KUNABANTU abanengi abadumileko ephasini. Abanye baziwa khulu emphakathini, edorobheni namtjhana enarheni abahlala kiyo. Abanye baziwa ephasini loke. Nokho, ukwazi ibizo lomuntu odumileko akutjho bonyana umazi kwamambala. Akutjho bona wazi koke ngemvelaphi yakhe, nokobana kuhle-kuhle umumuntu onjani.

² Abantu ephasini loke kunokuthileko abakhe bakuzwa ngoJesu Krestu, ngitjho namtjhana aphila eemnyakeni epheze ibe zi-2 000 ezadlulako. Nokho, abantu abanengi abazi bonyana kwamambala ngubani uJesu. Abanye bathi bekumumuntu olungileko nje kwaphela. Abanye gade bathi bekamporofidi kwaphela. Kanti abanye bakholelwa bona uJesu nguZimu begodu kufuze akhulekelwe. Kuliqiniso lokho na?

³ Kuqakathekile ngawe bona wazi iqiniso ngoJesu. Kubayini kunjalo? Ngombana iBhayibhili ithi: “Ukuphila okungapheliko kutjho ukwazi uZimu isibili, nokwazi uJesu Krestu, omthumileko.” (Jwanisi 17:3) Iye, ukwazi iqiniso ngoJehova uZimu nangoJesu Krestu kungakwenza uphile ngokungapheliko ephasini eliyiparadeyisi. (Jwanisi 14:6) Ukungezelela kilokho, uJesu usibekela isibonelo esizidlula zoke sendlela okufuze siphile ngayo nendlela yokuphatha abanye abantu. (Jwanisi 13:34, 35) Esihlokweni sokuthoma sencwadi le, sicoce ngokwazi iqiniso ngoZimu. Nje-ke, akhe sicabangele lokho iBhayibhili kwamambala ekufundisako ngoJesu Krestu.

UMESIYA OTHENJISIWEKO

⁴ Kusasele isikhathi eside bona uJesu abelethwe, iBhayibhili yabikezela ukufika kwaloyo uZimu azomthuma bona abe nguMesiya namtjhana uKrestu. Isiqu esithi “Mesiya” (sivela ebizweni lesiHebheru) nesithi “Krestu” (sivela ebizweni lesiGirigi) zitjho bona “Ozesiweko.” Othenjisiweko Lo bekazokuzeswa, okutjho bona uZimu bekazombeka esikhundleni esikhethekileko. Ezahlukweni eziphambidlana zencwadi le, sizokufunda okungezelelekileko ngendima eqakathekileko kaMesiya ekuzalisekeni kweenthembiso zakaZimu. Sizokufunda nangeembusiso uJesu angasilethela zona ngitjho kwanje. Ngaphambi kokobana uJesu abelethwe,

⁵ Ekhulwini lokuthoma leemnyaka ngeenkhathi zakaJesu [K.J.], abafundi bakaJesu weNazaretha bebanganakho nokuncani ukuzaza bona uJesu unguMesiya okwabikezelwa ngaye. (Jwanisi 1:41) Omunye wabafundi, indoda ebizwa bona nguSimoni Pitrosi, yatjho ngokutjhaphulukileko kuJesu: “UnguKrestu.” (Matewu 16:16) Nokho, abafundi bakghona njani—begodu nathi singakghona njani—ukuqiniseka kwamambala bona uJesu gade anguMesiya othenjisiweko?

⁶ Abaporofidi bakaZimu abaphila ngaphambi kokobana uJesu abelethwe, babikezela izinto ezinengi malungana noMesiya. Imininingwana le, beyizokurhelebha abanye bona bakghone ukumbona. Lokho singakufanisa bunje: Akhe sithi bakubawe bona uyokuthatha umuntu ongamaziko esitetjhini esiphithizelako seembhesi, sesitimela namtjhana edoyelweni leemphaphamtjhini. Bekungekhe kwaba bhedere na nebangakunikela imininingwana embalwa ozombona ngayo umuntu loyo? Ngendlela efanako, ngeemporofido zeBhayibhili, uJehova wanikela ihlathululo ezwakalako yalokho uMesiya egade azokwenza nezinto azokuqalana nazo. Ukuzaliseka kweemporofido ezinengezi, bekuzokurhelebha abathembekileko bona bambone kuhle uMesiya.

⁷ Cabangela nanzi iimbonelo eembili. Sokuthoma, kusasele iimnyaka ema-700 bona kwenzeke, umporofidi uMika wabikizela bona Othenjisiweko uzokubelethelwa eBetlehema, idorobha elincani lenarheni yakwaJuda. (Mika 5:2) Eqinisweni, wabelethelwaphi uJesu? Iye, kilo idorobhelo! (Matewu 2:1, 3-9) Kwesibili, kusasele amakhulukhulu weemnyaka, isiporofido esitlolwe kuDanyela 9:25 sakhomba umnyaka uMesiya azokuvela ngawo—ngo 29 K.J.* Ukuzaliseka kwalokhu nezinye iimporofido kutjengisa bona uJesu bekanguMesiya othenjisiweko.

⁸ Obunye ubufakazi bokobana uJesu gade anguMesiya babonakala sele kuzokuphela umnyaka ka-29 K.J. Lo, mnyaka uJesu aya ngawo kuJwanisi umBhabhadisi bona ambhabhadise eMlanjeni iJordani. UJehova wathembisa uJwanisi itshwayo angabona ngalo uMesiya. UJwanisi walibona itshwayelo uJesu nakabhabhadiswako. IBhayibhili ithi naku okwenzekako: “Kwathi msinyana bona uJesu abhabhadiswe, waphuma ngemanzini. Kwathi izulu lavuleka, wabona uMoya kaZimu urhuluka njengezuba usehlela phezu kwakhe. Yeke ilizwi lavela ezulwini lisithi: ‘Le yiNdodana yami ethandekako, ngithabe khulu ngayo.’” (Matewu 3:16, 17) Ngemva kokobana ezwile bewabona lokho okwenzekileko, uJwanisi khenge abe nokuzaza bona uJesu bekathunywe nguZimu. (Jwanisi 1:32-34) Lokha umoya kaZimu, namtjhana amandla aberegako, uthululelwa kuye, mhlokho uJesu waba nguMesiya, namtjhana uKrestu, owakhethwa bona abe Mdosiphambili neKosi.—Isaya 55:4.

⁹ Ukuzaliseka kweemporofido zeBhayibhili nobufakazi obanikelwa nguJehova uZimu butjengisa ngokunqophileko bona uJesu bekanguMesiya othenjisiweko. Kodwana iBhayibhili iphendula neminye iimbuzo eembili eqakathekileko malungana noJesu Krestu: Wavelaphi, begodu bekamumuntu onjani?

WAVELA KUPHI UJESU?

¹⁰ IBhayibhili ifundisa bona uJesu waphila ezulwini ngaphambi kobana eze ephasini. UMika waporofida bona uMesiya uzokubelethelwa eBhetlehema, begodu wathi isithomo Sakhe “sisukela eenkhathini zokuthoma.” (Mika 5:2) Ezehlakalweni ezinengi, uJesu ngokwakhe wathi wakhe waphila ezulwini ngaphambi kobana abelethwe njengomuntu. (Jwanisi 3:13; 6:38, 62; 17:4, 5) Njengesibunjwa somoya sezulwini, uJesu waba nobuhlobo obukhethekileko noJehova.

¹¹ UJesu uyiNdodana kaJehova eligugu khulu—ngebanga elihle. Ubizwa bona “ulizibulo lakho koke okubunjiweko,” ngombana gade asibunjwa sakaZimu sokuthoma.^# (KwebeKholose 1:15) Kunokuthileko okwenza bona iNdodana le ibe ngekhethekileko. IyiNdodana kaZimu “ekukuphela kwayo.” (Jwanisi 3:16) Lokhu kutjho bona uJesu nguye kwaphela uZimu ambumba ngokwakhe. UJesu nguye yedwa uZimu amberegisako ngesikhathi Abumba zoke izinto. (KwebeKholose 1:16) Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wabizwa bona ‘nguLizwi.’ (Jwanisi 1:14) Lokhu kusitjela bona bekamkhulumeli kaZimu, wadlulisela iinlayezo neenqophiso kwamanye amadodana kaYise, womoya nababantu.

¹² INdodana yokuthoma ilingana noZimu na, njengombana abanye bakholelwa njalo? Lokho akusikho okufundiswa yiBhayibhili. Njengombana sibonile esigabeni esidlulileko, iNdodana yabunjwa. Kuyakhanya bonyana uJesu waba nesithomo, kukulapho uJehova uZimu anganaso isithomo namtjhana isiphelo. (AmaRhalani 90:2) INdodana kaZimu ekukuphela kwayo akhange icabange namtjhana ilinge ukulingana noYise. IBhayibhili ifundisa ngokukhanyako bona uYise mkhulu kuneNdodana. (Jwanisi 14:28; 1 KwebeKorinte 11:3) UJehova ayedwa “NguZimu uMninimandla woke.” (Genesisi 17:1) Ngalokho, akalingani nomuntu.^%

¹³ UJehova neNdodana yakhe yokuthoma bathabela itjhebiswano iimnyaka eyibhiliyoni—kusasele isikhathi eside ngaphambi kobana abumbe izulu nephasi. Qala bonyana gade bathandana kangangani! (Jwanisi 3:35; 14:31) INdodana ethandekako le gade ifana noYise. Kungalokho iBhayibhili neyiqalisa eNdodaneni le ithi, “umfanekiso wakaZimu ongabonakaliko.” (KwebeKholose 1:15) Kwamambala, ngitjho nendodana yomuntu ingafuza uyise ngeendlela ezinengi, iNdodana yezulwini le yatjengisa iimfanelo, nobuntu bakaYise.

¹⁴ INdodana kaJehova ekukuphela kwayo, ngokuzithandela yatjhiya izulu yeza ephasini izokuphila njengomuntu. Kodwana nawucabangako, ‘Kwenzeka njani bona isibunjwa somoya sibelethwe njengomuntu?’ Ukuzalisa lokhu, uJehova wenza isimangaliso. Wadlulisela ukuphila kweNdodanakhe yokuthoma kusuka ezulwini kuya esibelethweni sentombi yomJuda ibizo layo elinguMariya. Akakho ubaba omumuntu owabandakanyeka ekubelethweni kwayo. UMariya wabeletha indodana enganasono begodu ibizo layo nguJesu.—Luka 1:30-35.

UJESU GADE AMUMUNTU ONJANI?

¹⁵ Lokho uJesu akutjhoko nakwenzako nasesephasini kuzosirhelebha bona simazi kuhle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, singamazi bhedere uJehova ngoJesu. Kubayini kunjalo endabeni le? Khumbula bona iNdodana le yenziwe ngomfanekiso kaYise. Kungalokho uJesu watjela omunye wabafundi bakhe bona: “Loyo ongibonileko mina, ubone uBaba.” (Jwanisi 14:9) Iincwadi ezine zeBhayibhili ezaziwa ngokobana maVangeli—lakaMatewu, lakaMarkosi, lakaLuka nelakaJwanisi—asitjela khulu-khulu ngokuphila, nezinto azenzako, begodu nangeemfanelo zobuntu bakaJesu Krestu.

¹⁶ UJesu gade aziwa ngokobana “Mfundisi.” (Jwanisi 1:38; 13:13) Khuyini ayifundisako? Ngokuyihloko, umlayezo wakhe gade kukukhuluma ‘ngeendaba ezimnandi zombuso’—okuMbuso kaZimu, urhulumende wezulwini ozokubusa ephasini loke begodu ozokuletha iimbusiso ezinengi ebantwini abalalelako. (Matewu 4:23) Gade uvela kubani umlayezo lo? UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Engikufundisako akusiyifundiso yami, kodwana ivela kuZimu,” uJehova. (Jwanisi 7:16) UJesu gade azi bona uYise ufuna abantu bezwe ngeendaba ezimnandi zoMbuso. Esahlukweni sobu-8, sizokufunda okungezelelekileko malungana noMbuso kaZimu begodu nalokho ozokwenza.

¹⁷ UJesu gade afundisa kuphi? Koke lapho egade afumana khona abantu—eenarheni ezikude, emadorobheni, eemzini, eentolo, nemakhaya. UJesu akhenge alindele bona abantu beze kuye. Gade aya kibo. (Markosi 6:56; Luka 19:5, 6) Kubayini uJesu akhamba ibanga elide kangaka begodu wanikela nangesikhathi sakhe esinengi atjhumayela begodu afundisa? Ngombana ukwenza lokho gade kuyintando kaZimu. Ngaso soke isikhathi uJesu bekenza intando kaYise. (Jwanisi 8:28, 29) Kodwana bekanebanga elinye elimenza atjhumayele. Waba nesirhawu ngesiqubuthu sabantu eseza kuye sizombona. (Matewu 9:35, 36) Abadosiphambili bekolo yabo gade banganandaba nabo, bekufanele ngathana babafundisa iqiniso ngoZimu nangeenhloso zakhe. UJesu bekazi bona abantu bafuna kangangani ukuzwa umlayezo woMbuso.

¹⁸ UJesu gade abathanda abantu anesirhawu esikhulu. Ngalokho abanye bafumana bona unobungani nomusa. Ngitjho nabantwana bakufumana kulula ukuba naye. (Markosi 10:13-16) UJesu gade angakhethi. Bekakuhloya ukungathembeki nokungalungi. (Matewu 21:12, 13) Ngesikhathi abafazi bafumana ihlonipho encani begodu banamalungelo amancani, uJesu wabaphatha ngehlonipho. (Jwanisi 4:9, 27) Gade athobeke khulu. Kwesinye isehlakalo, wahlanza iinyawo zabapostoli bakhe, okumberego kanengi owenziwa babantu abaqalelwa phasi.

¹⁹ UJesu gade aziqala njengeziqakathekileko iintlhogo zabanye abantu. Lokhu kwabonakala kuhle lokha nakenza immangaliso zokupholisa abantu ngamandla womoya kaZimu. (Matewu 14:14) Isibonelo, kweza indoda enobulepheru kuJesu yathi: “Nawufunako, ungangihlambulula.” UJesu wayirhawukela indoda le. Ayirhawukela, wathabulula isandla sakhe wathinta indoda le, wathi kiyo: “Ngiyafuna, hlambuluka.” Begodu indoda egulako le yahlambuluka! (Markosi 1:40-42) Akhe ucabange bona indoda le yazizwa njani?

WATHEMBEKA BEKWABA SEKUPHELENI

²⁰ UJesu wabeka isibonelo esihle sokulalela uZimu. Wahlala athembekile kuYise wezulwini ngaphasi kwabo boke ubujamo, nangaphezu kwakho koke ukuphikiswa nokutshwenyeka. UJesu ngesibindi waphumelela ukuqalana neenlingo zakaSathana. (Matewu 4:1-11) Ngesinye isikhathi, ezinye iinhlobo zakaJesu akhenge zibe nekholo kuye, begodu zathi “uhlangene ihloko.” (Markosi 3:21) Kodwana uJesu akhenge abavumele bona babe nomthelela kuye; waragela phambili enza umberego kaZimu. Ngitjho nangaphezu kokuphathwa kumbi, uJesu wazibamba, akhenge alinge ukulimaza abaphikisi bakhe.—1 KaPitrosi 2:21-23.

²¹ UJesu wahlala athembekile bekwaba sekuhlongakaleni kwakhe—okunelunya, nokubuhlungu ezandleni zamanabakhe. (KwebeFilipi 2:8) Cabanga ngalokho akukghodlhelelako ngelanga lakhe lamaswaphelo lokuphila njengomuntu. Wabotjhwa, wabekwa umlandu bofakazi bamala, amajaji amthwesa umlandu, wahlekwa siqubuthu sabantu abaphula umthetho, begodu watlhoriswa majoni. Abethelwe epaleni, waphefumula kwamaswaphela, walila wathi: “Sekuphelile!” (Jwanisi 19:30) Nokho, ngelanga lesithathu uJesu ahlongakele, uYise wezulwini wamvusela ekuphileni komoya. (1 KaPitrosi 3:18) Ngemva kweemveke ezimbalwa, wabuyela ezulwini. “Wabe wayohlala ngokungapheliko ngesigomeni sakaZimu” walindela ukufumana amandla wobukhosi.—KumaHebheru 10:12, 13.

²² Khuyini uJesu akuzalisa ngokuhlala athembekile bekwaba sekuhlongakaleni kwakhe? Ukuhlongakala kwakaJesu kwasivulela ithuba lokufumana ukuphila okungapheliko eparadeyisini ephasini, okuvumelana nomnqopho kaJehova wokuthoma. Indlela ukuhlongakala kwakaJesu okwenza ngayo iintwezi bona zenzeke kuzokucocwa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelako.

*  Nawufuna ihlathululo yesiporofido sakaDanyela esazaliseka malungana noJesu, qala Isithasiselo.

^#  UJehova ubizwa bona nguBaba, ngombana Mbumbi. (Isaya 64:8) Solokhu uJesu abunjwa nguZimu, ubizwa bona yiNdodana kaZimu. Ngamabanga afanako, ezinye iimbunjwa zomoya ngitjho nomuntu wokuthoma u-Adamu babizwa bona madodana kaZimu.—Jobhi 1:6; Luka 3:38.

^%  Ukufumana ubufakazi obungezelelekileko bokobana iNdodana yokuthoma kaZimu ayilingani Naye, qala Isithasiselo.