1. Yayinjani imuli yangakibo kaJakhobe?

 UJAKHOBE umfowabo kaJesu wakhulela emulini eyayiqinile ekukhonzeni. Abazali bakhe uJosefa loMariya babemthanda sibili uJehova njalo bemkhonza ngenhliziyo yonke. Esinye isibusiso uJakhobe aba laso yikuthi umnewabo waba nguMesiya. Kwakuyisibusiso sibili ukuba lilunga lemuli le.

2. Kuyini okwakungenza uJakhobe amhloniphe umnewabo?

² Zinengi izinto ezazingenza uJakhobe ahloniphe uJesu. (Mat. 13:55) Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uJesu eleminyaka engu-12 wayeseyazi kuhle iMibhalo okokuthi watshiya abafundisi eJerusalema bebambe owangaphansi. (Luk. 2:46, 47) Kungenzeka uJakhobe wasebenza loJesu emsebenzini wokubaza. Nxa kunjalo kumele ukuthi wamazi kuhle kakhulu umnewabo. Umfowethu uNathan H. Knorr wayejayele ukuthi: “Nxa ungasebenza lomuntu ucina usumazi kuhle.” * Kanti njalo kumele ukuthi uJakhobe wananzelela ukuthi uJesu “wayelokhu ekhula, eqhubeka ehlakanipha futhi esamukelwa nguNkulunkulu labantu.” (Luk. 2:52) Yikho singacabanga ukuthi uJakhobe wayezaba ngomunye wabafundi bakaJesu bokuqala. Kodwa lokho ayisikho okwenzakalayo.

3. UJakhobe waba ngumfundi kaJesu yini ngesikhathi uJesu esenza inkonzo yakhe? Chasisa.

³ Ngesikhathi uJesu esenza inkonzo yakhe emhlabeni, uJakhobe kazange abe ngumfundi wakhe. (Joh. 7:3-5) Kungenzeka wayengomunye wezihlobo zikaJesu ezazicabanga ukuthi “usephambene.” (Mak. 3:21) Kanti njalo akulalutho olutshengisa ukuthi uJakhobe wayelonina uMariya  ngesikhathi uJesu ebethelwe esigodweni sokuhlutshwa.—Joh. 19:25-27.

4. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁴ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJakhobe waba lokholo kuJesu futhi waba ngumdala ohlonitshwayo ebandleni lamaKhristu. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngezinto ezimbili esizifunda kuye. Sizafunda ukuthi kungani kumele sihlale sithobekile lokuthi singenzani ukuze sibe zingcitshi ekufundiseni.

5. UJakhobe wenzani uJesu esevusiwe njalo wabonakala kuye?

⁵ UJakhobe waqalisa nini ukuba ngumlandeli kaJesu? UJesu wathi esevusiwe “wasebonakala kuJakhobe, ngemva kwalokho wabonakala kubo bonke abaphostoli.” (1 Khor. 15:7) Ngemva kwalokho uJakhobe waba ngumfundi kaJesu. Laye wayekhona endlini ephezulu eJerusalema ngesikhathi abaphostoli belindele umoya ongcwele ababewuthenjisiwe. (ImiSeb. 1:13, 14) Ngemva kwesikhathi uJakhobe waba lilunga lequla elibusayo langalesosikhathi. (ImiSeb. 15:6, 13-22; Gal. 2:9) Kungakafiki u-62 C.E., * waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhalele amaKhristu agcotshiweyo incwadi. Incwadi leyo ilokhu isinceda lamuhla kungelani lokuthi silethemba lokuphila ezulwini kumbe emhlabeni. (Jak. 1:1) Indoda okuthiwa nguJosephus eyayingumlobi wembali yamaJuda yabhala ukuthi uMphristi Omkhulu wamaJuda okuthiwa ngu-Ananiyasi Omncane wathi uJakhobe abulawe. UJakhobe wahlala ethembekile kuJehova waze waqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni.

6. Kuyini okwenziwa nguJakhobe okutshengisa ukuthi wayengafanani labakhokheli benkolo?

⁶ UJakhobe wayethobekile. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Kulomehluko omkhulu endleleni uJakhobe acina esesamukela ngayo uJesu lakulokho okwakusenziwa ngabakhokheli benkolo abanengi. Wathi esebone ubufakazi obusegcekeni bokuthi uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu wathobeka wakukholwa lokho. Kodwa abaphristi abakhokhelayo eJerusalema abazange benze njalo. Ngokwesibonelo, babengeke bakuphike ukuthi uJesu wayevuse uLazaro. Lanxa kunjalo, abazange bavume ukuthi uJesu wayethunywe nguJehova. Baze bazama lokumbulala yena kanye loLazaro. (Joh. 11:53; 12:9-11) Ngemva kwesikhathi bazama ukufihlela abantu ukuthi  uJesu wayevusiwe. (Mat. 28:11-15) Abakhokheli benkolo laba babezigqaja yikho bengazange bamamukele uMesiya.

7. Kungani kungamelanga sizigqaje?

⁷ Sifundani? Ungazigqaji, hlala uzimisele ukufundiswa nguJehova. Ukuzigqaja kungenza kube nzima ukuthi silalele lokho esikutshelwa nguJehova njengoba nje umkhuhlane ungenza kube nzima ukuthi inhliziyo isebenze kuhle. AbaFarisi babezigqaja kakhulu okokuthi bala ukuvuma ukuthi uJesu wayelomoya kaNkulunkulu lokuthi wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu lanxa kwakulobufakazi obusegcekeni. (Joh. 12:37-40) Lokhu kwakuyingozi sibili ngoba kwakuzabavimbela ukuthi bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo. (Mat. 23:13, 33) Kuqakathekile sibili ukuthi siqhubeke sivumela iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lomoya wakhe ukuthi kusibumbe njalo kutshintshe indlela esicabanga ngayo futhi kusincedise senze izinqumo ezinhle. (Jak. 3:17) UJakhobe wayethobekile yikho wayezimisele ukufundiswa nguJehova. Kanti njalo ukuthobeka yikho okwenza waba yingcitshi ekufundiseni njengoba sizabona.

8. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi sibe zingcitshi ekufundiseni?

⁸ UJakhobe wayengelamfundo emangalisayo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abakhokheli benkolo babembona ‘engafundanga futhi engumuntu makhaza’ njengomphostoli uPhetro loJohane. (ImiSeb. 4:13) Kodwa uJakhobe waba yingcitshi ekufundiseni futhi lokhu sikubona nxa sibala ibhuku leBhayibhili elibizwa ngebizo lakhe. Lathi singabe singelamfundo emangalisayo njengaye. Lanxa kunjalo, uJehova uzasinika umoya wakhe futhi asiqeqetshe esebenzisa inhlanganiso yakhe ukuze lathi sibe zingcitshi ekufundiseni. Ake sixoxe ngalokho okwenza uJakhobe waba yingcitshi ekufundiseni besesibona ukuthi sifundani.

9. Chasisa indlela uJakhobe ayefundisa ngayo.

⁹ UJakhobe kazange asebenzise amabala aqatha njalo kazange abhale izinto eziphicayo. Lokhu kwenza ayebafundisa bakwazi okwakumele bakwenze lokuthi bakwenze njani. Ngokwesibonelo, wafundisa  amaKhristu ngendlela elula ukuthi kumele azimisele ukuqinisela nxa ephathwa kubi njalo angabambi izikhwili. Wabhala wathi: “Sithi bayathokoza sibili labo abaqiniselayo! Selezwa ngokuqinisela kukaJobe, labona ukuthi uJehova wacina emenzeleni, ukuthi uJehova ulozwelo kakhulu futhi ulesihawu.” (Jak. 5:11) Siyabona ukuthi uJakhobe wafundisa esebenzisa iMibhalo. Wasebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze ancede labo ayebafundisa babone ukuthi uJehova uhlala ebabusisa labo abathembekileyo kuye njengoJobe. Lokho uJakhobe ayekutsho kwacaca bha ngenxa yokuthi wasebenzisa amazwi alula angaphiciyo. Indlela ayefundisa ngayo yayisenza ukuthi kudunyiswe uJehova hatshi yena.

10. Singamlingisela njani uJakhobe nxa sifundisa?

¹⁰ Sifundani? Fundisa ngendlela elula njalo usebenzise iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Nxa sifundisa abanye akumelanga sizame ukubatshengisa ukuthi silolwazi olunganani kodwa kumele sibatshengise ukuthi uJehova ulolwazi olujulileyo lokuthi ulendaba labo sibili. (Rom. 11:33) Lokhu singakwenza ngokuhlala sisebenzisa iBhayibhili nxa sifundisa. Ngokwesibonelo, kulokutshela labo esifunda labo iBhayibhili okokwenza kumele sibancedise bacabange ngalokho okwenziwa ngabantu okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhilini futhi sibancedise bazwisise indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo lazizwa ngayo. Nxa singenza njalo, bazasebenzisa lokho abakufundayo ngoba befuna ukuthokozisa uJehova hatshi thina.

11. Amanye amaKhristu ayehlutshwa yini futhi uJakhobe wawacebisa esithini? (UJakhobe 5:13-15)

¹¹ UJakhobe wayezwisisa okwakuhlupha abafowabo labodadewabo. Encwadini ayibhalayo kuyakhanya ukuthi wayekwazi okwakubahlupha futhi wabatshela khona kanye okwakumele bakwenze. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye babephuza ukusebenzisa lokho ababekufunda. (Jak. 1:22) Abanye babebandlulula abayanga. (Jak. 2:1-3) Abanye bona kwakubathwalisa nzima ukuzibamba ekukhulumeni. (Jak. 3:8-10) AmaKhristu la ayelenhlupho ezinkulu kodwa uJakhobe wayekholwa ukuthi angatshintsha. Wawacebisa ngendlela elomusa kodwa engawabhodi njalo wakhuthaza lawo ayengasaqinanga ekukhonzeni ukuthi acele ukuncediswa ngabadala.—Bala uJakhobe 5:13-15.

12. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi sihlale silethemba lokuthi esifunda labo iBhayibhili bazatshintsha?

¹² Sifundani? Zwisisa okuhlupha labo obafundisayo futhi ube lethemba lokuthi bazatshintsha. Abanengi esifunda labo iBhayibhili bangathwala nzima ukusebenzisa lokho elikutshoyo. (Jak. 4:1-4) Kungabathatha isikhathi ukuthi batshiye imikhuba emibi lokuthi babe lobuntu amaKhristu okumele abe labo. Yikho kumele sibe lesibindi sokubatshela lapho okumele balungisise khona njengalokho okwenziwa nguJakhobe. Kanti njalo kumele sihlale silethemba lokuthi bangatshintsha futhi sithembe ukuthi uJehova uzabadonsa abathobekileyo lokuthi uzabanika amandla okuthi batshintshe.—Jak. 4:10.

13. UJakhobe 3:2 usifundisani ngoJakhobe?

¹³ UJakhobe kazange azibone engcono kulabanye. Kazange acabange ukuthi ungcono kulamanye amaKhristu ngenxa yokuba ngumfowabo kaJesu kumbe ngenxa yemisebenzi eqakathekileyo ayelayo. Wabiza amanye amaKhristu ngokuthi ‘angabafowabo abathandekayo.’ (Jak. 1:16, 19; 2:5) Kazange azame ukwenza ukuthi abanye bambone engumuntu  ongaphambanisiyo kodwa watshengisa ukuthi laye uyawenza amaphutha lapho esithi: “Sonke siyaphambanisa izikhathi ezinengi.”—Bala uJakhobe 3:2.

14. Kungani kumele sitshele labo esifunda labo iBhayibhili ukuthi lathi siyaphambanisa?

¹⁴ Sifundani? Khumbula ukuthi sonke siyaphambanisa. Akumelanga sizibone singcono kulalabo esibafundisayo. Phela nxa singenza umuntu esifunda laye acabange ukuthi kasiphambanisi, angacina ebona angani kasoze enelise ukwenza lokho uNkulunkulu akutshoyo. Kodwa nxa singamtshela ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi kwakunzima ukuthi silandele okutshiwo liBhayibhili njalo simchasisele ukuthi uJehova usincedise njani ukuthi sitshintshe, sizamnceda abone ukuthi laye angenelisa ukukhonza uJehova.

15. Ungathini ngemizekeliso kaJakhobe? (UJakhobe 3:2-6, 10-12)

¹⁵ UJakhobe wasebenzisa imizekeliso ethophela enhliziyweni. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wenelisa ukwenza njalo encediswa ngumoya ongcwele. Kodwa kungenzeka okunye okwamncedayo yikuhlola imizekeliso eyayisetshenziswe ngumnewabo uJesu. Imizekeliso uJakhobe ayisebenzisayo encwadini yakhe yayilula njalo izifundo ezazikuyo zazicacile.—Bala uJakhobe 3:2-6, 10-12.

16. Kungani kumele sisebenzise imizekeliso ethophela enhliziyweni?

¹⁶ Sifundani? Sebenzisa imizekeliso ethophela enhliziyweni. Nxa ungasebenzisa imizekeliso ethophela enhliziyweni ngesikhathi ufundisa, uzanceda abakulaleleyo bakubone ngelihlo lengqondo okutshoyo njalo bakhumbule izifundo eziqakathekileyo eziseBhayibhilini. UJesu wayeyingcitshi ekusebenziseni imizekeliso ethinta inhliziyo njalo umfowabo uJakhobe wamlingisela. Asixoxeni ngomunye umzekeliso owasetshenziswa nguJakhobe sibone ukuthi kungani uthinta inhliziyo.

17. Kungani umzekeliso okuJakhobe 1:22-25 ulamandla?

¹⁷ Bala uJakhobe 1:22-25. Kulezizatho ezinengi ezenza umzekeliso kaJakhobe owesibuko ube lamandla. Wayefuna ukucacisa ukuthi nxa sibala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu akumelanga siphongubala nje kodwa kumele sikusebenzise esikubalayo ukuze kusincede. UJakhobe wasebenzisa  umzekeliso ozwisisekayo futhi olula. Wakhuluma ngomuntu ozikhangela esibukweni abesenanzelela ukuthi kukhona okumele akulungise kodwa angenzi lutho ngakho. Umuntu onjalo uyabe eyisiphukuphuku. Yikho uJakhobe wayeveza ukuthi lathi siyabe siyiziphukuphuku nxa singabala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu sinanzelele lapho okumele sitshintshe khona kodwa siyekele ukwenza njalo.

18. Yiziphi izinto ezintathu okumele sizenze nxa sisebenzisa imizekeliso?

¹⁸ Ungamlingisela njani uJakhobe? Okokuqala, woba leqiniso lokuthi umzekeliso wakho uyakucacisa lokho ofuna obafundisayo basale bekubambile. Okwesibili, sebenzisa umzekeliso olula futhi ozwisisekayo. Okwesithathu, yenza kucace ukuthi usebenza njani. Nxa kukuthwalisa nzima ukucabanga imizekeliso khangela ku-Watch Tower Publications Index. Ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi “Illustrations,” uzathola imizekeliso eminengi ongayisebenzisa. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi imizekeliso injengemayikhi. Imayikhi yenza okukhulumayo kuzwakale kuhle. Imizekeliso layo yenza umcijo owufundisayo ubacacele kuhle obafundisayo. Yikho woba leqiniso lokuthi uyisebenzisa nxa ucacisa imicijo eqakathekileyo kuphela. Kodwa isizatho esiqakatheke kulazo zonke sokuthi sithuthukise indlela esifundisa ngayo ngesokunceda abantu abanengi ukuthi babe ngamalunga emuli kaJehova ethokozayo hatshi ukuthi basidumise.

19. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu?

¹⁹ UJakhobe wayelomnewabo ongelasono. Thina asilaye, kodwa silesibusiso sokukhonza uJehova sisemulini enkulu yabafowethu labodadewethu. Sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda ngokuba labo, ngokufunda kubo, langokusebenza labo emsebenzini wokutshumayela lowokwenza abafundi. Nxa singazimisela ukulingisela uJakhobe endleleni esicabanga ngayo, esenza ngayo, lesifundisa ngayo, sizadumisa uJehova njalo sincedise abantu abathobekileyo ukuthi basondele kuBaba wethu osezulwini osithandayo.