“Ngeengozi Elwandle”

KUMNYAMA tsiki kusebusuku, inqanawa ihamba elwandle ithwele abantu abangama-276 ikufutshane nesiqithi esikwiMeditera. Oomatiloshe nabo bakhweleyo badinwe bayimfe kukuphoswa ngapha nangapha zinkqwithela zolwandle kangangeentsuku ezili-14. Bebona unxweme ekuveleni kwekhwezi lokusa, bazama ukuyimisa khona le nqanawa. Kodwa inqanawa ixinga apho ingakwazi ukuhamba, yaye amaza ayiqhekeza umva ube ziingceba. Lonke elo qela liyayishiya inqanawa lize lidada okanye lisebenzisa amaplanga okanye ezinye izinto liye kufika kunxweme lwaseMalta. Beqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo yaye bexhwalekile, bayazirhuqa ukuphuma kuloo maza alwatyuzayo. Phakathi kwabo babelapho kukho nompostile uPawulos ongumKristu. Usiwa eRoma ematyaleni.​—⁠IZenzo 27:​27-⁠44.

Ubomi bukaPawulos babungaqali ukusongelwa elwandle xa wayesaphukelwa yinqanawa kwisiqithi saseMalta. Kwiminyaka embalwa ngaphambilana, wabhala wathi: “Izihlandlo ezithathu ndaba namava okwaphukelwa yinqanawa, ndichithe ubusuku nemini enzulwini.” Wongezelela esithi wayegaxeleke ‘kwiingozi elwandle.’ (2 Korinte 11:​25-27) Ukuhamba ngolwandle kwamnceda uPawulos wafeza isabelo awayesinikwe nguThixo “njengompostile kuzo iintlanga.”​—⁠Roma 11:⁠13.

Ngaba kwakuhanjwa kangakanani ngolwandle kwinkulungwane yokuqala? Kwaphumeza yiphi indima ekusasazeni ubuKristu? Kwakukhuseleke kangakanani? Kwakusetyenziswa iinqanawa ezinjani? Yaye babehlala njani abo babekhwele kuzo?

Imfuneko YaseRoma Yorhwebo Lwaselwandle

AmaRoma ayeyibiza iMeditera ngokuthi Mare Nostrum​—⁠Ulwandle Lwethu. IRoma igunya layo kwiindlela zolwandle yayingalisebenziseli iinjongo zomkhosi nje kuphela. Izixeko ezininzi zoBukhosi baseRoma zazingamazibuko okanye zixhaswa ngawo. Ngokomzekelo, iRoma yayinezibuko layo kwiOstia ekufuphi, ngoxa iKorinte yayisebenzisa iLechaeum neKenkreya yaye iSiriya yakwa-Antiyokwe ixhaswa yiSeleucia. Unxibelelwano oluhle kurhwebo olwalukula mazibuko lwaluqinisekisa ukunxibelelana ngokukhawuleza kwezo zixeko zikhulu yaye lukwenza kube lula ukulawula loo maphondo aseRoma.

IRoma yayikwaxhomekeke kushishino lweenqanawa ukuze ifumane ukutya. Ekubeni yayinabantu abamalunga nesigidi, iRoma kwakufuneka ifumane intaphane yokutya okuziinkonzo​—⁠malunga neetoni eziphakathi kwama-250 000 nama-400 000 ngonyaka. Kwakuvela phi konke oko kutya? UFlavius Josephus ucaphula amazwi kaHerode Agrippa II njengoko esithi uMntla Afrika wawusondla iRoma kangangeenyanga ezisibhozo zonyaka, ngoxa iYiputa yayithumela ukutya okuziinkozo okwaneleyo ukuze ixhase eso sixeko kangangezo nyanga zine ziseleyo. Amawaka eenqanawa ezazityhutyha ulwandle ayethuthela ukutya kweso sixeko.

Zinceda iRoma ngobunewunewu ebufunayo, ezo nqanawa zorhwebo zazithontelana zithwele zonke intlobo zezinto ezithengiswayo. Izimbiwa, amanye amatye namabhastile ayethuthwa ngeenqanawa evela eSipro, eGrisi naseYiputa, yaye amaplanga evela eLebhanon. Iwayini yayivela eSmirna, amandongomane evela eDamasko yaye iziqhamo zedatilisi zazivela ePalestina. Izinto zokuthambisa neerabha zazilayishwa eKilikiya, uboya eMileto naseLawodike, impahla elukiweyo eSiriya naseLebhanon, impahla emfusa eTire naseSidon. Idayi yayithunyelwa ivela eTiyatira yaye iglasi yayivela eAleksandriya naseSidon. Isilika, umqhaphu, iimpondo zendlovu kwanezinongo zaziwezwa ulwandle zivela eTshayina naseIndiya.

Kuthekani ke ngenqanawa uPawulos awayekhwele kuyo eyaphukela eMalta? Yayiyeyokuthutha ukutya okuziinkozo, ‘inqanawa yaseAleksandriya eyayihamba ngamanzi isiya eItali.’ (IZenzo 27:⁠6, umbhalo osemazantsi kwiNW) Iinqanawa zokuthutha ukutya yayizezamaGrike, amaFenike namaSiriya, awayezalathisa yaye ezilungisa. Noko ke, ezi nqanawa zaziqeshwa nguRhulumente. Umbhali-mbali uWilliam M. Ramsay uthi: “Njengaxa kuqokelelwa irhafu, urhulumente wakufumanisa kulula ukwenza isivumelwano nabathile abenza lo msebenzi kunokuziqeshela abantu kuze kufuneke abaxhobise ngezinto eziyimfuneko ukuze benze loo msebenzi mkhulu.”

UPawulos walugqiba uhambo lwakhe oluya eRoma ngenqanawa eyayinembasa ethi “Oonyana bakaZeyus.” Kwanale inqanawa yayiyeyaseAleksandriya. Yamisa ePuteyoli kwiNyoba yaseNaples, izibuko ezaziqhele ukumisa kulo iinqanawa ezithwala ukutya. (IZenzo 28:​11-13) Ukusuka ePuteyoli​—⁠eyiPozzuoli kule mihla​—⁠umthwalo wawuthuthwa ngendlela yomhlaba okanye ngezikhephe ezincinane ukuya emantla ugudle unxweme ukuya kutsho kuMlambo iTiber uye kungena embindini weRoma.

Kuthekani Ngabo Babekhwela Kwezazithutha Iimpahla?

Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos namajoni awayemlindile bahambe ngesithuthi seempahla? Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo, kufuneka sazi ukuba kwakuthetha ukuthini ukuhamba ngolwandle ukhwele inqanawa kuloo mihla.

Kwinkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, yayingekho le nto kuthiwa yinqanawa yokukhwelisa abantu. Abahambi babekhwela kwiinqanawa zabarhwebi. Yaye zonke iindidi zabantu​—⁠kuquka amagosa kaRhulumente, iinkcuba-buchopho, abashumayeli, abakhafuli, abachweli, iimbaleki abarhwebi, abakhenkethi nabahambela ezonqulo​—⁠kusenokwenzeka ukuba babekhwela kuzo.

Kakade ke, zazikho nezikhephe ezincinane ezazithutha abantu nemithwalo zigudla unxweme. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uPawulos wasebenzisa esinjalo ‘ukuwelela eMakedoniya’ evela eTrowa. Usenokuba wayesele ehambe ngeenqanawa ezincinane ukusuka nokuya eAthene ngaphezu kwesihlandlo esinye. Yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba uPawulos wasebenzisa isikhephe esincinane kuhambo lwakhe lwamva evela eTrowa esiya ePatara enqumla kwiziqithi ezikufuphi nonxweme lwaseAsia Minor. (IZenzo 16:​8-11; 17:​14, 15; 20:​1-6, 13-15; 21:⁠1) Ukusebenzisa ezo nqanawa zincinane kwakusonga ixesha, kodwa zazingenakuhambela kude nonxweme. Ngoko iinqanawa uPawulos awayekhwele kuzo ukuya eSipro nasePamfiliya kwanezo zamthabatha e-Efese esiya eKesareya waza wasuka ePatara waya eTire zimele ukuba zazinkulu. (IZenzo 13:​4, 13; 18:​21, 22; 21:​1-⁠3) Inqanawa eyaphuka eMalta uPawulos ekhwele kuyo nayo imele ukuba yayinkulu. Zazinokuba nkulu kangakanani ezo nqanawa?

Iincwadi zembali zakhokelela omnye umphengululi ukuba athi: “Umlinganiselo weyona [nqanawa] incinane ngokuqhelekileyo eyayisetyenziswa ngabantu bamandulo yayimalunga neetoni ezingama-70 ukusa kwezingama-80. Owona mlinganiselo wawuqhelekile, ubuncinane ngexesha lamaGrike, wawuziitoni ezili-130. Enobunzima obungama-250 eetoni, nangona yayiqhelekile, yayigqalwa njengenkulu kunomlinganiselo oqhelekileyo. Kumaxesha amaRoma iinqanawa ezazisetyenziselwa ukuthutha abasebukhosini zazinkulu ngakumbi, umlinganiselo owawufuneka wawuziitoni ezingama-340. Ezona nqanawa zazinkulu zihamba elwandle zazifikelela kwiitoni ezili-1300, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba zazikho nezinkudlwana.” Ngokuvisisana nengcaciso eyabhalwa kwinkulungwane yesibini yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, eyaseAleksandriya eyayithwala ukutya i-Isis yayingaphezu kweemitha ezingama-55 ubude, yayimalunga neemitha ezili-14 ububanzi, inomthamo omalunga neemitha ezili-13, yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba yayinokuthwala ngaphezu kweetoni eziliwaka zokutya yaye mhlawumbi namakhulu aliqela abantu.

Babephathwa njani abo babekhwele inqanawa yokuthutha ukutya? Ekubeni umsebenzi ongundoqo wezi nqanawa yayikukuthutha imithwalo, abantu babengahoywanga kangako. Babengalungiselelwa kutya okanye nantoni na eluncedo, ngaphandle nje kokunikwa amanzi. Babelala phantsi emgangathweni, mhlawumbi ngaphantsi kwekhusi elibuntenterha elalixhonywa ebusuku lize lisongwe ntsasa nganye. Nangona abakhweli babesenokuvunyelwa ukusebenzisa ikhitshi ukuze bapheke, babemele bazilungiselele ngokwabo yonke into efunekayo yokupheka, yokutya, yokuhlamba nokulala​—⁠ukuqala ezimbizeni ukuya kutsho kwizinto zokulala.

Ukuhamba Ngolwandle​—⁠Kwakukhuseleke Kangakanani?

Bengenazixhobo​—⁠nkqu nekhampasi​—⁠oomatiloshe benkulungwane yokuqala babexhomekeke koko bakubonayo. Ngenxa yoko, uhambo lwalukhuseleke ngakumbi xa bebona kakuhle​—⁠ngokuqhelekileyo ukususela ekupheleni kukaMeyi ukusa phakathi kuSeptemba. Ebudeni benyanga ezimbini zangaphambi nezasemva kwelo xesha, abarhwebi babesenokuhamba bathembe nje ukuba baya kuhamba kakuhle. Kodwa ebudeni bexesha lasebusika, inkungu namafu ayesoloko ewusitha umhlaba nelanga emini yaye neenkwenkwezi ebusuku. Ukuhamba ngolwandle kwakuba ngathi kuvaliwe (ngesiLatin, mare clausum) ukususela kuNovemba 11 ukusa kuMatshi 10, ngaphandle kokuba kuyimfuneko ngokwenene okanye kungxamisekile. Abo babehamba sele kusemva kwexesha babezifaka engozini yokuvalelwa bubusika kwizibuko lelinye ilizwe.​—⁠IZenzo 27:​12; 28:⁠11.

Ekubeni kwakuyingozi ukuhamba elwandle yaye kuhanjwa ngamaxesha athile, ngaba kwakubhetele kunendlela yomhlaba? Ewe, kwakunjalo! Ukuhamba ngolwandle kwakungadinisi kangako, kwakubiza imali encinane yaye kukhawuleza. Xa imimoya ingavuthuzi, mhlawumbi inqanawa yayinokugubungela iikhilomitha ezili-150 ngosuku. Umlinganiselo oqhelekileyo wohambo olude lweenyawo wawungama-25 ukusa kuma-30 eekhilomitha ngosuku.

Isantya senqanawa phantse sibe sasixhomekeke emoyeni. Kwindlela esuka eYiputa eya eItali kwakusoloko kubhudla imimoya eza ngaphambili, kwanangawona maxesha mahle. Eyona ndlela imfutshane ngokuqhelekileyo yayidlula eRodo, okanye eMira okanye kwiziqithi ezithile ezikunxweme lwaseLikiya eAsia Minor. Emva kokuntlithwa ziinkqwithela yaza yaphambuka endleleni, ngaxa lithile inqanawa ethutha ukutya, i-Isis yaya kumisa ePiraeus iintsuku ezingama-70 emva kokushiya unxweme lwaseAleksandriya. Ityhalwa ngasemva yimimoya enamandla eya ngasemntla-ntshona, ukuya nokubuya eItali mhlawumbi kwakunokuthabatha iintsuku ezingama-20 ukusa kwezingama-25. Ngendlela yomhlaba, kwaolu hambo lunye ukuya nokubuya lwaluya kuthabatha iintsuku ezingaphezu kwe-150 kwimozulu entle.

Iindaba Ezilungileyo Zasasazwa Kwiindawo Ezikude Ngaphesheya Kweelwandle

Kuyabonakala ukuba uPawulos wayeziqonda iingozi zokuhamba ngolwandle ngexesha elingelilo. Wade walumkisa ngokuhamba ngolwandle ekupheleni kukaSeptemba okanye ebutsheni bukaOktobha, esithi: “Madoda, ndiyaqonda ukuba olu hambo ngamanzi luza kuba nomonakalo nelahleko enkulu kungekhona kumthwalo nakwisikhephe nje kuphela kodwa kwanakwimiphefumlo yethu.” (IZenzo 27:​9, 10) Noko ke, igosa lomkhosi alizange liwaphulaphule la mazwi, ibe oku kwaphumela ekwaphukeni kwenqanawa eMalta.

Ngasekupheleni kothumo lwakhe lobuvangeli, uPawulos wayesel’ ophukelwe yinqanawa ubuncinane izihlandlo ezine. (IZenzo 27:​41-44; 2 Korinte 11:​25) Sekunjalo, ukuba nexhala ngoko kwakunokwenzeka akuzange kubathintele abashumayeli bokuqala beendaba ezilungileyo ekuhambeni ngolwandle. Bazisebenzisa ngokuyingenelo zonke iindlela zokuhamba ukuze basasaze isigidimi soBukumkani. Yaye bethobela umyalelo kaYesu, ubungqina banikelwa kwiindawo ezikude. (Mateyu 28:​19, 20; IZenzo 1:⁠8) Ngenxa yenzondelelo yabo, ukholo lwabo baye balandela umzekelo wabo, nolwalathiso lomoya oyingcwele kaYehova, iindaba ezilungileyo ziye zafikelela kwiimbombo zone zomhlaba omiweyo.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.