1-3. (a) Kuyini osokufuna ukulidabula phakathi ibandla lamaKhristu elisanda kubunjwa? (b) Kuzasinceda ngani ukuhlola indaba le esebhukwini lemiSebenzi?

 UPHAWULI loBhanabha bayathokoza njengoba besanda kuphenduka edolobheni le-Antiyokhi yaseSiriya ngemva kohambo lwabo lokuqala bengabanali. Bathokoziswa yikuthi uJehova ‘usevulele abantu bezinye izizwe umnyango wokholo.’ (Imiseb. 14:26, 27) Kanti njalo lalapha e-Antiyokhi izindaba ezinhle ziyatshunyayelwa kulo lonke idolobho futhi ‘abantu abanengi’ abangabezinye izizwe labo sebengamakholwa.—Imiseb. 11:20-26.

² Izindaba ezinhle zokwanda lokhu sezifike laseJudiya. Kodwa kulokuthi kube lokuthokoza, sokuvuke impikiswano ngokusokwa. Indaba ekhona yikuthi amaKhristu angamaJuda langasiwo maJuda kumele aphathane njani lokuthi amaKhristu angasomaJuda kumele alandele yini uMthetho kaMosi. Indaba le inzima kakhulu futhi ifuna ukulehlukanisa ibandla. Manje insindabaphenduli le izalungiswa njani?

³ Njengoba sizahlola indaba le ebhukwini lemiSebenzi sizathola izifundo ezinengi eziqakathekileyo. Esizakufunda kuzasinceda sibone ukuthi singaziphatha njani indaba ezingasehlukanisa.

4. Yiphi imibono engaqondanga eyayikhuthazwa ngamanye amaJuda ayengamaKhristu futhi lokhu kuphakamisa wuphi umbuzo?

⁴ ULukha uthi: “Kwafika amanye amadoda evela eJudiya aqalisa ukufundisa abazalwane esithi: ‘Nxa lingasokwanga njengoba uMthetho kaMosi usitsho, alisoze lisindiswe.’” (Imiseb. 15:1) Asitshelwa ukuthi “amanye amadoda” la ayengabaFarisi yini engakabi ngamaKhristu. Kodwa kukhanya ayecabanga njengabaFarisi sibili. Kanti njalo kungenzeka aqamba amanga athi lokho ayekukhuluma kwakuvela kubaphostoli labadala eJerusalema. (Imiseb. 15:23, 24) Kwasekuleminyaka engaba ngu-13, umphostoli uPhetro eqondiswe nguNkulunkulu ukuthi amukele ebandleni lamaKhristu abantu bezinye izizwe ababengasokanga. Manje yindaba amaKhristu angamaJuda ayelokhu ekhuthaza abantu ukuthi basokwe? a—Imiseb. 10:24-29, 44-48.

5, 6. (a) Kuyini okungabe kwenza ukuthi amanye amaKhristu angamaJuda abe elokhu ebambelele ekusokeni? (b) Isivumelwano sokusoka sasiyingxenye yesivumelwano sika-Abrahama yini? Chasisa. (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

 ⁵ Zinengi izizatho ezingabe zenza ukuthi indaba yokusoka iqhubeke ihlupha. Okunye okungabe kwabangela lokhu yikuthi uJehova nguye owayetshele abantu bakhe ukuthi basoke futhi ukusoka kwakutshengisa ukuthi balobudlelwano obuseduze laye. Indaba yokusoka yaqala ngo-Abrahama labemuli yakhe futhi yabakhona kungakabi lesivumelwano soMthetho kodwa yasisiba yingxenye yaso. b (Levi. 12:2, 3) UMthetho kaMosi wawusithi abantu bezinye izizwe kwakumele basokwe bengakananzi imikhosi ethile enjengePhasika. (Eks. 12:43, 44, 48, 49) AmaJuda ayesithi umuntu ongasokanga ungcolile futhi uyenyanyeka.—Isaya. 52:1.

⁶ AmaKhristu angamaJuda kwakumele abe lokholo futhi athobeke ukuze amukele imfundiso entsha endabeni yokusoka. Isivumelwano soMthetho sasesithathelwe indawo yisivumelwano esitsha. Yikho khathesi umJuda wayengabi yingxenye yabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi ezalwa. AmaKhristu angamaJuda ayephila emphakathini lapho okwakulamaJuda amanengi khona njengalawo ayeseJudiya kwakumele abe lesibindi ukuze alandele uKhristu njalo amukele abantu bezinye izizwe ababengasokanga.—Jer. 31:31-33; Luk. 22:20.

7. Yiliphi iqiniso ‘amadoda ayevela eJudiya’ ayesehluleka ukulizwisisa?

⁷ Izimiso zikaNkulunkulu azitshintshi. Ubufakazi balokho siyabubona ngoba isivumelwano esitsha sisekela lokho okwakuvele kutshiwo eMthethweni kaMosi. (Mat. 22:36-40) Ngokwesibonelo endabeni yokusoka uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “UmJuda ngulowo ongumJuda ngaphakathi, lokusoka kwakhe yikusoka kwenhliziyo okwenziwa ngomoya hatshi ngomthetho obhaliweyo.” (Rom. 2:29; Dute. 10:16) ‘Amadoda ayevela eJudiya’ ayengakazwisisi iqiniso leli, ayelokhu eqina ngelokuthi umthetho wokusoka usasebenza. Ayezavuma yini ukuqondiswa?

8. Kungani indaba yokusoka yahanjiswa kuqula elikhokhelayo elaliseJerusalema?

⁸ ULukha uqhubeka esithi: “UPhawuli loBhanabha abazange bavumelane lawo [amadoda ‘ayevela eJudiya’] njalo kwaba lokuphikisana. Kwasekuhlelwa ukuthi uPhawuli loBhanabha labanye bahambise udaba lolu kubaphostoli labadala eJerusalema.” c (Imiseb. 15:2) ‘Ukungavumelani lokuphikisana’ kutshengisa ukuthi bonke babebambelele emibonweni yabo futhi ibandla le-Antiyokhi laselehlulekile  ukuyilungisa indaba le. Ukuze kube lokuthula lokumanyana, ibandla labona kungcono ukuthi lihambise indaba le “kubaphostoli labadala eJerusalema” ababebumba iqula elikhokhelayo ngalesosikhathi. Okwenziwa ngabadala be-Antiyokhi kusifundisani?

9, 10. Sifundani kulokho okwenziwa nguPhawuli loBhanabha kanye labazalwane base-Antiyokhi?

⁹ Esinye isifundo esiqakathekileyo esisithola endabeni le ngesokuthi kumele siyithembe inhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu. Abafowethu base-Antiyokhi babekwazi ukuthi iqula elikhokhelayo libunjwa ngamaKhristu angamaJuda kuphela kodwa balithemba ukuthi lizayilungisa indaba yokusoka ngendlela evumelana leMibhalo. Yindaba abafowethu base-Antiyokhi babelithemba iqula elikhokhelayo? Ngoba babeqiniseka ukuthi uJehova nguye oqondisa izinto esebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele loJesu Khristu inhloko yebandla. (Mat. 28:18, 20; Efe. 1:22, 23) Lalamuhla nxa kungavuka izindaba ezinzima kasilingiseleni okwenziwa ngamaKhristu ase-Antiyokhi siyithembe inhlanganiso kaJehova leQula Elikhokhelayo elibunjwa ngamaKhristu agcotshiweyo.

¹⁰ Okunye esikufundayo endabeni le yikuqakatheka kokuthobeka lokubekezela. UPhawuli loBhanabha babebekwe ngumoya ongcwele ukuthi baye ezizweni kodwa abazange bazitshele ukuthi sekumele bayilungise bebodwa indaba yokusoka. (Imiseb. 13:2, 3) Kanti njalo uPhawuli ngemva kwesikhathi wabhala wathi: “Okwenza ngaya khona (eJerusalema) yikuthi ngangembulelwe.” Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi wayeqondiswa nguNkulunkulu endabeni le. (Gal. 2:2) Lamuhla abadala bayazama ukutshengisa ukuthobeka lokubekezela nxa kungavuka izindaba ezihluphayo. Kulokuthi babambe inkani bacela uJehova ukuthi abancedise ngokudinga iMibhalo leziqondiso ezivela encekwini ethembekileyo.—Flp. 2:2, 3.

11, 12. Kuqakatheke ngani ukulindela uJehova?

¹¹ Kwezinye izikhathi kuyabe kumele silindele uJehova ukuthi asincedise siyizwisise ngcono indaba ethile. Khumbula  ukuthi abafowethu laba balinda kusukela ngesikhathi uKhoneliya egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ngo-36 C.E. kwaze kwaba ngabo-49 C.E. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi kwathatha iminyaka engaba ngu-13 belokhu belindile. Kanti yindaba uJehova wayekela indaba yokusoka yahlala ingalungiswanga okweminyaka eminengi kangaka? Mhlawumbe wayefuna ukuthi anike amaJuda isikhathi eseneleyo sokulungisa umbono wawo kancane kancane ngemva kotshintsho lolu olukhulu kangaka. Phela kwakungasindaba encane ukumiswa kwesivumelwano sokusoka esasesileminyaka engu-1 900 sisebenza futhi esasenziwe lokhokho wabo ababemthanda u-Abrahama.—Joh. 16:12.

¹² Kuyisibusiso sibili ukufundiswa lokubunjwa nguJehova, uBaba wethu olomusa lobekezelayo. Lokho asifundisa khona kuhlala kusinceda sonke isikhathi. (Isaya. 48:17, 18; 64:8) Akumelanga sizigqaje futhi sibambelele embonweni yethu kumbe sale ukwamukela utshintsho olwenziwayo endleleni esenza ngayo izinto kumbe esizwisisa ngayo iMibhalo. (Umtshu. 7:8) Nxa ungananzelela ukuthi ulohlupho endabeni le, kungcono uthandaze futhi ucabangisise ngezimiso ezitholakala kumiSebenzi isahluko 15. d

13. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabekezela njengoJehova nxa sisekutshumayeleni?

¹³ Kumele sibekezele nxa umuntu esimfundisa iBhayibhili kumthwalisa nzima ukutshiya izimfundiso zamanga lemikhuba engavumelani leBhayibhili abeyithanda. Kumele simnike isikhathi ukuze umoya ongcwele umncedise atshintshe lokho akukholwayo. (1 Khor. 3:6, 7) Kanti njalo kumele sithandaze ngayo indaba yakhona. Ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, uNkulunkulu uzamncedisa akhethe kuhle.—1 Joh. 5:14.

14, 15. Ibandla le-Antiyokhi latshengisa njani ukuthi liyamthanda uPhawuli loBhanabha labanye ababehamba labo, futhi amadoda la awakhuthaza njani amanye amaKhristu?

¹⁴ ULukha uqhubeka esithi: “Amadoda la aphelekezelwa libandla okomangwana aseqhubeka ngohambo. Adabula eFenikhiya leSamariya elandisa konke okuphathelane lokuguquka kwabantu bezinye izizwe. Lokhu kwenza bonke abazalwane bathokoza kakhulu.” (Imiseb. 15:3) Lapha sitshelwa ukuthi ibandla laphelekezela uPhawuli loBhanabha labanye ababehamba labo okomangwana. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi lalibathanda, libahlonipha futhi libafisela isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu. Lesi ngesinye isibonelo esihle kakhulu esingasilingisela. Uyabahlonipha yini abafowenu labodadewenu, “ikakhulu [abadala] labo abasebenza nzima befundisa futhi bekhuluma”?—1 Thim. 5:17.

¹⁵ Esendleleni, amadoda la akhuthaza amaKhristu aseFenikhiya leSamariya ngokuwaxoxela “izinto ezinengi” eziphathelane lokuphenduka kwabantu bezinye izizwe. Phakathi kwabantu ababemlalele kwakulamaKhristu angamaJuda ayebalekele endaweni lezo ngemva kokubulawa kukaStefane. Lalamuhla imibiko emayelana lendlela uJehova abusisa ngayo umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi  iyabakhuthaza kakhulu abafowethu labodadewethu ikakhulu nxa bephakathi kobunzima. Uyayikholisa yini lawe imibiko oyizwa emihlanganweni yebandla, eyesiqinti, leyesabelo kanye lokubala ngalokho okwenzakala empilweni zabanye okusemabhukwini ethu kumbe ku-jw.org?

16. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi indaba yokusoka yayingasondaba encane?

¹⁶ Ngemva kokuhamba umango ongaba ngamakhilomitha angu-550 eqonde eningizimu, amadoda la avela e-Antiyokhi afika eJerusalema. ULukha wabhala wathi: “Athi efika eJerusalema emukelwa kuhle libandla langabaphostoli kanye labadala, aselandisa izinto ezinengi uNkulunkulu ayezenze ngawo.” (Imiseb. 15:4) Kodwa bathi bekuzwa lokho “abanye abeqembu labaFarisi abasebengamakholwa basukuma ezitulweni zabo bathi: ‘Kumele basokwe futhi balaywe ukuthi balandele uMthetho kaMosi.’” (Imiseb. 15:5) Kuyacaca ukuthi indaba yokusokwa kwamaKhristu angasimaJuda kwakuyindaba enkulu sibili futhi kwakumele ilungiswe.

17. Ngobani ababebumba iqula elikhokhelayo elaliseJerusalema futhi kungani ‘abadala’ labo babekhona?

¹⁷ IZaga 13:10 zithi: “Ukuhlakanipha ngokwalabo abadinga ukucetshiswa.” Besebenzisa isimiso lesi, “abaphostoli labadala bahlanganisa amakhanda ukuze bahluze [indaba yokusoka].” (Imiseb. 15:6) “Abaphostoli labadala” babemela wonke amabandla amaKhristu njengalokho okwenziwa liQula Elikhokhelayo lamuhla. Yindaba ‘abadala’ babesebenza ndawonye labaphostoli? Khumbula ukuthi umphostoli uJakhobe wayesebulewe futhi okwesikhathi esithile umphostoli uPhetro laye wayebotshiwe. Yikho lokhu kwakusenzelwa ukuthi nxa abanye abaphostoli bangabulawa kumbe babotshwe, kuhlale kulamadoda agcotshiweyo afaneleyo ukuze ibandla liqhubeke lilabakhokhelayo.

18, 19. Yiwaphi amazwi alamandla akhulunywa nguPhetro futhi labo ababemlalele kwakumele bafinyelele kusiphi isiphetho?

¹⁸ ULukha uqhubeka esithi: “Bathi sebexoxe kabanzi njalo okwesikhathi eside ngodaba lolu, uPhetro wasukuma wathi kubo: ‘Madoda, bafowethu, likwazi mhlophe ukuthi kusukela ezinsukwini zokuqala uNkulunkulu wangikhetha phakathi kwenu ukuze abantu bezinye izizwe balizwe ngomlomo wami ilizwi lezindaba ezinhle bakholwe. UNkulunkulu owazi inhliziyo wafakaza ngokubapha umoya  ongcwele njengoba wayesiphile lathi njalo waveza ukuthi awukho ngitsho umehluko phakathi kwethu labo, wahlambulula izinhliziyo zabo ngokholo.’” (Imiseb. 15:7-9) Elinye ibhuku lokuchwayisisa lithi ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘bephikisane’ elisemabaleni angaphansi kavesi 7 litsho ‘ukudinga’ kumbe ‘ukubuza.’ Kukhanya abafowethu laba babe lemibono etshiyeneyo futhi bayiveza egcekeni.

¹⁹ Amazwi kaPhetro alamandla akhumbuza bonke ababesemhlanganweni lo ukuthi yena wayekhona ngesikhathi abantu bezinye izizwe bokuqala abangasokanga, okutsho uKhoneliya labendlu yakhe begcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ngo-36 C.E. Yikho nxa uJehova wayesesamukela amaJuda labantu abangasimaJuda ngendlela efananayo, ngubani owayelesizatho sokubabandlulula? Kanti njalo ukuba lokholo kuKhristu yikho okwenza inhliziyo yomKhristu ibe ngehlambulukileyo hatshi ukulandela uMthetho kaMosi.—Gal. 2:16.

20. AmaJuda ayekhuthaza ukusoka ‘ayemlinga njani uNkulunkulu?’

²⁰ Ngenxa yobufakazi obungeke buphikiswe beLizwi likaNkulunkulu lomoya wakhe ongcwele, uPhetro waphetha ngokuthi: “Manje selimlingelani uNkulunkulu ngokugaxa entanyeni zabafundi ijogwe thina labokhokho bethu esehluleka ukulithwala? Thina sikholwa ukuthi sisindiswa ngomusa omkhulu weNkosi uJesu futhi labo bayakukholwa ukuthi basindiswa ngawo.” (Imiseb. 15:10, 11) Abantu ababelokhu bekhuthaza ukusoka, ‘babemlinga uNkulunkulu’ sibili. Babezama ukutshayela abantu bezinye izizwe umthetho bona njengesizwe samaJuda ababehluleke ukuwulandela ngokupheleleyo baze bagwetshelwa ukufa. (Gal. 3:10) Kulokuthi akhuthaze ukusoka, amaJuda la kwakumele abonge umusa omkhulu uNkulunkulu ayewatshengise wona esebenzisa uJesu.

21. UBhanabha loPhawuli bancedisa njani engxoxweni eyaba khona mayelana lendaba yokusoka?

²¹ Amazwi kaPhetro ahlaba ephukela sibili ngoba “iqembu lonke lathi lisizwa lokhu lathula zwi.” Ngemva kwalokho, uBhanabha loPhawuli balandisa “ngezibonakaliso ezinengi lezimanga uNkulunkulu ayezenze ngabo ebantwini bezinye izizwe.” (Imiseb. 15:12) Khathesi abaphostoli lamadoda amadala basebesenelisa ukuhluza bonke ubufakazi besebesenza isinqumo esasizatshengisa intando kaNkulunkulu endabeni yokusoka.

22-24. (a) IQula Elikhokhelayo lamuhla lilingisela njani lokho okwakusenziwa liqula elikhokhelayo lakudala? (b) Abadala bangatshengisa njani ukuthi bahlonipha indlela izinto ezenziwa ngayo enhlanganisweni?

²² Lalamuhla amalunga eQula Elikhokhelayo enza okufananayo. Nxa ehlangana ndawonye, ayalihlola iLizwi likaNkulunkulu futhi athandaze ecela umoya ongcwele. (Hubo. 119:105; Mat. 7:7-11) Ukuze bakwenze lokhu, ilunga ngalinye leQula Elikhokhelayo liyaphiwa izindaba okuzaxoxwa ngazo emhlanganweni wabo kuseselesikhathi beselicabangisisa futhi lithandaze ngazo. (Zaga. 15:28) Nxa sebehlangana, abafowethu laba abagcotshiweyo bayaveza imibono yabo bekhululekile. IBhayibhili yilo elisetshenziswa kakhulu ezingxoxweni lezi.

²³ Abadala bebandla kumele balingisele isibonelo lesi. Nxa sebexoxe ngendaba  ethile emhlanganweni wabo kodwa yasala ingalungisekanga kuhle, kumele bathintane lewofisi yegatsha kumbe umbonisi wesiqinti. Kwesinye isikhathi igatsha lalo kungadingeka ukuthi libhalele iQula Elikhokhelayo.

²⁴ UJehova uyababusisa abantu abathobekileyo, abaqotho lababekezelayo abatshengisa ukuthi bayahlonipha indlela izinto ezenziwa ngayo ebandleni. Njengoba sizabona esahlukweni esilandelayo, ukwenza njalo kwenza ukuthi sibe lokuthula kweqiniso, sikhonze uJehova sithokoza futhi sihlale simanyene.