“Ziqeqeshe”

CITIUS, altius, fortius—ngejubane, ngezinga eliphakeme, ngamandla! Lena kwakuyimigomo abasubathi baseGrisi neRoma lasendulo ababeyiphokophelela. Kwaphela amakhulu eminyaka e-Olympia, eDelphi, eNemea nase-Isthmus yaseKorinte, izenzakalo ezivelele zemidlalo ziqalwa “ngesibusiso” sonkulunkulu phambi kwezinkulungwane zezibukeli. Ilungelo lokuncintisana kule midlalo laliwumphumela wokujuluka iminyaka eminingi. Ukunqoba kwakunika abanqobi namadolobha akubo udumo olukhulu.

Njengoba babenesizinda esinjalo, akumangalisi ukuthi abalobi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki bafanisa umncintiswano wamaKristu ongokomoya nezenzakalo zemidlalo. Ukuze bakhanyise amaphuzu anamandla emfundiso, bobabili abaphostoli, uPetru noPawulu, basebenzisa ngobuciko imifanekiso esekelwe emidlalweni. Osukwini lwethu, usaqhubeka lo mncintiswano wamaKristu onzima. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala kwakudingeka abhekane nesimiso sezinto samaJuda; thina namuhla kumelwe ‘silwe’ nesimiso sezwe lonke esizobhujiswa maduze. (2 Thimothewu 2:5; 3:1-5) Abanye bangase bathole ukuthi owabo “umncintiswano wokholo” uyadonsa futhi uyakhathaza. (1 Thimothewu 6:12, The New English Bible) Kungasizuzisa kakhulu ukuhlola ezinye izici le mincintiswano efana ngazo nomncintiswano wobuKristu eBhayibhelini.

Umqeqeshi Wekhethelo

Ukuphumelela komdlali ngokuyinhloko kusezandleni zomqeqeshi. Mayelana nemidlalo yasendulo, i-Archaeologia Graeca ithi: “Abadlali kwakumelwe bafunge ukuthi baye bachitha izinyanga eziyishumi eziphelele bezilolonga.” NamaKristu adinga ukuqeqeshwa. UPawulu waluleka uThimothewu, umKristu ongumdala: “Ziqeqeshe unokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu njengomgomo wakho.” (1 Thimothewu 4:7) Ubani umqeqeshi “womsubathi” ongumKristu? Akekho omunye ngaphandle kukaJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe! Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “UNkulunkulu wawo wonke umusa ongafanelwe, . . . uyoqedela ukuqeqeshwa kwenu, uyonenza niqine, uyonenza nibe namandla.”—1 Petru 5:10.

Inkulumo ethi “uyoqedela ukuqeqeshwa kwenu” isuselwe esenzweni sesiGreki, ngokwe-Theological Lexicon of the New Testament, ngokuyisisekelo esichaza “ukwenza okuthile [noma umuntu] kufanelekele injongo yako, ukukulungiselela nokukuhlomisela umsebenzi wako.” Ngokufanayo, i-Greek-English Lexicon kaLiddell noScott iphawula ukuthi lesi senzo singachazwa ngokuthi “ukulungisa, ukuqeqesha, noma ukuhlomisa ngokuphelele.” Iyiphi indlela uJehova asilungiselela, asiqeqesha, noma asihlomisela ngayo ngokugcwele umncintiswano wobuKristu oyinselele? Ukuze siqonde ukufana, ake sicabangele ezinye zezindlela abaqeqeshi ababezisebenzisa.

Incwadi ethi The Olympic Games in Ancient Greece ithi: “Labo ababeqeqesha intsha babesebenzisa izindlela ezimbili eziyisisekelo, eyokuqala yayihloselwe ukukhuthaza umfundi ukwenza wonke umzamo ayengawenza ukuze athole imiphumela emihle, eyesibili ihloselwe ukuthuthukisa amasu nendlela yakhe yokwenza.”

Ngokufanayo, uJehova usikhuthaza futhi asiqinisele ukwenza okusemandleni ethu nokuba sithuthukise amakhono ethu enkonzweni. UNkulunkulu wethu usinika amandla ngeBhayibheli, inhlangano yakhe esemhlabeni, nangamaKristu avuthiwe esikanye nawo. Ngezinye izikhathi usiqeqesha ngesiyalo. (Heberu 12:6) Ngezinye, angase avumele ukuba sehlelwe yizilingo ezihlukahlukene nobunzima ukuze sikwazi ukuba nemfanelo yokukhuthazela. (Jakobe 1:2-4)  Futhi unikeza amandla adingekayo. Umprofethi u-Isaya uthi: “Abamethembayo uJehova bayathola amandla amasha, bayakhuphuka ngamaphiko njengezinkozi, bagijime bengakhathali, bahambe bengapheli amandla.”—Isaya 40:31.

Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uNkulunkulu usithululela umoya wakhe ongcwele ngobuningi, osiqinisayo ukuze siqhubeke sinikela inkonzo eyamukelekayo kuye. (Luka 11:13) Kaningi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziye zakhuthazelela uvivinyo lokholo lwazo oluyisimbelambela nolunzima. Labo abaye benza kanjalo bangamadoda nabesifazane abavamile njenganoma ubani kithi. Kodwa ukuthembela kwabo ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu kuye kwabenza bakwazi ukukhuthazela. Ngempela, ‘amandla angaphezu kwavamile ngakaNkulunkulu awaveli kubo.’—2 Korinte 4:7.

Umqeqeshi Onozwela

Omunye wemisebenzi yomqeqeshi wasendulo “kwakuwukunquma uhlobo nobungako bokuvocavoca umzimba okwakudingeka kumdlali ngamunye nasemdlalweni ngamunye,” kusho esinye isazi. Njengoba uNkulunkulu esiqeqesha, ucabangela izimo, amakhono, ukwakhiwa, nokulinganiselwa kwethu ngabanye. Kaningi lapho uJehova esiqeqesha, simnxusa njengoJobe: “Ake ukhumbule ukuthi ungenzile njengebumba.” (Jobe 10:9) Ube esenzani umqeqeshi wethu onozwela? UDavide wabhala ngoJehova wathi: “Uyakwazi ukubunjwa kwethu; uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli.”—IHubo 103:14.

Kungenzeka unenkinga engathí sina yempilo ebeka imingcele kulokho ongakwenza enkonzweni, noma ulwisana nokuzenyeza. Mhlawumbe ulwela ukuyeka umkhuba othile omubi, noma uzizwa sengathi awunakumelana nokucindezela kontanga endaweni yakini, emsebenzini, noma esikoleni. Noma ngabe izimo zakho ziyini, ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi uJehova uziqonda kangcono izinkinga zakho kunanoma ubani omunye—kuhlanganise nawe! Njengomqeqeshi okhathalelayo, uhlala ekulungele ukukusiza uma usondela kuye.—Jakobe 4:8.

Abaqeqeshi basendulo “babekwazi ukubona  ukukhathala nobuthakathaka obungabangelwa nje kuphela ukuzilolonga kodwa nobunezinye izimbangela, izimbangela ezingokwengqondo, ukungajabuli, ukucindezeleka nezinye. Ilungelo labaqeqeshi lalenabe kakhulu kangangokuthi babelandelela ngisho nokuphila kwangasese kwabadlali futhi bangenele lapho bebona kunesidingo.

Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi uzizwa ukhathele noma ubuthaka ngenxa yezilingo nezingcindezi zaleli zwe eziyinsakavukela? Njengomqeqeshi wakho, uJehova unesithakazelo esijulile kuwe. (1 Petru 5:7) Uyashesha ukubona noma yiluphi uphawu lobuthakathaka noma ukukhathala okungokomoya. Nakuba uJehova eyihlonipha inkululeko yethu yokwenza esikuthandayo nokuzikhethela, nokho ngenxa yokukhathalela inhlala-kahle yethu yaphakade, unikeza usizo nesiqondiso lapho kudingeka. (Isaya 30:21) Kanjani? NgeBhayibheli nangezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, abadala abavuthiwe ngokomoya ebandleni, nabafowethu abanothando.

“Ukuzithiba Ezintweni Zonke”

Yiqiniso, ukuze umsubathi aphumelele kwakudingeka okunye ngaphandle komqeqeshi ovelele. Okuningi kwakuxhomeke kumsubathi ngokwakhe nasekuzinikeleni kwakhe ekuqeqeshweni okunzima. Isimiso sokuqeqeshwa sasinzima, njengoba sasihilela ukuzithiba nokulandela isimiso esinzima sokudla. UHorace, imbongi yekhulu lokuqala B.C.E., wathi abadlali “babezithiba kwabesifazane nasewayinini” ukuze “bafinyelele lowo mgomo ababewulangazelela.” Futhi ngokwesazi seBhayibheli uF. C. Cook, abadlali kwakudingeka “bazibambe futhi bagcine imithetho eqinile yokudla . . . izinyanga eziyishumi.”

UPawulu wasebenzisa lo mfanekiso lapho ebhalela amaKristu aseKorinte, idolobha elalidume kakhulu ngeMidlalo Yase-Isthmus eyayiseduze nalo: “Wonke umuntu onengxenye emncintiswaneni ubonisa ukuzithiba ezintweni zonke.” (1 Korinte 9:25) AmaKristu eqiniso ayazigwema izindlela zokuphila zezwe zokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, ukuziphatha okubi nezingahlanzekile. (Efesu 5:3-5; 1 Johane 2:15-17) Izimfanelo ezimbi nezingavumelani nemiBhalo kumelwe zilahlwe futhi zithathelwe indawo yizimfanelo ezinjengezikaKristu.—Kolose 3:9, 10, 12.

Kungenziwa kanjani lokhu? Ngokwesibonelo, phawula impendulo uPawulu ayinikeza ngomfanekiso onamandla: “Kodwa ngiyawutuba umzimba wami futhi ngiwuhola njengesigqila, ukuze kuthi, ngemva kokuba sengishumayele kwabanye, mina ngokwami ngingabi ongamukeleki ngandlela-thile.”—1 Korinte 9:27.

Linamandla ngempela iphuzu uPawulu aliveza lapha! Wayengakhuthazi ukuzizwisa ubuhlungu. Kunalokho wayevuma ukuthi kwakunokuphikisana ngaphakathi kuye. Ngezinye izikhathi, wayenza izinto angafisi ukuzenza futhi akufisayo angakwenzi. Kodwa akazange avume ukunqotshwa ubuthakathaka bakhe. ‘Wawutuba umzimba wakhe,’ wazilawula izifiso nezici zenyama.—Roma 7:21-25.

Wonke amaKristu kudingeka enze okufanayo. UPawulu wakhuluma ngezinguquko ezenziwa abanye ababekade bengené shi ebufebeni, ekukhonzeni izithombe, ebungqingilini, ekwebeni, nakokunye. Yini eyenza bakwazi ukushintsha? Amandla eZwi likaNkulunkulu nomoya ongcwele kanye nokuzimisela kwabo ukuvumelana nakho. “Kodwa seniye nagezwa nahlanzeka,” kusho uPawulu, “kodwa seniye nangcweliswa, kodwa sekuthiwe nilungile egameni leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu nangomoya kaNkulunkulu wethu.” (1 Korinte 6:9-11) UPetru wabhala okufanayo ngalabo abashiya imikhuba emibi enjalo.  NjengamaKristu bonke babenze izinguquko ezingokoqobo.—1 Petru 4:3, 4.

Imizamo Enezinhloso Ezinhle

UPawulu wakufanekisa kanje ukungaguquguquki nokugxila kwakhe ekuphishekeleni imigomo engokomoya: “Indlela engiqondisa ngayo amagalelo ami ingeyokuba ngingashayi umoya.” (1 Korinte 9:26) Umdlali wayengawaqondisa kanjani amagalelo akhe? Incwadi ethi The Life of the Greeks and Romans iyaphendula: “Kwakungadingekile nje kuphela amandla okuhlasela, kodwa futhi nekhono lokubona lapho isitha sibuthaka khona. Okwakusiza ngendlela efanayo amagalelo obuchwepheshe ayefundwa ezikoleni zokuqeqeshela ukulwa, nokuba unyazi ekuqineleni isitha.”

Inyama yethu engaphelele ingesinye sezitha zethu. Ingabe sesiyabazi “ubuthakathaka” bethu? Ingabe sizimisele ukuzibona ngendlela abanye abasibona ngayo—ikakhulukazi uSathane? Lokho kudinga ukuzihlola ngokwethembeka nokuba nesifiso sokwenza ushintsho. Ukuzikhohlisa kungenzeka kalula. (Jakobe 1:22) Akuve kulula ukuthethelela isenzo esiwubuwula! (1 Samuweli 15:13-15, 20, 21) Lokhu kufana “nokushaya umoya.”

Kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, labo abafuna ukujabulisa uJehova futhi bazuze ukuphila akufanele bangabaze ukukhetha phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile, phakathi kwebandla likaNkulunkulu nezwe elibi. Kumelwe bagweme ukuntengantenga, ukuba ‘abamanqikanqika, abangagxilile ezindleleni zabo zonke.’ (Jakobe 1:8) Akufanele bachithe amandla abo ezintweni ezingenalusizo. Lapho umuntu elandela le nkambo eqondile, egxilile, uyojabula futhi ‘intuthuko yakhe iyobonakala kubo bonke abantu.’—1 Thimothewu 4:15.

Yebo umncintiswano wamaKristu uyaqhubeka. UJehova—uMqeqeshi wethu oMuhle—ngothando usinikeza imfundiso nosizo oludingekayo ukuze sikhuthazele futhi sinqobe ekugcineni. (Isaya 48:17) Njengabasubathi basendulo, kudingeka sihlakulele ukuzithiba, ukuzibamba, nokugxila empini yethu yokholo. Imizamo yethu enezinhloso ezinhle iyovuzwa ngokucebile.—Heberu 11:6.

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‘Mgcobeni Ngamafutha’

Ingxenye yokuqeqeshwa komsubathi eGrisi lasendulo yayenziwa umgcobi. Umsebenzi wakhe kwakuwukugcoba amadoda umzimba ngaphambi kokuzilolonga. Abaqeqeshi “baqaphela ukuthi ukubhucungwa kwemisipha ngobuciko ngaphambi kokuziqeqesha kwakusiza, nokuthi ukubhucungwa ngesandla esilula nesicophelelayo kwakusiza ekwenzeni umsubathi azole futhi kubuyise amandla omsubathi obezilolonga isikhathi eside,” kusho i-Olympic Games in Ancient Greece.

Njengoba nje ukugcotshwa kwamafutha angokoqobo kuthoba futhi kwelapha, ukusetshenziswa kweZwi likaNkulunkulu “kumsubathi” okhathele ongumKristu kungamqondisa, kumduduze futhi kumelaphe. Ngakho, eqondiswa uJehova, amadoda amadala ebandleni ayalwa ukuba amthandazele umuntu onjalo, ‘amgcobe ngamafutha egameni likaJehova’ ngokomfanekiso, okuyisinyathelo esibalulekile ukuze alulame ngokomoya.—Jakobe 5:13-15; IHubo 141:5.

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Ngemva kokwenza umnikelo, abadlali babefunga ukuthi babeziqeqeshe izinyanga eziyishumi

[Umthombo]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

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Copyright British Museum