1, 2. (a) Yiluphi ushintsho uJosefa nomkhaya wakhe okwadingeka balwenze? (b) Yiziphi izindaba ezimbi okwadingeka uJosefa azitshele umkakhe?

UJOSEFA waphonsa omunye umthwalo emhlane wembongolo. Mbone ngeso lengqondo embambatha imbongolo njengoba eqalaza ebumnyameni emzini waseBhetlehema. Nakanjani wayecabanga ngohambo olude olwalusamlindile. Wayelibangise eGibhithe! Abantu angabazi, ulimi angalwazi, amasiko angawazi—umkhaya wakhe omncane wawuzojwayelana kanjani noshintsho olungaka?

² Kwakungelula ukutshela umkakhe amthandayo, uMariya, izindaba ezimbi, kodwa waqunga isibindi wamtshela. Wamtshela ngomyalezo owalethwa ingelosi ngephupho uvela kuNkulunkulu: Inkosi uHerode yayifuna ukubulala indodana yabo esencane! Kwadingeka bahambe ngaso leso sikhathi. (Funda uMathewu 2:13, 14.) UMariya wayekhathazeke kakhulu. Yini eyayingenza umuntu afune ukubulala ingane yakhe engenacala nengahluphi muntu? Bobabili babengaqondi. Kodwa bathembela kuJehova, ngakho babopha imithwalo.

3. Chaza ukuhamba kukaJosefa nomkhaya wakhe eBhetlehema. (Bheka nesithombe.)

³ Njengoba izakhamuzi zaseBhetlehema zazizilalele, zingayazi le ndaba kaJosefa, uJosefa, uMariya noJesu baphuma ngesinyenyela kusemnyama. Njengoba babelibangise eningizimu, sekuqala ukukhanya empumalanga, cishe uJosefa wayezibuza ukuthi kazi iyozala nkomoni. Umbazi ophansi wayengawuvikela kanjani umkhaya wakhe emandleni amakhulu kangaka? Ingabe wayeyokwazi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukondla umkhaya wakhe? Ingabe wayeyokwazi ukuphikelela ekufezeni lesi sabelo esinzima ayesinikwe uJehova uNkulunkulu, sokuba anakekele futhi akhulise le ngane ehlukile? UJosefa wabhekana nezinselele ezithena amandla. Njengoba sizofunda indlela achusha ngayo enseleleni ngayinye, sizobona ukuthi kungani obaba namuhla—kanye nathi sonke—kudingeka balingise ukholo lukaJosefa.

4, 5. (a) Kwashintsha kanjani unomphela ukuphila kukaJosefa? (b) Yathini ingelosi lapho ikhuthaza uJosefa ukuba athathe isabelo esinzima?

⁴ Ezinyangeni ezingaphambili, emzini wakubo eNazaretha, uJosefa  wathola ukuthi ngemva kokuthembisa indodakazi kaHeli umshado, ukuphila kwakhe kwashintsha unomphela. UJosefa wayazi uMariya njengentombi emsulwa nethembekile. Kodwa wabe esethola ukuthi ukhulelwe! Wazimisela ukwehlukanisa naye ngasese ukuze amvikele ehlazweni. * Kepha ingelosi yakhuluma naye ephusheni, imchazela ukuthi uMariya wayekhulelwe ngomoya kaJehova ongcwele. Yenezela ukuthi indodana ayeyikhulelwe “iyosindisa abantu bakubo ezonweni zabo.” Yaphinde yaqinisekisa uJosefa: “Ungesabi ukuthatha uMariya umkakho umyise ekhaya.”—Math. 1:18-21.

⁵ UJosefa, indoda elalelayo nezithobayo, wenza njengoba ayetsheliwe. Wathatha isabelo esinzima kunazo zonke: ukukhulisa nokunakekela indodana okwakungeyona eyakhe kodwa eyayiyigugu kakhulu kuNkulunkulu. Kamuva, belalela umyalo ovela enkosini, uJosefa nomkakhe okhulelwe baya eBhetlehema bayobhalisa. Yazalelwa lapho ingane.

6-8. (a) Yiziphi izenzakalo ezaholela kolunye ushintsho ekuphileni kukaJosefa nomkhaya wakhe omncane? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi nguSathane owathumela inkanyezi? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

⁶ UJosefa akazange abuyele nomkhaya wakhe eNazaretha. Kunalokho bahlala eBhetlehema elaliqhele ngamakhilomitha ayishumi eJerusalema. Babempofu, kodwa uJosefa wenza konke ayengakwenza ukuze avikele uMariya noJesu bangantuli futhi bangahlupheki. Ngesikhashana nje base bethole indawo yokuhlala ekahle. Lapho uJesu engaselona usana kodwa esekhulakhulile—mhlawumbe engaphezu konyaka—ukuphila kwabo kwaphinde kwashintsha bengalindele.

⁷ Kwafika iqembu lamadoda abhula ngezinkanyezi evela eMpumalanga, cishe kude le eBhabhiloni. Lalilandele lokho elalicabanga ukuthi kuyinkanyezi laze lafika emzini kaJosefa noMariya lifuna ingane eyayizoba inkosi yamaJuda. La madoda ayehlonipha kakhulu.

⁸ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ayazi noma cha, la madoda ayefake ukuphila kukaJesu engozini enkulu. Inkanyezi ayibona ayiwaholelanga eBhetlehema kuqala, kodwa eJerusalema. * Afike atshela inkosi embi uHerode ukuthi ayefuna ingane eyayizoba inkosi yamaJuda. Lokhu kwenza inkosi yawotha ubomvu ngenxa yomona.

9-11. (a) Asebenza ngaziphi izindlela amandla ayemakhulu kunakaHerode noSathane? (b) Uhambo lwaseGibhithe lwaluhluke kanjani kulokhu okuchazwa izinsumansumane nezinganekwane ezingamanga?

⁹ Kuyajabulisa nokho ukuthi kwakukhona onamandla angaphezu kukaHerode noma uSathane. Kanjani? Lapho izivakashi zifika kubo kaJesu, zimbona enonina, zakhipha izipho kodwa zangafuna lutho kubo. Kumelwe ukuba kwaba isimanga nje koJosefa noMariya ukuba kungalindelekile  bazithole ‘sebenegolide nenhlaka yempepho nemure’—izinto zenani elikhulu! Ababhula ngezinkanyezi babehlose ukuyotshela iNkosi uHerode ukuthi babeyithole kuphi ingane. Kodwa uJehova wangenela. Esebenzisa iphupho, wabayala ukuba babuyele ekhaya ngenye indlela.—Funda uMathewu 2:1-12.

¹⁰ Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba ababhula ngezinkanyezi sebehambile, uJosefa wathola lesi sixwayiso engelosini kaJehova: “Vuka, thatha umntwana nonina ubalekele eGibhithe, uhlale khona ngize ngikuthumelele izwi; ngoba uHerode usezohamba emfuna umntwana ukuze ambhubhise.” (Math. 2:13) Ngakho, njengoba sibonile ekuqaleni, uJosefa walalela ngokushesha. Wabeka ukuphila kwengane yakhe ngaphambi kwanoma yini enye futhi wahamba nomkhaya wakhe baya eGibhithe. Ngenxa yokuthi ababhula ngezinkanyezi abangamaqaba babelethe izipho ezibiza kangako, uJosefa wayesenezinto eziyigugu ezazingamsiza ohambweni olwalusamhlalele.

¹¹ Kamuva izinsumansumane nezinganekwane ezingamanga zaluhlobisa lolu hambo lokuya eGibhithe, zathi uJesu osemncane walwenza lwaba lufushane ngokuyisimangaliso, wenza izinswelaboya zangaba ingozi nezihlahla zesundu zagoba ukuze unina akhe izithelo. * Iqiniso liwukuthi kwakuwuhambo olude nolwalukhandla, bengazi ukuthi lubaphatheleni.

12. Abazali abakhulisa izingane kuleli zwe eliyingozi bangafundani kuJosefa?

¹² Abazali bangafunda okuningi kuJosefa. Akanqikazanga ukubeka umsebenzi wakhe eceleni wadela nokunethezeka ukuze avikele umkhaya wakhe engozini. Ngokusobala, wayebheka umkhaya wakhe njengesipho esingcwele esivela kuJehova. Namuhla abazali bakhulisa izingane ezweni eliyingozi, izwe eligcwele amathonya angase azifake engozini, azonakalise noma azibulale. Yeka ukuthi kutuseka kanjani lapho omama nobaba bethatha isinyathelo ngokushesha, njengoba kwenza uJosefa, basebenze kanzima ukuze bavikele izingane zabo emathonyeni anjalo!

13, 14. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uJosefa noMariya bagcine sebekhulisela umkhaya wabo eNazaretha?

¹³ Kubonakala sengathi lo mkhaya awuhlalanga isikhathi eside eGibhithe ngoba ngokushesha ingelosi yatshela uJosefa ukuthi uHerode wayesefile. UJosefa wabuyela nomkhaya wakhe ezweni lakubo. Isiprofetho sasendulo sasibikezele ukuthi uJehova wayeyobiza iNdodana  yakhe “iphume eGibhithe.” (Math. 2:15) UJosefa wasiza ekugcwaliseni leso siprofetho, kodwa wayesezowuyisaphi umkhaya wakhe manje?

¹⁴ UJosefa wayeqaphile. Wayemesaba nowalandela uHerode, u-Arkelawu, naye owayenesihluku futhi engumbulali. Isiqondiso saphezulu senza uJosefa wathatha umkhaya wakhe baya enyakatho, kude neJerusalema nawo wonke amacebo alo ayingozi, baphindela emzini wakubo eNazaretha laseGalile. Yena noMariya bakhulisela umkhaya wabo lapho.—Funda uMathewu 2:19-23.

15, 16. UJosefa wayenza hlobo luni lomsebenzi, futhi yimaphi amathuluzi okungenzeka wayewasebenzisa?

¹⁵ Baphila ukuphila okulula—kodwa okuyinselele. IBhayibheli libiza uJosefa ngokuthi umbazi, lisebenzisa igama elihlanganisa izindlela eziningi zokusebenza ngokhuni, njengokugawula imithi, ukuyihudula nokuyomisa ukuze kwakhiwe izindlu, izikebhe, amabhuloho amancane, izinqola, amasondo, amajoka nazo zonke izinhlobo zamathuluzi okulima. (Math. 13:55) Kwakuwumsebenzi wezandla okhandlayo. Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli umbazi wayevame ukusebenzela eduze komnyango wendlu yakhe ephansi noma eshabhu eliseduze kwayo.

¹⁶ UJosefa wayesebenzisa amathuluzi ahlukahlukene, amanye cishe ewashiyelwe uyise. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayesebenzisa isikwele, umthofu wokuqondisa, ithuluzi lokukala ubude bento, izembe, isaha, igejazembe, isando sokhuni, amashizolo, ithuluzi lokubhoboza izimbobo, izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zenomfi, futhi mhlawumbe nezipikili, nakuba zazibiza.

17, 18. (a) UJesu wafundani kusingayise? (b) Kungani uJosefa kwadingeka asebenze ngisho nakanzima emsebenzini wakhe?

¹⁷ Cabanga uJesu esengumfana ebukele usingayise esebenza. Njengoba emgqolozele ebheke yonke into ayenzayo, akungabazeki ukuthi ayemhlaba umxhwele lawo mahlombe abanzi nezinkonyane ezinamandla, ikhono lokusebenza ngezandla nokuhlakanipha okwakubonakala emehlweni akhe. Mhlawumbe uJosefa waqale watshengisa umfanyana wakhe indlela yokwenza imisebenzi elula njengokukhuhla amaqhuzu asemapulangweni esebenzisa isikhumba senhlanzi eyomisiwe. Cishe wafundisa uJesu umehluko phakathi kwezinhlobo zokhuni ayelusebenzisa—njengokhuni lomkhiwane, i-oki noma umnqumo.

 ¹⁸ UJesu wafunda nokuthi lezo zandla ezinamandla ezazigawula imithi, ziqopha izingodo zihlanganise namapulangwe, zaziphinde zibe ezithambile ezazimanga futhi zimduduze, ziduduze nonina nezingane zakubo. Yebo, umkhaya kaJosefa noMariya wawukhula, ekugcineni baba nezingane eziyisithupha ezelama uJesu. (Math. 13:55, 56) UJosefa kwakudingeka asebenze kanzima ukuze abanakekele futhi abondle.

19. UJosefa wazinakekela kanjani izidingo ezingokomoya zomkhaya wakhe?

¹⁹ Nokho, uJosefa wayeqonda ukuthi ukunakekela izidingo ezingokomoya zomkhaya wakhe kwakusemqoka. Ngakho wachitha isikhathi efundisa izingane zakhe ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nemithetho yakhe. Yena noMariya babehamba nezingane zabo njalo baye esinagogeni lendawo, lapho kwakufundwa khona ngokuzwakalayo uMthetho futhi uchazwe. Mhlawumbe ngemva kwalokho uJesu wayeba nemibuzo eminingi bese uJosefa ezama kanzima ukwanelisa iphango elingokomoya lomfana wakhe. UJosefa wayebuye ahambe nomkhaya wakhe baye emikhosini engokwenkolo eJerusalema. Uma beya ePhasikeni laminyaka yonke, kungenzeka uJosefa wayedinga amasonto amabili ukuze ahambe lolu hambo lwamakhilomitha angu-120, afike agubhe lo mkhosi, bese ebuyela ekhaya.

20. Izinhloko zemikhaya yamaKristu zingasilandela kanjani isibonelo sikaJosefa?

²⁰ Izinhloko zemikhaya yamaKristu namuhla zilandela isibonelo esifanayo. Ziyazidela ngenxa yezingane zazo, ukuziqeqesha ngokomoya kuze kuqala kunezinye izinto, ngisho nezinto ezibonakalayo. Zenza konke ezingakwenza ukuze ziqhube ukukhulekela komkhaya futhi zihambe nezingane zazo ziye emihlanganweni yobuKristu emikhulu nemincane. NjengoJosefa, ziyazi ukuthi alikho ifa ezingalibekela izingane zazo ngaphandle kokuzifundisa ngoJehova.

21. Sasinjani isikhathi sePhasika emkhayeni kaJosefa, futhi uJosefa noMariya baphawula nini ukuthi uJesu ulahlekile?

²¹ Lapho uJesu eneminyaka engu-12 ubudala, uJosefa wahamba nomkhaya wakhe baya eJerusalema njengokujwayelekile. Kwakuyisikhathi somkhosi wePhasika, futhi imindeni yayihamba ndawonye ishaye udwendwe emaphandleni ngesikhathi sentwasahlobo enotshani obuluhlaza. Njengoba besondela endaweni ephakeme okungamilile lutho kuyo eduze kweJerusalema, abaningi babehlabelela amahubo avamile okwenyuka. (IHu. 120-134) Kungenzeka ukuthi kwakuphithizela amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu kulo muzi. Ngemva kwalokho  imindeni yayishaya ujenga igoduke. Mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi uJosefa noMariya babenokuningi ababekwenza, bacabanga ukuthi uJesu uhambe nabanye, mhlawumbe amalungu omndeni. Ngemva kosuku lonke besukile eJerusalema kwaba yima beqaphela into eyabethusa—uJesu wayengekho!—Luka 2:41-44.

22, 23. UJosefa noMariya benzani ngengane yabo eyayilahlekile, futhi wathini uMariya lapho beyithola ekugcineni?

²² Kwaba ubutatata sebephindela eJerusalema. Cabanga ukuthi umuzi wawuthule futhi ungajwayelekile kanjani njengoba behamba behla benyuka emigwaqweni bememeza igama lendodana yabo. Wayengaba kuphi konje lo mfana? Ngosuku lwesithathu bemthungatha, kungenzeka yini ukuthi uJosefa wacabanga ukuthi uhlulekile emsebenzini ongcwele ayewunikwe uJehova? Ekugcineni baya ethempelini.  Bamcinga bamcinga baze bazithela egumbini okwakubuthene kulo amadoda ayizifundiswa, izazi zoMthetho—uJesu osemncane wayehleli nawo! Kwathi gidi kuJosefa noMariya!—Luka 2:45, 46.

²³ UJesu wayelalele la madoda ayizifundiswa futhi ewabuza imibuzo ngentshiseko. Ayemangazwe ukuqonda kwale ngane nezimpendulo zayo. UMariya noJosefa bona babeshaqekile. Ngokwalokho okulotshwe eBhayibhelini, uJosefa akashongo lutho. Kodwa amazwi kaMariya achaza indlela ababezizwa ngayo bobabili: “Mntwana, usiphatheleni ngale ndlela? Bheka mina noyihlo besikufuna sicindezelekile engqondweni.”—Luka 2:47, 48.

24. IBhayibheli lisinikeza siphi isithombe ngokukhulisa izingane?

²⁴ Ngamafuphi, iZwi likaNkulunkulu linikeza isithombe sokuthi kunjani ngempela ukukhulisa izingane. Kungacindezela—ngisho noma  ingane iphelele! Ukukhulisa izingane ezweni lanamuhla eliyingozi kungabangela ‘ukucindezeleka engqondweni,’ kodwa obaba nomama bangaduduzeka ngokwazi ukuthi iBhayibheli liyayiqaphela inselele ababhekene nayo.

25, 26. UJesu wabaphendula wathini abazali bakhe, futhi kungenzeka wazizwa kanjani uJosefa ngamazwi endodana yakhe?

²⁵ UJesu wayesale endaweni okuwukuphela kwayo emhlabeni eyayimenza azizwe esondelene noYise wasezulwini, uJehova, efunda ngokulangazela noma yini ayengase ayifunde. Waphendula abazali bakhe ngobuqotho: “Kungani kuye kwadingeka nihambe ningifuna? Beningazi yini ukuthi kumelwe ngibe sendlini kaBaba?”—Luka 2:49.

²⁶ Akungabazeki ukuthi uJosefa wacabanga kaningi ngalawo mazwi. Mhlawumbe waziqhenya ngenxa yawo. Phela wayezikhandlile efundisa ingane yakhe yokutholwa ukuba izizwe ngaleyo ndlela ngoJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngaleso sikhathi esengumfana, uJesu wayeseliqonda ukuthi lisho ukuthini igama elithi “baba”—imizwa eyayilolongwe ngokuyinhloko ukuhlala noJosefa.

27. Njengobaba, unaliphi ilungelo, futhi kungani kufanele ukhumbule isibonelo sikaJosefa?

²⁷ Uma ungubaba, uyaqaphela yini ukuthi unelungelo elingakanani lokusiza izingane zakho ziqonde ukuthi ngubaba onjani onothando novikelayo? Ngokufanayo, uma ungusingamzali noma unengane yokutholwa, khumbula isibonelo sikaJosefa futhi uphathe ingane ngayinye njengekhethekile neyigugu. Siza lezo zingane zisondele kuYise wasezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu.—Funda  eyabase-Efesu 6:4.

28, 29. (a) Amazwi akuLuka 2:51, 52 embulani ngoJosefa? (b) UJosefa wayisiza kanjani indodana yakhe ukuba ikhule ekuhlakanipheni?

²⁸ IBhayibheli lisitshela okumbalwa kakhulu ngokuphila kukaJosefa ngemva kwalokhu, kodwa kuyafaneleka ukuba sikuhlolisise. Sifunda ukuthi uJesu “waqhubeka ezithoba kubo”—abazali bakhe. Sithola nokuthi “uJesu waqhubeka ethuthuka ekuhlakanipheni  nasekukhuleni ngokomzimba nasemseni kaNkulunkulu nowabantu.” (Funda uLuka 2:51, 52.) Embulani lawo mazwi ngoJosefa? Izinto eziningana. Sifunda ukuthi uJosefa waqhubeka ehola emkhayeni wakhe, ngoba indodana yakhe ephelele yayilihlonipha igunya lakhe futhi yaqhubeka ilithobela.

²⁹ Sifunda nokuthi uJesu waqhubeka ekhula ekuhlakanipheni. Ngokuqinisekile kuningi uJosefa akwenza ukuze indodana yakhe ikhule kulesi sici. Ngalezo zinsuku amaJuda ayenesaga okwase kuyisikhathi eside sihlonishwa. Sisekhona futhi sisafundwa nanamuhla. Lesi saga sigomela ngokuthi ngamadoda aphila kahle nanegunya kuphela angahlakanipha ngempela, kanti abantu abesebenza ngezandla njengababazi, abalimi nabasebenza ngensimbi, “abanakubenza ubulungisa futhi bakhiphe izahlulelo; futhi ngeke batholakale lapho kukhulunywa khona ngemifanekiso.” Kamuva, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi leso saga asilona iqiniso. Esengumfana, yeka ukuthi wayevame kangakanani ukuzwa usingayise, nakuba ayengumbazi ophansi, emfundisa ngokuphumelelayo ‘ngobulungisa nezahlulelo’ zikaJehova! Akungabazeki ukuthi zaziningi izikhathi ezinjalo.

30. UJosefa wazibekela kanjani isibonelo izinhloko zemikhaya namuhla?

³⁰ Singabubona nobufakazi bethonya likaJosefa ekukhuleni kukaJesu ngokomzimba. Njengomfana owayenakekelwa kahle, uJesu wakhula waba indoda enamandla nephile kahle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJosefa waqeqesha indodana yakhe ukuba ibe nekhono emsebenzini wezandla. UJesu wayengaziwa nje kuphela ngokuthi uyindodana yombazi, wayaziwa nangokuthi “umbazi.” (Marku 6:3) Ngakho ukuqeqesha kukaJosefa kwaphumelela. Ngokuhlakanipha izinhloko zemikhaya zilingisa uJosefa, zinakekele inhlalakahle yezingane zazo futhi ziqiniseke ukuthi zingakwazi ukuziphilisa.

31. (a) Ubufakazi busikisela ukuthi uJosefa wafa nini? (Hlanganisa  nebhokisi.) (b) UJosefa wasishiyela siphi isibonelo sokuba sisilingise?

³¹ Lapho sifika ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli ngokubhapathizwa kukaJesu eneminyaka engaba ngu-30, sithola ukuthi akusakhulunywa nhlobo ngoJosefa. Ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi uMariya wayesengumfelokazi ngesikhathi uJesu eqala inkonzo yakhe. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Wafa Nini UJosefa?”) Noma kunjalo, washiya umlando ocacile—isibonelo esihle sikababa owavikela umkhaya wakhe, wawondla futhi waphikelela ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekugcineni. Noma yimuphi ubaba, noma iyiphi inhloko yomkhaya, nanoma yimuphi umKristu uyobe enza kahle ngokulingisa ukholo lukaJosefa.