Ngaba Uthobela UThixo Okanye Abantu?
“Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.”—IZENZO 5:29.
1. (a) Uthini umxholo weli nqaku? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze abapostile babanjwe?
ABAGWEBI benkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda bamele ukuba babefile ngumsindo, kuba kaloku amabanjwa ayenyamalele. La mabanjwa yayingabapostile bakaYesu Kristu, indoda eyayigwetywe ukufa yinkundla ephakamileyo kwiiveki ezimbalwa ngaphambilana. Le nkundla ngoku yayifuna ukufundisa isifundo abalandeli bakhe abasondeleyo. Xa abalindi baya kubalanda eziseleni, bafika zikhal’ ibhungane, nakubeni iingcango zazisatshixiwe. Kungekudala bafumanisa ukuba abapostile basetempileni eYerusalem, bafundisa abantu ngoYesu Kristu ngaphandle koloyiko—besenza kanye into ababebanjelwe yona! Abalindi baya bephala etempileni, bababamba baza babasa enkundleni.—IZenzo 5:17-27.
2. Ingelosi yabayalela ukuba benze ntoni abapostile?
2 Abapostile bakhululwa yingelosi entolongweni. Ngaba yayibahlangula kwintshutshiso engakumbi? Akunjalo. Yayifuna ukuba abemi baseYerusalem beve iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoYesu Kristu. Le ngelosi yayalela abapostile ukuba ‘baqhubeke bethetha ebantwini onke amazwi angobu bomi.’ (IZenzo 5:19, 20) Ngoko abalindi babafumana besenza ngokwaloo myalelo.
3, 4. (a) Xa bayalelwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, bathini uPetros noYohane? (b) Bathini bona abanye abapostile?
3 Ababini kwabo bashumayeli banenzondelelo, umpostile uPetros noYohane, babengaqali ukuza apha enkundleni, kanye njengokuba umbingeleli omkhulu uJoseph Caiaphas [uKayafa], wabakhumbuzayo. Wathi: “Saniyalela ngokucacileyo ukuba ningafundisi [ngegama likaYesu], ukanti, khangelani! niyizalisile iYerusalem ngemfundiso yenu.” (IZenzo 5:28) UKayafa wayengamele kumangaliswa kukuphinda abone uPetros noYohane enkundleni. Xa wabayelela ukuba bayeke ukushumayela kwisihlandlo sokuqala, bamphendula bathi: “Enoba kububulungisa kusini na emehlweni kaThixo ukuphulaphula nina kunoThixo, zigwebeleni ngokwenu. Kodwa thina, asinakuyeka ukuthetha ngezinto esizibonileyo nesizivileyo.” Njengomprofeti wamandulo uYeremiya, uPetros noYohane baqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela ababethunywe ukuba bawenze.—IZenzo 4:18-20; Yeremiya 20:9.
4 Ngoku yayingesengoPetros noYohane kuphela ekwafuneka beme phambi kwenkundla, kodwa yayingabo bonke abapostile kuquka noMatiya owayesandul’ ukunyulwa. (IZenzo 1:21-26) Xa bayalelwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, ngenkalipho nabo baphendula bathi: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.”—IZenzo 5:29.
Ngaba Babeza Kuthobela UThixo Njengomlawuli Okanye Umntu?
5, 6. Kwakutheni ukuze abapostile bangawuthobeli umyalelo wenkundla?
5 Abapostile yayingabantu abawuthobelayo umthetho, ababengenakusuka nje bangawuthobeli umyalelo wenkundla. Noko ke, akukho mntu, kungakhathaliseki ukuba unegunya elingakanani na, onokuyalela omnye ukuba angawuthobeli umyalelo kaThixo. UYehova ‘ungOyena Uphakamileyo phezu komhlaba wonke.’ (INdumiso 83:18) Akapheleli nje ekubeni ‘nguMgwebi womhlaba wonke’ kodwa ukwanguMmisi-mthetho Owongamileyo, kwanoKumkani ongunaphakade. Nawuphi na umyalelo wenkundla onxamnye nomnye wemiyalelo kaThixo ulilize.—Genesis 18:25; Isaya 33:22.
6 Le nyaniso iye yavunywa nazezona ngcali ziphambili zomthetho. Ngokomzekelo, ijaji eyaziwayo yenkulungwane ye-18 eliNgesi, uWilliam Blackstone wabhala wathi akukho mthetho womntu ufanele ungqubane “nomthetho wesityhilelo” ofumaneka eBhayibhileni. Ngoko ke, iSanhedrin yayitsibe ilitye likaPhungela xa yayalela ukuba abapostile bayeke ukushumayela. Abapostile babengenako ukuthobela loo myalelo.
7. Kwakutheni ukuze ababingeleli abakhulu bacatshukiswe ngumsebenzi wokushumayela?
7 Ababingeleli abakhulu bacatshukiswa gqitha kukuzimisela kwabapostile ukuqhubeka beshumayela. Ababingeleli abathile, kuquka noKayafa, babengabaSadusi, ngenxa yoko babengakholelwa eluvukweni. (IZenzo 4:1, 2; 5:17) Sekunjalo, abapostile baqhubeka beshumayela ukuba uYesu uvusiwe ekufeni. Ukanti, abanye ababingeleli abakhulu babesele benze iinzame zokuba bathandwe ngabalawuli bamaRoma. Xa kwakuchotshelwa ityala likaYesu, banikwa ithuba lokuba bamkele uYesu njengokumkani wabo, kodwa bona bathi: “Asinakumkani ngaphandle kukaKesare.” (Yohane 19:15)a Abapostile babengafundisi nje ukuba uYesu uvusiwe kodwa babefundisa nokuba ngaphandle kwegama likaYesu, “alikho elinye igama phantsi kwezulu elinikelweyo phakathi kwabantu esimele ukusindiswa ngalo.” (IZenzo 2:36; 4:12) Ababingeleli babesoyika into yokuba, xa abantu babenokumgqala uYesu njengeNkokeli yabo, amaRoma ayenokubathimba zize iinkokeli zamaYuda ziphulukane ‘nendawo yazo nohlanga lwazo.’—Yohane 11:48.
8. Liliphi icebiso lobulumko uGamaliyeli awalidlulisela kwiSanhedrin?
8 Abapostile bakaYesu Kristu babejamelene nemeko elusizi. Abagwebi beSanhedrin babezimisele ukubagwebela ukufa. (IZenzo 5:33) Noko ke, izinto zahamba ngeny’ indlela. UGamaliyeli, umfundisi woMthetho, wasukuma waza walumkisa oogxa bakhe ukuba bangenzi izinto ngokungxama. Ngobulumko wathi: “Ukuba eli cebo okanye lo msebenzi ngowabantu, uya kubhukuqwa; kodwa ukuba ngokaThixo, aniyi kukwazi ukubabhukuqa.” Wandula ke, wongezelela amazwi abalulekileyo wathi: “Kungenjalo, nisenokufunyanwa okunene ningabo balwa nxamnye noThixo.”—IZenzo 5:34, 38, 39.
9. Yintoni engqina ukuba umsebenzi wabapostile wawuvela kuThixo?
9 Okumangalisayo kukuba, inkundla yalamkela icebiso likaGamaliyeli. ISanhedrin ‘yababiza abapostile, yabakatsa, yabayalela ukuba bayeke ukuthetha ngegama likaYesu, yaza yabandulula.’ Noko ke, bengoyiki nto, abapostile babezimisele ukuthobela umyalelo wengelosi wokuba bashumayele. Ngenxa yoko, emva kokuba bekhululiwe, “imihla yonke etempileni nakwizindlu ngezindlu [abapostile] baqhubeka ngaphandle kokuyekelela befundisa kwaye bevakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu, uYesu.” (IZenzo 5:40, 42) UYehova wayisikelela imigudu yabo. Ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo? “Ilizwi likaThixo laqhubeka likhula, nenani labafundi landa kakhulu eYerusalem.” Eneneni, “isihlwele esikhulu sababingeleli saluthobela ukholo.” (IZenzo 6:7) Oko kumele ukuba kwabenza buhlungu gqitha ababingeleli abakhulu! Oku kwakunikela ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba: Umsebenzi wabapostile ngokwenene wawuvela kuThixo!
Abo Balwa NoThixo Abayi Kuphumelela
10. Inokuba yintoni eyenza uKayafa waziva enqabisekile kwisikhundla sakhe, kodwa kutheni sinokuthi le yayiyimpazamo enkulu?
10 Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, ababingeleli abakhulu bamaYuda babemiselwa ngabalawuli baseRoma. UKayafa owayefumile, wabekwa nguValerius Gratus kwisikhundla sakhe, yaye wahlala ixesha elide esikhundleni sakhe kunabanye ababingeleli abakhulu ababengaphambi kwakhe. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, uKayafa wayekugqala oko njengempumelelo eze nobuchule anabo bokuphatha abantu nangenxa yokuba engumhlobo kaPilato kunokuba asigqale njengasifumene kuThixo. Eneneni, wenza impazamo enkulu ngokuthembela ebantwini. Emva nje kweminyaka emithathu abapostile beme phambi kweSanhedrin, uKayafa wayeka ukuba yintandane yabalawuli baseRoma waza washenxiswa kwisikhundla sakhe sokuba ngumbingeleli omkhulu.
11. Saba yintoni isiphelo sikaPontiyo Pilato nenkqubo yezinto yamaYuda, yaye sisiphi isigqibo ofikelela kuso?
11 ULucius Vitellius owayeyirhuluneli yaseSiriya, nowayenegunya elingentla kuPilato wagunyazisa ukushenxiswa kukaKayafa esikhundleni sakhe, ngoxa umhlobo kaKayafa omkhulu uPilato kwakungekho nto anokuyenza. Kambe ke, emva nje konyaka uKayafa eshenxisiwe kwisikhundla sakhe, kwenzeka okufanayo nakuPilato yaye wabizwa eRoma ukuba aye kuphendula ngamatyala akhe. Ngokuphathelele ezo nkokeli zamaYuda zazikholose ngoKesare, amaRoma ayithabatha ‘indawo nohlanga’ lwawo. Oku kwenzeka ngowama-70 C.E. xa umkhosi wamaRoma wasitshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo isixeko saseYerusalem, kuquka itempile neholo yeSanhedrin. Hayi indlela awangqineka echane ngayo kule nkalo amazwi omdumisi athi: “Musani ukukholosa ngezidwangube, nangonyana womntu wasemhlabeni, lowo ungenalo usindiso”!—Yohane 11:48; INdumiso 146:3.
12. Imeko kaYesu ibonisa njani ukuba kububulumko ukuthobela uThixo?
12 Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uThixo wamisela uYesu Kristu ovusiweyo njengoMbingeleli Omkhulu wetempile yokomoya enkulu. Akukho mntu unokumshenxisa kwesi sikhundla sakhe. Eneneni, uYesu “uhlala kububingeleli bakhe engenawo nawaphi na amalandela.” (Hebhere 2:9; 7:17, 24; 9:11) Kwakhona uThixo wamisela uYesu njengoMgwebi wabaphilayo nabafileyo. (1 Petros 4:5) Ngenxa yeso sizathu, nguYesu oya kugqiba enoba uKayafa noPontiyo Pilato baya kuvuswa kusini na.—Mateyu 23:33; IZenzo 24:15.
Abavakalisi BoBukumkani Banamhlanje Abanenkalipho
13. Kule mihla, nguwuphi umsebenzi ongqineke uvela ebantwini, ingowuphi ongqineke uvela kuThixo? Ukwazi njani oko?
13 Njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, nakulo mhla wethu bekusoloko kukho abo “balwa nxamnye noThixo.” (IZenzo 5:39) Ngokomzekelo, xa amaNgqina kaYehova eJamani engazange avume ukukhahlela uAdolf Hitler njengeNkokeli yawo, uHitler wafunga wamunc’ iintupha esithi uza kuwatshayela athi tu. (Mateyu 23:10) Umbutho wakhe wawubonakala unokukwenza nje lula oko. AmaNazi akwazi ukubamba amawaka amaNgqina awathumela kwiinkampu zoxinaniso, aze amanye awabulala. Kodwa akazange akwazi ukwaphula isigqibo samaNgqina sokukhonza uThixo kuphela, engazange akwazi nokutshayela elo qela labantu bakaThixo. La maKristu ayesenza umsebenzi awunikwe nguThixo kungekhona umntu, yaye umsebenzi kaThixo awunakuze ubhangiswe. Kwiminyaka engama-60 kamva, abo bathembekileyo basindayo kwiinkampu zoxinaniso zikaHitler basakhonza uYehova ‘ngentliziyo nangomphefumlo nangengqondo yabo iphela,’ ngoxa uHitler nombutho wakhe wamaNazi bafayo yaye ekuphela kwento abakhunjulwa ngayo yinkohlakalo yabo engathethekiyo.—Mateyu 22:37.
14. (a) Yiyiphi imigudu eyenziwe ngabachasi ukunyelisa abakhonzi bakaThixo, yaye oko kube nawuphi umphumo? (b) Ngaba loo migudu yabo iya kude iphumelele? (Hebhere 13:5, 6)
14 Ukususela kwiminyaka yamaNazi, bakho nabanye abaye bazama ukulwa nxamnye noYehova nabantu bakhe kodwa batsho phantsi. Kumazwe amaninzi eYurophu, iinkokeli zonqulo nezopolitiko ezinobuqhophololo ziye zatyabeka amaNgqina kaYehova ngesityholo sokuba ‘alihlelo eliyingozi,’ isityholo awayetyatyekwa ngaso amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala. (IZenzo 28:22) Inyaniso ikukuba, iNkundla Yamalungelo Abantu YaseYurophu iwagqala amaNgqina kaYehova njengonqulo, kungekhona ihlelo. Ngokuqinisekileyo abachasi bayakwazi oko kwathethwa yinkundla. Sekunjalo, basaqhubeka bethetha kakubi ngamaNgqina. Ngenxa yoku, amanye amaKristu aye agxothwa emsebenzini. Abantwana bamaNgqina baye baphathwa kakubi esikolweni. Ngenxa yoloyiko, abanini bezakhiwo amaNgqina ebeqhubela kuzo iintlanganiso zawo kangangeminyaka baye abavuma ukuba aqhubeke ezisebenzisa. Kwezinye iimeko, amagosa aseburhulumenteni aye ala ukunika abathile imvume yokuba ngabemi bamazwe abakuwo kuba bengamaNgqina kaYehova! Sekunjalo, amaNgqina akanikezeli.
15, 16. AmaNgqina kaYehova aseFransi enza ntoni xa kwachaswa umsebenzi wawo wobuKristu, yaye kutheni eqhubeka eshumayela nje?
15 Ngokomzekelo, abantu baseFransi ngokuqhelekileyo bachubekile yaye abanamkhethe. Kodwa, kukho abachasi abathile abaye bamisela imithetho eyenzelwe ukuba ibe ngumqobo kumsebenzi woBukumkani. AmaNgqina kaYehova alapho aye enza ntoni? Aye ashumayela ngenzondelelo engakumbi kunangaphambili yaye oku kuye kwaba nemiphumo evuyisayo. (Yakobi 4:7) Kaloku, kwiinyanga nje ezintandathu, inani lezifundo zeBhayibhile liye landa ngama-33 ekhulwini kwelo lizwe! UMtyholi umele ukuba uyajwaqeka ngumsindo xa ebona abantu abanyanisekileyo eFransi besamkela iindaba ezilungileyo. (ISityhilelo 12:17) AmaKristu aseFransi anentembelo yokuba la mazwi omprofeti uIsaya aya kungqineka eyinyaniso kwimeko yawo: “Nasiphi na isixhobo esiya kuyilwa nxamnye nawe asiyi kuphumelela, nalo naluphi na ulwimi oluya kuphakama nxamnye nawe ekugwetyweni uya kulugwebela isohlwayo.”—Isaya 54:17.
16 AmaNgqina kaYehova akakuthandi ukutshutshiswa. Kodwa, kuba ethobela umyalelo kaThixo awunika onke amaKristu, akanako yaye engasayi kuze ayeke ukuthetha ngezinto azivileyo. Azabalazela ukuba ngabemi abalungileyo. Xa umthetho wabantu ungqubana nokaThixo, amele athobele uThixo njengomlawuli.
Ningaboyiki
17. (a) Kutheni singamele sizoyike nje iintshaba zethu? (b) Yiyiphi indlela esimele siziphathe ngayo?
17 Iintshaba zethu zidlala ngomlilo kuba kaloku zilwa noThixo. Ngoko, ngokuvisisana nomyalelo kaYesu, kunokuba siboyike, siyabathandazela abo basitshutshisayo. (Mateyu 5:44) Sithandazela ukuba xa kukho abalwa noThixo ngenxa yokungazi, njengokuba kwenzekayo kuSawule waseTarso, ngobubele uYehova abavule amehlo babone inyaniso. (2 Korinte 4:4) USawule waba ngumpostile uPawulos ongumKristu waza wangcungcuthekiswa ngamagunya omhla wakhe. Sekunjalo, waqhubeka ekhumbuza amanye amakholwa “ukuba alulamele aze athobele oorhulumente namagunya alawulayo, alungele wonke umsebenzi olungileyo, angathethi kakubi nangabani na [kuquka nabo babatshutshisa ngenkohlakalo], angabi ngathanda ukulwa, abe nganengqiqo, ebonisa ubulali kubantu bonke.” (Tito 3:1, 2) AmaNgqina kaYehova aseFransi nawezinye iindawo azabalazela ukusebenzisa esi siluleko.
18. (a) Ziziphi iindlela uYehova anokubahlangula ngazo abantu bakhe? (b) Ekugqibeleni uya kuba yintoni umphumo?
18 UThixo wathi kumprofeti uYeremiya: “Mna ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule.” (Yeremiya 1:8) UYehova unokusihlangula njani kwintshutshiso namhlanje? Unokwenza kubekho umgwebi osesikweni njengoGamaliyeli. Okanye unokwenza ukuba igosa elikhohlakeleyo nelisichasileyo lithatyathelw’ indawo lelinye elinengqiqo. Noko ke, ngamanye amaxesha, uYehova unokuvumela abantu bakhe baqhubeke betshutshiswa. (2 Timoti 3:12) Ukuba uThixo uvumela ukuba sitshutshiswe, usoloko esinika amandla okunyamezela. (1 Korinte 10:13) Enoba uThixo uvumela ntoni, siyazi ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba umphumo uya kuba yintoni: Abo balwa nabantu bakaThixo balwa noThixo, ibe abantu abalwa noThixo abasayi kuze boyise.
19. Uthini umxholo wonyaka wama-2006, yaye kutheni ufanelekile nje?
19 UYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba balindele ukujamelana neembandezelo. (Yohane 16:33) Ngenxa yoku, amazwi akwiZenzo 5:29 afanelekile: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.” Ngenxa yoko, la mazwi achukumisayo aye akhethwa njengomxholo wonyaka wamaNgqina kaYehova wama-2006. Ngamana kulo nyaka wama-2006 de kube ngunaphakade singazimisela ukuthobela uThixo njengoMlawuli enoba sekumnyam’ entla!
[Umbhalo osemazantsi]
a ‘UKesare’ owakhethwa esidlangalaleni ngababingeleli abakhulu ngeso sihlandlo yayinguMlawuli waseRoma uTibheriyo owayethiyw’ egazini, engumhanahanisi nombulali. UTibheriyo wayesaziwa nangokuziphath’ okubi ngokwesini.—Daniyeli 11:15, 21.
Ngaba Unokuphendula?
• Nguwuphi umzekelo okhuthazayo abasimisela wona abapostile ngendlela abahlangabezana ngayo nentshutshiso?
• Kutheni simele sihlale sithobela uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu?
• Ngubani ngokwenene abalwa naye abo basichasayo?
• Yiyiphi into esinokulindela ukuba yenzeke kwabo banyamezela intshutshiso?
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 23]
Umxholo wonyaka wama-2006 uthi: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.”—IZenzo 5:29
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]
“Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
UKayafa wayekholose ngabantu kunokukholosa ngoThixo