1-2. Izinceku zikaJehova zinaliphi ithemba elimangalisayo?

ITHEMBA libaluleke kakhulu. Abanye abantu banethemba lokuba nomshado ojabulisayo, elokukhulisa izingane eziyimiqemane, noma elokuthi bazosinda ekuguleni okubaphethe. Nathi thina maKristu singase sibe nethemba lokuthola izinto ezifanayo. Kodwa ithemba lethu eliyigugu kunawo wonke lingaphezu kwalokho; sinethemba lokuphila phakade nokuphinde sibone abantu esibathandayo asebashona sebevusiwe.

² Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Nginethemba kuNkulunkulu . . . lokuthi kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.” (IzE. 24:15) UPawulu wayengeyena umuntu wokuqala ukukhuluma ngethemba lovuko. Inzalamizi uJobe nayo yakhuluma ngalo. UJobe wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyomkhumbula, amvuse, aphinde aphile futhi.—Jobe 14:7-10, 12-15.

3. Kungasisiza ngani ukufunda eyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15?

³ “Uvuko lwabafile” lungenye yezinto “eziyisisekelo,” noma ‘imfundiso yokuqala,’ yawo wonke amaKristu. (Heb. 6:1, 2) Ingxoxo kaPawulu ngokuphathelene novuko itholakala kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15. Kumelwe ukuba lokho akubhala kwawakhuthaza amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala. Leso sahluko singasikhuthaza, siqinise nethemba osekuyisikhathi eside sibambelele kulo.

4. Yini eqinisa ithemba lethu lokuthi bazovuswa esibathandayo asebashona?

⁴ Uvuko lukaJesu Kristu yilona oluqinisa ithemba lethu lokuvuswa kwabantu esibathandayo asebashona. Uvuko lukaJesu Kristu lwaluphakathi ‘kwezindaba ezinhle’ uPawulu azimemezela kwabaseKorinte. (1 Kor. 15:1, 2) Empeleni, wathi uma  umKristu ayengakukholelwa ukuthi uJesu wavuswa, ukholo lwakhe lwalungenamsebenzi. (1 Kor. 15:17) Ukukholelwa ovukweni lukaJesu yisona sizathu esiwumgogodla kuleli themba lethu lobuKristu.

5-6. Asho ukuthini kithi amazwi atholakala kweyoku-1 Korinte 15:3, 4?

⁵ Ngesikhathi uPawulu eqala ukubhala ngovuko, wakhuluma ngamaqiniso amathathu. Wathi (1) “UKristu wafela izono zethu.” (2) “Wangcwatshwa.” (3) “NgokwemiBhalo wavuswa ngosuku lwesithathu.”—Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:3, 4.

⁶ Kusho ukuthini kithi ukufa kukaJesu, ukungcwatshwa kwakhe, nokuvuswa kwakhe? Umprofethi u-Isaya wabikezela ukuthi uMesiya ‘wayeyonqunywa ezweni labaphilayo’ futhi ‘ingcwaba lakhe laliyokwabelwa ukuba libe kanye nababi.’ Kodwa kuningi okwakuhilelekile kuleso siprofetho. U-Isaya wabuye wathi uMesiya ‘wayeyothwala isono sabantu abaningi.’ UJesu wenza lokho ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe kube yisihlengo. (Isaya 53:8, 9, 12; Math. 20:28; Roma 5:8) Ngakho ukufa, ukungcwatshwa nokuvuswa kukaJesu yikho okusenza sibe nethemba lokukhululwa esonweni nasekufeni, sikwazi nokuphinde sihlangane nezihlobo nabangane asebashona.

7-8. Yini esiza amaKristu aqiniseke ngokuthi uJesu wavuswa?

⁷ Ithemba lethu lovuko lihlobana novuko lukaJesu, ngakho kudingeka siqiniseke ngokuthi uJesu wavuswa. Kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova wamvusa uJesu?

⁸ Baningi ofakazi bokuzibonela abazisholo ngokwabo ukuthi uJesu wavuswa. (1 Kor. 15:5-7) Ufakazi wokuqala uPawulu akhuluma ngaye kwakungumphostoli uPetru (uKhefase). Iqembu labafundi lakuqinisekisa ukuthi uPetru wambona uJesu ovusiwe. (Luka 24:33, 34) Ngaphezu kwalokho, “abayiShumi Nambili,” okuwukuthi abaphostoli, bambona uJesu ngemva kokuba esevusiwe. UKristu wabe ‘esebonakala kubazalwane abangaphezu kuka-500 ngesikhathi esisodwa,’ mhlawumbe kuloya mhlangano ojabulisayo owawuseGalile okukhulunywa ngawo kuMathewu 28:16-20. UJesu wabuye “wabonakala kuJakobe,” cishe umfowabo kaJesu ngomzali oyedwa, owayekade engenalo ukholo lokuthi uJesu unguMesiya. (Joh. 7:5) Ngemva kokubona uJesu ovusiwe, uJakobe waqiniseka. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi ngawo-55 C.E., ngesikhathi uPawulu ebhala le ncwadi, iningi labantu elalibone uJesu ngemva kokuba esevusiwe lalisaphila, ngakho noma ubani owayekungabaza lokho wayengaxhumana nalabo fakazi abanokwethenjelwa.

9. Yini eshiwo umBhalo wezEnzo 9:3-5 ebonisa ukuthi uPawulu naye wayewufakazi wokuthi uJesu wavuswa?

⁹ Kamuva, uJesu wabonakala kuye uqobo uPawulu. (1 Kor. 15:8) UPawulu (uSawulu) wayesendleleni eya eDamaseku ngesikhathi ezwa izwi likaJesu ovusiwe, ebona nombono wakhe enkazimulweni yasezulwini. (Funda izEnzo 9:3-5.) Okwenzeka kuPawulu kwakungobunye ubufakazi bokuthi ukuvuswa kukaJesu kwakungeyona inganekwane.—IzE. 26:12-15.

10. Ukuqiniseka kukaPawulu ngokuthi uJesu wavuswa kwamshukumisela ukuba enzeni?

¹⁰ Abanye abantu bangakujabulela ngempela ukuzwa okushiwo uPawulu ngenxa yokuthi ngaphambilini wayewashushisa amaKristu. Lapho eseqiniseka ngokuthi uJesu wavuswa, uPawulu wasebenza kanzima ukuze aqinisekise nabanye ngalelo qiniso. Njengoba ayeshumayela iqiniso lokuthi uJesu wafa wabuye wavuka, wakhuthazelela ukushaywa, ukuboshwa nokuphukelwa umkhumbi. (1 Kor. 15:9- 11; 2 Kor. 11:23-27) UPawulu wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uJesu wavuswa, kangangokuba wayezimisele ukufela ukuvikela leyo mfundiso ayeyikholelwa. Okwashiwo amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala akukwenzi yini uqiniseke ngokuthi uJesu wavuswa? Akukwenzi yini ukholelwe nakakhulu ovukweni?

11. Yini eyayingenza abanye abantu baseKorinte babe nemibono eyiphutha ngovuko?

¹¹ Abanye edolobheni lamaGreki iKorinte babenemibono eyiphutha ngovuko, kangangokuba babeze bathi “alukho uvuko lwabafile.” Kungani? (1 Kor. 15:12) Izazi zefilosofi kwelinye idolobha lamaGreki, e-Athene, zazikwenza inhlekisa ukuthi uJesu wavuswa. Ukucabanga okunjalo kungenzeka kwabathonya abanye eKorinte. (IzE. 17:18, 31, 32) Abanye kungenzeka babecabanga ukuthi uvuko lungokomfanekiso, becabanga ukuthi umuntu ‘ubefile’ ngenxa yokuthi wayesesonweni, kodwa wabuye ‘wavuka’ esengumKristu. Kunoma yikuphi, ukuphika uvuko kwakusho ukuthi ukholo lwabo luyize. Uma uNkulunkulu engazange amvuse uJesu, lokho kungasho ukuthi asikhokhwanga isihlengo futhi bonke abantu abazange bathethelelwe izono. Ngakho labo ababephika uvuko babengenalo ithemba langempela.—1 Kor. 15:13-19; Heb. 9:12, 14.

12. Ngokwalokho okushiwo incwadi yoku-1 Petru 3:18, 22, uvuko lukaJesu lwaluhluke kanjani kolwalabo abavuswa ngaphambi kwakhe?

¹² UPawulu wazibonela ngokwakhe ukuthi “uKristu [wayevusiwe] kwabafile.” Uvuko lukaJesu lwalungcono kakhulu kunolwalabo ababevuswe ngaphambi kwakhe—babuye bafa futhi. UPawulu wathi uJesu ‘wayengowokuqala ukuba avuswe kwabafile.’ Kungamuphi umqondo uJesu ayengowokuqala? Wayengumuntu wokuqala ukuvuswa eseyisidalwa somoya futhi wayengumuntu wokuqala owanyukela ezulwini ngemva kokuba esevusiwe.—1 Kor. 15:20; IzE. 26:23; funda eyoku-1 Petru 3:18, 22.

13. Yimuphi umehluko owavezwa uPawulu phakathi kuka-Adamu noJesu?

¹³ Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba ukufa komuntu oyedwa kuphilise izigidi zabantu? UPawulu uwuphendula ngendlela ecacile lo mbuzo. Ukhuluma ngomehluko okhona phakathi kwalokho u-Adamu akulethela isintu nalokho isintu esingakuthola ngoKristu. UPawulu washo lokhu ngokuphathelene no-Adamu: “Ukufa kweza ngomuntu.” Lapho u-Adamu ona, waletha inhlekelele kuye nasenzalweni yakhe. Namanje sisayizwa iminjunju yokungalaleli kwakhe. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wavusa iNdodana, singakwazi ukuba nekusasa elijabulisayo! “Novuko lwabafile luza ngomuntu,” uJesu. UPawulu wachaza: “Njengoba nje bonke befa ku-Adamu, kanjalo nakuKristu bonke bayokwenziwa baphile.”—1 Kor. 15:21, 22.

14. Uyovuswa yini u-Adamu? Chaza.

¹⁴ Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu uma ethi ‘bonke bayafa ku-Adamu’? UPawulu wayekhuluma ngaso sonke isintu esizuze isono nokungapheleli ku-Adamu futhi ngenxa yalokho silindelwe ukufa. (Roma 5:12) U-Adamu akekho phakathi kwalabo ‘abayokwenziwa baphile.’ Akazuzi esihlengweni sikaKristu ngenxa yokuthi wayengenasono kodwa wakhetha ukungamlaleli uNkulunkulu ngamabomu. Lokho okwenzeka ku-Adamu kuyafana nalokho okuzokwenzeka kulabo “iNdodana yomuntu” ezobahlulela ‘njengezimbuzi,’ okuwukuthi, ‘abayonqunywa phakade.’—Math. 25:31-33, 46; Heb. 5:9.

15. Bahlanganisa obani “bonke” labo ‘abayokwenziwa baphile’?

 ¹⁵ Khumbula ukuthi uPawulu wathi “kuKristu bonke bayokwenziwa baphile.” (1 Kor. 15:22) Incwadi kaPawulu yayibhalelwe amaKristu agcotshiwe aseKorinte, ayezovuselwa ezulwini. Lawo maKristu ‘ayengcweliswe ebunyeni noKristu Jesu, abizelwa ukuba abe abangcwele.’ UPawulu wakhuluma ‘ngalabo asebafa bemunye noKristu.’ (1 Kor. 1:2; 15:18; 2 Kor. 5:17) Kwenye incwadi yeBhayibheli, uPawulu wabhala ukuthi labo ‘abamunye noJesu esimweni sokufa kwakhe, bayophinde babe munye naye esimweni sovuko lwakhe.’ (Roma 6:3-5) UJesu wavuswa eyisidalwa somoya, waya ezulwini. Ngakho yilokho okuyokwenzeka kubo bonke ‘abamunye noKristu,’ okuwukuthi, wonke amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya.

16. Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu lapho ebiza uJesu ngokuthi “ulibo”?

¹⁶ UPawulu wabhala ukuthi uKristu wavuswa ‘njengolibo lwalabo asebafa.’ Khumbula ukuthi abanye, abafana noLazaru, bavuselwa khona la emhlabeni, kodwa uJesu ungumuntu wokuqala owavuswa ewumoya wathola ukuphila okuphakade. Angafaniswa nolibo lwesivuno ama-Israyeli ayenikela ngalo kuNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokubiza uJesu ngokuthi “ulibo,” uPawulu wayesho ukuthi nabanye ababeyovuswa ngemva kukaJesu babeyovuselwa ezulwini. Abaphostoli nabanye ‘abamunye noKristu’ babeyolandela uJesu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, babeyovuselwa ezulwini njengoJesu.

17. Labo ‘abamunye noKristu’ bayowuthola nini umvuzo wabo wasezulwini?

¹⁷ Uvuko lwasezulwini lwalabo ‘abamunye noKristu’ lwalungakaqali ngesikhathi uPawulu ebhalela abaseKorinte. Kunalokho, uPawulu wayekhuluma ngesikhathi esizayo: “Yilowo nalowo esigabeni sakhe: UKristu ulibo, kamuva kube yilabo abangabakaKristu phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe.” (1 Kor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 4:15, 16) Namuhla siphila phakathi “nokuba khona” kukaKristu okwabikezelwa. Abaphostoli namanye amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya afa kwakudingeka balinde lokho kuba khona kukaKristu ngaphambi kokuba bathole umvuzo wabo wasezulwini, bese ‘bephinda babe munye noJesu esimweni sovuko lwakhe.’

18. (a) Kungani singaphetha ngokuthi kunolunye uvuko oluyolandela uvuko lwasezulwini? (b) Ngokwencwadi yabase-1 Korinte 15:24-26, yini eyokwenzeka ezulwini?

¹⁸ Kodwa kuyokwenzekani kuwo wonke  amaKristu aqotho angenalo ithemba lokuyophila ezulwini noKristu? Nawo anethemba lovuko. IBhayibheli lithi uPawulu nabanye abaya ezulwini bavuswa ‘ovukweni lokuqala kwabafile.’ (Fil. 3:11) Lokho akubonisi yini ukuthi kunolunye uvuko oluzolandela? Lokho kuvumelana nalokho okwashiwo uJobe ngalokho okwakuyokwenzeka kuye esikhathini esizayo. (Jobe 14:15) “Labo abangabakaKristu phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe” bayoba sezulwini noJesu lapho ebhubhisa bonke ohulumeni nalo lonke igunya namandla. Ngisho ‘nesitha sokugcina, ukufa,’ kuzokwenziwa ize. Ngokuqinisekile, labo abavuselwe ezulwini ngeke baphinde bafe. Kodwa kuyokwenzekani kwabanye abantu?—Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:24-26.

19. Yini engalindelwa yilabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

¹⁹ Yini engalindelwa yilabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni? Bangaba nethemba elisekelwe kulokho okwashiwo uPawulu: “Nginethemba . . . lokuthi kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.” (IzE. 24:15) Kusobala ukuthi akekho umuntu ongalungile ongaya ezulwini, ngakho la mazwi akhuluma ngovuko lwasemhlabeni oluyokwenzeka esikhathini esizayo.

20. Ithemba lakho lokuthi kuyoba khona uvuko liye laqiniswa kanjani?

²⁰ Akungatshazwa ukuthi “kuyoba khona uvuko”! Labo abayovuselwa emhlabeni bayoba nethemba lokuphila phakade kuwo. Ungasethemba leso sithembiso. Lelo themba lingakududuza lapho ucabanga ngabantu obathandayo asebashona. Bangaphinde bavuke lapho uKristu nabanye ‘sebebusa njengamakhosi . . . iminyaka engu-1 000.’ (IsAm. 20:6) Nawe ungaba nalo lelo themba eliqinisekisiwe lokuthi uma kwenzeka ufa uKristu engakaqali ukubusa iminyaka engu-1 000, uyovuka. Leli “themba aliholeli ekudumazekeni.” (Roma 5:5) Lingakuqinisa manje futhi likwenze ukujabulele nakakhulu ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Kodwa kuningi esingakufunda kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15, njengoba sizobona esihlokweni esilandelayo.