ULuka—Umsebenzi Olidlelane Elithandekayo

KWAKUNGONYAKA wama-65 C.E., eRoma. ULuka wayesazi ukuba uzibeka esichengeni ngokuzichaza ukuba ungumhlobo kampostile uPawulos owayesematyaleni ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Kwakusele kubonakala ukuba uPawulos uza kugwetyelwa ukufa. Kodwa kanye ngelo xesha lobunzima, nguLuka kuphela owayekunye nalo mpostile.—2 Timoti 4:6, 11.

Abafundi beBhayibhile abaqali kuva ngeli gama likaLuka kuba wabhala iVangeli ebizwa ngegama lakhe. ULuka wayehamba imigama emide kunye noPawulos, owambiza ngokuba ‘ngugqirha oyintanda’ ‘nomsebenzi olidlelane.’ (Kolose 4:14; Filemon 24) IZibhalo azithethi kangako ngoLuka, kuba zilikhankanya izihlandlo ezithathu kuphela igama lakhe. Noko ke, njengoko uhlolisisa oko kuye kwafunyaniswa ngoLuka, nawe usenokuba noxabiso ngalo mKristu uthembekileyo, kanye njengoPawulos.

Umbhali Nomvangeli

IVangeli kaLuka nencwadi yeZenzo zabaPostile, zombini zibhalelwe uTiyofilo, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba ezi ncwadi ziphefumlelweyo zabhalwa nguLuka. (Luka 1:3; IZenzo 1:1) ULuka akatsho ukuba wayekho ngexesha lobulungiseleli bukaYesu Kristu. Kunoko uthi waxelelwa ngababezibonele ngawabo amehlo oko kwakusenzeka yaye uye ‘wazilanda zonke izinto ukususela kwasekuqaleni ngokuchanileyo.’ (Luka 1:1-3) Ngoko kusenokwenzeka ukuba uLuka waba ngumlandeli kaKristu ngaxesha lithile emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E.

Abanye bacinga ukuba uLuka wayengowakwa-Antiyokwe yaseSiriya. Bathi incwadi yeZenzo ineenkcukacha zeziganeko ezazisenzeka kweso sixeko yaye ichaza enye ‘yamadoda avunyiweyo’ asixhenxe isithi ‘ingumngeni ebuYudeni wakwa-Antiyokwe,’ ngoxa kungathethwa ngezixeko zamanye amathandathu. Kakade ke, asinakulikhupha litsole elokuba uLuka wayenomdla okhethekileyo kwa-Antiyokwe ngenxa yokuba eso yayisisixeko sakowabo.—IZenzo 6:3-6.

Nangona incwadi yeZenzo ingathethi ngoLuka, ezinye iindinyana zisebenzisa isimelabizo esithi “ba,” nesithi “sa,” nto leyo ebonisa ukuba wayengomnye wabantu ababekho kwezinye zeziganeko ekuthethwe ngazo kule ncwadi. Xa uLuka wayelandela umkhondo kaPawulos nezinxulumani zakhe ukutyhubela iAsia Minor, uthi: “Badlula eMisiya baza behla baya eTrowa.” EseTrowa uPawulos wabona umbono wendoda ethile yaseMakedoni imbongoza isithi: “Welela ngapha eMakedoni uze usincede.” ULuka wongezelela ngelithi: “Ke kaloku kamsinya nje akuba ebone lo mbono, safuna ukuya eMakedoni.” (IZenzo 16:8-10) Emva kokuba ethe “badlula,” uLuka uthi “safuna,” nto leyo ethetha ukuba wadibana noPawulos neqela lakhe eTrowa. Wandula ke uLuka aziquke xa ethetha ngabo babeshumayela eFilipi, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba wayeshumayela kunye nabo. Wabhala wenjenje: “Ngomhla wesabatha saya ngaphandle kwesango ngasemlanjeni, apho sasicinga ukuba kwakukho indawo yokuthandaza; yaye sahlala phantsi saza saqalisa ukuthetha kubafazi ababehlanganisene apho.” Ngenxa yoko, uLidiya nayo yonke indlu yakhe bazamkela iindaba ezilungileyo baza babhaptizwa.—IZenzo 16:11-15.

Kwaqhambuka inkcaso eFilipi, apho uPawulos waphilisa isicakazana esasisetyenziswa ‘yidemon yokuvumisa’ ukuxela izinto ezingekenzeki. Iinkosi zaso zathi zakubona ukuba ithemba lazo lenzuzo limke namanzi, zababambisa uPawulos noSilas, babethwa baza baphoswa ngaphaya kwezitshixo. Kucacile ukuba uLuka yena akazange abanjwe, kuba xa ethetha ngengcinezelo eyafunyanwa ngabahlobo bakhe, yena akazifaki. Emva kokuba bekhululwe, “[uPawulos noSilas] bakhuthaza [abazalwana] baza bemka.” ULuka uphinda aziquke kuphela xa uPawulos ebuyela eFilipi kamva. (IZenzo 16:16-40; 20:5, 6) Mhlawumbi uLuka wasala eFilipi ukuze avelele umsebenzi owawusenziwa apho.

Uqokelela Inkcazelo

ULuka wawufumana njani umbandela awawubhala kwiVangeli yakhe nakwincwadi yeZenzo? Kwinxalenye yeZenzo aziquka kuyo uLuka—ubonisa ukuba wayehamba noPawulos ukusuka eFilipi ukuya eYerusalem, apho uPawulos waphinda wavalelwa khona. UPawulos kunye nabo wayehamba nabo bakhe bahlala noFilipu owayengumvangeli eKesareya. (IZenzo 20:6; 21:1-17) Ekubeni uFilipu wayekhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela eSamariya, kusenokwenzeka ukuba nguye owachazela uLuka ngomsebenzi wobuvangeli owawusenziwa apho. (IZenzo 8:4-25) Kodwa yiyiphi eminye imithombo awayesikha kuyo uLuka?

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba iminyaka emibini uPawulos engaphaya kwezitshixo eKesareya yavulela uLuka ithuba lokuba aphande ngengxelo awayibhala kwiVangeli yakhe. IYerusalem, apho uLuka wayenokuyifumana khona ingxelo yomlibo wokuzalwa kukaYesu yayingekude kuyaphi ukusuka apho. ULuka wabhala ngeziganeko ezininzi ezingobomi nobulungiseleli bukaYesu ezingafumanekiyo kwezinye iiVangeli. Omnye umbhali-mbhali waphawula ukuba zingama-82 izicatshulwa ezifumaneka kwiVangeli kaLuka kuphela.

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uLuka waxelelwa nguElizabhete unina kaYohane ngokuzalwa kwalo mBhaptizi. Mhlawumbi ngunina kaYesu, uMariya owaxelela uLuka ngokuzalwa kukaYesu nangobomi bakhe eselula. (Luka 1:5-80) Kwelinye icala, uLuka usenokuba wabaliselwa nguPetros, uYakobi, okanye uYohane ngommangaliso wokubambisa iintlanzi. (Luka 5:4-10) Siyifumana kwiVangeli kaLuka kuphela eminye yemizekeliso kaYesu, efana nowommelwane ongumSamariya, owomnyango omxinwa, owedrarhma elahlekileyo, owonyana wolahleko nowesityebi noLazaro.—Luka 10:29-37; 13:23, 24; 15:8-32; 16:19-31.

ULuka wayenomdla wokwenene ebantwini. Wabhala ingxelo ngomnikelo kaMariya wokusulungekiswa, ngokuvuswa konyana womhlolokazi, nangebhinqa elathambisa iinyawo zikaYesu. NguLuka okhankanya abafazi abalungiselela uKristu nosixelela ngoMarta noMariya abalungiselela uYesu ukutya. IVangeli kaLuka ibalisa ngokuphiliswa komfazi owayegobile, ngendoda eyayinomlambo, kwanokuhlanjululwa kwamadoda alishumi awayeneqhenqa. ULuka usixelela ngoZakeyu omfutshane owakhwela emthini ukuze abone uYesu, yaye ubhala ngomenzi-bubi owabethelelwa noKristu waza waguquka.—Luka 2:24; 7:11-17, 36-50; 8:2, 3; 10:38-42; 13:10-17; 14:1-6; 17:11-19; 19:1-10; 23:39-43.

Kuyaphawuleka ukuba yiVangeli kaLuka ethetha ngenxeba elaphiliswa ngummelwane ongumSamariya okumzekeliso kaYesu. Mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuba wayengugqirha, uLuka wabhala nangamayeza athi uYesu aliphilisa eli nxeba, iwayini eyayiza kunqanda ukubola, ioli eyayiza kulenza lithambe, kunye nebhandeji.—Luka 10:30-37.

Iqabane Lebanjwa

ULuka wayemxhalabele umpostile uPawulos. Xa uPawulos wayevalelwe eKesareya, ibamba laseRoma uFelikis layalela ukuba ‘kungalelwa nabani na kubantu bakaPawulos ukuba amnyamekele.’ (IZenzo 24:23) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uLuka wayengomnye wabo bantu. Ekubeni uPawulos wayesoloko ekhathazwa yimpilo, wayemele anyanyekelwe ‘ngugqirha oyintanda.’—Kolose 4:14; Galati 4:13.

Xa uPawulos wabhenela kuKesare, ibamba laseRoma uFesto lamthumela eRoma. ULuka wahamba naye ngenqanawa besinge eItali waza wabhala ingxelo ecacileyo ngokwaphuka kwaloo nqanawa. (IZenzo 24:27; 25:9-12; 27:1, 9-44) Ngoxa uPawulos wayevalelwe endlwini eRoma, wabhala iileta ezininzi eziphefumlelweyo, kwezimbini zazo ethetha ngoLuka. (IZenzo 28:30; Kolose 4:14; Filemon 24) Mhlawumbi kukule minyaka mibini awathi uLuka wabhala incwadi yeZenzo.

Zininzi izinto zokomoya ezimele ukuba zazisenziwa kuloo ndlu wayehlala kuyo uPawulos eRoma. Kunokwenzeka ukuba kulapho uLuka wayenxibelelana nabantu ababesebenza noPawulos—abanye babo nguTikiko, uAristarko, uMarko, uYusto, uEpafra no-Onesimo.—Kolose 4:7-14.

Kwisihlandlo sesibini uPawulos esentolongweni, xa wayevakalelwa kukuba sele eza kufa, uLuka othembekileyo nokhaliphileyo wahlala naye ngoxa abanye bamshiyayo lo mpostile. Mhlawumbi uLuka wancama nkqu nenkululeko yakhe. Njengombhali, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abhalwa nguye la mazwi kaPawulos: “NguLuka yedwa okunye nam.” Kukholelwa ukuba kungekudala emva koko uPawulos wanqunyulwa intloko.—2 Timoti 4:6-8, 11, 16.

ULuka wayenomoya wokuzincama yaye ethozamile. Wayengaqhayisi ngemfundo yakhe okanye atsalele ingqalelo yabantu kuye. Kaloku, wayenokuqhubeka engugqirha, kodwa wakhetha ukuhambisela phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani. NjengoLuka, ngamana singazinikela ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo size ngokuthobeka sizukise uYehova.—Luka 12:31.

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 19]

WAYENGUBANI UTIYOFILO?

ULuka wazibhalela uTiyofilo zombini iincwadi zakhe, eyeVangeli neZenzo Zabapostile. KwiVangeli kaLuka, le ndoda ibizwa ngokuba ‘nguTiyofilo obalasele kunene.’ (Luka 1:3) Ibinzana elithi “obalasele kunene,” lalisetyenziswa ukukhahlela isinhanha esaziwayo namagosa aphakamileyo oburhulumente baseRoma. Le yindlela uPawulos awamkhahlela ngayo uFesto, ibamba lakwaYuda elaliseRoma.—IZenzo 26:25.

Kuyabonakala ukuba, uTiyofilo wathi akuva isigidimi esingoYesu wanomdla. ULuka wayeqinisekile ukuba ingxelo yakhe yeVangeli yayiza kubangela ukuba uTiyofilo ‘akwazi ngokupheleleyo ukuqiniseka kwezinto azifundiswe ngomlomo.’—Luka 1:4.

Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali wamaGrike uRichard Lenski, kubonakala ngathi uTiyofilo wayengekakholwa ngexesha uLuka ambiza ngokuthi “obalasele kunene,” kuba “kuzo zonke iincwadi zamaKristu, . . . abazalwana babengawongani ngezibizo ezinjalo.” Kamva, xa uLuka wayebhala incwadi yeZenzo, akazange asebenzise isibizo esithi “obalasele kunene,” kodwa wathi: “Tiyofilo.” (IZenzo 1:1) ULenski uqukumbela ngelithi: “Xa uLuka wayebhala iVangeli yakhe eya kuTiyofilo, le ndoda idumileyo yayingekabi ngumKristu kodwa yayinomdla wokwenene kwizinto zobuKristu; ngoko yaba ngumKristu emva kokuba uLuka eyithumelele incwadi yeZenzo.”