“Sitefano Anali ndi Mphamvu Ndipo Ankachita Kuonekeratu Kuti Mulungu Ali Naye”

1-3. (a) Kodi n’chiyani chochititsa mantha chimene chinachitikira Sitefano, koma iye anachita chiyani? (b) Kodi tikambirana mafunso ati?

SITEFANO anaima pamaso pa oweruza 71 a Khoti Lalikulu la Ayuda, amene pa tsikuli anasonkhana kuti amuweruze. Oweruzawo anakhala m’mipando imene anaisanja mozungulira ngati uta muholo yaikulu yokongola kwambiri imene mwina inali pafupi ndi kachisi ku Yerusalemu. Oweruza amenewa anali anthu amphamvu komanso otchuka ndipo ambiri mwa iwo sankalemekeza wophunzira wa Yesuyu. Pa nthawiyi, amene anasonkhanitsa oweruzawo anali Mkulu wa Ansembe Kayafa, amene anatsogoleranso khotili poweruza kuti Yesu aphedwe miyezi ingapo m’mbuyomo. Kodi Sitefano anachita mantha?

² Pa nthawiyi, nkhope ya Sitefano inkaoneka modabwitsa kwambiri. Oweruzawo atamuyang’ana, anaona kuti nkhope yake inkaoneka “ngati ya mngelo.” (Mac. 6:15) Angelo amapereka uthenga wochokera kwa Yehova Mulungu, n’chifukwa chake sachita mantha, satekeseka komanso amakhala amtendere. Umu ndi mmenenso Sitefano analili ndipo ngakhalenso oweruza amene ankadana naye kwambiriwo anaona zimenezo. N’chifukwa chiyani iye sanatekeseke?

³ Akhristufe masiku ano tingaphunzire zambiri pa yankho la funso limeneli. Komanso tikufunika kudziwa chifukwa chake oweruzawo anamugwira n’kupita naye kukhoti. Kodi iye anachita zinthu zotani m’mbuyomu posonyeza chikhulupiriro chake? Nanga ifeyo tingamutsanzire bwanji?

4, 5. (a) N’chifukwa chiyani Sitefano anali wodalirika kwambiri mumpingo? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti Sitefano “anali ndi mphamvu ndipo ankachita kuonekeratu kuti Mulungu ali naye”?

⁴ Takambirana kale kuti Sitefano anali wophunzira wodalirika kwambiri mumpingo wa Chikhristu umene unali utangoyamba kumene. M’mutu wapitawu, taona kuti Sitefano anali m’gulu la amuna 7 odzichepetsa aja amene anavomera mofunitsitsa atumwi atawapempha kuti athandize Akhristu anzawo. Tingaone kuti iye anali wodzichepetsa kwambiri makamaka tikaganizira mphatso zambiri zimene Mulungu anam’patsa. Pa Machitidwe 6:8, timawerenga kuti iye ankatha kuchita “zodabwitsa ndi zizindikiro zazikulu,” zomwenso atumwi ena ankachita. Timawerenganso kuti iye “anali ndi mphamvu ndipo ankachita kuonekeratu kuti Mulungu ali naye.” Kodi zimenezi zikutanthauza chiyani?

⁵ Mawu a Chigiriki amene anawamasulira kuti “Mulungu ali naye,” angamasuliridwenso kuti “wodzazidwa ndi chisomo.” Zikuoneka kuti Sitefano anali wachifundo ndiponso wofatsa moti anthu ankamukonda chifukwa cha zimenezi. Iye ankalankhula m’njira yoti akope anthu ambiri amene ankamumvetsera n’cholinga choti awathandize kudziwa kuti zimene iye akuphunzitsazo n’zoona ndiponso kuti zingawathandize. Popeza kuti iye modzichepetsa analola kuti mzimu wa Yehova uzimutsogolera, mzimuwo unkagwira ntchito mwa iye ndipo anadzazidwa ndi mphamvu. M’malo modzitukumula chifukwa cha mphatso komanso luso limene anali nalo, iye ankapereka ulemerero kwa Yehova komanso anasonyeza kuti ankadera nkhawa anthu amene ankawalalikira. N’chifukwa chake anthu otsutsawo ankamuopa kwambiri.

6-8. (a) Kodi anthu amene ankatsutsa Sitefano anamuimba mlandu wochita zinthu ziwiri ziti, nanga n’chifukwa chiyani? (b) Kodi chitsanzo cha Sitefano n’chothandiza bwanji kwa Akhristu masiku ano?

⁶ Anthu ambiri anapereka umboni wotsutsana ndi Sitefano koma “sanathe kulimbana ndi nzeru zake komanso mzimu woyera umene unkamutsogolera akamalankhula.”a Koma atathedwa nzeru, “ananyengerera amuna ena mwamseri” kuti apereke umboni wabodza wonena za wotsatira Khristu wosalakwayu. Komanso iwo ‘anakwiyitsa kwambiri akulu, alembi komanso anthu ena,’ moti anagwira Sitefano n’kupita naye ku Khoti Lalikulu la Ayuda. (Mac. 6:9-12) Otsutsawa anamuimba mlandu wochita zinthu ziwiri. Iwo anati Sitefano ankanyoza Mulungu komanso Mose. Kodi iwo ankaganiza kuti iye anachita bwanji zimenezi?

⁷ Mboni zonamazo zinati Sitefano ananyoza Mulungu chifukwa ankalankhula zinthu zonyoza ‘malo oyera,’ omwe ndi kachisi wa ku Yerusalemu. (Mac. 6:13) Iwo ananenanso kuti iye ananyoza Mose chifukwa ankanena zinthu zonyoza Chilamulo cha Mose n’kusintha miyambo imene Mose anawapatsa. Umenewu unali mlandu woopsa kwambiri chifukwa pa nthawiyi Ayuda ankalemekeza kwambiri kachisi, mfundo za m’Chilamulo cha Mose ndiponso malamulo ena ambiri amene iwo anawonjezera okha m’Chilamulocho. Choncho mlandu umenewo unasonyeza kuti Sitefano ndi munthu woopsa woyenera kuphedwa.

⁸ N’zomvetsa chisoni kuti masiku anonso anthu achipembedzo amagwiritsa ntchito mabodza ngati amenewa kuti aike atumiki a Mulungu m’mavuto. Mpaka pano, anthu achipembedzo amene amatsutsa a Mboni za Yehova, nthawi zina amalimbikitsa atsogoleri andale kuti azizunza a Mboniwo. Kodi tizitani anthu akamatinenera zinthu zoipa kapena kutiimba milandu yotinamizira? Tingaphunzire zambiri kuchokera pa zimene zinachitikira Sitefano.

9, 10. Kodi anthu otsutsa amanena chiyani pa zimene Sitefano analankhula mu Khoti Lalikulu la Ayuda, nanga ifeyo tiyenera kukumbukira chiyani?

⁹ Monga momwe taonera kumayambiriro kwa nkhani ino, pamene Sitefano ankamvetsera mlandu wake womunamizirawo, sankatekeseka ndipo nkhope yake inkaoneka ngati ya mngelo. Ndiyeno Kayafa anamuyang’ana n’kunena kuti: “Kodi zimenezi n’zoona?” (Mac. 7:1) Imeneyi inali nthawi yoti Sitefano alankhule ndipo analankhuladi.

¹⁰ Anthu ena otsutsa amanena kuti ngakhale kuti Sitefano analankhula kwa nthawi yaitali, sanayankhe mlandu umene ankamuimbawo. Koma zoona zake n’zakuti Sitefano anatipatsa chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri cha mmene ‘tingayankhire’ anthu akamatsutsa uthenga wabwino. (1 Pet. 3:15) Kumbukirani kuti anthu ankaimba Sitefano mlandu woti wanyoza Mulungu, ponena zinthu zonyoza kachisi ndiponso ankamuimba mlandu woti wanyoza Mose polankhula zinthu zonyoza Chilamulo. Poyankha, Sitefano anafotokoza mwachidule mbali zitatu za mbiri yonse ya Aisiraeli, ndipo anatsindika mfundo zina momveka bwino. Tiyeni tione mbali zitatu zimenezi iliyonse payokha.

11, 12. (a) Kodi Sitefano anagwiritsa ntchito bwanji chitsanzo cha Abulahamu? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani Sitefano anatchula Yosefe polankhula ndi anthuwo?

¹¹ Nthawi ya makolo akale. (Mac. 7:1-16) Sitefano anayamba ndi kulankhula za Abulahamu, amene Ayuda ankamulemekeza kwambiri chifukwa cha chikhulupiriro chake. Poyamba kulankhula za nkhani yofunika imene onse ankaikhulupirira, Sitefano anatsindika mfundo yakuti choyamba Yehova, “Mulungu waulemerero,” anaonekera kwa Abulahamu ku Mesopotamiya. (Mac. 7:2) Ndipotu Abulahamu ankakhala m’Dziko Lolonjezedwa monga mlendo. Abulahamu analibe kachisi komanso Chilamulo cha Mose. Ndiye kodi munthu angaumirire bwanji mfundo yakuti munthu amakhala wokhulupirika kwa Mulungu pokhapokha ngati amalambira m’kachisi mokha komanso kutsatira Chilamulo cha Mose?

¹² Anthu amene ankamvetsera Sitefano ankalemekezanso kwambiri Yosefe amene anali mbadwa ya Abulahamu. Koma Sitefano anawakumbutsa kuti azichimwene ake enieni a Yosefe, omwe anali makolo a mafuko a Isiraeli, anazunza munthu wolungamayo ndi kumugulitsa ku ukapolo. Komabe, Mulungu anagwiritsa ntchito Yosefe populumutsa Aisiraeli kuti asafe ndi njala. N’zoonekeratu kuti Sitefano anaona kuti zimene zinachitikira Yosefe zikufanana ndi zimene zinachitikira Yesu Khristu, koma iye anapewa kunena zimenezi n’cholinga choti anthuwo apitirizebe kumumvetsera.

13. Kodi zimene Sitefano anafotokoza zokhudza Mose zinayankha bwanji mlandu umene ankamuimba, nanga zimenezi zinachititsa kuti afotokoze mfundo yofunika iti?

¹³ Nthawi ya Mose. (Mac. 7:17-43) Sitefano anafotokoza mfundo zambiri zokhudza Mose. Pamenepa anachita zinthu mwanzeru chifukwa oweruza ambiri a m’Khoti Lalikulu la Ayuda anali Asaduki ndipo iwo sankavomereza mabuku onse a m’Baibulo kupatulapo amene Mose analemba. Kumbukiraninso kuti Sitefano ankaimbidwa mlandu wonyoza Mose. Zimene Sitefano ananena, zinayankha mlanduwo mosapita m’mbali, chifukwa choti anasonyeza kuti iye ankalemekeza kwambiri Mose ndiponso Chilamulo. (Mac. 7:38) Iye ananena kuti Mose nayenso anakanidwa ndi anthu amene iye anafunitsitsa kuwapulumutsa. Mose anakanidwa ali ndi zaka 40, ndipo patadutsa zaka zinanso zoposa 40, anthuwo anatsutsa utsogoleri wake kangapo konse.b Choncho, Sitefano anafotokoza pang’onopang’ono mfundo yofunika kwambiri yakuti: Anthu a Mulungu akhala akukana mobwerezabwereza anthu amene Yehova anawasankha kuti awatsogolere.

14. Kodi Sitefano anafotokoza momveka bwino mfundo zofunika ziti pamene anagwiritsa ntchito chitsanzo cha Mose?

¹⁴ Sitefano anakumbutsa anthu amene ankamumvetserawo kuti Mose analosera kuti mu Isiraeli mudzatuluka mneneri wangati Mose. Kodi mneneri ameneyu adzakhala ndani, ndipo anthu adzamulandira bwanji? Sitefano sanayankhe mafunsowa nthawi yomweyo koma anawayankha kumapeto. Iye anatchulanso mfundo ina yofunika kwambiri yakuti: Mose anaphunzira kuti Mulungu angachititse malo alionse kukhala oyera, monga mmene zinalili pachitsamba choyaka moto, pamene Yehova analankhula naye. Choncho kodi anthu ankayenera kulambira Yehova m’nyumba imodzi yokha, monga m’kachisi amene anali ku Yerusalemu? Tiyeni tione.

15, 16. (a) N’chifukwa chiyani kutchula chihema kunali kofunika pa zimene Sitefano ankafotokoza? (b) Kodi Sitefano anagwiritsa ntchito bwanji kachisi wa Solomo pa zimene ankafotokoza?

¹⁵ Chihema ndiponso kachisi. (Mac. 7:44-50) Sitefano anakumbutsa anthu m’khotimo kuti kachisi aliyense asanamangidwe ku Yerusalemu, Mulungu analamula Mose kuti amange chihema choti azilambiriramo, chomwe chinkaoneka ngati tenti, ndipo ankatha kuchinyamula. Palibe amene akanalimba mtima n’kunena kuti chihema chinali chosafunikira kwenikweni poyerekeza ndi kachisi, chifukwa Mose ankalambira Mulungu m’chihemamo.

¹⁶ Kenako Solomo atamanga kachisi ku Yerusalemu, mouziridwa ananena mfundo yofunika kwambiri m’pemphero lake. Mogwirizana ndi zimenezi Sitefano ananena kuti, “Wam’mwambamwamba sakhala m’nyumba zomangidwa ndi manja.” (Mac. 7:48; 2 Mbiri 6:18) Yehova angagwiritse ntchito kachisi pokwaniritsa chifuniro chake, koma sizikutanthauza kuti chifuniro chakecho sichingachitike popanda kachisi. Ndiye n’zosamveka kuti anthu amene amamulambira aziganiza kuti kulambira koona kuyenera kuchitika panyumba yomangidwa ndi anthu basi. Sitefano anatsindika mwamphamvu mfundo yofunikayi pogwira mawu ochokera m’buku la Yesaya akuti: “Kumwamba ndi mpando wanga wachifumu ndipo dziko lapansi ndi chopondapo mapazi anga. Ndiye kodi mungandimangire nyumba yotani? Ndipo malo oti ine ndingapumulirepo, ali kuti? Kodi si dzanja langa limene linapanga zinthu zonsezi?”​—Mac. 7:49, 50; Yes. 66:1, 2.

17. Kodi zimene Sitefano analankhula (a) zinasonyeza bwanji kuti anthu amene ankamumvetsera anali ndi maganizo olakwika ndipo (b) zinayankha bwanji mlandu umene ankamuimba?

¹⁷ Pamene mukuganizira zimene Sitefano anafotokozera Khoti Lalikulu la Ayuda, kodi simukuvomereza kuti iye anasonyezadi kuti anthu amene ankamutsutsa anali ndi maganizo olakwika? Iye anasonyeza kuti Yehova akafuna kukwaniritsa chifuniro chake, saumirira pa chinthu chimodzimodzi kapena miyambo ya anthu. Anthu amene ankakokomeza kwambiri za kufunika kwa kachisi wokongola wa ku Yerusalemu komanso miyambo ndi makhalidwe zimene zinayamba chifukwa cha Chilamulo cha Mose, sankamvetsa cholinga chenicheni cha Chilamulo ndiponso kachisi. Mwanjira ina, zimene Sitefano ananena zinabweretsa funso lofunika lakuti: Kodi kumvera Mulungu si njira yabwino kwambiri yolemekezera Chilamulo ndiponso kachisi? N’zoonadi, mawu amene Sitefano analankhula anasonyeza bwino kwambiri kuti zimene ankachita zinali zoyenera, chifukwa iye anamvera Yehova mokhulupirika.

18. Kodi tingatsanzire Sitefano m’njira ziti?

¹⁸ Kodi tingaphunzire chiyani pa zimene Sitefano analankhula? Iye ankadziwa bwino kwambiri Malemba. Mofanana ndi Sitefano, ifenso tikufunika kumaphunzira Mawu a Mulungu mwakhama kuti tizitha kuphunzitsa ndi kufotokoza bwino “mawu a choonadi.” (2 Tim. 2:15) Tingaphunzirenso kukhala anthu achisomo komanso ochita zinthu mwanzeru ngati Sitefano. N’zoona kuti anthu amene ankamumvetsera anali ouma mtima kwambiri, komabe kwa nthawi yaitali, iye anayesetsa kufotokoza zinthu zimene anthuwo ankagwirizana nazo komanso ankaziona kuti ndi zofunika kwambiri. Iye ankalankhula nawo mwaulemu, ndipo anthu achikulire ankawatchula kuti “abambo anga.” (Mac. 7:2) Ifenso tiziuza anthu choonadi cha m’Mawu a Mulungu “mofatsa ndiponso mwaulemu kwambiri.”​—1 Pet. 3:15.

19. Kodi Sitefano anasonyeza bwanji kulimba mtima popereka uthenga wa chiweruzo cha Yehova kwa oweruza a Khoti Lalikulu la Ayuda?

¹⁹ Komabe, sitingaleke kunena choonadi cha m’Mawu a Mulungu poopa kukhumudwitsa anthu ndipo sitipita m’mbali tikamapereka uthenga wa Yehova wachiweruzo. Sitefano anapereka chitsanzo chabwino pa nkhani imeneyi. N’zoonekeratu kuti iye anaona kuti zonse zimene ananena pamaso pa Khoti Lalikulu la Ayudalo sizinathandize oweruza ouma mtimawo kuti asinthe maganizo awo. Choncho, motsogoleredwa ndi mzimu woyera, anamaliza kulankhula mwa kuwasonyeza mopanda mantha kuti iwo anali ngati makolo awo amene anakana Yosefe, Mose komanso aneneri onse. (Mac. 7:51-53) Ndipotu oweruza amenewa ndi amenenso anapha Mesiya, amene Mose ndi aneneri onse analosera kuti adzabwera. Kunena zoona, oweruzawa ndi amene sanamvere ndipo anaphwanya Chilamulo cha Mose.

20, 21. Kodi oweruza a Khoti Lalikulu la Ayuda anachita chiyani atamva mawu a Sitefano, nanga Yehova anamulimbikitsa bwanji?

²⁰ Choonadi choonekeratu chimene Sitefano analankhula chinakwiyitsa kwambiri oweruzawo. Mopanda manyazi, iwo anakwiya kwambiri n’kuyamba kukukutira mano Sitefano. Munthu wokhulupirikayu ayenera kuti anadziwa kuti anthu amenewa samuchitira chifundo, chifukwa sanachitirenso chifundo Mbuye wake Yesu.

²¹ Sitefano anafunika kulimba mtima kuti apirire mavuto amene anali atatsala pang’ono kukumana nawo, ndipo sitikukayikira kuti masomphenya amene Yehova anamuonetsa mokoma mtima pa nthawiyo, anamulimbikitsa kwambiri. Sitefano anaona ulemerero wa Mulungu, ndipo anaonanso Yesu ataima kudzanja lamanja la Yehova. Pamene Sitefano ankafotokoza masomphenyawo, anthu amene ankamuweruzawo anatseka m’makutu ndi manja awo. N’chifukwa chiyani anachita zimenezi? Nthawi ina m’mbuyomo, Yesu anauza oweruza a khoti lomweli kuti iye ndi Mesiya ndiponso kuti posachedwa akhala kudzanja lamanja la Atate wake. (Maliko 14:62) Masomphenya a Sitefanowo anasonyeza kuti Yesu ankanena zoona, ndipo Khoti Lalikulu la Ayudali linapereka ndi kupha Mesiya. Pa nthawiyi oweruza onsewo mogwirizana, anathamanga kukagwira Sitefano kuti akamuphe mwa kumuponya miyala.c

22, 23. Kodi imfa ya Sitefano imafanana bwanji ndi ya Mbuye wake, nanga Akhristu masiku ano angatsanzire bwanji chikhulupiriro cha Sitefano?

²² Sitefano anafa mofanana ndi mmene anafera Mbuye wake Yesu chifukwa iye anafa ali ndi mtendere mumtima mwake, akukhulupirira kwambiri Yehova ndiponso anakhululukira anthu amene anamuphawo. Iye ananena kuti, “Ambuye Yesu, landirani mzimu wanga,” mwina chifukwa ankaonabe Mwana wa munthu ali ndi Yehova m’masomphenya. N’zosakayikitsa kuti Sitefano ankadziwa mawu olimbikitsa a Yesu akuti: “Ine ndine kuuka ndi moyo.” (Yoh. 11:25) Pomaliza, Sitefano anapemphera kwa Mulungu mofuula kuti: “Yehova, musawaimbe mlandu wa tchimo ili.” Atanena zimenezi anafa.​—Mac. 7:59, 60.

²³ Choncho mwa otsatira onse a Khristu, Sitefano anali woyamba kuphedwa chifukwa cha chikhulupiriro chake. (Onani bokosi lakuti “Sitefano Anaphedwa Chifukwa Ankachitira Umboni za Yesu,” patsamba 48) Koma n’zomvetsa chisoni kuti iyeyo sanali munthu womaliza. Ngakhalenso masiku ano, atumiki okhulupirika a Yehova akhala akuphedwa ndi anthu achipembedzo, anthu andale ndiponso anthu ena otsutsa omwe ndi ankhanza. Komabe mofanana ndi Sitefano, ifenso tili ndi zifukwa zotichititsa kukhala ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba. Panopa Yesu akulamulira monga Mfumu ndipo ali ndi mphamvu zambiri zimene Atate wake anam’patsa. Choncho, palibe chilichonse chimene chingamulepheretse kudzaukitsa otsatira ake okhulupirika.​—Yoh. 5:28, 29.

24. Kodi Saulo anathandizira bwanji pa kuphedwa kwa Sitefano, ndipo imfa ya munthu wokhulupirikayu inathandiza bwanji kuti zinthu zisinthe pa moyo wake?

²⁴ Mnyamata wina dzina lake Saulo ankaonerera zinthu zonsezi. Iye anavomereza kuti Sitefano aphedwe ndipo ankayang’anira zovala za anthu amene ankaponya miyala Sitefano. Patangopita kanthawi, Saulo anatsogolera anthu ena pa ntchito yozunza Akhristu mwankhanza. Koma imfa ya Sitefano inam’thandiza kwambiri kuti asinthe zinthu pa moyo wake. Sitefano anapereka chitsanzo chimene chinalimbikitsa Akhristu ena kuti apitirize kukhala okhulupirika ngati mmene iye anachitira. Komanso Saulo, amene kenako anayamba kutchedwa Paulo, zinkamupweteka mumtima akakumbukira zimene anachita povomereza kuphedwa kwa Sitefano. (Mac. 22:20) Saulo anathandizira pa kuphedwa kwa Sitefano koma kenako iye anazindikira kuti anali munthu “wonyoza Mulungu, wozunza anthu ake ndiponso wachipongwe.” (1 Tim. 1:13) N’zoonekeratu kuti Paulo sanaiwale Sitefano komanso mawu ake amphamvu amene analankhula pa tsiku limenelo. Ndipotu, Paulo analankhula ndi kulemba mfundo zina zimene Sitefano analankhula m’khotimo. (Mac. 7:48; 17:24; Aheb. 9:24) Patapita nthawi, Paulo anaphunzira bwino kwambiri kutsanzira chikhulupiriro ndiponso kulimba mtima kwa Sitefano, yemwe “anali ndi mphamvu ndipo ankachita kuonekeratu kuti Mulungu ali naye.” Tsopano funso kwa ife ndi lakuti, kodi ifenso tidzatsanzira Sitefano?