1-3. Wangena njani uYesu eYerusalem, yaye kutheni oku kumele ukuba kwabamangalisa abanye ababebukele?

 KWAKUYIMINCILI nemigcobo eYerusalem, njengoko kwakulindelwe umntu obalulekileyo! Abantu babethe bhazalala ezitratweni bejonge enkalweni. Wonk’ ubani wayefun’ ukumamkela ngezandl’ ezishushu lo mntu ubalulekileyo, odume ngokuba yindlalifa kaKumkani uDavide eyayiza kuba nguMlawuli wakwaSirayeli. Abaninzi babephethe amasebe esundu ukuze bawangawangise ngawo; abanye bandlala izambatho zabo namasebe emithi endleleni ukuze ahambe phezu kwawo. (Mateyu 21:7, 8; Yohane 12:12, 13) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abaninzi babenomdla wokubona isingqi awayeza kungena ngaso.

² Mhlawumbi abanye babelindele ukumbona efika ngobuqhele-qhele obukhulu. Ngokuqinisekileyo babesazi amaqhawe athile awayefika ngendumasi engathethekiyo. Ngokomzekelo, unyana kaDavide uAbhisalom wazenza ukumkani, waza wamisela amadoda angama-50 ukuba abaleke phambi kwenqwelo yakhe. (2 Samuweli 15:1, 10) Umlawuli waseRoma uJulius Caesar wafika ngobuqhele-qhele obuthe kratya; xa woyisayo edabini wamisela ukrozo lwabantu bengumngcelele ukuya kufikelela kwikomkhulu laseRoma, bephelekwa ziindlovu ezingama-40 ezaziyokozela zizibane! Kodwa ngoku abantu baseYerusalem balindele umntu obaluleke ngaphezulu lee kunabo. Enoba ezo zihlwele zazikuqonda okanye zingakuqondi oko, lo yayinguMesiya, oyena mntu ubalaseleyo wakha waphila. Kodwa ukufika kwakhe ngendlela eyahlukileyo, kwakuza kubamangalisa abaninzi.

³ Kwakungekho zinqwelo, nazimbaleki, namahashe—kungekho nazindlovu. Kunoko, uYesu wayekhwele nje isilwanyana  esiphantsi, iesile nokwenza. a Kwakungekho buqhele-qhele nabuyoko-yoko tu kwaphela. Kunokuba kufakwe isali engayiwayo kwelo esile, abalandeli bakaYesu baphosa izambatho ukuze ahlale phezu kwazo. Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu akhethe ukungena ngendlela ephantsi ngolo hlobo eYerusalem, ngoxa abantu ababengaphantsi lee kwakhe bangena ngendumasi enobukhazi-khazi?

 4. Yathini iBhayibhile ngendlela awayeza kufika ngayo eYerusalem uKumkani onguMesiya?

⁴ UYesu wayezalisekisa isiprofeto esabhalwa kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo, esithi: “Vuya kakhulu . . . Duma ngoloyiso, wena ntombi yaseYerusalem. Khangela! Ukumkani wakho uza kuwe. Ulilungisa, ewe, usindisiwe; uthobekile, yaye ukhwele e-esileni.” (Zekariya 9:9) Esi siprofeto sabonisa ukuba uMthanjiswa kaThixo, uMesiya, wayeza kufika kubantu baseYerusalem njengoKumkani omiselwe nguThixo. Yaye wayeza kufika ngendlela ebonisa uphawu oluhle lwentliziyo yakhe—ukuthobeka.

 5. Kutheni kuchukumisa ngokwenene nje ukuthobeka kukaYesu, yaye kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba sifunde ukumxelisa kule nkalo?

⁵ Ukuthobeka kukaYesu kulolunye lwezona mpawu zakhe zinomtsalane ngokugqithiseleyo, yaye kuchukumisa ngokwenene. Njengoko sixubushile kwisahluko esingaphambili, nguYesu kuphela ‘oyindlela nenyaniso nobomi.’ (Yohane 14:6) Ngokucacileyo akukho namnye kubantu bonke abakhe baphila kulo mhlaba obaluleke njengoNyana kaThixo. Sekunjalo, uYesu wayengenayo nentwana yekratshi, impakamo, okanye ukuzidla okuxhaphakileyo kubantu abangafezekanga. Ukuze sibe ngabalandeli bakaKristu, sifanele silwe notyekelo lokuba nekratshi. (Yakobi 4:6) Khumbula ukuba, uYehova  ubathiyile abaziphakamisileyo. Ngoko kubalulekile ukuba sifunde ukuxelisa ukuthobeka kukaYesu.

 6. Ukuthobeka kuthetha ntoni, yaye uYehova wayesazi njani ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuthobeka?

⁶ Ukuthobeka kuthetha ukungabi nalo kwaphela ikratshi nempakamo. Kuqala entliziyweni kuze kubonakale kwintetho, kwizenzo, nakwindlela umntu abaphatha ngayo abanye. UYehova wayesazi njani ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuthobeka? Wayesazi ukuba uNyana wakhe wayexelisa umzekelo wakhe ogqibeleleyo wokuthobeka. (Yohane 10:15) Kwakhona wayeyibonile intobeko yoNyana wakhe. Wayeyibone njani?

7-9. (a) UMikayeli wakubonisa njani ukuthobeka xa wayenempikiswano noSathana? (b) AmaKristu anokumxelisa njani uMikayeli ekuboniseni ukuthobeka?

⁷ Incwadi kaYude isinika umzekelo omangalisayo woku, isithi: “Xa uMikayeli isiphatha-zingelosi wayeneyantlukwano noMtyholi yaye ephikisana naye ngomzimba kaMoses, akazange abe nobuganga bokuzisa umgwebo nxamnye naye ngamazwi okutshabhisa, kodwa wathi: ‘Ngamana uYehova angakukhalimela.’” (Yude 9) UMikayeli ligama abizwa ngalo uYesu—ngaphambi nasemva kokuphila kwakhe emhlabeni—elibhekisela kwindima yakhe njengesiphatha-zingelosi, okanye intloko yomkhosi kaYehova wasezulwini weengelosi. b (1 Tesalonika 4:16) Kodwa phawula indlela uMikayeli awayisingatha ngayo le mpikiswano noSathana.

⁸ Incwadi kaYude ayiyichazi into uSathana awayefuna ukuyenza ngomzimba kaMoses, kodwa sinokuqiniseka ukuba wayeneenjongo ezingendawo. Mhlawumbi wayefuna ukusebenzisa isidumbu saloo ndoda ithembekileyo ekukhuthazeni unqulo lobuxoki. Nanamhlanje kuqhelekile oko kunqulo lobuxoki. Nangona uMikayeli walichasayo icebo elingendawo  likaSathana, wabonisa ukuzeyisa ngendlela ebalaseleyo. Ngokuqinisekileyo uSathana wayefanelwe kukukhalinyelwa, kodwa uMikayeli owayengekanikwa “konke ukugweba” ngelo xesha, wavakalelwa kukuba nguYehova uThixo kuphela ofanele amgwebe. (Yohane 5:22) Njengoko esisiphatha-zingelosi, uMikayeli wayenegunya elikhulu. Kodwa, ngokuthobeka wayekela kuYehova kunokuba azame ukuzithabathela igunya elingakumbi. Ngaphandle kokuthobeka, wabonisa nokuthozama, eqonda ukuba unegunya elilinganiselweyo.

⁹ Kukho isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuba uYude aphefumlelwe ukuba abhale ngesi siganeko. Ngelishwa, amanye amaKristu ngexesha likaYude ayengathobekanga. Ayethetha ngekratshi ‘ngezinto ngokwenene awayengazazi.’ (Yude 10) Kulula gqitha ngathi bantu bangafezekanga ukonganyelwa likratshi! Xa sinento esingayiqondiyo ebandleni lamaKristu—mhlawumbi ebandakanya isigqibo esenziwe liqumrhu labadala—sisabela njani? Ukuba sihlab’ amadlala, sigxeke, nangona singazazi zonke izibakala ezikhokelele kweso sigqibo, ngaba oko akubonisi ukungathobeki? Ngoko masixelise uMikayeli, okanye uYesu, sikuphephe ukugweba apho singanikwanga gunya lokwenjenjalo nguThixo.

10, 11. (a) Yintoni ebalaseleyo ngokuvuma koNyana kaThixo ukwamkela isabelo sokuza emhlabeni? (b) Sinokukuxelisa njani ukuthobeka kukaYesu?

¹⁰ Kwakhona uNyana kaThixo wabonisa ukuthobeka ngokuthi amkele isabelo sokuza emhlabeni. Phawula oko wayekushiya ngasemva. Wayesisiphatha-zingelosi. Kwakhona ‘wayenguLizwi’—iSithethi sikaYehova. (Yohane 1:1-3) Wayehlala ezulwini, kwindawo kaYehova “ephakamileyo yobungcwele nobuhle.” (Isaya 63:15) Sekunjalo, uNyana “waziqongqotha waza wathabatha ubume bekhoboka, wafana nabantu.” (Filipi 2:7) Khawucinge nje ngesabelo sakhe sasemhlabeni! Ubomi bakhe bafuduselwa kwisibeleko sentombi enyulu engumYuda, ukuze akhule kuso njengosana kangangeenyanga ezilithoba. Wazalwa elusana olungenakuzenzela nto kwintsapho ehlwempuzekileyo yomchweli, waqalisa ukukhasa, wakhula,  wada waba ngumfana. Nangona wayefezekile, ngoxa wayengumntwana wayengaphantsi kolwalathiso lwabazali abangafezekanga. (Luka 2:40, 51, 52) Okunjani kona ukuthobeka!

¹¹ Ngaba sinokukuxelisa ukuthobeka kukaYesu ngokuthi samkele ngomoya ovumayo izabelo ezisenokubonakala ziphantsi? Ngokomzekelo, isabelo sethu sokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo sisenokubonakala siphantsi xa abantu bengabonisi mdla, besigculela, basichase. (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Kodwa ukuba siyanyamezela kulo msebenzi, sisenokusindisa abathile. Okubalulekileyo kukuba, usifundisa lukhulu ngokuthobeka, yaye ngokuwenza kwethu siya kuba silandela emanyathelweni eNkosi yethu, uYesu Kristu.

12-14. (a) UYesu wakubonisa njani ukuthobeka xa abantu babemzukisa? (b) UYesu wabaphatha njani ngokuthobeka abanye? (c) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ukuthobeka kukaYesu kwakungeyonkwalambisa okanye ukubonisa nje ubuntu?

¹² Ukususela ekuqaleni kuse ekugqibeleni, uYesu wayesaziwa ngokuthobeka emhlabeni. Wakubonisa ngokuthi lonke udumo nozuko aluse kuYise. Maxa wambi abantu babemzukisa uYesu ngenxa yemfundiso, imimangaliso, nokulunga kwakhe. Ngokuphindaphindiweyo uYesu waqhubeka elubhekisa kuYehova uzuko olunjalo.—Marko 10:17, 18; Yohane 7:15, 16.

¹³ UYesu wabonisa ukuthobeka ngendlela awabaphatha ngayo abantu. Kangangokuba wayenza yacaca into yokuba wayengazelanga kukhonzwa, kodwa wayezele ukukhonza abanye. (Mateyu 20:28) Wabonisa ukuthobeka ngokubaphatha kakuhle nangolwazelelelo abantu. Xa wayedaniswa ngabalandeli bakhe wayengabangxolisi ngomsindo; wayezama ukufikelela iintliziyo zabo. (Mateyu 26:39-41) Xa waphazanyiswa zizihlwele eziphumlele, akazange azigxothe; wenza okusemandleni akhe ukuze azifundise “izinto ezininzi.” (Marko 6:30-34) Xa wacengwa ngumfazi ongengomSirayeli ukuba aphilise intombi yakhe, waqala wambonisa ukuba akanakukwenza oko. Kodwa akazange ambhebhethe ngomsindo; ekugqibeleni wasamkela  isicelo sakhe ngenxa yokholo lwakhe olumangalisayo, njengoko siza kukuxubusha oko kwiSahluko 14.​—Mateyu 15:22-28.

¹⁴ UYesu wawangqina ngezenzo kangangezihlandlo ezininzi amazwi akhe athi: “Ndinomoya wobulali, ndithobekile ngentliziyo.” (Mateyu 11:29) Ukuthobeka kwakhe kwakungeyonkwalambisa okanye ukubonisa nje ubuntu. Kodwa wayethobeke ngokunyanisekileyo, ngokusuk’ entliziyweni. Kungenxa yoko le nto uYesu wachitha ixesha elininzi efundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthobeka!

15, 16. UYesu wawubonisa njani umahluko phakathi kwesimo sengqondo sabalawuli behlabathi neso abalandeli bakhe babefanele basihlakulele?

¹⁵ Kwabathabatha ixesha abapostile bakaYesu ukuhlakulela ukuthobeka. Kwafuneka ukuba uYesu abathantamise ukuze afikelele iintliziyo zabo. Ngokomzekelo, ngesinye isihlandlo uYakobi noYohane bathuma unina ukuba acele uYesu abathembise izikhundla eziphakamileyo eBukumkanini bukaThixo. Ngokuthozama, uYesu waphendula wathi: “Ukuhlala ngasekunene kwam nangasekhohlo kwam asikokwam ukunikisa ngako, kokwabo kulungiselelwe bona nguBawo.” Abanye abapostile abalishumi “bakucaphukela” oko kwenziwa nguYakobi noYohane. (Mateyu 20:20-24) UYesu wayicombulula njani le ngxaki?

¹⁶ Wabakhalimela ngobubele bonke, esithi: “Niyazi ukuba abalawuli beentlanga baba ziinkosi phezu kwazo yaye abo bazizikhulu basebenzisa igunya phezu kwazo. Makungabi njalo phakathi kwenu; kodwa nabani na ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu makabe ngumlungiseleli wenu, yaye nabani na ofuna ukuba ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu makabe likhoboka lenu.” (Mateyu 20:25-27) Abapostile babeyazi indlela ababenekratshi namabhongo ngayo “abalawuli beentlanga.” UYesu wabonisa ukuba abalandeli bakhe bamele bahluke kwabo balawuli bakhohlakeleyo nababenyolukele igunya.  Babefanele bathobeke. Ngaba abapostile bayifumana ingongoma?

17-19. (a) Ngobusuku obuphambi kokufa kwakhe, yiyiphi indlela engalibalekiyo uYesu awabafundisa ngayo ukuthobeka abapostile bakhe? (b) Sisiphi esona sifundo sinamandla awasifundisayo uYesu ngokuphathelele ukuthobeka ngoxa wayephila njengomntu?

¹⁷ Oko kwakungeyonto ilula kubo. UYesu wayengaqali yaye engagqibelisi ukubafundisa eso sifundo. Ngaphambilana, xa babephikisana ngokuba ngubani omkhulu phakathi kwabo, wamisa umntwana omncinane phakathi kwabo waza wabaxelela ukuba bafanele bafane nabantwana, kuba bona abanalo ikratshi namabhongo okulwela izikhundla njengokuba benjalo abanye abantu abakhulu. (Mateyu 18:1-4) Sekunjalo, ngobusuku obabuphambi kobo wayeza kufa ngabo, wabona ukuba abapostile bakhe babesenengxaki yekratshi. Ngoko wabafundisa isifundo esingalibalekiyo. Wabhinqa itawuli waza wenza owona msebenzi uphantsi, owawusenziwa zizicaka xa kufike iindwendwe. UYesu wahlamba iinyawo zompostile ngamnye—kuquka ezikaYudas, owayeza kumngcatsha kungekudala!​—Yohane 13:1-11.

¹⁸ UYesu wayenza yacaca kubo ingongoma xa wathi: “Ndinibekela umzekelo.” (Yohane 13:15) Ngaba ekugqibeleni esi sifundo sazifikelela iintliziyo zabo? Kaloku, kwangobo busuku bunye, yavuka phantsi kwakhona impikiswano yokuba ngubani omkhulu phakathi kwabo! (Luka 22:24-27) Sekunjalo, uYesu waqhubeka enomonde waza wabafundisa ngokuthobeka. Emva koko wabanika esona sifundo sinamandla: “Wazithoba kwada kwasa ekufeni, ewe, ukufa kwisibonda sentuthumbo.” (Filipi 2:8) UYesu wavuma ukuba abulawe ngendlela ethob’ isidima, etyholwa ngobuxoki njengesaphuli-mthetho nomnyelisi. Ngoko uNyana kaThixo wayekhethekile, kuba wabonisa ukuthobeka ngokugqibeleleyo nangokubalaseleyo ngaphezu kwaso nasiphi na esinye isidalwa sikaYehova.

¹⁹ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba sesi siganeko—esi sifundo sokugqibela sokubonisa kukaYesu ukuthobeka ngoxa wayengumntu—esabetheleleka ngokungacimekiyo ezintliziyweni zabapostile  bakhe abathembekileyo. IBhayibhile isichazela ukuba la madoda aqhubeka ekhonza ngokuthobeka kangangeminyaka emva koko. Kuthekani ngathi?

20. Sinokwazi njani ukuba sithobekile?

²⁰ UPawulos ubongoza ngamnye wethu esithi: “Hlalani ninesi simo sengqondo wayenaso noKristu Yesu.” (Filipi 2:5) NjengoYesu, nathi simele sithobeke. Sinokwazi njani ukuba sithobekile? UPawulos usikhumbuza ukuba ‘singenzi nanye into ngokusukuzana okanye ngokuzigwagwisa, kodwa ngokuthobeka kwengqondo, sibagqala abanye njengabongamileyo kunathi.’ (Filipi 2:3) Ngoko kubalulekile ukuhlolisisa indlela esibagqala ngayo abanye. Sifanele sibagqale njengabongamileyo nababalulekileyo kunathi. Ngaba uza kusisebenzisa eso siluleko?

21, 22. (a) Kutheni abaveleli abangamaKristu befanele bathobeke? (b) Sinokubonisa njani ukuba sibhinqe ukuthobeka?

²¹ Kangangeminyaka emininzi emva kokufa kukaYesu, umpostile uPetros wayesakukhumbula ukubaluleka kokuthobeka. UPetros wafundisa abaveleli abangamaKristu ukuba baziphumeze ngokuthobeka iimbopheleleko zabo, bangabi ngqwabalala kwizimvu zikaYehova. (1 Petros 5:2, 3) Ukuba nembopheleleko akusosizathu sokuba nekratshi. Kunoko, ukuba nembopheleleko kufanele kusenze sithobeke ngakumbi. (Luka 12:48) Noko ke, asingobaveleli kuphela abafanele bahlakulele olu phawu, kodwa ngawo onke amaKristu.

²² Ngokuqinisekileyo uPetros akazange abulibale ubusuku bokuhlamba kukaYesu iinyawo zakhe—nangona yena Petros wayesala! (Yohane 13:6-10) UPetros wawabhalela wathi amaKristu: “Bhinqani nonke ukuthobeka kwengqondo omnye ngakomnye.” (1 Petros 5:5) Igama elithi “bhinqani” libhekisela ekubhinqeni kwesicakazana ifaskoti ukuze senze umsebenzi ophantsi. Eli gama lisikhumbuza ngokubhinqa kukaYesu itawuli waza waguqa ukuze ahlambe iinyawo. Ukuba silandela uYesu, asikho isabelo esisinikwa nguThixo esinokusigqala  njengesisithob’ isidima. Ukuthobeka kwethu kufanele kubonakale ebantwini bonke, ngokungathi sikubhinqile.

23, 24. (a) Kutheni sifanele siluphephe naluphi na utyekelo lokuzikhukhumalisa? (b) Isahluko esilandelayo siza kusinceda silungise yiphi ingcamango ephosakeleyo ngokuphathelele ukuthobeka?

²³ Ukuzikhukhumalisa kufana netyhefu. Ukuba siyakuvumela kunokusitshabalalisa. Kunokwenza ukuba oyena mntu unesiphiwo agqalwe njengento engento nguThixo. Kanti kona ukuthobeka kunokwenza ukuba oyena mntu ujongelwa phantsi agqalwe njengobalulekileyo nguYehova. Ukuba siluhlakulela mihla le olu phawu luxabisekileyo ngokuthi senze imigudu yokuhamba ngokuthobekileyo emanyathelweni kaKristu, siya kufumana umvuzo omangalisayo. UPetros wabhala wathi: “Zithobeni, ke ngoko, phantsi kwesandla esinamandla sikaThixo, ukuze aniphakamise ngexesha elililo.” (1 Petros 5:6) Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova wamphakamisa uYesu ngokuzithoba kwakhe ngokupheleleyo. Ngokufanayo uThixo wethu uya kukuvuyela ukukuvuza nawe ngokuzithoba kwakho.

²⁴ Ngelishwa, abanye bacinga ukuba ukuthobeka luphawu lobuthathaka. Umzekelo kaYesu ubonisa indlela ephosakele ngayo loo ngcamango, kuba nangona wayengoyena mntu uthobekileyo wayekwangoyena mntu ukhaliphileyo. Oko kuza kuxutyushwa kwisahluko esilandelayo.