1. Chaza indlela Mata labetiva ngayo, nekutsi kungani abetiva ngaleyo ndlela.

MATA abelibona ngemehlo engcondvo lithuna lemnakabo lebelivalwe ngelitje emnyango walo. Lusizi lwakhe belulukhulu lufana nemtfwalo lowesindzako emahlombe. Abengakholwa kutsi umnakabo lamtsandza kangaka abesafile. Kulamalanga lamane Lazaro afile simo besimatima futsi bekugcwele lusizi, kukhona tivakashi nalabanye bantfu lebebatele kutewubalilela.

2, 3. (a) Kungenteka kutsi wativa njani Mata nakabona Jesu? (b) Emavi aMata labaluleke kuwendlula onkhe asitjelani ngaye?

² Ngaleso sikhatsi, indvodza lebeyingumngani lomkhulu waLazaro beyime edvute naMata. Kufanele kutsi ngesikhatsi Mata abona Jesu wadzabuka kakhulu, ngobe kube abelapho ngabe wamsindzisa umnakabo njengobe kunguye kuphela umuntfu emhlabeni wonkhe labengenta njalo. Nobe kunjalo, Mata wadvudvuteka kakhulu ngekuba naJesu kulelidolobhana laseBhetani lebeliseceleni kwentsaba. Kulesikhashana anaye, wadvudvuteka ngeluvelo lwaJesu lobelubonakala emehlweni, lokuyintfo lebeyihlale imkhutsata. Jesu wambuta imibuto leyamenta wanaka kukholwa kwakhe kanye nelitsemba lanalo eluvukweni. Njengobe bakhuluma, Mata washo lamavi labaluleke kakhulu kwendlula onkhe lake wawasho, latsi: “Ngiyakholwa kutsi unguKhristu iNdvodzana yaNkulunkulu, Leyo lokufanele ite emhlabeni.”​—Joh. 11:27.

³ Njengobe lamavi abonisa, Mata abenekukholwa lokungakavami. Nanobe liBhayibheli lisitjela lokuncane ngaye, tifundvo letibalulekile lesingatitfola kuye tingasisita sicinise kukholwa kwetfu. Kute sibone kutsi singakwenta njani loko, asesicabange ngendzaba leseBhayibhelini lekhuluma ngaMata kwekucala.

4. Umndeni wakuboMata bewehluke ngayiphi indlela, futsi bebanebuhlobo lobunjani naJesu?

⁴ Etinyangeni letitsite ngembikwaloko, Lazaro abephile saka. Jesu Khristu, sivakashi sabo lesibaluleke kakhulu, abetawufika ekhaya lakubo leliseBhetani. BoLazaro, Mata kanye naMariya bebangumndeni  lowehlukile, ngobe nanobe besebakhulile bebasahlala ndzawonye. Labanye bacwaningi batsi kungenteka kutsi Mata bekunguye lomdzala kubo bobatsatfu, ngobe nguye labemukela tivakashi futsi ngaletinye tikhatsi kubalwa yena kucala. (Joh. 11:5) Asikwati kubona kutsi ukhona yini emkhatsini wabo bobatsatfu lowake washada. Kodvwa kunobe ngukuphi, baba bangani labakhulu baJesu. Ngesikhatsi enta umsebenti wakhe eJudiya, indzawo labephikiswa kakhulu kuyo futsi atondvwa, Jesu abehlala ekhaya labo. Kufanele kutsi abekujabulela kakhulu kuthula lebekulapho kanye nekusekelwa labekutfola.

5, 6. (a) Kungani Mata abematasatasa ngesikhatsi kutawufika Jesu? (b) Yini Mariya layenta ngesikhatsi Jesu afika ekhaya lakubo?

⁵ Mata abenta lokunyenti kute anakekele likhaya lakubo futsi emukele tivakashi. Njengobe abehlale amatasatasa futsi akhutsele, abevame kwenta imisebenti leminyenti. Ngalesikhatsi kufike Jesu wenta lokufanako. Ngekushesha wahlela lidzili labetalentela lesivakashi sakhe lesikhetsekile, mhlawumbe nalabo lebesihamba nabo. Ngaleto tikhatsi, kwemukela tivakashi bekuyintfo lebaluleke kakhulu. Nakufika sivakashi, besemukelwa ngekwangiwa, kukhunyulwe tincabule taso, sigezwe tinyawo, futsi inhloko yaso igcotjiswe ngemafutsa lanemakha. (Fundza Lukha 7:44-47.) Bekuyintfo levamile kutsi sinakekelwe kahle, sinikwe indzawo yekulala kanye nekudla.

⁶ BoMata naMariya bebamatasatasa balungiselela kufika kwaJesu. Kufanele kutsi Mariya, lokuvame kutsiwa ungumuntfu lonakako futsi lohlale akulungele kufundza, wamsita dzadzewabo ekucaleni. Kodvwa kwatsi nasekufike Jesu tintfo tashintja. Jesu abetsatsa lesikhatsi njengelitfuba lekufundzisa, futsi nguloko kanye lakwenta. Ngalokwehlukile kubaholi benkholo bangaleso sikhatsi, Jesu abebahlonipha bantfu labasikati futsi abetimisele kubafundzisa ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu, lobekunguwo labeshumayela ngawo. Njengobe Mariya abelijabulela lelitfuba, wahlala eceleni kwaJesu walalelisisa konkhe labekukhuluma.

7, 8. Kungani Mata acala kucindzeteleka enhlitiyweni yakhe, futsi yini layenta ekugcineni?

⁷ Singamcabanga Mata asacala kucindzeteleka enhlitiyweni yakhe. Njengobe bekufanele alungise kudla lokunyenti futsi ente naleminye imisebenti, kancane kancane wacala kukhatsateka futsi waphatamiseka. Njengobe ehla enyuka aphishekile, abona dzadzewabo ahleti phansi angenti lutfo kute amsite, kungenteka yini kutsi buso bakhe bakuveta ngalokucacile kukhatsateka kwakhe futsi waswaca? Angeke kumangalise nangabe wakwenta loko. Phela abengeke akwati kuwenta yedvwa wonkhe lomsebenti.

⁸ Ekugcineni, Mata wehluleka kutibamba. Waya kuJesu wafike watsi: “Nkhosi, awunandzaba yini nekutsi dzadzewetfu ungishiye  ngedvwa ngisebenta? Mtjele ete atewungisita.” (Luk. 10:40) Lankha bekungemavi lashubile. Emahumusho lamanyenti awubeka ngalendlela lombuto wakhe: “Nkhosi, akukuhluphi yini . . . ?” Ngemuva kwaloko watjela Jesu kutsi akhulume naMariya, amcele kutsi ete atewumsita.

9, 10. (a) Jesu wamphendvula njani Mata? (b) Sati njani kutsi Jesu abengakusoli kusebenta kamatima kwaMata?

⁹ Kungenteka kutsi imphendvulo yaJesu yammangalisa Mata, njengobe kwenteka kubantfu labanyenti labafundza liBhayibheli. Ngemusa watsi: “Mata, Mata, ukhatsateka ngetintfo letinyenti. Timbalwa tintfo letidzingekako, mhlawumbe nje yinye yenele. Mariya yena ukhetse lokuncono kakhulu, futsi ngeke emukwe kona.” (Luk. 10:41, 42) Abesho kutsini Jesu? Abesho kutsi Mata utsandza kakhulu umcebo kunaNkulunkulu yini? Abemsola yini ngekusebenta kwakhe kamatima kute alungise kudla lokumnandzi?

¹⁰ Cha, Jesu abebona ngalokucacile kutsi loko Mata lakwentako abekwenta ngelutsandvo nangenhlitiyo yonkhe. Ngetulu kwaloko, abengasho kutsi kwemukela tihambi ngekutentela lidzili bekuyintfo lembi. Naye waya ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni ‘edzilini lelikhulu’ Matewu labementele lona ngaphambilini. (Luk. 5:29) Kudla lebekulungiswa nguMata bekungasiko lokuyinkinga, kodvwa inkinga bekutintfo letita kucala kuye. Abenake kakhulu kwenta tibiliboco kangangekutsi wakhohlwa loko lebekubaluleke kakhulu. Bekuyini leyo?

11, 12. Jesu wamekhuta njani ngemusa Mata?

¹¹ Jesu, loyiNdvodzana yaJehova Nkulunkulu lekuphela kwayo, abesekhaboMata afundzisa liciniso. Kute lebekubaluleke kwengca loku, ngisho nekudla lokumnandzi lobekulungiswa. Kufanele kutsi Jesu kwamvisa buhlungu kutsi Mata abengazuzi kulelitfuba lelibaluleke kakhulu lekucinisa kukholwa kwakhe, kodvwa wamyekela watentela yena sincumo. * Kepha abete lilungelo lekutjela Jesu kutsi aphocelele Mariya kuze naye alahlekelwe litfuba lekufundziswa nguJesu.

¹² Ngako Jesu wamekhuta ngemusa Mata, waliphindza kabili libito lakhe kute amehlise umoya, futsi wamcinisekisa ngekutsi kute sidzingo ‘sekukhatsateka ngetintfo letinyenti.’ Kudla lokumelula futsi lokumbalwa, bekutawube kwenele ikakhulukati lapho kufundziswa ngaNkulunkulu. Jesu abengeke  avumele kutsi Mariya emukwe “lokuncono kakhulu” lakukhetsile​—lokukufundza kuJesu.

13. Yini lesingayifundza endleleni Jesu lamekhuta ngayo Mata?

¹³ Lendzaba lemfisha lemayelana nekuphila kwasekhaya inetifundvo letinyenti letingasita balandzeli baKhristu lamuhla. Akukafaneli sivumele nobe ngabe yini kutsi isiphatamise ekunakeni “tintfo letiphatselene naNkulunkulu.” (Mat. 5:3) Nanobe sifuna kulingisa umusa kanye nekukhutsala kwaMata, asifuni ‘kukhatsateka’ ngetintfo letingakabaluleki nasemukele tivakashi kangangekutsi singasatinaki tintfo letibaluleke kakhulu. Nasihlangene nemakholwa lesikanye nawo, sizatfu lesiyinhloko akusiko kudla tibiliboco, kodvwa kukhutsatana nekuphana tipho letivela kuNkulunkulu. (Fundza Roma 1:11, 12.) Ngisho nekudla lokumelula kungenta leso sikhatsi sibe ngulesikhutsatako.

14. Kungani singaciniseka kutsi Mata wasibekela sibonelo lesihle sekwemukela seluleko?

¹⁴ Mata wakwemukela yini kuyalwa nguJesu ngemusa futsi wafundza kuko? Asingabati kutsi wenta njalo. Nakalandzisa ngendzaba lemnandzi lemayelana nemnakaboMata, umphostoli Johane usikhumbuta ngaloku: “Jesu abebatsandza boMata nadzadzewabo, kanye naLazaro.” (Joh. 11:5) Besekwendlule tinyanga ngemuva kwekuvakasha kwaJesu eBhetani lesikhulume ngako ngenhla. Kuyacaca kutsi Mata akazange atfukutsele nobe abambe emagcubu ngemuva kwekwelulekwa nguJesu ngelutsandvo. Wasemukela leseluleko. Nakuloku, usibekela sibonelo lesihle kakhulu sekukholwa ngobe akekho emkhatsini wetfu lokungenteki adzinge kwelulekwa ngaletinye tikhatsi.

15, 16. (a) Yini lokungenteka Mata wayenta ngesikhatsi umnakabo agula? (b) Kungani litsemba laMata naMariya lavele laphelela emoyeni?

¹⁵ Ngesikhatsi umnakabo agula, kufanele kutsi Mata wacitsa sikhatsi lesinyenti amnakekela. Wenta konkhe lokusemandleni akhe kute apholise tinhlungu takhe khona atewuba ncono. Nobe kunjalo, Lazaro wachubeka agula kakhulu. Kuso sonkhe sikhatsi lagula ngaso, bodzadzewabo bebasolo banaye kute bamnakekele. Kufanele kutsi Mata abehlale abubukisisa buso bemnakabo lebebuveta kutsi uyagula, futsi akhumbule yonkhe iminyaka labayicitse bandzawonye kanye netikhatsi letimnandzi naletibuhlungu lababa nato babonkhe.

¹⁶ Ngesikhatsi sekubonakala kutsi Lazaro abesatawukufa, boMata naMariya batfumela umlayeto kuJesu. Abeshumayela endzaweni lebekungatsatsa emalanga langaba mabili kufika khona. Umlayeto wabo bewumane utsi: “Nkhosi, umngani wakho lomtsandza kakhulu uyagula.” (Joh. 11:1, 3) Bebati kutsi Jesu abemtsandza umnakabo, futsi bebetsemba kutsi abengenta nobe ngabe yini kute asite umngani wakhe. Bebanalo yini litsemba lekutsi Jesu abetawufika asengakafi Lazaro? Nangabe kunjalo, litsemba labo lavele laphelela emoyeni ngobe Lazaro wafa.

17. Yini leyenta Mata wakhatsateka, futsi wenta njani ngesikhatsi eva kutsi Jesu abesasondzela kulelidolobha?

¹⁷ BoMata naMariya balila ngenca yemnakabo, benta emalungiselelo ekumngcwaba futsi bemukela netivakashi letinyenti lebetisuka eBhetani nasetindzaweni letisedvute. Kodvwa Jesu abesolo angafiki. Kungenteka kutsi Mata wakhatsateka kakhulu njengobe emalanga ahamba. Ekugcineni, nasekwendlule emalanga lamane Lazaro afile, Mata weva kutsi Jesu abesasondzela kulelidolobha. Njengobe abengumfati lokhutsele, ngisho nakulesikhatsi lesimatima Mata wasukuma wagijima wayewuhlangabeta Jesu angakamtjeli Mariya.​—Fundza Johane 11:18-20.

18, 19. Nguliphi litsemba Mata lakhuluma ngalo, futsi kungani kukholwa kwakhe bekukukhulu?

 ¹⁸ Ngesikhatsi Mata abona iNkhosi yakhe, wayitjela loko lebekusolo kukhatsata yena naMariya sonkhe lesikhatsi, watsi: “Nkhosi, kube bewukhona, umnaketfu ngabe akakafi.” Kodvwa abesolo analo litsemba nekukholwa. Wachubeka watsi: “Kodvwa-ke ngiyati kutsi tonkhe tintfo loticela kuNkulunkulu ukunika tona.” Khona lapho, Jesu washo intfo leyacinisa kukholwa kwaMata, watsi: “Umnakenu utawuvuka.”​—Joh. 11:21-23.

¹⁹ Mata abecabanga kutsi Jesu ukhuluma ngeluvuko lwesikhatsi lesitako, ngako watsi: “Ngiyati kutsi utawuvuka ngelilanga lekugcina nasekuvuswa labafile.” (Joh. 11:24) Abenekukholwa lokukhulu kulemfundziso. Labanye baholi benkholo yemaJuda, lababitwa ngekutsi baSadusi bebatsi kute kuvuswa kwalabafile, nanobe loku bekuyimfundziso lecacile lesemiBhalweni lephefumulelwe. (Dan. 12:13; Mak. 12:18) Nobe kunjalo, Mata bekati kutsi Jesu abefundzisa  ngelitsemba leluvuko nekutsi bakhona bantfu labavusa​—nanobe bekungekho kubo labesafe sikhatsi lesidze njengaLazaro. Abengakwati loko lebekutawukwenteka ngekushesha.

20. Chaza kutsi asho kutsini emavi aJesu lahlale akhumbuleka lakuJohane 11:25-27 kanye nemphendvulo yaMata.

²⁰ Ngemuva kwaloko, Jesu washo emavi lahlale akhumbuleka, watsi: “Mine ngikuvuka nekuphila.” Jehova Nkulunkulu unike iNdvodzana yakhe ligunya lekuvusa labafile kuwo wonkhe umhlaba esikhatsini lesitako. Jesu wabuta Mata watsi: “Wena uyakukholwa yini loko?” Yena washo lemphendvulo lechazwe ekucaleni kwalesehluko. Abekholwa kutsi Jesu unguKhristu, nobe Mesiya, nekutsi uyiNdvodzana yaJehova Nkulunkulu, kanye nekutsi nguye lona baphrofethi lababiketela ngaye kutsi utawufika emhlabeni.​—Joh. 5:28, 29; fundza Johane 11:25-27.

21, 22. (a) Jesu wayiveta njani indlela lativa ngayo ngalabalilako? (b) Chaza kuvuswa kwaLazaro.

²¹ Jehova Nkulunkulu kanye neNdvodzana yakhe lenguJesu Khristu bayajabula yini ngekukholwa lokunjengekwaMata? Tintfo Mata latibona tenteka ngemuva kwaloko tisinika imphendvulo lecace kakhulu. Wagijima wayewubita dzadzewabo. Ngemuva kwaloko, wabona kutsi Jesu abelusizi kakhulu njengobe abekhuluma naMariya kanye nebantfu lebebetele kutewulila. Watibona tinyembeti tehla emehlweni aJesu ngesikhatsi aveta ngalokucacile kutsi kufa kumvisa buhlungu. Weva Jesu atsi akususwe lelitje lebelivale lithuna lemnakabo.​—Joh. 11:28-39.

²² Ngesizatfu sekutsi Mata abehlale anemibono lemihle, wala kutsi lisuswe ngobe abetsi kungenteka lesidvumbu sesiyanuka njengobe besekuphele emalanga lamane singcwatjiwe. Jesu wamkhumbuta watsi: “Angikakutjeli yini kutsi nangabe ukholwa utawubona inkhatimulo yaNkulunkulu?” Ngako wakholwa futsi wayibona inkhatimulo yaJehova Nkulunkulu. Ngaso leso sikhatsi, Jehova wanika iNdvodzana yakhe emandla ekuvusa Lazaro. Asewucabange ngaletintfo lokungenteka kutsi Mata wahlala atikhumbula kuphila kwakhe konkhe: Emavi aJesu labetsi: “Lazaro, phuma!”; umsindvo lomncane lowavakala njengobe Lazaro aphuma kulelithuna labekulo, asolo aboshwe ngetindvwangu labengcwatjwe ngato futsi asondzela kancane emnyango walelithuna; emavi aJesu latsi: “Mkhumuleni, nimyekele ahambe”; kanye nenjabulo lenkhulu lababa nayo boMata naMariya nabefika batijika kumnakabo bamanga. (Fundza Johane 11:40-44.) Lusizi lobelusenhlitiyweni yaMata lwaphela!

23. Yini Jehova naJesu labafuna kukwentela yona, futsi yini lokufanele uyente?

²³ Lendzaba iveta kutsi kuvuswa kwalabafile akusilo nje liphupho, kodvwa kuyimfundziso yeliBhayibheli letsintsa inhlitiyo, futsi  leyabonakala iliciniso esikhatsini lesendlulile. (Jobe 14:14, 15) Jehova kanye neNdvodzana yakhe bayatsandza kubabusisa labo labanekukholwa, njengobe benta kuMata, Mariya naLazaro. Nawe bakubekele tibusiso letifanako nangabe uba nekukholwa lokucinile.

24. Nguyiphi intfo yekugcina liBhayibheli lelisitjela yona ngaMata?

²⁴ Kulandzisa kweliBhayibheli kuphindze kukhulume ngaMata kwekugcina. Ngaleso sikhatsi, bekusekucaleni kweliviki lekugcina lekuphila kwaJesu emhlabeni. Njengobe bekakwati kahle kuhlupheka lebekutawumehlela, Jesu waphindze wakhetsa kuyewuhlala kubangani bakhe eBhetani. Ngemuva kwaloko, abetawuhamba emakhilomitha lamatsatfu aye eJerusalema. BoJesu naLazaro bebahleti etafuleni endlini yaSimoni labenebulephelo, futsi lapho sitfola emavi lakhuluma ngaMata kwekugcina, latsi: ‘Mata bekenta kudla.’​—Joh. 12:2.

25. Kungani emabandla lamuhla abusisekile ngekuba nalabasikati labanjengaMata?

²⁵ Loku bekumfanele Mata njengobe abekhutsele. Nasicala kufundza ngaye eBhayibhelini simtfola asebenta, nasesifundza ngaye kwekugcina, simtfola solo asebenta, enta konkhe lokusemandleni akhe kute anakekele labo labanaye. Lamuhla, emabandla ebalandzeli baKhristu abusisekile ngekuba nalabasikati labanjengaMata​—labanesibindzi, labephanako, futsi labahlale babonisa kukholwa kwabo ngekutinikela. Mata wachubeka yini akwenta loko? Kubonakala achubeka. Nangabe kunjalo, kusho kutsi wenta ngekuhlakanipha ngobe betisekhona letinye tinsayeya lebekufanele ahlangabetane nato.

26. Kukholwa Mata labenako kwamsita kutsi enteni?

²⁶ Ngemuva kwemalanga lambalwa kwadzingeka kutsi Mata abeketelele kufa kweNkhosi yakhe layitsandzako lenguJesu. Ngetulu kwaloko, labatentisi lababulala Jesu bebatimisele nekubulala Lazaro ngobe kuvuswa kwakhe bekwenta bantfu labanyenti babe nekukholwa. (Fundza Johane 12:9-11.) Siyati nekutsi ekugcineni kufa kwehlukanisa Mata nebantfwana bakubo labebatsandza. Asati kutsi loko kwenteka njani futsi nini, kodvwa singaciniseka ngekutsi kukholwa kwaMata lokukhulu kwamsita kutsi abeketele kute kube sekugcineni. Ngaleso sizatfu, emaKhristu lamuhla enta kahle ngekulingisa kukholwa kwaMata.