Ibandla Malidumise UJehova
“Ngizomemezela igama lakho kubafowethu; ngizokudumisa . . . phakathi kwebandla.”—HEBHERU 2:12.
1, 2. Kungani ibandla liwusizo kangaka, futhi iyini indima yalo eyinhloko?
KUWO wonke umlando, ikhaya belilokhu liyindawo abantu abathola kuyo ubungane nokulondeka. Nokho, iBhayibheli liveza enye indawo abantu abaningi emhlabeni wonke namuhla abathola kuyo ubungane nokulondeka okuhle kakhulu. Leyo ndawo yibandla lobuKristu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyilungu lomkhaya osondelene nosekelanayo noma cha, ungakwazisa futhi kufanele ukwazise lokho uNkulunkulu akulungiselele ngebandla. Yebo, uma kakade usuhlanganyela nebandla loFakazi BakaJehova, cishe ungakufakazela ukuthi ujabulela ubungane obufudumele kulo futhi unomuzwa wokulondeka.
2 Ibandla alilona iqembu likaqed’ isizungu. Aliyona inhlangano yomphakathi noma iqembu lokuhlanganisa abantu abanezizinda ezifanayo noma abathanda umdlalo noma umsebenzana othile wokuzilibazisa ofanayo. Kunalokho, injongo eyinhloko yelungiselelo lebandla ukudumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu. Sekuyisikhathi eside kunjalo, njengoba kugcizelela incwadi yamaHubo. KumaHubo 35:18, siyafunda: “Ngiyokudumisa ebandleni elikhulu; phakathi kwabantu abaningi ngiyokudumisa.” Ngokufanayo, iHubo 107:31, 32, liyasikhuthaza: “Abantu mabambonge uJehova ngenxa yomusa wakhe wothando nangenxa yemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo ayenzela abantwana babantu. Mabambabaze ebandleni lesizwe.”
3. NgokukaPawulu, ibandla lenzani?
3 Umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu waqokomisa enye indima yebandla ebalulekile lapho ebhekisela “endlini kaNkulunkulu, eyibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika nozime lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 3:15) Iliphi ibandla uPawulu ayekhuluma ngalo? Iziphi izindlela iBhayibheli elisebenzisa ngazo igama elithi “ibandla”? Futhi lokhu kufanele kukuthinte kanjani ukuphila kwethu namathemba ethu? Ukuze sithole izimpendulo, ake siqale sihlole izindlela igama elithi “ibandla” elisetshenziswa ngazo eZwini likaNkulunkulu.
4. Igama elithi “ibandla” livame ukusetshenziswa kanjani emiBhalweni YesiHebheru?
4 Igama lesiHebheru elivame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “ibandla” livela emsukeni osho ukuthi “bizela ndawonye” noma “butha.” (Duteronomi 4:10; 9:10) Umhubi wasebenzisa igama elithi “ibandla” lapho ekhuluma ngezingelosi ezulwini, futhi lingabhekisela naseqenjini labantu ababi. (IHubo 26:5; 89:5-7) Nokho, emiBhalweni YesiHebheru livame kakhulu ukusetshenziswa kuma-Israyeli. UNkulunkulu wathi uJakobe ‘wayeyoba ibandla lezizwe,’ nebala kwaba njalo. (Genesise 28:3; 35:11; 48:4) Ama-Israyeli abizelwa, noma akhethwa, ukuba abe “ibandla likaJehova,” ‘ibandla likaNkulunkulu weqiniso.’—Numeri 20:4; Nehemiya 13:1; Joshuwa 8:35; 1 Samuweli 17:47; Mika 2:5.
5. Iliphi igama lesiGreki elivame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “ibandla,” futhi leli gama lingasetshenziswa kanjani?
5 Igama lesiGreki elihambisana nalo lithi ek·kle·siʹa, futhi lisuselwa emagameni amabili esiGreki asho ukuthi “phandle” nokuthi “biza.” Lingabhekisela eqenjini elingelona elenkolo, ‘njengomhlangano’ wabantu uDemetriyu abashoshozela ukuba bamelane noPawulu e-Efesu. (IzEnzo 19:32, 39, 41) Kodwa ngokuvamile iBhayibheli lilisebenzisela ukubhekisela ebandleni lobuKristu. Ezinye izinguqulo zihumusha leli gama ngokuthi “isonto,” kodwa i-Imperial Bible-Dictionary ibika ukuthi “alilokothi . . . lisho isakhiwo uqobo amaKristu abuthanela kuso ukuze akhulekele eningini.” Nokho, kuyathakazelisa ukuthi emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki sithola igama elithi “ibandla” lisetshenziswe okungenani ngezindlela ezine ezihlukene.
Ibandla LikaNkulunkulu Labagcotshiwe
6. Yini uDavide noJesu abayenza ebandleni?
6 Umphostoli uPawulu wawabhekisa kuJesu amazwi kaDavide akumaHubo 22:22, wathi: “‘Ngizomemezela igama lakho kubafowethu; ngizokudumisa ngengoma phakathi kwebandla.’ Ngenxa yalokho [uJesu] wayebophekile ukuba abe ‘njengabafowabo’ ezicini zonke, ukuze abe umpristi ophakeme onesihe nothembekile ezintweni eziphathelene noNkulunkulu.” (Hebheru 2:12, 17) UDavide wayedumise uNkulunkulu phakathi kwebandla lika-Israyeli wasendulo. (IHubo 40:9) Nokho, uPawulu wayekhuluma ngani lapho ethi uJesu wayedumise uNkulunkulu “phakathi kwebandla”? Iliphi ibandla ayebhekisele kulo?
7. Iyiphi indlela eyinhloko imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki esebenzisa ngayo igama elithi “ibandla”?
7 Esikufunda kumaHebheru 2:12, 17 kubalulekile. Kubonisa ukuthi ngomqondo obanzi, uKristu wayeyilungu lebandla ayememezela kulo igama likaNkulunkulu kubafowabo. Kwakungobani labo bafowabo? Yilabo abakha ingxenye ‘yenzalo ka-Abrahama,’ abafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshwe ngomoya, ‘abahlanganyeli bokubizwa kwasezulwini.’ (Hebheru 2:16–3:1; Mathewu 25:40) Yebo, emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki elithi “ibandla” ngokuyinhloko lisho iqembu labalandeli bakaKristu abagcotshwe ngomoya. Laba abagcotshiwe abangu-144 000 bakha ‘ibandla lamazibulo abhaliswe emazulwini.’—Hebheru 12:23.
8. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi kwakuzokwakhiwa ibandla lobuKristu?
8 UJesu wabonisa ukuthi lalizoba khona leli “bandla” lobuKristu. Lapho sekusele cishe unyaka afe, watshela omunye wabaphostoli: “Wena unguPetru, phezu kwaleli dwala ngizokwakha ibandla lami, amasango eHayidesi ngeke alehlule.” (Mathewu 16:18) Bobabili uPetru noPawulu baqonda ngokuyikho ukuthi nguye uJesu oyidwala elabikezelwa. UPetru wabhala ukuthi labo abakhiwa “njengamatshe aphilayo” endlu engokomoya phezu kwedwala, uKristu, ‘bayisizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile, ukuze bamemezele kabanzi ubuhle’ baLowo owababiza.—1 Petru 2:4-9; IHubo 118:22; Isaya 8:14; 1 Korinte 10:1-4.
9. Ibandla likaNkulunkulu laqala nini ukwakhiwa?
9 Lesi “sizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile” saqala nini ukwakhiwa ukuze sibe ibandla lobuKristu? Saqala ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., lapho uNkulunkulu ethululela umoya ongcwele kubafundi ababebuthene eJerusalema. Kamuva ngalolo suku, uPetru wanikeza inkulumo enamandla eqenjini lamaJuda namaproselithe. Abaningi bahlabeka ezinhliziyweni zabo bezisola ngokufa kukaJesu; baphenduka futhi babhapathizwa. Umbiko weBhayibheli usitshela ukuthi bayizinkulungwane ezintathu abenza kanjalo, base beba ingxenye yebandla likaNkulunkulu elalisanda kumiswa futhi elalikhula. (IzEnzo 2:1-4, 14, 37-47) Lalikhula ngoba ayelokhu anda amaJuda namaproselithe ayekwamukela ukuthi u-Israyeli wenyama wayengaselona ibandla likaNkulunkulu. Esikhundleni sakhe, amaKristu agcotshiwe ‘angu-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ ongokomoya ayeseyilona bandla likaNkulunkulu leqiniso.—Galathiya 6:16; IzEnzo 20:28.
10. Bunjani ubuhlobo bukaJesu nebandla likaNkulunkulu?
10 IBhayibheli livamile ukuhlukanisa phakathi kukaJesu nabagcotshiwe, njengasenkulumweni ethi “ngokuqondene noKristu nebandla.” UJesu uyiNhloko yaleli bandla lamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. UPawulu wabhala ukuthi uNkulunkulu “wamenza [uJesu] inhloko phezu kwazo zonke izinto ebandleni, eliwumzimba wakhe.” (Efesu 1:22, 23; 5:23, 32; Kolose 1:18, 24) Namuhla, kusele insali encane nje yamalungu agcotshiwe aleli bandla emhlabeni. Nokho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJesu Kristu, iNhloko yawo, uyawathanda. Indlela azizwa ngayo ngawo ichazwe kweyabase-Efesu 5:25: “[UKristu walithanda] ibandla futhi wazinikela ngenxa yalo.” Uyawathanda amalungu aleli bandla ngoba amatasa anikela kuNkulunkulu “umhlatshelo wokudumisa, okuwukuthi, isithelo sezindebe ezivuma obala igama lakhe,” njengoba nje noJesu enza lapho esemhlabeni.—Hebheru 13:15.
Elithi “Ibandla” Ngeminye Imiqondo
11. ImiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki ilisebenzisa ngayiphi indlela yesibili elithi “ibandla”?
11 Ngezinye izikhathi, iBhayibheli lisebenzisa igama elithi “ibandla” ngomqondo olinganiselwe noma ohlukile—lingabhekiseli kulo lonke iqembu labagcotshiwe abangu-144 000 abakha “ibandla likaNkulunkulu.” Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wabhalela elinye iqembu lamaKristu: “Gwemani ukuba yizimbangela zokukhubeka kumaJuda nakumaGreki nasebandleni likaNkulunkulu.” (1 Korinte 10:32) Ngokusobala, eKorinte lasendulo uma umKristu ayeziphatha ngokungafanele, kwakungase kukhube abathile. Nokho, ingabe lokho kuziphatha kwakungakhuba wonke amaGreki, amaJuda, noma abagcotshiwe kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuze kube namuhla? Cha. Ngakho, kuleli vesi inkulumo ethi “ebandleni likaNkulunkulu” ibonakala ibhekisele kumaKristu aphila ngesikhathi esithile. Ngenxa yalokho, umuntu angakhuluma ngokuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu, ukunakekela noma ukubusisa kwaKhe ibandla, esho wonke amaKristu aphila ngesikhathi esithile, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi akuphi. Noma, singakhuluma ngenjabulo nokuthula okusebandleni likaNkulunkulu namuhla, sisho bonke abafowethu abangamaKristu.
12. Imuphi umqondo wesithathu elithi “ibandla” elisetshenziswa ngawo eBhayibhelini?
12 Indlela yesithathu iBhayibheli elisebenzisa ngayo igama elithi “ibandla” ibhekisela kuwo wonke amaKristu asendaweni ethile. Siyafunda: “Ibandla kulo lonke elaseJudiya naseGalile naseSamariya langena enkathini yokuthula.” (IzEnzo 9:31) Kuleyo ndawo ebanzi kwakukhona amaqembu amaningana amaKristu, kodwa wonke la maKristu, awaseJudiya, eGalile naseSamariya, ayebizwa ngokuthi “ibandla.” Uma kucatshangelwa inani lababhapathizwa ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. nangokushesha ngemva kwalokho, kungenzeka ukuthi ngisho nasendaweni yaseJerusalema kwakunamaqembu angaphezu kwelilodwa ayehlangana njalo. (IzEnzo 2:41, 46, 47; 4:4; 6:1, 7) UHerode Agripha I wabusa iJudiya kwaze kwaba yilapho efa ngo-44 C.E., futhi kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:14 kucacile ukuthi ngo-50 C.E. nakanjani kwase kunamabandla amaningana eJudiya. Ngakho, lapho sifunda ukuthi uHerode “waphatha kabi abanye bebandla,” kungenzeka kubhekisela emaqenjini angaphezu kwelilodwa ayehlangana eJerusalema.—IzEnzo 12:1.
13. Iyiphi indlela yesine nevamile iBhayibheli elisebenzisa ngayo elithi “ibandla”?
13 Okwesine, indlela elinganiselwe ngokwengeziwe nevame kakhudlwana yokusetshenziswa kwegama elithi “ibandla” ibhekisela kumaKristu akha ibandla elilodwa lendawo, njengalelo elihlangana ekhaya lothile. UPawulu wakhuluma ‘ngamabandla aseGalathiya.’ Kuleso sifundazwe esikhulu saseRoma kwakukhona amabandla anjalo angaphezu kwelilodwa. UPawulu walisebenzisa kabili igama elisebuningini elithi ‘amabandla’ lapho ekhuluma ngeGalathiya, okwakungahlanganisa amabandla ase-Antiyokiya, eDerbe, eListra nase-Ikoniyu. Kula mabandla akulezo zindawo, kwamiswa amadoda amadala afanelekayo, noma ababonisi. (1 Korinte 16:1; Galathiya 1:2; IzEnzo 14:19-23) NgokwemiBhalo, wonke lawo ‘kwakungamabandla kaNkulunkulu.’—1 Korinte 11:16; 2 Thesalonika 1:4.
14. Yini esingaphetha ngayo ngendlela elithi “ibandla” elisetshenziswe ngayo emiBhalweni embalwa?
14 Kwezinye izimo, kumelwe ukuba ayemancane amaqembu ayeza emihlanganweni yobuKristu, enganela emzini wothile. Noma kunjalo, igama elithi “ibandla” lasetshenziswa emaqenjini anjalo. Esiwaziyo kwakuyibandla elalisendlini ka-Akhwila noPriska, ekaNimfa nekaFilemoni. (Roma 16:3-5; Kolose 4:15; Filemoni 2) Lokhu kufanele kuwakhuthaze wonke amabandla ezindawo ngezindawo anabantu abambalwa kakhulu namuhla futhi okungenzeka ahlangana njalo emzini wothile. UJehova wayewaqaphela lawo mabandla amancane ekhulwini lokuqala, futhi ngokuqinisekile uyawaqaphela nanamuhla, ewabusisa ngomoya wakhe.
Amabandla Adumisa UJehova
15. Ukusebenza komoya ongcwele kwabonakala kanjani kwamanye amabandla okuqala?
15 Siphawule ukuthi uJesu wadumisa uNkulunkulu phakathi kwebandla, okwagcwalisa iHubo 22:22. (Hebheru 2:12) Abalandeli bakhe abathembekile kwakufanele benze okufanayo. Kudala ekhulwini lokuqala lapho amaKristu eqiniso egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ukuze abe amadodana kaNkulunkulu futhi kanjalo abe abafowabo bakaKristu, kwamanye umoya wasebenza ngendlela eyengeziwe, ekhethekile. Athola izipho zomoya eziyisimangaliso. Ezinye zezindlela lezo zipho ezabonakala ngazo kwakungokukhuluma ngokuhlakanipha noma ngolwazi ngendlela ekhethekile, amandla okuphulukisa noma okuprofetha, noma ngisho nokukhuluma ngezilimi umuntu ngokwakhe angazazi.—1 Korinte 12:4-11.
16. Kwakuyini enye yezinjongo zezipho zomoya eziyisimangaliso?
16 Mayelana nokukhuluma ngezilimi, uPawulu wathi: “Ngizohlabelela indumiso ngesiphiwo somoya, kodwa ngizohlabelela indumiso nangengqondo yami futhi.” (1 Korinte 14:15) Wabona ukubaluleka kokuba abanye bawaqonde amazwi akhe, kanjalo bafunde. Kwakuwumgomo kaPawulu ukudumisa uJehova ebandleni. Wanxusa abanye ababenezipho zomoya: “Funani ukuba nibe nazo zivame ngenjongo yokwakha ibandla,” esho ibandla lendawo ababebonakalisa kulo isipho. (1 Korinte 14:4, 5, 12, 23) Kusobala ukuthi uPawulu wayenesithakazelo emabandleni ezindawo ngezindawo, azi ukuthi kwelinye nelinye lawo, amaKristu ayeyoba namathuba okudumisa uNkulunkulu.
17. Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo ngokuqondene namabandla ezindawo ngezindawo namuhla?
17 UJehova uyaqhubeka esebenzisa futhi esekela ibandla lakhe. Uyalibusisa iqembu lamaKristu agcotshiwe asemhlabeni namuhla. Lokhu kubonakala ngenala yokudla okungokomoya abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakujabulelayo. (Luka 12:42) Ubusisa abazalwane emhlabeni wonke njengeqembu. Ubusisa namabandla ezindawo ngezindawo, lapho sidumisa khona uMdali wethu ngezenzo nangamazwi ethu akhayo ngokomoya. Kuwo, sithola imfundo nokuqeqeshwa ukuze sidumise uNkulunkulu nakwezinye izimo, lapho singekho phakathi kwebandla lakithi.
18, 19. Kunoma iliphi ibandla lendawo, yini amaKristu azinikele afuna ukuyenza?
18 Khumbula ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wanxusa amaKristu ebandleni lendawo eFilipi, eMakedoniya: “Yilokhu engiqhubeka ngikuthandazela, [ukuba] nigcwaliswe ngesithelo sokulunga, esiza ngoJesu Kristu, kube udumo nenkazimulo kuNkulunkulu.” Lokho kwakuyohlanganisa nokuba akhulume nabanye abangeyona ingxenye yebandla lobuKristu, ngokholo lwawo kuJesu nangethemba lawo elimangalisayo. (Filipi 1:9-11; 3:8-11) Ngenxa yalokho, uPawulu wanxusa amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Ngaye [uJesu] masinikele ngaso sonke isikhathi kuNkulunkulu umhlatshelo wokudumisa, okuwukuthi, isithelo sezindebe ezivuma obala igama lakhe.”—Hebheru 13:15.
19 Ingabe uyakujabulela ukudumisa uNkulunkulu “phakathi kwebandla,” njengoba uJesu enza, nokusebenzisa izindebe zakho ukuze udumise uJehova phambi kwalabo okuyimá bezomazi futhi bamdumise? (Hebheru 2:12; Roma 15:9-11) Ngezinga elithile, impendulo yethu ngabanye ingase ixhomeke endleleni esizizwa ngayo ngendima yebandla lakithi enjongweni kaNkulunkulu. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngendlela uJehova aqondisa futhi asebenzise ngayo ibandla lethu nangendima okufanele libe nayo ekuphileni kwethu namuhla.
Uyakhumbula?
• “Ibandla likaNkulunkulu” elakhiwa amaKristu agcotshiwe laba khona kanjani?
• Iziphi izindlela ezintathu ezengeziwe iBhayibheli elisebenzisa ngazo igama elithi “ibandla”?
• UDavide, uJesu namaKristu ekhulu lokuqala babefuna ukwenzani ngokuqondene nebandla, futhi lokhu kufanele kusithinte kanjani thina?
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
UJesu wayeyisisekelo saliphi ibandla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Amaqembu amaKristu ezindawo ngezindawo ayehlangana ‘njengamabandla kaNkulunkulu’
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
NjengamaKristu aseBenin, singadumisa uJehova phakathi kwezihlwele ezibuthene