AmaKristu Okuqala NoMthetho KaMose
“UMthetho uye waba umfundisi wethu oholela kuKristu.”—GALATHIYA 3:24.
1, 2. Yiziphi ezinye zezinzuzo ezatholwa ama-Israyeli ayewugcina kahle uMthetho KaMose?
NGO-1513 B.C.E., uJehova wanika ama-Israyeli uhlu lwemithetho. Watshela abantu ukuthi uma belalela izwi lakhe, uyobabusisa baphile ngenjabulo nokwaneliseka.—Eksodusi 19:5, 6.
2 Lolo luhlu loMthetho, olubizwa ngokuthi uMthetho KaMose, noma nje “uMthetho,” ‘lwalungcwele futhi luluhle.’ (Roma 7:12) Lwalukhuthaza izimfanelo ezinhle ezinjengomusa, ukuthembeka, ukuziphatha okuhle, nokuzwana komakhelwane. (Eksodusi 23:4, 5; Levitikusi 19:14; Duteronomi 15:13-15; 22:10, 22) UMthetho futhi washukumisela amaJuda ukuba athandane. (Levitikusi 19:18) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakungafanele azihlanganise noma ashadiselane nabeZizwe ababengekho ngaphansi koMthetho. (Duteronomi 7:3, 4) ‘Njengodonga’ oluhlukanisa amaJuda nabeZizwe, uMthetho KaMose wawuvikela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ekungcolisweni ukucabanga nemikhuba yobuqaba.—Efesu 2:14, 15; Johane 18:28.
3. Njengoba kungekho muntu owayengagcina uMthetho ngokuphelele, waba naliphi ithonya?
3 Nokho, ngisho namaJuda aqotho ngempela ahluleka ukugcina uMthetho kaNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Ingabe uJehova wayelindele okukhulu ngokweqile kuwo? Cha. Esinye sezizathu sokunikezwa kwama-Israyeli uMthetho, ‘sasiwukwenza izeqo zibonakale.’ (Galathiya 3:19) UMthetho wenza amaJuda aqotho aqaphela ukuthi amdinga kakhulu uMkhululi. Lapho Lowo efika, amaJuda athembekile ajabula. Kwase kuseduze ukuba akhululwe esiqalekisweni sesono nokufa!—Johane 1:29.
4. Kungamuphi umqondo uMthetho ‘wawungumfundisi oholela kuKristu’?
4 UMthetho KaMose wawuzoba ilungiselelo lesikhashana. Ebhalela amaKristu ayekanye nawo, umphostoli uPawulu wawuchaza ngokuthi ‘umfundisi oholela kuKristu.’ (Galathiya 3:24) Umfundisi wasendulo (tutor) wayephelezela izingane lapho ziya nalapho zibuya esikoleni. Ngokuvamile wayengeyena uthisha; wayemane ehola izingane eziyisa kuthisha. Ngokufanayo, uMthetho KaMose wawuklanyelwe ukuhola amaJuda esaba uNkulunkulu uwayise kuKristu. UJesu wathembisa ukuthi wayeyoba nabalandeli bakhe “izinsuku zonke kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Mathewu 28:20) Ngakho-ke, kwathi kungamiswa ibandla lobuKristu, “umfundisi”—uMthetho—wangabe esadingeka. (Roma 10:4; Galathiya 3:25) Kodwa amanye amaKristu angamaJuda aphuza ukuliqonda leli qiniso elibalulekile. Ngenxa yalokho, aqhubeka egcina izici zoMthetho ngisho nangemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu. Nokho, amanye akulungisa ukucabanga kwawo. Ngokwenza kanjalo, asibekela isibonelo esihle namuhla. Ake sibone ukuthi kanjani.
Ushintsho Oluthakazelisayo Emfundisweni YobuKristu
5. Iziphi iziyalezo uPetru azithola embonweni, futhi kungani ashaqeka?
5 Ngo-36 C.E., umphostoli uPetru ongumKristu waba nombono omangalisayo. Ngaleso sikhathi wayalwa izwi elivela ezulwini ukuba ahlabe adle izinyoni nezilwane ezazibhekwa njengezingcolile ngaphansi koMthetho. UPetru washaqeka! Wayengakaze ‘adle noma yini engcolile nengahlanzekile.’ Kodwa izwi lathi kuye: “Yeka ukubiza izinto uNkulunkulu azihlanzile ngokuthi zingcolile.” (IzEnzo 10:9-15) Kunokuba anamathele eMthethweni, uPetru walungisa umbono wakhe. Lokhu kwaholela ekubeni aqonde into emangalisayo ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu.
6, 7. Yini eyenza uPetru waphetha ngokuthi wayesengashumayela kwabeZizwe, futhi iziphi ezinye iziphetho okungenzeka wazifinyelela?
6 Nakhu okwenzeka. Kwafika amadoda amathathu endlini uPetru ayehlala kuyo, ezomcela ukuba ahambe nawo baye emzini womuntu weZizwe ongasokile owesaba uNkulunkulu okwakuthiwa uKorneliyu. UPetru wawangenisa endlini la madoda wawabungaza. Njengoba ayekuqondile lokho okwakushiwo umbono, ngakusasa uPetru wahamba nawo baya emzini kaKorneliyu. Lapho, uPetru wafakaza ngokugcwele ngoJesu Kristu. Ngaleso sikhathi, uPetru wathi: “Ngokuqinisekile ngiyaqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi enze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.” Akubanga uKorneliyu kuphela owabonisa ukholo kuJesu, kodwa kwaba nayizihlobo zakhe nabangane abaseduze, “umoya ongcwele wehlela kubo bonke ababezwa izwi.” Eqaphela ukuthi lokhu kwakuyisiqondiso sikaJehova, uPetru “wabayala ukuba babhapathizwe egameni likaJesu Kristu.”—IzEnzo 10:17-48.
7 Yini eyenza uPetru waphetha ngokuthi abeZizwe ababengawugcinanga uMthetho KaMose babamukelekile manje ukuba babe abalandeli bakaJesu Kristu? Ukuqonda okungokomoya. Njengoba uNkulunkulu ayebonisile ukuthi uyabamukela abeZizwe abangasokile, ethululela umoya wakhe kubo, uPetru waqonda ukuthi babamukelekile ukuba babhapathizwe. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kubonakala sengathi uPetru wayeqaphela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengalindele ukuba amaKristu angabeZizwe agcine uMthetho KaMose ukuze abhapathizwe. Ukube wawuphila ngaleso sikhathi, ingabe wawuyozimisela njengoPetru ukulungisa umbono wakho?
Abanye Báqhubeka Belandela “Umfundisi”
8. AmaKristu athile eJerusalema ayekhuthaza muphi umbono owawuhlukile kokaPetru ngokusoka, futhi ngani?
8 UPetru wasuka emzini kaKorneliyu waya eJerusalema. Izindaba zokuthi abeZizwe “balamukele izwi likaNkulunkulu,” zase zifikile nasebandleni lakhona futhi abafundi abaningana abangamaJuda yabacasula le ndaba. (IzEnzo 11:1-3) Nakuba bevuma ukuthi abeZizwe bangaba abalandeli bakaJesu, “abasekeli bokusoka” babemi kwelokuthi laba bantu bezizwe ezingemaJuda kumelwe bagcine uMthetho ukuze basindiswe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ezindaweni okwande kuzo abeZizwe, lapho amaKristu angamaJuda embalwa khona, ukusoka kwakungeyona inkinga. Le mibono emibili yaqhubeka iminyaka engaba ngu-13. (1 Korinte 1:10) Yeka ukuthi lokho kumelwe ukuba kwawavivinya kangakanani lawo maKristu okuqala—ikakhulu abeZizwe ababehlala ezindaweni zamaJuda!
9. Kungani kwakubalulekile ukuba kuxazululwe inkinga yokusoka?
9 Le ndaba yafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngo-49 C.E. lapho amaKristu avela eJerusalema efika eSiriya Yase-Antiyokiya, lapho uPawulu ayeshumayela khona. Aqala ukufundisa ukuthi abeZizwe abaphendukile kudingeka basokwe ngokuvumelana noMthetho. Kwaba nempikiswano enzima phakathi kwawo noPawulu benoBarnaba! Uma le nkinga yayingalungi, kukhona amaKristu, angamaJuda noma abeZizwe, ayezokhubeka nakanjani. Ngakho, kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba uPawulu nabanye abambalwa baye eJerusalema bayocela indikimba ebusayo yamaKristu ukuba ixazulule le nkinga.—IzEnzo 15:1, 2, 24.
Ngemva Kokuphambana Kwemibono Okuqotho, Kuba Nobunye!
10. Imaphi amanye amaphuzu indikimba ebusayo eyawacabangela ngaphambi kokwenza isinqumo mayelana nesimo sabeZizwe?
10 Emhlanganweni owaba khona, abanye babesekela ukusoka, abanye bephikisana nakho. Kodwa akubanga nje indaba yemizwelo. Ngemva kokuphikisana okukhulu, umphostoli uPetru noPawulu bachaza izibonakaliso uJehova ayezenzile kwabangasokile. Bachaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayethululele umoya ongcwele kwabeZizwe abangasokile. Kwakunjengokungathi bayabuza, ‘Kungafaneleka yini ukuba ibandla lobuKristu libenqabe labo uNkulunkulu abamukele?’ Umfundi uJakobe wabe esefunda indima yomBhalo eyasiza bonke ababekhona ukuba baqonde intando kaJehova kule ndaba.—IzEnzo 15:4-17.
11. Isiphi isici esingabanga nathonya esinqumweni esimayelana nokusoka, futhi yini ebonisa ukuthi leso sinqumo sasinesibusiso sikaJehova?
11 Wonke amehlo manje ayesesendikimbeni ebusayo. Ingabe ukuba kwayo ngamaJuda kwakuzokwenza isinqumo sayo sivune ukusoka? Cha. La madoda athembekile ayezimisele ukulandela imiBhalo nokuhola komoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. Ngemva kokuzwa bonke ubufakazi obuhilelekile, indikimba ebusayo yavumelana ngazwi-linye ukuthi asikho isidingo sokuba amaKristu angabeZizwe asoke futhi agcine uMthetho KaMose. Lapho abazalwane bekuzwa lokho, bajabula, amabandla aqala ‘ukwanda ngesibalo usuku nosuku.’ Lawo maKristu azithoba esiqondisweni saphezulu esicacile abusiswa ngempendulo eqondile engokomBhalo. (IzEnzo 15:19-23, 28, 29; 16:1-5) Nokho, kwakusenombuzo obalulekile owawungakaphenduleki.
Kuthiwani NgamaKristu AngamaJuda?
12. Imuphi umbuzo owawungaphendulekanga?
12 Indikimba ebusayo yayibonise ngokucacile ukuthi amaKristu angabeZizwe akudingeki asokwe. Kodwa kuthiwani ngamaKristu angamaJuda? Isinqumo sendikimba ebusayo sasingasithintanga ngokuqondile leso sici salolu daba.
13. Kungani kwakuyiphutha ukuphikelela ekutheni umuntu kudingeka agcine uMthetho KaMose ukuze asindiswe?
13 Amanye amaKristu angamaJuda ‘ayeshisekela uMthetho’ aqhubeka esoka izingane zawo, egcina nezici ezithile zoMthetho. (IzEnzo 21:20) Amanye enza okungaphezulu, aphikelela ethi amaKristu angamaJuda kudingeka agcine uMthetho ukuze asindiswe. Ayephambuke kakhulu kulokhu. Ngokwesibonelo, umKristu wayengawunikela kanjani umhlatshelo wesilwane ukuze athethelelwe izono? Umhlatshelo kaKristu wawuyenze yaphelelwa isikhathi leyo minikelo. Kuthiwani ngemfuneko yoMthetho yokuba amaJuda agweme ubudlelwane obuseduze nabeZizwe? Kwakuyoba nzima kakhulu ngabashumayeli abangamaKristu abashisekayo ukuba bagcine yonke leyo migoqo bebe befeza umsebenzi wokufundisa abeZizwe zonke izinto uJesu ayezifundisile. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 1:8; 10:28)a Akukho bufakazi bokuthi le ndaba yacaciswa emhlanganweni othile wendikimba ebusayo. Noma kunjalo, ibandla alisalanga lidinga nje.
14. Izincwadi zikaPawulu eziphefumulelwe zanikeza siphi isiqondiso mayelana noMthetho?
14 Isiqondiso asifikanga ngencwadi evela endikimbeni ebusayo, kodwa safika ngezinye izincwadi eziphefumulelwe zivela kubaphostoli. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPawulu wathumelela amaJuda nabeZizwe ababehlala eRoma umyalezo onamandla. Kuleyo ncwadi, wachaza ukuthi umJuda wangempela ‘unguye ngaphakathi, nokusoka kwakhe yilokho kwenhliziyo ngomoya.’ (Roma 2:28, 29) Kuyo leyo ncwadi, uPawulu wasebenzisa umfanekiso ukuze abonise ukuthi amaKristu ayengasekho ngaphansi koMthetho. Wathi owesifazane akanakuba nabayeni ababili ngesikhathi esisodwa. Kodwa uma umyeni wakhe eshona, owesifazane ukhululekile ukuphinde ashade. UPawulu wabe esechaza ukusebenza kwalo mfanekiso, wabonisa ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe awanakuba ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose kodwa abe ngawakaKristu ngesikhathi esifanayo. Kwakudingeka abe “afile ngokuqondene noMthetho” ukuze akwazi ukuba munye noKristu.—Roma 7:1-5.
Ukwephuza Ukuthola Iphuzu
15, 16. Kungani amanye amaKristu angamaJuda engalitholanga iphuzu mayelana noMthetho, futhi lokhu kubonisani ngesidingo sokuhlala siphapheme ngokomoya?
15 Incazelo kaPawulu ngoMthetho yayingenakuphikiswa. Pho, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba amanye amaKristu angamaJuda angalitholi iphuzu? Phakathi kokunye, ayentula ukuqonda okungokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, ayekudebeselela ukuzondla ngokudla okungokomoya okuqinile. (Hebheru 5:11-14) Ayengezi njalo nasemihlanganweni yobuKristu. (Hebheru 10:23-25) Esinye isizathu esenza amanye angalithola iphuzu kungenzeka sasihlobene nobunjalo boMthetho ngokwawo. Wawugxile ezintweni ezibonwayo nezithintekayo, njengethempeli nabapristi. Kumuntu ontula ingokomoya kwakulula ukwamukela uMthetho kunokwamukela izimiso ezijulile zobuKristu, ezisekelwe ezintweni ezingokoqobo kodwa ezingabonakali.—2 Korinte 4:18.
16 Esinye isizathu esasenza abanye ababezibiza ngamaKristu bakhuthalele ukugcina uMthetho savezwa uPawulu encwadini yakhe ayeyibhalele abaseGalathiya. Wachaza ukuthi la madoda ayefuna ukubhekwa njengahloniphekile, njengamalungu enkolo ethandwayo. Kunokuba ahluke emphakathini, ayezimisele ukuyekethisa cishe kunoma yini ukuze amukeleke kubantu. Ayethanda ukwamukelwa abantu ngaphezu kokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu.—Galathiya 6:12.
17. Umbono ofanele ngokugcinwa koMthetho wacaca nini ngokuphelele?
17 AmaKristu anokuqonda azitadisha ngokucophelela izincwadi eziphefumulelwe phezulu zikaPawulu nabanye, afinyelela iziphetho ezinembile ngoMthetho. Nokho, umbono ofanele ngoMthetho KaMose waze wacaca kuwo wonke amaKristu angamaJuda ngonyaka ka-70 C.E. Kwenzeka lapho uNkulunkulu evumela ukuba iJerusalema, ithempeli lalo, nemibhalo egciniwe mayelana nobupristi balo, kubhujiswe. Lokhu kwenza kwangenzeka nganoma ubani ukuba agcine zonke izici zoMthetho.
Ukusebenzisa Isifundo Namuhla
18, 19. (a) Iziphi izimo zengqondo okumelwe sizamukele futhi iziphi okumelwe sizigweme ukuze sihlale siphile kahle ngokomoya? (b) Isibonelo sikaPawulu sisifundisani ngokulandela isiqondiso esisithola kubazalwane abanomthwalo wemfanelo? (Bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 24.)
18 Ngemva kokuhlola lezi zenzakalo zakudala, mhlawumbe uyazibuza: ‘Ukube ngangiphila ngaleso sikhathi, ngangiyosabela kanjani njengoba intando kaNkulunkulu yembulwa kancane kancane? Ingabe ngangiyonamathela emibonweni yakudala mayelana noMthetho? Noma ngangiyolinda kuze kucace ukuqondwa kwawo okufanele? Futhi lapho kucaca, ingabe ngangiyokusekela ngenhliziyo yonke?’
19 Yebo, asinakuqiniseka ukuthi sasiyosabela kanjani ukube sasiphila ngaleso sikhathi. Kodwa singazibuza: ‘Ngisabela kanjani lapho ukuqondwa kweBhayibheli kucaciswa namuhla? (Mathewu 24:45) Lapho kunikezwa isiqondiso semiBhalo, ngiyazama yini ukusisebenzisa, ngingagcini kuphela lokho umthetho okushoyo kodwa nalokho okuqondile? (1 Korinte 14:20) Ingabe ngiyamlinda uJehova ngesineke lapho izimpendulo zemibuzo ebeleselayo zibonakala zephuza ukufika?’ Kubalulekile ukuba sikusebenzise kahle ukudla okungokomoya okutholakala namuhla, ukuze “singalokothi sikhukhuleke.” (Hebheru 2:1) Lapho uJehova enikeza isiqondiso ngeZwi, umoya, nenhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni, masilalelisise. Uma senza kanjalo, uJehova uyosibusisa ngokuphila okungenasiphelo okujabulisayo nokwanelisayo.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Lapho uPetru ehambela eSiriya Yase-Antiyokiya, wajabulela ubudlelwane obumnandi namakholwa abeZizwe. Nokho, kwathi lapho kufika amaKristu angamaJuda evela eJerusalema, uPetru ‘wahoxa futhi wazihlukanisa, ngokwesaba labo besigaba sabasokile.’ Singacabanga nje ukuthi kumelwe ukuba labo beZizwe ababephendukile bazizwa kanjani lapho lo mphostoli ohlonishwayo enqaba ukudla nabo.—Galathiya 2:11-13.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Kungamuphi umqondo uMthetho KaMose ‘wawunjengomfundisi oholela kuKristu’?
• Ungathi kwabangelwa yini ukuba uPetru ‘nabasekeli bokusoka’ basabele ngezindlela ezingafani ekulungisweni kokuqondwa kweqiniso?
• Yini oyifundile mayelana nendlela uJehova embula ngayo iqiniso namuhla?
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 24]
UPawulu Ubhekana Novivinyo Ngokuthobeka
Ngemva kohambo oluyimpumelelo njengesithunywa sevangeli, uPawulu wafika eJerusalema ngo-56 C.E. Wayelindelwe uvivinyo lapho. Ibandla lase lizwile ukuthi ufundisa ukuthi uMthetho usudedisiwe. Amadoda amadala ayenovalo lokuthi ukungagunci kukaPawulu endabeni yoMthetho kwakuzowakhuba amaKristu angamaJuda asanda kuphenduka futhi ayengase aphethe ngokuthi amaKristu awawahloniphi amalungiselelo kaJehova. Ebandleni, kwakunamaKristu amane angamaJuda ayenze isifungo, mhlawumbe sobuNaziri. Kwakudingeka aye ethempelini ukuze afeze izimfuneko zaleso sifungo.
Amadoda amadala acela uPawulu ukuba ahambe nabo laba abane baye ethempelini futhi anakekele izindleko zabo. UPawulu wayebhale okungenani izincwadi ezimbili eziphefumulelwe lapho aveza khona ukuthi ukugcina uMthetho akuyona imfuneko yokusindiswa. Nokho, wayebacabangela onembeza babanye. Wayeke wabhala ngaphambili: “Kwabaphansi komthetho ngaba njengophansi komthetho . . . ukuze ngizuze labo abaphansi komthetho.” (1 Korinte 9:20-23) Nakuba ayengayekethisi neze lapho kuhileleke izimiso zemiBhalo ezibalulekile, uPawulu wakubona kulungile ukuba ahambisane nokusikisela kwamadoda amadala. (IzEnzo 21:15-26) Wayengoni ngokwenza kanjalo. Kwakungekho lutho olungqubuzana nemiBhalo ngelungiselelo lezifungo, futhi ithempeli lalikade lisetshenziselwa ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile, hhayi ukukhonza izithombe. Ngakho, ukuze angabangeli kukhubeka, uPawulu wenza njengoba eceliwe. (1 Korinte 8:13) Akungabazeki ukuthi lokhu kwakudinga ukuzithoba okukhulu kuPawulu, okusenza simazise nakakhulu.
[Isithombe ekhasini 22, 23]
Iminyaka ethile, amaKristu ayelokhu enemibono ehlukene ngoMthetho KaMose