Lokho Esingakufunda Esibonelweni SikaMariya

Ingabe wake wazizwa ukhungathekile ngenxa yokubhekana nenselele noma umthwalo omkhulu owawungawulindele? Ingabe uzizwa ukhathele ngenxa yobunzima bansuku zonke bokuzama ukuziphilisa? Mhlawumbe uphakathi kwabantu abayizigidi abadidekile futhi abanokwesaba ngenxa yokuthi kuye kwadingeka bashiye amakhaya abo babe ababaleki. Ubani phakathi kwethu ongakaze ezwe ubuhlungu obujulile lapho efelwa othandekayo?

INGABE bewazi ukuthi uMariya, unina kaJesu, wabhekana nazo zonke lezi zinselele? Okuhle nakakhulu, ukuthi wabhekana nazo ngokuphumelelayo! Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sakhe?

Ngokuqinisekile uMariya waziwa emhlabeni wonke. Akumangalisi, ngoba waba nendima ebalulekile ekufezekeni kwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMariya uhlonishwa yizigidi zabantu namuhla. ISonto LamaKatolika limhlonipha njengoMama othandekayo futhi oyisibonelo sokholo, ithemba nomoya wokupha. Iningi liye lafundiswa ukuthi uMariya uholela abantu kuNkulunkulu.

Wena umbheka kanjani unina kaJesu? Okubaluleke nakakhulu, uNkulunkulu umbheka kanjani?

Isabelo Esiyingqayizivele

UMariya, indodakazi kaHeli, wayengowesizwe sakwaJuda. Lapho kukhulunywa ngaye okokuqala eBhayibhelini usuke ehlotshaniswa nesenzakalo esingavamile. Wavakashelwa yingelosi eyathi kuye: “Sawubona, wena oboniswe umusa omkhulu, uJehova unawe.” Ekuqaleni uMariya wakhungatheka futhi ‘waqala ukubuza ukuthi hlobo luni lokubingelela lolu.’ Ngakho ingelosi yamtshela ukuthi wayekhethelwe ukuba afeze isabelo esimangalisayo kodwa esingathi sina sokuba akhulelwe, azale, futhi akhulise indodana kaNkulunkulu.—Luka 1:26-33.

Yeka umthwalo wemfanelo owawubekwe emahlombe alona wesifazane ongashadile! Wasabela kanjani? UMariya wayengase azibuze ukuthi ubani owayezoyikholwa indaba yakhe. Ingabe ukukhulelwa ngale ndlela kwakungamenza alahlekelwe uthando lukaJosefa, ayethembisene naye, noma ingabe lokhu kwakuzomhlaza emphakathini? (Duteronomi 22:20-24) Akazange abe manqikanqika ukwamukela lesi sabelo esibalulekile.

Ukholo oluqinile lukaMariya lwamenza wakwazi ukuthobela intando kaNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. Wayeqiniseka ukuthi uzomnakekela. Ngakho wababaza: “Bheka! Incekukazi kaJehova! Kwangathi kungenzeka kimi njengokwesimemezelo sakho.” UMariya wayezimisela ukubhekana nezinselele ezaziza ngenxa yokuthi wayelazisa ilungelo elingokomoya ayelinikiwe.—Luka 1:38.

Lapho uMariya etshela uJosefa ukuthi ukhulelwe, uJosefa wafuna ukumlahla. Kungenzeka lesi kwaba yisikhathi sokucindezeleka okukhulu kubo bobabili. IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi lesi sikhathi esinzima saba side kangakanani. Kodwa, bobabili uMariya noJosefa kungenzeka bakhululeka kakhulu lapho ingelosi kaJehova ifika kuJosefa. Leso sithunywa somoya sachaza ukukhulelwa kukaMariya okumangalisayo futhi sayala uJosefa ukuba amthathe abe umkakhe.—Mathewu 1:19-24.

Izikhathi Ezinzima

Namuhla, abesifazane abaningi abakhulelwe bachitha izinyanga belungiselela ukuzalwa komntwana, futhi kungenzeka noMariya wenza okufanayo. Lona kwakuzoba umntwana wakhe wokuqala. Kodwa, izenzakalo ezingalindelekile zaphazamisa izinhlelo zakhe. UKhesari Awugustu wakhipha isimemezelo sokuba kubalwe abantu, kwadingeka ukuba bonke abantu baye emadolobheni abazalelwa kuwo. Ngakho uJosefa wathatha uMariya, owayesenezinyanga ezingu-9 ekhulelwe, wahamba naye amakhilomitha angu-150, ngokunokwenzeka behamba ngembongolo! Kwakugcwele eBetlehema futhi uMariya wayedinga indawo engasese ukuze abelethe, kodwa okuwukuphela kwendawo eyayikhona yisitebele. Kungenzeka kwakunzima kuMariya ukubelethela esitebeleni. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayenamahloni futhi esaba.

Ngalezi zikhathi ezibucayi ekuphileni kwakhe, ngokuqinisekile uMariya wathululela uJehova isifuba sakhe, ethemba ukuthi uzobanakekela yena nendodana yakhe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwafika abelusi, bemagange ukubona umntwana. Babika ukuthi izingelosi zazithe umntwana ‘unguMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi.’ Siyafunda: “UMariya wawalondoloza wonke la mazwi, efinyelela iziphetho enhliziyweni yakhe.” Wazindla ngala mazwi futhi wathola amandla kuwo.—Luka 2:11, 16-19.

Kuthiwani ngathi? Cishe sizobuzwa ubuhlungu ekuphileni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi “isikhathi nesenzakalo esingalindelekile” singehlela noma ubani kithi, kubangele ubunzima nezinselele. (UmShumayeli 9:11) Uma lokho kwenzeka, ingabe siba nenhliziyo ebuhlungu, sisole uNkulunkulu? Akungcono yini ukulingisa isimo sengqondo sikaMariya sisondele kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngokufunda iZwi lakhe iBhayibheli, futhi sizindle ngalokho esikufundayo? Nakanjani ukwenza kanjalo kuyosisiza sibhekane nezinselele.

Uyahlupheka Futhi Ungumbaleki

UMariya wabhekana nobunye ubunzima—kuhlanganise ubumpofu nokubaleka ezweni lakubo. Ingabe uke wabhekana nale nselele? Ngokombiko othile, “ingxenye yabantu emhlabeni—cishe abantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu—iphila ngemali engaphansi kwama-dollar amabili ngosuku,” futhi izigidi ezengeziwe zidonsa kanzima ukuze ziphile nakuba ziphila emazweni okuthiwa acebile. Kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe umshikashika wosuku nosuku wokutholela umndeni wakho ukudla, okokugqoka nophahla kukuqeda amandla ngezinye izikhathi?

IBhayibheli liveza ukuthi uJosefa noMariya babempofu. Sazi kanjani? Phakathi kwamaqiniso ambalwa amaVangeli—uMathewu, uMarku, uLuka noJohane—awembulayo ngalo mbhangqwana ukuthi ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-40 uMariya ebelethile, yena noJosefa baya ethempelini ukuze bayokwenza umnikelo owawudingeka—“amahobhe amabili noma amaphuphu amabili amajuba.”a (Luka 2:22-24) Lo mnikelo wawenziwa kuphela yilabo ababempofu kakhulu ukuba banikele ngezinyane lemvu. Ngaleyo ndlela, kungenzeka ukuthi ukuphila kosuku nosuku kwakuyinselele kuJosefa noMariya. Noma kunjalo, baphumelela ekwakheni umkhaya onothando. Akungabazeki ukuthi izinto ezingokomoya zaziza kuqala.—Duteronomi 6:6, 7.

Ngemva nje kokuzalwa kukaJesu, ukuphila kukaMariya kwaphinde kwashintsha. Ingelosi yatshela uJosefa ukuba athathe umkhaya wakhe abalekele eGibhithe. (Mathewu 2:13-15) Kwase kungokwesibili uMariya eshiya indawo ayijwayele, kodwa kulokhu kwadingeka ukuba aye kwelinye izwe. Kwakunomphakathi omkhulu wamaJuda eGibhithe, ngakho uMariya noJosefa kungenzeka bakwazi ukuphila phakathi kwabantu bakubo. Noma kunjalo, ukuhlala kwelinye izwe kungaba inselele futhi kudide. Ingabe wena nomkhaya wakho niphakathi kwezigidi eziye zashiya amazwe akubo, mhlawumbe ngenxa yenhlalakahle yabantwana noma ukuze zibalekele ingozi? Uma kunjalo, ubuqonda kahle obunye ubunzima okungenzeka uMariya wabhekana nabo eGibhithe.

Inkosikazi Nomama Ozinikele

Ngaphandle kokulandisa okuphathelene nokuzalwa kukaJesu nangesikhathi esemncane, akukuningi okushiwo ngoMariya emaVangelini. Kodwa siyazi ukuthi uMariya noJosefa babenezinye izingane okungenani eziyisithupha. Kungase kukumangaze lokhu. Kodwa, cabanga ngalokho amaVangeli akushoyo.

UJosefa wayelihlonipha ngokujulile ilungelo likaMariya lokuzala iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, wakugwema ukulala naye ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu. UMathewu 1:25 uthi uJosefa “akazange alale naye waze wabeletha indodana.” Kuleli vesi igama elithi “waze” libonisa ukuthi ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu, uJosefa noMariya baya ocansini ngendlela evamile yendoda nomfazi. Ngenxa yalokho, ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kuthi uMariya wazala abantwana noJosefa, kokubili amadodana namadodakazi. UJakobe, uJosefa, uSimoni noJuda kwakungabafowabo bakaJesu ngamzali munye. Wayenamadodakazi okungenani amabili. (Mathewu 13:55, 56) Kodwa, laba bantwana wabakhulelwa ngendlela evamile.b

UMariya wayengumuntu oziphaphamele izinto ezingokomoya. Nakuba uMthetho wawungasho ukuthi abesifazane kufanele baye emkhosini wePhasika, uMariya wayevame ukuphelezela uJosefa ohambweni lwaminyaka yonke oluya emkhosini eJerusalema. (Luka 2:41) Lokho kwakungahilela uhambo lokuya nokubuya olungamakhilomitha angu-300 unyaka ngamunye—behamba nomkhaya wabo owawukhula! Kodwa akungabazeki ukuthi lolu hambo lwaluba yizikhathi zomkhaya ezijabulisayo.

Abesifazane abaningi namuhla bayasilingisa isibonelo sikaMariya esihle. Basebenza kanzima futhi bafeza indima yabo engokomBhalo ngokuzidela. Yeka ukuthi la makhosikazi avame ukubonisa isineke, ukubekezela, nokuthobeka okukhulu kangakanani! Ukucabanga ngesimo sengqondo sikaMariya kuwasiza ukuba abeke izinto ezingokomoya ngaphambi kwezifiso zawo zokunethezeka nenjabulo. Ayazi, njengoba kungangabazeki ukuthi noMariya wayazi, ukuthi ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ndawonye nabayeni nezingane zawo kuqinisa futhi kwenze umkhaya ube nobunye.

Ngesinye isikhathi lapho uMariya noJosefa bebuya emkhosini eJerusalema—mhlawumbe sebehamba nezinye izingane ezimbadlwana—babona ukuthi uJesu oneminyaka engu-12 akekho. Ake ucabange ukucindezeleka uMariya akuzwa phakathi nezinsuku ezintathu bemfuna phansi phezulu! Lapho yena noJosefa bemthola ethempelini, uJesu wathi: “Beningazi yini ukuthi kumelwe ngibe sendlini kaBaba?” Naphala futhi, ukulandisa kuthi uMariya “wawagcina ngokucophelela wonke la mazwi enhliziyweni yakhe.” Nalo olunye uphawu lokujula kwengokomoya likaMariya. Wazindla ngokucophelela ngazo zonke izinto ezenzeka ngokuphathelene noJesu. Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, kungenzeka walandisa abalobi bamaVangeli lokho ayekukhumbula ngokucacile ngokuphathelene nalokhu nezinye izenzakalo zikaJesu esemncane.—Luka 2:41-52.

Ukukhuthazela Lapho Ebhekene Nokuhlupheka Nokulahlekelwa

Kwenzekani ngoJosefa, usingayise kaJesu? Ngemva kokuba kukhulunywe kafushane ngaye encazelweni yalesi senzakalo sasebusheni bukaJesu, uJosefa uyanyamalala emlandweni wamaVangeli. Abanye bathi ukunyamalala kwakhe kuwuphawu lokuthi uJosefa wafa esikhathini esithile ngaphambi kokuba uJesu aqale inkonzo yakhe.c Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, kubonakala sengathi uMariya wayengumfelokazi ekupheleni kwenkonzo kaJesu. Ngesikhathi efa, uJesu wacela umphostoli uJohane ukuba anakekele unina. (Johane 19:26, 27) UJesu wayengeke enze kanjalo ukube uJosefa wayesaphila.

UMariya noJosefa babebhekane nezinto eziningi! Bavakashelwa yizingelosi, babalekela umashiqela, bathutha izikhathi ezimbalwa, futhi bakhulisa umkhaya omkhulu. Bungaki ubusuku okungenzeka bahlala ndawonye bexoxa ngoJesu, bezibuza ukuthi wayezobhekana kanjani nekusasa, bekhathazekile ngokuthi babemqeqesha futhi bemlungiselela ngendlela efanele yini? Kungazelelwe uMariya wazithola eseyedwa.

Ingabe usuke washonelwa umuntu owawushade naye? Ingabe usabuzwa ubuhlungu nokulahlekelwa okubangelwa ukushonelwa okunjalo, ngisho nangemva kweminyaka eminingi? Akungabazeki ukuthi uMariya wathola induduzo okholweni lwakhe nasolwazini lokuthi kuyoba novuko.d (Johane 5:28, 29) Kodwa, imicabango enjalo eduduzayo ayiziqedanga izinkinga zikaMariya. Njengomama abaningi abangabodwa, wabhekana nenselele yokunakekela izingane zakhe ngaphandle kosizo lomyeni.

Kunengqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi uJesu waba umondli womkhaya ngemva kokushona kukaJosefa. Njengoba abafowabo babekhula, babezokwazi ukuthwala eminye imithwalo yokunakekela umkhaya. Lapho uJesu ‘eseneminyaka engaba amashumi amathathu,’ walishiya ikhaya waqala inkonzo yakhe. (Luka 3:23) Abazali abaningi baba nemizwelo engafani lapho indodana noma indodakazi endala ishiya ikhaya. Kuhileleke isikhathi esiningi, umzamo nemizwelo ekukhuliseni ingane kangangokuthi abazali basala nesikhala esikhulu ezinhliziyweni lapho ihamba. Ingabe ikhona indodana noma indodakazi yakho ehambile ekhaya ukuze iyophishekela imigomo yayo? Ingabe uyaziqhenya ngayo, kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, ufisa sengathi ngabe iseduze? Khona-ke ungase ubone ukuthi uMariya wazizwa kanjani lapho uJesu ehamba ekhaya.

Uvivinyo Olungalindelekile

Olunye uvivinyo lukaMariya wayengalulindele nhlobo. Njengoba uJesu ayeshumayela, walandelwa abantu abaningi—kodwa hhayi abafowabo. ImiBhalo ithi: “Eqinisweni, abafowabo babengenalo ukholo kuye.” (Johane 7:5) Akungabazeki ukuthi uMariya wabatshela lokho ayekutshelwe yingelosi—ukuthi uJesu ‘uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’ (Luka 1:35) Noma kunjalo, kuJakobe, uJosefa, uSimoni noJuda, uJesu wayengumfowabo omdala nje. Ngakho uMariya wazithola esemkhayeni onemibono engafani ngokwenkolo.

Ingabe uMariya wadikibala walahla ithemba ngalesi simo? Lutho neze! Ngesinye isikhathi lapho uJesu eshumayela eGalile, wangena endlini ukuba adle, futhi kwabuthana isixuku sizomlalela. Ubani esimthola engaphandle emfuna? UMariya nabafowabo bakaJesu. Ngakho lapho uJesu esendaweni eseduze nomkhaya wakubo, uMariya wayemlandela futhi kuyacaca ukuthi wayehamba nezinye izingane zakhe, mhlawumbe enethemba lokuthi zizoshintsha isimo sazo sengqondo ngoJesu.—Mathewu 12:46, 47.

Ngokufanayo nawe ungase ubhekane nenselele yokulwela ukulandela uJesu kuyilapho amanye amalungu omkhaya engafuni ukwenza kanjalo. Ungadumali, futhi ulahle ithemba! Abaningi njengoMariya baye bakhuthaza amalungu emikhaya yabo ngesineke iminyaka eminingi ngaphambi kokuba babone ushintsho lwangempela. Ukubekezela okunjalo kuyigugu kuNkulunkulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu bayasabela noma cha.—1 Petru 3:1, 2.

Uvivinyo Olukhulu

Uvivinyo lokugcina lukaMariya olulotshwe emiBhalweni, akungabazeki ukuthi lwamzwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu. Wabona indodana yakhe ayithandayo ifa kabuhlungu ngemva kokulahlwa abantu bakubo. Ukufa komntwana kuchazwa ngokuthi “ukulahlekelwa okukhulu,” “ukufa okubuhlungu kakhulu,” kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ingane isencane noma isikhulile. Njengoba nje kwakubikezelwe emashumini eminyaka ngaphambili, uMariya wezwa sengathi inkemba idabula emphefumulweni wakhe!—Luka 2:34, 35.

Ingabe uMariya waluvumela lolu vivinyo lokugcina ukuba lumlimaze ngokomzwelo noma lwenze buthakathaka ukholo lwakhe? Lutho. Ngesikhathi esilandelayo ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli, simthola enabafundi bakaJesu, ‘bephikelela emthandazweni.’ Wayengeyedwa. Wayenamanye amadodana akhe, ngalesi sikhathi ayeseqalile ukubonisa ukholo kumfowabo omdala. Yeka ukuthi kufanele ukuba kwamduduza kanjani lokho!e—IzEnzo 1:14.

UMariya wayenokuphila okumatasa futhi okwanelisayo njengowesifazane, inkosikazi nomama othembekile. Waba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okwanelisayo ngokomoya. Wanqoba uvivinyo nezinselele eziningi. Lapho sibhekana nezinselele ezingalindelekile noma sikhathazeke ngezinkinga zomkhaya, ngokuqinisekile singafunda esibonelweni sakhe sokukhuthazela ngokwethembeka.—Hebheru 10:36.

Kodwa, yini engashiwo ngoMariya njengesithixo esikhethekile? Ingabe umlando weBhayibheli ngendima ekhethekile kaMariya uyakuthethelela ukukhulekelwa kwakhe?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Ingabe UJesu Wayenabo Abafowabo Nodadewabo?

Yebo, wayenabo. Ezinye izazi zemfundiso yenkolo zizamile ukuliphika leli qiniso, nakuba amaVangeli eliveza ngokucacile izikhathi eziningana. (Mathewu 12:46, 47; 13:54-56; Marku 6:3) Kodwa, izazi zeBhayibheli ziye zaphawula izinto ezimbili ngemibono yokuthi uMariya akazange abazale abanye abantwana. Okokuqala, kukhona isizathu esihambisana nale mibono—ukusekela imfundiso yesonto eyavela kamuva, yokuthi uMariya wahlala eyincasakazi konke ukuphila kwakhe. Okwesibili, le mibono ngokwayo ayinabufakazi lapho ihlolisiswa.

Ngokwesibonelo, omunye wale mibono uthi “abafowabo” bakaJesu okukhulunywa ngabo babengabafowabo ngamzali munye—amadodana kaJosefa azalwa emshadweni wakhe wokuqala. Lo mbono awunabo ubufakazi, ngoba empeleni uphika ilungelo likaJesu elingokomthetho njengezibulo elalizoba indlalifa yombuso kaDavide.—2 Samuweli 7:12, 13.

Omunye umbono uwukuthi laba bafowabo bakaJesu empeleni babengabazala bakhe, nakuba imiBhalo YesiGreki isebenzisa amagama angafani athi “umfowabo,” “umzala” nelithi “isihlobo.” Ngakho, isazi uFrank E. Gaebelein sithi le mibono engokwenkolo ingamanga. Siyaphetha: “Indlela engokwemvelo yokuqonda elithi ‘abafowabo’ . . . iwukuthi leli gama libhekisela emadodaneni kaMariya noJosefa angabafowabo bakaJesu ngonina.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Waba Nesibindi Sokushintsha

UMariya wazalelwa emkhayeni wamaJuda, futhi walandela inkolo yobuJuda. Wayeya esinagogeni lendawo, njengoba ibizwa kanjalo indawo yokukhulekela yamaJuda, futhi wayeya nasethempelini eJerusalema. Kodwa njengoba ulwazi lukaMariya ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu lwalukhula, waqala ukubona ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengasawamukeli amasiko oyisemkhulu. Abaholi benkolo abangamaJuda babulala iNdodana yakhe, uMesiya. Ngaphambi kokuba lokho kwenzeke, uJesu wathi kubo: “Bhekani! Indlu yenu ishiywa nani.” (Mathewu 23:38) UNkulunkulu wasihoxisa isibusiso sakhe esimisweni esingokwenkolo uMariya ayekhulele ngaphansi kwaso.—Galathiya 2:15, 16.

Lapho kumiswa ibandla lobuKristu, kungenzeka uMariya wayeneminyaka engaba ngu-50 ubudala. Wayezokwenzenjani? Ingabe wazitshela ukuthi wayezalelwe esimisweni esingokwenkolo sobuJuda futhi ufuna ukuhlala eqotho emasikweni oyisemkhulu? Ingabe wathi wayesemdala kakhulu ukuba angashintsha? Lutho neze! UMariya wayeqonda ukuthi manje uNkulunkulu wayesebusisa ibandla lobuKristu, ngakho waba nokholo nesibindi sokushintsha.

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Ukuya eGibhithe njengababaleki

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Uvivinyo olubuhlungu kunalo lonke umama angabhekana nalo