“UNkulunkulu Akakhethi”

1-3. Imuphi umbono otholwa uPetru, futhi kungani kudingeka siwuqonde?

NGUNYAKA ka-36 C.E. Ilanga lasekwindla lifudumeza uPetru njengoba ethandaza ophahleni lwendlu eseduze kolwandle edolobheni elingasethekwini laseJopha. Sekuyizinsukwana evakashele lapha. Ukuhlala kwakhe kulo muzi kubonisa ukuthi, ngokwezinga elithile, akanalo ubandlululo. Umninindlu, uSimoni, ungumshuki futhi amaJuda amaningi ngeke avume ukuhlala nomuntu onjalo.a Noma kunjalo, uPetru usezofunda isifundo esibalulekile ngokungakhethi kukaJehova.

² Njengoba uPetru ethandaza, uthathwa isihlwathi. Akubona embonweni kungaphazamisa noma yimuphi umJuda. Kwehla ezulwini isitsha esinjengendwangu sinezilwane ezingcolile ngokoMthetho. Etshelwa ukuba ahlabe adle, uPetru uyaphendula: “Angikaze ngidle noma yini engcolile nengahlanzekile.” Uyatshelwa, hhayi kanye kodwa kathathu: “Yeka ukubiza izinto uNkulunkulu azihlanzile ngokuthi zingcolile.” (IzE. 10:14-16) Lo mbono ushiya uPetru edidekile okwesikhashana.

³ Wawusho ukuthini umbono kaPetru? Kubalulekile ukuba siwuqonde ngoba uveza iqiniso elijulile ngendlela uJehova abheka ngayo abantu. NjengamaKristu eqiniso, ngeke sikwazi ukunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu uma singafundi ukubheka abantu ngendlela uNkulunkulu ababheka ngayo. Ukuze siqonde incazelo yombono kaPetru, ake sihlole izenzakalo ezimangalisayo ezenzeka lapho ewuthola.

4, 5. Wayengubani uKorneliyu, futhi kwenzekani ngenkathi ethandaza?

⁴ UPetru wayengazi ukuthi ngayizolo eKhesariya, engamakhilomitha angu-50 enyakatho, indoda egama layo nguKorneliyu yayithole umbono waphezulu. UKorneliyu, induna yekhulu yebutho laseRoma, “wayengumuntu ozinikele.”b Wayeyindoda yomuzi eyisibonelo ngoba ‘wayemesaba uNkulunkulu, yena nayo yonke indlu yakhe.’ UKorneliyu wayengeyena umJuda ongumproselithe; wayengumuntu weZizwe ongasokile. Noma kunjalo, wawabonisa ububele amaJuda antulayo, ewanikeza usizo lwezinto ezibonakalayo. Le ndoda eqotho ‘yayinxusa njalo kuNkulunkulu.’—IzE. 10:2.

⁵ Cishe ngehora lesithathu ntambama uKorneliyu wayethandaza lapho ebona umbono wengelosi ithi: “Imithandazo yakho nezipho zakho zesihe kunyukile kwaba njengesikhumbuzo phambi kukaNkulunkulu.” (IzE. 10:4) Njengoba uKorneliyu ayeyalwe ingelosi, wathuma abantu ukuba bayobiza umphostoli uPetru. NjengoweZizwe ongasokile, uKorneliyu wayesezongena ngomnyango owawukade umvalekele kuze kube manje. Wayesezothola isigijimi sensindiso.

6, 7. (a) Landisa indaba ebonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyayiphendula imikhuleko yabaqotho abafuna ukuthola iqiniso ngaye. (b) Singaphetha ngokuthini ngale ndaba?

⁶ Ingabe uNkulunkulu uyayiphendula imithandazo yabaqotho namuhla abafuna ukuthola iqiniso ngaye? Cabanga ngale ndaba. Owesifazane wase-Albania wanikezwa ikhophi ye-Nqabayokulinda eyayinesihloko esikhuluma ngokukhulisa izingane.c Wathi kuFakazi owayemvakashele: “Ungakholwa yini ukuthi bengithandaza kuNkulunkulu ngicela usizo lokukhulisa amadodakazi ami? Uyena okuthumele! Unginikeze lokho ebengikudinga!” Yena namadodakazi akhe baqala ukufundelwa, nomyeni wakhe kamuva wahlanganyela esifundweni.

⁷ Ingabe lokhu kuyinto engavamile? Cha! Sekukaningi sizwa izindaba ezinjengalezi emhlabeni wonke—kukaningi kakhulu ukuba kungathiwa kuthuke kwenzeka. Singaphetha ngokuthini-ke? Okokuqala, uJehova uyayiphendula imikhuleko yabantu abaqotho abamfunayo. (1 AmaKh. 8:41-43; IHu. 65:2) Okwesibili, sisekelwa izingelosi emsebenzini wokushumayela.—IsAm. 14:6, 7.

8, 9. Umoya wamembulelani uPetru, futhi wasabela kanjani?

⁸ Esesephezu kwendlu, ‘uPetru wayedidekile’ ngenxa yombono lapho kufika izithunywa ezivela kuKorneliyu. (IzE. 10:17) Ingabe uPetru, owayesesho kathathu ukuthi ngeke akudle ukudla okwakubhekwa njengokungcolile ngokoMthetho, wayezovuma ukuhamba nalaba balisa futhi angene endlini yomuntu weZizwe? Ngandlela-thile, umoya ongcwele wenza yaziwa intando kaNkulunkulu kule ndaba. UPetru watshelwa: “Kukhona amadoda amathathu akufunayo. Vuka, wehlele phansi uhambe nawo, ungangabazi neze, ngoba ngiwathumile.” (IzE. 10:19, 20) Akungabazeki ukuthi umbono wesitsha esinjengendwangu owawutholwe uPetru wamlungiselela ukuba alalele ukuqondisa komoya ongcwele.

⁹ Lapho ezwa ukuthi uKorneliyu wayeyalwe uNkulunkulu ukuba alandwe, uPetru wamema izithunywa ezingabeZizwe endlini ‘zaba izivakashi zakhe.’ (IzE. 10:23a) Lo mphostoli olalelayo wayesewushintsha umbono wakhe ukuze uvumelane nokaNkulunkulu.

10. UJehova ubahola kanjani abantu bakhe, futhi imiphi imibuzo okungadingeka sizibuze yona?

¹⁰ Nanamuhla uJehova ubahola ngokuqhubekayo abantu bakhe. (IzAga 4:18) Uqondisa ‘inceku ethembekile neqondayo’ ngomoya wakhe ongcwele. (Math. 24:45) Ngezinye izikhathi singase sicaciselwe indlela esiqonda ngayo iZwi likaNkulunkulu noma kube nezinguquko ezinqubweni ezithile zenhlangano. Senza kahle ngokuzibuza: ‘Ngisabela kanjani ekulungisweni okunjalo? Ngiyazithoba yini ekuholeni komoya kaNkulunkulu ezindabeni ezinjalo?’

11, 12. Wenzani uPetru lapho efika eKhesariya, futhi yini ayeyifundile?

¹¹ Ngakusasa ngemva kokuthola umbono, uPetru nabanye abangu-9—izithunywa ezintathu ezazithunywe uKorneliyu ‘nabazalwane abayisithupha’ abangamaJuda baseJopha—balibangisa eKhesariya. (IzE. 11:12) Njengoba uKorneliyu ayemlindele uPetru, wayememe “izihlobo zakhe nabangane abaseduze”—cishe bonke bengabeZizwe. (IzE. 10:24) Lapho uPetru efika, wenza into ayengacabangi ukuthi uyoke ayenze: Wangena endlini yomuntu weZizwe ongasokile! UPetru wachaza: “Nazi kahle ukuthi akukho emthethweni ukuba umJuda azihlanganise nomuntu wolunye uhlanga noma asondele kuye, nokho uNkulunkulu ungibonisile ukuthi akekho umuntu okufanele ngithi kuye ungcolile noma akahlanzekile.” (IzE. 10:28) Kuleli qophelo, uPetru wayeseqonda ukuthi umbono ayewutholile wawungahloselwe ukumfundisa isifundo ngezinhlobo zokudla okufanele azidle. ‘Akekho umuntu okwakufanele athi ungcolile’ ngisho noweZizwe.

¹² UPetru wayelindwe izilaleli ezimagange. “Sonke silapha phambi kukaNkulunkulu ukuze sizwe zonke izinto oyalwe nguJehova ukuba uzisho,” kuchaza uKorneliyu. (IzE. 10:33) Cabanga indlela obungazizwa ngayo ukube ubungezwa umuntu onesithakazelo esho kanjalo! UPetru waqala ngala mazwi anamandla: “Manje sengiyaqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo nowenza okulungile uyamukeleka kuye.” (IzE. 10:34, 35) UPetru wayefundile ukuthi umbono kaNkulunkulu ngabantu awuxhomekile ohlangeni, ebuzweni nakunoma iziphi izici zangaphandle. Wanikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngenkonzo, ukufa nokuvuka kukaJesu.

13, 14. (a) Yini eyayiphawuleka ngokuguquka kukaKorneliyu nabanye abantu beZizwe ngo-36 C.E.? (b) Kungani kungafanele sahlulele abantu ngokwalokho abayikho ngaphandle?

¹³ Manje kwenzeka okuthile okwakungakaze kwenzeke: “Lapho uPetru esakhuluma,” umoya ongcwele wathululelwa kulabo ‘bantu bezizwe.’ (IzE. 10:44, 45) Lesi ukuphela kwesikhathi okukhulunywa ngaso emiBhalweni lapho umoya ongcwele wathululwa khona ngaphambi kobhapathizo. Eqaphela lesi sibonakaliso sokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu, uPetru “wabayala [lelo qembu labeZizwe] ukuba babhapathizwe.” (IzE. 10:48) Ukuguqulwa kwalaba bantu beZizwe ngo-36 C.E. kwaphawula ukuphela kwenkathi yomusa okhethekile kumaJuda. (Dan. 9:24-27) UPetru wahola, wasebenzisa isihluthulelo sesithathu nesokugcina ‘ezihluthulelweni zoMbuso.’ (Math. 16:19) Lesi sihluthulelo savula umnyango wokuba abeZizwe abangasokile babe amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya.

¹⁴ Njengabamemezeli boMbuso namuhla, siyaqaphela ukuthi “akukho ukukhetha kuNkulunkulu.” (Roma 2:11) Kuyintando yakhe ukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe.” (1 Thim. 2:4) Ngakho akumelwe nanini sahlulele abantu ngokwalokho abayikho ngaphandle. Umsebenzi wethu uwukunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi lokho kuhlanganisa ukushumayeza bonke abantu kungakhathaliseki uhlanga, ubuzwe, ukubukeka noma inkolo yabo.

15, 16. Kungani amanye amaKristu angamaJuda aphikisana noPetru, futhi wakuchaza kanjani ayekwenzile?

¹⁵ UPetru, esha amashushu ngokubika okwakwenzekile, walibangisa eJerusalema. Kubonakala sengathi izindaba zokuthi abeZizwe abangasokile ‘babamukele izwi likaNkulunkulu’ zamandulela. Wathi angafika nje uPetru, “ababenamathele emthethweni wokusoka baqala ukumgxeka.” Babecasulwe ukuthi wayengene “endlini yabantu abangasokile wadla nabo.” (IzE. 11:1-3) Inkinga yayingekona ukuthi abeZizwe babengaba yini abalandeli bakaKristu. Kunalokho, labo bafundi abangamaJuda empeleni babemi kwelokuthi abeZizwe kudingeka bagcine uMthetho—ohlanganisa nokusoka—ukuze bakhulekele uJehova ngendlela eyamukelekayo. Kuyacaca ukuthi abanye abafundi abangamaJuda babekuthola kunzima ukuhlukana noMthetho KaMose.

¹⁶ UPetru wakuchaza kanjani ayekwenzile? NgokwezEnzo 11:4-16, wanikeza ubufakazi obune besiqondiso saphezulu: (1) umbono waphezulu ayewutholile (Amavesi 4-10); (2) isiqondiso somoya (Amavesi 11, 12); (3) ukufika kwengelosi kuKorneliyu (Amavesi 13, 14); (4) nokuthululwa komoya ongcwele kwabeZizwe. (Amavesi 15, 16) UPetru waphetha ngombuzo oshukumisa ngempela: “Ngakho-ke, uma uNkulunkulu ebanike [abeZizwe abangamakholwa] isipho sesihle esifanayo [somoya ongcwele] naleso asinika sona [maJuda] thina esiye sakholwa eNkosini uJesu Kristu, bengingubani mina ukuba ngime endleleni kaNkulunkulu?”—IzE. 11:17.

17, 18. (a) Ubufakazi bukaPetru bawabekela yiphi inselele amaKristu angamaJuda? (b) Kungani kungase kube nzima ukulondoloza ubunye ebandleni, futhi imiphi imibuzo esenza kahle ngokuzibuza yona?

¹⁷ Ubufakazi bukaPetru babekela lawo maKristu angamaJuda inselele enkulu. Ingabe ayeyokwazi ukususa iminonjana yobandlululo futhi amukele abeZizwe ababesanda kubhapathizwa njengabafowabo abangamaKristu? Ukulandisa kuyasitshela: “Lapho [abaphostoli namanye amaKristu angamaJuda] bezwa lezi zinto, bayeka ukuphikisa, bakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu, bethi: ‘Kusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu unike nabantu bezizwe ithuba lokuphenduka ngenjongo yokuba bathole ukuphila.’” (IzE. 11:18) Leso simo sengqondo esihle salondoloza ubunye bebandla.

¹⁸ Ukulondoloza ubunye namuhla kungaba inselele ngoba abakhulekeli beqiniso bavela “kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi.” (IsAm. 7:9) Ngenxa yalokho, emabandleni amaningi kunabantu bezinhlanga, amasiko nezizinda ezihlukahlukene. Kuhle sizibuze: ‘Ingabe sengilukhiphe lonke ubandlululo enhliziyweni yami? Ngizimisele yini ukungalokothi ngivumele izici ezehlukanisayo zaleli zwe—ezihlanganisa ubuzwe, ukuqhosha ngohlanga noma ngesiko nokucwasana—zithonye indlela engiphatha ngayo abafowethu abangamaKristu?’ Khumbula okwenzeka kuPetru (uKhefase) eminyakeni ethile ngemva kokuguquka kwabeZizwe bokuqala. Ethonywe ubandlululo lwabanye, “wazihlukanisa” namaKristu angabeZizwe waze wakhuzwa uPawulu. (Gal. 2:11-14) Masihlale siluqaphile ugibe oluwubandlululo.

19. AmaKristu angamaJuda e-Antiyokiya aqala ukushumayeza obani, futhi waba yini umphumela?

¹⁹ Ingabe abalandeli bakaJesu baqala ukushumayela kwabeZizwe abangasokile? Qaphela okwenzeka kamuva e-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya.d Kuleli dolobha kwakunezakhamuzi eziningi ezingamaJuda, kodwa kwakungenabutha obungako phakathi kwamaJuda nabeZizwe. Ngakho i-Antiyokiya yayiyindawo ekahle yokushumayeza abeZizwe. Kukuleli dolobha lapho abanye abafundi abangamaJuda baqala khona ukumemezela izindaba ezinhle ‘kubantu abakhuluma isiGreki.’ (IzE. 11:20) Kwakungashunyayezwa amaJuda akhuluma isiGreki kuphela kodwa nabeZizwe abangasokile. UJehova wawubusisa lo msebenzi futhi “isibalo esikhulu saba amakholwa.”—IzE. 11:21.

20, 21. UBarnaba wasibonisa kanjani isizotha esifanele, futhi thina singasibonisa kanjani isizotha esifanayo lapho sifeza inkonzo yethu?

²⁰ Ukuze linakekele le nsimu evundile, ibandla laseJerusalema lathumela uBarnaba e-Antiyokiya. Ngokusobala, ngenxa yobuningi babantu abathakazelayo, wayengenakuwenza yedwa lo msebenzi. Ubani owayekufanelekela kahle ukusiza ngaphandle kukaSawulu, owayezoba umphostoli ezizweni? (IzE. 9:15; Roma 1:5) Ingabe uBarnaba wayezobheka uSawulu njengembangi? Cha, kunalokho uBarnaba wabonisa isizotha. Wasuka waya eTarsu, wacinga uSawulu wayesebuyela naye e-Antiyokiya ukuba ayosiza. Bachitha unyaka bekhuthaza abafundi kulelo bandla.—IzE. 11:22-26a.

²¹ Singasibonisa kanjani isizotha lapho sifeza inkonzo yethu? Le mfanelo ihilela ukuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwethu. Sonke sinamandla namakhono angefani. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bangase bakwazi ukushumayela ngokwethukela noma endlini ngendlu kodwa bahluleke ukwenza izimpindelo noma ukuqala izifundo zeBhayibheli. Uma ungathanda ukuthuthukisa isici esithile senkonzo, kungani ungaceli usizo? Ngokwenza kanjalo, ungathela kakhulu futhi ube nenjabulo enkulu enkonzweni.—1 Kor. 9:26.

22, 23. Abazalwane base-Antiyokiya benza siphi isenzo sothando lobuzalwane, futhi abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla bakulingisa kanjani lokhu?

²² Kwaqala e-Antiyokiya ukuba “abafundi babizwe ngokuthi amaKristu, ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu.” (IzE. 11:26b) Lelo gama elamukelwa uNkulunkulu libachaza kahle labo abalingisa uKristu endleleni yabo yokuphila. Njengoba abantu beZizwe beba amaKristu, ingabe baba khona ubunye bobuzalwane phakathi kwamakholwa angamaJuda nawabeZizwe? Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka lapho kuba nendlala enkulu ngo-46 C.E.e Endulo, indlala yayithinta kakhulu abahluphekayo, ababengenamali noma ukudla. Kule nkathi yendlala, amaKristu angamaJuda ayehlala eJudiya, cishe amaningi awo ayempofu, eswele izidingo ezingokwenyama. Lapho bezwa ngakho, abazalwane e-Antiyokiya—kuhlanganise namaKristu angabeZizwe—bathumela “usizo kubazalwane abahlala eJudiya.” (IzE. 11:29) Yeka ukuboniswa kwangempela kothando lobuzalwane!

²³ Kunjalo naphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla. Lapho sizwa kuthiwa abafowethu baswele—kwelinye izwe noma endaweni yakithi—sibasiza ngokuzithandela. AmaKomiti Egatsha aye ahlele masinyane amaKomiti Okusiza Ezinhlekeleleni azonikeza usizo kubafowethu okungenzeka bahlaselwe izinhlekelele zemvelo, ezihlanganisa iziphepho, ukuzamazama komhlaba nama-tsunami. Usizo olunjalo lubonisa ubuzalwane bangempela esinabo.—Joh. 13:34, 35; 1 Joh. 3:17.

24. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyakuqonda ukubaluleka kwencazelo yombono kaPetru?

²⁴ NjengamaKristu eqiniso, siyakuqonda ukubaluleka kwencazelo yombono uPetru awuthola esophahleni lwendlu eJopha ngekhulu lokuqala. Sikhulekela uNkulunkulu ongakhethi. Kuyintando yakhe ukuba sinikeze ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso wakhe, okuhilela ukushumayeza abanye, kungakhathaliseki uhlanga, ubuzwe noma isikhundla sabo. Ngakho-ke, masizimisele ukunikeza bonke abazolalela ithuba lokuba bamukele izindaba ezinhle.—Roma 10:11-13.