1, 2. (a) Umumo unjani emhlabeni lo esiphila kuwo? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula esihlokweni lesi?

OMUNYE udadewethu odabuka eningizimu ye-Europe ukhumbula izinto ayezibona esakhula, uthi: “Kusukela ngisesemncane ngangibona abantu becindezelwa. Lokhu kwabangela ukuthi ngiphikisane lohulumende owayebusa futhi ngaqala ukusekela imibono yabantu ababekhankasela untshintsho. Kanti njalo ngahlala okweminyaka eminengi ngithandana lejaha elaliseqenjini lama-terrorist.” Omunye umzalwane ohlala eningizimu ye-Africa wayecabanga ukuthi akukubi ukuba lodlakela. Uthi: “Ngangizitshela ukuthi abantu bomhlobo wethu yibo abantu kuzwa njalo ngangisekela iqembu labo lezombusazwe. Safundiswa ukusebenzisa imikhonto ukuze sibulale abantu ababesiphikisa kugoqela labanye abomhlobo wethu ababesekela amanye amaqembu ezombusazwe.” Udadewethu ohlala enkabazwe ye-Europe uthi: “Ngangilobandlululo njalo ngizonda abantu ababedabuka kwamanye amazwe kumbe ababengena amasonto atshiyene laleyo engangikuyo.”

² Okukhulunywa ngabazalwane laba yikho okwenziwa ngabantu abanengi kulezinsuku. Abantu abanengi lamuhla bakufuna ngabomvu ukuthola inkululeko ikanti abezombusazwe labo bayalwisana kusa kwamalanga. Abantu abathuthela kwamanye amazwe labo  kabahlaliseki ngenxa yokuzondwa yizizalwane zalawo mazwe. IBhayibhili lavele lakhuluma kudala ukuthi ngezinsuku zokucina kuzakuba labantu “abangafuni isivumelwano.” (2 Tim. 3:1, 3, NW) Kuyini okungasisiza ukuthi sihlale simanyene njengoba siphila emhlabeni lo oleziphithiphithi? Okungasisiza yikuhlola indlela uJesu aphatha ngayo indaba ethile ngesikhathi elapha emhlabeni. Lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi izinto zimi manzonzo kwezombusazwe. Ake sixoxe ngemibuzo le elandelayo: Kungani uJesu engazange avume ukungena emaqenjini ezombusazwe ayekhona ngalesosikhathi? Yisiphi isibonelo asitshiyela sona esingasisiza ukuthi sixwaye ukuba lamacele kwezombusazwe? UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi ukulungisa izinhlupho ngodlakela akulunganga?

3, 4. (a) Kuyini okwakulindelwe ngamaJuda ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni? (b) Lokhu kwabathinta njani abalandeli bakhe?

³ AmaJuda amanengi ayetshunyayezwa nguJesu ayefuna ukuthola inkululeko ngoba ayebuswa ngamaRoma. Ngalesosikhathi kwakuleqembu lamaJuda elalibizwa ngokuthi ngama-Zealots elalikhuthaza abantu ukuthi bavukele uhulumende wamaRoma. Abasekeli beqembu leli babelandela imibono yendoda okwakuthiwa nguJuda eyayidabuka eGalile. Indoda le yadukisa abantu abanengi ngekhulu lokuqala ngoba yayizenza umesiya. Omunye umlobi wasendulo obona ngezembali okwakuthiwa nguJosephus ubika ukuthi indoda le “yayikhuthaza amaJuda ukuthi avukele umbuso wamaRoma njalo yayisithi umuntu ovuma ukubhadala umthelo kumaRoma ligwala lokucina.” Ngokuya kwesikhathi amaRoma ayibamba indoda le ayibulala. (ImiSeb. 5:37) Amanye amalunga eqembu lama-Zealots ayesebenzisa udlakela ukuze inhlelo zawo ziphumelele.

⁴ Amanye amaJuda ayelindele ukufika kukaMesiya njalo ayekhangelele ukuthi uzawakhulula ngaphansi kombuso wamaRoma futhi avuselele isizwe sawo sibe lodumo lenkazimulo. (Luk. 2:38; 3:15) Ayecabanga ukuthi uMesiya uzabeka umbuso elizweni lako-Israyeli, besekusithi izigidi zamaJuda ezazisabalele kwamanye amazwe ziphenduke elizweni lazo. Mhlawumbe lokhu yikho okwenza uJohane uMbhabhathizi wabuza uJesu wathi: “Unguye yini ozayo kumbe silindele omunye na?” (Mat. 11:2, 3) Kumele ukuthi wayefuna ukwazi langabe ukhona yini omunye ozakuza azogcwalisa lokho okwakulindelwe ngamaJuda. Kanti njalo abafundi ababili abahlangana loJesu endleleni eya e-Emawusi babekhathazekile ngokuthi uMesiya kazange afeze lokho ababekukhangelele. (Bala uLukha 24:21.) Ngemva kwalokho abaphostoli bakaJesu bambuza mathupha bathi: “Nkosi, khathesi usuzabuyisela umbuso ko-Israyeli na?”​—ImiSeb. 1:6.

5. (a) Kungani abantu beGalile babefuna uJesu abe yinkosi yabo? (b) UJesu wawuqondisa njani umcabango wabo?

⁵ AmaJuda ayekhangelele ukuthi uMesiya uzalungisa izinhlupho zawo. Kungenzakala ukuthi lokhu yikho okwenza abantu beGalile bafuna ukuthi uJesu abe yinkosi yabo. Kukhanya babelomcabango wokuthi uJesu angaba ngumbusi ongcono kakhulu ngoba wayeyingcitshi ekukhulumeni, elamandla okwelapha abagulayo njalo esenelisa ukunika abalambileyo ukudla. UJesu wakunanzelela lokhu ngemva kokuba enike abantu abedlula 5 000 ukudla. IBhayibhili lithi: “UJesu esazi ukuthi babeqonde ukuza bazomenza inkosi ngenkani, wathi nyelele wabuyela entabeni yedwa.” (Joh. 6:10-15) Ngelanga elilandelayo uJesu waphinda wahlangana labantu laba njalo kungenzakala ukuthi ukuxokozela kwabo kwasekwehlile. Ngakho wasebenzisa lelothuba ukubachazela ukuthi wayelande ukuzobafundisa ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu hatshi ukugcwalisa izifiso zabo. Wasesithi kubo: “Lingasebenzeli ukudla khona okubolayo, kodwa sebenzelani ukudla okuhlalayo, okwempilo engapheliyo.”​—Joh. 6:25-27.

6. UJesu wakucacisa njani ukuthi wayengathathi cele kwezombusazwe? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 ⁶ UJesu engakafi wananzelela ukuthi abanye abalandeli bakhe babecabanga ukuthi uzamisa umbuso lapha emhlabeni njalo afake isigodlo sawo eJerusalema. Yikho waqondisa umbono wabo ngokubalandisela umzekeliso wamamina. Umzekeliso lo usitshela ukuthi “indoda yasesikhosini ngokuzalwa” yayizasuka iye elizweni elikude okwesikhathi eside. Indoda okukhulunywa ngayo emzekelisweni lo nguJesu. (Luk. 19:11-13, 15) Langesikhathi emiswe phambi kukaPhontiyu Philathu, uJesu wakubeka kwacaca ukuthi yena wayengalandanga ukuzongena ezindabeni zombusazwe. UPhilathu wabuza uJesu wathi: “Uyinkosi yabaJuda na?” (Joh. 18:33) Kukhanya uPhilathu wayesesaba ukuthi uJesu uzakwenza abantu bavukele umbuso wamaRoma. Kodwa uJesu wamphendula wathi: “Umbuso wami kayisiwo walo umhlaba.” (Joh. 18:36) Ngakho kwahle kwamcacela uPhilathu ukuthi uJesu kazingeni ezombusazwe zalumhlaba ngoba uMbuso wakhe ngowasezulwini. Kanti njalo uJesu wamtshela ukuthi ayekulande emhlabeni ‘yikuzafakaza iqiniso.’​—Bala uJohane 18:37.

7. Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi sihlale simsulwa kungelaqembu lezombusazwe esilisekelayo ngitsho lasezinhliziyweni zethu?

⁷ UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi kumele atshumayele izindaba ezinhle. Yikho ukulingisela isibonelo sakhe kuzasisiza ukuthi singabi leqembu lezombusazwe esilisekelayo ngitsho lasezinhliziyweni zethu. Kodwa lokhu akulula. Omunye umbonisi wesiqinti uthi: “Abantu emphakathini wethu sebedlulise amalawulo. Babandlulula abantu abavela kwezinye izindawo njalo bacabanga ukuthi izinto zingabahambela kuhle nxa bangavunyelwa ukuthi bazibuse. Kodwa okujabulisayo yikuthi abafowethu labodadewethu bakhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoMbuso njalo lokhu kwenza bahlale bemanyene. Bakhangelele ukuthi uJehova aqede zonke izinhlupho ezikhona.”

8. Nika isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi amaJuda ayethwele nzima ngekhulu lokuqala.

⁸ Izikhathi ezinengi ukucindezelwa lokuphathwa kubi yikho okwenza abantu baqale ukusekela ezombusazwe. Ngokwesibonelo indaba yomthelo yayisidla ubhedu ngesikhathi sikaJesu. Umvukela owawukhokhelwa nguJuda waseGalile wabangelwa yikuthi amaJuda ayetshelwe ukuthi abhalise ukuze abhadale umthelo kumaRoma. Abantu ababengaphansi kombuso weRoma kugoqela lalabo ababelalela uJesu babebhadaliswa imithelo eminengi okugoqela eyempahla, eyomhlabathi leyezindlu. Kanti labathelisi babesenza izinto zibe nzima kakhulu ngoba babedlelezela abantu ababebhadala imithelo. Ngezinye izikhathi abathelisi babebhadala izikhulu zikahulumende ukuze bathole izikhundla besebezisebenzisa  ekwenzeni imali enengi. UZakhewu induna yabathelisi owayehlala eJerikho waba yisinothi ngenxa yokubhadalisa abantu imithelo emba eqolo. (Luk. 19:2, 8) Kungenzakala ukuthi labanye abathelisi babelobugwelegwele njengaye.

9, 10. (a) Izitha zikaJesu zazifuna ukumngenisa kuyiphi indaba yezombusazwe? (b) Sifundani endleleni uJesu aphendula ngayo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁹ Izitha zikaJesu zazama ukusebenzisa indlela eziphansi ukuze zimngenise endabeni yemithelo. Umthelo okwakukhulunywa ngawo endabeni le wawukhitshwa ngumuntu wonke owayengaphansi kombuso wamaRoma. (Bala uMathewu 22:16-18.) AmaJuda ayewuzonda umthelo lo ngoba wawuwakhumbuza ukuthi ayizigqili zamaRoma. ‘AmaHerodiya’ avusa indaba le esenzela ukwethesa uJesu icala lokuvukela umbuso. Aluba uJesu wathi umthelo lo akufanelanga ubhadalwe wayezabotshwa. Kanti njalo ngabe wathi kuqondile ukuwubhadala, abalandeli bakhe babezamhlamukela. Pho uJesu wenzani?

¹⁰ UJesu kazange athathe icele endabeni le. Kodwa wathi: “Phanini uKhesari okungokukaKhesari loNkulunkulu okungokukaNkulunkulu.” (Mat. 22:21) UJesu wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi abathelisi babelobugwelegwele. Kodwa kazange azikhathaze ngakho ngoba wayekwazi ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu yiwo ozalungisa zonke izinto ezikhathaza abantu. Wasitshiyela isibonelo okumele sisilingisele. Akumelanga sithathe icele kwezombusazwe lanxa kuleqembu elingakhanya lisenza izinto ezinhle. Kodwa kufanele siqhubeke sifuna uMbuso kaNkulunkulu lokulunga kwakhe. Akumelanga sibe lendaba lalokho okwenzakala kwezombusazwe loba sichothoze ukucindezelwa kwabantu esikubona kusenzakala.​—Mat. 6:33.

11. Yiphi indlela enhle esingasiza ngayo abacindezelwayo?

¹¹ OFakazi bakaJehova abanengi sebatshiya imibono yezombusazwe ababelayo. Omunye udadewethu waseBritain uthi: “Ngemva kokwenza izifundo zeyunivesithi eziphathelane lenhlalakahle kazulu ngaqalisa ukuba lemicabango yokulwela amalungelo abantu. Ngangifuna ukulwela amalungelo abantu abamnyama ngoba sasicindezelwa kakhulu. Lanxa ngangiphumelela kuzinkulumo mpikiswano ezazisenziwa ngangisala ngikhathazekile. Ngangingananzeleli ukuthi ubandlululo kumele luqedwe ezinhliziyweni zabantu. Ngathi sengifunda iBhayibhili ngananzelela ukuthi kwakumele ngiqale ngisiphune ubandlululo kweyami inhliziyo. Ngangifundiswa ngudadewethu omhlophe njalo wayengibekezelela. Khathesi ngiliphayona lesikhathi sonke ebandleni elisebenzisa ulimi lwezandla njalo ngiyazama ukufundisa abantu bemihlobo yonke.”

12. Yiphi “imvubelo” uJesu atshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi bayixwaye?

¹² Ngesikhathi sikaJesu abakhokheli bezinkolo babesekela amaqembu ezombusazwe. Ibhuku elithi Daily Life in Palestine at the Time of Christ lithi izinkolo zamaJuda zazifana lamaqembu ezombusazwe. Yikho uJesu waxwayisa abafundi bakhe wathi: “Qaphelani. Lilimuke imvubelo yabaFarisi lekaHerodi.” (Mak. 8:15) Kungenzakala ukuthi imvubelo kaHerodi eyayitshiwo nguJesu kwakuliqembu lezombusazwe elalikhokhelwa nguHerodi. AbaFarisi babefuna amaJuda akhululeke embusweni wamaRoma. Ikanti iVangeli likaMathewu liveza ukuthi uJesu waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bananzelele lemvubelo yabaSadusi. AbaSadusi babefuna ukuthi amaRoma aqhubeke ebusa ngoba babelezikhundla ngaphansi kombuso lo. UJesu waqoqonsela abafundi bakhe ukuthi bananzelele ukuze bangathatheki ngemfundiso loba imvubelo yamaqembu la womathathu. (Mat. 16:6, 12) UJesu wakhuluma amazwi la ngemva kokuba abantu bezame ukumenza inkosi.

13, 14. (a) Kuba lempumela bani nxa amasonto engena ezindabeni zombusazwe? (b) Kungani kungamelanga sibe lodlakela lanxa singabe sicindezelwa? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹³ Kujayelekile ukuthi kube lodlakela nxa amasonto engena ezindabeni zombusazwe. UJesu  watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bangangeni kwezombusazwe. Kukhanya lesi yiso isizatho esenza abaphristi labaFarisi beluka icebo lokumbulala. Babecabanga ukuthi uJesu uzabathathela abasekeli babo kwezombusazwe lasezinkolweni zabo. Ngakho bahlangana bathi: “Singamyekela aqhubeke ngalindlela, wonke umuntu uzakholwa kuye, njalo amaRoma azakuza athathe indawo yethu lesizwe sethu.” (Joh. 11:48) UMphristi Omkhulu uKhayafasi nguye owayekhokhela endabeni yokubulawa kukaJesu.​—Joh. 11:49-53; 18:14.

¹⁴ UKhayafasi walinda kwaze kwaba sebusuku wasethuma amasotsha ukuthi ayebopha uJesu. UJesu wananzelela ukuthi kukhona okutshaya amanzi. Yikho ngalobo busuku wathi enanza isidlo sokucina labaphostoli bakhe wabatshela ukuthi badinge izinkemba. Lakanye bazithola inkemba ezimbili futhi zazisenela ukuthi uJesu abanike isifundo esiqakathekileyo. (Luk. 22:36-38) Ngalobo busuku latheleka ixuku elalizobopha uJesu. Khonokho nje uPhetro wahwatsha inkemba yakhe wagalela enye indoda wadlula lendlebe. Kumele ukuthi wayecatshulwe yikubona abantu laba besephula umthetho ngokuzobopha uJesu ebusuku. (Joh. 18:10) UJesu wathi kuPhethro: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngoba bonke abakhokha inkemba bazakufa ngenkemba.” (Mat. 26:52, 53) Lesi kwakuyisifundo esiqakatheke kakhulu kubalandeli bakaJesu. Kwakungamelanga bangene ezindabeni zombusazwe njengoba nje uJesu wayetshilo emthandazweni wakhe ukuthi abasibo bomhlaba. (Bala uJohane 17:16.) Kwakufanele bahlale bekwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu nguye kuphela ozaqeda ukucindezelwa kwabantu.

15, 16. (a) ILizwi likaNkulunkulu libancede njani abanye ukuthi batshiye udlakela? (b) UJehova uzwa njani nxa esibona simanyene?

¹⁵ Udadewethu odabuka eningizimu ye-Europe esike sakhuluma ngaye wathola isifundo esifanayo. Uthi: “Sengibonile ukuthi udlakela alukuqedi ukucindezelana njalo abantu abalusebenzisayo bacina sebefile. Kanti njalo lubangela ukuthi abanengi babe lenzondo. Ngathokoza kakhulu ngesikhathi ngifunda eBhayibhilini ukuthi nguNkulunkulu kuphela ongenza kube lokuhlaliseka emhlabeni. Sengileminyaka engu-25 ngitshumayela izindaba lezi ebantwini.” Umzalwane ohlala eningizimu ye-Africa ubika ukuthi kasawuthwali umkhonto kodwa usesebenzisa ‘inkemba yomoya’ okutsho iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze atshumayele umlayezo wokuthula ebantwini kungelani lokuthi bangumhlobo bani. (Efe. 6:17) Udadewethu ohlala enkabazwe ye-Europe wathi esenguFakazi kaJehova watshada lomzalwane wesizwe sabantu ayebazonda. Abazalwane bethu laba bantshintsha imicabango yabo ngoba babefisa ukulingisela uKhristu.

¹⁶ Untshintsho abalwenzayo luqakatheke kakhulu. IBhayibhili lifanisa abantu lolwandle olugubhazelayo luphoseka ngapha langapha ngoba kalulakho ukuthula. (Isaya. 17:12; 57:20, 21; Isam. 13:1) Izindaba zombusazwe ziphehla udlakela njalo zenza abantu bangazwanani futhi bahlale besongelana. Kodwa thina sizimisele ukuhlala silokuthula njalo simanyene. Kasithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uyathokoza kakhulu nxa esibona simanyene kungelani lokuthi siphila emhlabeni lo ogcwele iziphithiphithi.​—Bala uZefaniya 3:17.

17. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezintathu ezingasinceda ukuthi sihlale simanyene? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Esihlokweni lesi sixoxe ngezinto ezintathu okumele sizenze ukuze sihlale simanyene: Okokuqala sikholwa ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu yiwo ozalungisa izinto emhlabeni. Okwesibili kasingeni kwezombusazwe. Okwesithathu siyaluxwaya udlakela. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi ubandlululo lungaphambanisa ukumanyana kwethu. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizayihlola indaba le njalo sizabona ukuthi isibonelo samaKhristu akuqala singasinceda njani ukuthi silwisane lobandlululo.