“Ngenisanani”

UFIBHI, owesifazane ongumKristu wekhulu lokuqala, wayesenkingeni. Wayezohamba esuka eKenikreya, eGrisi, aye eRoma, kodwa wayengazi makholwa kulowo muzi. (Roma 16:1, 2) Umhumushi weBhayibheli u-Edgar Goodspeed uthi: “Izwe laseRoma [langaleso sikhathi] laliyizwe elibi nelinonya, futhi izindlu zezihambi zazinedumela elibi lokuvama ukuba izindawo ezingamfanele owesifazane oziphethe kahle, ikakhulu owesifazane ongumKristu.” Pho, wayezolalaphi uFibhi?

Abantu babehamba kakhulu ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli. UJesu Kristu nabafundi bakhe babehamba ngenjongo yokushumayela izindaba ezinhle kulo lonke elaseJudiya nelaseGalile. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, izithunywa zevangeli ezingamaKristu ezinjengoPawulu zase ziyisa isigijimi ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene ezingakuyiMedithera, ezihlanganisa neRoma, inhloko-dolobha yoMbuso WaseRoma. Lapho amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ehamba ezindaweni zamaJuda noma kwezinye, ayelalaphi? Iziphi izinkinga ayebhekana nazo ekutholeni indawo yokulala? Singafundani kumaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ngokungenisa izihambi?

“Namuhla Kumelwe Ngihlale Endlini Yakho”

Ukungenisa izihambi, noma ukwamukela izivakashi ngomusa, sekunesikhathi eside kuwuphawu lwabakhulekeli bakaJehova beqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Abrahama, uLoti, noRebheka babekwenza. (Genesise 18:1-8; 19:1-3; 24:17-20) Ikhuluma ngesimo sengqondo eyayisibonisa kubantu engabazi, inzalamizi uJobe yathi: “Akukho mfokazi owayelala ngaphandle ebusuku; izicabha zami ngangizigcina zivulekelé endleleni.”—Jobe 31:32.

Ukuze ama-Israyeli akubo azamukele, izihambi ngokuvamile kwakudingeka nje zihlale esigcawini somuzi zilinde ukwamukelwa othile. (AbaHluleli 19:15-21) Umuntu owamukele izivakashi ngokuvamile wayezigeza izinyawo izivakashi zakhe, azihlinzeke ngokudla neziphuzo, aphe nezilwane zazo ukudla. (Genesise 18:4, 5; 19:2; 24:32, 33) Izihambi ezingathandi ukuba umthwalo kubantu ezifikele kubo zaziziphathela izinto ezazizozidinga—isinkwa newayini, notshani nefolishi lezimbongolo zazo. Ukuphela kwento ezaziyidinga indawo yokulala.

Nakuba iBhayibheli lingavami ukusho ukuthi uJesu wayeyithola kanjani indawo yokulala lapho esohambweni lokushumayela, yena nabafundi bakhe kwakudingeka balale ndawana-thile. (Luka 9:58) Lapho ehambele eJeriko, uJesu wamane wathi kuZakewu: “Namuhla kumelwe ngihlale endlini yakho.” UZakewu wasamukela “ngokujabula” isivakashi sakhe. (Luka 19:5, 6) UJesu wayevamile ukuvakashela abangane bakhe uMarta, uMariya, noLazaru eBhethaniya. (Luka 10:38; Johane 11:1, 5, 18) Futhi kubonakala sengathi eKapernawume, uJesu wahlala kwaSimoni Petru.—Marku 1:21, 29-35.

Iziyalezo zenkonzo uJesu azinika abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12 ziveza lukhulu mayelana nendlela ababengalindela ukwamukelwa ngayo kwa-Israyeli. UJesu wathi kubo: “Ningaphathi golide nasiliva nathusi emixhakeni yenu eboshelwa ebhandeni, nasikhwama somphako, nazingubo zangaphansi ezimbili, nazimbadada naludondolo; ngoba isisebenzi sifanelwe ukudla kwaso. Kunoma yimuphi umuzi noma umzana eningena kuwo, funani ukuthi ubani ofanelekayo kuwo, nihlale khona nize nihambe.” (Mathewu 10:9-11) Wayazi ukuthi abantu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle babeyobangenisa abafundi bakhe, babanike ukudla, indawo yokulala, nezinye izidingo.

Nokho, kwakuzofika isikhathi lapho abashumayeli abahambahambayo kwakuyodingeka bazihlinzeke bona futhi bazinakekelele bona izindleko zabo. Ngenxa yokungathandwa kwabalandeli bakhe okwakuza nangenxa yokusabalala komsebenzi wokushumayela ufinyelele izindawo ezingaphandle kwakwa-Israyeli, uJesu wathi: “Onomxhaka makawuthathe, ngokufanayo nesikhwama sokudla.” (Luka 22:36) Lapho kusakazwa izindaba ezinhle nakanjani kwakuzodingeka ukuba kuhanjwe futhi kutholakale indawo yokulala.

“Landelani Inkambo Yokungenisa Izihambi”

Ngenxa yokuthula okusesilinganisweni noxhaxha lwemigwaqo egandayiwe eyayikuyo yonke indawo yoMbuso WaseRoma ngekhulu lokuqala, abantu babehamba kakhulu.a Ubuningi babahambi kwenza ukuba izindawo zokulala zisweleke kakhulu. Leso simo saxazululwa ukuba khona kwezindawo zezihambi ezaziqhelelene ngebanga losuku emigwaqweni emikhulu. Nokho, i-Book of Acts in Its Graeco-Roman Setting ithi: “Lokho okwaziwayo ngezindawo ezinjalo ezincwadini kunikeza umbono ongajabulisi neze. Imithombo etholakalayo yezincwadi nemivubukulo ngokuvamile ifakazela ukuthi izindawo zokulala zazingalungisiwe futhi zingcolile, ifenisha ifana nengekho, kunezimbungulu, ukudla neziphuzo kukubi, abanikazi nezisebenzi bengathembekile, amakhasimende esolisa, futhi ukuziphatha ngokuvamile kuxekethile.” Ngokuqondakalayo, umhambi onesimilo wayeyokugwema ukuhlala ezindaweni ezinjalo uma kungenzeka.

Akumangazi-ke ukuthi imiBhalo iwakhuthaza ngokuphindaphindiwe amaKristu ukuba abonise abanye umoya wokungenisa izihambi. UPawulu wanxusa amaKristu eRoma: “Hlanganyelani izinto nabangcwele ngokwezidingo zabo. Landelani inkambo yokungenisa izihambi.” (Roma 12:13) Wakhumbuza amaKristu angamaJuda: “Ningakukhohlwa ukungenisa izihambi, ngoba ngakho abanye, bengazi, babungaza izingelosi.” (Hebheru 13:2) UPetru wakhuthaza abakhulekeli ayekanye nabo ukuba ‘bangenisane ngaphandle kokukhononda.’—1 Petru 4:9.

Nokho, zazikhona izimo lapho ukungenisa izihambi kwakungeke kufaneleke. Mayelana nawo “wonke umuntu odlulela phambili angahlali emfundisweni kaKristu,” umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Ningalokothi nimamukele emakhaya enu noma nimbingelele. Ngoba lowo ombingelelayo ungumhlanganyeli emisebenzini yakhe emibi.” (2 Johane 9-11) Ekhuluma ngezoni ezingaphenduki, uPawulu wabhala: “Niyeke ukuzihlanganisa nanoma ubani obizwa ngokuthi umzalwane abe eyisifebe noma engumuntu ohahayo noma okhonza izithombe noma isithuki noma isidakwa noma umphangi, ningadli ngisho nokudla nomuntu onjalo.”—1 Korinte 5:11.

Kumelwe ukuba abakhohlisi nabanye babezama ukusizakala ngomusa wamaKristu eqiniso. Incwadi yekhulu lesibili C.E. ekhuluma ngenkolo yobuKristu ebizwa ngokuthi i-Didache, noma i-Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, itusa ukuba umshumayeli ohambahambayo abungazwe “usuku olulodwa, noma nolwesibili uma kudingeka.” Ngemva kwalokho, lapho esehamba, “makangamukeli lutho ngaphandle kwesinkwa . . . Uma ecela imali, ungumprofethi wamanga.” Le ncwadi iqhubeka ithi: “Uma efisa ukuhlala phakathi kwenu futhi enekhono lomsebenzi wezandla, makakusebenzele ukudla. Kodwa uma engenalo ikhono lomsebenzi wezandla, mupheni [ukudla] kuye ngokuqonda kwenu, ukuze kungabi namuntu ohlala phakathi kwenu angenzi lutho ngoba engumKristu. Kodwa uma engafuni ukwenza kanjalo, usizakala ngoKristu; mqapheleni onjalo.”

Umphostoli uPawulu wayeqikelela ukuthi akabathwesi umthwalo omkhulu abantu abamngenisile lapho ehlezi isikhathi eside emizini ethile. Wayeziphilisa ngokwenza amatende. (IzEnzo 18:1-3; 2 Thesalonika 3:7-12) Ukuze asize abahambi abafanelekayo phakathi kwabo, ngokusobala amaKristu okuqala ayesebenzisa izincwadi zokutusa, ezifana nencwadi kaPawulu yokwazisa ngoFibhi. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngiyamtusa kini uFibhi udadewethu, . . . ukuba nimamukele eNkosini . . . nokuba nimsize kunoma iyiphi indaba angase anidinge kuyo.”—Roma 16:1, 2.

Izibusiso Zokubonisa Umoya Wokungenisa Izihambi

Izithunywa zevangeli ezingamaKristu zekhulu lokuqala zazithembela kuJehova ukuba anakekele zonke izidingo zazo. Kodwa zazingalindela yini ukuzuza emoyeni wokungenisa izihambi wamakholwa ezikanye nawo? ULidiya wavulela uPawulu nabanye umuzi wakhe. Lo mphostoli wahlala no-Akhwila noPrisila eKorinte. Umgcini wejele eFiliphi wadekela uPawulu noSila itafula. UPawulu wamukelwa ngomoya wokungenisa izihambi nguJasoni eThesalonika, uFiliphu eKhesariya, noMnasoni emgwaqweni osuka eKhesariya uye eJerusalema. Lapho esendleleni eya eRoma, uPawulu wabungazwa abazalwane basePhutheyoli. Yeka ukuthi lezi zikhathi kumelwe ukuba zaziqabula kanjani kulabo ababemamukele uPawulu!—IzEnzo 16:33, 34; 17:7; 18:1-3; 21:8, 16; 28:13, 14.

Isazi uFrederick F. Bruce sithi: “Laba bangane nezisebenzi zandawonye, ababemngenisile, babengenaso esinye isisusa sokusiza kangaka ngaphandle kothando ngoPawulu nothando ngeNkosi ayeyikhonza. Babazi ukuthi ngokukhonza [uPawulu] babekhonza [iNkosi].” Lesi yisisusa esihle kakhulu sokubonisa umoya wokungenisa izihambi.

Isidingo sokungenisa izihambi sisekhona. Izinkulungwane zoFakazi BakaJehova abajikelezayo zamukelwa ngomusa amakholwa ezikanye nawo emizini yawo. Abanye abamemezeli boMbuso bahamba ngezindleko zabo bayoshumayela ezindaweni ezingavamile ukufinyelelwa izindaba ezinhle. Ukuvulela abanjalo imizi yethu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iphansi kangakanani, kunezinzuzo ezinkulu. Ukungenisa izihambi ngomusa, okungase kube nje isidlo esivamile, kunikeza amathuba amahle kakhulu ‘okukhuthazana’ nawokubonisa uthando ngabafowethu nangoNkulunkulu wethu. (Roma 1:11, 12) Izikhathi ezinjalo zanelisa ngokukhethekile kubaninikhaya, ngoba “kukhona injabulo eyengeziwe ekupheni kunasekwamukeleni.”—IzEnzo 20:35.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

AmaKristu ‘alandela inkambo yokungenisa izihambi’