1, 2. (a) Sikutjho ngaliphi ukuthi iphaseli liphadlhuka liyaphambili? (b) Sizokuphendula miphi imibuzo esihlokwenesi?

UDADWETHU wesewula yeYurobhu uthi, “Kusukela ngisesemncani bengihlale ngibona abantu baphathwa kumbi, lokho kwangikhumbuza indlela nami ekhengaphathwa ngayo. Ngikho ngingazange ngizibandakanye kwezepolotiki enarhenekhethu kodwana ngasekela iinhlangano ezifuna amatjhuguluko. Ngithandane isikhathi eside nesokana ebelivukela umbuso.” Kunomunye godu umfowethu we-Afrika, yena-ke bekathi ukuba nenturhu kulungile. Nakazihlathululako uthi, “Bengikholelwa ukuthi umhlobo wekhethu ngiwo ongcono khulu kuneminye. Yeke ngajoyina ihlangano ethileko yezepolotiki. Kiyo safundiswa ukubulala amanabethu ngesabula, ngitjho nabantu bomhlobo wekhethu besibabulala nabangasekeli isiqhema sethu sepolotiki.” Udadwethu ohlala eYurobhu uyavuma uthi, “Benginebandlulo khulu, bengihloye woke umuntu ohlukileko kumani namkha oneenkolelo ezingafani nezami.”

² Namhlanje banengi abantu abazizwa njengabantu esesikhulume ngabo esigabeni sokuthoma. Ukuba nenturhu nokuzijamela sekuyinto eyandileko, kusesenjalo kuneenhlangano ezinengi eziphikisanako. Eenarheni ezinengi abantu abavela kwezinye iinarha abaphathwa kuhle. IBhayibheli labikezela gade ukuthi abantu abanengi esikhathini esiphila kiswesi angeze basafuna  “isivumelwano.” (2 Thim. 3:1, 3) Njengombana iphaseli liphadlhuka liya phambili nje, amaKrestu wona angabuvikela njani ubunye bawo? Singafunda okunengi ngendlela uJesu aqalana ngayo nobujamo ngesikhathi asephasini njengombana abantu bebaphadlhulwe yipolotiki phakathi. Okwanje akhesiqale izinto ezintathu ezitjengisa bona kubayini uJesu angakhenge azihlanganise neenhlangano zepolotiki. Waveza njani ukuthi abantu abalotjha uZimu kutlhogeka bazihlukanise nezepolotiki? UJesu wasifundisa njani ukuthi inturhu ayikalungi?

3, 4. (a) AmaJuda wangesikhathi sakaJesu bewalindeleni ekhambisana nezepolotiki? (b) Lokho kwabathinta njani abafundi bakaJesu?

³ AmaJuda amanengi uJesu ebekatjhumayela kiwo bewafuna ukutjhatjhululwa eRoma. IHlangano elwela ukuzibusa kwamaJuda yahlohlozela abantu bona bafune ukutjhatjhululwa eRoma. Abanengi babo bebalandela uJudasi weGalile. Bekangumesiya wamanga ngeenkhathi zabapostoli begodu wakhohlisa abanengi. Usomlando omJuda uJosephus uthi, “UJudasi bekahlohlozela amaJuda bona alwe, awabiza ngokuthi amatjhatjha nawathobela umthetho weRoma wokubhadela umthelo.” AmaRoma athi angakuzwa lokho ambulala. (IzE. 5:37) Ihlangano elwela ukuzibusa kwamaJuda leya yathoma yaba nenturhu bona ifeze iinhloso zayo.

⁴ Ngitjho namanye amaJuda egade angasi yingcenye yehlangano leya nawo bewalinde uMesiya wezepolotiki. Ngikho bewalindele ukuthi uMesiya nakafikako awenzele izinto ezihle, aphakamise isitjhaba samaJuda begodu awatjhuphulule eRoma. (Luk. 2:38; 3:15) Abanye bebakholelwa ukuthi uMesiya uzokuthoma umBuswakhe ephasini kwa-Israyeli. Bebakholelwa ukuthi amaJuda asabalele iphasi loke azokubuyela enarhenawo. Usakhumbula na ukuthi uJwanisi uMbhabhadisi wakhe wabuza uJesu wathi: “Kghani nguwe ozako, namkha kufuze silindele omunye?” (Mat. 11:2, 3) Kungenzeka uJwanisi ebekafuna ukukwazi kukuthi omunye ozakufika lo nguye na ozokwenza okufunwa maJuda. Abafundi ababili abahlangana noJesu nakaqeda ukuvuswa asendleleni eya e-Emawusi nabo bebangakaneliseki ngoMesiya. (Funda uLukasi 24:21.) Ingasikade ngemva kwalokho abapostoli bakaJesu nabo bambuza ukuthi: “Kosi, ubuyisela umbuso ku-Israyeli gadesi na?”—IzEnzo 1:6.

5. (a) Kubayini abantu beGalile bebafuna uJesu abe yikosi? (b) UJesu wabasiza njani balungisa ukucabanga kwabo?

⁵ Izinto ebebazilindele kuMesiya zenza abantu beGalile bafuna ukwenza uJesu ikosi. Singacabanga ukuthi kubayini bebafuna ukwenza uJesu ikosi, kazi uJesu bekasikhulumi, bekakghona ukulapha abantu abagulako, akghona ngitjho nokunikela abantu abalambileko ukudla. Ngemva kokuthi aphe amadoda angaba zii-5 000 ukudla wabona ukuthi abanye bebanganahloso ehle. “Nje-ke uJesu azi ukuthi bazokuza bambambe bona bamenze ikosi, wabuyela entabeni wahlala yedwa.” (Jwa. 6:10-15) Ngelanga elilandelako nabangaphatjheya kweLwandle leGalile umfuthwabo wokufuna ukumenza ikosi besele ubohlile. Ngikho uJesu abahlathululela ihloso yomsebenzakhe. Bekazele ukuzobasiza bazi ngoZimu ingasi ukubondla nokuthuthukisa isitjhaba samaJuda. Wabatjela wathi, “Ningasebenzeli ukudla okonakalako, kodwana sebenzelani ukudla okungonakaliko okunikela ukuphila okungapheliko.”—Jwa. 6:25-27.

6. UJesu wakwenza njani kwakhanya ukuthi akakazeli ukuzokuba phasiphezulu nezinto zepolotiki? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁶ Ngaphambi kobana uJesu ahlongakale walemuka ukuthi abanye ebebamlandela bebalindele bona anzinzise umbuswakhe eJerusalema. Wabenza bona bazwisise ukuthi kubayini angeze akwenze lokho ngokubenzela umfanekiso wabomina. Umfanekiso  loyo utjengisa ukuthi uJesu ‘umumuntu . . . obelethwe ebukhosini’ obekuzokutlhogeka akhambe, okuyinto eyokuthatha isikhathi eside khulu. (Luk. 19:11-13, 15) UJesu wabuye watjela ababusi beRoma ukuthi yena akazihlanganisi nezepolotiki. UPilatu wakhe wabuza uJesu, wathi: “UyiKosi yamaJuda na?” (Jwa. 18:33) Kungenzeka umbusi lo bekasaba ukuthi uJesu uzokubanga irawurawu kwezepolotiki, into ebeyimraro khulu ngesikhathi sokubusa kwakhe. UJesu wamphendula wathi: “UmBuswami awusiyingcenye yephaseli.” (Jwa. 18:36) UJesu bekatjho ukuthi angekhe azibandakanye kwezepolotiki ngombana umBuswakhe bewuzokubusa usezulwini. Watjela uPilatu ukuthi umsebenzakhe ephasina ‘kufakazela iqiniso.’—Funda uJwanisi 18:37.

7. Yini ekwenza kube budisi ukungafisi izinto ezithileko zepolotiki?

⁷ UJesu bekawazi kuhle umsebenzakhe, yeke nathi nange siwazi umsebenzethu angeze sasekela ipolotiki, asifuni ngitjho nokufisa izinto ezithileko zepolotiki. Nokho angeze kube lula ukwenza njalo. Omunye umjikelezi uthi, “Abantu abanengi amalanga la sebathanda ipolotiki khulu. Lokho kubenza bafune ukuzijamela bazitjele ukuthi ipolotiki izokutjhugulula amaphilwabo. Nokho kuyathabisa ukuthi abafowethu nabodadwethu ngaphezu kwakho koke lokhu bahlala babumbene begodu umsebenzi oqakathekileko abawenzako ngewokutjhumayela ngomBuso kaZimu. Bathemba uZimu ukuthi nguye ozobalungisela imiraro, aqede nokungabi nobulungiswa.”

8. Akhuze nesibonelo esitjengisa ukuthi amaJuda bewagandelelwa njani.

⁸ Nakungana bulungiswa abantu babona kungcono ukuphephela kwezepolotiki. Ngesikhathi sakaJesu ukubhadela umthelo bekuyinto ebanga umguruguru kwezepolotiki. Kuhlekuhle into eyenza uJudasi weGalile esikhulume ngaye wavukela kukuthi amaRoma bewatlolisa abantu ukuqinisekisa ukuthi umthelo uyabhadelwa. Izakhamuzi zeRoma kuhlanganise nalabo ebebalalela uJesu bekufuze babhadele imithelo eminengi, kungaba ngewepahlo, wendawo namkha wendlu. Ngapha nabathelisi nabo bebangakathambeki, lokho bekwenza kube budisi ebantwini. Ngezinye iinkhathi abathelisi bebathenga isikhundla kurhulumende ukuze bazuze emalini eyenziwa efandisini. UZakewu ngomunye wabathelisi abakhulu beJerikho owaba sikhumukani ngebanga lokudlelezela abantu. (Luk. 19:2, 8) Indlelakhe yokwenza izinto beyimkhuba wabantu abanengi ngeenkhathi zakhe.

9, 10. (a) Amanaba kaJesu alinga njani ukumenza athathe ihlangothi kwezepolotiki? (b) Indlela uJesu aphendula ngayo isifundisani? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁹ Amanaba kaJesu alinga ukwenza amano  wokumfaka eendabeni zomthelo. Indaba ebekuphikiswana ngayo bekuyindaba ‘yomthelo’ obhadelwa mumuntu ngamunye. Bekulindeleke umthelo ebewulingana nodenariyu eJudeni ngalinye. (Funda uMatewu 22:16-18.) AmaJuda bewangafuni ukubhadela umthelo loyo, ngombana bewuwakhumbuza ukuthi angaphasi kweRoma. ‘Abalandeli behlangano kaHerode’ ngibo abaphakamisa indaba le, banethemba lokuthi uJesu nakangayirarha bekazozifumana asekingeni yokuvukela umbuso. Nabekangavuma ukuthi abantu babhadele umthelo loyo, abalandeli bakhe bebangalisa ukumlandela.

¹⁰ UJesu bekaqiniseka bona akathathi hlangothi eendabeni zemithelo. Yeke wathi: “Buyiselani izinto zakaKhesari kuKhesari kodwana izinto zakaZimu, kuZimu.” (Mat. 22:21) UJesu bekazi bona abathelisi bebakhwabanisa. Kodwana akhenge akuvumele lokho bona kumthikazise kokuqakathekileko. EbekumBuso kaZimu, okungiwo ozokulethela abantu isisombululo. Ngalokho bekanikela abalandeli bakhe isibonelo sokulingiswa. Abalandeli bakaJesu kufuze bakubalekele ukuthatha ihlangothi eendabeni zepolotiki nanyana kungabonakala kukuhle kangangani. Phela amaKrestu kufuze afune umBuso nokulunga kwakaZimu. Lokho bakwenza ngokungabi nemibono namkha ukukhuluma ngokuthi ngiziphi izinto ezinganabulungiswa.—Mat. 6:33.

11. Singayilungisa njani imikhumbulwethu nasibona ukungabi nobulungiswa?

¹¹ Inengi laboFakazi bakaJehova likghonile ukulisa ukuthatha ihlangothi kwezepolotiki. Omunye udadwethu weGreat Britain uthi, “Ngemva kobana ngiqede iimfundo zami ezimalungana namalungelo wabantu eyunivesithi, ngafisa ukujamela amalungelo wabantu abanzima, khulukhulu njengombana satlhaga khulu siqalana nokungabi nobulungiswa, ngathoma ukungenelela khulu kwezepolotiki. Bengihlala ngiphumelela nakunepikiswano kodwana bengisala ngihlangahlangene. Bengingalemuki bona umsuka wokungabi nobulungiswa nawuzakuphela kufuze ususwe ngaphakathi eenhliziyweni zabantu. Kwathi nangithoma ukufunda iBhayibheli ngabona ukuthi kufuze ngithome ngilungise ihliziywami. Ngasizwa ngudade olikhuwa ngokungibekezelela ngekingami le. Nje ngiliphayona lesikhathi esizeleko ebandleni labantu abakhuluma ngezandla. Ngilinga ukusiza yoke imihlobo yabantu ifunde ngoZimu.”

12. Mhlobo bani ‘wesibiliso’ uJesu atjela abalandeli bakhe bona basibalekele?

¹² Ngeenkhathi zakaJesu ipolotiki beyihlangene nezekolo. Incwadi i-Daily Life in Palestine at the Time of Christ ithi: “Indlela iinqhema zekolo zamaJuda ebezihlukene ngayo beyifana nendlela iinhlangano zepolotiki ezihlukene ngakhona namhlanjesi.” Akhuluma nabafundi bakhe, uJesu wathi: “Yelelani; nitjheje isibiliso sabaFarisi nesibiliso sakaHerode.” (Mar. 8:15) UJesu nakakhuluma ngesibiliso sakaHerode kungenzeka bekakhuluma ngabalandeli behlangano kaHerode. Kwezepolotiki abaFarisi bebasekela ukuzibusa kwamaJuda. Encwadini kaMatewu uJesu wayelelisa abafundi bakhe ngabaSadusi. Bebafuna izinto zihlale njengombana zinjalo. Phela amalunga wawo amanengi bewaneenkhundla embusweni weRoma. UJesu watjela abafundi bakhe indlebe ukuzwa ukuthi kufuze bangazilaleli iimfundiso (namkha isibiliso) ebezifundiswa ziinqhema ezintathwezi. (Mat. 16:6, 12) Kazi nakucocwa ngendaba le bekungakadluli isikhathi eside abantu bafune ukwenza uJesu ikosi.

13, 14. (a) Ipolotiki nekolo kwawubanga njani umguruguru? (b) Kubayini ukuphathwa ngokunganabulungiswa kungasilibanga lokuba nenturhu? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹³ Umguruguru uvuka lula khulu nakhe ikolo yaqhema nezepolotiki. Kungebangelo  uJesu atjela abafundi bakhe ukuthi akukafuzi bazibandakanye nezepolotiki. Indaba le ihlobana eduze nebanga elenza abaphristi abakhulu nabaFarisi bafuna ukubulala uJesu. Bebacabanga ukuthi uzokuba mdosi phambili wezekolo namkha wezepolotiki, yeke lokho bekubenza babone ngasuthi uzokuthatha isikhundla sabo. Bathi, “Nasingamlisa arage ngendlela enza ngayo le, boke abantu bazomkholwa, namaRoma azokuza athathe kokubili indawethu nesitjhaba sethu.” (Jwa. 11:48) Kungebangelo uKhayafasi obekamPhristi oPhakemeko adosa phambili ekubalaweni kwakaJesu.—Jwa. 11:49-53; 18:14.

¹⁴ UKhayafasi wathumela amasotja ngobusuku bona ayokubamba uJesu. UJesu bekazi ngeqhingeli, yeke ngesikhathi adla nabafundi bakhe kwamaswaphela wababawa bona bayokulanda iinsabula. Bafumana iinsabula ezimbili, uJesu wazisebenzisa bona abafundise ngazo. (Luk. 22:36-38) Ebusukwini bamhlokho, uPitrosi wakghwatjha isabulakhe warharhabula omunye obekasesiqhemeni esinenturhu esithunyiwekweso. Asingabazi ukuthi uPitrosi wasilingwa babantu abanganabulungiswaba nabafuna ukuzokubopha uJesu ebusuku. (Jwa. 18:10) Nokho uJesu wamkhalimela wathi: “Buyisela isabulakho endawenayo, ngombana boke abasebenzisa isabula bazokubhubha ngesabula.” (Mat. 26:52, 53) Into uJesu abafundisa yona le pheze ifane nale ayithandazelako nakazakuthi abasiyingcenye yephasi. (Funda uJwanisi 17:16.) Ukulwela ubulungiswa akusingekwethu, kunalokho kufuze sikutjhiyele kuZimu.

15, 16. (a) IliZwi lakaZimu liwasize njani amaKrestu bona abalekele iimpikiswano? (b) Ngimuphi umahluko uJehova awubonakako nakaqala iphasi?

¹⁵ Udade weYurobhu ekhesakhuluma ngaye wafunda isifundo sokutjhiyela zoke izinto kuZimu. Uthi: “Ngibonile ukuthi ukuba nenturhu akubulethi ubulungiswa. Abantu abathembele enturhwini baphetha ngokufa. Abanye kubatjhiya neenhliziyo ezibuhlungu. Yeke ngathaba khulu nangizwa iBhayibheli lithi uZimu nguye yedwa ongenza bona kube nobulungiswa ephasini. Sekuphele iminyaka ema-25 yoke ngitjhumayela wona umlayezo lo.” Umnakwethu we-Afrika uthi esikhudleni sokuphatha isabula yokulwa sekaphatha “yommoya,” okuliliZwi lakaZimu. Sekatjhumayela umlayezo wokuthula kibomakhelwana bakhe kungakhathaliseki bona bamhlobo bani. (Efe. 6:17) Udade weYurobhu loya ngemva kokuthi abe nguFakazi, watjhada nomfowethu ovela komunye umhlobo wabantu ebekawuhloye khulu. Abathathwaba benza amatjhuguluko ekuphileni kwabo ngombana bebafuna ukufana noKrestu.

¹⁶ Amatjhuguluko abawenzako la aqakatheke tle! IBhayibheli lifanisa abantu nelwandle elinganakuthula, elitjhinga le nale. (Isa. 17:12; 57:20, 21; IsAm. 13:1) Kodwana thina sihlala sinokuthula begodu sibumbene nanyana zepolotiki ziphasi phezulu zihlangahlanganisa abantu, zibahlukanisa phakathi bezibanga nenturhu. Siyathemba ukuthi njengombana uJehova aqale iphasi begodu abona indlela elihlangahlangene ngayo, uyathaba nakabona abantu bakhe babumbene njengenyanda yeenkuni.—Funda uZefaniya 3:17.

17. (a) Ngiziphi iindlela ezintathu esingathuthukisa ngazo ukubumbana? (b) Sizokucoca ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁷ Sifunde iindlela ezintathu esingathuthukisa ngazo ukuthula kwethu, nanzi iindlela zakhona: (1) Sithemba umBuso kaZimu bona usilungisele imiraro yokungabi nobulungiswa, (2) asizibandakanyi eendabeni zepolotiki begodu (3) asiyibangi inturhu. Kodwana ngasikhathi ukubumbana kwethokhu kungathikanyezwa libandlululo. Esihlokweni esilandelako sizokubona ukuthi singaqalana njani nomraro lo besiphumelele njengombana kwenza amaKrestu wekadeni.