49—Esidlweni Seminquba

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuYohane 7:1-15, 37-39.]

Kathathu ngomnyaka, amaYuda kwakufuneka ehlangene eYerusalem ngenjongo zenkolo. Igqunywe yintsika yelifu, iNkokeli kaIsrayeli eyayingabonakali yayinike imiyalelo ngokubhekiselele kwimihlangano. Ngexesha lasekuthinjweni kwawo amaYuda, zazingakwazi ukugcinwa [ezi nkonzo]; kodwa bathi abantu bakubuyiselwa ezweni labo, ukugcinwa kwezi zikhumbuzo kwaqalwa kwakhona. Yayilicebo likaThixo ukuba ezi zikhumbuzo zizise inkumbulo ngaYe ezingqondweni zabantu. Ngaphandle kwabambalwa, ababingeleli neenkokeli zesizwe zazilahlekiwe ngumbono wale njongo. Lowo wayezingcwalisile ezi ntlanganiso ekuqonda ukubaluleka kwazo, wakubona ukuphathwa gwenxa kwazo.ULw 447.1

IsiDlo seMinquba sasiyintlanganiso yokugqibela emnyakeni. Yayilicebo likaThixo ukuba ngeli xesha, abantu kufuneka bacamngce ngokulunga nenceba yaKhe. Ilizwe lonke laliphantsi kwenkokelo yaKhe, lizuza intsikelelo yaKhe. Imini nobusuku ukukhathala kwaKhe kwaqhubeka. Ilanga nemvula zaziwenza umhlaba ukuba uvelise iziqhamo zawo. Ukusuka ezintilini nasemathafeni asePalestina, sasiqokelelwe isivuno. Isiqhamo somnquma sasesiqokelelwe, ioli exabisekileyo igcinwe ezintsubeni. Izihloko ezimfusa zeediliya zasezixovulwe esixovulelweni. ULw 447.2

Isidlo sasiqhuba iintsuku ezisixhenxe, kuthi ukuvuyisana ngaso, abemi basePalestina, abaninzi babo bephuma kweminye imimandla, babewashiya amakhaya abo, beze eYerusalem. Bevela kude nakufuphi, babesiza abantu, bephethe ezandleni zabo isibonakaliso sovuyo. Abadala nabancinane, izityebi namahlwempu, bonke babesiza bephethe isipho esithile siluphawu lomnikelo wombulelo kuLowo wathwesa umnyaka ngokulunga kwaKhe, wazenza iindlela zaKhe ukuba zinkcenkceze amafutha. Yonke into eyayinokuvuyisa iliso, ivakalise uvuyo lwezwe lonke, yayiziswa ukusuka emahlathini; sithi isixeko sibe nembonakalo yehlathi elihle.ULw 448.1

Esi sidlo sasingaphelelanga ekubeni ngumnikelo wesivuno kuphela, kodwa sasikwasisikhumbuzo senkathalo yokhuselo lukaThixo kuIsrayeli entlango. Ukukhumbula ubomi babo bokuhlala ezintenteni, uIsrayeli ngexesha lesidlo wayelala emaphempeni okanye eminqubeni yamasebe aluhlaza. Ezi ndawo zazisenziwa ezitratweni, ezintendelezweni zetempile, okanye phezu kwamaphahla ezindlu. Iinduli neentili ezijikeleze iYerusalem nazo zazigqabazwe ngeendawo zokuhlala zamahlamvu, zize zibonakale ngokungathi zinabantu abahlala kuzo. ULw 448.2

Ngengoma engcwele nemibulelo, abakhonzi babesonwabela esi siganeko. Kufutshane nje ngaphambi kwesiDlo, kwakuba yiMini yoCamagushelo, xa kuthi emva kokuvunywa kwezono zabo, abantu kwakusithiwa banoxolo nezulu. Njalo ke, indlela yayilungisiwe ukuba kubekho ukusivuyela isiDlo. “Haleluya! Bulelani kuYehova ngokuba elungile, ngokuba ingunaphakade inceba yakhe” (Nd. 106:1). Yingoma le eyayisitsho ngoloyiso, lo gama zonke iintlobo zomculo zazihlangana nemikhwazo yoohosana, ikhatshwa kukuvuma okumanyeneyo. Itempile yayiliziko lovuyo lwezwe lonke. Apha kwakukho amayeyeye nobuyokoyoko beenkonzo zemibingelelo. Apha, kumiswe kumacala omabini amanyathelo elitye elimhlophe esakhiwo esingcwele, ikwayala yabaLevi ikhokela inkonzo yomculo. Isihlwele sabanquli, siphakamisa sishukumisa amasebe esundu nemimirtile, sasiyithabatha ingoma, siphindaphinde ikhoras, uphinde kwakhona ubanjwe umculo ngamazwi akude nakufuphi, zide iinduli ezijikelezileyo zihlokome yindumiso. ULw 448.3

Ebusuku, itempile nentendelezo yayo yayiqaqamba kukukhanya okwenziweyo. Umculo, ukujiwuziswa kwamahlamvu amasundu, intsholo emnandi yoohozana, umkhosi omkhulu wabantu, ekwakukhanya phezu kwabo ukukhanya okwakujinga kwizibane ezixhonyiweyo, udederhu lwababingeleli, nokuzuka kweenkonzo, konke kuhlangene kwakungumbono onomtsalane kakhulu kwababukeleyo. Eyona nkonzo yayinomdla kakhulu ngendlela eyodwa kwesi sidlo, neyona yayisenza olona luvuyo lukhulu, yayiyeyokukhumbula isiganeko sohambo lwasentlango.ULw 448.4

Ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku lokuqala, ababingeleli babesitsho ngomtyangampo ophezulu wokuvuthelwa kwamaxilongo awenziwe ngesilivere, aze amaxilongo aphendulayo, nemikhwazo yabantu besemaphempeni abo,neenduli kunyeneentili ezihlokomayo ukuphendula, ziyamkele imini yomsitho. Emva koko, umbingeleli ebesikha ngendebe enomqheba kumanzi abalekayo omfula iKedron, aze athi akuba eyiphakamisele phezulu, ngexesha ekhala amaxilongo, akhwele kwizinyathelo ezibanzi zetempile, ebetha ngesingqi somculo ocotha kancinane ngesandi esibaliweyo, ngelo xesha evuma, esithi, “Iinyawo zethu zifike zema emasangweni akho, Yerusalem.” Ndumiso 122:2.ULw 449.1

Ebeyithabatha le ndebe ayise esibingelelweni, neyayiyeyona ndawo ibalulekileyo kwintendelezo yababingeleli. Apha kwakukho izitya ezibini zesilivere, kukho umbingeleli ecaleni laso ngasinye. Indebe yamanzi yayigalelwa kwesinye, kuze kugalelwe indebe yewayini kwesinye; kuze okungaphakathi kuzo zozibini, izitya, kunkcenkceze kuhle kuhambe ngombhobho owawuqhagamshelene neKerdon, oqhubela yonke into kuLwandle oluFileyo. Lo umboniso wamanzi angcwalisiweyo wawumele umthombo owathi, ngokuyalelwa nguThixo, watsaza eliweni, basela lwaphela unxano abantwana bakaIsrayeli. Kwakuye kudanduluke intsholo emnandi yovuyo, “UThixo ukukusindiswa kwam;” “ngoko ke niya kukha amanzi ninemihlali emithonjeni yosindiso.” Isa. 12:2, 3. ULw 449.2

Ngexesha oonyana bakaYosefu babelungiselela ukuya kwisiDlo seMinquba, baphawula ukuba uKristu wayengenzi ntshukumo ebonisa ukuba unomdla wokuya. Bambukela benexhala. Kususela ekuphiliseni eBhetesda, ebengasayi kwimihlangano yesizwe. Ukuphepha imbambano engancedi nto neenkokeli eYerusalem, wawuphelelisa eGalili umsebenzi waKhe. Oko kwakubonakala ikukutyeshela kwaKhe imihlangano emikhulu yenkolo, kwanobutshaba obabubonakalaliswa ngakuYe ngababingeleli kunye nabafundisi, kwakunguye unobangela wokudideka kwabantu ngaYe, bekunye nabafundi baKhe kunye nabazalana naYe. Kwiimfundiso zaKhe wayethethile ngeentsikelelo zokuthobela umthetho kaThixo, ukanti kwaYena wayebonakala engayikhathalele inkonzo eyayimiselwe lizulu. Ukuxubana kwaKhe nababuthi berhafu kunye nabanye abangahloniphekanga, ukungakhathaleli kwaKhe izinto ezihlonitshwa ngabafundisi [oorabhi], nokubekela kwaKhe bucala ngokukhululekileyo iimfuno ezingeSabatha, konke okwakubonakala kumbeka kwindawo yokuba achaswe ngamagunya enkolo, kwavusa imbuzwano eninzi. Abantakwabo bacinga ukuba uyaphazama [uYesu] ngokuba azikhwebule kumadoda esizwe amakhulu nafundileyo. Bona abantakwabo bawabona la madoda elungisa, inguYesu lo ophazamayo ngokuzibeka ukuba achasane nawo. Kanti ke kunjalo, babebubona ubomi baKhe obungenasiphako, nangona babengazilinganisi nabafundi baKhe, babethabathekile kakhulu yimisebenzi yaKhe. Ukuthandwa kwaKhe eGalili kwakubanelisa kwikratshi labo; besenethemba lokuba usaza kwenza into eza kubonakalalisa igunya laKhe elaliza kwenza ukuba abaFarisi babone ukuba uyile nto athi uyiyo. Ebengethi kanti unguMesiya, uMthetheli kaIsrayeli! Bayigcina le ngcinga ngokwaneliseka okuzaliswe likratshi. ULw 450.1

Babenomdla kakhulu ngalo mba kangangokuba bamnyanzela ukuba aye eYerusalem. “Gqitha apha,” batsho, “uye kwelakwaYuda, ukuze nabafundi bakho bayibone imisebenzi yakho oyenzayo. Kuba akukho namnye wenza into emfihlekweni, abe yena ngokwakhe efuna ukuba sekuhleni. Ukuba uyazenza ezi zinto, zibonakalise ngokwakho kwihlabathi.” U“ukuba” wayebonisa ukuthandabuza nokungakholwa. Bamtyabeka ngobugwala nokungabi nasibindi. Ukuba wayesazi ukuba unguMesiya, kungani ukuba agoxe angenzi nto ngendlela enqabe kangaka? Ukuba wayenalo ngokwenene igunya elinjalo, kutheni engasuki ngesibindi aye eYerusalem, alitsho ibango laKhe? Kutheni engenzi imisebenzi yemimangaliso ekubaliswa ngayo ngaYe eGalili? Musa ukuzimela kwimimandla esemacaleni, batsho, wenze imisebenzi yaKho yamandla kubantu abangazi nto kunye nabalobi beentlanzi. Ziveze kwisixeko esiyintloko, fumana inkxaso yababingeleli nabaphathi, usimanye isizwe ekumiseleni ubukumkani obutsha.ULw 450.2

Aba bantakwabo Yesu, bazathuza ngokuqhutywa ngumoya wokubawa okholisa ukufunyanwa ezintliziyweni zabo banamabhongo okuba baziwe. Lo moya yayingumoya olawulayo ehlabathini. Baya bacaphuka kuba, endaweni yokufuna itrone yasemhlabeni, uKristu wayethe usisonka sobomi. Baba nokudana okukhulu xa abaninzi kubafundi baKhe bemshiya. Nabo ngokwabo bamshiya bephepha umnqamlezo wokuvuma oko kwakutyhilwe yimisebenzi yaKhe—ukuba ungOthunyiweyo kaThixo. ULw 451.1

“Wathi ngoko uYesu kubo, Ixesha lam alikabikho, ke elenu ixesha lihlala lilungile. Ihlabathi alinakunithiya nina; mna ke liya ndithiya, ngokuba mna ndingqina ngalo, ukuba imisebenzi yalo ayindawo. Nyukani nina, niye kulo mthendeleko; mna andikanyuki, ndiye kulo mthendeleko; ngokuba ixesha lam alikazaliseki. Akuba ke ezithethile ezi zinto kubo, wahlala kwelaseGalili.” Abantakwabo babethethe naYe ngelizwi legunya, bemxelela ikhondo amakalilandele. Wayibuyisela kubo intethiso yabo, engabahlanganisi nabafundi baKhe abazilanduleyo, kodwa [ebafanisa] nehlabathi. “Ihlabathi alinakunithiya nina,” watsho, “mna ke liyandithiya, ngokuba mna ndingqina ngalo, ukuba imisebenzi yalo ayindawo.” Ihlabathi alibathiyi abo bafana nalo ngomoya; liyabathanda njengabalo. ULw 451.2

KuKristu, ihlabathi lalingeyiyo indawo yokuhlala ngokonwaba nokuzanelisa. Wayengalindelanga thuba lokuthabatha igunya lalo nozuko lwalo. Lalingenawo umvuzo waKhe onjalo. Laliyindawo awayethunywe kuyo nguYise. Wayenikelwe ngenxa yobomi behlabathi, ukuba asebenze icebo elikhulu lokuhlangula. Wayefeza umsebenzi waKhe ngenxa yohlanga oluwileyo. Noko kunjalo, wayengayi kuba nabuganga, engayi kukhawuleza ukungena engozini, engayi kuyikhawulezisa intlekele. Isiganeko ngasinye emsebenzini waKhe sasinexesha laso elimiselweyo. Wayesazi ukuba kuza kufuneka azuze ukuthiywa lihlabathi; wayesazi ukuba umsebenzi waKhe wawuza kuba nesiphumo esikukufa kwaKhe; kodwa ukuziveza phambi kwexesha kwakungayi kuba kuyintando kaYise. ULw 451.3

Ukususela eYerusalem, ingxelo ngemimangaliso kaKristu yasasazeka kuyo yonke indawo awayesasazelwe kuyo amaYuda; kwathi nangona kwakuziinyanga ezininzi engabikho ezidlweni, wona umdla ngaYe awathotha. Abaninzi abavela kuzo zonke iindawo zehlabathi baza kufika esiDlweni seMinquba benethemba lokumbona. Ekuqaleni kwesidlo kwabakho imibuzo emininzi ngaYe. AbaFarisi nabaphathi babelindele ukuba uza kufika, benethemba lokuba nethuba lokumgweba. Babuza ngomdla, “Uphi na yena?” kodwa akuzange kubekhomntu waziyo. Ukucinga ngaYe kwakuphambilikuzo zonke iingqondo.Ngokoyika ababingeleli nabaphathi, akakho owaba nesibindi sokumvumaukubaunguMesiya. Abanyebamkhusela njengOthunywe nguThixo, lo gama abanye bemlahlela phantsi njengomlahlekisi wabantu.ULw 451.4

Ngelo xesha, uYesu wanyebeleza ukufika eYerusalem. Wakhetha ukuhamba ngendlela engaqhelekanga, ukuze aphephe abahambi ababesiya esixekweni bephuma kumacala onke. Ukuba wayehlangene nokuba nguwuphi umqodi owawusiya esidlweni, onke amehlo ayeya kutsaleleka kuYe ekungeneni kwaKhe emzini, kuze kubekho ukungqubana okusesidlangalaleni kokumxhasa, aze amagunya amvukele. Yayikukuze aphephe oku okwenza ukuba akhethe ukuluthabatha eyedwa uhambo. ULw 452.1

Sathi xa siphakathi isidlo, xa kanye ingxolo ngaYe iphezulu, wangena entendelezweni yetempile sikho isihlwele. Ngenxa yokungabikho kwaKhe esidlweni, kwakusele kuthiwe, angake alithi cakatha elaKhe phambi kwegunya lababingeleli nabaphathi. Bonke bamangala bubukho baKhe. Kwathi cwaka. Bonke bamangala sisidima nesibindi anaso phakathi kweentshaba ezinamandla ezazinxanelwe ubomi baKhe. ULw 452.2

Esemi njalo, ekhangele kuYe onke amehlo aloo nginginya, uYesu wathetha nabo ngendlelaekungekho mntu wakha wathetha ngayo ngaphambili. Amazwi aKhe abonisa ulwazi lwemithetho nemimiselo kaIsrayeli, eyenkonzo yemibingelelo neemfundiso zabaprofeti, ngaphezulu kakhulu kunababingeleli nabafundisi. Wayigqitha imiqobo yokusemthethweni nesithethe. Imibono yobomi bexesha elizayo yakhangeleka yandlaliwe phambi kwaKhe. Njengowabona Ongabonwayo, wathetha ngokwasemhlabeni nokwasezulwini, okomntu nokukaThixo, ngegunya elikhulu. Amazwi aKhe ayecace esoyisa ngeyona ndlela inkulu; kwathi kwakhona, njengaseKapernahum, abantu bamangaliswa yimfundiso yaKhe “ngokuba ilizwi lakhe libe linegunya.” Luka 4:32. Phantsi kweentetho ezininzi ezahlukeneyo wabalumkisa abaphulaphuli baKhe ngengozi eyayiza kulandela bonke abazalayo iintsikelelo awayezizise kubo. Wayebanike bonke ubungqina kangangoko anako bokuba wayevela kuThixo, waza wenza konke anako ukubazisa enguqukweni. Wayengayi kwaliwa aze abulawe sisizwe saKhe ukuba ebengabasindisa etyaleni lesenzo esinjalo.ULw 453.1

Bonke bamangala lulwazi lwaKhe lomthetho neziprofeto; baza babuzana, “Lo uyazi ngani na imfundo, engafundanga nje? Akakho owayethatyathwa ngokuba ukufanele ukuba ngumfundisi wenkolo ngaphandle kokuba ufunde kwizikolo zoorabhi, baye bobabini uYesu noYohane bebonwa njengabangazi nto kuba bengazange balufumane olo qeqesho lunjalo. Abo babevayo bakhwankqiswa yindlela abazazi ngayo iziBhalo, “bengafundanga.” Ngokwabantu, ngokwenene, babengazanga [bafunda] , kodwa uThixo wamazulu wayeyititshala yabo, kwaye kuYe, babefumene olona hlobo luphezulu lobulumko. ULw 453.2

Ngexesha uYesu wayethetha etempileni, abantu babethimbeke tu. Wona loo madoda kanye ayengawona andlongondlongo ukumchasa, aziva engenawo amandla okumenza nto. Okwexesha elithile, yonke enye into enomtsalane yalityalwa. ULw 453.3

Imihla ngemihla wayebafundisa abantu, kwada kwangowokugqibela, “ongowona mkhulu womthendeleko.” Intsasa yale mini yabafikela abantu bediniwe ngamaxesha amade asesidlweni. Ngesiquphe, uYesu waphakamisa izwi laKhe, ngemvakalo eyaya kuzo zonke iintendelezo zetempile: ULw 453.4

“Ukuba kukho othi anxanwe, makeze kum asele. Lowo ukholwayo kum, njengoko satshoyo isibhalo, kuya kumpompoza imilambo yamanzi aphilileyo, iphuma embilinini wakhe.” Imeko yabantu yenza ukuba lo mngeni unyanzeliswe kakhulu. Babexakeke ngumbono wobuyokoyoko nokutya okungapheliyo, amehlo abo ephandlwa kukukhanya nombala, iindlebe zabo ziduma umculo omkhulu; kodwa kwakungekho nto kuyo yonke le ntshukumoyenkonzoeyanelisa iimfuno zomoya, kungekho nto yanelisa unxano lomphefumlo lwento engatshabalaliyo. UYesu wabamema ukuba beze basele emthonjeni wobomi obungunaphakade.ULw 453.5

Ngaloo ntsasa umbingeleli wayenze inkonzo eyayikhumbuza ngokubethwa kweliwa entlango. Elo liwa lalifuzisela Lowo wayeza kuthi ngokufa kwaKhe enze ukuba imisinga ephilileyo yosindiso ibalekele kubo bonke abanxaniweyo. Amazwi kaYesu eyangamanzi obomi. Apho, phambi kwesihlwele esibutheneyo, wazimisa Yena ngokwaKhe ukuba abethwe, ukuze amanzi obomi ampompozele ehlabathini. Ekubetheni uKristu, uSathana wayenengcinga yokutshabalalisa uMthetheli wobomi; kodwa kwiliwa elabethwayo kwaphuma amanzi aphilileyo. Ngexesha uYesu wayethetha ngolo hlobo nabantu, iintliziyo zabo zazaliswa luloyiko olungaqhelekanga, bathi abaninzi, bakulungela ukukhala, kunye nentokazi yaseSamariya, “Nkosi, ndiphe loo manzi, ukuze ndinganxanwa.” Yohane 4:15.ULw 454.1

UYesu wayezazi iimfuno zomphefumlo. Ubuyokoyoko, ubutyebi, nozuko azingeke ziyanelise intliziyo. “Ukuba kukho othi anxanwe, makeze kuM.” Abazizityebi, abangamahlwempu, abaphezulu, abaphantsi, bonke bamkeleke ngokufanayo. Uthembise ukuthula umthwalo wengqondo, ukuthuthuzela abasentlungwini, nokunika ithemba abaphelelwe lithemba. Abaninzi kwabo babemphulaphule uYesu babekhedamile ngenxa yamathemba adanisiweyo, abaninzi babefukame usizi olufihlakeleyo, abaninzi bezama ukwaneza umnqweno wabo ongenako ukuphumla ngezinto zehlabathi nokudunyiswa ngabantu; kodwa kwakusithi kwakuzuzwa konke, bafumanise ukuba baye babulaleka ukuze bafike kwiqula eliqhekekileyo, abangenako ukukholisa unxano lwabo kulo. Phakathi kobumenyemenye bokubengezela kombono wovuyo, bema benganelisekanga, belusizi. Eso simemo sesiquphe sabothusa, “Ukuba kukho othi anxanwe,” kwingcamango yabo yentlungu, bathi bakuwava amazwi awalandelayo, iingqondo zabo zakhanyiselwa lithemba elitsha. UMoya Oyingcwele wabeka umfuziselo phambi kwabo bada babona kuwo umnikelo ongenakuxatyiswa osisipho sosindiso. ULw 454.2

Ubizo lukaKristu kumphefumlo onxaniweyo lusaqhubeka, kwaye lubhenela kuthi ngamandla amakhulu kunakwabo baluva etempileni ngesi sidlo sokugqibela. Umthombo uvulekile kubo bonke. Abadiniweyo nabanxaphileyo banikwa isiselo esihlaziyayo sobomi obungunaphakade. UYesu usamema, esithi, “Lowo unxaniweyo makeze; lowo uthandayo, makathabathe amanzi obomi ngesisa.” “Ke yena othe wasela kuwo amanzi, endiya kumpha wona mna, akasayi kuza anxanwe naphakade; aya kusuka amanzi, endiya kumpha wona, abe ngumthombo kuye wamanzi ampompozela ebomini obungunaphakade.” IsiTy. 22:17; Yohane 4:14. ULw 454.3