1, 2. (a) Wathoma njani umtjhado? (b) Yini abatjhadikazi bokuthoma ebekufuze bayiyelele ngomtjhado? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

UMTJHADO yingcenye yokuphila. Ukuthi sinande siqale isithomo sawo nehloswawo kuzosisiza siwuqale ngendlela kaJehova, sithabele neembusiso zawo. Ngemva kobana uZimu adale umuntu wokuthoma waletha kuye iinlwana bona azethe amagama. “Kodwana umuntu akhange azifunyanele umsizi omfaneleko kizo.” Yeke uZimu wenza bona u-Adamu alale ubuthongo obukhulu, kwathi asalele njalo, wakhupha linye leembambo zakhe, wabumba umuntu wengubo wamthatha wamusa emuntwini wembaji. (Funda uGenesisi 2:20-24.) Yeke sikutjho kufanele ukuthi umtjhado ulungiselelwe nguJehova.

² NoJesu naye wakufakazela bona nguJehova owathi: “Indoda izakutjhiya uyise nonina inamathele kumkayo, nje-ke ababilaba baba yinyama yinye.” (Mat. 19:4, 5) Ukusebenzisa kwakaZimu imbambo ka-Adamu nakabumba umuntu wengubo wokuthoma bekufuze kutjengise abatjhadikazi bokuthoma ukuthi bekufuze batjhidelane kangangani. Ngesikhatheso bekungana lungiselelo lesehlukaniso namkha ukuthi omunye hlangana nabo abe nomunye umlingani.

3. Yini ihloso eqakathekileko yomtjhado?

³ U-Adamu bekamthanda umkakhe, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wamthiya ngokuthi ngu-Eva. “Ukuba ngumphelelisi” bekuzokutjho ukuthi “abengumsizi” njengombana bathabisana, kukulapho omunye nomunye enza okulindeleke kuye njengendoda nomfazi. (Gen. 2:18) Ihloso eqakatheke khulu yomtjhado bekukukuthi abatjhadikazi bazalise iphasi ngenzalwabo. (Gen. 1:28) Ngitjho nanyana abantwana bebathanda ababelethi babo, bebazobatjhiya batjhade bayokuba nemindenabo. Abantu bekufuze bazalise iphasi babe nemindeni bekube kulapho iphasi sele liyipharadesi.

4. Kwenzekani ngomtjhado wokuthoma?

⁴ Umtjhado wokuthoma wehlelwa yihlekelele ngesikhathi abatjhadikazi bokuthoma bakhetha ukusebenzisa kumbi ilungelo labo lokuzikhethela banyula ukudelela uJehova. “Inyoka endala,” uSathana uDeveli yakhohlisa u-Eva ngokuthi imenze akholwe ukuthi ukudla ‘emthini wokwazi koke’ bekazomenza abe nelwazi elikhethekileko, akghone ukuhlukanisa ukuthi yini elungileko nengakalungi. U-Eva akhenge ahloniphe ubuhloko bendodakhe, akhenge ayibuze bona kulungile ukuthi badle emthini na. U-Adamu naye kunokobana ahloniphe uZimu wakhetha ukulalela umkakhe wadla isithelo anikelwa sona.—IsAm. 12:9; Gen. 2:9, 16, 17; 3:1-6.

5. Yini esiyifunda endleleni u-Adamu no-Eva abaphendula uJehova ngayo?

⁵ UZimu nakabuza u-Adamu ngendaba le wasola umkakhe wathi: “Awa, umfazi owangipha yena bona abe nami, nguye ongiphe isithelo somuthi, yeke nami ngadla.” U-Eva yena wasola inyoka ngokuthi imkhohlisile. (Gen. 3:12, 13) Qala bona lezi zizaba ezingazisiko kangangani! Ngebanga lokuthi abatjhadikazi bokuthoma akhenge balalele uJehova wabahlulela ngokuthi bamahlubuka. Lokho kusiyeleliso kithi. Umtjhado nawuzakuphumelela ilungu ngalinye kufuze lazi ukuthi litlhoga ukulalela uJehova.

6. Ungamhlathulula njani uGenesisi 3:15?

⁶ Nanyana uSathana enza akwenzakokhu e-Edeni, uJehova wenzela abantu ithemba esiphorofidweni sakhe sokuthoma eBhayibhelini. (Funda uGenesisi 3:15.) Amahlubuka wokuthoma wona bekazakutshidlhwa ‘ziinzukulwana’ ‘zomfazi.’ Yeke uJehova wazwisa abantu kancani bona bekunjani ukuba nesingani naye, njengombana bekanaso neembunjwa ezinengi ezilungileko ezimlotjha ezulwini. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wembulela ihlanganwakhe efaniswa nomkakhe, ukuthi uzokuthumela umuntu ‘ozokutshidlha’ uDeveli begodu enzele abantu abalalelako ithemba lokuthabela lokho abatjhadikazi bokuthoma elabalahlekelako, okukuphila ngokungapheliko ephasini, ebekuyihloso kaJehova yekuthomeni.—Jwa. 3:16.

7. (a) Kwenzekani ngomtjhado kusukela ekuhlubukeni kwaka-Adamu no-Eva? (b) Yini iBhayibheli elithi amadoda nabafazi kufuze bayenze?

⁷ Ukungalaleli kwaka-Adamu no-Eva kwaletha isiqabo emtjhadwenabo, nemitjhadweni eminye eyalandelako. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Eva nenzalo yakhe yabantu bengubo bebazokuphathwa ziinhlungu ezimbi nababelethako. Abantu bengubo bazokufisa ukunakwa madodabo bese kuthi wona abalawule, lokho kukhambe bekufike ekutheni abatlhorise njengombana sibona emitjhadweni eminengi namhlanjesi. (Gen. 3:16) IBhayibheli lithi amadoda kufuze asebenzise ubuhloko bawo ngethando. Bese lithi abafazi bona kufuze bahloniphe amadodabo. (Efe. 5:33) Ngebanga lokubambisana kwabatjhadikazi abahlonipha uZimu, ukungazwani akubi kunengi kangako begodu lapho bakghona khona ukukukhandela benza njalo.

8. Uthini umlando womtjhado kusukela esikhathini saka-Adamu kufikela ngoMthwalela?

⁸ U-Adamu no-Eva babeletha amadodana namadodakazi ngaphambi kobana isono sibabulale. (Gen. 5:4) Indodanabo yokuthoma bekunguKhayini, yena-ke watjhada nomfazi osihlobo sakhe. Bese kwathi inzalo kaKhayini uLemeki kwaba nguye wokuthoma okutlolwe ngaye owathatha abafazi ababili. (Gen. 4:17, 19) Esizukulwaneni kusukela ku-Adamu kufikela eMthwaleleni wangesikhathi sakaNowa bayimbijana khulu abantu okuthiwa bebalotjha uJehova. Hlangana nabo bekuno-Abela, u-Inogo uNowa nomndenakhe. IBhayibheli ilandisa ithi ngeenkhathi zakaNowa, “Amadodana kaZimu abona bonyana amadodakazi wabantu mahle.” Yeke “azithathela abafazi abathandekako kiwo.” Lokho bekungasi yihloso kaZimu, yeke abantwana beengilozi nabafazi bebanenturhu, abantu abaziingorho abaziwa ngokuthi ziintsitsirimba (ezibizwa ngaManefili.) UZimu wabona ukuthi “ubukhohlakali bomuntu bukhulu ephasini,” begodu wabona “nokobana imizindlo yehliziywakhe isophe okumbi ngesikhathi soke.”—Gen. 6:1-5.

9. UJehova wenzani ngobukhohlakali bangeenkhathi zakaNowa? Thina kufuze sifundeni kekwenzeka ngesikhatheso?

⁹ UJehova waletha uMthwalela ngesikhathi sakaNowa ukwenzela bona aqede ubukhohlakali. Ngesikhatheso abantu bebaziphethelwe zizinto zabo, bebazenzela imisebenzi yangamalanga, bazitjhadela kangangobana akhenge bawutjheje umlayezo ‘kaNowa umtjhumayeli wokulunga’ ebewukhuluma ngomthwalela ebewuzokulethwa nguZimu. (2 Pit. 2:5) UJesu wafanisa isikhatheso nalokho esizokubona ngesikhathi sethu. (Funda uMatewu 24:37-39.) Namhlanjesi abantu abanengi abafuni ukulalela iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu ezitjhunyayelwa ephasini mazombe, ezinikela ubufakazi eentjhabeni zoke ngaphambi kobana iphaselimbeli libhujiswe. Yeke akukafuzi sivumela nanyana yini isenze singaboni ukurhaba kwelangeli, kungaba ziindaba zomndeni, umtjhado, ukukhulisa abantwana namkha nanyana yini.

10. (a) Emasikweni amanengi, ngikuphi ukuhlanganyela amabhayi okusele kwenziwe indlela yokuphila? (b) U-Abrahamu noSara baba sibonelo esihle ngayiphi indlela emtjhadwenabo?

¹⁰ Akekho hlangana noNowa namadodanakhe amathathu owathatha isithembu, kodwana bekuvumelekile ngeenkhathezo ukuthatha isithembu. Emasikweni amanengi, ukuziphatha kumbi ngokwamabhayi kuyinto eyamukelekako, begodu kuthathwa njengengcenye yamasikwabo ngitjho nemasondweni kuyamukeleka. Ngesikhathi u-Abramu (u-Abrahamu) nomkakhe uSarayi (uSara), balalela uZimu ngokuthi bafudukele enarheni yeKanana, inarha ebeyizele ngabantu abangawuhloniphiko umtjhado. Kulapho ke uJehova athi iSodoma neGomora zibhujiswe ngebanga lokuthi besele kuzele abantu abaziphatha kumbi ngokomseme ngokungabekezelekiko. U-Abrahamu wawurhola kuhle umndenakhe, noSara naye waba sibonelo esihle sokuthobela ubuhloko bendodakhe. (Funda 1 Pitrosi 3:3-6.) U-Abrahamu wenza isigiri ukuthi nendodanakhe u-Isaka nayo itjhada nomuntu olotjha uJehova. Ukutjhisekela kwaka-Isaka ukulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso naye kwamenza wayala indodanakhe uJakopo. Amadodana lawo aba bokhokho beenkoro ezilitjhumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli.

11. UmThetho kaMosi bewuwavikela njani ama-Israyeli?

¹¹ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJehova  wenza isivumelwano nenzalo kaJakopo (u-Israyeli), iinkambiso zomtjhado weenkhathi zeenhloko zembeleko bezifaka hlangana nokuthatha isithembu, lokho bekuvumelekile ngokuya ngokomThetho kaMosi. Lokho bekuvikela ama-Israyeli bona angatjhadi nabantu abangamlotjhiko uJehova. (Funda uDuteronomi 7:3, 4.) Nakwenzeka kube nemiraro emikhulu emtjhadweni, abantu abadala bebabasiza abatjhadikazi. Ukungathembeki, umrhobholo nokusolana bekulungiswa ngendlela efaneleko. Isihlukaniso besivumelekile kodwana naso besenziwa ngendlela efaneleko. Indoda beyivumelekile ukuhlukana nomkayo kodwana bekufuze kube nesizathu mhlamunye ibone “ubutjhophori kuye.” (Dut. 24:1) ‘Ubutjhophorobo’ abuhlathululwa kodwana kunengqondo ukucabanga ukuthi bekungasi mitjhaphwana emincani umuntu angaba nayo.—Lev. 19:18.

12, 13. (a) Amanye amadoda bekabaphatha njani abomkabo ngemihla kaMalaki? (b) Namhlanjesi kungenzekani nangabe umuntu obhajadisiweko utjhada nomlingani womunye umuntu?

¹² Emihleni yomphorofidi uMalaki amadoda amanengi amaJuda bekabaphatha kumbi abomkabo, ahlukane nabo ngeenzathu ezinganahloko. Amadoda la ahlukana nabafazi bobutjha babo benzelela ukuthi batjhade nabafazi abancazana abanye bebaze batjhade nabafazi abalotjha abosingazimu. UJesu nakasephasinapha amadoda amaJuda la bekaphatha abomkawo kumbi abatlhale “nanyana kungasiphi isizathu.” (Mat. 19:3) UJehova uZimu ukuhloyile ukutlhala okunjalo.—Funda uMalaki 2:13-16.

¹³ Namhlanjesi ukuphatha umuntu otjhade naye kumbi akuvunyelwa hlangana nabantu bakaJehova. Akhesithi umuntu obhajadisiweko uthatha umuntu otjhade nomunye umuntu ngemva kobana atlhale umlinganakhe atjhade naye. Nakangaphendukiko kakwenzileko umuntu loyo uzokususwa ekuhlanganyeleni, ukwenzela bona ibandla lihlale lihlanzekile. (1 Kor. 5:11-13) Ngaphambi kobana abuyiselwe ekuhlanganyeleni kufuze ‘aveze isithelo esikhambisana nokuphenduka kwakhe.’ (Luk. 3:8; 2 Kor. 2:5-10) Ngitjho nanyana kunganasikhathi esibekiweko bona umuntu abuyiselwe ekuhlanganyeleni, kodwana ubumbi obunjengalobu akukafuzi beqiselwe amehlo, okuyinto engenzeki khulu ebantwini bakaZimu. Kungathatha isikhathi, mhlamunye umnyaka namkha ngaphezulu bona umuntu owonileko anikele ubufakazi bokuthi uphendukile. Ngitjho nanyana umuntu onjalo angabuyiselwa ekuhlanganyeleni usazoziphendulela ‘esihlalweni sokugwetjwa sakaZimu.’—Rom. 14:10-12; Qala iWatchtower, yangomhlaka-15 November  1979, kk. 31-32.

14. Ngiyiphi ihloso ebeyifezwa mThetho kaMosi?

¹⁴ UmThetho kaMosi ngiwo ebewubusa ama-Israyeli iminyaka engaphezu kwe-1 500. Wasiza abantu bakaZimu ngeenkambiso bona baziphathe kuhle baphathe nemindenabo kuhle nokhunye ukuziphatha kukulapho ubarholela kuMesiya. (Gal. 3:23, 24) Ngemva kokuthi uJesu afe umThetho kaMosi akhenge usasebenza, yeke uZimu wenza amanye amalungiselelo. (Heb. 8:6) Ngelungiselelo eminye imiThetho ayisasebenzi.

15. (a) Ebandleni lobuKrestu ngiyiphi ikambiso yomtjhado? (b) Ngiziphi iinzathu umKrestu ekufuze azithathele ehloko nakacabangela ukutlhala?

¹⁵ UJesu nakaphendula abaFarisi ngeenkambiso ebezisemThethweni kaMosi wathi, “ekuthomeni bekungasinjalo” ukuthi umuntu atlhale umlinganakhe. (Mat. 19:6-8) UJesu wathi iinkambiso zakaJehova zomtjhado azenza e-Edeni kufuze zihlonitjhwe maKrestu ebandleni. (1 Thim. 3: 2, 12) Ukuba “yinyama yinye” bekutjho bona abatjhadikazi kufuze batjhidelane, bathande uZimu bebathandane bona bandzindzise isibopho sabo. Ukutlhala umuntu otjhade naye kube akakaziphathi kumbi ngokwamabhayi akumvumeli ohlukanisileko lo bona atjhade godu. (Mat. 19:9) Omunye angakhetha ukumlibalela umuntu atjhade naye oziphethe kumbi ngokwamabhayi kodwana ophendukileko, njengombana mhlamunye kwenzeka ngomphorofidi uHosiya ngomkakhe obekaziphethe kumbi ngokwamabhayi uGomere. UJehova naye wawenzela umusa ama-Israyeli ngokuthi awalibalele ngemva kokuthi angwadle nabosingazimu. (Hos. 3:1-5) Kungangezelelwa kuthiwe nange umuntu azi bona umlinganakhe ukhewaziphatha kumbi ngokwamabhayi umlingani onganamlandu lo akhethe ukulala naye, isenzweso sitjho bona umlibalele, yeke akasanaso isizathu esingokomTlolo sokumtlhala.

16. UJesu wathini ngokungatjhadi?

¹⁶ Ngemva kobana uJesu atjele amaKrestu ukuthi asikho isizathu sokutlhala umuntu otjhade naye ngaphandle kokuthi aziphathe kumbi ngokwamabhayi, wabuye wakhuluma “ngalabo abanesiphiwo” sokungatjhadi. Wangezelela ngokuthi: “Loyo okghona ukwamukela lokho akenze njalo.” (Mat. 19:10-12) Abantu abanengi bakhethe ukungatjhadi ukwenzela bona bakghone ukulotjha uJehova ngomkhumbulo woke. Ngokwenza njalo kufuze babukwe tle!

17. Yini engasiza umKrestu bona akhethe ukuthi uyafuna na ukutjhada?

¹⁷ Ukutjhada nokungatjhadi kusiqunto esenziwa mumuntu ngokwakhe, nakukghonakalako angakhetha ukungatjhadi. Umpostoli uPowula wakhuthaza ukungatjhadi, wabuye wathi: “Kodwana ngebanga lobufebe esele bandile, kuhle bona leyo naleyo ndoda ibe nomfazi wayo, nomfazi abe nendoda yakhe.” Wangezelela ngokuthi: “Nangabe abakghoni ukuzibamba, kumele batjhade ngombana kungcono ukutjhada kunokutjhiswa yikanuko.” Ukutjhada kungamsiza umuntu abalekele iinkanuko ezingamenza ukuthi agqine sekaskomora nofana aziphathe kumbi ngokwamabhayini. Kungaba kuhle ukucabanga ngomnyaka umuntu anawo, umpostoli wabuye wathi: “Nakube umuntu udlumbana bona wenza okungakafaneli malungana netlawu alibonileko, nalo nakube iminyaka yalo iyakhamba begodu lizizwela bona sele lifuna ukwenda, umuntu loyo akenze okufaneleko. Akoni ngalokho, abatjhade.” (1 Kor. 7:2, 9, 36; 1 Thim. 4:1-3) Ngaphezu kwakho koke esekutjhiwo, umuntu akukafuzi enziwe mimizwa yobutjha bona atjhade. Kungenzeka ngesikhatheso akakavuthwa ngokwaneleko bona angakghona ukuqalana nemithwalo yokutjhada.

18, 19. (a) Umtjhado wamaKrestu kufuze uthome njani? (b) Sizokucoca ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁸ Umtjhado kufuze wakhiwe yindoda nomfazi abazinikele kuJehova begodu abamthanda ngehliziywabo yoke. Begodu kufuze bathandane khulu balwele nokuphila ndawonye. Bazokufumana isibusiso ngokuthi balandele isiyalo sokutjhada nomuntu ‘okholwa eKosini.’ (1 Kor. 7:39) Ngemva kobana batjhadile, bazokuvuma ngokwabo ukuthi iBhayibheli lineseluleko esiphuma phambili sokuthi umtjhado uphumelele.

¹⁹ Isihloko esilandelako sizokucoca ngamaphuzu asemTlolweni azokusiza amaKrestu atjhadileko bona akghone ukuqalana ngokuphumelelako ‘nemihla yokuphela’ imihla lapho amadoda nabafazi abanengi banemikghwa engekhe yakha umtjhado ophumelelako. (2 Thim. 3:1-5) UJehova usinikele iliZwi lakhe elizosisiza ngesikutlhogako bona sibe nomtjhado ophumelelako begodu sithabe njengombana sikhamba nabantu bakhe sitjhinga ekuphileni okungapheliko.—Mat. 7:13, 14.