1-3. UJesu ungena kanjani eJerusalema, futhi kungani abanye ezibukelini bengase bamangale?

EJERUSALEMA kuyachwaza yinjabulo. Kuza umuntu omkhulu! Ngaphandle komuzi abantu bayizixongololo emgwaqweni. Bamagange ukwamukela lo muntu ngoba abanye bathi uyindlalifa yeNkosi uDavide noMbusi ofanelekayo ka-Israyeli. Abaningana bafika bephethe amagatsha esundu abazombingelela ngawo; abanye bendlala izingubo namagatsha emgwaqweni ukuze ahambe endleleni ekahle. (Mathewu 21:7, 8; Johane 12:12, 13) Cishe abaningi bayazibuza ukuthi uzongena kanjani.

² Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye balindele ukuba angene ngendlela ewubukhazikhazi. Angithi bayabazi abantu ababalulekile abangena ngendlela ebabazekayo. Ngokwesibonelo, indodana kaDavide u-Absalomu yazibeka inkosi; yayala ukuba amadoda angu-50 agijime phambi kwenqola yayo. (2 Samuweli 15:1, 10) Umbusi ongumRoma, uJulius Caesar, yena wafuna ukwenza okungaphezu kwalokho; wake wahola udwendwe lokunqoba wenyukela esakhiweni sombuso waseRoma ephahlwe izindlovu ezingu-40 zilengise izibani! Nokho, manje abantu baseJerusalema balindele umuntu omkhulu kakhulu kunalaba. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izixuku ziyaqonda noma cha, nguMesiya lo, umuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke owake waphila. Kodwa lapho ifika le Nkosi yesikhathi esizayo, abanye bangase bamangale.

³ Ababoni nqola, ababoni bagijimi, ababoni mahhashi—ababoni kwazindlovu. Cha, uJesu uzigibelele isilwane esithwalayo esiphansi, imbongolo. * Yena nesilwane asigibele abavunulile  ngezingubo zikanokusho. Kunokuba ahlale esihlalweni esibizayo, uhlezi phezu kwezingubo abalandeli bakhe abaseduze abazendlale emhlane walesi silwane. Kungani uJesu ekhetha ukungena eJerusalema ngendlela ephansi kangaka, kuyilapho abantukazana bona beye bafuna ukungena ngendumezulu yomkhosi?

4. IBhayibheli labikezelani ngendlela iNkosi enguMesiya eyayiyongena ngayo eJerusalema?

⁴ UJesu ugcwalisa lesi siprofetho: “Jabula kakhulu . . . Memeza ngokunqoba ndodakazi yaseJerusalema. Bheka! Inkosi yakho iza kuwe. Ilungile, yebo, isindisiwe; ithobekile, igibele imbongolo.” (Zakariya 9:9) Lesi siprofetho sabonisa ukuthi oGcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu, uMesiya, ngelinye ilanga wayeyozambula kubantu baseJerusalema njengeNkosi emiswe uNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, yona kanye indlela ayeyokwenza ngayo lokho, nesilwane ayeyokhetha ukusigibela, kwakuyokwembula imfanelo enhle yenhliziyo yakhe—ukuthobeka.

5. Kungani kusithinta ngokujulile ukucabanga ngokuthobeka kukaJesu, futhi kungani kusemqoka ukuba sifunde ukulingisa uJesu kule ndaba?

⁵ Ukuthobeka kukaJesu kungenye yezimfanelo zakhe ezithandeka kakhulu, esithinta ngokujulile uma sicabanga ngayo. Njengoba sixoxile esahlukweni esingaphambili, uJesu uyena kuphela ‘oyindlela neqiniso nokuphila.’ (Johane 14:6) Ngokusobala, ezindimbaneni zabantu ezake zaphila kulo mhlaba, akekho noyedwa osondela nokusondela eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu ngokubaluleka. Noma kunjalo, uJesu akabonisanga nokuncane ukuqhosha, ukuzidla noma ukuziphakamisa okuhlupha abantu abaningi abangaphelele. Ukuze sibe abalandeli bakaKristu, kudingeka silwe nokuthambekela kokuqhosha. (Jakobe 4:6) Khumbula, uJehova uyakuzonda ukuzidla. Ngakho-ke kusemqoka ukuba sifunde ukulingisa ukuthobeka kukaJesu.

6. Kuyini ukuthobeka, futhi uJehova wazi kanjani ukuthi uMesiya wayeyothobeka?

⁶ Ukuthobeka ukuzibeka phansi, ukungazidli noma ukungaqhoshi. Yimfanelo eqala enhliziyweni futhi ibonakala enkulumweni yomuntu, ekuziphatheni kwakhe nasekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabanye. UJehova wayazi kanjani ukuthi uMesiya uyothobeka? Wayazi ukuthi iNdodana yakhe yayibonakalisa isibonelo sakhe esiphelele sokuthobeka. (Johane 10:15) Wayekubonile futhi ukuthobeka kweNdodana yakhe. Kanjani?

7-9. (a) UMikayeli wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka lapho ephikisana noSathane? (b) AmaKristu angamlingisa kanjani uMikayeli ekuboniseni ukuthobeka?

⁷ Incwadi kaJude inesibonelo esithakazelisayo: “Lapho uMikayeli ingelosi eyinhloko eba nokungezwani noDeveli futhi bephikisana ngesidumbu sikaMose, akazange alokothe amahlulele ngamazwi ahlambalazayo, kodwa wathi: ‘Kwangathi uJehova angakukhuza.’” (Jude 9) Elithi Mikayeli yigama elisebenza kuJesu—ngaphambi nangemva kokuphila kwakhe emhlabeni—endimeni yakhe njengengelosi eyinhloko, noma inhloko yebutho lezingelosi zikaJehova zasezulwini. * (1 Thesalonika 4:16) Nokho, phawula indlela uMikayeli ayisingatha ngayo le ngxabano noSathane.

⁸ Ukulandisa kukaJude akusitsheli ukuthi uSathane wayefuna ukwenzani ngesidumbu sikaMose, kodwa singaqiniseka ukuthi wayehlose ukwenza okubi. Mhlawumbe wayefuna ukukhuthaza ukuba isidumbu salo muntu othembekile sisetshenziswe kabi ekukhulekeleni kwamanga. Nakuba uMikayeli alishafisa icebo elibi likaSathane, wabonisa nokuzibamba okumangalisayo. USathane kwakumfanele impela ukujeziswa, kodwa uMikayeli, owayengakanikwa “konke ukwahlulela” ngesikhathi ephikisana noSathane, waba nomuzwa wokuthi isahlulelo esinjalo kufanele sivele kuJehova uNkulunkulu  kuphela. (Johane 5:22) Njengengelosi eyinhloko, uMikayeli wayenegunya impela. Kodwa ngokuthobeka washiyela izinto kuJehova kunokuba azame ukubhozomela igunya elengeziwe. Ngaphandle kokubonisa ukuthobeka, wabonisa nesizotha, noma ukuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwakhe.

⁹ Kunesizathu sokuba uJude aphefumulelwe ukuba abhale ngalesi senzakalo. Ngokudabukisayo, amanye amaKristu ngosuku lukaJude ayengathobekile. Ngokuzidla ‘ayekhuluma ngokuhlambalaza ngazo zonke izinto ayengazazi ngempela.’ (Jude 10) Yeka indlela okulula ngayo ngathi bantu abangaphelele ukuba sehlulwe ukuqhosha! Uma singakuqondi okuthile okwenziwa ebandleni lobuKristu—mhlawumbe okuhilela isinqumo esenziwe indikimba yabadala—sisabela kanjani? Uma singadelela noma sigxeke sibe singeke sawazi wonke amaqiniso okusekelwe kuwo izinqumo ezinjalo, siyobe asibonisi yini ukuthi asithobekile? Esikhundleni salokho masilingise uMikayeli, noma uJesu, singahluleli izindaba uNkulunkulu angasinikanga igunya lokuzahlulela.

10, 11. (a) Yini ephawulekayo ngokuzimisela kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu ukwamukela isabelo sokuza emhlabeni? (b) Singakulingisa kanjani ukuthobeka kukaJesu?

¹⁰ INdodana kaNkulunkulu yabonisa ukuthobeka nangokwamukela isabelo sokuza emhlabeni. Cabanga ngezinto okwadingeka izidele. Yayiyingelosi eyinhloko. ‘YayinguLizwi’ futhi—uMkhulumeli kaJehova. (Johane 1:1-3) Yayihlala ezulwini, ‘indawo’ kaJehova “yokuhlala ephakeme yobungcwele nobuhle.” (Isaya 63:15) Noma kunjalo, le Ndodana ‘yazidela, yathatha isimo senceku yafana nabantu.’ (Filipi 2:7) Cabanga ngokwakuhilelekile esabelweni sayo sasemhlabeni! Ukuphila kwayo kwadluliselwa esibelethweni sentombi engumJuda ukuze kukhule izinyanga ezingu-9 kube umntwana ongumuntu. Yazalelwa emkhayeni ompofu wombazi iwusana olungakwazi kwenza lutho, yacathula, yaba umfana omncane, yaba ibhobhodlelana. Nakuba yayiphelele, kuso sonke isikhathi iyingane, yazithoba kubazali bayo abangabantu abangaphelele. (Luka 2:40, 51, 52) Yeka ukuthobeka okungavamile!

 ¹¹ Singakulingisa yini ukuthobeka kukaJesu ngokwamukela ngokuzithandela izabelo zenkonzo ezibonakala ziphansi ngezinye izikhathi? Ngokwesibonelo, isabelo sethu sokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu singase sibonakale siphansi lapho abantu bengasinaki, besijivaza noma besiphatha kabi. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Kepha uma sikhuthazela kulo msebenzi, singase sisize ekusindiseni ukuphila. Noma singakusindisanga, siyofunda okuningi ngokuthobeka futhi siyobe silandela ezinyathelweni zeNkosi yethu, uJesu Kristu.

12-14. (a) UJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka lapho abantu bemdumisa? (b) Kungaziphi izindlela uJesu asebenzelana ngazo nabanye ngokuthobeka? (c) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukuthobeka kukaJesu kwakungeyona nje indaba yokugcina isiko noma umkhuba omuhle?

¹² Kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekugcineni, inkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni yayiphawuleka ngokuthobeka. Wakubonisa endleleni ayisa ngayo lonke udumo nenkazimulo kuYise. Ngezinye izikhathi abantu babedumisa uJesu ngenxa yokuhlakanipha kwamazwi akhe, amandla ezimangaliso zakhe, ngisho nangenxa yobuhle bobuntu bakhe. Ngazo zonke izikhathi uJesu wayeyisusa kuye inkazimulo enjalo ayibhekise kuJehova.—Marku 10:17, 18; Johane 7:15, 16.

¹³ UJesu wabonisa ukuthobeka endleleni aphatha ngayo abantu. Eqinisweni, wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi akezelanga ukukhonzwa emhlabeni kodwa ukukhonza abanye. (Mathewu 20:28) Wabonisa ukuthobeka ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabantu ngendlela emnene neyokucabangela. Lapho abalandeli bakhe bemdumaza, akazange abakhace; waqhubeka ezama ukufinyelela izinhliziyo zabo. (Mathewu 26:39-41) Lapho izixuku zimphazamisa ngesikhathi efuna ukuphumula endaweni ethule, engenabantu, akazange azixoshe; waqhubeka ezikhandla, ezifundisa “izinto eziningi.” (Marku 6:30-34) Ngenkathi owesifazane ongeyena umIsrayeli elokhu emncenga ukuba aphulukise indodakazi yakhe, waqale wabonisa  ukuthi wayengazimisele. Nokho, uJesu akazange amthethise; wamenzela ayekucelile ngenxa yokholo lwakhe olungavamile, njengoba sizoxoxa ngakho eSahlukweni 14.—Mathewu 15:22-28.

¹⁴ Ngezindlela eziningi, uJesu waphila ngokuvumelana nalokho akusho ngaye: “Nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo.” (Mathewu 11:29) Ukuthobeka kwakhe kwakungekona okokubukisa, kwakungeyona indaba yokugcina isiko elithile noma umkhuba omuhle. Kwakusuka enhliziyweni, kungubuyena. Yingakho-ke uJesu akubheka njengokubaluleke kakhulu ukufundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathobeke!

15, 16. Imuphi umehluko owaphawulwa uJesu ngesimo sengqondo sababusi bezwe naleso abalandeli bakhe okwakudingeka basihlakulele?

¹⁵ Abaphostoli bakaJesu kwabathatha isikhathi eside ukuhlakulela ukuthobeka. UJesu waphoqeleka ukuba azame ephindelela ukubafundisa. Ngokwesibonelo, oJakobe noJohane bake bacela unina ukuba abacelele kuJesu ukuba abathembise izikhundla eziphakeme eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngesizotha, uJesu waphendula: “Lokhu kuhlala phansi ngakwesokunene sami nangakwesobunxele sami akukhona okwami ukuba ngiphane ngakho, kodwa kungokwalabo abakulungiselelwe nguBaba.” Abanye abaphostoli abayishumi ‘babathukuthelela’ oJakobe noJohane. (Mathewu 20:20-24) UJesu wayisingatha kanjani le nkinga?

¹⁶ Wabakhuza bonke ngomusa, ethi: “Niyazi ukuthi ababusi bezizwe bazenza izingqongqo phezu kwazo nabantu abakhulu basebenzisa igunya phezu kwazo. Akunjalo phakathi kwenu; kodwa noma ubani ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu kumelwe abe yisikhonzi senu, futhi noma ubani ofuna ukuba ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu kumelwe abe yinceku yenu.” (Mathewu 20:25-27) Abaphostoli cishe babeyibonile indlela “ababusi bezizwe” ababeqhosha ngayo,  beziphakamisa futhi bengamagovu. UJesu wabonisa ukuthi abalandeli bakhe kumelwe behluke kulab’ omashiqela ababenxanela izikhundla. Kwakudingeka bathobeke. Ingabe abaphostoli balithola iphuzu?

17-19. (a) Ngobusuku obandulela ukufa kwakhe, uJesu wabafundisa kanjani abaphostoli bakhe isifundo sokuthobeka ababengeke basilibale? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esinamandla kunazo zonke ngokuthobeka uJesu asifundisa esengumuntu?

¹⁷ Kwakungelula. UJesu wayengaqali futhi engagcini ukubafundisa isifundo esinjalo. Ngaphambili, ngesikhathi bephikisana ngokuthi ubani omkhulu phakathi kwabo, wayebeke ingane encane phakathi kwabo wathi kumelwe babe njengezingane zona ezingaqhoshi, ezingazikhukhumezi nezingenandaba nezikhundla, okuyizinto ezibehlulayo abantu abadala. (Mathewu 18:1-4) Noma kunjalo, ngobusuku obandulela ukufa kwakhe, waphawula ukuthi abaphostoli bakhe babesenayo inkinga yokuqhosha. Wabe esebafundisa isifundo ababengeke basilibale. Wabhinca ithawula wayesenza umsebenzi ophansi kunayo yonke, umsebenzi izinceku ngaleso sikhathi ezaziwenzela izivakashi ekhaya. UJesu wageza izinyawo zabaphostoli bakhe—kuhlanganise nezikaJuda, owayesezomkhaphela!—Johane 13:1-11.

¹⁸ UJesu wakhanyisa iphuzu lapho ethi kubo: “Nginibekela isibonelo.” (Johane 13:15) Ingabe lesi sifundo sagcina sifinyelele ezinhliziyweni zabo? Phela kamuva ngalobo busuku baphinde baphikisana ngokuthi ubani omkhulu phakathi kwabo! (Luka 22:24-27) Yize kunjalo, uJesu waqhubeka ebabekezelela futhi wabafundisa ngokuthobeka. Wabe esebanikeza isifundo esinamandla kunazo zonke: “Wazithoba futhi walalela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, yebo, ekufeni esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa.” (Filipi 2:8) UJesu wavuma ngokuzithandela ukufa ukufa okuyihlazo, walahlwa ngecala lamanga kuthiwa uyisigebengu nomhlambalazi. Kanjalo iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yazibonakalisa ihlukile, ngoba kuzo zonke izidalwa zikaJehova, yabonakalisa ukuthobeka okuphelele nokuyikona kona.

¹⁹ Mhlawumbe yilesi sifundo sokugcina sokuthobeka uJesu  asifundisa njengomuntu, esayiqopha ngokungacimeki ezinhliziyweni zabaphostoli bakhe abathembekile indaba yokuthobeka. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi la madoda ayesasebenza ngokuthobeka ngisho sekwadlula iminyaka ngisho namashumi eminyaka. Thina-ke?

20. Singazi kanjani ukuthi sithobekile enhliziyweni?

²⁰ UPawulu uyala ngamunye wethu: “Yibani nalesi simo sengqondo esasikhona nakuKristu Jesu.” (Filipi 2:5) NjengoJesu, kudingeka sithobeke enhliziyweni. Singazi kanjani ukuthi kukhona yini ukuthobeka ezinhliziyweni zethu? UPawulu usikhumbuza ukuthi kufanele ‘singenzi lutho ngombango noma ngokuzazisa, kodwa ngokuthobeka kwengqondo sibheke abanye njengabakhulu kunathi.’ (Filipi 2:3) Khona-ke, isihluthulelo sisendleleni esibheka ngayo abanye uma siziqhathanisa nabo. Kudingeka sibabheke njengabakhulu, ababaluleke kakhulu kunathi. Ingabe uzosisebenzisa lesi seluleko?

21, 22. (a) Kungani ababonisi abangamaKristu kudingeka bathobeke? (b) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sibhince ukuthobeka?

²¹ Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi uJesu afa, umphostoli uPetru wayesacabanga ngokubaluleka kokuthobeka. UPetru wafundisa ababonisi abangamaKristu ukuba benze imisebenzi yabo ngokuthobeka, bangalinge bazenze izingqongqo phezu kwezimvu zikaJehova. (1 Petru 5:2, 3) Imithwalo yemfanelo ayisiniki imvume yokuqhosha. Kunalokho, yandisa isidingo sokuthobeka kwangempela. (Luka 12:48) Yiqiniso, le mfanelo ayibalulekile kubabonisi bodwa kodwa nakuwo wonke amaKristu.

²² Ngokuqinisekile uPetru akazange abulibale lobuya busuku uJesu amgeza ngabo izinyawo—nakuba yena ayengafuni! (Johane 13:6-10) UPetru wabhalela amaKristu: “Nonke bhincani isimo sengqondo sokuthobelana.” (1 Petru 5:5) Inkulumo ethi “bhincani” isikisela isenzo senceku ebhinca iphinifa ukuze yenze umsebenzi ophansi. Le nkulumo ingase isikhumbuze mhla uJesu ebhinca ithawula wayeseguqa wenza umsebenzi wokugeza izinyawo. Uma silandela uJesu, yisiphi  nje isabelo esivela kuNkulunkulu esingasibheka njengesingasifanele? Ukuthobeka kwezinhliziyo zethu kufanele kubonwe yibo bonke, njengokungathi sikubhincile.

23, 24. (a) Kungani kufanele silwe nanoma ikuphi ukuthambekela kokuzidla? (b) Isahluko esilandelayo sizosiza ekulungiseni muphi umbono ongamanga ngokuthobeka?

²³ Ukuzidla kufana noshevu. Kungadala umonakalo. Kuyimfanelo engenza umuntu oneziphiwo kunabo bonke angabi yilutho kuNkulunkulu. Kanti ukuthobeka kungenza ngisho nomncane kunabo bonke abe usizo olukhulu kuJehova. Uma siyihlakulela nsuku zonke le mfanelo eyigugu ngokuzama ukuhamba ezinyathelweni zikaKristu ngokuthobeka, umvuzo uyoba muhle kakhulu. UPetru waloba: “Zithobeni ngaphansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla, ukuze aniphakamise ngesikhathi esifanele.” (1 Petru 5:6) UJehova wamphakamisa ngempela uJesu ngokuzithoba ngokuphelele. Ngokufanayo, uNkulunkulu wethu uyokujabulela ukukuvuza nawe ngokuthobeka kwakho.

²⁴ Ngeshwa, abanye bacabanga ukuthi ukuthobeka kuwuphawu lobuthaka. Isibonelo sikaJesu siyasisiza sibone ukuthi kungamanga kangakanani lokho, ngoba umuntu owayethobeke kunabo bonke wayenesibindi kunabo bonke futhi. Sizoxoxa ngalokho esahlukweni esilandelayo.