Umzekelo Wabasebenzi Kwintsimi Yeediliya

UYesu usandokuxelela abantu abammameleyo ePereya ukuba abantu “abaninzi abangabokuqala baza kuba ngabokugqibela baze abokugqibela babe ngabokuqala.” (Mateyu 19:30) Uyicacisa le nto ngokwenza umzekelo wabantu abasebenza kwintsimi yeediliya, uthi:

“UBukumkani bamazulu bufana nomninimzi owahamba ekuseni eyokuqesha abantu bokusebenza kwintsimi yakhe yeediliya. Emva kokuba bevumelene ukuba uza kubabhatala idenariyo ngosuku, wabathumela kuloo ntsimi. Waphinda waphuma malunga nentsimbi yesithoba kusasa, wabona abanye bemi kwindawo ekuthengiswa kuyo, bedinga umsebenzi; wathi kubo, ‘Nani yiyani kwintsimi yam yeediliya, yaye ndiza kunibhatala nantoni na enifaneleyo.’ Bahamba ke abo bantu. Waphinda waphuma malunga nentsimbi ka-12 emini nangeyesithathu emva kwemini eyokuqesha abanye abantu. Emalanga waphinda waphuma, malunga nentsimbi yesihlanu emva kwemini, wafika kukho abanye abantu apho, wathi kubo, ‘Kutheni nimi apha imini yonke ningasebenzi?’ Bathi kuye, ‘Kuba akukho mntu usiqeshileyo.’ Wathi kubo, ‘Nani yiyani kwintsimi yam yeediliya.’”​—Mateyu 20:1-7.

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abantu abamamele uYesu bacinga ngoYehova uThixo xa kuthethwa ‘ngoBukumkani bamazulu’ “nomninimzi.” IZibhalo zimchaza uYehova njengomphathi wentsimi yeediliya, ize intsimi ibe sisizwe sakwaSirayeli. (INdumiso 80:8, 9; Isaya 5:3, 4) Abo baphantsi kwesivumelwano soMthetho, bona bafaniswa nabasebenzi kwintsimi yeediliya. Kodwa uYesu akenzi umzekelo wento eyenzeka kudala. Ubalisa ngento eyenzeka ngexesha lakhe.

Iinkokheli zenkonzo yamaYuda njengabaFarisi, abasandokubuza uYesu ngedivosi kuba bemvavanya, kubonakala ngathi baqhubeka beyenza imisebenzi kaThixo. Bafana nabasebenzi abasebenza imini yonke, abalindele ukuba babhatalwe idenariyo ebhatalwa umntu osebenze usuku lonke.

Ababingeleli nezinye iinkokheli zenkonzo yamaYuda zithi amanye amaYuda aqhelekileyo awamkhonzi kakuhle uThixo, amkhonza njengabasebenzi abafike mva kwintsimi yeediliya kaThixo. Kumzekelo kaYesu, aba bantu ngaba baqeshwe “malunga nentsimbi yesithoba kusasa” (9:00 a.m.), okanye ngentsimbi ka-12 emini, ngeyesithathu emva kwemini nangentsimbi yesihlanu emva kwemini (5:00 p.m.).

Amadoda nabafazi abalandela uYesu kuthiwa ngabantu ‘abaqalekisiweyo.’ (Yohane 7:49) Ixesha elininzi kubomi babo, bebengabalobi okanye besenza eminye imisebenzi. Ekupheleni kuka-29 C.E., “umnikazi wentsimi” uye wathuma uYesu ukuba abize aba bantu ukuze basebenzele uThixo njengabafundi bakaKristu. ‘Bangabokugqibela,’ njengokuba uYesu ebekhe watsho, ibe baqale ukusebenza ngentsimbi yesihlanu emva kwemini.

UYesu ugqibezela umzekelo wakhe ngokuchaza into eyenzekayo xa kuphela usuku lomsebenzi, uthi: “Kwathi kwakuhlwa, umnikazi wentsimi wathi kwindoda ephetheyo, ‘Biza abasebenzi, ubabhatale, uqale ngabafike mva uze ugqibele ngabafike kuqala.’ Beza ke abo babeqeshwe ngentsimbi yesihlanu emva kwemini, ngamnye wabhatalwa idenariyo. Beza nabo babeqeshwe kuqala, becinga ukuba baza kubhatalwa ngaphezu kwabanye, kodwa nabo babhatalwa idenariyo. Bathi bakuyifumana, bakhalaza kumninimzi besithi, ‘La madoda afike mva asebenze iyure nje enye; kodwa abhatalwe imali elingana neyethu, kanti thina sisebenze nzima imini yonke sitshiswa lilanga!’ Kodwa wamphendula omnye wabo wathi, ‘Mfondini, andikuqhathanga nganto. Andithi besivumelene ngedenariyo? Thatha umvuzo wakho, uhambe. Ndifuna ukubanika umvuzo ofana nowakho naba bafike mva. Andinalungelo lokwenza into endiyithandayo na ngezinto zam? Okanye unomona kuba ndilungile?’ Ngale ndlela, abo bokugqibela baya kuba ngabokuqala, baze abo bokuqala babe ngabokugqibela.”​—Mateyu 20:8-16.

Inoba abafundi bakaYesu bayazibuza ukuba ithetha ukuthini le ndawo yokugqibela kulo mzekelo. Iinkokheli zenkonzo yamaYuda ezicinga ukuba ‘zingabokuqala’ ziza kuba ngabo njani ‘abokugqibela’? Abafundi bakaYesu bona baza kuba ngabo njani ‘abokuqala’?

Abafundi bakaYesu abajongwa ngabaFarisi ‘njengabokugqibela’ baza kuba “ngabokuqala,” babhatalwe imali yomntu osebenze usuku lonke. Xa uYesu esifa, isizwe sakwaSirayeli siza kushiywa aze uThixo akhethe isizwe esitsha, “uSirayeli kaThixo.” (Galati 6:16; Mateyu 23:38) UYohane umBhaptizi wathetha ngabo baza kuba nguSirayeli kaThixo xa wayethetha ngokubhaptizwa ngomoya oyingcwele. Abo ‘bangabokugqibela’ baza kuba ngabokuqala ukubhaptizwa ngomoya oyingcwele baze bafumane inyhweba yokungqinela uYesu “nakwezona ndawo zikude emhlabeni.” (IZenzo 1:5, 8; Mateyu 3:11) Xa abafundi bakaYesu beyiqonda le nto uYesu ayithethayo, baze baqonde indlela izinto eziza kutshintsha ngayo, baza kubona ukuba iinkokheli zenkonzo yamaYuda eziza kuba “ngabokugqibela,” ziza kubacaphukela.