Yiba Ngoqaphile Futhi Ube Ngokhuthele!

“Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile, ngoba anilwazi usuku noma ihora.”—MATHEWU 25:13.

 1. Yini umphostoli uJohane ayeyilangazelele?

ENGXOXWENI yokugcina eBhayibhelini, uJesu wathembisa: “Ngiyeza masinyane.” Umphostoli wakhe uJohane waphendula: “Amen! Woza, Nkosi Jesu.” Lo mphostoli wayengangabazi ukuthi uJesu wayezokuza; uJohane wayephakathi kwabaphostoli ababebuze uJesu ukuthi: “Ziyokwenzeka nini lezizinto, futhi siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho [ngesiGreki, pa·rou·siʹa] nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?” Yebo, uJohane wayekulangazelele ngokuqiniseka ukuba khona kukaJesu kwesikhathi esizayo.—IsAmbulo 22:20; Mathewu 24:3.

 2. Siyini isimo emasontweni ngokuphathelene nokuba khona kukaJesu?

² Ukuqiniseka okunjalo kuyivela kancane namuhla. Amasonto amaningi anayo imfundiso engokomthetho ‘yokuza’ kukaJesu, kodwa ambalwa emalungwini awo akulindele ngempela. Lokhu kufakazelwa indlela aphila ngayo. Incwadi I-Parousia in the New Testament ithi: “Lincane kakhulu ithonya elihle ithemba le-Parousia elinalo ekuphileni, ekucabangeni nasemsebenzini wesonto. . . . Umuzwa wokuphuthuma okukhulu isonto okufanele lenze ngawo imisebenzi yalo yokuphenduka neyokumemezela ivangeli kwezithunywa, uyalulazwa uma kungekhona ukuthi uphelé ngokuphelele.” Kodwa akunjalo ngabo bonke abantu!

 3. (a) AmaKristu eqiniso azizwa kanjani nge-pa·rou·siʹa? (b) Yini manje esizoyicabangela ngokukhethekile?

³ Abafundi bakaJesu beqiniso bakulindele ngokulangazela ukuphela kwesimiso sezinto esibi samanje. Lapho senza kanjalo ngokwethembeka, kudingeka sigcine isimo sengqondo esifanele kukho konke lokho okuhilelekile ekubeni khona kukaJesu futhi senze ngokuvumelana nakho. Lokho kuyosenza sikwazi ‘ukukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni futhi sisindiswe.’ (Mathewu 24:13) Ngesikhathi enikeza isiprofetho esisithola kuMathewu izahluko 24 no-25, uJesu wanikeza iseluleko esihlakaniphile esingasisebenzisa, sisizuzise phakade. Isahluko 25 siqukethe imifanekiso cishe oyaziyo, kuhlanganise nalowo ophathelene nezintombi eziyishumi (izintombi ezihlakaniphile neziyiziwula) nomfanekiso wamathalenta. (Mathewu 25:1-30) Singazuza kanjani kuleyo mifanekiso?

Yiba Ngoqaphile Njengoba Kwenza Izintombi Ezinhlanu!

 4. Liyini iphuzu eliyinhloko lomfanekiso wezintombi?

⁴ Ungase uthande ukuwufunda futhi umfanekiso wezintombi, otholakala kuMathewu 25:1-13. Yindumezulu yomshado wesiJuda lapho umkhwenyana eya emzini womukhwe wakhe eyolanda umlobokazi amyise kubo (noma emzini kayise). Udwendwe olunjalo lungase luhlanganise nabaculi abashaya izinsimbi nabahlabeleli, futhi isikhathi sokufika kwalo ngeke saziwe ngokuthé ngqo. Kulo mfanekiso, izintombi eziyishumi zalindela ukufika komkhwenyana kwaze kwaba sebusuku. Ngobuwula ezinhlanu zazingazange zifike namafutha anele ezibani ngakho kwadingeka zihambe ziyothenga engeziwe. Ezinye ezinhlanu ngokuhlakanipha zaphatha amanye amafutha ngezitsha ukuze kuthi uma kudingeka zizigcwalise futhi izibani zazo phakathi nomlindo. Yilezi ezinhlanu kuphela ezazikhona futhi zimi ngomumo lapho umkhwenyana efika. Ngakho, yizo kuphela ezavunyelwa ukuba zingene edilini. Lapho izintombi ezinhlanu eziyiziwula zibuya, kwase kwephuze kakhulu ukuba zingene.

 5. Yini esisiza ukuba siqonde incazelo engokomfanekiso yomfanekiso wezintombi?

⁵ Izici eziningi kule ndaba zingase ziqondwe njengezifanekiselayo. Ngokwesibonelo, imiBhalo ikhuluma ngoJesu njengomkhwenyana. (Johane 3:28-30) UJesu wazifanisa nendodana yenkosi eyalungiselelwa idili lomshado. (Mathewu 22:1-14) Futhi iBhayibheli lifanisa uKristu nomyeni. (Efesu 5:23) Ngokuthakazelisayo, nakuba kwenye indawo amaKristu agcotshiwe echazwa ‘njengomlobokazi’ kaKristu, lo mfanekiso wona awukhulumi ngomlobokazi. (Johane 3:29; IsAmbulo 19:7; 21:2, 9) Nokho, uyakhuluma ngezintombi eziyishumi, futhi kwenye indawo abagcotshiwe bafaniswa nentombi ethenjiswe ukushada noKristu.—2 Korinte 11:2.a

 6. Yisiphi isikhuthazo uJesu asinikeza lapho ephetha umfanekiso wezintombi?

⁶ Ngaphandle kwemininingwane enjalo kanye nanoma ikuphi okunye ukusebenza kwawo okungokwesiprofetho, ngokuqinisekile kunezimiso ezinhle esingazifunda kulo mfanekiso. Ngokwesibonelo, phawula ukuthi uJesu wawuphetha ngala mazwi: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile, ngoba anilwazi usuku noma ihora.” Ngakho lo mfanekiso udlulisela isidingo sokuba ngamunye wethu aqaphe, aphaphamele ukuphela okusondelayo kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi. Ngokuqinisekile lokhu kuphela kuyeza, ngisho noma singeke salukhomba ngokuqondile usuku. Kulokhu, phawula izimo zengqondo eziboniswa yila maqembu amabili ezintombi.

 7. Ezinhlanu ezintombini eziyishumi zaba yiziwula ngamuphi umqondo?

⁷ UJesu wathi: “Ezinhlanu kuzo zaziyiziwula.” Ingabe lokhu kwakungenxa yokuthi zazingakholelwa ukuthi umkhwenyana uyeza? Ingabe zazihambe ngenxa yokuphishekela injabulo? Noma ingabe zazikhohlisiwe? Akunjalo. UJesu wathi lezi ezinhlanu “zaphuma ukuyohlangabeza umkhwenyana.” Zazazi ukuthi wayeza, futhi zazifuna ukuhileleka, ngisho nokuhlanganyela “edilini lomshado.” Kodwa, ingabe zazizilungiselele ngokwanele? Zamlindela isikhashana, kwaze kwaba “phakathi nobusuku,” kodwa zazingazilungiselele ukumamukela kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ufika nini—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayezosheshe afike noma wayezophuza kunalokho ezazikulindele ekuqaleni.

 8. Ezinhlanu ezintombini kulo mfanekiso zazibonakalisa kanjani ukuthi zinokuqonda?

⁸ Lezi ezinye ezinhlanu—lezo uJesu azibiza ngokuthi zinokuqonda—nazo zaphuma nezibani ezikhanyayo, zilindele ukufika komkhwenyana. Nazo kwakumelwe zilinde, kodwa “zazinokuqonda.” Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi ‘ukuqonda’ lingadlulisela umqondo wokuba “onokwahlulela okuhle, ohluzekile, ohlakaniphile ngezenzo.” Lezi ezinhlanu zabonisa ukuthi zazinokuqonda ngokuphatha izitsha ezazinamafutha engeziwe ukuze zigcwalise izibani zazo, uma kudingekile. Eqinisweni, zazigxile kakhulu ekulungeleni umkhwenyana kangangokuthi azithandanga ukuphisana ngamafutha azo. Ukuqapha okunjalo kwakufanele, njengoba kuboniswa ukuthi zazikhona futhi zizilungiselele ngokuphelele lapho umkhwenyana efika. Lezi “ezazikulungele zangena naye edilini lomshado; umnyango wavalwa.”

 9, 10. Liyini iphuzu lomfanekiso wezintombi, futhi yimiphi imibuzo okumelwe sizibuze yona?

⁹ UJesu wayengafundisi ngokuziphatha okuhle emshadweni, futhi wayenganikezi iseluleko ngokuphathelene nokuphana. Iphuzu lakhe laliwukuthi: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile, ngoba anilwazi usuku noma ihora.” Zibuze, ‘Ingabe ngiqaphile ngempela ngokuphathelene nokuba khona kukaJesu?’ Siyakholelwa ukuthi manje uJesu uyabusa ezulwini, kodwa kugxile kangakanani kithi ukuba ngokoqobo kokuthi ‘iNdodana yomuntu ngokushesha izoza iphezu kwamafu ezulu inamandla nenkazimulo enkulu’? (Mathewu 24:30) Ngokuqinisekile, “phakathi nobusuku” ukufika komkhwenyana kwase kuseduze kakhulu kunalapho izintombi ziphuma okokuqala ziyomhlangabeza. Ngokufanayo, ukufika kweNdodana yomuntu izobhubhisa isimiso esibi sezinto samanje kuseduze kakhulu kunalapho siqala ukulangazelela ukufika kwayo. (Roma 13:11-14) Ingabe siye sakulondoloza ukuqapha kwethu, siba abaqaphe ngisho nangokwengeziwe njengoba leso sikhathi sisondela?

¹⁰ Ukulalela umyalo othi “hlalani nilindile” kudinga ukuqapha okuqhubekayo. Izintombi ezinhlanu zayeka amafutha azo aphela zase zihamba ziyothenga amanye. UmKristu namuhla angase aphazamiseke ngendlela efanayo kangangokuthi abe ongakulungiselele ngokuphelele ukuza kukaJesu okungenzeka noma nini. Kwenzeka kwamanye amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala. Kungenzeka nakwamanye namuhla. Ngakho masizibuze, ‘Ingabe kuyenzeka kimi?’—1 Thesalonika 5:6-8; Heberu 2:1; 3:12; 12:3; IsAmbulo 16:15.

Yiba Okhuthele Njengoba Isiphelo Sisondela

11. UJesu wanikeza muphi umfanekiso ngokulandelayo, futhi wawufana nani?

¹¹ Emfanekisweni wakhe olandelayo, uJesu akazange agcine ngokunxusa nje abalandeli bakhe ukuba baqaphe. Ngemva kokubatshela ngezintombi ezihlakaniphile neziyiziwula, walandisa ngomfanekiso wamathalenta. (Funda uMathewu 25:14-30.) Ezicini eziningi lo mfanekiso ufana nowomina uJesu alandisa ngawo ngaphambili ngenxa yokuthi abaningi “babecabanga ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu uzozibonakalisa ngaso lesosikhathi.”—Luka 19:11-27.

12. Liyini iphuzu eliyinhloko lomfanekiso wamathalenta?

¹² Emfanekisweni wamathalenta, uJesu walandisa ngomuntu okwathi ngaphambi kokuba athathe uhambo lokuya ezweni elikude, wabiza izigqila ezintathu. Esinye wasinika amathalenta amahlanu, kwathi esinye wasinika amabili, futhi esokugcina wasinika elilodwa nje vó—“ngasinye ngokwamandla aso siqu.” Cishe leli kwakuyithalenta lesiliva, ngaleso sikhathi inani lalo elalilingana nomholo wesisebenzi weminyaka engu-14—imali eningi ngempela! Lapho lo muntu ebuya, wafuna ukuba izigqila zakhe zilandise ngalokho ezikwenzile phakathi ‘nesikhathi eside’ ehambile. Izigqila ezimbili zokuqala zaziliphinde kabili inani lalokho ezazikuphathisiwe. Wathi “wenze kahle,” ethembisa ngasinye umthwalo wemfanelo owengeziwe, wayesephetha ngokuthi: “Ngena enjabulweni yenkosi yakho.” Isigqila esinethalenta elilodwa sasingazange silisebenzise leli thalenta nganoma iyiphi indlela enenzuzo ngoba sithi inkosi iyagqilaza. Sayifihla le mali, sangayifaka ngisho nasebhange ukuze izale. Inkosi yathi ‘sibi futhi siyavilapha’ ngoba sasingazange siyitholele nzuzo inkosi yaso. Ngenxa yalokho, saphucwa ithalenta, sakhishelwa ngaphandle lapho “ukukhala kwaso nokuququda amazinyo” kwakuyoba khona.

13. UJesu wafana kanjani nenkosi ekulo mfanekiso, kodwa isiphi isimiso esibanzi ngokwengeziwe esingasithola?

¹³ Nalapha futhi, imininingwane yalokhu kumelwe iqondwe ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu, efanekiselwa yindoda eyayiya ezweni elikude, wayezoshiya abafundi bakhe, aye ezulwini, futhi alinde isikhathi eside kuze kube yilapho emukela amandla ombuso.b (IHubo 110:1-4; IzEnzo 2:34-36; Roma 8:34; Heberu 10:12, 13) Nokho, nalapha futhi, singabona ukuthi kukhona isifundo noma isimiso esibanzi sonke okumelwe sisisebenzise ekuphileni kwethu. Yisiphi?

14. Isiphi isidingo esibalulekile esigcizelelwa umfanekiso wamathalenta?

¹⁴ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lethu elokuphila okungenakufa ezulwini noma elokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi, kusobala emfanekisweni kaJesu ukuthi kufanele sibe sizikhandla emisebenzini yobuKristu. Eqinisweni, umyalezo walo mfanekiso ungafingqwa ngezwi elilodwa: ukukhuthala. Abaphostoli babeka isibonelo kusukela ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. kuqhubeke. Siyafunda: “Nangamanye amazwi amaningi [uPetru] wanikeza ubufakazi obuphelele futhi waqhubeka ebakhuthaza, ethi: ‘Sindiswani kulesisizukulwane esigwegwile.’” (IzEnzo 2:40-42) Yeka imiphumela emihle kakhulu ayithola ngemizamo yakhe! Njengoba abanye babezihlanganisa nabaphostoli emsebenzini wokushumayela wobuKristu, nabo babekhuthele, futhi izindaba ezinhle “zanda ezweni lonke.”—Kolose 1:3-6, 23; 1 Korinte 3:5-9.

15. Kungayiphi indlela ekhethekile okufanele sibe silisebenzisa ngayo iphuzu eliyinhloko lomfanekiso wamathalenta?

¹⁵ Khumbula umongo walo mfanekiso—isiprofetho esiphathelene nokuba khona kukaJesu. Sinesiqinisekiso esanele sokuthi i-pa·rou·siʹa kaJesu iyaqhubeka futhi ngokushesha izofinyelela umvuthwandaba. Khumbula ukuhlobana uJesu akwenza phakathi ‘kokuphela’ nomsebenzi okudingeka amaKristu awenze: “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Mathewu 24:14) Sicabanga ngalokhu, thina sifana nasiphi isigqila? Zibuze: ‘Ingabe sikhona isizathu sokuphetha ngokuthi ngifana nesigqila esafihla esasikuphathisiwe, mhlawumbe sibe sinakekela iminako yaso siqu? Noma ingabe kusobala ukuthi nginjengalezo ezazilungile futhi zikholekile? Ingabe ngizinikele ngokuphelele ekwandiseni izinzuzo zeNkosi ngazo zonke izikhathi?’

Ukuba Oqaphile Nokhuthele Phakathi Nokuba Khona Kwakhe

16. Imuphi umlayezo le mifanekiso emibili esixoxe ngayo ekuphathele wona?

¹⁶ Yebo, ngaphandle kokuthi incazelo engokomfanekiso noma engokwesiprofetho, le mifanekiso emibili isinikeza isikhuthazo esicacile esivela emlonyeni kaJesu uqobo. Nanku umlayezo wakhe: Yiba ngoqaphile; yiba ngokhuthele, ikakhulu lapho isibonakaliso se-pa·rou·siʹa kaKristu sibonakala. Lokho kumanje. Ngakho ingabe ngempela siqaphile futhi sikhuthele?

17, 18. Yini umfundi uJakobe aluleka ngayo ngokuphathelene nokuba khona kukaJesu?

¹⁷ Umfowabo kaJesu ngamzali munye, uJakobe, wayengekho eNtabeni Yeminqumo ukuze azizwele isiprofetho sikaJesu; kodwa kamuva wezwa ngaso, futhi wakuqonda ngokucacile ukubaluleka kwaso. Wabhala: “Ngakho-ke, bafowethu, bonisani ukubekezela kuze kube sekubeni khona kweNkosi. Bhekani! Umlimi uqhubeka elinde isithelo somhlaba esiyigugu, ebonisa ukubekezela ngaso aze athole imvula yokuqala nemvula yokugcina. Nani futhi bonisani ukubekezela; qinisani izinhliziyo zenu, ngoba ukuba khona kweNkosi sekusondele.”—Jakobe 5:7, 8.

¹⁸ Esewaqinisekisile ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyobahlulela kabi labo abayisebenzisa kabi ingcebo yabo, uJakobe wanxusa amaKristu ukuba angaphelelwa yisineke lapho elindele uJehova ukuba athathe isinyathelo. UmKristu ongenasineke angase abe oziphindiselelayo, njengokungathi yena ngokwakhe kumelwe alungise ububi abanjalo abaye babenza. Nokho, akufanele kube njalo, ngoba isikhathi sokwahlulela siyofika nakanjani. Isibonelo somlimi siyakubonisa lokho, njengoba uJakobe achaza.

19. Hlobo luni lwesineke umlimi ongumIsrayeli ayengalubonisa?

¹⁹ Umlimi ongumIsrayeli owayetshala imbewu kwakudingeka alinde, okokuqala ukuba kuvele ikhaba, bese kuba ukuvuthwa kwesitshalo, ekugcineni kube ukuvuna. (Luka 8:5-8; Johane 4:35) Phakathi nalezo zinyanga kwakuba nesikhathi, futhi mhlawumbe nembangela yokukhathazeka okuthile. Ingabe izimvula zokuqala zizofika futhi zibe ezanele? Kuthiwani ngezimvula zakamuva? Kungenzeka yini kambe izilokazane noma isiphepho kuzibulale izitshalo? (Qhathanisa noJoweli 1:4; 2:23-25.) Nokho, ngaphezu kwakho konke umlimi ongumIsrayeli wayengathembela kuJehova nasemijikelezweni engokwemvelo ayimisile. (Duteronomi 11:14; Jeremiya 5:24) Isineke somlimi ngempela singafaniswa nokulindela okwakuqinisekile. Ngokholo wayazi ukuthi lokho ayekulindele kwakuyofika. Ngempela kwakuyofika!

20. Singasibonisa kanjani isineke ngokuvumelana neseluleko sikaJakobe?

²⁰ Nakuba umlimi engase abe nolwazi oluthile lokuthi ukuvuna kuyoba nini, amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayengenakukwazi ukubala ukuthi ukuba khona kukaJesu kwakuyokwenzeka nini. Nokho, kwakuyokwenzeka nakanjani. UJakobe wabhala: “Ukuba khona [ngesiGreki, pa·rou·siʹa] kweNkosi sekusondele.” Ngesikhathi uJakobe ebhala lawo mazwi, isibonakaliso sokuba khona kukaKristu esasizogcwaliseka ngezinga elikhulu, noma sembulunga yonke, sasingakabonakali. Kodwa manje sesiyabonakala! Ngakho kufanele sizizwe kanjani kule nkathi? Empeleni, lesi sibonakaliso siyabonakala. Siyasibona. Singasho ngokuqiniseka sithi, ‘Ngiyasibona lesi sibonakaliso sigcwaliseka.’ Singasho ngokuqiniseka okukhulu ngaphezu kukaJakobe, sithi: “Ukuba khona kweNkosi sekusondele.”

21. Yini esizimisele ukuyenza nakanjani?

²¹ Njengoba kunjalo, sinesizathu esinamandla ngokukhethekile sokuzibheka ngokungathi sína futhi sizisebenzise izifundo ezibalulekile zemifanekiso kaJesu emibili esixoxe ngayo. Wathi: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile, ngoba anilwazi usuku noma ihora.” (Mathewu 25:13) Ngokungangabazeki manje yisikhathi sokuba sishiseke enkonzweni yethu yobuKristu. Masibonise nsuku zonke ekuphileni kwethu ukuthi siyaliqonda iphuzu likaJesu. Masiqaphe! Masikhuthale!

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

◻ Yimuphi umyalezo oyisihluthulelo oye wawuzuza emfanekisweni wezintombi ezihlakaniphile neziyiziwula?

◻ Isiphi iseluleko esiyinhloko uJesu ayekunika sona ngomfanekiso wamathalenta?

◻ Isineke okudingeka ube naso ngokuphathelene ne-pa·rou·siʹa sifana kanjani nesomlimi ongumIsrayeli?

◻ Kungani lesi kuyisikhathi okuvusa amadlingozi futhi okuyinselele ngokukhethekile ukuphila kuso?

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Yiziphi izifundo ozifundayo emfanekisweni wezintombi nowamathalenta?