Uthando (Agape)—Lokho Olungeyikho Nalokho Oluyikho
“Nengezela . . . [nasothandweni lomzwelo lobuzalwane, NW] uthando.”—2 PETRU 1:5, 7.
1. (a) Iyiphi imfanelo iBhayibheli eliyiqokomisayo? (b) Yimaphi amagama amane esiGreki ngokuvamile ahunyushwa ngokuthi “uthando,” futhi yiliphi okubhekiselwe kulo kweyoku-1 Johane 4:8?
UMA kunemfanelo eyodwa etusekayo iZwi likaNkulunkulu iBhayibheli eliyiqokomisayo, uthando. EsiGrekini, ulimi lokuqala lwemiBhalo yamaKristu, kunamagama amane ngokuvamile ahunyushwe ngokuthi “uthando.” Uthando esikhuluma ngalo manje akulona olwe-eʹros, (igama elingatholakali emiBhalweni yamaKristu yesiGreki), olusekelwe ekukhangeni okungokobulili; futhi akuyona i-stor·geʹ, umuzwa osekelwe ebuhlotsheni begazi; futhi akuyona i-phi·liʹa, uthando lobungane olufudumele, olusekelwe ekwazisaneni, okukhulunywe ngalo esihlokweni esandulelayo. Kunalokho, yi-a·gaʹpe—uthando olusekelwe esimisweni, okungase kuthiwe luyafana nokungabi nabugovu, uthando umphostoli uJohane abhekisela kulo lapho ethi: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.”—1 Johane 4:8.
2. Yini eye yashiwo ngothando (a·gaʹpe)?
2 Ngokuphathelene naloluthando, (a·gaʹpe), uProfesa William Barclay kweyakhe ethi New Testament Words uthi: “I-agapē ihlobene nengqondo: akuwona nje umzwelo omane uzifikele ezinhliziyweni zethu [njengoba kungase kube njalo nge-phi·liʹa]; yisimiso esiphila ngaso ngokuzithandela. I-agapē ihlobene kakhulu nentando. Iwukwehlula, ukunqoba, ukufezeka. Ngokuvamile akekho umuntu owake wathanda izitha zakhe. Ukuthanda isitha somuntu kuwukunqoba konke ukuthambekela nemizwelo yethu engokwemvelo. Le-agapē . . . eqinisweni ingamandla okuthanda abangathandeki, ukuthanda abantu esingabathandi.”
3. UJesu Kristu noPawulu balugcizelela kanjani uthando?
3 Yebo, phakathi kwezinto ezihlukanisa ukukhulekela okumsulwa kukaJehova uNkulunkulu kuzo zonke ezinye izinhlobo zokukhulekela ukugcizelela kwakho loluhlobo lothando. UJesu Kristu wayisho ngokufanelekile lemiyalo emibili emikhulu kunayo yonke ngokuthi: “Owokuqala ngowokuthi: . . . Woyithanda iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho, nangawo onke amandla akho. Owesibili yiló: Womthanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena. Awukho omunye umyalo omkhulu kunalé.” (Marku 12:29-31) Umphostoli uPawulu wagcizelela uthando ngendlela efanayo esahlukweni 13 kweyoku-1 Korinte. Ngemva kokugcizelela ukuthi uthando luyimfanelo yokuqala ebalulekile, waphetha ngokuthi: “Manje-ke kumi ukukholwa, nokwethemba, nothando, lokho kokuthathu; kepha okukhulu kulokho luthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) UJesu washo ngokufanelekile ukuthi uthando lwaluyoba uphawu oluhlukanisayo lwabalandeli bakhe.—Johane 13:35.
Izinto Uthando Olungezona
4. Zingaki izici zothando eziphambene neziqondile uPawulu akhuluma ngazo kweyoku-1 Korinte 13:4-8?
4 Kuye kwathiwa kulula ukusho lokho uthando olungeyikho kunokusho lokho oluyikho. Lokho kuyiqiniso, ngoba umphostoli uPawulu esahlukweni sencwadi yakhe esikhuluma ngothando, kweyoku-1 Korinte 13, emavesini 4 kuya ku-8, ukhuluma ngezinto eziyisishiyagalolunye uthando olungezona neziyisikhombisa oluyizo.
5. Uchazwa kanjani “umhawu,” futhi usetshenziswa kanjani emiBhalweni ngendlela eqondile?
5 Into yokuqala uPawulu athi uthando aluyona ukuthi “alunamhawu.” Lokho kudinga incazelo ethile ngoba kunezici eziqondile neziphambene zomhawu. Isichazamazwi esithile sichaza “umhawu” ngokuthi “ukungakubekezeleli ukubangiswa” nangokuthi “ukufuna ukuzinikela okuphelele.” Ngakho, ku-Eksodusi 34:14 uMose wathi: “Awuyikukhonza omunye unkulunkulu, lokhu uJehova, igama lakhe linguMhawu, unguNkulunkulu onomhawu.” Ku-Eksodusi 20:5, uJehova uthi: “Mina-Jehova uNkulunkulu wakho nginguNkulunkulu onomhawu.” Ngendlela efanayo, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Nginesikhwele ngani ngesikhwele sokwesaba uNkulunkulu.”—2 Korinte 11:2, NW.
6. Yiziphi izibonelo ezingokomBhalo ezibonisa isizathu sokuba uthando lungabi namhawu?
6 Nokho, ngokuvamile, “umhawu” unencazelo embi, okuyisizathu esenza ukuba ubalwe nemisebenzi yenyama kweyabaseGalathiya 5:20, (qhathanisa ne-NW). Yebo umhawu onjalo unobugovu futhi ubangela inzondo, futhi inzondo iphambene nothando. Umhawu wabangela uKayini ukuba azonde u-Abela kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokumbulala, futhi wabangela abafowabo bakaJosefa ngamzali munye abayishumi ukuba bamzonde kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokufuna ukumbulala. Uthando alubafeli abanye umona ngempahla noma izinzuzo zabo, njengoba iNkosi u-Ahabi ngomhawu yafela uNaboti umona ngesivini sakhe.—1 AmaKhosi 21:1-19.
7. (a) Yisiphi isenzakalo esibonisa ukuthi uJehova akakujabuleli ukuzigabisa? (b) Kungani uthando lungazigabisi ngokungenangqondo?
7 UPawulu ngokulandelayo usitshela ukuthi “uthando aluzigabisi.” Ukuzigabisa kubonisa ukuntula uthando, ngoba kubangela umuntu ukuba aziphakamise ngaphezu kwabanye. UJehova akajabuli ngabazigabisayo, njengoba kungase kubonakale endleleni athobisa ngayo iNkosi uNebukadinesari lapho izigabisa. (Daniyeli 4:30-35) Ngokuvamile ukuzigabisa kwenziwa ngokungenangqondo ngenxa yokujabula ngokweqile ngalokho umuntu akufinyelele noma impahla. Abanye bangase bathambekele ekuzigabiseni ngempumelelo yabo enkonzweni yobuKristu. Abanye bafana nomdala owazizwa nje eshukunyiselwa ukuba ashayele abangane bakhe ucingo ukuze abatshele ngokuthenga kwakhe imoto entsha ebiza cishe u-R150-000. Konke lokho kuwukungabi naluthando ngoba kuveza umuntu ozigabisayo njengophakeme kunabamlalele.
8. (a) UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngalabo abazikhukhumezayo? (b) Kungani uthando lungaziphathi ngaleyondlela?
8 Khona-ke sitshelwa ukuthi uthando “aluzikhukhumezi.” Umuntu ozikhukhumezayo noma ozidlayo ngokungenaluthando uziphakamisa ngaphezu kwabanye. Isimo sengqondo esinjalo asihlakaniphile ngempela ngoba “uNkulunkulu umelana nabazidlayo, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa.” (Jakobe 4:6) Uthando lwenza ngendlela ephambene naleyo; lubheka abanye njengabakhulu kunathi. KweyabaseFilipi 2:2, 3 uPawulu wabhala: “Gcwalisani ukuthokoza kwami ukuba nibe-nomqondo munye, ninothando lunye, nibe-nhliziyonye, niqonde into inye; ningenzi-lutho ngombango nangodumo lwezwe; kepha ngokuthobeka nishaye sengathi abanye bakhulu kunani.” Isimo sengqondo esinjalo senza abanye bazizwe bekhululekile, kuyilapho umuntu ozidlayo enza abanye bazizwe bengakhululekile ngenxa yokubanga.
9. Kungani uthando lungaziphathi ngokungafanele?
9 UPawulu uqhubeka ethi uthando “aluziphathi ngokungafanele.” Isichazamazwi sichaza elithi “okungafanele” ngokuthi “okuthunaza noma okonakalisa kakhulu imikhuba noma ukuziphatha.” Umuntu oziphatha ngokungafanele (ngokungenaluthando) akayikhathaleli imizwa yabanye. Izinguqulo eziningi zeBhayibheli zihumusha elesiGreki ngokuthi “oluhlaza.” Umuntu onjalo uyakweya lokho okubhekwa njengokufanele nokuthandwayo. Ngokuqinisekile, ukukhathalela kothando ngabanye kuyosho ukugwema zonke izinto ezibonisa ukuba luhlaza noma ezingafanele, izinto ezicasulayo nezingase ngisho zishaqise.
Ezinye Izinto Uthando Olungezona
10. Kungayiphi indlela uthando lungazifuneli okwalo?
10 Ngokulandelayo sitshelwa ukuthi uthando “aluzifuneli okwalo,” okungukuthi, lapho kucatshangelwa izithakazelo zethu siqu nezabanye. Kwenye indawo umphostoli uthi: “Akakho owake wazonda eyakhe inyama‚ kepha uyayondla‚ ayiphathe kahle.” (Efesu 5:29) Nokho, lapho izithakazelo zethu ziphikisana nezithakazelo zabanye futhi zingekho izimiso zeBhayibheli ezihilelekile, kufanele senze njengoba u-Abrahama enza kuLoti, ngothando sivumele omunye umuntu ukuba azikhethele.—Genesise 13:8-11.
11. Kusho ukuthini ukuthi uthando alucunuki?
11 Uthando futhi alusheshi lucasuke. Ngakho uPawulu usitshela ukuthi uthando “alucunuki.” Alusona isififane. Luyazithiba. Imibhangqwana eshadile ikakhulukazi kufanele ithathe lesiyalo ngokungathi sína ngokuxwaya ukuphakamisa amazwi noma ukuthethisana ngokungenamusa. Kunezimo lapho kulula khona ukucasuka, okuyisizathu esenza ukuba uPawulu abe nomuzwa wokuthi kwakudingekile ukuba aluleke uThimothewu: “Inceku kaKristu ayifanele ukulwa‚ kodwa mayibe-mnene kubo bonke‚ inesu lokufundisa‚ ibekezela”—yebo, ayicasuki—“ibalaya ngomoya omnene abamelene nayo.”—2 Thimothewu 2:24, 25.
12. (a) Kungayiphi indlela uthando lungenagqubu? (b) Kungani kungahlakaniphile ukubamba amagqubu?
12 Eqhubeka nezinto uthando olungezona, uPawulu uyaluleka: “Uthando . . . alunagqubu.” Lokho akusho ukuthi uthando aluzihluphi ngokubi. UJesu wabonisa indlela okumelwe sisingathe ngayo izindaba lapho senziwe okubi ngokungathi sína. (Mathewu 18:15-17) Kodwa uthando alusivumeli ukuba siqhubeke sinenzondo, sibambe amagqubu. Ukungabi nagqubu kusho ukuba ngothethelelayo futhi ukhohlwe yindaba lapho isiye yasingathwa ngendlela engokomBhalo. Yebo, musa ukuzihlupha noma uzibangele usizi ngokuqhubeka ucabanga ngobubi, ubambe igqubu!
13. Kusho ukuthini ukungajabuli ngokungalungi, futhi kungani uthando lungakwenzi lokho?
13 Ngaphezu kwalokho, sitshelwa ukuthi uthando “aluthokozi ngokungalungile.” Izwe liyakujabulela ukungalungi, njengoba kungase kubonakale ngokuthandwa kwezincwadi, amabhayisikobho, nezinhlelo ze-TV ezinobudlova nezithombe zobulili ezingcolile. Konke ukujabula okunjalo kunobugovu, akuzikhathaleli izimiso zokulunga zikaNkulunkulu noma inhlalakahle yabanye. Konke ukujabula okunjalo okunobugovu kuhlwanyelela inyama futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kuyovuna ukonakala enyameni.—Galathiya 6:8.
14. Kungani kungashiwo ngokuqiniseka ukuthi uthando alusoze lwaphela?
14 Manje into yokugcina uthando olungayenzi ukuthi: “Uthando alusoze lwaphela.” Phakathi kokunye, uthando aluhluleki noma luphele ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando, futhi ‘uyiNkosi yaphakade.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:17) KweyabaseRoma 8:38, 39, siyaqinisekiswa ukuthi uthando uJehova analo ngathi alusoze lwaphela: “Ngiyakholwa ukuthi nakufa, nakuphila, nazingelosi, nababusi, nakho okukhona, nakho okuzayo, namandla, nakuphakama, nakujula, nanto enye edaliweyo akuyikuba-namandla okusahlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” Futhi, uthando alusoze lwaphela ngoba alutholakali neze luntula. Uthando lubhekana nanoma yisiphi isenzakalo, noma iyiphi inselele.
Izinto Uthando Oluyizo
15. Kungani uPawulu ebala ukubekezela kuqala phakathi kwezici eziqondile zothando?
15 Manje uma sicabangela uhlangothi oluhle, izinto uthando oluyizo, uPawulu uyaqala: “Uthando luyabekezela.” Kuye kwathiwa into okuthiwa ubudlelwane bobuKristu ngeke ibe khona ngaphandle kokubhekakade, okungukuthi, ngaphandle kokubekezelelana ngesineke. Lokhu kunjalo ngoba sonke asiphelele, futhi ukungapheleli nokushiyeka kwethu kuwuvivinyo kwabanye abantu. Yingakho umphostoli uPawulu ebala lesici ekuqaleni kohlu lwalokho uthando oluyikho!
16. Kungaziphi izindlela amalungu omkhaya angabonisana ngazo umusa?
16 UPawulu uthi uthando futhi “lumnene.” Lokho kusho ukuthi uthando luwusizo, luyabonelela, luyabacabangela abanye. Ubumnene buzibonakalisa ezintweni ezinkulu nezincane. UmSamariya onesihawu ngokuqinisekile wayebonisa ubumnene kumuntu owayethelekelwe abaphangi. (Luka 10:30-37) Uthando luyajabula ngokuthi “ngicela.” Ukuthi, “Dlulisa isinkwa” kuwumyalo. Ukwandulelisa lokho ngokuthi “ngicela” kukwenza kube yisicelo. Amadoda amnene komkawo lapho elalela iseluleko esikweyoku-1 Petru 3:7: “Kanjalo, madoda, hlalani nabo ngokokwazi, njengalokhu owesifazane eyisitsha esibuthakathaka, nibanike udumo, lokhu beyizindlalifa zomusa wokuphila kanye nani, ukuze imikhuleko yenu ingathiywa.” Abafazi bamnene emadodeni abo lapho bewabonisa ‘inhlonipho ejulile.’ (Efesu 5:33) Obaba bamnene ezinganeni zabo lapho belandela iseluleko esikweyabase-Efesu 6:4: “Nani-boyise, ningabathukuthelisi abantwana benu, kodwa nibondle ngokuyala nangokuqondisa kweNkosi.”
17. Kungaziphi izindlela ezimbili uthando lujabula ngeqiniso?
17 Uthando alujabuli ngokungalungi kodwa “luthokozela iqiniso.” Uthando neqiniso kungamathe nolimi—uNkulunkulu uluthando, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, ‘unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHubo 31:5, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Uthando lujabulela ukubona iqiniso linqoba futhi lidalula amanga; lokhu ngokwengxenye kufakazelwa ukwanda okukhulu enanini labakhulekeli bakaJehova namuhla. Nokho, njengoba ukungalungi kuphambene neqiniso, umqondo ungaba futhi ukuthi uthando luyakujabulela ukulunga. Uthando luyajabula ngokunqoba kokulunga, njengoba abakhulekeli bakaJehova beyalwa ukuba bajabule ekuweni kweBabiloni Elikhulu.—IsAmbulo 18:20.
18. Kungamuphi umqondo uthando lukhuthazelela izinto zonke?
18 UPawulu usitshela futhi ukuthi uthando “lubekezelela izinto zonke.” Njengoba i-Kingdom Interlinear ibonisa, umqondo uwukuthi uthando lusibekela izinto zonke. ‘Alunyevuzi’ umzalwane, njengoba ababi bethambekele ekwenzeni kanjalo. (IHubo 50:20; IzAga 10:12; 17:9) Yebo, umqondo olapha uyefana nalowo okweyoku-1 Petru 4:8: “Uthando lusibekela inqwaba yezono.” Ngokuqinisekile, ukwethembeka kuyovimbela umuntu ekufihleni izono ezingathi sína ngokumelene noJehova nebandla lobuKristu.
19. Kungayiphi indlela uthando lukholwa yizinto zonke?
19 Uthando “lukholwa yizinto zonke.” Uthando lunombono oqondile, hhayi ophambene. Lokhu akusho ukuthi uthando lukhohliseka kalula. Alusheshi lukholelwe yizinkulumo ezivusa umzwelo. Kodwa ukuze umuntu abe nokholo kuNkulunkulu, kumelwe abe nesifiso sokukholwa. Ngakho uthando alungabazi, lugxeke ngokungadingekile. Aluphikisani nokukholwa njengoba kwenza ophika ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu, ngokuzidla othi akekho uNkulunkulu, futhi alufani nomuntu othi iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu alaziwa, ngokuzidla ogomela ngokuthi kumane nje akunakwenzeka ukuba sazi ngemvelaphi yethu, isizathu sokuba sibe lapha, nokuthi ikusasa liyoba njani. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisinikeza isiqinisekiso ngokuphathelene nazo zonke lezinto. Uthando lukulungele futhi ukukholwa ngoba luyethemba, alusoli ngokungadingekile.
20. Uthando luhlangene kanjani nethemba?
20 Umphostoli uPawulu usiqinisekisa ngokwengeziwe ngokuthi uthando “luthemba izinto zonke.” Njengoba uthando lunombono oqondile, hhayi ophambene, lunethemba eliqinile kukho konke lokho okuthenjiswe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Siyatshelwa: “Olimayo kufanele alime enethemba, nobhulayo abhule enethemba lokwabelwa naye.” (1 Korinte 9:10) Ngisho nanjengoba uthando luthemba, lunethemba futhi, ngaso sonke isikhathi luthembela kokungcono kakhulu.
21. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso esingokomBhalo sokuthi uthando luyakhuthazela?
21 Ekugcineni, siyaqinisekiswa ukuthi uthando “lukhuthazelela izinto zonke.” Luyakwazi ukwenza kanjalo ngenxa yalokho umphostoli uPawulu asitshela khona kweyoku-1 Korinte 10:13: “Anifikelwanga ukulingwa okungenjengokwabantu; kepha uNkulunkulu uthembekile, ongayikuvuma ukuba nilingwe ngokungaphezu kwamandla enu, kepha oyakuthi kanye nokulingwa anenzele indlela yokuphepha, nize nibe-namandla okukuthwala.” Uthando luyosenza ukuba sibheke ezibonelweni eziningi emiBhalweni zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziye zakhuthazela, eyinhloko kuzo okunguJesu Kristu, njengoba sikhunjuzwa kumaHeberu 12:2, 3.
22. Njengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, iyiphi imfanelo evelele okumelwe sikhathalele ukuyibonisa ngaso sonke isikhathi?
22 Ngempela, uthando (a·gaʹpe) luyimfanelo evelele leyo thina njengamaKristu, oFakazi BakaJehova, okudingeka ukuba siyihlakulele, kokubili ngokwalokho engeyikho nalokho eyikho. Njengabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kwangathi ngaso sonke isikhathi singakhathalela ukubonisa lesithelo somoya kaNkulunkulu. Ukwenza kanjalo kuwukuba njengoNkulunkulu, ngoba, khumbula, “uNkulunkulu uluthando.”
Uyakhumbula?
◻ UJesu Kristu noPawulu bakubonisa kanjani ukuvelela kothando?
◻ Kungamuphi umqondo uthando lungenamhawu?
◻ Kungayiphi indlela uthando “lubekezelela izinto zonke”?
◻ Kungani kungase kuthiwe uthando alusoze lwaphela?
◻ Kungaziphi izindlela ezimbili uthando luthokozela iqiniso?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 21]
UTHANDO (AGAPE)
Lokho Olungeyikho Lokho Oluyikho
1. Alunamhawu 1. Luyabekezela
2. Aluzigabisi 2. Lumnene
3. Aluzikhukhumezi 3. Luthokozela iqiniso
4. Aluziphathi ngokungafanele 4. Lubekezelela izinto zonke
5. Aluzifuneli okwalo 5. Lukholwa yizinto zonke
6. Alucunuki 6. Luthemba izinto zonke
7. Alunagqubu 7. Lukhuthazelela izinto zonke
8. Aluthokozi ngokungalungi
9. Alusoze lwaphela
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
UJehova wathobisa uNebukadinesari ngenxa yokuzigabisa