Abantu BakaYehova Bayazimaseka Elukholweni
“Ayezimaseka ke ngoko amabandla elukholweni, esanda ngenani imihla ngemihla.”—IZENZO 16:5.
1. UThixo wamsebenzisa njani umpostile uPawulos?
UYEHOVA UTHIXO wasebenzisa uSawule waseTarso ‘njengesitya esinyuliweyo.’ Esaziwa njengompostile uPawulos, ‘weva ubunzima obukhulu.’ Kodwa ngenxa yomsebenzi wakhe nowabanye, intlangano kaYehova yayimanyene yaye inolwando olumangalisayo.—IZenzo 9:15, 16.
2. Kutheni kuya kuba yingenelo nje ukuqwalasela IZenzo 13:1–16:5?
2 Abaninzi ngakumbi kwiiNtlanga babesiba ngamaKristu, yaye intlanganiso ebalulekileyo yequmrhu elilawulayo yenza lukhulu ukukhuthaza umanyano phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo nokubazimasa elukholweni. Kuya kuba kokwengenelo enkulu ukuqwalasela ezi nezinye izinto ezenzekayo ezibhalwe kwiZenzo 13:1–16:5, kuba amaNgqina kaYehova ngoku ayanda ibe anandipha iintsikelelo ezingokomoya ezifanayo. (Isaya 60:22) (Ekuzifundeleni kwakho siqu la manqaku akule nkupho asekelwe kwiZenzo, sicebisa ukuba uzifunde iindinyana ezibhalwe ngqindilili.)
Abavangeli Basemazweni Baqalisa Umsebenzi
3. Nguwuphi umsebenzi owawusenziwa ‘ngabaprofeti nabafundisi’ kwa-Antiyokhwe?
3 Amadoda awathunyelwa libandla lakwa-Antiyokwe, eSiriya, anceda abakholwayo ukuba bazimaseke elukholweni. (13:1-5) Kwa-Antiyokwe kwakukho “abaprofeti nabafundisi” uBharnabhas, uSimon (Nigere), uLukiyo waseKirene, uManayen noSawule waseTarso. Abaprofeti babecacisa iLizwi likaThixo baze baxele kusengaphambili iziganeko, ngoxa abafundisi babenikela uyalelo olungokweZibhalo nolokuphila ngokuhlonel’ uThixo. (1 Korinte 13:8; 14:4) UBharnabhas noSawule bafumana isabelo esikhethekileyo. Behamba noMarko, umza kaBharnabhas, baya eSipro. (Kolose 4:10, NW) Bashumayela ezindlwini zesikhungu kwidolophu esezibukweni elisempuma iSilamis, kodwa akukho ngxelo yokuba amaYuda asabela ngomdla. Ekubeni abemi balapho babemi kakuhle ngezinto eziphathekayo, babenokumfunela ntoni uMesiya?
4. Kwenzeka ntoni njengoko abavangeli babeqhubeka beshumayela eSipro?
4 UThixo wawusikelela omnye umsebenzi wokunikel’ ubungqina eSipro. (13:6-12) EPafo, aba bavangeli basemazweni badibana nosiyazi ongumprofeti wobuxoki wakwaYuda uBhar-yesu (uElima). Xa wazama ukulithintela iBamba uSergiyo Pawulos ukuba lingaliphulaphuli ilizwi likaThixo, uSawule wazaliswa ngumoya oyingcwele waza wathi: ‘Wena uzeleyo yinkohliso, nabubutshijolo, nyanandini woMtyholi, Lutshabandini lobulungisa bonke, akuyi kupheza na ukuzijika iindlela ezithe tye zeNkosi?’ Akutsho, isandla sikaThixo sokohlwaya samphanyaza uElima okwethutyana, waza uSergiyo Pawulos ‘wakholwa, ekhwankqisiwe yiyo imfundiso yeNkosi.’
5, 6. (a) Xa uPawulos wathetha endlwini yesikhungu kwa-Antiyokhwe ePisidi, wathini ngoYesu? (b) Yaba nawuphi umphumo intetho kaPawulos?
5 Ukusuka eSipro, eli qela lahamba ngomkhombe lisiya kwisixeko sasePerga eAsiya Mayina. Baza ke uPawulos noBharnabhas banyukela ngasentla behamba kumaxethuka eentaba, ngokunokwenzeka ‘kwiingozi zemilambo nezezihange,’ besiya kwa-Antiyokwe, ePisidi. (2 Korinte 11:25, 26) Apho uPawulos wathetha endlwini yesikhungu. (13:13-41) Wabakhumbuza ngeendlela uThixo awaqhubana ngazo namaSirayeli waza wamazisa uYesu umzukulwana kaDavide njengoMsindisi. Nangona abalawuli abangamaYuda babangela ukuba uYesu abulawe, isithembiso esasenziwe kooyisemkhulu sazalisekiswa xa uThixo wamvusayo. (INdumiso 2:7; 16:10; Isaya 55:3) UPawulos walumkisa abo babephulaphule ukuba bangasideli isipho sikaThixo sosindiso ngoKristu.—Habhakuki 1:5, Septuagint.
6 Intetho kaPawulos yavusa umdla, njengoko zisenjenjalo iintetho zesidlangalala ezinikelwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje. (13:42-52) Ngesabatha elandelayo phantse sonke isixeko sahlanganisana ukuza kuphulaphula ilizwi likaYehova, ngenxa yoku amaYuda azaliswa ngumona. Kaloku, kwiiveki nje enye, kubonakala kuba aba bavangeli basemazweni babeguqule abeeNtlanga abangaphezu kwaloo maYuda ayekhe abaguqula kubo bonke ubomi bawo! Ekubeni la maYuda amphikisa ngokunyelisayo uPawulos, lalifikile ixesha lokuba ukukhanya kokomoya kukhanye nakwenye indawo, yaye axelelwa oku: ‘Ekubeni ke niligibile ilizwi likaThixo, nazigweba ukuba anibufanele ubomi obungunaphakade, sibheka kuzo iintlanga.’—Isaya 49:6.
7. UPawulos noBharnabhas basabela njani kwintshutshiso?
7 Ngoku abeeNtlanga baqalisa ukuvuya, baza bonke abo babufanelekelayo ubomi obungunaphakade bakholwa. Noko ke, njengoko ilizwi likaYehova lalihanjiswa kulo lonke ilizwe, amaYuda axhokonxa abafazi ababekekileyo (kusenokuba ukuze bashukumise amadoda abo okanye abanye) nabaninimzi ukuba batshutshise uPawulos noBharnabhas baze babakhuphele ngaphandle kwemida yabo. Kodwa oko akuzange kubathintele kumsebenzi wabo aba bavangeli basemazweni. Basuka nje ‘bavuthulula uthuli lweenyawo zabo’ baza baya eIkoniyo (namhlanje eyaziwa ngokuba yiKonya), isixeko esikhulu kwiphondo laseRoma iGalati. (Luka 9:5; 10:11) Kuthekani ngabafundi ababesele kwa-Antiyokwe ePisidi? Bezimasekile elukholweni, ‘bazaliswa luvuyo nangumoya oyingcwele.’ Oku kuyasinceda sibone ukuba akuyomfuneko ukuba inkcaso iyithintele inkqubela engokomoya.
Ukuzimaseka Elukholweni Phezu Kwako Nje Ukutshutshiswa
8. Kwenzeka ntoni ngenxa yokunikelwa kobungqina ngokuphumelelayo eIkoniyo?
8 UPawulos noBharnabhas bazingqina bezimasekile elukholweni phezu kwako nje ukutshutshiswa. (14:1-7) Ngenxa yobungqina ababunikela kwindlu yesikhungu eIkoniyo, amaYuda namaGrike amaninzi akholwa. Xa amaYuda angakholwayo axhokonxa abeeNtlanga ukuba bachase loo makholwa matsha, aba basebenzi babini bathetha ngokungafihlisiyo ngegunya likaThixo, yaye wabonisa inkoliseko yakhe ngokubanika amandla okwenza imiqondiso. Oku kwalahlula kubini ihlokondiba, abanye bengakumaYuda abanye bengakubapostile (abo babethunyiwe). Aba bapostile babengengomagwala, kodwa xa beva ngeyelenqe lokubaxuluba, ngobulumko bemka baya kushumayela eLikawoni, ummandla waseAsiya Mayina okumazantsi eGalati. Ngokuba ngabalumkileyo, ngokufuthi nathi sinokuhlala sikhuthele kubulungiseleli phezu kwayo nje inkcaso.—Mateyu 10:23.
9, 10. (a) Abantu baseListra basabela njani ekuphilisweni kwendoda esisiqhwala? (b) UPawulos noBharnabhas basabela njani eListra?
9 Isixeko iListra saseLikawoni saba sesilandelayo ukufumana ubungqina. (14:8-18) Apho uPawulos waphilisa indoda eyayizelwe isisiqhwala. Izihlwele zingazi ukuba nguYehova owayebangele loo mmangaliso, zadanduluka zathi: “Oothixo bahlile beza kuthi, befana nabantu.” Ekubeni oku kwakuthethwa ngolwimi lwaseLikawoni, uBharnabhas noPawulos abazange bakwazi okwakuqhubeka. Ekubeni yayinguPawulos isithethi, abantu bamgqala njengoHermes (umthunywa oliciko woothixo) baza bacinga ukuba uBharnabhas wayenguZeyus, inkulu yoothixo bamaGrike.
10 Umbingeleli kaZeyus wezisa iinkunzi zeenkomo nezidanga zeentyantyambo ukuze abingelele kuPawulos noBharnabhas. Mhlawumbi zithetha isiGrike esasisaziwa phantse ngumntu wonke okanye zisebenzisa itoliki, ngokukhawuleza ezi ndwendwe zacacisa ukuba nazo zazingabantu abangafezekanga yaye zazivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo ukuze abantu babuye “kwaba thixo bangento” (oothixo abangaphiliyo okanye izithixo) babuyele kuThixo ophilayo. (1 Kumkani 16:13; INdumiso 115:3-9; 146:6) Ewe, ngaphambili uThixo waziyeka iintlanga (kodwa kungekhona amaHebhere) ukuba zihambe ngendlela yazo, nangona engazange azishiye zingenabungqina bobukho nokulunga kwakhe ‘ngokuzinika imvula namaxesha anendyebo, ezanelisa iintliziyo zazo ngokudla nangemihlali.’ (INdumiso 147:8) Phezu kwako nje ukuqiqa nazo ngolo hlobo, kwaba ngenkankulu ukuba uBharnabhas noPawulos bazidambise ezo zihlwele ukuba zingabingeleli kubo. Kanti, abo bavangeli basemazweni abazange bayamkele imbeko yokuba ngoothixo, bengazange balisebenzise nelo gunya ukuseka ubuKristu kuloo mmandla. Lo ngumzekelo omhle, ingakumbi ukuba sityekele ekubeni sinqwenele ukuzukiswa ngoko uYehova asivumela sikufeze enkonzweni yakhe!
11. Sinokufunda ntoni kula mazwi: “Simelwe kukuphumela ezimbandezelweni ezininzi, ukungena ebukumkanini bukaThixo”?
11 Ngequbuliso, intshutshiso yema ngeenyawo. (14:19-28) Njani? Zixhokonxwe ngamaYuda asuka kwa-Antiyokwe ePisidi naseIkoniyo, izihlwele zamxuluba uPawulos zaza zamrholela ngaphandle kwesixeko, zicinga ukuba ufile. (2 Korinte 11:24, 25) Kodwa xa abafundi babemngqongile, wavuka waza wangena eListra engabonwa, ngokunokwenzeka kuba kwakusekumnyama. Ngengomso, ekunye noBharnabhas baya eDerbhe, apho iqela elithile laba ngabafundi. Ekubuyeleni eListra, eIkoniyo nakwa-Antiyokwe, aba bavangeli babomeleza abafundi, babakhuthaza ukuba bahlale behleli elukholweni, baze bathi: “Simelwe kukuphumela ezimbandezelweni ezininzi, ukungena ebukumkanini bukaThixo.” NjengamaKristu, nathi silindele ukutyhubela iimbandezelo kwaye asimele sizame ukuziphepha ngokulalanisa elukholweni lwethu. (2 Timoti 3:12) Ngelo xesha, kwamiselwa abadala kumabandla awathi uPawulos wawabhalela incwadi eya kumaGalati.
12. Xa uhambo lukaPawulos lokuqala lobuvangeli basemazweni lwaphelayo, aba bavangeli basemazweni babini benza ntoni?
12 Betyhutyhe elasePisidi, uPawulos noBharnabhas balithetha ilizwi ePerga, isixeko esasidumile kwelasePamfili. Ekuhambeni kwethuba, babuyela kwa-Antiyokwe, eSiriya. Ngoku lwakuba uhambo lokuqala lukaPawulos luphelile, aba bavangeli basemazweni babini balazisa ibandla “oko zingako izinto awazenzayo uThixo enabo, nokokuba iintlanga wazivulela ucango lokholo.” Bachitha ithuba elithile nabafundi ababekwa-Antiyokwe, yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo oku kwabazimasa elukholweni. Namhlanje ukutyelela kwabaveleli abahambahambayo kuzisa imiphumo efanayo engokomoya.
Ukuzinziswa Kwembambano Ebalulekileyo
13. Kwafuneka kwenziwe ntoni ukuze ubuKristu bungahlukani bube lihlelo lamaHebhere nelabangemaYuda?
13 Ukuzimaseka elukholweni kwafuna ukuba kucingwe nto-nye. (1 Korinte 1:10) Ukuze ubuKristu bungahlukani bube lihlelo lamaHebhere nelabangemaYuda, kwafuneka ukuba iqumrhu elilawulayo lenze isigqibo enoba abeeNtlanga ababethontelana kwintlangano kaThixo kwakufuneka bagcine umthetho kaMoses baze baluswe kusini na. (15:1-5) Amadoda athile avela kwelakwaYuda ayesele efikile kwa-Antiyokwe kwelaseSiriya yaye ayesele eqalisile apho ukufundisa amakholwa eeNtlanga ukuba ngaphandle kokuba aluswe, ayengenakusindiswa. (Eksodus 12:48) Ngenxa yoko, uPawulos, uBharnabhas nabanye bathunyelwa kubapostile nakumadoda amakhulu eYerusalem. Nalapho, amakholwa awayekhe angabaFarisi ababebambelele emthethweni ema ngelokuba abeeNtlanga kwakufuneka baluswe baze bagcine uMthetho.
14. (a) Nangona kwabakho ukuphikisana okuthile kwintlanganiso eyayiseYerusalem, nguwuphi umzekelo omhle owamiselwayo? (b) Wawuyintoni umongo wendlela uPetros awaqiqa ngayo ngeso sihlandlo?
14 Kwabizwa intlanganiso ukuze kuqinisekwe ngoko kukukuthanda kukaThixo ngalo mcimbi. (15:6-11) Ewe, kwaphikiswana, kodwa akuzange kubekho lukruthakruthwano njengoko amadoda aneemvakalelo ezinzulu ngalo mcimbi ayephalaza izimvo zawo—umzekelo omhle wokulandelwa ngabadala namhlanje! Emva kwethuba uPetros wathi: ‘uThixo wanyula ukuba iintlanga [ezinjengoKorneli] zizive ngawo umlomo wam iindaba ezilungileyo, zikholwe. Wazingqinela, ezinika umoya oyingcwele; akacalula phakathi kwethu nazo. [IZenzo 10:44-47] Ngoko nimlingelani na uThixo ngokubeka idyokhwe [isinyanzelo sokugcina uMthetho] entanyeni yabo, esibe singanamandla okuyithwala thina kwanoobawo bethu? Ngalo ubabalo lwenkosi uYesu Kristu, siyakholwa [singamaYuda okwenyama] ukuba sosindiswa kwangohlobo ezisindiswa ngalo nazo.’ Ukwamkela kukaThixo iintlanga ezingalukileyo kwabonisa ukuba ulwaluko nokugcina uMthetho kwakungeyomfuneko ukuze zisindiswe.—Galati 5:1.
15. Ziziphi iingongoma ezisisiseko uYakobi awazivelisayo, ibe yintoni awacebisa ukuba ibhalelwe amaKristu eeNtlanga?
15 Akuba egqibile uPetros ibandla lathi cwaka, kodwa kwakuseza kuthethwa okungakumbi. (15:12-21) UBharnabhas noPawulos babalisa ngemiqondiso uThixo awayeyenze esebenzisa bona phakathi kweentlanga. Waza usihlalo, umntakwabo Yesu ngonina, uYakobi, wathi: ‘USimon [igama likaPetros lesiHebhere] lo ukucacisile ukuba wathini na uThixo ukuzivelela iintlanga, ukuba kuzo alinyulele abantu elakhe igama.’ UYakobi wabonisa ukuba ukwakhiwa kwakhona ‘komnquba kaDavide’ (ukubuyiselwa kobukumkani kumnombo kaDavide) okwakuxelwe ngaphambili kwakuzalisekiswa ngokuhlanganiswa kwabafundi bakaYesu (iindlalifa zoBukumkani) bephuma kumaYuda nakwiiNtlanga. (Amos 9:11, 12, Septuagint; Roma 8:17) Ekubeni oku kuyinjongo kaThixo, abafundi bafanele bakwamkele. UYakobi wacebisa ukuba kubhalelwe amaKristu eeNtlanga ukuba azikhwebule (1) kwizinto ezingcoliswe zizithixo, (2) kuhenyuzo, (3) kwigazi nakwinto ekrwitshiweyo. Ezi zinto zazalelwe zazikwimibhalo kaMoses eyayifundwa ezindlwini zesikhungu ngayo yonke imihla yeSabatha.—Genesis 9:3, 4; 12:15-17; 35:2, 4.
16. Ziziphi iingongoma ezintathu incwadi eyabhalwa liqumrhu elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala enikela ukhokelo kuzo ukuza kutsho kulo mhla?
16 Lathi ke iqumrhu elilawulayo lathumela incwadi kumaKristu eeNtlanga akwa-Antiyokwe, eSiriya naseKiliki. (15:22-35) Umoya oyingcwele nababhali bencwadi bafuna ukuba kuzilwe izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo; igazi (elaliselwa ngokuthe rhoqo ngabantu abathile); izinto ezikrwitshiweyo ngaphandle kokuphalazwa kwegazi lazo (ababesithi abahedeni abaninzi inyama enjalo ikukutya okumnandi); kunye nohenyuzo (ngesiGrike, por·neiʹa, igama elithetha iintlobano zesini ezingekho mthethweni nezinanditshwa ngaphandle komtshato ongokweZibhalo). Ngokuzikhwebula kwezo zinto, babeya kuphumelela ngokomoya, kanye njengokuba amaNgqina kaYehova ngoku esenjenjalo ngenxa yokuba esenza ngokuvisisana ‘nezi ndawo zifunekayo.’ Amazwi athi “Mpilo-ntle!” (NW) ayenjengokuthi “Hlalani kakuhle,” yaye akumele kugqitywe ngelokuba ezi mfuneko ngokuyintloko zazinento yokwenza nemilinganiselo yezempilo. Xa le ncwadi yafundwa kwa-Antiyokwe, ibandla laluvuyela ukhuthazo eyayilunikela. Ngelo xesha, abantu bakaThixo kwa-Antiyokwe bazinyaswa elukholweni nangamazwi akhuthazayo kaPawulos, kaSilas, kaBharnabhas nawabanye. Kwanga nathi singafuna iindlela zokukhuthaza nokwakha amakholwa angowethu.
Ukuqalisa Ukhenketho Lwesibini Lobuvangeli Basemazweni
17. (a) Yiyiphi ingxaki eyavelayo xa kwakucetywa ukhenketho lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni? (b) UPawulos noBharnabhas bayisingatha njani imbambano yabo?
17 Xa kwakucetywa uhambo lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni kwavela ingxaki. (15:36-41) UPawulos wacebisa ukuba bekunye noBharnabhas babuye batyelele amabandla aseSipro naseAsiya Mayina. UBharnabhas wavuma kodwa wafuna ukuba bahambe nomza wakhe uMarko. UPawulos akazange avume kuba uMarko wabashiya ePamfili. Ngenxa yoko, kwabakho “amazwi abukhali.” Kodwa kuPawulos noBharnabhas akakho owafuna ukuthetheleleka ngokuzama ukubandakanya abanye abadala okanye iqumrhu elilawulayo kumcimbi wabo wobuqu. Onjani wona ukuba mhle umzekelo!
18. Yintoni eyaba ngumphumo wokwahlukana kukaPawulos noBharnabhas, yaye sinokufunda ntoni kwesi siganeko?
18 Phofu ke, le mbambano yabangela ukwahlukana. UBharnabhas wahamba noMarko ukuya eSipro. UPawulos, ekunye noSilas njengeqabane lakhe, “walityhutyha elaseSiriya nelaseKiliki, ewomeleza amabandla.” Kusenokuba uBharnabhas wayephenjelelwe ngamaqhina entsapho, kodwa ufanele ukuba wayeliqonda ilungelo likaPawulos lokuba ngumpostile nokuba ‘wayesisitya esinyuliweyo.’ (IZenzo 9:15) Yaye kuthekani ngathi? Esi siganeko sifanele sibethelele kuthi imfuneko yokuthobela igunya elingolawulo lobuthixo size sisebenzisane ngokuzeleyo ‘nomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo’!—Mateyu 24:45-47.
Ukuqhubeka Ngoxolo
19. Nguwuphi umzekelo ulutsha olungamaKristu lwanamhlanje olunawo kuTimoti?
19 Le mbambano ayizange ivunyelwe ichaphazele uxolo lwebandla. Abantu bakaThixo baqhubeka bezinyaswa elukholweni. (16:1-5) UPawulos noSilas baya eDerbhe baza basuka baya eListra. Apho kwakuhlala uTimoti, unyana womYuda okholwayo uYunike nendoda yakhe engumGrike ongakholwayo. UTimoti wayeselula, kuba nakwiminyaka eli-18 okanye engama-20 kamva, wayesaxelelwa oku: “Makungabikho namnye ubudelayo ubuncinane bakho.” (1 Timoti 4:12) Ekubeni ‘wayengqinelwe kakuhle ngabazalwana baseListra naseIkoniyo [ekumgama weekhilomitha ezingama-29 ukusuka eListra],’ wayesaziwa ngobulungiseleli neempawu ezintle awayenazo zokuhlonela uThixo. Ulutsha olungamaKristu namhlanje lufanele lufune uncedo lukaYehova lokwakha udumo olufanayo. UPawulos wamalusa uTimoti kuba babeza kuya kumakhaya nakwizindlu zesikhungu zamaYuda awayesazi ukuba uyise kaTimoti wayengoweeNtlanga, yaye lo mpostile wayengafuni nto eyayiza kuba ngumqobo endleleni yamadoda nabafazi abangamaYuda ababefuna ukufunda ngoMesiya. Ngaphandle kokwaphula imigaqo yeBhayibhile, namhlanje amaNgqina kaYehova enza konke okusemandleni ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo zamkeleke kwiindidi zonke zabantu.—1 Korinte 9:19-23.
20. Ukuthobela incwadi eyayibhalwe liqumrhu elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala kwaba nawuphi umphumo, yaye ucinga ukuba oku kumele kusichaphazele njani?
20 Bephelekwa nguTimoti, uPawulos noSilas badlulisela kubafundi imimiselo yequmrhu elilawulayo ukuba bayigcine. Ibe waba yintoni umphumo? Kuyabonakala ukuba ebhekisela eSiriya, eKiliki, naseGalati uLuka wabhala oku: “Ayezimaseka ke ngoko amabandla elukholweni, esanda ngenani imihla ngemihla.” Ewe, ukuthobela incwadi eyayibhalwe liqumrhu elilawulayo kwaphumela kumanyano nempumelelo engokomoya. Onjani wona ukuba mhle umzekelo kula maxesha ethu anomngcipheko, xa kufuneka abantu bakaThixo bahlale bemanyene yaye bezimasekile elukholweni!
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ UPawulos noBharnabhas basabela njani kwintshutshiso?
◻ Kunokufundwa ntoni kula mazwi: “Simelwe kukuphumela ezimbandezelweni ezininzi, ukungena ebukumkanini bukaThixo”?
◻ Sisiphi isiluleko esisifumana kwiingongoma ezintathu ezikwincwadi eyathunyelwa liqumrhu elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala?
◻ Oko kwenza amaNgqina kaYehova enkulungwane yokuqala azimaseke elukholweni kusebenza njani kuthi namhlanje?