1, 2. (a) Yiphi imibuzo eqakathekileyo okwakumele iphendulwe liqula elikhokhelayo langesikhathi samaKhristu okuqala? (b) Kuyini okwanceda abafowethu ukuthi benze isinqumo esiyiso?

 WONKE umuntu ukulindele ngabomvu ukuzwa isinqumo sequla elikhokhelayo. Abaphostoli labadala abasendlini eseJerusalema bayakhangelana benanzelela ukuthi sesifikile isikhathi esiqakathekileyo. Udaba lokusoka seluphakamise imibuzo eqakathekileyo enjengokuthi: AmaKhristu kumele alandele yini uMthetho kaMosi? Kulomehluko yini phakathi kwamaKhristu angamaJuda lawezinye izizwe?

² Amadoda akhokhelayo asehlole ubufakazi obunengi obulethwe phambi kwabo. Acabangisise ngalokho okutshiwo yiziphrofetho eziseLizwini likaNkulunkulu kanye lobufakazi obulamandla obutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyababusisa labantu bezinye izizwe. Aveze lemibono yawo ekhululekile. Ubufakazi abutholileyo ngendaba le bunengi kakhulu futhi kuyacaca ukuthi aqondiswa ngumoya kaJehova. Manje amadoda la azawuvumela yini umoya lo uwaqondise ekwenzeni isinqumo esiyiso?

3. Kuzasinceda njani ukuhlola indaba ekumiSebenzi isahluko 15?

³ Kumele abe lokholo oluqinileyo lesibindi ukuze avume ukuqondiswa ngumoya ongcwele endabeni le ngoba angacina ezondwa ngabakhokheli benkolo abangamaJuda. Kanti njalo angaphikiswa ngabanye ebandleni abalokhu besabambelele eMthethweni kaMosi futhi abafuna wonke umuntu alandele wona. Manje yisiphi isinqumo esizakwenziwa liqula elikhokhelayo? Ake sibone. Njengoba sihlola indaba le sizabona ukuthi yisiphi isibonelo esatshiywa ngamadoda la lokuthi iQula Elikhokhelayo laboFakazi bakaJehova lisilandela njani lamuhla. Lathi kumele silandele isibonelo esifananayo nxa sisenza izinqumo kumbe sihlangana lobunzima empilweni.

4, 5. UJakhobe wakhuluma amazwi esiphrofetho siphi?

⁴ Umfundi uJakhobe, owayengumfowabo kaJesu nguye owaqalisa ukukhuluma. a Kukhanya nguye owayengumgcinisihlalo womhlangano lo. Amazwi akhe akufinqa kuhle lokho iqula elikhokhelayo elaselikuhlelile mayelana lodaba lolu. Ekhuluma lamadoda ayebuthene uJakhobe wathi: “USimiyoni usesilandisele konke okumayelana lokuthi uNkulunkulu wabakhumbula njani abezinye izizwe ukuze aqalise ukuthatha abantu bebizo lakhe phakathi kwabo. Lamazwi abaPhrofethi ayavumelana lalokhu.”—Imiseb. 15:14, 15.

⁵ Lokho okwakhulunywa nguSimiyoni loba uSimoni Phetro kanye lobufakazi obalethwa nguBhanabha loPhawuli kungenzeka kwanceda uJakhobe ukuthi akhumbule eminye imibhalo eyayingancedisa endabeni le. (Joh. 14:26) Ngemva kokuthi “lamazwi abaPhrofethi ayavumelana lalokhu” uJakhobe wakhuluma amazwi aku-Amosi 9:11, 12. Ibhuku lika-Amosi ngelinye lamabhuku abizwa ngokuthi ‘ngabaPhrofethi’ aseMibhalweni yesiHebheru. (Mat. 22:40; Imiseb. 15:16-18) Kodwa uzananzelela ukuthi amazwi akhulunywa nguJakhobe atshiyene kancane lalawo esiwathola ebhukwini lika-Amosi lamuhla. Kungenzeka ukuthi uJakhobe wasebenzisa amazwi atholakala ku-Septuagint, okuyiMibhalo yesiHebheru ehunyutshwe ngesiGrikhi.

6. IMibhalo yancedisa njani endabeni yokusokwa?

⁶ Esebenzisa umphrofethi u-Amosi, uJehova wathi isikhathi sasizafika lapho ayezavusa “idumba likaDavida” okutsho usendo lwamakhosi enzalo kaDavida ayezabusa kuze kufike uMbuso kaMesiya. (Hez. 21:26, 27) UJehova wayezaphinda akhethe yini amaJuda njengesizwe sakhe kuphela? Hatshi. Isiphrofetho sathi ‘abantu bezizwe zonke’ babezaqoqwa ndawonye babe ‘ngabantu bebizo [likaNkulunkulu].’ Kanti njalo khumbula ukuthi uPhetro wayesanda kufakaza ukuthi kuNkulunkulu “awukho ngitsho umehluko phakathi kwethu [okutsho amaKhristu angamaJuda] labo [amaKhristu ezinye izizwe], wahlambulula izinhliziyo zabo ngokholo.” (Imiseb. 15:9) Ayekutsho yikuthi intando kaNkulunkulu ngeyokuthi amaJuda kanye labezinye izizwe bonke babe zindlalifa eMbusweni. (Rom. 8:17; Efe. 2:17-19) Iziphrofetho lezi azitsho ukuthi amaKhristu ezinye izizwe kumele aqale asokwe kumbe aphendukele ekholweni lwesiJuda ukuze abe zindlalifa zoMbuso.

7, 8. (a) UJakhobe waveza wuphi umbono? (b) Ayesitshoni amazwi akhe athi “isinqumo sami”?

⁷ UJakhobe esezwe ubufakazi obuseMibhalweni lalokho okwakusanda kukhulunywa, wathi: “Ngakho bengicabanga ukuthi singabahluphi abavela kwezinye izizwe abaphendukela kuNkulunkulu, kodwa sibabhalele ukuthi baxwaye izinto ezingcoliswe yizithombe, lokufeba, lezinto eziklinyiweyo kanye legazi. Kusukela endulo abantu bebetshumayela ngoMosi kuwo wonke amadolobho futhi ngamasabatha wonke abantu bayabalelwa emasinagogeni izinto ezabhalwa nguMosi.”—Imiseb. 15:19-21.

 ⁸ Amazwi kaJakhobe athi “isinqumo sami” asemabaleni angaphansi evesini atsho ukuthi wayesenzela abanye isinqumo yini kumbe esebenzisa amandla akhe njengomgcinisihlalo womhlangano yini? Hatshi! Umutsho wesiGrikhi ohunyutshwe ngokuthi “isinqumo sami” ungatsho lokuthi “ngahlulela kanje” kumbe “bengicabanga ukuthi.” Yikho kuyacaca ukuthi uJakhobe wayengenzeli iqula elikhokhelayo isinqumo kodwa wayeveza umbono wakhe ngemva kokuzwa ubufakazi lalokho okutshiwo yiMibhalo ngendaba le.

9. Umbono kaJakhobe wanceda njani?

⁹ Kukhanya umbono kaJakhobe wawumuhle sibili ngoba abaphostoli labadala bawusebenzisa. Ukusebenzisa umbono lo kwanceda njani? Kwenza ukuthi ‘bangawahluphi’ kumbe bawathwalise nzima amaKhristu ayevela kwezinye izizwe ngokuwabamba ngamandla ukuthi alandele uMthetho kaMosi. (Imiseb. 15:19) Kanti njalo isinqumo lesi satshengisa ukuthi bayayihlonipha imizwangedwa yamaKhristu angamaJuda ayeseleminyaka ‘ebalelwa emasinagogeni izinto ezabhalwa nguMosi.’ b (Imiseb. 15:21) Saphinda saqinisa ukumanyana phakathi kwamaKhristu angamaJuda lawezinye izizwe. Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi samthokozisa uJehova futhi satshengisa lokho okuyintando yakhe. Le kwakuyindlela enhle yokulungisa uhlupho olwaselubangela ukuthi kungabi lokuthula lokumanyana ebandleni labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Indlela indaba le eyalungiswa ngayo iyawanceda kakhulu amaKhristu lamuhla.

10. IQula Elikhokhelayo lamuhla lilandela njani lokho okwakusenziwa ngelesikhathi samaKhristu okuqala?

¹⁰ Njengoba sibonile esahlukweni esidlulileyo, lamuhla iQula Elikhokhelayo lilingisela lokho okwakusenziwa liqula elikhokhelayo lesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala. Livumela uJehova, uMbusi Wendawo Yonke kanye loJesu Khristu inhloko yebandla ukuthi baliqondise kukho konke elikwenzayo. c (1 Khor. 11:3) Likwenza njani lokhu? Umfowethu u-Albert D. Schroeder owayelilunga leQula Elikhokhelayo  kusukela ngo-1974 waze waqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngoMarch 2006 wathi: “Abafowethu beQula Elikhokhelayo bayahlangana maviki wonke ngoLwesithathu. Baqalisa umhlangano wabo ngomthandazo becela ukuthi umoya kaJehova ubaqondise. Bazama ngamandla wonke ukuthi zonke izinqumo abazenzayo zivumelane lalokho okuseLizwini likaNkulunkulu iBhayibhili.” Kanti njalo umfowethu uMilton G. Henschel owayelilunga leQula Elikhokhelayo okwesikhathi eside waze waqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngoMarch 2003, wabuza abafundi bekilasi yeGiliyadi yesi-101 umbuzo oqakathekileyo wathi, “Ikhona yini eyinye inhlanganiso lapha emhlabeni elabakhokheli abaqala bahlole iLizwi likaNkulunkulu iBhayibhili bengakenzi izinqumo eziqakathekileyo?” Impendulo isegcekeni.

11. Amabandla asitshelwa njani isinqumo esasenziwe liqula elikhokhelayo?

¹¹ Iqula elikhokhelayo elaliseJerusalema lenza isinqumo elalivumelana ngaso ngendaba yokusoka. Isinqumo ababesenzile kwasekumele sitshelwe abazalwane emabandleni ngendlela ecacileyo ukuze bonke benze izinto bemanyene. Manje bakwenza njani lokhu? Ukulandisa okusebhukwini lemiSebenzi kuthi: “Abaphostoli labadala kanye lebandla lonke basebebona kungcono ukuthi bakhethe amanye amadoda phakathi kwabo ababengawathuma ukuthi ahambe loPhawuli loBhanabha e-Antiyokhi. Bathuma uJudasi owayebizwa ngokuthi nguBhasabha kanye loSila. Amadoda la ayekhokhela phakathi kwabazalwane.” Kanti njalo bawaphathisa incwadi eyayizabalwa kuwo wonke amabandla ayese-Antiyokhi, leSiriya, leKhilikhiya.—Imiseb. 15:22-26.

12, 13. (a) Kwanceda ngani ukuthuma uJudasi loSila? (b) Incwadi eyabhalwa liqula elikhokhelayo yanceda njani?

¹² UJudasi loSila babekufanele sibili ukuba ngabameli bequla elikhokhelayo njengoba ‘babengamadoda ayekhokhela phakathi kwabazalwane.’ Amadoda la amane ayethunywe liqula elikhokhelayo kwakumele akwenze kucace ukuthi umlayezo ababewuphathisiwe wawungayisiyo mpendulo nje mayelana lendaba yokusoka kodwa kwakuyindlela entsha iqula elikhokhelayo elalifuna ukuthi izinto zenziwe ngayo. Kanti njalo ukuvakatshelwa ‘ngamadoda la ayekhethiwe’ kwakuzamanyanisa amaKhristu angamaJuda ayehlala eJerusalema lamaKhristu ezinye izizwe. Kwakuyikuhlakanipha sibili ukuthuma amadoda la futhi akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokhu kwenza kwaba lokuthula lokumanyana phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.

¹³ Incwadi eyabhalwa liqula elikhokhelayo yawanceda amaKhristu ezinye izizwe ukuthi ayizwisise kuhle indaba yokusoka. Yawanceda lokuthi akwazi okwakumele akwenze ukuze uNkulunkulu awamukele njalo awabusise. Incwadi le yayilamazwi la aqakathekileyo athi: “Kubonakale kufanele emoyeni ongcwele lakithi ukungalingezeleli omunye umthwalo ngaphandle kwalezizinto eziqakathekileyo, ukuthi liqhubeke lixwaya izinto ezinikelwe ezithombeni, lixwaya legazi, lezinto eziklinyiweyo kanye lokufeba. Nxa lingaqhubeka lizibalekela lezizinto, lizaphumelela. Libe lempilakahle!”—Imiseb. 15:28, 29.

14. Kuyini okwenza ukuthi abantu bakaJehova bahlale bemanyene emhlabeni lo olabantu abalemibono etshiyeneyo?

 ¹⁴ Lamuhla oFakazi bakaJehova abedlula 8 000 000, abasemabandleni edlula 100 000 emhlabeni wonke bakholwa izinto ezifananayo futhi bamanyene. Kuyini okubanceda ukuthi bahlale bemanyene emhlabeni lo olabantu abangamanyananga? Isizatho esiqakathekileyo esenza ukuthi bamanyane yikuthi uJesu Khristu, iNhloko yebandla ubanika imilayezo ecacileyo lezwisisekayo esebenzisa “inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo.” (Mat. 24:45-47) Esinye isizatho esenza ukuthi bamanyane yikuthi bonke bayavuma ukulandela lokho abakutshelwa liQula Elikhokhelayo.

15, 16. Indaba yokusoka yaphetha ngani futhi kuyini okwenza yaphela kuhle?

¹⁵ Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lisitshela ukuthi amadoda la ayevela eJerusalema athi efika e-Antiyokhi “abuthanisa bonke abafundi abanika incwadi.” Abafowethu bezwa njani sebebale incwadi yequla elikhokhelayo? Ukulandisa kuthi: “Bathi sebeyibalile [incwadi] bathokoza ngoba yayikhuthaza.” (Imiseb. 15:30, 31) Kanti njalo uJudasi loSila “bakhuthaza abazalwane ngamazwi amanengi babaqinisa.” Yikho singathi amadoda la ‘ayengabaphrofethi’ njengoBhanabha loPhawuli labanye ababebizwa ngokuthi ngabaphrofethi. Phela ibizo leli lalinikwa labo ababesenza ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu yaziwe.—Imiseb. 13:1; 15:32; Eks. 7:1, 2.

¹⁶ Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJehova wabusisa isinqumo sequla elikhokhelayo ukuze kulungiswe indaba yokusoka. Kuyini okwenza indaba le iphethe kuhle? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kungenxa yokuthi iqula elikhokhelayo lanika abazalwane iziqondiso ezicacileyo ezisekelwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu futhi lalikhokhelwa ngumoya ongcwele. Kanti njalo lanika amabandla iziqondiso lezi ngendlela elothando lekhuthazayo.

17. Ababonisi beziqinti balingisela njani lokho okwakusenziwa ngesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala?

¹⁷ Lamuhla iQula Elikhokhelayo laboFakazi bakaJehova linika abazalwane abasemhlabeni wonke iziqondiso ezincedayo lilandela lokho okwakusenziwa liqula elikhokhelayo elaliseJerusalema. Nxa selenze izinqumo liyatshela amabandla ngendlela ecacileyo lezwisisekayo. Eyinye indlela elikwenza ngayo lokhu yikuthumela ababonisi beziqinti. Abafowethu laba abazinikeleyo bavakatshela amabandla benika abazalwane iziqondiso ezicacileyo njalo bebakhuthaza. Kanti njalo balingisela uPhawuli loBhanabha ngokusebenzisa isikhathi sabo esinengi “befundisa njalo betshumayela izindaba ezinhle zelizwi likaJehova belabanye abanengi.” (Imiseb. 15:35) Baphinda balingisele uJudasi loSila ‘ngokukhuthaza abazalwane ngamazwi amanengi bebaqinisa.’

18. Kuyini okungenza uNkulunkulu abusise abantu bakhe?

¹⁸ Kuyini okuzanceda ukuthi amabandla aqhubeke emanyene futhi elokuthula emhlabeni lo olabantu abangabambananga? Khumbula ukuthi umfundi  uJakhobe nguye owabhala wathi: ‘Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu, okokuqala kumsulwa, besekusiba lokuthula kuyazwisisa, kuzimisele ukulalela. Kanti njalo isithelo sokulunga sihlanyelwa lapho okulokuthula khona kusenzelwa labo abenza ukuthi kube lokuthula.’ (Jak. 3:17, 18) Asikwazi ukuthi uJakhobe ebhala amazwi la wayecabanga ngomhlangano ababewenze eJerusalema yini, kodwa nxa sihlola indaba ekumiSebenzi 15 kuyakhanya ukuthi uJehova ubusisa abantu abamanyeneyo futhi ababambisanayo.

19, 20. (a) Kuyini okwatshengisa ukuthi kwasekulokuthula lokumanyana ebandleni elalise-Antiyokhi? (b) UPhawuli loBhanabha basebesenelisa ukwenzani e-Antiyokhi?

¹⁹ Kwasekuzikhanyela ukuthi kulokuthula lokumanyana ebandleni elalise-Antiyokhi. Kulokuthi baphikisane labazalwane abavela eJerusalema, abazalwane ababese-Antiyokhi babamukela kuhle oJudasi loSila. Phela “amadoda la athi eseke ahlala isikhathi avalelisa, abazalwane bawafisela uhambo oluhle asebuyela kulabo abebawathumile,” okutsho eJerusalema. d (Imiseb. 15:33) Asithandabuzi ukuthi abazalwane eJerusalema labo bathokoza besizwa amadoda la ewalandisela ngohambo lwawo. UJehova nguye owenza uhambo lwawo lwaphumelela.

²⁰ UPhawuli loBhanabha basala e-Antiyokhi futhi bakhokhela emsebenzini wokutshumayela njengalokho okwenziwa ngababonisi beziqinti lamuhla nxa bevakatshela amabandla. (Imiseb. 13:2, 3) Lokhu kuyabanceda sibili abantu bakaJehova. Kodwa uJehova waqhubeka ewasebenzisa futhi ewabusisa ngayiphi indlela amadoda la ayekhuthele ekutshumayeleni? Sizabona esahlukweni esilandelayo.