1, 2. Chaza into uYesu awayenzela abapostile bakhe abathembekileyo emva kokuba bebhiyozele iPasika ngo-33.

IXESHA sele lihambile kubusuku bangoNisan 14 ngonyaka ka-33. UYesu nabafundi bakhe basandul’ ukubhiyozela iPasika, ebakhumbuza ngendlela uThixo awabahlangula ngayo ookhokho babo kubukhoboka baseYiputa. Noko ke, aba bafundi bathembekileyo baseza kufumana “intlangulo engunaphakade” negqwesileyo. Kusuku olulandelayo, iNkokeli yabo engenasono iza kubulawa ziintshaba zayo. Kodwa esi senzo sazo sentiyo siza kuphumela kwintsikelelo. Ukuphalala kwegazi likaYesu kuza kuphumela ekuhlangulweni koluntu kwisono nokufa.—Heb. 9:12-14.

² Eqinisekisa ukuba eli lungiselelo lothando asililibali, uYesu wasungula isikhumbuzo saminyaka le esangena endaweni yePasika. Oku wakwenza ngokuqhekeza isonka esingenagwele, waza wasidlulisela kubapostile bakhe abayi-11 abathembekileyo waba sele esithi: “Oku kuthetha umzimba wam oza kunikelwa ngenxa yenu. Hlalani nisenza oku nindikhumbula.” Wenza okufanayo nangendebe yewayini ebomvu, waza wathi: “Le ndebe ithetha umnqophiso omtsha ongegazi lam, eliza kuphalala ngenxa yenu.”—Luka 22:19, 20.

 3. (a) Luluphi utshintsho olukhulu olwenzekayo emva kokufa kukaYesu? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esimele siyihlolisise ngokuphathelele umthandazo kaYesu okuYohane isahluko 17?

³ Kwakumbovu uphele umnqophiso omdala owawenziwe nguThixo namaSirayeli emvelo. Wawuza kuthatyathelw’ indawo ngumnqophiso omtsha owenziwa nguYehova nabalandeli bakaYesu. UYesu wayeyixhalabele gqitha impilo-ntle yolu hlanga lutsha lokomoya. Imeko kaSirayeli wemvelo yayimbi kangangokuba yayingenakulungiswa, olu hlanga lwaluziintlaba-zahlukane kunqulo nasentlalweni, nto leyo yayibangela ukuba lugculelwe ngamandla igama elingcwele likaThixo. (Yoh. 7:45-49; IZe. 23:6-9) Ngokungafaniyo nalo, uYesu wayenqwenela ukuba abalandeli bakhe bahlale bemanyene ukuze bakwazi ukusebenzisana kakuhle ekuzukiseni igama likaThixo. Yintoni ke, ayenzayo? Wenza owona mthandazo uchukumisayo kwenokuze ifundwe nguye nawuphi na umntu. (Yoh. 17:1-26; jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) Ngoku singakwazi ukujonga emva sizibuze oku, “Ngaba uThixo wawuphendula umthandazo kaYesu?” Nathi simele sizihlolisise size sizibuze oku, “Ngaba ndenza ngokuvisisana nalo mthandazo?”

4, 5. (a) Sifunda ntoni kumazwi okuqala omthandazo kaYesu? (b) UYehova wasiphendula njani isicelo sikaYesu ngokuphathelele ikamva lakhe?

⁴ Kude kube sezinzulwini zobusuku uYesu efundisa abafundi bakhe izinto ezininzi ezimangalisayo ngoThixo. Emva koko uphakamisela amehlo akhe phezulu aze athandaze athi: “Bawo, ilixa lifikile; mzukise unyana wakho, ukuze unyana wakho akuzukise, kanye njengoko umnike igunya phezu kwenyama yonke, ukuze, bonke abo umnike bona, abanike ubomi obungunaphakade. . . . Ndikuzukisile emhlabeni, ekubeni ndiwugqibile umsebenzi obundinikile ukuba ndiwenze. Ngoko ke wena, Bawo, ndizukise ecaleni kwakho ngozuko endandinalo ecaleni kwakho phambi kokubakho kwehlabathi.”—Yoh. 17:1-5.

⁵ Phawula izinto ezibalulekileyo kuYesu kumazwi okuqala alo mthandazo wakhe. Into yokuqala ayixhalabeleyo kukuzukiswa koYise wasezulwini, yaye oku kuyavisisana nesicelo sokuqala kumthandazo wakhe ongumzekelo othi: “Bawo, malingcwaliswe igama lakho.” (Luka 11:2) Into yesibini ayixhalabeleyo kukuba uYise “abanike ubomi obungunaphakade” abafundi bakhe. Emva koko, uYesu ucelela isiqu sakhe, esithi: “Bawo, ndizukise ecaleni kwakho ngozuko endandinalo ecaleni kwakho phambi kokubakho kwehlabathi.” UYehova uvuza uNyana wakhe othembekileyo ngaphezu koko akucelayo ngokumnika ‘igama elibalasele ngakumbi’ kunazo zonke iingelosi.—Heb. 1:4.

 6. Yintoni ekwakufuneka bayenze abapostile ukuze bazuze ubomi obungunaphakade, ibe sazi njani ukuba babufumana?

⁶ UYesu uphinda athandazele noko simele sikwenze ukuze sikufanelekele ukufumana isipho esingasifanelanga sobomi obungunaphakade. (Funda uYohane 17:3.) Uthi simele siqhubeke ‘singenisa ulwazi’ ngoThixo noKristu. Enye indlela yokwenza oku iquka ukusebenzisa amehlo neendlebe zethu ukuze sifunde ngakumbi ngoYehova noNyana wakhe. Enye indlela ebalulekileyo yokungenisa ulwazi ngoThixo kukuvuyiswa yinto yokuba sizenza izinto esizifundayo. Abapostile babesele bezenza ezi zinto njengokuba uYesu wathandaza wathi: “Amazwi owandinika wona ndiwanike bona, yaye baye bawamkela.” (Yoh. 17:8) Noko ke, ukuze bazuze ubomi obungunaphakade bamele baqhubeke becamngca ngamazwi kaThixo baze benze ngokuvisisana nawo mihla le. Ngaba aba bapostile bathembekileyo bakwazi ukwenza oku lo gama babesaphila emhlabeni? Kunjalo kanye. Oku sikwazi ngenxa yokuba ngamnye kubo igama lakhe libhalwe ngokusisigxina kumatye esiseko ayi-12 eYerusalem Entsha yasezulwini.—ISityhi. 21:14.

 7. Kuthetha ukuthini “ukwazi” uThixo, ibe kutheni kubalulekile nje?

⁷ Ngokutsho kwabaphengululi besiGrike, ibinzana lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukungenisa ulwazi’ linokuguqulelwa ngokuthi ‘umele uhlale usazi’ okanye ‘umele uqhubeke usazi.’ Ezi ntsingiselo ziyavisisana yaye zibalulekile zombini. Umbhalo osemazantsi kuYohane 17:3 kwiBhayibhile Eneembekiselo unenye indlela okubeka ngayo oku, “ukwazi kwabo wena.” Ngoko ke, “ukungenisa ulwazi” kubhekisela kumgudu oqhubekayo ophumela kwilungelo “lokwazi” uThixo. Noko ke, ukwazi oyena Mntu mkhulu kwindalo kuquka okungakumbi kunokuzazi ngengqondo iimpawu neenjongo zikaThixo. Ukwazi uYehova kuquka ukumthanda ngentliziyo yonke kunye namanye amaKristu. IBhayibhile ithi: “Lowo ungenaluthando akamazi uThixo, kuba uThixo uluthando.” (1 Yoh. 4:8) Ngoko ke, ukwazi uThixo kukwathetha nokumthobela. (Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 2:3-5.) Lilungelo elingathethekiyo ukubalelwa phakathi kwabo bamaziyo uYehova! Kodwa njengokuba kwenzekayo kuYudas Sikariyoti, umntu unako ukuphulukana neli lungelo. Simele sikulwele ngamandla ukulondoloza olu lwalamano. Siya kude sikufanelekele ukufumana isipho esingasifanelanga sobomi obungunaphakade.—Mat. 24:13.

8, 9. Yayiyintoni eyona njongo kaYesu xa wayexakeke bubulungiseleli bakhe emhlabeni, ibe sisiphi isithethe sonqulo amele ukuba wasikhaba?

⁸ Emva kokufunda umthandazo kaYesu okuYohane isahluko 17, ngubani onokungayiboni indlela uYesu awayebathanda ngayo abapostile bakhe belo xesha nabanye abafundi bexesha elizayo? (Yoh. 17:20) Kwangaxeshanye, kufuneka siqonde ukuba ukusindiswa kwethu kwakungeyiyo eyona nto iphambili kuYesu. Eyona njongo yakhe ukususela kwasekuqaleni de kuse ekupheleni kobulungiseleli bakhe emhlabeni yayikukungcwalisa nokuzukisa igama likaYise. Ngokomzekelo, xa wayevakalisa uthumo lwakhe kwindlu yesikhungu eNazarete, uYesu wafunda kumsongo kaIsaya othi: “Umoya kaYehova uphezu kwam, ngenxa yokuba undithambisele ukuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo kumahlwempu.” Lizicacele elokuba, uYesu walibiza ngokucacileyo igama likaThixo xa wayefunda olu thumo.—Luka 4:16-21.

⁹ Kwakudala ngaphambi kokuba uYesu eze emhlabeni, ngokwesithethe samaYuda iinkokeli zonqulo zazikhuthaza abantu ukuba bangalisebenzisi igama likaThixo. Siqinisekile ukuba uYesu wayesikhaba ngokupheleleyo eso sithethe singekho zibhalweni. Wathi kwabo babemchasa: “Ndize egameni likaBawo, kodwa anindamkeli; ukuba omnye ebeze egameni lakhe, beniya kumamkela.” (Yoh. 5:43) Kwandula ke kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wavakalisa eyona nto yayiphambili kubomi bakhe ngokuthandaza athi: “Bawo, lizukise igama lakho.” (Yoh. 12:28) Ngoko ke, asimele simangaliswe yinto yokuba uYesu eman’ ukuvakalisa le nkxalabo ngegama likaYise kuwo wonke lo mthandazo wakhe siza kuwuhlolisisa.

10, 11. (a) Kwakuthetha ntoni ukunceda kukaYesu abafundi bazi igama likaYise? (b) Yiyiphi injongo abamele bazame ukuyifezekisa abafundi bakaYesu?

¹⁰ UYesu wathandaza wathi: “Ndilibonakalisile igama lakho kubantu ondinike bona bephuma ehlabathini. Babengabakho, waza wena wabanika mna, yaye baligcinile ilizwi lakho. Andisekho sehlabathini, kodwa bona basehlabathini yaye mna ndiza kuwe. Bawo Ongcwele, balinde ngenxa yegama lakho ondinike lona, ukuze babe banye kanye njengoko sinjalo thina.”—Yoh. 17:6, 11.

¹¹ Ukunceda abafundi bakhe bazi igama likaYise kwakungathethi ukulivakalisa ngomlomo nje kuphela. UYesu wabanceda bazi oko kuthethwa ligama likaThixo, iimpawu zikaThixo ezimangalisayo nendlela asiphatha ngayo. (Eks. 34:5-7) Enye into, ngoxa ekwisikhundla sakhe esizukileyo ezulwini, uYesu usaqhubeka enceda abafundi bakhe ukuba balazi igama likaYehova ehlabathini jikelele. Yintoni injongo yoko? Kukuze abafundi abangakumbi bahlanganiselwe ndawonye ngaphambi kokuba sifike isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto ingendawo. UYehova uya kulizukisa ngendlela emangalisayo igama lakhe xa ehlangula amangqina akhe anyanisekileyo!—Hez. 36:23.

12. Ziziphi izinto ezintathu ezifunekayo ukuze siphumelele kulo msebenzi usindisa ubomi?

¹² Xa wayelapha emhlabeni, uYesu wenza konke okusemandleni ukuze ancede abafundi bakhe boyise ubuthathaka babo. Oku kwakubalulekile ukuze bawugqibe umsebenzi owaqaliswa nguYesu. UYesu uthandaza athi: “Kanye njengoko wandithuma ehlabathini, nam ndibathume kulo ihlabathi.” UYesu ubethelela izinto ezintathu ezaziza kubanceda baphumelele kulo msebenzi usindisa ubomi. Kweyokuqala, uthandazela ukuba abafundi bakhe bangabi yinxalenye yehlabathi likaSathana elingcolileyo. Kweyesibini, uthandazela ukuba bangcwaliswe, okanye bagcinwe becocekile ngokusoloko bethobela inyaniso ekwiLizwi likaThixo. Kweyesithathu, uYesu ubongoza ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuba abafundi bakhe bamanyane kumxokelelwane wothando ophakathi kwakhe noYise. Le meko ifuna sizihlolisise. Ngamnye kuthi umele azibuze oku, ‘Ngaba ndiphila ngokuvisisana nezi zicelo zithathu zenziwa nguYesu?’ Ngokunikela ingqalelo kwezi zinto, uYesu wayevakalisa intembelo yokuba ‘ihlabathi laliya kukholelwa ukuba uthunywe nguYise.’—Funda uYohane 17:15-21.

13. Waphendulwa njani umthandazo kaYesu ngenkulungwane yokuqala?

¹³ Into yokuba umthandazo kaYesu waphendulwa siyibona xa sifunda incwadi yeBhayibhile yeZenzo, eyandulelwa ziincwadi ezine zeVangeli. Cinga nje ngendlela ekwakunokuba lula ngayo ukuba amaKristu okuqala abe ziintlaba-zahlukane ekubeni ayebunjwa ngamaYuda nabantu beeNtlanga, izityebi namahlwempu, amakhoboka neenkosi zawo. Ukanti, onke ayemanyene kangangokuba ade afaniswa namalungu omzimba nalapho uYesu eyintloko yawo. (Efe. 4:15, 16) Kumangalisa gqitha oko xa sicinga indlela elalahlukene ngayo ihlabathi likaSathana! AmaKristu ayengenakuze akwazi ukumanyana ngolo hlobo ukuba ayengancedwa ngumoya oyingcwele kaYehova.—1 Kor. 3:5-7.

14. Umthandazo kaYesu uphendulwe njani kweli xesha lethu?

¹⁴ Okubuhlungu kukuba, olu manyano lwaphela emva kokuba kufe abapostile. Njengokuba kwakuxeliwe, kwangena uwexuko olukhulu olwaphumela ekusekweni kwamahlelo alwayo eNgqobhoko. (IZe. 20:29, 30) Noko ke, ngo-1919, uYesu wabakhulula abalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo ekuthinjweni lunqulo lobuxoki waza wabahlanganisela ‘kumxokelelwane ogqibeleleyo womanyano.’ (Kol. 3:14) Liliphi igalelo oye wanalo umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela ehlabathini? Zingaphezu kwezigidi ezisixhenxe ‘ezinye izimvu’ eziphuma “kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi” eziye zahlanganiswa zaba ngumhlambi omanyaneyo nabathanjiswa bakaThixo. (Yoh. 10:16; ISityhi. 7:9) Ayikho enye indlela engaphezu kwaleyo obunokuphendulwa ngayo umthandazo kaYesu xa wayesithi, “ihlabathi libe nolwazi lokuba undithumile nokuba ubathandile kanye njengoko wandithandayo mna.”—Yoh. 17:23.

15. Sisiphi isicelo esikhethekileyo awasenzayo uYesu ngokuphathelele abalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo?

¹⁵ Ngaphambi nje kobusuku bukaNisan 14, uYesu wazukisa abapostile bakhe ngokwenza umnqophiso wokulawula kunye nabo eBukumkanini bakhe. (Luka 22:28-30; Yoh. 17:22) Ethandazela bonke abo babeza kuba ngabalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo kamva, uYesu wenza esi sicelo sikhethekileyo: “Bawo, mayela noko undinike kona, ndinqwenela ukuba, apho ndikhoyo mna, nabo babe kunye nam, ukuze balubone uzuko lwam ondinike lona, ngenxa yokuba wandithanda phambi kokusekwa kwehlabathi.” (Yoh. 17:24) Oku akuzenzi zibe nomona, kodwa kuyazivuyisa ezinye izimvu zikaYesu yaye kungqina ukuba onke amaKristu asemhlabeni namhlanje amanyene.

16, 17. (a) Yintoni into eyavakaliswa nguYesu xa equkumbela umthandazo wakhe? (b) Yintoni thina esimele sizimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁶ Ngenxa yempembelelo yeenkokeli zonqulo, inkoliso yabantu ayinaxesha lobungqina obucacileyo bokuba uYehova uye wabamanyanisa abantu bakhe abamaziyo. Kwakunjalo nangomhla kaYesu. Ngoko ke, uYesu uqukumbela umthandazo wakhe ngala mazwi amnandi: “Bawo olilungisa, ihlabathi, eneneni, alikwazanga; kodwa mna ndikwazile, kwaye nabo bazile ukuba ndithunywe nguwe. Ndilazisile igama lakho kubo yaye ndiza kulazisa, ukuze uthando owandithanda ngalo lube kubo ndize nam ndimanyane nabo.”—Yoh. 17:25, 26.