‘Eyona Inkulu Kwezi Luthando’

“Kungoku ke kuhleli ukholo, ithemba, uthando, ezo zinto zontathu; eyona inkulu ke kuzo apho luthando.”—1 KORINTE 13:13.

 1. Siye sathini isazi ngemekobume yoluntu xa sithetha ngothando?

ESINYE sezona zazi ziphambili ehlabathini ngemekobume yoluntu sakha sathi: “Okokuqala kwimbali ngeendidi zabantu siyaqonda ukuba eyona ntswelo ibalulekileyo kuzo zonke iintswelo ezisisiseko ezingokwengqondo zomntu luthando. Lusisazulu sazo zonke iintswelo zabantu kanye njengokuba ilanga lisisazulu sezijikelezi-langa. . . . Amachiza, umzimba nengqondo yomntwana ongathandwayo yahluke kakhulu kweyomntwana othandwayo. Umntwana ongathandwayo ude akhule ngokwahlukileyo kulowo uthandwayo. Esikwaziyo kukuba umntu uzalelwa ukuba aphile ngokungathi ukuphila nokuthandwa kuyinto enye. Kambe ke, le asiyonto intsha. Oku kukuqinisekiswa kobunyaniso beNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni.”

 2. (a) Umpostile uPawulos wakubonakalisa njani ukubaluleka kothando? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo ngoku efanele iqwalaselwe?

² Ewe, njengokuba le nkcuba-buchopho yehlabathi yatshoyo, le nyaniso engokubaluleka kothando kwimpilo-ntle yabantu asinto intsha. Isenokuba iyaqala ukuqondwa ngamadoda afundileyo ehlabathi, kodwa ibisoloko ikho eLizwini likaThixo ngaphezu kweenkulungwane ezili-19 ezadlulayo. Kungenxa yoko umpostile uPawulos wayenokubhala athi: “Kungoku ke kuhleli ukholo, ithemba, uthando, ezo zinto zontathu; eyona inkulu ke kuzo apho luthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) Ngaba uyasazi isizathu sokuba uthando lube lukhulu kunokholo nethemba? Kutheni kunokuthiwa uthando lolona lubalaseleyo kwiimpawu zikaThixo neziqhamo zomoya wakhe?

Iintlobo Ezine Zothando

 3. Yiyiphi imizekelo engokweZibhalo ekhoyo yothando ngomntu wesini esahlukileyo?

³ Ubuchule babantu bokubonisa uthando bubonakalisa ubulumko nenkxalabo yothando uThixo anayo ngoluntu. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, amaGrike amandulo ayenamagama amane athetha “uthando.” Elinye lalingueʹros, elithetha uthando ngomntu wesini esahlukileyo olunxulumene nomtsalane ongokwesini. Ababhali beZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike abazange babenalo ithuba lokusebenzisa ueʹros, nangona iSeptuagint ilisebenzisa kwiMizekeliso 7:18 nakwisahluko 30:16, yaye kukwakho nezinye iindinyana ezibhekisela kuthando ngomntu wesini esahlukileyo kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere. Ngokomzekelo, sifunda ukuba uIsake “wamthanda” uRebheka. (Genesis 24:67) Umzekelo ophawuleka ngokwenene wolu hlobo lothando ngulowo kaYakobi, ekucaca ukuba wayithanda inzwakazi enguRakeli eqala ukuyibona. Enyanisweni, “uYakobi wakhonza ke iminyaka esixhenxe ngenxa kaRakeli; yanga yimihla embalwa emehlweni akhe, ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.” (Genesis 29:9-11, 17, 20) Kwakhona INgoma yazo iiNgoma ithetha ngothando ngomntu wesini esahlukileyo olwaluphakathi komalusi nentombazana. Kodwa kumele kubekw’ umnwe kwisibakala sokuba olu hlobo lothando, olusenokuba ngumthombo wolwaneliseko novuyo olukhulu, lufanele luboniswe kuphela ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo kaThixo yobulungisa. IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba kuphela kungothando lomfazi otshatwe ngokusemthethweni enokuthi indoda ‘iyotywe.’—IMizekeliso 5:15-20.

 4. Uthando lwentsapho luzekeliswa njani eZibhalweni?

⁴ Kwandule ke kubekho uthando oluqinileyo lwentsapho, okanye uthando lwemvelo olusuka entliziyweni, olusekelwe kulwalamano olungokwegazi, awayebhekisela kulo amaGrike ngegama elithi stor·geʹ. Lulo olwabangela kwakho intetho ethi, “Igazi liyajiya kunamanzi.” Sinomzekelo omhle woku kuthando uMariya nodade wabo uMarta ababenalo ngomntakwabo uLazaro. Isibakala sokuba babemthanda kakhulu sinokubonwa ngendlela abakuzilela kakhulu ngayo ukufa kwakhe okwakungalindelekanga. Yaye hayi indlela abavuya ngayo xa uYesu wambuyisela ebomini uLazaro abamthandayo! (Yohane 11:1-44) Uthando lukamama ngomntwana wakhe lungomnye umzekelo wolu hlobo lothando. (Thelekisa eyoku-1 kwabaseTesalonika 2:7.) Ngaloo ndlela, ukuze abonise indlela olwalulukhulu ngayo uthando lwakhe ngeZiyon, uYehova wathi lwalungaphezulu kwanakolo umama analo ngomntwana wakhe.—Isaya 49:15.

 5. Ukungabikho kothando lwemvelo olusuka entliziyweni kubonakala njani namhlanje?

⁵ Omnye umqondiso wokuba siphila ‘kwimihla yokugqibela enamaxesha anomngcipheko kukungabikho kothando lwemvelo olusuka entliziyweni.’ (2 Timoti 3:1, 3, NW) Ngenxa yokuba uthando lwentsapho lunqongophele, ulutsha oluthile luyawashiya amakhaya, yaye bambi abantwana abasele bekhulile bayabatyeshela abazali babo abalupheleyo. (Thelekisa IMizekeliso 23:22.) Ukunqongophala kothando lwemvelo olusuka entliziyweni kukwabonwa nasekuphathweni kakubi kwabantwana okwesameleyo—bambi abazali bebabetha abantwana babo kangangokuba kufuneke balaliswe esibhedlele. Kwakhona, ukuswela uthando kwabazali kubonakala ekusileleni kwabazali abaninzi ukuqeqesha abantwana babo. Ukuvumela abantwana benze unothanda asikokubonakalisa uthando kodwa kukulandela ikhondo lokuvula zibhuqe. Ubawo obathanda ngokwenene abantwana bakhe uya kubaqeqesha xa kuyimfuneko.—IMizekeliso 13:24; Hebhere 12:5-11.

 6. Nika imizekelo engokweZibhalo yothando olusuka entliziyweni phakathi kwabahlobo?

⁶ Kukwakho ke elinye igama lesiGrike elithi phi·liʹa, elichaza uthando olusuka entliziyweni (olungenantsingiselo engokwesini) noluphakathi kwabahlobo, njengaphakathi kwamadoda okanye abafazi ababini abakhulileyo. Sinomzekelo omhle woku kuthando uDavide noYonatan ababethandana ngalo. Xa uYonatan wabulawa edabini, uDavide wamlilela, esithi: “Ndibandezelekile ngenxa yakho, mzalwana wam Yonatan; ubumnandi kakhulu kum; kubalulekile ukundithanda kwakho ngaphezu kokuthanda komntu oyinkazana.” (2 Samuweli 1:26) Sikwafunda ukuba uKristu wayemthanda ngokukhethekileyo umpostile uYohane, owayesaziwa ngokuba nguloo mfundi “ubethandwa nguYesu.”—Yohane 20:2.

 7. Luhlobo olunjani lothando ua·gaʹpe, yaye luye lwabonakaliswa njani?

⁷ Liliphi igama lesiGrike uPawulos awalisebenzisayo kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:13, apho wakhankanya ukholo, ithemba nothando waza wathi “eyona inkulu ke kuzo apho luthando”? Apha igama elisetyenzisiweyo ngua·gaʹpe, gama elo umpostile uYohane walisebenzisayo xa wathi: “UThixo uluthando.” (1 Yohane 4:8, 16) Olu luthando olukhokelwa okanye olulawulwa ngumgaqo. Lusenokuquka okanye lungaquki uthando olusuka entliziyweni okanye umsantsa othile okhethekileyo, kodwa luyimvo okanye imvakalelo yokungazingci yokufuna ukwenzela abanye okulungileyo zingakhathaliseki iimfaneleko zalowo wenzelwayo okanye naziphi na iingenelo ezisenokufunyanwa ngulowo wenza okulungileyo. Olu hlobo lothando lwabangela uThixo ukuba anikele ngeyona nto ixabisekileyo entliziyweni yakhe, uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, uYesu Kristu, “ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yohane 3:16) Kunjengokuba uPawulos esikhumbuza kakuhle esithi: “Kungangenkankulu ukuthi ubani afele ilungisa; kuba uthi mhlawumbi ubani abe nobuganga bokumfela olungileyo; ke yena uThixo uqondakalisa okwakhe ukusithanda ngokuthi, sakubon’ ukuba sisengaboni, uKristu asifele.” (Roma 5:7, 8) Ewe, ua·gaʹpe uthetha ukwenzela abanye okulungileyo lingakhathaliseki iwonga labo ebomini okanye oko kusenokubandakanyeka kulowo ubonakalisa uthando.

Kutheni Lulukhulu Kunokholo Nethemba?

 8. Kutheni ua·gaʹpe emkhulu kunokholo?

⁸ Kodwa kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos athi olu hlobo lothando (a·gaʹpe) lukhulu kunokholo? Kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:2 wabhala oku: “Ndingafanelana ndinabo nobuprofeto, ndizazi iimfihlelo zonke, ndinako konke ukwazi; ndingafanelana ndinalo lonke ukholo, ngokokude ndisuse iintaba, uthando ke ndingenalo, andinto yanto.” (Thelekisa uMateyu 17:20.) Ewe, ukuba imigudu yethu yokuzuza ulwazi nokukhula elukholweni ibinokuqhutywa yinjongo yokuzingca, oku bekungayi kusizisela zingenelo zivela kuThixo. Ngokufanayo, uYesu wabonisa ukuba abathile babeya ‘kuprofeta egameni lakhe, bakhuphe iidemon egameni lakhe, benze imisebenzi emininzi yamandla egameni lakhe,’ kodwa bengayi kuyifumana inkoloseko yakhe.—Mateyu 7:22, 23.

 9. Kutheni uthando lulukhulu kunethemba?

⁹ Kutheni uhlobo lothando olungua·gaʹpe lukwalukhulu kunethemba? Kungenxa yokuba ithemba lisenokusekelwa kukuzingca, umntu exhalabele ngokuyintloko iingenelo zakhe, ngoxa uthando ‘lungafuni okukokwalo kodwa.’ (1 Korinte 13:4, 5) Ngaphezu koko, ithemba—elinjengelo lokuphila ukutyhubela “imbandezelo enkulu” uze ungene kwihlabathi elitsha—liyaphela xa oko bekulindiwe kuzaliseka. (Mateyu 24:21) Kunjengokuba uPawulos esithi: “Kuba sasindiselwa ethembeni; ke ithemba eliselibonwa asithemba; kuba oko akubonayo umntu, angaba usakuthembeleni na? Ukuba ke sithembe ukuzuza oko singakuboniyo, sikulinda kakhulu, sinomonde.” (Roma 8:24, 25) Uthando lunyamezela iinto zonke, yaye aluze lutshitshe. (1 Korinte 13:7, 8) Ngaloo ndlela, uthando lokungazingci (a·gaʹpe) lukhulu kunokholo okanye ithemba.

Ngaba Lukhulu Kunobulumko, Okusesikweni Namandla?

10. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uthando lolona lukhulu kwiimpawu ezine ezibalulekileyo zikaThixo?

¹⁰ Ngoku makhe siqwalasele iimpawu ezine ezibalulekileyo zikaYehova uThixo: ubulumko, okusesikweni, amandla nothando. Ngaba kukwanokuthiwa uthando lolona lukhulu kwezi? Eneneni kunokutshiwo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uthando lungamandla ashukumisa oko kwenziwa nguThixo. Kungenxa yoko umpostile uYohane wabhala oku: “UThixo uluthando.” Ewe, uYehova uluthando lumntwisiwe. (1 Yohane 4:8, 16) Akukho ndawo eZibhalweni esifunda kuyo ukuba uThixo ububulumko, ukokusesikweni, okanye ungamandla. Kunoko, sixelelwa ukuba uYehova unazo ezi mpawu. (Yobhi 12:13; INdumiso 147:5; Daniyeli 4:37) Kuye ezi mpawu zine zilungelelaniswe ngokugqibeleleyo. Eshukunyiswa luthando, uYehova uyazifeza iinjongo zakhe ngokusebenzisa iimpawu ezintathu ezizezinye.

11. Yintoni eyashukumisela uYehova ukuba adale indalo nezidalwa zomoya nezingabantu?

¹¹ Ngoko ke, yintoni eyashukumisela uYehova ukuba adale indalo nezidalwa ezikrelekrele zomoya nezingabantu? Ngaba yayibubulumko okanye amandla? Hayi, kuba uThixo wasebenzisa ubulumko namandla ekudaleni. Ngokomzekelo, sifunda oku: “UYehova waliseka ihlabathi ngobulumko.” (IMizekeliso 3:19) Ngokubhekele phaya, uphawu lwakhe lokusesikweni aluzange lumbangele ukuba adale izidalwa ezinenkululeko yokuziphatha. Uthando lukaThixo lwamshukumisela ukuba abelane nabanye ngovuyo olubangelwa kukunandipha ubomi. Luthando olwabangela kwabakho indlela yokususa isigwebo esasibekwe kokusesikweni phezu kwabantu ngenxa yesono sika-Adam. (Yohane 3:16) Ewe, yayiluthando olwashukumisela uYehova ukuba abe nenjongo yokuba uluntu oluthobelayo lufanele luphile kwiParadisi eza kubakho emhlabeni.—Luka 23:43, NW.

12. Sifanele sisabele njani kumandla, okusesikweni nothando lukaThixo?

¹² Ngenxa yokuba uThixo enamandla onke, asimele simbangele abe nekhwele. UPawulos wabuza oku: “Siyayikhweletisa na iNkosi? Sinamandla kunayo, yini na?” (1 Korinte 10:22) Kambe ke, uYehova ‘unguThixo onekhwele,’ kungekhona ngengqiqo embi, kodwa ‘ekufuneni uzinikelo olupheleleyo.’ (Eksodus 20:5, NW) NjengamaKristu, siyakhwankqiswa ziindlela ezininzi uThixo abonakalisa ngazo ubulumko bakhe obungaqondekiyo. (Roma 11:33-35) Intlonelo yethu enkulu ngokusesikweni kwakhe ifanele isibangele ukuba sikuphephe ukona ngabom. (Hebhere 10:26-31) Kodwa ngokungathandabuzekiyo uthando lulolona lukhulu kwiimpawu eziyintloko zikaThixo. Yaye luthando lukaYehova lokungazingci olusisondeza kuye luze lusenze sifune ukumkholisa, ukumnqula nokuba nesabelo ekungcwalisweni kwegama lakhe elingcwele.—IMizekeliso 27:11.

Lulolona Lukhulu Kwiziqhamo Zomoya

13. Uthando lumi phi xa luthelekiswa neziqhamo zomoya kaThixo?

¹³ Lumi phi uthando xa kuthelekiswa iziqhamo zomoya kaThixo ezisithoba, ezikhankanywe kwabaseGalati 5:22, 23? Ezi ziqhamo “luthando, uvuyo, uxolo, ukuzeka kade umsindo, ububele, ukulunga, intembeko, ubulali, ukuzeyisa.” Ngokufanelekileyo uPawulos walubeka kwindawo yokuqala uthando. Ngaba uthando lukhulu kunovuyo, uphawu lwesibini alukhankanyayo? Ewe, lukhulu, kuba uvuyo alunakuhlala lukho ngaphandle kothando. Enyanisweni, ihlabathi lizaliswe kukungabi naluvuyo, ngenxa yokuzingca, ukungabikho kothando. Kodwa amaNgqina kaYehova ayathandana, yaye ayamthanda uYise osezulwini. Ngoko sifanele siwalindele ukuba abe novuyo, yaye kwakuxelwe kwangaphambili ukuba ayeya “kumemelela ngokuchwayita kwentliziyo.”—Isaya 65:14.

14. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uthando lukhulu kunesiqhamo somoya esiluxolo?

¹⁴ Uthando lukwalukhulu kunesiqhamo somoya esiluxolo. Ngenxa yokungabikho kothando, ihlabathi lizaliswe lukruthakruthwano nongquzulwano. Kodwa abantu bakaYehova bahlelisene ngoxolo ehlabathini lonke. Kwimeko yabo ayinyaniso amazwi omdumisi athi: “UYehova uya kubasikelela abantu bakhe ngoxolo.” (INdumiso 29:11) Banandipha olu xolo ngenxa yokuba banophawu olufanisa amaKristu okwenyaniso, olulolu, uthando. (Yohane 13:35) Uthando lulodwa lunokubeyisa bonke oothunywashe ababangela iiyantlukwano, enoba zezingokobuhlanga, ezingokobuzwe, okanye ezingokwentlalo. “Luyintambo yogqibelelo.”—Kolose 3:14.

15. Indima ebalaseleyo yothando ibonwa njani xa luthelekiswa nokuzeka kade umsindo okusisiqhamo somoya?

¹⁵ Indima ebalaseleyo yothando ikwabonwa xa luthelekiswa nokuzeka kade umsindo, ukunyamezela ngomonde ububi okanye ukucatshukiswa. Ukuzeka kade umsindo kuthetha ukuba nomonde. Yintoni ebangela ukuba abantu bangabi namonde okanye bacaphuke ngokukhawuleza? Ngaba asikokungabikho kothando? Noko ke, uBawo wethu osemazulwini unomonde yaye ‘unokuzeka kade umsindo.’ (Eksodus 34:6; Luka 18:7) Ngoba? Kuba uyasithanda, yaye ‘akangi kungatshabalala nabani.’—2 Petros 3:9.

16. Lumi phi uthando xa luthelekiswa nobubele, ukulunga, ubulali, nokuzeyisa?

¹⁶ Ngaphambilana sisibonile isizathu sokuba uthando lulukhulu kunokholo, yaye izizathu ezinikelweyo ziyasebenza kwiziqhamo eziseleyo zomoya, oko kukuthi, ububele, ukulunga, ubulali, nokuzeyisa. Zonke ezi ziimpawu eziyimfuneko, kodwa bezingayi kusinceda nganto ngaphandle kothando kwananjengokuba uPawulos waphawulayo kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:3, apho wabhala oku: “Ndingafanelana ndisamkelisa amahlwempu ngempahla yam yonke, nokuba ndithe umzimba wam ndawunikela ukuba utshiswe, uthando ke ndingenalo, akundincedi lutho.” Kwelinye icala, luthando oluvelisa iimpawu ezinjengobubele, ukulunga, ukholo, ubulali nokuzeyisa. Ngaloo ndlela, uPawulos wahlabela mgama wathi uthando lunobubele kwaye “luthwala iinto zonke; lukholwa ziinto zonke; luthemba iinto zonke; lunyamezela iinto zonke.” Ewe, “uthando aluze lutshitshe.” (1 Korinte 13:4, 7, 8) Kubonwe kakuhle ukuba ezinye iziqhamo zomoya ziyimbonakaliso, okanye ziziinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo, zothando, olukhankanywe njengesiqhamo sokuqala. Enyanisweni, kuyacaca ukuba kuzo zonke iziqhamo zomoya ezisithoba, uthando ngokwenene lolona lukhulu.

17. Ngawaphi amazwi angokweZibhalo axhasa isigqibo sokuba uthando lolona lukhulu kwiziqhamo zomoya?

¹⁷ Isigqibo sokuba uthando lolona lukhulu kwiziqhamo zomoya kaThixo sixhaswa ngala mazwi kaPawulos: “Musani ukuba natyala lanto mntwini, lingelilo elokuthandana; kuba omthandayo omnye uzalise umthetho. Kuba . . . umthetho, uhlanganiselwe kweli lizwi lokuthi, Uze umthande ummelwane wakho ngoko uzithanda ngako. Uthando alusebenzi bubi kuye ummelwane; ngoko uthando luyinzaliseko yomthetho.” (Roma 13:8-10) Ngokufanelekileyo ke ngoko, umfundi uYakobi ubhekisela kulo mthetho wokuthanda ummelwane kabani njengoko ubani ezithanda ngokuthi “umthetho wakomkhulu.”—Yakobi 2:8.

18. Bubuphi ubungqina obubhekele phaya obubonisa ukuba uthando lolona phawu lukhulu?

¹⁸ Ngaba kusekho ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba uthando lolona phawu lukhulu? Eneneni, busekho. Qwalasela oko kwenzekayo xa umbhali othile wabuza uYesu oku: “Owona mthetho uphambili kuyo yonke nguwuphi na?” Usenokuba wayelindele ukuba uYesu acaphule omnye weMithetho Elishumi. Kodwa uYesu wacaphula kwiDuteronomi 6:4, 5 waza wathi: “Owona ungaphambili kuyo yonke imithetho ngulo: Yiva, Sirayeli, iNkosi uThixo wethu yiNkosi inye: uze uyithande ke iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nangomphefumlo wakho uphela, nangengqondo yakho iphela, nangamandla akho ephela.” Wandula ke uYesu wongezelela oku: “Nowesibini ufana nawo; nangu: Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengoko uzithanda ngako. Akukho mthetho wumbi mkhulu kunale.”—Marko 12:28-31.

19. Ziziphi ezinye zeziqhamo ezibalaseleyo zika-a·gaʹpe?

¹⁹ Enyanisweni, uPawulos wayengabaxi xa wakhankanya ukholo, ithemba nothando waza wathi: “Eyona inkulu ke kuzo apho luthando.” Ukubonakaliswa kothando kuphumela kulwalamano oluhle noBawo wethu osemazulwini nabanye, kuquka abo basebandleni namalungu eentsapho zethu. Uthando lunomphumo owakhayo kuthi. Yaye inqaku elilandelayo liya kubonisa indlela olunokuba nomvuzo ngayo uthando lokwenyaniso.

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

◻ Uthando lukhulu njani kunokholo nethemba?

◻ Uyintoni ua·gaʹpe, ibe lubonakaliswa njani olo hlobo lothando?

◻ Kutheni uthando lulolona lukhulu kwiimpawu ezine nezibalaseleyo zikaThixo?

◻ Kungaziphi iindlela uthando olulukhulu ngazo kunezinye iziqhamo zomoya?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

Uthando lwashukumisela uThixo ukuba adale uluntu ukuze luphile kwiparadisi yasemhlabeni. Ngaba unethemba lokuba lapho?