1. Yintoni emele yenziwe yintsapho ukuze yonwabe?

UYEHOVA UTHIXO ufuna ukuba intsapho yakho yonwabe. ILizwi lakhe iBhayibhile linikela ukhokelo kwilungu ngalinye lentsapho, lichaza indima uThixo afuna liyiphumeze. Xa amalungu entsapho eyiphumeza indima yawo ngokuvisisana nemiyalelo kaThixo, imiphumo iba mihle gqitha. UYesu wathi: “Banoyolo abo balivayo ilizwi likaThixo baze baligcine!”—Luka 11:28.

2. Ulonwabo lwentsapho luxhomekeke ekuqondeni kwethu ntoni?

² Ngokuyintloko ulonwabo lwentsapho luxhomekeke ekuqondeni kwethu ukuba nguYehova owaqalisa ilungiselelo lentsapho, lowo uYesu athi ‘nguBawo Wethu.’ (Mateyu 6:9) Ntsapho nganye emhlabeni ikho ngenxa kaBawo wethu wasezulwini—yaye ngokuqinisekileyo uyazi ukuba yintoni eyenza iintsapho zonwabe. (Efese 3:14, 15) Ngoko ifundisa ntoni iBhayibhile ngendima yelungu ngalinye lentsapho?

3. IBhayibhile isichaza njani isiqalo sentsapho yabantu, yaye sazi njani ukuba oko ikuthethayo kuyinyaniso?

³ UYehova wadala abantu bokuqala, uAdam noEva, waza  wabadibanisa njengendoda nomfazi. Wababeka kwikhaya elihle eliyiparadesi yasemhlabeni—umyezo wase-Eden—waza wabaxelela ukuba babe nabantwana. UYehova wathi: “Qhamani, nande, niwuzalise umhlaba.” (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18, 21-24) Eli asilobali nje okanye intsomi, kuba uYesu wabonisa ukuba kuyinyaniso oko kuthethwa yiGenesis ngesiqalo sobomi bentsapho. (Mateyu 19:4, 5) Nangona sijamelana neengxaki ezininzi yaye ubomi bungekho ngokwendlela uThixo awayecebe ngayo, masihlolisise indlela ulonwabo olunokubakho ngayo entsatsheni.

4. (a) Lungu ngalinye lentsapho linokuba negalelo njani ekonwabeni kwayo? (b) Kutheni ukufunda ngobomi bukaYesu kubalulekile ekonwabeni kwentsapho?

⁴ Lungu ngalinye lentsapho linokunceda ekwenzeni intsapho yonwabe ngokuthi lixelise uThixo ekuboniseni uthando. (Efese 5:1, 2) Kodwa sinokumxelisa njani uThixo ekubeni singenako ukumbona? Sinokufunda indlela uYehova enza ngayo izinto ngokuthi sihlolisise ubomi boNyana wakhe wasezulwini ngoxa wayesemhlabeni. (Yohane 1:14, 18) UYesu Kristu wamxelisa uYise wasezulwini kakuhle kangangokuba ukumbona nokumva ethetha kwakufana nokubona kwanokuva uYehova uqobo. (Yohane 14:9) Ngoko ke, ukuba sifunda ngothando uYesu awalubonisayo size sixelise umzekelo wakhe, sinokuba negalelo ekwenzeni intsapho yonwabe.

5, 6. (a) Indlela uYesu aliphatha ngayo ibandla iwamisela wuphi umzekelo amadoda? (b) Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sixolelwe izono zethu?

⁵ IBhayibhile ithi amadoda afanele abaphathe abafazi bawo ngendlela uYesu abaphatha ngayo abafundi bakhe. Khawuhlolisise olu lwalathiso lweBhayibhile: “Madoda, qhubekani nibathanda abafazi benu, kanye njengokuba noKristu walithandayo ibandla waza wazinikela ngenxa yalo . . . Ngale ndlela amadoda afanele abathande abafazi bawo njengemizimba yawo. Lowo umthandayo umfazi wakhe uyazithanda, kuba akukho mntu wakha wayithiya eyakhe inyama; kodwa  uyayondla aze ayiphathe ngononophelo, njengoko noKristu esenjenjalo kulo ibandla.”—Efese 5:23, 25-29.

⁶ Uthando uYesu analo ngebandla labafundi bakhe luwamisela umzekelo ogqibeleleyo amadoda. UYesu “wabathanda de kwasekupheleni,” wancama ubomi bakhe ngenxa yabo, nangona babesilela ezintweni ezininzi. (Yohane 13:1; 15:13) Ngokufanayo, amadoda abongozwa ngokuthi: “Hlalani nibathanda abafazi benu, ningavuthi ngumsindo ngakubo.” (Kolose 3:19) Yintoni enokunceda indoda isebenzise esi siluleko, ingakumbi ukuba maxa wambi umfazi wayo akenzi izinto ngokunengqiqo? Imele ikhumbule ukuba nayo iyazenza iimpazamo, ize ikhumbule noko imele ikwenze ukuze uThixo ayixolele. Yintoni emele iyenze? Imele ibaxolele abo bayonayo, kuquka umfazi wayo. Naye ufanele enze okufanayo. (Mateyu 6:12, 14, 15) Ngaba uyasibona isizathu sokuba abanye besithi umtshato ophumelelayo ngowezibini ezixolelanayo?

7. UYesu wayebaphatha njani abafundi bakhe, ngaloo ndlela ewamisela wuphi umzekelo amadoda?

⁷ Kwakhona amadoda afanele aqaphele ukuba uYesu wayesoloko ebonisa ulwazelelelo kubafundi bakhe. Wayebathantamisa apho babuthathaka khona. Ngokomzekelo, xa babediniwe wathi: “Yizani, nedwa kwindawo engasese, niphumle kancinane.” (Marko 6:30-32) Nabafazi bafanele baphathwe ngolwazelelelo. IBhayibhile ibachaza “njengesitya esibuthathaka” amadoda amele asinike “imbeko.” Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba amadoda nabafazi banelungelo elilinganayo ‘lobabalo lobomi.’ (1 Petros 3:7) Amadoda amele akhumbule ukuba kukuthembeka, kungekhona ukuba yindoda okanye ibhinqa, okumenza umntu axabiseke kuThixo.—INdumiso 101:6.

8. (a) Kutheni kusithiwa indoda ‘emthandayo umfazi wayo iyazithanda’? (b) Ukuba “nyama-nye” kuthetha ntoni ngendoda nomfazi?

⁸ IBhayibhile ithi indoda ‘emthandayo umfazi wayo iyazithanda.’ Oku kungenxa yokuba indoda nomfazi “abasebabini, kodwa banyama-nye,” njengoko uYesu watshoyo. (Mateyu 19:6) Ngoko iintlobano zabo zesini zimele ziphelele phakathi kwabo bobabini. (IMizekeliso 5:15-21; Hebhere 13:4) Banokukwenza  oku ukuba ngamnye uzinyamekela ngokungazingci iintswelo zomnye. (1 Korinte 7:3-5) Ngoko sibalulekile isikhumbuzo esithi: “Akukho mntu wakha wayithiya eyakhe inyama; kodwa uyayondla aze ayiphathe ngononophelo.” Amadoda amele abathande abafazi bawo njengokuba ezithanda, ekhumbula ukuba aza kuphendula kwintloko yawo, uYesu Kristu.—Efese 5:29; 1 Korinte 11:3.

9. Luluphi uphawu lukaYesu olukhankanywe kwabaseFilipi 1:8, yaye kutheni amadoda efanele abonise olu phawu kubafazi bawo?

⁹ Umpostile uPawulos uthi ‘uKristu Yesu uthantamisa ngomsa.’ (Filipi 1:8) Ukuthantamisa kukaYesu kwakuhlaziya, yaye kwakunomtsalane kumabhinqa awayengabafundi bakhe. (Yohane 20:1, 11-13, 16) Nabafazi bayakulangazelela ukuthantanyiswa ngothando ngamadoda abo.

10. UYesu ubamisela njani umzekelo omhle abafazi?

¹⁰ Intsapho ingumbutho, yaye ukuze ibe nemvisiswano, imele ibe nentloko. KwanoYesu unaLowo azithoba kuye njengeNtloko yakhe. “Intloko kaKristu nguThixo,” kanye njengokuba ‘intloko yomfazi iyindoda.’ (1 Korinte 11:3) Ukuthobela kukaYesu ubuntloko bukaThixo kungumzekelo omhle kuthi, ekubeni sonke sinentloko esimele siyithobele.

11. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo amele abe naso umfazi ngendoda yakhe, yaye usenokuba yintoni umphumo wehambo yakhe?

¹¹ Amadoda angafezekanga enza iimpazamo yaye ngokufuthi asilela kakhulu ekuphumezeni indima yawo yobuntloko. Ngoko, ufanele enze ntoni umfazi? Akafanele ayijongele phantsi imigudu yendoda yakhe okanye azame ukubuthabathela kuye ubuntloko. Umfazi ufanele akhumbule ukuba uThixo ubaxabisa kakhulu abo banomoya ozolileyo nowobulali. (1 Petros 3:4) Xa ebonisa loo moya, uya kukufumanisa kulula ukubonisa intobelo yobuthixo, kwanaxa kungekho lula ukwenjenjalo. Ngokubhekele phaya, iBhayibhile ithi: “Umfazi, makabe nentlonelo enzulu ngendoda yakhe.” (Efese 5:33) Kodwa kuthekani ukuba ayimamkeli uKristu njengeNtloko yayo? IBhayibhile ibongoza abafazi isithi: “Wathobeleni amadoda  enu, ukuze kuthi, nokuba kukho kuwo angalithobeliyo ilizwi, azuzeke ngaphandle kwelizwi ngenxa yehambo yabafazi bawo, kuba eye angamangqina okuzibonela ehambo yenu enyulu ndawonye nentlonelo enzulu.”—1 Petros 3:1, 2.

12. Kutheni kungaphosakalanga ukuba umfazi avakalise iimbono zakhe ngentlonelo?

¹² Enoba indoda yakhe iyakholwa okanye ayikholwa, umfazi akabonisi kungabi nantlonelo xa ngobuchule evakalisa imbono eyahlukileyo kweyayo. Uluvo lwakhe lusenokuba luchanile, yaye intsapho iphela isenokungenelwa ukuba indoda yakhe iyamphulaphula. Nangona uAbraham engazange avume xa umfazi wakhe uSara wacebisa indlela yokucombulula ingxaki ababenayo yentsapho, uThixo wathi kuye: “Liphulaphule ilizwi lakhe.” (Genesis 21:9-12) Noko ke, xa indoda isenza isigqibo esingangqubaniyo nomthetho kaThixo, umfazi ubonisa ukuzithoba ngokuthi ayixhase.—IZenzo 5:29; Efese 5:24.

13. (a) Yintoni uTito 2:4, 5 abongoza amabhinqa atshatileyo ukuba ayenze? (b) Ithini iBhayibhile ngokwahlukana noqhawulo-mtshato?

¹³ Umfazi unokuyiphumeza ngeendlela ezininzi indima yakhe yokunyamekela intsapho. Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile ithi amabhinqa atshatileyo amele ‘athande amadoda awo, athande abantwana bawo, abe ngaphilileyo engqondweni, abe nyulu, akhuthale emizini yawo, abe ngalungileyo, azithobe kumadoda awo.’ (Tito 2:4, 5) Umfazi okwenzayo oku uya kuthandwa aze ahlonelwe yintsapho yakhe. (IMizekeliso 31:10, 28) Noko ke, ekubeni izibini ezitshatileyo zingafezekanga, iimeko zisenokuba mbi ngohlobo lokuba zide ziphumele ekwahlukaneni okanye kuqhawulo-mtshato. IBhayibhile iyakuvumela ukwahlukana ngaphantsi kweemeko ezithile. Kodwa ukwahlukana akumele kuthatyathwe lula, kuba iBhayibhile iluleka ngokuthi: “Umfazi ufanele angemki endodeni yakhe; . . . yaye indoda ayifanele imshiye umfazi wayo.” (1 Korinte 7:10, 11) Kuxa elinye iqabane lomtshato lihenyuza kuphela apho iZibhalo zikuvumelayo ukuqhawula umtshato.—Mateyu 19:9.

14. UYesu wabaphatha njani abantwana, yaye yintoni abantwana abayifunayo kubazali?

¹⁴ UYesu wabamisela umzekelo ogqibeleleyo abazali ngendlela awabaphatha ngayo abantwana. Xa abanye bazama ukuthintela abantwana ukuba bangayi kuye, uYesu wathi: “Bayekeni abantwana abaselula beze kum; ningabaleli.” IBhayibhile ithi emva koko “wabawola aba bantwana waza wabasikelela, ebabeka izandla.” (Marko 10:13-16) Ekubeni uYesu wachitha ixesha nabantwana, ngaba akufanele nawe wenze okufanayo koonyana neentombi zakho? Akwanelanga ukuchitha ixeshana nje elifutshane kunye nabo, kodwa bafuna ixesha elininzi. Umele uzinike ixesha lokubafundisa, kuba koko kanye uYehova ayalela abazali ukuba bakwenze.—Duteronomi 6:4-9.

15. Yintoni abanokuyenza abazali ukuze bakhusele abantwana babo?

¹⁵ Njengoko eli hlabathi lisiba libi ngakumbi, abantwana bafuna ukukhuselwa ngabazali kubantu abafuna ukubenzakalisa, njengabo bafuna ukubaxhaphaza ngokwesini. Cinga nje ngendlela uYesu awabakhusela ngayo abafundi bakhe, abo wayebabiza ngothando ngokuthi “bantwana  abancinane.” Xa wabanjwayo eza kubulawa, uYesu wenza ilungiselelo lokuba bakhuseleke. (Yohane 13:33; 18:7-9) Njengomzali, ufanele uyiphaphele imizamo kaMtyholi yokwenzakalisa abantwana bakho. Umele ubalumkise kusengaphambili. * (1 Petros 5:8) Inkulu ngakumbi ngoku ingozi abajamelene nayo ngokwenyama, ngokomoya nangokokuziphatha.

16. Banokufunda ntoni abazali kwindlela uYesu awazisingatha ngayo iintsilelo zabafundi bakhe?

¹⁶ Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kukaYesu, abafundi  bakhe baphikisana ngokuba ngubani oyena mkhulu phakathi kwabo. Kunokuba abe nomsindo, ngothando uYesu waqhubeka ebabongoza ngamazwi nangokubamisela umzekelo. (Luka 22:24-27; Yohane 13:3-8) Ukuba ungumzali, ngaba uyayibona indlela onokuwuxelisa ngayo umzekelo kaYesu ekuqeqesheni abantwana bakho? Bafanele baqeqeshwe ‘ngomlinganiselo ofanelekileyo,’ kungekhona ngomsindo. Akufanele uthethe ungacinganga “njengokuhlaba kwekrele.” (Yeremiya 30:11; IMizekeliso 12:18) Uqeqesho lufanele lunikelwe ngendlela yokuba umntwana wakho akubone ukufaneleka kwalo.—Efese 6:4; Hebhere 12:9-11.

17. UYesu wabamisela njani umzekelo ogqibeleleyo abantwana?

¹⁷ Ngaba abantwana banokufunda okuthile kuYesu? Ewe, banako! UYesu wamisela umzekelo wendlela abantwana abanokubathobela ngayo abazali babo. Wathi: “Ndizithetha ezi zinto kanye njengoko uBawo wandifundisayo.” Wongezelela wathi: “Ndisoloko ndisenza izinto ezikholekileyo kuye.” (Yohane 8:28, 29) UYesu wamthobela uYise wasezulwini, yaye iBhayibhile ixelela abantwana ukuba bathobele abazali babo. (Efese 6:1-3) Nangona uYesu wayengumntwana ofezekileyo, wabathobela abazali bakhe bokwenyama, uYosefu noMariya, ababengafezekanga. Ngokuqinisekileyo oko kwaba negalelo ekonwabeni kwelungu ngalinye lentsapho awakhulela kuyo uYesu!—Luka 2:4, 5, 51, 52.

18. Kutheni uYesu wayesoloko emthobela uYise wasezulwini, yaye ngubani ovuyayo xa abantwana bethobela abazali babo?

¹⁸ Ngaba zikho iindlela abantwana abanokumxelisa ngazo uYesu, baze ngaloo ndlela bavuyise abazali babo? Enyanisweni, maxa wambi abantwana basenokukufumanisa kunzima ukuthobela abazali babo, kodwa koko uThixo afuna abantwana bakwenze. (IMizekeliso 1:8; 6:20) UYesu wayesoloko emthobela uYise wasezulwini, kwanakwezona meko zinzima. Ngesinye isihlandlo, xa uThixo wayefuna uYesu enze into enzima kunene, uYesu wathi: “Yishenxise le ndebe [umyalelo  ekwakufuneka ewuphumezile] kum.” Sekunjalo, uYesu wenza oko uThixo wayemyalele kona, kuba wayeqonda ukuba uYise wazi ngakumbi kunaye. (Luka 22:42) Ukuba abantwana bafunda ukuthobela, baya kubavuyisa gqitha abazali babo kwanoYise wasezulwini. *—IMizekeliso 23:22-25.

19. (a) USathana ubahenda njani abantwana? (b) Ukuziphatha okubi kwabantwana kunokuba nawuphi umphumo kubazali?

¹⁹ UMtyholi wamhenda uYesu, yaye sinokuqiniseka ukuba uya kubahenda nabantwana ukuba benze okubi. (Mateyu 4:1-10) USathana uMtyholi usebenzisa ingcinezelo yoontanga, ekusenokuba nzima ukumelana nayo. Ngoko kubaluleke gqitha ukuba abantwana banganxulumani nabenzi-bubi! (1 Korinte 15:33) UDina, intombi kaYakobi, wanxulumana nabantu ababengamnquli uYehova, yaye oko kwakhokelela kwiinkathazo ezininzi. (Genesis 34:1, 2) Cinga ngentlungu enokuba kuyo intsapho xa elinye ilungu layo linokubandakanyeka ekuziphatheni okubi ngokwesini!—IMizekeliso 17:21, 25.

20. Yintoni emele yenziwe lilungu ngalinye lentsapho ukuze kubekho ulonwabo entsatsheni?

²⁰ Kulula ngakumbi ukuhlangabezana neengxaki zentsapho  xa kusetyenziswa isiluleko seBhayibhile. Eneneni, ukusebenzisa isiluleko sayo kuyeyona ndlela iphambili yokufumana ulonwabo entsatsheni. Ngoko madoda, bathandeni abafazi benu, nibaphathe ngendlela uYesu aliphatha ngayo ibandla lakhe. Nina bafazi, thobelani ubuntloko bamadoda enu, nixelise umzekelo womfazi ofanelekileyo ochazwe kwiMizekeliso 31:10-31. Bazali, qeqeshani abantwana benu. (IMizekeliso 22:6) Boyise, ‘zongameleni kakuhle izindlu zenu.’ (1 Timoti 3:4, 5; 5:8) Yaye nina bantwana, thobelani abazali benu. (Kolose 3:20) Akukho namnye entsatsheni ogqibeleleyo, kuba bonke bayazenza iimpazamo. Ngoko thobekani, nicele uxolo omnye komnye.

21. Liliphi ithemba esinalo, yaye sinokuba nayo njani intsapho eyonwabileyo?

²¹ Enyanisweni, iBhayibhile inamacebiso nemiyalelo emininzi ebalulekileyo ngokuphathelele ubomi bentsapho. Ngapha koko, isifundisa ngehlabathi elitsha likaThixo neparadesi yasemhlabeni ezaliswe ngabantu abonwabileyo abanqula uYehova. (ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Elinjani lona ukumangalisa ithemba esinalo! Nangoku sinako ukuba nentsapho eyonwabileyo ngokuthi sisebenzise imiyalelo kaThixo efumaneka eLizwini lakhe iBhayibhile.