1. Khawuchaze indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uMarta, nesizathu soko.

 UMARTA wayelibona ngeliso lengqondo ingcwaba lomntakwabo—umqolomba ovalwe ngelitye. Intliziyo yakhe yayilihlwili. Wayengayikholelwa into yokuba umntakwabo othandekayo uLazaro akasekho. Iintsuku ezine ezidluleyo ebhubhile zazibonakala ngathi lixesha elide lokuzila, lokutyelelwa ngabahlobo nokuthuthuzelwa.

2, 3. (a) Ukubona uYesu kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwamchaphazela njani uMarta? (b) Amazwi kaMarta abalulekileyo abonisa ntoni ngaye?

² Ngoku, phambi koMarta kwakumi eyona ndoda yayibalulekile ebomini bukaLazaro. Wathi akubona uYesu, intlungu yakhe yaqala phantsi, kuba nguye kuphela ehlabathini owayenokusindisa umntakwabo. Sekunjalo, uMarta wathuthuzelwa kukuba kunye noYesu kule dolophu incinane ephantsi kweenduli iBhethani. Kwimizuzu engephi ekunye naye, wakhuthazwa bububele bakhe nakukusoloko enovelwano. Wambuza imibuzo eyamnceda wanikela ingqalelo kukholo lwakhe nakwiinkolelo zakhe ngovuko. Le ncoko yabangela ukuba uMarta athethe awona mazwi abalulekileyo kwawakha wawathetha esithi: “Ndikholiwe ukuba unguye uKristu uNyana kaThixo, Lowo uzayo ehlabathini.”—Yoh. 11:27.

³ Njengokuba la mazwi ebonisa, uMarta wayeyintokazi enokholo olubalaseleyo. Inkcazelo encinane esiyifumanayo ngaye eBhayibhileni isifundisa izifundo ezibalulekileyo ezinokusinceda someleze ukholo lwethu. Ukuze sibone ubunyaniso baloo nto, makhe sibuyele umva kwingxelo yokuqala kaMarta.

 4. Yintoni eyayisenza intsapho kaMarta ibe yengaqhelekanga, ibe babesondelelene kangakanani noYesu?

⁴ Kwiinyanga nje ngaphambi koko, uLazaro wayengumqabaqaba. Kowabo eBhethani babeza kwamkela olona ndwendwe lubalulekileyo,  uYesu Kristu. ULazaro, uMarta noMariya babeyintsapho engaqhelekanga—abantwana abathathu bomzi omnye abasele bekhulile kodwa abahlala kunye. Abanye abaphengululi bacingela ukuba uMarta wayengoyena mdala, ekubeni kubonakala ukuba yayinguye owamkela iindwendwe yaye ukhankanywa kuqala. (Yoh. 11:5) Ayikho indlela yokwazi enoba omnye wabo wakha watshata ngaphambili kusini na. Nakuba kunjalo, babengabahlobo abasenyongweni bakaYesu. Xa wayeshumayela kwaYuda, apho wachaswa khona, uYesu wayehlala ekhayeni labo. Ngokuqinisekileyo wayeyixabisa inzolo nenkxaso abamnika yona.

5, 6. (a) Yintoni eyayisenza uMarta axakeke ngoxa uYesu wayebandwendwele? (b) Wenza ntoni uMariya xa uYesu wayendwendwele ikhaya lakhe?

⁵ UMarta waba negalelo elikhulu kubutofotofo nobubele obabukweli khaya. Ekubeni wayesisiquququ, wayesoloko exakekile. Naxa uYesu wayebatyelele, wayexakekile. Walungiselela olu ndwendwe lubalulekileyo, mhlawumbi nabanye abantu olwaluhamba nabo, isidlo esikhethekileyo. Ngaloo mihla, babubaluleke kakhulu ububele. Lusakufika undwendwe, lwalusangiwa, lukhululwe iimbadada, luhlanjwe iinyawo ize intloko yalo ithanjiswe ngamafutha aqholiweyo. (Funda uLuka 7:44-47.) Kwakusisiqhelo nokulungiselela undwendwe indawo yokulala nokutya.

⁶ UMarta noMariya babenomsebenzi omninzi. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uMariya ekucingelwa ukuba wayengoyena owayecinga nzulu ngezinto, wayemncedisa udadewabo ekuqaleni. Kodwa emva kokufika kukaYesu, izinto zatshintsha. UYesu wayebona eso sihlandlo njengexesha lokufundisa—kwaye wenza loo nto kanye! Ngokungafaniyo neenkokeli zonqulo zaloo mihla, uYesu wayebahlonela abafazi yaye wabafundisa ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, umxholo wobulungiseleli bakhe. Walivuyela kakhulu eli thuba uMariya, waza wahlala ezinyaweni zakhe wamphulaphula ngenyameko.

7, 8. Yintoni eyabangela uMarta abibitheke, yaye wakubonisa njani oko?

⁷ Sinokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaMarta eqalisa ukubibitheka. Ekubeni kwakufuneka alungiselele ukutya okuninzi nezinye izinwe awayeza kuzenzela iindwendwe, waya esiba nomsindo. Njengoko wayesihla enyuka ebona udadewabo ehleli bhaxa engenzi kwanto ukuza kumncedisa, ngaba waqalisa ukuba bomvu ebusweni, wancwina okanye wafing’ iintshiya? Umel’ ukuba waba njalo. Wayengenakukwazi ukuwenza yedwa lo msebenzi!

⁸ Ekugqibeleni, uMarta wayengasakwazi ukuzibamba.  Wamphazamisa uYesu, wadubuleka wathi: “Nkosi, ayinamsebenzi na kuwe into yokuba udade wethu endiyekela ndilungiselele ndedwa? Yitsho kuye andincedise.” (Luka 10:40) Ayeqatha noko la mazwi. Ezinye iinguqulelo ziwabeka ngolu hlobo amazwi akhe: “Nkosi, akukhathali na . . . ?” Emva koko wacela uYesu ukuba ayalele uMariya ukuba asebenze.

9, 10. (a) UYesu wasabela njani kuMarta? (b) Sazi njani ukuba uYesu wayengamgxeki uMarta ngokusebenza nzima kwakhe?

⁹ Ngokungathandabuzekiyo impendulo kaYesu yamothusa uMarta, njengokuba iye yenjenjalo kubafundi beBhayibhile abaninzi emva koko. Ngobubele wathi: “Marta, Marta, uzixhalabise ngezinto ezininzi. Zizinto ezimbalwa, ezifunekayo, okanye inye kuphela. Yena ke, uMariya unyule isahlulo esilungileyo, yaye asiyi kususwa kuye.” (Luka 10:41, 42) Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu? Ngaba wayesithi uMarta uthanda izinto? Ngaba wayekubetha ngoyaba ukuzibhokoxa kwakhe ekwenzeni isidlo?

¹⁰ Akunjalo. UYesu wabona ukuba uMarta wayeneenjongo ezintle. Wayengathi ukulungiselela ukutya okuninzi kuphosakele. Ngaphambilana wayeye ‘kwitheko elikhulu lolwamkelo’ awayelenzelwe nguMateyu. (Luka 5:29) Isidlo esasilungiselelwa nguMarta sasingaphosakelanga; ingxaki yayizizinto eziza kuqala kuye. Wayexakeke gqitha seso sihikahika sesidlo kangangokuba akazange akwazi ukunikela ingqalelo kweyona nto ibalulekileyo. Yayiyintoni leyo?

11, 12. UYesu wamlungisa njani ngobunono uMarta?

¹¹ UYesu, okuphela koNyana kaYehova uThixo, wayeze ekhayeni likaMarta ukuze abafundise inyaniso. Yayingekho into eyayinokubaluleka ukugqitha eso sihlandlo, nkqu nokutya okwakulungiselelwa nguMarta. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo uYesu wothuswa kukuba uMarta wayephoswa seso sihlandlo sibalulekileyo sokomeleza ukholo lwakhe, kodwa wamvumela ukuba azenzele isigqibo. a Kodwa ke noMarta wayengenalo igunya lokuxelela uYesu ukuba anyanzelise uMariya ukuba naye aphoswe.

¹² Wamlungisa ngobunono uMarta, eliphindaphinda igama lakhe ukuze athobe umoya wakhe, yaye wamqinisekisa ukuba  akukho mfuneko ‘yokuzixhalabisa ngezinto ezininzi.’ Isidlo esilula sasiza kwanela, ngokukodwa xa kukho intabalala yesidlo sokomoya. Kodwa ke wayengenakukwazi ukuhlutha uMariya “isahlulo esilungileyo” awayezikhethele sona—esokufundiswa nguYesu!

13. Sifunda siphi isifundo kwindlela uYesu awamlungisa ngayo uMarta?

¹³ Le ngxelo inezifundo ezininzi kubalandeli bakaKristu namhlanje. Singaze sivumele nantoni na ukuba iphazamisane ‘nentswelo yethu yokomoya.’ (Mat. 5:3) Ngoxa sifuna ukuxelisa inkuthalo nobubele bukaMarta, asifuni ‘ukuzixhalabisa’ kakhulu ngokwenza izinwe, side siphoswe zezona zinto zibalulekileyo. Sinxulumana namanye amakholwa, kungekhona kuba  siza kufumana izibiliboco nezimuncumuncu, kodwa kuba sifuna ukukhuthazana size siphane izipho zokomoya. (Funda amaRoma 1:11, 12.) Nesona sidlo silula sinokusinceda sikwenze oku.

14. Yintoni esenza siqiniseke ukuba uMarta wasimisela umzekelo omhle ekwamkeleni isiluleko?

¹⁴ Ngaba uMarta wasamkela isiluleko sikaYesu waza wafunda kuso? Asikuthandabuzi oko. Umpostile uYohane, xa ethetha ngomntakwaboMarta, usikhumbuza oku: “Ke uYesu wayemthanda uMarta nodade wabo noLazaro.” (Yoh. 11:5) Kwakusele kudlule iinyanga emva kokutyelela kukaYesu eBhethani ekuthethwe ngako ngasentla. Kucacile ukuba uMarta akazange amqumbele uYesu ngokumluleka kwakhe. Wasamkela waza wasisebenzisa eso siluleko. Nakule nkalo, wasimisela umzekelo omhle wokholo, kuba ngubani kuthi ongafuniyo ukulungiswa maxa wambi?

15, 16. (a) Wasabela njani uMarta kwakugula umntakwabo? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze ithemba likaMarta noMariya lifiphale?

¹⁵ Xa umntakwabo waqalisa ukugula, uMarta wayemonga. Wenza konke okusemandleni ukuze amncede. Kodwa ke, uLazaro waya esiba mandundu. Mihla le, oodadewabo babemonga. Zifanele ukuba zininzi izihlandlo apho uMarta wayebona umntakwabo ethe khunubembe, aze akhumbule iminyaka emininzi abayichitha kunye ebubini nasebumnandini.

¹⁶ Bakubona ukuba akusekho nto abanokumenzela yona uLazaro, uMarta noMariya bathumela umyalezo kuYesu. Wayeshumayela kwindawo ekumgama ongangeentsuku ezimbini ukuya kuyo. Sasicacile isicelo sabo: “Nkosi, yabona! lowo unomsa ngaye uyagula.” (Yoh. 11:1, 3) Babesazi ukuba uYesu wayemthanda umntakwabo, yaye babenokholo lokuba uya kwenza nantoni na ukuze ancede umhlobo wakhe. Ngaba babenethemba lokuba uYesu wayeza kufika ngaphambi kokuba afe? Ukuba kunjalo, bafa namthanyana. ULazaro wafa.

17. Yintoni eyayidide uMarta, ibe wasabela njani akuva ukuba uYesu wayekude kufuphi?

¹⁷ UMarta noMariya bamzilela umntakwabo, balungiselela umngcwabo neendwendwe ezisuka eBhethani nakwiziphaluka ezingqongileyo. Kwakungakavakali nto ngoYesu. Ngokuqinisekileyo uMarta wayedidekile. Ekugqibeleni, emva kweentsuku ezine efile uLazaro, uMarta weva ukuba uYesu wayekude kufuphi. Esi siquququ singuMarta saya kumhlangabeza uYesu, singamxelelanga nokumxelela uMariya.—Funda uYohane 11:18-20.

18, 19. UMarta wabonisa liphi ithemba, yaye yintoni eyenza ukholo lwakhe luphawuleke?

 ¹⁸ Wathi uMarta akuyibona iNkosi yakhe, wathetha into eyayisoloko imkhathaza yena noMariya, wathi: “Nkosi, ukuba ubulapha umntakwethu ngengafanga.” Sekunjalo, uMarta wayengalilahlanga ithemba. Wahlabela mgama wathi: “Ukanti okwangoku ndiyazi ukuba zonke izinto ozicelayo kuThixo, uThixo uya kukunika.” UYesu wathetha into eyomeleza ithemba lakhe: “Umntakwenu uza kuvuka.”—Yoh. 11:21-23.

¹⁹ UMarta wayecinga ukuba uYesu wayethetha ngovuko lwexesha elizayo, ngoko wamphendula wathi: “Ndiyazi ukuba uza kuvuka eluvukweni ngomhla wokugqibela.” (Yoh. 11:24) Ukholo lwakhe lwalubalasele. Zimbi iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda, ekuthiwa ngabaSadusi, zazilukhanyela uvuko, nangona lwaluyimfundiso eseZibhalweni. (Dan. 12:13; Marko 12:18) Noko ke, uMarta  wayesazi ukuba uYesu wayefundisa ngethemba lovuko yaye wayede wavusa abantu ekufeni—nangona wayengazange akhe avuse umntu onexesha elide efile njengoLazaro. Wayengazi ukuba iya kuzala nkomoni na.

20. Chaza intsingiselo yamazwi kaYesu angenakulibaleka kunye nempendulo kaMarta njengoko ichazwe kuYohane 11:25-27.

²⁰ UYesu wathetha amazwi angenakulibaleka: “Ndim uvuko nobomi.” Kakade ke, uYehova uThixo unike uNyana wakhe igunya lokuvusa abantu emhlabeni wonke kwixesha elizayo. UYesu wabuza uMarta: “Uyakukholelwa na oku?” Waphendula ngala mazwi asekuqaleni kwesi sahluko. Wayekholelwa ukuba uYesu unguKristu, okanye uMesiya, ukuba unguNyana kaYehova uThixo, nokuba abaprofeti babexele kwangaphambili ukuba wayeza kufika ehlabathini.—Yoh. 5:28, 29; funda uYohane 11:25-27.

21, 22. (a) UYesu wazibonakalisa njani iimvakalelo zakhe kwabo babezilile? (b) Khawuchaze ngovuko lukaLazaro.

²¹ Ngaba uYehova uThixo noNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, bayaluxabisa ukholo olufana nolukaMarta? Iziganeko ezabonwa nguMarta emva koko zisinika impendulo ecacileyo. Wagxabhagxabhisa waya kudadewabo. Emva koko, wabona ukuba uYesu wayechukumiseke kakhulu njengoko wayethetha noMariya nabanye abantu. Wambona echiphiza iinyembezi ebonakalisa intlungu ebangelwa kukufelwa. Weva uYesu eyalela ukuba kususwe ilitye elalivale ingcwaba lomntakwabo.—Yoh. 11:28-39.

²² UMarta wathi umzimba umel’ ukuba sele unuka ngoku, kuba sele kudlule iintsuku ezine efile. UYesu wamkhumbuza wathi: “Anditshongo na kuwe ukuthi ukuba uyakholwa uya kulubona uzuko lukaThixo?” Wamkholelwa, walubona uzuko lukaYehova uThixo. Ngoko nangoko, uThixo wanika uNyana wakhe amandla okubuyisela ubomi bukaLazaro! Cinga ngezinto ezimele ukuba zahlala zinkenteza engqondweni yakhe wada waya kufa: Xa uYesu wayebiza uLazaro esithi: “Lazaro, phuma!”; ukugushuza kukaLazaro evela emqolombeni njengoko wayevuka ethandelwe ngamalaphu ebhukuleka ukuphuma emqolombeni; uYesu eyalela esithi “Mkhululeni nize nimyeke ahambe”; yaye ngokuqinisekileyo kumele ukuba uMarta noMariya babaleka baya kuye bamanga. (Funda uYohane 11:40-44.) Yayiphelile intlungu kaMarta!

23. Yintoni uYehova noYesu abafuna ukukwenzela yona, ibe yintoni wena omele uyenze?

²³ Le ngxelo ibonisa ukuba uvuko lwabafi asilophupha nje, kodwa yimfundiso yeBhayibhile exhaswa yimbali. (Yobhi 14:14,  15) UYehova noNyana wakhe bayakuthanda ukuvuza abantu abanokholo, njengokuba benzayo kuMarta, uMariya noLazaro. Baza kukuvuza ngaloo ndlela nawe ukuba uba nokholo olomeleleyo.

24. Yiyiphi ingxelo yokugqibela ngoMarta esiyifumana eBhayibhileni?

²⁴ IBhayibhile iphinda ithethe kwakhona ngoMarta. Kwakusekuqaleni kweveki yokugqibela yobomi bukaYesu emhlabeni. Ekubeni wayebuqonda ubunzima aza kujongana nabo, uYesu wakhetha ukuya kuhlala eBhethani. Ukusuka apho wayeza kuhamba iikhilomitha ezintathu ukuya eYerusalem. UYesu noLazaro babesidla ekhayeni likaSimon owayeneqhenqa, yaye apho sifumana inkcazelo yokugqibela ngaye: “UMarta wayelungiselela.”—Yoh. 12:2.

25. Kutheni amabandla esikelelekile kukuba namabhinqa afana noMarta?

²⁵ Yayinguye kanye ke lowo, isiquququ somfazi! Xa iBhayibhile iqala ukuthetha ngaye, uyasebenza; xa igqibezela ukuthetha ngaye, uyasebenza, ezibhokoxa enyamekela abanye abantu. Amabandla abalandeli bakaKristu namhlanje asikelelekile ngokuba nabafazi abafana noMarta—abaneentliziyo ezintle nesisa, abakulungeleyo ukunceda abanye. Ngaba uMarta waqhubeka ekwenza oku? Kubonakala njalo. Esi yayisisenzo sobulumko, kuba wayeseza kuhlangabezana nezinye iingxaki.

26. Ukholo lukaMarta lwamnceda wenza ntoni?

²⁶ Ngeentsuku ezingephi, uMarta kwafuneka anyamezele ukufa okubuhlungu kweNkosi yakhe awayeyithanda, uYesu. Ukongezelela koko, kwa-aba bahanahanisi bababulali bambulalayo babefuna ukubulala noLazaro, kuba ukuvuswa kwakhe kwakusenza abantu abaninzi babe nokholo. (Funda uYohane 12:9-11.) Kakade ke, ekugqibeleni ukufa kwamohlukanisa uMarta nabanye abantwana bakowabo. Asazi ukuba loo nto yenzeka njani okanye nini, kodwa nantsi into esinokuqiniseka ngayo: Ukholo lukaMarta lwamnceda wanyamezela kwada kwasekupheleni. Yiloo nto amaKristu namhlanje efanele aluxelise ukholo lukaMarta.