1, 2. (a) Umhlaba uqhubeka uhlukana ngayiphi indlela? (b) Sizophendula miphi imibuzo kulesi sihloko?

“KUSUKELA ngisemncane, ngangihlale ngibona ukungabi nabulungisa,” kukhumbula udade ohlala eningizimu yeYurophu. “Ngakwenqaba ukusekela uhulumeni wasezweni lakithi, esikhundleni salokho ngasekela lokho abantu abaningi ababekubheka njengemibono eyeqisayo. Empeleni kwaphela iminyaka eminingi ngiyintombi yephekula.” Umzalwane eningizimu ye-Afrika naye ngaphambili wayebheka udlame njengento efanelekayo. Uthi, “Ngangikholelwa ukuthi uhlanga lwami lungcono kunazo zonke ezinye izinhlanga, ngabe sengijoyina iqembu lezombusazwe. Safundiswa ukubulala izitha zethu ngomkhonto—ngisho noma labo bantu babevela ohlangeni lwethu; uma nje besekela amanye amaqembu ezombusazwe sasibabulala.” Udade ohlala eYurophu ephakathi uyavuma: “Nganginobandlululo futhi ngizonda wonke umuntu ovela kwesinye isizwe noma onenkolo ehlukile kweyami.”

² Namuhla baya beba baningi abantu abacabanga ngendlela efana nendlela la maKristu amathathu ayecabanga ngayo. Izinhlangano ezinodlame ezilwela inkululeko ziyanda, ukuhlukana kwezombusazwe kuya kuba kuningi, emazweni amaningi  abantu bokufika bayahlukunyezwa. Njengoba iBhayibheli labikezela, kulezi zinsuku zokugcina esiphila kuzo, abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo ngeke ‘basifune isivumelwano.’ (2 Thim. 3:1, 3) Izwe njengoba liya lihlukana, amaKristu angabuvikela kanjani ubunye bawo? Singafunda okuningi ngokuhlola lokho uJesu akwenza ngekhulu lokuqala lapho izwe lalihlukene phakathi ngenxa yezinxushunxushu zezombusazwe. Ake sixoxe ngamaphuzu amathathu ayinhloko: Kungani uJesu enqaba ukuzihlanganisa nezinhlangano ezilwela inkululeko? Wasibonisa kanjani isidingo sokuba izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zigweme ukuthatha uhlangothi ezindabeni zezombusazwe? UJesu wasifundisa kanjani ukuthi udlame aluyona into efanelekayo?

3, 4. (a) Yini eyayilindelwe amaJuda kwezombusazwe ngosuku lukaJesu? (b) Leyo mibono yabathinta kanjani abafundi bakaJesu?

³ AmaJuda amaningi uJesu ayewashumayeza ayelangazelela ukukhululeka eRoma. Imizwa enjalo yayigqugquzelwa amaJuda ayeshisekela ubuzwe. Iningi lalawo maJuda ayeshisekela ubuzwe, lalilandela imibono kaJuda waseGalile. Wayengumesiya mbumbulu owadukisa abantu abaningi ngekhulu lokuqala. Isazi mlando uJosephus sathi lo Juda “wayekhuthaza abantu basezweni lakubo ukuba bavukele, ebabiza ngamagwala lapho bekhokha intela kumaRoma.” AmaRoma ambulala uJuda. (IzE. 5:37) Amanye kulawo maJuda ayeshisekela ubuzwe aze ngisho abanodlame ukuze kufezeke imigomo yawo.

⁴ Ngaphandle kwalawo maJuda ayeshisekela ubuzwe, amaJuda avamile ayelangazelela ukufika kukaMesiya futhi ayenethemba lokuthi uzowakhulula kumaRoma enze u-Israyeli aphinde abe yisizwe esinamandla. (Luka 2:38; 3:15) AmaJuda amaningi ayekholelwa ukuthi uMesiya wayezomisa umbuso kwa-Israyeli. Okwakuyobangela ukuba izigidi zamaJuda ezazisakazekele emazweni ahlukahlukene zibuyele ezweni lazo. Khumbula umbuzo uJohane umBhapathizi awubuza uJesu: “Ingabe wena unguYe Ozayo, noma kumelwe silindele omunye?” (Math. 11:2, 3) Kungenzeka uJohane wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi kukhona omunye yini owayeyogcwalisa izifiso zawo wonke amaJuda. Abafundi ababili abahlangana noJesu ovusiwe endleleni eya e-Emawuse nabo babenamathemba ngoMesiya ayengakagcwaliseki. (Funda uLuka 24:21.) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, abaphostoli bakaJesu bambuza: “Nkosi, ingabe uzowubuyisela umbuso ku-Israyeli ngalesi sikhathi na?”—IzE. 1:6.

5. (a) Kungani abantu baseGalile babefuna uJesu abe yinkosi yabo? (b) UJesu wawulungisa kanjani umbono wabo?

⁵ Ngokungangabazeki lokho ababekulindele kuMesiya kwabangela ukuba abantu baseGalile bafune ukwenza uJesu abe yinkosi yabo. Bebecabanga ukuthi uJesu wayengaba umholi ofanelekayo. Wayeyisikhulumi esihle; ekwazi ukwelapha abagulayo; ekwazi ngisho nokunikeza abantu abalambile ukudla. Ngemva kokondla amadoda angaba ngu-5 000, uJesu wabona ukuthi abantu bafuna ukumenza inkosi. “UJesu azi ukuthi base bezokuza bambambe ukuze bambeke inkosi, waphinde wasuka waya entabeni eyedwa.” (Joh. 6:10-15) Ngakusasa kungenzeka ukuthi isasasa kubantu lase lehlile. Ngakho, uJesu wabe esechazela isixuku umsebenzi ayewuzele emhlabeni. Wayengazelanga ukuzosiza abantu ngokwenyama kodwa wayezele ukuzobafundisa ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Wathi kubo, “Ningasebenzeli ukudla okushabalalayo, kodwa ukudla okuhlalayo kube ukuphila okuphakade.”—Joh. 6:25-27.

6. UJesu wakucacisa kanjani ukuthi wayengafuni sikhundla kwezombusazwe? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁶ Ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, uJesu wabona  ukuthi abanye kubalandeli bakhe babelindele ukuba amise umbuso eJerusalema. Walungisa umbono wabo ngokusho umfanekiso womina. Lo mfanekiso wabonisa ukuthi uJesu, ‘umuntu wozalo lwasebukhosini,’ kwakuyofanele ahambe isikhathi eside. (Luka 19:11-13, 15) UJesu wachazela izikhulu zamaRoma ukuthi wayengathathi hlangothi kwezombusazwe. UPontiyu Pilatu wabuza uJesu: “Ingabe uyiyo inkosi yamaJuda?” (Joh. 18:33) Kungenzeka lo mbusi wayesaba ukuthi uJesu angabangela izinxushunxushu, okuyinto eyayihlale imkhathaza uPilatu. UJesu waphendula: “Umbuso wami awuyona ingxenye yaleli zwe.” (Joh. 18:36) Wayengeke azihlanganise nezombusazwe ngoba uMbuso wakhe wawuzoba owasezulwini. Watshela uPilatu ukuthi umsebenzi wakhe emhlabeni ‘ukuba afakazele iqiniso.’—Funda uJohane 18:37.

7. Kungani kungase kube nzima ukugwema ukusekela izinhlangano zezombusazwe?

⁷ Uma siwuqonda ngokucacile umsebenzi esiwunikiwe ngendlela uJesu ayewuqonda ngayo, siyogwema ukusekela izinhlangano zezombusazwe ngisho nasezinhliziyweni zethu. Lokhu kungase kungabi lula. Omunye umbonisi ojikelezayo uthi, “Endaweni esikuyo, baya beba baningi abantu abasekela imibono eyeqisayo. Umoya wokushisekela ubuzwe udlangile futhi abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi ezombusazwe zizothuthukisa ukuphila kwabo. Ngokujabulisayo, abazalwane baye bahlala benobunye ngokugxila emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Bayaqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu nguye ozoqeda ukungabi nabulungisa nezinye izinkinga esibhekana nazo.”

8. Yisho isibonelo sokungabi nabulungisa amaJuda angekhulu lokuqala ayebhekene nakho.

⁸ Ngokuvamile ukungabi nabulungisa kwenza abantu bazihlanganise nezinhlangano zezombusazwe. Ukukhokha intela kwakuyindaba esematheni ngesikhathi sikaJesu. Empeleni, ukuvukela kukaJuda waseGalile, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, kwabangelwa ukubhaliswa kwabantu ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi bayayikhokha intela yaseRoma. Labo ababebuswa yiRoma kuhlanganise nalabo ababelalela uJesu kwakumelwe bakhokhe intela, njengentela yempahla, yomhlaba neyezindlu. Abaqoqi bentela babekhohlakele okwakubangela ukuba lo mthwalo usinde nakakhulu. Abaqoqi bentela babefumbathisa izikhulu zikahulumeni ukuze bathole isikhundla bese besisebenzisela ukuzitholela imali eningi. UZakewu, owayengumthelisi omkhulu eJeriko, wayecebe ngokuthatha imali kubantu  ngokungemthetho. (Luka 19:2, 8) Cishe yilokho okwakwenziwa abaningi.

9, 10. (a) Izitha zikaJesu zazama kanjani ukumhilela kwezombusazwe? (b) Yini esiyifunda empendulweni kaJesu? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁹ Izitha zikaJesu zazama ukumcupha ngokumenza athathe uhlangothi endabeni yokukhokhwa kwentela. Intela okwakukhulunywa ngayo ‘kwakuyintela yekhanda,’ udenariyu owodwa owawukhokhwa yibo bonke ababuswa yiRoma. (Funda uMathewu 22:16-18.) AmaJuda ngokukhethekile ayekuzonda ukukhokha le ntela. Kwakubonisa ukuthi angaphansi kokubusa kweRoma. “Amalungu eqembu likaHerode” abuza uJesu ngale ndaba enethemba lokuthi uma uJesu elahla ukukhokhwa kwentela, angase amangalelwe ngokuvukela umbuso. Uma uJesu ayethe ukukhokhwa kwentela kuyafaneleka, abantu babengase bayeke ukuba abalandeli bakhe.

¹⁰ UJesu waqikelela ukuthi angathathi hlangothi endabeni yentela. Wathi, “Buyiselani kuKhesari izinto zikaKhesari, kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.” (Math. 22:21) UJesu wayazi ukuthi abaqoqi bentela abaningi babekhohlakele. Nokho wayengafuni lokho kumphazamise entweni ebaluleke ngempela. UMbuso kaNkulunkulu owawuzoba yisixazululo sangempela. Ngaleyo ndlela wabekela bonke abalandeli bakhe isibonelo. Kufanele bakugweme ukuzihlanganisa ezindabeni zezombusazwe ngisho noma kungathiwa inhlangano ethile ilwela into elungile noma enobulungisa kangakanani. AmaKristu afuna uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe. Enza lokho kunokuba abe nemibono eqinile ngokungabi nabulungisa noma akhulume ngokumelene nakho.—Math. 6:33.

11. Singasisebenzisa kanjani isifiso sethu sobulungisa ngendlela efanele?

¹¹ OFakazi BakaJehova abaningi baye baphumelela ekunqobeni imibono eqinile yezombusazwe abake baba nayo. Udade waseBrithani uthi, “Ngemva kokwenza izifundo zezenhlalo eyunivesithi ngaba nemibono eyeqisayo. Ngangifuna ukulwela amalungelo abantu abansundu, ngoba sekuphele iminyaka siphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa. Ngisho noma nganginekhono lokuphumelela izingxoxo-mpikiswano, ngangingakutholi ukwaneliseka. Ngangingaqondi ukuthi izimbangela zobandlululo kumelwe zisishulwe ezinhliziyweni zabantu. Nokho, lapho ngiqala ukufunda iBhayibheli ngaphawula ukuthi kudingeka ngiqale ngokulungisa eyami inhliziyo. Udade omhlophe owangisiza ngesineke ukuba ngenze lezo zinguquko. Manje ngikhonza njengephayona elivamile ebandleni elisebenzisa ulimi lwezandla futhi ngifunda ukufinyelela lonke uhlobo lwabantu.”

12. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bagweme yiphi “imvubelo”?

¹² Ngesikhathi sikaJesu abaholi benkolo babevame ukusekela ezombusazwe. Incwadi ethi Daily Life in Palestine at the Time of Christ ithi amaJuda ayehlukaniswe aba amaqembu ezenkolo afuze amaqembu ezombusazwe. Ngakho uJesu waxwayisa abafundi bakhe wathi: “Hlalani nivulé amehlo, xwayani imvubelo yabaFarisi nemvubelo kaHerode.” (Marku 8:15) Lapho uJesu ekhuluma ngoHerode, cishe wayebhekisela kubalandeli bakaHerode. AbaFarisi babefuna amaJuda akhululeke ekubusweni amaRoma. Ukulandisa kukaMathewu kubonisa ukuthi uJesu wakhuluma nangabaSadusi. AbaSadusi babefuna amaRoma aqhubeke ebusa. Abaningi kubo babenezikhundla embusweni waseRoma. UJesu waxwayisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bangazilaleli izimfundiso—noma imvubelo—ezazigqugquzelwa yila maqembu amathathu. (Math. 16:6, 12) Kuyathakazelisa ukwazi ukuthi le ngxoxo yenzeka ngemva nje kokuba abantu befune ukwenza uJesu inkosi.

13, 14. (a) Ezombusazwe nezenkolo zalubangela kanjani udlame nokungabi nabulungisa? (b) Kungani kungafanele sibe nodlame ngisho nalapho siphathwa kabi? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

 ¹³ Lapho inkolo ixubana nezombusazwe udlame lungaqubuka kalula. UJesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi kumelwe bangathathi hlangothi ezimweni ezinjalo. Leso esinye sezizathu ezenza abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi bafuna ukubulala uJesu. Babesaba ukuthi abantu bazolalela uJesu bese beyeka ukulandela bona. Bathi: “Uma simyeka ngale ndlela, bonke bazokholwa nguye, futhi amaRoma azofika athathe kokubili indawo yethu nesizwe sethu.” (Joh. 11:48) Yingakho uMpristi Ophakeme uKayafase ayengungqoshishilizi ekuhleleni ukubulawa kukaJesu.—Joh. 11:49-53; 18:14.

¹⁴ UKayafase wathuma amasosha ukuba ayobopha uJesu ebusuku. UJesu wayazi ngaleli cebo lokumbulala, ngakho phakathi nesidlo sakhe sokugcina nabafundi bakhe, wathi mabathathe izinkemba. Ezimbili nje zaziyokwanela ukuze abafundise isifundo esibalulekile. (Luka 22:36-38) Kamuva ngalobo busuku, uPetru wahlasela oyedwa esixukwini ngenkemba. Akungabazeki ukuthi lesi senzo sokuboshwa kukaJesu ebusuku samthukuthelisa kakhulu uPetru. (Joh. 18:10) Kodwa uJesu wathi kuPetru: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngoba bonke abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba.” (Math. 26:52, 53) Lesi sifundo esinamandla sasivumelana nalokho uJesu ayekuthandazele ngalobo busuku—kumelwe bangabi yingxenye yezwe. (Funda uJohane 17:16.) Ukulwa nokungabi nabulungisa yinto okumelwe ishiyelwe kuNkulunkulu.

15, 16. (a) IZwi likaNkulunkulu liye lawasiza kanjani amaKristu ukuba agweme izingxabano? (b) Yikuphi ukungafani uJehova akubonayo lapho ebuka izwe namuhla?

¹⁵ Udade waseningizimu yeYurophu esikhulume ngaye ekuqaleni wafunda isifundo esifanayo. Uthi, “Ngiye ngabona ukuthi udlame alububangeli ubulungisa. Ngiye ngabona ukuthi labo abanodlame bagcina befile. Abanye abaningi bagcina benenzondo. Ngajabula lapho ngifunda eBhayibhelini ukuthi uNkulunkulu kuphela ongaletha ubulungisa bangempela emhlabeni. Lona umyalezo osekuphele iminyaka engu-25 ngishumayela ngawo.” Umzalwane waseningizimu ye-Afrika uye walahla umkhonto wakhe, esikhundleni sawo wathatha ‘inkemba yomoya,’ iZwi likaNkulunkulu, njengoba eshumayela ngomyalezo wokuthula komakhelwane bakhe kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abaluphi uhlanga. (Efe. 6:17) Ngemva kokuba uFakazi KaJehova, udade waseYurophu ephakathi washada nomzalwane wohlanga ayeluzonda ngaphambili. Bobathathu benza lezi zinguquko ngoba babefisa ukuba njengoKristu.

¹⁶ Kubalulekile ukuba senze lezi zinguquko. IBhayibheli lifanisa isintu nolwandle olugubha amagagasi olungenakho ukuthula. (Isaya 17:12; 57:20, 21; IsAm. 13:1) Njengoba ezombusazwe zithukuthelisa abantu, zibahlukanise, zibenze babe nodlame, thina sihlala sinokuthula nobunye. Lapho uJehova ebuka leli zwe elihlukene, kumelwe ukuba uyajabula lapho ebona abantu bakhe benobunye.—Funda uZefaniya 3:17.

17. (a) Yiziphi izindlela ezintathu esingathuthukisa ngazo ubunye? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Siye sabona ukuthi njengamaKristu ubunye singabuthuthukisa ngezindlela ezintathu: (1) Siqiniseka ngokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu osezulwini yiwo oyoqeda ukungabi nabulungisa, (2) siyenqaba ukuthatha uhlangothi kwezombusazwe futhi (3) sigwema ukuba nodlame. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi ubunye bethu bungasongelwa ubandlululo. Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngokuthi singayinqoba kanjani le nselele njengoba kwenza amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala.