Kumelwe Likuthinte Kanjani Ivangeli LikaJohane?

KUNGANI amaVangeli omane obuKristu alotshwa? Ingabe amane angumlando ogciniwe ositshela ngokuphila kukaMesiya? Noma ingabe kwakunesisusa esijulile? Umyalo wokugcina kaKristu kubafundi bakhe unikeza ukukhanya okuthile kulemibuzo: “Ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, . . . nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyalé ngakho.”—Mathewu 28:19, 20.

Ngokusobala, isigijimi sobuKristu kwakuyodingeka sishukumise abantu emhlabeni wonke ukuba balingise isibonelo sikaJesu. Ngempela kwakuyodingeka bakholwe ukuthi uKristu unguMsindisi. Ngakho umphostoli uJohane uthi waloba indaba yokuphila kukaJesu “ukuba nikholwe ukuthi uJesu unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, nokuba nikholwe, nibenokuphila okuphakade egameni lakhe.”—Johane 20:31.

Isingeniso Esibanga Ukuphikisana

Kukusiphi isikhathi uJohane aqala ngaso ukusazisa ngoJesu? Ngesikhathi sokuzalwa kwakhe, njengoba kwenza abalobi beVangeli oMathewu noLuka? Cha. Uhlehlela emuva esikhathini eside ngaphambi kwalokho. Usibuyisela emuva ekuqaleni kwendalo yonke ngesingeniso esilula kodwa esiqukethe okuningi kakhulu: “Ekuqaleni wayekhona uLizwi, uLizwi wayekuNkulunkulu, uLizwi wayenguNkulunkulu [wayengowaphezulu, [Schonfield]. Yena lowo wayekhona ekuqaleni kuNkulunkulu. Konke kwavela ngaye; ngaphandle kwakhe akuvelangalutho kukho konke okuvelileyo.”—Johane 1:1-3.

Ngaphandle kolwazi lwangaphambili lweBhayibheli lilonke lesisingeniso kungabanzima ukusiqonda. Ngokwesibonelo, kuzAga 8:22-31 uLizwi (uKristu ngaphambi kokubakhona kwakhe kobuntu) ukhulunyelwa ngokomfanekiso njengokuhlakanipha “njengengcweti yomsebenzi” esebenzisana noNkulunkulu emsebenzini waKhe wokudala. (Bheka futhi 1 Korinte 1:24.) Umphostoli uPawulu ufakazela leliphuzu encwadini yakhe kwabaseKolose, lapho uKristu kukhulunywa ngaye njengo“mfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongenakubonwa, izibulo lezidalwa zonke, ngokuba kwadalelwa kuyo konke.” Ngalokhu singabona ukuthi uLizwi “owaba-yinyama wakha phakathi kwethu” wayeyindalo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala futhi wasetshenziswa nguYise ekuqhubekiseleni phambili wonke umsebenzi wokudala.—Kolose 1:15, 16; Johane 1:14.

Lolulwazi kumelwe lusithinte kanjani? Akumelwe yini simbonge uJehova, uMdali, ngokuba-khona kwethu? Futhi asiyazisi yini ingxenye eye yafezwa uLizwi kulokhu? UNkulunkulu wanika indoda nomfazi amandla okuzala aye aveza umkhaya wesintu wanamuhla wabantu abangaphezu kwezinkulungwane zezigidi ezine. Nokho, kunezizathu eziningi ezengeziwe zokubonga uNkulunkulu kanye neNdodana yakhe futhi lezi zihlobene nezihloko ezinkulu zeVangeli likaJohane—ukukhanya, ukuphila, uthando, nokwethembeka.

Ukukhanya Kusithinta Kanjani?

Joh 1 Evesini lesithathu nelesine lesahluko sokuqala seVangeli lakhe, uJohane usiyisa kwezimbili zalezo zihloko eziyinhloko ezingenakuhlukaniseka nomlando wakhe ophefumlelwe ngokuthi: “Ukuphila kwakukuye [uLizwi] ukuphila kwakungukukhanya kwabantu.” Yini uJohane ayivezayo ngalenkulumo? Ukuthi uLizwi, noma uKristu, wayeyiNxusa likaNkulunkulu eliyiNhloko ekudluliseleni kokubili ukuphila nokukhanya kubantu. (IzEnzo 3:15) UJohane uqhubeka ngokusitshela ukuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi wavela ukuba afakaze “ngokukhanya okuqinisileyo okukhanyisa wonke umuntu.” (Johane 1:9) Yebo, kubo bonke abantu, ngoba uKristu akezelanga ezweni ukuzoba uMesiya wamaJuda kuphela. Wezela ukuzozuzisa sonke isintu, njengoba naye ngokwakhe achaza: “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe [lesintu kusukela kuAbela] kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa [uLizwi, onguKristu] ukuba yilwo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abenokuphila okuphakade.”—Johane 3:16.

Manje, lombhalo ovame kangaka ukucashunwa kumelwe usithinte kanjani? Uma uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni ukuzoba ukukhanya ebumnyameni bezwe obungokomoya, akumelwe yini okungenani sibonise lokho kukhanya kwabanye? Isenzo sikaNkulunkulu sokungabinabugovu kumelwe sivuse ukusabela ezinhliziyweni zethu. Ubani kithi ongafisa ukunikela ngomuntu amthandayo ukuba afe ukufa okuyihlazo ikakhulukazi ngenxa yabantu abangazikhathalele? Ngakho uthando lukaNkulunkulu kumelwe lusishukumisele ukuba senzeni? Ukuba sibonakalise ukholo oluphilayo kuJesu Kristu nasenanini lomhlatshelo wakhe elihlenga ukuphila. Umphumela walokho uyoba ukuphila, ngoba uJesu wathi: “Mina ngingukukhanya kwezwe; ongilandelayo kasoze ahamba ebumnyameni kodwa wobanokukhanya kokuphila.”—Johane 8:12.

Hlobo Luni Lokuphila Olunikezwayo?

Ngaphandle kokuzenza onolwazi olujulile lwezimiso ezingokwesayensi, uJohane ukhulumela esisodwa esithi, ukuphila kwasemhlabeni kuxhomeke ekukhanyeni. Futhi ngendlela engokomfa nekiso lokho kuyiqiniso ngokufanayo. UKristu uwukukhanya okuholela ekuphileni. Kodwa ekuphileni okunjani? Impendulo kaJesu kowesifazane waseSamariya emthonjeni kaJakobe isinikeza umqondo: “Kepha lowo oyakuphuza amanzi engiyakumnika wona kasayikoma naphakade; kepha amanzi engiyakumnika wona, phakathi kwakhe ayakubangumthombo wamanzi aphuphumayo, kube-ngukuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 4:7-15) UKristu wanikela ngo“kuphila okuyikho,” ukuphila okuphakade okunesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu.—1 Thimothewu 6:19.

Lokhokuphila okuphakade kuzojatshulelwa kuphi? Ngokuqondene nenani elincane elenza “umhlambi omncane,” uJesu uyaphendula: “Ekhaya likaBaba kukhona izindlu eziningi; uma bekungenjalo, bengiyakunitshela ukuthi ngiya ukunilungisela indawo.” Ngokusobala wayeqondise ezindlini zasezulwini.—Luka 12:32; Johane 14:2.

Kodwa uKristu wathi futhi: “Nezinye izimvu nginazo ezingesizo ezalesisibaya; nalezo ngimelwe ukuziletha; ziyakuzwa izwi lami, kubemhlambi munye nomalusi munye.” UJohane wayazi ngencwadi yakhe ayiloba ngaphambili yesAmbulo ukuthi “umhlambi omncane” wawuyohlanganiswa amalungu ayizi-144 000, kuyilapho “ezinye izimvu” ziyohlanganisa “isixuku esikhulu” nabanye abayoba semhlabeni ngaphansi kombuso kaKristu.—Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 7:4, 9, 10.

Manje, kungayiphi indlela lelothemba lokuphila okuphakade, kungaba elasezulwini noma elasemhlabeni, okumelwe lisithinte ngayo? Kulula kakhulu ukuthi “ukuphila okuphakade,” kodwa ngokwesikhashana ake ucabange nje ukuthi kusho ukuthini ngempela futhi kusikiselani. Ukuphila phakade! Ukujabulela ukuphila ngokugcwele nesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu saphakade. Ukukhululeka ekukhathazekeni ngenxa yokuguga noma impilo. Umbuzo othi “uneminyaka emingaki?” ngeke usaba ngokhathalelwayo.

Labo abanobizo lwasezulwini, ukuphila okuphakade bayokujabulela beyingxenye kahulumeni ongabonakali kaKristu beqondisa izindaba zasemhlabeni futhi besebenzisa inani lomhlatshelo wakhe ukuzuzisa isintu esilalelayo ngokwenyama nangokomoya. Yeka ilungelo eliphakeme okuyilo! Ngaphandle kokungabaza iVangeli likaJohane kumelwe lisishukumisele ukuba siwazise umusa ongafanelekanga kaJehova.—IsAmbulo 20:4-6.

Liyini Ithemba Labafileyo?

Omunye umbuzo ngokuphathelene nesipho sokuphila okuphakade uyapha kama. Abafileyo bayokuthola kanjani lokho kuphila okuthenjisiwe? UJesu wakuphendula lokho ngendlela eyanelisayo ngokuvusa abantu abahlukene, kuhlanganise nomngane wakhe oseduze owayesenezinsuku ezine efile. Ukulandisa kukaJohane okuhlukile nokwabanye kusazisa ukuthi uJesu wathi ngalesosikhathi: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila; okholwa yimi, noma efa wophila.” Lendaba ichazwe kahle futhi esahlukweni sesihlanu, lapho uJesu ethi: “Ningamangali ngalokho, ngokuba isikhathi siyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyakulizwa izwi layo [iNdodana kaNkulunkulu].”—Johane 11:1-44; 5:25-29.

Sikuthinta kanjani lesosithembiso sovuko? Cabanga nje ngabathandekayo bakho kodwa abangasaphili. Ngeke yini uvukwe ngamadlingozi uma usubabona futhi uxoxa nabo? UJehova uNkulunkulu uthembise isimangaliso esinjalo. Kungakho uMartha, udadewabo kamufi uLazaru, aqiniseka ngalelothemba ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uJesu avusele umfowabo ekuphileni futhi, ngoba wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakuvuka ekuvukeni ngosuku lokugcina.” Ingabe thina njengamaKristu sinokholo olunamandla kanjalo?—Johane 11:24.

Uthando LukaKristu Lukuthinta Kanjani?

Uma besingafingqa iVangeli likaJohane silenze igama elilodwa, kungaba iliphi? Ukukhanya? Ukuphila? Uvuko? Cha, kungaba UTHANDO. Ngani? Ngoba zonke lezi ezinye izibusiso zivela othandweni lukaNkulunkulu. UJesu walumemezela futhi walubonisa lolothando. Kanjalo wathi: “Njengalokho uBaba engithandile, nami nginithandile; hlalani othandweni lwami.” Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyakuhlala othandweni lwami. Yimuphi umyalo ovelele kaJesu! “Yiló umyalo wami wokuba nithandane, njengalokho nginithandile. Akakho onothando olukhulu kunalolo lokuba adele ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe.”—Johane 15:9-14.

Ingabe uKristu ngokwakhe wawagcwalisa lawomazwi? Ingabe wabonisa uthando olukhulu ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe? Umlando oningiliziwe kaJohane uphendula ngoYebo omkhulu! Indaba esezahlukweni zika-18 no-19 ichaza ukuthi uJesu waboshwa kanjani wayesebhekana nokuphenywa ngemibuzo eminingi futhi ezwiswa ubuhlungu obukhulu ezandleni zamaJuda namaRoma ayebusa. Kukho konke lokhokuphathwa ngonya uJesu wanikeza ubufakazi ngokuqondene nombuso kaNkulunkulu. Wafakaza: “Umbuso wami awusiwo owalelizwe . . . umbuso wami awusiwo owalapha.” Uthando lwakhe ngoYise nesintu lwalulukhulu kangangokuba akazange afune indlela elula yokuphunyuka noma azame ukululaza isigijimi sakhe. “Ngizalelwe lokho, . . . ukuba ngifakazele iqiniso.” Edidekile, uPilatu waphendula: “Iqiniso liyini na?”—Johane 18:36-38.

Enqatshe isixuku samaJuda esasiholwa ngabefundisi, uJesu wagwetshelwa ukufa futhi wabethelwa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. Wabhekana nokwehliswa okukhulu njengomJuda, ukuba afe eqalekisiwe esigxotsheni. (Duteronomi 21:22, 23; Galathiya 3:10-13) Nokho wanqoba. Ukukholelwa kwakhe ovukweni kwalwelwa. Ngosuku lwesithathu wavuswa kwabafileyo. UMariya Magdalena, ongumfundi, wambona wakhuluma naye. Ungacabanga nje ngenjabulo ayenayo lapho eletha izindaba kubafundi. “Ngiyibonile iNkosi.”—Johane 20:18.

Khona-ke, umhlatshelo kaKristu novuko kumelwe kusithinte kanjani? Akumelwe yini kusinike ukholo ithemba kanye nentshiseko? Siyalazi iqiniso ngoKristu, elisekelwe embhalweni ongokomlando wamaVangeli. Kuwumbhalo wokusebenza kothando. Ingabe siyoshukunyiselwa ukuba sibonakalise lolothando olufanayo lobuKristu oludlula konke futhi sihambise isigijimi soMbuso kwabanye?—Johane 20:31; Mathewu 24:14.

Uma sibuyekeza ukulandisa kukaJohane, isiphi isifundo esengeziwe esingasithola? Isifundo sokwethembeka—ukwethembeka kukaKristu enjongweni kaYise; ukwethembeka kwakhe kubalandeli bakhe ngisho noma bemshiya. (Marku 14:50; Johane 18:15-27) Ekuqaleni, abaphostoli abayi-12 nabo babebonakalise ukwethembeka. Kamuva uma abafundi abaningi bemshiya uJesu, yeka ukuthi yahlaba umxhwele kanjani impendulo kaPetru embuzweni kaJesu obukhali: “Nani nithanda ukumuka na?” USimoni Petru waphendula: “Nkosi, siyakuya kubani na? Amazwi okuphila okuphakade akuwe. Siyakholwa, siyazi ukuthi wena ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.”—Johane 6:66-69.

Uyakholelwa yini ukuthi uJesu “ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu,” “iNdodana kaNkulunkulu”? Uma kunjalo, khona-ke nawe futhi, ungahamba ekukhanyeni okuholela ekuphileni. Nawe ungabonakalisa uthando nokwethembeka kuJehova uNkulunkulu nasembusweni wakhe ngoKristu. Nawe futhi ungazuza eVangelini likaJohane elivusa umphefumulo.—Johane 20:31.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

UJesu uphuzisana ngamanzi anika ukuphila okuphakade