Ngaba AmaKristu Anethemba Lokuphila Ngonaphakade Emhlabeni?
“[UThixo] uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, kungabi sabakho kufa.”—ISITYHI. 21:4.
1, 2. Sazi njani ukuba amaYuda amaninzi enkulungwane yokuqala ayenethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni?
ELINYE ityendyana elalisisityebi nelalidumile laya kuYesu, laguqa phambi kwakhe laza lathi: “Mfundisi Olungileyo, ndenze ntoni na ukuze ndibudle ilifa ubomi obungunaphakade?” (Marko 10:17) Eli tyendyana lalibuza ngendlela yokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade—kodwa laliza kubufumana phi obu bomi? Njengoko sixubushile kwinqaku elandulelayo, kwiinkulungwane ngaphambili uThixo wanika amaYuda ithemba lovuko nelokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. AmaYuda amaninzi enkulungwane yokuqala ayenelo themba.
2 Kuyabonakala ukuba umhlobo kaYesu uMarta wayecinga ukuba umntakwabo ofileyo wayeza kuvuselwa emhlabeni, xa wathi: “Ndiyazi ukuba uza kuvuka eluvukweni ngomhla wokugqibela.” (Yoh. 11:24) Liyinyaniso elokuba abaSadusi ababephila ngelo xesha babengakholelwa eluvukweni. (Marko 12:18) Sekunjalo, kwincwadi yakhe ethi Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian Era, uGeorge Foot Moore uthi: “Iincwadi . . . ezabhalwa ngenkulungwane yesibini okanye yokuqala ngaphambi kwexesha lethu zingqina ukuba kuza ilixa apho kuya kuvuswa bonke abantu abafileyo baze baphile ubomi obungunaphakade kulo mhlaba.” Umfana osisityebi owaya kuYesu wayefuna ukuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni.
3. Yiyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kweli nqaku?
3 Namhlanje, iinkonzo nabahlalutyi abaninzi beBhayibhile bayakhanyela ukuba amaKristu afundisa ngethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. Abantu abaninzi banethemba lokuphila kummandla womoya emva kokuba befile. Ngoko xa abantu abafunda iZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike bebona ibinzana elithi “ubomi obungunaphakade,” bacinga ukuba lisoloko libhekisela kubomi basezulwini. Ngaba oko kuchanile? Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu xa wayebhekisela kubomi obungunaphakade? Yintoni eyayikholelwa ngabafundi bakhe? Ngaba iZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike zifundisa ukuba sinokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni?
Ubomi Obungunaphakade “Ekudalweni Okutsha”
4. Yintoni eza kwenzekaka “ekudalweni okutsha”?
4 IBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba amaKristu athanjisiweyo aya kuvuselwa ezulwini ukuze alawule emhlabeni. (Luka 12:32; ISityhi. 5:9, 10; 14:1-3) Kodwa ke, xa uYesu wayethetha ngobomi obungunaphakade wayengacingi ngelo qela nje kuphela. Makhe siqwalasele oko uKristu wakuthetha kubafundi bakhe emva kokuba ityendyana elisisityebi labuyela ekhaya likhathazekile kuba ethe malishiye zonke izinto zalo lize libe ngumlandeli wakhe. (Funda uMateyu 19:28, 29.) UYesu waxelela abapostile bakhe ukuba baza kuba phakathi kwabantu abaza kulawula njengookumkani baze bagwebe “izizwe ezilishumi elinesibini zakwaSirayeli,” oko kukuthi, uluntu oluza kuphila emhlabeni. (1 Kor. 6:2) Waphinda wathetha ngomvuzo oya kufunyanwa nguye “wonk’ ubani” omlandelayo. Nabo abo ‘baya kudla ilifa ubomi obungunaphakade.’ Konke oku kuza kwenzeka “ekudalweni okutsha.”
5. Kuthetha ukuthini “ukudalwa ngokutsha”?
5 Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu xa wayesithi “ekudalweni okutsha”? KwiThe Bible—An American Translation eli binzana liguqulelwe ngokuthi “ihlabathi elitsha.” KwiThe Jerusalem Bible liguqulelwe ngokuthi “xa zonke izinto zenziwe ntsha,” ukanti yona iThe Holy Bible—New International Version iliguqulele ngokuthi “ukwenziwa ntsha kwezinto zonke.” Ekubeni uYesu wasebenzisa eli binzana ngaphandle kokucacisa intsingiselo yalo, ngokuqinisekileyo wayebhekisela kwithemba awayenalo amaYuda kangangeenkulungwane. Umhlaba wawuza kudalwa ngokutsha, ukuze izinto zibuyele kwimeko ezaziyiyo kumyezo wase-Eden ngaphambi kokuba uAdam noEva bone. Ukudalwa ngokutsha kuya kuzalisekisa isithembiso sikaThixo ‘sokudala amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha.’—Isa. 65:17.
6. Umzekeliso wezimvu neebhokhwe usifundisa ntoni ngethemba lobomi obungunaphakade?
6 Kwakhona uYesu wabhekisela kubomi obungunaphakade xa wayethetha ngokupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto. (Mat. 24:1-3) Wathi: “Xa uNyana womntu efika esebuqaqawulini bakhe, nazo zonke iingelosi zikunye naye, uya kwandula ke ahlale phantsi kwitrone yakhe yobuqaqawuli. Kwaye zonke iintlanga ziya kuhlanganiselwa phambi kwakhe, abahlule abantu omnye komnye, kanye njengokuba umalusi esahlula izimvu ezibhokhweni.” Abo bafumana umgwebo oqatha “baya kumka baye kwintshabalalo engunaphakade, kodwa bona abangamalungisa baye ebomini obungunaphakade.” “Abangamalungisa” abaza kufumana ubomi obungunaphakade ngabo baye babaxhasa ngokunyanisekileyo ‘abazalwana’ bakaKristu abathanjiswe ngomoya. (Mat. 25:31-34, 40, 41, 45, 46) Ekubeni abathanjisiweyo bekhethelwe ukulawula kuBukumkani basezulwini, kumele ukuba “abangamalungisa” ngabo baza kulawulwa bobo Bukumkani emhlabeni. IBhayibhile yaxela kwangaphambili isithi: “[UKumkani omiselwe nguYehova] uya kuba nabalawulwa abasukela elwandle baye kufikelela elwandle basukele eMlanjeni base eziphelweni zehlabathi.” (INdu. 72:8) Abo bantu baya kunandipha ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni.
Ithini IVangeli KaYohane?
7, 8. Ziziphi iintlobo ezimbini zethemba uYesu awazixelela uNikodemo?
7 KwiVangeli kaMateyu, kaMarko nekaLuka uYesu usebenzisa ibinzana elithi “ubomi obungunaphakade.” IVangeli kaYohane ikhankanya amazwi kaYesu athetha ngokuphila ngonaphakade izihlandlo ezili-17. Makhe sihlolisise ezinye zezo ngxelo ukuze sibone oko kwathethwa nguYesu ngethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni.
8 Ngokwengxelo kaYohane, uYesu waqala ukuthetha ngobomi obungunaphakade kumFarisi ogama linguNikodemo. Wathi kuNikodemo: “Ngaphandle kokuba nabani na azalwe ngamanzi nomoya, akanakungena ebukumkanini bukaThixo.” Abo baza kungena kuBukumkani bamazulu bamele ‘bazalwe kwakhona.’ (Yoh. 3:3-5) UYesu akazange aphelele apho. Wandula ke wathetha ngethemba loluntu lonke. (Funda uYohane 3:16.) Wayebhekisela kwithemba lobomi obungunaphakade eliza kufunyanwa ngabalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo ezulwini nabo baza kuphila emhlabeni.
9. UYesu wayebhekisela kweliphi ithemba xa wayethetha nomSamariyakazi?
9 Emva kokuba ethethe noNikodemo eYerusalem, uYesu waya kummandla osemantla waseGalili. Wathi esendleleni, wadibana nebhinqa kwiqula likaYakobi kufuphi nesixeko saseSikare eSamariya. Wathi kulo: “Nabani na osela kumanzi endiza kumpha wona akasayi kuze anxanwe konke konke, kodwa kuye amanzi endiya kumnika wona aya kuba ngumthombo wamanzi ampompozayo anika ubomi obungunaphakade.” (Yoh. 4:5, 6, 14) La manzi afuzisela ilungiselelo likaThixo lokuba abantu bafumane ubomi obungunaphakade, kuquka abo baphila emhlabeni. Kwincwadi yeSityhilelo, uThixo uthi: “Nabani na onxaniweyo ndiya kumnika emthonjeni wamanzi obomi ngesisa.” (ISityhi. 21:5, 6; 22:17) Ngoko uYesu wathetha nalo mSamariyakazi ngobomi obungunaphakade obuza kufunyanwa kungekuphela ngabo baza kuba ziindlalifa ezithanjisiweyo zoBukumkani, kodwa nobuza kufunyanwa ngabantu abanokholo nabanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni.
10. Emva kokuphilisa indoda kwichibi laseBhethezatha, uYesu wabaxelela ntoni abachasi bonqulo ngobomi obungunaphakade?
10 Kunyaka olandelayo, uYesu waphinda waya eYerusalem. Apho waphilisa indoda eyayigula kwichibi laseBhethezatha. UYesu wathi kumaYuda awayemgxeka ngoko wayekwenza, “uNyana akanakwenza nanye into ngokwakhe, ngaphandle koko abona uYise ekwenza.” Emva kokuba ebaxelele ukuba uYise “unikele konke ukugweba kuNyana,” uYesu wathi: “Lowo ulivayo ilizwi lam aze akholelwe kulowo undithumileyo unobomi obungunaphakade.” Kwakhona wathi: “Liyeza ilixa ekuya kuthi ngalo bonke abo bakumangcwaba enkumbulo balive ilizwi [loNyana womntu] baze baphume, abo benze izinto ezilungileyo beze kuvuko lobomi, abo baqhelisele izinto ezimbi kuvuko lomgwebo.” (Yoh. 5:1-9, 19, 22, 24-29) UYesu waxelela amaYuda awayemtshutshisa ukuba wamiselwa nguThixo ukuze azalisekise ithemba amaYuda awayenalo lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni, yaye wathi wayeza kwenza oko ngokuvusa abafileyo.
11. Sazi njani ukuba ithemba uYesu awathetha ngalo kuYohane 6:48-51 laliquka ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni?
11 EGalili, amawaka abantu ababefuna isonka esenziwa nguYesu ngokungummangaliso baqalisa ukumlandela. UYesu wabaxelela ngolunye uhlobo lwesonka—“isonka sobomi.” (Funda uYohane 6:40, 48-51.) Wathi: “Isonka endiya kusinikela yinyama yam.” UYesu wafa kungekuphela ngenxa yabo baza kulawula kunye naye kuBukumkani bamazulu, kodwa ‘nangenxa yobomi behlabathi’ labantu abanokuhlangulwa. “Ukuba nabani na utya kwesi sonka,” oko kukuthi, ubonakalisa ukholo kumandla edini likaYesu, uza kuba nethemba lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. Eneneni, ‘ukuphila ngonaphakade’ kuquka ithemba amaYuda ekudala enalo lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni xa kulawula uMesiya.
12. Liliphi ithemba uYesu awayebhekisela kulo xa wathi kubachasi bakhe ‘uza kunika izimvu zakhe ubomi obungunaphakade’?
12 Kamva, kuMthendeleko Wonikezelo eYerusalem, uYesu wathi kubachasi bakhe: “Anikholelwa, ngenxa yokuba aniyiyo nanye yezimvu zam. Izimvu zam ziyaliphulaphula ilizwi lam, kwaye ndiyazazi, zona ziyandilandela. Ndizinika ubomi obungunaphakade.” (Yoh. 10:26-28) Ngaba uYesu wayethetha ngobomi basezulwini, okanye wayekwacinga ngobomi obungunaphakade kwiparadesi esemhlabeni? UYesu wayesandul’ ukuthuthuzela abalandeli bakhe ngala mazwi: “Musani ukoyika, mhlambi mncinane, ngenxa yokuba kukholekile kuYihlo ukuninika ubukumkani.” (Luka 12:32) Kodwa ke, kwakulo Mthendeleko Wonikezelo uYesu wathi: “Ndinazo nezinye izimvu, ezingezizo ezesi sibaya; nazo ezo ndimele ndize nazo.” (Yoh. 10:16) Ngoko ke, xa uYesu wayethetha nabo bachasi, wayethetha ngethemba ‘umhlambi omncinane’ onalo lokuphila ezulwini nethemba ‘ezinye izimvu’ ezizizigidi elinalo lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni.
Ithemba Ekwakungekho Mfuneko Yakulicacisa
13. Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu xa wathi: “Uya kuba nam eParadesi”?
13 Xa wayengcungcutheka kumthi wentuthumbo, uYesu wanika uluntu ithemba elingenakuphikiswa. Umenzi-bubi owabethelelwa ecaleni kwakhe wathi: “Yesu, uze undikhumbule xa uthe wangena ebukumkanini bakho.” UYesu wamthembisa esithi: “Inene ndithi kuwe namhlanje, Uya kuba nam eParadesi.” (Luka 23:42, 43) Nangona kubonakala ukuba le ndoda yayingumYuda, yayiyazi kakuhle ukuba yintoni iParadesi. Yayisazi nokuba kukho ithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni kwixesha elizayo.
14. (a) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba kwakunzima ngabapostile ukuliqonda ithemba lokuphila ezulwini? (b) Abalandeli bakaYesu baliqonda ngokucacileyo nini ithemba lasezulwini?
14 Kodwa ke into ekwakufuneka icacisiwe lithemba lokuphila ezulwini uYesu awathetha ngalo. Xa wayethetha nabafundi bakhe ngokuya ezulwini ukuze abalungiselele, babengazi ukuba wayethetha ukuthini. (Funda uYohane 14:2-5.) Kamva wathi kubo: “Ziseninzi izinto endinokuzithetha kuni, kodwa aninakukwazi ukuzithwala okwangoku. Noko ke, xa efika yena, umoya wenyaniso, uya kunikhokelela kuyo yonke inyaniso.” (Yoh. 16:12, 13) Emva kokuthanjiswa ngomoya kaThixo ukuze babe ngookumkani bexesha elizayo ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., abalandeli bakaYesu baqonda ukuba baza kulawula ezulwini. (1 Kor. 15:49; Kol. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4) Babeqala ukuva ngethemba lokuphila ezulwini, yaye iileta ezikwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike zilibethelela kakhulu eli themba. Kodwa ngaba ezi leta ziyasiqinisekisa ngethemba loluntu lokuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade?
Zithini Iileta Eziphefumlelweyo?
15, 16. Ithini ileta ephefumlelweyo eya kumaHebhere namazwi kaPetros ngethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni?
15 Kwileta yakhe awayeyibhalele amaHebhere, umpostile uPawulos wabhekisela kubazalwana bakhe ngokuthi ‘ngabazalwana abangcwele, abanesabelo kubizo lwasezulwini.’ Kodwa kwangaxeshanye wathi uThixo uye wawuthobela kuYesu “umhlaba omiweyo oza kuza.” (Heb. 2:3, 5; 3:1) KwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike, igama lantlandlolo eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umhlaba omiweyo” lidla ngokubhekisela kumhlaba ohlala abantu. Ngoko ke, “umhlaba omiweyo oza kuza” yinkqubo ezayo apha emhlabeni aza kulawula kuyo uYesu Kristu. Ngelo xesha uYesu uza kuzalisekisa isithembiso sikaThixo, esithi: “Amalungisa aya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, ahlale kuwo ngonaphakade.”—INdu. 37:29.
16 Kwakhona umpostile uPetros waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale ngekamva loluntu. Wabhala wathi: “Amazulu nomhlaba wangoku, zombini ziqwetyelwe umlilo yaye zibekelwe imini yomgwebo neyentshabalalo yabantu abangenabuthixo.” (2 Pet. 3:7) Yintoni eza kuthabathel’ indawo oorhulumente noluntu olungendawo olukhoyo namhlanje? (Funda eyesi-2 kuPetros 3:13.) Ziya kuthatyathelw’ indawo ‘ngamazulu amatsha’—uBukumkani bukaMesiya obumiselwe nguThixo—“nomhlaba omtsha”—uluntu olungamalungisa lwabanquli bokwenyaniso.
17. Ithemba loluntu lichazwa njani kwiSityhilelo 21:1-4?
17 Incwadi yokugqibela yeBhayibhile isityhilela umbono ochukumisayo wendlela uluntu oluya kufezeka ngayo. (Funda iSityhilelo 21:1-4.) Ukususela kumyezo wase-Eden xa umntu wonayo, abantu bebesoloko beneli themba. Abantu abangamalungisa baza kuphila kwiParadesi esemhlabeni ngonaphakade bangaluphali. Eli themba lisekelwe kwiZibhalo ZesiHebhere nakwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike, yaye lisaqhubeka lisomeleza abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova unanamhla.—ISityhi. 22:1, 2.
Ngaba Unokucacisa?
• UYesu wayethetha ukuthini xa wayesithi “ekudalweni okutsha”?
• UYesu wayethetha ngantoni noNikodemo?
• UYesu wamthembisa ntoni umenzi wobubi owayebethelelwe ecaleni kwakhe?
• Ileta eya kumaHebhere namazwi kaPetros aliqinisekisa njani ithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]
Abantu abanjengezimvu baza kuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]
UYesu wathetha nabanye ngokuphila ngonaphakade