo ubuqili noma inkohliso.—Johane 13:6-9.

UPetru futhi ukhunjulwa ngobuthakathaka bakhe obuvamile kubo bonke abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, waphika uKristu izikhathi ezintathu phambi kwabantu ababemmangalela ngokuthi ungumlandeli kaJesu waseNazaretha owayelahlwe ngecala. Lapho uPetru elibona iphutha lakhe, wakhala kamunyu. Wayengasabi ukuveza ukudabuka nokuzisola kwakhe. Kuyaphawuleka futhi ukuthi le ndaba yokuphika kukaPetru yabhalwa abalobi bamaVangeli—okungenzeka kakhulu ukuthi babeyizwe ngaye uPetru! Wayethobeke kangangokuthi wayewavuma amaphutha akhe. Ingabe unayo leyo mfanelo enhle?—Mathewu 26:69-75; Marku 14:66-72; Luka 22:54-62; Johane 18:15-18, 25-27.

Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa ephike uKristu, uPetru, egcwele umoya ongcwele, washumayela ngesibindi kumaJuda amaningi ngePhentekoste. Lokhu kwakuyisibonakaliso esiqinisekile sokuthi uJesu ovusiwe wayemethemba.—IzEnzo 2:14-21.

Ngesinye isikhathi, uPetru wabanjwa olunye ugibe. Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba kufike abazalwane abathile abangamaJuda e-Antiyokiya, uPetru wayehlangana ngokukhululekile namakholwa eZizwe. Nokho, wazihlukanisa nawo “ngokwesaba labo besigaba sabasokile” ababesanda kufika bevela eJerusalema. UPawulu wakudalula lokhu kuzenzisa kukaPetru.—Galathiya 2:11-14.

Noma kunjalo, ubani kubafundi owakhuluma ngesibindi ngesikhathi esibucayi lapho sekubonakala ukuthi abalandeli abaningi bakaJesu base bezimisele ukumshiya? Lokhu kwenzeka ngesikhathi uJesu embula okuthile okusha mayelana nokubaluleka kokudla inyama yakhe nokuphuza igazi lakhe. Wathi: “Ngaphandle kokuba nidle inyama yeNdodana yomuntu niphuze igazi layo, aninakho ukuphila kini ngaphakathi.” Abalandeli abaningi bakaJesu abangamaJuda bakhubeka base bethi: “Le nkulumo iyashaqisa; ubani ongayilalela na?” Kwabe sekwenzekani? “Ngenxa yalokhu abaningi kubafundi bakhe bahamba baya ezintweni ababezishiye emuva futhi ababange besahamba naye.”—Johane 6:50-66.

Ngalesi sikhathi esibucayi, uJesu waphendukela kubaphostoli bakhe abangu-12 wayesebabuza lo mbuzo ohlolayo: “Nifuna ukuhamba yini nani?” UPetru waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, ubani esizoya kuye? Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade; siye sakholwa futhi sesiyazi ukuthi ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.”—Johane 6:67-69.

Hlobo luni lwedumela uPetru alakha? Umuntu ofunda umlando wakhe nakanjani bumhlaba umxhwele ubuqotho nokungafihli kwakhe, ukwethembeka nokuzimisela kwakhe ukuvuma ubuthakathaka bakhe. Yeka ukuthi wazakhela igama elihle kanjani!

Yini Abantu Abayikhumbula NgoJesu?

Inkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni yathatha iminyaka emithathu nengxenye nje kuphela. Kodwa, abalandeli bakhe bamkhumbula ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi wayephelele, engenasono, ingabe wayengenabungani futhi engangeneki? Ingabe wayebacindezela abantu ngoba azi ukuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu? Ingabe wayebesabisa futhi ebaphoqelela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bamlalele? Ingabe wayezibona ephakeme kakhulu aze angancokoli nakuncokola? Ingabe wayematasa kangangokuthi wayengenaso isikhathi sababuthaka nabagulayo noma esabantwana? Ingabe wayebabukela phansi abantu bezinye izinhlanga nabesifazane, njengoba abesilisa babevame ukwenza kanjalo ngalezo zikhathi? Uthini umlando?

UJesu wayebathanda abantu. Ukuhlola inkonzo yakhe kwembula ukuthi ezikhathini eziningi waphulukisa izinyonga nabagulayo. Wazikhandla ukuze asize abaswele. Wabonisa ukuthi uyabathanda abantwana ngokuyala abafundi bakhe, athi: “Bayekeni abantwana beze kimi; ningazami ukubavimba.” UJesu wabe ‘esebasingatha abantwana wababusisa, ebabeka izandla.’ Ingabe uyazinika isikhathi sokunaka abantwana, noma umatasa kakhulu kangangokuba awubaboni noma bekhona?—Marku 10:13-16; Mathewu 19:13-15.

Lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, amaJuda ayesindwa imithetho nezimiso zenkolo ezazifuna okungaphezu kwalokho okwakufunwa uMthetho. Abaholi bawo benkolo babethwesa abantu imithwalo esindayo, kuyilapho bona bengayifukuli ngisho nangomunwe. (Mathewu 23:4; Luka 11:46) Ngakho, uJesu wayehluke kakhulu! Wathi: “Wozani kimi, nina nonke enikhandlekayo nenisindwayo, ngizonenza niqabuleke.”—Mathewu 11:28-30.

Abantu babeqabuleka lapho benoJesu. Wayengabesabisi abafundi bakhe, ngakho babengesabi ukuveza imizwa yabo. Eqinisweni, wayebabuza imibuzo ukuze baveze lokho abakucabangayo. (Marku 8:27-29) Ababonisi abangamaKristu kuhle bazibuze ukuthi: ‘Ingabe engikholwa nabo bazizwa ngendlela efanayo ngami? Bayangitshela ngempela yini abanye abadala imibono yabo, noma bayangabaza?’ Akuve kuqabula uma ababonisi bengeneka, bebalalela abanye futhi behlala bevumelana nezimo! Ukungacabangeli kwenza umuntu angakwazi ukukhuluma ngobuqotho nangokukhululeka.

Nakuba uJesu ayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, wayengalokothi awasebenzise kabi amandla noma igunya lakhe. Kunalokho, wayebonisana nezilaleli zakhe. Wenza kanjalo lapho abaFarisi bezama ukumcupha ngombuzo onobuqili, othi: “Ingabe kungokomthetho ukukhokha intela yekhanda kuKhesari noma cha?” UJesu wathi abambonise uhlamvu lwemali wabe esebabuza, ethi: “Okabani lo mfanekiso nalo mbhalo oqoshiwe?” Baphendula bathi: “OkaKhesari.” Khona-ke wathi kubo: “Ngakho-ke, buyiselani kuKhesari izinto zikaKhesari, kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 22:15-21) Ukubonisana nabo kalula nje kwakwanele.

Ingabe uJesu wayenawo amancoko? Abanye abafundi bangase bezwe kubahlekisa kancane ukufunda indima lapho uJesu athi kulula ukuba ikamela lichushe embotsheni yenaliti kunokuba isicebi singene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 19:23, 24) Wona kanye umqondo wekamela elizama ukuchusha embotsheni yenaliti yangempela yokuthunga uyihaba. Esinye isibonelo sehaba elinjalo yileso sokubheka umucwana osesweni lomfowenu kodwa ungaluboni ugongolo olukwelakho iso. (Luka 6:41, 42) Ngempela, uJesu wayengahlali enobuso obuhwaqabele. Wayenothando nobungane. KumaKristu namuhla, ukuba namancoko kungadambisa ubuhlungu ezikhathini zokucindezeleka.

Isihe SikaJesu Kwabesifazane

Abesifazane babezizwa kanjani lapho benoJesu? Ngokuqinisekile wayenabalandeli abaningi abathembekile besifazane, kuhlanganise nonina, uMariya. (Luka 8:1-3; 23:55, 56; 24:9, 10) Abesifazane babezizwa bekhululekile ukuya kuJesu kangangokuthi ngesinye isikhathi owesifazane ‘owayaziwa emzini ukuthi uyisoni’ wageza izinyawo zikaJesu ngezinyembezi zakhe wazigcoba ngamafutha anamakha. (Luka 7:37, 38) Omunye wesifazane, okwase kuyiminyaka ehlushwa umopho, wachusha esixukwini efuna ukuthinta ingubo yakhe ukuze elapheke. UJesu waluncoma ukholo lwakhe. (Mathewu 9:20-22) Yebo, abesifazane bamthola engeneka uJesu.

Ngesinye isikhathi, uJesu wakhuluma nowesifazane waseSamariya emthonjeni. Wamangala kangangokuthi wathi: “Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba wena, naphezu kokuba ungumJuda, ucele ukuba ngikuphuzise, ngibe ngingowesifazane ongumSamariya?” Phela, amaJuda ayengadlelani namaSamariya. UJesu wabe esemfundisa iqiniso elimangalisayo mayelana ‘namanzi aphuphumayo ukuze adlulisele ukuphila okuphakade.’ Wayekhululekile kwabesifazane. Wayengazizwa esongelwa.—Johane 4:7-15.

UJesu ukhunjulwa ngezimfanelo zakhe eziningi zokuba nobuntu kanye nomoya wakhe wokuzidela. Wayeyisibonelo esivelele sothando lukaNkulunkulu. UJesu ubabekela isibonelo bonke abafuna ukuba abalandeli bakhe. Usilandela eduze kangakanani isibonelo sakhe?—1 Korinte 13:4-8; 1 Petru 2:21.

Akhunjulwa Ngani AmaKristu Anamuhla?

Ezikhathini zanamuhla, amaKristu amaningi athembekile aye afa, amaningi afa esemadala, amanye esemancane. Kodwa ashiye idumela elihle. Amanye, njengoCrystal, owafa esemdala, akhunjulwa ngokuba kwawo nothando nokuthanda ukuba nabantu. Amanye, njengoDirk, owashona eneminyaka engaba ngu-43 ubudala, akhunjulwa ngokuhlala ejabule nokuba nomoya wokubambisana.

Kukhona nendaba kaJosé waseSpain. Kudala ngawo-1960, ngesikhathi umsebenzi wokushumayela woFakazi BakaJehova uvinjelwe kulelo zwe, uJosé wayeshadile enamadodakazi amathathu asemancane. Wayesebenza kahle eBarcelona. Kodwa ngaleso sikhathi, kwakudingeka abadala abavuthiwe abangamaKristu eningizimu yeSpain. UJosé wayeka umsebenzi wakhe omuhle wathuthela eMálaga nomkhaya wakhe. Kwadingeka babhekane nezikhathi ezinzima zomnotho, ezikhathini eziningi engasebenzi.

Nokho, uJosé wayaziwa ngesibonelo sakhe sokwethembeka futhi kwakungathenjelwa kuye enkonzweni. Wayaziwa nangokukhulisa amadodakazi akhe ngendlela eyisibonelo, akwenza esizwa umkakhe osekelayo, uCarmela. Lapho kudingeka umuntu ozohlela imihlangano yesigodi yamaKristu endaweni, njalo uJosé wayezenza atholakale. Ngeshwa, ngesikhathi eseminyakeni yawo-50 ubudala, wahlatshwa ukugula okubi kakhulu okwabangela ukuba ashone. Nokho, washiya idumela lokuba umdala okungathenjelwa kuye futhi osebenza kanzima nelokuba umyeni nobaba onothando.

Ngakho uyokhunjulwa ngani wena? Ukube ufé izolo, ngabe bathini abantu ngawe namuhla? Lona umbuzo ongase usishukumise sonke ukuba sithuthukise indlela esenza ngayo.

Yini esingayenza ukuze sizakhele idumela elihle? Singathuthuka njalo ekuboniseni izithelo zomoya—ngokwesibonelo, uthando, ukubekezela, umusa, ubumnene nokuzithiba. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Yebo, ngokuqinisekile, “igama [elihle] lingcono kunamafutha amahle, nosuku lokufa lungcono kunosuku lokuzalwa komuntu.”—UmShumayeli 7:1; Mathewu 7:12.

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

U-Abhigayili ukhunjulwa ngokukhalipha kwakhe

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UPetru ukhunjulwa ngokuphendula kwakhe engacabanganga kodwa eqotho

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

UJesu wazinika isikhathi sokunaka abantwana