1. Sasibaluleke kangakanani isinkwa ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli?

 ISINKWA sasiwukudla okubaluleke kakhulu kubantu abaningi ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli. (Gen. 14:18; Luka 4:4) Empeleni, sasibalukele kangangokuba ngezinye izikhathi iBhayibheli lisebenzisa igama elithi “isinkwa” lapho likhuluma ngokudla. (Math. 6:11) UJesu wasebenzisa isinkwa lapho enza izimangaliso zakhe ezimbili ezidumile. (Math. 16:​9, 10) Esinye salezo zimangaliso sitholakala kuJohane isahluko 6. Njengoba sizobe sifunda ngaso sizobheka ukuthi yiziphi izifundo esizitholayo esingazisebenzisa namuhla.

2. Yisiphi isimo esasidinga ukuba kunikezwe abantu abayizinkulungwane ukudla?

² Ngemva kokuba abaphostoli bakaJesu sebeqedile ngohambo lwabo lokuyoshumayela, uJesu wahamba nabo ngesikebhe baya ngaphesheya koLwandle LwaseGalile ukuze bayophumula. (Marku 6:​7, 30-32; Luka 9:10) Baya endaweni engenabantu eBhetsayida. Nokho, ngokushesha kwafika izinkulungwane zabantu zizobona uJesu. UJesu akazange azizibe. Ngomusa wafundisa labo bantu ngoMbuso, welapha nabagulayo. Njengoba kwase kuhwalala, abafundi bazibuza ukuthi bonke labo bantu babezokuthola kanjani ukudla. Kungenzeka abanye babo babenakho ukudla okuncane, kodwa abaningi kwakuzodingeka bangene emizini bazithengele ukudla. (Math. 14:15; Joh. 6:​4, 5) Wayezokwenzenjani uJesu?

UJESU WANDISA IZINKWA NGOKUYISIMANGALISO

3. Yini uJesu athi abaphostoli bakhe abayenzele isixuku? (Bheka esisekhasini 1.)

³ UJesu wathi kubaphostoli bakhe: ‘Akudingeki ukuba bahambe; banikeni nina ukudla.’ (Math. 14:16) Kwakubonakala  kungenakwenzeka lokho ngoba kwakunamadoda angaba ngu-5 000. Uma kubalwa nabesifazane nezingane cishe babengu-15 000 abantu ababedinga ukudla. (Math. 14:21) U-Andreya wathi: “Nangu umfanyana onezinkwa zebhali ezinhlanu nezinhlanzi ezimbili ezincane. Kodwa kuyini lokhu kubantu abaningi kangaka?” (Joh. 6:9) Izinkwa zebhali zazivame ukudliwa abantu abavamile futhi izinhlanzi ezincane kungenzeka zazonyisiwe futhi zifakwe usawoti. Noma kunjalo, lezi ezaziphethwe umfana zazingeke zibenele abantu abaningi kangaka!

4. Singafundani kuJohane 6:​11-13? (Bheka nezithombe.)

⁴ UJesu wayefuna ukubabonisa umusa abantu, ngakho wabayala ukuba bahlale ngamaqembu otshanini. (Marku 6:​39, 40; funda uJohane 6:​11-13.) UJesu wabe esethandaza kuBaba wakhe, ebonga ngezinkwa nezinhlanzi. Kwakufaneleka ngempela ukubonga uNkulunkulu, okunguye uMthombo wokudla. Kubaluleke ngempela ukulingisa isibonelo sikaJesu sokuthandaza ngaphambi kokuba sidle, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sisodwa noma kukhona nabanye abantu. Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu watshela abafundi bakhe ukuba babele abantu ukudla, badla basutha. Ukudla kwaze kwasala futhi uJesu wayengafuni ukuba kuchithwe lokho kudla okwakusele. Ngakho, wayala abafundi bakhe ukuba baqoqe ukudla okusele ukuze kuphinde kusetshenziswe ngesinye isikhathi. UJesu wasibekela isibonelo sokuba sikusebenzise ngokuhlakanipha esinakho. Uma ungumzali, ungasebenzisa le ndaba ukuze ufundise izingane zakho ngokubaluleka kokuthandaza, ukubonisa abanye umusa nokupha.

5. Yini abantu ababefuna ukuyenza ngemva kokubona izinto ezimangalisayo ezenziwa uJesu ngalolo suku futhi yini uJesu abe eseyenza?

 ⁵ Zazibamangaza abantu izimangaliso zikaJesu nendlela ayefundisa ngayo. Ngenxa yokuthi babazi ukuthi uMose wayethembise ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyovusa umprofethi okhethekile, kungenzeka babecabanga ukuthi uJesu wayenguye lowo mprofethi. (Dut. 18:​15-18) Uma kunjalo, cishe babecabanga ukuthi uJesu wayeyoba umbusi omangalisayo, mhlawumbe owayezokwazi ukupha isizwe sonke isinkwa. Ngakho isixuku sasifuna ‘ukubamba [uJesu] ukuze simenze inkosi.’ (Joh. 6:​14, 15) Ukube uJesu wavuma ukuba isixuku simenze inkosi wayeyobe uhlanganyela kwezepolitiki yamaJuda, ayebuswa amaRoma ngaleso sikhathi. Kodwa wayengeke akwenze lokho. IBhayibheli lithi uJesu “wasuka waya entabeni eyedwa.” Ngakho, naphezu kokucindezelwa abanye wayengeke azihlanganise nezepolitiki. Yisifundo esibaluleke ngempela lesi!

6. Singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaJesu? (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁶ Yiqiniso ukuthi abanye ngeke basicele ukuba sandise isinkwa, noma selaphe abagulayo ngokuyisimangaliso; noma bazame ukusenza inkosi noma umbusi wezwe. Kodwa bangase basinxenxe ukuba sihlanganyele kwezepolitiki ngokuthi sivote noma sibonise ukuthi siyamsekela umuntu abanomuzwa wokuthi uzokwenza izinto zibe ngcono. Nokho, isibonelo sikaJesu  sicacile. Wenqaba ukuzihlanganisa nezindaba zepolitiki, kamuva waze wathi: “UMbuso wami awuyona ingxenye yaleli zwe.” (Joh. 17:14; 18:36) Namuhla amaKristu enza kahle ngokulingisa indlela uJesu ayecabanga ngayo nayenza ngayo. Sisekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, sitshele abanye ngawo futhi siwuthandazele. (Math. 6:10) Ake sibuyele endabeni kaJesu yokwandisa izinkwa ngokuyisimangaliso, sixoxe ngokuthi yini enye esingayifunda kuyo.

“INCAZELO YESIMANGALISO SEZINKWA”

7. Yini uJesu ayenza futhi abaphostoli basabela kanjani? (Johane 6:​16-20)

⁷ Ngemva kokuba uJesu ephe isixuku ukudla, wayala abafundi bakhe ukuba bahambe kuleyo ndawo baphindele eKapernawume ngesikebhe, yena waya entabeni ebalekela isixuku esasifuna ukumenza inkosi. (Funda uJohane 6:​16-20.) Ngesikhathi abaphostoli besesikebheni kwaba nesiphepho esinamandla, kwavunguza umoya kwaba namagagasi amakhulu. UJesu wabe eseya kubo ehamba phezu kwamanzi. Wabe esetshela umphostoli uPetru ukuba naye ahambe phezu kwamanzi. (Math. 14:​22-31) Lapho nje uJesu eqeda kungena esikebheni isiphepho sanqamuka. Lokho kwenza abafundi bathi: “Ngempela wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” a (Math. 14:33) Kuyamangaza ukuthi abafundi basho la mazwi ngemva kokuba uJesu ehambe phezu kwamanzi, hhayi ngemva kokuba andise isinkwa ngokuyisimangaliso. UMarku uyenezela: “[Abaphostoli] bamangala kakhulu ngoba babengayiqondanga incazelo yesimangaliso sezinkwa, kunalokho izinhliziyo zabo zazingaqondi.” (Marku 6:​50-52) Ngempela, behluleka ukuqonda amandla okwenza izimangaliso uJehova ayewanike uJesu. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wakhuluma ngesimangaliso sezinkwa futhi wasifundisa nesinye isifundo.

8-9. Kungani isixuku sasifuna uJesu? (Johane 6:​26, 27)

⁸ Isixuku uJesu asipha ukudla sasigxile ekwaneliseni izidingo zaso zenyama nezifiso zaso. Kanjani? Ngosuku olulandelayo sabona ukuthi uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe babehambile. Ngakho isixuku sagibela izikebhe eziningana ezazivela eThibheriya saya eKapernawume siyofuna uJesu. (Joh. 6:​22-24) Ingabe isizathu esiyinhloko sokwenza lokho kwakuwukuzwa okwengeziwe ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu? Cha. Esasikufuna nje ukuba uJesu asinike isinkwa. Sikwazi kanjani lokho?

⁹ Phawula lokho okwenzeka ngesikhathi isixuku sithola uJesu eduze kwaseKapernawume. UJesu wasitshela ngokuqondile ukuthi sasimfuna ngoba sifuna ukudla nje kuphela. Nakuba ‘sasidle izinkwa sasutha,’ uJesu wathi lokho kudla ‘kwakuwukudla okonakalayo.’ UJesu wasitshela ukuthi kufanele sisebenzele ukudla okungonakali “okunikeza ukuphila okuphakade.” (Funda uJohane 6:​26, 27.) UJesu wathi uBaba wakhe wayeyobanika lokho kudla. Kumele ukuba kwabamangaza abantu ukuzwa ukuthi kunokudla okwakungabanika ukuphila okuphakade! Yikuphi nje ngempela ukudla okwakungenza lokho futhi labo ababelalele uJesu babengakuthola kanjani?

10. Yimuphi “umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu” okwakudingeka abantu bafunde ngawo?

¹⁰ Kubonakala sengathi lawo maJuda ayecabanga ukuthi kwakufanele enze okuthile noma imisebenzi ethile ukuze afanelekele ukuthola lokho kudla. Kungenzeka ayecabanga ‘ngemisebenzi’ yoMthetho kaMose. Nokho, uJesu wathi kuwo: “Yilo umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, ukuba nibonise ukholo kulowo amthumile.” (Joh. 6:​28, 29) Kwakudingeka abonise ukholo kummeleli kaNkulunkulu ukuze  “athole ukuphila okuphakade.” Empeleni, ngaphambilini uJesu wake wakhuluma ngale ndaba. (Joh. 3:​16-18, 36) Kamuva wayesazosho okwengeziwe ngokuthi singakuthola kanjani ukuphila okuphakade.—Joh. 17:3.

11. AmaJuda abonisa kanjani ukuthi ayesagxile ekwanelisweni yisinkwa? (IHubo 78:​24, 25)

¹¹ Lawo maJuda awazange ayamukele imfundiso kaJesu ‘ngomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu’ omusha. Ambuza: “Yisiphi isibonakaliso osenzayo, ukuze sisibone futhi sikukholwe?” (Joh. 6:30) Amtshela ukuthi okhokho bawo bangosuku lukaMose bathola imana eyayingafaniswa nesinkwa. (Neh. 9:15; funda iHubo 78:​24, 25.) Kusobala ukuthi izingqondo zawo zazisagxile ekwanelisweni isinkwa esingokoqobo. Ahluleka nokucela uJesu ukuba awacacisele ukuthi wayesho ukuthini lapho ekhuluma ‘ngesinkwa seqiniso esivela ezulwini,’ esasifana nemana enikeza ukuphila eyayivela ezulwini. (Joh. 6:32) Ayegxile kakhulu ezidingweni zawo ezingokwenyama kangangokuba awawanakanga amaqiniso angokomoya uJesu ayezama ukuwafundisa wona. Yini esingayifunda kule ndaba?

OKUFANELE SIGXILE KUKHO

12. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi yini ebaluleke kakhulu?

¹² Nasi isifundo esibalulekile esisithola kuJohane isahluko 6. Okufanele sigxile kukho ukulalela uNkulunkulu nokuba nobuhlobo obuhle naye. Khumbula ukuthi lapho uJesu emelana nesilingo sikaSathane wabonisa ukuthi ukulalela uJehova kwakubaluleke ukwedlula ukudla. (Math. 4:​3, 4) Kanti eNtshumayelweni YaseNtabeni wagcizelela indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuqaphela ukuthi siyamdinga uNkulunkulu. (Math. 5:3) Ngakho singazibuza, ‘Ingabe indlela engiphila ngayo ibonisa ukuthi ubuhlobo bami noJehova bubaluleke ukwedlula ukwanelisa izifiso zami zenyama?’

13. (a) Kungani kungekubi ukujabulela ukudla? (b) Yini uPawulu asixwayisa ngayo? (1 Korinte 10:​6, 7, 11)

¹³ Akukubi ukuthandazela izinto esizidingayo nokuzijabulela. (Luka 11:3) Kuyasijabulisa ukusebenza ngokuzikhandla okusenza sikwazi ukuthola ‘ukudla nokokuphuza’ futhi lokho “kuvela esandleni sikaNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (UmSh. 2:24; 8:15; Jak. 1:17) Noma kunjalo, kumele siqikelele ukuthi singenzi izinto zaleli zwe kube yizo ezibaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni. Umphostoli uPawulu wakugcizelela lokho lapho ebhalela amaKristu ayephila ngasekupheleni kwesimiso samaJuda. Wakhuluma ngezinto ezimbi ezazenziwa ama-Israyeli ngesikhathi esehlane, kuhlanganise nalokho akwenza ngaseNtabeni iSinayi. Waxwayisa amaKristu ukuba ‘angazifisi izinto, ezilimazayo njengoba [ama-Israyeli] azifisa.’ (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 10:​6, 7, 11.) Ngenxa yokufuna kwawo ukudla, ama-Israyeli ashintsha ngisho namalungiselelo kaJehova amangalisayo awenza “izinto ezilimazayo.” (Num. 11:​4-6, 31-34) Ngesikhathi ekhonza ithole legolide, ama-Israyeli abonisa ukuthi into ayenendaba nayo kakhulu ukudla, ukuphuza nokuba nesikhathi esimnandi kunokulalela uJehova. (Eks. 32:​4-6) UPawulu wasebenzisa lesi sibonelo ukuze axwayise amaKristu ayephila ngasekupheleni kwesimiso sezinto samaJuda ngo-70 C.E. Manje siphila ngasekupheleni kwaleli zwe, ngakho senza kahle ngokusinakisisa iseluleko sikaPawulu.

14. Endabeni yokudla, yini esingayilindela ezweni elisha?

¹⁴ Lapho ekhuluma ‘ngesinkwa sethu salolu suku,’ uJesu wakhuluma ngesikhathi lapho kuyokwenzeka khona intando kaNkulunkulu “emhlabeni njengasezulwini.” (Math. 6:​9-11) Ucabanga ukuthi kuyoba njani emhlabeni ngaleso sikhathi? IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ukwenzeka kwentando kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni kuhlanganisa nokudla okumnandi.  Ngokuvumelana no-Isaya 25:​6-8, ngaphansi koMbuso kaJehova kuyoba nokudla okumnandi okuningi esiyokujabulela. IHubo 72:16 lithi: “Kuyoba nenala yokudla okusanhlamvu emhlabeni; kuyochichima phezu kwezintaba.” Uyakulangazelela yini ukusebenzisa okusanhlamvu ukuze wenze isinkwa osithandayo noma uzame amaresiphu amasha? Ungajabulela nesivuno samasimu amagilebhisi owatshalile. (Isaya 65:​21, 22) Wonke umuntu emhlabeni uyojabulela lezi zinto ezimangalisayo.

15. Yini eyofundwa yilabo abavusiwe? (Johane 6:35)

¹⁵ Funda uJohane 6:35. Yini elindelwe yilabo uJesu abapha izinkwa nezinhlanzi? Ovukweni oluzayo, singase sihlangane nabanye babo. Ngisho noma bengazange balubonise ukholo, esikhathini esizayo bangase bavuswe. (Joh. 5:​28, 29) Kuyodingeka bafunde incazelo yamazwi kaJesu athi: “Mina ngiyisinkwa sokuphila. Noma ubani oza kimi ngeke alambe.” Kuyodingeka babe nokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo, bakholelwe ukuthi wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabo. Ngaleso sikhathi, abavusiwe nanoma yiziphi izingane eziyozalwa ezweni elisha, bayofunda iqiniso ngoJehova nangenjongo yakhe. Siyokujabulela ngempela ukubasiza bafunde ngalezi zinto ezimangalisayo! Ukwenza lowo msebenzi kuyojabulisa kakhulu ukwedlula ukwenza isinkwa esingokoqobo. Siyokujabulela ngempela ukwenza izinto ezingokomoya.

16. Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁶ Sixoxe ngengxenye ethile kaJohane isahluko 6, kodwa kuningi uJesu akufundisa ‘ngokuphila okuphakade.’ AmaJuda ayekhuluma noJesu kwadingeka akunakisise lokho okwakushiwo uJesu, nathi kudingeka sikunakisise. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoqhubeka sixoxa ngoJohane isahluko 6.