Indlela Ukuguqulwa Isimo KukaKristu Okukuthinta Ngayo

Amadoda amane asanda kukhuphukela entabeni ephakeme. Kulesosiqongo kwenzeka okuthile okumangalisayo. Njengoba abafundi abathathu bakaJesu Kristu abamangele bebhekile, washintsha bembuka. Lalela njengoba umlobi weVangeli uMarku ebika lesisenzakalo esivusa amadlingozi:

“UJESU wathatha oPetru, noJakobe, noJohane, wakhuphukela nabo entabeni ende bebodwa; waphenduka esinye [waguqulwa, NW] isimo phambi kwabo. Izingubo zakhe zacwazimula zaba-mhlophe qwa, ngangokuba umhlanzi wasemhlabeni angezenze zibe-mhlophe kangaka. Kwabonakala kubo uEliya enoMose; babekhuluma noJesu. Wathatha uPetru, wathi kuJesu: Rabi, kuhle ukuba silapha; masakhe amadokodo amathathu, elinye libe-ngelakho, elinye libe-ngelikaMose, elinye libe-ngelikaEliya. Wayengazi ukuthi uzakuphendula ngokuthini, ngokuba babesaba kakhulu. Kwase kufika ifu, libasithibeza; kwavela izwi efwini, lithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo; yizweni. Kwathi masinyane beqalaza, ababe besabona-muntu, kuphela uJesu yedwa enabo.”—Marku 9:2-8.

Cabanga nje! Ubuso bukaJesu babukhazimula njengelanga. (Mathewu 17:2) Izingubo zakhe zazicwazimula, “zaba-mhlophe qwa, ngangokuba umhlanzi wasemhlabeni angezenze zibe-mhlophe kangaka.” Kwaba khona umsindo wezwi elinamandla likaNkulunkulu uqobo lisho okuthile ngeNdodana yakhe. Yeka isenzakalo esimangalisayo!

Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “waguqulwa isimo” lisho “ukushintshela kwesinye isimo.” Liyavela futhi kweyabaseRoma 12:2, lapho amaKristu elulekwa khona ukuba ‘aguqulwe isimo’ ngokwenza izingqondo zawo zibe zintsha.—An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, kaW. E. Vine, Umqulu IV, ikhasi 148.

Yebo, isenzakalo esiphawulekayo senzeka lapho uJesu eguqulwa isimo esikhathini esithile ngemva komkhosi wePhasika lika-32 C.E. Yini eyaholela kulesimangaliso? Ingabe sinenjongo ekhethekile? Kungani kwakuhileleke uMose noEliya? Futhi ukuguqulwa isimo kukaKristu kukuthinta kanjani?

Izenzakalo Ezandulelayo

Ngaphambi kokuba bakhuphukele entabeni, uJesu nabafundi bakhe babesendaweni yaseKesariya Filipi. Njengoba lomuzi wawusebangeni lamakhilomitha angu-25 eningizimu ntshonalanga yeNtaba iHermoni, isenzakalo sokuguqulwa isimo kungenzeka senzeka kwelinye lamagquma ayo aphakeme.

Lapho beya “entabeni ende,” uJesu wabuza abafundi bakhe: “Abantu bathi ngingubani na?” Baphendula: “UJohane uMbhapathizi; abanye bathi: NguEliya; abanye bathi: Ngomunye wabaprofethi.” UKristu wabe esebuza: “Nina-ke nithi ngingubani na?” UPetru waphendula: “Wena unguKristu.” Kulokho uJesu “wabayalisisa ukuba bangatsheli-muntu ngaye. Khona waqala ukubafundisa ukuthi iNdodana yomuntu imelwe ukuhlupheka ngokuningi, ilahlwe ngamalunga nabapristi abakhulu nababhali, ibulawe, ivuswe emva kwezinsuku ezintathu.”—Marku 8:27-31.

UJesu waqhubeka wenza lesithembiso: “Bakhona abanye kwabemi lapha abangayikuzwa ngempela ukufa, baze babone umbuso kaNkulunkulu ufikile ngamandla.” (Marku 9:1; Mathewu 16:28) Lesithembiso sagcwaliseka “emva kwezinsuku eziyisithupha,” lapho uJesu ethandaza futhi eguqulwa isimo phambi kukaPetru, uJakobe, noJohane. ULuka uthi lokhu kwenzeka ngemva ‘kwezinsuku eziyisishiyagalombili,’ cishe ngenxa yokuthi wayehlanganisa nalolo okwenziwa ngalo isithembiso kanye nosuku esagcwaliseka ngalo.—Mathewu 17:1, 2; Marku 9:2; Luka 9:28.

Akulona Iphupho Noma Into Engeyona Engokoqobo

Ukuguqulwa isimo kukaJesu kwakungelona iphupho. Abaphostoli abathathu babengenakuphupha into efanayo, futhi uJesu wakubiza ngokuthi ‘umbono.’ Lokho akusikiseli into engeyona engokoqobo, ngoba igama lesiGreki elisetshenziswe kuMathewu 17:9 kwenye indawo lihunyushwe ngokuthi ‘umbono.’ (IzEnzo 7:31) Ngakho ababebuka babephapheme ngokuphelele, futhi ngamehlo abo nangezindlebe, bakubona futhi bakuzwa ngokoqobo okwakwenzeka.—Luka 9:32.

Ephapheme ngokuphelele kodwa engazi ukuthi uzothini, uPetru wasikisela ukuba kumiswe amatende amathathu—elinye kube elikaJesu, elinye elikaMose, futhi elinye kube elikaEliya. (Luka 9:33) Ifu elaba khona njengoba uPetru ayekhuluma ngokusobala lalibonisa ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu kuleyontaba, njengasetendeni lokuhlangana likaIsrayeli ehlane. (Eksodusi 40:34-38; Luka 9:34) Futhi ngokuqinisekile abaphostoli babengeke balale ngenkathi “uNkulunkulu uYise” ethi: “Lo uyiNdodana yami ekhethiweyo; yizweni.”—2 Petru 1:17, 18; Luka 9:35.

Isizathu Sokuba Kubonakale UMose

Lapho kuba khona ukuguqulwa isimo, uMose ‘wayengazi lutho,’ ngoba wayefe emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) NjengoDavide, wayengavusiwe futhi ngalokho wayengekho ngesiqu sakhe. (IzEnzo 2:29-31) Kodwa kungani uMose abonakala enoKristu kulombono?

UNkulunkulu wayetshele uMose: “Ngiyakubavusela umprofethi onjengawe phakathi kwabafowabo, ngibeke amazwi ami emlonyeni wakhe, akhulume kubo konke engimyala ngakho.” (Duteronomi 18:18) UPetru wasisebenzisa kuJesu Kristu ngokuqondile lesiprofetho. (IzEnzo 3:20-23) Ngaphandle kukaJesu, uMose wayengumprofethi omkhulu kunabo bonke owayethunyelwe uNkulunkulu esizweni sakwaIsrayeli.

Kukhona ukufana phakathi kukaMose noMose Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho beseyizinsana, ukuphila kwabo bobabili kwafakwa engozini ababusi abangomashiqela, kodwa uNkulunkulu waqikelela ukuba labantwana basinde. (Eksodusi 1:20–2:10; Mathewu 2:7-23) Womabili lamadoda azila ukudla izinsuku ezingu-40 ekuqaleni kwemisebenzi yawo njengezinceku ezikhethekile zikaJehova. (Eksodusi 24:18; 34:28; Duteronomi 9:18, 25; Mathewu 4:1, 2) Futhi uMose noJesu bobabili benza izimangaliso ngamandla kaNkulunkulu.—Eksodusi 14:21-31; 16:11-36; IHubo 78:12-54; Marku 4:41; Luka 7:18-23; Johane 14:11.

UNkulunkulu wasebenzisa uMose ukuba akhulule uIsrayeli ebugqilini baseGibithe, njengoba nje noJesu eletha inkululeko engokomoya. (Eksodusi 12:37–14:31; Johane 8:31, 32) UMose waba nelungelo lokuba umlamuleli wesivumelwano soMthetho phakathi kukaNkulunkulu namaIsrayeli, kuyilapho uJesu enguMlamuleli wesivumelwano esisha. (Eksodusi 19:3-9; 34:3-7; Jeremiya 31:31-34; Luka 22:20; Heberu 8:3-6; 9:15) Futhi uJehova wasebenzisa uMose ukuze azenzele igama ngokwaKhe phambi kwamaIsrayeli, abaseGibithe, kanye nabanye, njengoba nje noJesu Kristu eye wakhulisa igama elingcwele likaJehova. (Eksodusi 9:13-17; 1 Samuweli 6:6; Johane 12:28-30; 17:5, 6, 25, 26) Ngokwenza uMose abonakale enoJesu oguqulwe isimo, uNkulunkulu wayebonisa ukuthi uKristu wayeyokhonza kulezindawo ngezinga elikhulu ngokwedlulele.

Isizathu Sokuba Kubonakale UEliya

Nakuba umprofethi owayefile uEliya ayengavusiwe, kwakufaneleka ukuba abonakale embonweni wokuguqulwa isimo. UEliya wenza umsebenzi omkhulu ekubuyiseleni ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile nokungcwelisa igama likaJehova phakathi kwamaIsrayeli. UJesu Kristu wenza okufanayo lapho esemhlabeni futhi uyokwenza ngisho nokwengeziwe ukuze abuyisele inkolo ehlanzekile futhi alwele uYise wasezulwini ngoMbuso wobuMesiya.

Umprofethi uMalaki wabonisa ukuthi umsebenzi kaEliya wawufanekisela umsebenzi wesikhathi esizayo. NgoMalaki, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Bhekani, ngiyakuthuma kini uEliya umprofethi, lungakafiki usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo. Uyakuphendulela izinhliziyo zawoyise kubantwana nezinhliziyo zabantwana koyise, funa ngifike, ngishaye izwe ngesiqalekiso.”—Malaki 4:5, 6.

Lesiprofetho sagcwaliseka ngezinga elincane emsebenzini kaJohane uMbhapathizi. UJesu wakuveza lokhu ngemva kokuguqulwa isimo, lapho abafundi bakhe bebuza ukuthi kungani ababhali babethi uEliya kumelwe afike kuqala—ngaphambi kokuvela kukaMesiya. UJesu wathi: “Nempela uEliya uyeza, uyakubuyisela konke. Kepha ngithi kini: UEliya sewafika; abamazanga nokho, kodwa benza kuye abakuthandayo. Kanjalo neNdodana yomuntu iyakuhlushwa yibo.” Ukulandisa kuyanezela: “Khona abafundi baqonda ukuba ubekhuluma kubo ngoJohane uMbhapathizi.”—Mathewu 17:10-13.

UJohane wenza umsebenzi onjengokaEliya lapho ebhapathiza amaJuda ayephendukile ezonweni zawo ezimelene nesivumelwano soMthetho. Okubaluleke nangaphezulu, uJohane wayengumanduleli kaMesiya futhi wethula uJesu Kristu. (Mathewu 11:11-15; Luka 1:11-17; Johane 1:29) Kodwa kungani umsebenzi kaJohane wawumane nje uwukugcwaliseka ngezinga elincane kwesiprofetho sikaMalaki?

Kulombono, uEliya wabonakala ekhuluma noJesu. Lokhu kwakungemva kokufa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi, kanjalo okusikisela ukuthi umsebenzi onjengokaEliya wawuyokwenziwa esikhathini esizayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isiprofetho sabonisa ukuthi lomsebenzi wawuyokwenziwa ngaphambi ‘kosuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo.’ Lesosenzakalo esisondela ngokushesha sihlanganisa ‘ukulwa kosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke’ eHarmagedoni, noma eArmagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:14-16) Lokhu kwasho ukuthi ukumiswa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngalesosikhathi okwakuyinto esazokwenzeka kwakuyokwandulelwa umsebenzi ofana nemisebenzi kaEliya nowamlandela esikhundleni, uElisha. Futhi esikhathini esingaphezu kwekhulu leminyaka, oFakazi BakaJehova bosuku lwanamuhla bebelokhu benza umsebenzi ohilela ukubuyiselwa kokukhulekela okuhlanzekile nokuphakanyiswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu.—IHubo 145:9-13; Mathewu 24:14.

Injongo Yako

Kumelwe ukuba lokhu kuguqulwa isimo kwamqinisa uJesu kumqinisela ukuhlupheka nokufa ayesezobhekana nakho. Ukuzwa uYise wasezulwini ekhuluma ngaye ethi uyiNdodana yaKhe eyamukelekayo kumelwe ukuba kwaqinisa ukholo lukaJesu. Kodwa lokhu kuguqulwa isimo kwabenzelani abanye?

Ukuguqulwa isimo kukaJesu kwaqinisa futhi ukholo lwalabo ababebuka. Kwagcizelela ezingqondweni zabo ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngempela, njengoba uMkhulumeli Oyinhloko kaJehova, uLizwi, ayesephakathi kwabo ngalesosikhathi, bezwa izwi likaNkulunkulu uqobo lithi: “Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo engithokozile ngayo.” Nakuba uJehova ayenikeze ubufakazi obufanayo lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa, phakathi nesikhathi sokuguqulwa isimo uNkulunkulu wanezela ukuthi abafundi kwakufanele bayilalele iNdodana yaKhe.—Mathewu 3:13-17; 17:5; Johane 1:1-3, 14.

Lokhu kuguqulwa isimo kwakuqinisa ukholo nangenye indlela. Phakathi nombono, uJesu, ‘uMose,’ “noEliya” bakhuluma “ngokumuka [kukaKristu] abemelwe ukukufeza eJerusalema.” (Luka 9:31) Igama elithi ‘ukumuka’ lihunyushwe ohlotsheni lwegama lesiGreki elithi eʹxo·dos (ukufuduka). Lokhu kufuduka, noma ukumuka, ngokusobala kwakuhilela kokubili ukufa kukaJesu nokuvuselwa kwakhe uNkulunkulu ekuphileni komoya. (1 Petru 3:18) Ngakho lokhu kuguqulwa isimo kwaqinisa ukholo ekuvusweni kukaKristu. Kwakha ukholo ikakhulukazi ngokunikeza ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi uJesu wayezoba yiNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lombono wabonisa ukuthi uMbuso wawuyoba okhazimulayo.

Lokhu kuguqulwa isimo kwaqinisa ukholo futhi nasesiprofethweni esingokomBhalo. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-32 kamuva (cishe ngo-64 C.E.), uPetru wayesakukhumbula lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho futhi wabhala: “Ngokuba sasingalandeli izinganekwane zobuqili, lapho sanazisa amandla nokufika kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, kodwa sasingababonayo amandla obukhosi bakhe. Ngokuba wamukela kuNkulunkulu uYise udumo nenkazimulo, lapho kwafika kuye izwi elinje, livela enkazimulweni yobukhosi, lithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo engithokozile ngayo—lelozwi salizwa thina livela ezulwini, sikanye naye entabeni engcwele. Sesinalo izwi lesiprofetho eliqinisekile kakhulu, enenza kahle ukuliqaphela kungathi liyisibani esikhanyayo endaweni emnyama kuze kuse, ikhwezi liphumele ezinhliziyweni zenu.”—2 Petru 1:16-19.

Okukushoyo Kuwe

Yebo, uPetru wabheka ukuguqulwa isimo kukaJesu njengokuqinisekiswa okunamandla kwezwi likaNkulunkulu elingokwesiprofetho. Umphostoli uJohane kungenzeka naye wayebhekisela kulombono lapho ethi: “ULizwi waba-yinyama, wakha phakathi kwethu, sabona inkazimulo yakhe, inkazimulo njengeyozelwe yedwa kuYise, egcwele umusa neqiniso.” (Johane 1:14) Ngokufanayo, lokhu kuguqulwa isimo kungakha ukholo lwakho ezwini likaJehova elingokwesiprofetho.

Lokhu kuguqulwa isimo kanye nezenzakalo ezihlobene nakho kungaqinisa ukholo lwakho ngokuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu futhi unguMesiya owathenjiswa. Kungaqinisa ukukholelwa kwakho ekutheni uJesu wavuselwa ekuphileni komoya ezulwini. Lombono omangalisayo kufanele futhi ukhulise ukholo lwakho kuhulumeni kaNkulunkulu, ngoba ukuguqulwa isimo kwakuwukubonakaliswa kwenkazimulo kaKristu namandla oMbuso.

Kuqinisa ukholo ngokukhethekile ukwazi ukuthi ukuguqulwa isimo kukaKristu kwakhomba osukwini lwethu, lapho ukuba khona kukaJesu kuyinto engokoqobo. (Mathewu 24:3-14) Kusukela ngo-1914 ubelokhu ebusa njengeNkosi kaNkulunkulu emisiwe emazulwini. Igunya lakhe alinikezwe uNkulunkulu namandla ngokushesha kuzosetshenziswa ngokumelene nazo zonke izitha zokubusa kwaphezulu, kucabe indlela yezwe elisha. (2 Petru 3:13) Ungajabulela izibusiso zalo ezingapheli uma ubonisa ukholo ezintweni ezimangalisayo ezavezwa ekuguqulweni isimo kukaJesu Kristu.