Obani Abayizikhonzi ZikaNkulunkulu Namuhla?

“Sathuma uThimothewu umzalwane wethu, isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu evangelini likaKristu.”—1 THESALONIKA 3:1, 2.

 1, 2. (a) Ingabe bonke abathi bayizikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu babonakala befeza inkonzo yabo ngokufanele? (2 Korinte 11:13-15) (b) Kungani kubalulekile ukukwazi ukubona izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso namuhla? (2 Korinte 5:18)

MUVA NJE, eMelika ePhakathi abefundisi abagcotshiwe basiza ekuhleleni ukuvukela okwaketula uhulumeni. EMpumalanga eKude umfundisi ogcotshiwe wahola uhlaselo olwaphumela ekufeni kwababili. ENingizimu Eshiya abefundisi abagcotshiwe bahlela izisebenzi ezazingenandawo emzabalazweni wazo wokulwa na“bacindezeli.”

² Wonke lamadoda athi ayizikhonzi ezingamaKristu, kodwa ingabe ayeyizo? Ingabe ilolohlobo lwento isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu okufanele siyenze? Lona umbuzo obalulekile, ngoba kakhulu kungenxa yomsebenzi wezikhonzia zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso lapho abantu befunda ngaye futhi bathole nethuba lokuphila okuphakade. (1 Korinte 3:5; Johane 17:3) Sidinga ukuba sikwazi ukubona ukuthi zingobani izikhonzi ZikaNkulunkulu zoqobo. Kodwa singabona kanjani? IBhayibheli kuphela elingasisiza.

“Isikhonzi” EBhayibhelini

 3. (a) Lisetshenziswa kanjani futhi igama lesiGreki elithi di·aʹko·nos? (b) Yiluphi uhlobo lwenkonzo oluphakeme kakhulu?

³ Okokuqala, siyini isikhonzi ngokweBhayibheli? Olimini lokuqala lwemiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki, igama elithi “isikhonzi” lalingudi·aʹko·nos. Nakuba kukhona imibono ehlukene mayelana nomsuka waleligama, elikushoyo kwaziwa kahle. Ngokuyisisekelo lisho “inceku.” Ezincwadini zeVangeli udi·aʹko·nos namagama ahlobene naye ngokuvamile asetshenziswa ngokuphathelene nokukhonza labo abahlezi ekudleni. (Luka 4:39; Johane 2:5, 9) Nokho, esiGrekini sosuku lukaJesu leligama ngokuvamile lalihlangene nesimo sokuphakama. Emibhalweni okungesiyo eyeBhayibheli lalisetshenziswa ukubhekisela ezikhulwini zenkolo, futhi enguqulweni yokuqala yemiBhalo yesiHeberu iguqulelwa esiGrikini lalisetshenziselwa ukuchaza izinduna nezinceku zenkosi yasePheresiya uAhashiveroshi. (Esteri 1:10; 6:3) Ngokusobala, inkonzo ephakeme kakhulu umuntu angahlanganyela kuyo yinkonzo yoPhezukonke uNkulunkulu, uJehova.

 4. Isikhonzi sangempela sikaNkulunkulu sizibheka kanjani?

⁴ Njengoba ukuba isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu kuyilungelo eliphakeme kangaka, isikhonzi soqobo sizibheka kanjani? Akumelwe siqhoshe sizizwe sibalulekile. Ngokuqinisekile, asiwamukeli amagama okusithopha njengo“Baba oNgcwele” noma “Mfundisi.” (Mathewu 23:8-12) Esikhundleni salokho, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi umKristu oyisikhonzi soqobo uyazithoba. Wathi: “Kodwa yilowo nalowo ofuna ukuba-mkhulu phakathi kwenu makabe-yisikhonzi senu; nalowo ofuna ukuba-ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu makabe-yinceku yenu.”—Mathewu 20:26, 27.

 5. Yimiphi imithetho izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu eziyilalelayo, futhi obani abazuzayo enkonzweni yazo ephakeme?

⁵ Isikhonzi silalela imithetho yenkosi yaso. Nokho, ngokwenza kanjalo, umsebenzi waso ungazuzisa omunye umuntu. Ngokwesibonelo, uma inkosi yaso inezivakashi, khona-ke isikhonzi silalela inkosi yaso ngokunakekela izidingo zezivakashi. Izikhonzi ezingamaKristu, njengoba ziyi“zikhonzi ZikaNkulunkulu” ne“zikhonzi zikaKristu,” zilalela imithetho uNkulunkulu ayinikeze ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu. (2 Korinte 6:4; 11:13) Kodwa umsebenzi eziwenzayo uzuzisa abanye. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wayeyisikhonzi ku“bantu bezizwe.” (Efesu 3:1-7) Inkonzo yakhe yaletha izibusiso ezinkulu kulabo abasabela kahle. Futhi yaletha udumo kuJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu, labo imithetho yabo ayeyilalela.

Isikhonzi Esikhulu Kunazo Zonke

 6. (a) Ubani owayeyisikhonzi esikhulu kunazo zonke? (b) Wayelalela iziyalezo zikabani, futhi wayekhonza ngenxa yobani?

⁶ Kodwa yini isikhonzi okufanele siyenze ngempela? Singaphendula lombuzo ngokucabangela imisebenzi yesikhonzi esikhulu kunazo zonke esake saphila, uJesu Kristu. UJesu wathi: “Njengalokho iNdodana yomuntu ingezelanga ukukhonzwa kepha ukukhonza nokunikela ukuphila kwayo, kube yisihlengo sabaningi.” (Mathewu 20:28) Njengesikhonzi, ezikabani iziyalezo uJesu azilalela? Obani abakhonza? Futhi kanjani? UJesu walalela iziyalezo zikaYise wasezulwini. (Johane 8:28) Futhi, okokuqala, wakhonza amaJuda kuphela. (Roma 15:8) Kodwa, ekugcineni, inkonzo yakhe ephakeme yayizozuzisa bonke abantu abanezinhliziyo ezilungileyo.—Johane 3:16.

 7. (a) Njengesikhonzi, yini uJesu ayenza? (Marku 1:38) (b) Yini uJesu angazange ayenze?

⁷ Yini uJesu ayenza njengesikhonzi? Enye into ayenza kwakuwukugwema ukuhileleka kwezombangazwe. Okungenani ezikhathini ezimbili wayenethuba lokuthatha isikhundla sezombangazwe, kodwa wenqaba. (Marku 12:13-17; Johane 6:15) Ngani? Ngoba inkonzo yakhe ephakeme yayingaphezu kwezombangazwe, futhi nezinzuzo eyayizinikeza, kuhlanganise nokuphila okuphakade, zazizinkulu kakhulu kunalokho okwakunikezwa imisebenzi yezombangazwe. Ngaphandle kwalokho, isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu ngeke sibe isikhonzi salelizwe. (Mathewu 6:24) Yingakho, uJesu ayenge“siye owezwe.” (Johane 17:14; Jakobe 4:4) Ngakho, uJesu akwenza kwakuwukushumayela nokufundisa. Wafakaza obala ngegama likaNkulunkulu. Washumayela ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu wawuwukuphela kwethemba lesintu. Wafundisa abafundi bakhe izimiso ZikaNkulunkulu eziphakeme zokuziphatha futhi wabaqeqesha ukuba bamlandele enkonzweni ephakeme. Ekugcineni, wafinyelela umvuthwandaba wenkonzo yakhe ngokudela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yesintu.—Mathewu 4:17; 5:27-32; 20:28; Johane 17:3-6.

 8. Kungani izikhonzi zeqiniso zanamuhla zihlolisisa ngokuseduze inkonzo kaJesu ephakeme?

⁸ UJesu uyisibonelo sabo bonke ukuba “balandele ezinyathelweni zakhe.” (1 Petru 2:21) Yilabo kuphela abayilingisa ngokuseduze inkonzo ephakeme kaJesu Kristu ngokuqinisekile abangazibiza ngokuthi bayizikhonzi ZikaNkulunkulu namuhla. Uma sihlola umsebenzi wezikhonzi ezingamaKristu eminyakeni elandela ukufa kukaJesu sizobona ukuthi lokhu kuhilelani.

Isikhonzi EsingumKristu

 9. Bobabili uJesu noPawulu bafaneleka kanjani ukuba izikhonzi?

⁹ Okokuqala, inceku kaNkulunkulu yayifaneleka kanjani ngalezo zinsuku ukuba isikhonzi? Namuhla, abefundisi abaningi kweLobukholwa bathola izincwadi ezibonisa izikhundla zabo ezikoleni zobufundisi. Lezi iziqu zabo. Nokho, uJesu akazange abe nezincwadi ezinjalo. Wayeyisikhonzi esifanelekile ngoba uNkulunkulu wamgcoba ukuba abe yiso. (Luka 4:18, 19) Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Kodwa amandla ethu avela kuNkulunkulu, oyena futhi osenzela amandla okubayizikhonzi zesivumelwano esisha. (2 Korinte 3:5, 6) Khona-ke, izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zinikwa nguye amandla noma ukufaneleka. Kanjani?

10. UThimothewu wakuthola kanjani ukuqeqeshwa kwakhe okuyisisekelo kokuba abe isikhonzi?

¹⁰ Cabangela isibonelo sikaThimothewu, owayeyi“sikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu evangelini likaKristu.” (1 Thesalonika 3:2) UPawulu wambhalela: “Kepha wena yima kulokho okufundile nowaqiniseka kukho, wazi ukuthi ukufundé kobani, nokuthi kusukela ebuntwaneni wazi imibhalo engcwele enamandla okukuhlakaniphisa, kube-yinsindiso ngokukholwa kuKristu Jesu.”—2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15; bheka futhi 2 Thim 3 amavesi 16, no-17.

11. Ubani owasiza uThimothewu ukuba afanelekele inkonzo ephakeme?

¹¹ Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi uThimothewu wamane wafunda nje iBhayibheli wayeseba isikhonzi? Qha. Okokuqala, ‘waqiniseka kukho’ ngezinye izikhonzi. Zazingobani? Njengoba ayazi imiBhalo “kusukela ebuntwaneni,” kungenzeka wathola okungenani ukuqeqeshwa okuyisisekelo kunina nakugogo wakhe, uyise ngokusobala engakholwa. (2 Thimothewu 1:5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho uPawulu eqala ukubonana noThimothewu kakade “wayefakazelwa kahle ngabazalwane baseListra nabaseIkoniyu.” (IzEnzo 16:2) Khona-ke, ukholo lwakhe lwathuthukiswa ukuhlangana kwakhe namanye amaKristu kulamabandla. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngalezo zinsuku abazalwane abaningana abavelele, futhi ikakhulu indikimba ebusayo yebandla lobuKristu eJerusalema, babevame ukubhalela amabandla izincwadi ukuba baqinise ukholo lwawo, futhi ababonisi abajikelezayo babevame ukuwakha ngokuwavakashela.—Heberu 10:23; IzEnzo 15:22-32; 1 Petru 1:1.

12. Waba nini isikhonzi uThimothewu, futhi wathuthuka kanjani ngemva kwalokho?

¹² Ezingeni elithile ukholo lukaThimothewu lwaqiniswa ukutadisha okunjalo nokuhlangana, lwamshukumisela ukuba abhapathizwe njengophawu lokuzinikezela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu, ukuba asebenzise konke ukuphila kwakhe emkhonza. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; Heberu 10:5-9) Ngakho-ke, ngaleso sikhathi waba isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ukuthuthuka kwakhe akugcinanga lapho. Ikhono lakhe lokuba isikhonzi laqiniswa ngokwengeziwe isipho esikhethekile esingokomoya nangokufundiswa nokuqeqeshwa akuthola kumphostoli uPawulu. Futhi uThimothewu waqhubeka ethuthuka ngokuzitadishela nangokuhlangana namanye amaKristu. (1 Thimothewu 4:14; 2 Thimothewu 2:2) Khona-ke, uThimothewu ‘wayeyisikhonzi sezindaba ezinhle.’ Njengonjalo, yini ayenza?

13. Yayiyini imithwalo yemfanelo yenkonzo kaThimothewu?

¹³ Wayenemisebenzi ekhethekile, njengoba wayengumngane kaPawulu abahamba naye. Njengomdala, uThimothewu wasebenza kanzima ekufundiseni nasekuqiniseni amaKristu ayekanye nawo. Lokhu kwakuyingxenye yenkonzo yakhe ephakeme. (1 Thimothewu 4:6) Kodwa ingxenye enkulu yenkonzo yakhe ephakeme, njengoba kwakunjalo ngoJesu, kwakuwukushumayela izindaba ezinhle. (Mathewu 4:23) Umphostoli uPawulu watshela uThimothewu: “Kepha wena, qonda ezintweni zonke, ubekezele ekuhluphekeni, wenze umsebenzi womvangeli, ufeze ukukhonza kwakho.”—2 Thimothewu 4:5.

14. ImiBhalo ibubonisa kanjani ubuhlobo phakathi kokholo nenkonzo ephakeme yokushumayela?

¹⁴ Nokho, ngaphandle kukaThimothewu noPawulu, obani ababelindelwe ukuba bahlanganyele enkonzweni ephakeme yobuKristu? Abadala kuphela noma abameleli abakhethekile abajikelezayo? Qha. Umphostoli uPawulu waveza iphuzu lokuthi ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle kwakushukunyiswa ukholo wonke amaKristu okufanele abe nalo. Wathi: “Ngokuba umuntu ukholwa ngenhliziyo kube-ngukulunga, ngomlomo uyavuma kube-ngukusindiswa.”—Roma 10:10.

15, 16. Obani ababenomthwalo wemfanelo wokuhlanganyela enkonzweni ephakeme yobuKristu, futhi kungani uphendula kanjalo?

¹⁵ Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi bonke labo ngobuqotho abanokholo lobuKristu kufanele babe amaKristu ayizikhonzi, bahlanganyele ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle? Yebo. Amazwi kaPawulu ayebhekisela kulo lonke ibandla eRoma, hhayi kuphela kwabadala. (Roma 1:1, 7) Lonke ibandla e-Efesu kwakufanele libe “nezinyawo zigqokisiwe ukulungela kukho ukushumayela ivangeli lokuthula.” (Efesu 6:15; 1:1) Futhi bonke labo abezwa incwadi eyayiya kumaHeberu kwakufanele ‘babambisise isivumo sethemba labo singaxegi.’ (Heberu 10:23) Khumbula, futhi, ukuthi ngosuku lwePhentekoste, wonke umuntu, abesilisa nabesifazane, bahlanganyela ekumemezeleni “imisebenzi emikhulu kaNkulunkulu.”—IzEnzo 2:1-21; 1:14.

¹⁶ Futhi, ngokushesha ngaphambi kokwenyukela kwakhe ezulwini, uJesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyalé ngakho.” (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Labo abasabela kuzo zonke izizwe ezihlukene babengezukuba izilaleli kuphela. Babezoba abafundi, nakho konke okwakuhilela lokho.—Luka 10:1; 14:27, 33; Johane 13:35; 15:8; IzEnzo 1:8.

Izikhonzi ZikaNkulunkulu Namuhla

17. Yiziphi ezinye izinto ezibalulekile ezihlanganiswe enkonzweni ephakeme yobuKristu? (Mathewu 22:37-39)

¹⁷ Kuze kube manje, sibonile ukuthi isikhonzi esingumKristu weqiniso sigwema ezombangazwe futhi sihlukile ezweni. Sithobekile futhi sigcina izimiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha uJesu azifundisa abalandeli bakhe. Siyisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu, silingisa uKristu. Ngakho, akufanele silandele imibono yaso noma siphozise iqiniso ukuze silenze lamukeleke kwabanye. Noma kunjalo, inkonzo yaso izuzisa abanye abantu, kokubili abakholwayo nabangakholwa.—Mathewu 20:28; 26:39; 1 Petru 4:8-10.

18. Obani abayizikhonzi ZikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso namuhla, futhi kungani uphendula kanjalo?

¹⁸ Njengoba kwakunjalo ngoJesu noThimothewu, ingxenye ebalulekile yenkonzo yomKristu wanamuhla umsebenzi wokushumayela. Yini ayishumayelayo? Phela, insindiso isesisekelweni somhlatshelo kaJesu. Futhi labo abafisa ukusindiswa kusafanele babize igama likaJehova. (IzEnzo 4:12; Roma 10:13) Ngokungaphezulu, umbuso usewukuphela kwethemba lesintu esihluphekayo. Yingakho uJesu aprofetha: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.” (Mathewu 24:14) Izikhonzi zeqiniso ZikaNkulunkulu yizona ezigcwalisa lesi siprofetho futhi zifundise lamaqiniso. Futhi obani abenza lomsebenzi onikezwe uNkulunkulu? NgoFakazi BakaJehova kuphela.—Isaya 43:10-12.

19. Yiziphi izinto ezihlukene ezihilelekile ngokuba komuntu yisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu namuhla?

¹⁹ Umuntu ufaneleka kanjani ukuba yisikhonzi? Ngendlela efanayo uThimothewu afaneleka ngayo: Ngokwakha ukholo oluqinile ezinjongweni ZikaNkulunkulu, ezisekelwe ekutadisheni iBhayibheli; ngokuqinisa lolokholo ngokuhlangana namanye amaKristu; ngokubhapathizwa njengesibonakaliso sokuzinikezela okwenziwa ngokuthandaza ngokuqondile kuNkulunkulu ukuba amkhonze kusukela ngaleso sikhathi; nangokwamukela isiyalo nokuqondisa okuvela eNdikimbeni eBusayo yebandla lobuKristu. (Heberu 10:23-25; Mathewu 24:45-47) Obani abahlanganyela kulenkonzo? Yibo bonke abanokholo oluqotho, olunemisebenzi ezinjongweni ZikaNkulunkulu, olusekelwe olwazini oluqondile. Ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni ephakeme njengamaKristu angofakazi bakaJehova kuwubufakazi bobuqotho balolokholo.—Jakobe 2:17.

20, 21. (a) Kungenxa yakuphi ukuhluleka kwenkonzo yeLobukholwa okwenza kube kuhle ukuthi uNkulunkulu waveza izikhonzi namuhla? (b) Isakazeke kangakanani inkonzo yazo?

²⁰ Kulezinsuku zokugcina, abefundisi abaningi kweLobukholwa bamatasatasa bashumayela “ivangeli lezenhlalo yabantu,” bezigaxa kwezombangazwe noma bengabaza ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu nokuba usizo kweBhayibheli. Futhi umhlambi weLobukholwa awunaso isithakazelo sokusebenza njengesikhonzi. Ngakho, siyabonga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uye waveza izikhonzi ezigcina igama lakhe liphambi kwesintu futhi zisiza abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho ukuba bafunde amaqiniso abalulekile eZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. Kukhona izigidi ezingaphezu kwezimbili zalezikhonzi emhlabeni jikelele futhi ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu zishumayela kuso sonke isintu.

²¹ Kodwa umuntu angabonisa kanjani ukuthi ungomunye wazo? Isihloko esilandelayo sizokhuluma ngalokhu ngokugcwele.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Imibhalo elandelayo isitshelani ngenkonzo ephakeme yobuKristu?

□ Marku 1:38

□ 1 Thimothewu 4:6

□ 2 Thimothewu 4:5

□ Roma 1:1, 7; 10:10

□ Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20

□ Roma 10:13

□ Johane 17:16

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Ingabe yilokhu izikhonzi ZikaNkulunkulu okufanele zikwenze?

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Umsebenzi wenkonzo ungahilela ukufundisa ebandleni

[Isithombe ekhasini 11]

Bonke abanokholo oluqotho kufanele bakhonze njengezikhonzi ezingamaKristu