ISAHLUKO 17
“Wabonisana Labo NgeMibhalo”
Indlela ephumelelayo yokufundisa; isibonelo esihle sabantu beBheriya
Isihloko lesi sisekelwe kumiSebenzi 17:1-15
1, 2. Ngobani abasuka eFiliphi besiya eThesalonika futhi bangabe becabangani?
KUSEMGWAQWENI osetshenziswa kakhulu odabula phakathi kwezintaba owenziwa ngomanjinela beRoma abazingcitshi. Kuzwakala imisindo etshiyeneyo emgwaqweni lo. Kuleyabobabhemi, eyezinqola ezihamba khonapho leyabantu abatshiyeneyo okugoqela amasotsha labantu abathengisayo. UPhawuli loSila loThimothi bahamba ngomgwaqo lo besuka eFiliphi besiya eThesalonika futhi bazahamba umango ongamakhilomitha adlula 130. Kodwa uhambo lolu alulula ikakhulu kuPhawuli loSila ngoba balokhu befuthelwa ngenxa yokutshaywa ngemiqwayi eFiliphi.—Imiseb. 16:22, 23.
2 Amadoda la ahamba exoxa ukuze angaboni ubude bomango. Abakayikhohlwa indoda yaseFiliphi engumgcinijele lemuli yayo abacina sebengamakholwa. Lokhu sekwenze amadoda la azimisela kakhulu ukuqhubeka efakaza ngoNkulunkulu. Kodwa njengoba sebesondela edolobheni leThesalonika kungenzeka bayazibuza ukuthi amaJuda asedolobheni lelo azabaphatha njani. Kambe ukuthi bazaphinda batshaywe yini njengaseFiliphi?
3. Okwenziwa nguPhawuli ukuze abe lesibindi sokutshumayela kungasinceda njani lamuhla?
3 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli wachasisa indlela ayezizwa ngayo encwadini ayibhalela amaKhristu ayeseThesalonika, wathi: “Lanxa saqala sahlupheka njalo saphathwa kubi eFiliphi njengoba likwazi, uNkulunkulu wethu wasincedisa ukuthi siqunge isibindi ukuze silitshele izindaba ezinhle eziphathelane laye lanxa sasiphikiswa kakhulu.” (1 Thes. 2:2) Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi umphostoli uPhawuli wayekhathazekile ngokuya edolobheni leThesalonika ngenxa yalokho okwakwenzakale eFiliphi. Lawe uyake uzizwe njengoPhawuli yini? Uyake ukubone kunzima yini ukutshumayela izindaba zinhle ngezinye izikhathi? UPhawuli wathembela kuJehova ukuthi amqinise amenze aqunge isibindi ayesidinga. Ukuhlola isibonelo sakhe kungakunceda ukuthi lawe wenze okufananayo.—1 Khor. 4:16.
‘Wabonisana NgeMibhalo’ (Imiseb. 17:1-3)
4. Kungani singathi uPhawuli kazange ahlale amaviki amathathu kuphela eThesalonika?
4 Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lisitshela ukuthi ngesikhathi uPhawuli eseThesalonika watshumayela esinagogeni okwamaSabatha amathathu. Manje lokhu sekusitsho ukuthi wahlala edolobheni lelo okwamaviki amathathu kuphela yini? Hatshi. Phela asikwazi ukuthi uPhawuli wahamba emasinagogeni eselesikhathi esingakanani esedolobheni lelo. Incwadi zakhe zisitshela ukuthi ngesikhathi eseThesalonika, yena lamadoda ayelawo babesebenza ukuze bathole okokuziphilisa. (1 Thes. 2:9; 2 Thes. 3:7, 8) Kanti njalo ngesikhathi esedolobheni lelo abazalwane baseFiliphi bamthumezela kabili izinto ayezidinga. (Flp. 4:16) Yikho kungenzeka uPhawuli wahlala eThesalonika okwesikhathi esidlula amaviki amathathu.
5. UPhawuli wabancedisa njani abantu ukuthi bayizwisise iMibhalo?
5 Esequnge isibindi sokutshumayela, uPhawuli wakhuluma lababebuthene esinagogeni. Njengenjayelo “wayebonisana labo ngeMibhalo, ebachasisela njalo ebatshengisa ngeMibhalo ukuthi uKhristu kwakumele ahlupheke futhi avuke kwabafileyo. Wayesithi: ‘UJesu lo engilitshumayeza ngaye nguye uKhristu.’” (Imiseb. 17:2, 3) Lapha uPhawuli wayengazami ukutshintsha indlela ababezizwa ngayo kodwa wabonisana labo efuna bacabangisise. Wayekwazi ukuthi labo ababebuya esinagogeni babeyijayele futhi beyihlonipha iMibhalo kodwa babengayizwisisi ngokupheleleyo. Yikho uPhawuli wabonisana labo, wabachasisela njalo wabatshengisa ngeMibhalo ukuthi uJesu waseNazaretha wayenguMesiya owayethenjisiwe kumbe uKhristu.
6. UJesu wayebonisana njani labafundi bakhe futhi kwaphetha ngani?
6 UPhawuli walandela isibonelo sikaJesu owayesekela konke akufundisayo eMibhalweni. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uJesu etshumayela emhlabeni watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi iMibhalo yayisithi iNdodana yomuntu kumele ihlupheke, ibisibulawa futhi ivuswe kwabafileyo. (Mat. 16:21) Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu wabonakala kubafundi bakhe. Lokhu kwakumele kubatshengise ukuthi ayebatshele khona kwakuliqiniso. Kodwa wabapha obunye ubufakazi. IBhayibhili lilandisa akutshela abanye abafundi bakhe, lithi: “Waseqalisela kuMosi lakubo bonke abaPhrofethi, wabachasisela izinto eziphathelane laye eziseMibhalweni yonke.” Kwaphetha ngani? Abafundi bababaza bathi: “Inhliziyo zethu bezingavuthi yini ngesikhathi ekhuluma lathi emgwaqweni, esichasisela kuhle iMibhalo?”—Luk. 24:13, 27, 32.
7. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sisebenzise iBhayibhili nxa sifundisa?
7 ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lilamandla. (Heb. 4:12) Yikho amaKhristu lamuhla asekela lokho akufundisayo kulo njengalokho okwakusenziwa nguJesu, uPhawuli labanye abaphostoli. Siyabatshengisa ubufakazi balokho esibafundisa khona ngokuvula iBhayibhili ukuze bazibonele lokho elikutshoyo besesibonisana labo ngeMibhalo sibachasisele lokho ekutshoyo. Phela asitshumayeli okuvela kithi. Nxa sihlala sisebenzisa iBhayibhili ekutshumayeleni abantu bazabona ukuthi esibatshela khona kuvela kuNkulunkulu. Kumele sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi esikutshumayelayo kusekelwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu futhi singakuthemba sibili. Lokhu akukwenzi ube lesibindi sokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle njengoPhawuli yini?
‘Abanye Baba Ngamakholwa’ (Imiseb. 17:4-9)
8-10. (a) Abantu baseThesalonika bazamukela njani izindaba ezinhle? (b) Yindaba amanye amaJuda aba lomhawu ngoPhawuli? (c) Abaphikisi abangamaJuda benzani?
8 UPhawuli wayesekubonile ukuthi uJesu wayengaqambi manga ngesikhathi esithi: “Inceku kayinkulu kulenkosi yayo. Nxa bengihlukuluzile lani bazalihlukuluza, nxa belalele ilizwi lami bazalilalela lelenu.” (Joh. 15:20) EseThesalonika uPhawuli wahlangana labantu ababefuna ukulalela izindaba ezinhle labanye ababengafuni. Ekhuluma ngalabo ababezimisele ukulalela, uLukha wabhala wathi: “Abanye babo [amaJuda] baba ngamakholwa [amaKhristu] bazihlanganisa loPhawuli loSila, lamaGrikhi amanengi ayekhonza uNkulunkulu enza njalo kanye labesifazana abanengana abadumileyo.” (Imiseb. 17:4) Asithandabuzi ukuthi abafundi laba abatsha bathokoza ngenxa yokuthi basebencedisiwe ukuthi bayizwisise kuhle iMibhalo.
9 Lanxa abanye babekuqakathekisa njalo bebonga ngalokho ababekufundiswe nguPhawuli abanye bamzondela kakhulu. Amanye amaJuda ayeseThesalonika aba lomhawu ngoPhawuli ngenxa yokuthi ‘amaGrikhi amanengi’ ayezamukele izindaba ezinhle ayezitshumayela. AmaJuda la ayefuna ukuguqulela abantu bezinye izizwe enkolweni yesiJuda futhi ayesefundise amaGrikhi esebenzisa iMibhalo yesiHebheru yikho ayesebabona njengabantu bawo. Manje khathesi kwasekukhanya angani uPhawuli wayeselande ukuzotshontsha abantu babo futhi ekwenzela esinagogeni labo! Yikho amaJuda la azonda abila.
‘Ayefuna bakhitshelwe phandle balethwe kuwo.’—ImiSebenzi 17:5
10 ULukha usitshela okwenzakalayo ngemva kwalokho uthi: “AmaJuda aba lomhawu asebiza amanye amadoda ayizigangi ayebhodabhoda emakethe, awabuthanisa aba liqembu elikhulu. Aqalisa ukwenza isiphithiphithi, abangela ukuthi kube lokuxokozela edolobheni lonke. Ahlasela indlu kaJasoni efuna ukuthi uPhawuli loSila bakhitshelwe phandle balethwe kuwo. Athi esebaswele abamba uJasoni labanye abazalwane abasa kubabusi bedolobho ememeza esithi: ‘Abantu laba asebephambanise umhlaba wonke sebekhona lalapha futhi uJasoni ubamukele ngazo zombili emzini wakhe. Bonke baphikisana lemithetho kaKhesari besithi kulenye inkosi okuthiwa nguJesu.’” (Imiseb. 17:5-7) Manje uPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo basebezakwenzani?
11. UPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo bamangalelwa ngani futhi yiwuphi umthetho abaphikisi ababengabe becabanga ngawo? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)
11 Abantu bangabuthana belenhloso yokuhlasela baba yingozi kakhulu. Baba lodlakela futhi abathuliseki njengomfula othwele izigodo. AmaJuda azama ukusebenzisa ixuku labantu ukuze axotshe uPhawuli loSila. Kuthe ‘sokube lokuxokozela’ edolobheni lonke, amaJuda asezama ukuyenga ababusi ukuthi bacabange ukuthi amacala amadoda la ayemangalelwa ngawo ayemakhulu sibili. Aqala amangalela uPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo ngokuthi ‘babephambanise umhlaba wonke’ lanxa kwakungayisibo ababebangele isiphithiphithi esasiseThesalonika. Icala lesibili ababamangalela ngalo lalilikhulu sibili. AmaJuda athi abanali laba babefuna abantu baqakathekise eyinye iNkosi okuthiwa nguJesu yikho babephikisana lemithetho kaKhesari. a
12. AmaKhristu eThesalonika ayemangalelwa ngamacala amakhulu kangakanani?
12 Khumbula ukuthi abakhokheli benkolo bamangalela uJesu ngecala elifananayo. Batshela uPhilathu bathi: ‘Sithole indoda le idukisa isizwe sethu futhi isithi yona inguKhristu inkosi.’ (Luk. 23:2) Esezwe lokhu uPhilathu wesaba ukuthi uKhesari uzacabanga ukuthi uvumelana lokuvukelwa kombuso yikho wathi uJesu abulawe. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi amacala ayemangalelwa amaKhristu aseThesalonika ayengabangela ukuthi ahlangane lobunzima obukhulu sibili. Elinye ibhuku lithi: “Iqiniso elikhona yikuthi amaKhristu la ayesengozini sibili ngoba ‘khona nje ukucatshangelwa ukuthi uvukela uKhesari kwakungabangela ukuthi ubulawe.’” Manje ukuhlasela lokhu kwakuzaphumelela yini?
13, 14. (a) Kungani ixuku lehluleka ukuvimba umsebenzi wokutshumayela? (b) UPhawuli watshengisa njani ukuthi uqaphile futhi singamlingisela njani?
13 Kungani ixuku lehluleka ukuvimba umsebenzi wokutshumayela eThesalonika? Okokuqala, lamdinga lamswela uPhawuli loSila. Okwesibili, ababusi abazange bawakholwe amacala uPhawuli loSila ababemangalelwa ngawo. Yikho ngemva ‘kokuhlawulisa’ uJasoni labanye abazalwane, babakhulula. (Imiseb. 17:8, 9) UPhawuli labanye bakhe balandela iseluleko sikaJesu ‘sokuthi baqaphe njengezinyoka kodwa babemsulwa njengamajuba.’ Yikho bacatsha sebebone ingozi ukuze baqhubeke betshumayela kwezinye indawo. (Mat. 10:16) Kuyacaca ukuthi lanxa uPhawuli wayelesibindi wayengahambi ezifaka engozini. AmaKhristu angamlingisela njani?
14 Esikhathini sethu abafundisi bamasonto amanga bajayele ukutshotshozela amaxuku abantu ukuthi ahlasele oFakazi bakaJehova. Babamangalela ngokuvukela umbuso futhi bajayele ukuqila ababusi ukuthi bazonde oFakazi. Okwenza benze konke lokhu yikuthi balomhawu ngoFakazi bakaJehova njengabaphikisi besikhathi samaKhristu akuqala. Lanxa kunjalo amaKhristu eqiniso awazifaki engozini. Siyazama ukungaphikisani labantu abalolaka kodwa siyaziqhubekela ngomsebenzi wokutshumayela ngokuthula, mhlawumbe besesiphenduka nxa ulaka lwabo selwehlile.
“Babezimisele Ukufunda” (Imiseb. 17:10-15)
15. AbaseBheriya bazamukela njani izindaba ezinhle?
15 Abazalwane bathi ukuze uPhawuli loSila bavikeleke kwakumele baye eBheriya eyayiqhelelane leThesalonika ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-65. Bathi befika baya esinagogeni baxoxa labantu ababebuthene khonapho. Akucabange ukuthi bathokoza njani bethola abantu abalalelayo. ULukha wabhala ukuthi abaseBheriya “babezimisele ukufunda kulabaseThesalonika ngoba babelesifiso esikhulu sokwamukela ilizwi, behlolisisa iMibhalo nsuku zonke ukuze babone ukuthi zinjalo yini lezozinto.” (Imiseb. 17:10, 11) Lokho sekusitsho ukuthi abaseBheriya babengcono kulabaseThesalonika ababelamukele iqiniso yini? Hatshi. Phela ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli wabhalela abaseThesalonika wathi: “Sihlala simbonga uNkulunkulu ngoba ngesikhathi lisamukela ilizwi likaNkulunkulu elalizwa ngathi, kalilamukelanga njengelizwi labantu kodwa lalamukela njengelizwi likaNkulunkulu njengoba liyilo sibili, njalo yilo elisebenzayo kini lina abakholwayo.” (1 Thes. 2:13) Manje yindaba uLukha wathi amaJuda aseBheriya wona ayezimisele ukufunda?
16. Kungani kuthiwa abaseBheriya “babezimisele ukufunda”?
16 Lanxa abaseBheriya babesizwa imfundiso ababengakaze bayizwe abazange baphikise kumbe basole lokho abakuzwayo kodwa babengayisibo othathekile. Okokuqala bakulalelisisa lokho uPhawuli ayebatshela khona, basebehlola lokho ababekufundile bekhangela iMibhalo uPhawuli ayebachasisele yona. Kanti njalo bakhuthalela ukutaditsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu hatshi ngamaSabatha kuphela kodwa nsuku zonke. Lokho bakwenza ‘belesifiso esikhulu’ futhi bezimisele ukuyihlola iMibhalo ukuze babone ukuthi ithini ngemfundiso le entsha abasebeyizwile. Batshengisa lokuthi bathobekile ngokutshintsha indlela ababephila ngayo yikho “abanengi babo baba ngamakholwa.” (Imiseb. 17:12) Yikho akusimangalisi ukuthi uLukha wathi “babezimisele ukufunda.”
17. Kungani okwenziwa ngabaseBheriya kuyisibonelo esihle kithi futhi singabalingisela njani lanxa sesilesikhathi eside singamaKhristu?
17 AbaseBheriya babengakwazi ukuthi indlela abemukela ngayo izindaba ezinhle izabhalwa eBhayibhilini lokuthi izakuba yisibonelo esihle esikhathini esizayo endabeni yokuzimisela ukufunda. Benza khona kanye okwakukhangelelwe nguPhawuli futhi okwakufunwa nguJehova. Lathi lamuhla sikhuthaza abantu ukuthi balihlolisise iBhayibhili ukuze ukholo lwabo lusekelwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Nxa sesingamaKhristu sekusitsho ukuthi akusamelanga sizimisele ukufunda yini? Hatshi. Kuqakathekile ukuthi siqhubeke sizimisele ukufunda ngoJehova futhi siphangise ukusebenzisa lokho asifundisa khona. Singenza njalo siyabe sivumela uJehova ukuthi asibumbe futhi asiqeqetshe ngokuvumelana lentando yakhe. (Isaya. 64:8) Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi aqhubeke esisebenzisa futhi ethokoza ngathi.
18, 19. (a) Kungani uPhawuli wasuka eBheriya futhi watshengisa njani ukuphikelela lathi esingakulingisela? (b) UPhawuli wayesesiyatshumayeza obani futhi ngaphi?
18 UPhawuli kazange ahlale isikhathi eside eBheriya. IBhayibhili lithi: “AmaJuda aseThesalonika athi esizwa ukuthi uPhawuli wayesetshumayela ilizwi likaNkulunkulu laseBheriya, aya khona ukuze ayetshotshozela abantu ukuthi badale ingxabangxoza. Ngakho abazalwane bahle bathi uPhawuli aye elwandle, uSila loThimothi bona basala. Kodwa ababephelekezela uPhawuli bahamba laye baze bayafika e-Athene. Bathi sebebuyela uPhawuli wabalayela ukuthi batshele uSila loThimothi babuye kuye masinyane.” (Imiseb. 17:13-15) Abaphikisi laba babengadeli sibili! Baxotsha uPhawuli eThesalonika baphinda bamlandela laseBheriya futhi bazama ukudala uhlupho khonale kodwa abaphumelelanga. UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi insimu yakhe inkulu yikho wasuka wayatshumayela kwenye indawo. Lathi akumelanga siyekele ukutshumayela ngenxa yabantu abazama ukuvimba umsebenzi wethu.
19 Ngemva kokufakaza ngokugcweleyo kumaJuda aseThesalonika laseBheriya, uPhawuli wayesefunde okunengi ngokuqakatheka kokutshumayela ngesibindi kanye lokubonisana labantu ngeMibhalo. Lathi sifunde okunengi kuye endabeni le. Kodwa khathesi uPhawuli wayesezahlangana labanye abantu. Wayesesiyatshumayeza abantu bezinye izizwe e-Athene. Izinto zazizamhambela njani edolobheni lelo? Sizabona esahlukweni esilandelayo.
a Esinye isikhwicamfundo sithi ngalesosikhathi kwakulomthetho kaKhesari owawungavumeli ukuthi kube lomuntu okhuluma “ngokubuya kweyinye inkosi kumbe umbuso ikakhulu lowo owawungathatha indawo kumbe wahlulele uKhesari owayekhona ngalesosikhathi.” Izitha zikaPhawuli zazifuna kukhanye angani ayekutshumayela kwakuphikisana lomthetho lo. Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ OKhesari Besikhathi SamaKhristu Akuqala”.
