1, 2. (a) Kungani ukwazi ngomuntu odumile kungasho neze ukuthi umazi ngempela? (b) Yikuphi ukudideka okukhona ngoJesu?

KUNABANTU abaningi abadumile emhlabeni. Abanye bangosaziwayo emiphakathini yakubo, emadolobheni akubo, noma emazweni akubo. Abanye badume umhlaba wonke. Kodwa-ke ukumane wazi igama lomuntu odumile akusho ukuthi umazi ngempela. Akusho ukuthi wazi imininingwane ngesizinda sakhe nokuthi uluhlobo luni ngempela lomuntu.

² Emhlabeni kabanzi abantu baye bezwa okuthile ngoJesu Kristu, nakuba aphila emhlabeni eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-2 000 edlule. Noma kunjalo, abaningi badidekile ngokuthi wayengubani ngempela uJesu. Abanye bathi wayemane eyindoda ezilungele. Abanye bathi wayengomunye umprofethi. Kanti abanye bakholelwa ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu futhi kufanele akhulekelwe. Ingabe kufanele akhulekelwe?

3. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba wazi iqiniso ngoJesu?

³ Kubalulekile ukuba wazi iqiniso ngoJesu. Ngani? Ngoba iBhayibheli lithi: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okuphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo omthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Yebo, ukwazi iqiniso ngoJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu kungaholela ekuphileni okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (Johane 14:6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu ubeka  isibonelo esihle kunazo zonke sokuthi singaphila kanjani nabanye futhi sibaphathe kanjani. (Johane 13:34, 35) Esahlukweni sokuqala sale ncwadi sixoxe ngeqiniso ngoNkulunkulu. Manje ake sifunde ngalokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngempela ngoJesu Kristu.

4. Sisho ukuthini isiqu esithi “Mesiya” nesithi “Kristu”?

⁴ Kusasele isikhathi eside uJesu azalwe, iBhayibheli labikezela ukufika kwalowo uNkulunkulu ayeyomthuma njengoMesiya, noma uKristu. Isiqu esithi “Mesiya” (esivela egameni lesiHebheru) nesithi “Kristu” (esivela egameni lesiGreki) zombili zisho ukuthi “oGcotshiweyo.” Lona  othenjisiwe wayeyogcotshwa, okusho ukuthi, wayeyobekwa uNkulunkulu esikhundleni esikhethekile. Ezahlukweni ezizayo zale ncwadi, sizofunda okwengeziwe ngendima ebalulekile kaMesiya ekugcwalisekeni kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Sizofunda nangezibusiso uJesu angasinika zona kwamanje. Engakazalwa uJesu, abaningi cishe babezibuza, ‘Ubani oyoba uMesiya?’

5. Yini abafundi bakaJesu ababeqiniseka ngokuphelele ngayo ngaye?

⁵ Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., abafundi bakaJesu waseNazaretha babeqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi unguMesiya owayebikezelwe. (Johane 1:41) Omunye wabo, indoda egama layo nguSimoni Petru, washo ngokuqondile kuJesu: “UnguKristu.” (Mathewu 16:16) Nokho, labo bafundi babengaqiniseka kanjani—nathi singaqiniseka kanjani—ukuthi uJesu ngempela unguMesiya othenjisiwe?

6. Fanekisa ukuthi uJehova uye wabasiza kanjani abathembekile ukuba babone uMesiya.

⁶ Abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu abaphila ngaphambi kukaJesu babikezela imininingwane eminingi ngoMesiya. Le mininingwane yayiyosiza abanye ukuba bambone. Singase sikufanise kanje: Ake sithi ucelwe ukuba uyohlangabeza umuntu ongakaze umbone esitobhini sebhasi noma esiteshini sesitimela noma esikhumulweni sezindiza esiphithizelayo. Bekungeke yini kukusize uma othile ekunika imininingwane embalwa ngaye? Ngokufanayo, esebenzisa abaprofethi beBhayibheli, uJehova wanikeza incazelo enabile yalokho uMesiya ayeyokwenza nalokho ayeyobhekana nakho. Ukugcwaliseka kwalezi ziprofetho eziningi kwakuyosiza abathembekile ukuba bambone kahle.

7. Yiziphi iziprofetho ezimbili ezagcwaliseka kuJesu?

⁷ Cabanga ngezibonelo ezimbili. Esokuqala, kusasele iminyaka engu-700, umprofethi uMika wabikezela ukuthi oThenjisiwe wayezozalelwa eBhetlehema, umzana omncane ezweni lakwaJuda. (Mika 5:2) Wazalelwaphi uJesu? Kuwo kanye lo muzi! (Mathewu 2:1, 3-9) Esesibili, kusasele amakhulu eminyaka, isiprofetho esilotshwe kuDaniyeli  9:25 sakhomba wona kanye unyaka uMesiya ayezovela ngawo—u-29 C.E. * Ukugcwaliseka kwalezi ziprofetho nezinye kufakazela ukuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya othenjisiwe.

8, 9. Yibuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya obaba sobala ngenkathi ebhapathizwa?

⁸ Obunye ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya baba sobala ngasekupheleni kuka-29 C.E. Yilowo nyaka uJesu aya ngawo kuJohane uMbhapathizi ukuze abhapathizwe eMfuleni iJordani. UJehova wayethembise uJohane isibonakaliso ayeyobona ngaso uMesiya. UJohane wasibona leso sibonakaliso lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa. IBhayibheli lithi nakhu okwenzeka: “Ngemva kokubhapathizwa, uJesu wakhuphuka masinyane emanzini; futhi, bheka! amazulu avuleka, wabona umoya kaNkulunkulu wehla njengejuba uza phezu kwakhe. Bheka! Kwaba khona nezwi livela emazulwini elathi: ‘Lo yiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engiyamukele.’” (Mathewu 3:16, 17) Ngemva kokubona nokuzwa okwakwenzekile, uJohane akangabazanga ukuthi uJesu wayethunywe uNkulunkulu. (Johane 1:32-34) Ngenkathi umoya kaNkulunkulu, noma amandla asebenzayo, uthululelwa kuJesu ngalolo suku, uJesu waba uMesiya noma uKristu, lowo omiswe ukuba abe uMholi neNkosi.—Isaya 55:4.

⁹ Ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli nobufakazi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe kubonisa ngokusobala ukuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya othenjisiwe. IBhayibheli liphinde liphendule eminye imibuzo emibili ebalulekile ngoJesu Kristu: Wavelaphi futhi wayengumuntu onjani?

10. Lifundisani iBhayibheli ngokuba khona kukaJesu engakezi emhlabeni?

¹⁰ IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi uJesu wayephila ezulwini ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni. UMika waprofetha ukuthi  uMesiya wayezozalelwa eBhetlehema nokuthi isiqalo “sakhe sisukela ezikhathini zakuqala.” (Mika 5:2) Kaningi, uJesu ngokwakhe wathi wayephila ezulwini ngaphambi kokuba azalwe njengomuntu. (Johane 3:13; 6:38, 62; 17:4, 5) Njengesidalwa somoya ezulwini, uJesu wayenobuhlobo obukhethekile noJehova.

11. IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi uJesu uyiNdodana kaJehova eyigugu kunawo wonke?

¹¹ UJesu uyiNdodana kaJehova eyigugu kunawo wonke—futhi kube kufanele. Ubizwa ngokuthi “izibulo layo yonke indalo” ngoba uyindalo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala. * (Kolose 1:15) Kukhona okunye okwenza le Ndodana ibe yigugu. ‘IyiNdodana ezelwe yodwa.’ (Johane 3:16) Lokhu kusho ukuthi uJesu uwukuphela komuntu owadalwa uNkulunkulu ngokuqondile. Futhi uJesu uwukuphela komuntu uNkulunkulu amsebenzisa lapho edala zonke ezinye izinto. (Kolose 1:16) UJesu ubuye abizwe ngokuthi “uLizwi.” (Johane 1:14) Lokhu kusitshela ukuthi wayekhulumela uNkulunkulu, edlulisela imiyalezo neziqondiso kwamanye amadodana kaYise, omoya nangabantu.

12. Sazi kanjani ukuthi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu eyizibulo ayilingani naye?

¹² Ingabe iZibulo likaNkulunkulu lilingana naye, njengoba abanye bekholelwa? IBhayibheli alikufundisi lokho. Njengoba siphawulile esigabeni esandulele, iNdodana yadalwa. Ngokusobala-ke, yayinesiqalo, ngokungafani noJehova uNkulunkulu ongenasiqalo nasiphetho. (IHubo 90:2) INdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa ayizange ikucabange nanini ukulingana noYise. IBhayibheli lifundisa ngokucacile ukuthi uBaba mkhulu kuneNdodana. (Johane 14:28; 1 Korinte 11:3) NguJehova kuphela ‘onguNkulunkulu  uMninimandla onke.’ (Genesise 17:1) Ngakho akalingani namuntu. *

13. Lisho ukuthini iBhayibheli uma lithi iNdodana “ingumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongabonakali”?

¹³ UJehova neZibulo lakhe baba nobuhlobo obuseduze izigidigidi zeminyaka—kusasele iminyaka eminingi kudalwe izulu nomhlaba. Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba babethandana ngayo! (Johane 3:35; 14:31) Le Ndodana ethandekayo yamfuza yangamshiya uYise. Yingakho iBhayibheli lithi “ingumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongabonakali.” (Kolose 1:15) Yebo, njengoba nje nendodana engumuntu ingase ifuze uyise ngezindlela eziningi, le Ndodana yasezulwini yabonakalisa izimfanelo nobuntu bukaYise.

14. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba iNdodana kaJehova ezelwe yodwa izalwe njengomuntu?

¹⁴ INdodana kaJehova ezelwe yodwa yashiya izulu ngokuzithandela yehla yeza emhlabeni ukuze iphile njengomuntu. Kodwa ungase uzibuze, ‘Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba isidalwa somoya sizalwe njengomuntu?’ Ukuze enze lokhu, uJehova wenza isimangaliso. Wathatha ukuphila kweZibulo lakhe ezulwini wakudlulisela esibelethweni sentombi engumJuda, uMariya. Akahlangananga nobaba ongumuntu. Ngakho uMariya wazala indodana ephelele futhi wayiqamba ngokuthi uJesu.—Luka 1:30-35.

15. Kungani singase sithi ukufunda ngoJesu kusenza simazi kangcono uJehova?

¹⁵ Lokho okwashiwo futhi kwenziwa uJesu ngenkathi elapha emhlabeni kusisiza ukuba simazi kangcono. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngoJesu, sikwazi ukwazi uJehova kangcono. Kungani kunjalo? Khumbula ukuthi le Ndodana ingumfanekiso ophelele kaYise. Yingakho uJesu atshela omunye wabafundi bakhe: “Ongibonile mina umbonile noBaba futhi.”  (Johane 14:9) Izincwadi ezine zeBhayibheli ezaziwa ngokuthi amaVangeli—uMathewu, uMarku, uLuka, noJohane—zisitshela okuningi ngokuphila kukaJesu Kristu, izinto azenza, nobuntu bakhe.

16. Sasithini isigijimi sikaJesu esiyinhloko, futhi wayekuthathaphi lokho ayekufundisa?

¹⁶ UJesu wayaziwa kakhulu ‘njengoMfundisi.’ (Johane 1:38; 13:13) Wayefundisani? Ngokuyinhloko, isigijimi sakhe “kwakuyizindaba ezinhle zombuso”—okungukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uhulumeni wasezulwini oyobusa umhlaba wonke futhi ulethe izibusiso zaphakade kubantu abalalelayo. (Mathewu 4:23) Kwakuyisigijimi sikabani? UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Lokho engikufundisayo akukhona okwami, kodwa kungokwalowo ongithumile,” okungukuthi, uJehova. (Johane 7:16) UJesu wayazi ukuthi uYise ufuna ukuba abantu bezwe izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. ESahlukweni 8, sizofunda okwengeziwe ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nalokho oyokufeza.

17. UJesu wayefundisaphi, futhi kungani ayezikhandla kangaka ukuze afundise abanye?

¹⁷ UJesu wayefundisaphi? Nomaphi lapho kwakukhona khona abantu—emaphandleni, emizini emincane nemikhulu, ezimakethe, nasezindlini zabantu. UJesu wayengalindeli ukuba abantu beze kuye. Wayeya kubona. (Marku 6:56; Luka 19:5, 6) Kungani uJesu azikhandla kangako futhi wachitha isikhathi esingako eshumayela futhi efundisa? Kungoba yilokho uNkulunkulu ayefuna akwenze. UJesu wayenza intando kaYise njalo. (Johane 8:28, 29) Kodwa kwakunesinye isizathu sokuba ashumayele. Wayenesihawu ngesixuku esasizombona. (Mathewu 9:35, 36) Sasishiywe dengwane abaholi baso benkolo okwakumelwe ngabe basifundisa iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe. UJesu wayazi ukuthi abantu babekudinga kangakanani ukuzwa isigijimi soMbuso.

18. Iziphi izimfanelo zikaJesu ezikukhanga kakhulu?

¹⁸ UJesu wayeyindoda enesisa futhi enemizwa ejulile. Ngakho abanye babekwazi ukukhuluma naye futhi enomusa.  Ngisho nezingane zazikhululeka uma zinaye. (Marku 10:13-16) UJesu wayengakhethi. Wayekuzonda ukukhohlisa nokungalungi. (Mathewu 21:12, 13) Ngenkathi abesifazane ababengahlonishwa ngayo futhi benamalungelo ambalwa, uJesu wabaphatha ngenhlonipho. (Johane 4:9, 27) UJesu wayethobeke ngokungazenzisi. Ngesinye isikhathi wageza izinyawo zabaphostoli bakhe, umsebenzi owawuvame ukwenziwa isisebenzi esiphansi.

19. Isiphi isibonelo esibonisa ukuthi uJesu wayezikhathalela izidingo zabanye?

¹⁹ UJesu wayezikhathalela izidingo zabanye. Lokhu kwakubonakala kahle lapho enza izimangaliso zokwelapha abantu ngamandla omoya kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 14:14) Ngokwesibonelo, indoda enochoko yeza kuJesu yathi: “Uma nje uthanda, ungangenza ngihlanzeke.” UJesu wabuzwa ubuhlungu nokuhlupheka kwale ndoda. Eshukunyiswa isihawu, welula isandla wathinta le ndoda, wathi: “Ngiyathanda. Hlanzeka.”  Nembala le ndoda yelapheka! (Marku 1:40-42) Ungacabanga ukuthi le ndoda yazizwa kanjani?

20, 21. UJesu wasishiyela kanjani isibonelo sokulalela uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka?

²⁰ UJesu wasishiyela isibonelo esihle kunazo zonke sokulalela uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka. Wahlala ethembekile kuYise wasezulwini ngaphansi kwazo zonke izimo nangaphezu kwakho konke ukuphikiswa nokuhlupheka. Wamelana ngokuqinile nangempumelelo nezilingo zikaSathane. (Mathewu 4:1-11) Kwaphela isikhathi esithile ngisho nezihlobo zakhe zingenalo ukholo kuye, zazize zithi “uyahlanya.” (Marku 3:21) Kodwa uJesu akazivumelanga ukuba zimdikibalise; waqhubeka enza umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu. Naphezu kokuchwenswa nokuhlukunyezwa, uJesu wazithiba, akazange afune ukulimaza ababemphikisa.—1 Petru 2:21-23.

 ²¹ UJesu wahlala ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni—ebulawa izitha zakhe ngendlela enesihluku futhi ebuhlungu. (Filipi 2:8) Cabanga ngalokho abhekana nakho ngosuku lokugcina engumuntu lapha emhlabeni. Waboshwa, wasolwa ofakazi bamanga, watholwa enecala abahluleli abakhohlakele, waklolodelwa izixuku, futhi wahlukunyezwa amasosha. Ebethelwe esigxotsheni, waphefumula okokugcina, wamemeza: “Kufeziwe!” (Johane 19:30) Nokho, ngosuku lwesithathu ngemva kokufa kwakhe, uYise wasezulwini wamvusela ekuphileni njengesidalwa somoya. (1 Petru 3:18) Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa wabuyela ezulwini. Lapho, “wahlala ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu” futhi walindela ukunikwa amandla obukhosi.—Hebheru 10:12, 13.

22. UJesu wafezani ngokuhlala ethembekile kuze kube sekufeni?

²² Yini eyafezwa uJesu ngokuhlala ethembekile kuze kube sekufeni kwakhe? Empeleni ukufa kukaJesu kusivulela ithuba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi, ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaJehova yasekuqaleni. Ukuthi ukufa kukaJesu kukwenza kanjani lokhu, kuzoxoxwa ngakho esahlukweni esilandelayo.