Ukushikashikeka Ngenxa Yezindaba Ezinhle EThesalonika

IThesalonika, namuhla elaziwa ngokuthi iThessaloníki noma iSalonika, iyidolobha elinetheku elichumayo eningizimu-mpumalanga yeGreece. Njengedolobha, lafeza indima ebalulekile emlandweni wamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala, ikakhulukazi enkonzweni kaPawulu, umKristu ongumphostoli ezizweni.—IZENZO 9:15; ROMA 11:13.

CISHE ngo-50 C.E., uPawulu noSila baya eThesalonika. Babesohambweni lukaPawulu lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli, kuyithuba labo lokuqala lokushumayela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu endaweni namuhla eyaziwa ngokuthi iYurophu.

Ngesikhathi befika eThesalonika, babesakukhumbula kahle ukushaywa nokuboshwa kwabo eFilipi, inhloko-dolobha yaseMakedoniya. Eqinisweni, kamuva uPawulu watshela abaseThesalonika ukuthi ngesikhathi ebavakashele, wayeshumayele “izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu ngokushikashikeka okukhulu.” (1 Thesalonika 2:1, 2) Ingabe isimo sasizoba ngcono eThesalonika? Kwakuzokwenzekani lapho beshumayela kuleli dolobha? Ingabe inkonzo yabo yayizoba nezithelo? Okokuqala, ake sihlole leli dolobha lasendulo ngokwalo.

Idolobha Elinomlando Wezingxabano

Kwalona nje igama elithi Thesalonika, lisuselwa encazelweni yamagama esiGreki amabili elisho “abantu basethafeni elivundile” nelisho “ukunqoba,” asikisela umzabalazo nokulwa. Kukholelwa ukuthi ngo-352 B.C.E., inkosi yaseMakedoniya uPhilip II, ubaba ka-Alexander Omkhulu, yanqoba isizwe esasisenkabeni yeGrisi eThessaly. Kuthiwa ukuze ikhumbule lokho kunqoba, yetha enye yamadodakazi ayo ngokuthi uThessalonice, kamuva eyashada noCassander, owaba inkosi ngemva komlamu wakhe u-Alexander. Cishe ngo-315 B.C.E., uCassander wakha idolobha entshonalanga yeNhlonhlo YaseChalcidice walibiza ngegama lomkakhe. Umlando weThesalonika ubonisa ukuthi yayihlale inezingxabano.

IThesalonika yayibuye ibe idolobha elichumayo. Yayinetheku lemvelo eliphambili kunawo wonke oLwandle i-Aegean. Ngezikhathi zamaRoma, iThesalonika yayisemgwaqweni omkhulu odumile iVia Egnatia. Ngenxa yokuthi yayikule ndawo egudle ulwandle nezwe, yayingenye yezindawo uMbuso waseRoma owawuzisebenzisela ukuhweba. Ngemva kweminyaka, ukuchuma kwaleli dolobha kwenza ukuba amaGoth, amaSlav, amaFrank, abantu baseVenice, nabaseTurkey balifise. Abanye kubo bayithatha ngodlí indawo kwachitheka negazi. Kodwa okwamanje ake sigxile ohambweni lukaPawulu ngesikhathi eqala ukushikashikeka ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle.

Ukufika KukaPawulu EThesalonika

Ngokuvamile uma uPawulu efika emzini, wayeqale akhulume namaJuda ngoba ayejwayelene nemiBhalo futhi wayengawasiza aqonde izindaba ezinhle. Esinye isazi sithi mhlawumbe le ndlela kaPawulu yayibonisa ukuthi wayebakhathalela abantu bakubo noma wayefuna ukusebenzisa amaJuda nabanye abesaba uNkulunkulu njengesisekelo somsebenzi wakhe kubantu beZizwe.—IzEnzo. 17:2-4.

Ngakho lapho uPawulu efika eThesalonika waqale wangena esinagogeni “wabonisana nabo [amaJuda] ngemiBhalo, ebonisa ngezingcaphuno ukuthi kwakudingekile ukuba uKristu ahlupheke futhi avuke kwabafileyo, ethi: ‘Lona nguye uKristu, lo Jesu engimmemezela kini.’”—IzEnzo 17:2, 3, 10.

Lokho uPawulu axoxa ngakho—indima kaMesiya nokuthi ungubani—kwakuyindaba evusa impikiswano. Ukukhuluma ngoMesiya owahlupheka wafa kwakuphambene nombono wamaJuda ayelindele uMesiya oyiqhawe elinqobayo. Ukuze awakholise, uPawulu “wabonisana” nawo, ‘wachaza’ futhi ‘wabonisa ngezingcaphuno’ zemiBhalo—izici ezibonisa ukuthi umuntu ungumfundisi onekhono.a Kodwa zasabela kanjani izilaleli zakhe lapho ezifundisa lawo maqiniso amahle?

Inkonzo Enezithelo Kodwa Engelula

Amanye amaJuda namaGreki angamaproselithe amaningi, kuhlanganise “nabaningana kwabesifazane abavelele” basamukela isigijimi sikaPawulu. Amazwi athi “abesifazane abavelele” afaneleka ngokukhethekile ngoba emphakathini waseMakedoniya abesifazane babehlonishwa. Babenezikhundla emphakathini, benezindawo ezithi bona, benamalungelo athile abawajabulelayo futhi behileleke nakwezamabhizinisi. Kwakumiswa ngisho namatshe ezikhumbuzo ukuze badunyiswe. Njengoba nje owesifazane ongusomabhizinisi eFilipi, uLidiya, amukela izindaba ezinhle, lokho kwenza ukuba nabesifazane abahlonishwayo eThesalonika basabele, okungenzeka babevela emindenini emi kahle noma bengamakhosikazi abantu abavelele emphakathini.—IzEnzo 16:14, 15; 17:4.

Nokho, amaJuda aba nomona. Athatha “amadoda akhohlakele phakathi komahlalela basesigcawini bawahlanganisa nawo baba yiviyo benza isiyaluyalu emzini.” (IzEnzo 17:5) Ayeluhlobo luni la madoda? Esinye isazi seBhayibheli siwachaza ngokuthi “ayeyimiphuphe futhi engasizi ngalutho.” Siqhubeka sithi: “Akubonakali ukuthi ayenendaba nesigijimi esasishunyayelwa; kodwa njengezinye izixuku, ayethatheka kalula, efuna noma yini engase idale isiyaluyalu.”

Leso sixuku esihlangene ‘sahlasela umuzi kaJasoni owayengenise uPawulu, sifuna ukuba balethwe esixukwini esinesiyaluyalu.’ Lapho singamtholi uPawulu saphendukela ezikhulwini zomuzi. Ngakho la madoda “ahudulela uJasoni nabazalwane abathile kubabusi bomuzi, ememeza: ‘La madoda ayaluzisa umhlaba owakhiwe asekhona nalapha.’”—IzEnzo 17:5, 6.

Njengoba iThesalonika yayiyinhloko-dolobha yaseMakedoniya yayizimele. Ingxenye kahulumeni wayo ozimele yayiba nesigungu sabantu noma umkhandlu womphakathi, owawusingatha izindaba zomphakathi. “Ababusi bedolobha” noma ama-politarch,b kwakuyizikhulu eziphakeme, ezazibophekile ukuba zigcine ukuhleleka futhi ziqede izimo ezingaholela ekubeni amaRoma angenele futhi abaphuce amalungelo okubusa idolobha. Ngakho laba babusi babengathukuthela kabi uma bezwa ukuthi ukuthula komphakathi kuphazanyiswa “abantu abawuhlupho.”

Babe sebebekwa icala elinzima nakakhulu: “La madoda enza ngokuphikisana nezinqumo zikaKhesari, ethi kukhona enye inkosi, uJesu.” (IzEnzo 17:7) Enye incwadi ithi lokhu kwakusho “ukuvukela umbuso nokuvukela” ababusi “ababengeke bavumele igama [lenye] inkosi liphathwe kunoma iziphi izifunda ezinqotshiwe ngaphandle kwemvume yabo.” Okunye, ukuthi uJesu, uPawulu ayemmemezela njengeNkosi, wayebulawe ababusi bamaRoma ngenxa yalo kanye icala lokuvukela umbuso okwenza kwabonakala sengathi impela lezi zinsolo ziyiqiniso.—Luka 23:2.

Ababusi bedolobha bathukuthela. Kodwa njengoba babungekho ubufakazi obuphathekayo nomsolwa engatholakali, “ngemva kokuthatha kuqala isibambiso esanele kuJasoni nabanye babadedela.” (IzEnzo 17:8, 9) Leli lungiselelo lingabhekisela ohlotsheni oluthile lwebheyili olwalusho ukuthi uJasoni namanye amaKristu bayaqinisekisa ukuthi uPawulu uzophuma aphele kuleli dolobha futhi ngeke aphinde abuye azobangela isiyaluyalu. Mhlawumbe uPawulu wayebhekisela kulesi senzakalo lapho ethi “uSathane wayivimba indlela [yakhe]” wamvimbela ukuba abuyele kuleli dolobha.—1 Thesalonika 2:18.

Ngenxa yalokhu, uPawulu noSila bakhishwa ngesinyenyela ebusuku baya eBhereya. Inkonzo kaPawulu yaba nezithelo nalapho, kodwa le mpumelelo yazithukuthelisa izitha zakhe ezingamaJuda eThesalonika zaze zathatha uhambo olungamakhilomitha angu-80 ukuze ziyobhebhezela izixuku eBhereya ukuba zibaphikise. Ngokushesha uPawulu waphinde wangena indlela walibangisa e-Athene, kodwa ukushikashikeka ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle kwakusaqhubeka.—IzEnzo 17:10-14.

Izinselele Zebandla Elisha

Ngokujabulisayo, kwamiswa ibandla eThesalonika, kodwa lawo maKristu awabhekananga nenselele yokuphikiswa kuphela. Ayehlala endaweni yabantu abangamaqaba, enokuziphatha okubi futhi lokhu kwenza uPawulu angakhululeki. Abafowabo babezokwenzenjani?—1 Thesalonika 2:17; 3:1, 2, 5.

AmaKristu eThesalonika ayazi ukuthi lapho eyeka ukuhlanganyela ezintweni zomphakathi nezenkolo ezazenziwa kulelo dolobha kwakufanele abhekane nenzondo nentukuthelo yababengabangane bawo. (Johane 17:14) Ngaphezu kwalokho, iThesalonika yayigcwele amathempeli onkulunkulu bamaGreki njengoZeyusi, u-Arthemisi no-Apholo kanye nabanye onkulunkulu baseGibhithe. Ukukhulekela uKhesari nakho kwakwandile futhi zonke izakhamuzi kwakufanele zigcine amasiko kaKhesari. Ukwenqaba ukuhlanganyela kwakungase kubhekwe njengokuvukela umbuso waseRoma.

Ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe kwakuholela ekuziphatheni okuxekethile. UCabirus, unkulunkulu waseThesalonika; uDionysus no-Aphrodite; no-Isis waseGibhithe bonke babefana ngokuthile: lapho bekhulekelwa kwakuba nemibuthano yokuzitika ngobulili nokudakwa. Ukuba nezancinza nokudayisa ngomzimba kwakwandile. Ubufebe babungesona isono kulo mphakathi. Wawuthonywe kakhulu amasiko amaRoma, umthombo othile othi ngawo, “izakhamuzi eziningi zazisebenzela nje ukwanelisa noma isiphi isifiso senyama sanoma imuphi umuntu—futhi odokotela babeluleka ngokuthi izifiso ezinjalo akufanele zicindezelwe noma zinganakwa.” Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani uPawulu eluleka amaKristu akuleyo ndawo ukuba ‘adede ebufebeni’ futhi agweme ‘isifiso sobulili sokukhanuka’ ‘nokungcola.’—1 Thesalonika 4:3-8.

Bayinqoba Impi

AmaKristu eThesalonika kwakufanele alulwele kanzima ukholo. Nokho, naphezu kokuphikiswa, ubunzima nokuhlala endaweni yamaqaba enokuziphatha okubi, uPawulu wawancoma ‘ngomsebenzi wawo wokwethembeka, umshikashika wothando, nokubekezela,’ kanye nalokho akwenza ekusakazweni kwezindaba ezinhle kabanzi nakude.—1 Thesalonika 1:3, 8.

Ngo-303  C.E., kwaqubuka ushushiso olunzima eMbusweni waseRoma olumelene nalabo ababethi bangamaKristu. Ubhongoza kwakunguCaesar Galerius, owayehlala eThesalonika futhi wakha izakhiwo ezinkulu ezibabazekayo. Asekhona amanxiwa azo abukwa izivakashi.

Namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova eThessaloníki bashumayela komakhelwane babo, ngokuvamile phambi kwazo kanye izakhiwo ezakhiwa yileso sitha sobuKristu esinonya. Nakuba kwaba nezikhathi ekhulwini lama-20 lapho babeshumayela ngaphansi kokuphikiswa okunzima, manje kunamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova abakhuthele angaba ngu-60. Imizamo yabo ibonisa ukuthi ukushikashikekela ukusakaza izindaba ezinhle okwaqala emakhulwini eminyaka edlule kusaqhubeka ngempumelelo kuze kube namuhla.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 18]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-Via Egnatia

IMAKEDONIYA

IFilipi

I-Amfipholi

IThesalonika

IBhereya

ITHESSALY

ULwandle i-Aegean

I-ATHENE

[Izithombe ekhasini 20, 21]

Ngenhla: iThessaloníki namuhla;

Ngenhla: isikhungo nendlu yamaRoma yokugeza e-Agora

[Umthombo]

Two bottom left images: 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Izithombe ekhasini 21]

Irotunda eduze nekhothamo likaGalerius; Ubuso bukaCaesar Galerius Obuqoshiwe; ukushumayela eduze nekhothamo likaGalerius

[Umthombo]

Middle image: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism

[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 18]

Head medallion: © Bibliothèque nationale de France; stone inscription: Thessalonica Archaeological Museum, copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism