UStefanu—‘Ugcwele Umusa Waphezulu Namandla’

1-3. (a) Yisiphi isimo esibucayi abhekene naso uStefanu, kodwa usabela kanjani? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

USTEFANU uphambi kwenkantolo. Kuleli hholo elinesithunzi cishe eliseduze kwethempeli eJerusalema, amadoda angu-71 ahlezi akhe isicheme. Namuhla, le nkantolo, iSanhedrini, ihlanganele ukwahlulela uStefanu. Laba bahluleli bangamadoda anamandla nanethonya futhi iningi lawo alimkhathalele lo mfundi kaJesu. Empeleni, umuntu obize le nkantolo umPristi Ophakeme uKayafase, owayengamele ngenkathi iSanhedrini ikhipha isahlulelo sokuba uJesu Kristu abulawe ezinyangeni ezithile ngaphambili. Ingabe uStefanu wethukile?

² Kunokuthile okuphawulekayo ebusweni bukaStefanu njengamanje. Abahluleli bamgqolozele futhi baphawula ukuthi ubuso bakhe ‘bunjengobuso bengelosi.’ (IzE. 6:15) Izingelosi ziphatha isigijimi sikaJehova uNkulunkulu futhi ngenxa yalokho, azesabi, azinaxhala, zinokuthula. Kunjalo nangoStefanu—ngisho nalaba bahluleli abagcwele inzondo bayakubona lokho. Kwenzeka kanjani angabi naxhala?

³ Kuningi amaKristu angakufunda empendulweni yalo mbuzo. Kudingeka sazi nokuthi yini ngempela eyabangela uStefanu abe kulesi simo esibucayi kangaka. Wayeluvikele kanjani ukholo lwakhe ngaphambili? Futhi singamlingisa ngaziphi izindlela?

4, 5. (a) Kungani uStefanu ayeyigugu ebandleni? (b) UStefanu ‘wayegcwele umusa waphezulu namandla’ ngamuphi umqondo?

⁴ Sesifundile ukuthi uStefanu wayeyigugu ebandleni lobuKristu elisafufusa. Esahlukweni esandulele sale ncwadi, sibonile ukuthi wayengomunye wamadoda athobekile ayisikhombisa ayezimisele ukusiza abaphostoli lapho ecelwa ukuba asize. Ukuthobeka kwakhe kuphawuleka kakhulu lapho sicabanga ngeziphiwo ayebusiswe ngazo. Encwadini yezEnzo 6:8, sifunda ukuthi wayekwazi ukwenza “izimangaliso ezinkulu nezibonakaliso,” njengabanye abaphostoli. Sifunda nokuthi ‘wayegcwele umusa waphezulu namandla.’ Kusho ukuthini lokho?

⁵ Igama lesiGreki elithi “umusa waphezulu” lingahunyushwa nangokuthi “umusa.” Kusobala ukuthi uStefanu wayenomusa nesineke futhi enogazi. Indlela yakhe yokukhuluma yayimenza akwazi ukukholisa izilaleli eziningi, azigculise ngokuthi uqotho nokuthi amaqiniso ayewakhuluma ayinzuzo. Wayegcwele amandla, kwazise umoya kaJehova wawusebenza kuye ngoba ngentobeko wayewuvumela ukuba umhole. Kunokuba akhukhumaliswe iziphiwo namakhono akhe, waluyisa kuJehova lonke udumo futhi wabonisa ukuthi uyabakhathalela abantu ayebafundisa. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi izitha zakhe zazimesaba!

6-8. (a) Yiliphi icala elikabili abaphikisi bakaStefanu abambeka lona, futhi kungani? (b) Kungani isibonelo sikaStefanu singaba usizo kumaKristu namuhla?

⁶ Kwavuka abantu abathile baphikisana noStefanu, kodwa “abakwazanga ukuma baqine bamelane nokuhlakanipha nomoya ayekhuluma ngawo.”a Becasukile, “banxenxa” amadoda “ngasese” ukuba amangalele lo mlandeli kaKristu ongenacala. “Babhebhezela abantu,” amadoda amadala nababhali, ukuze uStefanu ayiswe ngenkani kuyiSanhedrini. (IzE. 6:9-12) Laba baphikisi bambeka leli cala elikabili: Wayehlambalaza uNkulunkulu noMose. Ngaziphi izindlela?

⁷ Abamangaleli bamanga bathi uStefanu wayehlambalaze uNkulunkulu ngokukhuluma ngokumelene “nale ndawo engcwele”—ithempeli laseJerusalema. (IzE. 6:13) Bathi uhlambalaze uMose ngokukhuluma kabi ngoMthetho KaMose, eshintsha amasiko uMose ayewadlulisele kubo. Kwakuyicala elibomvu leli ngoba amaJuda ngaleso sikhathi ayelithanda kakhulu ithempeli, imicikilisho yoMthetho KaMose namasiko amaningi adluliselwe ngomlomo ayenezelwe yiwo kulowo Mthetho. Ngakho, leli cala lalisho ukuthi uStefanu ungumuntu oyingozi, ofanelwe ukufa!

⁸ Ngokudabukisayo, kuvamile ukuba abantu abasontayo basebenzise lezi zindlela ukuze badalele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu izinkathazo. Kuze kube namuhla, abaphikisi benkolo ngezinye izikhathi bagqugquzela abaholi bezwe ukuba bashushise oFakazi BakaJehova. Kufanele sisabele kanjani uma siqanjelwa amanga? Singafunda okuningi kuStefanu.

9, 10. Abagxeki baye bayihlasela ngokuthini inkulumo kaStefanu phambi kweSanhedrini, futhi yini okudingeka siyikhumbule?

⁹ Njengoba kubonisiwe ekuqaleni, ubuso bukaStefanu babuzolile, bunjengobengelosi, njengoba elalele amacala ayemangalelwa ngawo. Manje uKayafase waphendukela kuye wathi: “Zinjalo yini lezi zinto?” (IzE. 7:1) Kwase kuyithuba likaStefanu lokukhuluma. Futhi yilokho kanye akwenza!

¹⁰ Abanye abagxeki baye bahlasela inkulumo kaStefanu, bethi nakuba iyinde kangaka, ayizange ikuphendule ukumangalelwa kwakhe. Kodwa eqinisweni, uStefanu wasibekela isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuthi ‘singazivikela’ kanjani izindaba ezinhle. (1 Pet. 3:15) Khumbula ukuthi uStefanu wayemangalelwe ngokuhlambalaza uNkulunkulu, ngokukhuluma kabi ngethempeli nangokuhlambalaza uMose ngokukhuluma ngokumelene noMthetho. Impendulo kaStefanu ifingqa izinkathi ezintathu zomlando wama-Israyeli futhi kunamaphuzu athile ewagcizelela ngokucophelela. Ake sicabangele ngayinye yalezi zinkathi ezintathu zomlando.

11, 12. (a) UStefanu wasisebenzisa kanjani ngokuphumelelayo isibonelo sika-Abrahama? (b) Ungena kanjani uJosefa enkulumweni kaStefanu?

¹¹ Inkathi yezinzalamizi. (IzE. 7:1-16) UStefanu waqale wakhuluma ngo-Abrahama, owayehlonishwa amaJuda ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Njengoba eqala ngaleli phuzu elibalulekile ababevumelana ngalo, uStefanu wagcizelela ukuthi uJehova, “uNkulunkulu wenkazimulo,” waqale wazembula ku-Abrahama eMesophothamiya. (IzE. 7:2) Eqinisweni, le ndoda yayingumfokazi eZweni Lesithembiso. Yayingenalo ithempeli, ingenawo noMthetho KaMose. Ubani-ke owayengama kwelokuthi ukwethembeka kuNkulunkulu ngaso sonke isikhathi kumelwe kuxhomeke ezintweni ezinjalo?

¹² Izilaleli zikaStefanu zazimhlonipha kakhulu noJosefa, owayeyinzalo ka-Abrahama, kodwa uStefanu wazikhumbuza ukuthi abafowabo bakaJosefa uqobo, oyise bezizwe zakwa-Israyeli, bayishushisa leyo ndoda elungileyo futhi bayithengisa ebugqilini. Noma kunjalo, yaba ithuluzi likaNkulunkulu lokophula u-Israyeli endlaleni. Ngokungangabazeki uStefanu wakubona ngokucacile ukufana phakathi kukaJosefa noJesu Kristu, kodwa akazange akuveze ukuze izilaleli zakhe ziqhubeke zimlalele isikhathi eside ngangokunokwenzeka.

13. Ukukhuluma ngoMose kwakuphendula kanjani ukumangalelwa kukaStefanu, futhi lokhu kwasiza ekuvezeni liphi iphuzu?

¹³ Isikhathi sikaMose. (IzE. 7:17-43) UStefanu wakhuluma okuningi ngoMose—okwakuyinto ehlakaniphile ngoba amalungu amaningi eSanhedrini ayengabaSadusi, ababezenqaba zonke izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngaphandle kwalezo ezalotshwa uMose. Khumbula necala uStefanu abekwa lona lokuthi wayehlambalaze uMose. Amazwi kaStefanu akuphendula ngokuqondile lokho kumangalelwa ngoba wabonisa ukuthi wayenenhlonipho ejulile ngoMose nangoMthetho. (IzE. 7:38) Waveza ukuthi noMose wenqatshwa abantu ayezimisele ukubasindisa. Bamenqaba lapho eneminyaka engu-40. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-40 kamuva, bakuphonsela inselele izikhathi eziningana nokuhola kwakhe.b Ngakho, kancane kancane uStefanu waveza iphuzu eliyisihluthulelo: Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babelokhu bebenqaba abantu uJehova ayebamisa ukuba babahole.

14. Ukusetshenziswa kwesibonelo sikaMose kwasekela maphi amaphuzu enkulumweni kaStefanu?

¹⁴ UStefanu wakhumbuza izilaleli zakhe ukuthi uMose wayebikezele ngomprofethi onjengaye uMose owayezovela kwa-Israyeli. Wayeyoba ubani futhi amukelwe kanjani? UStefanu akazange ayiphendule le mibuzo, walinda kwaze kwaba sekuphetheni. Nanti elinye iphuzu elisemqoka aliveza: UMose wayefunde ukuthi noma iyiphi indawo ingenziwa ngcwele, njengendawo eyayinesihlahla esivuthayo lapho uJehova ayekhulume naye khona. Ngakho, ingabe uJehova angagcina ngokukhulekelwa esakhiweni esithile kuphela, esifana nethempeli eliseJerusalema? Ake sibone.

15, 16. (a) Kungani lalibalulekile itabernakele enkulumweni kaStefanu? (b) UStefanu walisebenzisa kanjani ithempeli likaSolomoni enkulumweni yakhe?

¹⁵ Itabernakele nethempeli. (IzE. 7:44-50) UStefanu wakhumbuza inkantolo ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba kube nethempeli eJerusalema, uNkulunkulu wayala uMose ukuba akhe itabernakele—isakhiwo sokukhulekela esithwalekayo esinjengetende. Ubani owayengalinge athi itabernakele lalingabalulekile kunethempeli, angithi uMose ngokwakhe wayekhulekele kulo?

¹⁶ Kamuva, lapho uSolomoni akha ithempeli eJerusalema, waphefumulelwa ukuba adlulisele isifundo esibaluleke kakhulu emthandazweni wakhe. Njengoba uStefanu asho, “oPhezukonke akahlali ezindlini ezenziwe ngezandla.” (IzE. 7:48; 2 IziKr. 6:18) UJehova angasebenzisa ithempeli ukuze afeze izinjongo zakhe, kodwa akusho ukuthi kufanele akhulekelwe kulona kuphela. Kungani-ke abakhulekeli bakhe kufanele bacabange ukuthi ukukhulekela okumsulwa kuxhomeke esakhiweni esenziwe ngezandla zomuntu? UStefanu waphetha le ngxoxo ngamazwi anamandla ngokucaphuna incwadi ka-Isaya: “Izulu liyisihlalo sami sobukhosi, umhlaba uyindawo yami yokubeka izinyawo. Hlobo luni lwendlu eniyongakhela yona? kusho uJehova. Noma, iphi indawo yami yokuphumula? Yisandla sami esenza zonke lezi zinto, akunjalo?”—IzE. 7:49, 50; Isaya 66:1, 2.

17. Inkulumo kaStefanu (a) yazidalula kanjani izimo zengqondo zezilaleli zakhe (b) futhi yawaphendula kanjani amacala ayemangalelwe ngawo?

¹⁷ Njengoba ubukeza inkulumo kaStefanu phambi kweSanhedrini kuze kube manje, awuvumi yini ukuthi wasidalula ngokuhlakanipha isimo sengqondo sabamangaleli bakhe? Wabonisa ukuthi injongo kaJehova iqhubekela phambili futhi ayigxilile emasikweni. Labo ababenamathele ebuhleni besakhiwo saseJerusalema nasemasikweni ayeseqhamuke ngenxa yoMthetho KaMose babelahlekelwe injongo yangempela yoMthetho nethempeli! Ngendlela ecashile, inkulumo kaStefanu yaphakamisa umbuzo obaluleke kakhulu: Awuwuhloniphi yini kangcono uMthetho nethempeli ngokulalela uJehova? Ngempela, amazwi kaStefanu azivikela kahle kakhulu izenzo zakhe, ngoba wayelalele uJehova ngokusemandleni akhe.

18. Singazama ngaziphi izindlela ukulingisa uStefanu?

¹⁸ Singafundani enkulumweni kaStefanu? Wayeyazi kahle imiBhalo. Nathi kudingeka sibe abafundi abakhuthele beZwi likaNkulunkulu uma sifuna ukuphatha “izwi leqiniso ngokufanele.” (2 Thim. 2:15) Singafunda nangobumnene nekhono likaStefanu lokungacunuli. Izilaleli zakhe kwakuthi azimudle zimfele! Kodwa waqhubeka isikhathi eside ngangokunokwenzeka ekhuluma ngamaphuzu ababevumelana ngawo, egxila ezintweni ezazaziswa yilawo madoda. Wakhuluma nawo ngenhlonipho, ebiza amadoda asekhulile ngokuthi ‘obaba.’ (IzE. 7:2) Nathi kudingeka sethule amaqiniso eZwi likaNkulunkulu “ngomoya omnene nangenhlonipho ejulile.”—1 Pet. 3:15.

19. UStefanu wasethula kanjani ngesibindi isigijimi sesahlulelo sikaJehova kuyiSanhedrini?

¹⁹ Nokho, asinqikazi ukukhuluma ngamaqiniso eZwi likaNkulunkulu ngoba sesaba ukucasula abantu; futhi asizithambisi izigijimi zesahlulelo sikaJehova. UStefanu uyisibonelo esihle kulokhu. Ngokungangabazeki wayebona ukuthi bonke ubufakazi ayebethula phambi kweSanhedrini babungabathinti laba bahluleli abanezinhliziyo ezilukhuni. Ngakho, eqhutshwa umoya ongcwele, waphetha inkulumo yakhe ngokubabonisa ngesibindi ukuthi babezifanela nje nokhokho babo abenqaba uJosefa, uMose nabo bonke abaprofethi. (IzE. 7:51-53) Empeleni, laba bahluleli beSanhedrini babebulale uMesiya, lowo uMose nabo bonke abaprofethi ababebikezele ngaye. Ngempela, babephule uMthetho KaMose ngendlela embi ukuzedlula zonke!

20, 21. Yasabela kanjani iSanhedrini emazwini kaStefanu, futhi uJehova wamqinisa kanjani?

²⁰ Iqiniso elingenakuphikwa lamazwi kaStefanu labathukuthelisa labo bahluleli. Benza ngendlela engenangqondo, baqala bamququdela amazinyo. Kumelwe ukuba leyo ndoda ethembekile yabona ukuthi yayingeke iboniswe isihe, njengoba kwaba njalo nangeNkosi yayo, uJesu.

²¹ UStefanu wayedinga isibindi ukuze abhekane nokwakuseza, futhi akungabazeki ukuthi wathola isikhuthazo embonweni uJehova amnika wona ngomusa. UStefanu wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, wabona noJesu emi ngakwesokudla sikaJehova! Njengoba uStefanu ayechaza umbono, abahluleli bakhe bavala izindlebe. Ngani? Ngaphambili, uJesu wayetshele yona le nkantolo ukuthi unguMesiya nokuthi ngokushesha wayezobe engakwesokunene sikaYise. (Marku 14:62) Umbono kaStefanu wafakazela ukuthi uJesu wayeqinisile. Vele leyo Sanhedrini yayikhaphele futhi yabulala uMesiya! Ngokushesha bamkhanda ngamatshe kanyekanye uStefanu waze wafa.c

22, 23. Kungaziphi izindlela ukufa kukaStefanu kwakufana nokweNkosi yakhe, futhi amaKristu namuhla angaba kanjani nesibindi njengaye?

²² UStefanu wafa ngendlela efanayo naleyo iNkosi yakhe eyafa ngayo, ngenhliziyo enokuthula, ethembele ngokuphelele kuJehova futhi ebathethelele ababembulele. Wathi, “Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami,” mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi wayesayibona iNdodana yomuntu inoJehova embonweni. Akungabazeki ukuthi uStefanu wayewazi amazwi kaJesu akhuthazayo: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila.” (Joh. 11:25) Ekugcineni, uStefanu wathandaza ngokuqondile kuNkulunkulu ngezwi elikhulu: “Jehova, ungababaleli lesi sono.” Ngemva kokusho kanjalo, wafa.—IzE. 7:59, 60.

²³ Ngaleyo ndlela uStefanu waba umfel’ ukholo wokuqala owaziwayo kubalandeli bakaKristu. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “‘Umfel’ ukholo’ Ngamuphi Umqondo?” ekhasini 48.) Ngeshwa, wayengeke abe owokugcina. Kuze kube namuhla, izikhonzi zikaJehova ezithembekile ziye zabulawa abashisekeli benkolo nabezombusazwe nabanye abaphikisi abanonya. Noma kunjalo, sinesizathu sokuba nesibindi njengoStefanu. UJesu usebusa njengeNkosi manje futhi usebenzisa amandla amakhulu awanikwe uYise. Akukho okuyomvimba ukuba avuse abalandeli bakhe abathembekile.—Joh. 5:28, 29.

24. USawulu waba kanjani nengxenye ekubulaweni kukaStefanu, futhi ukufa kwaleyo ndoda ethembekile kwaba namiphi imiphumela ehlala njalo?

²⁴ Insizwa ethile, uSawulu, yayikubukele konke lokhu. Yayivumelana nokubulawa kukaStefanu, igade ngisho nezingubo zalabo ababemkhanda ngamatshe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uSawulu waba ngubhongoza woshushiso olunonya. Kodwa ukufa kukaStefanu kwakuyoba nemiphumela emihle nehlala njalo. Isibonelo sakhe sasiyoqinisa amanye amaKristu ukuba ahlale ethembekile futhi nawo anqobe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uSawulu—kamuva owabizwa ngokuthi uPawulu—wayeyobheka emuva azisole ngendima aba nayo ekubulaweni kukaStefanu. (IzE. 22:20) Wayebe nesandla ekubulaweni kukaStefanu, kodwa kamuva wayezokhanyelwa: “Ngangingumhlambalazi nomshushisi nomuntu oweyisayo.” (1 Thim. 1:13) Kuyacaca ukuthi uPawulu akazange amkhohlwe uStefanu nenkulumo enamandla ayibeka ngalolo suku. Empeleni, ezinye zezinkulumo nezincwadi zikaPawulu zinamaphuzu avezwa enkulumweni kaStefanu. (IzE. 7:48; 17:24; Heb. 9:24) Ngemva kwesikhathi, uPawulu wayesefunde ngokugcwele ukulandela isibonelo sokholo nesibindi esabekwa uStefanu, indoda “egcwele umusa waphezulu namandla.” Umbuzo uwukuthi, Ingabe nathi siyosilandela?