1, 2. Hlathulula ikhambo lakaMariya begodu utjho bona kubayini gade libudisi kangaka kuye.

 UMARIYA waziphutha bona ahlale kuhle phezu kodumbanakhe. Besele bakhambe ama-awara amanengi. UJosefa bekadosa phambili akhamba kabuthaka endleleni eya eBhetlehema ekudanyana. Godu uMariya wezwa umntwana asikinyeka ngemathunjini.

² Besele kusikhathi eside uMariya azithwele; esikhathinesi iBhayibhili imhlathulula ‘njengogade aselazokubeletha.’ (Luka 2:5, NW.) Njengombana abatjhadaba baratha emasimini amanengi, mhlamunye abanye abalimi bebabaqala baphezu kwezinto zabo zokulima begodu bazibuza bona kubayini umfazi osebujamweni obufana nebakaMariya athatha ikhambo. Kubayini uMariya aya kude kangakangaka nekhabo eNazareda?

3. Ngisiphi isabelo esafunyanwa nguMariya, begodu khuyini esiyitlhogako bona sifunde ngaye?

³ Koke lokhu kwathoma eenyangeni ezimbalwa ngaphambili lokha umntazana omJuda lo nekafumana isabelo esikhethekileko kiwo woke umlando wabantu. Bekazokubeletha umntwana ozokuba nguMesiya, iNdodana kaZimu! (Luka 1:35) Njengombana isikhathi sokubeletha sitjhidela, kwatlhogeka bona bathathe ikhambweli. Hlangana nekhambweli, uMariya waqalana nezinto ezalinga ikholo lakhe. Akhe sibone bonyana khuyini eyamsizako bona ahlale aqinile ekholweni.

4, 5. (a) Kubayini uJosefa noMariya bebaya eBhetlehema? (b) Isimemezelo sakaKhesari sadosela kukuphi ukuzaliseka kwesiporofido?

⁴ UJosefa noMariya bekungasibo bodwa abasendleleni. UKhesari Agastusi bekasandu kukhupha isimemezelo sokobana kubalwe abantu endaweni, begodu abantu bekufuze baye eendaweni ababelethelwa kizo bona bayokubalwa. Basabela njani uJosefa noMariya? Ukulandisa kuthi: ‘UJosefa naye wasuka edorobheni leNazareda eGaleliya, waya eJudiya emzini kaDavidi ebekuthiwa yiBhetlehema  ngombana ubegade asizukulwana sekumba nomndeni kaDavidi.’—Luka 2:1-4.

⁵ Akhenge kwenzeke ngengozi bona uKhesari akhuphe isimemezelo ngesikhatheso. Isiporofido esatlolwa eminyakeni ema-700 ngaphambili sabikezela bona uMesiya bekazokubelethelwa eBhetlehema. Manje bekunedorobho elibizwa bona yiBhetlehema elimakhilomitha ali-11 ukusuka eNazareda. Nokho, ubuporofidi buthi uMesiya bekazokubelethelwa ‘eBhetlehema Efratha.’ (Funda uMika 5:2.) Ukufikelela edorobheni elincanelo usuka eNazareda, abakhambi bekufuze bakhambe amakhilomitha anemibundu ali-150 newukhamba ngeSamariya. Leli yiBhetlehema uJosefa abizwa kilo, ngombana bekulikhaya leenzukulwana zomndeni weKosi uDavidi—umndeni uJosefa nomakotakhe abavela kiwo.

6, 7. (a) Kubayini ikhambo lokuya eBhetlehema belibudisi kuMariya? (b) Ukuba mfazi kaJosefa kwenza muphi umahluko eenquntweni zakaMariya? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

⁶ UMariya gade azomsekela na uJosefa esiquntweni sokukhambisana nesimemezelweso? Ngaphezu kwakho koke, ikhambweli gade lizokuba budisi kuye. Kungenzeka bekusekuthomeni kwesiruthwana, bekunande kuba nemifethezwana njengombana kuphuma ubusika. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ikulumo ethi ‘wanyukela eGaleliya’ iyafaneleka ngombana iBhetlehema beliphezulu ngamamitha ama-760—bekumbundu khulukhulu njengombana bekasemalangenakhe wokubeletha. Mhlamunye belizokuthatha isikhatjhana kunokujayelekileko,  ngombana uMariya bekazokutlhoga iinkhathi ezimbalwa zokuphumula. Kwanje, khulukhulu esikhathini sakhe sokubeletha, umfazi omutjha angathanda ukuhlala eduze kwekhabo, lapho ebekazokuba nomndeni nabangani abalungele ukumsiza nekuthoma iinhlungu zokubeletha. Ngaphandle kokuzaza, bekufuze abe nesibindi sokuthatha ikhambweli.

⁷ Nanyana kunjalo, uLuka utlola bona uJosefa “wayokutlolisa yena noMariya.” Godu wathi uMariya ‘wathathwa [nguJosefa] bona abe mkakhe njengombana kuthenjisiwe.’ (Luka 2:4, 5) Ukuba mfazi kaJosefa kwaba nomthelela omkhulu ekwenzeni kwakaMariya iinqunto. Bekaqala indodakwakhe njengehlokwakhe engokomoya, amukela isikhundla asinikelwe nguZimu njengomsizayo ngokuyisekela eenquntweni ezenzako. a UMariya bekazimisele ukulalela indodakwakhe, ngendlela le atjengisa ikholo.

8. (a) Khuyini enye okungenzeka yatjhukumisela uMariya bona aye eBhetlehema noJosefa? (b) Kungayiphi indlela isibonelo sakaMariya esikhuthaza ngayo abantu abathembekileko?

⁸ Khuyini enye eyenza uMariya walalela? Bekazi na ngesiporofido sokobana uMesiya uzokubelethelwa eBhetlehema? IBhayibhili ayitjho. Kungenzeka uMariya bekazi ngesiporofidwesi  njengombana abantu abanengi bebazi ngaso. (Mat. 2:1-7; Jwa. 7:40-42) UMariya bekayazi kuhle imiTlolo. (Luka 1:46-55) Kinanyana ngikuphi, kunganandaba bona uMariya wakhetha ukukhamba bona asekele indodakwakhe, isimemezelo esakhitjhwako nofana isiporofido sakaJehova—nanyana kuhlanganisa woke amaphuzu la—wabeka isibonelo esihle. UJehova uwuthatha njengoligugu khulu umoya wokuthobeka nokulalela kokubili emadodeni nebafazini. Isibonelo sakaMariya sikhuthaza khulu njengombana abantu abanengi namhlanje bacabanga bona akukafuzi bazithobe.

9, 10. (a) Khuyini uMariya noJosefa ebebacabanga ngayo njengombana batjhidela eBhetlehema? (b) UJosefa noMariya bahlalaphi begodu kubayini?

⁹ Kungenzeka uMariya wazizwa athabile nekabona iBhetlehema. Njengombana banyuka umbundu, badlula imithi yama-oliva—ebekangawokugcina eenthelweni okufuze zivunwe—uMariya noJosefa kungenzeka bacabangisisa ngomlando wedorobhaneli. Belilincani khulu bona lingabalwa hlangana namadorobho wakwaJuda; njengombana umporofidi uMika atjho; nokho bekuyindawo uBhowazi, uNawomi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi noDavidi ababelethelwa kiyo eminyakeni engaphezu kwekulungwana eyadlulako.

¹⁰ UMariya noJosefa bafumana idorobhelo ligcwele. Abanye bafika phambi kwabo ukuzokubhalisa, ngalokho bebanganandawo ngendlini yeemvakatjhi. b Bebanganakho ukuzikhethela kodwana bekufuze balale esitalini. Ungacabanga ngokutshwenyeka kwakaJosefa njengombana abona umkakhe ezwa iinhlungu angakhange azizwe ekuphileni zirhagala. Kizo zoke iindawo, iinhlungu zakhe zathoma khonapha esitalini.

11. (a) Kubayini boke abafazi bangazwelana noMariya? (b) Kungaziphi iindlela uJesu ‘bekalizibulo’?

¹¹ Nanyana ngiwuphi umfazi angazwelana noMariya. Eminyakeni ezi-4 000, uJehova wabikezela bona boke abafazi bazokuzwa ubuhlungu nebabelethako ngebanga lesono esasizuzako. (Gen. 3:16) Asinabo ubufakazi obutjengisa bona uMariya yena bekakhethekile. ULuka akakhulumi ngeenhlungu azizwako, kodwana umane athi: “wabeletha, wazibula ngendodana.” (Luka 2:7) Kwamambala, ‘izibulo’ lakhe lifikile—umntwanakhe wokuthoma ebantwaneni abalikhomba. (Mar. 6:3) Nokho, lo yena gade azokuhluka kwabanye. Bekangasi lizibulo lakhe kwaphela, kodwana ‘izibulo lakho koke okubunjiweko,’ okukuphela kweNdodana kaZimu!—Khol. 1:15.

12. UMariya wamlalisaphi umntwana, begodu bezemidlalo yetjhatjhalazini, imigwalo neenqephu kuhluke njani eqinisweneli?

 ¹² Kulapha kwaphela lapho ukulandisa kungezelela ngomniningwana oqakathekileko: “Wayiphuthela ngamatjhila wayilalisa ngemkhombeni.” (Luka 2:7) Zemidlalo yetjhatjhalazini, imigwalo neenqephu ziyeqisa endabeni yokubelethwa kwakaJesu. Nokho, cabangela lokho eqinisweni okwenzekako. Umkhombe yinto okudlela kiyo iinlwana. Khumbula, umndeni lo bewuhlala esitalini, indawo enganawo umoya ohlwengileko nesilapheleko—ngesikhatheso ngitjho nanamhlanje. Kwamambala, ababelethi bangayikhetha njani indawo enje nengabe kukhona okungcono? Ababelethi abanengi babafunela okungcono abantwababo. UMariya noJosefa bebangayifunela okungcono khulu iNdodana kaZimu.

13. (a) UMariya noJosefa bakwenza njani abangakwenza ngalokho abanakho? (b) Ababelethi abahlakaniphileko namhlanje bangazihlawulela njani izinto eziza qangi njengoJosefa noMariya?

¹³ Nokho, akhenge bahlale eentweni ezingathabisiko; bavele benza abangakwenza ngalokho abanakho. Isibonelo, uMariya wazimbeleselela yena umntwana, wamphuthela ngamatjhila afuthumeleko, bese ngesineke wamlalisa ngemkhombeni, aqiniseka bona uzokufuthumala begodu avikeleke. Ngitjho naphezu kobujamo obungathabisiko ebebahlala kibo, uMariya wenza angakwenza ukutlhogomela indodanakhe. Yena noJosefa bebazi bona ukufundisa umntwana lo ukuthanda uJehova yinto engcono khulu abangamenzela yona. (Funda uDuteronomi 6:6-8.) Namhlanje, ababelethi abahlakaniphileko balwela ukubeka izinto ezifanako qangi njengombana bakhulisa abantwababo ephasini elingakuthathi njengokuqakathekileko ukukhonza uZimu.

14, 15. (a) Kubayini iingilozi bezilulukela ukubona umntwana? (b) Abelusi benzani ngalokho abakubona esitalini?

¹⁴ Ukuthula kwathikaziswa litjhada elikhulu. Ngokurhaba abelusi baya esitalini, bafuna ukubona umndeni, khulukhulu umntwana. Amadoda la bekathabe afile, ithabo libhalwe ebusweni. Arhaba asuka ngeembundwini lapho bekaluse khona imihlambabo. c Atjela ababelethi abararekilekwaba ngento ekarisako abaqeda ukuyibona. Baseqadi kombundu phakathi kobusuku, msinyana kwafika ingilozi. Iphazimulo kaJehova yakhanya mahlangothi  woke, begodu ingilozi yabatjela bona uKrestu namtjhana uMesiya, uqeda ukubelethwa eBhetlehema. Bazokufumana umntwana alele ngemkhombeni, aphuthelwe ngamatjhila. Ngemva kwalokho, kwenzeka into ekulu khulu—kwavela iwoma leengilozi, ladumisa uZimu!—Luka 2:8-14.

¹⁵ Akurari bona abalusi abathobekilekwaba bagijimela eBhetlehema! Kungenzeka bathaba khulu ukubona isaneli lilele lapho njengombana ingilozi yatjho. Akhenge bazifihle iindaba ezihlezi. “Bakhuluma ilizwi . . . Nje-ke boke abakuzwako lokho barareka khulu ngeendaba zabelusaba.” (Luka 2:17, 18) Abarholi beenkolo bangesikhathesi ngokukhanyako bebabaqalela phasi abelusi. Kodwana uJehova bekawathatha njengaligugu amadoda athobekileko nathembekileko la. Nokho, ukuvakatjhokhu kwamthinta njani uMariya?

16. UMariya watjengisa njani bona kwamambala bekazindla, begodu lokho kutjengisani ngekholo lakhe?

¹⁶ UMariya ngokuqinisekileko bekadiniswe ziinhlungu zokubeletha, nokho, wawalalelisisa amezwabo. Begodu wenza okungeziweko: “UMariya wawalonda woke amezwi la, wazindla ngawo ngehliziywenakhe.” (Luka 2:19) Umfazi omutjha lo kwamambala bekamumuntu ocabangisisako. Bekazi bona umlayezo wengilozi lo uqakathekile. UZimakhe uJehova, bekafuna azi begodu azwisise ubunjalo nokuqakatheka kwendodanakhe. Ngalokho wenza okungaphezu kokulalela. Waqiniseka bona uzowakhumbula amezwi la, ahlale azindla ngawo eenyangeni neminyakeni elandelako. Leli libanga eliqakathekileko elenza uMariya wahlala anekholo eliqinileko koke ukuphila kwakhe.—Funda amaHebheru 11:1.

17. Singasilandela njani isibonelo sakaMariya nekuziwa emaqinisweni angokomoya?

¹⁷ Uzokulandela isibonelo sakaMariya na? UJehova uzalise iliZwi lakhe ngamaqiniso aqakatheke khulu. Nokho, amaqiniso la angekhe asisize ngaphandle kobana siwanake. Senza lokho ngokufunda iBhayibhili qobe—ingasi njengencwadi kwaphela kodwana njengeliZwi lakaZimu. (2 Thi. 3:16) Manje, njengoMariya, kufuze sifunde begodu sikhumbule amaqiniso ngoJehova, sizindle ngawo. Nengabe sizindla ngalokho esikufunde eBhayibhilini, sicabangele iindlela esingasisebenzisa ngokuzeleko ngayo isiluleko sakaZimu, sizabe senza lokho okuzokukhulisa ikholo lethu.

18. (a) UMariya noJosefa bawulalela njani umThetho kaMosisi uJesu nekasesemncani? (b) Umnikelo uJosefa noMariya abawenzako etempelini wambulani ngobujamo babo bezomnotho?

¹⁸ Ngelanga lobunane umntwana abelethiwe, uMariya noJosefa bamsoka njengombana kutjho umThetho kaMosisi, bamthiya ibizo lakaJesu njengombana kwabikezelwa. (Luka 1:31) Ngelanga lama-40, bamthatha eBhetlehema bamusa etempelini eJerusalema, elimakhilomitha alitjhumi, banikela ngomhlatjelo wokuhlanjululwa umThetho egade uwuvumela ngabantu abatlhagako—ngamazuba amabili wommango nofana wekhaya. Ngitjho nanyana uJosefa noMariya baba neenhloni, besolo basahlonipha umThetho ngendlela abangakghona ngayo. Kinanyana ngikuphi, bafumana isikhuthazo esikhulu lapho.—Luka 2:21-24.

19. (a) USimeyoni wamnikela njani uMariya okunengi angazindla ngakho? (b) Wasabela njani u-Ana nekabona uJesu?

¹⁹ Iqhegu elinguSimeyoni laya kibo lanikela uMariya okunengi angazindla ngakho. Lathenjiswa bona lizokubona uMesiya ngaphambi kobana life, begodu umoya kaJehova ocwengileko walimbulela bona uJesu omncani bekaMsindisi okwabikezelwa ngaye. USimeyoni godu wayelelisa uMariya ngobuhlungu ebekuzokutlhogeka abukghodlhelelele langelinye. Wathi uzozizwa kwanga isabula ikhekhebula ihliziywakhe. (Luka 2:25-35) Nanyana amezwi layo  bekamyelelisa ngento ebuhlungu ebeyizomehlela eminyakeni emithathu ezako, bewamhlomisela isikhathi esizako. Ngemva kobana umporofidikazi u-Ana abone uJesu omncani wathoma ukukhuluma ngaye kibo boke ebebanethemba lokubona ukuhlengwa kweJerusalema.—Funda uLuka 2:36-38.

20. Kubayini ukuletha uJesu etempelini eJerusalema kwabonakala kusiqunto esihle?

²⁰ Qala bona siqunto esihle kangangani esenziwa nguJosefa noMariya ngokuletha umntwanabo etempelini lakaJehova eJerusalema! Ngalokho basiza indodanabo ekambweni yokuthembeka yokungatshwili etempelini lakaJehova. Nebalapho, benza koke abangakwenza kuJehova begodu bafumana isiluleko nesikhuthazo. Ngokuqinisekileko, mhlokho uMariya waphuma etempeleni aqinile ekholweni, ihliziywakhe izele amaqiniso aqakathekileko angazindla ngawo nangawahlanganyela nabanye.

21. Singaqiniseka njani bona ikholo lethu liqina khulu njengelakaMariya?

²¹ Kuyathabisa ukubona ababelethi balandela isibonelweso namhlanje. Hlangana naboFakazi bakaJehova, ababelethi baletha abantwababo ngokuthembeka emihlanganweni yobuKrestu. Ababelethi abanjalo benza abangakwenza, ukukhuthaza amaKrestu abakunye nawo. Basuka emihlanganweni le baqinile, bathabile, begodu banezinto ezinengi abangazihlanganyela nabanye. Qala bona kuthabisa kangangani ukuhlangana nabo! Nesenza njalo, sizokufumana bona ikholo lethu njengelakaMariya, lizokuqina.