Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-62—1 Johane

Umlobi: Umphostoli uJohane

Yalotshelwa: E-Efesu, noma eduze nakhona

Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-98 C.E.

 1. (a) Iyiphi imfanelo ebusayo ezincwadini zikaJohane, nokho yini ebonisa ukuthi wayengeyena umuntu othathwa imizwelo? (b) Kungani izincwadi zakhe ezintathu zazifike ngesikhathi?

UJOHANE, umphostoli othandekayo kaJesu Kristu, wayekuthanda kakhulu ukulunga. Lokhu kwasiza ekumnikezeni ukuwuqonda okukhaliphile umqondo kaJesu. Ngakho-ke akusimangazi ukuthi isihloko sothando sisemqoka ezincwadini zakhe. Nokho, akukhona ukuthi wayethathwa imizwelo, ngoba uJesu wabhekisela kuye njengomunye “[w]amadodana okuduma [oBowanergesi].” (Marku 3:​17) Eqinisweni, kwakuwukulwela iqiniso nokulunga okwamenza waloba izincwadi zakhe ezintathu, ngoba ukuhlubuka okwakubikezelwe umphostoli uPawulu kwase kubonakala. Izincwadi ezintathu zikaJohane zazifike ngesikhathi ngempela, ngoba zaziwusizo ekuqiniseni amaKristu okuqala ekulweni kwawo nokungena “komubi” ngokunyenya.​—⁠2 Thes. 2:​3, 4; 1 Joh. 2:​13, 14; 5:​18, 19.

 2. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi izincwadi zikaJohane zalotshwa kamuva kakhulu kunekaMathewu, ekaMarku, nezincwadi zezithunywa zevangeli? (b) Kubonakala sengathi lezincwadi zalotshwa nini futhi kuphi?

² Ngokwalokho ezikuqukethe, lezincwadi zingezenkathi yamuva kakhulu kunamaVangeli kaMathewu noMarku​—⁠ezamuva futhi, kunezincwadi zezithunywa zevangeli uPetru noPawulu. Izikhathi zase zishintshile. Akukho lutho olubhekisela ebuJudeni, obabuwusongo olukhulu emabandleni ngezinsuku zokusungulwa kwawo; futhi kubonakala kungekho ngisho nengcaphuno eyodwa nje eqondile emiBhalweni yesiHeberu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJohane ukhuluma ‘ngehora lokugcina’ nangokubonakala ‘kwabaphikukristu abaningi.’ (1 Joh. 2:​18) Ubiza abafundi bakhe ngamagama anjengathi “bantwana bami” futhi yena ngokwakhe uzibiza ngokuthi “ilunga.” (1 Joh. 2:​1, 12, 13, 18, 28; 3:​7, 18; 4:⁠4; 5:​21; 2 Joh. 1; 3 Joh. 1) Konke lokhu kusikisela ukuthi izincwadi zakhe ezintathu zingezosuku lwakamuva. Futhi, eyoku-⁠1 Johane 1:​3, 4 kubonakala sengathi ibonisa ukuthi iVangeli likaJohane lalotshwa cishe ngesikhathi esifanayo. Kukholelwa ngokuvamile ukuthi izincwadi ezintathu zikaJohane zaphela cishe ngo-98 C.E., ngokushesha ngaphambi kokufa kwalomphostoli, nokuthi zalotshelwa endaweni yase-Efesu.

 3. (a) Yini efakazela umlobi nobuqiniso bencwadi yokuQala KaJohane? (b) Yikuphi ukwaziswa okwanezelwa kamuva, kodwa yini ebonisa ukuthi kungamanga?

³ Ukuthi incwadi yokuQala kaJohane empeleni yalotshwa uJohane kuboniswa ukufana kwayo kakhulu neVangeli lesine, ngokuqinisekile elalotshwa nguye. Ngokwesibonelo, wethula lencwadi ngokuzichaza yena njengofakazi wokuzibonela owabona “okwezwi lokuphila . . . lokhokuphila okuphakade okwakukhona kuYise, kwabonakaliswa kithina,” amazwi afana ngokuphawulekayo nalawo iVangeli likaJohane eliqala ngawo. Ubuqiniso bayo bufakazelwa uCezu LukaMuratori nabalobi bokuqala abanjengoIrenaeus, uPolycarp, noPapias, bonke abangabekhulu lesibili leminyaka C.E.a NgokukaEusebius (oyewaphila cishe ngo-260-342 C.E.), ubuqiniso bencwadi yokuQala KaJohane abukaze bungatshazwe.b Nokho, kumelwe kuphawulwe ukuthi ezinye izinguqulo ezindala ziye zanezela amazwi alandelayo esahlukweni 5 ekupheleni kwevesi 7 nasekuqaleni kwevesi 8: “Ezulwini, uBaba, uLizwi, noMoya oNgcwele: futhi laba abathathu bamunye. Futhi kunabathathu abafakazayo emhlabeni.” (King James Version) Kodwa lombhalo awutholakali-ndawo kunoma yimiphi yemibhalo yesandla yokuqala yesiGreki futhi ngokusobala uye wenezelwa ukuze kuqiniswe imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu. Izinguqulo eziningi zanamuhla, kokubili ezamaKatolika nezamaProthestani, aziwafaki lamazwi endikimbeni yombhalo eyinhloko.​—⁠1 Joh. 1:​1, 2.c

 4. UJohane ufuna ukuvikela amaKristu akanye nawo kubani, futhi yiziphi izimfundiso ezingamanga azichithayo?

⁴ UJohane uloba ukuze avikele ‘abathandekayo’ bakhe, ‘abantwanyana’ bakhe ezimfundisweni ezimbi ‘zabaphikukristu abaningi’ abaphume kubo nabazama ukubayenga baphume eqinisweni. (2:​7, 18) Labaphikukristu abayizihlubuki kungenzeka ukuthi babethonywe yifilosofi yamaGreki, kuhlanganise nobuGnostic bakudala (imfundiso yokuthi insindiso iza ngokuba nolwazi ngamaqiniso angokomoya), obubalandeli babo babethi banolwazi olukhethekile lohlobo oluyimfihlo oluvela kuNkulunkulu.d Emelana ngokuqinile nokuhlubuka, uJohane udingida kabanzi izihloko ezintathu: isono, uthando, nomphikukristu. Izinkulumo zakhe ngesono, nezisekela umhlatshelo kaJesu wezono, zibonisa ukuthi labaphikukristu babezisholo ukuba abalungile bethi abanasono futhi abawudingi umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu. “Ulwazi” lwabo lokuzikhathalela bona siqu lwalubenze baba nobugovu futhi bangaba-naluthando, isimo uJohane asidalulayo njengoba egcizelela ngokuqhubekayo uthando lweqiniso lobuKristu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokusobala uJohane uphikisa imfundiso yabo yamanga njengoba echaza ukuthi uJesu unguKristu, ukuthi wake waba khona engakabi umuntu wenyama, nokuthi wafika enyameni njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu ukuba enzele abantu abakholwayo ukusindiswa. (1:​7-10; 2:​1, 2; 4:​16-21; 2:​22; 1:​1, 2; 4:​2, 3, 14, 15) UJohane ubiza labafundisi bamanga ngokungagunciyo ngokuthi “abaphikukristu,” futhi unikeza izindlela eziningana okungabonakala ngazo abantwana bakaNkulunkulu nabantwana bakaDeveli.​—⁠2:​18, 22; 4:⁠3.

 5. Yini ebonisa ukuthi incwadi yokuQala KaJohane yayihloselwe lonke ibandla lobuKristu?

⁵ Njengoba lingekho ibandla elithile eyayiqondiswe kulo ngokukhethekile, ngokusobala lencwadi yayihloselwe yonke inhlangano yobuKristu. Ukungabikho kwesibingelelo ekuqaleni nesiphetho ekugcineni nakho kungakubonisa lokhu. Abanye baye baze bachaza lombhalo ngokuthi indaba elotshiwe kunokuba kube incwadi. Ukusetshenziswa kobuningi begama elithi “nina” kuze kufike ekugcineni (njengoba kuboniswa onobumbakazi kuyiNew World Translation) kubonisa ukuthi umlobi wayeqondise amazwi akhe eqenjini kunokuba kube kumuntu othile.

OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YOKUQALA KAJOHANE

 6. Yimuphi umehluko uJohane awenzayo phakathi kwalabo abahamba ekukhanyeni nalabo abasebumnyameni?

⁶ Ukuhamba ekukhanyeni, hhayi ebumnyameni (1:⁠1–2:​29). “Siyanilobela lokhu,” kusho uJohane, “ukuze intokozo [yethu] iphelele.” Njengoba “uNkulunkulu [e]ngukukhanya,” yilabo kuphela ‘abahamba ekukhanyeni’ ‘abanenhlanganyelo naye’ kanye nomunye nomunye. Laba bahlanjululiwe esonweni ‘ngegazi likaJesu iNdodana yakhe.’ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, labo ‘abaqhubeka behamba ebumnyameni’ nabathi, “Asinasono,” bayazikhohlisa, futhi iqiniso alikho kubo. Uma bezivuma izono zabo, uNkulunkulu uyokwethembeka futhi abathethelele.​—⁠1:​4-⁠8.

 7. (a) Umuntu ubonisa kanjani ukuthi uyamazi futhi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu? (b) Ubonakala kanjani umphikukristu?

⁷ UJesu Kristu ubizwa ngokuthi “inhlawulo” ngezono, ‘onguMmeli kuYise.’ Lowo othi uyamazi uNkulunkulu kodwa engagcini imiyalo yaKhe ungumqambimanga. Lowo othanda umzalwane wakhe uhlala ekukhanyeni, kodwa lowo ozonda umzalwane wakhe uhamba ebumnyameni. UJohane ululeka ngokunamandla ukuba kungathandwa izwe nezinto ezisezweni, ngoba, uthi, “Uma umuntu ethanda izwe, uthando lukaYise alukho kuye.” Abaphikukristu abaningi sebekhona, futhi “baphuma kithi,” kuchaza uJohane, ngoba “babengesibo abakithi.” Umphikukristu yilowo ophika ukuthi uJesu unguKristu. Uphika kokubili uYise neNdodana. ‘Abantwana’ mabahlale nalokho abakuzwa kwasekuqaleni ukuze ‘bahlale kuyo iNdodana nakuye uYise,’ ngokokugcotshwa okwamukelwa kuye, okuyiqiniso.​—⁠2:​1, 2, 15, 18, 19, 24.

 8. (a) Yini ehlukanisa abantwana bakaNkulunkulu kwabakaDeveli? (b) ‘Abantwanyana’ baye balwazi kanjani uthando, futhi yikuphi ukuhlola okumelwe bahlale bekwenza ezinhliziyweni zabo?

⁸ Abantwana bakaNkulunkulu abasenzi umkhuba isono (3:​1-24). Ngenxa yothando lukaBaba, babizwa ngokuthi “abantwana bakaNkulunkulu,” futhi ekubonakalisweni kukaNkulunkulu bayoba njengaye futhi ‘bambone njengokuba enjalo.’ Isono singukweqa umthetho, futhi labo abahlala ebunyeni noKristu abasenzi umkhuba isono. Owenza isono ungokaDeveli, omisebenzi yakhe iNdodana kaNkulunkulu iyoyichitha. Kanjalo kubonakala abantwana bakaNkulunkulu nabantwana bakaDeveli: Labo abangabakaNkulunkulu bayathandana, kodwa abangabomubi banjengoKayini, owazonda futhi wabulala umfowabo. UJohane utshela ‘abantwanyana’ ukuthi bazi uthando ngoba “yena wabeka ukuphila kwakhe” ngenxa yabo, futhi ubayala ukuba ‘bangasivali isihawu’ kubazalwane babo. “Ma[ba]ngathandi ngezwi nangolimi, kodwa ngezenzo nangeqiniso.” Ukuze babone ukuthi ‘bangabeqiniso’ yini kumelwe bahlole lokho okusezinhliziyweni zabo futhi babone ukuthi ‘benza okuthandekayo yini ebusweni bukaNkulunkulu.’ Kumelwe bagcine umyalo wakhe wokuba ‘bakholwe egameni leNdodana yakhe uJesu Kristu, bathandane.’ Ngaleyondlela bayokwazi ukuthi bahlala kuye, naye uhlala kubo ngomoya.​—⁠3:​1, 2, 16-19, 22, 23.

 9. (a) Yikuphi ukuhlola okumelwe kwenziwe ngawomoya? (b) Yini egcizelela isibopho sokuthandana?

⁹ Ukuthandana ebunyeni noNkulunkulu (4:​1–5:​21). Omoya kumelwe bahlolwe. Omoya abaphikayo ukuthi uKristu weza enyameni ‘abasibo abakaNkulunkulu’ kodwa bangabomphikukristu. Basuka ezweni futhi basebunyeni nalo, kodwa umoya weqiniso uvela kuNkulunkulu. UJohane uthi: “UNkulunkulu uluthando,” futhi “uthando lukulokhu, kungesikho ukuthi thina samthanda uNkulunkulu, kepha ukuthi yena wasithanda thina, wathuma iNdodana yakhe ibe-yinhlawulo ngezono zethu.” Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi sikhulu kangakanani isibopho sokuba sithandane! Labo abathanda abanye uNkulunkulu uhlala ebunyeni nabo, futhi kanjalo uthando luphelelisiwe ukuze babe “nesibindi,” baxoshe ukwesaba. “Thina,” kusho uJohane, “siyathanda, ngokuba yena wasithanda kuqala.” “Othanda uNkulunkulu makathande nomzalwane wakhe.”​—⁠4:​3, 8, 10, 17, 19, 21.

10. (a) Abantwana bakaNkulunkulu bangalinqoba kanjani izwe, futhi yikuphi ukuqiniseka abanakho? (b) Yisiphi isimo sengqondo okumelwe babe naso ngesono nokukhonza izithombe?

¹⁰ Ukubonisa uthando njengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu kusho ukugcina imiyalo yakhe, futhi lokhu kuphumela ekunqobeni izwe, ngokholo. Ngalabo abakholwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu unikeza ubufakazi bokuthi Yena wabapha “ukuphila okuphakade, nalokhukuphila kuseNdodaneni yakhe.” Kanjalo, bangaqiniseka ukuthi uyobezwa noma becelani ngokwentando yakhe. Konke ukungalungi kuyisono, nokho kukhona isono esingesiso esokufa. Noma ubani ozelwe nguNkulunkulu akasenzi umkhuba isono. Nakuba “izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi . . . , iNdodana kaNkulunkulu isifikile,” futhi inike abafundi bayo “ingqondo” yokwazi uNkulunkulu weqiniso, abasebunyeni naye manje “kuyo iNdodana yakhe uJesu Kristu.” Kumelwe futhi bazilinde ezithombeni!​—⁠5:​11, 19, 20.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO

11. AmaKristu namuhla angalwisana kanjani nabaphikukristu nezinkanuko zezwe?

¹¹ Njengaseminyakeni yokugcina yekhulu lokuqala leminyaka leSikhathi Esivamile, ngokufanayo namuhla ‘kunabaphikukristu abaningi’ amaKristu eqiniso okumelwe axwayiswe ngabo. LamaKristu eqiniso kumelwe abambelele ‘ezwini alizwa kwasekuqaleni, athandane,’ futhi ahlale esebunyeni noNkulunkulu nesifundiso seqiniso, enze ukulunga ngesibindi. (2:​18; 3:​11; 2:​27-29) Sibaluleke kakhulu futhi isixwayiso “[nge]nkanuko yenyama, nenkanuko yamehlo, nokuzigabisa ngalokhukuphila,” lezozinto ezimbi zokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, zezwe eziye zagubuzela amaKristu amaningi okuzisholo. AmaKristu eqiniso ayoligwema izwe nenkanuko yalo, azi ukuthi “owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube-phakade.” Ngempela, kulenkathi yezinkanuko zezwe, amahlelo, nenzondo, yeka ukuthi kunenzuzo kangakanani ukuhlola intando kaNkulunkulu ngemiBhalo ephefumlelwe nokwenza leyontando!​—⁠2:​15-⁠17.

12. Yimuphi umehluko incwadi yokuQala KaJohane ewenzayo ngokwenzuzo yethu, futhi singalinqoba kanjani izwe?

¹² Kungokwenzuzo yethu ukuthi incwadi yokuQala KaJohane iwenza ukhanye umehluko phakathi kokukhanya okuvela kuBaba nobumnyama obubhubhisa iqiniso obuvela komubi, phakathi kwezimfundiso zikaNkulunkulu ezinikeza ukuphila namanga akhohlisayo omphikukristu, phakathi kothando olugcwele kulo lonke ibandla lalabo abasebunyeni noBaba kanye neNdodana nenzondo ebulalayo enjengekaKayini ekulabo “[a]baphuma kithi . . . ukuze babonakaliswe ukuthi bonke abasibo abakithi.” (2:​19; 1:​5-⁠7; 2:​8-11, 22-25; 3:​23, 24, 11, 12) Sinalokhu kuqonda, kumelwe kube yisifiso sethu sentshiseko ‘ukunqoba izwe.’ Singakwenza kanjani lokhu? Ngokuba nokholo oluqinile nangokuba ‘nothando ngoNkulunkulu,’ okusho ukugcina imiyalo yakhe.​—⁠5:​3, 4.

13. (a) Uthando lukaNkulunkulu luqokonyiswa kanjani njengamandla awusizo? (b) Kumelwe lube luhlobo luni uthando lomKristu, kuphumele kubuphi ubunye?

¹³ “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu”​—⁠yeka indlela enhle lamandla ashukumisayo aqokonyiswe ngayo kuyo yonke lencwadi! Esahlukweni 2 sithola kwenziwe umehluko omkhulu phakathi kokuthanda izwe nokuthanda uBaba. Kamuva kulethwa ekunakekeleni kwethu ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (4:​8, 16) Futhi yeka uthando olungokoqobo lolu oluyilo! Lwabonakaliswa ngendlela enhle kakhulu ekuthumeleni kukaBaba “iNdodana ibe-nguMsindisi wezwe.” (4:​14) Lokhu kumelwe kushukumise ezinhliziyweni zethu uthando olunokwazisa, olunesibindi, ngokuvumelana namazwi alowomphostoli: “Thina siyathanda, ngokuba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (4:​19) Uthando lwethu kumelwe lube ngolohlobo olufanayo nalolo lukaBaba nolweNdodana​—⁠uthando olungokoqobo, lokuzidela. Njengoba nje uJesu abeka ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu, kanjalo “nathi sifanele ukubeka ukuphila ngenxa yabazalwane,” yebo sivule isihawu ukuze sithande abazalwane bethu, hhayi ngamazwi kuphela, kodwa “ngezenzo nangeqiniso.” (3:​16-18) Njengoba incwadi kaJohane ibonisa ngokucace kangaka, yiloluthando, luhlanganiswe nolwazi lweqiniso ngoNkulunkulu, oluhlanganisa labo abahamba noNkulunkulu ebunyeni obungenakwehlukaniswa noBaba neNdodana. (2:​5, 6) Yilezindlalifa zoMbuso ezikulesibopho sothando esibusisiwe uJohane athi kuzo: “Sikuye oweqiniso, kuyo iNdodana yakhe uJesu Kristu. Yena unguNkulunkulu oqinisileyo nokuphila okuphakade.”​—⁠5:⁠20.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]