Siyashushiswa Nokho Siyajabula
“Niyajabula lapho abantu benihlambalaza, benishushisa futhi besho yonke inhlobo yento embi ngani, beniqambela amanga ngenxa yami.”—MATHEWU 5:11.
1. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso uJesu asinikeza abalandeli bakhe mayelana nenjabulo noshushiso?
NGESIKHATHI uJesu eqala ukuthuma abaphostoli bakhe ukuba bayoshumayela ngoMbuso, wabaxwayisa ngokuthi babezophikiswa. Wabatshela: “Niyoba yizinto zokuzondwa abantu bonke ngenxa yegama lami.” (Mathewu 10:5-18, 22) Kodwa ngaphambi kwalokho, eNtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, wanikeza abaphostoli bakhe nabanye abantu isiqinisekiso sokuthi loko kuphikiswa kwakungeke ngempela kuyiqede injabulo abayizwa ngaphakathi. Eqinisweni, uJesu waze wahlobanisa ukujabula kwamaKristu nokushushiswa kwawo! Ushushiso lungayiletha kanjani injabulo?
Ukuhlupheka Ngenxa Yokulunga
2. NgokukaJesu nomphostoli uPetru, hlobo luni lokuhlupheka oluletha injabulo?
2 Isizathu sika-8 sokujabula esashiwo uJesu yilesi: “Bayajabula abaye bashushiswa ngenxa yokulunga, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ungowabo.” (Mathewu 5:10) Ukuhlupheka kukodwa nje akumnandi. Umphostoli uPetru waloba: “Kunabuhle buni uma, lapho nona futhi nishaywa ngezimpama, nikukhuthazelela? Kodwa uma, lapho nenza okuhle futhi nihlupheka, nikukhuthazelela, lokhu kuyinto enhle kuNkulunkulu.” Wabuye wathi: “Nokho, makungabikho noyedwa kini ohlupheka ngoba engumbulali noma eyisela noma engumenzi wokubi noma ngoba engugaxekile ezindabeni zabanye abantu. Kodwa uma ehlupheka ngoba engumKristu, makangabi namahloni, kodwa makaqhubeke ekhazimulisa uNkulunkulu kuleli gama.” (1 Petru 2:20; 4:15, 16) Ngokwamazwi kaJesu, ukuhlupheka kuletha injabulo uma kukhuthazelelwa ngenxa yokulunga.
3. (a) Kusho ukuthini ukushushiswa ngenxa yokulunga? (b) Ushushiso lwawathinta kanjani amaKristu okuqala?
3 Ukulunga kweqiniso kubonakala ngokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu nemiyalo yakhe. Ngakho-ke, ukuhlupheka ngenxa yokulunga kusho ukuhlupheka ngoba umuntu elwa nokucindezela kokweqa izindinganiso noma izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu. Abaphostoli bashushiswa abaholi bamaJuda ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuyeka ukushumayela egameni likaJesu. (IzEnzo 4:18-20; 5:27-29, 40) Ingabe lokhu kwayinciphisa intokozo yabo noma kwamisa ukushumayela kwabo? Nakancane! “Basuka phambi kweSanhedrini bejabula, ngoba bebalwe njengabakufanelekele ukuhlaziswa ngenxa yegama lakhe. Nsuku zonke ethempelini nasendlini ngendlu baqhubeka ngaphandle kokuyekethisa, befundisa futhi bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu, uJesu.” (IzEnzo 5:41, 42) Lolu shushiso lwabanikeza intokozo futhi lwavuselela intshiseko yabo emsebenzini wokushumayela. Kamuva, amaKristu okuqala ashushiswa amaRoma ngoba enqaba ukukhulekela umbusi.
4. Yiziphi ezinye zezizathu zokushushiswa kwamaKristu?
4 Ezikhathini zanamuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bashushiswa ngoba benqaba ukuyeka ukushumayela “lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso.” (Mathewu 24:14) Lapho imihlangano yabo yobuKristu ivalwa, bancamela ukuhlupheka kunokuba bayeke ukubuthana ndawonye njengoba iBhayibheli liyala. (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Baye bashushiswa ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi kwabo kobuKristu noma ngenxa yokwenqaba ukusebenzisa kabi igazi. (Johane 17:14; IzEnzo 15:28, 29) Noma kunjalo, ukumela ukulunga ngale ndlela kunikeza abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla okukhulu ukuthula nenjabulo yangaphakathi.—1 Petru 3:14.
Siyahlanjalazwa Ngenxa KaKristu
5. Yisiphi isizathu esiyinhloko sokushushiswa kwabantu bakaJehova namuhla?
5 Isizathu sika-9 sokujabula esashiwo uJesu eNtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni naso sikhuluma ngendaba yokushushiswa. Wathi: “Niyajabula lapho abantu benihlambalaza, benishushisa futhi besho yonke inhlobo yento embi ngani, beniqambela amanga ngenxa yami.” (Mathewu 5:11) Isizathu esiyinhloko sokushushiswa kwabantu bakaJehova ukuthi abayona ingxenye yalesi simiso sezinto esonakele samanje. UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Uma beniyingxenye yezwe, izwe belizothanda okungokwalo. Manje ngenxa yokuthi aniyona ingxenye yezwe, kodwa nginikhethile kuleli zwe, ngenxa yalokhu izwe liyanizonda.” (Johane 15:19) Umphostoli uPetru naye wathi: “Ngenxa yokuthi aniqhubeki nigijima nabo kule nkambo eyisa echibini elifanayo eliphansi lokuzitika ngamanyala, bayakhungatheka futhi baqhubeke benihlambalaza.”—1 Petru 4:4.
6. (a) Kungani insali nabangane bayo behlanjalazwa futhi beshushiswa? (b) Ingabe lokho kuhlanjalazwa kuyayinciphisa injabulo yethu?
6 Sesibonile ukuthi amaKristu okuqala ashushiswa ngoba ayenqaba ukuyeka ukushumayela ngegama likaJesu. UKristu wathuma abalandeli bakhe: “Nizoba ofakazi bami . . . ezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.” (IzEnzo 1:8) Insali ethembekile yabafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe, ilekelelwa abangane bayo abaqotho ‘besixuku esikhulu,’ iwenze ngentshiseko lowo msebenzi ewuthunyiwe. (IsAmbulo 7:9) Ngakho-ke, uSathane ulwa “nabaseleyo benzalo yakhe [inzalo ‘yowesifazane,’ ingxenye yasezulwini yenhlangano kaNkulunkulu], abagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu futhi benomsebenzi wokufakaza ngoJesu.” (IsAmbulo 12:9, 17) NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, sifakazela uJesu obusayo manje njengeNkosi kahulumeni woMbuso oyobhuqa ohulumeni babantu abavimbele izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga. (Daniyeli 2:44; 2 Petru 3:13) Ngenxa yalokhu siyahlanjalazwa sishushiswe, kodwa kuyasijabulisa ukuhlupheka ngenxa yegama likaKristu.—1 Petru 4:14.
7, 8. Abaphikisi baqamba amanga bathini ngamaKristu okuqala?
7 UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe kufanele bajabule ngisho nalapho abantu ‘besho yonke inhlobo yento embi, bebaqambela amanga’ ngenxa yakhe. (Mathewu 5:11) Kwenzeka ngempela lokhu kumaKristu okuqala. Lapho umphostoli uPawulu eboshiwe eRoma, cishe ngo-59-61 C.E., abaholi bamaJuda lapho bathi ngamaKristu: “Ngempela ngokuqondene naleli hlelo siyazi ukuthi kukhulunywa kabi ngalo kuyo yonke indawo.” (IzEnzo 28:22) UPawulu noSila baqanjelwa amanga kwathiwa ‘bayaluzise umhlaba owakhiwe,’ benza “ngokuphikisana nezinqumo zikaKhesari.”—IzEnzo 17:6, 7.
8 Lapho sibhala ngamaKristu ngesikhathi soMbuso WamaRoma, isazimlando uK. S. Latourette sathi: “Kuningi ayeqanjelwa amanga ngakho. Ngenxa yokuthi amaKristu ayenqaba ukuhlanganyela emigidini yamaqaba kwakuthiwa awakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Ngokungangeni kwawo ezintweni eziningi zomphakathi—imicimbi yamaqaba, imidlalo yabantu bonke . . .—ayedelelwa kuthiwa azonda uhlanga lwesintu. . . . Kwakuthiwa abesilisa nabesifazane babeba ndawonye ebusuku . . . bese beziphatha kabi ngokobulili. . . . Ngenxa yokuthi [iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu] sasigujwa amakholwa wodwa kwaqala amahebezi athi njalo nje amaKristu enza umhlatshelo ngosana bese ephuza igazi lalo adle nenyama yalo.” Kanti okunye ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi amaKristu okuqala ayenqaba ukukhulekela umbusi, ayeqanjelwa amanga kuthiwa ayizitha zoMbuso.
9. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala asabela kanjani ekuqanjelweni amanga, futhi sinjani isimo namuhla?
9 Loko kuqanjelwa amanga akuzange kuwathiye amaKristu okuqala ukuba enze umsebenzi ayewuthunyiwe wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Ngo-60-61 C.E., uPawulu wakwazi ukukhuluma ‘ngezindaba ezinhle ezazithela izithelo futhi zanda ezweni lonke nezasezishunyayelwe kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.’ (Kolose 1:5, 6, 23) Kwenzeka okufanayo nanamuhla. OFakazi BakaJehova baqanjelwa amanga njengoba nje kwakunjalo ngamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala. Yize kunjalo, umsebenzi wokushumayela isigijimi soMbuso namuhla uyachuma futhi labo abawenzayo ubanikeza enkulu injabulo.
Siyakujabulela Ukushushiswa Njengabaprofethi
10, 11. (a) UJesu wayiphetha kanjani ingxoxo yakhe yesizathu sika-9 sokujabula? (b) Bashushiselwani abaprofethi? Nikeza izibonelo.
10 Lapho uJesu eqeda ukukhulumela isizathu sika-9 sokujabula wathi: “Jabulani . . . , ngoba babashushisa ngaleyo ndlela abaprofethi ngaphambi kwenu.” (Mathewu 5:12) Abaprofethi abathunywa uJehova ukuba bayoxwayisa u-Israyeli ongathembekile bamukelwa kabi futhi babevame ukushushiswa. (Jeremiya 7:25, 26) Umphostoli uPawulu walifakazela leli qiniso, waloba: “Yikuphi okunye engingakusho? Ngoba isikhathi sizongishiya uma ngiqhubeka ngilandisa . . . [ngabanye] abaprofethi, okwathi ngokholo . . . bathola ukulingwa ngokuhlekwa usulu nangokubhaxabulwa, impela, bathola okungaphezu kwalokho, ngezibopho nangamatilongo.”—Hebheru 11:32-38.
11 Ngesikhathi kubusa inkosi embi u-Ahabi nomkakhe, uJezebeli, baningi abaprofethi bakaJehova ababulawa ngenkemba. (1 AmaKhosi 18:4, 13; 19:10) Umprofethi uJeremiya wafakwa esitokisini, kamuva waphonswa emgodini onodaka. (Jeremiya 20:1, 2; 38:6) Umprofethi uDaniyeli waphonswa emgodini wezingonyama. (Daniyeli 6:16, 17) Bonke laba baprofethi bangaphambi kobuKristu bashushiswa ngoba bavikela ukukhulekela okumsulwa kukaJehova. Abaprofethi abaningi bashushiswa abaholi benkolo bamaJuda. UJesu wabiza ababhali nabaFarisi “ngamadodana alabo ababulala abaprofethi.”—Mathewu 23:31.
12. Kungani thina njengoFakazi BakaJehova sikubheka njengelungelo ukushushiswa njengabaprofethi basendulo?
12 Namuhla, thina njengoFakazi BakaJehova ngokuvamile sishushiswa ngoba siyakushisekela ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Izitha zethu zisiqambela amanga zithi “siguqula abantu ngendluzula,” kodwa siyazi ukuthi abakhulekeli bakaJehova abathembekile ngaphambi kwethu bagxekwa ngendlela efanayo. (Jeremiya 11:21; 20:8, 11) Sikubheka njengelungelo ukuhlupheka ngesizathu abahlupheka ngaso abaprofethi abathembekile basendulo. Umfundi uJakobe waloba: “Bazalwane, thathani abaprofethi abakhuluma egameni likaJehova njengesibonelo sokukhuthazela ngaphansi kokubi nokubekezela. Bhekani! Sithi bayajabula labo abaye bakhuthazela.”—Jakobe 5:10, 11.
Izizathu Ezinohlonze Zokujabula
13. (a) Kungani lungasidikibalisi ushushiso? (b) Yini esenza sikwazi ukuma siqine, futhi lokhu kuwubufakazi bani?
13 Kunokuba sidikibaliswe ushushiso, siduduzwa ukwazi ukuthi silandela ezinyathelweni zabaprofethi, zamaKristu okuqala nezikaKristu Jesu uqobo lwakhe. (1 Petru 2:21) Sithola ukwaneliseka okujulile emiBhalweni, njengala mazwi alandelayo omphostoli uPetru: “Bathandekayo, ningakhungathekiswa ukusha enikuzwayo, okwenzeka kini ngenjongo yokunivivinya, njengokungathi nehlelwa yinto eyinqaba. Uma nihlanjalazwa ngenxa yegama likaKristu, niyajabula, ngoba umoya wenkazimulo, yebo, umoya kaNkulunkulu, uhlezi phezu kwenu.” (1 Petru 4:12, 14) Sazi kokwenzeke kithi ukuthi sikwazi ukuma siqine uma sishushiswa ngenxa nje yokuthi umoya kaJehova uhlezi phezu kwethu futhi uyasiqinisa. Ukusekelwa umoya ongcwele kuwubufakazi bokuthi isibusiso sikaJehova siphezu kwethu, nalokhu futhi kusinikeza injabulo enkulu.—IHubo 5:12; Filipi 1:27-29.
14. Sinaziphi izizathu zokuthokoza nakuba sishushiswa ngenxa yokulunga?
14 Esinye isizathu sokuba ukuphikiswa nokushushiswa ngenxa yokulunga kusijabulise ukuthi kufakazela ukuthi siphila njengamaKristu eqiniso anokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kanye noKristu Jesu nabo futhi bayoshushiswa.” (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Asive sijabula ngokwazi ukuthi ukugcina ubuqotho bethu lapho sivivinywa kuyaqhubeka kunikeza impendulo enseleleni kaSathane yokuthi zonke izidalwa zikaJehova zimkhonza ngenxa yobugovu. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:3, 4) Kuyasithokozisa ukuthi sineqhaza ekulweleni ukubusa kukaJehova okulungile, lilincane linjalo.—IzAga 27:11.
Gxumagxuma Ngenjabulo Ngenxa Yomvuzo
15, 16. (a) UJesu wathi kungani kufanele ‘sigxumagxume ngenjabulo’? (b) Yimuphi umvuzo amaKristu agcotshiwe awugcinelwe emazulwini, futhi abangane bawo ‘bezinye izimvu’ bayovuzwa kanjani?
15 UJesu wanikeza esinye isizathu sokujabula nakuba siqanjelwa amanga futhi sishushiswa njengabaprofethi basendulo. Ngasekugcineni kwesizathu sika-9 sokujabula, wathi: “Jabulani nigxumagxume ngenjabulo, ngoba umvuzo wenu mkhulu emazulwini.” (Mathewu 5:12) Umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Inkokhelo yesono ngukufa, kodwa isipho uNkulunkulu asinikezayo ngukuphila okuphakade ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” (Roma 6:23) Yebo, ‘umvuzo omkhulu’ uwukuphila futhi akuyona inkokhelo esingazenza siyifanelekele. Kuyisipho sesihle. UJesu wathi umvuzo ‘usemazulwini’ ngoba uvela kuJehova.
16 Abagcotshiwe bathola “umqhele wokuphila,” ukuphila okungenakufa noKristu ezulwini. (Jakobe 1:12, 17) Abanethemba lasemhlabeni, “ezinye izimvu,” babheke phambili ekutholeni ifa eliwukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 21:3-5) Zombili lezi zigaba azinakuzenza ziwufanelekele lo “mvuzo.” Kokubili abagcotshiwe ‘nezinye izimvu’ bathola umvuzo wabo ngenxa “yomusa” kaJehova “ongafanelwe odlulele,” owashukumisa umphostoli uPawulu ukuba athi: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu ngesipho sakhe sesihle esingachazeki.”—2 Korinte 9:14, 15.
17. Kungani sijabula lapho sishushiswa futhi ‘sigxumagxume ngenjabulo’ ngokomfanekiso?
17 Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu, amanye awo ayesezoshushiswa ngesihluku uMbusi uNero: “Masethabe lapho sisezinsizini, njengoba sazi ukuthi usizi luveza ukukhuthazela; ukukhuthazela kona kuveza ukwamukeleka; ukwamukeleka kuveza ithemba, futhi ithemba aliholeli ekudumazekeni.” Wabuye wathi: “Jabulani ethembeni. Khuthazelani osizini.” (Roma 5:3-5; 12:12) Noma ngabe ithemba lethu elasezulwini noma emhlabeni, umvuzo wethu wokwethembeka uma sivivinywa mkhulu ngendlela engenakulinganiswa kunanoma yini okufanele siyithole. Injabulo yethu ebangelwa ithemba lokuphila phakade sikhonza futhi sidumisa uBaba wethu onothando, uJehova, ngaphansi kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ayinamkhawulo. Ngokomfanekiso, ‘siyagxumagxuma ngenjabulo.’
18. Yini esingalindela ukuba izizwe ziyenze njengoba ukuphela kusondela, futhi yini uJehova ayoyenza?
18 Emazweni athile, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bashushiswa futhi basashushiswa namanje. Esiprofethweni sakhe sesiphelo sesimiso sezinto, uJesu waxwayisa amaKristu eqiniso: “Niyoba yizinto zokuzondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yegama lami.” (Mathewu 24:9) Njengoba sisondela ekupheleni, uSathane uzokwenza izizwe zibonise inzondo yazo ngabantu bakaJehova. (Hezekeli 38:10-12, 14-16) Loko kuyoba uphawu lokuba uJehova enze okuthile. “Ngokuqinisekile ngiyozikhulisa ngizingcwelise ngizenze ngaziwe phambi kwamehlo ezizwe eziningi; ziyokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova.” (Hezekeli 38:23) Ngokwenza kanjalo uJehova uyongcwelisa igama lakhe elikhulu, akhulule abantu bakhe ekushushisweni. Ngakho-ke, ‘uyajabula umuntu oqhubeka ekhuthazela.’—Jakobe 1:12.
19. Njengoba sisalinde ‘usuku lukaJehova’ olukhulu, yini okufanele siyenze?
19 Njengoba lolo “suku lukaJehova” olukhulu lulokhu lusondela, masethabe ngoba ‘sibalwe njengabakufanelekele ukuhlaziswa’ ngenxa yegama likaJesu. (2 Petru 3:10-13; IzEnzo 5:41) NjengamaKristu okuqala, sengathi singaqhubeka ‘ngaphandle kokuyekethisa sifundisa futhi simemezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu’ nohulumeni woMbuso wakhe njengoba sisalinde umvuzo wethu ezweni likaJehova elisha lokulunga.—IzEnzo 5:42; Jakobe 5:11.
Sesiyabukeza
• Kusho ukuthini ukuhlupheka ngenxa yokulunga?
• Ushushiso lwawathinta kanjani amaKristu okuqala?
• Kungani kungathiwa oFakazi BakaJehova bashushiswa njengabaprofethi basendulo?
• Kungani ‘singajabula futhi sigxumagxume ngenjabulo’ lapho sishushiswa?
[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
“Niyajabula lapho abantu benihlambalaza, benishushisa”
[Umthombo]
Group in prison: Chicago Herald-American