ISahluko 7

Vuselela Lolo Thando Lokuqala!

E-EFESU

 1. Sibhekiswe kuliphi ibandla isigijimi sikaJesu sokuqala, futhi yini ayikhumbuza ababonisi?

ISIGIJIMI sikaJesu sokuqala siya ebandleni lase-Efesu, ngaleso sikhathi eyayiyidolobha elichumayo elisogwini lwase-Asia Minor eduze kwesiqhingi sasePhatmose. Uyala uJohane: “Ingelosi yebandla lase-Efesu, yilobele lokhu: Yilezi izinto azishoyo lowo ophethe izinkanyezi eziyisikhombisa esandleni sakhe sokunene, yena ohamba phakathi kwezinti zezibani eziyisikhombisa zegolide.” (IsAmbulo 2:1) Njengakwezinye izigijimi eziyisithupha, uJesu lapha udonsela ukunakekela esicini esibonisa isikhundla sakhe segunya. Ukhumbuza ababonisi base-Efesu ukuthi bonke abadala bangaphansi kokwengamela kwakhe okuvikelayo nokuthi uhlola wonke amabandla. Kuze kube sesikhathini sethu, uye waqhubeka esebenzisa lobu bunhloko bothando, eqapha abadala futhi elusa ngomusa bonke abahlanganyela nebandla. Ngezikhathi ezithile, ulungisa ukuhlelwa kwebandla ukuze ukukhanya kukhanye kakhulu. Yebo, uJesu unguMalusi Omkhulu phezu komhlambi kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 11:28-30; 1 Petru 5:2-4.

 2. (a) UJesu walitusa ngaziphi izinto ezinhle ibandla lase-Efesu? (b) Yisiphi iseluleko sikamphostoli uPawulu abadala base-Efesu ngokusobala abasilalela?

² UJesu ube esebeka isibonelo sazo zonke izigijimi zakhe eziyisikhombisa ngaphandle kwezimbili ngokuvula ngamazwi afudumele okutusa. Ngabase-Efesu, unalesi sigijimi: “Ngiyazazi izenzo zakho, nomshikashika wakho nokukhuthazela kwakho, nokuthi awukwazi ukubekezelela abantu ababi, nokuthi wabavivinya labo abathi bangabaphostoli bengebona, wabathola bengabaqambimanga. Ubonisa nokukhuthazela, futhi uye wabekezela ngenxa yegama lami, wangakhathala.” (IsAmbulo 2:2, 3) Eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili, umphostoli uPawulu wayexwayise abadala base-Efesu ‘ngezimpisi ezicindezelayo,’ abaphazamisi bomhlambi abayizihlubuki, futhi wayetshele labo badala ukuba ‘bahlale bephapheme,’ balandele isibonelo sakhe sokuzinikela. (IzEnzo 20:29, 31) Njengoba uJesu manje ebatusa ngokuzikhandla nokubekezela kwabo kanye nokungakhathali, kumelwe ukuba basisebenzisa leso seluleko.

 3. (a) “Abaphostoli bamanga” baye bazama kanjani ukudukisa abathembekile ezinsukwini zethu? (b) Yisiphi isixwayiso ngezihlubuki uPetru asinikeza?

³ Futhi, phakathi nosuku lweNkosi, kuye kwavela “abaphostoli bamanga” ‘abakhuluma izinto ezisontekile ukuze bamonyule abafundi ukuba babalandele.’ (2 Korinte 11:13; IzEnzo 20:30; IsAmbulo 1:10) Babona ubuhle kuzo zonke izinkolo ezingamahlelo aphikisanayo, bathi uNkulunkulu akanayo inhlangano, futhi bayakuphika ukuthi uJesu wamukela amandla oMbuso ngo-1914. Bagcwalisa isiprofetho esikweyesi-2 Petru 3:3, 4: “Ezinsukwini zokugcina kuyofika abahleki bosulu nokuhleka kwabo usulu, beqhubeka ngokwezifiso zabo siqu bethi: ‘Kuphi lokhu kuba khona kwakhe okuthenjisiwe? Phela, kusukela osukwini okhokho bethu abalala ngalo, zonke izinto ziqhubeka ngokufana ncamashí nasekuqaleni kwendalo.’”

 4. (a) Ukuqhosha nokuhlubuka kwabahleki bosulu kubonakala kanjani? (b) AmaKristu namuhla abonakalisa ukuthi afana nabase-Efesu ngokuthatha siphi isinyathelo ngokumelene nabaphikisi abanamanga?

⁴ Laba bahleki bosulu abahambisani nomqondo wokuvuma obala ukholo lwabo. (Roma 10:10) Baye bacela ukusekelwa abefundisi beLobukholwa nosizo lwamaphephandaba neziteshi ze-TV ukuze basakaze imibiko engamanga ngabangane babo bakuqala. Abathembekile basheshe bathole ukuthi inkulumo nokuziphatha kwalaba bakhohlisi akulona iqiniso. Njengabase-Efesu, amaKristu namuhla ‘awanakubabekezelela abantu ababi,’ ngakho ayabasusa emabandleni abo.a

 5. (a) Yibuphi ubuthaka uJesu athi abase-Efesu babenabo? (b) Yimaphi amazwi okwakufanele akhunjulwe abase-Efesu?

⁵ Nokho, manje njengoba enza emabandleni amahlanu kwayisikhombisa, uJesu uqokomisa inkinga engathí sina. Uthi kwabase-Efesu: “Noma kunjalo, nginalokhu ngawe, ukuthi awusenalo uthando owawunalo ekuqaleni.” (IsAmbulo 2:4) Kwakungafanele bahluleke kulokhu, ngoba uPawulu wayebabhalele eminyakeni engu-35 ngaphambili, ebhekisela ‘othandweni lukaNkulunkulu olukhulu asithande ngalo,’ futhi wayebakhuthazile: “Yibani ngabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo, futhi niqhubeke nihamba othandweni njengoba nje noKristu anithanda.” (Efesu 2:4; 5:1, 2) Ngaphezu kwalokho, amazwi kaJesu kwakufanele abhaleke ngokungenakucimeka ezinhliziyweni zabo: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu unguJehova oyedwa, futhi kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho nangawo onke amandla akho.” (Marku 12:29-31) Abase-Efesu base belulahlile lolo thando lokuqala.

 6. (a) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singomakad’ ebona noma sisanda kuhlanganyela nebandla, iyiphi ingozi nokuthambekela okumelwe sikuqaphele? (b) Uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu kufanele lusiqhubele ukuba senzeni?

⁶ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singomakad’ ebona noma sisanda kuhlanganyela nebandla, kumelwe siqaphele singalahlekelwa uthando lwethu lokuqala ngoJehova. Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu kulahlekelwa? Singase sivumele ukunamathela emsebenzini wethu wokuziphilisa, isifiso sokuba nemali eningi, noma ukufuna injabulo kube yinto enkulu ekuphileni kwethu. Kanjalo singase sibe nomqondo ongokwenyama kunokuba sibe nomqondo ongokomoya. (Roma 8:5-8; 1 Thimothewu 4:8; 6:9, 10) Uthando lwethu ngoJehova kufanele lusishukumisele ukuba silungise noma yikuphi ukuthambekela okunjalo futhi ‘siqhubeke sifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe,’ ukuze ‘sizibekelele ingcebo ezulwini.’—Mathewu 6:19-21, 31-33.

 7. (a) Inkonzo yethu kuJehova kufanele ishukunyiswe yini? (b) Yini uJohane ayisho ngokuqondene nothando?

⁷ Makuthi inkonzo yethu kuJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi ishukunyiswe uthando olujulile ngaye. Masibe nokwazisa okuqotho ngakho konke uJehova noKristu abaye basenzela khona. Njengoba uJohane ngokwakhe abhala kamuva: “Uthando lukulesi sici, akukhona ukuthi thina siye samthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuthi yena wasithanda futhi wathumela iNdodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo oyisihlawulelo wezono zethu.” UJohane uyaqhubeka esitshela: “UNkulunkulu uluthando, futhi lowo ohlala othandweni uhlala emunye noNkulunkulu noNkulunkulu uhlala emunye naye.” Kwangathi singeluvumele luphele uthando lwethu ngoJehova, ngeNkosi uJesu Kristu, nangeZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphilayo! Lolu thando asinakulubonisa kuphela ngenkonzo yentshiseko kuNkulunkulu kodwa futhi nangokuthobela ‘lo myalo esinawo ovela kuye, wokuthi othanda uNkulunkulu kufanele athande nomfowabo.’—1 Johane 4:10, 16, 21; Hebheru 4:12; bheka futhi eyoku-1 Petru 4:8; Kolose 3:10-14; Efesu 4:15.

“Wenze Izenzo Zangaphambili”

 8. UJesu wathi abase-Efesu kwakufanele benzeni?

⁸ Labo base-Efesu kumelwe bavuselele uthando ababenalo uma bengafuni ukulahlekelwa. “Ngakho-ke” uJesu uyabatshela, “khumbula lapho uwe khona, uphenduke, wenze izenzo zangaphambili. Uma ungenzi kanjalo, ngiyeza kuwe, futhi ngiyosusa uthi lwakho lwesibani endaweni yalo, ngaphandle uma uphenduka.” (IsAmbulo 2:5) AmaKristu ebandla lase-Efesu awamukela kanjani lawo mazwi? Asazi. Sithemba ukuthi aphenduka futhi aphumelela ekuvuseleleni uthando lwawo ngoJehova. Uma engakwenzi lokho, khona-ke isibani sawo sasiyocinywa futhi uthi lwesibani sawo lususwe. Ayeyolahlekelwa yilungelo lawo lokukhanyisa iqiniso.

 9. (a) Yiliphi izwi elikhuthazayo uJesu ayenalo ngabase-Efesu? (b) Ngemva kosuku lukaJohane amabandla ahluleka kanjani ukulalela iseluleko sikaJesu kwabase-Efesu?

⁹ Nokho, uJesu unaleli zwi elikhuthazayo ngabase-Efesu: “Nokho, unakho lokhu, ukuthi uyazizonda izenzo zehlelo likaNikolawu, engizizondayo nami.” (IsAmbulo 2:6) Okungenani babekuzonda ukuhlukana ngamahlelo, njengoba nje iNkosi uJesu Kristu ikuzonda. Nokho, njengoba iminyaka yayiqhubeka amabandla amaningi ahluleka ukulalela lawo mazwi kaJesu. Ukuntula uthando ngoJehova, ngeqiniso, nangomunye nomunye kwaphumela ekukhukhulekeleni kwabo ebumnyameni obungokomoya. Bahlukana baba amahlelo amaningi alwayo. Ababhali “abangamaKristu” ababengenalo uthando ngoJehova basusa lona kanye igama likaNkulunkulu emibhalweni yeBhayibheli yesiGreki. Futhi ukuntula uthando kwavumela ukufundiswa kwezimfundiso zaseBhabhiloni nezamaGreki, njengesihogo somlilo, isihlanzo, noZiqu-zintathu, ngegama lobuKristu. Bengenalo uthando ngoNkulunkulu nangeqiniso, abaningi balabo ababezisholo ukuba ngamaKristu bayeka ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Babuswa isigaba sabefundisi esinobugovu esazenzela owaso umbuso lapha emhlabeni.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 4:8.

10. Sasiyini isimo esingokwenkolo kweLobukholwa ngo-1918?

¹⁰ Lapho ukwahlulela kuqala endlini kaNkulunkulu ngo-1918, abefundisi bamahlelo beLobukholwa babesekela obala iMpi Yezwe I, bekhuthaza amaKatolika namaProthestani nhlangothi zombili ukuba abulalane. (1 Petru 4:17) Ngokungafani nebandla lase-Efesu elalikuzonda okwakwenziwa ihlelo likaNikolawu, sekuyisikhathi eside izinkolo zeLobukholwa zigcwele izimfundiso eziphikisanayo, ezimelana noNkulunkulu, futhi abefundisi bazo bezimbandakanye nezwe, uJesu athi abafundi bakhe kumelwe bangabi yingxenye yalo. (Johane 15:17-19) Amabandla azo, engasazi isihloko seBhayibheli, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ayengesizo izinti zezibani ezikhanyisa iqiniso elingokomBhalo, futhi amalungu azo ayengesiyo ingxenye yethempeli likaJehova elingokomoya. Amadoda azo aholayo (nabesifazane) ayengesizo izinkanyezi kodwa abonakala engamalungu ‘omuntu ongenamthetho.’—2 Thesalonika 2:3; Malaki 3:1-3.

11. (a) Yiliphi iqembu lamaKristu emhlabeni ngo-1918 elasebenzisa amazwi kaJesu kwabase-Efesu? (b) Yini isigaba sikaJohane esayenza kusukela ngo-1919 kuye phambili?

¹¹ Nokho, isigaba sikaJohane saphuma ezinsukwini ezineziyaluyalu zempi yezwe yokuqala sinothando ngoJehova nangeqiniso elasiqhubela ukuba simkhonze ngentshiseko evuthayo. Samelana nalabo ababezama ukufaka amahlelo ngokukhulekela ngokoqobo umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Society, uCharles T. Russell, emva kokufa kwakhe ngo-1916. Liqeqeshwe ukushushiswa nobunzima, leli qembu lamaKristu ngokusobala lathola isahlulelo sokuthi ‘lenze kahle’ eNkosini yalo nesimemo sokuba lingene ekuthokozeni kwayo. (Mathewu 25:21, 23) Laqaphela ngezehlakalo zezwe, nakokuhlangenwe nakho kwalo, ukugcwaliseka kwesibonakaliso uJesu ayesinikezile esasiyophawula ukuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali emandleni oMbuso. Kusukela ngo-1919 kuye phambili, laqhubekela phambili lihlanganyela ekugcwalisekeni okuqhubekayo kwesiprofetho sikaJesu esikhulu: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10; 24:3-14) Uma ngandlela-thile uthando lwabo ngoJehova lwalufekela, lwavuthelwa lwaba yilangabi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi.

12. (a) Emhlanganweni owaqopha umlando ngo-1922, yisiphi isimemezelo esaphuma? (b) Yiliphi igama amaKristu alamukela ngenjabulo ngo-1931, futhi yini aphenduka kuyo?

¹² Emhlanganweni owaqopha umlando, owawuhanjelwe abangu-18 000 bala maKristu, eCedar Point, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A., ngo-September 5-13, 1922, kwaphuma isimemezelo: “Phindelani ensimini, O nina madodana kaNkulunkulu ophezukonke! . . . Izwe kumelwe lazi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu nokuthi uJesu uyiNkosi yamakhosi noMbusi wababusi. . . . Ngakho memezelani, memezelani, memezelani, iNkosi nombuso wayo.” Igama likaJehova eliyigugu lalenziwa livelele ngokwengeziwe. Ngo-1931 la maKristu, ebuthene emhlanganweni eColumbus, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A., ajabula ukwamukela igama elaboniswa uNkulunkulu esiprofethweni sika-Isaya—oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10, 12) Ngomagazini wesiNgisi ka-March 1, 1939, igama likamagazini oyinhloko wenhlangano lashintshelwa kwelithi INqabayokulinda Ememezela UMbuso KaJehova, kanjalo kunikezwa udumo oluyinhloko kuMdali wethu nakuhulumeni wakhe wobukhosi. OFakazi BakaJehova, benothando oluvuselelwe ngoJehova, baye baphenduka kunoma yikuphi ukwehluleka okungenzeka bakwenza ngaphambili ukudumisa nokukhulisa igama lakhe elikhazimulayo noMbuso.—IHubo 106:6, 47, 48.

“Onqobayo”

13. (a) Yisiphi isibusiso esasilindele abase-Efesu uma ‘babenqoba’? (b) AmaKristu ase-Efesu ‘ayeyonqoba’ kanjani?

¹³ Ekugcineni, njengoba enza nakwezinye izigijimi zakhe, uJesu ubhekisa ukunakekela emoyeni kaNkulunkulu njengokuyiwona osebenzisa uJesu ekwenzeni imivuzo yokwethembeka yaziwe. Kwabase-Efesu uthi: “Onendlebe makezwe lokho umoya okushoyo emabandleni: Lowo onqobayo ngiyomnika ukuba adle emthini wokuphila, osepharadesi likaNkulunkulu.” (IsAmbulo 2:7) Labo ababenezindlebe ezizwayo babeyokulangazelela ukulalela leso sigijimi esibalulekile, bazi ukuthi akaziqambelanga sona uJesu kodwa ukuthi sasivela eNkosini EnguMbusi uJehova ngokwakhe ngomoya waKhe ongcwele, noma amandla ayisiphekupheku. ‘Babezonqoba’ kanjani? Ngokulandela eduze ezinyathelweni zikaJesu, owagcina ubuqotho kwaze kwaba sekufeni ngakho-ke wayengase athi: “Yimani isibindi! Mina ngilinqobile izwe.”—Johane 8:28; 16:33; bheka futhi eyoku-1 Johane 5:4.

14. Kumelwe ukuba libhekisele kuphi ‘ipharadesi likaNkulunkulu’ elashiwo uJesu?

¹⁴ Njengoba engenathemba lokuphila epharadesi lasemhlabeni, kukanjani ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe, njengalawo ase-Efesu, evuzwa ngokudla “emthini wokuphila, osepharadesi likaNkulunkulu”? Leli akunakuba yiPharadesi elibuyiselwe emhlabeni, njengoba amaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000, kuhlanganise nalawo ebandla lase-Efesu, athengwa esintwini ukuba abuse neWundlu, uKristu Jesu, eNtabeni yasezulwini iSiyoni njengamadodana omoya. (Efesu 1:5-12; IsAmbulo 14:1, 4) Ngakho, kumelwe ukuba lapha kubhekiselwe endaweni yasezulwini enjengensimu laba banqobi abayidla njengefa. Lapho, “epharadesi likaNkulunkulu,” yebo, khona kanye lapho kukhona uJehova, laba banqobi abanikwe ukungafi bayoqhubeka bephila phakade, njengoba lapha kufanekiselwa ngokudla kwabo emthini wokuphila.

15. Kungani isixuku esikhulu namuhla sinesithakazelo esikhulu esikhuthazweni sikaJesu sokunqoba?

¹⁵ Khona-ke, kuthiwani ngabasekeli basemhlabeni abathembekile babagcotshiweyo abangu-144 000? Isixuku esikhulu salabo Fakazi abangabangane babo naso siyanqoba. Kodwa sinethemba lokungena epharadesi lasemhlabeni, lapho siyophuza ‘emfuleni wamanzi okuphila’ futhi sithole ukuphulukiswa ‘emaqabungeni emithi’ etshalwe eceleni kwalowo mfula. (IsAmbulo 7:4, 9, 17; 22:1, 2) Uma ungomunye waleli qembu, sengathi nawe ungabonisa uthando lwakho olufudumele ngoJehova futhi uzuze ekunqobeni kokholo. Kanjalo ungafinyelela injabulo yokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyiPharadesi.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Johane 2:13, 14.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 36]

Ukudumisa Ngothando UJehova NeNdodana YaKhe

Eculweni elakhishwa abantu bakaJehova ngo-1905, kwakunezingoma ezidumisa uJesu eziningi ngokuphindwe kabili kunezingoma ezidumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu. Eculweni labo lika-1928, isibalo sezingoma ezikhazimulisa uJesu sasicishe silingane nesalezo ezikhazimulisa uJehova. Kodwa eculweni lamuva lika-1984, uJehova udunyiswa ngezingoma eziningi ngokuphindwe kane kunalezo ezidumisa uJesu. Lokhu kuvumelana namazwi kaJesu ngokwakhe: “UBaba mkhulu kunami.” (Johane 14:​28) Uthando ngoJehova kumelwe lube ngoludlulele, luhambisane nothando olujulile ngoJesu nokwazisa ngomnikelo wakhe oyigugu nesikhundla njengeNkosi nomPristi Omkhulu kaNkulunkulu.

[Ishadi ekhasini 34]

Indlela KaJesu Yokweluleka

(kukhonjwa izahluko namavesi esAmbulo)

Efesu 2:1 2:2, 3 2:4 2:5, 6 2:7

Smirna 2:8 2:9 — 2:10 2:11

Phergamu 2:12 2:13 2:14, 15 2:16 2:17

Thiyathira 2:18 2:19 2:20, 21 2:24, 25 2:26-28

Sardesi 3:1 — 3:1, 2 3:3, 4 3:5

Filadelfiya 3:7 3:8 — 3:8-11 3:12

Lawodikeya 3:14 — 3:15-17 3:18-20 3:21