Intshutshiso Ibangela Ulwando Kwa-Antiyokwe

XA KWAQHAMBUKA intshutshiso emva kokufel’ ukholo kukaStefano, abafundi bakaYesu abaninzi basaba eYerusalem. Enye yeendawo ekubonakala ukuba baya kufuna ikhusi kuzo kukwa-Antiyokwe, eSiriya, malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-550 emantla alapho. (IZenzo 11:19) Iziganeko ezalandela emva koko zachaphazela lonke ikhondo lembali yamaKristu. Ukuze siqonde oko kwenzekayo, kuya kusinceda ukwazi okuncinane ngelo lakwa-Antiyokwe.

Ngokuphathelele ubukhulu, ukuma kakuhle, nokubaluleka kwezixeko zoBukhosi baseRoma, elakwa-Antiyokwe lalisodlulwa yiRoma nelakwa-Aleksandire kuphela. Esi sixeko sikhulu saseSiriya sasongamile kwimbombo ekumntla-mpuma wengingqi yeMeditera. Elakwa-Antiyokwe (kule mihla yiAntakya, eTurkey) lalimi kuMlambo ohamba iinqanawa iOrentes, ozibuko lawo lihlanganisa iSeleucia Pieria, ekumgama weekhilomitha ezingama-32 ukusuka apho. Kwakukhonya yona kwezona ndlela zorhwebo ziphambili ziphakathi kweRoma neTigris—iNtlambo yomEfrati. Njengesazulu soshishino, yayirhwebelana nabo bonke obo bukhosi yaye apho kuyo kwakukho imisebenzi yazo zonke iintlobo zabantu, ababesiza neendaba zonqulo ezivela kulo lonke elo laseRoma.

Unqulo nentanda-bulumko yamaGrike zazigqibe lonke elo lakwa-Antiyokwe. Kodwa umbhali-mbali uGlanville Downey uthi, “kwixesha likaKristu kwakukho amahlelo amadala onqulo neentanda-bulumko abantu abathile ababekholelwa kuzo, njengoko abantu babekhetha unqulo olwaluza kucombulula iingxaki zabo luze lwanelise nezilangazelelo zabo.” (A History of Antioch in Syria) Abaninzi babesaneliswa kukunqula uThixo omnye, yimibhiyozo nayimigaqo yokuphila yobuYuda.

Maninzi amaYuda awayehlala kwa-Antiyokwe ukususela ekusekweni kweso sixeko ngowama-300 B.C.E. Kuqikelelwa ukuba ayefikelela kuma-20 000 ukusa kuma-60 000, inani elingaphezu kwe-10 ekhulwini kubantu balapho. Umbhali-mbali uJosephus uthi ngokulandelelana kwabo ookumkani ababelawula eSelukiya babekhuthaza amaYuda ukuba ahlale kweso sixeko, ebanika amalungelo apheleleyo okuba ngabemi balapho. Ngelo xesha, iZibhalo zesiHebhere zazifumaneka ngesiGrike. Oku kwavuselela umdla wabo babevumelana namaYuda kulindelo lwawo lukaMesiya. Ngaloo ndlela, baba baninzi abaguqukel’ ebuYudeni abafunyanwa phakathi kwamaGrike. Bonke aba thunywashe benza elakwa-Antiyokwe laba yintsimi echumileyo ekwenzeni abafundi bakaKristu.

Ukunikela Ubungqina Kwabeentlanga

Inkoliso yabo balandeli bakaYesu babethe saa besuka eYerusalem ngenxa yokutshutshiswa yabelana ngokholo lwayo namaYuda kuphela. Noko ke, kwa-Antiyokwe abanye abafundi ababevela eSipro naseKirene bathetha “nabantu abathetha isiGrike.” (IZenzo 11:20) Ngoxa ukushumayela kumaYuda athetha isiGrike nakwabo babeguqukele ebuYudeni kwakusele kuqhubeka ukususela ngePentekoste yama-33 C.E., kuyabonakala ukuba kwakuyinto entsha ukushumayela kwa-Antiyokwe. Kwakungashunyayezwa amaYuda kuphela. Yinyaniso ukuba, umntu weeNtlanga uKorneli nentsapho yakhe babesele bengabafundi. Kodwa kwafuneka umbono ovela kuYehova ukuze koyiselwe umpostile uPetros ngokufaneleka kokushumayela kwabeeNtlanga, okanye abantu bezinye izizwe.—IZenzo 10:1-48.

Kwisixeko esasihlala amaYuda amaninzi nekwakusele kukudala ehlala kuso kwakungekho kuxambulisana kungako phakathi kwamaYuda nabeeNtlanga, abangengawo amaYuda babefumana ubungqina yaye besabela kakuhle kwiindaba ezilungileyo. Kucacile ukuba imeko yakwa-Antiyokwe yayintle ilungele loo msebenzi, yaye ‘inani elikhulu laba ngamakholwa.’ (IZenzo 11:21) Yaye xa amaguquka awayekade enqula oothixo bobuhedeni aba ngamaKristu, ayexhotyiswa ngokukhethekileyo ukuze anikele ubungqina kwabanye beeNtlanga ababesakwenza oko.

Lisakuva ngoko kwakusenzeka kwa-Antiyokwe, ibandla laseYerusalem lathumela uBharnabhas ukuze ahlole oko kwakusenzeka apho. Olo yaba lukhetho lobulumko nolothando. Yena wayengummi waseSipro, njengabanye babo babesele beqalise ukushumayela kwabangengomaYuda. UBharnabhas wayenokuziva ekhululekile phakathi kwabeeNtlanga bakwa-Antiyokwe. Nabo babeza kumgqala njengelungu lasekuhlaleni eliqhelekileyo.a Wayewazi loo msebenzi wawusenziwa. Ngoko ke, “xa wafikayo waza wabubona ububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo, waba nemihlali waza wabakhuthaza bonke ukuba baqhubeke eNkosini ngokusuk’ entliziyweni,” yaye “kongezelelwa isihlwele esikhulu eNkosini.”—IZenzo 11:22-24.

Umbhali-mbali uDowney ubonisa ukuba: “Izizathu ezivakalayo ezisenokuba zabangela loo mpumelelo kuthumo lokuqala kwa-Antiyokwe zisenokuba kwesi sixeko abavangeli basemazweni babengenasizathu sakoyika inzondelelo yempambano yamaYuda ababejamelana nayo eYerusalem; kwakhona njengekomkhulu laseSiriya, eso sixeko sasilawulwa ngumphathi-mkhosi, ngaloo ndlela kukho ucwangco olukhulu kuluntu lwaso, embalwa amathuba ogonyamelo lwamahlokondiba anjengalawo ayekho eYerusalem, apho kubonakala ukuba abameli bolawulo lwamaRoma ababekwelakwaYuda (ubuncinane okwelo xesha) abazange bakwazi ukumelana nenzondelelo yempambano yamaYuda.”

Kwiimeko ezintle ngolo hlobo yaye ekubeni yayininzi into ekwakufuneka ayenze, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uBharnabhas waqonda ukuba kwakufuneka abe nomntu oza kumncedisa, waza wacinga ngomhlobo wakhe uSawule. Kwakutheni ukuze ibe nguSawule, okanye uPawulos? Nakuba wayengenguye omnye wabapostile abali-12, kuyabonakala ukuba kungenxa yokuba naye uPawulos wayengumpostile kwabeentlanga. (IZenzo 9:15, 27; Roma 1:5; ISityhilelo 21:14) Ngaloo ndlela, uPawulos wayekufanelekela kakuhle ukuba sisinxulumani sakhe ekuvakaliseni iindaba ezilungileyo kwisixeko sabeeNtlanga sakwa-Antiyokwe. (Galati 1:16) Ngoko ke, uBharnabhas waya eTarso waza wathabatha uSawule wamsa kwa-Antiyokwe.—IZenzo 11:25, 26; bona ibhokisi kwiphepha 26-7.

Babizwa Ngokuba NgamaKristu Ngolwalathiso Lobuthixo

Kangangonyaka wonke, uBharnabhas noSawule “bafundisa isihlwele esikhulu, yaye kwaqala kwa-Antiyokwe ukuba abafundi ngolwalathiso lobuthixo babizwe ngokuba ngamaKristu.” Akunakwenzeka ukuba ibe ngamaYuda awokuqala ukubiza abalandeli bakaYesu ngokuba ngamaKristu (ngesiGrike) okanye abalandeli bakaMesiya (ngesiHebhere), kuba amgatya uYesu njengoMesiya, okanye uKristu yaye ke ngoko ayengayi kubonakalisa ukuba amgqala njengaye ngokubiza abalandeli bakhe ngokuthi ngamaKristu. Bambi bacingela ukuba kunokwenzeka ukuba abahedeni babebaqhula ngokuba ngamaKristu nje ukuze babenze intlekisa okanye babagculele. Noko ke, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba elo gama amaKristu alinikwa nguThixo.—IZenzo 11:26.

KwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, isenzi esisetyenziswe ngokuphathelele eli gama litsha, ngokuqhelekileyo eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “babebizwa ngokuthi,” lisoloko linxulunyaniswa nento engaphaya kwamandla emvelo, okanye umyalelo wobuthixo. Ngaloo ndlela abaphengululi baliguqulela ngokuthi “ukuthetha amazwi obuthixo,” “isaziso sobuthixo,” okanye “ukudlulisela umyalelo okanye isilumkiso sobuthixo, ukufundisa ngokuphuma ezulwini.” Ekubeni abalandeli bakaYesu babebizwa ngokuba ngamaKristu “ngolwalathiso lobuthixo,” kunokwenzeka ukuba uYehova walathisa uSawule noBharnabhas ukuba bawanike elo gama.

Eli gama litsha lema limi. Abafundi bakaYesu babengenakuphinda ngokuphosakeleyo banxulunyaniswe nehlelo lobuYuda, ababohluke ngokupheleleyo kulo. Malunga nowama-58 C.E., amagosa amaRoma ayesazi kakuhle ukuba ayengoobani amaKristu. (IZenzo 26:28) Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali uTacitus, malunga nowama-64 C.E., eli gama lalisetyenziswa kakhulu zizihlwele ezazilapho eRoma.

UYehova Usebenzisa Abantu Bakhe Abathembekileyo

Iindaba ezilungileyo zahambela phambili gqitha kwa-Antiyokwe. Ngenxa yentsikelelo kaYehova nesigqibo sabalandeli bakaYesu sokuqhubeka beshumayela, elakwa-Antiyokwe laba sisazulu sobuKristu benkulungwane yokuqala. UThixo wasebenzisa elo bandla lalapho njengesixhobo sokusasaza iindaba ezilungileyo kwiindawo ezikude. Ngokomzekelo, elo lakwa-Antiyokwe laba yindawo awayesukela kuyo umpostile uPawulos kuhambo lwakhe ngalunye lokuya kushumayela kumazwe amatsha.

Ngokufanayo nakula maxesha anamhlanje inzondelelo nokuzimisela phezu kwayo nje inkcaso kuye kwabangela ukuba ubuKristu bokwenyaniso busasazeke, kunceda abaninzi beve iindaba ezilungileyo baze babonise uxabiso ngazo.b Ngoko ke ukuba ujamelene nenkcaso ngenxa yokuxhasa kwakho unqulo lokwenyaniso, khumbula ukuba uYehova unezizathu zokuyivumela. Njengokuba kwakunjalo kwinkulungwane yokuqala, abantu namhlanje bafanele banikwe ithuba lokuva ngoBukumkani bukaThixo baze bakhethe ukuma ngakwicala labo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ukuzimisela kwakho ukuqhubeka ukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka koko kanye kufunekayo ukuze uncede omnye umntu afumane ulwazi oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26, 27]

“Iminyaka Yokuthi Cwaka” KukaSawule

UKUKHANKANYWA kokugqibela kukaSawule kwincwadi yeZenzo ngaphambi kokuya kwakhe kwa-Antiyokwe malunga nowama-45 C.E. kuxa kwakwenziwe iyelenqe lokumbulala eYerusalem aza amanye amakholwa amthumela eTarso. (IZenzo 9:28-30; 11:25) Kodwa oko kwenzeka kwiminyaka esithoba ngaphambili, malunga nowama-36 C.E. Wayesenza ntoni ebudeni belo xesha—isihlandlo esibizwa ngokuba yiminyaka yokuthi cwaka kukaSawule?

Ukusuka eYerusalem, uSawule waya kwizithili zaseSiriya naseKilikiya, yaye amabandla akwaYuda akuva oko athi: “Laa mntu wayesitshutshisa ngaphambili ngoku uvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo zokholo awayeluphanzisa ngaphambili.” (Galati 1:21-23) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba loo ngxelo yayibhekisela kumsebenzi wakhe kwa-Antiyokwe kunye noBharnabhas, kodwa ngokungathandabuzekiyo nangaphambi koko uSawule akazange ayekelele umxakatho. Malunga nowama-49 C.E., kwakukho iqela lamabandla awayeseSiriya naseKilikiya. Elinye lawo lalikwa-Antiyokwe, kodwa abanye bacinga ukuba amanye abakho ngenxa yomsebenzi kaSawule ebudeni belo xesha libizwa ngokuba yiminyaka yokuthi cwaka kwakhe.—IZenzo 11:26; 15:23, 41.

Abanye abaphengululi bakholelwa ukuba iziganeko ezabangela imincili kubomi bukaSawule zenzeka kanye ngelo xesha. Ngandlel’ ithile kunzima ukunxulumanisa iimbandezelo ezininzi awahlangabezana nazo ‘njengomlungiseleli kaKristu’ nomsebenzi wakhe wobuvangeli basemazweni. (2 Korinte 11:23-27) Kunini apho uSawule wafumana khona imivumbo engama-39 izihlandlo ezihlanu kumaYuda? Kuphi apho wabethwa khona ngeentonga izihlandlo ezithathu? Kuphi apho wavalelwa khona ‘kaninzi’ ezintolongweni? Ukuvalelwa kwakhe eRoma yinto yamva. Sinye isihlandlo esinengxelo ngokubethwa kwakhe aze avalelwe entolongweni—eFilipi. Kodwa kuthekani ngezinye? (IZenzo 16:22, 23) Omnye umbhali ubonisa ukuba ebudeni belo xesha uSawule “wayenikela ubungqina ngoKristu ngaphakathi kwizindlu zesikhungu zaseDiaspora kangangokuba oko kwabangela ukuba atshutshiswe zinkokeli zonqulo nezasekuhlaleni.”

USawule wophukelwa yinqanawa izihlandlo ezine, kodwa iZibhalo zisinika iinkcukacha ngesiganeko esinye kuphela, esenzeka emva kokuba ezichazile iinzima zakhe xa wayebhalela abaseKorinte. (IZenzo 27:27-44) Ngoko ke kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezinye izihlandlo ezithathu zamehlela kuhambo lwakhe ngenqanawa esingenanto siyaziyo ngalo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezinye okanye zonke ezi ziganeko zenzeka ‘kwiminyaka yokuthi cwaka’ kwakhe.

Esinye isiganeko ekubonakala ukuba senzeka ngeli xesha sichazwe kweyesi-2 yabaseKorinte 12:2-5. USawule wathi: ‘Ndazi umntu omanyene noKristu owathi, kwiminyaka elishumi elinesine edluleyo wathatyathwa enjalo wasiwa kwelesithathu izulu, eparadesi waza weva amazwi angathethekiyo ekungekho mthethweni ukuba umntu awathethe.’ Kucacile ukuba, uSawule wayethetha ngaye. Ekubeni oku wakubhala malunga nowama-55 C.E., iminyaka eli-14 ngaphambi koko isisa emva kowama-41 C.E., phakathi “kwiminyaka yokuthi cwaka” kwakhe.

Ngokungathandabuzekiyo loo mbono wanika uSawule umbono ongaqhelekanga. Ngaba yayikukuze umxhobise ‘njengompostile weentlanga’? (Roma 11:13) Ngaba waba negalelo kwindlela awafundisa, wabhala waza wathetha ngayo kamva? Ngaba iminyaka ephakathi kokuguqulwa nokubizwa kukaSawule kwa-Antiyokwe yamqeqesha waqola ukuze akwazi ukuthwala iimbopheleleko ezazisengaphambili? Enoba iimpendulo zithini na kuloo mibuzo, sinokuqiniseka ukuba xa uBharnabhas wammemayo ukuba amncede ekuhambiseleni phambili umsebenzi wokushumayela kwa-Antiyokwe, uSawule onenzondelelo wayekufanelekela ngokupheleleyo ukuphumeza eso sabelo.—IZenzo 11:19-26.

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 25]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

ISIRIYA

IOrontes

Kwa-Antiyokwe

ISelukiya

ISIPRO

ULWANDLE IMEDITERA

IYerusalem

[Inkcazelo]

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24]

Phezulu: Kwa-Antiyokwe yanamhla

Embindini: Inkangeleko yamazantsi eSelukiya

Emazantsi: Udonga lwezibuko laseSelukiya