1-3. Hlathulula ukuthi uJesu wasondla njani isiqubuthu esikhulu ngendaweni yeBhethe-Sayida. (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni kwesihloko.)

CABANGA ngalokhu. (Funda uMatewu 14:14-21.) Kungaphambi kwePhasika laka-32 C.E. Isiqubuthu samadoda azi-5 000, nekungakabalwa abafazi nabantwana, sinoJesu nabafundi bakhe endaweni engahlali muntu eBhethe-Sayida, umuzi oseligwini elisetlhagwini yeLwandle leGaleliya.

² Nekabona isiqubuthweso, uJesu uba nesirhawu ngaso, ngalokho uphulukisa abagulako hlangana naso begodu abafundise izinto ezinengi ngomBuso kaZimu. Kwathi nekuhlwako, abafundi bakhuthaza uJesu bona akhambise abantu ukwenzela bonyana batjhinge emizini eseduze bazithengele ukudla. Kodwana uJesu uthi ebafundini bakhe: “Bapheni nina ngokwenu kokugoma.” Amezwakhe la kungenzeka abarara abafundi, ngombana bebangakaphathi ukudla okuthe tjha—izikwa ezihlanu neenhlambi eembili ezincani.

³ Asikinywa sirhawu, uJesu wenza ikarisomraro—okungiyo yodwa etlolwe ngibo bobane abatloli bamaVangeli. (Mar. 6:35-44; Luk. 9:10-17; Jwa. 6:1-13) UJesu utjela abafundi bakhe bona bahlalise abantu etjanini ngeenqhema zabantu aba-50 nezaba-100. Nekaqeda ukuthandaza, uthoma ukuhlephula izikwa ahlukanise neenhlambi. Ngemva kwalokho, kunokuthi yena ngokunqophileko anikele abantu ukudla, uJesu ukunikela “abafundi bakhe, bona bakunikele abantu.” Ngokumangalisako, woke umuntu udla bekusale! Khusucabange: UJesu wondla iinkulungwana zabantu ngezandla zabambalwa—abafundi bakhe. *

4. (a) UJesu bekatshwenyeke khulu ngokunikela muphi umhlobo wokudla, begodu kubayini? (b) Khuyini esizoyidemba esihlokwenesi nesihlokweni esifundwako esilandelako?

⁴ Nokho, uJesu bekatshwenyeke khulu ngokondla abalandeli bakhe ngokomoya. Bekazi bona ukugoma ukudla okungokomoya, okumaqiniso afumaneka eliZwini lakaZimu, kurholela ekuphileni okungapheliko.  (Jwa. 6:26, 27; 17:3) Atjhukunyiswa sirhawu esifanako naleso esamenza wanikela isiqubuthu iinhlambi nezikwa, uJesu ngokwakhe wasebenzisa ama-iri amanengi afundisa abalandeli bakhe. (Mar. 6:34) Kodwana bekazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe ephasini sizokuba sifitjhani nokuthi uzokubuyela ezulwini. (Mat. 16:21; Jwa. 14:12) Alo-ke uJesu osezulwini bakazokuragela njani phambili abondla kuhle ngokomoya abalandeli bakhe abasephasini? Bekazokulandela ikambiso efanako—bekazokondla abanengi ngezandla zabambalwa. Nokho, bobani ebebazokuba ngabambalwa? Khesibone ukuthi uJesu wabasebenzisa njani abambalwa ukondla abalandeli bakhe abazesiweko abanengi bangekhulu lokuthoma. Bese esihlokweni esilandelako, sizokudemba umbuzo lo oqakatheke khulu komunye nomunye wethu: Singababona njani abambalwa uKrestu asondla ngabo namhlanjesi?

5, 6. (a) Ngisiphi isiqunto esibudisi uJesu asenza ukuqinisekisa bona abalandeli bakhe bazokondleka kuhle ngokomoya ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakhe? (b) UJesu wabalungiselela njani abapostoli bakhe bona badlale indima eqakathekileko ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakhe?

⁵ Ihloko yomndeni enobubhadekelo yenza amalungiselelo wokobana umndenayo utlhogonyelwe nekungenzeka ihlongakale. Ngokufanako, uJesu—obekazokuba yiHloko yebandla lobuKrestu—wenza amalungiselelo wokobana abalandeli bakhe batlhogonyelwe ngokomoya ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakhe. (Efe. 1:22) Ngokwesibonelo, eemnyakeni engaba mibili ngaphambi kokuhlongakala kwakhe, uJesu wenza isiqunto esibudisi. Wakhetha bokuthoma babambalwa ebakazokondla ngabo abanengi esikhathini esizako. Cabanga ukuthi kwenzekani.

⁶ Ngemva kokuthandaza ubusuku boke, uJesu ubuthelela abafundi bakhe begodu hlangana nabo ukhetha abapostoli abali-12. (Luk. 6:12-16) Eminyakeni eembili elandelako, bekaseduze ngokukhethekileko nabalitjhumi nambilaba, abafundisa ngelizwi nangesibonelo. Bekazi bona kusesekunengi ekufuze bakufunde; eqinisweni, baragela phambili babizwa ngokuthi ‘bafundi.’ (Mat. 11:1; 20:17) Wabanikela isiluleko esiqakathekileko ngokomuntu mathupha nebandulo elinabileko ekonzweni. (Mat. 10:1-42; 20:20-23; Luk. 8:1; 9:52-55) Kusemtarini bona bekabalungiselela indima eqakathekileko abazoyidlala ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakhe nokubuyela ezulwini.

7. UJesu wawunikela njani umtlhala wokuthi bewuzokuba yini umsebenzi oyihloko wabapostoli?

⁷ Abapostoli bebazokudlala yiphi indima? Njengombana iPentekoste laka- 33 C.E. litjhidela, kwakhanya bona abapostoli bazokukhonza ‘esikhundleni sokuba babonisi.’ (IzE. 1:20) Nokho, bewuzokuba yini umsebenzabo oyihloko? Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu wanikela umtlhala walokho engcocweni yakhe nompostoli uPitrosi. (Funda uJwanisi 21:1, 2, 15-17.) Kukhona nabanye abapostoli, uJesu watjela uPitrosi: “Yondla iimvana zami.” Ngalokho uJesu watjengisa bona abapostoli bakhe bebazokuba hlangana nabambalwa ebakazobasebenzisa ukunikela abanengi ukudla okungokomoya. Qala bona leso sitjengiso esithinta amazizo nesikhanya kangangani sendlela uJesu azizwa ngayo ‘ngeemvana zakhe’! *

8. Amakholwa amatjha atjengisa njani ngePentekoste bona ayawuhlonipha umsele uKrestu ebekawusebenzisa?

⁸ Kusukela ngePentekoste laka- 33 C.E., uKrestu ovusiweko wasebenzisa abapostoli bakhe njengomsele ondla ngawo boke abafundi bakhe abazesiweko. (Funda IzEnzo 2:41, 42.) Umsele loyo bewuhlonitjhwa ngaphandle kokuzaza maJuda namaproselithe aba maKrestu azeswe ngomoya ngesikhatheso. Ngaphandle kokuzaza, ‘bazinikela efundisweni yabapostoli.’ Ngokwesinye isazi, isenzo sesiGirigi esitjhugululwe ngokuthi  “bazinikela” singatjho “ukuthembeka okudzimeleleko nokuba nomqondo onamathele ekambweni ethileko.” Amakholwa amatjha la bekanephango lokudla okungokomoya, begodu bekazi kuhle bona azokufumanaphi. Ngokuthembeka okungasikinyekiko, aqala kubapostoli bona bahlathulule amezwi nezenzo zikaJesu nokobana balethe ukukhanya okutjha ngehlathululo yeminye imitlolo emalungana naye. *—IzE. 2:22-36.

9. Abapostoli batjengisa njani ukuthi badzimelela emthwalweni wabo wokondla izimvu zikaJesu?

⁹ Abapostoli bahlala badzimelele emthwaleni wabo wokondla izimvu zikaJesu. Ngokwesibonelo, tjheja indlela abasingatha ngayo indaba elumelako ebeyingahlukanisa ibandla elisakhasako langesikhatheso. Indabakhona beyibandakanya ukudla—kodwana ukudla okungokwenyama. Abahlolokazi abakhuluma isiGirigi bebangatjhejwa nekwabiwa ukudla qobe langa, kodwana abahlolokazi abakhuluma isiHebheru bona bebatjhejwa. Abapostoli bayirarulula njani indaba egugunako le? “Abalitjhumi nambili” babeka abazalwana abalikhomba abafanelekako bona bongamele ‘umsebenzi’ oqakathekileko lo, ukwabiwa kokudla. Abapostoli—ngokunganakuzaza inengi labo elahlanganyela ekwabeleni iinqubuthu ukudla uJesu azondla ngokusimangaliso—babona ukuthi kuqakatheke khudlwana ngabo bona badzimelele ekondleni ngokomoya. Ngalokho, bazinikela ‘emsebenzini wokutjhumayela.’—IzE. 6:1-6.

10. UJesu wabasebenzisa njani abapostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema?

¹⁰ Ngo-49 C.E., abapostoli ebebasaphila ngesikhatheso besele bajoyinwe ngabanye abadala abafanelekako. (Funda IzEnzo 15:1, 2.) “Abapostoli nabaphathi [namadoda amadala, NW] bakhonza njengesihlopha esibusako. NjengeHloko yebandla, uKrestu wasebenzisa isiqhenyanesi samadoda afanelekako ukurarulula iindaba ezingokwefundiso nokwengamela nokunqophisa ukutjhunyayelwa nokufundiswa kweendaba ezimnandi zomBuso.—IzE. 15:6-29; 21:17-19; Kol. 1:18.

11, 12. (a) Khuyini etjengisa bona uJehova walibusisa ilungiselelo iNdodanakhe ebeyondla ngalo amabandla wekhulu lokuthoma? (b) Umsele uKrestu ebekawusebenzisela ukondla ngokomoya bewubonakala njani ngokukhanyako?

¹¹ Inga-kghani uJehova walibusisa ilungiselelo iNdodanakhe eyalisebenzisa bona yondle amabandla wangekhulu lokuthoma? Ngokuqinisekileko! Singaqiniseka njani? Incwadi yezEnzo isinikela umbiko olandelako: “Lokha nabalokhu bakhamba [umpostoli  uPowula nabakhambisani bakhe] umuzi nomuzi bebanande bakhuluma bona kufuze kulondwe iimphetho ezathathwa bapostoli nabaphathi eJerusalema. Yeke amabandla aqiniswa ekukholweni akhula malanga woke.” (IzE. 16:4, 5) Tjheja bona amabandla lawo aphumelela ngombana bekabambisana ngokuthembeka nesihlopha esibusako eJerusalema. Lokho akusibufakazi na bokuthi uJehova uyalibusisa ilungiselelo iNdodanakhe eyondla ngalo amabandla? Asikhumbuleni ukuthi ipumelelo engokomoya ikghoneka kwaphela ngesibusiso sakaJehova esinothileko.—IzA. 10:22; 1 Kor. 3:6, 7.

¹² Bekube nje sibone ukuthi uJesu bekalandela ikambiso ethileko nekondla abalandeli bakhe: Wondla abanengi ngezandla zabambalwa. Umsele awusebenzisela ukondla ngokomoya bewubonakala ngokukhanyako. Phela abapostoli—abamalunga wokuthoma wesihlopha esibusako—bebanganikela ubufakazi obubonakalako bokusekelwa nguZimu. IzEnzo 5:12 zithi, “Benza iimbonakaliso neemangaliso ezinengi hlangana nabantu.” * Ngalokho, bekunganasizathu sokobana labo ababa maKrestu bazibuze, ‘Bobani kwamambala uKrestu ondla ngabo izimvu zakhe?’ Kodwana ngekupheleni kwekhulu lokuthoma, ubujamo batjhentjha.

13, 14. (a) Ngisiphi isiyeleliso uJesu asinikela malungana nokuhlaselwa, begodu amezwakhe athoma nini ukuzaliseka? (b) Ukuhlasela bekuzokuvela kiziphi iinqhema eembili? (Qala isilungelelo.)

¹³ UJesu wabikezela bona ibandla lobuKrestu lizokuhlaselwa. Khumbula, emfanekisweni wakhe wekoroyi nekhula osiphorofido, uJesu wayelelisa bona isimu yekoroyi esand’ ukutjalwa (amaKrestu azesiweko) izokusithibezwa likhula (amaKrestu womgunyathi). Wathi iinqhemezi, zizokukhula ndawonye—zingathikaziswa bekube sikhathi sokuvuna, esizokufika ‘ngesikhathi sokuphela.’ (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43) Zange kuthathe isikhathi eside ngaphambi kobana amezwi kaJesu azaliseke. *

¹⁴ Ubuhlubuki bathoma ukuvela ngekhulu lokuthoma, kodwana abapostoli bakaJesu abathembekileko ‘bakuliya’ ukusilaphala nomthelela weemfundiso zamala. (2 Thes. 2:3, 6, 7) Nokho, ngemva kokuhlongakala kompostoli wamaswaphela, ukuhlubuka kwamila imirabho bekwatlhurha hlangana nesikhathi eside esithethe amakhulu amanengi weminyaka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, hlangana nesikhatheso, ikhula laba linengi begodu iinqwambi zekoroyi bezimbalwa. Bewungekho umsele onqophileko nohlelekileko wokwaba ukudla okungokomoya. Lokho bekuzokutjhentjha. Kodwana, Nini?

15, 16. Ukutaditjha iBhayibheli ngekuthalo kwabaFundi beBhayibheli kwaveza miphi imiphumela, begodu kuphakama muphi umbuzo?

¹⁵ Njengombana isikhathi sokukhula sitjhidela emaphethelweni, bebabanengi abanekareko evuthako eqinisweni leBhayibheli. Khumbula bona ngabo-1870, isiqhenyana sabafuni beqiniso sahlangana senza amaklasi weBhayibheli sazihlukanisa nekhula—amaKrestu womgunyathi asemasondweni nemahlelweni weSingabukrestu. Ngeenhliziyo ezithobekileko neengqondo ezivulekileko, abaFundi beBhayibheli abathembekileko labo, njengombana bebazibiza njalo, benza irhubhululo lemiTlolo ngokutjheja nangesizo lomthandazo.—Mat. 11:25.

¹⁶ Ukutaditjha imiTlolo ngekuthalo kwabaFundi beBhayibheli kwaveza imiphumela enothileko. Amadoda nabafazi abathembekilekwabo bembula iimfundiso zamala barhatjha namaqiniso weBhayibheli, bagadangisa begodu basabalalisa iincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ephasini loke. Umsebenzabo wathinta iinhliziyo wakholisa neengqondo zabanengi ebebalambele begodu bomele iqiniso elingokomoya. Ngalokho kuphakama umbuzo okarisako: Hlangana neminyaka  edosela ku-1914, inga-kghani abaFundi beBhayibheli bebamsele uKrestu awubeka bona ondle ngawo izimvu zakhe? Awa. Bebasese sesikhathini sokukhula, ilungiselelo lomsele wokwaba ukudla okungomoya belisakhiwa. Besingakafiki isikhathi sokobana amaKrestu womgunyathi anjengekhula ahlukaniswe namaKrestu weqiniso ayikoroyi.

17. Ngiziphi izenzakalo eziqakathekileko ezathoma ukwenzeka ngo-1914?

¹⁷ Njengombana sifunde esihlokweni esigadungileko, isikhathi sokuvuna sithome ngo-1914. Ngomnyaka lowo, kwathoma izenzakalo ezinengi eziqakathekileko. UJesu wabekwa njengeKosi esihlalweni sobukhosi, kwathoma namalanga wokuphela. (IsAm. 11:15) Kusukela ngo-1914 kuya ekuthomeni kwaka-1919, uJesu waphekelela uYise ethempelini elingokomoya ukuyokwenza umsebenzi wokuhlola nokucwenga egade utlhogeka khulu. * (Mal. 3:1-4) Ngalokho, kusukela ngo-1919, kwaba sikhathi sokuthoma ukubuthelela ikoroyi. Kghani leso besele kusikhathi sokobana uKrestu abeke umsele munye ohlelekileko wokwaba ukudla okungokomoya? Iye, kunjalo!

18. UJesu wabikezela ukuthi ngikuphi ukubeka azokwenza, begodu kwaphakama muphi umbuzo oqakathekileko njengombana kuthoma amalanga wokuphela?

¹⁸ Esiphorofidweni sakhe malungana nemihla yokuphela, uJesu wabikezela ukuthi uzokubeka umsele ozokunikela ‘ukudla okungokomoya ngesikhathi esifaneleko.’ (Mat. 24:45-47) Bekazokusebenzisa muphi umsele? Alandela umtlhala awusebenzisa ngekhulu lokuthoma, uJesu bekazokubuyelela ondle abanengi ngezandla zabambalwa. Kodwana njengombana amalanga wokuphela athoma, umbuzo oqakathekileko waba ngothi, Bobani abambalwabo? Umbuzo loyo neminye emalungana nesiphorofido sakaJesu izokudenjwa esihlokweni esilandelako.