ISAHLUKO 6
UStefane—“Wayegcwele Umusa KaNkulunkulu Lamandla”
Sifundani kulokho okwenziwa nguStefane phambi kweSanihedrini?
Isihloko lesi sisekelwe kumiSebenzi 6:8–8:3
1-3. (a) Yibuphi ubunzima uStefane aphakathi kwabo njalo wenzani? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula?
USTEFANE umi phambi komthethwandaba eduze kwethempeli eliseJerusalema, uhanqwe ngamadoda angu-71. Leli lilanga lakhe lokwahlulelwa ngumthethwandaba weSanihedrini. Amadoda la azomahlulela alamandla futhi ayahlonitshwa emphakathini njalo amanengi akhona ayamzonda futhi ayameyisa uStefane. Obuthanise amadoda la nguMphristi Omkhulu uKhayifasi, nguye futhi owayekhokhela ezinyangeni ezidlulileyo iSanihedrini igwebela uJesu ukuthi abulawe. Uyesaba yini uStefane?
2 Kulento emangalisayo ngoStefane enanzelelwa ngamadoda la azomahlulela. Athi emkhangela abone ukuthi “ubuso bakhe babunjengobengilosi.” (Imiseb. 6:15) Abahluleli laba abamzondayo futhi abameyisayo bayazibonela ukuthi uStefane kesabi lutho, ubeke amaphaphu phansi. Kuyini okwenza uStefane ahlaliseke kangaka?
3 Kunengi amaKhristu angakufunda kulokho okwenzakala kuStefane. Kuqakathekile ukwazi ukuthi kuyini okwenza uStefane wacina eselapha? Walulwela njani ukholo lwakhe futhi singamlingisela njani?
“Batshotshozela Abantu” (Imiseb. 6:8-15)
4, 5. (a) Yindaba sisithi uStefane wayeluncedo ebandleni leli elalisanda kubunjwa? (b) Kutshoni ukuthi uStefane “wayegcwele umusa kaNkulunkulu lamandla”?
4 Sesikwazi ukuthi uStefane wayeluncedo kakhulu ebandleni leli elalisanda kubunjwa. Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sifunde ngokuthi uStefane wayephakathi kwamadoda ayisikhombisa ayekhethwe ukuthi ancedise abaphostoli. Asikuthandabuzi sibili ukuthi indoda le yayithobekile ngoba lanxa yayisenelisa ukwenza izinto ezinengi, yavuma lokwenza imisebenzi eyayingakhangelelwa phansi. KumiSebenzi 6:8 iBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi wayesenza “izimangaliso lezibonakaliso ezinkulu” njengalezo ezazisenziwa ngabanye abaphostoli. Liphinda lithi “wayegcwele umusa kaNkulunkulu lamandla.” Kutshoni lokhu?
5 UStefane wayelomusa lozwelo futhi lokhu kwamenza waba ngumuntu wabantu sibili. Indlela ayekhuluma ngayo yayisenza abanengi bafise ukumlalela ngoba bezibonela ukuthi ayekukhuluma kwakusuka enhliziyweni njalo bekwazi ukuthi kuzabanceda. Wayegcwele amandla ngoba wayevuma ukuqondiswa ngumoya kaJehova. Wayengazigqaji ngalokho ayesenelisa ukukwenza kodwa lonke udumo wayelusa kuJehova futhi wayetshengisa ukuthi ulendaba labantu ayekhuluma labo. Lokhu yikho okwenza ababemphikisa bamzonda kakhulu.
6-8. (a) Yiziphi izinto ezimbili uStefane amangalelwa ngazo futhi kungani wamangalelwa ngalokho? (b) Kungani okwenziwa nguStefane kuwanceda amaKhristu lamuhla?
6 Amanye amadoda asukuma ukuze aphikisane loStefane. Kodwa ‘ehluleka ukumisana laye ngoba wayehlakaniphile futhi ekhuluma ekhokhelwa ngumoya.’ a Yikho ‘bayenga abantu ngudlu’ ukuthi bammangalele lanxa yena wayengelacala. Baphinda “batshotshozela abantu,” labadala lababhali, okwacina kubangela ukuthi uStefane abanjwe ngenkani ahanjiswe phambi kweSanihedrini. (Imiseb. 6:9-12) Abaphikisi laba bammangalela ngezinto ezimbili, bathi uthethisa uMosi loNkulunkulu. Wayebathethisa njani?
7 Abaphikisi laba babemqambela amanga besithi uthethisa uNkulunkulu ngoba ukhuluma kubi “ngendawo engcwele” okutsho ithempeli elaliseJerusalema. (Imiseb. 6:13) Bathi uthethisa uMosi ngoba wayekhuluma kubi ngoMthetho futhi etshintsha okunye kwalokho okwakuseMthethweni kaMosi. Leli kwakulicala elikhulu kakhulu kibo ngoba amaJuda ayeliqakathekisa kakhulu ithempeli loMthetho kaMosi kanye lamanye amasiko ayesewangezelele eMthethweni lo. Lokho kwakusitsho ukuthi uStefane uyingozi emphakathini yikho kumele abulawe.
8 Kujayelekile ukuthi abakhokheli benkolo baqambele abantu bakaNkulunkulu amanga ukuze babathwalise nzima. Lalamuhla abakhokheli benkolo bayatshotshozela ababusi ukuthi bahlukuluze oFakazi bakaJehova. Kumele senzeni nxa abantu bekhuluma izinto ezingamanga ngathi? Singafunda okunengi kakhulu kulokho okwenziwa nguStefane.
Ukufakaza Ngesibindi ‘NgoNkulunkulu Wenkazimulo’ (Imiseb. 7:1-53)
9, 10. Abanye abantu bathini ngalokho okwatshiwo nguStefane ngesikhathi emiswe phambi kweSanihedrini futhi kuyini okumele sikukhumbule?
9 Njengoba sibonile ekuqaliseni, uStefane wayehlalisekile ubuso bakhe bunjengobengilosi ngesikhathi elalele ababemmangalela. UKhayifasi wambuza wathi: “Kuliqiniso yini lokhu?” (Imiseb. 7:1) Laselifikile ithuba lokuthi uStefane akhulume. Lakanye wakhuluma!
10 Abanye abantu bayamsola uStefane besithi lanxa wakhuluma okwesikhathi eside konke akutshoyo kwakungelani lalokho ayemangalelwa ngakho. Kodwa iqiniso elikhona yikuthi uStefane wasitshiyela isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuthi ‘singazivikela njani’ izindaba ezinhle. (1 Phet. 3:15) Khumbula ukuthi abantu laba babesola uStefane besithi uthuke uNkulunkulu ngokukhuluma kubi ngethempeli waphinda wathuka loMosi ngokuchothoza uMthetho. UStefane waphendula ngokulandisa ngezigaba ezintathu zembali yako-Israyeli njalo kulemicijo ayeyigcizelela ngonanzelelo. Ake sixoxe ngezinto lezi ezintathu ezakhulunywa nguStefane.
11, 12. (a) UStefane wasisebenzisa njani isibonelo sika-Abrahama? (b) Kungani wakhuluma ngoJosefa?
11 Wakhuluma ngabokhokho babo. (Imiseb. 7:1-16) UStefane waqalisa ngoAbrahama indoda eyayihlonitshwa ngamaJuda ngenxa yokholo lwayo. Wayendlalela kuhle indaba ngokuqalisa ngendaba eqakathekileyo ababevumelana ngayo, wasegcizelela ukuthi ekuqaliseni uJehova “uNkulunkulu wenkazimulo” wabonakala ku-Abrahama eMesophothamiya. (Imiseb. 7:2) Phela u-Abrahama wahlala njengowezizweni eLizweni Lesithembiso. Ngalesosikhathi kwakungelathempeli loMthetho kaMosi wawungakabikhona. Pho kulengqondo yini ukuqina ngokuthi ukuze umuntu ahlale ethembekile kuNkulunkulu kumele kube lethempeli kanye lemithetho ayilandelayo?
12 Omunye umuntu owayehlonitshwa kakhulu ngamaJuda nguJosefa umzukulu ka-Abrahama. UStefane wabakhumbuza ukuthi abafowabo bakaJosefa okwadabuka kubo izizwana zako-Israyeli bayihlukuluza indoda le eyayilungile futhi bayithengisa ukuthi iyekuba yisigqili. Lanxa kunjalo uNkulunkulu wamsebenzisa ukuthi asindise abako-Israyeli ngesikhathi indlala ibhahile. Kusegcekeni ukuthi uStefane wananzelela ukuthi okwenzakala kuJosefa kwakuhambelana lalokho okwakwenzakale kuJesu. Kodwa kazange ahle ayithi bhadla indaba ngoba wayefuna ukuthi abantu laba baqhubeke bemlalele.
13. Ukukhuluma ngoMosi kwamnceda njani uStefane ukuthi aphendule labo ababemmangalela njalo yiwuphi umcijo oqakathekileyo awuvezayo?
13 Wakhuluma ngoMosi. (Imiseb. 7:17-43) UStefane wakhuluma kakhulu ngoMosi. Lokhu kwaba yikuhlakanipha sibili ngoba inengi labeSanihedrini lalingabaSadusi. Phela abaSadusi babengawamukeli amanye amabhuku eBhayibhili ngaphandle kwalawo abhalwa nguMosi. Khumbula lokuthi babethe uStefane uthuke uMosi. Kodwa yena wahle watshengisa ukuthi wayemhlonipha kakhulu futhi ewuqakathekisa uMthetho. (Imiseb. 7:38) Waveza lokuthi uMosi laye waphikwa ngabantu ayezimisele ukubasindisa. Lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi eleminyaka engu-40. Kanti njalo kwaphinda kwenzakala kanengi ngesikhathi esebakhokhela abantu bakibo ebasa eLizweni Lesithembiso. b UStefane wehla layo kancane kancane indaba elokhu eveza umcijo oqakathekileyo wokuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu bebehlala bephikisana lalabo abathunywe nguJehova ukuthi babakhokhele.
14. Ukusebenzisa isibonelo sikaMosi kwanceda uStefane ukuthi acacise yiphi imicijo?
14 UStefane wayikhumbuza inkundla ukuthi uMosi wayevele watsho ukuthi ko-Israyeli kuzavela umphrofethi onjengaye. Ngubani umphrofethi lo ayekhuluma ngaye futhi abantu babezamamukela njani? UStefane wayitshiya ilenga imibuzo le ukuze akhulume ngayo esephetha. Waphinda waveza omunye umcijo oqakathekileyo. Wacacisa ukuthi uMosi wafunda ukuthi loba yiphi indawo ingenziwa ibe ngcwele. Wazibonela ngawakhe lokhu ngesikhathi uJehova ekhuluma laye esihlahleni esasibhebha. Yikho kuyakhanya ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova kwakungapheleli esakhiweni esithile kuphela esinjengethempeli elaliseJerusalema. Sikutsho ngani lokhu?
15, 16. (a) Ukukhuluma ngethabanikeli kwamnceda njani uStefane ukuthi acacise umcijo oqakathekileyo ayefuna abamlaleleyo bawuzwisise? (b) Yiwuphi umcijo oqakathekileyo uStefane awuvezayo ngesikhathi ekhuluma ngethempeli elakhiwa nguSolomoni?
15 Wakhuluma ngethabanikeli langethempeli. (Imiseb. 7:44-50) UStefane wakhumbuza inkundla ukuthi kungakabi lethempeli eJerusalema uNkulunkulu watshela uMosi ukuthi akhe ithabanikeli elalizasetshenziswa ekukhonzeni. Isakhiwo lesi esasinjengetende babesenelisa ukusidiliza basithwale bayesigxumeka kweyinye indawo. UMosi wakhonza khona kanye ethabanikeli. Manje ngubani owayengatsho ukuthi isakhiwo lesi sasiyinto engatsho lutho nxa siqathaniswa lethempeli?
16 Ngesikhathi uSolomoni esewuqedile umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli eJerusalema waveza umcijo oqakathekileyo ngesikhathi ethandaza. Umcijo lo siwuthola emazwini kaStefane athi: “OPhezukonke kahlali ezindlini ezenziwe ngezandla.” (Imiseb. 7:48; 2 Imilan. 6:18) UJehova angalisebenzisa sibili ithempeli ukuze agcwalise inhloso yakhe. Kodwa akutsho ukuthi ngeke akhonzwe nxa lingekho. Yikho abamkhonzayo ngeke baqine ngokuthi ukukhonza kweqiniso kuphelela esakhiweni esakhiwe ngezandla zabantu. UStefane wawugoqa umcijo lo ngokucupha amazwi atholakala esiprofethweni sika-Isaya esilamazwi athi ‘izulu liyisihlalo sami sobukhosi, lomhlaba uyisenabelo senyawo zami. Pho-ke ngenjani indlu elingangakhela yona? Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguJehova. Ingaba ngaphi indawo yami yokuphumula? Konke lokhu kwenziwe yisandla sami?’—Imiseb. 7:49, 50; Isaya. 66:1, 2.
17. Okwatshiwo nguStefane (a) kwatshengisa njani ukuthi ababemmangalela babelahlekile? (b) kwatshengisa njani ukuthi wayengelacala?
17 Ukuhlola lokho okwatshiwo nguStefane phambi kweSanihedrini kwenze sabona ukuthi izinto ezazikhulunywa ngabantu laba ababemmangalela zazingaqondanga. Watshengisa ukuthi inhloso kaJehova iyathuthuka, kayisikho ukuthi imi mpo njalo ayibotshwanga ngamasiko abantu. Labo ababelokhu benamathele kakhulu esakhiweni esihle esasiseJerusalema njalo beqakathekisa amasiko lemikhuba eyabakhona ngenxa yoMthetho kaMosi babelukhuthile ugatsha, babengayizwisisi inhloso yokuthi kungani kwaba loMthetho kanye lethempeli. Ngamanye amazwi okwatshiwo nguStefane kwavusa umbuzo oqakathekileyo othi: Ukulalela uJehova kayisikho yini okutshengisa ukuthi umuntu uyawuhlonipha uMthetho kanye lethempeli? Singatsho siphinde ukuthi uStefane walumela udaba lwakhe. Konke akutshoyo kwatshengisa ukuthi wayengelacala ngoba wayezimisele ukumlalela uJehova.
18. Singamlingisela njani uStefane?
18 Thina sifundani kulokho okwatshiwo nguStefane? Kuyakhanya ukuthi wayeyazi engayiphumputhi iMibhalo. Yikho lathi kumele sikukhuthalele ukubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze senelise ukulisebenzisa “ngendlela eqondileyo ilizwi leqiniso.” (2 Thim. 2:15) Okunye esikufundayo yikuthi kumele sinanzelele indlela esibeka ngayo amazwi futhi sibe lomusa nxa sixoxa labantu. Lanxa abantu ayexoxa labo babe lukhuni futhi belolaka wenelisa ukwenza ukuthi bamlalele ngokunamathela kulokho ababevumelana ngakho njalo ekwazi ukuthi bayakuqakathekisa. Wakhuluma labo ngenhlonipho, wabiza amadoda amadala ngokuthi “bobaba.” (Imiseb. 7:2) Lathi kumele sethule iqiniso eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu “ngobumnene langenhlonipho enkulu.”—1 Phet. 3:15.
19. UStefane wayiphetha njani indaba yakhe?
19 Asiyekeli ukutshela abantu iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini sisesaba ukuthi sizabacaphula njalo asiyitheli amanzi indaba nxa sibatshela ngezahlulelo zikaJehova. UStefane wenza kuhle kakhulu endabeni le lanxa wayebona ukuthi konke ayekukhulumile phambi kwabahluleli beSanihedrini kwakufanana lokuthela amanzi emhlane wedada. Umoya ongcwele wamnceda ukuthi ayigoqe ngesibindi indaba yakhe, etshengisa ukuthi abahluleli laba babefanana nje labokhokho babo abahlasela uJosefa, baphikisa uMosi kanye labo bonke abaphrofethi. (Imiseb. 7:51-53) Kanti njalo abahluleli laba yibo ababebulele uMesiya lowo uMosi kanye labo bonke abaphrofethi ababephrofethe ngaye ukuthi uyeza. Abantu laba bawephula ngendlela edanisayo uMthetho kaMosi.
“Nkosi Jesu, Yamukela Umoya Wami” (Imiseb. 7:54–8:3)
“Bathi besizwa lokhu bazonda kakhulu baqalisa ukumgedlela amazinyo.”—ImiSebenzi 7:54
20, 21. Abahluleli beSanihedrini benzani besizwa amazwi kaStefane futhi uJehova wamqinisa njani?
20 UStefane kazange ababhode futhi lokhu kwenza amadoda la azonda abila, azikhohlwa ukuthi angobani amvukela ubhova uStefane. Kumele ukuthi indoda le ethembekileyo yakubona ukuthi yayisiphahlwe yikufa. Kwasekuyifikele lokho okwehlela iNkosi yayo uJesu.
21 Lapha uStefane kwasekumele abe lesibindi ukuze akumele okwasekuzamehlela futhi kumele ukuthi umbono awunikwa nguJehova wamqinisa wamnika amandla. Wabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, wasebona loJesu emi ngakwesokudla sikaYise. Uthe esawulandisa umbono lo abahluleli bavala indlebe zabo ngezandla. Babekwenzelani lokhu? Phela uJesu wayeyitshelile inkundla le ukuthi unguMesiya lokuthi masinyane nje uzabe esehlezi esandleni sokudla sikaYise. (Mak. 14:62) Umbono owabonwa nguStefane watshengisa ukuthi okwakukhulunywe nguJesu kwakuliqiniso. Umthethwandaba weSanihedrini wawumthengisile sibili uMesiya futhi wambulala. Amadoda la asukuma amlanda uStefane amkhanda ngamatshe waze wafa. c
22, 23. Ukufa kukaStefane kuhambelana njani lokukaJesu futhi kuyini okungaqinisa amaKhristu nxa ehlangana lesimo esifananayo?
22 UStefane wehlelwa yilokho okwehlela iNkosi yakhe uJesu. Laye wafa ehlalisekile ethembele kuJehova futhi wabathethelela labo abambulalayo. Wathi, “Nkosi Jesu, yamukela umoya wami.” Kumele ukuthi watsho amazwi la ngoba wayelokhu ewubona umbono weNdodana kaNkulunkulu ikanye loYise. Asithandabuzi ukuthi uStefane wayewazi amazwi kaJesu athi: “Ngiyikuvuka kwabafileyo lokuphila.” (Joh. 11:25) Ekucineni uStefane wathandaza ngelizwi eliphezulu wathi: “Jehova, ungabethesi isono lesi.” Esekutshilo lokhu wafa.—Imiseb. 7:59, 60.
23 UStefane nguye owaba ngumlandeli kaKhristu wokuqala owafela ukholo lwakhe. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ UStefane Wayengufakazi Futhi Wafela Ukholo Lwakhe.”) Kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi kazange abe ngowokucina. Lalamuhla izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo zilokhu zibulawa ngabantu abaphikisana lokholo lwazo, labatshisekela ezombusazwe kanye labanye abaphikisi. Lanxa kunjalo kumele siqhubeke silesibindi njengoStefane. Sikhuluma nje uJesu useyiNkosi futhi usebenzisa amandla amangalisayo awaphiwe nguYise. Akulalutho olungamehlula ukuthi avuse bonke abalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo.—Joh. 5:28, 29.
24. USawuli wenzani ngesikhathi uStefane ebulawa njalo ukufa kukaStefane kwawanceda njani amanye amaKhristu ngokuhamba kwesikhathi?
24 Omunye owabona konke lokhu kusenzakala lijaha okuthiwa nguSawuli. Wayebabukele abantu ababekhanda uStefane ngamatshe waze wabagcinela lezigqoko zabo. Kusukela lapho isimo sabanzima kakhulu. USawuli nguye owayesehamba phambili ekuhlukuluzeni amaKhristu. Kodwa ukufa kukaStefane kwawanceda amanye amaKhristu ukuthi ahlale ethembekile futhi abekezele lanxa ayehlukuluzwa. Kanti njalo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uSawuli owayesebizwa ngokuthi nguPhawuli wayezisola nxa wayekhumbula ukuthi waba lesandla ekubulaweni kukaStefane. (Imiseb. 22:20) Wananzelela ukuthi wayeyenze iphutha waze wathi: ‘Ngangingumuntu othukayo, ngihlukuluza abantu futhi ngiziphakamisa.’ (1 Thim. 1:13) Kuyacaca ukuthi uPhawuli kazange amkhohlwe uStefane kanye lalokho akukhuluma ngelanga abulawa ngalo. Kanti njalo ezinye izinto ezakhulunywa nguPhawuli lazibhalayo zazimumethe amazwi akhulunywa nguStefane. (Imiseb. 7:48; 17:24; Heb. 9:24) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli laye wafunda ukuba lokholo lesibindi njengoStefane, indoda ‘eyayigcwele umusa kaNkulunkulu kanye lamandla.’ Manje thina singenelisa yini ukwenza njalo?
a Abanye babaphikisi laba babesaziwa ngokuthi “ngabeSinagogi Labakhululiweyo.” Kungenzeka ukuthi babeke bathunjwa ngamaRoma basebekhululwa kumbe kwakuyizigqili ezikhululiweyo ezasezingamaJuda angamaphroselithe. Abanye bakhona babevela eKhilikhiya njengoSawuli waseThasu. Kodwa kasitshelwa ukuthi uSawuli wayephakathi kwamadoda la aseKhilikhiya ehluleka ukumelana loStefane.
b Amazwi kaStefane amumethe izinto esingazitholiyo kwezinye indawo eBhayibhilini ezigoqela imfundo uMosi ayithola eGibhithe lokuthi wayeleminyaka emingaki ngesikhathi ebaleka eGibhithe kanye lokuthi wahlala isikhathi esinganani koMidiyani.
c Kukhanya umbuso wamaRoma wawungayinikanga inkundla yeSanihedrini amandla okuthi igwebele abantu ukufa. (Joh. 18:31) Ngakho kayisikho ukuthi uStefane wabulawa ngenxa yokuthi wayegwetshelwe ukufa, kodwa wabulawa lixuku labantu elalimthukuthelele.
