“NguThixo Umlawuli Esimele Simthobele”

1-3. (a) Kutheni abapostile beziswa kwiSanhedrin, futhi ngowuphi owona mbuzo uphakamayo? (b) Kutheni sinomdla kangaka kwindlela abaphendula ngayo abapostile?

IIJAJI zeSanhedrin ziya zivutha ngumsindo! Abapostile bakaYesu bamangalelwe kule nkundla iphakamileyo. Benze ntoni? UKayafa, umbingeleli omkhulu nongumongameli weSanhedrin, ubangxolisa esithi: “Saniyalela ngokucacileyo ukuba ningaphinde nifundise ngeli gama.” Ngenxa yomsindo uKayafa akafuni nokulibiza igama elithi Yesu. UKayafa uqhubeka esithi: “Kodwa, . . . niyigcwalisile iYerusalem ngale mfundiso yenu, yaye nizimisele ukusibeka ityala ngokufa kwalo mntu.” (IZe. 5:28) Eyona nto ayithethayo yile: Yekani ukushumayela, kungenjalo niza kudibana neembila zithutha!

² Baza kuthini ke ngoku abapostile? NguYesu obathume ukuba bashumayele futhi elo gunya ulifumene kuThixo. (Mat. 28:18-20) Ngaba abapostile baza koyika baze bathi cwaka? Okanye baza kuba nesibindi baze baqhubeke nokushumayela? Owona mbuzo yayikukuba: Ngaba baza kuthobela uThixo okanye abantu? Engalibazisanga, umpostile uPetros uphendula ngamazwi angqalileyo nangesibindi, ethethela yena nabo bonke abapostile.

³ Thina maKristu enene, sinomdla kakhulu kwindlela abaphendula ngayo abapostile kwizigrogriso zeSanhedrin. Nathi sithunywe ukuba sishumayele. Xa sisenza lo msebenzi siwunikwe nguThixo, nathi sinokuchaswa. (Mat. 10:22) Abachasi banokuzama ukusinqanda okanye bawuvale umsebenzi wethu. Siza kwenza ntoni xa kunjalo? Kunokusinceda ukucinga ngezinto ezanceda abapostile baba nesibindi nangezinto ezabangela ukuba bamangalelwe kwiSanhedrin.a

4, 5. Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba uKayafa nabaSadusi, ‘babe nomona’?

⁴ Khumbula ukuba xa babeyalelwa okokuqala ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, uPetros noYohane bathi: “Asinakuyeka ukuthetha ngezinto esizibonileyo nesizivileyo.” (IZe. 4:20) Emva kwetyala labo lokuqala kwiSanhedrin, uPetros noYohane nabanye abapostile baqhubeka beshumayela etempileni. Abapostile babesenza imimangaliso emikhulu, njengokuphilisa abagulayo nokukhupha iidemon. Babeyenzela “kwiVeranda KaSolomon,” indawo enkulu eyayinophahla olusithileyo kwicala elingasempuma letempile, apho ayedla ngokudibana khona amaYuda amaninzi. Abanye abantu babephiliswa nakukuchukunyiswa nje sisithunzi sikaPetros. Abaninzi abaphiliswa apho balamkela ilizwi likaThixo lenyaniso. Ngenxa yoko, “baya besanda nabantu ababekholelwa eNkosini, amadoda nabafazi abaninzi.”​—IZe. 5:12-15.

⁵ UKayafa nabaSadusi, ihlelo lonqulo awayelilungu lalo, ‘baba nomona’ baza bababamba abapostile babavalela. (IZe. 5:17, 18) Yintoni eyayibacaphukisa kangaka abaSadusi? Kukuba abapostile babefundisa into yokuba uYesu wayevusiwe ekufeni, ngoxa bona babengakholelwa eluvukweni. Abapostile babesithi umntu unokusindiswa kuphela ngokuba nokholo kuYesu, ngoxa bona abaSadusi besoyika ukohlwaywa ngamaRoma ukuba abantu babenokwamkela uYesu njengeNkokheli yabo. (Yoh. 11:48) Yiloo nto eyayisenza abaSadusi bazimisele kangaka ukubaval’ umlomo abapostile!

 6. Sesiphi esona sizathu siphambili sokuba betshutshiswa abakhonzi bakaYehova kule mihla, futhi kutheni ingamele isothuse nje loo nto?

⁶ Nanamhlanje, betshutshiswa nje abakhonzi bakaYehova esona sizathu siphambili kukuba ziinkokheli zonqulo lobuxoki ezihlohla abanye abantu ukuba babatshutshise. Ezi nkokheli zinokuzama ukukhuthaza oorhulumente namajelo osasazo ukuze zisiyekise ukushumayela. Ayisothusi ke loo nto. Kaloku into esiyifundisayo inceda abantu baqonde ukuba iinkokheli zonqulo lobuxoki zifundisa ubuxoki. Xa abantu abanyanisekileyo besamkela iinyaniso zeBhayibhile, bayayeka ukulawulwa ziinkolelo nezithethe ezingachananga. (Yoh. 8:32) Yiloo nto umyalezo esiwushumayelayo ubangela ukuba iinkokheli zonqulo zisicaphukele futhi zisitshutshise.

7, 8. Umyalelo wengelosi wenza ntoni kubapostile, ibe nguwuphi umbuzo esifanele sizibuze wona?

⁷ Ngoxa babelapho entolongweni belindele ukuthethwa kwetyala labo, abapostile bamele ukuba babezibuza enoba babeza kubulawa ngenxa yokholo lwabo na ziintshaba zabo. (Mat. 24:9) Kodwa ngobo busuku, kwenzeka into ababengayilindelanga, “ingelosi kaYehova yazivula iingcango zaloo jele.”b (IZe. 5:19) Ingelosi yabayalela ngokungqalileyo yathi: “Niye etempileni, niqhubeke nixelela abantu.” (IZe. 5:20) Ngokuqinisekileyo loo myalelo wabaqinisekisa abapostile ukuba babesenza into efanelekileyo. Amazwi engelosi kumele ukuba abomeleza ukuze bahlale beqinile enoba kwakusenzeka ntoni. Benokholo olomeleleyo nesibindi, “bangena etempileni kwakusa, baqalisa ukufundisa.”​—IZe. 5:21.

⁸ Ngamnye wethu ufanele azibuze, ‘Ngaba ndinganalo ukholo nesibindi sokuqhubeka ndishumayela kwiimeko ezifanayo nezo babekuzo abapostile?’ Kunokusomeleza ukwazi ukuba umsebenzi obalulekileyo ‘wokushumayela ngokucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani BukaThixo’ uxhaswa futhi ukhokhelwa ziingelosi.​—IZe. 28:23; ISityhi. 14:6, 7.

9-11. Bathini abapostile kwisinyanzelo seSanhedrin sokuba bayeke ukushumayela, futhi loo nto yabeka owuphi umzekelo wokulandelwa ngamaKristu enene?

⁹ UKayafa nezinye iijaji zeSanhedrin zazisele zikulungele ukuwisa isigwebo kubapostile. Zathumela oonogada ukuba baye kulanda la mabanjwa, zingayazi into eyenzeke ejele. Yiba nombono wendlela abothuka ngayo aba nogada xa bafika kubetha umoya esiseleni, engekho la mabanjwa, kodwa ijele isatshixiwe futhi “oonogada bemi ngasemnyango.” (IZe. 5:23) Kungabanga kudala, umphathi wetempile ufumanisa ukuba abapostile babuyele etempileni, bangqina ngoYesu Kristu, le nto kanye abebeyibanjelwe! Lo mphathi namanye amagosa zange balibazise, baya etempileni beyobamba la mabanjwa baza bababuyisela kwiSanhedrin.

¹⁰ Njengokuba kuchaziwe ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko, ezo nkokeli zonqulo zazivutha ngumsindo zatsho phandle ukuba abapostile mabayeke ukushumayela. Bathini abapostile? Ethetha egameni labo bonke, uPetros waphendula ngesibindi wathi: “NguThixo umlawuli esimele simthobele kunabantu.” (IZe. 5:29) Abapostile babeka umzekelo wokulandelwa ngawo onke amaKristu enene ukususela ngoko ukuya phambili. Nangona uThixo esixelela ukuba masibathobele abalawuli abangabantu, abanalo igunya lokusiyekisa ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Nakule mihla ke, ukuba “abasemagunyeni” bayawuvala umsebenzi wethu wokungqina, asinakukwazi ukuyeka umsebenzi wethu esiwuthunywe nguThixo wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. (Roma 13:1) Siza kuqhubeka sishumayela ngokucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo sisebenzisa iindlela ezisenza singabhaqwa ngabasemagunyeni.

¹¹ Ukuphendula kwabapostile ngesibindi kwazenza zavutha ngumsindo iijaji. Phofu ayothusi loo nto, yayilindelekile. Babezimisele “ukubabulala” abapostile. (IZe. 5:33) Kwavele kwacaca ukuba la mangqina anesibindi nakhutheleyo ngoku aza kubulawelwa ukholo lwawo. Phi ke, kuba kukho uncedo olwaluza kuthi gqi ngeyona ndlela engaqhelekanga!

12, 13. (a) UGamaliyeli wazicebisa wathini ezinye iijaji, ibe zenza ntoni? (b) Namhlanje uYehova unokubanceda njani abantu bakhe, futhi yintoni esimele siqiniseke ngayo xa evumela ukuba ‘sehlelwe zizinto ezibuhlungu ngenxa yokuba singamalungisa’?

¹² UGamaliyeli, “umfundisi woMthetho owayehlonitshwa ngabantu bonke” waphosa elakhe ilizwi.c Le jaji imele ukuba yayihlonitshwa kakhulu zezinye kuba naku kweviwa ngayo, de ‘yayalela ukuba abapostile bakhutshwe okomzuzwana.’ (IZe. 5:34) UGamaliyeli wathetha ngokuvukelwa kwamaRoma okwakha kwenzeka ngaphambili. Wathi xa bafayo abantu ababekhokhela kwezo mvukelo, kwakukhawuleza kuphele ukuvukela. Waxelela ezo jaji ke ukuba zazifanele zibe nomonde kubapostile zingazami ukubanqanda. Kaloku neNkokheli yabo, uYesu, yayisanda kufa. UGamaliyeli wathetha into engaphikisekiyo: “Ningayingeni into yabo. Ukuba le nto okanye lo msebenzi bawenzayo ngowabantu, awuzukuphumelela; kodwa ukuba ngokaThixo, anizukukwazi ukubayekisa. Kunoko ningazibhaqa sele nisilwa noThixo ngokwakhe.” (IZe. 5:38, 39) Iijaji zalithatha icebiso lakhe. Sekunjalo, zaqinisekisa ukuba abapostile bayakatswa zaza zabayalela ukuba “bayeke ukuthetha ngegama likaYesu.”​—IZe. 5:40.

¹³ Nanamhlanje, uYehova usenokusebenzisa amadoda anegunya njengoGamaliyeli, ukuze ancede abantu bakhe. (IMize. 21:1) UYehova unokusebenzisa umoya wakhe abangele ukuba abalawuli abanamandla, iijaji okanye abo babeka imithetho benze into ehambelana nokuthanda kwakhe. (Neh. 2:4-8) Kodwa naxa eye wavumela ukuba ‘sehlelwe zizinto ezibuhlungu ngenxa yokuba singamalungisa,’ sinokuqiniseka ngezinto ezimbini. (1 Pet. 3:14) Eyokuqala, uThixo unokusinika amandla okuba sikwazi ukunyamezela. (1 Kor. 10:13) Eyesibini, abachasi ‘abazukukwazi ukuwuyekisa’ umsebenzi kaThixo.​—Isa. 54:17.

14, 15. (a) Baba njani abapostile emva kokukatswa kwabo, futhi kwakutheni ukuze babe njalo? (b) Balisa amava abonisa ukuba abantu bakaYehova banyamezela bevuya.

¹⁴ Ngaba ukukatswa kwabatyhafisa abapostile okanye kwabenza bayekelela? Tu ke kanti! “Baphuma phambi kwaloo Nkundla bevuya.” (IZe. 5:41) “Bevuya?” Babevuyiswa yintoni? Ngokuqinisekileyo babengavuyiswa ziintlungu zokukatswa. Babevuyiswa kukwazi ukuba babetshutshiselwa ukuhlala bethembekile kuYehova nokulandela umntu owayenguMzekelo kubo, uYesu.​—Mat. 5:11, 12.

¹⁵ Njengabazalwana bethu bexesha labapostile, sinyamezela sivuya xa siphathwa kabuhlungu ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo. (1 Pet. 4:12-14) Asivuyiswa kukugrogriswa, kukutshutshiswa okanye kukuvalelwa ejele. Kodwa siyavuyiswa kukuhlala sithembekile kuYehova. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngoHenryk Dornik, owanyamezela intshutshiso eqatha kangangeminyaka phantsi koorhulumente bengcinezelo. Uthi, ngoAgasti 1944 abasemagunyeni bathumela yena nomntakwabo kwinkampu ekusetyenzwa nzima kuyo. Iintshaba zabo zathi: “Ukubanyanzela akusebenzi tu kubo. Ukufela ukholo lwabo kuyabavuyisa.” UMzalwan’ uDornik uthi: “Ndandingakunqweneli ukubulawa ngenxa yokholo lwam. Kodwa lonke elo xesha ndiphethwe kabuhlungu, ndakwazi ukuhlala ndithembekile kuYehova ndingakhange ndiyeke ukuba nesibindi nokuzihlonipha. Loo nto yayindivuyisa.”​—Yak. 1:2-4.

16. Abapostile babonisa njani ukuba babezimisele ukushumayela ngokucokisekileyo, ibe thina siyilinganisa njani indlela ababeshumayela ngayo?

¹⁶ Abapostile abazange balibazise, baqala apho bebeyeke khona nomsebenzi wokushumayela. Zange boyike ngokoyikiswa, “yonke imihla etempileni nakwindlu ngendlu” baqhubeka “beshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu.”d (IZe. 5:42) Aba bashumayeli bakhutheleyo babezimisele ukushumayela ngokucokisekileyo. Phawula ukuba bahamba baya kushumayela emizini yabantu kanye njengokuba uYesu Kristu wayebayalele. (Mat. 10:7, 11-14) Ngokuqinisekileyo, yiloo nto kanye eyabanceda bakwazi ukugcwalisa iYerusalem ngemfundiso yabo. Namhlanje, amaNgqina kaYehova aziwa ngokushumayela esebenzisa loo ndlela yabapostile. Nathi sishumayela ngokucokisekileyo xa sisiya kwindlu nganye ekwintsimi yethu, sinika wonk’ umntu ithuba lokuva iindaba ezilungileyo. Ngaba uYehova uye wakusikelela ukushumayela kwethu kwindlu ngendlu? Ukusikelele! Ziimiliyoni zabantu eziye zawamkela umyalezo woBukumkani kweli xesha lesiphelo, futhi abaninzi kubo baqala ukuziva iindaba ezilungileyo xa kwankqonkqoza iNgqina emnyango.

17-19. Yeyiphi ingxaki eyavelayo eyayinokuliqhekeza lula ibandla, futhi abapostile bayalela ukuba kwenzeke ntoni ukuze ilungiswe?

¹⁷ Kwavela ingxaki eyingozi kwelo bandla litsha. Yayiyingxaki yantoni leyo? Abafundi abaninzi ababebhaptizwa babeziindwendwe eYerusalem futhi babefuna ukufunda okungakumbi ngaphambi kokuba babuyele emakhaya. Ngokuzithandela, abafundi abahlala eYerusalem banikela ngemali ukuze kuthengwe ukutya nezinye izinto. (IZe. 2:44-46; 4:34-37) Yavela xa kulapho ke ingxaki eyayidinga ukusingathwa ngobuchule. “Xa kusabiwa ukutya mihla le,” abahlolokazi abathetha isiGrike “babengahoywa.” (IZe. 6:1) Kodwa bona abahlolokazi abathetha isiHebhere babehoywa. Kwacaca mhlophe ukuba loo ngxaki yayibangelwa lucalucalulo. Zimbalwa izinto ezinokuliqhekeza lula ibandla njengocalucalulo.

¹⁸ Abapostile ababekhonza njengequmrhu elilawulayo lelo bandla landayo baqonda ukuba kwakungenakuba bubulumko ukuba ‘bashiye ilizwi likaThixo baze bayokwaba ukutya.’ (IZe. 6:2) Ukuze balungise le ngxaki, bayalela abafundi ukuba bafune amadoda asixhenxe “azaliswe ngumoya nabubulumko” ababeza kuwabeka ukuba ahoye lo “mcimbi ubalulekileyo.” (IZe. 6:3) Kwakufuneka amadoda afanelekayo kuba kumele ukuba lo msebenzi wawungapheleli nje ekwabeni ukutya kodwa wawuquka nokuphatha imali, ukuthenga izinto ezifunekayo, nokubhala phantsi yonk’ into eyenziweyo. Onke amadoda akhethwayo ayenamagama esiGrike, nto leyo esenokuba yenza kwalula ukuba abo bahlolokazi babecalucalulwa bawathembe. Emva kokuwaqwalasela la madoda asixhenxe nokuyithandazela le ngxaki, abapostile bawabeka ukuba ahoye lo “mcimbi ubalulekileyo.”e

¹⁹ Ngaba ukuhoya ukwabiwa kokutya kwakuthetha ukuba la madoda asixhenxe wona kwakungasazufuneka ashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo? Hayi kaloku, kwakungathethi loo nto! Kuloo madoda kwakukho noStefano, owaba ngumshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo okhutheleyo nonesibindi. (IZe. 6:8-10) Naye uFilipu wayengomnye walo madoda asixhenxe, kodwa ubizwa ngokuba ‘ngumshumayeli.’ (IZe. 21:8) Kucacile ke ukuba, loo madoda asixhenxe aqhubeka engabashumayeli boBukumkani abakhutheleyo.

20. Abantu bakaThixo namhlanje bayilandela njani indlela yabapostile?

²⁰ Abantu bakaYehova namhlanje basalandela loo ndlela yabapostile. Amadoda anconyelwayo ukuba athwale imisebenzi yebandla amele acinge ngendlela uYehova acinga ngayo futhi isiqhamo somoya oyingcwele sibonakale ebomini bawo. Amadoda afanelekayo ngokweZibhalo ayamiselwa ukuba akhonze njengabadala okanye izicaka zolungiselelo emabandleni, ngokwemiyalelo yeQumrhu Elilawulayo.f (1 Tim. 3:1-9, 12, 13) Kuba iimfaneleko ezibhalwe kwiLizwi likaThixo zaziyalelwe ngumoya oyingcwele, singatsho ukuba la madoda amiselwe ngumoya oyingcwele. La madoda asebenza nzima ahoya imicimbi ebalulekileyo emininzi. Ngokomzekelo, abadala banokwenza iindlela zokunceda abazalwana abathembekileyo abasele bekhulile abadinga uncedo. (Yak. 1:27) Abanye abadala baxakeke ngumsebenzi wokwakhiwa kweeHolo zoBukumkani, wokulungiselela iindibano ezinkulu, okanye wokusebenza kwiiKomiti Zokunxibelelana Nezibhedlele. Izicaka zolungiselelo zenza imisebenzi emininzi engaquki ngokungqalileyo umsebenzi wokwalusa nokufundisa. Onke la madoda amiselweyo ahoya imisebenzi yebandla neyentlangano, engayekanga ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani.​—1 Kor. 9:16.

21, 22. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova walisikelela ibandla elitsha lexesha labapostile?

²¹ Ngenxa yoncedo lukaYehova, elo bandla litsha lakwazi ukumelana nentshutshiso eyayivela ngaphandle nengxaki eyayinokuliqhekeza eyavela ngaphakathi. Kuyacaca ukuba uYehova walisikelela, kuba naku kusithiwa: ‘Ilizwi likaThixo laqhubeka likhula, laya lisanda kakhulu nenani labafundi eYerusalem; ibe ababingeleli abaninzi baba ngamakholwa.’ (IZe. 6:7) Lo ngumzekelo nje omnye wamava amaninzi akwincwadi yeZenzo abonisa indlela uYehova awalisikelela ngayo ibandla. (IZe. 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31) Nathi namhlanje siyakhuthazeka xa sisiva amava endlela umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani ohambela phambili ngayo kwamanye amazwe?

²² Ngexesha labapostile, iinkokheli zonqulo ezazinomsindo zazingekazuyeka ukubatshutshisa. Zaziseza kuqala apho zaziyeke khona ngentshutshiso yazo. Akuzange kube kudala, zaphuma noStefano, waba lixhoba lentshutshiso engathethekiyo njengokuba siza kubona kwisahluko esilandelayo.