Yini Ekuvimbela Ukuba Ubhapathizwe?

“Bheka, nanka amanzi; kwalani ukuba ngibhapathizwe na?”—IZENZO 8:36.

 1. Kwakwenzekani emgwaqweni ophakathi kwe-Jerusalema neGaza?

INGELOSI kaJehova yayikhulumile, futhi kwakwenzeka okuthile okuphawulekayo emgwaqweni oyibhuqu phakathi kweJerusalema neGaza. Enqoleni ehambayo kwakuhlezi umTiyopiya efunda imiBhalo. Ngokushesha enye indoda yayigijima eceleni kwenqola. Yabuza: “Uyakuqonda kambe lokhu okufundayo na?” UmTiyopiya waphendula: “Ngingakwazi kanjani uma kungekho ongiholayo na?” Lokho kuqondiswa kwanikezwa uFiliphu umvangeli, owayethunywe yingelosi. Lapho esekhwelile enqoleni, uFiliphu waqala ngesiprofetho esalotshwa uIsaya futhi wamemezela “ivangeli ngoJesu.”

 2, 3. (a) UmTiyopiya wasabela kanjani ezindabeni ezinhle? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo ephakanyiswa yilesenzakalo?

² Besahamba endleleni, umTiyopiya wathi: “Bheka, nanka amanzi; kwalani ukuba ngibhapathizwe na?” Kulokho, wayaleza ukuba inqola ime. Womabili lamadoda angena emanzini futhi uFiliphu wambhapathiza. Khona umoya kaJehova waholela umvangeli kwenye indawo, nomTiyopiya wahamba indlela yakhe ethokoza.—IzEnzo 8:26-39.

³ Uma uhlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova kodwa ungakabhapathizwa, lezi zenzakalo zingakushukumisela ukuba ubuze: Kungani umTiyopiya abhapathizwa ngokushesha kangaka? Ubhapathizo kufanele lwenziwe kanjani? Luwuphawu lwani? Futhi yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe?

Akabhapathizwanga Ngokushesha Kakhulu

 4. Wayengubani lomTiyopiya?

⁴ Njengoba umTiyopiya ‘wayeye eJerusalema ukuyokhuleka,’ wayeyiproselithe lobuJuda elisokiwe. ‘Wayengumthenwa’ kodwa hhayi ngomqondo ongokwenyama, ngoba amadoda anqunywe izitho zobulili ayengavunyelwe ukungena ebandleni lamaIsrayeli. (Duteronomi 23:1) Endabeni yakhe, igama elithi “umthenwa” lalisho isikhulu, ngoba ‘wayeyisikhulu sikaKhandakhe inkosikazi yase-Etiyopiya, esasiphezu kwengcebo yayo yonke.’—IzEnzo 8:27.

 5. Kungani umthenwa wase-Etiyopiya ayengabhapathizwa ngokushesha kangaka?

⁵ UmTiyopiya wayengumuntu wezizwe. Nokho, njengoba ayephendukele enkolweni yobuJuda, wayengabhapathizwa njengomfundi kaKristu ngaphambi kokuba isigijimi soMbuso siye kwabeZizwe abangasokiwe njengoKorneliyu ngo-36 C.E. Njengeproselithe lobuJuda, umTiyopiya wayazi ngoNkulunkulu nangeZwi laKhe, nakuba ayedinga usizo olungokomoya. Ngakho uFiliphu waqondiswa ukuba ayoshumayeza lendoda futhi wayengayibhapathiza ngaphambi kokuba izindaba ezinhle ziye kwabeZizwe.

Ubhapathizo LwamaKristu Akuqala

 6. Wabhapathizwa kanjani umTiyopiya, futhi kungani uphendula kanjalo?

⁶ UmTiyopiya wabhapathizwa kanjani? Igama elithi “bhapathiza” livela egameni lesiGreki elithi ba·ptiʹzo, elisho “ukushonisa, ukucwilisa.” Isimo segama elifanayo sisetshenziselwe “ukucwilisa” kwawesi-2 AmaKhosi 5:14 kuyiSeptuagint yesiGreki. Futhi kuyaphawuleka ukuthi umTiyopiya wacela ukubhapathizwa lapho yena noFiliphu befika ‘emanzini.’ Ukuze abhapathizwe, “behlela emanzini,” kamuva ‘bakhuphuka emanzini.’ (IzEnzo 8:36-39) Ngakho-ke, umthenwa wale-Etiyopiya wabhapathizwa ngokucwiliswa emanzini.

 7. Yisiphi isandulela esasikhona sokubhapathiza ngokucwilisa emanzini?

⁷ UJesu ngokwakhe wabhapathizwa ngokucwiliswa emanzini. Ngakho, ngemva kokubhapathizwa kwakhe eMfuleni iJordani, kuthiwa “wakhuphuka . . . emanzini.” (Mathewu 3:13, 16) Eqinisweni, uJohane uMbhapathizi wayekhethe indawo engaseSigodini saseJordani eduze neSalimi, njengendawo efanelekile ukuba abhapathizele kuyo. Ngani? “Ngokuba amanzi ayemaningi lapho.” (Johane 3:23) Ngakho-ke imiBhalo igunyaza ukubhapathiza emanzini amaningi.

 8. Mayelana nobhapathizo, singafinyelela kusiphi isiphetho ngemikhuba yabaFarisi namaJuda?

⁸ Singafinyelela iziphetho ezithile ezinengqondo mayelana nobhapathizo uma sicabangela imikhuba yabaFarisi namanye amaJuda. Umlobi weVangeli uMarku wathi: “Nanxa bevela endalini, abadli bengakahlambi [ngesiGreki, ran·tiʹzo, ukufafaza ngamanzi]; kukhona nezinye izinto eziningi abazamukeleyo ukuba bazibambe, njengokuhlanza [ba·pti·smousʹ, ukubhapathiza] izinkezo, nezinkamba, nezitsha zethusi.” (Marku 7:3, 4, qhathanisa neNW.) Lamadoda ayezifafaza ngamanzi ezingcwelisa ngaphambi kokuba adle uma evela emakethe. Kodwa ayebhapathiza, noma acwilise emanzini, izinto ezihlukahlukene ayezisebenzisa ngesikhathi sokudla.

 9. Yini eyashiwo uTertullian ngobhapathizo?

⁹ Ngisho nangemva kokuba ukuhlubuka kungene ngokunyenya, ufata wesonto uTertullian (c. 160-230 C.E.) wathi ngokuqondene nobhapathizo: “Empeleni akukho okwenza izingqondo zabantu zibe lukhuni ngokwedlulele kunokuba lula kwemisebenzi yaphezulu ebonakala esenzweni, lapho siqhathaniswa nobuhle obuthenjiswe ngaso njengomphumela; kangangokuthi kulo kanye iqiniso lokuthi, ngobulula obungaka, ngaphandle kobunzima, ngaphandle kokulungiselela okukhulu okuphawulekayo, ekugcineni, ngaphandle kwezindleko, umuntu ushoniswa emanzini, futhi phakathi kokushiwo kwamazwi athile ambalwa, uyafafazwa, abese enyuka futhi, kungesikho kangako (noma kungesikho nhlobo) ukuthi usehlanzeke ngokwengeziwe, ukuzuza ubuphakade okuwumphumela kubhekwa njengokungakholeki ngokwengeziwe.” Phawula ukuthi uTertullian wathi, “umuntu ushoniswa emanzini . . . abese enyuka futhi.”

10. Zithini izazi ngendlela yokuqala yobhapathizo lwamaKristu?

¹⁰ Izazi futhi zibonisa ukuthi amaKristu ekuqaleni ayebhapathiza abantu ngokubacwilisa ngokuphelele emanzini. Iencyclopedia yesiFulentshi eyaziwayo ithi: “AmaKristu okuqala abhapathizwa ngokucwiliswa nomaphi lapho amanzi ayetholakala khona.” Futhi iThe Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Ngokungangabazeki ukucwiliswa kwakuyindlela endala kakhulu eyayisetshenziswa ngokuvamile.”—Umqulu II, ikhasi 261 (uhlelo luka-1907).

Ukufundisa Nokubhapathiza

11. Yikuphi ukuthunywa uJesu akunikeza abafundi bakhe?

¹¹ Ngaphambi kokuba umuntu abhapathizwe, kumelwe azuze ulwazi oluqondile futhi enze ngokuvumelana nalo. Lokhu kwenziwe kwacaca lapho uKristu etshela abalandeli bakhe: “Ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho; bhekani mina nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube-sekupheleni kwezwe.”—Mathewu 28:19, 20.

12. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise”?

¹² Ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise” kusho ukuthi ozobhapathizwa uqaphela isikhundla sikaNkulunkulu negunya. UJehova uqashelwa ‘njengoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke,’ uMdali noMbusi weNdawo Yonke. (IHubo 36:9; 83:18; 2 AmaKhosi 19:15) Umuntu onjalo futhi wamukela uJehova njengomaHluleli wakhe, uMniki-mthetho, neNkosi.—Isaya 33:22; IHubo 119:102; IsAmbulo 15:3, 4.

13. Ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni leNdodana’ kushoni?

¹³ Ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni leNdodana’ kusho ukuqaphela isikhundla sikaKristu negunya nokumqaphela njengalowo uNkulunkulu alungiselele ngaye ‘inhlawulo.’ (1 Thimothewu 2:5, 6) Ngemva kokufa kukaJesu njengomgcini wobuqotho, “uNkulunkulu wamphakamisa kakhulu,” futhi labo abafuna ukubhapathizwa kumelwe bamukele uKristu ‘njengeNkosi kube-yinkazimulo kuNkulunkulu uYise.’ (Filipi 2:9-11) Kumelwe futhi bamukele uJesu ‘njengoFakazi Othembekile’ kaJehova ‘nanjengeNkosi yamakhosi.’—IsAmbulo 1:5; 19:16.

14. Yini edingwa ukubhapathizwa egameni ‘lomoya ongcwele’?

¹⁴ Umuntu futhi kumelwe abhapathizwe ‘egameni lomoya ongcwele.’ Kumelwe aqaphele ukuthi umoya ongcwele awuyena umuntu kodwa ungamandla kaNkulunkulu ayisiphekupheku, asetshenziswa ekudaleni, ekuphefumuleleni abalobi beBhayibheli, nokunye. (Genesise 1:2; 2 Samuweli 23:1, 2; 2 Petru 1:21) Umoya kaJehova kumelwe uqashelwe njengobalulekile ukuze siqonde ‘okujulileyo kukaNkulunkulu’ futhi sibonise izithelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu ‘eziwuthando, ukujabula, ukuthula, ukubekezela, ububele, ubuvi, ukukholeka, ubumnene, nokuzithiba.’ (1 Korinte 2:10; Galathiya 5:22, 23) Kumelwe kuvunywe futhi ukuthi kudingeka umoya kaNkulunkulu ukuze kuqhutshwe umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso.—Joweli 2:28, 29.

Lokho Ubhapathizo Olukubonisayo

15. Kungani ubhapathizo lobuKristu lungahlanzi izono?

¹⁵ UJohane uMbhapathizi wacwilisa abantu esekelwa umoya ongcwele. (IzEnzo 13:24) Wababhapathiza, hhayi ukuba ahlanze izono zabo, kodwa njengophawu lokuphenduka kwabo. (IzEnzo 19:4) UJohane futhi wabhapathiza uJesu, ‘owayengenzanga isono.’ (1 Petru 2:22) Futhi uAnaniya wanxusa uSawulu waseTarsu: “Sukuma, ubhapathizwe, uhlambulule izono zakho ngokukhuleka egameni [likaJesu].” (IzEnzo 22:12-16) Ngakho, ukucwiliswa emanzini kwamaKristu akuzihlanzi izono. Akusilo ubhapathizo kodwa ukuthululwa kwegazi likaJesu ‘nokukhuleka egameni lakhe’ okwenza ukuba ukuthethelelwa kube nokwenzeka.—Heberu 9:22; 1 Johane 1:7.

16. (a) Njengoba ubhapathizo lungahlanzi izono, lubonakalisani? (b) Ngokomfanekiso, kwenzekani lapho umuntu ebhapathizwa?

¹⁶ Nakuba ubhapathizo lobuKristu lungazihlanzi izono, luwuphawu olubonisa ukuthi umuntu ocwiliswa emanzini uzinikezele ngokungenamibandela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 16:24.) Ukunikezela kusho “ukugomela, ukuqinisa, ukunikela.” Ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu kubhekisela esenzweni umuntu azihlukanisa ngaso ngokungagodli ngesivumelwano sokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu. Ngendlela engokomfanekiso, lapho obhapathizwayo “embelwa” okwesikhashana ngaphansi kwamanzi, bese enyuswa kuwo futhi, uyafa enkambweni yakhe yangaphambili futhi uvuselwa endleleni entsha yokuphila, ukuze enze intando kaJehova ngokungagodli.—Qhathanisa namaRoma 6:4-6.

17. Kungani kungokungafanele ukubhapathiza izinsana?

¹⁷ Ngokusobala, ubhapathizo luyisinyathelo esingathi sina. Ukubhapathiza usana akulungile ngoba ingane ayikwazi ukuqonda, ukwenza isinqumo, nokuba umfundi. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Labo ababhapathizwa phakathi nenkonzo kaFiliphu eSamariya ‘babengamadoda nabesifazane,’ hhayi nje izinsana. (IzEnzo 8:4-8, 12) Ubhapathizo lungolwalabo abadala ngokwanele ukuba bafunde, bakholelwe, futhi babonise ukholo. (Johane 17:3; IzEnzo 5:14; 18:8; Heberu 11:6) Ngokuqondene nalokhu, isazi-mlando uAugustus Neander sabhala: “Ukholo nobhapathizo ngaso sonke isikhathi kwakuhlangene; ngakho kungezinga eliphakeme kakhulu elingenzeka . . . ukuthi umkhuba wokubhapathiza izinsana wawungaziwa [ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E.]. . . . Ukuthi waqala ukuqashelwa njengesiko lobuphostoli phakathi nekhulu lesithathu leminyaka, kuwubufakazi obuphikisa ukwamukelwa komsuka wawo wobuphostoli esikhundleni sokuba bube obuvunana nakho.”—History of the Planting and Training of the Christian Church by the Apostles (New York, 1864), ikhasi 162.

18. (a) NgokomBhalo, yini edingekayo ukuze ube omunye woFakazi BakaJehova? (b) Yibuphi ubufakazi bokholo obungabonisa ukuthi umuntu angabhapathizwa? (c) Kugcizelelwa kanjani ukuba nokholo esihlengweni kwabazobhapathizwa?

¹⁸ ImiBhalo iphawula ngokuphindaphindiwe ngokubhapathizwa kwabakholwayo. (IzEnzo 4:4; 5:14; 8:13; 16:27-34; 18:8; 19:1-7) Ngakho-ke, ukuze abe omunye woFakazi BakaJehova, umuntu kumelwe abe ikholwa—obonisa ukholo bese ebhapathizwa. Ngisho nangaphambi kokubhapathizwa, ukholo olunjalo luzibonakalisa ngokuziphatha kokwesaba uNkulunkulu, ukuthembela kuJehova, ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso, nokwamukela umhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo. Ukholo esihlengweni luyagcizelelwa kwabazobhapathizwa, ngoba umbuzo wokuqala kwemibili isikhulumi esibabuza yona uthi: “Ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu Kristu, ingabe usuye waphenduka ezonweni zakho futhi wazinikezela kuJehova ukuba wenze intando yakhe?” Umuntu angacwiliswa emanzini ngokwamukelekayo kuphela uma ephendula ngokuvumayo futhi eqonda ukuthi ukuzinikezela kwakhe nobhapathizo kumphawula njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova ohlanganyela nenhlangano kaNkulunkulu eqondiswa umoya.

Ukuzinikezela Ngomthandazo

19. Kungani kumelwe sizinikezele kuJehova ngomthandazo?

¹⁹ Labo ababhapathizwayo kumelwe babe nokholo kuNkulunkulu nakuKristu. Kodwa kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bethi ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu kufanele kwenziwe ngomthandazo? Ngoba kufanelekile ukutshela uNkulunkulu ngomthandazo isinqumo sethu sokumnikeza. ukuzinikela okukhethekile okumfanele. (Duteronomi 5:8, 9; 1 IziKronike 29:10-13) Ngokusobala uJesu wasazisa ngomthandazo isifiso sakhe sokunikela inkonzo engcwele kuYise osezulwini kuphela. (Heberu 10:7-9) Phela, uJesu “wayethandaza” ngisho nalapho ebhapathizwa! (Luka 3:21, 22) Ngakho kusobala ukuthi ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu kufanele kwenziwe ngomthandazo.

20. Kungani kungokunokwenzeka ukuthi amaKristu akuqala anxusa abafundi abasha ukuba bazinikezele kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo?

²⁰ Ngokusobala amaKristu akuqala akhuthaza abafundi abasha ukuba bazinikezele ngomthandazo, ngoba ngisho nakamuva uTertullian wathi: “Labo abaseduze nokungenela ubhapathizo kufanele bathandaze ngokuphindaphindiwe, ngokuzila nangokuguqa ngamadolo.” Ngaphambidlana, uJustin Martyr (c. 100-165 C.E.) wabhala: “Ngizolandisa futhi ngendlela esazinikezela ngayo kuNkulunkulu lapho sasenziwe basha ngoKristu . . . Bonke abashukunyiselwa futhi abakholelwa ukuthi lokho esikufundayo nesikushoyo kuyiqiniso, futhi bezimisela ukuba bakwazi ukuphila ngokuvumelana nakho, bayalwa ukuba bathandaze futhi banxuse uNkulunkulu ngokuzila, ukuze kuthethelelwe izono zabo zesikhathi esidlule, nathi sithandaza futhi sizila nabo.”

21. Cishe yini eyenzeka, nakuba ukuzinikezela ngomthandazo kwakungazange kugcizelelwe lapho ubhapathizwa eminyakeni ethile edlule?

²¹ Uma ukuzinikezela ngomthandazo kwakungazange kugcizelelwe lapho ubhapathizwa eminyakeni edlule, lokho akwenzi ubhapathizo lwakho lube yize. Ngisho nangalezozinsuku, ngokungangabazeki abaningi babenjengendoda ethile ekhumbula ngokukhanyayo iguqa ngamadolo futhi izinikezela kuJehova ngomthandazo oqotho lapho iseyibhungu eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-40 edlule. Futhi ngalesosikhathi, ngisho noma umuntu engazange azinikezele ngomthandazo oqondile ngaphambili, wakwenza kwaba indaba yomthandazo njengoba abazobhapathizwa nabanye bathandaza ndawonye lapho kunikezwa inkulumo yobhapathizo ngosuku lokucwiliswa kwakhe.

Isizathu Sokuba Abanye Bazindele

22. Kungani abanye bezindela ukuba babhapathizwe?

²² Njengoba ukuba ufakazi ozinikezele kaJehova kuyilungelo elibusiswe kangaka, kungani abanye bezindela ukuba babhapathizwe? Ukuntula uthando lweqiniso kungesinye sezizathu zokuba abanye bangalilaleli iZwi likaNkulunkulu, balandele ukuhola kukaJesu, futhi babhapathizwe. (1 Johane 5:3) Yebo, ngokuvamile abantu abangabhapathiziwe abasho ukuthi ngeke basilandele isibonelo sikaJesu noma balalele uNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, bahlala behileleke kakhulu ezindabeni zezwe kangangokuthi baba nesikhathi esincane seminako engokomoya. Uma lokhu kungenzeka kube inkinga yakho, akunakuba yini ukuhlakanipha ukushintsha izinto ozithandayo, izithakazelo, nezifiso zakho? Labo abamthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu abanakuba futhi abathanda lelizwe. (1 Johane 2:15-17) Futhi ungavumi ukuba ‘ukukhohlisa kwengcebo’ kukukhohlise ube nomqondo oyiphutha wokulondeka. (Mathewu 13:22) Ukulondeka kweqiniso kutholakala kuphela ebuhlotsheni bokuzinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu.—IHubo 4:8.

23. Kungani abanye begwema ukuzinikezela kuJehova nokukubonakalisa ngokucwiliswa emanzini?

²³ Abanye bathi bayamthanda uNkulunkulu kodwa bazindele ukuba bazinikezele ngoba banomuzwa wokuthi ngalendlela bagwema icala futhi ngeke kudingeke balandise. Bangathanda ukuhlala ePharadesi, kodwa kuze kube manje benza okuncane noma abenzi lutho ngakho. (IzAga 13:4) Abantu abanjalo abanakukugwema ukulandisa ngoba bamangalelwa lapho bezwa iZwi likaJehova. (Hezekeli 33:7-9) Uma bebengazinikezela, bebeyobonisa ukuthi bayayiqonda intando kaNkulunkulu futhi bashisekela ukuyenza. Esikhundleni sokuba kubathwese umthwalo onzima, ukulalela okunjalo bekuyobalethela isibusiso sikaJehova futhi bekuyophumela enjabulweni ngoba bebeyobe bephila ngokuvumelana nokusho kwabo ukuthi bayamthanda.

24. Kungasiphi isizathu abanye futhi bezindela ukuba babhapathizwe?

²⁴ Umuzwa wokuthi abanalwazi olwanele ukuze bachaze imiBhalo ubangela abanye futhi ukuba bagweme ukubhapathizwa. Kodwa umthenwa wase-Etiyopiya wayekulungele ukubonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu ngemva kwengxoxo noFiliphu lapho bekhwele enqoleni. Ngokuqinisekile, ekuqaleni umTiyopiya wayengeke akwazi ukuphendula yonke imibuzo yalabo akhuluma nabo ngeqiniso. Kodwa inhliziyo yakhe yachichima ngokubonga ngalokho ayekuzwile, futhi akazange azindele ngokwesaba. “Akukho ukwesaba othandweni, kepha uthando olupheleleyo luyaxosha ukwesaba.” (1 Johane 4:18) Akulona ikhanda eligcwele izimpendulo kodwa inhliziyo egcwele uthando okushukumisela umuntu ukuba azinikezele kuNkulunkulu futhi abhapathizwe.—Luka 10:25-28.

25. UJehova uNkulunkulu ulindeleni kulabo abathi bayamthanda?

²⁵ Uma ungakabhapathizwa, zibuze: UNkulunkulu ulindeleni kulabo abathi bayamthanda? Ufuna ukuzinikezela okukhethekile futhi ufuna labo abayomkhulekela “ngoMoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:23, 24; Eksodusi 20:4, 5; Luka 4:8) Umthenwa wase-Etiyopiya wanikela lolohlobo lokukhulekela, futhi akazange alibale lapho enikezwa ithuba lokubhapathizwa. Akufanele yini wenze ukuzinikezela kuJehova kube indaba yomthandazo oqotho manje bese uzibuza: “Kwalani ukuba ngibhapathizwe na?”

Imibuzo Yokubukeza

◻ Kungani umthenwa wase-Etiyopiya ayengabhapathizwa ngokushesha kangaka?

◻ Yayiyini indlela yokubhapathiza phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala?

◻ Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni IikaYise, IeNdodana, nelikamoya ongcwele”?

◻ Lubonakalisani ubhapathizo IobuKristu?

◻ Kungani uzinikezela kuJehova ngomthandazo?

◻ Kungenxa yaziphi izizathu abanye bezindela ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa?