Umzamo Ngenxa Yeendaba Ezilungileyo ETesalonika

ITesalonika, namhlanje eyaziwa njengeThessaloníki okanye iSalonika, sisixeko esime kakuhle kwizibuko elikumntla mpuma weGrisi. Esi sixeko, saba negalelo elikhulu kwimbali yamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, ngokukodwa xa uPawulos umpostile weentlanga ongumKristu, wayeshumayela.—IZENZO 9:15; ROMA 11:13.

MALUNGA nonyaka wama-50 C.E., uPawulos nendoda awayehamba nayo uSilas beza eTesalonika. Uhambo lwesibini lukaPawulos lokuba ngabathunywa bevangeli, isisihlandlo sokuqala beshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu kummandla namhlanje owaziwa ngokuba yiYurophu.

Akuthandabuzeki ukuba, njengoko babefika eTesalonika, babesakukhumbula ukubethwa nokuvalelwa kwabo entolongweni eFilipi, isixeko esiphambili eMakedoni. Eneneni, uPawulos kamva wabaxelela abo baseTesalonika ukuba xa babetyelele apho, ‘benza umzamo omkhulu wokuzithetha kubo iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo.’ (1 Tesalonika 2:1, 2) Ngaba izinto zaziza kuba ngecala labo eTesalonika? Kwakuza kuba nawuphi umphumo ukushumayela kwabo kwesi sixeko? Ngaba ukushumayela kwabo kwakuza kuba neziqhamo? Okokuqala, makhe sithethe ngesi sixeko.

Isixeko Esinemvelaphi Yezixholoxholo

Kwaigama elithi Tesalonika, livela kumagama amabini esiGrike athetha “amaTesalonika” nelithi “uloyiso,” athetha ukuzabalaza nokulwa. Kukho inkolo eqhelekileyo yokuba ngo-352 B.C.E., uKumkani waseMakedoni uPhilip II, uyise ka Aleksandire oMkhulu, woyisa isizwe esasikumbindi weGrisi eThessaly. Kuthiwa xa kwakusenziwa isikhumbuzo solo loyiso, wathiya enye yeentombi zakhe ngegama elinguThessalonice, eyathi kamva yatshata noCassander, owangena ezihlangwini zomntakwabo uAleksandire. Malunga no-315 B.C.E., uCassander wakha isixeko kwicala elingasentshona Wosinga siqithi waseChalcidice waza wasithiya ngegama lomfazi wakhe. ITesalonika ibisoloko inezixholoxholo ukutyhubela imbali yayo.

ITesalonika yayikwasisixeko esityebileyo. Yayinelona zibuko liphambili kummandla wolwandle iAegean. Kwakhona ngexesha lamaRoma, yayikuhola wendlela odumileyo iVia Egnatia. Ekubeni yayingaselwandle nakwiindlela ezisemhlabeni, iTesalonika yaba yeyona nyoba ekuthunyelwa nekulandwa kuyo impahla yoshishino. Kangangeminyaka, ukutyeba kweso sixeko kwasenza saba lixhoba lamaGoths, amaSlavs, amaFranks, amaVenetians namaTurks. Abanye babo basithimba ngezigalo. Kodwa ngoku makhe sinikele ingqalelo kutyelelo lukaPawulos, xa waqalisa ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo.

Ukufika KukaPawulos ETesalonika

Xa efika kwisixeko esitsha, uPawulos ngokuqhelekileyo uqala athethe namaYuda ngenxa yokuba ukwazi kwawo iZibhalo kwakumvulela ithuba lokuba axoxe nawo ukuze awancede aqonde iindaba ezilungileyo. Omnye umphengululi bavakalelwa kukuba eli siko lakhe uPawulos lokuqala kubantu bakubo kwakubonisa inkxalabo awayenayo ngabo okanye ukuze aqalise umsebenzi wakhe kubantu beeNtlanga wayeqala ngamaYuda nabanye abantu aboyika uThixo.—IZenzo 17:2-4.

Ngoko, xa wayefika eTesalonika, uPawulos waqala waya kwindlu yesikhungo, apho “waqiqa [namaYuda] ngeZibhalo, ecacisa yaye engqina ngeembekiselo ukuba kwakuyimfuneko ngoKristu ukubandezeleka nokuvuka kwabafileyo, kwaye esithi: ‘Nguye lowo uKristu, lo Yesu ndimvakalisa kuni.’”—IZenzo 17:2, 3, 10.

Umba uPawulos awawubalaselisayo—indima kaMesiya nokuba wayengubani—wawutshis’ ibunzi. Ukubandezeleka kukaMesiya kwakungqubana nenkolelo yamaYuda yokuba uMesiya oligorha uza kuwahlangula kulawulo lwamaRoma. Ukuze aweyisele amaYuda, uPawulos “waqiqa,” ‘wacacisa,’ ‘wangqina ngeembekiselo’ esalatha eZibhalweni—ubuchule bomfundisi ophum’ izandla.a Kodwa basabela njani abaphulaphuli bakaPawulos njengoko wayebafundisa ezi zinto zimnandi?

Ubulungiseleli Obaba Neziqhamo Namagingxigingxi

Kwathile kumaYuda kuquka namaGrike awayeguqukele ebuYudeni asamkela isigidimi sikaPawulos, kuquka “nabafazi abaziintloko abaninzi.” Ibinzana elithi “abafazi abaziintloko” lingena gingci, kuba amabhinqa aseMakedoni ayenewonga yaye exatyiswa ekuhlaleni. Ayetyunjwa ukuba abe ngamagosa kwinkonzo kawonkewonke, enelungelo lokuba nezindlu, exhamla kumalungelo athile yaye enawo namashishini. Ayesenzelwa namatye ezikhumbuzo ngelokuwanika imbeko. Kanye njengoLidiya usomashishini owayelibhinqa owamkela iindaba ezilungileyo, ngoku amabhinqa aseTesalonika anegama, mhlawumbi avela kwiintsapho ezime kakuhle okanye abafazi bamadoda aziwayo babesabela kwiindaba ezilungileyo.—IZenzo 16:14, 15; 17:4.

Noko ke, amaYuda ajwaqeka ngumona. Aqokelela “amadoda athile angendawo kulawo angoongqikana kwindawo yemarike yaye ayila ihlokondiba aza aqala ukwenza isixeko sibe sisaqunge.” (IZenzo 17:5) Yayingabantu abanjani aba? Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uwachaza la madoda ngokuthi “ngoongantweni.” Wongeza athi: “Akukho nto ebonisa ukuba laa madoda ayenomdla kumbandela ekwakubanjenwe ngawo; kodwa kanye njengamanye amahlokondiba, kwakulula ukuwaphembelela abe nogonyamelo.”

Elo hlokondiba ‘layihlasela indlu kaYason lifuna ukubazisa kulo igquba.’ Lakungamfumani uPawulos, labhenela kumagosa aphezulu olawulo lwesixeko. “Arhuqela uYason nabazalwana abathile kubalawuli besixeko, edanduluka esithi: ‘Aba bantu bawubhukuqileyo umhlaba omiweyo bakho nalapha.’”—IZenzo 17:5, 6.

Ekubeni iTesalonika yayilikomkhulu laseMakedoni, yayizilawula. Ukongeza kumaziphathe, yayinepalamente okanye indlu yebhunga, elalijongene nemicimbi yasekuhlaleni. “Abalawuli besixeko,” okanye iipolitarchs,b ayengamagosa aphezulu, anembopheleleko yokugcina ucwangco nokuphelisa iingxwabangxwaba ezazinokubangela kungenelele amaRoma baze ngaloo ndlela baphulukane namalungelo athile. Ngenxa yoko, abalawuli besixeko babeza kuphazamiseka xa babenokuva ukuba kukho “abaxwayi beenkathazo” abadubaduba uxolo.

Emva koko kwabakho isityholo esinzulu esithi: “Aba bantu benza ngokuchasene nemimiselo kaKesare, besithi kukho omnye ukumkani, uYesu.” (IZenzo 17:7) Omnye umhlalutyi wathi oku, “kubangela isiphendu nemvukelo” nxamnye nabalawuli, “ababengayi kuvuma ukuba kukhankanywe igama [lomnye] ukumkani kumaphondo athinjiweyo ngaphandle kokuba bayifumene kubo imvume yokwenjenjalo.” Kwakhona, isibakala sokuba uYesu, ochazwa njengoKumkani, wabulawa ngamaRoma kwangenxa yokudala isiphendu, kwabangela ukuba isityholo abatyatyekwa sona sijongwe njengesiyinyani.—Luka 23:2.

Abalawuli besixeko bacaphuka. Kodwa ekubeni kwakungekho bungqina bubambekayo yaye nabamangalelwa bengafunyawa ndawo, “emva kokuthabatha isibambiso esilingeneyo kuYason nakwabanye babandulula.” (IZenzo 17:8, 9) Eli lungiselelo lasebenza njengebheyile eyafunyanwa kuYason nakwamanye amaKristu eqinisekisa ukuba uPawulos wayeza kumka esixekweni yaye wayengazukuphinda abuyele aze kuphazamisa. Mhlawumbi uPawulos wayebhekisela kwesi siganeko xa wathi “uSathana uxabe endleleni” ukuze amthintele angabuyeli kweso sixeko.—1 Tesalonika 2:18.

Ngenxa yaloo meko, uPawulos noSilas bathunyelwa ngobusuku eBhereya. Nalapho uPawulos washumayela ngokuphumelelayo, kodwa loo mpumelelo yawacaphukisa amaYuda awayeziintshaba zakhe kangangokuba enjenjeya ukuhamba umgama weekhilomitha ezingama-80 ukuya eBhereya ukuya kuxhokonxa abantu ukuba bachase uPawulos noSilas. UPawulos wev’ endleleni kwakhona, esiya eAthene, kuba umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo wawuseza kuqhubeka.—IZenzo 17:10-14.

Imizamo Ngenxa Yamabandla Amatsha

Okuvuyisayo kukuba kwamiselwa ibandla eTesalonika, kodwa inkcaso yayingekokuphela kwengxaki amaKristu ayejamelene nayo. Loo maKristu ayehlala kwindawo yabahedeni, enemilinganiselo ephantsi yokuziphatha yaye loo meko yamxhalabisa uPawulos. Babeza kuchaphazeleka njani abazalwana bakhe?—1 Tesalonika 2:17; 3:1, 2, 5.

AmaKristu aseTesalonika ayesazi ukuba xa eyeka ukubandakanyeka kwimicimbi yasekuhlaleni neyonqulo, ayeza kujamelana nomsindo wabahlobo babo bangaphambili. (Yohane 17:14) Ukongezelela koko, iTesalonika yayizaliswe zizithixo zamaGrike ezinjengoZeus, uArtemis, uApollo nabanye oothixo baseYiputa. Ukunqulwa komlawuli nako kwakubalasele, yaye bonke abemi kwakufuneka babenenxaxheba kwimibhiyozo ehamba nalo. Ukungabi nanxaxheba kwakujongwa njengokuvukela iRoma.

Ngokuqhelekileyo unqulo zithixo lukhuthaza imilinganiselo ephantsi yokuziphatha. UCabirus isithixo esibalulekileyo saseTesalonika; uDionysus; uAphrodite noIsis izithixo zaseYiputa zonke zazinento ezifana ngayo: imibhiyozo yonqulo engalawulekiyo ehambisana nokwabelana ngesondo nokunxila. Ukuba namashweshwe noonongogo kwakuxhaphakile. Ukuhenyuza kwakungeso sono ebantwini. Inkcubeko yawo yayiphenjelelwa yeyamaRoma, ngokutsho komnye umthombo, “abemi babezifica ngesondo naye nabani na—babe nabo oogqirha babeyikhuthaza loo minqweno.” Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba, uPawulos abongoze amaKristu awayelapho ukuba ‘akhwebuke kuhenyuzo’ yaye ayiphephe ‘inkanuko yesini’ ‘nokungcola.’—1 Tesalonika 4:3-8.

Impumelelo Kumlo Wabo

AmaKristu aseTesalonika kwafuneka abhinqe omfutshane alwele ukholo. Ephantsi kwezo meko, ubunzima nokuphila phakathi kwabahedeni abanemilinganiselo ephantsi yokuziphatha, anconywa nguPawulos ngenxa ‘yomsebenzi wawo wokuthembeka, ukubulaleka kwawo eqhutywa luthando, ukunyamezela’ nokufak’ isandla kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ngokubanzi.—1 Tesalonika 1:3, 8.

Ngo-303 kwiXesha Eliqhelekileyo, intshutshiso ekrakra yaqhambuka eRoma nxamnye nabo babesithi bangamaKristu. Unobangela oyintloko yaloo ntshutshiso yayinguKesare uGalerius, owayehlala eTesalonika nowakha izakhiwo ezihle. Amabhodlo ezinye zezo zakhiwo asekho nanamhla oku ukuze abonwe ngabakhenkethi.

Namhlanje, amaNgqina kaYehova aseThessaloníki ashumayela kubamelwane bawo, amaxesha amaninzi ayazibona ezo zakhiwo zaloo mlawuli ukhohlakeleyo owayelutshaba lwamaKristu. Ngoxa bekukhe kwakho izihlandlo kwinkulungwane yama-20 apho aye ashumayela phantsi kwenkcaso ekrakra, ngoku kukho amabandla angama-60 amaNgqina akhutheleyo kweso sixeko. Umgudu wawo wokusasaza iindaba ezilungileyo owaqalisa kwiinkulungwane ezininzi ezadlulayo usaqhubeka yaye uyaphumelela.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 18]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

IVia Egnatia

IMAKEDONI

IFilipi

IAmfipoli

ITesalonika

IBhereya

ITHESSALY

Ulwandle Lwe Aegean

IATHENE

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 20, 21]

Ngsentla: IThessaloníki yanamhlanje;

Nngasentla: Imarike nendlu yokuhlamba eAgora

[Inkcazelo]

Imifanekiso emibini esemazantsi: IEphorate yenkulungwane ye-16 yePrehistoric neClassical Antiquities, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 21]

IRotunda kufutshane neGalerius’ Arch; umfanekiso okrokiweyo kaKesare uGalerius; ukushumayela kufutshane neGalerius’ Arch

[Inkcazelo]

Umfanekiso ophakathi: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]

Intloko imedallion: © Bibliothèque nationale de France; umbhalo oselityeni: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism