1-2. Kuyini okungabe kwenza uJesu wakhuluma amazwi akuJohane 4:35, 36?

UJESU wayekade edabula phakathi kwamasimu okungenzeka ayengawebhali eyayisanda kumila. (Joh. 4:3-6) Kwakusasele inyanga ezingaba zine ukuthi ibhali le ivunwe. UJesu wakhuluma amazwi ayengazwakala emangalisa, wathi: “Phakamisani amehlo enu likhangele amasimu, asemhlophe njalo aselindele ukuvunwa.” (Bala uJohane 4:35, 36.) Wayesitshoni?

² Kukhanya wayekhuluma ngokuvunwa kwabantu hatshi okwezilimo. Cabanga ngalokho okwakusanda kwenzakala. Lanxa amaJuda lamaSamariya ayengadlelani, uJesu wayetshumayeze owesifazana ongumSamariya futhi wayemlalele. Ngesikhathi uJesu ekhuluma ngokuthi amasimu “asemhlophe njalo aselindele ukuvunwa” kwakuthutsha ixuku lamaSamariya elalizofunda okunengi ngaye selizwe lokho owesifazana ayekutshilo. (Joh. 4:9, 39-42) Elinye ibhuku elichasisa iBhayibhili lithi: “Khona nje ukuthi abantu beza masinyane kuJesu bezomlalela . . . kwatshengisa ukuthi babenjengezilimo ezilindele ukuvunwa.”

3. Ukubona abantu ngendlela uJesu ayebabona ngayo kuzakunceda njani ekutshumayeleni?

³ Wena ubabona njani abantu obatshumayezayo? Ubabona benjengezilimo esezilindele ukuvunwa yini? Nxa ubabona njalo, nanzi izinto ezintathu ozazenza. Okokuqala, uzakhuthala ekutshumayeleni. Phela akuvunwa umnyaka wonke yikho akulasikhathi sokudlala. Okwesibili, uzathokoza nxa ubona abantu belalela izindaba ezinhle. IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Abantu bayathokoza ekuvuneni.’ (Isaya. 9:3) Okwesithathu, uzakuba lethemba  lokuthi loba ngubani angaba ngumfundi kaKhristu. Lokhu kuzakwenza untshintshe intshumayelo yakho ukuze ihambelane lalokho akuthandayo.

4. Sizafundani esibonelweni somphostoli uPhawuli?

⁴ Abanye abalandeli bakaJesu bangabe babecabanga ukuthi amaSamariya ayengeke abe ngabafundi bakhe kodwa yena kazange ababone ngaleyondlela. Wayelethemba lokuthi bangaba ngabafundi bakhe. Lathi kumele sibe lethemba lokuthi abantu abasensimini yethu bangaba ngabafundi bakaKhristu. Umphostoli uPhawuli uyisibonelo esihle esingasilingisela. Sifundani kuye? Esihlokweni lesi sizabona ukuthi (1) wayekwazi okuthile okwakukholwa ngabantu ayebatshumayeza, (2) wayezwisisa izinto ababezithanda njalo (3) wayelethemba lokuthi bangaba ngabafundi bakaJesu.

5. Kuyini okwakusenza uPhawuli abazwisise abantu ayebatshumayeza esinagogeni?

⁵ UPhawuli wayejayele ukutshumayela emasinagogeni amaJuda. Ngokwesibonelo, esesinagogi yeThesalonika “okwamasabatha amathathu wayebonisana [lamaJuda] ngeMibhalo.” (ImiSeb. 17:1, 2) Kumele ukuthi wayezizwa ekhululekile nxa esesinagogi njengoba wayengumJuda. (ImiSeb. 26:4, 5) Wayewazwisisa amaJuda yikho kwakulula ukuthi awatshumayeze.—Flp. 3:4, 5.

6. Abantu ababesemakethe yase-Athene babetshiyene njani lalabo uPhawuli ayebatshumayeza esinagogeni?

⁶ Ngemva kokubalekela ukuhlukuluzwa eThesalonika laseBheriya, uPhawuli waya e-Athene. Lakhonale “waqalisa ukubonisana lamaJuda ayesesinagogeni kanye labanye ababekhonza uNkulunkulu.” (ImiSeb. 17:17) Kodwa esesemakethe wayesetshumayeza abantu ababengayisiwo maJuda. Kwababemlalele kwakulezinjulangqondo kanye labanye abeZizweni ababesithi umlayezo wakhe ‘yimfundiso entsha.’ Bathi kuye: “Usitshela izinto esingakaze sizizwe ngendlebe zethu.”—ImiSeb. 17:18-20.

7. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kumiSebenzi 17:22, 23, uPhawuli wantshintsha njani intshumayelo yakhe?

⁷ Bala imiSebenzi 17:22, 23. UPhawuli kazange atshumayeze abeZizweni e-Athene ngendlela ayetshumayeza ngayo amaJuda esinagogeni. Kumele ukuthi wazibuza, ‘Abantu base-Athene bakholwani?’ Wakhangelisisa indawo leyo futhi wananzelela imikhuba yabo yokukhonza, wasebatshela iqiniso eliseMibhalweni, eqalisa ngezinto ababengavumelana kuzo. Esinye isikhwicamfundo seBhayibhili sithi: “Njengoba wayengumKhristu ongumJuda, wananzelela ukuthi amahedeni angamaGrikhi ayengakhonzi  uNkulunkulu, lowo amaJuda kanye lamaKhristu ayesithi nguNkulunkulu weqiniso. Kodwa wazama ukutshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ayekhuluma ngaye wayenguNkulunkulu abase-Athene ababevele bemazi.” Yikho uPhawuli wayezimisele ukuntshintsha intshumayelo yakhe. Watshela abase-Athene ukuthi umlayezo wakhe wawuvela ‘kuNkulunkulu Ongaziwayo’ ababezama ukumkhonza. Lanxa abeZizweni babengayijayelanga iMibhalo, uPhawuli kazange abone angani babengasoze babe ngamaKhristu. Kodwa wababona benjengezilimo esezilindele ukuvunwa futhi wantshintsha intshumayelo yakhe.

8. (a) Kuyini okungakunceda wazi okukholwa ngabantu abasensimini yenu? (b) Ungamphendula njani umuntu othi uletshetshi yakhe?

⁸ Woba lelihlo elibukhali njengoPhawuli. Dinga izinto ezizakunceda wazi okukholwa ngabantu ensimini yenu. Umninimuzi uyicecise ngani indlu kumbe imota yakhe? Ibizo lakhe, indlela agqoke njalo wazilungisa ngayo kumbe amabala awasebenzisayo kuyatshengisa yini ukuthi ungena yiphi isonto? Mhlawumbe usekutshelile ukuthi uletshetshi yakhe. Elinye iphayona eliqakathekileyo okuthiwa nguFlutura lithi nxa umuntu engatsho njalo limphendula lisithi: “Angilandanga ukuzekubamba ngamandla ukuthi ukholwe engikukholwayo kodwa ngizexoxa lawe ngendaba le . . . ”

9. Yiziphi izinto elingavumelana kuzo lomuntu osontayo?

⁹ Yiziphi indaba ongazixoxa lomuntu osontayo? Zama ukudinga izinto elivumelana kuzo. Angabe ekhonza uNkulunkulu oyedwa, angabe evuma ukuthi uJesu unguMsindisi wabantu kumbe angabe ekholwa ukuthi siphila ezinsukwini ezimbi osekuseduze ukuthi ziphele. Sebenzisa izinto elivumelana kuzo ukuze umtshumayeze ngendlela ezamenza afune ukulalela.

10. Kuyini okumele sizame ukukwenza njalo kungani?

¹⁰ Hlala ukhumbula ukuthi abantu bangabe bengakukholwa okunye okufundiswa emasontweni abo. Yikho lanxa usuyazi isonto umuntu ayingenayo, zama ukwazi ukuthi yena ngokwakhe ukholwani. UDavid oliphayona eliqakathekileyo e-Australia uthi: “Abanengi lamuhla bahlanganisa ukuhlakanipha kwabantu lezimfundiso zamasonto abo.” UDonalta ose-Albania yena uthi: “Abanye esihlangana labo bathi baletshetshi yabo kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bayavuma ukuthi abakholwa kangako kuNkulunkulu.” Kanti njalo omunye umfowethu ongumnali e-Argentina ubika ukuthi abanye abantu bathi bayayikholwa imfundiso yoButhathu bukaNkulunkulu kodwa eqinisweni bengakholwa ukuthi uBaba, iNdodana  lomoya ongcwele nguNkulunkulu oyedwa. Uthi: “Ukwazi lokhu kwenza kube lula ukuthi ngithole lapho esingavumelana khona lomuntu lowo.” Yikho zama ukudinga ukuthi abantu abasensimini yenu bakholwani sibili. Ungenza njalo, uzaba njengoPhawuli ‘owaba yizinto zonke kuyo yonke imihlobo yabantu.’—1 Khor. 9:19-23.

11. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kumiSebenzi 14:14-17, uPhawuli wabonisana njani labantu beListra?

¹¹ Bala imiSebenzi 14:14-17. UPhawuli wananzelela okwakuthandwa ngabantu ayebatshumayeza wasekhetha intshumayelo esekelwe kulokho. Ngokwesibonelo, ixuku akhuluma lalo eListra lalisazi okulutshwana loba lingazi lutho ngeMibhalo. Yikho uPhawuli wabonisana lalo ngendlela elalizayizwisisa. Wakhuluma ngenala lokuba lempilo emnandi. Wasebenzisa amabala lezibonelo ezazizwisiswa ngababemlalele.

12. Kuyini okungakunceda ukwazi okuthandwa ngumuntu njalo ukhethe intshumayelo esekelwe kulokho?

¹² Woba lokuqedisisa ukuze ubone okuthandwa ngabantu ensimini yenu ubusukhetha intshumayelo esekelwe kulokho. Kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi ukwazi lokho umuntu akuthandayo nxa umlanda kumbe ungena emzini wakhe? Lalapha kumele ube lelihlo elibukhali. Angabe esebenza engadini, ebala ibhuku, elungisa imota kumbe esenza okunye nje. Mhlawumbe ungaqala ingxoxo ngokukhuluma ngalokho akwenzayo. (Joh. 4:7) Akugqokileyo lakho kungakutshela okuthile ngaye, ngokwesibonelo ukuthi ngowaliphi ilizwe, wenza msebenzi bani kumbe usekela liphi iqembu lemidlalo. UGustavo uthi: “Ngaqalisa ingxoxo lejaha elalileminyaka engu-19 elaligqoke isikipa esasilomfanekiso womhlabeleli odumileyo. Ngalibuza ngaso laselingitshela ukuthi limthandelani lowo mhlabeleli. Ngacina sengifunda lalo iBhayibhili futhi khathesi selinguFakazi.”

13. Ungenzani nxa ucela ukufunda lomuntu iBhayibhili?

¹³ Nxa ucela ukufunda lomuntu iBhayibhili, mtshengise ukuthi ukufunda kuzamnceda njani kusiya ngalokho akuthandayo. (Joh.  4:13-15) Ngokwesibonelo, udade okuthiwa nguHester wangeniswa endlini ngowesifazana owayelesifiso sokufunda iBhayibhili. UHester wabona isithupha esasilengiswe emdulini esasitshengisa ukuthi owesifazana lo uyisikhwicamfundo sezemfundo wasegcizelela ukuthi lathi sifundisa abantu sisebenzisa uhlelo lokufunda iBhayibhili kanye lemihlangano yebandla. Owesifazana lo wavuma ukufunda iBhayibhili, waya emhlanganweni webandla ngelanga elalandelayo futhi ngemva kwesikhatshana wangena umhlangano wesiqinti. Ngemva komnyaka wabhabhathizwa. Zibuze: ‘Abantu engibaphindelayo bathandani? Ngingabatshela yini ngohlelo lwethu lokufunda iBhayibhili ngendlela ezakwenza bafune ukufunda?’

14. Ungenzani nxa ulungiselela ukuyafunda iBhayibhili lomuntu ngamunye?

¹⁴ Nxa ungaqalisa ukufunda lomuntu iBhayibhili kumele usilungiselele kuhle isifundo ngasinye. Ngesikhathi ulungiselela, cabanga ngemuli yomfundi, ukuthi ufunde okunganani, okwenzakala empilweni yakhe lalokho akuthandayo. Khetha imibhalo ozayibala, amavidiyo ozamtshengisa wona kanye lemizekeliso ozayisebenzisa ukuchasisa iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. Zibuze, ‘Kuyini okungenza aqhubeke elesifiso sokufunda futhi kuyini okuzathophela enhliziyweni yakhe?’ (Zaga. 16:23) Omunye owesifazana e-Albania owayefunda lephayona okuthiwa nguFlora wathi: “Mina angikholwa ukuthi abantu bazavuswa.” UFlora kazange ambambe ngamandla ukuthi ayikholwe imfundiso le. Uthi: “Ngananzelela ukuthi kwakumele aqale abemazi uNkulunkulu othembisa ukuthi uzavusa abafileyo ukuze ayikholwe imfundiso le.” Kusukela lapho, sonke isikhathi nxa babefunda uFlora wayegcizelela uthando lukaJehova, inhlakanipho yakhe kanye lamandla akhe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umfundi wakhe wayesekholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. Khathesi usenguFakazi kaJehova otshisekayo.

15. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kumiSebenzi 17:16-18, kuyini okwakusenziwa ngabantu base-Athene okwakukhathaza uPhawuli kodwa kungani engazange akhalale ukubatshumayeza?

¹⁵ Bala imiSebenzi 17:16-18. UPhawuli kazange akhalale ukutshumayeza abantu base-Athene lanxa babekhonza izithombe, beziphatha kubi kwezemacansini futhi bekholwa okwakutshiwo zinjulangqondo ezingamahedeni. Kanti njalo kazange ayekele ukubatshumayeza lanxa bamthethisa. UPhawuli ngokwakhe waba ngumKhristu lanxa wayeke waba ‘ngumuntu othukayo, ohlukuluza abantu futhi oziphakamisayo.’ (1 Tim. 1:13) UJesu wayelethemba lokuthi uPhawuli angaba ngumfundi yikho loPhawuli wayelethemba lokuthi abase-Athene bangaba ngabafundi futhi wayengakhuthanga ugatsha ngoba abanye babo baba ngabafundi.—ImiSeb. 9:13-15; 17:34.

16-17. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi loba ngubani angaba ngumfundi kaKhristu? Nika isibonelo.

¹⁶ Ngesikhathi sabaphostoli, abantu abatshiyeneyo baba ngabafundi bakaJesu. Lapho uPhawuli ebhalela amaKhristu ayehlala edolobheni leKhorinte wathi amanye amalunga ebandla lelo ayeke aba yizigebenga kumbe aphila ngendlela eyenyanyekayo. Wengeza esithi: “Abanye benu babenjalo. Lanxa kunjalo, selageziswa lahlanzeka.” (1 Khor. 6:9-11) Wena wawungaba lethemba yini lokuthi abantu labo bangantshintsha babe ngabafundi bakaJesu?

¹⁷ Lamuhla abantu abanengi bazimisele ukuntshintsha indlela abaphila ngayo ukuze babe ngabafundi bakaJesu. Ngokwesibonelo, elinye iphayona eliqakathekileyo okuthiwa nguYukina elihlala e-Australia lananzelela ukuthi loba ngubani angalalela umlayezo  weBhayibhili. Ngelinye ilanga likweyinye iwofisi labona owesifazana osesemutsha owayezidwebadwebe umzimba (owayelama-tattoo). UYukina uthi: “Ekuqaliseni ngangidonda ukukhuluma laye kodwa ngacina sengixoxa laye. Ngananzelela ukuthi wayelithanda iBhayibhili okokuthi amanye ama-tattoo ayelawo ayelamavesi akuHubo.” Owesifazana lo waqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili lokungena imihlangano yebandla. *

18. Kungani kungamelanga sahlulele abantu?

¹⁸ Kambe okwenza uJesu wabona amasimu eselindele ukuvunwa yikuthi wayekhangelele ukulandelwa ngabantu abanengi yini? Ngitsho lakancane. IMibhalo yayitshilo ukuthi balutshwana abantu ababezakuba lokholo kuye. (Joh. 12:37, 38) Kanti njalo uJesu wayesenelisa ukubona okusenhliyizweni yomuntu. (Mat. 9:4) Lanxa wagxila ebantwini abalutshwana ababezakuba lokholo kuye, watshumayeza bonke abantu ngentshiseko. Thina asenelisi ukubona okusenhliziyweni zabantu yikho akumelanga sahlulele muntu kumbe insimu esiyitshumayelayo. Kodwa kumele sibe lethemba lokuthi bangaba ngabafundi bakaJesu. Umnali oseBurkina Faso okuthiwa nguMarc uthi: “Abantu engicabanga ukuthi bazathuthuka yibo abajayele ukuma ukufunda. Kodwa labo engicabanga ukuthi kabasoze bayendawo yibo abacina bethuthuka. Ngakho sengifunde ukuthi kungcono sivumele umoya kaJehova usikhokhele.”

19. Kumele sibabone njani abantu abasensimini yethu?

¹⁹ Ekuqaliseni singabona angani balutshwana abantu ensimini yethu abanjengezilimo esezilindele ukuvunwa. Kodwa asikhumbuleni lokho uJesu akutshela abafundi bakhe. Amasimu asemhlophe okutsho ukuthi aselindele ukuvunwa. Abantu bangantshintsha babe ngabafundi bakaKhristu. UJehova ulethemba lokuthi abantu abasensimini yethu bangaba ngabafundi futhi ubabona ‘bengabathandwayo’ kumbe beligugu. (Hag. 2:7) Nxa singabona abantu ngendlela uJehova loJesu abababona ngayo sizazama ukwazi ukuthi kuyini abakuthandayo lokuthi bangabantu abanjani sibili. Kasisoze sicabange ukuthi ngeke bantshintshe kodwa sizakuba lethemba lokuthi bangaba ngabafowethu labodadewethu.