1-3. Yintoni eyayisenza kube nzima ukuba abafundi bakaYesu bashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo “kuzo zonke iintlanga”?

UYESU KRISTU wabashiya nomsebenzi omkhulu abalandeli bakhe. Wabayalela ukuba ‘benze abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke.’ Kwakufuneka bashumayele ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani’ kubantu abakuwo “wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga.”—Mateyu 24:14; 28:19.

² Abafundi babemthanda uYesu kwaye bezithanda neendaba ezilungileyo. Kodwa kusenokwenzeka ukuba babezibuza, ‘Siza kuyenza njani le nto uYesu asiyalele yona?’ Okokuqala, babembalwa. Kwakhona, babefundisa abantu ukuba uYesu nguNyana kaThixo, kodwa bona babe bemazi ebulewe. Ukongezelela koko, abantu abaninzi babejonga abafundi njengabantu “abangenamfundo nabaqhelekileyo.” (IZenzo 4:13) Iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zazifunde kwizikolo zonqulo, kodwa abafundi bona babengawazi nokuwazi umnyango wezo zikolo. Kwaye umyalezo ababewushumayela wawungavumelani nezithethe zamaYuda  ezazifundiswe zezi nkokeli zonqulo kangangamakhulu eminyaka. Ekubeni abafundi babengabonwa nokuba ziziciko zayiphi imbiza kwaSirayeli, inoba babezibuza ukuba ukho kusini na umntu owayeya kubamamela kuBukhosi bamaRoma.

³ UYesu wayebalumkisile abafundi bakhe esithi babeya kuthiywa baze batshutshiswe kwaye abanye babo babeya kubulawa. (Luka 21:16, 17) Babeza kungcatshwa ngabahlobo naziintsapho zabo. Kwelinye icala, kwakuza kubakho abantu abazibiza ngokuba ngamaKristu, babe befundisa ubuxoki. Kwaye abafundi babeza kushumayela kwiindawo ezinolwaphulo-mthetho nogonyamelo. (Mateyu 24:10-12) Yayiza kwenzeka njani into yokuba bashumayele “kude kuse nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba”? (IZenzo 1:8) Inoba babezibuza ukuba babeza kuwuqala ngaphi lo msebenzi, njengokuba kwakukho ezi ngxaki zingaka.

4. Waba yintoni umphumo womsebenzi wokushumayela?

⁴ Nangona abafundi babesazi ukuba lo msebenzi wawuza kuba nzima, bamthobela uYesu baza bashumayela eYerusalem, eSamariya, de baya kufika nakwamanye amazwe. Emva kweminyaka emalunga neyi-30, babesele befike kwiindawo ezininzi kangangokuba umpostile uPawulos wakwazi ukuthi ‘bashumayele kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.’ Kwaye abantu beentlanga ngeentlanga baba ngabafundi. (Kolose 1:6, 23) Ngokomzekelo, xa uPawulos washumayela kwisiqithi saseSipro, kwanomlawuli, okanye ibamba laseRoma, laba ngumfundi ngenxa yokuba “lalithe khamnqa yimfundiso kaYehova.”—Funda iZenzo 13:6-12.

5. (a) UYesu wabathembisa ngantoni abafundi bakhe? (b) Ithini enye incwadi yembali ngenkulungwane yokuqala?

⁵ Aba bafundi babesazi ukuba babengayi kukwazi ukushumayela kumhlaba wonke bebodwa. Kodwa ke babekhumbula nokuba uYesu wayebathembise ukuba uza kuba nabo, uze nomoya oyingcwele ubancede. (Mateyu 28:20) Zikho nezinye izinto ezisenokuba zabanceda abafundi ngelo xesha. Kaloku, enye incwadi yembali ithi inkulungwane yokuqala yayilelona xesha lihle lokuba amaKristu aqalise ukushumayela, kwaye kamva avakalelwa kukuba uThixo wayewavulele indlela.

6. (a) Yintoni esiza kuthetha ngayo kweli nqaku? (b) Yintoni esiza kuthetha ngayo kwinqaku elilandelayo?

⁶ Ngaba uYehova watshintsha iziganeko zehlabathi ngenkulungwane yokuqala ukuze amaKristu akwazi ukushumayela? IBhayibhile ayitsho. Esikwaziyo kukuba uYehova wayefuna abantu bakhe bashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo nokuba uSathana akazange akwazi ukubayekisa. Kweli nqaku siza kuthetha ngezinto ezenza kwaba lula kubafundi ukushumayela ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Kwelilandelayo, siza kuthetha ngezinye ezisincedileyo  kutshanje ukuze sishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo ehlabathini jikelele.

7. Lwaluyintoni uXolo LwaseRoma, kwaye yintoni eyenza elo xesha lahluka kwamanye amaxesha?

⁷ Inkulungwane yokuqala yayilixesha loxolo kuBukhosi baseRoma, ibe loo nto yenza kwalula ukuba abafundi bashumayele. Eli xesha labizwa ngokuba luXolo LwaseRoma, okanye iPax Romana ngesiLatini. Ngelo xesha, urhulumente waseRoma wayephelisa nayiphi na imvukelo eqalayo. Ewe kona zazikho iimfazwe, kanye ngendlela uYesu awayeprofete ngayo. (Mateyu 24:6) AmaRoma ayitshabalalisa iYerusalem ngo-70 C.E., aza alwa amadabi amancinane kufutshane nemida yobu bukhosi. Kodwa inkoliso yomhlaba wawo yayiseluxolweni, kwaye kwakulula ukuba abafundi bahambahambe baze bashumayele. Eli xesha loxolo lathatha iminyaka emalunga neyi-200. Enye incwadi ithi, kuyo yonk’ imbali yoluntu akukakhe kwenzeke ukuba abantu abaninzi babe seluxolweni ixesha elide kangako.

8. UXolo LwaseRoma lwabanceda njani abafundi?

⁸ Malunga neminyaka eyi-250 emva kwexesha likaKristu, umphengululi uOrigen wabhala ngeli xesha loxolo. Wathi ekubeni iRoma yayilawula amazwe amaninzi, kwaba lula ukuba abafundi bashumayele kuwo onke. Abantu babengaxakekanga kukukhusela ilizwe labo, kunoko babeseluxolweni kumakhaya abo. Ngoko uOrigen wayevakalelwa kukuba ngenxa yolu xolo, abantu abaninzi batsho baba nethuba lokubamamela abafundi ababeshumayela ngothando nangoxolo. Nangona abafundi babetshutshiswa, basebenzisa elo ixesha loxolo kangangoko banako baza bashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuyo yonke indawo.—Funda amaRoma 12:18-21.

9, 10. Ziziphi ezinye izinto ezenza kwaba lula ukuba abafundi bahambahambe?

⁹ AmaRoma enza iindlela ezinobude obungaphezu kwe-80 000 yeekhilomitha ezazidibanisa phantse zonke iinxalenye zobo bukhosi. Amajoni omkhosi onamandla waseRoma ayesebenzisa ezo ndlela aze akhawuleze aye kufika naphi na ukuze akhusele umhlaba wawo kwaye alawule abantu. NamaKristu ayesebenzisa ezo ndlela ukuze anqumle amahlathi, iintlango kunye neentaba aye kushumayela kwiindawo eziliqela.

¹⁰ Ukongezelela kwiindlela zawo, amaRoma ayehamba nangamaphenyane. Ayehamba ngawo emilanjeni nakwimijelo yamanzi okanye elwandle esiya kwiidolophu eziliqela kubo bonke obo bukhosi. Kaloku, amaRoma ayenemizila yeenqanawa eyi-900. NamaKristu ayekwazi ukuhamba ngaloo maphenyane esiya kwiindawo ezininzi.  Kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba aphathe amaxwebhu asemthethweni, njengeencwadi zokundwendwela, ukuze angene kwamanye amazwe. Nabaphangi babenqaba ezindleleni kuba babesazi ukuba amaRoma ayeya kubabonis’ amaqhekez’ engqele. Ibe ngenxa yokuba zazininzi iinqanawa zomkhosi wamaRoma ezazihamba elwandle, abantu babengoyiki ukuhlaselwa ngabaphangi baselwandle. Nangona iBhayibhile isithi uPawulos wakha waphukelwa yinqanawa nokuba wakha wasengozini elwandle, ayitsho ukuba wakha wahlaselwa ngabaphangi. Ngoko abantu babedla ngokukhuseleka xa behamba ezindleleni nangamaphenyane.—2 Korinte 11:25, 26.

11. Kwakutheni ukuze abafundi basebenzise isiGrike?

¹¹ Iindawo ezininzi ezazilawulwa ngamaRoma zazikhe zaphantsi komlawuli waseGrisi uAleksandire Omkhulu. Ngenxa yoko abantu balapho babekwazi ukuthetha isiGrike ekuthiwa sisiKoine. Ngoko, abafundi babekwazi ukubashumayeza ngolu lwimi. Babekwazi nokubacaphulela kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere kuba zaziguqulelwe kwisiGrike. Abantu abaninzi babeyazi le nguqulelo, ebizwa ngokuba yiSeptuagint, eyayiguqulelwe ngamaYuda awayehlala eYiputa. Nababhali beBhayibhile basebenzisa isiGrike xa babebhala ezinye iincwadi zeBhayibhile. IsiGrike sasinesigama esityebileyo, ngoko sasizicacisa kakuhle iimfundiso ezinzulu zeBhayibhile. Kwaye saba lulwimi oluthethwa emabandleni, ibe sawanceda amanyana.

12. (a) Yintoni icodex, yaye kutheni kwakulula nje ukusebenzisa yona kunomsongo? (b) Uninzi lwamaKristu lwaqalisa nini ukusebenzisa iincwadi?

¹² AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayesebenzisa ntoni ukuze afundise abantu iBhayibhile? Ekuqaleni, ayesebenzisa imisongo. Kodwa kwakungelula ukuyisebenzisa nokuyiphatha. Kwakuye kufuneke wolulwe qho kukhangelwa isibhalo uze uphinde usongwe. Le misongo yayidla ngokubhalwa icala elinye kuphela, kangangokuba iVangeli kaMateyu yayizalisa umsongo opheleleyo. Emva koko, abantu baqalisa ukusebenzisa icodex, eyayiluhlobo lokuqala lwencwadi. Umntu wayekwazi ukuvula incwadi aze atyhile amaphepha lula nje xa efuna isibhalo. Ababhali-mbali bathi amaKristu akhawuleza azisebenzisa  iincwadi kwaye emva konyaka ka-100 C.E., uninzi lwawo lwaluzisebenzisa.

13, 14. (a) Ukuba ngummi waseRoma kwamkhusela njani uPawulos? (b) Umthetho waseRoma wawanceda njani amaKristu?

¹³ Umthetho waseRoma wawuwanceda amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala. Ngokomzekelo, uPawulos wayengummi waseRoma, ibe umthetho wawudla ngokumkhusela xa eseluhambweni. Xa amajoni aseRoma abamba uPawulos eYerusalem aza afuna ukumtywatyusha, wawaxelela ukuba ungummi waseRoma. Wakhumbuza umphathi-mkhosi ukuba ummi waseRoma wayengenakutywatyushwa lingaxoxwanga ngendlela efanelekileyo ityala lakhe. Ngoko “abantu ababesele beza kumncina ngokumthuthumbisa bemka kuye ngoko nangoko; yaye umphathi-mkhosi woyika akuqinisekisa ukuba [uPawulos] wayengumRoma ngenxa yokuba wayembophile.”—IZenzo 22:25-29.

¹⁴ Ukuba ngummi waseRoma kukaPawulos kwaba nefuthe kwindlela awaphathwa ngayo eFilipi. (IZenzo 16:35-40) Kwaye xa ihlokondiba elalinomsindo laliwafun’ esiqwini amaKristu e-Efese, igosa likarhulumente labanqanda abo bantu laza labalumkisa lisithi baphula umthetho waseRoma. (IZenzo 19:35-41) Kamva, xa uPawulos wayeseKesareya, wafuna ukusebenzisa ilungelo lakhe lokuya kuma phambi komlawuli waseRoma. Wafika wazithethelela iindaba ezilungileyo. (IZenzo 25:8-12) Ngoko amaKristu asebenzisa umthetho waseRoma ukuze ‘alithethelele yaye alimisele ngokusemthethweni’ ilungelo lawo lokushumayela.—Filipi 1:7.

15. Ayehlala phi amaYuda amaninzi ngenkulungwane yokuqala?

¹⁵ Ikho nenye into esenokuba yawanceda amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ashumayela kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ngelo xesha, amaYuda ayengekho kwaSirayeli kuphela, ayesasazeke nakwamanye amazwe. Kwakutheni? Kumakhulu eminyaka ngaphambili, amaYuda ayethinjelwe eAsiriya, kwaza kwiminyaka ethile kamva, amanye asiwa eBhabhiloni. Kamva, xa amaPersi ayelawula iBhabhiloni, amaYuda ayesasazeke kubo bonke uBukhosi basePersi. (Estere 9:30) Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, xa uYesu wayelapha emhlabeni, amaYuda ayesele ekubo bonke uBukhosi baseRoma, kwiindawo ezinjengeYiputa nakwezinye ezikuMntla Afrika, eGrisi, eAsia Minor (eTurkey), naseMesopotamiya (eIraq). Kucingelwa ukuba kubantu abazizigidi eziyi-60 ababekobu bukhosi, abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyi-4 babengamaYuda. Nangona amaYuda ayesasazeke kwiindawo ezininzi, alugcina unqulo lwawo.—Mateyu 23:15.

16, 17. (a) Ukubakho kwamaYuda kumazwe amaninzi kwabanceda njani abantu bezinye iintlanga? (b) Ziziphi izinto amaKristu awaxelisa amaYuda kuzo?

¹⁶ Ekubeni amaYuda ayesasazeke kumazwe ngamazwe, abantu abaninzi bezinye iintlanga babezazi iZibhalo zesiHebhere kwaye bezifundile iinkolelo zawo. Ngokomzekelo, bafunda ukuba mnye kuphela uThixo wenene nokuba abanquli bakhe bamele bathobele imithetho yakhe. Bafunda nokuba iZibhalo zesiHebhere zazivela kuThixo kwaye  zazineziprofeto ezininzi ezithetha ngoMesiya. (Luka 24:44) Ngoko xa amaKristu ayeshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, ezinye zezinto awayeshumayela ngazo zazisele zisaziwa ngamaYuda naziintlanga. UPawulos wayekhangela abantu ababeza kuzimamela iindaba ezilungileyo. Wayedla ngokuya kwizindlu zesikhungu awayenqulela kuzo amaYuda, aze asebenzise iZibhalo ukuze aqiqe nawo.—Funda iZenzo 17:1, 2.

¹⁷ AmaYuda ayedibana rhoqo ukuze anqule, kwizindlu zesikhungu okanye kwezinye iindawo eziphandle. Ayecula, athandaze aze axubushe iZibhalo. NamaKristu enza okufanayo, ibe nanamhl’ oku sisayenza loo nto kumabandla esikuwo.

18, 19. (a) Iimeko ezazikho ngenkulungwane yokuqala zawanceda ukuba enze ntoni amaKristu? (b) Eli nqaku likwenza uzive njani ngoYehova?

¹⁸ Inkulungwane yokuqala yayilixesha elahlukileyo embalini. KuBukhosi baseRoma, abantu babeseluxolweni, abaninzi bevana ngolwimi, yaye nomthetho ubakhusela. Kwakulula ukuhambahamba, kwaye kumazwe amaninzi abantu babewazi amaYuda neZibhalo ZesiHebhere. Zonke ezi zinto zawanceda amaKristu aqhubeka nokwenza umsebenzi awayewunikwe nguThixo.

¹⁹ Malunga neminyaka eyi-400 ngaphambi kokuba uYesu eze emhlabeni, isilumko esingumGrike uPlato sabhala sisithi kunzima kakhulu ukuba abantu bamazi uMdali kwaye akunakwenzeka ukuba bakwazi ukuxelela wonke umntu okhoyo emhlabeni ngaye. Kodwa uYesu wathi: “Izinto ezingenakwenzeka kubantu zinokwenzeka kuThixo.” (Luka 18:27) Izicacele into yokuba umsebenzi wokushumayela wenzeke ngenxa yoncedo lukaYehova. Ufuna “abantu beentlanga zonke” beve iindaba ezilungileyo baze bamazi. (Mateyu 28:19) Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuchaza indlela iindaba ezilungileyo ezishunyayelwa ngayo ehlabathini kule mihla.