53—Uyohane Oyintanda

UYohane ubalulwa ngaphezu kwabanye abapostile njengo“mfundi obethandwa nguYesu.” Yohane 21:20. Ingathi wayesonwabela ukuba kwiqondo eliphezulu kubuhlobo noKristu, ezuza imiqondiso eliqela yokuthenjwa nokuthandwa nguMsindisi. Wayengomnye wabathathu abavunyelwa ukuba babone uzuko lukaKristu phezu kwentaba yokwenziwa kumila kumbi kunye nentlungu yaKhe eGetsemane, kwaye kwakukuye awathi uYesu wanikela umama waKhe ukuba amkhathalele ngemizuzu yokugqibela yokubandezeleka kwaKhe emnqamlezweni.IZ 539.1

Uthando loMsindisi kumfundi oyintanda lwabuyiswa ngokuzinikela ngamandla onke okuzinikela ngenzondelelo. UYohane wabambelela kuKristu ngokomdiliya obambelele entsikeni eyomeleleyo. Ngenxa yeNkosi yakhe, wamelana neengozi ezinkundleni zokugwetywa nokuba kufuphi emnqamlezweni, wakho ekuvakaleni kweendaba zokuvuka kukaKristu, wangxama ukuya engcwabeni, ngenzondelelo yakhe wasidlula nesingxami uPetros.IZ 539.2

Uthando oluthembekileyo nokuzinikela okungafuni okukokwako okwabonakala ebomini nasesimilweni sikaYohanesinika izifundo zexabiso elingenambaliso kwibandla lobuKristu. UYohane wayengenako ngokwemveli ukuthandeka kwesimilo okwabonakalayo kamva kumava akhe. Ngendalo, wayeneziphoso ezibi. Wayenganelanga nje ukuba nekratshi, ukuzithemba, ukulambela udumo, kodwa kukho nokungabi namonde, kunye nentiyo, xa athe wakhathazwa. Yena nontwakwabo babebizwa ngokuba “ngoonyana bendudumo.” Umsindo ombi, ukufuna ukuziphindezela, umoya wokugxeka, zonke ezo zinto zazikulo mfundi uthandekayo. Noko kunjalo, ngaphantsi kwako konke oku, iTitshala yezulu yabona intliziyo enenzondelelo, enyanisekileyo, nenothando. UYesu wakukhalimela oku kuzifunela, wawadanisa amabhongo akhe, waluvavanya ukholo lwakhe. Waya wamtyhilela oko kulangazelelwa ngumphefumlo wakhe—ubuhle bobungcwele, namandla othando amguqulayo [umntu].IZ 540.1

Iziphako esimilweni sikaYohane zabonakala kakhulu amaxesha amaninzi ngexesha wayehlangene noMsindisi. Ngaxa limbi uKristu wahambisa abathunywa ngaphambi kwaKhe ukuba baye emzini wamaSamariya, ukucela ukuba abantu balungiselele Yena nabafundi baKhe into etyiwayo. Wathi xa uMsindisi efika edolophini, wabonakala elangazelela ukudlulela eYerusalem. Oku kwavusa umona kumaSamariya, aza athi endaweni yokummema ukuba ahlale nawo, asuka azibamba zonke iimbeko awayenokuzinika nawuphi umntu odlulayo. UYesu akaze abunyanzele ubukho baKhe nakubani, aza amaSamariya alahlekana nentsikelelo angawayeyiphiwe ukuba ayemcelile ukuba abe lundwendwe lawo.IZ 540.2

Abafundi babesazi ukuba yayiyinjongo kaKristu ukusikelela amaSamariya ngobukho baKhe; kwaza ukubanda, ikhwele, nokungabonakalisi ntlonipho kwiNkosiyabo,kwabakhwankqisa kwabenza nomsindo. UYakobi noYohane baba novukelongendlela eyodwa. Into yokuba Lowo bamhloniphe kangako angaphathwa ngolo hlobo, kubo le nto yayimbi kakhulu ukuba ingayekwa nje ingohlwaywa kwangoko. Kwinzondelelo yabobathi, “Nkosi, uyafuna na ukuba sitsho, kuhle umlilo ezulwini, ubatshise kuphele, njengoko no-Eliya wenjenjalo?” bebhekisa kwintshabalalo yabaphathi bamaSamariya kunye namaqela ababewathumele ukuba athabathe umprofeti u-Eliya. Bamangaliswa kukubona uYesu ebuhlungu ngamazwi abo, baza bamangaliswa ngakumbi kukukhalima kwaKhe okwawa ezindlebeni zabo: “Anazi ukuba ningabomoya onjani na; kuba uNyana woMntu engaze kutshabalalisa miphefumlo yabantu, uze kusindisa.” Luka 9:54-56.IZ 541.1

Asiyonxalenye yomsebenzi kaKristu ukunyanzela abantu ukuba bamamkele (uKristu). NguSathana, nabantu abaqhutywa ngumoya wakhe, abafuna ukusinyanzela isazela. Phantsi kokwenza ngathi kukho ulangazelelo lobulungisa, abantu bahlangana kunye neengelosi ezikhohlakeleyo ngamanye amaxesha kuziswe ukuphatheka kakubi phezu kwabantu babo ukuze baguqulelwe kwiimbono zabo zenkolo; kodwa Yena uKristu uhlala ebonisa inceba, efuna njalo ukoyisa ngokutyhila uthando lwaKhe. Akavumeli butshaba emphefumlweni, engamkeli nenkonzo engaphelelanga; kodwa ulangazelela kuphela inkonzo yokuzithandela, ukunikelwa kwentliziyo ngentumekelelo phantsi kokunyanzelwa luthando.IZ 541.2

Kwesinye isiganeko, uYakobi noYohane basebenzisa umama wabo ukuzisa isicelo sokuba bavunyelwe babe kwezona zikhundla ziphakamileyo zembeko ebukumkanini bukaKristu. Nangona uKristu wayiphindaphinda imfundiso ngemo yobukumkani baKhe, aba bafundi baselula babesenethemba lokuba uMesiya uza kuthabatha itrone yaKhe negunya lokumkani ngokuhambelana nolangazelelo lwabantu. Umama, ebanqwenelela indawo yembeko oonyana bakhe kobu bukumkani, wacela, “Yitsho baze aba nyana bam bobabini bahlale, omnye ngasekhohlo, ebukumkanini bakho.”IZ 541.3

UMsindisi waphendula, “Aniyazi into eniyicelayo. Ninako na ukuyisela indebe endiza kuyisela mna, nibhaptizwe ngobhatizo endibhaptizwa ngalo mna?” Bakhumbula amazwi aKhe ayimfihlelo awayesalatha kuvavanyo nokubulaleka, kodwa baphendula ngesibindi, “Sinako.” Babeya kukubalela ukuba yimbeko enkulu ukubonisa ukunyaniseka ngokuba nesabelo kuko konke okwakuza kuhlela iNkosi yabo.IZ 542.1

“Okunene indebe niya kuyisela, nobhaptizo endibhaptizwa ngalo mna niya kubhaptizwa kwangalo;” wavakalisa watsho uKristu—phambi kwaKhe kukho umnqamlezo endaweni yetrone, izihange ezibini njengamaqabane aKhe ngasekunene nangasekhohlo. UYakobi noYohane babeza kwabelana neNkosi ekubulalekeni—omnye, ebekelwe ukufa okukhawulezileyo okuzayo ngekrele; omnye, ukuba nguyena uya kuba nelona xesha lide elandela iNkosi yakhe emsebenzini kunye nengcikivo nentshutshiso. “Kodwa kona ukuhlala ngasekunene kum, nangasekhohlo kum, asikwam ukupha ngako; kophiwa abo kulungiselwe bona nguBawo.” Mateyu 20:21-23.IZ 542.2

UYesu wayewuqonda umoya ovuselele isicelo othe wabonisa ikratshi namabhongo aba bafundi babini: “Niyazi ukuba abaphathi beentlanga bayazigagamela, nabo bazizikhulu benza ngegunya kuzo. Ze kungabi njalo ke phakathi kwenu nina; osukuba enga angaba mkhulu phakathi kwenu, makabe ngumlungiseleli wenu; nosukubaenga angabangowokuqala phakathi kwenu, makabe ngumkhonzi wenu; kwanjengokuba uNyana woMntu engezanga kulungiselelwa; weza kulungiselela, nokuncama ubomi bakhe, bube yintlawulelo yokukhulula abaninzi.” Mateyu 20:25-28.IZ 542.3

Ebukumkanini bukaThixo, isikhundla asifunyanwa ngomkhethe. Asamkelwa [ngokomvuzo], saye singafunyanwa ngokunikwa ngamaqhinga. Sisisiphumo sesimilo. Isithsaba kunye netrone zizimbasa zomgangatho ofikelelweyo—iimbasa zokuzoyisa ngobabalo lweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.IZ 543.1

Kuthe sekukudala emva koko, xa uYohane wazifumana enosizi ngoKristu ngenxa yokudlelana naye ekubulalekeni kwaKhe, iNkosi uYesu wamtyhilela ukuba iyintoni imeko yokusondela kobukumkani baKhe. “Lowo weyisayo,” watsho uKristu, “ndiya kumvumela ukuba ahlale nam etroneni yam, njengokuba nam ndeyisayo, ndaza ndahlala phantsi noBawo etroneni yakhe.” IsiTyhilelo 3:21. Lowo uma kufuphi kuKristu iya kuba ngulowo othe wasela kakhulu kuMoya waKhe wothando loluzincamayo, uthando [ekuthiwa] “alugwagwisi, alukhukhumali, . . . alufuni okukokwalo kodwa; alucaphuki, alunanzondo” (1 Korinte 13:4, 5), uthando olumqhuba umfundi, njengoko lwayiqhubayo iNkosi yethu, ukuba anikele konke, aphilele ukusebenzela nokuzincama kude kuse ekufeni, ukuze kusindiswe uluntu.IZ 543.2

Ngelinye ixesha, ngethuba lokusebenza kwabo uvangelo ekuqalekeni, uYakobi noYohane bahlangana nomnye owathi, nangona engaziwa njengomlandeli kaKristu, waye ekhupha iidemon ngegama laKhe (uKristu). Abafundi bamalela loo mntu ukuba asebenze becinga ukuba bayalungisa ngokwenza oku. Bathi ke bakuwubeka phambi kukaKristu umcimbi, wabangxolisa, esithi, “Musani ukumalela; kuba akukho namnye Uya kusebenza umsebenzi wamandla egameni laM, aze ahle abe nako ukuthetha kakubi ngam.” Marko 9:39. Akakho owazibonisa enobuhlobo noKristu nangaluphi uhlobo owayenokugxothwa. Abafundi akufuneki babe nomoya obhityileyo nonekhethe, kodwa kufuneka babonakalalise uvelwano olufikelela kude olunje ngolo babelubone eNkosini yabo. UYakobi noYohane babecinga ukuba, ngokususa lo mntu, babese bezibona bezukisa iNkosi; kodwa baqala ukubona ukuba babenomona ngenxa yeziqu zabo. Bayivuma impazamo yabo bakwamkela ukuthethiswa.IZ 543.3

Izifundo zikaKristu, ezibonisa ubulali, nokuthobeka nothando njengezinto ezifunekayo ekukhuleni elubabalweni nasekufaneleni umsebenzi waKhe, zaye zizezelona xabiso likhulu kuYohane. Wasigcina njengegugu isifundo ngasinye, waza wazingisa ukwenza ukuba ubomi bakhe buhambelane nomfuziselo ongcwele. UYohane wayeqalisile ukuqonda ubuqaqawuli bukaKristu—ingebubo ubuyokoyoko behlabathi namandla awayefundiswe ukuba abuthembe, kodwa “ubuqaqawuli kanye bowokuphela kwamzeleyo uYise, ezele lubabalo nayinyaniso.” Yohane 1:14.IZ 544.1

Ubunzulu nobushushu bothando lukaYohane kwiNkosi yakhe babungesiso isizathu sokuthandwa kwakhe nguKristu, kodwa busisiphumo solo thando (lukaKristu). UYohane wayelangazelela ukufana noYesu, waza wathi phantsi kwempembelelo eguqulayo yothando lukaKristu, waba nobulali wathobeka. U-mna wafihlwa kuYesu. Ngaphezu kwawo onke amaqabane akhe, uYohane wazinikela kumandla obo bomi bumangalisayo. Uthi, “Obu bomi ke babonakaliswa; sibubonile.” “Enzalisekweni yakhe thina sonke samkela kwa-ubabalo phezu kobabalo.” 1 Yohane 1:2;Yohane 1:16. UYohane wayemazi uMsindisi Ngolwazi olulingiweyo. Izifundo zeNkosi yakhe zazikrolwe emphefumlweni wakhe. Xa wayengqina ngobabalo loMsindisi, intetho yakhe elula yayicikoza ngothando olwalumzalise wonke.IZ 544.2

Yayikukuthanda uYesu ngokunzulu okwenza ukuba uYohane alangazelele ukusoloko ehleli kufuphi ecaleni laKhe. UMsindisi wayelithanda lonke iShumi elinaMbini, kodwa uYohane wayengoyena unomoya owamkelayo. Wayemncinane kunabanye, wathi ngokuthemba komntwana okukhulu, wayivulela kuYesu intliziyo yakhe. Ngoko ke uYesu wasoloko enovelwano olukhulu ngakuye, waza wathi ngaye, uMsindisi wadlulisela ebantwini baKhe ezona mfundiso zikamoya zinzulu.IZ 545.1

UYesu uyabathanda abo bamele uYise, kwaye uYohane ethetha ngothando lukaYise ngaphezu kwakhe nawuphi umfundi. Watyhilela abantu bakubo oko wayekuva emphefumlweni wakhe, okwakumele esimilweni sakhe iimpawu zikaThixo. Uzuko lukaThixo lwalubonakala ebusweni bakhe. Ubuhle bobungcwele obamguqulayo bakhanya ngokubengezela obukwimbonakalo yakhe. Ngokumnqula nothando, wamgqala uMsindisi kwada ukufana noKristu nokudlelana naYe kwayeyona nto ayilangazelelayo, saza isimilo seNkosi yakhe sabonakaliswa kwisimilo sakhe.IZ 545.2

“Bonani,” watsho, “uthando olungaka asenzele lona uYise, olu lokuba sibizwe ngokuba singabantwana bakaThixo. . . . Zintanda, ngoku singabantwana bakaThixo, Akukabonakali ke into esiya kuba yiyo; ke siyazi ukuba, xa athe wabonakala, sofana naye; ngokuba siya kumbona njengoko anjalo.” 1 Yohane 3:1, 2.IZ 545.3