1-3. (a) Kuyini okwenza uJesu wafuna ukuba njengoYise? (b) Yiziphi izingxenye zothando lukaJesu esizazihlola?

WAKE wabona yini umfana omncane ezama ukulingisela uyise? Umfana lo angalingisela indlela uyise ahamba, akhulume loba enze ngayo. Ngokuya kwesikhathi umfana lo angalingisela ubuntu bukayise kanye lendlela uyise aqakathekisa ngayo izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. Indlela umfana lo athanda futhi abuke ngayo uyise yiyo emenza afune ukuba njengaye.

² Kuthiwani-ke ngobudlelwano obuphakathi kukaJesu loYise osezulwini? UJesu wathi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (UJohane 14:31) Akulamuntu ongathanda uJehova ukwedlula iNdodana le, eyayiloYise okwesikhathi eside ezinye izidalwa zingakabi khona. Uthando lolu yilo olwabangela ukuthi iNdodana le ifune 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? Asihloleni izingxenye ezintathu zothando lukaJesu ezigoqela ukuzinikela, isihawu sobubele kanye lokuthethelela kwakhe.

4. Kungani uJesu eyisibonelo esedlula abantu bonke sokuba lothando lokuzinikela?

⁴ UJesu uyisibonelo esikhulu kakhulu sokutshengisa uthando lokuzinikela. Ukuzinikela kugoqela ukukhangela izinkathazo lezinswelo zabanye singakakhangeli ezethu. UJesu walutshengisa njani uthando olunjalo? Yena ngokwakhe wathi: “Kakho olothando olukhulu kulaye onikela ukuphila kwakhe kubangane bakhe.” (UJohane 15:13) UJesu kabanjwanga ngamandla ukuthi anikele ngokuphila kwakhe okungela sono ngenxa yethu. Akulamuntu owake watshengisa uthando ngendlela enkulu kangaka.  UJesu waphinda watshengisa uthando lokuzinikela ngezinye izindlela.

5. Kungani ukusuka kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezulwini kwakutshengisa ukuthi ilothando lokuzinikela?

⁵ INdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa yayilesikhundla esiphezulu ezulwini ingakabuyi emhlabeni. Yayilobudlelwano obuseduze loJehova kanye lexuku lezidalwa zomoya. Kungelani lezibusiso eyayilazo, iNdodana le ethandekayo ‘yazidela, yathatha isimo senceku, yaba ngumuntu.’ (KwabaseFiliphi 2:7, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Yavuma ngokuzithandela ukuthi ibuye emhlabeni izophila labantu abalesono ‘ngaphansi kwamandla omubi.’ (1 UJohane 5:19) Lokho okwenziwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu kwakutshengisa ukuthi yayilothando lokuzinikela olukhulu kakhulu.

6, 7. (a) UJesu watshengisa ngaziphi izindlela uthando lokuzinikela phakathi layo yonke inkonzo yakhe esemhlabeni? (b) Yisiphi isibonelo esithintayo sothando olungazifuneli okwalo esibhalwe kuJohane 19:25-27?

⁶ UJesu watshengisa uthando lokuzinikela ngezindlela ezinengi phakathi layo yonke inkonzo yakhe esemhlabeni. Kazange aqakathekise injabulo yakhe kuleyabanye loba nini. Wadela ukukhomba ngophakathi okuthandwa ngabantu ngoba wayegxile kakhulu enkonzweni yakhe. Waze wathi “Amakhanka alemilindi lezinyoni zezulu zilezidleke, kodwa iNdodana yomuntu kayilandawo yokubeka ikhanda layo.” (UMathewu 8:20) Njengoba wayeyingcitshi ekubazeni, uJesu wayengabaza impahla zendlini ezinhle azithengise azuze imali enengi njalo wayengazakhela indlu enhle. Kodwa kazange asebenzise ubungcitshi bakhe ukuthi azinothise.

⁷ Esinye isibonelo esithintayo sokuthi uJesu wayelothando lokuzinikela sibhalwe kuJohane 19:25-27. Cabanga ngeminakano okungenzeka yayidunga ingqondo lenhliziyo kaJesu ngesikhathi semini esezakufa. Ngesikhathi esizwa ubuhlungu esesigodweni, wayekhathazeke ngabafundi bakhe, umsebenzi wokutshumayela, kanye lendlela ukuthembeka kwakhe okwakuzathinta ngayo ibizo likaYise. Liqiniso ithemba labantu bonke lalisemahlombe akhe! Lanxa kwasekusele isikhatshana ukuthi afe,  uJesu watshengisa ukuthi wayelokhu emthanda unina, uMariya, okungenzeka ukuthi wayesengumfelokazi. UJesu wacela umphostoli uJohane ukuthi anakekele uMariya amgcine njengonina omzalayo, ngemva kwalokho umphostoli lo wahamba loMariya wayamgcina emzini wakhe. UJesu walungiselela ukuthi unina abe lenhlalakahle ekuphileni njalo athole usizo ezindabeni zokukhonza. Le kwakuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokutshengisa uthando olungazifuneli okwalo!

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

⁸ UJesu wayelesihawu njengoYise. IMibhalo iyatshengisa ukuthi uJesu wayesenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthi ancede labo ababehlupheka ngenxa yokuthi wayebazwela kakhulu. IBhayibhili lisebenzisa ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘ukuzwela isihawu’ ukuze lichaze isihawu sikaJesu. Esinye isikhwicamfundo sithi: “Lichaza . . . umuzwa oqubuka ekujuleni kwenhliziyo yomuntu. Libala lesiGiriki elilamandla ukwedlula wonke elichaza ukuba lesihawu.” Cabanga ngezinye izehlakalo lapho isihawu esikhulu esabangela ukuthi uJesu enze okuthile.

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

⁹ Wezwa efuna ukuncedisa ezindabeni zokukhonza. Indaba ebhalwe kuMakho 6:30-34 itshengisa okuyikho sibili okwakusenza uJesu atshengise isihawu. Kubone ngelihlo lengqondo okwakusenzakala lapho. Abaphostoli babethabe bemanzi te, ngoba babevela kwenza umsebenzi omkhulu wokutshumayela. Babuyela kuJesu bambikela belamadlabuzane ngakho konke ababekubonile lababekuzwile. Kodwa ixuku elikhulu labuthana phambi kukaJesu labaphostoli bakhe, baze behluleka lokudla. Njengomuntu owayelelihlo elibukhali, uJesu wananzelela ukuthi abaphostoli basebediniwe. Wathi kubo: “Ngilandelani lodwa siye endaweni ethuleyo ukuze liphumule.” Bagada isikepe baquma enyakatho yoLwandle lwaseGalile besiya endaweni  ethuleyo. Kodwa ixuku labantu lababona besuka. Abanye futhi bezwa ngakho. Ixuku lonke leli lathathela ngesiqubu liqonde ekhunjini olusenyakatho, laze laqalela lesikepe ukuyafika khona!

¹⁰ UJesu wacaphuka yini ngokuphanjaniswa kwakhe efuna ukuphumula? Ngitsho lakancane! Inhliziyo yakhe yathinteka lapho efica izinkulungwane zabantu zimlindele. UMakho wabhala wathi: “Ebona ixuku elikhulu labantu wabazwela isihawu ngoba babenjengezimvu ezingelamelusi. Ngakho wasebafundisa izinto ezinengi.” UJesu wabona ukuthi munye ngamunye wabantu laba wayedinga ukuncediswa ezindabeni zokukhonza. Babenjengezimvu ezazinhlanhlatha, zingelamelusi owayezinqanda kumbe azivikele. UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi abantukazana babengananzwa ngabakhokheli benkolo ababengelazwelo, okwakumele babengabelusi abakhathalelayo. (UJohane 7:47-49) Wabazwela kakhulu abantu laba, wahle waqalisa ukubafundisa “ngombuso kaNkulunkulu.” (ULukha 9:11) Nanzelela ukuthi uJesu wabazwela abantu laba engakaboni lokuthi babezakwamukela njani lokho ayezabafundisa khona. Ngamanye amazwi, kakusikho kuthi wasala elesihawu sobubele ngemva kokufundisa ixuku kodwa isihawu sobubele yiso esamenza ukuthi alifundise.

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

¹¹ Wazizwa efuna ukuqeda ubuhlungu. Abantu ababelemikhuhlane etshiyeneyo basondela kuJesu ngoba babenanzelela ukuthi wayelesihawu. Lokhu kwakhanya kakhulu lapho uJesu elandwa yindoda “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 benza kwaba lombono omubi ngobulephero njalo bafaka  eyabo imithetho ecindezelayo. * Nanzelela kodwa indlela uJesu akhuluma ngayo lendoda le: “Kweza kuye indoda eyayilobulephero yamncenga iguqe phansi ngamadolo yathi, ‘Aluba uthanda ungangihlambulula.’ Eyizwela isihawu uJesu welula isandla sakhe wayibamba indoda. Wathi, ‘Ngiyathanda. Hlanzeka!’ Masinyane ubulephero baphela.” (UMakho 1:40-42) UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi indoda le yayisephula umthetho ngokuba phakathi kwabantu. Kulokuthi ayixotshele khatshana, uJesu wathinteka kakhulu waze wenza okwakungalindelwanga. UJesu wayibamba!

¹² Ubona angani indoda le yazizwa njani ngesikhathi uJesu eyibamba? Ngokwesibonelo, udokotela 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 yahle yaqalisa ukukhala. Udokotela wabuza wathi: “Kulolutho olubi engilukhulumileyo yini?” Umtoliki waseyibuza indoda le ngolimi lwayo, wasetshela udokotela ukuthi: “Hatshi dokotela. Uthi ukhaliswa yikuthi umgonile. Wena ungowokuqala ukumthinta ngemva kweminyaka eminengi engakaze athintwe ngumuntu.” Endabeni yendoda eyalanda uJesu, ukuthintwa kwayo kwakuqakathekile kakhulu kuyo. Umkhuhlane owawusuyibangele ukuthi ibe yindlubu ewele ephokweni wahle waphela du ngemva kokuthi uJesu eyithinte kanye nje kuphela!

13, 14. (a) UJesu wahlangana labantu ababesiya ngaphi ngesikhathi esebanga edolobheni leNayini, futhi kuyini okwakuzwisa usizi kakhulu? (b) Uzwelo lukaJesu lwamenza ukuthi amenzeleni umfelokazi weNayini?

 ¹³ Wazizwa efuna ukuqeda ukuhlupheka. UJesu kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu ukubona abantu behlupheka. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendaba etholakala kuLukha 7:11-15. Indaba etholakala lapho yenzakala phakathi laphakathi kwenkonzo kaJesu. Wahlangana labantu ababesiya emngcwabeni ngesikhathi esebanga entubeni yedolobho leGalile okuthiwa yiNayini. Isehlakalo leso sasizwisa usizi ngendlela engajayelekanga. Ijaha elalizelwe laba yilo lodwa laselifile, kanti njalo unina wayengumfelokazi. Kungenzakala ukuthi abantu babeke beza emngcwabeni womkakhe, ngakho kwakungayisikho kokuqala ukuthi umfelokazi lo abuthanelwe ngalendlela. Khathesi kwasekufe indodana yakhe okungenzakala ukuthi yiyo yodwa eyayimgcinile. Ixuku labantu elalimphelekezela lalingahlanganisa abantu ababeqhinqa isililo njalo abanye behlabela izingoma zemfeni. (UJeremiya 9:17, 18; UMathewu 9:23) UJesu wazwela kakhulu umama lo owayehlulukelwe, owayehamba eceleni kohlaka olwaluthwele isidumbu somntanakhe.

¹⁴ UJesu “wamzwela usizi” umfelokazi lo. Wakhuluma ngelizwi eliduduzayo wathi: “Ungakhali.” Wasondela wathinta uhlaka engacelwanga. Ababethwele uhlaka bama bathi khwimilili futhi kungenzakala lokuthi ixuku labantu lalo lenza njalo. Ekhuluma ngelizwi elilamandla, uJesu wathi emuntwini owayefile: “Jaha, ngithi kuwe vuka!” Kwenzakalani ngemva kwalokhu? “Indoda efileyo yavuka yahlala, yasikhuluma” angani ngumuntu osanda kuphaphama ebuthongweni bukabhuka! Besekulandela amazwi athinta kakhulu: “UJesu wayinika unina.”

15. (a) Izindaba eziseBhayibhilini ezimayelana loJesu zitshengisa njani ukuthi isihawu sibangela ukuthi umuntu athathe inyathelo elithile? (b) Singamlingisela njani uJesu endabeni le?

¹⁵ Kuyini esikufundayo ezindabeni lezi? Endabeni yinye ngayinye, nanzelela ukuthi isihawu sibangela njani ukuthi umuntu athathe inyathelo elithile. UJesu wayesithi angabona abanye abantu behlupheka wayebazwela, njalo kwakumehlula ukuthi abatshiye engabenzelana lutho. Singamlingisela njani? Thina  amaKhristu kumele sitshumayele izindaba ezinhle futhi senze abafundi. Isizathu esikhulu sokwenza umsebenzi lo yikuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu. Kodwa kasikhumbuleni ukuthi umsebenzi lo udinga ukuthi sibe lesihawu. Nxa singazwela abantu njengoJesu, sizakwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sibatshele izindaba ezinhle. (UMathewu 22:37-39) Kuthiwani-ke ngokuba lesihawu kubazalwane bethu abahluphekayo kumbe abahlulukelweyo? Asenelisi ukwenza izimangaliso zokwelapha abagulayo kumbe ezokuvusa abafileyo. Kodwa singatshengisa ukuthi silesihawu ngokuthatha inyathelo lokubatshela ukuthi siyabazwela kumbe ukubancedisa ngalokho abangabe bengelakho.​—Kwabase-Efesu 4:32.

16. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi wayengumuntu othethelelayo ngitsho langesikhathi esesigodweni abethelwa kuso?

¹⁶ Enye indlela eqakathekileyo uJesu atshengisa ngayo uthando lukaYise ngeyokuthi ‘wayethethelela.’ (IHubo 86:5) Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukwenza lokhu kwakhanya ngitsho langesikhathi esesigodweni abethelwa kuso. UJesu wakhuluma ngani ngesikhathi ebulawa ngendlela elihlazo, izipikili zihlabe zatshona ezandleni lasezinyaweni zakhe? Wacela yini ukuthi uJehova abajezise labo ababembulala? Esikhundleni sokuthi enze njalo, emazwini akhe okucina wathi: “Baba, baxolele, ngokuba kabakwazi abakwenzayo.”​—ULukha 23:34. *

17-19. UJesu watshengisa ngaziphi izindlela ukuthi wayemthethelele umphostoli uPhethro lanxa wayemphike kathathu?

¹⁷ Esinye isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi uJesu uyathethelela  yindlela aphatha ngayo uPhethro. Akulakuthandabuza ukuthi uPhethro wayemthanda kakhulu uJesu. NgoNisani 14, ubusuku obandulela ukufa kukaJesu, uPhethro wamtshela wathi: “Nkosi, ngizimisele ukuhamba lawe entolongweni lasekufeni.” Kodwa ngemva nje kwamahola amalutshwane, uPhethro waphika ukuthi uyamazi uJesu! IBhayibhili liyasitshela okwenzakalayo ngesikhathi uPhethro esemphika okwesithathu: “INkosi yaphenduka yamkhangela nta uPhethro.” Esindwa yisono sakhe lesi esikhulu, uPhethro “wasephumela ngaphandle wakhala kabuhlungu.” Ngalelo langa uJesu esefile, umphostoli lo kungenzakala ukuthi wazibuza ukuthi, ‘Kambe iNkosi yami ingithethelele yini?’​—ULukha 22:33, 61, 62.

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

¹⁹ Ngemva kwesikhathi uJesu wabonakala kubafundi bakhe eLwandle lwaseGalile. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJesu wambuza kathathu uPhethro (owayephike iNkosi yakhe kathathu) ukuthi uyamthanda yini. Esembuze okwesithathu uPhethro waphendula esithi: “Nkosi, uyazazi izinto zonke; uyakwazi ukuthi ngiyakuthanda.” Njengoba uJesu wayesenelisa ukubona okusezinhliziyweni, wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi uPhethro uyamthanda sibili. Kodwa uJesu wanika uPhethro ithuba lokuthi akwenze kukhanye bha ukuthi wayelokhu emthanda. Okunye akwenzayo yikuthi wanika uPhethro umsebenzi wokuthi ‘aphe izimvu zakhe ukudla’ futhi ‘azigcine.’ (UJohane 21:15-17) UPhethro wayephiwe umsebenzi wokutshumayela. (ULukha 5:10) Kodwa lapha, uJesu wamupha omunye futhi umsebenzi oqakathekileyo wokuthi anakekele bonke ababezakuba ngabalandeli bakaKhristu etshengisa ukuthi wayemethemba kakhulu. Ngemva kwalokhu, uJesu wapha uPhethro umsebenzi omkhulu kulokhu  okwakumele kwenziwe ngabafundi. (ImiSebenzi 2:1-41) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uPhethro wachelesa kakhulu lapho enanzelela ukuthi uJesu wayemthethelele njalo wayelokhu esamethemba.

20, 21. Singalwazi njani sibili uthando lukaKhristu?

²⁰ ILizwi likaJehova liluchaza kuhle uthando lukaKhristu. Thina sekumele senzeni ngothando lukaJesu? IBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘sibelwazi uthando [“lukaKhristu,” NW] oludlula ukwazi.’ (Kwabase-Efesu 3:19) Njengoba sesibonile, izindaba ezisemaVangelini eziphathelane lempilo kanye lenkonzo kaJesu zisifundisa okunengi ngothando lukaKhristu. Kodwa ‘ukwazi uthando lolu’ kakutsho ukufunda nje lokho iBhayibhili elikutshoyo ngaye.

²¹ Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘ukwazi’ litsho ukuba lolwazi “ngokuthile okwake kwenzakala kuwe.” Sizazwisisa imizwa kaJesu nxa sitshengisa uthando njengaye, ngokuzinikela ukuze sisize abafowethu, ukuba lesihawu ngezidingo zabo kanye lokubathethelela ngenhliziyo yonke. Ngaleyondlela, ngalokhu esiyabe sikwenzile sizabe ‘sesilwazi uthando [“lukaKhristu,” NW] oludlula ukwazi.’ Kasingaqali ukukhohlwa ukuthi ukuqhubeka sisiba njengoKhristu, kusisondeza kuNkulunkulu wethu olothando, uJehova, lowo uJesu amlingisela ngokupheleleyo.