Incwadi YeBhayibhile 58—Hebhere

Umbhali: NguPawulos

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: ERoma

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-61 C.E.

 1. Kungokuvisisana naluphi uthumo awathi uPawulos wabhala incwadi eya kumaHebhere?

UPAWULOS waziwa kakuhle njengompostile ‘weentlanga.’ Kodwa ngaba ubulungiseleli bakhe babupheleliselwe kwabangengomaYuda kuphela? Akunjalo konke konke! Ngaphambi kokuba uPawulos abhaptizwe aze athunywe kumsebenzi wakhe, iNkosi uYesu yathi kuHananiya: “Lowo [uPawulos] usisitya esinyuliweyo ndim, sokuphatha igama lam emehlweni eentlanga, nookumkani, kwanoonyana bakaSirayeli.” (IZe. 9:15; Gal. 2:8, 9) Ukubhalwa kwencwadi eya kumaHebhere enyanisweni kwakuvisisana nothumo lukaPawulos lokuphatha igama likaYesu koonyana bakaSirayeli.

 2. Zinokungqinwa zibubuxoki njani iingxoxo ezithi incwadi yamaHebhere ayizange ibhalwe nguPawulos?

² Noko ke, bambi abahlalutyi bayathandabuza ukuba le ncwadi eya kumaHebhere yabhalwa nguPawulos. Esinye isizathu sikukuba igama likaPawulos aliveli kule ncwadi. Kodwa oku akungomqobo wokwenene, njengoko ezinye iincwadi ezininzi eziyinxalenye yemibhalo engcwele zisilela ukulibiza igama lombhali wazo, othi ngokufuthi afunyaniswe kubungqina obungaphakathi. Ngaphezu koko, bambi bavakalelwa kukuba uPawulos usenokuba walishiya ngabom igama lakhe xa wayebhalela amaKristu angamaHebhere kwelakwaYuda, ekubeni igama lakhe lalisele lenziwe into yokugculelwa ngamaYuda alapho. (IZe. 21:28) Kwanokuguquka kwesimbo sokubhala kwezinye iincwadi zakhe akungomqobo wokwenene wokuba ibe ayizange ibhalwe nguPawulos. Enoba wayethetha nabahedeni, amaYuda okanye amaKristu, uPawulos wayesoloko ebonakalisa ubuchule bokuba ‘abe zizinto zonke kubo bonke.’ Apha uqiqa namaYuda engumYuda, iingxoxo awayenokuziqonda ngokuzeleyo aze azixabise.—1 Kor. 9:22.

 3. Bubuphi ubungqina obungaphakathi kuyo obuxhasa ukuba incwadi eya kumaHebhere yabhalwa nguPawulos nobubonisa ukuba wayibhalela ngokuyintloko amaYuda?

³ Ubungqina bangaphakathi bale ncwadi bonke buxhasa ukuba yabhalwa nguPawulos. Umbhali wayo wayeseItali yaye wayenxulumene noTimoti. Ezi zibakala ziyangqinelana noPawulos. (Heb. 13:23, 24) Ngaphezu koko, imfundiso ifana nqwa nekaPawulos, nangona iingxoxo zinikelwa ngokwembono yobuYuda, zilungiselelwe ukuba zibe nomtsalane ngokukhethekileyo kwibandla lamaHebhere eyayibhalelwe lona le ncwadi. Kule ngongoma iCommentary kaClarke, Umqulu 6, iphepha 681, ithi ngokuphathelele amaHebhere: “Lulonke uhlobo ebhalwe ngalo le ncwadi lungqina ngokupheleleyo ukuba yayibhalelwe amaYuda. Ukuba yayibhalelwe abeeNtlanga, akukho namnye kwishumi lamawaka labo owayenokuyiqonda le ngxoxo, ngenxa yokuba engaqhelananga nenkqubo yamaYuda, ulwazi ekubonakala ukuba umbhali kuyo yonke le ncwadi wayecinga ngalo.” Oku kusinceda sibone isizathu sokwahluka kwendlela ebhalwe ngayo xa kuthelekiswa nezinye iincwadi zikaPawulos.

 4. Bubuphi ubungqina obongezelelekileyo obukhoyo bokuba incwadi eya kumaHebhere yabhalwa nguPawulos?

⁴ IChester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P⁴⁶) eyafunyanwa malunga nowe-1930 iye yanikela ubungqina obongezelelekileyo bokuba yabhalwa nguPawulos. Egqabaza ngalo mbhalo-ngqangi uyicodex, owawubhalwe kuphela malunga nenkulungwane enesiqingatha emva kokufa kukaPawulos, umphengululi wezibhalo owaziwayo waseBritani uMhlekazi uFrederic Kenyon wathi: “Kuyaphawuleka ukuba incwadi eya kumaHebhere ilandela eya kwabaseRoma (isigxina esiphantse sibe sesingenakuthelekiswa nanto), nto leyo ebonisa ukuba kumaxesha angaphambili xa kwabhalwa lo mbhalo-ngqangi alithandabuzeki elokuba kwakukho iimvakalelo zokuba yayibhalwe nguPawulos.”a Kwakulo mbandela mnye, iCyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong ngokucacileyo ithi: “Akukho bungqina bubambekayo, bangaphandle okanye ngaphakathi, obungqinelana nabani na othi yabhalwa nguye le ncwadi ngaphandle koPawulos.”b

 5. Oko kuqulethwe yincwadi eya kumaHebhere kungqina njani ukuba iphefumlelwe?

⁵ Ngaphandle kokwamkelwa kwale ncwadi ngamaKristu okuqala, oko kuqulethwe yile ncwadi eya kumaHebhere kungqina ukuba ‘iphefumlelwe nguThixo.’ Isoloko isalathisela umfundi kwiziprofeto zeZibhalo zesiHebhere, isenza iimbekiselo eziliqela kwimibhalo yamandulo, yaye ibonisa indlela ezazaliseka ngayo zonke ezi kuKristu Yesu. Kwisahluko sokuqala sisodwa, zingaphezu kwesixhenxe iindinyana ezicatshulwe kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere ezisetyenzisiweyo njengoko kuphuhliswa ingongoma yokuba uNyana ngoku ungaphezu kwezithunywa zezulu. Isoloko ibalaselisa iLizwi likaYehova negama lakhe, isalatha kuYesu njengeMbangi eyiNtloko yobomi nakuBukumkani bukaThixo obungoKristu njengokuphela kwethemba loluntu.

 6. Ubungqina bubonisa ntoni ngendawo nexesha lokubhalwa kwencwadi eya kumaHebhere?

⁶ Ngokubhekisele kwixesha lokubhalwa kwayo, sekuboniswe kade ukuba uPawulos wayibhala le ncwadi ngoxa wayeseItali. Ekuqukumbeleni kwakhe le ncwadi, uthi: “Yazini ukuba umzalwana wethu uTimoti ukhululwe; endothi, xa ngaba ude wafika kamsinya ndinibone ndinaye.” (13:23) Kubonakala oku kubonisa ukuba uPawulos wayelindele ukukhululwa kamsinya entolongweni yaye enethemba lokuhamba noTimoti, naye owayesentolongweni kodwa owayesele ekhululwe. Ngaloo ndlela, kucingelwa ukuba unyaka wokugqibela wokuvalelwa kukaPawulos eRoma ngunyaka eyabhalwa ngawo, oko kukuthi, owama-61 C.E.

 7. Luluphi uhlobo lwenkcaso awayejamelene nalo amaKristu angamaYuda eYerusalem, yaye yintoni awayeyifuna?

⁷ Ebudeni bexesha lokuphela kwenkqubo yezinto yamaYuda, ixesha elinzima lokuvavanywa lawafikela amaKristu angamaHebhere akwelakwaYuda yaye ingakumbi lawo aseYerusalem. Ngokwanda nokusasazeka kweendaba ezilungileyo, amaYuda ayesiya ethabatha unyawo kwinkcaso yawo yamaKristu. Kuphela nje kwiminyaka embalwa ngaphambilana, ukubonakala nje kukaPawulos eYerusalem kwabangela isidubedube, amaYuda angawonqulo enkqangaza ngawona mazwi awo aphakamileyo esithi: “Msuseni emhlabeni umntu onje; kuba akufanelekile ukuba adle ubomi.” AmaYuda angaphezu kwama-40 ayezibophe ngesiqalekiso sokuba akasayi kudla okanye asele de abe ambulele, yaye oku kwafuna ukuba yena ahambe namasoldati awayexhobe ef’ amacala ukuze amzise eKesareya ngobusuku. (IZe. 22:22; 23:12-15, 23, 24) Kwimekobume enjalo yempambano engokonqulo nokuthiywa kwamaKristu, kwafuneka ibandla liqhubeke, lishumayele, lize lizigcine lomelele elukholweni. Kwakufuneka abe nolwazi oluphangaleleyo aze aziqonde iindlela uKristu awawuzalisa ngazo uMthetho ukuze aphephe ukuwela kubuYuda nokugcina kwabo uMthetho kaMoses wokwenziwa kwamadini ezilwanyana, nto leyo ngoku eyayisisithethe nje esingenaluncedo.

 8. Kutheni uPawulos wayefaneleke kangaka ukuba abhale le ncwadi eya kumaHebhere, yaye luluphi uthotho lweengxoxo awazinikelayo?

⁸ Akukho namnye owayenokuyiqonda kakuhle ingcinezelo nentshutshiso amaKristu angamaYuda awayechanabeke kuyo kunompostile uPawulos. Akukho namnye owayenokukwazi ukunikela kuwo iingxoxo ezeyisayo nokubonisa ukungabi naluncedo kwamasiko obuYuda kunoPawulos, owayesakuba ngumFarisi. Ngenxa yolwazi lwakhe oluphangaleleyo ngoMthetho kaMoses, awayewufunde phantsi koGamaliyeli, wanikela ubungqina obungenakukhanyelwa bokuba uKristu uyinzaliseko yoMthetho, imimiselo yawo namadini awo. Wabonisa indlela ezi zinto ezathi zathatyathelwa indawo ngayo zizinto ezizuke ngakumbi, nto leyo eyayizisa iingenelo ezinkulu ngakumbi phantsi komnqophiso omtsha nolunge ngakumbi. Ngenxa yokuba wayephaphile engqondweni, wakwazi ukunikela ubungqina emva kobunye ngendlela ecacileyo neyeyisayo. Ukuphela komnqophiso woMthetho nokungena komnqophiso omtsha, ukubaluleka okungakumbi kobubingeleli bukaKristu kunobubingeleli buka-Aron, ixabiso elililo ledini likaKristu xa lithelekiswa namadini eenkunzi zeenkomo naweebhokhwe, ukungena kukaKristu kubukho bukaYehova emazulwini kunokungena nje kumnquba wasemhlabeni—zonke ezi mfundiso zintsha zichukumisayo, ezazithiywe ngokupheleleyo ngamaYuda angakholwayo, apha zazidluliselwa kumaKristu angamaHebhere ngobungqina obaneleyo obabuvela kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere ekwakungekho mYuda onengqiqo owayenokungeyiseki zizo.

 9. Incwadi eya kumaHebhere yaba sisixhobo esinamandla sokwenza ntoni, yaye yaba yimbonakaliso njani yothando lukaPawulos?

⁹ Exhotyiswe ngale ncwadi, amaKristu angamaHebhere ayenesixhobo esitsha nesinamandla sokuwavala imilomo loo maYuda ayewatshutshisa, kuquka nengxoxo eyeyisayo awayenokweyisela aze aguqule ngayo amaYuda anyanisekileyo awayefuna inyaniso kaThixo. Le ncwadi ibonisa uthando olunzulu uPawulos awayenalo ngamaKristu angamaHebhere nomnqweno wakhe ofudumeleyo wokuwanceda ngendlela esebenzisekayo ngexesha lobunzima.

OKUQULETHWE YEYAMAHEBHERE

10. Amazwi okuvula encwadi eya kumaHebhere abonisa ntoni ngokuphathelele isigxina uKristu akuso?

¹⁰ Isigxina esiphakamileyo sikaKristu (1:1–3:6). Amazwi okuvula anikela ingqalelo kuKristu: “UThixo wayethethile nje kudala ngeendawo ezininzi, nangeendlela ezininzi, koobawo ngabo abaprofeti, uthethe ngale mihla yokugqibela kuthi ngoNyana.” Lo Nyana yiNdlalifa enyuliweyo yezinto zonke nembonakaliso yozuko lukaYise. Akuba esihlambulule kwizono zethu, ngoku uye “wahlala phantsi ngasekunene kobuKhulu, enyangweni.” (1:1-3) UPawulos ucaphula izibhalo eziliqela ukungqina ukuba uYesu mkhulu kunezithunywa zezulu.

11. (a) Kutheni uPawulos eluleka ngokuba kunikelwe ingqalelo engakumbi kwizinto eziviweyo? (b) Ngenxa yamava akhe nesikhundla esiphakamileyo akuso, ziziphi izinto uYesu anamandla okuziphumeza?

¹¹ UPawulos ubhala ukuba “simele kukuzinyamekela ngokugqithiseleyo izinto esazivayo.” Ngoba? UPawulos uthi, ukuba kwakukho umgwebo oqatha ngokungalithobeli “ilizwi elathethwa ngezithunywa zezulu . . . sothini na thina ukusinda, sakuba siluhilizele usindiso olungakanana, lona lwaqalwa ukuthethwa yiyo iNkosi?” UThixo wamnciphisa kancinane “unyana womntu” kunezithunywa zezulu, kodwa ngoku siva ukuba uYesu “ngenxa yeentlungu zokufa wathweswa uzuko nembeko, ukuze ngobabalo lukaThixo eve ukufa ngenxa yabo bonke.” (2:1-3, 6, 9) Ekuziseni oonyana abaninzi eluzukweni, ekuqaleni uThixo wayenza ‘ngeentlungu yagqibelela’ le Mbangi iyiNtloko yosindiso lwabo. Nguye obhangisa uMtyholi nokhulula “ebukhobokeni bonke abo babethe ngalo lonke ixesha lokudla kwabo ubomi bazizisulu zokoyika ukufa.” Ngaloo ndlela uYesu uba “ngonenceba kubo, kwanombingeleli othembekileyo omkhulu.” Yaye ngokumangalisayo, ekubeni yena ngokwakhe wahendwa, “unako ukubasiza abahendwayo.” (2:10, 15, 17, 18) Ngenxa yoko, uYesu ubalelwa njengofanelwe luzuko olungaphezulu kolukaMoses.

12. Liliphi ikhondo amele amaKristu aliphephe ukuba aza kungena ekuphumleni kukaThixo?

¹² Ukungena ekuphumleni kukaThixo ngokholo nangokuthobela (3:7–4:13). AmaKristu, kunabo bonke abantu, afanele alunyukiswe ngumzekelo wamaSirayeli wokungathembeki, esoyikela ukuba kuwo kukhule “intliziyo engendawo, engakholwayo, enokumka kuThixo ophilileyo.” (Heb. 3:12; INdu. 95:7-11) Ngenxa yokungathobeli nokungabi nalukholo, amaSirayeli awaphuma eYiputa awazange angene ekuphumleni kukaThixo, okanye kwiSabatha, ebudeni bexesha awayephumle ngalo kwimisebenzi yakhe yokudala yasemhlabeni. Noko ke, uPawulos ucacisa esithi: “Ngoko ke abantu bakaThixo balindwe luphumlo olunjengolwesabatha. Kuba lowo ungeneyo ekuphumleni kwakhe, naye ngokwakhe uphumle kuyo imisebenzi yakhe, njengoThixo kweyeyakhe.” Limele liphetshwe ikhondo lokungathobeli elabonakalaliswa ngamaSirayeli. “Kuba ilizwi likaThixo liphilile, lisebenza, libukhali ngaphezu kwamakrele onke antlangothi-mbini; . . . linokugweba iingcingane nezicamango zentliziyo.”—Heb. 4:9, 10, 12.

13. (a) Kwenzeka njani ukuba uKristu abe “ngumbingeleli ngokungapheliyo,” onokudlulisela usindiso olungunaphakade? (b) Kutheni uPawulos ebongoza amaHebhere ukuba aqhubele kwelokukhula?

¹³ Imbono efanelekileyo engokubalasela kobubingeleli bukaKristu (4:14–7:28). UPawulos ubongoza amaHebhere ukuba alubambe uvumo lwawo olungoYesu, uMbingeleli Omkhulu ongene kuwo amazulu, ukuze enzelwe inceba. UKristu akazange azizukise, kodwa nguYise owathi: “Wena ungumbingeleli ngonaphakade, ngokohlobo lukaMelkitsedeke.” (Heb. 5:6; INdu. 110:4) Okokuqala, uKristu wenziwa wagqibelela elungiselelwa isigxina sokuba ngumbingeleli omkhulu ngokufunda ukuthobela ngokuva ubunzima, ukuze akwazi ukubazuzisa usindiso olungunaphakade bonke abo bamthobelayo. UPawulos ‘uneendawo ezininzi zokuthetha nezilukhuni ukuchazwa,’ kodwa amaHebhere aseziintsana ezifanelwe ngamasi, ngoxa, enyanisweni, ayefanele kukuba ngabafundisi. “Kokwabakhulileyo ke ukudla okuqinileyo, abo bathi, ngenxa yobugcisa, babe nezimvo eziqheliselwe ukucalula okuhle kwanokubi.” Lo mpostile uyawabongoza ukuba ‘aqhubele kwelokukhula.’—Heb. 5:11, 14; 6:1.

14. Amakholwa asenokulizuza njani njengelifa idinga, yaye ithemba lawo liye lamiselwa njani?

¹⁴ Akunakwenzeka ukuba abo baye balazi iLizwi likaThixo baze bakreqa ukuba baphinde bahlaziyelwe enguqukweni “ekubeni bephinda ukuzibethelelela [“emthini,” NW] uNyana kaThixo, bamhlaze ekuhleni.” Kuphela kungokholo nomonde abanokuthi abakholwayo balizuze njengelifa idinga elenziwa kuAbraham—idinga elaqinisekiswa laza lenziwa lomelela ngezinto ezimbini ezingenakuguquka: ilizwi likaThixo nesifungo sakhe. Ithemba abanalo ‘eliyiankile yomphefumlo, elinqabileyo, neliqinileyo,’ liye lamiselwa ngokungena kukaYesu “ngaphaya kwesikhuselo” njengoManduleli noMbingeleli Omkhulu ngokohlobo lukaMelkitsedeke.—6:6, 19.

15. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ububingeleli bukaYesu, ekubeni bungokohlobo lukaMelkitsedeke, buya kuba bobungaphezulu kobukaLevi?

¹⁵ Lo Melkitsedeke ‘wayengukumkani weSalem kwanombingeleli kaThixo Osenyangweni.’ Kwanosolusapho uAbraham wanikela izishumi kuye, yaye ngaye uLevi, owayesesesinqeni sika-Abraham, wenjenjalo. Ngaloo ndlela, ukusikelela kukaMelkitsedeke uAbraham kwadlulela nakuLevi owayengekazalwa, oko kwabonisa ukuba ububingeleli bukaLevi babunganeno kobukaMelkitsedeke. Ngapha koko, ukuba imfezeko yayize ngobubingeleli bukaLevi obabuphantsi kuka-Aron, ngaba kwakuya kufuneka omnye umbingeleli “ngokohlobo lukaMelkitsedeke”? Ngaphezu koku, ekubeni ububingeleli buguquliwe, “kufuneka ukuba kuguqulwe nomthetho.”—7:1, 11, 12.

16. Kutheni ububingeleli bukaYesu bungaphezulu kobubingeleli obabungaphantsi koMthetho?

¹⁶ Enyanisweni, uMthetho awuzange wenze nanye into ukuba igqibelele kodwa wangqineka ubuthathaka yaye ungasebenzi. Ngenxa yokuba babeqhubeka besifa, babebaninzi ababingeleli bawo, kodwa uYesu “ngenxa yokuba ehleli ngonaphakade, unobubingeleli obungenakudlula. Ngoko unako nokubasindisa kanye abo bezayo ngaye kuThixo, ehlala ehleli nje ukuba abathethelele.” Lo Mbingeleli Mkhulu, uYesu, ‘ungcwele, akanabubi, akanabala, wahlukile kubo aboni,’ ngoxa ababingeleli abakhulu ababemiselwe ngoMthetho bebuthathaka, ekufuneka kuqala banyuse amadini ngenxa yezabo izono bandule ke ukunyusela abanye. Ngoko ilizwi lesifungo likaThixo “limise uNyana, egqibelele ngonaphakade.”—7:24-26, 28.

17. Umnqophiso omtsha ubalasele ngantoni?

¹⁷ Ukubalasela komnqophiso omtsha (8:1–10:31). UYesu ubonakaliswa “engumlamleli womnqophiso olungileyo ngakumbi, wona usekwe phezu kwawona madinga alungileyo.” (8:6) UPawulos ucaphula ngokuzeleyo uYeremiya 31:31-34, ebonisa ukuba abo bakumnqophiso omtsha umthetho kaThixo ubhalwe ezingqondweni nasezintliziyweni zabo, yaye bonke baya kumazi uYehova, yaye uYehova ‘akasayi kuzikhumbula izono zabo.’ Lo ‘mnqophiso mtsha’ uwaluphalisile owokuqala (umnqophiso woMthetho), osele ‘usondele ekuthini shwaka.’—Heb. 8:12, 13.

18. UPawulos wenza luphi uthelekiso ngombandela wokunyuswa kwamadini ngokuphathelele iminqophiso emibini?

¹⁸ UPawulos uwachaza amadini aminyaka le omnquba nawomnqophiso wokuqala ‘njengezimiselo ezamiselwa ukuba kude kufike ixesha lolungiso.’ Noko ke, xa uKristu wafika njengoMbingeleli Omkhulu, kwakungegazi lakhe elixabisekileyo, yaye ingelilo eleebhokhwe neleenkunzi ezintsha. Ukufefa kukaMoses igazi lezilwanyana kwawenza wasebenza umnqophiso wokuqala kwaza kwawucoca umnquba wangoko, kodwa kwakufuneka amadini alunge ngakumbi ngokuphathelele oko kwakuya kwenzeka ezulwini mayela nomnqophiso omtsha. “Kuba uKristu akangenanga kweyona ngcwele inokwenziwa ngezandla, engumfuziselo weyenyaniso; ungene kuwo amazulu ngokwawo, ukuba abonakale ngoku ebusweni bukaThixo ngenxa yethu.” Akuyomfuneko ukuba uKristu anyuse amadini minyaka le, njengokuba babesenjenjalo ababingeleli abakhulu bakwaSirayeli, kuba “uthe ngoku, ekufinyezweni kwawo amaphakade, wabonakalaliswa kwaba kanye, ukuba atshitshise isono ngelilelakhe idini.”—9:10, 24, 26.

19. (a) Yintoni uMthetho ongakwazanga ukuyenza, yaye kutheni? (b) Kuyintoni ukuthanda kukaThixo ngokuphathelele ukungcwaliswa?

¹⁹ Ukushwankathela, uPawulos uthi “kuba umthetho, unesithunzi nje sodwa sezinto ezilungileyo eziza kubakho,” amadini awo aphindaphindwayo awakwazanga ukuphelisa ‘isazela sezono.’ Noko ke, uYesu weza ehlabathini ukuze enze ukuthanda kukaThixo. UPawulos uthi “ngokokuthanda kwakhe, sangcwaliswa ngokusondezwa komzimba kaYesu Kristu, kwaba kanye.” Ngoko ke, amaHebhere makalubambe ngokuqinileyo uvumo lwasekuhleni lokholo lwawo angabi nakuxengaxenga aze ‘anyamekelane, ukuba alolane eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle,’ angakutyesheli ukuhlanganisana ndawonye. Ukuba ayaqhubeka esona ngabom emva kokwamkela ulwazi oluchanileyo lwenyaniso, “akusasele dini ngenxa yezono.”—10:1, 2, 10, 24, 26.

20. (a) Luyintoni ukholo? (b) Ngawaphi amagqabantshintshi uPawulos awawenzayo angokholo?

²⁰ Ukucaciswa nokuzekeliswa kokholo (10:32–12:3). Ngoku uPawulos uxelela amaHebhere esithi: “Zikhumbuzeni ke imihla yangaphambili, enakhanyiselwa ngayo, nanyamezela umzamo omkhulu wentlungu.” Makangakulahli ngoko ukungafihlisi kwawo, kona kunomvuzo omkhulu, kodwa makanyamezele ukuze akuzuze ukuzalisekiswa kwedinga aze ‘abe nokholo olusa ekuzuzeni umphefumlo.’ Ukholo! Ewe, yiloo nto kanye efunekayo. Okokuqala, uPawulos uluchaza ngokuthi: “Ukholo ke kukukholosa ngezinto ezithenjiweyo; kukweyiseka bubukho bezinto ezingabonwayo.” Wandula ke, kwesi sahluko sichukumisayo, athi gqaba-gqaba ngokukhawuleza ngamadoda akudala awayephila, esebenza, esilwa, enyamezela aza aba ziindlalifa zobulungisa ngokholo. “Ngokholo” uAbraham wahlala eminqubeni noIsake noYakobi, elindele “umzi lo uneziseko,” uMakhi wawo inguThixo. “Ngokholo” uMoses waqhubeka engashukumi, “wanga uyambona lowo ungenakubonwa.” “Ndisathetha ntoni na?” ubuza esitsho uPawulos. “Kuba ndingaphelelwa lixesha ndibalisa ngoGidiyon, kwanoBharaki, noSamson, noYifeta, kwanoDavide, noSamuweli, nangabo abaprofeti; abathe ngokholo beyisa izikumkani, basebenza ubulungisa, bazuzana namadinga.” Nabanye balingwa ngokwenziwa intlekisa, batyakatywa, bafakwa amakhamandela, kwaneetshutshiso kodwa bala ukukhululwa “ukuze bazuzane nolona luvuko lululo.” Ngokwenene, “lalingabafanele ihlabathi.” Bonke aba bangqinelwa ngalo ukholo ababenalo, kodwa kusafuneka bazuzane nenzaliseko yedinga. UPawulos uhlabela mgama esithi, “Ngako oko ke, sinelifu elingakanana nje elisingqongileyo lamangqina, masithi nathi, siwubekile nxamnye wonke umthwalo, naso isono esinokusirhawula ngokusisulu, silubaleke ngomonde ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu; sise amehlo kuyo imbangi nomgqibelelisi wokholo lwethu, uYesu.”—10:32, 39; 11:1, 8, 10, 27, 32, 33, 35, 38; 12:1, 2.

21. (a) AmaKristu asenokunyamezela njani elugqatsweni lokholo? (b) Sisiphi isizathu esinamandla sokuphulaphula isilumkiso esivela kuThixo uPawulos asinikelayo?

²¹ Unyamezelo kugqatso lokholo (12:4-29). UPawulos uyawayala amaKristu angamaHebhere ukuba anyamezele kugqatso lokholo, kuba uYehova uwaqeqesha njengoonyana. Ngoku lixesha lokomeleza izandla eziwileyo namadolo agevezelayo aze aqhubeke ezenzela imizila ethe tye iinyawo zawo. Amele akulumkele ngokukodwa ukuvela kwayo nayiphi na ingcambu enetyhefu okanye ukungcola okunokuwabangela ukuba angamkelwa, njengakwimeko kaEsawu, ongazange azixabise izinto ezingcwele. Kwintaba yokoqobo, uMoses wathi: “Ndiyoyika kakhulu, ndiyagubha,” ngenxa yokubonakala ngokoyikekayo kwedangatye lomlilo, ilifu, nokuvakala kwelizwi. Kodwa babesondele kwinto eyoyikeka ngakumbi—iNtaba yeZiyon neYerusalem yasezulwini, nezigidi zezigidi zezithunywa zezulu, ibandla lamaZibulo, uThixo uMgwebi wabo bonke noYesu uMlamleli womnqophiso omtsha nolunge ngakumbi. Ngoku kukho isizathu esingakumbi sokuphulaphula kwisilumkiso esivela kuThixo! Ngexesha likaMoses ilizwi likaThixo lawunyikimisa umhlaba, kodwa ngoku Uye wathembisa ukuzamazamisa izulu nomhlaba. UPawulos uphuhlisa le ngongoma xa esithi: “Masithi ngoko, sisamkela ubukumkani obungenakuzanyazanyiswa nje, . . . simkhonze ngawo uThixo ngokukholekileyo, sinokuhlonela nokoyika; kuba uThixo wethu ungumlilo odlayo.”—12:21, 28, 29.

22. UPawulos uyiqukumbela ngasiphi isiluleko esakhayo incwadi yakhe eya kumaHebhere?

²² Iziluleko ezahlukahlukeneyo ngemibandela yonqulo (13:1-25). UPawulos uqukumbela ngesiluleko esakhayo: Uthando lobuzalwana maluhlale luhleli, musani ukukulibala ukubuka iindwendwe, umtshato mawubekeke kubo bonke, musani ukuba ngabathandi bemali, bathobeleni abo bakhokelayo phakathi kwenu, ningakhukuliswa ziimfundiso ezingezizo. Elokuqukumbela, “ngoko masithi ngaye [uYesu] sinyuse ngamaxesha onke kuye uThixo umbingelelo wendumiso, oko kukuthi, isiqhamo somlomo olivumayo igama lakhe.”—13:15.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

23. UPawulos uphikisa ngelithini ngokuphathelele uMthetho, yaye uyixhasa njani ingxoxo yakhe?

²³ Njengengxoxo engokomthetho yokuxhasa uKristu, incwadi eya kumaHebhere ngumsebenzi wobugcisa ongenakucelwa mngeni, iyilwe ngendlela efanelekileyo yaye ibhalwe ngokukhululekileyo inobungqina obuvela kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere. Ineembalasane ezahlukahlukeneyo zoMthetho kaMoses—umnqophiso, igazi, umlamleli, umnquba wokunqula, ububingeleli, ukunyusa amadini— yaye ikubonise konke oku njengemifuziselo eyenziwa nguThixo ukwalatha phambili kwizinto ezilunge ngakumbi, zonke ezizaliseka kuKristu Yesu nakwidini lakhe, inzaliseko yoMthetho. UPawulos wathi, uMthetho ‘owalupheleyo, walixhego, usondele ekuthini shwaka.’ Kodwa “uYesu Kristu ukwanguye izolo, nanamhla, ase nakuwo amaphakade.” (8:13; 13:8; 10:1) Enjani yona indlela anoba avuya ngayo amaHebhere akufunda incwadi ebhalelwe wona!

24. Liliphi ilungiselelo elichazwe kwincwadi eya kumaHebhere eliyingenelo engenakuthelekiswa nanto kuthi namhlanje?

²⁴ Kodwa oku kuxabiseke ngantoni kuthi namhlanje, kwiimeko zethu ezahlukahlukeneyo? Ekubeni singekho phantsi koMthetho, ngaba kukho nto ithile esinokuyifumana iyingenelo kwingxoxo kaPawulos? Ngokuqinisekileyo, ikho. Kuyo sandlalelwe indlela osebenza ngayo umnqophiso omtsha nobalaseleyo osekelwe kwidinga elenziwa kuAbraham lokuba ngeMbewu yakhe zonke iintsapho zomhlaba zaziya kuzisikelela. Eli lithemba lethu lobomi, ekuphela kwethemba esinalo, ukuzaliseka kwedinga likaYehova lamandulo lokusikelela ngeMbewu ka-Abraham, uYesu Kristu. Nangona singekho phantsi koMthetho, sizalelwe esonweni njengenzala ka-Adam, yaye sifuna umbingeleli omkhulu onenceba, onokunyusa idini lesono elifanelekileyo, onokungena kanye kubukho bukaYehova ezulwini aze apho abe ngumlamleli wethu. Simfumana apha, uMbingeleli Omkhulu onokusikhokelela ebomini kwihlabathi elitsha likaYehova, nonokuvelana nobuthathaka bethu, oye “wahendwa ngeento zonke, ngokokufana nathi,” nosimemayo ukuba “sisondele ke ngoko sinokungafihlisi kuyo itrone yobabalo, ukuze samkeliswe inceba, sifumane ubabalo lokusiza ngexesha elililo.”—4:15, 16.

25. UPawulos uzisebenzisa njani iZibhalo zesiHebhere ngendlela elukhanyiso?

²⁵ Ngapha koko, kwincwadi kaPawulos eya kumaHebhere, sifumana ubungqina obufudumez’ intliziyo bokuba iziprofeto ezabhalwa kude kudala kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere kamva zazalisekiswa ngendlela emangalisayo. Konke oku kokokufundiswa kwethu nokusithuthuzela namhlanje. Ngokomzekelo, kumaHebhere, izihlandlo ezihlanu uPawulos usebenzisa amazwi esiprofeto soBukumkani akwiNdumiso 110:1 kuYesu Kristu njengeMbewu yoBukumkani, oye “wahlala phantsi ngasekunene kwetrone kaThixo” elinde “ukuba zide iintshaba zakhe zenziwe isihlalo seenyawo zakhe.” (Heb. 12:2; 10:12, 13; 1:3, 13; 8:1) Ukongezelela, uPawulos ucaphula INdumiso 110:4 ecacisa isikhundla esibalulekileyo soNyana kaThixo ‘njengongumbingeleli ngonaphakade ngokohlobo lukaMelkitsedeke.’ NjengoMelkitsedeke wamandulo, kwingxelo yeBhayibhile “engenayise, engenanina, engenamlibo wakuzalwa, engenasiqalo samihla, engenasiphelo sabomi,” uYesu unguKumkani ‘kwanombingeleli ngokungapheliyo’ ukuze adlulisele iingenelo ezingunaphakade zedini lakhe lentlawulelo kubo bonke abathi ngokuthobelayo bazibeke phantsi kolawulo lwakhe. (Heb. 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:1-21) UPawulos ubhekisela kwakulo Mbingeleli unguKumkani xa ecaphula INdumiso 45:6, 7 esithi: “Itrone yakho, Thixo, isa ephakadeni lasephakadeni; yintonga ethe tye intonga yobukumkani bakho. Wathanda ubulungisa, wathiya okungendawo; ngenxa yoko, uThixo, uThixo wakho, ukuthambise ngeoli yomgcobo ngaphezu kowenu.” (Heb. 1:8, 9) Njengokuba uPawulos ecaphula kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere aze abonise ukuzaliseka kwazo kuKristu Yesu, sibona ulandelelwano oluhle lokuzaliseka kweenjongo zikaThixo nto leyo elukhanyiselo kuthi.

26. Luluphi ukhuthazo olunikelwa yincwadi eya kumaHebhere oluluncedo ekubalekeni ugqatso ngokholo nangomonde?

²⁶ Njengokuba incwadi eya kumaHebhere ngokucacileyo ibonisa, uAbraham wayekhangele phambili eBukumkanini, “umzi lo uneziseko, ungcibi, umbangi wawo, inguThixo”—umzi “kwelasemazulwini.” “Ngokholo” wayexunele kuBukumkani, yaye wancama okuninzi ukuze azuze iintsikelelo zabo ngokuba “azuzane nolona luvuko lululo.” Onjani wona ukuchukumisa umzekelo esiwufumana kuAbraham nakuwo onke loo madoda nabafazi bokholo—‘ilifu elingakanana elisingqongileyo lamangqina’ uPawulos abhekisela kulo kwisahluko 11 kumaHebhere! Njengoko sifunda le ngxelo, iintliziyo zethu zizaliswa luvuyo, kananjalo sinoxabiso ngelungelo nethemba esinalo ndawonye nabagcini bengqibelelo abathembekileyo abanjalo. Ngaloo ndlela sikhuthazwa ukuba “silubaleke ngomonde ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu.”—11:8, 10, 16, 35; 12:1.

27. Ngawaphi amathemba azukileyo oBukumkani abalaseliswa kwincwadi eya kumaHebhere?

²⁷ Ecaphula kwisiprofeto sikaHagayi, uPawulos utsalela ingqalelo kwidinga likaThixo esithi: “Kusaya kuba ngumzuzwana endiya kuthi mna ndinganyikimisi mhlaba wodwa, ndinyikimise nalo izulu.” (Heb. 12:26; Hag. 2:6) Phofu ke, uBukumkani bukaThixo ngoKristu Yesu, iMbewu, buya kuhlala ngonaphakade. “Masithi ngoko, sisamkela ubukumkani obungenakuzanyazanyiswa nje, sibe nombulelo, simkhonze ngawo uThixo ngokukholekileyo, sinokuhlonela nokoyika.” Le ngxelo ichukumisayo isiqinisekisa ukuba uKristu ubonakala okwesihlandlo sesibini “ngaphandle kwesono, abonakale kwabo bamlindeleyo, ezisa usindiso.” Ngoko ke, “masithi ngaye sinyuse ngamaxesha onke kuye uThixo umbingelelo wendumiso, oko kukuthi, isiqhamo somlomo olivumayo igama lakhe.” Ngamana igama elikhulu likaYehova uThixo lingangcwaliswa ngonaphakade ngoKumkani wakhe onguMbingeleli, uYesu Kristu!—Heb. 12:28; 9:28; 13:15.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]