UJesu Wangempela

NGEMVA kokuthola kubaphostoli bakhe ukuthi abantu bacabangani ngaye, uJesu wababuza: “Nokho, nina nithi ngingubani?” IVangeli likaMathewu linikeza impendulo yomphostoli uPetru: “Unguye uKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.” (Mathewu 16:15, 16) Nabanye babenombono ofanayo. UNathanayeli, kamuva owaba ngomunye wabaphostoli, wathi kuJesu: “Rabi, wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uyiNkosi yakwa-Israyeli.” (Johane 1:49) NoJesu ngokwakhe wakhuluma ngokubaluleka kwendima yakhe: “Mina ngiyindlela neqiniso nokuphila. Akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami.” (Johane 14:6) Ngezikhathi ezihlukene, wazibiza ‘ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’ (Johane 5:24, 25; 11:4) Futhi wasekela lawo mazwi ngokwenza izimangaliso, evusa nabafileyo imbala.

Ingabe Ukungabaza Okunesisekelo?

Kodwa singakwethemba ngempela yini ukulandisa kwamaVangeli ngoJesu? Ingabe aveza uJesu njengoba ayenjalo ngempela? UFrederick F. Bruce ongasekho, owayenguprofesa wokucutshungulwa nokuchasiswa kweBhayibheli e-University of Manchester, eNgilandi, wathi: “Ngokuvamile akwenzeki ukubonisa ngezinto ezingokomlando ubuqiniso bayo yonke imininingwane esembhalweni wasendulo, kungaba eseBhayibhelini noma engaphandle kwalo. Kwanele ukwethembela ngokusesilinganisweni ekwethembekeni komlobi sekukonke; uma lokho kuqinisekisiwe, cishe kuba sobala ukuthi nemininingwane yakhe iyiqiniso. . . . ITestamente Elisha cishe alinakubhekwa njengelingenakwethenjwa ngokomlando ngoba nje amaKristu elamukela ‘njengencwadi engcwele.’”

Ngemva kokuhlola ukungabaza okukhona ngoJesu ovezwe emaVangelini, uJames R. Edwards, uprofesa wenkolo eJamestown College, eNorth Dakota, e-U.S.A., wabhala: “Singagomela ngokuqiniseka ukuthi amaVangeli anobufakazi obuhlukahlukene obuphawulekayo obuphathelene neqiniso ngoJesu. . . . Impendulo enengqondo kunazo zonke yombuzo othi kungani amaVangeli eveza uJesu ngendlela amveza ngayo iwukuthi yingoba yilokho kanye uJesu ayeyikho ngempela. AmaVangeli alondoloza ngokwethembeka umbono awushiya kubalandeli bakhe, wokuthi wayethunywe ngokwaphezulu futhi enikwe amandla okuba yiNdodana neNceku kaNkulunkulu.” *

Ukufuna UJesu

Kuthiwani ngeminye imithombo engelona iBhayibheli kodwa ebhekisela kuJesu? Ihlaziywa  kanjani yona? Izincwadi zikaTacitus, uSuetonius, uJosephus, uPliny Omncane nabanye abalobi zibhekisela kaningana kuJesu. Mayelana nazo, i-New Encyclopædia Britannica (1995) ithi: “Lokhu kulandisa okuzimele kufakazela ukuthi endulo ngisho nabaphikisi bobuKristu babengakungabazi neze ukuthi uJesu waphila ngokoqobo, okuyinto eyaphikiswa okokuqala futhi ngaphandle kwezizathu ezanele ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-18, phakathi nele-19 nangasekuqaleni kwelama-20.”

Ngokudabukisayo, kubonakala sengathi izazi zanamuhla, emkhankasweni wazo wokufuna uJesu “wangempela” noma “wasemlandweni,” ziye zakugqiba lokho ayikho ngempela ngokuqagela okuningi okungenasisekelo, ukungabaza okungenazizathu nangemibono engasekelwe ndawo. Ngomqondo othile, yizona kanye ezinecala lokuqamba izinsumansumane ezimangalela abalobi bamaVangeli ngalo ngokungeyikho. Ezinye zimagange kakhulu ukuzakhela igama nodumo ngombono omusha ongundab’ uzekwayo kangangokuthi azibe zisabuhlola ngobuqotho ubufakazi obuphathelene noJesu. Ekwenzeni kanjalo, zakha “uJesu” owumkhiqizo nje wokuzicabangela kwezazi.

Kulabo abafuna ukumthola, uJesu wangempela uyatholakala eBhayibhelini. ULuke Johnson, uprofesa weTestamente Elisha nemisuka yobuKristu eCandler School of Theology yase-Emory University, uthi ingxenye enkulu yocwaningo olwenziwa ngoJesu wasemlandweni igeja umgomo weBhayibheli. Uthi kungenzeka kuyathakazelisa ukuhlola izici zenhlalo yabantu, zezombangazwe, zesayensi yemvelaphi yabantu nezingokwesiko zokuphila kukaJesu nesikhathi sakhe. Nokho, unezela ngokuthi ukuthola lokho izazi ezikubiza ngokuthi nguJesu wasemlandweni “akuwona umgomo wemiBhalo,” yona “ekhathalela kakhulu ukuchaza ubuntu bukaJesu,”  umyalezo wakhe nendima yakhe njengoMhlengi. Babunjani-ke ubuntu bangempela bukaJesu futhi wawuyini umyalezo wakhe?

UJesu Wangempela

AmaVangeli—ukulandisa okune kweBhayibheli kokuphila kukaJesu—kuveza umuntu onozwela kakhulu. Isihawu nobubele kwashukumisela uJesu ukuba asize abantu ababehlushwa ukugula, ubumpumputhe nezinye izinkinga. (Mathewu 9:36; 14:14; 20:34) Ukufa komngane wakhe uLazaru nosizi okwalubangela kodadewabo bakaLazaru kwashukumisela uJesu ukuba ‘abubule futhi akhale izinyembezi.’ (Johane 11:32-36) Eqinisweni, amaVangeli embula imizwa kaJesu eminingi ehlukahlukene—uzwela ngomuntu onochoko, injabulo ngokuphumelela kwabafundi bakhe, ukuthukuthelela abantu abathanda imithetho ngokungenazwela nokudabuka ngenxa yokwenqaba kweJerusalema uMesiya.

Lapho uJesu enza isimangaliso, ngokuvamile wayegxila endimeni yalowo owenzelwa sona: “Ukholo lwakho lukwenze waphila.” (Mathewu 9:22) Wancoma uNathanayeli ngokuthi ‘ungumIsrayeli wangempela,’ ethi: ‘Akukho nkohliso kuye!’ (Johane 1:47) Lapho abathile becabanga ukuthi isipho sokwazisa sowesifazane othile sasiwukusaphaza, uJesu wamvikela futhi wathi indaba yokupha kwakhe yayiyokhunjulwa isikhathi eside. (Mathewu 26:6-13) Wazibonakalisa engumngane wangempela onothando kubalandeli bakhe, “wabathanda kwaze kwaba sekupheleni.”—Johane 13:1; 15:11-15.

AmaVangeli abonisa nokuthi uJesu wayeshesha ukubaqonda abantu abaningi ayehlangana nabo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayekhuluma nowesifazane emthonjeni, umfundisi wenkolo ensimini, noma umdobi ngasechibini, wayefinyelela izinhliziyo zabo ngokushesha. Ngemva kokuba uJesu esho amazwi okuqala, abaningi balaba bantu bamvezela imicabango yabo ejulile. Wayebenza basabele. Nakuba abantu besikhathi sakhe kungenzeka babengazisondezi kubantu abasezikhundleni eziphakeme, uJesu yena wayengungwa abantu. Babekuthanda ukuba noJesu; babezizwa bekhululekile lapho benaye. Nezingane zazizizwa zikhululekile lapho zinaye, futhi lapho esebenzisa ingane njengesibonelo, akazange amane ayimise phambi kwabafundi bakhe kodwa futhi ‘wayigona ngezingalo zakhe.’ (Marku 9:36; 10:13-16) Yebo, amaVangeli aveza uJesu njengomuntu owayenogazi kangangokuthi abantu bahlala izinsuku ezintathu belalele amazwi akhe ayengena kubo.—Mathewu 15:32.

Ukuphelela kukaJesu akuzange kumenze agxeke ngokweqile noma azazise futhi azenze  ingqongqo kubantu abangaphelele nabanesono ayephila futhi eshumayela phakathi kwabo. (Mathewu 9:10-13; 21:31, 32; Luka 7:36-48; 15:1-32; 18:9-14) UJesu akazange neze afune izinto ngenkani kwabanye. Akenezelanga emithwalweni yabantu esindayo. Kunalokho, wathi: “Wozani kimi, nina nonke enikhandlekayo . . . ngizonenza niqabuleke.” Abafundi bakhe bamthola ‘enomoya omnene futhi ethobekile ngenhliziyo’; ijoka lakhe lalinomusa, futhi umthwalo wakhe ulula.—Mathewu 11:28-30.

Ubuntu bukaJesu buyavela ekulandiseni kwamaVangeli futhi bubonakala ngokucacile ukuthi buyiqiniso. Kwakungeke kube lula ngabantu abane abahlukene ukuba baziqambele umuntu ongavamile bese bemveza ngendlela efanayo kukho konke ukulandisa okune okuhlukene. Cishe bekungenakwenzeka ukuba abalobi abane abahlukene bachaze umuntu oyedwa ngendlela efanayo ukube lowo muntu wayengakaze abe khona ngempela.

Isazi-mlando uMichael Grant sibuza umbuzo ocabangisayo: “Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba, kuwo wonke amaVangeli ngothi lwawo, kube khona umfanekiso ocace ngokuphawulekayo wensizwa ekhangayo ehamba ngokukhululeka phakathi kwabesifazane abahlukahlukene, kuhlanganise nabanedumela elibi kakhulu, ingabi nokuncane ukuthambekela ngokomzwelo, ukungakhululeki, noma ukugcizelela isizotha ngokweqile, kodwa futhi ngaso sonke isikhathi ibe nobuntu obuqotho?” Impendulo enengqondo iwukuthi umuntu onjalo wayekhona ngempela futhi wenza njengoba iBhayibheli lisho.

UJesu Wangempela Nekusasa Lakho

Ngaphezu kokunikeza umfanekiso wangempela wokuphila kukaJesu esemhlabeni, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi wayeke waphila ngaphambi kokuba ngumuntu njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa, “izibulo layo yonke indalo.” (Kolose 1:15) Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili edlule, uNkulunkulu wadlulisela ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe yasezulwini esibelethweni sentombi engumJuda ukuze izalwe njengomuntu. (Mathewu 1:18) Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, uJesu wamemezela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengowukuphela kwethemba lesintu esisosizini, waqeqesha nabafundi bakhe ukuba baqhubeke nalo msebenzi wokushumayela.—Mathewu 4:17; 10:5-7; 28:19, 20.

Ngo-Nisan 14 (cishe ngo-April 1), 33 C.E., uJesu waboshwa, waquliswa icala, wagwetshwa wayesebulawa ngecala elingamanga lokuvukela umbuso. (Mathewu 26:18-20, 26:48–27:50) Ukufa kukaJesu kuyisihlengo, kukhulula isintu esikholwayo esimweni saso sokuba nesono kanjalo kuvulele bonke abanokholo kuye indlela yokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. (Roma 3:23, 24; 1 Johane 2:2) Ngo-Nisan 16, uJesu wavuswa, futhi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho wenyukela ezulwini. (Marku 16:1-8; Luka 24:50-53; IzEnzo 1:6-9) NjengeNkosi kaJehova ebekiwe, uJesu ovusiwe unegunya eligcwele lokufeza injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala ngomuntu. (Isaya 9:6, 7; Luka 1:32, 33) Yebo, iBhayibheli liveza uJesu njengoyinhloko ekufezekeni kwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu.

Ekhulwini lokuqala, izixuku zamukela uJesu njengoba ayenjalo—uMesiya othenjisiwe, noma uKristu, owayethunyelwe emhlabeni ukuzolwela ubukhosi bukaJehova futhi afe njengesihlengo sesintu. (Mathewu 20:28; Luka 2:25-32; Johane 17:25, 26; 18:37) Lapho beshushiswa ngonya, abantu babengeke neze bashukumiseleke ukuba babe ngabafundi bakaJesu uma babengaqiniseki ukuthi wayengubani. Ngesibindi nangentshiseko, benza umsebenzi ayebanike wona, ‘wokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi.’—Mathewu 28:19.

Namuhla, izigidi zamaKristu aqotho nanolwazi ziyazi ukuthi uJesu akayena umuntu oyinganekwane. Zimamukela njengeNkosi esesihlalweni sobukhosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe ezulwini, esizolawula umhlaba nezinto zawo ngokugcwele. Lo hulumeni kaNkulunkulu uyizindaba ezijabulisayo ngoba uthembisa inkululeko ezinkingeni zezwe. AmaKristu eqiniso abonisa ukuyisekela kwawo ngobuqotho iNkosi kaJehova ekhethiwe ngokumemezela kwabanye “lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso.”—Mathewu 24:14.

Labo abasekela ilungiselelo loMbuso ngoKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, bayophila bajabulele izibusiso zaphakade. Nawe ungazithola lezo zibusiso! Abanyathelisi balo magazini bayokujabulela ukukusiza umazi uJesu wangempela.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Lokho Abanye Abaye Bakusho

“Ngiye ngabheka uJesu waseNazaretha njengomunye wabafundisi abanethonya elikhulu kwabake baba khona emhlabeni. . . . KumaHindu ngizothi ukuphila kwenu kuyobe akuphelele uma ningakazitadishi ngenhlonipho izimfundiso zikaJesu.” Mohandas K. Gandhi, The Message of Jesus Christ.

“Umuntu ongenabuzenzisi, ongenasici, njalo oziphatha ngendlela engaguquguquki, ophelele, onobuntu kodwa ebe ephakeme kangaka kunabo bonke abantu abakhulu, akanakuba yinkohliso noma into eqanjiwe. . . . Bekuyodingeka umuntu ongaphezu kukaJesu ukuze kuqanjwe uJesu.” Phillip Schaff, History of the Christian Church.

“Ukuthi amadoda ambalwa navamile esizukulwaneni esisodwa aye aqamba umuntu onamandla nokhanga kangaka, onezindinganiso eziphakeme kangaka nombono oshukumisa kangaka wobuzalwane besintu, bekungaba yisimangaliso esingakholeki kunanoma yiziphi ezilotshwe emaVangelini.” Will Durant, Caesar and Christ.

“Kungabonakala kungaqondakali ukuthi inhlangano yenkolo ehlanganisa imbulunga yonke kungenzeka yasungulwa umuntu ongekho oqanjiwe njengesu lokuthengisa lasendulo, uma kucatshangwa ngabantu abaningi okungenakuphikwa ukuthi babephila abazama kodwa behluleka ukusungula izinkolo.” Gregg Easterbrook, Beside Still Waters.

“Njengesazi-mlando sezincwadi ngiqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi amaVangeli awazona neze izinganekwane. Awanabo ubuciko obanele ukuba abe yizinganekwane. . . . Ingxenye enkulu yokuphila kukaJesu asiyazi, futhi abantu abakha inganekwane bebengeke bakuvumele lokho.” C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

[Izithombe ekhasini 7]

AmaVangeli embula imizwa kaJesu eminingi ehlukahlukene