Commentary

 

Ukuhlola Incazelo KaJohane 14

By Ray and Star Silverman (Machine translated into isiZulu)

walking in woods, light

Isahluko Seshumi Nane


“Inhliziyo Yenu Mayingakhathazeki”


1. Inhliziyo yenu mayingakhathazeki; kholwani kuNkulunkulu, nikholwe nayiMi.

2. Endlini kaBaba kukhona izindawo zokuhlala eziningi; uma kungenjalo, bengiyakunitshela; ngiya ukunilungisela indawo.

3 Futhi uma ngiya nginilungisela indawo, ngobuye ngize, nginithathele kimi, ukuze lapho ngikhona, nibe khona nani.


Esahlukweni esandulele, uJesu wembula ukuthi uJuda wayezomkhaphela. Wabuye watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi uyahamba, nokuthi lapho eya khona, babengenakufika. Khona-ke, ekupheleni kwesahluko, uJesu wabikezela ukuthi uPetru wayezomphika kathathu ngaphambi kokuba ubusuku buphele. Kwakuyisikhathi esididayo nesididayo kubafundi.

Kuleli qophelo ekulandiseni kukaNkulunkulu lapho uJesu ekhuluma isikhathi eside nabafundi Bakhe, ebanikeza lokho osekwaziwa ngokuthi “Inkulumo yokuvalelisa.” Iqala ngala mazwi, “Inhliziyo yenu mayingakhathazeki. Uyakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. kholwani nakimi” (Johane 14:1).

Kubalulekile ukuqaphela ukuthi uJesu uqala inkulumo Yakhe yokuvalelisa ngeqiniso elibaluleke kakhulu lenkolo: ukukholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Leli qiniso, lokuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, litshalwe kuwo wonke umuntu kusukela esemncane. Kuwumqondo ongokomfanekiso ongokomoya. UJesu umane ubiza leli qiniso ezingqondweni zabafundi bakhe, ebaqinisekisa ngokuthi ukhona uNkulunkulu ongabaduduza ngezikhathi zobunzima.

Nakuba lo mqondo wemvelo wendawo yonke ungacindezelwa noma uvalwe ukukhathazeka kwezwe, imibhalo engcwele ifakaza ukuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu ohlala ekhona, olungele ukusisekela, ukusivikela, nokusiqinisa. Njengoba kulotshiwe emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, “UNkulunkulu uyisiphephelo sethu namandla ethu;AmaHubo 46:1). 1

Futhi kuwumqondo wemvelo wendawo yonke ukuthi kungaba khona uNkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela, futhi akekho omunye. Leli qiniso ngoNkulunkulu oyedwa, noNkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela, liyisisekelo kangangokuthi laba imfundiso eyodwa, ebaluleke kakhulu phakathi kwama-Israyeli. Ukuze bagcine lokhu kuseqhulwini ezingqondweni zabo, ikakhulukazi enkathini yokukhonza izithombe, baphindaphinda umthandazo wasendulo owawubizwa ngokuthi Shema. Lo mthandazo babewusho lapho bevuka ekuseni nalapho beyolala kusihlwa. Baxoxa ngayo emini. Balinamathisela ezinsikeni zeminyango yendlu yabo, futhi bafundisa izingane zabo. Iqala ngala mazwi: “Yizwa, Israyeli: uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, iNkosi eyodwa” (Dutheronomi 6:4).

La mazwi okuvula agcizelela ubunye bukaNkulunkulu oyedwa, ongapheli, umninimandla onke. UnguMuntu Ophakeme ongahlukaniseki ongenakulinganiswa nalutho. Ekhuluma ngomprofethi u-Isaya, uNkulunkulu uthi, “NginguJehova, akakho omunye; ngaphandle kwami akekho uNkulunkulu” (Isaya 45:5).

Ngakho-ke, lapho uJesu ethi kubafundi Bakhe, “Niyakholwa kuNkulunkulu,” ubabizela enkolweni yabo eyinhloko kuNkulunkulu oyedwa. Kodwa Uyanezela, “Kholwani nayiMi.” Ngala mazwi, uJesu uziveza njengowukubonakaliswa okubonakalayo koyedwa, uNkulunkulu wezulu nomhlaba. KuJesu, uNkulunkulu akayona nje into engaqondakali, kodwa “usizo olukhona esikhathini sokuhlupheka.” Uyisidalwa esiphilayo esilungiselela ngamunye wethu ukuphila okuphakade embusweni Wakhe wasezulwini.


Izithabathaba eziningi


Njengoba uJesu eqhubeka nenkulumo yakhe yokuvalelisa, uthi: “Ekhaya likaBaba kukhona izindlu eziningi zokuhlala. ukube bekungenjalo, bengiyakunitshela; ngiya ukunilungisela indawo” (Johane 14:2). Uma uthi nhlá, kungase kubonakale kudida ukucabanga “ngezithabathaba eziningi” endlini eyodwa. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, abahumushi ngokuvamile baye bakhetha igama elithi “amagumbi” noma “izindawo zokuhlala” kunelithi “amadolobha amakhulu.” Kodwa igama elithi “izindlu,” lapho liqondwa ngokujule ngokwengeziwe, lisebenza ngendlela ebalulekile.

Ukuze siqonde ukubaluleka okungokomoya kwegama elithi “indlu,” okokuqala kudingeka sandise ukuqonda kwethu lokho okushiwo igama elithi “indlu.” Kuyo yonke imibhalo, igama elithi “indlu” lisetshenziswa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Kwesinye isikhathi imane isho ikhaya lomuntu noma indawo ahlala kuyo. Noma kunjalo, lingabhekisela emndenini owandisiwe noma iqembu elikhulu lezihlobo eziyinzalo yomuntu othile. Ngokwesibonelo, imibhalo ikhuluma ‘ngendlu ka-Abrahama,’ “indlu ka-Isaka,” ‘nasendlini kaJakobe. Kukhulunywa kaningi ‘ngendlu ka-Israyeli,’ futhi ithempeli elingcwele livame ukubizwa ngokuthi “indlu kaNkulunkulu.”

Ngokujule ngokwengeziwe, inkulumo ethi “indlu kaNkulunkulu” ibhekisela kuwo wonke umkhathi wombuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. INkosi uDavide ithi: “Kunye engikufisayo . . .AmaHubo 27:1), akabhekiseli ethempelini, kodwa ukhuluma ngombuso wezulu. Futhi lapho ephetha ihubo lamashumi amabili nantathu ngala mazwi, “Futhi ngiyakuhlala endlini kaJehova kuze kube phakade” (AmaHubo 23:6), UDavide uzwakalisa isifiso sakhe sokuhlala ebukhoneni beNkosi, ejabulela ubuhle nomusa weNkosi, zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe.

Ngokuphathelene nalokhu, “indlu kaNkulunkulu” ibhekisela esimweni sengqondo sasezulwini. Kuyisimo somqondo esamukela njalo uthando nokuhlakanipha okuvela eNkosini. Embhalweni ongcwele, lokhu kubizwa ngokuthi “indlu yeNkosi,” “indlu kaNkulunkulu,” kanye “nendlu kaBaba.” Ngakho-ke, lapho uJesu ethi, “Ekhaya likaBaba kukhona izindawo zokuhlala eziningi; Ngiya ukunilungisela indawo,” ukhuluma ngezibusiso ezigeleza lapho sikholelwa kuNkulunkulu futhi senza intando yaKhe. 2

Khona-ke, ikhaya lethu elingokomoya lingafaniswa nesithabathaba somuzi esihle, esinemizwelo yothando nemicabango emihle. Yisakhiwo esiqinile, esinamandla, esakhelwe ukumelana nanoma yisiphi isiphepho. Ngaphakathi kwalezi zindonga, ayikho indawo yokuthi amathonya esihogo ahlasele izingqondo zethu ngokukhononda kwawo, ukugxeka, nokusola. Ngakho-ke, isithabathaba sethu sasezulwini, isimo somqondo womuntu lapho usekelwe ekukholweni kuNkulunkulu nokuphila ngokuvumelana nemithetho Yakhe. Kafushane, iyindawo yokuhlala enhle kakhulu. 3


Ukulungisa indawo


Ngemva kokutshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi kunezindlu eziningi ezulwini, uJesu ubaqinisekisa ngokuthi kukhona indawo yabo bonke. Eqinisweni, uJesu uthi, “Ngiya ukunilungisela indawo.” Uma kubhekwa njengoba kunjalo, lokhu kubonakala kusikisela ukuthi uJesu uya ezulwini lapho Eyokwakhela ngamunye wabafundi bakhe ikhaya. Ngokujule nakakhulu, lapho uJesu ethi, “Ngiya ukuyonilungisela indawo,” kusho ukuthi usinikeza uthando olusishukumisayo, ukuhlakanipha kokwenza izinqumo ezifanele, namandla okukufeza. Lezi yizinto zokwakha ikhaya lethu lasezulwini. Kuwumsebenzi wokwakha ngokomoya oqhubeka, ingxenye enkulu, ngaphezu kokuqaphela kwethu.

Nakuba singakuqapheli ukusebenza kweNkosi okuyimfihlo ngaphakathi kwethu, ukubumba nokubumba ubuntu bethu basezulwini, iNkosi ibona esingakwazi ukukubona. Kithina, izinqumo zansuku zonke esizenzayo zingase zibonakale zingenamsebenzi, noma zingahleliwe, kodwa iNkosi ibona into ehluke kakhulu. Ngokombono weNkosi, obona ingunaphakade, iqondisa ukwakhiwa okuqhubekayo kwesimo sethu sasezulwini, esiqhathaniswa nokwakhiwa kwendlu enkulu, ngisho nokwakhiwa kwesigodlo. 4

Ngakho-ke, ngokuphathelene nalokhu kungashiwo ngempela ukuthi uJesu ulungiselela ngamunye wethu indawo. Kodwa kunemfanelo ebalulekile: kumelwe senze ingxenye yethu. Lokhu kusho ukuthi kufanele sifunde futhi senze amaqiniso angeke nje asivikele njengezindonga eziqinile, kodwa futhi ayogcwalisa amakhaya ethu ngokucabangela, ububele, nomusa.

Ukwenza ingxenye yethu kuhlanganisa nokugxila ekusebenziseni okufanele kakhulu ngokwemvelo yethu, uhlobo lwenkonzo esizizwa “sisekhaya” ngempela kulo. Njengoba nje wonke amangqamuzana emizimbeni yethu esetshenziswa nenjongo ethile, ngamunye wethu uklanyelwe ukwenza umsebenzi othile embusweni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Lo msebenzi unqunywa uhlobo lwezinto esizithandayo namaqiniso esiwakholelwayo. Kungumsebenzi okhethekile obekelwe thina sodwa, umsebenzi esizalwa nawo futhi esiwulungiselele ngesikhathi sokuphila kwethu emhlabeni.

Nokho, akukho kulokhu okungenziwa ngaphandle kokubambisana kwethu ngokuzithandela neNkosi. Nakuba iNkosi inamandla onke, ayikwazi ukusakhela ikhaya lasezulwini, noma ngaphakathi kwethu, ngaphandle kokubambisana kwethu. Kuwubambiswano. 5

Noma kunjalo, kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuthi yonke imizamo yokubambisana neNkosi, ngisho noma umzamo omncane, unikezwa ngesihle, futhi awuzenzeli. Njengoba kulotshiwe emibhalweni yesiHebheru ukuthi: “Ngaphandle kokuthi uJehova ayakhe indlu, basebenzela ize abayakhayo.”AmaHubo 127:1). 6


Indaba yombazi


Kunendaba engeyona eyeBhayibheli kodwa ebalulekile ngombazi owayelungele ukuthatha umhlalaphansi. Umqashi wakhe wanika umbazi imali eningi, wathi makathenge izinto zokwakha ezingcono kakhulu, futhi wamcela ukuba akhe enye indlu ngaphambi kokuthatha umhlalaphansi. Wavuma umbazi. Kodwa wayengenaso isithakazelo sangempela endlini ayeyakha. Ephuthuma ukuqeda umsebenzi, umbazi wasebenzisa izinto ezishibhile ayengazithola, wakhanda amapulangwe ngaphandle kokukala ngokucophelela, washaya indiva imithetho yokwakha, futhi wathatha zonke izindlela ezinqamulelayo ukuze enze umsebenzi ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka. Lapho umbazi eqeda umsebenzi, umqashi wakhe wamnika itayitela lendawo nokhiye womnyango ongaphambili, ethi, “Le ndlu ngeyakho.”

Lena indaba eyisixwayiso. Zonke izinqumo esizenzayo ziya ekwakhiweni kwekhaya lethu laphakade—indawo yethu yokuhlala ingunaphakade. Ngempela uJesu usilungiselela indawo, empeleni, uyisithabathaba. Kodwa lokhu ngeke kwenzeke ngaphandle kokubambisana kwethu ngokucophelela. Ngakho-ke, kudingeka sicabange ngezinqumo esizenzayo kanye nezenzo esizenzayo njengezengezo ezicabangelayo ekhaya lethu lasezulwini. 7


Isicelo esingokoqobo


Njengoba nje inhliziyo, amaphaphu, amehlo, izindlebe, izinso, ubuchopho nesisu kwenza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene emizimbeni yethu, indawo yethu ezulwini ixhomeke endleleni esizoyisebenzisa ngayo noma emsebenzini othile. Nokho, kufanele kukhunjulwe ukuthi umsebenzi wethu noma ukusebenzisa kwethu kungaphezu komsebenzi othile noma umsebenzi othile. Ngokujule kakhulu, indlela esithinta ngayo abanye ngokuhlukile ngobukhona bethu nesimo sethu sengqondo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singabagundi izinwele, uthisha ofundisa abafundi, umzali okhulisa ingane, noma umphathi oqondisa izisebenzi, singaphezu kwemisebenzi yethu. Siphinde sibe yinkundla esixhumana ngayo nabanye. Kungaba indawo edangele, engenanhlonipho ewisa abanye, noma indawo ejabulisayo, enenhlonipho ephakamisa abanye. Nakuba kubalulekile ukuba nekhono nokukhuthala emsebenzini wethu, kubaluleke nakakhulu ukwenza imisebenzi yethu ngezindlela ezivumela umoya weNkosi ukuba ugeleze kithi. U-barista onobungane wake wakubeka ngalendlela: “Angigcini ngokuthela ikhofi. Ngiletha injabulo." Njengesicelo esisebenzayo, ke, bheka imisebenzi yakho yansuku zonke hhayi nje njengamathuba okwenza umsebenzi othile kahle, kodwa futhi njengendlela ongadlulisela ngayo uthando lweNkosi kwabanye. Kungaba lula njengokunikeza igama elinomusa uma ithuba livela, noma ukumomotheka okufudumele kanye nokubonga kumuntu okuphathele igrosa. Lamathuba okubusisa abanye ngenhlonipho, umusa, kanye nokubonga angaba umsebenzi wesikhathi esigcwele kulabo abazimisele ukuba yizinceku zeNkosi. 8


Indlela, Iqiniso, Nokuphila


4. Lapho ngiya khona niyakwazi, nendlela niyayazi.

5. UTomase wathi kuye: “Nkosi, asazi lapho uya khona; singayazi kanjani indlela na?

6. UJesu wathi kuye: Mina ngiyindlela, neQiniso, nokuphila; akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwaMi.

7 Uma beningazile Mina, beniyakumazi noBaba; kusukela manje niyamazi, futhi nimbonile.

8. UFiliphu wathi kuye: Nkosi, sibonise uYihlo, kusanele.

9. UJesu wathi kuye: “Nginawe isikhathi esingaka, awukangazi, Filiphu na? Ongibonile Mina umbonile uBaba; usho kanjani ukuthi sibonise uYihlo na?

10. Awukholwa yini ukuthi mina ngikuBaba, noBaba ukiMi? Amazwi engiwakhuluma kini angiwakhulumi ngokwami, kodwa uBaba ohlezi kimi, nguyena owenza imisebenzi.

11 Kholwani yimi, ukuthi ngikuBaba, noBaba ukimi; uma kungenjalo, kholwani Yimi ngenxa yemisebenzi ngokwayo.


UJesu usanda kutshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi usezabalungisela indawo. Kulokhu wengeza ngokuthi uzobuyela kubo futhi abayise lapho ekhona. Njengoba esho, “Uma ngiya nginilungisela indawo, ngobuye ngize, nginibuyisele kimi, ukuze lapho ngikhona nani nibe khona.”Johane 14:3). UJesu ube esebaduduza ngala mazwi esiqinisekiso: “Lapho ngiya khona niyakwazi, nendlela niyayazi” (Johane 14:4).

Edidekile ngalokho uJesu akushoyo, uTomase uthi, “Nkosi asazi lapho uya khona, singayazi kanjani indlela na?” (Johane 14:5). UThomas udidekile ngoba ucabanga ngendawo aya kuyo yezwe nendlela engokwenyama yokufika lapho. Kodwa uJesu ukhuluma ngendlela yokuphila ehlanganisa ukukholelwa kuNkulunkulu nokuphila ngokuvumelana nalokho uNkulunkulu akufundisayo. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uthi kuTomase, “Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila.”Johane 14:6).

Phakathi neminyaka emithathu uJesu enabafundi Bakhe, ubelokhu ebabonisa “indlela.” Iqala ngokuphenduka. Njengoba kwaprofethwa emibhalweni yesiHeberu, uJohane uMbhapathizi wayeyofika ‘njengezwi elimemeza ehlane. Wayezofika eshumayela ukuphenduka ukuze kuthethelelwe izono, ethi: “Phendukani, ngokuba umbuso wezulu ususondele.” Lena yindlela “esiyilungisa ngayo indlela yeNkosi” (bheka Isaya 40:3; Mathewu 3:1-3; Marku 1:1-4; Luka 3:3-4).

Ngendlela yakhona elula, ukuphenduka kuqala ngokuqaphela ukuthi isimo esikuso, noma esikushilo, noma indlela esesenze ngayo ayihambisani nalokho esifuna ukuba yikho. Nakuba singase sibe nezizathu zokuthethelela ukucasuka, ukuphelelwa isineke, ukucasuka, noma ukwenza ngentukuthelo, siyaqaphela futhi ukuthi akukhona lokhu esifuna ukuzizwa, ukucabanga, ukukusho, noma ukwenza. Lokhu kungase kuthathe indlela yamazwi anjengokuthi, “Ngifisa sengathi ngabe ngibe nesineke ngokwengeziwe,” noma “Ngifisa sengathi bengingayiyeka le ntukuthelo,” noma “ngifisa sengathi ngabe ngenze ngendlela ehlukile.” Kuwukuvuma ngobuqotho ukuthi sisesimweni esibi noma sesiwele emkhubeni obhubhisayo. Lesi yisikhathi sokuphendukela eNkosini ezosisiza ukuthi siphakamise imicabango yethu emazingeni aphezulu.

Ngamanye amazwi, siyazi ukuthi kudingeka siguqule imicabango yethu, okuyiyona kanye incazelo yegama lesiGreki elisho ukuphenduka. Leli gama lithi metanoia (μετάνοια), okusho ukuthi ngokwezwi nezwi “ukucabanga ngenhla” [meta = ngenhla + noein = ukucabanga]. Nokho, ukuze sicabange ngenhla, noma sicabange imicabango ephakeme, kudingeka sazi okuyiqiniso. Lesi isinyathelo esilandelayo endleleni ekukhuleni kwethu ngokomoya. Kuyinqubo yokufunda iqiniso eZwini leNkosi, futhi ibizwa ngokuthi “inguquko.”

La maqiniso asinika ithuba lokubona izinto ngendlela ehlukile. Izingqondo zethu “ziyabunjwa kabusha.” Ekukhanyeni kweqiniso eliphakeme, siyaqonda ukuthi sinokukhetha ukuthi singasabela kanjani kunoma yisiphi isimo. Lapho amehlo ethu okomoya evuleka, siyabona ukuthi singaba nothando kunokuba sizivikele, sithethelelane kunokuba simcasukele, sithembele kuNkulunkulu kunokwesaba. Nakuba ukuphenduka kumayelana nokulungisa indlela, inguquko imayelana nokufunda iqiniso elingasikhipha ezimweni zethu ezimbi.

Kodwa inqubo ayigcini ngokuphenduka nenguquko. Ngeke nje siphenduke noma siqonde iqiniso. Sidinga okungaphezu kokushintsha ingqondo; sidinga noshintsho lwenhliziyo. Lokhu kusho ukuthi iqiniso kumele lifiswe futhi liphile. Lesi sinyathelo kule nqubo sibizwa ngokuthi "ukuvuselela." Imayelana nokuthuthukiswa kwentando entsha ngokuqala ngokuziphoqa ukuba siphile ngokuvumelana neqiniso, futhi ekugcineni sithande ukuphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso. 9

Kafushane, yonke le nqubo ibizwa ngokuthi, “ukuphenduka, ukuguqulwa, nokuzalwa kabusha.” Ukuphenduka kumayelana nendlela. Inguquko imayelana neqiniso. Futhi ukuzalwa kabusha kumayelana nempilo ezalwa kithi njengoba sihlakulela intando entsha. Kunokuba kube indawo engokoqobo, lezi izigaba ezintathu zokukhula ngokomoya, ezibizwa ngokuthi “indlela, neqiniso, nokuphila.” Isigaba ngasinye sisiholela endaweni uJesu asilungiselela yona futhi esimema ukuba singene kuyo. Njengoba esho, “Lapho ngikhona, nani niyakuba khona.”


“Akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwaMi”


Ngemva kokusho ukuthi uyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila, uJesu uthi, “Akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami” (Johane 14:6). Kuyiqiniso ukuthi uJesu ufundisa indlela ngamazwi Akhe, futhi ubonisa indlela ngokuphila Kwakhe, kodwa ungaphezu komfundisi omkhulu noma umhlahlandlela ongokomoya okhanyiselwe. Yena uyindlela. Yingakho ekwazi ngempela ukuthi, “Akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami.”

Noma nini lapho uJesu ebhekisela “kuBaba,” ubhekisela ebuhleni baphezulu obungaphakathi Kwakhe. Ngumphefumulo waKhe impela. Futhi noma nini lapho ebhekisela “eNdodaneni,” ubhekisela eqinisweni laphezulu elivelayo futhi libonise ubuhle bobunkulunkulu ngendlela ebonakalayo. Ngokuphathelene nalokhu, uJesu uyabonakala futhi uyangeneka. Amazwi nesibonelo Sakhe kungaqondwa, kuthathwe ekuphileni komuntu, alingiswe, futhi aphile.

Ngezinga abantu abenza ngalo lokhu, badlula eNdodaneni ebonakalayo, uJesu, oyiqiniso laphezulu emhlabeni, baya kuBaba ongabonakali ongubuhle baphezulu. Ngakho-ke, lapho uJesu ethi, “akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami,” ukhuluma ngokufika esimweni lapho iqiniso nobuhle kuhlanganiswe khona. Asikwazi ukusondela esimweni sothando lwangempela ngaphandle kokuba siqale siphile ngokweqiniso laphakade. Khona-ke, ukuya kuBaba ngoJesu kusho, kalula nje ukuzwa izibusiso zobuhle baphezulu (okuthiwa “uBaba”) ngokuphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso laphezulu uJesu alifundisayo (elibizwa ngokuthi “iNdodana”). 10

Kodwa akufanele sithathe lokhu njengokusho ukuthi uYise neNdodana bamane bamane bamane nje bamane nje bangabonakali. UNkulunkulu weza emhlabeni uqobo Lwakhe—enyameni—ngaphansi kwegama likaJesu Kristu. UNkulunkulu ongapheli, ongaziwa wazibonakalisa engumuntu wobuNkulunkulu othanda, ofundisayo, ohluphekayo, futhi ohlala phakathi kwabantu Bakhe njengaLowo okhonzayo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, umphefumulo kaJesu ongaphakathi, umthombo wokuphila ngokwawo, uhlale unguNkulunkulu, ongenasiphelo, futhi akahlukaniseki.


“Ukube ubungazi Mina…”


Ngemva kokutshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi akakho ongeza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuthi ngaye, uJesu uthi, “Ukube beningazile Mina, ngabe nimazile noBaba.”Johane 14:7). Ngamanye amazwi, ukube babazi ngempela, baqonda, futhi baphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso uJesu alifundisa, babeyokwazi futhi bezwe ubuhle obungaphakathi eqinisweni. Abafundi, nokho, abakakuqondi lokhu okwamanje. Phela, uJesu akakaze abatshele ngokuqondile ukuthi unguNkulunkulu osenyameni. Ngakho-ke, kuyaqondakala ukuthi abafundi basacabanga ngoJesu noYise njengabantu abahlukene. Ngakho, uFiliphu uthi, “Nkosi, sibonise uYihlo, futhi kusanele” (Johane 14:8).

Okushiwo yisicelo sikaFiliphu ukuthi uJesu ngandlela-thile uzomethula komunye umuntu okuthiwa “uBaba.” Lokhu, impela, akunakwenzeka, ngoba uBaba usevele ekhona kuJesu njengothando olungapheli nozwelo. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uthi, “Sengibe nani isikhathi esingaka, kodwa awukangazi, Filiphu? Ongibonile Mina umbonile uBaba.... Awukholwa yini ukuthi mina ngikuBaba, noBaba ukiMi na? (Johane 14:9-10).

Lapho uJesu ethi ukuBaba futhi uBaba ukuYe, ukhuluma ngobudlelwane obufanayo phakathi kobuhle neqiniso. Lapho behlangene, ubuhle bungaphakathi kweqiniso, futhi iqiniso lingaphakathi kobuhle. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngomzali otshela ingane ukuba ihlale egcekeni, idle ukudla okunempilo, noma ilale ngesikhathi esifanele. Lapho la “maqiniso” enobuhle ngaphakathi kuwo, avela othandweni.

Iqiniso lokuthi ingane kufanele ihlale egcekeni liqukethe uthando lomzali lokuvikela ingane engozini. Iqiniso lokuthi ingane kufanele idle ukudla okunempilo futhi ilale ngesikhathi esifanele liqukethe uthando lomzali ngempilo nenhlalakahle yengane. Lobu ubuhle obungaphakathi kweqiniso, uthando ngaphakathi kwamazwi. Ngokufanayo, uthando nobuhle kuphakathi kwawo wonke amaqiniso akhulunywa uJesu, futhi lonke iqiniso uJesu alikhulumayo livela othandweni. Yilokhu uJesu akushoyo lapho ethi, “NgikuBaba, noBaba ukiMi.”

Lokhu akusebenzi emazwini akhulunywa nguJesu kuphela, kodwa nasemisebenzini ayenzayo. Konke uJesu akushoyo nakwenzayo kuvela othandweni olungcwele ngaphakathi Kwakhe alubiza ngokuthi, “uBaba.” Njengoba uJesu esho, “Amazwi engiwakhuluma kini angiwakhulumi ngokwami; kodwa uBaba ohlezi kimi wenza imisebenzi” (Johane 14:10). UJesu uthi amazwi Akhe nemisebenzi Yakhe kumunye nothando Lwakhe. Uthando, uJesu alubiza ngokuthi “uBaba,” luyisikhuthazo esikhulu, umfutho waphezulu ozala yonke imiqondo emihle nezenzo zomusa.

UJesu wabe esethi, “Kholwani Yimi ukuthi ngikuBaba, noBaba ukimi, noma kholwani Kimi ngenxa yemisebenzi ngokwayo” (Johane 14:11). Ngisho noma uFiliphu engakwazi ukuqonda ngokugcwele ukuthi uJesu noYise bamunye kanjani, kufanele akhumbule imisebenzi emangalisayo eyenziwa uJesu, imisebenzi eyayingenakufezwa ngaphandle kobunkulunkulu obuhlala ngaphakathi Kwakhe. Kungalesi sizathu ukuthi phakathi kwamagama amaningi achaza uJesu, elinye lawokuqala lithi “Omangalisayo.” Njengoba kulotshiwe emibhalweni yesiHeberu, “Igama lakhe liyobizwa ngokuthi ‘oMangalisayo, uMluleki, uNkulunkulu onamandla, uYise ongunaphakade, iNkosi yokuthula’”Isaya 9:6). 11


Isicelo esingokoqobo


UJesu uqala inkulumo yakhe yokuvalelisa ngokuthi kubafundi bakhe: “Niyakholwa kuNkulunkulu. kholwani nayiMi.” Njengoba isiqephu siqhubeka, uJesu wenza konke Angakwenza ukuze asize abafundi Bakhe baqonde ukuthi Yena noBaba bamunye, hhayi njengoba abantu ababili abanohlelo olufanayo bemunye, kodwa ngendlela yokuthi ubuhle neqiniso kumunye. Ukuze sisebenzise isifaniso, uJesu noYise bamunye ngendlela ukushisa nokukhanya kumunye elangabini lekhandlela. Lo mbono, wokuthi uJesu akayena nje umlingane noYise, kodwa empeleni ungomunye noYise, ubalulekile. Kusisiza siqonde ukuthi uJesu akayona nje iqhawe okufanele silincome, noma isibonelo okufanele silingise. Uyinyama kaNkulunkulu ophilayo. Uma singakukholwa lokhu, amazwi Akhe anamandla alinganiselwe ekuphileni kwethu. Kodwa uma sikholwa ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu osesimweni somuntu ekhuluma nathi, kunamandla amangalisayo emazwini Akhe. Njengokusebenza okungokoqobo, thatha isitatimende esisodwa nje esinikezwe kuze kube manje kulesi sahluko futhi usivumele sikhulume nawe ngamandla angcwele. Ngokwesibonelo, “Inhliziyo yenu mayingakhathazeki,” noma “Akekho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kokuba eze ngami,” noma “Lapho ngikhona nani niyoba khona.” Njengoba uJesu asho ngaphambili kulelivangeli, “Amazwi engiwakhuluma kini angumoya, angukuphila” (Johane 6:63).


Imisebenzi Emikhulu


12. Amen, amen, ngithi kini: Okholwa yimi, imisebenzi engiyenzayo mina naye uyakuyenza, nemikhulu kunale uyakuyenza, ngokuba mina ngiya kuBaba.

13 Noma yini eniyakukucela egameni lami ngiyakukwenza ukuba uBaba akhazimuliswe eNdodaneni.

14 Uma nicela utho egameni lami, ngolwenza.


Amazwi okuqala enkulumo yokuvalelisa agxile enkolelweni. UJesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Niyakholwa kuNkulunkulu. kholwani nakimi” (Johane 14:1). Njengoba inkulumo iqhubeka, uJesu uchaza izinzuzo zokukholelwa. Uthi, “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Okholwa yimi, imisebenzi engiyenzayo mina naye uyakuyenza; nemikhulu kunale uyakuyenza, ngokuba ngiya kuBaba.”Johane 14:12).

UJesu usevele wenza izimangaliso eziningi kuleli vangeli. Uphendule amanzi aba yiwayini, welapha indodana yesikhulu, wabangela ukuba indoda ekhubazekile ihambe, wasuthisa abantu abayizinkulungwane ezinhlanu ngezinkwa ezinhlanu nezinhlanzi ezimbili, wahamba phezu kolwandle, wavula amehlo empumputhe, futhi wavusa uLazaru kwabafileyo. Nokho, uJesu uthembisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi bayokwenza izimangaliso ezinkulu kunalezi.

Nakuba izimangaliso uJesu azenza zazimelela izimiso ezingokomoya, nokho, zaziyizimangaliso ezingokwenyama. Ngakho-ke, lapho uJesu etshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi bayokwenza imisebenzi emikhulu, wayethi bayokwenza izimangaliso kwelinye izinga. Bayovula amehlo ayizimpumputhe ngokomoya ukuze abantu bakwazi ukuzibonela ngokwabo iqiniso. Bazokhuthaza abantu abakhubazekilengokomoya ukuba bahambe endleleni yemithetho. Bazogqugquzela abantu abafile ngokomoya ukuthi bavukele ukuphila okuvusiwe kwenkonzo engenabugovu. Bayosiza abantu ukuba bayeke ukuzikhathaza ngezinto zemvelo ukuze bajabulele izibusiso zokuphila okusha lapho ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nokuthanda abanye kuyoba into eza kuqala kubo. Ngazo zonke lezi zindlela bayokwenza “imisebenzi emikhulu”—imisebenzi engokomoya emikhulu kakhulu kunezimangaliso zasemhlabeni. 12

Kodwa ukuze benze lemisebenzi emikhulu, abafundi kuyodingeka bathandaze egameni likaJesu: “Noma yini eniyakukucela egameni laMi,” ubatshela, “ngiyokwenza.” Futhi, “Uma nicela utho ngegama lami, ngolwenza” (Johane 14:13-14). “Igama leNkosi” limelela zonke izimfanelo zaphezulu esizihlanganisa noNkulunkulu onothando, ohlakaniphile, nesihe, osikhathalela ngokujulile, futhi ongasoze asishiya. Ngakho-ke, ukucela noma yini “egameni leNkosi” kuwukuba sesimweni sengqondo lapho sifisa ngomthandazo ukuba izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu zibe kithi. Lokhu kuyisidingo sokuqala esibalulekile sokwenza “izinto ezinkulu.” 13


“Ngoba ngiya kuBaba”


UJesu uthembise abafundi bakhe ukuthi bayokwenza izinto ezinkulu ngoba ‘uya kuBaba. Uma uthi nhlá, lokhu kubonakala kuwukuphikisa. Ukuhamba Kwakhe kuzokwenza kanjani ukuthi benze izinto ezinkulu? Uma kukhona, kubonakala sengathi amakhono abo abezoncishiswa ukungabibikho Kwakhe, hhayi ukuthuthukiswa. Kodwa inkulumo ethi, “ukuya kuBaba,” inencazelo ekhethekile. Kusho ukuthi nakuba uJesu engeke esaba nabafundi bakhe ngokwenyama, uzobe ekhona nabo ngokomoya. Ukusho okuhlukile, uJesu ngeke esaba nabo; kunalokho Uyoba ngaphakathi kubo. Uyoba phakathi kwabo njengobukhona obunothando, obuhlakaniphile, obungaphakathi, ugqozi oluthule phakathi kwazo zonke izenzo zenkonzo.

Eminyakeni emithathu edlule, uJesu ubenabafundi bakhe. Ubelokhu ebaqondisa, ebafundisa, ebafanekisa, futhi ebayala ngamazwi nangezenzo Zakhe. Kodwa siyeza isikhathi lapho ezoba nabo ezingeni elijulile, elingaphakathi kakhulu. Nakuba engeke esaba nabo ngokwenyama, uzobe ephakathi kwabo ngokomoya. Konke lokhu kuqukethwe umusho onencazelo, “ngoba ngiya kuBaba.” Ngolimi lwemibhalo engcwele, “uBaba” ungumthombo walo lonke uthando nabo bonke ubuhle. Lowo ohlala othandweni nasebuhleni, evuma uNkulunkulu futhi ethanda umakhelwane, uhlala kuBaba futhi uBaba uhlala kulowo muntu. Lobu ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu bangaphakathi. 14


Isicelo esiwusizo


Sonke siqala ukuphila sincike ngokuphelele kulabo abanathi. Ingane ifunda ukuhamba ngokubamba isandla somzali. Kodwa kufika isikhathi lapho ingane idedela isandla somzali bese iqala ukuhamba. Umculi osemusha uhlezi eduze kukathisha ebhentshini lepiyano. Kodwa ngosuku lokudlalwa kwepiyano, umculi osemusha wenza ngaphandle kosizo lothisha. Umfundi wezokwelapha uchitha unyaka noma ngaphezulu njengomfundi ofundela umsebenzi efunda ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukadokotela ohlinzayo. Ekuqaleni, udokotela ohlinzayo wayekhona ngokoqobo ngesikhathi ehlinzwa, efundisa futhi esiza lowo oqeqeshwayo. Udokotela ohlinzayo kanye nomfundi. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi siyofika isikhathi lapho lowo oqeqeshelwa umsebenzi ezohlinza ngaphandle kosizo olungokwenyama lukadokotela ohlinzayo. Nakuba udokotela ohlinzayo engasekho ekamelweni, amakhono nezimo zengqondo zikadokotela oqondisayo zingase zibe khona ngaphakathi komfundi osephenduke udokotela ohlinzayo. Ngakho-ke, njengesenzo esingokoqobo, yenza imisebenzi yakho yansuku zonke unomcabango engqondweni othi, “UNkulunkulu akanami nje; uNkulunkulu uphakathi kwaMi.” Yilokhu uJesu ayekucabanga lapho etshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi babeyokwenza izinto ezinkulu ngoba ‘uya kuBaba. Wayezoba phakathi kwabo njengomthombo wothando nokuhlakanipha kwabo. Noma nini lapho wenza imisebenzi yothando kanye nesisa, uDokotela Omkhulu ungaphakathi kuwe wenza ukuhlinzwa okukhulu kunakho konke—ususa inhliziyo yetshe ngobumnene esikhundleni sayo ngenhliziyo yenyama. Ifa elisha liyathuthukiswa kuwe. Izindaba ezinhle ukuthi uthola ukubamba iqhaza kule nqubo ngenkathi iNkosi iqondisa ukusebenza ngaphakathi. 15


Uma Ningithanda, Gcinani Imiyalo Yami


15. Uma ningithanda, gcinani imiyalo Yami.

16. Ngiyakucela kuBaba, aninike omunye uMduduzi, ukuze ahlale kini kuze kube phakade;

17. Umoya weQiniso, izwe elingewemukeli, ngokuba lingawuboni, lingawazi; kodwa lina liyakwazi, ngoba lihlala kini njalo lizakuba kini.

18. Angiyikunishiya niyizintandane; ngiza kuwe.

19 Kuseyisikhashana izwe lingabe lisangibona, kepha nina niyangibona; ngoba ngiphila mina, lani lizaphila.

20 Ngalolo suku niyakukwazi nina ukuthi ngikuBaba, nani nikiMi, nami ngikini.

21. Lowo onemiyalo Yami, ayigcine, nguyena ongithandayo; futhi ongithandayo uyothandwa nguBaba waMi, nami ngiyomthanda, futhi ngiyozibonakalisa Mina uqobo kuye.

22. Wathi kuye uJudasi Iskariyothe, Nkosi, kwenzekeni ukuba usuzibonakalise kithi, ungazibonakalisi ezweni na?

23. UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Uma umuntu engithanda, uyakugcina izwi lami, noBaba uyakumthanda, futhi siyakuza kuye, sihlale naye.

24 Ongangithandiyo akagcini amazwi aMi; nezwi enilizwayo akusilo elami, kodwa ngoBaba abangithumileyo.

25. Lezi zinto ngizikhulume kini ngihlezi nani.


UJesu wathembisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi bazokwenza imisebenzi emikhulu. Kodwa ukuze benze kanjalo, kwakuyodingeka babize Kuye ngomthandazo, bacele zonke izinto “egameni laKhe.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi kuzodingeka bacele izimfanelo ezitholakala futhi ezihlotshaniswa nokholo nothando. Ngokwabo bonke ubufakazi bukaJesu, yayinye kuphela indlela yokubonisa uthando lwabo nokholo lwabo Kuye. Njengoba uJesu esho evesini elilandelayo, “Uma ningithanda, gcinani imiyalo yami” (Johane 14:15). 16

Inkulumo ethi, “Uma ningithanda, gcinani imiyalo Yami” nethi “Uma umuntu engithanda. Uyogcina izwi Lami,” kuphindaphindwa kaningi kuyo yonke inkulumo kaJesu yokuvalelisa (bheka Johane 14:21, 23, 24; futhi Johane 15:10). Lawa magama ahlanganisa okungaphezu nje kokwazi imiyalo, noma ukuyiqonda, noma ukuxoxa ngayo. Okubaluleke kakhulu, zibandakanya ukuzivuma, futhi uma ithuba livela, ukwenze. 17

Yebo, akunakwenzeka ukugcina imiyalo ngokwethu. Kudingeka sicele uNkulunkulu ukuba asiphe amandla okwenza kanjalo. Kungakho uJesu manje ebanikeza isithembiso esilandelayo: “Mina ngiyakucela kuBaba, aninike omunye uMduduzi, ukuze ahlale kini phakade, uMoya weqiniso izwe elingemamukele, ngokuba lingamboni. futhi akamazi; kepha nina niyamazi, ngokuba uhlala nani, uyakuba kini.”Johane 14:16-17).

UJesu utshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi sebemazi kakade uMoya weqiniso, ngoba “uhlala nani” (Johane 14:17). UJesu ukhuluma Ngaye, ngoba ngempela unabo ngaleso sikhathi, ehlala nabo. Kodwa futhi uthembisa ukuthi uma behlala bethembekile, bephila ngokuvumelana nemithetho Yakhe futhi bethembela Kuye, ngeke nje abe nabo, kodwa uyoba kubo. Ngalokhu usho ukuthi ngemva kokuba esesukile ebukhoneni babo benyama, Uyoba nabo ngomoya, njengoMoya weqiniso. “Angiyikunishiya niyizintandane,” usho kanje. "Ngizoza kuwe" (Johane 14:18).

UJesu uthi lapho efika kubo futhi, uyofika njengoMoya weqiniso. Kuyisithembiso sokuthi uzoza kubo uqobo futhi abe nabo ngezindlela ababengakaze bazicabange. Uyoza kubo njengobukhona bangaphakathi, egcwalisa izinhliziyo zabo ngothando, evula izingqondo zabo ekuqondeni okuphakeme, ebakhuthaza ukuba bagcine imiyalo Yakhe, futhi ebanikeza amandla okwenza lokho.

Kuyisithembiso esihle, futhi uJesu uyasenza ngaphambi nje kokusuka Kwakhe. Njengoba ekubeka, “Kuseyisikhashana izwe lingabe lisangibona; kodwa nizongibona” (Johane 14:19). Ngamanye amazwi, lapho uJesu engasabonakali kulabo ababona izinto zalomhlaba kuphela, uyobe esabonakala kulabo ababuka ngale kwezinto zalomhlaba ezintweni zomoya.

Kwelinye izinga, uJesu utshela abafundi Bakhe ukuthi uzovuka ethuneni futhi eze kubo ngemva kokubethelwa esiphambanweni. Nakuba izwe “lalingeke lisambona,” abafundi Bakhe bazombona enkazimulweni Yakhe evusiwe. Kwabaningi, ubufakazi bovuko buyoqinisekisa ukukholelwa—hhayi kuJesu kuphela, kodwa ngokoqobo nokuphila ngemva kwethuna. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Ngokuba ngiphila, nani nizakuphila” (Johane 14:19). Futhi uyanezela, “Ngalolo suku niyakukwazi nina ukuthi ngikuBaba, nani nikiMi, nami ngikini.”Johane 14:20). Isimangaliso sovuko siyoletha isiqinisekiso sobuNkulunkulu bukaJesu kanye nesithembiso sokuphila okuphakade.

Kwelinye izinga, uJesu ukhuluma futhi ngokuzimisela ukugcina imiyalo Yakhe. Ngezinga esenza ngalo kanjalo, siyozwa ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu ezimpilweni zethu. Eqinisweni ngokomoya, lapho sizama ukugcina imiyalelo Yakhe, sivula indlela yokuba uNkulunkulu eze kithi futhi ahlale ngaphakathi kwethu. Yingakho uJesu eqhubeka ethi, “Lowo onemiyalo Yami futhi ayigcine, nguyena ongithandayo. Ongithandayo uyothandwa nguBaba, nami ngiyomthanda futhi ngizibonakalise kuye.”Johane 14:21). 18

Lapho ebuzwa, “Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu?” (Johane 14:22), UJesu uyaqhubeka egcizelela ukubaluleka kokugcina imiyalo. Uthi, “Uma umuntu engithanda, uyakugcina izwi Lami; futhi uBaba wami uyomthanda, futhi siyoza kuye futhi sihlale naye.”Johane 14:23). Ngezinga esiphila ngalo ngokuvumelana nezimfundiso zikaJesu, iqiniso laphezulu nothando lwaphezulu kuyoba nathi futhi kuhlale kithi. Nokho, uma singaphili ngokwemithetho noma singagcini amazwi Akhe, kodwa kunalokho siphila ngobugovu, kuyinkomba yokuthi asimthandi uNkulunkulu. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Lowo ongangithandiyo akawagcini amazwi Ami” (Johane 14:24).

UJesu ube esenxusa okokugcina, etshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi amazwi awakhulumayo avela othandweni. Ngolimi lwemibhalo engcwele, Ukubeka kanje: “Izwi enilizwayo akusilo elami, kodwa ngelikaBaba ongithumileyo” (Johane 14:24). Ngamafuphi, uJesu uthi imiyalo, evula indlela eya ezulwini futhi isiqondise enjabulweni yokuphila okuphakade, iphuma kuyo kanye inhliziyo yothando. 19

Kuyamangaza ikakhulukazi ukuthi kuMathewu, uMarku, kanye noLuka uJesu ukhuluma ngokungaguquki ekugcineni imiyalo nokwazi imiyalo (bheka ngokwesibonelo, Mathewu 19:16; Marku 10:19; futhi Luka 18:20). EVangelini NgokukaJohane, nokho, uJesu ukhuluma ngokugcina imiyalo Yami. “Uma ningithanda,” usho, “gcinani imiyalo yaMi.” Futhi, “Uma umuntu eNgithanda, Uyogcina iZwi laMi.” Imiyalo ayikashintshi. KuseyiMithetho Eyishumi. Zisitshela ukuthi singayithanda kanjani iNkosi, nothando umakhelwane. Okushintshile ukuthi lapha, eVangelini NgokukaJohane, uJesu uzichaza njengoMlobi wemiyalo—imithetho efanayo neyalotshwa eminyakeni eyinkulungwane ngaphambili “ngomunwe kaNkulunkulu” ( 2 1:1-5 )Eksodusi 31:18).

Nakulokhu futhi, uJesu ubonisa ukuthi Yena noYise baMunye.


Isithembiso sikaMoya oNgcwele


26 UMduduzi, uMoya oNgcwele, uBaba ayakumthumela egameni lami, yena uyakunifundisa konke, anikhumbuze konke enginitshele khona.

27 Ukuthula nginishiyela khona, ukuthula kwami ngininika khona; akunjengokupha kwezwe, ngiyaninika nina. Inhliziyo yenu mayingakhathazeki, ingesabi;

28. Nizwile ukuthi ngithe kini: Ngiyamuka, futhi ngiza kini; Uma beningithanda, beniyakujabula, ngokuba ngithe ngiya kuBaba, ngokuba uBaba mkhulu kunami.

29. Manje nginitshelile kungakenzeki, ukuze, nxa sekwenzeka, nikholwe.

30. Angisayikukhuluma izinto eziningi nani, ngokuba uyeza umbusi waleli zwe, kepha akanalutho Kimi.

31 Kodwa ukuze izwe lazi ukuthi ngiyamthanda uBaba, nokuthi njengokuba uBaba engiyalile, ngenza njalo. Vukani, sisuke lapha.


Lesi sahluko saqala ngala mazwi, “Inhliziyo yenu mayingakhathazeki” (Johane 14:1). Kwakuwumyalezo wesiqinisekiso esizolile, oza ngemva nje kwenkathi enzima kubafundi. UJesu wayesanda kusho ukuthi uJuda wayezomkhaphela, nokuthi uPetru wayezomphika, nokuthi wayezoshiya abafundi Bakhe isikhashana. Eqaphela ukuthi abafundi bakhe badidekile futhi bethukile, uJesu uthi kubo: “Lezi zinto ngizikhulume kini ngisenani. Kodwa uMduduzi, uMoya oNgcwele, uBaba azowuthumela egameni lami, uzonifundisa zonke izinto, futhi anikhumbuze konke engikushilo kini.”Johane 14:26).

Endabeni yabafundi, uMoya oNgcwele uzobakhumbuza zonke izinto abazifundile phakathi neminyaka emithathu benoJesu. UJesu ngeke esasukuma phambi kwabo, ebatshela lokho okufanele bakucabange nalokho okumelwe bakwenze. Kunalokho, uyoba phakathi kwabo njengoMoya weqiniso—uMoya oNgcwele—ubasiza ukuba basuse enkumbulweni yabo lezo zimfundiso eziyoba usizo kakhulu kunoma yisiphi isimo.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMoya oNgcwele uzokwembula ukuqonda ngencazelo yamazwi kaJesu okuyoqhubeka kujula kulo lonke iphakade. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi amazwi kaNkulunkulu aqukethe ukujula kokuhlakanipha okungapheli. Ukwembulwa kwala maqiniso ajule ngokuqhubekayo kuyosiza abafundi ukuba bafunde, futhi bakhule, futhi baqhubeke bebona ukusetshenziswa okwengeziwe kwala maqiniso ekuphileni kwabo. Kuzophinde kubanike amandla okuphila ngokwale mibono eyandayo. Kungakho uJesu ethi, “Ngiyakukhuleka kuBaba, aninike omunye uMduduzi [uMoya oNgcwele] oyakuhlala nani phakade” (Johane 14:16). 20

Empeleni, uMoya oNgcwele yiwo ophuma ekuhlanganisweni kothando olungcwele nokuhlakanipha kobunkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokhu, singathola ubukhona obuseduze nakakhulu bukaNkulunkulu, ukuqonda okujulile kweZwi Lakhe, nomuzwa wokuthula omkhulu. Ukuthula kwangaphakathi okungatholakala kuphela lapho amathonya esihogo enqotshwa futhi enziwa athule, avumele amathonya asezulwini ageleze futhi ahlale nathi. Ngakho-ke, uJesu uthi, “Ukuthula ngikushiya kinina, ukuthula kwami ngininika khona; angininiki njengokupha kwezwe. UJesu ube esephinda amazwi okuqala alesi sahluko: “Inhliziyo yenu mayingakhathazeki.” Futhi Uyanezela, “futhi ningesabi” (Johane 14:27). 21

Abafundi akudingeki besabe ukuthi uJesu useyahamba, ngoba uthembisa ukuthi uzobuya. Njengoba esho, “Ningizwile ngithi kini, Ngiyahamba futhi ngibuyela kini” (Johane 14:28). UJesu ufuna baqonde ukuthi ukuhamba Kwakhe kuyadingeka, nokuthi uma bemthanda ngokweqiniso, ngeke badabuke, kodwa bayojabula. Uthi: “Uma beningithanda, beniyakujabula, ngokuba ngithe, Ngiya kuBaba, ngokuba uBaba mkhulu kunami” (Johane 14:28).

Uma uJesu ethi “uya kuBaba,” kusho ukuthi usemkhankasweni wokuhlanganisa ubuntu Bakhe nobuNkulunkulu Bakhe. Kulowo nalowo kithi, lena inqubo yokuhlanganisa iqiniso esilifundile nothando oluvela kulo. Lokhu kuqala, okokuqala, ngokwazi iqiniso. Lokhu kubaluleke kakhulu, kodwa ukuphila ngokweqiniso kubaluleke nakakhulu. Uthando luwumgomo, inhloso, isiphetho ekubukeni. Futhi iqiniso liyindlela yokufika lapho. Ngezinga esiphila ngalo ngokuvumelana neqiniso, sithola uthando lukaBaba. Ngakho-ke, yilokhu uJesu akushoyo lapho ethi, ‘Ngiya kuBaba,’ ngoba uBaba mkhulu kunami” (Johane 14:28).” 22

Ngokufanayo, noma nini lapho silwela ukufaka iqiniso ekuphileni kwethu, ‘siya kuBaba. Lokhu kusho ukuthi sesingena esimweni sothando. Nakuba lokhu kungaba inqubo enzima, iyadingeka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuholela enjabulweni ephakeme kakhulu. Uma abafundi bekwazi lokhu, futhi uma bebazi injabulo yokukhula ngokomoya, babengeke bajabule kuphela—babeyokholwa futhi. Njengoba uJesu esho, “Konke lokhu nginitshelile kungakenzeki, ukuze, lapho sekwenzekile, nikholwe.”Johane 14:29).

Kulowo nalowo kithi, ukukhula ngokomoya kuhilela ngempela ubunzima obungokomoya. Ububi obuzuzwayo nobuzuziwe kumele bunqotshwe ukuze kuzalwe imvelo entsha kithi. Kuyafana nakuJesu. Naye, kuye kwadingeka abhekane nezilingo ezinzima ukuze anqobe imvelo yofuzo ayizuza ngokuzalwa komuntu. Nakuba Usevele wabhekana nezimpi eziningi ohlelweni lokunqoba izihogo kanye nokukhazimulisa ubuntu Bakhe, impi yokugcina ewumvuthwandaba isaqhubeka. Ukuboshwa kwakhe, ukuhlushwa, nokubethelwa kwakhe kusasele amahora ambalwa. Njengoba uJesu asho, “umbusi wezwe uyeza” (Johane 14:30). 23

Azi ukuthi ihora Lakhe lokugcina liyasondela, uJesu uyabona ukuthi unesikhathi samazwi ambalwa okugcina kuphela—amazwi ambalwa okugcina ukuze akhumbuze abafundi Bakhe, futhi, ukuthi umsebenzi wabo ophakeme kakhulu uwukugcina imiyalo Yakhe njengesenzo sothando kuNkulunkulu. . Yilokhu kanye uJesu ahlose ukukwenza. Njengoba ekubeka, “Ukuze izwe lazi ukuthi ngiyamthanda uBaba, nokuthi njengoba uBaba engiyale, ngenza kanjalo.” (Johane 14:31). UJesu uzoqhubeka efundisa ngesibonelo. Futhi ngezinga abafundi Bakhe abalandela ngalo isibonelo sikaJesu, bethanda abanye njengoba Yena ebathanda, izinhliziyo zabo ngeke zikhathazeke, futhi bayoba nokuthula.

Kungaleso sikhathi kuphela, ngokugcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu, lapho singashiya khona izimo ezinezinkinga futhi sikhuphukele emazingeni aphezulu. Njengoba uJesu esho emazwini okuphetha alengxenye yenkulumo yokuvalelisa, “Sukumani, sisuke lapha” (Johane 14:31).


Isicelo esingokoqobo


EmaVangelini amathathu okuqala, uJesu uyabuzwa, “Yimuphi umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke na?” Ephendula, uJesu uthi: “Woyithanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho.” Bese uyanezela, “Owesibili ofana nawo: Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena” (bheka Mathewu 22:37-39; Marku 12:28-31; Luka 10:27). Nakuba le mithetho emibili ichaza izigaba ezimbili ezinkulu zothando—ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nokuthanda umakhelwane—ayingeni esikhundleni seMithetho Eyishumi. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi iMithetho Eyishumi iyasikhombisa indlela yokuthanda. Sithanda uNkulunkulu ngokungabi nabanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle Kwakhe, ngokungaliphathi ngeze igama lakhe, nangokukhumbula isabatha. Sithanda umakhelwane wethu ngokuhlonipha ubaba nomama wethu, singabulali, singafebi, singebi, singaqambi amanga, singafisi. Le mithetho engaphelelwa yisikhathi, eyanikezwa entabeni yaseSinayi, iphindwaphindwa futhi yajula emavangelini. Ngakho-ke, njengendlela engokoqobo, bonisa uthando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu nangomakhelwane wakho ngokugcina imiyalo yaKhe, hhayi nje ngezinga elingokoqobo, kodwa futhi ngezinga elijulile. Ngokwesibonelo, sebenzisa umyalo wokungabulali ngokungasho lutho olugxeka kunoma ubani noma nganoma ubani. Ungabulali isithunzi somuntu ngokuhleba okuyize. Ungabulali injabulo yomuntu. Ungabacekeli phansi abantu. Kunalokho, ake amazwi akho adlule emasangweni amathathu: “Ingabe kunomusa?” "Ingabe kuliqiniso?" “Ingabe iwusizo?” Khona-ke, ngosizo lweNkosi, ube umuntu ophakamisa abanye. Yiba umgcini womyalo. Yiba umnikezeli wempilo. Njengoba uJesu asho, “Uma ningithanda, gcinani imiyalo Yami.”


Footnotes:

1Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 9: “Asikho isizwe emhlabeni wonke, esinenkolo nesizathu esizwakalayo, esingavumi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, nokuthi munye. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi kukhona ukungena okungcwele emiphefumulweni yabo bonke abantu … umyalo wangaphakathi wokuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu nokuthi munye. Noma kunjalo bakhona abaphikayo ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona. Kunalokho, bavuma imvelo njengonkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kukhona labo abakhonza onkulunkulu abambalwa, nalabo abamisa izithombe zonkulunkulu. Isizathu salokhu siwukuthi baye bavala ingaphakathi lokuqonda kwabo ngezinto zezwe nezenyama, futhi ngalokho baye bawuqeda umqondo wakudala kaNkulunkulu owawungowabo besewusana, bekhipha yonke inkolo ezinhliziyweni zabo ngesikhathi esifanayo.”

2Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 2048: Igama elithi, ‘indlu kaNkulunkulu’ ngomqondo wendawo yonke lisho umbuso weNkosi.” Bhekafuthi I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 220: “UJesu wathi kwabathengisa ethempelini: ‘Ningayenzi indlu kaBaba ibe yindlu yokuthengisela’ …. Emahubo kulotshiwe ukuthi: “Ngikhethe ukuma ngasemnyango endlini kaNkulunkulu wami kunokuba ngihlale ematendeni ababi.AmaHubo 84:10)…. Futhi, ‘Abatshalwe endlini kaJehova bayomila emagcekeni kaNkulunkulu wethu.AmaHubo 92:13)…. Futhi kuJohane: UJesu wathi, ‘Endlini kaBaba kukhona izindlu eziningi’ (Johane 14:2). Kusobala ukuthi kulezi zindima, ngokuthi ‘indlu kaJehova’ ‘nendlu kaBaba’ izulu lichazwa.”

3I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 638:13: “‘Indlu’ ifanekisela ingqondo engokomoya.” Bhekafuthi I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 240:4: “‘Indlu’ ifanekisela umuntu ewonke, nezinto ezikumuntu, kanjalo lezo zinto eziphathelene nokuqonda nentando yomuntu.” Bhekafuthi Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 7353: “Abantu basendulo bafanisa ingqondo yomuntu nendlu, futhi lezo zinto ezingaphakathi kwengqondo yomuntu namakamelo angaphakathi endlini. Impela ingqondo yomuntu inje; ngoba izinto ezikuyo zihlukene, zifaniswa nendlu ehlukene phakathi.” Bhekafuthi I-Arcana Coelestia 8054:3: “Ububi bulokhu buzama ukuhlasela izindawo lapho abalungile bekhona, futhi empeleni buyazihlasela ngokushesha nje lapho zingagcwaliswa ngokuhle.”

4Inhlakanipho Yobungelosi 203: “Umuntu akaboni lutho lokuphatha kukaJehova endaweni yonke. Ukube abantu bebengayibona, emehlweni abo ibingabonakala njengenqwaba ehlakazekile nezinqwaba zezinto zokwakha okuzokwakhiwa ngazo indlu. Nokho, uJehova usibheka njengesigodlo esihle kakhulu esakhiwa njalo futhi sandiswa.”

5Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 3637: “Abantu ezulwini kuthiwa ‘baseNkosini,’ ngempela basemzimbeni waYo; ngoba iNkosi iyizulu lonke, futhi ekubeni Kuyo wonke umuntu wabelwe isifunda nomsebenzi othile.” Bhekafuthi Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 3644: “Bonke abantu emhlabeni wonke banendawo ezulwini noma ngaphandle kwayo esihogweni. Nakuba abantu bengakwazi lokhu ngenkathi besaphila emhlabeni, nokho kuyiqiniso…. Ubuhle ababuthandayo neqiniso abalikholelwayo kunquma indawo yabo ezulwini.” Bhekafuthi Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 503: “Ukuphila kunikezwa wonke umuntu yiNkosi ngokusetshenziswa, ngokusetshenziswa, nangokusetshenziswa…. Ongenamsebenzi akanakuphila; ngoba konke okuyize kuyalahlwa…. Labo abathanda [iNkosi nomakhelwane babo] abajatshuliswa ukwazi nje kuphela, kodwa bajatshuliswa ukwenza okuhle nokuyiqiniso, okungukuthi, ukusetshenziswa.” Bhekafuthi Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 369: “Ukubambisana kwethu noNkulunkulu yikho okusinika insindiso nokuphila okuphakade.”

6I-Arcana Coelestia 1937:3: “Kwakukhona abanye ababeziphoqa futhi bamelana nobubi namanga. Ekuqaleni, babecabanga ukuthi bazenzele ngokwabo, ngamandla abo. Nokho, ngemva kwalokho bakhanyiselwa ukuze babone ukuthi umzamo wabo wawusuka eNkosini, ngisho nokuncane kunawo wonke amathonya alowo mzamo. Empilweni elandelayo, abantu abafana nalaba abakwazi ukuholwa imimoya emibi, kodwa baphakathi kwababusisiwe.”

7I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 911:17: “Nakuba iNkosi isebenza zonke izinto, futhi abantu bengasebenzi lutho ngokwabo, nokho iNkosi ithanda ukuthi abantu basebenze sengathi basuka mathupha kukho konke okufika ekuboneni kwabo. Ngoba ngaphandle kokubambisana komuntu njengokungathi kuvela kuye uqobo angeke kube khona ukwamukela iqiniso nokuhle, ngaleyo ndlela akukho ukutshalwa nokuzalwa kabusha.” Bhekafuthi I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 585:3: “Lapho abantu bebambisana neNkosi, okungukuthi, lapho becabanga futhi bekhuluma, bethanda futhi benza, eZwini lobuNkulunkulu, bagcinwa yiNkosi ezintweni zobunkulunkulu, futhi ngaleyo ndlela bagodliwe kubo; futhi lapho lokhu kuqhubeka kwakheka phakathi kwabo yiNkosi kube sengathi umuntu omusha, kokubili intando entsha nokuqonda okusha, okuhlukaniswe ngokuphelele nobuyena bangaphambili. Ngale ndlela, baba njengoba badalwa kabusha, futhi yilokhu okubizwa ngokuthi inguquko nokuzalwa kabusha ngamaqiniso avela eZwini, nangokuphila ngokuvumelana nawo.” Bhekafuthi Nothando Lobunkulunkulu Nenhlakanipho Yobunkulunkulu 431: “Lapho abantu benza imisebenzi yobizo lwabo ngobuqotho, ngobuqotho, ngokulunga, nangokwethembeka, okuhle komphakathi kugcinwa futhi kuqhubeke. Yilokhu okushiwo ‘ukuba seNkosini.’”

8I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 902:2-3: “Kunezinhlayiya ezimbili eziphikisanayo ezizungeza abantu, enye ivela esihogweni, enye ivela ezulwini. Kusuka esihogweni kunomkhakha wobubi nowamanga, futhi ezulwini kukhona umkhakha wokulunga noweqiniso…. Lezi zinhlaka zinomthelela emiqondweni yabantu ngoba ziyizindingana zomoya.” Bhekafuthi I-Arcana Coelestia 4464:3: “Abantu abaqapheli ukuthi bazungezwe yindilinga ethile kamoya ehambisana nempilo yothando lwabo, nokuthi ezingelosini le mbulunga izwakala kakhulu kunezinga lephunga elizwakala kahle kakhulu emhlabeni. Uma abantu bechithe ukuphila kwabo ezintweni zangaphandle nje, okungukuthi, enjabulweni evela enzondweni emelene nomakhelwane, impindiselo, unya, nokuphinga, ekuziphakamiseni nasekudeleleni abanye, nasekuphangeni, ekukhohliseni, nasekudleni ngokweqile [ ukuhaha], kanye nobunye ububi obufanayo, khona-ke indawo kamoya ebazungezile ingcolile njengoba injalo kulo mhlaba indawo yephunga elivela ezidumbu, ubulongwe, udoti onukayo, nokunye okunjalo…. Kodwa uma abantu bebesezintweni zangaphakathi, okusho ukuthi bezwa ukuthokozela umusa kanye nesisa kumakhelwane, futhi ngaphezu kwakho konke bezwe ukubusiseka othandweni eNkosini, bazungezwe indawo enokubonga nejabulisayo eyizwe. indawo yasezulwini uqobo.”

9I-Arcana Coelestia 6717:2: “Labo abavuselelwe bathanda ukuphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso.” Bhekafuthi I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 295:12: “Uthando lweNkosi lunabo lapho bethanda ukuphila ngokwemithetho Yakhe. Yilokhu okushiwo ukuthanda uJehova.”

10I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 349:8: “Amazwi athi, ‘Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila,’ ayeshiwo ngomuntu weNkosi; ngoba futhi uthi: ‘Akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwaMi.’ ‘UYise’ ungowaphezulu okuYe, okwakungowakhe uqobo. Bhekafuthi Ambulo sAmbuliwe 170: “‘UBaba’ uvame ukukhulunywa ngaye yiNkosi, okubhekiselwe ngaye kuyo yonke indawo uJehova, ayekuye nawayekuye, futhi owayekuYo, futhi akakaze ahlukanise nanoma yimuphi unkulunkulu ohlukanisiwe Naye…. INkosi yakhuluma ngoBaba, ngoba ngokuthi ‘uBaba’ ngomqondo ongokomoya kufanekiswa okuhle, futhi ‘ngoNkulunkulu uBaba’ kufanekiswa ubuhle baphezulu bothando lwaphezulu.”

11I-Arcana Coelestia 10125:3: “Umphefumulo weNkosi, uvela kuJehova, wawungenasiphelo, futhi wawungeyona enye into ngaphandle kokulunga kwaphezulu kothando lwaphezulu, futhi ngenxa yalokho ngemva kokukhazimuliswa koMuntu Wakhe wayengafani nomuntu womuntu.” Bhekafuthi Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 2005: “Ingaphakathi leNkosi lalivela kuYise, ngakho-ke lalinguBaba uqobo Lwakhe, futhi yingakho iNkosi ithi, 'uBaba ukuYe,' 'NgikuBaba, noBaba ukiMi,' futhi, 'Lowo ongibona Mina ubona uBaba; Mina noBaba simunye.” EZwini leTestamente Elidala, uJehova ubizwa ngokuthi ‘uYise,’ njengaku-Isaya: ‘Sizalelwa umntwana, siphiwe iNdodana futhi ukubusa kuyakuba phezu kwakhe. ihlombe; negama lakhe liyakuthiwa oMangalisayo, uMluleki, uNkulunkulu, iQhawe, uYise waphakade, iNkosi yokuthula’ (Isaya 9:6).”

12IJerusalema Elisha Nezimfundiso Zalo ZaseZulwini 7: “Ezulwini, zonke izinto zikhona esimweni sokuphelela okukhulu. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi bonke abakhona bangowomoya, futhi izinto zokomoya zedlula kakhulu ezemvelo ngokuphelela.”

13Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 9310: “Lowo ongazi ukuthi ‘igama’ lisho ukuthini ngomqondo ongaphakathi, angase acabange ukuthi lapho ‘igama likaJehova,’ ‘negama leNkosi,’ kukhulunywa ngalo eZwini, igama lodwa elishiwoyo; kanti nokho konke okuhle kothando nalo lonke iqiniso lokukholwa okuvela eNkosini kukhulunywa ngakho.” Bhekafuthi Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 300: “Ukuthi igama lanoma ubani alisho igama lakhe lodwa kodwa zonke izimfanelo zakhe, kubonakala ngokusetshenziswa kwamagama emhlabeni kamoya. Akukho muntu lapho ogcina igama elamukelwayo ekubhapathizweni, noma eloyise noma lozalo emhlabeni; kodwa wonke umuntu ubizwa ngesimilo somuntu, futhi izingelosi ziqanjwa ngokwempilo yazo yokuziphatha nengokomoya. Lokhu kuhloswe ngakho kula mazwi eNkosi: UJesu wathi, ‘Mina nginguMalusi Omuhle. Izimvu ziyalizwa izwi laKhe, futhi ubiza ezakhe izimvu ngamagama aziholele ngaphandle.’”

14Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 724: “INkosi ikhona phakathi kothando nothando, kodwa hhayi ngaphakathi kokholo oluhlukanisiwe [othandweni nothando]. Bhekafuthi I-Arcana Coelestia 3263:2: “Mayelana neBandla leNkosi likamoya, kufanele kuqashelwe ukuthi likhona emhlabeni wonke, ngoba alipheleli kulabo abaneZwi futhi abanolwazi lweZwi ngeNkosi namanye amaqiniso okholo. Likhona futhi phakathi kwalabo abangenalo iZwi ngakho-ke abayazi nhlobo iNkosi, futhi ngenxa yalokho abanalo ulwazi lwanoma yimaphi amaqiniso okholo…. Ngokuba phakathi kwalabo bantu baningi abazi ngokubona ukuthi kukhona uNkulunkulu oyedwa, ukuthi udale futhi ulondoloza zonke izinto; futhi futhi, ukuthi ungumthombo wakho konke okuhle, futhi ngenxa yalokho kwakho konke okuyiqiniso; nokuthi ukuba ngumfanekiso waKhe kwenza umuntu abusiswe. Futhi ngaphezu kwalokho, baphila ngokuvumelana nenkolo yabo, othandweni ngalowo Nkulunkulu nothando ngomakhelwane. Ngothando lokuhle benza imisebenzi yothando, futhi ngokuthanda iqiniso bakhonza uMuntu oPhakeme. Abantu abanjalo phakathi kwabezizwe basonta eBandleni leNkosi likamoya. Futhi nakuba bengayazi iNkosi ngesikhathi besezweni, nokho phakathi kwabo banokukhulekelwa nokuvuma okungokoqobo Ngaye lapho kukhona okuhle phakathi kwabo, ngoba uJehova ukhona phakathi kwakho konke okuhle. Ngalesi sizathu, bayayivuma iNkosi empilweni elandelayo ngaphandle kobunzima.”

15I-Apocalypse Yembulwa 796:2: “Ukuvuma nokukhonza kweNkosi, nokufundwa kweZwi, kubangela ubukhona beNkosi; kodwa laba ababili kanye nempilo ngokwemiyalo yaKhe basebenzelana naye.” Bhekafuthi Nomshado Wasezulwini 72: “Zimbili izinto ezakha ibandla kanjalo nezulu kumuntu: iqiniso lokukholwa kanye nokulunga kwempilo. Iqiniso lokukholwa liletha ubukhona beNkosi, futhi ubuhle bempilo ngokuhambisana namaqiniso okholo buletha ukusebenzelana Naye.”

16I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 433:2: “Ukuthanda iNkosi akukhona nje ukuyithanda njengokungathi ungumuntu, kodwa ukuphila ngokuvumelana nemiyalo yayo.” Bhekafuthi I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 981: “Ukuthanda iNkosi kusho uthando noma uthando lokwenza imiyalo Yakhe, ngaleyo ndlela uthando lokugcina imiyalo yeDicalogue. Ngokuba uma abantu bengaluthandi uthando noma uthando bekugcina futhi bakwenze kuze kube manje, bayayithanda iNkosi, ngoba bayaqaphela ukuthi le miyalo iNkosi inabo."

17I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 1099:3: “Ukuthanda iNkosi akusho ukuyithanda Yena njengoMuntu kuphela, ngoba uthando olunjalo, ngokwalo, aluhlanganisi abantu nezulu. Kunalokho, uthando lokulunga kobuNkulunkulu neqiniso laphezulu, okuyiNkosi esezulwini nasebandleni, luhlanganisa abantu nezulu. Laba ababili [ubuhle baphezulu neqiniso laphezulu] abathandi ngokubazi, ukucabanga ngabo, ukuqonda, nokukhuluma ngabo, kodwa ngokuvuma nokubenza ngenxa yesizathu sokuthi bayalwa yiNkosi, futhi kanjalo ngenxa yokuthi bayalwa. sebenzisa.” Bhekafuthi I-Apocalypse Ichazwe 433:2: “Bayayithanda iNkosi eyenza futhi igcine imiyalo Yayo namazwi ngoba imiyalo Yayo namazwi afanekisela amaqiniso angcwele, futhi lonke iqiniso laphezulu liphuma Kuye, futhi lokho okuphuma Kuye kunguYe uqobo.” Bhekafuthi Inkolo YamaKristu Yeqiniso 387:6: “Intando noma ukushayela empeleni kuwuhlobo lwesenzo, njengoba kuwukulwela njalo ukwenza okuthile, okuthi ngaphansi kwezimo ezifanele kube isenzo sangaphandle. Ngakho-ke, bonke abantu abahlakaniphile bathatha izenzo zangaphakathi zokushayela noma zizofana ngokuphelele nezenzo zangaphandle (ngoba yileyo ndlela uNkulunkulu azithatha ngayo), inqobo nje uma kungekho ukwehluleka ukwenza okuthile lapho ithuba livela.”

18Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 725: “Amaqiniso ahlobene nokholo aletha ukuba khona kweNkosi, futhi okuhle kothando kanye nokholo kuyasebenzisana ukuze kulethe ukuhlanganyela neNkosi.”

19Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 329: “Lapho umuntu egwema okubi njengokuyalwa eNcwadini YezoMbuso, kugeleza uthando nothando. Lokhu kubonakala emazwini eNkosi kuJohane: 'UJesu wathi, Lowo onemiyalo Yami futhi ayigcine, nguyena ongithandayo futhi ongithandayo. abangithandayo bayakuthandwa nguBaba; futhi ngizomthanda, futhi ngizozibonakalisa kuye: futhi Sizokwenza indawo yethu yokuhlala kuye.Johane 14:21, 23). Ngokuthi 'imiyalo' lapha imiyalo yeDikaloji iqondiswe ikakhulukazi, okungukuthi ububi akumelwe benziwe noma bukhanukelwe, nokuthi uthando lomuntu kuNkulunkulu nothando lukaNkulunkulu kumuntu lulandela njengokuhle okulandelayo lapho okubi. iyasuswa.”

20I-Arcana Coelestia 10738:1-3: “INkosi [uJesu Kristu] ifundisa ukuthi uBaba futhi bamunye, ukuthi uBaba ukuYe futhi Yena ukuYise, ukuthi noma ubani ombonayo ubona uBaba, futhi lowo okholwa nguye ukholwa nguBaba futhi uyamazi, ukuthi uMthetheleli, lowo ambiza ngokuthi uMoya weqiniso kanye noMoya oNgcwele, uphuma kuYe futhi akakhulumi okuphuma Kuye, kodwa uvela kuYe, okuyikhona okuhunyushwa ngakho ukuqhubeka kwaphezulu.”

21Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 1581: “Lapho ububi buqedwa, khona-ke okuhle kuphuma eNkosini.” Bhekafuthi Izimfihlakalo Zezulu 6325: “Impilo egcwele ubuhle igeleza ivela eNkosini, futhi impilo egcwele ububi igeleza ivela esihogweni…. Uma abantu bekukholelwa lokhu, ububi angeke bunamathele kubo noma bamukelwe yibona njengobubo ngoba bayazi ukuthi akuveli kubo ngokwabo kodwa esihogweni. Lapho lokhu kuyisimo sabo, ukuthula banganikwa, ngoba bathembele kuJehova kuphela.” Bhekafuthi Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 123[5]: “Ukunqoba kweNkosi isihogo kuhloswe ngokuthulisa kwaYo ulwandle ngokuthi ‘Thula, thula,” ngoba lapha, njengakwezinye izindawo eziningi, ‘ulwandle’ lufanekisela isihogo. Ngendlela efanayo, namuhla uJehova ulwa nesihogo kuwo wonke umuntu ozalwa kabusha.”

22Ambulo sAmbuliwe 17: “Amaqiniso aqala ngesikhathi, kodwa awaqali ekugcineni…. Ngokuba ukuhlala endlini kuqala ekugcineni, futhi okokuqala ngesikhathi isisekelo. Futhi, ukusetshenziswa kuqala ekugcineni, nolwazi kuqala ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Ngokufanayo, owokuqala ekugcineni lapho kutshalwa isihlahla [sezithelo] isithelo, kodwa amagatsha namaqabunga kuqala ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.” Bhekafuthi Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 336: “Iqiniso lokukholwa liqala ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kepha okuhle kwesisa kuqala ekugcineni." Bhekafuthi Inkolo YeQiniso yobuKhrestu 406: “Okokuqala ekugcineni yilokho okubheka zonke izinto. Kufana nokwakha indlu; kuqala isisekelo kumele sibekwe; kodwa isisekelo kumelwe sibe sendlu, futhi indlu ibe yindawo yokuhlala.”

23I-Arcana Coelestia 8403:2 “Labo abangafundiswanga ngokuzalwa kabusha bacabanga ukuthi abantu bangavuselelwa ngaphandle kwesilingo; futhi abanye bakholelwa ukuthi abantu baye bazalwa kabusha lapho bebhekene nesilingo esisodwa. Kodwa makwazeke ukuthi ngaphandle kwesilingo akekho ozalwa kabusha, futhi izilingo eziningi zilandelana. Isizathu siwukuthi ukuzalwa kabusha kwenzeka kuze kube sekugcineni ukuze impilo endala ife, futhi ukuphila okusha kwasezulwini kucatshangelwe, okubonisa ukuthi kumelwe kuliwe, ngoba ukuphila okudala [okudala] kuyamelana, futhi akuthandi. ukucinywa, nempilo entsha [intando entsha] ayinakungena ngaphandle kwalapho impilo endala [intando endala] icishiwe. Ngakho-ke kusobala ukuthi kunempi nhlangothi zombili, futhi le mpi ishubile, ngoba ingeyokuphila konke.”

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Apocalypse Explained #434

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434. Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand sealed, signifies the light of truth from that love, and that all who are in that light are in heaven and come into heaven. This is evident from the signification of "the tribe of Reuben," as being those who are in the light of truth (of which presently); from the signification of "twelve thousand," as being all things and all persons (of which above, n. 430, here all who are in the light of truth from the good of love to the Lord, which love is signified by "the tribe of Judah" (as was just shown above, n. 433; also from the signification of "the sealed," as being those who are in heaven and who come into heaven (of which also above, n. 427, 433). It has been said before, that the twelve tribes of Israel represented and thence signify in the Word all things of the church, that each tribe signifies some universal essential of the church, and that "Judah" signifies love to the Lord; but that "Reuben" signifies light from that love will be seen in what follows.

[2] "Reuben," and thence the tribe named from him, signifies in the highest sense the Lord in respect to foresight or foreknowledge; in the internal sense spiritual faith and the understanding of truth; and in the external sense, sight; and as "Reuben" in the internal sense signifies faith and understanding he also signifies the light of truth, for faith exists from the light of truth, and the understanding is illustrated by it; for where there is the light of truth there is understanding and there is faith.

[3] "Reuben," or the tribe of Reuben, has the same signification as "Peter" the apostle; for the twelve apostles in a similar manner as the twelve tribes of Israel, represented all things of the church, and each apostle some universal essential of the church; and as Peter had a similar representation with Reuben, therefore was he the first of the apostles, as Reuben was the first of the sons of Jacob. (That "Peter" signifies truth in the light, and faith, see above, n. 9, 411.)

[4] Reuben was the first of the sons of Jacob, and thence the tribe called from him is named in the first place in most passages of the Word, because he was the firstborn; and "firstborn" in the Word signifies truth from good, or what is the same thing, truth in light, and thus faith from charity. For truth and what is of faith appears to man to be first, for it enters by the hearing into the memory and is called forth therefrom into the thought; and that which a man thinks he sees and perceives by interior sight, and that which is first in sight and perception is first, but merely in appearance, not actually. Actually, good is the firstborn, or the first constituent of the church, since truth exists from good, for good forms itself in truths, and by means of truths presents itself to be seen, therefore truth is good in form. This is why truth is said to be from good and faith from charity, for that which is from anything is that thing imaged forth; and [truth] viewed in itself is good formed and born; such therefore is the meaning of "firstborn" in the spiritual sense of the Word. Moreover, with infants the good of innocence is what is first imparted by the Lord, and it is from this that man first becomes a man; and because good is of love, and man does not reflect about his love but about his thought from the memory, and because good has no quality until it is formed into truths, and without quality nothing is perceived, so it is not known that good is first, and is the firstborn; for it is good that is first conceived from the Lord with man, and it is brought forth through truths, in which good is in its own form and effigy.

[5] It is to be noted, furthermore, that the truths that man in his infancy and childhood imbibes from the Word and from doctrine therefrom, and from preaching, although they appear as truths, still they are not truths with him, they are only like shells without kernels, or like the form of the body or of the face without soul and life. These do not become truths until they are received in the will, for thus they are first received by the man and begin to live with him; for the will is the man himself, and all good is of the will, and all truth of the understanding therefrom. From this it can be seen why the tribe of Judah, which signifies the good of love to the Lord, is here named in the first place, and then the tribe of Reuben, which signifies truth in light from that good.

[6] It should be known that all light in which truth is seen is from the light of heaven which is from the Lord; the light of heaven is from the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love; the light of heaven is Divine good in form. In heaven these two are one, and are received by the angels as one, and should be received by man as one that he may have communion with the angels. (But these things may be seen more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia, as follows: When man is regenerating, truth is in the first place and good in the second, not actually but apparently, but when he is regenerated, good is in the first place and truth in the second actually and perceptibly, n. 3324, 3325, 3330, 3336, 3494, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4245, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977, 5351, 6256, 6269, 6273, 8516, 10110; thus good is the first and the last of regeneration, n. Arcana Coelestia 9337. Since truth appears to be in the first place and good in the second when man is regenerating, or what is the same, when he is becoming a church, because of this appearance it was a matter of controversy among the ancients whether the truth of faith or the good of charity is the firstborn of the church, n. Arcana Coelestia 367, 2435.

The good of charity is the firstborn of the church actually, and the truth of faith only apparently, n. 3325, 3494, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 8042, 8080.

And the "firstborn" in the Word signifies the first constituent of the church, which has priority and superiority, n. 3325.

For this reason the Lord is called "the Firstborn," because in Him and from Him is all the good of love, of charity, and of faith, 3325)

[7] As truth is apparently in the first place, so Reuben was the firstborn, and was named from sight, as is evident in Moses:

Leah conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Jehovah hath seen my affliction; for now my man will love me (Genesis 29:32).

Although these are historical facts, they nevertheless contain a spiritual sense; for every and each thing that is in the Word is from the spiritual world, because it is from the Lord; when these [spiritual] things are let down out of heaven into the natural world they are clothed with a correspondent natural sense, such as the sense of the letter of the Word is; therefore the nativities of the sons of Jacob signify spiritual nativities, which describe how good and truth are born in man when the Lord is regenerating him. This is why spiritual conception and birth are signified by "Leah conceived and bare a "she called his name Reuben" signifies its quality; "she said, because Jehovah hath seen" signifies in the highest sense foresight, in the internal sense faith, in the interior sense the understanding, and in the external sense sight, here faith from the Lord; "mine affliction" signifies the state of attaining to good; "for now my man will love me" signifies that the good of truth is therefrom. (But this may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 3860-3866.)

In the original language Reuben signifies sight, and in the spiritual sense "sight" signifies the understanding of truth and faith, in the highest sense Divine foresight (as can be seen from what is shown respecting the signification of seeing and sight in the Arcana Coelestia, as follows:

"sight" in the highest sense, which has reference to the Lord, signifies foresight, n. 2807, 2837, 2839, 3686, 3854, 3863, 10428;

"sight" in the internal sense signifies faith, because spiritual sight is sight from faith, and the things that pertain to faith are the objects of sight in the spiritual world, n. 897, 2325, 2807, 3863, 3869, 5400, 10705;

also "to see" signifies to understand and perceive truth, n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 10705;

the internal sight is the understanding, and this sees through the eyes of the body; and the sight of the understanding is from the light of heaven, n. 1524, 3138, 3167, 4408, 5114, 6608, 8707, 9128, 9399, 10569).

[8] That "Reuben" signifies truth from good, or faith from charity, is evident also from the "mandrakes" that he found in the field and gave to his mother, respecting which it is thus written in Moses:

Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray, of thy son's mandrakes. And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken away my man? and wilt thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee tonight for thy son's mandrakes. And Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou shalt come in unto me; because hiring I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. And she conceived, and bare Jacob a son, Issachar (Genesis 30:14-18).

One who does not know what is signified by "mandrakes," also what was represented by "Reuben," "Jacob," "Leah," and "Rachel," must be wholly ignorant of why such things occurred, and why they have been recorded in the Word; but it can be seen that there is something Divine in them that is not apparent in the sense of the letter, because they are in the Word, and in it each and everything is Divine. The spiritual sense of these things makes evident the Divine that is contained in them; in that sense "mandrakes" signify the marriage of good and truth; "Reuben" represents truth from good; "Jacob" the church in respect to truth; "Leah" and "Rachel" the church in respect to good, but "Leah" the external church, and "Rachel" the internal church; therefore the "mandrakes" found by Reuben signify the conjugial [conjugiale] of truth with good; and as that conjugial is between truth and good in the internal or spiritual man, which constitutes the internal church, and yet that truth is first given in the external or natural man, which constitutes the external church, therefore the mandrakes were found by Reuben, who represented truth from good, and were first given to Leah his mother, who represented the external church, but still Leah afterwards gave them to Rachel, who represented the internal church, that Leah might be permitted to lie with Jacob. (But this may be seen more fully explained in Arcana Coelestia 3940-3952.)

[9] Because "Reuben" represented truth from good, or faith from charity:

It was he who exhorted his brethren not to kill Joseph, wishing to deliver him out of their hand; and was greatly grieved when Joseph was not found in the pit (Genesis 37:21, 22, 29, 30).

(This may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 4731-4738, and n. 4761-4766.)

[10] Because "Reuben" or his tribe signified truth from good, or faith from charity:

The camp of that tribe in the wilderness was to the south, and the camp to the south was called the camp of Reuben (Numbers 2:10-16);

for the encampments of the tribes of Israel represented the arrangements of the angelic societies in heaven, and the angelic societies have their dwelling places in quarters according to their states in respect to good and truth (See above, n. 422), and in the southern quarter there those dwell who are in the light of truth from good; and because the tribe of Reuben represented truth from good or truth in light, it encamped on the south.

[11] Because truth from good, which the tribe of Reuben represented, is in the natural man, to the tribe of Reuben an inheritance beyond Jordan was given (See Numbers 32, Deuteronomy 3:12-20; Joshua 13 end; Leviticus 18:7); for by "the land of Canaan" the church was represented and thus signified in the Word, that region of it beyond Jordan signifying the external church, the region on this side, Jordan the internal church, and the river Jordan the boundary between them; and it is truth from good, or faith from charity that constitutes the church, truth from good in the natural man constituting the external church; and because the tribe of Reuben represented this constituent of the church, therefore to that tribe an inheritance beyond Jordan was given. Why inheritances beyond Jordan were given also to the tribe of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh will be told in what follows.

[12] The conjunction of these two churches, namely, the external and the internal, which is like the conjunction of the natural and the spiritual man, was represented, and in the spiritual sense is described by:

The altar that the sons of Reuben, of Gad, and of Manasseh built beside the Jordan, about which there was a strife between these tribes and the other tribes; but it was said that the altar should be for a witness that although they dwelt beyond Jordan, they nevertheless served Jehovah in common with the rest; therefore they called that altar a witness between us that Jehovah is God (Joshua 22:9-34 to end).

For "the Jordan" signified the medium between the external and the internal of the church; "the land of Canaan on this side Jordan" signifying the internal church, and "the land beyond Jordan" the external, and this also was represented by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, which had their inheritances there; while that altar signified the common worship of the two churches, and thus conjunction thereby.

[13] That "Reuben" signifies truth in the natural man is evident also from the prophecy of Deborah and Barak in the book of Judges:

In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of the heart. Why did you stay among the campfires to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. Gilead dwelt 1 beyond the Jordan (Judges 5:15-17).

This no one can understand unless he knows what the prophecy treats of, and what is signified by the "districts," "Reuben," "the campfires," "the whistling for the flocks," and "Gilead." This treats of the church among the sons of Israel in a state of vastation; and "the districts of Reuben" signify both all truths and all goods that are in the natural man; "the campfires" signify cognitions and knowledges there; "the whistling for the flocks" signify the perceptions and thoughts thereof; and "Gilead" signifies the natural man. When this is known, what these things mean in the spiritual sense becomes evident, namely, that when the church is destroyed the natural man with the things in it is separated from the spiritual man, whereas it ought to be conjoined to it; and when it is conjoined, there are truths there from good, by which truths there is a combat against the falsities from evil, for the natural man must combat against them from the spiritual man. "The statutes of the heart" and "the searchings of the heart" signify the truths from good, which are in the natural man from the spiritual man, "heart" signifying the good of love, and "the statutes and searchings of the heart" all things that are determined and arranged in the natural man from good in the spiritual man. This is said respecting Reuben because his tribe dwelt beyond Jordan in Gilead; and it was not conjoined with Deborah and Barak when they fought against Sisera, but only Issachar and Zebulun, "Sisera" in the spiritual sense meaning the falsity from evil destroying the church.

[14] "Reuben" signifies the light of truth, and the understanding of the Word therefrom, in Moses:

Let Reuben live and not die; yet his men shall be a number (Deuteronomy 33:6).

Here "Reuben" means the understanding of the Word illustrated by light from heaven; and because there are a few who receive such illustration it is said of Reuben, "Yet his men shall be a number," "number" signifying fewness and a few.

[15] That "Reuben" signifies truth from good, or faith from charity, is evident also from the contrary sense, in which he is also mentioned. In that sense "Reuben" signifies truth separate from good, or faith separate from charity; and truth without good is not truth except merely in respect to expression and sound, for it is merely a matter of knowledge, having its seat in the memory of the natural man, thus only in the entrance to man, and not within him in his life. The memory of the natural man is merely an entrance to him, and what is in it does not become truth in him until he wills it and does it; then it first enters and receives life; not till then does the light from heaven flow in and illustrate. It is similar with faith separate from charity, for truth is of faith, and good is of charity.

[16] That "Reuben" in the contrary sense signifies faith separate from charity can be seen from his adultery with Bilhah his father's concubine, which is thus described in Moses:

It came to pass while Israel dwelt in the land Ephrath Bethlehem, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard (Genesis 35:22).

"Ephrath Bethlehem" signifies the spiritual church, which is in truths from good, or in faith from charity; Reuben's adultery signifies the rejection of the good of charity from the truths of faith, for truth is profaned when it is not conjoined with its own good, which is the good of charity, since it is then conjoined with the love of self and the world, which is adulteration. All adulteries (of which many kinds are enumerated in Leviticus 18:6-23) correspond to the adulterations of good and truth. That the adultery committed by Reuben corresponds to faith separate from charity has been made known and testified to me by things heard and seen in the spiritual world, where such a sphere of adultery is perceived to go forth from those who have separated charity from faith in doctrine and life.

[17] Because this too was signified by "Reuben," the birthright was taken away from him by his father and given to Joseph and his sons. That it was taken from Reuben is evident from these words of his father:

Reuben my firstborn, thou art my power and the beginning of my might, excelling in eminence and excelling in strength. Light as water, thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, then profanedst thou it; he went up to my couch (Genesis 49:3, 4).

"Reuben my firstborn" signifies faith, which is apparently in the first place, or truth born of good; "thou art my power and the beginning of my might" signifies that thereby good has its potency and truth has its first potency; "excelling in eminence and excelling in strength" signifies that from this is glory and power; "light as water" signifies that it is not so with faith separate from charity; "thou shalt not excel" signifies that such faith has neither glory nor power, "because thou wentest up to thy father's bed" signifies because the truth of faith separated from the good of charity has a filthy conjunction; "then profanedst thou it" signifies conjunction with the love of self and the world and with evil therefrom, which is a profane conjunction; "he went up to my couch" signifies the contamination of spiritual good in the natural. (This is fully explained in Arcana Coelestia 6341-6350.)

[18] That the birthright was therefore given to the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, is meant by these words of Israel the father to Joseph:

Now thy two sons born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came into Egypt, they are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine (Genesis 48:5).

And in the first book of Chronicles:

Reuben was the firstborn; but because he defiled his father's bed his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel (1 Chronicles 5:1, 2).

For "Ephraim" in the Word has a similar signification with "Reuben," namely, the understanding of truth, and truth in the light. It is said "Ephraim and Manasseh shall be the sons of Israel, even as Reuben and Simeon," because "Reuben" signifies the understanding of truth, and "Simeon" the will of truth, similar with "Ephraim" and "Manasseh." From this it can now be seen what universal essential of the church is signified in the Word by "Reuben."

Footnotes:

1. The photolithograph has "thou dwellest," "dwelling" is found in Arcana Coelestia 4117, 4255.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.