1. UMatha wayesizwa njani futhi lokho kwakubangelwe kuyini?

UMATHA wayesindwa ngumcabango wokuthi wayengasayikulizwa futhi ilizwi lomfowabo ayemthanda. Lenyembezi zakhe zasezihlala enkopheni, inhliziyo isopha. Wayelokhu elubona ngelihlo lengqondo ubhalu olwalumbokothwe ngenkalakatha yelitshe entubeni. Yikho lapho okwakungcwatshwe khona uLazaro umnewabo. Lanxa zasezizine izinsuku umfowabo etshonile, endlini kwakulokhu kuxokozela kulabantu abanengi ababezokuthi langalezo, bebaduduza.

2, 3. (a) UMatha angabe wezwa njani ebona uJesu? (b) Amazwi kaMatha aqakathekileyo avezani ngaye?

² ULazaro wayekade engumngane kaJesu, beyingotsha lenswabanda. Kumele ukuthi uMatha wathi ehlangana loJesu owayesesiza edolobheni laseBhethani elaliseceleni kwentaba, zathi wohlo ezimathonsi. Phela wayekwazi ukuthi aluba uJesu wayekhona, umnewabo wayengasoze afe. Kwakumzwisa usizi ukuthi ayesechithekile, kodwa ukuxoxa loJesu kwayithoba inhliziyo yakhe eyayimanxebanxeba. Ngesikhatshana nje bexoxa, wayesesizwa ngcono ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wayemzwela njalo emzwisisa. Wambuza imibuzo eyaqinisa ukholo lwakhe njalo yenza wangathandabuzi ukuthi abafileyo bazavuka. Ingxoxo yabo yenza ukuthi uMatha akhulume amazwi aqakatheke kakhulu. Wathi: “Yebo, Nkosi, ngiyakholwa ukuthi unguye uKhristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, obezakuza emhlabeni.”—Joh. 11:27.

³ Amazwi la aveza ukuthi uMatha wayelokholo oluqinileyo sibili. IBhayibhili lisitshela okulutshwana ngowesifazana lo kodwa elikutshoyo ngaye kungasisiza ukuthi sibe lokholo oluzikileyo. Ake siyikhangele indaba yakhe eseBhayibhilini, sibone ukuthi ingasiphathisa njani.

4. Ngobani ababeselamana loMatha, njalo babeyini kaJesu?

⁴ Kusasele izinyanga ezinengi ukuthi okulandiswe phezulu kwenzakale, uLazaro wayeziphilele eqine saka. Wayehlala eBhethani. Kwakulesethekeli esasiqakatheke ukwedlula zonke esasizobavakatshela. Isethekeli leso kwakunguJesu Khristu. ULazaro, uMatha kanye  loMariya babeyizelamani futhi kukhanya babehlala bonke. Abanye abachwayisisayo bathi kungenzeka ukuthi uMatha nguye owayelizibulo ngoba kwezinye izikhathi uqanjwa kuqala njalo kukhanya nguye owayedidizela nxa kufika abantu bemzini. (Joh. 11:5) Kasikwazi ukuthi phakathi kwabo ukhona yini owayetshadile. Kodwa esingakuphumputhiyo yikuthi babengabangane bakaJesu, bezimbila zantabanye. UJesu wayehlala emzini wabo ngesikhathi etshumayela eJudiya. Abantu bendawo le babengamlaleli njalo bemzonda. Yikho-ke kufanele ukuthi kwakumthokozisa kakhulu ukuba semzini wabangane bakhe ababelokuthula futhi bemsekela.

5, 6. (a) Kungani kwakunguMatha owayedidizela kakhulu ngesikhathi bevakatshelwe nguJesu? (b) UMariya wenzani uJesu esefikile?

⁵ UMatha nguye owayezikhuthalele kakhulu izinto zomuzi wabo njalo wayesiba leqiniso lokuthi abantu bemzini bayanakekelwa. Wayekhuthele engahlali phansi. Kwaba yiso leso langesikhathi bevakatshelwe nguJesu okungenzeka ukuthi wayehamba labanye. Walungiselela ukubaphekela izibiliboco ezigobhozisa amathe. Ngaleso sikhathi umuntu owayephatha kuhle izethekeli kwakuthiwa ngumuntu ebantwini. Isethekeli sasisithi silubeka nje ngekhaya, sangiwe, sikhitshwe amanyathela, sigeziswe lenyawo njalo sithelwe amakha ekhanda. (Bala uLukha 7:44-47.) Abavakatshelweyo babesiba leqiniso lokuthi sasithola indawo enhle yokuphumula, basinike leziyangaphansi kwamakhala.

⁶ UMatha loMariya badidizela-ke bebamba lokhu lalokhuya. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uMariya waqala wancedisana lodadewabo lanxa kukhanya angathi yena wayengumuntu ozithandela ukufunda. UJesu wathi esefikile, wasuka wayahlala phansi, wathapha ulwazi. Phela uJesu wayesethole ithuba lokubafundisa njalo kazange alidlalise. Lanxa abakhokheli benkolo babebakhangelela phansi abesifazana, yena wayebahlonipha njalo wayengadondi ukubafundisa ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, owawuyisiqokoqela sezintshumayelo zakhe.

7, 8. Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uMatha agcwalelane, njalo wacina esithini?

⁷ Wena ubona angathi okwasekusenziwa nguMariya kwamphatha njani udadewabo? Kufanele ukuthi wagcwalelana. Phela uMatha wayedidizela, esephula imbiza eziko afake enye, kukunengi okwakumele akwenzele abantu bemzini. Wayeseswele lokuthi abambeni atshiyeni. Akumcabange elokhu esiya le lale, ebona udadewabo ezihlalele egoqe izandla. Mhlawumbe wacunuka, wahwaqa waze wancifa. Nxa kuyikuthi wenza njalo, singamzwisisa sibili ngoba phela amasongo akhala emabili.

⁸ Ekucineni uMatha kwamalela ukuthi afele ngaphakathi, yikho wangena uJesu emlonyeni, wabhoboka esithi: “Nkosi,  kawunanzeleli yini ukuthi udadewethu uyangiyekelela umsebenzi? Mtshele ukuthi kangelekelele!” (Luk. 10:40) Lapha uMatha kazange atshaye inja efihla umphini. Amanye amaBhayibhili awabeka kanje amazwi akhe: “Nkosi kawulandaba yini lokuthi udadewethu ungitshiye ngisebenza ngedwa na?” Esetsho njalo wacela uJesu ukuthi amqondise uMariya, amtshele ukuthi abuye azomncedisa.

9, 10. (a) UJesu wamphendula wathini uMatha? (b) Sikwazi njani ukuthi uJesu wayengamsoli uMatha ngokusebenza gadalala ebalungisela ukudla?

⁹ UJesu wamphendula kuhle wathi: “Matha, Matha, uhlutshwa njalo ukhathazeke ngezinto ezinengi, kodwa kusweleka into eyodwa. UMariya ukhethe okungcono, okungasoze akwemukwe futhi.” (Luk. 10:41, 42) Impendulo le iyabamangalisa abantu abanengi ababala iBhayibhili njalo kufanele ukuthi loMatha wasala eselesithuli. Kanti uJesu wayesitshoni? Wayesitsho yini ukuthi uMatha uqakathekisa ezinye izinto kuloNkulunkulu? Wayesithi kubi yini ukusebenza kwakhe gadalala ebalungisela ukudla?

¹⁰ Hatshi. UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi uMatha wayesenza konke lokhu ngenhliziyo yonke. Kanti njalo wayengakuboni kukubi ukuthi abantu bake bazibulale ngezifela emlonyeni. Laye wayeke wahamba ‘edilini elikhulu’ ayelenzelwe nguMathewu. (Luk. 5:29) Ngakho-ke lapha wayengakhulumi ngokudla kukaMatha, kodwa wayefuna ukumsiza ukuthi akwazi ukuthi okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuphi njengoba yena wayesethatheke ngezeziko. Kuyini okwakuqakatheke kakhulu?

11, 12. UJesu wameluleka njani uMatha?

¹¹ UJesu wayefike emzini kaMatha elande ukuzobafundisa iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu. Akulanto eyayiqakatheke ukwedlula lokho, lezibiliboco lezo zazisala phansi. UMatha wayesedlalisa ithuba lokuqiniswa ukholo yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa. Lanxa uJesu wadana embona ephathekile, kazange ambambe ngamandla. * Kodwa uJesu wayengeke atshele uMariya ukuthi ayekele ukufunda ayencedisana loMatha.

¹² Yikho-ke wameluleka kuhle uMatha, waphinda ibizo lakhe kabili ezama ukumsiza ukuthi ehlise umoya. Wamtshela lokuthi kwakungamelanga ‘ahlutshwe njalo akhathazeke ngezinto ezinengi.’ Kwakungafunakali ukudla okumangalisayo ngoba okwakuqakatheke kakhulu yilokho ayebaphathele khona.  Wayengeke emuke uMariya ithuba lokufunda ngoba yikho “okungcono” ayesekukhethile.

13. Lokho uJesu akutshela uMatha kusifundisani?

¹³ Abalandeli bakaKhristu “abampofu emoyeni” bangafunda okunengi endabeni le. Akumelanga sidele ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu sigijimisana lezinye izinto. (Mat. 5:3) Lanxa kufanele sikhuthale njengoMatha futhi sibe ngabaphanayo, akufanelanga ‘sihlutshwe njalo sikhathazeke’ kakhulu ngokulungisela abantu bemzini lokhu lalokhuya, size silibale ukuthi kuyini okuqakatheke kakhulu. Akulanto embi ngokuthi sidle sikholise nxa sibuthene labantu esikhonza labo, kodwa okuhle kakhulu yikuthi siqinisane ukholo. (Bala uRoma 1:11, 12.) Lanxa kulokudla okuncane nje, abantu bangakholisa bakhuthazane.

14. UMatha walalela yini lapho eqondiswa? Chaza.

¹⁴ UMatha walalela na uJesu esemkhuzile? Kusegcekeni ukuthi kazange ephulele izigodo endlebeni ngoba umphostoli uJohane wathi eseloba indaba ehlabusayo emayelana lomnewabo kaMatha waqala ngamazwi athi: “UJesu wayemthanda uMatha kanye labafowabo oMariya loLazaro.” (Joh. 11:5) Kwasekwedlule izinyanga uJesu eluleke uMatha ngesikhathi eseBhethani. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi uMatha kazange ambambele isikhwili kodwa walalela ngenhliziyo yonke. Sonke kumele simlingisele, silalele nxa siqondiswa ngoba phela akugeza lingelasiyinga.

15, 16. (a) Kuyini okungabe kwenziwa nguMatha umnewabo esehlatshwe ngumkhuhlane? (b) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uMatha loMariya bahlulukelwe?

¹⁵ ULazaro wathi esebanjwe ngumkhuhlane, kumele ukuthi uMatha wayesebenza nzima emonga. Wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze umnewabo abe ngcono. Lanxa kunjalo, umkhuhlane wamqinela. Odadewabo babemnakekela liphuma lize liyetshona. Kufanele ukuthi uMatha wayemkhangela abone ukuthi kwasekusala. UMatha wayesizwa ubuhlungu ekhumbula izikhathi ezimnandi kanye lezinzima ababedlule kuzo bebonke.

¹⁶ Kwathi sekuzikhanyela ukuthi kwasekusele udokoza nje, uMatha loMariya bathumela ilizwi kuJesu. Kwakungathatha amalanga amabili ukuyafika lapho ayetshumayela khona. Balayezela bathi: “Nkosi, lowo omthandayo uyagula.” (Joh. 11:1, 3) Babekwazi ukuthi uJesu wayemthanda uLazaro njalo babelokholo lokuthi wayezakwenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze amsize umngane wakhe. Engxenye bahlalela ethembeni lokuthi uJesu wayezafika kungakabi lomonakalo. Kodwa uLazaro watshona, basala behlulukelwe.

17. Kuyini okwamangalisa uMatha, njalo wenzani esizwa ukuthi uJesu wayesendleleni esiza eBhethani?

¹⁷ UMatha loMariya bamlilela-ke umnewabo, balungiselela umngcwabo. Izinini zaziphambana labomakhelwana, uzulu wonke waseBhethani lakwezinye izindawo ezobakhalela. Balinda besalinda, kodwa uJesu nya! Zelekana insuku, engxenye uMatha waze wamangala ukuthi kanti kwasekutheni. Kwathi ngelanga lesine uLazaro etshonile, uMatha wezwa ukuthi uJesu wayesendleleni esiza eBhethani. Njengenhlalayenza, wasukumela phezulu lanxa wayephakathi kosizi, wayamhlangabeza engabikelanga loMariya.—Bala uJohane 11:18-20.

18, 19. UMatha wayelethemba lokuthi kwakuzakwenzakalani, njalo kungani ukholo lwakhe lumangalisa?

¹⁸ UMatha wathi eyibona iNkosi yakhe, wakuveza okwakumudla  yena loMariya zonke izinsuku lezo. Wathi: “Nkosi, aluba ubukhona lapha ngabe umnewethu kafanga.” Kodwa wayelokhu elethemba kanye lokholo, yikho waqhubeka wathi: “Kodwa ngiyazi ukuthi lamanje uNkulunkulu uzakunika loba yini oyicelayo.” UJesu wahle waluqinisa ukholo lukaMatha, wathi: “Umnewenu uzavuka.”—Joh. 11:21-23.

¹⁹ UMatha yena waphendula wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uzavuka futhi ekuvukeni kwabafileyo ngosuku lokucina.” (Joh. 11:24) Wayezitshela ukuthi uJesu wayekhuluma ngokuvuswa kwabafileyo okuzayo. Wayekukholwa lokhu, engathandabuzi lakancane. Abakhokheli benkolo yamaJuda okwakuthiwa ngabaSadusi babengavumi ukuthi kwakulento enjalo lanxa kwakucacile eMibhalweni eyayiphefumulelwe ukuthi abafileyo babezavuswa. (Dan. 12:13; Mak. 12:18) Kodwa uMatha yena wayekwazi ukuthi uJesu wayeseke wabavusa abafileyo lokuthi wayehamba efundisa ukuthi lokhu kwakuzakwenzakala. Lanxa kunjalo, uJesu wayengakaze avuse umuntu owayesehlale  ethuneni isikhathi eside njengoLazaro. Yikho-ke uMatha wayengazi ukuthi iyozala nkomoni.

20. Chasisa amazwi kaJesu aqinisa abanengi lamuhla akuJohane 11:25-27 kanye lempendulo kaMatha.

²⁰ UJesu wakhuluma amazwi aqinisa abanengi lamuhla, wathi: “Mina ngiyikuvuka kwabafileyo lokuphila.” UJehova uNkulunkulu wayipha sibili iNdodana yakhe amandla okuthi ngesikhathi esizayo ivuse abafileyo kuwo wonke amagumbi amane omhlaba. UJesu wabuza uMatha wathi: “Uyakukholwa lokhu na?” UMatha wamphendula ngamazwi esiwafunde kundima yesibili esihlokweni lesi. Wayekukholwa ukuthi uJesu kwakunguye uKhristu loba uMesiya iNdodana kaJehova uNkulunkulu kanye lokuthi nguye okwakuphrofethwe ukuthi wayezakuza emhlabeni.—Joh. 5:28, 29; bala uJohane 11:25-27.

21, 22. (a) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJesu uzwa ubuhlungu nxa ebona abantu belila? (b) Kwenzakalani ngesikhathi uLazaro evuswa?

²¹ UJehova uNkulunkulu leNdodana yakhe balendaba yini labantu abalokholo njengoMatha? Lokho uMatha akubona mhlalokho kuveza ukuthi bayabathanda sibili. Waphanga wayathatha udadewabo. UJesu wathi esekhuluma loMariya kanye labanye abanengi ababeze emfeni kaLazaro, uMatha wazibonela ukuthi indoda le yayidabukile enhliziyweni. Wayibona ihlengezela izinyembezi, ingelanhloni zokuveza ukuthi ukufelwa kwakuyizwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu. Kusenjalo uMatha wezwa isitshela abantu ukuthi basuse ilitshe elalisentubeni yobhalu umnewabo ayengcwatshwe kulo.—Joh. 11:28-39.

²² Kodwa uMatha wathi isidumbu sasesilephunga njengoba zasezizine izinsuku. Wayebona kungasasizi ngalutho. Loba kunjalo, uJesu wamkhumbuza wathi: “Kangikutshelanga yini ukuthi uma ukholwa uzabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu na?” Lamanje wakholwa, futhi wayibona inkazimulo kaJehova. UNkulunkulu wahle wayinika amandla iNdodana yakhe ukuze imvuse uLazaro. Yanqolonga ngelizwi elikhulu yathi: “Lazaro, phuma!” Kwazwakala umsinjwana uqhamuka ebhalwini indoda le isivuka, izandla lezinyawo kusongwe ngamaqhele. Wathutsha uLazaro ehamba kancane kancane, bambona nango sephandle kobhalu, uJesu wasesithi kubo: “Khuphani izivunulo zokungcwaba limyekele ahambe.” Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uMatha loMariya bamdumela umnewabo sebethabe bengasazazi! (Bala uJohane 11:40-44.) Kumele ukuthi uMatha waze wayazifela engazange asikhohlwe isimanga asibona mhlalokho. Saphola soma qha isilonda esasikade sibhibhidla enhliziyweni kaMatha!

23. UJehova loJesu bafuna ukukwenzelani, njalo kufanele wena wenzeni?

²³ Indaba le isitshengisa ukuthi abantu abafileyo bazavuka sibili,  akusilo phupho nje. Lokho iBhayibhili elisifundisa khona kuyasiduduza ngoba lasendulo bakhona abake bavuswa. (Jobe. 14:14, 15) UJehova loJesu bayakulangatha ukubabusisa abantu abalokholo. Sikubonile lokho endabeni kaMatha, uMariya kanye loLazaro. Ngakho-ke nxa lawe ungaba lokholo oluqinileyo, uzakubona ngawakho okwabonwa nguMatha.

24. Yikuphi okokucina iBhayibhili elisitshela khona mayelana loMatha?

²⁴ IBhayibhili liphinda lisitshele ngoMatha selisilandisela ngokwenzakala sekusele iviki ukuthi uJesu afe. UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi wayesezahlangana lobunzima obukhulu, yikho waphinda waya eBhethani kubangane bakhe ayebathanda. Esuka lapho wayezahamba amakhilomitha amathathu esiya eJerusalema. Yena loLazaro babesedilini endlini kaSimoni indoda eyayilobulephero. Kulapho-ke esitshelwa khona ukuthi “uMatha nguye owayedidizela.” (Joh. 12:2) Lokhu yikho okokucina esikuzwayo ngaye.

25. Abesifazana abalokholo njengoMatha balisiza njani ibandla?

²⁵ UMatha wayekhuthele sibili! Phela iBhayibhili lithi liqala nje ukusilandisela ngaye, lisitshela ukuthi wayesebenza. Lapho esicina khona ukuzwa ngaye sitshelwa ukuthi wayedidizela elungisela abantu lokhu lalokhuya. Amabandla obuKhristu abusisiwe ngoba bakhona odadewethu abanjengoMatha. Bakhuthele, bayaphana futhi batshengisa ukuthi balokholo kuJehova ngokusebenza gadalala ukuze basize abanye. Kukhanya angathi uMatha waqhubeka elokholo oluqinileyo. Lokhu kungabe kwamsiza ngoba kulobunzima ayesazohlangana labo empilweni.

26. Ukholo lukaMatha lwamsiza ngani?

²⁶ Ngemva kwensukwana uMatha wezwa ubuhlungu ngoba iNkosi yakhe ayeyithanda yafa kabuhlungu. Abazenzisi ababebulele uJesu basebezingela loLazaro befuna ukumbulala ngoba babebona ukuthi ukuvuswa kwakhe kwakuluqinisa ukholo lwabanengi. (Bala uJohane 12:9-11.) Kanti njalo ukufa kwaphinda kwangena ekhaya, kwehlukanisa uMatha lodadewabo kanye lomfowabo. Kasikwazi ukuthi lokho kwenzakala nini loba njani, kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi ukholo lukaMatha lwamsiza ukuthi akhuthazele kuze kube sekucineni. Yikho-ke kufanele wonke amaKhristu amlingisele futhi abe lokholo njengaye.