1-4. (a) Kwenzekani lapho uPilatu ekhiphela uJesu esixukwini esithukuthele esibuthene ngaphandle kwesigodlo sakhe? (b) UJesu usabela kanjani ekuhlazisweni nasekuhlushweni, futhi yimiphi imibuzo ebalulekile ephakamayo?

“BHEKANI! Indoda!” Ngalawo mazwi, uMbusi waseRoma uPontiyu Pilatu unikela uJesu Kristu esixukwini esithukuthele esibuthene ngaphandle kwesigodlo sakhe entathakusa ngePhasika lika-33 C.E. (Johane 19:5) Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa nje ngaphambili, uJesu ubehalaliselwa izixuku ngenkathi engena ngokunqoba eJerusalema njengeNkosi emiswe uNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngalobu busuku, lesi sixuku esinenzondo asifuni nakumbona uJesu.

² UJesu wembethe ingubo ensomi efana negqokwa abasebukhosini, ufake nomqhele ekhanda. Kodwa injongo yale ngubo emboze imivimbo eyophayo emhlane obubhaxabulwa, kanye nomqhele wameva ocindezelwe ekhanda lakhe elophayo, ukuhlekisa ngesikhundla sakhe sokuba inkosi. Abantu, beshoshozelwa abapristi abakhulu, bayamlahla lo muntu onemivimbo omi phambi kwabo. Abapristi bayamemeza: “Mbethele! Mbethele!” Abantu bayamemeza benequnga: “Kufanele afe.”—Johane 19:1-7.

³ UJesu ukhuthazelela lokhu kuhlaziswa nokuhlushwa ngesizotha, ngesibindi nangaphandle kokukhononda. *  Ukulungele ngokuphelele ukufa. Kamuva ngalolo Suku LwePhasika, uzinikela ekufeni okubuhlungu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa.—Johane 19:17, 18, 30.

⁴ Ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe, uJesu wazibonakalisa engumngane wangempela kubalandeli bakhe. Wathi: “Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Johane 15:13) Lokhu kuphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekile. Ingabe kwakudingeke ngempela ukuba uJesu ahlupheke kangaka futhi ekugcineni afe? Kungani ayezimisele ukwenza kanjalo? Thina ‘njengabangane bakhe’ nabalandeli, singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sakhe?

5. UJesu wazazi kanjani ngokuqondile izilingo ayezobhekana nazo?

⁵ NjengoMesiya othenjisiwe, uJesu wayekwazi okwakuzomehlela. Wayezazi iziprofetho eziningi ezisemiBhalweni YesiHebheru ezabikezela ngokuningiliziwe ngokuhlupheka nokufa kukaMesiya. (Isaya 53:3-7, 12; Daniyeli 9:26) Izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa, wenza abalandeli bakhe bakulungela ukuvivinywa ayezobhekana nakho. (Marku 8:31; 9:31) Esendleleni eya eJerusalema ePhasikeni lakhe lokugcina, wabatshela ngokuqondile abaphostoli bakhe: “INdodana yomuntu izonikelwa kubapristi abakhulu nakubabhali; bazoyilahlela ekufeni bayinikele kubantu bezizwe, bahlekise ngayo bayikhafulele, bayibhaxabule futhi bayibulale.” (Marku 10:33, 34) Wayengakhulumi uwangala. Njengoba sibonile, ngempela uJesu wenziwa inhlekisa, wakhafulelwa, wabhaxabulwa futhi wabulawa.

6. Kungani kwakudingekile ukuba uJesu ahlupheke futhi afe?

⁶ Kodwa kungani kwakudingekile ukuba uJesu ahlupheke futhi afe? Kwakungenxa yezizathu ezimbalwa ezisemqoka. Esokuqala, ngokuhlala ethembekile uJesu wayeyobonisa ubuqotho bakhe futhi asekele ubukhosi bukaJehova. Khumbula  ukuthi uSathane waqamba amanga wathi abantu bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yobugovu. (Jobe 2:1-5) Ngokuhlala ethembekile ‘kuze kube sekufeni esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa,’ uJesu wanikeza impendulo eqand’ ikhanda ekusoleni kukaSathane okungamanga. (Filipi 2:8; IzAga 27:11) Esesibili, ukuhlupheka nokufa kukaMesiya kwakuyohlawulela izono zabanye. (Isaya 53:5, 10; Daniyeli 9:24) UJesu wanikela ‘umphefumulo wakhe waba yisihlengo sabaningi,’ esivulela indlela yokuba sibe nobuhlobo obamukelekayo noNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 20:28) Esesithathu, ngokukhuthazelela zonke izinhlobo zobunzima nokuhlushwa, uJesu waba “ngovivinyiwe ezicini zonke njengathi.” Ngenxa yalokho ungumPristi Ophakeme onesihawu, ‘ozwelana nobuthakathaka bethu.’—Hebheru 2:17, 18; 4:15.

7. Yini uJesu ayidela ngokuza lapha emhlabeni?

⁷ Ukuze ukuqonde kahle lokho uJesu ayezimisele ukukwenza, cabanga ngalokhu: Ikhona yini indoda engashiya umkhaya wayo nomuzi iye kwelinye izwe ibe yazi ukuthi iningi labantu bakhona ngeke bayamukele, ukuthi izokwenziwa inhlekisa futhi ihlushwe, nokuthi ekugcineni izobulawa? Manje cabanga ngalokho uJesu akwenza. Engakezi emhlabeni, wayenesikhundla esikhethekile ezulwini, eceleni kukaYise. Noma kunjalo, uJesu walishiya ngokuzithandela ikhaya lakhe ezulwini weza emhlabeni njengomuntu. Weza emhlabeni azi ukuthi iningi labantu liyomlahla nokuthi wayezohlaziswa ngonya, ahlupheke kanzima futhi abulawe kabuhlungu. (Filipi 2:5-7) Yini eyashukumisa uJesu ukuba azidele kanje?

8, 9. Yini eyashukumisela uJesu ukuba anikele ngokuphila kwakhe?

⁸ Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJesu washukunyiswa uthando olujulile ngoYise. Ukukhuthazela kukaJesu kwakuwubufakazi bothando lwakhe ngoJehova. Lolo thando lwamenza  wakhathazeka ngegama nedumela likaYise. (Mathewu 6:9; Johane 17:1-6, 26) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJesu wayefuna ukubona igama likaYise lisuswe isihlamba elalinindwe ngaso. Ngakho, uJesu wakubheka njengodumo nelungelo elikhulu ukuhlupheka ngenxa yokulunga, ngoba wayazi ukuthi ubuqotho bakhe babuyoba nengxenye ekungcweliseni igama elihle likaYise.—1 IziKronike 29:13.

⁹ UJesu wayenesinye isizathu sokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe—uthando lwakhe ngesintu. Lolu thando lusukela ekuqaleni komlando wesintu. Kusasele iminyaka ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni, iBhayibheli lembula ukuthi wayezizwa ngale ndlela: “Izinto engangizithanda ezaziphathelene namadodana abantu.” (IzAga 8:30, 31) Uthando lwakhe lwabonakala ngokusobala ngenkathi esemhlabeni. Njengoba sibonile ezahlukweni ezintathu ezidlule zale ncwadi, uJesu walubonisa ngezindlela eziningi uthando lwakhe ngabantu, ikakhulukazi abalandeli bakhe. Kodwa ngo-Nisani 14, 33 C.E., wanikela ngomphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yethu. (Johane 10:11) Ngempela, yayingekho enye indlela engcono yokubonisa uthando lwakhe ngathi. Ingabe kufanele simlingise kule ndaba? Yebo. Empeleni, siyalwa ukuba senze kanjalo.

10, 11. Uthini umyalo omusha uJesu awunika abalandeli bakhe, uhilelani, futhi kungani kubalulekile ukuba siwulalele?

¹⁰ Ngobusuku obandulela ukufa kwakhe, uJesu watshela abafundi bakhe abaseduze: “Ngininika umyalo omusha, wokuba nithandane; njengoba nje nami nginithandile, ukuba nani nithandane. Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:34, 35) “Nithandane”—kungani lo ‘kuwumyalo omusha’? UMthetho KaMose wawunawo kakade lo myalo: “Kumelwe uthande omunye umuntu [noma, umakhelwane] njengoba uzithanda wena.” (Levitikusi 19:18) Kodwa  lo myalo omusha usho uthando olukhulu kunalolu, uthando olungasenza sinikele ngokuphila kwethu ngenxa yabanye. UJesu ngokwakhe wakukhanyisa lokhu lapho ethi: “Yilo umyalo wami, ukuba nithandane njengoba nje nami nginithandile. Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Johane 15:12, 13) Empeleni lo myalo omusha uthi: “Thanda abanye, hhayi njengoba uzithanda wena, kodwa ngaphezu kokuba uzithanda.” Ngendlela aphila futhi wafa ngayo, ngempela uJesu wabeka isibonelo salolu thando.

¹¹ Kungani kubalulekile ukuba silalele lo myalo omusha? Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wathi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho [uthando lokuzidela] ukuthi ningabafundi bami.” Yebo, uthando lokuzidela lusibonakalisa njengamaKristu eqiniso. Lolu thando singalufanisa nebheji. Abeza emihlanganweni yesigodi yaminyaka yonke yoFakazi BakaJehova bafaka amabheji. La mabheji asitshela igama lomuntu olifakile nebandla akulo. Uthando lokuzidela ngabanye “luyibheji” elibonakalisa amaKristu angempela. Ngamanye amazwi, uthando esibonisana lona kufanele lubonakale kuhle kophawu, noma ibheji, olutshela abasibhekile ukuthi ngempela singabalandeli bakaKristu beqiniso. Kuhle ngamunye wethu azibuze, ‘Ingabe “ibheji” eliwuthando lokuzidela liyabonakala ekuphileni kwami?’

12, 13. (a) Kumelwe sizimisele ngezinga elingakanani ukubonisa indlela esithandana ngayo? (b) Kusho ukuthini ukuba ozidelayo?

¹² Njengabalandeli bakaJesu, kudingeka sithandane njengoba asithanda. Lokhu kusho ukuzimisela ukuzidela ngenxa yesikholwa nabo. Kumelwe sizimisele kangakanani ukuzidela? IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Siye salwazi ngalokhu uthando, ngoba lowo wanikela umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yethu; futhi singaphansi kwesibopho sokunikela  imiphefumulo yethu ngenxa yabafowethu.” (1 Johane 3:16) NjengoJesu, kumelwe sizimisele ukufelana uma kudingekile. Lapho sishushiswa, singancamela ukunikela ngokuphila kwethu kunokukhaphela abafowethu abangokomoya, ngaleyo ndlela sifake ukuphila kwabo engozini. Emazweni ahlukaniswe yimibango yobuhlanga nobuzwe, singafaka ukuphila kwethu engozini ukuze sivikele abafowethu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abaluphi uhlanga noma ubuzwe. Uma izizwe ziya empini, singakhetha ukuboshwa noma ukubulawa imbala kunokuthatha izikhali silwe nesikholwa nabo—nanoma ubani-ke omunye.—Johane 17:14, 16; 1 Johane 3:10-12.

¹³ Ukuzimisela ukufela abafowethu akukona okuwukuphela kwendlela yokubonisa uthando lokuzidela. Eqinisweni, bambalwa kithi okwake kwadingeka bazidele ngaleyo ndlela. Nokho, uma abafowethu sibathanda kangangokuthi singabafela, akufanele yini sizimisele ukuzidela kwamanje ezintweni ezincane, sizikhandle ukuze sibasize? Ukuba ozidelayo kusho ukuyeka okuyinzuzo kithina ukuze kuzuze abanye. Sibeka izidingo nenhlalakahle yabo ngaphambi kweyethu nalapho kungelula khona. (1 Korinte 10:24) Uthando lokuzidela singalubonisa ngaziphi izindlela ezingokoqobo?

14. (a) Abadala kudingeka bazidele ngaziphi izindlela? (b) Uzizwa kanjani ngabadala abasebenza kanzima ebandleni lakini?

¹⁴ Abadala bebandla bazidela kokuningi ukuze ‘beluse umhlambi.’ (1 Petru 5:2, 3) Ngaphezu kokunakekela imikhaya yabo, kungase kudingeke basebenzise isikhathi sakusihlwa noma izimpelasonto ukuze banakekele izindaba zebandla, ezihlanganisa nokulungiselela izinkulumo zemihlangano yebandla, ukuhambela kokwelusa nokusingatha amacala okwahlulela. Abadala abaningi bazidela nangezinye izindlela, bezikhandla emihlanganweni emikhulu nemincane,  bekhonza njengamalungu amaKomiti Okubonisana Nezibhedlela, amaQembu Avakashela Iziguli nasemaKomitini Okwakha Ezifunda. Badala, ningakhohlwa nanini ukuthi ngokukhonza ngomoya wokuzithandela—nisebenzisa isikhathi senu, amandla nempahla ekwaluseni umhlambi—nibonisa uthando lokuzidela. (2 Korinte 12:15) Imizamo yenu engenabugovu ayaziswa nje uJehova kuphela, kodwa yaziswa nayibandla enilelusayo.—Filipi 2:29; Hebheru 6:10.

15. (a) Yiziphi ezinye zezindlela amakhosikazi abadala azidela ngazo? (b) Uzizwa kanjani ngamakhosikazi asekelayo adela abayeni bawo ukuze basebenze nebandla lakini?

¹⁵ Kuthiwani, nokho, ngamakhosikazi abadala—laba besifazane abasekelayo abazideli yini nabo ukuze abayeni babo bakwazi ukunakekela umhlambi? Ngokuqinisekile kuwukuzidela ngenkosikazi uma umyeni wayo kudingeka anakekele izindaba zebandla ngesikhathi ebengasichitha nomkhaya wakhe. Cabanga nangokuzidela kwamakhosikazi ababonisi abajikelezayo, ahamba nabayeni bawo besuka kwelinye ibandla beya kwelinye, besuka kwesinye isifunda beya kwesinye. Ayakudela ukuba nemizi ethi wona futhi mhlawumbe kudingeke alale embhedeni ohlukile isonto ngalinye. Amakhosikazi abeka izithakazelo zebandla ngaphambi kwezawo kumelwe anconywe ngothando lokuzidela alubonisa ngokukhululekile.—Filipi 2:3, 4.

16. Abazali abangamaKristu bazidela kanjani ngenxa yezingane zabo?

¹⁶ Singalubonisa kanjani uthando lokuzidela ekhaya? Bazali, nidela okuningi ukuze nondle izingane zenu futhi nizikhulise “ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova.” (Efesu 6:4) Kungase kudingeke nisebenze amahora amaningi emsebenzini okhandlayo ukuze nje niyise ibhodwe eziko futhi niqiniseke ukuthi izingane zenu zinako okokugqoka nendawo yokuhlala. Ningamane nizincishe nina kunokuba nibone izingane zenu ziswele izidingo zokuphila. Nibuye nisebenze kanzima nifunda nezingane zenu, niya nazo emihlanganweni yobuKristu futhi nisebenza nazo  enkonzweni yasensimini. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Uthando lwenu lokuzidela luyamjabulisa uMsunguli wokuphila komkhaya futhi lungaholela izingane zenu ekuphileni okuphakade.—IzAga 22:6; Efesu 3:14, 15.

17. Amadoda angamaKristu angasilingisa kanjani isimo sengqondo sikaJesu esingenabugovu?

¹⁷ Madoda, ningamlingisa kanjani uJesu ekuboniseni uthando lokuzidela? IBhayibheli liyaphendula: “Madoda, qhubekani nithanda omkenu, njengoba nje noKristu alithanda ibandla futhi wazinikela ngenxa yalo.” (Efesu 5:25) Njengoba sibonile, uJesu wabathanda abalandeli bakhe kangangokuba wabafela. Indoda engumKristu ilingisa isimo sengqondo sikaJesu esingenabugovu, ‘ongazijabulisanga yena.’ (Roma 15:3) Indoda enjalo izibeka ngokuzithandela izidingo nezithakazelo zomkayo ngaphambi kwezayo. Ayibi undlovu kayiphikiswa, kodwa ibonisa ukuzimisela ukuhoxa uma kungekho simiso esingokomBhalo esihilelekile. Indoda ebonisa uthando lokuzidela yamukelwa uJehova, ithandwe futhi ihlonishwe umkayo nabantwana.

18. Yini esishukumisela ukuba silalele umyalo omusha wokuba sithandane?

¹⁸ Ukulalela umyalo omusha wokuthandana akuyona inkambo okulula ukuyilandela, kodwa sinesizathu esinamandla sokwenza njalo. UPawulu wabhala: “Uthando uKristu analo luyasiqhubezela, ngoba yilokhu esikubonile, ukuthi umuntu oyedwa wafela bonke . . . , futhi wafela bonke ukuze labo abaphilayo bangabe besaziphilela bona, kodwa baphilele lowo owabafela wabuye wavuswa.” (2 Korinte 5:14, 15) Njengoba uJesu asifela, akufanele yini sizizwe sibophekile ukuba siphilele yena? Lokho singakwenza ngokulandela isibonelo sakhe sothando lokuzidela.

19, 20. Yisiphi isipho esiyigugu uJehova asinikeze sona, futhi singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyasamukela?

¹⁹ UJesu wayengenzi ihaba lapho ethi: “Akekho onothando  olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Johane 15:13) Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukunikela ngomphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yethu kwakuwukubonakaliswa okukhulu kunakho konke kothando lwakhe ngathi. Nokho, kunomunye osibonise uthando olungaphezu kwalolu. UJesu wachaza: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) UNkulunkulu usithanda kangangokuba wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe njengesihlengo, okwasinikeza ithuba lokukhululwa esonweni nasekufeni. (Efesu 1:7) Isihlengo siyisipho esiyigugu esivela kuJehova, kodwa akasiphoqi ukuba sisamukele.

²⁰ Kukithi ukuthi siyasamukela yini isipho sikaJehova. Kanjani? ‘Ngokubonisa ukholo’ eNdodaneni yakhe. Nokho, ukuba nokholo akuyona nje indaba yokusho ngomlomo. Lubonakaliswa ngezenzo, ngendlela esiphila ngayo. (Jakobe 2:26) Sibonisa ukholo lwethu kuJesu Kristu ngokumlandela nsuku zonke. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyoletha izibusiso ezicebile manje nasesikhathini esizayo, njengoba isahluko sokugcina sale ncwadi sizochaza.