UKristu Uthetha Namabandla
“Utsho lowo ubambe iinkwenkwezi ezisixhenxe esandleni sakhe sasekunene.”—ISITYHILELO 2:1.
1, 2. Kutheni sifanele sibe nomdla koko uKristu wakuthethayo kumabandla asixhenxe aseAsia Minor?
UYESU KRISTU, uNyana kaYehova ekuphela kwamzeleyo, uyiNtloko yebandla lamaKristu. Ukuze aligcine ibandla labalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo lingenamibimbi, uKristu usebenzisa ubuntloko bakhe ngokulincoma nokuliluleka. (Efese 5:21-27) KwiSityhilelo isahluko 2 nesesi-3, sifumana amazwi kaYesu anamandla nawothando abhekiswa kumabandla asixhenxe aseAsia Minor ayimizekelo yoku.
2 Ngaphambi kokuba ave amazwi kaYesu aya kumabandla asixhenxe, umpostile uYohane waboniswa umbono ‘wemini yeNkosi.’ (ISityhilelo 1:10) Loo “mini” yaqalisa xa uBukumkani bukaMesiya basekwa ngowe-1914. Ngoko ke, oko uKristu wakuthethayo kula mabandla kubaluleke kakhulu kule mihla yokugqibela. Ukhuthazo nesiluleko awasinikelayo sisinceda sikwazi ukujamelana nala maxesha amanqam.—2 Timoti 3:1-5.
3. Zifuzisela ntoni “iinkwenkwezi,” “iingelosi,” ‘neziphatho zezibane zegolide’ ezabonwa ngumpostile uYohane?
3 UYohane wabona uYesu Kristu ozukisiweyo, ‘obambe iinkwenkwezi ezisixhenxe esandleni sakhe sasekunene’ ‘nohamba phakathi kweziphatho zezibane zegolide ezisixhenxe,’ okanye amabandla. “Iinkwenkwezi” ‘ziingelosi zamabandla asixhenxe.’ (ISityhilelo 1:20; 2:1) Maxa wambi iinkwenkwezi zifuzisela izidalwa zokomoya eziziingelosi, kodwa uKristu ebengayi ukusebenzisa umntu ukuze adlulisele amazwi athile kwizidalwa zokomoya. Ngoko ke, licacile elokuba ezi “nkwenkwezi” zimela abaveleli abathanjiswe ngomoya, okanye amaqumrhu abadala. Ibinzana elithi “iingelosi” libhekisela kwindima yabo njengabathunywa. Ngenxa yolwando olukwintlangano kaThixo, kwakhona ‘igosa lithembekileyo’ liye lamisela amadoda afanelekileyo “ezinye izimvu” zikaYesu njengabaveleli.—Luka 12:42-44; Yohane 10:16.
4. Yintoni abadala abanokuyizuza ngokunikela ingqalelo koko uKristu akuthethayo kula mabandla?
4 “Iinkwenkwezi” zikwisandla sikaYesu sasekunene—zingaphantsi kwegunya lakhe, uyazilawula, uyazithanda yaye uyazikhusela. Ngoko ke, ziya kuphendula kuye. Ngokuthobela amazwi akhe aya kwibandla ngalinye kwasixhenxe, abadala banamhlanje bayayibona indlela abanokuzisingatha ngayo iimeko ezifanayo. Kakade ke, onke amaKristu afanele amphulaphule uNyana kaThixo. (Marko 9:7) Ngoko ke, yintoni esinokuyifunda ngokunikela ingqalelo njengoko uKristu ethetha nala mabandla?
Kwingelosi Yase-Efese
5. Sasinjani isixeko sase-Efese?
5 UYesu walincoma waza waliluleka ibandla lase-Efese. (Funda ISityhilelo 2:1-7.) Itempile enkulu yothixokazi uArtemis yayakhiwe kule ndawo eyayimi kakuhle kwezoshishino neyayisisazulu sonqulo kunxweme olukwintshona yeAsia Minor. Nangona iEfese yayizaliswe kukuziphatha okubi, unqulo lobuxoki, nemilingo, uThixo wawusikelela umsebenzi kampostile uPawulos nowabanye wokushumayela kweso sixeko.—IZenzo, isahluko 19.
6. AmaKristu anyanisekileyo anamhlanje afana njani nalawo ase-Efese yamandulo?
6 UKristu walincoma ibandla lase-Efese, esithi: “Ndiyazazi izenzo zakho, nokusebenza nonyamezelo lwakho, nokuba akunako ukubathwala abantu ababi, nokuba wabavavanya abo bathi bangabapostile, kodwa bengengabo, waza wabafumana bengamaxoki.” Namhlanje, amabandla abalandeli bakaYesu bokwenyaniso anengxelo efanayo yezenzo ezintle, ukuzibhokoxa nonyamezelo. Akabanyamezeli abazalwana bobuxoki abafuna ukugqalwa njengabapostile. (2 Korinte 11:13, 26) Njengabantu base-Efese, amaKristu anyanisekileyo namhlanje ‘akabathwali abantu ababi.’ Ngoko ke, ukuze agcine unqulo lukaYehova lunyulu aze akhusele ibandla, akanxulumani nabawexuki abangaguqukiyo.—Galati 2:4, 5; 2 Yohane 8-11.
7, 8. Ibandla lase-Efese lalinayiphi ingxaki enzulu, yaye thina sinokuhlangabezana njani nengxaki enjalo?
7 Sekunjalo, amaKristu ase-Efese ayenengxaki enzulu. UYesu wathi: “Ndinale nto ngakuwe, yokuba uye walushiya uthando owawunalo kuqala.” Amalungu eli bandla ayefanele avuselele uthando lawo lokuqala ngoYehova. (Marko 12:28-30; Efese 2:4; 5:1, 2) Nathi sifanele sikulumkele ukuphelelwa luthando lwethu lokuqala ngoThixo. (3 Yohane 3) Kodwa kuthekani ukuba ukunqwenela ubutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo okanye ukuthanda iziyolo kuba yeyona nto ebalulekileyo ebomini bethu? (1 Timoti 4:8; 6:9, 10) Ngoko ke sifanele sithandaze ngokuzingisileyo kuThixo ukuze asincede sishenxise utyekelo olunjalo size sibe nothando olunzulu ngoYehova nombulelo ngako konke yena noNyana wakhe abasenzele kona.—1 Yohane 4:10, 16.
8 UKristu wabongoza abase-Efese esithi: “Khumbula apho uwe usuka khona, uze uguquke wenze izenzo zangaphambili.” Kwakuza kuthekani ukuba babengakwenzi oko? UYesu wathi: “Ukuba akwenjinjalo, ndiya kuza ndisishenxise isiphatho sezibane sakho endaweni yaso.” Ukuba zonke izimvu zaziya kulahlekelwa luthando lwazo lokuqala, “isiphatho sezibane,” okanye ibandla, ngelingekho. NjengamaKristu anenzondelelo, ngamana singazibhokoxa ukugcina ibandla liphilile ngokomoya.—Mateyu 5:14-16.
9. Afanele ajongwe njani amahlelo?
9 Okuncomekayo kukuba, ibandla lase-Efese lalizithiyile “izenzo zehlelo lamaNikolawo.” Ngaphandle nje koko kuthethwa kwiSityhilelo, akukho nto iqinisekileyo eyaziwayo ngemvelaphi, iimfundiso nezenzo zeli hlelo. Noko ke, ekubeni uYesu wayekugxeka ukulandela abantu, sifanele siwathiye amahlelo, njengoko enjenjalo amaKristu ase-Efese.—Mateyu 23:10.
10. Yintoni eya kwenzeka kwabo baphulaphula oko umoya ukuthethayo?
10 UKristu wathi: “Lowo unendlebe makakuve oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla.” Xa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu wathetha ephenjelelwa ngumoya kaThixo. (Isaya 61:1; Luka 4:16-21) Ngoko ke, simele sikuphulaphule oko uThixo ngoku akuthethayo ngaye esebenzisa umoya oyingcwele. Eqhutywa ngumoya, uYesu wathembisa: “Lowo woyisayo ndiza kumnika ukuba adle kuwo umthi wobomi, okwiparadesi kaThixo.” Kubathanjiswa, abathobela oko kuthethwa ngumoya, oku kuthetha ukungafi “kwiparadesi kaThixo” yasezulwini, okanye ukuba kunye noYehova. “Isihlwele esikhulu,” naso esiphulaphula oko umoya ukuthethayo, siya kuhlala kwiparadesi esemhlabeni apho siya kusela ‘kumlambo wamanzi obomi’ size siphiliswe ‘ngamagqabi emithi’ asecaleni kwawo.—ISityhilelo 7:9; 22:1, 2; Luka 23:43.
11. Sinokulukhuthaza njani uthando ngoYehova?
11 Abase-Efese balulahla uthando lwabo lokuqala, kodwa kuthekani ukuba kwenzeka into efanayo ebandleni namhlanje? Mntu ngamnye ufanele akhulise uthando ngoYehova ngokuthetha ngeendlela zakhe zothando. Sinokuvakalisa umbulelo ngothando uThixo asibonise lona ngokusihlawulela ngoNyana wakhe amthandayo. (Yohane 3:16; Roma 5:8) Xa kufanelekile, sinokulukhankanya uthando lukaThixo xa sinikela iimpendulo naxa sinikela intetho ezintlanganisweni. Sinokubonakalisa uthando lwethu ngoYehova ngokudumisa igama lakhe kubulungiseleli bamaKristu. (INdumiso 145:10-13) Ewe, ngamazwi nangezenzo sinokwenza lukhulu ukuvuselela okanye ukomeleza uthando lokuqala lwebandla.
Kwingelosi YaseSmirna
12. Imbali ityhila ntoni ngeSmirna nonqulo olwalulapho?
12 Ibandla laseSmirna lanconywa nguKristu, “‘owokuQala nowokuGqibela,’ owafayo waza wabuyela ebomini kwakhona” ngovuko. (Funda ISityhilelo 2:8-11.) ISmirna (ngoku eyi-Izmir, eTurkey) yayakhiwe kunxweme olusentshona yeAsia Minor. AmaGrike ayehlala kweso sixeko, kodwa abantu baseLydia basitshabalalisa malunga nowama-580 B.C.E. Amalandela ka-Aleksandire Omkhulu aphinda ayakha iSmirna kwindawo entsha. Yaba yinxalenye yephondo lamaRoma laseAsiya yaye yaba sisazulu sezorhwebo esime kakuhle nesasisaziwa ngezakhiwo ezihle zikarhulumente. Itempile yaso kaTibheriyo Kesare yasenza esi sixeko sasisazulu sokunqulwa komlawuli. Abanquli kwakufuneka batshise intwana yesiqhumiso baze bathi “uKesare yiNkosi.” AmaKristu ayengakwenzi oku kuba kuwo “uYesu uyiNkosi.” Ngenxa yoko, ayetshutshiswa.—Roma 10:9.
13. Nangona ayengamahlwempu ngokwezinto eziphathekayo, amaKristu aseSmirna ayezizityebi ngayiphi ingqiqo?
13 Ngaphandle kwembandezelo, amaKristu aseSmirna anyamezela ubuhlwempu, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba ayebekelwe imiqathango kwezorhwebo kuba engafuni ukunqula umlawuli. Abakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje nabo bajamelana nezilingo ezifanayo. (ISityhilelo 13:16, 17) Nangona bengamahlwempu ngokwezinto eziphathekayo, abo banjengamaKristu aseSmirna bazizityebi ngokomoya, yaye leyo yeyona nto ibalulekileyo!—IMizekeliso 10:22; 3 Yohane 2.
14, 15. Abathanjiswa banokuthuthuzelwa njani siSityhilelo 2:10?
14 Inkoliso yamaYuda eSmirna ‘ayeyindlu yesikhungu kaSathana’ kuba ayegcina izithethe ezazingasekelwanga eZibhalweni, amgatya uNyana kaThixo, aza abanyelisa abalandeli bakhe ababethanjiswe ngomoya. (Roma 2:28, 29) Kodwa hayi indlela ayintuthuzelo ngayo kubathanjiswa amazwi kaKristu alandelayo! Uthi: “Musa ukuzoyika izinto osele uza kubandezeleka ngazo. Khangela! UMtyholi uya kuhlala ephosa bambi benu entolongweni ukuze nivavanywe ngokupheleleyo, nokuze nibe nembandezelo imihla elishumi. Zingqine uthembekile kude kuse ekufeni, mna ke ndokunika isithsaba sobomi.”—ISityhilelo 2:10.
15 UYesu wayengoyiki ukufa ngenxa yokuxhasa ulongamo lukaYehova. (Filipi 2:5-8) Nangona ngoku uSathana esilwa nentsalela yabathanjiswa, yona ayizoyiki izinto eza kujamelana nazo njengeqela—imbandezelo, ukuvalelwa ezintolongweni okanye ukubulawa ngogonyamelo. (ISityhilelo 12:17) Iya kuloyisa ihlabathi. Yaye kunesithsaba seentyatyambo esibunayo esasinxitywa ziinjuze kwimidlalo yabahedeni, uKristu uthembisa abathanjiswa abavusiweyo “isithsaba sobomi” njengezidalwa ezingafiyo ezulwini. Esi sisipho esixabiseke ngokwenene!
16. Ukuba sinxulumana nebandla elinjengelo laseSmirna yamandulo, sifanele sinikele ingqalelo entwenini?
16 Kuthekani ukuba sinxulumene nebandla elinjengelo laseSmirna yamandulo, enoba sinethemba lokuphila emazulwini okanye emhlabeni? Ngoko ke masincede amanye amakholwa ukuba aqonde esona sizathu sokuba uThixo evumela intshutshiso—imbambano yolongamo lwendalo iphela. Ngqina ngalinye likaYehova eligcin’ ingqibelelo limngqina uSathana elixoki yaye libonisa ukuba kwanomntu otshutshiswayo usenokuba ngumxhasi ongagungqiyo welungelo likaThixo lokulawula njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela. (IMizekeliso 27:11) Masikhuthaze amanye amaKristu ukuze ayinyamezele intshutshiso aze, ngenxa yoko, abe ‘nelungelo lokunikela inkonzo engcwele [kuYehova] ngokungenaloyiko ngokunyaniseka nobulungisa phambi kwakhe yonke imihla yethu’—nangonaphakade.—Luka 1:68, 69, 74, 75.
Kwingelosi YasePergamo
17, 18. IPergamo yayisisazulu sonqulo olunjani, yaye kwakunokwenzeka ntoni kumntu ongavumiyo ukuba nenxaxheba kunqulo olunjalo lwezithixo?
17 Ibandla lasePergamo lanconywa laza lalulekwa. (Funda ISityhilelo 2:12-17.) IPergamo yayisisixeko esasizaliswe lunqulo lobuhedeni esasikumgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-80 emntla weSmirna. Kubonakala ukuba izazi ngeenkwenkwezi ezingamaKhaledi zabalekela apho zisuka eBhabhiloni. Abantu abagulayo babethontelana kwitempile eyaziwayo yasePergamo ka-Asclepius, uthixo wobuxoki wokuphilisa nowamayeza. Ekubeni ePergamo kwakukho itempile eyayinikelwe kunqulo lukaKesare Awugusto, esi sixeko sasibizwa ngokuba “sisazulu esiyintloko sokunqulwa komlawuli kubukhosi bamandulo.”—Encyclopædia Britannica, 1959, uMqulu 17, iphepha 507.
18 EPergamo kwakukho isibingelelo esasinikelwe kuZeyus. Kwakhona esi sixeko sasisisazulu sokunqulwa kwabantu okwakuphenjelelwa nguMtyholi. Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba eli bandla kwakusithiwa likwindawo “apho ikhoyo itrone kaSathana”! Ukungavumi ukunqula umlawuli kwakunokuthetha ukufa kulowo uxhasa ulongamo lukaYehova. Kwanangoku ihlabathi lisesemandleni kaMtyholi, yaye imiqondiso yesizwe isanqulwa. (1 Yohane 5:19) Ukususela kwinkulungwane yokuqala ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, amaKristu amaninzi athembekileyo aye angabafeli-nkolo, kanye njengalowo uKristu ambiza ngokuba ‘nguAntipas, ingqina lam, lowo uthembekileyo, owabulawa ekunye nani.’ Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu bayabakhumbula abakhonzi abanjalo abanyanisekileyo.—1 Yohane 5:21.
19. Wenza ntoni uBhileham, yaye onke amaKristu amele alumkele ntoni?
19 Kwakhona uKristu wathetha ‘ngemfundiso kaBhileham.’ Kuba enyolukele izinto eziphathekayo, umprofeti wobuxoki uBhileham wazama ukuqalekisa amaSirayeli. Xa uThixo wasiguqula isiqalekiso sakhe saba yintsikelelo, uBhileham wazimanyanisa noKumkani uBhalaki ongumMowabhi waza walukuhlela amaSirayeli amaninzi kunqulo-zithixo nasekuziphatheni okubi ngokwesini. Abadala abangamaKristu bamele babambelele kwimigaqo yobulungisa njengoFinehasi, owalwa nempembelelo kaBhileham. (Numeri 22:1–25:15; 2 Petros 2:15, 16; Yude 11) Eneneni, onke amaKristu amele akulumkele ukunqula izithixo nokunyebelezela kokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini ebandleni.—Yude 3, 4.
20. Ukuba nawuphi na umKristu uqalisa ukwamkela iingcamango zabawexuki, ufanele enze ntoni?
20 Ibandla lasePergamo lalisengozini enkulu kuba lalibamkela “abo babambelele nkqi kwimfundiso yehlelo lamaNikolawo.” UKristu wathi kwelo bandla: “Guquka. Ukuba akwenjinjalo, ndiya kuza kuwe ngokukhawuleza, ndilwe imfazwe nabo ngekrele elide lomlomo wam.” Abo bangamalungu amahlelo bafuna ukuwenzakalisa amaKristu ngokomoya, yaye abo bazimisele ukukhuthaza iyantlukwano namahlelo abayi kubudla ilifa uBukumkani bukaThixo. (Roma 16:17, 18; 1 Korinte 1:10; Galati 5:19-21) Ukuba nawuphi na umKristu uqalisa ukwamkela iingcamango zabawexuki aze afune ukuzisasaza, ufanele aphulaphule isilumkiso sikaKristu! Ukuze azisindise kwintlekele, ufanele aguquke aze afune uncedo lokomoya kubadala ebandleni. (Yakobi 5:13-18) Kubalulekile ukuthabatha inyathelo ngokukhawuleza, kuba uYesu uza ngokukhawuleza eze kugweba.
21, 22. Ngoobani abatya ‘imana efihlakeleyo,’ yaye oko kufuzisela ntoni?
21 Akuyomfuneko ukuba amaKristu athanjisiweyo athembekileyo namaqabane awo anyanisekileyo awoyike umgwebo ozayo. Bonke abo baphulaphula isiluleko sikaYesu esinikelwa ngolwalathiso lomoya oyingcwele kaThixo balindelwe ziintsikelelo. Ngokomzekelo, abathanjiswa abaye baloyisa ihlabathi baya kumenywa ukuba batye inxalenye “yemana efihlakeleyo” yaye baya kunikwa “ingqalutye emhlophe” ekubhalwe kuyo “igama elitsha.”
22 UThixo wondla amaSirayeli ngemana ebudeni bemfuduko yawo eyathabatha iminyaka engama-40 entlango. Inxalenye yeso “sonka” yayigcinwe kwindebe yegolide ngaphakathi kwityeya yomnqophiso yaza yafihlwa kweYona Ngcwele kumnquba, apho ukukhanya okungummangaliso kwakumela ubukho bukaYehova. (Eksodus 16:14, 15, 23, 26, 33; 26:34; Hebhere 9:3, 4) Akukho mntu owayevumelekile ukutya loo mana ifihliweyo. Noko ke, xa abalandeli bakaYesu abathanjisiweyo bevuswa, bambatha ukungafi, nto leyo efuziselwa kukutya ‘imana efihlakeleyo.’—1 Korinte 15:53-57.
23. Ifuzisela ntoni “ingqalutye emhlophe” ‘negama elitsha’?
23 Ingqalutye emnyama yayithetha ukugwetywa kwiinkundla zaseRoma, ngoxa emhlophe yayithetha ukufunyaniswa ungenatyala. Ukunika kukaYesu amaKristu athanjisiweyo oyisileyo “ingqalutye emhlophe” kubonisa ukuba uwavakalisa engenatyala, enyulu yaye ehlambulukile. Ekubeni amaRoma ayekwasebenzisa iingqalutye ukuze angene kwisiganeko esibalulekileyo, “ingqalutye emhlophe” isenokuthetha ukuba lowo uthanjisiweyo wamkelwa ezulwini kumtshato weMvana. (ISityhilelo 19:7-9) Kubonakala ukuba “igama elitsha” lithetha ilungelo lokumanyaniswa noYesu njengeendlalifa zoBukumkani basezulwini. Hayi indlela oku kukonke okubakhuthaza ngayo abathanjiswa namaqabane abo akwinkonzo kaYehova nanethemba lokuphila kwiparadesi esemhlabeni!
24. Yintoni esifanele siyenze ngowexuko?
24 Kububulumko ukukhumbula ukuba ibandla lasePergamo lalihlaselwa ngabawexuki. Ukuba ibandla esinxulumana nalo likwingozi efanayo ngokomoya, masilugatye ngokupheleleyo uwexuko size siqhubeke sihamba enyanisweni. (Yohane 8:32, 44; 3 Yohane 4) Ekubeni abafundisi bobuxoki okanye abantu abatyekele kuwexuko besenokulonakalisa ibandla liphela, simele siluchase ngokuqinileyo uwexuko, singaze sivumele iimfundiso ezingendawo zisithintele ukuba siyithobele inyaniso.—Galati 5:7-12; 2 Yohane 8-11.
25. Kwinqaku elilandelayo kuza kuthethwa ngamazwi kaKristu aya kwawaphi amabandla?
25 UYesu Kristu ozukisiweyo wathetha amazwi abaluleke gqitha alukhuthazo nasisiluleko kumabandla amathathu kwasixhenxe aseAsia Minor esithethe ngawo. Noko ke, ngokwalathiswa ngumoya oyingcwele, kuninzi awayeseza kukuthetha kumabandla amane aseleyo. Loo mazwi, awabhekisa eTiyatira, eSardesi, eFiladelfi naseLawodike, kuza kuthethwa ngawo kwinqaku elilandelayo.
Uya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Kutheni sifanele sinikele ingqalelo ngoko uKristu akuthethayo emabandleni?
• Sinokulinceda njani ibandla ukuze livuselele uthando lwalo lokuqala?
• Kutheni kunokuthiwa amaKristu angamahlwempu ngezinto eziphathekayo eSmirna yamandulo ngokwenene ayezizityebi?
• Xa sicinga ngemeko yebandla lasePergamo, simele sizijonge njani iingcamango zabawexuki?
[Imaphu ekwiphepha 10]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
GRISI
ASIA MINOR
Efese
Smirna
Pergamo
Tiyatira
Sardesi
Filadelfi
Lawodike
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
“Isihlwele esikhulu” siya kuhlala kwiparadesi esemhlabeni
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 13]
AmaKristu atshutshiswayo aloyisile ihlabathi