1, 2. Chaza ukuthi uhambo lukaMariya lwalunjani njalo uchasise lokuthi kuyini okwakungabe kusenza ukuthi lube nzima.

UMARIYA watshedatsheda ezama ukuthi ahlale kuhle. Basebehambe okwesikhathi eside ephezu kukababhemi. UJosefa yena wayekhokhela ehamba kancane kancane, belubangise eBhethilehema eyayingalapha. UMariya wayeluzwa usana lwakhe lukhabakhaba esiswini.

² IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sokubeletha sasesizafika. (Luk. 2:5, 6) Babehamba bedlula amasimu ayelabantu ababelima. Kumele ukuthi abanye babo babebathapha ngamehlo bezibuza ukuthi kungani owesifazana lo esemangweni yena ekhanya esezabeletha. Kanti kwakutheni uMariya aze asuke emzini wakhe eNazaretha ehamba umango ongaka?

3. UMariya wayetshelwe ukuthi wayezakwenzani, njalo sizafundani ngaye?

³ Owesifazana lo ongumJuda wayephiwe umsebenzi owawungakaze uphiwe loba ngubani phansi kwelanga. Kwasekudlule izinyanga etshelwe ukuthi wayezabeletha umntwana owayezakuba nguMesiya, yona kanye iNdodana kaNkulunkulu! (Luk. 1:35) Lanxa izinsuku zakhe zokubeletha zasezizafika, kwasekumele bangene indlela baye eBhethilehema. Kodwa kulobunzima ayezahlangana labo obabungaxegisa ukholo lwakhe. Pho kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi ahlale elokholo oluqinileyo? Ake sibone.

4, 5. (a) Kungani uJosefa loMariya babesiya eBhethilehema? (b) Isimemezelo sikaKhesari senza ukuthi kugcwaliseke siphi isiphrofetho?

⁴ UJosefa loMariya kwakungayisibo bodwa ababesemangweni. Phela uKhesari Agastu wayekhuphe isimemezelo sokuthi kube lokubalwa kwabantu bonke. Yikho-ke kwakumele babuyele emadolobheni akibo ukuze bayebhalisa. UJosefa wenzani esezwe isimemezelo lesi? IBhayibhili lithi: “Kwathi-ke uJosefa laye wahamba esuka edolobheni leNazaretha eseGalile waya eJudiya, eBhethilehema idolobho likaDavida, ngokuba waye ngowendlu losendo lukaDavida.”—Luk. 2:1-4.

⁵ Akuzange kuphonguzenzakalela nje ukuthi uKhesari athi kubalwe abantu ngalesosikhathi. Phela kwasekudlule iminyaka engu-700 kuphrofethwe ukuthi uMesiya wayezazalelwa eBhethilehema.  Kwakuthatha amakhilomitha angu-11 kuphela ukusuka eNazaretha usiya edolobheni okwakuthiwa yiBhethilehema. Kodwa isiphrofetho sasicacisile ukuthi uMesiya wayezazalelwa ‘eBhethilehema Efratha.’ (Bala uMikha 5:2.) Nxa umuntu wayesuka eNazaretha esiya eBhethilehema Efratha wayehamba amakhilomitha angaba yi-130, edabula eSamariya endaweni eyayilamaqaqa. Lo kwakungumuzi wabokhokho beNkosi uDavida njalo uJosefa loMariya babeyizizukulwana zabo. Yikho lapho okwakumele baye khona.

6, 7. (a) Kuyini okwakungabe kusenza ukuthi uhambo lokuya eBhethilehema lube nzima kuMariya? (b) UMariya wayesezenza njani izinqumo esengumkaJosefa? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

⁶ UMariya wavumelana laye yini uJosefa esekhethe ukuthi baye eBhethilehema? Phela umango lo wawuzamthwalisa nzima. Kwakungafefeza loba nini ngoba ubusika basebuphela, sekuqalisa intwasa. Kanti njalo iBhethilehema yayisendaweni ethe ukuphakama ngamamitha adlula i-760. Kwakungumango othatha amalanga, utshiya umuntu ekhathele engazazi. Mhlawumbe uJosefa loMariya bona wawuzabathatha isikhathi eside ngoba kwakungadingeka ukuthi uMariya ahambe ephumuphumula njengoba wayezithwele. Ngezikhathi ezinje, abesifazana abanengi bangafisa ukuzihlalela ngekhaya lezimuli zabo kanye labangane ukuze babasize nxa sebeqalisa ukuhelelwa. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi uMariya kwakumele abe lesibindi ukuze ahambe umango wonke lo.

⁷ Pho wenzani? ULukha waloba ukuthi uJosefa wahamba “ukuyabhalisa  eloMariya.” (Luk. 2:4, 5) UMariya wayengasazenzeli umathanda ngenxa yokuthi wayesengumkaJosefa. Wayebona umkakhe uJosefa eyinhloko yakhe njalo wawamukela umsebenzi ayewuphiwe nguNkulunkulu wokuba ngumsizi wakhe, emsekela lapho esenza izinqumo. * Yikho-ke lanxa kwakungakhanya kunzima ukuthi ahambe loJosefa, waba lokholo walalela.

8. (a) Kuyini okunye okungabe kwenza ukuthi uMariya ahambe loJosefa eBhethilehema? (b) Kungani kusikhuthaza kakhulu okwenziwa nguMariya?

⁸ Kuyini okunye okungabe kwenza ukuthi uMariya alalele? Wayesazi yini isiphrofetho sokuthi uMesiya wayezazalelwa eBhethilehema? IBhayibhili alisitsheli. Kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi wayesazi isiphrofetho lesi ngoba kukhanya angathi abakhokheli benkolo kanye labanye abantu nje babesazi. (Mat. 2:1-7; Joh. 7:40-42) Phela uMariya wayeyazi kuhle iMibhalo. (Luk. 1:46-55) Ngakho-ke engabe wahamba eBhethilehema ngenxa yokuthi wayelalela umkakhe, kumbe elalela isiphrofetho sikaJehova loba elalela umlayo kaKhesari. Mhlawumbe wahamba ngenxa yezizatho zonke lezi. Kodwa okusalayo nanku: Akwenzayo kuyancomeka futhi kumele simlingisele. UJehova  uyawaqakathekisa kakhulu amadoda labesifazana abathobekileyo futhi abahlala belalela. Okwenziwa nguMariya kuyasikhuthaza kakhulu ngoba abanengi lamuhla bakubona kuyibuthutha ukuzithoba nxa izinto zinzima.

9, 10. (a) Kuyini okumele ukuthi kwakucatshangwa nguMariya loJosefa ngesikhathi besondela eBhethilehema? (b) Kuyini okwenza uJosefa loMariya bayelala esitebeleni?

⁹ Kumele ukuthi uMariya wehlisa iphika ebona nansiya iBhethilehema. Akumbone loJosefa wakhe bekhwela amaqaqa bedlula izivande zama-oliva okwakuyizilimo ezazicinela ukuvunwa. Engxenye ukubona idolobho leli elalilincane kwabakhumbuza imbali yalo. Kwakulidolobho elincinyane kakhulu nxa liqathaniswa lamanye amadolobho akoJuda, njengoba umphrofethi uMikha wayetshilo. Kodwa uBhowazi, uNawomi kanye loDavida babezalelwe khona eminyakeni ephezu kweyinkulungwane eyayisidlulile.

¹⁰ UMariya loJosefa bafica abantu bebanengi benyathelana izithende. Kabasayitholanga indawo yokulala efaneleyo ngoba indawo yezihambi yayisigcwaliswe ngabanye ababefike kuqala bezobhalisa. * Yikho-ke basuka bayalala esitebeleni. Akumcabange uJosefa eseswele lokuthi abambe ngaphi ebona umkakhe ejanquka, esizwa ubuhlungu ayengakaze abuzwe selokhu wazalwayo futhi bulokhu buphindezela. Kuyadanisa ukuthi uMariya wayesesitebeleni ngesikhathi ehelelwa.

11. (a) Kuyini okungenza ukuthi omama abanengi bakuzwisise okwakusenzakala kuMariya? (b) UJesu ‘wayelizibulo’ ngayiphi indlela?

¹¹ Omama abanengi bayakuzwisisa okwakusenzakala kuMariya. Eminyakeni engaba yi-4 000 eyadlulayo, uJehova wayetshilo ukuthi ngenxa yesono sika-Adamu, owesifazana wayezakuba lezinhlungu ngesikhathi ebeletha. (Gen. 3:16) ULukha kasitsheli ukuthi uMariya wezwa ubuhlungu yini ngesikhathi ebeletha, kodwa uphonguthi “wazibula ngendodana.” (Luk. 2:7) Lanxa kunjalo, kumele ukuthi uMariya laye wabuzwa ubuhlungu. Walibeletha-ke ‘izibulo’ lakhe elalandelwa ngabanye abantwabakhe ababeyisithupha kumbe ababesedlula lapho. (Mak. 6:3) Kodwa lona lalingasoze lifanane labanye. Lalingayisilo zibulo lakhe kuphela kodwa ‘lalilizibulo kukho konke okwadalwayo,’ iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa.—Kol. 1:15.

12. UMariya wayilalisa ngaphi indodana yakhe, futhi okutshiwo liBhayibhili kutshiyene njani lokutshengiswa emidlalweni lasemifanekisweni ephathelane lokuzalwa kwayo?

¹² UMariya wayithatha-ke indodana yakhe, “wayigoqela ngamalembu wayilalisa emkolweni wokudlela izifuyo.” (Luk. 2:7) Abanengi  bayayazi indaba le njalo kulemidlalo lemifanekiso eminengi ephathelane lokuzalwa kukaJesu enza kukhanye angani wazalelwa endaweni ebutofotofo. Kodwa lokhu kakusilo qiniso. Khumbula ukuthi uMariya walalisa indodana yakhe emkolweni wokudlela izifuyo. Babesesitebeleni njalo kumele ukuthi kwakunuka futhi kungcolile. Kambe bakhona abazali abangafuna ukuthi umntanabo azalelwe endaweni enjalo nxa kulendawo engcono? Lamuhla abazali abanengi benza ubungcono babo ukuze abantwababo babe lenhlalakahle. Ngakho-ke kumele ukuthi uJosefa loMariya benza okusemandleni abo njengoba bona babesondla iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.

13. (a) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uMariya loJosefa benza ubungcono babo lanxa babesebunzimeni? (b) Abazali abahlakaniphileyo bangamlingisela njani uJosefa kanye loMariya?

¹³ UMariya loJosefa kabazange bathwale imikhono ekhanda bekhala ngodubo lwabo. Benza okusemandleni abo besebenzisa lokho ababelakho. Ngokwesibonelo, uMariya walugoqela ngamalembu usana lwakhe, waselulalisa kuhle kuhle emkolweni, esiba leqiniso lokuthi kalungenwa ngumqando kanye lokuthi luvikelekile. Kazange adele ukunakekela umntanakhe ngenxa yokukhathazeka ngokuthi wayesebunzimeni. Yena loJosefa babekwazi ukuthi okwakuqakatheke kakhulu ababengakwenzela indodana yabo yikuyifundisa ukuthi ithande uJehova. (Bala uDutheronomi 6:6-8.) Lalamuhla abazali abahlakaniphileyo bayakwazi ukuthi okuqakatheke kakhulu yikufundisa abantwababo ukuthi bathande uJehova lanxa umhlaba lo ungelandaba laye.

14, 15. (a) Kungani abelusi babekufuna ngabomvu ukubona umntwana? (b) Abelusi benzani sebebone usana esitebeleni?

¹⁴ Ngesikhatshana nje kwasekuyisiphithiphithi endaweni le eyayithulisele. Abelusi bangena beminyana esitebeleni, bekufuna ngabomvu ukubona imuli le ikakhulu usana lolu olwaseluzelwe. Babethabe bemanzi te, kubhaliwe lasebusweni babo. Babebuye buthumuthumu bevela emlageni, ngale ngasemaqaqeni lapho ababelusele khona izifuyo zabo. * Abazali bakaJesu bathi besabambe owangaphansi, amadoda la abasusela isimanga ayesibonile. Abatshela ukuthi phakathi laphakathi kobusuku aphongubona ngengilosi thutshu! Kwaba lobukhazikhazi benkazimulo kaJehova, ingilosi le yabatshela ukuthi uKhristu kumbe uMesiya wayesanda kuzalwa eBhethilehema. Yabatshela lokuthi babezathola usana lulele esibayeni lugoqelwe ngamalembu. Kodwa akuphelelanga khonapho. Amadoda la aphinda  abatshela ukuthi kwaqhamuka ixuku lezingilosi lidumisa uNkulunkulu.—Luk. 2:8-14.

¹⁵ Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi kungani abelusi laba ababekhangelelwa phansi bafika ngesiphangiphangi eBhethilehema. Kumele ukuthi bathi bethola usana lulapho ingilosi eyayibatshele ukuthi bazaluthola khona, bamangala kakhulu. Izindaba lezi zazizinhle okokuthi babengeke bayekele ukuzitshela abanye. ‘Balandisa ilizwi. Kwathi bonke abalizwayo bamangaliswa yilokho abakuzwa ngabelusi.’ (Luk. 2:17, 18) Kukhanya angathi abakhokheli benkolo babebakhangelela phansi abelusi. Kodwa kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova wayewaqakathekisa kakhulu amadoda la ngoba ayethobekile futhi ethembekile. Lokho uMariya akuzwa ngabelusi laba kwamnceda ngani?

16. UMariya watshengisa njani ukuthi wayengowesifazana owayejula emcabangweni, njalo yiphi into eqakatheke kakhulu eyamenza waba lokholo oluqinileyo?

¹⁶ UMariya wathiya indlebe walalelisisa ababemtshela khona lanxa wayesesemdambiyana esanda kubeletha. Kodwa kulokunye akwenzayo. IBhayibhili lithi: “UMariya wazenza igugu zonke lezi izinto wazizikisa enhliziyweni yakhe.” (Luk. 2:19) Uyabona yini ukuthi owesifazana lo wayejula emcabangweni anakane ngezinto eziqakathekileyo? Wayekwazi ukuthi amazwi la ayevela engilosini ayeligugu. UJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe wayefuna akwazi njalo azwisise ukuthi yayingubani sibisibili indodana yakhe kanye lokuthi yayizakwenzani. Yikho uMariya engazange alalele nje kuphela. Amazwi awatshelwayo wawagcina enhliziyweni yakhe esenzela ukuthi ahlale enakana ngawo ezinyangeni kanye laseminyakeni eyayizalandela. Lokhu yikho okwamnceda kakhulu uMariya ukuthi abe lokholo oluqinileyo okwempilo yakhe yonke.—Bala uHebheru 11:1.

17. Singalilondoloza njani iqiniso eliligugu njengoMariya?

¹⁷ Wena uzamlingisela yini uMariya? UJehova wasinika iLizwi lakhe eliphethe iqiniso eliligugu. Kodwa nxa singalinaki iqiniso leli ngeke lisisize ngalutho. Kumele sihlale silibala iBhayibhili futhi silithathe njengeLizwi likaNkulunkulu elaphefumulelwayo, hatshi ibhuku nje. (2 Tim. 3:16) Nxa sesilibalile kumele sikugcine lokho esiyabe sikufundile, sikuzikise ezinhliziyweni zethu njengoMariya. Kanti njalo kufanele sinakane ngalokho esikutshelwa nguJehova eBhayibhilini futhi sicabangisise ngokuthi singakusebenzisa njani ekuphileni kwethu. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi siqhubeke siqinisa ukholo lwethu.

18. (a) UMariya loJosefa bawulalela njani uMthetho kaMosi ngesikhathi uJesu esezelwe? (b) Izinto uMariya loJosefa abanikela ngazo ethempelini zaveza ukuthi babemi njani endabeni zemali?

¹⁸ Umntwana wathi eselamalanga angu-8, uMariya loJosefa balandela okwakutshiwo eMthethweni kaMosi bamhambisa ukuthi ayesokwa, basebemnika ibizo elithi Jesu njengoba babetsheliwe. (Luk. 1:31) Wathi eselamalanga angu-40 basuka laye eBhethilehema bahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-10 bemusa ethempelini elaliseJerusalema. Bafika banikela ngamajuba amabili langezinkwilimba ezincane ezimbili ngoba uMthetho wawuvumela ukuthi abayanga banikele ngezinto lezo. Abanye abazali babesenelisa ukunikela ngenqama langejuba, kodwa uMariya loJosefa kabazange babe lenhloni zokunikela ngalokho ababelakho. Okwaba kuhle kakhulu yikuthi bakhuthazwa ngesikhathi besethempelini.—Luk. 2:21-24.

19. (a) UMariya wagcina waphi amazwi ayewatshelwe nguSimiyoni? (b) U-Ana wathini ebona uJesu?

¹⁹ Indoda eyayisiluphele okwakuthiwa nguSimiyoni yabalanda yasitshela uMariya amanye amazwi awagcina enhliziyweni yakhe. USimiyoni wayethenjiswe ukuthi engakafi wayezambona uMesiya futhi umoya ongcwele kaJehova wamtshengisa ukuthi umntakaMariya kwakunguye uMsindisi okwakuphrofethwe ukuthi wayezakuba khona. Waphinda watshela uMariya ukuthi ngelinye ilanga wayezakuzwa ubuhlungu, kube angathi ugwazwe ngenkemba. (Luk. 2:25-35) Ngemva  kweminyaka engu-33, amazwi la kumele ukuthi amnceda uMariya ukuthi alwisane lomonakalo owamehlelayo owamzwisa ubuhlungu. USimiyoni wathi eseqedile, umphrofethikazi u-Ana wambona uJesu wasekhuluma ngaye kubo bonke ababelindele ukuhlengwa kweJerusalema.—Bala uLukha 2:36-38.

20. UJosefa loMariya kwabasiza ngani ukuletha uJesu ethempelini elaliseJerusalema?

²⁰ Siyabona-ke ukuthi uJosefa loMariya benza kuhle ngokuletha umntanabo ethempelini likaJehova eJerusalema. Indodana yabo yakhula ikuthanda ukukhonza uJehova ethempelini lakhe. Bekhonale banikela kuJehova ngalokho ababelakho basebetshelwa amazwi abakhuthazayo futhi abafundisa okuthile. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uMariya wathi esuka ethempelini ukholo lwakhe lwaseluqinile futhi enhliziyweni yakhe kugcwele iqiniso eliqakathekileyo ayezanakana ngalo njalo alitshele labanye.

21. Singenzani ukuze ukholo lwethu luqhubeke luqina njengolukaMariya?

²¹ Lamuhla abazali abalingisela isibonelo sikaJosefa loMariya labo benza kuhle kakhulu. Nxa abazali abangoFakazi bakaJehova besiza emihlanganweni yobuKhristu ababatshiyi abantwababo. Bakhuthaza amanye amaKhristu abakhonza lawo njalo nxa besenza lokhu bayabe benikela ngalokho abalakho. Nxa betshayisa emihlanganweni le, bayabe bethokoza, beqiniswe ukholo futhi befunde okunengi abangakutshela abanye. Kuyathokozisa kakhulu ukukhonza labantu abanjalo. Ukholo lwethu luzaqhubeka luqina njengolukaMariya nxa singaqhubeka sisiya emihlanganweni.