Funda IZwi LikaNkulunkulu Futhi Umkhonze Ngeqiniso
“Ngifundise, Jehova, indlela yakho; ngiyakuhamba eqinisweni lakho.”—IHUBO 86:11.
1. Ngokuyisisekelo, yini ikhophi yokuqala yalomagazini eyayisho ngeqiniso?
UJEHOVA uthumela ukukhanya neqiniso. (IHubo 43:3) Futhi usinikeza ikhono lokufunda iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ukuze sazi iqiniso. Ikhophi yokuqala yalomagazini—ka-July 1879—yathi: “Iqiniso, njengembali encane ogwadule lokuphila, lizungezwe futhi licishe liminyaniswe ukukhula kokhula lwamaphutha. Uma ufuna ukulithola kumelwe uhlale uqaphile. Uma ufuna ukubona ubuhle balo kumelwe uthintithe ukhula lwamaphutha nameva awukunamathela ngenkani emibonweni. Uma ufuna libe ngelakho kumelwe ukhothame ukuze ulithole. Unganeliswa yimbali eyodwa yeqiniso. Ukuba eyodwa yayanele zazingeke zibe khona ezinye. Qhubeka ubutha, funa ezengeziwe.” Ukufunda nokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu kusenza sikwazi ukuthola ulwazi olunembile, sihambe eqinisweni lakhe.—IHubo 86:11.
2. Waba yini umphumela lapho u-Ezra nabanye befundela amaJuda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema lasendulo?
2 Ngemva kokuba izindonga zaseJerusalema zakhiwe kabusha ngo-455 B.C.E., umpristi u-Ezra nabanye bafundela amaJuda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwalandelwa uMkhosi ojabulisayo wamaDokodo, ukuvunywa kwezono, nokwenziwa ‘kwesivumelwano esiqinisileyo.’ (Nehemiya 8:1–9:38) Siyafunda: ‘Bafunda encwadini, emthethweni kaNkulunkulu, bephimisela kahle; bachaza, babaqondisa okufundwayo.’ (Nehemiya 8:8) Abanye basikisela ukuthi amaJuda ayengasiqondi kahle isiHeberu nokuthi indaba yacaciswa ngesi-Aramu. Kodwa lombhalo awubonisi ukuthi kwakuwukucaciswa kwezinto eziphathelene nolimi. U-Ezra nabanye babechaza okushiwo uMthetho ukuze abantu baqonde izimiso zawo futhi bazisebenzise. Izincwadi zobuKristu nemihlangano ‘ichaza’ iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Benza lokho nabadala abamisiwe, ‘abafanelekela ukufundisa.’—1 Thimothewu 3:1, 2; 2 Thimothewu 2:24.
Izinzuzo Ezihlala Njalo
3. Yiziphi ezinye izinzuzo ezitholakala ngokufunda iBhayibheli?
3 Lapho imikhaya yamaKristu ifunda iBhayibheli ndawonye, cishe iyothola izinzuzo ezihlala njalo. Ijwayelana nemithetho kaNkulunkulu futhi yazi iqiniso ngezimfundiso, izindaba ezingokwesiprofetho, nangezinye izihloko. Ngemva kokuba ingxenye ethile yeBhayibheli isifundiwe, inhloko yomkhaya ingase ibuze: Kufanele kusithinte kanjani lokhu? Kuhlobene kanjani lokhu nezinye izimfundiso zeBhayibheli? Singawasebenzisa kanjani lamaphuzu ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle? Umkhaya uba nokuqonda okukhulu lapho ufunda iBhayibheli uma wenza ukucwaninga usebenzisa i-Watch Tower Publications Index noma ezinye izikhombo. Imiqulu emibili ye-Insight on the Scriptures ingasetshenziswa futhi kube nezinzuzo.
4. UJoshuwa kwakumelwe asisebenzise kanjani isiyalezo esilotshwe kuJoshuwa 1:8?
4 Izimiso ezisekelwe emiBhalweni zingasiqondisa ekuphileni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukufunda nokutadisha ‘imibhalo engcwele kungasihlakaniphisela insindiso.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:15) Uma sivumela iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisiqondise, siyoqhubeka sihamba eqinisweni lakhe futhi izifiso zethu ezilungileyo ziyofezeka. (IHubo 26:3; 119:130) Nokho, kudingeka sifune ukuqonda, njengoba kwenza owalandela uMose esikhundleni, uJoshuwa. ‘Incwadi yomthetho’ kwakungamelwe isuke emlonyeni wakhe, futhi kwakumelwe ayifunde ubusuku nemini. (Joshuwa 1:8) Ukungavumeli ‘incwadi yomthetho’ isuke emlonyeni wakhe kwakusho ukuthi uJoshuwa kwakungamelwe ayeke ukutshela abanye ngezinto ezikhanyiselayo eyayizisho. Ukufunda uMthetho ubusuku nemini kwakusho ukuthi uJoshuwa kwakumelwe azindle ngawo, awutadishe. Umphostoli uPawulu wanxusa uThimothewu ngendlela efanayo ukuba ‘azindle’ ngokuziphatha kwakhe, inkonzo, nangokufundisa kwakhe. Njengomdala ongumKristu, uThimothewu kwakudingeka aqikelele ngokukhethekile ukuthi ukuphila kwakhe kuyisibonelo nokuthi ufundisa iqiniso elingokomBhalo.—1 Thimothewu 4:15.
5. Yini edingekayo ukuze sithole iqiniso likaNkulunkulu?
5 Iqiniso likaNkulunkulu liyigugu elikhulu. Ukulithola kudinga ukumba, nokufuna imiBhalo ngokuphikelela. Sizuza ukuhlakanipha futhi siqonde ukwesaba uJehova okunenhlonipho lapho singabafundi abanjengabantwana boMfundisi Omkhulu. (IzAga 1:7; Isaya 30:20, 21, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Yiqiniso, kufanele siziqinisekise ngezinto ngokomBhalo. (1 Petru 2:1, 2) AmaJuda aseBereya ‘ayenengqondo enhle kunawaseThesalonika, ngoba amukela izwi ngokulangazela okukhulu kakhulu kwengqondo, ehlola imiBhalo ngokucophelela nsuku zonke ukuthi zinjalo yini lezizinto [ezazishiwo uPawulu].’ AbaseBereya batuswa ngokwenza lokhu kunokuba bakhuzwe.—IzEnzo 17:10, 11.
6. Kungani uJesu abonisa ukuthi ukuhlola imiBhalo kwakungawasizanga ngalutho amaJuda athile?
6 UJesu watshela amaJuda athile: “Nihlola imiBhalo, ngoba nicabanga ukuthi niyoba nokuphila okumi phakade ngayo; futhi yiyo kanye lena efakaza ngami. Kodwa nokho anifuni ukuza kimi ukuze nibe nokuphila.” (Johane 5:39, 40) Ahlola imiBhalo enombono ofanele—wokuthi ibaqondise ekuphileni. Yiqiniso, imiBhalo yayineziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya ezazikhomba kuJesu njengendlela yokuphila. Kodwa amaJuda amenqaba. Ngenxa yalokho ukuhlola imiBhalo kwakungawasizanga ngalutho.
7. Yini edingekayo ukuze sikhule ekuqondeni iBhayibheli, futhi ngani?
7 Ukuze sikhule ekuqondeni kwethu iBhayibheli, sidinga isiqondiso somoya kaNkulunkulu, noma amandla asebenzayo. “Umoya uhlola ezintweni zonke, ngisho nasezintweni ezijulile zikaNkulunkulu” ukuze ucacise lokho ezikushoyo. (1 Korinte 2:10) AmaKristu aseThesalonika kwakumelwe ‘aqiniseke ngazo zonke izinto’ kunoma yiziphi iziprofetho ayezizwa. (1 Thesalonika 5:20, 21) Lapho uPawulu ebhalela abaseThesalonika (cishe ngo-50 C.E.), okuwukuphela kwengxenye yemiBhalo YesiGreki eyayisibhaliwe kwakuyiVangeli likaMathewu. Ngakho abaseThesalonika nabaseBereya babengaqiniseka ngazo zonke izinto, cishe ngokubheka inguqulo yesiGreki yemiBhalo YesiHeberu i-Septuagint. Kwakudingeka bafunde futhi batadishe imiBhalo, nathi senza okufanayo.
Kubaluleke Kubo Bonke
8. Kungani abadala abamisiwe kufanele babe phambili ekwazini iBhayibheli?
8 Abadala abamisiwe kufanele babe phambili ekwazini iBhayibheli. Kumelwe ‘bafanelekele ukufundisa’ futhi kumelwe ‘babambelele ngokuqinile ezwini elikholekile.’ Umbonisi uThimothewu kwakumelwe ‘aphathe izwi leqiniso ngokufanele.’ (1 Thimothewu 3:2; Thithu 1:9; 2 Thimothewu 2:15) Unina, u-Evnike, noninakhulu uLowisi babemfundise imibhalo engcwele kusukela esewusana, begxilisa kuye ‘ukholo olungenabuzenzisi,’ nakuba uyise ayengakholwa. (2 Thimothewu 1:5; 3:15) Obaba abakholwayo kumelwe bakhulise abantwana babo “ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova,” futhi ikakhulu abadala abangobaba kumelwe babe ‘nabantwana abakholwayo abangebona abangalawuleki noma abangaphansi kwecala lokuzitika.’ (Efesu 6:4; Thithu 1:6) Khona-ke, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziyini izimo zethu, kufanele sisithathe ngokungathi sína impela isidingo sokufunda, ukutadisha, nokusebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu.
9. Kungani kufanele sitadishe iBhayibheli sihlangene namaKristu esinawo?
9 Kufanele futhi sitadishe iBhayibheli sihlangene nesikholwa nabo. UPawulu wayefuna ukuba amaKristu aseThesalonika axoxe namanye ngeseluleko sakhe. (1 Thesalonika 4:18) Ukuze silole ukuqonda kwethu iqiniso, akukho okudlula ukuhlanganyela nabanye abafundi abazinikele ekuhloleni imiBhalo. Siqinisile isaga esithi: “Insimbi ilola insimbi, nomuntu ubuso bomunye.” (IzAga 27:17) Ithuluzi lensimbi lingagqwala uma lingasetshenziswa futhi lingalolwa. Ngokufanayo, kudingeka sihlangane njalo ukuze silolane ngokuhlanganyela ulwazi esiluthole ekufundeni, ekutadisheni, nasekuzindleni ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu leqiniso. (Heberu 10:24, 25) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lena enye indlela yokuqiniseka ukuthi siyazuza emisebeni yokukhanya okungokomoya.—IHubo 97:11; IzAga 4:18.
10. Kusho ukuthini ukuhamba eqinisweni?
10 Ekutadisheni kwethu imiBhalo, singathandaza ngokufanelekile kuNkulunkulu njengomhubi: “Thuma ukukhanya kwakho neqiniso lakho, kungihole.” (IHubo 43:3) Uma sifisa ukuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu, kumelwe sihambe eqinisweni lakhe. (3 Johane 3, 4) Lokhu kuhlanganisa nokuthobela izimfuneko zakhe nokumkhonza ngokwethembeka nangobuqotho. (IHubo 25:4, 5; Johane 4:23, 24) Kumelwe sikhonze uJehova ngeqiniso, njengoba lembulwe eZwini lakhe nanjengoba licaciswe ezincwadini ‘zesigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Lokhu kudinga ulwazi olunembile lwemiBhalo. Kufanele silifunde futhi silitadishe kanjani-ke iZwi likaNkulunkulu? Ingabe kufanele siqale ukulifunda kusukela kuGenesise isahluko 1, ivesi 1, size siqede izincwadi ezingu-66? Yebo, umKristu ngamunye oneBhayibheli eliphelele ngolimi lwakhe kufanele alifunde kusukela kuGenesise kuya kusAmbulo. Futhi umgomo wethu ekufundeni iBhayibheli nezincwadi zobuKristu kufanele ube ukwandisa ukuqonda kwethu amaqiniso amaningi angokomBhalo uNkulunkulu awenze atholakala ‘ngesigqila esikholekile.’
Funda IZwi LikaNkulunkulu Ngokuzwakalayo
11, 12. Kungani kuyinzuzo ukuba iBhayibheli lifundwe ngokuzwakalayo emihlanganweni?
11 Singase sifunde buthule lapho sisodwa. Nokho, ezikhathini zasendulo ukufunda ngasese kwakwenziwa ngokuzwakalayo. Njengoba umthenwa ongumTopiya ayegibele inqola yakhe, umvangeli uFiliphu wamuzwa efunda isiprofetho sika-Isaya. (IzEnzo 8:27-30) Igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “funda” ngokuyinhloko lisho ukuthi “biza.” Ngakho labo abangakwazi ukufunda buthule futhi bawuthole zisuka umqondo walokho abakufundayo kufanele bangagxekwa lapho bephumisela igama ngalinye ngokuzwakalayo. Into eyinhloko ukuthola iqiniso ngokufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe.
12 Kuyinzuzo ukuba iBhayibheli lifundwe ngokuzwakalayo emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Umphostoli uPawulu wanxusa isisebenzi esasinaye, uThimothewu: “Qhubeka uzimisela ekufundeleni iningi, ekukhuthazeni, ekufundiseni.” (1 Thimothewu 4:13) UPawulu watshela abaseKolose: “Lapho lencwadi isifundiwe phakathi kwenu, hlelani ukuba ifundwe futhi nasebandleni labaseLawodikeya nokuba nani nifunde leyo evela eLawodikeya.” (Kolose 4:16) Futhi isAmbulo 1:3 sithi: “Uyajabula lowo ofunda ngokuzwakalayo nalabo abezwa amazwi alesisiprofetho, futhi abagcina izinto ezilotshwe kuso; ngoba isikhathi esimisiwe siseduze.” Ngakho-ke, isikhulumi sasobala kufanele sifunde imibhalo eBhayibhelini ukuze sisekele lokho esikutshela ibandla.
Indlela Yokutadisha Ngezihloko
13. Iyiphi indlela ethuthukisa kunazo zonke yokwazi amaqiniso eBhayibheli, futhi yini engasisiza ukuba sithole imibhalo?
13 Ukutadisha ngezihloko kuyindlela ethuthukisa kunazo zonke yokwazi amaqiniso angokomBhalo. Amakhonkodensi, anohlu lwamagama aseBhayibhelini ahlelwe ngokulandelana kwama-alfabhethi emongweni wawo ngokwencwadi, isahluko, nevesi, akwenza kube lula ukuthola imibhalo ephathelene nendaba ethile. Futhi imibhalo enjalo ingase ivunyelaniswe ngoba uMlobi weBhayibheli akaziphikisi. Ngomoya ongcwele, waphefumulela amadoda angaba ngu-40 ukuba abhale iBhayibheli enkathini engamakhulu angu-16 eminyaka, futhi ukulitadisha ngezihloko kuyindlela yokufunda iqiniso esinesikhathi eside iphumelela.
14. Kungani kufanele utadishe imiBhalo YesiHeberu neyamaKristu YesiGreki kanyekanye?
14 Ukwazisa kwethu iqiniso leBhayibheli kufanele kusishukumisele ekubeni sifunde futhi sitadishe imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki kanye nemiBhalo YesiHeberu. Lokhu kuyobonisa indlela imiBhalo YesiGreki ehlobene ngayo nenjongo kaNkulunkulu futhi kuyokhanyisa iziprofetho zemiBhalo YesiHeberu. (Roma 16:25-27; Efesu 3:4-6; Kolose 1:26) I-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures iwusizo kakhulu kulokhu. Yalungiselelwa yizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele, ezasizwa ulwazi olwengeziwe olutholakalayo mayelana nombhalo wokuqala weBhayibheli nesizinda salo kanye namazwi alo ayizisho. Okunye okubalulekile izinsiza-kufundisa zeBhayibheli uJehova azilungiselele ‘ngesigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo.’
15. Ungakufakazela kanjani ukuthi kuyafaneleka ukucaphuna lapha nalaphaya eBhayibhelini?
15 Abanye bangase bathi, ‘Izincwadi zenu zinezingcaphuno eziningi ezivela eBhayibhelini, kodwa kungani nicaphuna lapha nalaphaya?’ Ngokucaphuna lapha nalaphaya ezincwadini ezingu-66 zeBhayibheli, lezi zincwadi zithatha okushiwo ofakazi abaningana abaphefumulelwe ukuze kufakazelwe ubuqiniso bemfundiso. UJesu uqobo wasebenzisa lendlela yokufundisa. Lapho enikeza iNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni, wacaphuna ezindaweni ezingu-21 emiBhalweni YesiHeberu. Leyo nkulumo inezingcaphuno ezintathu ezivela ku-Eksodusi, ezimbili ezivela kuLevitikusi, eyodwa evela kuNumeri, eziyisithupha ezivela kuDuteronomi, eyodwa evela kumaKhosi esiBili, ezine ezivela kumaHubo, ezintathu ezivela ku-Isaya, neyodwa evela kuJeremiya. Ngokwenza lokhu, ingabe uJesu ‘wayezama ukufakazela noma yini nje’? Cha, ngoba ‘wayefundisa njengomuntu onegunya, hhayi njengababhali.’ Lokho kwakubangelwa ukuthi uJesu wayesekela imfundiso yakhe ngegunya leZwi likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe. (Mathewu 7:29) Nomphostoli uPawulu wenze njalo.
16. Yimiphi imiBhalo uPawulu acaphuna kuyo kweyabaseRoma 15:7-13?
16 Endimeni yombhalo etholakala kweyabaseRoma 15:7-13, uPawulu wacaphuna ezingxenyeni ezintathu zemiBhalo YesiHeberu—eMthethweni, kubaProfethi, nakumaHubo. Wabonisa ukuthi amaJuda nabeZizwe babeyokhazimulisa uNkulunkulu, futhi amaKristu kufanele amukele abantu bazo zonke izizwe. UPawulu wathi: “Yamukelanani, njengoba nje noKristu asamukela, ninombono wokuba kube inkazimulo kuNkulunkulu. Ngoba ngithi uKristu eqinisweni waba isikhonzi salabo abasokile ngenxa yokuba neqiniso kukaNkulunkulu, ukuze aqinisekise izithembiso azenza kokhokho babo, nokuba izizwe zikhazimulise uNkulunkulu ngesihe sakhe. Njengoba nje kulotshiwe [kumaHubo 18:49]: ‘Kungakho ngizokuvuma obala phakathi kwezizwe futhi ngizohubela igama lakho.’ Futhi ubuye athi [kuDuteronomi 32:43]: ‘Thokozani, nina zizwe, nabantu bakhe.’ Abuye athi futhi [kumaHubo 117:1]: ‘Dumisani uJehova, nonke nina zizwe, futhi bonke abantu mabamdumise.’ Futhi u-Isaya [11:1, 10] uthi: ‘Kuyoba khona impande kaJese, kuyoba khona ovelayo ukuba abuse izizwe; izizwe ziyobeka kuye ithemba lazo.’ Kwangathi uNkulunkulu onika ithemba anganigcwalisa ngenjabulo nangokuthula konke ngokukholwa kwenu, ukuze nivame ethembeni ngamandla omoya ongcwele.” Ngalendlela yokuhlela ngezihloko, uPawulu wabonisa indlela yokucaphuna imibhalo ukuze kuvezwe amaqiniso eBhayibheli.
17. Kungokuvumelana nasiphi isibonelo amaKristu ecaphuna lapha nalaphaya eBhayibhelini lonke?
17 Incwadi yokuqala kamphostoli uPetru ephefumulelwe inezingcaphuno ezingu-34 ezivela ezincwadini eziyishumi eMthethweni, kubaProfethi, nakumaHubo. Encwadini yakhe yesibili, uPetru ucaphuna izikhathi eziyisithupha ezincwadini ezintathu. IVangeli likaMathewu linezingcaphuno ezingu-122 ezivela kuGenesise kuya kuMalaki. Ezincwadini ezingu-27 zemiBhalo YesiGreki, kunezingcaphuno eziqondile ezingu-320 ezivela kuGenesise kuya kuMalaki kanye nezinye izikhombo eziningi ezibhekisela emiBhalweni YesiHeberu. Ngokuvumelana nesibonelo esabekwa uJesu futhi salandelwa abaphostoli bakhe, lapho amaKristu anamuhla etadisha indaba engokomBhalo ngezihloko, acaphuna lapha nalaphaya kulo lonke iBhayibheli. Lokhu kufaneleka kakhulu kulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina,’ lapho ingxenye enkulu yemiBhalo YesiHeberu neyesiGreki igcwaliseka khona. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) ‘Isigqila esikholekile’ silisebenzisa kanjalo iBhayibheli ezincwadini zaso, kodwa asilokothi sinezele eZwini likaNkulunkulu noma sisuse okuthile kulo.—IzAga 30:5, 6; IsAmbulo 22:18, 19.
Hambani Eqinisweni Njalo
18. Kungani kufanele ‘sihambe eqinisweni’?
18 Akumelwe sisuse noma yini eBhayibhelini, ngoba zonke izimfundiso zobuKristu eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu ‘ziyiqiniso’ noma ‘ziyiqiniso lezindaba ezinhle.’ Ukunamathela kuleli qiniso—‘ukuhamba’ kulo—kubalulekile ukuze sisindiswe. (Galathiya 2:5; 2 Johane 4; 1 Thimothewu 2:3, 4) Njengoba ubuKristu ‘buyindlela yeqiniso,’ ngokusiza abanye ukuba bathuthukise izithakazelo zobuKristu, siba ‘yizisebenzi ezinabo eqinisweni.’—2 Petru 2:2; 3 Johane 8.
19. Singaqhubeka kanjani ‘sihamba eqinisweni’?
19 Ukuze ‘siqhubeke sihamba eqinisweni,’ kumelwe sifunde iBhayibheli futhi sizibeke esimweni sokuthola usizo olungokomoya uNkulunkulu alunikeza ‘ngesigqila esikholekile.’ (3 Johane 4) Kwangathi singenza lokhu ukuze sizuze futhi kanjalo sibe sesimweni sokufundisa abanye ngoJehova uNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, nangenjongo yaphezulu. Futhi masibonge ngokuthi umoya kaJehova uyasisiza ukuba siqonde iZwi lakhe futhi siphumelele ekumkhonzeni ngeqiniso.
Ungaphendula Uthini?
◻ Yiziphi ezinye zezinzuzo ezihlala njalo zokufunda iBhayibheli?
◻ Kungani kufanele sitadishe iBhayibheli sihlangene nesikholwa nabo?
◻ Kungani kufaneleka ukucaphuna ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene kulo lonke iBhayibheli?
◻ Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuhamba eqinisweni,’ futhi singakwenza kanjani lokho?
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Bazali, fundisani abantwana benu imiBhalo
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu wacaphuna ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene emiBhalweni YesiHeberu