ISAHLUKO 6
UStefano—“UThixo Wamenzela Ububele . . . Waza Wamnika Amandla”
Into esinokuyifunda kwindlela uStefano awashumayela ngesibindi ngayo kwiSanhedrin
Sisekelwe kwiZenzo 6:8–8:3
1-3. (a) Yeyiphi imeko enzima akuyo uStefano, kodwa uvakalelwa njani? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kufunda ngayo?
USTEFANO umi phambi kwenkundla yamatyala. Kwisakhiwo seholo ekumgangatho ophezulu, esenokuba ikufuphi netempile yaseYerusalem, kuhleli amadoda ayi-71 akhe isangqa. Namhlanje le nkundla yeSanhedrin iza kugweba uStefano. Iijaji zayo ngamadoda anegunya namanyelwayo, ibe amaninzi kuwo awamboneli ntweni lo mfundi kaYesu. Phofu, umntu ohlanganise ezi jaji nguMbingeleli Omkhulu uKayafa, owayephethe iSanhedrin xa yanika uYesu isigwebo sokufa kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ngaphambilana. Ngaba le nto iyamoyikisa uStefano?
2 Buyamangalisa indlela obuyiyo ubuso bukaStefano. Iijaji ziyamjonga zize zibone ukuba ubuso bakhe “bufana nobengelosi.” (IZe. 6:15) Iingelosi zigqithisa imiyalezo evela kuYehova uThixo ngoko zifanele ukuba azoyiki futhi zihlala zizolile. Yiloo ndlela kanye avakalelwa ngayo uStefano, nezo jaji zimzondayo ziyayibona loo nto. Yintoni le imenza azole?
3 Ininzi into anokuyifunda amaKristu anamhlanje kwimpendulo yalo mbuzo. Nathi kufuneka sazi ukuba yintoni eyambeka kule meko enzima kangaka uStefano. Walulwela njani ukholo lwakhe ngaphambi kokuba izinto zifikelele kule ndawo? Sinokumlinganisa njani?
“Bantyontyela Nabantu” (IZenzo 6:8-15)
4, 5. (a) Kutheni le nto uStefano wayeluncedo kakhulu ebandleni? (b) Kuthethwa ukuthiwani xa kusithiwa “uThixo wamenzela ububele . . . waza wamnika amandla uStefano”?
4 Sesivile ukuba uStefano wayeluncedo kakhulu kwibandla lamaKristu elalisand’ ukusekwa. Kwisahluko esingaphambili sale ncwadi, siye seva ukuba wayengomnye wamadoda asixhenxe athobekileyo awavumayo ukuncedisa abapostile. Iyamangalisa indlela awayethobeke ngayo xa sicinga ngeziphiwo ezininzi awayesikelelwe ngazo nguThixo. KwiZenzo 6:8, sifunda ukuba uThixo wamenza wakwazi ukwenza “imimangaliso emikhulu nemiqondiso” kanye njengokuba babesenza abanye abapostile. Sixelelwa nokuba “uThixo wamenzela ububele . . . waza wamnika amandla.” Yayithetha ukuthini loo nto?
5 Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “uThixo wamenzela ububele” linokuguqulelwa nangokuthi “wayenobubele bukaThixo.” Kuyacaca ukuba uStefano wayenobubele, nto leyo yayisenza abantu bamthande. Xa ethetha, wayekwazi ukubaqinisekisa abantu abammameleyo ukuba akabaqhathi nokuba iinyaniso azifundisayo zinokubanceda. Waba namandla ngenxa yokuba umoya kaYehova wawusebenza kuye, kuba wathobeka wawuvumela ukuba umkhokele. Kunokuba akhukhumale ngenxa yeziphiwo nobuchule awayenabo, wazukisa uYehova futhi wabonisa ukuba uyabakhathalela abantu awayethetha nabo. Ayothusi ke into yokuba abantu ababemchasa babemjonga njengomntu onokubamoshela izinto!
6-8. (a) Zeziphi izinto ezimbini abachasi bakaStefano abamtyhola ngazo, ibe kwakutheni? (b) Kutheni umzekelo kaStefano unokuwanceda amaKristu namhlanje?
6 Kwaphakama amadoda athile aza aphikisana noStefano, kodwa ‘akazange akwazi ukumelana nobulumko bakhe nomoya oyingcwele owawumnceda ukuba athethe.’a Ngenxa yokuxakwa, ‘antyontyela amanye amadoda ngokufihlakeleyo’ ukuba amtyabeke ngezityholo lo mlandeli kaKristu umsulwa. ‘Antyontyela nabantu,’ amadoda amakhulu nababhali, ukuze kusiwe uStefano phambi kweSanhedrin ngenkani. (IZe. 6:9-12) Ezi ntshaba zamtyhola ngezinto ezimbini: Zathi, uthethe kakubi ngoThixo nangoMoses. Njani?
7 La maxoki athi uStefano wayedelele uThixo ngokuthetha izinto ezimbi “ngale ndawo ingcwele”—itempile yaseYerusalem. (IZe. 6:13) Aphinda athi wayedelele uMoses ngokutshintsha amasiko awawafundisayo, esithi ngokwenza loo nto wayephikisana noMthetho kaMoses. Yayisisityholo esinzulu esi kuba kumaYuda ngelo xesha yayingekho into eyayibaluleke ngaphezu kwetempile, uMthetho kaMoses, nezithethe ezininzi awayezifakelele kuloo Mthetho. Ngoko ke, eso sityholo sasithetha ukuba uStefano yindoda eyingozi efanelwe kukufa.
8 Into ebuhlungu kukuba, yinto eqhelekileyo ukuba abantu bonqulo basebenzise loo maqhinga ukuze bazisele abakhonzi bakaThixo iingxaki. Nanamhlanje, ngamany’ amaxesha abantu bonqulo banyanzelisa oorhulumente ukuba batshutshise amaNgqina kaYehova. Sifanele senze ntoni xa sityholwa ngezinto ezibubuxoki? Ininzi into esinokuyifunda kuStefano.
Ukushumayela Ngesibindi ‘NgoThixo Ozukileyo’ (IZenzo 7:1-53)
9, 10. Abanye abantu baye bakugxeka njani ukuzithethelela kukaStefano phambi kweSanhedrin, futhi yintoni esifanele siyikhumbule?
9 Njengokuba kutshiwo ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko, ubuso bukaStefano babuzole njengobuso bengelosi xa wayemamele izinto awayetyholwa ngazo. Ngoku uKayafa wambuza: “Ziyinyani na ezi zinto?” (IZe. 7:1) Lafika ixesha lokuba uStefano athethe, futhi ke wathetha into evakalayo.
10 Abany’ abantu bayayigxeka indlela awazithethelela ngayo uStefano, besithi nangona wathetha ixesha elide, zange ayiphendule into awayetyholwa ngayo. Kodwa inyaniso kukuba uStefano wasibekela umzekelo omhle kakhulu ‘wokuzithethelela’ iindaba ezilungileyo. (1 Pet. 3:15) Khumbula ukuba uStefano wayetyholwa ngokudelela uThixo ngokuthetha kakubi ngetempile nangokudelela uMoses ngokuthetha izinto eziphikisana noMthetho. Impendulo kaStefano ishwankathela amaxesha amathathu embali kaSirayeli, ibe kukho iindawo ezithile azicacisa ngobuchule. Makhe sithethe ngexesha ngalinye kula maxesha mathathu embali.
11, 12. (a) Wabethelela ntoni uStefano ngoAbraham, futhi wayefuna ukuveza eyiphi ingongoma? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uStefano athethe ngoYosefu?
11 Ixesha lookhokho bamaSirayeli. (IZe. 7:1-16) UStefano uqala athethe ngoAbraham, owayehlonitshwa ngamaYuda ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Ekuqaleni kwakhe ngale nto ibalulekileyo awayesazi ukuba bonke bayavumelana ngayo, uStefano wabethelela into yokuba uYehova, “uThixo ozukileyo” waqala wabonakala kuAbraham eMesopotamiya. (IZe. 7:2) Phofu, uAbraham lo wayengumntu wasemzini kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Wayengenayo itempile noMthetho kaMoses. Umntu ke wayenokubambelela njani kwinto yokuba ukuthembeka kuThixo kusoloko kuxhomekeke kwitempile nemithetho?
12 Nenzala ka-Abraham uYosefu wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ngabo bantu wayethetha nabo uStefano, kodwa wabakhumbuza ukuba uYosefu owayelilungisa watshutshiswa de wathengiswa ebukhobokeni ngabantakwabo, ezaziphuma kubo izizwe zakwaSirayeli. Kodwa uThixo wasebenzisa yena ukuze asindise amaSirayeli kwindlala. UStefano wayezazi izinto ababefana ngazo uYosefu noYesu Kristu, kodwa wakhetha ukungathethi ngazo ukuze bangayeki ukummamela abo bantu.
13. Ukuthetha kukaStefano ngoMoses kwangqina njani ukuba yayingekho loo nto wayetyholwa ngayo, futhi wayefuna ukuveza eyiphi ingongoma?
13 Ixesha likaMoses. (IZe. 7:17-43) UStefano wathetha izinto ezininzi ngoMoses. Wenza ngobulumko, kuba abaninzi kwiSanhedrin yayingabaSadusi, ababesamkela iincwadi zeBhayibhile ezabhalwa nguMoses kuphela, bezikhaba zonk’ ezinye. Khumbula ukuba uStefano wayetyholwa nangokudelela uMoses. UStefano wayenza yacaca into yokuba yayingekho loo nto wayetyholwa ngayo kuba amazwi akhe abonisa ukuba wayemhlonipha uMoses noMthetho. (IZe. 7:38) Wabonisa ukuba kwayena uMoses wachaswa ngabo wayezimisele ukubasindisa. Bamchasa xa wayena-40. Emva kweminye iminyaka eyi-40, bamvukela kaninzi.b Apho wayesiya khona uStefano kusekubeni: Abantu bakaThixo basoloko bebachasa abo uYehova abamisele ukuba babakhokele.
14. UStefano wathetha ngoMoses ukuze angqine ntoni?
14 UStefano wakhumbuza abo wayethetha nabo ukuba uMoses waxela kusengaphambili ngomprofeti ofana naye owayeza kuvela kwaSirayeli. Yayiza kuba ngubani loo mprofeti ibe wayeza kwamkelwa njani? UStefano wayiyeka kanjalo loo mibuzo ukuze ayiphendule ekugqibeleni. Wathetha eny’ into ebalulekileyo: UMoses wayefunde into yokuba nawuphi na umhlaba unako ukwenziwa ngcwele, njengalowo kwakusitsha kuwo ityholo uYehova awayethetha naye kulo. Xa kunjalo, ngaba uYehova unokunqulwa kwisakhiwo esinye kuphela, njengakuloo tempile yaseYerusalem? Makhe sibone.
15, 16. (a) Kwakubaluleke ngantoni ukuthetha ngentente engcwele kukaStefano? (b) UStefano waveza eyiphi ingongoma xa wayethetha ngetempile kaSolomon?
15 Intente engcwele netempile. (IZe. 7:44-50) UStefano wakhumbuza loo nkundla ukuba ngaphambi kokuba kubekho nayiphi na itempile eYerusalem, uThixo wayalela uMoses ukuba akhe intente engcwele yokunqulela neyayinokufuduselwa kwenye indawo. Ngubani owayenokuba nesibindi sokuthi loo ntente ingcwele yayingaphantsi kwetempile ngokubaluleka, xa naye uMoses wayenqulela kuyo?
16 Ethubeni, xa uSolomon wakha itempile yaseYerusalem, waphefumlelwa ukuba athethe into ebalulekileyo kumthandazo wakhe. UStefano wayichaza wathi: “Oyena Uphakamileyo akahlali kwizindlu ezenziwe ngezandla.” (IZe. 7:48; 2 Kron. 6:18) UYehova unokuyisebenzisa itempile ukuze afeze iinjongo zakhe, kodwa akaxhomekekanga kuyo. Ngoko abanquli bakhe abafanelanga bacinge ukuba banokumnqula ngendlela eyiyo kuphela kwisakhiwo esenziwe ngezandla zabantu. UStefano wayiqukumbela le ngongoma ngendlela enamandla ngokucaphula incwadi kaIsaya ethi: “UYehova uthi, ‘Izulu yitrone yam, nomhlaba sisitulo seenyawo zam. Injani ke indlu onokundakhela yona? Okanye yindawo enjani le ndinokuphumla kuyo? Ayisosandla sam na esazenzayo zonke ezi zinto?’”—IZe. 7:49, 50; Isa. 66:1, 2.
17. Into awayithethayo uStefano (a) yenza njani kwacaca ukuba abo babemtyhola babezibona ngendlela engeyiyo izinto, futhi (b) yangqina njani ukuba akanatyala?
17 Xa ucinga ngezinto ezithethwe nguStefano kwiSanhedrin ukuza kutsho ngoku, ngaba awuvumi ukuba waba nobuchule bokuyenza icace into yokuba abo babemtyhola babezibona ngendlela engeyiyo izinto? Wenza kwacaca ukuba uYehova ubhetyebhetye futhi unokuyifeza ngeendlela ezininzi injongo yakhe. Akukho meko okanye sithethe sinokumbamba. Abo babebambelele kubuhle beso sakhiwo saseYerusalem nakumasiko nezithethe ekwakusithiwa asekelwe kuMthetho kaMoses, babeyiphosile eyona njongo yoMthetho netempile. Kwakufana nokungathi uStefano uthi: Eyona ndlela ibhetele yokuhlonipha uMthetho netempile kungokuthobela uYehova. Amazwi kaStefano ayengqina ukuba akanatyala kuba wayemthobele kangangoko uYehova.
18. Zeziphi iindlela esifanele sizame ukumlinganisa ngazo uStefano?
18 Yintoni esiyifundayo kwindlela awazithethelela ngayo uStefano? Kukuba wayezazi kakuhle iZibhalo. Nathi simele sikukhuthalele ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo ukuze sikwazi ‘ukuliphatha kakuhle ilizwi lenyaniso.’ (2 Tim. 2:15) Enye into esinokuyifunda kuStefano yindlela yokuthetha ngobubele nabantu. Abantu awayethetha nabo babekhohlakele kakhulu. Kodwa, kangangexesha elide wakwazi ukuthetha nabo ngezinto bonke ababevumelana ngazo kuba ezo zinto zazibaluleke kakhulu kuloo madoda. Wathetha nawo ngembeko, ewabiza loo madoda madala ngokuthi “botata.” (IZe. 7:2) Nathi sifanele sishumayele inyaniso yeLizwi likaThixo “ngomoya ophantsi nangembeko.”—1 Pet. 3:15.
19. UStefano wawudlulisela njani ngesibindi umgwebo kaYehova kwiSanhedrin?
19 Nakuba kunjalo, asiyeki ukuxelela abanye inyaniso eseLizwini likaThixo kuba nje sisoyika ukubakhubekisa; asiyithintshi nemiyalezo yomgwebo kaYehova kuba sifuna ukuvisa abanye kamnandi. UStefano ungumzekelo omhle kuthi. Ngokuqinisekileyo wabona ukuba bonke ubungqina awayesiza nabo phambi kweSanhedrin babungena kwenye indlebe buphume kwenye kwezo jaji zineentloko ezilukhuni. Ngoko ke, eqhutywa ngumoya oyingcwele wagqibezela ngokubaxelela ukuba babefana nookhokho babo abangazange bamamkele uYosefu, uMoses, nabo bonke abanye abaprofeti. (IZe. 7:51-53) Phofu ke, ezi jaji zeSanhedrin zambulala uMesiya, uMoses nabanye abaprofeti ababeprofete ngokuza kwakhe. Inyani kukuba, zawophula kakhulu uMthetho kaMoses!
“Nkosi Yesu, Ndibuyekela Ezandleni Zakho Ubomi Bam” (IZenzo 7:54–8:3)
“Bathi bakuva loo mazwi baba nomsindo, bafuna ukumenzakalisa.”—IZenzo 7:54
20, 21. Yathini iSanhedrin emva kokuva amazwi kaStefano, futhi uYehova wamqinisa njani?
20 Inyaniso engenakuphikiswa eyathethwa nguStefano yazenza zaba nomsindo kakhulu ezo jaji. Zange zikwazi ukuzibamba, zafuna ukumenzakalisa uStefano. Loo ndoda ithembekileyo kumele ukuba yavele yabona ukuba ayizukwenzelwa kwanceba, kanye njengokuba neNkosi yayo uYesu, ingazange yenzelwe nceba.
21 UStefano kwafuneka abe nesibindi ukuze anyamezele into eyayiza kwenzeka kuye, futhi ngokuqinisekileyo wakhuthazwa kakhulu ngumbono awawunikwa nguYehova. Wabona uzuko lukaThixo, wabona noYesu emi ngasekunene kukaYehova. Njengokuba wayechaza lo mbono, ezo jaji zavala iindlebe zazo. Zazizivalela ntoni? Ngaphambilana, uYesu wayezichazele ukuba wayenguMesiya nokuba wayesele eza kuba ngasekunene kukaTata. (Marko 14:62) Lo mbono kaStefano wawungqina ukuba uYesu wayenyanisile. Kaloku, loo Sanhedrin yamjikela yaza yambulala uMesiya. Yaphakama yonke ngexesh’ elinye, ileqa ukuyobulala uStefano ngamatye.c
22, 23. Zeziphi iindlela ukufa kukaStefano okwakufana ngazo nokweNkosi yakhe, futhi amaKristu namhlanje anokumthemba njani uYehova kanye njengoStefano?
22 UStefano wafa eseluxolweni, ethembele kuYehova ngokupheleleyo, futhi ebaxolele ababulali bakhe, kanye njengeNkosi yakhe. Wathi, “Nkosi Yesu, ndibuyekela ezandleni zakho ubomi bam,” mhlawumbi kuba esambona uNyana womntu embonweni ekunye noYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo uStefano wayewazi amazwi akhuthazayo kaYesu athi: “Ndim uvuko nobomi.” (Yoh. 11:25) Ekugqibeleni, uStefano wathandaza kuThixo uqobo ngelizwi eliphezulu esithi: “Yehova, uze ungabohlwayi ngenxa yesi sono.” Emva kokutsho, walala ekufeni.—IZe. 7:59, 60.
23 Ngoko uStefano waba ngumfundi kaKristu wokuqala owabulawa ngabachasi. (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “UStefano Wabulawa Kuba Wayengqina NgoYesu.”) Into ebuhlungu kukuba, wayengazi kuba ngowokugqibela. Ukuza kutsho namhlanje, abanye abakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo baye babulawa ngabantu bonqulo nabepolitiki abaneembono ezibaxiweyo, nabanye abachasi abakhohlakeleyo. Kodwa sinokumthemba uYehova kanye njengoStefano. Ngoku uYesu unguKumkani futhi uTata wakhe umnike amandla amangalisayo. Akukho kwanto eza kumenza angakwazi ukuvusa abalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo.—Yoh. 5:28, 29.
24. USawule wancedisa njani ekubulaweni kukaStefano, futhi ukusweleka kwaloo ndoda ithembekileyo kwaba neziphi iziphumo ezintle ezazisa kusebenza ixesha elide?
24 Kwakukho umfana onguSawule owayeyibukele yonke le nto yayisenzeka. Wayevumelana nokubulawa kukaStefano, wada wabagadela iimpahla abo babemgibisela ngamatye. Kungekudala emva koko, waqalisa ukubatshutshisa ngenkohlakalo abafundi bakaYesu. Kodwa ukufa kukaStefano kwakuza kuba neziphumo ezintle ezazisa kusebenza ixesha elide. Umzekelo wakhe wakhuthaza amanye amaKristu ukuba ahlale ethembekile de kube sekufeni. Kanti uSawule yena, owabizwa ngokuba nguPawulos kamva, wazisola kakhulu ngokufak’ isandla ekubulaweni kukaStefano. (IZe. 22:20) Wancedisa ekubulaweni kukaStefano, kodwa kamva wathi: “Ndandikade ndidelela uThixo, nditshutshisa abantu bakhe.” (1 Tim. 1:13) Kucacile ukuba uPawulos akazange amlibale uStefano nendlela enamandla awazithethelela ngayo ngaloo mini. Phofu, kwezinye iintetho neencwadi zakhe uPawulos wathetha ngezinto awathetha ngazo uStefano. (IZe. 7:48; 17:24; Heb. 9:24) Ethubeni, uPawulos wafunda ukuba nokholo nesibindi njengoStefano, indoda ‘uThixo awayenzela ububele . . . waza wayinika amandla.’ Nanku ke umbuzo, Ngaba nathi siza kufana noStefano?
a Abanye kwezi ntshaba babephuma ‘kwiNdlu Yokukhonza Yabantu Abakhululweyo.’ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba aba bantu babekade bengamabanjwa aseRoma baza kamva bakhululwa, okanye babekhululwe ebukhobokeni baza baguqukela kubuYuda. Abanye kubo babevela eKilikiya, ingingqi awayevela kuyo noSawule waseTarso. Le ngxelo ayisichazeli noba uSawule wayephakathi kwabo bantu baseKilikiya bangazange bakwazi ukumelana noStefano na.
b Kwimpendulo kaStefano sifumana inkcazelo esingenakuyifumana kwenye indawo eBhayibhileni, njengeenkcukacha ezimalunga nemfundo eyafunyanwa nguMoses eYiputa, ukuba wayengakanani xa wayebaleka okokuqala eYiputa, nokuba wahlala ixesha elingakanani kwaMidiyan.
c Phantsi komthetho wamaRoma, akubonakali ngathi iSanhedrin yayinikwe igunya lokuwisa isigwebo sokubulala. (Yoh. 18:31) Kodwa ke, into ebonakalayo kukuba uStefano wabulawa ligquba elalinomsindo, hayi kuba egwetywe yinkundla ngenxa yokuba efunyaniswe enetyala.