Basezweni Kodwa Abayona Ingxenye Yalo

“Ngenxa yokuthi aniyona ingxenye yezwe, . . . izwe liyanizonda.”—JOHANE 15:19.

 1. AmaKristu anabuphi ubuhlobo nezwe, kodwa izwe liwabheka kanjani?

NGOBUSUKU bokugcina enabafundi bakhe, uJesu wabatshela: “Aniyona ingxenye yezwe.” Yiliphi izwe ayekhuluma ngalo? Wayengashongo yini ngaphambili ukuthi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe nokuphila okumi phakade”? (Johane 3:16) Ngokusobala, abafundi babeyingxenye yalelo lizwe ngoba babengabokuqala ababonisa ukholo kuJesu ukuze bazuze ukuphila okumi phakade. Kungani-ke manje uJesu ayesethi abafundi bakhe babehlukile ezweni? Kungani futhi athi: “Ngenxa yokuthi aniyona ingxenye yezwe, . . . ngenxa yalokhu izwe liyanizonda”?—Johane 15:19.

2, 3. (a) Yiliphi “izwe” amaKristu okwakungamelwe abe ingxenye yalo? (b) Lithini iBhayibheli ‘ngezwe’ amaKristu angeyona ingxenye yalo?

² Impendulo iwukuthi iBhayibheli lisebenzisa igama elithi “izwe” (ngesiGreki, koʹsmos) ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Njengoba kuchaziwe esihlokweni esandulele, ngezinye izikhathi elithi “izwe” eBhayibhelini libhekisela esintwini sisonke. Leli yizwe uNkulunkulu alithanda futhi uJesu alifela. Nokho, i-Oxford History of Christianity ithi: “Lapho lisetshenziswa ebuKristwini, igama elithi ‘izwe’ libuye lisho okuthile okuhlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu nokunobutha ngakuye.” Kuyiqiniso kangakanani lokhu? Umlobi ongumKatolika uRoland Minnerath, encwadini yakhe ethi Les chrétiens et le monde (AmaKristu Nezwe), uyachaza: “Ngakho uma lithathwa ngomqondo ongemuhle, izwe libonakala . . . njengendawo lapho amandla anobutha ngakuNkulunkulu enzela khona imisebenzi yawo nendawo ethi ngokumelana kwayo nokubusa kukaKristu okunqobayo, yakhe umbuso oyisitha olawulwa uSathane.” Leli ‘lizwe’ liwuquqaba lwesintu oludediselwe kude noNkulunkulu. AmaKristu eqiniso awayona ingxenye yaleli lizwe, futhi liyawazonda.

³ Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala, uJohane wayecabanga ngaleli lizwe lapho ebhala: “Ningathandi izwe noma izinto ezisezweni. Uma noma ubani ethanda izwe, uthando lukaBaba alukho kuye; ngoba konke okusezweni—isifiso senyama nesifiso samehlo nokugabisa ngokokuziphilisa komuntu—akusuki kuBaba, kodwa kusuka ezweni.” (1 Johane 2:15, 16) Wabhala nokuthi: “Siyazi ukuthi sisuka kuNkulunkulu, kodwa lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19) UJesu ngokwakhe wabiza uSathane ngokuthi “umbusi walelizwe.”—Johane 12:31; 16:11.

Ukukhula Kwemibuso Yezwe

 4. Yaba khona kanjani imibuso yezwe?

⁴ Izwe lesintu elikhona manje elidediselwe kude noNkulunkulu laqala ukwakheka ngemva nje kweSikhukhula sosuku lukaNowa, lapho abaningi benzalo kaNowa beyeka ukukhulekela uJehova uNkulunkulu. Owayevelele ezinsukwini zasendulo kwakunguNimrode, umakhi womuzi ‘nowayeyiphisi elinamandla eliphikisana noJehova.’ (Genesise 10:8-12, NW) Ngaleyo minyaka ingxenye enkulu yaleli lizwe yayihlelwe yaba imibuso emincane yemizi, okwakuthi ngezikhathi ezithile yakhe imifelandawonye ilwe yodwa. (Genesise 14:1-9) Eminye imibuso yemizi yayinqoba eminye bese iba imibuso yezifunda. Eminye imibuso yezifunda yagcina isikhule yaba imibuso yezwe emikhulu.

5, 6. (a) Yimiphi imibuso yezwe eyisikhombisa yomlando weBhayibheli? (b) Ifanekiselwa kanjani lemibuso yezwe, futhi avelaphi amandla ayo?

⁵ Belandela isibonelo sikaNimrode, ababusi bemibuso yezwe babengamkhulekeli uJehova, okuboniswa izenzo zabo ezinonya nobudlova. EmBhalweni, lemibuso yezwe ifanekiselwa yizilwane zasendle, futhi phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, iBhayibheli liveza eyisithupha yayo eyaba nethonya elinamandla kubantu bakaJehova. Lena kwakuyiGibithe, i-Asiriya, iBabiloni, amaMede NamaPheresiya, iGrisi, neRoma. Ngemva kweRoma, kwakuprofethwe ukuthi kuyovela umbuso wezwe wesikhombisa. (Daniyeli 7:3-7; 8:3-7, 20, 21; IsAmbulo 17:9, 10) Lona kwaba uMbuso Wezwe WamaNgisi NamaMelika, owakhiwe uMbuso WaseBrithani nomhlobo wawo i-United States, eyagcina seyengame iBrithani ngamandla. UMbuso WaseBrithani waqala ukuchuma ngemva kokuba iminonjana yokugcina yoMbuso WaseRoma inyamalele ekugcineni.a

⁶ Encwadini yesAmbulo lemibuso eyisikhombisa elandelanayo ifanekiselwa amakhanda esilo sasendle esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa esiphuma olwandle lwesintu esiyaluzayo. (Isaya 17:12, 13; 57:20, 21; IsAmbulo 13:1) Ubani onikeza lesi silo esibusayo amandla aso? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Udrako wanika lesisilo amandla aso nesihlalo saso sobukhosi negunya elikhulu.” (IsAmbulo 13:2) Udrako uSathane uDeveli uqobo.—Luka 4:5, 6; IsAmbulo 12:9.

Ukubusa KoMbuso KaNkulunkulu Okuzayo

 7. AmaKristu athembelephi, futhi lokhu kubuthinta kanjani ubuhlobo bawo nohulumeni bezwe?

⁷ Sekuyiminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-2 000 amaKristu ethandaza: “Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:10) OFakazi BakaJehova bayazi ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela ongaletha ukuthula kwangempela emhlabeni. Njengoba beqaphelisisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli, bayaqiniseka ukuthi lomthandazo uzophendulwa ngokushesha nokuthi maduze nje uMbuso uzothatha izintambo ezindabeni zomhlaba. (Daniyeli 2:44) Ukunamathela kwabo kuloMbuso kubenza bangathathi hlangothi ezindabeni zohulumeni bezwe.

 8. Basabela kanjani ohulumeni ekubuseni koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwabikezelwa kumaHubo 2?

⁸ Ezinye izizwe zithi ziyazigcina izimiso ezingokwenkolo. Noma kunjalo, ngezenzo azilishayi mkhuba iqiniso lokuthi uJehova unguMbusi Wendawo Yonke nokuthi ubeke uJesu esihlalweni njengeNkosi yasezulwini enegunya phezu komhlaba. (Daniyeli 4:17; IsAmbulo 11:15) Ihubo eliyisiprofetho lithi: “Amakhosi omhlaba ayazihlanganisa, nababusi baceba icebo ngoJehova nangogcotshiweyo wakhe [uJesu] ngokuthi: Masigqabule izibopho zabo, silahle izintambo zabo, zisuke kithina.” (IHubo 2:2, 3) Ohulumeni abamukeli “zibopho” zaphezulu noma “izintambo” ezinganqinda ukusebenzisa kwabo ubukhosi besizwe. Ngakho, uJehova uthi kuJesu, iNkosi ayikhethile: “Cela kimi, ngikunike abezizwe babe-yifa lakho, nemikhawulo yomhlaba ibe-yimfuyo yakho. Uzakubaphula ngentonga yensimbi, ubaphahlaze njengesitsha sombumbi.” (IHubo 2:8, 9) Nokho, izwe lesintu uJesu alifela ngeke ‘liphulwe’ ngokuphelele.—Johane 3:17.

Ukugwema “Uphawu” ‘Lwesilo’

9, 10. (a) Yini esixwayiswa ngayo encwadini yesAmbulo? (b) Yini efanekiselwa ukuba ‘nophawu lwesilo’? (c) Yiziphi izimpawu ezamukelwa yizinceku zikaNkulunkulu?

⁹ IsAmbulo umphostoli uJohane asithola saxwayisa ngokuthi izwe lesintu elidediselwe kude noNkulunkulu laliyofuna okukhulu nakakhulu ngaphambi nje kokuphela kwalo, “[liphoqa] bonke abantu, abancane nabakhulu, nabacebile nabampofu, nabakhululekile nezigqila, ukuba banikwe uphawu esandleni sabo sokunene noma ebunzini labo, nokuba kungabikho muntu ongase akwazi ukuthenga noma ukuthengisa ngaphandle komuntu onophawu, igama lesilo sasendle noma isibalo segama laso.” (IsAmbulo 13:16, 17) Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Uphawu esandleni sokudla lukufanekisela kahle ukusekela okuthile ngokuzimisela. Kuthiwani ngophawu ebunzini? I-Expositor’s Greek Testament ithi: “Lomfanekiso ojule kakhulu ubhekisela emkhubeni wokuphawula amasosha noma izigqila ngomdwebo noma umkleklo ogqamile . . . ; noma emkhubeni ongokwenkolo wokugqoka into enegama likaNkulunkulu njengento eletha inhlanhla.” Ngezenzo nangamazwi abo, abantu abaningi bazibeka lolu phawu ngokomfanekiso, bezibonakalisa ‘beyizigqila’ noma “amasosha” “esilo.” (IsAmbulo 13:3, 4) Ngokuqondene nekusasa labo, i-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament ithi: “Izitha zikaNkulunkulu zivumela [uphawu] lwesilo, isibalo esiyimfihlakalo esiqukethe igama laso, ukuba lugxivizwe emabunzini azo nasesandleni. Lokhu kuzinika amathuba amahle okuthuthuka kwezomnotho nakwezentengiselwano, kodwa kuzibeka ngaphansi kolaka lukaNkulunkulu futhi kuzikhiphe embusweni weminyaka eyinkulungwane, IsAm. 13:16; 14:9; 20:4.”

¹⁰ Kudinga isibindi nokukhuthazela okukhulu ngokwandayo ukumelana nokucindezela kokwamukela “uphawu.” (IsAmbulo 14:9-12) Nokho, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zinamandla anjalo futhi ngenxa yalokhu, ngokuvamile ziyazondwa futhi zithukwe. (Johane 15:18-20; 17:14, 15) Kunokuba zibe nophawu lwesilo, u-Isaya wathi zaziyobhala ngokomfanekiso ezandleni zazo ukuthi, “NgingokaJehova.” (Isaya 44:5, NW) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba ‘zibubula zikhala’ ngezinengiso ezenziwa inkolo ehlubukayo, zamukela uphawu olungokomfanekiso emabunzini azo oluzibonakalisa zifanelwe ukusinda lapho kukhishwa izahlulelo zikaJehova.—Hezekeli 9:1-7.

11. Ubani onikeza imvume yokuba ohulumeni babantu babuse kuze kube yilapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ufika ukuze uthathe izintambo zokubusa umhlaba?

¹¹ UNkulunkulu uzovumela ohulumeni babantu babuse kuze kube isikhathi sokuba uMbuso kaKristu wasezulwini uthathe izintambo zokubusa lomhlaba ngokuphelele. Encwadini yakhe ethi The State in the New Testament, uProfesa Oscar Cullmann ukhuluma ngalokhu kuvunyelwa kwaphezulu kwemibuso yezombangazwe. Uyabhala: “Umqondo oyinkimbinkimbi wokuba koMbuso ‘ngowesikhashana’ uyisizathu sokuba isimo sengqondo samaKristu okuqala ngoMbuso singahambisani nawo, kodwa kunalokho sibonakale siphikisana nawo. Ngiyakugcizelela ukuthi sibonakala sinjalo. Kudingeka nje siphawule amaRoma 13:1, ‘Wonke umuntu makazithobe emandleni akhona . . . ,’ kanye nesAmbulo 13: uMbuso njengesilo esivela kwalasha.”

“Isilo” ‘NoKesari’

12. Yimuphi umbono olinganiselayo oFakazi BakaJehova abanawo ngohulumeni babantu?

¹² Bekungaba iphutha ukuphetha ngokuthi bonke abantu abaphethe kuhulumeni bangamathuluzi kaSathane. Abaningi baye bazibonakalisa bengabantu abaqotho, njengomphathi-sifundazwe uSergiyu Pawulu ochazwa yiBhayibheli ‘njengendoda ekhaliphile.’ (IzEnzo 13:7) Abanye ababusi baye bawavikela ngesibindi amalungelo abantu abayidlanzana, beqondiswa unembeza wabo abawunikwa uNkulunkulu ngisho noma bengamazi uJehova nezinjongo zakhe. (Roma 2:14, 15) Khumbula, iBhayibheli lisebenzisa igama elithi “izwe” ngezindlela ezimbili ezingafani: izwe lesintu, uNkulunkulu alithandayo okufanele nathi silithande, nezwe lesintu esidediselwe kude noNkulunkulu, uSathane angunkulunkulu walo nokumelwe sihluke kulo. (Johane 1:9, 10; 17:14; 2 Korinte 4:4; Jakobe 4:4) Ngakho, izinceku zikaJehova zinesimo sengqondo esilinganiselayo ngobubusi babantu. Asithathi hlangothi ezindabeni zombangazwe njengoba sikhonza njengamanxusa noma izithunywa zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi ukuphila kwethu kunikezelwe kuNkulunkulu. (2 Korinte 5:20) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, sizithoba ngobuqotho kulabo abaphethe.

13. (a) UJehova ubabheka kanjani ohulumeni babantu? (b) Ukuzithoba kobuKristu kohulumeni babantu kuhamba ibanga elingakanani?

¹³ Lombono olinganiselayo ubonisa umbono kaJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. Lapho imibuso yezwe, noma ngisho nemiBuso emincane, isebenzisa kabi igunya layo, icindezela abantu bayo, noma ishushisa labo abakhulekela uNkulunkulu, ngokuqinisekile ifanelwa ukuchazwa ngokwesiprofetho njengezilo ezinonya. (Daniyeli 7:19-21; IsAmbulo 11:7) Nokho, lapho ohulumeni bamazwe befeza izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ekugcineni umthetho nokulondoloza ukuhleleka ngobulungisa, ubabheka ‘njengabayizinceku zakhe zasobala.’ (Roma 13:6) UJehova ulindele ukuba abantu bakhe babahloniphe ohulumeni babantu futhi bazithobe kubo, kodwa ukuzithoba kwabo akukhona okungenamingcele. Lapho abantu befuna ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu izinto ezenqatshelwa umthetho kaNkulunkulu noma lapho benqabela izinto uNkulunkulu afuna izinceku zakhe zizenze, lezi zinceku zilandela isimo sabaphostoli, okungukuthi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29.

14. UJesu ukuchaza kanjani ukuzithoba kobuKristu kohulumeni babantu? UPawulu ukuchaza kanjani?

¹⁴ UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe babeyoba nezibopho kokubili kohulumeni nakuNkulunkulu, lapho ethi: “Ngakho-ke, buyiselani izinto zikaKesari kuKesari, kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 22:21) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala engaphansi kokuphefumulelwa: “Yonke imiphefumulo mayizithobe emagunyeni aphakeme . . . Kodwa uma wenza okubi, yesaba; ngoba aliyiphethe ngokungenanjongo inkemba; ngoba liyisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu, umphindiseli wokubonisa ulaka kulowo okwenza umkhuba okubi. Ngakho-ke kukhona isizathu esicindezelayo sokuba nizithobe, hhayi kuphela ngenxa yalololulaka kodwa futhi nangenxa kanembeza wenu. Ngoba kungakho futhi nikhokha izintela.” (Roma 13:1, 4-6) Kusukela ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. kuze kube namuhla, amaKristu kuye kwadingeka acabangele lokho okufunwa uMbuso wezwe. Kuye kwadingeka abone ukuthi ukuvumelana nalokho okufunwayo kungaholela yini ekuhlehleni ekukhulekeleni kwawo noma ukuthi ingabe okufunwayo kunengqondo futhi kufanele kwenziwe ngobuqotho.

Izakhamuzi Eziqotho

15. OFakazi BakaJehova bakubuyisela kanjani ngobuqotho abakukweletayo kuKesari?

¹⁵ “Amagunya aphakeme” ezombangazwe ‘ayisikhonzi’ sikaNkulunkulu lapho efeza indima yawo evunyelwe uNkulunkulu, ehlanganisa negunya ‘lokunikeza isijeziso kubenzi bokubi kodwa adumise abenzi bokuhle.’ (1 Petru 2:13, 14) Izinceku zikaJehova zibuyisela ngobuqotho kuKesari lokho akufuna ngokufanelekile ngokuqondene nentela, futhi uma nje kuvumelana nonembeza bazo abaqeqeshwe ngeBhayibheli ‘ziyabalalela ohulumeni neziphathimandla njengababusi, zilungele yonke imisebenzi emihle.’ (Thithu 3:1) “Imisebenzi emihle” ihlanganisa nokusiza abanye, njengalapho kuba nenhlekelele. Abaningi baye bawufakazela umusa oboniswa oFakazi BakaJehova kubantu abaphila nabo kulezi zimo.—Galathiya 6:10.

16. Yimiphi imisebenzi emihle oFakazi BakaJehova abayenzela ohulumeni ngobuqotho nabantu abaphila nabo?

¹⁶ OFakazi BakaJehova bayabathanda abantu abaphila nabo futhi banomuzwa wokuthi umsebenzi ongcono kakhulu abangabenzela wona owokubasiza bafinyelele olwazini olunembile lwenjongo kaNkulunkulu yokuletha “amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha” okunokulunga. (2 Petru 3:13) Ngokufundisa nokusebenzisa izimiso zokuziphatha zeBhayibheli eziphakeme, bawusizo emphakathini wabantu, benqanda abaningi ebuhlongandlebeni. Izinceku zikaJehova zigcina umthetho futhi ziyabahlonipha ongqongqoshe bakahulumeni, izikhulu, amajaji, neziphathimandla zamadolobha, bebanikeza udumo ‘labo abafuna udumo.’ (Roma 13:7) Abazali abangoFakazi babambisana ngenjabulo nothisha bezingane zabo futhi basize izingane zabo ukuba zifunde ngokuzimisela, ukuze kamuva zikwazi ukuziphilisa futhi zingabi umthwalo emphakathini. (1 Thesalonika 4:11, 12) Emabandleni abo, oFakazi bayamelana nokucwasana kobuhlanga nokuhlukana ngezigaba, futhi babheka ukuqinisa ukuphila komkhaya njengokubaluleke kakhulu. (IzEnzo 10:34, 35; Kolose 3:18-21) Ngakho-ke, ngezenzo zabo babonisa ukuthi ukumangalelwa kwabo ngokuthi bamelene nemikhaya noma ukuthi abalona usizo emphakathini, kungamanga. Ngakho, amazwi omphostoli uPetru aba iqiniso: “Injalo intando kaNkulunkulu, ukuze ngokwenza okuhle ninqande inkulumo yokungazi yabantu abangenangqondo.”—1 Petru 2:15.

17. AmaKristu angaqhubeka kanjani ‘ehamba ngokuhlakanipha ngakulabo abangaphandle’?

¹⁷ Ngakho nakuba abalandeli bakaKristu beqiniso ‘bengeyona ingxenye yezwe,’ basesezweni lomphakathi wesintu futhi kumelwe baqhubeke ‘behamba ngokuhlakanipha ngakulabo abangaphandle.’ (Johane 17:16; Kolose 4:5) Uma nje uJehova esavumela amagunya aphakeme ukuba asebenze njengesikhonzi sakhe, siyowabonisa inhlonipho efanele. (Roma 13:1-4) Nakuba sihlala singathathi hlangothi kwezombangazwe, siyawathandazela “amakhosi nabo bonke labo abasesikhundleni esiphakeme,” ikakhulukazi lapho kudingeka benze izinqumo ezingase zithinte inkululeko yokukhulekela. Siyoqhubeka senza lokhu “ukuze siqhubeke siphila ukuphila okuzolile nokunokuthula ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu okuphelele nokuthatha izinto ngokungathi sína,” ukuze “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe.”—1 Thimothewu 2:1-4.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Imibuzo Yokubukeza

◻ Yiliphi “izwe” amaKristu ayingxenye yalo, kodwa yiliphi “izwe” angenakuba ingxenye yalo?

◻ Yini efanekiselwa “uphawu lwesilo” esandleni somuntu noma ebunzini, futhi izikhonzi zikaJehova ezikholekile zinaziphi izimpawu?

◻ Yimuphi umbono olinganiselayo amaKristu eqiniso anawo ngohulumeni babantu?

◻ Yiziphi ezinye zezindlela oFakazi BakaJehova abanikela ngazo enhlalakahleni yomphakathi wesintu?

[Izithombe ekhasini 16]

IBhayibheli liveza ohulumeni babantu njengabayikho kokubili inceku kaNkulunkulu nesilo sasendle

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Ngenxa yokubonisa ukukhathalela kothando ngabanye, oFakazi BakaJehova bawusizo emiphakathini abahlala kuyo