UKristu—Lowo Iziprofetho Ezigxile Kuye
“Ukufakaza ngoJesu yikho okuphefumulela ukuprofetha.”—ISAMBULO 19:10.
1, 2. (a) Isiphi isinqumo u-Israyeli ayebhekene naso kusukela ngo-29 C.E.? (b) Kuzoxoxwa ngani kulesi sihloko?
NGUNYAKA ka-29 C.E. Indaba esematheni kwa-Israyeli ekaMesiya othenjisiwe. Abantu balolwe nayinkonzo kaJohane uMbhapathizi. (Luka 3:15) UJohane uthi yena akayena uKristu. Kunalokho, ukhomba uJesu waseNazaretha, athi: “Nginobufakazi bokuthi lo uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 1:20, 34) Kungakabiphi, izixuku zilandela uJesu zifuna ukumlalela efundisa, futhi zifuna aziphulukise.
2 Ezinyangeni ezilandelayo, uJehova unikeza inqwaba yobufakazi mayelana neNdodana yakhe. Labo abayitadishile imiBhalo futhi ababona izinto uJesu azenzayo baba nesisekelo esiqinile sokuba nokholo kuye. Kodwa iningi labantu bakaNkulunkulu besivumelwano libonisa ukuntula ukholo. Bambalwa abavumayo ukuthi uJesu unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. (Johane 6:60-69) Wena wawuyokwenzenjani ukube wawuphila ngaleso sikhathi? Ingabe wawuyoshukumiseleka ukuba umamukele uJesu njengoMesiya, ube umlandeli wakhe othembekile? Cabanga ngobufakazi uJesu ngokwakhe abunikezayo, mayelana nokuthi ungubani, lapho egxekwa kuthiwa wephula umthetho weSabatha, uphawule nobufakazi abunikeza kamuva ukuze aqinise ukholo lwabafundi bakhe abaqotho.
UJesu Uqobo Unikeza Ubufakazi
3. Iziphi izimo ezenza uJesu wanikeza ubufakazi bokuthi ungubani?
3 Yisikhathi sePhasika ngo-31 C.E. UJesu useJerusalema. Uqeda kuphulukisa indoda esigule iminyaka engu-38. Kodwa amaJuda ayamshushisa ngokwenza kwakhe lokhu ngeSabatha. Ambeka necala lokuhlambalaza, afune nokumbulala ngoba ubiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi uYise. (Johane 5:1-9, 16-18) Amazwi kaJesu okuziphendulela anikeza imikhakha emithathu yobufakazi obunamandla, obungenza noma imuphi umJuda onenhliziyo eqotho agculiseke ngokuthi uJesu ungubani ngempela.
4, 5. Yayiyini injongo yenkonzo kaJohane, futhi wayifeza kahle kangakanani?
4 Okokuqala, uJesu ukhuluma ngobufakazi bukamanduleli wakhe, uJohane uMbhapathizi, ethi: “Nithumelé abantu kuJohane, futhi uye wafakazela iqiniso. Leyo ndoda yayiyisibani esivuthayo nesikhanyayo, futhi nani okwesikhashana nanizimisele ukujabula ekukhanyeni kwayo.”—Johane 5:33, 35.
5 UJohane uMbhapathizi ‘ubeyisibani esivuthayo nesikhanyayo’ ngokuthi ngaphambi kokuba aboshelwe ize nguHerode, wenzé umsebenzi abewunikwe uNkulunkulu wokulungisela uMesiya indlela. UJohane uthe: “Isizathu sokuba ngize ngibhapathize ngamanzi sasiwukuba [uMesiya] abonakaliswe ku-Israyeli. . . . Ngiboné umoya wehla njengejuba uphuma ezulwini, wahlala phezu kwakhe. Ngisho nami bengingamazi, kodwa Yena kanye ongithume ukuba ngibhapathize ngamanzi wathi kimi, ‘Noma ubani oyobona umoya wehlela phezu kwakhe futhi uhlale kuye, lo nguye obhapathiza ngomoya ongcwele.’ Ngikubonile lokho, futhi nginobufakazi bokuthi lo uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”a (Johane 1:26-37) UJohane ushó ngokuqondile ukuthi uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu—uMesiya othenjisiwe. Ubufakazi bukaJohane bucace kangangokuthi ezinyangeni ezingaba ngu-8 ngemva kokufa kwakhe, amaJuda amaningi anhliziyo ziqotho ayavuma: “Zonke izinto uJohane azisho ngalo muntu zonke zaziyiqiniso.”—Johane 10:41, 42.
6. Kungani imisebenzi kaJesu kwakufanele ibenze bagculiseke abantu ukuthi usekelwa uNkulunkulu?
6 UJesu ube esesebenzisa omunye umkhakha wobufakazi ukuze afakazele ukuthi uyafaneleka ukuba uMesiya. Ubhekisela emisebenzini yakhe emihle njengobufakazi bokusekelwa uNkulunkulu. Uthi: “Mina nginobufakazi obukhulu kunobukaJohane, ngoba yona kanye imisebenzi uBaba angabele ukuba ngiyifeze, yona le misebenzi engiyenzayo, iyafakaza ngami ukuthi ngithunywe nguBaba.” (Johane 5:36) Ngisho nezitha zikaJesu azinakubuphika lobu bufakazi, obuhlanganisa inqwaba yezimangaliso. Kamuva abanye bayabuza: “Sizokwenzenjani, ngoba lo muntu wenza izibonakaliso eziningi?” (Johane 11:47) Nokho, abanye basabela kahle, bathi: “Lapho uKristu efika, ngeke enze izibonakaliso ezingaphezu kwalezi ezenziwe yilo muntu, akunjalo?” (Johane 7:31) Abantu abebemlalele uJesu bebesethubeni elikahle kakhulu lokubona izimfanelo zikaYise eNdodaneni.—Johane 14:9.
7. ImiBhalo YesiHebheru ifakaza kanjani ngoJesu?
7 Okokugcina, uJesu ubhekisela ebufakazini obungenakuphikiswa. Uthi: “ImiBhalo . . . yiyo kanye le efakaza ngami,” abese enezela, “ukube namkholwa uMose beniyongikholwa nami, ngoba yena waloba ngami.” (Johane 5:39, 46) Yebo, uMose wayengufakazi oyedwa nje kwabaningi bangaphambi kobuKristu ababhala ngaye uKristu. Lokho abakubhala kuhlanganisa nohide lweziprofetho nezinhlu zozalo ezinemininingwane, konke okwakukhomba kuMesiya. (Luka 3:23-38; 24:44-46; IzEnzo 10:43) UMthetho KaMose wona? Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “UMthetho uye waba umfundisi wethu oholela kuKristu.” (Galathiya 3:24) Yebo, “ukufakaza ngoJesu yikho okuphefumulela ukuprofetha,” noma yikho okuyiwona mgomo nenjongo yokuprofetha.—IsAmbulo 19:10.
8. Kungani amaJuda amaningi engabanga nokholo kuMesiya?
8 Bonke lobu bufakazi—ubufakazi obucacile bukaJohane, imisebenzi yamandla kaJesu uqobo nezimfanelo zakhe ezinjengezikaNkulunkulu, nenqwaba yobufakazi bemiBhalo—babungeke yini bukukholise wena ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya? Noma ubani owayenothando oluqotho ngoNkulunkulu nangeZwi laKhe wayeyokubona kalula lokhu, abe nokholo kuJesu njengoMesiya othenjisiwe. Kodwa kwa-Israyeli uthando olunjalo ngokuyisisekelo lwaluntuleka. UJesu wathi kubaphikisi bakhe: “Ngazi kahle ukuthi aninalo uthando lukaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 5:42) Kunokuba ‘bafune inkazimulo evela kuNkulunkulu okuwukuphela kwakhe,’ ‘babamukela inkazimulo komunye nomunye.’ Shono babengezwani noJesu, ofuze uYise ngokuzonda ukucabanga okunjalo!—Johane 5:43, 44; IzEnzo 12:21-23.
Baqiniswa Umbono Oyisiprofetho
9, 10. (a) Kungani sikahle kakhulu isikhathi okwenzeka ngaso isibonakaliso sokusiza abafundi bakaJesu? (b) Isiphi isithembiso esiphawulekayo uJesu asenza kubafundi bakhe?
9 Sekuyisikhathi esingaphezu konyaka uJesu anikeza ubufakazi esibushilo bokuthi unguMesiya. IPhasika lika-32 C.E. selidlulile. Abaningi ababekholiwe sebeyekile ukumlandela, mhlawumbe ngenxa yoshushiso, ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, noma izinkathazo zokuphila. Abanye kungenzeka badidekile noma badangele ngoba uJesu akahambisananga nemizamo yabantu yokumbeka inkosi. Lapho abaholi benkolo bamaJuda bemphonsela inselele, wenqabile ukwenza isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini ebesizomlethela udumo. (Mathewu 12:38, 39) Ukwenqaba kwakhe kungenzeka kubaxakile abanye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu useqale ukwambulela abafundi bakhe into ebadidayo—“kumelwe aye eJerusalema futhi ahlupheke ngezinto eziningi ezivela emadodeni amadala nabapristi abakhulu nababhali, abulawe.”—Mathewu 16:21-23.
10 Ezinyangeni ezingu-9 kuya kwezingu-10, kuzobe sekuyisikhathi “[sokuba uJesu] ahambe kuleli zwe aye kuYise.” (Johane 13:1) Ekhathazeke kakhulu ngabafundi bakhe abaqotho, uJesu uthembisa abanye babo yona kanye into enqabe ukuyinikeza amaJuda angenalukholo—isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini. UJesu uthi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini kukhona abanye kulaba abemi lapha abangeke bakunambithe nhlobo ukufa baze babone iNdodana yomuntu kuqala iza embusweni wayo.” (Mathewu 16:28) Kusobala ukuthi uJesu akasho ukuthi abanye babafundi bakhe bazophila kuze kumiswe uMbuso kaMesiya ngo-1914. UJesu uhlose ukunika abafundi bakhe abathathu abaseduze kakhulu umbono omangalisayo wenkazimulo yakhe esemandleni oMbuso. Lo mbono wezinto ezizayo ubizwa ngokuthi ukuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo.
11. Chaza umbono wokuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo.
11 Ngemva kwezinsuku eziyisithupha, uJesu uthatha uPetru, uJakobe, noJohane bakhuphuke intaba ende—okungenzeka umqengqe weNtaba iHermoni. Lapho, uJesu ‘uguqulwa isimo phambi kwabo, ubuso bakhe bukhanye njengelanga, nezingubo zakhe zangaphandle zikhazimule njengokukhanya.’ Kubonakala nabaprofethi uMose no-Eliya bexoxa noJesu. Lesi senzakalo esesabekayo cishe senzeka ebusuku, okwenza kukhanye bhá. Empeleni, kuba sengathi yinto eyenzeka ngempela, kangangokuthi uPetru uze athi uzomisa amatende amathathu—elikaJesu, elikaMose, nelika-Eliya. Kuthi uPetru esakhuluma, basibekelwe ifu elikhanyayo, bese izwi elivela kulelo fu lithi: “Lo yiNdodana yami, ethandekayo, engiyamukele; mlaleleni.”—Mathewu 17:1-6.
12, 13. Umbono wokuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo uba naliphi ithonya kubafundi bakaJesu, futhi ngani?
12 Kuyiqiniso ukuthi uPetru wayesanda kufakaza ethi uJesu “unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.” (Mathewu 16:16) Kodwa cabanga uzwa uNkulunkulu ekufakazela mathupha lokho, eqinisekisa ukuthi iNdodana yakhe egcotshiwe inguye lowo ethi inguye futhi inendima ethi inayo! Yeka ukuthi umbono wokuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo uyisenzakalo esiqinisa ukholo kanjani kuPetru, uJakobe, noJohane! Njengoba ukholo lwabo seluqiniswe kakhulu kanje, sebekulungele kangcono lokho okuseza kanye nendima ebalulekile abazoyifeza ebandleni lesikhathi esizayo.
13 Umbono wokuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo uyagxila kulaba bafundi. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-30 kamuva, uPetru uyabhala: “[UJesu] wamukela udumo nenkazimulo kuNkulunkulu uBaba, lapho inkazimulo enhle kakhulu iletha kuye amazwi anjengalawa: ‘Lo yindodana yami, othandekayo wami, mina ngokwami engimamukele.’ Yebo, la mazwi sawezwa evela ezulwini ngesikhathi sinaye entabeni engcwele.” (2 Petru 1:17, 18) NoJohane simthinta ngendlela efanayo lesi senzakalo. Ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwengu-60 senzeka, ngokusobala ubhekisela kuso, ethi: “Sayibona inkazimulo yakhe, inkazimulo enjengeyendodana ezelwe yodwa kuyise.” (Johane 1:14) Kodwa ukuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo akuwona umbono wokugcina abalandeli bakhe abazowubona.
Abaqotho BakaNkulunkulu Bakhanyiselwa Ngokwengeziwe
14, 15. Umphostoli uJohane wayezohlala ngamuphi umqondo kuze kufike uJesu?
14 Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu ubonakala kubafundi bakhe ngasoLwandle LwaseGalile. Lapho, uthi kuPetru: “Uma kuyintando yami ukuba [uJohane] ahlale ngize ngifike, kukukhathaza ngani wena lokho?” (Johane 21:1, 20-22, 24) Ingabe la mazwi asho ukuthi umphostoli uJohane uzophila isikhathi eside kunabo bonke abanye abaphostoli? Kubonakala kanjalo, ngoba uyaqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka eminye iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-70. Nokho, amazwi kaJesu amumethe lukhulu.
15 Inkulumo ethi “ngize ngifike” isikhumbuza lapho uJesu ekhuluma ‘ngeNdodana yomuntu iza embusweni wayo.’ (Mathewu 16:28) UJohane uhlala kuze kufike uJesu ngomqondo wokuthi kamuva uJohane unikwa umbono oyisiprofetho kaJesu eza njengoMbusi. Lapho uJohane esezokufa, edingiselwe esiqhingini sasePhatmose, uthola isAmbulo esinezibonakaliso eziningi eziyiziprofetho ezimangalisayo zezenzakalo okufanele zenzeke “osukwini lweNkosi.” Le mibono ekhexisayo imthinta ngokujulile uJohane kangangokuthi lapho uJesu ethi: “Yebo; ngiyeza masinyane,” uJohane uthi: “Amen! Woza, Nkosi Jesu.”—IsAmbulo 1:1, 10; 22:20.
16. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba siqhubeke siqinisa ukholo lwethu?
16 Abanhliziyo ziqotho abaphila ekhulwini lokuqala bayamamukela uJesu njengoMesiya, babe nokholo kuye. Ngenxa yokwanda kokungabi nalukholo endaweni abakuyo, nomsebenzi okudingeka bawenze, novivinyo abasazobhekana nalo, labo ababa amakholwa kudingeka baqiniswe. UJesu unikeze ubufakazi obanele bokuthi unguMesiya futhi unikeze imibono eyiziprofetho ekhanyiselayo ukuze akhuthaze abalandeli bakhe abaqotho. Namuhla, singené sajula “osukwini lweNkosi.” Maduze, uKristu uzosibhubhisa sonke isimiso sezinto esibi sikaSathane, akhulule abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Nathi kumelwe siqinise ukholo lwethu ngokuwasebenzisa ngokugcwele wonke amalungiselelo kaJehova okusigcina siphile kahle ngokomoya.
Bayalondwa Badlule Ebumnyameni Nasosizini
17, 18. Imuphi umehluko omkhulu owawukhona ekhulwini lokuqala phakathi kwabalandeli bakaJesu nalabo ababephikisana nenjongo kaNkulunkulu, futhi izinto zalihambela kanjani iqembu ngalinye?
17 Ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, ngesibindi abafundi balalela umyalo wakhe wokufakaza ngaye “eJerusalema nakulo lonke elaseJudiya neSamariya nasezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.” (IzEnzo 1:8) Naphezu kwamagagasi oshushiso, uJehova ubusisa ibandla lobuKristu elisafufusa ngokulikhanyisela ngokomoya nangokulinika abafundi abaningi abasha.—IzEnzo 2:47; 4:1-31; 8:1-8.
18 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amathemba alabo abaphikisa izindaba ezinhle aya efiphala. IzAga 4:19 zithi: “Indlela yababi injengesigayegaye; abazi ukuthi yini elokhu ibakhuba.” “Isigayegaye” siba mandla ngo-66 C.E., lapho amabutho amaRoma evimbezela iJerusalema. Ngemva kokuhoxa isikhashana kungekho sizathu esibonakalayo, amaRoma ayabuya ngo-70 C.E., kulokhu awubhuqe umuzi. Ngokwesazi-mlando esingumJuda uJosephus, kufa amaJuda angaphezu kwesigidi. Kodwa amaKristu athembekile ayasinda. Kanjani? Ngokuthi lapho amabutho amaRoma ehoxa ekuvimbezeleni kokuqala, amaKristu athembekile alalela umyalo kaJesu wokubaleka.—Luka 21:20-22.
19, 20. (a) Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu bengenasizathu sokwesaba njengoba lesi simiso siya ekupheleni? (b) Iyiphi into ephawulekayo uJehova asiza abantu bakhe ukuba bayiqonde emashumini eminyaka angaphambi kuka-1914?
19 Isimo sethu sithi asifane. Usizi olukhulu oluzayo luzosho ukuphela kwaso sonke isimiso sezinto esibi sikaSathane. Kodwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu akudingeki besabe, ngoba uJesu wathembisa: “Bhekani! Nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Mathewu 28:20) Ukuze akhe ukholo lwabafundi bakhe bokuqala futhi abalungiselele lokho okwakuseza, uJesu wabanika umbono wenkazimulo ayeyoba nayo ezulwini njengeNkosi enguMesiya. Namuhla? Ngo-1914 lowo mbono wagcwaliseka ngokoqobo. Futhi yeka ukuthi lokho kuye kwaluqinisa kanjani ukholo lwabantu bakaNkulunkulu! Kuthembisa ikusasa elimangalisayo, futhi kancane kancane izinceku zikaJehova ziye zasizwa ukuba ziwuqonde lowo Mbuso osubusa ngokoqobo. Kuleli zwe lanamuhla elihlwelwayo, “indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya okukhulu okuqhubeka kukhanya ngokwengeziwe kuze kube semini enkulu.”—IzAga 4:18.
20 Ngisho nangaphambi kuka-1914, iqenjana lamaKristu agcotshiwe laqala ukuqonda amaqiniso abalulekile mayelana nokubuya kweNkosi. Ngokwesibonelo, laqonda ukuthi kwakungeke kubonakale ngamehlo, njengoba kwasikisela izingelosi ezimbili ezabonakala kubafundi ngo-33 C.E. lapho uJesu enyukela ezulwini. Ngemva kokuba uJesu ehlwithwe ifu wanyamalala kubafundi, lezi zingelosi zathi: “Lo Jesu owamukelwa phezulu esibhakabhakeni esuka kini uyokuza ngendlela efanayo naleyo enimbone eya ngayo esibhakabhakeni.”—IzEnzo 1:9-11.
21. Kuzoxoxwa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?
21 Ukuhamba kukaJesu kwabonwa abalandeli bakhe abaqotho kuphela. Njengasekuguqulweni kwakhe isimo, akubanga nambukiso kawonk’ uwonke; iningi labantu emhlabeni lalingazi nokuthi kwenzekeni. Kwakuyoba okufanayo nalapho uKristu ebuya njengeNkosi yoMbuso. (Johane 14:19) Ukuba khona kwakhe njengeNkosi kwakuyobonwa abafundi bakhe abathembekile kuphela. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizobona ukuthi ukuqonda lokho kwakuyoba kanjani nethonya elikhulu kubo, kuze kufike ekubuthweni kwezigidi ezaziyoba izikhonzi zikaJesu zasemhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ngokusobala, lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa, nguJohane kuphela ozwe izwi likaNkulunkulu. AmaJuda uJesu akhuluma nawo ‘awakaze alizwe izwi likaNkulunkulu nganoma isiphi isikhathi futhi awakaze awubone umzimba wakhe.’—Johane 5:37.
Uyakhumbula?
• Lapho uJesu egxekwa kuthiwa wephula umthetho weSabatha futhi uyahlambalaza, wanikeza buphi ubufakazi bokuthi unguMesiya?
• Abafundi bakaJesu bokuqala bazuza kanjani ekuguqulweni kwakhe isimo?
• UJesu wayesho ukuthini lapho ethi uJohane wayeyohlala aze abuye?
• Ngo-1914, imuphi umbono owagcwaliseka ngokoqobo?
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
UJesu wabhekisela ezintweni ezimenza afaneleke ukuba uMesiya
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Umbono wokuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo wawuqinisa ukholo
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
UJohane wayezohlala kuze ‘kufike’ uJesu