“Okukhulu Kulokho Luthando”
“Manje-ke kumi ukukholwa, nokwethemba, nothando, lokho kokuthathu; kepha okukhulu kulokho luthando.”—1 KORINTE 13:13.
1. Isazi semvelo nenhlalo yabantu siye sathini ngothando?
OMUNYE wezazi zemvelo nenhlalo yabantu ezivelele emhlabeni wake wathi: “Ngokokuqala ngqá siyaqonda emlandweni wohlanga lwethu njengabantu ukuthi isidingo sothando sibaluleke kunazo zonke izidingo zabantu ezingokwengqondo eziyisisekelo. Simi enkabeni yazo zonke izidingo zabantu njengoba nje ilanga lethu limi enkabeni yesimiso sethu sezinkanyiso namaplanethi alizungezayo. . . . Ngokwesayensi yamakhemikhali omzimba womuntu, ngokwesayensi yokusebenza komzimba womuntu, nangokwesayensi yokusebenza kwengqondo umntwana ongazange athandwe uhluke kakhulu kulowo othandiwe. Ongazange athandwe ukhula ngisho nangokwehlukile kulowo othandiwe. Esikwaziyo manje ukuthi umuntu uzalelwa ukuba aphile njengokungathi ukuphila nokuthanda kuyinto eyodwa. Yebo, lokhu akukusha. Lokhu kuwukuqinisekiswa kweNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni.”
2. (a) Umphostoli uPawulu wakubonisa kanjani ukubaluleka kothando? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo manje okufanele icatshangelwe?
2 Yebo, njengoba lendoda eyisifundiswa ngokwezwe yavuma, leliqiniso ngokubaluleka kothando enhlala-kahleni yabantu aliyona into entsha. Kungaba ukuthi izifundiswa zezwe zimane ziqala manje ukuliqaphela, kodwa lavela eZwini likaNkulunkulu emakhulwini angaphezu kwangu-19 eminyaka adlule. Yingakho umphostoli uPawulu ayengabhala: “Manje-ke kumi ukukholwa, nokwethemba, nothando, lokho kokuthathu; kepha okukhulu kulokho luthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) Ingabe uyazi ukuthi kungani uthando lulukhulu kunokholo nethemba? Kungani kungathiwa uthando yilo olukhulu kuzo zonke izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu nezithelo zomoya wakhe?
Izinhlobo Ezine Zothando
3. Yiziphi izibonelo ezingokomBhalo ezikhona ngothando lwezithandani?
3 Ikhono lomuntu lokubonisa uthando luwukubonakaliswa kokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu nokukhathalela kothando ngesintu. Ngokuthakazelisayo, amaGreki asendulo ayenamagama amane ayewasebenzisela elithi “uthando.” Elinye lalithi eʹros, lichaza uthando lwezithandani oluhlangene nokukhanga kobulili. Abalobi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki abazange babe nayo indawo ababengasebenzisa kuyo elithi eʹros, nakuba iSeptuagint isebenzisa izimo zalo kuzAga 7:18 no-30:16, futhi kunezinye izindawo ezibhekisela othandweni lwezithandani emiBhalweni YesiHeberu. Ngokwesibonelo, sifunda ukuthi uIsaka “wamthanda” uRebeka. (Genesise 24:67) Isibonelo esiphawuleka ngempela saloluhlobo lothando sitholakala endabeni kaJakobe, ngokusobala owathanda uRaheli omuhle eqala ngqá ukumbona. Eqinisweni, “uJakobe wayesesebenzela uRaheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yayisemehlweni akhe njengezinsuku eziyingcosana nje ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.” (Genesise 29:9-11, 17, 20) IsiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo sikhuluma futhi ngothando lwezithandani phakathi kukamalusi nentombi. Kodwa akunakugcizelelwa kakhulu ngokweqile ukuthi loluhlobo lothando, olungase lube umthombo wokwaneliseka okukhulu nenjabulo, kumelwe luboniswe kuphela ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi indoda kumelwe ‘yeqiwe njalo’ uthando lomfazi eshade naye ngokomthetho kuphela.—IzAga 5:15-20.
4. Sivezwe kanjani isibonelo sothando lomkhaya emiBhalweni?
4 Khona-ke kunothando oluqinile lomkhaya, noma uthando lomzwelo olungokwemvelo, olusekelwe ebuhlotsheni begazi, amaGreki ayebhekisela kulo ngegama elithi stor·geʹ. Yilo olwenza kwaba nesaga esithi, “Akuhlanga lulahlana lodwa.” Sinesibonelo esihle salokhu othandweni izelamani uMariya noMarta ababenalo ngomfowabo uLazaru. Ukuthi wayebaluleke kakhulu kubo kungabonakala ngendlela abakhala kakhulu ngayo ngokufa kwakhe okuzumayo. Futhi yeka indlela abathokoza ngayo lapho uJesu ebuyisela uLazaru wabo othandekayo ekuphileni! (Johane 11:1-44) Uthando umama analo ngomntwana wakhe lungesinye isibonelo saloluhlobo lothando. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:7.) Kanjalo, ukuze agcizelele ukuthi uthando lwakhe ngeSiyoni lwalulukhulu kangakanani, uJehova wathi lwalulukhulu ngisho nakulolo lukamama ngomntwana wakhe.—Isaya 49:15.
5. Kubonakala kanjani ukuntuleka kothando lomzwelo olungokwemvelo namuhla?
5 Esinye isibonakaliso sokuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina” ‘nezikhathi zazo ezinzima’ ukuntuleka ‘kothando lomzwelo olungokwemvelo.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1, 3, qhathanisa neNW) Ngenxa yokuthi uthando lomkhaya luyantuleka, enye intsha iyabaleka emakhaya, futhi abanye abantwana asebekhulile ababanaki abazali babo asebegugile. (Qhathanisa nezAga 23:22.) Ukuntuleka kothando lomzwelo olungokwemvelo kuyabonakala futhi ekwandeni kokuxhashazwa kwabantwana—abanye abazali beshaya abantwana babo kabuhlungu kangangokuthi baze badinge ukwelashwa esibhedlela. Futhi, ukuntuleka kothando lobuzali kubonakala ekwehlulekeni kwabazali abaningi ukuyala abantwana babo. Ukuvumela abantwana ukuba bazenzele abakuthandayo akubona ubufakazi bothando kodwa kuyefana nokuyekelela ngoba ungafuni ukubhekana nenselele. Ubaba obathanda ngempela abantwana bakhe uyobayala lapho kudingekile.—IzAga 13:24; Heberu 12:5-11.
6. Nikeza izibonelo ezingokomBhalo zothando lomzwelo phakathi kwabangane.
6 Khona-ke kunegama lesiGreki elithi phi·liʹa, elichaza uthando lomzwelo (olungenalutho oluphathelene nobulili) phakathi kwabangane, njengaphakathi kwamadoda amabili avuthiwe noma abesifazane. Sinesibonelo esihle salokhu othandweni uDavide noJonathani ababenalo ngomunye nomunye. Lapho uJonathani ebulawe empini, uDavide wamlilela, ethi: “Ngidabukile ngawe-mfowethu Jonathani; wawumnandi kakhulu kimi; lwaluyisimangaliso kimi uthando lwakho, ludlula uthando lwabesifazane.” (2 Samuweli 1:26) Siyafunda futhi ukuthi uKristu wayemthanda ngokukhethekile umphostoli uJohane, owaziwa ngokuthi umfundi “uJesu amthandayo.”—Johane 20:2.
7. Ia·gaʹpe iluhlobo luni lothando, futhi luye lwaboniswa kanjani?
7 Yiliphi igama lesiGreki uPawulu alisebenzisa kweyoku-1 Korinte 13:13, lapho abala khona ukholo, ithemba, nothando futhi wathi “okukhulu kulokho luthando”? Lapha kunegama elithi a·gaʹpe, elifanayo nalelo umphostoli uJohane alisebenzisa lapho ethi: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8, 16) Lolu uthando oluqondiswa noma olubuswa isimiso. Lungase luhlanganise uthando lomzwelo nokuthanda noma lungase lungakuhlanganisi, kodwa luwumzwelo noma umuzwa ongenabugovu okhathalela ukwenza okuhle kwabanye kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abaluboniswayo bayalufanelekela yini noma ukuthi kunezinzuzo yini eziza kolubonisayo. Uthando lwaloluhlobo lwabangela uNkulunkulu ukuba anikele ngegugu lenhliziyo yakhe alithanda kakhulu, iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, uJesu Kristu, “ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Njengoba uPawulu esikhumbuza kahle kangaka: “Cishe kungenzeki ukuba umuntu afele olungileyo, kodwa mhlawumbe kungase kube-khona ongaba-nesibindi sokufela omuhle; kepha uNkulunkulu uyabonakalisa ukusithanda kwakhe ngalokhu ukuthi, siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.” (Roma 5:7, 8) Yebo, ia·gaʹpe yenza okuhle kwabanye kungakhathaliseki ukuthi liyini izinga labo ekuphileni noma ukulahlekelwa kwalowo obonisa uthando.
Kungani Lulukhulu Kunokholo Nethemba?
8. Kungani ia·gaʹpe inkulu kunokholo?
8 Kodwa kungani uPawulu athi loluhlobo lothando (ia·gaʹpe) lukhulu kunokholo? Wabhala kweyoku-1 Korinte 13:2: “Noma nginokuprofetha, ngiqonda izimfihlakalo zonke nokwazi konke, noma nginokukholwa konke ngangokuba ngingagudluza izintaba, kepha ngingenalo uthando, angiyinto yalutho.” (Qhathanisa noMathewu 17:20.) Yebo, uma imizamo yethu yokuthola ulwazi nokukhula okholweni ibiyenziwa ngenjongo yobugovu, lokhu bekungeke kusilethele inzuzo evela kuNkulunkulu. Ngokufanayo, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi abanye ‘babeyoprofetha ngegama lakhe, bakhiphe amademoni ngegama lakhe, futhi benze imisebenzi eminingi yamandla ngegama lakhe’ kodwa babengeke bakuthole ukuvunyelwa nguye.—Mathewu 7:22, 23.
9. Kungani uthando lulukhulu kunethemba?
9 Kungani uhlobo lothando lwea·gaʹpe lulukhulu futhi kunethemba? Ngoba ithemba lingase libe nobugovu, umuntu akhathalele ngokuyinhloko izinzuzo zakhe siqu, kanti uthando “aluzifuneli okwalo.” (1 Korinte 13:4, 5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ithemba—njengalelo lokuphila uze udlule ‘osizini olukhulu’ ungene ezweni elisha—liyaphela uma lokho okulangazelelwayo kugcwaliseka. (Mathewu 24:21) Njengoba uPawulu esho: “Ethembeni sisindisiwe; kepha ithemba elibonwayo alisilo ithemba; ngokuba lokhu umuntu akubonayo usakwethembelani na? Kodwa uma sithemba lokho esingakuboniyo, siyakulindela ngokubekezela.” (Roma 8:24, 25) Uthando ngokwalo lubekezelela izinto zonke, futhi alusoze lwaphela. (1 Korinte 13:7, 8) Kanjalo, uthando olungenabugovu (ia·gaʹpe) lukhulu kunokholo noma ithemba.
Ingabe Lukhulu Kunokuhlakanipha, Ukwahlulela Ngokulunga, Namandla?
10. Kungani kungathiwa uthando yilona olukhulu ezimfanelweni ezine eziyinhloko zikaNkulunkulu?
10 Manje ake sicabangele izimfanelo ezine eziyinhloko zikaJehova uNkulunkulu: ukuhlakanipha, ukwahlulela ngokulunga, amandla, nothando. Ingabe kungashiwo futhi ukuthi uthando lukhulu kunalezi? Ngempela kungashiwo. Ngani? Ngoba uthando lungamandla ashukumisayo kulokho uNkulunkulu akwenzayo. Yingakho umphostoli uJohane abhala: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” Yebo, uJehova uwuthando olwenziwe samuntu. (1 Johane 4:8, 16) Akukho emiBhalweni lapho sifunda khona ukuthi uNkulunkulu uwukuhlakanipha, uwukwahlulela ngokulunga, noma ungamandla. Kunalokho, sitshelwa ukuthi uJehova unalezimfanelo. (Jobe 12:13; IHubo 147:5; Daniyeli 4:37) Lezimfanelo ezine zilinganiswe ngokuphelele kuye. Eshukunyiswa uthando, uJehova ufeza izinjongo zakhe ngokusebenzisa ezinye izimfanelo ezintathu noma ukuzicabangela.
11. Yini eyashukumisela uJehova ukuba adale indawo yonke nezidalwa zomoya nezingabantu?
11 Ngakho-ke, yini eyashukumisela uJehova ukuba adale indawo yonke nezidalwa zomoya nezingabantu ezihlakaniphile? Ingabe kwakuwukuhlakanipha noma amandla? Cha, ngoba uNkulunkulu wamane wasebenzisa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe namandla ekudaleni. Ngokwesibonelo, siyafunda: “UJehova wasekela umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha.” (IzAga 3:19) Ngaphezu kwalokho, imfanelo yakhe yokwahlulela ngokulunga ayizange idinge ukuba adale izidalwa ezinenkululeko yokuzikhethela. Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwamshukumisela ukuba ahlanganyele nabanye izinjabulo zokuba umuntu ohlakaniphile. Kwakuwuthando olwenza yatholakala indlela yokususa ukulahlwa ukwahlulela ngokulunga okwakukulethe phezu kwesintu ngenxa yesiphambeko sika-Adamu. (Johane 3:16) Yebo, kwakuwuthando futhi olwashukumisela uJehova ukuba ahlose ukuba isintu esilalelayo siphile ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo.—Luka 23:43.
12. Kufanele sisabele kanjani emandleni kaNkulunkulu, ukwahlulela ngokulunga, nothando?
12 Ngenxa yamandla kaNkulunkulu angenakulinganiswa, akumelwe silokothe simvusele ekubeni nomhawu. UPawulu wabuza: “Kumbe siyayivusela iNkosi [umhawu] na? Kanti sinamandla kunayo na?” (1 Korinte 10:22) Yebo, uJehova “[u]nguNkulunkulu onomhawu,” hhayi ngomqondo omubi, kodwa ‘ngokufuna ukuzinikela okuphelele.’ (Eksodusi 20:5; New World Translation) NjengamaKristu, kuyasimangalisa ukubonakaliswa okuningi kokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okungaqondakaliyo. (Roma 11:33-35) Inhlonipho yethu enkulu ngokwahlulela kwakhe ngokulunga kumelwe isibangele ukuba sizigcine sikude kakhulu nesono sangamabomu. (Heberu 10:26-31) Kodwa ngokungangabazeki uthando yilo olukhulu kakhulu ezimfanelweni ezine eziyinhloko zikaNkulunkulu. Futhi uthando lukaJehova olungenabugovu olusisondeza kuye futhi lusenze sifune ukumthokozisa, ukumkhulekela, nokuhlanganyela ekungcwelisweni kwegama lakhe elingcwele.—IzAga 27:11.
Lukhulu Kunazo Zonke Izithelo Zomoya
13. Lumiphi uthando phakathi kwezithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu?
13 Lumiphi uthando phakathi kwezithelo eziyisishiyagalolunye zomoya kaNkulunkulu, ezibalwe kwabaseGalathiya 5:22, 23? Lezi “ziluthando, nokujabula, nokuthula, nokubekezela, nobubele, nobuvi, nokukholeka, nobumnene, nokuzithiba.” UPawulu wayenesizathu esihle sokuqala ngothando ohlwini. Ingabe uthando lukhulu kunokujabula, imfanelo elandelayo ayibalayo? Yebo, kunjalo, ngoba ngeke kube khona ukujabula okuhlala njalo uma uthando lungekho. Eqinisweni, izwe lingelingajabuli ngenxa yobugovu, ukuntuleka kothando. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova banothando phakathi kwabo, futhi banothando ngoYise wasezulwini. Ngakho singalindela ukuba bajabule, futhi kwabikezelwa ukuthi ‘babeyojabula ngokwenama kwenhliziyo.’—Isaya 65:14.
14. Kungani kungathiwa uthando lukhulu kunesithelo somoya sokuthula?
14 Uthando lukhulu futhi kunesithelo somoya sokuthula. Ngenxa yokuntula uthando, izwe ligcwele ukungezwani nombango. Kodwa abantu bakaJehova banokuthula komunye nomunye emhlabeni wonke. Kubona amazwi omhubi ayiqiniso: “UJehova uzakubusisa abantu bakhe ngokuthula.” (IHubo 29:11) Banalokhu kuthula ngoba banophawu olubonakalisa amaKristu eqiniso, okungukuthi, uthando. (Johane 13:35) Uthando lulodwa lunganqoba zonke izici ezihlukanisayo, kungaba ezobuhlanga, ezobuzwe, noma ezempucuko. “Luyisibopho sokuphelela.”—Kolose 3:14.
15. Indima yothando ephakeme kakhulu ibonakala kanjani ngokuqhathaniswa nesithelo somoya sokubekezela?
15 Indima yothando ephakeme kakhulu ibonakala futhi lapho luqhathaniswa nokubekezela, ukukukhuthazelela ngesineke ukoniwa noma ukucasulwa. Ukubekezela kusho ukuba nesineke kanye nokwephuza ukuthukuthela. Yini ebangela abantu ukuba babe nenhliziyo encane futhi basheshe ukuthukuthela? Ingabe akukhona ukuntuleka kothando? Nokho, uBaba wethu wasezulwini uyabekezela futhi ‘uyephuza ukuthukuthela.’ (Eksodusi 34:6; Luka 18:7) Ngani? Ngoba uyasithanda futhi ‘akathandi ukuba kubhubhe namunye.’—2 Petru 3:9.
16. Uthando luqhathaniseka kanjani nobubele, ubuvi, ubumnene, nokuzithiba?
16 Sibonile ngaphambili ukuthi kungani uthando lulukhulu kunokholo, futhi izizathu ezinikeziwe ziyasebenza ezithelweni zomoya ezisele, okungukuthi, ububele, ubuvi, ubumnene, nokuzithiba. Zonke lezi ziyizimfanelo ezidingekayo, kodwa ngeke zisizuzise ngaphandle kothando, njengoba ngisho noPawulu aphawula kweyoku-1 Korinte 13:3, lapho waloba: “Noma ngabela abampofu konke enginakho, noma nginikela umzimba wami ukuba ushiswe, kepha ngingenalo uthando, akungisizi ngalutho.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uthando oluveza izimfanelo ezinjengobubele, ubuvi, ukukholeka, ubumnene, nokuzithiba. Kanjalo, uPawulu waqhubeka wathi uthando lumnene futhi “lubekezelela izinto zonke, lukholwa yizinto zonke, luthemba izinto zonke, lukhuthazelela izinto zonke.” Yebo, futhi “uthando alusoze lwaphela.” (1 Korinte 13:4, 7, 8) Kuye kwaphawulwa ngokufanele ukuthi ezinye izithelo zomoya ziwukubonakaliswa, noma ziyizici ezihlukahlukene zothando, isithelo esibalwe kuqala. Ngempela, kusobala ukuthi kuzo zonke izithelo zomoya eziyisishiyagalolunye, nembala uthando lukhulu kakhulu.
17. Yimaphi amazwi angokomBhalo asekela isiphetho sokuthi uthando luyisithelo somoya esikhulu kunazo zonke?
17 Lamazwi kaPawulu asekela isiphetho sokuthi uthando lukhulu kunazo zonke izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu: “Ningabi-nacala lani nakubani, kuphela elokuthandana; ngokuba othanda omunye uwugcwalisile umthetho. Ngokuba [okomthetho] . . . kuyahlanganiswa kulelizwi elithi: Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena. Uthando alwenzi okubi kumakhelwane; ngakho-ke uthando lungukugcwaliseka komthetho.” (Roma 13:8-10) Ngokufaneleke kakhulu, umfundi uJakobe ubhekisela kulomthetho wokuthanda komuntu umakhelwane wakhe njengoba ezithanda yena ngokuthi “umthetho wobukhosi.”—Jakobe 2:8.
18. Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi uthando luyimfanelo enkulu kunazo zonke?
18 Ingabe busekhona obunye ubufakazi bokuthi uthando luyimfanelo enkulu kunazo zonke? Yebo, ngempela. Cabangela lokho okwenzeka lapho umbhali othile ebuza uJesu: “[Yi]muphi umyalo wokuqala kuyo yonke na?” Ngokunokwenzeka kakhulu wayelindele ukuba uJesu acaphune omunye weMiyalo Eyishumi. Kodwa uJesu wacaphuna kuDuteronomi 6:4, 5 futhi wathi: “Owokuqala ngowokuthi: Yizwa, Israyeli: iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, iNkosi, yinye. Woyithanda iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho, nangawo onke amandla akho.” Khona-ke uJesu wanezela: “Owesibili yiló: Womthanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena. Awukho omunye umyalo omkhulu kunalé.”—Marku 12:28-31.
19. Yiziphi ezinye zezithelo ezivelele zea·gaʹpe
19 Ngempela, uPawulu wayengeqisi lapho ebala ukholo, ithemba, nothando futhi ethi: “Okukhulu kulokho luthando.” Ukubonakaliswa kothando kuphumela ebuhlotsheni obuhle noBaba wethu wasezulwini nabanye, kuhlanganise nalabo abasebandleni namalungu emikhaya yethu. Uthando lunethonya elakhayo kithi. Futhi isihloko esilandelayo sizobonisa ukuthi uthando lweqiniso lungaba oluvuza kangakanani.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kukanjani uthando lulukhulu kunokholo nethemba?
◻ Yini ia·gaʹpe, futhi uthando olunjalo luboniswa kanjani?
◻ Kungani uthando lulukhulu kunazo zonke izimfanelo ezine eziyinhloko zikaNkulunkulu?
◻ Kungaziphi izindlela uthando lulukhulu kunezinye izithelo zomoya?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Uthando lwashukumisela uNkulunkulu ukuba adale isintu ukuba siphile epharadesi lasemhlabeni. Ingabe unethemba lokuba khona?