1, 2. (a) Wasekwa njani umtshato? (b) Yintoni esenokuba yabetheleleka kwesi sibini sokuqala ngomtshato? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

UMTSHATO yinxalenye yobomi bethu. Ukuhlola imvelaphi nenjongo yawo kunokusinceda sibe nembono efanelekileyo ngawo, size sizinandiphe ngakumbi iintsikelelo zawo. Emva kokuba uThixo edale umntu wokuqala uAdam, wazisa izilwanyana kuye ukuze azithiye amagama. Kodwa “yena umntu akafunyanelwanga mncedi wokuba ngumphelelisi wakhe.” Ngoko uThixo wawisa ubuthongo obunzulu emntwini, wathabatha ubambo lwalunye ezimbanjeni zakhe, walwakha lwaba ngumfazi waza wamzisa endodeni. (Funda iGenesis 2:20-24.) Ngoko umtshato wenziwe nguThixo.

² UYesu wayiqinisekisa into yokuba nguYehova owathi: “Indoda iya kumshiya uyise nonina ize inamathele emfazini wayo, baze abo babini babe nyama-nye.” (Mat. 19:4, 5) Ukusebenzisa kukaThixo ubambo luka-Adam ekwenzeni umfazi wokuqala, kumele ukuba kwabenza bakuqonda ukubaluleka komanyano emtshatweni. Lalingekho ilungiselelo loqhawulo-mtshato, okanye elokuba  neqabane elingaphezu kwelinye ngaxesha-nye.

3. Yayiyintoni injongo ebalulekileyo yomtshato?

³ UAdam wamvuyela kakhulu umfazi wakhe othandekayo, owathi kamva wambiza ngokuba nguEva. Ekubeni uEva ‘wayengumphelelisi’ wakhe, wayeza kuba ‘ngumncedi’ njengoko babesonwabisana ngokuphumeza iimbopheleleko zabo njengendoda nomfazi. (Gen. 2:18) Injongo ebalulekileyo yomtshato yayikukuzala abantwana ukuze kuzaliswe umhlaba. (Gen. 1:28) Xa abantwana bekhulile, babeza kubashiya abazali babo, nangona bebathanda, baze baqale ezabo iintsapho. Abantu babeya kuwuzalisa umhlaba ngokomlinganiselo osengqiqweni, baze bawandise umyezo ude wonke umhlaba ube yiparadesi.

4. Kwenzaka ntoni emtshatweni wokuqala?

⁴ Umtshato wokuqala wehlelwa yintlekele, kuba uAdam noEva bakhetha ukuyisebenzisa kakubi inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela ngokona uYehova. “Inyoka yantlandlolo,” uSathana uMtyholi, yaqhatha uEva ngokumenza akholelwe ukuba ukutya ‘kumthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi’ kwakuya kumenza abe nolwazi olukhethekileyo lokuzigqibela ngoko kulungileyo noko kubi. Akazange abuhlonele ubuntloko bomyeni wakhe ngokuqala abuze kuye ngalo mbandela. Kunokuthobela uThixo, uAdam wasamkela isiqhamo awasinikwa nguEva.—ISityhi. 12:9; Gen. 2:9, 16, 17; 3:1-6.

5. Singafunda ntoni kwindlela uAdam noEva abamphendula ngayo uYehova?

⁵ Xa ebuzwa nguThixo, uAdam watyhola umfazi wakhe wathi: “Umfazi owandinikayo ukuba abe nam, nguye ondinikileyo isiqhamo somthi ndaza ndadla.” UEva yena watyhola inyoka esithi ukhohliswe yiyo. (Gen. 3:12, 13) Hayi indlela okungavakali ngayo oku kuzithethelela! Ngenxa yokuba isibini sokuqala singazange simthobele uYehova, phambi kwamehlo akhe saba ngabavukeli abagwetyiweyo. Esinjani sona isilumkiso kuthi! Ukuze umtshato uphumelele, qabane ngalinye limele lamkele imbopheleleko yalo, lize lithobele uYehova.

6. Unokuyicacisa njani iGenesis 3:15?

⁶ Nangona uSathana wawugxobhayo umtshato wokuqala e-Eden, uYehova wachaza isiprofeto sokuqala eBhayibhileni esinika ithemba. (Funda iGenesis 3:15.) Lo mvukeli unguSathana wayeza kutyunyuzwa ‘yimbewu yomfazi.’ Apha uYehova wayeluthela thsuphe uluntu ngolwalamano olukhethekileyo oluphakathi kwakhe nenyambalala yezidalwa zakhe zomoya, ngokubhekisela kuzo ‘njengomfazi’ wakhe obumba intlangano yakhe yasezulwini. Kamva iZibhalo zabonisa ukuba, uThixo wayeza kusebenzisa le ntlangano yakhe enjengomfazi, ukuthumela uYesu owayeza “kutyumza” uMtyholi. Oko kwakuza kwenza ukuba abantu abathobelayo bakwazi ukunandipha ithemba esaphulukana nalo isibini sokuqala—ithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni, nto leyo eyayiyinjongo kaThixo kwasekuqaleni.—Yoh. 3:16.

7. (a) Kuye kwenzeka ntoni emtshatweni ukususela kwimvukelo ka-Adam noEva? (b) IBhayibhile ithi amadoda nabafazi bamele baphathane njani?

⁷ Imvukelo ka-Adam noEva yachaphazela umtshato wabo nayo yonke imitshato eyalandelayo kamva. Ngokomzekelo, uEva nabanye abafazi babeya kuva iintlungu xa bekhulelwe naxa bebeleka. Abafazi babeya kusoloko befuna ukuhoywa ngamadoda abo, kodwa ayeya kubacinezela, ade abaxhaphaze abafazi bawo, njengoko sikubona oko kwimitshato emininzi namhlanje. (Gen. 3:16) IBhayibhile iyalela amadoda ukuba abusebenzise ngothando  ubuntloko. Bona abafazi, bamele bazithobe kubuntloko bamadoda abo. (Efe. 5:33) Xa isibini esoyika uThixo sisebenzisana, iingxabano ziyancipha okanye zingabikho ngokupheleleyo.

8. Kuye kwenzeka ntoni emtshatweni ukususela kwixesha lika-Adam ukuya kutsho kwixesha loMkhukula?

⁸ Ngaphambi kokuba isono nokungafezeki kubangele ukuba uAdam noEva bafe, esi sibini saba noonyana neentombi. (Gen. 5:4) Unyana wokuqala, uKayin, watshata omnye wezalamane zakhe. ULameki, owayeyinzala kaKayin, ngumntu wokuqala ochazwa njengowazithabathela abafazi ababini. (Gen. 4:17, 19) Ukususela kuAdam ukuya kutsho kumhla womkhukula kaNowa, bambalwa abantu abachazwa njengababekhonza uYehova. Abanye babo yayinguAbheli, uEnoki, uNowa nentsapho yakhe. IBhayibhile ithi, ngemihla kaNowa “baziphawula ke oonyana boThixo oyinyaniso iintombi zabantu, ukuba zintle ngenkangeleko; baza bazithabathela abafazi kuzo zonke abazikhethayo.” Olo manyano lungelolwamvelo lwabafazi neengelosi ezaziguqulayo zanemizimba yenyama, lwaphumela ekuzalweni kweengxilimbela ezazisaziwa ngokuba ziiNefili. Ukongezelela, ‘ububi bomntu babandile emhlabeni yaye zonke iingcamango zentliziyo yakhe zazityekele ebubini ngalo lonke ixesha.’—Gen. 6:1-5.

9. Wenza ntoni uYehova kubantu abangendawo bexesha likaNowa, yaye sisiphi isifundo esimele sisifunde koko?

⁹ Ngemihla kaNowa, uYehova wazisa uMkhukula ukuze atshabalalise abangendawo. Ngaloo mihla, abantu babexakeke zizinto zemihla ngemihla, eziquka umtshato, kangangokuba abazange banikele ngqalelo koko kwakuthethwa ‘nguNowa, umshumayeli wobulungisa,’ ngentshabalalo eyayisiza. (2 Pet. 2:5) UYesu wafanisa iimeko zaloo mihla noko sasiza kukubona kule mihla yethu. (Funda uMateyu 24:37-39.) Namhlanje, abantu abaninzi abanamdla kwiindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo, ezishunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke ukuba zibe bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga, ngaphambi kokuba le nkqubo ingendawo ifikelele esiphelweni. Masifunde isifundo kubantu bexesha likaNowa ngokuthi singavumeli nantoni na, nkqu nemiba yentsapho enjengomtshato nokukhulisa abantwana, ukuba isenze singakuboni ukusondela kwemini kaYehova.

10. (a) Kukuphi ukuziphatha okubi okwakuxhaphakile ngemihla yamandulo? (b) UAbraham noSara bawumisela njani umzekelo omhle emtshatweni wabo?

¹⁰ Isithembu sasiyinto eqhelekileyo ngemihla kaNowa. Kodwa yena wayenomfazi omnye, ibe ngamnye koonyana bakhe abathathu, wayenomfazi omnye. Ukuziphatha kakubi ngokwesini kwakuxhaphakile ngelo xesha, kangangokuba kwakude kuqheliselwe nakwizithethe zonqulo. UAbram (Abraham) nomfazi wakhe uSarayi (Sara), bathobela uThixo baza baya kuhlala eKanan, lizwe elo elalisenza izinto ezaziwenza ube yintlekisa umtshato. Ngoko uYehova wagqiba kwelokuba izixeko zelo lizwe, iSodom neGomora, zitshatyalaliswe, kuba abemi bazo babeziphethe kakubi ngokugqithiseleyo. UAbraham wayikhokela kakuhle intsapho yakhe, yaye uSara waba ngumzekelo omhle wokuzithoba kubuntloko bendoda yakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 3:3-6.) UAbraham waqinisekisa ukuba unyana wakhe uIsake, utshata umkhonzi kaYehova. NoYakobi, unyana kaIsake owayenoonyana ababa ngokhokho bezizwe ezili-12 zakwaSirayeli, wayephila ngemigaqo kaThixo.

11. UMthetho kaMoses wawakhusela njani amaSirayeli?

 ¹¹ Kamva, uYehova wenza umnqophiso kunye nenzala kaYakobi (amaSirayeli). Ngoko wamisela uMthetho kaMoses ongendlela yokuziphatha emtshatweni, kuquka imitshato yesithembu. Lo Mthetho wawukhusela ukholo lwamaSirayeli ngokungawavumeli ukuba atshate nabantu abanqula izithixo. (Funda iDuteronomi 7:3, 4.) Xa kwakuvela iingxaki ezinkulu emtshatweni, amadoda amakhulu ayenceda. Ukungathembeki, ukumonelana nokukrokrelana kwakulungiswa ngendlela efanelekileyo. Ukuqhawula umtshato kwakuvumelekile, kodwa nako kwakuvumeleke ngezizathu ezithile. Indoda yayinokuwuqhawula umtshato nomfazi wayo xa “ifumene okuthile okungandilisekanga kuye.” (Dut. 24:1) Yayingachazwanga le nto ‘ingandilisekanga,’ kodwa ke kusengqiqweni ukucinga ukuba yayingaquki izinto ezingenamsebenzi.—Lev. 19:18.

12, 13. (a) Amanye amadoda ayebaphatha njani abafazi ngemihla kaMalaki? (b) Unokuba yintoni umphumo xa iNgqina elibhaptiziweyo lithatha iqabane lomnye umntu?

¹² Ngemihla yomprofeti uMalaki, amadoda amaninzi angamaYuda ayeqhubana ngobuqhophololo nabafazi bawo, eqhawula umtshato nangasiphi na isizathu. Loo madoda ayebagxotha abafazi bobutsha bawo, ukuze atshate abafazi abaselula okanye abasemzini. Nangemihla kaYesu, amadoda angamaYuda ayesaqhubana ngobuqhophololo nabafazi bawo, eqhawula umtshato “nangasiphi na isizathu.” (Mat. 19:3) UYehova uThixo wayeluthiy’ egazini olo qhawulo-mtshato.—Funda uMalaki 2:13-16.

¹³ Nakule mihla yethu, ubuqhophololo emtshatweni abunyamezeleki phakathi kwabantu bakaYehova. Ukuba umzalwana okanye udade uqhawula umtshato aze athathe iqabane lomnye umntu atshate nalo, unokususwa kubudlelane ukuba akaguquki, ukuze kugcinwe ibandla licocekile. (1 Kor. 5:11-13) Kuya kufuneka kuqala abonise “iziqhamo ezifanele inguquko,” ngaphambi kokuba abuyiselwe ebandleni. (Luka 3:8; 2 Kor. 2:5-10) Nangona kungekho xesha libekiweyo ngaphambi kokuba umntu abuyiselwe, ubuqhophololo obunjalo, nakubeni bungaxhaphakanga phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo, abunakubethwa ngoyaba. Kusenokuthatha ixesha elide, unyaka nangaphezulu, ukuze bubonakale ubungqina bokuba umoni onjalo uguquke ngokwenene. Nokuba unokubuyiselwa, usamele anikele ubungqina “phambi kwesihlalo sokugweba sikaThixo” bokuba uguquke ngokwenene.—Roma 14:10-12; jonga iMboniselo kaNovemba 15, 1979, iphe. 31-32.

14. Yayiyintoni eyona njongo yoMthetho kaMoses?

¹⁴ Kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwe-1 500, amaSirayeli ayelawulwa nguMthetho kaMoses. Wawanceda ukuba asebenzise imigaqo yobulungisa kwiintsapho zawo nakwezinye iimeko, yaye wawungumkhapheli okhokelela kuMesiya. (Gal. 3:23, 24) Xa uYesu wafayo, uMthetho kaMoses wapheliswa, yaye uThixo waqalisa ilungiselelo elitsha. (Heb. 8:6) Ngoko, ezinye izinto ezazivumelekile kuMthetho kaMoses, zazingasavumelekanga.

15. (a) Uyintoni umgaqo womtshato kwibandla lamaKristu? (b) Ziziphi izinto umKristu amele acinge ngazo xa efuna ukuqhawula umtshato?

¹⁵ Xa uYesu wayephendula umbuzo owabuzwa ngabanye abaFarisi wathi, ilungiselelo lokuqhawula umtshato elenziwa nguMoses, ‘lalingenjalo ekuqaleni.’ (Mat.  19:6-8) Wabethelela ukuba ilungiselelo lomtshato elasekwa nguThixo e-Eden, lilo elimele lithotyelwe kwibandla lamaKristu. (1 Tim. 3:2, 12) Ekubeni amaqabane atshatileyo ‘enyama-nye,’ amele asondelelane aze avumele uthando ngoThixo kunye nothando oluphakathi kwawo, lomeleze umtshato wawo. Ukuqhawula umtshato ngaphandle kwesizathu sokrexezo, akusikhululi eso sibini ukuba sitshate kwakhona. (Mat. 19:9) Ewe kona, umntu usenokukhetha ukulixolela iqabane lakhe eliye lakrexeza laza laguquka, njengoko kubonakala ukuba umprofeti uHoseya wamxolela umfazi wakhe uGomere owayeziphethe kakubi. Ngendlela efanayo, uYehova wawaxolela amaSirayeli aguqukileyo emva kokuba ayekrexezile ngokomoya. (Hos. 3:1-5) Ukongezelela, ukuba umntu uyazi ukuba iqabane lakhe likrexezile aze akhethe ukwabelana ngesondo kunye nalo, oko kuya kuthetha ukuba ulixolele, yaye kuya kuphelisa nasiphi na isizathu esingokweZibhalo sokuqhawula umtshato.

16. Wathini uYesu ngokungatshati?

¹⁶ Emva kokuba uYesu ecacisile ukuba phakathi kwamaKristu, kukuziphatha kakubi ngokwesini kuphela okusisizathu sokuqhawula umtshato, wathetha “ngabo banesiphiwo” sokungatshati. Wathi: “Lowo unako ukukuvulela ithuba makakuvulele ithuba.” (Mat. 19:10-12) Abaninzi baye bakhetha ukungatshati ukuze bakhonze uYehova ngaphandle kweziphazamiso. Simele sibancome ngokunyanisekileyo.

17. Yintoni enokunceda umKristu agqibe ekubeni atshate okanye angatshati?

¹⁷ Ukutshata okanye ukungatshati kuxhomekeke ekubeni umntu uyakwazi na ukuhlakulela isiphiwo sokungatshati. Umpostile uPawulos wayekukhuthaza ukungatshati, kodwa waphinda wathi: “Ngenxa yokuxhaphaka kohenyuzo, ndoda nganye mayibe nowayo umfazi yaye umfazi ngamnye abe neyakhe indoda.” Wongezelela wathi: “Ukuba abanako ukuzeyisa, mabatshate, kuba kulunge ngakumbi ukutshata kunokutshiseka yinkanuko.” Ukutshata kunokumnceda umntu aphephe ukuvumela inkanuko imkhokelele ekuphululeni amaphambili okanye ekuziphatheni kakubi ngokwesini. Iminyaka yobudala nayo imele ijongwe, kuba uPawulos wathi: “Ukuba nabani na ucinga ukuba uziphatha ngokungafanelekanga ngobunyulu bakhe, ukuba uthe wadlula entlahleni yobutsha, yaye le yindlela ekufanele kwenzeke ngayo, makenze oko akufunayo; akoni. Mabatshate.” (1 Kor. 7:2, 9, 36; 1 Tim. 4:1-3) Sekunjalo, akamele aqhutywe yinkanuko yobutsha ukuba atshate. Usenokuba akakabi mdala ngokwaneleyo ukuba angathwala iimbopheleleko zomtshato.

18, 19. (a) Simele sibe yintoni isiseko somtshato wamaKristu? (b) Yintoni esiza kuthetha ngayo kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁸ Xa umzalwana nodade befuna ukutshata, bamele baqinisekise ukuba bazinikele kuYehova yaye bamthanda ngentliziyo yabo yonke. Kwakhona, bamele babe bathandana kakhulu kangangokuba bakufuna ngokwenene ukuzimanya ngeqhina lomtshato. Ibe ke baya kusikelelwa ngokulandela icebiso lokutshatela “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Bakuba betshatile, bamele balandele icebiso leBhayibhile ukuze umtshato wabo uphumelele.

¹⁹ Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuthetha ngamacebiso aseBhayibhileni anokunceda amaKristu atshatileyo ajamelane ngokuphumelelayo neengxaki zomtshato ezikhoyo kule “mihla yokugqibela.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5) KwiLizwi lakhe, uYehova uye wasinika oko sikudingayo ukuze siphumelele size sibe nomtshato owonwabisayo, njengoko siqhubeka sihamba nabantu bakhe kwindlela esa kubomi obungunaphakade.—Mat. 7:13, 14.