1-3. Chaza indlela uJesu ondla ngayo isixuku esikhulu endaweni eseduze neBhetsayida. (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

CABANGA ngalesi senzakalo. (Funda uMathewu 14:14-21.) Kungaphambi nje kwePhasika lika-32 C.E. Isixuku samadoda ayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu, ngaphandle kwabesifazane nabantwana, sikanye noJesu nabafundi bakhe endaweni eyihlane eduze kwaseBhetsayida, umzana osogwini olusenyakatho loLwandle LwaseGalile.

² Lapho ebona isixuku, uJesu ufikelwa isihawu ngaso, ngakho uphulukisa abagulayo phakathi kwaso futhi usifundisa izinto eziningi ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Lapho kuqala ukuhwalala, abafundi bakhe bamnxusa ukuba asimukise isixuku ukuze siye emizaneni eseduze siyozithengela ukudla. Kodwa uJesu uthi kubo: “Zinikeni nina [izixuku] okudliwayo.” Kumelwe ukuba amazwi akhe ayabaxaka ngoba ukudla abanakho kuncane kakhulu—izinkwa ezinhlanu nezinhlanzi ezimbili ezincane.

³ Eshukunyiswa isihawu, uJesu wenza isimangaliso—isimangaliso okuwukuphela kwaso esalotshwa yibo bonke abalobi abane bamaVangeli. (Marku 6:35-44; Luka 9:10-17; Joh. 6:1-13) UJesu uyala abafundi bakhe ukuba batshele isixuku ukuba sihlale otshanini ngamaqembu abangamashumi amahlanu nabayikhulu. Ngemva kokuthandaza, uhlephula izinkwa nezinhlanzi. Kunokuba asinike ngokwakhe isixuku lezo zinkwa, uJesu ube esezinika “abafundi bakhe, ukuze bona bazinike abantu.” Ngokumangalisayo, ukudla kwanela bonke abantu kuze kusale! Cabanga nje ngalokhu: UJesu wondle izinkulungwane zabantu ngezandla zabambalwa—abafundi bakhe. *

4. (a) Ikuphi ukudla uJesu ayekhathazeke nakakhulu ngokukunikeza, futhi ngani? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko nakwesilandelayo?

⁴ UJesu wayekhathazeke nakakhulu ngokunikeza abalandeli bakhe ukudla okungokomoya. Wayazi ukuthi kwakubalulekile ukuba badle ukudla okungokomoya, amaqiniso atholakala eZwini likaNkulunkulu, okuholela  ekuphileni okuphakade. (Joh. 6:26, 27; 17:3) Isihawu esamshukumisa ukuba ondle izixuku ngesinkwa nenhlanzi, simshukumisela nokuba achithe amahora amaningi efundisa abalandeli bakhe. (Marku 6:34) Kodwa wayeqaphela ukuthi isikhathi sakhe emhlabeni sasizoba sifushane nokuthi wayezobuyela ezulwini. (Math. 16:21; Joh. 14:12) Lapho esebuyele ezulwini, wayezokwazi kanjani ukugcina abalandeli bakhe emhlabeni bondlekile ngokomoya? Wayezosebenzisa indlela efanayo—wayezokondla abaningi ngezandla zabambalwa. Nokho, kwakuyoba obani labo abambalwa? Ake sibone indlela uJesu asebenzisa ngayo abambalwa ukuze ondle abalandeli bakhe abaningi abagcotshiwe ekhulwini lokuqala. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizobe sesidingida lo mbuzo obaluleke kakhulu kumuntu ngamunye kithi: Singababona kanjani labo abambalwa uKristu asondla ngabo namuhla?

5, 6. (a) Isiphi isinqumo esibalulekile uJesu asenza ukuze aqinisekise ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babezokondleka ngokomoya ngemva kokufa kwakhe? (b) UJesu wabalungiselela kanjani abaphostoli bakhe ukuze bakwazi ukufeza indima esemqoka ngemva kokufa kwakhe?

⁵ Inhloko yomkhaya ekhathalelayo yenza amalungiselelo ukuze umkhaya wayo unakekelwe uma kwenzeka ifa. Ngokufanayo, uJesu—owayezokuba iNhloko yebandla lobuKristu—wenza amalungiselelo okuqinisekisa ukuthi abalandeli bakhe bayanakekelwa ngokomoya ngemva kokufa kwakhe. (Efe. 1:22) Ngokwesibonelo, eminyakeni engaba mibili ngaphambi kokuba afe, uJesu wenza isinqumo esibalulekile. Wakhetha abokuqala balabo abambalwa ayezobasebenzisa kamuva ekondleni abaningi. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka.

⁶ Ngemva kokuthandaza ubusuku bonke, wabiza abafundi bakhe futhi wakhetha phakathi kwabo abaphostoli abangu-12. (Luka 6:12-16) Eminyakeni emibili eyalandela, wasondelana nabo ngokukhethekile, ebafundisa kokubili ngamazwi nangesibonelo. Wayazi ukuthi kwakunokuningi okwakumelwe bakufunde; eqinisweni, baqhubeka bebizwa ngokuthi “abafundi.” (Math. 11:1; 20:17) Wabanikeza izeluleko eziwusizo futhi wabaqeqesha kakhulu enkonzweni. (Math. 10:1-42; 20:20-23; Luka 8:1; 9:52-55) Kusobala ukuthi wayebalungiselela indima esemqoka ababezoyifeza ngemva kokufa nokubuyela kwakhe ezulwini.

7. UJesu wayinikeza kanjani inkomba ebonisa lokho abaphostoli bakhe ababeyokukhathalela ngokuyinhloko?

⁷ Yayiyoba yini indima yabaphostoli? Njengoba iPhentekoste lika-33 C.E. lalisondela, kwacaca ukuthi abaphostoli babeyokhonza ‘esikhundleni sobubonisi.’ (IzE. 1:20) Nokho, yini ababeyoyikhathalela ngokuyinhloko? Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu wanikeza inkomba engxoxweni yakhe nomphostoli uPetru. (Funda uJohane 21:1, 2, 15-17.) UJesu watshela uPetru kukhona nabanye abaphostoli: “Yondla amawundlu ami.” Ngalokho uJesu wabonisa ukuthi abaphostoli bakhe babeyoba phakathi kwalabo abambalwa ayeyonikeza ngabo abaningi ukudla okungokomoya. Yeka inkomba ecacile nethinta inhliziyo ebonisa indlela uJesu azizwa ngayo ‘ngamawundlu akhe’! *

8. Ababesanda kuba amakholwa ngePhentekoste babonisa kanjani ukuthi babewubona ngokucacile umzila uKristu ayewusebenzisa?

⁸ Kusukela ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., uKristu ovusiwe wasebenzisa abaphostoli bakhe njengomzila wokondla bonke abanye abafundi bakhe abagcotshiwe. (Funda izEnzo 2:41, 42.) AmaJuda namaproselithe aba ngamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya ngalolo suku awubona ngokucacile lowo mzila. Ngaphandle kokunqikaza, ‘aqhubeka ezinikela ekufundiseni kwabaphostoli.’ Ngokwesinye isazi, isenzo sesiGreki esihunyushwe ngokuthi “baqhubeka bezinikela”  singasho “ukwethembeka ngokuqinile nokunamathela enkambweni ethile.” Lawo makholwa amasha ayekulambele kakhulu ukudla okungokomoya, futhi ayazi ngokuqondile ukuthi ayezokuthola kuphi. Ngokwethembeka okungantengantengi, alindela abaphostoli ukuba bachaze amazwi nezenzo zikaJesu futhi bawakhanyisele imiBhalo ephathelene naye. *—IzE. 2:22-36.

9. Abaphostoli babonisa kanjani ukuthi babewukhumbula kahle umthwalo abawuphathisiwe wokondla izimvu zikaJesu?

⁹ Abaphostoli babewukhumbula kahle umthwalo ababewuphathisiwe wokondla izimvu zikaJesu. Ngokwesibonelo, phawula indlela abasingatha ngayo udaba olubucayi olwalungadala uqhekeko, olwaphakama phakathi kwebandla elalisanda kwakhiwa. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi lolo daba lwaluhilela ukudla—ukudla okungokwenyama. Abafelokazi abakhuluma isiGreki babenganakwa lapho kwabiwa ukudla kwansuku zonke, kunakwa abakhuluma isiHebheru. Abaphostoli baluxazulula kanjani lolu daba olubucayi? Laba “abayishumi nambili” bamisa amadoda ayisikhombisa afanelekayo ukuba aqondise ‘emsebenzini odingekile’ wokwaba ukudla. Abaphostoli—ngokuqinisekile iningi labo elalibe nengxenye ekudluliseleni ukudla ezixukwini uJesu azisuthisa ngokuyisimangaliso—babona ukuthi kwakubaluleke kakhulu ukuba bona bagxile ekunikezeni ukudla okungokomoya. Ngakho, bazinikela “enkonzweni yezwi.”—IzE. 6:1-6.

10. UKristu wabasebenzisa kanjani abaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema?

¹⁰ Ngo-49 C.E., abaphostoli ababesaphila base belekelelwa abadala abathile abafanelekayo. (Funda izEnzo 15:1, 2.) Laba “baphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema” bakhonza njengendikimba ebusayo. NjengeNhloko yebandla, uKristu wasebenzisa leli qembu elincane lamadoda afanelekayo ukuba lisingathe izimpikiswano eziphathelene nezimfundiso futhi lengamele libuye liqondise umsebenzi wokushumayela nokufundisa izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—IzE. 15:6-29; 21:17-19; Kol. 1:18.

11, 12. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova walibusisa ilungiselelo iNdodana yakhe eyayondla ngalo amabandla ekhulu lokuqala? (b) Wabonakala kanjani ngokucacile umzila uKristu ayewusebenzisa ekunikezeni ukudla okungokomoya?

¹¹ Ingabe uJehova walibusisa leli lungiselelo iNdodana yakhe eyayondla ngalo amabandla ekhulu lokuqala? Ngokuqinisekile! Kungani siqiniseka? Incwadi yezEnzo iyasibikela: “Manje njengoba [umphostoli uPawulu nayehamba nabo] behamba bedabula imizi babenikeza labo abalapho izinqumo ezazinqunywe abaphostoli  namadoda amadala eJerusalema ukuba bazigcine. Ngakho-ke, ngempela, amabandla aqhubeka eqiniswa okholweni futhi anda ngesibalo usuku nosuku.” (IzE. 16:4, 5) Phawula ukuthi lawo mabandla achuma ngenxa yokubambisana kwawo ngobuqotho nendikimba ebusayo eseJerusalema. Lokhu akubona yini ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova wayelibusisa ilungiselelo iNdodana yakhe eyayondla ngalo amabandla? Asikhumbule ukuthi ukuchuma ngokomoya kungaba khona kuphela ngesibusiso sikaJehova esicebile.—IzAga 10:22; 1 Kor. 3:6, 7.

¹² Kuze kube manje sibonile ukuthi kunendlela ethile uJesu ayeyilandela lapho ondla abalandeli bakhe: Wondla abaningi ngezandla zabambalwa. Umzila ayewusebenzisa ekunikezeni ukudla okungokomoya wawubonakala ngokucacile. Kakade, abaphostoli—amalungu okuqala endikimba ebusayo—babekwazi ukunikeza ubufakazi obubonakalayo bokuthi uNkulunkulu wayebasekela. IzEnzo 5:12 zithi: “Ngezandla zabaphostoli kwaqhubeka kwenzeka izibonakaliso eziningi nezimangaliso phakathi kwabantu.” * Ngakho, akuzange kudingeke ukuba labo ababa ngamaKristu bazibuze, ‘Obani ngempela uKristu ondla ngabo izimvu zakhe?’ Kodwa ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala, izinto zashintsha.

13, 14. (a) UJesu waxwayisa ngakuphi ukuhlaselwa, futhi amazwi akhe aqala nini ukugcwaliseka? (b) Ukuhlasela kwakuyovela kuziphi izinhlangothi ezimbili? (Bheka iphuzu elisekugcineni.)

¹³ UJesu wabikezela ukuthi ibandla lobuKristu laliyohlaselwa. Khumbula ukuthi emfanekisweni wakhe oyisiprofetho kakolweni nokhula, uJesu waxwayisa ngokuthi insimu eyayisanda kuhlwanyelwa ukolweni (amaKristu agcotshiwe) kwakuyohlwanyelwa kuyo nokhula (amaKristu mbumbulu). Wathi la maqembu ayeyoyekwa akhule ndawonye—angaphazanyiswa kuze kube isikhathi sokuvuna esasiyofika “esiphelweni sesimiso sezinto.” (Math. 13:24-30, 36-43) Akuthathanga isikhathi eside ukuba amazwi kaJesu aqale ukugcwaliseka. *

¹⁴ Ukuhlubuka kwaqala ekhulwini lokuqala, kodwa abaphostoli bakaJesu abathembekile basebenza “njengento evimbelayo,” bevimba ukungcola nethonya lezimfundiso zamanga. (2 Thes. 2:3, 6, 7) Nokho, kwathi lapho owokugcina kubaphostoli efa, ukuhlubuka kwamila izimpande futhi kwachuma phakathi nenkathi ende yokukhula eyathatha amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, phakathi naleso sikhathi ukhula lwaba luningi kuyilapho ukolweni umbalwa. Awubanga khona umzila ohlelekile owaqhubeka njalo ulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya. Lokho kwakuzoshintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Kodwa, umbuzo uwukuthi, Nini?

15, 16. Ukutadisha ngenkuthalo imiBhalo kwabaFundi BeBhayibheli kwaba namiphi imiphumela, futhi imuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?

¹⁵ Njengoba kusondela ukuphela kwenkathi yokukhula, kwaba namaqembu ayenesithakazelo esiqinile eqinisweni leBhayibheli. Khumbula ukuthi ngawo-1870, iqembu elincane lababefuna iqiniso ngobuqotho lahlangana laba namakilasi okufunda iBhayibheli ayengahlangene nokhula—amaKristu mbumbulu ayesemasontweni nasemahlelweni eLobukholwa. Ngezinhliziyo ezithobekile nemiqondo evulekile, labo baFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba babezibiza kanjalo, bahlolisisa imiBhalo ngosizo lomthandazo.—Math. 11:25.

¹⁶ Ukutadisha ngenkuthalo imiBhalo kwabaFundi BeBhayibheli kwaba nemiphumela emihle kakhulu. Lawo madoda nabesifazane abaqotho badalula izimfundiso zamanga futhi basakaza amaqiniso angokomoya, benyathelisa futhi behambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli yonke indawo. Umsebenzi wabo wathinta futhi wakholisa abaningi ababelambele futhi bomele iqiniso  elingokomoya. Lokhu kuphakamisa lo mbuzo othakazelisayo: Ingabe abaFundi BeBhayibheli bangeminyaka yangaphambi kuka-1914 babengumzila omisiwe, uKristu ayeyokondla ngawo izimvu zakhe? Cha. Babesesenkathini yokukhula, futhi umzila wokunikeza ukudla okungokomoya wawusakheka. Sasingakafiki isikhathi sokuba amaKristu mbumbulu anjengokhula ahlukaniswe kumaKristu eqiniso awukolweni.

17. Iziphi izenzakalo ezibalulekile ezaqala ukwenzeka ngo-1914?

¹⁷ Njengoba sifundile esihlokweni esandulele, inkathi yokuvuna yaqala ngo-1914. Ngalowo nyaka, kwaba nezenzakalo eziningi ezibalulekile ezaqala ukwenzeka. UJesu wamiswa njengeNkosi, futhi kwaqala izinsuku zokugcina. (IsAm. 11:15) Kusukela ngo-1914 kuze kube sekuqaleni kuka-1919, uJesu waya noYise ethempelini elingokomoya beyokwenza umsebenzi owawudingeka kakhulu wokuhlola nokuhlanza. * (Mal. 3:1-4) Khona-ke, kusukela ngo-1919 kwabe sekuqala isikhathi sokubutha ukolweni. Ingabe sasesifikile isikhathi sokuba uKristu amise umzila owodwa ohlelekile wokwaba ukudla okungokomoya? Ngokuqinisekile!

18. Yini uJesu abikezela ukuthi wayeyoyimisa, futhi yimuphi umbuzo owaba obalulekile njengoba izinsuku zokugcina ziqala?

¹⁸ Esiprofethweni sakhe esiphathelene nesikhathi sokuphela, uJesu wabikezela ukuthi wayeyomisa umzila owawuzonikeza ‘ukudla okungokomoya ngesikhathi esifanele.’ (Math. 24:45-47) Wayeyosebenzisa muphi umzila? Ngokuvumelana nendlela ayisebenzisa ekhulwini lokuqala, uJesu wayezophinde ondle abaningi ngezandla zabambalwa. Kodwa njengoba izinsuku zokugcina zazisanda kuqala, umbuzo obalulekile wawuwukuthi, Babeyoba obani labo abambalwa? Lo mbuzo neminye ephathelene nesiprofetho sikaJesu kuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo.