Umthetho KaKristu

“Ndiphantsi komthetho kuKristu.”—1 KORINTE 9:21.

1, 2. (a) Ngezithintelwe njani iimpazamo ezininzi zoluntu? (b) Yintoni eyasilela ukuyifunda iNgqobhoko kwimbali yobuYuda?

“ABANTU noorhulumente abafundanga nto kwimbali, okanye abayisebenzisanga imigaqo ebiyidlulisela.” Satsho njalo isithandi sobulumko saseJamani senkulungwane ye-19. Ewe, imbali yoluntu iye yachazwa ‘njengongcelele lwezenzo zobuyatha,’ iimpazamo neentlekele ezingapheliyo, engezithintelwe uninzi lwazo ukuba uluntu belukulungele ukufunda kwiimpazamo zexa elidluleyo.

² Lo moya wokungafuni ukufunda kwiimpazamo zexa elidluleyo uza kubalaseliswa kule ngxubusho yomthetho wobuthixo. UYehova uThixo wanikela umthetho olunge ngakumbi kunoMthetho kaMoses—umthetho kaKristu. Sekunjalo, iinkokeli zeNgqobhoko, ezithi zifundisa yaye ziphila ngalo mthetho, ziye zasilela ukufunda kwiimpazamo ezinkulu zabaFarisi. Ngoko iNgqobhoko iye yawugqwetha yaza yawusebenzisa kakubi umthetho kaKristu kanye njengoko amaYuda enzayo kuMthetho kaMoses. Ikwenze njani oko? Okokuqala, makhe sixubushe ngalo mthetho—oko ukuko, abo ubalawulayo nendlela obalawula ngayo, nendlela owahluke ngayo kuMthetho kaMoses. Emva koko siza kuxubusha ngendlela iNgqobhoko eye yawusebenzisa kakubi ngayo. Ngoko ngamana singafunda kwimbali yaye singenelwe kuyo!

Umnqophiso Omtsha

3. Liliphi idinga awalenzayo uYehova ngokuphathelele umnqophiso omtsha?

³ Ngubani ngaphandle kukaYehova uThixo onokuphucula uMthetho ogqibeleleyo? Umnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses wawugqibelele. (INdumiso 19:7) Nakuba kunjalo, uYehova wathembisa oku: “Yabona, kuza imihla, . . . endiya kwenza umnqophiso omtsha nendlu kaSirayeli nendlu kaYuda; ungabi njengomnqophiso endawenza noyise.” IMithetho Elishumi—isiseko soMthetho kaMoses—yayibhalwe emacwecweni amatye. Kodwa ngokuphathelele umnqophiso omtsha, uYehova wathi: “Ndiya kuwubeka umyalelo wam embilinini yabo, ndiwubhale ezintliziyweni zabo.”—Yeremiya 31:31-34.

4. (a) Nguwuphi uSirayeli oyinxalenye yomnqophiso omtsha? (b) Ngaphandle kwamaSirayeli okomoya, ngoobani abangaphantsi komthetho kaKristu?

⁴ Ngoobani ababeza kuba yinxalenye yalo mnqophiso mtsha? Ngokuqinisekileyo yayingasayi kuba ‘yindlu kaSirayeli’ wokoqobo, owamchasayo uMlamleli walo mnqophiso. (Hebhere 9:15) Kunoko, lo “Sirayeli” mtsha wayeza kuba ‘nguSirayeli kaThixo,’ uhlanga lwamaSirayeli okomoya. (Galati 6:16; Roma 2:28, 29) Eli qela lincinane lamaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya kamva laliza kuthelelwa ‘sisihlwele esikhulu’ esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga yaye naso sasiya kufuna ukumnqula uYehova. (ISityhilelo 7:9, 10; Zekariya 8:23) Nangona singeyonxalenye yomnqophiso omtsha, naso sasiya kuba phantsi komthetho. (Thelekisa iLevitikus 24:22; Numeri 15:15.) ‘Njengomhlambi omnye’ ongaphantsi ‘komalusi omnye,’ bonke babeya kuba “phantsi komthetho kuKristu,” njengoko umpostile uPawulos wabhala. (Yohane 10:16; 1 Korinte 9:21) UPawulos wathi lo mnqophiso ‘ngumnqophiso olunge ngakumbi.’ Kwakutheni? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, usekelwe kumadinga azalisekileyo kungekhona kwizithunzi zezinto eziza kuza.—Hebhere 8:6; 9:11-14.

5. Yintoni injongo yomnqophiso omtsha, yaye yintoni eya kuwenza uphumelele?

⁵ Yintoni injongo yalo mnqophiso? Kukuvelisa uhlanga olutsha lookumkani nababingeleli ukuze kusikelelwe uluntu lonke. (Eksodus 19:6; 1 Petros 2:9; ISityhilelo 5:10) Eneneni umnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses awuzange uluvelise olu hlanga, kuba wonke uSirayeli wavukela waza waphulukana nelo lungelo. (Thelekisa amaRoma 11:17-21.) Noko ke, ngokuqinisekileyo umnqophiso omtsha uza kuphumelela, kuba unxulumene nomthetho owahluke ngokupheleleyo. Wahluke njani?

Umthetho Ongowenkululeko

6, 7. Umthetho kaKristu uyinikela njani inkululeko engakumbi kunoMthetho kaMoses?

⁶ Ngokufuthi umthetho kaKristu unxulunyaniswa nenkululeko. (Yohane 8:31, 32) Kuthethwa ngawo ‘njengomthetho wabantu abakhululekileyo’ ‘nomthetho ogqibeleleyo wenkululeko.’ (Yakobi 1:25; 2:12) Kakade ke, inkululeko efunyanwa ngabantu ilinganiselwe. Noko ke, lo mthetho unikela inkululeko eninzi ngakumbi kuneyomthetho wangaphambili, uMthetho kaMoses. Ngayiphi indlela?

⁷ Ngokomzekelo, akukho namnye uzalwa ephantsi komthetho kaKristu. Uhlanga okanye indawo azalelwe kuyo umntu azibalulekanga. AmaKristu okwenyaniso azikhethela ngokukhululekileyo ngokusuka ezintliziyweni zawo ukuyamkela idyokhwe yokuthobela lo mthetho. Ngokwenjenjalo, afumanisa ukuba uyidyokhwe emnandi, umthwalo okhaphukhaphu. (Mateyu 11:28-30) Ngapha koko, uMthetho kaMoses wawenzelwe ukufundisa umntu ukuba unesono yaye ulifuna ngokwenene idini lentlawulelo lokumkhulula. (Galati 3:19) Umthetho kaKristu ufundisa ukuba uMesiya ufikile, wayihlawula ngobomi bakhe intlawulelo, waza wavula indlela yokuba sikhululeke kwingcinezelo embi yesono nokufa! (Roma 5:20, 21) Ukuze singenelwe koku, kufuneka ‘siqhelisele ukholo’ kwelo dini.—Yohane 3:16.

8. Umthetho kaKristu ubandakanya ntoni, kodwa kutheni ukuphila ngokuvisisana nawo kungafuni ukucengcelezwa kwemithetho emininzi?

⁸ ‘Ukuqhelisela ukholo’ kubandakanya ukuphila ngokuvisisana nomthetho kaKristu. Oko kuquka ukuthobela yonke imiyalelo kaKristu. Ngaba oku kuthetha ukucengceleza imithetho nemiyalelo emininzi? Akunjalo. Ngoxa uMoses, umlamleli womnqophiso omdala, wabhala uMthetho kaMoses, uYesu, uMlamleli womnqophiso omtsha, akazange abhale nomthetho omnye. Kunoko, wawuphila lo mthetho. Ngokuphila ubomi obufezekileyo, washiya umzekelo ofanele ulandelwe ngumntu wonke. (1 Petros 2:21) Mhlawumbi kungenxa yeso sizathu le nto unqulo lwamaKristu okuqala lwalubizwa ngokuba ‘yiNdlela.’ (IZenzo 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22) Umthetho kaKristu awubona kwindlela awayephila ngayo uKristu. Ukuxelisa uYesu yayikukuthobela lo mthetho. Uthando lwawo olunzulu ngaye lwalubonisa ukuba lo mthetho wawubhalwe ezintliziyweni zawo ngokwenene, njengoko kwakuprofetiwe. (Yeremiya 31:33; 1 Petros 4:8) Yaye umntu othobela kuba eqhutywa luthando akaze azive ecinezelekile—eso sesinye sezizathu zokuba umthetho kaKristu ubizwe ngokuba ‘ngumthetho wabantu abakhululekileyo.’

9. Yintoni eyona njongo yomthetho kaKristu, yaye lo mthetho ubandakanyeke njani kumnqophiso omtsha?

⁹ Ukuba uthando lwalubalulekile kuMthetho kaMoses, lusekwangundoqo kumthetho olawula amaKristu. Ngoko ke umthetho kaKristu ukwaquka umyalelo omtsha—amaKristu amele abonakalise uthando lokuzincama kwamanye. Amele abonakalise uthando njengoko uYesu wenzayo; wayekulungele ukuncama ubomi bakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe. (Yohane 13:34, 35; 15:13) Ngoko kunokutshiwo ukuba umthetho kaKristu ulubalaselisa ngakumbi ulawulo lobuthixo kunokuba wawunjalo uMthetho kaMoses. Njengoko eye wabonisa ngaphambili lo lindixesha: “Ulawulo lobuthixo kukulawulwa nguThixo; uThixo uluthando; ngoko ke ulawulo lobuthixo kukulawulwa luthando.”

UYesu NabaFarisi

10. Iimfundiso zikaYesu zazahluke njani kwezabaFarisi?

¹⁰ Akumangalisi ngoko ukuba kwabakho imbambano phakathi kukaYesu neenkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zomhla wakhe. “Umthetho ogqibeleleyo wenkululeko” wawungekho kwaphela ezingqondweni zababhali nabaFarisi. Bazama ukulawula abantu ngemithetho eyilwe ngabantu. Iimfundiso zabo zazicinezela, zinzima, zingeyongenelo. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, iimfundiso zikaYesu zazisakha yaye ziyingenelo kakhulu! Wayenovelwano yaye ethetha ngezona zinto zibalulekileyo nezixhalabise abantu. Iimfundiso zakhe zazilula yaye ziphuma entliziyweni, esebenzisa imizekeliso yobomi bemihla ngemihla yaye esebenzisa igunya leLizwi likaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, “izihlwele zathi khamnqa yindlela yakhe yokufundisa.” (Mateyu 7:28) Ewe, iimfundiso zikaYesu zazizifikelela iintliziyo zabo!

11. UYesu wakubonisa njani ukuba uMthetho kaMoses wawufanele usetyenziswe ngovelwano nangenceba?

¹¹ Kunokongezelela imithetho engakumbi kuMthetho kaMoses, uYesu wabonisa indlela amaYuda awayefanele awusebenzise ngayo uMthetho kwixa elidluleyo—asebenzise uvelwano nenceba. Ngokomzekelo, khumbula isihlandlo xa kweza kuye umfazi owayenethombo legazi. Ngokutsho koMthetho kaMoses, nabani na awayemchukumisa wayesiba yinqambi, ngoko ngokuqinisekileyo wayengafanele abe phakathi kwezihlwele zabantu! (Levitikus 15:25-27) Kodwa wayekufuna ngokwenene ukuphiliswa kangangokuba waphinyela kweso sihlwele waza wachukumisa isambatho sangaphandle sikaYesu. Ukopha kwanqamka kwangoko. Ngaba wamkhalimela ngokwaphula uMthetho? Akunjalo; kunoko, wayiqonda imeko yakhe ebuhlungu waza wabonakalisa olona phawu lubalaseleyo loMthetho—uthando. Ngovelwano wathi kuye: “Ntombazana, ukholo lwakho lukwenze waphila. Hamba ngoxolo, uze ube simpilweni entle kwisigulo sakho esibuhlungu.”—Marko 5:25-34.

Ngaba Umthetho KaKristu Awunamiqathango?

12. (a) Kutheni singafanele sicinge ukuba umthetho kaKristu awunamiqathango? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ukuyilwa kwemithetho emininzi kwenza abantu bafune iindlela zokuyiphepha?

¹² Noko ke, ekubeni umthetho kaKristu ‘ungowenkululeko,’ ngaba sifanele sigqibe kwelokuba awunamiqathango, ngoxa abaFarisi babebagcina bephila ngokwemilinganiselo engqongqo abantu ngezithethe zabo ezidluliselwa ngomlomo? Akunjalo. Iinkqubo zomthetho zanamhlanje zikwenza kucace ukuba okukhona isanda imithetho, nabantu bafumana iindlela ezingakumbi zokuyiphepha.a Ngomhla kaYesu inkitha yemithetho yabaFarisi yenza ukuba abantu bahlale befuna iindlela zokuyiphepha, yayikhuthaza ukwenziwa kwemisebenzi ngokungakhathali nangaphandle kothando, nokuzama ukubonakala njengamalungisa ngoxa ngaphakathi benganyanisekanga.—Mateyu 23:23, 24.

13. Kutheni umthetho kaKristu ukhokelela kwimilinganiselo yehambo ephakame ngakumbi kunayo nayiphi na imithetho ebhaliweyo?

¹³ Ngokwahlukileyo koko, umthetho kaKristu awuzikhuthazi izimo zengqondo ezinjalo. Eneneni, ukuthobela umthetho osekelwe kuthando ngoYehova nothotyelwa ngokuxelisa uthando lukaKristu lokuzincama ngenxa yabanye kukhokelela kwimilinganiselo yehambo ephakame ngakumbi kunokulandela umthetho othile ongqongqo. Uthando alufuni ndlela zakuphepha; lusenza sikuphephe ukwenza izinto eziyingozi ezisenokuba azalelwa ngokuthe ngqo yeminye imithetho. (Bona uMateyu 5:27, 28.) Ngoko ke, umthetho kaKristu uya kusishukumisela ekubeni senzele abanye izinto—sibonakalise isisa, ukubuk’ iindwendwe nothando—ngendlela esingenakuyalelwa ngayo ngumthetho obhaliweyo.—IZenzo 20:35; 2 Korinte 9:7; Hebhere 13:16.

14. Ukuphila ngomthetho kaKristu kwaba nawuphi umphumo kwibandla lamaKristu lenkulungwane yokuqala?

¹⁴ Ngoxa amalungu alo ayephila ngomthetho kaKristu, ibandla lamaKristu okuqala lalinemeko-bume efudumeleyo nenothando, engenaso kwaphela isimo sengqondo sokuba ngqongqo, esokuthanda ukugweba nesokuhanahanisa esisibona kwizindlu zonqulo zanamhlanje. Amalungu ala mabandla matsha amele ukuba ayebona ukuba ayephila “ngomthetho wabantu abakhululekileyo”!

15. Ekuqaleni uSathana wenza yiphi imigudu ukonakalisa ibandla lamaKristu?

¹⁵ Noko ke, uSathana wayezimisele ukulonakalisa ibandla lamaKristu esebenzisa amalungu alo, kanye njengokuba walonakalisayo uhlanga lakwaSirayeli. Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa ngamadoda afana neengcuka awayeya ‘kuthetha izinto ezijijekileyo’ aze awucinezele umhlambi kaThixo. (IZenzo 20:29, 30) Kwafuneka asukuzane namaYuda, awayezama ukuguqulela inkululeko yomthetho kaKristu kubukhoboka boMthetho kaMoses, owawuzaliseke ngoKristu. (Mateyu 5:17; IZenzo 15:1; Roma 10:4) Emva kokufa kompostile wokugqibela, akuzange kuphinde kubekho mntu wakuluthintela olo wexuko. Ngoko ukunganyaniseki kwanda.—2 Tesalonika 2:6, 7.

INgqobhoko Ingcolisa Umthetho KaKristu

16, 17. (a) INgqobhoko ayinyanisekanga ngaziphi iindlela? (b) Imithetho yeCawa yamaKatolika yazikhuthaza njani iimbono ezigqwethekileyo ngesini?

¹⁶ NjengakubuYuda, ukunganyaniseki kukho ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo kwiNgqobhoko. Nayo lixhoba leemfundiso zobuxoki nemilinganiselo ephantsi yokuziphatha. Yaye imigudu yayo yokukhusela umhlambi wayo nxamnye neempembelelo zangaphandle ngokufuthi ingqineke iyingozi kwinxalenye eseleyo yonqulo olunyulu. Imithetho engqongqo nengekho Zibhalweni mininzi gqitha.

¹⁷ ICawa yamaKatolika ibiphambili ekuyileni imithetho emininzi yecawa. Le mithetho yayigqwetheke ngokukodwa kwimibandela ephathelele isini. Ngokutsho kwencwadi ethi Sexuality and Catholicism, icawa yamkela intanda-bulumko yamaGrike yobuStoyike, eyayizinxwema kulo lonke uhlobo lokuziyolisa. Kamva icawa yafundisa ukuba lonke uyolo lwesini, kuquka olo luphakathi kwabantu abatshatileyo, lwalusisono. (Thelekisa IMizekeliso 5:18, 19.) Yayisithi isini sesokuvelisa inzala kuphela. Ngoko umthetho wecawa walugweba naluphi na uhlobo loqingqo-nzala njengesono esinzulu kakhulu, maxa wambi olwenzileyo kwakufuneka abonakalise ukuzohlwaya kangangeminyaka emininzi. Ukongezelela, abefundisi babengavunyelwa ukuba batshate, mthetho lowo uye waphembelela ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini, kuquka ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana.—1 Timoti 4:1-3.

18. Waba yintoni umphumo wokwandiswa kwemithetho yecawa?

¹⁸ Njengoko imithetho yecawa yayisanda, yaqulunqwa kwenziwa iincwadi. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ezi ncwadi zaqalisa ukuyisingela phantsi nokuyithabathel’ indawo iBhayibhile. (Thelekisa uMateyu 15:3, 9.) NjengakubuYuda, ubuKatolika babungazithembi iincwadi zehlabathi yaye inkoliso yazo buyigqala njengesisongelo. Ngokukhawuleza le ngcamango yasibaxa isilumkiso esisengqiqweni seBhayibhile kulo mbandela. (INtshumayeli 12:12; Kolose 2:8) UJerome, umbhali wecawa wenkulungwane yesine kwiXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, wathi: “Nkosi, ukuba ndingaze ndiphinde ndibe neencwadi zehlabathi okanye ndizifunde, ndingaba ndikukhanyele.” Ekuhambeni kwexesha, icawa yaqalisa ukukuhluza oko kusezincwadini—kwanezo zinemibandela yehlabathi. Ngoko ngenkulungwane ye-17 isazi ngeenkwenkwezi uGalileo sagwetywa ngokubhala sisithi umhlaba ujikeleza ilanga. Ukugxininisa kwecawa kwelokuba inelungelo lokuwisa isigwebo kwizinto zonke—kuquka imibandela yolwazi ngeenkwenkwezi—ekugqibeleni kwakuza kwenza abantu bangayikholelwa iBhayibhile.

19. Imithetho enzima yahlakulelwa njani kumakhaya eemonki?

¹⁹ Imithetho yecawa yanda ngokukodwa kumakhaya eemonki, apho iimonki zazizahlula kweli hlabathi ukuze ziphile ubomi bamakheswa. Inkoliso yamakhaya eemonki ezingamaKatolika yayigcina “UMthetho weNgcwele uBenedict.” Iabbot (igama elithatyathwe kwigama lesiAramiki elithi “bawo”) yayinegunya elipheleleyo. (Thelekisa uMateyu 23:9.) Ukuba imonki yayifumene isipho esivela kubazali bayo, iabbot yayigqiba enoba loo monki yayifanele isinikwe kusini na eso sipho okanye sinikwe enye. Ngaphandle kokugweba ubukrwada, omnye umthetho wawuzalela iincoko ezingenantsingiselo okanye ukuqhula, usithi: “Akukho mfundi uya kuthetha izinto ezinjalo.”

20. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ubuProtestanti bangqineka bunobuchule bokumisa imithetho engekho Zibhalweni?

²⁰ UbuProtestanti, obabuzama ukuhlaziya iimfundiso zobuKatolika ezingekho Zibhalweni, bakhawuleza banobuchule ekwenzeni imithetho enzima engasekelwanga kumthetho kaKristu. Ngokomzekelo, inkokeli yohlaziyo uJohn Calvin yayibizwa ngokuba “ngumniki-mthetho weCawa ehlaziyiweyo.” Wamisela imithetho emininzi enzima eGeneva neyayinyanzeliswa ‘ngaBadala,’ awathi uCalvin benza “umsebenzi” “wokongamela ubomi bomntu ngamnye.” (Thelekisa eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 1:24.) Icawa yayilawula izindlu zeendwendwe yaye imisela izinto ekwakuvumelekile ukuncokola ngazo. Wayesohlwaywa ngokuqatha umntu owenze isono esinjengokucula iingoma ezingenasidima okanye ukungqungqa.b

Ukufunda Kwiimpazamo ZeNgqobhoko

21. Uye waba yintoni umphumo wotyekelo lweNgqobhoko ‘lokuya ngaphaya kwezinto ezibhaliweyo’?

²¹ Ngaba le mithetho iye yayikhusela iNgqobhoko ekonakaleni? Akunjalo konke konke! Namhlanje iNgqobhoko iqhekeke yangamahlelo amaninzi, asusela kwangqongqo gqitha kuse kwangoovula-zibhuqe. Ngandlel’ ithile, onke aye ‘aya ngaphaya kwezinto ezibhaliweyo,’ evumela iingcinga zabantu zilawule umhlambi yaye ziphazamisane nomthetho wobuthixo.—1 Korinte 4:6.

22. Kutheni ukonakala kweNgqobhoko kungathethi ukuphela komthetho kaKristu?

²² Noko ke, imbali yomthetho kaKristu ayiphelelanga apho. UYehova uThixo akasayi kuze avumele abantu babhangise umthetho wobuthixo. Umthetho olawula amaKristu usebenza ngamandla namhlanje phakathi kwamaKristu okwenyaniso, yaye anelungelo elikhulu lokuphila ngawo. Kodwa emva kokuhlolisisa oko kwenziwe bubuYuda nayiNgqobhoko kumthetho wobuthixo, sisenokuzibuza oku, ‘Sinokuphila njani ngomthetho kaKristu yaye siphephe umgibe wokungcolisa iLizwi likaThixo ngeengcamango nemithetho yabantu eyisingela phantsi intsingiselo yomthetho wobuthixo? Yiyiphi imbono elungeleleneyo esifanele siyifunde kumthetho kaKristu namhlanje?’ Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuyiphendula le mibuzo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

◻Yintoni eyona njongo yomthetho kaKristu?

◻Indlela kaYesu yokufundisa yayahluke njani kweyabaFarisi?

◻USathana wawusebenzisa njani umoya wokwenza imithetho enzima ukonakalisa iNgqobhoko?

◻Ziziphi ezinye zeengenelo zokuphila ngokuvisisana nomthetho kaKristu?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

UYesu wawusebenzisa ngovelwano nangenceba uMthetho kaMoses