Umthetho KaKristu
“Ngingaphansi komthetho ngakuKristu.”—1 KORINTE 9:21.
1, 2. (a) Amaphutha amaningi esintu ayengavinjelwa kanjani? (b) Yini eLobukholwa elahluleka ukuyifunda emlandweni weNkolo YobuJuda?
“ABANTU nohulumeni abazange bafunde emlandweni, noma benze ngokuvumelana nezimiso eziye zatholakala kuwo.” Sasho kanjalo isazi sefilosofi saseJalimane sekhulu le-19. Ngempela, inkambo yomlando womuntu iye yachazwa ngokuthi “uhide lobuwula,” uchungechunge lwamaphutha obuwula nezinhlekelele, amaningi awo ayengagwenywa ukube isintu sasizimisele ukufunda emaphutheni esikhathi esidlule.
2 Ukwenqaba okufanayo ukufunda emaphutheni esikhathi esidlule kuyavela kulengxoxo yomthetho waphezulu. UJehova uNkulunkulu wasusa uMthetho kaMose wafaka ongcono esikhundleni sawo—umthetho kaKristu. Nokho, abaholi beLobukholwa, abathi bafundisa futhi baphila ngalomthetho, baye bahluleka ukufunda ebuwuleni obubi babaFarisi. Ngakho eLobukholwa liye lasonta futhi lasebenzisa kabi umthetho kaKristu njengoba nje iNkolo YobuJuda yenza eMthethweni kaMose. Kungenzeka kanjani lokho? Okokuqala, ake sixoxe ngalomthetho ngokwawo—ukuthi uyini, obani obabusayo futhi kanjani, nokuthi uhluke ngani eMthethweni kaMose. Sizobe sesihlola indlela eLobukholwa eliye lawusebenzisa kabi ngayo. Kwangathi ngaleyo ndlela singafunda emlandweni futhi sizuze kuwo!
Isivumelwano Esisha
3. UJehova wenza siphi isithembiso ngokuqondene nesivumelwano esisha?
3 Ubani ngaphandle kukaJehova uNkulunkulu ongenza ngcono uMthetho ophelele? Isivumelwano soMthetho kaMose sasiphelele. (IHubo 19:7) Naphezu kwalokho, uJehova wathembisa: “Bheka, izinsuku ziyeza, . . . ngiyakwenza isivumelwano esisha nendlu kaIsrayeli nendlu kaJuda, kungenjengesivumelwano engasenzayo nawoyise.” IMiyalo Eyishumi—umnyombo woMthetho kaMose—yayibhalwe ezibhebheni zamatshe. Kodwa ngesivumelwano esisha, uJehova wathi: “Ngiyakufaka umthetho wami ezibilinini zabo, ngiwulobe ezinhliziyweni zabo.”—Jeremiya 31:31-34.
4. (a) Yimuphi u-Israyeli ohilelekile esivumelwaneni esisha? (b) Obani abanye ngaphandle kuka-Israyeli ongokomoya abangaphansi komthetho kaKristu?
4 Obani ababeyongeniswa kulesi sivumelwano esisha? Ngokuqinisekile kwakungeyona “indlu ka-Israyeli” engokoqobo, eyenqaba uMlamuleli walesi sivumelwano. (Heberu 9:15) Cha, ‘lo-Israyeli’ omusha kwakuyoba ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,’ isizwe sama-Israyeli angokomoya. (Galathiya 6:16; Roma 2:28, 29) Kamuva, “isixuku esikhulu” esivela kuzo zonke izizwe naso esasiyofuna ukukhulekela uJehova sasiyozihlanganisa naleli qembu elincane lamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 10; Zakariya 8:23) Nakuba bengahlanganyeli esivumelwaneni esisha, umthetho wawuyobabopha nabo. (Qhathanisa noLevitikusi 24:22; Numeri 15:15.) ‘Njengomhlambi owodwa’ ngaphansi ‘kukamalusi oyedwa,’ bonke babeyokuba “ngaphansi komthetho ngakuKristu,” njengoba umphostoli uPawulu abhala. (Johane 10:16; 1 Korinte 9:21) UPawulu wabiza lesi sivumelwano esisha ngokuthi ‘isivumelwano esingcono.’ Ngani? Esinye isizathu ukuthi sisekelwe ezithembisweni esezigcwalisekile kunokuba sisekelwe ezithunzini zezinto ezisazokuza.—Heberu 8:6; 9:11-14.
5. Iyini injongo yesivumelwano esisha, futhi kungani siyophumelela?
5 Iyini injongo yalesi sivumelwano? Iwukuveza isizwe samakhosi nabapristi sokubusisa sonke isintu. (Eksodusi 19:6; 1 Petru 2:9; IsAmbulo 5:10) UMthetho kaMose awuzange uveze lesi sizwe ngomqondo ophelele, ngoba u-Israyeli ewonke wahlubuka wabe eselahlekelwa yilelo thuba. (Qhathanisa namaRoma 11:17-21.) Nokho, akungabazeki ukuthi isivumelwano esisha siyophumelela, ngoba sihlangene nohlobo lomthetho oluhluke kakhulu. Oluhluke ngaziphi izindlela?
Umthetho Ongowenkululeko
6, 7. Umthetho kaKristu uyinikeza kanjani inkululeko enkulu kunoMthetho kaMose?
6 Ngokuphindaphindiwe umthetho kaKristu uhlanganiswa nenkululeko. (Johane 8:31, 32) Ubizwa ngokuthi ‘umthetho wabantu abakhululekile’ nangokuthi “umthetho ophelele ongowenkululeko.” (Jakobe 1:25; 2:12) Yebo, yonke inkululeko yabantu ilinganiselwe. Nakuba kunjalo, lomthetho unikeza inkululeko enkulu kakhulu kunomanduleli wawo, uMthetho kaMose. Kanjani?
7 Ngokwesibonelo, akekho ozalwa engaphansi komthetho kaKristu. Izici ezinjengohlanga nendawo yozalo azithí shu. Yiqiniso amaKristu ayazikhethela ezinhliziyweni zawo ukwamukela ijoka lokulalela lomthetho. Ngokwenza kanjalo, athola ukuthi leli ijoka lomusa, nomthwalo olula. (Mathewu 11:28-30) Khumbula, uMthetho kaMose wawuklanyelwe ukufundisa umuntu ukuthi uyisoni futhi uwudinga kakhulu umhlatshelo wesihlengo ukuze umkhulule. (Galathiya 3:19) Umthetho kaKristu ufundisa ukuthi uMesiya wafika, wakhokha inani lesihlengo ngokuphila kwakhe, wasivulela indlela yokuba sikhululeke ekucindezeleni okungathandeki kwesono nokufa! (Roma 5:20, 21) Ukuze sizuze, kudingeka ‘sibonise ukholo’ kulowo mhlatshelo.—Johane 3:16.
8. Umthetho kaKristu uhlanganisani, kodwa kungani ukuphila ngawo kungasho ukubamba ngekhanda amakhulu ezimiso zomthetho?
8 ‘Ukubonisa ukholo’ kuhilela ukuphila ngomthetho kaKristu. Lokho kuhlanganisa ukulalela yonke imiyalo kaKristu. Ingabe lokhu kusho ukubamba ngekhanda amakhulu emithetho nezimiso? Cha. Nakuba uMose, umlamuleli wesivumelwano esidala, aloba uMthetho kaMose, uJesu, uMlamuleli wesivumelwano esisha, akazange alobe nowodwa umthetho. Kunalokho, waphila ngalomthetho. Ngenkambo yakhe yokuphila ephelele, wabekela bonke isibonelo sokuba basilandele. (1 Petru 2:21) Mhlawumbe yingakho ukukhulekela kwamaKristu okuqala kwakubizwa ngokuthi ‘iNdlela.’ (IzEnzo 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22) Kuwo, umthetho kaKristu wabonakala ekuphileni kukaKristu. Ukulingisa uJesu kwakuwukulalela lomthetho. Uthando lwawo olujulile ngaye lwalusho ukuthi lomthetho wawulotshwe ezinhliziyweni zawo ngempela, njengoba kwakuprofethiwe. (Jeremiya 31:33; 1 Petru 4:8) Futhi umuntu olalela ngenxa yothando akazizwa ecindezelekile—okungaba esinye isizathu esenza ukuba umthetho kaKristu ubizwe ngokuthi ‘umthetho wabantu abakhululekile.’
9. Siyini isizinda somthetho kaKristu, futhi lomthetho uwuhilela ngayiphi indlela umyalo omusha?
9 Uma uthando lwalubalulekile eMthethweni kaMose, luwumgogodla womthetho wobuKristu. Ngakho umthetho kaKristu uhlanganisa nomyalo omusha—amaKristu kumelwe abe nothando lokuzidela ngomunye nomunye. Kumelwe athande njengoJesu; ngokuzithandela wabeka phansi ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe. (Johane 13:34, 35; 15:13) Ngakho kungase kuthiwe umthetho kaKristu uwukubonakaliswa kombuso ongokwasezulwini okuphakeme kunoMthetho kaMose. Njengoba lomagazini wake washo ngaphambili: “Umbuso ongokwasezulwini uwukubusa kukaNkulunkulu; uNkulunkulu uluthando; ngakho-ke umbuso ongokwasezulwini uwukubusa kothando.”
UJesu NabaFarisi
10. Ukufundisa kukaJesu kwakuhluke kanjani kokwabaFarisi?
10 Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi uJesu akazange azwane nabaholi benkolo yobuJuda bosuku lwakhe. ‘Umthetho ophelele ongowenkululeko’ wawukude kakhulu nezingqondo zababhali nabaFarisi. Bazama ukulawula abantu ngemithetho eyenziwe abantu. Ukufundisa kwabo kwaba okucindezelayo, okulahlayo, okungakhi. Ngokuphambene, imfundiso kaJesu yayakha futhi izuzisa kakhulu! Wayewusizo futhi ebhekana nezidingo nokukhathazeka kwabantu kwangempela. Wayefundisa ngendlela elula nangomuzwa oqotho, esebenzisa imifanekiso yezinto zokuphila kwansuku zonke futhi ecaphuna egunyeni eliyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, “izixuku zakhexa ngendlela yakhe yokufundisa.” (Mathewu 7:28) Yebo, ukufundisa kukaJesu kwafinyelela izinhliziyo zabo!
11. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uMthetho kaMose kwakumelwe ngabe wasetshenziswa ngokucabangela nangesihe?
11 Kunokuba anezele eminye imithetho eMthethweni kaMose, uJesu wabonisa indlela amaJuda okwakufanele ngabe ayewusebenzisa ngayo uMthetho sonke leso sikhathi—ngokucabangela nangesihe. Ngokwesibonelo, khumbula isikhathi lapho kuza kuye owesifazane owayehlushwa umopho. NgokoMthetho kaMose, noma ubani ayengamthinta wayezoba ongcolile, ngakho kwakungafanele neze abe phakathi kwesixuku sabantu! (Levitikusi 15:25-27) Kodwa wayekufuna ngempela ukuphulukiswa kangangokuthi wafohla phakathi kwesixuku wathinta ingubo kaJesu yangaphandle. Ukopha kwanqamuka ngokushesha. Ingabe wamthethisa ngenxa yokwephula uMthetho? Cha; kunalokho wasiqonda isimo sakhe esibucayi wabonisa isimiso soMthetho esikhulu kunazo zonke—uthando. Ngozwela wamtshela: “Ndodakazi, ukholo lwakho lukwenze waphila. Hamba ngokuthula, futhi uphile kahle ekuguleni kwakho okubi.”—Marku 5:25-34.
Ingabe Umthetho KaKristu Uyayekelela?
12. (a) Kungani kungafanele sicabange ukuthi uKristu uyayekelela? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukwenza imithetho eminingi kuholela ekwenzeni izintuba eziningi?
12 Khona-ke, ingabe kufanele siphethe ngokuthi ngenxa yokuthi umthetho kaKristu ‘ungowenkululeko,’ uyayekelela, kanti abaFarisi, nawo wonke amasiko abo adluliselwa ngomlomo, okungenani babegcina ukuziphatha kwabantu kungaphakathi kwemingcele eqinile? Cha. Izimiso zomthetho namuhla zibonisa ukuthi ngokuvamile uma kunemithetho eminingi, abantu bathola izintuba eziningi kuyo.a Osukwini lukaJesu, ubuningi bemithetho yabaFarisi babukhuthaza ukufuna izintuba, ukwenza imisebenzi ngendlela yokugcina icala engenalo uthando, nokuhlakulela ukubonakala ulungile ngaphandle ukuze ufihle ukonakala kwangaphakathi.—Mathewu 23:23, 24.
13. Kungani umthetho kaKristu uveza indinganiso yokuziphatha ephakeme kunanoma yimuphi umthetho olotshwe phansi?
13 Ngokuphambene, umthetho kaKristu awuzikhuthazi izimo zengqondo ezinjalo. Eqinisweni, ukulalela umthetho osekelwe othandweni ngoJehova nolalelwa ngokulingisa uthando lukaKristu lokuzidela ngenxa yabanye kuphumela endinganisweni yokuziphatha ephakeme kakhulu kunokulandela uhlu lwemithetho olumisiwe. Uthando alufuni izintuba; lusivimbela ukuba singazenzi izinto ezilimazayo uhlu lwemithetho olungase lungazenqabeli ngokuqondile. (Bheka uMathewu 5:27, 28.) Ngakho, umthetho kaKristu uyosishukumisela ukuba senzele abanye izinto—sibonise umoya wokupha, wokungenisa izihambi, nothando—ngezindlela okungekho mthetho omisiwe ongasishukumisela ukuba sikwenze ngazo.—IzEnzo 20:35; 2 Korinte 9:7; Heberu 13:16.
14. Ukuphila ngokuvumelana nomthetho kaKristu kwaba namuphi umphumela ebandleni lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala?
14 Ngezinga amalungu alo aphila ngalo ngomthetho kaKristu, ibandla lamaKristu okuqala lajabulela umoya ofudumele, wothando, owawungenazo, uma kuqhathaniswa, izimo zengqondo zokuqina, ukwahlulela, nobuzenzisi, ezazivamile emasinagogeni angaleso sikhathi. Amalungu alamabandla ayesafufusa kumelwe ukuba ezwa ngempela ukuthi ayephila ‘ngomthetho wabantu abakhululekile’!
15. Yimiphi eminye yemizamo kaSathane yokuqala yokonakalisa ibandla lobuKristu?
15 Nokho, uSathane wayekushisekela ukonakalisa ibandla lobuKristu ngaphakathi, njengoba nje ayonakalise isizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa ngamadoda anjengezimpisi ‘ayeyokhuluma izinto ezisontekile’ futhi acindezele umhlambi kaNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 20:29, 30) Kwakudingeka amelane nabantu baseJudiya, ababefuna ukuthengisa ngenkululeko elinganiselwe yomthetho kaKristu ukuze babe sebugqilini boMthetho kaMose, owawusugcwaliseke kuKristu. (Mathewu 5:17; IzEnzo 15:1; Roma 10:4) Ngemva kokuba owokugcina kubaphostoli esefile, kwakungasekho okwakuzovimbela ukuhlubuka okunjalo. Ngakho ukonakala kwasabalala.—2 Thesalonika 2:6, 7.
ELobukholwa Lingcolisa Umthetho kaKristu
16, 17. (a) Yiziphi izinhlobo zokonakala ezaba khona kweLobukholwa? (b) Imithetho yeSonto LamaKatolika yawukhuthaza kanjani umbono osontekile ngobulili?
16 NjengaseNkolweni YobuJuda, kwaba nezinhlobo eziningi zokonakala kweLobukholwa. Nalo laba isisulu sezimfundiso zamanga nokuziphatha okuxekethile. Futhi imizamo yalo yokuvikela umhlambi walo emathonyeni angaphandle ngokuvamile yabonakala yonakalisa noma yiziphi izinsalela zokukhulekela okumsulwa. Imithetho eqinile nengekho ngokomBhalo yanda.
17 ISonto LamaKatolika liye lahamba phambili ekwenzeni intilibathwa yemithetho yesonto. Lemithetho yayisonteke ngokukhethekile ezindabeni eziphathelene nobulili. Ngokwencwadi ethi Sexuality and Catholicism, isonto lamukela ifilosofi yamaGreki yeStoicism, eyayingabaza zonke izinhlobo zokuzijabulisa. Isonto lafundisa ukuthi konke ukuzijabulisa okungokobulili, kuhlanganise nokwasemshadweni okuvamile, kuyisono. (Qhathanisa nezAga 5:18, 19.) Kwathiwa ubulili bungobokuzala, hhayi okunye. Ngakho umthetho wesonto walahla zonke izinhlobo zokuvala inzalo njengeziyisono esingathi sína, ngezinye izikhathi esasidinga ukuzijezisa iminyaka eminingi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abapristi benqatshelwa ukuba bashade, umthetho oye wabangela ukwanda kobulili obungemthetho, kuhlanganise nokunukubezwa kwezingane.—1 Thimothewu 4:1-3.
18. Waba yini umphumela wokwandiswa kwemithetho yesonto?
18 Njengoba imithetho yesonto yayanda, yabhalwa ezincwadini. Lezi zincwadi zaqala ukufiphaza iBhayibheli nokuba ngaphezu kwalo. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 15:3, 9.) NjengeNkolo YobuJuda, iSonto LamaKatolika lazixwaya izincwadi zezwe libheka eziningi zazo njengeziwusongo. Ngokushesha lombono weqisa esixwayisweni seBhayibheli esinengqondo kulendaba. (UmShumayeli 12:12; Kolose 2:8) UJerome, umlobi wesonto wekhulu lesine C.E., wathi: “O Nkosi, uma ngingaphinda ngibe nezincwadi zezwe noma ngizifunde, ngobe ngikuphikile.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, isonto lahlola izincwadi—ngisho nalezo eziphathelene nezindaba zezwe. Ngakho isazi sezinkanyezi sekhulu le-17, uGalileo, sasolwa ngenxa yokubhala ukuthi umhlaba uzungeza ilanga. Ukugcizelela kwesonto ukuthi yilo eliyigunya lokugcina kuzo zonke izinto—ngisho nasezindabeni eziphathelene nesayensi yezinkanyezi—ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwanciphisa ukholo eBhayibhelini.
19. Izigodlo zezindela zayikhuthaza kanjani imithetho yobushiqela eqinile?
19 Ukwenza kwesonto imithetho kwachuma ezigodlweni zezindela, lapho izindela zazizehlukanisa khona nalelizwe ukuze ziphile ukuphila kokuzibopha. Izigodlo eziningi zezindela zamaKatolika zabambelela “eMthethweni kaSt. Benedict.” U-abbot (igama elithathwe kwelesi-Aramu elisho “ubaba”) wayebusa ngegunya eliphelele. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 23:9.) Uma indela ithole isipho kubazali bayo, u-abbot uyonquma ukuthi leso sipho kumelwe sitholwe yileyo ndela yini noma enye. Ngaphandle kwemithetho evamile, omunye umthetho wawenqabela yonke ingxoxo evamile namahlaya, uthi: “Akunamfundi oyokhuluma izinto ezinjalo.”
20. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ubuProthestani nabo baba ingcweti ekwenzeni imithetho yobushiqela eqinile engasekelwe emiBhalweni?
20 UbuProthestani, obabufuna ukulungisa ukweqisa kobuKatolika okungasekelwe emibhalweni, ngokushesha baba ingcweti ngendlela efanayo ekwenzeni imithetho eqinile yobushiqela engasekelwe emthethweni kaKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, uJohn Calvin owayehola kulokhu kulungisa wabizwa ngokuthi “umshayi-mthetho weSonto elivuselelwe.” Wabusa iGeneva ngenqwaba yemithetho eqinile eyayigcizelelwa “Abadala,” uCalvin athi, “isikhundla” sabo “siwukwengamela ukuphila kwawo wonke umuntu.” (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 1:24.) Isonto lalawula izindlu zezihambi futhi lashaya umthetho ngokuthi yiziphi izingxoxo ezazivumelekile. Kwakunezijeziso ezinqala ngezono ezinjengokuhlabelela izingoma ezingahloniphekile noma ukudansa.b
Ukufunda Emaphutheni ELobukholwa
21. Uye waba yini umphumela wokuthambekela kweLobukholwa ‘kokweqela ngalé kwezinto ezilotshiweyo’?
21 Ingabe yonke lemithetho iye yalivikela eLobukholwa ekonakaleni? Yenze okuphambene! Namuhla eLobukholwa liye lahlukana laba amakhulukhulu amahlelo, kusukela kwanomthetho oqine ngokweqile kuya kwayekelela kakhulu. Wonke, ngezindlela ezihlukene, aye ‘eqela ngalé kwezinto ezilotshiweyo,’ avumela ukucabanga komuntu ukuba kwengamele umhlambi futhi kuphazamise umthetho waphezulu.—1 Korinte 4:6.
22. Kungani ukuhlubuka kweLobukholwa kungazange kusho ukuphela komthetho kaKristu?
22 Nokho, umlando womthetho kaKristu awuyona inhlekelele. UJehova uNkulunkulu akasoze avumela abantu abangelutho nje ukuba baqede umthetho waphezulu. Umthetho wobuKristu unamandla kakhulu namuhla phakathi kwamaKristu eqiniso, futhi anelungelo elikhulu lokuphila ngokuvumelana nawo. Kodwa ngemva kokuhlola lokho iNkolo YobuJuda neLobukholwa elikwenzile emthethweni waphezulu, singazibuza, ‘Singaphila kanjani ngomthetho kaKristu kuyilapho sigwema ugibe lokungcolisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokucabanga nangemithetho yabantu elulaza lokho okushiwo umthetho waphezulu? Yimuphi umbono olinganiselayo umthetho kaKristu okufanele uwufake kithi namuhla?’ Isihloko esilandelayo sizophendula lemibuzo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a AbaFarisi yibona abanecala kakhulu ngohlobo lweNkolo YobuJuda olukhona namuhla, ngakho akumangalisi ukuthi iNkolo YobuJuda isafuna izintuba emithethweni yayo yeSabatha eminingi enezelwe. Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu ovakasha ngeSabatha esibhedlela samaJuda sobu-orthodox angase athole ukuthi ikheshi liyazimela kuzo zonke izitezi ukuze abagibeli bagweme ukwenza “umsebenzi” oyisono wokucindezela inkinobho yekheshi. Abanye odokotela benkolo yobu-orthodox babhala imithi yesiguli ngoyinki ozophela ngezinsuku ezimbalwa. Ngani? IMishnah ibeka ukubhala esigabeni ‘somsebenzi,’ kodwa ichaza “ukubhala” ngokuthi ukushiya uphawu olungasuki.
b UServetus, owaphikisana neminye imibono kaCalvin engokwenkolo, washiswa esigxotsheni njengembuka.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻Uyini umgogodla womthetho kaKristu?
◻Indlela kaJesu yokufundisa yayihluke kanjani kweyabaFarisi?
◻USathane wakusebenzisa kanjani ukuthambekela kokwenza imithetho eqinile ukuze onakalise eLobukholwa?
◻Yimiphi eminye imiphumela emihle yokuphila ngokuvumelana nomthetho kaKristu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
UJesu wasebenzisa uMthetho kaMose ngokucabangela nangesihe