ISAHLUKO 8
Ibandla ‘Laba Sesikhathini Sokuthula’
USawuli owayehlukuluza amaKhristu uba ngumtshumayeli okhutheleyo
Isihloko lesi sisekelwe kumiSebenzi 9:1-43
1, 2. USawuli wayehloseni esiya eDamaseko?
AMADODA abophe ubuso futhi angahambi ngokuhle asezafika eDamaseko. Ayabazonda abafundi bakaJesu futhi ahlose ukuyababopha, abahlukuluze, abesebahudula aye labo eJerusalema ukuze bayethonisiswa phambi kweSanihedrini.
2 Umkhokheli weqembu leli kuthiwa nguSawuli futhi seke wabulalisa omunye umKhristu. a Ensukwini ezisanda kudlula ubebukele futhi evumelana labanye bakhe ngesikhathi bekhanda umfundi kaJesu uStefane ngamatshe waze wafa. (Imiseb. 7:57–8:1) USawuli kapheleli ekuhlukuluzeni abalandeli bakaJesu abaseJerusalema kodwa ufuthelene ngaphakathi, usefuna ukuyahlukuluza amaKhristu akwezinye indawo. Ufuna ukubaqeda du “abaleyoNdlela.”—Imiseb. 9:1, 2; khangela ibhokisi elithi: “ Amandla KaSawuli EDamaseko.”
3, 4. (a) Kwenzakalani kuSawuli? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula?
3 Esalibele, uSawuli uphandlwa yikukhanya okukhulu. Amadoda ahamba laye ayakubona ukukhanya lokhu futhi ayamangala kakhulu aswele lokuthi athini. USawuli uwela phansi engasaboni. Uzwa ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi: “Sawuli, Sawuli, kanti ungihlukuluzelani?” Uyabuza emangele athi: “Ungubani Nkosi?” Impendulo ayitholayo imtshiya etshe amathe. Ilizwi lithi kuye: “NginguJesu, lowo omhlukuluzayo.”—Imiseb. 9:3-5; 22:9.
4 Sifundani emazwini okuqala uJesu awatshela uSawuli? Kusinceda ngani ukuhlola lokho okwenzakala uSawuli esetshintsha esiba ngumKhristu? Sifundani endleleni ibandla elasebenzisa ngayo isikhathi sokuthula esaba khona uSawuli esengumKhristu?
“Kanti Ungihlukuluzelani?” (Imiseb. 9:1-5)
5, 6. Sifundani embuzweni uJesu awubuza uSawuli?
5 Ngesikhathi uJesu emisa uSawuli endleleni eya eDamaseko, kazange ambuze athi: “Kanti ubahlukuluzelani abafundi bami?” Njengoba sibonile wambuza wathi: “Kanti ungihlukuluzelani?” (Imiseb. 9:4) Kusegcekeni ukuthi uJesu uzwa ubuhlungu nxa ebona abalandeli bakhe bephathwa kubi.—Mat. 25:34-40, 45.
6 Nxa uhlukuluzwa ngenxa yokuthi uyakholwa kuJesu, qiniseka ukuthi uJehova loJesu bayabubona ubunzima ophakathi kwabo. (Mat. 10:22, 28-31) Kungenzeka uJehova angalususi uhlupho ophakathi kwalo. Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wayekhangele ngesikhathi uSawuli evumelana lokubulawa kukaStefane futhi wambona ehudula abalandeli bakhe emizini yabo eJerusalema. (Imiseb. 8:3) Lanxa kunjalo, kazange ahle angenele ngalesosikhathi. Kodwa uJehova esebenzisa uJesu, wanika uStefane labanye abafundi amandla okuqhubeka bethembekile kuye.
7. Kuyini okumele ukwenze ukuze uqinisele nxa uhlukuluzwa?
7 Nxa ungenza okulandelayo lawe uzenelisa ukuqinisela nxa uhlukuluzwa: (1) Qhubeka uthembekile kumnyama kubomvu. (2) Cela uJehova akuncedise. (Flp. 4:6, 7) (3) Ungaphindiseli, tshiyela indaba kuJehova. (Rom. 12:17-21) (4) Themba ukuthi uJehova uzaqhubeka ekunika amandla okuqinisela kuze kube yisikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo sokuqeda uhlupho ophakathi kwalo.—Flp. 4:12, 13.
‘Sawuli Mfowethu, INkosi Ingithumile’ (Imiseb. 9:6-17)
8, 9. U-Ananiya angabe wezwa njani ngesikhathi ethunywa kuSawuli?
8 Ngemva kokuphendula umbuzo kaSawuli othi: “Ungubani Nkosi?” uJesu wathi kuye: “Sukuma ungene edolobheni, uzatshelwa okumele ukwenze.” (Imiseb. 9:6) USawuli owayengasaboni lutho waqhutshwa ngamadoda ayelawo wahanjiswa eDamaseko. Wazila ukudla futhi wathandaza okwamalanga amathathu. Ngesikhathi leso uJesu wakhuluma lo-Ananiya umfundi owayesedolobheni leli emtshela ngoSawuli. U-Ananiya ‘wayekhulunyelwa kuhle yiwo wonke amaJuda’ ayehlala eDamaseko.—Imiseb. 22:12.
9 Akucabange ukuthi u-Ananiya angabe wezwa njani ngesikhathi ethunywa kuSawuli. Phela uJesu Khristu, inhloko yebandla, owavuswa kwabafileyo, wayekhuluma laye yena ngokwakhe emthuma ukuthi enze umsebenzi oqakathekileyo. Lesi kwakuyisibusiso sibili kodwa umsebenzi wakhona wawungathambanga! UJesu wathi emtshela ukuthi ayekhuluma loSawuli yena waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, banengi abantu esengibazwe bekhuluma ngendoda le, bekhuluma ngaso sonke isihluku eyasenza abangcwele bakho eJerusalema. Ilapha nje iphiwe amandla ngabaphristi abakhokhelayo ukuze ibophe bonke ababiza ibizo lakho.”—Imiseb. 9:13, 14.
10. Sifundani endleleni uJesu aphatha ngayo u-Ananiya?
10 UJesu kazange amsole u-Ananiya ngokwesaba kwakhe. Kodwa wamchasisela ngendlela ecacileyo lokho okwakumele akwenze. Watshengisa ukuthi uyamzwisisa ngokumtshela ukuthi kungani wayefuna enze umsebenzi lo ongajayelekanga. UJesu ekhuluma ngoSawuli wathi: “Indoda le iyisitsha sami engisikhethileyo, izafakaza ngebizo lami ezizweni lasemakhosini kanye lasebantwini bako-Israyeli. Ngizayitshengisa ukuthi izahlupheka kangakanani ngenxa yebizo lami.” (Imiseb. 9:15, 16) U-Ananiya wahle wenza lokho uJesu ayemthume khona. Wahamba wayadinga uSawuli owayehlukuluza amaKhristu wafika wathi kuye: “Sawuli mfowethu, iNkosi uJesu ebonakale kuwe emgwaqweni obuhamba ngawo ingithumile ukuze uphinde ubone njalo wamukele umoya ongcwele.”—Imiseb. 9:17.
11, 12. Sifundani endabeni yokuguquka kukaSawuli?
11 Kulesinye isifundo esisitholayo endabeni le. Ngokwesibonelo sifunda ukuthi uJesu nguye oqondisa umsebenzi wokutshumayela njengoba wayethembisile. (Mat. 28:20) Lanxa engasakhulumi lathi mathupha uqondisa umsebenzi lo esebenzisa inceku ethembekileyo ayibeke ukuthi ikhangele izisebenzi zalapha ekhaya. (Mat. 24:45-47) IQula Elikhokhelayo likhokhela abamemezeli lamaphayona abasebenza nzima bedinga labo abalesifiso sokufunda okunengi ngoKhristu. Esahlukweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi abantu abanengi esijayele ukuhlangana labo ekutshumayeleni bayabe bevele bethandaza becela ukuthi uNkulunkulu abancedise besesifika emizini yabo sizobafundisa.—Imiseb. 9:11.
12 U-Ananiya wavuma umsebenzi awunikwayo futhi wabusiswa. Wena uyawulalela yini umlayo wokufakaza ngokugcweleyo lanxa kwesinye isikhathi ungakwenza wesabe? Abanye kubathwalisa nzima ukutshumayela endlini ngendlu lokuxoxa labantu abangabaziyo. Kwabanye kungumqanso ukutshumayela endaweni zamabhizinesi, emigwaqweni kumbe ngefoni loba ukubhala izincwadi. U-Ananiya wakunqoba ukwesaba kwakhe futhi waba lesibusiso sokuncedisa uSawuli ukuthi amukele umoya ongcwele. b U-Ananiya waphumelela ngoba wayemthemba uJesu njalo wabona uSawuli engumfowabo. Lathi singakunqoba ukwesaba nxa singalingisela u-Ananiya sithembe ukuthi uJesu nguye oqondisa umsebenzi wethu wokutshumayela, sibazwele abantu futhi sibone labo okunzima ukubatshumayeza bengabantu abangaba ngabafowethu labodadewethu esikhathini esizayo.—Mat. 9:36.
‘Wahle Waqalisa Ukutshumayela NgoJesu’ (Imiseb. 9:18-30)
13, 14. Nxa usafunda iBhayibhili kodwa ungakabhabhathizwa, ungafundani kulokho okwenziwa nguSawuli?
13 USawuli wahle wakusebenzisa lokho ayesekufundile. Ngemva kokwelatshwa kwakhe wabhabhathizwa futhi waqalisa ukuba lobudlelwano labafundi eDamaseko. Kodwa kulokunye futhi akwenzayo. “Wahle waqalisa ukutshumayela emasinagogeni etshela abantu ukuthi uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”—Imiseb. 9:20.
14 Nxa usafunda iBhayibhili kodwa ungakabhabhathizwa, uzalingisela uSawuli yini njalo ubhabhathizwe? USawuli wazibonela ngawakhe isimangaliso esenziwa nguKhristu, futhi akuthandabuzwa ukuthi samnceda ukuthi abe ngumfundi. Kodwa uSawuli ayisuye yedwa owabona izimangaliso ezenziwa nguJesu. Ngokwesibonelo, elinye iqembu labaFarisi lambona ngesikhathi esilisa indoda eyayilesandla esigogekileyo njalo amaJuda amanengi ayekwazi ukuthi uJesu nguye owayevuse uLazaro kwabafileyo. Kodwa abanengi abazange bamlalele futhi abanye baze bamphikisa. (Mak. 3:1-6; Joh. 12:9, 10) Manje yindaba uSawuli watshintsha kodwa abanye behluleka ukwenza njalo? Kungenxa yokuthi wayesesaba uNkulunkulu ukwedlula abantu futhi wayewuqakathekisa umusa omkhulu uJesu ayemtshengise wona. (Flp. 3:8) Nxa lawe ungamlingisela uzakulungela ukubhabhathizwa njalo awusoze uvumele lutho ukuthi lukwenze wekele ukutshumayela.
15, 16. USawuli wenzani emasinagogeni futhi amaJuda ayeseDamaseko enzani?
15 Akucabange ukuthi abantu abanengi kwabamangalisa njani futhi kwabacaphula njani ukubona uSawuli eqalisa ukutshumayela emasinagogeni. Babuza bathi: “Indoda le ayisiyo yini ebihlukuluza abaseJerusalema ababiza ibizo leli?” (Imiseb. 9:21) USawuli wabachasisela ukuthi kungani wayesetshintshile futhi ‘watshengisa ngendlela ecacileyo ukuthi lo nguye uKhristu.’ (Imiseb. 9:22) Kodwa ayisibo bonke abazazwisisa nxa bechasiselwa. Kunzima ukuncedisa abantu abazimisele ukulandela amasiko abo kumbe abazigqajayo. Lanxa kunjalo, uSawuli kazange akhalale ukuncedisa abantu bakibo.
16 Lanxa kwasekudlule iminyaka emithathu, amaJuda ayeseDamaseko ayelokhu emphikisa uSawuli. Acina bebumba icebo lokumbulala. (Imiseb. 9:23; 2 Khor. 11:32, 33; Gal. 1:13-18) USawuli wathi esezwile ngecebo leli wavuma ukuthi asuke ngudlu edolobheni. Yikho bamehlisa ebusuku ngesikhala esasisemdulini bemfake ebhasikitini enkulu. ULukha uthi “abafundi [bakaSawuli]” yibo abancedisa uSawuli ukuthi abaleke ebusuku. (Imiseb. 9:25) Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi bakhona abazamukelayo izindaba ezinhle ezazitshunyayelwa nguSawuli yikho baba ngabafundi bakaKhristu.
17. (a) Abantu abanengi benzani nxa sibatshumayeza? (b) Kumele siqhubeke sisenzani futhi kungani kumele senze njalo?
17 Ngesikhathi uqalisa ukuxoxela izihlobo, abangane labanye ngezindaba ezinhle eziseBhayibhilini kungenzeka wawucabanga ukuthi bazalamukela iqiniso leli elifundiswa liBhayibhili ngenxa yokuthi lizicacele. Abanye kungenzeka bakulalela kodwa abanengi abazange bakulalele. Kungenzeka lokuthi ezinye izihlobo zakho zahle zakuzonda zakubona njengesitha. (Mat. 10:32-38) Nxa kunjalo ungaqhubeka uthuthukisa indlela ofundisa ngayo futhi uziphathe kuhle, abakuphikisayo labo bangacina betshintsha.—Imiseb. 17:2; 1 Phet. 2:12; 3:1, 2, 7.
18, 19. (a) Abaphostoli bamamukela njani uSawuli ngemva kokuba uBhanabha esebachasisele ngaye? (b) Singamlingisela njani uBhanabha loSawuli?
18 USawuli wathi efika eJerusalema abanye abafundi babengakukholwa ukuthi laye usengumfundi. Kodwa uBhanabha wathi esebachasisele ukuthi uSawuli wayesetshintshile sibili, abaphostoli bamamukela futhi wahlala labo okwesikhathi esithile. (Imiseb. 9:26-28) Lanxa uSawuli wayesenza izinto zakhe ngonanzelelo wayengelanhloni ngezindaba ezinhle. (Rom. 1:16) Wazitshumayela ngesibindi izindaba ezinhle eJerusalema, indawo ayeqalisele khona ukuhlukuluza abafundi bakaJesu Khristu kabuhlungu. AmaJuda azonda kakhulu ebona ukuthi indoda eyayikhokhela ekuhlukuluzeni amaKhristu yayisiguqukile yaba ngumKhristu. Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lithi: “Abazalwane bathi bekuzwa lokho bamusa eKhesariya, basebemdlulisela eThasu.” (Imiseb. 9:30) USawuli wavuma ukuthi uJesu amqondise esebenzisa ibandla futhi lokhu kwanceda uSawuli kanye lebandla.
19 Unanzelele yini ukuthi uBhanabha nguye owalanda uSawuli wamncedisa? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi umusa wakhe wenza yena loSawuli baba ngabangane abaseduze sibili. Uyamlingisela yini uBhanabha ngokuncedisa abasanda kubhabhathizwa ngokutshumayela labo lokubancedisa ukuthi bathuthuke ekukhonzeni? UJehova uzakubusisa sibili ungenza njalo. Nxa ungosanda kubhabhathizwa uyavuma yini ukuncediswa ngabanye njengoSawuli? Nxa ungatshumayela labamemezeli asebezingcitshi ekufundiseni uzathuthukisa indlela otshumayela ngayo futhi lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi uthokoze njalo uthole abangane.
“Abanengi Bakholwa ENkosini” (Imiseb. 9:31-43)
20, 21. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zakudala lezesikhathi sethu zisisebenzise njani ‘isikhathi sokuthula’?
20 USawuli wathi esengumKhristu, “amabandla ayeseJudiya leGalile kanye leSamariya aba sesikhathini sokuthula.” (Imiseb. 9:31) Abafundi basisebenzisa njani ‘isikhathi lesi esihle?’ (2 Thim. 4:2) Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lithi ‘baqhubeka beqiniswa.’ Abaphostoli labanye abafowethu ababekhokhela baqinisa ukholo lwabafundi futhi abafundi “babephila impilo yokumesaba uJehova njalo bevuma ukududuzwa ngumoya ongcwele.” Ngokwesibonelo, uPhetro wasebenzisa isikhathi lesi ukuqinisa abafundi edolobheni laseLida elalisemagcekeni eSharoni. Ukusebenza nzima kukaPhetro kwenza abanengi endaweni leyo “baphendukela eNkosini.” (Imiseb. 9:32-35) Abafundi abazange bavumele ukuthi imisebenzi lezinye izinto zibaphambanise kodwa baqhubeka besebenza nzima bencedisana futhi betshumayela izindaba ezinhle. Yikho ibandla ‘laqhubeka likhula.’
21 Ekupheleni kweminyaka yabo-1900, oFakazi bakaJehova emazweni amanengi ‘baba sesikhathini sokuthula.’ Ohulumende ababebahlukuluza okweminyaka eminengi batshintsha yikho kwasekulula ukutshumayela emazweni lawo lapho umsebenzi wethu owawuvinjelwe khona futhi kwezinye indawo baphiwa imvumo yokuthi bakhonze bekhululekile. Izinkulungwane zaboFakazi zalisebenzisa kuhle ithuba leli lokutshumayela obala futhi zaphumelela emsebenzini wazo.
22. Ungayisebenzisa njani inkululeko yokukhonza olayo khathesi?
22 Uyisebenzisa njani inkululeko olayo? Nxa uhlala elizweni lapho okhonza khona ukhululekile, uSathane ufuna ukukulinga ukuthi uqakathekise inotho kulokuthi uqakathekise izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. (Mat. 13:22) Ungavumi akuphambanise. Sisebenzise kuhle isikhathi sokuthula olaso khathesi. Sibone njengethuba elihle lokufakaza ngokugcweleyo lokuqinisa ibandla. Khumbula ukuthi izimo zingaphonguvuka zitshintshile.
23, 24. (a) Sifundani endabeni kaThabitha? (b) Kumele sizimisele ukwenzani?
23 Ake sixoxe ngalokho okwenzakala kumfundi okuthiwa nguThabitha, kumbe uDokhasi. Wayehlala eJopha, idolobho elaliseduze leLida. Udadewethu lo owayethembekile wasisebenzisa kuhle isikhathi sakhe lezinto ayelazo ngoba “wayesenza izinto ezinengi ezinhle futhi esipha abayanga izipho ayezenza.” Kodwa waphongugula wasesifa. c Ukufa kwakhe kwabazwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu abafundi ababehlala eJopha, ikakhulu abafelokazi ayebenzele umusa. UPhetro wangena endlini lapho isidumbu esasibekwe khona. Wenza isimangaliso esasingakaze senziwe ngomunye wabaphostoli bakaJesu! Wathandaza wasemvusa. Akucabange ukuthi abafelokazi labanye abafundi bathokoza njani ngesikhathi uPhetro ebabiza futhi ebatshengisa uThabitha owayesevusiwe. Isimangaliso lesi sabaqinisa ukuze bamelane lobunzima ababezahlangana labo. Kungakayi ngaphi isimangaliso lesi ‘sasesisaziwa kulo lonke elaseJopha njalo abanengi bakholwa eNkosini.’—Imiseb. 9:36-42.
Ungamlingisela njani uDokhasi?
24 Kulezifundo ezimbili eziqakathekileyo esizifunda endabeni kaThabitha. (1) Impilo imfitshane. Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi sizenzele ibizo elihle loNkulunkulu khathesi. (Umtshu. 7:1) (2) Abafileyo bazavuswa. UJehova wakunanzelela konke okuhle okwakusenziwa nguThabitha futhi wamupha umvuzo. Kasoze awukholwe umsebenzi wethu futhi uzasivusa nxa singafa i-Amagedoni ingakafiki. (Heb. 6:10) Yikho kungelani lokuthi ‘sisesikhathini esinzima’ kumbe sikholisa ‘isikhathi esihle,’ kasiqhubekeni sifakaza ngokugcweleyo ngoKhristu.—2 Thim. 4:2.
a Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ USawuli UmFarisi.”
b Izikhathi ezinengi abaphostoli yibo ababedlulisela isipho somoya ongcwele kubafundi abatsha. Kodwa kulesi senzakalo esingajayelekanga kukhanya uJesu wanika u-Ananiya amandla okudlulisela isipho somoya ongcwele kuSawuli. Esephendukile waba ngumKhristu futhi kwadlula isikhathi esithile engakahlangani labaphostoli abangu-12. Lanxa kunjalo kumele ukuthi kunengi ayekwenza ngalesosikhathi. Yikho kukhanya uJesu wamnika amandla ayewadinga ukuze enze umsebenzi wakhe wokutshumayela.
c Khangela ibhokisi elithi: “ UDokhasi ‘Wayesenza Izinto Ezinengi Ezinhle.’”
