ISAHLUKO 24
“Woba Lesibindi!”
AmaJuda azama ukubulala uPhawuli kodwa yena uyazivikela phambi kukaFelikhe
Isihloko lesi sisekelwe kumiSebenzi 23:11–24:27
1, 2. Yindaba uPhawuli engamangali ngobunzima lobu ahlangana labo eJerusalema?
UPHAWULI kakukholwa lokhu okusanda kwenzakala. AmaJuda abefuna ukumqeda kodwa lokhu akummangalisi ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi vele uzathwala nzima eJerusalema. Watshelwa ukuthi ‘uzabotshwa futhi ehlelwe zinhlupho’ edolobheni leli. (Imiseb. 20:22, 23) Lanxa uPhawuli engakwazi ukuthi uzakwehlelwa kuyini sibisibili, uyakwazi ukuthi uzahlutshwa ngenxa yebizo likaJesu.—Imiseb. 9:16.
2 Labanye abaphrofethi abangamaKhristu bamtshela ukuthi uzabotshwa futhi anikelwe “ebantwini bezinye izizwe.” (Imiseb. 21:4, 10, 11) Ensukwini ezisanda kwedlula, amaJuda ake azama ukumsusela amanqe, kungakayingaphi amalunga eSanihedrini abesefuna ‘ukumdabudabula’ ngenxa yalokho abesanda kukutsho. Khathesi uPhawuli usesenkambeni yamasotsha eRoma njalo ulokhe esetheswa amacala. (Imiseb. 21:31; 23:10) Uyakudinga sibili ukududuzwa lokuqiniswa.
3. Lamuhla kuyini okusinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sitshumayela lanxa siphikiswa?
3 Ezinsukwini lezi zokucina, siyakwazi ukuthi “bonke abazimisele ukuphila bezinikele kuNkulunkulu futhi bemanyene loKhristu uJesu labo bazahlukuluzwa.” (2 Thim. 3:12) Lathi siyakudinga ukuhlala sikhuthazwa futhi siqiniswa ukuze siqhubeke ngomsebenzi wokutshumayela. Siyayibonga kakhulu “inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo” ngokusinika amabhuku lokuhlela imihlangano esikhuthazayo futhi esiduduzayo. (Mat. 24:45) UJehova uyasiqinisekisa ukuthi akulasitha esizama ukumisa umsebenzi wokutshumayela esizaphumelela. Izitha ngeke zenelise ukutshabalalisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu kumbe ukuthi zimise umsebenzi abawenzayo. (Isaya. 54:17; Jer. 1:19) UPhawuli yena waluthola yini usizo lokuthi aqhubeke etshumayela lanxa ehlukuluzwa? Waluthola njani futhi wenzani?
Icebo Lokubulala UPhawuli Liyafadalala (Imiseb. 23:11-34)
4, 5. INkosi uJesu yamkhuthaza njani uPhawuli futhi kungani isikhuthazo lesi sasifike ngesikhathi?
4 Ngemva kokusongelwa ngamalunga eSanihedrini ayefuna ukumudla ephila, umphostoli uPhawuli wemukela amazwi akhuthazayo. IBhayibhili lithi: “Ngelanga elilandelayo iNkosi yama eceleni kwakhe ebusuku yathi: ‘Woba lesibindi! Njengoba nje ubufakaza ngami eJerusalema, kumele uyefakaza laseRoma.’” (Imiseb. 23:11) Amazwi la akhuthazayo ayevela kuJesu amqinisekisa uPhawuli ukuthi wayengasoze abulawe. Kwasekumcacela ukuthi wayezafika eRoma futhi athole ithuba lokufakaza ngoJesu.
“Alamadoda edlula 40 amcathameleyo.”—ImiSebenzi 23:21
5 Amazwi ayekhulunywe yiNkosi uJesu ayefike ngesikhathi. Phela ngelanga elalandelayo, amadoda angamaJuda edlula 40 ‘enza isifungo sokuthi nxa angadla loba yini engakambulali uPhawuli ayabe eqalekisiwe.’ ‘Isifungo esenziwa’ ngamadoda la satshengisa ukuthi ayezimisele sibili ukumbulala. Amadoda la ayezitshela ukuthi nxa icebo lawo lokubulala uPhawuli lingaphumelelanga kwakufana lokuthi aseqalekisiwe. (Imiseb. 23:12-15) Abaphristi abakhulu labadala yibo abawanika imvumo yokuthi akwenze lokho. Bahlela ukuthi uPhawuli aphendukiswe eSanihedrini ukuze bazomphenya ngemibuzo besenza angathi bafuna ukuzwisisa okunengi ngamacala la ayewetheswa, bona besazi ukuthi amadoda lawana angu-40 azabe emcathamele endleleni amtshaye ahle ambulale.
6. Icebo lokubulala uPhawuli lafadalala njani futhi abasakhulayo bangafundani kulokho okwenziwa ngumzukulu kaPhawuli?
6 Indaba le yafika endlebeni zomzukulu kaPhawuli wahle wayabikela umalumakhe. UPhawuli laye wahle watshela umzukulu wakhe ukuthi ayebikela induna yamabutho uKlawudiyu Lisiya indaba le. (Imiseb. 23:16-22) UJehova uyabathanda abasakhulayo abenza njengomzukulu kaPhawuli. Bazimisele ukufaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ukuze bancede abantu bakhe futhi baqhubeka besenza okunengi ukuze basekele uMbuso wakhe.
7, 8. Kuyini okwenziwa nguKlawudiyu Lisiya ukuze avikele uPhawuli?
7 UKlawudiyu Lisiya owayeyinduna yamasotsha angu-1 000 wathi esizwa ngecebo lokubulala uPhawuli elaselibunjiwe wahle wakhetha amasotsha angu-470, amanye ehlome ngemikhonto amanye egade amabhiza. Watshela amasotsha la ukuthi athathe uPhawuli ebusuku, asuke laye eJerusalema amhambise eKhesariya kuMbusi uFelikhe. a IKhesariya le yiyo eyayiyisigodlo sombuso wamaRoma esabelweni seJudiya. AmaJuda ayemalutshwana edolobheni leli, inengi labantu ababehlala khona kwakungabezinye izizwe. Endaweni le kwakulokuhlaliseka, zazingekho iziphithiphithi ezazisenzakala eJerusalema ezazibangelwa yikubandlululana ngezindaba zenkolo kanye lezinye ingxabangxoza ezazisenzakala. Kanti njalo eKhesariya yikho okwakulenkamba enkulu yebutho lamaRoma.
8 ULisiya walandela lokho okwakutshiwo ngumthetho wamaRoma. Wabhalela uFelikhe incwadi emchasisela ngecala elalisetheswa uPhawuli, wamtshela lokuthi uthe esizwa ukuthi uPhawuli yisizalwane seRoma wamlamulela ukuze ‘angabulawa’ ngamaJuda. ULisiya wamtshela lokuthi yena kaboni cala elingenza uPhawuli ‘abulawe kumbe afakwe ejele.’ Okwenze wamthumela kuye yikuthi amaJuda abesenze icebo lokumbulala yikho ubefisa ukuthi umhlonitshwa uFelikhe azwe ukuthi labo abammangalelayo uPhawuli bathini abesesahlulela.—Imiseb. 23:25-30.
9. (a) Ilungelo likaPhawuli lokuba yisizalwane seRoma lephulwa njani? (b) Kusinceda ngani ukusebenzisa amalungelo esiwaphiweyo elizweni?
9 Okwabhalwa nguLisiya kwakuliqiniso yini? Kungakhanya njalo kodwa kazange alibhale lonke iqiniso. Kukhanya yena ayekuhlosile kwakuyikuthi uMbusi uFelikhe asale embabaza ngalokho ayekwenzile. Ayekutsho ukuthi uvikele uPhawuli ngenxa yokuthi uzwe ukuthi yisizalwane seRoma kwakungasiqiniso. Kanti njalo kazange abhale ukuthi nguye owakhipha umlayo wokuthi uPhawuli “abotshwe ngamaketane amabili” lokuthi ‘abuzisiswe ebhaxabulwa.’ (Imiseb. 21:30-34; 22:24-29) Khonokho akwenzayo kwakungaqondanga ngoba kwakungavunyelwa ukuthi isizalwane seRoma siphathwe njalo. Lamuhla uSathane usebenzisa abaphikisi abasezinkolweni ukuze abangele ukuthi abantu bakaJehova bahlukuluzwe futhi bathathelwe lamalungelo okukhonza bekhululekile. Lathi nxa sihlangana lobunzima obunjengalobu silingisela uPhawuli ngokusebenzisa amalungelo esilawo ukuze sizivikele kumbe sisebenzise imithetho efakwe nguhulumende.
“Ngikhuluma Ngikhululekile Ukuze Ngizivikele” (Imiseb. 23:35–24:21)
10. Yiwaphi amacala amakhulu etheswa uPhawuli?
10 UPhawuli wathi esefikile eKhesariya ‘wagcinwa esigodlweni sikaHerodi’ elindele ukuthi labo ababemethesa icala bafike bevela eJerusalema. (Imiseb. 23:35) Ngemva kwamalanga amahlanu, uMphristi Omkhulu u-Ananiya wafika labanye abadala legqwetha okuthiwa nguThethula. UThethula waqala ngokubuka uFelikhe ngalokho ayekwenzela amaJuda. Mhlawumbe lokhu wayekwenzela ukuthi umbusi lo amthande njalo amamukele. b Ngemva kwalokho, uThethula wayethula indaba emangalela uPhawuli esithi: “Indoda le iluhlupho, itshotshozela wonke amaJuda emhlabeni wonke ukuthi avukele umbuso futhi yiyo ekhokhela iqembu lamaNazaretha. Ibizama lokungcolisa ithempeli, yikho siyibambile.” Esetshonjalo wonke amaJuda amsekela athi “zonke izinto lezo ziliqiniso.” (Imiseb. 24:5, 6, 9) Ukuvukela umbuso lokukhokhela iqembu eliyingozi lokungcolisa ithempeli kwakungamacala amakhulu ayengabangela ukuthi umuntu abulawe.
11, 12. UPhawuli wathini ngamacala ababemethesa wona?
11 Waphiwa-ke uPhawuli ithuba lokuthi akhulume wasesithi: “Ngikhuluma ngikhululekile ukuze ngizivikele.” Wathi konke ayemangalelwa ngakho ngamanga aluhlaza. Umphostoli uPhawuli wayengazange angcolise ithempeli kumbe akhuthaze abantu ukuthi bavukele umbuso. Wacacisa lokuthi ‘kwasekudlule iminyaka eminengi’ engakaze alugxobe eJerusalema lokuthi ekufikeni kwakhe wayebuye ‘lezipho’ leminikelo yokunceda amaKhristu ayesengabayanga ngenxa yendlala lokuhlukuluzwa. Watsho lokuthi ngesikhathi engena ethempelini ‘wayehlanjululiwe ngokoMthetho kaMosi’ futhi wayezame ngamandla wonke ukuba “lomzwangedwa omsulwa phambi kukaNkulunkulu labantu.”—Imiseb. 24:10-13, 16-18.
12 UPhawuli wavuma ukuthi ‘wayesenzela uNkulunkulu wabokhokho bakhe inkonzo engcwele elandela indlela le bona abayibiza ngokuthi liqembu lamaNazaretha futhi wayekukholwa konke okusemthethweni lokubhalwe kubaPhrofethi.’ Waphinda watsho ukuthi laye ulethemba njengalabo abammangalelayo elokuthi “abafileyo bazavuswa, abalungileyo labangalunganga.” Wasecela labo ababemmangalela ukuthi babise ubufakazi bezinto zonke lezi ababemmangalela ngazo. Wathi: “Vumela amadoda alapha ukuthi azikhulumele ukuthi ngesikhathi ngimi phambi kweSanihedrini angithola ngilecala bani, ngaphandle kokukodwa nje engakutshoyo ngimi phakathi kwabo ngisithi: ‘Lamuhla ngithonisiswa phambi kwenu ngenxa yokuthi ngiyakholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa!’”—Imiseb. 24:14, 15, 20, 21.
13-15. Okwenziwa nguPhawuli kusinceda njani?
13 Okwenziwa nguPhawuli kuyasinceda lathi lamuhla nxa iziphathamandla zisethesa amacala okuthi sitshotshozela abantu ukuthi bavukele uhulumende kumbe sikhokhela amaqembu ayingozi. UPhawuli wakhuluma lokho okwakumele akutsho, kazange azame ukuzidingela umusa emehlweni kaFelikhe njengalokho okwenziwa nguThethula. Wabeka amaphaphu phansi futhi wakhuluma ngenhlonipho. Wakhetha kuhle amazwi akhe, walibeka lacaca bha iqiniso phambi kwabo bonke. Waphinda watsho lokuthi amaJuda ayemmangalela ngokungcolisa ithempeli “ayevela esabelweni se-Asiya” ayengekho futhi ngokomthetho kwakumele ukuthi abekhona ukuze atsho lokho ayemmangalela ngakho.—Imiseb. 24:18, 19.
14 UPhawuli kazange esabe ukukhuluma lokho akukholwayo, waphinda wayivusa futhi indaba yokuvuswa kwabafileyo eyiyo eyayenze kwaba lokuxokozela ngesikhathi ephambi kweSanihedrini. (Imiseb. 23:6-10) Ngesikhathi ezivikela, wakhuluma ngokuthi ulethemba lokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. Kungani wenza njalo? Kungenxa yokuthi wayefakaza ngokufa lokuvuswa kukaJesu okuyinto laba ababemmangalela ababengayikholwa. (Imiseb. 26:6-8, 22, 23) Yiyo indaba eyayitshisa kakhulu le ngoba labo ababemphikisa babengakholwa ukuthi uJesu wafa waphinda wavuswa.
15 Okwenziwa nguPhawuli kuyasinceda lathi ukuthi sibe lesibindi sokutsho esikukholwayo nxa siphambi kweziphathamandla. Okunye okungasinceda yilokho uJesu akutshela abafundi bakhe. Wathi: “Lizazondwa ngabantu bonke ngenxa yebizo lami. Kodwa lowo oqinisela kuze kube sekucineni nguye ozasindiswa.” Kodwa kumele sikhathazeke yini ngokuthi sizathini? Hatshi. Kumele sikhumbule amazwi kaJesu athi: “Nxa sebelithatha belisa emthethwandaba lingakhathazeki ngokuthi lizafika lithini. Khulumani loba yini elizayiphiwa ngalesosikhathi ngoba kayisini elizabe likhuluma kodwa ngumoya ongcwele.”—Mak. 13:9-13.
“UFelikhe Wesaba” (Imiseb. 24:22-27)
16, 17. (a) UFelikhe wayiphatha njani indaba kaPhawuli? (b) Kuyini okwenza uFelikhe wesaba futhi yindaba wayelokhe ebiza uPhawuli?
16 UMbusi uFelikhe wayezazi izinto ezazikholwa ngamaKhristu, wayengaqalisi ukuzizwa ngoba iBhayibhili lithi: “UFelikhe wayezazi kuhle izinto ezaziphathelane leNdlela le [leli libizo elalisetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngabalandeli bakaJesu bengakabizwa ngokuthi ngamaKhristu] ngakho wabatshela ukuthi bahambe, wathi: ‘Indaba yenu ngizayahlulela nxa induna yamabutho uLisiya ingabuya.’ Watshela lomkhokheli webutho ukuthi uPhawuli aqhubeke ebotshiwe kodwa aphiwe inkululeko yokwenza ezinye izinto lokuthi abangane bakhe bavunyelwe ukumncedisa ngakuswelayo.”—Imiseb. 24:22, 23.
17 Ngemva kwamalanga athile, uFelikhe wabuya lomkakhe uDrusila owayengumJuda wasesithi uPhawuli alethwe, “wamlalela ekhuluma ngokukholwa kuKhristu Jesu.” (Imiseb. 24:24) Kodwa uPhawuli wathi esekhuluma “ngokulunga lokuzibamba kanye lokwahlulela okuzayo, uFelikhe wesaba.” Kungenzakala ukuthi wayesedliwa yisazela ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ayezenza. Yikho wathi kuPhawuli: “Okwakhathesi hamba kodwa ngingathola ithuba ngizathi ubizwe futhi.” UFelikhe wambona kanengi uPhawuli ngemva kwalokhu kodwa kwakungayisikho ukuthi wayefuna ukufunda iqiniso. Wayekhangelele ukuthi uPhawuli uzamfumbathisa ukuze amkhulule.—Imiseb. 24:25, 26.
18. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wakhuluma loFelikhe lomkakhe “ngokulunga lokuzibamba kanye lokwahlulela okuzayo”?
18 Ucabanga ukuthi kungani uPhawuli wakhuluma loFelikhe lomkakhe “ngokulunga lokuzibamba kanye lokwahlulela okuzayo”? Khumbula ukuthi babefuna ukwazi ukuthi umuntu ‘okholwa kuJesu Khristu’ kumele aziphathe njani. UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi abantu laba ayekhuluma labo babengaziphathanga, belesihluku futhi bephatha abanye kubi. Yikho wacacisa ukuthi bonke abantu ababefuna ukuba ngabalandeli bakaJesu kumele baphile njani. Watshengisa ukuthi imithetho kaNkulunkulu yayitshiyene lalokho okwakusenziwa nguFelikhe lomkakhe. Kumele ukuthi lokho akutshoyo kwabenza babona ukuthi wonke umuntu uzalandisa kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yalokho akwenzayo, akutshoyo lakucabangayo. Lanxa babezamahlulela uPhawuli, kwakumele bakhumbule ukuthi uNkulunkulu laye wayezabahlulela ngenxa yalokho ababekwenza. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi “uFelikhe wesaba.”
19, 20. (a) Kumele senzeni nxa singahlangana lomuntu owenza angani ufuna ukufunda iqiniso kodwa engafuni ukutshiya imikhuba yakhe emibi? (b) Sikwazi njani ukuthi uFelikhe wayengamthandi uPhawuli?
19 Lathi nxa sisekutshumayeleni singabathola abantu abanjengoFelikhe. Ekuqaliseni bangakhanya angani bayafuna sibili ukufunda iqiniso kodwa bayabe bengazimiselanga ukutshintsha indlela abaphila ngayo. Kumele sinanzelele nxa sincedisa abantu abanjalo. Ezimeni ezinjalo lathi singalingisela uPhawuli sibatshele ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu kodwa lokhu kumele sikwenze ngenhlonipho langendlela engasoze ibakhube. Mhlawumbe iqiniso lingathinta izinhliziyo zabo. Kodwa nxa kuzicacela ukuthi abafuni ukutshiya imikhuba emibi abayenzayo, siyabatshiya siyedinga abanye abalilambeleyo iqiniso.
20 IBhayibhili liyasinceda sibone ukuthi uFelikhe wayehloseni. Lithi: “Ngemva kweminyaka emibili uPhokhiyu Festu wangena esikhundleni sikaFelikhe. Kodwa uFelikhe watshiya uPhawuli elokhe esejele ngoba wayefuna ukuthabisa amaJuda.” (Imiseb. 24:27) Wayevele engamthandi uPhawuli. Wayekwazi ukuthi abalandeli ‘baleyo Ndlela’ babengahlosanga ukuvukela umbuso kumbe ukuwugenqula. (Imiseb. 19:23) Akula ngitsho lowodwa umthetho wamaJuda uPhawuli ayewephulile. Loba kunjalo, uFelikhe wamtshiya elokhe ebotshiwe ngenxa yokuthi “wayefuna ukuthabisa amaJuda.”
21. Kuyini okwenzakala kuPhawuli ngesikhathi uPhokhiyu Festu esengumbusi futhi kuyini okwamqinisayo?
21 Ivesi yokucina yemiSebenzi isahluko 24 itshengisa ukuthi uPhawuli wayelokhe esejele ngesikhathi uPhokhiyu Festu engena esikhundleni sikaFelikhe. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi uPhawuli ahlale ethonisiswa phambi kweziphathamandla ezitshiyeneyo. UPhawuli wayelesibindi yikho ‘wamiswa phambi kwamakhosi lababusi.’ (Luk. 21:12) Njengoba sizabona, uPhawuli wafakaza laphambi kombusi owayemkhulu kulabo bonke ngalesosikhathi. UPhawuli waqhubeka elokholo oluqinileyo lanxa wadlula phakathi kobunzima bonke lobu. Kumele ukuthi amazwi akhulunywa nguJesu athi “woba lesibindi” aqhubeka emqinisa.
a Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ UFelikhe Umbusi WeJudiya.”
b UThethula waqala ngokubonga uFelikhe ‘ngokuthula okukhulu’ ayekulethile elizweni. Kodwa ayekutsho kwakungasiqiniso ngoba ngesikhathi uFelikhe engumbusi weJudiya, kwaba leziphithiphithi ezazingakaze zibekhona kwaze kwafika isikhathi amaJuda ehlamuka embusweni wamaRoma. Kanti njalo kwakungamanga ukuthi amaJuda ‘ayambonga kakhulu’ uFelikhe ngezinguquko ayezenzile elizweni lawo. Iqiniso elikhona yikuthi amaJuda amanengi ayemenyanya uFelikhe ngoba wayelesihluku futhi ewaphatha kubi engafuni ukuthi aphiwe inkululeko.—Imiseb. 24:2, 3.
