Wena Ulalela Bani—UNkulunkulu Noma Abantu?
“Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IZENZO 5:29.
1. (a) Lesi sihloko sisekelwe kumuphi umBhalo? (b) Abaphostoli babeboshelweni?
ABAHLULELI benkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda kumelwe ukuba babethukuthele bengqangqa. Iziboshwa ababezivalele zazingasekho. Zazingabaphostoli bakaJesu Kristu, indoda eyayithole isigwebo sokufa enkantolo ephakeme emasontweni ambalwa ngaphambili. Manje inkantolo yayisifuna ukubhekana ngqo nabalandeli bakhe ababesondelene naye kakhulu. Kodwa lapho abaqaphi beyobalanda, bathola kukhala ibhungane ezitokisini, yize izicabha zazihluthulelwe. Kungakabiphi, abaqaphi bezwa ukuthi abaphostoli basethempelini eJerusalema, bafundisa abantu ngoJesu Kristu ngesibindi—wona kanye umsebenzi ababeboshelwe wona! Abaqaphi baqonda ethempelini, baphinde bababopha, base bebaletha enkantolo.—IzEnzo 5:17-27.
2. Ingelosi yayala abaphostoli ukuba benzeni?
2 Abaphostoli babekhululwe yingelosi ejele. Ingabe kwakungenjongo yokubophula ekushushisweni? Cha. Kwakungenjongo yokuba izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema zizwe izindaba ezinhle mayelana noJesu Kristu. Ingelosi yayala abaphostoli ukuba ‘baqhubeke bekhuluma kubantu wonke amazwi aphathelene nalokhu kuphila.’ (IzEnzo 5:19, 20) Kwenzeka kanjalo ukuba abaqaphi basethempelini babathole befeza lowo myalo ngokwethembeka.
3, 4. (a) Lapho beyalwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, uPetru noJohane baphendula bathini? (b) Abanye abaphostoli bona baphendula bathini?
3 Ababili balabo bashumayeli ababezimisele, umphostoli uPetru nomphostoli uJohane, babeke bavela phambi kwenkantolo, njengoba nje umahluleli omkhulu, uJosefa Kayafase, abakhumbuza ngamazwi aqatha. Wathi: “Siniyalé ngokucacile ukuba ningaqhubeki nifundisa [ngegama likaJesu], kodwa, bhekani! senigcwalise iJerusalema ngemfundiso yenu.” (IzEnzo 5:28) UKayafase kwakungafanele kummangaze ukuphinde abone uPetru noJohane lapho enkantolo. Lapho beyalwa okokuqala ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, laba baphostoli ababili babephendulile: “Ukuthi kulungile yini emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ukulalela nina kunoNkulunkulu, yahlulelani nina. Kodwa thina, ngeke siyeke ukukhuluma ngezinto esizibonile nesizizwile.” Njengomprofethi wasendulo uJeremiya, uPetru noJohane babengenakuthula bangawenzi umsebenzi wokushumayela ababewunikiwe.—IzEnzo 4:18-20; Jeremiya 20:9.
4 Manje, bonke abaphostoli—kuhlanganise noMathiya owayesanda kukhethwa—hhayi nje uPetru noJohane kuphela, base benethuba lokuchazela inkantolo ngokucacile ngokuma kwabo. (IzEnzo 1:21-26) Lapho beyalwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, nabo baphendula ngesibindi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29.
Ukulalela UNkulunkulu Njengombusi Noma Umuntu
5, 6. Kungani abaphostoli bengawulalelanga umyalo wenkantolo?
5 Abaphostoli babengamadoda agcina umthetho, ayengeke eqe umyalo wenkantolo ezimweni ezivamile. Nokho, akukho muntu—kungakhathaliseki isikhundla anaso—ogunyazwe ukuyala omunye ukuba eqe omunye wemiyalo kaNkulunkulu. UJehova “ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.” (IHubo 83:18) Akagcini ngokuba “uMahluleli womhlaba wonke” kodwa futhi unguMniki-mthetho Ophakeme neNkosi yaphakade. Noma imuphi umyalo wenkantolo ozama ukuphikisa omunye wemiyalo kaNkulunkulu uyize kuye.—Genesise 18:25; Isaya 33:22.
6 Ezinye zezazi zezomthetho ezivelele ziye zakuvuma lokhu. Ngokwesibonelo, isazi sezomthetho esidumile saseNgilandi sekhulu le-18 uWilliam Blackstone sabhala ukuthi akukho mthetho wabantu okufanele uvunyelwe ukuba uphikise “umthetho owambuliweyo” oseBhayibhelini. Ngakho, iSanhedrini yayigabadela lapho iyala abaphostoli ukuba bayeke ukushumayela. Abaphostoli babengenakuwulalela neze lowo myalo.
7. Kungani umsebenzi wokushumayela wabathukuthelisa abapristi abakhulu?
7 Ukuzimisela kwabaphostoli ukuqhubeka beshumayela kwabathukuthelisa abapristi abakhulu. Abanye babapristi, kuhlanganise naye uKayafase, babengabaSadusi, bengakholelwa ovukweni. (IzEnzo 4:1, 2; 5:17) Nokho, abaphostoli babemi kwelokuthi uJesu wayevusiwe kwabafileyo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abanye babapristi abakhulu babezame kakhulu ukuzithandekisa kuziphathimandla ezingamaRoma. Ecaleni likaJesu, lapho benikwa ithuba lokwamukela uJesu njengenkosi yabo, abapristi abakhulu babeze bamemeza bathi: “Asinankosi ngaphandle kukaKhesari.” (Johane 19:15)a Abaphostoli babengagcini ngokugomela ukuthi uJesu uvusiwe kodwa babefundisa nokuthi ngaphandle kwegama lakhe, “alikho elinye igama phansi kwezulu elinikwe ukuba libe phakathi kwabantu okumelwe sisindiswe ngalo.” (IzEnzo 2:36; 4:12) Abapristi babekhathazwa ukuthi uma abantu bengase baqale ukubheka lo Jesu ovusiwe njengoMholi wabo, amaRoma angase afike bese bona njengabaholi bamaJuda belahlekelwa yikho ‘kokubili indawo yabo nesizwe sabo.’—Johane 11:48.
8. Isiphi iseluleko esihlakaniphile uGamaliyeli asinika iSanhedrini?
8 Ikusasa labaphostoli bakaJesu Kristu lalibonakala lifiphele. Abahluleli beSanhedrini babezimisele ukubabulala. (IzEnzo 5:33) Nokho, izinto zashintsha kungazelelwe. UGamaliyeli, isazi soMthetho, wasukuma waxwayisa ozakwabo ukuba bangaxhamazeli. Ngokuhlakanipha, wathi: “Uma leli qhinga noma lo msebenzi uvela kubantu, uyogumbuqelwa; kodwa uma uvela kuNkulunkulu, ngeke nikwazi ukubagumbuqela.” Wabe esenezela amazwi aphawulekayo: “Ngaphandle kwalokho, mhlawumbe ningatholakala empeleni ningabantu abalwa noNkulunkulu.”—IzEnzo 5:34, 38, 39.
9. Yini efakazela ukuthi umsebenzi wabaphostoli wawuvela kuNkulunkulu?
9 Ngokumangalisayo, inkantolo yasamukela iseluleko sikaGamaliyeli. ISanhedrini ‘yababiza abaphostoli, yababhambabula, futhi yabayala ukuba bayeke ukukhuluma ngesisekelo segama likaJesu, yayisibadedela.’ Nokho, lokho akuzange neze kubesabise, kunalokho bazimisela ukulalela umyalo wengelosi wokuba bashumayele. Ngakho, ngemva kokukhululwa, “nsuku zonke ethempelini nasendlini ngendlu [abaphostoli] baqhubeka ngaphandle kokuyekethisa, befundisa futhi bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu, uJesu.” (IzEnzo 5:40, 42) UJehova wayibusisa imizamo yabo. Kangakanani? “Izwi likaNkulunkulu laqhubeka landa, isibalo sabafundi saqhubeka siphindaphindeka kakhulu eJerusalema.” Eqinisweni, “isixuku esikhulu sabapristi salalela ukholo.” (IzEnzo 6:7) Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwabakhungathekisa kanjani lokho abapristi abakhulu! Ubufakazi babunqwabelana: Umsebenzi wabaphostoli wawuvela kuNkulunkulu ngempela!
Abalwa NoNkulunkulu Abanakuphumelela
10. Ngokombono womuntu, kungani uKayafase ayengase azizwe elondekile esikhundleni sakhe, futhi kungani ukuqiniseka kwakhe kwakuyiphutha?
10 Ekhulwini lokuqala, abapristi abaphakeme bamaJuda babemiswa iziphathimandla ezingamaRoma. UJosefa Kayafase owayecebile wabekwa nguValerius Gratus esikhundleni sakhe, futhi wahlala isikhathi eside kulesi sikhundla kunabaningi abamandulela. Cishe uKayafase wayecabanga ukuthi lokhu kwenziwa ikhono lakhe njengosomaqhinga nawukuthi ungumngane kaPilatu, hhayi ukungenela kukaNkulunkulu. Noma ngabe wayecabangani, kwacaca ukuthi ukuthembela kwakhe kubantu kwakuyiphutha. Eminyakeni emithathu nje ngemva kokuvela kwabaphostoli phambi kweSanhedrini, uKayafase waba nyamana-mbana kuziphathimandla ezingamaRoma, waphucwa isikhundla sokuba umpristi ophakeme.
11. Saba yini isigcino sikaPontiyu Pilatu nesimiso sezinto sobuJuda, futhi isiphi isiphetho osifinyelelayo ngalokhu?
11 Umyalo wokuba uKayafase asuswe esikhundleni wawuvela kumuntu owayephethe uPilatu ngokuqondile, uLucius Vitellius, umbusi waseSiriya, futhi umngane omkhulu kaKayafase, uPilatu, akakwazanga ukuwuvimba. Eqinisweni, ngemva konyaka nje uKayafase esusiwe esikhundleni, noPilatu uqobo wasuswa kwesakhe wabizelwa eRoma ukuze ayophendula emacaleni anzima ayebekwa wona. AmaRoma ayithatha ngempela ‘indawo nesizwe’ sabaholi bamaJuda ababethembele kuKhesari. Lokhu kwenzeka ngonyaka ka-70 C.E. lapho amabutho amaRoma ebhubhisa umuzi waseJerusalema ngokuphelele, kuhlanganise nethempeli nehholo leSanhedrini. Yeka indlela aba yiqiniso ngayo amazwi omhubi kulokhu: “Ningabeki ithemba lenu ezicukuthwaneni, noma endodaneni yomuntu wasemhlabeni, okungekhona okwayo ukusindisa”!—Johane 11:48; IHubo 146:3.
12. Okwenzeka kuJesu kukufakazela kanjani ukuthi ukulalela uNkulunkulu kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha?
12 Ngokuphambene, uNkulunkulu wamisa uJesu Kristu ovusiwe njengoMpristi Ophakeme wethempeli elikhulu elingokomoya. Akukho muntu ongamsusa kuleso sikhundla. Empeleni, “ubupristi [bukaJesu] abunabo abazolandela esikhundleni.” (Hebheru 2:9; 7:17, 24; 9:11) UNkulunkulu wamisa uJesu nanjengoMahluleli wabaphilayo nabafileyo. (1 Petru 4:5) Njengalowo Mahluleli, uJesu uyonquma ukuthi uJosefa Kayafase noPontiyu Pilatu bayalithola yini ithuba lokuphinde baphile esikhathini esizayo.—Mathewu 23:33; IzEnzo 24:15.
Abamemezeli BoMbuso Banamuhla Abanesibindi
13. Ezikhathini zanamuhla, imuphi umsebenzi oye wabonakala ukuthi uvela kubantu, futhi imuphi oye wabonakala ukuthi uvela kuNkulunkulu? Wazi kanjani?
13 Njengasekhulwini lokuqala, baningi namuhla “abantu abalwa noNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 5:39) Ngokwesibonelo, lapho oFakazi BakaJehova eJalimane benqaba ukusho isiqubulo sokudumisa u-Adolf Hitler njengomholi wabo, uHitler wafunga ukuthi uzobaqothula. (Mathewu 23:10) Iqembu lakhe labasokoci abangenanhliziyo lalibonakala lingakwenza kahle nje lokho. AmaNazi aphumelela ukubopha izinkulungwane zoFakazi futhi azithumela emakamu okuhlushwa. Akwazi nokubulala abanye oFakazi. Kodwa awakwazanga ukuwenza ashintshe esinqumweni sawo sokukhulekela uNkulunkulu kuphela, futhi ahluleka ukuqothula izinceku zikaNkulunkulu njengeqembu. Umsebenzi walawa maKristu wawuvela kuNkulunkulu, hhayi kumuntu, futhi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu awunakugumbuqelwa. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-60, oFakazi abathembekile abasinda emakamu okuhlushwa kaHitler basakhonza uJehova ‘ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo nangayo yonke ingqondo yabo,’ kanti uHitler neqembu lakhe lobuNazi sebekhunjulwa ngobubi babo kuphela.—Mathewu 22:37.
14. (a) Imiphi imizamo abaphikisi abaye bayenza ekunyundeleni izinceku zikaNkulunkulu, futhi kube namiphi imiphumela? (b) Ingabe imizamo enjalo iyobalimaza unomphela abantu bakaNkulunkulu? (Hebheru 13:5, 6)
14 Eminyakeni yangemva kwemizamo yamaNazi, kwaba nabanye abaye bangenela le mpi kamabuyaze yokulwa noJehova nabantu bakhe. Emazweni amaningana eYurophu, amaqili enkolo nawezombusazwe aye azama ukubiza oFakazi BakaJehova ‘ngehlelo eliyingozi,’ njengoba namaKristu ekhulu lokuqala abizwa kanjalo. (IzEnzo 28:22) Iqiniso liwukuthi iNkantolo YaseYurophu Yamalungelo Abantu iye yabaqaphela njengenkolo oFakazi BakaJehova, hhayi njengehlelo. Abaphikisi bakwazi kahle lokho. Noma kunjalo, bayaqhubeka nokunyundela oFakazi. Ngenxa yalokhu koniwa igama, amanye alawa maKristu aye axoshwa emisebenzini. Izingane zoFakazi ziye zahlukunyezwa ezikoleni. Abanikazi bezindawo abanovalo baye basula izivumelwano zokusebenzisa izindawo osekuyisikhathi eside oFakazi bezisebenzisela imihlangano yabo. Ezimweni ezimbalwa, iminyango kahulumeni iye yaze yenqabela abathile ukuba yizakhamuzi zezwe ngoba nje bengoFakazi BakaJehova! Noma kunjalo, oFakazi abadangali.
15, 16. Yini oFakazi BakaJehova eFrance abaye bayenza lapho umsebenzi wabo wobuKristu uphikiswa, futhi kungani beqhubeka beshumayela?
15 Ngokwesibonelo, eFrance abantu ngokuvamile banengqondo ehluzekile nengabandlululi. Nokho, abaphikisi abambalwa baye bagqugquzela imithetho ehloselwe ukukhinyabeza umsebenzi woMbuso. Yini oFakazi BakaJehova abaye bayenza kulelo zwe? Baye baqinisa kunanini ngaphambili emsebenzini wabo wokushumayela, kwaba nemiphumela ejabulisayo. (Jakobe 4:7) Phela, inani lezifundo zeBhayibheli zasemakhaya like lakhuphuka ngamaphesenti angu-33 wonke kulelo zwe ngezinyanga eziyisithupha nje! Kumelwe ukuba kumthukuthelisa ngempela uDeveli ukubona abanhliziyo ziqotho eFrance besabela ezindabeni ezinhle. (IsAmbulo 12:17) Abafowethu abangamaKristu eFrance bayaqiniseka ukuthi amazwi omprofethi u-Isaya ayofezeka kubo: “Noma isiphi isikhali esiyokwakhiwa ngokumelene nawe ngeke siphumelele, nanoma yiluphi ulimi oluyokuvukela ekwahluleleni uyolulahla.”—Isaya 54:17.
16 OFakazi BakaJehova abakujabuleli ukushushiswa. Nokho, njengoba belalela umyalo uNkulunkulu awunike wonke amaKristu, abasoze bayeka ukukhuluma ngezinto abazizwile. Bazama ukuba yizakhamuzi eziqotho. Kodwa lapho umthetho wabantu ungqubuzana nomthetho kaNkulunkulu, kumelwe balalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi.
Ningabesabi
17. (a) Kungani kungafanele sizesabe izitha zethu? (b) Kufanele sibabheke kanjani abashushisi?
17 Izitha zethu zisesimweni esibucayi kakhulu. Zilwa noNkulunkulu. Ngakho, ngokuvumelana nomyalo kaJesu, kunokuba sibesabe labo abasishushisayo siyabathandazela. (Mathewu 5:44) Sithandazela ukuthi uma bekhona abaphikisa uNkulunkulu ngenxa yokungazi njengoSawulu waseTarsu, sengathi uJehova angabavula amehlo ngomusa balibone iqiniso. (2 Korinte 4:4) USawulu waba umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu futhi iziphathimandla zosuku lwakhe zamhlupha kakhulu. Noma kunjalo, wayelokhu ekhumbuza ayekholwa nabo ukuba “bazithobe futhi balalele ohulumeni neziphathimandla njengababusi, ukuba balungele yonke imisebenzi emihle, bangakhulumi kabi ngamuntu [ngisho nangezishoshovu ezazibashushisa], bangabi yizilwi, babe abalinganiselayo, bebonisa bonke ubumnene kubantu bonke.” (Thithu 3:1, 2) OFakazi BakaJehova eFrance nakwezinye izindawo bazama ukusebenzisa lesi seluleko.
18. (a) Iziphi izindlela uJehova angase abakhulule ngazo abantu bakhe? (b) Siyoba yini isiphetho sakho konke lokhu?
18 UNkulunkulu watshela umprofethi uJeremiya: “Nginawe ukuba ngikukhulule.” (Jeremiya 1:8) UJehova angasikhulula kanjani namuhla lapho sishushiswa? Angase avuse umahluleli onomqondo ovulekile njengoGamaliyeli. Noma angase enze ukuba kungazelelwe isikhundla sesikhulu esithile esikhohlakele noma esiphikisayo sithathwe esinye esinomqondo ovuleke kakhudlwana. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi uJehova angase akuvumele ukushushiswa kwabantu bakhe kuqhubeke. (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Uma uNkulunkulu evuma ukuba sishushiswe, ngaso sonke isikhathi uyosinika amandla okulukhuthazelela lolo shushiso. (1 Korinte 10:13) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini uNkulunkulu ayivumelayo, asingabazi ukuthi siyoba yini isiphetho: Labo abalwa nabantu bakaNkulunkulu balwa noNkulunkulu, futhi abalwa noNkulunkulu ngeke banqobe.
19. Uthini umbhalo wonyaka ka-2006, futhi kungani ufaneleka?
19 UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi mabalulindele usizi. (Johane 16:33) Ngenxa yalokhu, amazwi ezEnzo 5:29 awakaze afaneleke ngaphezu kwamanje: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.” Ngenxa yalokho, kukhethwe la mazwi avusa amadlingozi ukuba abe umbhalo wonyaka ka-2006 woFakazi BakaJehova. Kwangathi singazimisela ukulalela uNkulunkulu njengoMbusi kumnyama kubomvu kulo nyaka ozayo naphakade!
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a ‘UKhesari’ abapristi abakhulu ababemsekela obala kuleso senzakalo kwakungumbusi ongumRoma uTiberiyu owayedelelwa, owayengumzenzisi nombulali. UTiberiyu wayaziwa nangezenzo zobulili ezihlazisayo.—Daniyeli 11:15, 21.
Ungaphendula?
• Isiphi isibonelo esikhuthazayo abaphostoli abasibekela sona ngendlela ababhekana ngayo nokuphikiswa?
• Kungani kufanele njalo silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu?
• Abaphikisi bethu balwa nobani ngempela?
• Singalindela ukuba sibe yini isigcino salabo abakhuthazelela ushushiso?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 23]
Umbhalo wonyaka ka-2006 uthi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
“Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu”
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
UKayafase wayethembele kubantu kunakuNkulunkulu