1-2. (a) Khuyini efunwa babantu boke? (b) Khuyini esiqiniseka ngayo?

SOKE siyakufuna ukuthandwa begodu sifuna ukuphathwa ngendlela enobulungisa. Nasiphathwa ngendlela enganabulungiswa begodu singathandwa, singazizwa singakaqakatheki begodu singanathemba.

² UJehova uyazi ukuthi siyakufisa ukuthandwa begodu siyabutlhoga ubulungiswa. (Rhu. 33:5) Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uZimethu uyasithanda begodu ufuna siphathwe ngobulungiswa. Lokhu kubonakala kuhle nasiqala umThetho uJehova awunikela uMosi oya esitjhabeni sakwa-Israyeli. Nawuzizwa utshwenyekile ngebanga lokuthi uphethwe ngendlela enganabulungiswa, akhucabange ngendlela uJehova atjengisa ngayo ukuthi uyabatlhogomela abantu ngokufunda umThetho kaMosi. *

3. (a) Njengombana kuhlathululiwe emTlolweni webeRoma 13:8-10, khuyini esiyifumana ngokufunda umThetho kaMosi? (b) Isihlokwesi sizokuphendula miphi imibuzo?

³ Nasifunda umThetho kaMosi sifumana indlela uZimethu onethando azizwa ngayo ngabantu. (Funda kwebeRoma 13:8-10.) Esihlokwenesi sizokufunda ngemithetho embalwa eyanikelwa ama-Israyeli besiphendule nemibuzo le: Kubayini sithi uMthetho lo bewusekelwe ethandweni? Kubayini sithi umThetho bewukhuthaza abantu bona babe nobulungiswa? Kubayini abadala bekufuze bawusebenzise kuhle umThetho lo? UmThetho lo bewuvikela abantu abanjani? Ukufumana iimpendulo zemibuzo  le kuzosiduduza, kusenze sibe nethemba begodu kuzositjhideza kuBabethu onethando.—IzE. 17:27; Rom. 15:4.

4. (a) Kubayini sithi umThetho kaMosi bewusekelwe ethandweni? (b) NgokomTlolo kaMatewu 22:36-40, ngimiphi imithetho uJesu ayivezako?

⁴ Singatjho ukuthi umThetho kaMosi bewusekelwe ethandweni ngombana koke uJehova akwenzako ukwenza ngethando. (1 Jwa. 4:8) UmThetho kaMosi usekelwe emithethweni emibili esisekelo ethi thanda uZimu nothi thanda umakhelwanakho. (Lev. 19:18; Dut. 6:5; funda uMatewu 22:36-40.) Singatjho ukuthi omunye nomunye umthetho ofumaneka emiThethweni engaphezu kwema-600 usifundisa okuthileko ngethando lakaJehova. Akhesicoce ngeembonelo zalokho.

5-6. UJehova ufuna abatjhadikazi baphathane njani begodu khuyini ayitjhejako? Nikela isibonelo.

⁵ Thembeka emuntwini otjhade naye begodu utlhogomele abantwabakho. UJehova ufuna abantu abatjhadileko bathandane ngokungapheliko. (Gen. 2:24; Mat. 19:3-6) Ukuhlobonga sisenzo esimbi khulu esingenziwa mumuntu. UmThetho wekhomba bewukukhandela ukuhlobonga. (Dut. 5:18) Lokhu kusisono ‘kuZimu’ begodu kusisenzo esibuhlungu ongasenza emuntwini otjhade naye. (Gen. 39:7-9) Lokha umlingani womtjhado nakaziphethe kumbi ngokomseme, lo onganamlandu angezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu obuzokuhlala iminyaka eminengi.

⁶ UJehova uyayitjheja indlela abatjhadikazi abaphathana ngayo. Bekafuna bona abafazi bakwa-Israyeli baphathwe ngobulungiswa. Indoda ebeyihlonipha umThetho beyizokuthanda umkayo begodu bengeze yamtlhala ngamabanga angazwakaliko. (Dut. 24:1-4; Mat. 19:3, 8) Lokha nakuba nomraro bese indoda le iqunta ukutlhala, bekufuze imnikele incwadi yesahlukaniso. Incwadi le beyivikela umfazi wakwa-Israyeli bona angabekwa umlandu omamala wokuziphatha kumbi. Ukungezelela kilokho, ngaphambi kokuthi indoda inikele umkayo incwadi yesahlukaniso, bekufuze ikhulume nabadala bendawo. Lokho bekunikela abadalabo ithuba lokusiza abatjhadikazi bona bangatlhalani. Indoda yomIsrayeli nayitlhala umkayo ngebanga lokuba marhamaru, ngezinye iinkhathi uJehova bekangangeneleli endabeni enjalo. Nanyana kunjalo, bekayibona indlela umfazi lo ebekezwa ngayo ubuhlungu nebekalila ngayo.—Mal. 2:13-16.

7-8. (a) UJehova unikela ababelethi umthetho wokwenzani? (Qala isithombe esingaphandle.) (b) Ngiziphi iimfundo esizifundako?

⁷ UmThetho bewutjengisa ukuthi uJehova ufuna abantwana bathabe bebavikeleke. UJehova wabekela ababelethi umthetho wokunikela abantwana babo izinto abazitlhogako bona bakhule. Godu wabanikela umsebenzi wokubasiza bona babe netjhebiswano elihle naye. Ababelethi bekufuze bawasebenzise woke amathuba avelako wokusiza abantwana babo bona bathande uJehova nemithethwakhe. (Dut. 6:6-9; 7:13) Elinye ibanga elenza uJehova wajezisa ama-Israyeli kukuthi bewaphatha abantwana ngendlela ehlahlathelisa umzimba. (Jor. 7:31, 33) Ababelethi bekufuze baqale abantwababo njengelifa elivela kuJehova, ingasi njengezinto zokunganakwa namkha izinto zokuphathwa kumbi.—Rhu. 127:3.

⁸ Esikufundako kilokhu: UJehova uyitjheja khulu indlela abatjhadikazi abaphathana ngayo. Ufuna ababelethi bathande abantwana babo begodu uzobajezisa nange bangabaphathi ngendlela elungileko.

9-11. Kubayini uJehova anikela umthetho okhandela ukuba marhamaru?

⁹ Ungabi marhamaru. UmThetho wokugcina emiThethweni eliTjhumi bewukhandela  ukuba marhamaru namkha ukufisa izinto zabanye. (Dut. 5:21; Rom. 7:7) Ibanga elenza uJehova abeke umthetho lo bekukufundisa abantu bakhe isifundo esiqakathekileko, sokuthi kufuze bavikele iinhliziyo zabo ngokulawula imicabango namazizwabo. UJehova uyazi ukuthi izenzo ezikhohlakeleko zithoma ngezinto ezikhohlakeleko esizicabangako namazizo anjalo. (IzA. 4:23) Nange umIsrayeli avumela isifiso esimbi bona sikhule ehliziywenakhe bekungenzeka aphathe abanye ngendlela engakalungi. Isibonelo salokho ngeseKosi uDavida. UDavida bekayindoda elungileko kodwana waba marhamaru wafuna umfazi wenye indoda. Isifiso sakhe samenza wona. (Jak. 1:14, 15) UDavida wafeba nomfazi loyo, walinga ukukhohlisa indodakhe begodu emaswapheleni wenza amano wokuthi ibulawe.—2 Sam. 11:2-4; 12:7-11.

¹⁰ UJehova ufunda iinhliziyo zethu, yeke bekazi lokha umIsrayeli nakangalaleli umThethwakhe wokungabi marhamaru. (1 Kron. 28:9) UmThetho wokungabi marhamaru lo bewufundisa abantu bakhe bona bagegede imicabango engabenza baziphathe kumbi. Lokho kutjengisa ukuthi uJehova nguBaba ohlakaniphileko nonethando.

¹¹ Esikufundako kilokhu: UJehova ubona lokho esingikho ngaphakathi, ubona iinhliziyo zethu. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ayikho into esingamfihlela yona, kungaba yinto esiyicabangako, indlela esizizwa ngayo namkha isenzo esithileko, ubona koke. Ufuna okuhle kithi begodu ngilokho akuqalako. Nokho ufuna silawule imicabango engakalungi ngaphambi kokuthi ibe zizenzo ezimbi.—2 Kron. 16:9; Mat. 5:27-30.

12. UmThetho kaMosi usifundisa ini?

¹² Okhunye esikufunda emThethweni kaMosi kukuthi uJehova uthanda ubulungiswa. (Rhu. 37:28; Isa. 61:8) Usibekela isibonelo esihle sokuphatha abanye ngobulungiswa. UJehova bekawabusisa ama-Israyeli nawalalela imithethwakhe. Nawangayilaleliko imithethwakhe enobulungiswa nelungileko bewatlhaga. Akhesicoce ngeminye imithetho emibili efumaneka emiThethweni eliTjhumi.

13-14. Imithetho emibili yokuthoma emiThethweni eliTjhumi beyifuna ama-Israyeli aziphathe njani? Ukulalela imithetho leyo bekuwazuzisa njani ama-Israyeli?

¹³ Lotjha uJehova yedwa. ImiThetho emibili yokuthoma efumaneka emiThethweni eliTjhumi beyithi ama-Israyeli kufuze azinikele kuJehova kwaphela begodu beyiwayelelisa ukuthi angalotjhi abosingazimu. (Eks. 20:3-6) ImiThetho le beyingazuzisi uJehova, kunalokho beyizuzisa abantu bakhe. Abantu bakhe nabahlala bathembekile kuye bebaphumelela kodwana nabalotjha abozimu bakwezinye iintjhaba bebatlhaga.

¹⁴ Akhucabange ngesitjhaba samaKanana. Isitjhabesi besilotjha iinthombe kunokulotjha uZimu wamambala ophilako begodu lokho kwasehlisa isithunzi. (Rhu. 115:4-8) Indlela yamaKanana yokulotjha iinthombe zawo beyibandakanya izenzo zomseme ezisilapheleko neminikelo ethusako kusetjenziswa abantwana. Ngendlela efanako, ama-Israyeli nawangalaleli uJehova bewakhethe ukulotjha iinthombe bewazehlisa isithunzi begodu alimaza imindenawo. (2 Kron. 28:1-4) Abadala bakwa-Israyeli balahla iinkambiso zakaJehova zobulungiswa. Bebawasenzisa kumbi amalungelo abaphiwe wona begodu bebagandelela abantu ababuthakathaka nabanganasivikelo. (Hez. 34:1-4) UJehova wayelelisa ama-Israyeli bona uzobahlulela boke abaphatha abahlolokazi neentandani kumbi. (Dut. 10:17, 18; 27:19) Nokho uJehova bekababusisa abantu bakhe nabathembekileko kuye begodu baphathana kuhle.—1 Kho. 10:4-9.

15. Sifundani ngoJehova?

¹⁵ Esikufundako kilokhu: Akukafuzi sibeke uJehova umlandu lokha abantu abenza ngasuthi  bayamlotjha nabeqisela iinkambiso zakhe amehlo bebalimaze abantu bakhe. Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova uyasithanda begodu uyabona nasiphathwa kumbi. Uzwa ubuhlungu khulu, ukudlula indlela umma azizwa ngayo ngobuhlungu bomntwanakhe. (Isa. 49:15) Nanyana kungenzeka angathathi amagadango khonokho, akunakuzaza ukuthi ngesikhathi esifaneleko uzobagweba boke abangaphendukiko ngendlela abaphethe ngayo abanye.

16-18. UmThetho kaMosi bewuyithinta kangangani ipilo yomIsrayeli begodu sifundani kilokho?

¹⁶ UmThetho kaMosi bewuthinta koke umIsrayeli ebekakwenza, yeke bekuqakathekile bona abadala bahlulele abantu bakaJehova ngendlela elungileko. Bebanomthwalo wokwahlulela ingasi izinto ezimalungana nokulotjha uJehova kwaphela, kodwana bebahlulela nemilandu yokungazwani neyobulelesi. Nanzi iimbonelo zalokho.

¹⁷ UmIsrayeli nakabulele umuntu, lokho bekungatjho ukuthi naye uzokubulawa. Abadala bedorobha bebafunisisa qangi ngobujamo obenze wabulala ngaphambi kokuthi baqunte bona umIsrayeli loyo ufanelwe kukufa. (Dut. 19:2-7, 11-13) Bebahlulela nezinto ezithinta ipilo yaqobe langa, njengokurarulula ukungavumelani ngepahla nemiraro yabatjhadikazi. (Eks. 21:35; Dut. 22:13-19) Abadala nabanobulungiswa nama-Israyeli alalela umThetho, woke umuntu bekathaba begodu isitjhaba besidumisa uJehova ngokuziphatha okuhlokho.—Lev. 20:7, 8; Isa. 48:17, 18.

¹⁸ Esikufundako kilokhu: Izenzo zethu ziqakathekile kuJehova. Ufuna sibe nobulungiswa begodu sibe nethando nasisebenzelana nabanye. Uyakutjheja esikutjhoko nesikwenzako ngitjho nanyana singabonwa babantu emakhaya.—Heb. 4:13.

19-21. (a) Abadala nabahluleli bekufuze babaphathe njani abantu bakaZimu? (b) Khuyini uJehova ayenzako bona avikele abantu bakhe begodu khuyini esiyifundako kilokho?

¹⁹ UJehova bekafuna ukuvikela abantu bakhe bona ezinye iintjhaba zingabi nomthelela omumbi kibo. Kungebangelo bekafuna ukuthi abadala nabahluleli bawusebenzise kuhle umThetho. Nokho abahluleli bekungakafuzi baphathe abantu bakaZimu ngesandla esiqinileko namkha babagandelele. Kunalokho bekufuze babe nobulungiswa.—Dut. 1:13-17; 16:18-20.

²⁰ UJehova ubaphatha ngomusa abantu bakhe, kungebangelo ababekele imithetho ezobasiza bona bangagwebi ngokukhetha kunalokho bagwebe ngokulunga. Yeke lokho bekwenza ukuthi abe mancani amathuba wokuthi umuntu anindwe ngomlandu. Godu umsolwa bekanelungelo lokwazi ukuthi ngubani oneensolo ngaye. (Dut. 19:16-19; 25:1) Kanti nangaphambi kokuthi athweswe umlandu bekufuze kube nabofakazi ababili abazokufakazela ukuthi nangambala umsolwa unomlandu. (Dut. 17:6; 19:15) Alo beyithiwani-ke, nange umIsrayeli enza into engakalungi begodu kube nomuntu munye  ozokufakazela umlwandwakhe? Ngitjho nanyana abonwe mumuntu munye, bekungakafuzi acabange ukuthi ngeze ajeziswe ngomlandwakhe. Phela uJehova ukubonile koke okwenzekileko. Nemindenini, abobaba bebanikelwa amandla ngokwezinga elithileko kodwana bekukhamba kube nalapha aphelela khona. Ezinye izinto ebezenzeka emindenini bekufuze ziyokubikelwa nabadala bedorobha begodu kube ngibo abahlulelako.—Dut. 21:18-21.

²¹ Esikufunda kilokhu: UJehova usibekela isibonelo esiphuma phambili ngombana koke akwenzako kunobulungiswa. (Rhu. 9:8) Ubanikela umvuzo abantu abamlalelako kodwana uyabajezisa abawasebenzisa kumbi amandlabo. (2 Sam. 22:21-23; Hez. 9:9, 10) Abanye bangenza izinto ezikhohlakeleko bese kubonakale kwanga abakajeziswa kodwana kufuze sikhumbule ukuthi sizokufika isikhathi lapho uJehova azokwenza khona ubulungiswa. (IzA. 28:13) Nange bangaphenduki, esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo bazokwazi ukuthi “kuyinto esabekako ukuwela ezandleni zakaZimu ophilako.”—Heb. 10:30, 31.

22-24. (a) UmThetho uvikela abobani kuhlekuhle begodu khuyini esiyifundako ngoJehova? (b) Ngisiphi isiyeleliso esisifumana emTlolweni ka-Eksodusi 22:22-24?

²² UmThetho bewuvikela abantu ababuthakathaka nabanganasivikelo njengeentandani, abahlolokazi nabantu abavela kezinye iintjhaba. UJehova watjela abahluleli bakwa-Israyeli wathi: “Ningahlanakezeli ilungelo lesikhonzi namkha intandani. Godu ningathathi ingubo yomhlolokazi njengesibambiso.” (Dut. 24:17)  UJehova bekabatjheja abantu ebekungenzeka umphakathi ubabona bangakaqakatheki. Bese kuthi labo ababaphatha kumbi abajezise.—Funda u-Eksodusi 22:22-24.

²³ UmThetho kaMosi bewungavumi ukuthi abantu abahlobeneko batjhinge emabhayini. (Lev. 18:6-30) UJehova bekababeka umlandu abantu abenza njalo, kungebangelo bekangafuni ukuthi abantu bakhe benze izinto ezinjalo. Ngitjho nanyana iintjhaba ezakhelene nama-Israyeli bezikwenza lokho, nakubabantu bakaZimu bona bekufuze bakunyenye ukwenza njalo.

²⁴ Esikufunda kilokhu: Boke abantu uJehova abanikele amalungelo ulindele ukuthi bawasebenzise kuhle amandla abanikele wona begodu bazithande izimvu abaphathiswe zona. Akafuni ukuthi abantu bahlukunyezwe ngokomseme khulukhulu abantu ababonakala bangakavikeleki, ufuna baphathwe ngobulungiswa.

25-26. (a) Kubayini sithi ithando nobulungiswa kufana nerhara nomncamo? (b) Khuyini esizoyidemba esihlokweni sesibili?

²⁵ Ithando nobulungiswa kufana nerhara nomncamo, enye nayingekho akunalitho ongalenza ngenye. Nasaziko ukuthi uJehova usiphatha ngobulungiswa sizomthanda khulu. Indlela esithanda ngayo uZimu nemithethwakhe izosenza sithande abanye abantu begodu sibaphathe ngobulungiswa.

²⁶ UmThetho kaMosi wasiza ama-Israyeli aba nobuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Nokho ngemva kokuthi uJesu anikele ngokuphila kwakhe abantu bakaZimu bese kungasatlhogeki bona balalele umThetho kaMosi, ngombana besele ujanyelwe ngokhunye okuqakatheke khulu. (Rom. 10:4) Umpostoli uPowula wathi umThetho kaMosi ‘unjengesithunzi sezinto ezihle ezizako.’ (Heb. 10:1) Isihloko sesibili sizokunaba nayo indaba le, sizosihlathululela ukuthi ngiziphi izinto ezihle uPowula akhuluma ngazo nokuthi ithando nobulungiswa kuqakatheke kangangani ebandleni.