Bamunye Ngaphansi Kwebhanela Lothando

“Ngaphezu kwakho konke, yibani nothando olujulile ngomunye nomunye.”—1 PETRU 4:8, “NW.”

 1. Hlobo luni lothando esilubona phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla, futhi yini ebimenyezelwa amaKristu agcotshiwe kusukela ngo-1922?

INGABE siyalubona lolohlobo lothando phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla? Ngokuqinisekile siyalubona! Lolu uthando olugxile ekuqapheleni nasekusekeleni ubukhosi bukaJehova, njengoba noDavide abusekela. Ngokuphawulekayo kusukela ngonyaka ka-1922, abafowabo abagcotshiwe bakaJesu Kristu, “iNdodana kaDavide,” bebelokhu bememezela emhlabeni wonke ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu useduze nokuthi abasekeli bokubusa kukaSathane okucindezelayo babhekene nembubhiso ngoMahluleli kaNkulunkulu omisiwe, uJesu Kristu.—Mathewu 21:15, 42-44; IsAmbulo 19:11, 19-21.

 2. Kungani uDavide ayengase abizwe ngokuthi ‘indoda ethandekayo enhliziyweni kaJehova’?

² UDavide ‘wayeyindoda ethandekayo enhliziyweni kaJehova.’ Lokhu kwakusobala othandweni lwakhe ngoJehova nokulunga kwaKhe—izici lezo ngisho neNkosi uSawule eyivaka eyavuma ukuthi zazikuDavide—yebo, ezimfanelweni zakhe zokungesabi, zokuzinikela ngenhliziyo yonke kuJehova, zobuholi, nezokuzithoba ngentobeko ekuhlelekeni okungokwasezulwini.—1 Samuweli 13:14; 16:7, 11-13; 17:33-36; 24:9, 10, 17.

 3. Sasiyini isimo sikaJonathani kuDavide, futhi ngani?

³ Ngemva kokunqoba kwakhe uGoliyati, uDavide wabika kuSawule. Kwakungalesosikhathi lapho kwavela khona omunye umthandi wokulunga. WayenguJonathani, indodana endala yeNkosi uSawule. “Kwathi [uDavide] eseqedile ukukhuluma kuSawule, inhliziyo kaJonathani yanamathela enhliziyweni kaDavide, uJonathani wamthanda njengenhliziyo yakhe.” (1 Samuweli 18:1) Kunokuba kube ubuqhawe obungokwenyama nokuba yingcweti ngendwayimane, kwakuyintshiseko kaDavide evuthayo yokususa isihlamba egameni likaNkulunkulu, ukuzidela kwakhe, nokuncika kwakhe ngokuphelele kuJehova okwanqoba uthando lukaJonathani olusuka enhliziyweni.—Qhathanisa neHubo 8:1, 9; 9:1, 2.

 4. Wenzani uJonathani ebonisa ukuqaphela ukuba kukaDavide ogcotshelwe ukuba yinkosi?

⁴ Nakuba uJonathani ayemdala cishe ngeminyaka engama-30 kunoDavide, waba munye naleliqhawe eliselincane esibophweni sobungane esihlala njalo. “OJonathani noDavide benza isivumelwano, ngokuba wamthanda njengenhliziyo yakhe. UJonathani wakhumula ingubo ayenayo, wayinika uDavide, nezinye izambatho zakhe kwaze kwaba-nenkemba yakhe, nomnsalo wakhe, nebhande lakhe.” (1 Samuweli 18:3, 4) Yeka ukuboniswa okuvelele kokwazisa kukaJonathani! Ngokuvamile uJonathani wayeyoba indlalifa kaSawule. Nokho wabonisa uthando olufudumele, nolunesimiso ngoDavide nokuzithoba kuye njengalowo ogcotshelwe ukuba yinkosi, lowo ikakhulukazi ophokophele ukuphakamisa igama likaJehova nobukhosi.—2 Samuweli 7:18-24; 1 IziKronike 29:10-13.

 5. Yini eyaqashelwa uJonathani mayelana nempi engokwasezulwini?

⁵ UJonathani ngokwakhe naye wayengumlweli wokulunga. Wayegomele ngokuthi “akukho okumthiyayo uJehova ukuba asindise ngabaningi noma ngabayingcosana.” Ngani? Ngoba uJonathani waqaphela ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi kunesidingo sokufuna isiqondiso saphezulu ukuze unqobe empini engokwasezulwini. Lapho uJonathani ngokungazi enza icala uSawule amgwebela ukufa ngalo, wasemukela ngokuzithoba lesosahlulelo. Ngokujabulisayo, abantu bamhlenga.—1 Samuweli 14:6, 9, 10, 24, 27, 43-45.

Ukubonisa Uthando Oluqotho

 6. Uthando lukaJonathani oluqotho lwamsindisa kanjani uDavide?

⁶ USawule waba nomhawu ngodumo lukaDavide njengeqhawe futhi wafuna ukumbulala, kodwa uthando lukaJonathani oluqotho lwamsindisa! Umlando ufundeka kanje: “Kepha uJonathani indodana kaSawule wamenamela kakhulu uDavide. UJonathani wamtshela uDavide, wathi: USawule ubaba ufuna ukukubulala; ngalokho ake uxwaye kusasa, uhlale esitha, ucashe.” Ngalesosikhathi, uJonathani washweleza kuSawule, kangangokuba uDavide wasinda. Kodwa ukuphumelela okwengeziwe kukaDavide ‘ekulweni namaFilisti, ewaceka ngokuceka okukhulu’ kwayivusa kabusha inzondo kaSawule. Waphinde wazimisela ukubulala uDavide, uDavide waze wabaleka.—1 Samuweli 19:1-10.

 7. Lapho uJonathani ehlangana noDavide ongumbaleki, yini abayisho komunye nomunye ekusiqiniseni kabusha isivumelwano?

⁷ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uDavide umbaleki waphinde wahlangana noJonathani, owathi: “Noma kuyini inhliziyo yakho ekushoyo, ngiyakukwenzela khona.” Laba ababili baphinde baqinisa isivumelwano phambi kukaJehova, futhi uDavide wathembisa ukuthi akasoze anqume umusa nothando endlini kaJonathani—isithembiso asigcina ngokwethembeka. “UJonathani waphinda wamfungisa ukumthanda kwakhe, ngokuba wamthanda njengokuba ethanda umphefumulo wakhe.”—1 Samuweli 20:4-17; 2 Samuweli 21:7.

 8. Kungani uJonathani noDavide bahlangana ngasese endle, futhi yini eyenzeka ngalesosikhathi?

⁸ INkosi uSawule yaphikelela ekuzimiseleni kwayo ukubulala uDavide. Phela, uSawule wagema ngisho nendodana yakhe siqu uJonathani ngomkhonto lapho ikhulumela uDavide! Ngakho uJonathani wahlangana noDavide ngasese endle. “UDavide, . . . wawa phansi ngobuso bakhe, wakhothama kathathu; bangana, bakhalelana, waze wakhala kakhulu uDavide. UJonathani wathi kuDavide: Hamba kahle, lokhu sifungile sobabili igama likaJehova ngokuthi: UJehova uyakuba-phakathi kwami nawe naphakathi kwenzalo yami nenzalo yakho kuze kubephakade.” Ngakho bahlukana, futhi uDavide waba umbaleki ehlane laseZifi.—1 Samuweli 20:41, 42.

 9, 10. (a) UJonathani wamkhuthaza kanjani uDavide ngokwengeziwe kulokho cishe okwakuwukuhlangana kokugcina phakathi kwabo bobabili? (b) Lapho uJonathani noSawule bebulewe amaFilisti, isiphi isililo esaqanjwa uDavide, futhi wasiphetha kanjani?

⁹ Ngothando, uJonathani waqhubeka ekhuthaza uDavide. Njengoba umbhalo ogciniwe usho: “Kwasuka uJonathani indodana kaSawule, waya kuDavide eHoreshi, waqinisa isandla sakhe kuNkulunkulu. Wathi kuye: Ungesabi, ngokuba isandla sikaSawule ubaba asiyikukufumana; wena uyakuba-yinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli, mina ngikwelame; noSawule ubaba uyakwazi lokho. Benza isivumelwano bobabili phambi kukaJehova.”—1 Samuweli 23:15-18.

¹⁰ Ngokusobala, lokho kwakuwukuhlangana kokugcina phakathi kukaDavide nomngane wakhe oqotho uJonathani. Kamuva, lapho bobabili uJonathani noSawule bebulewe empini yamaFilisti, uDavide waqamba isililo asibiza ngokuthi, “eyoMnsalo.” Kulesililo wabonisa inhlonipho ngoSawule njengogcotshiweyo kaJehova kodwa waphetha ingoma yakhe ngalamazwi: “UJonathani ubulewe ezindaweni zakho eziphakemeyo. Ngidabukile ngawe-mfowethu Jonathani; wawumnandi kakhulu kimi; lwaluyisimangaliso kimi uthando lwakho, ludlula uthando lwabesifazane. Yeka ukuwa kwamaqhawe, nokuphela kwezikhali zokulwa!” (2 Samuweli 1:18, 21, 25-27) UDavide wabesegcotshwa futhi ngokwesibili, njengenkosi phezu kukaJuda.

Imifuziselo Yanamuhla

11, 12. (a) Hlobo luni lothando olwaboniswa uDavide noJonathani? (b) Yini eyafanekiselwa uthando olujulile phakathi kukaDavide noJonathani?

¹¹ Njengoba “yonke imibhalo iphefumlelwe nguNkulunkulu ilungele ukufundisa,” sifundani kulendaba kaDavide noJonathani? (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Siphawula ukuthi kunothando ‘oluyisimangaliso oludlula uthando lwabesifazane.’ Yiqiniso, “uthando lwabesifazane” lungase lujabulise futhi lwanelise uma imithetho kaJehova ngokuphathelene nomshado ihlonishwa. (Mathewu 19:6, 9; Heberu 13:4) Kodwa uDavide noJonathani baba isibonelo sesici esihle kakhulu sothando, ngokuvumelana nalomyalo: “Yizwa, Israyeli: uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, munye; wothanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo onke amandla akho.”—Duteronomi 6:4, 5.

¹² UDavide noJonathani babemunye ekuboniseni lolothando njengoba babelwela ukuba bahlanze igama likaJehova kuso sonke isihlamba izitha zaKhe ezazilihlambalaza ngaso. Ngokwenza lokhu, bahlakulela futhi ‘uthando olujulile ngomunye nomunye.’ (1 Petru 4:8) Ubungane ababebujabulela ngalendlela badlulela ngisho nangale komyalo okuLevitikusi 19:18: “Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.” Ngempela, lwalufanekisela uhlobo lothando oluboniswe ‘emyalweni omusha’ kaJesu, “wokuba nithandane; njengalokho nginithandile, nani nithandane.” Uthando lukaJesu lwalungolokuzidela hhayi kuphela ekuzithobeni kwakhe okuphelele entandweni kaJehova kodwa futhi nasekuzimiseleni kwakhe ‘ukudela ngisho nokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe.’—Johane 13:34; 15:13.

“Umhlambi” Owodwa Onobunye

13. Yiliphi iqembu labamemezeli boMbuso eliye labonakala ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1935, futhi yibuphi ubunye amaKristu agcotshiwe anabo nalo?

¹³ AmaKristu agcotshiwe ‘omhlambi omncane’ aye athwala kanzima ekumelaneni noGoliyati wanamuhla. Nokho, kusukela ngo-1935, aye ahlangana nabamemezeli boMbuso besinye ‘isibaya’ esikhudlwana. Lezi ‘ezinye izimvu’ ziye zaba munye ‘nezimvu’ ezigcotshiwe ezisele ‘njengomhlambi owodwa’ ngaphansi ‘kukamalusi oyedwa,’ “iNdodana kaDavide,” esibophweni sobunye bothando esizidlula zonke—njengalolo olwaluphakathi kukaJonathani noDavide.—Luka 12:32; Johane 10:16; Hezekeli 37:24.

14. Yini eyafana nemizamo kaSawule yokubulala uDavide, nokuzihlanganisa kukaJonathani ngothando noDavide?

¹⁴ Njengoba leliqembu likaJonathani laliqala ukwanda liba isixuku esikhulu, kwagqashuka iMpi Yezwe II, kangangokuba kokubili abagcotshiwe nabangane babo bavivinywa kanzima. Leyo kwakuyiminyaka yokushushiswa ngonya, ngokuvamile okwakugqugquzelwa abefundisi. Lokhu kwafana nemizamo kaSawule yokubulala uDavide ogcotshiwe, futhi kamuva,uJonathani lapho ezihlanganisa ngothando noDavide. Yeka uthando olujulile isigaba sikaDavide nesikaJonathani ezalubonisa komunye nomunye phakathi naleyonkathi! Umfanekiso kaJesu kuMathewu 25:35-40 ngokuvamile waba nokugcwaliseka okungokoqobo.a

15. (a) Iyiphi inkambo ethathwa oFakazi ephambene naleyo ethathwa isigaba sikaSawule wa-namuhla? (b) Osukwini lwethu ungafaniswa nani ‘umoya omubi ovela kuJehova’ owesabisa iNkosi uSawule?

¹⁵ Yeka ukuthi ukugcina ubuqotho koFakazi BakaJehova kuphambene kanjani nenkambo yesigaba sikaSawule sanamuhla! OFakazi, ‘abangesibo abezwe,’ baye balalela umyalo kaJesu ‘wokuthandana’ ngezinga lomhlaba wonke. (Johane 15:17-19) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ezimpini zezwe ezimbili abefundisi beLobukholwa nhlangothi zombili bathandazela ukunqoba ‘kunkulunkulu’ wabo, kuyilapho izigidi zamabutho zazibulawa ezikholwa nabo bezinye izizwe. ‘Umoya omubi owavela kuJehova’ owesabisa uSawule ungafaniswa ngokufanele nomphumela wokuthulula kwezingelosi izinhlupho zesAmbulo isahluko 8. Kusobala ukuthi abefundisi beLobukholwa abanawo umoya kaJehova ongcwele.—1 Samuweli 16:14; 18:10-12; 19:10; 20:32-34.

16. (a) Abefundisi bazisebenzisa kanjani izimpi zezwe ezimbili ukuze bacindezele abantu bakaJehova? (b) Eminyakeni yamuva, kungani kungase kushiwo ukuthi uSawule wanamuhla uye waphikelela ekuzingeleni abantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Ngo-1918 abefundisi basebenzisa isimo sempi ukuba bagqugquzele imibuso yezombangazwe eUnited States ukuba ithathe isinyathelo ngokumelene nezikhulu eziphethe zeWatch Tower Society futhi ekugcineni izivalele ejele. (LabaFundi BeBhayibheli kamuva bahlangulwa ngokuphelele ecaleni.) Phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili, oFakazi BakaJehova bavinjelwa endaweni yemibuso iJapane, i-Italy, neJalimane futhi nasemazweni amaningi angaphansi kweBrithani, ngokuvamile ngenxa yokucindezela kwenkolo. Ngokwesibonelo, phawula isibonelo esingenhla sencwadi eyalotshwa uMbhishobhi omkhulu waseSydney (kamuva owaba ukhadinali) ngaphambi nje kokuba oFakazi BakaJehova bavinjelwe eAustralia. Lapho kuqulwa udaba lokuvinjelwa kulelozwe eNkantolo Ephakeme yaseAustralia, ijaji elaqula udaba, uMnu. Justice Starke, wakuchaza ‘njengokusekelwe embonweni womuntu, okungavumelani ngamabomu nomthetho nokucindezelayo.’ Ukuvinjelwa kwahoxiswa ngoJune 14, 1943, nohulumeni wakhokhiswa isinxephezelo. Eminyakeni yamuva kakhulu, ukucindezela kwenkolo ohulumeni abaningana eAfrika naseAsia kuye kwaphumela ekucindezelweni ngonya koFakazi BakaJehova. Kanjalo uSawule wanamuhla—abefundisi beLobukholwa—uye waphikelela ekuzingeleni abantu bakaNkulunkulu.

17. (a) OFakazi BakaJehova baye babhekana kanjani nokucindezela okuqhubekayo kwenkolo nezombangazwe? (b) Yini eboniswa ubunye bomhlaba wonke boFakazi?

¹⁷ Phakathi nawo-1980, oFakazi BakaJehova baye babhekana kanjani nokucindezela okuqhubekayo kwenkolo nezombangazwe? Phela, njengoba nje noDavide abhekana noGoliyati, futhi uDavide noJonathani babhekana neNkosi uSawule! Abesabi futhi bazimisele ukugcina ubuqotho mayelana nempikiswano yobukhosi, ngoba bayazi ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyonqoba. (Daniyeli 2:44) Lapho bebhekene nokushushiswa, bama baqine ngobunye, bekhuthazana esibophweni sothando sezizwe zonke izwe elingakaze lisibone ngaphambili. Njengabangathathihlangothi ngesikhathi sempi, abalichithi igazi labakholwa nabo bezinye izizwe. (Mika 4:3, 5) Kanjalo babonisa ukuthi bayiqembu uJesu abhekisela kulo lapho ethi: “Bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.” (Johane 13:35) Njengabazalwane bomhlaba wonke, oFakazi BakaJehova ‘baye bembatha uthando, isibopho esiphelele sobunye,’ isibopho eseqa yonke imingcele yobuhlanga, neyobuzwe.—Kolose 3:14.

Ukubonisa “Uthando Olujulile”

18. (a) Ikuphi okukhona namuhla okufana nothando lukaJonathani ngoDavide, futhi lokhu kufakazelwa kanjani? (b) Yini eye yaba umphumela emhlabeni wonke ekumeni kokungahlehli kwesigaba sikaDavide?

¹⁸ Khumbula ukuthi “inhliziyo kaJonathani yanamathela enhliziyweni kaDavide, uJonathani wamthanda njengenhliziyo yakhe.” Yeka ukufana okuphawulekayo okuye kwaba khona ‘kulezinsuku zokugcina’! (2 Thimothewu 3:1, 14) Phakathi nesiyaluyalu sobuhlanya salenkathi yobudlova, bekuneqembu elilodwa, oFakazi BakaJehova, eliye lalondoloza ubunye bothando emhlabeni wonke. NjengamaKristu angathathihlangothi, baye badumisa uMdali wabo njengeNkosi enguMbusi waso sonke isintu. (IHubo 100:3) Yebo, amaRefa anamuhla—izihlobo ‘zikaGoliyati’ zezombangazwe—zingaqhubeka zeyisa uIsrayeli ongokomoya. (2 Samuweli 21:21, 22) NoSawule wanamuhla—abefundisi beLobukholwa—bangaqhubeka bekhathaza isigaba sikaDavide nesikaJonathani. (1 Samuweli 20:32, 33) Kodwa “ukulwa kungokukaJehova.” NjengeNkosi enguMbusi, uyozuzela izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ukunqoba kwamanqamu. Zibona ukuma kokungahlehli kwesigaba sikaDavide, izigidi—kuwo wonke amazwe—zeqembu likaJonathani, kuhlanganise ngisho nababengabashushisi, ziye zazihlanganisa naso ngaphansi ‘kwebhanela lothando’ likaKristu.b—1 Samuweli 17:47; IsiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 2:4.

19, 20. (a) Ziyini ezinye zezici ezivelele zomsebenzi woFakazi njengoba ziboniswe yishadi elisemakhasini 4-7? (b) Laliyini izinga lokukhula koFakazi phakathi neminyaka eyishumi ka-1979-88? (c) Kungani kungase kuthiwe oFakazi ngempela bangabantu abamunye emhlabeni wonke, futhi ngalokho yimuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?

¹⁹ Ungabukeza umsebenzi owandayo walezigidi zoFakazi ngokubheka ishadi elisemakhasini 4-7 alomagazini. Phakathi neminyaka eyishumi ka-1979-88, inani labashumayeli bezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe liye landa lisuka ku-2 186 075 kuya ku-3 592 654, ukwanda ngamaphesenti angu-64,3. Kuwo wonke umhlaba, laba ngempela bangabantu abamunye ekuhlanganyeleni inkolelo efanayo, inkonzo efanayo kuNkulunkulu, nokuzinikela okukodwa okungaguquguquki ezimisweni zokuziphatha zeBhayibheli. Namuhla lamazwi kaJesu asebenza kulo leliqembu lezizwe zonke elisondelene kakhulu: “Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyakuhlala othandweni lwami, njengalokho mina ngigcinile imiyalo kaBaba ngihlala othandweni lwakhe.”—Johane 15:10; qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 1:10.

²⁰ Nakuba beshumayela ngezilimi ezihlukene ezifinyelela ku-200, laboFakazi BakaJehova bakhuluma “ulimi oluhlanzekileyo” lweqiniso njengoba bekhonza uNkulunkulu “ngokubambisana.” Kulokhu, balingisa isibonelo sothando sikaDavide noJonathani. (Zefaniya 3:9, NW; 1 Samuweli 20:17; IzAga 18:24) Uma ungakabi munye kakade nabantu bakaNkulunkulu, ngeke yini wathanda ukuba yingxenye yesigaba sikaJonathani wanamuhla? Ungakwenza lokhu kube umgomo wakho, noFakazi BakaJehova bayobonisa uthando olujulile ekukusizeni ukuba uwufinyelele.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Imibuzo Yokubukeza

◻ UJonathani walubonisa kanjani uthando oluqotho ngoDavide?

◻ Hlobo luni lothando olwalufanekiselwa uthando olwaluphakathi kukaDavide noJonathani?

◻ Abefundisi beLobukholwa baye benza kanjani njengeNkosi uSawule lapho izingela uDavide?

◻ Yini namuhla eqhathaniseka nothando IukaJonathani ngoDavide?

◻ Ubunye boFakazi emhlabeni wonke bubonisani?

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 27]

St. Mary’s Cathedral

Sydney

August 20, 1940.

The Rt. Hon. W. M. Hughes, M.H.R.,K.C.,

Attorney General,

CANBERRA.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

(UKUHUNYUSHWA KWENCWADI)

Ngiyakubonga ngencwadi yakho yomhla ka-9 kulenyanga mayelana nezikhalazo ezenziwe kuwe uMnu. Jennings, M.P.

Yiqiniso, kuyaqashelwa ukuthi kumelwe usebenzise ukuqikelela okukhulu ngangokunokwenzeka endabeni ebucayi njengaleyo okwenziwe izikhalazo ngayo.

Nokho, uma ukungabaza onakho kubangelwa kuphela iphuzu lokuthi labantu bathi basakaza izimfundiso zobuKristu, ngingasikisela ngenhlonipho enkulu ukuba ungasekeli isahlulelo sakho sokwenza kwabo kanjalo kulokho abakushoyo, kodwa emaqinisweni. Ukuze uthole amaqiniso, ngikuthumelela izincwadi zabo siqu namazwi abo mathupha, nezenzo, okufakazelwe amaPhoyisa aseNew South Wales. Akukho okuphambana nobuKristu okudlula lokhu.

UMphathi wamaPhoyisa aseN.S.W. uye wathi uyethemba ukuthi iziphathimandla zamazwe angaphansi kweBrithani ziyomemezela ngokomthetho ukuthi inhlangano equliswayo iyindikimba engekho emthethweni ukuze amaPhosiya abe sesimweni sokuthatha isinyathelo esiphumelela ngokwengeziwe mayelana nayo.

With every good wish, I remain,

Yours faithfully,

ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY