1, 2. (a) Wacela ntoni uYesu kumthandazo wakhe wokugqibela nabapostile bakhe? (b) Inoba sasiyintoni isizathu sokuba uYesu athethe kakhulu ngomanyano?

KWISIDLO sangokuhlwa sokugqibela nabapostile bakhe, uYesu wathetha kakhulu ngokumanyana kwabo. Kumthandazo wakhe, wathi unqwenela ukuba bonke abafundi bakhe babe banye, kanye njengokuba yena noYise bebanye. (Funda uYohane 17:20, 21.) Ukumanyana kwabo kwakuza kungqina ukuba uYesu uthunywe nguYehova ukuba aze kwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo emhlabeni. Babeza kuphawulwa ngothando ukuba bangabafundi bokwenyani bakaYesu, ibe lwaluza kubenza bamanyane.—Yoh. 13:34, 35.

² Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba uYesu athethe kakhulu ngomanyano. Wabona ukuba abapostile bakhe abamanyananga ngokupheleleyo. Kaloku, baphinda baphikisana ngokuba “nguwuphi na kubo obonakala engoyena mkhulu.” (Luka 22:24-27; Marko 9:33, 34) Kanti ngenye imini, uYakobi noYohane bacela uYesu ukuba ababeke kwezona ndawo zibalulekileyo eBukumkanini bakhe, babe secaleni kwakhe.—Marko 10:35-40.

3. Inoba zeziphi izinto ezabangela ukuba abafundi bakaKristu bangamanyani, ibe yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

 ³ Yayingekokufuna ukubaluleka kuphela okwakubangela ukuba abafundi bakaKristu bangamanyani. Abantu belizwe labo babengamanyananga ngenxa yentiyo nobuhlanga. Abafundi bakaYesu kwakufuneka balwe nale mikhwa. Kweli nqaku siza kuphendula le mibuzo: UYesu wayebaphatha njani abantu? Wabanceda njani abalandeli bakhe ukuze bafunde ukuphatha abantu ngokulinganayo futhi bamanyane? Iimfundiso zakhe ziza kusinceda njani thina ukuze sihlale simanyene?

4. Chaza iindlela uYesu awacalulwa ngazo.

⁴ NoYesu wacalucalulwa. Xa uFilipu waxelela uNathaniyeli ukuba umfumene uMesiya, uNathaniyeli wathi: “Kunganako ukuphuma nantoni na elungileyo eNazarete?” (Yoh. 1:46) Kubonakala ngathi uNathaniyeli wayesazi isiprofeto esikuMika 5:2, ibe kuye iNazarete yayiyidolophu engabalulekanga ukuba kungade kuphume uMesiya kuyo. Kanti namaYuda angoosaziwayo ayemjongela phantsi uYesu kuba wayengumGalili. (Yoh. 7:52) KumaYuda amaninzi amaGalili ayengabalulekanga. Amanye amaYuda ayede azame ukumcaphukisa uYesu ngokumbiza ngokuba ngumSamariya. (Yoh. 8:48) AmaSamariya ayeluhlanga olwahlukileyo kumaYuda futhi ayenganquli kwiinkonzo zawo. AmaYuda namaGalili ayengenaxesha lamaSamariya, engafuni nento ewadibanisa nawo.—Yoh. 4:9.

5. Babejongwa njani abalandeli bakaYesu?

⁵ Iinkokeli zamaYuda nazo zazingenaxesha labalandeli bakaYesu. AbaFarisi bona babesithi ‘ngabantu abaqalekisiweyo.’ (Yoh. 7:47-49) Abantu abangazange bafunde kwizikolo zoorabhi okanye ababengenzi njengabo babebadelile futhi bebabona njengabantu abasizelekayo. (IZe. 4:13) UYesu nabalandeli bakhe babecalulwa ngenxa yokuba abantu babethanda kakhulu unqulo lwabo, izikhundla abanazo ekuhlaleni nohlanga lwabo. Ukuze abafundi bamanyane, kwakufuneka batshintshe indlela abacinga ngayo.

6. Chaza imizekelo ebonisa ukuba nathi sinokuba nobuhlanga.

⁶ Kule mihla, uninzi lwethu luphila phakathi kwabantu abanobuhlanga. Sinokucalulwa, okanye ibe sithi abanobuhlanga. Omnye uvulindlela waseOstreliya uthi: “Xa ndicinga ngendlela ababephethwe ngayo, nabaphethwe ngayo ngoku abantu bokuqala baseOstreliya, ndandisiya ndibacaphukela abantu abamhlophe. Intiyo endandinayo yayibangelwa nayindlela endandiye ndaphathwa kakubi ngayo.” Omnye umzalwana waseKhanada yena wayecalula abantu ngenxa yolwimi. Uthi: “Ndandicinga ukuba abantu abathetha isiFrentshi baphucukile kunabanye abantu. Loo nto yabangela ukuba ndibacaphukele abantu abathetha isiNgesi.”

7. UYesu wayebaphatha njani abantu?

⁷ Kule mihla, ubuhlanga bunokubetheleleka ezingqondweni nasezintliziyweni zethu, njengokuba kwakunjalo ngexesha likaYesu. UYesu wayebaphatha njani abantu? Okokuqala, akazange abacalule, wayethanda bonke abantu. Washumayela kubantu abazizityebi nabahluphekileyo, kubaFarisi namaSamariya, kwanakubaqokeleli berhafu naboni. Okwesibini, indlela awayefundisa nawayesenza ngayo yayibonisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba kufuneka bayeke ukubakrokrela okanye ukubacalula abanye abantu.

8. Ngowuphi umgaqo obalulekileyo owenza amaKristu amanyane? Cacisa.

⁸ UYesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe  owona mgaqo ubalulekileyo osenza sihlale simanyene. Wathi: “Nonke nina ningabazalwana.” (Funda uMateyu 23:8, 9.) Into esibangela sibe ‘ngabazalwana’ kukuba sonke sizalwa nguAdam. (IZe. 17:26) Kodwa ikho nenye into. UYesu wathi abafundi bakhe ngabazalwana noodade kuba bakhonza uYehova, ibe uYehova nguBawo wabo wasezulwini. (Mat. 12:50) Ukongeza, bayintsapho enye enkulu yamaKristu, emanyaniswa luthando nalukholo. Yiloo nto abapostile xa babebhala iincwadi zabo babesithi kwabanye abafundi ‘ngabazalwana noodade.’—Roma 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:17; 1 Yoh. 3:13. *

9, 10. (a) Kutheni amaYuda ayengamele acinge ukuba abhetele kunabanye abantu? (b) UYesu wenza wuphi umzekeliso ofundisa indlela yokoyisa ubuhlanga? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁹ Emva kokuba uYesu eyicacisile into yokuba singabazalwana noodade, wabethelela ukuba kufuneka sithobeke. (Funda uMateyu 23:11, 12.) Njengokuba besesifundile, ikratshi ababenalo abapostile lalikhe libenze bangamanyani. Mhlawumbi babenayo nengxaki yobuhlanga. Ngaba amaYuda ayecinga ukuba abhetele kunabanye abantu kuba eyinzala ka-Abraham? Amaninzi ayecinga njalo. UYohane umBhaptizi wathi kuwo: “UThixo unamandla okumvelisela abantwana kuwo la matye uAbraham.”—Luka 3:8.

¹⁰ UYesu wafundisa ukuba akulunganga ukuba abantu bacinge ukuba babhetele kwabanye ngenxa yohlanga lwabo. Loo nto wayenza yacaca xa omnye umbhali wambuza esithi: “Ngubani ngokwenene ummelwane wam?” UYesu wamenzela umzekeliso womSamariya owanceda umhambi ongumYuda owayebethwe ngamasela. AmaYuda awayehamba ngaloo ndlela ayijonga njee loo ndoda adlula, kodwa yena umSamariya wayisizela waza wayinceda. Xa wayegqibezela eli bali, uYesu wathi kuloo mbhali makabe njengalo mSamariya. (Luka 10:25-37) UYesu wabonisa ukuba umSamariya angawafundisa amaYuda ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuthanda ummelwane.

11. Kutheni kwakufuneka abafundi bakaKristu bangabacaluli abantu bamanye amazwe, ibe uYesu wabanceda njani?

¹¹ Ukuze abafundi bakaYesu bawenze kakuhle umsebenzi awayebathuma wona, kwakufuneka bayeke ukuzicingela bhetele kunabanye abantu nokuba nocalucalulo. Ngaphambi kokuba anyukele ezulwini, wabathuma ukuba baye kushumayela ‘kulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya kude kuse nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba.’ (IZe. 1:8) Wayesele ebenze bawulungela lo msebenzi mkhulu babeza kuwenza ngokubabonisa iimpawu ezintle abanazo abantu bamanye amazwe. Wancoma indlela elalinokholo ngayo igosa lomkhosi lelinye ilizwe. (Mat. 8:5-10) Xa wayeseNazarete, wathetha ngendlela uYehova awayebathanda ngayo abantu bamanye amazwe, njengomhlolokazi waseFenike owayesuka eTsarefathi kunye noNahaman waseSiriya owayeneqhenqa. (Luka 4:25-27) UYesu akazange ashumayele kwibhinqa elingumSamariya kuphela, kodwa wahlala iintsuku ezimbini kwidolophu yamaSamariya kuba abantu bakhona babenomdla kwintshumayelo yakhe.—Yoh. 4:21-24, 40.

12, 13. (a) Benza ntoni abapostile xa uYesu wayefundisa ibhinqa elingumSamariya? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYakobi noYohane abazange bafunde kwinto eyenziwa nguYesu?

¹² Noko ke, kwakungekho lula kubapostile ukuyeka ukuba nocalucalulo. Bamangaliswa  kukubona uYesu enomdla wokufundisa ibhinqa elingumSamariya. (Yoh. 4:9, 27) Iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zazingathethi nebhinqa phambi kwabantu, ingakumbi elalisaziwa ngokuziphatha okubi. Abapostile bamcenga uYesu ukuba atye. Indlela awabaphendula ngayo yabonisa ukuba ukuncokola neli bhinqa ngoYehova kwakubaluleke kangangokuba wayengasaziva nokuba ulambile. Yayikukuthanda kukaYise ukushumayela kwanakweli bhinqa lingumSamariya, ibe kwakufana nokutya kuye.—Yoh. 4:31-34.

¹³ UYakobi noYohane abazange bafunde kule nto. Xa abafundi babekwidolophana yaseSamariya kunye noYesu, bakhangela indawo yokulala. Xa amaSamariya engazange abanike indawo yokulala, uYakobi noYohane bacaphuka baza babuza kuYesu ukuba uyafuna na behlise umlilo ezulwini ukuze uyitshise yonke loo dolophu. UYesu wabangxolisa. (Luka 9:51-56) Asazi ke nokuba uYakobi noYohane babeza kucaphuka ngolo hlobo na ukuba le nto yayenzeke kummandla wakowabo, eGalili. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba eyona nto yayibacaphukisa kangaka bubuhlanga. Ekuhambeni kwexesha umpostile uYohane waya kushumayela kumaSamariya, ibe kusenokwenzeka ukuba waziva ehlazekile xa ecinga ngale nto wayenzayo.—IZe. 8:14, 25.

14. Abapostile bayilungisa njani ingxaki ekwakusenokwenzeka ukuba yayibangelwa lulwimi?

¹⁴ Kungadlulanga xesha lide emva kwePentekoste ka-33 C.E., kwabakho ingxaki yocalucalulo. Xa kwakunikwa abahlolokazi ukutya, abathetha isiGrike zange bahoywe. (IZe. 6:1) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba babecalulwa ngenxa yokuba babethetha olunye ulwimi. Abapostile bakhawuleza bayilungisa loo ngxaki ngokukhetha amadoda afanelekayo ukuba ahambise ukutya. Onke loo madoda ayenamagama esiGrike. Mhlawumbi loo nto yabenza bakhululeka abo bahlolokazi bathetha isiGrike.

15. UPetros wafunda njani ukungabi namkhethe kubantu bonke? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹⁵ Ngo-36 C.E., abafundi bakaYesu babesele beshumayela kwiindawo ezininzi emhlabeni. Umpostile uPetros wayenomkhwa wokuhlala namaYuda kuphela. Kodwa emva kokuba uThixo eyicacisile into yokuba amaKristu ayengamele abe nomkhethe, washumayela kwijoni laseRoma, uKorneli. (Funda iZenzo 10:28, 34, 35.) Emva koko, watya waza wancokola namaKristu awayengengomaYuda. Kodwa kwiminyaka emva koko, xa wayekwidolophu yakwa-Antiyokhwe, akazange afune ukutya nawo. (Gal. 2:11-14) Kanye ngelo xesha, uPawulos wamluleka, waza wasamkela eso siluleko. Xa wayeqala ukubhalela amaKristu aseAsia Minor angamaYuda nangengomaYuda, wathetha kakhulu ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela.—1 Pet. 1:1; 2:17.

16. Ayesaziwa njani amaKristu?

¹⁶ Kucacile ukuba abapostile bafunda kuYesu ukuthanda “abantu bazo zonke iintlobo.” (Yoh. 12:32; 1 Tim. 4:10) Bayilungisa indlela abacinga ngayo nangona kwathath’ ixesha. Ngelo xesha amaKristu ayesaziwa ngokuthandana. Nombhali wenkulungwane yesibini, uTertullian, wathi abantu abangengomaKristu bathi: “AmaKristu ayathandana . . . Akulungele nokufelana.” ‘Ukwambatha ubuntu obutsha’ kwawanceda la maKristu abona ukuba bonke abantu bayalingana phambi koThixo.—Kol. 3:10, 11.

17. Sinokulususa njani ngokupheleleyo ucalucalulo ezintliziyweni zethu? Chaza imizekelo.

¹⁷ Nakuthi kusenokuthath’ ixesha ukulususa ngokupheleleyo ucalucalulo ezintliziyweni zethu. Omnye udade waseFransi wathi xa ethetha ngomlo akuwo: “UYehova undifundisile ukuba luyintoni uthando, kutheth’ ukuthini ukupha nokuthanda abantu bazo zonke iintlanga. Nangoku ndisafunda ukungabacaluli abantu nangona  kungasoloko kulula. Yiloo nto ndingayeki ukuyithandazela le nto.” Udade waseSpeyin okumlo ofanayo yena uthi: “Ngamany’ amaxesha ndilwa nzima ukuze ndiyeke ukucaphukela abantu bezinye iintlanga, ibe amaxesha amaninzi ndiye ndikwazi. Ndiyazi ukuba kufuneka ndingayeki ukulwa. Ndiyambulela uYehova ngokuba kule ntsapho imanyeneyo.” Njengaba dade babini, ngamnye kuthi kufuneka azibuze lo mbuzo: Ngaba kufuneka ndilwe nomkhwa wokubacalula abantu?

18, 19. (a) Kutheni simele samkele bonke abantu? (b) Yintoni esinokuyenza ebonisa ukuba samkela bonke abantu?

¹⁸ Kufuneka sihlale sikhumbula ukuba sasikhe ‘sangabasemzini,’ sikude noThixo. (Efe. 2:12) Kodwa uYehova wasitsalela kuye “ngeentambo zothando.” (Hos. 11:4; Yoh. 6:44) UKristu wasamkela. Ngokungathi kunjalo, wasivulela iingcango zokuba singene kwintsapho kaThixo. (Funda kwabaseRoma 15:7.) Ekubeni uYesu esamkele ngoxa singafezekanga, asinasizathu sokuba nabantu esingabamkeliyo!

¹⁹ Njengoko isiphelo sisondela, umanyano luza kuya luphela, abantu baza kucalulana baze bacaphukelane kakhulu. (Gal. 5:19-21; 2 Tim. 3:13) Thina bakhonzi bakaYehova, sifuna ubulumko baphezulu obukhuthaza ukuba singacalucalulani futhi sibe noxolo. (Yak. 3:17, 18) Sivuyiswa kukuba nabahlobo abakwamanye amazwe, kukwamkela indlela abazenza ngayo izinto mhlawumbi nokufunda ezinye iilwimi. Xa sisenza ezi zinto, uxolo lwethu luza kuba njengomlambo, nobulungisa bube njengamaza olwandle.—Isa. 48:17, 18.

20. Sincedeka njani xa sivumela uthando lutshintshe iingqondo neentliziyo zethu?

²⁰ Xa udade waseOstreliya ekuthethwe ngaye ngaphambili wafunda iBhayibhile, lwaye luphela ucalucalulo awayenalo nokucaphukela abantu. Uthando lwayitshintsha indlela awayecinga nawayeziva ngayo. Yena umzalwana waseKhanada uthi, ngoku uyaqonda ukuba “eyona nto ibangela ubuhlanga kukungabazi abantu nokuba iimpawu zabantu azixhomekekanga kwindawo abazalelwe kuyo.” Watshata nodade othetha isiNgesi! Indlela lo mzalwana nalo dade abatshintsha ngayo ibonisa ukuba uthando analo amaKristu luyaluphelisa ucalucalulo. Lusimanyanisa ngentambo engasoze iqhawuke.—Kol. 3:14.