“Nakuba Ningakaze Nimbone, Niyamthanda”
“Nakuba ningakaze nimbone, niyamthanda. Nakuba ningambhekile manje, kodwa nibonisa ukholo kuye futhi nijabula kakhulu.”—1 PETRU 1:8.
1. Nakuba kungekho muntu emhlabeni namuhla oke wabona uJesu, abanye abantu benkolo bazama kanjani ukubonisa ukuzinikela kuye?
AKEKHO umuntu ophilayo emhlabeni namuhla owake wabona uJesu Kristu. Kodwa izigidi zabantu zithi ziyamthanda. Unyaka ngamunye ngo-January 9, eManila, ePhilippines, kuhudulwa emigwaqweni isithombe esingangomuntu sikaJesu Kristu ethwele isiphambano kulokho okuye kwachazwa ngokuthi ukubonakaliswa kwenkolo ethandwayo ezweni okukhulu nokuwumbukwane kunakho konke. Isixuku eseneme siyasunduzana sidudulane; abantu baze bagibele phezu kwabanye, bezama ukuthinta lesi sithombe. Abaningi ababa khona bezobukela lokhu ngokuyinhloko badonswa ukwesasa kwalolu dwendwe. Nokho, abanye babo ngokungangabazeki bangabantu abazizwa bekhangwa ngobuqotho uJesu. Njengobufakazi balokho, bangase bagaxe umfanekiso kaJesu elenga esiphambanweni noma bangase baye esontweni njalo. Nokho, ingabe ukukhonza izithombe okunjalo kungabhekwa njengokukhulekela kweqiniso?
2, 3. (a) Obani kubalandeli bakaJesu abambona ngokoqobo futhi bamuzwa? (b) Obani abanye ekhulwini lokuqala ababemthanda uJesu futhi bekholelwa kuye, nakuba babengakaze bambone ngokoqobo?
2 Ekhulwini lokuqala, kwakunezinkulungwane eziningi ezifundazweni zaseRoma iJudiya, iSamariya, iPerea neGalile ezambona futhi zamuzwa ngokoqobo uJesu Kristu. Zalalela njengoba ayechaza amaqiniso athokozisayo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Zazingofakazi bokuzibonela bezimangaliso azenza. Abanye bazo baba abafundi bakhe abazinikele, beqiniseka ukuthi ‘unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’ (Mathewu 16:16) Nokho, labo umphostoli uPetru ababhalela incwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumulelwe babengekho kulaba.
3 Labo uPetru akhuluma nabo babehlala ezifundazweni zaseRoma iPontu, iGalathiya, iKhaphadosiya, i-Asiya neBithiniya—bonke besendaweni yaseTurkey yosuku lwanamuhla. UPetru wababhalela: “Nakuba ningakaze nimbone, niyamthanda. Nakuba ningambhekile manje, kodwa nibonisa ukholo kuye futhi nijabula kakhulu ngenjabulo engakhulumekiyo nekhazinyulisiwe.” (1 Petru 1:1, 8) Babeye bamazi kanjani uJesu Kristu kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokumthanda nokubonisa ukholo kuye?
4, 5. Labo bantu ababengakaze bambone uJesu bakufunda kanjani okwanele ngaye ukuze bamthande futhi babe nokholo kuye?
4 Ngokusobala, abanye babeseJerusalema lapho umphostoli uPetru efakaza esixukwini esasisemkhosini wePhentekoste ngo-33 C.E. Ngemva kwalomkhosi abafundi abaningi basala eJerusalema ukuze bathole imfundo eyengeziwe kubaphostoli. (IzEnzo 2:9, 41, 42; qhathanisa no-1 Petru 1:1.) Ohambweni lwezithunywa zevangeli oluphindaphindiwe, umphostoli uPawulu wenza inkonzo yentshiseko nakubantu abahlala endaweni uPetru kamuva athumela kuyo incwadi yeBhayibheli yokuqala enegama lakhe.—IzEnzo 18:23; 19:10; Galathiya 1:1, 2.
5 Kungani labo bantu, ababengakaze bambone uJesu, badonseleka kakhulu kangaka kuye? Osukwini lwethu, kungani izigidi ezengeziwe emhlabeni wonke, zimthanda ngokujulile?
Izinto Abazizwa
6. (a) Ukube wamuzwa uPetru efakaza ngoJesu ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., yini okungabe wayifunda? (b) Lokhu kwabathinta kanjani abangaba ngu-3 000 ababekhona?
6 Ukube wawuseJerusalema lapho uPetru ekhuluma naleso sixuku esasisemkhosini ngo-33 C.E., yini okungabe wayifunda ngoJesu? Ngaphandle kokungabaza, izimangaliso azenza zabonisa ukuthi wayethunywe uNkulunkulu. Ukuthi nakuba abantu abayizoni babembulele uJesu, wayengasekho ethuneni kodwa wayesevusiwe wabe esephakanyiselwa ezulwini ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu. Ukuthi uJesu, ngempela wayenguKristu, uMesiya abaprofethi ababebhale ngaye. Ukuthi ngoJesu Kristu, umoya ongcwele wawuye wathululelwa kubalandeli bakhe ukuze basheshe bakwazi ukufakaza kubantu bezizwe eziningi ngezinto ezinhle kakhulu uNkulunkulu ayezenza ngeNdodana yakhe. Izinhliziyo zabaningi abezwa uPetru ngaleso sikhathi zashukunyiswa ngokujulile, futhi abangaba ngu-3 000 babhapathizwa njengabafundi abangamaKristu. (IzEnzo 2:14-42) Ukube wawulapho, ingabe wawuyosithatha isinyathelo esinjalo esiwujuqu?
7. (a) Ukube wawuse-Antiyokiya lapho umphostoli uPawulu eshumayela lapho, yini okungabe wayifunda? (b) Kungani abanye esixukwini baba amakholwa futhi bahlanganyela izindaba ezinhle nabanye?
7 Ukube wawuphakathi kwalabo ababekhona ngenkathi umphostoli uPawulu efundisa e-Antiyokiya esifundazweni saseRoma iGalathiya, yini enye okungabe wayifunda ngoJesu? Ngabe wezwa uPawulu echaza ukuthi ukugwetshelwa kukaJesu ukufa ababusi baseJerusalema kwakubikezelwe abaprofethi. Futhi ngabe wezwa ngobufakazi babantu abazibonela ukuvuswa kukaJesu. Ngokuqinisekile ngabe wahlatshwa umxhwele ukuchaza kukaPawulu ukuthi ngokuvusa uJesu kwabafileyo, uJehova waqinisekisa ukuthi lona wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ngempela. Futhi inhliziyo yakho ngabe ayizange yini ibonge lapho uzwa ukuthi ukuthethelelwa kwezono okwenzeka ngokuba nokholo kuJesu kungaholela ekuphileni okumi phakade? (IzEnzo 13:16-41, 46, 47; Roma 1:4) Beqaphela ukubaluleka kwalokho ababekuzwa, abanye e-Antiyokiya baba abafundi, behlanganyela ngentshiseko izindaba ezinhle nabanye, nakuba ukwenza kanjalo kwakusho ukuthi babeyobhekana nokushushiswa okunzima.—IzEnzo 13:42, 43, 48-52; 14:1-7, 21-23.
8. Ukube wawusemhlanganweni webandla lase-Efesu lapho lamukela incwadi kaPawulu eya kulo, yini owawungayifunda?
8 Kuthiwani ukube wawuhlanganyela nebandla lobuKristu e-Efesu, esifundazweni saseRoma i-Asiya, lapho kwamukelwa incwadi kaPawulu ephefumulelwe eya kubafundi lapho? Wawungafundani kuyo ngendima kaJesu enjongweni kaNkulunkulu? Kuleyo ncwadi uPawulu wachaza ukuthi ngoKristu zonke izinto ezulwini nasemhlabeni ziyobuyiselwa ekuvumelaneni noNkulunkulu, ukuthi isipho sikaNkulunkulu ngoKristu sadlulela kubantu bazo zonke izizwe, ukuthi abantu ababefile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yeziphambeko zabo babephiliswa ngokholo kuKristu, nokuthi ngenxa yaleli lungiselelo, kwakungaphinde kwenzeke ukuba abantu babe amadodana kaNkulunkulu athandekayo.—Efesu 1:1, 5-10; 2:4, 5, 11-13.
9. (a) Yini engakusiza ukuba ubone ukuthi wena ngokwakho uyakuqonda yini ukubaluleka kwalokho uPawulu akubhalela abase-Efesu? (b) Abazalwane basezifundazweni zaseRoma uPetru akhuluma ngabo kwabathinta kanjani lokho ababekufunda ngoJesu?
9 Ingabe ukwazisa ngakho konke lokhu kwakuyolujulisa uthando lwakho ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu? Ingabe lolo thando lwaluyokuthonya ukuphila kwakho kwansuku zonke, njengoba umphostoli uPawulu akhuthaza ezahlukweni 4 kuya ku-6 kweyabase-Efesu? Ingabe ukwazisa okunjalo kwakuyokushukumisela ukuba uhlole ngokucophelela izinto eziza kuqala ekuphileni kwakho? Ngenxa yothando ngoNkulunkulu nokubonga eNdodaneni yakhe, ingabe wawuyokwenza ukulungisa okudingekayo ukuze ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kube yinto eyinhloko ngempela ekuphileni kwakho? (Efesu 5:15-17) Ngokuqondene nendlela amaKristu e-Asiya, eGalathiya nakwezinye izifundazwe zaseRoma athintwa ngayo yilokho ayekufunda, umphostoli uPetru wawabhalela: “Nakuba ningakaze nimbone [uJesu Kristu], niyamthanda. . . . Nibonisa ukholo kuye futhi nijabula kakhulu ngenjabulo engakhulumekiyo nekhazinyulisiwe.”—1 Petru 1:8.
10. (a) Yini okungangabazeki ukuthi yaba nesandla othandweni amaKristu okuqala ayenalo ngoJesu? (b) Thina singazuza kanjani?
10 Kunokunye okungangabazeki ukuthi kwaba nesandla othandweni lawo maKristu okuqala uPetru akhuluma nawo ayeluzwa ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Kuyini? Ngesikhathi uPetru ebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala, okungenani amabili emaVangelini—uMathewu noLuka—ayesekubantu kakade. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayengakaze ambone uJesu ayengakufunda lokhu kulandisa kwamaVangeli. Nathi singakufunda. AmaVangeli awakona ukulandisa okucatshangelwayo; anazo zonke izici zomlando onokwethenjelwa okukhulu. Kulowo mlando ophefumulelwe, sithola okuningi okujulisa uthando lwethu ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
Umoya Awubonisa
11, 12. Yisiphi isici emoyeni uJesu awubonisa kwabanye abantu esenza ukuba umthande?
11 Lapho, emlandweni olotshiwe wokuphila kukaJesu, sifunda indlela asebenzelana ngayo nabanye abantu. Umoya awubonisa uthinta izinhliziyo zabantu ngisho namanje, ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kuka-1 960 afa. Wonke umuntu ophilayo ucindezelwe imiphumela yesono. Izigidi eziningi ziyizisulu zokungabi nabulungisa, zicindezelwa ukugula, noma zizwa ukudumala okukhulu ngenxa yezinye izizathu. Kubo bonke abanjalo, uJesu uthi: “Wozani kimi, nina nonke enikhandlekayo nenisindwayo, ngizonenza niqabuleke. Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu futhi nifunde kimi, ngoba nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo, nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka. Ngoba ijoka lami ngelomusa nomthwalo wami ulula.”—Mathewu 11:28-30.
12 UJesu wabonisa ukukhathalela okunozwela ngabampofu, abalambile, nalabo abalusizi. Lapho izimo zikwenza kudingeke, waze wondla ngisho nesixuku esikhulu ngokuyisimangaliso. (Luka 9:12-17) Wabakhulula emasikweni agqilazayo. Futhi wakha ukholo lwabo elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu lokuqeda ukucindezela kwezombangazwe nokwezomnotho. UJesu akazange achoboze umoya walabo ababevele becindezelwe. Ngesisa nangothando, wavuselela abathobekile ngokuhlakanipha. Waqabula ababenjengemihlanga elimele eyayisontekile nalabo ababenjengentambo yefilakisi elokozayo eyayisizocima. Kuze kube namuhla, igama lakhe linikeza ithemba, ngisho nasezinhliziyweni zalabo abangakaze bambone.—Mathewu 12:15-21; 15:3-10.
13. Kungani indlela uJesu asebenzelana ngayo nezoni ikhanga abantu?
13 UJesu akazange akuvumele ukwenziwa kobubi, kodwa wabonisa ukubaqonda abantu ababeye benza amaphutha ekuphileni kodwa babonisa ukuphenduka futhi bacela usizo lwakhe. (Luka 7:36-50) Wayehlala phansi adle nabantu ababebukelwa phansi emphakathini uma enomuzwa wokuthi lokhu kuyovula ithuba lokubasiza ngokomoya. (Mathewu 9:9-13) Ngenxa yomoya awubonisa, izigidi zabantu ezisezimweni ezifanayo ezingakaze zimbone uJesu ziye zashukunyiselwa ukuba zimazi futhi ziye zaba nokholo kuye.
14. Yini ekukhangayo ngendlela uJesu asiza ngayo abantu abagulayo, abakhubazekile, noma abashonelwe?
14 Indlela uJesu asebenzelana ngayo nabantu ababegula noma bekhubazekile inikeza ubufakazi bomusa nesihawu sakhe kanye nekhono lakhe lokubalethela impumuzo. Ngakho, lapho indoda enesifo sochoko iza kuye icela usizo, uJesu akazange enyanye. Futhi akazange atshele lendoda ukuthi nakuba eyizwela, yayisigule kakhulu futhi akukho okwakungenziwa ukuze isizwe. Lendoda yanxusa: “Nkosi, uma nje ufuna, ungangenza ngihlanzeke.” Ngaphandle kokungabaza, uJesu welula isandla wathinta lendoda enochoko, ethi: “Ngiyafuna. Yenziwa uhlanzeke.” (Mathewu 8:2, 3) Ngesinye isikhathi owesifazane othile wafuna ukuphulukiswa ngokuthinta umphetho wengubo yakhe ngesinyenyela. UJesu wasebenzelana naye ngendlela yomusa neqinisekisayo. (Luka 8:43-48) Futhi lapho ehlangana nodwendwe lomngcwabo, waba nesihawu ngomfelokazi owayedabukile owayeshonelwe indodana yakhe okuwukuphela kwayo. Nakuba uJesu ayenqabile ukusebenzisa ngokuyisimangaliso amandla akhe ayewanikwe uNkulunkulu ukuze azenzele ukudla, wawasebenzisa ngokukhululekile ekuvuseni lowo muntu owayefile futhi ambuyisele kunina.—Luka 4:2-4; 7:11-16.
15. Ukufunda ukulandisa okuphathelene noJesu nokuzindla ngakho kukuthinta kanjani?
15 Njengoba sifunda lokhu kulandisa futhi sizindla ngomoya uJesu awubonisa, uthando lwethu luyajula ngalona owabeka phansi ukuphila kwakhe kobuntu ukuze sikwazi ukuphila phakade. Nakuba singakaze simbone, sizizwa sidonseleka kuye, futhi sifuna ukulandela ezinyathelweni zakhe.—1 Petru 2:21.
Ukuncika Kwakhe KuNkulunkulu Ngokuthobeka
16. UJesu wakugxilisa kubani ukunakekela okuyinhloko, futhi wasikhuthaza ukuba senzeni?
16 Ngaphezu kwakho konke okunye, uJesu wagxilisa ukunakekela kwakhe nokwethu kuYise wasezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Waveza umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke eMthethweni, ethi: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke.” (Mathewu 22:36, 37) Wayala abafundi bakhe: “Yibani nokholo kuNkulunkulu.” (Marku 11:22) Lapho bebhekene nokuvivinywa okunzima kokholo lwabo, wabakhuthaza: “Nithandaze njalo.”—Mathewu 26:41.
17, 18. (a) UJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukuncika kwakhe kuYise ngokuthobeka? (b) Kungani lokho akwenza kubalulekile kithi?
17 UJesu ngokwakhe wabeka isibonelo. Umthandazo wawuyingxenye ebalulekile yokuphila kwakhe. (Mathewu 14:23; Luka 9:28; 18:1) Lapho kufika isikhathi sokuba akhethe abaphostoli bakhe, uJesu akazange amane athembele ekwahluleleni kwakhe siqu, nakuba ngaphambili zonke izingelosi ezulwini zazingaphansi kokwengamela kwakhe. Ngokuthobeka wachitha bonke ubusuku ethandaza kuYise. (Luka 6:12, 13) Lapho ebhekene nokuboshwa kanye nokufa okubuhlungu, uJesu waphinda waphendukela kuYise, ethandaza ngobuqotho. Akazange abe nombono wokuthi umazi kahle uSathane futhi angabhekana kalula nanoma yini lowo omubi angase ayenze. UJesu wayeyiqaphela kahle indlela okwakubaluleke ngayo ukuba angahluleki. Yeka isihlamba ukwehluleka okwakuyoba yiso kuYise! Futhi yeka ukulahlekelwa ngesintu, esimathemba aso okuphila ayexhomeke emhlatshelweni uJesu ayezowunikela!
18 UJesu wathandaza kaningi—lapho enabaphostoli bakhe ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema ngisho nangokujule ngokwengeziwe ensimini yaseGetsemane. (Mathewu 26:36-44; Johane 17:1-26; Heberu 5:7) Lapho ehlupheka esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, akazange abathuke labo ababemgcona. Kunalokho, wathandazela labo ababenza ngokungazi: “Baba, bathethelele, ngoba abakwazi abakwenzayo.” (Luka 23:34) Wagcina ingqondo yakhe igxile kuYise, “ezibeka kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga.” Amazwi okugcina awasho esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa ayewumthandazo oya kuYise. (1 Petru 2:23; Luka 23:46) Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ngokuthi, ngokuncika kuJehova ngokugcwele, uJesu wasifeza ngokukholeka isabelo uYise ayemnike sona! Nakuba singakaze simbone uJesu Kristu, yeka ukuthi simthanda ngokujule kangakanani ngenxa yalokho akwenza!
Ukubonisa Uthando Lwethu Ngaye
19. Lapho sibonisa uthando ngoJesu, imiphi imikhuba esiyoyigwema njengengafaneleki ngokuphelele?
19 Singabunikeza kanjani ubufakazi bokuthi uthando esithi sinalo asilusho nje ngomlomo? Njengoba uYise, uJesu ayemthanda, akwenqabela ukwenziwa kwezithombe bese zisetshenziswa njengezinto zokukhulekela, ngokuqinisekile ngeke silethe udumo kuJesu ngokulengisa isithombe esinjalo ezintanyeni zethu noma ngokusiphatha emigwaqweni. (Eksodusi 20:4, 5; Johane 4:24) Ngeke kulethe udumo kuJesu ukuya ezinkonzweni zenkolo, size senze kanjalo kaningana ngesonto, uma singaphili ngokuvumelana nezimfundiso zakhe ngezinye izinsuku zesonto. UJesu wathi: “Lowo onemiyalo yami futhi ayigcine, lowo nguye ongithandayo. Futhi lowo ongithandayo uyothandwa nguBaba.”—Johane 14:21, 23; 15:10.
20. Yiziphi ezinye izinto eziyobonisa ukuthi simthanda ngempela yini uJesu?
20 Yimiphi imiyalo asinika yona? Ovelele, ukukhulekela kuphela uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. (Mathewu 4:10; Johane 17:3) Ngenxa yendima yakhe enjongweni kaNkulunkulu, uJesu wafundisa nokuthi kumelwe sibe nokholo kuye njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu nokuthi kumelwe silubonise ngokugwema imisebenzi emibi nangokuhamba ekukhanyeni. (Johane 3:16-21) Waseluleka ukuba sifune kuqala uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe, sibeke lezi zinto ngaphambi kweminako yezidingo zenyama. (Mathewu 6:31-33) Wasiyala ukuba sithandane njengoba asithanda. (Johane 13:34; 1 Petru 1:22) Futhi wasiyala ukuba sibe ofakazi ngokuqondene nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu, njengaye. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; IsAmbulo 3:14) Nakuba bengakaze bambone uJesu, oFakazi BakaJehova abangaba izigidi ezinhlanu namuhla bashukunyiswa uthando oluqotho ngaye ukuba bagcine leyo miyalo. Ukuthi abakaze bambone ngokwabo uJesu akukudambisi nakancane ukuzimisela kwabo ukulalela. Bakhumbula lokho iNkosi yabo eyakusho kumphostoli uTomase: “Ingabe uye wakholwa ngoba ungibonile? Bayajabula labo abangaboni kodwa nokho bakholwe.”—Johane 20:29.
21. Singazuza kanjani ngokuba khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu, esizoqhutshwa kulonyaka ngeSonto, ngo-March 23?
21 Kwethenjwa ukuthi uyoba phakathi kwalabo abayobuthana emaHholo OMbuso oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke ngemva kokushona kwelanga ngeSonto, ngo-March 23, 1997, ukuze bakhumbule ukubonakaliswa okukhulu kunakho konke kothando lukaNkulunkulu esintwini futhi bakhumbule ukufa kweNdodana yakhe ethembekile, uJesu Kristu. Okushiwoyo nokwenziwayo kuleso senzakalo kufanele kujulise uthando ngoJehova neNdodana yakhe futhi ngaleyo ndlela kukhulise isifiso sokugcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu.—1 Johane 5:3.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kwakwenzeke kanjani ukuba labo incwadi yokuqala kaPetru eyayiqondiswe kubo bazi futhi bathande uJesu?
◻ Yiziphi ezinye zezinto amaKristu okuqala azizwa ezikuhlaba umxhwele?
◻ Yisiphi isici emoyeni uJesu awubonisa esijulisa uthando lwakho ngaye?
◻ Kungani ukuncika kukaJesu kuNkulunkulu ngokuthobeka kubaluleke kangaka kithi?
◻ Singalubonisa kanjani uthando lwethu ngoJesu Kristu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Sizizwa sidonseleka kuJesu ngenxa yomoya awubonisa