Isahluko sokuqala

[Bona lokhu ngakunye nombhalo kaLuka 1.]

Kusuka Mark kuya Luka

1. Njengoba abaningi sebebambe isandla ukubhala indaba ephathelene nalezo zindaba ezigcwalisekile phakathi kwethu,

2 njengoba nje basinikeza bona ababengofakazi bokuzibonela nezikhonzi zezwi kwasekuqaleni.

3. kwabonakala kukuhle nakimi, sengihlolisisile inkambo yakho konke kusukela ekuqaleni, ukukubhalela ngokulandelana, Theyofilu odumileyo;

4. ukuze wazi iqiniso lezinto owafundiswa ngazo

Ukucabanga ngenhla

Njengoba sesibonile, iVangeli NgokukaMarku liqala ngoJohane uMbhapathizi eshumayela ukuphenduka ukuze kuthethelelwe izono. Ngezindlela eziningi, iyindikimba eyinhloko kaMarku. Kodwa njenganoma iyiphi i-symphony enhle, kunezindikimba ezincane futhi. Enye yalezo zihloko ezincane kuMarku ukubaluleka kwenkolelo. Ngakho-ke, kuMarku amagama okuqala akhulunywa nguJesu aqukethe zombili izindikimba—ingqikithi enkulu yokuphenduka, kanye nendikimba encane yenkolelo. Njengoba uJesu esho emazwini akhe okuvula kulelo vangeli, “Umbuso kaNkulunkulu ususondele, Phendukani futhi kholwe yivangeli!” (Marku 1:15).

NgesiGreki sokuqala, igama elisho ukuphenduka lithi μετάνοια (metanoia), okusho, ngokwezwi nezwi, “ukucabanga ngaphezulu” (meta = ngenhla + noia = ukucabanga). Ukuphenduka kuqala ngokuqaphela nokuvuma isono kithi ngokwethu. Njengoba ukuzithanda kanye nezifiso zomuntu siqu zingaphansi, imibono ephakeme iqala ukubusa. Siqala ukugxila ekuthandeni uNkulunkulu nasekukhonzeni umakhelwane wethu. Ngamanye amazwi, siqala ukucabanga ngaphezulu nangaphezulu izindlela zethu ezijwayelekile zokucabanga. Siyabona ukuthi kunokuningi ekuphileni kunokwanelisa izifiso zethu zesikhashana. Kulokhu, sikholelwa futhi siholwa yiqiniso eliphakeme. Kungakho amagama athi “phenduka” nelithi “kholwa” ehlanganiswe ndawonye. Esahlukweni sokugcina sikaMarku, uJesu uthi, “Hambani niye ezweni lonke nishumayele ivangeli kukho konke okudaliweyo, okholwayo abhapathizwe uyakusindiswa” ( Joh.Marku 16:16) ¹ .

Ukugxila ekukholweni

KuMarku, njengoba sesibonile, kwaba khona ukuguquka kancane kancane kusuka ekugxileni ekuphendukeni kuya ekugxileni ekukholweni-okugxile okuqhubekayo njengoba siqala iVangeli NgokukaLuka. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela amazwi okuqala kaLuka: “Njengoba abaningi bebambene ngezandla ukuze bahlele indaba yalokho okukholelwa ngempela phakathi kwethu . . .” (Luka 1:1).

La mazwi okuvula abalulekile. Izinto “azikholwa” nje kuphela; bakholelwa “ngempela.” ²

Ukukholwa, njengokholo, kuhlotshaniswa nokuqonda kwethu. Imayelana nohlangothi oluphusile, nobuhlakani bomqondo womuntu. Ukukholwa, nokho, akukhona ukukholwa okuyimpumputhe. Ngokuphambene nalokho; siza ekukholweni noma ekuba nokholo lweqiniso ngokusebenzisa isiyalo sokuqonda kwethu. Kuyinqubo yobuhlakani ehlanganisa ukubona okunengqondo kweqiniso—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iqiniso lemvelo mayelana ne-physics noma iqiniso elingokomoya mayelana nokuba senyameni. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokucabanga ngephuzu othile alishilo, nokubona iqiniso eliqukethwe amazwi akhe, singase sithi, “Ngiyakholelwa ukuthi unephuzu lapho,” noma “Ngiyabona. uqonde ukuthini.” Amazwi okuvula kaLuka ke, abhekisela kaningi “ekukholweni” akhombisa ukuthi lelivangeli lizogxila ekuvuleni ingqondo, nasekujuleni kokuqonda. Eqinisweni, kukuLuka lapho sifunda khona amazwi athi, “Wavula ukuqonda kwabo” (Luka 24:45). ³

Amavesi okuqala ka-Luke aqukethe amagama ambalwa nemishwana ephakamisa ubuhlakani. Njengoba sesiphawulile, ivesi 1 likhuluma ngalezo zinto ‘okukholelwa ngempela. Evesini 2, umbhali kaLuka ukhuluma “ngalabo ababengofakazi bokuzibonela kwasekuqaleni” (Luka 1:2). EZwini, amagama abhekisela “emehlweni,” noma “umbono,” noma “ukubona” amelela umbono wangaphakathi, noma ukuntuleka kwawo. Enkulumweni evamile, izinkulumo ezithi “Manje sengiyaqonda,” nethi “Manje sengiyabona” ziyafana. Siphinde sithi, “Akekho oyimpumputhe njengalabo abangeke babone,” “Bheka ohlangothini olukhanyayo,” futhi “Lokho kwaba okuhlangenwe nakho ‘okuvula amehlo’ kwangempela.” Esimweni ngasinye, sisebenzisa izithombe ezibonakalayo ukuze sichaze izimo zengqondo nezomoya. Kungakho igama elithi “ofakazi bamehlo” kuleli vesi lisho ingxenye ethile yokuqonda. Khona-ke, evesini lesi-3 umbhali usitshela ukuthi “wayenokuqonda okuphelele” (Luka 1:3). ⁴

Esifundweni sethu sika-Mathewu kanye no-Marku, siphawule ukubaluleka kwamagama okuqala nawokugcina evangeli ngalinye. Saveza ukuthi amazwi okuvula nawokuvala anikeza isihluthulelo somlayezo oholayo kulelovangeli. Uma sibheka phambili esiphethweni sikaLuka sithola ukuthi amazwi okugcina athi, “Bakhuleka kuye, babuyela eJerusalema benokuthokoza okukhulu, behlezi ethempelini bedumisa. futhi badumise uNkulunkulu” (Luka 24:53). Lapha ukubhekisela ‘eJerusalema’ ‘nethempeli’ kubonisa ukuthi sisebenzelana nokukhalipha komuntu, izinga lengqondo elihilelekile emicabangweni nasezizangweni kunemizwelo nemizwa. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ukuhambisana kwegama elithi “Jerusalema” kuhlobene nezindaba zokufunda, zokufundisa, izimfundiso neziyalo. Abantu baya eJerusalema ukuze bafunde ngamaqiniso okholo. ⁵

Ngokufanayo, lapho sifunda ukuthi “babesethempelini njalo,” singakwazi ukwazi ukuthi nalokhu, kuthinta ikhono lethu lokucabanga nokucabanga. Ithempeli laseJerusalema lakhiwe ngamatshe aphelele, futhi amatshe kulo lonke iZwi amelela amaqiniso. Ngakho, lokhu kubhekisela “ekuhlaleni ethempelini njalo” kuphinde kubhekisele kulolo hlangothi lomqondo womuntu ophathelene nezindaba zeqiniso, ukholo, kanye nenkolelo. ⁶

Khona-ke, iVangeli likaLuka liqala ngesethulo esifushane esigcwele izikhombo zokholo, inkolelo, imfundo, nokuqonda. Njengoba isingeniso esinamavesi amane siphetha, sisala nenkomba ecace kakhulu yezinga lobuhlakani bengqondo: “Ukuze nazi ukuqiniseka kwalezo zinto enayalwa ngazo” (Luka 1:4).

Ngokubhekisela kaningi enkolelweni, olwazini, nasemyalweni emavesini okuqala, kuyacaca ukuthi lelivangeli lizogxila ezindabeni ezithinta ingqondo, kanye nokujula kokuqonda kwethu. Kuyoba umzamo “wokubeka ngokulandelana” i-akhawunti yalezo zinto “okukholelwa ngempela kuzo.” Kuyoba mayelana nalelo “thempeli elingcwele”—indawo ezingqondweni zethu lapho sizindla ngokujulile ngeqiniso, sizindle ngeZwi, futhi siphendukele eNkosini ngomthandazo. Konke lokhu yikho okushiwo ukuba “sethempelini.” ⁷

Ingelosi uGabriyeli Iza kuZakariya

5. Emihleni kaHerode inkosi yaseJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile ogama lakhe linguZakariya, wesigaba sika-Abiya, enomfazi emadodakazini ka-Aroni, igama lakhe kungu-Elisabethe.

6 Babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imiyalo nezimiso zeNkosi bengasoleki.

7 Babengenamntwana, ngokuba u-Elisabethe wayeyinyumba, futhi base bekhulile bobabili.

8. Kwathi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngesigaba sesigaba sakhe.

9. Njengomkhuba wobupristi, kwaba yinkatho yakhe ukungena ethempelini leNkosi ukushisa impepho.

10 Isixuku sonke sabantu sasikhuleka ngaphandle ngehora lempepho.

11 Kwabonakala kuye ingelosi yeNkosi imi ngakwesokunene se-altare lempepho.

12. UZakariya eyibona wethuka, wehlelwa ngukwesaba.

13. Kepha ingelosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi Zakariya, ngokuba ukunxusa kwakho kuzwakele, nomkakho u-Elisabethe uyakukuzalela indodana, uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJohane.

14 Futhi uyakuba nenjabulo nentokozo; nabaningi bayakujabula ngokuzalwa kwakhe.

15. Ngokuba uyakuba mkhulu phambi kweNkosi, angaphuzi wayini naphuzo oludakayo; futhi uzagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kusukela esizalweni sikanina.

16 Abaningi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli bayakuphendukela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo.

17. Uyakuhamba phambi kobuso bakhe ngomoya namandla ka-Eliya ukuba aphendule izinhliziyo zawoyise kubantwana, nabangalaleliyo ukuba bahambe ekuhlakanipheni kwabalungileyo; ukuze alungisele iNkosi abantu abalungiselweyo.

18. UZakariya wathi engelosini: “Ngiyakwazi ngani lokhu na? ngoba mina sengimdala, lomkami usekhulile ngeminyaka

Ngemva kwesethulo esifushane, esigcwele amazwi asikisela ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda, sifunda lokhu ngoZakariya, umpristi: “Kwakukhona emihleni kaHerode inkosi yaseJudiya umpristi othile, ogama lakhe linguZakariya” ( NW )Luka 1:5). Kubalulekile ukuqaphela ukuthi isiqephu sokuqala Luka sitshela indaba yompristi oqashwe ethempelini. Umpristi osebenza ethempelini ungumfanekiso wokuqonda komuntu okwenza umsebenzi wawo ofanele. ⁸

Njengoba indaba iqhubeka, sifunda ukuthi uZakariya ukhonza “ngezinsuku zikaHerode inkosi yaseJudiya” (Luka 1:5). UHerode ufanekisela incwadi yefa elonakele. Kuyimvelo yethu ephansi, ingxenye yethu esihogweni esizimisele ngokuzenza inkosi ngokuzimemezela njengamandla onke nowazi konke. Ingxenye yengqondo yomuntu ezimisa njengomhluleli oyedwa wokulungile nokungalungile. Ngeke ibabekezelele abaqhudelana nabo—ngisho neNkosi yamaKhosi. Nguye lo Herodi owabulala umkakhe, amadodana akhe amathathu, umalume wakhe, uninazala. umlamu wakhe, wayala ukuba bonke abafana eBetlehema, abaneminyaka emibili ubudala nangaphansi, babulawe. Esola ngakho konke ukusongelwa kwamandla akhe, ngeke nje enqabe ukuvuma noma yiliphi iqiniso eliphikisana nentando yakhe eyonakele, kodwa uyozama ukulibhubhisa lapho lizalwa. KuHerode, okuwukuphela kwamandla akhona ngawakhe (bheka Mathewu 2:16).

UZakariya, nokho, omele ikhono lethu lokuqonda iqiniso eliphakeme, uyavuma ukuthi kukhona amandla amakhulu kunaye futhi uyazithoba kuwo. Ngakho-ke, sifunda ukuthi uZakariya nomkakhe u-Elisabethe “babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imiyalo nezimiso zeNkosi.”Luka 1:6). Ngokungafani noHerode, uZakariya nomkakhe, u-Elisabethe, bobabili balungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Kuleli qophelo endabeni, nokho, abanabantwana “ngoba u-Elisabethe wayeyinyumba, futhi base bekhulile bobabili” (Luka 1:7). ⁹

Lapho siqala ukuhlangana noZakariya, ushisa impepho ethempelini leNkosi. Kungumfanekiso wempilo yomthandazo. Intuthu ethambile, enephunga elimnandi yempepho ekhuphukela phezulu ethempelini, ifanekisela indlela imithandazo enyukela ngayo ezulwini ezingqondweni zethu. Kungazelelwe, lapho uZakariya ethandaza, ingelosi uGabriyeli ibonakala kuye, ithi, “Ungamesabi uZakariya, ngokuba umthandazo wakho uzwakele; nomkakho, u-Elisabethe, uzakukuzalela indodana, uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJohane.”Luka 1:13). ¹⁰

Indodana eyozalwa iyothiwa uJohane. Uyokhula abe nguJohane uMbhapathizi ozolungisa indlela yeNkosi. Kuyini ezimpilweni zethu “okulungisa indlela yeNkosi?” Kuyisifiso sethu ukuqonda iqiniso, siqale ngothando lwangempela ngohlamvu lweZwi—lezo zindaba eziyisisekelo namaqiniso angokoqobo esiqala ukuhlangana nawo. Lesi isinyathelo sokuqala ekukhuleni kwethu ngokomoya, futhi simelelwa ukuzalwa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi kithi. Njengoba ingelosi ikubeka, ukuza kukaJohane emhlabeni kuyoletha “ukuthokoza nokuthokoza, nabaningi bayakujabula ekuzalweni kwakhe.” Ingelosi iqhubeka ithembisa ukuthi “uzagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kwasesiswini sikanina” (Luka 1:15). Ngamanye amazwi, uJohane uMbhapathizi (umqondo ongokoqobo weZwi) uyoqukatha umqondo wangaphakathi—wona kanye umphefumulo weZwi. ‘Uyogcwala uMoya oNgcwele. Kancane kancane, njengoba ukuqonda kwethu kuya kujula, incazelo engokoqobo yeZwi ibonakala ishabalala kuyilapho incazelo engokomoya ikhanya. Ngisho noma umzimba uphela, umoya uyaqhubeka ukhula. ¹¹

Kodwa lokhu akwenzeki ngokushesha. Nakuba uGabriyeli ememezela ukuthi u-Elisabethe uzozala umntwana, uZakariya usalokhu engabaza. Uyazibuza ukuthi kungenzeka kanjani lokhu: "Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu?" uthena. “Ngokuba mina sengimdala, nomkami usekhulile ngeminyaka” (Luka 1:13). Umbuzo kaZakariya umele ukuqonda komuntu esimweni sokungabaza ukuthi angakwazi yini ukufunda okuthile okusha. “Sengimdala ngeminyaka,” kusho uZakariya. Umbuzo wakhe umele isimo sokungabaza. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo, kungase kuphakame imibuzo. Ingabe sekuphuzile ukufunda okuthile okusha? singase sibuze. Ingabe sekwephuze kakhulu ukushintsha umqondo wami? Ingabe sengingene shí endleleni ethile yokucabanga kangangokuthi angikwazi ukucabanga ngenye into?Impendulo, equkethwe kulesi siqephu, ithi “Cha. Akukephuzi kakhulu. Kulabo abathembela eNkosini futhi bahambe ezindleleni Zakhe, iqiniso elisha lingafundwa njalo. Kulabo abafisa ngempela ukuhlakanipha, akukephuzi kakhulu ukufunda. Imfundo yethu engokomoya nokufunda kungaqhubeka phakade. ¹²

Elizabeth Ukhulelwa

19. Ingelosi yaphendula, yathi kuye: “Mina nginguGabriyeli, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; ngithunyiwe ukuba ngikhulume kuwe, ngikubikele lezi zindaba ezinhle.

20. Bheka, uyakuba yisithulu, ungakwazi ukukhuluma, kuze kufike usuku okuyokwenzeka ngalo lokhu, ngokuba ungakholwanga ngamazwi ami ayakugcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.

21. Abantu babemlindile uZakariya, bamangala ngokulibala kwakhe ethempelini.

22. Esephumile wahluleka ukukhuluma kubo, baqonda ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini, waqhubeka ebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu.

23 Kwathi seziphelile izinsuku zokukhonza kwakhe, wamuka waya endlini yakhe.

24 Kwathi emva kwalezo zinsuku u-Elisabethe umkakhe wakhulelwa; wacasha izinyanga eziyisihlanu, ethi.

25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi emihleni eyangibheka ngayo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.

Kuyinto eyodwa ukwazi okuyiqiniso, nokuthandaza kuNkulunkulu. njengempepho ekhuphukela ezulwini. Lena ingxenye yengqondo emele uZakariya. Kodwa kungokunye ukwamukela lelo qiniso enhliziyweni, ukuthinteka ngokujulile kulo, nokulizala, njengoba owesifazane ezala umntwana—ekuphileni, ezenzweni zethu zansuku zonke. Lena ingxenye yengqondo u-Elizabeth asezoyimela. Kodwa kuze kube yilapho enza kanjalo, uyoba inyumba ngokomoya. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iyini imbangela yalokho kuba yinyumba—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kubangelwa ukuqonda okungabazekayo (uZakariya) noma intando engabazayo (u-Elizabeth) noma kokubili—ukuba inyumba okungokomoya kuvela ekuntuleni ukholo oluphelele. Ukungakwazi ukukholwa ngokuphelele iZwi leNkosi. Lapho inkolelo iqinisekile (“impela yakholwa”), awukho umehluko phakathi kokukholwa nesenzo. Umuntu ube esethela izithelo zomoya. Kodwa noma nini lapho kukhona ukungabaza, ukungaqiniseki kanye nokungabaza, kuyoba inyumba.

KuZakariya, lesi simo sokungaqiniseki simelelwa ukuba yisimungulu—ukungakwazi ukuvuma iNkosi ngenxa yokholo olungakapheleli, ukuqonda okungakavulwa ngokugcwele. Yikho uGabriyeli etshela uZakariya ukuthi uzakuba yisimungulu zize zenzeke lezizinto. Uma sibheka emuva ekupheleni kukaMarku siphawula ukuthi esinye sezimpawu ezalandela inkolelo sasiwukuthi “bayokhuluma ngezilimi ezintsha” (Marku 16:17).

Kodwa kunohlangothi oluhle ekuthuleni kukaZakariya. Njengoba ethulisa ingxoxo yangaphakathi—njengoba ngamunye wethu kufanele—imibuzo, ukungabaza kanye nokungaqiniseki kuqala ukuncipha. Ungena ezingeni elijulile lokuzindla nokuthandaza. Lona nguZakariya ethempelini, ethandaza - isithombe esihle sokuqonda esimweni sokuthobeka, ezimisele ukufunda; liyakwamukela, futhi lilangazelela ukufundiswa. Yisikhathi sokulinda ngesineke, ukuhlola imibhalo, ukuzindla ngayo, nokuzindla ngezimangaliso zeZwi leNkosi.

Kungalezi zikhathi ezithule zokuzihlola ngokukhanya kweZwi leNkosi lapho kuphakama khona umbono ongokomoya; siqala ukubona iqiniso ngathi, futhi sibuqonda kakhudlwana ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu nabanye. Yingakho ukuzindla okuthule kubaluleke kakhulu. Yisikhathi sokusondela kuNkulunkulu ukuze avule amehlo ethu omoya. Ngolimi lwemibhalo engcwele, lokhu kuqukethwe kula mazwi alandelayo: “Futhi abantu babemlindile uZakariya futhi bamangala ngokulibala kwakhe ethempelini. Kodwa lapho ephuma ... baqonda ukuthi ubone umbono.Luka 1:22)

Kufanele kuqashelwe ukuthi kwakudingekile ukuba uZakariya aphume ethempelini, kodwa kuze kube yilapho inkonzo yakhe iqedwa lapho. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho umkakhe esekwazi khona ukukhulelwa. Kuwo wonke umuntu kunoZakariya, uhlangothi okufanele lwenze imisebenzi yethempeli—ukufunda nokuzindla ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ingxenye yethu ehlala ethempelini, iphila impilo yokucabanga nokuthandaza. Nakuba lokhu kubalulekile, impilo entsha ayikwazi ukukhulelwa kulesi simo. Kufanele siphume ethempelini lokufunda nokuthandaza; kufanele siphumele ekuphileni. NjengoZakariya, kufanele siqale sithuthukise ukuqonda kwethu; kufanele sihlale ethempelini isikhathi eside ngokwanele ukuze sithole umbono. Futhi-ke kufanele sivumele umbono usiholele phambili emzamweni owusizo. Ngakho siyafunda, “Manje emva kwalezo zinsuku u-Elisabethe umkakhe wakhulelwa” (Luka 1:24).

Kufanele futhi kuqashelwe ukuthi esahlukweni sokugcina salelivangeli, uJesu utshela abafundi Bakhe ukuthi “Hlalani eJerusalema nize namukele amandla avela phezulu” (Luka 24:49). Ngakho, leli vangeli—ivangeli eligxile ekuguqulweni kokuqonda—liqala futhi liphele ethempelini.

Isimangaliso Esikhulu

26. Ngenyanga yesithupha ingelosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini waseGalile othiwa iNazaretha;

27 entombini eyayimiselwe indoda ebizo layo linguJosefa wendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi nguMariya.

28 Wangena kuye, wathi: “Sawubona, wena ophiwe umusa, uJehova unawe.

29 Kodwa yena wethuka kakhulu ngalelizwi, wacabanga ukuthi kungaba kubingelela bani lokhu.

30. Ingelosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi, Mariya, ngokuba ufumene umusa kuNkulunkulu.

31. Bheka, uyakukhulelwa, uzale indodana, uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJesu.

32. Yena uyakuba mkhulu, ibizwe ngokuthi iNdodana yoPhezukonke, iNkosi uNkulunkulu iyakumnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavide;

33 uyakubusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube phakade; nombuso wakhe awuyikuba nakuphela.

34 UMariya wathi engelosini: “Lokhu kuyakwenzeka kanjani, lokhu ngingazi ndoda na?

35. Ingelosi yaphendula, yathi kuye: “UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, namandla oPhezukonke akusibekele;

36 Bheka, u-Elisabethe isihlobo sakho, naye ukhulelwe indodana ebudaleni bakhe; futhi lena yinyanga yesithupha kuye owayethiwa inyumba.

37. Ngokuba alikho izwi elivela kuNkulunkulu elingenamandla.

38. Wayesethi uMariya: “Bheka, ngiyincekukazi yeNkosi; makube kimi njengezwi lakho. Ingelosi yamuka kuye

Ukukhulelwa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi kuyisimangaliso ngempela, ngoba uzalwa umbhangqwana osukhulile ongakaze ube nabantwana. Kodwa esiqeshini esilandelayo sifunda ngesimangaliso esikhulu nakakhulu—uJesu uzalwa yintombi nto. Siyafunda: “Ngenyanga yesithupha ingelosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini waseGalile ogama lawo liyiNazaretha, entombini eyayimiselwe indoda egama layo linguJosefa wendlu kaDavide. Igama lentombi kwakunguMariya. Yathi ingena, ingelosi yathi kuye: ‘Jabula wena ophiwe umusa, iNkosi inawe; ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazane’”Luka 1:26-28).

Nakuba ukuzalwa kukaJohane kumelela ukuqonda okuvusiwe komqondo ongokoqobo weZwi, kusengaphandle—into edinga ukubambisana kokuqonda kwethu komuntu, njengoba nje kuthatha ukubambisana kukaZakariya ukuveza inzalo. Kodwa uma kuziwa ezindabeni ezijulile zomoya, ukuqonda komuntu kunendima elinganiselwe. Umsebenzi wawo oyinhloko, omelwe uJosefa, uwukubona ngokuthobeka futhi wamukele ukuzalwa kokuqonda okusha nokuthandwa okusha, kuyilapho sivuma ukuthi asinikelanga ngalutho kithina: lokhu kuzalwa okuyisimangaliso kunobuNkulunkulu—hhayi umuntu—umsuka. Zivela kuNkulunkulu, aziveli kumuntu. ¹³

Umhlangano KaMariya no-Elizabeth (Okuhle Kuhlangana Neqiniso)

39. Ngalezo zinsuku uMariya wasuka waya ngokushesha ezintabeni, emzini wakwaJuda;

40. wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela u-Elisabethe.

41 Kwathi u-Elisabethe ezwa ukubingelela kukaMariya, umntwana waxhuma esizalweni sakhe; u-Elisabethe wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele;

42. waphakamisa izwi lakhe ngokumemeza okukhulu, wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazane, futhi sibusisiwe isithelo sesisu sakho.

43 Kuvelaphi kimi lokhu ukuba unina weNkosi yami eze kimi na?

44 Ngokuba bheka, kuthe izwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika ezindlebeni zami, umntwana waxhuma esizalweni sami ngokujabula.

45 Futhi ubusisiwe owakholwayo; ngoba kuzakuba khona ukugcwaliseka kwalokho okwakhulunywa kuye okuvela eNkosini.

46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayitusa iNkosi;

47 Nomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami.

48. Ngokuba ubhekile ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe, ngokuba bheka, kusukela manje izizukulwane zonke ziyakuthi ngibusisiwe.

49. Ngokuba uSomandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu; Futhi lingcwele igama lakhe.

50. Isihawu sakhe sikuzo izizukulwane ngezizukulwane kulabo abamesabayo.

51. Wenze amandla ngengalo yakhe; Uhlakazile abazidlayo ekucabangeni kwezinhliziyo zabo.

52. Wehlise ababusi ezihlalweni zabo zobukhosi, wabaphakamisa abaphansi.

53. Abalambileyo ubasuthisile ngokuhle; Abacebile wabamukisa bengenalutho.

54. Usize u-Israyeli inceku yakhe, ukuze akhumbule umusa

55. Njengoba asho kokhokho bethu ku-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe kuze kube phakade.

56. UMariya wahlala naye kungathi izinyanga ezintathu, wabuyela endlini yakhe.

57 Saphelela-ke isikhathi sika-Elisabethe sokuba abelethe; wazala indodana.

58. Abakhelene naye nezihlobo zakhe bezwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze umusa wayo mkhulu kuye; basebethokoza kanye laye

Kunezinga elithile lokuthokoza eliba khona lapho abantu bethola umbono omusha weqiniso, nalapho izingqondo zabo zikhushulelwa ekukhanyeni kokuqonda okuthile okucace kakhudlwana. Nokho, kunomehluko omkhulu ngezinga phakathi kwalolu hlobo lwesasasa lengqondo, kanye nenjabulo engaba khona lapho lelo zinga elisha lokuqonda lihlanganiswa nokuzalwa kwesifiso sokuphila ngokuvumelana nalo.

Lomzuzu wenjabulo enkulu, lapho ubuhle buhlangana neqiniso, uvezwa kula mazwi amahle ombhalo: “Ngalezo zinsuku uMariya wasuka waya ezweni lezintaba ngokuphangisa, emzini wakwaJuda, wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela. Elizebeth. Kwathi u-Elizabethi ezwa ukubingelela kukaMariya, umntwana waxhuma esizalweni sakhe; u-Elizabethi wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele” (Luka 1:39-41).

U-Elizabeth uyajabula futhi uyamangala ngalesi senzakalo esimangalisayo. Kodwa futhi uyazibuza ukuthi kungani enikezwe yena. Lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho kutholakalela ngamunye wethu. Kwenzeka noma nini lapho kuphakama umfutho omuhle kithi. Lokhu “kusukuma” kumelelwa uMariya ukuthatha isinyathelo kuqala nokuvakashela umzala wakhe, u-Elisabethe okhulelwe indodana ezobizwa ngokuthi “uJohane uMbhapathizi.” Ngokushesha nje lapho uMariya efika indodana ka-Elisabethe igxuma esibelethweni. Ngokomoya, lesi isithombe seqiniso elithile ezimpilweni zethu (uJohane uMbhapathizi) eliphuma ekuphileni lapho lithintwa ngobuhle.

U-Elizabethe uyazibuza ukuthi kungani enikezwe ilungelo elinjalo, uthi: “Kungani nginikwe lokhu, ukuba unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?” (Luka 1:43). Umbuzo wakhe ubalulekile. Yini enikeza ukuphila eqinisweni esilithwala esibelethweni sezingqondo zethu? Impendulo inikezwa u-Elisabethe ngokwakhe, njengoba edumisa uMariya: “Ubusisiwe owakholwayo, ngokuba kuyakuba-khona ukugcwaliseka kwalokho akutshelwa yiNkosi” (Luka 1:45).

“Ubusisiwe owakholwayo.” Lesi isitatimende esiyisihluthulelo, futhi sibalulekile ekuqondeni umlayezo oyingqikithi walelivangeli. Njengoba sizobona, isiqephu ngesiqephu, labo abakholwayo bayobusiswa. Labo abanokholo bayosindiswa. Ngokuphindaphindiwe, abantu bayomuzwa uJesu ethi kubo, “Ukukholwa kwakho kukusindisile.” Ubuhle buyofika kulabo ababambe iqiniso ezingqondweni zabo futhi balangazelele ukulifaka ezimpilweni zabo.

Ukholo lweqiniso - uhlobo olunga "kusiphilisa" - kufanele luhlukaniswe nokholo oluyimpumputhe. Inkolelo yangempela, akuyona indaba yokukholelwa okuthile ngoba abanye basitshela ukuthi kuyiqiniso. Futhi akuyona indaba yokukholelwa ezintweni ezingenangqondo kithi, ngisho noma izikhulu ezifundile zisitshela ukuthi ‘lezizinto kumelwe zithathwe ngokholo. Ukholo lweqiniso lujule kakhulu futhi lungumuntu siqu. Kuwukuvuma okubusisiwe ukuthi into injalo ngempela ngoba iyiqiniso ngempela. Ngokwesibonelo, uNkulunkulu muhle—ngaso sonke isikhathi. UNkulunkulu uthanda wonke umuntu - ngaso sonke isikhathi. Akukho okuhlukile. Kunjalo ngempela. Naphezu kwanoma yikuphi ukubonakala okuphambene nalokho, simane sazi ukuthi lokhu kuyiqiniso, Lesi isipho sokuqonda, ikhono elibusisekile lokukholelwa iqiniso ngoba sibona ukuthi liyiqiniso. Lesi siqinisekiso esibusisiwe sinikezwa bonke abathembela kuNkulunkulu futhi abakholelwa ebuhleni bukaNkulunkulu: “Ubusisiwe owakholwayo.” ¹⁴

Noma nini lapho sifika esimweni sokukholelwa, kufika nawo umuzwa wokuthile okugeleza kithi kusuka ngaphakathi; kunjengokungathi uNkulunkulu unathi, esiqinisekisa ngokuthi “lokhu kuyiqiniso.” Kungumbono wangaphakathi wokuthi okuthile kuyiqiniso noma cha. Futhi iqiniso elibalulekile emhlabeni wonke lenkolo yobuKristu ukukholelwa eNkosini uJesu Kristu. Kuwukuzethemba ukuthi uyasindisa. Lapho silwela ngokwengeziwe ukwenza intando yaKhe, siba nokuqiniseka ngokwengeziwe ukuthi uzosisindisa. Lokhu ukukholwa kweqiniso. Yilokhu okushiwo, ngokujule kakhulu, ukukholwa. ¹⁵

Ukuqanjwa Kwegama likaJohane

59. Kwathi ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili beza ukuzosoka umntwana; futhi babefuna ukuyiqamba ngegama likayise uZakariya.

60 Unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi; kodwa uzakuthiwa uJohane.

61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.

62. Basebeqhweba uyise ukuthi ufuna iqanjwe ngokuthini.

63 Wacela isibhebhe, waloba ukuthi: NguJohane igama lakhe. Bamangala bonke.

64. Kwase kuvuleka umlomo wakhe khona lapho nolimi lwakhe, wakhuluma ebonga uNkulunkulu.

65. Ukwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene nabo, futhi zonke lezi zindaba zezwakala ezweni lonke lezintaba laseJudiya.

66 Bonke abakuzwayo bakubeka enhliziyweni yabo, bethi: “Pho, lo mntwana uyakuba yini na? Ngokuba isandla sikaJehova sasinaye.

67 Uyise uZakariya wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha wathi.

68 Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; Ngokuba ubahambele, wenzela abantu bakhe ukukhululwa;

69. Usivusele uphondo lwensindiso endlini kaDavide inceku yakhe

70. Njengalokho akhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bakhe abangcwele, kusukela endulo;

71. Insindiso ezitheni zethu nasesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;

72. Ukuhawukela obaba, Nokukhumbula isivumelwano sakhe esingcwele;

73. Isifungo asisho kuAbrahama ubaba wethu.

74. Ukusinika ukuthi sikhululwe esandleni sezitha zethu Simkhonze singesabi;

75. Ngobungcwele nokulunga phambi kwakhe zonke izinsuku zethu.

76. Yebo, nawe, mntwana, uyakubizwa ngokuthi umprofethi woPhezukonke, ngokuba uyakuhamba phambi kobuso bukaJehova ukulungisa izindlela zakhe;

77. Ukuze anike abantu bakhe ulwazi lwensindiso Ekuthethelelweni kwezono zabo.

78. Ngenxa yobubele bukaNkulunkulu wethu, lapho ukuntwela kokusa okuvela phezulu kuyakusihambela;

79. Ukubakhanyisela abahlezi ebumnyameni nasethunzini lokufa; Ukuqondisa izinyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.

80 Wakhula umntwana, waba namandla emoyeni;

Ngemva kokuba u-Elisabethe esebelethile indodana yakhe, safika isikhathi sokuba umntwana ayethiwe. Wonke umuntu wayecabanga ukuthi umntwana wayezoqanjwa ngokuthi “Zakariya” uyise. Kodwa u-Elizabethi wathi: “Qha, igama lakhe kuyakuba nguJohane.”Luka 1:60). Kwamangaza wonke umuntu lokhu ngoba asikho isihlobo esake saba nalelo gama. Sesifikile isikhathi sikaZakariya sokukhuluma, wacela isibhebhe, wabhala amazwi alula, wathi: “Igama lakhe nguJohane;Luka 1:63). Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho isimungulu esehlele uZakariya samuka, futhi uqala ukukhuluma amazwi okudumisa iNkosi. Wathi: “Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngokuba ubahambele, wabakhulula abantu bakhe, wasivusela uphondo lwensindiso endlini kaDavide inceku yakhe, ukuze sisindiswe ezitheni zethu. (Luka 1:68-71).

Kwenzeke into emangalisayo kuZakariya. Amazwi akhe agcwele umoya agcwele ukuqiniseka emandleni kaNkulunkulu okusindisa. Njengoba isiprofetho sakhe siqhubeka, ukhuluma ngokuqondile ngomsebenzi indodana yakhe esanda kuzalwa ezowufeza: “Nawe, umntwana uyakubizwa ngokuthi umprofethi woPhezukonke; Ngokuba uyakuhamba phambi kobuso bukaJehova ukulungisa indlela yakhe, unike abantu bakhe ulwazi lwensindiso … ukubakhanyisela abahlezi ebumnyameni nasethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa izinyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.”Luka 1:76, 77, 79).

Ekuqaleni, sabona uZakariya engumpristi omdala enza imicikilisho ethempelini. Kodwa manje sibona uZakariya njengomuntu oguquliwe, ogcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele. Akaseyena umpristi omdala owayemelela ukholo lwebandla lokuqala—ukholo olwalusekelwe ekuthobeleni amasiko namasiko, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwakunezisusa ezinhle noma ezilungile kangakanani. Leso “kwakuyisonto langaphambili” kithi—isimo sengqondo lapho kungenzeka ngempela ukuthi siye sathandaza, kodwa singenalo ukholo oluqinile. Okholweni lwethu lwangaphambili kungase kube nokungabaza ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wayizwa ngisho nemithandazo yethu. Kungakho ingelosi yakhuluma noZakariya, isusa ukungabaza kwakhe ngokuthi, “Umthandazo wakho uzwakele.” Ingelosi yabe senezela lesi sithembiso: “Umkakho u-Elisabethe uyakukuzalela indodana, uyibize. igama lakhe uJohane” (Luka 1:13).

Yilokhu-ke okwenzeka. Amazwi engelosi ayeyiqiniso, kwazalwa indodana. Manje uZakariya uyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyayiphendula ngempela imithandazo. Esigabeni sikamoya sezimpilo zethu, lesi yisifundo esibalulekile ngamandla okholo. Konke ukukhathazeka, konke ukukhathazeka, nakho konke ukukhathazeka kungasuswa uma sinokholo kuNkulunkulu. Nakuba ukunxusa kwethu ingcebo nodumo kungase kunganeliseki, imithandazo yethu yokubekezela, isibindi, uthando, nokuqonda iyohlale igcwaliseka. UNkulunkulu uyayiphendula imithandazo yethu, futhi uyayiphendula izidingo zethu, kodwa kufanele kuqala sibe nokholo lokuthi imithandazo yethu iyazwakala, nokuthi izidingo zethu ziyaqondakala. Lokhu kunguku “kholwa Kuye.” Kuwukuba nokuqiniseka ukuthi usinika ukukhanya “ukuze kuqondise izinyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula” (Luka 1:79).

Njengoba lesi siqephu sifinyelela esiphethweni, sifunda ukuthi uJohane “wakhula, waba namandla emoyeni, wayesehlane kwaze kwaba usuku lokubonakaliswa kwakhe kuIsrayeli” (Luka 1:80). Lokhu kufanekisa indlela ukuqonda kwethu umqondo ongokoqobo weZwi okuqhubeka kukhula futhi kuthuthuke ngayo njengoba siqhubeka nokuzindla ngalo futhi sigxila ekubalulekeni kwalo ezimpilweni zethu. Nakuba singeke sibone imiphumela esheshayo, noma ukuhlobana okuqondile phakathi kwezindaba eziseZwini kanye nemisebenzi yethu yansuku zonke, kodwa kukhona okwenzekayo ekujuleni emoyeni wethu. Kuzofika isikhathi lapho lawo mazwi angokoqobo ombhalo ezoba nencazelo entsha kithi. Njengoba nje uMariya, unina uJesu eza ku-Elizabethi, unina kaJohane, sizoqala ukuzwa ubuhle beNkosi buthinta iqiniso langempela leZwi esiligcina ezingqondweni zethu, futhi kuzovela izinto ezintsha ezingqondweni zethu.

Umlayezo ke kufanele uhlale ugxile emibhalweni engcwele. Uma sibamba iZwi likaNkulunkulu engqondweni, ngisho nezindaba ezingokoqobo, uNkulunkulu angenza izimangaliso ngaphakathi kwethu ezingeni elijulile. Nakuba uJohane uMbhapathizi kithi eyohlala “ehlane” isikhashana, inqobo nje uma sihlala sithembekile eZwini, nakuLowo owasinika lona, lawo maqiniso angokoqobo ayothatha amandla engeziwe. Bayokhula “baqine emoyeni” baze bavele njengezenzo zothando ekuphileni kwethu. Emazwini ombhalo ongcwele, uJohane uMbhapathizi “wakhula, waba namandla emoyeni, wayesehlane kwaze kwaba usuku lokubonakaliswa kwakhe kuIsrayeli” (Luka 1:80)

Imibhalo yaphansi:

1100. And a hold of every unclean and hateful bird, signifies where there are nothing but falsities from the falsified truths of the Word. This is evident from the signification of a "hold," as being where the falsifiers are, thus hell (as above); also from the signification of "every unclean and hateful bird," as being falsities from the falsified truths of the Word; for "birds" signify things rational and intellectual, thoughts, ideas, and reasonings, thus truths or falsities, and "unclean" means what flows forth from a filthy love, and especially from the love of having dominion, for this constitutes uncleanness in hell; and "hateful" signifies what flows forth from a false principle, thus from a religious principle confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word falsified. It is from correspondence that "birds" signify such things as pertain to man's thought, both spiritual and infernal, thus both truths and falsities, for these pertain to thought. That this is from correspondence is evident from the birds seen in the spiritual world, where all things that appear before the eyes and the other senses are correspondences. All sorts of animals of the earth, also flying things of heaven, both beautiful and unbeautiful, are seen there, and they appear from the affections and thoughts of angels or of spirits, the animals from affections, and the flying things from thoughts. It is known to everyone there that these are correspondences; and they know also to what affections and thoughts they correspond. That they are correspondences of affections and thoughts is made to appear most clearly; since they are instantly dissipated when the spirit or the angel goes away or stops thinking about the matter. As birds are correspondences of thoughts both rational and not rational, thus of both verities and falsities, therefore they have this signification in the Word, for all things of the Word are correspondences.

[2] That "birds" signify thoughts that are from truths, both rational and spiritual, can be seen from the following passages. In David:

Let them praise the name of Jehovah, the wild beast and every beast, creeping thing and winged bird (Psalms 148:5, 10).

That "the wild beast and beast" signify the affections of the natural man, both of truth and of good, and in the contrary sense the cupidities of falsity and evil, may be seen above (n. 522, 650, 781); therefore "winged bird" signifies thoughts. This is why it is said that they should praise Jehovah, for it is man who must praise from affections and thoughts, thus from goods and truths.

[3] In Hosea:

In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth; and I will break the bow and the sword and the war from the earth (Hosea 2:18).

This is said of the Lord's coming and of the state of heaven and the church from Him. "In that day" means the Lord's coming; "the covenant" that He will then make signifies conjunction with those who believe in Him; therefore, "the wild beast of the field and the bird of heaven" cannot mean wild beasts and birds, but must mean the things to which they correspond, which are the affections of good and truth and consequent thoughts. That there will then be no infestation from falsities and evils from hell is signified by "the bow, the sword, and the war, shall be broken in the earth."

[4] In David:

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands, Thou hast put all things under his feet, flocks and herds, yea, the beasts of the fields, the birds of heaven, and the fish of the sea (Psalms 8:6-8).

This treats of the Lord, of whom it is here said that "He shall have dominion over all the works of Jehovah's hands," which does not mean terrestrial things, such as flocks, herds, beasts, birds, and fishes. For what have these things to do with His dominion, which is in the heavens, and from the heavens over men on the earth, whom He will lead to life eternal? Therefore the spiritual things of the church are what are meant, "flock" signifying in general all things spiritual with man, "herd" all things natural with him that correspond to things spiritual, "beasts of the fields" affections of good in the natural man that pertain to the church (for "field" signifies the church), "birds of heaven" signify the thoughts of the rational man, and "fishes of the sea" knowledges.

[5] In Ezekiel:

I will take of the shoot of a high cedar, in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it, that it may lift up the bough and bear fruit and become a magnificent cedar; that under it may dwell every bird of every wing, in the shades of its branches shall they dwell (Ezekiel 17:22-23).

This means the establishment of a new church by the Lord; its establishment anew or from its first rise is meant by "the shoot of a high cedar," "cedar" here as elsewhere in the Word signifies the spiritual rational church, such as was the church with the ancients after the flood. "To plant a shoot in the mountain of the height of Israel" signifies in spiritual good, which is the good of charity, "the mountain of the height of Israel" signifying that good; "to become a magnificent cedar" signifies the full establishment of that church; "that under it may dwell every bird of every wing" signifies that there will be rational truths of every kind in that church; "to dwell in the shade of its branches" signifies these terminated in natural truths, since these cover and guard rational truths that are from a spiritual origin.

[6] In the same:

Ashur a cedar in Lebanon, which has become high. In his branches have all the birds of the heavens built their nests, and under his branches all the beasts of the field have brought forth, and in his shade have dwelt all great nations (Ezekiel 31:3, 5-6).

Here, too, "cedar" signifies the spiritual rational church, since "Assyria" signifies the rational; and as "cedar" signifies the church, it follows that "the birds of the heavens that have built their nests in its branches," and "the beasts of the field that have brought forth under them," mean rational thoughts respecting the truths of the church, and the affections of them; and this being the meaning it is added, "In his shade have dwelt all great nations."

[7] In Daniel:

Nebuchadnezzar in a dream saw a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great; and it grew and became strong, and the height thereof reached even unto heaven, and the sight thereof unto the end of the earth; the leaf thereof was beautiful, and the flower thereof much; and in it was food for all. The beast of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches of it, and all flesh was nourished by it. But a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven, crying out, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaf, and scatter his flower; let the beast flee away from under it, and the birds from his branches (Daniel 4:10-14, 20-21).

Here, too, "tree" signifies the church called Babylon in its beginning and progress, and here that church in the knowledges of truth and good. Its beginning and progress is described in the words, "it became great and strong, the leaf thereof was beautiful, and the flower thereof much, and in it was food for all;" its affections of good and thoughts of truth are signified by "the beast of the field that had shade under it, and the birds that dwelt in its branches." That it lifted up its dominion over the holy things of the church and of heaven, is meant by "a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven, and cried out, Hew down the tree and cut off his branches." That "beast and bird" here signify affections and thoughts is evident from its being said, when the tree was cut down, "let the beast flee away from under it, and the birds from his branches."

[8] "The birds of heaven" have a similar signification in the Gospels:

Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, and it becometh a tree, so that the winged things of heaven come and build nests in the branches thereof (Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:31-32; Luke 13:19).

"A tree from a grain of mustard seed" signifies a man of the church, and also a church beginning from a very little spiritual good by means of truth; for if only a very little spiritual good takes root with a man it grows like a seed in good ground. And as a "tree" thus signifies a man of the church, it follows that "the winged things of heaven" that made nests in its branches signify the knowledges of truth and thoughts therefrom. Anyone can see this is not a mere comparison, for if it were, what would be the need of such things in the Word and of like things in the Prophets?

[9] So again in David:

Jehovah sendeth forth fountains into the streams, they go between the mountains. They give drink to every wild beast of the fields; the wild asses quench their thirst; by them the bird of the heavens dwells, from among the boughs they utter their voices. The trees of Jehovah are satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon which He hath planted, where the birds make their nests; as to the stork her house is in the fir trees (Psalms 104:10-12, 16-17).

Such things as these also would not have been said in the Divine Word unless each particular of them had been a correspondence of things spiritual and celestial, and consequently holy. For otherwise why should it be said that "streams from fountains go between the mountains, and give drink to every wild beast of the field; that the wild asses quench their thirst, and by them the bird of the heavens dwells, and utters its voice among the boughs, and the stork in the fir trees"? But when by "fountains" truths of the Word are understood, by "rivers" intelligence therefrom, by "mountains" goods of love, by "wild beast of the fields" affections of truth, by "wild asses" the rational, and by "birds of the heavens" thoughts from Divine truths, then the Word is the holy Divine; otherwise it would be merely human.

[10] In Job:

Ask, I pray, the beasts, and they shall teach thee, or the birds of heaven, and they shall tell thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who doth not know from all these that the hand of Jehovah doeth this? (Job 12:7-9).

Evidently "beasts, birds of heaven, and fishes of the sea," do not mean here beasts, birds, and fishes, for these cannot be asked, or teach, or tell, or declare "that the hand of Jehovah doeth this;" but these signify the things that pertain to man's intelligence, "beasts" meaning his affections, "birds of heaven" his thoughts, and "fishes of the sea" cognitions and knowledges [cognitiones et scientifica]. From these man can teach that the hand of Jehovah doeth it. Unless the things of man's intelligence were signified by "beasts, birds, and fishes," it could not be asked, "Who doth not know from all these?"

[11] In Ezekiel:

Son of man, Say to the bird of every wing, and to every wild beast of the field, Gather yourselves and come, gather yourselves from every side to a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel. And I will give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17, 21).

This describes the establishment of the church among the nations, and the invitation and calling to it, for it is said, "So will I give my glory among the nations;" therefore "the bird of every wing," and "every wild beast of the field," signify all who are in the affection of good and the understanding of truth.

[12] So in Revelation:

An angel standing in the sun cried out with a great voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and be gathered together to the supper of the great God (Revelation 19:17).

Here "birds flying in the midst of heaven" cannot mean birds, but men who are rational and spiritual; for they are invited to the supper of the great God.

[13] In Jeremiah:

I beheld the mountains, and lo they were moved, and all the hills were overturned; I beheld, when lo there was no man, and all the birds of heaven were flown away. I beheld when Carmel was a wilderness, and all its cities were desolated (Jeremiah 4:24-26).

This was said of the devastation of the church as to all its good and truth. "Mountains and valleys" signify celestial and spiritual loves; and "to be moved and overturned" signifies to perish. For in the spiritual world, when there no longer exists in spirits any celestial or spiritual love, the mountains are actually moved and the hills overthrown upon which they dwelt. "All the birds were flown away" signifies that there was no longer any knowledge and consequent thought of truth; "there was no man" signifies no understanding of truth; "Carmel was a wilderness" signifies a church destitute of good and truth; and "its cities desolated" signifies that there were no longer any doctrinals of truth.

[14] In the same:

The habitations are laid waste, so that no man passeth through, neither do they hear the voice of cattle; from the bird of the heavens even to the beast they have flown away, they have gone; for I will make Jerusalem heaps, a habitation of dragons (Jeremiah 9:10-11; 12:9).

Here, too, the devastation of the church is described. "The habitations that are laid waste, so that no man passeth through," signify the doctrinals of the church which were from the Word, in which now there is no good or truth; "the voice of cattle which they do not hear," signifies good of charity and truth of faith, of which there is none; "the birds of the heavens and even the beasts are flown away, they have gone" signifies that there is no longer any thought of truth from the knowledge of it, nor any affection of good. This evidently does not mean the flying away of the birds of heaven and the going away of the beasts of the earth, but the vastation of the church as to doctrine, for it is added, "I will make Jerusalem into heaps, a habitation of dragons," "Jerusalem" signifying the church as to doctrine, and "making it into heaps, and into a habitation of dragons," its devastation.

[15] In Hosea:

There is no truth and no mercy, and no knowledge of God in the land. Therefore the land shall mourn for the wild beast of the field, and for the bird of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea shall be gathered together (Hosea 4:1, 3).

Evidently "the wild beast of the field, the bird of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea," have the same signification here as above, for here, too, the devastation of the church is treated of, for it is said, "there is no truth, no mercy, and no knowledge of God in the land," and "the land" signifies the church.

[16] In Zephaniah:

I will consume man and beast, I will consume the bird of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, I will cut off man from the faces of the land (Zephaniah 1:3).

"To consume man and beast" signifies to destroy spiritual and natural affection; "to consume the birds of the heavens and the fishes of the sea" signifies to destroy the perceptions and knowledges of truth; and as these signify things pertaining to the church it is said, "I will cut off man from the faces of the land," "man" signifying everything of the church.

[17] In David:

God said, I know every bird of the mountains, and the wild beast of My fields is with Me (Psalms 50:11).

In Ezekiel:

There shall be a great earthquake upon the land of Israel, and the fishes of the sea, and the bird of the heavens, and the wild beast of the field, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man who is upon the faces of the earth shall tremble before Me (Ezekiel 38:19-20).

Here "the bird of the heavens and the wild beast of the field" have the same signification as above. "Earthquake" signifies a change of state of the church.

[18] In Isaiah:

Woe to the land shadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush. The bird of the mountains and the beasts of the earth shall be left, but the bird shall loathe it, and every beast of the earth shall despise it (Isaiah 18:1, 6).

This treats of the establishment of the church with the nations and the devastation of the Jewish church; therefore "the bird and beast of the earth" signify the knowledges of truth and the affections of good.

[19] In the same:

I am God, and there is no God besides, and there is none like Me, calling a bird from the east, a man of counsel from a land far off (Isaiah 46:9, 11).

The "bird" called from the east signifies the truth of the Word, which is said to be "from the east" because it is from the good of love, "the east" being the good of love. Otherwise, what could be meant by "God shall call a bird from the east, and a man of counsel from a land far off"? "A man of counsel" means a man who is intelligent from truths that are from the good of love.

[20] In Hosea:

Ephraim, as a bird shall his glory fly away, from the birth and from the belly and from conception (Hosea 9:11).

In the same:

I will not return to destroy Ephraim. They shall go after Jehovah. With honor shall they come as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove from the land of Assyria (Hosea 11:9-11).

"Ephraim" signifies the understanding of the truths of the church; and this is why he is compared to a bird, and it is said, "as a bird shall his glory fly away." Also in Hosea (Hosea 7:12) he is compared to a bird, for a "bird" signifies everything pertaining to the understanding, including the knowing, the thinking, and the reasoning faculties; while everything that is delightful and pleasurable, thus that pertains to the will and affection, is signified by "beast and wild beast." "The bird from Egypt" signifies the knowing faculty, which pertains to the natural man; and "the dove from Assyria" the rational faculty, since "Egypt" signifies the knowing faculty, and "Assyria" the rational faculty. Here a church to be established by the Lord is treated of.

[21] As most things of the Word have also a contrary sense, so have birds, and in that sense they signify fallacies from the sensual man, also reasonings from falsities against truths, and also falsities themselves, worse and more noxious according to the genera and the species of unclean birds; rapacious birds signifying especially the falsities that destroy truths. In many passages of the Word it is said that men "should be given for food to birds and wild beasts," which signifies that they would altogether perish by fallacies, falsities, consequent reasonings, cupidities of evil, and in general by evils and falsities from hell. This is signified by "being given for food to the birds of heaven and the beasts of the earth" in the following passages. In Jeremiah:

The carcass of this people shall be for food to the bird of the heavens, none shall frighten them away (Jeremiah 7:33).

In the same:

I will visit upon you in four kinds, with the sword to kill, and with dogs to drag about, and with the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and to destroy (Jeremiah 15:3).

In the same:

They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, that their carcass may become food for the birds of the heavens and the beast of the earth (Jeremiah 16:4; 19:7; 34:20).

In Ezekiel:

Upon the faces of the field thou shalt fall, thou shalt not be brought together nor gathered; I have given thee for food to the wild beast of the earth and the bird of heaven (Jeremiah 29:5).

Upon the mountains of Israel thou shalt fall; I have given thee for food to the bird of the heavens of every wing and to the wild beast of the field (Jeremiah 39:4).

This is said of Gog. In David:

The nations have come into Thine inheritance, they have defiled the temple of Thy holiness; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps, the carcass of Thy servants have they given for food to the bird of the heavens, the flesh of Thy saints to the wild beast of the earth (Psalms 79:1-2).

[22] Because of this signification of "the birds of the heavens and the wild beasts of the earth," and because the nations of the land of Canaan signified the evils and the falsities of the church, it was customary for the Jewish nation to expose the carcasses of their enemies after their slaughter to the wild beasts and birds, by which they were devoured. This is why it was formerly regarded as horrible and profane, and is still so regarded, to leave dead men upon the face of the earth unburied, even after a battle. Also this is the signification in the Word of "not being buried," and of "bones drawn out of the graves and cast forth." Infernal falsities are signified also by:

The birds that came down upon the carcasses, that Abram drove away (Genesis 15:11).

Also by the birds in Revelation (Revelation 19:21);

Also by the birds that devoured that which was sown on the hard way (Matthew 13:3, 4; Mark 4:4; Luke 8:5).

In Daniel:

In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the meal offering to cease. At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation, and even to the consummation and decision it shall drop upon the devastation (Daniel 9:27).

This is said of the total devastation of the Jewish church which was when the Lord was born. Its devastation by horrible falsities is signified by "the bird of abominations"; that falsity is here meant by "bird" is clearly evident. It is to be known that there are many kinds of falsities, and that each of them is signified by its own kind of bird; and these are enumerated in Moses (Leviticus 11:13; and Deuteronomy 14:11-20), and are mentioned in various parts of the Word, as the eagle, the kite, the woodpecker, the raven, the screech owl, the spoonbill, the heron, the owl, the horned owl, the dragon, and others.

(Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith)

[23] About God and about Divine things, which are called in heaven celestial and spiritual, and in the world ecclesiastical and theological, there is thought from light; there is also thought not from light about them. Those have thought not from light who know about these things but do not understand them. Such are all those at the present day who wish the understanding to be kept under obedience to faith, holding even that a thing must be believed and not understood, and claiming that intellectual faith is not true faith. But these are such as are not interiorly in the genuine affection of truth, and consequently are in no enlightenment; and many of them are in the pride of self-intelligence, and in the love of ruling over the souls of men by means of the holy things of the church, not knowing that truth wishes to be in the light, since the light of heaven is the Divine truth, and that a truly human understanding is moved by that light and sees from it, and that when the understanding does not see from that light it is the memory that has faith and not the man; and such faith is blind, because without an idea from the light of truth; for the understanding is the man, and the memory introduces. If what is not understood must be believed a man might be taught like a parrot to speak and to remember, even that there is holiness in the bones of the dead and in sepulchers, that carcasses perform miracles, that man will be tormented in purgatory if he does not consecrate his wealth to idols or to monasteries, that men are gods because heaven and hell are in their power, with other like things which man must believe from a blind faith and from a closed understanding, and thus from the light of both extinguished. But be it known that all the truths of the Word, which are the truths of heaven and of the church, can be seen by the understanding, in heaven spiritually, in the world rationally; for a truly human understanding is the sight itself of these truths, for it is separated from what is material, and when separated it sees truths as clearly as the eye sees objects; it sees truths as it loves them, for as it loves them it is enlightened. The angels have wisdom in consequence of seeing truths; when, therefore, it is said to any angel that this or that must be believed although it is not understood, the angel answers, Do you think that I am insane, or that you are God whom I am to believe if I do not see? It may be falsity from hell.