1. UMathewu 12:1 Ngaleso sikhathi uJesu wahamba phakathi kwamasimu ommbila ngesabatha; futhi abafundi Bakhe babelambile, base beqala ukukha izikhwebu ukuze badle.

2 UMathewu 12:6-8 Kepha ngithi kini, Lapha kukhona omkhulu kunethempeli. Kepha ukuba benazi ukuthi lokhu kusho ukuthini, ngizoba nesihawu, futhi hhayi umhlatshelo, ngabe ningabalahlanga laba abangenacala. Ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu iyiNkosi ngisho yosuku lwesabatha.

Ake sibheke lesi siqephu kuqala: “Ngaleso sikhathi uJesu wahamba phakathi kwamasimu ommbila ngesabatha; futhi abafundi Bakhe babelambile, base beqala ukukha izikhwebu ukuze badle.”

Kungani sikhethe lesi siqephu? Sihlangana kanjani nesimo sikaNkulunkulu? Kulo mbhalo, okokuqala esikwaziyo ukuthi kwakulusuku lweSabatha, kodwa iNkosi uJesu waphumela ngaphandle futhi waholela abafundi Bakhe emasimini. “Okubi” nakakhulu ukuthi baze “baqala ukukha izikhwebu ukuze badle.” NgeNkathi Yomthetho, imithetho kaJehova uNkulunkulu yayithi abantu akumele nje baphume phandle noma bazibandakanye nezinto ezenziwa ngeSabatha—zaziziningi izinto okwakungamele ukuba zenziwe ngeSabatha. Lesi senzo seNkosi uJesu sasidida kulabo ababephile ngaphansi komthetho isikhathi eside, futhi savusa ukugxekwa. Mayelana nokudideka kwabo kanye nangendlela abakhuluma ngayo ngalokhu uJesu akwenza, sizokubuyisela eceleni okwamanje bese siqala ngokugxila ekutheni kungani wakhetha ukukwenza ngeSabatha, phakathi kwazo zonke izinsuku, nanokuthi yini lena ayefuna ukuyikhuluma kubantu ababehlala phansi komthetho ngalesi senzo. Lokhu ukuxhumana phakathi kwalesi siqephu kanye nesimo sikaNkulunkulu engifuna ukukhuluma ngaso.

Ngesikhathi ifika iNkosi uJesu, yasebenzisa izenzo ezibonakalayo ukuze ikhulume nabantu: UNkulunkulu wayesesukile eNkathini Yomthetho futhi eseqale umsebenzi omusha, kanti lo msebenzi omusha wawungadingi ukugcinwa kweSabatha; ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ephuma emikhawulweni yosuku lweSabatha, lokhu kwakungamazwibela omsebenzi Wakhe omusha, umsebenzi wangempela futhi omkhulu wawuseza. Ngesikhathi iNkosi uJesu iqala umsebenzi Wayo, yayisishiye ngemuva izintambo zeNkathi Yomthetho, futhi yayisidlubulundele emigomeni nezimiso zangaleyo nkathi. Kuyena, kwakungekho nokuncane oluhambisana nomthetho; Wayesewulahla ngokuphelele futhi engasawugcini, futhi wayengasadingi ukuba isintu siwugcine. Ngakho lapha uyabona ukuthi iNkosi uJesu yadabula emasimini ngeSabatha; iNkosi ayiphumulanga, kodwa yayingaphandle isebenza. Lesi senzo Sakhe sethusa indlela abantu ababecabanga ngayo futhi Wabatshela ukuthi Yena akasaphili ngaphansi komthetho, nanokuthi useyishiyile imikhawulo yeSabatha wabe esevela phambi kwesintu futhi phakathi kwabo ngomfanekiso omusha, nange ndlela entsha yokusebenza. Lesi senzo Sakhe satshengisa abantu ukuthi Yena ufike nomsebenzi omusha owaqala ngokuthi uphume emthethweni futhi uphume naseSabatheni. Ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu enza umsebenzi Wakhe omusha, akabuyanga esanamathela kokudala, futhi wayengasakhathazekile ngezinqubo zeNkathi Yomthetho. Futhi wayengaphazamiswa umsebenzi Wakhe wangenkathi engaphambilini, kodwa Wasebenza ngokujwayelekile ngeSabatha futhi ngesikhathi abafundi Bakhe sebelambile, bakha izikhwebu badla. Konke lokhu kwakujwayelekile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu wayengaba nesiqalo esisha somsebenzi Wakhe omningi afuna ukuwenza kanye nezinto afuna ukuzisho. Uma eke waba nesiqalo esisha, Yena akabe esakhuluma ngomsebenzi Wakhe omdala noma aqhubeke nawo. Ngokuba uNkulunkulu unezimiso Zakhe emsebenzini Wakhe. Ngesikhathi Yena efuna ukwenza umsebenzi omusha, kungesikhathi lapho efuna ukuletha isintu esigabeni esisha somsebenzi Wakhe, futhi lapho umsebenzi Wakhe usungene esigabeni esiphezulu ngokuthe xaxa. Uma abantu beqhubeka nokwenza ngendlela yokushiwo kudala noma imigomo noma beqhubeka nokubambelela kukho, Yena ngeke akukhumbule noma akutuse lokho. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi Yena uselethe umsebenzi omusha, futhi usengene esigabeni esisha somsebenzi Wakhe. Uma eqala umsebenzi omusha, Uvela kubantu enomfanekiso omusha, ngasohlangothini olusha sha, futhi nangendlela entsha sha ukuze abantu babone izingxenye ezahlukene zesimo Sakhe kanye nalokhu anakho nayikho. Lena enye yezinjongo Zakhe emsebenzini Wakhe omusha. UNkulunkulu akabambeleli kokudala noma athathe indlela eyaziwayo; uma Yena esebenza futhi ekhuluma, akukho nzima ngale ndlela abantu abacabanga ngayo. KuNkulunkulu, konke kumahhala futhi kukhululiwe, futhi akukho ukuthikanyezwa, akukho izithiyo—lokhu akuletha esintwini inkululeko nokukhululwa kodwa. UnguNkulunkulu ophilayo, uNkulunkulu okhona ngobuqotho nangeqiniso. Yena akasiwo unodoli noma isithombe sobumba, futhi uhluke kakhulu ezithixweni abantu abazingcwelisayo futhi bazidumise. Yena uyaphila futhi unomdlandla, futhi lokho okulethwa amazwi nomsebenzi Wakhe kubantu kungukuphila kanye nokukhanya kuphela, inkululeko nokukhululwa kuphela, ngokuba uphethe iqiniso, ukuphila, kanye nendlela—Akakhinyabezwa yilutho kunoma imuphi umsebenzi Wakhe. Noma ngabe abantu bathini futhi noma ngabe babona kanjani noma bawuhlola kanjani umsebenzi Wakhe omusha, Uzokwenza umsebenzi Wakhe ngaphandle kokukhononda. Akakhathazeki ngemicabanga yanoma ubani noma ngeminwe ekhomba ngokusola emsebenzini nasemazwini Akhe, ngisho noma ukumelana nokuphikisana kwabo Naye okunamandla, emsebenzini Wakhe omusha. Akukho noyedwa phakathi kwendalo ongasebenzisa ukucabanga komuntu, noma ukubona ngamehlo engqondo komuntu, ulwazi, noma ubuqotho bomuntu ukukala noma ukuchaza lokhu okwenziwa uNkulunkulu, ukujivaza noma ukuketula umsebenzi Wakhe. Akukho ukuthikanyezwa emsebenzini Wakhe nakulokho kwenzayo, futhi ngeke kwavinjwa yinoma imuphi umuntu, into, noma okuthile, futhi ngeke aphazanyiswa imimoya yobutha. Ngokomsebenzi Wakhe omusha, uhlala njalo eyiNkosi enqobayo, kanti noma iyiphi imimoya yobutha kanye nawo wonke amahlubuka kanye nabakhohlisi esintwini, bonke bacindezelekile ngaphansi kwezinyawo Zakhe. Noma ngabe umsebenzi Wakhe awenzayo ukusiphi isigaba esisha, nakanjani uzothuthukiswa futhi ukhuliswe phakathi kwesintu, futhi nakanjani uzokwenziwa ngaphandle kokuthikanyezwa emhlabeni wonke kuze kube sekuphethweni komsebenzi Wakhe omkhulu. Lona uNkulunkulu onamandla onke nokuhlakanipha, kanye negunya namandla. Ngakho, iNkosi uJesu yayingaphumela phandle ngokusobala futhi isebenze ngosuku lweSabatha ngokuba enhliziyweni Yayo yayingekho imigomo, futhi lwalungekho ulwazi noma isifundiso esavela esintwini. Lokhu ayenakho kwakungumsebenzi kaNkulunkulu omusha kanye nendlela Yakhe, futhi umsebenzi Wakhe wawuyindlela yokukhulula abantu, ukubadedela, ukubavumela ukuba babekhona ekukhanyeni, nokubavumela ukuba baphile. Kanti labo abakhonza izithixo noma onkulunkulu bamanga baphila nsuku zonke beboshiwe uSathane, bebanjwe yilo lonke uhlobo lwemigomo namahlazo—namhlanje into eyodwa ayivumelekile, kusasa enye—ayikho inkululeko ezimpilweni zabo. Bafana neziboshwa zifakwe ozankosi, ayisaphathwa eyenjabulo. Ingabe “ukuthiywa” kumele ini? Kumele izingqinamba, izibopho, kanye nobubi. Ngesikhathi umuntu eseqala ukukhonza izithixo, bakhonza unkulunkulu wamanga, bakhonza umoya omubi. Izithiyo ziza kanye nalokhu. Angeke udle lokhu nalokhuya, namhlanje awukwazi ukuphuma phandle, kusasa awukwazi ukulayitha isitofu, ngosuku olulandelayo awukwazi ukungena endlini entsha, kumele kukhethwe izinsuku ezithile zemishado nemingcwabo, kubandakanya nokuzalwa kwabantwana. Kubizwa ngokuthini lokhu? Lokhu kubizwa ngokuthi yisithiyo; kungukuboshwa kwesintu, izintambo zikaSathane kanye nemimoya emibi ebalawulayo, ebamba izinhliziyo kanye nemizimba yabo. Ingabe lezi zithiyo zikhona kuNkulunkulu? Uma ukhuluma ngobungcwele bukaNkulunkulu, kumele ucabange lokhu kuqala: KuNkulunkulu azikho izivimbelo. UNkulunkulu unezimiso emazwini nasemsebenzini Wakhe, kodwa azikho izithiyo, ngokuba uNkulunkulu uqobo Lwakhe uyiqiniso, indlela, nokuphila.

Manje ake sibheke kulesi siqephu esilandelayo, “Kepha ngithi kini, Lapha kukhona omkhulu kunethempeli. Kepha ukuba benazi ukuthi lokhu kusho ukuthini, ngizoba nesihawu, futhi hhayi umhlatshelo, ngabe ningabalahlanga laba abangenacala. Ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu iyiNkosi ngisho yosuku lwesabatha” (UMathewu 12:6-8). Ingabe “ithempeli” lichazani la? Ukukubeka ngendlela elula, “ithempeli” isakhiwo esimangalisayo, eside, futhi eNkathini Yomthetho, ithempeli kwakuyindawo yabapristi yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi iNkosi uJesu ithi “lapha kukhona omkhulu kunethempeli,” ingabe kwakumele bani ukuthi “kukhona”? Ngokucacile, ukuthi “kukhona” kumele iNkosi uJesu enyameni, ngoba uYena kuphela owabe emkhulu kunethempeli. Lawo mazwi ayebatshelani abantu? Ayetshela abantu ukuba baphume ethempelini—uNkulunkulu wayesephumile futhi engasasebenzi kulo, ngakho kumele abantu bafune izinyathelo zikaNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwethempeli bese belandela izinyathelo Zakhe emsebenzini Wakhe omusha. Isendlalelo seNkosi uJesu lapho isho lokhu, ukuthi ngaphansi komthetho, abantu kwasekufike lapho babebona ithempeli njengento enkulu kunoNkulunkulu uqobo Lwakhe. Okungukuthi, abantu babekhonza ithempeli ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu, ngakho iNkosi uJesu yabexwayisa ngokuthi akumele bakhonze izithixo, kodwa kufanele bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngokuba Yena uphakeme kunakho konke. Yingakho, Yena wathi: “Ngizoba nesihawu, futhi hhayi umhlatshelo.” Kusobala ukuthi emehlweni eNkosi uJesu, abantu abaningi ngaphansi komthetho babengasamkhonzi uJehova, kodwa babenza inqubo yomhlatshelo, futhi iNkosi uJesu yanquma ukuthi le nqubo yayi wukukhonza izithixo. Laba bakhonzi bezithixo babebona ithempeli kuyinto enkulu, futhi ephakeme kunoNkulunkulu. Ezinhliziyweni zabo kwakukhona ithempeli kuphela, hhayi uNkulunkulu, futhi uma belahlekelwe ithempeli, balahlekelwe indawo yokuhlala. Ngaphandle kwethempeli babengenayo indawo yokukhonza futhi bengakwazi nokwenza imihlatshelo yabo. Le ndawo yabo ebizwa ngokuthi indawo yokuhlala lapho abasebenzela khona egameni lokuthi bakhazimulisa uJehova uNkulunkulu, yayibavumela ukuba bahlale ethempelini kodwa bezenzela izinto zabo. Nalokhu okubizwa ngokuthi ukwenza imihlatshelo kwabo, kwakuwukwenza izinto zabo zehlazo ngaphansi kwesisithezo sokwenza inkonzo yabo ethempelini. Lesi kwakuyisizathu sokuba abantu ngaleso sikhathi babone ithempeli lilikhulu kunoNkulunkulu. Ngokuba babesebenzisa ithempeli njengesimbozo, nomhlatshelo njengesi sithezo sokukhohlisa abantu kanye nokukhohlisa uNkulunkulu, iNkosi uJesu yakusho lokhu ukwexwayisa abantu. Uma nisebenzisa la mazwi esikhathini samanje, avumelekile ngokulingana futhi afanelekile ngokulingana. Noma-ke abantu namhlanje sebebone imisebenzi eyahlukene kaNkulunkulu kuneyabonwa abantu beNkathi Yomthetho, isimo semvelo yabo siyafana. Engqikithini yomsebenzi wanamuhla, abantu bayoqhubeka nokwenza izinto ezifanayo nalezi ngoba “ithempeli likhulu kunoNkulunkulu.” Isibonelo, abantu babona ukufeza izimfanelo zabo njengomsebenzi wabo; babona ukufakazela uNkulunkulu nokulwa nodrako obomvu njengenhlangano yezepolitiki ivikela amalungelo abantu, intando yeningi kanye nenkululeko; baphendula izimfanelo zabo ukuze basebenzise amakhono abo abe njengemisebenzi yabo, kodwa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu noma ukuyeka okubi bakwenza ize, kodwa bakwenza ingxenyana yesifundiso senkolo okumele sigcinwe; kanye nokunye. Lokhu abantu abakuvezayo akuve kungokufanayo njengalokhu “ithempeli likhulu kunoNkulunkulu”? Ngaphandle ngokuthi eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili eyedlule, abantu babenza izinto eziqondene nabo ethempelini eliphathekayo, kodwa namhlanje, abantu benza imisebenzi yabo ethempelini elingaphatheki. Labo bantu abayithatha njengegugu imigomo, babona imigomo imikhulu kunoNkulunkulu, labo bantu abathanda ukugqama babona ukugqama kukukhulu kunoNkulunkulu, labo abathanda imisebenzi yabo bayibona imikhulu ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu, njalo njalo—konke lokhu abakuvezayo Mina kungiholela ekutheni ngithi: “Abantu badumisa uNkulunkulu njengomkhulu kakhulu ngamazwi abo, kodwa ngokwamehlo abo konke kukhulu kunoNkulunkulu.” Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi abantu bazitholela amathuba abo endleleni yabo yokulandela uNkulunkulu ukuveza amakhono abo, noma ukwenza amabhizinisi abo noma imisebenzi yabo yokuziphilisa, bayaziqhelelanisa noNkulunkulu bese bezinikela emisebenzini yokuziphilisa abayithandayo. Kepha lokhu uNkulunkulu abanike khona ngokubathembe, nentando Yakhe, lezo zinto kade zalahlwa. Kulesi sithombe, yini ehlukile ngalaba bantu kunalabo abazenzela imisebenzi yabo ethempelini eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili eyedlule?

Kucashunwe embhalweni othi “Umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, Isimo SikaNkulunkulu, NoNkulunkulu Uqobo Lwakhe III” encwadini ethi Izwi Livela Lisenyameni