1, 2. Kutheni utata onothando evuya xa ebona unyana wakhe emthobela, yaye indlela avakalelwa ngayo ifana njani nendlela avakalelwa ngayo uYehova?

 UTATA ukrobe ngefestile, ebukele unyana wakhe oselula edlala nabahlobo bakhe. Ibhola yabo iphumela ngaphaya kweyadi iye kuwela esitratweni. Lo mfana uyithe ntsho ngomdla. Omnye wabahlobo bakhe uyambongoza ukuba abaleke aye kuyithatha apho esitratweni, kodwa lo mfana unikina intloko. Uthi, “Andivumelekanga ukuba ndenze oko.” Lo tata uyamomotheka luncumo.

² Kutheni lo tata evuyile nje? Kungenxa yokuba wayemyalele unyana wakhe ukuba angayi yedwa esitratweni. Xa le nkwenkwe ithobela—nangona ingazi ukuba uyise ubukele—uyise uyazi ukuba unyana wakhe ufunda ukuthobela yaye ukhuselekile. Lo tata uvakalelwa ngendlela avakalelwa ngayo uBawo wasezulwini, uYehova. UThixo uyazi ukuba ukuze sihlale siqinile elukholweni size siphile kwikamva elimangalisayo asilungiselele lona, simele sifunde ukukholosa ngaye nokumthobela. (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6) Ngoko uye wasithumelela oyena titshala ubalaseleyo.

3, 4. Kwenzeka njani ukuba uYesu ‘afunde ukuthobeka’ yaye ‘enziwe agqibelele’? Zekelisa.

³ IBhayibhile ithetha into emangalisayo ngoYesu, ithi: “Nangona wayenguNyana, wafunda ukuthobeka ngeembandezelo awazifumanayo; yaye emva kokuba enziwe wagqibelela waba nembopheleleko yosindiso olungunaphakade kubo bonke abo bamthobelayo.” (Hebhere 5:8, 9) Lo Nyana waphila kangangeminyaka engenakubalwa ezulwini. Wakubona ukuvukela kukaSathana nezinye iingelosi, kodwa lo Nyana wamazibulo akazange abathelele. Izibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zaprofeta ngaye esithi: “Andibanga nemvukelo.” (Isaya 50:5) Ngoko amazwi athi “wafunda ukuthobeka” asebenza njani kulo Nyana uthobela  ngokugqibeleleyo? Isidalwa esigqibelele ngolo hlobo ‘sinokwenziwa njani sigqibelele’?

⁴ Khawucinge nje ngalo mzekeliso. Masithi ijoni linekrele lentsimbi. Lenziwe ngokugqibeleleyo, kodwa alizange lisetyenziswe emfazweni. Ethubeni, liyalitshintsha elo krele, lifumane elinye elenziwe ngentsimbi eyomelele ngakumbi. Eli krele litsha liye lasetyenziswa ngokuphumelelayo emfazweni. Ngoko ukulitshintsha kwalo kube bubulumko, akunjalo? Ngokufanayo, ukuthobela kukaYesu ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni kwakugqibelele. Kodwa emva kokuza kwakhe emhlabeni ukuthobela kwakhe kwakukokomgangatho owahluke ngokupheleleyo. Kwavavanywa kwaza komelezwa zizilingo uYesu awayengenakuze ajamelane nazo ezulwini.

 5. Yintoni eyenza ukuba ukuthobela kukaYesu kubaluleke kangaka, yaye yintoni esiza kuyihlolisisa kwesi sahluko?

⁵ Ukuthobela kwakuyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yokuza kukaYesu emhlabeni. Njengoko ‘wayenguAdam wokugqibela,’ uYesu weza ukuze enze oko abazali bethu bokuqala basilelayo ukukwenza—ukuthobela uYehova uThixo, kwanaxa bevavanywa. (1 Korinte 15:45) Sekunjalo, ukuthobela kukaYesu kwakungekuko okwenkwalambisa. UYesu wathobela ngengqondo, ngentliziyo nangomphefumlo wakhe uphela. Yaye wakwenza oko ngovuyo. Ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYise kwakubaluleke ngaphezu kokutya kuye! (Yohane 4:34) Yintoni eya kusinceda sixelise ukuthobela kukaYesu? Okokuqala masihlolisise izizathu zokuthobela kwakhe. Ukuhlakulela izizathu ezifanayo kuya kusinceda sixhathise izilingo size siqhubeke nokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Emva koko siza kuhlolisisa iingenelo zokuthobela njengoKristu.

6, 7. Ziziphi ezinye zezizathu zokuthobela kukaYesu?

⁶ Ukuthobela kukaYesu kwakusuk’ entliziyweni. Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 3, uKristu wayenentliziyo ethobekileyo. Ikratshi libenza abantu bangakuthandi ukuthobela, kanti ukuba nentliziyo ethobekileyo kusinceda simthobele ngokuzithandela uYehova. (Eksodus 5:1, 2; 1 Petros 5:5, 6) Ukongezelela,  ukuthobela kukaYesu kwakubangelwa koko wayekuthanda noko wayekuthiyile.

⁷ Ngaphezu koko, uYesu wayemthanda uYise wasezulwini, uYehova. Olo thando siza kuxubusha kakhulu ngalo kwiSahluko 13. Lolo thando olwenza uYesu abe noloyiko lobuthixo. Uthando lwakhe nokuhlonela kwakhe uYehova kwakukukhulu kangangokuba wayekoyika ukungamkholisi uYise. Uloyiko lobuthixo lusesinye sezizathu zokuba imithandazo kaYesu iviwe ngokukholekileyo. (Hebhere 5:7) Ukoyika uYehova kukwaluphawu olubalaseleyo lolawulo lukaYesu njengoKumkani onguMesiya.—Isaya 11:3.

8, 9. Njengoko kwakuprofetiwe, uYesu wavakalelwa njani ngobulungisa nobungendawo, yaye wazibonakalisa njani ezo mvakalelo?

⁸ Ukuthanda uYehova kukwabandakanya ukuthiya oko uYehova akuthiyileyo. Ngokomzekelo, phawula esi siprofeto sasibhekiswa kuKumkani onguMesiya: “Ubuthandile ubulungisa  waza wabuthiya ubungendawo. Kungenxa yoko le nto uThixo, uThixo wakho, ekuthambise ngeoli yemigcobo ngaphezu kwamaqabane akho.” (INdumiso 45:7) ‘Amaqabane’ kaYesu ayengabanye ookumkani ababekumnombo wentsapho kaKumkani uDavide. UYesu wayenesizathu esingakumbi kunawo sokugcoba ekuthanjisweni kwakhe. Ngoba? Umvuzo wakhe mkhulu ngakumbi kunowawo, nobukumkani bakhe buneengenelo ezingunaphakade. Konke oku kungumvuzo wokuba ukuthanda kwakhe ubulungisa nokuthiya kwakhe ubungendawo kwamshukumisela ekubeni athobele uThixo kuzo zonke izinto.

⁹ UYesu wayibonisa njani indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo ngobulungisa nobungendawo? Ngokomzekelo, xa abalandeli bakhe bathobela ulwalathiso lwakhe lokwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela baza basikelelwa ngenxa yoko, wasabela njani uYesu? Wavuya ngokugqithiseleyo. (Luka 10:1, 17, 21) Yaye xa abantu baseYerusalem baqhubeka bebonisa umoya wokungathobeli, beyigatya imigudu yakhe yothando yokuzama ukubanceda, wavakalelwa njani uYesu? Walila ngenxa yemvukelo yeso sixeko. (Luka 19:41, 42) UYesu wayenothando olunzulu ngobulungisa nentiyo enzulu ngobungendawo.

10. Ziziphi iimvakalelo esifanele sizihlakulele ngokuphathelele izenzo zobulungisa neziphosakeleyo, yaye yintoni eya kusinceda ukuba senjenjalo?

¹⁰ Ukucamngca ngeemvakalelo zikaYesu kuyasinceda ukuba sihlolisise ezethu izizathu zokuthobela uYehova. Nangona singafezekanga, sinokuhlakulela uthando olusuk’ entliziyweni ngezenzo zobulungisa nentiyo enyanisekileyo ngehambo ephosakeleyo. Sifanele sithandaze kuYehova, simcele ukuba asincede sihlakulele iimvakalelo ezifana nezakhe noNyana wakhe. (INdumiso 51:10) Kwangaxeshanye, sifanele siziphephe izinto ezinokuzitshitshisa ezo mvakalelo. Kubalulekile ukuba siyikhethe ngenyameko indlela esizonwabisa ngayo nabantu esinxulumana nabo. (IMizekeliso 13:20; Filipi 4:8) Ukuba sihlakulela izizathu zokuthobela ezifanayo nezikaKristu, ukuthobela kwethu akusayi kuba kokwenkwalambisa. Siya kwenza okulungileyo kuba sithanda ukukwenza. Siya kuziphepha izenzo  eziphosakeleyo, kungekhona ngenxa yokoyika ukubhaqwa, kodwa ngenxa yokuba sizithiyile.

11, 12. (a) Kwenzeka ntoni kuYesu ekuqaleni kobulungiseleli bakhe? (b) USathana waqala wamlinga njani uYesu, esebenzisa waphi amaqhinga?

¹¹ Ukuthiya kukaYesu isono kwavavanywa ekuqaleni kobulungiseleli bakhe emhlabeni. Emva kokubhaptizwa kwakhe, wachitha iintsuku ezingama-40 entlango engatyi. Ekupheleni kwelo xesha, uSathana weza kumlinga. Phawula indlela awayenamaqhinga ngayo uMtyholi.—Mateyu 4:1-11.

¹² Waqala wathi: “Ukuba ungunyana kaThixo, yithi kula matye mawabe zizonka.” (Mateyu 4:3) Wayevakalelwa njani uYesu emva kokuzila ixesha elide kangako? IBhayibhile ithi: “Walamba.” (Mateyu 4:2) Ngoko uSathana wamlinga ngokulamba kwakhe, ngamaqhinga elinda ukuba uYesu ade abe buthathaka emzimbeni. Kwakhona, phawula indlela awagculela ngayo uSathana esithi: “Ukuba ungunyana kaThixo.” Wayesazi kakuhle ukuba uYesu ‘lizibulo kwindalo yonke.’ (Kolose 1:15) Sekunjalo, uYesu akazange amvumele uSathana ukuba amenze angathobeli. UYesu wayesazi ukuba yayingekokuthanda kukaThixo ukuba asebenzise amandla akhe ngeenjongo zokuzingca. Wala ukwenjenjalo, ebonisa ukuba ngokuthobeka wayethembele kwinkxaso nakulwalathiso lukaYehova.—Mateyu 4:4.

13-15. (a) USathana wamlinga njani okwesibini nokwesithathu uYesu, yaye uYesu wasabela njani? (b) Sazi njani ukuba uYesu akazange ayekelel’ umxakatho ekuxhathiseni uSathana?

¹³ Ekumlingeni kwakhe okwesibini, uSathana wamsa uYesu encotsheni yetempile. Egqwetha iLizwi likaThixo ngamaqhinga, uSathana walinga uYesu ukuba azenzele igama phambi kwabantu ngokuthi aziphose ezantsi ukuze iingelosi zimhlangule. Ukuba izihlwele ezisetempileni zazinokuwubona loo mmangaliso, ngaba ukho umntu emva koko owayenokuyithandabuza into yokuba uYesu wayenguMesiya othenjisiweyo? Yaye ukuba izihlwele zazinokumamkela uYesu njengoMesiya emva kokubona loo mmangaliso, ngaba oko kwakungayi kumsindisa  uYesu kubunzima nakwiinkathazo ezininzi? Mhlawumbi kunjalo. Kodwa uYesu wayesazi ukuba yayikukuthanda kukaYehova ukuba uMesiya awenze ngokuthobeka umsebenzi wakhe, angaphembeleli abantu ukuba bakholelwe kuye ngokuthi enze imimangaliso yokutsal’ amehlo. (Isaya 42:1, 2) Kwakhona, uYesu akazange avume ukungamthobeli uYehova. Akazange athabatheke kukufuna udumo.

¹⁴ Noko ke, kuthekani ngomnqweno wokufuna igunya? Kwisilingo sakhe sesithathu, uSathana wathembisa ukunika uYesu zonke izikumkani zehlabathi ukuba nje wayenokuqubuda kuye kube kanye. Ngaba uYesu wacingisisa ngokunzulu ngeso sithembiso sikaSathana? Waphendula wathi: “Hamb’ umke, Sathana!” Emva koko wathi: “Kuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, ‘NguYehova uThixo wakho omele umnqule, yaye nguye yedwa omele unikele inkonzo engcwele kuye.’” (Mateyu 4:10) Ayikho into eyayinokuhendela uYesu ekubeni anqule omnye uthixo. Akukho sithembiso sokufumana igunya kweli hlabathi esasinokumphembelela ekubeni enze nasiphi na isenzo sokungathobeli.

¹⁵ Ngaba uSathana wanikezela? Wemka emva kokuba uYesu embhebhethile. Kodwa incwadi yeVangeli kaLuka ithi uMtyholi “wemka kuye de kwaba lelinye ixesha elimlungeleyo.” (Luka 4:13) Eneneni uSathana wayeza kukhangela amanye amathuba okumlinga uYesu, de kube sekupheleni. IBhayibhile ithi uYesu “wavavanywa ngandlela zonke.” (Hebhere 4:15) Ngoko uYesu akazange nanini na ayekelel’ umxakatho; yaye nathi asifanele siyekelele.

16. USathana ubalinga njani abakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje, yaye sinokuyigatya njani imigudu yakhe?

¹⁶ USathana usaqhubeka ebalinga abakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje. Okubuhlungu kukuba, ukungafezeki kwethu kudla ngokusenza sibe ngamaxhoba alula. Ngamaqhinga uSathana usilinga ngokuphembelela ukuzingca, ikratshi, nokunyolukela igunya. Esebenzisa ukunqwenela izinto eziphathekayo, uSathana usenokusilinga ngaxeshanye ngazo zonke ezi nkalo sisandul’ ukuzikhankanya! Kubalulekile ukuba sizihlolisise ngokunyanisekileyo maxa wambi. Kuhle ukuba sicamngce ngamazwi  akweyoku-1 kaYohane 2:15-17. Njengoko sicamngca ngala mazwi, sisenokuzibuza enoba inkanuko yenyama yale nkqubo yezinto, ukunqwenela izinto eziphathekayo, nomnqweno wokubalasela awukhange kusini na ulutshitshise uthando lwethu ngoBawo wethu wasezulwini. Simele sikhumbule ukuba eli hlabathi liyadlula, kunye nomlawuli walo uSathana. Masiyigatye imigudu yakhe yamaqhinga yokusihendela esonweni! Ngamana singaxelisa iNkosi yethu, kuba yona ‘ayizange yenze sono.’—1 Petros 2:22.

17. Wavakalelwa njani uYesu ngokuthobela uYise, kodwa basenokuthini abanye?

¹⁷ Ukuthobela kubandakanya okungakumbi kunokuphepha nje isono; uKristu wayenza ngenkuthalo yonke imiyalelo kaYise. Wathi: “Ndisoloko ndisenza izinto ezikholekileyo kuye.” (Yohane 8:29) Le ntobelo yamzisela uvuyo olukhulu uYesu. Noko ke, abanye basenokuma ngelithi kwakungekho nzima ngoYesu ukuthobela. Basenokuthi yena wayemele athobele uYehova ogqibeleleyo kuphela, kanti thina simele maxa wambi sithobele abantu abangafezekanga abanegunya. Kodwa enyanisweni uYesu wathobela kwanabantu abangafezekanga ababenegunya.

18. Ngoxa wayesemtsha, uYesu wamisela wuphi umzekelo wokuthobela?

¹⁸ Ekukhuleni kwakhe, uYesu wayephantsi kwegunya labazali bakhe abangafezekanga, uYosefu noMariya. Wayezibona iimpazamo zabo, mhlawumbi ngomkhamo ongakumbi kunabanye abantwana. Ngaba wabavukela, akalithobela elo lungiselelo likaThixo, ebaxelela indlela yokuphatha intsapho? Phawula oko kuthethwa nguLuka 2:51 ngoYesu xa wayene-12 leminyaka ubudala: “Waqhubeka ezithobile kubo.” Ngaloo ndlela, walumisela umzekelo omhle kakhulu ulutsha lwamaKristu, wokuthobela nokuhlonela abazali balo.—Efese 6:1, 2.

19, 20. (a) UYesu wajamelana naluphi ucelomngeni olukhethekileyo ngokuphathelele ukuthobela abantu abangafezekanga? (b) Kutheni amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje efanele abathobela abo bakhokelayo phakathi kwawo?

¹⁹ Ngokuphathelele ukuthobela abantu abangafezekanga, uYesu  wajamelana nocelomngeni angenakuze ajamelane nalo amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje. Khawucinge nje ngexesha awayephila kulo. Inkqubo yonqulo yamaYuda, netempile yawo eyayiseYerusalem nababingeleli bayo, yayivunyelwe kwakudala nguYehova, kodwa yayisele iza kupheliswa ize ithatyathelw’ indawo yinkqubo yebandla lamaKristu. (Mateyu 23:33-38) Kwangaxeshanye, iinkokeli ezininzi zonqulo zazifundisa ubuxoki bentanda-bulumko yamaGrike. Kwakusenziwa ubuqhetseba obuninzi etempileni, kangangokuba uYesu wayibiza ngokuba ‘ngumqolomba wabaphangi.’ (Marko 11:17) Ngaba uYesu wayeka ukuya kuloo tempile nasezindlwini zesikhungu? Akunjalo! Lawo yayisengamalungiselelo uYehova awayewasebenzisa. Ngokuthobeka uYesu waya kwimithendeleko yasetempileni nakwindlu yesikhungu, de kwafika ixesha lokuba uThixo enze utshintsho.—Luka 4:16; Yohane 5:1.

²⁰ Ukuba uYesu wathobela phantsi kwezo meko, kubekise phi ke ngamaKristu okwenyaniso ukuhlala ethobekile namhlanje! Ngapha koko, siphila kumaxesha ahluke gqitha, awayechazwe kwakudala okuhlaziywa konqulo olunyulu. UThixo usiqinisekisa ukuba akasayi kuze amvumele uSathana onakalise abantu bakhe abahlaziyiweyo. (Isaya 2:1, 2; 54:17) Liyinyaniso elokuba, sihlangabezana nesono nokungafezeki  ebandleni lamaKristu. Kodwa ngaba sifanele sisebenzise iintsilelo zabanye njengesizathu sokungamthobeli uYehova, mhlawumbi singayi kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu okanye sigxeke abadala? Akunjalo! Kunoko sibaxhasa ngokusuk’ entliziyweni abo bakhokelayo ebandleni namhlanje. Ngokuthobeka siyaya kwiintlanganiso nakwiindibano zamaKristu size sisisebenzise isiluleko seZibhalo esisifumanayo kuzo.—Hebhere 10:24, 25; 13:17.

21. Wasabela njani uYesu kwingcinezelo evela ebantwini yokuba angamthobeli uThixo, ngaloo ndlela esimisela wuphi umzekelo?

²¹ UYesu akazange avumele abantu—kwanabahlobo ababeneenjongo ezintle—ukuba bamenze angamthobeli uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, umpostile uPetros wazama ukubonisa iNkosi yakhe ukuba akuyomfuneko ukuba ibandezeleke ize ife. UYesu waligatya ngokupheleleyo icebiso lobuhlobo kodwa elingafanelekanga likaPetros lokuba angabi ngqwabalala kuye siqu. (Mateyu 16:21-23) Namhlanje abalandeli bakaYesu badla ngokujamelana nezalamane ezisenokuzama ngobuhlobo ukubenza bangayithobeli imithetho nemilinganiselo kaThixo. Njengabalandeli bakaYesu benkulungwane yokuqala, simi ngelithi “simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.”—IZenzo 5:29.

22. UYesu wanikela impendulo kuwuphi umbuzo, yaye njani?

²² Xa uYesu wayejamelene nokufa, ukuthobela kwakhe kwavavanywa ngokupheleleyo. Kungelo xesha kanye awathi ‘wafunda ngalo ukuthobeka’ ngokupheleleyo. Wenza ukuthanda kukaYise, kungekhona okwakhe. (Luka 22:42) Ngaloo ndlela, wamisela umzekelo ogqibeleleyo wokugcina ingqibelelo. (1 Timoti 3:16) Wanikela impendulo kulo mbuzo owawunethuba elide ukho: Umntu ofezekileyo unako kusini na ukuthobela uYehova, kwanaxa ejamelene novavanyo? UAdam noEva basilela. Kodwa uYesu, osesona sidalwa sibalaseleyo sikaYehova, waphila emhlabeni, waza wafa, ngaloo ndlela enikela eyona mpendulo inamandla. Wathobela kwanaxa ukuthobela kwamzisela iingcinezelo kwanokufa.

23-25. (a) Ukuthobela kuhlobene njani nengqibelelo? Zekelisa. (b) Yintoni eza kuxutyushwa kwisahluko esilandelayo?

 ²³ Ingqibelelo okanye ukuzinikela ngentliziyo iphela kuYehova kubonakaliswa ngokuthobela. Ngenxa yokuthobela kukaYesu, wayigcina ingqibelelo yakhe, nto leyo eyaba yingenelo kulo lonke uluntu. (Roma 5:19) UYehova wamvuza kakhulu uYesu. Ukuba siyayithobela iNkosi yethu uKristu, uYehova uya kusivuza nathi. Ukuthobela uKristu kukhokelela ‘kusindiso olungunaphakade’!—Hebhere 5:9.

²⁴ Ngokubhekele phaya, ukugcina ingqibelelo kuyingenelo kona kukodwa nje. IMizekeliso 10:9 ithi: “Ohamba ngengqibelelo uya kuhamba ngokunqabiseka.” Ukuba ingqibelelo ibinokufaniswa nepomakazi lesakhiwo, senzo ngasinye sokuthobela sinokufaniswa nesitena ngasinye. Isitena sisenokubonakala singabalulekanga, kodwa ngasinye sinendima ebalulekileyo, yaye sixabisekile. Yaye xa kudityaniswe ezininzi, kwakhiwa isakhiwo esixabiseke kakhulu. Xa izenzo zokuthobela ezininzi zidityanisiwe usuku nosuku, ethubeni kwakheka indlu entle yengqibelelo.

²⁵ Ukuthobela kangangexesha elide kusikhumbuza ngolunye uphawu—unyamezelo. Kwisahluko esilandelayo siza kuxubusha ngendlela uYesu awasimisela ngayo umzekelo kule nkalo.