Ukutshutshiswa Ngenxa Yobulungisa

“Banoyolo abo baye batshutshiswa ngenxa yobulungisa.”—MATEYU 5:10.

1. Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu eze kuPontiyo Pilato, yaye uYesu wathini?

“NDIZALELWE oku, yaye ndizele oku ehlabathini, ukuze ndiyingqinele inyaniso.” (Yohane 18:37) Xa uYesu wathetha loo mazwi, wayephambi koPontiyo Pilato, iRhuluneli engumRoma yelakwaYuda. UYesu akazange eze apho kuba ethanda okanye kuba emenywe nguPilato. Kunoko, wayeze kuba etyholwa ziinkokeli zonqulo ezingamaYuda njengomenzi wobubi ofanelwe kukufa.—Yohane 18:29-31.

2. Yintoni uYesu awayenzayo, yaye oko kwaphumela entwenini?

² UYesu wayesazi kakuhle ukuba uPilato wayenalo igunya lokumkhulula okanye lokumbulala. (Yohane 19:10) Kodwa oko akuzange kumthintele ukuba athethe ngenkalipho noPilato ngoBukumkani. Nangona ubomi bukaYesu babusemngciphekweni, wasebenzisa elo thuba waza wanikela ubungqina kwelona gosa liphakamileyo likarhulumente kuloo mmandla. Phezu nje kokunikela kwakhe obo bungqina, uYesu wagwetywa waza wabulawa, esifa ngendlela engcungcuthekisayo njengomfeli-nkolo kumthi wentuthumbo.—Mateyu 27:24-26; Marko 15:15; Luka 23:24, 25; Yohane 19:13-16.

Ngaba Wayelingqina Okanye Umfeli-nkolo?

3. Igama lesiNgesi elithi “martyr” lalithetha ntoni ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, kodwa lithetha ukuthini namhlanje?

³ Kubantu abaninzi namhlanje, umfeli-nkolo phantse ugqalwa njengomntu onenzondelelo yempambano, umntu ozibaxayo izinto. Abo bakulungeleyo ukufela iinkolelo zabo, ingakumbi ezonqulo, badla ngokukrokrelwa ngokuba ngabanqolobi okanye ubuncinane abantu abayingozi. Noko ke, igama lesiNgesi elithi martyr eliguqulelwa ngokuthi umfeli-nkolo lisuka kwibinzana lesiGrike (marʹtys) yaye amaxesha amaninzi eBhayibhileni liguqulelwa ngokuthi “ingqina,” umntu onikela ubungqina, mhlawumbi kwinkundla yamatyala, ngobunyaniso baloo nto ayikholelwayo. Kodwa kamva eli gama lasetyenziswa “kumntu onikela ngobomi bakhe ngenxa yokunikela ubungqina,” okanye onikela ubungqina ngokuncama ubomi bakhe.

4. Ngokuyintloko uYesu wayeyimartyr ngayiphi ingqiqo?

⁴ UYesu ngokuyintloko wayeyimartyr ngokwentsingiselo yokuqala yeli gama. Njengokuba waxelela uPilato, wayezele ‘ukunikela ubungqina kwinyaniso.’ Abantu babujonga ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ubungqina abunikelayo. Abathile phakathi kwabantu abaqhelekileyo bachukumiseka ngokunzulu koko bakuvayo nabakubonayo, baza banokholo kuYesu. (Yohane 2:23; 8:30) Inkoliso yabantu ingakumbi iinkokeli zonqulo zamgxeka kabukhali. UYesu wathi kwizalamane zakhe ezazingakholwa: “Ihlabathi alinaso isizathu sokunithiya, kodwa lindithiyile mna, ngenxa yokuba ndinikela ubungqina ngalo bokuba imisebenzi yalo ingendawo.” (Yohane 7:7) Ngokungqinela inyaniso, uYesu wathiywa ziinkokeli zolo hlanga, nto leyo eyakhokelela ekubeni zimbulale. Enyanisweni, ‘wayelingqina (marʹtys) elithembekileyo neliyinyaniso.’—ISityhilelo 3:14.

“Niya Kuthiywa”

5. Xa wayeqalisa ukushumayela, uYesu wathini ngentshutshiso?

⁵ UYesu akazange nje ajamelane nentshutshiso ekrakra kodwa walumkisa nabalandeli bakhe esithi kwakuya kuba njalo nakubo. Xa wayeqalisa ukushumayela, uYesu wathi kwabo babephulaphule iNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni: “Banoyolo abo baye batshutshiswa ngenxa yobulungisa, kuba ubukumkani bamazulu bobabo. Ninoyolo nina xa abantu beningcikiva, benitshutshisa, bethetha ngani lonke uhlobo lwento engendawo bexoka, ngenxa yam. Yibani nemihlali nixhume ngovuyo, ngokuba umvuzo wenu mkhulu emazulwini.”—Mateyu 5:10-12.

6. UYesu wabalumkisa wathini abapostile bakhe abali-12 xa wayebathuma?

⁶ Kamva, xa wayethuma abapostile bakhe abali-12, uYesu wathi kubo: “Zilindeni ngokunxamnye nabantu; kuba baya kuninikela kwiinkundla zasekuhlaleni, yaye baya kunityakatya kwizindlu zabo zesikhungu. Kaloku, niya kurholelwa phambi kweerhuluneli nookumkani ngenxa yam, ukuze kube bubungqina kubo nakwiintlanga.” Kodwa abafundi babengayi kutshutshiswa ziinkokeli zonqulo kuphela. Kwakhona uYesu wathi: “Umzalwana uya kunikela umzalwana ekufeni, noyise umntwana wakhe, nabantwana baya kuvukela abazali kwaye baya kubabulalisa. Yaye niya kuthiywa ngabantu bonke ngenxa yegama lam; kodwa lowo uye wanyamezela kwasa ekupheleni ngulowo oya kusindiswa.” (Mateyu 10:17, 18, 21, 22) Oko kwenzekayo kumaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala kwawangqina loo mazwi eyinyaniso.

Ingxelo Yokunyamezela Ngokuthembeka

7. Yintoni eyakhokelela uStefano ekubeni ngumfeli-nkolo?

⁷ Kungekudala emva kokufa kukaYesu, uStefano waba ngumKristu wokuqala ukubulawa ngenxa yokungqinela inyaniso. “Ezele lubabalo namandla [yaye] wayesenza imihlola nemiqondiso emikhulu phakathi kwabantu.” Iintshaba zakhe zonqulo ‘azizange zibe nakumelana nobulumko nomoya awayethetha ngawo.’ (IZenzo 6:8, 10) Ziqhutywa ngumona, zamrhuqela phambi kweSanhedrin uStefano, inkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda, apho wajamelana nabamangaleli bakhe waza wanikela ubungqina obunamandla. Noko ke, ekugqibeleni iintshaba zakhe zambulala uStefano owayelingqina elithembekileyo.—IZenzo 7:59, 60.

8. Emva kokufa kukaStefano, abafundi eYerusalem benza ntoni xa babetshutshiswa?

⁸ Emva kokubulawa kukaStefano, “kwavela intshutshiso enkulu nxamnye nebandla elaliseYerusalem; bonke ngaphandle kwabapostile bachithachitheka kuyo yonke imimandla yelakwaYuda neSamariya.” (IZenzo 8:1) Ngaba amaKristu ayeka ukunikela ubungqina ngenxa yentshutshiso? Akunjalo, ingxelo ithi “abo babechithachithekile balityhutyha ilizwe bevakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo zelizwi.” (IZenzo 8:4) Bamele ukuba bavakalelwa ngendlela umpostile uPetros awavakalelwa ngayo xa ngaphambilana wathi: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.” (IZenzo 5:29) Phezu kwayo nje intshutshiso, abo bafundi bathembekileyo nabanenkalipho bazingisa ekunikeleni ubungqina ngenyaniso, nangona babesazi ukuba oku kwakuya kukhokelela kubunzima obungakumbi.—IZenzo 11:19-21.

9. Yiyiphi intshutshiso abaqhubeka bejamelene nayo abalandeli bakaYesu?

⁹ Kanye njengokuba kwakulindelekile, iingxaki zanda. Ekuqaleni sifunda ukuba, uSawule—owayekuvuyela ukuxulutywa kukaStefano—“esabafuthela ngesisongelo nokubulala abafundi beNkosi, waya kumbingeleli omkhulu waza wacela kuye iincwadi zokuya kwizindlu zesikhungu eDamasko, ukuze abazise bebotshiwe eYerusalem nabaphi na abafumeneyo abangabale Ndlela, kokubini amadoda nabafazi.” (IZenzo 9:1, 2) Kwandula ke malunga nonyaka wama-44 C.E., “uHerode ukumkani wasa izandla zakhe ukuba abaphathe kakubi abathile kwabo basebandleni. Wambulala uYakobi umntakwabo Yohane ngekrele.”—IZenzo 12:1, 2.

10. Incwadi yeZenzo neyeSityhilelo zinayiphi ingxelo yentshutshiso?

¹⁰ Incwadi yeZenzo izaliswe yingxelo engenakulibaleka yezilingo, ukuvalelwa entolongweni nentshutshiso abajamelana nayo abo babethembeke njengoPawulos, ngaphambili owayetshutshisa abanye waza waguquka wangumpostile, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba naye wabulawa nguMlawuli waseRoma uNero njengomfeli-nkolo malunga nowama-65 C.E. (2 Korinte 11:23-27; 2 Timoti 4:6-8) Ekugqibeleni, kwincwadi yeSityhilelo, eyabhalwa ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala, sifumanisa ukuba umpostile uYohane owayesele eluphele usentolongweni kwisiqithi sasePatmos “ngenxa yokuthetha ngoThixo nokunikela ubungqina ngoYesu.” Kwakhona kwiSityhilelo kuthethwa ‘ngoAntipas, ingqina lam, lowo uthembekileyo, owabulawa’ ePergamo.—ISityhilelo 1:9; 2:13.

11. Ikhondo elalandelwa ngamaKristu okuqala lawangqina njani eyinyaniso amazwi awathethwa nguYesu ngokuphathelele intshutshiso?

¹¹ Konke oku kwawangqina eyinyaniso amazwi kaYesu kubafundi bakhe athi: “Ukuba banditshutshisile mna, baya kunitshutshisa nani.” (Yohane 15:20) AmaKristu okuqala awayethembekile ayekulungele ukujamelana nolona vavanyo luqatha, ukufa—ukungcungcuthekiswa, ukuvalelwa namarhamncwa okanye ngezinye iindlela—ngoxa ethobela lo myalelo weNkosi uYesu Kristu: “Niya kuba ngamangqina am eYerusalem nakulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya kude kuse nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba.”—IZenzo 1:8.

12. Kutheni ukutshutshiswa kwamaKristu kungeyonto nje eyadlulayo?

¹² Ukuba umntu ucinga ukuba inkohlakalo abajamelana nayo abalandeli bakaYesu yadlula, uyaphazama. UPawulos, naye owajamelana nobunzima njengoko sibonile, wabhala: “Bonke abo banqwenela ukuphila ngozinikelo lobuthixo ngokunxulumene noKristu Yesu, nabo baya kutshutshiswa.” (2 Timoti 3:12) Ethetha ngentshutshiso, uPetros wathi: “Enyanisweni, nabizelwa kulo eli khondo, kuba noKristu wabandezeleka ngenxa yenu, enishiya nomzekelo, ukuze nilandele emanyathelweni akhe ngokusondeleyo.” (1 Petros 2:21) Ukuza kuthi ga kule “mihla yokugqibela” yale nkqubo yezinto, abantu bakaYehova bayaqhubeka bethiyiwe yaye bezondwa. (2 Timoti 3:1) Emhlabeni wonke, kumazwe alawulwa ngoozwilakhe nawedemokrasi, mntu ngamnye oliNgqina likaYehova okanye njengeqela, uye ngasihlandlo sithile wajamelana nentshutshiso.

Kutheni Ethiyiwe Yaye Etshutshiswa?

13. Yintoni abakhonzi bakaYehova bale mihla abangafanele bayilibale ngokuphathelele intshutshiso?

¹³ Nangona inkoliso yethu namhlanje ngomlinganiselo othile inenkululeko yokushumayela neyokuhlanganisana ngoxolo, asimele siwalibale amazwi asikhumbuzayo eBhayibhile athi “imeko yeli hlabathi iyatshintsha.” (1 Korinte 7:31) Izinto zinokuguquka ngokukhawuleza kangangokuba ukuba asikulungelanga oko ngokwasengqondweni, ngokweemvakalelo nangokomoya, ngokulula nje sinokuwa. Ngoko ke, yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sizikhusele? Indlela ephumelelayo esinokuzikhusela ngayo kukusoloko sisikhumbula isizathu sokuba la maKristu athand’ uxolo nathobel’ umthetho ethiyiwe yaye etshutshiswa.

14. UPetros wathi sisiphi isizathu sokutshutshiswa kwamaKristu?

¹⁴ Umpostile uPetros wathetha ngalo mbandela kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala, awayibhala malunga nowama-62 ukusa kowama-64 C.E., xa amaKristu kubo bonke uBukhosi bamaRoma ayejamelene nezilingo nentshutshiso. Wathi: “Zintanda, musani ukuwuthela nqa umlilo otshisayo ngaphakathi kwenu wokunilinga, ngokungathi nehlelwa yinto engaqhelekanga.” Ecacisa oko wayekucinga, uPetros uhlabela mgama esithi: “Makungabikho namnye kuni obandezeleka ngenxa yokuba engumbulali okanye isela okanye umenzi-bubi okanye ugqada-mbekweni kwimicimbi yabanye abantu. Kodwa ukuba ubandezeleka njengomKristu, makangaziva eneentloni, kodwa makaqhubeke ezukisa uThixo ngalo elo gama.” UPetros wabonisa ukuba babebandezeleka, kungekuba bengabenzi bobubi, kodwa ngenxa yento ababeyiyo. Ukuba nabo babentyumpantyumpeka “kumgxobhozo ofanayo woburheletyo” njengabantu ababebangqongile, babeza kwamkelwa baze bathandwe ngabo. Njengokuba kwakunjalo, babandezeleka ngenxa yokuba babezabalazela ukufeza indima yabo njengabalandeli bakaKristu. Imeko iyafana neyamaKristu anamhlanje.—1 Petros 4:4, 12, 15, 16.

15. Yintoni ebangela ukudideka kwindlela aphathwa ngayo amaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje?

¹⁵ Kwimimandla emininzi yehlabathi, amaNgqina kaYehova anconywa ngokuphandle ngomanyano nentsebenziswano ayibonisayo kwiindibano zawo naxa esakha, ngokuthembeka nokukhuthala kwawo, ngokuziphatha ngendlela engumzekelo nangobomi bawo bentsapho, kwanangendlela akhangeleka ngayo nesimilo sawo esihle.a Ukanti sithethanje umsebenzi wawo uvaliwe okanye ubekelwe imiqathango kumazwe angama-28 ubuncinane, yaye amaNgqina amaninzi ayabethwa yaye aphulukana nempahla yawo ngenxa yokholo lwawo. Nakuba esaziwa kakuhle, kutheni etshutshiswa? Yaye kutheni uThixo eyivumela?

16. Sisiphi esona sizathu siphambili esibangela uThixo avumele abantu bakhe batshutshiswe?

¹⁶ Ngokuyintloko, sifanele sikhumbule amazwi eMizekeliso 27:11 athi: “Yiba nobulumko, nyana wam, uze uyenze ibe nemihlali intliziyo yam, ukuze ndimphendule ondingcikivayo.” Ewe, oku kungenxa yembambano yolongamo lwendalo iphela eyaqala mandulo. Phezu kwabo nje ubungqina obaneleyo obunikelwe ngabo baye bazingqina bethembekile kuYehova ukutyhubela iinkulungwane, uSathana akakayeki ukumgculela uYehova njengokuba wenjenjalo ngemihla kaYobhi, indoda eyayithembekile. (Yobhi 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uSathana uzimisele ngakumbi kwilinge lakhe lokugqibela lokungqina oko wakuthethayo, ekubeni ngoku uBukumkani bukaThixo sele bumiselwe, bunabalawulwa nabameli abanyanisekileyo emhlabeni wonke. Ngaba aba bantu baya kuhlala bethembekile kuThixo phezu kwazo nje iinkxwaleko nobunzima abanokujamelana nabo? Lo ngumbuzo ajamelene nawo mkhonzi ngamnye kaYehova.—ISityhilelo 12:12, 17.

17. UYesu wayethetha ukuthini ngamazwi athi “kuya kuphumela ekunikeleni kwenu ubungqina”?

¹⁷ Exelela abafundi bakhe ngezinto ezaziya kwenzeka ebudeni ‘bokupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto,’ uYesu wabonisa esinye isizathu sokuvumela kukaYehova abakhonzi bakhe ukuba batshutshiswe. Wathi: ‘Niya kurholelwa phambi kookumkani neerhuluneli ngenxa yegama lam. Kuya kuphumela ekunikeleni kwenu ubungqina.’ (Mateyu 24:3, 9; Luka 21:12, 13) Naye uYesu wanikela ubungqina phambi kukaHerode noPontiyo Pilato. Nompostile uPawulos ‘warholelwa phambi kookumkani neerhuluneli.’ Esalathiswa yiNkosi uYesu Kristu, uPawulos wanikela ubungqina phambi koyena mlawuli uphakamileyo ngaloo mihla xa wathi: “Ndibhenela kuKesare!” (IZenzo 23:11; 25:8-12) Oku kunjalo nanamhlanje, iimeko ezinzima ziye zabangela ukuba kunikelwe ubungqina kwabasemagunyeni nakubantu ngokubanzi.b

18, 19. (a) Ukujamelana nezilingo kuya kusinceda njani? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo eza kuqwalaselwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁸ Ekugqibeleni, ukujamelana nezilingo neembandezelo kusenokuba yinzuzo kuthi. Ngayiphi indlela? Umfundi uYakobi wawakhumbuza amanye amaKristu esithi: “Kugqaleni kuluvuyo olukhulu, bazalwana bam, xa nihlangabezana nezilingo ezahlukahlukeneyo, nisazi nje ukuba ukuvavanywa kokholo lwenu kuvelisa unyamezelo.” Ewe, intshutshiso isenokulomeleza ukholo lwethu ize isenze sikwazi ukunyamezela. Ngoko ke, asiyoyiki ngokugqithiseleyo, okanye sifune iindlela ezingavisisaniyo neZibhalo ukuze siyiphephe okanye siyiphelise. Kunoko, siphulaphula amazwi kaYakobi athi: “Unyamezelo lwenu malupheleliswe, ukuze nibe ngabapheleleyo nabaphilileyo kwiinkalo zonke, ningaswele nto.”—Yakobi 1:2-4.

¹⁹ Nangona iLizwi likaThixo lisinceda siqonde isizathu sokuba abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo betshutshiswa nesizathu sokuba uYehova ekuvumele oku kwenzeke, oku akwenzi kube lula ukunyamezela intshutshiso. Yintoni enokusomeleza ukuze sikwazi ukujamelana nayo? Yintoni esinokuyenza xa sijamelene nentshutshiso? Kwinqaku elilandelayo kuza kuqwalaselwa loo mibandela ibalulekileyo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ngaba Unokucacisa?

• Ngokuyintloko uYesu waba yimartyr ngayiphi ingqiqo?

• Intshutshiso yawachaphazela njani amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala?

• Njengokuba uPetros wacacisa, sisiphi isizathu esabangela amaKristu okuqala atshutshiswe?

• Ziziphi izizathu ezibangela ukuba uYehova avumele abakhonzi bakhe batshutshiswe?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10, 11]

AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala abandezeleka, kungekuba ayengabenzi bobubi, kodwa ngenxa yento awayeyiyo

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