Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wavikela, Wondla, Waphikelela

UJOSEFA uphonsa omunye umthwalo emhlane wembongolo. Mbone ngeso lengqondo njengoba eqalaza ebumnyameni emzini waseBetlehema futhi ebhambatha imbongolo yakhe ohlangothini. Ngokuqinisekile ucabanga ngohambo olude olusamhlalele, uhambo olubheke eGibhithe. Abantu belinye izwe, ulimi angalwazi, amasiko angawazi—umkhaya wakhe omncane uzojwayelana kanjani noshintsho olungaka?

Kwakungelula ukutshela umkakhe othandekayo uMariya lezi zindaba ezimbi, kodwa uJosefa waqunga isibindi wamtshela. Wamtshela ngephupho lakhe lapho ingelosi ibilethe umyalezo ovela kuNkulunkulu: Inkosi uHerode iyifuna ifile indodana yabo esencane! Kumelwe baphume baphele emzini. (Mathewu 2:13, 14) UMariya wayekhathazeke kakhulu. Kwakungenzeka kanjani ukuba kube nomuntu ofuna ukubulala ingane yakhe engenacala nengeyona ingozi? Akekho kubo awayengayiqonda le ndaba. Kodwa babemethemba uJehova, ngakho bazilungiselela.

Njengoba izakhamuzi zaseBetlehema zazilele, zingazi nakwazi ngalokho okuzokwenzeka, uJosefa, uMariya noJesu baphuma ngesinyenyela emzini kusemnyama. Njengoba bebheke eningizimu kuqala ukuntwela empumalanga, kungenzeka uJosefa ucabanga ngokubalindele endleleni. Umbazi ophansi nje wayengawuvikela kanjani umkhaya wakhe ezingozini ezinkulu? Ingabe wayeyohlale enakho okokondla umkhaya wakhe? Wayeyokwazi yini ukuphikelela nokuthwala lesi sabelo esisindayo asinikwe uJehova uNkulunkulu, ukunakekela nokukhulisa le ngane ekhethekile? UJosefa wayebhekene nezinselele ezethusayo. Njengoba sicabangela indlela abhekana ngayo nenselele ngayinye, sizobona ukuthi kungani obaba namuhla—kuhlanganise nathi sonke—kudingeka balingise ukholo lukaJosefa.

UJosefa Wavikela Umkhaya Wakhe

Ukuphila kukaJosefa kwashintsha unomphela ngemva kokuthembisana umshado nendodakazi kaHeli. Lokhu kwenzeka ezinyangeni ezithile ngaphambili, emzini wakubo eNazaretha. UJosefa wayazi uMariya njengentombi emsulwa nethembekile. Kodwa wabe esezwa ukuthi ukhulelwe! Wayefuna ukumlahla ngasese ukuze amvikele ehlazweni. * Kodwa ingelosi yakhuluma naye ephusheni, yachaza ukuthi uMariya ukhulelwe ngomoya ongcwele kaJehova. Ingelosi yanezela yathi indodana azoyizala “iyosindisa abantu bakubo ezonweni zabo.” Yaqinisekisa uJosefa: “Ungesabi ukuthatha uMariya umkakho umyise ekhaya.”—Mathewu 1:18-21.

UJosefa, indoda elungile nelalelayo, wenza lokho kanye. Wamukela isabelo esisinda kunazo zonke: ukukhulisa nokunakekela indodana okungeyona eyakhe kodwa eyigugu kakhulu kuNkulunkulu. Kamuva, elalela umyalo wombusi, uJosefa wathatha umkakhe okhulelwe waya naye eBetlehema ukuyobhalisa. Kulapho lapho umntwana azalelwa khona. *

UJosefa akabange esabuyela eNazaretha nomkhaya wakhe. Kunalokho, bahlala eBetlehema eqhele ngamakhilomitha ambalwa ukusuka eJerusalema. Babempofu kodwa uJosefa wenza konke ayengakwenza ukuze uMariya noJesu bangasweli. Ngemva kwalokho, bahlala emzini ophansi. Kwathi lapho uJesu engaselona usana—mhlawumbe engaphezu konyaka ubudala —ukuphila kwabo kwaphinde kwashintsha ngokungazelelwe.

Kwafika iqembu lamadoda abhula ngezinkanyezi livela eMpumalanga, cishe eBhabhiloni elikude. Lalilandele inkanyezi laze layofika emzini kaJosefa noMariya futhi lalifuna ingane eyayizoba yinkosi yamaJuda. La madoda ayehlonipha kakhulu.

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi babazi noma cha, ababhula ngezinkanyezi babebeke ukuphila kukaJesu engozini enkulu. Inkanyezi ababeyibonile ayivelanga yabaholela eBetlehema kodwa yaqale yabayisa eJerusalema. Uma befika lapho batshela inkosi embi uHerode ukuthi bafuna ingane eyayizoba inkosi yamaJuda. Lokhu kwamthukuthelisa uHerode ngenxa yomona.—Bheka isihloko “Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi . . . Ubani Owathumela ‘Inkanyezi’?” ekhasini 29.

Nokho, ngokujabulisayo kunothile onamandla amakhulu kunoHerode owayebhekile. Kungani sisho njalo? Lezi zihambi zafika nezipho kodwa zangafuna kukhokhelwa lutho. Yeka ukuthi kwabonakala kuyinqaba kanjani kuJosefa noMariya lapho ngokungalindelekile bezithola ‘sebenegolide nenhlaka yempepho nemure’—izinto zenani elikhulu! Ababhula ngezinkanyezi babehlose ukuyotshela iNkosi uHerode ukuthi bayithole kuphi ingane ababeyifuna. Kodwa uJehova wangenela. Wabatshela ngephupho ukuba babuyele emuva ngendlela ehlukile.—Mathewu 2:1-12.

Ngemva nje kokuba ababhula ngezinkanyezi sebehambile, uJosefa wathola lesi sixwayiso sivela engelosini kaJehova: “Vuka, thatha umntwana nonina ubalekele eGibhithe, uhlale khona ngize ngikuthumelele izwi; ngoba uHerode usezohamba emfuna umntwana ukuze ambhubhise.” (Mathewu 2:13) Ngakho, njengoba siphawulile ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko, uJosefa walalela ngokushesha. Ukuphepha komntwana kwakuyinto ebaluleke kakhulu ukwedlula noma yini enye ngakho wathatha umkhaya wakhe walibhekisa eGibhithe. Ngenxa yokuthi ababhula ngezinkanyezi abangamaqaba banika lo mkhaya izipho ezibizayo, manje wawusunazo izinto ozozidinga ohambweni lawo.

Kamuva, izinsumansumane ezingamanga nezinganekwane zaluhlobisa uhambo lokuya eGibhithe, zithi uJesu osemncane walwenza lwaba lufushane ngokuyisimangaliso, wenza izinswelaboya zangaba yingozi futhi wenza izihlahla zesundu okuthiwa ama-date palm zagoba ukuze unina athole izithelo. * Iqiniso liwukuthi kwakuwuhambo olude nolukhandlayo oluya endaweni ababengayazi.

Kuningi abazali abangakufunda kuJosefa. Wayekulungele ukuphazamiseka emsebenzini wakhe futhi wadela ukunethezeka ukuze avikele umkhaya wakhe engozini. Kusobala ukuthi wayebheka umkhaya wakhe njengomthwalo wakhe ongcwele awuphathiswe uJehova. Namuhla abazali  bakhulisa izingane ezweni eliyingozi, izwe eligcwele amathonya angalimaza, noma aze onakalise izingane ngokuphelele. Yeka ukuthi baziswa kanjani omama nobaba abathatha izinqumo eziwujuqu njengoJosefa, besebenza kanzima ukuvikela izingane zabo emathonyeni anjalo!

UJosefa Wondla Umkhaya Wakhe

Kubonakala sengathi umkhaya kaJosefa awuhlalanga isikhathi eside eGibhithe ngoba ngokushesha ingelosi yamtshela ukuthi uHerode wayesefile. UJosefa wabe esethatha umkhaya wakhe wabuyela ezweni lakubo. Isiprofetho sasendulo sabikezela ukuthi uJehova uyobiza indodana yakhe “ukuba iphume eGibhithe.” (Mathewu 2:15) UJosefa wasiza ekusigcwaliseni lesi siprofetho, kodwa wayezowusaphi umkhaya wakhe manje?

UJosefa wayeqaphile. Ngokuhlakanipha wabonisa ukumesaba umbusi owalandela uHerode, u-Archelaus, naye owayenonya futhi engumbulali. Isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu senza uJosefa wathatha umkhaya wakhe wenyukela enyakatho emzini wakubo eNazaretha eliseGalile, kude neJerusalema eligcwele abakhi bozungu. Kuleyo ndawo, yena noMariya bakhulisa izingane zabo.—Mathewu 2:19-23.

Babephila ukuphila okulula—kodwa hhayi okungenazinkinga. IBhayibheli libiza uJosefa ngokuthi umbazi, lisebenzisa igama elihlanganisa izindlela eziningi zokusebenzisa ukhuni, njengokugawula izingodo, ukuzihudula nokuzilungisa ukuze zisetshenziswe ekwakheni izindlu, izikebhe, amabhuloho amancane, izinqola, amasondo, amajoka nezinhlobo eziningi zamathuluzi okulima. (Mathewu 13:55) Kwakuwumsebenzi okhandlayo. Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, umbazi wayevame ukusebenzela ngasendleleni ephuma emnyango wendlu yakhe noma endlwaneni eseduze nale ndlela.

UJosefa wayesebenzisa amathuluzi anhlobonhlobo, cishe amanye ayewashiyelwe uyise. Kungenzeka wayesebenzisa isikwele, intambo yomthofi wokumisa, umucu wokulinganisa, imbazo, isaha, igejambazo, isando, isando sokhuni, amashizolo, ithuluzi lokubhoboza izimbobo elalinento esiwa phambili nasemuva, nezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zengcina futhi mhlawumbe nezipikili, nakuba zazimba eqolo.

Cabanga ngoJesu esengumfana omncane ebukele usingayise esebenza. Njengoba egqolozele futhi egxile kuyo yonke into eyenziwa uJosefa, akungabazeki ukuthi ayemhlaba umxhwele lawo mahlombe abanzi nezinkonyane ezinamandla, ikhono lezandla nokukhalipha okwakubonakala emehlweni. Mhlawumbe uJosefa waqala ukubonisa indodana yakhe esencane indlela yokwenza imisebenzi elula njengokwenza bushelelezi izingxenye zokhuni ezihhedlezelayo esebenzisa isikhumba senhlanzi esomile. Kungenzeka wafundisa uJesu umehluko phakathi kwezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zokhuni ayelusebenzisa—ngokwesibonelo, umkhiwane, i-oki noma umnqumo.

UJesu wafunda nokuthi lezo zandla ezinamandla ezazigawula izihlahla, zixhoza izingodo futhi zihlanganisa izingxenye zamapulangwe ngokuwaqongqotha zazibuye zibe izandla ezithambile azazimwola zimduduze, ziduduze nonina nezingane zakubo. Yebo, umkhaya kaJosefa noMariya wawulokhu ukhula waze waba cishe nezingane eziyisithupha ngaphandle kukaJesu. (Mathewu 13:55, 56) UJosefa kwadingeka esebenze kanzima nakakhulu ukuze awunakekele futhi awondle wonke umkhaya wakhe.

 Nokho, uJosefa wayeqonda ukuthi ukufundisa umkhaya wakhe ngoNkulunkulu kubaluleke nakakhulu. Ngakho wachitha isikhathi efundisa izingane zakhe ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nangomthetho waKhe. Yena noMariya babezithatha njalo izingane zabo baye nazo esinagogeni lendawo, lapho kwakufundwa khona uMthetho ngokuzwakalayo futhi uchazwa. Cishe uJesu wayesuke enemibuzo eminingi ngemva kwalokho futhi uJosefa wazikhandla ezama ukwanelisa iphango lomfana elingokomoya. UJosefa wayebuye athathe umkhaya wakhe aye nawo emikhosini yenkolo eJerusalema. Lapho beya ePhasikeni laminyaka yonke, kungenzeka uJosefa wayedinga amasonto amabili kulolu hambo olungamakhilomitha angaba ngu-113, ukuyogubha umkhosi bese bebuya.

Izinhloko zemikhaya ezingamaKristu namuhla zenza okufanayo. Ziyazidela ngenxa yezingane zazo, ukufundisa ngoNkulunkulu zikubeka ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye kuhlanganise nokunethezeka kwezinto ezibonakalayo. Ziyazikhandla ukuze ziye nezingane zazo emihlanganweni yobuKristu emikhulu nemincane. NjengoJosefa, ziyazi ukuthi ayikho ingcebo engcono ezingayibekela izingane zazo ukwedlula le.

‘Becindezelekile’

Lapho uJesu eneminyaka engu-12, uJosefa wahamba nomkhaya wakhe waya eJerusalema njengokujwayelekile. KwakuyiPhasika, isikhathi esiphithizelayo futhi imindeni emikhulu yayihamba ndawonye ishaye udwendwe emaphandleni entwasahlobo enotshani obuluhlaza. Njengoba besondela endaweni ewugwadule eduze kweJerusalema elisendaweni ephakeme, abaningi babehlabelela amahubo adumile okwenyuka. (IHubo 120–134) Kungenzeka lowo muzi wawuphithizela amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu. Ngemva kwalokho, imindeni yayishaya ujenga iqale ukuphindela emakhaya. UJosefa noMariya, cishe ababematasa, bacabanga ukuthi uJesu uhamba nabanye, mhlawumbe amanye amalungu omndeni. Kwaze kwaba yilapho sebeshiye iJerusalema ngebanga lohambo losuku lapho baqaphela khona into eyabethusa—uJesu wayengekho!—Luka 2:41-44.

Betatazela, balibangisa emuva eJerusalema. Cabanga ukuthi umuzi wabonakala uthule futhi ungajwayelekile kanjani njengoba behamba emigwaqweni, bememeza indodana yabo ngegama. Wayengaba kuphi umfana? Sekuphele izinsuku  izintathu bemthungatha, kungenzeka yini ukuthi uJosefa wacabanga ukuthi wehluleke ngokuphelele emsebenzini ongcwele ayewunikwe uJehova? Ekugcineni, baya ethempelini. Lapho bamfuna baze bazithela egumbini okwakubuthene kulo amadoda amaningi ayizifundiswa, izazi zomthetho—uJesu osemncane ehleli phakathi kwawo! UJosefa noMariya bezwa sengathi kusuka umthwalo omkhulu emahlombe!—Luka 2:45, 46.

UJesu wayelalele la madoda ayizifundiswa futhi ewabuza imibuzo. La madoda ayemangele ngenxa yokuqonda kwale ngane nezimpendulo zayo. Nokho, uMariya noJosefa bona babeshaqekile. Ngokwalokho okulotshiwe, uJosefa akashongo lutho. Kodwa amazwi kaMariya ayiveza kahle imizwa yabo bobabili: “Mntwana, usiphatheleni ngale ndlela? Bheka mina noyihlo besikufuna sicindezelekile engqondweni.”—Luka 2:47, 48.

Ngamafuphi, iZwi likaNkulunkulu linikeza isithombe esinembile ngokukhulisa izingane. Kungaba okucindezelayo—ngisho noma ingane iphelele! Ukukhulisa izingane ezweni lanamuhla eliyingozi kungaletha ‘ukucindezeleka’ okukhulu, kodwa obaba nomama bangathola induduzo ngokwazi ukuthi iBhayibheli liyaziphawula izinselele ababhekene nazo.

Ngokujabulisayo, uJesu wayekade ehleli kokuwukuphela kwendawo emhlabeni ayezizwa esondelene kuyo noYise, uJehova, efuna ngokulangazela noma yini ayengase ayifunde. Ngakho, waphendula abazali bakhe ngobuqotho: “Kungani kuye kwadingeka nihambe ningifuna? Beningazi yini ukuthi kumelwe ngibe sendlini kaBaba?”—Luka 2:49.

Akungabazeki ukuthi uJosefa wacabanga kaningi ngalawo mazwi. Kungenzeka wayeba nomuzwa wokuziqhenya ngawo. Phela wayesebenze ngokuzikhandla ukuze afundise indodana yakhe yokutholwa ukuba izizwe ngaleyo ndlela ngoJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngaleso sikhathi lapho esengumfana, uJesu wayeseqonda ukuthi lisho ukuthini igama elithi “baba”—imizwa eyalolongwa ngokuyinhloko ukuhlala kwakhe noJosefa.

Uma ungubaba, uyaqaphela yini ukuthi unelungelo elingakanani lokusiza izingane zakho ziqonde ukuthi unjani ubaba onothando novikelayo? Ngokufanayo, uma ungusingamzali noma unezingane zokutholwa, khumbula isibonelo sikaJosefa futhi uphathe ingane ngayinye njengekhethekile neyigugu. Zisize zisondele kuYise wasezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu.

UJosefa Waphikelela Ngokwethembeka

IBhayibheli libe selinikeza umkhondo omfushane ngokuphila kukaJosefa, kodwa kuyafaneleka ukuba siwuhlolisise. Sifunda ukuthi uJesu “waqhubeka ezithoba kubo”—abazali bakhe. Sithola nokuthi “uJesu waqhubeka ethuthuka  ekuhlakanipheni nasekukhuleni ngokomzimba nasemseni kaNkulunkulu nowabantu.” (Luka 2:51, 52) Embulani lawo mazwi ngoJosefa? Izinto eziningana. Sifunda ukuthi uJosefa waqhubeka ehola umkhaya wakhe ngoba indodana yakhe ephelele yayilihlonipha igunya lakhe futhi iqhubeka ilithobela.

Sifunda nokuthi uJesu waqhubeka ekhula ekuhlakanipheni. Ngokuqinisekile kuningi uJosefa akwenza entuthukweni yendodana yakhe kulesi sici. Ngalezo zinsuku, kunesaga esidala esasithandwa phakathi kwamaJuda. Sasithi abantu abatamasayo kuphela abangahlakanipha ngempela, kanti abantu abasebenzayo njengababazi, abalimi nabasebenza ngensimbi “ngeke bakwazi ukukhipha ubulungisa nokwahlulela; futhi ngeke batholakala lapho kulandiswa khona ngemifanekiso.” Kamuva, uJesu wabembula ubuze baleso saga. Esengumfana, yeka ukuthi wayevame kangakanani ukuzwa usingayise, nakuba ayengumbazi ophansi, efundisa ‘ngobulungisa nezahlulelo’ zikaJehova! Ngokungangabazeki, izikhathi ezingenakubalwa.

Singabona nobufakazi bendima kaJosefa ekukhuleni kukaJesu ngokomzimba. Njengomfana owayenakekelwa kahle, uJesu wakhula waba indoda enamandla nephile kahle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJosefa waqeqesha indodana yakhe ukuba ibe nekhono emsebenzini wayo wezandla. UJesu wayengaziwa nje kuphela ngokuthi indodana yombazi kodwa nangokuthi “ngumbazi.” (Marku 6:3) Ngakho ukuqeqesha kukaJosefa kwaphumelela. Izinhloko zemikhaya zenza kahle ngokulingisa uJosefa, zinakekela inhlalakahle yangempela yezingane zazo futhi ziqiniseka ukuthi zingakwazi ukuzisekela.

Lapho sifika ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli ngokubhapathizwa kukaJesu eneminyaka engu-30, sithola ukuthi uJosefa akusakhulunywa nhlobo ngaye. Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi uMariya wayesengumfelokazi ngesikhathi uJesu eqala inkonzo yakhe. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Wafa nini uJosefa?” ekhasini 27.) Noma kunjalo, uJosefa washiya uphawu olucacile—isibonelo esihle sikababa owavikela umkhaya wakhe, wawondla futhi waphikelela ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekugcineni. Noma yimuphi ubaba, noma iyiphi inhloko yomkhaya, noma imuphi umKristu uyobe wenza kahle ngokulingisa ukholo lukaJosefa.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 27]

Wafa Nini UJosefa?

Siyazi ukuthi uJosefa wayesaphila lapho uJesu eneminyaka engu-12 ubudala. Kuleyo minyaka yokweva eshumini nambili, intsha eningi engamaJuda yayifunda imisebenzi yezandla koyise bese iba abasizi lapho isineminyaka engu-15. Kusobala ukuthi uJosefa waphila isikhathi esanele ukuba afundise uJesu ukuba abe umbazi. Ingabe uJosefa wayesaphila lapho uJesu eqala inkonzo yakhe eneminyaka engaba ngu-30? Asikho isiqiniseko salokho. Unina, abafowabo nodadewabo bakaJesu, kukhulunywa ngabo njengababesaphila kodwa akukhulunywa ngoJosefa. UJesu wake wabizwa ngokuthi “indodana kaMariya,” hhayi kaJosefa. (Marku 6:3) Kukhulunywa ngoMariya njengowayezenzela izinto enza nezinqumo, ngaphandle kokukhuluma nomyeni wakhe. (Johane 2:1-5) Kwakuyinto engavamile leyo ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli ngaphandle uma ayengumfelokazi. Ekugcineni, lapho esezofa, uJesu waphathisa umphostoli uJohane ukuba anakekele unina. (Johane 19:26, 27) Sasingekho isidingo salokho ukuba uJosefa wayesaphila. Ngakho, kusobala ukuthi uJosefa wafa lapho uJesu eseyibhobhodleyana. Njengendodana endala, ngokungangabazeki uJesu waqhubeka nebhizinisi lokubaza futhi wanakekela umkhaya kwaze kwaba yilapho ebhapathizwa.

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

UJosefa wenza isinqumo esiwujuqu nesibonisa ukuzidela ukuze avikele ingane yakhe

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

UJosefa wasebenza kanzima ukuze ondle umkhaya wakhe

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

UJosefa wayeya njalo nomkhaya wakhe ukuyokhulekela ethempelini eJerusalema

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

UJosefa waqeqesha indodana yakhe ukuba ibe ngumbazi