1-3. Kungani bekumatima ngebafundzi baJesu kushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi “etiveni tonkhe”?

JESU KHRISTU waniketa balandzeli bakhe umsebenti lomkhulu lobekufanele bawente. Wabayala kutsi ‘bente bantfu bato tonkhe tive babe bafundzi.’ Bekufanele bashumayele ‘tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso’ “emhlabeni wonkhe, kuze kube bufakazi etiveni tonkhe.”—Matewu 24:14; 28:19.

² Labafundzi bebamtsandza Jesu futsi batitsandza netindzaba letimnandzi. Kodvwa kungenteka bebatibuta: ‘Sitawukhona njani kwenta loko Jesu lasiyale kutsi sikwente?’ Kwekucala nje, labafundzi bebambalwa. Bebafundzisa kutsi Jesu uyiNdvodzana yaNkulunkulu, kodvwa bantfu bebati kutsi Jesu ubulewe. Ngetulu kwaloko, labanyenti bebabatsatsa njengebantfu ‘labangakafundzi lokuyaphi nebantfukatana nje.’ (Imisebenti 4:13) Baholi benkholo yemaJuda bebafundze etikolweni tenkholo, kodvwa bafundzi baJesu bebangakayi kuto. Umlayeto lebebawushumayela bewuphikisana nemasiko emaJuda lobesekuphele emakhulu eminyaka baholi benkholo bawafundzisa. Njengobe  labafundzi bebangahlonishwa ka-Israyeli, kungenteka bebatibuta kutsi ukhona yini umuntfu lotabalalela kuloMbuso lomkhulu waseRoma.

³ Jesu bekabecwayisile bafundzi bakhe kutsi bebatawutondvwa, baphatfwe kabi futsi labanye babo babulawe. (Lukha 21:16, 17) Bebatawulahlwa bangani babo nemalunga emndeni. Ngetulu kwaloko, labanye bantfu lebebatawenta shengatsi babafundzi baKhristu bebatawufundzisa emanga. Bafundzi baJesu bebatawushumayela etindzaweni letigcwele bugebengu nebudlova. (Matewu 24:10-12) Ngako-ke, bebatawukhona njani kushumayela ‘kuto tonkhe tincenye temhlaba’? (Imisebenti 1:8) Kungenteka labafundzi bebatibuta kutsi batawukhona njani kwenta lomsebenti nangetulu kwalobumatima lobungaka.

4. Umsebenti wekushumayela waba namuphi umphumela?

⁴ Nanobe labafundzi bebati kutsi lomsebenti bewungeke ube melula, bawulalela umyalo waJesu futsi bashumayela eJerusalema, eSamariya nakulamanye emave. Ngemuva kweminyaka lengaba ngu-30, besebahambe etindzaweni letinyenti kakhulu kangangekutsi umphostoli Pawula watsi ‘besebashumayele kuyo yonkhe indalo lengephansi kwelizulu.’ Bantfu labavela etiveni letinyenti baba bafundzi. (Kholose 1:6, 23) Nasi sibonelo: Ngesikhatsi Pawula ashumayela esihlengeni saseSiphrosi, umbusi waseRoma waba ngumfundzi ngobe “abemangaliswe nguloko labekufundza ngaJehova.”—Fundza Imisebenti 13:6-12.

5. (a) Jesu bekabetsembiseni bafundzi bakhe? (b) Yini leshiwo ngulenye incwadzi yemlandvo mayelana nelikhulu lekucala?

⁵ Labafundzi bebati kutsi ngeke bakhone kushumayela emhlabeni wonkhe ngaphandle kwelusito. Kodvwa bebati kutsi Jesu beketsembise kuba nabo nekutsi umoya longcwele bewutabasita. (Matewu 28:20) Kungenteka nekutsi letinye timo lebetikhona ngalesosikhatsi tabasita. Ecinisweni, lenye incwadzi yemlandvo itsi kungenteka likhulu lekucala belisikhatsi lesikahle kakhulu sekutsi emaKhristu acale kushumayela, futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi lamaKhristu eva shengatsi Nkulunkulu abewalungisele indlela.

6. (a) Yini lesitawucoca ngayo kulesihloko? (b) Yini lesitawucoca ngayo esihlokweni lesilandzelako?

⁶ Jehova watishintja yini timo lebetikhona ngelikhulu lekucala kute emaKhristu akhone kushumayela? LiBhayibheli alisitjeli. Kodvwa siyati kutsi Jehova abefuna bantfu bakhe bashumayele tindzaba letimnandzi nekutsi Sathane wehluleka kubavimba. Kulesihloko, sitawucoca ngaletinye tintfo lebetikhona ngelikhulu lekucala lokungenteka tabangela kutsi bafundzi bakutfole kumelula kushumayela. Esihlokweni lesilandzelako, sitawucoca ngaletinye tintfo letisisite kutsi sishumayele tindzaba letimnandzi emhlabeni wonkhe etikhatsini talamuhla.

7. Besiyini Sikhatsi Sekuthula SaseRoma, futsi kungani besehlukile kuletinye tikhatsi?

⁷ Ekhulwini lekucala leminyaka, kwaba nekuthula eMbusweni waseRoma, lokwenta kwaba melula kutsi bafundzi bashumayele. Lesikhatsi besibitwa ngekutsi Sikhatsi Sekuthula SaseRoma, nobe i-Pax Romana ngesiLatin. Ngaleso sikhatsi, umbuso waseRoma bewuvimbela nome ngukuphi kuvukela lobekuba khona. Kuliciniso kutsi betiba khona timphi njengobe Jesu bekashito. (Matewu 24:6) EmaRoma abhubhisa liJerusalema nga-70 C.E., futsi alwa timphi letincane ngaseminceleni yalombuso. Kodvwa kwakunekuthula etindzaweni letinyenti, ngako labafundzi bebakhona kuhamba kamelula futsi bashumayele. Lesikhatsi sekuthula satsatsa iminyaka lengaba ngu-200. Lenye incwadzi itsi kuwo wonkhe umlandvo webantfu, akukaze kwenteke kutsi kube nesikhatsi sekuthula lesidze kangaka lesitsintse bantfu labanyenti.

8. Sikhatsi Sekuthula SaseRoma sabasita njani bafundzi baJesu?

⁸ Eminyakeni lengaba ngu-250 ngemuva kwekuphila kwaKhristu emhlabeni, lesinye sati lokutsiwa ngu-Origen sabhala ngalesikhatsi sekuthula. Satsi njengobe emaRoma abebusa emave lamanyenti, bekumelula ngebafundzi kushumayela kuwo onkhe lamave. Bantfu bebangalwi timphi tekuvikela live labo, kodvwa bebatihlalele ngekuthula emadolobheni abo. Ngako Origen bekanemuva wekutsi loko kwenta bantfu labanyenti baba nelitfuba lekulalela labafundzi nabashumayela mayelana nelutsandvo nekuthula. Nanobe labafundzi bebaphatfwa kabi, basisebentisa kahle kakhulu lesikhatsi sekuthula futsi bashumayela tindzaba letimnandzi kuto tonkhe tindzawo.—Fundza Roma 12:18-21.

9, 10. Ngutiphi letinye tintfo letenta bafundzi bakutfola kumelula kuhamba etindzaweni letinyenti?

⁹ EmaRoma akha imigwaco lengetulu kwemakhilomitha langu-80 000 lebeyihlanganisa cishe tonkhe tincenye talombuso. Emasotja lanemandla aseRoma abengakhona kuhamba ngekushesha kulemigwaco kute avikele live lawo futsi alawule bantfu. EmaKhristu abesebentisa lemigwaco nawahamba emahlatsini, etingwadvule nasetintsabeni kuze ashumayele etindzaweni letinyenti.

¹⁰ Ngaphandle nje kwekuba nemigwaco, emaRoma abehamba nangemikhumbi. Abehamba emifuleni nobe elwandle aye etikhumulweni letinyenti temikhumbi lebetikuwo wonkhe lombuso. Ecinisweni, emaRoma abesebentisa tindlela letihamba elwandle letingetulu kwa-900. Ngako nemaKhristu abengasebentisa imikhumbi nakaya etindzaweni letinyenti. Abengadzingi timphepha letisemtsetfweni, njengemapasipoti, kute angene emaveni lahlukahlukene. Ngetulu kwaloko, betimbalwa tigebengu kulemigwaco ngobe  betati kutsi emaRoma abengatijezisa kamatima. Ngenca yekutsi beyiminyenti imikhumbi yemphi yemaRoma lebeyihamba elwandle, bantfu bebangesabi kutsi bangahlaselwa baphangi. Nanobe liBhayibheli litsi Pawula wephukelwa yimikhumbi futsi ngaletinye tikhatsi waba setingotini elwandle, alisho kutsi wahlaselwa baphangi. Ngako kuhamba emigwacweni nekuhamba ngemikhumbi bekuphephile.—2 Khorinte 11:25, 26.

11. Yini leyenta bafundzi baJesu basebentisa lulwimi lwesiGriki?

¹¹ Eminyakeni leyendlulile, tindzawo letinyenti lebetibuswa ngemaRoma betincotjwe ngu-Alexander Lomkhulu, lobekangumbusi wemaGriki. Ngako bantfu kuleto tindzawo besebafundze kukhuluma siGriki lesibitwa ngekutsi si-Koine. Ngesizatfu saloko, bafundzi baJesu bebakhona kubashumayela ngalolulwimi. Bebangaphindze bacaphune imiBhalo yesiHebheru ngobe beseyihunyushelwe elulwimini lwesiGriki. Bantfu labanyenti bebati ngalelihumusho lelibitwa ngekutsi yi-Septuagint, lebelihunyushwe ngemaJuda labehlala eGibhithe. Babhali beliBhayibheli basebentisa siGriki kuze babhale incenye yekugcina yeliBhayibheli. SiGriki besinemagama lamanyenti, ngako besikhona kuwachaza kahle emaciniso lajulile laseBhayibhelini. Lulwimi lwesiGriki lwaphindze lwasita bantfu emabandleni kutsi bakwati kukhulumisana futsi babe nebunye.

12. (a) Iyini i-codex, futsi kungani bekumelula kuyisebentisa nakucatsaniswa nemculu? (b) EmaKhristu lamanyenti acala nini kusebentisa tincwadzi?

¹² Yini emaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala labeyisebentisa kute afundzise bantfu ngeliBhayibheli? Acale asebentisa imiculu. Kodvwa kwakungasimelula kuyisebentisa nobe kuyiphatsa. Nangabe emaKhristu afuna kufundza umbhalo, bekufanele avule lomculu aphindze awugoce ngemuva kwekuwusebentisa. Imiculu beyivame kubhalwa eluhlangotsini lunye kuphela. LiVangeli laMatewu lilodvwa beligcwala umculu wonkhe. Bantfu babese bacala kusebentisa i-codex, lebeyiluhlobo lwekucala lwencwadzi. Umfundzi abengavula lencwadzi futsi aphenye emakhasi kamelula kuze atfole umbhalo. Tati temlandvo titsi ngekushesha emaKhristu acala kusebentisa tincwadzi futsi ngemuva kwemnyaka wesi-100 A.D., linyenti lawo beselitisebentisa.

13, 14. (a) Pawula wavikeleka njani ngenca yekuba ngumRoma? (b) EmaKhristu azuza njani emtsetfweni wemaRoma?

¹³ EmaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala azuza emtsetfweni wemaRoma. Nasi sibonelo: Pawula abengumRoma, futsi umtsetfo wawuvame kumvikela nakaya etindzaweni letehlukahlukene. Ngesikhatsi emasotja aseRoma ambopha eJerusalema futsi asafuna kumshaya, wawatjela kutsi ungumRoma. Wakhumbuta lendvuna yemphi kutsi umRoma akukafaneli ashaywe angakatekiswa licala. Ngako “lamadvodza lebekufanele amphenyisise ngekumbhambabula esuka kuye, futsi lomkhuzeli wemphi wesaba nakatfola kutsi Pawula ungumRoma, nekutsi yena abembophe ngetinketane.”—Imisebenti 22:25-29.

¹⁴ Kuba ngumRoma kwayitsintsa indlela Pawula laphatfwa ngayo eFiliphi. (Imisebenti 16:35-40) Ngesikhatsi sicumbi sebantfu lesitfukutsele sifuna kulimata emaKhristu e-Efesu, sikhulu sahulumende sabekhuta labantfu futsi sabecwayisa ngekutsi bephula umtsetfo wemaRoma. (Imisebenti 19:35-41) Ngemuva kwaloko, ngesikhatsi Pawula aseKhesariya, wasebentisa lilungelo lakhe kute avele embikwembusi eRoma. Nakefika lapho, wamelela tindzaba letimnandzi. (Imisebenti 25:8-12) Ngako emaKhristu abesebentisa umtsetfo waseRoma kuze ‘awuvikele futsi awucalise ngalokusemtsetfweni’ umsebenti wekushumayela.—Filiphi 1:7.

15. EmaJuda lamanyenti abehlala kuphi ngelikhulu lekucala?

¹⁵ Kukhona lokunye lokungenteka kutsi kwasita emaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala kutsi ashumayele emhlabeni wonkhe. Ngaleso sikhatsi, emaJuda abegcwele emaveni lamanyenti, hhayi nje ka-Israyeli kuphela. Kungani? Kungobe emakhulwini eminyaka lebeyendlulile, emaJuda atfunjelwa e-Asiriya futsi ngemuva kweminyaka lembalwa, lamanye ayiswa eBhabhulona. Ngemuva kwaloko, ngesikhatsi emaPheresiya abusa iBhabhulona, bekunemaJuda lebekahlala kuwo wonkhe uMbuso wasePheresiya. (Esta 9:30) Ngelikhulu lekucala ngesikhatsi Jesu asemhlabeni, bekunemaJuda labehlala kuwo wonkhe uMbuso waseRoma, lokufaka ekhatsi eGibhithe, nakuletinye tincenye letiseNyakatfo Afrika, kanye naseGrisi, e-Asia Minor (Turkey), naseMesophothamiya (Iraq). Kucatjangwa kutsi kubantfu labatigidzi letingu-60 lebebakulombuso, bantfu labangetulu kwetigidzi letingu-4 bebangemaJuda. Nanobe emaJuda abesakateke etindzaweni letinyenti, abechubeka nenkholo yawo.—Matewu 23:15.

16, 17. (a) Ngesizatfu sekutsi bekunemaJuda emaveni lamanyenti, bantfu labangasiwo emaJuda bazuza njani? (b) Ngutiphi tindlela emaKhristu lasilandzela ngayo sibonelo semaJuda?

¹⁶ Ngesizatfu sekutsi bekunemaJuda emaveni lamanyenti, bantfu labanyenti lebebangasiwo emaJuda bebati ngemiBhalo yesiHebheru futsi bafundza nangaloko emaJuda labekukholelwa. Nasi sibonelo: Bafundza kutsi kunaNkulunkulu munye weliciniso nekutsi labo labamkhontako kufanele balalele imitsetfo yakhe. Bafundza kutsi imiBhalo yesiHebheru yayivela kuNkulunkulu nekutsi beyicuketse tiphrofetho letinyenti letimayelana naMesiya. (Lukha 24:44) Ngako ngesikhatsi emaKhristu  ashumayela tindzaba letimnandzi, bantfu labangemaJuda nalabo lebebangasiwo besebati ngaletinye tintfo emaKhristu lebekashumayela ngato. Pawula bekafuna kutfola bantfu labebatawutilalela tindzaba letimnandzi. Abevame kuya emasinagogeni, lokuyindzawo emaJuda labekhontela kuyo, futsi asebentise imiBhalo kute abonisane nawo.—Fundza Imisebenti 17:1, 2.

¹⁷ EmaJuda abevame kuhlangana ndzawonye kute akhonte Nkulunkulu, kungaba semasinagogeni nobe etindzaweni letivulekile. Abehlabela, athantaze futsi acoce ngemiBhalo. EmaKhristu asilandzela sibonelo sawo, futsi lamuhla senta lokufanako emabandleni lesikuwo.

18, 19. (a) Timo tangelikhulu lekucala tawasita kutsi enteni emaKhristu? (b) Lesihloko sikwenta utive njani ngaJehova?

¹⁸ Likhulu lekucala belisikhatsi lesikhetsekile emlandvweni. Bekunekuthula eMbusweni waseRoma, bantfu labanyenti bebakhuluma lulwimi lunye futsi umtsetfo bewubavikela. Bekumelula kuya kuletinye tindzawo, futsi bantfu emaveni lamanyenti bebawati emaJuda nemiBhalo yesiHebheru. Konkhe loku kwasita emaKhristu kutsi achubeke enta lomsebenti labewunikwe nguNkulunkulu.

¹⁹ Eminyakeni lecishe ibe ngu-400 ngaphambi kwekutsi Jesu ete emhlabeni, Plato losati sefilosofi lesingumGriki, wabhala watsi kulukhuni kakhulu ngebantfu kwati uMdali futsi ngeke baze bakhone kutjela bonkhe bantfu emhlabeni ngaye. Kodvwa Jesu watsi: “Tintfo letibonakala tingeke tenteke emehlweni emuntfu, tingenteka kuNkulunkulu.” (Lukha 18:27) Kuyacaca-ke kutsi umsebenti wekushumayela uphumelele ngenca yelusito lwaJehova. Ufuna kutsi “bantfu bato tonkhe tive” beve ngetindzaba letimnandzi futsi bamati. (Matewu 28:19) Sihloko lesilandzelako sitawuchaza indlela tindzaba letimnandzi letishunyayelwa ngayo emhlabeni wonkhe lamuhla.