1-2. (a) Yintoni esiyifunayo sonke? (b) Yintoni esinokuqiniseka ngayo?

SONKE siyakufuna ukuthandwa nokuphathwa kakuhle. Xa singathandwa okanye singaphethwanga kakuhle, siye sizive ngathi asibalulekanga size siphelelwe lithemba.

² UYehova uyazi ukuba siyakufuna ukuthandwa nokuphathwa kakuhle. (INdu. 33:5) Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo usithanda kakhulu ibe ufuna siphathwe kakuhle. Le nto icaca xa sijonga uMthetho uYehova awawunika amaSirayeli esebenzisa uMoses. Ukuba ukhathazekile kuba ungaphathwa kakuhle okanye ungathandwa, khawukhe ujonge indlela uMthetho KaMoses * obonisa ngayo ukuba uYehova uyabathanda abantu bakhe.

3. (a) Ngokutsho kwabaseRoma 13:8-10, siye sibone ntoni xa sifunda uMthetho KaMoses? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula kweli nqaku?

³ Xa sifunda uMthetho KaMoses, siye sibone indlela asithanda ngayo uThixo wethu, uYehova. (Funda kwabaseRoma 13:8-10.) Kweli nqaku, siza kuthetha ngemithetho embalwa eyayinikwe amaSirayeli size siphendule le mibuzo: Kutheni sinokuthi uMthetho wabakho ngenxa yothando? Kutheni sinokuthi uMthetho wawukhuthaza abantu ukuba babe nobulungisa? Abo basemagunyeni babemele bawusebenzise  njani uMthetho? Ibe wawukhusela abantu abanjani? Iimpendulo zale mibuzo zinokusithuthuzela, zisinike ithemba zize zisisondeze kuTata wethu osithandayo.​—IZe. 17:27; Roma 15:4.

4. (a) Kutheni sinokuthi uMthetho KaMoses wabakho ngenxa yothando? (b) Yeyiphi imithetho uYesu awathetha ngayo kuMateyu 22:36-40?

⁴ Singathi uMthetho KaMoses wabakho ngenxa yothando kuba yonke into uYehova ayenzayo uqhutywa luthando. (1 Yoh. 4:8) UYehova usekele yonke iMithetho KaMoses kwimiyalelo emibini, ethi masithande uThixo nommelwane. (Lev. 19:18; Dut. 6:5; funda uMateyu 22:36-40.) Ngoko sinokulindela ukuba le mithetho iyi-600 nangaphezulu isifundise indlela uYehova asithanda ngayo. Makhe sijonge eminye imizekelo yale mithetho.

5-6. UYehova ufuna benze ntoni abantu abatshatileyo ibe yintoni ayibonayo? Yenza umzekelo.

⁵ Nyaniseka kumntu otshate naye uze ubaphathe kakuhle abantwana bakho. UYehova ufuna abantu abatshatileyo bangaze bayeke ukuthandana. (Gen. 2:24; Mat. 19:3-6) Ukukrexeza yenye yezona zinto zimbi umntu anokuyenza kumntu atshate naye. Yiyo loo nto umthetho wesixhenxe kwiMithetho Elishumi wawungakuvumeli ukukrexeza. (Dut. 5:18) Umntu okrexezayo wona uThixo ibe umkhathaza kakhulu umntu atshate naye. (Gen. 39:7-9) Inkosikazi okanye umyeni womntu okrexezileyo usenokuba buhlungu kangangeminyaka emininzi.

⁶ UYehova uyayibona indlela abantu abatshatileyo abaphathana ngayo. Wayefuna ukuba abafazi abangamaSirayeli baphathwe kakuhle. Umyeni owuthobelayo uMthetho wayeza kuyithanda inkosikazi yakhe aze angawuqhawuli umtshato ngezizathu ezingavakaliyo. (Dut. 24:1-4; Mat. 19:3, 8) Kodwa ukuba ube nesizathu esivakalayo waza wawuqhawula umtshato, kwakufuneka amnike isatifiketi sokuqhawula umtshato. Esi satifiketi sasiza kukhusela inkosikazi ukuba ingatyholwa ngokuziphatha kakubi. Ukongezelela, ngaphambi kokuba umyeni anike inkosikazi yakhe esi satifiketi, kwakufuneka aqale ayokuthetha nabadala besixeko. Ngale ndlela, abadala babenokuba nethuba lokuzama ukubanceda bangade bawuqhawule umtshato. Xa indoda yomSirayeli iqhawula umtshato nenkosikazi yayo ngezizathu ezingavakaliyo, uYehova wayengasoloko engenelela mhlawumbi esebenzisa abadala okanye abaprofeti. Sekunjalo, wayeyibona intlungu yalo mfazi.​—Mal. 2:13-16.

7-8. (a) UYehova waxelela abazali ukuba benze ntoni? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.) (b) Sifunda ntoni?

⁷ UMthetho usifundisa nokuba uYehova ufuna abantwana bonwabe baze bakhuseleke. UYehova waxelela abazali ukuba bangapheleli nje ekunikeni abantwana babo izinto abazidingayo njengoko bekhula kodwa babancede babe ngabahlobo bakhe. Abazali kwakufuneka basebenzise naliphi na ithuba abalifumanayo ukuze bancede abantwana babo bawuxabise uMthetho KaYehova baze bamthande. (Dut. 6:6-9; 7:13) Enye into eyayisenza amaSirayeli ohlwaywe nguYehova kukuba ayesenza izinto ezimbi kakhulu kwabanye abantwana bawo. (Yer. 7:31, 33) Abazali babengafanelanga bajonge abantwana babo njengezinto abanokungazikhathaleli okanye baziphathe kakubi. Kodwa babemele babajonge njengelifa, isipho esivela kuYehova esimele siphathwe kakuhle.​—INdu. 127:3.

 ⁸ Izinto Esizifundayo: UYehova uyayibona indlela abantu abatshatileyo abaphathana ngayo. Ufuna abazali babathande abantwana babo ibe uza kubagweba ukuba ababaphathi kakuhle.

9-11. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova akhuphe umthetho wokuba umntu anganqweneli into engeyoyakhe?

⁹ Sukunqwenela into engeyoyakho. Umthetho wokugqibela kwiMithetho Elishumi wawusithi umntu makanganqweneli into engeyoyakhe. (Dut. 5:21; Roma 7:7) UYehova wanika abantu bakhe lo mthetho ukuze abafundise ukuba bakhusele iintliziyo zabo, loo nto ithetha ukuba balumkele izinto abazicingayo nendlela abaziva ngayo. Uyazi ukuba umntu owenze into embi uye waqala wayicinga. (IMize. 4:23) Ukuba umSirayeli wayeqhubeka enqwenela izinto ezimbi, wayenokubaphatha kakubi abanye abantu. Kwenzeka kanye loo nto kuKumkani uDavide. Wayengumntu ozilungeleyo. Kodwa wakhe wanqwenela inkosikazi yenye indoda. Loo mnqweno wamenza wona. (Yak. 1:14, 15) UDavide wakrexeza, wazama ukuqhatha umyeni wale nkosikazi waza wambulalisa.​—2 Sam. 11:2-4; 12:7-11.

¹⁰ UYehova wayesazi xa umSirayeli engawuthobelanga umthetho owawusithi makanganqweneli into engeyoyakhe kuba uyazazi izinto ezicingwa ngumntu. (1 Kron. 28:9) Lo mthetho wawuchazela abantu ukuba bangacingi ngezinto eziza kubenza benze izinto ezimbi. Kuyabonakala ukuba uYehova nguTata olumkileyo nosithanda nyhani!

¹¹ Izinto Esizifundayo: UYehova akaboni nje oko sikuko ngaphandle. Ubona oyena mntu singuye ngaphakathi, ubona iintliziyo zethu. (1 Sam. 16:7) Asinakuzifihla kuye izinto esizicingayo, indlela esiziva ngayo nezinto esizenzayo. Ukhangela izinto ezintle kuthi ibe ufuna ziqhubeke zikhona. Ufuna sizazi izinto ezimbi esizicingayo size sizinqande ngaphambi kokuba senze izinto ezimbi.​—2 Kron. 16:9; Mat. 5:27-30.

12. UMthetho KaMoses usifundisa ntoni?

¹² UMthetho KaMoses usifundisa nokuba uYehova uyabuthanda ubulungisa. (INdu. 37:28; Isa. 61:8) Ungoyena mntu esinokufunda kuye indlela yokuphatha abanye kakuhle. Xa amaSirayeli ayeyithobela imithetho kaYehova, wayewasikelela. Kodwa xa engayithobeli, ayeba sengxakini. Makhe sithethe ngeminye imithetho emibini kule Mithetho Elishumi.

13-14. Umthetho wokuqala nowesibini kule ilishumi wawufuna amaSirayeli enze ntoni, ibe ukuthobela le mithetho kwakuza kuwanceda njani?

¹³ Khonza uYehova kuphela. Umthetho wokuqala nowesibini kule ilishumi, wawufuna amaSirayeli azinikele kuYehova yedwa ibe wawuwalumkisa ukuba angakhonzi izithixo. (Eks. 20:3-6) Loo mithetho yayingazukunceda uYehova. Kodwa yayiza kunceda abantu bakhe. Xa bengagungqi ekumkhonzeni babephumelela. Kodwa xa babekhonza ezinye izithixo babengena engxakini.

¹⁴ Makhe sithethe ngamaKanan. Endaweni yokukhonza uThixo ophilayo, ayekhonza izithixo. Ngenxa yaloo nto, azihlaza. (INdu. 115:4-8) Xa enqula, ayesenza izinto ezenyanyekayo ezinento yokwenza nesondo ibe ayebingelela ngabantwana ngeendlela ezothusayo. Ngokufanayo, xa amaSirayeli ayengamthobeli uThixo aze akhonze ezinye izithixo, ayezihlaza aze onzakalise iintsapho zawo. (2 Kron.  28:1-4) Abo basemagunyeni babengayisebenzisi imithetho kaYehova yobulungisa. Babebaphatha kakubi abantu kuba benegunya, becinezela abantu abangenakuzenzela nto. (Hez. 34:1-4) UYehova walumkisa amaSirayeli ngokuba uza kubagweba abo baphatha kakubi abahlolokazi nabantwana abangenatata. (Dut. 10:17, 18; 27:19) UYehova wayebasikelela abantu xa bengagungqi ekumkhonzeni baze baphathe abanye abantu kakuhle.​—1 Kum. 10:4-9.

15. Yintoni esiyifundayo ngoYehova?

¹⁵ Izinto Esizifundayo: Asinakutyhola uYehova xa abantu abathi bayamkhonza bengayithobeli imithetho yakhe baze baphathe kakubi abantu bakhe. Kodwa uYehova uyasithanda ibe uyazi xa siphathwa kakubi. Uyayiva intlungu yethu ngaphezu komama ova intlungu yosana lwakhe. (Isa. 49:15) Nakubeni esenokungangeneleli ngoko nangoko, ngexesha elifanelekileyo uza kubagweba abo baye babaphatha kakubi abanye baza abaguquka.

16-18. UMthetho KaMoses wawuthetha ngezinto ezinjani, ibe zeziphi izinto esizifundayo?

¹⁶ UMthetho KaMoses wawuthetha ngezinto ezininzi ezingobomi bomSirayeli, ngoko kwakubalulekile ukuba amadoda amiselweyo agwebe abantu bakaThixo ngobulungisa. Babengagwebi kuphela izinto ezidibene nokukhonza uThixo kodwa babegweba nabantu abophula umthetho. Masijonge le mizekelo ilandelayo.

¹⁷ Ukuba umSirayeli ubulele umntu, wayengavele nje abulawe. Abadala besixeko ahlala kuso babephanda kuqala ngaphambi kokuba benza isigqibo sokuba abulawe okanye angabulawa. (Dut. 19:2-7, 11-13) Aba badala babegweba nezinto ezazisenzeka imihla ngemihla, njengaxa abantu bexabana ngezinto ababenazo okanye beneengxaki emtshatweni. (Eks. 21:35; Dut. 22:13-19) Xa abadala begweba kakuhle namaSirayeli ethobela, wonke umntu wayencedakala ibe loo nto yayizukisa uYehova.​—Lev. 20:7, 8; Isa. 48:17, 18.

¹⁸ Izinto Esizifundayo: Yonke into esiyenzayo ibalulekile kuYehova. Ufuna sibathande abantu size sibaphathe kakuhle. Ibe uyazazi izinto esizithethayo nesizenzayo nokuba akukho mntu usibonayo.​—Heb. 4:13.

19-21. (a) Abadala nabantu abagwebayo babemele babaphathe njani abantu bakaThixo? (b) UMthetho KaMoses wawubakhusela njani abantu, ibe zeziphi izinto esizifundayo?

¹⁹ UYehova wayefuna ukukhusela abantu bakhe kwiintlanga ezazikufutshane nabo ukuze bangenzi ezi zinto zimbi zazizenza. Ngoko wathi abadala nabantu abagwebayo bafanele bangakhethi buso xa besebenzisa uMthetho. Babefanele bangabaphathi kakubi abantu,  endaweni yoko babefanele babe nobulungisa.​—Dut. 1:13-17; 16:18-20.

²⁰ UYehova ubakhathalele abantu bakhe, yiyo loo nto wenza imithetho ukuze bangaphathwa kakubi. Ngokomzekelo, yayingenakufane yenzeke kulo Mthetho into yokuba umntu atyholwe ngokwenza into embi. Umntu omangalelweyo wayenelungelo lokwazi ukuba umangalelwe ngubani. (Dut. 19:16-19; 25:1) Ngaphambi kokuba agwetywe, kwakumele kubekho amangqina amabini nangaphezulu. (Dut. 17:6; 19:15) Kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni kumSirayeli owenze into embi waza wabonwa ngumntu omnye? Wayengenakucinga ukuba akazukohlwaywa ngenxa yento ayenzileyo, kuba uYehova umbonile. Entsatsheni, ootata babenegunya, kodwa loo nto yayingathethi ukuba babenokwenza nantoni na. Xa kukho iingxaki zentsapho, yayingabadala besixeko ababemele bangenelele baze benze isigqibo.​—Dut. 21:18-21.

²¹ Izinto Esizifundayo: UYehova ngoyena mzekelo mhle ibe akakhethi buso xa egweba. (INdu. 9:7) Uyabasikelela abantu abayithobelayo imithetho yakhe, kodwa uyabohlwaya abo balisebenzisa kakubi igunya. (2 Sam. 22:21-23; Hez. 9:9, 10) Abanye basenokwenza izinto ezimbi kuze kubonakale ngathi abasoze bohlwaywe, kodwa ngexesha elifanelekileyo uYehova uza kuba gweba. (IMize. 28:13) Ukuba abade baguquke, baye babone ukuba “kuyinto eyoyikekayo ukuwela ezandleni zoThixo ophilayo.”​—Heb. 10:30, 31.

22-24. (a) UMthetho wawukhusela ngakumbi abantu abatheni, ibe yintoni esiyifundayo ngoYehova? (b) Sesiphi isilumkiso esikwiEksodus 22:22-24?

²² UMthetho wawubakhusela ngakumbi abantu abangenakuzikhusela, njengabantwana abangenatata, abafazi abaswelekelwe ngabayeni okanye abantu abasuka kwamanye amazwe. UMthetho wawusithi kubantu abagwebayo kwaSirayeli: “Uze ungasijiki isigwebo somphambukeli okanye esenkwenkwe engenayise, ungasithimbi njengesibambiso isambatho somhlolokazi.” (Dut. 24:17) UYehova wayebakhathalele kakhulu abantu abangakhuselekanga ekuhlaleni. Ibe wayebagweba abantu ababebaphatha kakubi.​—Funda iEksodus 22:22-24.

²³ UMthetho wawungavumeli ukuba abantu abazalanayo babelane ngesondo ibe loo nto yayizikhusela iintsapho. (Lev. 18:6-30) Ngokungafaniyo neentlanga ezazingqonge uSirayeli, ezazingenangxaki yokwenza le nto imbi, abantu bakaYehova babemele bayicaphukele njengokuba noYehova eyicaphukela.

²⁴ Izinto Esizifundayo: UYehova ufuna ukuba bonke abantu abanike umsebenzi wokukhokela babakhathalele abo babakhokelayo. Akafuni nokuyibona into yokwabelana ngesondo kwabantu abazalanayo, kwaye ufuna ukuqiniseka ukuba abo bangakwazi ukuzenzela nto bayakhuseleka ibe baphathwa kakuhle.

25-26. (a) Kutheni sinokuthi uthando nobulungisa zihamba kunye? (b) Inqaku lesibini kula mane, liza kuthetha ngantoni?

²⁵ Uthando nobulungisa zizinto ezisoloko zihamba kunye oku kwamathe nolwimi. Xa sibona ukuba uYehova usiphatha kakuhle, siya simthanda nangakumbi. Ibe xa sithanda uYehova nemithetho yakhe, loo nto isenza sibathande abanye size sibaphathe kakuhle.

²⁶ UMthetho KaMoses wanceda amaSirayeli ukuba asondele kuYehova. Sekunjalo, emva kokuba uYesu esifele, abantu bakaYehova babengasaphili ngoMthetho ibe endaweni yawo kwabakho into ebhetele kakhulu. (Roma 10:4) Umpostile uPawulos wathi uMthetho ‘sisithunzi sezinto ezilungileyo eziza kuza.’ (Heb. 10:1) Inqaku lesibini kula mane, liza kuthetha ngezinye zezi zinto zilungileyo nangokubaluleka kothando nobulungisa ebandleni.