1-3. (a) Yini eyenza uJesu wafuna ukufana noYise? (b) Yiziphi izici zothando lukaJesu esizozihlola?

 WAKE wambona umfana omncane ezama ukulingisa uyise? Angase azame ukulingisa indlela uyise ahamba ngayo, akhuluma ngayo nenza ngayo izinto. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, angaze ancele nemithetho kayise yokuziphatha nalokho akukholelwayo ngoNkulunkulu. Yebo, uthando nenhlonipho umfana anayo ngoyise onothando imenza afune ukufana naye.

² Kuthiwani ngobuhlobo bukaJesu noYise wasezulwini? Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu wathi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (Johane 14:31) Akekho ongathanda uJehova ukudlula le Ndodana eyayinoYise zingakaphushwa nakuphushwa ezinye izidalwa. Lolo thando lwenza le Ndodana ezinikele yafuna ukulingisa uYise.—Johane 14:9.

³ Ezahlukweni ezandulele zale ncwadi, sixoxe ngendlela ephelele uJesu alingisa ngayo amandla, ubulungisa nokuhlakanipha kukaJehova. Kodwa-ke uJesu walubonisa kanjani uthando lukaYise? Ake sihlole izici ezintathu zothando lukaJesu—umoya wakhe wokuzidela, uzwela nokulungela ukuthethelela.

4. UJesu wasibeka kanjani isibonelo sothando lokuzidela esizedlula zonke ezake zabekwa umuntu?

⁴ UJesu wabeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu sothando lokuzidela. Ukuzidela kusho ukubeka izidingo zabanye nezinto ezibakhathazayo kuqala kunezethu ngendlela engenabugovu. UJesu walubonisa kanjani lolo thando? Yena ngokwakhe wachaza: “Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu  anikele ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabangani bakhe.” (Johane 15:13) Ngokuzithandela uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe okungenasono ngenxa yethu. Kwakuyisenzo sothando esizedlula zonke ezake zenziwa umuntu. Kodwa uJesu wabonisa uthando lokuzidela nangezinye izindlela.

5. Kungani ukushiya amazulu kwakuwukuzidela kothando kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa?

⁵ Ngaphambi kokuba iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa ibe umuntu, yayinesikhundla esingalingani nesamuntu futhi esiphakeme emazulwini. Yayisondelene kakhulu noJehova nezinye izidalwa zomoya eziningi. Naphezu kwalezi zimo ezinhle eyayikuzo, le Ndodana ethandekayo ‘yazidela, yaba njengesigqila yaba ngumuntu.’ (Filipi 2:7) Ngokuzithandela yeza yazohlala nabantu abanesono ezweni ‘elisemandleni omubi.’ (1 Johane 5:19) Kwakungekona yini ukuzidela kothando kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu loko?

6, 7. (a) UJesu walubonisa ngaziphi izindlela uthando lokuzidela phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo esithinta inhliziyo sothando olungenabugovu esilotshwe kuJohane 19:25-27?

⁶ Kuyo yonke inkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni, wabonisa uthando lokuzidela ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Wayengenabo nobuncane ubugovu. Wayegxile kakhulu enkonzweni yakhe kangangokuba wadela ukunethezeka okuvamile abantu abakujwayele. Wathi: “Izimpungushe zinemigodi nezinyoni zezulu zinezidleke kodwa iNdodana yomuntu yona ayinandawo yokubeka ikhanda.” (Mathewu 8:20) Njengoba ayengumbazi onekhono, uJesu wayengasebenzisa isikhathi esithile ukuze azakhele umuzi omuhle noma azenzele ifenisha ephambili ayidayise ukuze azitholele imali. Kodwa amakhono akhe akawasebenziselanga ukuzuza izinto ezibonakalayo.

⁷ Isibonelo esithinta inhliziyo ngempela sothando lukaJesu lokuzidela silotshwe kuJohane 19:25-27. Cabanga ngezinto eziningi okumele ukuba zazixake ingqondo nenhliziyo kaJesu ntambama ngosuku ayezokufa ngalo. Njengoba ayezwa ubuhlungu esigxotsheni, wayekhathazeke ngabafundi  bakhe, umsebenzi wokushumayela, futhi ikakhulukazi ekhathazeke nangobuqotho bakhe nokuthi babuzolithinta kanjani igama likaYise. Ngempela, lonke ikusasa lesintu lalisemahlombe akhe! Noma kunjalo, ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, uJesu wabonisa nokukhathazeka ngonina uMariya, ngokusobala owayesengumfelokazi. UJesu wacela umphostoli uJohane ukuba anakekele uMariya njengokungathi ungunina, futhi lo mphostoli wabe esethatha uMariya waya naye kwakhe. Ngokwenza kanjalo, uJesu wenza ilungiselelo lokuba unina anakekelwe ngezinto ayezidinga futhi asizwe aqhubeke esondelene noJehova. Yeka isenzo esihle esibonisa uthando olungenabugovu!

8. Lishoni igama lesiGreki elisetshenziswa iBhayibheli lapho lichaza uzwela lukaJesu?

⁸ UJesu wayenozwela njengoYise. ImiBhalo ichaza uJesu ngokuthi wayefuna ukusiza abacindezelekile ngoba wayethinteke ngokujulile. Lapho iBhayibheli lichaza uzwela lukaJesu, lisebenzisa igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “waba nesihawu.” Esinye isazi sithi: “Lisho . . . umzwelo othinta izibilini zomuntu. Liyigama lesiGreki elinamandla kakhulu lozwela.” Cabanga ngezinye izimo lapho uJesu ashukunyiswa khona uzwela olujulile ukuba athathe isinyathelo.

9, 10. (a) Yiziphi izimo ezabangela ukuba uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe bafune indawo ethulile? (b) UJesu wenzenjani lapho ephazanyiswa isixuku, futhi kungani?

⁹ Washukumiseleka ukuba anelise izidingo ezingokomoya. Indaba ekuMarku 6:30-34 ibonisa lokho okuyikona okwashukumisa uJesu ukuba abonise isihawu. Kubone ngeso lengqondo okwenzeka. Abaphostoli babejabulile ngoba babesanda kubuya ohambweni olude lokushumayela. Babuyela kuJesu bamxoxela ngesasasa konke ababekubonile nababekuzwile. Kodwa kwabe sekutheleka isixuku, uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe bangabe besaba nanesikhathi sokudla. Njengoba uJesu ayengumuntu oqaphelayo, waphawula ukuthi abaphostoli  bakhathele. Wayesethi kubo: “Wozani nina nodwa ngasese endaweni engenabantu, niphumule kancane.” Bagibela isikebhe, bawelela enhla nenyakatho yoLwandle LwaseGalile bafika endaweni ethulile. Kodwa isixuku sababona behamba. Nabanye bezwa ukuthi sebehambile. Bonke bagijima benyusa ugu bafika kuqala kunesikebhe!

¹⁰ Ingabe kwamcasula uJesu ukuthi sebemphazamisile? Phinde! Inhliziyo yakhe yathinteka lapho ebona lesi sixuku esasimlindile esasibalwa ngezinkulungwane. UMarku wabhala: “Wabona isixuku esikhulu, waba nesihawu ngaso ngoba sasinjengezimvu ezingenamalusi. Wasifundisa izinto eziningi.” UJesu wabheka laba bantu njengabanezidingo ezingokomoya. Babenjengezimvu ezidukile, ezingenamalusi wokuzelusa noma wokuzivikela. UJesu wayazi ukuthi abaholi benkolo abangenaluzwela, okuyibo okwakufanele babe abelusi abakhathalelayo, babengabanaki abantu abavamile. (Johane 7:47-49) Wabazwela labo bantu, ngakho waqala ukubafundisa “ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 9:11) Phawula ukuthi uJesu waba nesihawu ngalaba bantu engakaboni nakubona ukuthi bazokwamukela yini lokho ayezokufundisa. Ngamanye amazwi, uzwela alubangelwanga ukufundisa kwakhe izixuku, kodwa lwaluyisona sisusa sokufundisa kwakhe.

11, 12. (a) Babebhekwa kanjani abanochoko ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, kodwa uJesu wenzani lapho indoda ‘egcwele uchoko’ iza kuye? (b) Iyiphi indlela okungenzeka ukuthi onochoko wazizwa ngayo lapho uJesu emthinta, futhi okwenzeka kudokotela othile kukubonisa kanjani lokhu?

¹¹ Washukumiseleka ukuba aqede ubuhlungu. Abantu ababephethwe izifo ezihlukahlukene babebona ukuthi uJesu unozwela, ngakho badonselekela kuye. Lokhu kwabonakala kakhulu ngenkathi indoda ‘egcwele uchoko’ iza kuJesu, owayelandelwa isixuku. (Luka 5:12) Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, abanochoko babehlaliswa bodwa ukuze bangatheleli abanye. (Numeri 5:1-4) Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abaholi abangorabi batshala umbono wokungabi naluzwela  ngabanochoko futhi babeka imithetho yabo ecindezelayo. a Kodwa yizwa ukuthi uJesu wamphendula kanjani onochoko: “Kweza onochoko kuye, wamncenga eguqe ngedolo, ethi kuye: ‘Uma nje uthanda, ungangenza ngihlanzeke.’ Lapho ezwa lokho waba nesihawu, welula isandla sakhe wamthinta, wathi kuye: ‘Ngiyathanda! Hlanzeka.’ Masinyane uchoko lwaphela kuye, wahlanzeka.” (Marku 1:40-42) UJesu wayazi ukuthi kwakungavunyelwe nanokuba abe lapho lo muntu onochoko. Kodwa kunokuba amxoshe, uJesu wathinteka ngokujulile kangangokuthi wenza into eyayingenziwa neze. Wamthinta!

¹² Ungacabanga ukuthi lokho kuthintwa kwasho ukuthini kulona onochoko? Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokhu okwenzeka. UDkt. Paul Brand, ofundele ukwelapha uchoko, uxoxa ngomuntu onochoko amelapha kwelaseNdiya. Lapho emxilonga, lo dokotela wabeka isandla sakhe ehlombe lalo muntu onochoko, ngosizo lomhumushi, wabe esechaza ukuthi uzolashwa kanjani. Lo muntu onochoko wavele wakhala. “Kukhona okubi engikushilo?” kubuza udokotela. Umhumushi wabuza le nsizwa ngolimi lwayo, wabe esephendula: “Cha, dokotela. Uthi ukhaliswa ukuthi wena ubeka isandla sakho ehlombe lakhe. Sekuyiminyaka eminingi engathintwa muntu.” Kulo muntu onochoko owaya kuJesu, ukuthintwa kwasho okukhulu nakakhulu. Wathi angathintwa kanye nje, isifo esasimenze wakhishwa inyumbazane saphela nya!

13, 14. (a) Wahlangana nani uJesu ngesikhathi esondela edolobheni laseNayini, futhi yini eyakwenza kwadabukisa nakakhulu? (b) Uzwela lukaJesu lwamshukumisela ukuba amenzeleni umfelokazi waseNayini?

 ¹³ Washukumiseleka ukuba aqede usizi. UJesu lwalumthinta kakhulu usizi lwabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendaba ekuLuka 7:11-15. Yenzeka maphakathi nenkonzo yakhe ngenkathi uJesu esondela ngasemaphethelweni edolobha laseGalile iNayini. Lapho uJesu esondela ngasesangweni ledolobha wahlangana nomngcwabo. Isimo sasimuncu ngempela. Kwakushone insizwa enguzinyo-bulala, futhi unina engumfelokazi. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayeseke wangcwaba—engcwaba umyeni wakhe. Manje kwase kuyindodana yakhe, mhlawumbe okwakuyiyo kuphela eyayimondla. Esixukwini esasimphelezela kungenzeka ukuthi kwakunabanye ababezolila nababebetha imitshingo becula izingoma zokulila. (Jeremiya 9:17, 18; Mathewu 9:23) Kodwa uJesu wagxila kumama owayelusizi, cishe owayehamba eduze kohlaka olwaluthwele isidumbu sendodana yakhe.

¹⁴ UJesu ‘wamhawukela’ lo mama oshonelwe. Ngephimbo eliduduzayo wathi kuye: “Yeka ukukhala.” Wasondela ohlakeni waluthinta engacelwanga. Abathwali bohlaka—futhi mhlawumbe naso sonke isixuku—bama. Ngezwi elinamandla, uJesu wathi esidunjini: “Nsizwa, ngithi kuwe vuka!” Kwabe sekwenzekani? “Lo muntu ofile wavuka wahlala, waqala ukukhuluma” sengathi uvuka ebuthongweni obujulile! Kube sekulandela amazwi athinta inhliziyo kakhulu: “UJesu wamnika unina.”

15. (a) Izindaba eziseBhayibhelini zokuhawukela kukaJesu abantu zibonisa kuphi ukuhlobana phakathi kozwela nesenzo? (b) Singamlingisa kanjani uJesu kulokhu?

¹⁵ Yini esiyifundiswa yilezi zindaba? Endabeni ngayinye, phawula ukuthi uzwela luhambisana nesenzo. UJesu wayengeke abone usizi lwabanye kodwa angabazweli, futhi wayengeke abazwele kodwa angenzi lutho. Singasilandela kanjani isibonelo sakhe? NjengamaKristu, sinesibopho sokushumayela izindaba ezinhle nokwenza abafundi. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu  yiyona nto eyinhloko esishukumisayo. Kodwa masikhumbule ukuthi lo msebenzi udinga nozwela. Uma sibazwela abantu njengoba uJesu ayebazwela, izinhliziyo zethu ziyosishukumisela ukuba senze okusemandleni ukuba sixoxe nabo ngezindaba ezinhle. (Mathewu 22:37-39) Kuthiwani ngokubonisa uzwela kwesikholwa nabo abahluphekayo noma abasosizini? Ngeke sikwazi ukwelapha abagulayo noma ukuvusa abashonile ngokuyisimangaliso. Kodwa singalubonisa ngezenzo uzwela ngokuthatha isinyathelo kuqala sibakhathalele noma sibanikeze usizo abaludingayo olufanelekile.—Efesu 4:32.

16. Ukuzimisela kukaJesu ukuthethelela kwabonakala kanjani ngisho nalapho esesigxotsheni sokuhlushwa?

¹⁶ UJesu walubonakalisa ngokuphelele uthando lukaYise nangenye indlela ebalulekile—‘wayehlale ekulungele ukuthethelela.’ (IHubo 86:5) Ukuthi wayezimisele kwabonakala ngisho nalapho esesigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. Njengoba ayefa ukufa okuyihlazo, izipikili zimbhoboza izandla nezinyawo, wakhuluma ngani uJesu? Ingabe wacela uJehova ukuba ajezise ababembulala? Cha, kunalokho phakathi kwamazwi akhe okugcina, kukhona nalawa: “Baba, bathethelele ngoba abakwazi abakwenzayo.”—Luka 23:34. b

17-19. UJesu wakubonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukuthi wayemthethelele umphostoli uPetru ngokumphika kathathu?

¹⁷ Mhlawumbe isibonelo esithinta inhliziyo nakakhulu sokuthethelela kukaJesu singabonakala endleleni aphatha ngayo  uPetru. Akungabazeki ukuthi uPetru wayemthanda kakhulu uJesu. NgoNisani 14, ubusuku bokugcina bokuphila kukaJesu, uPetru wathi kuye: “Nkosi, ngikulungele ukuya nawe kokubili ejele nasekufeni.” Kodwa ngemva kwamahora ambalwa, uPetru waphika kathathu ukuthi uyamazi uJesu! IBhayibheli lisitshela lokho okwenzeka lapho uPetru esemphika okwesithathu: “INkosi yaphenduka yambheka ngqo uPetru.” Ekhathazekile ngenxa yesono esasinzima, uPetru “waphumela ngaphandle wakhala kalusizi.” Lapho uJesu efa kamuva ngalolo suku, lo mphostoli kungenzeka ukuthi wazibuza, ‘Kazi iNkosi yami ingithethelele yini?’—Luka 22:33, 61, 62.

¹⁸ Akudingekanga ukuba uPetru ayilinde isikhathi eside impendulo. UJesu wavuswa ekuseni ngoNisani 16, futhi kusobala ukuthi ngalo lolo suku wavakashela uPetru. (Luka 24:34; 1 Korinte 15:4-8) Kungani uJesu amnaka ngokukhetheke kangaka lo mphostoli owayemphike wama ngentaba? Kungenzeka ukuthi uJesu wayefuna ukuqinisekisa uPetru owayephendukile ukuthi iNkosi yakhe yayisamthanda futhi isamazisa. Kodwa uJesu wenza ngisho nokungaphezulu ukuze aqinisekise uPetru.

¹⁹ Esikhathini esithile kamuva, uJesu wabonakala kubafundi oLwandle LwaseGalile. Ngalesi sikhathi, uJesu wambuza kathathu uPetru (owayeyiphike kathathu iNkosi yakhe) ukuthi uyamthanda yini. Ngemva kokwesithathu, uPetru waphendula: “Nkosi, wazi zonke izinto; uyazi ukuthi ngiyakuthanda.” Ngempela, uJesu, owayengafunda izinhliziyo, wayazi kahle ukuthi uPetru uyamthanda. Noma kunjalo, wanika uPetru ithuba lokugcizelela uthando lwakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wayala uPetru ukuba ‘ondle’ futhi ‘aluse amawundlu’ akhe. (Johane 21:15-17) Ngaphambili, uPetru wayethole isabelo sokushumayela. (Luka 5:10) Kodwa manje uJesu wabonisa ukuthi uyamethemba kakhulu, wamnika esinye isabelo esikhulu—ukunakekela labo ababezoba abalandeli bakaKristu. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wabela uPetru indima evelele emsebenzini wabafundi. (IzEnzo 2:1-41) Kumele ukuba kwathi  cosololo kuPetru ukwazi ukuthi uJesu wayemthethelele futhi esamethemba!

20, 21. ‘Singalwazi’ kanjani ngokugcwele “uthando lukaKristu”?

²⁰ IZwi likaJehova liluchaza kahle ngempela uthando lukaKristu. Kufanele sisabele kanjani-ke othandweni lukaJesu? IBhayibheli lisinxusa ukuba ‘silwazi uthando lukaKristu oludlula ulwazi.’ (Efesu 3:19) Njengoba sesibonile, izindaba ezisemaVangelini zokuphila nenkonzo kaJesu zisifundisa okuningi ngothando lukaKristu. Kodwa ‘ukulwazi’ ngokugcwele “uthando lukaKristu” kuhilela okungaphezu kokufunda lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngaye.

²¹ Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi ‘ukwazi’ lisho ukwazi into “ngokuyenza, ngokuba yenzeke kuwe uqobo.” Uma sibonisa uthando ngendlela uJesu enza ngayo—sizinikela ngokungenabugovu ngenxa yabanye, sibonise uzwela ngokwanelisa izidingo zabo, sibathethelele ngokusuka enhliziyweni—kulapho-ke lapho singazi khona ukuthi wayezizwa kanjani. Ngokwenza kanjalo, sibe ‘sesilwazi uthando lukaKristu oludlula ulwazi.’ Futhi masingalokothi silibale ukuthi lapho siya sifana noKristu, siyoya sisondela nakakhulu kulowo uJesu amlingisa ngokuphelele, uNkulunkulu wethu onothando, uJehova.