1-3. (a) Kuyini okwenza uJesu wafuna ukuba njengoYise? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esahlukweni lesi?

 WAKE wabona yini umfana omncane ezama ukulingisela uyise? Angabe elingisela indlela uyise ahamba ngayo, ukukhuluma kwakhe kumbe izinto ajayele ukuzenza. Ngokuya kwesikhathi umfana lo angalingisela ubuntu bukayise kanye lendlela uyise aqakathekisa ngayo izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. Okumenza afune ukuba njengoyise yikuthi uyamthanda.

² Kuthiwani ngobudlelwano obuphakathi kukaJesu loYise osezulwini? UJesu wathi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (UJohane 14:31) Akulamuntu ongathanda uJehova ngendlela uJesu athanda ngayo uYise. Phela uJesu wahlala loYise okwesikhathi eside ezinye izidalwa zingakabi khona. Yikho indlela amthanda ngayo yiyo eyabangela ukuthi afune ukuba njengoYise.—UJohane 14:9.

³ Ezahlukweni ezidlulileyo zebhuku leli, sixoxe ngendlela uJesu alingisela ngayo amandla, ukwahlulela okuhle kanye lenhlakanipho kaJehova. Kodwa uJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi ulothando njengoYise? Asixoxeni ngezindlela ezintathu uJesu atshengisa ngazo ukuthi ulothando: Ukuzinikela kwakhe, isihawu sakhe kanye lokuthethelela kwakhe.

4. Kungani uJesu eyisibonelo esihle kakhulu endabeni yokuba lothando olulokuzinikela?

⁴ UJesu uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu endabeni yokutshengisa uthando olulokuzinikela. Ukuzinikela kutsho ukungagijimisi okufunwa nguwe kuphela kodwa ube lendaba lokufunwa ngabanye. UJesu walutshengisa njani uthando olunjalo? Yena ngokwakhe wathi: “Kakho olothando olwedlula lolu, ukuthi  umuntu anikele ngempilo yakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (UJohane 15:13) UJesu kazange abanjwe ngamandla ukuthi anikele ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu. Akulamuntu owake watshengisa uthando ngendlela enkulu kangaka. UJesu waphinda watshengisa ukuthi ulothando ngezinye futhi indlela.

5. Kungani ukusuka kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezulwini kutshengisa ukuthi ilothando olukhulu?

⁵ INdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa yayilesikhundla esiphezulu ezulwini ingakabuyi emhlabeni. Yayiseduze kakhulu loJehova kanye lezingilosi ezinengi ezisezulwini. Lanxa kunjalo, iNdodana le ethandekayo ‘yazidela yatshiya konke eyayilakho yaba njengenceku njalo yaba ngumuntu.’ (KwabaseFiliphi 2:7) Yavuma ngokuzithandela ukuthi ibuye emhlabeni izophila labantu abalesono emhlabeni ‘ongaphansi kwamandla kaSathane.’ (1 UJohane 5:19) Lokho okwenziwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu kutshengisa ukuthi ilothando olukhulu kakhulu.

6, 7. (a) UJesu watshengisa ngaziphi indlela ukuthi ulothando olukhulu ngesikhathi esemhlabeni? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo esithintayo sothando olungazifuneli okwalo esibhalwe kuJohane 19:25-27?

⁶ UJesu watshengisa ngezindlela ezinengi ukuthi ulothando olukhulu ngesikhathi esemhlabeni. Kazange aqakathekise okwakufunwa nguye ngoba wadela ukukhomba ngophakathi wagxila enkonzweni eyayinceda abanye. Yikho wathi: “Amakhanka alemilindi lenyoni zilezidleke, kodwa iNdodana yomuntu yona ayilandawo yokubeka ikhanda.” (UMathewu 8:20) Njengoba wayeyingcitshi yokubaza, uJesu wayengabaza impahla zendlini ezinhle azithengise azuze imali enengi njalo wayengazakhela indlu enhle. Kodwa kazange asebenzise ubungcitshi bakhe ukuthi azinothise.

⁷ Esinye isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi uJesu wayelothando sibhalwe kuJohane 19:25-27. Cabanga ngezinto uJesu ayengabe ekhathazeke ngazo ngesikhathi esezakufa. Ngesikhathi esizwa ubuhlungu esigodweni wayekhathazeke ngabafundi bakhe, umsebenzi wokutshumayela lokuthi wayezaqhubeka ethembekile yini kuYise. Phela ithemba labantu bonke lalisemahlombe akhe! Okunye uJesu ayekhathazeke ngakho yikuthi  unina ayemthanda futhi okungenzeka ukuthi wayesengumfelokazi wayesezasala enakekelwa ngubani. Ngakho wacela umphostoli uJohane ukuthi anakekele uMariya amgcine njengonina omzalayo, ngemva kwalokho umphostoli lo wahamba loMariya wayamgcina emzini wakhe. Lanxa wayesezakufa, uJesu waba leqiniso lokuthi unina usala egcinwe kuhle lokuthi uyanakekelwa ezindabeni zokukhonza. Le kwakuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokutshengisa uthando olungazifuneli okwalo!

8. Litshoni ibala lesiGrikhi elisetshenziswe eBhayibhilini ukuze kuchazwe isihawu sikaJesu?

⁸ UJesu wayelesihawu njengoYise. IMibhalo itshengisa ukuthi uJesu wayesenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthi ancede labo ababehlupheka ngoba wayebazwela kakhulu. IBhayibhili lisebenzisa ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “wabazwela usizi” ukuze lichaze isihawu sikaJesu. Esinye isikhwicamfundo sithi: ‘Ibala leli litsho umuzwa olamandla ovela ngaphakathi komuntu. Libala lesiGrikhi elilamandla ukwedlula wonke elichaza ukuba lesihawu.’ Cabanga ngezinye izenzakalo lapho isihawu esikhulu esabangela ukuthi uJesu enze okuthile.

9, 10. (a) Kwakutheni uJesu labaphostoli baze bacine sebedinga indawo ethuleyo? (b) UJesu wenzani ngesikhathi ephanjaniswa lixuku futhi kungani wenza njalo?

⁹ Isihawu samenza wafundisa abantu ngoJehova. Indaba ebhalwe kuMakho 6:30-34 itshengisa isizatho esasisenza uJesu abazwele abantu. Kubone ngelihlo lengqondo okwakusenzakala lapho. Abaphostoli babethabe bemanzi te ngoba babevela kwenza umsebenzi omkhulu wokutshumayela. Babuyela kuJesu bambikela konke ababekubonile lababekuzwile. Kodwa kwakulexuku elikhulu elalibuthanele uJesu labafundi bakhe baze baswela lesikhathi sokudla. Njengomuntu owayelelihlo elibukhali, uJesu wananzelela ukuthi abaphostoli basebediniwe yikho wathi kubo: “Wozani lina lodwa siye endaweni  engelabantu siyephumula kancane.” Bagada isikepe baqonda enyakatho yoLwandle lwaseGalile besiya endaweni ethuleyo. Kodwa ixuku labantu lababona besuka ikanti abanye bezwa ngakho. Ixuku lonke leli lagijima liqonde ekhunjini olusenyakatho, laze laqalela lesikepe ukuyafika khona!

¹⁰ UJesu wacaphuka yini ngokuphanjaniswa kwakhe efuna ukuphumula? Ngitsho lakancane! Wathinteka lapho efica izinkulungwane zabantu zimlindele. UMakho wabhala wathi: “Wabona kulabantu abanengi, wabazwela usizi ngoba babenjengezimvu ezingelamelusi, waseqalisa ukubafundisa izinto ezinengi.” UJesu wabona ukuthi umuntu ngamunye wayedinga ukuncediswa ezindabeni zokukhonza. Babenjengezimvu ezazinhlanhlatha, zingelamelusi owayengazinqanda kumbe azivikele. UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi abakhokheli benkolo ababengelazwelo babengabananzi abantu laba. (UJohane 7:47-49) Yikho wabazwela wahle waqalisa ukubafundisa “ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” (ULukha 9:11) Nanzelela ukuthi uJesu wabazwela abantu laba engakaboni lokuthi babezakwamukela yini lokho ayezabafundisa khona. Ngamanye amazwi, ayisikho ukuthi waba lesihawu ngemva kokubafundisa kodwa sona yiso esamenza wabafundisa.

11, 12. (a) Ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili abantu ababelobulephero babephathwa njani, kodwa uJesu wenzani ngesikhathi elandwa yindoda “eyayigcwele ubulephero”? (b) Kufanele ukuthi indoda elobulephero yezwa njani ngesikhathi uJesu eyibamba futhi isibonelo somunye udokotela sikutshengisa njani lokhu?

¹¹ Isihawu senza uJesu wancedisa ababehlupheka. Abantu ababelemikhuhlane etshiyeneyo babesondela kuJesu ngoba babenanzelela ukuthi wayelesihawu. Lokhu kwakhanya lapho uJesu elandwa ngeyinye indoda “eyayigcwele ubulephero” ngesikhathi kulexuku labantu elalimlandela. (ULukha 5:12) Ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili, abantu ababelobulephero babehlaliswa bodwa ukuze bangatheleli abanye umkhuhlane lo. (AmaNani 5:1-4) Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi abakhokheli abangorabi bafaka eyabo imithetho eyayicindezela abantu  ababelobulephero. a Kodwa nanzelela indlela uJesu ayiphatha ngayo indoda le. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kwafika indoda elobulephero yamncenga iguqile isithi: ‘Ngiyakwazi ukuthi nxa ufuna ungangenza ngihlambuluke.’ UJesu wayizwela usizi welula isandla sakhe wayibamba wathi kuyo: ‘Ngiyafuna, hlambuluka.’ Masinyane nje ubulephero banyamalala yasala isihlambulukile.” (UMakho 1:40-42) UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi indoda le yayisephula umthetho ngokuba phakathi kwabantu. Kulokuthi ayixotshele khatshana, uJesu wathinteka kakhulu waze wenza okwakungalindelwanga, wayibamba!

¹² Ubona angani indoda le yezwa njani ngesikhathi uJesu eyibamba? Ngokwesibonelo, uPaul Brand oyingcitshi yokwelapha ubulephero ulandisa ngokwenzakala ngesikhathi eselapha indoda ethile e-India. Esayihlola wayigona indoda le waseyichazela esebenzisa umtoliki ukuthi wayezayelapha njani. Indoda le elobulephero yaqalisa ukukhala. Udokotela wayibuza wathi: “Kulolutho olubi engilukhulumileyo yini?” Umtoliki waseyibuza indoda le ngolimi lwayo, wasetshela udokotela wathi: “Hatshi dokotela. Uthi ukhaliswa yikuthi umgonile. Wena ungowokuqala ukumthinta ngemva kweminyaka eminengi engakaze athintwe ngumuntu.” Indoda eyayilobulephero eyalanda uJesu yathokoza sibili uJesu eyithinta, kodwa yancedakala okudlula lapho. Umkhuhlane owawusubangele ukuthi abantu bayininele khatshana wahle waphela du ngemva kokuthintwa kwayo nguJesu kanye nje kuphela!

13, 14. (a) UJesu wahlangana labantu ababesiya ngaphi esebanga edolobheni leNayini futhi kuyini okwakuzwisa usizi? (b) Isihawu sikaJesu samenza wamnceda njani umfelokazi weNayini?

 ¹³ Isihawu senza uJesu wancedisa ababefelwe. Kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu uJesu ukubona abantu behlupheka. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendaba ekuLukha 7:11-15 eyenzakala ngemva komnyaka lenyanga ezingu-9 uJesu eqalise inkonzo yakhe. Ngelinye ilanga wathi esezafika egedini ledolobho okuthiwa yiNayini eliseGalile wahlangana labantu ababesiya emngcwabeni. Imfa le yayizwisa usizi sibili ngoba ijaha elalifile lalizelwe laba yilo lodwa kunina owayengumfelokazi. Kungenzakala ukuthi abantu babeke beza emngcwabeni womkakhe, yikho kwakungayisikho kokuqala ukuthi umfelokazi lo abuthanelwe ngabantu. Khathesi kwasekufe indodana yakhe okungenzakala ukuthi yiyo yodwa eyayimgcinile. Ixuku labantu elalimphelekezela lalihlanganisa abantu ababekhala lababehlabela izingoma. (UJeremiya 9:17, 18; UMathewu 9:23) UJesu wamzwela kakhulu umama lo owayehlulukelwe, ehamba eceleni kohlaka olwalulesidumbu somntanakhe.

¹⁴ ‘Wamzwela usizi’ umfelokazi lo wasekhuluma ngelizwi eliduduzayo wathi: “Thula, ungakhali.” Wasondela wathinta uhlaka, ababethwele uhlaka bama mpo bemangele futhi kungenzakala lokuthi ixuku elalilandela khonapho lalo lahle lama. Ekhuluma ngelizwi elilamandla, uJesu wathi emuntwini owayefile: “Jaha, ngithi kuwe, vuka!” Kwasekusenzakalani? “Lakanye ijaha lelo lavuka lahlala laqalisa ukukhuluma” okomuntu ovuka ebuthongweni! Ngemva kwalokho iBhayibhili lithi uJesu ‘walibuyisela kunina.’

15. (a) Okwenziwa nguJesu kutshengisa njani ukuthi umuntu olesihawu ukhanya ngokuthatha inyathelo lokunceda abanye? (b) Singamlingisela njani uJesu endabeni le?

¹⁵ Esikufunda ezindabeni lezi yikuthi umuntu olesihawu uyathatha inyathelo lokunceda abantu abathwele nzima, kaphongubukela nje. UJesu wayesithi angabona abanye abantu behlupheka abazwele, abesesenza okuthile ngakho. Singamlingisela njani? Kumele sitshumayele izindaba ezinhle futhi senze  abafundi. Isizatho esikhulu sokwenza umsebenzi lo yikuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu. Kodwa asikhumbuleni ukuthi umsebenzi lo udinga ukuthi sibe lesihawu. Nxa singabazwela abantu njengoJesu, sizakwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sibatshele izindaba ezinhle. (UMathewu 22:37-39) Kanti njalo kumele sibe lesihawu kubazalwane bethu abahluphekayo kumbe abahlulukelweyo. Lanxa singenelisi ukwenza izimangaliso zokwelapha abagulayo kumbe ezokuvusa abafileyo njengoJesu, singatshengisa ukuthi silesihawu ngokubaduduza langokubancedisa ngalokho abangabe bekudinga.—Kwabase-Efesu 4:32.

16. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi wayengumuntu othethelelayo ngitsho lalapho ebethelwa esigodweni?

¹⁶ Enye indlela eqakathekileyo uJesu atshengisa ngayo ukuthi ulothando njengoYise yikuthi ‘wayezimisele ukuthethelela.’ (IHubo 86:5) Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukuthethelela kwakhanya ngitsho lalapho esebethelwe esigodweni. Kanje uJesu wathini ngesikhathi ebulawa kabuhlungu, izipikili sezihlabe zatshona ezandleni lasenyaweni zakhe? Wacela ukuthi uJehova abajezise yini labo ababembulala? Hatshi, kulokuthi enze njalo yena wathi: “Baba, bathethelele ngoba abakwazi abakwenzayo.”—ULukha 23:34. b

17-19. UJesu watshengisa ngaziphi indlela ukuthi wayemthethelele umphostoli uPhetro lanxa wayemphike kathathu?

 ¹⁷ Okunye okutshengisa ukuthi uJesu uyathethelela yindlela aphatha ngayo uPhetro. UPhetro wayemthanda kakhulu uJesu. Ebusuku bokucina uJesu esemhlabeni, uPhetro wamtshela wathi: “Nkosi, ngizimisele ukuhamba lawe ejele lokufa lawe.” Kodwa ngemva nje kwamahola amalutshwane, uPhetro waphika ukuthi uyamazi uJesu! IBhayibhili liyasitshela okwenzakalayo ngesikhathi esemphika okwesithathu. Lithi: “INkosi yasitshibilika yamkhangela yamuthi nhlo.” Wazisola kakhulu “waphuma phandle wakhala kabuhlungu.” UJesu wathi esebulewe, kungenzeka umphostoli lo wazibuza ukuthi, ‘Kambe iNkosi yami ingithethelele yini?’—ULukha 22:33, 61, 62.

¹⁸ Akuthathanga isikhathi eside ukuthi uPhetro athole impendulo. UJesu wavuswa ekuseni ngoNisani 16 njalo kukhanya angani wahle wayavakatshela uPhetro mhlalokho. (ULukha 24:34; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:4-8) Kungani uJesu wazinika isikhathi sokuyabona umphostoli lo owayemphike wemba phansi? Wayengabe efuna ukuqinisekisa uPhetro owayesephendukile esonweni sakhe ukuthi iNkosi yakhe yayilokhu isamthanda njalo isamqakathekisa. Kodwa kulokunye futhi uJesu akwenzayo ukuze aqinisekise uPhetro.

¹⁹ Ngemva kwesikhathi uJesu wabonakala kubafundi bakhe eLwandle lwaseGalile. Wambuza kathathu uPhetro ukuthi uyamthanda yini. Esembuze okwesithathu waphendula esithi: “Nkosi, wena uyazazi zonke izinto, uyakwazi ukuthi ngiyakuthanda.” Njengoba uJesu wayesenelisa ukubona okusenhliziyweni, wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi uPhetro uyamthanda sibili. Kodwa uJesu wanika uPhetro ithuba lokuthi akwenze kucace ukuthi wayelokhu emthanda. Okunye akwenzayo yikumnika umsebenzi wokupha ‘amazinyane ezimvu zakhe ukudla.’ (UJohane 21:15-17) UPhetro wayephiwe umsebenzi wokutshumayela. (ULukha 5:10) Kodwa lapha uJesu watshengisa ukuthi uyamthemba kakhulu ngokumnika omunye futhi umsebenzi oqakathekileyo wokunakekela bonke ababezakuba ngabalandeli bakaKhristu. Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wambeka ukuthi  akhokhele emsebenzini owawuzakwenziwa ngabafundi. (ImiSebenzi 2:1-41) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uPhetro wathokoza kakhulu esenanzelele ukuthi uJesu wayemthethelele njalo wayelokhu emthemba.

20, 21. Singenzani ukuze silwazi “uthando lukaKhristu”?

²⁰ ILizwi likaJehova liluchaza kuhle uthando lukaKhristu. Ngakho kumele silwazi kuhle “uthando lukaKhristu oluqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula ulwazi.” (Kwabase-Efesu 3:19) Njengoba sesibonile, izindaba ezisemaVangelini eziphathelane lempilo kanye lenkonzo kaJesu zisifundisa okunengi ngothando lukaKhristu. Kodwa ‘ukwazi uthando’ lolu akutsho ukufunda nje lokho iBhayibhili elikutshoyo ngaye.

²¹ Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘ukwazi’ litsho ukuba lolwazi “oluthole ngokwenzakale empilweni yakho kumbe ngalokho okwenzileyo.” Sizazwisisa indlela uJesu ayesizwa ngayo nxa sitshengisa uthando njengaye, sizimisela ukuba lesihawu kubafowethu ngokubancedisa langothethelela abanye ngenhliziyo yonke. Singenza njalo siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi sesilwazi “uthando lukaKhristu oluqakathekele ukwedlula ukwazi.” Asihlaleni sikhumbula ukuthi nxa singalingisela uKhristu sizasondela kakhulu kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu olothando.