1, 2. (a) Kutheni ukwazi umntu odumileyo kungathethi ukuba umazi ngokwenene? (b) Kukuphi ukungaqiniseki okukhoyo ngoYesu?

BANINZI abantu abadumileyo ehlabathini. Abanye badume ekuhlaleni, esixekweni, okanye kwilizwe abahlala kulo. Kanti abanye baziwa ehlabathini lonke. Kodwa ukwazi nje igama lomntu odumileyo akuthethi ukuba umazi ngokwenene. Akuthethi ukuba wazi zonke iinkcukacha ngemvelaphi yakhe nangobuntu bakhe.

² Abantu ehlabathini lonke baye beva ngoYesu Kristu, nangona wayephila kwisithuba sama-2 000 eminyaka eyadlulayo. Kodwa abaninzi abaqiniseki ncam ukuba wayengubani kanye kanye uYesu. Abanye bathi wayeyindoda nje elungileyo. Abanye bathi wayengomnye nje wabaprofeti. Kanti abanye bakholelwa ukuba uYesu unguThixo yaye ufanele anqulwe. Ngaba kunjalo ngokwenene?

3. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba wazi inyaniso ngokuphathelele uYesu?

³ Kubalulekile ukuba wazi inyaniso ngokuphathelele uYesu. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba iBhayibhile ithi: “Oku kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, nangalowo umthumileyo, uYesu Kristu.” (Yohane 17:3) Ngoko ukwazi inyaniso ngoYehova uThixo nangoYesu Kristu kunokukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (Yohane 14:6) Ngaphezu koko, uYesu usimisela umzekelo obalaseleyo wendlela esimele siphile ngayo nesimele sibaphathe  ngayo abanye. (Yohane 13:34, 35) Kwisahluko sokuqala sale ncwadi, siye saxubusha oko kuyinyaniso ngokuphathelele uThixo. Ngoku makhe sihlolisise oko iBhayibhile ikufundisayo ngokwenene ngokuphathelele uYesu Kristu.

4. Lithetha ukuthini igama elithi “Mesiya” nelithi “Kristu”?

⁴ Kudala ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu, iBhayibhile yachaza ngokuthumela kukaThixo uMesiya, okanye uKristu. Igama elithi “Mesiya” (elivela kwelesiHebhere) nelithi “Kristu” (elivela kwelesiGrike) omabini athetha “uMthanjiswa.” Oku kubonisa ukuba wayeza kuthanjiswa, okanye amiselwe kwisigxina esikhethekileyo nguThixo. Kwizahluko ezilandelayo zale ncwadi, siza kufunda okungakumbi  ngendima ebalulekileyo anayo uMesiya ekuphunyezweni kwezithembiso zikaThixo. Siza kufunda nangeentsikelelo anokusizisela zona uYesu kwanangoku. Noko ke, ngokungathandabuzekiyo, ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu abaninzi babezibuza ukuba, ‘Ngubani oza kuba nguMesiya?’

5. Yintoni ababeqiniseke ngayo abafundi bakaYesu?

⁵ Ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, abafundi bakaYesu waseNazarete babeqinisekile ukuba unguMesiya owayechaziwe ngaphambili. (Yohane 1:41) Omnye umfundi, ogama linguSimon Petros, wathi kuYesu: “UnguKristu.” (Mateyu 16:16) Kodwa yintoni eyenza ukuba abo bafundi—kuquka nathi—baqiniseke ukuba ngokwenene uYesu unguMesiya othenjisiweyo?

6. Zekelisa indlela uYehova aye wabanceda ngayo abo bathembekileyo ukuba bakwazi ukufanisa uMesiya.

⁶ Abaprofeti bakaThixo ababephila ngaphambi kukaYesu bachaza iinkcukacha ezininzi ngokuphathelele uMesiya. Ezi nkcukacha zaziza kunceda abantu ukuba bakwazi ukumfanisa. Oku singakuzekelisa ngale ndlela: Masithi ucelwe ukuba uye kwisikhululo esixakekileyo seebhasi okanye sikaloliwe okanye eseenqwelo-moya ukuya kuphuthuma umntu ongazange wambona ngaphambili. Ngaba bekungayi kukunceda ukufumana iinkcukacha ezithile ngaye? Ngokufanayo, ngokusebenzisa abaprofeti beBhayibhile, uYehova uye wanikela iinkcukacha ezithile ngokuphathelele oko uMesiya wayeza kukwenza noko kwakuza kwenzeka kuye. Ukuzaliseka kwezi ziprofeto zininzi kwakuza kunceda abo bathembekileyo ukuba bakwazi ukumfanisa ngokucacileyo.

7. Ziziphi iziprofeto ezibini kwezininzi ezazalisekayo kuYesu?

⁷ Makhe sihlolisise imizekelo nje emibini. Okokuqala, ngaphezu kwama-700 eminyaka ngaphambili, umprofeti uMika wachaza ukuba Lowo uthenjisiweyo wayeza kuzalelwa eBhetelehem, eyidolophu encinane ekwilizwe lakwaYuda. (Mika 5:2) Wazalelwa phi yena uYesu? Wazalelwa kuyo kanye loo dolophu! (Mateyu 2:1, 3-9) Okwesibini, kumakhulu amaninzi eminyaka ngaphambili, isiprofeto esikuDaniyeli 9:25  sachaza unyaka awayeza kuvela ngawo uMesiya—unyaka wama-29 C.E. * Ukuzaliseka kwezi ziprofeto kwanezinye kwangqina ukuba uYesu unguMesiya othenjisiweyo.

8, 9. Yintoni eyenzekayo ekubhaptizweni kukaYesu eyanikela ubungqina bokuba unguMesiya?

⁸ Obunye obungqina bokuba uYesu unguMesiya babonakala ngasekupheleni kowama-29 C.E. Lowo ngunyaka uYesu awaya ngawo kuYohane umBhaptizi ukuze abhaptizwe kuMlambo iYordan. UYehova wayethembise ukumnika umqondiso uYohane awayeza kumfanisa ngawo uMesiya. UYohane wawubona loo mqondiso ekubhaptizweni kukaYesu. IBhayibhile ikuchaza ngale ndlela okwenzekayo: “Emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe uYesu ngoko nangoko wenyuka emanzini; yaye, khangela! amazulu avuleka, waza wabona umoya kaThixo usihla njengehobe phezu kwakhe. Khangela! Kwakukho ilizwi eliphuma emazulwini lisithi: ‘Lo nguNyana wam, oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye.’” (Mateyu 3:16, 17) Emva kokubona nokuva oko kwenzekayo, uYohane akazange ayithandabuze into yokuba uYesu wayethunywe nguThixo. (Yohane 1:32-34) Ngalo kanye olo suku lokuthululwa komoya kaThixo, okanye amandla akhe asebenzayo, uYesu waba nguMesiya, okanye uKristu, lowo umiselwe njengeNkokeli noKumkani.—Isaya 55:4.

⁹ Ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile kwanobungqina obanikelwa nguYehova uThixo uqobo, kubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba uYesu unguMesiya othenjisiweyo. Kodwa iBhayibhile iphendula neminye imibuzo emibini ebalulekileyo ephathelele uYesu Kristu: Wayevela phi, yaye wayeluhlobo olunjani lomntu?

10. Ifundisa ntoni iBhayibhile ngobukho bukaYesu ngaphambi kokuza kwakhe emhlabeni?

¹⁰ IBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba uYesu wayephila ezulwini  ngaphambi kokuza kwakhe emhlabeni. UMika waprofeta ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuzalelwa eBhetelehem yaye wongezelela wathi imvelaphi Yakhe “isusela kumaxesha angaphambili.” (Mika 5:2) Kanti naye uYesu wayikhankanya kaninzi into yokuba wayephila ezulwini ngaphambi kokuba azalwe njengomntu. (Yohane 3:13; 6:38, 62; 17:4, 5) Ngoxa wayephila njengesidalwa somoya ezulwini, uYesu wayenolwalamano olukhethekileyo noYehova.

11. IBhayibhile ibonisa njani ukuba uYesu ungoyena Nyana uxabisekileyo kaYehova?

¹¹ UYesu ungoyena Nyana uxabisekileyo kaYehova—yaye siyaqondakala isizathu soko. Ubizwa ngokuba ‘lizibulo kwindalo yonke,’ kuba uyindalo yokuqala kaThixo. * (Kolose 1:15) Kukho nenye into eyenza ukuba lo Nyana akhetheke. ‘Ungokuphela koNyana amzeleyo.’ (Yohane 3:16) Oku kuthetha ukuba nguYesu kuphela odalwe nguThixo ngokungqalileyo. Kwakhona nguYesu kuphela owasetyenziswa nguThixo xa wayedala zonke ezinye izinto. (Kolose 1:16) Kanti uYesu ukwabizwa ngokuba ‘nguLizwi.’ (Yohane 1:14) Oku kuthetha ukuba wayesisithethi sikaThixo, ngokungathandabuzekiyo edlulisela izigidimi nemiyalelo kwabanye oonyana bakaYise, abomoya nabenyama.

12. Sazi njani ukuba uNyana wamazibulo akalingani noThixo?

¹² Ngaba lo Nyana wamazibulo uyalingana noThixo, njengokuba abanye bekholelwa njalo? IBhayibhile ayikufundisi oko. Njengoko sibonile kwisiqendu esingaphambili, uNyana wadalwa. Ngoko kucacile ukuba wayenesiqalo, kanti yena uYehova uThixo akanasiqalo nasiphelo. (INdumiso 90:2) UNyana okuphela kozelweyo akazange nanini na azame ukuzilinganisa noYise. IBhayibhile iyichaza ngokucacileyo into yokuba uYise mkhulu kunoNyana. (Yohane 14:28; 1 Korinte  11:3) NguYehova kuphela ‘onguThixo uSomandla.’ (Genesis 17:1) Ngoko, akukho namnye olingana naye. *

13. Ithetha ukuthini iBhayibhile xa ibhekisela kuNyana ‘njengomfanekiso kaThixo ongabonakaliyo’?

¹³ UYehova kunye noNyana wakhe wamazibulo bebenandipha ulwalamano oluqinileyo kangangamawaka ezigidi zeminyaka—kude kudala ngaphambi kokudalwa komhlaba nesibhakabhaka. Bamele ukuba babethandana gqitha! (Yohane 3:35; 14:31) Lo Nyana uthandekayo wayefana twatse noYise. Kungenxa yoko le nto iBhayibhile isithi “ungumfanekiso kaThixo ongabonakaliyo.” (Kolose 1:15) Kanye njengokuba unyana ongumntu esenokuxelisa uyise ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, naye lo Nyana wasezulwini waxelisa iimpawu nobuntu bukaYise.

14. Kwenzeka njani ukuba uNyana kaYehova okuphela kozelweyo azalwe njengomntu?

¹⁴ Lo Nyana kaYehova ukuphela kozelweyo wathi ngokuzithandela walishiya izulu waza kuphila njengomntu emhlabeni. Kodwa usenokuba uyazibuza ukuba, ‘Kwenzeka njani ukuba isidalwa somoya sizalwe njengomntu?’ UYehova wakwenza ngommangaliso oku. Wabufudusa ezulwini ubomi boNyana wakhe wamazibulo, wabufaka esibelekweni sentombi enyulu yomYuda egama linguMariya. Kwakungabandakanyekanga yise ungumntu. Ngaloo ndlela uMariya wazala unyana ofezekileyo waza wamthiya igama elinguYesu.—Luka 1:30-35.

15. Sinokutsho njani ukuba uYesu usinceda simazi ngakumbi uYehova?

¹⁵ Oko uYesu wakuthethayo nawakwenzayo xa wayesemhlabeni kusinceda ukuba simazi kakuhle. Ngaphezu koko, kusinceda ukuba simazi ngakumbi noYehova. Kutheni sisitsho nje? Kaloku khumbula ukuba lo Nyana umxelisa ngokugqibeleleyo  uYise. Kungenxa yoko le nto uYesu wathi komnye wabafundi bakhe: “Lowo undibonileyo mna umbonile noBawo.” (Yohane 14:9) Iincwadi ezine zeBhayibhile ezibizwa ngokuba ziincwadi zeVangeli—uMateyu, uMarko, uLuka noYohane—zisixelela okuninzi ngobomi, izenzo neempawu zikaYesu Kristu.

16. Sisiphi esona sigidimi siphambili esasasazwa nguYesu, yaye wayezifumana phi iimfundiso zakhe?

¹⁶ UYesu wayesaziwa ‘njengoMfundisi.’ (Yohane 1:38; 13:13) Wayefundisa ntoni? Ngokuyintloko isigidimi sakhe sasiphathelele “iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani”—oko kukuthi, uBukumkani bukaThixo, urhulumente wasezulwini oza kulawula wonke umhlaba uze ubazisele iintsikelelo ezingunaphakade abantu abathobekileyo. (Mateyu 4:23) Wayesifumana phi esi sigidimi? UYesu uqobo wathi: “Oko ndikufundisayo asikokwam, kodwa kokwalowo wandithumayo,” oko kukuthi, uYehova. (Yohane 7:16) UYesu wayesazi ukuba uYise ufuna abantu bazive iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. KwiSahluko 8 siza kufunda okungakumbi ngoBukumkani bukaThixo noko buza kukufeza.

17. Wayefundisa phi uYesu, yaye kwakutheni ukuze azibhokoxe ekufundiseni abanye?

¹⁷ Wayefundisa phi uYesu? Naphi na apho wayefumana khona abantu—emaphandleni, ezixekweni, kwiindawo zembutho, nakwimizi ngemizi. UYesu akazange alindele ukuba abantu beze kuye. Kodwa yena waya kubo. (Marko 6:56; Luka 19:5, 6) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu azibhokoxe ngaloo ndlela aze achithe ixesha lakhe elininzi kangako eshumayela yaye efundisa? Kungenxa yokuba yayikukuthanda kukaThixo oko. UYesu wayesoloko esenza ukuthanda kukaYise. (Yohane 8:28, 29) Kodwa kukho nesinye isizathu sokushumayela kwakhe. Wayenovelwano ngezihlwele zabantu ezazisiza kuye. (Mateyu 9:35, 36) Zazingahoywanga ziinkokeli zazo zonqulo, ezazifanele zizifundise inyaniso ngoThixo nangeenjongo zakhe. UYesu wayeyazi indlela ekwakubaluleke ngayo ukuba abantu beve isigidimi soBukumkani.

18. Ziziphi iimpawu zikaYesu ozifumanisa zinomtsalane ngakumbi?

 ¹⁸ UYesu wayenothando nobubele. Ngoko kwakulula ngabantu ukuba beze kuye. Nkqu nabantwana babekuthanda ukuza kuye. (Marko 10:13-16) UYesu wayengenamkhethe. Wayebuthiyile ubuqhetseba nokungekho sikweni. (Mateyu 21:12, 13) Ngexesha kanye amabhinqa awayejongelwa phantsi ngalo, yena wawaphatha ngesidima. (Yohane 4:9, 27) UYesu wayethobeke ngokwenene. Ngesinye isihlandlo wahlamba iinyawo zabapostile bakhe, msebenzi lowo owawusenziwa sisicaka.

19. Nguwuphi umzekelo obonisa ukuba uYesu wayezikhathalele iintswelo zabanye?

¹⁹ UYesu wayezikhathalele iintswelo zabanye. Oku sikubona ngokukhethekileyo ekwenzeni kwakhe imimangaliso yokuphilisa abaninzi ngamandla omoya kaThixo. (Mateyu 14:14) Ngokomzekelo, enye indoda eyayineqhenqa yeza kuYesu yaza yathi: “Ukuba nje uyathanda, unako ukundenza ndihlambuluke.” UYesu wavakalelwa kukubona intlungu ekuyo le ndoda. Ngovelwano uYesu wolula isandla sakhe waza wayichukumisa  le ndoda, esithi: “Ndiyathanda. Hlambuluka.” Yatsho yaphila! (Marko 1:40-42) Ngaba unokuyithelekelela indlela emele ukuba yavuya ngayo loo ndoda?

20, 21. UYesu wasimisela njani umzekelo wokumthobela ngokunyanisekileyo uThixo?

²⁰ UYesu wamisela owona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wokumthobela ngokunyanisekileyo uThixo. Wahlala ethembekile kuYise wasezulwini phantsi kwayo yonke inkcaso neembandezelo. UYesu wazixhathisa ngokuqinileyo nangokuphumelelayo izilingo zikaSathana. (Mateyu 4:1-11) Ezinye izalamane zikaYesu zamchasa, zada zathi “ushiywe ziingqondo.” (Marko 3:21) Kodwa uYesu akazange akuvumele oko ukuba kumdimaze; waqhubeka nokwenza umsebenzi kaThixo. Nakubeni wayenyeliswa yaye ephathwa kakubi, uYesu wabonisa ukuzeyisa, engazange nakanye azame ukubenzakalisa abo bamchasayo.—1 Petros 2:21-23.

²¹ UYesu wahlala ethembekile kwada kwasa ekufeni —ebulawa kabuhlungu nangenkohlakalo ziintshaba zakhe. (Filipi 2:8) Khawucinge nje ngentlungu awayinyamezelayo ngosuku lokugqibela lokuphila kwakhe njengomntu. Wabanjwa, wamangalelwa ngamangqina obuxoki, wagwetywa ngabagwebi abakhohlakeleyo, wenziwa intlekisa zizihlwele, waza wathuthunjiswa ngamajoni. Njengoko wayebethelelwe esibondeni somthi, waphefumla okokugqibela waza wadanduluka esithi: “Kufeziwe!” (Yohane 19:30) Kodwa ngosuku lwesithathu emva kokufa kukaYesu, uYise wasezulwini wamvusela kubomi bomoya kwakhona. (1 Petros 3:18) Emva kweeveki ezimbalwa, wabuyela ezulwini. Apho “wahlala phantsi ngasekunene kukaThixo” elindele ukunikwa igunya lokulawula njengokumkani.—Hebhere 10:12, 13.

22. Yintoni awayifezayo uYesu ngokuhlala kwakhe ethembekile de kuse ekufeni?

²² Yintoni awayifezayo uYesu ngokuhlala kwakhe ethembekile de kuse ekufeni? Eneneni ukufa kukaYesu kusivulele ithuba lokuphila ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi, nto leyo eyayiyinjongo kaYehova ntlandlolo. Indlela ukufa kukaYesu okulivula ngayo ithuba elinjalo iza kuxutyushwa kwisahluko esilandelayo.