1, 2. (a) UMariya wafumana wuphi umbuliso ovela kumntu angamaziyo? (b) Sisiphi isigqibo ekwakufuneka asenze uMariya yaye sabutshintsha njani ubomi bakhe?

 UMARIYA wayemangalisiwe njengoko kwakungena undwendwe kowabo. Aluzange lucele ukuthetha noyise okanye unina. Lwaluze kubona yena! Wayeqinisekile ukuba lwalungaveli eNazarete. Ekubeni idolophu yakowabo yayincinane, kwakulula ukumazi umhambi. Olu ndwendwe lwalahlukile kwabanye abantu. Lwambulisa ngendlela engaqhelekanga uMariya neyayintsha ngokupheleleyo kuye, lusithi: “Bhota, wena ubabalwe kakhulu, uYehova unawe.”—Funda uLuka 1:26-28.

² Le yindlela iBhayibhile esazisa ngayo ngoMariya, intombi kaHeli, yaseNazarete, kwiphondo laseGalili. Eli yayilixesha elinzima ebomini bakhe. Wayeganene noYosefu umchweli—owayengesosityebi kodwa enokholo. Kuyabonakala ukuba ubomi bakhe babusele bucetywe kakuhle—ubomi obulula exhasa uYosefu, bekhulisa intsapho kunye. Engalindelanga, wazibona sele etyelelwa lundwendwe oluze kumnika isabelo esivela kuThixo, esasiza kutshintsha ubomi bakhe.

3, 4. Ukuze simazi uMariya, yintoni esimele siyibekele ecaleni, yaye yintoni esiza kunikela ingqalelo kuyo?

³ Abaninzi bayothuka kukufumanisa ukuba iBhayibhile ayithethi kangako ngoMariya. Incinane into esixelela yona ngemvelaphi yakhe, incinane nangakumbi esixelela ngobuntu bakhe yaye ayisixeleli kwanto ngembonakalo yakhe. Kodwa, oko lisixelela kona iLizwi likaThixo ngaye kusifundisa lukhulu.

⁴ Ukuze simazi kakuhle uMariya, kufuneka sikhangele ngaphaya kwezinto ezininzi ezifundiswa ngaye ziinkonzo ezahlukeneyo. Asizukuthetha ngemifanekiso ezotywe ngabantu neqingqiweyo. Kwakhona masizibekel’ ecaleni iimfundiso zakwalizwi ezintsonkothileyo neenkolelo eziye zajoliswa kweli bhinqa lithobekileyo, izibizo ezifana nesithi “uMama kaThixo” nesithi “uKumkanikazi weZulu.” Kunoko, masinikel’ ingqalelo koko kutyhilwa yiBhayibhile. Iyasinceda sibone ukholo lwakhe nendlela esinokuluxelisa ngayo.

 5. (a) Sifunda ntoni ngoMariya kwindlela awasabela ngayo kumbuliso kaGabriyeli? (b) Sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifunda kuMariya?

⁵ Undwendwe lukaMariya lwalungengomntu nje oqhelekileyo. Lwaluyingelosi egama layo inguGabriyeli. Xa wathi kuMariya “ubabalwe kakhulu,” “waphazamiseka ngokunzulu” ngamazwi akhe, ezibuza ngalo mbuliso ungaqhelekanga. (Luka 1:29) Ngubani lo wayembabale kakhulu? UMariya wayengalindelanga ukuba ababalwe kakhulu phakathi kwabantu. Kodwa le ngelosi yayithetha ngokubabalwa nguYehova uThixo. Loo nto yayibalulekile kuye. Sekunjalo akazange azixelele ukuba wayebabalwe nguThixo. Ukuba sifuna ukubabalwa nguThixo, singaze sizixelele ukuba sele sibabalwe, siya kufunda isifundo esibalulekileyo awayesiqonda kakuhle uMariya. UThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, kodwa uyabathanda aze abaxhase abathobekileyo.—Yak. 4:6.

 6. Liliphi ilungelo elingenakuthelekiswa nanto elanikwa uMariya yingelosi?

⁶ Kwakuza kufuneka athobeke uMariya, kuba le ngelosi yayiza kumnika ilungelo elingenakuthelekiswa nanto. Yathi wayeza kuzala umntwana owayeza kuba ngoyena ubalulekileyo kubo bonke abantu. UGabriyeli wathi: “UYehova uThixo uya kumnika itrone kaDavide uyise, kwaye uya kulawula njengokumkani phezu kwendlu kaYakobi ngonaphakade, yaye ubukumkani bakhe abuyi kuba nasiphelo.” (Luka 1:32, 33) Ngokuqinisekileyo uMariya wayesazi isithembiso esasenziwe nguThixo kuDavide kwiminyaka engaphezu kwewaka eyadlulayo, sokuba omnye wenzala yakhe uya kulawula ngonaphakade. (2 Sam. 7:12, 13) Unyana wakhe wayeza kuba nguMesiya ababekhangele kuye abantu bakaThixo kangangeenkulungwane.

 7. (a) Umbuzo kaMariya usibonisa ntoni ngaye? (b) Abantu abaselula banokufunda ntoni kuMariya?

⁷ Ukongezelela koko, ingelosi yamxelela ukuba unyana wakhe wayeza “kubizwa ngokuba nguNyana woYena uPhakamileyo.” Ekubeni uMariya wayengumntu, wayeza kumzala njani uNyana kaThixo? UMariya wayezibuza ukuba uza kumzala njani umntwana eyedwa? Wayeganene noYosefu kodwa wayengekatshati naye. Wathetha phandle wabuza wathi: “Kuza kubakho njani na oku, ekubeni ndingenazintlobano zokwazana nandoda?” (Luka 1:34) Phawula ukuba uMariya wayengenantloni ngokuchaza ukuba wayengazani nandoda. Kwelinye icala wayekuxabisa ukuba nyulu kwakhe. Namhlanje, ulutsha oluninzi alukuxabisanga ukuhlala lunyulu, yaye luyalugculela  olo luziphethe kakuhle. Ngokwenene ihlabathi litshintshile. Noko ke, uYehova akatshintshanga. (Mal. 3:6) Njengokuba kwakunjalo ngexesha likaMariya, uyabaxabisa abo babambelela kwimilinganiselo yakhe yokuziphatha.—Funda amaHebhere 13:4.

 8. Kwakuza kwenzeka njani ukuba uMariya, nangona engafezekanga azale umntwana ofezekileyo?

⁸ Nangona wayengumkhonzi kaThixo othembekileyo, uMariya wayengafezekanga. Wayeza kumzala njani umntwana ofezekileyo, uNyana kaThixo? UGabriyeli wathi: “Umoya oyingcwele uya kukufikela, namandla Oyena Uphakamileyo aya kukusibekela. Ngenxa yeso sizathu kwanoko kuzalwayo kuya kubizwa ngokuba kungcwele, uNyana kaThixo.” (Luka 1:35) Igama elithi ngcwele lithetha “ukucoceka” nokuba “nyulu.” Ngokuqhelekileyo, abantu badla ngokudlulisela ukungacoceki nesono kubantwana babo. Noko ke, kule meko uYehova wenza ummangaliso. Wayeza kufudusela ubomi boNyana wakhe kwisibeleko sikaMariya aze asebenzise amandla akhe, okanye umoya oyingcwele ukuze ‘asibekele’ uMariya athintele isono singadluleli kuye. Ngaba uMariya wasikholelwa isithembiso sengelosi? Wasabela njani?

 9. (a) Kutheni bephazama nje abagxeki ngokuthandabuza ibali likaMariya? (b) UGabriyeli walomeleza njani ukholo lukaMariya?

⁹ Abantu abangakholelwayo kwimimangaliso, kuquka nabafundisi bezakwalizwi beNgqobhoko, abayikholelwa into yokuba ibhinqa elingazani nandoda lingazala umntwana. Nangona befunde bayityekeza, kukho inyaniso elula ebasithelayo. Njengokuba esitsho uGabriyeli, “uThixo akavakalisi nto ingenakwenzeka.” (Luka 1:37) UMariya wawajonga njengayinyaniso amazwi kaGabriyeli, wayelibhinqa eliselula elalinokholo. Noko ke, ukuba nokholo kwakhe akuthethi kuthi wayenguvuma zonke. Njengaye nawuphi na umntu oqiqayo, kwakufuneka kubekho ubungqina awayeza kulusekela kubo ukholo lwakhe. UGabriyeli wongeza kobo bungqina wayesele enabo. Wamchazela ngesizalwana sakhe esele sikhulile uElizabhete, owayengafumani bantwana. UThixo wabangela ukuba akhulelwe ngokungummangaliso!

10. Kutheni singenakugqiba kwelokuba izinto zaziza kuba lula kuMariya?

¹⁰ UMariya wayeza kuthini ngoku? Wayenomsebenzi awayemele awenze nobungqina obabubonisa ukuba uThixo wayeza kuyenza yonke into eyayithethwe nguGabriyeli. Asimele sicinge ukuba eli lungelo laliza kwenza kube mnandi. Kaloku, wayesaganene noYosefu. Ngaba wayeza kutshata naye akufumanisa ukuba ukhulelwe? Nalo msebenzi wawubonakala ulucelomngeni olungathethekiyo. Kwakubandakanyeke obona bomi buxabisekileyo kuzo zonke izidalwa zikaThixo —uNyana wakhe amthandayo! Kwakuza kufuneka amnyamekele ngoxa wayelusana olungenakuzenzela nto aze amkhusele kwihlabathi elingendawo. Le yayiyimbopheleleko enzima ngokwenene.

11, 12. (a) Amanye amadoda awomeleleyo nanokholo aye asabela njani kwizabelo ezivela kuThixo? (b) Impendulo kaMariya kuGabriyeli isibonisa ntoni ngaye?

¹¹ IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba kwanamadoda awomeleleyo, anokholo maxa wambi ayedla ngokuba madolw’ anzima ukwamkela izabelo ezivela kuThixo. UMoses wakhalaza wathi wayengakwazi ukuthetha. (Eks. 4:10) Yena uYeremiya wathi “ndiyinkwenkwe nje,” esithi wayesemncinane ukuba angakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi awayewunikwe nguThixo. (Yer. 1:6) NoYona wasibaleka isabelo sakhe! (Yona 1:3) Kuthekani ngoMariya?

¹² Amazwi akhe abonisa ukuthobeka asankenteza nanamhlanje. Wathi kuGabriyeli: “Khangela! Ikhobokazana likaYehova! Ngamana kungenzeka kum ngokwendlela ovakalise ngayo.” (Luka 1:38) Ikhobokazana yayingoyena mntu uphantsi; lalilawulwa yinkosi yalo ngokupheleleyo. Leyo yindlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uMariya ngeNkosi yakhe, uYehova. Wayesazi ukuba ukhuselekile ezandleni zakhe, uthembekile kwabo bathembekileyo kuye, nokuba wayeza kumsikelela ekubeni wayesenza konke awayenokukwenza ukuze aphumeze esi sabelo.—INdu. 18:25.

13. Umzekelo kaMariya usinceda njani ekwenzeni izinto uThixo afuna sizenze nezinokubonakala zinzima?

¹³ Maxa wambi uThixo usenokufuna senze into ebonakala inzima, okanye ingenakwenzeka. Noko ke, kwiLizwi lakhe usinika izizathu ezininzi zokuba simthembe, sixhomekeke kuye njengokuba uMariya wenzayo. (IMize. 3:5, 6) Ngaba siza kwenjenjalo? Ukuba senjenjalo, uya kusivuza, asinike izizathu zokuba sibe nokholo olomelele ngakumbi kuye.

14, 15. (a) UYehova wamvuza njani uMariya xa watyelela uElizabhete noZekariya? (b) Amazwi kaMariya akuLuka 1:46-55 abonisa ntoni ngaye?

¹⁴ Izinto ezathethwa nguGabriyeli ngoElizabhete zamchukumisa uMariya. Kuwo onke amabhinqa akhoyo ehlabathini, akakho umntu owayenokuyiqonda imeko yakhe ngaphezu kukaElizabhete. UMariya waxhabasha waya kummandla wakwaYuda, mhlawumbi yayiluhambo olwalunokuthabatha iintsuku ezintathu okanye  ezine. Njengokuba wayengena ekhayeni likaElizabhete noZekariya umbingeleli, uYehova wongeza kobo bungqina wayesele enabo ukuze omeleze ukholo lwakhe. Wathi akubulisa uMariya ngoko nangoko usana lwaxhuma luvuyo esibelekweni sikaElizabhete. Wazaliswa ngumoya oyingcwele waza wabhekisa kuMariya ‘njengonina weNkosi yam.’ UThixo watyhilela uElizabhete ukuba unyana kaMariya wayeza kuba yiNkosi yakhe, uMesiya. Waphefumlelwa ukuba ancome uMariya ngokuthobela kwakhe, esithi: ‘Unoyolo naye lowo ukholiweyo.’ (Luka 1:39-45) Ewe, yonke into uYehova ayithembise uMariya yayiza kwenzeka!

¹⁵ Naye uMariya wathetha. Amazwi akhe abhaliwe kwiLizwi  likaThixo. (Funda uLuka 1:46-55.) La ngawona mazwi made akhe athethwa nguMariya eBhayibhileni, ibe asityhilela okuninzi ngaye. Abonisa ukuba ungumntu onombulelo nonoxabiso, njengokuba encoma uYehova ngokumwonga ngelungelo lokuba ngumama kaMesiya. Abonisa ubunzulu bokholo lwakhe, njengokuba echaza uYehova njengothoba abantu abanekratshi nabanamandla aze aphakamise abantu abaphantsi nabangahlwempu abafuna ukumkhonza. Kwakhona asityhilela ubunzulu bolwazi lwakhe. Ngokutsho kolunye uqikelelo, ubhekisela kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere izihlandlo ezingaphezu kwama-20! a

16, 17. (a) UMariya nomntwana wakhe basibonisa njani isimo sengqondo esifanele kukuxeliswa? (b) Utyelelo lukaMariya kuElizabhete lusikhumbuza ngayiphi intsikelelo?

¹⁶ Kucacile ukuba uMariya wayecinga nzulu ngeLizwi likaThixo. Sekunjalo wayethobekile, ethetha ngokusuka kwiZibhalo kunokuba athethe izinto zakhe. Umntwana owayekhula esibelekweni sakhe ngenye imini wayeza kubonisa umoya ofanayo, esithi: “Oko ndikufundisayo asikokwam, kodwa kokwalowo wandithumayo.” (Yoh. 7:16) Sakuba senza kakuhle ukuba sizibuza oku: ‘Ngaba ndinentlonelo enzulu ngeLizwi likaThixo? Okanye ngaba ndikhetha iingcamango okanye iimfundiso zam?’ Isimo sengqondo sikaMariya sizicacele.

¹⁷ UMariya wahlala noElizabhete iinyanga ezimalunga nezintathu, ngokuqinisekileyo umele ukuba wayekhuthazwa nguye. (Luka 1:56) Omabini la mabhinqa asikhumbuza ngokubaluleka kobuhlobo bokwenene. Ukuba sifuna abahlobo abamthanda ngokwenene uThixo wethu, uYehova, ngokuqinisekileyo siya kukhula ngokomoya size sisondele kuyo. (IMize. 13:20) Ekugqibeleni kwafuneka uMariya agoduke. Wayeza kuthini uYosefu xa efumanisa ukuba ukhulelwe?

18. Yintoni uMariya awayixelela uYosefu, yaye wasabela njani?

¹⁸ UMariya akazange alinde kude kubonakale isisu ngaphambi kokuba achazele uYosefu ukuba ukhulelwe. Kwakuza kufuneka amchazele uYosefu. Ngaphambi kokuba athethe naye, umele ukuba wayezibuza ukuba iza kusabela njani le ndoda ilungileyo neyoyika uThixo. Sekunjalo, wamchazela yonke into eyenzekileyo. Njengokuba uqonda, uYosefu waphazamiseka kakhulu. Wayefuna ukuyikholelwa le nto ayixelelwa yile ntombazana ayithandayo, kodwa kwakubonakala ngathi ihenyuzile. IBhayibhile ayisixeleli ukuba wayecinga  ntoni. Kodwa iyasixelela ukuba wayefuna ukumala, kuba izibini eziganeneyo zazijongwa njengezitshatileyo. Noko ke, wayengakufuni ukumhlazisa, ngoko wakhetha ukumala ngasese. (Mat. 1:18, 19) Umele ukuba wayebuhlungu uMariya xa wayembona esentlungwini ngenxa yale meko wayekuyo. Kodwa uMariya akazange aqumbe.

19. UYehova wamnceda njani uYosefu ukuba enze isigqibo esilungileyo?

¹⁹ UYehova wamnceda uYosefu ukuba enze isigqibo esihle. Ephupheni, ingelosi kaThixo yamxelela ukuba uMariya wayekhulelwe ngokungummangaliso. Kumele ukuba oku kwamzisela isiqabu! UYosefu wenza oko kwakwenziwe nguMariya kwasekuqaleni—wenza ngokuvisisana nolwalathiso lukaYehova. Wamthabatha uMariya njengomfazi wakhe, wazilungiselela ukuthabatha imbopheleleko yokunyamekela uNyana kaYehova.—Mat. 1:20-24.

20, 21. Abantu abatshatileyo kunye nabo baceba ukutshata banokufunda ntoni kuMariya noYosefu?

²⁰ Abantu abatshatileyo—nabo bacinga ngokutshata—baya kuba benza kakuhle ukuba bafunda kumzekelo wesi sibini esasiphila kwiminyaka engama-2 000 eyadlulayo. Njengokuba uYosefu wayekhangele umfazi wakhe esenza imisebenzi yakhe, wayenombulelo ngolwalathiso lwengelosi lukaYehova. Umele ukuba uYosefu wakubona ukubaluleka kokukholosa ngoYehova xa esenza izigqibo ezibalulekileyo. (INdu. 37:5; IMize. 18:13) Ngokuqinisekileyo wayesoloko ezolile xa esenza izigqibo njengentloko-ntsapho.

²¹ Kwelinye icala, singathini ngokuvuma kukaMariya ukutshata noYosefu? Nangona kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekuqaleni kwakunzima ngoYosefu ukuyiqonda le nto yayithethwa nguMariya, walindela kuYosefu ukuba enze isigqibo, ekubeni wayeza kuba yintloko-ntsapho. Eso yayisisifundo esihle kuye kanye njengokuba kunjalo nakumabhinqa angamaKristu namhlanje. Okokugqibela, kumele ukuba ezi ziganeko zabafundisa lukhulu bobabini ngokunyaniseka nokuthetha phandle.—Funda iMizekeliso 15:22.

22. Sasinjani isiqalo somtshato kaYosefu noMariya, yaye babelindelwe yintoni?

²² Ngokuqinisekileyo esi sibini simele ukuba sawuqalisa kakuhle umtshato waso. Bobabini babemthanda uYehova uThixo yaye bamele ukuba babefuna ukumkholisa, njengabazali abakhathalayo. Kakade ke, babesalindelwe ziintsikelelo ezingakumbi nalucelomngeni. Kwakuza kufuneka bakhulise uYesu, owayeza kuba ngoyena mntu ubalaseleyo owakhe wakho.