1, 2. UJesu ubuchitha kanjani ubusuku bokugcina nabaphostoli bakhe, futhi kungani le mizuzu yokugcina iyigugu kuye?

NJENGOBA ebizela abaphostoli bakhe ndawonye ekamelweni eliphezulu lendlu eseJerusalema, uJesu uyazi ukuthi lobu ubusuku bokugcina enabo. Sesisondele isikhathi sokuba abuyele kuYise. Sekusele amahora ambalwa nje abese eboshwa futhi ukholo lwakhe luvivinywe ngendlela olungakaze luvivinywe ngayo. Nokho, ngisho nalokhu kufa kwakhe okusondelayo akumenzi angazinaki izidingo zabaphostoli.

² UJesu usebalungiselele ukuhamba kwakhe abaphostoli, kodwa kusekuningi asafuna ukukusho ukuze abaqinisele okuseza. Ngakho uchitha le mizuzu yokugcina eyigugu ebafundisa izifundo ezisemqoka ezizobasiza bahlale bethembekile. Amazwi akhe aphakathi kwamazwi anemfudumalo nathinta inhliziyo kunawo wonke ake awasho kubo. Kungani kodwa uJesu ekhathazeke ngabaphostoli bakhe kunangaye? Kungani la mahora okugcina enabo eyigugu kangaka kuye? Ngelilodwa nje, impendulo uthando. Uthando lwakhe ngabo lujulile.

3. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJesu akalindanga kwaze kwaba ubusuku bakhe bokugcina ukuze abonise abalandeli bakhe uthando?

³ Ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka lapho umphostoli uJohane ethula ukulandisa kwakhe okuphefumulelwe kwezenzakalo zangalobo busuku, waloba: “Njengoba ayazi ngaphambi komkhosi wephasika ukuthi ihora lakhe lase lifikile ukuba ahambe kuleli zwe aye kuYise, uJesu ebathandile abakhe abasezweni, wabathanda kwaze kwaba sekupheleni.” (Johane 13:1) UJesu akalindanga kwaze kwaba yilobo busuku ukuze ababonise uthando “abakhe.” Kuyo yonke inkonzo yakhe, ngezindlela ezinkulu nezincane, wanikeza ubufakazi bothando lwakhe ngabafundi bakhe. Kuhle sihlole ezinye  zezindlela abonisa ngazo uthando ngoba uma simlingisa kulesi sici, sifakazela ukuthi singabafundi bakhe bangempela.

4, 5. (a) Kungani uJesu ayedinga isineke ekusebenzelaneni nabafundi bakhe? (b) UJesu wasabela kanjani lapho abathathu kubaphostoli bakhe behluleka ukulinda ensimini yaseGetsemane?

⁴ Uthando nesineke kuyahambisana. “Uthando luyabekezela,” kusho eyoku-1 Korinte 13:4, futhi ukubekezela kuhilela ukusebenzelana nabanye ngesineke. Ingabe uJesu wayesidinga isineke lapho esebenzelana nabafundi bakhe? Impela wayesidinga! Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 3, abaphostoli bephuza ukuhlakulela ukuthobeka. Baphikisana izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa bebanga ukuthi ubani omkhulu kunabo bonke phakathi kwabo. Wasabela kanjani uJesu? Ingabe wathukuthela wayesebathethisa noma wabazonda? Cha, wabonisana nabo ngesineke, ngisho nalapho kuvela “impikiswano evuthayo” ngale ndaba ngobusuku bokugcina enabo!—Luka 22:24-30; Mathewu 20:20-28; Marku 9:33-37.

⁵ Kamuva ngalobo busuku bokugcina, lapho uJesu eya ensimini yaseGetsemane nabaphostoli abathembekile abangu-11, isineke sakhe saphinde savivinywa. Washiya abaphostoli abangu-8 wathatha uPetru, uJakobe noJohane bangena phakathi nensimu. Wathi kubo: “Umphefumulo wami ulusizi kakhulu, kuze kube sekufeni. Hlalani lapha nilinde.” Waqhela kancane wayesethandaza ngokujulile. Esethandaze isikhathi eside, wabuyela kulabo baphostoli abathathu. Wabafica benzani? Kuleli hora lakhe lokuvivinywa okukhulu, babehuqa ubuthongo! Ingabe wabathethisa njengoba babengalindile? Cha, wabakhuthaza ngesineke. Amazwi akhe omusa ábonisa ukuthi uyakuqonda ukucindezeleka ababekukho nobuthakathaka babo. * Wathi: “Yebo, umoya uyalangazela,  kodwa inyama ibuthakathaka.” UJesu waqhubeka enesineke ngalobo busuku ngisho nalapho ebuya futhi ebathola belele, hhayi kanye kodwa kabili!—Mathewu 26:36-46.

6. Singamlingisa kanjani uJesu ekusebenzelaneni kwethu nabanye?

⁶ Kuyakhuthaza ukubona ukuthi uJesu akazange abadube abaphostoli bakhe. Isineke sakhe sagcina sithele izithelo ngoba la madoda athembekile akufunda ukubaluleka kokuthobeka nokuhlala ephapheme. (1 Petru 3:8; 4:7) Singamlingisa kanjani uJesu lapho sisebenzelana nabanye? Abadala ngokukhethekile kudingeka babe nesineke. Amanye amakholwa angase aye kumdala nezinkinga zawo ngesikhathi umdala ezikhathalele noma exinwe ezakhe izinkathazo. Ngezinye izikhathi labo abadinga usizo bangase bephuze ukusabela eselulekweni. Noma kunjalo, abadala abanesineke bayowuyala “ngobumnene” futhi ‘bawuphathe ngozwela umhlambi.’ (2 Thimothewu 2:24, 25; IzEnzo 20:28, 29) Kuhle nabazali balingise uJesu ekuboniseni isineke ngoba ngezinye izikhathi izingane zingase zephuze ukusabela lapho zelulekwa noma zikhuzwa. Uthando nesineke kuyosiza abazali ukuba bangadikibali emizamweni yokuqeqesha izingane zabo. Imivuzo yesineke esinjalo ingaba mikhulu ngempela.—IHubo 127:3.

7. UJesu wazinakekela ngaziphi izindlela izidingo ezingokwenyama zabafundi bakhe?

⁷ Uthando lubonakala ngezenzo ezingenabugovu. (1 Johane 3:17, 18) “Aluzifuneli izinzuzo zalo siqu.” (1 Korinte 13:5) Uthando lwenza uJesu wanakekela izidingo ezingokwenyama zabafundi bakhe. Wayevame ukubenzela okuthile bengakasho nokusho ukuthi badingani. Lapho ebona ukuthi bakhathele, wasikisela ukuba bahambe naye baye ‘ngasese endaweni engenabantu baphumule kancane.’ (Marku 6:31) Lapho ebona ukuthi balambile, wathatha isinyathelo sokubapha ukudla—kanye nezinkulungwane zabanye ababezomlalela efundisa.—Mathewu 14:19, 20; 15:35-37.

8, 9. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJesu wayeziqaphela izidingo ezingokomoya zabafundi bakhe futhi ezanelisa? (b) Lapho esesigxotsheni, uJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukukhathalela okujulile ngenhlalakahle kanina?

 ⁸ UJesu wayeziqaphela izidingo ezingokomoya zabafundi bakhe futhi ezanelisa. (Mathewu 4:4; 5:3) Lapho efundisa wayebanaka ngokukhethekile. INtshumayelo YaseNtabeni yethulwa ngokukhethekile ukuba izuzise abafundi bakhe. (Mathewu 5:1, 2, 13-16) Lapho efundisa ngemifanekiso, ‘wayezichaza zonke izinto ngasese kubafundi bakhe.’ (Marku 4:34) UJesu wabikezela ukuthi uyomisa “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi abalandeli bakhe bondliwa kahle ngokomoya phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina. Lesi sigaba senceku esakhiwa iqembu elincane labafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshwe ngomoya emhlabeni besilokhu sikukhipha ngokwethembeka “ukudla” okungokomoya “ngesikhathi esifanele” kusukela ngo-1919 C.E.​—⁠Mathewu 24:⁠45.

 ⁹ Ngosuku afa ngalo, uJesu wakubonisa ngendlela ethinta inhliziyo ukukhathalela kwakhe inhlalakahle engokomoya yabantu abathandayo. Bheka lesi simo ngeso lengqondo. UJesu usesigxotsheni uzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu. Ukuze adonse umoya, cishe kwakudingeka aphakamise umzimba wakhe ngokuzimelela ngezinyawo. Kumelwe ukuba wayezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu njengoba izipikili zivula amanxeba ezinyaweni zakhe nomhlane wakhe onemivimbo ukhuhleka esigxotsheni. Kumelwe ukuba kwakunzima futhi kubuhlungu ukukhuluma ngoba kuhilela ukudonsa umoya. Noma kunjalo, kwathi esezokufa, uJesu washo amazwi abonisa uthando lwakhe olujulile ngonina, uMariya. Ebona uMariya nomphostoli uJohane bemi eduze, ngezwi elazwiwa izibukeli, uJesu wathi kunina: “Sifazane, bheka! Indodana yakho!” KuJohane wathi: “Bheka! Unyoko!” (Johane 19:26, 27) UJesu wayazi ukuthi lo mphostoli othembekile wayengeke nje agcine ngokunakekela izidingo  zikaMariya ezingokwenyama kuphela kodwa nezingokomoya. *

10. Abazali bangamlingisa kanjani uJesu lapho benakekela izidingo zezingane zabo?

¹⁰ Abazali abakhathalelayo bakuthola kuyinzuzo ukucabanga ngesibonelo sikaJesu. Ubaba owuthanda ngempela umkhaya wakhe uyowunakekela ngezinto ezibonakalayo. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Izinhloko zemikhaya ezilinganiselayo nezinothando zenza ithuba lokuphumula nokuzilibazisa. Okubaluleke kakhulu, abazali abangamaKristu banelisa izidingo ezingokomoya zabantababo. Kanjani? Bahlela ukuba kube nesifundo seBhayibheli somkhaya esiqhutshwa njalo, futhi bazama ukwenza lezi zikhathi zibe ezakhayo nezimnandi ezinganeni. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Ngamazwi nangesibonelo, bafundisa izingane zabo ukuthi inkonzo ibalulekile nokuthi ukulungiselela imihlangano yobuKristu nokuba khona kuyo kuyingxenye ebalulekile yesimiso esingokomoya.—Hebheru 10:24, 25.

11. UJesu wabafundisani abalandeli bakhe ngentethelelo?

¹¹ Ukuthethelela kuyisici sothando. (Kolose 3:13, 14) Uthando “alunamagqubu,” kusho eyoku-1 Korinte 13:5. UJesu wabafundisa kaningi abalandeli bakhe ukubaluleka kokuthethelela. Wabakhuthaza ukuba bathethelele abanye hhayi “Kuze kube kasikhombisa, kodwa, Kuze kube izikhathi ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa”—okusho ukuthi isikhathi esingapheli. (Mathewu 18:21, 22) Wabafundisa ukuthi isoni kufanele sithethelelwe uma siphenduka ngemva kokusolwa. (Luka 17:3, 4) Nokho, uJesu wayengafani nabaFarisi abangabazenzisi ababefundisa ngomlomo kuphela; yena wafundisa nangesibonelo. (Mathewu 23:2-4) Ake sibone  indlela uJesu abonisa ngayo ukuzimisela ukuthethelela ngisho nalapho umngane wakhe ayemethemba emdumaza.

12, 13. (a) UPetru wamdumaza ngayiphi indlela uJesu ngobusuku aboshwa ngabo? (b) Okwenziwa uJesu lapho esevusiwe kwacacisa kanjani ukuthi wenza okungaphezu kokushumayela intethelelo?

¹² UJesu wayesondelene kakhulu nomphostoli uPetru, indoda eyayinenhliziyo enhle kodwa eyayinamawala ngezinye izikhathi. UJesu wazibona izimfanelo ezinhle zikaPetru, wamnika amalungelo akhethekile. UPetru kanye noJakobe noJohane, bazibonela ngawabo izimangaliso ezithile abangazibonanga abanye babangu-12. (Mathewu 17:1, 2; Luka 8:49-55) Njengoba sifundile ngaphambili, uPetru wayengomunye wabaphostoli abahamba noJesu bangena phakathi nensimu yaseGetsemane ngobusuku bokuboshwa kwaKhe. Kepha ngabo lobo busuku uJesu akhashelwa ngabo futhi waboshwa, uPetru nabanye abaphostoli bamhlamuka uJesu babaleka. Kamuva, uPetru waba nesibindi wama ngaphandle ngenkathi uJesu equliswa icala ngokungemthetho. Kodwa uPetru wabuye wafikelwa ukwesaba wayesenza iphutha elibi kakhulu—waqamba amanga kathathu wathi akamazi nhlobo uJesu! (Mathewu 26:69-75) Wasabela kanjani uJesu? Wena wawungasabela kanjani uma umngane wakho omkhulu ekudumaza ngale ndlela?

¹³ UJesu wayekulungele ukuthethelela uPetru. Wayazi ukuthi uPetru wayeshayekile ngenxa yobunzima besono sakhe. Lo mphostoli ophendukile “waqhumuka wakhala” ngenxa yaso. (Marku 14:72) Ngosuku avuswa ngalo, uJesu waya kuPetru cishe eyomduduza futhi amqinisekise. (Luka 24:34; 1 Korinte 15:5) Zingakapheli izinyanga ezimbili ngemva kwalokhu, uJesu wanikeza uPetru ilungelo lokuba ahole ekufakazeni ezixukwini eJerusalema ngosuku lwePhentekoste. (IzEnzo 2:14-40) Masikhumbule nokuthi uJesu akazange ababambele igqubu abaphostoli bebonke ngenxa yokumhlamuka. Kunalokho, lapho esevusiwe wababiza ngokuthi “bafowethu.” (Mathewu 28:10) Akuve yini kusobala ukuthi uJesu wenza okungaphezu kokushumayela intethelelo?

14. Kungani kudingeka sifunde ukuthethelela abanye, futhi singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sikulungele ukuthethelela?

 ¹⁴ Njengabafundi bakaKristu, kudingeka sifunde ukuthethelela abanye. Ngani? Ngokungafani noJesu, thina asiphelele—njengoba benjalo nalabo abangase basone. Sonke siye sikhubeke ngezwi nangesenzo. (Roma 3:23; Jakobe 3:2) Ngokuthethelela abanye uma kunesizathu sesihe, sisuke sivula indlela yokuba uNkulunkulu asithethelele ezethu izono. (Marku 11:25) Singabonisa kanjani-ke ukuthi sikulungele ukuthethelela abantu abangase basone? Ezimweni eziningi uthando lusisiza ukuba singazinaki izono ezincane nokushiyeka kwabanye. (1 Petru 4:8) Uma labo abasonile bephenduka ngobuqotho, njengoPetru, ngokuqinisekile siyofuna ukulingisa ukuzimisela kukaJesu ukuthethelela. Kunokubamba igqubu, ngokuhlakanipha sikhetha ukungabe sisabacasukela. (Efesu 4:32) Ngokwenza kanjalo, sinikela ekuthuleni kwebandla kanye nasekuthuleni kwethu kwengqondo nenhliziyo.—1 Petru 3:11.

15. Kungani uJesu ayebethemba abafundi bakhe naphezu kokungapheleli kwabo?

¹⁵ Uthando nokwethemba kuyahambisana. Uthando “lukholelwa yizo zonke izinto.” * (1 Korinte 13:7) Eshukunyiswa uthando, uJesu wabonisa ukuzimisela ukwethemba abafundi bakhe naphezu kokungapheleli kwabo. Wayebethemba futhi ekholelwa ukuthi bamthanda ngempela uJehova ezinhliziyweni zabo nokuthi bayafuna ukwenza intando yaKhe. Nalapho benza amaphutha, uJesu akazange azingabaze izisusa zabo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abaphostoli uJakobe noJohane bethi unina akabacelele ukuba bahlale ngapha nangapha kukaJesu eMbusweni wakhe, uJesu  akakungabazanga ukwethembeka kwabo noma abayekise ukuba abaphostoli.—Mathewu 20:20-28.

16, 17. Yimiphi imithwalo yemfanelo uJesu ayiphathise abafundi bakhe?

¹⁶ UJesu wabonisa ukubethemba abafundi bakhe ngokubaphathisa imithwalo yemfanelo ehlukahlukene. Ezikhathini ezimbili andisa ngazo ukudla ngokuyisimangaliso wapha izixuku, wacela abafundi bakhe ukuba babe loko kudla. (Mathewu 14:19; 15:36) Lapho elungiselela iPhasika lakhe lokugcina, wabela uPetru noJohane ukuba baye eJerusalema bayolilungiselela. Bathola imvu, iwayini, isinkwa esingenamvubelo, imifino ebabayo nokunye okwakudingeka. Kwakungesona isabelo esincane lesi ngoba ukugubha iPhasika ngendlela efanele kwakuyimfuneko yoMthetho KaMose, futhi uJesu kwakudingeka enze okushiwo yilowo Mthetho. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kamuva ngalobo busuku uJesu wasebenzisa iwayini nesinkwa esingenamvubelo njengezifanekiselo ezibalulekile lapho emisa iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe.—Mathewu 26:17-19; Luka 22:8, 13.

¹⁷ UJesu wakubona kufaneleka ukuphathisa abafundi bakhe imithwalo yemfanelo ebaluleke kakhudlwana. Njengoba sibonile ngaphambili, waphathisa iqembu elincane labalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe emhlabeni umthwalo obalulekile wokukhipha ukudla okungokomoya. (Luka 12:42-44) Khumbula nokuthi waphathisa abafundi bakhe umyalo obalulekile wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi. (Mathewu 28:18-20) Ngisho kwamanje, yize engabonakali futhi ebusa ezulwini, uJesu uphathisa “izipho ezingabantu” ezifanelekayo ngokomoya ukuba zinakekele ibandla lakhe emhlabeni.—Efesu 4:8, 11, 12.

18-20. (a) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyabethemba esikholwa nabo? (b) Singakulingisa kanjani ukuzimisela kukaJesu ukuphathisa abanye? (c) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Singasilandela kanjani isibonelo sikaJesu ekusebenzelaneni kwethu nabanye? Ukubonisa ukuthi siyabethemba esikholwa nabo kuwuphawu lokuthi sinothando. Masikhumbule ukuthi uthando lubona okuhle kubantu hhayi okubi.  Lapho abanye besidumaza, okuyokwenzeka ngezikhathi ezithile, uthando luyosenza singasheshi siphethe ngokuthi banezisusa ezimbi. (Mathewu 7:1, 2) Uma sinombono omuhle ngesikholwa nabo, siyobaphatha ngezindlela ezibakhayo kunezibalimazayo.—1 Thesalonika 5:11.

¹⁹ Singakulingisa yini ukuzimisela kukaJesu ukuphathisa abanye? Kuyabazuzisa labo abasezikhundleni ebandleni ukuphathisa abanye imisebenzi ebafanele nenenjongo, babethembe ukuthi bazoyenza kahle. Ngokwenza kanjalo abadala abanokuhlangenwe nakho bangazinikeza ukuqeqeshwa okudingekayo nokuwusizo izinsizwa ezifanelekayo ‘ezizama’ ukuba usizo ebandleni. (1 Thimothewu 3:1; 2 Thimothewu 2:2) Lokhu kuqeqeshwa kusemqoka. Njengoba uJehova eqhubeka esheshisa ukwanda komsebenzi woMbuso, kuzodingeka kuqeqeshwe amadoda afanelekayo ukuze anakekele ukwanda.—Isaya 60:22.

²⁰ UJesu wasinikeza isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokubonisa abanye uthando. Kuzo zonke izindlela esingamlingisa ngazo, ebaluleke kunazo zonke ukulingisa uthando lwakhe. Esahlukweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngendlela enkulu kakhulu asibonisa ngayo uthando—ukuzimisela kwakhe ukunikela ngokuphila kwakhe.