UNkulunkulu NoKesari

“Nakanjani-ke, buyiselani izinto zikaKesari kuKesari, kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.”—LUKA 20:25.

 1. (a) Yisiphi isikhundla sikaJehova esiphakeme? (b) Yini esiyikweleta uJehova esingeke nanini siyinike uKesari?

LAPHO uJesu Kristu enikeza leso siyalo, kwakungekho kungabaza engqondweni yakhe ukuthi lokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo ezincekwini zaKhe kuza ngaphambi kwanoma yini uKesari, noma uMbuso, ongase uyifune kuzo. UJesu wayebazi kangcono kunanoma ubani ubuqiniso bomthandazo womhubi kuJehova: “Umbuso wakho ungumbuso kuze kube-phakade; ubukhosi bakho busezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.” (IHubo 145:13) Lapho uDeveli efuna ukunika uJesu igunya phezu kwayo yonke imibuso yomhlaba owakhiwe, uJesu waphendula: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi, ‘NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.’” (Luka 4:5-8) Ukukhulekela kwakungeke nanini kunikezwe “uKesari,” kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uKesari ungumbusi waseRoma, omunye umbusi ongumuntu, noma uMbuso ngokwawo.

 2. (a) Siyini isikhundla sikaSathane esilinganiselwe kulelizwe? (b) USathane usesikhundleni akuso ngemvume kabani?

² UJesu akazange akuphike ukuthi imibuso yezwe yayingekaSathane ngakho angaphana ngayo. Kamuva, wabiza uSathane ngokuthi “umbusi walelizwe.” (Johane 12:31; 16:11) Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E., umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Siyazi ukuthi sisuka kuNkulunkulu, kodwa lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19) Lokhu akusho ukuthi uJehova usebuyekile ubukhosi bakhe phezu komhlaba. Khumbula ukuthi lapho uSathane efuna ukunika uJesu ububusi phezu kwemibuso yezombangazwe, wathi: “Ngizokunika lonke leligunya . . . ngoba linikelwe kimi.” (Luka 4:6) USathane usebenzisa igunya phezu kwemibuso yezwe ngemvume kaNkulunkulu.

 3. (a) Yisiphi isikhundla ohulumeni bezizwe abanaso phambi kukaJehova? (b) Singasho kanjani ukuthi ukuzithoba kohulumeni balelizwe akusho ukuzithoba kuSathane, unkulunkulu walelizwe?

³ Ngokufanayo, uMbuso usebenzisa igunya lawo kuphela ngoba uNkulunkulu njengeNkosi enguMbusi ewuvumela ukuba wenze njalo. (Johane 19:11) Ngakho, “amagunya akhona” kungashiwo ukuthi “ami ezikhundleni zawo ezilinganiselwe ebekwe uNkulunkulu.” Uma liqhathaniswa negunya lobukhosi bukaJehova obuphakeme kunabo bonke, igunya lawo liphansi kakhulu. Nokho, ‘ayisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu,’ “izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasobala,” ngomqondo wokuthi anikeza izinkonzo ezidingekayo, alondoloze umthetho nokuhleleka, futhi ajezise abenzi bobubi. (Roma 13:1, 4, 6) Ngakho amaKristu kudingeka aqonde ukuthi nakuba uSathane engumbusi ongabonakali walelizwe, noma lesi simiso, akusho ukuthi azithoba kuye lapho ezithoba ngokulinganiselwe eMbusweni. Alalela uNkulunkulu. Kulonyaka ka-1996, uMbuso wezombangazwe usalokhu uyingxenye ‘yohlelo lukaNkulunkulu,’ uhlelo lwesikhashana uNkulunkulu aluvumele ukuba lube khona, futhi izinceku zikaJehova zasemhlabeni kufanele zilubheke kanjalo.—Roma 13:2.

Izinceku ZikaJehova Zasendulo NoMbuso

 4. Kungani uJehova avumela uJosefa ukuba abe ngovelele kuhulumeni waseGibithe?

⁴ Ezikhathini ezingaphambi kobuKristu, uJehova wavumela ezinye zezinceku zakhe ukuba zibe sezikhundleni ezivelele kohulumeni bemiBuso. Ngokwesibonelo, ekhulwini le-18 B.C.E., uJosefa waba undunankulu waseGibithe, omkhulu kunaye kunguFaro kuphela owayebusa. (Genesise 41:39-43) Izenzakalo ezalandela zakwenza kwaba sobala ukuthi uJehova wayekuqondisile lokhu ukuze uJosefa akwazi ukuba ithuluzi ekulondolozeni ‘inzalo ka-Abrahama,’ abazukulu bakhe, ukuze kufezeke izinjongo zaKhe. Yebo, kufanele kukhunjulwe ukuthi uJosefa wayethengiselwe ebugqilini eGibithe, nokuthi waphila ngesikhathi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zingenawo uMthetho kaMose noma “umthetho kaKristu.”—Genesise 15:5-7; 50:19-21; Galathiya 6:2.

 5. Kungani abathunjwa abangamaJuda bayalwa ukuba ‘bafune ukuthula’ kweBabiloni?

⁵ Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva umprofethi othembekile uJeremiya waphefumulelwa uJehova ukuba atshele abathunjwa abangamaJuda ukuba bazithobe kubabusi lapho besekuthunjweni eBabiloni futhi bathandazele ukuthula kwalowo muzi. Lapho ebabhalela, wathi: “Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kubo bonke abathunjwa, . . . Funani ukuthula komuzi lapho nginithumbele khona, niwukhulekele kuJehova, ngokuba ekuthuleni kwawo niyakuba-nokuthula.” (Jeremiya 29:4, 7) Zikhathi zonke, abantu bakaJehova banesizathu ‘sokuzifunela ukuthula,’ nesokufunela izwe abahlala kulo ukuze babe nenkululeko yokukhulekela uJehova.—1 Petru 3:11.

 6. Nakuba babenikezwe izikhundla eziphakeme kuhulumeni, uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abathathu bakwenqaba kanjani ukuyekethisa ngokuqondene noMthetho kaJehova?

⁶ Phakathi nokuthunjwa eBabiloni, uDaniyeli namanye amaJuda amathathu athembekile ayengabathunjwa ebugqilini baseBabiloni bazithoba ekuqeqeshweni eMbusweni futhi baba izisebenzi zombuso ezisezikhundleni eziphezulu eBabiloni. (Daniyeli 1:3-7; 2:48, 49) Nokho, ngisho naphakathi nokuqeqeshwa kwabo, bathatha ukuma okuqinile ezindabeni zokudla ezazingase ziholele ekubeni baphule uMthetho uNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova, ayewunikeze ngoMose. Babusiswa ngenxa yalokhu. (Daniyeli 1:8-17) Lapho iNkosi uNebukadinesari imisa isithombe soMbuso, kusobala ukuthi abangane bakaDaniyeli abathathu abangamaHeberu baphoqelelwa ukuba baye emkhosini nabaphathi ababenabo eMbusweni. Noma kunjalo, benqaba ‘ukuwa phansi futhi bakhulekele’ isithombe soMbuso. UJehova waphinda futhi wavuza ubuqotho babo. (Daniyeli 3:1-6, 13-28) Ngokufanayo namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova bayalihlonipha ifulege lezwe abahlala kulo, kodwa ngeke benze isenzo sokulikhulekela.—Eksodusi 20:4, 5; 1 Johane 5:21.

 7. (a) Yikuphi ukuma okuhle kakhulu okwathathwa uDaniyeli, naphezu kokuba nesikhundla esiphakeme esimisweni sikahulumeni waseBabiloni? (b) Yiluphi ushintsho olwaba khona ezikhathini zobuKristu?

⁷ Ngemva kokuwa kombuso waseBabiloni Elisha, uDaniyeli wanikezwa isikhundla esiphezulu kuhulumeni ngaphansi kombuso omusha wamaMede namaPheresiya owawuthathe isikhundla sawo eBabiloni. (Daniyeli 5:30, 31; 6:1-3) Kodwa akazange avumele isikhundla sakhe esiphakeme simholele ekuphuleni ubuqotho bakhe. Lapho umthetho woMbuso ufuna ukuba akhulekele iNkosi uDariyu kunoJehova, wenqaba. Ngenxa yalokhu waphonswa ezingonyameni, kodwa uJehova wamsindisa. (Daniyeli 6:4-24) Yebo, lokhu kwakungaphambi kwezikhathi zobuKristu. Lapho nje sekumiswe ibandla lobuKristu, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zaba “ngaphansi komthetho ngakuKristu.” Izinto eziningi ezazivunyelwe ngaphansi kwesimiso sobuJuda kwakumelwe zibhekwe ngeso elihlukile, ngesisekelo sendlela uJehova ayesesebenzelana ngayo nabantu bakhe ngaleso sikhathi.—1 Korinte 9:21; Mathewu 5:31, 32; 19:3-9.

Isimo Sengqondo SikaJesu NgoMbuso

 8. Yisiphi isenzakalo esibonisa ukuthi uJesu wayezimisele ukukugwema ukuhileleka kwezombangazwe?

⁸ Lapho uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni, wabekela abalandeli bakhe izindinganiso eziphakeme kakhulu, futhi wenqaba konke ukuhileleka ezindabeni zezombangazwe noma zempi. Ngemva kokuba uJesu esuthise izinkulungwane eziningana zabantu ngokuyisimangaliso ngezinkwa ezimbalwa nangezinhlanzi ezincane ezimbili, amadoda angamaJuda afuna ukumbamba amenze inkosi yezombangazwe. Kodwa uJesu wawagwema ngokumonyukela ezintabeni ngokushesha. (Johane 6:5-15) Ngokuqondene nalesi senzakalo, i-New International Commentary on the New Testament ithi: “Kwakunokulangazela okukhulu kwesizwe phakathi kwamaJuda aleyo nkathi, futhi ngokungangabazeki abaningi balabo ababona isimangaliso baba nomuzwa wokuthi lona kwakungumholi ogunyazwe ngokwaphezulu, okufanelekela kahle ukubahola ekumelaneni namaRoma. Ngakho bafuna ukumenza inkosi.” Yenezela ukuthi uJesu “wenqaba ngokungananazi” lapho enikezwa lobu buholi bezombangazwe. UKristu akazange asekele noma yikuphi ukuvukela kwamaJuda ukubusa kwamaRoma. Eqinisweni, wabikezela ukuthi wawuyoba yini umphumela wokuvukela okwakuyokwenzeka ngemva kokufa kwakhe—omaye abangakaze babonwe ezakhamuzini zaseJerusalema nokubhujiswa kwalowo muzi.—Luka 21:20-24.

 9. (a) UJesu wabuchaza kanjani ubuhlobo boMbuso wakhe nezwe? (b) Yisiphi isiqondiso uJesu asinikeza abalandeli bakhe ngokusebenzelana kwabo nohulumeni bezwe?

⁹ Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, uJesu watshela abameleli abakhethekile bombusi waseRoma eJudiya: “Umbuso wami awuyona ingxenye yalelizwe. Ukuba umbuso wami ubuyingxenye yalelizwe, izikhonzi zami beziyokulwa ukuze nginganikelwa kumaJuda. Kodwa, njengoba kunjalo, umbuso wami awuveli kulomthombo.” (Johane 18:36) Kuze kube yilapho uMbuso wakhe uqeda ukubusa kohulumeni bezombangazwe, abafundi bakaKristu bayolandela isibonelo sakhe. Balalela lawo magunya amisiwe kodwa abagxambukeli emisebenzini yawo yezombangazwe. (Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 4:8-10) UJesu washiyela abalandeli bakhe iziqondiso, ethi: “Ngakho-ke, buyiselani izinto zikaKesari kuKesari, kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 22:21) Ngaphambili, eNtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu wayethé: “Uma othile osegunyeni ekucindezela ukuba wenze inkonzo imayela elilodwa, hamba naye amamayela amabili.” (Mathewu 5:41) Ngokomongo walentshumayelo, uJesu wayebonisa isimiso sokuzithoba ngokuzithandela ezimfunweni ezingokomthetho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kusekusebenzelaneni nabantu noma ezimfunweni zikahulumeni ezivumelana nomthetho kaNkulunkulu.—Luka 6:27-31; Johane 17:14, 15.

AmaKristu NoKesari

10. Ngokwesinye isazi-mlando, yikuphi ukuma kukanembeza amaKristu okuqala ayekuthatha ngokuqondene noKesari?

¹⁰ Lezi ziqondiso ezimfushane zaziyobusa ubuhlobo phakathi kwamaKristu noMbuso. Encwadini yaso ethi The Rise of Christianity, isazi-mlando u-E. W. Barnes sabhala: “Noma nini lapho umKristu engaqiniseki ngezibopho zakhe eMbusweni, emakhulwini eminyaka alandela, wayephendukela emfundisweni kaKristu enegunya. Wayekhokha izintela: izimali ezibizwayo zazingase zisinde—zazingabekezeleleki ngaphambi kokuwa koMbuso WaseNtshonalanga—kodwa umKristu wayezibekezelela. Ngokufanayo wayamukela zonke ezinye izibopho zoMbuso, uma nje kungadingeki anikeze uKesari izinto zikaNkulunkulu.”

11. UPawulu weluleka amaKristu ukuba asebenzelane kanjani nababusi bezwe?

¹¹ Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, eminyakeni engaba ngaphezudlwana kuka-20 ngemva kokufa kukaKristu, umphostoli uPawulu watshela amaKristu aseRoma: “Yonke imiphefumulo mayizithobe emagunyeni aphakeme.” (Roma 13:1) Eminyakeni engaba yishumi kamuva, ngaphambi nje kokuboshwa kwakhe kwesibili nokubulawa kwakhe eRoma, uPawulu wabhalela uThithu: “Qhubeka ubakhumbuza [amaKristu aseKrethe] ukuba bazithobe futhi balalele ohulumeni neziphathimandla njengababusi, ukuba balungele yonke imisebenzi emihle, bangakhulumi kabi nganoma ubani, bangabi izilwi, babe nengqondo, bebonisa bonke ubumnene kubantu bonke.”—Thithu 3:1, 2.

Ukuqondwa Okuqhubekayo “Kwamagunya Aphakeme”

12. (a) Yikuphi ukuma uCharles Taze Russell akubheka njengokufanele umKristu mayelana namagunya kahulumeni? (b) Ngokuqondene nokuba semabuthweni empi, yikuphi ukuma okuhlukahlukene amaKristu agcotshiwe akuthatha phakathi neMpi Yezwe I?

¹² Kudala ngo-1886, uCharles Taze Russell wabhala encwadini ethi The Plan of the Ages: “UJesu noma abaPhostoli abazange baphazamise ababusi bomhlaba nganoma iyiphi indlela. . . . Bafundisa iBandla ukuba lilalele imithetho, futhi lihloniphe labo abasegunyeni ngenxa yezikhundla zabo, . . . ukuba bakhokhe izintela zabo ezimisiwe, futhi ngaphandle kwalapho ungqubuzana nemithetho kaNkulunkulu (IzE. 4:19; 5:29) akumelwe baphikisane nanoma yimuphi umthetho omisiwe. (Roma 13:1-7; Math. 22:21) UJesu nabaPhostoli nebandla lokuqala babegcina umthetho, nakuba babehlukile futhi bengahlanganyeli kohulumeni balelizwe.” Lencwadi yawachaza ngokunembile ‘amandla aphakeme,’ noma ‘amagunya aphakeme,’ umphostoli uPawulu akhuluma ngawo, ngokuthi amagunya ohulumeni babantu. (Roma 13:1, King James Version) Ngo-1904 incwadi ethi The New Creation yathi amaKristu eqiniso “kufanele abe phakathi kwalabo abalalela umthetho ukwedlula bonke esikhathini sanamuhla—hhayi ababangeli bezinxushunxushu, hhayi abanochuku, hhayi abafuna amaphutha.” Abanye bathatha ngokuthi lokhu kwakusho ukuzithoba ngokuphelele emibusweni, ngisho naseqophelweni lokwamukela inkonzo kwezempi phakathi neMpi Yezwe I. Nokho, abanye bakubheka njengokuphambene namazwi kaJesu: “Bonke labo abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba.” (Mathewu 26:52) Ngokusobala, kwakudingeka ukuqondwa okucacile kokuzithoba kobuKristu emagunyeni aphakeme.

13. Yiluphi ushintsho ekuqondeni ukuthi angobani amandla aphakeme olwavezwa ngo-1929, futhi lokhu kwaba kanjani yinzuzo?

¹³ Ngo-1929, ngesikhathi lapho imithetho yohulumeni abahlukahlukene iqala ukunqabela izinto uNkulunkulu ayeziyalile noma ifuna izinto imithetho kaNkulunkulu ezenqabelayo, kwaba khona umuzwa wokuthi amandla aphakeme kumelwe ukuba anguJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu.a Lokhu ukuqonda izinceku zikaJehova ezazinakho phakathi nenkathi ebucayi yangaphambi naphakathi neMpi Yezwe II kwaze kwaba seMpini Yomshoshaphansi, kanye nokulinganisela kwayo ukwesaba impi, nokulungela kwayo ukulwa. Uma kubhekwa emuva, kumelwe kushiwo ukuthi lombono ngezinto, njengoba wawukhulisa ukuphakama kukaJehova noKristu wakhe, wasiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba balondoloze ukuma kokungathathi-hlangothi ngokungayekethisi, phakathi nalenkathi enzima.

Ukuzithoba Okulinganiselwe

14. Ukukhanya okwengeziwe kwanikezwa kanjani ngokuqondene neyabaseRoma 13:1, 2 nemibhalo ehlobene nayo ngo-1963?

¹⁴ Ngo-1961 kwaqedwa i-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Ukulungiselelwa kwayo kwakwenze kwadingeka ukuhlolwa okujulile kolimi lokuqala lwemiBhalo. Ukuhunyushwa okunembile kwamagama asetshenziswe hhayi nje kweyabaseRoma isahluko 13 kodwa nasezindimeni ezinjengoThithu 3:1, 2 neyoku-1 Petru 2:13, 17 kwakwenza kwacaca ukuthi amazwi athi “amagunya aphakeme” awabhekiseli eGunyeni Eliphakeme Kunawo Wonke, uJehova, naseNdodaneni yakhe uJesu, kodwa emagunyeni ohulumeni babantu. Phakathi no-1963, kwakhishwa izihloko kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ezanikeza incazelo enembile yabaseRoma isahluko 13 futhi zanikeza nombono ocace kangcono kunalowo owawukhona ngesikhathi sikaC. T. Russell. Lezi zihloko zaveza ukuthi ukuzithoba kobuKristu emagunyeni akunakuba okuphelele. Kumelwe kube okulinganiselwe, uma nje kungezukwenza izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zingqubuzane nemithetho kaNkulunkulu. Nezinye izihloko kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ziye zaligcizelela leli phuzu elibalulekile.b

15, 16. (a) Yikuphi ukulinganisela okungcono ukuqondwa okusha kweyabaseRoma isahluko 13 okwaholela kukho? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esadinga impendulo?

¹⁵ Lesi sihluthulelo sokuqonda okunembile incwadi yabaseRoma isahluko 13 siye senza abantu bakaJehova bakwazi ukulinganisa inhlonipho efanele ngamagunya ezombangazwe nokuma kokungayekethisi ezimisweni ezibalulekile ezingokomBhalo. (IHubo 97:11; Jeremiya 3:15) Siye sabenza baba nombono ofanele ngobuhlobo babo noNkulunkulu nokusebenzelana kwabo noMbuso. Siye sanika isiqinisekiso sokuthi njengoba bebuyisela izinto zikaKesari kuKesari, abakushayi indiva ukubuyisela izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.

¹⁶ Kodwa ziyini izinto zikaKesari? Yiziphi izinto ezifanele ezingase zifunwe uMbuso kumKristu? Lemibuzo izocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ngokuthakazelisayo, encwadini yakhe ehlaziya eyabaseRoma isahluko 13, uProfesa F. F. Bruce uyabhala: “Umongo uyacacisa, njengoba kuboniswa umongo wemibhalo yabaphostoli, ukuthi umbuso ungafuna ukulalelwa, kube kufanele, ngaphakathi kwemingcele yezinjongo omiselwe zona ngokwaphezulu—empeleni, akukhona nje ukuthi umbuso ungase uphikiswe kodwa kumelwe uphikiswe lapho ufuna ukuthotshelwa okufanele uNkulunkulu kuphela.”

Ungachaza?

◻ Kungani ukuzithoba emagunyeni aphakeme kungasho ukuzithoba kuSathane?

◻ Sasiyini isimo sengqondo sikaJesu ngezombangazwe zosuku lwakhe?

◻ Yisiphi iseluleko uJesu asinikeza abalandeli bakhe ngokuqondene nokusebenzelana kwabo noKesari?

◻ UPawulu weluleka amaKristu ukuba asebenzelane kanjani nababusi bezizwe?

◻ Ukuqondwa kokuthi angobani amagunya aphakeme kuye kwathuthuka kanjani phakathi neminyaka?

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Lapho uSathane efuna ukumnika amandla ezombangazwe, uJesu wawenqaba

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

URussell wabhala ukuthi amaKristu eqiniso “kufanele abe phakathi kwalabo abalalela umthetho ukwedlula bonke esikhathini sanamuhla”