1-2. (a) Bebunjani ubujamo eJudiya umpostoli uPowula nakatlolela amaHebheru incwadi? (b) Incwadi le yawasiza njani?

 AMAKRESTU amaHebheru ebekahlala eJerusalema neJudiya aqalana neenkhathi ezibudisi ngemva kokuthi uJesu ahlongakele. Ngesikhatheso, bekuthoma ibandla lamaKrestu, kulapho ukuhlunguphazwa kwamaKrestu ekwathoma khona. (IzE. 8:1) Ngemva kweminyaka ema-20, abalandeli bakaKrestu baqalana nobujamo obubudisi bezeemali, ngebanga lendlala nomtlhago. (IzE. 11:​27-30) Nanyana kunjalo, ngabo-61 C.E., amaKrestu bekangakabi ukuhlunguphazwa ngendlela ebekazokuhlunguphazwa ngayo esikhathini esizako. Ngaso isikhatheso, afumana incwadi evela kumpostoli uPowula, ebeyizokuba lisizo khulu kiwo.

² Incwadi eyatlolelwa amaHebheru yafika ngesikhathi ngombana ukuthula amaKrestu ebekanakho bengekhe kuhlale kukhona. UPowula wanikela amaKrestu iinyeleliso ebezizowasiza akghodlhelelele ukuhlunguphazwa ebekazokuqalana nakho. Ukutjhatjalaliswa kombuso wamaJuda, uJesu akubikezelako bekutjhidela. (Luk. 21:20) UPowula namaKrestu weJudiya bebangazi ukuthi ukutjhatjalaliswa bekuzokwenzeka nini. Nanyana kunjalo, amaKrestu bekangasebenzisa isikhathi esiseleko ukuzilungiselela nokuqinisa ubuntu bawo njengokukholwa nokukghodlhelela.—Heb. 10:25; 12:​1, 2.

3. Kubayini amaKrestu namhlanjesi kufuze atjhejisise incwadi eyatlolelwa amaHebheru?

³ Sizokuqalana nesizi elikhulu ukudlula leli amaKrestu amaHebheru aqalana nalo. (Mat. 24:21; IsAm. 16:​14, 16)  Yeke akhesiqale iseluleko uJehova asinikela amaKrestu lawo, esingasizuzisa nathi.

‘RAGELANI PHAMBILI. . . . EKUVUTHWENI’

4. Ngiziphi iintjhijilo amaKrestu amaJuda aqalana nazo? (Qala nesithombe.)

⁴ AmaKrestu amaJuda aqalana neentjhijilo ezikulu. AmaJuda khewaba sitjhaba esikhethwe nguJehova. Kwaphela iminyaka iJerusalema iyindawo eqakatheke khulu. AmaKhosi ajamelele uJehova bekabusa lapho. Abantu ebebafuna ukulotjha uJehova bebatjhinga ethempelini leJerusalema. Woke amaJuda athembekileko bekalalela umThetho kaMosi ebewuhlathululwa badosiphambili bezekolo. Bekunemithetho ebeyitjho ukuthi kufuze badle ini, emalungana nokusokwa nokuthi kufuze babaphathe njani abantu abangasimaJuda. Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova akhenge asayamukela imihlatjelo yamaJuda ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaJesu. Lokho kwabasitjhijilo emaKrestwini amaJuda ebekajayele ukulandela umThetho. (Heb. 10:​1, 4, 10) Ngitjho namanye amaKrestu ebekanokukholwa okuqinileko njengompostoli uPitrosi, akufumana kubudisi ukukhambisana namatjhuguluko la. (IzE. 10:​9-14; Gal. 2:​11-14) Ngebanga lezinto ezitjha amaKrestu la ebekazikholwa, ahlunguphazwa badosiphambili bekolo yamaJuda.

5. Khuyini amaKrestu ebekufuze ayitjheje?

⁵ AmaKrestu weJudiya bekahlunguphazwa ziinqhema zabantu ezimbili. Abadosiphambili bekolo yamaJuda bebawaphatha njengeenhlubuki. Abanye ebandleni bebathi amaKrestu kufuze aragele phambili alandela umThetho kaMosi nange angafuni ukuhlunguphazwa. (Gal. 6:12) Khuyini ebeyingasiza amaKrestu athembekileko anamathele eqinisweni?

6. UPowula wakhuthaza amaKrestu akunye nawo ukuthi enzeni? (Hebheru 5:14–6:1)

⁶ Encwadini ayitlolela beHebheru uPowula wakhuthaza abafowabo nabodadwabo bona bafunde bebacabangisise ngeliZwi  lakaZimu. (Funda amaHebheru 5:14–6:1.) UPowula wadzubhula imiTlolo yesiHebheru bewahlathulula ukuthi kubayini indlela amaKrestu alotjha ngayo uJehova beyingcono khulu kunaleyo amaJuda ebekenza ngayo. a UPowula bekazi ukuthi nabanelwazi elingeziweko bebazwisise iqiniso bekuzokusiza amaKrestu akghone ukwala iimfundiso ezimamala nokudurhiswa.

7. Ngiziphi iintjhijio esiqalana nazo namhlanjesi?

⁷ Namhlanjesi, siqalana nabantu abarhatjha ilwazi eliphikisana nalokho uJehova athi kulungile begodu kuliqiniso. Abanye bathi aboFakazi bakaJehova abakalungi ngokulalela umyalo kaJehova omalungana nezomseme. Indlela abantu abacabanga ngayo iragela phambili ihluka khulu endleleni uJehova aqala ngayo izinto. (IzA. 17:15) Yeke kuqakathekile ukuthi sitjheje ukucabanga okungakalungi begodu akukafuzi sivumele abantu abasiphikisako basenze singasathembi uJehova besilise nokumlotjha.—Heb. 13:9.

8. Khuyini engasisiza siragele phambili sithuthuka njengamaKrestu?

⁸ UPowula watjela amaKrestu amaHebheru ukuthi aragele phambili athuthuka, nathi kufuze senze njalo. Lokho kutjho ukuthi kufuze silifundisise iBhayibheli, sikghone ukwazi uJehova ngcono begodu sazi nendlela acabanga ngayo. Lokho kuragela phambili ngitjho nangemva kokuzinikela nokubhajadiswa. Kunganandaba ukuthi sele sisemaqinisweni isikhathi eside kangangani, soke kufuze esifunde iliZwi lakaZimu qobe. (Rhu. 1:2) Ukufunda iBhayibheli kuzosisiza siqinise ukukholwa kwethu okububuntu uPowula atjela amaKrestu amaHebheru ukuthi ayabutlhoga.—Heb. 11:​1, 6.

‘KHOLWA BONA KUSINDISWE UKUPHILA’

9. Kubayini bekuqakathekile ukuthi amaKrestu amaHebheru abe nokukholwa okuqinileko?

⁹ AmaKrestu amaHebheru bekufuze abe nokukholwa okuqinileko ukuthi asinde esizini ebelizokuba khona eJudiya. (Heb. 10:​37-39) UJesu wayelelisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi nababona amabutho abhode iJerusalema kufuze babalekele eentabeni. Woke amaKrestu bekufuze alalele isiyeleliso sakhe kunganandaba ukuthi ahlala edorobheni namkha kezinye iindawo. (Luk. 21:​20-24) Ibutho nalisahlelako abantu abahlala kezinye iindawo bebaya edorobheni bona amabodalo abavikele. Ukubalekela eentabeni bekungabonakala kunganangqondo yeke bebatlhoga ukukholwa okuqinileko.

10. Ukuba nokukholwa okuqinileko bekuzokusiza amaKrestu enzeni? (Hebheru 13:17)

¹⁰ AmaKrestu amaHebheru bekufuze athembe labo uJesu abasebenzisako ukunqophisa ibandla. Abadosaphambili kungenzeka banikela ibandla iinqophiso zokuthi kufuze babaleke nini. (Funda amaHebheru 13:17.) Ibizo lesiGirigi elisetjenziwe kumaHebheru 13:17 elithi “lalelani” litjho ukulalela ngebanga lokuthemba umuntu onikela isinqophiso. Umpostoli uPowula bekangatjho ukuthi abafowabo nabodadwabo kufuze balalele abadala ngombana kufuze benze njalo kodwana bekufuze babalalele ngombana bayabathemba. Yeke amaKrestu amaHebheru bekatlhoga ukufunda ukuthemba abadosaphambili ngaphambi kobana isizi lifike.  Nange amaKrestu alalela abadosaphambili nakunokuthula bekuzokuba bulula ngawo ukulalela nakubudisi.

11. Kubayini ukuba nokukholwa okuqinileko kuqakathekile emaKrestwini namhlanjesi?

¹¹ NjengamaKrestu amaHebheru nathi sitlhoga ukukholwa. Siphila esikhathini lapho abantu abanengi abangafuni ukulalela begodu bahlekise ngesiyeleliso seBhayibheli esimalungana nokuphela kwephasi lakaSathana. (2 Pit. 3:​3, 4) Ukungezelela kilokho, ngitjho nanyana iBhayibheli likhuluma ngemininingwana ethileko nokuthi isizi elikhulu lizokwenzeka njani, kunezinto ezinengi esingazaziko. Sitlhoga ukuba nokukholwa okuqinileko bona ukuphela kwephaseli kuzokufika ngesikhathi nokuthi uJehova uzositlhogomela.—Rhab. 2:3.

12. Khuyini ezosisiza sisinde ngesizi elikhulu?

¹² Kufuze sakhe ukukholwa kwethu endleleni uJehova ayisebenzisako ukusinqophisa ‘okuyinceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko.’ (Mat. 24:45) Nakuthoma isizi elikhulu, kungenzeka sifumane iinqophiso ezisindisa ukuphila njengombana amaKrestu amaHebheru afumana isinqophiso nakuza amaRoma azokusahlela. Nje, sikhathi sokwakha ukuthemba nokukholwa esinqophisweni esisifumana kilabo abadosaphambili ehlanganweni kaJehova. Angekhe sakghona ukulandela isinqophiso sabo ngesizi elikhulu nange sibhalelwa kusilandela nje.

13. Kubayini isiyeleliso esikumaHebheru 13:5 besitlhogeka?

¹³ Njengombana amaKrestu amaHebheru bekalindele itshwayo lokuthi kufuze abaleke nini, bekatlhoga ukuphila ipilo elula bekabalekele “ithando lemali.” (Funda amaHebheru 13:5.) Abanye babo khebaqalana nendlala nomtlhago. (Heb. 10:​32-34) Ngitjho nanyana khekwaba nesikhathi lapha bekazimisele khona ukukghodlhelelela ubudisi ngebanga leendaba ezimnandi, abanye kungenzeka bathoma ukudzimelela ekwenzeni imali enengi bona bangatlhagi. Imali bengekhe ibavikele ekutjhatjalalisweni okuzako. (Jak. 5:3) Kunalokho, nanyana ngubani othanda izinto eziphathekako, bekazokufumana kubudisi ukubaleka atjhiye indlwakhe nezinto zakhe.

14. Ukukholwa okuqinileko kungazithinta njani iinqunto esizenzako ngezinto eziphathekako?

¹⁴ Nasinokukholwa okuqinileko ukuthi uJehova uzokutjhabalalisa iphasi elikhohlakelekweli, angekhe sisolo sicabanga ukuthi ukuba nemali enengi nokuba nezinto eziphathekako kuqakathekile khulu. Kuhlekuhle abantu “bazokuphosela isiliva labo eendleleni begodu igolide labo lizokuba yinto enyenyisako kibo. Isiliva negolide labo angekhe zikghone ukubasindisa ngelanga lelaka lakaJehova.” (Hez. 7:19) Kunokudzimelela ekwenzeni imali enengi ngendlela esingakghona ngayo, sifuna ukwenza iinqunto ezizosisiza siphile ngendlela elula. Lokho kuhlanganisa isilingo sokuba neenkolodo esingazitlhogi namkha ukungena ngehloko ezintweni eziphathekako. Sizokubalekela nokuthanda izinto esinazo khulu. (Mat. 6:​19, 24) Ukukholwa kwethu kungalingwa malungana nezinto eziphathekako nezinye izinto njengombana silinde ukuphela kwephaseli.

“NITLHOGA UKUKGHODLHELELA”

15. Kubayini amaKrestu amaHebheru bekakutlhoga khulu ukukghodlhelela?

¹⁵ AmaKrestu amaHebheru bekufuze akghodlhelelele iinlingo zokukholwa kwawo njengombana ubujamo eJudiya bebubumbi  khulu. (Heb. 10:36) Nanyana amaKrestu amaHebheru aqalana nokutjhutjhiswa kabuhlungu, amanengi amukela ubuKrestu hlangana nesikhathi sokuthula kwesikhatjhana. UPowula wathi nanyana amaKrestu akghodlhelelele ukulingwa okubudisi kokukholwa kwawo, bekangakabi ukulingwa njengoJesu bekufikele ekutheni ahlongakale. (Heb. 12:4) AmaJuda amanengi bekakwate khulu begodu anenturhu ngebanga lokuthi abantu abanengi besele bathoma ukuba maKrestu. Kungasi kade, isiqubuthu sasahlela uPowula eJerusalema nakatjhumayelako. AmaJuda angaphezu kwama-40 ‘azibopha ngesifungo bona angadli litho bekabulale uPowula.’ (IzE. 22:22; 23:​12-14) Ngitjho nanyana bekazokuhloywa bekahlunguphazwe, amaKrestu bekufuze aragele phambili ahlangane ukulotjha uJehova, atjhumayele iindaba ezimnandi bekaqinise ukukholwa kwawo.

16. Incwadi etlolelwe amaHebheru isisiza njani siqale ukuhlunguphazwa ngendlela efaneleko? (Hebheru 12:7)

¹⁶ Khuyini ebeyizokusiza amaKrestu amaHebheru akghodlhelelele ukuhlunguphazwa ebekazokuqalana nakho? UPowula bekazi ukuthi bekutlhogeka abe nombono ofaneleko ngeentjhijilo zawo. Yeke wahlathulula ukuthi uZimu angavumela ukukholwa kwethu kulingwe njengombana kuyingcenye yokubandulwa kokubamKrestu. (Funda amaHebheru 12:7.) Ukubandulwa okunjalo kungasiza ekuthuthukiseni ubuntu bobuKrestu. Ngokudzimelela emphumeleni weentjhijilwezi, amaKrestu amaHebheru bekangakufumana kubulula ukukghodlhelela.—Heb. 12:11.

17. Khuyini uPowula ayifundako ngokukghodlhelelela ukuhlunguphazwa?

¹⁷ UPowula wakhuthaza amaKrestu amaHebheru ukuthi abe nesibindi begodu angaphelelwa mamandla nakaqalene nobudisi.  Umpostoli uPowula bekanganikela isiyeleliso esihle malungana nokukghodlhelelela ukuhlunguphazwa. Ngaphambi kobana abe mKrestu, bekamhlunguphazi wamaKrestu begodu bekazi ukuthi aphathwa ngendlela enelunya kangangani. Bekazi ukuthi kufuze ukukghodlhelelele njani ukuhlunguphazwa. Waqalana nemihlobo ehlukahlukeneko yokuhlunguphazwa ngemva kokuba mKrestu. (2 Kor. 11:​23-25) UPowula bekazi kuhle ukuthi khuyini etlhogekako nawuzakukghodlhelela. Wakhumbuza amaKrestu lawo bona nakakghodlhelela kufuze angathembeli kiwo ngokwawo kodwana athembele kuJehova ngesibindi azokukghona ukutjho ukuthi: “UJehova umsizami; angekhe ngisabe.”—Heb. 13:6.

18. Khuyini ekufuze siyazi ngengomuso ezosisiza sikghodlhelelele ukuhlunguphazwa?

¹⁸ Abanye abafowethu nabodadwethu bakghodlhelelela ukutjhutjhiswa njenga nje. Singabasekela ngokuthembeka, ngokubathandazela kesinye isikhathi ngokubasiza ngabakutlhogako. (Heb. 10:33) IBhayibheli likutjho ngokukhanyako ukuthi, “boke abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kuZimu njengabafundi bakaKrestu Jesu nabo bazokuhlunguphazwa.” (2 Thim. 3:12) Ngebanga lalokho, soke kufuze sizilungiselele okusezako. Yeke asirageleni phambili sithembela ngokupheleleko kuJehova, siqiniseke ukuthi uzosisiza sikghodlhelele nanyana ngisiphi isitjhijilo esingaqalana naso. Kungasikade uzobatjhaphulula boke abathembekileko kuye.—2 Thes. 1:​7, 8.

19. Khuyini engasisiza sizilungiselele isizi elikhulu? (Qala nesithombe.)

¹⁹ Siyaqiniseka ukuthi incwadi uPowula ayitlolela amaKrestu amaHebheru, yasiza amaKrestu wekhulu lokuthoma ukuzilungiselelela isizi azokuqala nalo. UPowula wathi abafowabo nabodadwabo kufuze babe nelwazi elingeneleleko bebazwisise okutjhiwo miTlolo. Ukwenza njalo bekuzobasiza babone bebale iimfundiso ezizokubogabogisa ukukholwa kwabo. Wabakhuthaza ukuthi baqinise ukukholwa kwabo bona babe msinya ekulandeleni isinqophiso sakaJesu nalabo abadosaphambili ebandleni. Wasiza amaKrestu wakha ukukholwa kwawo ngokuthi aqale iintjhijilo ngendlela efaneleko nokuziqala njengethuba lokubandulwa nguBabethu onethando. Kwanga nathi singasilandela iselulekwesi. Nasenza njalo, sizokukghona ukukghodlhelelela ngokuthembeka bekube sekupheleni.—Heb. 3:14.