Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi

Ngaba amazwi kaStefano afumaneka kwiZenzo 7:59 abonisa ukuba sifanele sithandaze kuYesu?

KwiZenzo 7:59 kuthiwa: “Baqhubeka bemgibisela ngamatye uStefano njengoko wayebongoza esithi: ‘Nkosi Yesu, wamkele umoya wam.’” Abanye baye bazibuza ngoko kuthethwa ngala mazwi, ekubeni iBhayibhile isithi nguYehova ‘umphulaphuli wemithandazo.’ (INdumiso 65:2) Ngaba ngokwenene uStefano wathandaza kuYesu? Ngaba oku kubonisa ukuba uYesu noYehova ngumntu omnye?

IKing James Version ithi uStefano “wayekhala kuThixo.” Ngoko ke, kuyaqondakala ukuba abaninzi bafikelele kwisigqibo awafikelela kuso umphengululi weBhayibhile uMatthew Henry owathi: “Apha uStefano uthandaza kuKristu, nathi simele senjenjalo.” Noko ke, loo mbono ayichananga. Ngoba?

IBarnes’ Notes on the New Testament ngokunyaniseka ivuma isithi: “Igama elithi Thixo lalingekho kwimibhalo yantlandlolo, ngoko lalifanele ukuba alikho kwinguqulelo yesi sibhalo. Alikho [kwimibhalo-ngqangi] okanye kwiinguqulelo zamandulo.” Igama elithi “Thixo” lafakwa njani kule ndinyana? Umphengululi uAbiel Abbot Livermore uthi le “yenye yeendinyana abaguquleli abaye bafaka kuzo iingcamango ezisekelwe kwiinkolelo zamahlelo abo.” Ngoko ke, inkoliso yeenguqulelo zale mihla azinalo eli gama elithi Thixo lifakelweyo.

Noko ke, iinguqulelo ezininzi zithi uStefano “wathandaza” kuYesu. Yaye umbhalo osemazantsi kwiNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha eneembekiselo ubonisa ukuba igama elithi “wabongoza” lisenokuthetha “ukukhunga; ukuthandaza.” Ngaba oko akubonisi ukuba uYesu unguThixo uSomandla? Akunjalo. IVine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words icacisa ukuba kule meko, igama lesiGrike santlandlolo elithi, e·pi·ka·leʹo, lithetha: “Ukubiza, ukucela; . . . ukubhenela kosegunyeni.” UPawulos wasebenzisa igama elifanayo xa wathi: “Ndibhenela kuKesare!” (IZenzo 25:11) Ngoko ke, ichanile iBhayibhile yesiXhosa xa isithi uStefano ‘wabiza’ esithi Yesu.

Yintoni eyabangela uStefano enze esi sibongozo? Ngokutsho kweZenzo 7:55, 56, uStefano, “ezele ngumoya oyingcwele, wondela ezulwini waza walubona uzuko lukaThixo noYesu emi ngasekunene kukaThixo.” Ngokuqhelekileyo, uStefano ngewayethandaze kuYehova egameni likaYesu. Kodwa kusenokwenzeka ukuba wathi akubona uYesu ovusiweyo embonweni, uStefano waziva ekhululekile ukubongoza yena ngokungqalileyo, esithi: “Nkosi Yesu, wamkele umoya wam.” UStefano wayesazi ukuba uYesu wayenikwe igunya lokuvusa abafileyo. (Yohane 5:27-29) Ngoko ke wacela uYesu ukuba alondoloze umoya wakhe, okanye amandla okuphila, de kube lixesha xa uYesu wayeya kumvusela kubomi bokungafi ezulwini.

Ngaba amazwi awathethwa nguStefano ngesi sihlandlo amisela umzekelo wokuthandaza kuYesu? Akunjalo. Kaloku, uStefano wayewazi ngokucacileyo umahluko phakathi koYesu noYehova, kuba le ngxelo ithi wabona uYesu “emi ngasekunene kukaThixo.” Kwakhona, le yimeko engaqhelekanga. Omnye owathetha amazwi afanayo kuYesu ngumpostile uYohane, naye wathetha noYesu ngokuthe ngqo xa wambona embonweni.—ISityhilelo 22:16, 20.

Nangona amaKristu namhlanje ngokufanelekileyo eyibhekisa yonke imithandazo yawo kuYehova uThixo, nawo anokholo oluqinileyo lokuba nguYesu “uvuko nobomi.” (Yohane 11:25) Kanye njengokuba kwakunjalo kuStefano, ukholo kumandla kaYesu okuvusa abalandeli bakhe ekufeni kunokusinceda nathi kuze kusomeleze kumaxesha ezilingo.