Uthando (Agape)—Oko Lungekuko Noko Lukuko
“Nongezelele . . . kumsa wenu wobuzalwana uthando.”—2 PETROS 1:5, 7, NW.
1. (a) Luluphi uphawu iBhayibhile elubalaselisayo? (b) Ngawaphi amagama amane esiGrike adla ngokuguqulelwa ngokuthi “uthando,” ibe liliphi elo kubhekiselwa kulo kweyoku-1 kaYohane 4:8?
UKUBA kukho uphawu okanye inkalo ebalaseliswa kakhulu liLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile, olo phawu luthando. KwisiGrike, ulwimi ezabhalwa ngalo ntlandlolo iZibhalo zamaKristu, kukho amagama amane adla ngokuguqulelwa ngokuthi “uthando.” Uthando esixubusha ngalo ngoku asilulo olo lungueʹros (igama elingekhoyo kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike), olusekelwe kumtsalane wesini; ingelulo nolo lungustor·geʹ, imvakalelo esekelwe kulwalamano lwegazi; ingelulo nolunguphi·liʹa, uthando lobuhlobo obufudumeleyo olusekelwe kwintlonelo yomnye komnye, ekuthethwe ngalo kwinqaku elandulelayo. Kunoko, ngua·gaʹpe—uthando olusekelwe kumgaqo, ekusenokuthiwa lisisithetha-ntonye nokungazingci, uthando umpostile uYohane awayebhekisela kulo xa wathi: “UThixo uluthando.”—1 Yohane 4:8.
2. Kuye kwathiwani ngothando (a·gaʹpe)?
2 Ngokuphathelele olu thando (a·gaʹpe), uNjingalwazi William Barclay kwiNew Testament Words yakhe uthi: “Uagapē unento yokwenza nengqondo: asiyomvakalelo nje ezivelelayo ezintliziyweni zethu [njengoko kusenokuba njalo ngophi·liʹa]; ngumgaqo esikunyamekelayo ukuba siphile ngawo. Okubalaseleyo kukuba uagapē unento yokwenza nentando. Kukuphumelela, uloyiso nokufikelela usukelo. Akukho bani wakhe ngokuzenzekelayo wazithanda iintshaba zakhe. Ukuthanda iintshaba zikabani kukoyisa lonke utyekelo neemvakalelo zethu zemvelo. Enyanisweni lo agapē . . . ngamandla okuthanda oko kungathandekiyo, ukuthanda abantu esingabacacelanga.”
3. UYesu Kristu noPawulos balugxininisa njani uthando?
3 Ewe, phakathi kwezinto ezahlula unqulo olunyulu lukaYehova uThixo kuzo zonke ezinye iintlobo zonqulo kukugxininisa kwalo kolu hlobo lothando. Ngokufanelekileyo uYesu Kristu wachaza le mithetho mibini iyeyona ibalaseleyo: “Owona ungaphambili ngulo: . . . Uze uyithande ke iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nangomphefumlo wakho uphela, nangengqondo yakho iphela, nangamandla akho ephela. Nowesibini ufana nawo; nangu: Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengoko uzithanda ngako. Akukho mthetho wumbi mkhulu kunale.” (Marko 12:29-31) Umpostile uPawulos wagxininisa ngendlela efanayo eluthandweni kwisahluko 13 seyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte. Emva kokubethelela ukuba uthando yayiluphawu olubalaseleyo noluyimfuneko, waqukumbela ngokuthi: “Kungoku ke kuhleli ukholo, ithemba, uthando, ezo zinto zontathu; eyona inkulu ke kuzo apho luthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) Ngokufanelekileyo uYesu wathi uthando lwaluya kuba luphawu olufanisa abalandeli bakhe.—Yohane 13:35.
Izinto Uthando Olungezizo
4. Zingaphi iinkalo ezimbi yaye zingaphi ezintle zothando uPawulos azikhankanyayo kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:4-8?
4 Kuye kwathiwa kulula ngakumbi ukuchaza oko lungekuko uthando kunokuchaza oko lukuko. Kukho ubunyaniso obuthile koko, kuba umpostile uPawulos kwisahluko athetha kuso ngothando, eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13, kwindinyana 4 kuse kweyesi-8, ukhankanya izinto ezisithoba uthando olungezizo nezinto ezisixhenxe oluzizo.
5. “Ikhwele” lichazwa njani, yaye lisetyenziswa njani ngengqiqo entle eZibhalweni?
5 Into yokuqala uPawulos athi uthando aluyiyo uthi “alunakhwele.” (NW) Kufuneka khe kucaciswe kancinane oko ngenxa yokuba kukho iinkalo ezintle nezimbi zekhwele. Isichazi-magama sichaza “ukuba nekhwele” ngokuthi “ukunganyamezeli usukuzwano” nangokuthi “ukufuna uzinikelo olupheleleyo.” Ngenxa yoko, kwiEksodus 34:14 uMoses wathi: “Akusayi kunqula thixo wumbi; kuba uYehova nguKhwele, igama lakhe, nguThixo onekhwele.” KwiEksodus 20:5, uYehova uthi: “Mna, Yehova Thixo wakho, ndinguThixo onekhwele [“ofuna uzinikelo olupheleleyo,” NW].” Ngokufanayo, umpostile uPawulos wabhala oku: “Ndiyanikhweletisa ngekhwele likaThixo.”—2 Korinte 11:2.
6. Yiyiphi imizekelo yeZibhalo ebonisa isizathu sokuba uthando lungenakhwele?
6 Noko ke, ngokuqhelekileyo, “ikhwele” linengcamango yobubi, ngenxa yeso sizathu ke lidweliswe kwimisebenzi yenyama kumaGalati 5:20. Ewe, ikhwele elinjalo lelokuzingca yaye libangela intiyo, ibe intiyo sisichasi sothando. Ikhwele labangela uKayin ukuba amthiye uAbheli ukusa kwinqanaba lokuba ambulale, yaye labangela abantakwabo Yosefu ngoyise abalishumi ukuba bamthiye ukusa kwinqanaba lokufuna ukumbulala. Uthando aluthi ngenxa yekhwele lubamonele abanye ngezinto abanazo okanye iingenelo abazifumanayo, njengoko uKumkani uAhabhi ngekhwele wammonelayo uNabhoti ngesidiliya sakhe.—1 Kumkani 21:1-19.
7. (a) Sisiphi isiganeko esibonisa ukuba uYehova akakholiswa kukugwagwisa? (b) Kutheni uthando lungagwagwisi nangenxa yokuswela ukucinga?
7 Ngokulandelayo uPawulos usixelela ukuba uthando “alugwagwisi.” Ukugwagwisa kuntama ukungabi naluthando, kuba kubangela ubani azibeke kwisikhundla esingaphezu kweso sabanye. UYehova akakholiswa ngabo bazigwagwisayo, njengoko kunokubonwa kwindlela awamthoba ngayo uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare xa wazigwagwisayo. (Daniyeli 4:30-35) Ngokufuthi ukugwagwisa kubangelwa kukuswela ukucinga ngenxa yokuba ubani ekholiswa ngokugqithiseleyo koko akufikeleleyo yena okanye izinto anazo. Bambi basenokutyekela ekuqhayiseni ngempumelelo yabo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu. Abanye bafana nomdala owaziva enyanzelekile ukuba atsalele abahlobo bakhe umnxeba ebaxelela ukuba uthenge inqwelo-mafutha entsha ebiza phantse ii-R150 000. Konke oko kukungabi naluthando kuba kwenza lowo ugwagwisayo abonakale engowongamileyo kunabo baphulaphuleyo.
8. (a) Sisiphi isimo sengqondo anaso uYehova ngakwabo bakhukhumeleyo? (b) Kutheni uthando lungaziphathi ngaloo ndlela?
8 Sandula ke sixelelwe ukuba uthando “alukhukhumali.” Umntu okhukhumeleyo, okanye onekratshi, ngokungenaluthando uziphakamisa ngaphezu kwabanye. Isimo sengqondo esinjalo sibonisa ukuswela ubulumko kakhulu kuba “uThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, abababale abazithobileyo.” (Yakobi 4:6) Uthando lusebenza ngendlela nje echasene noko; lubagqala abanye njengabongamileyo. UPawulos wabhala oku kweyabaseFilipi 2:2, 3: “Luzaliseni uvuyo lwam, ukuze nicinge nto-nye, ninaluthando lunye, ninamphefumlo mnye, nicinga nto-nye; ningenzi nanye into ngokweyelenqe, nangokozuko olulambathayo. Yithini ngokuthobeka kwentliziyo omnye ambalele omnye ekuthini nguyena wongamileyo kunaye.” Isimo sengqondo esinjalo senza abanye bazive bekhululekile, ngoxa umntu onekratshi esenza abanye bazive bengakhululekanga ngenxa yeembambaniso.
9. Kutheni uthando lungenzi okuziintloni?
9 UPawulos uhlabela mgama esithi uthando “alwenzi okuziintloni.” Isichazi-magama sichaza “okuziintloni” ngokuthi “okungatshongo khona okanye okutenxe kanobom esimilweni okanye kwimilinganiselo yokuziphatha.” Lowo uziphatha ngokuziintloni (ngokungenaluthando) akazinanzi iimvakalelo zabanye. Iinguqulelo ezininzi zeBhayibhile ziguqulela elesiGrike ngokuthi “krwada.” Umntu onjalo uyakucekisa oko kugqalwa njengokufanelekileyo nokwamkelekileyo. Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukuba nolwazelelelo lothando ngabanye bekuya kuthetha ukuphepha zonke izinto ezikrwada okanye eziziintloni, izinto ezicaphukisayo okanye ezisenokude zibothuse abanye.
Ezinye Izinto Uthando Olungezizo
10. Kungayiphi indlela uthando olungafuni ngayo ezalo izilangazelelo?
10 Ngokulandelayo sixelelwa ukuba uthando “alufuni ezalo izilangazelelo,” (NW) oko kukuthi, xa kubandakanyeke izilangazelelo zethu zobuqu nezo zabanye. Kwenye indawo umpostile uthi: “Akukho namnye wakha wayithiya eyakhe inyama; usuka ayondle, ayigcine.” (Efese 5:29) Noko ke, xa izilangazelelo zethu zingqubana nezilangazelelo zomnye ibe ingekho eminye imigaqo yeBhayibhile ebandakanyekileyo, sifanele senze ngendlela uAbraham awenza ngayo kuLote, ngothando simyeke omnye umntu enze ukhetho.—Genesis 13:8-11.
11. Ukuthi uthando alucaphuki kuthetha ntoni?
11 Kwakhona uthando alukhawulezi ukukhathazeka. Ngoko uPawulos usixelela ukuba uthando “alucaphuki.” Alunachuku. Lusebenzisa ukuzeyisa. Ngokukodwa izibini ezitshatileyo zifanele zisithabathe nzulu esi siluleko ngokukulumkela ukuthethela phezulu ngokungenamonde okanye ukungxolisana. Zikho iimeko ekulula kuzo ukucaphuka, ekungenxa yeso sizathu uPawulos wavakalelwa kukuba kufuneka amluleke uTimoti: “Umkhonzi weNkosi akamele kulwa; umele ukuba nokuthantamisa kubantu bonke, enokufundisa, enyamezela ububi [“uhlala ezibambile phantsi kobubi,” NW]”—ewe, akacaphuki—“ebaqeqesha ngobulali abo baphikayo.”—2 Timoti 2:24, 25.
12. (a) Kungayiphi indlela uthando olungagcini ngayo ingxelo yobubi? (b) Kutheni kungebobulumko nje ukugcina ingxelo yobubi?
12 Eqhubeka nezinto olungezizo uthando, uPawulos uyaluleka: “Uthando . . . alugcini ingxelo yobubi.” (NW) Oko akuthethi ukuba uthando alubuphawuli ububi. UYesu wabonisa indlela yokusingatha imicimbi xa soniwe ngokunzulu. (Mateyu 18:15-17) Kodwa uthando alusivumeli ukuba siqhubeke siqumbile, sinenqala. Ukungagcini ingxelo yobubi kuthetha ukuxolela nokuwulibala umcimbi wakuba nje usingathwe ngendlela yeZibhalo. Ewe, musa ukuzithuthumbisa okanye ukuziduba ngokusoloko ucinga ngokoniwa kwakho, ugcine ingxelo yobubi!
13. Kuthetha ntoni ukungavuyeli kungalungisi, ibe kutheni uthando lungakwenzi nje oko?
13 Ngaphezu koko, sixelelwa ukuba uthando “aluvuyeli kungalungisi.” Ihlabathi liyakuvuyela ukungalungisi, njengoko kunokubonwa ngokuxhaphaka koncwadi, imifanekiso eshukumayo neenkqubo zikamabonwakude ezibonisa ugonyamelo nezinto ezingamanyala. Lonke uhlobo olunjalo lokuvuya lolokuzingca, kubonisa ukungayinanzi imigaqo kaThixo yobulungisa okanye intlalo-ntle yabanye. Konke oko kuvuyiswa kukuzingca kukuhlwayelela inyama yaye ngexesha elifanelekileyo kuya kuvuna ukonakala ngokwasenyameni.—Galati 6:8.
14. Kutheni le nto ngentembelo kunokuthiwa uthando aluze lutshitshe?
14 Ngoku nantsi into yokugqibela uthando olungayenziyo: “Uthando aluze lutshitshe.” Phakathi kwezinye izinto, uthando aluze lutshitshe okanye luphele kuba uThixo uluthando, yaye ‘unguKumkani wawo amaphakade.’ (1 Timoti 1:17) KweyabaseRoma 8:38, 39, siyaqinisekiswa ukuba uthando uYehova analo ngathi alusokuze lutshitshe: “Ndeyisekile kukuba nakufa, nabomi, nazithunywa zezulu, nazilawuli, naziphathamandla, nanto zikhoyo, nanto zizayo, nabuphakamo, nabunzulu, nasinye isidalwa esisimbi, asiyi kuba nako ukusahlula thina eluthandweni lukaThixo, olukuye uKristu Yesu, iNkosi yethu.” Kwakhona, uthando aluze lutshitshe ekubeni lungasoze luswele nto. Uthando lunako ukujamelana naso nasiphi na isihlandlo, nalo naluphi na ucelomngeni.
Izinto Oluzizo Uthando
15. Kutheni uPawulos ekubeka ekuqaleni ukuzeka kade umsindo xa edwelisa iinkalo ezintle zothando?
15 Ngoku xa sisiza kwiinkalo ezikhuthazayo, izinto oluzizo uthando, uPawulos uqalisa ngokuthi: “Uthando luzeka kade umsindo.” Kuye kwathiwa ubudlelane bamaKristu abunakubakho kungekho ukuzeka kade umsindo, oko kukuthi, kungekho ukunyamezelana ngomonde. Oko kunjalo ngenxa yokuba sonke asifezekanga, yaye ukungafezeki neentsilelo zethu kuba luvavanyo kwabanye. Akumangalisi ke ukuba umpostile uPawulos ayidwelise ekuqaleni le nkalo yoko lukuko uthando!
16. Ziziphi iindlela amalungu entsapho anokubonisana ngazo ububele?
16 UPawulos uthi uthando ‘lukwanobubele.’ Oko kukuthi, uthando luyanceda, lunolwazelelelo, luyabacingela abanye. Ububele buyazibonakalisa kwizinto ezinkulu nezincinane. Ngokuqinisekileyo umSamariya owayengummelwane olungileyo wayebonakalisa ububele kumntu owayehlaselwe ngabaphangi. (Luka 10:30-37) Uthando luyoliswa kukuthi “khawuncede.” Ukuthi, “Gqithisa isonka” ngumyalelo. Ukukutshayelela ngokufakela igama elithi “khawuncede” kwenza ibe sisicelo. Amadoda abonakalisa ububele kubafazi bawo xa ethobela isiluleko esikweyoku-1 kaPetros 3:7: “Nina, madoda, hlalani nabo ngokokwazi, nimbeka umfazi, njengesona sitya siethe-ethe, njengeendlalifa kunye nani zobabalo lobomi, ukuze imithandazo yenu ingathinteleki.” Abafazi babonakalisa ububele kumadoda abo xa bewabonisa “intlonelo enzulu.” (Efese 5:33, NW) Oobawo babonakalisa ububele kubantwana babo xa belandela isiluleko esikweyabase-Efese 6:4: “Boyise, musani ukubacaphukisa abantwana benu; bondleleni ekuqeqesheni nasekululekeni kweNkosi.”
17. Ziziphi iindlela ezimbini uthando oluvuyisana ngazo nenyaniso?
17 Uthando aluvuyeli kungalungisi kodwa “luvuyisana nenyaniso.” Uthando nenyaniso ngumtya nethunga—uThixo uluthando, yaye kwangaxeshanye, ‘unguThixo wenyaniso.’ (INdumiso 31:5) Uthando luvuyiswa kukubona inyaniso iboyisa yaye ibubhenca ubuxoki; ngokuyinxenye koku okubangela ulwando olukhulu olwenzeka kumanani abanquli bakaYehova namhlanje. Noko ke, ekubeni inyaniso iboniswa njengechasene nokungalungisi, kwakhona ingcamango ingayeyokuba uthando luvuyela ubulungisa. Uthando luyakuvuyela ukoyisa kobulungisa, njengoko abanquli bakaYehova beyalelwa ukuba bavuye ngokuwa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu.—ISityhilelo 18:20.
18. Yiyiphi ingqiqo uthando oluthwala iinto zonke ngayo?
18 Kanjalo uPawulos usixelela ukuba uthando “luthwala iinto zonke.” Njengoko iKingdom Interlinear ibonisa, ingcamango yeyokuba uthando lugubungela zonke izinto. ‘Alumhlazi’ umzalwana, njengoko abangendawo betyekele ekwenzeni oko. (INdumiso 50:20; IMizekeliso 10:12; 17:9) Ewe, ingcamango apha iyafana naleyo ikweyoku-1 kaPetros 4:8: “Uthando luya kugubungela inkitha yezono.” Ewe, ukunyaniseka kuya kumbangela ubani angafihli izono ezinzulu oniwe ngazo uYehova nebandla lamaKristu.
19. Yiyiphi indlela uthando olukholwa ziinto zonke ngayo?
19 Uthando “lukholwa ziinto zonke.” Uthando luyakhuthaza, alugxeki. Oku akuthethi ukuba uthando lukhohliseka lula. Alukhawulezi lukholelwe amazwi athabathekisayo. Kodwa ukuze ubani abe nokholo kuThixo, ubani umele akuthande ukukholwa. Ngoko uthando aluthandabuzi, luhlab’ amadlala ngokungeyomfuneko. Alukuxhathisi ukukholwa njengoko lowo ungakholelwayo kubukho bukaThixo esenjenjalo, ebetha ngenqindi phantsi esithi akukho Thixo, yaye alufani nomntu othi uThixo akanakwaziwa, otsho kuvokotheke esithi ngokucacileyo asinakuze sizazi apho sasivela khona, isizathu sokuba silapha noko liya kuba kuko ikamva. ILizwi likaThixo liyasiqinisekisa ngazo zonke ezi zinto. Kwakhona uthando lukulungele ukukholwa ngenxa yokuba lunentembelo, alunazikrokro zingeyomfuneko.
20. Uthando lunxibelelene njani nethemba?
20 Umpostile uPawulos uhlabela mgama esiqinisekisa ukuba uthando “luthemba iinto zonke.” Ekubeni uthando lukhuthaza, lungagxeki, luthembele kakhulu kuko konke oko kuthenjiswe kwiLizwi likaThixo. Sixelelwa oku: “Lowo ulimayo ufanele ukulima ethembile; lowo ubhulayo ufanele ukubhula enethemba lokuyaba loo nto athembe yona.” (1 Korinte 9:10) Kwanjengoko uthando lunentembelo, kwakhona lunethemba, ngamaxesha onke lulindele okona kuvuyisayo.
21. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso seZibhalo sokuba uthando luyanyamezela?
21 Okokugqibela, siyaqinisekiswa ukuba uthando “lunyamezela iinto zonke.” Lunako ukwenjenjalo ngenxa yoko umpostile uPawulos asixelela kona kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 10:13: “Anibanjwanga silingo singesesabantu. Uthembekile ke uThixo, ongayi kuvumela ukuba nilingwe ngaphezu kweninako; owothi kunye nesilingo eso, avelise ithuba lokuphuma kuso, ukuba nibe nako ukuthwala.” Uthando luya kusibangela sikhangele kwimizekelo emininzi eseZibhalweni yabakhonzi bakaThixo abanyamezeleyo, ophambili kubo inguYesu Kristu, njengoko sikhunjuzwa kumaHebhere 12:2, 3.
22. Njengabantwana bakaThixo, luluphi uphawu olubalaseleyo esimele ngamaxesha onke sixhalabele ukulubonakalisa?
22 Ngokwenyaniso, uthando (a·gaʹpe) luphawu olubalaseleyo thina njengamaKristu, amaNgqina kaYehova, ekufuneka siluhlakulele, kokubini koko lungekuko noko lukuko. Njengabantwana bakaThixo, ngamana singasoloko sixhalabele ukubonakalisa esi siqhamo somoya kaThixo. Ukwenjenjalo kukuba njengoThixo, kuba, khumbula, “uThixo uluthando.”
Uyakhumbula Na?
◻ UYesu Kristu noPawulos bakubonisa njani ukubalasela kothando?
◻ Uthando alunakhwele ngayiphi ingqiqo?
◻ Uthando ‘luzithwala njani iinto zonke’?
◻ Kutheni kunokuthiwa uthando aluze lutshitshe?
◻ Ziziphi iindlela ezimbini uthando oluvuyisana ngazo nenyaniso?
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 21]
UTHANDO (AGAPE)
Oko Lungekuko Oko Lukuko
1. Alunakhwele 1. Luzeka kade umsindo
2. Alugwagwisi 2. Lunobubele
3. Alukhukhumali 3. Luvuyisana nenyaniso
4. Alwenzi okuziintloni 4. Luthwala iinto zonke
5. Alufuni ezalo 5. Lukholwa ziinto zonke
izilangazelelo
6. Alucaphuki 6. Luthemba iinto zonke
7. Alugcini ingxelo yobubi 7. Lunyamezela iinto zonke
8. Aluvuyeli ukungalungisi
9. Aluze lutshitshe
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
UYehova wamthoba uNebhukadenetsare ngenxa yokugwagwisa