EZIKHATHINI zeBhayibheli, ilobolo lalikhokhelwa umndeni wakubo kamakoti lapho kuvunyelwana ngomshado. Ilobolo lalingaba izinto zenani elikhulu, izilwane noma imali. Ngezinye izikhathi, lalikhokhwa ngokusebenzela umndeni wakubo kamakoti, njengasendabeni kaJakobe, owavuma ukusebenzela ubaba kaRaheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze ashade noRaheli. (Gen. 29:17, 18, 20) Yayiyini injongo yokukhokhwa kwelobolo?

Isazi seBhayibheli, uCarol Meyers, sithi: “Ilobolo lalinganxephezela umndeni wakubo kamakoti ngenxa yokuthi umsebenzi owenziwa indodakazi wawungeke usenziwa muntu, okwakuyinto ebalulekile emindenini [elimayo].” Ilobolo lalingaphinde liqinise ubungane phakathi kwemindeni eyayisihlobene ngenxa yomshado. Lobo buhlobo bungenza kube lula ukuba kusizwane ezikhathini ezinzima. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ilobolo lalibonisa ukuthi owesifazane wayesethenjiswe umshado nokuthi wayengeke esanakekelwa noma ondliwe uyise kodwa lokhu kwase kuzokwenziwa umyeni wakhe.

Ukukhokha ilobolo kwakungasho neze ukuthi owesifazane uyinto engathengwa noma idayiswe. Incwadi ethi Ancient Israel​—Its Life and Institutions ithi: “Lesi sibopho sokukhokha imali, noma okunye okulingana nayo emndenini wakubo kamakoti senza kubonakale sengathi umshado womIsrayeli uwukuthengiselana. Kodwa [ilobolo] lalingabhekwa njengelithenga owesifazane, kunalokho lalibhekwa njengesipho esinxephezela umndeni.”

Kwamanye amazwe namuhla, abantu bayaqhubeka nesiko lokukhokha ilobolo. Lapho abazali abangamaKristu bebiza ilobolo, benza ‘ukucabangela kwabo kwaziwe yibo bonke abantu’ ngokungabizi ilobolo elibonisa ukungacabangeli. (Fil. 4:5; 1 Kor. 10:32, 33) Ngaleyo ndlela, babonisa ukuthi ‘abathandi imali’ futhi abawona amagovu. (2 Thim. 3:2) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho abazali abangamaKristu bengabizi ilobolo elikhulu kakhulu, umkhwenyana ngeke kudingeke ahlehlise umshado kuze kube yilapho esethole imali eyanele yokukhokha ilobolo. Umkhwenyana ngeke futhi azizwe ephoqeleke ukuba ayeke inkonzo yokuphayona, asebenze isikhathi esigcwele ukuze athole imali edingekayo yokukhokha ilobolo elikhulu kakhulu.

Kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba inani lelobolo linqunywa umthetho. Ezindaweni ezinjalo abazali abangamaKristu balalela leyo mithetho. Kungani? Kungoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyala amaKristu ukuba ‘azithobe emagunyeni aphakeme’ nokuba ahloniphe imithetho engangqubuzani nemithetho kaNkulunkulu.​—Roma 13:1; IzE. 5:29.