IMIBUZO EBUZWA NGABAFUNDI

Yiziphi izivumelwano ezimbili umphostoli uPhawuli ayekhuluma ngazo kuGalathiya 4:24?

Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhuluma ngo-Abrahama langomkakhe uSara langencekukazi kaSara okwakuthiwa nguHagari. Wathi: “Indaba le ingaba ngumzekeliso. Abesifazana laba batsho izivumelwano ezimbili.” (Gal. 4:​22-24.) Kudala sasikholwa ukuthi lapha kukhulunywa ngesivumelwano soMthetho lesivumelwano esitsha kodwa khathesi sokulotshintsho. Ngemva kokuchwayisisa futhi amavesi la sesikholwa ukuthi uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngesivumelwano uJehova asenza lo-Abrahama. Asixoxeni kabanzi ngendaba le.a

UPhawuli wathi uHagari utsho isivumelwano soMthetho esenziwa eNtabeni iSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E. (Gal. 4:25; Eks. 19:​5, 6) UMthetho lo wawukhumbuza amaJuda ukuthi ayeyizigqili zesono ngoba akulamuntu olesono owayengawulandela ngokupheleleyo. Isivumelwano lesi sasizanceda ama-Israyeli ananzelele uMesiya nxa esefikile ngoba nguye yedwa umuntu owayengalandela uMthetho ngokupheleleyo. Inhlawulo kaJesu, umuntu owayengelasono yakhulula abantu esonweni lasekufeni. (Gal. 3:​19, 24, 25) Ngalesosikhathi uMthetho kaMosi wahle waphelelwa ngumsebenzi.—Rom. 10:4.

UPhawuli waqathanisa uHagari loSara, owesifazana okhululekileyo owazala indodana ‘ngesithembiso.’(Gal. 4:23) Isithembiso ayekhuluma ngaso yisivumelwano esenziwa nguJehova lo-Abrahama. (Gal. 3:29; 4:28) Sifunda ngesivumelwano lesi kuGenesisi 22:18. UJehova wathi: “Ngenzalo yakho [Abrahama] zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizazitholela isibusiso ngenxa yokuthi ulalele ilizwi lami.”

Isivumelwano lesi sacacisa lokho okwakukhulunywe nguJehova ensimini yase-Edeni. (Gen. 3:15) ‘Inzalo’ uJehova akhuluma ngayo yayizavela kusendo luka-Abrahama. UPhawuli wacacisa ukuthi owakuqala kunzalo le nguJesu Khristu besekusiba lalabo ‘abangabakaKhristu’. Lapha wayesitsho amaKhristu angu-144 000 azindlalifa azabusa loJesu. (Gal. 3:​16, 29; Isam. 14:​1-3) Bonke abalokholo kuJesu labamlalelayo bazathola izibusiso ezinengi kakhulu ngenxa yalokho uJehova akuthembisa u-Abrahama.

Kanti kungani uPhawuli wakhuluma ‘ngomzekeliso’ lo? Wayefuna ukuncedisa amaJuda azwisise ukuthi nxa ayezaqhubeka ebambelele eMthethweni kaMosi ayezahlala eyizigqili njengoHagari. Kodwa nxa ayezalalela lokho okwafundiswa nguJesu owayeyinzalo ka-Abrahama ayezakhululeka njengoSara. Ayezakhululeka sibili angabi yizigqili zesono lokufa. (Joh. 8:​32-34) Nxa amaJuda la ayengasoze alalele uJesu, ayeyabe elahlekile ngoba vele isivumelwano soMthetho sasenzelwe ukuwakhokhela kuKhristu.

AmaKhristu amanengi eGalathiya ayengasomaJuda, yikho ayengakaze loba nini alandele uMthetho kaMosi. Lanxa kunjalo, amanye amaKhristu angamaJuda ayesithi lawo angasomaJuda kumele alandele uMthetho kaMosi aze asokwe lokusokwa. UPhawuli wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi lokhu kwakungancedi ngalutho. Phela kwakungelasizatho sokuzithwalisa nzima besiba ‘yizigqili’ zoMthetho kaMosi ngoba uKhristu ‘wayesebakhululile.’—Gal. 5:​1, 10-14.