‘Ukuthola Iparele Elilodwa Lenani Eliphakeme’

“Umbuso wamazulu uwumgomo abantu abaphikelelé kuwo, futhi labo abaphikelela phambili bayawuqhwaga.”—MATHEWU 11:12.

1, 2. (a) Iyiphi imfanelo engavamile uJesu ayiveza komunye wemizekeliso yakhe yoMbuso? (b) Wathini uJesu emzekelisweni weparele lenani eliphakeme?

 IKHONA into oyazisa kangangokuthi ungadela konke onakho ukuze uyithole? Nakuba abantu bekhuluma ngokuzinikela ekuphishekeleni kwabo umgomo othile—imali, udumo, igunya, noma isikhundla—akuvamile ukuba umuntu athole into efiseleka kangangokuba azimisele ukudela konke ngenxa yayo. UJesu Kristu wakhuluma ngale mfanelo engavamile kodwa etusekayo komunye wemizekeliso yakhe eminingi ecabangisayo mayelana noMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

² Lowo umzekeliso, noma umfanekiso, ophathelene neparele lenani eliphakeme uJesu awulandisa abafundi bakhe ngasese. Nakhu uJesu akusho: “Umbuso wamazulu unjengomthengisi ohambahambayo ofuna amaparele amahle. Lapho ethola iparele elilodwa lenani eliphakeme, wahamba wathengisa masinyane zonke izinto ayenazo wayeselithenga.” (Mathewu 13:36, 45, 46) Yini uJesu ayefuna izilaleli zakhe ziyifunde kulo mfanekiso? Futhi singazuza kanjani emazwini akhe?

Amaparele Enani Eliphakeme

3. Kungani amaparele amahle ayaziswa kangaka endulo?

³ Kusukela endulo, amaparele abelokhu aziswa njengezinto zokuhlobisa. Enye incwadi ithi ngokwesazi esingumRoma uPliny Omdala, amaparele “ayedla ubhedu kuzo zonke izinto ezaziswayo.” Ngokungafani negolide, isiliva, noma amatshe amaningi ayigugu, amaparele akhiqizwa izinto eziphilayo. Kuyinto eyaziwayo ukuthi izinhlobo ezithile zama-oyster zikwazi ukuguqula izinto ezizihluphayo—ngokwesibonelo, izingcezwana ezincane zamatshe—zibe amaparele akhazimulayo ngokuzigcoba ngokuphindaphindiwe ngongwengwezi loketshezi okuthiwa i-nacre. Endulo, amaparele amahle ayetholakala ngokuyinhloko oLwandle Olubomvu, ePersian Gulf, nase-Indian Ocean—kude nezwe lakwa-Israyeli. Akungabazeki ukuthi yilesi isizathu esenza uJesu wakhuluma ‘ngomthengisi ohambahambayo ofuna amaparele amahle.’ Kudinga umzamo omkhulu ukuthola amaparele enani ngempela.

4. Isiphi okuyisona sifundo somzekeliso kaJesu womthengisi ohambahambayo?

⁴ Nakuba sekuyisikhathi eside amaparele amahle ebiza kakhulu, kusobala ukuthi akukhona ukubiza kwawo okwakuyisona sifundo somzekeliso kaJesu. Kulo mzekeliso, uJesu akazange  nje afanise uMbuso kaNkulunkulu neparele lenani eliphakeme; wakhuluma ngokuyinhloko ‘ngomthengisi ohambahambayo ofuna amaparele amahle’ nangalokho akwenza lapho elithola. Ngokungafani nomnini-sitolo ovamile, umthengisi wamaparele ohambahambayo wayengungoti kulo msebenzi, umuntu oneso elibukhali noma ukuqonda okudingekayo ukuze abone ubuhle nezici ezifihlekile ezenza iparele libe elingavamile. Wayekwazi ukulibona iparele langempela uma liphambi kwakhe futhi wayengeke aluthwa amaparele-mbumbulu noma ezinga eliphansi.

5, 6. (a) Yini ephawuleka ngokukhethekile ngomthengisi womzekeliso kaJesu? (b) Umzekeliso wengcebo efihliwe wembulani ngomthengisi ohambahambayo?

⁵ Kukhona enye into ephawulekayo ngalo mthengisi. Umthengisi ovamile nje angase aqale ngokuzama ukuthola ukuthi lingathengiswa ngamalini iparele ukuze abone ukuthi angalikhokhela malini ukuze athole inzuzo. Angase abheke nokuthi bakhona yini abangalithenga ukuze alithengise masinyane. Ngamanye amazwi, angakhathalela ukuthola inzuzo esheshayo, hhayi nje ukuba neparele. Kodwa kwakungenjalo ngomthengisi womzekeliso kaJesu. Wayengakhathalele inzuzo yemali. Eqinisweni, wayezimisele ukudela “zonke izinto ayenazo”—cishe yonke impahla yakhe—ukuze athole lokho ayekufuna.

⁶ Ngokwabathengisi abaningi, okwenziwa yilo muntu womzekeliso kaJesu cishe kwakuwubuwula. Usomabhizinisi ohlakaniphile akanakulokotha enze isenzo esinjalo. Kodwa lo mthengisi womzekeliso kaJesu wayenezindinganiso ezihlukile. Umvuzo wakhe wawungekhona ukuthola imali kodwa wawuyinjabulo nokwaneliseka kokuba nento yenani elingenakuqhathaniswa. Leli phuzu licaciswa komunye umfanekiso ofana nalona uJesu awulandisa. Wathi: “Umbuso wamazulu unjengomcebo ofihlwe esigangeni, umuntu awuthola wawufihla; futhi ngenxa yenjabulo anayo uyahamba ayothengisa lokho anakho athenge leso siganga.” (Mathewu 13:44) Yebo, injabulo yokuthola le ngcebo nokuba nayo yayanele ukuba yenze le ndoda idele konke eyayinakho. Bakhona yini abantu abanjalo namuhla? Ikhona yini ingcebo efanelwe ukuzidela okunjalo?

Labo Abakubona Ukuphakama Kwenani

7. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayekubona ngokucacile ukuphakama kwenani loMbuso?

⁷ Lapho elandisa lo mzekeliso wakhe, uJesu wayekhuluma ‘ngombuso wamazulu.’ Naye ngokwakhe wayekuqonda ngempela ukuphakama kwenani loMbuso. Ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kulifakazela ngokuqinile lelo qiniso. Ngemva kokubhapathizwa kwakhe ngo-29 C.E., uJesu “waqala ukushumayela ethi: ‘Phendukani, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.’” Iminyaka emithathu nengxenye, wafundisa izixuku ngoMbuso. Walidabula lonke izwe, ‘ehamba umuzi ngomuzi nomzana ngomzana, eshumayela futhi ememezela izindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu.’—Mathewu 4:17; Luka 8:1.

8. Yini uJesu ayenza ukuze abonise lokho okuzokwenziwa uMbuso?

⁸ Ngokwenza izimangaliso eziningi kulo lonke izwe—ezazihlanganisa nokuphulukisa abagulayo, ukupha abalambile ukudla, ukukhuza isimo sezulu, ngisho nokuvusa abafileyo—uJesu wabonisa nalokho okuzofezwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 14:14-21; Marku 4:37-39; Luka 7:11-17) Ekugcineni, wafakazela ubuqotho bakhe kuNkulunkulu naseMbusweni ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe, wafela ukholo esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. Njengoba nje lowaya mthengisi ohambahambayo adela konke ayenakho ukuze athole “iparele . . . lenani eliphakeme,” uJesu wawuphilela futhi wawufela uMbuso.—Johane 18:37.

9. Iyiphi imfanelo engavamile eyabonakala kubafundi bakaJesu bokuqala?

⁹ UJesu akagcinanga nje ngokugxilisa ukuphila kwakhe eMbusweni kodwa futhi wakha iqembu elincane labalandeli. Nalaba kwakungabantu ababelibona ngokucacile inani eliphakeme loMbuso. Omunye wabo kwakungu-Andreya,  owayekade engumfundi kaJohane uMbhapathizi. Lapho bezwa ubufakazi bukaJohane bokuthi uJesu ‘uyiWundlu likaNkulunkulu,’ u-Andreya nomunye wabafundi bakaJohane, okungenzeka kwakungenye yamadodana kaZebedewu, nayo okwakunguJohane, balandela uJesu ngokushesha baba amakholwa. Kodwa akugcinanga lapho. Ngaso leso sikhathi, u-Andreya waya kumfowabo uSimoni wathi kuye: “Simtholile uMesiya.” Ngokushesha, uSimoni (owaziwa ngokuthi uKhefase, noma uPetru) kanye noFiliphu nomngane wakhe, uNathanayeli, nabo baqaphela ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya. Eqinisweni uNathanayeli washukumiseleka ukuba athi kuJesu: “Wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uyiNkosi yakwa-Israyeli.”—Johane 1:35-49.

Bashukumiseleka Ukuba Bathathe Isinyathelo

10. Benzenjani abafundi lapho uJesu efika ebabiza ngemva kwesikhathi esithile ehlangane nabo okokuqala?

¹⁰ Injabulo ka-Andreya, uPetru, uJohane nabanye lapho bethola uMesiya, ingafaniswa nenjabulo yomthengisi ohambahambayo lapho ethola iparele lenani eliphakeme. Yini manje ababezoyenza? AmaVangeli awasitsheli okuningi ngokuthi yini abayenza ngemva nje kwalokhu kuhlangana kwabo kokuqala noJesu. Kubonakala sengathi abaningi babo babuyela ekuphileni kwabo okuvamile. Nokho, ngemva kwesikhathi esingaba izinyanga eziyisithupha kuya onyakeni, uJesu waphinda futhi wahlangana no-Andreya, uPetru, uJohane nomfowabo kaJohane uJakobe besemsebenzini wabo wokudoba oLwandle LwaseGalile. * Lapho ebabona, uJesu wathi: “Ngilandeleni, ngizonenza abadobi babantu.” Benzenjani? Ukulandisa kukaMathewu kuthi ngoPetru no-Andreya: ‘Beshiya amanetha ngaso leso sikhathi, bamlandela.’ NgoJakobe noJohane sifunda lokhu: “Beshiya isikebhe kanye noyise ngaso leso sikhathi, bamlandela.” Ukulandisa kukaLuka kunezela ukuthi “bashiya konke bamlandela.”—Mathewu 4:18-22; Luka 5:1-11.

11. Yini okungenzeka yabangela ukuba abafundi basabele ngokushesha lapho uJesu ebabiza?

 ¹¹ Ingabe lokhu kusabela kwabafundi okusheshayo kwakuyisinqumo sokuthatheka? Lutho! Nakuba babuyela emabhizinisini akubo okudoba ngemva kokuhlangana kwabo kokuqala noJesu, akungabazeki ukuthi ababekubonile nababekuzwile ngaleso sikhathi kwakubathinte kakhulu ezinhliziyweni nasezingqondweni. Ukudlula kwesikhathi esicishe sibe unyaka kwakuyobanika isikhathi esanele sokuzindla ngalezo zinto. Manje kwase kuyisikhathi sokwenza isinqumo. Ingabe babezofana nomthengisi ohambahambayo onhliziyo yakhe yashukunyiswa ukuthola iparele lenani elikhulu kangangokuthi ‘wahamba masinyane’ wenza lokho okwakumelwe akwenze ukuze athenge lelo parele? Yebo. Ababekubonile futhi bakuzwa kwazithinta izinhliziyo zabo. Baqaphela ukuthi sase sifikile isikhathi sokuthatha isinyathelo. Ngakho, njengoba ukulandisa kusitshela, ngaphandle kokunqikaza, badela konke baba abalandeli bakaJesu.

12, 13. (a) Basabela kanjani abaningi abezwa uJesu? (b) UJesu wathini ngabafundi bakhe abathembekile, futhi asikiselani amazwi akhe?

¹² Yeka ukuthi babehluke kanjani laba abathembekile kwabanye abashiwo kamuva emaVangelini! Baningi uJesu abelapha noma wabapha ukudla kodwa abavele baziqhubekela nokuphila kwabo. (Luka 17:17, 18; Johane 6:26) Abanye benqaba nokwenqaba lapho uJesu ebabiza ukuba babe abalandeli bakhe. (Luka 9:59-62) Ngokungafani nalabo, kamuva uJesu wathi ngalaba abathembekile: “Kusukela ezinsukwini zikaJohane uMbhapathizi kuze kube manje umbuso wamazulu uwumgomo abantu abaphikelelé kuwo, futhi labo abaphikelela phambili bayawuqhwaga.”—Mathewu 11:12.

¹³ ‘Phikelela,’ ‘phikelela phambili’—asho ukuthini la magama? Ngokuqondene nesenzo sesiGreki okuthathwe kuso la magama, i-Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words ithi: “Lesi senzo sisikisela umzamo wamandla.” Futhi ngokuqondene naleli vesi, isazi seBhayibheli uHeinrich Meyer sithi: “Kuchazwa kanjalo lokho kulwela nokuzabalazela [komuntu] ngomdlandla umbuso ozayo kaMesiya, [ukuwuzabalazela] ngendlela enganqandeki . . . Isithakazelo [sakhe] embusweni sikhulu futhi sinamandla (akusesona nje esomuntu olinde ngokuthula).” Njengomthengisi ohambahambayo, laba bantu abambalwa basheshe bayibona into eyigugu ngempela, futhi badela konke ababenakho ngenxa yoMbuso.—Mathewu 19:27, 28; Filipi 3:8.

Nabanye Bahlanganyela Ekufuneni

14. UJesu wabalungiselela kanjani abaphostoli umsebenzi wokushumayela, waba yini umphumela?

¹⁴ Njengoba uJesu eqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe, waqeqesha futhi wasiza abanye ukuba bazame ukuthola uMbuso. Waqale wakhetha abangu-12 kubafundi bakhe wababiza ngokuthi abaphostoli, noma abathunywe nguye. Laba uJesu wabanika iziqondiso eziningiliziwe mayelana nokuthi bayenze kanjani inkonzo yabo wabanika nezixwayiso ngezinselele nobunzima ababezobhekana nabo. (Mathewu 10:1-42; Luka 6:12-16) Eminyakeni emibili noma ngaphezudlwana eyalandela, bahamba noJesu ekushumayeleni kwakhe kulo lonke izwe, bajabulela ubudlelwane obuseduze naye. Bezwa amazwi akhe, babona imisebenzi yakhe yamandla, babona nesibonelo sakhe. (Mathewu 13:16, 17) Akungabazeki ukuthi konke lokhu kwabathinta ngokujulile, kangangokuthi, njengomthengisi ohambahambayo, bawuphishekela ngentshiseko nangomphefumulo wonke uMbuso.

15. Yini uJesu athi iyisizathu sangempela sokuba abalandeli bakhe bajabule?

¹⁵ Ngaphandle kwabaphostoli abangu-12, uJesu ‘wakhetha abanye abangamashumi ayisikhombisa wabathuma ngababili ngaphambi kwakhe kuyo yonke imizi nezindawo yena ngokwakhe ayezofika kuzo.’ Wabatshela nangovivinyo nobunzima ababezobhekana nabo wabayala ukuba batshele abantu: “Umbuso kaNkulunkulu usondele kini.” (Luka 10:1-12)  Lapho bebuya laba abangu-70, babechichima injabulo futhi babikela uJesu: “Nkosi, ngisho namademoni ayasithobela ngokusebenzisa igama lakho.” Kodwa mhlawumbe okwabamangaza ukuthi uJesu wabembulela ukuthi babesazojabula nakakhulu ngenxa yokushisekela kwabo uMbuso. Wathi kubo: “Ningajabuli ngalokhu, ukuthi imimoya iyanithobela, kodwa jabulani ngenxa yokuthi amagama enu alotshiwe ezulwini.”—Luka 10:17, 20.

16, 17. (a) Yini uJesu ayitshela abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile ngobusuku bokugcina enabo? (b) Amazwi kaJesu abajabulisa futhi abaqinisekisa kanjani abaphostoli?

¹⁶ Ekugcineni, ngobusuku bokugcina uJesu enabaphostoli bakhe, ngo-Nisani 14, 33 C.E., wamisa lokho kamuva okwaziwa ngokuthi iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, wabayala ukuba basikhumbule lesi senzakalo. Ngalokho kuhlwa, uJesu watshela abangu-11 ababesele: “Nina aningishiyanga ekulingweni kwami; ngenza isivumelwano nani, njengoba nje uBaba enze isivumelwano sombuso nami, sokuba nidle futhi niphuze etafuleni lami embusweni wami, nihlale ezihlalweni zobukhosi ukuze nahlulele izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwa-Israyeli.”—Luka 22:19, 20, 28-30.

¹⁷ Yeka injabulo nokwaneliseka okumelwe ukuba kwagcwala ezinhliziyweni zabaphostoli lapho bezwa lawo mazwi kaJesu! Babethenjiswa ilungelo elikhulu kunawo wonke angatholwa umuntu. (Mathewu 7:13, 14; 1 Petru 2:9) Njengalowo mthengisi ohambahambayo, babedele okuningi ukuze balandele uJesu befuna uMbuso. Manje babeqinisekiswa ukuthi ukuzidela kwabo kuze kube manje kwakungelona ize.

18. Ngaphandle kwabaphostoli abangu-11 obani abanye ababezogcina bezuzile eMbusweni?

¹⁸ Akubona bodwa abaphostoli ababenoJesu ngalobo busuku ababezozuza eMbusweni. Kwakuyintando kaJehova ukuba ingqikithi yabangu-144 000 ifakwe esivumelwaneni soMbuso ibe ababusi kanye noJesu Kristu eMbusweni okhazimulayo wasezulwini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umphostoli uJohane wabona embonweni “isixuku esikhulu, okungekho muntu owakwazi ukusibala, . . . simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu, . . . sithi: ‘Insindiso yethu ivela kuNkulunkulu wethu, ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, nakulo iWundlu.’” Laba yizakhamuzi zasemhlabeni zalo Mbuso. *—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10; 14:1, 4.

19, 20. (a) Iliphi ithuba elivulekele abantu bazo zonke izizwe? (b) Imuphi umbuzo okuzoxoxwa ngawo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Ngaphambi nje kokuba uJesu anyukele ezulwini, wayala abalandeli bakhe abathembekile:  “Ngakho-ke hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho. Bhekani! Nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Ngakho abantu bezizwe zonke babezoba abafundi bakaJesu Kristu. Nalaba babezobeka izinhliziyo zabo eMbusweni—ekutholeni umvuzo wasezulwini noma wasemhlabeni—njengoba kwenza umthengisi ohambahambayo ngeparele elihle.

²⁰ UJesu wabonisa ukuthi umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi wawuzokwenziwa kuze kufike “isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” Ngakho osukwini lwethu, basekhona yini abantu abanjengomthengisi ohambahambayo, abazimisele ukudela konke ngenxa yokuphishekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu? Lo mbuzo kuzoxoxwa ngawo esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

• Isiphi okuyisona sifundo somzekeliso womthengisi ohambahambayo?

• UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wakubona ngokucacile ukuphakama kwenani loMbuso?

• Yini eyabangela u-Andreya, uPetru, uJohane nabanye ukuba basabele ngokushesha lapho uJesu ebabiza?

• Iliphi ithuba elihle kakhulu elivulekele abantu bazo zonke izizwe?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

‘Bashiya konke balandela uJesu’

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

Ngaphambi kokunyukela ezulwini, uJesu wayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze abafundi