“Kumelwe Silalele UNkulunkulu Njengombusi”

1-3. (a) Kungani abaphostoli babelethwe phambi kweSanhedrini, futhi yayiyini inkinga yangempela? (b) Kungani sinesithakazelo esiqotho ekumeni okwathathwa abaphostoli?

ABAHLULELI beSanhedrini bathukuthele bayabila! Abaphostoli bakaJesu bamangalelwe kule nkantolo enkulu. Benzeni? UJosefa Kayafase, umpristi ophakeme nomongameli weSanhedrini, ukhuluma nabo ngamazwi aqatha: “Siniyale ngokucacile ukuba ningaqhubeki nifundisa ngaleli gama.” Lo mongameli othukuthele akafuni kwakulibiza igama likaJesu. UKayafase uyaqhubeka: “Senigcwalise iJerusalema ngemfundiso yenu, nizimisele ukuletha igazi lalo muntu phezu kwethu.” (IzE. 5:28) Kucacile akushoyo: Yekani ukushumayela—ngaphandle kwalokho. . . !

² Bazosabela kanjani abaphostoli? Umyalo wabo wokushumayela babewunikwe uJesu, owayegunyazwe ngokwaphezulu. (Math. 28:18-20) Ingabe abaphostoli babezovumela ukwesaba abantu kubayekise? Noma ingabe babezoba nesibindi sokuma baqine futhi baqhubeke beshumayela? Inkinga yangempela kwakuyile: Ingabe babezolalela uNkulunkulu noma umuntu? Ngokunganqikazi, umphostoli uPetru ukhulumela bonke abaphostoli. Akushoyo kucacile futhi ukusho ngesibindi.

³ NjengamaKristu eqiniso, sinesithakazelo esiqotho endleleni abaphostoli abasabela ngayo ezinsongweni zeSanhedrini. Umyalo wokushumayela usasebenza nakithi. Njengoba sifeza lesi sabelo esisinikwe uNkulunkulu, nathi singabhekana nokuphikiswa. (Math. 10:22) Abaphikisi bangase bazame ukuvimbela noma ukumisa umsebenzi wethu. Yini esiyoyenza? Singazuza ngokucabangela ukuma okwathathwa abaphostoli nezimo ezaholela ekumangalelweni kwabo phambi kweSanhedrini.a

4, 5. Kungani uKayafase nabaSadusi “baba nomona”?

⁴ Khumbula ukuthi lapho beyalwa okokuqala ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, uPetru noJohane baphendula: “Ngeke siyeke ukukhuluma ngezinto esizibonile nesizizwile.” (IzE. 4:20) Ngemva kokukhuluma neSanhedrini, uPetru noJohane nabo bonke abanye abaphostoli baqhubeka beshumayela ethempelini. Benza izibonakaliso ezinkulu, njengokuphulukisa abagulayo nokukhipha amademoni. Lokhu babekwenza “eMphemeni KaSolomoni” osempumalanga yethempeli, lapho amaJuda amaningi ayebuthanela khona. Phela, kungenzeka nokuthi kwasithunzi sikaPetru sasiphulukisa! Abaningi abaphulukiswa emzimbeni basabela emazwini okuphulukisa okungokomoya. Ngenxa yalokho, “abakholwa yiNkosi baqhubeka benezelwa, uquqaba lwamadoda nabesifazane.”—IzE. 5:12-15.

⁵ UKayafase nabaSadusi, ihlelo lenkolo ayekulo, “baba nomona,” bafaka abaphostoli etilongweni. (IzE. 5:17, 18) Kungani abaSadusi babethukuthele kangaka? Abaphostoli babefundisa ukuthi uJesu wayevusiwe, kuyilapho abaSadusi bengakholelwa ovukweni. Abaphostoli babethi umuntu angasindiswa kuphela ngokuba nokholo kuJesu, kodwa abaSadusi bona babesaba ukujeziswa amaRoma uma abantu bebheka uJesu njengomHoli wabo. (Joh. 11:48) Yingakho nje abaSadusi babezimisele ukuthulisa abaphostoli!

 6. Obani namuhla abangobhongoza ekushushiseni izinceku zikaJehova, futhi kungani kungafanele kusimangaze lokhu?

⁶ Nanamuhla, obhongoza abakhulu bokushushiswa kwezinceku zikaJehova abaphikisi benkolo. Ngokuvamile bazama ukuthonya ohulumeni nabezindaba ukuba basiyekise umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Ingabe kufanele kusimangaze? Cha. Isigijimi sethu sidalula inkolo yamanga. Ngokwamukela amaqiniso eBhayibheli, abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho bayakhululwa ezinkolelweni nasemasikweni angqubuzana nemiBhalo. (Joh. 8:32) Kuyamangaza-ke yini ukuthi isigijimi sethu sivame ukubangela abaholi benkolo ukuba bagcwale inzondo nomona?

7, 8. Kumelwe ukuba umyalo wengelosi wabathinta kanjani abaphostoli, futhi senza kahle ngokuzibuza muphi umbuzo?

⁷ Behleli ejele belindele ukuqulwa kwecala, kungenzeka ukuthi abaphostoli babezibuza ukuthi izitha zabo zase zizobabulala ngempela yini, babe abafel’ ukholo. (Math. 24:9) Kodwa ebusuku kwenzeka into eyayingalindelekile neze—“ingelosi kaJehova yavula iminyango yejele.”b (IzE. 5:19) Ingelosi yabe isibanika isiqondiso esicacile: ‘Yimani ethempelini, niqhubeke nikhuluma.’ (IzE. 5:20) Akungabazeki ukuthi lowo myalo wabaqinisekisa ngokuthi bebelokhu benza okufanele. Amazwi engelosi kungenzeka futhi abanika amandla okuba bahlale beqinile kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani. Ngokholo oluqinile nangesibindi, abaphostoli “bangena ethempelini entathakusa bafundisa.”—IzE. 5:21.

⁸ Ngamunye wethu wenza kahle ngokuzibuza, ‘Ngingaba nalo yini ukholo nesibindi esidingekayo sokuqhubeka ngishumayela ngaphansi kwezimo ezifanayo?’ Singathola amandla ngokwazi ukuthi umsebenzi obalulekile ‘wokunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu’ usekelwa futhi uqondiswe izingelosi.—IzE. 28:23; IsAm. 14:6, 7.

9-11. Basabela kanjani abaphostoli lapho iSanhedrini ithi abayeke ukushumayela, futhi lokhu kuwabekela siphi isibonelo amaKristu eqiniso?

⁹ UKayafase nabanye abahluleli beSanhedrini manje base bekulungele ukuqula icala labaphostoli. Ingazi ngalokho okwakwenzeke etilongweni, inkantolo yathumela izikhulu ukuba ziyolanda iziboshwa. Cabanga ngokumangala kwazo lapho zithola ukuthi kwakukhala ibhungane, nakuba ijele lalikhiyiwe livalisisiwe, “onogada bemi eminyango.” (IzE. 5:23) Ngokushesha induna yethempeli yezwa ukuthi abaphostoli sebephindele ethempelini, bafakaza ngoJesu Kristu—wona kanye umsebenzi ababeboshelwe wona! Induna nezikhulu zayo ngokushesha baya ethempelini beyolanda iziboshwa baziyisa kuyiSanhedrini.

¹⁰ Njengoba kuchaziwe ekuqaleni kwalesi sahluko, abaholi benkolo ababethukuthele bengqangqa babekwenze kwacaca ukuthi abaphostoli kwakumelwe bayeke ukushumayela. Basabela kanjani? Njengomkhulumeli wabo, uPetru waphendula ngesibindi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.” (IzE. 5:29) Ngokusho kanjalo, abaphostoli babekela amaKristu eqiniso ayeyolandela isibonelo sokulingiswa. Ababusi abangabantu balahlekelwa ilungelo lokuba sibalalele lapho benqabela lokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo noma befuna lokho uNkulunkulu akwenqabelayo. Ngakho osukwini lwethu, uma ‘amagunya aphakeme’ evimbela umsebenzi wethu wokufakaza, ngeke siyeke ukufeza umsebenzi esiwunikwe uNkulunkulu wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle. (Roma 13:1) Kunalokho, siyofuna izindledlana ezicashile zokuqhubeka sinikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

¹¹ Akumangalisi ukuthi ukusabela ngesibindi kwabaphostoli kwenza abahluleli ababethukuthele bengqangqa kwathi ababadle babafele. Babefuna “ukubabulala.” (IzE. 5:33) Kwacaca ukuthi lab’ ofakazi abanesibindi nabashisekayo bazofela ukholo. Ah, kodwa usizo lwase luzofika ngendlela engalindelekile!

12, 13. (a) UGamaliyeli wabeluleka wathini ozakwabo, futhi benzani? (b) UJehova angasithatha kanjani isinyathelo ngenxa yabantu bakhe namuhla, futhi yini esingaqiniseka ngayo uma sivunyelwa ukuba ‘sihlupheke ngenxa yokulunga’?

¹² Kwabe sekukhuluma uGamaliyeli, ‘umfundisi woMthetho ohlonishwa kakhulu yibo bonke abantu.’c Kumelwe ukuba lesi sazi sezomthetho sasihlonishwa kakhulu ozakwabo ngoba sathatha izintambo, saze ‘sayala ukuba abaphostoli bakhishelwe ngaphandle isikhashana.’ (IzE. 5:34) Ngokubhekisela ezibonelweni zangaphambili zokuvukela okwakusheshe kubhuntshe ngemva kokufa kwabaholi, uGamaliyeli wanxusa inkantolo ukuba ibekezele futhi ibayeke abaphostoli, abamHoli wabo, uJesu, wayesanda kubulawa. Amaphuzu kaGamaliyeli ayenamandla lapho ethi: “Ningabaphazamisi laba bantu bayekeni. Ngoba uma leli qhinga noma lo msebenzi uvela kubantu, uyogumbuqelwa; kodwa uma uvela kuNkulunkulu, ngeke nikwazi ukubagumbuqela. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kungase kutholakale ukuthi nilwa noNkulunkulu uqobo.” (IzE. 5:38, 39) Abahluleli basilalela iseluleko sakhe. Noma kunjalo, bababhaxabula abaphostoli futhi babayala “ukuba bayeke ukukhuluma ngegama likaJesu.”—IzE. 5:40.

¹³ Namuhla, njengangaleso sikhathi, uJehova angase avuse abantu abaqavile njengoGamaliyeli ukuba bathathe isinyathelo ngenxa yabantu baKhe. (IzAga 21:1) UJehova angasebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuba ushukumise ababusi abanamandla, abahluleli, noma izishaya-mthetho ukuba benze ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe. (Neh. 2:4-8) Kodwa uma evumela ukuba ‘sihlupheke ngenxa yokulunga,’ singaqiniseka ngezinto ezimbili. (1 Pet. 3:14) Eyokuqala, uNkulunkulu angasinika amandla okuba sikhuthazele. (1 Kor. 10:13) Eyesibili, abaphikisi ‘ngeke bakwazi ukugumbuqela’ umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu.—Isaya 54:17.

14, 15. (a) Basabela kanjani abaphostoli ngemva kokubhaxabulwa, futhi ngani? (b) Landisa okuhlangenwe nakho okubonisa ukuthi abantu bakaJehova bakhuthazela ngenjabulo.

¹⁴ Ingabe ukubhaxabulwa kwabadangalisa abaphostoli noma kwanciphisa ukuzimisela kwabo? Phinde! “Baphuma phambi kweSanhedrini, bejabula.” (IzE. 5:41) “Bejabula”—kungani? Babengajatshuliswa neze ubuhlungu bokubhaxabulwa. Babejabula ngoba babazi ukuthi babeshushiswa ngenxa yokugcina ubuqotho babo kuJehova nokulandela ezinyathelweni zeSibonelo sabo, uJesu.—Math. 5:11, 12.

¹⁵ Njengabafowethu bekhulu lokuqala, sikhuthazela ngenjabulo lapho sihlupheka ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle. (1 Pet. 4:12-14) Cha, asikujabuleli ukusongelwa, ukushushiswa noma ukuboshwa. Kodwa sithola ukwaneliseka okukhulu ngokugcina ubuqotho. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoHenryk Dornik, owakhuthazelela ukuphathwa kabuhlungu ngaphansi kwemibuso yobushiqela. Ukhumbula ukuthi ngo-Agasti 1944, iziphathimandla zanquma ukubathumela emakamu okuhlushwa, yena nomfowabo. Abaphikisi bathi: “Ngeke sikwazi ukubashintsha. Ukufela ukholo kuyabajabulisa.” UMfoweth’ uDornik uyachaza: “Nakuba ngangingafisi ukufela ukholo, ukubhekana nokuhlupheka ngesibindi nangokuthobeka ngenxa yobuqotho kuJehova kwangijabulisa.”—Jak. 1:2-4.

16. Abaphostoli babonisa kanjani ukuthi babezimisele ukunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele, futhi thina siyilingisa kanjani indlela yabo yokushumayela?

¹⁶ Abaphostoli abachithanga sikhathi, baqhubeka nomsebenzi wokufakaza. “Nsuku zonke” baqhubeka ngesibindi nomsebenzi “ethempelini nasendlini ngendlu,” “bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu.”d (IzE. 5:42) Laba bashumayeli abashisekayo babezimisele ukunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele. Phawula ukuthi isigijimi basiyisa emizini yabantu, njengoba uJesu Kristu ayebayalile. (Math. 10:7, 11-14) Ngokungangabazeki, yingakho bakwazi ukugcwalisa iJerusalema ngemfundiso yabo. Namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova baziwa ngokulandela le ndlela yabaphostoli yokushumayela. Ngokungena indlu ngendlu ensimini yethu, sibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi nathi sifuna ukuwenzisisa lo msebenzi, sinikeze bonke abantu ithuba lokuzwa izindaba ezinhle. Ingabe uJehova uyibusisile inkonzo yethu yendlu ngendlu? Yebo, uyibusisile! Izigidi ziye zasamukela isigijimi soMbuso kulesi sikhathi sokuphela, futhi abaningi baqala ukuzwa izindaba ezinhle lapho kufika uFakazi emizini yabo.

17-19. Kwaphakama yiphi inkinga eyadala uqhekeko, futhi isiphi isiqondiso abaphostoli abasinikeza ukuze ixazululwe?

¹⁷ Ibandla elisha manje lase libhekene nengozi ecashile eyayilisongela ngaphakathi. Yayiyini? Abaningi babafundi ababhapathizwa babeyizivakashi eJerusalema futhi befuna ukufunda okwengeziwe ngaphambi kokubuyela emakhaya. Abafundi ababehlala eJerusalema banikela ngezimali ngokuzithandela ukuze bahlangabezane nezidingo zokudla nezinye izinto. (IzE. 2:44-46; 4:34-37) Ngalesi sikhathi, kwaphakama isimo esibucayi. “Lapho kwabiwa ukudla nsuku zonke,” abafelokazi abakhuluma isiGreki “babenganakwa.” (IzE. 6:1) Kodwa abafelokazi abakhuluma isiHebheru bona babenakwa. Kusobala-ke ukuthi inkinga yayihilela ubandlululo. Zimbalwa izinto ezingadala uqhekeko ukwedlula lena.

¹⁸ Abaphostoli, besebenza njengendikimba ebusayo yebandla elandayo, baqaphela ukuthi kwakungeke kube ukuhlakanipha ‘ukuba bashiye izwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze babe ukudla ematafuleni.’ (IzE. 6:2) Ukuze baxazulule lolu daba, bathuma abafundi ukuba bafune amadoda ayisikhombisa “agcwele umoya nokuhlakanipha,” lawo abaphostoli ababengawamisa phezu kwalo “msebenzi odingekile.” (IzE. 6:3) Kwakudingeka amadoda afanelekayo ngoba umsebenzi wawungahileli nje kuphela ukwaba ukudla kodwa nokuphatha imali, ukuthenga izinto nokugcina imibhalo yezinto ezibalulekile. Wonke amadoda akhethwa ayenamagama esiGreki, cishe okwawenza amukeleka kangcono kubafelokazi ababephathwe kabi. Ngemva kokukucabangela ngomthandazo lokhu kusikisela, abaphostoli base bewamisa la madoda ayisikhombisa phezu kwalo “msebenzi odingekile.”e

¹⁹ Ingabe ukunakekela isabelo sokwaba ukudla kwakusho ukuthi la madoda ayisikhombisa ayesekhululiwe emthwalweni wemfanelo wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle? Lutho neze! Phakathi kwamadoda ayekhethiwe kwakunoStefanu, owayezibonakalise engufakazi onesibindi nonethonya. (IzE. 6:8-10) UFiliphu naye wayengomunye wabayisikhombisa, futhi ubizwa ngokuthi “umvangeli.” (IzE. 21:8) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi la madoda ayisikhombisa aqhubeka engabashumayeli boMbuso abashisekayo.

20. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla bayilingisa kanjani indlela eyayisetshenziswa abaphostoli?

²⁰ Abantu bakaJehova namuhla balingisa indlela eyayisetshenziswa abaphostoli. Amadoda amiselwa ukunakekela imithwalo yemfanelo yebandla kumelwe abonise ukuhlakanipha kwaphezulu futhi anikeze nobufakazi bokusebenza komoya ongcwele kuwo. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kweNdikimba Ebusayo, amadoda ahlangabezana nezimfuneko ezingokomBhalo amiswa ukuba akhonze njengabadala noma izinceku ezikhonzayo emabandleni.f (1 Thim. 3:1-9, 12, 13) Labo abafanelekayo kungashiwo ukuthi bamiswe ngomoya ongcwele. La madoda akhuthele anakekela omningi umsebenzi odingekile. Ngokwesibonelo, abadala bangahlela ukunikeza usizo olungokoqobo kwasebekhulile abathembekile abaswele ngempela. (Jak. 1:27) Abanye bahileleke kakhulu ekwakheni amaHholo OMbuso, ekuhleleni imihlangano, noma basebenza neKomiti Yokubonisana Nezibhedlela yasendaweni. Izinceku ezikhonzayo zinakekela imisebenzi eminingi engahileli ngokuqondile ukwalusa noma ukufundisa. Wonke la madoda afanelekayo kumelwe alinganisele phakathi kwemithwalo yemfanelo yebandla neyenhlangano kanye nesabelo esiyisibopho esivela kuNkulunkulu sokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—1 Kor. 9:16.

21, 22. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJehova walibusisa ibandla elisha?

²¹ Ngokusekela kukaJehova, leli bandla elisha lakwazi ukubhekana nokushushiswa okuvela ngaphandle nenkinga eyayingabangela uqhekeko ngaphakathi kulo. Isibusiso sikaJehova sasisobala, ngoba siyatshelwa: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu laqhubeka lisakazeka, isibalo sabafundi sasilokhu sanda kakhulu eJerusalema; isixuku esikhulu sabapristi saba amakholwa.” (IzE. 6:7) Lona ngowodwa nje kweminingi yemibiko yentuthuko etholakala encwadini yezEnzo. (IzE. 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31) Namuhla, asikhuthazeki yini lapho sizwa imibiko yentuthuko yomsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba?

²² Emuva ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., abaholi benkolo abathukuthele abazange bayeke. Kwase kuzoqala igagasi loshushiso. Kungakabiphi, baphuma iqhubu noStefanu, bamphikisa ngonya, njengoba isahluko esilandelayo sizobonisa.