1, 2. Kungani uJesu alandisa umzekeliso wamathalenta?

UJESU walandisa umzekeliso wamathalenta ukuze acacisele abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe umthwalo wemfanelo ababenawo. Kodwa lowo mzekeliso uthinta bonke abafundi bakaJesu. Ngakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuyophila ezulwini noma emhlabeni, kudingeka siyiqonde incazelo yalo mzekeliso.

² UJesu wawulandisa nini lo mzekeliso? Kwakungesikhathi enikeza abafundi bakhe isibonakaliso esasiyobonisa ukuthi wayesebe iNkosi nokuthi isikhathi sokuphela sase siqalile. (Mathewu 24:3) Ngakho, umzekeliso wamathalenta uyingxenye yaleso sibonakaliso futhi ugcwaliseka esikhathini sethu.

3. Sifundani emizekelisweni ekuMathewu izahluko 24 no-25?

³ Ngesikhathi uJesu elandisa umzekeliso wamathalenta, walandisa neminye emithathu nayo eyingxenye yesibonakaliso sesikhathi sokuphela. Yonke le mizekeliso iveza izimfanelo ezithile abalandeli bakhe okumelwe babe nazo. Singafunda le mizekeliso kuMathewu 24:45 kuya ku-25:46. Umzekeliso wokuqala uphathelene nenceku ethembekile,  iqembu elincane labagcotshiweyo abanomthwalo wemfanelo wokufundisa abantu bakaJehova. Kudingeka ibe ethembekile neqondayo. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.) Umzekeliso olandelayo uphathelene nezintombi eziyishumi. Kuwo, uJesu waxwayisa bonke abagcotshiweyo ukuthi kwakuyodingeka babe abazilungiselele futhi bahlale belindile ngoba babengeke balwazi usuku noma ihora ayezofika ngalo. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.) Ngemva kwawo, uJesu walandisa umzekeliso wamathalenta ukuze afundise bonke abagcotshiweyo ukuthi kwakuyodingeka basebenze kanzima ekunakekeleni imithwalo yabo yemfanelo yobuKristu. UJesu wabe eselandisa nomfanekiso wezimvu nezimbuzi, ogxile kulabo ababeyoba nethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Wagcizelela ukuthi kumelwe babe qotho futhi benze konke okusemandleni ukuze basize abafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.) Lesi sihloko sizonikeza incazelo yomzekeliso wamathalenta.

4, 5. Ungubani umuntu osemzekelisweni, futhi liyini ithalenta?

⁴ Funda uMathewu 25:14-30. Emzekelisweni wamathalenta, uJesu wakhuluma ngomuntu owathatha uhambo. Emzekelisweni othi awufane, uJesu wakhuluma ngomuntu owathatha uhambo lokuyoba inkosi. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.) (Luka 19:12) Sekuyiminyaka eminingi izincwadi zethu zithi lo muntu okuyo yomibili le mizekeliso nguJesu, owaya ezulwini ngonyaka ka-33. Nokho, uJesu akazange abe iNkosi lapho nje efika ezulwini. Walinda kwaze kwaba ngo-1914, lapho izitha zakhe ‘zibekwa njengesenabelo sezinyawo zakhe.’—Hebheru 10:12, 13.

⁵ UJesu wathi umuntu osemzekelisweni wayenamathalenta angu-8. Kwakuyimali eningi leyo. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.) Ngaphambi kokuba ahambe, wayinika izinceku zakhe le mali. Wazitshela ukuba ziyisebenzise ukuze zimtholele imali eyengeziwe. Njengoba nje leyo mali yayiyigugu kakhulu kulo muntu, kunokuthile okwakuyigugu kakhulu kuJesu. Kuyini? Umsebenzi awenza ngesikhathi esemhlabeni.

6, 7. Ayini amathalenta?

⁶ Umsebenzi wokushumayela wawubaluleke kakhulu kuJesu. Ngenxa yokushumayela kwakhe, abaningi baba abafundi bakhe. (Funda uLuka 4:43.) Kodwa wayazi ukuthi kwakusenomsebenzi omningi okudingeka wenziwe nokuthi  kunabantu abengeziwe ababeyokwamukela izindaba ezinhle. Eqinisweni, watshela abafundi bakhe: “Phakamisani amehlo enu nibuke amasimu ukuthi asemhlophe alungele ukuvunwa.” (Johane 4:35-38) Umlimi omuhle wayengeke ayishiye insimu esilungele ukuvunwa. UJesu wayenesimo sengqondo esifanayo. Ngakho, ngaphambi nje kokuba abuyele ezulwini, wayala abalandeli bakhe: “Ngakho-ke hambani niyokwenza . . . abafundi.” (Mathewu 28:18-20) Ngale ndlela, uJesu wayebanika ingcebo eyigugu, umthwalo wemfanelo obalulekile wokushumayela.—2 Korinte 4:7.

⁷ Njengomuntu owanika izinceku zakhe imali, uJesu wanika abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi. (Mathewu 25:14) Ngakho amathalenta awumthwalo wemfanelo wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi.

8. Nakuba inceku ngayinye yathola imali engalingani neyezinye, yini inkosi eyayiyilindele?

⁸ UJesu wathi inkosi yanika inceku yokuqala amathalenta amahlanu, eyesibili yayinika amabili kwathi eyesithathu yayinika elilodwa. (Mathewu 25:15) Inkosi yanika inceku ngayinye imali engalingani neyezinye, kodwa yayilindele ukuba zonke zenze okusemandleni ukuze ziyitholele imali eyengeziwe. Ngokufanayo, uJesu wayelindele ukuba abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe benze okusemandleni abo emsebenzini wokushumayela. (Mathewu 22: 37; Kolose 3:23) NgePhentekoste langonyaka ka-33, abalandeli bakaJesu baqala ukwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe abafundi. Lapho sifunda incwadi yeBhayibheli yezEnzo, kuyasicacela ukuthi basebenza kanzima. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)—IzEnzo 6:7; 12:24; 19:20.

9. (a) Yini izinceku ezimbili ezithembekile ezayenza ngemali ezaziyinikiwe, futhi sifundani kulokho? (b) Yini okumelwe bayenze labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

⁹ Izinceku zokuqala ezimbili, ezayisebenzisa kahle imali yenkosi yazo, zingabazalwane nodade abagcotshiwe abathembekile phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela. Ikakhulu kusukela ngo-1919, bebelokhu benza okusemandleni abo emsebenzini wokushumayela. Emzekelisweni, ngayinye yalezi zinceku ezimbili yathola imali engalingani neyenye, kodwa lokhu akusho ukuthi abagcotshiweyo abathembekile bangamaqembu amabili. Zombili lezi zinceku zasebenza kanzima futhi zathola imali ephindwe kabili. Kodwa ingabe abagcotshiweyo kuphela okumelwe basebenze kanzima emsebenzini wokushumayela nokufundisa? Cha. Umzekeliso kaJesu wezimvu nezimbuzi usifundisa ukuthi labo abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni kumelwe basize abafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiwe emsebenzini wokushumayela futhi babe qotho kubo. Bakubheka njengelungelo ukubasiza. Yebo, abantu bakaJehova ‘bamhlambi munye,’ futhi bonke basebenza kanzima ekushumayeleni nasekwenzeni abafundi.—Johane 10:16.

 10. Isiphi isici esisodwa sesibonakaliso esibonisa ukuthi siphila esikhathini sokuphela?

¹⁰ UJesu ulindele ukuba bonke abalandeli bakhe basebenze kanzima ukuze  benze abafundi abengeziwe. Yilokho abafundi bakhe abakwenza ekhulwini lokuqala. Kulesi sikhathi sokuphela okugcwaliseka kuso umzekeliso kaJesu wamathalenta, ingabe abalandeli bakhe bayawenza lo msebenzi? Yebo, kuyaqala ukuba abantu abaningi kangaka bezwe izindaba ezinhle futhi babe abafundi! Ngenxa yomsebenzi wokuzikhandla owenziwa yibo bonke abalandeli bakaJesu, unyaka ngamunye kubhapathizwa amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu. Nabo bayahlanganyela kulo msebenzi wokushumayela. Wonke lo msebenzi nemiphumela emihle kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela uyingxenye ebalulekile yesibonakaliso uJesu asinikeza sesikhathi sokuphela. Kumelwe ukuba uJesu ujabule ngezisebenzi zakhe!

11. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJesu uzofika phakathi nosizi olukhulu?

¹¹ UJesu wathi: “Ngemva kwesikhathi eside inkosi yalezo zinceku yafika yalungisa izindaba nazo.” (Mathewu 25:19) INkosi, uJesu, izokwenza ngasekupheleni kosizi olukhulu lokhu. Sikwazi kanjani lokho? Esiprofethweni sakhe esikuMathewu izahluko 24 no-25, uJesu washo izikhathi eziningi ukuthi uyeza. Ngokwesibonelo, wathi abantu ‘bayobona iNdodana yomuntu iza iphezu kwamafu ezulu.’ Lokhu kubhekisela esikhathini uJesu ayokwahlulela ngaso abantu phakathi nosizi olukhulu. Wabuye waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe abaphila esikhathini sokuphela ukuba bahlale belindile. Wathi: “Anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku,” wathi futhi, “INdodana yomuntu iza ngehora eningalicabangi.” (Mathewu 24:30, 42, 44) Ngakho, nasemzekelisweni wamathalenta uJesu wayebhekisela esikhathini ayezofika ngaso ezokwahlulela abantu futhi abhubhise izwe likaSathane. *—Bheka umbhalo waphansi.

12, 13. (a) Inkosi ithini ezincekwini ezimbili, futhi ngani? (b) Abagcotshiweyo balubekwa nini uphawu okokugcina? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Bafa Sebahlulelwe Njengabafanelekayo.”) (c) Labo abaye basekela abagcotshiweyo bayothola muphi umvuzo?

¹² Lapho inkosi ibuya ohambweni lwayo, yathola ukuthi inceku eyayinikwe amathalenta amahlanu yayizuze amanye amahlanu neyayinikwe amabili  yayizuze amanye amabili. Inkosi yathi encekwini ngayinye: “Wenze kahle, nceku enhle nethembekile! Wathembeka ezintweni ezimbalwa. Ngizokumisa phezu kwezinto eziningi.” (Mathewu 25:21, 23) Yini iNkosi, uJesu, ezoyenza lapho ifika esikhathini esizayo?

¹³ Ngaphambi nje kokuqala kosizi olukhulu, uNkulunkulu uyobonisa okokugcina ukuthi uyabamukela abagcotshiweyo abasebenza kanzima abayobe besesemhlabeni ngaleso sikhathi. Lokhu kuyoba ukubekwa kwabo uphawu kokugcina. (IsAmbulo 7:1-3) Khona-ke, ngaphambi kwe-Armagedoni, uJesu uyobanika umvuzo wabo wasezulwini. Kodwa kuthiwani ngalabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni abaye basekela abagcotshiweyo emsebenzini wokushumayela? Bayobe bahlulelwe njengezimvu. Bayovuzwa ngokuphila emhlabeni ngesikhathi sokubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 25:34.

14, 15. Ingabe uJesu wayethi abagcotshiweyo abaningi babeyoba babi futhi bavilaphe? Chaza.

¹⁴ Umzekeliso ukhuluma nangenceku eyanikwa ithalenta elilodwa. Ayizange ilisebenzise ukuze itholele inkosi yayo imali eyengeziwe noma ilibeke ebhange ukuze libe nenzalo. Kunalokho, yayigqiba le mali. Inkosi yathi leyo nceku yayiyimbi futhi ivilapha. Yayiphuca ithalenta yalinika inceku yokuqala. Yabe isiyikhiphela ngaphandle “ebumnyameni,” lapho yakhala khona ilusizi.—Mathewu 25:24-30; Luka 19:22, 23.

¹⁵ Lapho uJesu ethi inceku eyodwa kwezintathu yayiyimbi futhi ivilapha,  wayengasho ukuthi ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yabagcotshiweyo yayiyoba njengaleyo nceku. Lokhu sikwazi ngokuqhathanisa lo mzekeliso neminye emibili. Emzekelisweni wenceku ethembekile neqondayo, uJesu wakhuluma ngenceku embi eyashushisa ezinye izinceku. UJesu wayengasho ukuthi labo abayingxenye yenceku ethembekile neqondayo babeyoba babi. Kunalokho, wayexwayisa abagcotshiweyo ukuthi kwakungafanele babe njengenceku embi. Emzekelisweni wezintombi eziyishumi wakhuluma ngezintombi ezinhlanu eziyiziwula. Wayengasho ukuthi isigamu sabagcotshiweyo sasiyoba iziwula. Kunalokho, uJesu wayebaxwayisa ngalokho okwakuyokwenzeka uma bengazilungiseleli futhi bengahlali belindile. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.) Ngokufanayo, emzekelisweni wamathalenta, uJesu wayengasho ukuthi abaningi babagcotshiweyo phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina babeyoba babi futhi bavilaphe. Cha, wayexwayisa abagcotshiweyo ukuba bangabi njengenceku embi kodwa baqhubeke besebenza kanzima emsebenzini wokushumayela.—Mathewu 25:16.

16. (a) Iziphi izifundo ezimbili esizifunda emzekelisweni wamathalenta? (b) Lesi sihloko sisisize kanjani ukuba siqonde umzekeliso wamathalenta? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Kufanele Siwuqonde Kanjani Umzekeliso Wamathalenta?”)

¹⁶ Iziphi izifundo ezimbili esizifunda emzekelisweni wamathalenta? Esokuqala, uJesu wanika abafundi bakhe ingcebo eyigugu, umthwalo wemfanelo obalulekile wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi. Esesibili, uJesu ulindele ukuba sonke sisebenze kanzima emsebenzini wokushumayela. Uma sikhuthazela ngokwethembeka kulo msebenzi futhi siqhubeka silalela futhi siqotho kuJesu, singaqiniseka ukuthi uyosivuza.—Mathewu 25:21, 23, 34.