UKristu Uhola Ibandla Lakhe Ngenkuthalo
“UNkulunkulu weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu . . . wammisa abe-yinhloko phezu kwakho konke kulo Ibandla.”—EFESU 1:17, 22.
1. Amanye amalungu amasonto eLobukholwa angawuphendula kanjani umbuzo othi, ‘Ubani umholi wenu?’ kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova bangawuphendula kanjani?
AKEKHO umuntu wenyama oFakazi BakaJehova abamqaphela njengomholi wabo. Ukuhlelwa kwenhlangano yabo akunaye umuntu olingana nopapa weSonto lamaRoma Katolika, izinzalamizi zamaSonto aseMpumalanga obuOrthodox, noma abaholi bamanye amasonto namahlelo eLobukholwa. Ukwethembeka kwabo kukuJesu Kristu, iNhloko yebandla lobuKristu, owathi: “Munye umholi wenu, uKristu.”—Mathewu 23:10.
2. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova beqaphela uKristu njengeNhloko yebandla lobuKristu, kodwa yimiphi imibuzo engaphakama?
2 NgePentekoste umphostoli uPetru wafakaza: “UDavide akenyukelanga ezulwini, kepha yena uthi: INkosi yathi eNkosini yami: Hlala ngakwesokunene sami, ngize ngibeke izitha zakho zibe-yisenabelo sezinyawo zakho. Ngakho indlu yonke yakwaIsrayeli mayazi impela ukuthi uNkulunkulu umenzile iNkosi noKristu uJesu lo enambethela nina.” (IzEnzo 2:34-36) Kodwa nakuba siqaphela ukuthi ngo-33 C.E. uJesu wenziwa iNkosi neNhloko yebandla, ingabe sithambekele ekucabangeni ngaye njengowayezihlalele nje ngakwesokunene sikaJehova, elindele ukubekwa kwakhe esihlalweni sobukhosi ngo-1914? Ingabe siqaphela ngokugcwele ukuthi kusukela khona kanye ekuqaleni uKristu wahola ibandla lakhe ngenkuthalo?
Izindlela Zaphezulu Zokwengamela Ngenkuthalo
3. Yini uJesu athembisa ukuyithumelela abafundi bakhe, futhi sazi kanjani ukuthi wayengakhulumi ngomuntu?
3 Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu wathi kubaphostoli bakhe abathembekile: “Kunilungele ukuba ngimuke; ngokuba uma ngingamuki, uMduduzi kayikuza kini; kepha uma ngimuka, ngiyakumthumela kini.” (Johane 16:7) Wayengeke athumele umuntu kodwa amandla ayisiphekupheku. Lokhu wakwenza kwaba sobala ngaphambi nje kokwenyukela ezulwini, ethi kubafundi bakhe ababebuthene: “Ngiyathumela kini isithembiso sikababa; kepha hlalani emzini, nize nembathiswe amandla avela phezulu.”—Luka 24:49.
4. Umoya ongcwele wasetshenziswa kanjani kusukela ngePentekoste kuya phambili?
4 Abafundi abathembekile bakaJesu bahlala endaweni yaseJerusalema kwaze kwaba yiPentekoste. Ngalolosuku ‘bagcwala umoya ongcwele,’ njengoba kwakuthenjisiwe. UPetru wafakaza: “Ngakho [uJesu] ephakanyiselwe ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, esamukele kuYise isithembiso sikaMoya oNgcwele, wakuthulula lokhu enikubonayo nenikuzwayo.” (IzEnzo 2:4, 33) Ngalendlela uJehova wazala lamaKristu okuqala njengamadodana akhe angokomoya. (Galathiya 4:6) Futhi, uJesu wathola umoya uvela kuYise njengendlela yokwengamela ibandla lakhe ngenkuthalo emhlabeni esesikhundleni sakhe sasezulwini ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.
5, 6. (a) Yini enye eyanikezwa uKristu emenza akwazi ukwengamela ibandla lakhe emhlabeni? (b) Nikeza izibonelo eziqondile zendlela uJesu asebenzisa ngayo lokhu ngenxa yabafundi bakhe nasekusekeleni umsebenzi wokushumayela.
5 Ngaphezu kwalokho, umphostoli uPetru waloba ngokuqondene noJesu: “Okhona ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu esenyukele ezulwini, sekubekwe phansi kwakhe izingelosi, negunya, namandla.” (1 Petru 3:22) Ngakho-ke, izingelosi zingenye indlela yokuhola ibandla lobuKristu ngenkuthalo uJehova ayinikeza uKristu.
6 Ngokomphumela, lapho sifunda encwadini yezEnzo ukuthi “ingelosi yeNkosi” noma “ingelosi kaNkulunkulu” yasekela umsebenzi wobuKristu wokushumayela noma yangenela ngenxa yamalungu ebandla lobuKristu, kunesizathu esiqinile sokukholelwa ukuthi lezozingelosi zenza ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaKristu Jesu. (IzEnzo 5:19; 8:26; 10:3-7, 22; 12:7-11; 27:23, 24) ‘NjengoMikayeli ingelosi enkulu,’ uKristu unezingelosi azilawulayo, futhi wazise benzi sa ekuholeni ibandla lobuKristu ngenkuthalo ekhulwini lokuqala C.E.—Juda 9; 1 Thesalonika 4:16.
Indikimba Ebusayo Ebonakalayo
7. Yini enye uKristu ayisebenzisa ekunikezeni isiqondiso ebandleni lakhe, futhi yimiphi imibhalo ekhuluma ‘ngalesikhundla’?
7 ImiBhalo ibonisa futhi ukuthi uJesu Kristu wasebenzisa iqembu lamadoda njengendikimba ebusayo ukuba anikeze isiqondiso ebandleni lakhe emhlabeni. Ekuqaleni, lendikimba ebusayo ibonakala yakhiwa abaphostoli abayi-11 kuphela. Lapho efuna kwenziwe intando kaJehova ekuvaleni isikhala sikaJuda Iskariyothe, uPetru wacaphuna iHubo 109:8, elithi: “Omunye athathe isikhundla sakhe.” Khona-ke, emthandazweni wabo kuJehova, uPetru nabangane bakhe bacela ukuba uNkulunkulu akhethe indoda “ukuba [i]thathe isikhundla salenkonzo nobuphostoli aphambuka kuso uJuda.” UMathiya wakhethwa ukuba akhonze “kanye nabaphostoli abayishumi nanye.”—IzEnzo 1:20, 24-26.
8. Yiziphi izibonelo ezimbili zokuqala ezibonisa indlela uKristu asebenzisa ngayo amalungu endikimba ebusayo ebonakalayo?
8 Isibonelo sokuqala esilotshiwe sokusebenza kwabaphostoli abayi-12 ‘kulesikhundla’ njengendikimba ebusayo kwakungesikhathi bekhetha amadoda afanelekayo ngokomoya ukuba akhonze abazalwane bawo ebandleni lokuqala. (IzEnzo 6:1-6) Isenzakalo sesibili kwakuyilapho uFiliphu eqala ukushumayela ngoKristu kumaSamariya. Ngenxa yalokhu, “abaphostoli baseJerusalema . . . bathumela kubo oPetru noJohane.” AmaSamariya ‘aqala ukwamukela umoya ongcwele’ kuphela ngemva kokuba amalungu amelele indikimba ebusayo esebeke izandla zawo phezu kwawo.—IzEnzo 8:5, 14-17.
Ukuhola KukaKristu Ngokwakhe
9. Ingabe ngaso sonke isikhathi uKristu wayesebenza ngezingelosi noma ngendikimba ebusayo? Nikeza isibonelo.
9 Ngakho, kusukela khona kanye ekuqaleni kwebandla lobuKristu, uKristu wayenomoya ongcwele, izingelosi, kanye nendikimba ebusayo ebonakalayo ukuze akwazi ukuhola abafundi bakhe emhlabeni ngenkuthalo. Kwezinye izimo wayezibambela mathupha. Ngokwesibonelo, uKristu wamphendula ngokwakhe uSawulu waseTarsu. (IzEnzo 9:3-6) Ezinsukwini ezintathu kamuva uJesu wakhuluma ngokuqondile ‘kumfundi othile’ othiwa uAnaniya. Emambulela ukuthunywa okuyizingxenye ezintathu ayenakho engqondweni ngoSawulu, uJesu wathi: “Lo uyisitsha sami esikhethiweyo sokuphatha igama lami phambi kwabezizwe, namakhosi, nabantwana bakwaIsrayeli.” (IzEnzo 9:10-15) UKristu wambizela umsebenzi okhethekile uSawulu. Ngakho uSawulu waba umphostoli, noma othunyiweyo, owaziwa kangcono ngokuthi umphostoli uPawulu.
10. UKristu wawuqondisa kanjani ngokwakhe umsebenzi wokushumayela?
10 UKristu wawuqondisa ngokwakhe umsebenzi woku shumayela. Ngomoya ongcwele ayewuthole kuYise uJehova, wathuma uPawulu ohambweni lwakhe lwezithunywa zevangeli futhi waba nesithakazelo somuntu siqu kulo. Siyafunda: “UMoya oNgcwele wathi: Ngahlukaniseleni oBarnaba noSawulu ukuba baye emsebenzini engibabizele wona. . . . Bona-ke bethunyiwe ngoMoya oNgcwele behlela eSelukiya; basuka lapho, baya” ohambweni lokuqala lwezithunywa zevangeli. (IzEnzo 13:2-4) Yebo, umoya ongcwele, amandla kaJehova ayisiphekupheku, ‘wawungenakusho’ noma ‘uthume’ othile ngokwawo. Ngokusobala lowo owayesebenzisa umoya ekuqondiseni izindaba kwakunguKristu, iNhloko yebandla.
11. Yini eyenzeka phakathi nohambo lukaPawulu lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli, futhi lokhu kubonisa kanjani ngokukhanyayo ukuthi uJesu wayesebenzisa umoya ekuqondiseni umsebenzi wokushumayela?
11 Lokhu kusebenzisa kukaJesu umoya njengoba ayehola amaKristu okuqala ngenkuthalo kuboniswe ngokucacile endabeni yohambo lukaPawulu lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli. Ngemva kokuwavakashela okwesibili amabandla aseLikawoniya (isifunda saseAsia Minor) ayemiswe phakathi nohambo lokuqala lwe zithunywa zevangeli, ngokusobala uPawulu nabangane bakhe abajikelezayo babehlose ukuya ngasentshonalanga badabule esifundazweni samaRoma saseAsiya. Kungani bengaqhubekanga necebo labo? “Benqatshelwe nguMoya oNgcwele ukulikhuluma izwi eAsiya.” (IzEnzo 15:36, 40, 41; 16:1-6) Kodwa ubani owayesebenzisa umoya ongcwele kaJehova ekubaqondiseni? Ivesi elilandelayo liyaphendula. Liyabonisa ukuthi lapho beqonde enyakatho, behlose ukushumayela eBithiniya, “uMoya kaJesu akabavumelanga.” (IzEnzo 16:7) Yebo, uJesu Kristu wayesebenzisa umoya ayewuthole kuYise ekuqondiseni ngenkuthalo umsebenzi wokushumayela. Yena noYise uJehova babefuna ukuba izindaba ezinhle zisakazekele e Yurophu, ngakho uPawulu wamukela umbono walokho.—IzEnzo 16:9, 10.
UKristu Wasekela Amalungu Endikimba Ebusayo
12, 13. Ngesikhathi sokuhambela kokuqala kukaPawulu eJerusalema njengomKristu, yini eyenzeka eyabonisa indlela uKristu ayesekela ngayo izinqumo ezazenziwa abazalwane abathembekile kulowomuzi?
12 Ngesikhathi sokuhlangana kokuqala kukamphostoli uPawulu nabafundi eJerusalema, ngokuqondakalayo babengabaza ukuhlangana naye. “Kodwa uBarnaba wamthatha, wamyisa kubaphostoli.” (IzEnzo 9:26, 27) UPawulu wayenomphostoli uPetru izinsuku eziyi-15. Wahlangana futhi nomfowabo kaJesu ngamzali munye uJakobe, ngalesosikhathi owayesengomunye wabadala bebandla laseJerusalema. (Galathiya 1:18, 19) Izingxenye ezilandelayo zezEnzo zibonisa ukuthi abadala baseJerusalema baba yingxenye yendikimba ebusayo yebandla lamaKristu okuqala, kanye nabaphostoli abayi-12.—IzEnzo 15:2; 21:18.
13 Phakathi nokuhlala kwakhe amasonto amabili eJerusalema, uPawulu wafakaza kumaJuda ayekhuluma isiGreki, kodwa “bona bazama ukumbulala.” ULuka unezela ngokuthi “abazalwane sebekwazi lokho bamehlisela eKesariya, bamthumela eTarsu.” (IzEnzo 9:28-30) Kodwa ubani owayeshukumisela lesinqumo esihlakaniphile? Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, lapho elandisa ngendaba efanayo ekuphileni kwakhe, uPawulu wathi uJesu wayebonakale kuye futhi wamyala ukuba aphume ngokushesha eJerusalema. Lapho uPawulu enqaba, uJesu wanezela: “Hamba, ngokuba mina ngizakukuthuma uye kude kwabezizwe.” (IzEnzo 22:17-21) UKristu wayelandelela ngokunakekela izindaba ephezulu futhi wasebenza kokubili ngabazalwane abathembekile eJerusalema nangokukhuluma noPawulu ngokuqondile.
14. Yikuphi ukuqhathanisa phakathi kwezindaba ezikuzEnzo nabaseGalathiya okubonisa ukuthi uKristu wayeqondisa izindaba ngokuqondene nomhlangano weI1dikimba ebusayo ngokusoka?
14 Ngokufanayo, ukufundisisa imiBhalo kubonisa ngokukhanyayo ukuthi uKristu wayengamele umhlangano obalulekile wendikimba ebusayo owawenzelwe ukuxazulula inkinga yokuthi amaKristu abeZizwe kumelwe asokwe futhi agcine uMthetho kaMose noma cha. Incwadi yezEnzo ithi lapho lenkinga iphakama, “banquma [ngokungangabazeki amalungu athembekile, noma abadala, ebandla laseAntiyokiya] ukuba oPawulu noBarnaba nabathile kubo bakhuphukele eJerusalema kubaphostoli namalunga ngaleyondaba.” (IzEnzo 15:1, 2) Kodwa lapho uPawulu elandisa ngezimo ezaholela ekuyeni kwakhe eJerusalema ukuyoxazulula inkinga yokusoka, uthi: “Ngenyukela ngambulelwe.” (Galathiya 2:1-3; qhathanisa no-1:12.) NjengeNhloko ekhuthele yebandla, uKristu wafuna ukuba lendaba ebalulekile engokwemfundiso ixazululwe yiyo yonke indikimba ebusayo ebonakalayo. Ngomoya ongcwele, waqondisa izingqondo zalamadoda azinikele ekwenzeni isinqumo sawo.—IzEnzo 15:28, 29.
Isinqumo Esingavamile
15, 16. (a) Yini indikimba ebusayo eyafuna ukuba uPawulu ayenze ngemva kokubuya kwakhe ohambweni lwesithathu lwezithunywa zevangeli? (b) Kungani lomyalo ungase ubonakale ungavamile, futhi kungani uPawulu ahambisana nawo? (e) Yimuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?
15 Esinye isibonelo esithakazelisayo sokuqondisa kukaKristu izinto ngenkuthalo esezulwini yilokho okwenzeka ngemva kohambo lwesithathu lukaPawulu lwezithunywa zevangeli. ULuka uthi lapho ebuyela eJerusalema, uPawulu walandisa konke emalungwini endikimba ebusayo ayekhona. ULuka waloba: “UPawulu wangena nathi kuJakobe; namalunga onke ayekhona. Wababingelela, wabalandisa ngakho konke ngakunye uNkulunkulu abekwenzile phakathi kwabezizwe ngenkonzo yakhe.” (IzEnzo 21:17-19) Ngemva kokuzwa uPawulu, iqembu elalibuthene lamnikeza umyalo ongujuqu, lithi: “Yenza lokhu esikusho kuwe.” Bamyala ukuba aye ethempelini futhi abonise obala ukuthi akukhona ukuthi “ufundisa bonke abaJuda abaphakathi kwabezizwe ukuhlubuka kuMose, uthi mabangasoki abantwana babo, bangahambi ngamasiko.”—IzEnzo 21:20-24.
16 Umuntu angase akungabaze ukuhlakanipha kwalomyalo. Njengoba sesibonile kakade, eminyakeni engaphambili uJakobe, futhi mhlawumbe nabanye abadala ababekhona kuzo zombili lezimo, wayemkhiphile uPawulu eJerusalema ngenxa yokuthi ukuphila kwakhe kwakusongelwa “abaJuda abakhuluma isiGreki.” (IzEnzo 9:29) Naphezu kwalokhu, uPawulu wahambisana nalomyalo, ngokuvumelana nalokho ayesekushilo kakade kweyoku-1 Korinte 9:20. Kodwa izimbangela ezifanayo ziveza imiphumela efanayo. “AbaJuda baseAsiya [esifundazweni samaRoma]” babanga isiyaluyalu futhi bazama ukubulala uPawulu. Isinyathelo esisheshayo samasosha amaRoma kuphela esamsindisa ekubulaweni. (IzEnzo 21:26-32) Njengoba uKristu eyiNhloko ekhuthele yebandla, kungani abangela ukuba indikimba ebusayo iyale ukuba uPawulu aye ethempelini?
17. Lesinqumo esingavamile sabonakala kanjani sifike ngesikhathi, futhi lokhu kubonisani?
17 Impendulo iba sobala kulokho okwenzeka ngobusuku besibili ngemva kokuboshwa kukaPawulu. Wayenikeze ubufakazi obuhle esixukwini esasifuna ukumbulala, futhi ngakusasa, eSanhedrin. (IzEnzo 22:1-21; 23:1-6) Ngokwesibili wacishe wabulawa. Kodwa ngalobobusuku, uJesu wabonakala kuye wathi: “Yima isibindi; njengalokho ufakazé ngami eJerusalema, ngokunjalo umelwe ukufakaza naseRoma.” (IzEnzo 23:11) Khumbula ukuthunywa okuyizingxenye ezintathu uKristu ayekubikezele ngoPawulu. (IzEnzo 9:15) UPawulu wayelifakazele igama likaKristu “kwabezizwe” ‘nakubantwana bakwaIsrayeli,’ kodwa manje sase sifikile isikhathi sokuba afakaze ‘emakhosini.’ Ngenxa yalesosinqumo sendikimba ebusayo, uPawulu wakwazi ukufakaza kuziphathimandla zaseRoma oFeliksi noFestu, eNkosini uHerode Agripha II, futhi, ekugcineni, kuMbusi wamaRoma uNero. (IzEnzo, izahluko 24-26; 27:24) Ubani ongangabaza ukuthi uKristu wayengamele konke lokhu?
UKristu Usahola Ngenkuthalo Ibandla Lakhe
18. Yini uJesu Kristu ayisho ngaphambi kokwenyukela ezulwini?
18 Ngaphambi kokushiya abafundi bakhe futhi enyukele ngakwesokunene sikaYise, uJesu Kristu wathi: “Ngiphiwe amandla onke ezulwini nasemhlabeni; ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise, neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho; bhekani, mina nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kubesekupheleni kwezwe [“sesiphelweni sesimiso sezinto,” NW].”—Mathewu 28:18-20.
19. UKristu wawasebenzisa kanjani amandla ayewaphiwe nguNkulunkulu ekhulwini lokuqala, futhi yini ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
19 Incwadi yezEnzo, lapho ilandisa umlando weminyaka yokuqala yobuKristu, ibonisa ngokungenakungatshazwa ukuthi uKristu wasebenzisa amandla akhe ngokuhola ngenkuthalo ibandla lakhe emhlabeni. Lokhu wakwenza ngomoya ongcwele, izingelosi, nendikimba ebusayo eyayakhiwe abaphostoli abayi-12 nabadala bebandla laseJerusalema. UJesu wathi wayezoba nabafundi bakhe kuze kube sesiphelweni sesimiso sezinto, esikuso manje. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizobona indlela aseyiNhloko ekhuthele yebandla lobu Kristu ngayo nendlela ahola ngayo “izimvu” zakhe namuhla.
Amaphuzu Okukhunjulwa
◻ Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bengaqapheli-muntu wenyama njengomholi wabo?
◻ UKristu wawusebenzisa kanjani umoya ongcwele ekuholeni ibandla lamaKristu okuqala?
◻ UKristu wazisebenzisa kanjani izingelosi ekuholeni amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala?
◻ UKristu wayisebenzisa kanjani indikimba ebusayo ebonakalayo ekuqondiseni ibandla lakhe emhlabeni?
◻ Ngezinye izikhathi uKristu wayeziqondisa kanjani ngokwakhe izindaba?
[Amabalazwe ekhasini 12]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
‘Uhambo Lwesibili LukaPawulu Lwezithunywa Zevangeli
Antiyokiya
Selukiya
IKHILIKHIYA
Tarsu
Derbe
IKHAPHADOSIYA
IPHAMEFILIYA
IGALATHIYA
Listra
Ikoniyu
Antiyokiya
ILIKHIYA
IASIYA
IBITHINIYA NEPONTU
Trowa
IMAKEDONIYA
Filipi
Thesalonika
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
UKristu wahola futhi Ibandla lakhe ngendikimba ebusayo ebonakalayo