‘Ukunikeza Ubufakazi Obuphelele’

 1. Yikuphi ukuqiniseka uPawulu nahamba nabo abanakho, futhi ngani?

UMKHUMBI onesithombe “samaDodana KaZeyusi,” cishe okuwumkhumbi omkhulu othwala okusanhlamvu, uyasuka esiqhingini saseMelitha esiseMedithera uya e-Italy. Cishe unyaka ka-59 C.E. Emkhunjini kunomphostoli uPawulu—isiboshwa esigadiwe—namanye amaKristu uLuka no-Aristarku. (IzE. 27:2) Ngokungafani namatilosi omkhumbi, laba bavangeli abadingi sivikelo emadodaneni kankulunkulu wamaGreki uZeyusi—amawele uCastor noPollux. (IzE. 28:11) Kunalokho, uPawulu nahamba nabo bakhonza uJehova, owenze kwaziwa ukuthi uPawulu uzofakazela iqiniso eRoma futhi ame phambi kukaKhesari.—IzE. 23:11; 27:24.

2, 3. Uhamba kanjani umkhumbi kaPawulu, futhi yikuphi ukusekelwa abelokhu ekuthola kusukela ekuqaleni?

² Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu befikile eSirakhuse, idolobha elihle laseSisili elalithi alilingane ne-Athene neRoma ngokubaluleka, umkhumbi wabo uya eRegiyu, inhlonhlo ye-Italy. Ngosizo lomoya ovela eningizimu, umkhumbi uhamba amakhilomitha angu-320 ubheke ePhutheyoli, itheku lase-Italy (eseduze neNaples yanamuhla) ngesikhathi esincane, bafike ngosuku lwesibili.—IzE. 28:12, 13.

³ UPawulu manje usemlenzeni wokugcina wohambo lwaseRoma, lapho ezovela khona phambi koMbusi uNero. Kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekugcineni, “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke” ubelokhu enaye. (2 Kor. 1:3) Njengoba sizobona, uNkulunkulu akayeki ukumsekela; nentshiseko kaPawulu njengesithunywa sevangeli ayidambi.

4, 5. (a) Yikuphi ukwamukelwa okwatholwa uPawulu nayehamba nabo ePhutheyoli, futhi yini okungenzeka yabangela ukuba anikezwe inkululeko engaka? (b) AmaKristu angazuza kanjani ngokuziphatha kwawo okuhle ngisho nalapho esejele?

⁴ EPhutheyoli, uPawulu nayehamba nabo ‘bathola abazalwane futhi babancenga ukuba bahlale nabo izinsuku eziyisikhombisa.’ (IzE. 28:14) Bayisibonelo esihle kumaKristu sokwamukela abanye ngomusa! Akungabazeki ukuthi labo bazalwane abakuthandayo ukwamukela abanye ngomusa babusiswa ngokuphindiwe ngokomoya lapho bethola isikhuthazo sikaPawulu nalabo ayehamba nabo. Kepha kungani isiboshwa esasiqashiwe sanikezwa inkululeko engaka? Kungenzeka ukuthi onogada bamaRoma base bemethemba lo mphostoli.

⁵ Ngokufanayo namuhla, lapho izinceku zikaJehova zisemajele nasemakamu okuhlushwa, zivame ukunikwa inkululeko namalungelo akhethekile ngenxa yokuziphatha kwazo kobuKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, eRomania, indoda edonsa iminyaka engu-75 ngenxa yokuntshontsha yaqala ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi yenza izinguquko eziphawulekayo ebuntwini bayo. Ngenxa yalokho, iziphathimandla zasejele zayithuma ukuba iye edolobheni—ingagadiwe—iyothenga izinto zasejele! Yebo, ngaphezu kwakho konke, ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle kukhazimulisa uJehova.—1 Pet. 2:12.

6, 7. Abazalwane baseRoma balubonisa kanjani uthando olungaphezu koluvamile?

⁶ Lapho besuka ePhutheyoli, uPawulu nayehamba nabo cishe bahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-50 beya eCapua ngoMgwaqo i-Aphiyo, oya eRoma. Lo mgwaqo odumile wawugandaywe ngamatshe entaba-mlilo amakhulu ayizicaba, wawuthi uma uhamba kuwo uyibone kahle indawo yase-Italy futhi uma usezingxenyeni ezithile zawo, ulubone kahle noLwandle LwaseMedithera. Wawuphinde udlule endaweni enamaxhaphozi ebizwa ngokuthi iPontine Marshes, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-60 eRoma, lapho iMakethe ka-Aphiyo yayikhona. ULuka uthi, lapho abazalwane eRoma “bezwa ngathi,” abanye beza baze bafika eMakethe, kanti abanye babelinde eTresi Thaberne, okuyindawo yokuphumula eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-50 eRoma. Abakwenza kwabonisa ukuthi babemthanda kakhulu uPawulu!—IzE. 28:15.

⁷ IMakethe ka-Aphiyo yayingeyona indawo ekahle yokuphumula ezihambini ezikhathazwe yindlela. UHorace, imbongi nombhali ongumRoma, uchaza le Makethe ngokuthi “yayigcwele amatilosi nabanikazi bezindlu zezihambi abadelelayo.” Wabhala nokuthi “amanzi akhona ayengcolile.” Waze wenqaba nokudlela khona! Nokho, naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, iqembu labazalwane elivela eRoma lakujabulela ukulinda uPawulu nayehamba nabo ukuze libaphelezele ngokuphepha kulo mlenze wokugcina wohambo lwabo.

 8. Kungani uPawulu abonga uNkulunkulu ‘lapho ebona’ abafowabo?

⁸ Ukulandisa kuthi: “Lapho ebabona [abafowabo], uPawulu wabonga uNkulunkulu, wama isibindi.” (IzE. 28:15) Yebo, ukubabona nje kukodwa laba bafowabo abathandekayo, abanye babo ayebazi, kwamqinisa futhi kwamduduza. Kungani uPawulu abonga uNkulunkulu? Wayazi ukuthi uthando olungenabugovu luyisithelo somoya. (Gal. 5:22) Nanamuhla, umoya ongcwele ushukumisa amaKristu ukuba azidele ngenxa yabanye futhi aduduze labo abaswele.—1 Thes. 5:11, 14.

 9. Singawubonisa kanjani umoya owaboniswa abazalwane abahlangabeza uPawulu?

⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, umoya ongcwele ubangela labo abasabela kuwo ukuba bamukele ababonisi besigodi, izithunywa zevangeli ezivakashile nezinye izinceku zesikhathi esigcwele, iningi lazo eliye lazidela kakhulu ukuze likhonze uJehova ngokwengeziwe. Zibuze: ‘Ingabe ngingakwenza okwengeziwe ukuze ngisekele ukuhambela kombonisi wesigodi, mhlawumbe ngokumbonisa umoya wokupha yena kanye nomkakhe uma eshadile? Ngingahlela yini ukusebenza nabo ensimini?’ Ngokwenza lokhu, ungase uthole isibusiso esicebile. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngenjabulo abazalwane baseRoma ababa nayo njengoba belalele uPawulu nayehamba nabo bebaxoxela okwakwenzekile okwakhayo ohambweni labo.—IzE. 15:3, 4.

10. Wayehlezi kanjani uPawulu eRoma, futhi yini ayenza ngokushesha nje ngemva kokufika kwakhe?

¹⁰ Lapho ekugcineni leli qembu lezihambi lifika eRoma, “uPawulu wavunyelwa ukuba ahlale yedwa nesosha elalimgadile.” (IzE. 28:16) Ukuze iziboshwa ezaziboshelwa endlini zingeqi, ngokuvamile iketanga ezaziboshwa ngalo laliboshelwa kunogada wazo. Ngisho eboshwe kanjalo, uPawulu wayengummemezeli woMbuso, futhi lelo ketanga lalingeke limthulise. Ngemva kokuphumula izinsuku ezintathu, wabizela ndawonye amadoda avelele kumaJuda eRoma ukuze azethule kuwo futhi awanikeze ubufakazi.

11, 12. Ngesikhathi ekhuluma namaJuda, uPawulu wazama kanjani ukususa ubandlululo okungenzeka ayenalo?

¹¹ UPawulu wathi: “Madoda, bafowethu, nakuba ngingenzanga lutho oluphambene nabantu noma amasiko okhokho bethu, eJerusalema nganikelwa ezandleni zamaRoma njengesiboshwa. Ngemva kokwenza uphenyo, ayefuna ukungikhulula ngoba sasingekho isizathu sokuba ngibulawe. Kodwa lapho amaJuda ephikisana nalokho, ngaphoqeleka ukuba ngidlulisele icala kuKhesari, kodwa hhayi ngoba nganginokuthile engingamangalela ngakho isizwe sakithi.”—IzE. 28:17-19.

¹² Ngokubiza izilaleli zakhe ezingamaJuda ngokuthi “bafowethu,” uPawulu wayezama ukuthola lokho abavumelana ngakho futhi asuse noma yiluphi ubandlululo okungenzeka zazinalo. (1 Kor. 9:20) Waphinde wakucacisa ukuthi wayengezelanga ukuzowasola, kodwa wayezele ukuzovela phambi kukaKhesari. Nokho, umphakathi wamaJuda wawuyeshwama eyokuthi uPawulu wayedlulisele icala kuKhesari. (IzE. 28:21) Kwakwenziwa yini ukuba amaJuda aseJudiya angawatsheli amaJuda aseRoma ngalokhu? Enye incwadi ithi: “Kumelwe ukuba umkhumbi kaPawulu wawuphakathi kweyokuqala eyafika e-Italy ngemva kobusika, futhi abameleli beziphathimandla zamaJuda eJerusalema babengakafiki, ingakafiki nencwadi ekhuluma ngaleli cala.”

13, 14. UPawulu wasethula kanjani isigijimi soMbuso, futhi singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sakhe?

¹³ UPawulu wabe esethula isigijimi soMbuso ngendlela eyayizokwenza zibe nelukuluku nakanjani izivakashi zakhe ezingamaJuda. Wathi: “Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, ngacela ukuba nginibone futhi ngikhulume nani, ngoba ngiboshwe ngaleli ketanga nje kungenxa yaleli themba lika-Israyeli.” (IzE. 28:20) Lelo themba laliphathelene noMesiya noMbuso wakhe, njengoba ushunyayelwa yibandla lobuKristu. Abadala abangamaJuda bamphendula: “Sicabanga ukuthi kuyafaneleka ukuzizwela kuwe ukuthi wena ucabangani, ngoba ngempela ngokuqondene naleli qembu lenkolo, siyazi ukuthi kukhulunywa kabi ngalo kuyo yonke indawo.”—IzE. 28:22.

¹⁴ Lapho sithola ithuba lokuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle nabanye, singalingisa uPawulu ngokusebenzisa amazwi noma imibuzo eshukumisa ingqondo ukuze sivuse isithakazelo. Ukusikisela okuhle kungatholakala ezincwadini ezinjengethi Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo, Zuza Emfundweni YeSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini nethi Zimisele Ekufundeni Nasekufundiseni. Ingabe uzisebenzisa kahle lezi zinsiza-kufundisa zeBhayibheli?

15. Yiziphi izinto ezine ezigqamile ebufakazini bukaPawulu?

¹⁵ Ngosuku ayelukhethile, amaJuda ‘afika emaningi kakhulu’ endaweni uPawulu ayehlala kuyo. Wawachazela indaba ‘kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwahlwa . . . ngokunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ezama ukubenza bakholelwe kuJesu esusela eMthethweni KaMose nakubaProfethi.’ (IzE. 28:23) Zine izinto ezigqamile ebufakazini bukaPawulu. Eyokuqala, wagxila eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. Eyesibili, wazama ukubamba izinhliziyo zezilaleli zakhe ngokusebenzisa ikhono lokukholisa. Eyesithathu, wabonisana nazo ngemiBhalo. Eyesine, wabonisa isimo sengqondo sokuzidela, wafakaza kubo ‘kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwahlwa.’ Lesi yisibonelo esihle ngempela kithi! Waba yini umphumela? ‘Abanye baqala ukukholwa,’ kodwa abanye abazange. Kwaqubuka ukungezwani phakathi kwabo, futhi uLuka ubika ukuthi “bahamba.”—IzE. 28:24, 25a.

16-18. Kungani ukungasabeli kahle kwamaJuda aseRoma kungazange kummangaze uPawulu, futhi kufanele sizizwe kanjani lapho isigijimi sethu senqatshwa?

¹⁶ Lokhu kusabela akuzange kummangaze uPawulu ngoba kwakuvumelana neziprofetho zeBhayibheli futhi kuyinto ayijwayele. (IzE. 13:42-47; 18:5, 6; 19:8, 9) Ngakho, kulezo zivakashi zakhe ezase zihamba futhi zingazange zisabele kahle, uPawulu wathi: “Umoya ongcwele wakhuluma ngokufanele ngo-Isaya umprofethi kokhokho benu, uthi, ‘Yana kulaba bantu uthi: “Impela niyozwa, kodwa anisoze naqonda, impela niyobheka, kodwa anisoze nabona. Ngoba inhliziyo yalaba bantu ibe lukhuni.”’” (IzE. 28:25b-27) Igama lolimi lokuqala elihunyushwe ngokuthi “lukhuni” lisho inhliziyo “ewugqinsi” noma “ekhuluphele,” okubangela ukuba isigijimi soMbuso singangeni ngaphakathi kuyo. (IzE. 28:27) Kwakudabukisa kakhulu ukuthi labo bantu abalamukelanga iqiniso!

¹⁷ Ngokungafani nezilaleli zakhe ezingamaJuda, uPawulu waphetha ngokuthi ‘izizwe ziyolalela nakanjani.’ (IzE. 28:28; IHu. 67:2; Isaya 11:10) Ngempela, lo mphostoli wayengakhuluma ngegunya ngale ndaba ngoba wayezibonele ngawakhe abeZizwe abaningi besamukela isigijimi soMbuso!—IzE. 13:48; 14:27.

¹⁸ NjengoPawulu, masingacasuki lapho abantu benqaba izindaba ezinhle. Angithi siyazi ukuthi bambalwa abantu abayothola indlela eya ekuphileni. (Math. 7:13, 14) Lapho abantu abaqotho beqala ukukhonza uJehova, masijabule futhi sibamukele ngazo zombili.—Luka 15:7.

19. UPawulu wasisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi asichitha endlini eqashiwe?

¹⁹ ULuka uphetha ukulandisa kwakhe ngephuzu elihle nelijabulisa kakhulu, ethi: “[UPawulu] wahlala lapho iminyaka emibili yonke endlini ayeyiqashile, wayebamukela ngomusa bonke ababefika kuye, eshumayela kubo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi efundisa ngeNkosi uJesu Kristu ngenkululeko yokukhuluma enkulu kakhulu, ngaphandle kwesithiyo.” (IzE. 28:30, 31) UPawulu wayeyisibonelo esihle kakhulu sokwamukela abanye ngomusa, ukholo nentshiseko!

20, 21. Yisho izibonelo zalabo abazuza enkonzweni kaPawulu eRoma.

²⁰ Omunye walabo bantu uPawulu abamukela ngomusa kwakungu-Onesimu, isigqila esasibaleke eKolose. UPawulu wasiza u-Onesimu ukuba abe ngumKristu, kamuva u-Onesimu waba umfowabo kaPawulu “othembekile nothandekayo.” Eqinisweni, uPawulu wamchaza ngokuthi ‘umntanami engaba uyise kuye.’ (Kol. 4:9; Filem. 10-12) Kumelwe ukuba u-Onesimu wamkhuthaza kakhulu uPawulu!a

²¹ Kunabanye futhi abazuza esibonelweni esihle sikaPawulu. Ebhalela abaseFilipi, wathi: “Izinto ezenzeke kimi zibe nomthelela ekusakazekeni kwezindaba ezinhle, kangangokuthi ukuboshwa kwami ngenxa kaKristu sekwaziwa kabanzi phakathi kwabo bonke abaQaphi Bombusi nabo bonke abanye. Manje iningi labafowethu esikhonza nabo iNkosi lizizwa linesibindi ngenxa yokuboshwa kwami futhi libonisa isibindi esikhulu nangokwengeziwe sokukhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokungesabi.”—Fil. 1:12-14.

22. UPawulu wasisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi ayeboshwe ngaso eRoma?

²² UPawulu wasisebenzisa kahle isikhathi ayevalelwe ngaso eRoma, wabhala izincwadi ezibalulekile manje eziyingxenye yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki.b Lezo zincwadi ezazibhalelwe amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala zawazuzisa kakhulu. Nathi siyazuza ezincwadini ezabhalwa uPawulu ngoba izeluleko zakhe eziphefumulelwe azibhala zisasebenza nanamuhla njengoba zazisebenza ngesikhathi zibhalwa.—2 Thim. 3:16, 17.

23, 24. NjengoPawulu, amaKristu amaningi namuhla aye ahlala kanjani ejabule naphezu kokuboshelwa ukholo lwawo?

²³ Ngesikhathi akhululwa ngaso, esingashiwongo encwadini yezEnzo, uPawulu wayesechithe iminyaka ethi ayibe mine eboshiwe—emibili eKhesariya nemibili eRoma.c (IzE. 23:35; 24:27) Kodwa wayesalokhu enombono omuhle, enza konke angakwenza enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngokufanayo, izinceku eziningi zikaJehova namuhla ziye zayilondoloza injabulo yazo futhi zaqhubeka zishumayela nakuba ziboshwe ngokungafanele ngenxa yokholo lwazo. Cabanga ngesibonelo sika-Adolfo, owaboshwa eSpain ngenxa yokungathathi-hlangothi kwakhe kobuKristu. Isikhulu esithile sathi kuye, “Uyasimangaza wena. Besilokhu sikuhlupha kakhulu, kodwa lapho siqinisa isandla, bekuba yilapho umomotheka kakhulu futhi ukhuluma ngomusa.”

²⁴ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, u-Adolfo wayesethenjwa kangangokuthi isitokisi sakhe sasishiywa sivuliwe. Amasosha ayemvakashela ezobuza ngeBhayibheli. Omunye wonogada wayeze ayofundela iBhayibheli esitokisini sakhe, u-Adolfo aqaphe ukuba angabonwa. Kusho ukuthi yisiboshwa “esasigada” unogada! Kwangathi isibonelo esinjalo esihle soFakazi abathembeke njengalona singasishukumisela ukuba sibonise “isibindi esikhulu nangokwengeziwe sokukhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokungesabi,” ngisho nangaphansi kwezimo ezinzima.

25, 26. Eminyakeni engaphansana nje kwengu-30, yisiphi isiprofetho esimangalisayo uPawulu asibona sigcwaliseka, futhi sesigcwaliseke ngezinga elingakanani osukwini lwethu?

²⁵ Incwadi yezEnzo inezindaba ezithinta inhliziyo zamaKristu enza konke angakwenza ukuze ashumayele izindaba ezinhle! Iphetha ngesibonelo esikhuthazayo sikaPawulu ‘owashumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu’ kubo bonke abamvakashela ngesikhathi eboshelwe endlini! Esahlukweni sokuqala, sifunde ngomyalo uJesu awunika abalandeli bakhe lapho ethi: “Nizokwamukela amandla lapho umoya ongcwele ufika phezu kwenu, nizoba ofakazi bami eJerusalema, kulo lonke elaseJudiya naseSamariya, nasezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.” (IzE. 1:8) Manje, ngemva kweminyaka engaphansi kwengu-30, lesi sigijimi soMbuso sase ‘sishunyayelwe kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.’d (Kol. 1:23) Lokhu kwakuwubufakazi bendlela umoya kaNkulunkulu onamandla ngayo!—Zak. 4:6.

²⁶ Namuhla, wona lowo moya ofanayo uye wasekela abafowabo bakaKristu abasasele, kanye nabangane babo ‘bezinye izimvu,’ ukuba baqhubeke ‘benikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu’ emazweni angu-240! (Joh. 10:16; IzE. 28:23) Ingabe wena uhlanganyela ngokugcwele kulowo msebenzi?