‘Hlomani Izikhali Zokukhanya’
“Ubusuku sebuyaphela, imini isisondele. Ngakho-ke asilahle imisebenzi yobumnyama, sihlome izikhali zokukhanya.”—ROMA 13:12.
1, 2. AmaJuda amaningi ekhulu lokuqala asabela kanjani ‘ekukhanyeni okuqinisileyo,’ futhi lokhu akwenza naphezu kwaziphi izinzuzo?
UJESU KRISTU “ungukukhanya okuqinisileyo okukhanyisa wonke umuntu.” (Johane 1:9) Lapho efika njengoMesiya ngo-29 C.E., wafikela esizweni esasikhethwe uNkulunkulu ukuba sibe ofakazi baKhe, futhi, okungenani ngomlomo, esasizinikezele kuJehova. (Isaya 43:10) AmaIsrayeli amaningi ayekade elindele uMesiya, futhi iningi lalizazi ezinye zeziprofetho ezaziyombonakalisa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu washumayela kuzo zonke izingxenye zasePalestine, enza izibonakaliso phambi kwezixuku. Izixuku zambunganyela ukuba zimuzwe futhi zahlabeka umxhwele ngalokho ezakubona nezakuzwa.—Mathewu 4:23-25; 7:28, 29; 9:32-36; Johane 7:31.
2 Nokho, ekugcineni iningi lamaJuda lamenqaba uJesu. IVangeli likaJohane lithi: “Weza kokwakhe, abakhe abamamukelanga.” (Johane 1:11) Kungani kwaba njalo? Impendulo yalowombuzo izosisiza ukuba sigweme ukuphinda iphutha lawo. Izosisiza ukuba “silahle imisebenzi yobumnyama, sihlome izikhali zokukhanya,” kanjalo sigweme isahlulelo esibi njengaleso esatholwa uIsrayeli wekhulu lokuqala.—Roma 13:12; Luka 19:43, 44.
Ukuphikisa Okuvela Eziphathimandleni Zenkolo
3. Kungayiphi indlela abaholi benkolo bamaJuda babonakala ‘bengabaholi abayizimpumputhe’?
3 KwaIsrayeli abaholi benkolo babephambili ekwenqabeni ukukhanya. Nakuba babengabafundisi ‘abayizazi-mthetho,’ babebeke phezu kwabantu isimiso semithetho eqinile ngokuvamile eyayiphikisana noMthetho kaNkulunkulu. (Luka 11:45, 46) Ngaleyondlela, ‘izwi likaNkulunkulu balenza laba-yize ngesiko labo abaliveza.’ (Marku 7:13; Mathewu 23:16, 23, 24) ‘Babengabaholi abayizimpumputhe,’ bevimba ukukhanya ukuba kungakhanyi.—Mathewu 15:14.
4, 5. (a) AbaFarisi basabela kanjani lapho iningi lamaJuda liqala ukuzibuza ukuthi ingabe uJesu wayenguMesiya? (b) Yisiphi isimo esibi senhliziyo abaFarisi abasiveza?
4 Kwesinye isenzakalo lapho amaIsrayeli amaningi ayezibuza ukuthi ingabe uJesu mhlawumbe wayenguKristu, abaFarisi ababekhathazekile bathumela izikhonzi ukuba zimbophe. Izikhonzi zabuya zilambatha, zithi: “Akuzange kukhulume-muntu njengokuba kukhuluma lowomuntu.” Bengathinteki, abaFarisi babuza izikhonzi: “Kanti nani nidukisiwe na? Ukhona yini ezikhulwini nakubaFarisi oké wakholwa nguye na? Kodwa lesisixuku esingawazi umthetho siqalekisiwe.” UNikodemu, ilungu leSanhedrin, waphikisa ngokuthi akukho emthethweni ukwahlulela umuntu ngaphambi kokumuzwa. Ngokwedelela, abaFarisi bamphendukela futhi bathi: “Kanti nawe ungowaseGalile na? Phenyisisa, ubone ukuthi akuveli-mprofethi eGalile.”—Johane 7:46-52.
5 Kungani abaholi benkolo esizweni esasizinikezele kuNkulunkulu benza ngalendlela? Ngoba babehlakulele isimo esibi senhliziyo. (Mathewu 12:34) Ukubheka kwabo abantu abavamile ngokweyisa kwadalula ukuzazisa kwabo. Ukusho kwabo ukuthi ‘akekho ezikhulwini nakubaFarisi oké wakholwa nguye’ kwaveza umqondo wokuqhosha wokuthi uMesiya wayengaba ngokoqobo kuphela uma bona bemamukela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, babengathembekile, bezama ukujivaza uJesu ngoba wayevela eGalile, kuyilapho ukuhlola okuncane kwakungembula ukuthi empeleni wayezalelwe eBetlehema, indawo yokuzalwa kukaMesiya eyayiprofethiwe.—Mika 5:2; Mathewu 2:1.
6, 7. (a) Abaholi benkolo basabela kanjani ekuvusweni kukaLazaru? (b) UJesu wathini ekudaluleni uthando lobumnyama lwabaholi benkolo?
6 Ukuphikisana okukhulu nokukhanya kwalabaholi benkolo kwaboniswa ngokungathandabuzi lapho uJesu evusa uLazaru. Kumuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu, isenzo esinjalo sasiyoba ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wayesekelwa uJehova. Nokho, abaholi benkolo bamane babona okuthile okwakungaba usongo esikhundleni sabo esiphakeme. Bathi: “Siyakwenze-njani na? Lomuntu wenza izibonakaliso eziningi; uma simyeka njalo, bazakukholwa nguye bonke; amaRoma ayakufika, asamuke indawo nesizwe.” (Johane 11:44, 47, 48) Ngakho bacebisana ukuba babulale bobabili uJesu noLazaru, mhlawumbe bethemba ukuthi ngalendlela bazokucisha ukukhanya.—Johane 11:53, 54; 12:9, 10.
7 Ngakho-ke, labobaholi benkolo besizwe sikaNkulunkulu basuswa ekukhanyeni ukuzazisa, ukuqhosha, ukungathembeki okubangelwa ukuhlakanipha, kanye nobugovu obunamandla. Ngasekupheleni kwenkonzo yakhe, uJesu wadalula icala labo, ethi: “Maye kinina-babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nivalela abantu umbuso wezulu! Ngokuba aningeni nina, nabangenayo anibavumeli ukungena.”—Mathewu 23:13.
Ubugovu Nokuqhosha
8. Yiziphi izenzakalo eNazaretha ezadalula isimo esibi senhliziyo sabantu abathile lapho?
8 Bebonke, abantu abangamaJuda bekhulu lokuqala balingisa abaholi babo benkolo ekwenqabeni ukukhanya ngenxa yesimo esibi senhliziyo. Ngokwesibonelo, kwesinye isenzakalo uJesu wamenywa ukuba akhulume esinagogeni eNazaretha. Wafunda futhi wachaza indima ekuIsaya, futhi ekuqaleni, ibandla lamlalela. Kodwa lapho eveza ukufana okungokomlando okwakudalula ubugovu babo nokuntula ukholo, bathukuthela futhi bafuna ukumbulala. (Luka 4:16-30) Ukuqhosha, phakathi kwezinye izici ezimbi, kwabavimbela ekusabeleni ngokufanele ekukhanyeni.
9. Zadaluleka kanjani izisusa ezimbi zeqembu elikhulu labaseGalile?
9 Kwesinye isenzakalo, uJesu wasuthisa ngokuyisimangaliso isixuku esikhulu eduze noLwandle LwaseGalile. Ofakazi balesimangaliso bathi: “Impela lo ungumProfethi ozayo ezweni.” (Johane 6:10-14) Lapho uJesu eya kwenye indawo ngomkhumbi, isixuku samlandela. Nokho, uJesu wayazi ukuthi isisusa sabaningi sasingekhona ukuthanda ukukhanya. Wabatshela: “Aningifuni ngokuba nabona izibonakaliso, kepha ningifuna ngokuba nadla izinkwa, nasutha.” (Johane 6:26) Ngokushesha wabonakala eqinisile lapho abaningi ababemlandela bebuyela emuva ezweni. (Johane 6:66) Isimo sengqondo sobugovu sokuthi, “mina ngizozuzani” savala ukukhanya.
10. Iningi labeZizwe lasabela kanjani ekukhanyeni?
10 Ngemva kokufa nokuvuka kukaJesu, amaJuda akholwayo aqhubeka eyisa ukukhanya kwabanye ababengamaJuda, kodwa bambalwa abasabela. Ngakho-ke, umphostoli uPawulu nabanye, ababesebenza ‘njengokukhanya kwabezizwe,’ basakaza izindaba ezinhle kwamanye amazwe. (IzEnzo 13:44-47) Abaningi abangewona amaJuda basabela, kodwa ukusabela okuvamile kwaba njengoba uPawulu achaza: ‘Thina sishumayela uKristu obethelwe, . . . [isigijimi] esiwubuwula kubo abezizwe.’ (1 Korinte 1:22, 23) Abaningi abangewona amaJuda bakwenqaba ukukhanya ngoba baphuphuthekiswa izinkolelo-ze zobuqaba noma amafilosofi ezwe.—IzEnzo 14:8-13; 17:32; 19:23-28.
‘Babizwa Baphume Ebumnyameni’
11, 12. Obani abasabela ekukhanyeni ekhulwini lokuqala, futhi obani abasabelayo namuhla?
11 Ekhulwini lokuqala, naphezu kokuntuleka okuvamile kokusabela, abaningi abanezinhliziyo eziqotho ‘babizwa baphume ebumnyameni, bangene ekukhanyeni kukaNkulunkulu okumangalisayo.’ (1 Petru 2:9) Ngalaba umphostoli uJohane uyabhala: “Bonke abamamukelayo [uKristu] wabapha amandla okuba babe-ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, labo abakholwa egameni lakhe.” (Johane 1:12) Kusukela ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E., labathandi bokukhanya babhapathizwa ngomoya ongcwele futhi baba amadodana kaNkulunkulu anethemba lokubusa noJesu eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini.
12 Osukwini lwethu abokugcina balawomadodana kaNkulunkulu agcotshiwe baye baqoqwa, futhi begcwalisa isiprofetho sikaDaniyeli, ‘bakhanya njengokukhazimula kwesibhakabhaka, bephendulela abaningi ekulungeni.’ (Daniyeli 12:3) Baye benza ukukhanya kwabo kwakhanya kangangokuba abangaphezu kwezigidi ezine ‘bezinye izimvu’ baye badonsekela eqinisweni futhi bajabulela ukuma okulungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (Johane 10:16) Laba, nabo, babonakalisa ukukhanya emhlabeni wonke, kangangokuthi manje lokho kukhanya kukhanya ngendlela engakaze ibonwe. Osukwini lwethu, njengasekhulwini lokuqala, “ubumnyama abukwamukelanga [ukukhanya].”—Johane 1:5.
‘Ubumnyama Abukho KuNkulunkulu’
13. Yisiphi isixwayiso umphostoli uJohane asinikeza sona?
13 Nokho, akufanele sisikhohlwe isixwayiso somphostoli uJohane: “UNkulunkulu ungukukhanya, ubumnyama abukho kuye nakanye. Uma sithi sinenhlanganyelo naye sibe sisahamba ebumnyameni, sinamanga, asenzi iqiniso.” (1 Johane 1:5, 6) Ngokusobala, kungenzeka ngamaKristu ukuba awele esihibeni esifanayo nesamaJuda, futhi nakuba ethi angofakazi bakaNkulunkulu, akhiqize imisebenzi yobumnyama.
14, 15. Yimiphi imisebenzi yobumnyama eyazibonakalisa ebandleni lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala, futhi yini esiyifundayo kulokhu?
14 Ngempela, lokhu kwenzeka ekhulwini lokuqala. Sifunda ngokwahlukana okungathi sína eKorinte. (1 Korinte 1:10-17) Umphostoli uJohane kwadingeka eluleke amaKristu agcotshiwe ukuba angazondani, futhi uJakobe kwadingeka eluleke abanye ukuba bangakhethi abacebile ngaphezu kwabampofu. (Jakobe 2:2-4; 1 Johane 2:9, 10; 3 Johane 11, 12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho uJesu ehlola amabandla ayisikhombisa aseAsia Minor, njengoba kulandiswe encwadini yesAmbulo, wabika ngokungena kwemisebenzi yobumnyama, kuhlanganise nokuhlubuka, ukukhonza izithombe, ukuziphatha okubi, nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. (IsAmbulo 2:4, 14, 15, 20-23; 3:1, 15-17) Ngalezozinsuku zokuqala zebandla lobuKristu, kanjalo iningi lase likushiyile ukukhanya, abanye besuswa ekuhlanganyeleni futhi abanye bekhukhulekela “ebumnyameni obungaphandle.”—Mathewu 25:30; Filipi 3:18; Heberu 2:1; 2 Johane 8-11.
15 Yonke lemibiko evela ekhulwini lokuqala ibonisa izindlela ezihlukahlukene ubumnyama bezwe likaSathane obungangena ngazo ekucabangeni kwamaKristu ngamanye noma ngisho nakuwo wonke amabandla. Kufanele siqaphele ukuba into enjalo ingalokothi yenzeke kithina. Singakwenza kanjani lokho?
Ubuntu Obusha
16. Yisiphi iseluleko esinengqondo uPawulu asinikeza abase-Efesu?
16 UPawulu wakhuthaza abase-Efesu ukuba bangabe besaba “sebumnyameni ngengqondo, futhi behlukanisiwe nokuphila kukaNkulunkulu.” Ukuze bangahlehleli ebumnyameni, kwakudingeka bahlakulele isimo senhliziyo sokukhanya. UPawulu wathi: “Nikhumule umuntu omdala [ubuntu obudala] ongowenkambo yokuqala, owonakala ngezinkanuko zenkohliso, nenziwe-basha emoyeni wengqondo yenu, nembathe umuntu omusha [ubuntu obusha] owadalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.”—Efesu 4:18, 22-24, qhathanisa neNW.
17. Thina namuhla singakugwema kanjani ukuhlehlela ebumnyameni?
17 Ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, uPawulu lapha weluleka ukuba kwenziwe ukuhlinza okukhulu—kususwe lokho okwakukade kuyingxenye yethu, ubuntu obudala, futhi sivumele ukukhula komoya ophelele omusha ‘ozoshukumisa izingqondo zethu.’ Futhi wayengakhulumi nabasanda kuthakazela kodwa namaKristu abhapathiziwe. Ukuguqulwa kobuntu bethu akupheli ekubhapathizweni. Kuyinqubo eqhubekayo. Uma siyeka ukuhlakulela ubuntu obusha, obudala bungase buvele futhi, nokuqhosha kwabo, ukuzazisa, nobugovu. (Genesise 8:21; Roma 7:21-25) Lokhu kungaholela ekubuyeleni emisebenzini yobumnyama.
“Ekukhanyeni Kwakho Siyakubona Ukukhanya”
18, 19. UJesu noPawulu bayichaza kanjani indlela yokubona “abantwana bokukhanya”?
18 Khumbula ukuthi ukufinyelela kwethu ukuphila okuphakade kuxhomeke ekutholeni kwethu isahlulelo esihle kuNkulunkulu, isahlulelo esisekelwe ekutheni sikuthanda kangakanani ukukhanya. Ngemva kokubhekisela kuleliqiniso lamuva, uJesu wathi: “Yilowo nalowo owenza okubi uzonda ukukhanya, akezi ekukhanyeni ukuba imisebenzi yakhe ingasolwa. Kepha owenza iqiniso uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakaliswe ukuthi yenziwe kuNkulunkulu.”—Johane 3:19-21.
19 UPawulu wasekela lomqondo lapho ebhalela abase-Efesu: “Hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya, ngokuba izithelo zokukhanya zisebuhleni bonke nasekulungeni naseqinisweni.” (Efesu 5:8, 9) Ngakho imisebenzi yethu iyabonisa ukuthi singabantwana bokukhanya noma bobumnyama. Kodwa imisebenzi elungile ingavela enhliziyweni enhle kuphela. Kungakho kumelwe siqaphele inhliziyo yethu, siqaphele isidingo sokuhlala sivuselela ubuntu bethu, siqaphele umoya oshukumisa ingqondo yethu.—IzAga 4:23.
20, 21. (a) Iyiphi inselele ekhethekile ebhekene nabantwana abazalelwa emikhayeni yobuKristu? (b) Iyiphi inselele ebhekene nabo bonke abantwana babazali abangamaKristu?
20 Kwezinye izimo, lokhu kuye kwabonakala kuyinselele ekhethekile ngabantwana abazalwa oFakazi BakaJehova abazinikezele. Ngani? Nokho, ngakolunye uhlangothi, abantwana abanjalo bajabulela isibusiso esimangalisayo. Ukwazi iqiniso kusukela ebuntwaneni impela kusho ukuthi, ngamanye amazwi, lowomuntu akakudingi ukuzizwela ngokwakhe ukuba sebumnyameni bezwe likaSathane. (2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abanye abantwana abakulesimo bathatha iqiniso kalula futhi abalokothi bafunde ukukuthanda ngempela ukukhanya. Lesi kwakuyisimo samaJuda amaningi ekhulu lokuqala. Akhulela esizweni esizinikezele kuJehova, futhi ngokwezinga elithile ayenolwazi ngeqiniso. Kodwa lalingekho ezinhliziyweni zawo.—Mathewu 15:8, 9.
21 Abazali abangamaKristu banomthwalo wemfanelo phambi kukaNkulunkulu wokukhulisa abantwana babo ekukhanyeni. (Duteronomi 6:4-9; Efesu 6:4) Nokho, ekugcineni umntwana ngokwakhe kumelwe athande ukukhanya ngaphezu kobumnyama. Kumelwe enze ukukhanya kweqiniso kube ngokwakhe. Njengoba ekhula, ezinye izici zezwe likaSathane zingase zibonakale zikhanga. Izindlela zokuphila zokunganaki noma zokungabi nandaba zontanga yakhe zingase zibonakale zithakazelisa. Ukungabaza okufundiswa ekilasini kungase kuyenge. Kodwa akufanele akhohlwe ukuthi ngaphandle kokukhanya, ‘ubumnyama busibekela umhlaba.’ (Isaya 60:2) Ekugcineni, lelizwe eliphuphuthekisiwe alinalutho elingalunikeza.—1 Johane 2:15-17.
22. UJehova manje ubabusisa kanjani labo abeza ekukhanyeni, futhi uyobabusisa kanjani esikhathini esizayo?
22 INkosi uDavide yabhala: “Ukuwe [Jehova] umthombo wokuphila; ekukhanyeni kwakho siyakubona ukukhanya. Mawume umusa wakho kubo abakwaziyo.” (IHubo 36:9, 10) Labo abathanda ukukhanya bafinyelela ekwazini uJehova, futhi lokhu kungasho ukuphila ngabo. (Johane 17:3) Ngomusa wakhe wothando, uJehova uyabasekela manje, futhi lapho usizi olukhulu lugadla, uyobadlulisela ezweni elisha. Lokhu kungaba okuhlangenwe nakho kwethu uma manje sigwema ubumnyama bezwe likaSathane. Ezweni elisha, isintu siyobuyiselwa ekuphileni okuphelele ePharadesi. (IsAmbulo 21:3-5) Khona-ke labo abathola isahlulelo esihle bayoba nethemba lokwethamela ukukhanya kukaJehova kuze kube nini nanini. Yeka ithemba elikhazimulayo! Futhi yeka isikhuthazo esinamandla sokuba manje “silahle imisebenzi yobumnyama, sihlome izikhali zokukhanya”!—Roma 13:12.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Kungani amaJuda amaningi osuku lukaJesu akwenqaba ukukhanya?
◻ Ukukhanya bekulokhu kukhanya ngaliphi izinga ezikhathini zanamuhla?
◻ Yiziphi izixwayiso eziphathelene nobugovu nokuqhosha izibonelo zekhulu lokuqala ezizinikezayo?
◻ Yini edingekayo uma sizohlala ekukhanyeni?
◻ Yiziphi izibusiso ezigcinelwe abathandi bokukhanya?
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
Iningi lamaJuda osuku lukaJesu awazange asabele ekukhanyeni
[Izithombe ekhasini 17]
Emashumini eminyaka edlule kuye kwasetshenziswa izindlela ezihlukahlukene ‘zokwenza ukukhanya kukhanye’ ekwenzeni abafundi
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
‘Nikhumule ubuntu obudala, nembathe ubuntu obusha’