Izibonelo Zokuthobeka Okufanele Zilingiswe

‘Ukuthobeka kwakho kuyongiphakamisa.’—IHUBO 18:35, NW.

1. Yibuphi ubufakazi bokuthobeka obungabonakala kowayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society?

UJOSEPH F. RUTHERFORD wayenesithunzi, emude ngamamitha angaphezu kuka-1,8 futhi enesisindo esingamakhilogremu angaphezu kuka-90. Futhi wayenezwi elinamandla, ayengalisebenziseli nje kuphela ukwenza igama likaJehova laziwe ngendlela elalingakaze lenziwe laziwe ngayo ngaphambili kodwa futhi nokudalula ukumbuluza kwabaholi benkolo beLobukholwa, ebiza inkolo yabo ngokuthi “ugibe nesife.” Nakuba izinkulumo zakhe zazinamandla kangako, lapho ethandaza nomkhaya waseBethel yasendlunkulu, wayezwakala njengomfanyana ekhuluma noyise, ngaleyondlela enikeza ubufakazi bobuhlobo bakhe obuseduze noMenzi wakhe kanye nokuthobeka kwakhe. Yebo, wayethobeke njengengane encane.—Mathewu 18:3, 4.

2. Kukusiphi isici ngokukhethekile izinceku zikaJehova ezihluke ngokuphawulekayo kuso kubantu bezwe?

² Ngokungangabazeki, zonke izinceku zikaJehova uNkulunkulu zeqiniso zithobekile. Ngokuphathelene nalokhu, zihluke ngokuphawulekayo kubantu bezwe. Namuhla, kunanini ngaphambili, ligcwele abantu abazidlayo. Abantu abaphakeme nabanamandla, abacebile nabayizifundiswa, ngisho neningi labantu abampofu nalabo abantulayo ngezinye izindlela liyazidla.

3. Yini engase ishiwo ngezithelo zokuzidla?

³ Ukuzidla kubangela ingxabano nosizi oluningi. Eqinisweni, lonke usizi olukhona endaweni yonke lwabangelwa ukuthi ingelosi ethile yazidla, ifuna ukukhulekelwa ngendlela eyayifanele uMdali, uJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela. (Mathewu 4:9, 10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lowo, owazenza ngokwakhe uDeveli noSathane, waphumelela ekuyengeni owesifazane wokuqala, u-Eva, ngokushukumisa ukuzidla kwakhe. Wamthembisa ukuthi ngokudla isithelo esinqatshelwe, wayengafana noNkulunkulu, akwazi okuhle nokubi. Ukube wayethobekile, wayeyothi, ‘Kungani kufanele ngifune ukufana noNkulunkulu?’ (Genesise 3:4, 5) Lapho sicabangela isimo esiwohlokile isintu esikuso, ngokomzimba, ngokwengqondo, nangokokuziphatha, yeka ukuthi ukuzidla kwabantu akuthetheleleki kanjani! Yingakho sifunda ukuthi uJehova uyakuzonda “ukuzidla nokuzikhukhumeza”! (IzAga 8:13) EZwini likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, sithola izibonelo zokuthobeka ezihluke ngokuphawulekayo kubo bonke abazidlayo.

UJehova UNkulunkulu Uthobekile

4. Yimiphi imibhalo ebonisa ukuthi uJehova uthobekile?

⁴ UJehova uNkulunkulu—oPhezukonke, uMbusi Wendawo Yonke, iNkosi yaphakade—uthobekile. (Genesise 14:22) Ingabe lokho kungenzeka? Yebo, ngokuqinisekile! Njengoba kulotshwe kuyiHubo 18:35, iNkosi uDavide yathi: “Wena unginikile isihlangu sensindiso yakho, isandla sakho sokunene singisekele, [nokuthobeka kwakho kuyongiphakamisa, NW].” Ngokusobala, iNkosi uDavide yadumisa ukuthobeka kukaJehova ngenxa yokuyiphakamisa. Khona-ke kuyiHubo 113:6 sifunda futhi ukuthi uJehova ‘uyazithoba ukuze abone ezulwini nasemhlabeni.’ Ezinye izinguqulo zifundeka  ngokuthi, “ukhothamela phansi ukuze abheke,” (New International Version) “uyazithoba ukuze abheke phansi impela.”—The New English Bible.

5. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezifakazela ukuthobeka kukaJehova?

⁵ Ngokuqinisekile uJehova uNkulunkulu wazithoba ngendlela asebenzelana ngayo no-Abrahama, evumela u-Abrahama ukuba angabaze ukulunga kwaKhe lapho ehlose ukubhubhisa imizi emibi yaseSodoma naseGomora. * (Genesise 18:23-32) Futhi lapho uJehova eveza injongo yakhe yokubhubhisa isizwe sakwa-Israyeli—ngesinye isikhathi ngenxa yokukhonza izithombe, nangesinye ngenxa yokuvukela—isikhathi ngasinye uMose wabonisana noJehova njengokungathi wayekhuluma nomunye umuntu. Isikhathi ngasinye uJehova wayesabela ngomusa. Kwakubonisa ukuthobeka ngaYe ukuvumela ukunxusa kukaMose ngokuphathelene nabantu baKhe u-Israyeli. (Eksodusi 32:9-14; Numeri 14:11-20) Ezinye izibonelo zokusebenzelana kukaJehova nabantu ngokuthobeka njengokungathi wayesebenzelana nabo ngokomuntu siqu, zingabonakala ebuhlotsheni bakhe noGideyoni noJona, njengoba kulotshwe kubAhluleli 6:36-40 noJona 4:9-11.

6. Yisiphi isici sikaJehova esembula ngokwengeziwe ukuthobeka kwakhe?

⁶ Eqinisweni, okungenani izikhathi eziyisishiyagalolunye kuthiwa uJehova “uyephuza ukuthukuthela.” * Ukuba kukaJehova obhekakade, owephuza ukuthukuthela, ekusebenzelaneni nezidalwa ezingabantu ezingaphelele ezinkulungwaneni eziningi zeminyaka kungobunye ubufakazi bokuba kwakhe othobekile. Abantu abazidlayo abanasineke, bayashesha ukubonisa intukuthelo, bahluke kakhulu ekubeni nokubhekakade. Yeka ukuthi ukuthobeka kukaJehova kwenza ukuzidla kwabantu abangaphelele kubonakale kuwubuthutha kanjani! Njengoba sitshelwa ukuba sibe “abalingisa uNkulunkulu njengabantwana abathandekayo,” kumelwe sithobeke njengoba naye ethobekile.—Efesu 5:1.

 Isibonelo SikaKristu Sokuthobeka

7, 8. Ithini imiBhalo ngokuthobeka kukaJesu Kristu?

⁷ Isibonelo sesibili esivelele sokuthobeka okufanele sisilingise sishiwo kweyoku-1 Petru 2:21: “Ngokuba nabizelwa khona lokho; ngokuba uKristu wahlushwa ngenxa yenu, enishiyela isibonelo sokuba nilandele ezinyathelweni zakhe.” Kudala ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni njengomuntu, kwaprofethwa ngaye kuZakariya 9:9: “Jabula nokujabula, ndodakazi yaseJerusalema; bheka, iNkosi yakho iza kuwe, ilungile, inensindiso, ithobekile, ikhwele imbongolo.” Ukube uJesu Kristu wayezidla, wayengase asamukele isipho sikaDeveli sayo yonke imibuso esemhlabeni ngesenzo esisodwa sokukhulekela. (Mathewu 4:9, 10) Futhi wakubonisa ukuthobeka kwakhe ngokuyisa lonke udumo kuJehova ngokufundisa kwakhe, ethi: “Nxa seniyiphakamisile iNdodana yomuntu, khona-ke nizakwazi ukuthi nginguye nokuthi angenzi-lutho ngokwami, kodwa ngikhuluma lokhu njengokuba uBaba engifundisile.”—Johane 8:28.

⁸ Wayengase asho ngokufanelekile ezilalelini zakhe ukuthi: “Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu, nifunde kimi, ngokuba ngimnene, ngithobile ngenhliziyo; khona imiphefumulo yenu iyakufumana impumuzo.” (Mathewu 11:29) Futhi yeka isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka asibeka ngokugeza izinyawo zabaphostoli bakhe ngobusuku bokugcina ayenabo ngabo njengomuntu! (Johane 13:3-15) Ngokufaneleke kakhulu, kwabaseFilipi 2:3-8, umphostoli uPawulu ululeka amaKristu ukuba abe ‘nokuthobeka,’ ekhomba uJesu Kristu njengesibonelo: “Mawube-kini lowomqondo owawukhona nakuKristu Jesu owathi enesimo sikaNkulunkulu, akaze asho ukuthi kuyinto yokuphangwa ukulingana noNkulunkulu, kepha wazidela ethabatha isimo senceku, enziwe ngomfanekiso wabantu; wathi efunyenwe enjengomuntu ngesimilo, wazithobisa, elalela kwaze kwaba-sekufeni, yebo, ekufeni [esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, NW].” Lapho ebhekene nesimo esibucayi kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwakhe, ngokuthobeka wathandaza kuYise: “Kungabi-njengokuba ngithanda mina, kodwa njengokuba uthanda wena.” (Mathewu 26:39) Ngokuqinisekile, ukuze silingise uJesu Kristu, silandele ezinyathelweni zakhe ngokuseduze, kumelwe sithobeke.

Umphostoli UPawulu, Isibonelo Esihle Sokuthobeka

9-12. Kungaziphi izindlela umphostoli uPawulu abeka ngazo isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka?

⁹ Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Yibani-ngabalingisi bami, njengokuba nami ngilingisa uKristu.” (1 Korinte 11:1) Ingabe umphostoli uPawulu walingisa uJesu Kristu ngokuba othobekile, kanjalo esinikeza esinye isibonelo sokuthobeka esifanele ukulingiswa? Ngokuqinisekile wenza kanjalo. Okokuqala nje, wavuma ngokuthobeka ukuthi wayeyinceku kaJesu Kristu. (Filipi 1:1) Watshela abadala base-Efesu ‘ngokukhonza kwakhe iNkosi ngakho konke ukuthobeka, nangezinyembezi, nangokulingwa okwamehlela ngamacebo abaJuda.’ (IzEnzo 20:17-19)  Ukube wayengathobekile, wayengeke neze awabhale amazwi atholakala kwabaseRoma 7:18, 19: “Ngiyazi ukuthi kimi, kungukuthi enyameni yami, akuhlali okuhle . . . ngokuba okuhle engikuthandayo angikwenzi, kodwa okubi engingakuthandiyo lokho ngiyakwenza.”

¹⁰ Okunye okubonisa ukuthobeka kukaPawulu yilokho akubhalela amaKristu aseKorinte, njengoba kulotshwe kweyoku-1 Korinte 2:3: “Mina ngangikini ngobuthakathaka, nangokwesaba, nangokuthuthumela okukhulu.” Ngokuthobeka ebhekisela enkambweni yakhe yangesikhathi esidlule ngaphambi kokuba abe umKristu, wabhala: “Kade ngingohlambalazayo, nozingelayo, nohluphayo; . . . uKristu Jesu weza ezweni ukusindisa izoni, engingesikhulu kuzo.”—1 Thimothewu 1:13, 15.

¹¹ Okubonisa ukuthobeka kwakhe ngokwengeziwe ukuvuma ukuthi yonke impumelelo emizamweni yakhe ibangelwe uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngokuphathelene nenkonzo yakhe wabhala: “Mina ngatshala, uApholo wanisela, kepha uNkulunkulu wakhulisa. Njalo-ke notshalayo kalutho, noniselayo kalutho, kodwa uNkulunkulu okhulisayo.” (1 Korinte 3:6, 7) Futhi wacela abafowabo ukuba bamthandazele ukuze anikeze ubufakazi obuhle, njengoba sifunda kweyabase-Efesu 6:18-20: “Nikhuleka . . . ninginxusele nami ukuba ngiphiwe izwi . . . ukuze ngikhulume [imfihlakalo engcwele yezindaba ezinhle] ngesibindi . . . , njengokuba kufanele ukuba ngikhulume.”

¹² UPawulu wabonisa futhi ukuthobeka kwakhe ngendlela abambisana ngayo nabanye abaphostoli: “OJakobe noKhefase noJohane . . . banika mina noBarnaba isandla sokunene sokuhlangana ukuba thina siye kwabezizwe, kepha bona baye kwabasokayo.” (Galathiya 2:9) Ngokwengeziwe wabonisa ukuzimisela kwakhe ukubambisana nabadala bebandla laseJerusalema ngokuhambisana namadoda amane baye ethempelini futhi ewakhokhela izindleko zawo njengoba ayegcwalisa isifungo.—IzEnzo 21:23-26.

13. Yini eyenza ukuba ukuthobeka kukaPawulu kuphawuleke kangaka?

¹³ Ukuthobeka kukaPawulu kuphawuleka ngisho nangokwengeziwe lapho siqaphela indlela asetshenziswa ngayo ngokunamandla uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, sifunda ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wenza imisebenzi yamandla engavamile ngezandla zikaPawulu.” (IzEnzo 19:11, 12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, wanikezwa imibono nezambulo zamandla angaphezu kwavamile. (2 Korinte 12:1-7) Akumelwe futhi sikushaye indiva ukuthi waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale izincwadi ezingu-14 kwezingu-27 zemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Konke lokho akuzange kumenze aqhoshe. Wazithoba.

Izibonelo Zosuku Lwanamuhla

14-16. (a) Kukanjani umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Society ayeyisibonelo esihle sokuthobeka? (b) Isibonelo sakhe sihluke kakhulu kwesikabani?

¹⁴ KumaHeberu 13:7, sifunda lesiseluleko sikamphostoli uPawulu: “Bakhumbuleni ababenihola bekhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu kini, niqonda ukuphela kokuhamba kwabo, nilingise ukukholwa kwabo.” Ngokuvumelana nalesisimiso,  singathatha njengesibonelo sosuku lwanamuhla umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uCharles Taze Russell, esingase silingise ukholo lwakhe. Ingabe wayeyindoda ethobekile? Ngempela wayeyiyo! Njengoba kuye kwaqashelwa, embhalweni weyakhe ethi Studies in the Scriptures, imiqulu eyisithupha enamakhasi angaba ngu-3 000, akakaze nakanye abhekisele kuye ngokwakhe. Izincwadi ze-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society namuhla zilandela lesisimiso ngokungadonseli ukunakekela kubantu ngokuveza ababhali bezihloko.

¹⁵ Kuyi-Watch Tower, uRussell wake wabhala ukuthi wayengayazi into ebizwa ngokuthi “UbuRussell” nokuthi “Umlandeli kaRussell,” amagama ayesetshenziswa abaphikisi bakhe kodwa awenqaba ngokuphelele. Wabhala: “Umsebenzi wethu . . . uye waba ukuhlanganisa izingxenye zeqiniso esezinesikhathi zihlakazekile futhi sizinike abantu beNkosi—hhayi njengokungathi zintsha, noma ngezethu, kodwa njengezeNkosi. . . . Umsebenzi iNkosi eye yakujabulela ukusebenzisa kuwo amakhono ethu aphansi awubanga ukusungula kodwa uye waba ukwakha kabusha, ukulungisa, nokuvumelanisa.” Ngempela, wazwakalisa imizwa kamphostoli uPawulu, njengoba itholakala kweyoku-1 Korinte 3:5-7.

¹⁶ Isimo sakhe sengqondo sasihluke ngokuphelele kwesikaCharles Darwin. Ohlelweni lwakhe lokuqala lwencwadi ethi The Origin of Species ngo-1859, uDarwin wabhekisela ngokuphindaphindiwe enkulumweni ethi umbono “wami,” ekushaya indiva lokho abanye ababekushilo ngaphambi kwakhe ngokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Umlobi odumile walelokhulu leminyaka, uSamuel Butler, wakhwela wazehlela kuDarwin, eveza ukuthi abanye abaningi ngaphambili babeyithuthukisile inkolelo-mbono yokuziphendukela kwemvelo; yayingazange neze iqanjwe uDarwin.

17. Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo zokuthobeka kukaMfoweth’ uRutherford?

¹⁷ Enye inceku ethembekile uJehova uNkulunkulu ayisebenzisa ngokunamandla ezinsukwini zanamuhla kwakunguJoseph F. Rutherford, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni. Wayewumsekeli onesibindi weqiniso leBhayibheli futhi ikakhulukazi wegama likaJehova. Nakuba ayedume kakhulu ngokuthi uMahlulel’ uRutherford, wayeyindoda ethobekile ngaphakathi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesinye isikhathi washo izinkulumo ezingenakuphikiswa ngalokho amaKristu ayengakulindela ngo-1925. Lapho izenzakalo zihluleka ukusekela ayekulindele, ngokuzithoba watshela umkhaya waseBethel eBrooklyn ukuthi wayezikhohlisile. UmKristu ogcotshiwe owayesondelene naye kakhulu wakufakazela ukuthi ezikhathini eziningi wayezwe uMfoweth’ uRutherford exolisa ngokuvumelana nomongo kaMathewu 5:23, 24, kokubili obala nangasese, ngenxa yokulimaza umKristu akanye naye ngenkulumo entula ukuhlakanipha. Kudinga ukuthobeka ngomuntu onegunya ukuba axolise kulabo abangaphansi kwakhe. UMfoweth’ uRutherford wababekela isibonelo esihle bonke ababonisi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kusebandleni, emsebenzini wokujikeleza, noma kwelinye lamagatsha eNhlangano.

18. Iyiphi inkulumo eveza isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka umongameli wesithathu weNhlangano ayisho?

¹⁸ Umongameli wesithathu we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uNathan H. Knorr, naye wabonisa ukuthi, ngisho nakuba ayevelele phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova, akazange azizwe ephakeme ngenxa yesikhundla sakhe. Nakuba ayevelele ekhonweni lokuhlela nasekukhulumeni obala, wayekuhlonipha kakhulu okwakwenziwa abanye. Ngakho, ngesinye isikhathi wavakashela ilungu elithile loMnyango Wezokubhala ehhovisi lalo futhi wathi: “Lapha kulapho umsebenzi obalulekile kanye nonzima kakhulu wenziwa khona. Yingakho ngenza omncane kangaka wawo.” Yebo, ngokuthobeka wayesebenzisa iseluleko esikweyabaseFilipi 2:3, sokuthi ‘ngokuthobeka umuntu kufanele ashaye sengathi abanye bakhulu kunaye.’ Wayeqonda ukuthi nakuba ukukhonza njengomongameli weNhlangano kwakubalulekile, eminye imisebenzi nayo yayibalulekile. Kwakudinga  ukuthobeka ngaye ukuba azizwe ngaleyondlela futhi akuveze ngamazwi acace kangako. Wayengesinye isibonelo esihle sokulingiswa yibo bonke, ikakhulukazi labo okungenzeka basesikhundleni esivelele sobubonisi.

19, 20. (a) Yisiphi isibonelo sokuthobeka esabekwa umongameli wesine weNhlangano? (b) Isihloko esilandelayo siyonikeza luphi usizo ngokuphathelene nokubonisa kwethu ukuthobeka?

¹⁹ Umongameli wesine weNhlangano, uFred W. Franz, naye wayeyisibonelo esihle sokuthobeka. Njengephini likamongameli weNhlangano iminyaka engaba ngu-32, wenza umsebenzi omningi wokulotshwa komagazini nezimiso zemihlangano yesigodi; kodwa kulokhu wayelokhu engaziqhayisile, engakufuni nakancane ukuvelela. Kungase kukhonjwe nesinye isibonelo sasendulo esifanayo. Lapho uJowabe ehlula abakwa-Amoni eRaba, waqikelela ukuthi iNkosi uDavide yamukela udumo ngalokhu kunqoba.—2 Samuweli 12:26-28.

²⁰ Ngempela, kunezibonelo ezinhle eziningi, zesikhathi esidlule nesamanje, ezisinikeza izizathu ezinamandla zokuthobeka. Nokho, sinezizathu eziningi ezengeziwe zokuthobeka, futhi lezizizathu kanye nosizo ekubeni kwethu abathobekile kuyocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

□ Ziye zaba yini izithelo zokuzidla?

□ Ubani oye wabeka isibonelo sokuthobeka esihle kunazo zonke?

□ Yini ebonisa ukuthi ubani owayeyisibonelo sokuthobeka esilandelayo ngobukhulu kunazo zonke?

□ Yisiphi isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka esabekwa umphostoli uPawulu?

□ Yiziphi izibonelo zokuthobeka ezivelele esinazo zosuku lwanamuhla?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

UJesu wayibonakalisa kahle imfanelo yokuthobeka

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

UPawulu wabeka isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

UMfoweth’ uRussell akazange azithathele udumo ngezinto azibhala