ISAHLUKO 23
“Lalelani Lizwe Ukuzivikela Kwami”
UPhawuli uvikela iqiniso phambi kwexuku elilolaka laphambi kweSanihedrini
Isihloko lesi sisekelwe kumiSebenzi 21:18–23:10
1, 2. UPhawuli ulandeni eJerusalema futhi yibuphi ubunzima azahlangana labo?
NANGU uPhawuli! Usephendukile futhi eJerusalema. Uhamba emigwaqweni enciphileyo futhi ephithizelayo. Akula abanye abantu emhlabeni abazi ngoJehova njengabantu basedolobheni leli futhi bayazigqaja ngalokhu. UPhawuli uyakwazi ukuthi amaKhristu amanengi alapha lokhe ezigqaja ngembali yawo yakudala kulokuthi ahambisane lotshintsho oselukhona. Uthe esuka e-Efesu esiya eJerusalema, ubengahlosanga ukuyakhuthaza abazalwane laba kodwa uthi esefikile eJerusalema abone ukuthi amaKhristu la kumele ancediswe. (Imiseb. 19:21) Lanxa ekwazi ukuthi uzahlangana lengozi eJerusalema, katshintshi inhloso yakhe.
2 UPhawuli uzakwehlelwa kuyini eJerusalema? Obunye ubunzima buzavela kubalandeli bakaKhristu, abanye babo asebekhathazeke ngamahungahunga amayelana loPhawuli. Kodwa inhlupho ezinkulu zizabangelwa yizitha zikaKhristu. Zizamqambela amanga, zimtshaye futhi zifune lokumbulala. Izikhathi lezi ezinzima zizenza uPhawuli athole ithuba lokuzivikela phambi kwababusi. Ukuthobeka kwakhe lokuba lesibindi kanye lokholo ngesikhathi ephakathi kwezimo lezi ezinzima kuyisibonelo esihle kumaKhristu lamuhla. Njani?
“Bakhazimulisa UNkulunkulu” (Imiseb. 21:18-20a)
3-5. (a) Yiwuphi umhlangano owabakhona ngesikhathi uPhawuli efika eJerusalema futhi kwaxoxwa ngani? (b) Yiziphi izifundo esizithola emhlanganweni uPhawuli awenza labadala eJerusalema?
3 Ngelanga lesibili befike eJerusalema, uPhawuli labangane bakhe bahamba bayabona abadala ababekhangele ibandla leli. Akulamphostoli oqanjwayo endabeni le, kungenzeka ukuthi bonke basebeyetshumayela kwezinye indawo kodwa uJakhobe umfowabo kaJesu wayelokhe ekhona. (Gal. 2:9) Kungenzeka ukuthi uJakhobe nguye owaba ngumgcinisihlalo womhlangano lo ngesikhathi ‘bonke abadala bekhona.’—Imiseb. 21:18.
4 UPhawuli wababingelela abadala “waqalisa ukubalandisela konke uNkulunkulu ayekwenzile kwabezinye izizwe ngenkonzo yakhe.” (Imiseb. 21:19) Kufanele ukuthi lokhu kwabakhuthaza kakhulu. Lathi lamuhla kuyasikhuthaza ukuzwa imibiko emayelana lomsebenzi wethu owenziwa kwamanye amazwe.—Zaga. 25:25.
5 Kukhanya uPhawuli wabatshela ngeminikelo ayebuye layo eyayivela kubazalwane eYurophu. Ababemlalele bathokoza kakhulu ngoba bazibonela ukuthi abafowabo ababekwezinye indawo ezikhatshana babe lendaba labo. Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lithi: “[Abadala] bathi bekuzwa lokhu bakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu.” (Imiseb. 21:20a) Lalamuhla abafowethu labodadewethu abehlelwe zingozi labagulayo bayathokoza futhi baduduzeke nxa abazalwane bebancedisa njalo bebakhuthaza.
Abanengi Balokhu ‘Betshisekela UMthetho’ (Imiseb. 21:20b, 21)
6. Abadala bamtshelani uPhawuli?
6 Abadala batshela uPhawuli ukuthi kwakulohlupho olwalumayelana laye eJudiya. Bathi: “Mfowethu, uyabona ukuthi kulezinkulungwane ezinengi zamaJuda asengamakholwa futhi wonke atshisekela uMthetho. Kodwa azwe amahungahunga okuthi wena ubufundisa wonke amaJuda phakathi kwabezizweni ukuthi ahlamuke eMthethweni kaMosi, uwatshela ukuthi angasoki abantwabawo lokuthi angalandeli amasiko.” a—Imiseb. 21:20b, 21.
7, 8. (a) Kuyini amaKhristu amanengi ayeseJudiya ayengakuzwisisi? (b) Ukucabanga kwawo kwasekusitsho ukuthi angabahlamuki yini? Chasisa.
7 Kuyini okwakusenza ukuthi amanye amaKhristu abe elokhu etshisekela uMthetho kaMosi, wona wawusuleminyaka edlula 20 ungasasebenzi? (Kol. 2:14) Ngo-49 C.E, abaphostoli labadala ababehlangene eJerusalema bathumela incwadi emabandleni eyayichasisa ukuthi amaKhristu ayengawezinye izizwe kwakungasadingeki ukuthi asokwe lokuthi abengaphansi koMthetho kaMosi. (Imiseb. 15:23-29) Kodwa incwadi le yayingakhulumi lutho ngamaKhristu angamaJuda futhi amanengi awo yiwo ayengazwisisi ukuthi uMthetho kaMosi awusasebenzi.
8 Kambe lokhu kwasekusitsho ukuthi amaJuda la ayengasakufaneli yini ukuba ngamaKhristu? Hatshi! Phela ayisikho ukuthi amaKhristu la kuqala ayekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga futhi ayelokhe eqhubeka esenza imikhuba yakudala. UMthetho amaJuda ayewuqakathekisa ayewuphiwe nguJehova ngokwakhe. Ayisikho ukuthi uMthetho lo wawumubi kumbe ulezinto zesidimoni phakathi. Uhlupho lwaluyikuthi wawusekelwe esivumelwaneni sakudala kodwa khathesi amaKhristu ayesengaphansi kwesivumelwano esitsha. Imikhuba eyayisenziwa ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho yayingasasebenzi ngaphansi kwesivumelwano esitsha. AmaKhristu angamaHebheru ayelokhe etshisekela uMthetho ayengazwisisi futhi engalithembi ibandla lamaKhristu. Kwakumele atshintshe indlela ayecabanga ngayo ihambelane leqiniso ayeselembulelwe. b—Jer. 31:31-34; Luk. 22:20.
‘Amahungahunga Abekhulunywa Angamanga’ (Imiseb. 21:22-26)
9. Kuyini okwakufundiswa nguPhawuli mayelana loMthetho kaMosi?
9 Manje ayesevela ngaphi amahungahunga okuthi uPhawuli ufundisa amaJuda ayephakathi kwabezinye izizwe ‘ebatshela ukuthi engasoki abantwabawo lokuthi angalandeli amasiko’? UPhawuli phela wayengumphostoli ebantwini bezinye izizwe yikho wayehlala ebafundisa ukuthi kwakungasadingeki ukuthi balandele uMthetho. Wayekuveza egcekeni ukuthi kwakungaqondanga ukuthi amaKhristu abambe ngamandla abazalwane bezinye izizwe ukuthi basokwe belandela uMthetho kaMosi. (Gal. 5:1-7) UPhawuli watshumayeza lamaJuda ayesemadolobheni ayewavakatshela. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wayewachasisela ukuthi ukufa kukaJesu kwakwenze uMthetho wangasasebenzi lokuthi umuntu kwakuthiwa ulungile ngenxa yokholo hatshi ngenxa yoMthetho.—Rom. 2:28, 29; 3:21-26.
10. Indlela uPhawuli ayebona ngayo uMthetho lokusoka itshengisa njani ukuthi wayezwisisa?
10 UPhawuli watshengisa ukuthi uyazwisisa labo ababekhetha ukulandela imikhuba yesiJuda njengokungasebenzi ngelanga leSabatha loba ukungadli ukudla okuthile. (Rom. 14:1-6) Kanti njalo kazange atshayele abanye umthetho endabeni yokusoka. Lanxa kunjalo uPhawuli waba leqiniso lokuthi uThimothi uyasokwa ukuze amaJuda angamsoli njengoba ayekwazi ukuthi uyise wayengumGrikhi. (Imiseb. 16:3) Umuntu ngamunye kwakumele azikhethele ukuthi uyasokwa yini loba hatshi. UPhawuli watshela abaseGalathiya wathi: “Ukusoka kumbe ukungasoki akuncedi ngalutho kodwa ukholo olukhanya ngokuba lothando yilo oluncedayo.” (Gal. 5:6) Kodwa ukusokwa ngenxa yokuthi umuntu ufuna ukulandela uMthetho loba ecabanga ukuthi yikho okuzakwenza uJehova amamukele kwakutshengisa ukuthi kalakholo.
11. Kuyini abadala abakutshela uPhawuli futhi abamtshela khona kwakungabe kusitsho ukuthi enzeni? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)
11 Lanxa amahungahunga amayelana loPhawuli ayengaqondanga, amaKhristu angamaJuda ayekhathazekile ngawo. Yikho abadala batshela uPhawuli okokwenza. c Bathi: “Silamadoda amane enze isifungo. Thatha amadoda la uyezihlambulula ngokoMthetho kaMosi kanye lawo, ubhadale izindleko zawo ukuze aphuce amakhanda awo. Lapho-ke wonke umuntu uzakwazi ukuthi amahungahunga abekhulunywa ngawe angamanga lokuthi wena uhamba ngendlela eqondileyo futhi uyawugcina uMthetho.”—Imiseb. 21:23, 24.
12. UPhawuli watshengisa njani ukuthi uyavuma ukutshintsha lokubambisana labadala?
12 UPhawuli wayengala ukwenza okwakutshiwo ngabadala esithi uhlupho kwakungasiwo mahungahunga amayelana laye kodwa kwakungamaKhristu angamaJuda ayetshisekela uMthetho kaMosi. Wayezimisele ukwenza ayekutsheliwe ngoba kwakungaphikisani lomthetho kaNkulunkulu. Phela wayeke wabhala wathi: “Kwabangaphansi komthetho ngaba njengongaphansi komthetho ukuze ngizuze abangaphansi komthetho, lanxa mina ngingekho ngaphansi komthetho.” (1 Khor. 9:20) Lapha uPhawuli wabambisana labadala beJerusalema waba “njengongaphansi komthetho.” Okwenziwa nguPhawuli kusifundisa ukuthi kumele silalele esikutshelwa ngabadala singazenzeli umathanda.—Heb. 13:17.
UPhawuli wayevuma imibono yabanye nxa kwakungela zimiso ezephuliweyo. Wena ke?
“Akufanelanga Aphile!” (Imiseb. 21:27–22:30)
13. (a) Kungani amanye amaJuda abangela ukuxokozela ethempelini? (b) UPhawuli wasila njani?
13 Izinto azihambanga kuhle ethempelini. Kwathi amalanga esifungo esezaphela, amaJuda ayevela e-Asiya abona uPhawuli amqambela amanga esithi uletha abezinye izizwe ethempelini futhi ubangela ukuxokozela. Aluba induna yamabutho eRoma ayingenelanga, abantu babezamtshaya bambulale uPhawuli. Induna yamabutho yathi ahanjiswe enkambeni. Kusukela ngalelolanga, kwathatha iminyaka edlula engu-4 ukuthi uPhawuli akhululwe. UPhawuli wayesengozini sibili ngoba induna yamabutho yathi isibuza abantu ukuthi kungani babehlasela uPhawuli, bammangalela ngezinto ezinengi. Kwakuxokozela okokuthi induna ayizange izwisise ukuthi babesithini. Ekucineni amasotsha amthwala uPhawuli asuka laye lapho. Bathi sebezangena enkambeni yamasotsha, uPhawuli wakhuluma lenduna yamabutho wathi: “Ngiyakuncenga ukuthi ungivumele ngikhulume labantu.” (Imiseb. 21:39) Induna yebutho yavuma futhi uPhawuli wavikela ukholo lwakhe ngesibindi.
14, 15. (a) Kuyini uPhawuli akuchasisela amaJuda? (b) Kuyini okwenziwa yinduna yamabutho ukuze ikwazi ukuthi kungani amaJuda ayezondele uPhawuli?
14 UPhawuli waqala ngokuthi “lalelani lizwe ukuzivikela kwami.” (Imiseb. 22:1) UPhawuli wakhuluma lexuku leli ngesiHebheru, lokhu kwenza ixuku leli lathula. Wachasisa ukuthi kuyini okwenza wacina esengumlandeli kaKhristu. Ngesikhathi ebachasisela, uPhawuli wayibeka kuhle imicijo yakhe okokuthi aluba amaJuda ayefuna ayengahamba ayedingisisa ukuthi kwakuliqiniso yini ayekukhuluma. Kungenzeka ukuthi amanye ayelapho ayekwazi ukuthi uPhawuli wayefundiswe yindoda edumileyo uGamaliyeli lokuthi wayeke wahlukuluza abalandeli bakaKhristu. Kodwa wathi esendleleni eya eDamaseku wabona umbono kaKhristu owayesevusiwe ekhuluma laye. Amadoda ayehamba loPhawuli abona ukukhanya okukhulu kodwa awazange azwisise okwakukhulunywa. (Khangela imicijo yokutaditsha ku-Nguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha yesiNgisi kumiSebenzi 9:7; 22:9.) Ngemva kwalokho, amadoda la yiwo ahamba esemqhuba uPhawuli ngoba wayengasaboni. Bathi befika eDamaseko, indoda okwakuthiwa ngu-Ananiya eyayisaziwa ngamaJuda amanengi esabelweni lesi yiyo eyanceda uPhawuli waphinda wabona.
15 UPhawuli wabatshela lokuthi wathi esephenduke eJerusalema, uJesu wabonakala kuye ethempelini. AmaJuda athi ekuzwa lokhu azonda, amemeza esithi: “Kasuswe emhlabeni umuntu lo ngoba akufanelanga aphile!” (Imiseb. 22:22) Induna yamabutho yathi uPhawuli alethwe enkambeni yamasotsha ukuze angabulawa ngabantu. Yayifuna ukwazi okwakusenza amaJuda amzondele kangaka uPhawuli yikho yathi abuzisiswe ngapha ebhaxabulwa. UPhawuli wazivikela ngokusemthethweni ngokutshela induna yebutho ukuthi wayengumRoma. Lamuhla abantu bakaJehova basebenzise imithetho ekhona ukuze bavikele ukholo lwabo. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Umthetho WamaRoma Labantu BeRoma” lelithi “ Indaba Ezihanjiswe Emthethweni Kulezinsuku.”) Induna yamabutho yathi isizwe ukuthi uPhawuli ungumRoma yabona ukuthi kwasekumele idinge elinye icebo ukuze ithole eyayikufuna. Ngelanga elalandelayo yaletha uPhawuli phambi kweSanihedrini, umthethwandaba omkhulu wamaJuda.
“Mina NgingumFarisi” (Imiseb. 23:1-10)
16, 17. (a) Kwenzakalani ngesikhathi uPhawuli ekhuluma leSanihedrini? (b) UPhawuli watshengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile ngemva kokutshaywa?
16 UPhawuli waqala ukuzivikela phambi kweSanihedrini wathi: “Madoda, bafowethu, umzwangedwa wami umsulwa ngenxa yendlela ebengiziphethe ngayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu kuze kube lamuhla.” (Imiseb. 23:1) Kazange aqhubeke ngoba iBhayibhili lithi: “Umphristi omkhulu u-Ananiya wasesithi ababemi eduze kwakhe bamtshaye umlomo.” (Imiseb. 23:2) Lokhu kwakuyikudelela okukhulu. Umphristi wahle watshengisa ukuthi kahluleli kuhle ngoba wahle wathi uPhawuli ulamanga engakamuzwa lokuthi uthini. Yikho kungamangalisi ukuthi uPhawuli waphendula wathi: “UNkulunkulu uzakutshaya wena mduli opendwe waba mhlophe. Uhlezi khonapho ukuze ungahlulele ngoMthetho ngapha wena usephula lowoMthetho ngokubatshela ukuthi bangitshaye.”—Imiseb. 23:3.
17 Abanye ababelapho bamangala ngempendulo kaPhawuli yikho bathi: “Kanti uthethisa umphristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu?” UPhawuli waphendula etshengisa ukuthi uthobekile futhi uyawuhlonipha uMthetho wathi: “Bafowethu, bengingazi ukuthi ungumphristi omkhulu. Kubhaliwe ukuthi, ‘Akumelanga uthuke umbusi wabantu bakini.’” d (Imiseb. 23:4, 5; Eks. 22:28) UPhawuli wasebenzisa elinye icebo, wananzelela ukuthi iSanihedrini yayibunjwa ngabaFarisi labaSadusi yikho wathi: “Madoda, bafowethu, mina ngingumFarisi, ngiyindodana yabaFarisi. Ngithonisiswa ngenxa yokuthi ngilethemba lokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa.”—Imiseb. 23:6.
NjengoPhawuli, lathi kumele sidinge lapho esivumelana khona nxa sixoxa labantu bamanye amasonto
18. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wathi ungumFarisi futhi singamlingisela njani nxa sisekutshumayeleni?
18 Yindaba uPhawuli wathi ungumFarisi? Yikuthi ‘wayeyindodana yabaFarisi,’ okutsho ukuthi abazali bakhe babengamalunga aleloqembu yikho abanengi babelokhe bembona engumFarisi. e Manje kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wabakhumbuza ukuthi ungumFarisi ngesikhathi ekhuluma ngendaba yokuvuka kwabafileyo? AbaFarisi babekholwa ukuthi umuntu angafa umphefumulo wakhe usala uphila. Babekholwa lokuthi umuntu olungileyo angafa uphinda aphile esengomunye umuntu. Kodwa lokhu ayisikho uPhawuli ayekukholwa. Yena wayekholwa lokho okwafundiswa nguJesu ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. (Joh. 5:25-29) UPhawuli wayevumelana labaFarisi ukuthi kulethemba lokuphila ngemva kokufa. AbaSadusi bona babengakukholwa khonokho. Lathi singenza ngendlela efananayo nxa sixoxa labantu besonto yeRoma loba amanye amasonto azithi ngawesiKhristu. Singabatshela ukuthi lathi sikholwa kuNkulunkulu njengabo. Bona bengabe bekholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu mthathu emunye kodwa thina sikholwa ukuthi kuloNkulunkulu oyedwa okukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhilini. Lanxa kunjalo, esifanana ngakho yikuthi sonke siyakholwa ukuthi kuloNkulunkulu.
19. Kungani kwaba lokuxokozela emhlanganweni weSanihedrini?
19 Amazwi kaPhawuli enza iSanihedrini yehlukana. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Kwaba lokuxokozela okukhulu, abanye ababhali beqembu labaFarisi basukuma baphikisa ngamandla besithi: ‘Asitholi cala emuntwini lo, kodwa nxa umoya kumbe ingilosi ikhulume laye—.’” (Imiseb. 23:9) Khona nje ukuthi ingilosi yayikhulume loPhawuli kwahle kwaqubula ulaka lwabaSadusi ngoba babengakholwa ukuthi kulezingilosi. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ AbaSadusi LabaFarisi.”) Kwaba lokuxokozela okukhulu okokuthi umkhokheli webutho lamaRoma kwasekumele aphinde avikele uPhawuli. (Imiseb. 23:10) Lanxa kunjalo, uPhawuli wayelokhe ezulelwa ngamanqe. Kuyini okwakuzakwenzakala kumphostoli lo? Sizabona esahlukweni esilandelayo.
a Njengoba kwasekulamaKhristu amanengi angamaJuda, kufanele ukuthi amabandla amanengi ayengenela imihlangano yawo ezindlini zabazalwane.
b Ngemva kweminyaka ethile, umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala incwadi eyayisiya kumaHebheru echasisa ukuthi isivumelwano esitsha singcono ngani kulesidala. Encwadini le wakuveza egcekeni ukuthi isivumelwano esidala asisasebenzi sekusebenza esitsha. Incwadi kaPhawuli yanceda amaKhristu angamaJuda ukuze enelise ukuphendula abaphikisi ababebambelele eMthethweni kaMosi. Kanti njalo indlela abhala ngayo yawaqinisa kakhulu amanye amaKhristu ayebambelele eMthethweni kaMosi.—Heb. 8:7-13.
c Izikhwicamfundo zithi kumele ukuthi amadoda la ayeyenze isifungo sobuNaziri. (Nani. 6:1-21) Izifungo zobuNaziri zazisenziwa ngaphansi koMthetho kaMosi owawungasasebenzi. Lanxa kunjalo, kumele ukuthi uPhawuli wakubona kungakubi ukuthi amadoda la agcwalise isifungo ayesenze kuJehova yikho kwakungelanto embi ngokuthi awabhadalele abesehamba lawo. Asikwazi ukuthi amadoda la ayeyenze sifungo bani kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi uPhawuli wayengasoze avume nxa ayezakwenza umhlatshelo wenyamazana njengalokho okwakusenziwa ngamaNaziri ecabanga ukuthi kwakuzawenza ahlanjululwe esonweni. Umhlatshelo opheleleyo kaKhristu wawenze imihlatshelo enjalo yaphelelwa ngamandla okuhlawulela izono. Kungelani lokuthi kuyini akwenzayo, siyaqiniseka ukuthi uPhawuli wayengasoze avume ukwenza loba yini eyayingaphambanisa umzwangedwa wakhe.
d Abanye bathi kungenzeka uPhawuli wayengasaboni kuhle yikho wehluleka ukumbona umphristi omkhulu kumbe mhlawumbe wayeselesikhathi eside wacina eJerusalema yikho wayengakwazi ukuthi umphristi omkhulu kwakungubani ngalesosikhathi loba kungenzeka ukuthi wayengaboni ukuthi ngubani owayethe katshaywe njengoba kwakugcwele abantu.
e Ngo-49 C.E. ngesikhathi abaphostoli labadala behlangana ukuze bahlole ukuthi amaKhristu ezinye izizwe kwakumele alandele yini uMthetho kaMosi, abanye ababekhonapho kuthiwa ‘babengabeqembu labaFarisi abasebengamakholwa.’ (Imiseb. 15:5) Kuyakhanya ukuthi amaKhristu lawo ayebizwa ngaleyo ndlela ngoba ayezelwe engabaFarisi.
