Isahluko seshumi nanhlanu

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Umvini Namagatsha

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1. Mina ngingumvini weqiniso, noBaba uMlimi.

2. Lonke igatsha elikimi elingatheli isithelo, uyalisusa; futhi wonke othela isithelo, uyasithena, ukuze sithele isithelo.

3. Senihlambulukile ngezwi engilikhulume kini.

4. Hlalani Kimi, nami kini; njengalokhu igatsha lingethele isithelo ngokwalo, ngaphandle kokuthi lihlale emvinini, ngokunjalo nani, uma ningahlali kimi.

5 Mina ngingumvini, nina ningamagatsha; ohlala kimi, nami kuye, lowo uthela izithelo eziningi; ngokuba ngaphandle kwami ningenze lutho.

6 Uma umuntu engahlali kimi, ulahlwa ngaphandle njengegatsha, abune; bawabuthe, bawaphonse emlilweni, ashiswe.

7. Uma nihlezi kimi, namazwi ami ehlezi kini, celani enikuthandayo, nizakukwenzelwa.

8 UBaba uyakhazinyuliswa ngalokhu, ukuba nithele izithelo eziningi, nibe-ngabafundi bami.

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Umlayezo wesahluko esandulele ngokuyinhloko wawungowenduduzo nenduduzo. Eqala ngamazwi aqinisekisayo, “Inhliziyo yenu mayingakhathazeki,” uJesu watshela abafundi Bakhe ukuthi wayezobalungisela indawo, ukuthi uMoya oNgcwele wawuyoba nabo, futhi wayeyobanikeza ukuthula kwaKhe. Lezi ngezinye zezithembiso neziqinisekiso eziningi uJesu azenza lapho eqala inkulumo yakhe yokuvalelisa. UJesu wathi kubo: “Niyakholwa kuNkulunkulu; kholwani nakimi” (Johane 14:1). Nakuba izinhliziyo zabo zazikhathazekile, uJesu wakhuthaza abafundi Bakhe ukuba bakholwe Kuye, babeke ithemba labo Kuye, futhi babe nokholo Kuye.

Nakuba ukholo luyisisekelo, kumelwe lube ngaphezu kokukholelwa nje. Ukholo lweqiniso kumelwe lubonakaliswe ekuphileni kwethu, ikakhulukazi ngezenzo zenkonzo yothando. Uma kungenjalo, kufana nembewu engakatshalwa. Ngeke kuze kufezeke. Ngakho-ke, njengoba uJesu ephetha ingxenye yokuqala yenkulumo Yakhe yokuvalelisa, uthi kubafundi Bakhe, “Sukumani, sisuke lapha” (Johane 14:31). Ngala mazwi, uJesu unxusa abafundi Bakhe ukuthi bangaphumuli nje okholweni, kodwa bavuke futhi baguqule lolo kholo lube isenzo esithela izithelo. Njengoba uJesu esho evesini elilandelayo, “Mina ngingumvini weqiniso, futhi uBaba wami ungumlimi. Lonke igatsha elikiMi elingatheli izithelo uyalisusa; futhi lonke igatsha elithela isithelo uyalithena, ukuze lithele isithelo esiningi.Johane 15:1-2). ¹

Umfanekiso wesivini ubalulekile. Unyaka ngamunye, ngaphambi nje kokuqala kwenkathi elandelayo yokukhula, umgcini-sivini udabula isivini, aqale akhiphe amagatsha afile, abese ethena aphilayo ukuze athele izithelo ezengeziwe. Njengoba nje isivini kumelwe sihlanzwe unyaka ngamunye ngaphambi kokuba kuqale ukukhula, izwi uJesu alikhuluma liye laba nethonya elihlanzekile kubafundi bakhe. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Nina senihlambulukile ngezwi engilikhulume kini” (Johane 15:3).

UJesu ufundise abafundi bakhe izinto eziningi. Uye wabafundisa ukuthi ukuphila kungaphezu kokufuna ukuvelela kanye nenzuzo yezinto ezibonakalayo. Ubafundise ngombuso wezulu nezinto ezibavimbayo ukuba babhekane nawo. Okubaluleke kakhulu, ubafundise ukuthi ukukholwa kweqiniso kumayelana nokukholwa kuNkulunkulu nokugcina imiyalelo. Kafushane, bayakwazi okufanele bakwenze. Ngokuphathelene nalokho, “bahlanzekile.”

Kodwa ukuze ukuphila kwabo kuthele izithelo, kudingeka balalele izimfundiso zikaJesu futhi baphile ngazo. Kusekwenzeni, hhayi nje ekucabangeni, lapho abafundi bazohlala bexhumene noJesu. Uthando Lwakhe, ukuhlakanipha, namandla ayogelezela kuwo futhi adlule kuwo njengoba uketshezi lomvini lugelezela emagatsheni. Njengoba uJesu esho kubo, “Hlalani kimi, nami kini. Njengoba igatsha lingethele isithelo ngaphandle kokuthi lihlale emvinini, ngokunjalo nani, ngaphandle kokuba nihlale Kimi.”Johane 15:4). ²

KuMathewu, uMarku, noLuka, uJesu ukhuluma ‘ngesithelo somvini’ phakathi nokuphathwa kweSidlo Sakusihlwa Esingcwele. Kulawo mavangeli amathathu okuqala, uJesu uthi kubafundi Bakhe, “Angisayikuphuza lesi sithelo somvini kusukela manje kuze kube yilolo suku engiyosiphuza ngalo nani sisisha embusweni kaBaba” (Mathewu 26:29; bhekafuthi Marku 14:25 futhi Luka 22:18). Nokho, eVangelini NgokukaJohane, uJesu akasho lutho ngokuphuza isithelo somvini esikhathini esithile esizayo embusweni kaYise. Kunalokho, uJesu uthi kubafundi bakhe: “Mina ngingumvini, nina ningamagatsha. Ohlala kimi, nami kuye, uyothela izithelo eziningi. Ngokuba ngaphandle kwami aninakwenza lutho” (Johane 15:5).

Lawa akuwona amazwi omuntu ojwayelekile, noma ngisho nalawo aguquke kakhulu. Lawa ngamazwi aKhe owathi: “Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila. Akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami” (Johane 14:6). Lawa ngamazwi alowo owathi, “Ongibonile mina umbonile uBaba” (Johane 14:9). Lawa ngamazwi aKhe owathi, “Ngokuba ngiphila, nani nizakuphila” (Johane 14:19).

UJesu ube esenezela lesi sixwayiso: “Uma umuntu engahlali kimi, ulahlwa ngaphandle njengegatsha, abune; bawabuthe, bawaphonse emlilweni, ashe.”Johane 15:6). Uma kubhekwa njengoba kunjalo, lokhu kuzwakala njengosongo lwesijeziso saphakade emlilweni wesihogo. Nokho, ngokujule ngokwengeziwe inkulumo ethi “kubuthelwe kuphonswe emlilweni futhi kushiswe” ibhekisela ekuphileni okuvutha izifiso zobugovu. Lokhu kuhlanganisa “ukushiswa” inkanuko, “ukuvutha” intukuthelo, “ukushiswa” lapho singayitholi indlela yethu, nokuzizwa “sikhathele” ngoba asiphumuli eNkosini. Lena incazelo engokomoya yelithi “isihogo somlilo.” ³

Amagatsha afile angase abe yizinkuni, kodwa awakwazi ukuthela izithelo. Nathi ngeke sikwazi ngaphandle kokuthi sixhumene neNkosi. Ngokuphathelene nalokhu, umfanekiso womvini namagatsha uxwayisa ngokuphila okugxile nje ekuphishekeleni izifiso zezwe nokwanelisa isifiso sobugovu. Noma sibonakala sikhiqiza kakhulu, uma iNkosi ingekho emizamweni yethu, singamagatsha afile. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uqhathanisa le mizamo negatsha elinqunywa esihlahleni laphonswa emlilweni. ⁴

Lo mfanekiso awusona nje isixwayiso esinamandla ngokumelene nokuphishekela izifiso zezwe ngaphandle kokuphumula kuNkulunkulu. Kuyisixwayiso futhi ngokungenzi lutho. Nakuba iZwi lifundisa ukuthi ezulwini siyophumula emisebenzini yethu, akusho ukuthi kufanele singenzi lutho. Kusho nje ukuthi kufanele siphumule kuNkulunkulu, kunokuba sizikhandle, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi senzani. Kulomfanekiso, njengakwezinye izindawo eziningi, uJesu akakhuthazi abafundi bakhe ukuba bangenzi lutho, kodwa kunalokho ukuba bathele. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi injabulo yasezulwini iwusizo. Kuyindawo kanye nesimo somqondo lapho uNkulunkulu esebenza ngaphakathi kithi futhi ngathi ukuze sithele izithelo. ⁵

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“Ubaba ungumlimi”

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Lapho uJesu ezichaza njengoMvini Weqiniso, ubhekisela kuYise njengoMlimi. Umsebenzi womlimi ukunakekela isivini, eqinisekisa ukuthi imivini isesimweni esihle kakhulu sempilo, ngaleyo ndlela eqinisekisa ukuthi izoqhubeka ithela izithelo. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukusika amagatsha afile njalo nokuthena amagatsha amahle ukuze athele izithelo ezengeziwe.

Ezimpilweni zethu, izifiso ezimbi kanye nemibono engamanga kufanele kuqedwe ngoba azinakho ukuphila okuvela eNkosini. Bamane bangamagatsha afile. Inzondo, impindiselo, nonya ngamanye amagatsha afile okufanele anqunywe futhi ashiswe emlilweni.

Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kungase kube nezifiso nemicabango ewusizo edinga ukuthenwa. Ngokwesibonelo, kuvamile ukuba siziqhenye ngezinto ezinhle esizenzayo. Nokho, endleleni, singase siqale ukubona ukuthi kukhona injabulo engaphakathi emsebenzini owusizo, noma ngabe siyavuzwa noma cha noma siyahlonishwa ngalokho esikwenzayo. Ekugcineni, sifinyelela ekuboneni nasekuqondeni ukuthi konke okuhle kuvela eNkosini kuphela, ukuthi yiNkosi ekithi eyenza okuhle, futhi isekujabuleni esikuzwayo. Kulesi simo, akusekho ukuziqhenya, noma ukuqashelwa, noma inkokhelo. Kunalokho, ngokuzithoba sithi, “Ngiyabonga, Nkosi.” ⁶

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Ukuzalwa kabusha nokukhazinyuliswa

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Inqubo yokususa amagatsha afile kanye nokuthenwa okuhle, ihlobene nokuvuselelwa kwethu. Noma yini engenamsebenzi kithi, okungukuthi, lezo zifiso kanye nemicabango eholela eziphethweni ezifile, uJehova uzokususa ngomusa. Futhi noma yini ewusizo kithi, noma enamandla, iNkosi izothena ukuze siqhubeke sikhule sibe abantu abawusizo nabathelayo.

Lokhu kuyiqiniso nangenqubo yokudumisa kweNkosi. Endabeni Yakhe, amagatsha afile ayekuthambekela ebubini balo lonke uhlobo Azuza njengefa ngokuzalwa Kwakhe komuntu. Kuyo yonke impilo Yakhe, lezi zimo zizodinga ukunqunywa, njengamagatsha afile. Mayelana nalokhu, konke ukuhlasela okuvela esihogweni kwamvumela ukuba abhekane nenye ingxenye yalelifa, kancane kancane esuse wonke amanga kanye nokuthambekela ebubini, ukuze kuthathelwe indawo ubunkulunkulu okwakungumphefumulo Wakhe. ⁷

Kufanele kuphawulwe, nokho, ukuthi inqubo yokukhazinyuliswa kukaJesu ayifani ncamashi nenqubo yethu yokuzalwa kabusha. Endabeni kaJesu, uthando olungcwele ngaphakathi Kwakhe, alubiza ngokuthi “uBaba,” lwamenza wakwazi ukunqoba zonke izilingo zokulwa. Kulolu thando lwaphezulu, okwakuwumphefumulo Wakhe uqobo, lapho uJesu ekwazi khona ukuthola imibono yaphezulu eyamnika ikhono lokwehlukanisa phakathi kwamanga neqiniso, ububi nobuhle.

Ngenxa yale mibono enikezwe ngokwaphezulu evela ngaphakathi, uJesu wakwazi ukuqhubeka azehlukanise nokubi namanga kuyilapho ethola okuhle nokuyiqiniso. Lokhu wakwenza kukho konke ukuphila Kwakhe, kwaze kwaba sesiphambanweni. Kwakuwuhlelo lokusika nokuthena olwalungenzeka kuphela ngenxa yemibono yeqiniso laphezulu elaligeleza othandweni olungcwele olungaphakathi Kwakhe. Kungakho uJesu ethi, “UBaba ungumlimi.” ⁸

Ngokungafani noJesu, thina asinawo umphefumulo waphezulu. Kunalokho, sinomphefumulo oklanyelwe ukwamukela lokho okugeleza kuvela kuNkulunkulu ngeZwi laKhe. Asiwona uMvini, futhi asisibo uMlimi. Simane singamagatsha amukela lokho okugeleza kuvela kuNkulunkulu ukuze sithele izithelo. Uma nje sihlala Kuye, futhi ehlala kithi, iqiniso Lakhe nokulunga kwakhe kuyogeleza kithi ngokubona kanye namandla okunqoba ekulweni nezilingo esiyobhekana nazo nakanjani.

Ngenxa yalokho, ububi namanga avimbela ukuqhubeka kwethu isikhathi eside azosuswa, futhi konke okuhle neqiniso kithi kuyothenwa—okungukuthi, kuthuthukiswe—ukuze sithele nakakhulu. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Uma nihlala Kimi, namazwi ami ehlala kini, niyakucela enikuthandayo, nizakukwenzelwa.”Johane 15:7).

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“niyakuba ngabafundi bami”

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Ngakho-ke, umgomo uwukuthela izithelo. Akekho kithi ongathela izithelo. NguJehova kuphela ongakwenza lokho. Kodwa uma sihlala sixhumene nomthombo, ‘singathela’ izithelo, njengoba nje namagatsha esihlahla esebenza njengengxenye yenqubo yokuthela izithelo. Ngezinga esenza ngalo lokhu, sikhazimulisa uBaba wethu osezulwini. Njengoba uJesu asho, “UBaba uyakhazinyuliswa ngalokhu, ukuba nithele izithelo eziningi.”Johane 15:9). Ukukhonza abanye ngenhliziyo enothando, ngeqiniso uJesu asinike lona, yikho okukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukwenza umsebenzi womuntu ngobuqotho, ngokwethembeka, nangenkuthalo. Sithela kanjena izithelo. ⁹

Kulokhu uJesu wenezela la mazwi, “niyakuba-ngabafundi baMi.” Sekungokwesithathu kuleli vangeli uJesu ekhuluma ngalokho okudingekayo ukuze ube umfundi wakhe. Isenzakalo sokuqala sasisesahlukweni sesishiyagalombili lapho uJesu ethi, “Uma nihlala ezwini lami, ningabafundi Bami isibili. Niyolazi iqiniso, futhi iqiniso liyonikhulula.”Johane 8:31-32). Lapha kugcizelelwa ekuguqulweni kokuqonda. Imayelana neqiniso.

Okwesibili kwakusesahlukweni seshumi nantathu, ngemva nje kokuba uJesu egeze izinyawo zabafundi Bakhe. Ngaleso sikhathi uJesu wathi kubo: “Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.”Johane 13:35). Lapha kugcizelelwa ekuthuthukisweni kwencwadi yefa entsha. Imayelana nothando.

Manje, esahlukweni seshumi nanhlanu, uJesu uyaphinda futhi ubuyela esihlokweni salokho okudingekayo ukuba ngumfundi. “Ngalokhu uBaba uyakhazinyuliswa,” esho. “Ukuze nithele izithelo eziningi: niyakuba-ngabafundi bami” (Johane 15:8). Lapha kugcizelelwa ukuhlala eNkosini ukuze siphile ukuphila okuwusizo. Imayelana nenkonzo.

Khona-ke, siba abafundi lapho iqiniso leNkosi, nothando lweNkosi, kuhlangana kithi ukuze ‘sithele izithelo’ ohlotsheni oluthile lwenkonzo ewusizo. ¹⁰

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Isicelo esingokoqobo

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Ngokuvamile kuthiwa kufanele, “Zithembe,” Ukholelwe kuwena,” futhi “Landela inhliziyo yakho.” Nakuba lezi zingaba iziqinisekiso ezikhuthazayo, uma zimshiya ngaphandle uNkulunkulu, zingaba izinkulumo eziyize. Lokho kungenxa yokuthi “inhliziyo” yethu, lapho iyekelwa yodwa, futhi ngaphandle kokuqondisa kweqiniso, izokhiqiza eyayo imibono ukuze ithethelele noma yini efiswa yimvelo yethu ephansi. Kungalesi sizathu uJesu athi, “Uma nihlala Kimi, namazwi ami ehlala kini, niyakucela enikuthandayo, nizakukwenzelwa.”Johane 15:7). Uma kunjalo—lapho amazwi kaJesu ekithi—singalandela inhliziyo yethu nezifiso zayo. Njengoba kulotshiwe emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, “Thembela eNkosini wenze okuhle . . .AmaHubo 37:3-4). Ngakho-ke, njengesenzo esisebenzayo, qaphela ekwamukeleni amazwi angaxhumene nomvini. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Mina ngingumvini, nina ningamagatsha . . . Ngaphandle kwami aninakwenza lutho” (Johane 15:5).

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Thandanani

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9. Njengalokhu uBaba engithandile, nami nginithandile; hlalani othandweni lwaMi.

10. Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyakuhlala othandweni lwami, njengalokhu nami ngigcinile imiyalo kaBaba, ngihlala othandweni lwakhe.

11 Lezizinto ngizikhulume kini, ukuze intokozo yami ihlale kini, lokuthi intokozo yenu igcwale.

12. Yilo umyalo wami wokuba nithandane, njengalokho nginithandile.

13. Akakho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, lokuthi umuntu adele ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.

14 Ningabangane bami, uma nenza lokho enginiyala ngakho.

15. Angisasho ukuthi niyizinceku, ngokuba inceku ayikwazi okwenziwa inkosi yayo; kodwa ngithe ningabangane, ngokuba konke engikuzwe kuBaba nginazisile khona.

16 Nina aningikhethanga, kodwa mina nginikhethile, nganibeka ukuba nihambe, nithele isithelo, nesithelo senu sihlale, ukuze noma yini eniyakukucela kuBaba egameni lami aninike nina.

17. Nginiyala lezi zinto ukuba nithandane.

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Imfundiso kaJesu yomvini namagatsha iyisikhumbuzo esinamandla sokuthi kudingeka sihlale sixhumene nomvini ukuze sithele. Kule ngxenye elandelayo yenkulumo. UJesu unikeza imininingwane eyengeziwe ngalokho okudingekayo ukuze uhlale uxhumene nomvini. Uthi, “Njengoba uBaba engithandile, nami nginithandile; hlalani othandweni lwaMi. Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyohlala othandweni lwami, njengalokho nami ngigcine imiyalo kaBaba futhi ngihlala othandweni lwakhe.”Johane 15:9-10).

Ngakho-ke, isihluthulelo sokuhlala uxhumekile emvinini ukugcina imiyalo—futhi ukwenza kanjalo ngothando. “Uma nigcina imiyalo yaMi,” kusho uJesu, “niyohlala othandweni lwami.” Ngenxa yalokho, siyothola ukugcwala kwenjabulo. “Lezi zinto ngizikhulume kini,” kusho uJesu, “ukuba ukuthokoza kwami kube-kini, nentokozo yenu igcwale.”Johane 15:11). Ukuze nje aqiniseke ukuthi abafundi bakhe bayalithola iphuzu, uJesu uphinda umyalo Wakhe mayelana nokuthi yini edingekayo ukuze uhlale uxhumekile emvinini. Wathi: “Yilo umyalo waMi, wokuba nithandane, njengalokho nginithandile.”Johane 15:12).

Yilokhu uJesu akutshela abafundi Bakhe ngemva kokuba ebagezile izinyawo. Nakhu Ephinda futhi. Kulokhu Unezela la mazwi alandelayo: “Akakho onothando olukhulu kunokuba adele ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe” (Johane 15:13).

Igama elihunyushwe lapha ngokuthi “ukuphila” empeleni lithi psychēn (ψυχὴν) elingahunyushwa nangokuthi “umphefumulo,” “ingqondo,” noma “umoya.” Lokhu kusiyisa ekujuleni. Lisikisela ukuthi “ukubeka phansi ukuphila kwethu” akusho nje ukubeka ukuphila kwethu empini engokoqobo. Siphinde futhi sibizelwe enkundleni yempi kamoya lapho sibeka phansi yonke imizwa engemihle nokuzihlanganisa nobugovu. Lokhu kungase kuhlanganise, kodwa kungagcini lapho, inzondo, ukucasuka, ukuzidabukela, umona, indelelo, nokwesaba.

Ngokuvamile, ukubeka phansi ukuphila kwethu kuwukwehlisela ngokuzithandela uthando lwethu siqu kanye nezwe, okubonakala kukhulu kithi, ngenxa yothando olukhulu kakhulu—uthando lukaNkulunkulu nothando lomakhelwane. Yilokhu okushiwo “ukubeka ukuphila kwethu ngenxa yabangane bethu.” Alukho uthando oludlula lolu.

UJesu wabe esethi: “Ningabangane bami, uma nenza lokho enginiyala ngakho” (Johane 15:14). Ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu buqala ngokulalela okulula. Kodwa kufika isikhathi lapho singasenzi khona lokho uNkulunkulu asiyala ngakho ngenxa nje yokulalela. Kunalokho, siqala ukuqonda. Sibona ukucabanga ngaphakathi kwamazwi kaNkulunkulu. Kunengqondo kithi. Ngakho-ke uJesu uthi: “Angisasho ukuthi niyizinceku, ngokuba inceku ayikwazi lokho inkosi yayo ekwenzayo. Kodwa nginibize ngokuthi ningabangane, ngoba zonke izinto engizizwile kuBaba nginazisile zona.”Johane 15:15). ¹¹

Njengoba intuthuko yethu engokomoya iqhubeka, asiqali ukubona ukucabanga okuphakathi kwamazwi kaJesu kuphela, kodwa futhi nobuhle obungaphakathi eqinisweni Lakhe, ikakhulukazi njengoba sisebenzisa lelo qiniso ezimpilweni zethu futhi sithola izinguquko zangaphakathi ezenzekayo. Njengoba lukhula othandweni lwethu ngoNkulunkulu nabanye, lolu thando lubonakala ekuphileni kwethu njengenkonzo ewusizo. Kulapho sibona khona ukuthi yonke le nqubo—kusuka ekulaleleni, kuye ekuqondeni, kuye othandweni—ibe yenziwa iNkosi, hhayi eyethu. Njengoba uJesu esho evesini elilandelayo, “Aningikhethanga mina, kodwa mina nginikhethile, nganimisa ukuba nihambe nithele izithelo, nokuba izithelo zenu zihlale.”Johane 15:16). ¹²

Nakuba ukubonakala kungukuthi sikhethe uNkulunkulu, iqiniso liwukuthi uNkulunkulu ubelokhu ekhona, enxusa ngokuthula nangobumnene ukuba amukelwe. BekuyiNkosi, sonke lesikhathi, eyaqala inqubo yabe isiholela kuyo. Ngokuyimfihlo, ngaphandle kokwazi kwethu, iNkosi ibisebenza ngaphakathi kwethu kukho konke ukuphila kwethu. Ebusheni bethu bokuqala kanye nasebuntwaneni bethu, iNkosi yasinika amathuba okuthanda abazali bethu, abanakekeli bethu, othisha, izingane zakwethu, kanye nesidlala nabo. “Wasikhetha” kanje, nangaphambi kokuba simkhethe. ¹³

Ezifundeni zethu ezihamba phambili, sasijabulela ukujabulisa abazali bethu, noma ngabe ukubadwebela isithombe, ukusiza ukuphakela izilwane ezifuywayo, noma ukushanela ikhishi. Kungenzeka kube nezikhathi lapho sazwelana nabanye, sabelana ngamathoyizi ethu ngenjabulo, noma sasho isibusiso ngokuzithoba ngaphambi kokudla. Kungase futhi kube nezikhathi lapho sasizizwa sithandwa futhi sivikelekile, njengalapho sihlezi emathangeni omzali silalele indaba, noma lapho sibambe isandla sikagogo nomkhulu lapho sihamba, noma sizumeka esifubeni sikamama ngenkathi yena. cula ilullaby noma wathandaza. Le mibono yamathenda ayilokothi ilahleke. Eqinisweni, zingahlala phakade. ¹⁴

Indlela elula yokubhekisela kulezi zifundazwe ezibusisiwe ezingahlala phakade ukuzibiza ngokuthi “izinsalela.” Kodwa lokhu akufanele kudidaniswe negama elivame kakhulu elisikisela ukudla okusele, insalela yasendulo, noma umzimba wesilwane noma umuntu ofile. Ngomqondo ophakeme nongcwele kunawo wonke, igama elithi “kusala” lisebenza kuzo zonke izimo zobuhle neqiniso ezingaphakathi kwethu—izifunda esaziphiwa ngokukhululekile njengezingane nabantwana, zithi ezilondolozwe kithi ngokumangalisayo yiNkosi futhi eziyohlala kukho konke ukuphila kwethu. ukuphila. Ngazo siyakwazi ukuthola iqiniso elivela eNkosini. ¹⁵

Njengezingane, sazithola lezi zifundazwe ngesihle. Nokho, isikhathi siyeza lapho kumelwe sicele ukuthola lezi zimo zothando nezimfanelo ezizisekelayo ukuze siqhubeke sithela izithelo. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uthi, “Noma yini eniyakukucela kuBaba egameni lami, uyoninika khona.”Johane 15:16). ¹⁶

“Igama” leNkosi liyizimfanelo zayo kithi. Nokho, ukuze senze lezi zimfanelo zibe ezethu, kudingeka sizijwayeze ngokuqaphela zize zibe imvelo yethu entsha—noma imvelo yethu yesibili, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Kungalesi sizathu uJesu ephetha le ngxenye yenkulumo ngesiyalo esiphindaphindiwe, “Lezizinto nginiyala ngazo, ukuba nithandane” ( NW )Johane 15:17).

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Isicelo esingokoqobo

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Umyalo wokuthandana uye waphindwa kaningi kuyo yonke le ngxenye yenkulumo yokuvalelisa. Kuphela ngomkhuba oqhubekayo wokuthandana lapho uthando lweNkosi lungaba yingxenye yemvelo yethu entsha, ephakeme. Nakuba singase sithambekele ekukholweni ukuthi “singabantu abalungile ngokuyisisekelo,” lokhu kungenxa yokuthi iNkosi isiphe kusukela ekuzalweni kwethu izinsalela zobuhle neqiniso. Kodwa lezi zipho azibi yingxenye yethu kuze kube yilapho sizisebenzisa ngokuqaphela nangokuqhubekayo. Ngakho-ke, njengesicelo esiwusizo, sebenzisa wonke amathuba ukwenza ngemicabango nezinhloso zothando. Ukukusiza kulokhu, khumbula “izinsalela” zakho—lezo zimo ezibusisekile ezigcinwe kuwe. Lokhu kungase kuhlanganise izikhathi lapho wawuthanda khona ngokuzenzakalelayo abazali bakho, abanakekeli bakho, kanye nabangane, izikhathi lapho wawuzizwa uthandwa, unakekelwa, futhi uvikelekile, kanye nezikhathi lapho wawunomuzwa wokuba khona kukaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwakho. Ukukhumbula izinkumbulo ezithile kuzosiza. Zigcwalise ngalokhu kuzindla, ukhumbule ukuthi lezi zimo zaziyizibikezelo zenjabulo yasezulwini oyoyithola njalo lapho wenza umyalo kaJesu othi, “thandanani.”

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“Bangizonda Ngaphandle Kwesizathu”

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18. Uma izwe linizonda, yazini ukuthi langizonda Mina ngaphambi kwenu.

19. Uma beningabezwe, izwe belizothanda okwalo; kodwa ngenxa yokuthi anisibo abezwe, kodwa mina nginikhethile ezweni, ngenxa yalokhu izwe liyanizonda.

20. Khumbulani izwi engalikhuluma kini: Inceku ayinkulu kunenkosi yayo. Uma bengizingele Mina, nani bayonizingela; uma beligcinile izwi lami, nelenu bayakuligcina.

21 Kodwa konke lokhu bayakukwenza kini ngenxa yegama lami, ngokuba bengamazi ongithumileyo.

22 Uma bengingafikanga ngakhuluma kubo, ngabe abanasono; kepha manje abanakuzenzisa ngesono sabo.

23 Ongizondayo uzonda noBaba.

24 Uma bengingenzanga phakathi kwabo imisebenzi engenziwanga omunye, ngabe abanasono; kodwa manje sebebonile futhi bazonda mina noBaba.

25 Kodwa ukuze ligcwaliseke ilizwi elilotshiweyo emthethweni wabo elithi: Bangizonda ngeze.

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Lapho uJesu eqala inkulumo Yakhe yokumvalelisa, umlayezo Wakhe wawugcwele amazwi enduduzo nesiqiniseko. Wabe eseqhubeka ekhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuba bahlale kuye, njengoba nje negatsha kumelwe lihlale emvinini ukuze lithele izithelo. Wabatshela nokuthi indlela yokuhlala bexhumene Naye ukugcina imiyalo Yakhe, futhi, ikakhulukazi, ukuthanda omunye nomunye.

UJesu ubatshela konke lokhu azi ukuthi ubunzima obukhulu buseza, Yena kanye labafundi bakhe. Ngakho-ke uJesu uthi kubo: “Uma izwe linizonda, niyazi ukuthi langizonda mina ngaphambi kwenu.”Johane 15:18). Ezingeni elingokoqobo, uJesu uthi kuyoba nabantu abayozonda abafundi ngenxa yokuzimisela kwabo ukumlandela nokumemezela umlayezo Wakhe. Eqinisweni, umlando ubika ukuthi amaKristu amaningi ashushiswa ngonya. Isibonelo, uStefanu, omunye wabalandeli bakaJesu bokuqala, wakhandwa ngamatshe waze wafa (bheka IzEnzo 7:56-60), UJakobe, umfowabo kaJohane, wabulawa ngenkemba (bheka IzEnzo 12:2), UPetru waboshwa (bheka IzEnzo 12:3-6), uJohane wadingiselwa esiqhingini esithiwa iPhatmose (bheka IsAmbulo 1:9).

Ezingeni elijulile, uJesu ukhuluma ngohlobo lokushushiswa kwangaphakathi esiyobhekana nakho njengoba silwela ukuphila ngokuvumelana nokholo lwethu Kuye nasezimfundisweni Zakhe. Umzabalazo wokunqoba ukuthambekela kwethu ebubini esikuzuze njengefa nesikuzuzile ngeke ube lula. Zonke izinyathelo zokuya phezulu zizohlangatshezwa ukuthambekela okulinganayo nokuphikisayo kokusibuyisela phansi. Ngokwezinga esiye sakhululeka ngalo ngemizwa yethu elimazayo, imicabango, kanye nokuziphatha kwethu, ngisho nokukwenza kube ngokwejwayelekile, kuzoba nzima kakhulu ukuzithintitha sikhululeke ekubambeni kwabo. Izifiso zezwe kanye nokungabaza okunganyakazi kuyoba impi ngokumelene nezifiso ezingokomoya nokholo kuNkulunkulu.

Kodwa uJesu uqinisekisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi uma nje beqhubeka bemlandela, ngeke babuswe yilezi zifiso nokungabaza. Noma kunjalo, basazobhekana nokuphikiswa. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Uma beningabezwe, izwe belizothanda okwalo; kodwa ngenxa yokuthi anisibo abezwe, kodwa nganikhetha ezweni, ngalokho izwe liyanizonda.”Johane 15:19).

UJesu ube esebakhumbuza ngemfundiso yakhe yangaphambili lapho ekhuluma nabo ngokuthi kungani ezimisele ukugeza izinyawo zabo. Ephinda futhi, kodwa kulo mongo omusha, uJesu uthi, “Inceku ayinkulu kunenkosi yayo” (Johane 15:20; bhekafuthi Johane 13:16). Engqikithini edlule, uJesu wayethi uma Yena, iNkosi nomfundisi wabo, ezimisele ukugeza izinyawo zabo, kufanele bazimisele ukugezana izinyawo. Kulo mongo omusha, uJesu uthi uma ezoshushiswa, abafundi Bakhe kufanele baqonde ukuthi nabo bazoshushiswa. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Uma bangizingela mina, bayonizingela nani” (Johane 15:20).

Njengoba nje uJesu eshushiswa ngenxa yeqiniso ayezele ukuzolifundisa, ngokufanayo nabafundi bayoshushiswa. Nokho, ukushushiswa kwenzeka ngaphandle nangaphakathi. Ngaphandle, kuyoba nabantu abaphikisa ngobudlova okushiwo abafundi, njengoba nje ababhali nabaFarisi bamelana noJesu futhi benza itulo lokumbulala. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kuyophinde kube nokuphikiswa kwangaphakathi kwemimoya emibi ezonda iqiniso. Phela, lapho ukukhanya kweqiniso kubakhanyisela, imimoya emibi iyobaleka ukuze isindise ukuphila kwayo noma izilwele ngonya, izame ukukucisha lokho kukhanya. Njengoba kulotshiwe ngaphambili kuleli vangeli, “Yilowo nalowo owenza okubi uzonda ukukhanya, futhi akezi ekukhanyeni, ngoba esaba ukuthi izenzo zakhe ziyodalulwa.”Johane 3:20). ¹⁷

Ngokusobala, uJesu uyanezela ukuthi “uma beligcinile izwi lami, nelenu bayakuligcina” (Johane 15:20). Nakuba kuyoba nokushushiswa okunzima kwalabo abalizondayo iqiniso, kuyoba nokwamukelwa ngokwazisa phakathi kwalabo abathanda iqiniso. Lokhu akulona iqiniso kuphela endizeni yangaphandle yokuphila kwethu, kodwa futhi endizeni yangaphakathi. Kukhona imibuso kithi ezojabulela ukuzwa iqiniso. Kuzosebenza ukondla, ukuqinisa, futhi kusekele konke esikukholelwa ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuthi kuyiqiniso. Lapho imbewu enhle iwela emhlabathini omuhle ithela izithelo ezinhle.

Lokhu kulunga kwangaphakathi, njengoba sishilo ngaphambili, kuyisipho esivela eNkosini esibizwa ngokuthi “kusala.” Sinikezwa ngesihle sisebancane naseminyakeni yethu yokuqala ukuze sikwazi ukwamukela iqiniso uma lifika kithi. Kukhona nezinye izikhathi, futhi, kuzo zonke izimpilo zethu, lapho izinsalela zobuhle ezijule ezigxilile zinyakaziswa, futhi izinsalela ezintsha, ikakhulukazi ezihlobene nokuqonda iqiniso, zitshalwa ngokuyimfihlo. ¹⁸

Lezi zinsalela, noma imibono engcwele, inikezwa ngesihle futhi ayithathwa. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibabiza ngegama lesihe, umusa, uthando, ububele, noma ububele, zonke ‘ziyigama leNkosi’—izimfanelo nezimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ezinathi. Ngisho nabantu abakhohlakele kakhulu basenazo izinsalela. Ngeshwa, baye bacindezela lezi zimfanelo zothando kubo kangangokuthi izinsalela azikho nhlobo kubo.

Njengoba bengenalo uthando, bayalizonda igama likaNkulunkulu—okungukuthi, izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu. Futhi bazimisele ukushushisa noma ubani onesibindi sokuxoxa nabo ngeqiniso. Ekhuluma ngalesi simo, uJesu uthi kubafundi bakhe: “Kepha konke lokhu bayakukwenza kini ngenxa yegama lami, ngokuba abamazi ongithumileyo.”Johane 15:21).

UJesu utshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi abantu abakhohlakele abazi, futhi abafuni ukwazi, ukuthi liyini iqiniso, luyini uthando, noma ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungubani. Yilokhu uJesu akushoyo lapho ethi, “Ongithumileyo abamazi.” Lokhu bekulokhu kunjalo kuyo yonke inkonzo kaJesu. Njalo lapho uJesu eveza ubunjalo Bakhe bobunkulunkulu ngamazwi nangezenzo Zakhe, wayephikiswa ngobudlova ababhali nabaFarisi. Lapho uJesu ethethelela izono, bamsola ngokuhlambalaza. Lapho uJesu ephulukisa abagulayo, bamsola ngokusebenza ngeSabatha. Akukho lutho uJesu alusho noma alwenza olwalungabaqinisekisa.

Ngakho-ke, uJesu manje uthi, “Ukuba bengingafikanga ngakhuluma kubo, ngabe abanasono, kepha kalokhu abanazaba ngesono sabo” (Johane 15:22). Ababhali nabaFarisi babengafuni nje ukukukholelwa lokho uJesu ayekusho; futhi abazange bashukunyiswe amakhono Akhe ayisimangaliso. Inzondo yabo kokubili ngeqiniso nothando elivela kulo yayinamandla kakhulu. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Ongizondayo uzonda noBaba” (Johane 15:23).

Ngomqondo ongokoqobo, uJesu ukhuluma ngababhali nabaFarisi ababemzonda ngenxa yokuthi amazwi nezenzo Zakhe bezilokhu kuveza ubuzenzisi nenkohlakalo yabo. Ngaphambi kokuza kukaJesu, babewagcinile amandla abo futhi bagcina abantu besaba ngokuchaza kwabo umbhalo oqinile, ikakhulukazi ngokuveza kwabo uNkulunkulu ethukuthele, ejezisa, futhi ephindisela.

Kulo lonke leli vangeli, uJesu ubelokhu ecacile mayelana nenkohlakalo yababhali nabaFarisi. Ubelokhu ebanikeza iqiniso ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa akulona lokho abafuna ukukuzwa. Yiqiniso, akekho kithi ongathweswa icala ngalokho esingakwazi. Kodwa lapho sethulwa ngeqiniso, futhi lapho licaciswa ngokucacile ukuthi iqiniso ligcwele uthando lukaNkulunkulu, kuba isimo esihlukile. Uma sifulathela, sithi, “Akusikho lokho engifuna ukukuzwa,” ikakhulukazi ngoba akusekeli izifiso zemvelo yethu ephansi, sizilethele okwethu ukulahlwa. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Uma bengingenzanga phakathi kwabo imisebenzi engenziwanga omunye, ngabe abanasono; kodwa manje sebebonile futhi bangizonda mina noBaba” (Johane 15:24).

Njengoba uJesu ephetha le ngxenye yenkulumo yakhe yokuvalelisa, uqinisekisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi konke lokhu kuzokwenzeka ngoba kudingekile ukugcwalisa imibhalo. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Kodwa konke lokhu kuwukuba kugcwaliseke okulotshiweyo eMthethweni ukuthi: ‘Bangizonda ngaphandle kwesizathu.Johane 15:25). Isitatimende esithi, “BaNgizonda ngaphandle kwesizathu,” singatholakala ku AmaHubo 35:19 lapho kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Mazingathokozi izitha zami ngeze, nabangizondayo ngeze.” Futhi, ku AmaHubo 69:4 kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Abangizondayo ngeze baningi kunezinwele zekhanda lami,” naphakathi AmaHubo 109:3 kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Bangihaqile ngamazwi anenzondo, bangihlasela ngaphandle kwesizathu.”

Asikho isizathu esifanelekile sokuzonda into ehloniphekile nehloniphekile kumuntu wakubo. Futhi akunakuba nesizathu esilungile sokuzonda okuhle nokuyiqiniso eNkosini. Konke ukuhlaselwa kweqiniso nakho konke ukushushiswa kobuhle kuvela endaweni engalungile—okungukuthi, esihogweni. Imimoya yesihogo iye yagxilisa ukungahambisani nanoma yini enhle neyiqiniso, futhi ikakhulukazi inzondo ngoJesu eyanquma ukumbulala. Inzondo yawo ngoJesu yayijulile futhi igcwele yonke indawo. BaMzonda ngaphandle kwesizathu. ¹⁹

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Isicelo esingokoqobo

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Noma nini lapho kuphakama ukungqubuzana phakathi kwethu, ikakhulukazi lapho kuhilela isifiso sethu sokuphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso, kuyoba nokulwa. Kuwukungqubuzana kwezifiso ezimbi ngokumelene nezinhloso ezinhle, nokuhlasela okubi ngamanga, nokuvikela okuhle ngeqiniso. Kuzo zonke izimpi zalolu hlobo, okuwukuphela kwendlela yethu yokuzivikela iqiniso elivela eZwini leNkosi. Kithina, le mpi ingase izwakale njengokukhathazeka kuphela. Kodwa kuningi okuqhubekayo. INkosi uqobo isebenzisa iqiniso esilifake engqondweni ukuze isuse amanga futhi ivikele ubuhle. Ngale ndlela uJehova usilethela ukunqoba ezikhathini zokulingwa. Ngakho-ke, njengesenzo esisebenzayo, lapho uzithola usempikiswaneni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ingaphandle noma ingaphakathi, makube yisikhathi sokukhuphukela phezulu, wethembele eNkosini naseqinisweni leZwi laKhe. Ningadangali. Njengokulotshiweyo emibhalweni yesiHeberu ukuthi: “Kwathi lapho bebahlupha, kwayikhona banda, banda;Eksodusi 1:12). ²⁰

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“Lapho Efika UMduduzi”

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26 Futhi nxa esefikile uMduduzi engizamthumela kini evela kuBaba, umoya weqiniso ophuma kuBaba, lo uzafakaza ngami.

27 Nani niyakufakaza, ngokuba ninami kwasekuqaleni.

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Iqiniso elisivikelayo futhi elisiqinisayo ngezikhathi zokulingwa libizwa ngokuthi “uMduduzi.” Kuyisiqiniseko sobukhona beNkosi. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Futhi lapho esefikile uMduduzi, engizonithumela kini evela kuBaba, umoya weQiniso ophuma kuBaba, lo uyofakaza ngami” (Johane 15:26). Omunye-ke umsebenzi kaMduduzi ukusikhumbuza ukuthi iNkosi ikhona. Njengoba uJesu asho kubafundi Bakhe esahlukweni esandulele, “Angiyikunishiya niyizintandane; ngizoza kuwe” (Johane 14:8).

Igama lesiGreki, elihunyushwe ngokuthi uMduduzi, lithi Paraklētos (Παράκλητος). Lisho, ngokwezwi nezwi “ukuza eceleni” lisuka elithi para elisho “eceleni” nelithi kletos elisho “ubiziwe, noma umenyiwe.” Ngalesi sizathu, lihunyushwe nangokuthi “umsizi” noma “uMmeli.” Kunoma ikuphi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sikhetha igama elithi “uMduduzi,” “uMsizi,” noma “uMmeli,” kusikisela ukuthi asisodwa ekulweni nezilingo. Asizona izintandane. Singamema iNkosi ukuba ibe ngakithi.

Kubalulekile futhi ukuqaphela ukuthi uJesu uhlala ebiza uMduduzi, noma uMsizi, noma uMmeli, ngokuthi uMoya oNgcwele. Ngokwesibonelo, ngasekupheleni kwesahluko esandulele, uJesu wathi kubafundi Bakhe, “UMsizi, uMoya oNgcwele, uBaba azowuthumela egameni lami, uyonifundisa zonke izinto futhi anikhumbuze konke engikushilo kuwo. wena” (Johane 14:26). ²¹

Ngaphambi kokubethelwa nokuvuka Kwakhe, uJesu uhlala ekhuluma ngokuthumela uMduduzi kanye nokuza kukaMoya oNgcwele esikhathini esizayo. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi inqubo yokukhazimulisa ayikapheleli. Njengoba uJohane eshilo ekuqaleni kulelivangeli, “uMoya oNgcwele wayengakafiki, ngokuba uJesu wayengakakhazinyuliswa” (Johane 7:39). Kodwa isikhathi salowo mcimbi wesikhathi esizayo sikhula sisondela. Ngakho-ke uJesu uthi, “Lapho uMduduzi esefikile … lokhu kuzofakaza ngami” (Johane 15:26).

Ngamanye amazwi, lapho uJesu esekhazinyulisiwe, futhi engasenabo ngoMuntu, uyophinde eze kubo—hhayi ngesimo senyama asithatha ngenkathi enabo emhlabeni, kodwa, ngokujule kakhulu, ube nabo emoyeni. UJesu uyoba nabo ngaso sonke isikhathi njengoMoya oNgcwele, ngisho naphakathi kobunzima babo. Uyoba khona ukuze abaduduze, abaqinise, futhi alethe iqiniso Lakhe, nomoya weqiniso Lakhe, esikhumbuzweni sabo.

Njengoba uJesu eza kithi njengoMoya oNgcwele, esikhumbuza iqiniso elifakaza Ngaye, nathi, sizonikezwa umsebenzi wokufakaza kwabanye ngoJesu. Akazange abe nathi nje kuphela ebuntwaneni nasebuntwaneni bethu, kodwa futhi kuyo yonke le ndlela endleleni yethu yokuzalwa kabusha. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Nani-ke niyakufakaza, ngokuba beninami kwasekuqaleni” (Johane 15:27). ²²

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Isicelo esingokoqobo

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Nakuba amazwi avelele esahlukweni esandulele kwakungeyenduduzo nenduduzo, lesi sahluko siphetha ngokugxila enzondweni nasekushushisweni abafundi ababeyobhekana nakho, ikakhulukazi njengoba belwela ukufakaza ngoJesu. Phakathi nalezi zikhathi zokushushiswa, okuwukuphela kwethemba labo lokunqoba liyoba ukuhlala bexhumene noMvini—okungukuthi, ukuhlala eqinisweni uJesu abanike lona, ikakhulukazi iqiniso lokuthi kufanele bathandane. Ngakho-ke, njengesenzo esiwusizo, qaphela ukuthi ushushiso luyeza. Kuzovela ukungabaza. Uzolingeka ukuba ulahle imigomo yakho ephakeme kakhulu kanye nezifiso ezingokomoya. Lesi yisikhathi sokuhlala uxhumene noNkulunkulu, ngokuhlala eZwini Lakhe futhi umvumele ukuba akhumbule iqiniso olidingayo ngalesi sikhathi. Bizani igama laKhe. Okungukuthi, thandazela isibindi Sakhe esikhundleni sokwesaba. Thandazela ukuqonda Kwakhe esikhundleni sokucasuka. Thandazela ukuthula Kwakhe esikhundleni sokukhathazeka. Ngale ndlela, uNkulunkulu uyakuba nawe njengoMsizi, uMoya weqiniso, Lowo oyokusekela, akuqinise, futhi akulwele ngezikhathi zokulingwa. Hambani phambili ngegama leNkosi. ²³

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Footnotes:

410. Hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains, signifies truths and goods destroyed by evils of life and falsities therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "hiding themselves," as meaning that they were lost, namely, internal and external goods and truths, or those in the natural and in the spiritual man, which are signified by "the kings of the earth," "the great ones," "the rich," "the commanders of thousands," "the mighty," and by "every servant and every freeman," as has been shown above. From this it follows that "they hid themselves" signifies that these were lost, the things lost being also in a hidden place. It is evident also from the signification of "caves," as meaning evils of life (of which presently); and from the signification of "the rocks of the mountains," as meaning the falsities therefrom; for "rocks" signify the truths of faith, and in the contrary sense the falsities of faith, here the falsities from evils, for "mountains" signify evils springing from the loves of self and of the world (as was shown just above, n. 405). But on the signification of "rocks" see in the article immediately following; here the signification of "caves" will be treated of.

[2] It was said above that in the spiritual world there are mountains, hills, rocks, valleys, and lands, as on our globe, and that angels and spirits dwell on them; but yet in the spiritual world they have a different appearance; upon the mountains those dwell who are in the greatest light, below these on the same mountain those dwell who are in less light, and beneath these those who are in still less, and in the lowest parts those dwell who are in darkness and thick darkness as compared to the light the higher ones have; accordingly the heavens are in the higher part of the mountains, and the hells are in the lowest parts, thus the expanses of the mountains succeed each other as strata. This is so in order that the lower may be governed by the Lord through the higher; for the Lord flows in immediately from Himself into all things of the spiritual world, and mediately through the higher heavens into the lower, and through these into the hells. The reason for this arrangement is that all may be held in connection by influx; such a coordinate and subordinate arrangement exists through the whole spiritual world. Into the hells, which are under the mountains and in the rocks, entrances lie open either in the lowest parts of their sides or through caverns from the valleys; and the entrances in the lower parts of the sides appear like entrances into caves where there are wild beasts, altogether dark; these are opened when infernal spirits are let in, but are shut when they have been let in. These entrances are called in the Word "the gates of hell." But among the rocks these entrances appear like clefts in a cliff, and in some places like holes with various openings. The darkness in these gates or doors appears densely dark to good spirits and angels, but as if luminous to evil spirits; the reason is that there is no light of heaven there, but a fatuous lumen, which is natural lumen apart from the spiritual. The light of those there is not like the light [luminosum] of the world in the daytime, but like the nocturnal light that is suitable for owls, moles, birds of night, and bats, which see nothing in the light of day, and therefore the light of day is thick darkness to them, while the darkness of the night is their light. Their sight is such because it is formed of falsities and evils, which in themselves are darkness and thick darkness; for this reason "darkness" in the Word signifies falsities of every kind, and "thick darkness" the falsities of evil. From this it can be seen what is signified by "they hid themselves in caves," that is, in evils of life, the goods in them having been destroyed. Evils of life are signified by "caves" for the same reason that "mountains" signify the goods of life, namely, because those who are in them are such; for the spiritual sense is concerned solely with evils or with goods regarded apart from places and persons, that is, with the kinds of evils or goods in the places and in the persons, as has also been several times said above.

[3] From this it can be seen what is signified in the Word by "caves," "caverns," "hollows," "holes," "clefts," and "chinks of rocks and mountains," in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for the dread of Jehovah and for the glory of His magnificence. For there shall be a day of Jehovah of Hosts upon everyone that is proud and exalted, and upon everyone that is lifted up, and that is brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are exalted and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the exalted mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all images of desire; that the haughtiness of man [hominis] may be bowed down, and the loftiness of men [virorum] be brought low, and Jehovah alone be exalted in that day. And the idols shall go away into smoke. And they shall enter into the caves of the rocks, and into the clefts of the dust, for dread of Jehovah and for the glory of His magnificence when He shall arise to terrify the earth. In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made for themselves to bow down to the moles and to the bats, to go into the rents of the rocks and into the clefts of the cliffs (Isaiah 2:10-21).

No one can understand all these things except from the internal sense, and unless he knows what the appearance of things is in the spiritual world; for without the internal sense who can know what is meant by "there shall be a day of Jehovah upon the cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan, upon mountains and hills, upon the tower and the wall, upon the ships of Tarshish and the images of desire;" and what is meant by "bowing down to moles and bats?" And unless the appearance of things in the spiritual world is known, who can know what is meant by "their entering into the rock and hiding themselves in the dust," "entering into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust," also "into the rents of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs?" But from the internal sense it is known that all these things describe the state of those who are in the love of self and of the world, and thus in evils and falsities at the time of the Last Judgment.

It is therefore said "there shall be a day of Jehovah upon everyone that is proud and exalted, and upon everyone that is lifted up and that is brought low;" "day of Jehovah" meaning the Last Judgment; "everyone that is proud and exalted" meaning those who are in the love of self and the world, and "everyone that is lifted up and that is brought low" meaning those who are in the love of self-intelligence. This is further described by "there shall be a day of Jehovah upon all the cedars that are exalted and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the exalted mountains and hills that are lifted up, upon every lofty tower and fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish and the images of desire;" "the cedars of Lebanon" and "the oaks of Bashan" signify the pride of self-intelligence, "the cedars of Lebanon," interior pride, and "the oaks of Bashan" exterior pride; "mountains and hills" signify the loves of self and of the world, and the evils and falsities springing from them (as was shown above, n. 405); "tower" and "wall" signify the falsities of doctrine confirmed, "the ships of Tarshish" and "the images of desire" signify the knowledges and perceptions of falsity from evil; their worship from evils and falsities is signified by "the idols which they made for themselves, to bow down to the moles and the bats;" worship from such things as are from self-intelligence is signified by "the idols which they made for themselves to bow down unto;" the evils and falsities of doctrine from which such worship springs are signified by "moles and bats," because these have sight in the dark and shun the light; judgment upon such is described by "they shall enter into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust," also "into the rents of the rocks and into the clefts of the cliffs;" "to enter into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust" signifies the damnation of those who are in evils and falsities from the loves of self and of the world, and from the pride of self-intelligence; for the hells of such appear as caves in rocks, and the entrances into them as rents in rocks and clefts in cliffs; "rocks" and "cliffs" signifying the falsities of faith and doctrine, and "dust" signifying what is damned.

[4] In Jeremiah:

Thy horror hath deceived thee, the presumption of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the holes of the cliff, that holdest the height of the hill; if thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the eagle, thence would I cast thee down (Jeremiah 49:16).

This is said of Esau and Edom; and "Esau" here signifies the love of self and the evil therefrom destroying the church, and "Edom" the pride of self-intelligence and the falsity therefrom destroying the church. That the love of self and such pride are meant is evident from its being said "the presumption of thine heart hath deceived thee; if thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the eagle, thence would I cast thee down." Those who are in falsities from self-intelligence dwell in rocks below, and the ways of approach to them appear like holes therein. These have also been seen by me. Within, however, there are rooms hollowed out and arched chambers where they sit in their fantasies. But before they are cast into these they are seen on mountains and hills, for they raise themselves into high places by fantasies, and as they are not in truths they think they are there bodily, and yet bodily they are in the caves of the rocks; this, therefore, is what is meant by "dwelling in the holes of the rocks, and holding the height of the hill." This makes clear the nature of the Word, namely, that in many places it conforms to the aspects and appearances in the spiritual world, which are unknown to man but known to spirits and angels; from which it is evident that the Word is written for them also.

[5] In Obadiah:

The presumption of thy heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the cliff, in the height of thy seat; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the earth? Though thou shalt mount on high like the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence (Obadiah 1:3-4).

This, too, is said of Edom, who signifies here the pride of learning which is from self-intelligence, and falsity therefrom destroying the church. As almost similar things are said here as above, so the signification is similar; "the clefts of the rock" signify the falsities of faith and of doctrine, because those dwell there who are in such falsities; these are compared to an eagle because the eagle from its lofty flights signifies the pride of self-intelligence; so, too, "a nest for habitation" is mentioned, and "to set it among the stars" signifies in the heights where those dwell who are in the knowledges of truth, for the knowledges of truth are signified by "stars."

In Job:

To dwell in the clefts of the valleys, in the holes of the earth, and in the rocks (Job 30:6).

Here, too, "clefts of the valleys," "holes of the earth," and "rocks" signify the falsities of evil, for the falsities of evil are here treated of.

[6] In Isaiah:

It shall come to pass in that day, Jehovah shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria, which shall come and shall rest, all of them, in the brooks of desolations, and in the clefts of the cliffs, and in all thickets, and in all courses (Isaiah 7:18-19).

This describes the church laid waste by knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, by which the very knowledges of truth from the Word are perverted; "the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt" signifies the falsity in the outermost parts of the natural man; the outermost parts of the natural man are what are called sensual things, for the natural man is interior, middle, and exterior; the interior communicates with the spiritual man through the rational, the exterior with the world through the bodily senses, and the middle conjoins the two; the exterior is what is called the sensual, because it depends upon the bodily senses, and draws therefrom what belongs to it. The falsities that are in this and from it are signified by "the flies in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt;" but "the bee in the land of Assyria" signifies false reasonings therefrom, for "Assyria" signifies the rational, and "Egypt" the knowing faculty of the natural man; and because the rational derives all it has from the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, its reasonings are signified by "bees," for as bees suck out and derive their store from flowers, so the rational does from the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man. Here, however, "bees" signify false reasonings, because the rational gathers what belongs to it from knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied. It is from correspondences that these are likened to flies and bees; for in the spiritual world flying things of various kinds appear, but they are appearances from the ideas of the thoughts of spirits, and the noxious flying things among them are flies and bees of such a kind; "the flies in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt" have their correspondence from their springing out of the filth of rivers. It is said "which shall come and shall rest in the brooks of desolations and in the clefts of the cliffs," which signifies that the falsities of knowledges [scientifica] and of reasonings therefrom have their seats where there are no truths and where there is the faith of falsity, "the brooks of desolations" meaning where there are no truths, and "the clefts of the cliffs" where there is the faith of falsity; "in all thickets and in all courses" signifies that the knowledges and perceptions of truth are falsified by such things; "thickets" meaning the knowledges of truth, and "courses" the perceptions, and these are falsified by the above-mentioned falsities when they flow in. No one can see and know that these arcana are contained in these words except from the internal sense, and at the same time from the spiritual world.

[7] In the same:

The palace shall be abandoned, the multitude of the city forsaken, the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves even forever, a joy of wild asses and a pasture for droves (Isaiah 32:14).

This describes the total vastation of the church, where there is no longer any good of life or truth of doctrine; yet no one can know what is involved in it unless he knows the state of things in the spiritual world, and at the same time the internal sense. The devastation of the whole church is meant by "the palace shall be abandoned, and the multitude of the city forsaken;" "palace" signifying the whole church in respect to truths from good, and "abandoned" where there is no good because there is no truth; therefore "the palace shall be abandoned" signifies the church devastated; "the multitude of the city" signifies all truths of doctrine, for "city" means doctrine, and "multitude" is predicated of truths, which are said to be "forsaken" when they cease to be; "the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves even forever" signifies that a church shall no longer exist with them, because there is nothing but the evil of life and the falsity of doctrine; "caves" signifying such things because such persons dwell in caves, as was said above; and because such persons dwell in deep places in the spiritual world, and are covered over by heights and watch-towers, thus hidden from those who abide on the lands there, therefore it is said not only that "the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves," but also that they shall be "a joy of wild asses and a pasture for droves." Moreover, in that world there are many hells in deep places wholly hidden by the lands, rocks, and hills above, or by the heights and watch-towers, where there is grass like a pasture for flocks; for which reason these hells are unknown to those who dwell there upon the land. "A joy of wild asses" signifies also the affection or love of falsities; and "a pasture for droves" the nourishing of evils from falsities; and both of these signify the devastation of truth by falsities. From this it can be seen what an arcanum lies hidden in these words.

[8] In Jeremiah:

Is this house, upon which My name is named, become a den of robbers? (Jer. 7:11).

"A den of robbers" signifies the evil of life from the falsities of doctrine; and "the house upon which My name is named" signifies the church where there is worship from the goods of life by truths of doctrine; "house" meaning the church, and "the name of Jehovah" everything by which He is worshiped, thus good and truth, truth of doctrine and good of life. The church where there is evil of life from falsities of doctrine is called "a den of robbers" because "den" signifies that evil, and those are called "robbers" who steal truths from the Word and pervert them, and apply them to falsities and evils, and thus extinguish them. All this makes clear what is meant by the Lord's words in the Gospels:

It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayers; but ye have made it a den of robbers (Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46).

"House" here, in the universal sense, signifies the church; and because worship was performed in the temple at Jerusalem, it is called "a house of prayers." (That the temple signifies the church, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 3720; that "prayers" signify worship, see above, n. 325; that "to be called" has a similar signification as "to name My name upon them," see above, Arcana Coelestia, n. 3421.)

[9] In Isaiah:

The suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den (Isaiah 11:8).

Neither can this be understood unless, from the things that appear in the spiritual world, it is known what is meant by "the hole of the adder" and by "the basilisk's den." It was said above that the entrances to the hells appear like holes in the rocks and like gaps opening into caves, such as wild beasts in the forests have; those who dwell in these, when they are looked at in the light of heaven appear like monsters of various kinds and like wild beasts. Those who are in the hells where those dwell who act craftily against innocence appear like adders, and those who act craftily against the good of love appear like basilisks; and as "suckling" or "sucking infant" signifies the good of innocence it is said "the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder;" and as "a weaned child," or an infant that has stopped sucking, signifies the good of love, it, is said, "and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den," and this signifies that those who are in the good of innocence and in the good of love to the Lord have no fear whatever of evils and falsities which are from hell, because they are protected by the Lord. (That "infants," in the Word, and also "sucklings," signify the good of innocence, see Arcana Coelestia 430, 3183; and what "adders" and other poisonous serpents signify, n. 9013)

[10] In Jeremiah:

Take the girdle that thou hast bought for thyself, which is upon thy loins, and arise and go to Euphrates, and hide it in a cleft of the cliff. This he also did; and afterwards at the end of many days he went there and took it again, and behold the girdle was marred and was not profitable for anything (Jeremiah 13:4-7).

This represented the quality of the Jewish Church, namely, that it was destitute of all the good of life and the truth of doctrine. For "the girdle" upon the loins of the prophet signified the conjunction of the Lord with the church by means of the Word; "Euphrates" signifies everything of the church in respect to good, here in respect to evil; and "the cliff" everything of the church in respect to truth, here in respect to falsity, for it is said "a cleft of the cliff;" that "the girdle was marred so as not to be profitable for anything" signified that there was no conjunction whatever of the church with the Lord, consequently that there was no church.

[11] "Cave" has a like significance in the histories of the Word as in the prophesies of the Word; for the histories of the Word, the same as the prophesies of the Word, contain an internal sense. Thus it is related of Lot, that after the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah:

He dwelt in a cave of the mountain with his two daughters, who made him drunk and lay with him; whence were born Moab and Ammon (Genesis 19:30-33).

The representation and signification of this occurrence is similar to that of Moab and Ammon in the Word, for "Moab" signifies the adulteration of the good of the church, and "Ammon" the falsification of the truth of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 2468, 8315); and "adulteries" and "whoredoms" signify in general the adulterations of good and the falsifications of truth (See above, n. 141, 161); and the various kinds of adulteries and whoredoms (such as are enumerated in Leviticus 18:6-30), signify the various kinds of adulterations and falsifications of good and truth; and this is why Lot is here said to have "dwelt in a cave;" such an abomination being signified here by "the cave of the mountain." In the book of Judges it is said:

That the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and therefore were given into the hand of Midian; and because of Midian they made for themselves caves in the mountains and dens and strongholds (Judges 6:1-2).

The "evil" which the sons of Israel did means the perversion of good and truth, as can be seen from what follows there, and also from the signification of "Midian" (See Arcana Coelestia 3242), on account of whom they made for themselves caves in the mountains and dens; for the sons of Israel were possessed by the evil signified by "Midian;" "because of Midian" signifying on account of that evil. It was similar when the sons of Israel fled on account of the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:6).