1. Yini uJesu azoyenza kungekudala?

 SIPHILA esikhathini okuzokwenzeka kuso izinguquko ezinkulu! Kungekudala, uJesu uzokwahlulela wonke umuntu ophilayo. UJesu wachaza lokho okwakuyokwenzeka ezweni ngaphambi kokuba kufike isikhathi sokwahlulela. Wanika abafundi bakhe “uphawu” oluyisiprofetho lokuba khona kwakhe okungabonakali “nolwesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Math. 24:3) Lesi siprofetho sikuMathewu izahluko 24 no-25 nakuMarku isahluko 13 noLuka isahluko 21.

2. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko, futhi lokho kuzosisiza ngani?

² UJesu wanikeza izixwayiso eziwusizo esebenzisa imifanekiso emithathu. Leyo mifanekiso owezimvu nezimbuzi, owezintombi ezihlakaniphile neziyiziwula, nowamathalenta. Umfanekiso ngamunye usisiza siqonde ukuthi indlela umuntu aziphatha ngayo iyoyithinta kanjani indlela ayokwahlulelwa ngayo. Njengoba sihlola le mifanekiso, masibone izifundo esizithola kuyo nendlela esingazisebenzisa ngayo. Umfanekiso wokuqala esizoxoxa ngawo owezimvu nezimbuzi.

IZIMVU NEZIMBUZI

3. UJesu uyobahlulela nini abantu?

³ Emfanekisweni wezimvu nezimbuzi, uJesu wachaza indlela abayokwahlulelwa ngayo abantu abanethuba lokusabela ezindabeni ezinhle nokusekela abafowabo abagcotshiwe. (Math. 25:​31-46) Uyobahlulela phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu,’ ngaphambi nje kokuba kuqale i-Armagedoni. (Math. 24:21) Njengoba nje umalusi ehlukanisa izimvu nezimbuzi, uJesu uyohlukanisa labo ababasekela ngobuqotho  abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe nalabo abangabasekeli.

4. Ngokuka-Isaya 11:​3, 4, kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJesu uyokwahlulela abantu ngokulunga? (Bheka nesithombe esisekhasini 1.)

⁴ Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sibonisa ukuthi njengoMahluleli kaJehova omisiwe, uJesu uyokwahlulela abantu ngokulunga. (Funda u-Isaya 11:​3, 4.) Uyayibheka indlela abantu abaziphatha ngayo, isimo sabo sengqondo nezinto abazikhulumayo—kuhlanganise nendlela abaphatha ngayo abagcotshiwe. (Math. 12:​36, 37; 25:40) UJesu uyokwazi ukuthi obani ababesekela abafowabo abagcotshiwe nomsebenzi wabo. a Enye indlela eyinhloko labo abanjengezimvu abasekela ngayo abafowabo bakaKristu iwukubasiza emsebenzini wokushumayela. Labo ababasekelayo bayokwahlulelwa ‘njengabalungile’ futhi bayoba nethuba ‘lokuphila phakade’ emhlabeni. (Math. 25:46; IsAm. 7:​16, 17) Waze wamkhulu umvuzo walabo abahlale beqotho! Ngokuhlale beqotho phakathi nosizi olukhulu nangemva kwalo, bagcina amagama abo ebhaliwe “encwadini yokuphila.”—IsAm. 20:15.

5. Yisiphi isifundo esisithola emfanekisweni wezimvu nezimbuzi, futhi obani okufanele bazuze kuwo?

⁵ Bonisa ukuthi uthembekile futhi uqotho. Umfanekiso kaJesu wezimvu nezimbuzi ngokuyinhloko ugxile kulabo abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Ukholo lwabo abagcini nje ngokulubonisa ngokusekela abafowabo bakaKristu emsebenzini wokushumayela, kodwa balubonisa nangokukwamukela ngobuqotho ukuhola kweqembu elincane labazalwane abagcotshiwe abakhethwe uJesu. (Math. 24:45) Kodwa labo abanethemba lasezulwini nabo kudingeka bawulalele umyalezo oyisixwayiso walo mfanekiso. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi uJesu uyayinaka indlela abaziphatha ngayo, isimo sabo sengqondo nezinto abazikhulumayo. Nabo kumele bazibonakalise bethembekile. Empeleni, uJesu walandisa neminye imifanekiso emibili enezixwayiso ezicacile eziya kwabagcotshiwe. Le mifanekiso siyithola nakuMathewu isahluko 25. Manje ake sixoxe ngomfanekiso wezintombi ezihlakaniphile neziyiziwula.

IZINTOMBI EZIHLAKANIPHILE NEZIYIZIWULA

6. Izintombi ezinhlanu zakubonisa kanjani ukuhlakanipha? (Mathewu 25:​6-10)

⁶ Emfanekisweni wezintombi, uJesu wakhuluma ngezintombi eziyishumi ezaphuma ziyohlangabeza umkhwenyana. (Math. 25:​1-4) Zonke zazinethemba lokuphelezela umkhwenyana edilini lomshado. UJesu wathi ezinhlanu kuzo ‘zazihlakaniphile,’ ezinye ezinhlanu “zaziyiziwula.” Izintombi ezihlakaniphile zazizilungiselele futhi ziqaphile. Zazikulungele ukulinda umkhwenyana kuze kube yilapho efika, ngisho noma efika ebusuku kakhulu. Ngakho, zaziphethe izibani zamafutha ukuze zikhanyise ebusuku. Zaze zaphatha ngisho namafutha engeziwe zenzela uma kwenzeka umkhwenyana ephuza ukufika. Ngakho zazikulungele ukugcina izibani zazo zikhanya. (Funda uMathewu 25:​6-10.) Lapho umkhwenyana efika, izintombi ezihlakaniphile zangena naye edilini lomshado. Ngendlela efanayo, amaKristu agcotshiwe azibonakalise elindile ngokuhlale eqaphile futhi ethembekile kuze kube yilapho uKristu efika ayothola umvuzo wawo wokuba noMkhwenyana, uJesu, eMbusweni  wakhe wasezulwini. b (IsAm. 7:​1-3) Kuthiwani ngezintombi ezinhlanu eziyiziwula?

7. Yini eyenzeka ezintombini ezinhlanu eziyiziwula, futhi kungani?

⁷ Ngokungafani nezintombi ezihlakaniphile, izintombi ezinhlanu eziyiziwula zazingazilungiselele lapho umkhwenyana efika. Izibani zazo zase zizocima futhi zazingawaphethe amafutha engeziwe. Lapho zizwa ukuthi umkhwenyana usezofika, kwadingeka zihambe ziyothenga amafutha. Zazingakabuyi lapho umkhwenyana efika. Ngaleso sikhathi, “izintombi ezazizilungiselele zangena naye edilini lomshado, umnyango wavalwa.” (Math. 25:10) Kamuva lapho izintombi eziyiziwula zibuya futhi zifuna ukungena, umkhwenyana wathi kuzo: “Anginazi.” (Math. 25:​11, 12) Lezo zintombi zazingakulungele ukulinda umkhwenyana kuze kube yilapho efika. Abagcotshiwe bafundani kulo mfanekiso?

8-9. Yisiphi isifundo esingafundwa abagcotshiwe emfanekisweni wezintombi? (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁸ Bonisa ukuthi uzilungiselele futhi uqaphile. UJesu wayengabikezeli ukuthi kwakuyoba namaqembu amabili agcotshiwe—iqembu elalikulungele ukulinda kuze kube yisiphelo salesi simiso sezinto neqembu elalingakulungele. Kunalokho, wayechaza okwakuyokwenzeka kwabagcotshiwe uma babengakulungele ukukhuthazela ngokwethembeka kuze kube sekugcineni. Uma babengakulungele babengeke bawuthole umvuzo wabo. (Joh. 14:​3, 4) Lena indaba ebucayi ngempela! Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lasezulwini noma lasemhlabeni, sonke kufanele sisinakisise isixwayiso somfanekiso wezintombi. Ngamunye wethu kumele ahlale elindile, azilungiselele futhi akulungele ukukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni.—Math. 24:13.

⁹ Ngemva kokulandisa umfanekiso wezintombi ukuze agcizelele isidingo zokuzilungiselela nokuqapha, uJesu walandisa umfanekiso wamathalenta. Lowo mfanekiso ugcizelela isidingo sokuba sibe abantu abakhuthele.

 AMATHALENTA

10. Izinceku ezimbili zazibonakalisa kanjani zithembekile? (Mathewu 25:​19-23)

¹⁰ Emfanekisweni wamathalenta, uJesu wakhuluma ngezinceku ezimbili ezazithembekile enkosini yazo nangenceku eyodwa eyayingathembekile. (Math. 25:​14-18) Izinceku ezimbili zazibonakalisa zithembekile ngokusebenza kanzima ukuze zenzele inkosi yazo imali eyengeziwe. Ngaphambi kokuba inkosi ihambe iye kude, yaphathisa izinceku zayo amathalenta—imali eningi. Izinceku ezimbili ezithembekile zazikhuthele futhi zayisebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha imali. Waba yini umphumela? Lapho inkosi yazo ibuya, zase ziyiphinde kabili imali ezazinikwe yona. Inkosi yazincoma—zangena “enjabulweni yenkosi [yazo].” (Funda uMathewu 25:​19-23.) Kodwa kuthiwani ngenceku yesithathu? Yenzani ngemali eyayiyinikwe inkosi yayo?

11. Yini eyenzeka encekwini “evilaphayo,” futhi kungani?

¹¹ Inceku yesithathu yathola ithalenta elilodwa, kodwa ‘yayivilapha.’ Inkosi yayo yayilindele ukuba ilisebenzise ngokuhlakanipha ithalenta. Kunokuba yenze kanjalo, yaligqiba emhlabathini. Lapho inkosi ibuya, le nceku yabuyisela inkosi yayo ithalenta elilodwa eyayinikwe lona. Le nceku yayingenaso isimo sengqondo esihle. Kunokuba ixolise ngokwehluleka ukwandisa imali yenkosi yayo, yathi inkosi ‘ingumuntu olukhuni’ futhi kwakungafanele isho kanjalo. Le nceku ayizange yamukelwe inkosi yayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, yaphucwa ithalenta futhi yaxoshwa emzini wenkosi.—Math. 25:​24, 26-30.

12. Izinceku ezimbili ezithembekile zimelela bani namuhla?

¹² Izinceku ezimbili ezithembekile zimelela amaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile. INkosi, uJesu, iwamema ukuba ‘angene enjabulweni yenkosi yawo.’ Athola umvuzo wawo wasezulwini, uvuko lokuqala. (Math. 25:​21, 23; IsAm. 20:5b) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, isibonelo esibi senceku evilaphayo sixwayisa abagcotshiwe. Kanjani?

13-14. Yisiphi isifundo abagcotshiwe abasifundayo emfanekisweni wamathalenta? (Bheka nesithombe.)

 ¹³ Bonisa ukuthi ukhuthele. Emfanekisweni wamathalenta, njengoba kunjalo nangomfanekiso wezintombi, uJesu wayengabikezeli ukuthi abagcotshiwe babeyovilapha. Kunalokho, wayechaza okwakuyokwenzeka uma kwenzeka beyeka ukushiseka. Babeyohluleka ‘ukuziqinisekisela ukubizwa nokukhethwa kwabo’ futhi babengeke bavunyelwe ukungena eMbusweni wasezulwini.—2 Pet. 1:10.

¹⁴ Umfanekiso kaJesu wezintombi nowamathalenta ukwenza kucace ukuthi wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe kumele azilungiselele, aqaphe futhi akhuthale. Kodwa kukhona yini okunye uJesu axwayisa ngakho abagcotshiwe? Yebo kukhona! Amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 24:​40, 41 akhuluma nangokwahlulelwa kokugcina kwabagcotshiwe.

UBANI ‘OYOTHATHWA’?

15-16. UMathewu 24:​40, 41 usigcizelela kanjani isidingo sokuba abagcotshiwe bahlale belindile?

¹⁵ Ngaphambi kokuba alandise imifanekiso emithathu, uJesu wachaza ukwahlulelwa kokugcina kwabagcotshiwe okwakuyoveza ukuthi ubani owamukelwayo. Wakhuluma ngamadoda amabili asebenza ensimini nangabesifazane ababili abagaya etsheni. Esimweni ngasinye, la madoda nalaba besifazane babonakala benza umsebenzi ofanayo, kodwa uJesu wathi omunye “uyothathwa, omunye ashiywe.” (Funda uMathewu 24:​40, 41.) Wabe esenxusa abalandeli bakhe: “Ngakho-ke, hlalani nilindile ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku.” (Math. 24:42) UJesu washo into efanayo ngemva kokulandisa umfanekiso wezintombi. (Math. 25:13) Ingabe lokho akusho kuhlobene? Kubonakala kanjalo. Yilabo abagcotshwe ngempela nabathembekile kuphela ‘abayothathwa’ uJesu bayiswe eMbusweni wasezulwini.—Joh. 14:3.

¹⁶ Bonisa ukuthi ulindile. Noma yibaphi abagcotshiwe abangahlali bephapheme ngokomoya ngeke baqoqelwe ndawonye ‘nabakhethiwe.’ (Math. 24:31) Ngokufanayo, bonke abantu bakaNkulunkulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi banaliphi ithemba, kufanele babheke amazwi kaJesu njengesixwayiso sokuba bahlale belindile futhi bahlale bethembekile.

17. Kungani kungafanele sikhathazeke ngokuthi uJehova ukhetha ukubagcoba nini abanye ngomoya wakhe ongcwele?

¹⁷ Sesimazi kahle uJehova, ngakho siyayethemba indlela ahlulela ngayo. Asikhathazeki uma uJehova ekhethe ukugcoba abanye abathembekile esikhathini esiphila kuso. c Siyakukhumbula lokho uJesu akusho ngezisebenzi ezafika ngehora lika-11 emfanekisweni wakhe wensimu yamagilebhisi. (Math. 20:​1-16) Labo ababeqashwe ntambama ukuba basebenze ensimini yamagilebhisi ngalolo suku bathola umholo olingana nowalabo ababeqashwe ukuba baqale ukusebenza ekuseni kakhulu ngalolo suku. Ngokufanayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abagcotshiwe bakhethwe nini, bayothola umvuzo wabo wasezulwini uma behlulelwa njengabathembekile.

LALELA IZIXWAYISO

18-19. Yiziphi izifundo nezixwayiso esixoxe ngazo?

¹⁸ Yini esesixoxe ngayo? Kulabo abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni, umfanekiso wezimvu nezimbuzi ugcizelela isidingo sokuba bahlale bethembekile futhi beqotho kuJehova—manje naphakathi nosizi olukhulu oluzayo. Ngaleso sikhathi esizayo, uJesu uyokwahlulela abathembekile njengabakufanelekelayo  ukuba “bathole ukuphila okuphakade.”—Math. 25:46.

¹⁹ Sixoxe nangemifanekiso emibili enezixwayiso eziya kwabagcotshiwe. Emfanekisweni kaJesu wezintombi ezihlakaniphile neziyiziwula, ezinhlanu zazo zabonisa ukuthi zihlakaniphile. Zazizilungiselele futhi ziqaphile, zikulungele ukulinda umkhwenyana aze afike. Kodwa izintombi eziyiziwula zazingazilungiselele. Ngakho umkhwenyana wenqaba ukuzingenisa edilini lakhe lomshado. Nathi kumele sikulungele ukulinda kuze kube yilapho uJesu eqeda ngalesi simiso sezinto, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuthatha isikhathi eside kangakanani. Emfanekisweni kaJesu wamathalenta, sifunde nangezinceku ezimbili ezithembekile ezazikhuthele. Zayisebenzela kanzima inkosi yazo futhi yajabula ngazo. Nokho, ayizange ijabule ngenceku evilaphayo. Yini esiyifundayo? Kumele sihlale simatasa enkonzweni kaJehova kuze kube sekupheleni. Ekugcineni, sixoxe ngokuthi abagcotshiwe kumele bahlale kanjani belindile ukuze uJesu ‘abathathe’ abayise emvuzweni wabo wasezulwini. Bakulangazelela ngempela ‘ukubuthelwa . . . ndawonye’ kuJesu ezulwini. Ngemva kwempi ye-Armagedoni, bayoba umakoti kaJesu emshadweni weWundlu.—2 Thes. 2:1; IsAm. 19:9.

20. Yini uJehova ayoyenzela labo abalalela izixwayiso zakhe?

²⁰ Nakuba isikhathi sokwahlulela sisondela ngokushesha, asikho isidingo sokuba sesabe. Uma sihlale sithembekile, uBaba wethu osezulwini onothando uzosinika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile” ukuze ‘siphumelele . . . ekumeni phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.’ (2 Kor. 4:7; Luka 21:36) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lethu elasezulwini noma elasemhlabeni, siyomenza ajabule uBaba wethu uma silalela izixwayiso ezisemifanekisweni kaJesu. Ngenxa yomusa kaJehova omkhulu, amagama ethu ‘ayotholakala elotshiwe encwadini’ yokuphila.—Dan. 12:1; IsAm. 3:5.