1, 2. (a) UYosefu nentsapho yakhe bajamelana naluphi utshintsho? (b) Ziziphi iindaba ezimbi ekwafuneka uYosefu azixelele umfazi wakhe?

UYOSEFU waphosa umthwalo phezu kwe-esile. Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wakhe ejonga jonga kuloo dolophana ingenazibane yaseBhetelehem aze abethe esi silwanyana ezimbanjeni ngesandla sakhe. Umel’ ukuba wayecinga ngolu hambo lude baza kuluthabatha. Babesiya eYiputa! Kweli lizwe abantu babehlukile, bethetha ulwimi abangalwaziyo, benawo namasiko ahlukileyo—le ntsapho yayiza kumelana njani nolu tshintsho?

² Kwakungekho lula ngoYosefu ukuxelela umfazi wakhe amthandayo ezi ndaba zimbi, kodwa waqweba isibindi. Wamxelela ngephupha awayeliphuphile, apho ingelosi kaThixo yadlulisela lo myalezo: Ukumkani uHerode wayefuna ukubulala unyana wabo! Kwakuza kufuneka bayishiye iBhetelehem ngoko nangoko. (Funda uMateyu 2:13, 14.) UMariya wayexhalabe kakhulu. Yintoni eyayinokwenza umntu afune ukubulala usana lwakhe olungenakuzenzela nto? Kwakunzima ngoMariya noYosefu ukusiqonda esona sizathu. Nangona kunjalo, bathembela kuYehova, baza balungiselela ukuhamba.

3. Chaza uhambo lukaYosefu nentsapho yakhe njengoko babesuka eBhetelehem. (Bona nomfanekiso.)

³ Bengazi ngoko kwakusenzeka, abantu baseBhetelehem babekobude ubuthongo njengoko uYosefu, uMariya noYesu bathi nyebelele ngobusuku beshiya loo dolophana. Njengoko babesinge ngasemazantsi, ilanga liqala ukuvela ngasempuma, uYosefu umel’ ukuba wayezibuza ukuba balindelwe yintoni. Umchweli ongathathi ntweni wayenokuyikhusela njani intsapho yakhe kwiintshaba ezinamandla ngolo hlobo? Ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukuqhubeka enyamekela intsapho yakhe? Ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukunyamezela aze aphumeze esi sabelo wayesinikwe nguYehova uThixo, ukunyamekela nokukhulisa lo mntwana ukhethekileyo? UYosefu wajamelana neemvamvanyo ezinzima. Njengoko siza kuqwalasela indlela awahlangabezana nazo ngayo, siza kubona isizathu sokuba ootata namhlanje—nathi sonke—kufuneka bexelise ukholo lukaYosefu.

4, 5. (a) Ubomi bukaYosefu batshintsha njani ngokupheleleyo? (b) Ingelosi yamkhuthaza njani uYosefu ukuba avume ukwenza isabelo esinzima?

⁴ Kwiinyanga ezingaphambili, kwidolophu yakowabo eNazarete, ubomi bukaYosefu batshintsha umlibe emva kokuba egane intombi kaHeli. UYosefu wayemazi uMariya njengentombi emsulwa nethembekileyo. Kodwa kamva wafumanisa ukuba ukhulelwe! Wayeceba ukumala ngasese ukuze angamhlazisi. * Noko ke, ingelosi yathetha naye ephupheni, imchazela ukuba uMariya wayenziwe nzima ngumoya oyingcwele kaYehova. Ingelosi yolek’ umsundulo yathi unyana aza kumzala “uya kusindisa abantu bakowabo ezonweni zabo.” Yaphinda yamqinisekisa uYosefu isithi: “Musa ukoyika ukumthabatha umse ekhaya uMariya.”—Mat. 1:18-21.

⁵ UYosefu, indoda elilungisa nethobelayo, yenza kanye loo nto. Wavuma ukwenza esona sabelo sinzima: ukukhulisa nokunyamekela unyana ongengowakhe kodwa oyena uxabisekileyo kuThixo. Kamva, ethobela umyalelo waseburhulumenteni, uYosefu waya kubhalisa nomfazi wakhe okhulelweyo eBhetelehem. Kulapho wazalelwa khona umntwana.

6-8. (a) Ziziphi iziganeko ezakhokelela kutshintsho ebomini bukaYosefu nentsapho yakhe? (b) Sazi njani ukuba le nkwenkwezi yathunyelwa nguSathana? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

⁶ UYosefu akazange ayibuyisele eNazarete intsapho yakhe. Kunoko bahlala eBhetelehem, ekwiikhilomitha nje ezimalunga neshumi ukusuka eYerusalem. Babengamahlwempu, kodwa uYosefu wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze anyamekele uMariya noYesu. Ngexesha nje elifutshane, bazinza kwikhaya eliphantsi. Kwathi xa uYesu wayengaselosana kodwa esemncinane—mhlawumbi engaphezu konyaka ubudala—baphinda batshintsha ngesiquphe ubomi babo.

⁷ Kwafika iqela lamadoda, izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zaseMpumalanga, ekumel’ ukuba zazivela eBhabhiloni. Zalandela inkwenkwezi eyazikhokelela ekhayeni likaYosefu noMariya, zikhangela umntwana owayeza kuba yikumkani yamaYuda. La madoda ayenentlonelo enzulu.

⁸ Enoba zazisazi okanye zingazi, ezi zazi ngeenkwenkwezi zabubeka esichengeni ubomi bukaYesu. Inkwenkwezi ezaziyibonile yaqala yazisa eYerusalem, kungekhona eBhetelehem. * Apho baxelela uKumkani uHerode ongendawo ukuba bakhangela umntwana oza kuba ngukumkani wamaYuda. Oku kwamenza wajwaqeka ngumona.

9-11. (a) Wangenelela njani onamandla kunoHerode noSathana? (b) Uhambo olwalusiya eYiputa lwalahluke njani kwiintsomi ezikwiincwadi ezingaphefumlelwanga?

⁹ Noko ke, okuvuyisayo kukuba, kwakukho umntu onamandla  ngaphezu kukaHerode noSathana ababelungelelanisa izinto. Njani? Kaloku, zathi ezi ndwendwe zakufika kuloYesu zaza zambona ekunina, zakhupha izipho, yaye azizange zifune mbuyekezo. Kumele ukuba kwakungumnqa kuYosefu noMariya ukuzibhaqa sele “benegolide, intlak’ emhlophe nemore”—izinto ezixabisekileyo! Ezi zazi ngeenkwenkwezi zazizimisele ukumchazela uKumkani uHerode apho umntwana akhoyo. Noko ke, uYehova wangenelela. Esebenzisa iphupha, wayalela ezo zazi ngeenkwenkwezi ukuba zibuyele ekhaya ngenye indlela.—Funda uMateyu 2:1-12.

¹⁰ Kancinane nje emva kokuba izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zihambile, uYosefu wafumana esi silumkiso silandelayo ngengelosi kaYehova, isithi: “Vuka, thabatha umntwana oselula nonina, usabele eYiputa, uze uhlale apho de ndikhuphe izwi; kuba uHerode sele eza kumfuna umntwana oselula ukuze amtshabalalise.” (Mat. 2:13) Njengoko besele sitshilo kwasekuqaleni, uYosefu wathobela ngoko nangoko. Ukukhusela umntwana yaba yinto ephambili kuye kunayo yonke enye into waza wasabela eYiputa nentsapho yakhe. Ekubeni abo bavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi babahedeni bapha intsapho kaYosefu izipho ezixabisekileyo, ngoku babenokukwazi ukuba nezinto zokubanceda kolo hambo.

¹¹ Kamva, iintsomi ezikwiincwadi ezingaphefumlelwanga zalwenza lwasisiganeko esimnandi uhambo oluya eYiputa, zisithi uYesu walwenza lwalufutshane ngokungummangaliso, wabenza abaphangi ababi nabungozi, wada wabangela ukuba nemithi yesundu igobe ukuze uMariya akwazi ukufumana iziqhamo. * Inyaniso kukuba olu yayiluhambo olude oluqobayo oluya kwilizwe elingaziwayo.

12. Yintoni enokufundwa ngabazali abakhulisa abantwana kweli hlabathi liyingozi kumzekelo kaYosefu?

¹² Kuninzi okunokufundwa ngabazali kuYosefu. Wawuyeka ngoko nangoko umsebenzi wakhe wancama ulonwabo ukuze akhusele intsapho yakhe engozini. Kucacile ukuba, intsapho yakhe wayeyijonga njengesipho esingcwele asiphiwe nguYehova. Namhlanje abazali bakhulisa abantwana babo kwihlabathi eliyingozi, ihlabathi elinemikhosi enokwenzakalisa, yonakalise okanye ibulale abantwana. Hayi indlela abancomeka ngayo oomama nootata abangalibazisiyo, kanye njengoYosefu, abawa bevuka ukuze bakhusele abantwana babo kwezo mpembelelo!

13, 14. Kwenzeka njani ukuba uYosefu noMariya bakhulisele intsapho yabo eNazarete?

¹³ Kuyabonakala ukuba, le ntsapho ayizange ihlale ixesha elide  eYiputa, kuba akuzange kube kudala ingelosi yaxelela uYosefu ukuba uHerode ubhubhile. UYosefu wabuyela kwilizwe lakowabo. Isiprofeto saxela kwangaphambili ukuba uYehova wayeya kubiza uNyana wakhe “aphume eYiputa.” (Mat. 2:15) UYosefu wanceda ekuzalisekeni kwaso, kodwa wayeza kuhlala phi nentsapho yakhe ngoku?

¹⁴ UYosefu wayephaphile. Wayemlumkele uArchelaus, owangena ezihlangwini zikaHerode nowayekhohlakele njengaye. Ukhokelo lobuthixo lwalathisa uYosefu ukuba ayise emntla intsapho yakhe, kude neYerusalem namayelenqe ayo, kwidolophu yakowabo eGalili. Yena noMariya bayikhulisela apho intsapho yabo.—Funda uMateyu 2:19-23.

15, 16. Wawunjani umsebenzi kaYosefu, ibe ziziphi izixhobo ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wayezisebenzisa?

¹⁵ Babephila ubomi obulula—kodwa kwakungelulanga. IBhayibhile ithi uYosefu wayengumchweli, isebenzisa igama eliquka ukwenza izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ngomthi, njengokugawula imithi, ayirhuqe aze ayincwele ukuze kwakhiwe ngayo izindlu, izikhephe, iibhulorho ezincinane, iinqwelo, amavili, iidyokhwe nazo zonke izixhobo ekusetyenzwa ngazo efama. (Mat. 13:55) Yayingumsebenzi oqobayo. Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile umchweli wayedla ngokusebenzela ecaleni kwendlu yakhe okanye kwishedi ekufutshane nendlu yakhe.

¹⁶ UYosefu wayesebenzisa izixhobo ezahlukahlukeneyo, ezinye umel’ ukuba wazifumana kuyise. Ufanele ukuba wayesebenzisa isikwere, ilothe yokulinganisa, itshokhwe, izenjana, isarha, izembe, ihamile, ihamile eyenziwe ngomthi, itshizili, idrili, iintlobo ezahlukahlukeneyo zeglu mhlawumbi nezikhonkwane nangona zazibiza kakhulu.

17, 18. (a) UYesu wafunda ntoni kuyise owamkhulisayo? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke uYosefu asebenze nzima ngakumbi kwishishini lakhe?

¹⁷ Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaYesu eseyinkwenkwana ebukela uyise omkhulisayo uYosefu esebenza. Amehlo ethe ntsho kuye njengoko esebenza, ngokuqinisekileyo wayemangaliswa kukubona indlela anamandla ngayo nezandla zakhe ezomeleleyo, ubugcisa obusezandleni zakhe, nobukrelekrele abubona emehlweni akhe. Mhlawumbi uYosefu wabonisa lo nyana wakhe uselula indlela yokwenza imisebenzi engekho nzima kangako njengokugudisa indawo ezirhabaxa eplangeni esebenzisa isikhumba sentlanzi esomileyo. Ngokomzekelo, ufanele ukuba wamfundisa ukwahlula imithi awayeyisebenzisa—njengesikamore, um-oki okanye umnquma.

 ¹⁸ Kwakhona uYesu wafunda nokuba ezo zandla zomeleleyo ezazigawula imithi, ziyincwele zize ziyidibanise ikwazizo ezi zazimfunqula zize zimthuthuzele yena, umama wakhe nabantakwabo. Ewe, uYosefu noMariya babenentsapho eyandayo, ekugqibeleni yaquka abantwana abathandathu kuquka noYesu. (Mat. 13:55, 56) Kwakufuneka azibhokoxe ngakumbi uYosefu ukuze anyamekele aze ondle intsapho yakhe yonke.

19. UYosefu wayeyinyamekela njani intsapho yakhe ngokomoya?

¹⁹ Sekunjalo, uYosefu wayeqonda ukuba ukunyamekela intsapho yakhe ngokomoya kokona kubalulekileyo. Ngoko wayechitha ixesha efundisa abantwana bakhe ngoYehova uThixo nemithetho Yakhe. Yena noMariya babedla ngokuya nabo kwindlu yesikhungu yasekuhlaleni, apho uMthetho wawufundwa ngokuvakalayo uze ucaciswe. Mhlawumbi uYesu wayesiba nemibuzo emininzi emva kwezo ntlanganiso yaye uYosefu wayezama ukuyiphendula loo mibuzo. Kwakhona, uYosefu wayedla ngokuya nentsapho yakhe kwimithendeleko eyayisiba seYerusalem. Ukuze babhiyozele iPasika yaminyaka le, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYosefu kwakuye kufuneke ukuba ahambe iiveki ezimbini kangangeekhilomitha ezili-120 ukuya nokubuya eYerusalem.

20. Iintloko-ntsapho zamaKristu zinokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo kaYosefu?

²⁰ Iintloko-ntsapho zamaKristu namhlanje zenza ngendlela efanayo. Ziyazibhokoxa ngenxa yabantwana bazo, zikubeka phambi kwayo nayiphi na enye into ukubaqeqesha ngokomoya, kuquka izinto zeli hlabathi. Zenza unako nako ukuze ziqhube unqulo lwentsapho ekhayeni, zize ziye nabantwana bazo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu nakwiindibano ezinkulu nezincinane. NjengoYosefu, bayazi ukuba ayikho enye into engcono abanokuyenzela abantwana babo.

21. Kwakusiba njani ngePasika kwintsapho kaYosefu, ibe uYosefu noMariya babona nini ukuba uYesu ulahlekile?

²¹ Xa uYesu wayeneminyaka eli-12 ubudala, uYosefu waya nentsapho yakhe eYerusalem njengesiqhelo. KwakungePasika, ixesha lokubhiyoza, iintsapho ezinkulu zazihamba kunye kwiindlela zasemaphandleni ezifukufuku. Njengoko babesondela kumhlaba waseYerusalem ophakamileyo, abantu abaninzi babedla ngokucula ingoma yezinyuko. (INdu. 120-134) Isixeko sisenokuba sasizele simi ngeembambo ngamakhulu amawaka abantu. Emva koko, iintsapho zazibuyela emakhayeni azo. Mhlawumbi uYosefu noMariya, ekubonakala ukuba babexakeke  zezinye izinto, bacinga ukuba uYesu uhambe namanye amalungu entsapho. Emva kosuku bemkile eYerusalem bafumanisa ukuba uYesu ulahlekile!—Luka 2:41-44.

22, 23. UYosefu noMariya bamkhangela phi umntwana wabo olahlekileyo, ibe wathini uMariya xa bamfumanayo?

²² Bexhalabile, bamkhangela bada baya kufika eYerusalem kwakhona. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wendlela ekwakuthe nkcwe ngayo kwesi sixeko njengoko bekhangela ezitratweni unyana wabo, bemana bemkhwaza. Wayephi na lo mntwana? Ngosuku lwesithathu bemkhangela, ngaba uYosefu waqalisa ukuziva esilele ekwenzeni esi sabelo singcwele asinikwe nguYehova? Ekugqibeleni baya etempileni. Nalapho bakhangela de baya kufika kwigumbi ayehlanganisene kulo amadoda afundileyo nawazi uMthetho—noYesu elapho phakathi  kwawo! Unokuyithelekelela indlela abaziva ngayo uYosefu noMariya!—Luka 2:45, 46.

²³ UYesu wayephulaphule loo madoda afundileyo yaye ewabuza imibuzo. Loo madoda ayethe khamnqa yindlela lo mntwana aqonda naphendula ngayo. Kodwa uMariya noYosefu babothukile. Kule ngxelo uYosefu akathethi. Kodwa uMariya wabathethela bobabini xa esithi: “Mntwana, bekutheni na ukuze usiphathe ngale ndlela? Naku mna noyihlo sibandezelekile engqondweni sifunana nawe.”—Luka 2:47, 48.

24. IBhayibhile ikuchaza njani ngendlela ecacileyo ukuba ngumzali?

²⁴ Ngaloo ndlela, ngamagama nje ambalwa, iLizwi likaThixo lisizobela umfanekiso ocacileyo wokuba ngumzali. Kunokubangela uxinezeleko—nokuba umntwana ufezekile! Ukukhulisa abantwana kweli hlabathi lanamhlanje linobungozi kunokubangela ‘ukubandezeleka  engqondweni,’ kodwa ootata noomama banokuthuthuzelwa kukwazi ukuba iBhayibhile iyaluqonda ucelomngeni abajongene nalo.

25, 26. UYesu wabaphendula njani abazali bakhe, ibe uYosefu wayenokuvakalelwa njani ngamazwi onyana wakhe?

²⁵ UYesu wayekweyona ndawo awayeziva esondele kuYise wasezulwini uYehova, efunxa ngomdla yonke into awayenokuyifunda. Ngaloo ndlela, wabaphendula kakuhle ngokunyaniseka abazali bakhe esithi: “Bekutheni na ukuze nihambe nifunana nam? Beningazi na ukuba ndimele ndibe sendlwini kaBawo?”—Luka 2:49.

²⁶ Ngokuqinisekileyo uYosefu wayemana ecinga ngala mazwi amaxesha amaninzi. Mhlawumbi asenokuba ayemenza azive enelunda. Ngapha koko, wazibhokoxa ngamandla ekukhuliseni umntwana wakhe ukuze avakalelwe ngale ndlela ngoYehova uThixo. Ngelo xesha eseyinkwenkwana, uYesu wayesele eneemvakalelo ezifudumeleyo ngegama elithi “bawo”—ezi mvakalelo ngokuyintloko zaxonxwa kukukhuliswa nguYosefu.

27. Liliphi ilungelo onalo njengotata, ibe kutheni umele ukhumbule umzekelo kaYosefu?

²⁷ Ukuba ungutata, ngaba uyaliqonda ilungelo onalo lokunceda abantwana bakho baqonde oko kuthethwa kukuba ngutata onothando nokhuselayo? Ngendlela efanayo, ukuba ukhulisa abantwana ongabazalanga, khumbula umzekelo kaYosefu uze uphathe ngamnye wabo bantwana njengomntu owahlukileyo noxabisekileyo. Bancede basondele kuBawo wabo wasezulwini, uYehova uThixo.—Funda eyabase-Efese 6:4.

28, 29. (a) Amazwi akuLuka 2:51, 52 asibonisa ntoni ngoYosefu? (b) UYosefu wadlala yiphi indima ekuncedeni unyana wakhe azuze ubulumko?

²⁸ Zimbalwa izinto ephinda izithethe iBhayibhile ngobomi bukaYosefu, kodwa kuhle ukuba siziphonononge ngokucokisekileyo. Sifunda ukuba uYesu “waqhubeka ezithobile kubo.” Kwakhona sifumanisa ukuba “uYesu waqhubeka esenza inkqubela ebulumkweni nasekukhuleni ngomzimba nasekukholekeni kuThixo nasebantwini.”  (Funda uLuka 2:51, 52.) Atyhila ntoni loo mazwi ngoYosefu? Atyhila izinto eziliqela. Sifunda ukuba uYosefu waqhubeka ethabatha ukhokelo kwindlu yakhe, kuba unyana wakhe ofezekileyo wayemhlonela yaye emthobela.

²⁹ Kwakhona sifunda ukuba uYesu waqhubeka ekhula ebulumkweni. Ngokuqinisekileyo waba negalelo elikhulu ekuncedeni unyana wakhe kule nkalo. Ngaloo mihla amaYuda ayenesaci awayesihlonela. Sisasetyenziswa nanamhlanje. Sasibonisa ukuba ngamadoda embutho kuphela anokuba zizilumko zokwenene, ngoxa bona abarhwebi abangabachweli, amafama nabantu abasebenza ngesinyithi “bengenakuze bakwazi ukugweba ngokusesikweni; yaye abanakuze bakwazi ukuthetha imizekeliso.” Kamva, uYesu wakubhenca ukuba lilize kweso saci. Xa wayeseyinkwenkwana, kukangaphi esiva uyise, ongumchweli othobekileyo, emfundisa kakuhle “ngokuba sesikweni nangemigwebo” kaYehova! Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, yayizizihlandlo ngezihlandlo.

30. UYosefu uzibekela wuphi umzekelo iintloko-ntsapho namhlanje?

³⁰ Sisenokububona ubungqina bempembelelo kaYosefu kwindlela awakhula ngayo uYesu. Ekubeni wayenyanyekelwa kakuhle, uYesu wakhula wayindoda eyomeleleyo nesempilweni. Ngaphezu koko, uYosefu wamqeqesha lo nyana wakhe ukuba abe lichule emsebenzini wakhe. UYesu wayengaziwa ngokuba ngunyana womchweli kuphela kodwa “nanjengomchweli.” (Marko 6:3) Ngaloo ndlela, waphumelela uYosefu ekumqeqesheni. Iintloko-ntsapho zenza ngobulumko ngokuxelisa umzekelo kaYosefu, zibanyamekela kakuhle abantwana bazo yaye ziqinisekisa ukuba bayakwazi ukuzixhasa.

31. (a) Ubungqina bubonisa ntoni ngokufa kukaYosefu? (Quka  nebhokisi) (b) Nguwuphi umzekelo awasibekela wona uYosefu?

³¹ Xa sifika kwixesha lokubhaptizwa kukaYesu eBhayibhileni xa eneminyaka engama-30 ubudala, sifumanisa ukuba uYosefu akusathethwa ngaye. Ubungqina bubonisa ukuba uMariya wayengumhlolokazi ngexesha wayeqalisa ukushumayela. (Funda ibhokisi ethi “ Wasweleka Nini uYosefu?”) Nakuba kunjalo, uYosefu washiya umzila ocacileyo—umzekelo oqaqambileyo katata owakhusela intsapho yakhe, wayinyamekela waze wazingisa ngokuthembeka kwade kwasa ekupheleni. Nawuphi na utata, intloko-ntsapho okanye nawuphi na umKristu, uya kuba wenza kakuhle ngokuxelisa ukholo lukaYosefu.