1-3. Abafundi bakaJesu babezahlangana labuphi ubunzima ekutshumayeleni izindaba ezinhle “ezizweni zonke”?

UMSEBENZI uJesu Khristu ayewunike abafundi bakhe wawungalula. Wabatshela wathi: “Hambani lenze abafundi ezizweni zonke.” Umsebenzi lo wawuzakwenza ukuthi ‘ivangeli loMbuso litshunyayelwe kuwo wonke umhlaba njengobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe.’—Mat. 24:14; 28:19.

² Abafundi babemthanda kakhulu uJesu njalo babezithanda izindaba ezinhle. Kodwa bangabe babezibuza ukuthi babezawenza njani umsebenzi lo ababewunikiwe. Phela babebalutshwana njalo uJesu lo ababefakaza ngaye ukuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu wayesebulewe. Babekhangelwa ‘njengabantu makhaza ababengafundanga.’ (ImiSeb. 4:13) Lanxa kunjalo, babethunywe ukuthi batshele abantu umlayezo owawuphikisana lezimfundiso zabakhokheli benkolo ababedumile njalo ababeyizazi zamasiko akudaladala. Kanti njalo lasemphakathini yakibo, abafundi bakaJesu. Isizwe sako-Israyeli laso sasiyibunyonyo nje nxa siqathaniswa loMbuso weRoma owawumangalisa.

 ³ UJesu laye wayebaxwayisile abafundi bakhe ukuthi babezazondwa, bahlukuluzwe lokuthi abanye babo babezabulawa. (Luk. 21:16, 17) Babezanikelwa ezitheni, bahlaselwe ngabaphrofethi bamanga njalo babezathwala nzima ngenxa yokwanda kobubi. (Mat. 24:10-12) Lanxa abantu babengazamukela ngazo zombili izindaba ezinhle, abafundi babezakwenelisa yini ukuzifikisa “lasemikhawulweni yomhlaba”? (ImiSeb. 1:8) Kumele ukuthi babebona kumnyama phambili!

4. Abafundi bekhulu lokuqala baphumelela yini emsebenzini wabo wokutshumayela? Chaza.

⁴ Abafundi bakaJesu basebenza gadalala kungelani lokuthi babekhathazekile ngokuthi babezawenza njani umsebenzi lo. Batshumayela eJerusalema, eSamariya lakuzo zonke izindawo ezazikhona ngaleso sikhathi. Kwakunzima sibili kodwa ngeminyaka engu-30 kuphela ivangeli ‘laselitshunyayelwe kuzo zonke izidalwa ngaphansi kwezulu,’ futhi ‘emhlabeni wonke lalithela izithelo njalo likhula.’ (Kol. 1:6, 23) Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uPhawuli etshumayela esihlengeni saseKhuphro, usibalukhulu weRoma okwakuthiwa nguSegiwu Phawuli “wakholwa, ngoba wamangaliswa yimfundiso ngeNkosi” uJehova.—Bala imiSebenzi 13:6-12.

5. (a) UJesu wabathembisani abafundi bakhe? (b) Abanye bathini ngomumo owawukhona ngekhulu lokuqala?

⁵ Abafundi bakaJesu babekwazi ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela wawungeke uphumelele nxa bewenza ngamandla abo. UJesu wayebatshele ukuthi wayezakuba labo lokuthi babezaphiwa umoya ongcwele ukuze ubasize. (Mat. 28:20) Kanti njalo umumo owawukhona ngaleso sikhathi lawo ungabe wabangela ukuthi kube lula ukutshumayela ngoMbuso. Elinye ibhuku elikhuluma ngezembali elithi Evangelism in the Early Church lithi kumele ukuthi embalini yabantu, ikhulu lokuqala kwakuyiso isikhathi esingcono kulazo zonke sokuqalisa ukutshumayela. Lichaza lokuthi ngekhulu lesibili amaKhristu ayesesithi uNkulunkulu nguye owayecente indlela ukuze umsebenzi lo uphumelele.

6. Sizaxoxa ngani (a) esihlokweni lesi? (b) esihlokweni esilandelayo?

⁶ IBhayibhili kalitsho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wazintshintsha njani izinto ngekhulu lokuqala ukuze kutshunyayelwe kuyo yonke indawo. Lanxa kunjalo esikwaziyo yikuthi uJehova wayefuna ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zitshunyayelwe, kodwa uSathane wayengafuni. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngezinto ezithile ezingabe zasiza ukuthi kube lula ukutshumayela ngekhulu lokuqala ukwedlula loba yisiphi isikhathi embalini yabantu. Kwesilandelayo sizaxoxa ngezinto ezisincedayo lamuhla ukuthi sitshumayele izindaba ezinhle lasemikhawulweni yomhlaba.

7. Kuyini okwakubizwa ngokuthi yi-Pax Romana, njalo kungani isikhathi lesi sasingafanani lezinye izikhathi?

⁷ Okwakusenzakala eMbusweni wamaRoma ngekhulu lokuqala kwawasiza amaKhristu. Ngokwesibonelo kwaba lesikhathi sokuthula esasibizwa ngokuthi yi-Pax Romana ngolimi lwesiLatin. UMbuso weRoma walondoloza ukuthula ebantwini ababengaphansi kwawo. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakusiba ‘lezimpi lamahungahunga ezimpi’ njengoba uJesu wayetshilo. (Mat. 24:6) Amabutho aseRoma ahlasela iJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., njalo lasemingceleni yombuso lo kwakuke kuliwe. Kodwa kwakulokuthula phose kuzo zonke izindawo ezazingaphansi kwawo okweminyaka engaba ngu-200 kusukela ngesikhathi sikaJesu. Elinye ibhuku lithi: “Kwakungakaze kube leminyaka eminengi kangaka yokuhlaliseka, njalo kwakungakaze kulondolozwe ukuthula phakathi kwabantu abanengi kangaka.”

8. Ukuthula okwakukhona kwawaphathisa njani amaKhristu okuqala?

 ⁸ Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-300 uJesu efile, isikhwicamfundo esasibona ngezokholo esithiwa ngu-Origen sabhala sathi: “Kwakuzakuba nzima kakhulu ukumemezela izimfundiso zikaJesu emhlabeni wonke ngabe kwakulemibuso eminengi . . . ngoba abantu kuyo yonke indawo babezabe bethwala izikhali futhi besilwa ukuze bavikele amazwe abo.” Waqhubeka wathi aluba ukuthula kwakungekho ngaleso sikhathi, abantu babengasoze bazamukele izimfundiso lezi njengoba zazikhuthaza abantu ukuthi bahlalisane kuhle labanye. Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi ngesikhathi kubusa iRoma, abantu ababetshumayela ngoMbuso babehlukuluzwa, kodwa esikunanzelelayo yikuthi basisebenzisa kuhle isikhathi sokuthula ukuze batshumayele ezindaweni ezinengi.—Bala uRoma 12:18-21.

9, 10. Kungani kwakulula ukubhoda kuzo zonke izindawo eMbusweni weRoma?

⁹ Imigwaqo yaseRoma yawasiza kakhulu amaKhristu. ERoma kwakulebutho elalilamandla futhi elalihlelekile njalo lalisebenza njengelihlo likahulumende kuzo zonke izindawo embusweni lo. Imigwaqo emihle yayifuneka ukuze amasotsha angabi lohlupho lokuhamba njalo amaRoma ayezingcitshi ekwakheni imigwaqo. Omanjinela baseRoma bakha imigwaqo eminengi eyayingalingana lomango odlula amakhilomitha ayi-80 000 njalo imigwaqo le yayifika phose kuzo zonke izabelo. Yayidabula emaguswini, iquma lezinkangala njalo iqansa ikhilikithele lezintabeni.

¹⁰ Kwakuphinda kube lemifula okwakulula ukuhamba kuyo ngemikhumbi njalo babevule lemisele yamanzi emikhulu eyayinceda ukuthi imikhumbi ifike ezindaweni ezinengi. Kanti njalo imikhumbi yeRoma yayihamba olwandle ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo ezingaba ngu-900 ezazifika emathekwini amanengi kakhulu. Yonke indawo eyayihamba imikhumbi yabo yayinkulu kakhulu okokuthi yayingaba ngamakhilomitha angu-27 000. Yikho-ke amaKhristu ayengenelisa ukufika kuzo zonke izindawo embusweni weRoma. Kayisikho ukuthi izinto zazitshelela, kodwa umphostoli uPhawuli labanye babesenelisa ukuhamba ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo bengelawo amaphasipoti lamaviza. Babengekho abezomthetho ababekhangela abangenayo labaphumayo elizweni. Kwakungandanga ukuthi kube lezigebenga emigwaqweni ngoba eRoma isigebenga sasijeziswa kabuhlungu. Kanti njalo kwakulebutho lasolwandle elalikhangela ukuthi akulazigilamkhuba ezazihlasela imikhumbi. Lanxa uPhawuli wake wahlangana lezingozi olwandle waze wabhidlikelwa ngumkhumbi kanengi, iMibhalo ayitsho ngokucacileyo ukuthi wake wahlutshwa yizigebenga ezihlasela imikhumbi.—2 Khor. 11:25, 26.

11. Kungani abafundi babesebenzisa isiGiriki?

¹¹ Uhlobo lolimi lwesiGiriki olwalukhulunywa ngabantu abanengi okwakuthiwa yisiKoine lwenza kwaba lula ukuthi amabandla obuKhristu akhulumisane lokuthi ahlale emanyene. Izindawo ezinengi ezazingaphansi koMbuso weRoma zazike zabuswa yiNkosi engumGiriki u-Alekizanda yikho ulimi lolu lwalukhulunywa ngabanengi njalo beluzwisisa. Ngakho-ke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zazisenelisa ukukhuluma labantu abatshiyeneyo futhi lokhu kwenza ukuthi abanengi bazizwe izindaba ezinhle. Kanti njalo iMibhalo yesiHebheru yayisitholakala ngolimi lwesiGiriki. IMibhalo le yayihunyutshwe ngamaJuda ayehlala eGibhithe njalo yayibizwa ngokuthi yi-Septuagint.  Abantu babeyijayele njalo labalandeli bakaKhristu babecaphuna kuyo. AmaKhristu alusebenzisa ulimi lwesiGiriki lapho eloba iMibhalo ngoba lwalulamagama amanengi ayesenza ukuthi kubelula ukuchasisa izindaba ezijulileyo eziseMibhalweni.

12. (a) Kuyini i-codex, njalo yayingcono ngani nxa iqathaniswa lencwadimgoqwa? (b) AmaKhristu amanengi aqalisa nini ukusebenzisa i-codex?

¹² AmaKhristu okuqala ayesebenzisa izincwadimgoqwa. Kwakunzima ukuzisebenzisa ngoba zazizinkulu futhi kwakumele zitshombululwe ziphinde zigoqwe. Zazijayele ukubhalwa icele elilodwa kuphela okokuthi iVangeli likaMathewu lilodwa nje lalingagcwala incwadimgoqwa. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi kwabunjwa ibhuku elalibizwa ngokuthi yi-codex. Leli kwakulibhuku elalilamakhasi amanengi ayehlanganiswa abesethungelwa ndawonye. Kwasekulula ukuthi umuntu avule amavesi nxa esebenzisa i-codex. Lanxa kungaziwa ukuthi amaKhristu aqalisa nini ukuyisebenzisa, elinye ibhuku lithi: “Ekhulwini lesibili, phose wonke amaKhristu ayeyisebenzisa i-codex okokuthi ingabe yabakhona kungakabi ngumnyaka ka-A.D. 100.”

13, 14. (a) UPhawuli walisebenzisa njani ilungelo lakhe lokuba yisizalwane seRoma? (b) Umthetho waseRoma wawanceda njani amaKhristu?

¹³ Umthetho wamaRoma wawusebenza kuzo zonke izindawo ezazisembusweni lo njalo ukuba yisizalwane seRoma kwakusenza ukuthi umuntu athole amalungelo kanye lokuvikelwa okuthile. Ukuba yisizalwane seRoma kwamnceda kanengi uPhawuli. Wathi eseJerusalema lapho amasotsha esefuna ukumtshaya, wabuza umphathi wawo wathi: “Kusemthethweni yini ukuthi utshaye umuntu ongumRoma ongetheswanga cala na?” Lakanye kwakungekho emthethweni. Wathi ebatshela ukuthi uyisizalwane seRoma, “labo ababelungele ukumbuzisisa bahle batshedela emuva masinyane. Umlawuli webutho ngokwakhe wethuka esenanzelela ukuthi wayebophe uPhawuli, umRoma, ngamaketane.”—ImiSeb. 22:25-29.

¹⁴ Ukuba yisizalwane seRoma kwamsiza uPhawuli ngesikhathi eseFiliphi. (ImiSeb. 16:35-40) Kanti njalo e-Efesu unobhala wedolobho wathi esethulise isiphithiphithi esasesivukile, wakhumbuza ixuku elalizondile ukuthi umthetho wamaRoma uthini. (ImiSeb. 19:35-41) Ngesikhathi eseKhesariya, uPhawuli waphinda wacela ukuthi icala lakhe lidluliselwe phambili futhi lokhu kwamupha ithuba lokuthi ayevikela ukholo lwakhe phambi kukaKhesari. (ImiSeb. 25:8-12) Kuyakhanya-ke  ukuthi umthetho wamaRoma wanceda amaKhristu ukuthi enelise ‘ukuvikela lokuqinisa ivangeli’ ngokusemthethweni.—Flp. 1:7.

15. Ekhulwini lokuqala, amaJuda ayetholakala ngaphi?

¹⁵ Okunye okungabe kwenza ukuthi umsebenzi wamaKhristu wobuvangeli ube lula yikuthi amaJuda ayetholakala kuwo wonke amazwe ayengaphansi kweRoma. Lokhu kwakubangelwe yikuthi kudala abase-Asiriya babeke bathumba amaJuda njalo ngemva kweminyaka ethile amaJuda aphinda athunjwa ngabaseBhabhiloni. Kusanda kuqalisa ikhulu lesihlanu B.C.E., amaJuda ayetholakala ezifundeni ezingu-127 eMbusweni wasePhesiya. (Esta. 9:30) Langesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni kwakulamaJuda ayehlala eGibhithe, eGirisi, eMesophothamiya, e-Asia Minor lakwezinye izindawo ezisenyakatho ye-Africa. Kucatshangwa ukuthi ebantwini abangu-60 000 000 ababeseMbusweni weRoma, abedlula 4 000 000 babengamaJuda. Kuzo zonke izindawo lapho amaJuda ayesiya khona, ayengalulahli ukholo lwawo.—Mat. 23:15.

16, 17. (a) Ukutholakala kwamaJuda emazweni amanengi kwabanceda njani abantu abanengi ababengayisiwo maJuda? (b) Kuyini okwakusenziwa ngamaJuda okulandelwa ngamaKhristu?

¹⁶ Ukuhlala kwamaJuda emazweni amanengi kwanceda abantu abanengi ababengayisiwo maJuda ukuthi bayazi iMibhalo yesiHebheru. Bafunda ukuthi kuloNkulunkulu weqiniso oyedwa, kanye lokuthi abamkhonzayo kumele balandele imithetho yakhe yokuziphatha. Bafunda lokuthi eMibhalweni yesiHebheru kuleziphrofetho ezinengi eziphathelane loMesiya. (Luk. 24:44) AmaJuda lamaKhristu ayesekuzwisisa ukuthi iMibhalo yesiHebheru yayiliLizwi likaNkulunkulu elaphefumulelwayo njalo lokhu kwasiza ukuthi kube lula ukuthi uPhawuli azwisisane labantu ababekufuna sibili ukuthola iqiniso. Yikho-ke wayehlala esiya emasinagogeni amaJuda ukuze ayebonisana lawo ngeMibhalo.—Bala imiSebenzi 17:1, 2.

¹⁷ AmaJuda ayeselendlela yokukhonza ehleliweyo. Ayejayele ukuhlangana emasinagogeni kumbe phandle nje, ehlabela, ekhuleka futhi exoxa ngeMibhalo. Lokhu yikho okwenziwayo lasemabandleni obuKhristu lamuhla.

18, 19. (a) Umumo owawukhona ngekhulu lakuqala wenza ukuthi kwenziwe msebenzi bani? (b) Esixoxe ngakho esihlokweni lesi kukufundiseni ngoJehova?

¹⁸ Sesibonile ukuthi kulezinto eziqakathekileyo ezasiza ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle uphumelele. Okwanceda abafundi bakaJesu ukuthi benze umsebenzi wokutshumayela ababewuphiwe nguNkulunkulu yikuthula okwakuseRoma, izindlela zokuhamba ezazisenza ukuthi kube lula ukubhoda kuzo zonke izindawo, ulimi olwalukhulunywa ngabantu abanengi, umthetho wamaRoma, kanye lokutholakala kwamaJuda emazweni amanengi.

¹⁹ Eminyakeni engaba ngu-400 uJesu engakabuyi emhlabeni, esinye isikhwicamfundo esingumGiriki esithiwa nguPlato sathi: “Kungaba nzima kakhulu ukuthi simazi ubaba lomenzi wendawo yonke, njalo lanxa besingamthola, bekungasoze kwenzakale ukuthi sitshele wonke umuntu ngaye.” Kodwa uJesu wathi: “Lokho okungenzekiyo emandleni abantu kuyenzakala kwakaNkulunkulu.” (Luk. 18:27) UMdali wezinto zonke ufuna abantu bamfumane futhi bamazi. Kanti njalo uJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Lenze abafundi ezizweni zonke.” (Mat. 28:19) Ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu, asingeke sehluleke ukukwenza lokhu. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizabona ukuthi umsebenzi lo wenziwa njani lamuhla.