Ingabe Ukuphila Phakade Emhlabeni Kuyithemba Lamakristu?

“[UNkulunkulu] uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, ukufa ngeke kusaba khona.”—ISAM. 21:4.

1, 2. Sazi kanjani ukuthi amaJuda amaningi ekhulu lokuqala ayenethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni?

INSIZWA ethile ecebile nevelele yagijimela kuJesu, yaguqa phambi kwakhe, yabe isimbuza: “Mfundisi Omuhle, yini okumelwe ngiyenze ukuze ngizuze ifa lokuphila okuphakade?” (Marku 10:17) Le nsizwa yayifuna ukwazi ukuthi ingakuzuza kanjani ukuphila okuphakade—kodwa yayikhuluma ngokuphila kuphi? Njengoba sixoxile esihlokweni esandulele, emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili uNkulunkulu wayenikeze amaJuda ithemba lovuko nelokuphila phakade emhlabeni. AmaJuda amaningi ekhulu lokuqala ayesabambelele kulelo themba.

² Kubonakala sengathi uMarta, umngane kaJesu, wayecabanga ngokuvuselwa emhlabeni ngesikhathi ethi ngomfowabo owayefile: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyovuka ovukweni ngosuku lokugcina.” (Joh. 11:24) Yiqiniso, abaSadusi bangaleso sikhathi babengakholelwa ovukweni. (Marku 12:18) Nokho, encwadini yakhe ethi Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian Era, uGeorge Foot Moore uthi: “Izincwadi . . . zekhulu lesibili noma lokuqala ngaphambi kwesikhathi sethu esivamile zifakazela inkolelo yokuthi lapho kufika inkathi elindelwe yoshintsho olukhulu emlandweni wezwe abafileyo bezizukulwane zangaphambili bayovuswa babuye baphile emhlabeni.” Insizwa ecebile eyeza kuJesu yayifuna ukuzuza ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni.

 3. Imiphi imibuzo ezocatshangelwa kulesi sihloko?

³ Namuhla izinkolo eziningi nezazi zeBhayibheli ziyaphika ukuthi uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ngethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Abantu abaningi banethemba lokuthi bayophila endaweni yomoya ngemva kokufa. Ngakho, lapho abafundi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki bethola inkulumo ethi “ukuphila okuphakade,” abaningi bacabanga ukuthi njalo ibhekisela ekuphileni kwasezulwini. Ingabe kunjalo? UJesu wayesho ukuthini lapho ekhuluma ngokuphila okuphakade? Yini abafundi bakhe ababeyikholelwa? Ingabe imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki iyafundisa ngokuphila phakade emhlabeni?

Ukuphila Okuphakade “Ekudalweni Kabusha”

 4. Kuyokwenzekani “ekudalweni kabusha”?

⁴ IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe ayovuselwa ezulwini ukuze abuse umhlaba. (Luka 12:32; IsAm. 5:9, 10; 14:1-3) Nokho, lapho uJesu ekhuluma ngokuphila okuphakade, wayengacabangi njalo ngaleli qembu kuphela. Cabanga ngalokho akusho kubafundi bakhe ngemva kokuba insizwa ecebile imfulathele yahamba ilusizi lapho eyimema ukuba ishiye zonke izinto zayo futhi ibe umlandeli wakhe. (Funda uMathewu 19:28, 29.) UJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi babeyoba phakathi kwalabo ababeyobusa njengamakhosi futhi bahlulele “izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli,” okungukuthi, izwe lesintu elingahlanganisiwe kuleso sigaba esiyobusa. (1 Kor. 6:2) Wakhuluma nangomvuzo oyotholwa yiwo “wonke umuntu” omlandelayo. Abantu abanjalo nabo ‘babeyozuza njengefa ukuphila okuphakade.’ Konke lokhu kuyokwenzeka “ekudalweni kabusha.”

 5. Ungayichaza kanjani inkulumo ethi ‘ukudalwa kabusha’?

⁵ UJesu wayesho ukuthini lapho ethi “ekudalweni kabusha”? Le nkulumo ihunyushwe ngokuthi “ezweni elisha” kwethi The Bible—An American Translation. I-Jerusalem Bible iyihumusha ngokuthi “ngesikhathi konke kwenziwa kube kusha,” futhi i-Holy Bible—New International Version iyihumusha ngokuthi “ukwenziwa kwazo zonke izinto zibe zintsha.” Njengoba uJesu engazange ayichaze le nkulumo lapho eyisebenzisa, kusobala ukuthi wayebhekisele kulokho okwase kungamakhulu eminyaka kuyithemba lamaJuda. Ayenethemba lokuthi izimo zaziyokwenziwa zibe zintsha emhlabeni, zibuyiselwe kulokho ezaziyikho ensimini yase-Edene ngaphambi kokuba u-Adamu no-Eva bone. Ukudalwa kabusha kuyogcwalisa isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu ‘sokudala amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha.’—Isaya 65:17.

 6. Umfanekiso wezimvu nezimbuzi usifundisani ngethemba lokuphila okuphakade?

⁶ UJesu waphinde wakhuluma ngokuphila okuphakade enkulumweni yakhe ephathelene nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto. (Math. 24:1-3) Wathi: “Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika enkazimulweni yayo, nazo zonke izingelosi kanye nayo, khona-ke iyohlala phansi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi esikhazimulayo. Zonke izizwe ziyobuthelwa phambi kwayo, futhi iyohlukanisa abantu omunye komunye, njengoba nje umalusi ehlukanisa izimvu ezimbuzini.” Labo abayothola isahlulelo esibuhlungu “bayomuka baye ekunqunyweni kwaphakade, kodwa abalungileyo baye ekuphileni okuphakade.” “Abalungileyo” abathola ukuphila okuphakade yilabo ababasekela ngobuqotho ‘abafowabo’ bakaKristu abagcotshwe ngomoya. (Math. 25:31-34, 40, 41, 45, 46) Njengoba abagcotshiweyo bekhethelwa ukuyoba ababusi eMbusweni wasezulwini, kumelwe ukuba “abalungileyo” bayizikhonzi zasemhlabeni zalowo Mbuso. IBhayibheli labikezela: “[INkosi kaJehova] iyoba nezikhonzi kusukela olwandle kuze kube solwandle kusukela eMfuleni kuze kube semikhawulweni yomhlaba.” (IHu. 72:8) Lezi zikhonzi ziyojabulela ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni.

IVangeli LikaJohane Libonisani?

7, 8. Imaphi amathemba amabili uJesu akhuluma ngawo kuNikhodemu?

⁷ Njengoba kulotshiwe eVangelini likaMathewu, likaMarku nelikaLuka, uJesu usebenzisa inkulumo ethi “ukuphila okuphakade” kulezi zenzakalo esesikhulume ngazo. IVangeli likaJohane licaphuna amazwi kaJesu aphathelene nokuphila okuphakade izikhathi ezingaba ngu-17. Ake sihlole ezinye zalezi zikhathi sibone lokho uJesu akusho ngethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni.

⁸ NgokukaJohane, uJesu wakhuluma ngokuphila phakade okokuqala kumFarisi ogama lakhe linguNikhodemu. Wathi kuye: “Ngaphandle kokuba umuntu azalwe ngamanzi nangomoya, akakwazi ukungena embusweni kaNkulunkulu.” Labo abangena eMbusweni wamazulu kumelwe ‘bazalwe kabusha.’ (Joh. 3:3-5) Akukhona lokhu kuphela uJesu akusho. Wabe esekhuluma ngethemba elivulekele izwe lonke. (Funda uJohane 3:16.) UJesu wayekhuluma ngethemba lokuphila okuphakade abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe ababezokuthola ezulwini kanti abanye babezokuthola emhlabeni.

 9. Iliphi ithemba uJesu akhuluma ngalo kowesifazane ongumSamariya?

⁹ Ngemva kokukhuluma noNikhodemu eJerusalema, uJesu walibangisa eGalile esenyakatho. Esaya kuleyo ndawo, wahlangana nowesifazane emthonjeni kaJakobe eduze komuzi waseSikhari eSamariya. Wathi kuye: “Noma ubani ophuza la manzi engizomnika wona akasoze oma, kodwa amanzi engizomnika wona, ngaphakathi kuye ayoba umthombo wamanzi ophuphumayo ukuze udlulisele ukuphila okuphakade.” (Joh. 4:5, 6, 14) La manzi amelela amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu okubuyisela sonke isintu ekuphileni okuphakade okuhlanganisa nalabo abayophila emhlabeni. Incwadi yesAmbulo iveza uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe ethi: “Noma ubani owomile ngiyomphuzisa emthonjeni wamanzi okuphila.” (IsAm. 21:5, 6; 22:17) Ngakho, lapho uJesu ekhuluma nowesifazane ongumSamariya ngokuphila okuphakade, wayengakhulumi ngezindlalifa zoMbuso ezigcotshiwe kuphela kodwa nangesintu esikholwayo esinethemba lasemhlabeni.

10. Ngemva kokuphulukisa indoda ethile echibini laseBhethesda, yini uJesu ayitshela abaphikisi bakhe benkolo ngokuphila okuphakade?

¹⁰ Ngonyaka olandelayo, uJesu wayeseJerusalema futhi. Lapho, waphulukisa indoda ethile eyayigula ngasechibini laseBhethesda. Wachazela amaJuda ayegxeka lokho ayekwenzile ukuthi “iNdodana ayikwazi ukwenza nento eyodwa ngokwayo, kodwa yenza kuphela lokho ebona uYise ekwenza.” Ngemva kokuwatshela ukuthi uYise “ukuphathise iNdodana konke ukwahlulela,” uJesu wathi: “Lowo ozwa izwi lami futhi akholwe yilowo ongithumileyo, unokuphila okuphakade.” Wabuye wathi: “Ihora liyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyokhunjulwa futhi bayolizwa izwi [leNdodana yomuntu] baphume, abenze okuhle baphumele ovukweni lokuphila, ababenomkhuba wokwenza okubi ovukweni lokwahlulelwa.” (Joh. 5:1-9, 19, 22, 24-29) UJesu wayetshela amaJuda ayemshushisa ukuthi nguye owayemiswe uNkulunkulu ukuba agcwalise ithemba lamaJuda lokuphila okuphakade nokuthi lokhu wayeyokwenza ngokuvusa abafileyo.

11. Sazi kanjani ukuthi amazwi kaJesu akuJohane 6:48-51 ahlanganisa nethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni?

¹¹ Lapho eseGalile, izinkulungwane zabantu ezazifuna isinkwa uJesu ayesilungiselele ngokuyisimangaliso zaqala ukumlandela. UJesu wakhuluma nazo ngolunye uhlobo lwesinkwa—“isinkwa sokuphila.” (Funda uJohane 6:40, 48-51.) Wathi: “Isinkwa engizosinikela . . . siyinyama yami.” UJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe hhayi ngenxa yalabo ababeyobusa naye eMbusweni wasezulwini kuphela kodwa ‘nangenxa yokuphila kwezwe’ lesintu esinokuhlengwa. “Uma umuntu esidla lesi sinkwa,” okungukuthi, ebonisa ukholo emandleni ahlengayo omhlatshelo kaJesu, uyoba sethubeni lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. Ngempela, amazwi akhe aphathelene ‘nokuphila kuze kube phakade’ ayehlanganisa nethemba okwase kuyisikhathi eside amaJuda enalo lokuphila phakade emhlabeni ngesikhathi sokubusa kukaMesiya.

12. UJesu wayekhuluma ngaliphi ithemba lapho etshela abaphikisi bakhe ukuthi ‘wayeyonika izimvu zakhe ukuphila okuphakade’?

¹² Kamuva, eMkhosini Wokunikezela eJerusalema, uJesu watshela abaphikisi bakhe: “Anikholwa, ngoba anibona abezimvu zami. Izimvu zami ziyalilalela izwi lami, nami ngiyazazi, futhi ziyangilandela. Ngizinika ukuphila okuphakade.” (Joh. 10:26-28) Ingabe uJesu wayekhuluma ngokuphila ezulwini kuphela, noma ingabe wayecabanga nangokuphila okuphakade epharadesi lasemhlabeni? UJesu wayesanda kududuza abalandeli bakhe ngala mazwi: “Ungesabi, mhlambi omncane, ngoba uYihlo ukwamukele ukuba aninike umbuso.” (Luka 12:32) Nokho, phakathi nalo Mkhosi Wokunikezela, uJesu wathi: “Nginezinye izimvu, ezingezona ezalesi sibaya; nazo kumelwe ngizilethe.” (Joh. 10:16) Ngakho, lapho uJesu ekhuluma nalabo baphikisi, amazwi akhe ayehlanganisa kokubili ithemba lokuphila ezulwini ‘kwabomhlambi omncane’ nelokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni kwezigidi ‘zezinye izimvu.’

Ithemba Elalingadinge Kuchazwa

13. Wayesho ukuthini uJesu lapho ethi: “Uyokuba nami ePharadesi”?

¹³ Ngesikhathi esezinhlungwini esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, uJesu waliqinisekisa ngokungenakuphikiswa ithemba lesintu. Umenzi wobubi owayebethelwe eceleni kwakhe wathi: “Jesu, ngikhumbule lapho ungena embusweni wakho.” UJesu wamthembisa: “Ngiqinisile ngiyakutshela namuhla, Uyokuba nami ePharadesi.” (Luka 23:42, 43) Njengoba kusobala ukuthi lo muntu wayengumJuda, wayengadinge kuchazelwa ngePharadesi. Wayazi ngethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni ezweni elizayo.

14. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukukhuluma kukaJesu ngethemba lasezulwini kwaba into enzima ngabaphostoli ukuba bayiqonde? (b) Abalandeli bakaJesu baqala nini ukuliqonda ngokucacile ithemba lasezulwini?

¹⁴ Nokho, ukukhuluma kukaJesu ngethemba lasezulwini kona kwakudinga ukuchazwa. Ngesikhathi etshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi uya ezulwini uyobalungisela indawo, abazange baqonde ukuthi wayesho ukuthini. (Funda uJohane 14:2-5.) Kamuva wathi kubo: “Nginezinto eziningi okusamelwe nginitshele zona, kodwa anikwazi ukuzithwala njengamanje. Nokho, lapho efika lowo, umoya weqiniso, uyonihola kulo lonke iqiniso.” (Joh. 16:12, 13) Kwaze kwaba ngemva kwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., ngesikhathi begcotshwa ngomoya kaNkulunkulu ukuze babe amakhosi esikhathini esizayo, lapho abalandeli bakaJesu bakuqonda khona ukuthi izihlalo zabo zobukhosi zaziyoba sezulwini. (1 Kor. 15:49; Kol. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4) Ithemba lefa lasezulwini laliyinto entsha futhi izincwadi eziphefumulelwe zemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki zagxila kulo. Kodwa ingabe lezi zincwadi ziyaliqinisekisa ithemba lesintu lokuphila phakade emhlabeni?

Zithini Izincwadi Eziphefumulelwe?

15, 16. Incwadi ephefumulelwe eyabhalelwa amaHebheru kanye namazwi kaPetru kubhekisela kanjani ethembeni lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni?

¹⁵ Encwadini yakhe ayibhalela amaHebheru, umphostoli uPawulu wabiza ayekholwa nabo ngokuthi ‘abazalwane abangcwele, abahlanganyeli bokubizwa kwasezulwini.’ Nokho, wabuye wathi uNkulunkulu wayebeke “umhlaba owakhiwe ozayo” ngaphansi kukaJesu. (Heb. 2:3, 5; 3:1) EmiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, igama lesiGreki elisetshenziswe kwelithi, “umhlaba owakhiwe” ngaso sonke isikhathi libhekisela emhlabeni owakhiwe abantu. Ngakho, “umhlaba owakhiwe ozayo” uyisimiso sezinto sesikhathi esizayo emhlabeni esiyobuswa uJesu Kristu. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJesu uyogcwalisa lesi sithembiso sikaNkulunkulu: “Abalungile bayokudla ifa lomhlaba, futhi bayohlala kuwo kuze kube phakade.”—IHu. 37:29.

¹⁶ Umphostoli uPetru naye waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale ngekusasa lesintu. Wabhala: “Amazulu nomhlaba okukhona manje abekelwe umlilo futhi ayagcinwa kuze kube sosukwini lokwahlulelwa nolokubhujiswa kwabantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu.” (2 Pet. 3:7) Yini eyothatha indawo yamazulu angohulumeni nomphakathi wabantu ababi okukhona manje? (Funda eyesi-2 Petru 3:13.) Kuyothathelwa indawo “amazulu amasha”—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu osezandleni zikaMesiya—“nomhlaba omusha”—umphakathi wabantu abalungile abangabakhulekeli beqiniso.

17. Ithemba lesintu lichazwe kanjani kusAmbulo 21:1-4?

¹⁷ Incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli ishukumisa izinhliziyo zethu ngombono okuyo wesintu esenziwe saphelela. (Funda isAmbulo 21:1-4.) Lokhu bekulokhu kuyithemba lesintu esikholwayo kusukela umuntu alahlekelwa ukuphelela ensimini yase-Edene. Abantu abaqotho bayophila ePharadesi emhlabeni phakade, futhi bengasagugi. Leli themba lisekelwe ngokuqinile kokubili emiBhalweni YesiHebheru nakweyamaKristu YesiGreki, futhi liyaqhubeka liqinisa izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile kuze kube namuhla.—IsAm. 22:1, 2.

Ungachaza?

• UJesu wayesho ukuthini ngenkulumo ethi “ekudalweni kabusha”?

• UJesu wakhuluma ngani noNikhodemu?

• UJesu wamthembisani umenzi wobubi owabethelwa eduze kwakhe?

• Ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni liqinisekiswa kanjani yincwadi yamaHebheru namazwi kaPetru?

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Abantu abanjengezimvu bayothola ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

UJesu wakhuluma nabanye ngokuphila okuphakade