‘Uma Ucindezelwa Ukuba Uhambe Imayela Elilodwa’

“HEYI wena! Yeka le nto oyenzayo, uze lapha ngokushesha uzongiphathela lo mthwalo.” Ucabanga ukuthi umJuda wangekhulu lokuqala owayematasa wayengenzenjani uma isosha laseRoma lalingasho lokhu kuye? ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu watusa lokhu: “Uma othile osegunyeni ekucindezela ukuba uhambe imayela elilodwa, hamba naye amamayela amabili.” (Mathewu 5:41) Izilaleli zikaJesu zasiqonda kanjani leso seluleko? Futhi kufanele sisho ukuthini kithi namuhla?

Ukuze sithole izimpendulo, kudingeka sibe nolwazi ngenkonzo ephoqelelwe yasendulo. Izakhamuzi zakwa-Israyeli zosuku lukaJesu zaziwazi kahle lowo mkhuba.

Inkonzo Ephoqelelwe

Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi eMpumalanga Eseduze inkonzo ephoqelelwe (noma umsebenzi ongakhokhelwa) yaqala ngekhulu le-18 B.C.E. Izincwadi zabaphathi zase-Alalakh emzini waseSiriya lasendulo zibhekisela emaqenjini ezisebenzi ezingakhokhelwa ayephoqwa uhulumeni ukuba enze inkonzo. E-Ugarit, ogwini lwaseSiriya, abalimi abaqashile kwakumelwe benze imisebenzi efanayo ngaphandle kwalapho inkosi ibakhulula ukuba bangayenzi.

Yebo, njalo abantu ababenqotshiwe babesetshenziswa ngempoqo. Izinduna zomsebenzi zaseGibhithe zaziphoqa ama-Israyeli ukuba enze izitini. Kamuva ama-Israyeli agqilaza izakhamuzi zaseKhanani, iZwe Lesithembiso, futhi uDavide noSolomoni baqhubeka nokwenza le mikhuba.—Eksodusi 1:13, 14; 2 Samuweli 12:31; 1 AmaKhosi 9:20, 21.

Lapho ama-Israyeli ecela ukuba nenkosi, uSamuweli wachaza ukuthi inkosi yayizoba naliphi ilungelo eliyifanele. Yayizothatha izikhonzi zayo izenze zibe abagibeli bezinqola zempi nezinkweli zamahhashi, zilime, zivune, zenze izikhali nokunye. (1 Samuweli 8:4-17) Nokho, lapho kwakhiwa ithempeli likaJehova, abezizwe babenza umsebenzi wobugqila, kodwa “abekho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli uSolomoni abenza izigqila; ngoba babengamaqhawe nezinceku zakhe nezikhulu zakhe namaphini abalawuli bakhe bempi nezinduna zabashayeli bezinqola zakhe nezezinkweli zakhe zamahhashi.”—1 AmaKhosi 9:22.

Mayelana nama-Israyeli ayesebenza ezakhiweni, eyoku-1 AmaKhosi 5:13, 14 ithi: “INkosi uSolomoni yakhuphula bonke labo ababebuthelwe ukwenza umsebenzi ophoqelelwe kulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli; labo ababebuthelwe ukwenza umsebenzi ophoqelelwe baba ngamadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu. Wayebathumela eLebhanoni bededelana ngezinkulungwane eziyishumi ngenyanga. Babehlala inyanga eyodwa eLebhanoni, izinyanga ezimbili babe semakhaya abo.” Esinye isazi sithi: “Akungatshazwa ukuthi amakhosi akwa-Israyeli nawakwaJuda asebenzisa izisebenzi ezingakhokhelwa emisebenzini yawo yokwakha nakweminye imisebenzi yasezindaweni ezibuswa amakhosi.”

Umsebenzi wawunzima ngesikhathi kubusa uSolomoni. Wawugqilaza kangangokuthi lapho uRehobowamu ewasongela ngokuthi wayezoyenza ibe nzima nakakhulu leyo misebenzi, wonke u-Israyeli wavukela futhi wasikhanda ngamatshe isikhulu esasibekwe ukuba siqaphe abantu ababenza inkonzo ephoqelelwe. (1 AmaKhosi 12:12-18) Nokho, umkhuba wokusebenzisa abanye ngempoqo awuzange uqedwe. U-Asa, umzukulu kaRehobowamu, wabiza abantu bakwaJuda ukuba bazokwakha umuzi waseGeba nowaseMispa, futhi “akwababikho owayenokuzilandulela.”—1 AmaKhosi 15:22, iBhayibheli lesiZulu elivamile.

Ukubuswa AmaRoma

INtshumayelo YaseNtabeni ibonisa ukuthi amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala ayazi ukuthi kungenzeka ‘acindezelwe’ ukuba enze inkonzo. Le nkulumo ehunyushwa isuselwa egameni lesiGreki elithi ag·ga·reuʹo, ekuqaleni yayihlobene nomsebenzi wezithunywa zasePheresiya. Zazinegunya lokuphoqa amadoda, amahhashi, imikhumbi nanoma yini edingekayo ukuze kusheshiswe umsebenzi womphakathi.

Ngosuku lukaJesu, ama-Israyeli ayebuswa amaRoma, nawo ayesenesimiso esifanayo. Ngaphezu kwentela evamile, ezifundazweni zaseMpumalanga, abantu babephoqelelwa ukwenza imisebenzi ethile ngazo zonke izikhathi noma ngezikhathi ezithile. Ngokuqinisekile leyo misebenzi yayingathandeki. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakuvamile ukuqhwaga izilwane, abashayeli, noma izinqola ukuze kusetshenziselwe uMbuso. Ngokwesazi-mlando uMichael Rostovtzeff, abaphathi “babezama ukulawula nokumisa [lo mkhuba], kodwa abazange baphumelele, ngoba uma nje lo mkhuba wawusaqhubeka ngokuqinisekile wawuzoba imbangela yobubi. Izinduna zamisa imithetho ilandelana, zizama ngobuqotho ukuqeda ubushiqela nokucindezela kwaleso simiso . . . Kodwa lo mkhuba waqhubeka ucindezela.”

Esinye isazi esingumGreki sathi: “Noma ubani wayengase aphoqwe ukuba aphathe impahla yempi ibanga elithile, futhi noma yimuphi umuntu wayengase aphoqwe ukuba enze noma iyiphi inkonzo efunwa amaRoma.” Lokhu kwenzeka kuSimoni waseKhurene, amabutho amaRoma “amcindezela ukuba enze inkonzo” yokuthwala isigxobo sokuhlushwa sikaJesu.—Mathewu 27:32.

Izincwadi zorabi nazo zibhekisela kulo mkhuba ongathandeki. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye urabi waphoqwa ukuba ahambise izihlahla zombomvana esigodlweni. Izisebenzi zazingase zithathwe kubaqashi bazo futhi zabelwe eminye imisebenzi, kuyilapho abaqashi babeqhubeka bezikhokhela. Izilwane ezithwalayo noma izinkabi zazithathwa ngenkani ziyiswe kwenye indawo. Uma kwenzeka zibuyiswa zazisuke zingasakwazi ukusebenza. Ungabona ukuthi kungani ukuthathwa ngenkani kwezinto kwakufana nokudliwa. Ngakho, isaga sesiJuda siyavuma: “I-angareia iyafana nokufa.” Esinye isazi-mlando sithi: “Umuzi wawungaphela nyá ngokuthi kuthathwe ngenkani izinkabi zokulima zisetshenziselwe i-angareia kunokuba kusetshenziswe izilwane ezidonsayo.”

Ungabona ukuthi kwakungathandeki kanjani lokhu njengoba abantu ababekwenza babezidla futhi bengenabulungisa. Njengoba ayebazonda ababusi beZizwe, amaJuda ayekwenyanya kakhulu ukululazwa ngokugqilazwa kanje. Awukho umthetho manje ositshela ukuthi isakhamuzi sasingase siphoqelelwe ukuba siwuphathe ibanga elingakanani umthwalo. Kungenzeka ukuthi eziningi zazingazimisele ukuhamba ngisho negxathu elilodwa ngaphezu kwebanga elishiwo umthetho.

Nokho, yiwo lo mkhuba uJesu ayebhekisele kuwo lapho ethi: “Uma othile osegunyeni ekucindezela ukuba uhambe imayela elilodwa, hamba naye amamayela amabili.” (Mathewu 5:41) Lapho abanye bekuzwa lokhu, kungenzeka ukuthi bacabanga ukuthi wayengabacabangeli. Kodwa wayesho ukuthini?

Okufanele Kwenziwe AmaKristu

Kalula nje, uJesu wayetshela izilaleli zakhe ukuthi uma osegunyeni ezicindezela ukuba zenze inkonzo ethile engokomthetho, kufanele ziyenze ngenhliziyo yonke futhi zingacasuki. Ngaleyo ndlela, kwakumelwe zibuyisele “okukaKhesari kuKhesari” kodwa futhi zingasikhohlwa isibopho sokubuyisela “okukaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.”—Marku 12:17.a

Ngaphezu kwalokho, umphostoli uPawulu wakhuthaza amaKristu: “Yonke imiphefumulo mayizithobe emagunyeni aphakeme, ngoba akukho gunya elikhona kungengoNkulunkulu; amagunya akhona ami ezikhundleni zawo ezilinganiselwe ebekwe nguNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke lowo ophikisa igunya umelene nohlelo lukaNkulunkulu . . . Uma wenza okubi, yesaba; ngoba aliyiphathele ize inkemba.”—Roma 13:1-4.

Ngakho uJesu noPawulu bavuma ukuthi inkosi noma uhulumeni bangabajezisa labo abaphula imithetho yabo. Ngaluhlobo luni lwesijeziso? Isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki sangekhulu lokuqala nelesibili C.E., u-Epictetus sinikeza impendulo: “Uma kwenziwa isicelo esingalindelekile futhi isosha lithatha ithole lakho lembongolo, liyeke. Ungenqabi, ungakhonondi, funa ushaywe futhi ungaphinde ulinuke.”

Nokho ngezikhathi ezithile, namuhla nasendulo, amaKristu aye aba nomuzwa wokuthi unembeza wawo awuwakhululi ukwenza izinto ezithile ezifunwa uhulumeni. Ngezinye izikhathi umphumela uye waba mubi kakhulu. Amanye amaKristu aye agwetshwa intambo. Amanye aye adonsa iminyaka eminingi ejele ngenxa yokwenqaba ukwenza lokho ayekubheka njengemisebenzi yezombusazwe. (Isaya 2:4; Johane 17:16; 18:36) Kwezinye izenzakalo amaKristu aye aba nomuzwa wokuthi ayavumelana nokwenza lokho acelwa ukuba akwenze. Ngokwesibonelo, amanye amaKristu athi angazenza ngonembeza omuhle izinkonzo zikahulumeni ezizuzisa umphakathi, ezingahileli impi. Leyo misebenzi ingaba ukusiza abagugile noma abakhubazekile, ukuba abacishi bomlilo, ukuhlanza amabhishi, ukusebenza emapaki, emahlathini noma emitatsheni yezincwadi nakwezinye izindawo.

Kusobala ukuthi izimo ziyahluka ezweni ngalinye. Ngakho-ke, ukuze anqume ukuthi uyavumelana yini nalezo zinto ezifunwa uhulumeni noma cha, umKristu ngamunye kumelwe alandele unembeza wakhe oqeqeshwe ngeBhayibheli.

Ukuhamba Imayela Lesibili

Isimiso esafundiswa uJesu, sokuba sizimisele ukufeza konke esicelwa ukuba sikwenze, asisebenzi kuphela kulokho okufunwa uhulumeni kodwa nasekusebenzelaneni kwansuku zonke nabantu. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka umuntu onegunya kuwe akucele ukuba wenze okuthile obungase ungathandi ukukwenza kodwa futhi okungangqubuzani nomthetho kaNkulunkulu. Uyokwenzenjani? Ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi uyakuxhaphaza ngokufuna isikhathi kanye namandla akho, futhi ungase uthukuthele, kukwenze umzonde. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma uvuma ngokububula ungase uphelelwe ukuthula kwangaphakathi. Liyini ikhambi? Yenza njengoba uJesu asho—hamba imayela lesibili. Ungenzi nje kuphela lokho ocelwe ukuba ukwenze kodwa yenza nokwengeziwe. Kwenze ngenhliziyo yonke. Uma unaleso simo sengqondo, ngeke ube nomuzwa wokuthi uyaxhashazwa, kodwa uyohlale unguwe futhi ngeke ulahlekelwe yilutho.

Omunye umlobi uyaphawula: “Kukho konke ukuphila kwabo abantu abaningi benza kuphela lezo zinto abaphoqelelwa ukuba bazenze. Kubo ukuphila kuyinto enzima, futhi bahlale bekhathele. Abanye benza okungaphezulu kwalokho okumelwe bakwenze futhi bazinikela ukuba basize abanye.” Empeleni, ezimweni eziningi umuntu usuke enenkululeko yokukhetha ukuhamba imayela elilodwa kuphela ngempoqo—noma amabili. Esimweni sokuqala, umuntu angathanda ukulwela amalungelo akhe. Kwesesibili, angaba nomvuzo omkhulu. Wena uluhlobo luni lomuntu? Cishe uyojabula kakhudlwana futhi ukhiqize ngokwengeziwe uma ubheka imisebenzi yakho, hhayi njengemisebenzi noma izinto okumelwe uzenze, kodwa njengezinto ofuna ukuzenza.

Kodwa kuthiwani uma ungumuntu onegunya? Kusobala ukuthi akubonisi uthando noma ubuKristu ukusebenzisa igunya ukuze uphoqelele abanye ukuba benze izinto bengathandi. UJesu wathi: “Ababusi bezizwe bazenza izingqongqo phezu kwazo nabantu abakhulu basebenzisa igunya phezu kwazo.” Kodwa leyo akuyona indlela yamaKristu. (Mathewu 20:25, 26) Nakuba ukuba nokhahlo kungaveza imiphumela, yeka ukuthi kuyoba nobuhlobo obuhle kanjani uma labo abacelwa ngomusa nangokufanele belalela ngenhlonipho nangenjabulo! Yebo, ukukulungela ukuhamba amamayela amabili kunokuhamba elilodwa kungathuthukisa ukuphila kwakho.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 25]

UKUSETSHENZISWA KABI KWENKONZO EPHOQELELWE ENDULO

Ukuthi ukucindezelwa kwakuvame ukusetshenziswa njengezaba zokuphoqelela izinkonzo ezithile kubonakala emithethweni eyayikwenqabela lokho kuxhaphaza. Ngo-118 B.C.E., uPtolemy Euergetes II waseGibhithe wamemezela ukuthi izikhulu zakhe “ngeke zisacindezela noma yisiphi isakhamuzi ukuba senze izinkonzo ezithile zomuntu siqu, noma zicele (aggareuein) izinkomo ukuze zisetshenziselwe noma iyiphi injongo yazo.” Wanezela: “Kunoma yiziphi izimo akukho muntu oyocela . . . izikebhe kwabanye ukuze azisebenzisele inzuzo yakhe.” Embhalweni wango-49 C.E., okuyi-Temple of the Great Oasis, eGibhithe, induna yamaRoma uVergilius Capito yavuma ukuthi amasosha ayenza izicelo ezingekho emthethweni futhi wamisa umthetho othi “akukho muntu ovunyelwe ukuthatha noma ukucela . . noma yini, ngaphandle kokuba enencwadi esayinwe yimi.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

USimoni waseKhurene wacindezelwa ukuba athwale isigxobo

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

OFakazi abaningi baye badonsa isikhathi eside ejele ngenxa yokuma kwabo kobuKristu