1-3. (a) Abafundi abahamba noJesu banaliphi ithuba eliyingqayizivele, futhi ukwenza kanjani kube lula ukuba bakukhumbule akufundisayo? (b) Kungani kulula ukukhumbula imifanekiso emihle?

ABAFUNDI abahamba noJesu basethubeni eliyingqayizivele. Bafundiswa uMfundisi Omkhulu ngokuqondile. Bezwa izwi lakhe njengoba ebakhanyisela okushiwo iZwi likaNkulunkulu, ebafundisa namaqiniso ajabulisayo. Okwamanje, kusadingeka bagcine amazwi akhe ayigugu ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zabo; isikhathi sokuba amazwi akhe abhalwe phansi asikafiki. * Nokho, uJesu wenza kube lula ukuba bakhumbule akufundisayo. Kanjani? Ngendlela yakhe yokufundisa, ikakhulu ukusebenzisa kwakhe imifanekiso ngobuciko.

² Ngempela, imifanekiso emihle ayisheshi ukulibaleka. Omunye umlobi waphawula ukuthi imifanekiso “yenza izindlebe zibe amehlo” wathi futhi “yenza izilaleli zicabange ngezithombe.” Ngenxa yokuthi sicabanga kangcono ngezithombe, imifanekiso ingenza ngisho nezinto okunzima ukuziqonda ziqondakale kalula. Ingenza amazwi aphile, isifundise izifundo ezihlalayo engqondweni.

³ Akekho umfundisi emhlabeni owake wadlula uJesu Kristu ngekhono lokusebenzisa imifanekiso. Kuze kube namuhla imifanekiso yakhe ikhumbuleka kalula. Kungani uJesu athembela kakhulu kangaka kule ndlela yokufundisa? Yini eyenza imifanekiso yakhe yaphumelela kangaka? Singakufunda kanjani ukusebenzisa le ndlela yokufundisa?

4, 5. Kungani uJesu asebenzisa imifanekiso?

⁴ IBhayibheli linikeza izizathu ezimbili ezibalulekile ezenza uJesu wasebenzisa imifanekiso. Esokuqala, ukuyisebenzisa kwakhe kwagcwalisa isiprofetho. KuMathewu 13:34, 35 siyafunda: “Zonke lezi zinto uJesu wazikhuluma ezixukwini ngemifanekiso. Ngempela, wayengakhulumi nazo ngaphandle komfanekiso; ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngomprofethi owathi: ‘Ngizovula umlomo wami ngemifanekiso.’” Umprofethi akhuluma ngaye uMathewu kwakungumlobi weHubo 78:2. Lo mhubi waloba ngaphansi kokuphefumulelwa umoya kaNkulunkulu kusasele amakhulu eminyaka kuzalwe uJesu. Cabanga ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokhu. Kusasele amakhulu eminyaka, uJehova wanquma ukuthi uMesiya wayeyofundisa ngemifanekiso. Ngokuqinisekile-ke, kumelwe ukuba uJehova uyayazisa le ndlela yokufundisa.

⁵ Esesibili, uJesu wachaza ukuthi usebenzisa imifanekiso ukuze ahlunge labo abanhliziyo zabo ‘ziye zaba lukhuni.’ (Mathewu 13:10-15; Isaya 6:9, 10) Yini eyenza imifanekiso yakhe yakwazi ukudalula izisusa zabantu? Kwezinye izimo, wayefuna izilaleli zakhe zicele incazelo ukuze zikuqonde ngokugcwele lokho ayekusho. Abantu abathobekile babezimisele ukubuza, kuyilapho abaqhoshayo noma abangenandaba bengazimisele. (Mathewu 13:36; Marku 4:34) Ngakho, imifanekiso kaJesu yembula iqiniso kulabo ababelilambele ezinhliziyweni zabo; ngesikhathi esifanayo yalifihla kulabo abanezinhliziyo eziqhoshayo.

6. Imifanekiso kaJesu yayinaziphi izinzuzo?

⁶ Imifanekiso kaJesu yayinezinye izinzuzo eziningana. Yayivusa isithakazelo, yenze abantu balalele. Yayidweba imifanekiso engqondweni okwakulula ukuyiqonda. Njengoba kuphawuliwe ekuqaleni, imifanekiso kaJesu yasiza izilaleli ukuba ziwakhumbule amazwi akhe. INtshumayelo YaseNtabeni njengoba ilotshwe kuMathewu 5:3–7:27, iyisibonelo esihle kakhulu sendlela uJesu asebenzisa ngayo imifanekiso  eminingi. Uma kubalwa, le ntshumayelo iqukethe izifenqo ezingaphezu kuka-50. Ukuze ukuqonde kangcono lokhu, khumbula ukuthi le ntshumayelo ingafundwa ngokuzwakalayo ngemizuzu engaba ngu-20. Kusho ukuthi, ngokwesilinganiso, njalo ngemva kwemizuzwana engu-20 kuba nesifenqo! Ngokusobala, uJesu wayekubona ukubaluleka kokusebenzisa imifanekiso!

7. Kungani kufanele silingise indlela uJesu asebenzisa ngayo imifanekiso?

⁷ Njengabalandeli bakaKristu, sifuna ukulingisa indlela yakhe yokufundisa, kuhlanganise nokusebenzisa kwakhe imifanekiso. Njengezinongo ezenza ukudla kukhange ngokwengeziwe, imifanekiso emihle ingenza esikufundisayo kukhange kwabanye. Imifanekiso ecatshangwe kahle ingenza namaqiniso abalulekile aqondakale kalula. Manje ake sihlolisise ezinye zezinto ezenza imifanekiso kaJesu yaphumelela kangaka. Siyobe sesiyabona ukuthi thina singayisebenzisa kanjani ngokuphumelelayo le ndlela enhle yokufundisa.

8, 9. UJesu wazisebenzisa kanjani iziqhathaniso ezilula, futhi yini eyenza iziqhathaniso zakhe zaphumelela kangaka?

⁸ Lapho efundisa, uJesu wayevame ukusebenzisa iziqhathaniso ezingenzima, ezidinga amazwi ambalwa nje. Noma kunjalo, lawo mazwi alula akha imifanekiso ecacile, awafundisa ngokukhanyayo amaqiniso angokomoya abalulekile. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho enxusa abafundi bakhe ukuba bangakhathazeki ngezidingo zabo zansuku zonke, wabhekisela ‘ezinyonini zezulu naseminduzeni yasendle.’ Izinyoni azihlwanyeli futhi azivuni, neminduze ayiphothi. Noma kunjalo uNkulunkulu uyazinakekela. Kulula ukubona iphuzu—eliwukuthi, uma uNkulunkulu enakekela izinyoni nezimbali, uyobanakekela nakanjani abantu ‘abaqhubeka befuna kuqala umbuso.’—Mathewu 6:26, 28-33.

⁹ UJesu wabuye wasebenzisa kakhulu izingathekiso, eziyiziqhathaniso  ezinamandla nakakhulu. Isingathekiso sibiza into ethile ngento efaniswa nayo. Nalapha futhi, wayegcina iziqhathaniso zilula. Ngesinye isikhathi watshela abafundi bakhe: “Ningukukhanya kwezwe.” Iphuzu lalesi singathekiso laba sobala kubafundi, okuwukuthi, ngamazwi nangezenzo zabo, babengenza ukukhanya kweqiniso elingokomoya kukhanye, basize nabanye ukuba bakhazimulise uNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 5:14-16) Nazi ezinye izingathekiso uJesu azisebenzisa: “Nina ningusawoti womhlaba” nesithi “Mina ngingumvini, nina ningamagatsha.” (Mathewu 5:13; Johane 15:5) Izifenqo ezinje zinamandla nakuba zilula.

10. Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo zendlela ongayisebenzisa ngayo imifanekiso lapho ufundisa?

¹⁰ Ungayisebenzisa kanjani imifanekiso lapho ufundisa? Akudingeki ube nezindaba eziwundendende. Zama ukucabanga ngezinto ezilula ongaziqhathanisa. Ake sithi ukhuluma ngendaba yovuko futhi ufuna ukufanekisa ukuthi ukuvusa abafileyo ngeke kube yinkinga ngoJehova. Ucabanga ngasiphi isiqhathaniso? IBhayibheli lisebenzisa ukulala njengesingathekiso sokufa. Ungase uthi, “UNkulunkulu angabavusa kalula abafileyo ngendlela nathi esivusa ngayo umuntu olele.” (Johane 11:11-14) Ake sithi ufuna ukufanekisa ukuthi izingane zidinga uthando nokunakekelwa ukuze zikhule kahle. Ungasebenzisa siphi isibonelo? IBhayibheli lisebenzisa lesi siqhathaniso: Abantwana ‘banjengamahlumela eminqumo.’ (IHubo 128:3) Ungase uthi, “Njengoba isihlahla sidinga ukukhanya namanzi, nengane idinga ukuthandwa nokunakekelwa.” Uma isiqhathaniso silula, kuyoba lula nangezilaleli zakho ukuthola iphuzu.

11. Nikeza izibonelo eziveza ukuthi imifanekiso kaJesu yayibonisa izinto ayezibonile ngenkathi ekhula eGalile.

¹¹ UJesu wayeyingcweti ekusebenziseni imifanekiso ethathelwe ekuphileni kwabantu. Imifanekiso yakhe eminingi yayisekelwe ezintweni okungenzeka wayezibone ngenkathi  esakhula eGalile. Ake ucabange kancane ngokuphila kwakhe eseyingane. Kwase kukangaki uJesu ebona unina egaya ukolweni uba ufulawa, efaka imvubelo enhlameni, ekhanyisa isibani, noma eshanela endlini? (Mathewu 13:33; 24:41; Luka 15:8) Wababona kangaki abadobi behlisa amanetha abo oLwandle LwaseGalile? (Mathewu 13:47) Wazibona kangaki izingane zidlala ezigcawini? (Mathewu 11:16) Ngokungangabazeki uJesu wazibona nezinye izinto ezivamile azisebenzisa emifanekisweni yakhe eminingi—ukuhlwanyelwa kwembewu, amadili emishado ajabulisayo nokuvuthwa kwamasimu kakolweni.—Mathewu 13:3-8; 25:1-12; Marku 4:26-29.

12, 13. Kungani kuphawuleka ukuthi uJesu wakhuluma ngomgwaqo ‘ovela eJerusalema uya eJeriko’ ukuze aveze iphuzu lakhe emzekelisweni womSamariya omuhle?

¹² Emifanekisweni yakhe, uJesu wayethinta imininingwane izilaleli zakhe ezaziyazi kahle. Ngokwesibonelo, waqala umzekeliso womSamariya omuhle ngokuthi: “Umuntu othile wayehla evela eJerusalema eya eJeriko, wazithela kubaphangi, abamhlubula futhi bamshaya, . . . bamshiya kusele umndondo.” (Luka 10:30) Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi uJesu wakhuluma ngomgwaqo osuka ‘eJerusalema uya eJeriko’ ukuze acacise iphuzu. Lapho elandisa lo mzekeliso, wayeseJudiya, engekude neJerusalema; ngakho ngokungangabazeki izilaleli zakhe zaziwazi umgwaqo ayekhuluma ngawo. Lo mgwaqo kwakwaziwa ukuthi uyingozi, ikakhulukazi kumuntu ohamba yedwa. Wawugwingciza endaweni eyihlane, unezindawo eziningi ababengahoba kuzo abaphangi.

¹³ UJesu wafaka neminye imininingwane ejwayelekile ngalo mgwaqo osuka ‘eJerusalema uya eJeriko.’ Ngokwalo mzekeliso, okokuqala umpristi kwase kuba umLevi, babehamba kulowo mgwaqo—nakuba bobabili bengazange beme basize owayegetshengiwe. (Luka 10:31, 32) Abapristi babekhonza ethempelini eJerusalema, amaLevi ebasiza. Abapristi abaningi namaLevi babehlala eJeriko uma bengasebenzi ethempelini; iJeriko lalingamakhilomitha angu-23 kuphela ukusuka  eJerusalema. Ngakho, babengabonakala kulowo mgwaqo. Phawula nokuthi uJesu wathi isihambi ‘sasehla’—sasingenyuki—emgwaqweni ‘ovela eJerusalema.’ Izilaleli zakhe zakuqonda lokhu. IJerusalema lalisendaweni ephakeme kuneJeriko. Ngakho, lapho ‘sivela eJerusalema,’ ngempela isihambi sasiyobe ‘sehla.’ * Kusobala ukuthi uJesu wayecabanga ngezilaleli zakhe.

14. Lapho sisebenzisa imifanekiso, singacabanga kanjani ngezilaleli zethu?

¹⁴ Lapho sisebenzisa imifanekiso, nathi kudingeka sicabange ngezilaleli zethu. Yiziphi ezinye izinto ngezilaleli zethu ezingase zithinte imifanekiso esiyikhethayo? Kungaba izinto ezifana nobudala, amasiko noma isizinda somkhaya kanye nomsebenzi. Ngokwesibonelo, umfanekiso onemininingwane ephathelene nokulima nokufuya  ungase uqondakale kalula endaweni yasemaphandleni kunasedolobheni elikhulu. Ukuphila kwansuku zonke kwezilaleli zethu—izingane zazo, imizi, izinto ezithanda ukuzenza, ukudla ezikudlayo—kungasinika isisekelo semifanekiso efanelekayo.

15. Kungani kungamangazi ukuthi uJesu wayeyazi kahle kakhulu indalo?

¹⁵ Imifanekiso eminingi kaJesu yembula ulwazi lwakhe ngendalo, kuhlanganise izitshalo, izilwane kanye nesimo sezulu. (Mathewu 16:2, 3; Luka 12:24, 27) Walutholaphi lolu lwazi? Ngenkathi ekhula eGalile, ngokuqinisekile wayenethuba elanele lokubuka indalo. Okuphawuleka nakakhulu ukuthi uJesu ‘uyizibulo layo yonke indalo,’ futhi uJehova wamsebenzisa ‘njengesisebenzi esiyingcweti’ ekudaleni zonke izinto. (Kolose 1:15, 16; IzAga 8:30, 31) Kuyamangaza-ke yini ukuthi uJesu wayeyazi kahle kangaka indalo? Ake sibone indlela enhle alusebenzisa ngayo lolu lwazi.

16, 17. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJesu wayeyazi imikhuba yezimvu? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo esibonisa ukuthi izimvu ziyalilalela ngempela izwi likamalusi wazo?

¹⁶ Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wathi ‘ungumalusi omuhle’ wathi abalandeli bakhe ‘bayizimvu.’ Amazwi kaJesu abonisa ukuthi wayejwayelene kakhulu nemikhuba yezimvu. Wayazi ukuthi kunesibopho esikhethekile phakathi kwabelusi nezimvu zabo. Waphawula ukuthi lezi zilwane ezinemfanelo yokwethemba zivuma kalula ukuholwa nokuthi zimlandela ngokwethembeka umalusi wazo. Kungani izimvu zilandela umalusi wazo? “Ngoba ziyalazi izwi lakhe,” kusho uJesu. (Johane 10:2-4, 11) Ingabe izimvu ziyalazi ngempela izwi likamalusi wazo?

¹⁷ Kulokho azibonela kona yena siqu, uGeorge A. Smith wabhala lokhu encwadini yakhe ethi The Historical Geography of the Holy Land: “Ngezinye izikhathi sasiphumula eceleni komunye waleyo mithombo yaseJudiya emini, kufike abelusi  abathathu noma abane nemihlambi yabo. Imihlambi yayihlangana, sizibuze ukuthi umalusi uzowubona kanjani owakhe. Kodwa ngemva kokuphuza nokudlala, abelusi babekhuphuka ngamunye ngamunye, besuka esigodini, ngamunye enze umsindo wakhe ohlukile; bese izimvu zakhe zimonyuka emhlambini ziye kumalusi wazo, yonke imihlambi ihambe ngokuhleleka eyayifike ngakho.” Cishe awukho omunye umfanekiso ongcono kunalo uJesu ayengaveza ngawo iphuzu lakhe, eliwukuthi uma sikuqaphela futhi sikulalela lokho akufundisayo bese silandela ukuhola kwakhe, siyoba ngaphansi kokunakekela ‘kukamalusi omuhle.’

18. Singakutholaphi ukwaziswa ngendalo kaJehova?

¹⁸ Singafunda kanjani ukusebenzisa imifanekiso ethathelwe endalweni? Imikhuba emangalisayo yezilwane ingasinikeza iziqhathaniso ezilula kodwa eziphumelelayo. Singakutholaphi ukwaziswa ngendalo kaJehova? IBhayibheli linothile ngolwazi lwezilwane ezihlukahlukene, futhi ngezinye izikhathi, lisebenzisa imikhuba yezilwane ngendlela  engokomfanekiso. IBhayibheli likhuluma ngokuba nejubane njengensephe noma njengengwe, ukuqapha njengenyoka, nokuba msulwa njengejuba. * (1 IziKronike 12:8; Habakuki 1:8; Mathewu 10:16) Eminye imithombo yolwazi INqabayokulinda, i-Phaphama! kanye nezinye izincwadi ezinyatheliswa oFakazi BakaJehova. Ungafunda okuningi ngokubheka indlela lezi zincwadi ezisebenzisa ngayo ukuqhathanisa okulula okususelwa ezimangalisweni zendalo kaJehova eningi.

19, 20. (a) Ukuze adalule inkolelo engamanga, uJesu wasisebenzisa kanjani ngendlela ephumelelayo isenzakalo esasisanda kwenzeka? (b) Singazisebenzisa kanjani izibonelo ezingokoqobo ekuphileni nokuhlangenwe nakho lapho sifundisa?

¹⁹ Imifanekiso ephumelelayo ingasebenzisa izibonelo ezingokoqobo ekuphileni. Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu wasebenzisa isenzakalo esasisanda kwenzeka ukuze adalule inkolelo engamanga yokuthi inhlekelele yehlela abantu ebafanele. Wathi: “Labo abayishumi nesishiyagalombili umbhoshongo waseSilowama owawela phezu kwabo, ngaleyo ndlela ubabulala, ingabe nicabanga ukuthi babenecala [beyizoni] kakhulu kunabo bonke abanye abantu abahlala eJerusalema?” (Luka 13:4) Ngempela, leyo miphefumulo engu-18 ayibhubhanga ngoba yenze isono esacasula uNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, ukufa kwayo okubuhlungu kwakungenxa ‘yesikhathi nesenzakalo esingalindelekile.’ (UmShumayeli 9:11) Ngakho uJesu wachitha imfundiso yamanga ngokubhekisela esenzakalweni izilaleli zakhe ezazisazi kahle.

²⁰ Singazisebenzisa kanjani izibonelo ezingokoqobo ekuphileni nokuhlangenwe nakho lapho sifundisa? Ake sithi uxoxa ngokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaJesu maqondana nesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe. (Mathewu 24:3- 14) Ungase ubhekisele ezindabeni zamuva ezikhuluma ngezimpi, indlala noma ukuzamazama komhlaba ukuze ubonise ukuthi izici ezithile zesibonakaliso ziyagcwaliseka. Noma ake sithi ufuna ukusebenzisa okuhlangenwe nakho ukuze ubonise izinguquko ezidingekayo ekugqokeni ubuntu obusha. (Efesu 4:20-24) Okuhlangenwe nakho okunjalo ungakutholaphi? Ungase ucabange ngezizinda ezihlukahlukene zalabo okholwa nabo, noma ungase usebenzise okuhlangenwe nakho okunyatheliswe kwenye yezincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova.

21. Yimiphi imivuzo esiyithola ngokuba abafundisi abaphumelelayo beZwi likaNkulunkulu?

²¹ Ngempela, uJesu wayenguMfundisi oyiNgcweti! Njengoba sibonile kule ngxenye, ‘ukufundisa nokushumayela izindaba ezinhle’ kwakungumsebenzi wakhe wokuphila. (Mathewu 4:23) Kuwumsebenzi wokuphila nakithi. Imivuzo yokuba umfundisi ophumelelayo mikhulu. Lapho sifundisa, sisuke sipha abanye, futhi ukupha okunjalo kuletha injabulo. (IzEnzo 20:35) Sijatshuliswa ukwazi ukuthi siphana ngokuthile okuhlala njalo nokuyigugu—iqiniso ngoJehova. Saneliswa nawukwazi ukuthi silandela isibonelo sikaJesu, uMfundisi omkhulu kunabo bonke owake waphila emhlabeni.