“Welela EMakedoniya”

1-3. (a) UPawulu nayehamba nabo basibona kanjani isiqondiso somoya ongcwele? (b) Yiziphi izenzakalo esizofunda ngazo?

IQEMBU labesifazane lishiya idolobha laseFilipi eliseMakedoniya. Kungakabiphi, lifika emfuleni omncane iGangites. Njengenjwayelo, bahlala phansi osebeni lomfula ukuze bathandaze kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. UJehova ubabhekile.—2 IziKr. 16:9; IHu. 65:2.

² Phakathi naleso sikhathi, endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kwangu-800 empumalanga yeFilipi, iqembu lamadoda lishiya idolobha laseListra eliseningizimu yeGalathiya. Ngemva kwezinsuku eziningi, lifika emgwaqweni omkhulu waseRoma ogandayiwe oya entshonalanga endaweni enabantu abaningi esifundeni sase-Asiya. La madoda—uPawulu, uSila noThimothewu—azimisele ukwehla ngalo mgwaqo aye e-Efesu nakwamanye amadolobha ayenenqwaba yabantu okwakudingeka bezwe ngoKristu. Nokho, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba aqale uhambo, umoya ongcwele uyawavimba, kodwa iBhayibheli alichazi ukuthi kanjani. Ayenqatshelwa ukushumayela e-Asiya. Kungani? UJesu—ngomoya kaNkulunkulu—ufuna ukuqondisa uPawulu nahamba nabo kulo lonke elase-Asia Minor, banqamule uLwandle i-Aegean baze bayofika osebeni lwalowaya mfula omncane iGangites.

³ Indlela uJesu áqondisa ngayo uPawulu nayehamba nabo kulolo hambo olungajwayelekile oluya eMakedoniya iqukethe izifundo ezisizuzisayo namuhla. Ngakho-ke, masibukeze ezinye zezenzakalo ezenzeka ohambweni lukaPawulu lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli, olwaqala cishe ngo-49 C.E.

4, 5. (a) Yini eyenzeka kuPawulu nethimba lakhe eduze kwaseBhithiniya? (b) Yisiphi isinqumo esathathwa abafundi, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

⁴ Ngemva kokuba benqatshelwe ukushumayela e-Asiya, uPawulu nayehamba nabo balibhekisa enyakatho beyoshumayela emadolobheni aseBhithiniya. Ukuze bafike lapho, kungenzeka bahamba izinsuku eziningi ezindleleni eziwubhuqu ezweni laseFrigiya naseGalathiya anamadolobha ambalwa agqagqene. Nokho, lapho sebezofika eBhithiniya, uJesu waphinde wabenqabela ngomoya ongcwele. (IzE. 16:6, 7) Kumelwe ukuba ngaleso sikhathi la madoda avele adideka. Ayesazi isigijimi sawo nendlela yokushumayela, kodwa ayengazi ukuthi kufanele ashumayele kuphi. “Kunjengokungathi ayesengqongqoze emnyango oholela e-Asiya—kodwa angavulelwa. Ayengqongqozile nasemnyango oholela eBhithiniya—nakhona kwanhlanga zimuka nomoya. Noma kunjalo, uPawulu wayesazimisele ukuqhubeka engqongqoza kuze kube yilapho ethola umnyango ozovuleka. La madoda abe esenza isinqumo esasingase sibonakale singaphusile. Ajika abheka entshonalanga, ahamba amakhilomitha angu-550, adlula amadolobha ahlukahlukene aze afika ethekwini laseTrowa, agibela umkhumbi oya eMakedoniya. (IzE. 16:8) UPawulu wafika lapha wangqongqoza okwesithathu—umnyango wavuleka gengelezi.

⁵ Umlobi weVangeli uLuka, owazihlanganisa nethimba likaPawulu eTrowa, uchaza okwenzeka: “Ebusuku kwabonakala umbono kuPawulu—indoda yaseMakedoniya yayimile imncenga ithi: ‘Welela eMakedoniya usisize.’ Ngokushesha nje lapho esebone lowo mbono, sazama ukuya eMakedoniya, sifinyelela isiphetho sokuthi uNkulunkulu wayesibizele ukumemezela izindaba ezinhle kubo.”a (IzE. 16:9, 10) Ekugcineni uPawulu wayeseyazi indawo azoshumayela kuyo. Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba wajabula ngayo ngokuthi wayengazange adikibale phakathi nohambo! Ngokushesha, la madoda agibela umkhumbi alibhekisa eMakedoniya.

6, 7. (a) Yisiphi isifundo esingasifunda kulokho okwenzeka ohambweni lukaPawulu? (b) Yisiphi isiqinisekiso esingasithola kulokho uPawulu ahlangabezana nakho?

⁶ Yisiphi isifundo esingasifunda kulokho kulandisa? Phawula lokhu: Umoya kaNkulunkulu wangenela ngemva kokuba uPawulu esesukile eya e-Asiya, uJesu wangenela ngemva kokuba uPawulu esesondele eBhithiniya, futhi uJesu waqondisa uPawulu eMakedoniya ngemva kokuba esefike eTrowa. UJesu njengeNhloko yebandla angasiqondisa ngendlela efanayo nathi namuhla. (Kol. 1:18) Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka sekuyisikhashana sicabanga ngokukhonza njengephayona noma ngokuthuthela endaweni enendingeko enkulu yabamemezeli boMbuso. UJesu angase asiqondise ngomoya kaNkulunkulu kuphela ngemva kokuba sithathe izinyathelo eziqondile zokufinyelela lowo mgomo. Kanjani? Cabanga ngalesi sibonelo: Umshayeli wemoto angakwazi ukujikisa imoto iye ngakwesokudla noma ngakwesobunxele kuphela uma ihamba. Ngokufanayo, uJesu uyasiqondisa ukuze sandise inkonzo yethu, kodwa usiqondisa kuphela uma sesithathe isinyathelo—uma senza konke okusemandleni ethu.

⁷ Kuthiwani-ke uma imizamo yethu ingasheshi ukuthela? Ingabe kufanele siyeke, sicabange ukuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu awusiqondisi? Cha. Khumbula ukuthi uPawulu naye wabhekana nezinkinga. Yize kunjalo, waqhubeka engqongqoza kwaze kwaba yilapho ethola umnyango ovulekayo. Nathi singaqiniseka ukuthi ukubekezela kwethu lapho sifuna “umnyango omkhulu oholela emsebenzini” kuyovuzwa ngendlela efanayo.—1 Kor. 16:9.

 8. (a) Chaza idolobha laseFilipi. (b) Yikuphi okujabulisayo okwenzeka ngemva kokuba uPawulu eshumayele ‘endaweni yokuthandaza’?

⁸ Esefikile esifundeni saseMakedoniya, uPawulu nayehamba nabo baya eFilipi—idolobha elinezakhamuzi ezaziziqhenya ngokuba amaRoma. Emasosheni aseRoma ayesethathe umhlalaphansi, ikoloni laseFilipi lalifana ne-Italy encane—iRoma elincane eliseMakedoniya. Ngaphandle kwesango ledolobha, ngasemfuleni omncane, lezi zithunywa zevangeli zathola indawo ezazicabanga ukuthi ‘inendawo yokuthandaza.’b NgeSabatha behlela kuleyo ndawo futhi bathola abesifazane abaningana ababehlangene ngenjongo yokukhulekela uNkulunkulu. Abafundi bahlala phansi bakhuluma nabo. Owesifazane ogama lakhe nguLidiya “wayelalele, uJehova wayivula kakhulu inhliziyo yakhe.” ULidiya wahlatshwa umxhwele yilokhu ayekufundiswa izithunywa zevangeli kangangokuthi yena nendlu yakhe babhapathizwa. Wabe esecela uPawulu nayehamba nabo ukuba beze bazohlala kwakhe.c—IzE. 16:13-15.

 9. Abaningi namuhla baye basilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaPawulu, futhi bathola ziphi izibusiso?

⁹ Cabanga ngenjabulo eyaba khona ngokubhapathizwa kukaLidiya! Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba uPawulu wajabula ngayo ngokuthi wayesamukele isimemo ‘sokuwelela eMakedoniya’ nokuthi uJehova wayekubone kukuhle ukumsebenzisa yena nayehamba nabo ukuphendula imithandazo yalabo besifazane abamesabayo! Namuhla, kunabazalwane nodade abaningi—abasha nabadala, abashadile nabangashadile—abathuthela ezindaweni ezinendingeko enkulu yabamemezeli boMbuso. Yiqiniso, bayabhekana nobunzima, kodwa abulutho uma buqhathaniswa nokwaneliseka ababa nakho lapho bethola abantu abafana noLidiya abamukela amaqiniso eBhayibheli. Wena ungazenza yini izinguquko ezithile ezingakusiza ukwazi ‘ukuwelela’ endaweni enendingeko enkulu? Ulindelwe izibusiso. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngo-Aaron, umzalwane oneminyaka engaphezu kuka-20 owathuthela ezweni eliseMelika Ephakathi. Uzizwa ngendlela efana neyabaningi lapho ethi: “Ukukhonza kwelinye izwe kuye kwangisiza ukuba ngikhule ngokomoya futhi ngisondele kuJehova. Ayive imnandi inkonzo yasensimini—ngiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-8!”

10. Amademoni ayehileleke kanjani ekuphikisweni kukaPawulu nayehamba nabo?

¹⁰ Ngokuqinisekile, uSathane wayethukuthele njengoba izindaba ezinhle zase zinezimpande kule ngxenye yezwe lapho yena namademoni akhe babezichanasela khona. Shono nje amademoni abangela ukuba uPawulu nayehamba nabo baphikiswe! Njengoba babeqhubeka beya endaweni yokuthandaza, intombazane eyinceku futhi eyayinedemoni, itholela amakhosi ayo imali ngokubikezela, yayilokhu ilandela uPawulu nayehamba nabo, imemeza: “Laba bantu bayizinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, bamemezela kini indlela yensindiso.” Kungenzeka ukuthi idemoni lalibangele ukuba le ntombazane isho la mazwi ukuze kubonakale sengathi izibikezelo zayo nezimfundiso zikaPawulu zivela emthonjeni owodwa. Ngaleyo ndlela, ababukele babengase baphazamiseke, bangabe besabalalela abalandeli bakaKristu beqiniso. Kodwa uPawulu wayithulisa le ntombazane ngokuyikhipha idemoni.—IzE. 16:16-18.

11. Yini eyenzeka kuPawulu noSila ngemva kokuba intombazane ikhishwe idemoni?

¹¹ Lapho abanikazi bentombazane eyincekukazi bebona ukuthi babengeke besayithola imali, bathukuthela bangqangqa. Bahudulela uPawulu noSila esigcawini, lapho izimantshi—izikhulu ezimelele iRoma—zaziqulisa khona amacala. Abaniniyo basebenzisa ubandlululo nokushisekela izwe kwalaba bahluleli, empeleni bethi: ‘La maJuda ayaphazamisa ngokufundisa izimfundiso thina maRoma esingeke sazamukela.’ Abakusho kwavusela abantu usinga. “Isixuku [esasisesigcawini] sabavukela kanyekanye [oPawulu noSila],” izimantshi zakhipha umyalo “wokuba bashaywe ngezinduku.” Ngemva kwalokho, uPawulu noSila bahudulelwa etilongweni. Umgcini wejele wafaka la madoda alimele etilongweni elingaphakathi, wabophela izinyawo zawo ezingongolweni. (IzE. 16:19-24) Lapho umgcini wejele esevale umnyango, kwaba mnyama bhuqe esitokisini kangangokuthi uPawulu noSila abakwazanga ukubonana. Noma kunjalo, uJehova wayebona.—IHu. 139:12.

12. (a) Abafundi bakaKristu babelubheka kanjani ushushiso, futhi kungani? (b) Yiziphi izindlela zokuphikisa uSathane namanxusa akhe abasazisebenzisa?

¹² Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, uJesu wayetshele abalandeli bakhe: “Bayonishushisa.” (Joh. 15:20) Ngakho, lapho uPawulu nayehamba nabo bewelela eMakedoniya, babekulungele ukubhekana nokuphikiswa. Lapho kuqubuka ushushiso, abazange balubheke njengophawu lokuthi uJehova akabamukeli, kodwa njengophawu lokuthi uSathane uthukuthele. Nanamuhla, amanxusa kaSathane asasebenzisa izindlela ezifana nalezo azisebenzisa eFilipi. Abaphikisi abangamaqili baqamba amanga ngathi ezikoleni, emisebenzini, babangele ukuba siphikiswe. Kwamanye amazwe, abaphikisi benkolo basimangalela ezinkantolo, kufane nokuthi bathi: ‘Lab’ oFakazi bayaphazamisa ngokufundisa izimfundiso thina “makholwa avamile” esingeke sazamukela.’ Kwezinye izindawo, abanye abakhulekeli bayashaywa bagqunywe nasemajele. Noma kunjalo, uJehova uyabona.—1 Pet. 3:12.

13. Yini eyabangela umgcini wejele ukuba abuze: “Yini okumelwe ngiyenze ukuze ngisindiswe?”

¹³ Kumelwe ukuba uPawulu noSila badinga isikhathi esithile ukuze balulame ezigamekweni ezibuhlungu ezazibehlele ngalolo suku. Nokho, phakathi kwamabili base bezizwa bengcono kangangokuthi “babethandaza futhi bedumisa uNkulunkulu ngengoma.” Kwathi kusenjalo, kwaba nokuzamazama okukhulu etilongweni! Umgcini wejele wavuka ebuthongweni, waphawula ukuthi iminyango ivulekile, washaywa uvalo lokuthi iziboshwa ziphunyukile. Azi ukuthi uzojeziswa ngokuzidedela, “wahosha inkemba yakhe esethi uyazibulala.” Kodwa uPawulu wamemeza: “Ungazilimazi ngoba sikhona sonke!” Lo mgcini wejele owayekhathazekile wabuza: “Banumzane, yini okumelwe ngiyenze ukuze ngisindiswe?” UPawulu noSila babengenakumsindisa; uJesu kuphela owayengamsindisa. Ngakho baphendula: “Yiba nokholo eNkosini uJesu, uzosindiswa.”—IzE. 16:25-31.

14. (a) Yiluphi usizo uPawulu noSila abalunika umgcini wejele? (b) Yiziphi izibusiso uPawulu noSila abazithola ngokukhuthazelela ushushiso ngenjabulo?

¹⁴ Ingabe umbuzo womgcini wejele wawusuka enhliziyweni? UPawulu akangabazanga ukuthi le ndoda iqotho. Lo mgcini wejele wayengoweZizwe, engayazi imiBhalo. Ngaphambi kokuba abe umKristu, kwakudingeka afunde futhi amukele amaqiniso ayisisekelo emiBhalo. Ngakho, uPawulu noSila bazinika isikhathi sokukhuluma “izwi likaJehova kuye.” Njengoba babematasa befundisa imiBhalo, kungenzeka ukuthi la madoda azikhohlwa izinhlungu zokushaywa. Kodwa umgcini wejele wawabona amanxeba amabi emihlane yawo, futhi wawageza. Ngemva kwalokho, yena nomndeni wakhe “babhapathizwa ngaphandle kokulibala.” Yeka isibusiso uPawulu noSila abasithola ngokukhuthazelela ushushiso ngenjabulo!—IzE. 16:32-34.

15. (a) OFakazi abaningi namuhla baye basilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaPawulu noSila? (b) Kungani kufanele siphindele emizini yabantu abasensimini yethu?

¹⁵ NjengoPawulu noSila, oFakazi abaningi namuhla baye bashumayela izindaba ezinhle lapho besemajele, kwaba nemiphumela emihle. Ngokwesibonelo, kwelinye izwe lapho umsebenzi wethu uvinjelwe, kunesikhathi oFakazi abangamaphesenti angu-40 abathola ngaso iqiniso ngoJehova besejele! (Isaya 54:17) Phawula nokuthi umgcini wejele wacela usizo ngemva kokuzamazama komhlaba. Ngokufanayo, abathile namuhla abangakaze basabele esigijimini soMbuso bangase basilalele ngemva kokuba beshukwe izingcindezi. Ngokubahambela siphindelela nangokwethembeka, abantu abasensimini yethu sisuke siqinisekisa ukuthi sikulungele ukubasiza.

16. Zashintsha kanjani izimo ngemva kosuku uPawulu noSila bebhaxabuliwe?

¹⁶ Ekuseni ngemva kokubhambabulwa, izimantshi zayala ukuba uPawulu noSila badedelwe. Kodwa uPawulu wathi: “Basibhambabule obala singalahlwanga yicala, sibe singamaRoma, basiphonsa ejele. Manje sebesikhipha ngasese? Akukwazi! Mabeze bona bazosikhipha.” Ngemva kokuzwa ukuthi la madoda amabili angamaRoma, izimantshi “zafikelwa ukwesaba” ngoba zazingawahloniphanga amalungelo awo.d Itshe lagaya ngomunye umhlathi. Abafundi babebhaxabulwe obala; manje kwase kuyizimantshi okudingeka zixolise obala. Zancenga oPawulu noSila ukuba bahambe eFilipi. Laba bafundi ababili bavuma, kodwa baqala ngokukhuthaza iqembu labafundi abasha elalanda, base behamba-ke.

17. Yisiphi isifundo esibalulekile abafundi abasha ababengasifunda ngokubona ukukhuthazela kukaPawulu noSila?

¹⁷ Ukube amalungelo abo njengamaRoma ayehlonishiwe ekuqaleni, uPawulu noSila babengeke bashaywe. (IzE. 22:25, 26) Nokho, lokho kwakuyokwenza abafundi eFilipi bacabange ukuthi uPawulu noSila babesebenzise amalungelo abo ukuze bangahlupheki ngenxa kaKristu. Kwakuyoluthinta kanjani lokhu ukholo lwabafundi abangezona izakhamuzi zaseRoma? Phela umthetho wawungeke ubavikele bona ekubhaxabulweni. Ngokukhuthazelela ushushiso, uPawulu nayehamba nabo bawabonisa ngesibonelo amakholwa amasha ukuthi abalandeli bakaKristu bayakwazi ukuhlala beqinile yize beshushiswa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokulwela ukuba amalungelo abo njengezakhamuzi ahlonishwe, uPawulu noSila baphoqelela izimantshi ukuba zimemezele obala ukuthi zazephule umthetho. Lokho kwakungase kuzivimbe zingabaphathi kabi abanye abakhulekeli abakanye noPawulu, futhi esikhathini esilandelayo kube yisivikelo esingokomthetho ekuhlaselweni okufanayo.

18. (a) Ababonisi abangamaKristu namuhla basilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaPawulu? (b) Osukwini lwethu ‘sizivikela futhi sizimise kanjani ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle’?

¹⁸ Namuhla, ababonisi ebandleni lobuKristu nabo bahola ngesibonelo. Noma yini abelusi abangamaKristu abalindele ukuba amanye amakholwa ayenze, nabo bazimisele ukuyenza. NjengoPawulu, nathi sicabangela ngokucophelela ukuthi kumelwe siwasebenzise nini nokuthi kanjani amalungelo ethu angokomthetho ukuze sithole isivikelo. Uma kudingeka, siya ezinkantolo zendawo, zezwe, ngisho nezamazwe ngamazwe ukuze sithole isivikelo esingokomthetho sokuqhuba ukukhulekela kwethu. Njengoba uPawulu abhalela ibandla laseFilipi ngemva kokuboshwa iminyaka eyishumi, umgomo wethu awukona ukuletha izinguquko emphakathini, kodwa ‘ukuvikela nokumisa ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle.’ (Fil. 1:7) Noma kunjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi aba namuphi umphumela la macala, njengoPawulu nayehamba nabo, sizimisele ukuqhubeka ‘simemezela izindaba ezinhle’ nomaphi lapho umoya kaNkulunkulu ungasiholela khona.—IzE. 16:10.