1, 2. UJesu wayemthandelani uMatha, kodwa kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uMatha wayephambanisa njengathi?

KUFIKANI engqondweni yakho nxa ucabanga ngoMatha okukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhilini? Lanxa kunguye yedwa owesifazana oqanjwa ngebizo okuthiwa wayethandwa nguJesu, bakhona abanye abesifazana ababehlonipha uNkulunkulu uJesu ayebathanda. Ngokwesibonelo wayemthanda unina uMariya kanye loMariya udadewabo kaMatha. (Joh. 11:5; 19:25-27) Manje kungani amaVangeli esithi uJesu wayemthanda uMatha?

² Kayisikho ukuthi uJesu wayemthandela ukuthi wayesamukela izivakatshi lokuthi wayekhuthele kuphela kodwa wayemthandela lokuthi wayelokholo oluqinileyo. UMatha wayekukholwa ngenhliziyo yonke konke okwakufundiswa nguJesu futhi wayengakuthandabuzi ukuthi wayenguMesiya owayethenjisiwe. (Joh. 11:21-27) Lanxa kunjalo, uMatha wayephambanisa njengathi. Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu ebavakatshele emzini wabo, uMatha wacaphukela udadewabo wasetshela uJesu  ukuthi amkhuze. Wathi: “Nkosi, kawunanzeleli yini ukuthi udadewethu uyangiyekelela umsebenzi? Mtshele ukuthi kangelekelele!” (Bala uLukha 10:38-42.) Kuyini esingakufunda endabeni le?

3, 4. UMariya watshengisa njani ukuthi “ukhethe okungcono,” njalo uMatha wafundani? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

³ UJesu ufundisa uMariya loMatha izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu ngoba bamamukele kuhle emzini wabo. UMariya uhle asebenzise ithuba leli ukuthi athole ulwazi kuMfundisi oMkhulu, yikho uhlala phansi “ezinyaweni zeNkosi elalele lokho eyayikukhuluma.” Aluba uMatha laye wenza okufananayo, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJesu wayezamncoma kakhulu ukuthi wayezabe etshiye konke ayekwenza ukuze azolalela.

⁴ Kodwa uMatha uyadidizela elungisa ukudla okumnandi futhi wenza leminye imisebenzi ukuze uJesu akholise ukuba labo. Konke lokhu akwenzayo kumenza akhathezeke kungelasidingo njalo acaphukele udadewabo. UJesu uyakunanzelela ukuthi uMatha uzama ukwenza izinto ezinengi ngasikhathi sinye, ngomusa abesesithi kuye: “Matha, Matha, uhlutshwa njalo ukhathazeke ngezinto ezinengi.” Ngemva kwalokho umtshela ukuthi angakhathazeki ngokupheka izinto ezinenginengi. Khathesi uJesu usekhuluma ngoMariya emqinisekisa ukuthi lokho akwenzileyo kuhle kakhulu. Uthi: “UMariya ukhethe okungcono, okungasoze akwemukwe futhi.” Kungenzakala ukuthi uMariya waphanga wazikhohlwa izibiliboco ayezidle mhlalokho, kodwa kumele ukuthi kazange ayikhohlwe indlela uJesu amncoma ngayo kanye lolwazi aluthola kuye ngenxa yokuthi kazange avumele lutho ukuthi lumphambanise. Ngemva kweminyaka edlula engu-60, umphostoli uJohane wabhala wathi: ‘UJesu wayemthanda uMatha kanye loMariya.’ (Joh. 11:5) Amazwi la aphefumulelweyo atshengisa ukuthi uMatha wavuma sibili ukuqondiswa nguJesu lokuthi wazimisela ukukhonza uJehova ethembekile okwempilo yakhe yonke.

5. Yiwuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kwesikhathi esiphila kuso lamuhla lezikhathi zeBhayibhili, njalo lokhu kwenza kube lawuphi umbuzo?

⁵ Nxa siqathanisa isikhathi esiphila kuso lamuhla lezikhathi zeBhayibhili, kunini lapho okulezinto ezinengi eziphambanisa abantu khona? “Embalini yabantu ayikaze ibe khona impucuko enjengaleyo ekhona lamuhla, kungaba ngezokukhulumisana, imitshina edinda amabhuku ngesiqubu esikhulu, imihlobo lemihlobo yamamagazini akhangayo, amarediyo, amafilimu lama-TV. . .. Nsuku zonke kubuya izinto ezintsha ezisiphambanisayo . . . Izolo lokhu bekucatshangwa ukuthi isikhathi esiphila kuso sizakuba yisikhathi sentuthuko. Kodwa silokhu siqhubeka sisiba yisikhathi seziphazamiso.” Amazwi la atshelwa iqembu labafundi base-United States eminyakeni ephezu kwengu-60 edlulileyo. INqabayokulinda kaSeptember 15, 1958 yathi: “Kungenzakala ukuthi izinto ezisiphambanisayo zizabe zilokhu zisanda njengoba umhlaba lo usiya ekupheleni.” Aliqiniso sibili amazwi la! Lokhu kwenza kube lombuzo oqakathekileyo othi: Singenzani ukuze singaphanjaniswa yizinto ezingelamsebenzi lokuthi siqakathekise izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza njengoMariya?

6. Abantu bakaJehova bayisebenzise njani impucuko ekhona emhlabeni?

⁶ Inhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni ibilokhu isebenzisa ezempucuko ngendlela enhle ukuze ithuthukise ukukhonza kweqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, kwake kwasetshenziswa “iPhoto-Drama of Creation,” ibhayisikopo eyayilama-slide lemifanekiso enyakazayo kanye lamazwi. Kwathi iMpi Yomhlaba Yokuqala ingakaqalisi lalapho isisidla ubhedu, ibhayisikopo le yaduduza izigidi zabantu emhlabeni wonke ngoba yayilesiphetho esasichaza ukuthi kuzabe kunjani  emhlabeni lapho uJesu Khristu esebusa okweminyaka eyinkulungwane. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso zasakazwa kumarediyo njalo zafika ebantwini abanengi kakhulu emhlabeni wonke. Kulezinsuku inhlanganiso kaJehova isebenzisa amakhompiyutha kanye le-Inthanethi ngendlela emangalisayo ukuze ifikise izindaba ezinhle ebantwini abahlala ezihlengeni ezikhatshana kakhulu labahlala kuwo wonke amagumbi omhlaba.

7. (a) Kungani kuyingozi ukuchitha isikhathi esinengi ezintweni ezisemhlabeni? (b) Kuyini okumele sikuqakathekise kakhulu? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

⁷ IBhayibhili liyasixwayisa ukuthi kuyingozi kakhulu ukuchitha isikhathi esinengi ezintweni ezisemhlabeni lo. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 7:29-31.) Akukubi ukuthi umKhristu azilibazise ngemidlalo ayithandayo, ukubala amabhuku, ukubukela i-TV, ukubuka indalo, ukubukabuka izinto ezitolo lokudinga ezempucuko zakulezinsuku, kodwa nxa engananzelelanga angacina esechitha isikhathi sakhe esinengi esenza izinto lezi. Ukuthumezelana imilayezo nge-Inthanethi langamafoni kanye lokuhlala silandelela izindaba ezenzakala emhlabeni lakwezemidlalo lakho kungasidlela isikhathi, sicine sesiphilela khona. * (UmTshu. 3:1, 6) Nxa singasebenzisa isikhathi sethu esinengi ezintweni ezingaqakathekanga, singacina sesikhohlwa ngokukhonza uJehova, into eqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula zonke.​—Bala u-Efesu 5:15-17.

8. Kungani siqakathekile iseluleko esiphathelane lokungathandi izinto ezisemhlabeni?

⁸ USathane uhlanyele izinto ezinengi emhlabeni ezisihugayo njalo ezisiphambanisayo. Wayekwenza ekhulwini lokuqala, futhi lamuhla ukwenza ngendlela engakaze ibonakale. (2 Tim. 4:10) Ngakho-ke kumele silalele iseluleko lesi: “Lingawuthandi umhlaba loba olunye ulutho olusemhlabeni.” Nxa singaqhubeka silwisa ukuthi sisebenzise iseluleko lesi ekuphileni kwethu, kasisoze siphazamiseke futhi sizaqhubeka simthanda ngamandla uBaba wethu. Lokhu kuzakwenza kube lula ukuthi senze intando kaNkulunkulu besesihlala sisethandweni lwakhe kuze kube phakade.​—1 Joh. 2:15-17.

9. UJesu wathi sibe lelihlo elinjani, njalo watshengisa njani ukuthi uyisibonelo esihle endabeni le?

⁹ Iseluleko uJesu asinika uMatha sasivumelana sibili lalokho ayekufundisa kanye lendlela ayephila ngayo. Wakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuthi babe lelihlo “elilungileyo” kumbe eliqakathekisa  izinto eziphathelane loMbuso bengelazinto ezibaphambanisayo. (Bala uMathewu 6:22, 33.) UJesu wayengelazinto ezinengi ezazingamphambanisa; wayengelayo indlu kumbe umhlabathi owawubiza yena.​—Luk. 9:58; 19:33-35.

10. Singafundani kulokho uJesu akwenzayo esanda kuqalisa inkonzo yakhe?

¹⁰ Kunengi okwakungaphambanisa uJesu ngesikhathi eqhuba inkonzo yakhe emhlabeni kodwa kazange akuvumele. Esanda kuqalisa inkonzo yakhe, wafundisa ixuku labantu eKhaphenawume wenza lezimangaliso, ngemva kwalokho abantu bamncenga ukuthi angasuki edolobheni lelo. Kodwa uJesu wathini lanxa babemncenga? Wabatshela wathi: “Ngimele ngitshumayele izindaba ezinhle lakwamanye amadolobho njalo ngokuba yikho engakuthunyelwayo.” (Luk. 4:42-44) Wakwenza sibili lokhu uJesu ngoba walibhoda lonke elasePhalestina etshumayela njalo efundisa. Lanxa wayephelele, wayelazo izidingo ezinjengezethu njalo ngezinye izikhathi wayezizwa ediniwe ngenxa yokuthi kunengi ayekwenza emsebenzini kaNkulunkulu.​—Luk. 8:23; Joh. 4:6.

11. UJesu wathini endodeni eyayixabene lomfowabo, njalo wanika siphi isixwayiso?

¹¹ Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu ephakathi kokufundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bangalwisana njani lokuphikiswa, enye indoda yamquma umlomo yathi: “Mfundisi, tshela umfowethu ukuthi angabele lami ilifa.” Kodwa uJesu kazange afune ukuyingena indaba le. Waphendula wathi: “Ndoda, ngibekwe ngubani ukuba ngumahluleli kumbe umlawuli wenu?” Ngemva kwalokho uJesu waziqhubekela ngokufundisa, waxwayisa ababemlalele ukuthi bananzelele ingozi yokuthanda inotho ngoba yayingabaphambanisa ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu.​—Luk. 12:13-15.

12, 13. (a) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi amanye amaGiriki ayesephendukele enkolweni yobuJuda afune ukubona uJesu? (b) UJesu wenzani lapho ebona ukuthi ukuhlangana lawo kwakuzamphambanisa?

¹² UJesu wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngeviki yakhe yokucina esemhlabeni. (Mat. 26:38; Joh. 12:27) Kunengi okwakumele akwenze njalo icala lakhe lalizathonisiswa ngendlela engelasithunzi futhi abulawe kabuhlungu. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala ngeSonto ngoNisani 9 ngomnyaka ka-33 C.E. UJesu wangena eJerusalema egade ubabhemi njengoba nje kwakuphrofethiwe njalo ixuku labantu lalimdumisa lisithi ‘ungumbusi ozayo ngebizo leNkosi.’ (Luk. 19:38) Ngelanga elilandelayo uJesu wangena ethempelini waxotsha bonke osomabhizimusi abathanda imali ababeqila amaJuda, bebaqilela khona kanye endlini kaNkulunkulu.​—Luk. 19:45, 46.

¹³ Phakathi kwexuku elaliseJerusalema kwakulamaGiriki ayesephendukele enkolweni yobuJuda. Amangaliswa yisibindi sikaJesu sokuxotsha osomabhizimusi laba, aze acela umphostoli uFiliphu ukuthi awahlanganise loJesu. Kodwa uJesu kazange avumele lutho ukuthi lumphambanise ezintweni eziqakathekileyo ezasezizakwenzakala. Kazange abone leli kulithuba lokuthola abangane ababezamvikela ukuthi angabulawa yizitha zikaNkulunkulu, ngoba wayezimisele ukunikela ngokuphila kwakhe. Yikho wathi esekuchazile ukuthi wayesezakufa, watshela uFiliphu lo-Andreya wathi: “Umuntu othanda impilo yakhe izamlahlekela, ikanti umuntu ozonda impilo yakhe kulo umhlaba uzayilondolozela ingunaphakade.” Kulokuthi athabise amaGiriki lawo, wakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuthi baphile impilo yokuzinikela njengaye, wasebathembisa wathi: “UBaba uzamdumisa lowo ongikhonzayo.” Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uFiliphu wabuyela kumaGiriki la wayawatshela amazwi akhuthazayo ayekhulunywe nguJesu.​—Joh. 12:20-26.

14. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJesu wayengaphileli ukutshumayela kuphela lanxa umsebenzi lo wayewuqakathekisa ekuphileni kwakhe?

¹⁴ Lanxa uJesu engazange avumele lutho ukuthi lumphambanise emsebenzini wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle ayewulandile, wayengahlali ecabanga ngawo sonke isikhathi. Wake wanxuswa edilini lomtshado waze wenza lesimangaliso  sokuntshintsha amanzi ukuthi abe liwayini ukuze bonke abantu ababekhona bakholise. (Joh. 2:2, 6-10) Wayenxuswa langabangane bakhe abaseduze kanye lalabo ababezakuba ngabafundi bakhe ukuthi azokudla labo ntambama. (Luk. 5:29; Joh. 12:2) Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi uJesu wayesiba leqiniso lokuthi uyasithola isikhathi sokuthandaza eyedwa, esokucabangisisa, lesokuphumula.​—Mat. 14:23; Mak. 1:35; 6:31, 32.

15. Yisiphi iseluleko esanikwa nguPhawuli, njalo yena watshengisa njani ukuthi uyisibonelo esihle kulokhu?

¹⁵ Umphostoli uPhawuli wafanisa ukuphila komKhristu ozinikeleyo lomjaho okumele siwubekezelele, yikho wabhala wathi: “Kasikulahleni konke okusivimbelayo.” (Bala uHebheru 12:1.) Kusegcekeni ukuthi uPhawuli wayekwenza lokho ayekutshumayela ngoba watshiya umsebenzi omuhle wokuba ngumkhokheli wenkolo yamaJuda owawuzamenza anothe futhi abe ngumuntu odumileyo. Wayelendaba ‘lezinto eziqakatheke kakhulu,’ njalo wayesebenza nzima enkonzweni, ebhoda kulolonke elaseSiriya, e-Asia Minor, eMakhedoniya laseJudiya. Wabhala mayelana lethemba ayelalo lokuyaphila phakade ezulwini wathi: “Ngiyakukhohlwa okusemuva ngizama ngamandla ukufinyelela kokuphambili, ngilwisela ukufinyelela ekucineni ukuba ngithole umvuzo.” (Flp. 1:10, nwt; 3:8, 13, 14) UPhawuli wayengatshadanga, ngakho walisebenzisa kuhle ithuba leli ukuze aphumelele ‘ukuzinikela ngokupheleleyo eNkosini’ kungelazinto ezimphambanisayo.​—1 Khor. 7:32-35.

16, 17. Singasilandela njani isibonelo sikaPhawuli kungelani lokuthi sitshadile kumbe hatshi? Landisa okwenziwa ngabanye.

¹⁶ Ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zenza njengoPhawuli, zikhetha ukuhlala zingatshadanga ukuze zibe lemithwalo emilutshwana njalo zenelise ukuzinikela ngokupheleleyo enkonzweni. (Mat. 19:11, 12) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezitshadileyo zandise ukuba lemithwalo yokondla izimuli. Kodwa kungelani lokuthi sitshadile kumbe kasitshadanga, sonke singenelisa ‘ukulahla konke okusivimbelayo,’ sikhonze uNkulunkulu kungelazinto ezinengi ezisiphambanisayo. Lokhu kungatsho ukutshiya izinto ezingaqakathekanga ezisidlela isikhathi esinengi, sizame ukungezelela isikhathi esisisebenzisa enkonzweni.

¹⁷ UMark loClaire abasuka eWales bakwenza lokhu, baqalisa ukuphayona besanda kuqeda isikolo njalo baqhubeka bephayona langesikhathi sebetshadile. UMark uthi: “Senza ukuphila kwethu kwaba lula ngokuthengisa indlu yethu satshiya lomsebenzi esasiwenza sisaphayona ukuze senelise ukuyaphathisa emsebenzini wokwakha owenziwa emhlabeni wonke.” Okweminyaka engu-20 edlulileyo sebebhode i-Africa yonke bencedisa ukwakha amaWolu oMbuso. Ngesinye isikhathi basala lemali engamadola angu-15 kuphela, kodwa uJehova waqhubeka ebanakekela. UClaire uthi: “Ukusebenzela uJehova nsuku zonke kusenza sisuthiseke kakhulu. Sesilabangane abanengi esibathole ekuhambeni kwethu njalo akulalutho esiluswelayo. Esakutshiyayo kuncane kakhulu nxa sikuqathanisa lenjabulo esiyithola ngokukhonza uJehova okwesikhathi esigcweleyo.” Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi ezisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo lazo zihlangane lokufananayo. *

18. Yiphi imibuzo abanye abangazibuza yona?

¹⁸ Wena ke? Kuyini okumele ukwenze nxa ungananzelela ukuthi kulezinto ezingatsho lutho ezikuphambanisayo ezikwenza ungasaqakathekisi izinto eziphathelane loMbuso njengakuqala? Mhlawumbe okungakunceda yikuthuthukisa indlela obala ngayo iBhayibhili kanye lendlela olitaditsha ngayo. Ungakwenza njani lokhu? Isihloko esilandelayo sizachasisa.