“Yiba Nesibindi!”

1, 2. Kungani uPawulu lungammangazi ushushiso abhekene nalo eJerusalema?

UPAWULU usephinde waboshwa ngemva kokuhlwithwa esixukwini esithukuthele eJerusalema. Lo mphostoli oshisekayo alummangazi ushushiso abhekene nalo lapha eJerusalema. Watshelwa ukuba alindele “ukuboshwa nezinsizi” kuleli dolobha. (IzE. 20:22, 23) Nakuba engaqiniseki ngempela ukuthi yini asazobhekana nayo, uPawulu uyazi ukuthi usazohlupheka ngenxa yegama likaJesu.—IzE. 9:16.

² Ngisho nabaprofethi abangamaKristu bamxwayisa uPawulu ngokuthi wayezoboshwa futhi anikelwe “kubantu bezizwe.” (IzE. 21:4, 10, 11) Muva nje, isixuku samaJuda sizame ukumbulala futhi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, kwabonakala sengathi amalungu eSanhedrini ‘ayezombulala’ njengoba ayephikisana ngalokho ayekushilo. Manje lo mphostoli ugadwe amasosha angamaRoma futhi usazoquliswa amacala amaningi. (IzE. 21:31; 23:10) Umphostoli uPawulu usidinga ngempela isikhuthazo!

 3. Sisitholaphi isikhuthazo sokuqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?

³ Kulesi sikhathi sokuphela, siyazi ukuthi “bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kanye noKristu Jesu nabo bayoshushiswa.” (2 Thim. 3:12) Ngezikhathi ezithile, nathi siyasidinga isikhuthazo sokuba siqhubeke nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Yeka indlela esiwazisa ngayo amazwi afika ngesikhathi naduduzayo esiwathola ezincwadini nasemihlanganweni ehlelwa ‘inceku ethembekile neqondayo’! (Math. 24:45) UJehova usiqinisekisile ngokuthi azikho izitha zezindaba ezinhle eziyophumelela. Ngeke ziziqede izinceku zakhe njengeqembu noma zimise umsebenzi wazo wokushumayela. (Isaya 54:17; Jer. 1:19) Kuthiwani-ke kodwa ngomphostoli uPawulu? Wasithola yini isikhuthazo sokuqhubeka enikeza ubufakazi obuphelele naphezu kokuphikiswa? Uma asithola, sasivela kubani futhi wasabela kanjani kuso?

4, 5. Yisiphi isikhuthazo uPawulu asithola, futhi kungani sasifike ngesikhathi?

⁴ Umphostoli uPawulu wathola isikhuthazo ayesidinga kakhulu ngobusuku bangemva kokuphephiswa kwakhe kuyiSanhedrini. Ukulandisa okuphefumulelwe kuyasitshela: “INkosi yama ngakuye yathi: ‘Yiba nesibindi! Ngoba njengoba nje ubufakaza ngokugcwele ngami eJerusalema, kanjalo kumelwe ufakaze futhi naseRoma.’” (IzE. 23:11) Lawo mazwi kaJesu akhuthazayo aqinisekisa uPawulu ukuthi wayezokhululwa. Wayazi ukuthi wayezosinda aze afike eRoma futhi abe nelungelo lokunikeza ubufakazi ngoJesu khona.

⁵ Isikhuthazo uPawulu asithola safika ngesikhathi. Ngakusasa, amadoda angamaJuda angaphezu kuka-40 “akha uzungu, afunga ukuthi ngeke adle noma aphuze aze ambulale uPawulu.” Lolu ‘zungu nesifungo’ lwabonisa indlela lawo maJuda ayezimisele ngayo ukubulala lo mphostoli. Uma lwalungaphumeleli, ayekholelwa ukuthi ayezoba namashwa. (IzE. 23:12-15) Lolu zungu olwalugunyazwe abapristi abakhulu namadoda amadala, lwaluhloselwe ukubuyisela uPawulu kuyiSanhedrini ukuze aqhubeke ephenywa ngemibuzo, njengokungathi kunezinto ezithile ngaye lawo maJuda ayefuna ukuziqonda ngokunembile. Kodwa la maJuda ayezobe emcuthele endleleni ukuze ambulale.

 6. Lwadaluleka kanjani uzungu lokubulala uPawulu, futhi intsha yanamuhla ingafundani kulokhu kulandisa?

⁶ Nokho, umshana kaPawulu wezwa ngalolu zungu, wayesembikela. UPawulu wacela le nsizwa ukuba ibike lolu daba kumlawuli wamabutho aseRoma, uKlawudiyu Lisiya. (IzE. 23:16-22) Ngokuqinisekile uJehova uyayithanda intsha efana nomshana kaPawulu, ongagagulwanga ngegama, equnga isibindi ibeke inhlalakahle yabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngaphambi kweyayo futhi ngokwethembeka yenze konke engakwenza ukuze kuqhutshekiselwe phambili umsebenzi woMbuso.

7, 8. Yimaphi amalungiselelo enziwa uKlawudiyu Lisiya ukuze aphephise uPawulu?

⁷ Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba etshelwe ngozungu lokubulala uPawulu, uKlawudiyu Lisiya, owayengumlawuli wamabutho ayinkulungwane, wayala ukuba kwakhiwe iqembu labaqaphi abangu-470—amasosha, abemikhonto kanye nabagibeli bamahhashi—elizoya eJerusalema ngalobo busuku liyise uPawulu eKhesariya ngokuphepha. Lapho lifika, lalizomyisa kuMbusi uFeliksi.a Nakuba iKhesariya, ikomkhulu lombuso wamaRoma eJudiya, yayinezakhamuzi eziningi ezingamaJuda, abeZizwe yibona ababebaningi kakhulu. Ukuhleleka okwakukule ndawo kwakungafani nesimo esasiseJerusalema, lapho abaningi babezibandlulula ezinye izinkolo futhi bebhikisha. IKhesariya yayiphinde ibe ikomkhulu lebutho lamaRoma eJudiya.

⁸ Elandela umthetho wamaRoma, uLisiya wathumela incwadi kuFeliksi eyayichaza ngecala. Kuleyo ncwadi uLisiya wathi wayesindise uPawulu lapho ‘ayesezobulawa’ amaJuda ngemva kokuba ezwe ukuthi uyisakhamuzi saseRoma. Wathi akamtholanga uPawulu enecala ‘elenza afanelwe ukufa noma ukuboshwa,’ kodwa ngenxa yozungu ayelakhelwe, wayemthumela kuFeliksi ukuze azizwele okwakushiwo ababemmangalela bese ekhipha isahlulelo.—IzE. 23:25-30.

 9. (a) Amalungelo kaPawulu njengesakhamuzi saseRoma ephulwa kanjani? (b) Kungani kungase kudingeke siwasebenzise ngokunenzuzo amalungelo ethu njengezakhamuzi zezwe?

⁹ Ingabe lokho uLisiya akubhala kwakuyiqiniso? Hhayi ngokuphelele. Kubonakala sengathi wayezama ukuzenza athandeke. Eqinisweni wayengazange asindise uPawulu ngoba ethole ukuthi uyisakhamuzi saseRoma. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uLisiya akazange ayiphathe eyokuthi wayeyale ukuba uPawulu “aboshwe ngamaketanga amabili” nokuthi kamuva wayeyale ukuba “aphenywe ngokubhaxabulwa.” (IzE. 21:30-34; 22:24-29) Ngokwenza lokhu, uLisiya wayephule amalungelo kaPawulu njengesakhamuzi saseRoma. Namuhla uSathane usebenzisa abaphikisi abashisekela inkolo ngokweqile ukuze babhebhethekise ushushiso, futhi amalungelo ethu njengezakhamuzi angase angahlonishwa. Kodwa njengoPawulu, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bangakwazi ukuwasebenzisa ngokunenzuzo amalungelo abo njengezakhamuzi zezwe futhi bacele ukuvikelwa umthetho.

10. Yimaphi amacala amabi kakhulu abekwa uPawulu?

¹⁰ Ngesikhathi eseKhesariya, uPawulu ‘wagcinwa esigodlweni sikaHerode’ ukuze alinde ababemmangalele ababevela eJerusalema. (IzE. 23:35) Ngemva kwezinsuku ezinhlanu bafika—umPristi Ophakeme u-Ananiya, isikhulumi saseningini uTertulu kanye neqembu lamadoda amadala. UTertulu waqale wancoma uFeliksi ngalokho ayekwenzela amaJuda, ngokusobala emthopha futhi ezincengela.b UTertulu wabe esengena endabeni, wathi uPawulu ‘uyindoda ewuhlupho, ebhebhezela ukuvukela umbuso phakathi kwawo wonke amaJuda emhlabeni wonke, ingumholi weqembu lenkolo lamaNazaretha. Yazama nokungcolisa ithempeli, ngakho sayibamba.’ Amanye amaJuda “ahlanganyela kulokhu kuhlasela, egomela ngokuthi lezi zinto ziyiqiniso.” (IzE. 24:5, 6, 9) Ukuvukela umbuso, ukuhola iqembu lenkolo eliyingozi nokungcolisa ithempeli—kwakungamacala amabi kakhulu ayengaholela esigwetsheni sentambo.

11, 12. UPawulu wawachitha kanjani amacala ayebekwe wona?

¹¹ UPawulu wabe esenikwa ithuba lokukhuluma. Waqala: “Ngiziphendulela ngokunganqikazi.” Wawaphika ngokucacile amacala ayebekwe wona. Lo mphostoli wayengalingcolisanga ithempeli futhi engakubhebhezelanga nokuvukela umbuso. Wathi empeleni wayekade engekho eJerusalema ‘iminyaka eminingana’ futhi wayebuyile elethe “izipho zesihe”—iminikelo eyayizosiza amaKristu okungenzeka ayempofu ngenxa yendlala noshushiso. UPawulu wagcizelela ukuthi ngaphambi kokungena ethempelini, ‘wayezihlanzile ngokwesiko’ futhi wayekulwele ngangokusemandleni akhe ukuba ‘nonembeza ohlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu nakubantu.’—IzE. 24:10-13, 16-18.

¹² Nokho, uPawulu wavuma ukuthi wayenikela inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu wokhokho bakhe “ngokwendlela abayibiza ngokuthi iqembu lenkolo.” Kodwa wagomela ngokuthi wayekholelwa “yizo zonke izinto ezibekwe eMthethweni nezilotshwe kubaProfethi.” Njengabamangaleli bakhe, naye wayenethemba ‘lovuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.’ UPawulu wabe esebaphonsela inselele abamangaleli bakhe: “La madoda akhona lapha mawasho ukuthi yini embi ayithola lapho ngimi phambi kweSanhedrini, ngaphandle kwale nto eyodwa engamemeza ngayisho lapho ngimi phakathi kwawo: ‘Namuhla ngahlulelwa phambi kwenu ngenxa yovuko lwabafile!’”—IzE. 24:14, 15, 20, 21.

13-15. Kungani singase sibheke uPawulu njengesibonelo esihle sokufakaza ngesibindi kubabusi bezwe?

¹³ UPawulu wasibekela isibonelo esihle okufanele sisilingise uma kwenzeka siyiswa phambi kwababusi bezwe ngenxa yokukhulekela kwethu, simangalelwa ngokuthi singabaphehli bodweshu, sivukela umbuso noma kuthiwa singamalungu “eqembu lenkolo eliyingozi.” Akazange azenze muhle kumbusi ngokusebenzisa amazwi athophayo njengoba kwenza uTertulu. UPawulu wayelokhu ezibambile futhi enenhlonipho. Ngobuhlakani, wanikeza ubufakazi obucacile nobuyiqiniso. Wathi “amaJuda athile ayevela esifundazweni sase-Asiya” ayemmangalele ngokungcolisa ithempeli ayengekho kanti ngokomthetho kwakufanele abe khona la maJuda ukuze uPawulu azizwele ukuthi ambeka maphi amacala.—IzE. 24:18, 19.

¹⁴ Okuphawuleka kakhulu ukuthi uPawulu akazange athule, wabunikeza ubufakazi ngezinkolelo zakhe. Ngesibindi, waphinde wakhuluma ngokukholelwa kwakhe ovukweni, indaba eyayisuse uthuthuva ngesikhathi ephambi kweSanhedrini. (IzE. 23:6-10) Lapho uPawulu eziphendulela, wagcizelela ithemba lovuko. Kungani? Kungoba wayenikeza ubufakazi ngoJesu nangokuvuswa kwakhe kwabafile—into labo baphikisi ababengayikholelwa. (IzE. 26:6-8, 22, 23) Yebo, impikiswano yayiphathelene novuko—futhi ngokuqondile nje, babengakholelwa kuJesu nasovukweni lwakhe.

¹⁵ NjengoPawulu, nathi singafakaza ngesibindi futhi singathola amandla kulokho uJesu akutshela abafundi bakhe: “Niyozondwa abantu bonke ngenxa yegama lami. Kodwa lowo okhuthazele kwaze kwaba sekupheleni uyosindiswa.” Ingabe kumelwe sikhathazeke ngalokho okufanele sikusho? Cha, ngoba uJesu wasiqinisekisa: “Lapho benithatha ukuze baninikele kubantu abayiziphathimandla, ningakhathazeki kusengaphambili ngalokho enizokusho; kodwa noma yini umoya ongcwele othi yikhulumeni ngalelo hora aniboyikhuluma, ngoba akunina enikhulumayo, kodwa umoya ongcwele.”—Marku 13:9-13.

16, 17. (a) UFeliksi walisingatha kanjani icala likaPawulu? (b) Yini okungenzeka yethusa uFeliksi, kodwa kungani aqhubeka ebonana noPawulu?

¹⁶ UMbusi uFeliksi wayengaqali ukuzwa ngezinkolelo zobuKristu. Ukulandisa kuthi: “UFeliksi, ewazi kahle amaqiniso aphathelene nale Ndlela [igama elalisetshenziselwa ukuchaza amaKristu okuqala], wawaxosha la madoda wathi: ‘Noma nini lapho uLisiya umkhuzi wamabutho ehla, ngizokwenza isinqumo ngalezi zindaba ezinithintayo.’ Wayala isikhulu samabutho ukuba lo muntu agcinwe eboshiwe kodwa anikezwe inkululeko ethile, nokuba abantu bakubo bavunyelwe ukuba banakekele izidingo zakhe.”—IzE. 24:22, 23.

¹⁷ Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, uFeliksi noDrusila umkakhe, owayengumJudakazi, wathumela ukuba kulandwe uPawulu futhi “wamlalela njengoba ekhuluma ngokukholwa kuKristu Jesu.” (IzE. 24:24) Nokho, lapho uPawulu ekhuluma ngokuqondene “nokulunga nokuzithiba nokwahlulela okuzayo, uFeliksi wethuka.” Kungenzeka ukuthi amazwi kaPawulu amenza washaywa unembeza ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ayezenzile. Ngakho wathi: “Okwamanje hamba, kodwa lapho ngithola ithuba ngizothumela ukuba ubizwe futhi.” UFeliksi wabonana kaningana noPawulu ngemva kwalokho, hhayi ngoba efuna ukwazi iqiniso, kodwa ngoba enethemba lokuthi uzomfumbathisa.—IzE. 24:25, 26.

18. Kungani uPawulu akhuluma noFeliksi nomkakhe ngokuqondene “nokulunga nokuzithiba nokwahlulela okuzayo”?

¹⁸ Kungani uPawulu akhuluma noFeliksi nomkakhe ngokuqondene “nokulunga nokuzithiba nokwahlulela okuzayo”? Khumbula, babefuna ukwazi ukuthi ‘ukukholwa kuKristu Jesu’ kuhilelani. UPawulu, owayekwazi ukuziphatha kwabo okubi, unya nokungabi nabulungisa, wakwenza kwacaca lokho okwakulindeleke kubo bonke ababefuna ukuba abalandeli bakaJesu. Lokho akusho kwawubonisa ngokucacile umehluko phakathi kwezimiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga nendlela yokuphila kaFeliksi nomkakhe. Kwakufanele kubasize babone ukuthi bonke abantu bayolandisa kuNkulunkulu ngalokho abakucabangayo, abakushoyo nabakwenzayo nokuthi isahlulelo uNkulunkulu ayeyobahlulela ngaso sasibaluleke ngaphezu kwaleso uFeliksi ayeyokwahlulela ngaso uPawulu. Shono nje uFeliksi ‘ethuka’!

19, 20. (a) Enkonzweni yethu, kufanele sisebenzelane kanjani nabantu ababonakala benesithakazelo kanti empeleni banezifiso zobugovu? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi uFeliksi wayengenandaba noPawulu?

¹⁹ Enkonzweni yethu, singase sithole abantu abafana noFeliksi. Ekuqaleni, bangase babonakale benesithakazelo eqinisweni kanti empeleni banezifiso zobugovu. Kufanele sibaqaphele abantu abanjalo. Singabatshela ngobuhlakani ngezimiso zikaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwenza uPawulu. Mhlawumbe iqiniso liyozithinta izinhliziyo zabo. Nokho, uma kuba sobala ukuthi abazimisele ukuyeka izindlela zabo zokona, sibashiya benjalo sicinge labo abalifuna ngempela iqiniso.

²⁰ La mazwi asembulela isimo sangempela senhliziyo kaFeliksi: “Lapho sekudlule iminyaka emibili, kwangena uPorkiyu Festu esikhundleni sikaFeliksi; ngenxa yokuthi uFeliksi wayefisa ukuthandwa amaJuda, washiya uPawulu eboshiwe.” (IzE. 24:27) UFeliksi wayengenandaba neze noPawulu. Wayazi ukuthi abalandeli baleyo ‘Ndlela’ babengewona amavukela-mbuso futhi bengebona abashisekeli bezinguquko. (IzE. 19:23) Wayazi nokuthi uPawulu wayengaphulanga mthetho wamaRoma. Noma kunjalo, uFeliksi wamgcina eboshiwe lo mphostoli ukuze ‘athandwe amaJuda.’

21. Kwenzekani kuPawulu ngemva kokuba uPorkiyu Festu ebe umbusi, futhi ngokungangabazeki waqhubeka ewathola kuphi amandla?

²¹ Njengoba kuboniswe evesini lokugcina lezEnzo isahluko 24, uPawulu wayesaboshiwe lapho uPorkiyu Festu eba umbusi ngemva kukaFeliksi. Kwaqala lapho ukuquliswa kukaPawulu okungapheli nokugqigqa kubabusi abahlukahlukene. Ngempela, lo mphostoli onesibindi ‘walethwa phambi kwamakhosi nababusi.’ (Luka 21:12) Njengoba sizobona, kamuva wayezonikeza ubufakazi kumbusi ovelele kunabo bonke osukwini lwakhe. Phakathi nakho konke lokhu, ukholo lukaPawulu aluzange luntengantenge. Akungabazeki ukuthi waqhubeka ethola amandla emazwini kaJesu: “Yiba nesibindi!”