ISAHLUKO 5
“Kumele Silalele UNkulunkulu Umbusi”
Abaphostoli basibekela isibonelo esihle esingasilandela
Isihloko lesi sisekelwe kumiSebenzi 5:12–6:7
1-3. (a) Kuyini okwenza abaphostoli bacina sebemiswe phambi komthethwandaba weSanihedrini njalo kuyini okwakuqakathekile endabeni le? (b) Ukucabangisisa ngokwenziwa ngabaphostoli kungasinceda njani?
ABAHLULELI beSanihedrini bazonde bayaphuphuma! Abaphostoli bakaJesu bazothonisiswa emthethwandaba lo omkhulu. Cala bani abalenzileyo? Umphristi omkhulu uJosefa Khayifasi okhokhelayo eSanihedrini ukhuluma labo etshinga esithi: “Siliqonqosele ukuthi lingaqhubeki lifundisa ngebizo leli.” Umkhokheli lo uzonde okokuthi kafuni lakuliqamba ngomlomo wakhe ibizo likaJesu. Uqhubeka athi: “Seligcwalise iJerusalema ngemfundiso yenu futhi lizimisele ukusibeka icala ngokufa kwendoda le.” (Imiseb. 5:28) Akutshoyo kusegcekeni. Uthi bayekele ukutshumayela, nxa bengafuni bazayifunda ivaliwe!
2 Manje bazakwenzani abaphostoli? Phela umsebenzi lo bawuphiwe nguJesu yena ophiwe amandla nguNkulunkulu. (Mat. 28:18-20) Bazakwesaba yini bame ukutshumayela? Kumbe bazatshengisa ukuthi balesibindi njalo baqhubeke betshumayela? Okuqakathekileyo yikuthi bazalalela bani phakathi kukaNkulunkulu labantu. Umphostoli uPhetro uhle aphendule emele bonke abaphostoli ngamazwi atshengisa ukuthi ulesibindi.
3 Kuqakathekile ukuthi sikhangele lokho okwenziwa ngabaphostoli ngesikhathi besethuselwa yiSanihedrini ngoba lathi siphiwe umsebenzi ofananayo. Sokungenzakala ukuthi kube labanye abangazama ukusivimba ukuthi singawenzi umsebenzi lo. (Mat. 10:22) Manje sizakwenzani kungaba njalo? Okungasinceda yikucabanga ngalokho okwenza abaphostoli bacina bephambi komthethwandaba weSanihedrini kanye lokuzimisela kwabo ukulalela uNkulunkulu. a
“Ingilosi KaJehova Yavula Iminyango” (Imiseb. 5:12-21a)
4, 5. Kuyini okwenza uKhayifasi labaSadusi “baba lomhawu”?
4 Khumbula ukuthi ngesikhathi uPhetro loJohane betshelwa okokuqala ukuthi bame ukutshumayela bona bathi: “Kasisoze siyekele ukukhuluma ngezinto esizibonileyo lesizizwileyo.” (Imiseb. 4:20) UPhetro loJohane labanye abaphostoli abazange bame, kodwa baqhubeka betshumayela ethempelini. Benza lezimangaliso beselapha abagulayo njalo bexotsha amadimoni. Konke lokhu babekwenzela “evurandini okwakuthiwa ngelikaSolomoni,” lapho amaJuda amanengi ayejayele ukuhlangana khona. Ngitsho lesithunzi sikaPhetro sasisithi singadlula nje phezu komuntu asile. Abanengi abasiliswayo balamukela ilizwi leqiniso elalifundiswa ngabaphostoli. Lokhu kwenza “ababekholwa eNkosini baqhubeka besengezelelwa, kusiba lamadoda labesifazana abanengi kakhulu.”—Imiseb. 5:12-15.
5 UKhayifasi labanye ababengabeqembu labaSadusi “baba lomhawu” basebebamba abaphostoli babavalela ejele. (Imiseb. 5:17, 18) Babecatshulwe yini abaSadusi? Abaphostoli babefundisa ukuthi uJesu wayesevusiwe, kodwa abaSadusi babengakholwa ukuthi abantu bazavuswa. Abaphostoli babefundisa ukuthi ukuze umuntu asindiswe kumele abe lokholo kuJesu. AbaSadusi bona babesesaba ukuthi nxa abantu bangakholwa kuJesu bambone njengomkhokheli wabo, amaRoma azazonda abesebahlasela. (Joh. 11:48) Lokhu yikho okwenza abaSadusi bazimisela ukumisa umsebenzi owawusenziwa ngabaphostoli.
6. Ngobani lamuhla abatshotshozela ukuthi oFakazi bakaJehova bahlukuluzwe futhi kungani lokhu kungasimangalisi?
6 Lalamuhla, abakhokheli benkolo yibo abahamba phambili ekwenzeni ukuthi oFakazi baJehova bahlukuluzwe. Bandise ukutshotshozela ohulumende njalo basebenzise labezindaba ukuze bazame ukumisa umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Lokho akusimangalisi ngitsho ngoba esikufundisayo kuwaveza egcekeni amanga afundiswa yinkolo yamanga. Nxa abantu esibafundisayo bangamukela iqiniso esibafundisa lona liyabakhulula batshiye imikhuba lezimfundiso ezingaqondanga. (Joh. 8:32) Kuyazicacela sibili ukuthi kungani abakhokheli benkolo belomhawu futhi besizonda kangaka.
7, 8. Okwatshiwo yingilosi kwabanceda njani abaphostoli futhi kuyini okumele sizibuze khona?
7 Mhlawumbe ngesikhathi abaphostoli behlezi ejele besalindele ukuthonisiswa babezibuza ukuthi izitha zabo zazizababulala yini ngenxa yokholo lwabo. (Mat. 24:9) Kodwa ebusuku kwenzakala isimanga sezimanga, “ingilosi kaJehova yavula iminyango yejele.” b (Imiseb. 5:19) Ingilosi yabatshela ukuthi bahambe ‘bayekuma ethempelini baqhubeke betshumayela.’ (Imiseb. 5:20) Asithandabuzi ukuthi abakutshelwa yingilosi kwabaqinisekisa ukuthi ababekwenza kwakuqondile sibili futhi kumele ukuthi kwabanika amandla okuqhubeka bezimisele kungelani lokuthi kwakuzakwenzakalani. Abaphostoli baba lesibindi “bangena ethempelini ekuseni baqalisa ukufundisa.”—Imiseb. 5:21.
8 Kuhle ukuthi ngamunye wethu azibuze, ‘Nxa izinto zingathi phendu ngizaba lalo yini ukholo kanye lesibindi ukuze ngiqhubeke ngitshumayela?’ Okuzasinika amandla ‘okufakaza ngokugcweleyo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu’ yikwazi ukuthi sincediswa zingilosi emsebenzini lo.—Imiseb. 28:23; Isam. 14:6, 7.
“Kumele Silalele UNkulunkulu Umbusi Kulokuthi Silalele Abantu” (Imiseb. 5:21b-33)
“Babuya labo bafika babamisa phambi kweSanihedrini.”—ImiSebenzi 5:27
9-11. Abaphostoli bathini iSanihedrini isithe bayekele ukutshumayela futhi batshiyela amaKhristu eqiniso siphi isibonelo?
9 UKhayifasi labanye abeSanihedrini basebebalindele ngabomvu abaphostoli. Bathuma abantu ukuthi bayebathatha ejele bengakwazi okwakwenzakale ebusuku. Akucabange ukuthi ababethunyiwe bafika bamangala njani lapho bethola abaphostoli bengekho lanxa ejele ‘kwakuvalwe ngci futhi kukhiyiwe labalindi bemile emnyango.’ (Imiseb. 5:23) Umphathi wethempeli wezwa ukuthi abaphostoli basebebuyele ethempelini njalo babelokhu befakaza ngoJesu Khristu. Babesenza wona kanye umsebenzi owawenze babotshwa. Yikho wathatha abalindi bethempeli baqonda ethempelini, bafika bababamba abaphostoli bahamba labo futhi eSanihedrini.
10 Ekuqaliseni kwesahluko lesi sibonile ukuthi abakhokheli benkolo babezonde befile bengafuni ukuthi abaphostoli batshumayele. Manje bathini abaphostoli? UPhetro wahle waphendula emele bonke wathi: “Kumele silalele uNkulunkulu umbusi kulokuthi silalele abantu.” (Imiseb. 5:29) Okwenziwa ngabaphostoli kwahle kwaba yisibonelo esasizalandelwa yiwo wonke amaKhristu eqiniso. Asibalaleli ababusi bomhlaba nxa besalisa ukwenza lokho uNkulunkulu afuna sikwenze kumbe besibamba ngamandla ukuthi senze lokho uNkulunkulu angakufuniyo. Lanxa iziphathamandla zingavimba umsebenzi wokutshumayela thina asisoze siyekele ukuwenza ngoba siwuphiwe nguNkulunkulu. (Rom. 13:1) Ezimeni ezinjalo siyadinga izindlela ezicatshileyo zokutshela abantu ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.
11 Akusimangalisi ukuthi indlela abaphostoli abaphendula ngayo yenza abakhokheli benkolo bavuka ngolaka, “bafuna ukubabulala.” (Imiseb. 5:33) Kwasekukhanya angani abaphostoli sebezulelwa ngamanqe, kodwa babezathola uncedo ngendlela ababengayikhangelelanga.
‘Alisoze Lenelise Ukubachitha’ (Imiseb. 5:34-42)
12, 13. (a) UGamaliyeli wabacebisa wathini abanye bakhe futhi bona benzani? (b) Kuyini okungenziwa nguJehova ukuze ancedise abantu bakhe njalo kuyini esingakuthandabuziyo lanxa engavumela ukuthi ‘sihlupheke ngenxa yokwenza okulungileyo’?
12 Eyinye indoda okuthiwa nguGamaliyeli ‘eyayingumfundisi woMthetho owayehlonitshwa ngabantu bonke’ yasukuma yakhuluma phambi kweSanihedrini. c Indoda le yayihlonitshwa sibili ngoba bayilalela lapho isithi “abaphostoli bakhitshelwe phandle okwesikhatshana” ibisikhuluma. (Imiseb. 5:34) UGamaliyeli wakhuluma ngamanye amaqembu ayevukela kodwa aphinda anyamalala ngemva kokufa kwabakhokheli bawo. Watshela umthethwandaba ukuthi njengoba umkhokheli wabaphostoli wayesanda kufa, kungcono bake babatshiye benjalo babone ukuthi kuzahamba njani. UGamaliyeli wakhuluma amazwi alamandla kakhulu wathi: “Lingahluphani lawo amadoda la, wayekeleni ngoba nxa icebo leli kumbe umsebenzi lo ungowabantu awusoze uphumelele. Kodwa nxa ungokaNkulunkulu alisoze lenelise ukuwuchitha. Lingazithola selisilwa loNkulunkulu ngokwakhe.” (Imiseb. 5:38, 39) Abanye bakhe bamlalela. Lanxa kunjalo bathi abaphostoli kababhaxabulwe ‘basebebaqonqosela ukuthi bangasakhulumi futhi ngebizo likaJesu.’—Imiseb. 5:40.
13 Lalamuhla uJehova angasebenzisa amadoda adumileyo anjengoGamaliyeli ukuze ancedise abantu bakhe. (Zaga. 21:1) UJehova angasebenzisa umoya wakhe ukuze enze ababusi, labahluleli kanye lezinye iziphathamandla ukuthi benze intando yakhe. (Neh. 2:4-8) Kodwa lanxa engavumela ukuthi ‘sihlupheke ngenxa yokwenza okulungileyo’ kulezinto ezimbili esingeke sizithandabuze. (1 Phet. 3:14) Okokuqala, uNkulunkulu uyasincedisa ukuthi siqinisele. (1 Khor. 10:13) Okwesibili, abaphikisi abasoze benelise ‘ukuchitha’ umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu.—Isaya. 54:17.
14, 15. (a) Abaphostoli bazizwa njani ngemva kokubhaxabulwa futhi kungani bazizwa njalo? (b) Landisa isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi abantu bakaJehova bayenelisa ukuthokoza lanxa behlukuluzwa.
14 Ukubhaxabulwa lokhu kwabaqeda amandla yini abaphostoli? Ngitsho lakancane! IBhayibhili lithi: “Basuka phambi kwenkundla yeSanihedrini bethokoza.” (Imiseb. 5:41) Babethokoziswa yini? Kambe ukuthi babethokoziswa yibuhlungu bokutshaywa? Hatshi. Babethokoziswa yikwazi ukuthi bahlukuluzwa ngenxa yokuba qotho kuJehova lokulingisela iNkosi yabo uJesu.—Mat. 5:11, 12.
15 Lathi lamuhla silingisela amaKhristu akuqala, siyathokoza lanxa sihlukuluzwa ngenxa yokuthi sitshumayela izindaba ezinhle. (1 Phet. 4:12-14) Ayisikho ukuthi sithokoziswa yikwethuselwa lokuhlukuluzwa kumbe ukubotshwa kodwa okusithokozisayo yikuba qotho kuJehova. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaHenryk Dornik owaphathwa kubi ngesikhathi kubusa ohulumende abangontando kayiphikiswa. Ngo-August 1944, iziphathamandla zabathatha lomnewabo zabavalela enkambeni yokuhlukuluzwa. Zathi: “Laba bayehlula, ungaze uzame njani ukubayenga abavumi. Kuyabathokozisa ukufela ukholo lwabo.” Umfowethu uDornik wathi: “Ayisikho ukuthi ngangivele ngifuna ukuhlukuluzwa ngalindlela kodwa ukwazi ukuthi ngihlukuluzwa ngenxa yokuba qotho kuJehova kwangithokozisa kakhulu.”—Jak. 1:2-4.
Sitshumayela ‘endlini ngendlu’ njengabaphostoli
16. Abaphostoli batshengisa njani ukuthi bazimisele ukufakaza ngokugcweleyo futhi siyilingisela njani indlela le ababetshumayela ngayo?
16 Abaphostoli abazange batshone bezilazila kodwa bahle bawubuyelela masinyane umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Baqhubeka befundisa “nsuku zonke njalo bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKhristu uJesu ethempelini lasendlini ngendlu.” d (Imiseb. 5:42) Babezimisele sibili ukufakaza ngokugcweleyo ngoba babengena emizini yabantu njengoba nje uJesu wayebatshelile. (Mat. 10:7, 11-14) Lokho yikho okwenza bagcwalisa iJerusalema ngemfundiso yabo futhi yikho kanye okwenziwa ngoFakazi bakaJehova lamuhla emhlabeni wonke. Nxa singena yonke imizi kumbe izindlu ezisensimini yethu siyabe sitshengisa sibili ukuthi sizimisele ukufakaza ngokugcweleyo lokuncedisa abantu ukuthi bazwe izindaba ezinhle. UJehova uwubusisile yini umsebenzi wokutshumayela endlini ngendlu? Ye, uwubusisile sibili! Abantu abanengi bazamukele izindaba ezinhle futhi abanye babo baqalisa ukuzwa izindaba ezinhle ngesikhathi bevakatshelwe ngoFakazi emizini yabo.
Kubekwa Amadoda Ukuthi Akhangele ‘Indaba Eqakathekileyo’ (Imiseb. 6:1-6)
17-19. Yiluphi uhlupho olwabakhona olwalungehlukanisa ibandla futhi kuyini okwenziwa ngabaphostoli ukuze balulungise?
17 Kwaba lohlupho olwaphosa lwadiliza ibandla leli elalisanda kubunjwa. Kwakuluhlupho bani? Abafundi abanengi abasebebhabhathiziwe babengahlali eJerusalema yikho bahlala isikhathi eJerusalema ukuze bafunde okunengi bengakabuyeli lapho ababevela khona. Abafundi ababehlala eJerusalema babenikela ngemali ukuze kuncediswe labo ababevela kwezinye izindawo ngokudla langezinye izinto ezazidingeka. (Imiseb. 2:44-46; 4:34-37) Kodwa kwaba lokunye okwasuka kwangahambi kuhle. Abafelokazi abakhuluma isiGrikhi babengasatholi “ukudla okwakumele bakuphiwe nsuku zonke.” (Imiseb. 6:1) Kodwa ababekhuluma isiHebheru babekuphiwa konke okwakumele bakuthole. Kukhanya kwasekulobandlululo lapha. Lolu kwakuluhlupho olukhulu kakhulu olwalungabangela ukuthi ibandla lidabuke phakathi.
18 Abaphostoli ababeliqula elikhokhelayo ngalesosikhathi babona ukuthi kwakungeke kwenze ukuthi ‘batshiye ilizwi likaNkulunkulu bayekwaba ukudla ematafuleni.’ (Imiseb. 6:2) Yikho babona kungcono ukuthi kudingwe amadoda ayisikhombisa “agcwele umoya lokuhlakanipha” ukuze “akhangele indaba le eqakathekileyo.” (Imiseb. 6:3) Kwakufuneka amadoda afaneleyo sibili ngoba umsebenzi lo wawungayisiwo wokunika abantu ukudla kuphela kodwa kwakuzamele bakhangele imali, lezinto ezidingakalayo futhi babhale phansi lezinye izinto eziqakathekileyo eziyabe zisenzakala. Wonke amadoda akhethwayo ayelamabizo esiGrikhi. Mhlawumbe lokhu kwenzelwa ukuthi abafelokazi abakhuluma isiGrikhi bakhululeke. Abaphostoli bathandaza basebebeka amadoda la ayisikhombisa ukuthi akhangele “indaba le eqakathekileyo.” e
19 Kambe ukukhethwa kwamadoda la ukuthi anike abantu ukudla kwakusitsho ukuthi akusamelanga atshumayele izindaba ezinhle yini? Hatshi. Ngokwesibonelo phakathi kwamadoda akhethwayo kwakuloStefane owayetshumayela ngesibindi. (Imiseb. 6:8-10) Omunye wabo kwakunguFiliphu owayebizwa ngokuthi ‘ngumvangeli.’ (Imiseb. 21:8) Kuyazicacela ukuthi amadoda la ayisikhombisa aqhubeka etshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.
20. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bakulingisela njani okwakusenziwa ngabaphostoli?
20 Abantu bakaJehova lamuhla balandela lokho okwakusenziwa ngabaphostoli. Amadoda abekwe ukuthi enze imisebenzi ebandleni kumele akhanye ukuthi alenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu lokuthi umoya ongcwele uyasebenza kuwo. IQula Elikhokhelayo yilo elihlela ukuthi amadoda abekwe ukuze abe ngabadala kumbe inceku ezikhonzayo emabandleni. Amadoda la kumele aphile ngendlela evumelana lalokho okutshiwo yiMibhalo. f (1 Thim. 3:1-9, 12, 13) Yikho sisithi amadoda ayabe ekhethwe ngalindlela ayabe ekhethwe ngumoya ongcwele. Amadoda la asebenza nzima ukuze akhangele ‘izindaba eziqakathekileyo.’ Ngokwesibonelo, abadala bangahlela ukuthi asebekhulile abasebandleni bancediswe nxa bedinga usizo. (Jak. 1:27) Abanye bancedisa ekwakheni amaWolu oMbuso lekuhleleni imihlangano kumbe ukusebenzelana labezibhedlela. Izinceku ezikhonzayo zenza imisebenzi eqakathekileyo lanxa eminengi yakhona ingaphathelananga lokwelusa kumbe ukufundisa. Amadoda abekiweyo kumele ayenze kuhle imisebenzi yawo ebandleni lasenhlanganisweni. Kodwa akumelanga akhohlwe ukuthi umsebenzi oqakatheke kakhulu awuphiwe nguNkulunkulu ngowokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—1 Khor. 9:16.
“Ilizwi LikaNkulunkulu Laqhubeka Lisabalala” (Imiseb. 6:7)
21, 22. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova waqhubeka ebusisa ibandla leli elalisanda kubunjwa?
21 UJehova walincedisa ibandla leli elalisanda kubunjwa ukuthi libekezele lanxa lalihlukuluzwa futhi lihlangana lenhlupho ezazingabangela ukuthi kube lokwehlukana. Kusegcekeni ukuthi uJehova waqhubeka elibusisa ibandla leli ngoba iBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi “ilizwi likaNkulunkulu laqhubeka lisabalala. Inani labafundi lalilokhu lisanda eJerusalema futhi abaphristi abanengi baba ngamakholwa.” (Imiseb. 6:7) Lo ngomunye wemibiko eminengi etholakala ebhukwini lemiSebenzi otshengisa ukuthi uJehova wayebasekela abantu bakhe. (Imiseb. 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31) Lathi lamuhla kuyasikhuthaza ukuzwa imibiko emihle ephathelane lomsebenzi wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke.
22 Ngesikhathi samaKhristu okuqala abakhokheli benkolo baqhubeka bewahlukuluza amaKhristu eqiniso. Bawahlasela ngamandla amaKhristu. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizabona ukuthi bakwenza njani lokhu lokuthi bamhlukuluza njani uStefane.
a Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ ISanihedrini—Umthethwandaba Omkhulu WamaJuda.”
b Ebhukwini lemiSebenzi ingilosi kukhulunywa ngazo izikhathi ezingaba ngu-20, futhi lapha yikho okokuqala. KumiSebenzi 1:10 kuphonguthiwa ‘amadoda ayegqoke izembatho ezimhlophe,’ akuzange kuthiwe ingilosi.
c Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ UGamaliyeli—Umfundisi WoMthetho Owayehlonitshwa Kakhulu.”
d Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Ukutshumayela ‘Endlini Ngendlu,’.”
e Kumele ukuthi amadoda akhethwayo ayefanela ukuba ngabadala bebandla ngoba ukukhangela “indaba le eqakathekileyo” kwakungumsebenzi omkhulu. Kodwa iMibhalo kayitsho ukuthi ukubekwa kwamadoda ukuthi abe ngabadala emabandleni kumbe ababonisi kwaqala nini.
f Ngesikhathi sabaphostoli, amadoda afaneleyo yiwo ayehamba ebeka abadala. (Imiseb. 14:23; 1 Thim. 5:22; Tit. 1:5) Lamuhla iQula Elikhokhelayo yilo elibeka ababonisi beziqinti futhi ababonisi laba balomsebenzi wokubeka abadala lenceku ezikhonzayo.
