Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

“Ngiyakholelwa”

NGAMEHLO engqondo, uMarta wayelibona ithuna lomfowabo elivalwe ngetshe. Usizi ayeluthwele lwalumqeda amandla. Wayengakholwa ukuthi uLazaru, umfowabo amthandayo, wayeseshonile. Kwase kuwusuku lwesine, futhi abantu abazolila babelokhu befike njalo.

Kodwa manje kwase kufike indoda uLazaru ayeyikhonze kakhulu. Nokho, ukufika kukaJesu kwalwenza lwaba lukhulu nakakhulu usizi lukaMarta ngoba uJesu wayengukuphela komuntu emhlabeni wonke owayengakwazi ukusindisa umfowabo. Noma kunjalo, kwamduduza ukuthi ekugcineni wayesefikile kulo muzi omncane waseBhethaniya osohlangothini lwegquma. Leso sikhashana asichitha noJesu samduduza ngoba wayemnene, enozwela. Lokho kwamkhuthaza kakhulu uMarta. UJesu wambuza imibuzo eyamsiza ukuba agxile okholweni nasezinkolelweni zakhe zovuko. Leyo ngxoxo yenza ukuba uMarta asho amazwi abaluleke kakhulu kwayeke wawasho ngaphambili: “Ngiyakholelwa ukuthi wena unguKristu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, Lowo ozayo ezweni.”—Johane 11:27.

UMarta wayengowesifazane onokholo olumangalisayo. Ukwaziswa okuncane okuseBhayibhelini okukhuluma ngaye kusifundisa izifundo ezinamandla ezingasisiza ukuba siqinise olwethu ukholo. Ukuze sikubone lokhu, ake sixoxe ngokulandisa kokuqala okuseBhayibhelini okukhuluma ngoMarta.

‘Wayekhathazekile Futhi Ephazamisekile’

Lokhu okulandelayo kwenzeka ezinyangeni ezingaphambidlana kokuba uLazaru agule. ULazaru, uMarta noMariya babezovakashelwa isivakashi esibaluleke kunazo zonke, uJesu Kristu, ekhaya labo eBhethaniya. Lo mndeni wawungavamile ngoba wawakhiwa izelamani ezintathu esezikhulile ezihlala ndawonye. Abanye abacwaningi basikisela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi uMarta wayemdala kunezingane zakwabo ngoba kubonakala kunguyena owayetatazelela izivakashi futhi ngezinye izikhathi kukhulunywa ngaye kuqala eBhayibhelini. (Johane 11:5) Ayikho indlela yokuthola ukuthi lezi zelamani ezintathu zazike zashada yini. Kunoma yikuphi, zazingabangane bakaJesu abakhulu. Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe eJudiya, lapho aphikiswa khona kakhulu futhi waphathwa ngesihluku, uJesu wayehlala endlini yalezi zelamani. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayelazisa leli khaya elinokuthula nokusekela kwabangane bakhe.

UMarta wayeneqhaza elikhulu ekuthokomaleni kwaleli khaya nasekuphathweni kahle kwezivakashi. Wayengowesifazane okhuthele nohlale ematasa, isikhwishikhwishi soqobo. Nangesikhathi kuvakashe uJesu wenza njengenhlalayenza. Ngokushesha, wahlela isidlo esikhethekile, kwaba yizicilothi ngapha nangapha, ebungaza isivakashi sakhe esikhethekile, mhlawumbe nabanye ababehamba naso. Endulo, ukwamukela izihambi ngemfudumalo kwakubaluleke kakhulu. Lapho isivakashi sifika, sasangiwa, sikhishwe izimbadada, sigezwe izinyawo bese sigcotshwa ikhanda ngamafutha anamakha amnandi aqabulayo. (Luka 7:44-47) Indawo yokulala nokudla kwakufanele kulungiswe kahle.

Kuningi okwakufanele kwenziwe uMarta noMariya ukuze izivakashi zizizwe zisekhaya. UMariya, ngezinye izikhathi obhekwa njengozwelayo nocabangisisayo, wamsiza udadewabo ekuqaleni. Kodwa lapho kufika uJesu, wayeka zonke izinto. UJesu wabheka leso sikhathi njengethuba lokufundisa—futhi nembala wafundisa! Ngokungafani nabaholi benkolo bangaleso sikhathi, uJesu wayebahlonipha abantu besifazane futhi engenankinga ngokubafundisa ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, isihloko agxila kuso kakhulu phakathi nenkonzo yakhe. Ejabulele leli thuba, uMariya wahlala ezinyaweni zikaJesu, walalelisisa.

Singambona ngamehlo engqondo uMarta efuthelana ngaphakathi. Kwakudingeka apheke futhi anakekele zonke izidingo zezivakashi zakhe. Kumelwe ukuba wakhathazeka futhi waphazamiseka. Njengoba ayelokhu ephithizela endlini futhi ebona udadewabo ehlezi, engamsizi, kumelwe ukuba wacasuka, wabubula noma wahwaqabala. Ngeke kusimangaze uma kwaba njalo ngempela. Wayedinga usizo ukuze aqede wonke umsebenzi okwakumelwe wenziwe!

Ekugcineni, wehluleka ukubamba ukucasuka kwakhe. Waphazamisa uJesu: “Nkosi, akunandaba yini kuwe ukuthi udadewethu ungishiye ngedwa ukuba nginakekele izinto? Ngakho-ke, mtshele ukuba angisize.” (Luka 10:40) Amazwi kaMarta ayeqinile. Izinguqulo eziningi ziwubeka ngale ndlela umbuzo wakhe: “Nkosi, akuthí shu yini kuwe . . . ?” Wabe esecela uJesu ukuba akhulume noMariya, amtshele ukuba abuyele emsebenzini.

Cishe impendulo kaJesu yammangaza uMarta, njengoba nje iye yamangaza abafundi beBhayibheli abaningi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi. Ngomusa wathi: “Marta, Marta, ukhathazwa futhi uphazanyiswa izinto eziningi. Nokho, kudingeka izinto ezimbalwa, noma eyodwa kuphela. UMariya yena ukhethe isabelo esihle, ngeke aphucwe sona.” (Luka 10:41, 42) Wayesho ukuthini uJesu? Ingabe wayethi uMarta uzikhathaza ngokweqile ngezinto ezingabalulekile? Ingabe wayekubheka njengokuyize ukuzikhandla kukaMarta elungiselela isidlo esimnandi?

Cha. Kusobala ukuthi uJesu wayebona ukuthi izisusa zikaMarta zimsulwa nokuthi wayeshukunyiswa uthando. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wayengakubheki njengento embi ukwenza idili likaMkhipheni. Ngaphambidlana, wayekujabulele ukuya ‘edilini elikhulu lokumamukela’ elalihlelwe uMathewu. (Luka 5:29) Ukupheka kukaMarta izibiliboco kwakungeyona inkinga lapha; inkinga yayiwumbono wakhe ngezinto eziza kuqala. Wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngezibondlo waze wakhohlwa ukuthi yini ebaluleke kakhulu. Kuyini lokho okwakubalulekile?

UJesu, iNdodana kaJehova uNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa, wayekulo muzi ngenjongo yokufundisa iqiniso. Akukho okwakubaluleke ukudlula lokho, ngisho nokudla okwehla esiphundu ayekuphekile namanye amalungiselelo ayewenzile. Akungabazeki ukuthi kwakumphatha kabi uJesu ukuthi uMarta wayedlulwa yithuba eliyingqayizivele lokuqinisa ukholo lwakhe, kodwa wamyeka wazenzela isinqumo. Wayeshaya eceleni nokho lapho esecela uJesu ukuba enze into eyayiyolahlekisela noMariya leli thuba elihle.

Ngakho, wamsiza ngomusa uMarta, embiza ngegama lakhe izikhathi eziningana ukuze amehlise umoya. Wamqinisekisa nangokuthi sasingekho isidingo ‘sokukhathazwa nokuphazanyiswa izinto eziningi.’ Ukudla nje okulula kwakwanele, ikakhulu njengoba noJesu ayebalungiselele idili elingokomoya. Ngakho, wayengeke alokothe aphuce uMariya “isabelo esihle” ayesikhethile—ukufundiswa uJesu!

Le ndatshana yalokho okwenzeka kulo muzi iqukethe izifundo ezinhle kakhulu abalandeli bakaKristu namuhla abangazifunda. Akufanele sivumele noma yini isenze singakwazi ukunakekela ‘isidingo sethu esingokomoya.’ (Mathewu 5:3) Yebo, kuhle ukulingisa umoya kaMarta wokupha nokukhuthala, kodwa akufanele silahlekelwe yizinto ezibaluleke kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi ‘sikhathazwa futhi siphazanyiswa’ isici esingabalulekile kangako sokuhlinzeka izihambi. Lapho sijabulela ubudlelwane nesikholwa nabo, injongo eyinhloko iwukukhuthazana nokuphana izipho ezingokomoya, hhayi ukukhipha unyawo ngokupheka izibiliboco noma ukuzidla. (Roma 1:11, 12) Singaba nezikhathi zokukhuthazana yize kunokudla okuvamile nje.

Umfowabo Abamthandayo Wafa—Kodwa Wabuye Wavuswa

Ingabe uMarta wasamukela iseluleko sikaJesu esinomusa futhi wafunda kuso? Akubuzwa. Lapho umphostoli uJohane eqala ukulandisa okuvusa amadlingozi okuphathelene nomfowabo kaMarta, uyasikhumbuza: “Manje uJesu wayebathanda oMarta nodadewabo noLazaru.” (Johane 11:5) Kwase kudlule izinyanga eziningi uJesu ethathe uhambo oluya eBhethaniya, oluchazwe ngenhla. Ngokusobala, uMarta akazange ahlale equdule; akazange abambele uJesu igqubu ngeseluleko sothando ayemnike sona. Wasamukela wasisebenzisa. Nakulesi sici, wasibekela isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokholo, ngoba ubani kithi ongakudingi ukusizwa ngezinye izikhathi?

Lapho umfowabo eqala ukugula, uMarta wazikhandla wamnakekela. Wazama ngawo wonke amandla ukumsiza ukuze abe ngcono. Noma kunjalo, kwakwembulwa kwembeswa. Odadewabo bamnakekela phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi. Kumelwe ukuba uMarta wambuka kaningi umfowabo njengoba ayexhozwe ukugula, ekhumbula iminyaka eminingi ababeyichithe ndawonye, ekhumbula nezikhathi ezijabulisayo nezibuhlungu ababedlule kuzo!

Lapho kubonakala ukuthi ukhukho lumuka nomoya, uMarta noMariya bathumela isithunywa kuJesu. Ngaleso sikhathi, wayeshumayela endaweni ekude futhi kwakungamthatha izinsuku ezimbili ukufika eBhethaniya. Umyalezo wabo wawuqondile: “Nkosi, bheka! lowo omthandayo uyagula.” (Johane 11:1, 3) Babazi ukuthi uJesu wayemthanda umfowabo futhi babenokholo lokuthi wayengenza noma yini ukuze asize umngane wakhe. Ingabe bahlalela ethembeni lokuthi uJesu uzofika kungakephuzi? Uma kunjalo, badumala kakhulu ngoba uLazaru wafa.

UMarta noMariya bamlilela umfowabo, benza amalungiselelo omngcwabo futhi kwafika abantu abaningi baseBhethaniya namaphethelo bezoduduza, kodwa lutho uJesu. Kumelwe ukuba kwammangaza lokho uMarta njengoba izinsuku zazilokhu zihamba. Ekugcineni, sekudlule izinsuku ezine uLazaru efile, uMarta wezwa kuthiwa uJesu usendleleni. Njengoba ayengowesifazane ophapheme, ngisho nalapho esosizini, uMarta wasuka wayohlangabeza uJesu, engamtshelanga nokumtshela uMariya.—Johane 11:20.

Lapho ebona iNkosi yakhe, washo into okwase kuyizinsukwana ihlupha yena noMariya: “Nkosi, ukube ubulapha umfowethu ngabe akafanga.” UMarta wayesenalo ithemba nokholo. Wanezela: “Kodwa nokho njengamanje ngiyazi ukuthi zonke izinto ozicelayo kuNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu uyokunika zona.” Ngokushesha uJesu washo amazwi amqinisa: “Umfowenu uzovuka.”—Johane 11:21-23.

UMarta wayecabanga ukuthi uJesu ukhuluma ngovuko lwesikhathi esizayo, ngakho wamphendula: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyovuka ovukweni ngosuku lokugcina.” (Johane 11:24) Wayenokholo oluqinile kuleyo mfundiso. Abanye abaholi benkolo bamaJuda, ababebizwa ngokuthi abaSadusi, babephika ukuthi kuyoba novuko, nakuba le mfundiso yayibekwe ngokucacile emiBhalweni ephefumulelwe. (Daniyeli 12:13; Marku 12:18) Nokho, uMarta wayazi ukuthi uJesu wayefundisa ngethemba lovuko nokuthi kunabathile ayeke wabavusa—nakuba bonke ayebavuse besanda kufa, ngokungafani noLazaru owayesenezinsuku efile. Wayengazi ukuthi kwakuzokwenzekani.

UJesu wabe esesho amazwi angalibaleki: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila.” Yebo, uJehova uNkulunkulu unike iNdodana yakhe igunya namandla okuvusa abafileyo emhlabeni wonke esikhathini esizayo. UJesu wabuza uMarta: “Uyakukholelwa lokhu?” Wamphendula ngamazwi asekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko. Wayenokholo lokuthi uJesu unguKristu, noma uMesiya, nokuthi uyiNdodana kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Wayenokholo futhi lokuthi abaprofethi babebikezele ukuthi wayeyofika ezweni.—Johane 5:28, 29; 11:25-27.

Ingabe uJehova uNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, bayalwazisa lolu hlobo lokholo? Izinto ezenzeka phambi kukaMarta zisinika impendulo ecacile. UMarta waphuthuma wayolanda udadewabo. Waphawula ukuthi uJesu wayethinteke kakhulu njengoba ayekhuluma noMariya nabanye ababezolila. Wambona ekhala futhi engabufihli ubuhlungu obujulile ayebuzwa ngenxa yokufa kukaLazaru. Wezwa uJesu ethi makususwe itshe ethuneni lomfowabo.—Johane 11:28-39.

Njengoba ayengumuntu obheka izinto njengoba zinjalo, uMarta wakwenqabela lokho ethi cishe isidumbu sase sinuka njengoba kwase kudlule izinsuku ezine. UJesu wamkhumbuza: “Angikutshelanga yini ukuthi uma ungase ukholwe uzobona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu?” Wayekholwa, futhi nempela wayibona inkazimulo kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngaso leso sikhathi, uNkulunkulu wanika iNdodana yakhe amandla okuvusa uLazaru! Cabanga ngezinto okumelwe ukuba zahlala enkumbulweni kaMarta ukuphila kwakhe konke: umyalo kaJesu othi “Lazaru, phuma!”; umsinjwana owezwakala emhumeni njengoba uLazaru owayeboshwe ngokokusonga evuka futhi ephuma ethuneni; umyalo kaJesu wokuba ‘athukululwe futhi ayekwe ahambe’; kanye nenjabulo engenakuchazeka eyaba khona njengoba uMarta noMariya banga umfowabo. (Johane 11:40-44) Usizi olwalusenhliziyweni kaMarta lwaphela!

Le ndaba ibonisa ukuthi ukuvuswa kwabafileyo akusona nje isifiso esingasho lutho; kuyimfundiso eseBhayibhelini eduduzayo nefakazelwa umlando. UJehova neNdodana yakhe bayathanda ukuvuza abantu abanokholo, njengoba nje benza kuMarta, uMariya noLazaru. Nawe uyoyithola le mivuzo uma wenza ukholo lwakho luqine njengolukaMarta.a

“UMarta Wayekhonza”

Kunamanye amavesi eBhayibhelini aphinde akhulume ngoMarta. Akhuluma ngesonto likaJesu lokugcina emhlabeni. Njengoba ayebazi kahle ubunzima ayezobhekana nabo, uJesu waphinde wakhetha lelo khaya laseBhethaniya elithokomele wahlala kulo. Wayezosuka lapho ahambe amakhilomitha amathathu aye eJerusalema. UJesu noLazaru babehlezi bedla emzini kaSimoni onochoko, futhi sitshelwa lokhu: “UMarta wayekhonza.”—Johane 12:2.

Lona wesifazane wayenza into ayaziwa ngayo! Lapho siqala ukufunda ngaye eBhayibhelini, wayesebenza; nalapho sigcina ukuzwa ngaye, wayesebenza, ezikhandla ukuze anakekele abanye. Amabandla abalandeli bakaKristu banamuhla abusiswe ngabesifazane abafana noMarta—banesibindi futhi banesandla esivulekile. Babonisa ukholo lwabo ngokwenzela abanye izinto. Kusobala ukuthi uMarta waqhubeka kule nkambo. Lokho kwakuyisenzo sokuhlakanipha ngoba phela kunobunzima ayesazobhekana nabo.

Phakathi nalezo zinsuku, kwadingeka abhekane nobuhlungu bokufa kweNkosi yakhe, uJesu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abazenzisi ababebulele uJesu babefuna nokubulala uLazaru ngoba ukuvuswa kwakhe kwakwenze abaningi baba nokholo kuJesu. (Johane 12:9-11) Ekugcineni, ukufa kwahlukanisa uMarta nezingane zakwabo. Asazi ukuthi zabulawa yini nokuthi zafa nini, kodwa singaqiniseka ngalokhu: ukholo lukaMarta olumangalisayo lwamsiza ukuba akhuthazele kuze kube sekugcineni. Yingakho kukuhle ngamaKristu namuhla ukuba alingise ukholo lukaMarta.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

Ngisho nalapho esosizini lokufelwa, uMarta wavumela uJesu ukuba amsize agxile ezintweni eziqinisa ukholo

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

Nakuba ‘ayekhathazekile futhi ephazamisekile,’ uMarta wamukela iseluleko ngokuthobeka

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Ukholo lukaMarta kuJesu lwavuzwa lapho ebona umfowabo evuswa kwabafileyo