Funda Isifundo KuNikodemu

“UMA noma ubani efuna ukungilandela, makazidele athathe isigxobo sakhe sokuhlushwa usuku nosuku angilandele njalo.” (Luka 9:23) Abadobi abazithobile nomthelisi onyamanambana basamukela ngezandla ezimhlophe leso simemo. Bashiya konke ukuze balandele uJesu.—Mathewu 4:18-22; Luka 5:27, 28.

Isimemo sikaJesu sisezwakala nanamuhla, futhi abaningi baye basamukela. Kepha abaningi abakujabulelayo ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova bayanqikaza ‘ukuzidela bathathe isigxobo sabo sokuhlushwa.’ Bayangabaza ukwamukela umthwalo wemfanelo nelungelo lokuba abafundi bakaJesu.

Kungani abanye bezigodla ekwamukeleni isimemo sikaJesu futhi bazinikezele kuJehova uNkulunkulu? Kuyavunywa, labo abangazange bakhuliswe ngomqondo wobuJuda nowobuKristu wokukholelwa kuNkulunkulu oyedwa bangadinga isikhathi eside ngaphambi  kokuba baqonde ukuthi ukhona uMdali onamandla. Kodwa ngisho noma sebegculisekile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungokoqobo, abanye bayanqikaza ukulandela izinyathelo zikaJesu. Bangase besabe ukuthi izihlobo nabangane bazothini ngabo uma beba ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Abanye abalahlekelwa umbono wokuphuthuma kwezikhathi esiphila kuzo, baphendukela ekuphishekeleni udumo nengcebo. (Mathewu 24:36-42; 1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10) Noma ngabe ikuphi, labo abaqhubeka behlehlisa isinqumo sabo sokuba abalandeli bakaJesu, kunesifundo okumelwe basifunde endabeni kaNikodemu, umbusi ocebile wosuku lukaJesu.

Ubusiswa Ngamathuba Amahle

Cishe ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha kuphela uJesu eqale inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, uNikodemu uyaqaphela ukuthi uJesu ‘njengomfundisi uvele kuNkulunkulu.’ Ehlatshwe umxhwele izimangaliso uJesu abesanda kuzenza eJerusalema ngePhasika lika-30 C.E., uNikodemu ufika sekuhlwile, ezovuma ukuthi uyakholelwa kuJesu futhi ezofunda okwengeziwe ngalo mfundisi. Ngaleso sikhathi, uJesu utshela uNikodemu iqiniso elijulile ngesidingo ‘sokuzalwa kabusha’ ukuze ungene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. UJesu ubuye asho la mazwi: “Ngoba uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe nokuphila okumi phakade.”—Johane 3:1-16.

Yeka ithuba elihle eliphambi kukaNikodemu! Angaba ngumngane oseduze kaJesu, abe ufakazi wokuzibonela wazo zonke izici  zokuphila kukaJesu emhlabeni. Njengombusi wamaJuda nomfundisi kwa-Israyeli, uNikodemu unolwazi oluhle lweZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ubuye abe nokuqonda okumangalisayo, njengoba kubonakala ekuchazeni kwakhe uJesu njengomfundisi othunywe uNkulunkulu. UNikodemu unesithakazelo ezintweni ezingokomoya, kanti uthobeke ngendlela engavamile. Yeka ukuthi kunzima kanjani ngelungu lenkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda ukuvuma ukuthi indodana yombazi ophansi ingumuntu othunywe evela kuNkulunkulu! Zonke lezi zimfanelo zibalulekile ukuze umuntu abe umfundi kaJesu.

Isithakazelo sikaNikodemu kule ndoda yaseNazaretha asibonakali sincipha. Eminyakeni engaba mibili nengxenye kamuva, eMkhosini Wamadokodo, uNikodemu uya emhlanganweni weSanhedrini. Ngalesi sikhathi uNikodemu ‘usengomunye wayo.’ Abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi bathuma izikhulu ukuba ziyobopha uJesu. Ekubuyeni kwazo izikhulu ziyabika: “Akukaze kukhulume omunye umuntu kanje.” AbaFarisi baqala ukubagcona: “Anidukisiwe nani, akunjalo? Akekho noyedwa kubabusi noma kubaFarisi oye wabeka ukholo lwakhe kuye, akunjalo? Kodwa lesi sixuku esingawazi uMthetho singabantu abaqalekisiwe.” UNikodemu akasakwazi ukuzibamba. Uyakhuluma: “Umthetho wakithi awumahluleli umuntu ngaphandle kokuba uqale ngokumuzwa futhi wazi lokho akwenzayo, akunjalo?” Uzithola eseyisisulu sokugxekwa abanye abaFarisi: “Awuphumi eGalile nawe, akunjalo? Hlola ubone ukuthi akukho mprofethi oyovezwa ephuma eGalile.”—Johane 7:1, 10, 32, 45-52.

Ezinyangeni ezithi azibe isithupha kamuva, ngoSuku LwePhasika lika-33 C.E., uNikodemu ubona isidumbu sikaJesu sehliswa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. Usizana noJosefa wase-Arimatheya, elinye ilungu leSanhedrini, balungiselela ukuba isidumbu sikaJesu singcwatshwe. Ukuze benze kanjalo, uNikodemu uletha “umqulu wemure nenhlaba” esisindo sako singaba amaphawundi ayikhulu aseRoma, angalingana namakhilogremu angu-33. Lokhu kusho izindleko eziningi. Kudinga isibindi ukuba azihlanganise ‘nalowaya mkhohlisi,’ njengoba abanye abaFarisi bembiza kanjalo uJesu. Ngokushesha balungiselela  ukungcwaba isidumbu sikaJesu, laba ababili bafaka uJesu ethuneni elisha lesikhumbuzo eliseduze. Ngisho nangalesi sikhathi uNikodemu akakaqashelwa njengomfundi kaJesu!—Johane 19:38-42; Mathewu 27:63; Marku 15:43.

Okwénza Wangasithatha Isinyathelo

Ekulandiseni kwakhe, uJohane akavezi ukuthi kungani uNikodemu angenwa amanzi emadolweni ‘wangasithatha isigxobo sakhe sokuhlushwa’ alandele uJesu. Kodwa, usishiyele okuthile okuwumkhondo okungasichazela ngokunqikaza kwalo mFarisi.

Okokuqala, uJohane wathi lo mbusi ongumJuda “weza [kuJesu] ebusuku.” (Johane 3:2) Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sisikisela ukuthi: “UNikodemu weza ebusuku, hhayi ngoba esaba, kodwa ukuze agweme izixuku ezazingaphazamisa ingxoxo yakhe noJesu.” Nokho, uJohane wabhekisela kuNikodemu “njengomuntu owafika [kuJesu] ebusuku” ngomqondo ofanayo akhuluma ngawo ngoJosefa wase-Arimatheya “owayengumfundi kaJesu kodwa ozifihlile ngenxa yokwesaba kwakhe amaJuda.” (Johane 19:38, 39) Kungenzeka-ke ukuthi uNikodemu wavakashela uJesu ebusuku “ngenxa yokwesaba amaJuda,” njengoba nabanye osukwini lwakhe babengafuni lutho olubahlangisa noJesu.—Johane 7:13.

Ingabe uye wahlehlisa isinqumo sokuba ube omunye wabafundi bakaJesu ngenxa yalokho izihlobo, abangane, noma osebenza nabo abangase bakusho? “Ukwesaba abantu kubeka ugibe,” kusho isaga. Ungalwisana kanjani nalokho kwesaba? Lesi saga siyaqhubeka: “Kepha owethemba uJehova uyalondeka.” (IzAga 29:25) Ukuze wakhe lokho kwethemba uJehova, kumelwe uzibonele ngokwakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzokusekela lapho usebunzimeni obukhulu. Thandaza kuJehova, umcele ukuthi akunike isibindi sokwenza ngisho nezinqumo ezincane ngokuphathelene nokukhulekela kwakho. Kancane kancane, ukholo lwakho nokwethembela kuJehova kuyokhula kuze kube yilapho usukwazi ukwenza izinqumo ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu.

Isikhundla sikaNikodemu nesithunzi sakhe njengelungu lesigaba esibusayo kungenzeka nako kwamvimbela ekuthatheni isinqumo esibalulekile sokuzidela. Kungenzeka ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi wayesasithanda kakhulu isikhundla sakhe njengelungu leSanhedrini. Ingabe uyangabaza ukuthatha isinyathelo sokuba umlandeli kaKristu ngoba ungase ulahlekelwe isikhundla esinedumela emphakathini noma kungadingeka udele amathuba athile okuthuthuka? Ayikho kulezi zinto engaqhathaniswa nelungelo lokukhonza oPhezukonke embulungeni yonke, ozimisele ukwanelisa zonke izicelo ozenza ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe.—IHubo 10:17; 83:18; 145:18.

Okunye okungaba isizathu sokudebesela kukaNikodemu kungenzeka kwakuhlobene nengcebo yakhe. NjengomFarisi, kungenzeka wayethonywa abanye, “ababengabathandi-mali.” (Luka 16:14) Iqiniso lokuthi wakwazi ukuthenga umqulu wemure nenhlaba lifakazela ukuthi wayemi kahle. Abanye namuhla bayaqhubeka behlehlisa ukuthatha isinqumo sokuthwala imithwalo yemfanelo yokuba umKristu ngoba bekhathazekile ngezinto zabo ezibonakalayo. Nokho, uJesu wayala abalandeli bakhe: “Yekani ukukhathazeka ngemiphefumulo yenu ngokuqondene nokuthi niyodlani noma niyophuzani, noma ngemizimba yenu ngokuqondene nokuthi niyogqokani. . . . Ngoba uYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyazidinga zonke lezizinto. Khona-ke, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, futhi zonke lezi ezinye izinto ziyonezelwa kini.”—Mathewu 6:25-33.

Kuningi Okwamlahlekela

Ngokuthakazelisayo, indaba kaNikodemu, evela kuphela eVangelini LikaJohane, ayisho ukuthi wagcina ebe umfundi kaJesu yini noma cha. Okunye ukwaziswa kwenkolo kuthi uNikodemu waba ngakuJesu, wabhapathizwa, waba isisulu sokushushiswa amaJuda, wasuswa esikhundleni sakhe, futhi  ekugcineni wadingiswa eJerusalema. Noma ngabe ikuphi, kukodwa okuqinisekile: Kuningi okwamlahlekela ngokuhudula izinyawo ngenkathi uJesu elapha emhlabeni.

Ukuba uNikodemu waqala ukulandela uJesu ngenkathi eqala ukubonana neNkosi, wayengase abe umfundi osondelene noJesu. Ngolwazi lukaNikodemu, ukuqonda, ukuthobeka, nokuqaphela izidingo ezingokomoya, wayengase abe umfundi ovelele. Yebo, wayengase ezwe nezinkulumo ezimangalisayo zoMfundisi Omkhulu, afunde izifundo ezibalulekile emifanekisweni kaJesu, abe ufakazi wokuzibonela wezimangaliso uJesu azenza, futhi aqiniswe yiseluleko sikaJesu sokuvalelisa kabafundi bakhe. Waphuthelwa yikho konke lokho.

Ukuba manqikanqika kukaNikodemu kwasho ukulahlekelwa kwakhe okukhulu. Walahlekelwa nayisimemo esifudumele sikaJesu: “Wozani kimi, nina nonke enikhandlekayo nenisindwayo, ngizonenza niqabuleke. Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu futhi nifunde kimi, ngoba nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo, nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka. Ngoba ijoka lami ngelomusa nomthwalo wami ulula.” (Mathewu 11:28-30) UNikodemu waphuthelwa ithuba lokuzizwela lokhu kuqabuleka kuvela kuJesu ngokwakhe!

Kuthiwani Ngawe?

Kusukela ngo-1914, uJesu Kristu ubelokhu esezulwini njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Ebikezela okwakuyokwenzeka ekubeni khona kwakhe, wathi phakathi kokunye: “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Mathewu 24:14) Ngaphambi kokuba ukuphela kufike, lowo msebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke kumelwe uphothulwe. UJesu Kristu uyajabula ukubona abantu abangaphelele bewenza. Nawe futhi ungahlanganyela kulo msebenzi.

UNikodemu waqaphela ukuthi uJesu wayevela kuNkulunkulu. (Johane 3:2) Ekufundeni kwakho iBhayibheli, kungenzeka nawe uye wafinyelela esiphethweni esifanayo. Kungenzeka ukuthi uye wenza izinguquko endleleni yakho yokuphila ukuze zivumelane nezindinganiso zeBhayibheli. Kungenzeka nokuthi uba khona emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova ukuze ungenise ulwazi olwengeziwe lweBhayibheli. Kumelwe utuswe ngaleyo mizamo. Kepha uNikodemu kwakudingeka enze okungaphezu kokumane abonise ukwazisa ngoJesu njengalowo othunywe uNkulunkulu. Kwakudingeka ‘azidele athathe isigxobo sakhe sokuhlushwa usuku nosuku alandele [uJesu] njalo.’—Luka 9:23.

Cabanga ngalokho umphostoli uPawulu asitshela kona. Wabhala: “Njengoba sisebenza kanye naye, siyanincenga futhi ukuba ningawamukeli umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu bese nilahlekelwa injongo yawo. Ngoba yena uthi: ‘Ngesikhathi esamukelekayo ngakuzwa, nangosuku lwensindiso ngakusiza.’ Bheka! Manje yiso isikhathi esamukelekayo ngokukhethekile. Bhekani! Manje yilo usuku lwensindiso.”—2 Korinte 6:1, 2. 

Manje yisikhathi sokwakha ukholo oluyokushukumisela esenzweni. Ukuze kube njalo, zindla ngezinto ozifunda eBhayibhelini. Thandaza kuJehova, umcele ukuba akusize ubonise ukholo olunjalo. Njengoba unambitha usizo lwakhe, ukwazisa kwakho nothando ngaye kuyokushukumisela ukuba ufune ‘ukuzidela uthathe isigxobo sakho sokuhlushwa usuku nosuku ulandele uJesu njalo.’ Ingabe uzosithatha isinyathelo manje?

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Ekuqaleni, uNikodemu wamelela uJesu ngesibindi

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Naphezu kokuphikiswa, uNikodemu wasiza ekulungiseni isidumbu sikaJesu ukuze singcwatshwe

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Isifundo somuntu siqu nomthandazo kungakuqinisa ukuba uthathe isinyathelo

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Uyolamukela yini ilungelo lokusebenza ngaphansi kobuholi bukaJesu Kristu?