Kubonakala sengathi uJesu useKapernawume lapho esola abaFarisi. Kamuva ngalolo suku uyaphuma endlini abekuyo, ahambe aye eduze koLwandle LwaseGalile, lapho izixuku zibuthana khona. UJesu ugibela esikebheni, aqhele ogwini bese eqala ukufundisa abantu ngoMbuso wamazulu. Ubafundisa esebenzisa imifanekiso eminingana, noma imizekeliso. Izilaleli zakhe zijwayelene nezinto eziningi uJesu akhuluma ngazo, okwenza kube lula ukuba ziqonde izinto ezihlukahlukene eziphathelene noMbuso.

Okokuqala, uJesu ukhuluma ngomhlwanyeli ohlwanyela imbewu. Enye imbewu iwela eceleni komgwaqo, idliwe yizinyoni. Enye imbewu iwela endaweni enamadwala, engenayo inhlabathi eningi. Lapho imila, izimpande zayo azikwazi ukungena zijule, ngakho lezi zitshalo zishiswa yilanga zibune. Enye imbewu iwela phakathi kwameva, aminyanisa lezi zithombo lapho zimila. Ekugcineni, enye imbewu iwela enhlabathini ekahle. Le mbewu ithela izithelo, “enye izikhathi ezingu-100, enye ezingu-60 nenye ezingu-30.”—Mathewu 13:8.

Komunye umfanekiso uJesu ufanisa uMbuso nalapho umuntu ehlwanyela imbewu. Kulokhu, imbewu iyakhula kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umuntu ulele noma uphapheme. Ukuthi kanjani, “akazi.” (Marku 4:27) Iyazikhulela, bese ithela ukudla okusanhlamvu angakuvuna.

UJesu ube esenza umfanekiso wesithathu ophathelene nokuhlwanyela. Umuntu uhlwanyela imbewu enhle, kodwa “ngesikhathi abantu besalele,” isitha sihlwanyela ukhula phakathi kukakolweni. Izinceku zalo muntu ziyabuza ukuthi zilusiphule yini ukhula. Uphendula athi: “Cha, ukuze  kungenzeki nangengozi ukuba ngesikhathi nibutha ukhula, nisiphule nokolweni kanye nalo. Kuyekeni kukhule ndawonye kokubili kuze kube sekuvuneni, ngenkathi yokuvuna ngizotshela abavuni ngithi: Buthani ukhula kuqala nilubophe izinyanda ukuze lushiswe; bese nibuthela ukolweni enqolobaneni yami.”—Mathewu 13:24-30.

Izilaleli zikaJesu eziningi zijwayelene nokulima. Ukhuluma nangenye into eyaziwayo, imbewu encane yesinaphi. Ikhula ibe isihlahla esikhulu kangangokuba izinyoni zihlala emagatsheni aso. Ngokuqondene nale mbewu, uthi: “UMbuso wamazulu unjengohlamvu lwesinaphi, umuntu aluthatha walutshala ensimini yakhe.” (Mathewu 13:31) Nokho, uJesu akafundisi ngezitshalo. Wenza umfanekiso wokukhula kwento okubabazekayo, indlela into encane kakhulu engakhula ngayo noma engasabalala ngayo ibe yinto enkulu kakhulu.

UJesu ube esekhuluma ngenqubo izilaleli zakhe eziningi eziyijwayele. Ufanisa uMbuso wamazulu ‘nemvubelo, owesifazane ayithatha wayifaka kufulawa oyizilinganiso ezintathu ezinkulu.’ (Mathewu 13:33) Nakuba leyo mvubelo ingabonakali, ingena kuyo yonke inhlama iyikhukhumalise. Ibangela ukwanda okukhulu noshintsho olungabonakali kalula.

Ngemva kokwenza le mifanekiso, uJesu uyala izixuku ukuba zihambe bese ebuyela endlini ahleli kuyo. Ngemva nje kwalokho, abafundi beza kuye befuna ukuqonda incazelo yemifanekiso

Abafundi bake bamuzwa uJesu esebenzisa imifanekiso esikhathini esedlule, kodwa hhayi ngale ndlela. Bayambuza: “Kungani ukhuluma nabo ngokusebenzisa imifanekiso?”—Mathewu 13:10.

Esinye isizathu sokwenza kanjalo, ukugcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli. Ukulandisa kukaMathewu kuthi: “Wayengakhulumi nazo ngaphandle komfanekiso, ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngomprofethi owathi: ‘Ngizokhuluma ngemifanekiso; ngizomemezela izinto ebezifihlakele kusukela ekusungulweni kwezwe.’”—Mathewu 13:34, 35; IHubo 78:2.

Kodwa akusona leso kuphela isizathu sokusebenzisa kukaJesu imifanekiso. Imifanekiso yembula isimo sengqondo sabantu. Abaningi babo bathanda uJesu ngenxa nje yokuthi unekhono lokuxoxa izindaba, nokuthi ukwazi ukwenza izimangaliso. Abambheki njengomuntu okufanele alalelwe njengeNkosi, nokufanele alandelwe ngaphandle kokubheka izinzuzo. (Luka 6:46, 47) Abafuni ukuphazanyiswa endleleni ababheka ngayo izinto noma endleleni abaphila ngayo. Abafuni nhlobo ukuba umyalezo kaJesu ungene ujule ezinhliziyweni zabo.

Ephendula umbuzo wabafundi, uJesu uthi: “Yingakho ngikhuluma nabo ngokusebenzisa imifanekiso; ngoba bayabheka kodwa ababoni, bayezwa kodwa abalaleli, futhi abawutholi umqondo. Isiprofetho sika-Isaya siyagcwaliseka kubo. Sithi: ‘. . .Inhliziyo yalaba bantu isibe lukhuni.’”—Mathewu 13:13-15; Isaya 6:9, 10.

Nokho, la mazwi awasebenzi kuzo zonke izilaleli zikaJesu. Uyachaza: ‘Ayajabula amehlo enu ngoba ayabona, nezindlebe zenu ngoba ziyezwa. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, abaprofethi abaningi nabantu abalungile babefisa ukubona izinto enizibonayo kodwa abazibonanga, nokuzwa izinto enizizwayo kodwa abazizwanga.’—Mathewu 13:16, 17.

Abaphostoli abangu-12 nabanye abafundi abaqotho banezinhliziyo ezifundisekayo. Yingakho uJesu ethi: “Nina nikunikiwe ukuqonda izimfihlo  ezingcwele zoMbuso wamazulu, kodwa bona abakunikwanga.” (Mathewu 13:11) Ngenxa yesifiso sabo esiqotho sokuqonda, uJesu unikeza abafundi bakhe incazelo yomfanekiso womhlwanyeli.

UJesu uthi: “Imbewu iyizwi likaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 8:11) Inhlabathi, inhliziyo. Yilawo amaphuzu abalulekile okuqonda umfanekiso wakhe.

Ngokuqondene nembewu ehlwanyelwe enhlabathini egandayekile engaseceleni komgwaqo, uyachaza: ‘UDeveli uyafika athathe izwi ezinhliziyweni zabo ukuze bangakholwa futhi basindiswe.’ (Luka 8:12) Lapho ekhuluma ngembewu ehlwanyelwe endaweni enamadwala, uJesu usho izinhliziyo zabantu abamukela izwi ngenjabulo, kodwa lelo zwi alibi nampande ezinhliziyweni zabo. “Ngemva kokuba sekuvele usizi noma ukushushiswa ngenxa yezwi,” bayakhubeka. Ngempela lapho kufika ‘inkathi yokuvivinywa,’ mhlawumbe ukuphikiswa amalungu omndeni noma abanye, bayawa.—Mathewu 13:21; Luka 8:13.

Kodwa kuthiwani ngembewu ewela phakathi kwameva? UJesu utshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi leyo ibhekisela kubantu abalizwile izwi. Nokho, laba bantu banqotshwa “izinkathazo zokuphila namandla engcebo akhohlisayo.” (Mathewu 13:22) Izwi lingenile enhliziyweni yabo kodwa manje licinanisiwe, okwenza lingatheli.

Uhlobo lokugcina lwenhlabathi uJesu akhuluma ngalo, inhlabathi enhle. Lokhu kubhekisela kulabo abezwa izwi, balamukele ezinhliziyweni zabo, bathole umqondo walo. Ube yini umphumela? ‘Bathela izithelo.’ Ngenxa yezimo zabo ezingafani, njengobudala noma isimo sempilo, abakwazi ukwenza okulinganayo bonke, omunye uthela izikhathi ezingu-100, omunye izikhathi ezingu-60, omunye izikhathi ezingu-30. Izibusiso zokukhonza uNkulunkulu zitholwa “yilabo okuthi  ngemva kokuzwa izwi ngenhliziyo enhle, baligcine futhi bathele izithelo ngokukhuthazela.”—Luka 8:15.

Kumelwe ukuba la mazwi abajabulisa kakhulu abafundi abebezofuna uJesu ukuze abachazele ngezimfundiso zakhe. Manje sebeyiqonda ngokujulile imifanekiso kaJesu. UJesu ufuna bayiqonde imifanekiso yakhe ukuze nabo bakwazi ukufundisa abanye iqiniso. Uyabuza: “Isibani asilethelwa ukubekwa ngaphansi kukabhasikidi noma ngaphansi kombhede, akunjalo? Asilethelwanga yini ukubekwa othini lwesibani?” Ngakho uJesu uyeluleka: “Noma ubani onezindlebe zokulalela, makalalele.”—Marku 4:21-23.

Ngemva kokuzwa incazelo kaJesu yomfanekiso womhlwanyeli, abafundi bafuna ukwazi okwengeziwe. Bayamcela: “Sichazele umfanekiso wokhula ensimini.”—Mathewu 13:36.

Ngokucela lokhu, babonisa isimo sengqondo esihluke kakhulu kwesesixuku esisogwini. Kuyacaca ukuthi labo bantu bayezwa, kodwa abanaso isifiso sokwazi incazelo yemifanekiso nendlela esebenza ngayo. Baneliswa yilokho nje abakuzwe emifanekisweni. UJesu uqhathanisa leso sixuku ebesingasolwandle nabafundi bakhe abanelukuluku lokwazi, abeze kuye ukuze bathole okwengeziwe, uthi:

“Kunakeni lokho enikuzwayo. Isikali enisisebenzisa kwabanye, kuyosetshenziswa sona nakini, futhi niyonikwa okuningi.” (Marku 4:24) Abafundi bayakunakisisa lokho abakuzwa kuJesu. Babonisa uJesu ukuthi banesifiso esiqotho sokwazi okwengeziwe futhi bayalalelisisa, ngakho babusiswa ngemfundo eyengeziwe nokukhanyiselwa okuthe xaxa. Ngakho, ephendula abafundi bakhe abafuna ukwazi ngomfanekiso kakolweni nokhula, uJesu uyachaza:

“Umhlwanyeli wembewu enhle yiNdodana yomuntu; insimu yizwe. Imbewu enhle, ngabantwana boMbuso; ukhula ngabantwana bomubi, isitha esaluhlwanyela uDeveli. Ukuvuna yisiphelo sesimiso sezinto, abavuni yizingelosi.”—Mathewu 13:37-39.

Ngemva kokusho ukuthi into ngayinye esemfanekisweni wakhe imelelani, uJesu ube esechaza lokho okuyokwenzeka. Uthi ekupheleni kwesimiso sezinto, abavuni noma izingelosi, bayohlukanisa amaKristu-mbumbulu anjengokhula ‘kubantwana boMbuso’ beqiniso. Kuyobuthwa “abalungile,” futhi ekugcineni bayokhanya ngokukhazimulayo “eMbusweni kaYise.” Kuthiwani “ngabantwana bomubi”? Isiphetho esibafanele ukubhujiswa, okuyobenza ‘bakhale, baququde amazinyo.’—Mathewu 13:41-43.

Ngokulandelayo, uJesu unikeza abafundi bakhe eminye imifanekiso emithathu. Okokuqala uthi: “UMbuso wamazulu unjengomcebo ofihlwe  esigangeni, otholwa umuntu bese eyawufihla; futhi ngenxa yenjabulo uyahamba ayothengisa konke anakho athenge leso siganga.”—Mathewu 13:44.

Uyaqhubeka: “UMbuso wamazulu unjengomthengisi ohamba efuna amapharele amahle. Lapho ethola ipharele elilodwa elibiza kakhulu, wahamba wathengisa masinyane zonke izinto ayenazo wayeselithenga.”—Mathewu 13:45, 46.

Ngale mifanekiso emibili, uJesu uqokomisa ukuzimisela komuntu ukudela okuthile ukuze athole lokho okuyigugu ngempela. Lo mthengisi uthengisa ngokushesha “zonke izinto ayenazo” ukuze athole ipharele elilodwa lenani elikhulu. Abafundi bakaJesu bayasiqonda lesi sibonelo sepharele eliyigugu. Kanti nomuntu othola umcebo ofihlwe esigangeni, “uthengisa konke anakho” ukuze awuthole. Kuzo zombili lezi zimo kunokuthile okuyigugu, okuthile okufanele kutholakale. Lokhu kungaqhathaniswa nokuzidela umuntu akwenzayo ukuze akhe ubuhlobo noNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 5:3) Abanye balabo abezwa uJesu enikeza le mifanekiso sebebonisile kakade ukuthi bazimisele ukudela okuningi, ukuze bakhe ubuhlobo noNkulunkulu futhi babe abalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso.—Mathewu 4:19, 20; 19:27.

Okokugcina, uJesu ufanisa uMbuso wamazulu nenethi elibutha zonke izinhlobo zezinhlanzi. (Mathewu 13:47) Lapho izinhlazi zihlukaniswa, ezinhle zigcinwa ezitsheni kodwa ezimbi ziyalahlwa. UJesu uthi kuyokwenzeka okufanayo esiphelweni sesimiso sezinto—izingelosi ziyohlukanisa ababi kwabalungile.

UJesu ngokwakhe wayenza uhlobo oluthile lokudoba lapho ebiza abafundi bakhe bokuqala ukuba babe “abadobi babantu.” (Marku 1:17) Nokho, uthi umfanekiso wakhe ophathelene nenethi usebenza esikhathini esizayo, “esiphelweni sesimiso sezinto.” (Mathewu 13:49) Ngakho abaphostoli nabanye abafundi abalalele uJesu bayabona ukuthi kusekuningi okuthakazelisayo okuseza.

Labo abezwe uJesu enikeza imifanekiso esesikebheni bazuza ngokwengeziwe. UJesu uyabonisa ukuthi uzimisele ‘ukubachazela ngasese yonke into abafundi bakhe.’ (Marku 4:34) “Unjengomuntu, umninindlu, okhipha emtatsheni wakhe wengcebo izinto ezintsha nezindala.” (Mathewu 13:52) Ngokunikeza le mifanekiso, uJesu akabukisi ngekhono lakhe lokufundisa. Kunalokho, ufundisa abafundi bakhe amaqiniso afana nomcebo ongenakuqhathaniswa. Ngempela, ‘ungumfundisi womphakathi’ ongenakuqhathaniswa.