1, 2. Yini umphostoli uJohane ayembula ngobusuku bokugcina uJesu abuchitha nabaphostoli bakhe?

INDODA endala icobhoza usiba lwayo kuyinki, kuningi ekukhumbulayo. Igama layo uJohane, futhi ingumphostoli kaJesu Kristu wokugcina osaphila. Manje njengoba eseneminyaka engaba yikhulu, uJohane ucabanga ngobusuku angasoze abulibala eminyakeni engaba amashumi ayisikhombisa edlule—ubusuku bokugcina yena nabanye abaphostoli ababuchitha noJesu ngaphambi kokufa kwaKhe. Eqondiswa umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, uJohane ukwazi ukukhumbula nokuloba ngokuningiliziwe lokho okwenzeka.

² Ngalobo busuku, uJesu wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi ngokushesha wayezobulawa. NguJohane kuphela owembula ukuthi kungani uJesu athi wayezovuma ukuba abulawe kabuhlungu kangaka: “Ukuze izwe lazi ukuthi ngiyamthanda uBaba, njengoba nje uBaba enginike umyalo, ngenza kanjalo. Sukumani, masihambe lapha.”—Johane 14:31.

3. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyamthanda uYise?

³ “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” Akukho okwakubaluleke ngaphezu kwalokhu kuJesu. Akukhona ukuthi wayeyiphindaphinda njalo le nkulumo. Empeleni, uJohane 14:31 uwukuphela kwendawo ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli lapho sithola khona uJesu ekusho ngokuthé ngqo kanjena ukuthi uyamthanda uYise. Kepha uJesu waphila ngokuvumelana nalawo mazwi. Uthando lwakhe ngoJehova lwalubonakala nsuku zonke. Isibindi sikaJesu, ukulalela nokukhuthazela kwakhe, konke kwakuwubufakazi bothando lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu. Yonke inkonzo yakhe yayisekelwe kulolu thando.

4, 5. IBhayibheli likhuthaza luphi uhlobo lothando, futhi yini engashiwo ngothando lukaJesu ngoJehova?

⁴ Namuhla, abanye bangase bacabange ukuthi uthando  imfanelo ebonisa ubuthaka. Bangase bacabange ngezinkondlo nezingoma zothando, noma mhlawumbe nangobuze obuye buhlotshaniswe nothando lwezithandani ngezinye izikhathi. IBhayibheli liyakhuluma ngothando lwezithandani, kodwa ngendlela ehloniphekile kunevamile namuhla. (IzAga 5:15-21) Nokho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu likhuluma kakhulu ngolunye uhlobo lothando. Lolu thando aluwona nje umuzwa noma umzwelo odlulayo; lube lungeyona nendlela yokwenza engenamizwelo, ehilela ingqondo yodwa. Luhilela kokubili inhliziyo nengqondo. Lolu thando lusuka ngaphakathi kumuntu, luqondiswa futhi luvumelane nezimiso eziphakeme, lubonakaliswa nangezenzo ezinhle. Akulona neze olokuthatheka. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Uthando alusoze lwaphela nanini.”—1 Korinte 13:8.

⁵ Kubo bonke abantu abake baphila, uJesu ubedlula bonke ngokuthanda uJehova. Akekho owake wadlula uJesu ngokuphila ngamazwi awacaphuna yena ngokwakhe wathi awumyalo kaNkulunkulu omkhulu kunayo yonke: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho nangawo onke amandla akho.” (Marku 12:30) UJesu walwakha kanjani uthando olunjalo? Walugcina kanjani uthando lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu luqinile ngenkathi elapha emhlabeni? Futhi singamlingisa kanjani?

6, 7. Sazi kanjani ukuthi izAga 8:22-31 zichaza iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, hhayi nje imfanelo yokuhlakanipha?

⁶ Wake wayenza into ethile nomngane wakho, wabe usuthola ukuthi seniye naba abangane abangcono nabasondelene ngokwengeziwe? Lowo muzwa ojabulisayo ungakunikeza umbono wothando olwakheka phakathi kukaJehova neNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa. Sesibhekisele izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa encwadini yezAga 8:30, kodwa ake silibhekisise leli vesi ngokomongo walo. Emavesini 22 kuya ku-31, sithola  incazelo ephefumulelwe yokuhlakanipha okwenziwe samuntu. Sazi kanjani ukuthi la mazwi abhekisele eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu?

⁷Evesini 22, ukuhlakanipha kuthi: “UJehova wangenza ngingukuqala kwendlela yakhe, owokuqala kuyo yonke imisebenzi yakhe yakudala.” Kumelwe ukuba kuhileleke okungaphezu kokuhlakanipha lapha, ngoba le mfanelo ayikaze ‘yenziwe.’ Ayizange ibe nesiqalo ngoba uJehova ubelokhu ekhona futhi ubelokhu ehlakaniphile. (IHubo 90:2) Nokho, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ‘yayiyizibulo layo yonke indalo.’ Yenziwa noma yadalwa; yayingeyokuqala ezintweni uJehova azenza. (Kolose 1:15) INdodana yayikhona ngaphambi komhlaba namazulu, njengoba izAga zichaza. NjengoLizwi, uMkhulumeli kaNkulunkulu uqobo, yayiwukubonakaliswa okuphelele kokuhlakanipha kukaJehova.—Johane 1:1.

8. INdodana yayenzani ingakaphili njengomuntu, futhi yini esingase sicabange ngayo lapho sibuka indalo ngokwazisa?

⁸ INdodana yayenzani phakathi neminyakanyaka ngaphambi kokuba ize emhlabeni? Ivesi 30 lisitshela ukuthi yayiseceleni kukaNkulunkulu ‘njengesisebenzi esiyingcweti.’ Kusho ukuthini lokhu? EyabaseKolose 1:16 iyachaza: “Kwadalwa ngayo zonke ezinye izinto emazulwini nasemhlabeni . . . Zonke ezinye izinto zidalwe ngayo futhi zadalelwa yona.” Ngakho uJehova, uMdali, wasebenzisa iNdodana yakhe, iSisebenzi esiyiNgcweti, ukuze adale zonke ezinye izidalwa—kusukela ezidalweni zomoya endaweni yasezulwini kuye emkhathini omkhulukazi, nasemhlabeni onezinhlobonhlobo ezimangalisayo zezitshalo nezilwane, kuze kufike esidalweni esiphakeme kunazo zonke emhlabeni: umuntu. Ngezindlela ezithile, singase sifanise lokhu kubambisana kukaBaba neNdodana nalokho okuba phakathi komdwebi wamapulani nomakhi, owenza ipulani edwetshiwe ibe yinto engokoqobo. Lapho sibamba ongezansi ngenxa yendalo, empeleni sisuke sidumisa uMdwebi Wamapulani Omkhulu. (IHubo 19:1) Singase sicabange nangokubambisana osekuthathe isikhathi eside  nokujabulisayo phakathi koMdali ‘nesisebenzi’ sakhe “esiyingcweti.”

9, 10. (a) Yini eyaqinisa isibopho phakathi kukaJehova neNdodana yakhe? (b) Yini engaqinisa isibopho phakathi kwakho noYihlo osezulwini?

⁹ Lapho abantu ababili abangaphelele besebenza ndawonye, ngezinye izikhathi abezwani kahle. Akunjalo ngoJehova neNdodana yakhe! INdodana yasebenza iminyakanyaka noYise futhi ‘yayithokoza phambi kwakhe ngaso sonke isikhathi.’ (IzAga 8:30) Yebo, yayikujabulela ukuba noYise, noYise wayezizwa ngendlela efanayo. Njengokulindelekile, iNdodana yaya ifana kakhulu noYise, ifunda ukulingisa izimfanelo zaKhe. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi isibopho phakathi kukaBaba neNdodana saqina kangaka! Kungashiwo kufanele ukuthi yisibopho sothando esidala nesiqine kunazo zonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni.

¹⁰ Nokho, kusho ukuthini lokhu kithina? Ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi awusoze wakwazi ukwakha isibopho esinjalo noJehova. Kuyavunywa, akekho kithi onesikhundla esiphakeme njengeseNdodana. Noma kunjalo, sinethuba elimangalisayo. Khumbula, uJesu wasondelana noYise ngokusebenza naye. Ngothando, uJehova usinikeza ithuba lokuba “yizisebenzi ezikanye” naye. (1 Korinte 3:9) Njengoba silandela isibonelo sikaJesu ensimini, kufanele sikukhumbule ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuthi siyizisebenzi ezikanye noNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, isibopho sothando esisenza sibe munye noJehova siqina ngokwengeziwe. Uthi likhona nje ilungelo elidlula leli?

11-13. (a) Kungani kusiza ukucabanga ngothando njengento ephilayo, futhi uJesu omncane walugcina kanjani uthando lwakhe ngoJehova luqinile? (b) INdodana kaNkulunkulu yasibonisa kanjani isithakazelo sokufunda kuJehova, kokubili ngaphambi kokuza emhlabeni nanjengomuntu kamuva?

¹¹ Ngezindlela eziningi, kuyasiza ukucabanga ngothando  olusezinhliziyweni zethu njengento ephilayo. Njengembali enhle, uthando ludinga ukondliwa nokunakekelwa ukuze lukhule luchume. Uma lunganakwa, lungondliwa, luba buthaka futhi lufe. UJesu akazange aluthathe kalula uthando lwakhe ngoJehova. Walugcina luqinile futhi luphila phakathi naso sonke isikhathi elapha emhlabeni. Ake sibone ukuthi wakwenza kanjani.

¹² Awuphinde ucabange ngesikhathi uJesu omncane ekhuluma ngoJehova ethempelini eJerusalema. Khumbula amazwi akhe kubazali bakhe ababekhathazekile: “Kungani kuye kwadingeka nihambe ningifuna? Beningazi yini ukuthi kumelwe ngibe sendlini kaBaba?” (Luka 2:49) Njengomfana omncane, ngokusobala uJesu wayengakakukhumbuli ukuphila kwakhe kwangaphambi kokuba umuntu. Noma kunjalo, uthando lwakhe ngoYise, uJehova, lwalunamandla. Wayazi ukuthi uthando olunjalo lubonakaliswa kahle ngokukhulekela. Ngakho ayikho indawo emhlabeni uJesu ayeyithanda njengendlu kaYise yokukhulekela okumsulwa. Wayekulangazelela ukuba kuyo futhi engafuni ukuhamba khona. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wayengesona nje isibukeli. Wayemagange ukufunda ngoJehova nokusho ayekwazi. Imizwa enjalo ayiqalanga noma yaphela lapho eneminyaka engu-12.

¹³ Ngaphambi kokuba iphile njengomuntu, iNdodana yayifunde ngokuzimisela kuYise. Isiprofetho esilotshwe ku-Isaya 50:4-6 sembula ukuthi uJehova wanikeza iNdodana yakhe imfundo ekhethekile ngendima yayo njengoMesiya. Nakuba leyo mfundo yayihlanganisa ukufunda ngobunzima obabuyokwehlela oGcotshiweyo kaJehova, iNdodana yafunda ngokuzimisela. Kamuva, lapho uJesu esefikile emhlabeni wakhula waba indoda, wayelokhu ezimisele ukuya endlini kaYise futhi ahlanganyele ekukhulekeleni nasekufundeni uJehova ayefuna kuqhutshwe lapho. IBhayibheli libika ukuthi uJesu wayeba khona ngokwethembeka ethempelini nasesinagogeni. (Luka 4:16; 19:47) Uma sifuna ukugcina uthando lwethu ngoJehova luphila futhi luchuma, kudingeka sikhuthalele ukuya  emihlanganweni yobuKristu, lapho sikhulekela khona uJehova futhi sijulise khona ulwazi nokwazisa kwethu ngaye.

14, 15. (a) Kungani uJesu ayefuna ukuba yedwa? (b) Imithandazo kaJesu kuYise yakubonisa kanjani ukusondelana nenhlonipho?

¹⁴ UJesu futhi wagcina uthando lwakhe ngoJehova luqinile ngokuthandaza njalo. Nakuba ayenobungane, engumuntu wabantu, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi wayekwazisa ukuba yedwa. Ngokwesibonelo, uLuka 5:16 uthi: “Waqhubeka eyedwa ezingwadule futhi ethandaza.” Ngokufanayo, uMathewu 14:23 uthi: “Ekugcineni, esezimukisile izixuku, wakhuphukela entabeni eyedwa ukuze ayothandaza. Nakuba isikhathi sase sihambile, wayelapho yedwa.” UJesu wafuna ukuba yedwa lapha nangezinye izikhathi, hhayi ngoba engunkom’ idla yodwa noma engathandi ukuba nabantu, kodwa ngoba wayefuna ukuba yedwa noJehova, efuna ukukhuluma ngokukhululekile noYise ngomthandazo.

¹⁵ Lapho ethandaza, uJesu ngezinye izikhathi wayesebenzisa inkulumo ethi “Abba, Baba.” (Marku 14:36) Osukwini lukaJesu, elithi “Abba” kwakuyigama lomkhaya elisho ukuthi “baba,” elalibonisa ukusondelana. Laliphakathi kwamagama ingane eyayiqala ngawo ukukhuluma. Nokho, lalibonisa inhlonipho. Nakuba leli gama lalibonisa ukusondelana kweNdodana ikhuluma noYise, lalibonisa nenhlonipho ejulile ngegunya likaJehova lokuba ubaba. Lokhu kusondelana nenhlonipho kubonakala kuyo yonke imithandazo kaJesu elotshiwe. Ngokwesibonelo, kuJohane isahluko 17, umphostoli uJohane waloba umthandazo kaJesu omude osuka enhliziyweni awenza ngobusuku bakhe bokugcina. Kusithinta ngempela ukuhlola lo mthandazo futhi kusemqoka ukuba siwulingise—hhayi ngokuphindaphinda amazwi kaJesu, kodwa ngokuthola izindlela zokukhuluma ngokusuka enhliziyweni noBaba wethu osezulwini kaningi ngangokunokwenzeka. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyogcina uthando lwethu ngaye luphila futhi luqinile.

16, 17. (a) UJesu walubonisa kanjani ngamazwi uthando lwakhe ngoYise? (b) UJesu waveza kanjani ukuthi uYise uyephana?

 ¹⁶ Njengoba siphawulile ngaphambili, uJesu akazange awasho ngokuphindaphindiwe amazwi athi “ngiyamthanda uBaba.” Kodwa ezikhathini eziningi walubonisa uthando lwakhe ngoYise ngamazwi. Kanjani? UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Ngikudumisa obala, Baba, Nkosi yezulu nomhlaba.” (Mathewu 11:25) Lapho sifunda iNgxenye 2 yale ncwadi, sibonile ukuthi uJesu wayethanda ukudumisa uYise ngokusiza abantu ukuba bamazi. Ngokwesibonelo, wafanisa uJehova nobaba omagange ukuthethelela indodana yakhe enhlanhlathayo kangangokuba walindela ukubuya kwendodana yakhe ephendukile, wayibona isekude, wagijima wayihlangabeza, wayanga. (Luka 15:20) Ubani ongafunda le ndima kodwa angathintwa indlela uJesu aveza ngayo uthando nokuthethelela kukaJehova?

¹⁷ UJesu wayevamile ukudumisa uYise ngokuphana kwakhe. Wasebenzisa isibonelo sabazali abangaphelele ukuze abonise ukuthi singaqiniseka kangakanani ngokuthi uBaba wethu uyosinika umoya ongcwele esiwudingayo. (Luka 11:13) UJesu futhi wakhuluma ngethemba uYise alinikeza ngokukhululekile. UJesu walichaza ngokulangazela ithemba ayenalo lokubuyiselwa endaweni yakhe eceleni kukaYise ezulwini. (Johane 14:28; 17:5) Watshela abalandeli bakhe ngethemba uJehova aligcinele ‘umhlambi omncane’ kaKristu—ithemba lokuphila ezulwini nokubusa kanye neNkosi enguMesiya. (Luka 12:32; Johane 14:2) Waduduza nomenzi wobubi owayesefa ngethemba lokuphila ePharadesi. (Luka 23:43) Ukukhuluma ngokupha okukhulu kukaYise ngale ndlela ngokuqinisekile kwasiza uJesu wagcina uthando lwakhe ngoJehova luqinile. Abalandeli bakaKristu abaningi baye bathola ukuthi ayikho into eqinisa uthando lwabo ngoJehova noma ukholo lwabo kuye, njengokukhuluma ngaye kanye nethemba alinikeza abamthandayo.

18. Iyiphi indlela ebaluleke kunazo zonke okudingeka silandele ngayo uJesu, futhi ngani?

¹⁸ Kuzo zonke izindlela okudingeka silandele uJesu ngazo,  ayikho ebaluleke ukwedlula le: Kumelwe sithande uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla. (Luka 10:27) Ubukhulu balolu thando abubonakali nje ngamandla emizwa yethu kodwa bubonakala nangezenzo zethu. UJesu akaneliswanga nje umuzwa wokuthi uyamthanda uYise noma ngokusho amazwi athi, “ngiyamthanda uBaba.” Wathi: “Ukuze izwe lazi ukuthi ngiyamthanda uBaba, njengoba nje uBaba enginike umyalo, ngenza kanjalo.” (Johane 14:31) USathane wayegomele ngokuthi akekho umuntu ongakhonza uJehova eshukunyiswa uthando olungenabugovu. (Jobe 2:4, 5) Ukuze anikeze impendulo engcono kunazo zonke ekunyundeleni kukaSathane okunonya, uJesu ngesibindi wabonisa izwe ukuthi umthanda kangakanani uYise. Walalela kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe. Ingabe wena uyomlandela uJesu? Uyolibonisa yini izwe ukuthi umthanda ngempela uJehova uNkulunkulu?

19, 20. (a) Yiziphi izizathu ezibalulekile ezisenza sifune ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu? (b) Singasibheka kanjani isifundo somuntu siqu, ukuzindla nokuthandaza?

¹⁹ Sinesidingo esikhulu esingokomoya sokubonisa uthando olunjalo. Ngakho uJehova uye wahlela ukuba sikhulekele ngendlela eyogcina uthando lwethu ngoBaba wethu londlekile futhi luqinile. Lapho usemihlanganweni yobuKristu, zama ukukhumbula ukuthi ulapho ngenjongo yokukhulekela uNkulunkulu wakho. Lokhu kukhulekela kuhlanganisa ukuhlanganyela emthandazweni osuka enhliziyweni, ukucula izingoma zokudumisa, ukulalelisisa kanye nokuphendula uma kungenzeka. Imihlangano enjalo ikunikeza nethuba lokukhuthaza amanye amaKristu. (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Ukukhulekela uJehova njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu kuyokusiza ukuba uqhubeke ukhula othandweni lwakho ngoNkulunkulu.

²⁰ Kungashiwo okufanayo nangesifundo somuntu siqu, ukuzindla nokuthandaza. Bheka lezi zinto njengamathuba okuba wedwa noJehova. Lapho utadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe futhi uzindla ngalo, uJehova usuke edlulisela  imiqondo yakhe kuwe. Lapho uthandaza, umvulela inhliziyo yakho. Khumbula ukuthi ukuthandaza kuhilela okungaphezu kokumane ucele izinto kuNkulunkulu. Umthandazo ubuye ube ithuba lokubonga uJehova ngezibusiso ozitholile kanye nokumdumisa ngemisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo. (IHubo 146:1) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukudumisa uJehova obala ngenjabulo nangomdlandla kuyindlela enhle kakhulu yokubonga uJehova nokubonisa ukuthi uyamthanda.

21. Lubaluleke kangakanani uthando ngoJehova, futhi yini esizoyicabangela ezahlukweni ezizolandela?

²¹ Uthando ngoNkulunkulu luyisihluthulelo senjabulo yakho yaphakade. Yilo nje kuphela u-Adamu no-Eva ababeludinga ukuze baphumelele—futhi iyona nto abahluleka ukuyihlakulela. Iyona nto ebaluleke ukuzedlula zonke oyidingayo ukuze unqobe noma yiluphi uvivinyo lokholo lwakho, ukuze wenqabe isilingo noma ukhuthazelele uvivinyo. Luyisona sici esibalulekile sokuba umlandeli kaJesu. Yebo, ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kuhlobene nokuthanda abanye abantu. (1 Johane 4:20) Ezahlukweni ezizolandela, sizohlola indlela uJesu abonisa ngayo uthando ngabantu. Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizocabangela ukuthi yini eyenza uJesu wangeneka kangaka kubantu abaningi.