1-3. Kuyini okwenza ukufa kukaJesu kungafanani lokwaloba ngubani owake waphila?

 NGELINYE ilanga eminyakeni engu-2 000 eyadlulayo, enye indoda engelacala yathonisiswa yagwetshelwa amacala engawenzanga, yahlukuluzwa yaze yafa. Kwakungayisikho kokuqala ukuthi umuntu ahlulelwe ngendlela ebuhlungu kangako futhi okudanisayo yikuthi kwakungasoze kube ngokokucina. Kodwa ukufa lokho kwakungafanani lokwaloba ngubani.

² Okwenzakala ngamahora okucina okuhlupheka kwendoda leyo kwatshengisa ukuqakatheka kwesenzakalo leso. Lanxa kwakusemini, kwaba mnyama indawo yonke. ULukha wathi: “Ilanga lalingasakhanyisi.” (ULukha 23:44, 45) Isizakufa, indoda le yakhuluma amazwi angasoze akhohlakale athi: “Sengikwenzile konke.” Ukufa kwendoda leyo kwakuqakathekile kakhulu. Kwakuyisenzo esitshengisa uthando esingakaze senziwe yiloba ngubani.—UJohane 15:13; 19:30.

³ Indoda leyo kwakunguJesu Khristu. Abantu bonke bayalazi ilanga lelo elidanisayo elamhlaka 14 ngenyanga kaNisani 33 C.E., lapho ahlupheka khona futhi wafa. Kodwa kuleqiniso eliqakathekileyo abantu abanengi abangalinanzeleliyo. Lanxa uJesu wahlupheka kakhulu, kulomunye owahlupheka ukwedlula yena ngoba lowomuntu wenza umhlatshelo omkhulu kakhulu ngalelolanga. Wenza isenzo esitshengisa uthando olukhulu kakhulu. Yisenzo bani leso? Impendulo yombuzo lo yethula kuhle indaba eqakatheke ukwedlula zonke: Uthando lukaJehova.

4. Umkhokheli webutho lamaRoma wakubona njani ukuthi uJesu wayengasomuntu nje ofanana lathi njalo waphetha ngokuthini?

⁴ Umkhokheli webutho lamaRoma owayebona ngokubulawa kukaJesu wamangaliswa yibunyama obabakhona kanye lokuzamazama komhlaba okwenzakala uJesu esezakufa. Wathi: “UbeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu sibili.” (UMathewu 27:54) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJesu wayengasomuntu nje ofanana lathi. Isotsha lelo lalincedise ukubulala iNdodana kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke! Kodwa iNdodana le yayiligugu kangakanani kuYise?

5. INdodana yahlala loYise okweminyaka emingaki ingakabuyi emhlabeni?

⁵ IBhayibhili lithi uJesu ‘ulizibulo kukho konke okwadalwayo.’ (KwabaseKholose 1:15) INdodana kaJehova yayikhona kungakadalwa umhlaba lezinye izinto ezikhona. Kodwa-ke yahlala loYise okwesikhathi esinganani? Abanye abezesayensi bafanisela ukuthi konke okwadalwayo kungabe sekuleminyaka engamabhiliyoni angu-13 ubudala. Akucabange ukuthi yisikhathi eside kanganani leso. Lanxa ukufanisela lokhu kuqondile, isikhathi sonke leso kasingeke silingane leminyaka eyaphilwa yiNdodana kaJehova! Yayisenzani okweminyaka yonke leyo?

6. (a) INdodana kaJehova yayisenzani ingakabuyi emhlabeni? (b) UJehova leNdodana yakhe bathandana okunganani?

⁶ INdodana yayithokoza ngokuba ‘yisisebenzi esiyingcitshi’ eceleni kukaYise. (IZaga 8:30) IBhayibhili lithi: “Zonke izinto zaba khona ngaye futhi akukho ngitsho lokukodwa okukhona okungazange kwenziwe ngaye.” (UJohane 1:3) Ngakho uJehova leNdodana yakhe basebenza ndawonye bedala zonke ezinye izinto. Baba lesikhathi esihle futhi esithokozisayo bebonke! Kujayelekile ukuthi umzali lomntanakhe bathandane ngendlela emangalisayo. Lokhu kwenziwa yikuthi uthando ‘lumanyanisa ngokupheleleyo.’ (KwabaseKholose 3:14) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova loJesu bayathandana  kakhulu lokuthi bamanyene ngoba balesikhathi eside bendawonye.

7. UJehova wathini ngesikhathi uJesu ebhabhathizwa?

⁷ Ngokuya kwesikhathi uJehova wathuma iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni wasesenza isimanga sokuthi izalwe ibe ngumuntu wenyama. Ukwenza njalo kwakusitsho ukuthi kuzaba lesikhathi lapho uJehova leNdodana yakhe ababengasoze babe bonke ezulwini. Wayeyibona ekhonale ezulwini iNdodana yakhe ikhula yaze yaba yindoda epheleleyo. UJesu wathi eseleminyaka engaba ngu-30 wabhabhathizwa. Akulasidingo sokuthi size sicabangele ukuthi uJehova wayesizwa njani ngeNdodana yakhe ayithandayo ngoba wathi: “Le yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo futhi engiyamukelayo.” (UMathewu 3:17) Kumele ukuthi uJehova wathokoza kakhulu ebona uJesu ehlala ethembekile njalo esenza konke okwakuphrofethiwe ngaye!—UJohane 5:36; 17:4.

8, 9. (a) Kuyini okwenzakala kuJesu ngoNisani 14, 33 C.E., futhi uJehova wezwa njani ngakho? (b) Kungani uJehova wavuma ukuthi iNdodana yakhe ihlupheke futhi ife?

⁸ Kodwa uJehova wezwa njani ngoNisani 14, 33 C.E.? Wezwa njani lapho uJesu ethengiswa futhi ebotshwa lixuku labantu ebusuku? Wezwa njani lapho uJesu etshiywa ngabangane bakhe futhi ethonisiswa ngokungekho emthethweni? Wezwa njani lapho uJesu ehlekwa, ekhafulelwa njalo etshaywa ngenqindi? Wezwa njani lapho uJesu ebhaxabulwa emhlane? UJehova wezwa njani ngesikhathi iNdodana yakhe ibethelwa izandla lenyawo esigodweni njalo itshiywa ilenga ngapha abantu beyithethisa? Wezwa njani lapho iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo ikhala kuye iphakathi kobuhlungu obukhulu? Wezwa njani lapho eyibona iphela futhi kungokokuqala ukuthi ingabi khona selokhu kwadalwa izinto zonke?—UMathewu 26:14-16, 46, 47, 56, 59, 67; 27:38-44, 46; UJohane 19:1.

⁹ Asingeke siwathole amazwi okuchaza ubuhlungu uJehova abuzwayo ngesikhathi ebona iNdodana yakhe isifa. Esingenelisa ukukuchaza yisizatho esenza uJehova wavuma ukuthi  iNdodana yakhe ife. Kungani vele wazimisela ukuthi azwe ubuhlungu obungako? UJehova uyasitshela impendulo yombuzo lo kuJohane 3:16 othi: “UNkulunkulu wawuthanda kakhulu umhlaba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu otshengisa ukuthi uyakholwa kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe lokuphila okungapheliyo.” UJehova wathuma iNdodana yakhe ngoba ulothando. Khonalokho akwenzayo kwaba yisipho esikhulu esitshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda.

10. Abantu balasiphi isidingo futhi kwenzakaleni kulokho okutshiwo libala elithi “uthando”?

¹⁰ Litshoni ibala leli elithi “uthando”? Abantu abanengi bathi uthando yinto esingeke siphile singelayo. Kusukela bezalwa baze bayekufa, abantu bayakufuna ukuthandwa futhi abanye baze bafe lokufa kubangelwa yikungathandwa. Kodwa akulula ukuluchasisa uthando. Abantu balengcazelo ezinengi zothando ngoba kulamabhuku lezingoma kanye lenkondlo ezinengi ezikhuluma ngothando. Kodwa akula okuluchasisa kuhle uthando. Ibala leli lisetshenziswa kakhulu okokuthi sekunzima ukutsho ukuthi litshoni sibisibili.

11, 12. (a) Kungaphi lapho esingafunda khona okunengi ngothando futhi kungani? (b) Yiwaphi amabala amane asinceda sizwisise ukuthi uthando kuyini njalo phakathi kwawo yiliphi elisetshenziswa kakhulu eMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.) (c) Kuyini i-a·gaʹpe?

¹¹ IBhayibhili lifundisa ngokucacileyo ukuthi uthando luyini. Isichazamazwi okuthiwa yi-Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words sithi: “Umuntu olothando ukhanya ngezenzo.” Okutshiwo liBhayibhili mayelana lezenzo zikaJehova kusitshengisa ukuthi uyazithanda kakhulu izidalwa zakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, khona nje ukuthi uJehova wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe kutshengisa ukuthi ulothando olumangalisayo. Ezahlukweni ezilandelayo, sizabona ezinye izibonelo zendlela uJehova atshengisa ngazo uthando. Ukuhlolisisa amabala amane esiGrikhi ayesetshenziswa kudala kwenza silizwisise  ngcono ibala elithi “uthando.” a Elinye lamabala la elandise ukusetshenziswa eMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi ngelithi a·gaʹpe. Esinye isichazamazwi seBhayibhili sithi ibala leli “liluchasisa kuhle kakhulu uthando.” Kungani?

¹² I-a·gaʹpe luthando oluqondiswa yizimiso. Alusomuzwa nje obakhona ngenxa yento eyenziwe ngomunye umuntu kumbe ayikhulumileyo. Uthando lolo lubanzi, lwenza umuntu abe lendaba labanye futhi abenzele okuhle elenhloso ezinhle. Okunye okuhle yikuthi i-a·gaʹpe kayizifuneli okwayo. Ngokwesibonelo, khangela futhi kuJohane 3:16. Kutshiwo bani nxa kuthiwa uNkulunkulu wawuthanda kakhulu “umhlaba” waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa? Kutshiwo bonke abantu abalesono abangancedwa ngumhlatshelo kaJesu. Lanxa uJehova elomusa kubo bonke abantu, abathanda kakhulu yilabo abazama ngamandla wonke ukuphila ngendlela emthokozisayo. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Abrahama owayethembekile waba ngumngane kaJehova. (UJakhobe 2:23) UJehova ufuna labo abangaphili ngezimiso zakhe baphenduke njalo batshintshe izindlela zabo. (2 UPhetro 3:9) Okuhle yikuthi abanengi bayakwenza lokhu. Abanjalo uyabemukela ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe.

13, 14. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi i-a·gaʹpe itsho uthando olusuka enhliziyweni?

¹³ Abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi i-a·gaʹpe itsho uthando olungelandaba labantu futhi olungaqakathekanga. Iqiniso yikuthi i-a·gaʹpe itsho ukuthanda omunye umuntu ngenhliziyo yonke. Ngokwesibonelo, uJohane wasebenzisa ibala elithi a·gaʹpe ngesikhathi ebhala ukuthi, “uBaba uyayithanda  iNdodana.” (UJohane 3:35) KuJohane 5:20 wasebenzisa ibala elithi phi·leʹo ngesikhathi ebhala amazwi akhulunywa nguJesu athi, “uBaba uyayithanda kakhulu iNdodana.” Uthando lukaJehova lugoqela ukuba lendaba labanye. Kodwa uthando lwakhe aluqondiswa yimizwa nje kuphela. Luhlala luqondiswa yizimiso kanye lokwahlulela kwakhe okutshengisa inhlakanipho yakhe.

¹⁴ Njengoba sibonile, zonke impawu zikaJehova zenza sifise ukusondela kuye sibe ngabangane bakhe. Kodwa uthando lona lukhanga ukwedlula zonke impawu zakhe. Kuyathokozisa ukuthi uthando luqakatheke ukwedlula zonke izimpawu. Kuyini okwenza sitsho njalo?

15. IBhayibhili lithini ngophawu lukaJehova lothando njalo kungani lokhu kumangalisa? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

¹⁵ IBhayibhili lilokunye elikutshoyo ngothando elingakutshoyo ngezinye izimpawu zobuntu bukaJehova. IMibhalo kayitsho ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungamandla kumbe ukuthi uyikwahlulela okuhle loba ukuthi uyinhlakanipho. Ulazo izimpawu lezo, ungumthombo wazo njalo ngeke waqathaniswa laloba ngubani ekutshengiseni impawu lezo. Kodwa nxa iBhayibhili selikhuluma ngophawu lwakhe lwesine lithi: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” b (1 UJohane 4:8) Kutshoni lokhu?

16-18. (a) Kungani iBhayibhili lisithi “uNkulunkulu uluthando”? (b) Kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni, kungani kuqondile ukuthi kube ngumuntu omela uphawu lukaJehova lothando?

¹⁶ Umutsho othi “uNkulunkulu uluthando” awutsho ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulingana lothando. Kasingeke siwuphendulele  umutsho lo sithi “uthando nguNkulunkulu” ngoba uJehova ngeke alinganiswe lophawu lolo. Ulothando futhi ulemizwa etshiyeneyo kanye lempawu ezitshiyeneyo. Lanxa kunjalo, uthando lujulile kuJehova. Elinye ibhuku lithi ngokuphathelane levesi le: “Uthando yibunguye bukaNkulunkulu kumbe imvelo yakhe.” Singakucabanga ngalindlela: Amandla kaJehova amenza enelise ukwenza okuthile. Ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle kanye lenhlakanipho yakhe kuqondisa indlela enza ngayo. Kodwa uthando lukaJehova yilo olumfuqa ukuthi enze okuthile. Okunye yikuthi uthando lwakhe luhlezi lukhona lapho esebenzisa ezinye izimpawu zakhe.

¹⁷ UJehova uyisibonelo esihle sibili endabeni yokutshengisa uthando. Ngakho nxa sifuna ukufunda ngothando olulezimiso, kumele sifunde ngoJehova. Abantu labo balalo uphawu lolu oluhle. Kodwa kungani belalo? Ngesikhathi edala izinto, uJehova watshela iNdodana yakhe wathi: “Asenze umuntu ngomfanekiso wethu, afanane lathi.” (UGenesisi 1:26) Kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni, umuntu nguye kuphela owenelisa ukuthanda futhi nxa ekwenza lokhu uyabe elingisela uYise osezulwini. Khumbula ukuthi uJehova wasebenzisa izidalwa ezitshiyeneyo ukuthi zimele izimpawu zakhe eziqakatheke ukwedlula zonke. Lanxa kunjalo, uJehova wakhetha ukuthi umuntu kube nguye omela uthando, uphawu lwakhe oluqakatheke kakhulu.—UHezekheli 1:10.

¹⁸ Nxa singathanda ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi kasizifuneli okwethu siyabe sitshengisa uphawu lukaJehova oluqakatheke ukwedlula zonke. Kunjengoba nje umphostoli uJohane watsho ukuthi: “Siyathanda ngoba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (1 UJohane 4:19) Kodwa uJehova wasithanda kuqala ngaziphi izindlela?

19. Kungani sisithi uthando yilo olwenza uJehova wadala zonke izinto?

¹⁹ Uthando kalulutsha. Phela yilo olwenza uJehova wadala izinto. Ayisikho ukuthi wayelesizungu edinga okungamlibazisa. Kanti njalo akulalutho uJehova aluswelayo umuntu  angamnika lona. Kodwa uthando lwakhe olukhanya ngezenzo yilo olwamenza wadala izingilosi labantu ukuze athokoze ndawonye labo. Waqala ngokudala iNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa yasisiba ‘yisiqalo sezinto zonke ezadalwa nguNkulunkulu.’ (ISambulo 3:14) Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wasebenzisa iNdodana yakhe ukuthi adale zonke ezinye izinto, eqalisa ngezingilosi. (UJobe 38:4, 7; KwabaseKholose 1:16) Izidalwa lezi ezilamandla zikhaliphile, zilenkululeko njalo zilemizwa. Ziyenelisa lokuthandana kanye lokuthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 3:17) Ngakho izingilosi ziyenelisa ukuthanda ngenxa yokuthi zathandwa kuqala.

20, 21. U-Adamu lo-Eva babelabuphi ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda, kodwa bona benzani ngakho?

²⁰ Kwaba yinto efananayo lasebantwini. UJehova wayebathanda kakhulu abantu kusukela ekuqaliseni. Ngokwesibonelo loba ngaphi u-Adamu lo-Eva ababekhangela khona ensimini ye-Edeni ababefakwe kuyo, babezibonela ngawabo ukuthi uYise uyabathanda. IBhayibhili lithi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wenza insimu e-Edeni ngasempumalanga, wasembeka khonapho umuntu ayembumbile.” (UGenesisi 2:8) Wake waba sesivandeni esihle kumbe ephakhi enhle kakhulu yini? Kuyini okwakuthokozisa kakhulu? Yikubona ilanga lithutsha emahlamvini ezihlahla eziminyeneyo yini? Yibuhle bamaluba alemibala etshiyeneyo yini? Ngumsindo wezinyoni ezazihlabelela kamnandi kumbe ngumsindo wokuhuba kwamanzi esifudlana? Ukunukelela kwamaluba ke? Akulaphakhi ekhona lamuhla esingayifanisa lensimu yase-Edeni.

²¹ Phela insimu leyo yayihlanyelwe nguJehova ngokwakhe! Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi yayinhle okwamagama. Kwakulezihlahla zonke ezinhle lezithela izithelo ezimnandi kakhulu. Isivande leso sasithola amanzi eneleyo, sisikhulu njalo silemihlobohlobo yezinyamazana ezinhle. U-Adamu lo-Eva babelakho konke okwakungenza ukuphila kwabo kuthokozise njalo kube ngokupheleleyo, okugoqela lomsebenzi osuthisayo kanye lobudlelwano obuhle. UJehova wabathanda kuqala, ngakho babe lezizatho eziqinileyo zokutshengisa ukuthi bayamthanda. Kodwa behluleka ukwenza njalo. Kulokuthi bamlalele  ngoba bemthanda uYise wasezulwini, bahlamuka kuye ngenxa yobugovu.—UGenesisi isahluko 2.

22. UJehova wenzani ngokuhlamuka kuka-Adamu lo-Eva okwatshengisa ukuthi uthando lwakhe luqotho?

²² Kumele ukuthi lokho kwamzwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu uJehova. Kodwa ukuhlamuka lokho kwabangela ukuthi uJehova angasabathandi yini abantu? Hatshi ngoba “uthando lwakhe oluqotho luhlala kuze kube nini lanini.” (IHubo 136:1) Ngakho ngenxa yokuthi uyabathanda abantu, wahle walungiselela ukukhulula loba yibaphi abantwana baka-Adamu lo-Eva ababelenhliziyo eziqotho. Njengoba sibonile, amalungiselelo la ayegoqela umhlatshelo weNdodana yakhe owenza uJehova walahlekelwa kakhulu.—1 UJohane 4:10.

23. Yisiphi esinye isizatho esenza uJehova abe ‘nguNkulunkulu othokozayo’ njalo yiwuphi umbuzo oqakathekileyo ozaphendulwa esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²³ Bekulokhu kunguJehova oqalisayo ukutshengisa uthando ebantwini kusukela ekuqaliseni. “Yena wasithanda kuqala” ngezindlela ezinengi. Uthando lukhuthaza ukumanyana lentokozo, yikho kungamangalisi ukuthi uJehova uchazwa ‘njengoNkulunkulu othokozayo.’ (1 KuThimothi 1:11) Kodwa lokhu kwenza kube lombuzo oqakathekileyo othi, ‘UJehova uthanda ngamunye wethu yini?’ Umbuzo lo sizaxoxa ngawo esahlukweni esilandelayo.