“Ezingozini Olwandle”
EZINZULWINI zobusuku, umkhumbi kaseyili othwele abantu abangu-276 usondela esiqhingini esikuyiMediterranean. Izisebenzi zasemkhunjini nabagibeli bakhathele ngenxa yokugudluzeka olwandle olunezivunguvungu izinsuku ezingu-14. Lapho bebona itheku entathakusa, bazama ukuletha umkhumbi osebeni. Kodwa ingxenye engaphambili iyabhajwa ingabe isakwazi ukuhamba, futhi amagagasi aphihliza indawo engemuva yomkhumbi ibe izicucu. Bonke abasemkhunjini bayehla futhi bakwazi ukufinyelela ogwini lwaseMalta ngokubhukuda noma ngokubambelela emapulangweni noma kwezinye izinto. Begodola futhi bekhathele, baziphonsa ngaphandle kwamadlambi anamandla asogwini. Phakathi kwabagibeli kunomphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu. Uyiswa eRoma eyoquliswa icala.—IzEnzo 27:27-44.
KuPawulu, ukuphuka komkhumbi esiqhingini saseMalta kwakungesona isenzakalo sokuqala esisongela ukuphila kwakhe olwandle. Eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambili, wabhala: “Ngaphihlizekelwa umkhumbi izikhathi ezintathu, ubusuku obubodwa nemini eyodwa ngiye ngakuchitha ekujuleni kolwandle.” Wenezela nokuthi wayebe ‘sezingozini olwandle.’ (2 Korinte 11:25-27) Ukuhamba olwandle kwakusize uPawulu ukuba afeze indima yakhe ayinikwa uNkulunkulu yokuba “umphostoli ezizweni.”—Roma 11:13.
Kwakuhanjwa kangakanani olwandle ngekhulu lokuqala? Kwaba nayiphi indima ekusakazeni ubuKristu? Kwakuphephe kangakanani? Kwakusetshenziswa luhlobo luni lwemikhumbi? Futhi abagibeli babehlaliswa kanjani?
Isidingo SeRoma Sezohwebo Olwandle
AmaRoma ayebiza iMediterranean ngokuthi i-Mare Nostrum—ULwandle Lwethu. Ukuqondiswa kwemizila yasolwandle kwakungabalulekanga ngokwezempi kuphela eRoma. Imizi eminingi yoMbuso WaseRoma yayingamachweba noma inakekelwa yiwo. Ngokwesibonelo, iRoma yayinechweba layo e-Ostia eyayiseduze nayo, kuyilapho iKorinte isebenzisa iLechaeum neKenikreya kanti i-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya ikhonzwa iSelukiya. Ukusebenzelana okuhle ngezemikhumbi phakathi kwalawa machweba kwakwenza kube nokwenzeka ukuthintana ngokushesha nemizi eyinhloko futhi kuqondiswe ngokuphumelelayo izifunda zaseRoma.
Kanti iRoma yayincike emikhunjini ukuze ithole ukudla. Njengoba yayinabantu abangaba isigidi, iRoma yayidinga isilinganiso esikhulu sokusanhlamvu—amathani angaba phakathi kuka-250 000 no-400 000 ngonyaka. Kwakuvelaphi konke lokho okusanhlamvu? UFlavius Josephus ucaphuna uHerode Agrippa II ethi i-Afrika eseNyakatho yayondla iRoma izinyanga ezingu-8 zonyaka, kuyilapho iGibithe yayithumela okusanhlamvu okwanele ukuba kunakekelwe umuzi izinyanga ezine ezisele. Kwakunezinkulungwane zemikhumbi yasolwandle eyayihilelekile ekuletheni okusanhlamvu kulowo muzi.
Ukuze iRoma ibe nezinto zokunethezeka eyayizithanda, ezohwebo ezichumayo zaziletha zonke izinhlobo zezinto. Okusansimbi, itshe nemabula kwakuvela eKhupro, eGrisi naseGibithe futhi izingodo zivela eLebanoni. Iwayini lalivela eSmirna, amantongomane evela eDamaseku kanti ama-date evela ePalestina. Izinto zokugcoba nenjoloba kwakuthathwa eKhilikhiya, uvolo eMilethu naseLawodikeya, izindwangu eSiriya naseLebanoni, indwangu ensomi eTire naseSidoni. Udayi wawuthunyelwa uvela eThiyathira futhi ingilazi ivela e-Aleksandriya naseSidoni. Usilika, ukotini, izinyo lendlovu nezinongo kwakuvela eChina naseNdiya.
Yini engashiwo ngomkhumbi owaphihlizeka eMalta okwakukhona kuwo uPawulu? Kwakuwumkhumbi wokusanhlamvu, “umkhumbi ovela e-Aleksandriya owawuya e-Italiya.” (IzEnzo 27:6, umbhalo waphansi we-NW) Imikhumbi yokusanhlamvu kwakungeyamaGreki, abantu baseFenike nabaseSiriya, ababeyiqondisa futhi beyilungisa. Nokho, le mikhumbi yayiqashwe uHulumeni. “Njengasekuqoqeni izintela,” isazi-mlando uWilliam M. Ramsay sithi, “uhulumeni wawukuthola kulula ukuwunika amakontileka lowo msebenzi kunokuzihlelela wona imishini emikhulu nabantu nezinto zokusebenza ezidingekayo kulowo msebenzi omkhulu.”
UPawulu waqedela uhambo lwakhe lokuya eRoma ngomkhumbi onophawu oluthi “Amadodana KaZeus” phambili. Nalona kwakuwumkhumbi wase-Aleksandriya. Wama ePhutheyoli eGulf of Naples, esikhumulweni okwakuvame ukudilizwa kuso okusanhlamvu. (IzEnzo 28:11-13) Ukusuka ePhutheyoli—namuhla okuyiPozzuoli—umthwalo wawuhanjiswa ngezindlela zokuthutha zasezweni noma uthuthwe ngezikebhe ezincane uyiswe ngasogwini olusenyakatho bese kukhushukwa nawo ngoMfula iTiber kuze kuyofikwa enkabeni yeRoma.
Abagibeli Emkhunjini Othwala Impahla?
Kungani uPawulu nonogada bakhe abangamasosha bahamba ngomkhumbi othwala impahla? Ukuze siphendule lowo mbuzo, kudingeka sazi ukuthi kwakusho ukuthini ukuhamba olwandle njengomgibeli ngalezo zinsuku.
Ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., wawungekho umkhumbi owawenzelwe ukuthwala abantu. Imikhumbi eyayisetshenziswa abantu abathatha uhambo kwakuyimikhumbi yabahwebi. Futhi kungenzeka ukuthi zonke izinhlobo zabantu—kuhlanganise izikhulu zikaHulumeni, izazi, abashumayeli, abathakathi, abadwebi, abasubathi, abahwebi, ababuki bamazwe nezihambeli zezindawo ezingcwele—zazihamba ngayo.
Yiqiniso, zazikhona izikebhe ezincane ezazithwala abantu nempahla ngasogwini lolwandle. Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wasebenzisa izikebhe ezinjalo ukuze ‘awelele eMakedoniya’ esuka eTrowa. Kungenzeka ukuthi wahamba ngezikebhe ezincane izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa ukuya nokubuya e-Athene. Kungenzeka nokuthi uPawulu wasebenzisa lezi zikebhe ezincane ohambweni lwakhe lwakamuva lokusuka eTrowa ukuya ePhathara edabula eziqhingini eziseduze nogu lwase-Asia Minor. (IzEnzo 16:8-11; 17:14, 15; 20:1-6, 13-15; 21:1) Ukusebenzisa izikebhe ezinjalo ezincane kwakonga isikhathi, kodwa zazingenakuya kude kakhulu nezwe. Ngakho, kumelwe ukuba imikhumbi eyayisa uPawulu eKhupro futhi kamuva ePhamfiliya naleyo ahamba ngayo esuka e-Efesu eya eKesariya nokusuka ePhathara eya eTire yayimikhulu ngokuphawulekayo. (IzEnzo 13:4, 13; 18:21, 22; 21:1-3) Umkhumbi owaphihlizeka eMalta uPawulu ayekuwo nawo wawungase ubhekwe njengowawumkhulu ngokuphawulekayo. Yayingaba mikhulu kangakanani leyo mikhumbi?
Izincwadi zaholela esinye isazi ukuba sithi: “[Umkhumbi] omncane kakhulu owawuwusizo ngokuvamile kubantu basendulo wawungaba amathani angaba ngu-70 kuya kwangu-80. Ubukhulu obabuvame kakhulu, okungenani ngesikhathi sokuGuqulelwa Kwabantu EbuGrekini, babungamathani angu-130. Engamathani angu-250, nakuba yayivamile, ngokuqinisekile yayimikhulu kunaleyo esesilinganisweni. Ngesikhathi samaRoma imikhumbi eyayisetshenziswa enkonzweni yokuthutha kahulumeni yayisemikhulu, isilinganiso esithandwayo kungamathani angu-340. Imikhumbi emikhulu kunayo yonke olwandle yayifinyelela emathanini angu-1300, futhi kungenzeka nangaphezudlwana.” Ngokwencazelo eyalotshwa ngekhulu lesibili C.E., umkhumbi wase-Aleksandriya owawuthutha okusanhlamvu i-Isis wawunobude obungaphezu kwamamitha angu-55, nobubanzi obungamamitha angaba ngu-14, ngaphakathi ungamamitha angaba ngu-13 ukuya phansi, futhi wawungathwala amathani okusanhlamvu angaphezu kwenkulungwane futhi mhlawumbe namakhulu ambalwa abagibeli.
Abantu abasohambweni babenakekelwa kanjani emkhunjini othwala okusanhlamvu? Njengoba leyo mikhumbi yayingeyempahla ngokuyinhloko, abagibeli babengacatshangelwa kangako. Babenganikezwa kudla noma zinkonzo, ngaphandle kwamanzi. Babelala ngaphandle emkhunjini, mhlawumbe ngaphansi kwemipheme esamatende eyayimiswa ebusuku bese idilizwa njalo ekuseni. Nakuba abagibeli kungenzeka ukuthi babevunyelwa ukuba basebenzise ikhishi ukuze bapheke, kwakudingeka babe nazo zonke izinto ezidingekayo zokupheka, ukudla, ukugeza nokulala—kusukela emabhodweni namapani kuze kube sezintweni zokulala.
Ukuhamba Olwandle —Kwakuphephe Kangakanani?
Ngenxa yokuntuleka kwamathuluzi—ngisho nekhampasi—abaqondisi bomkhumbi bangekhulu lokuqala babeyiqondisa ngamehlo kuphela. Ngakho-ke, kwakuphephe kakhulu ukuhamba lapho kubonakala kahle—ngokuvamile kusukela ekupheleni kuka-May kuya maphakathi no-September. Phakathi nezinyanga ezimbili zangaphambi nangemva kwaleso sikhathi, abahwebi babengase bazame ukuhamba. Kodwa ebusika, inkungu namafu kwakuvame ukusitha izimpawu zezwe nelanga emini nezinkanyezi ebusuku. Ukuhamba kwemikhumbi kwakubhekwa njengokuvaliwe (ngesiLatini, mare clausum) kusukela ngo-November 11 kuya ku-March 10, ngaphandle kwalapho kudingeka ngempela noma kuphuthuma. Labo ababehamba ekupheleni kwaleso sikhathi babeba sengozini yokuchitha ubusika echwebeni lakwelinye izwe.—IzEnzo 27:12; 28:11.
Naphezu kokuba kwakho yingozi nokusebenza ngezikhathi ezithile, ingabe ukuhamba ngomkhumbi kwakunezinzuzo kunokuhamba ezweni? Ngokuqinisekile! Ukuhamba olwandle kwakungakhathazi kakhulu, kungabizi kakhulu futhi kushesha. Lapho umoya ukahle, umkhumbi wawungahlanganisa mhlawumbe amakhilomitha angu-150 ngosuku. Uhambo olude ngezinyawo ngezinga elivamile lwaluba amakhilomitha angu-25 kuya kwangu-30 ngosuku.
Isivinini sokuhamba olwandle sasixhomeke cishe ngokuphelele emoyeni. Uhambo lokusuka eGibithe kuya e-Italiya lwaluba umzabalazo oqhubekayo wokulwa nomoya ophambana nomkhumbi, ngisho nangezikhathi zokuhamba ezingcono kakhulu. Umzila owawunqamulela kakhulu ngokuvamile kwakuyilowo odlula eRodu noma eMira noma kwelinye ichweba elalisogwini lwaseLikhiya e-Asia Minor. Ngesinye isikhathi ngemva kokuba umkhumbi wokusanhlamvu i-Isis ubhekane nesivunguvungu futhi waphuma emzileni, wamisa ePiraeus ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-70 usukile e-Aleksandriya. Ngenxa yokuba khona komoya ovela enyakatho-ntshonalanga ngemva kwalo mkhumbi, uhambo lokubuyela e-Italiya lwalungathatha cishe izinsuku ezingu-20 kuya kwezingu-25. Ezweni, uhambo olufanayo lokuya noma ukubuya lwalungathatha izinsuku ezingaphezu kuka-150 esimweni sezulu esihle.
Izindaba Ezinhle Ziyiswa Ezindaweni Ezikude Ngaphesheya Kolwandle
Kusobala ukuthi uPawulu wayeziqaphela izingozi zokuhamba olwandle ngesikhathi esingafanele. Waze weluleka ukuba kungahanjwa ngomkhumbi ekupheleni kuka-September noma ekuqaleni kuka-October, ethi: “Madoda, ngiyabona ukuthi ukuhamba ngomkhumbi kuzoba nomonakalo nokulahlekelwa okukhulu hhayi umthwalo nomkhumbi nje kuphela kodwa futhi nemiphefumulo yethu.” (IzEnzo 27:9, 10) Nokho, isikhulu sezempi esasiphethe sawashaya indiva lawa mazwi, futhi lokhu kwaphumela ekuphihlizekeni komkhumbi eMalta.
Ekupheleni komsebenzi wakhe wokuba isithunywa sevangeli, uPawulu wayesephihlizekelwe umkhumbi okungenani izikhathi ezine. (IzEnzo 27:41-44; 2 Korinte 11:25) Nokho, ukukhathazeka ngokungadingekile ngezinto ezinjalo ezingase zenzeke akuzange kuvimbele abashumayeli bezindaba ezinhle bokuqala ukuba bahambe olwandle. Bazisebenzisa ngokugcwele zonke izindlela zokuhamba ezazikhona ukuze basakaze isigijimi soMbuso. Futhi, ngokulalelwa komyalo kaJesu, ubufakazi banikezwa nasezindaweni ezikude kakhulu. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 1:8) Ngenxa yentshiseko yabo, nokholo lwalabo abaye balandela isibonelo sabo, nesiqondiso somoya ongcwele kaJehova, izindaba ezinhle ziye zafinyelela ezindaweni eziqhelile zomhlaba owakhiwe.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 31]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.