‘Xa Unyanzelelwa Ukuba Wenze Inkonzo’

“HEYI wena! Yeka yonke loo nto uyenzayo, uze apha undiphakamisele le ngxowa.” Ucinga ukuba ebeya kuthini umYuda oxakekileyo kwinkulungwane yokuqala xa ijoni elingumRoma lalithetha naye ngolu hlobo? KwiNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni, uYesu wathi: “Ukuba uthile onegunya ukunyanzela ukuba wenze inkonzo yemayile enye, hamba naye iimayile zibe mbini.” (Mateyu 5:41) Abantu ababephulaphule uYesu basiqonda njani esi siluleko? Yaye oku kuthetha ntoni kuthi namhlanje?

Ukuze sifumane iimpendulo, sifanele sazi ngenkonzo esisinyanzelo kumaxesha amandulo. Inkonzo enjalo yayiqhelekile kubantu abahlala kwaSirayeli ngexesha likaYesu.

Inkonzo Esisinyanzelo

Kubonakala ukuba inkonzo yesinyanzelo yaqala kwangenkulungwane ye-18 B.C.E. kuMbindi Mpuma. Amaxwebhu asemthethweni esixeko samandulo saseSiriya, iAlalakh ayethetha ngamaqela abantu awayebizelwa emkhosini ngurhulumente ukuze enze umsebenzi othile. EUgarit, kunxweme lwaseSiriya, abaqashi beefama babesenza imisebenzi efanayo ngaphandle kokuba banikwa imvume ngukumkani ukuba bangawenzi umsebenzi onjalo.

Kakade ke, abantu aboyisiweyo babedla ngokunyanzelwa ukuba benze umsebenzi othile. Abaphathi abangamaYiputa babenyanzela amaSirayeli ukuba asebenze nzima enze izitena. Kamva, amaSirayeli anyanzela abemi abangamaKanan beLizwe Lesithembiso ukuba benze umsebenzi onzima, yaye uDavide noSolomon nabo benza okufanayo.—Eksodus 1:13, 14; 2 Samuweli 12:31; 1 Kumkani 9:20, 21.

Xa amaSirayeli ayefuna ukumkani, uSamuweli wachaza oko ukumkani wayenelungelo lokufuna ukuba bakwenze. Wayeza kuthabatha abo wayebalawula abenze abaqhubi beenqwelo zokulwa nabakhweli-mahashe, balime baze bavune, benze izixhobo nezinye izinto. (1 Samuweli 8:4-17) Noko ke, ebudeni bokwakhiwa kwetempile kaYehova, ngoxa abantu bezinye iintlanga babesenziswa imisebenzi yesinyanzelo, ‘kwakungekho namnye koonyana bakaSirayeli uSolomon awamenza ikhoboka; kuba babengamadoda okulwa nabakhonzi bakhe neenkosana zakhe nabaphathi-mkhosi bakhe neentloko zabaqhubi beenqwelo zakhe nabakhweli-mahashe bakhe.’—1 Kumkani 9:22.

Njengoko amaSirayeli ayesenza imisebenzi yokwakha, eyoku-1 yooKumkani 5:13, 14 ithi: “UKumkani uSolomon waqhubeka evelisa abo babhaliselwe ukusebenza ngokuqhutywa ngebhaxa kuye wonke uSirayeli; yaye abo babhaliselwe ukusebenza ngokuqhutywa ngebhaxa baba ngamadoda angamashumi amathathu amawaka. Kwaye wayebathumela eLebhanon ngamaqela eshumi lamawaka ngenyanga. Babeqhubeka beseLebhanon inyanga, iinyanga ezimbini babe sekhaya.” Omnye umphengululi uthi: “Alithandabuzeki elokuba, ookumkani bakwaSirayeli nabakwaYuda babenyanzela abantu ukuba benze imisebenzi ukuze bangahlawuli mntu ngomsebenzi wokwakha nomsebenzi owenziwa kwimihlaba kakumkani.”

Lo yayingumthwalo onzima ngexesha lokulawula kukaSolomon. Wawucinezela kakhulu kangangokuba xa uRehobhoham wagrogrisa abantu ukuba uza kuwandisa lo mthwalo, onke amaSirayeli avukela aze alixuluba ngamatye igosa elaliphethe abantu abenza inkonzo yesinyanzelo. (1 Kumkani 12:12-18) Noko ke le nkqubo ayizange ipheliswe. Umzukulwana kaRehobhoham, uAsa wathi abantu bakwaYuda mabakhe isixeko iGebha neMizpa, yaye “kwakungekho namnye ukhululekileyo.”—1 Kumkani 15:22.

Phantsi Kolawulo LwamaRoma

INtshumayelo yaseNtabeni ibonisa ukuba amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ayesazi ukuba ayesenokuba ‘kwinkonzo yesinyanzelo.’ Eli binzana liguqulela igama lesiGrike elithi ag·ga·reuʹo, elalibhekisela kumsebenzi wabathunywa abangamaPersi. Babenegunya lokunyanzela amadoda, basebenzise amahashe, iinqanawa okanye nantoni na efunekayo ukuze benze oko kwakufunwa ngabantu.

Ngexesha likaYesu uSirayeli wayelawulwa ngamaRoma, yaye ayesenza izinto ngendlela efanayo. Kumaphondo aseMpuma, ukongezelela kwirhafu eqhelekileyo, kwakunyanzelekile ukuba abantu benze umsebenzi ngokuthe rhoqo okanye kwiimeko ezingaqhelekanga. Imisebenzi enjalo yayingathandwa. Ngaphezu koko, kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo ukubanjwa kwezilwanyana, abaqhubi okanye iinqwelana ukuze kubekho izithuthi zikaRhulumente. Umbhali-mbali uMichael Rostovtzeff, uthi abalawuli “babezama ukusebenzisa [le nkqubo], kodwa bengaphumeleli, kuba lo gama le nkqubo yayisaqhubeka, yayinemiphumo emibi. Abaphathi babehlala beyalela abantu ngoko bafanele bakwenze, nangona babezama ngokunyanisekileyo ukuphelisa ukulawulwa kwabantu ngenkohlakalo nengcinezelo yale nkqubo . . . Kodwa le nkqubo yayiqhubeka icinezela.”

Omnye umphengululi ongumGrike uthi: “Nabani na wayenokunyanzelwa ukuba athwale umthwalo womkhosi kangangomgama othile, yaye nabani na wayenokunyanzelwa ukuba enze nayiphi na inkonzo amaRoma awayemthuma yona.” Oko kwenzeka kuSimon waseKirene, xa amajoni angamaRoma “amkhonzisa ngokumnyanzela” ukuba aphakamise isibonda sikaYesu sentuthumbo.—Mateyu 27:32.

Neengxelo zooRabhi nazo zithetha ngale nkqubo ingathandekiyo. Ngokomzekelo, omnye urabhi kwafuneka ase imimirtile kwibhotwe likakumkani. Kwakunokuthatyathwa abasebenzi kubaqeshi baze banikwe omnye umsebenzi, ngoxa abaqeshi kwakusafuneka babahlawule umvuzo wabo. Izilwanyana ezithutha imithwalo okanye iinkomo zazinokohluthwa nje. Ukuba ziye zabuyiselwa, zazibuya zingekho kwimeko yakusebenza kwakhona. Unokubona isizathu sokuba abantu bazi ukuba xa zithatyathiwe izilwanyana zabo kuphelile ngazo. Ngaloo ndlela, iqhalo lesiYuda lithi: “Iangareia ifana nokufa.” Omnye umbhali-mbali uthi: “Idolophana yayinokonakaliswa ngokuthatyathwa kweenkomo ezisetyenziselwa ukulima zisiwe kwiangareia kunokuba kuthatyathwe izilwanyana ezithutha izinto.”

Unokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wendlela eyayingathandeki ngayo le nkqubo, ingakumbi ekubeni yayisenziwa ngenxa yekratshi nokungekho sikweni. Ngenxa yentiyo awayenayo ngabalawuli beeNtlanga ababephethe, amaYuda ayekuthiyile ukuthotyw’ isidima ngokunyanzelwa ekubeni enze umsebenzi oxhwalekisa ngolo hlobo. Akukho mthetho ukhoyo ngoku osixelela ngendlela ummi ngamnye anokunyanzelwa ukuba enze umsebenzi onjalo. Kuyabonakala ukuba abaninzi babengakulungelanga ukuba bawenze loo msebenzi ngaphezu kokuba kwakufunwa ngumthetho.

Sekunjalo, uYesu wayethetha ngale nkqubo xa wathi: “Ukuba uthile onegunya ukunyanzela ukuba wenze inkonzo yemayile enye, hamba naye iimayile zibe mbini.” (Mateyu 5:41) Xa besiva oko, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye bebemgqala njengongenalwazelelelo. Kanye kanye wayethetha ukuthini?

Oko AmaKristu Afanele Akwenze

UYesu wayexelela abo babemphulaphule ukuba xa umntu osegunyeni ebathuma ukuba benze umsebenzi othile ofanele wenziwe, bafanele bawenze ngokusuk’ entliziyweni bengakrikrizi. Ngaloo ndlela babefanele babuyisele “izinto zikaKesare kuKesare” kodwa bengayigatyi imbopheleleko yabo yokubuyisela “izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.”—Marko 12:17.a

Ngaphezu koko, umpostile uPawulos wabongoza amaKristu esithi: “Yonke imiphefumlo mayiwathobele amagunya awongamileyo, kuba akukho gunya libekho ngaphandle kukaThixo; amagunya akhoyo abekwe nguThixo kwizikhundla zawo ezilinganiselweyo. Ngoko ke lowo ulichasayo igunya unxamnye nelungiselelo likaThixo . . . Kodwa ukuba wenza okubi, yoyika: kuba aliliphathanga ngaphandle kwenjongo ikrele.”—Roma 13:1-4.

Ngoko ke uYesu noPawulos babesazi ukuba ukumkani okanye urhulumente unelungelo lokubohlwaya abo bangakwenziyo oko akufunayo. Wayenokubohlwaya njani? Isithandi sobulumko esingumGrike uEpictetus, owayephila ngenkulungwane yokuqala neyesibini kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo unikela le mpendulo: “Xa kuvela imeko ethile lize ijoni lithabathe iesile lakho elincinane, livumele lihambe. Musa ukwala, ukhalaze, kuba unokohlwaywa yaye usenokuphulukana nalo elo esile.”

Ukanti, kwiimeko ezithile, mandulo nanamhlanje, amaKristu aye avakalelwa kukuba isazela sawo asiwavumeli ukuba enze oko kufunwa ngurhulumente. Maxa wambi oku kuye kwanemiphumo emibi. Amanye amaKristu aye agwetyelwa ukufa. Amanye aye achitha iminyaka emininzi entolongweni kuba engavumi ukubandakanyeka koko akugqala njengomsebenzi oxhasa imfazwe. (Isaya 2:4; Yohane 17:16; 18:36) Kwezinye iimeko, amaKristu aye avakalelwa kukuba anokukwenza oko kuthiwa makakwenze. Ngokomzekelo, amanye amaKristu avakalelwa kukuba xa isazela sawo siwavumela anokwenza imisebenzi karhulumente, umsebenzi oluncedo kubantu basekuhlaleni. Oko kunokuthetha ukunceda abalupheleyo okanye abaneziphene, ukusebenza kwisebe lokucima umlilo, ukucoca unxweme, ukusebenza kwiipaki, kumahlathi okanye kwimizi yogcino-zincwadi nakwezinye iindawo.

Ngokuqhelekileyo, iimeko ziyahluka kumazwe ngamazwe. Ngoko ke, ukuze umKristu ngamnye agqibe enoba akwenze oko acelwa ukuba makakwenze okanye angakwenzi, ufanele athobele isazela sakhe esiqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile.

Ukuhamba Imayile Yesibini

Umgaqo uYesu awawufundisayo, wokuba ubani akulungele ukwenza oko kufunekayo ngokwasemthethweni, awusebenzi nje kuphela koko kufunwa ngurhulumente kodwa ukwasebenza nakubantu esinokuthanani nabo imihla ngemihla. Ngokomzekelo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba umntu othile onegunya kunawe ukucela ukuba wenze into ongathandiyo ukuyenza kodwa engangqubaniyo nomthetho kaThixo. Yintoni oza kuyenza? Unokuvakalelwa kukuba lo mntu ukudlel’ indlala, uchitha ixesha namandla akho, yaye usenokucaphuka. Lo nto inokubangela intiyo. Kwelinye icala, ukuba ukwenza oko ukrikriza, usenokungonwabi. Siyintoni isicombululo? Yenza njengoko uYesu watshoyo—hamba imayile yesibini. Ungenzi kuphela oko ucelwe ukuba ukwenze kodwa yenza okungaphezu koko. Kwenze ngokusuk’ entliziyweni. Kuba unesimo sengqondo esinjalo, awusayi kuziva udlelwe indlala, kuba uyakwazi ukulawula izenzo zakho.

Omnye umbhali uthi: “Abantu abaninzi kubomi babo bonke benza kuphela oko bafanele bakwenze. Kubo ubomi abuyolisi, yaye bahlala bediniwe. Abanye benza ngaphezu kokuba beyalelwe baze bazibhokoxe ekuncedeni abanye.” Eneneni, kwiimeko ezininzi abantu banokuhamba nje imayile enye—okanye zibe mbini xa benyanzelwa. Kwimeko yokuqala, umntu unokulilisela ngamalungelo akhe. Kwimeko yesibini, unokufumana uvuyo lokwenene. Wena ungumntu onjani? Unokonwaba nangakumbi uze ufeze okungakumbi ukuba imisebenzi yakho uyigqala, kungekhona imisebenzi nje okanye izinto ofanele uzenze, kodwa njengezinto ofuna ukuzenza.

Yaye kuthekani ukuba ungumntu onegunya? Kucacile ukuba oko akubonakalisi uthando yaye asibobuKristu ukusebenzisa igunya lakho ukuba unyanzele abanye benze into bengafuni. UYesu wathi: “Abalawuli beentlanga baba ziinkosi phezu kwazo yaye abo bazizikhulu basebenzisa igunya phezu kwazo.” Kodwa wona amaKristu akazenzi izinto ngaloo ndlela. (Mateyu 20:25, 26) Nangona umntu ongqongqo enokufeza okuthile, izinto bezinokuhamba kakuhle nangakumbi ukuba loo mntu ucela ngobubele nakakuhle baze abo bantu bakwenze oko abathuma kona ngentlonelo yaye bevuya. Ewe, ukukulungela ukuhamba iimayile ezimbini kunokuba uhambe enye kunokukwenza wonwabe ebomini.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 25]

INKONZO YESINYANZELO EYAYISETYENZISWA KAKUBI MANDULO

Isibakala sokuba inkonzo yesinyanzelo yayisenziwa kuba kuxhatshazwa abantu sinokubonwa kwindlela okwapheliswa ngayo oko kuxhaphaza. Ngowe-118 B.C.E., uPtolemy Euergetes II waseYiputa wathi amagosa akhe “akafanele anyanzele abantu bakwelo lizwe ukuba benze eminye imisebenzi esecaleni, okanye bacele (aggareuein) iinkomo zabo kwimisebenzi yabo.” Ukongezelela: “Akukho mntu ufanele acele . . . izikhephe aza kuzisebenzisela yena enoba kuphantsi kwaziphi na iimeko.” Kumbhalo okroliweyo wama-49 C.E., kwiTemple of the Great Oasis, eYiputa, umphathi ongumRoma uVergilius Capito wavuma ukuba amajoni ayecela into engekho mthethweni, waza wamisa umthetho othi “akakho umntu onokucela . . . nantoni na, ngaphandle kokuba ndimnike imvume ebhalwe phantsi.”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

USimon waseKirene wanyanzelelwa kumsebenzi othile

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

AmaNgqina amaninzi aye achitha ixesha elithile entolongweni ngenxa yokubambelela kwawo kwimigaqo yobuKristu