“Akukho Bani Unothando Olukhulu Kunolu”

1-4. (a) Yintoni eyenzekayo xa uPilato wanikela uYesu kwisihlwele esindlongondlongo esasihlanganisene ngaphandle kwebhotwe lerhuluneli? (b) Wasabela njani uYesu ekuhlazisweni nasekubandezelekeni kwakhe, yaye oku kuphakamisa yiphi imibuzo ebalulekileyo?

“KHANGELA! Umntu!” Ngaloo mazwi, iRhuluneli yaseRoma uPontiyo Pilato yayinikela uYesu Kristu kwihlokondiba elinomsindo elalihlanganisene ngaphandle kwebhotwe layo ngorhatya lwePasika yowama-33 C.E. (Yohane 19:5) Kwiintsuku nje ezimbalwa ngaphambilana, uYesu wazukiswa zizihlwele xa wangena eYerusalem njengoKumkani omiselwe nguThixo. Kodwa ngolu suku, esi sihlwele sindlongondlongo sasimgqala ngendlela eyahluke ngokupheleleyo.

² UYesu wanxityiswa isambatho esimfusa sasebukhosini, waza wafakwa nesithsaba entlokweni yakhe. Kodwa eso sambatho, esasiphezu kwemivumbo yakhe eyayisopha kukutyatyulwa kwakhe emqolo, neso sithsaba, esasilukwe ngameva saza sanyanzelwa kwintloko yakhe eyophayo, zazenzelwe ukunyelisa isigxina sakhe sasebukhosini. Abantu, ababekhuthazwa ngababingeleli abaziintloko, bayigatya le ndoda ixhwalekileyo yayimi phambi kwabo. Ababingeleli bakhwaza bathi: “Mbethelele! Mbethelele!” Bezaliswe yintiyo, abantu badanduluka bathi: “Ufanele afe.”—Yohane 19:1-7.

³ Ngesidima nangenkalipho, uYesu wakunyamezela ukuhlaziswa nokubandezeleka ngaphandle kokukhalaza.a Wayekulungele ngokupheleleyo ukufa. Kamva ngaloo Mhla wePasika, wazinikela ekufeni okungcungcuthekisayo kwisibonda sentuthumbo.—Yohane 19:17, 18, 30.

⁴ Ngokunikela kwakhe ngobomi bakhe, uYesu wazingqina engumhlobo wokwenene wabalandeli bakhe. Wathi: “Akukho bani unothando olukhulu kunolu, lokuba uthile anikezele umphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe.” (Yohane 15:13) Oku kuphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekileyo. Ngaba kwakuyimfuneko ngenene ukuba uYesu abandezeleke ngaloo ndlela aze afe? Kutheni wayekulungele nje ukwenjenjalo? ‘Njengabahlobo’ nabalandeli bakhe, sinokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo wakhe?

 5. UYesu wayezazi njani izilingo awayeza kuzifumana?

⁵ NjengoMesiya othenjisiweyo, uYesu wayekwazi oko kwakuza kwenzeka. Wayezazi iziprofeto ezininzi ezikwiZibhalo zesiHebhere ezachaza ngokweenkcukacha ngokubandezeleka nokufa kukaMesiya. (Isaya 53:3-7, 12; Daniyeli 9:26) Kangangezihlandlo eziliqela, wabaxhobisa abafundi bakhe ngokuphathelele izilingo awayeza kuzifumana. (Marko 8:31; 9:31) Xa wayesendleleni eya eYerusalem ukuya kubhiyozela iPasika yakhe yokugqibela, wabaxelela ngokungqalileyo abapostile bakhe wathi: “UNyana womntu uya kunikelwa kubabingeleli abaziintloko nakubabhali, bamgwebele isohlwayo sokufa baze bamnikele kubantu beentlanga, yaye baya kuhlekisa ngaye, bamtshicele, bamtyakatye baze bambulale.” (Marko 10:33, 34) La mazwi azaliseka. Njengoko sibonile, uYesu wenziwa intlekisa, watshicelwa, watyakatywa, waza wabulawa.

 6. Kutheni kwakuyimfuneko ukuba uYesu abandezeleke aze afe?

⁶ Kodwa kutheni kwakuyimfuneko nje ukuba uYesu abandezeleke aze afe? Kukho izizathu eziliqela ezibaluleke gqitha. Okokuqala, ngokuhlala kwakhe enyanisekile, uYesu wayeya kugcina ingqibelelo yakhe aze amele ulongamo lukaYehova. Khumbula ukuba uSathana waxoka wathi abantu bamnqula ngeenjongo zokuzingca uThixo. (Yobhi 2:1-5) Ngokuhlala kwakhe ethembekile “kwada kwasa ekufeni . . . kwisibonda sentuthumbo,” uYesu wanikela impendulo epheleleyo kwisimangalo sobuxoki sikaSathana. (Filipi 2:8; IMizekeliso 27:11) Okwesibini, ukubandezeleka nokufa kukaMesiya kwakuya kucamagushela izono zabanye. (Isaya 53:5, 10; Daniyeli 9:24) UYesu wanikela ‘ngomphefumlo wakhe waba yintlawulelo ngenxa yabaninzi,’ ngaloo ndlela esivulela indlela yokuba ngabakholekileyo emehlweni kaThixo. (Mateyu 20:28) Okwesithathu, ngokunyamezela kwakhe bonke ubunzima nokubandezeleka, uYesu “wavavanywa ngandlela zonke njengathi.” Ngoko unguMbingeleli Omkhulu onovelwano, ‘ovelanayo nobuthathaka bethu.’—Hebhere 2:17, 18; 4:15.

 7. Yintoni awayincamayo uYesu ukuza kwakhe emhlabeni?

⁷ Ukuze ukuqonde oko uYesu wayekulungele ukukwenza, khawucinge ngoku: Ngubani onokushiya intsapho yakhe aye kwilizwe lasemzini esazi ukuba inkoliso yabemi balapho iza kumgatya, yaye uza kuhlaziswa, abandezeleke, aze ekugqibeleni abulawe? Ngoku khawucinge ngoko uYesu wakwenzayo. Ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni wayekwisigxina esikhethekileyo emazulwini ecaleni kukaYise. Kodwa uYesu wayekulungele ukulishiya ikhaya lakhe lasezulwini, eze kuphila emhlabeni njengomntu. Wakwenza oku, esazi kakuhle ukuba uza kugatywa yinkoliso yabantu, ahlaziswe ngenkohlakalo, abandezeleke kanobom, aze afe kabuhlungu. (Filipi 2:5-7) Yintoni eyashukumisela uYesu ekubeni azincame ngaloo ndlela?

8, 9. Yintoni eyashukumisela uYesu ukuba anikele ngobomi bakhe?

⁸ Ngaphezu koko, uYesu washukunyiswa luthando olunzulu ngoYise. Ukunyamezela kukaYesu kwakububungqina bothando analo ngoYehova. Olo thando lwamenza uYesu wazixhalabisa ngegama nangodumo lukaYise. (Mateyu 6:9; Yohane 17:1-6, 26) Eyona nto yayiphambili kuYesu yayikukubona igama likaYise lihlanjululwa kwizinto elaligculelwa ngazo. Ngoko uYesu wakugqala njengelona lungelo likhulu ukubandezeleka ngenxa yobulungisa, kuba wayesazi ukuba ukugcina kwakhe ingqibelelo kwakuya kuba negalelo ekungcwaliseni igama elizukileyo likaYise.—1 Kronike 29:13.

⁹ Enye into eyashukumisela uYesu ukuba ancame ubomi bakhe—luthando lwakhe ngoluntu. Olu luthando awayenalo kwasekudalweni komntu. Ngaphambi kokuza kukaYesu emhlabeni, iBhayibhile ichaza ukuba wavakalelwa ngale ndlela: ‘Izinto endazithandayo zazikoonyana babantu.’ (IMizekeliso 8:30, 31) Uthando lwakhe lwabonakala ngokucacileyo xa wayesemhlabeni. Njengoko sibonile kwizahluko ezithathu ezingaphambili zale ncwadi, uYesu walubonisa ngeendlela ezininzi uthando lwakhe ngabantu bonke, ingakumbi abalandeli bakhe. Kodwa ngoNisan 14, 33 C.E., wanikela ngobomi bakhe ngokuzithandela ngenxa yethu. (Yohane 10:11) Eneneni, leyo yeyona ndlela ibalaseleyo awalubonisa ngayo uthando lwakhe ngathi. Ngaba siza kumxelisa kule nkalo? Ewe. Enyanisweni, sibongozwa ukuba senjenjalo.

10, 11. Nguwuphi umyalelo omtsha uYesu awawunika abalandeli bakhe, ubandakanya ntoni, yaye kutheni kubalulekile ukuba siwuthobele?

¹⁰ Ngobusuku awafa ngabo, uYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “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) ‘Thandanani’—kutheni esithi ‘ngumyalelo omtsha’ nje lowo? UMthetho kaMoses wawuyalele wathi ngaphambili: “Uze ulithande idlelane lakho [okanye, ummelwane wakho] njengawe siqu.” (Levitikus 19:18) Kodwa umyalelo omtsha usibongoza ukuba sibonise uthando olukhulu ngakumbi, uthando oluya kusishukumisela ukuba sincame ubomi bethu ngenxa yabanye. UYesu wakucacisa oko wathi: “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) Lilonke, lo myalelo mtsha uthi: “Thanda abanye, kungekhona njengokuba uzithanda, kodwa ngaphezu kokuba uzithanda.” Ebudeni bokuphila kwakhe nasekufeni kwakhe, uYesu walubonisa ngokuqinisekileyo olo thando.

¹¹ Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba siwuthobele lo myalelo mtsha? Kaloku khumbula ukuba uYesu wathi: “Ngako oko [ngokubonisa uthando lokuzincama] bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam.” Ewe, uthando lokuzincama lusenza sibonakale ukuba singamaKristu okwenyaniso. Sinokulufanisa olu thando kunye nebheji. Abantu abaya kwiindibano zokuphela konyaka zamaNgqina kaYehova, bafaka iibheji. Le bheji ibonisa igama nebandla lalowo uyifakileyo. Uthando lwethu lokuzincama lufana “nebheji” ebonisa ukuba singamaKristu okwenyaniso. Ngamany’ amazwi, uthando esilubonisayo omnye komnye, lufanele luphawuleke lufane nebheji echazela abantu ababukeleyo ukuba singabalandeli bokwenyaniso bakaKristu. Ngoko, ngamnye wethu ufanele azibuze ukuba, ‘Ngaba “ibheji” yothando lokuzincama iyabonakala ebomini bam?’

12, 13. (a) Simele sikulungele kangakanani ukubonisa uthando lwethu omnye komnye? (b) Kuthetha ntoni ukuzincama?

¹² Njengabalandeli bakaYesu, sifanele sibathande abanye ngendlela awasithanda ngayo. Oku kuthetha ukuba sifanele sikulungele ukuzincama ngenxa yabo sikhonza kunye nabo. Simele sikulungele ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo ukuzincama? IBhayibhile ithi: “Uthando silubone kwinto yokuba yena wanikela umphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yethu; ngoko ke nathi simele sinikele imiphefumlo yethu ngenxa yabazalwana bethu.” (1 Yohane 3:16) NjengoYesu, simele sikulungele ukufelana, ukuba kuyimfuneko. Ngexesha lentshutshiso, sixolele ukuncama ubomi bethu kunokuba sityhile iinkcukacha ezinokubabek’ engozini abazalwana bethu. Kumazwe ekukho kuwo ungquzulwano lobuhlanga, sixolele ukububek’ esichengeni ubomi bethu ukuze sikhusele abazalwana bethu, lungakhathaliseki uhlanga lwabo okanye imvelaphi yabo. Xa kugaywa umkhosi wemfazwe, sixolele ukuvalelwa entolongweni okanye ukufa kunokuba silwe nxamnye nabo sikhonza nabo—okanye nabaphi na abanye abantu.—Yohane 17:14, 16; 1 Yohane 3:10-12.

¹³ Ukulungela kwethu ukuncama ubomi bethu ngenxa yabazalwana bethu asikuphela kwendlela esibonisa ngayo uthando lokuzincama. Ngapha koko, bambalwa kuthi abaye banyanzeleke ukuba babonise ukuzincama okulolo hlobo. Kodwa ukuba sibathanda abazalwana bethu ngokokude sikulungele ukubafela, ngaba asifanele sikulungele ukuzincama ngeendlela ezincinane ukuze sibancede ngoku? Ukuzincama kuthetha ukuncama iingenelo okanye ubutofotofo ukuze uncede abanye. Sibeka izilangazelelo zabo ngaphambi kwezethu, kwanokuba oko akukho lula. (1 Korinte 10:24) Ziziphi iindlela zokoqobo esinokulubonisa ngazo uthando lokuzincama?

14. (a) Abadala bazincama ngaziphi iindlela? (b) Uvakalelwa njani ngabadala abasebenza nzima ebandleni lakho?

¹⁴ Abadala bebandla bayazincama ukuze ‘baluse umhlambi.’ (1 Petros 5:2, 3) Nangona bemele banyamekele iintsapho zabo, kusenokufuneka bachithe ixesha ngeengokuhlwa okanye ngeempela-veki ukuze banyamekele imicimbi yebandla, kuquka ukulungiselela iintlanganiso, ukwenza utyelelo lokwalusa, nokusingatha amatyala eekomiti ezigwebayo. Abadala abaninzi bazincama ngakumbi, besebenza nzima ezindibanweni, abanye bekhonza njengamalungu eeKomiti Zokunxibelelana Nezibhedlele, Amaqela Atyelela Abaguli, neeKomiti Zokwakha Zenqila. Badala, ningaze nilibale ukuba ngokukhonza kwenu ngokuzithandela—nisebenzisa ixesha lenu, amandla enu, nemali yenu ekwaluseni umhlambi—nibonisa uthando lokuzincama. (2 Korinte 12:15) Imigudu yenu yokungazingci ixatyiswa gqitha nguYehova nalibandla enilalusayo.—Filipi 2:29; Hebhere 6:10.

15. (a) Ziziphi ezinye zeendlela abazincama ngazo abafazi babadala? (b) Uvakalelwa njani ngabafazi abancama ixesha lokuba kunye namadoda abo ukuze akwazi ukunyamekela imicimbi yebandla okulo?

¹⁵ Noko ke, kuthekani ngabafazi babadala—aliyonyaniso na elokuba nabo bayazincama bexhasa amadoda abo ukuze akwazi ukunyamekela umhlambi? Ngokuqinisekileyo umfazi uyazincama xa evumela indoda yakhe ukuba inyamekele imicimbi yebandla ngexesha ebinokulichitha ikunye nentsapho yayo. Cinga kwanangokuzincama kwabafazi babaveleli abahambahambayo, abapheleka amadoda abo ukuya kumabandla ngamabandla nakwiziphaluka ngeziphaluka. Bancama ukuba nekhaya labo, kude kufuneke ukuba maxa wambi balale kwibhedi eyahlukileyo veki nganye. Abafazi abakulungeleyo ukubeka izilangazelelo zebandla ngaphambi kwezabo bamele banconywe ngokubonisa kwabo uthando lokuzincama.—Filipi 2:3, 4.

16. Abazali abangamaKristu bazincama ngaziphi iindlela ngenxa yabantwana babo?

¹⁶ Sinokulubonisa njani uthando lokuzincama entsatsheni? Bazali, niyazincama ukuze ninyamekele abantwana benu nokuze nibakhulisele “kwingqeqesho nasekweyiselweni kwengqondo kuYehova.” (Efese 6:4) Kusenokufuneka nisebenze nzima kangangeeyure ezininzi ukuze nondle intsapho yenu nokuze niqinisekise ukuba abantwana benu bafumana impahla eyaneleyo kunye nekhusi. Nixolele ukuba ibe nini abangenanto kunokuba abantwana benu batsale nzima. Kwakhona nenza umgudu omkhulu wokufundisisa kunye nabantwana benu, niye nabo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, nize nisebenze nabo kubulungiseleli basentsimini. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Uthando lwenu lokuzincama luyamkholisa uMsunguli wentsapho, yaye lusenokuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade ebantwaneni benu.—IMizekeliso 22:6; Efese 3:14, 15.

17. Amadoda angamaKristu anokusixelisa njani isimo sengqondo sokungazingci sikaYesu?

¹⁷ Madoda, ninokuluxelisa njani uthando lokuzincama lukaYesu? IBhayibhile iphendula ngokuthi: “Madoda, qhubekani nibathanda abafazi benu, kanye njengokuba noKristu walithandayo ibandla waza wazinikela ngenxa yalo.” (Efese 5:25) Njengoko sibonile, uYesu wabathanda abalandeli bakhe kakhulu kangangokuba wabafela. Indoda engumKristu ixelisa isimo sengqondo sokungazingci sikaYesu, ‘ongazange azikholise.’ (Roma 15:3) Indoda enjalo ibeka izilangazelelo zomfazi wayo ngaphambi kwezayo. Ayinyanzelisi ukuba izinto zenziwe ngendlela yayo, kodwa ikulungele ukuyekelela xa kungabandakanyekanga umgaqo weZibhalo. Indoda ebonisa uthando lokuzincama iyamkholisa uYehova yaye iya kuthandwa ize ihlonelwe ngumfazi wayo nangabantwana bayo.

18. Sisiphi isizathu esinaso sokuthobela umyalelo omtsha wokuba sithandane?

¹⁸ Akukho lula ukuthobela umyalelo omtsha wokuba sithandane, kodwa sinesizathu esinamandla sokuwuthobela. UPawulos wabhala wathi: “Uthando analo uKristu luyasinyanzela, ngenxa yokuba siye sagqiba kwelokuba, umntu omnye wabafela bonke . . . , yaye wafela bonke ukuze abo baphilayo bangabi saziphilela, kodwa baphilele yena lowo wabafelayo waza wavuswa.” (2 Korinte 5:14, 15) Ekubeni uYesu wasifelayo, asifanele na sizive sinyanzelekile ukuphilela yena? Sinokukwenza oko ngokuthi sixelise umzekelo wakhe wothando lokuzincama.

19, 20. Sisiphi isipho esixabisekileyo asinike sona uYehova, yaye sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyasamkela?

¹⁹ UYesu wayengazibaxi izinto xa esithi: “Akukho bani unothando olukhulu kunolu, lokuba uthile anikezele umphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe.” (Yohane 15:13) Ngokunikela kwakhe ngomphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yethu, wabonisa uthando lwakhe olunzulu ngathi. Kodwa, ukho lowo wasibonisa uthando olukhulu nangakumbi. UYesu wachaza wathi: “UThixo walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yohane 3:16) UThixo wasithanda kakhulu kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe njengentlawulelo, ukuze sibe nokuhlangulwa esonweni nasekufeni. (Efese 1:7) Intlawulelo isisipho esixabisekileyo esivela kuYehova, kodwa akasinyanzeli ukuba sisamkele.

²⁰ Kuxhomekeke kuthi ukwamkela esi sipho sikaYehova. Njani? ‘Ngokubonisa ukholo’ kuNyana wakhe. Kodwa ke, ukholo aluvakaliswa ngomlomo kuphela. Lubonakaliswa ngezenzo, ngendlela esiphila ngayo. (Yakobi 2:26) Sibonisa ukholo lwethu kuYesu Kristu ngokuthi simlandele imihla ngemihla. Ukwenjenjalo kuya kusizisela iintsikelelo ngoku nakwixesha elizayo, njengoko isahluko sokugqibela sale ncwadi siza kuchaza.