UThixo NoKesare

“Ngandlela zonke, ngoko, buyiselani izinto zikaKesare kuKesare, kodwa izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.”—LUKA 20:25.

1. (a) UYehova unasiphi isikhundla esiphakamileyo? (b) Yintoni esifanele siyinikele kuYehova esingenakuze siyinikele kuKesare?

XA UYESU KRISTU wayenikela loo myalelo, wayengathandabuzi kwaphela ukuba izinto ezifunwa nguThixo kubakhonzi Bakhe zibaluleke ngakumbi kunezo uKesare, okanye uRhulumente anokuzifuna kubo. UYesu wayebazi kakuhle ubunyani bomthandazo womdumisi kuYehova othi: “Ubukumkani bakho bubukumkani bamaphakade onke, nolawulo [ulongamo]a lwakho lukwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana.” (INdumiso 145:13) Xa uMtyholi wathembisa uYesu ngokumnika igunya phezu kwazo zonke izikumkani zomhlaba, uYesu waphendula: “Kubhaliwe kwathiwa, ‘NguYehova uThixo wakho omele umnqule, yaye kukuye yedwa omele unikele inkonzo engcwele.’” (Luka 4:5-8) Unqulo alunakuze lunikelwe “kuKesare,” enoba uKesare ungumlawuli waseRoma, omnye umlawuli ongumntu, okanye uRhulumente.

2. (a) Sisiphi isikhundla anaso uSathana kweli hlabathi? (b) Ngubani ovumele uSathana ukuba abe kwisikhundla akuso?

² UYesu akazange alikhanyele elokuba uSathana wayenokuphisa ngezikumkani zehlabathi. Kamva, wambiza uSathana ngokuthi ‘ngumphathi weli hlabathi.’ (Yohane 12:31; 16:11) Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, umpostile uYohane wabhala: “Siyazi ukuba siphuma kuThixo, kodwa ihlabathi liphela lilele emandleni alowo ungendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) Oku akuthethi kuthi uYehova uyekile ukuba ngumongami womhlaba. Khumbula ukuba xa wayethembisa uYesu ngolawulo lwezikumkani zobupolitika, uSathana wathi: “Ndiza kukunika lonke eli gunya . . . ngenxa yokuba linikelwe kum.” (Luka 4:6) USathana unegunya kwizikumkani zehlabathi kuphela ngokuvunyelwa nguThixo.

3. (a) Oorhulumente beentlanga banasiphi isikhundla phambi koYehova? (b) Sinokutsho njani ukuba ukuthobela oorhulumente beli hlabathi akuthethi kuthi sizithoba kuSathana, uthixo weli hlabathi?

³ Ngokufanayo, uRhulumente unegunya kuba nje uThixo onguMlawuli Owongamileyo emvumela. (Yohane 19:11) Ngoko, kunokutshiwo ukuba “amagunya akhoyo abekwe nguThixo kwizikhundla zawo ezilinganiselweyo.” Alinganiselwe xa ethelekiswa negunya elipheleleyo lomongami uYehova, igunya lawo lincinane ngokwentelekiso. Noko ke, ‘angabalungiseleli bakaThixo, nezicaka zikawonke-wonke zikaThixo,’ kuba alungiselela iinkonzo eziluncedo, agcine umthetho nocwangco, aze ohlwaye abenzi bobubi. (Roma 13:1, 4, 6) Ngoko amaKristu afanele aqonde ukuba nangona uSathana engumlawuli ongabonakaliyo weli hlabathi, okanye le nkqubo, akazithobi kuye xa ethobela uRhulumente ngokulinganiselweyo. Athobela uThixo. Kulo nyaka, we-1996, uRhulumente wezobupolitika useyinxalenye ‘yelungiselelo likaThixo,’ ilungiselelo lokwexeshana elivunyelwe nguThixo ukuba libekho, yaye abakhonzi bakaYehova abasemhlabeni bafanele bamqonde ngolo hlobo.—Roma 13:2.

Abakhonzi BakaYehova Bamandulo NoRhulumente

4. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova avumele uYosefu ukuba abalasele kurhulumente waseYiputa?

⁴ Kumaxesha angaphambi kobuKristu, uYehova wayebavumela abathile kubakhonzi bakhe ukuba babe kwizikhundla eziphambili ebuRhulumenteni. Ngokomzekelo, ngenkulungwane ye-18 B.C.E., uYosefu wayeyinkulumbuso yaseYiputa, inguFaro kuphela onegunya elingaphezulu kwelakhe. (Genesis 41:39-43) Iziganeko ezenzekayo kamva zatyhila ukuba uYehova wakulungiselela oku ukuze uYosefu abe sisixhobo sokulondoloza ‘imbewu ka-Abraham,’ inzala yakhe, ukuze iinjongo Zakhe zizaliseke. Kakade ke, sifanele sikhumbule ukuba uYosefu wathengiswa njengekhoboka eYiputa, yaye wayephila ngexesha abakhonzi bakaThixo babengenawo uMthetho kaMoses okanye “umthetho kaKristu.”—Genesis 15:5-7; 50:19-21; Galati 6:2.

5. Kwakutheni ukuze abathinjwa abangamaYuda bayalelwe ukuba ‘bayizamele uxolo’ iBhabhiloni?

⁵ Kwiinkulungwane kamva umprofeti othembekileyo uYeremiya waphefumlelwa nguYehova ukuba axelele abathinjwa abangamaYuda ukuba bazithobe kubalawuli baseBhabhiloni ababebathimbile bade bathandazele ukuba kubekho uxolo kweso sixeko. Kwincwadi yakhe eya kubo, wabhala: “Utsho uYehova wemikhosi, uThixo kaSirayeli, kwabafudusiweyo bonke, . . . Nize nizamele uxolo lomzi endinifudusele kuwo, niwuthandazele kuYehova; ngokuba niya kuba noxolo ngoxolo lwawo.” (Yeremiya 29:4, 7) Ngalo lonke ixesha abantu bakaYehova banezizathu ‘zokufuna uxolo,’ belufunela iziqu zabo nelizwe abahlala kulo, ukuze bamnqule ngokukhululekileyo uYehova.—1 Petros 3:11.

6. Nangona banikwa izikhundla zaseburhulumenteni eziphakamileyo, uDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu bakwala njani ukulalanisa ngokuphathelele uMthetho kaYehova?

⁶ Ngoxa wayethinjwe eBhabhiloni, uDaniyeli namanye amaYuda amathathu athembekileyo awayethinjelwe eBhabhiloni njengamakhoboka bazithoba kuqeqesho lwelo Lizwe baza basebenza kwizikhundla eziphezulu eBhabhiloni. (Daniyeli 1:3-7; 2:48, 49) Noko ke, kwanasebudeni bokuqeqeshwa kwabo, abazange bakwamkele kwaphela ukutya okwakunokubenza baphule uMthetho ababewunikwe nguThixo wabo, uYehova, esebenzisa uMoses. Basikelelwa ngokwenjenjalo. (Daniyeli 1:8-17) Xa uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare wamisa isithixo selo Lizwe, kubonakala ukuba amaqabane kaDaniyeli amathathu angamaHebhere anyanzeleka ukuba abekho kuloo msitho nabanye abanegunya kweli Lizwe. Sekunjalo, akazange avume ‘ukuwa phantsi aqubude’ kwisithixo selo Lizwe. Kwakhona, uYehova wawavuza ngokugcina kwawo ingqibelelo. (Daniyeli 3:1-6, 13-28) Ngokufanayo namhlanje, amaNgqina kaYehova ayayihlonela indwe yelizwe aphila kulo, kodwa akayinquli nangayiphi na indlela.—Eksodus 20:4, 5; 1 Yohane 5:21.

7. (a) Kukuphi ukuma okuhle okwathatyathwa nguDaniyeli, nakuba wayenesikhundla esiphakamileyo kurhulumente waseBhabhiloni? (b) Kwabakho ziphi iinguqulelo ngexesha lamaKristu?

⁷ Emva kokuwa kobukhosi beBhabhiloni Entsha, uDaniyeli wanikwa isikhundla esiphezulu eburhulumenteni ngaphantsi korhulumente omtsha wamaMedi namaPersi owathabathel’ indawo obo bukhosi baseBhabhiloni. (Daniyeli 5:30, 31; 6:1-3) Kodwa akazange asivumele isikhundla sakhe esiphezulu ukuba simkhokelele ekubeni alalanise. Xa umthetho welo Lizwe wawufuna ukuba anqule uKumkani uDariyo kunokunqula uYehova, akazange avume. Ngenxa yoko waphoswa ezingonyameni, kodwa uYehova wamhlangula. (Daniyeli 6:4-24) Kakade ke, oku kwakusenzeka kumaxesha angaphambi kobuKristu. Emva kokusekwa kwebandla lamaKristu, abakhonzi bakaThixo baba “phantsi komthetho kuKristu.” Izinto ezininzi ezazivunyelwe phantsi kwenkqubo yamaYuda zazifanele zigqalwe ngokwahlukileyo, ngokusekelwe kwindlela uYehova aqhubana ngayo nabantu bakhe ngoku.—1 Korinte 9:21; Mateyu 5:31, 32; 19:3-9.

Isimo Sengqondo SikaYesu Ngokuphathelele URhulumente

8. Sisiphi isiganeko esibonisa ukuba uYesu wayezimisele ukukuphepha ukubandakanyeka kwezobupolitika?

⁸ Xa uYesu Kristu wayesemhlabeni, wabamisela imilinganiselo ephakame ngakumbi abalandeli bakhe, yaye akazange avume ukubandakanyeka kwizinto zobupolitika okanye zomkhosi. Emva kokuba uYesu ondle ngokungummangaliso abantu abangamawaka aliqela ngezonka ezimbalwa nangeentlanzi ezimbini ezincinane, amaYuda afuna ukumbamba ukuze amenze ukumkani wezobupolitika. Kodwa uYesu wawaphepha msinya ngokumka aye ezintabeni. (Yohane 6:5-15) Ngokuphathelele esi siganeko, iThe New International Commentary on the New Testament ithi: “AmaYuda elo xesha ayenemizabalazo yobuzwe yogonyamelo, yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo abaninzi kwabo bawubonayo loo mmangaliso bavakalelwa kukuba babefumene inkokeli evela phezulu, ababeyifuna ukuze ibakhokele kwimvukelo yabo nxamnye namaRoma. Ngoko bazimisela ekubeni bamenze ukumkani.” Yongezelela ngelithi uYesu “wasichasa ngokuphandle” eso sicelo sokwenziwa inkokeli yezobupolitika. UKristu akazange ayixhase kwaphela imvukelo yamaYuda nxamnye nolawulo lwamaRoma. Eneneni, wawuxela kwangaphambili umphumo wemvukelo eyayiza kubakho emva kokufa kwakhe—ooyeha abangathethekiyo kubemi baseYerusalem nokutshatyalaliswa kweso sixeko.—Luka 21:20-24.

9. (a) UYesu waluchaza njani ulwalamano loBukumkani bakhe nehlabathi? (b) UYesu wabanika luphi ukhokelo abalandeli bakhe ngokuphathelele iinkqubano zabo noorhulumente behlabathi?

⁹ Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wamxelela oku ummeli okhethekileyo womlawuli waseRoma kwaYuda: “Ubukumkani bam abuyonxalenye yeli hlabathi. Ukuba ubukumkani bam bebuyinxalenye yeli hlabathi, abalindi bam bebeya kulwa ukuze ndingabi nakunikelwa kumaYuda. Kodwa, ngokunjalo, ubukumkani bam abusuki kulo mthombo.” (Yohane 18:36) Abalandeli bakaKristu balandela umzekelo wakhe, de uBukumkani bakhe buphelise ulawulo loorhulumente bezobupolitika. Bayawathobela loo magunya amisiweyo kodwa abazibandakanyi kwizinto zawo zobupolitika. (Daniyeli 2:44; Mateyu 4:8-10) UYesu wabanika ukhokelo abafundi bakhe, esithi: “Ngoko ke, buyiselani izinto zikaKesare kuKesare, kodwa izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.” (Mateyu 22:21) Ngaphambilana, kwiNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni, uYesu wathi: “Ukuba uthile onegunya ukukhonzisa ngokukunyanzela kangangemayile, hamba naye iimayile ezimbini.” (Mateyu 5:41) Kule nxalenye yentshumayelo, uYesu wayebonisa umgaqo wokulungela ukuzithoba xa kufuneka wenze okuthile okufanelekileyo, enoba uqhubana nabanye abantu okanye kukho izinto azifunayo urhulumente ezivisisanayo nomthetho kaThixo.—Luka 6:27-31; Yohane 17:14, 15.

AmaKristu NoKesare

10. Ngokutsho komnye umbhali-mbali, kukuphi ukuma okunyanisekileyo okwabonakaliswa ngamaKristu okuqala ngokuphathelele uKesare?

¹⁰ Olu khokelo lungephi lwaluza kulawula ulwalamano lwamaKristu noRhulumente. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Rise of Christianity, umbhali-mbali uE. W. Barnes wabhala: “Kwiinkulungwane kamva, xa umKristu wayeba namathandabuzo ngokuphathelele izinto ezifunwa nguRhulumente, wayephethukela kwimfundiso kaKristu enegunya. Wayeyihlawula irhafu: maxa wambi le rhafu yayiba ninzi—kwaba nzima ngakumbi ukuyihlawula ngaphambi kokuwa koBukhosi baseNtshona—kodwa umKristu wayeqhubeka eyihlawula. Ngokufanayo wayezamkela zonke ezinye iimbopheleleko awayezinikwa nguRhulumente, lo gama nje kungathiwa makanikele kuKesare izinto zikaThixo.”

11. UPawulos waluleka amaKristu esithi makaqhubane njani nabalawuli behlabathi?

¹¹ Ngokuvisisana noku, kwiminyaka engaphezulwana kwama-20 emva kokufa kukaKristu, umpostile uPawulos wawaxelela oku amaKristu aseRoma: “Yonke imiphefumlo mayiwathobele amagunya awongamileyo.” (Roma 13:1) Malunga neminyaka elishumi kamva, ngaphambi nje kokuba avalelwe okwesibini aze abulawe eRoma, uPawulos wabhalela uTito esithi: “Qhubeka ubakhumbuza [amaKristu aseKrete] ukuba balulamele baze bathobele oorhulumente namagunya njengabaphathi, ukuba balungele wonke umsebenzi olungileyo, bangathethi kakubi nangabani na, bangabi ngabathanda ukulwa, babe ngabanengqiqo, bebonisa ubulali bonke kubantu bonke.”—Tito 3:1, 2.

Ulwazi Olungakumbi ‘Ngamagunya Awongamileyo’

12. (a) Kukuphi ukuma uCharles Taze Russell awayekugqala njengokumfaneleyo umKristu ongaphantsi kumagunya angoorhulumente? (b) Ngokuphathelele ukusebenza emkhosini, ziziphi iimbono ezahlukeneyo awayenazo amaKristu athanjisiweyo ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I?

¹² Ngowe-1886, kwincwadi ethi The Plan of the Ages, uCharles Taze Russell wabhala: “UYesu nabaPostile babengaphazamisani nabalawuli basemhlabeni nangayiphi na indlela. . . . ICawa bayifundisa ukuthobela imithetho, nokuhlonela abo basemagunyeni ngenxa yezikhundla zabo, . . . bahlawule irhafu ekufuneka beyihlawule, yaye bangawuchasi nawuphi na umthetho omisiweyo (Rom. 13:1-7; Mat. 22:21) ngaphandle kokuba uphikisana nemithetho kaThixo. (IZe. 4:19; 5:29) UYesu nabaPostile necawa yokuqala babewuthobela umthetho, nangona babengazidibanisi nawo, yaye bengazibandakanyi noorhulumente beli hlabathi.” Ngokufanelekileyo le ncwadi yabhekisela ‘kumagunya aphezulu,’ okanye “amagunya awongamileyo,” athetha ngawo umpostile uPawulos, njengamagunya angoorhulumente abangabantu. (Roma 13:1, King James Version) Ngowe-1904 incwadi ethi The New Creation yathi amaKristu okwenyaniso “afanele abe phakathi kwabona bantu bawuthobelayo umthetho kweli xesha—angabi ngabaphembi bodushe, angadali iingxwabangxwaba, angahlabi amadlala.” Abanye bakuqonda oku njengokuthetha ukuba bafanele bawathobele ngokupheleleyo amagunya akhoyo, de bamkele inkonzo yasemkhosini ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Noko ke, abanye bakugqala oko njengokungavisisaniyo namazwi kaYesu athi: “Bonke abo bathabatha ikrele baya kutshabalala ngekrele.” (Mateyu 26:52) Kucacile ukuba, kwakufuneka ulwazi olucace ngakumbi ngentobelo yamaKristu kumagunya awongamileyo.

13. Luluphi ulwazi olwalukho ngokuphathelele amagunya aphakamileyo ngowe-1929, yaye oku kwangqineka njani kuyingenelo?

¹³ Ngowe-1929, ngexesha imithetho yoorhulumente abahlukahlukeneyo yayiqalisa ukwalela izinto uThixo afuna zenziwe okanye yayiqalisa ukufuna izinto ezalelweyo ngumthetho kaThixo, kwakukholelwa kwelokuba amagunya aphakamileyo amele ukuba nguYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu.b Olu lulwazi ababenalo abakhonzi bakaYehova ebudeni bexesha elibalulekileyo ngaphambi nasebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II ukudlulela kwiMfazwe Yomlomo, noloyiko eyeza nalo kunye nokulungela kwayo imfazwe yokoqobo. Xa sikhangela emva, sinokutsho ukuba nakubeni le mbono ibuphakamisa ubungangamsha bukaYehova noKristu wakhe, yabanceda abantu bakaThixo ukuba bahlale bengoondilele ngokupheleleyo ukutyhubela eli xesha linzima.

Intobelo Elinganiselweyo

14. Kwabakho njani ukukhanya okungakumbi ngamaRoma 13:1, 2 nezinye izibhalo ezifana naso ngowe-1962?

¹⁴ Ngowe-1961 iNew World Translation of the Holy Scriptures yagqitywa. Ukuguqulelwa kwayo kwakufune uphando olunzulu ngolwimi ezibhalwe ngalo iZibhalo. Ukuguqulelwa ngokuchanileyo kwamagama asetyenziswe kungekhona kumaRoma isahluko 13 kuphela kodwa kwanakwiindinyana ezinjengoTito 3:1, 2 neyoku-1 kaPetros 2:13, 17 kwenza kwacaca ukuba ibinzana elithi “amagunya awongamileyo” lalibhekisela, kungekhona kumaGunya aPhakamileyo, uYehova, nakuNyana wakhe uYesu, kodwa kumagunya angoorhulumente abangabantu. Ngasekupheleni kowe-1962, kwiMboniselo kwapapashwa amanqaku awawacacisa kakuhle amaRoma isahluko 13 aza anikela imbono ecace ngakumbi kunaleyo yayisaziwa ngexesha lika-C. T. Russell. La manqaku abonisa ukuba intobelo yamaKristu kumagunya ayinakuba yepheleleyo. Imele ibe yelinganiselweyo, ixhomekeke ekubeni ayenzi abakhonzi bakaThixo batyeshele imithetho kaThixo. Amanye amanqaku eMboniselo aye ayibalaselisa le ngongoma ibalulekileyo.c

15, 16. (a) Ulwazi olutsha ngokuphathelele amaRoma isahluko 13 lwakhokelela kweyiphi imbono elungelelene ngakumbi? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo ekusafuneka iphendulwe?

¹⁵ Esi sikhokelo sokuwaqonda ngokuchanileyo amaRoma isahluko 13 siye senza abantu bakaYehova bakwazi ukuyilungelelanisa intlonelo efanelekileyo ngamagunya ezobupolitika nokuma ngokuqinileyo kwimigaqo ebalulekileyo yeZibhalo. (INdumiso 97:11; Yeremiya 3:15) Siye sabenza banembono echanileyo ngolwalamano lwabo noThixo neenkqubano zabo noRhulumente. Siye saqinisekisa ukuba ngoxa benikela izinto zikaKesare kuKesare, abalibali ukunikela izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.

¹⁶ Kodwa ziintoni kanye kanye izinto zikaKesare? Ziintoni anokuzifuna ngokufanelekileyo uRhulumente kumKristu? Le mibuzo iza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, xa egqabaza ngamaRoma isahluko 13, uNjingalwazi F. F. Bruce ubhala oku: “Ngokusuka kulo mongo, nangokusuka kumongo wezinto ezabhalwa ngabapostile, kucacile ukuba intobelo enokufunwa ngurhulumente ayifanele idlule kwimida yokumiselwa kwakhe nguThixo—ngamanye amazwi, urhulumente umele achaswe xa efuna ukuthembeka okufanele kunikelwe kuThixo.”

Ngaba Ungacacisa?

◻ Kutheni ukuzithoba kumagunya awongamileyo kungathethi ukuzithoba kuSathana?

◻ Sisiphi isimo sengqondo awayenaso uYesu ngezobupolitika kumhla wakhe?

◻ UYesu wabanika siphi isiluleko abalandeli bakhe ngokuphathelele iinkqubano zabo noKesare?

◻ UPawulos wawaluleka esithi makaqhubane njani amaKristu nabalawuli beentlanga?

◻ Ulwazi ngokufaniswa kwamagunya awongamileyo luhambele njani phambili ukutyhubela iminyaka?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Xa uSathana wathembisa uYesu ngegunya lezobupolitika, akazange avume

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

URussell wabhala esithi amaKristu “afanele abe phakathi kwabona bantu bawuthobelayo umthetho kweli xesha”