1, 2. (a) Ngimaphi amatjhuguluko uJosefa nomndenakhe abaqalana nawo? (b) Ngiziphi iindaba ezimbi uJosefa ebekufuze azitjele umkakhe?

 UJOSEFA uphosela omunye umthwalo phezu kwakadumbana. Mbone ngelihlo lengqondo njengombana aqala ngapha nangapha emzini weBetlehema njengombana sele kumnyama, unande abhambada ihlangothi lesibandana esincancani esinamandla esithwele umthwalo. Akunakuzaza bona bekacabanga ngekhambo elide elibalindileko. IGibhide! Abantu bakwenye inarha, ilimi, amasiko—umndenakhe omncani bewuzokujayelana njani namatjhuguluko angaka?

² Bekungasilula ukutjela umkakhe othandekako uMariya iindaba ezimbezi, kodwana uJosefa waqunga isibindi wamtjela. Wamtjela ngebhudango lapho ingilozi imtjele khona umlayezo ovela kuZimu naku: Ikosi uHerode ifuna ukubulala indodanabo encani! Bekufuze bakhambe khonokho. (Funda uMatewu 2:13, 14.) UMariya bekatshwenyeke khulu. Kungenzeka njani bona kube nomuntu ofuna ukubulala umntwanakhe onganamlandu, nongasiyingozi? Bobabili uMariya noJosefa bebangazwisisi. Kodwana bathembela kuJehova, ngalokho bazilungiselela.

3. Hlathulula ukukhamba kwakaJosefa nomndenakhe eBetlehema. (Qala isithombe.)

³ Bangakwazi okwenzekako, abantu beBetlehema besele balele njengombana uJosefa, uMariya, noJesu bakhukhutha baphuma emzini loyo ngomnyama. Batjhinga ngesewula, isibhakabhaka sithoma ukukhanya ngepumalanga, uJosefa kungenzeka bekazibuza bona khuyini ebalindeleko. Umbazi ophasi lo bekangawuvikela njani umndenakhe eembunjweni ezinamandla kangaka? Bekazokwazi na ukutlhogomela umndenakhe qobe? Bekazokukghona ukukghodlhelela umsebenzi obudisi kangaka awuphathiswe nguJehova uZimu, ukutlhogomela nokukhulisa umntwana ohlukileko lo? UJosefa bekaqalene neentjhijilo eziqeda amandla. Njengombana sicabangela indlela akghona ngayo ukuqalana nesitjhijilo ngasinye, sizokubona bonyana kubayini abobaba namhlanjesi—nathi soke—kufuze silingise ikholo lakaJosefa.

4, 5. (a) Ngiziphi iindlela ukuphila kwakaJosefa okwatjhuguluka ngazo unomphela? (b) Ingilozi yamkhuthaza njani uJosefa bona amukele isabelo esibudisi?

⁴ Eenyangeni ezimbalwa ngaphambili, endaweni yangekhabo eNazareda,  ukuphila kwakaJosefa kwatjhentjha unomphela ngemva kobana athembise indodakazi kaHeli umtjhado. UJosefa bekazi uMariya njengomntazana omsulwa nothembekileko osesemutjha. Kodwana wafumana bona bekazithwele. Bekazimisele ukumtlhala ngerhorhomejeni bona amvikele ehlazweni. a Nokho, ingilozi yakhuluma naye ebhudangweni, yamhlathululela bona uMariya bekasidisi ngebanga lomoya ocwengileko kaJehova. Ingilozi yangezelela bona indodana ayithweleko ‘izakuphulusa abantu bayo ezonweni zabo.’ Yaragela phambili yaqinisekisa uJosefa: “Ungasabi ukuthatha uMariya abe mkakho.”—Mat. 1:18-21.

⁵ UJosefa indoda elungileko nelalelako yenza njalo. Wathatha umsebenzi obudisi kunayo yoke: ukukhulisa nokutlhogomela indodana egade kungasi ngeyakhe kodwana ebeyiligugu kwamambala kuZimu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, alalela umthetho wombuso, uJosefa wasa umkakhe osidisi eBetlehema ukuyokutlolisa. Kulapho la umntwana abelethelwa khona.

6-8. (a) Ngiziphi ezinye izenzakalo ezaletha amanye amatjhuguluko ekuphileni kwakaJosefa nomndenakhe omncani? (b) Sazi njani bona uSathana wathumela ikwekwezi? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

⁶ UJosefa akhenge abuyisele umndenakhe eNazareda. Kunalokho, bahlala eBetlehema emakhilomitha apheze abe li-10 ukusuka eJerusalema. Bebatlhagile, kodwana uJosefa wenza koke angakwenza ukuvikela uMariya noJesu ekutlhageni. Ngemva kwesikhatjhana bahlala endlini esebujamweni obuphasi. Ngemva kwalokho, lapho uJesu angaseselisana kodwana amntwana omncani—mhlamunye angaphezu komnyaka owodwa ubudala—ukuphila kwabo msinyana kwatjhentjha godu.

⁷ Kwafika isiqhema samadoda, izazi zeenkwekwezi ezivela Epumalanga, pheze eBhabhiloni ekude. Bewalandela ikwekwezi ukuya emzini kaJosefa noMariya begodu bewafuna umntwana ozokuba yikosi yamaJuda. Amadoda layo bekahlonipha khulu.

⁸ Kungakhathaliseki bona bezazi namtjhana awa, izazi zeenkwekwezi zafaka uJesu engozini ekulu. Ikwekwezi ezayibonako akhenge iziyise eBetlehema kokuthoma, kodwana yazisa eJerusalema. b Nezifika lapho zatjela iKosi embi uHerode bona bezifuna umntwana egade azokuba yikosi yamaJuda. Lokhu kwenza indoda leyo yasilingeka khulu ngebanga lomona.

9-11. (a) Kungaziphi iindlela bekunamandla asebenzako angaphezu kewakaSathana noHerode? (b) Ikhambo lokuya eGibhide belihluke njani kilelo elihlathululwa ziinolwana ze-apocrypha?

⁹ Nokho, ngokuthabisako, bekuneembunjwa ezinamandla angaphezu kewakaHerode nofana kaSathana egade zibandakanyekile kilokhu. Njani? Iimvakatjhezi nezifika ekhabo lakaJesu begodu zimbona anonina, zakhupha izipho, kodwana akhenge zifune ukubhadelwa ngalitho.  Qala bona bekurara kangangani kuJosefa noMariya bangakatjheji nebazifumana sele ‘banegolide, itshwalo nemire’—amagugu aqakathekileko! Izazi zeenkwekwezi bezizimisele ukutjela iKosi uHerode bona zimfumenephi umntwana ebezimfuna. Nokho, uJehova wazivimba. Asebenzisa ibhudango, walayela izazi zeenkwekwezi bona zibuyele ekhaya ngenye indlela.—Funda uMatewu 2:1-12.

¹⁰ Msinyana ngemva kobana izazi zeenkwekwezi zikhambe, uJosefa wafumana isiyeleliso nasi engilozini kaJehova: ‘UHerode uzokufuna umntwana bona ambulale. Yeke vuka uthathe umntwana nonina nibalekele eGibhide, nihlale lapho benginitjele bona nisuke.’ (Mat. 2:13) Nje-ke, njengombana sibonile ekuthomeni kwesihlokwesi, uJosefa walalela khonokho. Wabeka ukuphepha komntwanakhe ngaphezu kwananyana yini, bese wasa umndenakhe eGibhide. Ngombana izazi zeenkwekwezi ezibarhedenezo zanikela umndeni izipho ezibiza kangaka, nje-ke besele banezinto ezizobasiza ekhambweni elibalindeleko.

¹¹ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi iinolwana ze-apocrypha zafederisa indaba yekhambo lokuya eGibhide, zathi ngomlingo uJesu osesemncani wenza ikhambwelo laba lifitjhani, wavimbela abotsotsi bewabangela nemithi yepato bona ikhothame kunina bonyana akhe iinthelo zawo. c Eqinisweni bekulikhambo elide nelibudisi okungaziwako bona kunjani lapho baya khona.

12. Ababelethi abakhulisa abantwababo ephasini eliyingozeli bangafundani kuJosefa?

¹² Ababelethi bangafunda okunengi kuJosefa. Wawulisa ngokuzithandela umsebenzakhe begodu wadela nehlalakuhle yakhe bona avikele umndenakhe engozini. Kwamambala, bekaqala umndenakhe njengelifa elicwengileko elivela kuJehova. Ababelethi namhlanje bakhulisa abantwababo ephasini eliyingozi, iphasi elizele iimthelela engalimaza, yonakalise namtjhana itjhabalalise abasesebatjha. Qala bona babukwa kangangani abomma nabobaba abathatha amagadango msinyana njengoJosefa, abasebenza budisi ukuvikela abantwababo eemtheleleni enjalo!

13, 14. Kubayini uJosefa noMariya bagcina babuyele emva eNazareda ukukhulisela khona umndenabo?

¹³ Kubonakala kwanga umndenakhe akhenge uhlale isikhathi eside eGibhide, ngombana msinyana ingilozi yatjela uJosefa bona uHerode uhlongakele. UJosefa wabuyisela umndenakhe enarheni  yekhabo. Isiporofido sekadeni sabikezela bona uJehova uzokubiza iNdodanakhe ‘iphume eGibhide.’ (Mat. 2:15) UJosefa wasiza ekuzaliseni isiporofidwesi, kodwana uzowusaphi umndenakhe kwanje?

¹⁴ UJosefa bekamumuntu otjhejako. Ngokuhlakanipha wasaba owalandela uHerode u-Artjhilawosi, naye ogade anelunya begodu ambulali. Isinqophiso esivela kuZimu senza uJosefa bona ase umndenakhe etlhagwini, kude neJerusalema nemiraro yakhona, babuyela endaweni yekhabo eNazareda eGaleliya. BanoMariya bakhulisela umndenabo lapho.—Funda uMatewu 2:19-23.

15, 16. Bewunjani umsebenzi kaJosefa, begodu ngimaphi amathulusu okungenzeka bekawasebenzisa?

¹⁵ Baphila ukuphila okulula—kodwana ingasi okunganayo imiraro. IBhayibhili ikhuluma ngoJosefa njengombazi, isebenzisa ibizo elihlanganisa iindlela ezinengi zokusebenza ngesikhuni, njengokukapa imithi, ukuyithutha, nokuyilungisa bona ifanelekele ukwakha izindlu, iinkepe, amabhlorho amancani, iinkarana, amavili, amajogi nawo woke amathulusu aziinsetjenziswa zokulima. (Mat. 13:55) Bekumsebenzi wezandla obudisi. Ngeenkhathi zeBhayibhili kanengi umbazi bekasebenzela hlanu komnyango wendlwakhe yezinga eliphasi namtjhana esitolo esihlanu kwayo.

¹⁶ UJosefa bekasebenzisa amathulusu ahlukahlukeneko, amanye okungenzeka wawatjhiyelwa nguyise. Kungenzeka bekasebenzisa isikere, umthofi wokujamisa, intambo yokumeda eyitjhogo, izembe, isarha, ihamura yesimbi, ihamura yesikhuni, amatjhizela, ibhoro yokuthumbusa imbobo oyisa emva naphambili enjengomswibela, ama-glue ahlukahlukeneko mhlamunye neempikiri nanyana bezibiza.

17, 18. (a) Khuyini uJesu ayifunda kubabakhe wokutholwa? (b) Kubayini uJosefa bekafuze asebenze budisi emsebenzinakhe?

¹⁷ Cabanga ngoJesu njengomsanyana abukele ubabakhe wokutholwa asebenza. Arhudule amehlo begodu aqale koke ukusikinyeka okwenziwa nguJosefa, akunakuzaza bona bekakarwa mahlombe neemkhonwakhe enamandla, ikghono lezandla, nokuhlakanipha okusemehlweni. Kungenzeka uJosefa wathoma ukutjengisa indodanakhe eseseyincani ukwenza imisebenzi ebulula njengokukarabha iindawo ezimakghwakghwa esikhunini ngesikhumba sefesi esomileko. Kungenzeka wafundisa uJesu umahluko hlangana neenkuni ezihlukahlukeneko egade azisebenzisa—isibonelo, isikhuni sesikhamore, se-oak namtjhana se-oliva.

 ¹⁸ Godu uJesu wafunda bona izandla ezinamandla ezikapa imithi, zembele amadrobholo begodu ebezihlanganisa amajoyini wezinto godu bekuzizandla ezithambileko egade zibamba beziduduze yena, unina nabantwana bakwabo. Iye, uJosefa noMariya bebanomndeni okhulako kamva owaba nabantwana abasithandathu kuhlanganise noJesu. (Mat. 13:55, 56) UJosefa bekufuze asebenze budisi ukutlhogomela nokondla woke umndenakhe.

19. UJosefa wazitlhogomela njani iintlhogo zomndenakhe ezingokomoya?

¹⁹ Nokho, uJosefa bekazwisisa bona ukutlhogomela iintlhogo zomndenakhe ezingokomoya bekuqakatheke khulu. Ngalokho wasebenzisa isikhathi esinengi ukufundisa abantwabakhe ngoJehova uZimu neemThethwakhe. Yena noMariya bebabasa qobe esinagogeni langekhabo, lapho umThetho bewufundwa ngokuzwakalako begodu uhlathululwa. Mhlamunye uJesu bekanemibuzo eminengi ngemva kwalokho, begodu uJosefa walinga ngamandla ukwanelisa indlala engokomoya yomsana lo. Godu uJosefa wasa umndenakhe emigidini yekolo eJerusalema. NgePhasika laqobe mnyaka, kungenzeka uJosefa bekatlhoga iimveke ezimbili ukukhamba indlela elibanga elimakhilomitha ali-120, ukuya nokubuya ekugidingeni isenzakalwesi.

20. Iinhloko zemindeni ezimaKrestu zingasilandela njani isibonelo esabekwa nguJosefa?

²⁰ Iinhloko zemindeni yamaKrestu namhlanje zilandela isibonelo esifanako. Ziyazidela ngebanga labantwabazo, zibeka ifundo engokomoya ngaphezu kwananyana yini enye, kuhlanganise nehlalakuhle yezinto eziphathekako. Zenza koke ezingakwenza ukusa abantwabazo emihlanganweni yobuKrestu emincani nemikhulu. NjengoJosefa, ziyazi bona ayikho indlela engcono yokubulungela ikusasa ezingayenzela abantwabazo.

21. Besinjani isikhathi sePhasika emndenini kaJosefa, begodu uJosefa noMariya batjheja nini bona uJesu akekho?

²¹ UJesu naneminyaka eli-12 ubudala, uJosefa wasa umndenakhe eJerusalema njengokujayelekileko. BekuyiPhasika, isikhathi semigidi, begodu imindeni emikhulu beyikhamba ndawonye ngeemjeje emide eendaweni zemakhaya ezihlaza. Njengombana batjhidela eendaweni ezinganalitho ezihlaza hlanu kweJerusalema eliphakemeko, abanengi bebabhina amarhalani wokukhwela imibundu. (Rha. 120–134) Kungenzeka bona idorobho beliphithizela ngamakhulu weenkulungwana zabantu. Ngemva kwalokho, imindeni ngemijejayo beyithoma ukubuyela emakhaya. UJosefa noMariya, mhlamunye banokunengi ebekufuze bakwenze, bacabanga bona uJesu bekakhamba nabanye, mhlambe  amalunga womndeni. Kungemva kwelanga elilodwa basukile eJerusalema lapho bayelela khona iqiniso elithusako—uJesu bekalahlekile!—Luka 2:41-44.

22, 23. UJosefa noMariya benzani nebabona bonyana indodanabo ayikho, begodu uMariya wathini nebayifumanako?

²² Batshwenyekile, babuyela eJerusalema baqala uJesu kizo zoke iindawo egade bakizo. Cabanga bona bekuthule begodu kuthunana kangangani edorobhenelo njengombana bakhambakhamba eendleleni barhuwelela ibizo lendodanabo. Bekakuphi umsana lo? Ngemva kwelanga lesithathu bafuna, uJosefa wacabanga bona kungenzeka uhlulekile na ekutlhogomeleni ilifa elicwengilekweli elivela kuJehova? Ekugcineni, baya etempelini. Nebafika lapho bafuna bebafika ewolweni lapho amadoda amanengi aziimfundiswa, izazi zomThetho bewahlangene  khona—noJesu omncani ahlezi hlangana nawo! Cabanga bona uJosefa noMariya batjhaphuluka kangangani!—Luka 2:45, 46.

²³ UJesu bekalalele amadoda aziimfundiswa layo begodu abuza imibuzo ngetjiseko. Amadoda la bekararwa kuzwisisa komntwana lo neempendulo zakhe. UMariya noJosefa nabo bebararekile. Ekulandiseni kweBhayibhili ngendaba le, uJosefa uthulile. Kodwana amezwi kaMariya awaveza ngokukhanyako amazizwabo bobabili: “Ndodana yami, ukwenzeleni lokhu kithi na? Mina noyihlo sitshwenyeke khulu sikufuna.”—Luka 2:47, 48.

24. IBhayibhili ithini ngeentjhijilo zokuba mbelethi?

²⁴ Ngendlela efitjhani leyo, iliZwi lakaZimu litjengisa ngendlela ekhanyako bona kunjani ukuba mbelethi. Kungagandelela—ngitjho nanyana umntwana aphelele! Ukuba mbelethi ephasini lanamhlanje  eliyingozeli kungabangela ‘ukutshwenyeka okukhulu,’ kodwana abobaba nabomma bangaduduzwa kukwazi bona iBhayibhili iyavuma bona baqalene nemiraro.

25, 26. UJesu wabaphendula njani ababelethi bakhe, begodu kungenzeka uJosefa wazizwa njani ngamezwi wendodanakhe?

²⁵ Ngokuthabisako, uJesu wahlala endaweni eyodwa ephasini lapho ezwa khona ukutjhidelana noYise osezulwini, uJehova, ngetjiseko afunda koke angakufunda kuye. Ngalokho waphendula ababelethi bakhe ngendlela elula nokuthembeka: “Beningifunelani? Beningazi bona kufanele ngibe ngekumbeni kaBaba na?”—Luka 2:49.

²⁶ Akunakuzaza bona uJosefa wacabanga kanengi ngamezwi layo. Mhlamunye wamomotheka ngokuzikhakhazisa ngawo. Ngaphezu kwakho koke, bekasebenze ngekuthalo ukufundisa indodanakhe yokutholwa bona izizwe njalo ngoJehova uZimu. Ngesikhatheso, ekuphileni kwakhe asesemsana, uJesu gade sele anamazizo wamambala ngebizo elithi ‘baba’—amazizo ngokuyihloko enziwa kuhlala kwakhe noJosefa.

27. Njengobaba, ngiliphi ilungelo onalo, begodu kubayini kufuze ukhumbule isibonelo sakaJosefa?

²⁷ Nengabe ungubaba, uyatjheja na bona unelungelo elingangani lokusiza abantwabakho babe nombono wokobana unjani ubaba onethando novikelako? Ngokufanako, nengabe unabantwana abangasibo beengazi namtjhana bokutholwa, khumbula isibonelo sakaJosefa bese uphatha ngamunye njengoqakathekileko noligugu. Basize batjhidele kuBababo osezulwini, uJehova uZimu.—Funda Kwebe-Efesu 6:4.

28, 29. (a) Amezwi atlolwe kuLuka 2:51, 52 ambulani ngoJosefa? (b) UJosefa wayisiza njani indodanakhe yathuthuka ekuhlakanipheni?

²⁸ IBhayibhili iveza imikhondo embalwa yokuphila kwakaJosefa, kodwana kuqakathekile bona siyiqalisise. Sifunda bona uJesu ‘wabalalela’—ababelethi bakhe. Godu sifumana bona ‘uJesu wakhula ngomzimba nangokuhlakanipha, wathandwa nguZimu nabantu.’ (Funda uLuka 2:51, 52.)  Amezwi la ambulani ngoJosefa? Izinto ezimbalwa. Sifunda bona uJosefa waragela phambili adosa phambili emndeninakhe, njengombana indodanakhe epheleleko yahlonipha igunya lakayise begodu yaragela phambili izithoba kilo.

²⁹ Godu sifunda bona uJesu waragela phambili akhula ekuhlakanipheni. Kwamambala uJosefa waba nomthelela omkhulu etuthukweni yendodanakhe ekuhlakaniphenokho. Ngesikhatheso, bekunesaga sekadeni esihlonitjhwako emaJudeni. Singafumaneka begodu sifundwe nanamhlanje. Besithi babantu abanesikhathi kwaphela abahlakaniphe kwamambala, kodwa abasebenzako njengababazi, abalimi nabasebenza ngesimbi “angekhe bakhupha ubulungiswa nesahlulelo; begodu angekhe bafumaneke lapho kukhulunywa khona ngemifanekiso.” Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJesu waveza ukuba mamala kwesageso. Nekasesemsana, qala bona wamuzwa kanengi kangangani uyise wokutholwa afundisa ‘ngobulungiswa nangesahlulelo’ sakaJehova ngokuphumelelako ngitjho nanyana bekambazi ophasi! Akunakuzaza bona wamuzwa enza njalo iinkhathi ezimbalwa.

30. UJosefa wazibekela njani isibonelo iinhloko zemindeni namhlanje?

³⁰ Godu sibona nobufakazi bomthelela kaJosefa ekukhuleni kwakaJesu okungokomzimba. Amsana otlhogonyelwe kuhle, wakhula waba yindoda enamandla nephile kuhle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJosefa wabandula indodanakhe bona ibe nekghono emsebenzinayo wezandla. UJesu bekangaziwa njengendodana yombazi kwaphela kodwana ‘nanjengombazi.’ (Mar. 6:3) Ngalokho ukubandula kwakaJosefa kwaphumelela. Iinhloko zemindeni ngokuhlakanipha zilingisa uJosefa, zitlhogomela ukukhula kuhle kwabantwabazo begodu ziqinisekise bona bangakwazi ukuzitjheja.

31. (a) Ubufakazi buvezani ngesikhathi uJosefa afa ngaso? (Hlanganisa nebhoksi.) (b) Ngisiphi isibonelo uJosefa asitjhiyela sona bona sisilingise?

³¹ Nesifika endabeni lapho uJesu abhabhadiswa khona aneminyaka ema-30 ubudala, eBhayibhilini sifumana bona uJosefa akusakhulunywa ngaye endabeni le. Ubufakazi butjengisa bona uMariya besele amhlolokazi lokha uJesu nathoma ikonzwakhe. (Qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Wahlongakala Nini UJosefa?”) Nanyana kunjalo, uJosefa watjhiya itshwayo elikhanyako—isibonelo esihle sakababa owavikela umndenakhe, wawutlhogomela begodu wakghodlhelela ngokuthembeka bekwaba semaswapheleni. Nanyana ngimuphi ubaba, nanyana ngiyiphi ihloko yomndeni namtjhana ngimuphi omunye umKrestu, bangenza kuhle nebangalingisa ikholo lakaJosefa.