1, 2. (a) Wasungulwa kanjani umshado? (b) Yini okungenzeka ukuthi abantu bokuqala bayiqaphela ngomshado? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

UMSHADO uyingxenye yokuphila kwethu. Ukubuyekeza umsuka nenjongo yawo kungasisiza sibe nombono ofanele ngalobu buhlobo futhi sijabulele izibusiso zawo ngokugcwele. Ngemva kokuba uNkulunkulu edale umuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu, wabe eseletha kuye izilwane ukuze aziqambe amagama. Kodwa “umuntu akatholelwanga umsizi ongumphelelisi wakhe.” Ngakho, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba u-Adamu ehlelwe ubuthongo obukhulu, wathatha olunye lwezimbambo zakhe, wabe eselwakha ubambo lwaba owesifazane, wayesemletha kumuntu. (Funda uGenesise 2:20-24.) Ngakho, umshado wasungulwa uNkulunkulu.

² UJesu wasiqinisekisa ngokuthi nguJehova owathi: “Indoda iyoshiya uyise nonina inamathele kumkayo, futhi laba ababili bayoba nyamanye.” (Math. 19:4, 5) Ukusebenzisa kukaNkulunkulu ubambo luka-Adamu lapho edala owesifazane wokuqala, cishe kwenza lo mbhangqwana wokuqala wasondelana, waba munye. Lalingekho ilungiselelo lokwehlukanisa noma lokuzithathela isithembu.

3. Yayiyini injongo ebalulekile yomshado?

³ U-Adamu kwamthokozisa kakhulu ukuba nenkosikazi ayithandayo, kamuva ayiqamba igama elithi, Eva. ‘Njengomphelelisi wakhe,’ wayezoba “umsizi” wakhe njengoba bejabulisana usuku nosuku ngokufeza izindima zabo zokuba umyeni nokuba inkosikazi. (Gen. 2:18) Injongo ebalulekile yomshado yayiwukuba kugcwaliswe umhlaba. (Gen. 1:28) Amadodana namadodakazi ayeyoshiya abazali ukuze ashade futhi akhe imindeni emisha. Abantu babeyogcwalisa umhlaba ngezinga elifanele futhi babeyoqhubeka bakha kuze kube yilapho wonke umhlaba usuyipharadesi.

4. Yini eyenzeka embhangqwaneni wokuqala?

⁴ Umbhangqwana wokuqala wehlelwa inhlekelele ngenxa yokuthi bobabili u-Adamu no-Eva bakhetha ukuyisebenzisa kabi inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela ngokungamlaleli uJehova. “Inyoka yokuqala,” enguSathane uDeveli, yakhohlisa u-Eva ngokumenza akholelwe ukuthi ukudla isithelo ‘somuthi wolwazi lokuhle nokubi’ kwakuzomnika ulwazi olukhethekile olwaluzomenza akwazi ukuhlukanisa phakathi kokuhle nokubi. Akazange abuhloniphe ubunhloko bomyeni wakhe ngokubuza kuye kuqala ngaphambi kokuba adle isithelo. Kunoba alele uNkulunkulu, u-Adamu wadla isithelo ayesinikwa u-Eva.—IsAm. 12:9; Gen. 2:9, 16, 17; 3:1-6.

5. Yini esingayifunda endleleni u-Adamu no-Eva abaphendula ngayo uJehova?

⁵ Lapho uNkulunkulu ebabuza ngalokho ababekwenzile, u-Adamu wasola umkakhe wathi: “Owesifazane onginike yena ukuba abe nami, unginikile isithelo somuthi ngadla.” U-Eva yena wasola inyoka ngokumkhohlisa. (Gen. 3:12, 13) Babengenaso isizathu esizwakalayo, bamane babeka nje izaba ezingasile. Umbhangqwana wokuqala awumlalelanga uJehova, ngenxa yalokho waba yizihlubuki. Lokho kuyisixwayiso nakithi. Ukuze umshado uphumelele kumelwe nifeze indima yenu ngabanye futhi nilalele uJehova.

6. Ungawuchaza kanjani uGenesise 3:15?

⁶ Naphezu kwalokho okwenziwa uSathane e-Edene, uJehova wanika isintu ithemba esiprofethweni sokuqala seBhayibheli. (Funda uGenesise 3:15.) Isidalwa somoya esiyisihlubuki sokuqala sasiyochotshozwa ‘yinzalo’ ‘yowesifazane.’ Kanjalo uJehova wanikeza abantu amazwibela obuhlobo obukhethekile obukhona phakathi kwakhe nezidalwa zomoya ezilungile ezingenakubalwa ezimkhonza ezulwini. Kamuva imiBhalo yembula ukuthi enhlanganweni yakhe enjengomfazi, uNkulunkulu wayezothumela lowo ‘owayezochoboza’ uDeveli futhi aveze indlela yokukhulula isintu esilalelayo ukuze sijabulele ithemba lekusasa elalahlwa umbhangqwana wokuqala—ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaJehova yasekuqaleni.—Joh. 3:16.

7. (a) Yini eye yenzeka emshadweni kusukela u-Adamu no-Eva bahlubuka? (b) IBhayibheli lithi yini okufanele yenziwe amadoda namakhosikazi?

⁷ Ukuhlubuka kuka-Adamu no-Eva kwaba nomthelela emshadweni wabo nakuyo yonke imishado eyalandela. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Eva namanye amakhosikazi babezozwa ubuhlungu obukhulu bokukhulelwa nokubeletha. Abesifazane babezonxanela abayeni babo, kodwa amadoda ayezobusa omkawo, ngisho nangokhahlo, njengoba sikubona lokhu kwenzeka emishadweni eminingi namuhla. (Gen. 3:16) IBhayibheli lithi amadoda kufanele asebenzise ubunhloko ngendlela enothando. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amakhosikazi kufanele athobele ubunhloko bamadoda awo. (Efe. 5:33) Ngenxa yokubambisana okuphakathi kwemibhangqwana esaba uNkulunkulu, izimo ezibangela izingxabano ziyoncipha kakhulu noma ziphele ngokuphelele.

8. Uthini umlando womshado kusukela ngesikhathi sika-Adamu kuze kube uZamcolo?

⁸ Ngaphambi kokuba u-Adamu no-Eva bafe ngenxa yesono nokungapheleli, lo mbhanqwana waba namadodana namadodakazi. (Gen. 5:4) Indodana yabo yokuqala, uKhayini, yashada nowesifazane owayeyisihlobo sayo. Umzukulu kaKhayini, uLameka uyindoda yokuqala eyaziwayo eyazithathela amakhosikazi amabili. (Gen. 4:17, 19) Kusukela ku-Adamu kuze kube sesikhathini sikaZamcolo wangosuku lukaNowa, bambalwa abantu okuthiwa bakhulekela uJehova. Phakathi kwabo kwakungu-Abela, u-Enoke, uNowa nomndeni wakhe. Likhuluma ngesikhathi sikaNowa iBhayibheli lithi: “Amadodana kaNkulunkulu weqiniso aqala ukuqaphela amadodakazi abantu, ukuthi ayebukeka; ayesezithathela abafazi, okungukuthi, wonke lawo ayewakhetha.” Lokhu kuhlangana okungekhona okwemvelo kwezingelosi nabesifazane kwaveza imidondoshiya enodlame eyaziwa ngokuthi amaNefili. Ngaphezu kwalokho “ububi bomuntu babudlangile emhlabeni futhi konke ukuthambekela kwemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe kukubi ngaso sonke isikhathi.”—Gen. 6:1-5.

9. Yini uJehova ayenza ngabantu ababi ababephila ngesikhathi sikaNowa futhi yisiphi isifundo okufanele sisifunde kulokho okwenzeka ngaleso sikhathi?

⁹ UJehova waletha uZamcolo ngosuku lukaNowa ukuze abhubhise abantu ababi. Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu babematasa ngemisebenzi yabo yansuku zonke, njengokushada futhi abazange bakunake lokho okwashiwo “uNowa, umshumayeli wokulunga,” ngokubhujiswa okwakusondela. (2 Pet. 2:5) UJesu wafanisa izimo zangaleso sikhathi nalezo esizozibona esikhathini sethu namuhla. (Funda uMathewu 24:37-39.) Namuhla, abantu abaningi bayenqaba ukulalela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezishunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke, ukuze kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kwalesi simiso sezinto. Kumelwe sikugxilise ezinhliziyweni zethu lokhu; sazi ukuthi ngisho nezindaba zomndeni, ezinjengomshado nokukhulisa izingane, akufanele zisenze siphelelwe umuzwa wokuphuthuma ngokuphathelene nosuku lukaJehova.

10. (a) Emasikweni amaningi, yimiphi imikhuba yocansi eyagcina iyindlela yokuphila? (b) U-Abrahama noSara basibekela kanjani isibonelo esihle emshadweni wabo?

¹⁰ Nakuba uNowa namadodana akhe amathathu babengenaso isithembu; ngezikhathi zezinzalamizi kwakuvamile ukuthatha isithembu. Emasikweni amaningi ukuziphatha kabi ngokocansi kwaba yindlela yokuphila, kwaze kwenziwa nasemikhosini engokwenkolo. U-Abrama (Abrahama) nomkakhe, uSarayi (Sara), balalela uNkulunkulu futhi bathuthela eKhanani; lelo zwe laligcwele imikhuba eyayenza umshado ube yinhlekisa. Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova wakhipha isahlulelo sokubhujiswa kweSodoma neGomora ngoba abantu ababehlala khona babeziphatha kabi ngokocansi ngendlela eshaqisayo. U-Abrahama wabusebenzisa ngendlela efanele ubunhloko bakhe emndenini wakhe futhi uSara wabeka isibonelo esihle ngokuthobela ubunhloko bomyeni wakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 3:3-6.) U-Abrahama waqikelela ukuthi indodana yakhe u-Isaka ishada nomkhulekeli kaJehova. Ngenxa yokukhathazeka ngokukhulekela kweqiniso, indodana ka-Isaka, uJakobe, yenza okufanayo futhi yazala amadodana aba okhokho bezizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli.

11. Umthetho kaMose wawuwavikela kanjani ama-Israyeli?

¹¹ Kamuva uJehova wenza isivumelwano nenzalo kaJakobe (u-Israyeli). Imishado  yangezikhathi zezinzalamizi kuhlanganise nesithembu, yayenziwa kulandelwa uMthetho kaMose. Wasiza ekuvikeleni ama-Israyeli ngokomoya ngokuwenqabela ukuba ashade nabakhulekeli bamanga. (Funda uDuteronomi 7:3, 4.) Lapho kuphakama izinkinga ezinkulu emshadweni, abadala babevame ukusiza. Ukungathembeki, umhawu nezinsolo kwakusingathwa ngendlela efanele. Isehlukaniso sasivumelekile, kodwa kwakulandelwa umthetho lapho senziwa. Indoda yayingahlukanisa nomkayo uma ithola “okuthile okuyihlazo kuye.” (Dut. 24:1) Lokho “okuyihlazo” akuchaziwe kodwa kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi kwakungakhulunywa ngezinto eziwubala.—Lev. 19:18.

12, 13. (a) Ngesikhathi sikaMalaki amanye amadoda ayewaphatha kanjani amakhosikazi awo? (b) Namuhla, ungaba yini umphumela uma umKristu obhapathiziwe ethandana nomuntu oshadile?

¹² Ngezikhathi zomprofethi uMalaki, amadoda amaningi angamaJuda ayehlukanisa namakhosikazi awo ngobuqili, esebenzisa zonke izaba ongazicabanga. Amadoda anjalo ayelahla amakhosikazi obusha bawo mhlawumbe ukuze ashade nabesifazane abasebasha noma abesifazane bezinye izizwe. Nangesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni, amadoda angamaJuda ayesahlukanisa namakhosikazi awo “nganoma yisiphi isizathu.” (Math. 19:3) UJehova uNkulunkulu wayekuzonda lokho kwehlukanisa okunjalo.—Funda uMalaki 2:13-16.

¹³ Namuhla izenzo ezinjalo zokukhohlisa emshadweni azinakubekezelelwa phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo ake sithi indoda eshadile engumKristu noma owesifazane oshadile ongumKristu, uthandana nomunye oshadile bese ngemva kokwehlukanisa nomuntu ashade naye eshada nalo muntu athandana naye. Uma umenzi wobubi engaphenduki, uyosuswa ekuhlanganyeleni ukuze kulondolozwe ubumsulwa bebandla obungokomoya. (1 Kor. 5:11-13) Lo muntu kudingeka athele “izithelo ezifanela ukuphenduka” ngaphambi kokuba abuyiselwe ebandleni. (Luka 3:8; 2 Kor. 2:5-10) Nakuba singekho isikhathi esimisiwe okumelwe sidlule ngaphambi kokuba umuntu abuyiselwe, ubuqili obunjalo—obungavamile ukwenzeka kubantu bakaNkulunkulu—abunakushalazelwa. Kungase kuthathe isikhathi eside—unyaka noma ngaphezulu—ukuze kubonakale ukuthi isoni siphenduke ngempela. Ngisho noma umuntu esebuyiselwe, kusamelwe alandise “phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela sikaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 14:10-12; bheka INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-November 15, 1979, kk. 31-32.

14. Iyiphi injongo eyayifezwa uMthetho?

¹⁴ UMthetho kaMose waqondisa izindaba zama-Israyeli iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-1 500. Wasiza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba bagcine izimiso zokulunga ezingqondweni zabo lapho besingatha izindaba zomndeni nezinye izinto; ngesikhathi esifanayo lo mthetho wawubaholela kuMesiya. (Gal. 3:23, 24) Lapho uMthetho uyeka ukusebenza ngesikhathi uJesu efa, uNkulunkulu wenza ilungiselelo elisha. (Heb. 8:6) Ngaphansi kwaleli lungiselelo, ezinye izinto ezazivumelekile ngaphansi koMthetho zazingasavumelekile.

15. (a) Ebandleni lobuKristu, yisiphi isimiso somshado okumelwe silandelwe? (b) Yiziphi izinto okufanele umKristu azihlole lapho ecabangela isehlukaniso?

¹⁵ Lapho ephendula umbuzo wabaFarisi owawumayelana nokwehlukanisa noshade naye, uJesu wathi: “Kwakungenjalo ekuqaleni.” (Math. 19:6-8) Ngaleyo ndlela uJesu wabonisa ukuthi isimiso sikaNkulunkulu somshado esasibekwe e-Edene sasiyosetshenziswa ebandleni lobuKristu.  (1 Thim. 3:2, 12) Ukuba “nyamanye” kusho ukuthi abashadile kwakumelwe banamathelane, bavumele uthando lwabo nokuthanda uNkulunkulu kuqinise ubuhlobo babo. Ukwehlukanisa enkantolo ngaphandle kwesizathu sokuziphatha kabi ngokocansi ngeke kumkhulule umuntu ukuba aphinde ashade. (Math. 19:9) Yiqiniso, umuntu angase akhethe ukumxolela ophingile uma ephenduka, njengoba nomprofethi uHoseya amthethelela umkakhe owayeziphethe kabi, uGomere. Ngokufanayo, uJehova wawabonisa umusa ama-Israyeli ayephendukile ngemva kokuphinga kwawo okungokomoya. (Hos. 3:1-5) Ngakho, uma umuntu azi ukuthi umuntu ashade naye uphingile futhi ekhetha ukuqhubeka eya naye ocansini, isenzo esinjalo sibonisa ukuthi usemthethelele futhi sisusa isisekelo esingokomBhalo sokuhlukanisa.

16. UJesu wathini ngokungashadi?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokubonisa ukuthi phakathi kwamaKristu eqiniso asikho isisekelo sokuhlukanisa ngaphandle kokuziphatha kabi ngokocansi, uJesu wakhuluma ngalabo “abanesiphiwo” sokungashadi. Wanezela: “Lowo ongase akwazi ukukutholela indawo makakutholele indawo.” (Math. 19:10-12) Abaningi baye bakhetha ukuhlala bengashadile ukuze bakhonze uJehova ngaphandle kokuthikamezeka. Siyakwazisa abakwenzayo.

17. Yini engasiza umKristu ukuba anqume ukushada?

¹⁷ Umuntu ngamunye kumelwe azenzele isinqumo sokushada noma ukungashadi, kuye ngokuthi uyakwazi yini ukuhlala engashadile. Umphostoli uPawulu wakutusa ukungashadi, nokho, wathi: “Ngenxa yokuvama kobufebe, yileyo naleyo ndoda mayibe nowayo umfazi nalowo nalowo wesifazane abe nowakhe umyeni. Uma bengenakho ukuzithiba, mabashade, ngoba kungcono ukushada kunokushiswa inkanuko.” Ukushada kungasiza umuntu ukuba agweme ukuvumela ukushiswa inkanuko kumholele emikhubeni enjengokushaya indlwabu noma ukuziphatha okubi ngokocansi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iminyaka yomuntu isici okumelwe sisicabangele, ngoba uPawulu wathi: “Kodwa uma umuntu ecabanga ukuthi uziphatha ngokungafanele ngokuqondene nobumsulwa bakhe, uma sekudlule ukuqhuma kobusha, futhi lena kuyindlela okufanele kwenzeke ngayo, makenze lokho akufunayo; akoni. Mabashade.” (1 Kor. 7:2, 9, 36; 1 Thim. 4:1-3) Noma kunjalo, umuntu akufanele agijimele ukushada ngenxa yemizwa enamandla yokuya ocansini eba khona phakathi nokuqhuma kobusha. Kungenzeka akakakhuli ngokwanele ukuze anakekele imithwalo eza nokushada.

18, 19. (a) Kufanele uqale kanjani umshado womKristu? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Umshado womKristu kufanele uqale ngendoda nowesifazane abazinikezele kuJehova futhi abamthanda ngenhliziyo yonke. Kufanele uthando lwabo ngomunye nomunye lubenze bafune ukuphila ndawonye ngaphansi kwesibopho somshado wabo. Yebo, bazobusiswa ngenxa yokuthi balalele isiyalo sokushada “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Lapho sebeshadile, bayovuma ngokungangabazeki ukuthi iBhayibheli linikeza iseluleko esihle kakhulu esenza umshado wabo ube impumelelo.

¹⁹ Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngamaphuzu angokomBhalo angasiza amaKristu ashadile akwazi ukubhekana nezinselele zokuphila phakathi ‘nezinsuku zokugcina’ lapho abesilisa nabesifazane abaningi benezici ezenza umshado ungaphumeleli. (2 Thim. 3:1-5) EZwini lakhe eliyigugu, uJehova uye wasinika lokho esikudingayo ukuze imishado yethu iphumelele futhi ijabulise njengoba siqhubeka sihamba nabantu bakhe endleleni eya ekuphileni okuphakade.—Math. 7:13, 14.