AmaKristu Eqiniso Ahlonipha Asebekhulile

“ABAGUGILE,” kusho uSuzanne Steinmetz, “basekupheleni kwempilo yabo ekhiqizayo ngokomnotho, okuyisona sisekelo impucuko yethu elinganisa ngaso abantu ngabanye futhi ibanike inhlonipho, isikhundla nemivuzo.” Ngakho, umbono womphakathi wanamuhla ngasebekhulile ufiphele kakhulu. Akumangalisike ukuthi sivame ukufunda ngokunganakwa nokuphathwa kabi kwabo.

Nokho, iBhayibheli linamuphi umbono ngasebekhulile? Eqinisweni iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyavuma ukuthi ukuguga akulula. Umhubi wathandaza: “Ungangilahli esikhathini sobudala, ungangishiyi ekupheleni kwamandla ami.” (IHubo 71:9) Ebudaleni bakhe wezwa isidingo esikhulu ngaphezu kwanoma inini sokusekela kukaJehova. Futhi umbono weBhayibheli ucacile ekubo niseni ukuthi nathi futhi kufanele sinakekele izidingo zasebegugile.

Yiqiniso, uSolomoni wabiza ubudala ngokuthi “izinsuku ezimbi” umuntu ‘angayikuthokoza’ ngazo. (UmShumayeli 12:1-3) Kodwa futhi eBhayibhelini “ubude bezinsuku, neminyaka yokuphila” kuhlanganiswe nezibusiso ezivela kuNkulunkulu. (IzAga 3:1, 2) Ukubonisa lokhu, uJehova wathembisa uAbrahama: “Kepha wena . . . umbelwe usumdala.” (Genesise 15:15) Ngokuqinisekile, uNkulunkulu wayengagwebeli uAbrahama othembekile ‘ezinsukwini ezimbi ayengayikuthokoza’ ngazo. UAbrahama wathola ukuthula eminyakeni yakhe yokugcina, ebheka emuva ngokwaneliseka ekuphileni akusebenzisa ekukhonzeni uJehova. Futhi wayengabheka phambili ‘emzini onezisekelo,’ uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Heberu 11:10) Ngakho wayengafa “esegugile, esanelisiwe.”—Genesise 25:8.

Kungani-ke, uSolomoni abiza ubudala ngokuthi “izinsuku ezimbi”? USolomoni wabhekisela ekuwohlokeni okuphikelelayo kwempilo okwenzeka ebudaleni. Nokho, lowo oye wahluleka ‘ukukhumbula uMdali wakhe emihleni yobusha bakhe’ uthola iminyaka yakhe yokuguga ingemibi ngokukhethekile. (UmShumayeli 12:1) Ngenxa yokuthi uye wachitha ukuphila kwakhe, umuntu omdala onjalo ‘akathokozi’ ngezinsuku zokugcina zokuphila kwakhe. Indlela yakhe yokuphila yokungamesabi uNkulunkulu kungenzeka yaphumela ngisho nasezinkingeni ezingokomzimba ezandisa izinhlungu zokuguga. (Qhathanisa IzAga 5:3-11.) Ngakho lapho ebheka phambili akaliboni ikusasa kodwa ubona ithuna. Umuntu oye wanikela ukuphila kwakhe ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu naye uyabhekana ‘nezinsuku ezimbi’ njengoba umzimba wakhe uphelelwa amandla. Kodwa njengoAbrahama, angathola injabulo nokwaneliseka ekuphileni okusetshenziswe kahle nasekusebenziseni amandla akhe asele enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. “Ubumpunga bungumqhele wodumo; bufumaniswa endleleni yokulunga,” kusho iBhayibheli.—IzAga 16:31.

Eqinisweni, ubudala buze ngisho bube nobuhle obuthile. “Ubusha nobunsizwa buyize,” kusho uSolomoni. Lapho abantu abasha bengase bajabulele ukuba imiqemane, ngokuvamile bantula okuhlangenwe nakho nokwahlulela. Nokho, ubudala buza nokuhlangenwe nakho kwakho konke ukuphila. Okhulile ‘uyayiphebeza ingozi,’ ngokungafani nomuntu omusha owenza ngokungacabangi ongena egulukudela kuyo. (UmShumayeli 11:10, NW; 2 Thimothewu 2:22) Ngakho-ke, uSolomoni wayengathi: “Nesivunulo sabadala singubumpunga.”—IzAga 20:29.

Ngakho iBhayibheli liyabahlonipha asebekhulile. Lokhu kuyithinta kanjani indlela amaKristu asebenzelana ngayo nabo?

‘Ukusukuma’ Phambi Kwabantu Abadala

UNkulunkulu wakwenza kwaba umthetho wesizwe kwaIsrayeli ukuhlonipha asebegugile. Umthetho kaMose wawuthi: “Wosukuma phambi kwempunga, uhloniphe ubuso bomuntu omdala.” (Levitikusi 19:32) Ngokusobala eminyakeni eyalandela amaJuda alandela lomthetho ngokoqobo. UDr. Samuel Burder encwadini yakhe ethi Oriental Customs uthi: “Ababhali bamaJuda bathi umthetho wawuthi, kwakumelwe basukume phambi kwabo lapho besondele ngebanga eliyizingalo ezine; futhi lapho sebedlulile bahlale phansi futhi, ukuze kubonakale ukuthi basukumé ngenxa nje yokubahlonipha.” Inhlonipho enjalo yayingalinganiselwe emadodeni agqamile. “Hlonipha ngisho nekhehla eselilahlekelwe ingqondo,” kusho iTalmud. Omunye umfundisi wamaJuda wabonisa ukuthi lenhlonipho kufanele ihlanganise namakhehla angazi lutho angafundile. Wathi: “Lona kanye iqiniso lokuthi usegugile, kumelwe ukuba lingenxa yokufaneleka okuthile.”—The Jewish Encyclopedia.

AmaKristu namuhla awasekho ngaphansi kwe zibopho zoMthetho kaMose. (Roma 7:6) Kodwa lokhu akusho ukuthi awasabophekile ukuba abonise ukukhathalela okukhethekile ngabadala. Lokhu kubonakala ngeziyalezo umphostoli uPawulu azinika umbonisi ongumKristu uThimothewu: “Ungayikhaci indoda endala, kodwa yiyale njengoyihlo, . . . abesifazane abadala njengawonyoko.” (1 Thimothewu 5:1, 2) UPawulu watshela uThimothewu osemusha ukuthi wayenegunya ‘lokuyala.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:3) Noma kunjalo, uma othile omdala kunaye—ikakhulukazi okhonza njengombonisi—enza iphutha ekwahluleleni noma esho okungaqondile, uThimothewu wayengafanele ‘amkhace’ njengongaphansi kunaye. Kunalokho, kwakufanele ‘amyale njengoyise.’ UThimothewu kwakufanele abonise inhlonipho efanayo kwabesifazane abadala ebandleni. Yebo, ngenye indlela, kwakusafanele ‘asukume phambi kwempunga.’

Ngakho ubuKristu buyinkolo ehlonipha asebekhulile. Nokho, ngokuphambene, okuningi ukuphathwa kabi kwabantu abadala kwenzeka ezizweni ezizisholo ukuba ezobuKristu. Nokho, kukhona abakhulekeli abasalokhu benamathele ezindinganisweni zeBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, oFakazi BakaJehova bayakujabulela ukuba khona kwezinkulungwane eziningi zabantu abadala phakathi kwabo; abababheki njengomthwalo noma isiphazamiso. Nakuba impilo ebuthaka ingase ivimbele abadala abanjalo bangabe besakhuthala njengakuqala, abaningi banemilando emide yenkonzo yobuKristu yokwethembeka, futhi lokhu kukhuthaza oFakazi abasebasha ukuba balingise ukukholwa kwabo.—Heberu 13:7.

Nokho, asebekhulile akulindelekile ukuba babe abanganaki ebandleni. Bakhuthazwa ukuba babeke izibonelo ezinhle ekubeni ‘ngabazithibayo, abazothileyo, abaqondileyo, abaphilile ekukholweni, . . . abaziphethe ngokufanele abangcwele,’ behlanganyela ngokukhululeka inhlakanipho nokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo nabanye. (Thithu 2:2, 3) UJoweli waprofetha ukuthi phakathi kwalabo ‘abahlanganyela ekumemezeleni isigijimi seBhayibheli, kwakuyoba khona ‘nabadala.’ (Joweli 2:28) Ngokungangabazeki uye wazibonela ngokwakho ukuthi abaningi oFakazi asebekhulile basakujabulela ukuhlanganyela ngenkuthalo emsebenzini wokushumayela endlini ngendlu.

‘Ukuvama’ Ekubaboniseni Inhlonipho

OFakazi BakaJehova benza umzamo wokubonisa asebekhulile ukubacabangela okukhethekile ngezindlela eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, emihlanganweni yenkolo yaminyaka yonke ngokuvamile balungiselela ukuba kubekelwe asebekhulile izindawo zokuhlala. Babonisa futhi ukucabangela umuntu ngamunye. EJapane omunye uFakazi udela ukuhamba ngemoto yakubo ukuze umama oneminyaka engama-87 agibele aye emihlanganweni yebandla. Yena uya ngani emihlanganweni? Ngebhayisikili. EBrazil kukhona umshumayeli we sikhathi esigcwele oneminyaka engama-92 ubudala. Abantu babika ukuthi oFakazi lapho “bamphatha ngenhlonipho, bakhuluma naye, . . . Uyingxenye yebandla ewusizo.”

Lokhu akusho ukuthi akukho kuthuthuka okudingekayo ekuhlonipheni asebekhulile. UPawulu wabhalela amaKristu aseThesalonika: “Kepha maqondana nothando lobuzalwane . . . niyakwenza lokhu kubo bonke abazalwane abaseMakedoniya lonke. Kepha siyaniyala, bazalwane, ukuba nivame nokuvama kulokho.” (1 Thesalonika 4:9, 10) Ngezinye izikhathi iseluleko esifanayo siyadingeka namuhla uma kuziwa ekuphatheni kwethu abantu abadala. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umKristu oneminyaka engama-85 ubudala, wadumala kakhulu lapho engayitholi incwadi entsha esekelwe eBhayibhelini. Yayiyini inkinga? Ucishe angezwa futhi akasizwanga isaziso esikhumbuza bonke abantu ukuba ba-ode incwadi; akubanga namuntu ebandleni owacabanga ukum-odela yona. Yebo, isimo salungiswa masinyane. Nokho kuyabonisa ukuthi kukhona isidingo sokuba ngabaziqaphela ngokukhethekile izidingo zabantu abadala.

Ziningi izindlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla abangenza ngazo lokhu ‘ngokugcwele.’ Imihlangano yobuKristu inikeza ithuba ‘lokuvusa uthando nemisebenzi emihle’ kubantu abadala. (Heberu 10:24, 25) Futhi njengoba kakade abasha nabadala behlangana ngokukhululeka emaHholo oMbuso oFakazi BakaJehova, mhlawumbe umzamo owengeziwe ungenziwa kulokho. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye abazali bakhuthaza abantwana babo ukuba baye futhi bakhulume ngenhlonipho namalungu ebandla akhulile.

Kungaqhutshekwa kuboniswa inhlonipho kwabadala ngezindlela ezikhululekile. Ngokuvumelana nomthetho uJesu awubeka kuLuka 14:12-14, kungenziwa umzamo owengeziwe wokumema asebekhulile emibuthwaneni. Ngisho noma bengenakuphumelela, ngokuqinisekile bayokwazisa ukubakhumbula kwenu. AmaKristu anxuswa ngokuqhubekayo ukuba ‘akhuthalele ukungenisa izihambi.’ (Roma 12:13) Lokhu akudingekile ukuba kube okunemicikilisho. Omunye uFakazi waseJalimane uyasikisela: “Bamemele inkomishi yetiye, futhi ubavumele ukuba baxoxe ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwesikhathi esidlule.”

Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Ekwazisaneni nandulelane.” (Roma 12:10) Phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova, ikakhulukazi abadala abamisiwe bamabandla bayahola ekuboniseni inhlonipho kumaKristu asekhulile. Ngokuvamile abadala bayakwazi ukwabela asebekhulile imisebenzi efanele yokuyenza, njengokuqeqesha abasha ukuba babe abashumayeli noma ukusiza ekunakekeleni indawo yamaKristu yokuhlanganyela. Amadoda asemasha akhonza njengabadala bebandla abonisa ababonisi asebekhulile inhlonipho ngokufuna kwabo iseluleko ngokuzithoba, esebenzisa inhlakanipho ekutholeni imibono yabo evuthiwe. (IzAga 20:5) Emihlanganweni yabadala abanjalo, alandela isibonelo seBhayibheli sikaElihu osemusha futhi azithobe ngenhlonipho emadodeni asekhulile nanokuhlangenwe nakho okwengeziwe, ebanika ithuba lokukhuluma kuqala.—Jobe 32:4.

Kuyiqiniso, kulula ukungabi nasineke nabantu abadala ngoba bangase bangakwazi ukwenza nokucabanga ngokushesha njengabantu abasha. UDr. Robert N. Butler uzichaza kahle ezinye zezinkinga ezingase zilethwe ukuguga: “Umuntu ulahlekelwa amandla akhe angokomzimba, namandla omuntu okubekezela, futhi lokho ngokwakho kungasabisa kakhulu. Umuntu angase alahlekelwe izinzwa ezibalulekile njengokuzwa nokubona.” Ngokuqaphela lokhu, abasha akufanele yini babonise isihe futhi babe nozwela?-1 Petru 3:8.

Yebo, amaKristu namhlanje abophekile ukubonisa uthando lweqiniso, ukukhathalela, nenhlonipho kubantu abadala abaphakathi kwabo. Futhi phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova, lokhu kwenziwa ngendlela yesibonelo. Nokho, kwenzekani lapho amaKristu asekhulile—noma abazali bamaKristu—begula noma beba mpofu? Kuwumthwalo kabani ukubanakekela? Izihloko ezilandelayo zizohlola ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiphendula kanjani lemibuzo.

[Izithombe ekhasini 7]

Emabandleni oFakazi BakaJehova, asebekhulile bathola umsebenzi owanelisa kakhulu wokwenziwa