1, 2. Kungani uPawulu abhalela amaKristu angamaHebheru incwadi?

NGONYAKA ka-61, amabandla kulo lonke elakwa-Israyeli ayenokuthula ngezinga elithile. Nakuba umphostoli uPawulu ayesejele eRoma, wayenethemba lokuthi uzokhululwa ngokushesha. Uzakwabo uThimothewu, ababesohambweni naye, wayesanda kukhululwa ejele, futhi bobabili babenethemba lokuthi bazovakashela abafowabo eJudiya. (Hebheru 13:23) Nokho, eminyakeni nje emihlanu, amaKristu aseJudiya, ikakhulu lawo ayehlala eJerusalema kwakuzodingeka athathe isinyathelo ngokushesha. Ngani? Ngaphambidlana, uJesu wayetshele abalandeli bakhe ukuthi ngokushesha nje lapho bebona iJerusalema lizungezwe amabutho, kwakuyodingeka babaleke.​—Luka 21:​20-24.

² Kwase kudlule iminyaka engu-28 uJesu enikeze abalandeli bakhe leso sixwayiso. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, amaKristu kwa-Israyeli ayegcine ubuqotho naphezu kokushushiswa okukhulu nokuvivinywa kaningi. (Hebheru 10:​32-34) Kodwa uPawulu wayefuna ukuwalungiselela okwakusazokwenzeka. Ayesezobhekana novivinyo olukhulu kakhulu lokholo lwawo. (Mathewu 24:​20, 21; Hebheru 12:4) Kwakuzodingeka akhuthazele futhi abe nokholo ukwedlula noma yinini ngaphambili, ukuze alalele amazwi kaJesu okuba abaleke, futhi ukuphila  kwawo kwakuyoncika kulokho. (Funda eyamaHebheru 10:​36-39.) Ngakho uJehova waphefumulela uPawulu ukuba abhalele labo bafowethu nodadewethu abathandekayo. Leyo ncwadi, manje ebizwa ngokuthi incwadi yamaHebheru, yabhalelwa ukuba ibaqinisele lokho okwakuzokwenzeka.

3. Kungani kufanele sibe nesifiso sokwazi lokho okuqukethwe yincwadi yamaHebheru?

³ Njengabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla, kufanele sibe nesifiso sokwazi lokho okuqukethwe yincwadi yamaHebheru. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi isimo sethu sithi asifane nesamaKristu aseJudiya. Siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo,’ futhi abaningi baye bakhuthazela ngokwethembeka lapho bebhekene novivinyo noma ukushushiswa okunzima. (2 Thimothewu 3:​1, 12) Kodwa iningi lethu liphila ngaphansi kwezimo ezinokuthula futhi akukho shushiso esibhekene nalo. Ngakho, njengamaKristu osuku lukaPawulu, kudingeka sihlale siphapheme. Ngani? Maduzane, sizobhekana novivinyo olukhulu kakhulu lokholo lwethu!​—Funda uLuka 21:​34-36.

4. Uthini umBhalo wonyaka ka-2016, futhi kungani ufaneleka?

⁴ Yini ezosisiza silungele lesi senzakalo esizayo? Encwadini yamaHebheru, uPawulu waveza izinto eziningi ezizosisiza siqinise ukholo lwethu. Esinye isikhumbuzo esibaluleke kakhulu sitholakala kweyamaHebheru 13:1. Iyasikhuthaza: “Uthando lwenu lobuzalwane maluqhubeke.” Lelo vesi liye lakhethwa njengomBhalo wonyaka ka-2016.

5. Luyini uthando lobuzalwane?

⁵ Luyini uthando lobuzalwane? Igama lesiGreki elasetshenziswa uPawulu ekuqaleni ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “ukuthanda umfowenu.” Uthando ngomfowenu lusho umuzwa onamandla nowemfudumalo phakathi kwamalungu omndeni noma abangane abakhulu. (Johane 11:36) Asenzi sengathi singabafowabo nodadewabo bomunye nomunye. Siyibo abafowabo nodadewabo bomunye nomunye. (Mathewu 23:8) UPawulu uthi: “Othandweni lobuzalwane thandanani omunye nomunye. Ekubonisaneni udumo nihole.” (Roma 12:10) Lawo mazwi abonisa indlela esibathanda ngokujule ngayo abafowethu. Lolu thando ngabafowethu, kanye nothando olusekelwe ezimisweni zobuKristu, lusiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba babe abangane abasondelene nabanobunye.

6. AmaKristu eqiniso ayiqonda kanjani incazelo yenkulumo ethi uthando lobuzalwane?

⁶ Inkulumo ethi “uthando lobuzalwane” itholakala ikakhulu ezincwadini zobuKristu. KumaJuda asendulo, igama elithi “mfowethu” lalivame ukubhekisela esihlotsheni futhi ngezinye izikhathi kumuntu ongelona ilungu lomndeni. Kodwa lalingabhekiseli nhlobo kumuntu ongeyena umJuda. Nokho, njengamaKristu eqiniso, “umfowethu” yinoma yimuphi umKristu weqiniso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi owakuliphi izwe. (Roma 10:12) UJehova usifundise ukuba sithandane njengabafowabo bomunye nomunye. (1 Thesalonika 4:9) Kodwa kungani kubalulekile ukuba siqhubeke sibonisa uthando lobuzalwane?

7. (a) Yisiphi isizathu esibaluleke kakhulu sokuba sibonise uthando lobuzalwane? (b) Nikeza esinye isizathu esenza kubaluleke ukuba siqinise uthando lwethu ngomunye nomunye.

⁷ Isizathu esibaluleke kakhulu sokubonisa uthando lobuzalwane ukuthi uJehova  usitshela ukuba senze kanjalo. Asinakumthanda ngempela uJehova uma senqaba ukuthanda abafowethu. (1 Johane 4:​7, 20, 21) Esinye isizathu ukuthi siyadingana, ikakhulu ngezikhathi ezinzima. Ngesikhathi uPawulu ebhalela amaKristu angamaHebheru incwadi, wayazi ukuthi ngokushesha amanye kwakuzodingeka ashiye amakhaya nempahla yawo. UJesu wayechazile ukuthi sasizoba nzima kangakanani leso sikhathi. (Marku 13:​14-18; Luka 21:​21-23) Ngakho, ngaphambi kokuba leso sikhathi sifike, lawo maKristu kwakuzodingeka aqinise uthando lwawo ngomunye nomunye.​—Roma 12:9.

8. Yini okudingeka siyenze manje ngaphambi kokuqala kosizi olukhulu?

⁸ Usizi olukhulu kunalo lonke emlandweni wesintu luzofika ngokushesha. (Marku 13:19; IsAmbulo 7:​1-3) Kudingeka silalele lesi seluleko: “Hambani bantu bami, ngenani emakamelweni enu angaphakathi, nivale iminyango yenu ngemva kwenu. Zifihleni umzuzwana nje kuze kudlule isijeziso.” (Isaya 26:20) Lawo ‘makamelo angaphakathi’ angase abhekisele emabandleni ethu. Lapha yilapho sikhulekela khona uJehova sikanye nabafowethu nodadewethu. Kodwa kumelwe senze okungaphezu kokumane sihlangane ndawonye njalo. UPawulu wakhumbuza amaKristu angamaHebheru ukuthi kufanele akhuthazane ukuba abonise uthando futhi enzelane izinto ezinhle. (Hebheru 10:​24, 25) Kudingeka siqinise uthando phakathi kwethu nabafowethu manje ngoba luzosisiza sikhuthazelele noma yiluphi uvivinyo esingase sibhekane nalo esikhathini esizayo.

9. (a) Yimaphi amathuba esinawo okubonisa uthando lobuzalwane namuhla? (b) Nikeza izibonelo zendlela abantu bakaJehova abalubonise ngayo uthando lobuzalwane.

⁹ Sinamathuba amaningi okubonisa uthando lobuzalwane ngisho nanamuhla, ngaphambi kokuqala kosizi olukhulu. Abafowethu abaningi bayahlupheka ngenxa yokuzamazama komhlaba, izikhukhula, iziphepho, ama-tsunami noma ezinye izinhlekelele zemvelo. Abanye abafowethu bakhuthazelela ushushiso. (Mathewu 24:​6-9) Kanti abanye badonsa kanzima ngekwezimali imihla namalanga ngenxa yokuthi siphila ezweni elinenkohlakalo. (IsAmbulo 6:​5, 6) Nokho, lapho abafowethu beba nezinkinga eziningi, kuba yilapho siba namathuba amaningi khona okubonisa ukuthi sibathanda kangakanani. Nakuba leli zwe lingalubonisi uthando, kudingeka siqhubeke sibonisa uthando lobuzalwane. (Mathewu 24:12) ^[1]​—Bheka umbhalo osekugcineni.

10. Yini esizoyihlola manje?

¹⁰ Naphezu kwezinkinga esinazo, singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi siyaqhubeka sibonisa uthando lobuzalwane? Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sinalo lolu hlobo lothando ngabafowethu? Ngemva kokuba umphostoli uPawulu ethe “uthando lwenu  lobuzalwane maluqhubeke,” wabala izindlela eziningana amaKristu angakwenza ngazo lokhu. Manje ake sihlole eziyisithupha zazo.

11, 12. Kusho ukuthini ukungenisa izihambi? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹¹ “Ningakukhohlwa ukungenisa izihambi.” (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:2.) Asho ukuthini amazwi athi “ukungenisa izihambi?” La mazwi asetshenziswe uPawulu ngokwezwi nezwi asho “ukuba nomusa kubantu ongabazi.” Mhlawumbe lawo mazwi asikhumbuza u-Abrahama noLoti. Lawo madoda amabili abonisa umusa ezivakashini ayengazazi. Ekugcineni, u-Abrahama noLoti bathola ukuthi lezo zihambi empeleni kwakuyizingelosi. (Genesise 18:​2-5; 19:​1-3) Lezi zibonelo zakhuthaza amaKristu angamaHebheru ukuba abonise uthando lobuzalwane ngokungenisa izihambi.

¹² Singawubonisa kanjani umoya wokungenisa izihambi kwabanye? Singamemela abafowethu nodadewethu emakhaya ethu ukuze sidle ndawonye noma sikhuthazane. Nakuba singase singamazi kangako umbonisi wesigodi nomkakhe, singabamema lapho bevakashele ibandla lethu. (3 Johane 5-8) Akudingeki ukuba senze ukudla okuningi noma sichithe imali eningi. Umgomo wethu ukukhuthaza abafowethu, hhayi ukubahlaba umxhwele ngezinto esinazo. Futhi akufanele simeme kuphela labo abazosibuyisela ngandlela thile. (Luka 10:42; 14:​12-14) Okubaluleke kakhulu ukuthi akufanele sibe matasa kakhulu kangangokuba size sikhohlwe ukubonisa umoya wokungenisa izihambi!

13, 14. Singahlala kanjani ‘sibakhumbula labo abasezibophweni zasetilongweni’?

¹³ “Hlalani nibakhumbula labo abasezibophweni zasetilongweni.” (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:3.) Lapho uPawulu ebhala la mazwi, wayebhekisela kubafowethu ababeboshelwe ukholo lwabo. UPawulu walincoma ibandla ngoba lalibonise “uzwela kulabo abasetilongweni.” (Hebheru 10:34) Abanye abafowethu bamsiza uPawulu phakathi neminyaka emine eboshiwe, kodwa abanye babehlala kude kakhulu. Babengamsiza kanjani uPawulu? Babengaqhubeka bemthandazela ngokujulile.​—Filipi 1:​12-14; Hebheru 13:​18, 19.

¹⁴ Namuhla, oFakazi abaningi baboshiwe ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaseduze bangabasiza ngezinto ezithile. Kodwa iningi lethu lihlala kude nalabo abasemajele. Singabasiza kanjani futhi singabakhohlwa? Uthando esinalo ngabafowethu lungasishukumisela ukuba sibathandazele ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Ngokwesibonelo, singathandazela abafowethu, odadewethu ngisho nezingane ezisemajele e-Eritrea, kuhlanganise nomfowethu uPaulos Eyassu, u-Isaac Mogos kanye noNegede Teklemariam, abasesejele nangemva kweminyaka engu-20.

15. Singawuhlonipha kanjani umshado wethu?

¹⁵ “Umshado mawuhlonishwe yibo bonke.” (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:4.) Singabonisa uthando lobuzalwane nangokuhlanzeka ngokokuziphatha. (1 Thimothewu  5:​1, 2) Ngokwesibonelo, uma besingaziphatha kabi ngokobulili nomfowethu noma udadewethu, besingamlimaza lowo muntu noma umndeni wakhe. Ukwethembana esinakho nabafowethu bekungalimala. (1 Thesalonika 4:​3-8) Cabanga nangokuthi inkosikazi ibingazizwa kanjani uma ibingathola ukuthi umyeni wayo ubukela izithombe zobulili ezingcolile. Ingabe ibiyocabanga ukuthi umyeni wayo uyayithanda futhi uyalihlonipha ilungiselelo lomshado?​—Mathewu 5:28.

16. Ukwaneliseka kungasisiza kanjani sibonise uthando lobuzalwane?

¹⁶ “Naneliswe izinto ezikhona.” (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:5.) Ukwethembela kuJehova kuzosisiza saneliseke, okungukuthi, saneliswe yizinto esinazo. Lokhu kusisiza kanjani sibonise uthando lobuzalwane? Lapho sanelisekile, siyokhumbula ukuthi abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu babaluleke kakhulu kunemali noma izinto. (1 Thimothewu 6:​6-8) Ngeke sikhononde ngabafowethu noma ngezimo zethu zokuphila. Futhi ngeke sibe nomona ngabanye noma sibe amagovu. Kunalokho, lapho sanelisekile, siyoba nesandla esivulekile.​—1 Thimothewu 6:​17-19.

17. Ukuba “nesibindi” kusisiza kanjani sibonise uthando lobuzalwane?

¹⁷ ‘Yibani nesibindi.’ (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:6.) Ukwethembela kuJehova kusenza sibe nesibindi sokukhuthazelela uvivinyo olunzima. Lesi sibindi sisisiza ukuba sibe nombono omuhle ngezinto. Kanti lapho sinombono omuhle, singabonisa uthando lwethu lobuzalwane ngokukhuthaza nangokududuza abafowethu nodadewethu. (1 Thesalonika 5:​14,  15) Ngisho naphakathi nosizi olukhulu, singaba nesibindi, sazi ukuthi ukukhululwa kwethu kuseduze.​—Luka 21:​25-28.

18. Singaluqinisa kanjani uthando lwethu lobuzalwane ngabadala?

¹⁸ “Khumbulani abaholayo.” (Funda eyamaHebheru 13:​7, 17.) Abadala esinabo ebandleni basebenzisa isikhathi bezikhandla ngenxa yethu. Lapho sicabanga ngakho konke abakwenzayo, uthando lwethu nokwazisa esinakho ngabo kuyakhula. Ngeke nanini sifune ukuba balahlekelwe yinjabulo yabo noma bakhungatheke ngenxa yokuthile esikwenzayo. Kunalokho, sifuna ukulalela ngokuzithandela. Ngale ndlela ‘sibacabangela ngaphezu kokuvamile ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo.’​—1 Thesalonika 5:13.

19, 20. Singaqhubeka kanjani sibonisa uthando lobuzalwane nakakhulu?

¹⁹ Abantu bakaJehova baziwa ngothando lwabo lobuzalwane. Kwakunjalo nangesikhathi sikaPawulu. Kodwa uPawulu wakhuthaza abafowabo ukuba babonise uthando ngisho nakakhulu. Wathi: “Niqhubeke nikwenza ngesilinganiso esigcwele ngokwengeziwe.” (1 Thesalonika 4:​9, 10) Ngokusobala, ihlale ikhona indlela yokwenza intuthuko!

²⁰ Ngakho, njengoba sibheka umBhalo wonyaka eHholo lethu loMbuso phakathi nalo nyaka, masizindle ngale mibuzo: Ngingawubonisa yini umoya wokungenisa izihambi kakhudlwana? Ngingabasiza kanjani abafowethu abasemajele? Ngiyalihlonipha yini ilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu lomshado? Yini ezongisiza ukuba nganeliseke ngempela? Ngingathembela kanjani kuJehova ngokwengeziwe? Ngingabalalela kanjani ngokwengeziwe labo abaholayo? Uma sisebenzela ukuthuthuka kulezi zinto eziyisithupha, umBhalo wonyaka ngeke umane nje ube uphawu olusodongeni; uzosikhumbuza ukuba silalele amazwi kaPawulu, athi: “Uthando lwenu lobuzalwane maluqhubeke.”​—Hebheru 13:1.