1, 2. (a) UYesu watyhila ntoni ngemihla yokugqibela? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

KHAWUBE nombono kaYesu ehleli kwiNtaba yemiNquma ejonge itempile yaseYerusalem. Ukunye nabapostile bakhe abane, uPetros, uAndreya, uYakobi noYohane. Bamphulaphule ngenyameko uYesu njengoko ebachazela isiprofeto esibangela imincili. Ubachazela okuza kwenzeka ngemihla yokugqibela yeli hlabathi lingendawo xa eza kube elawula kuBukumkani bukaThixo. UYesu uthi, ngelo xesha libangela imincili, “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” lakhe liza kummela emhlabeni, lize linike abalandeli bakhe ukutya kokomoya ngexesha elifanelekileyo.—Mateyu 24:45-47.

² Emva koko, kwakwesi siprofeto sinye, uYesu wenza umzekeliso weentombi ezinyulu ezilishumi. (Funda  uMateyu 25:1-13.) Kweli nqaku, siza kuphendula le mibuzo: (1) Uthini kanye kanye umyalezo walo mzekeliso? (2) Abathanjiswa abathembekileyo balisebenzise njani icebiso lalo mzekeliso, kwaye ube yintoni umphumo? (3) Sinokuncedakala njani namhlanje kulo mzekeliso kaYesu?

3. Iincwadi zethu bezikade ziwucacisa njani umzekeliso weentombi ezilishumi, kwaye inoba ibangele ntoni loo nto?

³ Kwinqaku elingaphambili, sifunde ukuba kwiminyaka yakutshanje ikhoboka elithembekileyo liye layitshintsha indlela ezicaciswa ngayo ezinye iingxelo zeBhayibhile. Ngoku ikhoboka elithembekileyo ligxininisa kwizinto esizifundayo kunokuba ligxininise kwizinto ezifuziselwa okanye eziprofetwa zezo ngxelo. Masenze umzekelo ngomzekeliso kaYesu weentombi ezilishumi. Iincwadi zethu bezikade zisithi izibane, ioli kunye nezikhongozelo zazifuzisela into okanye umntu othile. Akungebi ke ukujonga kwethu iinkcukacha ezincinane, kubangele ukuba siphoswe ngumyalezo olula nongxamisekileyo odluliselwa ngulo mzekeliso? Impendulo yalo mbuzo ibalulekile.

4. Kulo mzekeliso, sazi njani ukuba (a) ngubani umyeni? (b) ngoobani iintombi ezinyulu?

⁴ Makhe sithethe ngowona myalezo walo mzekeliso kaYesu. Okokuqala, masiqwalasele abantu ekuthethwa ngabo kumzekeliso weentombi ezilishumi. Ngubani umyeni? NguYesu. Into ebangela ukuba sitsho kukuba, ngaphambilana, uYesu wayethe ungumyeni. (Luka 5:34, 35) Ngoobani iintombi ezinyulu? ‘Ngumhlambi omncinane’ wamaKristu athanjisiweyo. Siyazi njani loo nto? Kulo mzekeliso, iintombi ezinyulu kufuneka zibe sele zilungile nezibane zazo zikhanya xa umyeni efika. Phawula ke ngoku ukuba uYesu wathini kubalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo: “Izinqe zenu mazihlale zibhinqiwe nezibane zenu zivutha, nibe njengabantu abalindele inkosi yabo xa ibuya emtshatweni.” (Luka 12:32, 35, 36) Ukongezelela, umpostile uPawulos nompostile uYohane bathi abalandeli bakaKristu abathanjisiweyo babefana neentombi ezinyulu. (2 Korinte 11:2; ISityhilelo 14:4) Izicacele ke ngoku into yokuba icebiso elikwasisilumkiso elikuMateyu 25:1-13 lalibhekiswa kubalandeli bakaYesu abathanjisiweyo.

5. UYesu walichaza njani ixesha owawuza kusebenza ngalo umzekeliso wakhe?

⁵ Okwesibini, icebiso elanikelwa nguYesu lisebenza nini? Into eyathethwa nguYesu ngasekupheleni kwalo mzekeliso iyasiphendula. Wathi: “Wafika umyeni.” (Mateyu 25:10) KwiMboniselo kaJulayi 15, 2013, sifunde ukuba isiprofeto sikaYesu esikuMateyu isahluko 24 no-25 sibhekisela kasibhozo ekuzeni okanye ‘ekufikeni’ kwakhe. Xa uYesu ethetha ‘ngokufika’ kwakhe, ubhekisela kwixesha lembandezelo enkulu xa  eze kugweba nokutshabalalisa eli hlabathi lingendawo. Ngoko sinokutsho sithi lo mzekeliso usebenza kwimihla yokugqibela, kodwa uYesu uza ‘kufika’ ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu.

6. Uthini kanye kanye umyalezo walo mzekeliso?

⁶ Uthini kanye kanye umyalezo walo mzekeliso? Makhe sibuyele kumongo wale ngxelo yeBhayibhile. KuMateyu isahluko 24, uYesu wathetha ‘ngekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ Eli khoboka laliza kuba liqela elincinane lamadoda angabathanjiswa awayeza kukhokela abalandeli bakaKristu ngemihla yokugqibela. UYesu walumkisa loo madoda esithi amele ahlale ethembekile. Kwisahluko esilandelayo, uYesu usebenzisa umzekeliso weentombi ezilishumi ukuze acebise bonke abalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo abaphila ngemihla yokugqibela. Wathi ‘mabahlale belindile’ ukuze bangalahlekelwa ngumvuzo wokuphila ezulwini. (Mateyu 25:13) Ngoku masithethe ngalo mzekeliso ukuze sibone indlela abathanjiswa abaye balisebenzisa ngayo icebiso abalinikwayo.

7, 8. (a) Kutheni iintombi eziziingqondi zazimlindele umyeni? (b) Abathanjiswa bona basilungele njani isabelo sabo?

⁷ Kulo mzekeliso, uYesu ugxininisa ukuba iintombi eziziingqondi azizange zifane neziziziyatha, kuba zazisele zimlindele umyeni xa efika. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba zazimlungiselele kwaye zithe qwa. Zolishumi ezi ntombi zinyulu kwakufuneka zithi qwa kwaye zigcine izibane zazo zikhanya ebudeni bobusuku. Ngokwahlukileyo kwiintombi eziziziyatha, iintombi ezintlanu eziziingqondi zazisilungele esi sihlandlo kuba zazineoli engakumbi kwizibane zazo. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo athembekileyo wona aye akulungela njani ukufika kukaYesu?

⁸ Abathanjiswa bakulungele ukwenza isabelo sabo de kube sekupheleni. Bayaqonda ukuba inkonzo abayinikela kuThixo iza kufuna bancame ubunewunewu behlabathi likaSathana, kwaye bakulungele ukuyenza loo nto. Inkonzo yokunyaniseka abayinikela kuYehova abayenzi nje kuba bebona isiphelo sisondela, kunoko bayinikela kuba bemthanda kwaye bethanda noNyana wakhe. Bayayigcina ingqibelelo yabo kwaye abavumi ukuphenjelelwa ngabantu beli hlabathi abathand’ izinto eziphathekayo, abaziphethe kakubi, nabazicingela bodwa. Njengeentombi eziziingqondi ezazithe qwa ziphethe izibane zazo, abathanjiswa bayaqhubeka bekhanya ngokuqaqambileyo, belinde ngomonde ukuba ade afike uMyeni, kwanokuba ubonakala elibazisa.—Filipi 2:15.

9. (a) UYesu walumkisa wathini ngokunqwaleka bubuthongo? (b) Abathanjiswa baye basabela njani xa kukhwazwa kusithiwa: “Nanku umyeni”? (Jonga nombhalo osemazantsi.)

⁹ Iintombi eziziingqondi zazilungele ukufika komyeni kuba zazithe qwa. Kodwa kulo mzekeliso, zolishumi ezi  ntombi zinyulu “zanqwaleka zonke zaza zalala” zisalinde umyeni owayebonakala elibazisa. Ngaba kunokwenzeka ke namhlanje ukuba abathanjiswa ‘balale,’ ngamany’ amazwi, baphazamiseke ngoxa besalinde ukufika kukaKristu? Ewe. UYesu wayesazi ukuba kwanomntu okulungeleyo nokufuna ngamehlo abomvu ukufika kwakhe unokuba buthathaka aze aphazamiseke ngoxa esamlindile. Ngoko amaKristu athanjisiweyo athembekileyo aye azama ngandlela zonke ukuba ahlale ethe qwa. Njani? Kulo mzekeliso, zolishumi ezi ntombi zasabela xa kwavakala ilizwi elikhwazayo lisithi: “Nanku umyeni!” Kodwa ziintombi ezinyulu eziziingqondi kuphela ezahlala zithe qwa. (Mateyu 25:5, 6; 26:41) Ngendlela efanayo ke, kule mihla yokugqibela, amaKristu athanjisiweyo athembekileyo aye asabela xa kusithiwa: “Nanku umyeni!” Aye abamkela ubungqina obucacileyo bokuba uYesu sele eza kuza, kwaye akulungele ukufika kwakhe. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.) Ngoku masiye kumqukumbelo walo mzekeliso, othetha ngexesha elithile.

10. Nguwuphi umbuzo onokuphakama ngokuphathelele incoko ephakathi kweentombi eziziingqondi neziziziyatha?

¹⁰ Ngasekupheleni kwalo mzekeliso, iintombi eziziziyatha zicela eziziingqondi ukuba ziziphe ioli. Kodwa eziziingqondi azifuni nokuva. (Funda uMateyu 25:8, 9.) Ngaba kukhe kwenzeke ukuba abathanjiswa abathembekileyo bangavumi ukunceda umntu osweleyo? Ngaba usakhumbula ukuba lo mzekeliso usebenza nini? Kaloku uYesu, uMyeni, uza ngasekupheleni kwembandezelo enkulu ukuza kugweba. Ngoko kusenokwenzeka ukuba le ncoko ibhekisela koko kuza kwenzeka ngaphambi nje kokuba imbandezelo enkulu iphele. Kutheni sisitsho nje? Kungenxa yokuba ngelo xesha abathanjiswa baya kube sele betywinwe okokugqibela.

11. (a) Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ngaphambi nje kokuba kuqalise imbandezelo enkulu? (b) Zazithetha ukuthini iintombi eziziingqondi xa zazixelela eziziziyatha ukuba ziye kuzithengela ioli?

¹¹ Ngoko, ngaphambi kokuba imbandezelo enkulu iqalise, bonke abathanjiswa abathembekileyo abasemhlabeni baya kube sele betywinwe okokugqibela. (ISityhilelo 7:1-4) Kucacile ukuba emva koko baya kuya ezulwini. Kodwa makhe sibuyele kwiminyaka engaphambi kwembandezelo enkulu. Kuza kube kwenzeke ntoni kubathanjiswa abangahlalanga belindile nabaye abathembeka? Baza kube bengatywinwanga okokugqibela. Ngelo xesha kuya kube sele kuthanjiswe amanye amaKristu. Xa kuqalisa imbandezelo enkulu, iintombi eziziziyatha zisenokothuswa kukutshatyalaliswa kweBhabhiloni Enkulu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ziya kubona ngoko ke ukuba azikulungelanga ukufika kukaYesu. Yintoni eya kwenzeka ngelo xesha ukuba zicela uncedo? Impendulo ikulo mzekeliso.  Iintombi eziziingqondi azizange zivume ukunika eziziziyatha ioli yazo, kunoko zazixelela ukuba maziye kuzithengela ioli. Ekubeni ‘kwakuphakathi kobusuku,’ kwakungekho mntu unokuzithengisela. Zazishiywe lixesha!

12. (a) Ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu, kuza kwenzeka ntoni kwabo babekhe bathanjiswa baza abathembeka ngaphambi kokuba batywinwe okokugqibela? (b) Kuza kwenzeka ntoni kwabo banjengeentombi eziziziyatha?

¹² Ebudeni bembandezelo enkulu, abathanjiswa abathembekileyo abayi kunceda nabani na oye akathembeka. Liya kube lingasekho ixesha laloo nto. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ke kwabo bangathembekanga? Phawula okwenzeka kwiintombi eziziziyatha ezemkayo zaya kuthenga ioli: “Wafika umyeni, zaza iintombi ezinyulu ezazilungile zangena naye kwitheko lomtshato; lwavalwa ke ucango.” Xa uYesu esiza ekuzuko lwakhe ngasekupheleni kwembandezelo enkulu, uya kuqokelela abathanjiswa abathembekileyo abase ezulwini. (Mateyu 24:31; 25:10; Yohane 14:1-3; 1 Tesalonika 4:17) Noko ke, uYesu akayi kubamkela abo bangathembekanga. Njengeentombi eziziziyatha, basenokuthi: “Mnumzana, mnumzana, sivulele!” Kodwa uza kuthini yena uYesu? Okubuhlungu kukuba, uya kubaphendula ngendlela aya kubaphendula ngayo abo banjengeebhokhwe, athi: “Inene ndithi kuni, andinazi.”—Mateyu 7:21-23; 25:11, 12.

13. (a) Kutheni singenakuthi baninzi abalandeli abathanjisiweyo bakaKristu abangayi kuthembeka? (b) Kutheni sisithi umzekeliso kaYesu ubonisa ukuba uyawathemba amaKristu athanjisiweyo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹³ Ngaba uYesu wayezam’ ukuthi abathanjiswa abaninzi babengayi kuthembeka kuze kufuneke ukuba kungene abanye ezihlangwini zabo? Nakanye. KuMateyu isahluko 24, kuthiwa uYesu walumkisa ikhoboka elithembekileyo ukuba lingatshintshi libe lelingendawo. Loo nto yayingathethi kuthi wayelindele ukuba litshintshe. Ngendlela efanayo ke, umzekeliso weentombi ezinyulu ezilishumi usisilumkiso. Kanye njengokuba iintombi ezintlanu zaziziziyatha kwaye ezintlanu ziziingqondi, umKristu ngamnye othanjisiweyo wayemele alungele ukufika kukaYesu yaye athi qwa. Kungenjalo, wayeya kuba sisiyatha yaye angathembeki. NoPawulos wabalumkisa ngento efanayo abazalwana noodade abathanjisiweyo. (Funda eyamaHebhere 6:4-9; uthelekise neDuteronomi 30:19.) Isilumkiso sakhe sasingqalile, kodwa ke wayebathembile aba bazalwana noodade ukuba babeya kuwufumana umvuzo wabo. Isilumkiso esikumzekeliso weentombi ezinyulu ezilishumi sibonisa ukuba noYesu wayebathembile abathanjiswa. Uyazi ukuba umthanjiswa ngamnye unako ukuhlala ethembekile aze afumane umvuzo wakhe oncumisayo!

14. Kutheni ‘nabezinye izimvu’ benokuzuza kumzekeliso weentombi ezinyulu ezilishumi?

¹⁴ UYesu wayethetha namaKristu athanjisiweyo kulo mzekeliso. Kodwa ngaba “nezinye izimvu” zinokuzuza kulo mzekeliso wakhe? (Yohane 10:16) Ewe zinako! Umyalezo odluliselwa ngulo mzekeliso ulula, uthi: “Hlalani nilindile.” Kwaye uYesu wakha wathi: “Oko ndikutsho kuni ndikutsho kubo bonke, hlalani nilindile.” (Marko 13:37) UYesu ufuna ukuba bonke abafundi bakhe bakulungele ukufika kwakhe kwaye bathi qwa. Onke amaKristu anokuwuxelisa umzekelo omhle wabathanjiswa, enze ubulungiseleli bube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kubomi bawo. Khumbula ukuba iintombi eziziziyatha zacela eziziingqondi ukuba zizichathazele kwioli yazo. Isicelo sazo sakhatywa. Loo nto ikhumbuza ngamnye kuthi ukuba kufuneka athembeke kuThixo, alungele ukufika kukaYesu, kwaye ahlale ethe qwa. Akakho umntu oya kusenzela loo nto. Ngamnye kuthi uya kuziphendulela kuMgwebi olilungisa, uYesu Kristu, oza kufika kungekudala. Ngoko sifanele sikulungele ukufika kwakhe!

15. Kutheni umtshato kaKristu nomtshakazi wakhe uwavuyisa onke amaKristu enene?

¹⁵ Onke amaKristu ayavuyiswa ngumtshato ekuthethwa ngawo kumzekeliso kaYesu. Kwixesha elizayo, emva kwemfazwe yeArmagedon, amaKristu athanjisiweyo aya kuba ngumtshakazi kaKristu. (ISityhilelo 19:7-9) Ngelo xesha, wonke umntu osemhlabeni uya kuzuza kumtshato wasezulwini. Ngoba? Kaloku uya kubangela ukuba bonke abantu balawulwe ngurhulumente ogqibeleleyo. Enoba sinethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade ezulwini okanye emhlabeni, masiqhubeke silinde ukufika kukaYesu kwaye sithi qwa. Ukuba senjenjalo, siya kufumana ubomi obumnandi uYehova asilungiselele bona!