1-3. UJesu wasuka njani kubaphostoli bakhe futhi lokhu kusitshiya silayiphi imibuzo?

 ABAPHOSTOLI bayakholisa futhi bafisa kuhlale kunjalo. Sebelamaviki beloJesu osevusiwe. Ukuvuswa kukaJesu kwaqeda usizi ababelalo kwabenza bathokoza. Phakathi kwamalanga angu-40 uJesu ubelokhu ebonakala kubo eqhubeka ebafundisa futhi ebakhuthaza. Kodwa lamuhla usebonakala kubo okokucina.

² Abaphostoli basentabeni yama-Oliva futhi bathiye indlebe ukuze bazwe konke uJesu akutshoyo. Kodwa besalibele uJesu uyayigoqa indaba abesephakamisa izandla ababusise. Khonokho nje babone nango sephakama esiya ezulwini futhi baqhubeka bethe nhlo kuye! Baqhubeka bemkhangele aze avalwe liyezi bangamboni. UJesu usehambile kodwa bona balokhu bekhangele phezulu ezulwini.—Luk. 24:50; Imiseb. 1:9, 10.

 ³ Isenzakalo lesi siletha utshintsho kubaphostoli bakaJesu. Sebezakwenzani khathesi njengoba iNkosi yabo uJesu Khristu isihambile ezulwini? Asithandabuzi ukuthi iNkosi yabo ibancedisile ukuthi balungele ukwenza umsebenzi esiwuqalisile. Ibancedise njani ukuthi balungele ukwenza umsebenzi lo oqakathekileyo futhi bona bazakwenzani? Kuthiwani ngamaKhristu alamuhla? Ake sizwe izimpendulo esahlukweni sokuqala sebhuku lemiSebenzi.

4. ULukha wayethula njani indaba yakhe ebhukwini lemiSebenzi?

⁴ ULukha wethula ibhuku lemiSebenzi ngamazwi abhalelwe uThiyofilu, indoda ayeke wayibhalela iVangeli lakhe. a Uqalisa indaba le ngokufinqa izinto ayekhulume ngazo ngesikhathi esephetha iVangeli lakhe, okwenza kucace ukuthi indaba le isiqhubekela phambili, lanxa nje esebenzisa amabala atshiyeneyo futhi esefaka lezinye izinto ezintsha.

5, 6. (a) Kuyini okwakuzanceda abalandeli bakaJesu ukuthi babe lokholo oluqinileyo? (b) Kungani singeke sithi ukholo lwamaKhristu eqiniso ngolokuthatheka nje?

⁵ Manje kuyini okuzanceda abalandeli bakaJesu ukuthi bahlale belokholo oluqinileyo? KumiSebenzi 1:3 iBhayibhili lithi: “[UJesu] waziveza kubo kanengi futhi lokhu kwaba yibufakazi obuqinileyo bokuthi uyaphila.” EBhayibhilini uLukha “udokotela othandekayo” nguye yedwa owasebenzisa ibala elingahunyutshwa ngokuthi ‘ubufakazi obuqinileyo.’ (Kol. 4:14) Ibala leli lalisetshenziswa emibhalweni yezokwelatshwa futhi lalitshengisa ukuthi ubufakazi obuphiweyo buliqiniso elingeke liphikwe. Bunjalo lobufakazi bokuthi uJesu wavuswa. Wabonakala kanengi kubalandeli bakhe, kwesinye isikhathi koyedwa loba ababili, kwezinye izikhathi kubo bonke abaphostoli futhi waphinda wabonwa ngabantu abedlula 500. (1 Khor. 15:3-6) Kambe ngubani ongaphika ubufakazi obusegcekeni kangaka!

⁶ LamaKhristu eqiniso lamuhla alokholo ngenxa yokuthi ‘alobufakazi obuqinileyo.’ Bukhona yini ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu wabuya emhlabeni, wafela izono zethu njalo waphinda wavuswa? Ye bukhona sibili. Asikuthandabuzi lokhu ngoba eLizwini likaNkulunkulu banengi abantu okukhulunywa ngabo abambona ngawabo uJesu. Ukutaditsha indaba lezi lokuthandaza sicela ukuthi uJehova asincedise sikusebenzise esikufundayo kuzaluqinisa kakhulu ukholo lwethu. Phela ubufakazi obuqinileyo benza umuntu abe lokholo lweqiniso hatshi olokuthatheka. Ukholo olunjalo yilo okumele sibe lalo ukuze sithole ukuphila okungapheliyo.—Joh. 3:16.

7. UJesu wayetshumayela ngani futhi abalandeli bakhe bamlingisela njani?

 ⁷ UJesu “wayekhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” Ngokwesibonelo wabachasisela iziphrofetho ezazitshengisa ukuthi uMesiya wayezahlupheka njalo abulawe. (Luk. 24:13-32, 46, 47) Ngesikhathi uJesu ecacisa ukuthi yena unguMesiya wayegcizelela kakhulu indaba yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoba nguye owayezakuba yiNkosi yawo. Into eyisiqokoqela ayehlala etshumayela ngayo nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu njalo labalandeli bakhe lamuhla batshumayela ngawo.—Mat. 24:14; Luk. 4:43.

8, 9. (a) Yiphi imicabango emibili engaqondanga abaphostoli bakaJesu ababelayo? (b) UJesu wabancedisa njani abaphostoli ukuthi batshintshe indlela ababecabanga ngayo futhi thina sifundani kulokho?

⁸ Abaphostoli baba lomhlangano wokucina loJesu entabeni yama-Oliva. Bambuza bathi: “Nkosi, usuwubuyisela yini umbuso ko-Israyeli khathesi?” (Imiseb. 1:6) Umbuzo wabaphostoli waveza izinto ezimbili ezingaqondanga ababezicabanga. Okokuqala, babecabanga ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzabuyiselwa esizweni sako-Israyeli. Okwesibili, babezitshela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzahle uqalise ukubusa ngalesosikhathi. UJesu wabancedisa njani ukuthi batshintshe ababekucabanga?

⁹ Kungenzakala ukuthi uJesu wayekwazi ukuthi umcabango wokuqala ababelawo wawuzalungiswa masinyane. Phela kwasekusele insuku ezingu-10 kuphela ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babone ukuzalwa kwesizwe esitsha, u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu! Isivumelwano uNkulunkulu ayesenze labako-Israyeli sasesisiyafika komlindi uyacina. Kodwa uJesu waqondisa umcabango wabo wesibili ngokubatshela amazwi athi: “Ayisikho kwenu ukwazi izikhathi kumbe insuku uBaba azimise ngokuthanda kwakhe.” (Imiseb. 1:7) UJehova uyingcitshi ekugcineni isikhathi. UJesu engakafi wazikhulumela yena ngokwakhe ukuthi laye wayengakalazi “lelolanga lalelohora” okwakuzafika khona ukuphela kodwa wathi “nguBaba kuphela olaziyo.” (Mat. 24:36) Yikho lalamuhla nxa amaKhristu ekhathazeka ngokuthi ukuphela komumo lo wezinto kuzafika nini ayabe ezihlupha ngento engaqondananga lawo.

10. Singabalingisela njani abaphostoli futhi kungani kumele sikwenze lokho?

¹⁰ Lanxa babelahlekile ezindabeni lezi ezimbili, akutsho ukuthi sokumele sibeyise abaphostoli bakaJesu. Phela babengamadoda alokholo oluqinileyo futhi bazithoba bavuma ukuqondiswa. Lanxa babekhuthe ugatsha, imibuzo yabo yayitshengisa ukuthi babewulindele ngabomvu uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. UJesu wayebatshele kanengi abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Hlalani lilindile.” (Mat. 24:42; 25:13; 26:41) Babephapheme sibili behlezi bebudinga ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi usuku lukaJehova soluzafika. Lathi kuqakathekile ukuthi sibe njengabo ngoba sesisekucineni ‘kwensuku zokucina.’—2 Thim. 3:1-5.

11, 12. (a) Yiwuphi umsebenzi uJesu awunika abalandeli bakhe? (b) Kungani uJesu wakhuluma ngomoya ongcwele ngesikhathi ebanika umsebenzi wokutshumayela?

¹¹ UJesu wakhumbuza abaphostoli bakhe lokho okwakumele bakuqakathekise. Wathi: “Lizakwamukela amandla nxa umoya ongcwele ufika kini njalo lizakuba  ngofakazi bami eJerusalema lakulo lonke elaseJudiya leSamariya kuze kuyefika emaphethelweni omhlaba.” (Imiseb. 1:8) Indaba yokuthi uJesu usevusiwe kwakumele itshunyayelwe eJerusalema kuqala ngoba yikho lapho abantu ababembulalele khona. Kusukela lapho izindaba ezinhle kwakumele zisabalale ziye kulo lonke elaseJudiya leSamariya kuze kuyefika emaphethelweni omhlaba.

¹² UJesu wakhuluma ngomsebenzi wokutshumayela eseke wabakhumbuza isithembiso ayesenzile esokuthi uzabathumela umoya ongcwele ukuze ubasekele. Le ngeyinye yamavesi lapho okusetshenziswe khona ibala elithi “umoya ongcwele.” Ibala leli litholakala izikhathi ezedlula 40 ebhukwini lemiSebenzi. Ibhuku leli likuveza kanengi ukuthi siyakudinga ukuncediswa ngumoya ongcwele ukuze senelise ukwenza intando kaJehova. Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sithandaza sicela umoya ongcwele.—Luk. 11:13.

13. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu lamuhla kumele batshumayele baze bayefika ngaphi futhi kungani kumele bakhuthale emsebenzini lo?

¹³ Okwakutshiwo ngamazwi athi “emaphethelweni omhlaba” akusafanani lokwalamuhla. Njengoba sibonile esahlukweni esidlulileyo, oFakazi bakaJehova bawamukele ngazo zombili umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoba bayakwazi ukuthi uJehova ufuna abantu bemihlobo yonke bazwe izindaba ezinhle ezimayelana loMbuso wakhe. (1 Thim. 2:3, 4) Wena ukhuthele yini emsebenzini lo osindisa impilo zabantu? Akula omunye umsebenzi ongakwenza uthokoze futhi usuthiseke njengokutshumayela. UJehova uzakunika amandla okuthi uwenze umsebenzi lo. Ebhukwini lemiSebenzi uzafunda indlela ezitshiyeneyo zokutshumayela kanye lokuthi kumele ube ngumuntu onjani ukuze ube yingcitshi ekutshumayeleni.

14, 15. (a) Ingilosi zathini ngokuza kukaKhristu njalo zazisitshoni? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.) (b) Indlela uKhristu abuyela ngayo ezulwini ifanana njani lokuza kwakhe?

¹⁴ Njengoba sibonile ekuqaliseni kwesahluko lesi uJesu wenyuka wacina engasabonakali. Kodwa abaphostoli bakhe abangu-11 baqhubeka bemi bekhangele esibhakabhakeni. Kwacina kufike ingilosi ezimbili zathi kubo: “Madoda aseGalile, limeleni khonapho likhangele esibhakabhakeni? UJesu lo othethwe kini uzakuza ngendlela enjengayonale elimbone ethathwa ngayo esiya esibhakabhakeni.” (Imiseb. 1:11) Kambe ingilosi zazisitsho ukuthi uJesu uzaphenduka elawonalowo mzimba njengalokho okufundiswa ngabamasonto? Hatshi, ayisikho ezazikutsho. Sikwazi njani lokho?

¹⁵ Ingilosi azizange zithi uJesu wayezaphenduka elawonalowo mzimba, kodwa zathi uzakuza “ngendlela enjengayonale.” b UJesu wasuka ngayiphi indlela? Ingilosi zathi zikhuluma wayengasabonakali. Abaphostoli yibo kuphela ababezwisisa ukuthi uJesu wayesesukile emhlabeni esebuyela kuYise ezulwini. Kwakuzakuba njalo lasekuphendukeni kwakhe futhi lokho sekwenzakele. Lamuhla abantu abayizwisisa kuhle iMibhalo yibo abakunanzelelayo ukuthi uJesu usehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi. (Luk. 17:20) Kumele sibunanzelele ubufakazi bokuthi uJesu usebusa besesincedisa labanye ukuthi bakuzwisise lokhu ukuze babone ukuthi isikhathi siphelile.

16-18. (a) KumiSebenzi 1:13, 14 sifundani ngemibuthano yokukhonza esiyenzayo? (b) Sifundani esibonelweni sikaMariya unina kaJesu? (c) Iqakatheke ngani imibuthano esiba layo?

¹⁶ Kuyazwisiseka sibili ukuthi kungani abaphostoli ‘babuyela eJerusalema bethabe okwamagama.’ (Luk. 24:52) Babezakwenza njani lokho uKhristu ayebatshele khona? KumiSebenzi 1:13, 14 kukhulunywa ngombuthano ababalawo “endlini ephezulu” futhi kulokuthile esikwaziyo ngemibuthano enjengalowo. Ngalesosikhathi kwakujayelekile elizweni lePalestine ukuthi nxa abantu besakha izindlu bafake indawo yokukwejisela phezulu futhi nxa wawusiya kuyo wawukhwela ngamastephu ayakhelwe phandle. Kungenzakala ukuthi indawo le ababebuthene kuyo yayiphezu kwendlu okukhulunywa ngayo kumiSebenzi 12:12 eyayingekanina kaMakho. Kungelani lokuthi kwakungaphi kumele ukuthi kwakuyindawo engaduliyo okwakuvuma ukuthi abalandeli bakaKhristu babuthane kuyo. Kodwa ngobani ababebuthene lapho futhi bafika benzani?

¹⁷ Uzananzelela ukuthi kwakungabuthananga abaphostoli kumbe amadoda kuphela. ‘Labanye abesifazana’ babekhona ngitsho loMariya unina kaJesu. Lapha yikho iBhayibhili elicina khona ukukhuluma ngoMariya. Nxa sicabanga ngoMariya asimboni ezama ukuzidonsela amehlo abantu embuthanweni lo kodwa uyazithoba azikhonzele nje labafowabo labodadewabo. Kumele ukuthi kwamduduza ukuba lamadodana akhe amane lanxa ayeqale engakholwa kuJesu. (Mat. 13:55; Joh. 7:5) Ngemva kokufa lokuvuswa komfowabo bahle batshintsha.—1 Khor. 15:7.

¹⁸ IBhayibhili lisitshela okunye okwenziwa ngabafundi laba ngesikhathi bebuthene. Lithi: “Bonke babeqhubeka bethandaza belenhloso yinye.” (Imiseb. 1:14) Kusukela kudala amaKhristu abelokhu ekuqakathekisa ukubuthana ndawonye. Siyabuthana ukuze sikhuthazane, sifundiswe, sixwayiswe njalo sithola ithuba lokukhonza uBaba wethu osezulwini uJehova sindawonye. Imithandazo yethu lengoma esizihlabelayo emibuthanweni le kuyamthokozisa uJehova futhi lathi kuyasinceda. Asiqhubekeni siyiqakathekisa imibuthano le engcwele leqinisa ukholo!—Heb. 10:24, 25.

19-21. (a) Indlela uPhetro asetshenziswa ngayo ebandleni isifundisani? (b) Kungani kwakumele kudingwe umuntu owayezathatha indawo kaJudasi njalo indlela indaba le eyaphathwa ngayo isifundisani?

¹⁹ Abaphostoli bananzelela ukuthi kwakulendaba okwasekumele bayilungise, futhi umphostoli uPhetro nguye owayekhokhela ekuxazululeni indaba yakhona. (Amavesi 15-26) Kuyathokozisa ukubona ukuthi uPhetro wayesekhuthele lanxa emavikini ayesanda kwedlula wayephike iNkosi yakhe kathathu. (Mak. 14:72) Sonke siyona, yikho kumele sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova “muhle futhi uzimisele ukuthethelela” labo abaphenduka ngenhliziyo yonke.—Hubo. 86:5.

²⁰ UPhetro wananzelela ukuthi kwasekumele kudingwe owayezathatha indawo kaJudasi umphostoli owayethengise uJesu. Kwakuzakuba ngubani lowo muntu? UPhetro wathi umphostoli lo omutsha kumele kube ngomunye walabo ababehamba  loJesu ngesikhathi esenza inkonzo yakhe njalo wambona esevusiwe. (Imiseb. 1:21, 22) Lokhu kwakuvumelana lesithembiso sikaJesu esithi: “Lina ebelingilandela lizahlala ezihlalweni zobukhosi ezilitshumi lambili, lahlulele izizwana zako-Israyeli ezilitshumi lambili.” (Mat. 19:28) Kumele ukuthi uJehova wayehlose ukuthi abaphostoli abayi-12 ababehamba loJesu ngesikhathi esenza inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni babe ‘ngamatshe alitshumi lambili’ ayezakuba yisisekelo seJerusalema Elitsha. (Isam. 21:2, 14) UNkulunkulu wamambulela uPhetro wananzelela ukuthi isiphrofetho esithi ‘isikhundla sakhe sokukhokhela asithathwe ngomunye’ sasisitsho uJudasi.—Hubo. 109:8.

²¹ Manje wakhethwa njani lowo muntu? Kwaphoswa inkatho, into eyayijayelekile ebantwini ababephila ngalesosikhathi. (Zaga. 16:33) IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi lapha kwaba ngokokucina ukusebenzisa inkatho ngale indlela. Kungenzakala ukuthi ukuthululwa komoya ongcwele kwahle kwenza ukuphosa inkatho kungasasebenzi. Kodwa kungani vele kwasetshenziswa inkatho? Abaphostoli bathandaza bathi: “Awu Jehova, wena owazi izinhliziyo zabantu bonke, tshengisa ukuthi nguphi phakathi kwamadoda la osumkhethile.” (Imiseb. 1:23, 24) Babefuna kube nguJehova okhethayo. Kwakhethwa uMathiyasi okungenzakala ukuthi wayengomunye wabafundi abangu-70 abake bathunywa nguJesu ukuthi bayetshumayela. Yikho uMathiyasi wahle waba ngomunye ‘wabalitshumi lambili.’ c—Imiseb. 6:2.

22, 23. Kungani kumele sizehlise futhi silalele abakhokhelayo ebandleni lamuhla?

²² Indaba le itshengisa ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bahlelekile. Lalamuhla kulabazalwane abakhethwayo ukuthi bakhokhele ebandleni. Amadoda la engakabekwa, abadala baqala bahlole ukuthi iMibhalo ithi kumele babe ngabantu abanjani njalo bayathandaza kuJehova becela ukuthi abaqondise ngomoya wakhe ongcwele. Ibandla liyakwazi ukuthi umoya ongcwele yiwo oqondisa ukukhethwa kwamadoda la. Yikho kumele sizehlise futhi sibalalele abakhokhelayo ukuze kuhlale kulokumanyana ebandleni.—Heb. 13:17.

²³ Ukubonakala kukaJesu kubafundi bakhe esevusiwe lokulungisiswa kwendlela izinto okwakumele zenziwe ngayo ebandleni kwabaqinisa abafundi futhi basebekulungele ukwenza umsebenzi ababewuphiwe. Sizakuzwa okunengi esihlokweni esilandelayo.