Ingabe Uphakathi Kwalabo Abathandwa NguNkulunkulu?

“Lowo onemiyalo yami futhi ayigcine, lowo nguye ongithandayo. Futhi lowo ongithandayo uyothandwa nguBaba.”—JOHANE 14:21.

1, 2. (a) UJehova walubonisa kanjani uthando lwakhe ngesintu? (b) Yini uJesu ayimisa ngobusuku buka-Nisan 14, 33 C.E.?

UJEHOVA uyayithanda indalo yakhe engabantu. Empeleni izwe lesintu ulithanda “kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe nokuphila okumi phakade.” (Johane 3:16) Njengoba sisondela esikhathini sokugubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu, amaKristu eqiniso kufanele akuqaphele kunanini ngaphambili ukuthi uJehova “wasithanda futhi wathumela iNdodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo oyisihlawulelo wezono zethu.”—1 Johane 4:10.

² Ngobusuku buka-Nisan 14, 33 C.E., uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe abangu-12 bahlangana ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema ukuze bagubhe iPhasika, bekhumbula ukukhululwa kwama-Israyeli eGibithe. (Mathewu 26:17-20) Ngemva kokugubha lo mkhosi wamaJuda, uJesu waxosha uJuda Iskariyothe futhi wamisa isidlo sakusihlwa esasizokuba iSikhumbuzo samaKristu sokufa kukaKristu. * Esebenzisa isinkwa esingenamvubelo newayini elibomvu njengezifanekiselo zomzimba wakhe negazi lakhe, uJesu wenza ukuba abaphostoli bakhe abangu-11 ababesele bahlanganyele kulesi sidlo senhlanganyelo. Imininingwane yendlela asiqhuba ngayo inikezwa ngabalobi bamaVangeli okuqala amathathu, uMathewu, uMarku, noLuka kanye nomphostoli uPawulu, owasibiza ngokuthi “isidlo seNkosi sakusihlwa.”—1 Korinte 11:20; Mathewu 26:26-28; Marku 14:22-25; Luka 22:19, 20.

3. Ukulandisa komphostoli uJohane ngamahora okugcina okuphila kukaJesu enabafundi bakhe ekamelweni eliphezulu kuhluke ngaziphi izindlela ezibalulekile kokwabanye?

³ Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi umphostoli uJohane akashongo lutho ngokudluliswa kwesinkwa newayini, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi ngesikhathi aloba ngaso ukulandisa kweVangeli lakhe (cishe ngo-98 C.E.), le nqubo yase yaziwa kakhulu phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala. (1 Korinte 11:23-26) Nokho, eloba ngaphansi kokuphefumulelwa, uJohane yedwa owasinikeza ukwaziswa okubaluleke kakhulu ngokuqondene nalokho uJesu akusho nakwenza ngaphambi kokumisa iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwaKhe nangemva nje kwalokho. Le mininingwane evusa amadlingozi igcwalisa izahluko ezinhlanu zeVangeli likaJohane. Zisishiya singenakho nokuncane ukungabaza ngohlobo lwabantu uNkulunkulu abathandayo. Ake sihlole uJohane izahluko 13 kuya ku-17.

Funda Othandweni LukaJesu Oluyisibonelo

4. (a) UJohane wasigcizelela kanjani isihloko esivelele somhlangano kaJesu nabafundi bakhe lapho emisa iSikhumbuzo? (b) Yisiphi isizathu esisodwa esibalulekile esenza ukuba uJehova athande uJesu?

⁴ Uthando luyisihloko esivelele kuzo zonke lezi zahluko eziqukethe iseluleko sikaJesu sokuvalelisa abalandeli bakhe. Empeleni igama elithi “uthando” livela izikhathi ezingu-31 lingezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Ayikho enye indawo lapho uthando lukaJesu olujulile ngoYise, uJehova, nangabafundi bakhe olwenziwe lwabonakala khona kunakulezi zahluko. Uthando lukaJesu ngoJehova lusobala kukho konke ukulandisa  kwamaVangeli ngokuphila kwakhe, kodwa nguJohane kuphela oloba ukuthi uJesu wakubeka ngokucacile ukuthi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (Johane 14:31) UJesu wabuye wathi uJehova uyamthanda wanikeza nesizathu salokho. Wathi: “Njengoba nje uBaba engithandile futhi nami nginithandile, hlalani othandweni lwami. Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyohlala othandweni lwami, njengoba nje nami ngiye ngagcina imiyalo kaBaba futhi ngihlala othandweni lwakhe.” (Johane 15:9, 10) Yebo, uJehova uthanda iNdodana yakhe ngenxa yokulalela kwayo okuphelele. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuyisifundo esihle kanjani kubo bonke abalandeli bakaJesu Kristu!

5. UJesu walubonisa kanjani uthando lwakhe ngabafundi bakhe?

⁵ Uthando lukaJesu olukhulu ngabalandeli bakhe lugcizelelwa zisuka nje ekulandiseni kukaJohane ngomhlangano wokugcina kaJesu nabaphostoli. UJohane walandisa: “Manje, ngoba wayazi ngaphambi komkhosi wephasika ukuthi ihora lakhe lase lifikile ukuba ahambe kulelizwe aye kuYise, uJesu, ebathandile abakhe siqu abasezweni, wabathanda kwaze kwaba sekupheleni.” (Johane 13:1) Ngalobo busuku obungelibaleke, wabanika isifundo ababengeke basikhohlwe ekukhonzeni abanye ngothando. Wageza izinyawo zabo. Kwakumelwe ngabe ngamunye kubo wazinikela ngokuzithandela ukuba enze lokhu kuJesu nakubafowabo, kodwa bazindela. UJesu wawenza lo msebenzi ophansi wayesethi kubafundi bakhe: “Uma mina, nakuba ngiyiNkosi noMfundisi, nginigezé izinyawo, nani kufanele nigezane izinyawo. Ngoba nginibekela isibonelo, sokuthi njengoba nje ngenzile kini, nani kufanele nenze kanjalo.” (Johane 13:14, 15) AmaKristu eqiniso kufanele akhonze abafowabo ngokuzithandela nangenjabulo.—Mathewu 20:26, 27, umbhalo waphansi we-NW; Johane 13:17.

Landela Umyalo Omusha

6, 7. (a) Yimuphi umniningwane obalulekile uJohane awunikezayo ngokuqondene nokumiswa kweSikhumbuzo? (b) Yimuphi umyalo omusha uJesu awunika abafundi bakhe, futhi yini eyayiyintsha ngawo?

⁶ Ukulandisa kukaJohane ngalokho okwenzeka ekamelweni eliphezulu ngobusuku buka-Nisan 14 yikona kuphela okuphawula ngokuqondile ukumuka kukaJuda Iskariyothe. (Johane 13:21-30) Ukuvumelanisa ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kubonisa ukuthi uJesu wamisa iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe ngemva kokuba lo mkhapheli esehambile. Wabe esekhuluma kabanzi nabaphostoli bakhe abathembekile, ebanika iseluleko neziyalezo zokubavalelisa. Njengoba sizilungiselela ukuba khona eSikhumbuzweni, kufanele sibe nesithakazelo esijulile kulokho uJesu akusho ngaleso sikhathi, ikakhulukazi ngoba sikufuna ngabomvu ukuba phakathi kwalabo uNkulunkulu abathandayo.

⁷ Kwasona nje isiyalezo sokuqala uJesu asinika abafundi bakhe ngemva kokumisa iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe sasiyinto entsha. Wathi: “Ngininika umyalo omusha, wokuba nithandane; njengoba nje nami nginithandile, ukuba nani nithandane. Bonke bayokwazi ngalokhu ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:34, 35) Yini eyayiyintsha ngalo myalo? Kamuva ngabo lobo busuku, uJesu wacacisa, 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) UMthetho KaMose wayala ama-Israyeli ukuba ‘athande umakhelwane wawo njengalokhu ezithanda wona.’ (Levitikusi 19:18) Kodwa umyalo kaJesu awuzange nje ugcine lapho. AmaKristu kwakumelwe athandane ngendlela uKristu awathanda ngayo, azimisele ukudela ukuphila kwawo imbala ngenxa yabafowabo.

8. (a) Uthando lokuzidela luhilelani? (b) OFakazi BakaJehova balubonisa kanjani uthando lokuzidela namuhla?

 ⁸ Inkathi yeSikhumbuzo iyisikhathi esifanelekile sokuzihlola njengabantu ngabanye nanjengebandla ukuze sibone ukuthi sinalo yini ngempela lolu phawu oluhlukanisa ubuKristu beqiniso—uthando olunjengolukaKristu. Uthando olunjalo lokuzidela lungase ludinge ukuba umKristu afake ukuphila kwakhe engozini kunokuba akhaphele abafowabo, futhi lokhu kuye kwadingeka ngezinye izikhathi. Nokho, ngokuvamile luhilela ukuzimisela ukudela izithakazelo zethu siqu ukuze sisize futhi sikhonze abafowethu kanye nabanye. Umphostoli uPawulu wayeyisibonelo esihle kule ndaba. (2 Korinte 12:15; Filipi 2:17) OFakazi BakaJehova bayaziwa kuwo wonke umhlaba ngomoya wabo wokuzidela, besiza abafowabo nomakhelwane babo futhi bezikhandla ukuze badlulisele iqiniso leBhayibheli komakhelwane babo. *—Galathiya 6:10.

Ubuhlobo Okumelwe Baziswe

9. Ukuze silondoloze ubuhlobo bethu obuyigugu noNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe, yini esijabulela ukuyenza?

⁹ Akukho lutho olungaba yigugu kithi ngaphezu kokuthandwa uJehova neNdodana yakhe, uKristu Jesu. Nokho, ukuze sibe nalolu thando futhi siluzwe, kumelwe senze okuthile. Ngalobo busuku bokugcina enabafundi bakhe, uJesu wathi: “Lowo onemiyalo yami futhi ayigcine, lowo nguye ongithandayo. Futhi lowo ongithandayo uyothandwa nguBaba, nami ngiyomthanda futhi ngiyozibonakalisa ngokukhanyayo kuye.” (Johane 14:21) Njengoba sibazisa ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe, siyithobela ngenjabulo imiyalo yabo. Lokhu kuhlanganisa nomyalo omusha wokubonisa uthando lokuzidela kanye nomyalo uKristu awunikeza ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe ‘wokushumayela kubantu nokunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele,’ silwela ‘ukubenza abafundi’ labo abazamukelayo izindaba ezinhle.—IzEnzo 10:42; Mathewu 28:19, 20.

10. Yibuphi ubuhlobo obuyigugu obuvulekele abagcotshiwe ‘nezinye izimvu’?

¹⁰ Kamuva ngalobo busuku, ephendula umbuzo ayewubuzwe umphostoli othembekile uJuda (uThadewu), uJesu wathi: “Uma noma ubani engithanda, uyogcina izwi lami, noBaba uyomthanda, futhi siyoza kuye sihlale naye.” (Johane 14:22, 23) Ngisho nalapho esesemhlabeni, amaKristu agcotshiwe, abizelwe ukuyobusa noKristu ezulwini, anobuhlobo obuseduze ngokukhethekile noJehova neNdodana yakhe. (Johane 15:15; 16:27; 17:22; Heberu 3:1; 1 Johane 3:2, 24) Kodwa nabangane babo ‘bezinye izimvu’ abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni, nabo banobuhlobo obuyigugu ‘nomalusi wabo munye,’ uJesu Kristu, noNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova, uma nje bezibonakalisa belalela.—Johane 10:16; IHubo 15:1-5; 25:14.

“Aniyona Ingxenye Yezwe”

11. Yisiphi isixwayiso esisangulukisayo uJesu asinika abafundi bakhe?

¹¹ Phakathi nalo mhlangano wokugcina nabafundi bakhe abathembekile ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu wabanika isixwayiso esisangulukisayo:  Uma umuntu ethandwa uNkulunkulu, uyozondwa yizwe. Wathi: “Uma izwe linizonda, niyazi ukuthi liye langizonda mina ngaphambi kokuba linizonde nina. Uma beniyingxenye yezwe, izwe belizothanda lokho okungokwalo. Manje ngenxa yokuthi aniyona ingxenye yezwe, kodwa nginikhethile kulelizwe, ngenxa yalokhu izwe liyanizonda. Khumbulani izwi engiye ngalisho kini, Isigqila asisikhulu kunenkosi yaso. Uma beye bangishushisa mina, bayonishushisa nani; uma beye baligcina izwi lami, bayoligcina nelenu.”—Johane 15:18-20.

12. (a) Kungani uJesu axwayisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi izwe laliyobazonda? (b) Yini okuyoba kuhle ngathi sonke ukuba siyicabangele njengoba kusondela iSikhumbuzo?

¹² UJesu wanikeza lesi sixwayiso ukuze laba baphostoli abangu-11 nawo wonke amaKristu eqiniso ngemva kwabo bangadangali bese beyeka lapho izwe libazonda. Wanezela: “Ngikhulumé lezizinto kini ukuze ningakhubeki. Abantu bayonixosha esinagogeni. Eqinisweni, ihora liyeza lapho wonke umuntu onibulalayo eyocabanga ukuthi unikele inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa lezizinto bayozenza ngoba abakamazi uBaba noma mina.” (Johane 16:1-3) Esinye isichazamazwi seBhayibheli sichaza ukuthi isenzo esihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “ukukhubeka” sisho “ukubangela umuntu ukuba aqale ukungamethembi nokumhlubuka umuntu obekufanele amethembe futhi amthobele; ukubangela ukwambuka.” Njengoba kusondela isikhathi sokugubha iSikhumbuzo, siyobe senza kahle sonke ngokucabangisisa ngenkambo yokuphila yabathembekileyo, basesikhathini esedlule nesamanje, silingise isibonelo sabo sokungaxegi lapho belingwa. Ungavumeli ukuphikiswa noma ukushushiswa kukwenze uhlubuke uJehova noJesu, kodwa zimisele ukubethemba nokubalalela.

13. Yini uJesu ayicelela abalandeli bakhe lapho ethandaza kuYise?

¹³ Emthandazweni wakhe wokuphetha ngaphambi kokuba baphume ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema, uJesu wathi kuYise: “Ngibaniké izwi lakho, kodwa izwe liye labazonda, ngoba bengeyona ingxenye yezwe, njengoba nje nami ngingeyona ingxenye yezwe. Angikuceli ukuba ubakhiphe ezweni, kodwa ukuba ubabheke ngenxa yomubi. Abayona ingxenye yezwe, njengoba nje nami ngingeyona ingxenye yezwe.” (Johane 17:14-16) Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyabaqapha labo abathandayo, ukuze abaqinise njengoba bezigcina behlukile ezweni.—Isaya 40:29-31.

Hlala Othandweni LukaBaba Nasothandweni LweNdodana

14, 15. (a) UJesu wazifanisa nani, ngokuphambene namuphi ‘umvini wezinga eliphansi’? (b) Obani ‘abangamagatsha omvini weqiniso’?

¹⁴ Phakathi nale ngxoxo abambulela ngayo okusesifubeni sakhe abafundi bakhe abathembekile ngobusuku buka-Nisan 14, uJesu wazifanisa ‘nomvini weqiniso,’ hhayi ‘nomvini wezinga eliphansi’ ka-Israyeli ongathembekile. Wathi: “Mina ngingumvini weqiniso, futhi uBaba ungumlimi.” (Johane 15:1) Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, umprofethi uJeremiya waloba la mazwi uJehova ayewaqondise esizweni sakhe samambuka: “Mina ngakutshala ungumvini omuhle . . . pho, uphenduke kanjani waba yigatsha elonakeleyo kimi, elomvini wabezizwe,  na?” (Jeremiya 2:21) Umprofethi uHoseya naye waloba: “U-Israyeli ungumvini wezinga eliphansi. Uqhubeka ezithelela izithelo. . . . Inhliziyo yakhe isibe nobuzenzisi.”—Hoseya 10:1, 2, NW.

¹⁵ Kunokuba athele izithelo zokukhulekela kweqiniso, u-Israyeli waba yisihlubuki wazithelela yena izithelo. Ezinsukwini ezintathu ngaphambi komhlangano wakhe wokugcina nabafundi bakhe abathembekile, uJesu watshela abaholi bamaJuda abazenzisayo: “Ngithi kini, Umbuso kaNkulunkulu uyothathwa kini unikwe isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.” (Mathewu 21:43) Leso sizwe esisha ‘singu-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu,’ owenziwa ngamaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000 afaniswa ‘namagatsha omvini weqiniso,’ uKristu Jesu.—Galathiya 6:16; Johane 15:5; IsAmbulo 14:1, 3.

16. Yini uJesu akhuthaza abaphostoli abathembekile abangu-11 ukuba bayenze, futhi yini engase ishiwo ngensali ethembekile kulesi sikhathi sokuphela?

¹⁶ UJesu watshela abaphostoli abangu-11 ababenaye kulelo kamelo eliphezulu: “Wonke amagatsha akimi angatheli izithelo uyawasusa, futhi wonke athela izithelo uyawahlunga, ukuze athele izithelo eziningi. Hlalani nisebunyeni nami, nami ngisebunyeni nani. Njengoba nje igatsha lingenakukwazi ukuthela izithelo ngokwalo ngaphandle kokuba lihlale emvinini, ngendlela efanayo nani aninakukwazi, ngaphandle kokuba nihlale nisebunyeni nami.” (Johane 15:2, 4) Umlando wanamuhla wabantu bakaJehova ubonisa ukuthi insali ethembekile yamaKristu agcotshiwe iye yahlala ebunyeni neNhloko yayo, uKristu Jesu. (Efesu 5:23) Iye yavuma ukuba ihlanzwe futhi ithenwe. (Malaki 3:2, 3) Kusukela ngo-1919, iye yaveza izithelo zoMbuso ngobuningi, kuqala ngamanye amaKristu agcotshiwe, futhi kusukela ngo-1935 kwaba “isixuku esikhulu” sabangane bayo, esilokhu sande njalo.—IsAmbulo 7:9; Isaya 60:4, 8-11.

17, 18. (a) Yimaphi amazwi kaJesu asiza abagcotshiweyo nezinye izimvu ukuba bahlale othandweni lukaJehova? (b) Ukuba khona eSikhumbuzweni kuyosisiza kanjani?

¹⁷ La mazwi kaJesu awasho ngokuqhubekayo asebenza kuwo wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe nakubangane bawo: “UBaba uyakhazinyuliswa ngalokhu, ukuba niqhubeke nithela izithelo eziningi futhi nizibonakalise ningabafundi bami. Njengoba nje uBaba engithandile nami nginithandile, hlalani othandweni lwami. Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyohlala othandweni lwami, njengoba nje nami ngiye ngagcina imiyalo kaBaba futhi ngihlala othandweni lwakhe.”—Johane 15:8-10.

¹⁸ Sonke siyafuna ukuhlala sisothandweni lukaNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu kusishukumisela ukuba sibe ngamaKristu athela izithelo. Lokhu sikwenza ngokubamba wonke amathuba okushumayela “izindaba ezinhle zombuso.” (Mathewu 24:14) Futhi senza okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibonakalise “izithelo zomoya” ekuphileni kwethu siqu. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ukuba khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu kuyosiqinisa ekuzimiseleni kwethu ukwenza lokhu, ngoba siyokhunjuzwa ngothando olukhulu uNkulunkulu noKristu abanalo ngathi.—2 Korinte 5:14, 15.

19. Yiluphi olunye usizo oluzokhulunyelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Ngemva kokumisa iSikhumbuzo, uJesu wathembisa ukuthi uYise wayeyothumelela abalandeli bakhe abathembekile “umsizi, umoya ongcwele.” (Johane 14:26) Ukuthi lo moya ubasiza kanjani abagcotshiweyo nezinye izimvu ukuba bahlale othandweni lukaJehova kuzohlolwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Imibuzo Yokubukeza

• Yisiphi isifundo esiwusizo senkonzo yothando uJesu asinika abafundi bakhe?

• Inkathi yeSikhumbuzo iyisikhathi esifanelekayo sokuzihlola kuziphi izici?

• Kungani kungafanele sikhutshekiswe isixwayiso sikaJesu ngokuzondwa nokushushiswa yizwe?

• Ubani ‘umvini weqiniso’? Obani ‘amagatsha,’ futhi yini elindelekile kuwo?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

UJesu wanika abaphostoli bakhe isifundo ababengeke basikhohlwe senkonzo yothando

[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

Abafundi bakaKristu balalela umyalo wakhe wokubonisa uthando lokuzidela