1-3. Kubayini bekungasibulula ngabafundi bakaJesu ukutjhumayela “eentjhabeni zoke”?

UJESU KRESTU watjhiyela abafundi bakhe umsebenzi omkhulu. Wathi kibo: “khambani niyokwenza abantu beentjhaba zoke babe bafundi.” Bekufuze batjhumayele “ivangeli” lomBuso kaZimu “ephasini loke, kube bufakazi kizo zoke izizwe.”—Matewu 24:14; 28:19.

² Phela abafundi bebamthanda uJesu, bazithanda neendaba ezimnandi. Kodwana bebazibuza bonyana ‘Kazi sizowenza njani umsebenzi uJesu athe siwenze lo?’ Nabasathoma bebangasibanengi. Ngapha bebafundisa ukuthi uJesu uyiNdodana kaZimu, kodwana abantu bebazi ukuthi ubulewe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inengi labantu belicabanga bonyana abafundi “bekubabantu abangakafundi.” (IzEnzo 4:13) Angithi abarholi bekolo yamaJuda bebafunde eenkolweni zamaJuda, kodwana abafundi bakaJesu bangakayi eenkolwenezo. Nomlayezo egade bawuphethe bewukhamba ulahle amasiko wamaJuda esele kuminyaka afundiswa madoda la. Bebazibuza ukuthi njengombana abafundi bakaJesu bangahlonitjhwa kwa-Israyeli, iintjhaba ezibuswa maRoma zona bezizobathatha njani.

 ³ UJesu besekabatjelile ukuthi bazokuhloywa bebatlhoriswe, bese abanye babo babulawe. (Lukasi 21:16, 17) Neenhlobo nabangani bebazobahlanukela. Ngapha abanye bebazozibiza ngabafundi bakaKrestu kodwana bafundise amala. Abafundi bakaJesu bebazokutjhumayela eendaweni eziyingozi, ezinobulelesi nenturhu. (Matewu 24:10-12) Manje-ke bebazokutjhumayela njani “kufikela emaphethelweni wephasi”? (IzEnzo 1:8) Bebazibuza ukuthi bazokukghona na ebudisini obungaka.

4. Waphumelela kangangani umsebenzi wokutjhumayela?

⁴ Ngitjho nanyana abafundi bebazi bona umsebenzi lo angekhe ube bulula, balalela lokho uJesu abatjele khona, batjhumayela eJerusalema, eSamariya ngitjho nakezinye iinarha. Kwathi ngemva kweminyaka ema-30 besele bakhambe iindawo ezinengi kangangobana uPowula wabe wathi, batjhumayele “kikho koke okudaliweko ngaphasi komthunzi welanga.” Lokho kwenza abantu beentjhaba ezihlukahlukeneko baba bafundi. (Kolose 1:6, 23) Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi uPowula atjhumayela esihlengeleni seSayipurasi, undunakulu weRoma namkha umbusi wesifundeso “wakarwa yifundiso kaJehova.”—Funda IzEnzo 13:6-12, NW.

5. (a) Yini uJesu ayithembisa abalandeli bakhe? (b) Enye incwadi yomlando yathini ngamaKrestu wokuthoma?

⁵ Abalandeli bakaJesu bebazi kuhle ukuthi angeze bavuke batjhumayela ephasini loke ngokwabo. Phela uJesu bekabathembise ukubasekela nokuthi umoya ocwengileko uzobasiza. (Matewu 28:20) Ngezinye iinkhathi ubujamo bezinto kungenzeka bebuvele bubenzele izinto zibe lula. Kuhlekuhle, enye incwadi yezomlando ihlathulula ithi, iinkhathi zabafundi bakaJesu bezenza umsebenzabo wokutjhumayela ukhambe kuhle, kangangobana acabanga ukuthi uZimu bekawenzela izinto zibe lula.

6. (a) Sizokucoca ngani esihlokwenesi? (b) Yini esizokucoca ngayo esihlokweni esilandelako?

⁶ Kghani nguJehova obekalawula izenzakalo zephasi bona zivulele amaKrestu indlela yokutjhumayela? IBhayibheli alitjho litho ngendaba le. Kodwana esikwaziko kukuthi uJehova bekafuna abantu bakhe batjhumayele iindaba ezimnandi, nokuthi uSathana bekangekhe akghone ukuwujamisa umsebenzi lo. Esihlokwenesi sizokucoca ngezinto ezenza kwaba lula ngamaKrestu wokuthoma ukutjhumayela. Esihlokweni esilandelako sizokucoca ngezinto ezisisize mva nje khona sizokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi ephasini loke.

7. Iyini i-Pax Romana, begodu beyihluke ngani kunezinye iinkhathi?

⁷ Ngesikhathi samaKrestu wokuthoma bekunokuthula kizo zoke iinarha ebezibuswa yiRoma, lokho kwenza abafundi batjhumayela bulula. Isikhathesi sibizwa ngokobana yi-Pax Romana ngesiLatin namkha ukuThula kweRoma ngesiNdebele. Hlangana nesikhathesi iRoma besele iziqede nya iinqhenyana zamavukelambuso. Kuliqiniso ukuthi izipana nokho bezikhona njengombana kwaphorofida uJesu. (Matewu 24:6) AmaRoma walirhayila iJerusalema ngomnyaka ka-70 eenkhathini zabapostoli, bese balwa izipi ezincani emikhawulweni weenarha azibusako. Kodwana bekunokuthula eenarheni ezinengi ezibuswa yiRoma, lokho kwenza abafundi bakghona ukuya kwezinye iinarha batjhumayela. Lokho kwathatha iminyaka ema-200 yoke. Enye incwadi beyatjho bona solo kwabunjwa umuntu asikho isikhathi ekwaba nokuthula kwabantu abanengi kangaka.

8. Ukuthula kweRoma kwawasiza njani amaKrestu?

⁸ Nasekuphele iminyaka ema-250 ngemva kokuvela kwakaKrestu, isazi seBhayibheli u-Origen watlola ngesikhathi sokuthulesi. Watjho nokobana ngebanga lokuthi amaRoma bekabusa eenarheni ezinengi, lokho kwenza kwaba bulula ngabafundi ukuzitjhumayela zoke iinarhezo. Akakho obekathatha iinhlabano athi batjho uvikela inarha yekhabo ngombana bebahlala kamnandi eendaweni zabo. Yeke u-Origen ucababanga bona kungenzeka lokho kwenza abanengi balalela itjumayelo yabafundi emalungana nethando nokuthula. Ngitjho nanyana abafundi bebatlhoriswa, basisebenzisa kuhle kwamambala isikhathi sokuthuleso, batjhumayela yoke indawo.—Funda kwebeRoma 12:18-21.

9, 10. Ngiziphi ezinye izinto ebezenza amaKrestu akhambe bulula?

⁹ AmaRoma wakha iindlela ezingaphezu kwamakhilomitha azi-80 000 ezahlanganisa pheze zoke iinarha ebezibuswa ngiyo. Amasotja webutho elinamandla lamaRoma bekakghona ukuya nanyana kukuphi nakufuze avikele indawo bekalawule kuhle abantu. AmaKrestu bekasebenzisa zona-ke iindlelezo nakarabhula emahlathini, erhalawumbeni neentabeni khona azokutjhumayela eendaweni ezinengi.

¹⁰ Ngaphezu kweendlela ebezikhona, amaRoma bekakhamba ngeenkepe nemikhumbi. Akhamba emilanjeni nemalwandle aye eendaweni ezinengi zokungenisa imikhumbi. Eqinisweni amaRoma bekaneendlela ezingaphezu kwama-900 ezikhamba elwandle. NamaKrestu nawo bekasebenzisa zona  iinkepezo aye eendaweni ezinengi. Bekangatlhogi amapasa nama-passport nabaya kwezinye iinarha. Neenlelesi nazo bezimbalwa eendleleni ngombana bezazi ukuthi nange amaRoma angazibamba zizawukhomba onotjwala. Nelwandlapho bekuhlala kunemikhumbi yamasotja wamaRoma atjhagatjhagala, ngikho abantu bebangasabi ukusahlelwa ziingebengu zelwandle. Nanyana iBhayibheli litjho bona uPowula bekakhamba ngemikhumbi ebeyinande ifahlaka kwesinye isikhathi, aliyiphathi nokuyiphatha yeengebengu zelwandle. Yeke ukukhamba ngeendlela nangeenkepe zeRoma bekuphephile.—2 Korinte 11:25, 26.

11. Kubayini amaKrestu wokuthoma bekatjhumayela ngesiGirigi?

¹¹ Iindawo ezinengi ebezibuswa yiRoma yakade bekuziindawo ezakhe zahlulwa mbusi wamaGirigi u-Alexander oMkhulu. Yeke abantu beenarhezo bafunda ukukhuluma isiGirigi ebesaziwa ngokobana siKoine. NamaKrestu bekakghona ukutjhumayela ngelimelo. Bebakghona nokudzubhula emiTlolweni yesiHebheru ngombana beseyitjhugululelwe esiGirigini. Inengi labantu beliyazi i-Septuagint, eyatjhugululwa maJuda ebekahlala eGibhide. Nabatloli bezinye iincwadi zeBhayibheli bazitlola ngesiGirigi. Okwenza kube njalo kukuthi isiGirigi besinamagama amanengi, yeke bekubulula ukuhlathulula ngaso amaqiniso azikileko weBhayibheli. Ngiso-ke esasiza amabandla wangesikhatheso wakghona ukukhulumisana waba nyanda yinye.

12. (a) Iyini i-codex, kubayini bekubulula ukuyisebenzisa? (b) AmaKrestu athoma nini ukutjhumayela ngeencwadi?

¹² Kanti amaKrestu wokuthoma la bekavulela abantu liphi iBhayibheli? Kokuthoma bekatjhumayela ngamaBhayibheli asongwako. Kodwana bekubudisi ukuphatha imisongo leyo nokuyivula. Soke isikhathi umKrestu nakafuna ivesi elithileko bekufuze awuthabulule umsongo lo bekawusonge godu. Kazi umsongo lo kanengi bewutlolwe ehlangothini linye kwaphela. Phela nencwadi yeVangeli lakaMatewu beyiphelela emsongweni munye kwaphela. Abantu bathoma ukusebenzisa i-codex okuyincwadi epheze ifane nezanamhlanjesi. Umuntu bekayifunda lula incwadi le, avule amabhlayi afumane ivesi alifunako. Izazimlando zithi  amaKrestu athoma ukusebenzisa iincwadi kangangombana ngomnyaka we-100, inengi labo besele lisebenzisa iincwadi.

13, 14. (a) Ukuba sisakhamuzi seRoma kwamvikela njani uPowula? (b) Umthetho weRoma bewuwasiza njani amaKrestu?

¹³ Umthetho wamaRoma waba lisizo khulu emaKrestwini wokuthoma. Njengombana uPowula bekasisakhamuzi seRoma umthetho bewukhambe umvikele ngezinye iinkhathi. Ngesikhathi amasotja weRoma ebekaseJerusalema ambopha afuna nokumurhidla, wavele wabatjela ukuthi phela yena usisakhamuzi seRoma. Ngemva kwalokho wakhumbuza umlawuli wamasotja bona isakhamuzi seRoma akukafaneli sibetjhwe ngaphambi kobana sahlulelwe kuhle qangi. Ngalokho-ke “labo egade kumele bamhlole bamkghaduka, induna nayo yangenwa livalo ngombana yalemuka ukuthi uPowula sisakhamuzi sombuso weRoma nokobana beyimbophile.”—IzEnzo 22:25-29.

¹⁴ Njengombana uPowula bekasisakhamuzi seRoma nje kwaba nomehluko ke endleleni abamphatha ngayo eFilipi. (IzEnzo 16:35-40) Nangesikhathi isiqubuthu sabantu e-Efesu sitjho ukuqeda ngamanye amaKrestu, isikhulu sehlisa amaphaphu wesiqubuthweso ngokuthi seqa umthetho wamaRoma. (IzEnzo 19:35-41) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, wathi nakaseKhesariya, wabawa ilungelo lokubona umbusi weRoma. Lokho kwamenza wazivikela iindaba ezihle. (IzEnzo 25:8-12) Yeke, amaKrestu asebenzisa umthetho weRoma ‘ekuvikeleni nekuqiniseni’ ilungelo lawo lokutjhumayela.—Filipi 1:7.

15. AmaJuda bekahlala kuphi ngesikhathi samaKrestu wokuthoma?

¹⁵ Kunokhunye okwasiza amaKrestu wokuthoma watjhumayela ephasini loke. Ngeenkhathezo, amaJuda bekahlala eenarheni ezinengi ingasi kwa-Israyeli kwaphela. Kubayini bahlala lapho? Eminyakeni elikhulu yangaphambi kwalokho, amaJuda akhe athunjelwa e-Asiriya, kwathi eminyakeni eyalandela leyo amanye wawo athunjelwa eBhabhiloni. Ngemva kwalokho amaPheresiya abusa iBhabhiloni, yeke amaJuda warhatjheka eendaweni zoke ebezibuswa yiPheresiya. (Esta 9:30) Kwathi-ke ngesikhathi sakaJesu, inengi lamaJuda beselihlala kizo zoke iindawo ebezibuswa yiRoma, njenge-Asia Minor (eTurkey), eGibhide, eGrisi, eMesopotamia (e-Iraq), nakezinye iindawo eziseTlhagwini Africa. Kubonakala kwanga ebantwini abangaba ziingidi ezima-60, ezingaphezu kwezine zazo bezimaJuda. Ngitjho nanyana bebarhatjheke eendaweni ezinengi, akhenge bayilahle ikolwabo.—Matewu 23:15.

16, 17. (a) Njengombana eenarheni ezinengi bekunamaJuda nje, abantu abangasimaJuda bazuza njani? (b) AmaKrestu namhlanjesi asilingisa njani isibonelo samaJuda?

¹⁶ Njengombana bekunamaJuda eenarheni ezinengi, inengi labantu balapho beliyazi imiTlolo yesiHebheru ngombana beliyifunda kibo. Ngokwesibonelo, bafunda bona kunoZimu munye kwaphela weqiniso, nokuthi abamkhonzako kufuze bathobele imithethwakhe. Bafunda nokuthi imiTlolo yesiHebheru nayo iphefumulelwe nguZimu  nokuthi iphorofida ngoMesiya. (Lukasi 24:44) Njengombana amaKrestu atjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi, kokubili amaJuda nalobo abangasimaJuda bebazi ngezinto amaKrestu atjhumayela ngazo. NoPowula bekafuna abantu abazokulalela iindaba ezimnandi. Lokho bekakwenza ngokuthi aye emasinagogini lapho amaJuda ebekakhonza khona, nakafika lapho abonisane nabo ngemiTlolo.—Funda IzEnzo 17:1, 2.

¹⁷ AmaJuda bekahlangana ndawonye emasinagogini netjhatjhalazini alotjhe uZimu. Bebavuma iingoma, bathandaze bebadembe ngemiTlolo. Namhlanjesi amaKrestu emabandleni enza soneso.

18, 19. (a) Ubujamo bazisa amaKrestu wokuthoma bona enzeni? (b) Isihlokwesi sikwenza uzizwe njani ngoJehova?

¹⁸ Isikhathi samaKrestu wokuthoma bekusikhathi esiqakatheke khulu emlandweni. Eenarheni ebezibuswa maRoma bekunokuthula, abantu abanengi bebakhuluma ilimi elilodwa, kanti godu umthetho bewubavikela abantu. Bekulula khulu esebenzisa iinkhwelo, nabantu abanengi bakwezinye iinarha bebazi ngamaJuda ngemitlolo yesiHebheru. Koke lokhu kwasiza amaKrestu bona enze umsebenzi uZimu awanikele wona.

¹⁹ UJesu weza ephasini eminyakeni ngaba-400 edlulileko, isazi sefilosofi uPlato nasitlolako sathi kubudisi ngabantu ukwazi uMdali wabo, begodu akwenzeki bona batjele woke umuntu ngaye. Kodwana uJesu wathi: “Lokho okungenzekiko ebantwini kuyenzeka kuZimu.” (Lukasi 18:27) Kusepepeneneni-ke ukuthi umsebenzi wokutjhumayela lo bewungekhe ube khona ngaphandle kwakaJehova. Ufuna ‘abantu beentjhaba zoke’ bazi iindaba ezimnandi begodu naye bamazi. (Matewu 28:19) Isihloko esilandelako sizokuhlathulula bonyana iindaba ezimnandezi zitjhunyayelwa njani ephasini loke namhlanjesi.