1, 2. Ngesikhathi samaKhristu okuqala, imizamo yokuvimbela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi batshumayele yaphetha ngani?

 AMAKHRISTU ahlukuluzwa ngamandla futhi uSawuli uqalisa “ukulihlukuluza kabuhlungu” ibandla. (Imiseb. 8:3) Abafundi bayabaleka eJerusalema futhi kukhanya angani uSawuli uzaphumelela ukuwaqeda du amaKhristu. Kodwa kwenzakala into ebingalindelekanga ngesikhathi amaKhristu esabalala. Kwenzakalani?

² Labo ababaleke eJerusalema baqalisa ‘ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle ezimayelana lelizwi’ ezindaweni abaya kuzo. (Imiseb. 8:4) Yikho kulokuthi ukuhlukuluzwa lokhu kubangele ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bengasatshumayeli, kucina kusenza ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zisabalale lakwezinye indawo. Ukuhlukuluzwa kubangela ukuthi abafundi babaleke batshiye imizi yabo yikho izindaba ezinhle zifinyelela lasezindaweni ezikhatshana. Lasesikhathini esiphila kuso kwenzakala into efananayo.

3. (a) Wayengubani uFiliphu? (b) Kungani kwakungakaze kutshunyayelwe eSamariya futhi uJesu wathi kwakuzakwenzakalani endaweni leyi?

³ Omunye walabo “ababebaleke eJerusalema” kwakunguFiliphu. a (Imiseb. 8:4; khangela ibhokisi elithi “ UFiliphu ‘Umvangeli,’.”) Waya edolobheni leSamariya lapho okwakulabantu abanengi ababengakaze bazwe izindaba ezinhle. UJesu wayetshele abaphostoli wathi: “Lingangeni kuloba yiliphi idolobho lamaSamariya, kodwa qhubekani lilanda izimvu ezilahlekileyo zendlu yako-Israyeli.” (Mat. 10:5, 6) Kodwa uJesu wayekwazi ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abantu baseSamariya babezatshunyayezwa ngoba engakayi ezulwini wathi: “Lizakuba ngofakazi  bami eJerusalema lakulo lonke elaseJudiya leSamariya kuze kuyefika emaphethelweni omhlaba.”—Imiseb. 1:8.

4. AmaSamariya azamukela njani izindaba ezinhle ezazitshunyayelwa nguFiliphu futhi kuyini okwabangela lokhu?

⁴ UFiliphu wathi efika eSamariya wathola ‘amasimu esemhlophe njalo eselindele ukuvunwa.’ (Joh. 4:35) Izindaba ezinhle ayezitshumayela zawavuselela amaSamariya. Phela amaJuda ayengadlelani lamaSamariya futhi ewazonda. AmaSamariya ananzelela ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zazinika wonke umuntu ithemba kungelani lokuthi ungumhlobo bani futhi lokhu kwakutshiyene kakhulu lalokho ababekubona kubaFarisi ababegcwele ubandlululo. UFiliphu watshumayeza amaSamariya ngentshiseko futhi engawabandlululi. Lokhu kwatshengisa ukuthi wayengelabandlululo njengamaJuda yikho akumangalisi ukuthi ‘bonke abantu’ baseSamariya bamlalela.—Imiseb. 8:6.

5-7. Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi lanxa amaKhristu ehlukuluzwa, ukutshunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle kuqhubekela phambili.

⁵ Lamuhla abantu bakaNkulunkulu labo baqhubeka betshumayela lanxa behlukuluzwa. Izikhathi ezinengi nxa amaKhristu ebanjwa ngamandla efakwa emajele kumbe ehanjiswa kwelinye ilizwe izindaba ezinhle ziyasabalala zifike ezindaweni lezo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili oFakazi bakaJehova benelisa ukutshumayela lanxa babesezinkambeni  zokuhlutshwa zamaNazi. Omunye umJuda owahlangana laboFakazi enkambeni lezi wathi: “Isibindi oFakazi ababelaso sangenza ngabona ukuthi ukholo lwabo lwalusekelwe eMibhalweni futhi lami ngaba nguFakazi.”

⁶ Kwezinye izikhathi ngitsho lalabo ababehlukuluza oFakazi babecina sebengoFakazi. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye uFakazi okuthiwa nguFranz Desch wathi esetshintshelwe enkambeni yokuhlutshwa eyayiseGusen e-Austria wafunda iBhayibhili lelinye ipholisa. Akucabange ukuthi umfowethu lo wathokoza njani esehlangana lepholisa leli emhlanganweni waboFakazi bakaJehova futhi bobabili sebengabatshumayeli bezindaba ezinhle.

⁷ Kujayele ukwenzakala into efananayo ngesikhathi amaKhristu ebaleka esuka kwelinye ilizwe esiya kwelinye ngenxa yokuhlukuluzwa. Ngokwesibonelo, ngabo-1970 oFakazi beMalawi babalekela eMozambique ngenxa yokuhlukuluzwa futhi bafika batshumayela khonale. Lanxa bafika bahlukuluzwa laseMozambique, umsebenzi wokutshumayela awuzange ume. UFrancisco Coana uthi: “Abanye bethu sabotshwa izikhathi ezinengi ngenxa yokutshumayela kodwa abantu babezamukela izindaba ezinhle futhi asithandabuzi ukuthi uNkulunkulu nguye owayesincedisa njengoba nje wancedisa amaKhristu akuqala.”

8. Ukutshintsha kwezombusazwe lezomnotho kuwuthuthukise njani umsebenzi wokutshumayela?

⁸ Iqiniso yikuthi ukuhlukuluzwa ayisiso sodwa isizatho esibangela ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zitshunyayelwe lasezindaweni ezikhatshana. Eminyakeni esanda kudlula, ukutshintsha kwezombusazwe lezomnotho lakho kubangele ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zitshunyayelwe ebantwini abakhuluma indimi ezitshiyeneyo. Abanye ababaleka emazweni lapho okulezimpi khona kumbe lapho ezomnotho ezinzima khona bafika baqalise ukufunda iBhayibhili emazweni ababalekele kuwo. Ukwanda kweziphepheli emazweni la kubangele ukuthi kubunjwe amabandla lamaqembu asebenzisa ezinye izindimi. Wena wenza okusemandleni akho yini ukuze utshumayeze abantu abavela “kuzo zonke izizwe, lezizwana, labantu kanye lezindimi” abasensimini yenu?—Isam. 7:9.

9. Wayengubani uSimoni futhi kuyini okwenza walalela uFiliphu?

⁹ UFiliphu wenza izibonakaliso ezinengi eSamariya. Ngokwesibonelo, welapha abagogekileyo futhi wakhipha lamadimoni. (Imiseb. 8:6-8) Enye indoda okuthiwa nguSimoni yamangaliswa yizibonakaliso lezimangaliso ezazisenziwa nguFiliphu. Abantu babemqakathekisa kakhulu uSimoni owayesenza amasalamusi yikho babesithi: “Indoda le ingamandla kaNkulunkulu.” Kodwa khathesi uSimoni wayesezibonela sibili amandla kaNkulunkulu ezimangalisweni ezazisenziwa nguFiliphu futhi waba likholwa. (Imiseb. 8:9-13) Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi inhloso zikaSimoni zavela egcekeni. Njani?

10. (a) UPhetro loJohane bafika benzani eSamariya? (b) USimoni wenzani ebona abafundi abatsha besamukela umoya ongcwele ngemva kokubekwa izandla nguPhetro loJohane?

 ¹⁰ Abaphostoli bathi besizwa ngokwanda kwabafundi eSamariya bathuma uPhetro loJohane ukuthi bayekhona. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ UPhetro Usebenzisa ‘Amakhiye OMbuso’.”) Bathi befika khonale bababeka izandla abafundi abatsha futhi bemukela umoya ongcwele. b USimoni wathi ekubona lokhu kwamthinta kwamancane watshela abaphostoli wathi: “Lami ngiphani amandla elilawo ukuze loba ngubani engimbeka izandla amukele umoya ongcwele.” Waze wathembisa lokubanika imali ukuze laye abe lamandla la avela kuNkulunkulu.—Imiseb. 8:14-19.

11. UPhetro wamkhuza wathini uSimoni futhi uSimoni wenzani?

¹¹ UPhetro wamkhuza engambhodi uSimoni wathi: “Isiliva sakho kasitshabalale lawe ngoba ucabanga ukuthi ungasithenga ngemali isipho sikaNkulunkulu samahala. Awulangxenye loba isabelo endabeni le ngoba inhliziyo yakho kayikho qotho phambi kukaNkulunkulu.” UPhetro wasemtshela ukuthi aphenduke futhi acele ukuthethelelwa wathi: ‘Ncenga uJehova ukuthi nxa kungenzeka akuthethelele ngoba ulenhloso embi enhliziyweni yakho.’ Ayisikho ukuthi uSimoni wayengumuntu omubi, wayefisa sibili ukwenza okulungileyo kodwa wayekhuthe ugatsha. Yikho wancenga abaphostoli wathi: “Ngicela lingincengele kuJehova ukuze ngingehlelwa langokukodwa elikukhulumileyo.”—Imiseb. 8:20-24.

12. Ibala elithi “isisimoni” litshoni futhi umkhuba lo uyiphambanise njani inkolo yamanga?

 ¹² Isixwayiso uPhetro asinika uSimoni siyasebenza lakithi lamuhla. Ibala lesiNgisi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “isisimoni” lavela endabeni le. Ibala elithi “isisimoni” litsho ukuthenga kumbe ukuthengisa izikhundla ikakhulu ezindabeni eziphathelane lokukhonza. Imbali yamaKhristu amanga futhi angabahlamuki itshengisa ukuthi umkhuba lo ujayelekile sibili emasontweni. I-Encyclopædia Britannica ka-1878 ithi: “Nxa umuntu ehlola imbali yokukhethwa kwabopapa usala engathandabuzi ukuthi akuzake kube lokhetho olungela sisimoni. Lokhu kwenziwe izikhathi ezinengi kakhulu ekukhethweni kwabopapa beRoma futhi ngendlela eyangisayo kakhulu.”

13. AmaKhristu eqiniso angakubalekela njani ukuba lesisimoni?

¹³ AmaKhristu eqiniso lawo kumele ananzelele angabanjwa ngumkhuba lo. Ngokwesibonelo, akumelanga sizame ukuthabisa abakhokhelayo ngokubanika izipho kumbe ukubanika udumo ukuze sithole imisebenzi yenkonzo ethe xaxa. Kanti njalo abakhokhelayo labo akumelanga baqakathekise kakhulu abanothileyo kulabayanga ebandleni. Zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu kumele ziziphathe “njengomncane” futhi zivumele umoya ongcwele uziqondise nxa kukhethwa labo okumele baphiwe imisebenzi yenkonzo ethile. (Luk. 9:48) Enhlanganisweni kaJehova akumelanga kutholakale ‘umuntu ozidingela udumo.’—Zaga. 25:27.

14, 15. (a) Wayengubani “umthenwa ongumTopiya” futhi uFiliphu wamthola njani? (b) UmTopiya wazamukela njani izindaba ezinhle ezazitshunyayelwa nguFiliphu futhi kungani singathi ukubhabhathizwa kwakhe kwakungayisikho kuthatheka nje? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

¹⁴ Ingilosi kaJehova yatshela uFiliphu ukuthi aye emgwaqweni osuka eJerusalema usiya eGaza. Nxa uFiliphu wayezibuza ukuthi uyakwenzani emgwaqweni lo umbuzo wakhe waphendulwa kungakayi ngaphi esehlangana lendoda engumTopiya ‘eyayibalela phezulu umbhalo womphrofethi u-Isaya.’ (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ ‘Wayengumthenwa’ Ngayiphi Indlela?”)  Umoya ongcwele kaJehova watshela uFiliphu ukuthi asondele enqoleni yomTopiya. UFiliphu wagijima eceleni kwayo wabuza umTopiya wathi: “Uyakuzwisisa yini okubalayo?” Yena waphendula wathi: “Kambe ngingakuzwisisa njani kungelamuntu ongifundisayo?”—Imiseb. 8:26-31.

¹⁵ UmTopiya wacela uFiliphu ukuthi agade enqoleni ahlale laye. Kukhanya baba lengxoxo emnandi sibili ngoba kwasokulesikhathi eside kungaziwa ukuthi ngubani ‘imvu’ kumbe “inceku” okukhulunywa ngayo esiphrofethweni sika-Isaya. (Isaya. 53:1-12) Kodwa njengoba babeqhubeka ngohambo uFiliphu wamchasisela ukuthi isiphrofetho lesi sagcwaliseka kuJesu Khristu. UmTopiya lo owayevele esekholwa lokho okwakukholwa ngamaJuda, wenza njengalabo ababebhabhathizwe ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E. Watshela uFiliphu wathi: “ Khangela! Nanka amanzi. Kuyini okungivimbela ukuthi ngibhabhathizwe?” UmTopiya wahle wabhabhathizwa nguFiliphu. c (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “Ukubhabhathizwa ‘Emanzini.’”) Ngemva kwalokho umoya kaJehova waqondisa uFiliphu e-Ashidodi lapho afika waqhubeka etshumayela izindaba ezinhle.—Imiseb. 8:32-40.

16, 17. Ingilosi zisincedisa njani emsebenzini wokutshumayela lamuhla?

¹⁶ AmaKhristu lamuhla lawo alesibusiso sokwenza umsebenzi ofanana lalowo owawusenziwa nguFiliphu. Angatshumayela loba nini nxa kuvela ithuba, ngokwesibonelo nxa ephakathi kohambo. Ajayele ukunanzelela ukuthi nxa ehlangana lomuntu ozamukelayo izindaba ezinhle zingilosi eziyabe ziwaqondisa ukuze umlayezo wawo ufinyelele “kuzo zonke izizwe, lezizwana, lezindimi kanye labantu.” Ayisikho ukuthi kuyabe kutshayisene nje. (Isam. 14:6) UJesu wayekhulumile ukuthi izingilosi zizasincedisa emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Yikho wathi ekhuluma umzekeliso wengqoloyi  lokhula wathi ‘abavunayo yizingilosi,’ futhi zivuna ngesikhathi sokuvuna okutsho isiphetho somumo lo wezinto. Waphinda wathi ingilosi ‘zizabutha zonke izinto ezenza abantu bakhubeke, zizisuse eMbusweni wakhe, zisuse labantu abenza okungekho emthethweni.’ (Mat. 13:37-41) Ngesikhathi esifananayo ingilosi zizaphinda ziqoqe labo abazabusa njengezindlalifa eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu besekusithi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ziqoqe “ixuku elikhulu” ‘lezinye izimvu’ uJehova azalidonsela enhlanganisweni yakhe.—Isam. 7:9; Joh. 6:44, 65; 10:16.

¹⁷ Silobufakazi bokuthi lokhu kuyenzakala sibili esikhathini sethu ngoba abanye abantu esihlangana labo ekutshumayeleni bayake basitshele ukuthi bebethandaza kuNkulunkulu becela ukuthi abancedise. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye oFakazi ababili babesekutshumayeleni behamba lomntwana omncane. Sekusemini abamemezeli laba sebelungela ukutshayisa umntwana wayelokhu efisa ukuthi bayetshumayela endlini elandelayo, waze wahamba yedwa wayaqoqoda emnyango wendlu le. Kwaphuma intombi ethile futhi oFakazi laba ababili bayilanda bayaxoxa layo. Bamangala ibatshela ukuthi ibithandaza ukuthi kube lomuntu oyivakatshelayo ukuze ayincedise izwisise iBhayibhili. Bahle bahlela ukufunda layo iBhayibhili.

18. Kungani kungamelanga usithathe kancane isibusiso sokutshumayela?

¹⁸ Njengelunga lebandla lamaKhristu ulesibusiso esikhulu sokusebenza lengilosi emsebenzini wokutshumayela owenziwa ngendlela ongakaze wenziwe ngayo loba nini. Ungasithathi kancane isibusiso lesi. Nxa ungaqhubeka utshumayela “izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu” uzathokoza kakhulu.—Imiseb. 8:35.