32—Umthetheli-khulu

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuMat. 8:5-13; Luka 7:1-17.]

UKristu wayethe kwindoda eyayisisikhulu enyana wayo wayemphilisile, “Ukuba anithanga nibone imiqondiso nemimangaliso, anisayi kukha nikholwe.” Yohane 4:48. Wayebuhlungu kuba esaKhe isizwe sifune imiqondiso yangaphandle yokuba nguMesiya kwaKhe. Wayemangaliswa rhoqo kukungakholwa kwabo. Sekunjalo, waya wamangaliswa lukholo lomthetheli-khulu oweza kuYe.ULw 315.1

Umthetheli-khulu akazange abe nengxaki ngamandla oMsindisi. Akazange amcele nokumcela ukuba eze buqu ukuza kwenza ummangaliso. “Thetha ilizwi lodwa,” watsho, “sophiliswa isicaka sam.” Isicaka somthetheli-khulu sasibethwe lidumbe, saza salala sikumngcipheko wokufa. Phakathi kwamaRoma, izicaka zazingamakhoboka, athengwa athengiswe ezimalikeni, zize ziphathwe kakubi nangenkohlakalo; kodwa umthetheli-khulu wayeqhogene ngobubele nesicaka sakhe, waza walangazelela kakhulu ukuba siphile. Wayekholwa ukuba uYesu wayenako ukusiphilisa. Wayengazange wambona uMsindisi, kodwa iingxelo awazivayo zamkhuthazela ukuba abe nokholo. Sekukho ubungqongqo bamaYuda kunjalo, lo mRoma wayeqinisekile ukuba inkolo yawo yayingaphezulu kunaleyo yakhe. Wayesele egqobhozile kwimiqobo yentiyo yobuzwe nentiyo eyayahlule aboyisi kubantu aboyisiweyo. Wayebonakalalise ukuyihlonipha inkonzo kaThixo, ekwabonise imfesane kumaYuda njengabakhonzi baKhe [uThixo]. Ekufundiseni kukaKristu, njengoko wayexelelwe [umthetheli-khulu], wafumanisa into eyahlangabezana nesidingo somphefumlo. Konke okwakunento yokwenza nomoya ngaphakathi kwakhe, kwasabela kumazwi oMsindisi. Kungoko waziva engafanelekanga ukuba angeza phambi kukaYesu, waza wabhenela kumadoda amakhulu akwaYuda ukubaadlulise isicelosokuphiliswakwesicaka sakhe. Ayeqhelene neTitshala eNkulu, ngenxa yoko ayeza kukwazi ukuthetha nayo ukuze ayizuze imfesane yaYo.ULw 315.2

Wathi xa uYesu engena eKapernahum, wahlangatyezwa ngabathunywa bamadoda amakhulu, awamxelela ngomnqweno womthetheli-khulu. Amcela ngelithi, “Ukufanele oko lowo ungamenzelayo oko; kuba uyaluthanda uhlanga lwethu, wasakhela nendlu yesikhungu yena.” ULw 316.1

Kwangoko uYesu waphuma ukuba aye kwikhaya legosa elo; kodwa wathi ngokuxinwa sisihlwele, wacotha ukuphuma. Iindaba zokuya kwakhe zahamba ngaphambi kwaKhe, waza umthetheli-khulu, ekungazithembini kwakhe, wathumela kuYe ilizwi, lisithi, “Nkosi, ungazikhathazi, kuba andikulingene ukuba ungade ungene phantsi kophahla lwam.” Waya waqhubeka yena uMsindisi nendlela yaKhe, kodwa wathi umthetheli-khulu ekugqibeleni, akukwazi ukufikelela kuYe, wasigqibezela isigidimi sakhe, esithi, “kuba nam ndingakufanelanga ukuba ndize kuwe,” [NKJV], “thetha ngezwi lodwa, wophiliswa umkhonzi wam; kuba nam ndingumntu omiswe phantsi kwegunya Labhanye, ndinamasoldati aphantsi kwam; ndithi kweli, Yiya, liye; kweliya, Yiza; lize; kumkhonzi wam, Yenza oku, akwenze.” Njengoko ndimele igunya laseRoma, aye amasoldati wam elamkela igunya lam njengeliphezulu, ngokunjalo naWe, umele igunya likaThixo ongenamda, kwaye indalo yonke iyalithobela ilizwi laKho. Unako ukusiyalela isifo ukuba simke, sikuthobele. Ungababiza abathunywa baKho basezulwini, basuke benze umsebenzi omhle wokuphilisa. Thetha nje ilizwi, siya kuphiliswa isicaka sam. ULw 316.2

“Ezivile ke uYesu ezi zinto, wamangaliswa nguye, waguqukela kwindimbane ebimlandela, wathi, Ndithi kuni, andifumananga lukholo lungaka nakwaIsrayeli.” Wabuya wathi kumthetheli-khulu, “Makwenzeke kuwe ngokokholo lwakho. Saphiliswa kwangalo elo lixa isicaka sakhe.”ULw 316.3

Amadoda amakhulu akwaYuda awancomela umthetheli-khulu kuKristu abonisa indlela awayekude ngayo ekuwubangeni umoya weendaba ezilungileyo. Awazange aqonde ukuba eyona ntswelo inkulu yethi kuphela libango esinalo kwinceba kaThixo. Kobawo ubulungisa athetha kakuhle ngomthetheli-khulu ngenxa yobubele awayebubonisa kulo “uhlanga lwethu.” Kanti ke wathi umthetheli-khulu xa athetha ngaye, “andikulingene.” Intliziyo yakhe yayichukunyiswe lubabalo lukaKristu. Wazibona ukungafaneleki kwakhe; ukanti wayengazange oyike ukucela uncedo. Akazange athembe okwakhe ukulunga; intetho yakhe yayiyeyona ntswelo inkulu. Ukholo lwakhe lwamthabatha uKristu ekwisimilo saKhe senene. Akazange akholwe kuYe nje kuba engumsebenzi wemimangaliso, kodwa njengomhlobo noMsindisi woluntu. ULw 317.1

Yindlela le amele ukuba wonke umoni aze ngayo kuKristu. “Kungengamisebenzi esebulungiseni esayenzayo thina, kungokwenceba yakhe, wasisindisa.” Tito 3:5. Xa uSathana esithi kuwe ungumoni, akunakulindela ukufumana ntsikelelo kuThixo, mxelele ukuba uKristu weza emhlabeni ukuba azokusindisa aboni. Akukho nto ingasenza sithandeke kuThixo; kodwa isicelo esinokusenza ngoku nanini yimeko yokungabi nakuzinceda kwethu eyenza ukuba amandla aKhe ahlangulayo abe ngawona afunekayo. Xa sikushiya konke ukuxhomekeka kuthi, sinokukhangela emnqamlezweni waseKalvari sithi, ULw 317.2

“Ndiza ndingaphethe nto
Ndithe nca ekrusini.”

AmaYuda ayefundiswe kwasebuntwaneni ngomsebenzi kaMesiya. Iintetho eziphefumlelweyo zamanyange nabaprofeti kunye neemfundiso ezaziyimifuziselo zenkonzo yemibingelelo zazizezawo. Sekunjalo, awazange akukhathalele ukukhanya; ngoku ababona nto kuYesu enokunqweneleka. Yena umthetheli-khulu, ezalelwe ebuhedenini, efunde kunqulo lwezithixo lweRoma elawulayo, eqeqeshwe walisoldati, ebonakala esusiwe kubomi basemoyeni yimfundo yakhe kunye nokumngqongileyo, evalelwe kude ziinkani zamaYuda, nokujongelwa phantsi kwabantu bakubo ngabantu bakwaIsrayeli,--le ndoda yayibona inyaniso eyayingabonwa ngabantwana baka-Abraham. Akazange alindele ukuba abone ukuba amaYuda ayamamkela na Lowo wayesithi unguMesiya okanye awamamkeli. Njengoko “[u]khanyiso olubakhanyiselayo abantu bonke, abeza emhlabeni” (Yohane 1:9), [NKJV], luthe lwakhanya phezu kwakhe, wathi, nangona wayese kude kakhulu, wabubona ubuqaqawuli boNyana kaThixo.ULw 317.3

KuYesu lo yayingowona unyanisekileyo kumsebenzi owawuza kufezwa ziindaba ezilungileyo phakathi kweeNtlanga. Ngovuyo, wakhangela phambili [uYesu] ekuhlanganiselweni kwemiphefumlo ephuma kuzo zonke izizwe ebukumkanini baKhe. Ngosizi olunzulu,wawazobela amaYuda isiphumo sokwala kwawo ubabalo lwaKhe: “Ndithi ke kuni, Baninzi abaya kufika bevela empumalanga nasentshonalanga, bangqengqe ndawonye noAbraham noIsake noYakobi ebukumkanini bamazulu. Kodwa bona abantwana bobukumkani baya kukhutshelwa emnyameni ongaphandle; khona apho kuya kubakho ukulila nokutshixiza kwamazinyo.” Yeha ke! Bangaphi abasalungiselela impoxo embi kangako! Lo gama imiphefumlo ebumnyameni bobuhedeni ilwamkela ubabalo lwaKhe, bangaphi abakhoyo kumazwe obuKristu okuthi kukhanye kubo ukukhanya kanti kuza kungasiwa so! ULw 317.4

Ngaphezu kwemayile ezingamashumi amabini ukusuka eKapernahum, kumhlaba osisithabazi okhangele kumathafa abanzi namahle ase-Esdrayelon, kukho ilali yaseNayin, apho uYesu wayewaqondise khona amanyathelo aKhe emva koko. Abaninzi kubafundi baKhe kunye nabanye babe kunye naYe, baye abantu behambe yonke indlela ukuza apho belangazelela amazwi waKhe othando novelwano, bezisa ababo abagulayo ukuba baphiliswe nguYe, behleli benethemba lokuba, Lowo ubonakalalisa amandla amangalisayo kangako uya kuzazisa ukuba unguKumkani kaIsrayeli. Indimbane eyabuthelana emanyathelweni aKhe, yayiliqela elonwabileyo, nelilindeleyo elamlandelayo ukunyuka indlela enamatye esinga esangweni lelali esentabeni. ULw 318.1

Bathi xa besondela kufuphi, umngcelele womngcwabo weza uphuma emasangweni. Wawuhamba ngokucotha kalusizi usiya emadlakeni. Kwithala elivulekileyo elithwelweyo phambili kukho umzimba wofileyo, urhangqwe ngabazili, isijwili sabo sivakala kwindawo yonke. Bonke abantu bedolophu babekhangeleka bebuthene apho ukuza kunika imbeko ngenxa yofileyo kunye novelwano nalowo ufelweyo.ULw 318.2

Yayingumbono owawubanga uvelwano. Owayefile wayekuphela konyana kamama wakhe, abe yena engumhlolokazi. Umzili, osele yedwa, wayelandela ukuya engcwabeni umxhasi nomthuthuzeli wakhe ekuphela kwakhe emhlabeni. “Ithe ke iNkosi yakumbona, yasikwa yimfesane ngenxa yakhe.” Wathi njengokuba ehamba engaboni, ekhala, engabuqaphelanga ubukho baKhe, uYesu wasondela ecaleni kwakhe, wathetha naye ngelizolieyo, esithi, “Musa ukulila.” Ngelo xesha kwakumbovu ukuba uYesu ayitshintshe intlungu yakhe ibe luvuyo, kanti naYe wayengakwazi ukuyifihla imbonakalo yemfesane enothando. ULw 318.3

“Yafika [iNkosi] ke yalichukumisa ithala;” kuYe nokuhlangana nokufa akumsuleli ngokungcola. Ababethwele umzimba bema ngxishi, izikhalo zabazili zathi nqumama. Amaqela amabini ahlangana ejikeleze ithala, engalindelanga nto. Wayekho Lowo wagxotha isifo waswantsulisa iidemon; ingaba nokufa kwakuphantsi kwegunya laKhe? ULw 318.4

Ngelizwi elicacileyo nelinegunya, wawathetha amazwi, athi, “Ndodana, ndithi kuwe, Vuka.” Elo lizwi ligqobhoza kwiindlebe zofileyo. Indodana ivula amehlo wayo. UYesu uyibamba ngesandla, ayiphakamise. Amehlo aKhe awa phezu kwalowo wayelila ecaleni kwakhe, baze bahlangane umama nonyana ixeshaelide, benkonyene, benovuyo. Indimbanebenovuyo.Indimbane yakhangelaithe cwaka, ingathi ibanjwe ngumnatha. “Bangenwa ke kukoyika bonke.” Bethe cwaka, benike imbeko, bema ixesha elithile, ngokungathi baphambi kukaThixo ngokwaKhe. Emva koko, “babemzukisa uThixo, besithi, Kuvele umprofeti omkhulu phakathi kwethu; besithi, Ubavelele uThixo abantu bakhe.” Umngcelele womngcwabo wabuyela eNayin ungumqokozo owoyisileyo. “Lwaphuma ke olo ludaba lungaye, lwahamba kwelakwaYuda liphela, nakuloo mmandla wonke.” ULw 318.5

Lowo wema ecaleni kukamama oselusizini esangwni leNayin, ukhangele kuye wonke olilayo ecaleni kwethala. Uchukunyiswa lusizi ngenxa yentlungu yethu. Intliziyo yaKhe, eyayinothando novelwano, yintliziyo yemfesane engajikiyo. Ilizwi laKhe, elabizela abafileyo ebomini, alenzi ngokungaphantsi ngoku kunoko lalithethwa kwindodana yaseNayin. Uthi, “Linikwe mna lonke igunya emazulwini nasehlabathini.” Mat. 28:18. Elo gunya alinciphi ngokuhamba kweminyaka, layelingapheli kukusebenza okungapheliyo kobabalo lwaKhe oluphuphumayo. Kubo bonke abakholwayo kuYe use nguMsindisi ophilileyo.ULw 319.1

UYesu wayiguqula intlungu kamama yaba luvuyo xa embuyisela unyana wakhe; kanti indodana yabizelwa nje ebomini basemhlabeni, ukuba inyamezele iintlungu zawo, ukubulaleka kwawo, iingozi zawo, nokuba idlule kwakhona phantsi kwamandla okufa. UYesu kodwa uyithuthuzela intlungu yethu yokufelwa ngesigidimi sethemba elingenakuphela: “Ndinguye odla ubomi; ndaye ndifile; yabona, ndingobudlayo ubomi kuse emaphakadeni asemaphakadeni. . . . Ndinazo nezitshixo zelabafileyo nezokufa.” “Ekubeni ngoko abantwana abo bengamadlelane naye ngenyama negazi, wathi naye ngokwakhe ngokukwanjalo wabelana nabo ngezo zinto, ukuze ngako ukufa ambhangise lowo unamandla okufa, oko kukuthi, uMtyholi lo; abakhulule ebukhobokeni bonke abo babethe ngalo lonke ixesha lokudla kwabo ubomi bazizisulu zokoyika ukufa.” IsiTy. 1:18; Heb. 2:14, 15.ULw 320.1

USathana akakwazi ukubagcina esandleni sakhe abafileyo xa uNyana kaThixo esithi mabaphile. Akanako ukugcina ukufa kwasemoyeni nowodwa umphefumlo othi ngokholo wamkele ilizwi lamandla likaKristu. UThixo uthi kubo bonke abafileyo esonweni, “Vuka wena uleleyo, uvuke kwabafileyo.” Efese 5:14. Elo lizwi libubomi obungunaphakade. Njengoko ilizwi likaThixo layalela umntu wokuqala ukuba aphile, lisasinika ubomi; njengoko ilizwi likaKristu, elathi, “Ndodana, ndithi kuwe, Vuka” lanika ubomi kwindodana yaseNayin, ngokunjalo elo lizwi lithi, “Vuka kwabafileyo” libubomi kumphefumlo olamkelayo. UnguThixo “owasihlangulayo egunyeni lobumnyama, wasifudusela ebukumkanini boNyana wothando lwakhe.” Kol. 1:13. Konke sikuphiwa elizwini laKhe. Ukuba siyalamkela ilizwi, sinako ukuhlangulwa. ULw 320.2

Kanti ke, “ukuba ke uMoya walowo wamvusayo uYesu kwabafileyo,umi ngaphakathi kwenu, yena owamvusayo uKristu kwabafileyo uya kuyenza iphile nemizimba yenu enokufa, ngaye uMoya wakhe omiyo ngaphakathi kwenu.” “Ngokuba iNkosi ngokwayo iya kuhla emazulwini inendanduluko, inelizwi lesiphatha-zithunywa, inexilongo likaThixo, baze abafele kuKristu bavuke kuqala; sandule thina babudlayo ubomi, basaseleyo, sixwilelwe emafini kwakunye nabo, siye kuyikhawulela iNkosi esibhakabhakeni; size ngokunjalo sihlale sihleli, sindawonye neNkosi.” Roma 8:11; 1 Tes. 4:16, 17. Eli lilizwi lentuthuzelo athi masithuthuzelane ngalo.ULw 320.3