1, 2. Phakathi nobusuku bokugcina bokuphila kwakhe emhlabeni, isiphi isifundo uJesu asifundisa abaphostoli bakhe?

UBUSUKU bokugcina bokuphila kukaJesu emhlabeni, futhi ubuchitha nabaphostoli bakhe ekamelweni eliphezulu lendlu ethile eJerusalema. Ngesikhathi bedla isidlo sakusihlwa, uJesu uyasukuma akhumule izingubo zakhe zangaphandle azibeke eceleni. Ubhinca ithawula abese efaka amanzi emcengezini futhi aqale ukugeza izinyawo zabafundi nokuzesula ngethawula. Ube esegqoka izingubo zakhe zangaphandle. Kungani uJesu enza lesi senzo sokuthobeka?—Joh. 13:3-5.

² UJesu wachaza: “Niyakwazi yini lokhu engikwenzé kini? . . . Uma mina, nakuba ngiyiNkosi noMfundisi, nginigezé izinyawo, nani kufanele nigezane izinyawo. Ngoba nginibekela isibonelo, sokuthi njengoba nje ngenzile kini, nani nenze kanjalo.” (Joh. 13:12-15) Ngokwenza lo msebenzi ophansi ngokuzithandela, uJesu wafundisa abaphostoli bakhe isifundo esasiyogxila ezingqondweni zabo futhi sibakhuthaze ukuba bathobeke ezinsukwini ezizayo.

3. (a) UJesu wakugcizelela kanjani kabili ukubaluleka kokuthobeka? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

³ Lapho uJesu egeza izinyawo zabaphostoli bakhe, kwakungekhona okokuqala eqokomisa ukubaluleka kokuthobeka. Ngaphambilini, lapho abanye babaphostoli bebonisa umoya wokuncintisana, uJesu wayemise umntwana omncane eceleni kwakhe wabe esethi kubo: “Noma ubani owamukela lo mntwana ngegama lami uyangamukela nami, futhi noma ubani ongamukelayo uyamamukela nalowo ongithumile. Ngoba lowo oziphatha njengomncane phakathi kwenu nonke nguye omkhulu.” (Luka 9:46-48) UJesu waqaphela ukuthi abaFarisi babefuna udumo, ngakho ngasekugcineni kwenkonzo yakhe wathi: “Wonke umuntu oziphakamisayo uyothotshiswa nalowo ozithobayo uyophakanyiswa.” (Luka 14:11) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJesu ufuna ukuba abalandeli  bakhe babe abathobekile, okungukuthi bathobeke engqondweni bangaqhoshi noma bazazise. Masisihlole ngokucophelela isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka sinombono wokumlingisa. Sizobona nokuthi le mfanelo ayizuzisi kuphela umuntu oyibonisayo kodwa nabanye.

4. INdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa yakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka ngaphambi kokuba ize emhlabeni?

⁴ INdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa yabonisa ukuthobeka ngisho nangaphambi kokuza emhlabeni. Ngaphambi kokuba azalwe njengomuntu, uJesu wachitha iminyaka engenakubalwa noYise osezulwini. Ikhuluma ngobuhlobo obuseduze iNdodana eyayinabo noYise, incwadi yeBhayibheli ka-Isaya ithi: “INkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ngokwakhe inginike ulimi lwabafundisiweyo, ukuze ngikwazi ukuphendula okhathele ngezwi. Ingivusa njalo ekuseni; ivusa indlebe yami ukuba izwe njengabafundisiweyo. INkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ngokwakhe ivule indlebe yami, futhi mina, angizange ngibe odlubulundayo. Angizange ngiphendukele kolunye uhlangothi.” (Isaya 50:4, 5) INdodana kaNkulunkulu yabonisa isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka yakulalelisisa lokho uJehova ayeyifundisa kona. Yayikulangazelela futhi izimisele ukufundiswa uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Yeka ukuthi uJesu wasibona kahle kanjani isibonelo sikaJehova sokuthobeka njengoba ayebonisa isihe esintwini esinesono!

5. NjengoMikayeli ingelosi enkulu, uJesu wasibeka kanjani isibonelo sokuthobeka nesizotha ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe noDeveli?

⁵ Akuzona zonke izidalwa zasezulwini ezazinesimo sengqondo esinjengeseNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa. Esikhundleni sokulangazelela ukufundiswa uJehova, ingelosi eyaba uSathane uDeveli yazivumela ukuba ithonywe izici eziphambene nokuthobeka—ukuziphakamisa nokuqhosha—futhi empeleni yavukela uJehova. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJesu akazange anganeliseki ngesikhundla sakhe ezulwini futhi athambekele ekusebenziseni kabi igunya lakhe. NjengoMikayeli ingelosi enkulu, akazange eqele ngalé kwegunya lakhe lapho ‘enokungezwani noDeveli ngesidumbu sikaMose.’ Kunalokho, le Ndodana kaNkulunkulu yabonisa ukuthobeka nesizotha. Kwayanelisa ukushiya lolo daba ezandleni zikaJehova, uMahluleli Ophakeme wendawo yonke, ukuba alusingathe ngendlela yaKhe nangesikhathi saKhe.—Funda uJude 9.

6. UJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka ngokwamukela isabelo sokukhonza njengoMesiya?

⁶ Akungabazeki ukuthi izinto uJesu azifunda engakezi emhlabeni zazihlanganisa neziprofetho ezazibikezela imininingwane yokuphila kwakhe emhlabeni njengoMesiya. Ngakho, cishe wazazi kusengaphambili izinto ezibuhlungu ayezobhekana nazo. Noma kunjalo, uJesu wasamukela isabelo sokuba eze azophila emhlabeni futhi afe njengoMesiya othenjisiwe. Kungani? Eqokomisa ukuthobeka kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa, umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Nakuba ephila ngesimo sikaNkulunkulu, [akazange akucabangele] ukuqhwaga, okungukuthi, ukuba alingane noNkulunkulu. Cha, kodwa wazidela, wathatha isimo senceku wafana nabantu.”—Fil. 2:6, 7.

7, 8. UJesu wabonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukuthobeka ngesikhathi esengumntwana nangesikhathi senkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni?

⁷ UPawulu wabhala: “Lapho ezithola esesimweni esinjengesomuntu, [uJesu] wazithoba futhi walalela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, yebo, ekufeni esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa.” (Fil. 2:8) Kusukela ebuntwaneni kuqhubeke, uJesu wasishiyela isibonelo sokuthobeka. Nakuba ayekhuliswa abazali abangaphelele—uJosefa noMariya—ngokuthobeka, uJesu “waqhubeka ezithoba kubo.” (Luka 2:51) Yeka isibonelo  esihle asishiyela izingane, eziyobusiswa uNkulunkulu ngokuzithoba kwazo ngokuzithandela kubazali bazo!

⁸ Lapho esekhulile, uJesu wabonisa ukuthobeka ngokwenza intando kaJehova ize kuqala, hhayi eyakhe. (Joh. 4:34) Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe, uJesu Kristu wasebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu futhi wasiza abantu abaqotho ukuba babe nolwazi olunembile ngezimfanelo zikaJehova nangenjongo yaKhe ngesintu. UJesu wabuye waphila ngokuvumelana nalokho ayekufundisa ngoJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, emthandazweni oyisibonelo, nanti iphuzu lokuqala uJesu alisho: “Baba wethu osemazulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho.” (Math. 6:9) Ngakho, uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze ukungcweliswa kwegama likaJehova kube into eza kuqala ekuphileni kwabo. Kwayena waphila ngaleyo ndlela. Ngasekupheleni kwenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, uJesu wakwazi ukusho kuJehova ngomthandazo: “Ngibazisile [abaphostoli] igama lakho futhi ngizolazisa.” (Joh. 17:26) Ngaphezu kwalokho, phakathi nayo yonke inkonzo yakhe, uJesu wayenika uJehova udumo ngakho konke ayekufeza emhlabeni.—Joh. 5:19.

9. Yini uZakariya ayiprofetha ngoMesiya, futhi uJesu wakugcwalisa kanjani lokhu?

⁹ Ngokuphathelene noMesiya, uZakariya waloba lesi siprofetho: “Jabula kakhulu ndodakazi yaseZiyoni. Memeza ngokunqoba ndodakazi yaseJerusalema. Bheka! Inkosi yakho iza kuwe. Ilungile, yebo, isindisiwe; ithobekile, igibele imbongolo, yebo iphezu kwesilwane esikhule ngokugcwele ithole lembongolokazi.” (Zak. 9:9) Lesi siprofetho sagcwaliseka lapho uJesu engena eJerusalema ngaphambi kwePhasika lika-33 C.E. Isixuku sendlala izingubo zaso zangaphandle kanye namahlamvu emithi emgwaqweni. Empeleni, wonke umuzi wayaluza ekungeneni kwakhe. UJesu waqhubeka ethobekile ngisho nalapho iningi labantu limdumisa obala njengeNkosi.—Math. 21:4-11.

10. Ukulalela kukaJesu ngokuzithandela kuze kube sekufeni kwabonisani?

¹⁰ Inkambo kaJesu Kristu yokuthobeka nokulalela emhlabeni yafinyelela umvuthwandaba wayo ngokufa  kwakhe esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. Ngaleyo ndlela wabonisa ngokungangabazeki ukuthi abantu bangahlala beqotho kuJehova ngisho nalapho bebhekene novivinyo olunzima ngokwedlulele. UJesu wabonisa nokuthi uSathane wayeshaye phansi uma ethi abantu bakhonza uJehova ngenxa yezizathu zobugovu. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:4) Umlando kaKristu wokugcina ubuqotho obuphelele wabuye wafakazela ukufaneleka nokulunga kobukhosi bukaJehova bendawo yonke. Akungabazeki ukuthi uJehova wajabula kakhulu lapho ebona ubuqotho obungantengantengi beNdodana yakhe ethobekile.—Funda izAga 27:11.

11. Umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu wasivulela maphi amathuba isintu esibonisa ukholo?

¹¹ Ukufa kukaJesu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa kwabuye kwakhokha inani lesihlengo sesintu. (Math. 20:28) Lokhu kwanikeza abantu abanesono ithuba lokuphila phakade kanti futhi kwahlangabezana nemfuneko yokulunga. Umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Ngesenzo esisodwa sokuzibonakalisa elungile umphumela kubantu bazo zonke izinhlobo uwukuba kuthiwe balungile kube ukuphila.” (Roma 5:18) Ukufa kukaJesu kwavulela amaKristu agcotshiweyo ithuba lokuthola ukuphila okungenakufa ezulwini, futhi kwavulela “ezinye izimvu” ithuba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni.—Joh. 10:16; Roma 8:16, 17.

12. UJesu wabubonisa kanjani ubumnene nokuthobeka lapho esebenzelana nabantu abangaphelele?

¹² UJesu wamema bonke ‘ababekhandleka nababesindwa’ ukuba beze kuye. Wathi: “Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu nifunde kimi, ngoba nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo, nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka.” (Math. 11:28, 29) Izimfanelo zokuthobeka nobumnene zashukumisela uJesu ukuba abe nomusa futhi angakhethi lapho esebenzelana nabantu abangaphelele. Wayelinganisela kulokho ayekulindele kubafundi bakhe. Wabancoma futhi wabakhuthaza. Akazange abenze bazizwe bengelutho futhi bengafaneleki. Ngokuqinisekile, uJesu wayengenalo ukhahlo futhi engabacindezeli. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, waqinisekisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi lapho besondela kuye futhi benza izinto ayebafundisa zona, babeyoqabuleka, ngoba ijoka lakhe lalingelomusa nomthwalo wakhe ulula. Abantu babo bonke ubulili nobudala babezizwa bekhululekile lapho benaye.—Math. 11:30.

13. UJesu walubonisa kanjani uzwela kubantu ababedinga usizo?

¹³ Ebudlelwaneni bakhe nabantu abavamile bakwa-Israyeli, uJesu wayenozwela ngabo ngoba babedinga usizo, futhi wazinakekela ngothando izidingo zabo. Lapho eseduze naseJeriko, wahlangana nesinxibi esiyimpumputhe, uBartimewu, kanye nomngane waso oyimpumputhe elingashiwongo igama lakhe. Baphikelela becela uJesu ukuba abasize, kodwa isixuku sabayala ngokuqinile ukuba bathule. Yeka ukuthi  kwakuyoba lula kanjani ukungasinaki isicelo salawo madoda ayizimpumputhe! Kunalokho, uJesu wacela ukuba alethwe kuye, futhi eshukunyiswa isihawu, wawasiza ukuba aphinde abone. Yebo, uJesu walingisa uYise, uJehova, ngokubonisa ukuthobeka nesihe kubantu abaphansi abayizoni.—Math. 20:29-34; Marku 10:46-52.

14. Inkambo kaJesu yokuthobeka iye yaba naziphi izinzuzo?

¹⁴ Inkambo kaJesu Kristu yokuthobeka iyisizathu sokujabula futhi izuzisa kakhulu. UJehova wajabula lapho ebona iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo izithoba entandweni yakhe. Ukuba kukaJesu omnene nothobekile ngenhliziyo kwabaqabula abaphostoli nabafundi. Isibonelo sakhe, izimfundiso zakhe nokubancoma ngothando kwabashukumisela ukuba bathuthuke ngokomoya. Abantu abavamile bazuza ekuthobekeni kukaJesu ngoba wabasiza, wabafundisa futhi wabakhuthaza. Empeleni sonke isintu esifanelekela ukuhlengwa siyozuza izinzuzo zaphakade emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu.

15. Kwamzuzisa kanjani uJesu ukuthobeka?

¹⁵ Kuthiwani ngoJesu? Ingabe ukuthobeka kwakhe kwamzuzisa? Yebo, ngoba watshela abafundi bakhe: “Noma ubani ozithobayo uyophakanyiswa.” (Math. 23:12) Lawo mazwi agcwaliseka kuye. UPawulu uyachaza: “[UNkulunkulu] wamphakamisela [uJesu] esikhundleni esiphakeme futhi ngomusa wamnika igama elingaphezu kwawo wonke amanye amagama, ukuze egameni likaJesu wonke amadolo aguqe, awabasezulwini nawabasemhlabeni nawabangaphansi komhlaba, futhi zonke izilimi zivume obala ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNkosi kube inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu uBaba.” Ngenxa yenkambo kaJesu yokuthobeka nokwethembeka emhlabeni, uJehova uNkulunkulu wayiphakamisa iNdodana yakhe, wayinika igunya phezu kwezinye izidalwa ezulwini nasemhlabeni.—Fil. 2:9-11.

16. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukuthobeka kuyoqhubeka kuyisici esivelele emisebenzini yeNdodana kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Ukuthobeka kuyoqhubeka kuyisici esivelele emisebenzini yeNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Lapho ebikezela indlela uJesu ayeyothatha ngayo isinyathelo ngokumelene nezitha zakhe, esesikhundleni sakhe esiphakeme ezulwini, umhubi wahlabelela: “Ebukhazikhazini bakho qhubekela empumelelweni; gibela ngenjongo yeqiniso nokuthobeka nokulunga.” (IHu. 45:4) Ngakho, e-Armagedoni, uJesu ngeke alwele iqiniso nokulunga kuphela kodwa nokuthobeka. Yini eyokwenzeka ekupheleni kokuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane lapho le Nkosi enguMesiya ‘isibenzé ize bonke ohulumeni nalo lonke igunya namandla’? Ingabe iyobonisa ukuthobeka? Yebo, ngoba ‘iyonikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu wayo noYise.’—Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:24-28.

17, 18. (a) Kungani kubalulekile ukuba izinceku zikaJehova zilandele isibonelo sikaJesu sokuthobeka? (b) Kuzoxoxwa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Kuthiwani ngathi? Ingabe siyolandela ezinyathelweni zaLowo oyiSibonelo sethu futhi sibonise ukuthobeka? Kuyosihambela kanjani lapho iNkosi uJesu Kristu iza izokhipha isahlulelo e-Armagedoni? Kule mpi, uyosindisa kuphela abantu abathobekile nabalungile. Ngakho-ke, uma sifuna ukusinda, kubalulekile ukuba sihlakulele ukuthobeka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba nje inkambo kaJesu Kristu yokuthobeka yamzuzisa yena nabanye, ukuthobeka kwethu kuyoletha izinzuzo eziningi.

¹⁸ Yini engasisiza ukuba silandele isibonelo sikaJesu sokuthobeka? Singakulwela kanjani ukuba abathobekile naphezu kwezinselele esingase sibhekane nazo? Kuzoxoxwa ngale mibuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo.