1-3. Yikuphi okunye okwenza ukufa kukaJesu kungafanani lokwanoma ngubani owake waphila?

NGELINYE ilanga kuyintwasa eminyakeni engu-2 000 eyadlulayo, indoda engelacala yathonisiswa yagwetshelwa amacala engazange iwenze, njalo yahlukuluzwa yaze yafa. Kwakungasikho kokuqala ukuthi umuntu ahlulelwe ngendlela ebuhlungu kangako futhi okudanisayo yikuthi kwakungasoze kube ngokokucina. Kodwa ukufa lokho kwakungafanani lokwanoma ngubani.

² Okwenzakala ngamahora okucina okuhlupheka kwendoda leyo kwatshengisa ukuqakatheka kwesenzakalo leso. Lanxa kwakusemini, kwaba mnyama indawo yonke. Omunye umlobi wezembali wathi, “ilanga lema ukukhanya.” (ULukha 23:44, 45) Ingakaphefumuli okokucina, indoda leyo yatsho amazwi angasoze akhohlakale athi: “Sekuphelile.” Indoda le yafeza okuthile okuhle ngokufa eyakwenzayo. Umhlatshelo wayo wawuyisenzo esitshengisa uthando esingakaze senziwe yiloba ngubani.​—UJohane 15:13; 19:30.

³ Indoda leyo kwakunguJesu Khristu. Abantu bonke bayalazi ilanga lelo elidanisayo elamhlaka Nisani 14, 33 C.E., lapho ahlupheka khona futhi wafa. Kodwa kuleqiniso eliqakathekileyo abantu abanengi abangalinanzeleliyo. Lanxa uJesu wahlupheka kakhulu, kulomunye owahlupheka ukwedlula yena, futhi wenza umhlatshelo omkhulu kakhulu kulowakhe ngalelolanga. Lowomuntu wenza isenzo esitshengisa uthando esikhulu kulazo zonke ezake zenziwa. Kwakuyini lokho? Impendulo yombuzo lowo yethula kuhle indaba eqakatheke ukwedlula zonke: Uthando lukaJehova.

4. Isotsha elingumRoma lakubona njani ukuthi uJesu wayengasimuntu nje ofanana lathi, njalo laphetha ngokuthini?

⁴ Umlawuli wamasotsha alikhulu waseRoma owayebona ngokubulawa kukaJesu wamangaliswa yibumnyama obabakhona kanye lokuzamazama komhlaba okwenzakala uJesu engakafi. Wathi: “Ngeqiniso ube eyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” (UMathewu 27:54) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJesu wayengasimuntu nje ofanana lathi. Isotsha lelo lalincedise ukubulala iNdodana eyiyoyodwa kaNkulunkulu Ophezukonke! Kodwa yayiligugu kangakanani iNdodana le kuYise?

5. INdodana yahlala loYise okweminyaka emingaki ingakabuyi emhlabeni?

⁵ IBhayibhili lithi uJesu ‘ulizibulo kukho konke okwadalwayo.’ (KwabaseKholose 1:15) Cabanga nje, iNdodana kaJehova yayikhona kungakadalwa umhlaba lezinye izinto ezikhona. Kodwa-ke, iNdodana yahlala loYise okwesikhathi eside kangakanani? Abanye abezesayensi bafanisela ukuthi konke okwadalwayo kungabe sekuleminyaka engamabhiliyoni angu-13 ubudala. Ungasicabanga yini isikhathi eside kangako? Lanxa ukufanisela lokhu kuqondile, isikhathi sonke leso kasingeke silingane leminyaka eyaphilwa yiNdodana kaJehova! Yayisenzani okweminyaka yonke leyo?

6. (a) INdodana kaJehova yayisenzani ingakabuyi emhlabeni? (b) Yisibopho esinjani esikhona phakathi kukaJehova leNdodana yakhe?

⁶ INdodana yayithokoza ngokuba ‘yingcitshi yomsebenzi’ kaYise. (IZaga 8:30, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) IBhayibhili lithi: “Ngaphandle kwakhe [iNdodana] kakulalutho olukhona olwenziwayo.” (UJohane 1:3) Ngakho uJehova leNdodana yakhe basebenza ndawonye ukuze badale zonke ezinye izinto. Baba lesikhathi esihle futhi esithokozisayo bebonke! Abanengi lamuhla bangavuma ukuthi umzali lomntwana bathandana ngendlela emangalisayo. Phela uthando ‘luyisibopho sokumanyana okupheleleyo.’ (KwabaseKholose 3:14) Ngubani phakathi kwethu ongalinganisa amandla esibopho esesilesikhathi eside kakhulu sikhona? Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu kanye leNdodana yakhe bamanyaniswe yisibopho sothando esiqine ukwedlula zonke.

7. UJehova wayiveza njani imizwa yakhe ngesikhathi uJesu ebhaphathizwa?

⁷ Lanxa kunjalo, uYise wathuma iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni  ukuze izalwe ilusane. Ukwenza njalo kwakusitsho ukuthi okwamatshumi athile eminyaka, uJehova walahlekelwa yibudlelwano obuqinileyo ayelabo ezulwini leNdodana yakhe ayithandayo. Wabukela esezulwini ngokukhathalela okukhulu njengoba uJesu wayekhula esiba yindoda epheleleyo. Eseleminyaka engu-30, uJesu wabhaphathizwa. Kakula sizathu sokucabangela ukuthi uJehova wazizwa njani ngoJesu. UYise wakhuluma yena ngokwakhe esezulwini wathi: “Lo yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngayo.” (UMathewu 3:17) Kungenzakala ukuthi uYise wathokoza kakhulu ngokubona uJesu esenza ngokwethembeka konke okwakuphrofethiwe kanye lakho konke okwakumele akwenze!​—UJohane 5:36; 17:4.

8, 9. (a) Kuyini okwenzakala kuJesu ngoNisani 14, 33 C.E., futhi uYise osezulwini wazizwa njani ngakho? (b) Kungani uJehova wavumela ukuthi iNdodana yakhe ihlupheke futhi ife?

⁸ Kodwa uJehova wazizwa njani ngoNisani 14, 33 C.E.? Wazizwa njani lapho uJesu ethengiswa futhi ebotshwa lixuku labantu ebusuku? Wazizwa njani lapho uJesu etshiywa ngabangane bakhe futhi ethonisiswa ngokungekho emthethweni? Wazizwa njani lapho uJesu ehlekwa, ekhafulelwa njalo emuhluzwa ngenqindi? Wazizwa njani lapho uJesu bemtshaya baze bamxathule emhlane? Wazizwa njani lapho izandla kanye lezinyawo zakhe zibethelwa esigodweni njalo etshiywa elenga khonapho abantu bemthethisa? UYise wazizwa njani lapho iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo ikhala kuye iphakathi kobuhlungu obukhulu kakhulu? UJehova wazizwa njani lapho iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo iphefumula okokucina, futhi kungokokuqala ngqa ukuthi ingabi khona selokhu kwadalwa izinto zonke?​—UMathewu 26:14-16, 46, 47, 56, 59, 67; 27:38-44, 46; UJohane 19:1.

⁹ Lokhu kusenza siphelelwe ngamazwi. UJehova ulemizwa, ngakho ngeke buchazwe ubuhlungu abuzwayo ngokufa kweNdodana yakhe. Isizathu esenza uJehova wenza njalo yiso kuphela esingachazwa. Kungani uYise wazimisela ukuthi azwe ubuhlungu obungako? KuJohane 3:​16 ivesi eliqakatheke kakhulu njalo elibizwa ngokuthi liVangeli elifinqiweyo, uJehova usivezele okuhle kakhulu esithi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda ilizwe waze wanikela iNdodana yakhe iyiyo yodwa ukuze kuthi loba ngubani  okholwa kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe lokuphila okungapheliyo.” UJehova wenza njalo ngenxa yokuthi ulothando. Ukuthumela kukaJehova iNdodana yakhe ukuthi ihlupheke futhi isifele yisipho esikhulu ukwedlula zonke esitshengisa uthando.

10. Abantu balasiphi isidingo, futhi kwenzakaleni kulokho okutshiwo libala elithi “uthando”?

¹⁰ Litshoni ibala leli elithi “uthando”? Uthando luchasiswe njengento abantu abayidinga ukwedlula zonke izinto. Abantu bayaludinga uthando kanye lenduduzo ukuphila kwabo konke okokuthi kwezinye izikhathi bayalukhalela njalo bayafa nxa bengalutholanga. Lanxa kunjalo, kakulula ukuluchasisa. Kuliqiniso ukuthi abantu bakhuluma okunengi ngothando. Kulezinto ezinengi eziqhubeka ziphuma ezikhuluma ngothando ezifanana lamabhuku, izingoma kanye lezinkondlo. Kodwa ukubakhona kwezinto lezi kakukaze kucacise ukuthi uthando kuyini. Ibala leli lisetshenziswa kakhulu okokuthi sekunzima ukutsho lokho vele elikutshoyo.

11, 12. (a) Kungaphi lapho esingafunda khona okunengi ngothando, futhi kungani? (b) Yimiphi imihlobo yothando eyachasiswayo olimini lwakudala lwesiGiriki, njalo yiliphi ibala ‘lothando’ elandise ukusetshenziswa eMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGiriki? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.) (c) Kuyini i-a·gaʹpe?

11 Lanxa kunjalo, iBhayibhili lifundisa ngokucacileyo ukuthi uthando luyini. Isichazamazwi okuthiwa yi-Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words sithi: “Uthando lungaziwa kuphela ngokubona izenzo ezenziwa yilo.” Okubhaliweyo eBhayibhilini ngezenzo zikaJehova kusifundisa okukhulu ngothando lwakhe. Kusifundisa ukuthi uyazithanda izidalwa zakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, kuyini okungaveza okunengi ngophawu lolu ukwedlula isenzo sikaJehova esitshengisa uthando esike sachasiswa phezulu? Ezahlukweni ezilandelayo, sizabona ezinye izibonelo zendlela uJehova atshengisa ngazo uthando. Sithola ulwazi olunengi emabaleni akuqala asetshenziswa eBhayibhilini ukuze achaze ibala elithi “uthando.” Olimini lwakudala olwesiGiriki, kwakulamabala amane ayesetshenziselwa ibala elithi “uthando.” *  Elinye lamabala la elandise ukusetshenziswa eMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGiriki ngelithi a·gaʹpe. Esinye isichazamazwi seBhayibhili sithi ibala leli “libala elilamandla kakhulu elingasetshenziselwa uthando.” Kungani?

¹² I-a·gaʹpe luthando oluqondiswa yizimiso. Ngakho uthando lolo kalusiwo muzwa nje obakhona ngenxa yokuthile okwenziwe ngomunye umuntu kumbe akutshiloyo. Uthando lolo lubanzi, lulendaba labanye njalo lulenhloso ezinhle ezisuka enhliziyweni. Okunye okuhle yikuthi i-a·gaʹpe kayizifuneli okwayo. Ngokwesibonelo, khangela futhi kuJohane 3:16. Liyini “ilizwe” uNkulunkulu alithanda kakhulu okokuthi waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa? Ngabantu abangasindiswa okugoqela labantu abanengi abaqhubeka besenza izono. UJehova uthanda umuntu munye ngamunye njengomngane wakhe oseduze yini, ngendlela athanda ngayo u-Abhrahama owayethembekile? (UJakhobe 2:23) Hatshi, kodwa uJehova utshengisa umusa kubo bonke abantu, lanxa engalahlekelwa ngokuthile. Ufuna bonke baphenduke njalo bantshintshe izindlela zabo. (2 UPhetro 3:9) Abanengi bayakwenza lokhu. Abanjalo uyabemukela ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe.

13, 14. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi i-a·gaʹpe yandise ukugoqela uthando oluvela enhliziyweni?

¹³ Lanxa kunjalo, abanye balombono ongaqondanga ngebala leli elithi a·gaʹpe. Bacabanga ukuthi litsho uthando olungelandaba labantu futhi olungaqakathekanga. Iqiniso yikuthi i-a·gaʹpe yandise ukugoqela uthando oluqotho oluvela enhliziyweni. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uJohane ebhala ukuthi, “uYise  uyayithanda iNdodana,” wasebenzisa ibala elithi a·gaʹpe. (UJohane 3:35) Uthando olunjalo lulabo yini ubungane? Nanzelela ukuthi uJesu wathi, “uYise uyayithanda iNdodana,” esebenzisa ibala elithi phi·leʹo. (UJohane 5:20) Uthando lukaJehova lugoqela ukuba lendaba labanye. Kodwa uthando lwakhe kaluntshintshantshintshi ngenxa yomuzwa nje. Luhlala luqondiswa yizimiso kanye lokwahlulela kwakhe okutshengisa inhlakanipho.

¹⁴ Njengoba sibonile, zonke izimpawu zikaJehova ziyaduduza, ziphelele njalo ziyakhanga. Kodwa uthando lona lukhanga ukwedlula zonke. Kakula okunye okusidonsela ngamandla kuJehova ukwedlula uthando lolu. Kuyathokozisa ukuthi uthando luqakatheke ukwedlula zonke izimpawu. Sikwazi njani lokhu?

15. IBhayibhili lithini ngophawu lukaJehova lothando, njalo kungani lokhu kumangalisa? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

¹⁵ IBhayibhili lilokunye elikutshoyo mayelana lothando elingakutshoyo ngezinye izimpawu zobuntu bukaJehova. IMibhalo kayitsho ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungamandla kumbe ukuthi uyikwahlulela okuhle loba ukuthi uyinhlakanipho. Ulazo izimpawu lezo, ungumthombo wazo, njalo kangeke waqathaniswa laloba ngubani ekutshengiseni izimpawu lezo. Kodwa kukhulunywa okunye okujulileyo mayelana lophawu lwesine, kuthiwa: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” * (1 UJohane 4:8) Kutshoni lokhu?

16-18. (a) Kungani iBhayibhili lisithi “uNkulunkulu uluthando”? (b) Kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni, kungani kuqondile ukuthi kube ngumuntu omela uphawu lukaJehova lothando?

¹⁶ Ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uluthando” kakusinto elula nje, njengokuthi, “uNkulunkulu ulingana lothando.” Kasingeke siphendulele  umutsho lowo sithi “uthando nguNkulunkulu.” UJehova mkhulu ukwedlula uphawu lolo. Ulothando futhi ungumuntu olemizwa etshiyeneyo kanye lezimpawu zobuntu ezitshiyeneyo. Lanxa kunjalo, uthando lujulile kuJehova. Elinye ibhuku lithi ngokuphathelane levesi leli: “Uthando yibunguye bukaNkulunkulu kumbe imvelo yakhe.” Singakucabanga ngalindlela: Amandla kaJehova amenza enelise ukwenza okuthile. Ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle kanye lenhlakanipho yakhe kuqondisa indlela enza ngayo. Kodwa uthando lukaJehova yilo olumfuqa ukuthi enze okuthile. Okunye yikuthi uthando lwakhe luhlezi lukhona lapho esebenzisa ezinye izimpawu zakhe.

¹⁷ Izikhathi ezinengi kuthiwa uJehova uyikwenziwa samuntu kothando. Ngakho nxa sifuna ukufunda ngothando olulezimiso, kumele sifunde ngoJehova. Kuliqiniso ukuthi abantu labo balalo uphawu lolu oluhle. Kodwa kungani abantu belalo? Ngesikhathi edala, uJehova watshela iNdodana yakhe amazwi la athi: “Asenze umuntu ngesimo sethu, ngomfuziselo wethu.” (UGenesisi 1:26) Kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni, umuntu nguye kuphela ongakhetha ukuthanda okutsho ukuthi uyabe elingisela uYise osezulwini. Khumbula ukuthi uJehova wasebenzisa izidalwa ezitshiyeneyo ukuthi zimele izimpawu zakhe eziqakatheke ukwedlula zonke. Lanxa kunjalo, uJehova wakhetha umuntu, oyisidalwa sakhe esiqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi amele uphawu lolu oluqakatheke kakhulu, uthando.​—UHezekheli 1:10.

¹⁸ Nxa singathanda ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi kasizifuneli okwethu siyabe sitshengisa uphawu lukaJehova oluqakatheke ukwedlula zonke. Kunjengoba nje umphostoli uJohane watsho ukuthi: “Siyathanda ngoba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (1 UJohane 4:19) Kodwa uJehova wasithanda kuqala ngaziphi izindlela?

19. Kungani kungathiwa uthando lwaba lengxenye eqakathekileyo emsebenzini kaJehova wokudala?

¹⁹ Uthando kalulutsha. Phela yilo olwenza ukuthi uJehova adale izinto. Kwakungayisikho ukuthi wayelesizungu edinga okungamlibazisa. Kakulalutho uJehova aluswelayo umuntu  angamnika lona. Kodwa uthando lwakhe oluluphawu olukhanya ngezenzo, lwamenza ukuthi afune ukuthokoza lezidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphileyo ezingatshengisa ukubonga isipho esinjalo. INdodana eyiyo yodwa ‘yayiyisiqalo sendalo yonke eyadalwa nguNkulunkulu.’ (ISambulo 3:14, NW) Ngakho uJehova wasebenzisa isiSebenzi lesi esiyiNgcitshi ukuthi adale zonke ezinye izinto, eqalisa ngezingilosi. (UJobe 38:4, 7; KwabaseKholose 1:16) Izidalwa lezi ezilamandla zikhaliphile, zilenkululeko, njalo zilemizwa futhi zazilethuba lokuthandana kanye lelokuthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 3:17) Ngakho izidalwa lezi zenelisa ukuthanda ngenxa yokuthi zathandwa kuqala.

20, 21. U-Adamu lo-Eva babelabuphi ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi uJehova wayebathanda, kodwa bona benzani ngakho?

²⁰ Kwaba yinto efananayo lasebantwini. Kusukela ekuqaliseni, u-Adamu lo-Eva babethandwa kakhulu. Konke lapho ababekhangela khona ePharadayisi ikhaya labo elalise-Edeni, babebona ubufakazi bokuthi uYise uyabathanda. Nanzelela lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wayelungise isivande empumalanga, e-Edeni; wambeka khona umuntu ayembumbile.” (UGenesisi 2:8) Wake waba sesivandeni esihle kumbe ephakhi enhle okwamagama yini? Kuyini okwakuthokozisa kakhulu? Yikukhanya okwakuthutsha emahlamvini ezihlahla eziminyeneyo yini? Yibuhle bamaluba alemibala etshiyeneyo yini? Ngumsindo wezinyoni ezazihlabelela mnandi kumbe ngumsindo omnandi wokuhamba kwamanzi esifudlana? Iphunga elimnandi lezihlahla, izithelo kanye lamaluba ke? Kakulaphakhi ekhona lamuhla esingayifananisa leyayise-Edeni. Kungani?

²¹ Isivande leso sasihlanyelwe nguJehova ngokwakhe! Kumele ukuthi sasisihle okwamagama. Kwakulezihlahla zonke ezinhle lezithela izithelo ezimnandi kakhulu. Isivande leso sasithola amanzi eneleyo, sisikhulu njalo silemihlobohlobo yezinyamazana ezinhle. U-Adamu lo-Eva babelakho konke okwakungenza ukuphila kwabo kuthokozise njalo kube ngokupheleleyo, okugoqela lomsebenzi osuthisayo kanye lobudlelwano obuhle. UJehova wabathanda kuqala, njalo babelezizatho eziqinileyo zokutshengisa uthando olufananayo. Kodwa behluleka ukwenza njalo. Kulokuthi bamlalele ngoba bemthanda  uYise wasezulwini, bahlamuka kuye ngenxa yobugovu.​—UGenesisi isahluko 2.

22. UJehova wenzani ngokuhlamuka kwase-Edeni okwatshengisa ukuthi “uthando lwakhe luqotho”?

²² Kumele ukuthi lokho kwamzwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu uJehova. Kodwa ukuhlamuka lokho kwayidambisa yini inhliziyo yakhe? Hatshi! “Uthando [kumbe uthando oluqotho] lwakhe lumi laphakade.” (IHubo 136:1) Ngakho ngenxa yothando wahle walungiselela ukukhulula loba yibaphi abantwana baka-Adamu lo-Eva ababelezinhliziyo eziqotho. Njengoba sibonile, amalungiselelo lawo ayegoqela umhlatshelo wenhlawulo weNdodana yakhe, owenza uYise walahlekelwa kakhulu.​—1 UJohane 4:10.

23. Yisiphi esinye isizatho esenza uJehova abe ‘nguNkulunkulu othokozayo,’ njalo yiwuphi umbuzo oqakathekileyo ozaphendulwa esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²³ Bekulokhu kunguJehova oqalisayo ukutshengisa uthando ebantwini kusukela ekuqaliseni. “Yena wasithanda kuqala” ngezindlela ezinengi. Uthando lukhuthaza ukumanyana lentokozo, yikho kungamangalisi ukuthi uJehova uchazwa ‘njengoNkulunkulu othokozayo.’ (1 KuThimothi 1:11, NW) Kodwa lokhu kwenza kube lombuzo oqakathekileyo. UJehova uyasithanda yini sibili njengomuntu munye ngamunye? Isahluko esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngodaba lolu.