1-3. Ziziphi izibakala ezenza ukuba ukufa kukaYesu kungafani nako nakuphi na okunye okwakha kwenzeka embalini?

 NGOMHLA wentwasahlobo malunga nama-2 000 eminyaka eyadlulayo, indoda emsulwa yasiwa ematyaleni, yagwetyelwa ulwaphulo-mthetho engazange ilwenze, yaza yathuthunjiswa yada yafa. Inkohlakalo nokungabikho kokusesikweni okunjalo kwakungaqali ukwenzeka ngeso sihlandlo, yaye ngelishwa, kwakungagqibelisi. Ukanti, oko kufa kwakungafani nokufa okuqhelekileyo.

² Njengoko loo ndoda yayingcungcutheka ebudeni beeyure zokugqibela, ukubaluleka kweso siganeko kwangqinwa nalizulu. Nangona kwakusemini emaqanda, kwabakho ubumnyama bequbuliso kwelo lizwe. Njengoko omnye umbhali-mbali esitsho, “ilanga lacima.” (Luka 23:44, 45) Emva koko, kwathi xa yayiphefumla okokugqibela le ndoda, yathetha amazwi angasokuze alibaleke athi: “Kufeziwe!” Eneneni, ngokuncama ubomi bayo, yafeza into emangalisa ngokwenene. Umbingelelo wayo wawusesona senzo sikhulu sothando esingazange senziwa nanguwuphi na omnye umntu.—Yohane 15:13; 19:30.

³ Kakade ke, loo ndoda nguYesu Kristu. Ukubandezeleka nokufa kwakhe ngaloo mhla kaNisan 14, 33 C.E. kwaziwa ngokubanzi. Noko ke, kukho inkalo ebalulekileyo ngokufuthi ebityeshelwa. Nangona uYesu wabandezeleka kakhulu, ukho omnye owabandezeleka nangakumbi. Enyanisweni, mntu uthile wenza umbingelelo omkhulu nangakumbi ngaloo mini—umntu owabonakalisa olona thando lukhulu ngendlela engazange yabonwa ngaphambili kwindalo iphela. Luluphi olo thando? Impendulo yalo mbuzo isisa kowona mbandela ubaluleke kakhulu: Uthando lukaYehova.

 4. Ijoni laseRoma labona njani ukuba uYesu wayengengomntu uqhelekileyo, yaye elo joni lagqiba ngelithini?

⁴ Umthetheli-khulu waseRoma owayeququzelela ukubulawa kukaYesu wakhwankqiswa bubumnyama nayinyikima enkulu eyabakho emva kokufa kukaYesu. Wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo lo ibinguNyana kaThixo.” (Mateyu 27:54) Ngokucacileyo, uYesu wayengengomntu uqhelekileyo. Elo joni laliququzelele ukubulawa kokuphela koNyana ozelweyo kaThixo Osenyangweni! Kanye kanye wayexabiseke kangakanani lo Nyana kuYise?

 5. Bunokuzekeliswa njani ubude bexesha elininzi uYehova awalichitha kunye noNyana wakhe ezulwini?

⁵ IBhayibhile ithi uYesu ‘ulizibulo kwindalo yonke.’ (Kolose 1:15) Khawucinge nje—uNyana kaYehova wayekho ngaphambi kokudalwa kwendalo iphela. Ngoko, lithuba elingakanani uYise noNyana bephila kunye? Ezinye izazinzulu ziqikelela ukuba indalo iphela ineminyaka eli-13 lamawaka ezigidi ikho. Ngaba unako nje ukulithelekelela ixesha elininzi kangako? Ukunceda abantu ukuba babuqonde ubudala bendalo iphela njengoko buqikelelwa zizazinzulu, elinye iziko elinezixhobo zokujonga iinkwenkwezi likrwele umgca oziimitha ezili-110 ubude wokulinganisa ixesha. Njengoko iindwendwe zigqitha ngakuwo loo mgca, nyathelo ngalinye ezilithabathayo lilingana neminyaka ezizigidi ezingama-75 yobomi bendalo iphela. Ekupheleni kwaloo mgca wokulinganisa ixesha, kukho umkrwelo omncinane olingana nonwele lomntu, omela yonke imbali yokuphila kwabantu! Ukanti, kwanokuba olo qikelelo beluchanile, uwonke nje loo mgca wokulinganisa ixesha ubungayi kulingana nexesha lokuphila koNyana kaYehova! Wayesenza ntoni ebudeni balo lonke elo xesha?

 6. (a) Wayesenza ntoni uNyana kaYehova ngexesha langaphambi kokuphila kwakhe njengomntu? (b) Luhlobo olunjani lothando olukhoyo phakathi kukaYehova noNyana wakhe?

⁶ Ngovuyo uNyana wayekhonza “njengomsebénzi onobuchule” kaYise. (IMizekeliso 8:30) IBhayibhile ithi: “Ngaphandle [koNyana] akubangakho nanye into.” (Yohane 1:3) Ngoko uYehova noNyana wakhe babesebenza kunye ekwenzeni zonke ezinye izinto. Babenexesha elivuyisa nelichulumancisa ngokwenene! Abaninzi baya kuvuma ukuba uthando oluphakathi komzali  nomntwana luqine ngokumangalisayo. Yaye uthando “lungumxokelelwane ogqibeleleyo womanyano.” (Kolose 3:14) Ngubani ke kuthi obenako ukulinganisa ukomelela kothando obelukho kangangexesha elide kangako? Ngokucacileyo, uYehova uThixo noNyana wakhe bamanyaniswe luthando olomelele ngendlela engazange ibonwe ngaphambili.

 7. Xa uYesu wabhaptizwayo, uYehova wayivakalisa njani indlela avakalelwa ngayo ngoNyana wakhe?

⁷ Sekunjalo, uYise wamthumela emhlabeni uNyana wakhe ukuba azalwe njengosana olungumntu. Oko kwathetha ukuba kangangamashumi eminyaka, uYehova wayemele aluncame olo lwalamano lusenyongweni kunye noNyana wakhe othandekayo ezulwini. Ngolangazelelo olukhulu, wamjonga esezulwini njengoko uYesu wayekhula esiba yindoda efezekileyo. Xa wayemalunga nama-30 eminyaka ubudala, uYesu wabhaptizwa. Akukho mfuneko yokuba siyithelekelele indlela awavakalelwa ngayo uYehova ngaye. UYise wathetha esezulwini wathi: “Lo nguNyana wam, oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye.” (Mateyu 3:17) Ekubeni uYesu wenza konke oko kwakuprofetiwe ngaye, konke oko wayecelwe ukuba akwenze, umele ukuba uYise wavuya ngokwenene!—Yohane 5:36; 17:4.

8, 9. (a) Yiyiphi imeko awafakwa kuyo uYesu ngoNisan 14, 33 C.E., yaye wachaphazeleka njani uYise wasemazulwini? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova avumele ukuba uNyana wakhe abandezeleke aze afe?

⁸ Kodwa, wavakalelwa njani uYehova ngoNisan 14, 33 C.E.? Wavakalelwa njani njengoko uYesu wayengcatshwa waza wabanjwa lihlokondiba labantu ngobusuku? Kuthekani ngexesha uYesu eshiywa ngabahlobo bakhe waza wamangalelwa ngokungekho mthethweni? Uthini ngexesha egculelwa, etshicelwa, ebethwa nangamanqindi? Wavakalelwa njani njengoko wayetywatyushwa, umqolo wakhe uzaliswa yimivumbo? Uthini ngexesha lokubethelelwa kwakhe izandla neenyawo esibondeni somthi aze ashiywe ejinga apho egculelwa ngabantu? Wavakalelwa njani uYise njengoko uNyana wakhe oyintanda wayekhala engcungcutheka ziintlungu? Wavakalelwa njani uYehova njengoko uYesu wayephefumla okokugqibela, waza okokuqala ngqa ezimbalini, akabikho lo Nyana Wakhe amthandayo?—Mateyu 26:14-16, 46, 47, 56, 59, 67; 27:38-44, 46; Yohane 19:1.

 ⁹ Sisuke saphelelwa ngamazwi. Ekubeni uYehova eneemvakalelo, intlungu awaba kuyo ekufeni koNyana wakhe ayichazeki ngamazwi. Into nje esinokukwazi ukuyichaza sisizathu sokuba uYehova akuvumele oko ukuba kwenzeke. Kwakutheni ukuze uYise azivumele angcungcuthekiswe yintlungu engako? UYehova utyhila into emangalisayo kuthi kuYohane 3:16—indinyana yeBhayibhile ebaluleke kangangokuba iye yabizwa ngokuba yingxelo yeVangeli efinyeziweyo. Ithi: “UThixo walithanda ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.” Ngoko siso eso isizathu sikaYehova: uthando. Isipho sikaYehova—ukuthumela kwakhe uNyana wakhe ukuba abandezeleke aze asifele—yayikukubonakaliswa kolona thando lukhulu.

10. Yintoni efunekayo ebantwini, yaye kwenzeke ntoni kwintsingiselo yegama elithi “uthando”?

¹⁰ Lithetha ukuthini eli gama lithi “uthando”? Uthando luye lwachazwa njengeyona nto ifuneka kakhulu ebantwini. Ukususela ekuzalweni kuse ekufeni, abantu bafuna uthando, baziyolisa ngalo, bade babandezeleke baze bafe xa lungekho. Kodwa ke, iyamangalisa into yokuba kunzima ukuluchaza. Kakade abantu bathetha kakhulu ngothando. Kukho uthotho lweencwadi, iingoma nemibongo ethetha ngalo. Imiphumo yazo ayisoloko iyenza icace intsingiselo yothando. Eneneni, ngangendlela elisetyenziswe ngokugqithisele ngayo eli gama, seyide yalahleka neyona ntsingiselo yalo yokwenene.

11, 12. (a) Sinokufunda phi lukhulu ngothando, yaye ngoba? (b) Ziziphi iindidi zothando ezazichazwa ngolwimi lwesiGrike lwamandulo, yaye liliphi igama elithetha “uthando” elisetyenziswa ngokufuthi kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike? (Bona kwanombhalo osemazantsi.) (c) Igama elithi a·gaʹpe lichaza ntoni?

¹¹ Noko ke, iBhayibhile inemfundiso ecacileyo ngothando. IExpository Dictionary of New Testament Words kaVine ithi: “Uthando lunokwaziwa kuphela ngezenzo zalo.” Ingxelo yeBhayibhile engezenzo zikaYehova isifundisa lukhulu ngothando lwakhe—uthando lokungazingci analo ngezidalwa zakhe. Ngokomzekelo, yintoni ebinokulutyhila ngakumbi olu phawu kunesenzo  esibalaseleyo sikaYehova sothando esichazwe ngaphambili? Kwizahluko ezilandelayo, siza kubona eminye imizekelo emininzi yezenzo zothando zikaYehova. Ukongezelela, sinokucacelwa ngakumbi ngokuhlolisisa amagama antlandlolo aguqulelwe ngokuthi “uthando” asetyenzisiweyo eBhayibhileni. Kulwimi lwesiGrike lwamandulo, kwakukho amagama amane awayethetha “uthando.” a Kula magama, elona lisetyenziswe ngokufuthi kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike lelithi a·gaʹpe. Esinye isichazi-magama seBhayibhile silibiza ngokuthi “lelona gama linamandla linokuthelekelelwa lokuchaza uthando.” Ngoba?

¹² Igama elithi a·gaʹpe libhekisela kuthando olulawulwa ngumgaqo. Ngoko lungaphezu kokuba neemvakalelo nje ezithile ngomnye umntu. Luthando olubanzi ngakumbi, lunolwazelelo ngakumbi yaye luneziseko eziqinileyo. Ngaphezu koko, uthando oluchazwa ngokuthi a·gaʹpe luthando lokungazingci ngokupheleleyo. Ngokomzekelo, khawuphinde ujonge uYohane 3:16. Liliphi “ihlabathi” uThixo awalithanda kangangokuba wada wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo? Lihlabathi loluntu olwalufuna intlawulelo. Luquka abantu abaninzi abazimiseleyo ekhondweni lesono. Ngaba uYehova uthanda mntu ngamnye njengomhlobo wakhe okhethekileyo, ngendlela awayethanda ngayo uAbraham othembekileyo? (Yakobi 2:23) Akunjalo, kodwa ngothando uYehova ubonisa ububele kubo bonke abantu, ade axolele ukulahlekelwa kakhulu. Ufuna ukuba bonke baguquke baze batshintshe iindlela zabo. (2 Petros 3:9) Abaninzi benjenjalo. Ubamkela ngovuyo abanjalo njengabahlobo bakhe.

13, 14. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ngokufuthi igama elithi a·gaʹpe liquka umsa wothando?

¹³ Noko ke, abanye banengcamango ephosakeleyo ngegama elithi a·gaʹpe. Bacinga ukuba libhekisela kuhlobo lothando  olungenabubele, noluphelela nje engqondweni. Inyaniso ikukuba ngokufuthi igama elithi a·gaʹpe liquka umsa wothando olufudumeleyo. Ngokomzekelo, xa uYesu wathi, “uBawo uyamthanda uNyana,” wasebenzisa igama elithi a·gaʹpe. Ngaba olo thando alunawo umsa? Phawula ukuba uYesu waphinda wathi, “uYise unomsa kuNyana,” esebenzisa igama elithi phi·leʹo. (Yohane 3:35; 5:20) Ngokufuthi uthando lukaYehova luquka umsa wothando. Noko ke, uthando lwakhe aluze lulawulwe nje ziimvakalelo. Lusoloko lukhokelwa yimigaqo yakhe yobulumko neyokusesikweni.

¹⁴ Njengoko sibonile, zonke iimpawu zikaYehova zibalasele, zigqibelele, yaye zinomtsalane. Kodwa uthando lolona lunomtsalane kunazo zonke. Ayikho into esitsalela ngamandla njengalo kuYehova. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, uthando lukwalolona phawu lwakhe lubalasele kakhulu. Sikwazi njani oko?

15. Yiyiphi ingxelo eyinikelayo iBhayibhile ngokuphathelele uphawu lukaYehova lothando, yaye olu phawu lubalasele ngayiphi indlela? (Bona kwanombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁵ IBhayibhile ithetha okuthile ngothando engakuthethiyo ngezinye iimpawu eziyintloko zikaYehova. IZibhalo azitsho ukuba uThixo ungamandla okanye uThixo ukokusesikweni okanye kwanokuba uThixo ububulumko. Unazo ezo mpawu, ungumthombo wazo ngokupheleleyo, yaye ubalasele kuzo zontathu. Noko ke, ngokuphathelele uphawu lwesine, kuthethwa into enzulu gqitha xa kusithiwa: “UThixo uluthando.” b (1 Yohane 4:8) Kuthetha ukuthini oko?

16-18. (a) Kutheni iBhayibhile isithi “uThixo uluthando”? (b) Kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni, kutheni umntu elufanekisela kakuhle nje uphawu lukaYehova lothando?

¹⁶ Ukuthi “uThixo uluthando” asikokulinganisa nje kuphela,  njengokuthi, “uThixo ulingana nothando.” Ngokuqhelekileyo, asinakukwazi ukuyigqwetha loo ngxelo sithi “uthando lunguThixo.” UYehova ungaphezulu lee kokuba luphawu nje lothando. Ungumntu oneemvakalelo nezinye iimpawu ukongezelela kolo lothando. Kodwa, uthando lolona phawu lubalasele kakhulu lukaYehova. Ngoko enye incwadi ithi ngale ndinyana: “Uhlobo alulo uThixo okanye ubuntu bakhe buluthando.” Ngokuqhelekileyo, singakuzekelisa ngolu hlobo oku: Amandla kaYehova amenza akwazi ukwenza izinto. Ukuba sesikweni kwakhe nobulumko bakhe balathisa indlela enza ngayo izinto. Kodwa uthando lukaYehova lumshukumisela ekwenzeni okuthile. Yaye usoloko eqhutywa luthando ekusebenziseni kwakhe zonke ezinye iimpawu zakhe.

¹⁷ Kudla ngokuthiwa uYehova uluthando lumntwisiwe. Ngoko, ukuba sifuna ukufunda ngothando olunomgaqo, simele sifunde ngoYehova. Kakade ke, sisenokulubona nasebantwini olu phawu luhle. Kodwa balufumana njani? Ngexesha lokudala kwakhe, uYehova wathetha la mazwi, ngokucacileyo kuNyana wakhe, wathi: “Masenze umntu ngokomfanekiso wethu, ngokufana nathi.” (Genesis 1:26) Kuzo zonke izidalwa ezikulo mhlaba, ngamadoda namabhinqa kuphela anokukhetha ukubonisa uthando, ngaloo ndlela exelisa uYise osemazulwini. Khumbula ukuba uYehova wasebenzisa izidalwa ezahlukahlukeneyo ukufanekisela iimpawu zakhe eziyintloko. Kodwa, uYehova wakhetha esona sidalwa sakhe siphakamileyo sasemhlabeni, esingumntu, ukufanekisela olona phawu Lwakhe lubalaseleyo, uthando.—Hezekile 1:10.

¹⁸ Xa sibonisa uthando ngokungazingci, nangokomgaqo, sibonakalisa olona phawu lubalaseleyo lukaYehova. Kunjengokuba kanye umpostile uYohane wabhala: “Thina ke, sinalo uthando, kuba wasithanda kuqala.” (1 Yohane 4:19) Kodwa uYehova usithande kuqala ngaziphi iindlela?

19. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uthando lwaba nendima eyintloko ekudaleni kukaYehova?

¹⁹ Uthando aluyonto intsha. Ngapha koko, yintoni eyashukumisela uYehova ukuba aqalise ukudala? Asikukuba  wayenesithukuthezi yaye efuna ukuba nobudlelane. UYehova uphelele yaye akaswelanga nto. Kodwa luthando lwakhe, oluluphawu lwakhe olusebenzayo, olwamshukumisela ekubeni afune ukwabelana ngoyolo lobomi kunye nezidalwa ezikrelekrele ezinokusixabisa isipho esinjalo. “Isiqalo sendalo kaThixo” sasinguNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo. (ISityhilelo 3:14) Emva koko uYehova wamsebenzisa lo Msebénzi Unobuchule ekwenzeni zonke ezinye izinto, ukuqalela kwiingelosi. (Yobhi 38:4, 7; Kolose 1:16) Njengoko zisikelelwe ngokunikwa inkululeko, ubukrelekrele neemvakalelo, ezi zidalwa zomeleleyo zomoya zaba nethuba lokuzakhela ulwalamano lothando—phakathi kwazo, yaye phezu kwako konke, noYehova uThixo. (2 Korinte 3:17) Ngaloo ndlela, zathanda kuba zona zathandwa kuqala.

20, 21. Bubuphi ubungqina ababenabo uAdam noEva bokuba uYehova wayebathanda, kodwa basabela njani?

²⁰ Kwaba njalo nangoluntu. Kwasekuqaleni, uAdam noEva babegutyungelwe ngothando. Naphi na apho babejonga khona kwikhaya labo lase-Eden eliyiParadesi, babenokubona ubungqina bothando lukaYise ngabo. Phawula oko ikutshoyo iBhayibhile: “UYehova uThixo watyala umyezo e-Eden, ngasempuma, waza wambeka khona umntu abembumbile.” (Genesis 2:8) Ngaba wakha waba semyezweni okanye epakini entle ngokwenene? Yintoni owayithanda kakhulu? Ngaba yayikukugqatsa kwelanga kobo bukhazikhazi bamagqabi? Ngaba yayikukuqaqamba kwemibalabala yeentyatyambo? Ngaba yayikukunkcenkceza komlanjana, ukuntyiloza kweentaka nentsholo yezinambuzane? Kuthekani ngobuqholo bevumba lemithi, iziqhamo neentyatyambo? Noko ke, ayikho ipaki namhlanje enokuthelekiswa naleyo yase-Eden. Ngoba?

²¹ Loo myezo watyalwa nguYehova ngokwakhe! Umele ukuba wawuthandeka ngendlela engathethekiyo. Kuwo kwakuyokozela yonke imithi yeziqhamo ezihle nezinencasa. Loo myezo wawunamanzi awaneleyo, wawuphangalele, yaye unyakazela iintlobo-ntlobo zezilwanyana ezibangel’ umdla. UAdam noEva babenayo yonke into efunekayo ukuze bonwabe ebomini, kuquka umsebenzi owanelisayo nolwalamano olugqibeleleyo. UYehova wabathanda kuqala, yaye babenesizathu esihle sokusabela ngendlela efanayo. Kodwa abazange benjenjalo. Kunokuba bamthobele  ngothando uYise osemazulwini, bamvukela ngokuzingca.—Genesis, isahluko 2.

22. Indlela awasabela ngayo uYehova kwimvukelo yase-Eden yangqina njani ukuba uthando lwakhe lunyanisekile?

²² Hayi indlela amele ukuba waba buhlungu ngayo uYehova! Kodwa ngaba loo mvukelo yalutshitshisa uthando lwakhe? Akunjalo! “Ububele bakhe bothando [okanye “uthando lwakhe olunyanisekileyo,” umbhalo osemazantsi we-NW eneembekiselo] bukho ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (INdumiso 136:1) Ngenxa yoko, ngoko nangoko wenza amalungiselelo othando okuhlawulela nabaphi na ababenotyekelo olulungileyo kwinzala ka-Adam noEva. Njengoko sibonile, loo malungiselelo ayequka idini lentlawulelo loNyana wakhe oyintanda, nto leyo eyaba yilahleko enkulu kakhulu kuYise.—1 Yohane 4:10.

23. Sisiphi esinye sezizathu zokuba uYehova ‘enguThixo onoyolo,’ yaye nguwuphi umbuzo obalulekileyo oza kuxutyushwa kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²³ Ewe, kwasekuqaleni uYehova uye wathabatha amanyathelo kuqala okubonisa uthando eluntwini. Ngeendlela ezingenakubalwa, “wasithanda kuqala.” Uthando lubangela imvisiswano novuyo, ngoko akumangalisi ukuba uYehova achazwe ‘njengoThixo onoyolo.’ (1 Timoti 1:11) Kodwa kuvela umbuzo obalulekileyo. Ngaba ngokwenene uYehova uthanda umntu ngamnye? Oku kuza kuxutyushwa kwisahluko esilandelayo.