Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi

Ingabe amazwi kaStefanu awasho encwadini yezEnzo 7:59 abonisa ukuthi kufanele sithandaze kuJesu ngokuqondile?

IzEnzo 7:59 zithi: “Baqhubeka bejikijela uStefanu ngamatshe njengoba enxusa ethi: ‘Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami.’” Lawo mazwi aye enza abantu abaningi baba nemibuzo ezingqondweni zabo, njengoba iBhayibheli lithi uJehova ‘unguMuzwi Womthandazo.’ (IHubo 65:2) Ingabe uStefanu wayethandaza kuJesu ngempela? Ingabe lokhu bekuyosho ukuthi uJesu unguJehova?

I-King James Version ithi uStefanu ‘wayekhuleka kuNkulunkulu.’ Khona-ke, kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani abaningi befinyelela isiphetho esafinyelelwa umkhulumeli weBhayibheli uMatthew Henry, owathi: “UStefanu lapha uthandaza kuKristu, ngakho nathi kufanele sithandaze kuye.” Nokho, lowo mbono unephutha. Kungani?

I-Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament ivuma ngobuqotho, ithi: “Igama elithi Nkulunkulu alikho enguqulweni yakuqala, ngakho kwakungafanele libe khona enguqulweni yeBhayibheli. Alikho nhlobo [emibhalweni yesandla] noma ezinguqulweni zamandulo.” Lafakwa kanjani-ke pho leli gama elithi “Nkulunkulu” kulelo vesi? Isazi u-Abiel Abbot Livermore sibiza lesi senzo ngokuthi “isibonelo sokuthambekela kwabahumushi ezimfundisweni zamahlelo abo.” Ngakho-ke, izinguqulo eziningi zanamuhla azilifaki leli gama elithi Nkulunkulu elafakelwa kamuva.

Noma kunjalo, izinguqulo eziningi zithi uStefanu “wathandaza” kuJesu. Futhi umbhalo waphansi we-New World Translation—with References ubonisa ukuthi igama elithi ‘-nxusa’ lingasho futhi “isicelo esijulile; umthandazo.” Bekungeke-ke yini lokho kubonise ukuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke? Cha. I-Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words iyachaza ukuthi kulo mongo, igama lesiGreki sakuqala, elithi e·pi·ka·leʹo, lisho: “Ukucela usizo, ukunxusa; . . . ukudlulisela icala konegunya.” UPawulu wasebenzisa lona kanye leli gama lapho ethi: ‘Ngidlulisela icala kuKesari!’ (IzEnzo 25:11) Ngokufanelekile-ke, i-New English Bible ithi uStefanu “wakhamuluka ecela usizo” kuJesu.

Yini eyashukumisela uStefanu ukuba anxuse uJesu ngale ndlela? Ngokwencwadi yezEnzo 7:55, 56, uStefanu, “egcwele uMoya oNgcwele wagqolozela ezulwini‚ wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu; noJesu emi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.” Njengokuvamile, uStefanu wayeyocela kuJehova egameni likaJesu. Kodwa njengoba ayebona uJesu ovusiwe embonweni, wazizwa ekhululekile ukuba amnxuse ngokuqondile, ethi: “Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami.” UStefanu wayazi ukuthi uJesu unikwe igunya lokuvusa abafileyo. (Johane 5:27-29) Ngakho-ke wacela uJesu ukuba alonde umoya wakhe, noma amandla okuphila, kuze kube usuku lapho uJesu eyomvusela khona ekuphileni okungenakufa emazulwini.

Ingabe la mazwi amafushane kaStefanu ayisibonelo sokuba kuthandazwe kuJesu? Lutho neze. Esinye sezizathu ukuthi uStefanu wawuveza ngokucacile umehluko phakathi kukaJesu noJehova, ngoba ukulandisa kuthi wabona uJesu “emi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.” Futhi, lezi zenzakalo zazingavamile. Umphostoli uJohane nguye kuphela omunye umuntu owakhuluma noJesu ngokuqondile lapho embona embonweni washo amazwi athi awafane.—IsAmbulo 22:16, 20.

Nakuba amaKristu namuhla ethandaza ngokuqondile kuJehova uNkulunkulu, okuyinto efanele, nawo anokholo olungenakuzanyazanyiswa lokuthi uJesu ‘ungukuvuka nokuphila.’ (Johane 11:25) Njengoba lwenza kuStefanu, ukholo lokuthi uJesu angakwazi ukuvusa abalandeli bakhe ekufeni lungasisiza futhi lusiqinise nathi ngezikhathi zovivinyo.