‘Khumbulani Abaholayo Phakathi Kwenu’
“Bakhumbuleni ababenihola bekhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu kini, niqonda ukuphela kokuhamba kwabo, nilingise ukukholwa kwabo.”—HEBERU 13:7.
1. Iziphi izinguquko ezenzeka ngokuphathelene nokukhulekela kweqiniso ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19 leminyaka, kodwa abadala abangamaKristu babekhethwa kanjani?
ENGXENYENI yesine yokugcina yekhulu le-19 leminyaka ukukhulekela kweqiniso kwaqala ukubuyiselwa ngeqembu elincane labafundi beBhayibheli abazinikezele ababehlangene noCharles Taze Russell ePittsburgh, ePennsylvania. Okokuqala bafuna ukubuyiselwa kwemfundiso yeBhayibheli yeqiniso, ehlanzekile ekonakalisweni isiko nolwazi lobuBabiloni. Nokho, isinyathelo sokuqala sokubuyisela sasihamba kancane ngasekuhlelweni kwamabandla. Nakuba abaFundi BeBhayibheli babenabadala namadiyakoni (izinceku ezikhonzayo), imibono engamanga ngokwenkolo yayisekhona ngezindlela ezithile. Kanjalo kuze kube sekhulwini lama-20 leminyaka abadala babekhethwa amabandla ngenqubo yokuvotelwa iningi, okwakuboniswa ngokuphakanyiswa kwezandla.
2. Nakuba kunjalo, iyiphi indinganiso ephakeme eyabekelwa abadala phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova?
2 Nakuba kunjalo, indinganiso ephakeme yayifuneka, ngoba iThe Watch Tower kaNovember 1, 1909, yathi ekhasini 325: “Ekukhethweni kwabaDala amalungu ebandla azinikezele kumelwe akhumbule ukuthi umthwalo wemfanelo uphezu kwawo; futhi akukho kuvota okumelwe kwenziwe ngaphandle kokucatshangelwa kwentando yaPhezulu, ngokunakekela nangomthandazo wokuqondisa kwaphezulu.” Isihloko saqhubeka sigcizelela izimfanelo ezintathu zomdala ofanele: (1) Kwakumelwe abe nekhono ekufundiseni; (2) afundise iqiniso hhayi iphutha; futhi (3) intobeko nokuzinikezela kwaku“yizimfanelo zobudala eziyinhloko neziyisisekelo.”
Ukuhleleka Okungokwasezulwini Kuyabuyiselwa
3, 4. Iziphi izinguquko ezingokomlando ezenzeka ngokuphathelene nokumiswa emithwalweni yemfanelo yebandla (a) ngo-1919? (b) ngo-1932? (c) ngo-1938? (d) nango-1971?
3 Ngo-1919 kwathathwa isinyathelo sokuqala sokubuyisela ukuqondisa okungokwasezulwini kokumisa. Amabandla acelwa ukuba atuse umzalwane oshisekayo njengo“mqondisi” wenkonzo, ukuba ahole ekushumayeleni. Wayengenakuba ngaphansi kokhetho lwaminyaka yonke lwebandla, kodwa wayezomiswa ngokuqondile iWatch Tower Society, ummeleli ongokomthetho webandla labagcotshiwe. Khona-ke ngo-1932 abadala ababekhethwe ngevoti okwakumelwe ukuba babambisane no“mqondisi” wenkonzo bathathelwa indawo ikomiti yenkonzo yabazalwane abavuthiwe begcwalisa izikhundla ezihlukene zenkonzo kepha besakhethwa yilo ibandla. Igama elithi “umdala” layekwa kwakhethwa athi “inceku yebandla,” “inceku yezifundo zeBhayibheli,” njalonjalo.
4 Ukunqamuka okuphelele kokhetho akuzange kwenzeke kwaze kwaba ngo-1938, lapho kwaboniswa khona ukuthi amandla okumisa ayengaweNdikimba Ebusayo yebandla lobuKristu lomhlaba wonke. Kusukela kulesosikhathi kuqhubeke, amadoda afanelekayo ayemiswa ngokuqondile iNhlangano njenge“zinceku” ukuba anakekele imisebenzi ehlukene ebandleni. Nokho, kuyiNqabayokulinda kaMarch 1, nekaMay 15, 1972, ukuqondwa okukhanyayo ngokuqhubekayo kwemisebenzi yomdala nombonisi kwavezwa. Kwanikezwa izizathu ezinamandla zokuphindela emagameni eBhayibheli athi indoda endala, noma umdala (presbýteros), nombonisi (epískopos).
5. (a) Kungani ukunakekela okukhethekile kumelwe kwenziwe ekutusweni kwabadala? (b) Iziphi izici okumelwe ziqashelwe?
5 Kwaphindwa futhi kwagcizelelwa izindinganiso eziphakeme ezabekwa umoya ongcwele nezibhalwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Ngani? Ngoba ukuze afanelwe inhlonipho, umdala kumelwe ukuba ‘uyahola’ ekuziphatheni kobuKristu nasenkonzweni ngaphambi kokutuswa kwakhe nokumiswa. (Heberu 13:7, 17) Ngakho-ke, izindikimba zabadala akumelwe ziwalazele ekutuseni abadala abasha. (1 Thimothewu 3:6; 5:22) Khumbulani, ngokuvamile kuhileleke isikhathi esiningi ngokwengeziwe nengxoxo ekugudluzeni umdala ongafaneleki kunasekutuseni ukumiswa kwakhe. Eqinisweni, esinye isiqondiso sokulandelwa siwukubheka ukuthi ingabe ibandla kakade lomzalwane selimbheka njengokungathi ungumdala ngisho nangaphambi kokumiswa kwakhe. Ingabe useye wazuza inhlonipho yalo ngokugcwalisa izimfuneko zeBhayibheli kangangokuthi akukho kungabaza ngokutuswa?
‘Ophatha Kahle Indlu Yakhe’
6. Iziphi ezinye izimfanelo zomdala ngokuhlobene nomkhaya wakhe?
6 Make sibukeze kafushane ezinye zezimfanelo zomdala njengoba umphostoli uPawulu ezisho futhi sibone ukuthi zisho ukuthini ngamazwi angokoqobo namuhla. UPawulu wabhala:
“Uma kukhona ongasolekiyo, indoda emfazi munye, enabantwana abakholwayo abangenakusolwa ngokushinga nabangalaleliyo.”—Thithu 1:6.
“Ngakho umbonisi umelwe abe . . . ophatha kahle indlu yakhe, abantwana bakhe bemthobela ngenhlonipho yonke—kepha uma umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha owakhe umuzi, angaliphatha kanjani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na?”—1 Thimothewu 3:2, 4, 5.
7. Iluphi uhlobo lokulinganisela okunokuhlakanipha oludingeka phakathi komthwalo wemfanelo womdala emkhayeni wakhe nasebandleni?
7 Imfuneko yokunakekela kahle umkhaya womuntu ibekela abadala abaningi inselele. Umdala angahola kanjani ebandleni nokho futhi angazidebeseli izidingo ezingokomoya nezingokomzwelo zomkakhe nabantwana bakhe? Akulula. Ngokuqinisekile, ukuvuthwa okungokomoya kuyadingeka ukuze kugcinwe ukulinganisela okuhle phakathi kwalemithwalo yemfanelo. Ngezinye izikhathi amalungu ebandla afuna isikhathi nokunaka lokho ngokufanelekile umdala amelwe akunikeze umkhaya wakhe. Kungani ukukhathalela kwakhe umkhaya wakhe kubaluleke kangaka? Ngoba uma engabunaki ubuhlobo bomkhaya wakhe noma abantwana abancane abangaphansi kwakhe beba izideleli ngokomoya, khona-ke, kungakhathaliseki amakhono akhe nentshiseko, ngeke esafaneleka njengomdala. Ngakho-ke, kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi ukwelusa kuqala ekhaya! Yebo, ukulinganisela kokucophelela kumelwe kuboniswe, yikho kokubili umdala nomkhaya wakhe, kanye futhi nebandla ekumdingeni kwalo.—Efesu 5:28-33; 6:4; 1 Thimothewu 5:8; 1 Petru 3:7.
‘Ongaziqhenyi Kepha Omnene’
8, 9. Iziphi izimfanelo umdala okumelwe azibonise ebuhlotsheni bakhe nabanye?
8 Olunye uchungechunge lwezimfanelo luthinta kakhulu indlela umdala aphatha ngayo abadala abakanye naye nebandla lilonke. Njengoba uPawulu ekubeka ezincwadini zakhe kuThithu noThimothewu:
“Ngokuba umbonisi umelwe ukuba abe-ngongasolekiyo njengomphathimuzi kaNkulunkulu, ongaziqhenyi, ongesiso isififane, . . . ongesiso isilwi, . . . ozithibayo.”—Thithu 1:7, 8.
“Ongesiso isilwi, kepha omnene, ongaxabaniyo.”—1 Thimothewu 3:3.
9 Lezimfuneko zibonisa ukuthi umdala kumelwe abe nobuntu obunjengobukaKristu. Leyo ngokuqinisekile indinganiso ephakeme. Kepha lendinganiso iyafana ngawo wonke amaKristu! Sonke kumelwe sibe ngabalingisi bakaKristu, futhi lokho kusho ukuthi kumelwe sibe-nokuthula. (1 Korinte 11:1) Njengoba umlobi weBhayibheli uJakobe akubeka: “Kepha ukuhlakanipha okwaphezulu okokuqala kumhlophe, andukuba kube-nokuthula, nokuva, nokulalela, kugcwele isihawu nezithelo ezinhle; . . . kepha isithelo sokulunga sihlwanyelwa ngokuthula kubo abakwenzayo ukuthula.”—Jakobe 3:17, 18.
10, 11. (a) Isimo somdala singalithinta kanjani ibandla? (b) Ngisho nakuba kukhona ukwehluka kwemibono, iziphi izimo okumelwe zivame?
10 Njengabadala, ingabe ‘siyakwenza ukuthula’? Akekho umdala oyofuna ukuba umbangeli wokulwa nokuxabana. Indikimba yabadala kumelwe ibeke isibonelo esihle kulokhu. Kanjalo, ibandla alinakuphazamiseka ngenxa yokungezwani phakathi kwabadala. Sonke asikhumbule amazwi kaPawulu: “Ngithanda ukuba amadoda akhuleke ezindaweni zonke, ephakamisa izandla ezingcwele, engenalulaka nakuphikisana.”—1 Thimothewu 2:8.
11 Ngezinye izikhathi, kuyoba nokwehlukana kwemibono. Indoda emnene, nakuba mhlawumbe inombono oqinile, ayinakuba ephikelela ngentando yayo nenenkani. Iyozimisela ukuvuma lapho izimiso ezingokomBhalo zingahilelekile. Futhi uma zihilelekile iyobona ukuhlakanipha kokulondoloza ukuzithiba. Iyokhumbula isimiso esibekwe kweyo-1 Korinte 13:4, 5 ukuthi uthando “alucunuki.”—Kolose 3:12-14.
‘Obambelele Ezwini Elithembekileyo’
12. Iyiphi enye imfuneko ebalulekile uPawulu ayiphakamisayo?
12 Yini eyosiza umdala ukuba athuthukisele phambili lezimfanelo ezibalulekile? Eqinisweni, kwezinye izimo, angenzani ukuze azilondoloze? Sinempendulo emazwini kaPawulu:
“Obambelele ezwini elithembekileyo ngokwesifundiso, aze abe-nakho nokuyala ngesifundiso esiphilileyo nokwahlula abaphikayo.”—Thithu 1:9.
“Onesu lokufundisa.”—1 Thimothewu 3:2.
13. Umdala kumelwe akunakekele kanjani ngokukhethekile ukuphila kwakhe okungokomoya?
13 Umdala angenzani ukuze ‘abambelele ngokuqinile ezwini elithembekileyo’ futhi abe “nesu lokufundisa”? Okokuqala, kumelwe abekele eceleni njalo isikhathi sesifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukulungiselela kwakhe imihlangano yobuKristu nezabelo zezinkulumo. Ngenxa yempilo yakhe engokomoya, lokhu kulungiselela akumelwe kube ukushwampuza. Ngokwesibonelo, angase akwazi ukudwebela izimpendulo zesihloko sesifundo seNqabayokulinda ngesikhathi esincane, kodwa ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi indaba iye yatadishwa? Ingabe ukuqonda ngempela ukukhulunyelwa kwalesosihloko? Ingabe imibhalo yeBhayibheli ekhonjiwe iye yahlolwa ukuze kutholwe ukusebenza kwayo? Ngokusobala, lokho kungokungenakwenzeka ngesikhathi esincane sokudwebela. Isifundo somuntu siqu nesifundo somkhaya sidinga isikhathi.—Joshuwa 1:8; IHubo 1:2; 77:6, 12.
14. Umdala angenzani ukuze anakekele isu lakhe lokufundisa?
14 Okwesibili, njengoba isimiso esimatasatasa singavumeli isikhathi sayo yonke into, umdala kumelwe anakekele ngokukhethekile izincwadi zobuKristu nezihloko ezithintana ngokuqondile ‘nesu lakhe lokufundisa, ukuyala nokusola.’ Usizo olulula kulesosici kuwukuba nomtapo wezincwadi womuntu siqu ococekile nohleleke kahle. Ikakhulukazi umdala kudingeka akwazi ukusheshe athole ukwaziswa okuqondile okungokomBhalo, futhi lokho kusho ukusebenzisa njalo ama“index” ezincwadi zeWatch Tower. Kungani konke lokhu kubaluleke kangaka? Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ziqaphele wena kanye nesifundiso, ume kulezozinto; ngokuba ngokwenza lokho uyakuzisindisa wena nabakuzwayo.”—1 Thimothewu 4:16.
15. Kungani iseluleko esingesona esingokombhalo siyingozi?
15 Yebo, ukuphila nokusinda kungahileleka eselulekweni somdala. Ngokwesibonelo, ezindabeni ezithinta ukukhishwa kwezisu, ukumpontshelwa kwegazi nokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu umdala angaba nomphumela omkhulu kakhulu omuhle noma omubi kunembeza wakhe nowabanye, kanye nasebuhlotsheni babantu noJehova. Ngakho-ke, singabona ukuthi akukhona ukuhlakanipha ukuzama ukuphendula imibuzo lapho singaqiniseki ngempela ngezimiso zeBhayibheli ezihilelekile. Iseluleko esintula isisekelo esihle esingokomBhalo singabangela umonakalo ongenakulungiseka.—Filipi 1:9, 10.
16. Kungani abanye abadala beye bawela esonweni esikhulu, futhi lokhu ingabe kuyindaba encane?
16 Esinye isizathu sokuzinakekela njengomdala isidingo sokuhlakulela nokulondoloza ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova. Ngokudabukisayo abanye abadala baye badebesela lobuhlobo kwaze kwaba yilapho bewela ezonweni ezinjengokuphinga. Lokhu kungenzeka kanjani? Kalula nje ngenxa yokuthi baye bavumela ukucishelwa umbono ngoJehova nezithembiso zakhe. Umbono wabo ongokomoya uye wafiphala, kwangena izifiso zobugovu zenyama. Bengakhathali ngesihlamba phezu kwegama likaJehova elingcwele nobuhlungu ababubangela kwabathandekayo babo, abadala abambalwa baye bangathembeka ezifungweni zabo zomshado. Ngokuqinisekile, amadoda anjalo aye aba imbangela yesikhubekiso. Isono sabo ngeke sixolelwe kalula noma sisuswe, ngenxa yokuthi nje siphila esikhathini sokuyekelela ngokobulili.—Mathewu 13:41; 18:7-9; Heberu 13:4.
Abadala Abathembekile Nomkabo
17. Isiphi isibonelo esihle iningi labadala elisibekayo?
17 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kumelwe kushiwo futhi ukuthi, ngaphandle kwabambalwa, abadala emhlabeni wonke baye bamelela ubuqotho neqiniso ngokugxilile. Isibonelo sabo esihle emabandleni angaphezu kwezi-45 000 siyisikhuthazo kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. Phakathi nalezi“zikhathi ezinzima,” ababonisi abakhuthele bamatasa ubusuku nemini, njengomphostoli uPawulu. (2 Thimothewu 3:1; IzEnzo 20:31) Labadala bazimisele ukuvakashela umuntu ogulayo ngokomoya ekhaya lakhe, kungakhathaliseki izinto ezinjengebanga noma izimo zezulu. Futhi yeka ukuthi kuhle kanjani ukubona ‘lamadoda amadala’ ehola enkonzweni yasensimini njalo!
18. Iyiphi indima enhle abafazi babadala abayifezayo ebandleni?
18 Futhi sikwazisa kakhulu ukuzidela abafazi babadala ngezinye izikhathi okumelwe bakwenze! Ngezinye izikhathi, laba besifazane bashiywa ekhaya lapho abayeni babo beya emihlanganweni ekhethekile noma benza ukuhambela kokwelusa. Ngezinye izikhathi amalungiselelo omuntu siqu enziwe ngokucophelela aye ayekwa ngenxa yenkinga ethile ephuthumayo ebandleni. Yebo, siyabatusa futhi labodade abahle, abaye bathi ngokuhlakanipha bagwema ukuzama ukugubha abayeni babo ngezindaba eziyimfihlo. Babonisa inhlonipho ngabadala futhi bawusizo ebandleni.—Qhathanisa namaRoma 16:12; Thithu 2:3-5.
19. (a) Kusho ukuthini ukuba umdala? (b) Imuphi umbuzo amadoda azinikezele angewona abadala angase azibuze wona?
19 Lapho sibukeza indima yabadala ebandleni lobuKristu namuhla futhi sibona indlela inani elikhulu elizidela ngayo nelihola ngayo ngendlela enhle, izinhliziyo zethu zibonga uJehova ngokumisa lelilungiselelo lothando. Amadoda afanelekayo, azisa izinto ezingokomoya, azenza atholakalele inkonzo ebandleni! Yingakho uPawulu ayengathi kuThimothewu: “Uma umuntu efisa isikhundla sombonisi, unxanela umsebenzi omuhle.” Lowo“msebenzi omuhle” awusho isikhundla, amandla nodumo, njengakweLobukholwa. Udinga ukuzehlisa, ukuzidela nenkonzo. Uma uyindoda ezinikezele nebhapathiziwe engakabi umdala, ingabe uzimisele ukufinyelela lowomthwalo wemfanelo ngesisusa esimsulwa?—1 Thimothewu 3:1; Luka 17:10.
20, 21. (a) Kumelwe sibabheke kanjani abadala abathembekile ebandleni? (b) Ngokwenza lokhu, yini enye esiyibonisayo?
20 Labo abahola ngokwethembeka bayahlonishwa ebandleni. Abathembekileyo ebandleni basabela ngokuzithandela esibonelweni sabo sothando futhi balandele iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Bakhumbuleni ababenihola [abaniholayo, NW] bekhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu kini, niqonda ukuphela kokuhamba kwabo, nilingise ukukholwa kwabo. Lalelani abaniholayo, nibathobele, ngoba balinda imiphefumulo yenu njengabazakulandiswa ngayo, ukuze bakwenze lokho ngokujabula, bangabubuli, ngokuba lokhu akunakunisiza.”—Heberu 13:7, 17.
21 Sonke masibonise ukuzithoba elungiselelweni elingokwasezulwini nenhlonipho ngabadala abahola ngokoqobo, ukuze benze kanjalo ngokujabula bangabubuli. Ngokwenza lokhu, sibonisa ukuthi siyamhlonipha noMbonisi oPhakeme, uJehova, noMbonisi oyiPhini lakhe, uJesu Kristu.—1 Petru 2:25; IsAmbulo 1:1; 2:1–3:22.
Uyakhumbula?
□ Iyiphi indinganiso ephakeme eyayidingeka ‘ngabadala ababekhethwa ngevoti’?
□ Kusukela ngo-1919 kuya ku-1938, iziphi izinyathelo ezathathwa ukuze kubuyiselwe ukuhleleka okungokwasezulwini enhlanganweni yobuKristu?
□ Ukuze agcwalise imithwalo yakhe yemfanelo emkhayeni wakhe nasebandleni, ikuphi ukulinganisela umdala okumelwe akulondoloze?
□ Ebuhlotsheni babo nabanye, iziphi izimfanelo ezivelele abadala okumelwe bazibonise?
□ Kungani kubalulekile ukuba umdala ‘abambelele ezwini elithembekileyo’?
□ Kungani kumelwe sibonge ngelungiselelo labadala ebandleni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
Umdala ngokuhlakanipha uchitha isikhathi nomkhaya wakhe enkonzweni yasensimini
[Isithombe ekhasini 27]
Futhi uhlela isikhathi sokujabulela ukuzilibazisa okuphilile nabathandekayo bakhe