YINI oyenzako nawufuna ukwazi ukuthi sikhathibani? Kungenzeka uqala iwatjhakho, kungaba ngesesandleni namkha ebodeni. Umnganakho nakangakubuza ukuthi sikhathibani, uzomphendula uthini? Kazi indlela esibiza ngayo isikhathi ikhamba ihluka. Kuhluka njani?

Ukufanekisa indaba le, akhesithi njengombana uqala isikhathi ufunyana bona sele kudlule imizuzu ema-30 kubethe i-iri lokuthoma emini. Mhlamunye umuntu nakakubuza ukuthi sikhathibani uzosibiza ngalendlela, 1:30. Namkha ungasibiza bunjesi, 13:30. Ukuthi uzosibiza njani kuzokuya nangendawo ohlala kiyo. Kanti kwezinye iindawo bangathi “kusele imizuzu ema-30 bona kubethe i-iri lesibili.”

Yeke nawe kungenzeka uyazibuza ukuthi kazi abantu bekadeni bebasibiza njani isikhathi. Nabo bebaneendlela ezinengi zokubiza isikhathi. ImiTlolo yesiHebheru isebenzisa amagama la nayikhuluma ngesikhathi, “ekuseni” “emini” “emini ekulu” “ntambama.” (Gen. 8:11; 19:27; 43:16; Dut. 28:29; 1 Kho. 18:26) Kodwana ibuye ibeke isikhathi esiporo kokhunye.

Nekadeni abonogadi bebatlhogeka khulukhulu ebusuku. Ngaphambi kokuthi uJesu eze ephasini ama-Israyeli ahlukanisa ubusuku abenza baba namahlandla amathathu, bese abiza amahlandla lawo ngokuthi milindo namkha isikhathi sabogadi. (Rhu. 63:6, NW) Isibonelo salokho nginasi esitlolwe encwadini yabaKhokheli 7:19 sithi: “Ngesikhathi sabogadi baphakathi kobusuku.” AmaJuda wangesikhathi sakaJesu akhamba nendlela yamaGirigi namaRoma yokuhlukanisa ubusuku bube mahlandla amane.

Kanti neencwadi zamaVangeli nazo ziyayiphatha indaba yomlindo namkha abogadi. Isibonelo salokho nginasi, ngesikhathi uJesu akhamba ngaso phezu kwamanzini ‘bekumlindo wesine wobusuku.’ (Mat. 14:25) Komunye umfanekiso uJesu awenzako wathi: “Ngathana umninimuzi [bekazi ukuthi bekumlindo wanini] isela elizokufika [ngawo], bekazokuhlala aphapheme begodu bekangekhe avumela bona umuzakhe ugqekezwe.”—Mat. 24:43, ftn.

UJesu wakhuluma ngazo zozine iinkhathi zabogadi namkha zemilindo yebusuku nakatjela abafundi bakhe athi: “Hlalani niqalile, ngombana anazi bona umninindlu ubuya nini, kungaba ntambama namkha phakathi nobusuku namkha ngamathathakusa namkha ekuseni.” (Mar. 13:35; ftn.) Umlindo wokuthoma bewuthoma “ntambama” uyokuphela nge-iri lethoba ebusuku. Wesibili namkha ‘waphakathi nobusuku’ wona bethoma nge-iri lethoba uyokuphela phakathi kobusuku. Wesithathu bewubizwa ngokuthi ‘ngewamathathakusa,’ namkha wesikhathi ‘sokulila komkukurumbu’ wona bewuthoma phakathi kobusuku mhlamunye uyokuphela nge-iri lesithathu ekuseni. Kungenzeka ukuthi walila ngaso isikhathesi mhla uPitrosi azakuphika uJesu. (Mar. 14:72) Umlindo wamaswaphela ebekungewesine bewubizwa ngokuthi mlindo ‘wekuseni,’ bewuthoma nge-iri lesithathu ekuseni bewuyokuphela nakuphuma ilanga.

Abantu bakade ngitjho nanyana bebanganawo amawatjhi esinawo namhlanjesi kodwana bebaneendlela ebebaqala ngazo isikhathi.