1-2. (a) Kuyini esikufunayo sonke? (b) Kuyini esingakuthandabuziyo ngoJehova?

AKULAMUNTU ongafuniyo ukuthandwa lokuphathwa kuhle. Singazizwa singasibantu balutho, sicine singaselathemba nxa abantu bengatshengisi ukuthi bayasithanda futhi behlala besahlulela kubi.

² UJehova uyakwazi ukuthi siyakufuna ukuthandwa lokwahlulelwa kuhle. (Hubo. 33:5) Asithandabuzi ukuthi uyasithanda kakhulu futhi ufuna siphathwe kuhle. UMthetho awunika isizwe sako-Israyeli esebenzisa uMosi uyakuveza lokho. Nxa udanile ngenxa yokuthi abanye kabakuthandi futhi kabakwahluleli kuhle, sicela unanzelele ukuthi uMthetho kaMosi * ukuveza njani ukuthi uJehova ulendaba labantu bakhe.

3. (a) Njengoba kuchasiswe kuRoma 13:8-10, ukuhlola uMthetho kaMosi kusinceda ngani? (b) Sizaphendula yiphi imibuzo esihlokweni lesi?

³ Ukuhlola uMthetho kaMosi kuyasinceda sibone ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu uJehova ulothando. (Bala uRoma 13:8-10.) Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngeminye imithetho eyaphiwa ama-Israyeli futhi siphendule imibuzo elandelayo: Kungani sisithi uMthetho wawusekelwe ethandweni? Kungani sisithi uMthetho wawusenza kube lokwahlulela  okuhle? UMthetho wawusithi abakhokhelayo bahlulele njani? UMthetho wawuvikela obani kakhulu? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le zizasiduduza, zisenze sibe lethemba futhi zisisondeze eduze kukaBaba wethu osithandayo.​—ImiSeb. 17:27; Rom. 15:4.

4. (a) Kungani sisithi uMthetho kaMosi wawusekelwe ethandweni? (b) Yiphi imilayo uJesu akhuluma ngayo kuMathewu 22:36-40?

⁴ UMthetho kaMosi wawusekelwe ethandweni ngoba uJehova utshengisa uthando kukho konke akwenzayo. (1 Joh. 4:8) Imithetho yonke yayisekelwe emilayweni emibili. Owokuqala wawusithi ama-Israyeli athande uNkulunkulu, owesibili usithi athande umakhelwane. (Levi. 19:18; Dute. 6:5; bala uMathewu 22:36-40.) Yikho imithetho le edlula 600 isifundisa okuthile ngothando lukaJehova. Asixoxeni ngezinye izibonelo.

5-6. UJehova ufuna abantu abatshadileyo benzeni futhi kuyini alendaba lakho? Nika isibonelo.

⁵ Thembeka kulowo otshade laye futhi uphathe kuhle abantwabakho. UJehova ufuna abantu abatshadileyo bathandane okwempilo yabo yonke. (Gen. 2:24; Mat. 19:3-6) Umuntu ophingayo uyabe emenze isihluku omunye wakhe, yikho umlayo wesikhombisa wawusithi: “Ungafebi.” (Dute. 5:18) Uyabe enze “isono kuNkulunkulu” futhi emzwise ubuhlungu omunye wakhe. (Gen. 39:7-9) Ubuhlungu lobo bungathatha isikhathi eside ukuthi buphele.

⁶ UJehova ulendaba lendlela abatshadileyo abaphathana ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, wayefuna ukuthi amakhosikazi angama-Israyeli aphathwe kuhle. Indoda eyayiwuhlonipha uMthetho yayizamthanda umkayo futhi ingachithi umtshado ngezizatho ezingatsho lutho. (Dute. 24:1-4; Mat. 19:3, 8) Kodwa nxa kwakungaba lohlupho olukhulu ibisichitha umtshado, kwakumele imnike incwadi yokuchitha umtshado. Nxa owesifazana lo wayengatshada lenye indoda incwadi le yayimnceda angamangalelwa ngokuthi uyaphinga. Kanti njalo kukhanya indoda kwakumele iqale iyekhuluma labadala bedolobho ingakaniki umkayo incwadi yokuchitha umtshado. Lokhu kwakuzanika abadala laba ithuba lokuthi bazame ukunceda abatshadileyo bangachithi umtshado wabo. Kwesinye isikhathi uJehova wayengenzi lutho nxa indoda engum-Israyeli ichitha umtshado wayo kungelasizatho esizwakalayo. Lanxa kunjalo, wayekubona ukuhlupheka lokukhala komkayo futhi ebuzwa lobuhlungu ayebuzwa.​—Mal. 2:13-16.

7-8. (a) UJehova walaya abazali ukuthi benzeni? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.) (b) Kuyini esikufundayo?

⁷ UMthetho uveza lokuthi uJehova ulendaba labantwana. Ufuna bathokoze futhi bazizwe bevikelekile. UJehova walaya abazali ukuthi banakekele abantwababo lokuthi babancedise babe ngabangane bakhe. Abazali kwakumele babafundise uMthetho kaJehova ukuze bawuqakathekise njalo babafundise lokumthanda. (Dute. 6:6-9; 7:13) Okunye okwenza uJehova wajezisa abako-Israyeli yikuthi babesenza isihluku kubantwababo. (Jer. 7:31, 33) Abazali kwakungamelanga babalahlele iganga abantwababo loba babaphathe kubi kodwa kwakufanele bababone belilifa lesipho esivela kuJehova.​—Hubo. 127:3.

⁸ Esikufundayo: UJehova uyayibona indlela abatshadileyo abaphathana ngayo. Ufuna abazali bathande abantwababo futhi uzabahlulela nxa bengabaphathi kuhle.

9-11. Kungani uJehova wanika abako-Israyeli umlayo owawusithi bangahawukeli?

 ⁹ Ungahawukeli. Umlayo wokucina eMilayweni Elitshumi wawusithi ama-Israyeli angahawukeli loba afise okungasikwawo. (Dute. 5:21; Rom. 7:7) UJehova wanika abantu bakhe umthetho lo ngoba wayefuna baqaphele izinto abazicabangayo labazifisayo. Uyakwazi ukuthi umuntu owenza isono uyabe eqale waba lemicabango emibi kanye lezifiso ezingaqondanga. (Zaga. 4:23) Nxa um-Israyeli wayengavumela ukuthi izifiso ezimbi ziqhubeke zikhula enhliziyweni yakhe wayengacina ephatha kubi abanye. INkosi uDavida ngomunye owenza njalo. Yena wayeyindoda elungileyo, kodwa wahawukela umfazi wenye indoda futhi isifiso sakhe sakhula waze wacina enze isono. (Jak. 1:14, 15) Waphinga, wazama ukuqila indoda yowesifazana lo futhi wacina eyibulalisa.​—2 Sam. 11:2-4; 12:7-11.

¹⁰ UJehova uyakwazi esikucabangayo lendlela esizizwa ngayo yikho wayebona nxa um-Israyeli esephula umthetho omayelana lokuhawukela. (1 ImiLan. 28:9) Umthetho lo wawunceda abantu bakhe babone ukuthi kwakumele baxwaye imicabango eyayingabangela ukuthi benze isono. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova unguBaba ohlakaniphileyo futhi osithandayo.

¹¹ Esikufundayo: UJehova kaboni indlela esikhangeleka ngayo kuphela kodwa ubona lokusezinhliziyweni zethu. (1 Sam. 16:7) Akula ngitsho lokukodwa esingamfihlela khona. Uyayazi imicabango yethu lezifiso zethu futhi uyakubona esikwenzayo. Uyakudinga okuhle okusenhliziyweni njalo yikho afuna sikwenze. Ukhangelele ukuthi silwe lemicabango engaqondanga esingabe silayo ukuze singacini sisenza isono.​—2 ImiLan. 16:9; Mat. 5:27-30.

12. UMthetho kaMosi usifundisani?

¹² UMthetho kaMosi uphinda usifundise ukuthi uJehova uyakuthanda ukwahlulela okuhle. (Hubo. 37:28, NW; Isaya. 61:8) Kumele silingisele indlela ayephatha ngayo abanye. Wayewabusisa ama-Israyeli nxa elalela imithetho yakhe kodwa awajezise nxa engayilandeli. Asixoxeni ngeminye emibili eseMilayweni Elitshumi.

13-14. Imithetho yokuqala emibili eseMilayweni Elitshumi yayisithini futhi ukuyilalela kwakuwanceda njani ama-Israyeli?

¹³ Khonza uJehova kuphela. Imithetho yokuqala emibili eseMilayweni Elitshumi yayisithi ama-Israyeli kwakumele akhonze uJehova kuphela futhi axwaye ukukhonza izithombe. (Eks. 20:3-6) Imithetho le yayingancedi uJehova kodwa yayisiza abantu bakhe. Babethokoza nxa behlala beqotho kuye kodwa bathwale nzima nxa bekhonza onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe.

¹⁴ AbaseKhenani bona babekhonza izithombe ezingancedi ngalutho kulokuthi bakhonze uNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi ophilayo. (Hubo. 115:4-8) Babesithi nxa bekhonza izithombe benze imikhuba yemacansini elihlazo lemihlatshelo ngabantwababo. Ama-Israyeli lawo ayesenza izinto ezenyanyekayo njalo ezwisa izimuli zawo ubuhlungu nxa ayetshiya uJehova akhonze izithombe. (2 ImiLan. 28:1-4) Abakhokhelayo babengasalandeli imithetho kaNkulunkulu ephathelane lokwahlulela kuhle futhi sebephatha kubi abantu ababuthakathaka labadinga ukuncediswa. (Hez. 34:1-4) UJehova watshela ama-Israyeli ukuthi wayezabahlulela labo ababephatha kubi abafelokazi lezintandane. (Dute. 10:17, 18; 27:19) Kodwa wayebabusisa abantu bakhe nxa bekhonza yena  kuphela futhi bephathana kuhle.​—1 AmaKho. 10:4-9.

15. Kuyini esikufundayo ngoJehova?

¹⁵ Esikufundayo: Akufanelanga sisole uJehova nxa labo abathi bayamkhonza besephula imithetho yakhe njalo bephatha kubi abantu bakhe. Yena uyasithanda futhi uyabona nxa abanye bengasahluleli kuhle. Ubuhlungu abuzwayo nxa lathi sisizwa ubuhlungu buyedlula lobo owesifazana abuzwayo nxa umntanakhe esebuhlungwini. (Isaya. 49:15) Lanxa uJehova engasoze ahle alungise izinto, uzabahlulela ngesikhathi esifaneleyo abantu abangaphendukiyo abaphatha kubi abanye.

16-18. UMthetho kaMosi wawukhuluma ngani futhi kuyini esikufundayo?

¹⁶ UMthetho kaMosi wawukhuluma ngokunengi okuphathelane lempilo yamaIsrayeli yikho kwakuqakathekile ukuthi amadoda amadala ahlulele kuhle abantu bakaJehova. Amadoda la ayesahlulela izindaba ezimayelana lokukhonza uJehova lezingxabano futhi ethetha amacala. Asihloleni izibonelo ezilandelayo.

¹⁷ Um-Israyeli obulele umuntu kwakungamelanga ahle abulawe. Abakhokheli bedolobho lakhe kwakumele bahluze indaba ukuze babone langabe umuntu lo kwakumele abulawe. (Dute. 19:2-7, 11-13) Babesahlulela izindaba ezijayelekileyo ngokwesibonelo izingxabano eziphathelane lempahla kanye lemitshado. (Eks. 21:35; Dute. 22:13-19) Nxa izindaba lezi zazisahlulelwa kuhle njalo ama-Israyeli elandela uMthetho, izinto zaziwahambela kuhle futhi loJehova wayedunyiswa.​—Levi. 20:7, 8; Isaya. 48:17, 18.

¹⁸ Esikufundayo: UJehova ukukhangele konke esikwenzayo. Ufuna sithande abanye futhi sibaphathe kuhle. Kanti njalo uyakuzwa esikutshoyo abone lesikwenzayo, lanxa sisodwa ngekhaya.​—Heb. 4:13.

19-21. (a) Abakhokhelayo kanye labahluleli kwakumele babaphathe njani abantu bakaNkulunkulu? (b) UMthetho wawubavikela njani abantu futhi kuyini esikufundayo?

¹⁹ UJehova wayengafuni ukuthi abantu bakhe balingisele okubi okwakusenziwa yizizwe ezazingomakhelwane. Wayekhangelele ukuthi abakhokhelayo kanye labahluleli bangabandlululi muntu nxa besahlulela. Kwakungamelanga babe lukhuni kumbe babe lesihluku kodwa kwakufanele bathande ukwahlulela okuhle.​—Dute. 1:13-17; 16:18-20.

²⁰ UJehova wayebazwela abantu bakhe yikho wabanika imithetho eyayibavikela ukuze bangaphathwa kubi. Ngokwesibonelo, uMthetho wawusenza kube nzima ukuthi umuntu amangalelwe ngento angayenzanga. Omangalelwayo wayelelungelo lokwazi ukuthi wayemangalelwa ngubani. (Dute. 19:16-19; 25:1) Kanti njalo kwakungamelanga agwetshwe kungazange kube  labofakazi ababili loba abathathu abafakaza ngendaba yakhe. (Dute. 17:6; 19:15) Kodwa kuthiwani nxa umuntu owonileyo ebonwe ngumuntu oyedwa? Wayengabe ezikhohlisa nxa ecabanga ukuthi wayengasoze ajeziswe ngoba uJehova wayekubonile ayekwenzile. Amadoda yiwo okwakumele akhangele okwenziwa emulini zawo kodwa okunye kwakuyabe sekufuna abakhokheli bedolobho. Ezinye izingxabano zemuli kwasekumele zilungiswe yibo.​—Dute. 21:18-21.

²¹ Esikufundayo: UJehova wahlulela kuhle. (Hubo. 89:14) Uyababusisa labo abalalela imilayo yakhe, ajezise labo abaphatha kubi abanye. (2 Sam. 22:21-23; Hez. 9:9, 10) Kwesinye isikhathi kungakhanya angani abenza okubi kabajeziswa kodwa ngesikhathi esifaneleyo uJehova uzaba leqiniso lokuthi bayahlulelwa. (Zaga. 28:13) Nxa bengaphenduki bazakwazi ukuthi “kuyinto eyesabekayo ukuwela ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”​—Heb. 10:30, 31.

22-24. (a) UMthetho wawuvikela obani kakhulu futhi kuyini esikufundayo ngoJehova? (b) Yisiphi isixwayiso esitholakala ku-Eksodusi 22:22-24?

²² UMthetho wawuvikela ikakhulu labo ababengenelisi ukuzivikela, ngokwesibonelo izintandane labafelokazi kanye labezizweni. Abahluleli bako-Israyeli batshelwa ukuthi ‘bangavaleli owezizweni loba ongelayise ilungelo lakhe loba bathathe isambatho somfelokazi ukuze sibe yisibambiso.’  (Dute. 24:17) UJehova watshengisa ukuthi wayelendaba lezintandane labafelokazi futhi wayejezisa labo ababebaphatha kubi.​—Bala u-Eksodusi 22:22-24.

²³ UMthetho wawuvikela lamalunga emuli ukuthi angahlukuluzwa kwezemacansini ngoba wawungavumi ukuthi izihlobo zihlangane emacansini. (Levi. 18:6-30) Abantu bakaJehova kwakungamelanga balingisele abantu bezizwe ezazingomakhelwane ababengaboni cala ngokuya emacansini lezihlobo. Kwakufanele bakwenyanye lokho njengoJehova.

²⁴ Esikufundayo: UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi abakhokhelayo babelendaba labantu bakhe. Uyakuzonda ukuya emacansini kwezihlobo, ukuhlukuluzwa kwabantwana kwezemacansini kanye leganyavu. Ufuna wonke umuntu avikelwe futhi ahlulelwe kuhle, ikakhulu labo abangelabantu bokubasiza.

25-26. (a) Kungani sisithi uthando kanye lokwahlulela okuhle kunjengomoya wokuphefumula lokuphila? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo kwezine ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulendaba lathi?

²⁵ Uthando lokwahlulela okuhle kuhamba ndawonye, njengomoya wokuphefumula lokuphila. Akula okungaba khona okunye kungekho. Sizamthanda kakhulu uJehova nxa singathandabuzi ukuthi usahlulela kuhle. Kanti njalo nxa sithanda uNkulunkulu lemithetho yakhe sizabathanda abanye futhi sibaphathe kuhle.

²⁶ Isivumelwano soMthetho kaMosi sasisenza ukuthi ama-Israyeli asondele kakhulu kuJehova. Kodwa uMthetho wama ukusebenza ngemva komhlatshelo kaJesu futhi kwaba lokunye okungcono kakhulu esikhundleni sawo. (Rom. 10:4) Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi uMthetho “uyisithunzi sezinto ezinhle ezizayo.” (Heb. 10:1) Esihlokweni esilandelayo kwezine ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulendaba lathi sizaxoxa ngezinye zezinto ezinhle uPhawuli ayekhuluma ngazo. Sizabona lokuthi kuqakatheke ngani ukuba lothando kanye lokwahlulela okuhle ebandleni.