ISAHLUKO 25
“Ndibhenela KuKesare!”
UPawulos wasimisela umzekelo omhle wokuzithethelela iindaba ezilungileyo
Sisekelwe kwiZenzo 25:1–26:32
1, 2. (a) Yiyiphi imeko azifumana ekuyo uPawulos? (b) Nguwuphi umbuzo ophakamayo ngokuphathelele ukubhenela kukaPawulos kuKesare?
UPAWULOS waqhubeka egadiwe eKesareya. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva xa wayebuyele kwaYuda, kwiintsuku nje ezingephi amaYuda azama ukumbulala ubuncinane izihlandlo ezithathu. (IZe. 21:27-36; 23:10, 12-15, 27) De kube ngoku, iintshaba zakhe azikaphumeleli kwelo linge lazo, kodwa azikancami. Esakubona ngathi uza kunikelwa ezandleni zazo, uthi kwiRhuluneli yaseRoma uFesto: “Ndibhenela kuKesare!”—IZe. 25:11.
2 Ngaba uYehova wasixhasa eso sigqibo sikaPawulos sokubhenela kumlawuli waseRoma? Impendulo yalo mbuzo ibaluleke gqitha kuthi, thina sinikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo kweli xesha lesiphelo. Sifuna ukwazi enoba ngumzekelo esimele siwuxelise kusini na lowo wamiselwa nguPawulos ‘wokuthelela iindaba ezilungileyo, ezama ukuba zibe semthethweni.’—Fil. 1:7.
“Ndimi Phambi Kwesihlalo Sokugweba” (IZenzo 25:1-12)
3, 4. (a) Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba amaYuda enze isicelo sokuba uPawulos aziswe eYerusalem, ibe wasindiswa yintoni koko kufa? (b) UYehova ubomeleza njani abakhonzi bakhe namhlanje, njengoko wenzayo kuPawulos?
3 Kwiintsuku ezintathu emva kokuba esezintanjeni zolawulo, uFesto, irhuluneli entsha yaseRoma kwelakwaYuda, waya eYerusalem.a Apho wafika waphulaphula njengoko ababingeleli namadoda aziintloko amaYuda ayetyabeka uPawulos ngezityholo ezinzulu zolwaphulo-mthetho. Ayesazi ukuba le rhuluneli intsha yayiphantsi koxinezeleko lwabaphathi bayo lokuba igcine uxolo phakathi kwabo nawo onke amaYuda. Ngoko ke, acela oku kuFesto: Zisa uPawulos eYerusalem, uze ulivavanye khona ityala lakhe. Noko ke, kwakukho iyelenqe kweso sicelo sabo. Ezo ntshaba zazicebe ukumbulalela apho endleleni uPawulos. UFesto wasikhaba eso sicelo, wathi: “Abo banegunya kuni . . . mabehle nam [siye eKesareya] baze bammangalele, ukuba ikhona nyhani into embi ayenzileyo.” (IZe. 25:5) Ngenxa yoko, uPawulos waphinda wasinda ekufeni.
4 Kulo lonke elo xesha lokuvavanywa kwetyala likaPawulos, uYehova wamomeleza esebenzisa iNkosi uYesu Kristu. Khumbula ukuba embonweni, uYesu wathi kulo mpostile: “Yiba nesibindi!” (IZe. 23:11) Nanamhlanje, abakhonzi bakaThixo bajamelana neengxaki nezisongelo ezininzi. UYehova akasikhuseli kubo bonke ubunzima, kunoko usipha ubulumko namandla okunyamezela. Sinokuhlala sithembela ‘kwamandla ethu angaqhelekanga’ esiwafumana kuThixo wethu onothando.—2 Kor. 4:7.
5. UFesto walisingatha njani ityala likaPawulos?
5 Kwiintsuku ezithile kamva, uFesto “wahlala kwisihlalo sokugweba” eKesareya.b Phambi kwakhe kwema uPawulos nabamangaleli bakhe. Ephendula ezo zityholo zazo zingenasihlahla, uPawulos wathi: “Andonanga Mthetho WamaYuda, andonanga tempile ndingonanga noKesare.” Lo mpostile wayengenatyala kwaphela efanelwe nje kukukhululwa. Wayeza kuthini ke ngoku uFesto? Efuna ukukholeka kumaYuda, wabuza oku kuPawulos: “Awufuni na ukunyuka uye eYerusalem uyokugwetyelwa khona ngezi zinto?” (IZe. 25:6-9) Sasitenxe ngokupheleleyo eso sicelo. Ukuba uPawulos wayethunyelwe eYerusalem, wayeza kugwetywa kwazezo ntshaba zakhe aze abulawe nakanjani na. Kwesi isihlandlo, uFesto wayefuna ukuzenza mhle kunokumela okusesikweni. Irhuluneli yangaphambili, uPontiyo Pilato, yenza okufanayo kwityala elalibandakanya elona banjwa libaluleke ngakumbi. (Yoh. 19:12-16) Iijaji zanamhlanje zisenokukhetha ukukholisa abantu xa ziphantsi koxinezeleko lwezopolitiko. Ngoko ke, asimele simangaliswe xa iinkundla zikhetha ukugqwetha isigwebo kumatyala abantu bakaThixo.
6, 7. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos abhenele kuKesare, ibe oko kwamisela wuphi umzekelo kumaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje?
6 Ukunqwenela kukaFesto ukukholisa amaYuda kwakunokumbulalisa uPawulos. Ngoko ke, uPawulos wasebenzisa ilungelo lakhe njengommi waseRoma. Wathi kuFesto: “Ndimi phambi kwesihlalo sokugweba sikaKesare, apho ndifanele ndigwetyelwe khona. Andenzanga nto imbi kumaYuda, yaye nawe uyazibonela loo nto. . . . Ndibhenela kuKesare!” Wayedla ngokuthi umntu akwenza eso sibheno singabi nakujikwa. UFesto wakugxininisa oku, wathi: “Ubhenele kuKesare; uya kuya kuKesare.” (IZe. 25:10-12) Ngokubhenela kwakhe kwigunya lomthetho elingasentla, uPawulos wawamisela umzekelo amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje. Xa iintshaba zizama ukuwayilela “inkathazo egameni lomthetho,” amaNgqina kaYehova aye asebenzise amalungiselelo omthetho akhoyo ukuze athethelele iindaba ezilungileyo.c—INdu. 94:20.
7 Ngoko ke, emva kweminyaka emibini evalelwe entolongweni ngamatyala angawenzanga, uPawulos wanikwa ithuba lokuya kuzithethelela eRoma. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba aye apho, omnye umlawuli wafuna ukumbona.
Siyabhena xa sigwetywa ngokungafanelekanga
“Ndawuthobela” (IZenzo 25:13–26:23)
8, 9. Kwakutheni ukuze uKumkani uAgripa atyelele eKesareya?
8 Emva kweentsuku ezithile uFesto evile ukuba uPawulos ubhenela kuKesare, uKumkani uAgripa nodade wabo uBhernike bagaleleka “bezokubona” le rhuluneli intsha.d Ngexesha lokulawula kweRoma, kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo ukuba abalawuli benze loo matyelelo kwiirhuluneli ezisandul’ ukubekwa. Ngokuya kuvuyisana kwakhe noFesto owayesandul’ ukubekwa, akuthandabuzeki ukuba uAgripa wayezama ukwakha ubudlelane obuhle elungiselela ingomso.—IZe. 25:13.
9 UFesto waxelela le kumkani ngoPawulos, yatsho yanomdla wokuzivela kuPawulos. Kusuku olulandelayo, aba balawuli babini bahlala kwisihlalo sokugweba. Noko ke, igunya nobuyokoyoko babo abuzange bubaluleke nganto kunokuba kwaba njalo ngamazwi elo banjwa lalimi phambi kwabo liza kuzithethelela.—IZe. 25:22-27.
10, 11. UPawulos wayibonisa njani intlonipho kuAgripa, ibe ziziphi iinkcukacha awazichazela lo kumkani ngehambo yakhe yangaphambili?
10 Ngentlonipho uPawulos wambulela uKumkani uAgripa ngokumnika ithuba lokuzithethelela, evuma ukuba loo kumkani wayeyingcali kuwo onke amasiko neembambano zamaYuda. Emva koko uPawulos wachaza ngobomi bakhe bangaphambili esithi: “AbaFarisi balelona qela lingqongqo kwinkonzo yamaYuda.” (IZe. 26:5) NjengomFarisi, uPawulos wayenethemba lokuza kukaMesiya. Ngoku njengomKristu, wabonisa ngenkalipho ukuba uYesu Kristu wayengulowo kudala elindelwe. Inkolelo ababenayo bonke yena nabo babemmangalela—leyo yethemba lokuzaliseka kwedinga elenziwa nguThixo kookhokho babo—yayiyiyo kanye le wayemangalelwa ngayo uPawulos ngaloo mini. Oku kwenza uAgripa wanomdla nangakumbi ukuva oko kwakuza kuthethwa nguPawulos.e
11 Ekhumbula indlela awayekade ewaphatha kakubi ngayo amaKristu, uPawulos wathi: “Mna lo ndandiqinisekile ukuba kufuneka ndenze yonke into ukuze ndilwe negama likaYesu umNazarete. . . . Ekubeni ndandibakhohlakalele [abalandeli bakaKristu] nyhani, ndandide ndiyokubatshutshisa nakwizixeko ezingaphandle.” (IZe. 26:9-11) UPawulos wayengazibaxi izinto xa esitsho. Abaninzi babelwazi kakuhle olo gonyamelo lwakhe kumaKristu. (Gal. 1:13, 23) UAgripa umele ukuba wayezibuza oku: ‘Ngaba yintoni bethu eyatshintsha lo mntu?’
12, 13. (a) UPawulos wakuchaza njani ukuguquka kwakhe? (b) Yiyiphi indlela uPawulos ‘awayekhaba ngayo iimviko’?
12 Amazwi alandelayo kaPawulos ayakuphendula oku: “Ndathi ndisaqhubeka naloo nto, ndisendleleni eya eDamasko, ndinikwe imvume ngababingeleli abaziintloko, emini, endleleni, ndabona ukukhanya okukhulu okuvela ezulwini, Kumkani, kusogqitha nokukhanya kwelanga. Kwalayita kum nakubantu endandihamba nabo. Sonke sawa phantsi ndaza ndeva ilizwi lithetha nam ngesiHebhere lisithi: ‘Sawule, Sawule, kutheni unditshutshisa nje? Uza kwenzakala njengokuba usilwa nam.’ Ndathi: ‘Ungubani Nkosi yam?’ Yathi iNkosi: ‘NdinguYesu, lo umtshutshisayo.’”f—IZe. 26:12-15.
13 Ngaphambi kwaloo mbono, ngokufuziselayo uPawulos ‘wayekhaba iimviko.’ Kanye njengokuba iqegu beliya kuzenzakalisa ngokungeyomfuneko xa likhaba iimviko, naye uPawulos wayezenzakalisa ngokomoya ngokuxhathisa kwakhe ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngokuzibonakalisa kwakhe kuPawulos endleleni eya eDamasko, uYesu ovusiweyo wayinceda yatshintsha le ndoda inyanisekileyo neyayilahlekisiwe.—Yoh. 16:1, 2.
14, 15. Yintoni awayithethayo uPawulos ngokuphathelele utshintsho awalwenzayo kubomi bakhe?
14 UPawulos wenza iinguqu ezibonakalayo kubomi bakhe. Ethetha noAgripa wathi: “Ndawuthobela umbono wasezulwini, ndaqala eDamasko ndaya eYerusalem, ndalihamba lonke elakwaYuda ndaza emva koko ndaya ezintlangeni, ndishumayela umyalezo othi abantu bamele baguquke baze bakhonze uThixo ngokwenza izinto ezibonisa ukuba baguqukile.” (IZe. 26:19, 20) Sekuqengqeleke iminyaka uPawulos ephumeza uthumo awalufumana kuYesu Kristu kuloo mbono wasemini emaqanda. Yaba yintoni imiphumo? Abo bazamkelayo iindaba ezilungileyo ezazishunyayelwa nguPawulos baguquka ekuziphatheni okubi, ukunganyaniseki baza baphethukela kuThixo. Batsho bangabemi abalungileyo, baba negalelo elihle, yaye bathobela umthetho nocwangco.
15 Noko ke, ezo ngenelo zazingathethi nto kwaphela kuloo maYuda ayeziintshaba zikaPawulos. UPawulos wathi: “Yiloo nto ke amaYuda andibamba etempileni aza azama ukundibulala. Kodwa ke ngenxa yokuba ndibonile ukuba uThixo undincedile, ndisaqhubeka ndishumayela kwabancinci nakwabakhulu.”—IZe. 26:21, 22.
16. Sinokumxelisa njani uPawulos xa sithetha neejaji nabalawuli ngeenkolelo zethu?
16 NjengamaKristu okwenyaniso, simele ‘sihlale sikulungele ukuthethelela’ ukholo lwethu. (1 Pet. 3:15) Xa sithetha neejaji nabalawuli ngeenkolelo zethu, sisenokukufumanisa kuluncedo ukuxelisa le ndlela yasetyenziswa nguPawulos xa wayethetha noAgripa noFesto. Ngokubaxelela ngentlonelo indlela inyaniso yeBhayibhile eye yasinceda ngayo satshintsha kubomi bethu—kuquka nabo basamkelayo isigidimi sethu—sinokuzichukumisa iintliziyo zabasemagunyeni.
“Ubuza Kundiguqula Ndibe NgumKristu” (IZenzo 26:24-32)
17. UFesto wasabela njani xa uPawulos wayezithethelela, ibe sisiphi isimo sengqondo esisibonayo namhlanje?
17 Njengoko babephulaphule ubungqina bukaPawulos, aba balawuli babini abazange bakwazi ukuzibamba. Phawula oko kwenzekayo: “Njengoko wayethetha ezi zinto ezithethelela, uFesto wakhwaza wathi: ‘Uyaphambana, Pawulos! Ukufunda kakhulu kuyakuphambanisa!’” (IZe. 26:24) Oko kugqabhuka kukaFesto kusenokubonisa ukuba wayenesimo sengqondo esisibonayo nanamhlanje. Abantu abaninzi bathi abo bafundisa oko kufundiswa yiBhayibhile ngokwenene banenzondelelo yempambano. Izilumko zeli hlabathi zidla ngokukufumanisa kunzima ukwamkela imfundiso yeBhayibhile yovuko lwabafileyo.
18. UPawulos wamphendula njani uFesto, ibe loo mpendulo yamenza wathini uAgripa?
18 UPawulos wayiphendula le rhuluneli wathi: “Andiphambani, Festo Ohloniphekileyo, kodwa le nto ndiyithethayo yinyaniso, yaye ndithetha ndisezingqondweni. Nangoku, ndikhululekile xa ndithetha nokumkani, kuba uzazi kakuhle ezi zinto . . . Uyakholelwa na kubaProfeti Kumkani uAgripa? Phofu ndiyazi ukuba uyakholelwa.” UAgripa waphendula wathi: “Ngexesha nje elifutshane ubuza kundiguqula ndibe ngumKristu.” (IZe. 26:25-28) Enoba wayenyanisekile kusini na xa esitsho, kuyabonakala ukuba obu bungqina bukaPawulos bamchukumisa lo kumkani.
19. Sisiphi isigqibo abafikelela kuso uFesto noAgripa ngokuphathelele uPawulos?
19 Emva koko uAgripa noFesto bema ngeenyawo, bebonisa ukuba iphelile into ebekudityenwe ngayo. “Endleleni babencokola besithi: ‘Le ndoda ayenzanga nto enokude ibangele ukuba ibulawe okanye ivalelwe ejele.’ UAgripa wathi kuFesto: ‘Le ndoda ngeyikhululwe ukuba ibingabhenelanga kuKesare.’” (IZe. 26:31, 32) Babesazi ukuba uPawulos wayemsulwa. Mhlawumbi ngoku babeza kuwahlonela amaKristu.
20. Ukunikela ubungqina kukaPawulos kwabasemagunyeni kwaba nayiphi imiphumo?
20 Kuyo yonke le ngxelo kubonakala kungekho namnye kwaba balawuli banamandla owazamkelayo iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Ngaba yayibubulumko into yokuba umpostile uPawulos aye kuzithethelela phambi kwawo? Kunjalo kanye. ‘Ukumiswa kukaPawulos phambi kookumkani nabalawuliʼ kwelakwaYuda kwaphumela ekunikelweni kobungqina kumagunya aseRoma asenokuba ayengafumaneki. (Luka 21:12, 13) Kwakhona, izinto ezamehlelayo nokuthembeka kwakhe enyamezela izilingo zabakhuthaza abazalwana noodade wabo abangamaKristu.—Fil. 1:12-14.
21. Ngokutyhalela phambili kwethu nomsebenzi woBukumkani, yiyiphi imiphumo emihle esinokuyifumana?
21 Oko kusenjalo nanamhlanje. Ngokutyhalela phambili nomsebenzi woBukumkani phezu kwazo nje iimvavanyo nenkcaso, sinokufumana imiphumo emihle. Sisenokunikela ubungqina kwabasemagunyeni ebekusenokuba nzima ukushumayela kubo. Ukunyamezela kwethu ngokuthembeka kusenokubakhuthaza oodade wethu nabazalwana abangamaKristu, batsho babonise isibindi esingakumbi kumsebenzi wokunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo.
a Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “IRhuluneli YaseRoma UPorkiyo Festo.”
b ‘Isihlalo sokugweba’ yayiba sisihlalo esingaphambili eqongeni. Loo ndawo iphakamileyo yayibonisa ukuba isigqibo sejaji sasimele sihlonelwe. UPilato wahlala kweso sihlalo sokugweba xa wayephulaphule izimangalo nxamnye noYesu.
c Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “Ukubhena Ngenxa Yonqulo Oluyinyaniso Namhlanje.”
d Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “UKumkani UHerode Agripa II.”
e NjengomKristu, uPawulos wayamkela into yokuba uYesu unguMesiya. Wona amaYuda, awayengafuni ukumamkela, ayemjonga njengomwexuki.—IZe. 21:21, 27, 28.
f Ngenxa yala mazwi kaPawulos athi wayehamba “emini,” omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uthi: “Ngeli xesha lobushushu umhambi wayephumla, ngaphandle kokuba unento ayingxameleyo. Oku kusenza siyibone kakuhle indlela uPawulos awayezibhokoxa ngayo kolu thumo lwakhe lokutshutshisa amaKristu.”