‘Xhobani Iintonga Zokukhanya’
“Ubusuku buhambile, ukusa ke kusondele. Masiyilahle ngoko imisebenzi yobumnyama, sixhobe iintonga zokukhanya.”—ROMA 13:12.
1, 2. Yasabela njani inkoliso yamaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ‘kukhanyiso oluyinyaniso,’ yaye oku akwenza nangona ayenawaphi amalungelo?
UYESU KRISTU ‘ulukhanyiso oluyinyaniso, olubakhanyiselayo abantu bonke.’ (Yohane 1:9) Ekufikeni kwakhe njengoMesiya ngowama-29 C.E., weza kuhlanga olwalukhethwe nguThixo ukuba lube ngamaNgqina akhe nolwaluzinikele kuYehova ngomlinganiselo othile. (Isaya 43:10) AmaSirayeli amaninzi ayelindele uMesiya, yaye amaninzi ayezazi iziprofeto ezithile awayeya kubonwa ngazo. Ngaphezu koko, uYesu washumayela kulo lonke elasePalestina, esenza imiqondiso phambi kwezihlwele. Izihlwele zathontelana ukuza kumphulaphula yaye zachukumiseka koko zakubonayo nezakuvayo.—Mateyu 4:23-25; 7:28, 29; 9:32-36; Yohane 7:31.
2 Noko ke, ekugqibeleni inkoliso yamaYuda ayizange imamkele uYesu. Incwadi yeVangeli kaYohane ithi: “Weza kokwakhe, baza abakhe abamvuma.” (Yohane 1:11) Kwakutheni? Impendulo kuloo mbuzo iya kusinceda siphephe ukuphinda impazamo yabo. Iya kusinceda “siyilahle ngoko imisebenzi yobumnyama, sixhobe iintonga zokukhanya,” ngaloo ndlela siphephe ukugwetywa njengabangalungileyo njengamaSirayeli enkulungwane yokuqala.—Roma 13:12; Luka 19:43, 44.
Ukuchaswa Ngamagunya Onqulo
3. Iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zazingqina ‘zingabakhokeli beemfama abakwaziimfama’ ngayiphi indlela?
3 KwaSirayeli iinkokeli zonqulo zaziphambili ekuchaseni ukukhanya. Phezu kwako nje ukuba ngabafundisi ‘abangabaqondisi-mthetho,’ zazithe zinzi phezu kwabantu inkqubo yemithetho ngokufuthi eyayiphikisana noMthetho kaThixo. (Luka 11:45, 46) Ngaloo ndlela, ‘zaliphanga igunya ilizwi likaThixo ngesithethe sazo ezasidluliselayo.’ (Marko 7:13; Mateyu 23:16, 23, 24) ‘Zazingabakhokeli beemfama abakwaziimfama,’ zithintela ukuba ukukhanya kungakhanyi.—Mateyu 15:14.
4, 5. (a) AbaFarisi benza ntoni xa iqela lamaYuda laqalisa ukuthandabuza enoba uYesu wayenguMesiya kusini na? (b) AbaFarisi babonisa njani ukuba babeneentliziyo ezimbi?
4 Ngesinye isihlandlo xa amaSirayeli amaninzi ayethandabuza enoba uYesu wayenguye uKristu, abaFarisi abothukileyo bathumela amadindala ukuba aye kumbamba. Amadindala abuya ngaphandle kwakhe, esithi: “Akuzanga kuthethe mntu njengoko athetha ngako lo mntu.” Bengachukumisekanga, abaFarisi bawabuza la madindala: “Ningaba nilahlekisiwe nani na? Kubaphathi nakubaFarisi kungaba kukho mntu ukholiweyo kuye yini na? Olu luntu lungawaziyo umthetho luqalekisiwe.” UNikodemo, ilungu leNtlanganiso Yamatyala, waphikisa esithi kuchasene nomthetho ukugweba umntu ngaphambi kokuvavanya ityala lakhe. Ngolunya, abaFarisi bamphendula bathi: “Ungaba ungowelaseGalili nawe na? Phengulula ubone, ukuba akuveli mprofeti kwelaseGalili.”—Yohane 7:46-52.
5 Kwakutheni ukuze iinkokeli zonqulo zohlanga oluzinikele kuThixo ziqhube ngolo hlobo? Kwakungenxa yokuba iintliziyo zazo zazimbi. (Mateyu 12:34) Ulunya ezazinalo kubantu abaphantsi lwabhenca ukuba zazinekratshi. Ngebango lazo lokuba ‘kwakungekho namnye kubaphathi nakubaFarisi okholiweyo kuye’ ngekratshi zazizama ukuthi uMesiya wayenokuba ngowokwenyaniso kuphela ukuba zona zazikholisekile nguye. Ngaphezu koko, zazinganyanisekanga, zizama ukumsingela phantsi uYesu kuba wayengowaseGalili, nangona uhlolisiso olungephi ngelwalutyhile ukuba eneneni wayezalelwe eBhetelehem, indawo ekwakuprofetwe ukuba uya kuzalelwa kuyo uMesiya.—Mika 5:2; Mateyu 2:1.
6, 7. (a) Iinkokeli zonqulo zasabela njani ekuvusweni kukaLazaro? (b) Wathini uYesu ukubhenca uthando lwezo nkokeli zonqulo ngobumnyama?
6 Ukukuchasa ngokukrakra kwezi nkokeli zonqulo ukukhanya kwabonakala ngokuphandle xa uYesu wavusa uLazaro. Kumntu owoyik’ uThixo, isenzo esinjalo ngesasibe bubungqina bokuba uYesu wayexhaswa nguThixo. Noko ke, iinkokeli zonqulo, zabona kuphela isisongelo kwisikhundla sazo sembeko. Zathi: “Senza ntoni na? Ngokuba lo mntu wenza imiqondiso emininzi. Ukuba sithe samyeka ngokunje, bonke baya kukholwa kuye; athi ke amaRoma eze, athimbe indawo yethu, kwanohlanga lwethu.” (Yohane 11:44, 47, 48) Ngoko babhunga ukumbulala uYesu kwanoLazaro, benethemba lokuba mhlawumbi ngale ndlela babeya kukucima ukukhanya.—Yohane 11:53, 54; 12:9, 10.
7 Ngenxa yoko, ikratshi, ukuzingca, ubuqhophololo nezilangazelelo zobuqu ezinamandla zazikhukulisela kude nokukhanya ezo nkokeli zonqulo zohlanga lukaThixo. Ngasekupheleni kobulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu wakubhenca ukuba netyala kwazo, esithi: “Yeha, nina babhali, baFarisi, bahanahanisindini! Ngokuba nibuvala ubukumkani bamazulu phambi kwabantu; kuba aningeni nina, nabangenayo anibavumeli ukuba bangene.”—Mateyu 23:13.
Ukuzingca Nekratshi
8. Ziziphi iziganeko ezenzeka eNazarete ezabhenca ububi beentliziyo zabanye babantu balapho?
8 Ngokubanzi, amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala axelisa iinkokeli zawo zonqulo ngokungakufuni ukukhanya ngenxa yeentliziyo zawo ezimbi. Ngokomzekelo, ngasihlandlo sithile uYesu wamenywa ukuba athethe kwindlu yesikhungu yaseNazarete. Wafunda waza wacacisa indinyana ekuIsaya, yaye ekuqaleni, ibandla lamphulaphula. Kodwa wathi akubonisa ukufana okungokwembali okwakubhenca ukuzingca nokungabi nalukholo kwabo, bacaphuka baza bazama ukumbulala. (Luka 4:16-30) Phakathi kwezinye iimpawu ezimbi, ikratshi labathintela abasabela kukhanyiso.
9. Zabhencwa njani iintshukumisa eziphosakeleyo zesihlwele sabantu baseGalili?
9 Ngesinye isihlandlo, ngokungummangaliso uYesu wadlisa isihlwele esikhulu ngakuLwandle lwaseGalili. Abantu abazibonelayo lo mmangaliso bathi: “Lo nguye inyaniso umprofeti lowo uzayo ehlabathini.” (Yohane 6:10-14) Xa uYesu wesuka waya kwesinye isixeko ngomkhombe, isihlwele samlandela. Noko ke, uYesu wayesazi ukuba intshukumisa yabaninzi yayingekuko ukuthanda ukukhanya. Wabaxelela oku: “Anindifuni ngakuba nabona imiqondiso; nindifuna ngokuba nadla kwezaa zonka, nahlutha.” (Yohane 6:26) Kungekudala wangqineka enyanisile xa iqela labo babemlandela lajikayo labuyela ehlabathini. (Yohane 6:66) Isimo sengqondo sekratshi sasikuvalile ukukhanya.
10. Inkoliso yabantu beentlanga yasabela njani kukhanyiso?
10 Emva kokufa nokuvuka kukaYesu, amaYuda akholwayo aqhubeka edlulisela ukukhanya kwamanye amaYuda, kodwa ambalwa awasabelayo. Ngoko ke, umpostile uPawulos nabanye, ‘belukhanyiselo lweentlanga,’ bazisasaza iindaba ezilungileyo kwamanye amazwe. (IZenzo 13:44-47) Abaninzi abangengomaYuda basabela, kodwa ngokubanzi intsabelo yayiyileyo uPawulos wayichaza ngokuthi: “Sivakalisa uKristu ebethelelwe, . . . [isigidimi] esibubudenge kwiintlanga.” (1 Korinte 1:22, 23) Abaninzi abangemaYuda abazange bakwamkele ukukhanya ngenxa yokuba babemfanyekiswe ziinkolo zobuhedeni okanye ziintanda-bulumko zehlabathi.—IZenzo 14:8-13; 17:32; 19:23-28.
‘Ukubizwa Ukuba Siphume Ebumnyameni’
11, 12. Ngoobani abasabelayo kukhanyiso ngenkulungwane yokuqala, yaye ngoobani abasabelayo namhlanje?
11 Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, phezu kwako nje ukungabikho kwentsabelo, abaninzi abantliziyo zilungileyo ‘babizwa ukuba baphume ebumnyameni, bangene ekukhanyeni kukaThixo okungummangaliso.’ (1 Petros 2:9) Ngabanjalo umpostile uYohane uyabhala: “Bonke abamamkelayo [uKristu] wabanika igunya lokuba babe ngabantwana bakaThixo, abo ke bakholwayo kwigama lakhe.” (Yohane 1:12) Ukususela ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., aba bathandi bokukhanya babhaptizwa ngomoya oyingcwele baza baba ngoonyana bakaThixo abanethemba lokulawula noYesu kuBukumkani bakhe basezulwini.
12 Kumhla wethu abokugqibela koonyana bakaThixo abathanjisiweyo bahlanganisiwe, yaye bezalisekisa isiprofeto sikaDaniyeli, ‘bakhazimla njengokukhazimla kwesibhakabhaka, bejikela abaninzi ebulungiseni.’ (Daniyeli 12:3) Baye bakukhazimlisa ukukhanya kwabo kangangokuba “ezinye izimvu” ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezine ziye zatsaleleka enyanisweni yaye zinandipha ukugqalwa nguThixo zingamalungisa. (Yohane 10:16) Nabo aba bayakukhazimlisa oku kukhanya ehlabathini lonke, kangangokuba ngoku oko kukhanya kuqaqambe ngaphezu kunanini na ngaphambili. Kumhla wethu, njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, “ubumnyama abukoyisanga [ukukhanya].”—Yohane 1:5, NW.
‘Akukho Bumnyama KuThixo’
13. Sisiphi isilumkiso umpostile uYohane awasinika sona?
13 Noko ke, sifanele singaze sisilibale isilumkiso sompostile uYohane: “UThixo ukukukhanya, akukho bumnyama kuye nakanye. Ukuba sithi sinobudlelane naye, sibe sihamba ebumnyameni, soba siyaxoka, asiyenzi inyaniso.” (1 Yohane 1:5, 6) Ngokucacileyo, amaKristu anako ukuwela kumgibe awawela kuwo amaYuda, aze avelise imisebenzi yobumnyama nangona anokuba ngomlinganiselo othile angamangqina kaThixo.
14, 15. Yiyiphi imisebenzi yobumnyama eyabonakalayo kwibandla lamaKristu lenkulungwane yokuqala, yaye sifunda ntoni koku?
14 Enyanisweni, oku kwenzeka ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Sifunda ngeeyantlukwano ezinzulu ezazikho eKorinte. (1 Korinte 1:10-17) Kwafuneka ukuba umpostile uYohane alumkise amaKristu athanjisiweyo ukuba angathiyani, yaye kwafuneka ukuba uYakobi aluleke abathile ukuba bangathandi abazizityebi ngaphezu kwabangamahlwempu. (Yakobi 2:2-4; 1 Yohane 2:9, 10; 3 Yohane 11, 12) Ukongezelela, xa uYesu wahlola amabandla asixhenxe aseAsiya Mayina, njengoko kuchazwa kwincwadi yeSityhilelo, wanikela ingxelo yokuba kwakungene imisebenzi yobumnyama, kuquka uwexuko, ukunqula izithixo, ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini nokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo. (ISityhilelo 2:4, 14, 15, 20-23; 3:1, 15-17) Ngaloo mihla yamandulo yebandla lamaKristu, abaninzi babekushiyile ukukhanya, bambi besuswa kubudlelane yaye abanye besuka nje bakhukuliseke bemke baye “ebumnyameni obungaphandle.”—Mateyu 25:30; Filipi 3:18; Hebhere 2:1; 2 Yohane 8-11.
15 Zonke ezi ngxelo zokwenzekayo kwinkulungwane yokuqala zibonisa iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ubumnyama behlabathi likaSathana obunokungena ngayo kwindlela umKristu ngamnye kwanamabandla acinga ngayo. Simele sikuphaphele ukuba into enjalo ingaze yenzeke kuthi. Sinokukwenza njani oko?
Ubuntu Obutsha
16. Sisiphi isiluleko esisengqiqweni uPawulos awasinikela kwabase-Efese?
16 UPawulos wabongoza amaEfese ukuba angabi saba “mnyama iingqondo, zingazani nobomi bukaThixo.” Ukuze angabuyeli kobo bumnyama, kwakufuneka ahlakulele ukuba neentliziyo ezinqwenela ukukhanya. UPawulos wathi: “Ngakwihambo yangaphambili nimlahle umntu omdala, owonakaliswayo ngokokweenkanuko zokulukuhla; nihlaziywe ke kuwo umoya wengqiqo yenu, nimambathe umntu omtsha, othe ngokukaThixo wadalelwa ebulungiseni, nasebungcweleni benyaniso.”—Efese 4:18, 22-24.
17. Sinokukuphepha njani thina namhlanje ukubuyela emva ebumnyameni?
17 Esi siluleko sikaPawulos, ngokungathi kunjalo, silutyando oluqatha—ukushenxisa oko bekukade kuyinxalenye yethu, ubuntu bethu obudala, size sivumele ukukhula komoya omtsha ngokupheleleyo ukuba ‘uhlaziye iingqiqo zethu.’ Yaye wayengathethi nabantu abasandul’ ukuba nomdla kodwa namaKristu abhaptiziweyo. Ukuguqula ubuntu bethu akupheli sakubhaptizwa. Kuyinkqubo ehambela phambili. Ukuba siyayeka ukuhlakulela ubuntu obutsha, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ubuntu obudala obunekratshi, impakamo nokuzingca buya kuvela kwakhona. (Genesis 8:21; Roma 7:21-25) Oku kusenokukhokelela ekubuyeleni kwimisebenzi yobumnyama.
“Ekukhanyeni Kwakho Sibona Ukukhanya”
18, 19. UYesu noPawulos bayichaza njani indlela yokubona “abantwana bokukhanya”?
18 Khumbula ukuba ukufumana kwethu ubomi obungunaphakade kuxhomekeke ekugwetyweni kwethu njengabalungileyo nguThixo, mgwebo lowo oxhomekeke kwindlela esikuthanda ngayo ukukhanya. Emva kokubhekisela kula mazwi amva ayinyaniso, uYesu wathi: “Bonke abenza okubi, bayaluthiya ukhanyiso, bangezi elukhanyisweni, ukuze imisebenzi yabo ingohlwaywa. Ke lowo uyenzayo inyaniso uyeza elukhanyisweni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakalaliswe; ngokuba isetyenzelwe kuThixo.”—Yohane 3:19-21.
19 UPawulos wayixhasa le ngcamango xa wababhalela oku abase-Efese: “Hambani ke ngokwabantwana bokukhanya. Kuba sona isiqhamo soMoya sikuko konke ukulunga, nobulungisa, nenyaniso.” (Efese 5:8, 9) Ngoko imisebenzi yethu ibonisa enoba singabantwana bokukhanya okanye bobumnyama kusini na. Kodwa imisebenzi elungileyo inokuphuma entliziyweni elungileyo kuphela. Kungenxa yoku esimele siyilinde intliziyo yethu, siyiphaphele imfuneko yokusoloko sihlaziya ubuntu bethu, siwuphaphele umoya ophembelela ingqondo yethu.—IMizekeliso 4:23.
20, 21. (a) Luluphi ucelo-mngeni olujamelene nabantwana abazelwe kwiintsapho zamaKristu ngokukhethekileyo? (b) Luluphi ucelo-mngeni olujamelene nabo bonke abantwana babazali abangamaKristu?
20 Kwiimeko ezithile, oku kuye kwalucelo-mngeni ngokukodwa kubantwana abazelwe ngabazali abangamaNgqina kaYehova azinikeleyo. Ngoba? Kaloku, kwelinye icala, abantwana abanjalo banandipha intsikelelo emangalisayo. Ukwazi inyaniso ukususela ebuntwaneni, ngamany’ amazwi, kuthetha ukuba akuyomfuneko ukuba umntu abe namava obuqu okuba sebumnyameni behlabathi likaSathana. (2 Timoti 3:14, 15) Kwelinye icala, bambi abantwana abakule meko abayithabathi nzulu inyaniso yaye abaze bafunde ukukuthanda ngokwenyaniso ukukhanya. Le yimeko awayekuyo amaYuda amaninzi enkulungwane yokuqala. Akhulela kuhlanga oluzinikele kuYehova, yaye ngomlinganiselo othile ayenalo ulwazi ngenyaniso. Kodwa yayingekho sezintliziyweni zawo.—Mateyu 15:8, 9.
21 Abazali abangamaKristu banembopheleleko phambi koThixo yokukhulisela abantwana babo ekukhanyeni. (Duteronomi 6:4-9; Efese 6:4) Noko ke, ekugqibeleni ngumntwana ngokwakhe omele akuthande ukukhanya ngaphezu kobumnyama. Umele akwenze ukukhanya kwenyaniso kube kokwakhe. Njengoko ekhula, izinto ezithile zehlabathi likaSathana zisenokubonakala zinomtsalane. Indlela yokuphila yokungakhathali yoontanga bakhe isenokubonakala ichulumancisa. Isimo sengqondo sokuthandabuza esifundiswa esikolweni sisenokulukuhla. Kodwa akafanele alibale ukuba ngaphandle kokukhanya, “ubumnyama buwugubungele umhlaba.” (Isaya 60:2) Njengokuba ixesha lihamba, eli hlabathi lisebumnyameni alinanto linokumnika yona.—1 Yohane 2:15-17.
22. UYehova ubasikelela njani ngoku abo bezayo ekukhanyeni?
22 UKumkani uDavide wabhala wathi: “Likuwe [Yehova] ithende lobomi; ekukhanyeni kwakho sibona ukukhanya. Bolulele inceba yakho abakwaziyo.” (INdumiso 36:9, 10) Abo bakuthandayo ukukhanya baya kumazi uYehova, yaye oku kusenokubabangela bafumane ubomi. (Yohane 17:3) Ngobubele bakhe obunothando, uYehova uyabaxhasa ngoku, yaye xa imbandezelo enkulu ifika, uya kubalondolozela kwihlabathi elitsha. Oku kunokwenzeka kuthi ukuba siyabugatya ngoku ubumnyama behlabathi likaSathana. Kwihlabathi elitsha, uluntu luya kubuyiselwa kubomi obufezekileyo eParadisi. (ISityhilelo 21:3-5) Abo bagwetywa njengabalungileyo baya kuba nethemba lokuhlala ekukhanyeni kukaYehova ngonaphakade. Elinjani lona ukuzuka ithemba! Yaye esinjani sona ukuba namandla isizathu ‘sokulahla imisebenzi yobumnyama, sixhobe iintonga zokukhanya’ ngoku!—Roma 13:12.
Uyakhumbula na?
◻ Kutheni amaYuda amaninzi omhla kaYesu engazange akwamkele ukukhanya?
◻ Ukukhanya bekukhanya kangakanani kumaxesha anamhla?
◻ Imizekelo yenkulungwane yokuqala inikela ziphi izilumkiso ngokuzingca nekratshi?
◻ Yintoni efunekayo ukuze sihlale ekukhanyeni?
◻ Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezigcinelwe abathandi bokukhanya?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]
Inkoliso yamaYuda omhla kaYesu awazange asabele kukhanyiso
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 17]
Kumashumi eminyaka edluleyo kuye kwasetyenziswa iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo zokukhanyisa ukuze kwenziwe abafundi
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
“Nimlahle umntu omdala . . . nimambathe umntu omtsha”