“Manibe-Ngcwele . . . ”
“Kodwa njengowanibizayo engcwele, manibe-ngcwele nani ekuhambeni konke, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Manibe-ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.”—1 PETRU 1:15, 16.
1, 2. (a) Isiphi isikhumbuzo esasibekwe esigqokweni sompristi omkhulu, futhi sasifeza yiphi injongo? (b) Kungani isikhumbuzo ngobungcwele bukaJehova sifaneleka namuhla? (c) Yimuphi umyalo uPetru awunikezayo ngokuqondene nobungcwele?
“UBUNGCWELE bungobukaJehova.” Lamazwi ashukumisayo ayebekelwe bonke ukuba bawabone, elotshwe ongcwecweni wegolide elicwengekileyo owawuboshwa phezu kwesigqoko esasigqokwa umpristi omkhulu wakwaIsrayeli. (Eksodusi 28:36-38) Ayesebenza njengesikhumbuzo esikhazimulayo sokuthi ngokungafani nezizwe zabahedeni ezazikhulekela onkulunkulu abangcolile, uIsrayeli wayekhonza uNkulunkulu ohlanzekile, ongcwele.
2 Uma kakade usungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, ingabe uyaqaphela ukuthi umsulwa, uhlanzekile, ungcwele, futhi ulunge kangakanani uNkulunkulu omkhonzayo? Isikhumbuzo ngeqiniso elinjalo eliyisisekelo singase sibonakale singadingekile. Kakade, njengabantu bakaJehova, siye sabusiswa ngokuqonda “okujulileyo kukaNkulunkulu”—iziprofetho zeBhaybheli eziyinkimbinkimbi, ukusebenza kwezimiso zeBhayibheli, imfundiso yeBhayibheli. (1 Korinte 2:10; qhathanisa noDaniyeli 12:4.) Kodwa, kusobala ukuthi abanye bantula ukwazisa okuqotho ngobungcwele bukaJehova. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi unyaka ngamunye izinkulungwane ziwela ogibeni lokuziphatha okubi. Izinkulungwane ezengeziwe zizibizela inhlekelele ngokuhileleka ezenzweni ezicishe zibe ukwephulwa komthetho weBhayibheli. Ngokusobala, abanye abakuqondi ukungathi sína kwamazwi akweyoku-1 Petru 1:15, 16: “Kodwa njengowanibizayo engcwele, manibe-ngcwele nani ekuhambeni konke, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Manibe-ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.”
UNkulunkulu ONgcwele, Abakhulekeli AbaNgcwele
3. Ibonisani ingoma kaMose ngoJehova?
3 ‘Umuntu ongaphelele—abe-ngcwele? Akunakwenzeka!’ ungase usho. Nokho, cabangela isizinda seseluleko sikaPetru. Umphostoli lapha wayecaphuna amazwi ayebhekiselwe okokuqala kumaIsrayeli ngokushesha ngemva kokuFuduka eGibithe. Ngalokhu kukhulula okumangalisayo, uJehova wayeye wabonakala enguMkhululi, uMgcwalisi wezithembiso, “indoda yempi.” (Eksodusi 3:14-17; 15:3) Engomeni yokuhalalisa ngokuchithwa okukhulu kwabaseGibithe oLwandle oLubomvu, uMose manje wembula olunye uhlangothi lukaJehova: “Ngubani onjengawe-Jehova phakathi kwawonkulunkulu; ngubani onjengawe okhazimula ngobungcwele na?” (Eksodusi 15:11) Lesi isikhathi sokuqala esilotshiwe lapho ubungcwele babhekiselwa kuJehova.
4. (a) Kungayiphi indlela uJehova ‘ekhazimula ngobungcwele’? (b) Kanjalo uJehova wayehluke kanjani konkulunkulu baseKhanani?
4 Amagama elesiHeberu nelesiGreki ahunyushwe eBhayibhelini ngokuthi “ngcwele” anikeza umqondo wokuba ‘okhazimulayo, omusha, oqabulekile, ongenakugqwala, nohlanzekile.’ Kanjalo uMose wabonakalisa uJehova njengohlanzeke ngezinga eliphakeme, ongenakho ukungcola, ongenakonakala, ongakubekezeleli neze ukungahlanzeki. (Habakuki 1:13) UJehova wahluka ngokuphelele konkulunkulu bezwe amaIsrayeli ayezohlala kulo masinyane—iKhanani. Imibhalo eyavubukulwa eRas Shamra, idolobha elisogwini lwenyakatho yeSiriya, inikeza umbono olinganiselwe kodwa osikhanyiselayo, wethempeli lonkulunkulu baseKhanani. Ngokwencwadi kaJohn Gray ethi The Canaanites, lemibhalo ichaza onkulunkulu “ababelwa, benomona, benesimo sokufuna ukuziphindiselela, benenkanuko.”
5, 6. (a) Kwawathinta kanjani amaKhanani ukukhulekela onkulunkulu abaziphethe kabi? (b) Kwawathinta kanjani amaIsrayeli ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ongcwele?
5 Ngokulindelekile, isiko lamaKhanani lalibonakalisa onkulunkulu abanokuziphatha okubi ayebakhulekela. Incwadi ethi The Religion of the People of Israel iyachaza: “Izenzo zokulingisa unkulunkulu zazibhekwa njengenkonzo kulowonkulunkulu. . . . [Unkulunkulukazi wobulili] uAshtart wayenezikhonzi eziningi zesilisa nezesifazane ezazichazwa njengabantu abazinikezele . . . Babezinikezela enkonzweni yakhe yobufebe.” Isazi uWilliam F. Albright sinezela ngokuthi: “Nokho, ezingeni laso elibi kakhulu, isici esivusa inkanuko sokukhulekela kwawo kumelwe ukuba sase sifinyelele ezingeni elibi ngokwedlulele lokwehla ngokwezenhlalo.” Ukukhulekelwa “kwezigxobo ezingcwele” eziyisimo sesitho sobulili sowesilisa, ukunikela ngabantwana, umlingo, ukuphonsa ngeziphonso, ubulili phakathi kwezihlobo, ubungqingili, nokulala nezilwane—konke lokhu kwaba ‘imisebenzi yezwe’ eKhanani.—Eksodusi 34:13; Levitikusi 18:2-25; Duteronomi 18:9-12.
6 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJehova ‘ukhazimula ngobungcwele.’ Wayengenakukubekezelela ukululazeka okunjalo kubakhulekeli bakhe. (IHubo 15) Ngakho, ngokungafani nonkulunkulu baseKhanani abalulazayo, uJehova waphakamisa abantu bakhe. Esho amazwi uPetru ayezowacaphuna kamuva, uJehova wayala ngokuphindaphindiwe: “Niyakuba-ngcwele, ngokuba mina Jehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.”—Levitikusi 11:44; 19:2; 20:26.
‘UMthetho Ungcwele, Ulungile Futhi Muhle’
7, 8. (a) ‘Ayengaba ngcwele’ kanjani amaIsrayeli? (b) Qhathanisa uMthetho kaJehova noMthetho waseBabiloni kaHammurabi.
7 ‘Ukuba ngcwele kwabo’ akushongo ukuphelela futhi kungasho umoya wokuzisholo wokukhulekela kokuzenzisa; kwasho ukuthobela omunye umthetho obanzi owawunikezwe amaIsrayeli ngoMose. (Eksodusi 19:5, 6) Ngokungafani nanoma yimuphi omunye umthetho wesizwe, uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawungase uchazwe ngokuthi “ungcwele, ulungile, muhle.”—Roma 7:12.
8 Yiqiniso, uMthetho waseBabiloni kaHammurabi, okuthiwa wenziwa ngaphambi koMthetho kaMose, wawuhlanganisa izici ezicishe zifane nezokaMose. Eminye yemithetho yawo, njengomthetho ‘weso ngeso,’ icishe ifane nezimiso zikaMose. Ngakho abanye abagxeki bathi uMose wamane waboleka imithetho yakhe emthethweni kaHammurabi. Nokho, umthetho kaHammurabi awenzanga lutho ngaphandle kokudumisa uHammurabi nokufeza izithakazelo zakhe zezombangazwe. UMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawunikezwe amaIsrayeli ‘ukuze kube kuhle kuwo njalo, ukuba aphile.’ (Duteronomi 6:24) Futhi kunobufakazi obuncane bokuthi umthetho kaHammurabi wake waba obophayo ngokomthetho eBabiloni, ufeza okuncane ngaphezu kokuba “usizo olungokomthetho kubantu abafuna iseluleko.” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica, uhlelo luka-1985, Umqulu 21 k. 921) Nokho, uMthetho kaMose wawubopha futhi unezijeziso ezifanele zokungalaleli. Okokugcina, umthetho kaHammurabi ugxile endleleni yokuphathwa kwabenzi bokubi; emithethweni yawo engama-280 mihlanu kuphela enqabela ngokuqondile. Nokho, injongo yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu yayiwukuvimbela ukwenziwa kobubi, hhayi ukujezisa ngenxa yabo.
9. UMthetho kaMose wawunaliphi ithonya ekuphileni kwamaJuda?
9 Ngenxa yokuthi ‘wawungcwele, ulungile, futhi umuhle,’ uMthetho kaMose wawunethonya elinamandla ekuphileni kwamaJuda komuntu siqu. Wawuqondisa ukukhulekela kwawo, walungiselela amaSabatha okuyeka umsebenzi, walawula uhlelo lomnotho wesizwe, wahlela izimfuneko ezithile ngokuphathelene nendlela yokugqoka, futhi wanikeza isiqondiso esisizayo ezindabeni zokudla, ukuziphatha ngokobulili, nemikhuba yenhlanzeko. Ngisho nokusebenza okuvamile komzimba kwakungaphansi kokulawula koMthetho kaMose.
“UMyalezo KaJehova Uhlanzekile”
10. (a) Kungani uMthetho wawuhlanganisa izici eziningi kangaka zokuphila? (b) UMthetho wayithuthukisa kanjani inhlanzeko engokomzimba nempilo enhle? (Hlanganisa nombhalo waphansi.)
10 Iziqondiso ezinjalo eziningilizayo ezithinta ukuphila kwansuku zonke zazinenjongo ephakeme: ukwenza amaIsrayeli ahlanzeke—ngokwenyama, ngokomoya, ngokwengqondo, nangokokuziphatha. Ngokwesibonelo, imithetho eyayidinga ukuba bageze, bagqibe indle yabo, abanezifo ezithathelwanayo bahlukaniswe nabanye, futhi bagweme izinhlobo ezithile zokudla yonke yayithuthukisa impilo nenhlanzeko engokomzimba.a—Eksodusi 30:18-20; Levitikusi isahluko 11; 13:4, 5, 21, 26; 15:16-18, 21-23; Duteronomi 23:12-14.
11. Kwakusho ukuthini ukuhlanzeka ngokomthetho?
11 Kodwa, impilo enhle nokukhucululwa kokungcola eqinisweni kwakulandela inhlanzeko engokomoya. Yingakho othile mhlawumbe owayedle okunye kokudla okwenqatshelwe, owayehileleke ebuhlotsheni bobulili, noma owayethinte isidumbu kwakuthiwa ungcolile ngokomthetho. (Levitikusi, izahluko 11, 15; Numeri, isahluko 19) Ngaleyondlela onjalo ongcolile wayevinjelwa ukuba ahlanganyele ekukhulekeleni—kwezinye izimo ngaphansi kwesijeziso sokufa! (Levitikusi 15:31; 22:3-8) Kodwa ukwenqatshelwa okunjalo kwakuhlangene ngani nenhlanzeko engokomoya?
12. Imithetho yenhlanzeko engokomthetho yayiyithuthukisa kanjani inhlanzeko engokomoya?
12 Ukukhulekela kobuqaba kwakuhlanganisa ubufebe, ukukhulekelwa kwabafile, namadili anomsindo. Kodwa iThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia iyaphawula: “Akukho senzo sobulili esasivunyelwe njengendlela yokukhulekela uYahweh. Ngakho, zonke izenzo ezinjalo ngokuqondene nalokhu, zazenza umuntu abe ongcolile. . . . KwaIsrayeli abafile babethola inhlonipho ebafanele, kodwa babenganikezwa nakancane udumo olungafanele noma babe yizinto zokukhulekelwa . . . Ukuhlanganyela okuqhubekayo emikhosini yomakhelwane abangamaqaba, okwakuhlanganisa ukudla, kwakungenakwenzeka ngomIsrayeli, ngoba ukudla kwabo kwakungahlanzekile.” Kanjalo imithetho yoMthetho yayakha “udonga” olwahlukanisayo kubantu benkolo abangahlanzekile.—Efesu 2:14.
13. UMthetho wawuyithuthukisa kanjani inhlanzeko engokwengqondo?
13 UMthetho futhi wawusebenzela inhlanzeko yamaIsrayeli ngokwengqondo. Ngokwesibonelo, izimiso zawo ngokuqondene nokusondelana, emshadweni, zaziphakamisa ukucabanga kwendoda. (Levitikusi 15:16-33) AmaIsrayeli afunda ukuzithiba ezindabeni zobulili, engavumeli inkanuko engalawulwa njengamaKhanani. UMthetho waze ngisho wafundisa ababebambelele kuwo ukulawula imizwa yabo nezifiso, ulahla ukucabanga kokuhaha.—Eksodusi 20:17.
14. UMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawuhluke kanjani ngokuqondene nokuthuthukisa ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha?
14 Nokho, okuphawuleka kakhulu, ukugcizelela koMthetho ekuhlanzekeni kokuziphatha. Yiqiniso, umthetho kaHammurabi nawo wabulahla ububi obunjalo njengokuphinga. Nokho, indaba ekuyiThe Biblical Archaeologist yaphawula: “Ngokungafani nabaseBabiloni nabaseAsiriya ababebheka ukuphinga njengokona amalungelo omyeni obunikazi kuphela, uMthetho weTestamente Elidala ubheka futhi ukuphinga njengokoniwa okungathi sína kwesimiso sokuziphatha okuhle.”
15. (a) Bonisa ukuthi umIsrayeli kwakungadingeka kanjani enze umzamo omkhulu ukuba ahlale ehlanzekile. (b) AmaIsrayeli ayezuza kanjani emizamweni enjalo?
15 Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kangakanani amazwi omhubi: “Umyalezo kaJehova uhlanzekile, ukhanyisa amehlo.” (IHubo 19:8) Yiqiniso, ngezinye izikhathi ukuze ahlale ehlanzekile kwakudinga umzamo omkhulu. Abadlezane, emasontweni ambalwa nje ngemva kokuzalwa kwabantwana babo, kwakumelwe baye eJerusalema ukuze bahlanganyele ezinqubweni zokuhlanzwa. (Levitikusi 12:1-8; Luka 2:22-24) Kokubili amadoda nabesifazane kwakudingeka bazihlanze ngokomthetho ngemva kobuhlobo bobulili, nezinye izimo ezihlobene nalokho. (Levitikusi 15:16, 18; Duteronomi 23:9-14; 2 Samuweli 11:11-13) Uma babelandela uMthetho ngobuqotho futhi behlala behlanzekile, ‘babeyozisiza’ ngokwabo—ngokomzimba, ngokwengqondo, ngokokuziphatha, nangokomoya. (Isaya 48:17) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukubaluleka nokungathi sína kokuhlala behlanzekile kwakuyogcizelelwa ngokungenakusuleka kubo. Okuhle nakakhulu, imizamo eqotho kanjalo yokugcina ubungcwele yayiyobazuzisa ukuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu.
Ukuhlanzeka Ezweni Elingahlanzekile
16, 17. (a) AmaKristu namuhla kudingeka ahlale ehlanzeke ngezinga elingakanani? (b) Kungani kunzima kangaka ukuhlala uhlanzekile namuhla? (c) Abantu abavelele baye bahluleka kanjani njengezibonelo?
16 Manje sesingawaqonda kangcono amazwi kaPetru kumaKristu: “Njengabantwana abalalelayo ningalingisi izinkanuko zakuqala ekungazini kwenu, kodwa njengowanibizayo engcwele, manibe-ngcwele nani ekuhambeni konke, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Manibe-ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.”—1 Petru 1:14-16.
17 Yiqiniso, lokhu akulula. Noma kuphi lapho sibheka khona, sibona abantu bekhohlisa, benza ukungathembeki, ukuziphatha okubi kobulili. IThe New York Times yabika: “Ngokwandayo amaMelika akhetha ukuhlala ndawonye ngaphambi kokushada.” Ngisho nabantu abavelele babeka izibonelo ezimbi. Abanye babantu abaziwa kakhulu emhlabeni namuhla kwezemidlalo, kwezombangazwe, nakwezokuzijabulisa benza obala izinhlobo ezithile zokungcola. Omunye umlandeli wezemidlalo wakhala: “Kudumaza kabuhlungu ukwethemba othile njengesibonelo bese uthola ukuthi wonakele.” Iyini inkinga? Abadlali abaningi abadumile baye bavuma ukuthi basebenzisa kabi imilaliso. Yeka ukuthi kuvame kangakanani ukuba abantu abadunyiswayo baphile ukuphila okungcolile, yebo, ngisho nokuphila okungamanyala, njengeziphingi, izifebe, ongqingili, ongqingili besifazane, amasela, abaphangi, nemihuqa yemilaliso! Bangase babonakale behlanzekile ngokomzimba, kodwa imilomo yabo igcwele inhlamba nolimi olungcolile. Bangase ngisho bakujabulele ukukuhleka usulu ukuziphatha okuhle komphakathi, beqhosha ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo kokuziphatha okubi.
18. Abaningi abaphila ukuphila okungcolile ‘bakuvuna’ kanjani ‘lokho abakutshalile’?
18 Kodwa, amazwi eBhayibheli awachilizelwa eceleni kalula: “UNkulunkulu akahlekwa. [“Akukho ukumdelela uNkulunkulu.”—Byington] ngokuba lokho akuhlwanyelayo umuntu, lokho wokuvuna. Ngokuba ohlwanyela inyama yakhe uyakuvuna ukubhubha kuyo inyama.” (Galathiya 6:7, 8) Ngokuvamile ukuziphatha okuxekethile kuphumela ekuguleni, nasekufeni ngaphambi kwesikhathi, okubangelwa izifo ezinjengongcunsula, isipatsholo, neAIDS, uma sibala ezivelele. Futhi ukungahleleki okungokwengqondo nokungokomzwelo, ukucindezeleka, ngisho nokuzibulala ngezinye izikhathi kuwumphumela wokuphila kobufebe. Ngakho nakuba labo abahlanganyela emikhubeni yokuziphatha okubi bengase babahleke usulu labo abazama ukuzigcina behlanzekile, uhleko luyaphela lapho abahleka usulu beqala ‘ukuvuna lokho abakuhlwanyelile.’—Qhathanisa namaRoma 1:24-27.
19, 20. Abefundisi beLobukholwa baye bazibonakalisa kanjani bengcolile ngokwenkolo nangokokuziphatha?
19 Siphila futhi ezweni elingcolile ngokwenkolo. Abefundisi bangase bagqoke izembatho ezinhle, ezihlanzekile, kodwa bafundisa imikhuba nezimfundiso zaseBabiloni ezingcolile, ezinjengokukhonza izithombe, uZiqu-zintathu, umlilo wesihogo, ukungafi komphefumulo womuntu, nesihlanzo. Bafana nabaholi benkolo uJesu athi ngabo: “Maye kinina-babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nifana namaliba acakiweyo abonakala emahle ngaphandle, kanti ngaphakathi agcwele amathambo abafileyo nokungcola konke! Kanjalo nani nibonakala kubantu nilungile, kanti ngaphakathi ningcwele ukuzenzisa nobubi.”—Mathewu 23:27, 28.
20 Abefundisi baze ngisho bavumele ukungcola emihlambini yabo. Abantu abaziwa njengabaziphethe kabi nabangahlazekile—izifebe, iziphingi, ongqingili—bayavunyelwa ukuba bahlale besekumeni okuhle. Kuleliphuzu, iNewsweek iyabika: “Isazi sokusebenza kwengqondo saseMaryland esasingumpristi, uRichard Sipe, siphetha ngokuthi cishe amaphesenti angama-20 abapristi bamaKatolika abayizi-57 000 baseU.S. bangongqingili . . . Abanye abelaphi bacabanga ukuthi isibalo esiyiso namuhla kungenzeka sisondele emaphesentini angama-40.” Umfundisi ongumKatolika uJohn J. McNeill (okuvumayo ukuba ungqingili) ubuthethelela obala ubungqingili: “Uthando phakathi kongqingili ababili besifazane noma abesilisa ababili, uma kuthathwa ngokuthi luwuthando lobuntu olwakhayo, alusona isono futhi aluzikhiphi izithandani ecebweni likaNkulunkulu, kunalokho lungaba uthando olungcwele.”—The Christian Century.
21. Sifaneleka kanjani namuhla isikhumbuzo esithi “Wahlukaniselwe uJehova”?
21 Ngakho isikhumbuzo esisesigqokweni sompristi omkhulu singesifaneleka ngaphezu kwanoma inini: “Wahlukaniselwe uJehova.” (Eksodusi 28:36) UJehova udinga, yebo, ufuna, ukuba sihlale sihlanzekile kuzo zonke izici! Kodwa umuntu angakwenza kanjani lokho? Yiziphi izici ezingase zidinge ukunakekelwa okukhethekile? Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngalemibuzo.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Umthetho kaHammurabi wawungenawo amalungiselelo anjalo; futhi phakathi kwamaGibithe asendulo akuzange kutholakale umthetho wezempilo ongaqhathaniswa nawo, nakuba ayesebenzisa izindlela ezithuthukile zokwelapha. Incwadi ethi Ancient Egypt ithi: “Imilingo nezindlela zokwenza imilingo kuxutshaniswe ngokukhululekile [emibhalweni yezemithi yaseGibithe] nemithi eyamukelekayo.” Nokho, uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawungenawo amathonya obudemoni kodwa wawunengqondo ngokwesayensi. Ngokwesibonelo, kusezikhathini zanamuhla kuphela lapho odokotela beye babona isidingo sokugeza ngemva kokuthinta izidumbu, okuyinto uMthetho kaMose owayidinga ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka edlule!—Numeri, isahluko 19.
Imibuzo Yokubukeza
◻ Kukanjani uJehova ‘ekhazimula ngobungcwele,’ futhi lokhu kusho ukuthini ngabakhulekeli bakhe?
◻ UMthetho kaMose wawuhluke kanjani emithethweni yazo zonke ezinye izizwe?
◻ UMthetho kaMose wakukhuthaza kanjani ukuhlanzeka ngokomzimba, ngokomoya, ngokwengqondo, nangokuziphatha?
◻ Abaningi abaphila ukuphila okungcolile ‘bakuvuna’ kanjani ‘lokho abakutshalile’?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
Ukukhulekela onkulunkulu abaziphethe kabi kwaholela ekululazeni kwamaKhanani
[Umthombo]
Courtesy of the British Museum, London
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Umthetho kaHammurabi waletha ukuhleleka embusweni futhi wawudumisa inkosi, kodwa awuzange ulethe ubungcwele kwabaseBabiloni
[Umthombo]
Louvre Museum, Paris