Amangqina KaYehova Anenzondelelo Aqhubela Phambili!

AMANGQINA kaYehova enkulungwane yokuqala ayengabantu abasebenza ngenkalipho nangenzondelelo. Ngolangazelelo aluphumeza uthumo lukaYesu oluthi: “Hambani . . . niye kuzenza abafundi zonke iintlanga.”—Mateyu 28:19, 20.

Kodwa sazi njani ukuba abalandeli bakaKristu bokuqala baluthabatha nzulu olo thumo? Ewe, incwadi yeBhayibhile yeZenzo zabaPostile iyangqina ukuba babengamaNgqina kaYehova anenzondelelo, ngokwenene eqhubela phambili!

IINGENELO NEZINYE IIMBALASANE

Ukufana kolwimi olusetyenzisiweyo nendlela yokubhala phakathi kwencwadi yesithathu yeeVangeli nencwadi yeZenzo kubonisa ukuba zinombhali omnye—uLuka, “igqirha eliyintanda.” (Kolose 4:14) Phakathi kweembalasane zayo ezikhethekileyo ziincoko nemithandazo eye yalondolozwa kwincwadi yeZenzo. Malunga nama-20 ekhulwini ale ncwadi aqulethe iintetho, ezinjengezo zanikelwa nguPetros noPawulos ekuxhaseni ukholo lokwenyaniso.

Incwadi yeZenzo yabhalwa eRoma malunga nowama-61 C.E. Ngokucacileyo kungenxa yoko le nto ingakukhankanyiyo ukuvela kukaPawulos phambi kukaKesare okanye intshutshiso eyabangelwa nguNero kumaKristu ngowama-64 C.E.—2 Timoti 4:11.

Ngokufana nencwadi yeVangeli kaLuka, IZenzo zazibhalelwa uTiyofilo. Zabhalelwa ukomeleza ukholo nokunikela ingxelo ngokusasazeka kobuKristu. (Luka 1:1-4; IZenzo 1:1, 2) Le ncwadi inikela ubungqina bokuba isandla sikaYehova sasinabakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo. Isenza siwaqonde amandla omoya wakhe yaye yomeleza intembelo yethu kwisiprofeto esiphefumlelwe nguThixo. Kwakhona IZenzo ziyasinceda ukuba sinyamezele intshutshiso, zisishukumisela ukuba sibe ngamaNgqina kaYehova abonakalisa ukuzincama, zize zakhe ukholo lwethu kwithemba loBukumkani.

UKUCHANA OKUNGOKWEMBALI

Njengeqabane likaPawulos, uLuka wabhala iingxelo ezingohambo lwabo. Kwakhona wathetha namangqina okuzibonela. Ezi zibakala nophando lwenyameko zenza ukuba oko wakubhalayo kube ngumsebenzi wobuchule ngokuphathelele ukuchana okungokwembali.

Ngoko ke umphengululi uWilliam Ramsay wayenokuthetha oku: “ULuka ungumbhali-mbali okwinqanaba eliphezulu: akuphelelanga nje ekubeni inkcazelo yakhe engezibakala ibe ithembekile, ukwanobuchule bokubeka imibandela engokwembali yokwenyaniso . . . Lo mbhali ufanele abalelwe kudidi lwababhali-mbali abangabona babalaseleyo.”

UPETROS—INGQINA ELITHEMBEKILEYO

Umsebenzi oyalelwe nguThixo wokuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo unokuphunyezwa kuphela ngamandla omoya oyingcwele kaYehova. Ngaloo ndlela, xa abalandeli bakaYesu bamkele umoya oyingcwele, baya kuba ngamangqina akhe eYerusalem, kwelakwaYuda, nelaseSamariya “nasekupheleni komhlaba.” NgePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., bazaliswa ngumoya oyingcwele. Ekubeni kuphela kungeyesi-9:00 kusasa ngokuqinisekileyo abanxilanga, njengoko abanye becinga oko. UPetros unikela ubungqina obuchukumisayo, ibe abangama-3 000 bayabhaptizwa. Abachasi bonqulo bazama ukubavala umlomo abavakalisi boBukumkani, kodwa ngokuphendulwa komthandazo wabo, uThixo uyawanceda amangqina akhe ukuba alithethe ilizwi ngokungafihlisiyo. Kwakhona besongelwa, baphendula ngelithi: “Simelwe kukuthi sive uThixo kunokuba sive abantu.” Umsebenzi uhambela phambili njengoko beqhubeka beshumayela kwindlu ngendlu.—1:1–5:42.

Ukuthembela kumoya kaYehova kuyawanceda amangqina akhe ukuba anyamezele intshutshiso. Ngenxa yoko, emva kokuba ingqina elithembekileyo uStefano lixulutywe ngamatye lafa, abalandeli bakaYesu bayasasazeka, kodwa oku kuphela kusasaza ilizwi. UFilipu umshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo uba nguvulindlela kwelaseSamariya. Ngokungummangaliso, umtshutshisi onogonyamelo uSawule waseTarso uyaguquka. Engumpostile uPawulos, utshutshiswa ngokukrakra eDamasko kodwa uyasinda kumacebo amaYuda okumbulala. Ngokufutshane, uPawulos unxulumana nabapostile eYerusalem andule ke aqhubeke nobulungiseleli bakhe.—6:1–9:31.

Isandla sikaYehova sinamangqina akhe, njengoko IZenzo zibonisa ngokubhekele phaya. UPetros uvusa uDorkas (uTabhita) ekufeni. Esabela ubizo, eKesareya uvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo kuKorneli, kwindlu yakhe, nakubahlobo bakhe. Bayabhaptizwa njengabeeNtlanga bokuqala ukuba babe ngabafundi bakaYesu. Ngaloo ndlela, “iiveki ezimashumi asixhenxe” ziyaphela, zisifikisa kowama-36 C.E. (Daniyeli 9:24) Kungekudala emva koko, uHerode Agripa I ubulala umpostile uYakobi aze avalele uPetros entolongweni. Kodwa lo mpostile ukhululwa sisithunywa sezulu entolongweni, ibe, ‘ilizwi likaThixo liyakhula yaye liyanda.’—9:32–12:25.

IZIHLANDLO EZITHATHU ZOHAMBO LUKAPAWULOS KUBUVANGELI BASEMAZWENI

Iintsikelelo zithululelwa kwabo bazibhokoxayo enkonzweni kaThixo, njengokuba uPawulos wenzayo. Uhambo lwakhe lokuqala lobuvangeli basemazweni luqalisa kwa-Antiyokwe, eSiriya. Kwisiqithi saseSipro, ibamba uSergiyo Pawulos nabanye abaninzi baba ngamakholwa. EPerga yelasePamfili, uYohane ekuthiwa nguMarko uyemka aye eYerusalem, kodwa uPawulos noBharnabhas baya kwa-Antiyokwe kwelasePisidi. EListra, amaYuda axhokonxa intshutshiso. Nangona exulutywe ngamatye waza washiywa njengofileyo, uPawulos uyachacha aze aqhubeke nobulungiseleli bakhe. Ekugqibeleni, yena noBharnabhas babuyela kwa-Antiyokwe eSiriya, bequkumbela uhambo lokuqala.—13:1–14:28.

Ngokufanayo neQumrhu Elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala, iQumrhu Elilawulayo lanamhlanje liphendula imibuzo ngokhokelo lomoya oyingcwele. Ulwaluko lwalungakhankanywanga phakathi “kwezi ndawo zifunekayo,” eziquka ‘ukuzila izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo, negazi, nento ekrwitshiweyo nombulo.’ (15:28, 29) Njengoko uPawulos eqalisa uhambo lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni, uSilas uyampheleka, yaye kamva uTimoti uyabathelela. Intsabelo ekhawulezileyo ilandela isimemo sokuwelela kwelaseMakedoni. EFilipi, ukunikelwa kobungqina kuphumela kwisiphithiphithi nokuvalelwa entolongweni. Kodwa uPawulos noSilas bakhululwa yinyikima yomhlaba baze bashumayele kumgcini wamabanjwa nendlu yakhe, ibe aba baba ngamakholwa abhaptiziweyo.—15:1–16:40.

Abakhonzi bakaYehova bafanele babe ngabafundi beLizwi lakhe abakhutheleyo, njengoPawulos namaBhereya awayezincina iZibhalo. EAriyopago, eAtene, unikela ubungqina ngomsebenzi kaYehova wokudala, ibe bambi baba ngamakholwa. Kubonakaliswa umdla omkhulu eKorinte kangangokuba uhlala kweso sixeko kangangeenyanga ezili-18. Ngoxa elapho ubhala incwadi yokuQala neyeSibini yabaseTesalonika. Esahlukana noSilas noTimoti, umpostile uhamba ngomkhombe esiya e-Efese, andule ke asinge eKesareya, aze athabathe uhambo oluya eYerusalem. Xa ebuyela kwa-Antiyokwe kwelaseSiriya, uhambo lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni luyaphela.—17:1–18:22.

Njengoko uPawulos ebonisile, ukunikela ubungqina kwindlu ngendlu kuyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yobulungiseleli bamaKristu. Uhambo lwesithathu lompostile (52-56 C.E.) ubukhulu becala luphinda indlela yohambo lwakhe lwesibini. Ubulungiseleli bukaPawulos buxhokonxa inkcaso e-Efese, apho abhalela khona eyokuQala kwabaseKorinte. EyesiBini kwabaseKorinte ibhalelwa eMakedoni, ibe ngoxa eseKorinte ubhalela abaseRoma. EseMileto, uPawulos uhlangana nabadala base-Efese aze athethe ngendlela awabafundisa ngayo esidlangalaleni nakwindlu ngendlu. Uhambo lwakhe lwesithathu luyaphela akufika eYerusalem.—18:23–21:14.

INTSHUTSHISO AYIPHUMELELI

Intshutshiso ayiwenzi athi cwaka amaNgqina kaYehova athembekileyo. Ngoko xa ihlokondiba elinogonyamelo livukela uPawulos kwitempile eseYerusalem, unikela ubungqina ngokungafihlisiyo kwaba bavukeli bavuthayo ngumsindo. Iyelenqe lokumbulala liyaphanza xa ethunyelwa kwiRhuluneli uFelikis eKesareya ephahlwe ngamajoni. UPawulos ugcinwa ezintanjeni iminyaka emibini njengoko uFelikis elinde ukunyotywa okubonakala ikukulinda ukuza kukaNxele. Ilandela lakhe, uFesto, liphulaphula uPawulos esenza isibheno kuKesare. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba aye eRoma, umpostile unikela udlwabevu lwentetho yokuzithethelela phambi koKumkani uAgripa.—21:15–26:32.

Bengoyikiswa zizilingo, abakhonzi bakaYehova bayaqhubeka beshumayela. Ngokuqinisekileyo omnye owayenjalo yayinguPawulos. Ngenxa yokubhenela kwakhe kuKesare, umpostile undulukela eRoma ekunye noLuka malunga nowama-58 C.E. EMira yelaseLiki, batshintshela kwenye inqanawa. Nangona besaphukelwa yinqanawa baze bemise kwisiqithi saseMelita, kamva enye inqanawa iyabakhwelisa ukuya eItali. Kwanaphantsi kokulindwa ngamajoni eRoma, uPawulos ucela ukuba abizelwe abantu aze avakalise indaba ezilungileyo kubo. Ebudeni boku kuvalelwa kwakhe, ubhalela abase-Efese, abaseFilipi, abaseKolose, uFilemon namaHebhere.—27:1–28:31.

LONKE IXESHA AQHUBELA PHAMBILI

Incwadi yeZenzo ibonisa ukuba umsebenzi owaqaliswa nguNyana kaThixo waqhutyelwa phambili ngokuthembeka ngamangqina kaYehova enkulungwane yokuqala. Ewe, phantsi kwamandla omoya oyingcwele kaThixo, anikela ubungqina ngenzondelelo.

Ngenxa yokuba abalandeli bokuqala bakaYesu babethembele kuThixo ngomthandazo, isandla Sakhe sasinabo. Ngenxa yoko amawaka aba ngamakholwa, ibe ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zashunyayelwa kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.’ (Kolose 1:23) Eneneni, ngoko nangoku, amaKristu okwenyaniso aye azingqina engamaNgqina kaYehova anenzondelelo ahambela phambili!

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UKORNELI UMTHETHELI-KHULU: UKorneli wayeligosa lasemkhosini, okanye umthetheli-khulu. (10:1) Umvuzo wonyaka womthetheli-khulu wawumalunga nomvuzo wejoni elihamba ngeenyawo ophindwe kahlanu, okanye iidenariyo ezili-1 200, kodwa wawusenokuba ngaphezulu ngakumbi kunoko. Akudla umhlala-phantsi, wayefumana imali okanye umhlaba. Isinxibo sakhe sobujoni sasiqaqambile, ukusuka kwisigcina-ntloko sesilivere ukuya kwisinxibo esibufana nombhaco, isinxibo esihle esenziwe ngoboya nesingenamikhono nezikhuselo zembande ezihonjisiweyo. Kuthiwa abo babeba ngaphantsi komthetheli-khulu babeba ngamadoda ali-100, kodwa maxa wambi babeba ngama-80 kuphela okanye malunga nalapho kuphela. Amalungu amatsha ‘amasoldati aseItali’ ngokucacileyo ayethatyathwa kubemi baseRoma nakumadoda akhululwe ebukhobokeni eItali.

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UKUTHANDAZA PHEZU KWENDLU: UPetros wayengacel’ injezu xa wathandaza eyedwa phezu kwendlu. (10:9) Kunokwenzeka ukuba ungqameko olwalujikeleze uphahla lwendlu lwamsitha ukuba angabonwa. (Duteronomi 22:8) Kwakhona uphahla lwaluyindawo yokuphumla neyokuphepha ingxolo yasesitratweni yangokuhlwa.

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ABANTU EKWAKUCINGWA UKUBA BANGOOTHIXO: Ukuphilisa kukaPawulos indoda esisiqhwala kwabenza abemi baseListra bacinga ukuba oothixo bazibonakalise benjengabantu. (14:8-18) UZeyus, uthixo omkhulu kwizithixo zamaGrike, wayenetempile kweso sixeko, ibe unyana wakhe uHermes, owayengumthunywa woothixo, wayesaziwa ngokuba liciko. Ekubeni abantu babecinga ukuba uPawulos wayenguHermes ngenxa yokuba wayebalasele ekuthetheni, bamjonga uBharnabhas njengoZeyus. Kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo ukuthwesa imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yoothixo bobuxoki ngezidanga zeentyatyambo okanye amagqabi omsipres okanye umpayine, kodwa uPawulos noBharnabhas bakugatya ukuphathwa njengezithixo ngolo hlobo.

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UMGCINI WAMABANJWA UYAKHOLWA: Xa inyikima yavula iingcango zentolongo yaza yakhulula amakhamandela abo babengamabanjwa, umgcini wamabanjwa waseFilipi wayefuna ukuzibulala. (16:25-27) Kwakutheni? Kungenxa yokuba umthetho waseRoma wavakalisa ukuba umgcini wamabanjwa wayeza kuva ubunzima besohlwayo sabo basabileyo. Umgcini wamabanjwa ngokucacileyo wayekhetha ukufa ngokuzibulala kunokuba abulawe ngokuthuthunjiswa, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba kwakuwalindele amanye amabanjwa. Noko ke, wazamkela iindaba ezilungileyo, ibe ‘yena nendlu yakhe babhaptizwa kwalapho.’—16:28-34.

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UKUBHENELA KUKESARE: Njengommi waseRoma ngokuzalwa, uPawulos wayenelungelo lokubhenela kuKesare aze avavanywe eRoma. (25:10-12) Ummi waseRoma wayengafanele avalelwe, atyatyulwe okanye ohlwaywe ngaphandle kokuvavanywa kwetyala.—16:35-40; 22:22-29; 26:32.

[Inkcazelo]

Musei Capitolini, Roma

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UMGCINI WETEMPILE KA-ARTEMIS: Ecatshukiswe kukushumayela kukaPawulos, umkhandi wesilivere uDemetriyo waphembelela isidubedube. Kodwa umbhali wesixeko sase-Efese wasichithachitha isihlwele. (19:23-41) Abakhandi besilivere babesenza iitempile zesilivere ezincinane zeyona ndawo engcwele yetempile apho umfanekiso wothixokazi wenzala onamabele amaninzi uArtemis wawugcinwa khona. Izixeko zazikhuphisana ukuze zifumane imbeko yokuba yine·o·koʹros, okanye “umgcini-tempile.”

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INGXAKI ELWANDLE: Xa inqanawa awayekhwele kuyo uPawulos yathi yantlithwa sisaqhwithi esibizwa ngokuba yiYuroklidon, ‘kwaba ngenkankulu ukuba babe nakho ukuwubamba umkhonjana.’ (27:15, 16) Umkhonjana wawuliphenyane elincinane ngokuqhelekileyo elalitsalwa yinqanawa. Inqanawa yayiphatha iintambo ezinkulu ezazinako ukudluliselwa kwisiqu senqanawa ukuyibopha nokuze ziyisindise ekutsaleni nzima okubangelwa kukusebenza kwemasti ebudeni boqhwithela. (27:17) Aba matiloshe baphosa iiankile ezine baza bazikhulula iintsontelo zamaphini okubhexa asetyenziswa ekuqhubeni inqanawa. (27:29, 40) Umkhombe wakwa-Alesandire wawunembasa “yamaWele”—uCastor noPollux, ababegqalwa njengabaxhasi boomatiloshe.—28:11.