1, 2. Imbewu yomfazi yayimele ikhuselwe entwenini, ibe ngoba?

ISIPROFETO sokuqala esibhalwe eBhayibhileni sibaluleke gqitha ekuzalisekeni kwenjongo kaYehova. Xa wayesenza isithembiso e-Eden, uThixo wathi: “Ndiya kubeka ubutshaba phakathi kwakho [Sathana] nomfazi naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe.” Babuya kuba bungakanani obu butshaba? UYehova wathi: “Yona [imbewu yomfazi] iya kukutyumza intloko [Sathana] uze wena uyityumze isithende.” (Gen. 3:15) Ubutshaba phakathi kwenyoka nomfazi babuya kuba qatha kangangokuba uSathana wayeya kusebenzisa naliphi na ithuba alifumanayo ukuze abhangise imbewu yomfazi.

² Ayimangalisi ke into yokuba umdumisi athi xa ethandazela abantu abakhethwe nguThixo: “Khangela! iintshaba zakho ziyaxokozela; nabo bakuthiye kakhulu bayiphakamisile intloko yabo. Ngobuqhokolo bagqugula ngabantu bakho; yaye babenzela amayelenqe abafihliweyo bakho. Bathe: ‘Yizani masibatshayeleni njengohlanga.’” (INdu. 83:2-4) Umnombo wembewu yomfazi wawumele ukhuselwe ekubhangisweni. Ukuze ayenze loo nto, uYehova wazibophelela ngokwenza izivumelwano ezisemthethweni ezaziza kukhusela injongo yakhe.

3, 4. (a) Waqala nini ukusebenza umnqophiso woMthetho, ibe uhlanga lwamaSirayeli lwavuma ukwenza ntoni? (b) Wawenzelwe ukukhusela ntoni umnqophiso woMthetho?

³ Njengoko inzala ka-Abraham, kaIsake nekaYakobi yayisanda isiba zizigidi, uYehova wayenza yaba luhlanga—uhlanga lwamaSirayeli amandulo. Esebenzisa uMoses, uYehova wenza umnqophiso okhethekileyo nolo hlanga ngokulunika uMthetho, ibe amaSirayeli ayamkela yonke imiqathango yaloo mnqophiso. IBhayibhile ithi: “[UMoses] wathabatha incwadi yomnqophiso waza wayifunda ezindlebeni zabantu. Bathi bona: ‘Sikulungele ukukwenza nokukuthobela konke akuthethileyo uYehova.’ Walithabatha ke ngoko uMoses igazi [leenkunzi zeenkomo ekwakubingelelwe ngazo], wabafefa ngalo abantu waza wathi: ‘Nalo igazi lomnqophiso awenzileyo uYehova nani ngawo onke la mazwi.’”—Eks. 24:3-8.

⁴ Umnqophiso woMthetho waqalisa ukusebenza eNtabeni yaseSinayi ngo-1513 B.C.E. Ngaloo mnqophiso, uhlanga lwamaSirayeli amandulo lwaba luhlanga olukhethiweyo nguThixo. UYehova waba ‘nguMgwebi, uMmisi-mthetho, noKumkani walo.’ (Isa. 33:22) Imbali yamaSirayeli ichaza oko kwenzekayo xa imilinganiselo elungileyo kaThixo ithotyelwa naxa ingathotyelwa. Ekubeni uMthetho wawukwalela ukutshata nabahedeni nokunqula izithixo, wawenzelwe ukukhusela inzala ka-Abraham ekubhangisweni.—Eks. 20:4-6; 34:12-16.

5. (a) Umnqophiso woMthetho wawanika liphi ithuba amaSirayeli? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo awagatye amaSirayeli?

⁵ Umnqophiso woMthetho wawunabo nobubingeleli obabusisithunzi selungiselelo lento eyayiza kwenzeka kwikamva. (Heb. 7:11; 10:1) Ngaloo mnqophiso, amaSirayeli aba nethuba nelungelo elikhethekileyo lokuba ‘bubukumkani nababingeleli,’ ukuba nje ayeza kuyithobela imithetho kaYehova. (Funda iEksodus 19:5, 6.) Noko ke, amaSirayeli ahluleka ukuthobela. Kunokuba lukwamkele ukufika kukaMesiya, oyinxalenye ephambili yembewu ka-Abraham, olo hlanga lwamgatya. Loo nto yaphumela ekubeni noThixo alugatye.

6. Wawenzelwe ntoni uMthetho?

⁶ Ukoyisakala kwamaSirayeli ukuhlala ethembekile kuYehova nokungavelisi abo babeza kubumba ubukumkani nababingeleli, kwakungathethi kuthi uMthetho woyisakele. UMthetho wawenzelwe ukukhusela imbewu nokukhokelela abantu kuMesiya. Kwakuza kuthi xa uKristu efika aze aqondwe ngabantu, injongo yoMthetho izaliseke. IBhayibhile iyibeka kanje le nto: “UKristu ukukuphela koMthetho.” (Roma 10:4) Kodwa ke, nanku umbuzo: Ngubani ke ngoku owayeza kuba bubukumkani nababingeleli? UYehova uThixo wenza esinye isivumelwano  esisemthethweni ukuze abumbe uhlanga olutsha.

7. Esebenzisa uYeremiya, yintoni uYehova awayichaza kwangaphambili ngokuphathelele umnqophiso omtsha?

⁷ Kwakude kudala ngaphambi kokuba uMthetho upheliswe, uYehova wasebenzisa umprofeti uYeremiya ukuchaza ukuba uza kwenza “umnqophiso omtsha” nohlanga lwamaSirayeli. (Funda uYeremiya 31:31-33.) Loo mnqophiso wawungayi kufana nomnqophiso woMthetho, kuba kuwo kwakungayi kufuneka dini lasilwanyana ukuze kuxolelwe izono. Yayinokwenzeka njani loo nto?

8, 9. (a) Igazi likaYesu elaphalalayo laphumeza ntoni? (b) Liliphi ithuba elavulekela abo bakumnqophiso omtsha? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁸ Kumakhulu eminyaka kamva, uYesu wasungula iSidlo Sangokuhlwa SeNkosi ngoNisan 14, 33 C.E. Xa wayethetha ngendebe yewayini, wathi kubapostile bakhe abathembekileyo abayi-11: “Le ndebe ithetha umnqophiso omtsha ongegazi lam, eliza kuphalala ngenxa yenu.” (Luka 22:20) NoMateyu ucaphula uYesu esithi: “Oku kuthetha ‘igazi lam lomnqophiso,’ eliza kuphalala ngenxa yabaninzi ukuze kuxolelwe izono.”—Mat. 26:27, 28.

⁹ Igazi likaYesu elaphalalayo lawugunyazisa ngokusemthethweni umnqophiso omtsha. Ngelo gazi, izono zixolelwa kube kanye. UYesu akabandakanyekanga kumnqophiso omtsha. Ekubeni engenasono, akadingi kuxolelwa. Kodwa uThixo wasebenzisa igazi likaYesu ukuze ancede inzala ka-Adam. Ngomoya oyingcwele, wathambisa abantu abathile ebenza ‘oonyana.’ (Funda amaRoma 8:14-17.) Ekubeni uThixo ebajonga njengabangenasono, bafana noYesu, uNyana kaThixo ongenasono. Aba bathanjiswa baba ‘ziindlalifa ezimanyene noKristu,’ ibe baba nethuba lokuba ‘bubukumkani nababingeleli.’ Eli lilungelo elalinokufunyanwa luhlanga lwamaSirayeli phantsi koMthetho. Ethetha ngezi ‘ndlalifa zimanyene noKristu’, umpostile uPetros wathi: “Nina ‘nisisizwe esinyuliweyo, ububingeleli basebukhosini, uhlanga olungcwele, isizwana esisesakhe ngokukhethekileyo, ukuze nivakalise ngokubanzi iimbalasane’ zalowo wanibizayo ukuba niphume ebumnyameni ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.” (1 Pet. 2:9) Ubaluleke nyhani lo mnqophiso mtsha! Uvumela abafundi bakaYesu ukuba babe yinxalenye yesibini yembewu ka-Abraham.

10. Waqalisa nini ukusebenza umnqophiso omtsha, ibe kutheni?

¹⁰ Waqalisa nini ukusebenza umnqophiso omtsha? Zange uqalise xa uYesu wayethetha ngawo ngobusuku bakhe bokugqibela esemhlabeni. Ukuze usebenze, igazi likaYesu kwakufuneka liphalale aze ixabiso lalo alinike uYehova xa ebuyela ezulwini. Ngaphezu koko, kwakufuneka kuthululwe umoya oyingcwele kwabo ‘baziindlalifa ezimanyene noKristu.’ Ngenxa yoko, umnqophiso omtsha waqalisa ukusebenza ngePentekoste ka-33 C.E. xa abafundi bakaYesu abathembekileyo bathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele.

11. Umnqophiso omtsha walivula njani ithuba lokuba amaYuda nabeeNtlanga babe yinxalenye yoSirayeli wokomoya, ibe bangaphi abakumnqophiso omtsha?

¹¹ Nangona umnqophiso woMthetho ‘waphelelwa lixesha’ xa uYehova wathi esebenzisa uYeremiya wachaza ukuba uza kwenza umnqophiso omtsha noSirayeli, zange uphele ngoko nangoko de kwaqalisa umnqophiso omtsha. (Heb. 8:13) Xa kwenzeka oko, amaYuda neeNtlanga ezingalukanga, zaba ngabakhonzi  bakaThixo ngokulinganayo, ekubeni ‘ulwaluko lwabo yayilolwentliziyo ngawo umoya, kungekhona ngengqokelela yemithetho ebhaliweyo.’ (Roma 2:29) Ngokwenza umnqophiso omtsha nabo, uThixo wafaka imithetho yakhe “engqondweni yabo, [waza wayibhala] ezintliziyweni zabo.” (Heb. 8:10) Abo bakumnqophiso omtsha bayi-144 000, babumba uhlanga olutsha—“uSirayeli kaThixo”—onguSirayeli wokomoya.—Gal. 6:16; ISityhi. 14:1, 4.

12. Umnqophiso woMthetho wahluke njani kumnqophiso omtsha?

¹² Umnqophiso woMthetho wahluke njani kumnqophiso omtsha? Umnqophiso woMthetho wawuphakathi kukaYehova noSirayeli wokoqobo; wona umnqophiso omtsha uphakathi kukaYehova noSirayeli wokomoya. UMoses wayengumlamleli kumnqophiso woMthetho; kumnqophiso omtsha nguYesu uMlamleli. Umnqophiso woMthetho wawusebenza ngegazi lesilwanyana; umnqophiso omtsha wasebenza ngegazi likaYesu elaphalalayo. Kumnqophiso woMthetho uhlanga lwamaSirayeli lwaluphantsi kukaMoses; kumnqophiso omtsha inkokeli nguYesu—iNtloko yebandla.—Efe. 1:22.

13, 14. (a) Umnqophiso omtsha unxulumene njani noBukumkani? (b) Yintoni efunekayo ukuze uSirayeli wokomoya akwazi ukulawula noKristu ezulwini?

¹³ Umnqophiso omtsha unxulumene noBukumkani kuba uvelisa uhlanga olungcwele olunelungelo lokuba ngookumkani nababingeleli kuBukumkani bamazulu. Olo hlanga lubumba inxalenye yesibini yembewu ka-Abraham. (Gal. 3:29) Ngoko umnqophiso omtsha uqinisekisa ukuba umnqophiso ka-Abraham uza kuzaliseka.

¹⁴ Kusekho neny’ into ekufuneka izalisekiswe ngokuphathelele uBukumkani. Umnqophiso omtsha uvelisa uSirayeli wokomoya ibe ngenxa yawo abo bakuwo baba ‘ziindlalifa ezimanyene noKristu.’ Noko ke, kufuneka kubekho isivumelwano esisemthethweni ukuze babe ngookumkani nababingeleli ezulwini kuBukumkani bukaYesu.

15. Nguwuphi umnqophiso uYesu awawenza nabapostile bakhe abathembekileyo?

¹⁵ Emva kokusungula iSidlo Sangokuhlwa SeNkosi, uYesu wenza umnqophiso nabafundi bakhe abathembekileyo, obizwa ngokuba ngumnqophiso woBukumkani. (Funda uLuka 22:28-30.) Ngokungafaniyo neminye iminqophiso, yona esoloko ibandakanya uYehova, lo ngumnqophiso ophakathi kukaYesu nabalandeli bakhe abathanjisiweyo kuphela. Xa wathi, “kanye njengoko uBawo enze umnqophiso nam,” kubonakala ukuba uYesu wayethetha ngomnqophiso uYehova awawenza naye wokuba abe ‘ngumbingeleli ngonaphakade ngokohlobo lukaMelkitsedeki.’—Heb. 5:5, 6.

16. Umnqophiso woBukumkani uwavulele ithuba lokuba enze ntoni amaKristu athanjisiweyo?

¹⁶ Abapostile bakaYesu abathembekileyo abayi-11 ‘banamathela kuye ezilingweni zakhe.’ Umnqophiso woBukumkani wabaqinisekisa ukuba baza kuba kunye naye ezulwini baze bahlale ezitroneni babe ngookumkani nababingeleli. Noko ke, babengayi kuba yi-11 kuphela abaza kufumana eli lungelo. UYesu ozukileyo wabonakala embonweni kuYohane waza wathi: “Lowo woyisayo ndiza kumnika ukuba ahlale nam phantsi kwitrone yam, kwanjengoko nam ndoyisayo ndaza ndahlala phantsi noBawo kwitrone yakhe.” (ISityhi. 3:21) Ngenxa yoko, umnqophiso woBukumkani wenziwa namaKristu athanjisiweyo ayi-144 000. (ISityhi. 5:9, 10; 7:4) Lo  ngumnqophiso osisivumelwano esisemthethweni owenza ukuba alawule noYesu ezulwini. Le nto ifana nomtshakazi onokutshata ikumkani aze naye afumane igunya elithile kobo bukumkani. Phofu ke, neZibhalo xa zithetha ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo, zithi “umtshakazi” kaKristu, ‘intombi enyulu’ ethenjiswe umtshato noKristu.—ISityhi. 19:7, 8; 21:9; 2 Kor. 11:2.

17, 18. (a) Yiyiphi iminqophiso emithandathu esithethe ngayo nenxulumene noBukumkani? (b) Kutheni sinokuba nokholo olungagungqiyo kuBukumkani?

¹⁷ Yonke le minqophiso sifunde ngayo kula manqaku mabini inento enye okanye ngaphezulu edibana ngazo noBukumkani. (Funda isicangca esithi “Indlela UThixo Aza Kuyiphumeza Ngayo Injongo Yakhe” kwinqaku elandulela eli.) Oku kuqinisekisa ukuba uBukumkani busekelwe kwizivumelwano ezisemthethweni. Ngenxa yoko, sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokubuthemba ngokupheleleyo uBukumkani bukaMesiya obusetyenziswa nguThixo ukuze aphumeze injongo awayenayo kwasekuqaleni ngomhlaba nangabantu.—ISityhi. 11:15.

¹⁸ Ngaba ikho into ethandabuzisayo ukuba uBukumkani buya kuzisela uluntu iintsikelelo zikanaphakade? Singayitsho umlomo ugcwale into yokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bubo kuphela obuya kucombulula iingxaki zabantu. Akwaba singayishumayela ngehlombe le nyaniso kwabanye!—Mat. 24:14.