UJehova—Umthombo Wobulungisa Nokulunga Kweqiniso
“Uyidwala, umsebenzi wakhe uphelele, ngokuba zonke izindlela zakhe [ziwubulungisa, “NW”]; unguNkulunkulu wokuthembeka ongenakonakala.”—DUTERONOMI 32:4.
1. Kungani sinesidingo esizalwa naso sobulungisa?
NJENGOBA nje wonke umuntu enesidingo azalwa naso sokuthandwa, kanjalo sonke silangazelela ukuphathwa ngobulungisa. Njengoba isikhulu sikahulumeni saseMelika uThomas Jefferson sabhala, “[ubulungisa] buwumzwelo ongokwemvelo futhi sizalwa nabo, . . . buyingxenye yokwakheka kwethu njengokuthinta, ukubona, noma ukuzwa.” Akumangazi lokhu, ngoba uJehova wasidala ngomfanekiso wakhe uqobo. (Genesise 1:26) Yebo, wasinika izimfanelo ezibonisa ubuntu bakhe uqobo, enye yazo ewubulungisa. Yingakho sinesidingo sobulungisa esizalwa naso futhi sifisa ukuphila ezweni elinobulungisa nokulunga kweqiniso.
2. Bubaluleke kangakanani ubulungisa kuJehova, futhi kungani kudingeka siqonde okushiwo ubulungisa baphezulu?
2 Ngokuphathelene noJehova, iBhayibheli liyasiqinisekisa: “Zonke izindlela zakhe [ziwubulungisa, NW].” (Duteronomi 32:4) Kodwa ezweni elihlushwa ukungabi nabulungisa, akulula ukuqonda lokho okushiwo ubulungisa baphezulu. Nokho, ngokubheka eZwini likaNkulunkulu singayiqonda indlela uNkulunkulu asebenzisa ngayo ubulungisa, futhi siziqonde nakangcono izindlela zikaNkulunkulu ezimangalisayo. (Roma 11:33) Kubalulekile ukuqonda ubulungisa ngomqondo weBhayibheli ngoba kungenzeka ukuthi umbono wethu ngobulungisa uye wathonywa yimiqondo yabantu. Ngokubheka komuntu, ubulungisa bungase bubhekwe njengobumane buwukusetshenziswa komthetho njengoba unjalo ngokungakhethi. Noma njengoba isazi sefilosofi uFrancis Bacon sabhala, “ubulungisa busho ukunika wonke umuntu okumfanele.” Nokho, ubulungisa bukaJehova buhilela okungaphezulu kakhulu kwalokho.
Ubulungisa BukaJehova Buyenamisa
3. Yini esingayifunda ngokucabangela amagama ezilimi zokuqala asetshenziswe eBhayibhelini asho ubulungisa nokulunga?
3 Ukujula kobulungisa bukaNkulunkulu kungaqondakala kangcono ngokucabangela indlela amagama ezilimi zokuqala asetshenziswe ngayo eBhayibhelini.a Ngokuthakazelisayo, emiBhalweni akukho mehluko ophawulekayo phakathi kobulungisa nokulunga. Eqinisweni, amagama esiHeberu asho lokhu ngezinye izikhathi asetshenziswa ngokufanayo, njengoba sibona ku-Amose 5:24, lapho uJehova enxusa abantu bakhe: ‘[Ubulungisa, NW] mabugobhoze njengamanzi, nokulunga njengomfula onganqamukiyo.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, izikhathi eziningana amagama athi “ubulungisa nokulunga” avela endawonye ngenjongo yokugcizelela.—IHubo 33:5; Isaya 33:5; Jeremiya 33:15; Hezekeli 18:21; 45:9; qhathanisa ne-NW.
4. Kusho ukuthini ukubonisa ubulungisa, futhi iyini indinganiso ephakeme kakhulu yobulungisa?
4 Yimuphi umqondo odluliselwa yila magama esiHeberu nesiGreki? Ukubonisa ubulungisa ngomqondo ongokomBhalo kusho ukwenza okulungile nokufanelekile. Njengoba kunguJehova omisa imithetho nezimiso zokuziphatha, noma okulungile nokufanelekile, indlela uJehova enza ngayo izinto iyindinganiso ephakeme yobulungisa. I-Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament ichaza ukuthi igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi ukulunga (tseʹdheq) “libhekisela endinganisweni yokuziphatha futhi njengokulindelekile [eTestamenteni Elidala] leyo ndinganiso iyisimo nentando kaNkulunkulu.” Ngakho, indlela uNkulunkulu asebenzisa ngayo izimiso zakhe, futhi ikakhulukazi indlela asebenzelana ngayo nabantu abangaphelele, yembula ubunjalo bobulungisa nokulunga kweqiniso.
5. Yiziphi izimfanelo ezihlangene kakhulu nobulungisa bukaNkulunkulu?
5 ImiBhalo ibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi ubulungisa bokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu buyenamisa kunokuba bube nokhahlo nokungaboneleli. UDavide wahlabelela: “UJehova uthanda [ubulungisa, NW], akabashiyi abangcwele bakhe.” (IHubo 37:28) Ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu bumshukumisela ukuba abonise ukwethembeka nobubele ezincekwini zakhe. Ubulungisa baphezulu buyezwela ezidingweni zethu futhi bucabangele ukungapheleli kwethu. (IHubo 103:14) Lokho akusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabushalazela ububi, ngoba ukwenza kanjalo kungakhuthaza ukungabi nabulungisa. (1 Samuweli 3:12, 13; UmShumayeli 8:11) UJehova wachazela uMose ukuthi ‘ugcwele isihe, unomusa, uphuza ukuthukuthela, uvamé ubumnene neqiniso.’ Nakuba uNkulunkulu ezimisele ukuthethelela amaphutha neziphambeko, ngeke abakhulule esijezisweni labo abafanelwe yiso.—Eksodusi 34:6, 7.
6. UJehova usebenzelana kanjani nabantwana bakhe basemhlabeni?
6 Lapho sizindla ngendlela uJehova abonisa ngayo ubulungisa, akufanele sicabange ngaye njengomahluleli ongenamusa, okhathalela kuphela ukugweba abenzi bokubi. Ngokuphambene nalokho, kufanele sicabange ngaye njengongubaba onothando kodwa oqinile, ngaso sonke isikhathi osebenzelana nezingane zakhe ngendlela engcono kakhulu okungenzeka ngayo. Umprofethi u-Isaya wathi: “Jehova, unguBaba.” (Isaya 64:8) NjengoBaba onobulungisa nolungileyo, uJehova ulinganisela phakathi kokuqina ekunamatheleni kokulungile nobubele besisa ezinganeni zakhe zasemhlabeni, ezidinga usizo noma ukuthethelelwa ngenxa yezimo ezinzima noma ubuthakathaka benyama.—IHubo 103:6, 10, 13.
Ukucacisa Lokho Ubulungisa Obuyikho
7. (a) Yini esiyifunda ngobulungisa baphezulu esiprofethweni sika-Isaya? (b) Iyiphi indima uJesu aba nayo ekufundiseni izizwe ngobulungisa?
7 Ububele bobulungisa bukaJehova baqokonyiswa lapho kufika uMesiya. UJesu wafundisa ubulungisa baphezulu futhi waphila ngokuvumelana nabo, njengoba kwabikezela umprofethi u-Isaya. Ngokusobala, ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu buhlanganisa ukuphatha abantu abadangele ngesisa. Ngakho, abadangali ngokwedlulele. UJesu, “inceku” kaJehova, weza emhlabeni ukuze ‘azocacisela izizwe’ lesi sici sobulungisa bukaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, wenza kanjalo ngokusinika isibonelo esiphilayo salokho okushiwo ubulungisa baphezulu. ‘NjengeHlumela lokuLunga’ leNkosi uDavide, uJesu washisekela ‘ukufuna [ubulungisa, NW] nokusheshisa ukulunga.’—Isaya 16:5; 42:1-4; Mathewu 12:18-21; Jeremiya 33:14, 15.
8. Kungani ubulungisa beqiniso nokulunga kwase kufiphazekile ekhulwini lokuqala?
8 Ukucaciswa okunjalo kwesimo sobulungisa bukaJehova kwakudingeka ngokukhethekile ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. Abadala nabaholi benkolo bamaJuda—ababhali, abaFarisi nabanye—babememezela futhi benikeza umbono osontekile wobulungisa nokulunga. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu abavamile, ababekuthola kungenakwenzeka ukuhlangabezana nezimfuneko ezazibekwa ababhali nabaFarisi, cishe babecabanga ukuthi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu akunakufinyeleleka nakancane. (Mathewu 23:4; Luka 11:46) UJesu wabonisa ukuthi akunjalo. Wakhetha abafundi bakhe phakathi kwalaba bantu abavamile, futhi wabafundisa izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu ezilungile.—Mathewu 9:36; 11:28-30.
9, 10. (a) Ababhali nabaFarisi bafuna ukukubonakalisa kanjani ukulunga kwabo? (b) UJesu wakwembula kanjani futhi ngasiphi isizathu ukuthi imikhuba yababhali nabaFarisi yayiyize?
9 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abaFarisi babefuna amathuba okubonakalisa “ukulunga” kwabo ngokuthandaza noma ngokunikela obala. (Mathewu 6:1-6) Bazama ukukubonisa nangokunamathela emithethweni nasemiyalweni eyinqwaba—eminingi yayo eyayakhiwe yibo uqobo. Imizamo enjalo yaholela ekubeni ‘bathalalise ubulungisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu.’ (Luka 11:42) Ngaphandle, kungenzeka babebonakala belungile, kodwa ngaphakathi ‘babegcwele ukungabi namthetho,’ noma ukungalungi. (Mathewu 23:28) Kalula nje, kuncane ababekwazi ngempela ngokulunga kukaNkulunkulu.
10 Ngenxa yaleso sizathu, uJesu waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe: “Uma ukulunga kwenu kungavami ukudlula okwababhali nabaFarisi, anisoze nangena embusweni wamazulu.” (Mathewu 5:20) Umehluko omkhulu ophakathi kobulungisa baphezulu obaboniswa uJesu nokuzibona kwababhali nabaFarisi belungile ngokungenakuqonda kwakubangela ukungqubuzana njalo phakathi kwakhe nabo.
Ubulungisa Baphezulu Buqhathaniswa Nobulungisa Obusontekile
11. (a) Kungani abaFarisi babuza uJesu ngokwelapha ngeSabatha? (b) Impendulo kaJesu yembulani?
11 Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yaseGalile entwasahlobo yangonyaka ka-31 C.E., uJesu wabona indoda eyayinesandla esishwabene esinagogeni. Njengoba kwakuyiSabatha, abaFarisi babuza uJesu: “Ingabe kungokomthetho ukwelapha ngesabatha?” Kunokuba nomuzwa wokuyikhathalela ngobuqotho le ndoda eyayihlupheka, babefisa ukuthola ibhaxa lokulahla uJesu, njengoba kwabonisa umbuzo wabo. Akumangalisi ukuthi uJesu wadabuka ngenxa yezinhliziyo zabo ezingazweli! Wabe esephonsa umbuzo ofanayo kubaFarisi ngokungagwegwesi: “Ingabe kungokomthetho ukwenza isenzo esihle . . . ngesabatha?” Lapho bengaphenduli, uJesu waphendula umbuzo wakhe ngokubabuza ukuthi babengeke yini bayihlenge imvu ewele emgodini ngeSabatha.b Ebonisa ngephuzu elinengqondo elingenakuphikiswa, uJesu wathi: “Yeka ukuthi umuntu ubaluleke kakhulu kangakanani kunemvu!” Waphetha: “Ngakho kungokomthetho [noma, kulungile] ukwenza into enhle ngesabatha.” Ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu akufanele nanini bubekelwe imingcele amasiko abantu. Esecacise lelo phuzu, uJesu waqhubeka welapha isandla saleyo ndoda.—Mathewu 12:9-13; Marku 3:1-5.
12, 13. (a) Ngokungafani nababhali nabaFarisi, uJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi unesithakazelo ekusizeni izoni? (b) Uyini umehluko phakathi kobulungisa baphezulu nokuzibona ulungile?
12 Njengoba abaFarisi babengabakhathaleli ukuyaphi labo abakhubazekile emzimbeni, babengabakhathaleli nakakhulu labo ababempofu ngokomoya. Umbono wabo osontekile ngokulunga wabaholela ekubeni babashaye indiva futhi babadelele abathelisi nezoni. (Johane 7:49) Nokho, abaningi abanjalo basabela ekufundiseni kukaJesu, ngokungangabazeki bebona isifiso sakhe sokusiza kunokwahlulela. (Mathewu 21:31; Luka 15:1) Nokho, abaFarisi bayibukela phansi imizamo kaJesu yokwelapha abagula ngokomoya. Bavungazela bemsola bethi: “Lomuntu wamukela izoni futhi adle nazo.” (Luka 15:2) Ephendula ekummangaleleni kwabo, uJesu waphinde wasebenzisa umfanekiso kamalusi. Njengoba nje umalusi ejabula lapho ethola imvu ebilahlekile, kanjalo nezingelosi ezulwini ziyajabula lapho isoni siphenduka. (Luka 15:3-7) UJesu ngokwakhe wajabula lapho ekwazile ukusiza uZakewu ukuba aphenduke enkambweni yakhe yokona yangaphambili. Wathi: “INdodana yomuntu izele ukufuna nokusindisa lokho okwalahleka.”—Luka 19:8-10.
13 Lezi zimpikiswano ziwubeka obala umehluko phakathi kobulungisa baphezulu, obufuna ukwelapha nokusindisa, kanye nokuzibona ulungile, okufuna ukuphakamisa abambalwa kulahle abaningi. Imikhuba engenanjongo namasiko enziwe abantu kwakuholele ababhali nabaFarisi ekubeni baqhoshe futhi bazazise, kodwa uJesu washo ngokufanelekile ukuthi ‘babengazinakanga izindaba zoMthetho ezinesisindo esikhudlwana, okuwukuthi, ubulungisa nesihe nokukholeka.’ (Mathewu 23:23) Kwangathi singalingisa uJesu ekusebenziseni ubulungisa beqiniso kukho konke esikwenzayo futhi siqaphele ugibe lokuzibona silungile.
14. Esinye sezimangaliso zikaJesu sibonisa kanjani ukuthi ubulungisa baphezulu bucabangela izimo zomuntu?
14 Nakuba uJesu engayishayanga mkhuba imithetho yobushiqela yabaFarisi, wawugcina uMthetho KaMose. (Mathewu 5:17, 18) Ngokwenza kanjalo, akazange avumele okushiwo yilowo Mthetho olungile ukuba kusithibeze izimiso zawo. Lapho owesifazane owayesehlushwe umopho iminyaka engu-12 ethinta izingubo zakhe futhi elapheka, uJesu wathi kuye: “Ndodakazi, ukholo lwakho lukwenze waphila; hamba ngokuthula.” (Luka 8:43-48) Amazwi kaJesu ozwela aqinisekisa ukuthi ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu babuzicabangele izimo zakhe. Nakuba ngokwesiko ayengahlanzekile futhi kanjalo eqé imininingwane yoMthetho KaMose ngokuba phakathi kwesixuku, ukholo lwakhe lwalufanelwe ukuvuzwa.—Levitikusi 15:25-27; qhathanisa namaRoma 9:30-33.
Ukulunga Kungokwabantu Bonke
15, 16. (a) Umfanekiso kaJesu womSamariya olungileyo usifundisani ngobulungisa? (b) Kungani kufanele sigweme ukuba ‘abalungileyo ngokudluleleyo’?
15 Ngaphezu kokugcizelela ububele bobulungisa baphezulu, uJesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe nokuthi ubulungisa baphezulu kufanele buhlanganise bonke abantu. Kwakuyintando kaJehova ukuba ‘akhiphele izizwe [ubulungisa, NW].’ (Isaya 42:1) Leli kwakuyiphuzu lomunye wemifanekiso kaJesu edume kakhulu, womSamariya olungileyo. Lo mfanekiso wawuyimpendulo yombuzo owawubuzwe yindoda eyayijwayelene kahle noMthetho eyayifuna “ukuzibonakalisa ilungile.” “Ubani ngempela umakhelwane wami?” ibuza, ngokungangabazeki ifisa ukwenza imithwalo yayo yokuthanda umakhelwane igcine kubantu abangamaJuda. UmSamariya womfanekiso kaJesu wabonisa ukulunga kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ngoba wazimisela ukusebenzisa isikhathi nemali yakhe esiza umuntu angamazi wesinye isizwe. UJesu waphetha umfanekiso wakhe ngokweluleka indoda eyayimbuza: ‘Yenza okufanayo nawe ngokwakho.’ (Luka 10:25-37) Uma nathi ngokufanayo senza okuhle kubo bonke abantu kungakhathaliseki isizinda sabo sohlanga noma ubuzwe, siyobe silingisa ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu.—IzEnzo 10:34, 35.
16 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, isibonelo sababhali nabaFarisi sisikhumbuza ukuthi uma sifisa ukubonisa ubulungisa baphezulu, akufanele ‘sibe-ngabalungileyo ngokudluleleyo.’ (UmShumayeli 7:16) Ukufuna ukuhlaba abanye umxhwele ngokubukisa ngokulunga, noma ukwenza imithetho eyenziwe abantu ibaluleke ngokweqile, ngeke kusenze samukeleke kuNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 6:1.
17. Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ngathi ukuba sibonise ubulungisa bokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu?
17 Esinye isizathu esenza uJesu acacisele izizwe isimo sobulungisa bukaNkulunkulu sasiwukuba bonke abafundi bakhe bakwazi ukufunda ukubonisa le mfanelo. Kungani lokhu kubaluleke kangaka? ImiBhalo isinxusa ukuba sibe “ngabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu,” futhi zonke izindlela zikaNkulunkulu ziwubulungisa. (Efesu 5:1) Ngokufanayo, uMika 6:8 uchaza ukuthi enye yezinto ezifunwa uJehova ukuba ‘senze [ubulungisa, NW]’ njengoba sihamba noNkulunkulu wethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uZefaniya 2:2, 3 usikhumbuza ukuthi uma sifisa ukusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova, kufanele ‘sifune ukulunga’ ngaphambi kokuba lolo suku lufike.
18. Yimiphi imibuzo ezophendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
18 Ngakho-ke, lezi zinsuku zokugcina ezibucayi ‘ziyisikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile’ sokubonisa ubulungisa. (2 Korinte 6:2) Singaqiniseka ukuthi uma, njengoJobe, senza ‘ukulunga kube-yisambatho sethu’ ‘[nobulungisa, NW] bube yingubo yethu,’ uJehova uyosibusisa. (Jobe 29:14) Ukuba nokholo ebulungiseni bukaJehova kuyosisiza kanjani ukuba sibheke ikusasa ngokuqiniseka? Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba silindele ‘umhlaba omusha’ olungileyo, ubulungisa bokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu busivikela kanjani ngokomoya? (2 Petru 3:13) Isihloko esilandelayo sizophendula le mibuzo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a EmiBhalweni YesiHeberu, kuhileleke amagama amathathu ayinhloko. Elilodwa lawo (elithi mish·patʹ) livame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “ubulungisa.” Amanye amabili (elithi tseʹdheq nelihlobene nalo elithi tsedha·qahʹ) ezimweni eziningi ahunyushwa ngokuthi “ukulunga.” Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ukulunga” (di·kai·o·syʹne) lichazwa ngokuthi “isimo sokuba okulungile noma okufanelekile.”
b UJesu wakhetha isibonelo esifaneleka kahle ngoba umthetho wamaJuda odluliselwa ngomlomo wawuwavumela ngokuqondile ukuba asize isilwane esisenkathazweni ngeSabatha. Kwezinye izimo eziningana, kwaba nezimpikiswano mayelana nayo le ndaba, ewukuthi, kungokomthetho yini ukwelapha ngeSabatha.—Luka 13:10-17; 14:1-6; Johane 9:13-16.
Ungachaza?
◻ Yini eshiwo ubulungisa baphezulu?
◻ UJesu wazifundisa kanjani izizwe ubulungisa?
◻ Kungani ukulunga kwabaFarisi kwakusontekile?
◻ Kungani kudingeka sibonise ubulungisa?
[Isithombe ekhasini 8]
UJesu wakwenza kwacaca ukujula kobulungisa baphezulu