Ngaba Uphakathi Kwabo Bathandwa NguThixo?
“Lowo unemiyalelo yam aze ayigcine, nguye ondithandayo. Lowo undithandayo uya kuthandwa nguBawo.”—YOHANE 14:21.
1, 2. (a) UYehova walubonisa njani uthando ngabantu? (b) Yintoni eyasungulwa nguYesu ngobusuku bangoNisan 14, 33 C.E.?
UYEHOVA uyabathanda abantu bakhe abadalileyo. Eneneni, uyalithanda ihlabathi elingabantu “kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yohane 3:16) Njengoko ixesha lokubhiyozela iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu lisondela, amaKristu okwenyaniso afanele akuqonde ngaphezu kunanini na ngaphambili ukuba uYehova “wathumela uNyana wakhe njengombingelelo wokucamagushela izono zethu.”—1 Yohane 4:10.
2 Ngobusuku bangoNisan 14, 33 C.E., uYesu nabapostile bakhe abali-12 bahlanganisana kwigumbi eliphezulu eYerusalem ukuze babhiyozele iPasika, isikhumbuzo sokukhululwa kwamaSirayeli eYiputa. (Mateyu 26:17-20) Emva kokubhiyozela umthendeleko wamaYuda, uYesu wagxotha uYudas Skariyoti waza wasungula isidlo sangokuhlwa esasiza kuba siSikhumbuzo samaKristu sokufa kukaKristu.a Esebenzisa isonka esingenagwele newayini ebomvu njengemifuziselo yomzimba wakhe negazi lakhe, uYesu wabelana nabapostile abali-11 ababesele, ngesi sidlo singumthendeleko. Iinkcukacha eziphathelele oko kwakuqhubeka apho zifumaneka kwingxelo yababhali beVangeli, uMateyu, uMarko noLuka nakwingxelo eyabhalwa ngumpostile uPawulos owasibiza ngokuba ‘sisidlo sangokuhlwa seNkosi.’—1 Korinte 11:20; Mateyu 26:26-28; Marko 14:22-25; Luka 22:19, 20.
3. Ziziphi iindlela ezibalulekileyo eyahluke ngayo kwezinye, ingxelo kampostile uYohane ngokuphathelele iiyure zokugqibela zikaYesu nabafundi bakhe kwigumbi eliphezulu?
3 Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, umpostile uYohane akathethi ngokudluliswa kwesonka newayini, mhlawumbi kungenxa yokuba ngexesha awabhala ngalo ingxelo yakhe yeVangeli (malunga nowama-98 C.E.), le nkqubo yayisele iqhelekile phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala. (1 Korinte 11:23-26) Noko ke, nguYohane kuphela owaphefumlelwa ukuba adlulisele inkcazelo ebalulekileyo ngokuphathelele oko uYesu wakuthethayo nawakwenzayo ngaphambi kokuba asungule iSikhumbuzo sokufa Kwakhe nasemva koko. Izahluko ezihlanu zeVangeli ebhalwe nguYohane zichaza ngezo nkcukacha zibangel’ umdla. Zibonisa ngokucacileyo uhlobo lwabantu abathandwa nguThixo. Makhe sihlolisise uYohane isahluko 13 ukusa kwisahluko 17.
Funda Kuthando LukaYesu Olungumzekelo
4. (a) UYohane wawubethelela njani umxholo obalaseleyo wentlanganiso kaYesu nabafundi bakhe ekusunguleni kwakhe iSikhumbuzo? (b) Sisiphi esinye isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuba uYehova amthande uYesu?
4 Uthando ngumxholo obalaseleyo kwezi zahluko zithetha ngesiluleko sikaYesu sokugqibela kubafundi bakhe. Eneneni, igama elithi “uthando” livela ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, kangangezihlandlo ezingama-31. Uthando lukaYesu olunzulu ngoYise, uYehova nangabafundi bakhe luchazwa ngokucacileyo kwezi zahluko. Uthando lukaYesu ngoYehova lucaciswa kuzo zonke iingxelo zeVangeli ezithetha ngobomi bakhe, kodwa nguYohane kuphela onikela ingxelo yokuba uYesu watsho ngokucacileyo wathi: “Ndiyamthanda uBawo.” (Yohane 14:31) Kwakhona uYesu wachaza ukuba uYehova uyamthanda waza wachaza nesizathu. Wathi: “Kanye njengoko uBawo endithandile nam ndinithandile, hlalani eluthandweni lwam. Ukuba niyayigcina imiyalelo yam, niya kuhlala eluthandweni lwam, kanye njengoko nam ndiyigcinile imiyalelo kaBawo ndaza ndahlala eluthandweni lwakhe.” (Yohane 15:9, 10) Ewe, uYehova uyamthanda uNyana wakhe ngenxa yentobelo yakhe epheleleyo. Esinjani sona ukuba sihle isifundo kubalandeli bakaYesu Kristu!
5. Walubonakalisa njani uYesu uthando lwakhe ngabafundi bakhe?
5 Ekuqaleni kwengxelo kaYohane ethetha ngentlanganiso yokugqibela kaYesu nabapostile bakhe kubalaseliswa uthando olunzulu lukaYesu ngabalandeli bakhe. UYohane wathi: “Ke kaloku, ngenxa yokuba wayesazi ngaphambi komthendeleko wepasika ukuba lifikile ilixa lakhe lokuba emke kweli hlabathi aye kuYise, uYesu, ebathandile abakhe ababesehlabathini, wabathanda de kwasekupheleni.” (Yohane 13:1) Ngaloo ngokuhlwa ingalibalekiyo, wabafundisa isifundo esingenakulibaleka ngokukhonza abanye ngothando. Wahlamba iinyawo zabo. Leyo yinto ekwakufanele ukuba ngamnye wabo wayekuvuyela ukuyenza kuYesu nakubazalwana bakhe, kodwa abazange bayenze. UYesu wenza lo msebenzi uphantsi waza wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Ukuba mna, nangona ndiyiNkosi noMfundisi, ndihlambe iinyawo zenu, nani nifanele ukuhlambana iinyawo. Kuba ndinibekela umzekelo, ukuze, kanye njengoko ndenjenjalo kuni, nenjenjalo nani.” (Yohane 13:14, 15) AmaKristu okwenyaniso afanele akulungele yaye akuvuyele ukukhonza abazalwana bawo.—Mateyu 20:26, 27, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo; Yohane 13:17.
Thobela Umyalelo Omtsha
6, 7. (a) Ziziphi iinkcukacha ezibalulekileyo ezinikelwa nguYohane ngokuphathelele ukusungulwa kweSikhumbuzo? (b) Nguwuphi umyalelo omtsha uYesu awawunika abafundi bakhe, yaye yintoni eyayintsha kuwo?
6 Yingxelo kaYohane kuphela ekhankanya ngokungqalileyo ukugxothwa kukaYudas Skariyoti kwigumbi eliphezulu ngobusuku bangoNisan 14. (Yohane 13:21-30) Ngokuvisisanayo nezinye iingxelo zeVangeli ibonisa ukuba uYesu wasungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa Kwakhe emva kokuba lo mngcatshi ehambile. Emva koko wathetha ixesha elide nabapostile bakhe abathembekileyo, ebaluleka yaye ebafundisa ngaphambi kokuba ahlukane nabo. Njengoko silungiselela ukuya eSikhumbuzweni, sifanele sibe nomdla ngokunzulu koko kwathethwa nguYesu ngeso sihlandlo, ingakumbi ngenxa yokuba ngokuqinisekileyo sifuna ukuba phakathi kwabo bathandwa nguThixo.
7 Umyalelo wokuqala uYesu awawunika abafundi bakhe emva kokusungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe yayingumyalelo omtsha. Wathi: “Ndininika umyalelo omtsha, wokuba nithandane; kanye njengoko ndinithandileyo mna, ukuba nani nithandane. Ngako oko bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Yohane 13:34, 35) Yintoni eyayintsha kulo myalelo? Ekuhambeni kwexesha ngalo ngokuhlwa, uYesu wakucacisa oku esithi: “Nguwo lo umyalelo wam, wokuba nithandane kanye njengoko ndinithandileyo. Akukho bani unothando olukhulu kunolu, lokuba uthile anikezele umphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe.” (Yohane 15:12, 13) UMthetho kaMoses wawuyalela amaSirayeli ukuba ‘athande amadlelane awo njengoko ezithanda.’ (Levitikus 19:18) Kodwa umyalelo kaYesu wawuthe chatha. AmaKristu ayemele athandane njengoko uKristu wawathandayo, akulungele ukuncama ubomi bawo ngenxa yabazalwana bawo.
8. (a) Luquka ntoni uthando lokuzincama? (b) AmaNgqina kaYehova alubonisa njani uthando lokuzincama namhlanje?
8 Ixesha leSikhumbuzo lixesha elifanelekileyo lokuba sizihlolisise, ngokwabantu ngabanye nanjengebandla, ukuze sibone enoba sinalo ngokwenene kusini na olu phawu lwahlula amaKristu okwenyaniso—uthando olufana nolukaKristu. Olo thando lokuzincama lunokuthetha ukuba umKristu ubeka ubomi bakhe esichengeni kunokuba angcatshe umzalwana wakhe yaye ngamathub’ athile oko kuye kwenzeka. Noko ke ngokufuthi, luquka ukukulungela kwethu ukuncama izilangazelelo zethu zobuqu ukuze sincede yaye sikhonze abazalwana bethu nabanye. Umpostile uPawulos wayengumzekelo omhle kule nkalo. (2 Korinte 12:15; Filipi 2:17) AmaNgqina kaYehova aziwa ehlabathini lonke ngokuba nomoya wokuzincama, enceda abazalwana nabamelwane bawo yaye ezibhokoxa ekudluliseleni inyaniso yeBhayibhile kwabanye abantu.b—Galati 6:10.
Ulwalamano Olufanele Lulondolozwe
9. Ukuze silondoloze ulwalamano lwethu oluxabisekileyo noThixo noNyana wakhe, yintoni esikuvuyelayo ukuyenza?
9 Ayikho kuthi into exabiseke ngaphezu kokuthandwa nguYehova noNyana wakhe, uKristu Yesu. Noko ke, ukuze silufumane yaye silunandiphe olu thando, kukho nto ithile esimele siyenze. Ngobusuku bokugqibela ekunye nabafundi bakhe, uYesu wathi: “Lowo unemiyalelo yam aze ayigcine, nguye ondithandayo. Lowo undithandayo uya kuthandwa nguBawo, yaye nam ndiya kumthanda kwaye ndiya kuzibonisa ngokucacileyo mna kuye.” (Yohane 14:21) Ekubeni siluxabisa ulwalamano lwethu noThixo noNyana wakhe, siyithobela ngovuyo imiyalelo yakhe. Oku kuquka umyalelo omtsha wokubonakalisa uthando lokuzincama nomyalelo owanikelwa nguKristu emva kokuvuka kwakhe wokuba “sishumayele ebantwini nokuba sinikele ubungqina obucokisekileyo,” sizabalazele ‘ukwenza abafundi’ abo bamkela iindaba ezilungileyo.—IZenzo 10:42; Mateyu 28:19, 20.
10. Luluphi ulwalamano oluxabisekileyo olunokufunyanwa ngabo bathanjisiweyo “nezinye izimvu”?
10 Ekuhambeni kwexesha ngobo busuku, ephendula umbuzo awayewubuzwe ngumpostile uYudas othembekileyo (uTadeyu), uYesu wathi: “Ukuba nabani na uyandithanda, uya kuligcina ilizwi lam, yaye uBawo uya kumthanda, ibe siya kuza kuye size sihlale naye.” (Yohane 14:22, 23) Kwanaxa esesemhlabeni, amaKristu athanjisiweyo abizelwe ukulawula kunye noKristu ezulwini, anolwalamano olukhethekileyo noYehova noNyana wakhe. (Yohane 15:15; 16:27; 17:22; Hebhere 3:1; 1 Yohane 3:2, 24) Kodwa namaqabane awo ‘ezinye izimvu’ lawo anethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni, anolwalamano oluxabisekileyo ‘nomalusi omnye,’ uYesu Kristu, kunye noThixo wawo, uYehova, lo gama nje ezingqina ethobekile.—Yohane 10:16; INdumiso 15:1-5; 25:14.
‘Aniyonxalenye Yehlabathi’
11. Sisiphi isilumkiso esibalulekileyo esanikelwa nguYesu kubafundi bakhe?
11 Ebudeni bale ntlanganiso yokugqibela nabafundi bakhe abathembekileyo ngaphambi kokuba afe, uYesu wanikela esi silumkiso sibalulekileyo: Ukuba umntu uthandwa nguThixo, uya kuthiywa lihlabathi. Wathi: “Ukuba ihlabathi linithiyile, niyazi ukuba liye lathiya mna ngaphambi kokuba lithiye nina. Ukuba beniyinxalenye yehlabathi, ihlabathi beliya kukuthanda oko kukokwalo. Ke ngenxa yokuba ningeyonxalenye yehlabathi, kodwa ndininyulile mna naphuma kulo ihlabathi, ngenxa yoko linithiyile ihlabathi. Likhumbuleni ilizwi endalitsho kuni ndisithi, Ikhoboka alikho likhulu kunenkosi yalo. Ukuba banditshutshisile mna, baya kunitshutshisa nani; ukuba baligcinile ilizwi lam, baya kuligcina nelenu.”—Yohane 15:18-20.
12. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu alumkise abafundi bakhe ukuba babeya kuthiywa lihlabathi? (b) Yintoni esifanele sonke siyiqwalasele njengoko iSikhumbuzo sisondela?
12 UYesu wanikela esi silumkiso ukuze aba bapostile bali-11 nawo onke amaKristu okwenyaniso awayeza kulandela emva kwabo angadimazeki aze anikezele ngenxa yentiyo yehlabathi. Wongezelela wathi: “Ezi zinto ndizithethile kuni ukuze ningakhutyekiswa. Abantu baya kunigxotha kwindlu yesikhungu. Enyanisweni, liyeza ilixa laxa wonk’ ubani onibulalayo eya kucinga ukuba unikele inkonzo engcwele kuThixo. Kodwa baya kuzenza ezi zinto ngenxa yokuba bengamazanga uBawo okanye mna.” (Yohane 16:1-3) Esinye isichazi-magama seBhayibhile sithi isenzi esiguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukukhutyekiswa’ sithetha “ukubangela umntu aqalise ukungathembi okanye ukulahla umntu ebefanele akholose ngaye yaye amthobele, okanye ukumenza aphambuke.” Njengoko ixesha leSikhumbuzo lisondela, sonke sifanele sicinge ngekhondo lobomi babathembekileyo, ababephila mandulo nabaphila namhlanje, size sixelise umzekelo wabo wokungagungqi xa sivavanywa. Musa ukuvumela inkcaso okanye intshutshiso ikwenze ulahle uYehova noYesu, kodwa zimisele ukukholosa ngabo uze ubathobele.
13. Yintoni eyacelwa nguYesu kuYise xa wayethandazela abalandeli bakhe?
13 Kumthandazo wakhe wokuqukumbela ngaphambi kokuba emke kwigumbi eliphezulu eYerusalem, uYesu wathi kuYise: “Ndibanikile ilizwi lakho, kodwa ihlabathi liye labathiya, ngenxa yokuba abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi. Ndiyakucela, kungekhona ukuba ubasuse ehlabathini, kodwa ukuba ubalinde ngenxa yalowo ungendawo. Abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi.” (Yohane 17:14-16) Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uyabalondoloza abo abathandayo, ukuze abomeleze njengoko bezigcina bahlukile ehlabathini.—Isaya 40:29-31.
Hlalani Eluthandweni LukaBawo NoloNyana
14, 15. (a) UYesu wazifanisa nantoni, ngokwahlukileyo ‘kumdiliya ongcakachileyo’? (b) Ngoobani ‘amasebe’ ‘omdiliya wenyaniso’?
14 Ebudeni bencoko emnandi awaba nayo nabafundi bakhe abathembekileyo ngobusuku bangoNisan 14, uYesu wazifanisa ‘nomdiliya wenyaniso,’ ngokwahlukileyo kuSirayeli ongathembekanga ‘owayengumdiliya ongcakachileyo.’ Wathi: “Mna ndingumdiliya wenyaniso, yaye uBawo ngumlimi.” (Yohane 15:1) Kwiinkulungwane ezingaphambilana, umprofeti uYeremiya wabhala la mazwi awathethwa nguYehova kubantu bakhe ababenemvukelo: “Ndakutyala unjengomdiliya wohlobo obomvu . . . Ngoko kwenzeke njani na ukuba unditshintshele ube ngamahlumelo omdiliya ongcakachileyo wasemzini?” (Yeremiya 2:21) Yaye umprofeti uHoseya wabhala: “USirayeli ngumdiliya ongcakachileyo. Uzivelisela isiqhamo. . . . Intliziyo yakhe ibe nohanahaniso.”—Hoseya 10:1, 2.
15 Kunokuba avelise isiqhamo sonqulo oluyinyaniso, uSirayeli wawela kuhanahaniso waza wavelisa esakhe isiqhamo. Kwiintsuku ezintathu ngaphambi kwentlanganiso yakhe yokugqibela nabafundi bakhe abathembekileyo, uYesu wathi kwiinkokeli zamaYuda ezingabahanahanisi: ‘Ndithi kuni, Ubukumkani bukaThixo buya kuthatyathwa kuni buze bunikwe uhlanga oluvelisa iziqhamo zabo.’ (Mateyu 21:43) Olo hlanga lutsha ‘nguSirayeli kaThixo,’ obunjwa ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo ali-144 000 afaniswa ‘namasebe’ ‘omdiliya wenyaniso,’ uKristu uYesu.—Galati 6:16; Yohane 15:5; ISityhilelo 14:1, 3.
16. UYesu wababongoza ukuba benze ntoni abapostile abathembekileyo abali-11, yaye kunokuthiwani ngentsalela ethembekileyo kweli xesha lesiphelo?
16 UYesu wathi kubapostile abali-11 ababekunye naye kwigumbi eliphezulu: “Onke amasebe akum angathwali siqhamo uyawasusa, yaye onke lawo athwala isiqhamo uyawathena, ukuze athwale isiqhamo esingakumbi. Hlalani nimanyene nam, nam ndimanyene nani. Kanye njengoko isebe lingenakuzithwalela isiqhamo ngokwalo ngaphandle kokuba lihlale emdiliyeni, ngokufanayo nani aninako, ngaphandle kokuba nihlala nimanyene nam.” (Yohane 15:2, 4) Imbali yanamhlanje yabantu bakaYehova ibonisa ukuba intsalela ethembekileyo yamaKristu athanjisiweyo iye yahlala imanyene neNtloko, uKristu uYesu. (Efese 5:23) Iye yavuma ukucocwa nokuthenwa. (Malaki 3:2, 3) Ukususela ngowe-1919, iye yavelisa intabalala yesiqhamo soBukumkani, okokuqala amanye amaKristu athanjisiweyo yaye, ngowe-1935, iye yavelisa “isihlwele esikhulu” esanda ngokukhawuleza esingamaqabane ayo.—ISityhilelo 7:9; Isaya 60:4, 8-11.
17, 18. (a) Ngawaphi amazwi kaYesu anceda abo bathanjisiweyo nabezinye izimvu ukuba bahlale eluthandweni lukaYehova? (b) Kuya kusinceda njani ukuya eSikhumbuzweni?
17 La mazwi kaYesu abhekisela kuwo onke amaKristu athanjisiweyo namaqabane awo: “UBawo uzukiswa kuko oku, ukuba nihlale nithwala isiqhamo esininzi nize nizingqine ningabafundi bam. Kanye njengoko uBawo endithandile nam ndinithandile, hlalani eluthandweni lwam. Ukuba niyayigcina imiyalelo yam, niya kuhlala eluthandweni lwam, kanye njengoko nam ndiyigcinile imiyalelo kaBawo ndaza ndahlala eluthandweni lwakhe.”—Yohane 15:8-10.
18 Sonke sifuna ukuhlala eluthandweni lukaThixo, yaye oku kusishukumisela ukuba sibe ngamaKristu athwala isiqhamo. Oku sikwenza ngokuxhakamfula onke amathuba sishumayele ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani.’ (Mateyu 24:14) Senza konke okusemandleni ukuze sibonakalise “isiqhamo somoya” ebomini bethu njengabantu ngabanye. (Galati 5:22, 23) Ukuya eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu kuya kusomeleza kwisigqibo sethu sokwenza oko, kuba siya kukhunjuzwa ngothando olubalaseleyo lukaThixo noKristu.—2 Korinte 5:14, 15.
19. Luluphi uncedo olungakumbi oluza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
19 Emva kokusungula iSikhumbuzo, uYesu wathembisa ukuba uYise wayeza kuthumelela abalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo “umncedi, umoya oyingcwele.” (Yohane 14:26) Indlela obanceda ngayo lo moya abo bathanjisiweyo nezinye izimvu ukuba bahlale eluthandweni lukaYehova iza kuhlolisiswa kwinqaku elilandelayo.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Ngowama-2002, ngokobalo lweBhayibhile, uNisan 14 uqala ekutshoneni kwelanga, ngoLwesine ngoMatshi 28. Ngaloo ngokuhlwa, amaNgqina kaYehova ehlabathini lonke aya kuhlanganisana ukuze akhumbule ukufa kweNkosi, uYesu Kristu.
b Bona incwadi ethi AmaNgqina kaYehova—Abavakalisi BoBukumkani BukaThixo, epapashwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova, isahluko 19 nesahluko 32.
Imibuzo Yempinda
• Sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo uYesu awasifundisa abafundi bakhe ngokuphathelele ukukhonza abanye ngothando?
• Ixesha leSikhumbuzo lixesha elifanelekileyo lokuzihlolisisa ngokuphathelele ntoni?
• Kutheni singafanele sikhutyekiswe sisilumkiso sikaYesu ngokuphathelele intiyo nentshutshiso yehlabathi?
• Ngubani ‘umdiliya wenyaniso’? Ngoobani ‘amasebe,’ yaye yintoni elindelekileyo kubo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
UYesu wafundisa abapostile bakhe isifundo esingalibalekiyo ekukhonzeni abanye ngothando
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 16, 17]
Abafundi bakaKristu bathobela umyalelo wakhe wokubonisa uthando lokuzincama