30—“WaTHAMBISA ishumi ElinaMbini”
[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuMarko 3:13-19; Luka 6:12-16.]
“Uthi ke anyuke intaba, abizele kuye abo abethanda ukubabiza yena ngokwakhe; besuka beza kuye. Wadala balishumi elinababini, ukuze babe naye, nokuze abathume baye kuvakalisa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” ULw 290.1
Kwakungaphantsi kwemithi enika inkuseleko ecaleni lentaba, kodwa kuthe qelele ukusuka kulwandle lwaseGalili, apho ishumi elinambini labizelwa khona ekubeni ngabapostile, nalapho iNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni yenziwa khona. Amathafa neenduli yayizindawo zokuphumla ezazithandwa nguYesu, kwaye kulapho uninzi lwemfundiso yaKhe wayinika khona ngaphantsi kwesibhakabhaka esityhilekileyo, kunokuba abesetempileni okanye ezindlwini zesikhungu. Yayingekho indlu yesikhungu eyayinokungena izihlwele ezazimlandela; kanti ke, kwakungekuphela kwesizathu sokuba akhethe ukufundisela emathafeni nasemagcumeni. UYesu wayeyithanda imibono yendalo. KuYe indawo nganye yokuphumla yayiyitempile engcwele.ULw 290.2
Kwakuphantsi kwemithi e-Eden apho abahlali bokuqala basemhlabeni bakhetha ukuba nengcwele yabo khona. Apho uKristu wayethetha noyise wohlanga loluntu. Bakuba begxothelwe ngaphandle kweParadesi, abazali bethu bokuqala babesakhonzela emathafeni nasemagcumeni,kwaye kulapho uKristuwahlangananoAbraham phantsi komoki eMamre; noIsake xa wayephuma ayekuthandaza emadlelweni ngorhatya; noYakobi ecaleni lentatyana yaseBheteli; noMoses phakathi kwentaba zakwaMidiyan, kunye nenkwenkwana uDavide xa yayisalusa imihlambi yezimvu. Kwakungomyalelo kaKristu ukuba, kwishumi elinantlanu leenkulungwane, abantu bamaHebhere bawashiye amakhaya abo iveki yonke emnyakeni ngamnye, bahlale emaphempeni awakhiwe ngamasebe aluhlaza “emithi ethe shinyi, nemingcunube yasemlanjeni.” Lev. 23:40.ULw 290.3
Ekuqeqesheni abafundi baKhe, uYesu wakhetha ukusishiya isiphithiphithi sesixeko aye ekupholeni kwamathafa neenduli, njengezona ndawo zihambelana nezifundo zokuzincama awayethanda ukubafundisa zona. Ngexesha lokusebenza kwaKhe, wayethanda ukubabuthela kuYe abantu phantsi kwesibhakabhaka esiluhlaza, kumacala entaba anengca, okanye ngaselunxwemeni lechibi. Apha, erhangqwe yimisebenzi yeyaKhe indalo, wayekwazi ukuzijika iingcinga zabo babemphulaphula ukuba zisuke kwizinto ezenziwe ngabantu ziye kwezemveli. Ekukhuleni nasekuhlumeni kwendalo kwakutyhilwe imithetho-siseko yobukumkani baKhe. Njengoko abantu babekwazi ukuwaphakamisa amehlo abo bawase ezindulini zikaThixo, baze bayibone imisebenzi emangalisayo yezandla zaKhe, babenako ukuzifunda izifundo ezinexabiso zenyaniso engcwele. Imfundiso kaKristu yayiye iphindwe kubo ngezinto zendalo. Kubanjalo kubo bonke abaphuma baye emadlelweni noKristu ezintliziyweni zabo. Baya kuziva berhangqwe yimpembelelo engcwele. Izinto zendalo zithabatha imizekeliso yeNkosi yethu, ziziphinde iziluleko zaYo. Ngokuthungelana noThixo ngendalo, ingqondo iyaphakanyiswa, ize intliziyo ifumane ukuphumla. ULw 291.1
Inyathelo lokuqala kwakufuneka lithatyathiwe ngoku ukuqulunqa ibandla elaliza kuthi akuba emkile uKristu libe ngummeli waKhe emhlabeni. Kwakungekho ngcwele ixabisa kakhulu ababeza kuyilawula, kodwa uMsindisi wabakhokelela abafundi baKhe kwindawo yokuphumla awayeyithanda, kwaza kwathi ezingqondweni zabo kwakho amava angcwele aloo mini awahlangana nobuhle bentaba nentili kunye nolwandle. ULw 291.2
UYesu wayebabize abafundi baKhe ukuze abathume bahambe njengamangqina aKhe, bavakalise ehlabathini oko bakubonileyo nabakuvileyo kuYe. Umsebenzi wabo wawunguwona ubalulekileyo abakha babizelwa kuwo abantu. Babeza kuba ngabasebenzi kunye noThixo ekusindisweni kwehlabathi. Njengokuba kwiTestamente eNdala amanyange alishumi elinambini ema engabameli bakaIsrayeli, ngokunjalo abapostile abalishumi elinambini babeza kuma bengabameli bebandla leendaba ezilungileyo.ULw 291.3
UMsindisi wayesazi isimilo sabantu awayebakhethile; bonke ubuthakathaka babo neziphoso zabo zazandlalekile phambi kwaKhe; wayezazi iingozi abaza kudlula kuzo, uxanduva olwaluza kuba phezu kwabo; yathi intliziyo yaKhe yanemvakalelo ngaba bakhethiweyo. Eyedwa phezu kwentaba eyayikufuphi nolwandle lwaseGalili, wachitha ubusuku bonke ebathandazela, lo gama bona babelele ezantsi entabeni. Ngokuvela kokukhanya kokuqala kokusa, wababiza ukuba bahlangane naYe; kuba wayenento ebalulekileyo ekwakufuneka ebaxelele yona. ULw 292.1
Aba bafundi kwakuse kulixesha behlangene noYesu emsebenzini ababewenza. UYohane noYakobi, uAndreya noPetros, kunye noFilipu, noNathaniyeli, ndawonye noMateyu babehlangene ngokusondele kakhulu kunabanye, kwaye babebone imimangaliso emininzi yaKhe. UPetros, noYakobi kunye noYohane ngabona babesondele kakhulu kubudlelwane naYe. Babephantse ukusoloko benaYe, bebona imimangaliso yaKhe, besiva namazwi aKhe. UYohane wasondela ngakumbi kakhulu yena kuYesu, kangangokuba waziwa njengalowo uYesu wayemthanda. UMsindisi wayebathanda bonke, kodwa uYohane wayengoyena wayenomoya owamkela kakhulu. Wayengoyena mncinane kwabanye, waza wathi, enokuthemba okufana kakhulu nokomntwana, wayivulela kuYesu intliziyo yakhe. Ngoko ke, waba ngoyena uKristu anemfesane kuye, kwathi ngaye, kwathunyelwa eyona mfundiso inzulu yoMsindisi yasemoyeni, ebantwini baKhe. ULw 292.2
Phezulu kwelinye lamaqela abahlulwahlulwa bangawo abapostile, kumi igama likaFilipu. Wayengowokuqala umfundi uYesu awamnika umyalelo othe qabavu, “Ndilandele.” UFilipu wayengumhlali waseBhetesayida, umzi ka-Andreya noPetros. Wayekuvile ukufundisa kukaYohane umBhaptizi, kwaye wayemvile xa wayesazisa uKristu njengeMvana kaThixo. UFilipu wayengumzingeli wenyaniso onenzondelelo, kodwa wayengumntu othabatha kade entliziyweni ukukholwa. Nangona wayezihlanganisile noKristu, kodwa ukumazisa kwaKhe kuNathaniyeli kubonisa ukuba wayengoyisekanga ngokupheleleyo ngobuThixo bukaYesu. Nangona wayexeliwe uKristu lilizwi elivela ezulwini ukuba unguNyana kaThixo, kuFilipu, wayengu“Yesuunyana kaYosefu lowowaseNazarete.” Yohane 1:45. Kwakhona, xa kwakunikwa ukutya amawaka amahlanu, kwabonakala ukuswela ukholo kukaFilipu. Kwaye ikukumvavanya okwenza ukuba uYesu abuze, athi, “Sozithenga phi na izonka, ukuze badle aba?” Impendulo kaFilipu yayikwicala lokungakholwa: “Izonka zeedenariyo ezimakhuu mabini azibanele, ukuze elowo athabathe intwana.” Yohane 6:5, 7. UYesu waba buhlungu. Nangona uFilipu wayeyibonile imisebenzi yaKhe waweva amandla aKhe, wayengenalo ukholo noko. Athi amaGrike akubuza uFilipu ngoYesu, akazange alithabathe elo thuba nokubazisa kuMsindisi, kodwa waya kuAndreya. Kwakhona, ngezo yure zokugqibela phambi kokubethelelwa emnqamlezweni, amazwi kaFilipu aba ngalutyhafisayo ukholo. Wathi akuthi uTomas kuYesu, “Nkosi, asazi apho uya khona; singathini na ke ukuyazi indlela? uMsindisi waphendula, “Ndim indlela, ndim inyaniso, ndim ubomi. . . . Ukuba benindazile mna, ninge nimazile noBawo.” Kwaba sekuphuma kuFilipu impendulo yokungakholwa: “Nkosi, sibonise uYihlo, kosanelisa.” Yohane 14:5-8. Wayethabatha kade kakhulu ukucinga, ebuthakathaka kakhulu naselukholweni, lo mfundi wayekunye noYesu iminyaka emithathu. ULw 292.3
Into eyayivuyisa, naxa yayingafani nokungakholwa kukaFilipu, yayikukuthemba kukaNathaniyeli okwakufana nokomntwana. Wayeyindoda eyayinendalo enyaniseke kakhulu, elukholo lwayo lwalubambelela kwizinto ezingabonwayo. Kanti ke uFilipu wayengumfundi kwisikolo sikaKristu, yaza iTitshala yezulu wakunyamezela ngomonde ukungakholwa nobudenge bakhe. Wathi akuthululwa uMoya Oyingcwele phezu kwabafundi, uFilipu waba yititshala ngokohlobo lwezulu. Wayeyazi into awayeyithetha, waza wafundisa ngengqiniseko eyenza ukuba bakholelwe abo bamphulaphuleyo.ULw 293.1
Xa uYesu wayelungiselela abafundi baKhe ukuba bathanjiswe, omnye owayengabizwanga, wabunyanzela ubukho bakhe phakathi kwabo. YayinguYuda Iskariyoti lowo, indoda eyayizibiza ngokuba ingumlandeli kaKristu. Yeza ngaphambili ngoku, izizamela indawo kwiqoqo elikhethekileyo labafundi. Ngokuzimisela okukhulu nokunyaniseka okubonakala kukho, wathi, “Mfundisi, ndiya kukulandela apho ungaya khona.” UYesu akazange amgxothe engazange amamkele, kodwa wathetha kuphela amazwi abuhlungu: Iimpungutye zinemingxuma, neentaka zezuluzineendawozokuhlala;yena uNyanawoMntu akanandawo apho angalalisa khona intloko.” Mat. 8:19, 20. UYuda Iskariyoti wayekholelwa ukuba uYesu unguMesiya; wathi, ngokuzihlanganisa kwakhe nabafundi, wathemba ukuba uya kusiqinisekisa isihlalo esiphezulu ebukumkanini obutsha. Eli themba, uYesu wanga angaliqhawula ngentetho engobuhlwempu baKhe.ULw 293.2
Abafundi babenomdla wokuba uYuda abe ngomnye weqela labo. Wayengumntu ombonakalo yakhe yayinesidima, indoda ebonakala inengqondo nesakhono sokulawula, baza bamncoma kuYesu njengoya kuba luncedo olukhulu kuYe emsebenzini waKhe. Bamangaliswa kuba uYesu wamamkela ngendlela epholileyo kakhulu. ULw 294.1
Abafundi babemangalisiwe kakhulu yinto yokuba uYesu engazange azame ukufumana intsebenziswano neenkokeli zakwaIsrayeli. Beva ngokungathi yaba yimpazamo ukungawuqinisi umsebenzi waKhe ngokuzuza inkxaso yala madoda anempembelelo. Ukuba wayengamamkelanga uYuda Iskariyoti, ezingqondweni zabo, babeya kubuthandabuza ubulumko beNkosi yabo. Imbali yamva kaYuda yabonisa kubo ingozi yokuvumela nakuphi ukujonga ngokwehlabathi ngokwahlabathi ukuba kube namandla ekwenzeni isigqibo sokufanela kwabantu umsebenzi kaThixo. Intsebenziswano yabantu abanjengabo abafundi babefuna ukubafumana yayiza kuwuthengisa umsebenzi ezandleni zezona ntshaba zimbi kakhulu. ULw 294.2
Kanti ke, xa uYuda wayezimanya nabafundi, wayengenguye umntu owayengabuqondi ubuhle besimilo sikaKristu. Wayiva impembelelo yaloo mandla angcwele ezulu eyayitsalela imiphefumlo kuMsindisi. Lowo wayengazanga ukuba aphule ingcongolo okanye acime umsonto oqhumayo wayengekhe awugxothe lo mphefumlo, lo gama kusekho ulangazelelo, nokuba luncinane kangakanani, lokufikelela ekukhanyeni. UMsindisi wayifunda intliziyo kaYuda Iskariyoti; wayezazi iinzulu zobugwenxa awayenokuthi, ngaphandle kokuhlangulwa lubabalo lukaThixo, eyele kubo uYuda Iskariyoti. Ekuhlanganiseni lo mntu kunye naYe, wambeka apho wayenokuthi, imihla ngemihla, adityaniswe nokuphuphuma kolwaKhe uthando olungafuni okukokwalo. Ukuba nje wayengayivulela uKristu intliziyo yakhe, ubabalo lwezulu lwaluya kuyigxotha idemon yokubawa, aze uYuda abe ngaphantsi kobukumkani bukaThixo. ULw 294.3
UThixo ubathabatha abantu njengoko banjalo, beneempawu zobuntu esimilweni sabo, aze abaqeqeshele umsebenzi waKhe, ukuba bangaqeqesheka bafunde kuYe. Abakhethwa ngakuba begqibelele, kodwa, kukho kunjalo ukungagqibeleli kwabo, ukuze ngokuyazi nokuyenza inyaniso, ngobabalo lukaKristu, benziwe ngokutsha ngokomfanekiselo waKhe.ULw 294.4
UYuda Iskariyoti wayenamathuba afanayo nawabanye abafundi. Wayezivile izifundo ezixabisekileyo. Kona ukuyenza inyaniso, awayekufuna uKristu, kwakungahlangananga neminqweno neenjongo zikaYuda, kwaye engasayi kuze ayekele iingcinga zakhe ukuba zamkele ubulumko basezulwini. ULw 295.1
Indlela enobubele uMsindisi awamphatha ngayo umngcatshi waKhe! Kwimfundiso yaKhe, uYesu wagxila kwimithetho-siseko yobubele obabetha engcanjini kanye yokunqwenela. Wabeka phambi kukaYuda imo embi yokubawa, kwathi amaxesha amaninzi umfundi waqonda sisimilo sakhe esi besizotywa, kusalathwa isono sakhe; kodwa akazange akuvume akushiye ukungalungisi kwakhe. Wayezithembe kakhulu, wathi endaweni yokuba amelane nesilingo, waqhubeka nezenzo zakhe zobuqhophololo. UKristu wayephambi kwakhe, engumzekelo ophilileyo wento ekufuneka eyiyo xa athe wavuna okuhle kwinkumbulelo nomsebenzi wezulu; kodwa isifundo emva kwesinye isifundo zawa azakhathalelwa ezindlebeni zikaYuda Iskariyoti. ULw 295.2
UYesu akazange wamkhalimela kalukhuni ngokubawa kwakhe, kodwa ngomonde ongcwele wayinyamezela le ndoda ilahlekayo, nangexesha sele eyivezela ukuba intliziyo yayo uyifunda njengencwadi evuliweyo. Wabeka phambi kwayo ezona zinto ziyinkuthazo eyeyona iphezulu ekwenzeni okulungileyo; kangangokuba, ekungakwamkeleni kwakhe ukukhanya kwezulu, uYuda wayengayi kuba naso isizathu sokuzithethelela.ULw 295.3
Endaweni yokuhamba ekukhanyeni, uYuda wakhetha ukuzigcina izikhwasilima zakhe. Iminqweno emibi, iinkanuko ezinempindezelo, iingcinga ezimnyama, wayezithanda, wada uSathana wanolawulo olupheleleyo kuye. UYuda waba ngummeli wotshaba lukaKristu.ULw 295.4
Ukufika kwakhe ekuzimanyeni noYesu, wayenazo iimpawu ezixabisekileyo zesimilo ezazinokuba yintsikelelo ebandleni. Ukuba wayekulungele ukuyithwala idyokhwe kaKristu, ngewaba phakathi kwabakhulu abapostile; kodwa wayenza lukhuni intliziyo yakhe naxa izikhwasilima zakhe zazisalathwa, asuke athi, ngekratshi novukelo, akhethe amabhongo wakhe okuzithandela, aze ngaloo ndlela azenze ukuba angawufaneli umsebenzi uThixo awaye nokumnika wona ukuba awenze. ULw 295.5
Bonke abafundi babe neziphene ezibi ngexesha lokubizelwa kwabo emsebenzini nguYesu. NoYohane, owayengoyena usondele kakhulu ekuhlanganeni naLowo unobulali nothobekileyo, yena ngokwakhe, ngokwemveli, wayengenabo ubulali nokuthozama. Yena nomntakwabo babebizwa ngokuthi “ngoonyana bendudumo.” Nangoku sebe noYesu, nantoni eyayingathi iyamchukumisa uYesu, yayivusa ukucaphuka nokulwa kwabo. Ukuba nomsindo okubi, ukuziphindezela, umoya wokugxeka, konke oko kwakufumaneka kumfundi othandwayo. Wayenekratshi, enomnqweno wokufuna ukuba phambili kubumkani bukaThixo.ULw 295.6
Kwathi kodwa, imihla ngemihla, ngokungahambelani nomoya wakhe ondlongondlongo, wabona ububele nokunyamezela kukaYesu,waziva izifundo zaKhe ezingokuthobekanomonde. Wayivula intliziyo yakhe kwimpembelelo engcwele, waza akanela nje ukuba ngumphulaphuli, kodwa waba ngumenzi wamazwi oMsindisi. U-mna wafihlwa kuKristu. Wafunda ukuyinxiba idyokhwe kaKristu nokuthwala umthwalo waKhe.ULw 296.1
UYesu wayebangxolisa abafundi baKhe, ebalumkisa ebaluleka; kodwa kunjalo, uYohane nabazalwana bakhe abazange bemke kuYe; basuka bamkhetha uYesu, nangona kwakukho oko kungxoliswa. UMsindisi akazange azirhoxise kubo ngenxa yobuthakathaka neziphoso zabo. Bahlala kwada kwasekupheleni besabelana ngezilingo zaKhe nokufunda izifundo zobomi baKhe. Ngokumkhangela uKristu, baya benziwa ngokutsha esimilweni sabo.ULw 296.2
Abapostile babahlukene kakhulu ngemikhwa nangesimilo. Kwakukho umbuthi werhafu, uLevi-Mateyu, itsha-ntliziyo elingu Simon, owayelithiye engacengi nto igunya laseRoma; onobubele nogqadazayo uPetros, nonomoya wokuvimba onguYuda Iskariyoti; uTomas, owayenyanisekile entliziyweni kodwa enobuphakuphaku nobugwala, noFilipu owayeqonda kade, ekekelele ekuthandabuzeni, kunye noonyana bakaZebhedi, ababe namabhongo, nabathetha phandle, kunye nabazalwana babo. Bonke aba babehlanganiswe ndawonye, beneziphoso ezahlukeneyo, bonke benemikhwa yofuzo nokukhula ekwenzeni okubi; kodwa kuYe nangaYe uKristu, babeza kuhlala elusatsheni lukaThixo, befunda ukuba babe banye elukholweni, emfundisweni, nasemoyeni. Babeza kuba nokwabo ukuvavanywa—iiyantlukwano ngeembono zabo; kodwa, lonke ixesha uKristu ehleli entliziyweni yabo, kwakungasayi kubakho kuqhabalakana. Uthando lwaKhe laluza kubakhokelela ekubeni bathandane omnye nomnye; izifundo zeNkosi zaziza kubenza ukuba zisebenzisane kunye iiyantlukwano zabo, kuze kubekho ubunye kubafundi, bade babe nengqondo enye nembono enye. UKristu ungumbindi omkhulu, kwaye babeya kusondelelana omnye komnye xa besiya embindini. ULw 296.3
Akuba uYesu ekugqibile ukubafundisa abafundi, waliqokelela eli qela lincinane limngqongileyo, wathi eguqe phakathi kwabo, ebeka izandla phezu kweentloko zabo, wenza umthandazo wokubanikela kumsebenzi waKhe ongcwele. Ngaloo ndlela abafundi beNkosi baba bathanjiselwa umsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo.ULw 296.4
Ukwenza ukuba abantu babe ngabameli baKhe phakathi kwabanye abantu, uKristu akanyuli zingelosi ezingazange ziwe, kodwa unyula abantu abanezimvo ezifana nezabo bazama ukubasindisa. UKristu wathabathela kuYe ubuntu, ukuze akwazi ukufikelela eluntwini. UbuThixo babudinga ubuntu; kuba kwakudinga bobabini, uThixo nomntu ukuzisa usindiso emhlabeni. UbuThixo babudinga ubuntu, ukuze ubuntu bukwazi ukuba lijelo loqhagamshelwano phakathi kukaThixo nomntu. Kunjalo nakubakhonzi nabathunywa bakaKristu. Umntu udinga amandla angaphandle nangaphaya kwakhe, ukubuyisela yena, mntu,kwimfano noThixo, nokumenzaakwazi ukuwenza umsebenzi kaThixo; kodwa oku akusenzi ukuba isenzeleli esingumthunywa singafuneki nganto. Ubuntu bubambe amandla ezulu, uKristu uhlala entliziyweni ngokholo; kuze kuthi, ngokusebenzisana nongcwele wezulu, amandla omntu akwazi ukwanela ukwenza okulungileyo. ULw 296.5
Lowo wabiza abalobi beentlanzi baseGalili usababiza abantu ukuba beze emsebenzini waKhe. Kanti ke, usenentumekelelo yokuwaveza amandla waKhe esebenzisa thina kwanjengoko wenzayo ngabafundi bokuqala. Akukhathaleki nokuba asigqibelelanga sikwangaboni kangakanani, iNkosi isolulela isipho sokuba sibe nobudlelwane kunye naYo, nokuba sibe ngabafundayo kuYo. Usimema ukuba size phantsi kwemfundiso yezulu, ukuze, ngokuzimanya noKristu, sikwazi ukusebenza imisebenzi kaThixo. ULw 297.1
“Obu butyebi sibuphethe ngezitya zomdongwe, ukuze incamisa yamandla ibe yekaThixo, ingaphumi kuthi.” 2 Kor. 4:7. Yiyo le nto ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo kwanikelwa kubantu abonayo endaweni yeengelosi. Kuyabonakala ukuba amandla asebenza ngokungabi namandla koluntu ngamandla kaThixo; kungoko sikhuthazwa ukuba sikholwe ukuba, amandla anokubanceda abanye abangenawo amandla njengathi, nathi angasinceda. Nabo, bona ngokwabo “[ba]nxitywe ubulwelwe” kufuneka bakwazi ukuba “nokuthantamisa kwabangazi nto nabalahlekayo.” Heb. 5:2. Njengoko nabo babekhe basengozini, baqhelene neengozi kunye neenzima zendlela, ngenxa yesi sizathu, babizelwe ukuba bafikelele kwabanye abakwingozi efanayo. Le yimiphefumlo edidekileyo yintandabuzo, esindwa zizilwelwe, ebuthakathaka elukholweni, nengakwaziyo ukubambana nOngabonwayo; kodwa umhlobo abambonayo, oza kubo endaweni kaKristu, angaba likhonkco lokuhlanganisa ukuze aluqamangele kuKristu ukholo lwabo oluthamb’ amadolo. ULw 297.2
Kufuneka sibe ngabasebenzi kunye neengelosi zasezulwini ukubeka uYesu phambi kwehlabathi. Ngolangazelelo oluphantsa ukuphelelwa ngumonde, iingelosi zilindele ukusebenzisana kwethu [nazo]; kuba kufuneka ukuba umntu abe lijelo lokuxhumana nomntu. Xa ke sizinikela kuKrisu ngentliziyo epheleleyo, iingelosi ziyavuya kuba ziza kukwazi ukuthetha ngamazwi ethu ukutyhila uthando lukaThixo.ULw 297.3