Ubupristi Bobukhosi Obuzozuzisa Sonke Isintu
“Niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile.”—1 PET. 2:9.
UNGACHAZA?
Bathenjiswa nini okokuqala ubupristi bobukhosi?
Isivumelwano esisha sibuveza kanjani ubupristi bobukhosi?
Iziphi izinzuzo ubupristi bobukhosi obuyozilethela isintu?
1. Kungani “isidlo seNkosi sakusihlwa” sibizwa nangokuthi iSikhumbuzo, futhi iyini injongo yaso?
NGOBUSUKU buka-Nisan 14, 33 C.E, uJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe abangu-12 bagubha iPhasika lamaJuda okokugcina. Ngemva kokuxosha umkhapheli uJuda Iskariyothe, uJesu wasungula umkhosi ohlukile, kamuva owabizwa ngokuthi “isidlo seNkosi sakusihlwa.” (1 Kor. 11:20) Kabili uJesu wathi: “Qhubekani nikwenza lokhu ningikhumbula.” Lo mkhosi ubuye waziwe nangokuthi iSikhumbuzo, isikhumbuzo sikaKristu esiqokomisa ukufa kwakhe. (1 Kor. 11:24, 25) Belalela lo myalo, oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke bagubha iSikhumbuzo minyaka yonke. Kulo nyaka ka-2012, uNisan 14 ngokwekhalenda leBhayibheli uqala ngemva kokushona kwelanga, ngoLwesine, ngo-April 5.
2. UJesu wathini ngezifanekiselo azisebenzisa?
2 Umfundi uLuka ufingqa lokho uJesu akwenza nakusho kuleso senzakalo ngamavesi amabili: “Wathatha isinkwa, wabonga, wasihlephula, wabanika sona, wathi: ‘Lokhu kusho umzimba wami ozonikelwa ngenxa yenu. Qhubekani nikwenza lokhu ningikhumbula.’ Nendebe ngendlela efanayo ngemva kokuba bebe nesidlo sakusihlwa, wathi: ‘Le ndebe isho isivumelwano esisha esenziwa ngegazi lami, elizothululwa ngenxa yenu.’” (Luka 22:19, 20) Abaphostoli kumelwe ukuba bawaqonda kanjani la mazwi?
3. Abaphostoli kumelwe ukuba bakuqonda kanjani okwakushiwo izifanekiselo?
3 Njengoba babengamaJuda, abaphostoli babejwayelene kakhulu nemihlatshelo yezilwane eyayinikelwa abapristi kuNkulunkulu ethempelini eJerusalema. Leyo mihlatshelo yayenziwa ngenjongo yokuthola umusa kaJehova, futhi eminingi yayiwuphawu lokusibekela isono. (Lev. 1:4; 22:17-29) Ngakho, abaphostoli baqonda ukuthi lapho uJesu ethi umzimba negazi lakhe kwakumelwe ‘kunikelwe futhi kuthululwe ngenxa yabo,’ wayesho ukuthi wayezonikela ngokuphila kwakhe okuphelele njengomhlatshelo. Kwakuyoba umhlatshelo onenani elilidlula kude elezilwane.
4. Wayesho ukuthini uJesu lapho ethi: “Le ndebe isho isivumelwano esisha esenziwa ngegazi lami”?
4 Kuthiwani ngamazwi kaJesu athi “le ndebe isho isivumelwano esisha esenziwa ngegazi lami”? Abaphostoli babesazi isiprofetho esiphathelene nesivumelwano esisha, esilotshwe kuJeremiya 31:31-33. (Funda.) Amazwi akhe abonisa ukuthi wayesemisa leso sivumelwano esisha, esasiyothatha indawo yesivumelwano soMthetho uJehova ayesenze no-Israyeli ngoMose. Ingabe lezi zivumelwano ezimbili zazihlobene?
5. Isivumelwano soMthetho sawavulela maphi amathuba ama-Israyeli?
5 Yebo, izinjongo zazo zazihlobene eduze. Lapho emisa isivumelwano soMthetho, uJehova watshela isizwe: “Uma nizolilalela nokulilalela izwi lami futhi nizosigcina impela isivumelwano sami, ngokuqinisekile niyoba impahla yami ekhethekile kuzo zonke ezinye izizwe, ngoba wonke umhlaba ungowami. Futhi nina ngokwenu niyoba umbuso wabapristi nesizwe esingcwele kimi.” (Eks. 19:5, 6) Ama-Israyeli kumelwe ukuba awaqonda kanjani la mazwi?
ISITHEMBISO SOBUPRISTI BOBUKHOSI
6. Isivumelwano soMthetho sasiwukuthuthukiswa kwasiphi isithembiso?
6 Ama-Israyeli ayeliqonda igama elithi “isivumelwano” ngoba uJehova wayenze izivumelwano ezibalulekile nokhokho bawo uNowa no-Abrahama. (Gen. 6:18; 9:8-17; 15:18; 17:1-9) Njengengxenye yesivumelwano asenza no-Abrahama, uJehova wayethembisile: “Ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba ngokuqinisekile ziyobusiswa.” (Gen. 22:18) Isivumelwano soMthetho sasiwukuthuthukiswa kwalesi sithembiso. Ngesisekelo saso, u-Israyeli wayengaba “impahla [kaJehova] ekhethekile kuzo zonke ezinye izizwe.” Ngayiphi injongo? Ukuze abe ‘umbuso wabapristi kuJehova.’
7. Yayisho ukuthini inkulumo ethi “umbuso wabapristi”?
7 Ama-Israyeli ayejwayelene namakhosi nabapristi, kodwa uMelkhizedeki ukuphela komuntu esikhathini esedlule owavunyelwa uJehova ukuba azibambe zombili lezi zikhundla ngasikhathi sinye. (Gen. 14:18) Manje uJehova wanikeza lesi sizwe ithuba lokuveza “umbuso wabapristi.” Njengoba imibhalo ephefumulelwe kamuva yabonisa, lokhu kwakusho ukuthi sasinethuba lokuveza ubupristi bobukhosi, amakhosi ayeyoba ngabapristi futhi.—1 Pet. 2:9.
8. Iziphi izinkonzo ezenziwa abapristi abamiswe uNkulunkulu?
8 Yebo, inkosi iyabusa. Kodwa umpristi yena wenzani? AmaHebheru 5:1 ayachaza: “Yilowo nalowo mpristi ophakeme othathwa kubantu umiswa ngenxa yabantu phezu kwezinto eziphathelene noNkulunkulu, ukuze anikele izipho nemihlatshelo ngenxa yezono.” Ngakho, umpristi omiswe uJehova umelela abantu abanesono phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngokunikela imihlatshelo eyaleziwe, abancengele kuYe. Umpristi ubuye amelele uJehova phambi kwabantu, abafundise umthetho waKhe. (Lev. 10:8-11; Mal. 2:7) Ngalezi zindlela, umsebenzi wompristi omiswe uNkulunkulu ukusiza abantu babuyisane noNkulunkulu.
9. (a) Ama-Israyeli ayengafinyelela isithembiso sokuveza “umbuso wabapristi” ngaphansi kwamuphi umbandela? (b) Kungani uJehova amisa ubupristi phakathi kwesizwe sakwa-Israyeli? (c) Yini eyenza ama-Israyeli ahluleka ukuveza “umbuso wabapristi” ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho?
9 Ngakho, isivumelwano soMthetho savulela ama-Israyeli ithuba lokuveza ubupristi bobukhosi obabuyozuzisa “zonke ezinye izizwe.” Nokho, leli thuba eliyingqayizivele lalinombandela: “Uma nizolilalela nokulilalela izwi lami futhi nizosigcina impela isivumelwano sami.” Ingabe ama-Israyeli ‘ayengalilalela nokulilalela izwi likaJehova’? Yebo, ayengakwenza ngezinga elithile. Ingabe ayengalilalela ngokuphelele? Cha. (Roma 3:19, 20) Ngenxa yaleso sizathu, uJehova wamisa okwesikhashana abapristi phakathi kwesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, abahlukaniswe nanoma yibuphi ubukhosi, ukuze banikele imihlatshelo yezilwane ngenxa yezono ezingenakugwemeka zama-Israyeli. (Lev. 4:1–6:7) Lezi zono zazihlanganisa nezabapristi uqobo. (Heb. 5:1-3; 8:3) UJehova wayeyamukela imihlatshelo enjalo kodwa yayingenakuzihlawulela ngokuphelele izono zababeyinikela. Ubupristi obabungaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho abukwazanga ngisho nokwenza ama-Israyeli aqotho ukuba abuyisane ngokugcwele noNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPawulu ukubeka ngale ndlela: “Akunakwenzeka ukuba igazi lezinkomo nelezimbuzi lisuse izono.” (Heb. 10:1-4) Ngenxa yokwephula kwawo uMthetho, ama-Israyeli aba aqalekisiwe. (Gal. 3:10) Ayengeke akwazi ukukhonza umhlaba wonke njengobupristi bobukhosi ekuleso simo.
10. Isivumelwano soMthetho safeza yiphi injongo?
10 Ingabe isithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi ama-Israyeli ayeyolungiselela “umbuso wabapristi” sasiyize? Lutho neze. Uma ayezama ngobuqotho ukulalela, laliyowavulekela leli thuba—kodwa hhayi ngaphansi koMthetho. Ngani? (Funda eyabaseGalathiya 3:19-25.) UMthetho wawusiza ekulondolozeni ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kulawo ayezama ngokwethembeka ukuwugcina. Wenza amaJuda ukuba aqaphele iziphambeko zawo nokuthi ayedinga umhlatshelo omkhulu kunalowo umpristi wawo ophakeme ayengawunikela. Wawungumfundisi owawuyowaholela kuKristu, noma uMesiya, iziqu ezisho ukuthi “Ogcotshiweyo.” Nokho, lapho uMesiya efika, wayeyomisa isivumelwano esisha esabikezelwa uJeremiya. Lawo amukela uKristu amenywa ukuba abe ingxenye yesivumelwano esisha futhi ayeyoba “umbuso wabapristi” ngempela. Ake sibone ukuthi kanjani.
ISIVUMELWANO ESISHA SIVEZA UBUPRISTI BOBUKHOSI
11. UJesu waba kanjani isisekelo sobupristi bobukhosi?
11 Ngo-29 C.E., uJesu waseNazaretha wazibonakalisa enguMesiya. Wayeneminyaka engaba ngu-30 ubudala lapho eziletha ukuba enze intando kaJehova ekhethekile ngaye, ekubonakalisa lokhu ngokubhapathizwa emanzini. UJehova wamamukela ‘njengeNdodana yakhe ethandekayo’ futhi wamgcoba ngomoya ongcwele, hhayi ngamafutha. (Math. 3:13-17; IzE. 10:38) Lokho kugcotshwa kwamnika isikhundla sokuba umPristi Ophakeme wabakholwayo kuwo wonke umkhaya wesintu nesokuba iNkosi yabo yesikhathi esizayo. (Heb. 1:8, 9; 5:5, 6) Wayeyoba isisekelo sobupristi bobukhosi bangempela.
12. Umhlatshelo kaJesu wamenza wakwazi ukwenza ini?
12 NjengomPristi Ophakeme, imuphi umhlatshelo uJesu ayengawunikela owawuyosisibekela ngokuphelele isono esazuzwa ngefa sabakholwayo? Njengoba abonisa lapho emisa iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe, ukuphila kwakhe njengomuntu ophelele yikho okwaba umhlatshelo. (Funda amaHebheru 9:11, 12.) Kusukela ngesikhathi abhapathizwa ngaso ngo-29 C.E., uJesu njengomPristi Ophakeme wavuma ukuvivinywa nokuqeqeshwa kwaze kwaba yilapho efa. (Heb. 4:15; 5:7-10) Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, wenyukela ezulwini futhi wethula inani lomhlatshelo wakhe kuJehova uqobo. (Heb. 9:24) Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wayengabancengela kuJehova labo ababonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wakhe futhi abasize ukuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu benombono wokuphila okuphakade. (Heb. 7:25) Umhlatshelo wakhe wabuye waqinisa nesivumelwano esisha.—Heb. 8:6; 9:15.
13. Imaphi amathuba ayevulekele labo ababemenyelwa esivumelwaneni esisha?
13 Labo ababemenyelwa esivumelwaneni esisha kwakumelwe nabo bagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele. (2 Kor. 1:21) Babehlanganisa amaJuda athembekile kamuva kwangeniswa nabeZizwe. (Efe. 3:5, 6) Imaphi amathuba labo abasesivumelwaneni esisha ababenawo? Babeyothola intethelelo yangempela yezono zabo. UJehova wayethembisile: “Ngizosithethelela isiphambeko sabo, nesono sabo ngeke ngisasikhumbula.” (Jer. 31:34) Lapho sezisulwe ngokuphelele izono zabo, babeyoba sesimweni esihle sokuba “umbuso wabapristi.” Ekhuluma namaKristu agcotshiwe, uPetru wabhala: “‘Niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe esiyimpahla ekhethekile, ukuze nimemezele kabanzi ubuhle’ balowo owanibiza ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.” (1 Pet. 2:9) UPetru lapha ucaphuna amazwi uJehova awasho kuma-Israyeli lapho ewanika uMthetho futhi uwabhekisa kumaKristu asesivumelwaneni esisha.—Eks. 19:5, 6.
UBUPRISTI BOBUKHOSI BULETHA IZINZUZO KUSO SONKE ISINTU
14. Buyokhonza bukuphi ubupristi bobukhosi?
14 Bayokhonza bekuphi labo abasesivumelwaneni esisha? Njengeqembu, lapho besesemhlabeni, bakhonza njengabapristi, bamelele uJehova kubantu ‘ngokumemezela kabanzi ubuhle bakhe’ nangokulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya. (Math. 24:45; 1 Pet. 2:4, 5) Ngemva kokufa nokuvuswa kwabo, bayokhonza noKristu ezulwini njengamakhosi nabapristi, bayifeze ngokugcwele imisebenzi yazo zombili lezi zikhundla. (Luka 22:29; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; IsAm. 1:6) Eqinisekisa lokhu, umphostoli uJohane wabona embonweni izidalwa zomoya ezithile ziseduze kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova ezulwini. Zihlabelelela ‘iWundlu’ “ingoma entsha,” zithi: “Ngegazi lakho wathengela uNkulunkulu abantu kuzo zonke izinhlanga nezilimi nabantu nezizwe, wabenza babe ngumbuso nabapristi kuNkulunkulu wethu, futhi bayobusa njengamakhosi phezu komhlaba.” (IsAm. 5:8-10) Embonweni wakamuva, uJohane uthi ngalaba babusi: “Bayoba ngabapristi bakaNkulunkulu nabakaKristu, babuse njengamakhosi kanye naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane.” (IsAm. 20:6) Bekanye noKristu, bakha ubupristi bobukhosi obuzozuzisa sonke isintu.
15, 16. Iziphi izinzuzo ubupristi bobukhosi obuyozilethela isintu?
15 Iziphi izinzuzo abangu-144 000 abayozilethela labo abasemhlabeni? IsAmbulo isahluko 21 sibachaza njengomuzi osezulwini, iJerusalema Elisha, elibizwa ngokuthi “umkaWundlu.” (IsAm. 21:9) Amavesi 2 kuya ku-4 athi: “Ngabona nomuzi ongcwele, iJerusalema Elisha, wehla uvela ezulwini kuNkulunkulu futhi ulungisiwe njengomlobokazi ehlotshiselwe umyeni wakhe. Ngemva kwalokho ngezwa izwi elikhulu livela esihlalweni sobukhosi lithi: ‘Bheka! Itende likaNkulunkulu likanye nabantu, uyohlala nabo, babe ngabantu bakhe. UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyoba nabo. Uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.’” Yeka izibusiso ezimangalisayo! Ukuqedwa kokufa kuyosusa imbangela eyinhloko yezinyembezi, ukulila, ukukhala nobuhlungu. Kuyosho ukwenza abantu abathembekile bafinyelele ukuphelela, babuyisane ngokuphelele noNkulunkulu.
16 Siqhubeka sichaza izibusiso ezizolethwa yilobu bupristi bobukhosi, isAmbulo 22:1, 2 sithi: “Yangibonisa futhi umfula wamanzi okuphila, ucwebe njengekristalu, ugeleza uvela esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu neseWundlu wehla maphakathi nendlela [yeJerusalema Elisha] ebanzi. Nganeno komfula nangaphesheya kwakukhona imithi yokuphila ithela izithelo eziyishumi nambili, ithela izithelo zawo inyanga ngayinye. Amaqabunga ale mithi ayengawokwelapha izizwe.” Ngala malungiselelo angokomfanekiso, “izizwe,” noma amaqembu emindeni yesintu, ayophulukiswa ngokuphelele ekungaphelelini okwazuzwa njengefa ku-Adamu. Ngempela, ‘izinto zangaphambili ziyobe sezidlulile.’
UBUPRISTI BOBUKHOSI BUPHELELISA UMSEBENZI WABO
17. Yini ubupristi bobukhosi obuyoyifeza ekugcineni?
17 Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yenkonzo ezuzisayo, ubupristi bobukhosi buyobe sebenze izikhonzi zabo zasemhlabeni zafinyelela ukuphelela kobuntu. NjengomPristi Ophakeme neNkosi, ngaleso sikhathi uKristu uyobe esethula kuJehova umkhaya wesintu obuyiselwe ekupheleleni ngokugcwele. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:22-26.) Ubupristi bobukhosi buyobe sebuyifeze ngokuphelele injongo yabo.
18. Ngemva kokuba ubupristi bobukhosi sebuwufezile umsebenzi wabo, uJehova uyobasebenzisa kanjani ababusi abakanye noKristu?
18 Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova uyobasebenzisa kanjani laba babusi abakanye noKristu abanelungelo eliphakeme kangaka? NgokwesAmbulo 22:5, ‘bayobusa njengamakhosi kuze kube phakade naphakade.’ Bebusa obani? IBhayibheli alisho. Kodwa izinga lokuphila abanakho nokuhlangenwe nakho abakuthola ngokusiza abantu abangaphelele kuyobahlomisela ukuba basibambe phakade leso sikhundla sobukhosi ezinjongweni zikaJehova.
19. Bayokhunjuzwani labo abayobe bekhona eSikhumbuzweni?
19 Lapho sibuthanela ukugubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu ngoLwesine, April 5, 2012, siyocabanga ngalezi zimfundiso zeBhayibheli. Inani elincane lensali yamaKristu agcotshiwe asesemhlabeni liyohlanganyela ekudleni izifanekiselo, isinkwa esingenamvubelo newayini elibomvu, libonisa ukuthi liyingxenye yesivumelwano esisha. Lezi zifanekiselo zomhlatshelo kaKristu ziyolikhumbuza ngelungelo lalo eliyingqayizivele nemithwalo yalo yemfanelo enjongweni kaNkulunkulu yaphakade. Kwangathi sonke singaya sinokwazisa okujulile ngelungiselelo likaJehova uNkulunkulu lobupristi bobukhosi elizozuzisa sonke isintu.
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Ubupristi bobukhosi buyolethela isintu izinzuzo zaphakade