Qaphelani Abafundisi Bamanga!
“[Bayokuba] khona nabafundisi bamanga naphakathi kwenu.”—2 PETRU 2:1.
1. Yini uJude ayekade ehlose ukubhala ngayo, futhi kungani ashintsha indaba yakhe?
YEKA into eshaqisayo! Abafundisi bamanga ebandleni lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala! (Mathewu 7:15; IzEnzo 20:29, 30) Umfowabo kaJesu ngomzali oyedwa, uJude, wayazi ngalokhu. Wathi wayekade ehlose ukubhalela amakholwa akanye nawo “ngensindiso esiyihlanganyelayo,” kodwa wachaza: “Ngikuthole kudingekile ukuba nginilobele ukuze nginikhuthaze ukuba nilulwele kanzima ukholo.” Kungani uJude ashintsha indaba yakhe? Wathi, ngenxa yokuthi, “sebengene ngokunyenya abantu abathile [emabandleni] . . . abaphendula umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu wethu bawenze izaba zokuziphatha okuxekethile.”—Jude 3, 4.
2. Kungani eyesi-2 Petru isahluko 2 ifana kangaka noJude?
2 Kubonakala sengathi uJude wabhala ngemva nje kokuba uPetru ebhale incwadi yakhe yesibili. Ngokungangabazeki, uJude wayeyazi lencwadi. Ngokuqinisekile, waveza amaphuzu amaningi afanayo encwadini yakhe siqu enamandla yesiyalo. Ngakho-ke, njengoba sihlola eyesi-2 Petru isahluko 2, sizophawula indlela efana ngayo nencwadi kaJude.
Imiphumela Yezimfundiso Zamanga
3. Yini eyenzeka esikhathini esidlule uPetru athi yayiyophinde yenzeke?
3 Ngemva kokuba uPetru enxuse abafowabo ukuba banake isiprofetho, uthi: “Nokho, kwaba khona futhi nabaprofethi bamanga [kwa-Israyeli wasendulo], njengoba beyokuba khona nabafundisi bamanga naphakathi kwenu.” (2 Petru 1:14–2:1) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu ezikhathini zasendulo bathola isiprofetho seqiniso, kodwa futhi kwakudingeka balwe nezimfundiso ezonakele zabaprofethi bamanga. (Jeremiya 6:13, 14; 28:1-3, 15) “Nakubaprofethi baseJerusalema,” kubhala uJeremiya, “ngibonile okwesabekayo: bayaphinga, bahamba ngamanga.”—Jeremiya 23:14.
4. Kungani abafundisi bamanga befanelwe ukubhujiswa?
4 Echaza lokho abafundisi bamanga ababeyokwenza ebandleni lobuKristu, uPetru uthi: “Bona kanye laba bayongenisa ngesinyenyela amahlelo abhubhisayo futhi bayophika ngisho nomnikazi [uJesu Kristu] owabathenga, bezilethela phezu kwabo ukubhujiswa okusheshayo.” (2 Petru 2:1; Jude 4) Umphumela walokho kuqembukelana ngokwamahlelo kwekhulu lokuqala ungeLobukholwa njengoba silazi namuhla. UPetru ubonisa ukuthi kungani abafundisi bamanga befanelwe ngokugcwele ukubhujiswa: “Abaningi bayolandela izenzo zabo zokuziphatha okuxekethile, futhi ngenxa yalaba indlela yeqiniso kuyokhulunywa ngayo ngokuchapha.”—2 Petru 2:2.
5. Yini abafundisi bamanga abayibangela?
5 Cabanga ngalokhu! Ngenxa yethonya labafundisi bamanga, abaningi emabandleni babeyohileleka ekuziphatheni okuxekethile. Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwa ngokuthi “ukuziphatha okuxekethile” lisho ukungazithibi, ukungabi nakuzibamba, ukungahlonipheki, ukubuswa yinkanuko, ukuziphatha okuyihlazo. Ngaphambili uPetru wathi amaKristu ‘ayephunyukile ekonakaleni okusezweni ngenkanuko.’ (2 Petru 1:4) Kodwa amanye ayezobuyela kulokho konakala, futhi ababeyobangela lokho ikakhulu abafundisi bamanga emabandleni! Kanjalo indlela yeqiniso yayiyohlambalazeka. Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo! Ngokuqinisekile, lena indaba okufanele bayinakisise bonke oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. Masingalokothi sikhohlwe ukuthi, ngokuziphatha kwethu, singaletha udumo kuJehova uNkulunkulu nabantu bakhe noma isihlamba.—IzAga 27:11; Roma 2:24.
Ukungenisa Izimfundiso Zamanga
6. Yini eshukumisa abafundisi bamanga, futhi bakufuna kanjani ukuthola abakufunayo?
6 Ngokuhlakanipha, siqaphela indlela abafundisi bamanga abakungenisa ngayo ukucabanga kwabo okonakele. UPetru uqale athi bakwenza ngesinyenyela, noma ngendlela enganakekile, yobuqili. Uyanezela: “Ngokukhanuka bayonixhaphaza ngamazwi enkohliso.” Abafundisi bamanga bashukunyiswa yisifiso sobugovu, njengoba kugcizelelwa ukuhumusha kwe-Jerusalem Bible: “Bayozama ngokulangazela ukunithenga ngezinkulumo ezinxenxayo nibe ngababo.” Ngokufanayo, inguqulo kaJames Moffatt lapha ithi: “Ngenxa yenkanuko yabo bayonixhaphaza ngezimpikiswano zobuqili.” (2 Petru 2:1, 3) Izinkulumo zabafundisi bamanga zingase zizwakale zinengqondo kumuntu ongaqaphile ngokomoya, kodwa amazwi abo aklanywe ngokucophelela ukuba ‘athenge’ abantu, abayengele ekufezeni izinjongo zobugovu zabakhohlisi.
7. Iyiphi ifilosofi eyachuma ekhulwini lokuqala?
7 Ngokungangabazeki, abafundisi bekhulu lokuqala babethonywe ukucabanga kwezwe kwangaleso sikhathi. Cishe ngesikhathi uPetru abhala ngaso, kwakuchuma ifilosofi eyayibizwa ngokuthi ubuGnostic. AmaGnostic ayekholelwa ukuthi yonke into ephathekayo yimbi futhi okuphathelene nomoya yikhona kuphela okuhle. Ngakho, amanye awo ayethi akunandaba ukuthi umuntu wenzani ngomzimba wakhe wenyama. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, athi umuntu ngeke abe nalomzimba. Ngakho-ke aphetha ngokuthi izono zomzimba—kuhlanganise nezingokobulili—azibalulekile. Ngokusobala imibono enjalo yaqala ukuthonya abanye ababethi bangamaKristu.
8, 9. (a) Yikuphi ukucabanga okusontekile okwathinta amanye amaKristu okuqala? (b) NgokukaJude, babenzani abanye emabandleni?
8 Esinye isazi seBhayibheli saphawula ukuthi “eBandleni kwakunalabo ababephendukezela imfundiso yomusa,” noma ‘umusa ongafanelwe.’ (Efesu 1:5-7) Ngokwaso, abanye babethi: “Nithi [umusa ongafanelwe] kaNkulunkulu mkhulu ngokwanele ukuba umboze zonke izono? . . . Khona-ke masiqhubeke sona, ngoba [umusa ongafanelwe] kaNkulunkulu ungasula zonke izono. Eqinisweni uma sona kakhulu, [umusa ongafanelwe] kaNkulunkulu uyothola amathuba engeziwe okusebenza.” Wake wakuzwa ukucabanga okusonteke ngaphezu kwalokhu?
9 Umphostoli uPawulu waphikisa ukucabanga okuyiphutha mayelana nomusa kaNkulunkulu lapho ebuza: “Siqhubeke esonweni, ukuze umusa ongafanelwe uvame?” Wabuza futhi: “Ingabe kufanele senze isono ngoba asikho ngaphansi komthetho kodwa singaphansi komusa ongafanelwe?” Embuzweni ngamunye kulena uPawulu waphendula ngokugcizelela: “Kwangathi kungelokothe kwenzeke lokho!” (Roma 6:1, 2, 15) Ngokusobala, njengoba uJude esho, abathile ‘babephendula umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu wethu bawenze izaba zokuziphatha okuxekethile.’ Nokho, uPetru uphawula ukuthi ‘ukubhujiswa kwabanjalo akozeli.’—Jude 4; 2 Petru 2:3.
Izibonelo Eziyizixwayiso
10, 11. Yiziphi izibonelo ezintathu eziyisixwayiso uPetru azinikezayo?
10 Ukuze agcizelele ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyobathathela isinyathelo abenzi bokubi bangamabomu, uPetru unikeza izibonelo ezintathu eziyizixwayiso ezisemiBhalweni. Kwesokuqala, uyabhala: “UNkulunkulu [akayekanga] ukujezisa izingelosi ezona.” UJude uthi lezi “[azisigcinanga] isikhundla sazo sokuqala kodwa zashiya indawo yazo siqu yokuhlala efanele” ezulwini. Zeza emhlabeni ngaphambi kweSikhukhula futhi zangena emizimbeni yenyama ukuze zibe nobuhlobo bobulili namadodakazi abantu. Njengesijeziso sokuziphatha kwazo okungafanele nokungekhona okwemvelo, zaphonswa “eThartharusi,” noma njengoba ukulandisa kukaJude kusho, “[zagcinwa] ngezibopho ezingunaphakade ngaphansi kwesigayegaye, [zagcinelwa] ukwahlulelwa kosuku olukhulu.”—2 Petru 2:4; Jude 6; Genesise 6:1-3.
11 Ngokulandelayo, uPetru ubhekisela kubantu bosuku lukaNowa. (Genesise 7:17-24) Uthi ngesikhathi sikaNowa uNkulunkulu “[akayekanga] ukujezisa izwe lasendulo . . . lapho eletha uzamcolo phezu kwezwe labantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.” Ekugcineni, uPetru ubhala ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘wabekela abantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu isibonelo sezinto ezizayo ngokwenza imizi yaseSodoma neGomora ibe umlotha.’ UJude unikeza ukwaziswa okwengeziwe kokuthi labo bantu ‘benza ubufebe ngokweqile futhi balandela inyama ngenjongo yokuyisebenzisa ngokungekhona okwemvelo.’ (2 Petru 2:5, 6; Jude 7) Amadoda ayengagcini ngokuba nobuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho nabesifazane kodwa ayekhanukela amanye amadoda, ngokunokwenzeka ngisho nezilwane ezinonya.—Genesise 19:4, 5; Levitikusi 18:22-25.
12. NgokukaPetru, ukuziphatha okulungileyo kuvuzwa kanjani?
12 Nokho, ngesikhathi esifanayo, uPetru uphawula ukuthi uJehova ungumvuzi walabo abamkhonza ngokukholeka. Ngokwesibonelo, ulandisa indlela uNkulunkulu “agcina [ngayo] uNowa, umshumayeli wokulunga, ephephile nabanye abayisikhombisa” lapho eletha uZamcolo. Ulandisa nangokukhulula kukaJehova “uLoti olungileyo” ngesikhathi seSodoma, ephetha ngokuthi: “UJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, kodwa agcinele abantu abangalungile usuku lokwahlulelwa ukuze banqunywe.”—2 Petru 2:5, 7-9.
Izenzo Ezifanelwe Isijeziso
13. Obani ngokukhethekile abagcinelwe ukwahlulelwa, futhi ngokusobala yimaphi amaphupho abazitika ngawo?
13 UPetru ubalula labo abagcinelwe isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu ngokukhethekile, okungukuthi, “labo abaqhubeka belandela inyama benesifiso sokuyingcolisa futhi ababubukela phansi ubukhosi.” Kuba sengathi siyayizwa intukuthelo kaPetru lapho ethi: “Njengoba benamagangangozi, benenkani, ababathuthumeleli abakhazimulayo kodwa bakhuluma ngokuchapha.” UJude ubhala ukuthi “lababantu, bezitika ngamaphupho, bangcolisa inyama . . . futhi bakhuluma ngokuchapha ngabakhazimulayo.” (2 Petru 2:10; Jude 8) Amaphupho abo angase ahlanganise namaphupho angahlanzekile obulili, akhuthaza ukuphishekela kwabo ukuzanelisa ngobulili. Nokho, kungamuphi umqondo ‘bebukela phansi ubukhosi’ futhi ‘bakhulume ngokuchapha ngabakhazimulayo’?
14. Kungamuphi umqondo abafundisi bamanga ‘bebukela phansi ubukhosi’ futhi ‘bekhuluma ngokuchapha ngabakhazimulayo’?
14 Benza kanjalo ngokuthi badelela igunya elimiswe ngokwaphezulu. Abadala abangamaKristu bamelela uJehova uNkulunkulu okhazimulayo neNdodana yakhe, futhi ngenxa yalokho, banenkazimulo ethile abayinikiwe. Yiqiniso, bayawenza amaphutha, njengoba noPetru ngokwakhe awenza, kodwa imiBhalo inxusa amalungu ebandla ukuba azithobe kwabanjalo abakhazimulayo. (Heberu 13:17) Ukushiyeka kwabo akusona isizathu sokukhuluma ngokuchapha ngabo. UPetru uthi izingelosi “azibamangaleli ngenhlamba [abafundisi bamanga],” nakuba bekufanele impela. “Kodwa lababantu,” kuqhubeka uPetru, “njengezilwane ezingenangqondo ngokwemvelo ezizalelwa ukuba zibanjwe futhi zibhujiswe, ezintweni abangenalwazi nabakhuluma ngazo ngokuchapha, bayoze ngisho babhujiswe.”—2 Petru 2:10-13, qhathanisa neBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile.
“Kuyilapho Bedla Amadili . . . Nani”
15. Abafundisi bamanga basebenza ngaziphi izindlela, futhi bayengela kuphi?
15 Nakuba laba bantu abonakele ‘bekubheka njengenjabulo ukuphila ngokunethezeka esikhathini sasemini’ futhi ‘bengamabala nezici,’ bayakhohlisa futhi. Benza “ngesinyenyela,” besebenzisa “amazwi enkohliso,” njengoba uPetru ephawulile ngaphambili. (2 Petru 2:1, 3, 13) Ngakho bangase bangayibekeli inselele ngokuqondile imizamo yabadala yokusekela izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokuziphatha noma bakuphishekele ngokusobala ukuzanelisa ngobulili. Kunalokho, uPetru uthi bazitika “ngenjabulo engabanjiwe ezimfundisweni zabo zokukhohlisa kuyilapho bedla amadili kanye nani.” Futhi uJude uyabhala: “Laba bangamadwala afihleke ngaphansi kwamanzi emadilini enu othando.” (Jude 12) Yebo, njengoba nje amadwala abukhali ngaphansi kwamanzi engadabula isikebhe ngaphansi, abangele ukuba amatilosi angaqaphile aminze, abafundisi bamanga babengcolisa abangaqaphile ababeshaya sengathi bayabathanda phakathi ‘namadili othando.’
16. (a) Ayeyini ‘amadili othando,’ futhi abaziphethe kabi bangase basebenzele kuziphi izimo ezifanayo namuhla? (b) Abafundisi bamanga bakugxilisa kobani ukunaka kwabo, ngakho yini abanjalo okumelwe bayenze?
16 ‘Lamadili othando’ ngokusobala ayeyimibuthano yokuzijabulisa amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayehlangana kuyo ajabulele ukudla nobudlelwane. OFakazi BakaJehova namuhla ngezinye izikhathi nabo bayahlangana ukuze bazijabulise, mhlawumbe emadilini emishado, emapikinikini, noma bajabulele ubudlelwane kusihlwa. Abantu abonakele bangazisebenzisa kanjani izenzakalo ezinjalo ukuze bayenge izisulu? UPetru uyabhala: “Banamehlo agcwele ukuphinga . . . , futhi bahunga imiphefumulo engagxilile.” ‘Izinhliziyo zabo eziqeqeshelwe inkanuko’ bazigxilisa kwabangagxilile ngokomoya abaye bahluleka ukwenza iqiniso elabo ngokugcwele. Ngakho makube yisixwayiso kuwe okwenzeka osukwini lukaPetru, futhi uqaphe! Melana nanoma yikuphi ukuyenga okungahlanzekile, futhi ungakhohliswa ugazi noma ukukhanga ngokomzimba komuntu okuyengela ekuziphatheni okubi!—2 Petru 2:14.
“Indlela KaBalami”
17. Yayiyini “indlela kaBalami,” futhi yawathinta kanjani ama-Israyeli angu-24 000?
17 Laba “abaqalekisiwe” sebenesikhathi esithile belazi iqiniso. Bangase babonakale besakhuthele ebandleni. Kodwa uPetru uthi: “Beshiya indlela eqondileyo, badukile. Baye balandela indlela kaBalami, indodana kaBeyori, owathanda umvuzo wokwenza okubi.” (2 Petru 2:14, 15) Indlela yomprofethi uBalami yayiwukukhuthaza inkambo eholela ekuziphatheni okubi ukuze kuzuze yena siqu. Watshela inkosi yakwaMowabi uBalaki ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyomqalekisa u-Israyeli uma abantu bengahuhelwa ebufebeni. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu abaningi bayengwa ngabesifazane bakwaMowabi, futhi kwabulawa abangu-24 000 ngenxa yokuziphatha kwabo okubi.—Numeri 25:1-9; 31:15, 16; IsAmbulo 2:14.
18. Waphikelela kanjani uBalami, futhi umphumela ubikezelani ngabafundisi bamanga?
18 UPetru uphawula ukuthi uBalami wathiyeka lapho imbongolo yakhe ikhuluma naye, kodwa uBalami “wathanda umvuzo wokwenza okubi” kangangokuthi ngisho nalapho kwenzeka lokho, akazange ayiyeke ‘inkambo yakhe yobuhlanya.’ (2 Petru 2:15, 16) Yeka ububi! Maye kunoma yibaphi abazama ukonakalisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngokubalingela ebufebeni njengoBalami! UBalami wafa ngobubi bakhe, okuyisandulela salokho okuyokwenzeka kubo bonke abalandela indlela yakhe.—Numeri 31:8.
Ukuyenga Kwabo Kobudeveli
19, 20. (a) AbanjengoBalami bafaniswa nani, futhi ngani? (b) Bahunga obani, futhi kanjani? (c) Kungani singase sithi ukuyenga kwabo kungokobudeveli, futhi singazivikela kanjani thina nabanye kubo?
19 Echaza abanjengoBalami, uPetru uyabhala: “Laba bayimithombo engenamanzi, nezinkungu [noma amafu] eziqhutshwa isivunguvungu esinamandla.” Kumhambi wasogwadule owomile, umthombo ongenamanzi ungase usho ukufa. Akumangalisi ukuthi “bagcinelwe ubumnyama bobumnyama” labo abafana nezinto ezinjalo! UPetru uyaqhubeka: “Ngoba bakhuluma izinkulumo zokuzikhukhumeza ezingenambuyiselo, futhi ngezifiso zenyama nangemikhuba exekethile bahunga labo abasanda kuphunyuka kubantu abaziphatha ngokuphambukile.” UPetru uthi bayenga abangenakho okuhlangenwe nakho ‘ngokubathembisa inkululeko,’ kuyilapho ‘bona ngokwabo bephila njengezigqila zokonakala.’—2 Petru 2:17-19; Galathiya 5:13.
20 Ukuyenga kwabafundisi abanjalo abonakele kungokobudeveli. Ngokwesibonelo, bangase bathi: ‘UNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi sibuthakathaka futhi sinezinkanuko. Ngakho uma sizitika futhi sanelisa izifiso zethu zobulili, uNkulunkulu uzoba nesihe. Uma sivuma isono sethu, uyosithethelela njengoba nje enza lapho singena eqinisweni okokuqala.’ Khumbula ukuthi uDeveli wasebenzisa indlela ethi ayifane ku-Eva, emthembisa ukuthi wayengona angajezi. Endabeni ka-Eva, uDeveli wathi ukona kuNkulunkulu kwakuyomnika ukukhanyiselwa nenkululeko. (Genesise 3:4, 5) Uma kungase kwenzeke sihlangane nomuntu owonakele kanjalo ozihlanganisa nebandla, sinesibopho sokuzivikela thina kanye nabanye ngokumbika kwabanomthwalo wemfanelo ebandleni lobuKristu.—Levitikusi 5:1.
Ukuvikelwa Ulwazi Olunembile
21-23. (a) Iyini imiphumela yokuhluleka ukusebenzisa ulwazi olunembile? (b) Iyiphi enye inkinga uPetru axoxa ngayo ezocatshangelwa ngokulandelayo?
21 UPetru uphetha lengxenye yencwadi yakhe ngokuchaza imiphumela yokuhluleka ukusebenzisa ulwazi, ngaphambili athe lubalulekile ukuze sibe “nokuphila nokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 1:2, 3, 8) Uyabhala: “Ngokuqinisekile uma, ngemva kokuphunyuka ekungcoleni kwezwe ngolwazi olunembile ngeNkosi noMsindisi uJesu Kristu, bephinda behileleka kuzo kanye lezizinto futhi benqotshwa, izimo zokugcina sezizimbi kakhulu ngabo kunezokuqala.” (2 Petru 2:20) Yeka ukuthi kudabukisa kanjani! Abanjalo osukwini lukaPetru babelahle ithemba eliyigugu lokuphila kwasezulwini okungenakufa ngenxa yesikhashana esidlulayo sokuzanelisa ngobulili.
22 Ngakho uPetru uthi: “Bekuyoba ngcono ngabo ukuba babengayazanga ngokunembile indlela yokulunga kunokuthi ngemva kokuyazi ngokunembile bafulathele umyalo ongcwele owanikelwa kubo. Kwenzeke kubo izwi lesaga esiyiqiniso esithi: ‘Inja ibuyele ebuhlanzweni bayo siqu, nengulube yensikazi ebigeziwe ibuyele ekuzigingqeni odakeni.’”—2 Petru 2:21, 22; IzAga 26:11.
23 Enye inkinga ngokusobala eyayisiqale ukuthinta amaKristu okuqala iyafana naleyo ethinta amanye namuhla. Emuva ngaleso sikhathi, kusobala ukuthi abanye babekhononda ngalokho okwakubonakala kuwukungafiki kokuba khona kukaKristu okuthenjisiwe. Ake sihlole indlela uPetru ayisingatha ngayo lendaba.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Yiziphi izibonelo ezintathu eziyisixwayiso uPetru abhekisela kuzo?
◻ Abafundisi bamanga ‘babubukela phansi’ kanjani ‘ubukhosi’?
◻ Iyini indlela kaBalami, futhi labo abayilandelayo bangazama kanjani ukuyenga abanye?
◻ Iyini imiphumela yokuhluleka ukusebenzisa ulwazi olunembile?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
UBalami uyisibonelo esiyisixwayiso