8—Utyelelo EPasikeni

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuLuka 2:41-51.]

KumaYuda, umnyaka weshumi elinambini wawungumda owahlulayo phakathi kobuntwana nokuba ngumntu omtsha. Ekuyigqibeni le minyaka, inkwenkwe yayibizwa ngokuba ngunyana womthetho, nokuba ingunyana kaThixo. Yayinikwa amalungelo akhethekileyo okufundiswa ngenkolo, kulindeleke ukuba ibe nenxaxheba kwizidlo ezingcwele nezinye iinkqubo ezigcinwayo. Kwakuhambelana neli siko okwenza ukuba uYesu, ebuntwaneni baKhe, atyelele ePasikeni eYerusalem. Njengawo onke amaIsrayeli azinikeleyo, uYosefu noMariya benyuka minyaka le besiya ePasikeni; waza wathi uYesu akufika kubudala obufanelekileyo, bahamba naYe.ULw 75.1

Zaye zizithathu izidlo zomnyaka, iPasika, iPentekoste, nesiDlo seMinquba, apho bonke abantu bakwaIsrayeli babeyalelwe ukuba bavele phambi kukaYehova eYerusalelm. Kwezi zidlo, iPasika yayiyeyona kuyiwa kuyo kakhulu. Babeba baninzi abakhoyo bephuma kuwo wonke amazwe apho ayesasazeke khona amaYuda. Kuyo yonke indawo yasePalestina, babesiza abanquli ngobuninzi. Uhambo lokusuka eGalili lwaluthabatha iqela leentsuku, kwaye abahambi babemanyana babe ngamaqela amakhulu khon’ ukuze babenobuhlobo nokukhuseleka. Abafazi namadoda, abantu ababesele bekhulile, babeqabela amaqegu namaesile kwiindawo ezinyukayo, neendlela ezinamatye. Abantu abasemandleni kunye nabatsha babehamba ngeenyawo. Ixesha lePasika lalihambelana nokuphela kukaMatshi okanye ekuqaleni kukaApreli, ngexesha wonke umhlaba uqhakazile ziintyatyambo, ugcobile ziingoma zeentaka. Kuyo yonke indlela, kwakukho iindawo ezikhumbulekayo kwimbali kaIsrayeli, baze ootata noomama babalisele abantwana babo imimangaliso uThixo awayenzela abantu baKhe kwiminyaka eyadlulayo. Balwenza mnandi uhambo lwabo ngengoma nomculo, kuthi, ekugqibeleni, xa iinqaba ezinde zeYerusalem zibonakala, wonke umntu angenelele kwingoma yokoyisa,--ULw 75.2

“Iinyawo zethu zifike zema
Emasangweni akho, Yerusalem; . . .
Malube luxolo eludongeni lwakho olurhaqileyo
Nokuchulumacha ezingxandeni zakho ezinde.”ULw 76.1

Ndumiso 122: 2-7.

Ukugcinwa kwePasika kwaqalwa ngokuzalwa kwesizwe samaHebhere. Ngobusuku bokugqibela bobukhobokababo eYiputa, nangona kwakungavelanga mqondiso wokuhlangulwa, uThixo wawayalela ukuba alungiselele ukukhululwa okukhawulezileyo. Wayemyalile uFaro ngomgwebo wokugqibela kumaYiputa, wawayalela amaHebhere ukuba aqokelele iintsapho zawo eziphakathi kwemizi yawo. Yakuba itshiziwe imigubasi ngegazi lemvana exheliweyo, kwakufuneka bayitye imvana, yosiwe, kunye nesonka esingenagwele namahlamvu akrakra. “Nize nenjenje ukulidla;” watsho, “nodla nibhinqile, nineembadada ezinyaweni zenu, ninentonga esandleni senu, nilidle buphuthuphuthu: leyo yipasika kuYehova.” Eks. 12:11. Enzulwini yobusuku, onke amazibulo amaYiputa abulawa. Ukumkani waya wathumela isigidimi kuIsrayeli, “Sukani niphume phakathi kwabantu bam, . . . nihambe niye kumkhonza uYehova, njengokutsho kwenu.” Eks. 12:31. AmaHebhere aphuma eYiputa esisizwe esizimeleyo. UYehova wayeyalele ukuba iPasika kufuneka igcinwe minyaka le. “Kothi,” wathi, “xa bathe oonyana benu kuni, iyintoni na le nkonzo kuni? nithi ke, Ngumbingelelo wepasika kuYehova, owagqitha ezindlwini zoonyana bakaIsrayeli eYiputa; ekubulaleni kwakhe amaYiputa.” Ngaloo ndlela, ukusuka kwisizukulwana ukuya kwisizukulwana, laliya kuphindaphindwa ibali loku kuhlangulwa kumangalisayo.ULw 77.1

IPasika yayilandelwa sisidlo sesonka esingenagwele seentsuku ezisixhenxe. Ngosuku lwesibini emva kwesidlo, isiqhamo sokuqala sesivuno somnyaka, isithungu serhasi, zaziziswa phambi kukaYehova. Zonke iinkonzo zesidlo zazimele umsebenzi kaKristu. Ukukhululwa kukaIsrayeli eYiputa kwakusisifundo ngomzekelo wokuhlangulwa, iPasika eyayijonge ukuwugcina ukhunjulwa engqondweni. Imvana exheliweyo, isonka esingenagwele, isithungu seziqhamo zokuqala, zazimele uMsindisi.ULw 77.2

Kubantu abaninzi bemihla kaKristu, ukugcinwa kwesi sidlo kwehla kwaba yinkqubo nje eqhelekileyo. Kanti ke, indlela esasibaluleke ngayo kuNyana kaThixo! ULw 77.3

Kwaye kukokuqala umntwana uYesu eyibona itempile. Wabona ababingeleli abavathe ezimhlophe besenza ulungiselelo lwabo olunendili. Wabona ixhoba elophayo phezu kwesibingelelo. Ekunye nabakhonzayo, wathoba ethandaza, lo gama ilifu lesiqhumiso linyuka phambi kukaThixo. Wayibona inkonzo yePasika enomtsalane. Imihla ngemihla wayibona intsingiselo yazo ngokucace ngakumbi. Sonke isenzo sasikhangeleka siqamangelene nobaKhe ubomi. Iimvakalelo ezintsha zazivuka ngaphakathi kwaKhe. Ethule, ethabathekile, wabangathi ufunda ngengxaki enkulu. Imfihlakalo yomsebenzi awuzeleyo yayivuleka phambi koMsindisi.ULw 78.1

Ethinjwe kukucinga ngale miboniso, akazange ahlale ngakubazali baKhe. Wafuna ukuba abe yedwa. Zakuba zigqityiwe iinkonzo zePasika, waqhubeka ejikeleza entendelezweni yetempile; bathi bakumka abanquli eYerusalem, wasala ngasemva.ULw 78.2

Koku kutyelela eYerusalem, abazali bakaYesu babelangazelela ukumhlanganisa neetitshala ezinkulu kwaIsrayeli. Nangona wayeyithobela kuyo yonke into elizwini likaThixo, akazange avumelane neenkonzo nokusetyenziswa kwazo ngoorabhi. UYosefu noMariya babethembe ukuba uya kwenziwa abahloniphe oorabhi ababefundile, aze anike ingqwalasela ekhutheleyo kakhulu koko bakufunayo. Noko kunjalo, uYesu etempileni wafundiswa nguThixo. Oko wayekuzuzile, waqala kwangoko ukukudlulisa.ULw 78.3

Ngaloo mini, igumbi elalihlangene netempile lalinikelwe ekubeni libe sisikolo esingcwele, ngokohlobo lwezikolo zabaprofeti. Apha, oorabhi abakhokelayo kunye nabafundi babo babehlangana, waza weza apha nomntwana uYesu. Waya wahlala ezinyaweni zala madoda makhulu afundileyo, waphulaphula ukufundisa kwawo. Njengowayefuna ubulumko, wazibuza ezi titshala ngokubhekiselele eziprofetweni, nakwiziganeko ezazisenzeka ngoko ezazisalatha ekufikeni kukaMesiya.ULw 78.4

UYesu wazibeka njengomnye owayenxanelwe ulwazi ngoThixo. Imibuzo yaKhe yayinika ingqondo yobunzulu beenyaniso ekwakukade zasithela, kanti ke zazibalulekile ekusindisweni kwemiphefumlo. Njengokuba yayibonisa ukucutheka nokukha phezulu kobulumko bamadoda azizazi, umbuzo ngamnye wawubeka phambi kwawo isifundo sezulu, uyibeka inyaniso ngendlela entsha. Oorabhi bathetha ngokuphakanyiswa okumangalisayo uMesiya ozayo awayeza kukuzisa kwisizwe sakwaYuda; kodwa uYesu wabeka isiprofeto sikaIsaya, wababuza intsingiselo yezo ziBhalo zazisalatha ekuphathekeni nzima nasekufeni kweMvana kaThixo.ULw 78.5

Oogqirha [bolwazi] babhenela kuYe ngemibuzo, baza bamangaliswa ziimpendulo zaKhe. Ngokuzithoba komntwana, wawaphinda amazwi esiBhalo, ewanika ubunzulu bentsingiselo amadoda anobulumko angazange ayicinga. Ukuba yayilandelwe, indlela yenyaniso awayivezayo ngeyasebenza uhlaziyo kwinkolo yaloo mihla. Umdla omkhulu kwizinto zikamoya ngewavuka; aze athi xa uYesu eqala umsebenzi waKhe, babe bebaninzi ababekulungele ukumamkela.ULw 79.1

Oorabhi babesazi ukuba uYesu wayengafundanga ezikolweni zabo; ukanti ukuziqonda kwaKhe iziprofeto kwakudlula okwabo. Balangazelela ukumfumana njengomfundi wabo, ukuze abe yititshala kwaIsrayeli. Babefuna ukuyilawula imfundo yaKhe, besiva ngathi, ingqondo enjalo yemveli, kufuneka ibekwe phantsi kokubumba kwabo.ULw 80.1

Amazwi kaYesu azichukumisa iintliziyo zabo ngaphezu kokuba kwakha kwanjalo ngaphambili ukuchukunyiswa ngamazwi aphuma emilebeni yomntu. UThixo wayefuna ukunika ukukhanya kwezo nkokheli zakwaIsrayeli, waza wasebenzisa indlela ekuphela kwayo abanokufikelelwa ngayo. Kangangekratshi labo, ngebabekugculele ukuvuma ukuba banokufumana imfundiso komnye umntu. Ukuba uYesu wayevele ezama ukubafundisa, ngebabekuthiyile ukummamela. Ngoko baya bazikhohlisa ngokuthi, ngabo ababefundisa Yena, okanye noko ngabo abebevavanya ulwazi lwaKhe lweziBhalo. Intlonipho nokuziphatha ngobunene ngokomntu omtsha kukaYesu kwalithoba ikratshi labo. Bengaqondanga, iingqondo zabo zavuleka ngakwilizwi likaThixo, waza uMoya Oyingcwele wathetha ezintliziyweni zabo.ULw 80.2

Bathi bengenakuzinceda, babona ukuba ukulindela kwabo uMesiya kwakungaxhaswa sisiprofeto; kodwa abazange baziyeke iimfundiso zabo ezazilikhohlisile ibhongo labo. Abazange bavume ukuba babengazazanga kakuhle iziBhalo ababezifundisa. Babuzana omnye nomnye, Ilufumene njani le ndodana ulwazi ingafundanga nje? Ukhanyiso lwalubengezela ebumnyameni; kodwa “ubumnyama abaluqiqa.” Yohane 1:5.ULw 80.3

Ngalo lonke elo xesha uYosefu noMariya babe kokukhulu ukudideda nokuxinzeleleka. Ekumkeni kwabo eYerusalem babengamboni uYesu, baye bengazi ukuba ulibele ngasemva. Ilizwe ngoko lalinabantu abaninzi, kwaye imiqodi esinga eGalili imininzi kakhulu. Kwakukho isiphithiphithi esikhulu njengoko babesishiya isixeko. Endleleni, ubumnandi bokuhamba nabahlobo nabaqhelene nabo kwabathimba ingqondo, baza abakuqaphela ukungabikho kwaKhe kwada kwamnyama. Bathi bakumisa ukuba baphumle, asabikho isandla esiluncedo somntwana wabo. Becinga ukuba unabo apho eqeleni, abazange babe nexhala. Emncinane enjalo, babemthembe ngokupheleleyo, belindele ukuba kuya kuthi xa efuneka, abekho ukuba abancede, ekhangele kwiimfuno zabo, njengoko wayeqhele ukwenza. Ngoku ke, uloyiko lwabo lwakhula. Bamkhangela kulo lonke iqela labo, kodwa akafumaneka. Bathi bengcangcazela, bakhumbula indlela uHerode awazama ngayo ukumtshabalalisa eselusana. Amaxhala amabi azalisa iintliziyo zabo. Bazingxolisa ngokukhulu. ULw 80.4

Babuyela eYerusalem, baqhubeka nokufuna kwabo. Ngemini elandelayo, xa behlangana nabanye ababenqula etempileni, batsalwa lilizwi abaliqhelileyo. Babengaphazami; alikho elinye ilizwi elifana nelaKhe, elizimisele nelinyaniseke kakhulu, kodwa limyoli kakhulu.ULw 81.1

Esikolweni soorabhi, kulapho bamfumana khona uYesu. Nangona babe novuyo, babengenako ukuyilibala intlungu nexhala labo. Wathi akuba enabo kwakhona, umama waKhe wathi, ngamazwi abonisa ukumngxolisa, “Mntwana wam, yini na ukuba usenjenje? Uyabona, uyihlo nam sibe sikufuna, sibuhlungu kakhulu.”ULw 81.2

“Benindifunela ntoni na?” waphendula uYesu. “Beningazi na ukuba ndimelwe kukuba ndibe semicimbini kaBawo?” Kwathi kwakubonakala ngokungathi abawaqondi amazwi aKhe, walatha phezulu. Ebusweni baKhe kwakukho ukukhanya okwabamangalisayo. UbuThixo babubengezela ebuntwini. Ekumfumaneni kwabo etempileni, baphulaphula okwakuqhubeka phakathi kwaKhe noorabhi, bamangaliswa yimibuzo yaKhe neempendulo zaKhe. Amazwi aKhe abangela udederhu lwengcinga eyayingasayi kuze ilibaleke.ULw 81.3

Umbuzo waKhe wawunesifundo kubo. “Beningazi na,” wayetshilo, ukuba ndimelwe kukuba ndibe semicimbini kaBawo?” UYesu wayexakeke kumsebenzi awayezele ukuba awenze emhlabeni; kodwa uYosefu noMariya babewutyeshele bona owabo. UThixo wayebabonise imbeko enkulu ngokunikela kubo uNyana waKhe. Iingelosi ezingcwele zaziyikhokele indlela kaYosefu ukuze kugcinwe ubomi bukaYesu. Sekunjalo, kwaba yimini yonke bona bengamboni Lowo babengamele kumlibala nomzuzwana. Kwathi naxa ixhala labo likhululekile, abazingxolisa, kodwa basuka babeka ityala kuYe.ULw 81.4

Yayiyinto eqhelekileyo phofu, eyindalo, eyokuba abazali bakaYesu bamthabathe ngokuba ungumntwana wabo. Wayenabo yonke imihla, ubomi baKhe, ngeendlela ezininzi, babufana nobabanye abantwana, kwaye kwakunzima kubo ukuqonda ukuba wayenguNyana kaThixo Babesengozini yokusilela ukuyiqonda intsikelelo abayinikwayo ngobukho boMhlanguli emhlabeni. Intlungu yokwahlukana naYe, nokungxolisa ngobubele awakwenzayo, kwalungiselelwa ukubethelela kubo ubungcwele bento abayinikiweyo.ULw 81.5

Kwimpendulo eya kumama waKhe, uYesu wabonisa okokuqala ukuba wayekuqonda ukwalamana kwaKhe noThixo. Ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwaKhe, ingelosi yayithe kuMariya, “Yena uya kuba mkhulu, abizwe ngokuba nguNyana wOsenyangweni; iNkosi uThixo iya kumnika itrone kaDavide, uyise, abe ngukumkani phezu kwendlu kaYakobi kude kube ngunaphakade.” Luka 1:32, 33. La mazwi, uMariya wawetyisa entliziyweni yakhe; kanti ke, nangona wayekholwa ukuba umntwana wakhe wayeza kuba nguMesiya kaIsrayeli, wayengayiqondi into awayeyithunyiwe. Ngoku wayengaqondi amazwi aKhe; kodwa wayesazi ukuba wayengakubangi ukuzalana noYosefu, kodwa wavakalisa ukuba nguNyana kwaKhe kuThixo.ULw 81.6

UYesu akazange angakukhathaleli ukwalamana kwaKhe nabazali basemhlabeni. Ukusuka eYerusalem wabuyela ekhaya kunye nabo, wabanceda ebomini bokusebenza nzima. Wafihla entliziyweni yaKhe imfihlakalo yomsebenzi awuthunyiweyo, elindele ngokuzithoba ixesha elimisiweyo lokungena kwaKhe emsebenzini waKhe. Kwaba lishumi elinesibhozo leminyaka emva kokuba evumile ukuba unguye uNyana kaThixo, walamkela iqhina elalimqamangela kwikhaya eliseNazarete, esenza imisebenzi yonyana, umzalwana, umhlobo kunye nomhlali.ULw 82.1

Njengoko awayethunywe kona kwaya kwacaca kuYesu etempileni, warhwaqela ekuhlanganeni nenginginya. Walangazelela ukubuya eYerusalem ngokuzolileyo, ekunye nabo babeyazi imfihlakalo yobomi baKhe. Ngenkonzo yePasika, uThixo wayefuna ukubabizela kude abantu baKhe emaxhaleni ehlabathi, nokubakhumbuza ngomsebenzi waKhe omangalisayo wokubahlangula eYiputa. Kulo msebenzi walangazelela ukuba babone isithembiso sokuhlangulwa esonweni. Njengokuba igazi lemvana exheliweyo lakhusela amakhaya kaIsrayeli, ngokunjalo igazi likaKristu laliza kusindisa imiphefumlo; kodwa yayiza kusindiswa ngoKristu kuphela xa, ngokholo, beya kubenza obabo ubomi baKhe. Kwakukho okuhle kumfuziselo wenkonzo kuphela xa kusalathisa abo banqulayo kuKristu njengoMsindisi wabo. UThixo wayelangazelela ukuba bakhokelelwe ekufundeni ngomthandazo nasekucamngceni ngokubhekiselele kumsebenzi azele wona uKristu. Xa izihlwele zaziyishiya iYerusalem, zivuyile luhambo, ukwabelana ngencoko kwakholisa ukuzithabatha nzulu iingqondo zabo, ide ilibaleke inkonzo ababeyinxalenye yayo. UMsindisi wayengasondezwangakwiqela labo.ULw 82.2

Ngexesha uYosefu noMariya bebuya eYerusalem bebodwa noYesu, uYesu wathemba ukuba uya kuzikhokelela iingqondo zabo eziprofetweni zoMsindisi ova ubunzima. EKalvari wazama ukuwenza lula umthwalo wentlungu kamama waKhe. Wayecinga ngaye ngoku. UMariya wayeza kuba nenxaxheba kwintlungu yaKhe yokugqibela, waza uYesu walangazelela ukuba awuqonde umsebenzi awayezele wona, ukuze omelele anyamezele, xa ikrele lihlaba lingena emphefumlweni wakhe. Njengoko uYesu wayahlukene naye, waza wamfuna ebuhlungu iintsuku ezintathu, kuya kuba njalo xa enikelwa ngenxa yezono zehlabathi, wayeya kuphinda alahleke kuye iintsuku ezintathu. Njengoko wayeza kuphuma engcwabeni, intlungu yaKhe yayiya kubuya iguqulelweeluvuyweni.Kwakuza kuba kuhle, kube ngcono kakhulu ukukwazi ukuthwala intlungu yokufa kwaKhe ukuba wayeziqondile iziBhalo, awayezama ngoku ukubuyisela ingqondo yakhe kuzo!ULw 82.3

Ukuba uYosefu noMariya babe zimilisele iingqondo zabo kuThixo ngokucamngca nomthandazo, kuba ngebabekuqondile ukuba ngcwele kwento abayigcinisiweyo, abalahlekana nokumbona uYesu. Ngokutyeshela nje kosuku olunye, balahlekana nomsindisi; loo nto yabathatha iintsuku ezintathu bemfuna ngonxunguphalo. Kunjalo nakuthi; ngokuthetha ngokungakhathali, ngokuthetha okubi, okanye ukutyeshela ukuthandaza, singalahlekana noMsindisi ngosuku nje olunye, kwaye kungasithabatha iintsuku ezininzi zobuhlungu ukuba simfumane, ukuze sibuye siluzuze uxolo ebesilulahlile.ULw 83.1

Ekumanyaneni kwethu omnye nomnye, kufuneka siqaphele hleze simlibale uYesu, siqhubeke singaqaphelanga ukuba akakho kunye nathi. Xa sithabathekile zizinto zehlabathi side singamcingi Lowo ithemba lethu lobomi obungunaphakade lizinze kuYe, sizahlula kuYesu nakwizithunywa zezulu. Ezi zidalwa zingcwele azikwazi ukuhlala apho ubukho boMsindisi bungalangazelelwayo, nokungabikho kwaKhe kungaphawulwayo. Yiyo le nto ukuphelelwa lithemba kuxhaphaka phakathi kwabo bathi bangabalandeli bakaKristu.ULw 83.2

Baninzi abeza ezinkonzweni, bahlaziywe bathuthuzelwe lilizwi likaThixo; kodwa kuthi ngokutyeshela ukucamngca, ukulinda, nokuthandaza, balahlekwe yintsikelelo, bazifumane belambatha ngaphezu kwaphambi kokuba balifumane [ilizwi likaThixo]. Baye bakholise ukuziva ngokungathi uThixo ube lukhuni kubo. Ababoni ukuba impazamo yeyabo. Ngokuzahlula kuYesu, baye bakuvalela ngaphandle ukukhanya kobukho baKhe.ULw 83.3

Bekunokusilungela ukuba sichithe iyure yokucinga imini nganye sicamngca ngobomi bukaKristu. Kufuneka sibuthabathe kancinane kancinane, sivumele ingcinga ibambe umboniso ngamnye, ngakumbi eyokugqibela. Xa sihleli ngolo hlobo kumbingelelo waKhe omkhulu ngenxa yethu, ukuqiniseka kwethu kuYe kuya kuzingisa ngakumbi, uthando luvuseleleke, size sizaliswe kakhulu ngaphezulu ngumoya waKhe. Ukuba singa singasindiswa ekugqibeleni, kufuneka sifune isifundo sokuguquka nokuzithoba elunyaweni lomnqamlezo.ULw 83.4

Xa simanyana sisonke, sinokuba yintsikelelo omnye komnye. Ukuba singabakaKristu, ezona ngcinga zimnandi ziya kuba ngaYe. Siya kuthanda ukuthetha ngaYe; kuthi xa sithetha omnye nomnye ngothando lwaKhe iintliziyo zethu zenziwe zithambe ziimpembelelo zezulu. Ngokubona ubuhle besimilo saKhe, siya kwenziwa “similise okwaloo mfanekiselo, sivela ebuqaqawulini sisinge ebuqaqawulini.” 2 Korinte 3:18. ULw 83.5