Okwenza Ukuba ISidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa Sisho Okuthile Kuwe

UJESU KRISTU wamisa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngobusuku bokugcina bokuphila kwakhe kobuntu. KwakungoLwesine kusihlwa, ngo-March 31, futhi uJesu wafa ngoLwesihlanu ntambama, ngo-April 1. Njengoba izinsuku zekhalenda lamaJuda ziqala ukubalwa kusukela kusihlwa kuya osukwini olulandelayo kusihlwa, kokubili iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa nokufa kukaJesu kwenzeka ngo-Nisan 14, ngo-33 C.E.

Kungani uJesu amisa lesidlo? Kuyini ukubaluleka kwesinkwa newayini akusebenzisa? Obani okufanele bahlanganyele ekudleni? Kufanele sigujwe izikhathi eziningi kangakanani lesidlo? Futhi kungayiphi indlela singase sisho okuthile kuwe?

Kungani Samiswa?

Ngokuphathelene neSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, uJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe: “Lokhu kwenzeni ukuba ningikhumbule.” Ngokwenye inguqulo, wathi: “Yenzani lokhu njengesikhumbuzo sami.” (1 Korinte 11:24; The New English Bible) Eqinisweni, iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngokuvamile kubhekiselwa kuso njengeSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu.

UJesu wafa njengomsekeli wobukhosi bukaJehova ogcina ubuqotho futhi ngaleyondlela wabonakalisa uSathane njengomphikisi onamanga ngokugomela ngokuthi abantu abaqotho bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa yezisusa zobugovu kuphela. (Jobe 2:1-5) Ukufa kwakhe kwenza inhliziyo kaNkulunkulu yathokoza.—IzAga 27:11.

Ngokufa kwakhe njengomuntu ophelele, uJesu futhi ‘wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe kwaba yisihlengo sabaningi.’ (Mathewu 20:28) Ngokona kuNkulunkulu, umuntu wokuqala walahlekelwa ukuphila okuphelele kobuntu namathemba ako. Kodwa “uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe [lesintu] kangaka‚ waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi‚ kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Yebo, “inkokhelo yesono ingukufa‚ kepha isipho somusa sikaNkulunkulu singukuphila okuphakade kuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 6:23.

“Ngakwamukela ENkosini”

Amazwi omphostoli uPawulu anikeza ukukhanya ngokuphathelene nesikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu: “Mina ngakwamukela eNkosini lokho‚ nenganinika khona‚ ukuthi: INkosi uJesu‚ ngalobobusuku akhashelwa ngabo wathabatha isinkwa‚ wabonga‚ wasihlephula‚ wathi: Lokhu kungumzimba wami ohleshulelwe nina; lokhu kwenzeni ukuba ningikhumbule. Kanjalo wathabatha nesitsha emva kokudla kwakusihlwa‚ wathi: Lesisitsha siyisivumelwano esisha egazini lami; lokhu kwenzeni ngezikhathi zonke enisiphuza ngazo ukuba ningikhumbule. Ngokuba njalo‚ nxa nidla lesisinkwa niphuza lesisitsha‚ nimemezela ukufa kweNkosi ize ifike.”—1 Korinte 11:23-26.

Njengoba uPawulu ayengekho phakathi kukaJesu nabaphostoli abangu-11 ngo-Nisan 14, ngo-33 C.E., ngokusobala lokhu kwaziswa ‘wakwamukela eNkosini’ ngesambulo esiphefumlelwe. UJesu wamisa iSikhumbuzo ‘ngobusuku ayezokhashelwa’ ngabo uJuda ezitheni zenkolo ezingamaJuda, ezathonya amaRoma ukuba abethele uKristu. Labo abafanelekayo ukuba bahlanganyele ekudleni  isinkwa newayini okuyizifanekiselo babeyokwenza kanjalo ukuze bamkhumbule.

Kumelwe Sigujwe Izikhathi Eziningi Kangakanani?

Asho ukuthini amazwi kaPawulu athi: “Njalo‚ nxa nidla lesisinkwa niphuza lesisitsha‚ nimemezela ukufa kweNkosi ize ifike”? AmaKristu athembekile agcotshiwe ayeyohlanganyela “njalo” ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo aze afe, kamuva avuselwe ekuphileni kwasezulwini. Kanjalo, phambi kukaNkulunkulu nezwe ayeyomemezela njalo ukholo lwawo elungiselelweni likaJehova lomhlatshelo kaJesu. Isikhathi eside kangakanani? ‘Aze afike,’ kusho uPawulu, ngokusobala esho ukuthi lemikhosi yayiyoqhubeka kuze kube sekufikeni kukaJesu ezolanda abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe ebayisa ezulwini ngovuko phakathi ‘nokuba-khona,’ kwakhe. (1 Thesalonika 4:14-17, qhathanisa neNW.) Lokhu kuvumelana namazwi kaKristu kubaphostoli abathembekile abangu-11: “Nanxa ngiya nginilungisela indawo‚ ngobuye ngize‚ nginibuyisele kimi ukuba lapho ngikhona nibe-khona nani.”—Johane 14:3.

Ingabe ukufa kukaKristu kufanele kukhunjulwe nsuku zonke noma mhlawumbe masonto onke? Nokho, uJesu wamisa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa futhi wabulawa ngePhasika, elaliwukukhunjulwa kokukhululwa kuka-Israyeli ebugqilini baseGibithe. Eqinisweni, ubizwa ngokuthi ‘uKristu iphasika lethu’ ngoba uyiWundlu elahlatshelwa amaKristu. (1 Korinte 5:7) IPhasika laligujwa kanye kuphela ngonyaka, ngo-Nisan 14. (Eksodusi 12:6, 14; Levitikusi 23:5) Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi ukufa kukaJesu kufanele kukhunjulwe izikhathi ezilingana nalezo okwakwenziwa ngazo iPhasika kuphela—kanye ngonyaka, hhayi nsuku zonke noma masonto onke.

Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka abaningi ababethi bangamaKristu babekhumbula ukufa kukaJesu kanye ngonyaka. Ngenxa yokuthi lokho babekwenza ngo-Nisan 14, babebizwa ngokuthi ama-Quartodeciman, okusho “abantu bosuku lweshumi nane.” Ngokuphathelene nabo, isazi-mlando uJ. L. von Mosheim sabhala: “AmaKristu ase-Asia Minor ayejwayele ukugubha lomkhosi ongcwele, ekhumbula ukumiswa kwesidlo seNkosi sakusihlwa, nokufa kukaJesu Kristu, ngesikhathi esifanayo lapho amaJuda edla iwundlu lawo lePhasika, okungukuthi ngokuhlwa kosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga yokuqala [u-Nisan]. . . . Ayebheka isibonelo sikaKristu njengesinamandla ashukumisela ukugcina umthetho.”

Ukubaluleka Kwezifanekiselo

UPawulu wathi uJesu “wathabatha isinkwa, wabonga, wasihlephula.” Lesosinkwa esiphoqokayo esibhakwe ngofulawa namanzi okungenamvubelo (noma imbiliso) kwakumelwe sihleshulwe ukuze sidliwe. Lapho iBhayibheli lifanekisa, imvubelo ifanekisela isono noma ukonakala. Enxusa amaKristu aseKorinte ukuba axoshe umuntu oziphatha kabi ebandleni, uPawulu wathi: “Anazi yini ukuthi imvubelo encane ibilisa inhlama yonke na? Khiphani imvubelo endala ukuze nibe-yinhlama entsha‚ njengalokhu ningabangenamvubelo. Ngokuba nelethu iphasika lihlatshiwe‚ elinguKristu. Njalo-ke masigubhe umkhosi kungabi-ngemvubelo endala‚ kungabi-ngemvubelo yokushinga neyobubi‚ kodwa kube-ngesinkwa esingenamvubelo sobuqotho neseqiniso.” (1 Korinte 5:6-8) Njengoba inhlama encane emuncu ibilisa yonke inhlama yesinkwa, ngakho ibandla laliyoba elingcolile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu uma ithonya elonakalisayo lalomuntu onesono lalingasuswanga. Kwakudingeka akhiphe “imvubelo” phakathi kwawo, njengoba nje nama-Israyeli ayengenakugcina imvubelo ezindlini zawo phakathi noMkhosi Wezinkwa Ezingenamvubelo owawulandela iPhasika.

Ngokuphathelene nesinkwa esingenamvubelo seSikhumbuzo, uJesu wathi: “Lokhu kungumzimba wami ohleshulelwe nina.” (1 Korinte  11:24) Isinkwa simelela umzimba kaJesu ophelele wenyama, uPawulu abhala ngawo: “[UJesu] esefika ezweni uthi: Umhlatshelo nomnikelo awuwuthandanga, kodwa ungilungiselele umzimba. Iminikelo yokushiswa nemihlatshelo ngenxa yesono awuyithokozelanga. Ngase ngithi: Bheka‚ ngiyeza—emqulwini wencwadi kulotshiwe ngami—ukuba ngiyenze‚ Nkulunkulu‚ intando yakho. . . . Ngaleyontando singcwelisiwe ngokunikelwa komzimba kaJesu Kristu kanye kuphela.” (Heberu 10:5-10) Umzimba kaJesu ophelele wobuntu wawungenasono futhi waba umhlatshelo wesihlengo sesintu.—Heberu 7:26.

Ngemva kokuthandazela isitsha sewayini elibomvu elingaxutshiwe, uJesu wathi: “Lesisitsha siyisivumelwano esisha egazini lami.” (1 Korinte 11:25) Enye inguqulo ithi: “Lesisitsha siyisivumelwano esisha esigunyazwa igazi lami.” (Moffatt) Njengoba nje igazi lezinkabi ezenziwe umhlatshelo lalenza isivumelwano soMthetho sisebenze phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli, ngakho igazi likaJesu elathululwa ekufeni lenza isivumelwano esisha sasebenza. Iqiniso lokuthi kukhulunywa ngesivumelwano esisha lisisiza ukuba sikwazi ukubona abantu abafanelekayo abahlanganyela ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo.

Obani Okufanele Bahlanganyele Ekudleni?

Abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe abasesivumelwaneni esisha, bahlanganyela ngokufanelekile ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo. Lesivumelwano senziwa phakathi kukaNkulunkulu no-Israyeli ongokomoya. (Jeremiya 31:31-34; Galathiya 6:16) Kodwa isivumelwano esisha ekugcineni siyoletha izibusiso kuso sonke isintu esilalelayo, futhi ungaba phakathi kwalabo abayomukela lezozibusiso.

Abahlanganyelayo ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo kumelwe ngokomuntu siqu babe sesivumelwaneni uJesu asenza ngenxa yoMbuso. Lapho emisa lesisidlo, uJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile: “Nanjengokuba uBaba engimisele umbuso‚ nami nginimisela wona.” (Luka 22:29) Isivumelwano soMbuso uNkulunkulu asenza neNkosi uDavide sakhomba phambili ekufikeni kukaJesu, owayeyobusa kuze kube phakade eMbusweni wasezulwini. Ama-Israyeli angokomoya angu-144 000, ayohlanganyela ukubusa naye, achazwa njengami eNtabeni yasezulwini iSiyoni kanye neWundlu, uJesu Kristu. Lapho evuswa, ayobusa njengamakhosi nabapristi abakanye noKristu. (2 Samuweli 7:11-16; IsAmbulo 7:4; 14:1-4; 20:6) Yilabo abasesivumelwaneni esisha kuphela nabasesivumelwaneni somuntu siqu noJesu abahlanganyela ngokufanelekile ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa.

Umoya kaNkulunkulu ufakaza kanye nomoya wabagcotshiwe ukuthi bangabantwana baKhe nezindlalifa kanye noKristu. UPawulu wabhala: “Yena lowoMoya ufakaza kanye nomoya wethu ukuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Uma-ke singabantwana‚ siyizindlalifa futhi‚ izindlalifa zikaNkulunkulu‚ izindlalifa kanye noKristu‚ uma phela sihlupheka kanye naye‚ ukuze siphiwe inkazimulo futhi kanye naye.” (Roma 8:16, 17) Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, noma amandla ayisiphekupheku, wakha ngaphakathi kwabagcotshiwe isiqinisekiso sokuthi babelwe kusengaphambili ukuphila ezulwini. Babheka konke imiBhalo ekushoyo ngokuphila kwasezulwini njengokubhekiswe kubo futhi bazimisele ukudela zonke izinto zasemhlabeni, kuhlanganise nokuphila kobuntu. Nakuba ukuphila ePharadesi lasemhlabeni kuyoba okumangalisayo, abanalo lelothemba. (Luka 23:43) Ithemba eliqinisekile nelingenakuguquka lokuyophila ezulwini elingasekelwe emibonweni yenkolo engamanga libagunyaza ukuba bahlanganyele ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo.

UJehova ubeyodumala uma umuntu ezibonakalisa njengobizelwe ukuba abe yinkosi  nompristi wasezulwini kuyilapho engenalo ubizo olunjalo. (Roma 9:16; IsAmbulo 22:5) UNkulunkulu wabulala uKora ngokufuna ubupristi ngokugabadela. (Eksodusi 28:1; Numeri 16:4-11, 31-35) Ngakho, kuthiwani uma imizwa enamandla noma imiqondo yangaphambili yenkolo yenza ukuba umuntu ahlanganyele ngokungafanele ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo? Khona-ke kufanele ayeke ukuhlanganyela ekudleni futhi ngokuthobeka athandazele ukuba uNkulunkulu amthethelele.—IHubo 19:13.

Indlela Othinteka Ngayo

Umuntu akudingeki ahlanganyele ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo ukuze azuze emhlatshelweni kaJesu wesihlengo futhi amukele ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli alibonisi ukuthi abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu abanjengo-Abrahama, uSara, u-Isaka, uRebeka, uBowazi, uRuthe, noDavide bayoke bahlanganyele ekudleni lezifanekiselo. Kodwa bona nabo bonke abanye abanesifiso sokuthola ukuphila okungenasiphelo kulembulunga kuyodingeka babonise ukholo kuNkulunkulu nakuKristu naselungiselelweni likaJehova lomhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo. (Johane 3:36; 14:1) Ukugujwa kwaminyaka yonke kokufa kukaKristu kuyisikhumbuzo salowomhlatshelo omkhulu.

Ukubaluleka komhlatshelo kaJesu kwaboniswa lapho umphostoli uJohane ethi: “Nginilobela lokhu ukuba ningoni. Kepha uma umuntu ona‚ sinoMmeli kuYise‚ uJesu Kristu olungileyo; yena uyinhlawulo ngezono zethu‚ kungengezethu zodwa kodwa nangezezwe lonke.” (1 Johane 2:1, 2) AmaKristu agcotshiwe angasho ukuthi uJesu “uyinhlawulo ngezono” zawo. Nokho, ungumhlatshelo futhi ngezono zezwe lonke, owenza ukuphila phakade kube nokwenzeka ngesintu esilalelayo emhlabeni oyiPharadesi manje osuseduze kakhulu!

Ngokuba khona esikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu, uyozuza enkulumweni yeBhayibheli eshukumisa ingqondo. Uyokhunjuzwa ukuthi kungakanani uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu abasenzele khona. Kuyoba okuvuzayo ngokomoya ukuhlangana nalabo abanokwazisa okujulile ngoNkulunkulu noKristu nangomhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo. Lesenzakalo singase siqinise isifiso sakho sokuba ube umuntu oyokwamukela umusa kaNkulunkulu ongasifanele, oholela ekuphileni okuphakade. Sikumema ngokufudumele ukuba uhlanganyele noFakazi BakaJehova ngemva kokushona kwelanga ngo-April 6, 1993, ukuze ugubhe isikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu Kristu ngoba iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa singasho okukhulu kuwe.