“Ngidlulisela Icala KuKhesari!”

1, 2. (a) Yisiphi isimo uPawulu azithola ekuso? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo ophakamayo mayelana nokudlulisela kukaPawulu icala kuKhesari?

UPAWULU usalokhu eqashwe amasosha ngeso elibukhali eKhesariya. Ngesikhathi ebuyele eJudiya eminyakeni emibili edlule, amaJuda azama kathathu ukumbulala zingakapheli nezinsuku ezintathu elapho. (IzE. 21:27-36; 23:10, 12-15, 27) Kuze kube manje, izitha zakhe zehlulekile ukumbulala, kodwa aziyeki. Lapho uPawulu ebona ukuthi kusenamathuba okuba zimenze kabi, utshela uMbusi waseRoma uFestu: “Ngidlulisela icala kuKhesari!”—IzE. 25:11.

² Ingabe uJehova wasisekela isinqumo sikaPawulu sokudlulisela icala kumbusi waseRoma? Impendulo yalo mbuzo ibalulekile kithina esinikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kulesi sikhathi sokuphela. Kudingeka sazi ukuthi uPawulu wasibekela yini isibonelo ‘sokuvikela nokumisa ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle.’—Fil. 1:7.

“Ngimi Phambi Kwesihlalo Sokwahlulela” (IzEnzo 25:1-12)

3, 4. (a) Kungani amaJuda acela ukuba uPawulu alethwe eJerusalema, futhi wasinda kanjani ekufeni? (b) UJehova uziqinisa kanjani izinceku zakhe zanamuhla njengoba enza kuPawulu?

³ Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu ethathe izintambo, uFestu, umbusi omusha waseJudiya ongumRoma, waya eJerusalema.a Wafike walalela njengoba abapristi abakhulu namadoda avelele kumaJuda bebeka uPawulu amacala amabi kakhulu. Babazi ukuthi lo mbusi omusha kulindeleke ukuba agcine ukuthula nabo kanye nawo wonke amaJuda. Ngakho bacela umusa kuFestu: UPawulu makayiswe eJerusalema, icala lakhe liqulwe khona. Kodwa babenezinhloso ezimbi. Lezi zitha zazifuna ukumlalela unyendle uPawulu endleleni esuka eKhesariya eya eJerusalema zimbulale. UFestu wenqaba, wathi: “Labo abasesikhundleni sokuphatha phakathi kwenu, mabehle nami [siye eKhesariya] bambeke icala, uma ngempela kunokuthile okungalungile okwenziwe yile ndoda.” (IzE. 25:5) UPawulu waphinde wasinda kanjalo ekufeni.

⁴ Phakathi naso sonke isikhathi sokuvivinywa kukaPawulu, uJehova wasebenzisa iNkosi uJesu Kristu ukuba imqinise. Khumbula ukuthi embonweni, uJesu wathi kulo mphostoli wakhe: “Yiba nesibindi!” (IzE. 23:11) Nanamuhla izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zibhekana nezithiyo nezinsongo. UJehova akasivikeli kubo bonke ubunzima, kodwa usinikeza ukuhlakanipha namandla okukhuthazela. Ngaso sonke isikhathi singathembela ‘emandleni angaphezu kwavamile’ uNkulunkulu wethu onothando asinika wona.—2 Kor. 4:7.

5. UFestu wayisingatha kanjani indaba kaPawulu?

⁵ Ngemva kwezinsukwana, uFestu “wahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela” eKhesariya.b Phambi kwakhe kwakumi uPawulu nabamangaleli bakhe. Lapho eziphendulela emacaleni angenasisekelo ayemangalelwa ngawo, uPawulu wathi: “Angenzanga sono ngokumelene noMthetho wamaJuda noma ngokumelene nethempeli noma ngokumelene noKhesari.” Lo mphostoli wayengenacala futhi kwakufanele adedelwe. UFestu wayezokhipha siphi isahlulelo? Efuna ukuthandwa amaJuda, wabuza uPawulu: “Ingabe uthanda ukukhuphukela eJerusalema wahlulelwe khona phambi kwami mayelana nalezi zinto?” (IzE. 25:6-9) Yeka umbuzo ongenangqondo! Uma icala likaPawulu lalingathethelwa eJerusalema, abamangaleli bakhe kwakuyoba yibo abahluleli futhi babeyombulala nakanjani. UFestu wayekhetha ukuba izinto zihambele yena kahle kunokuba akhiphe isahlulelo esinobulungisa. Umbusi wangaphambili, uPontiyu Pilatu, wayenze okufanayo ecaleni lesiboshwa esasibaluleke nakakhulu. (Joh. 19:12-16) Abahluleli banamuhla nabo bangase bakhiphe izinqumo ezingenabulungisa ukuze bathandwe abantu. Ngakho, akufanele simangale lapho izinkantolo zikhipha izinqumo ezingenabulungisa emacaleni abekwe abantu bakaNkulunkulu.

6, 7. Kungani uPawulu acela ukudlulisela icala kuKhesari, futhi lokho kuwabekela siphi isibonelo amaKristu eqiniso namuhla?

⁶ Isifiso sikaFestu sokujabulisa amaJuda sasingafaka ukuphila kukaPawulu engozini. Ngakho-ke, uPawulu wasebenzisa ilungelo lakhe njengesakhamuzi saseRoma. Watshela uFestu: “Ngimi phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela sikaKhesari, lapho kufanele ngahlulelwe khona. Angonanga lutho kumaJuda, okuyinto nawe oyibonayo. . . . Ngidlulisela icala kuKhesari!” Kwakungavamile ukuba sihoxiswe leso sicelo uma sesenziwe. UFestu wakugcizelela lokho lapho ethi: “Udlulisele icala kuKhesari; uzoya kuKhesari.” (IzE. 25:10-12) Ngokucela ukuya egunyeni eliphakeme, uPawulu wawabekela isibonelo amaKristu eqiniso namuhla. Lapho abaphikisi bezama ukubiyela “izinkinga egameni lomthetho,” oFakazi BakaJehova basebenzisa amalungiselelo angokomthetho ukuze bavikele izindaba ezinhle.c—IHu. 94:20.

⁷ Ngakho, ngemva kokugqunywa ejele iminyaka engaphezu kwemibili ngamacala angawenzanga, uPawulu wanikezwa ithuba lokuziphendulela eRoma. Kodwa kunomunye umbusi owayefuna ukumbona ngaphambi kokuba ahambe.

‘Angizange Ngingalaleli’ (IzEnzo 25:13–26:23)

8, 9. Kungani iNkosi u-Agripha yavakashela eKhesariya?

⁸ Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa uPawulu ecele kuFestu ukuba icala lakhe lidluliselwe kuKhesari, iNkosi u-Agripha nodadewabo uBernike bahamba “beyovakashela” umbusi omusha.d Ngezikhathi zamaRoma, kwakuyisiko ngezikhulu ukuba zivakashele ababusi abasanda kubekwa. Ngokuhalalisela uFestu ngesikhundla sakhe esisha, akungabazeki ukuthi u-Agripha wayezama ukuqinisa ubuhlobo ezindabeni zokubusa nokwakha ubungane obabungase bube usizo esikhathini esizayo.—IzE. 25:13.

⁹ UFestu watshela inkosi ngoPawulu, futhi u-Agripha wayijabulela le ndaba. Ngakusasa, laba babusi ababili bahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, kodwa igunya nokubukisa kwabo okukhulu kwaba ubala uma kuqhathaniswa namazwi ayesezoshiwo isiboshwa esiphambi kwabo.—IzE. 25:22-27.

10, 11. UPawulu wambonisa kanjani u-Agripha inhlonipho, futhi yini ayitshela le nkosi mayelana nokuphila kwakhe kwangaphambili?

¹⁰ UPawulu wayibonga ngenhlonipho iNkosi u-Agripha ngethuba lokuzikhulumela eyamnika lona, wavuma ukuthi le nkosi yayiyisazi sawo wonke amasiko nezimpikiswano ezaziphakathi kwamaJuda. UPawulu wabe esechaza ukuphila kwakhe kwangaphambili: “Ngokweqembu lenkolo elinomthetho oqine kakhulu lendlela yethu yokukhonza, ngangiphila njengomFarisi.” (IzE. 26:5) NjengomFarisi, uPawulu wayenethemba lokufika kukaMesiya. Kodwa njengoba ayesengumKristu washo ngesibindi ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayeyilowo Mesiya okwase kuyisikhathi eside elindelwe. Inkolelo yena nabamangaleli bakhe ababevumelana ngayo—okungukuthi, ithemba lokugcwaliseka kwesithembiso uNkulunkulu asenza kokhokho babo—yiyona eyayiyisizathu sokuquliswa kukaPawulu icala ngalolo suku. Le ncazelo yenza u-Agripha wafuna ukwazi kabanzi ngalokho uPawulu ayezokusho.e

¹¹ Ekhumbula indlela ayewahlukumeza ngayo amaKristu, uPawulu wathi: “Mina ngokwami ngangiqiniseka ukuthi kufanele ngenze izenzo eziningi zokuphikisa igama likaJesu umNazaretha . . . Njengoba ngangibathukuthelele kakhulu [abalandeli bakaKristu], ngaze ngabashushisa ngisho nasemadolobheni angaphandle.” (IzE. 26:9-11) UPawulu wayengenzi ihaba. Abantu abaningi babeyazi indlela ayewahlukumeze ngayo amaKristu. (Gal. 1:13, 23) Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Agripha wazibuza, ‘Kazi yini eyayishintshe le ndoda?’

12, 13. (a) UPawulu wakuchaza kanjani ukuguquka kwakhe? (b) UPawulu ‘wayezikhahlela kanjani izimboko’?

¹² Amazwi kaPawulu alandelayo ayinikeza impendulo: “Ngangiya eDamaseku nginegunya futhi ngithunywe abapristi abakhulu, emini bebade ngabona endleleni, Nkosi, ukukhanya okuvela ezulwini okungaphezu kokukhazimula kwelanga kubanika nxazonke zami nalabo engangihamba nabo. Lapho sonke sesiwele phansi, ngezwa izwi lithi kimi ngolimi lwesiHebheru; ‘Sawulu, Sawulu, ungishushiselani? Ukuqhubeka ukhahlela izimboko kwenza izinto zibe nzima kuwe.’ Kodwa ngathi: ‘Ungubani wena Nkosi?’ INkosi yathi: ‘NginguJesu omshushisayo.’”f—IzE. 26:12-15.

¹³ Ngaphambi kokubona lo mbono ongavamile, uPawulu ‘wayekhahlela izimboko’ ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Njengoba nje inkabi ingazilimaza uma ingakhahlela induku ecijile eyenzelwe ukuyiqhuba nokuyiqondisa, noPawulu wayezilimazile ngokomoya ngokumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu. Ngokubonakala kuPawulu endleleni eya eDamaseku, uJesu ovusiwe wenza ukuba le ndoda eqotho, kodwa ngokusobala eyayidukisiwe, ishintshe ukucabanga kwayo.—Joh. 16:1, 2.

14, 15. UPawulu wathini ngezinguquko ayezenze ekuphileni kwakhe?

¹⁴ UPawulu wazenza ngempela izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Wathi ku-Agripha: “Angizange ngingawulaleli umbono wasezulwini, kodwa ngangilethe umyalezo kulabo abaseDamaseku kuqala nakulabo abaseJerusalema, nakulo lonke izwe laseJudiya nasezizweni, wokuthi kufanele baphenduke, baguqukele kuNkulunkulu ngokwenza imisebenzi efanele ukuphenduka.” (IzE. 26:19, 20) Kwase kudlule iminyaka eminingi uPawulu enza umsebenzi uJesu Kristu amthuma wona kulowaya mbono awuthola emini bebade. Kwaba namiphi imiphumela? Abantu abamukela izindaba ezinhle ezazishunyayelwa uPawulu bashiya izindlela zabo zokuziphatha okubi nokungathembeki, baphendukela kuNkulunkulu. Baba izakhamuzi ezinhle ezihlonipha umthetho nezineqhaza ekuletheni ukuhleleka.

¹⁵ Kodwa lezo zinto ezinhle zazingasho lutho kubaphikisi bakaPawulu abangamaJuda. UPawulu wathi: “Yingakho amaJuda angibamba ethempelini, azama ukungibulala. Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi ngithole usizo oluvela kuNkulunkulu, ngiyaqhubeka kuze kube namuhla ngifakaza kwabancane nabakhulu.”—IzE. 26:21, 22.

16. Singamlingisa kanjani uPawulu lapho sikhuluma nabahluleli nababusi ngezinkolelo zethu?

¹⁶ NjengamaKristu eqiniso, kumelwe ‘sihlale sikulungele ukuvikela’ ukholo lwethu. (1 Pet. 3:15) Lapho sikhuluma nabahluleli nababusi ngezinkolelo zethu, kungase kusize ukulingisa indlela uPawulu akhuluma ngayo no-Agripha noFestu. Ngokuzitshela ngenhlonipho iziphathimandla indlela amaqiniso eBhayibheli ashintshe ngayo ukuphila—okwethu nokwalabo abalalela isigijimi esisiphethe—singase sizithinte izinhliziyo.

“Uzongithonya Ukuba Ngibe UmKristu” (IzEnzo 26:24-32)

17. UFestu wasabela kanjani ngemva kokuzwa uPawulu eziphendulela, futhi isiphi isimo sengqondo esifanayo esisibona namuhla?

¹⁷ Njengoba laba babusi ababili belalele uPawulu ebeka ubufakazi obunamandla, bathinteka ngaphakathi. Yizwa ukuthi kwenzekani: “Njengoba uPawulu ayesho lezi zinto ezivikela, uFestu wamemeza wathi: ‘Uyahlanya Pawulu! Ukufunda kakhulu kuyakuhlanyisa!’” (IzE. 26:24) Ukuvutha ngolaka kukaFestu kusikhumbuza isimo sengqondo esisibonayo namuhla. Abantu abaningi bababheka njengabashiseka ngokweqile abantu abafundisa lokho okufundiswa yiBhayibheli ngempela. Ngokuvamile, kunzima ngezihlakaniphi zezwe ukwamukela imfundiso yeBhayibheli yokuvuswa kwabafile.

18. UPawulu wamphendula kanjani uFestu, futhi u-Agripha wathini?

¹⁸ Kodwa uPawulu wamphendula lo mbusi: “Angihlanyi Mhlonishwa Festu, kodwa ngikhuluma amazwi ayiqiniso navela engqondweni ehluzekile. Eqinisweni, inkosi engikhuluma nayo ngenkululeko engaka yazi kahle ngalezi zinto . . . Ingabe wena Nkosi Agripha uyakholelwa kubaProfethi? Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakholelwa.” U-Agripha waphendula: “Ngesikhashana nje uzongithonya ukuba ngibe umKristu.” (IzE. 26:25-28) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi la mazwi ayesuka enhliziyweni noma cha, abonisa ukuthi ukufakaza kukaPawulu kwayithinta ngokujulile le nkosi.

19. UFestu no-Agripha bafika kusiphi isiphetho ngoPawulu?

¹⁹ U-Agripha noFestu base besukuma, bebonisa ukuthi sebeqedile ukulalela uPawulu. “Njengoba besuka, bakhuluma bodwa, bethi: ‘Lo muntu akukho lutho alwenzayo olumenza afanelwe ukufa noma ukuboshwa.’ U-Agripha wathi kuFestu: ‘Lo muntu ngabe ukhululiwe ukuba akalidluliselanga kuKhesari icala.’” (IzE. 26:31, 32) Babazi ukuthi le ndoda ababeqeda kuyilalela yayingenacala. Mhlawumbe manje base bezowathandathanda amaKristu.

20. Ukufakaza kukaPawulu phambi kwababusi kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

²⁰ Kubonakala kungekho noyedwa kulaba babusi abanamandla okulandiswa ngabo lapha owamukela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ingabe kwakuwukuhlakanipha ngomphostoli uPawulu ukuvela phambi kwalawo madoda? Impendulo inguyebo. ‘Ukulethwa kukaPawulu phambi kwamakhosi nababusi’ eJudiya kwenza ukuba ubufakazi bufinyelele nasezindaweni zombuso wamaRoma okungenzeka zazingafinyeleleki ngaleso sikhathi. (Luka 21:12, 13) Izinto abhekana nazo kanye nokwethembeka kwakhe lapho eshushiswa kwakhuthaza namanye amakholwa.—Fil. 1:12-14.

21. Yimiphi imiphumela emihle esingase siyithole uma siqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso?

²¹ Kunjalo nanamuhla. Uma siqhubeka nomsebenzi woMbuso naphezu kokulingwa nokuphikiswa, singase sithole imiphumela emihle. Singase sikwazi ukushumayeza iziphathimandla obekungase kube nzima ukuzifinyelela. Ukukhuthazela kwethu ngokwethembeka kungakhuthaza abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu, kubenze babonise isibindi esengeziwe emsebenzini wokunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.