Abantu BakaJehova Bayaqiniswa Okholweni
“Njalo-ke amabandla aqiniswa ekukholweni, anda ngobuningi imihla ngemihla.”—IZENZO 16:5.
1. UNkulunkulu wamsebenzisa kanjani umphostoli uPawulu?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU wasebenzisa uSawulu waseTarsu ‘njengesitsha esikhethiweyo.’ Esengumphostoli uPawulu, ‘wahlupheka ngokuningi.’ Kodwa ngomsebenzi wakhe nowabanye, inhlangano kaJehova yajabulela ubunye nokwanda okumangalisayo.—IzEnzo 9:15, 16.
2. Kungani kuyoba nenzuzo ukucabangela izEnzo 13:1–16:5?
2 AbeZizwe babeba amaKristu ngamanani andayo, futhi umhlangano obalulekile wendikimba ebusayo wenza okukhulu ekuthuthukiseni ubunye phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu nasekubaqiniseni okholweni. Kuyoba nenzuzo kakhulu ukucabangela lezenzakalo kanye nezinye ezilotshwe encwadini yezEnzo 13:1–16:5, ngoba oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla baba nokwanda okufanayo nezibusiso ezingokomoya. (Isaya 60:22) (Esifundweni sakho siqu salezihloko ezisekelwe encwadini yezEnzo kulomagazini, sisikisela ukuba ufunde izingxenye zalencwadi eziphawulwe ngombhalo ogqamile.)
Izithunywa Zevangeli Ziyasebenza
3. Yimuphi umsebenzi owawenziwa “abaprofethi nabafundisi” eAntiyokiya?
3 Amadoda ayethunywe ibandla laseAntiyokiya, eSiriya, asiza amakholwa ukuba aqine ekukholweni. (13:1-5) EAntiyokiya kwakukhona “abaprofethi nabafundisi” uBarnaba, uSimeyoni (umNigeri), uLukiyu waseKhurene, uManayeni, noSawulu waseTarsu. Abaprofethi babechaza iZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi bebikezela izenzakalo, kanti abafundisi babefundisa ngemiBhalo nangokuphila kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. (1 Korinte 13:8; 14:4) UBarnaba noSawulu bathola isabelo esikhethekile. Behamba nomzala kaBarnaba uMarku, baya eKhupro. (Kolose 4:10) Bashumayela emasinagogeni asethekwini elisempumalanga laseSalami, kodwa awukho umlando obonisa ukuthi amaJuda asabela kahle. Njengoba abanjalo babemi kahle ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, babenasidingo sini sikaMesiya?
4. Kwenzekani njengoba izithunywa zevangeli zaziqhubeka zishumayela eKhupro?
4 UNkulunkulu wawubusisa omunye umsebenzi wokufakaza eKhupro. (13:6-12) EPhafu, izithunywa zevangeli zahlangana nesangoma esingumJuda nesingumprofethi wamanga uBarjesu (uEluma). Lapho ezama ukuvimbela uMbusi uSergiyu Pawulu ukuba ezwe izwi likaNkulunkulu, uSawulu wagcwala umoya ongcwele futhi wathi: ‘O wena ogcwele inkohliso nobubi, ndodana kaSathane, sitha sokulunga konke, awuyikuyeka ukuphambukisa izindlela ezilungileyo zeNkosi na?’ Ngenxa yalokho, isandla sikaNkulunkulu sokujezisa senza uEluma waba yimpumputhe okwesikhashana, futhi uSergiyu Pawulu “wakholwa, emangaliswa ngesifundiso seNkosi.”
5, 6. (a) Lapho uPawulu ekhuluma esinagogeni eAntiyokiya lasePhisidiya, yini ayisho ngoJesu? (b) Inkulumo kaPawulu yaba namuphi umphumela?
5 Lisuka eKhupro, leliqembu lahamba ngomkhumbi laya emzini wasePherge eAsia Minor. UPawulu noBarnaba baqonda enyakatho ngezindlela ezidlula ezintabeni, ngokunokwenzeka ‘ezingozini zemifula nezabaphangi,’ beya eAntiyokiya, ePhisidiya. (2 Korinte 11:25, 26) Lapho uPawulu wakhuluma esinagogeni. (13:13-41) Wabukeza ukusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu noIsrayeli futhi wabonisa umzukulu kaDavide uJesu njengoMsindisi. Nakuba ababusi bamaJuda babekufune ngenkani ukubulawa kukaJesu, isithembiso esenziwa nokhokho bawo sagcwaliswa lapho uNkulunkulu emvusa. (IHubo 2:7; 16:10; Isaya 55:3) UPawulu waxwayisa izilaleli zakhe ukuba zingasideleli isipho sikaNkulunkulu sokusindiswa ngoKristu.—Habakuki 1:5, Septuagint.
6 Inkulumo kaPawulu yavusa isithakazelo, njengoba zinjalo izinkulumo zeningi ezinikezwa oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. (13:42-52) NgeSabatha elilandelayo cishe wonke umuzi wahlangana ukuze uzwe iZwi likaJehova, futhi lokhu kwagcwalisa amaJuda ngomhawu. Ingani ngesonto elilodwa, izithunywa zevangeli ngokusobala zaziguqule abeZizwe abaningi kunabaguqulwe yilawomaJuda kukho konke ukuphila kwawo! Njengoba amaJuda amphikisa ngokuhlambalaza uPawulu, kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba ukukhanya okungokomoya kukhanye kwenye indawo, futhi atshelwa: ‘Ngoba niyalenqaba izwi likaNkulunkulu, nizisho nina nithi anifanele ukuphila okuphakade, sesiphendukela kwabezizwe.’—Isaya 49:6.
7. UPawulu noBarnaba basabela kanjani ekushushisweni?
7 Manje abeZizwe baqala ukujabula, futhi labo abathambekele ekuphileni okuphakade baba amakholwa. Nokho, njengoba izwi likaJehova laliyiswa ezweni lonke amaJuda ashukumisela abesifazane abahlonishwayo (ngokunokwenzeka ukuze bacindezele abayeni babo noma abanye) namadoda ayinhloko ukuba ashushise uPawulu noBarnaba futhi babaxoshele ngaphandle kwemingcele yabo. Kodwa lokho akuzange kuzivimbele lezithunywa zevangeli. Zamane nje ‘zabavuthululela uthuli lwezinyawo zazo’ zase ziya eIkoniyu (iKonya yanamuhla), umuzi omkhulu esifundazweni saseRoma saseGalathiya. (Luka 9:5; 10:11) Nokho, kuthiwani ngabafundi ababesele eAntiyokiya yasePhisidiya? Beqinisiwe okholweni, “bagcwala intokozo noMoya oNgcwele.” Lokhu kusisiza ukuba sibone ukuthi akudingekile ukuba ukuphikiswa kuvimbele ukuthuthuka okungokomoya.
Ukuqina Okholweni Naphezu Kokushushiswa
8. Yini eyenzeka njengomphumela wokufakaza okuphumelelayo eIkoniyu?
8 UPawulu noBarnaba ngokwabo baqina okholweni naphezu kokushushiswa. (14:1-7) Esabela ekufakazeni kwabo esinagogeni laseIkoniyu, amaJuda amaningi namaGreki aba amakholwa. Lapho amaJuda angakholwa eshukumisela abeZizwe ukuba bamelane namakholwa amasha, lezisebenzi ezimbili zakhuluma ngesibindi ngegunya likaNkulunkulu, futhi wabonisa ukukwamukela lokho ngokuzinikeza amandla okwenza izibonakaliso. Lokhu kwasihlukanisa isixuku, abanye baba ngakumaJuda abanye baba ngakubaphostoli (abathunyiwe). Abaphostoli babengewona amagwala, kodwa lapho bezwa ngecebo lokubakhanda ngamatshe, ngokuhlakanipha bahamba bayoshumayela eLikawoniya, indawo eseAsia Minor eningizimu yeGalathiya. Ngokusebenzisa ukuhlakanipha, nathi singahlala sikhuthele enkonzweni naphezu kokuphikiswa.—Mathewu 10:23.
9, 10. (a) Izakhamuzi zaseListra zasabela kanjani ekuphulukisweni komuntu oyisishosha? (b) UPawulu noBarnaba basabela kanjani eListra?
9 Umuzi waseLikawoniya iListra yiwona ngokulandelayo owathola ubufakazi. (14:8-18) Lapho uPawulu waphulukisa indoda eyayiyisishosha kusukela ekuzalweni. Zingaqapheli ukuthi lokhu kwakuyisenzo sikaJehova sesimangaliso, izixuku zamemeza: “Onkulunkulu befana nabantu behlele kithi.” Njengoba lokhu kwakushiwo ngolimi lwesiLikawoniya, uBarnaba noPawulu abazange baqonde ukuthi kwakwenzekani. Njengoba uPawulu ayehola ekukhulumeni, abantu bambheka njengoMerkuriyu (isithunywa sawonkulunkulu esiyigagu lokukhuluma) futhi bacabanga ukuthi uBarnaba wayenguJupitheri, unkulunkulu omkhulu wamaGreki.
10 Umpristi kaJupiteri waletha ngisho nezinkunzi nemigexo yezimbali ukuze enzele uPawulu noBarnaba imihlatshelo. Ngokunokwenzeka zikhuluma isiGreki esasiqondwa ngokuvamile noma zisebenzisa umhumushi, lezivakashi ngokushesha zachaza ukuthi nazo zingabantu abanobuthakathaka nokuthi zimemezela izindaba ezinhle ukuze abantu bakwazi ukuphenduka “kulokho okuyize” (onkulunkulu abangaphili, noma izithombe) baphendukele kuNkulunkulu ophilayo. (1 AmaKhosi 16:13; IHubo 115:3-9; 146:6) Yebo, uNkulunkulu ngaphambili wayezivumele izizwe (kodwa hhayi amaHeberu) ukuba zihambe ngendlela yazo, nakuba abunikeza ubufakazi bokuba khona kwakhe nokulunga kwakhe ‘ngokuzinika imvula yasezulwini nezikhathi zenala, egcwalisa izinhliziyo zazo ngokuhle nangokujabula.’ (IHubo 147:8) Naphezu kokubonisana nabo kanjalo, uBarnaba noPawulu abakwazanga ukuvimba izixuku ukuba zingabenzeli umhlatshelo. Nokho, lezithunywa zevangeli azizange zikwamukele ukudunyiswa njengonkulunkulu, noma zisebenzise igunya elinjalo ukuba zimise ubuKristu kuleyondawo. Isibonelo esihle, ikakhulukazi uma sithambekele ekulangazeleleni ukubongwa ngokweqile ngalokho uJehova asivumela ukuba sikufeze enkonzweni yakhe!
11. Yini esingayifunda enkulumweni ethi: “Simelwe ukungena embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinhlupheko eziningi”?
11 Kungazelelwe, ushushiso lwadlanga. (14:19-28) Kanjani? Zishukunyiswe amaJuda aseAntiyokiya yasePhisidiya nawaseIkoniyu, izixuku zakhanda uPawulu ngamatshe futhi zamhudulela ngaphandle komuzi, zicabanga ukuthi ufile. (2 Korinte 11:24, 25) Kodwa lapho abafundi bemngunga, wavuka wangena eListra bengamboni, cishe ebusuku. Ngosuku olulandelayo, yena noBarnaba baya eDerbe, lapho abaningana baba abafundi khona. Lapho bephinda bevakashela iListra, i-Ikoniyu, neAntiyokiya, izithunywa zevangeli zabaqinisa abafundi, zabakhuthaza ukuba bahlale okholweni, futhi zathi: “Simelwe ukungena embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinhlupheko eziningi.” NjengamaKristu, nathi silindele ukudlula ezinhluphekweni futhi kufanele singazami ukuzibalekela ngokuyekethisa okholweni lwethu. (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Ngalesosikhathi, kwamiswa abadala emabandleni uPawulu awabhalela incwadi eya kwabaseGalathiya.
12. Lapho uhambo lokuqala lukaPawulu lobuthunywa bevangeli luphela, lezithunywa zevangeli ezimbili zenzani?
12 Benqamula ePhisidiya, uPawulu noBarnaba bakhuluma izwi ePherge, umuzi ovelele wasePhamfiliya. Ngemva kwesikhathi, baphindela eAntiyokiya, eSiriya. Uhambo lukaPawulu lokuqala seluphelile, lezithunywa zevangeli ezimbili zazisa ibandla ‘ngakho konke uNkulunkulu akwenzile ngazo nokuthi uvulele nabezizwe isango lokukholwa.’ Kwachithwa isikhathi esithile nabafundi eAntiyokiya, futhi lokhu ngokungangabazeki kwasebenza kakhulu ekubenzeni baqine okholweni. Ukuhambela kwababonisi abajikelezayo namuhla kunemiphumela engokomoya efanayo.
Kuxazululwa Umbuzo Obalulekile
13. Yini eyayidingeka ukuze ubuKristu bungahlukani phakathi bube iqembu lamaHeberu nelabangemaJuda?
13 Ukuqina okholweni kwadinga ubunye ekucabangeni. (1 Korinte 1:10) Ukuze ubuKristu bungahlukaniswa bube iqembu lamaHeberu nelabangemaJuda, indikimba ebusayo kwakudingeka inqume ukuthi amaJuda ayegobhozela enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu kwakudingeka yini agcine uMthetho kaMose futhi asokwe. (15:1-5) Amadoda athile avela eJudiya ayeseye eAntiyokiya yaseSiriya kakade futhi ayeseqalile ukufundisa amakholwa angabeZizwe lapho ukuthi uma engasokwa, ayengenakusindiswa. (Eksodusi 12:48) Ngakho, uPawulu, uBarnaba, nabanye bathunyelwa kubaphostoli nakubadala eJerusalema. Ngisho nalapho, amakholwa ayeke aba abaFarisi abagcwele umthetho engqondweni ayephikelela ngokuthi abeZizwe kwakumelwe basokwe futhi bagcine uMthetho.
14. (a) Nakuba kwaba khona ukuphikisana emhlanganweni eJerusalema, yisiphi isibonelo esihle esabekwa? (b) Wawuyini umongo wenkulumo kaPetru ngalesosehlakalo?
14 Kwenziwa umhlangano ukuze kuqinisekwe ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu. (15:6-11) Yebo, kwaba khona ukuphikisana, kodwa akubanga khona kulwisana njengoba amadoda anezinkolelo eziqinile ayeveza izinkolelo zawo—okuyisibonelo esihle ngabadala namuhla! Ngemva kwesikhathi uPetru wathi: ‘UNkulunkulu ukhethe ukuthi abeZizwe [njengoKorneliyu] kufanele bezwe izindaba ezinhle ngomlomo wami futhi bakholwe. Wakufakazela lokhu ngokubanika umoya ongcwele njengathi. [IzEnzo 10:44-47] Manje-ke nimlingelani uNkulunkulu ngokubeka ijoka [imfuneko yokugcina uMthetho] entanyeni yabo, obaba nathi esasingenamandla okulithwala na? Kepha siyakholwa [thina maJuda ngokwenyama] ukuthi sisindiswa ngomusa weNkosi uJesu ngandlela-nye nabo.’ Ukwamukela kukaNkulunkulu abeZizwe abangasokiwe kwabonisa ukuthi ukusoka nokugcina umthetho kwakungeyona imfuneko yokusindiswa.—Galathiya 5:1.
15. Yimaphi amaphuzu ayisisekelo uJakobe awaveza, futhi yini asikisela ukuba ibhalelwe amaKristu angabeZizwe?
15 Ibandla lathula ngemva kokuphetha kukaPetru, kodwa kuningi okwakuzoshiwo. (15:12-21) UBarnaba noPawulu balandisa ngezibonakaliso uNkulunkulu azenza ngabo phakathi kwabeZizwe. Ngemva kwalokho usihlalo, umfowabo kaJesu ngomzali oyedwa, uJakobe, wathi: ‘USimeyoni [okuyigama likaPetru lesiHeberu] uselandile ngokuhlela kukaNkulunkulu ukuba athathele igama lakhe isizwe kubo abeZizwe.’ UJakobe wabonisa ukuthi ukwakhiwa kabusha ‘kwendlu kaDavide’ okubikezelwe (ukumiswa kabusha kobukhosi ohlwini lukaDavide) kwakugcwaliseka ngokuqoqwa kwabafundi bakaJesu (izindlalifa zoMbuso) kokubili kumaJuda nakwabeZizwe. (Amose 9:11, 12, Septuagint; Roma 8:17) Njengoba uNkulunkulu ayekuhlosile lokhu, abafundi kufanele bakwamukele. UJakobe waluleka ukuba kubhalelwe amaKristu abeZizwe ukuba ayeke (1) izinto ezingcoliswe izithombe, (2) ubufebe, (3) negazi kanye nokuqumbeleneyo. Lezi kwakuyizinto ezinqatshelwe emibhalweni kaMose eyayifundwa emasinagogeni ngamaSabatha onke.—Genesise 9:3, 4; 12:15-17; 35:2, 4.
16. Incwadi yendikimba ebusayo yekhulu leminyaka lokuqala inikeza isiqondiso kumaphi amaphuzu amathathu nanamuhla?
16 Indikimba ebusayo manje yathumela incwadi kumaKristu angabeZizwe eAntiyokiya, eSiriya, naseKhilikhiya. (15:22-35) Umoya ongcwele nababhali bencwadi bayala ukuba kuyekwe izinto ezihlatshelwe izithombe; igazi (elalidliwa njalo abantu abathile); izinto eziqumbeleneyo ezingophiswanga (amaqaba amaningi ayebheka inyama enjalo njengezibiliboco); nobufebe (ngesiGreki, por·neiʹa, okubonisa ubuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho ngaphandle komshado ongokomBhalo). Ngokuyeka okunjalo, ayeyochuma ngokomoya, njengoba nje oFakazi BakaJehova bechuma ngenxa yokuvumelana kwabo ‘nalezizinto [ezidingekile, NW].’ Lapho lencwadi ifundwa eAntiyokiya, ibandla lasijabulela isikhuthazo eyayisinikeza. Ngalesosikhathi, abantu bakaNkulunkulu eAntiyokiya baqiniswa okholweni amazwi akhuthazayo kaPawulu, uSila, noBarnaba, nabanye. Sengathi nathi singafuna izindlela zokukhuthaza nokwakha esikholwa kanye nabo.
Uhambo Lwesibili Lobuthunywa Bevangeli Luyaqala
17. (a) Iyiphi inkinga eyaphakama lapho kuhlongozwa uhambo lwesibili lobuthunywa bevangeli? (b) UPawulu noBarnaba bayisingatha kanjani impikiswano yabo?
17 Kwaphakama inkinga lapho kuhlongozwa uhambo lwesibili lobuthunywa bevangeli. (15:36-41) UPawulu wasikisela ukuba yena noBarnaba baphinde bavakashele amabandla aseKhupro naseAsia Minor. UBarnaba wavuma kodwa wafuna bahambe nomzala wakhe uMarku. Kodwa uPawulu wenqaba ngoba uMarku wayebashiyile ePhamfiliya. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaqubuka “ukuphikisana okukhulu.” Kodwa akekho phakathi kukaPawulu noBarnaba owafuna ukuzilwela ngokuzama ukuhilela abadala noma indikimba ebusayo endabeni yabo yangasese. Yeka isibonelo esihle!
18. Waba yini umphumela wokwehlukana kukaPawulu noBarnaba, futhi singazuza kanjani kulesehlakalo?
18 Nokho, lokhu kuphikisana kwabangela ukwahlukana. UBarnaba wahamba noMarku baya eKhupro. UPawulu, noSila njengomphelezeli wakhe, ‘badabula iSiriya neKhilikhiya beqinisa amabandla.’ Kungenzeka ukuthi uBarnaba wathonywa ubuhlobo babo, kodwa kwakufanele alihloniphe igunya likaPawulu lobuphostoli nokukhethwa kwakhe ‘njengesitsha esikhethiweyo.’ (IzEnzo 9:15) Kuthiwani ngathi? Lesisenzakalo kufanele sigcizelele kithi isidingo sokulihlonipha igunya elingokwasezulwini futhi sibambisane ngokugcwele ‘nenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’!—Mathewu 24:45-47.
Intuthuko Ekuthuleni
19. Yisiphi isibonelo intsha engamaKristu yosuku lwanamuhla esitholayo kuThimothewu?
19 Lokhu kuphikisana akuzange kuvunyelwe ukuba kuphazamise ukuthula kwebandla. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqhubeka beqiniswa okholweni. (16:1-5) UPawulu noSila baya eDerbe base bedlulela eListra. Lapho kwakuhlala uThimothewu, indodana yekholwa elingumJuda uEvnike nomyeni wakhe ongakholwa ongumGreki. UThimothewu wayesemncane, ngoba ngisho nangemva kweminyaka engu-18 noma engu-20 kamuva, wayesatshelwa ukuthi: “Makungabikho-muntu odelela ubusha bakho.” (1 Thimothewu 4:12) Njengoba “ayefakazelwa kahle ngabazalwane baseListra nabaseIkoniyu [eqhele cishe ngamakhilomitha angu-29],” wayaziwa kahle ngenkonzo yakhe enhle nangezimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Intsha engamaKristu namuhla kufanele ifune usizo lukaJehova ukuze yakhe idumela elifanayo. UPawulu wamsoka uThimothewu ngoba babezoya emakhaya nasemasinagogeni amaJuda ayazi ukuthi ubaba kaThimothewu wayengoweZizwe, futhi lomphostoli wayengafuni lutho ukuba luvimbele ukufinyelela amadoda nabesifazane bamaJuda okwakudingeka bafunde ngoMesiya. Ngaphandle kokwephula izimiso zeBhayibheli, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla nabo benza abangakwenza ukuze benze izindaba ezinhle zamukeleke kuzo zonke izinhlobo zabantu.—1 Korinte 9:19-23.
20. Ukuhambisana nencwadi yendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala leminyaka kwaba namuphi umphumela, futhi ucabanga ukuthi kufanele kusithinte kanjani lokhu?
20 Bekanye noThimothewu njengesikhonzi, uPawulu noSila banikeza abafundi imiyalo yendikimba ebusayo okwakufanele bayigcine. Waba yini umphumela? Ngokusobala ebhekisela eSiriya, eKhilikhiya naseGalathiya, uLuka wabhala: “Amabandla aqiniswa ekukholweni, anda ngobuningi imihla ngemihla.” Yebo, ukuhambisana nencwadi yendikimba ebusayo kwaphumela ebunyeni nasekuchumeni ngokomoya. Yeka isibonelo esihle ezikhathini zethu ezinzima, lapho abantu bakaJehova bedinga ukuhlala benobunye futhi beqinile okholweni!
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ UPawulu noBarnaba basabela kanjani oshushisweni?
◻ Yini esingayifunda enkulumweni ethi: “Simelwe ukungena embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinhlupheko eziningi”?
◻ Yisiphi iseluleko esisitholayo emaphuzwini amathathu asencwadini eyathunyelwa indikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala leminyaka?
◻ Izici ezenza ofakazi bakaJehova bekhulu lokuqala leminyaka baqine okholweni zisebenza kanjani kithi namuhla?