Funda Ukulinda Kubapostile BakaYesu
“Hlalani . . . nilindile kunye nam.”—MAT. 26:38.
YINTONI ONOKUYIFUNDA NGOKUPHATHELELE:
Ulwalathiso olungendawo ekufanele kushunyayelwe kuyo?
Ngokuphaphela ukuthandaza?
Ngokunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo nangona kukho imiqobo?
1-3. Abapostile basilela njani ukuhlala belindile kubusuku bokugqibela bukaYesu emhlabeni yaye yintoni ebonisa ukuba bafunda kwimpazamo yabo?
KHAWUBE nombono woko kwakusenzeka ngobusuku bokugqibela uYesu ephila apha emhlabeni. UYesu uze kwenye yezona ndawo azithandayo umyezo waseGetsemane kwimpuma yeYerusalem. Uze nabafundi bakhe abathembekileyo. Ekubeni zininzi izinto eziphazamis’ ingqondo nentliziyo yakhe, uYesu ufuna ukukhe abe yedwa ukuze athandaze.—Mat. 26:36; Yoh. 18:1, 2.
2 Abapostile abathathu—uPetros, uYakobi noYohane—bakunye naye phakathi emyezweni. “Hlalani apha, nihlale nilindile kunye nam,” utsho njalo kubo, aze athi tshalala eyokuthandaza. Xa ebuya, ufika abahlobo bakhe belele yoyi. Uphinda ababongoze ngelithi: “Hlalani nilindile.” Kangangezihlandlo ezibini emva koko, babiwa bubuthongo! Njengoko buhamba obo busuku, abapostile xa bebonke bayoyiswa kukuhlala bephaphile ngokomoya. Bamshiya apho kwaYesu lowo baze bacele kwabanentsente!—Mat. 26:38, 41, 56.
3 Ngokuqinisekileyo abapostile bazisola ngokoyiswa kwabo kukuhlala belindile. Loo madoda athembekileyo akhawuleza afunda kwimpazamo yawo. Incwadi yeBhayibhile yeZenzo ibonisa ukuba baqhubeka bemisela umzekelo obalaseleyo wokuhlala belindile. Ngokuqinisekileyo namanye amaKristu afunda kumzekelo wabo aza enza okufanayo. Ukuhlala siphaphile kufuneka ngakumbi ngoku kunokuba kwakunjalo ngaphambili. (Mat. 24:42) Ngoko makhe sithethe ngezifundo ezithathu eziphathelele ukuhlala silindile esinokuzifunda kwincwadi yeZenzo.
BALUPHAPHELA ULWALATHISO OLUNGENDAWO ABAFANELE BASHUMAYELE KUYO
4, 5. UPawulos nabo wayehamba nabo balathiswa njani ngumoya oyingcwele?
4 Okokuqala, abapostile baluphaphela ulwalathiso olungendawo ababefanele bashumayele kuyo. Kwenye ingxelo sifunda ngendlela uYesu awawusebenzisa ngayo umoya oyingcwele awawunikwa nguYehova, ukuze alathise umpostile uPawulos namaqabane akhe ebudeni bohambo lwabo olungaqhelekanga. (IZe. 2:33) Ngamehlo engqondo, makhe sihambe nabo kolu hambo.—Funda kwiZenzo 16:6-10.
5 UPawulos, uSilas noTimoti babesandul’ ukumka kwisixeko saseListra, esikumazantsi eGalati. Ngokuhamba kweentsuku, baya kufika kuhola wendlela waseRoma owabakhokelela ngasentshona kowona mmandla unabantu abaninzi kwisithili saseAsiya. Babefuna ukuthatha loo ndlela ukuze baye kwizixeko ezinamawakawaka abantu abafuna ukuva ngoKristu. Sekunjalo, kukho nto ithile eyabathintelayo. Indinyana 6 ithi: “Badlula eFrigiya nakwilizwe laseGalati, ngenxa yokuba balelwa ngumoya oyingcwele ukulithetha ilizwi kuso isithili saseAsiya.” Ngendlela ethile engachazwanga, umoya oyingcwele wabathintela abo bahambi ukuba bangashumayeli kwiphondo laseAsiya. Kuyabonakala ukuba uYesu—esebenzisa umoya kaThixo—wayefuna ukukhokelela uPawulos nabo wayehamba nabo kwenye indawo.
6, 7. (a) Yintoni eyenzeka kuPawulos nakwabo wayehamba nabo kufutshane neBhithiniya? (b) Abafundi benza siphi isigqibo yaye oko kwaphumela entwenini?
6 Aba bahambi banenzondelelo baya phi? Indinyana 7 ithi: “Ngokubhekele phaya, xa befika eMisiya benza imigudu yokuya eBhithiniya, kodwa umoya kaYesu awubavumelanga.” Bathi bakuthintelwa ekushumayeleni eAsiya, uPawulos nabo wayehamba nabo banyukela emntla, bezimisele ukushumayela kwizixeko zaseBhithiniya. Noko ke, xa babesondela eBhithiniya, uYesu waphinda wasebenzisa umoya oyingcwele ukubathintela. Kumele ukuba la madoda ayesele ebudideka noko ngoku. Ayeyazi into amakayishumayele nendlela yokushumayela, kodwa ayengayazi indawo amakashumayele kuyo. Sisenokuthi: Ayenkqonkqozile kumnyango oya eAsiya—kodwa akwatsitsa nto. Ankqonkqoza kumnyango oya eBhithiniya—akwatsitsa nto nalapho. Ngaba ayeka ukunkqonkqoza? Babengenakuyenza loo nto aba bashumayeli bakhutheleyo!
7 Kweli nqanaba, la madoda enza isigqibo esasinokubonakala singaqhelekanga. Indinyana 8 iyasichubela: “Badlula eMisiya baza behla baya eTrowa.” La madoda ajika ajongis’ imibombo ngasentshona ehamba iikhilomitha ezingama-563, edlula izixeko ngezixeko de aya kutsho kwizibuko laseTrowa, isango ekungenwa ngalo eMakedoni. Akufika apho, okwetyeli lesithathu, uPawulos namadoda awayehamba nawo bankqonkqoza emnyango, kodwa kweli ityeli wavuleka genge! Indinyana 9 iyasityebisela ngokwenzekayo emva koko: “Ebudeni bobusuku kwabonakala umbono kuPawulos: kwakumi indoda ethile yaseMakedoni, imbongoza isithi: ‘Welela ngapha eMakedoni uze usincede.’” Wada wayazi ke uPawulos indawo ekufanele kushunyayelwe kuyo. La madoda akazange alibazise, abamb’ inqanawa yaya kuwabeka eMakedoni.
8, 9. Sifunda ntoni kwingxelo engohambo lukaPawulos?
8 Sifunda ntoni kule ngxelo? Phawula ukuba umoya kaThixo wangenelela emva kokuba uPawulos eye wasinga eAsiya. Kanti uYesu wangenelela emva kokusondela kukaPawulos eBhithiniya. Yaye okokugqibela, uYesu walathisa uPawulos ukuba aye eMakedoni emva kokuba efike eTrowa. NjengeNtloko yebandla, uYesu unokusalathisa ngaloo ndlela nathi. (Kol. 1:18) Ngokomzekelo, usenokuba ubucinga ngokuba nguvulindlela okanye ukufudukela kwindawo ekufuneka abavakalisi abangakumbi kuyo. Kodwa kuphela kuya kuba semva kokuba uthathe amanyathelo acacileyo okufikelela usukelo lwakho aya kuthi uYesu, ngomoya kaThixo, akukhokele. Nanku umzekelo: Umqhubi unokuyijika imoto yakhe ukuba iye ekhohlo okanye ekunene, kodwa yonke loo nto uyenza kuphela xa ihamba. Ngendlela efanayo ke, uYesu unokusalathisela ekubeni sandise ubulungiseleli bethu, kodwa kuphela ukuba senza umgudu wokulufikelela usukelo lwethu.
9 Noko ke, kuthekani ukuba imigudu oyenzayo ayikhawulezi iphumelele? Ngaba ufanele unikezele, uzixelela ukuba umoya kaThixo awukukhokeli? Kaloku khumbula ukuba noPawulos wadibana nemiqobo. Sekunjalo, waqhubeka ekhangela yaye enkqonkqoza de wawufumana umnyango ovulekayo. Ngendlela efanayo ke, ukuba uyaqhubeka ukhangela “umnyango omkhulu okhokelela emsebenzini,” nawe uya kuvuzwa.—1 Kor. 16:9.
BABEKUPHAPHELE UKUTHANDAZA
10. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ukuphaphela ukuthandaza kubalulekile ukuze sihlale silindile?
10 Ngoku masingene kwinkalo yesibini esiyifunda kubazalwana benkulungwane yokuqala ngokuhlala sikhangele: Babekuphaphele ukuthandaza. (1 Pet. 4:7) Ukuzingisa emthandazweni kubalulekile ukuze sihlale silindile. Khumbula ukuba ngaphambi kokuba abanjwe kumyezo waseGetsemane, uYesu wathi kubapostile bakhe abathathu: “Hlalani nilindile yaye nithandaze ngokuqhubekayo.”—Mat. 26:41.
11, 12. UPetros kunye namaKristu baphathwa kakubi ngayiphi indlela nguHerode yaye ngoba?
11 UPetros, owayekho ngesi sihlandlo, kamva wazibonela amandla omthandazo osuka entliziyweni. (Funda iZenzo 12:1-6.) Kwiindinyana zokuqala zale ngxelo, sifunda ukuba ukuze azicengezele kumaYuda, uHerode wawaphatha kakubi amaKristu. Ngokuqinisekileyo uHerode wayesazi ukuba uYakobi wayengumpostile owayesondele ngokukhethekileyo kuYesu. Kungenxa yoko, uHerode wayalela ukuba uYakobi ‘abulawe ngekrele.’ (Indinyana 2) Ngenxa yoko ibandla lalahlekelwa ngumpostile othandekayo. Loo nto yabavavanya ngokwenene abazalwana!
12 Wenza ntoni uHerode emva koko? Indinyana 3 iyasityebisela: “Njengoko wabona ukuba kwakukholekile kumaYuda, waqhubeka wabamba noPetros.” Kodwa ke, iintolongo azizange zisoloko zikwazi ukubathintela abapostile, kuquka uPetros. (IZe. 5:17-20) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uHerode wayeyazi loo nto. Lo somaqhingashe wenkokeli waqonda ukuba alinakuphandlwa kabini. Wanikela uPetros “kumaqela amane atshintshisanayo ngalinye linamajoni amane ukuba amlinde, njengoko wayezimisele ukumvelisa ebantwini emva kwepasika.” (Indinyana 4) Khawufan’ ucinge nje! UHerode wayalela ukuba uPetros abotshwe ngemixokelelwane afakwe phakathi kwabalindi ababini, kubekho abalindi abali-16 abatshintshisana ngaye imini nobusuku ukuze baqiniseke ukuba lo mpostile akaphunculi. Injongo kaHerode yayikukuvelisa uPetros phambi kwabantu ngePasika, ezimisele ukumbulala ukuze achwayitise izihlwele zabantu. Xa kubuhlungu kunje, ayemele athini ke amanye amaKristu?
13, 14. (a) Lenza ntoni ibandla lakuva ukuba uPetros usentolongweni? (b) Sinokufunda ntoni kumzekelo owamiselwa ngamaKristu omhla kaPetros kumba womthandazo?
13 Ibandla laliyazi kakuhle into eliza kuyenza. Indinyana 5 ifundeka ngolu hlobo: “Ngenxa yoko uPetros wayegcinwa entolongweni; kodwa ibandla laqhubeka limthandazela kakhulu kuThixo.” Ewe, imithandazo yalo elaliyenzela umzalwana walo othandekayo yayizizicelo ezinamandla nezisuka entliziyweni. Ukufa kukaYakobi akuzange kulenze liphelelwe lithemba; kungazange kananjalo kubangele ukuba lijonge ukuthandaza njengenkcitha-xesha. Kunoko, lalisazi ukuba imithandazo yabakhonzi abathembekileyo ithetha lukhulu kuYehova. Ukuba loo mithandazo ivisisana nokuthanda kwakhe, uyayiphendula.—Heb. 13:18, 19; Yak. 5:16.
14 Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela awasabela ngayo amaKristu omhla kaPetros? Ukuhlala silindile akupheleli nje ekuthandazeleni thina kodwa kuquka ukuthandazela abazalwana noodadewethu. (Efe. 6:18) Ngaba akho amanye amakholwa owaziyo ukuba ahlaselwa ziimvavanyo? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amanye amaKristu anyamezele ukutshutshiswa, amanye akakwazi ukushumayela kuba oorhulumente bewuvalile umsebenzi, kanti amanye ahlala kwiindawo ezithwaxwa ziintlekele zemvelo. Kutheni ungawakhankanyi nje kwimithandazo yakho esuka entliziyweni? Kusenokwenzeka kukho nabanye owaziyo ukuba bajongene nobunzima obungenakubonakala lula. Mhlawumbi batsala nzima kuba beneengxaki zentsapho, bedimazekile, okanye benempilo enkenenkene. Ukuba uyacamngca ngaphambi kokuba uthandaze, unokukwazi ukucinga ngabantu abathile onokubakhankanya ngegama xa uthetha noYehova, ‘onguMphulaphuli wemithandazo.’—INdu. 65:2.
15, 16. (a) Chaza indlela ingelosi kaYehova eyamkhulula ngayo uPetros entolongweni. (Sicela ujonge umfanekiso ongezantsi.) (b) Kutheni kuthuthuzela ukucamngca ngendlela uYehova awamhlangula ngayo uPetros?
15 Kwenzeka ntoni kuPetros? Ngobusuku bakhe bokugqibela esentolongweni, ngoxa uPetros wayelele cum efakwe phakathi ngabalindi bakhe ababini, kwenzeka iziganeko eziliqela ezimangalisayo kuye. (Funda iZenzo 12:7-11.) Yiba nalo mfanekiso-ngqondweni: Ngequbuliso, kuthi thaa ukukhanya okuqaqambileyo kwisisele sakhe. Kwema ingelosi, ekucaca ukuba yayingabonwa ngabalindi, ibe yavusa uPetros buphuthuphuthu. Kwaye amatyathanga awayembophe izandla asuka aziwela! Emva koko ingelosi yakhokela uPetros imkhupha esiseleni, yadlula kubalindi ababengaphandle, de yaya kuphuma naye kwisango elikhulu lentsimbi, elathi lona “lazivulekela.” Bathi bakuphuma entolongweni, ingelosi yathi shwaka. Wakhululeka ngaloo ndlela ke uPetros!
16 Kulomeleza ngokwenene ukholo lwethu ukucinga ngamandla kaYehova angasikelwanga mda okuhlangula abakhonzi bakhe! Ewe kona, asilindelanga ukuba asihlangule ngokungummangaliso kule mihla. Noko ke, sinokholo ngokupheleleyo lokuba kungekudala uYehova uya kusebenzisa amandla akhe ukuze akhulule abantu bakhe namhlanje. (2 Kron. 16:9) Esebenzisa umoya wakhe oyingcwele onamandla, unokusenza simelane naso nasiphi na isilingo. (2 Kor. 4:7; 2 Pet. 2:9) Yaye kungekudala uYehova uya kunika uNyana wakhe amandla okukhulula izigidi ngezigidi zabantu kweyona ntolongo ingenalusini, ukufa. (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Ukuba nokholo kwizithembiso zakhe kunokusenza sikhaliphe ngendlela engathethekiyo xa sijongene nezilingo namhlanje.
BANIKELA UBUNGQINA OBUCOKISEKILEYO NANGONA KWAKUKHO IMIQOBO
17. UPawulos wasimisela njani umzekelo omhle wokushumayela ngenzondelelo nangongxamiseko?
17 Nantsi inkalo yesithathu esiyifunda kubapostile ngokuhlala silindile: Baqhubeka benikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo nangona kwakukho imiqobo. Ukushumayela ngenzondelelo nangongxamiseko kubalulekile ukuze sihlale silindile. Umpostile uPawulos wayengumzekelo obalaseleyo kule nkalo. Wayezibhokoxa, ehamba imigama emide yaye eseka amabandla amaninzi. Wanyamezela iimvavanyo ezininzi, kodwa akazange ayeke ukukhuthala, engazange kananjalo ayeke ukwenza lo msebenzi ngongxamiseko.—2 Kor. 11:23-29.
18. UPawulos waqhubeka njani enikela ubungqina xa wayevalelwe kwintolongo yaseRoma?
18 Makhe sihlole iindinyana zokugqibela ezithetha ngoPawulos kwincwadi yeZenzo isahluko sama-28. Lo mpostile wafika eRoma, eze kuvela phambi koNero. Wagcinwa eluvalelweni, mhlawumbi ebotshelelwe ngemixokelelwane kumlindi wakhe. Kodwa loo mixokelelwane ayizange imval’ umlomo lo mpostile ukhutheleyo! UPawulos waqhubeka efuna iindlela anokushumayela ngazo. (Funda iZenzo 28:17, 23, 24.) Emva kweentsuku ezintathu, uPawulos wabizela kuye amadoda aziintloko angamaYuda ukuze anikele ubungqina kuwo. Kwathi ke ngosuku olubekiweyo, uPawulos wanikela ubungqina obuthe kratya. Indinyana 23 ithi: “[UPawulos kunye namaYuda asekuhlaleni] babekelana usuku . . . , yaye beza kuye bebaninzi kakhulu kwindawo awayehlala kuyo. Kwaye wabacacisela lo mbandela ngokunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngokuphathelele ubukumkani bukaThixo nangokusebenzisa ukweyisela kubo ngokuphathelele uYesu esusela kokubini emthethweni kaMoses nakubaProfeti, ukususela kusasa kwada kwahlwa.”
19, 20. (a) Yintoni eyayisenza uPawulos aphumelele kangaka xa enikela ubungqina? (b) Wathini uPawulos xa abanye abantu babengazamkeli iindaba ezilungileyo?
19 Yintoni eyayisenza uPawulos aphumelele kangaka ekunikeleni ubungqina? Phawula ukuba kwindinyana 23 kuchazwa izizathu eziliqela. (1) Wagxininisa kuBukumkani bukaThixo nakuYesu Kristu. (2) Wazama ukubongoza abo babemphulaphule ‘esebenzisa ukweyisela.’ (3) Waqiqa esebenzisa iZibhalo. (4) Wayengasoloko ekokosene nesiqu sakhe, wayeshumayela ‘ukususela kusasa kude kuhlwe.’ UPawulos wanikela ubungqina obunamandla, kodwa akazange aphulaphulwe ngabo bonke abantu. Indinyana 24 ithi: “Bambi bazikholelwa izinto awayezitsho; abanye babengakholwa.” Kwavuka impikiswano, baza abantu bachithakala.
20 Ngaba into yokuba abantu bengazange bazamkele bonke iindaba ezilungileyo yamtyhafisa uPawulos? Unotshe! IZenzo 28:30, 31 zisixelela oku: “Wahlala kangangeminyaka emibini iphela kwindlu yakhe ayiqeshileyo, yaye wayebamkela ngobubele bonke ababesiza kuye, eshumayela kubo ubukumkani bukaThixo yaye efundisa ngezinto eziphathelele iNkosi uYesu Kristu ngeyona nkululeko yokuthetha inkulu, ngaphandle kwesithintelo.” Iqukunjelwa ngaloo mazwi akhuthazayo ke incwadi ephefumlelweyo yeZenzo.
21. Sifunda ntoni kumzekelo kaPawulos xa wayelibanjwa elivalelwa endlwini?
21 Sifunda ntoni kumzekelo kaPawulos? Xa wayelibanjwa elivalelwa endlwini, uPawulos wayengavumelekanga ukuba anikele ubungqina kwindlu ngendlu. Kodwa waqhubeka enembono entle, eshumayela kubo bonke abantu ababesiza kuye. Ngendlel’ efanayo ke, abantu bakaThixo abaninzi namhlanje baqhubeka bevuya yaye beshumayela nangona bengamabanjwa adlelw’ indlala ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Abanye abazalwana noodadewethu abathandekayo bayimilwelwe ehlala endlini, kanti abanye bahlala kumakhaya anyamekela abakhulileyo ngenxa yokwaluphala okanye ukugula. Ngokwamandla abo, bashumayela koogqirha nakwabo babancedisayo, kanti bashumayela nakwabo beze kubatyelela, nabanye abantu abeza kubo. Umnqweno wabo omkhulu kukunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Siwuxabisa ngokwenene umzekelo wabo!
22. (a) Liliphi ilungiselelo lokusinceda singenelwe kwincwadi yeBhayibhile yeZenzo? (Sicela ufunde ibhokisi engasentla.) (b) Yintoni ozimisele ukuyenza njengoko ulindele ukupheliswa kwale nkqubo indala yezinto?
22 Licacile elokuba sinokufunda izinto ezininzi kubapostile bakaYesu nakwamanye amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala akhankanywe eBhayibhileni kwincwadi yeZenzo ngokuphathelele ukulinda. Njengoko silindele ukupheliswa kwale nkqubo indala yezinto, masizimisele ukuxelisa umzekelo wamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala wokunikela ubungqina ngenkalipho nangenzondelelo. Ngoku sinelungelo elikhulu ngendlela engathethekiyo ‘lokunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo’ ngoBukumkani bukaThixo!—IZe. 28:23.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 13]
“INCWADI YEZENZO AYINAKUZE IPHINDE IFANE KUM NANGAPHAMBILI”
Emva kokuba efunde incwadi ethi ‘Ukunikela Ubungqina Obucokisekileyo’ NgoBukumkani BukaThixo, umveleli ohambahambayo wathi xa wayechaza indlela ayijonga ngayo: “Incwadi yeZenzo ayinakuze ifane kum nangaphambili. Ngaphambili ndiyifunde kaninzi ingxelo yeZenzo kodwa ibingacaci ncam kuba bekungathi ndiyifunda ngekhandlela ndinxibe iiglasi ezinothuli. Ngoku kutsho kwee qwenge ngokungathi ndiyifunda ngokukhanya kwelanga.”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
Ingelosi yakhokelela uPetros kwisango lentsimbi elikhulu