1, 2. (a) Yini Jesu layichaza ngemalanga ekugcina? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto lesitawucoca ngayo?

ASE ucabange ngaJesu ahleti eNtsabeni Yemincuma abuke lithempeli leliseJerusalema. Unebaphostoli bakhe labane, boPhetro, Andreya, Jakobe naJohane. Bayamlalelisisa njengobe abatjela ngesiphrofetho lesijabulisako lesimayelana nelikusasa. Lesiphrofetho sichaza loko lokutawenteka emalangeni ekugcina alelive lelibi lapho Jesu asabusa eMbusweni waNkulunkulu. Jesu ubachazela kutsi ngaleso sikhatsi lesibalulekile, ‘sisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile’ sitammelela emhlabeni futsi sondle balandzeli bakhe ngesikhatsi lesifanele.—Matewu 24:45-47.

² Ngemuva kwaloko, Jesu uchubeka nesiphrofetho sakhe ngekubatjela umfanekiso wetintfombi letilishumi. (Fundza Matewu 25:1-13.) Kulesihloko, sitawucoca nganayi  imibuto: (1) Ngumuphi umlayeto loyinhloko locuketfwe ngulomfanekiso? (2) Labagcotjiwe labetsembekile basisebentise njani seluleko lesikulomfanekiso, futsi ube yini umphumela? (3) Ngamunye wetfu angazuza njani kulomfanekiso waJesu lamuhla?

3. Eminyakeni leyendlulile, tincwadzi tetfu betiwuchaza njani umfanekiso wetintfombi letilishumi, futsi kungenteka kube namuphi umphumela?

³ Esihlokweni lesendlulile, sifundze kutsi kuleminyaka leyengcile, sisebenti lesetsembekile sente lushintjo endleleni lesichaza ngayo tindzaba letiseBhayibhelini. Sisebenti lesetsembekile sesinaka kakhulu tifundvo lesititfolako kuleto tindzaba kunekunaka tintfo lokungenteka kutsi tingumfanekiso nome titiphrofetho. Nasi sibonelo: Cabanga ngemfanekiso waJesu wetintfombi letilishumi. Tincwadzi tetfu betisolo titsi tibane, emafutsa, nemabhodlela lokukhulunywa ngako kulomfanekiso kumelela lokutsite. Kungenteka yini kutsi ngekunaka tintfo letincane, umlayeto lomelula nalobalulekile walomfanekiso bewulahleka? Imphendvulo yalombuto ibalulekile.

4. Kulomfanekiso, sati njani kutsi (a) ngubani umkhwenyane? (b) tibobani letintfombi?

⁴ Asesihlole umlayeto loyinhloko kulomfanekiso waJesu. Kwekucala, cabanga ngebantfu lokukhulunywa ngabo kulomfanekiso wetintfombi letilishumi. Ngubani umkhwenyane? NguJesu. Loku sikusho ngobe Jesu wake watibita ngekutsi ungumkhwenyane. (Lukha 5:34, 35) Tibobani letintfombi? ‘Tingumhlambi lomncane’ wemaKhristu lagcotjiwe. Sikwati njani loko? Kulomfanekiso, letintfombi kufanele tihlale tilindzile futsi tibane tato tibe tikhanya nakufika umkhwenyane. Naka loko Jesu lakusho kubalandzeli bakhe labagcotjiwe nakatsi: “Gcokani futsi nitilungiselele, netibane tenu tivutse, nibe njengebantfu labalindzele kutsi inkhosi yabo ibuye emshadweni.” (Lukha 12:32, 35, 36) Ngetulu kwaloko, umphostoli Pawula nemphostoli Johane bafanisa emaKhristu lagcotjiwe netintfombi ntfo. (2 Khorinte 11:2; Sembulo 14:4) Kuyacaca-ke kutsi seluleko nesecwayiso lesitfolakala kuMatewu 25:1-13 sibhekiselwe kubalandzeli baJesu labagcotjiwe.

5. Jesu wasiveta njani sikhatsi lobewutawusebenta ngaso umfanekiso wakhe?

⁵ Kwesibili, seluleko saJesu sisebenta kusiphi sikhatsi? Loko Jesu lakusho ngasekugcineni kwalomfanekiso kusisita sitfole imphendvulo. Watsi: “Umkhwenyane wefika.” (Matewu 25:10) Ku-Sicongosekulindza saJuly 15, 2013, safundza kutsi siphrofetho saJesu lesikuMatewu sehluko 24 na-25 sikhuluma tikhatsi letisiphohlongo ‘ngekufika’ kwakhe. Nakakhuluma ‘ngekufika’ kwakhe, Jesu bekasho sikhatsi sekuhlupheka lokukhulu lapho atawufike ehlulele lelive lelibi futsi alibhubhise.  Singaphetsa ngekutsi lomfanekiso usebenta emalangeni ekugcina, kodvwa Jesu ‘utawufika’ ngesikhatsi sekuhlupheka lokukhulu.

6. Ngumuphi umlayeto loyinhloko walomfanekiso?

⁶ Ngumuphi umlayeto loyinhloko lesiwutfola kulomfanekiso? Khumbula ingcikitsi yalendzaba. KuMatewu sehluko 24, Jesu wachaza ‘sisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile.’ Lesisebenti besitawuba licembu lelincane lemadvodza lagcotjiwe labetawuhola balandzeli baKhristu emalangeni ekugcina. Jesu wecwayisa lamadvodza kutsi bekufanele ahlale etsembekile. Esehlukweni lesilandzelako, Jesu wasebentisa lomfanekiso wetintfombi letilishumi kuze eluleke bonkhe balandzeli bakhe labagcotjiwe labaphila emalangeni ekugcina. Umlayeto wawukutsi kufanele ‘bahlale balindzile’ kuze bangalahlekelwa ngumvuzo wabo wekuphila ezulwini. (Matewu 25:13) Asesihlolisise lomfanekiso futsi sibone kutsi labagcotjiwe basisebentise njani seluleko lesikuwo.

7, 8. (a) Kungani tintfombi letihlakaniphile betikulungele kufika kwemkhwenyane? (b) Labagcotjiwe bakhombisa njani kutsi bakulungele kufika kwaJesu?

⁷ Kulomfanekiso, Jesu ugcizelela kutsi tintfombi letihlakaniphile atizange tilingise tintfombi letilibele, ngobe tona betikulungele kufika kwemkhwenyane. Kungani asho njalo? Kungobe betitilungiselele futsi tilindzile. Tonkhe letintfombi letilishumi bekufanele tihlale tilindzile futsi tibane tato tichubeke tivutsa kulobo busuku. Tintfombi letihlakaniphile letisihlanu atizange tilingise letintfombi letilibele, ngobe tona betitilungiselele taze taphatsa nalamanye emafutsa kanye netibane tato. EmaKhristu lagcotjiwe letsembekile akulungiselele njani kufika kwaJesu?

⁸ Labagcotjiwe batimisele kufeza sabelo sabo kuze kube sekugcineni. Bayati kutsi umsebenti labawentela Nkulunkulu udzinga kutsi badzele kuphila kamnandzi kulelive laSathane, futsi batimisele kukwenta loko. Batimisele kukhonta Jehova ngekwetsembeka, hhayi ngobe kuphela kwalelive sekusondzele, kodvwa ngobe batsandza Jehova kanye neNdvodzana yakhe. Bagcina bucotfo futsi abavumeli kutsandza umcebo, kutiphatsa lokubi kanye nebugovu kutsi kubatsikamete. Njengaletintfombi letihlakaniphile lebetilindzile netibane tato, labagcotjiwe bayachubeka bakhanya njengetibane, balindze kufika kweMkhwenyane ngisho nobe kubonakala shengatsi uyephuta.—Filiphi 2:15.

9. (a) Ngusiphi secwayiso Jesu lasisho mayelana nekwetela? (b) Yini labagcotjiwe labayentile nakutsiwa: “Nangu umkhwenyane”? (Fundza umbhalo longentasi.)

⁹ Tintfombi letihlakaniphile betikulungele kufika kwemkhwenyane ngobe betilindzile. Kodvwa kulomfanekiso, tonkhe letintfombi letilishumi “tetela  tase tiyalala” ngesikhatsi tisalindze kufika kwemkhwenyane lobekabonakala shengatsi uyephuta. Ngako-ke kungenteka yini kutsi emaKhristu lagcotjiwe lamuhla ‘etele,’ lokusho kutsi aphatamiseke nakasalindze kufika kwaKhristu? Yebo kungenteka. Jesu bekati kutsi ngisho nemuntfu lotimisele kuhlala alindzile nalonesifiso sekwenta njalo, angaba butsakatsaka futsi aphatamiseke asalindze kufika kwakhe. Ngako-ke emaKhristu lagcotjiwe asebente kamatima kute ahlale alindzile. Ngayiphi indlela? Kulomfanekiso, tonkhe letintfombi letilishumi tavuka nativa kumenyetwa kutsiwa: “Nangu umkhwenyane!” Kodvwa tintfombi letihlakaniphile ngito kuphela letahlala tilindzile. (Matewu 25:5, 6; 26:41) Ngendlela lefanako, kulamalanga ekugcina, emaKhristu lagcotjiwe letsembekile atsetse sinyatselo nakutsiwa: “Nangu umkhwenyane!” Abemukele bufakazi lobunemandla bekutsi sekusele kancane Jesu efike, futsi akulungele kufika kwakhe. * (Fundza umbhalo longentasi.) Asesihlole incenye yekugcina yemfanekiso waJesu, lechaza sikhatsi lesicondzile labekhuluma ngaso.

10. Yini lesingase sitibute yona mayelana nencociswano lebeyisemkhatsini wetintfombi letihlakaniphile naletilibele?

¹⁰ Ngasekupheleni kwalomfanekiso, letintfombi letilibele ticela leti letihlakaniphile kutsi titiphe emafutsa. Kodvwa letintfombi letihlakaniphile tiyala nawo. (Fundza Matewu 25:8, 9.) Kuke kwenteka yini kutsi emaKhristu letsembekile lagcotjiwe ale kusita lotsite? Khumbula kutsi lomfanekiso ukhulumela siphi sikhatsi. Jesu, longuMkhwenyane ufika atewehlulela ngasekupheleni kwekuhlupheka lokukhulu. Ngako kungenteka kutsi lencociswano ikhuluma ngaloko lokwenteka ngaphambi nje kwekuphela kwekuhlupheka lokukhulu. Kungani sisho njalo? Kungobe ngaleso sikhatsi labagcotjiwe batawube sebabekwe luphawu lwekugcina.

11. (a) Yini letawenteka ngaphambi nje kwekutsi kucale kuhlupheka lokukhulu? (b) Betisho kutsini tintfombi letihlakaniphile natitjela tintfombi letilibele kutsi tiyotsenga emafutsa?

¹¹ Ngako-ke, ngaphambi kwekutsi kucale kuhlupheka lokukhulu, bonkhe labagcotjiwe labetsembekile labasemhlabeni batawube sebabekwe luphawu lwekugcina. (Sembulo 7:1-4) Ngaleso sikhatsi, batawube sebaciniseka kutsi batawuya ezulwini. Kodvwa cabanga ngeminyaka lengaphambi kwekuhlupheka lokukhulu. Yini letawenteka kulabagcotjiwe labangakachubeki balindzile futsi labangaketsembeki? Ngeke babekwe luphawu lwekugcina. Ngaleso sikhatsi, kutawugcotjwa lamanye emaKhristu letsembekile. Nasekucale kuhlupheka lokukhulu, kungenteka labo labalibele batawumangala nababona iBhabhulona Lenkhulu ibhujiswa. Kulapho batawubona khona kutsi abakakulungeli kufika kwaJesu. Ngaleso sikhatsi, yini letawenteka nabacela lusito? Imphendvulo ikulomfanekiso waJesu. Tintfombi letihlakaniphile tala  kuniketa tintfombi letilibele emafutsa, esikhundleni saloko tatitjela kutsi tiyotitsengela ato. Njengobe ‘bekungusekhatsi nebusuku’ bekute lobekangatitsengisela lamafutsa. Kwasekwephute kakhulu!

12. (a) Ngesikhatsi sekuhlupheka lokukhulu, yini letawenteka kulabo lebebagcotjiwe kodvwa balahla bucotfo babo ngaphambi kwekutsi babekwe luphawu lwekugcina? (b) Yini letawenteka kulabo labafanana netintfombi letilibele?

¹² Ngesikhatsi sekuhlupheka lokukhulu, labagcotjiwe labetsembekile ngeke babasite labo labangaketsembeki. Kutawube sekwephute kakhulu. Ngako-ke yini letawenteka kulabo labangaketsembeki? Naka kutsi kwentekani kuletintfombi letilibele letahamba tayewutsenga emafutsa: “Umkhwenyane wefika, futsi letintfombi lebesetimlindzele tangena naye edzilini lemshado, ngemuva kwaloko umnyango wavalwa.” Lapho Jesu afika akhatimula ngasekupheleni kwekuhlupheka lokukhulu, utawutsatsa labagcotjiwe labetsembekile baye ezulwini. (Matewu 24:31; 25:10; Johane 14:1-3; 1 Thesalonika 4:17) Jesu ngeke abemukele labo labangaketsembeki. Njengaletintfombi letilibele, bangase batsi: “Nkhosi, Nkhosi, sicela usivulele!” Kodvwa Jesu utabaphendvula atsini? Kuyadzabukisa kutsi utabanika imphendvulo lefana naleyo latayinika bonkhe labanjengetimbuti, atsi: “Ngicinisile ngitsi kini, anginati.”—Matewu 7:21-23; 25:11, 12.

13. (a) Kungani kungakafaneli siphetse ngekutsi labanyenti kubafundzi baKhristu labagcotjiwe ngeke betsembeke? (b) Sisho ngani kutsi umfanekiso waJesu ukhombisa kutsi uyawetsemba emaKhristu lagcotjiwe? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

¹³ Jesu bekasho kutsi labanyenti kulabagcotjiwe bebangeke betsembeke yini bese sikhala sabo sivalwa ngulabanye? Cha. KuMatewu sehluko 24, sifundze kutsi Jesu wecwayisa sisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile kutsi singabi sisebenti lesibi. Loko akusho kutsi bekalindzele kutsi singetsembeki. Ngendlela lefanako, umfanekiso wetintfombi letilishumi usecwayiso. Njengobe tintfombi letisihlanu betilibele futsi letisihlanu tihlakaniphile, ngamunye kumaKhristu lagcotjiwe kufanele akhetse kuhlala akulungele kufika kwaKhristu futsi ahlale alindzile. Nakangenti njalo, angagcine angakahlakaniphi futsi angaketsembeki. Pawula waniketa secwayiso lesifanako kubomnakabo nabodzadzewabo labagcotjiwe. (Fundza Hebheru 6:4-9; catsanisa naDutheronomi 30:19.) Secwayiso sakhe besicondzile, kodvwa bekaciniseka kutsi bomnakabo nabodzadzewabo batawutfola umvuzo wabo. Secwayiso lesikulomfanekiso wetintfombi letilishumi sikhombisa kutsi Jesu bekabetsemba ngendlela lefanako labagcotjiwe. Uyati kutsi ngamunye kuletinceku letigcotjiwe angahlala etsembekile futsi atfole umvuzo lomuhle!

14. Kungani ‘letinye timvu’ nato tizuza kulomfanekiso wetintfombi letilishumi?

¹⁴ Umfanekiso waJesu wawubhekiswe kumaKhristu lagcotjiwe. Kodvwa ‘letinye timvu’ tingazuza yini kulomfanekiso? (Johane 10:16) Yebo! Umlayeto lokulomfanekiso umelula, utsi: “Hlalani nilindzile.” Jesu wake watsi: “Loku lengikusho kini ngikusho kubo bonkhe: Hlalani nilindzile.” (Makho 13:37) Jesu ufuna kutsi bonkhe bafundzi bakhe bakulungele kufika kwakhe futsi balindze. Onkhe emaKhristu angasilingisa sibonelo lesihle salabagcotjiwe, lababeka kucala umsebenti wekushumayela ekuphileni kwabo. Khumbula kutsi tintfombi letilibele tacela emafutsa kuletintfombi letihlakaniphile. Sicelo sato asizange semukeleke. Loku kusikhumbuta kutsi kukitsi kuhlale setsembekile kuNkulunkulu, kuhlale sikulungele nekuhlale silindzile. Kute umuntfu longasentela loko. Ngamunye wetfu utatiphendvulela kuJesu Khristu, loliJaji lelilungile, futsi lotawufika masinyane. Ngako-ke kufanele sikulungele loko!

15. Kungani umshado waKhristu namakoti wakhe uwajabulisa onkhe emaKhristu eliciniso?

¹⁵ Onkhe emaKhristu ajabula kakhulu ngemshado lokukhulunywa ngawo emfanekisweni waJesu. Esikhatsini lesitako, ngemuva kwemphi ye-Amagedoni, emaKhristu lagcotjiwe atawuba ngumakoti waKhristu. (Sembulo 19:7-9) Bonkhe labaphila emhlabeni batawuzuza kulomshado lotawuba sezulwini. Kungani batawuzuza? Kungobe loko kutawusho kutsi bonkhe bantfu batawubuswa nguhulumende lokahle. Ngisho nobe sinelitsemba lekuphila phakadze ezulwini nobe emhlabeni, shengatsi singatimisela kuhlale sikulungele kufika kwaKhristu futsi sichubeke silindzile. Nasenta kanjalo, singajabulela likusasa lelihle Jehova lasilungiselele lona!