SEHLUKO 24
“Bani Nesibindzi!”
Pawula uphunyula kulabo lebebafuna kumbulala, futsi uyativikela embikwaFeliksi
Lesehluko sisekelwe encwadzini yeMisebenti 23:11–24:27
1, 2. Yini leyenta kuhlushwa labhekena nako eJerusalema kungammangalisi Pawula?
NJENGOBE abalekisiwe kulesicumbi lesitfukutsele eJerusalema, Pawula sewuphindze uvalelwe ejele. Lokuhlushwa labhekana nako laJerusalema akummangalisi lomphostoli lonemdlandla. Bekatjeliwe kutsi alindzele “kuboshwa kanye netinhlupheko” kulelidolobha. (Imis. 20:22, 23) Ngisho nobe bekangati kutsi yini lebeyitakwenteka kuye, Pawula bekati kutsi usetawuchubeka ahlupheke ngenca yeligama laJesu.—Imis. 9:16.
2 Ngisho nebaphrofethi labangemaKhristu bamecwayisa Pawula kutsi bekatawuboshwa futsi ‘anikelwe kubantfu betive.’ (Imis. 21:4, 10, 11) Muva nje, sicumbi semaJuda besifuna kumbulala futsi ngekushesha ngemuva kwaloko kubonakala shengatsi emalunga eNkantolo YemaJuda nawo bewafuna ‘kumbulala’ ngobe bewaphikisana ngaye. Nyalo lomphostoli usiboshwa, ugadvwe ngemasotja aseRoma futsi madvutane utawutekiswa emacala futsi asolwe ngetintfo letinyenti. (Imis. 21:31; 23:10) Ecinisweni, umphostoli Pawula udzinga sikhutsato!
3. Sisitfolaphi sikhutsato sekuchubeka nemsebenti wetfu wekushumayela?
3 Njengobe siphila emalangeni ekugcina siyati kutsi “bonkhe labafuna kuphila ngekutinikela kuNkulunkulu ebunyeni naKhristu Jesu, nabo batawuphatfwa kabi.” (2 Thim. 3:12) Esikhatsini lesinyenti natsi siyasidzinga sikhutsato kuze sichubeke nemsebenti wetfu wekushumayela. Sibonga kakhulu ngemavi ladvudvutako nalafike ngesikhatsi lesiwatfola etincwadzini kanye nasemihlanganweni lehlelwe ‘sisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile’! (Mat. 24:45) Jehova usicinisekisile kutsi kute sitsa lesimelene netindzaba letimnandzi lesitawuphumelela. Letitsa angeke tize titicedze tikhonti taNkulunkulu nobe timise umsebenti wekushumayela. (Isa. 54:17; Jer. 1:19) Ngako kutsiwani ngemphostoli Pawula? Wasitfola yini sikhutsato sekuchubeka afakaza ngalokuphelele ngisho nobe aphikiswa? Nangabe kunjalo, besiyini, futsi wenta njani nakasitfola?
‘Lesifungo’ Asiphumelelanga (Imisebenti 23:11-34)
4, 5. Ngusiphi sikhutsato Pawula lasitfola, futsi sisho ngani kutsi besifike ngesikhatsi?
4 Umphostoli Pawula watfola sikhutsato lebekasidzinga ngebusuku lobalandzela lilanga lakhululwa ngalo kuleNkantolo YemaJuda. Lokulandzisa lokuphefumulelwe kusitjela kutsi: “INkhosi yeta kuye yatsi: ‘Bani nesibindzi! Ngobe njengobe ufakaze ngalokuphelele ngami eJerusalema, kufanele wente lokufanako naseRoma.’” (Imis. 23:11) Ngalamavi lakhutsatako lavela kuJesu, Pawula waciniseka kutsi utawukhululwa. Bekati kutsi utawusindza kuze aye eRoma futsi abe nelilungelo lekufakaza khona ngaJesu.
“Emadvodza langetulu kwalangu-40 kuwo ente lisu”—Imisebenti 23:21
5 Lesikhutsato Pawula lasitfola besifike ngesikhatsi. Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, emadvodza langemaJuda langetulu kwa-40 “akha lisu, enta nesifungo sekutsi nakangadla nobe anatse lokutsite angakambulali Pawula, atawucalekiswa.” ‘Lesifungo’ sakhombisa indlela lamaJuda lebekatimisele ngayo kubulala lomphostoli. Bewakholelwa kutsi nawehluleka kubulala lomphostoli, bekatawucalekiswa nobe ehlelwe yintfo lembi. (Imis. 23:12-15) Lelisu lawo lebeligunyatwe baphristi labakhulu kanye nemadvodza lamadzala, belikutsi Pawula aletfwe eNkantolo YemaJuda futsi achubeke aphenyisiswa kuze kutfolakale emaciniso ngaye, kodvwa lamaJuda bekatawumela Pawula endleleni kuze ambulale.
6. Pawula wati njani ngalelisu lekumbulala, futsi ngusiphi sibonelo bantfu labasha labasitfolako kulendzaba lamuhla?
6 Umshana waPawula weva ngalelisu futsi wabikela Pawula ngalo. Ngemuva kwaloko, Pawula watjela lomshana wakhe kutsi ahambe ayotjela Klawudiyusi Lisiyasi, loyindvuna yelibutfo lemaRoma. (Imis. 23:16-22) Siyaciniseka kutsi Jehova uyabatsandza bantfu labasha labafana nalomshana waPawula, longakashiwo ngeligama, lababeka inhlalakahle yebantfu baNkulunkulu kucala kuneyabo, futsi ngekwetsembeka bente konkhe lokusemandleni abo kuze batfutfukise umsebenti weMbuso.
7, 8. Yini Klawudiyusi Lisiyasi layenta kuze avikele Pawula?
7 Ngekushesha nje nakeva ngalelisu lekubulala Pawula, Klawudiyusi Lisiyasi, lobekayindvuna yelibutfo lemadvodza langu-1 000, watfumela libutfo lemasotja langu-470, lafaka ekhatsi emadvodza laphetse tikhali nalagibele emahhashi, kutsi lisuke eJerusalema ngalobo busuku kuze liyovikela Pawula futsi limphekeletele limmikise eKhesariya. Nasekalapho, bekatawumikiswa kuMbusi Feliksi. a Ngisho nobe iKhesariya, lokulidolobha emaRoma bekalisebentisa kuze aphatse iJudiya, beyinebantfu labanyenti labangemaJuda, kodvwa linyenti lebantfu lebelihlala kulo bekuBantfu Betive. Timo eKhesariya betingafani naseJerusalema, lapho khona bebaluveta ngentfukutselo lubandlululo lebebanalo ngaletinye tinkholo, baze babange nesiphitsiphitsi. IKhesariya beyiyindlunkhulu yelibutfo lemaRoma lebeliseJudiya.
8 Ngekuvumelana nemtsetfo wemaRoma, Lisiyasi watfumela incwadzi kuFeliksi achaza ngalelicala. Lisiyasi waveta kutsi nakatfola kutsi Pawula unebuve baseRoma, wamsindzisa kumaJuda ‘lebekafuna kumbulala.’ Lisiyasi wachaza nekutsi utfole kutsi Pawula ute licala lelimenta “afanelwe kufa nobe kuboshwa,” kodvwa ngenca yekutsi emaJuda bekahlele kumbulala wendlulisela lelicala kuFeliksi kuze lombusi eve labamangaleli bese ukhipha sehlulelo kulendzaba.—Imis. 23:25-30.
9. (a) Emalungelo aPawula njengemuntfu longumRoma anyatseleka njani? (b) Yini lengasenta sisebentise emalungelo etfu njengetakhamuti telive?
9 Kuliciniso yini loko lokwabhalwa nguLisiyasi? Hhayi konkhe. Kubonakala shengatsi bekazama kutenta lomuhle. Akazange asindzise Pawula ngobe atfole kutsi lomphostoli unebuve baseRoma. Ngetulu kwaloko, Lisiyasi akazange aveta kutsi watsi Pawula “akaboshwe ngetinketane letimbili” futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi wakhipha umyalo wekutsi ‘aphenyisiswe futsi ashaywe kamatima.’ (Imis. 21:30-34; 22:24-29) Ngekwenta loko, Lisiyasi wephula emalungelo aPawula njengemuntfu lonebuve baseRoma. Lamuhla, Sathane usebentisa baphikisi labatsandza inkholo kuze abhebhetele umlilo wekuhlushwa futsi ngalesinye sikhatsi singatfola emalungelo etfu ekukhonta Nkulunkulu anyatselekile. NjengaPawula, bantfu baNkulunkulu bangasebentisa emalungelo abo ekuba takhamuti telive labahlala kulo futsi bafune kuvikelwa ngumtsetfo.
“Ngiyajabula Kutfola Lelitfuba Lekutsi Ngitiphendvulele” (Imisebenti 23:35–24:21)
10. Ngumaphi emacala lamakhulu Pawula labekwa wona?
10 EKhesariya, Pawula ugadvwe “esigodlweni saHerodi” futsi umele kufika kwalabo labammangalele labasuka eJerusalema. (Imis. 23:35) Befika ngemuva kwemalanga lasihlanu, bekungu-Ananiyase uMphristi Lomkhulu, ummeli lobitwa ngekutsi nguThethulusi kanye nelicembu lemadvodza lamadzala. Thethulusi wacala ngekudvumisa Feliksi ambonga ngaloko lebekakwentela emaJuda, kubonakala kutsi utsenga emehlo akhe kuze atomtsandza. b Ngemuva kwaloko wakhuluma ngalendzaba lebebete ngayo watsi Pawula ‘ungumuntfu loluhlupho futsi ususa siphitsiphitsi emkhatsini wawo onkhe emaJuda emhlabeni wonkhe, futsi ungumholi welicembu lelibitwa ngekutsi ngemaNazaretha. Wetame nekungcolisa lithempeli, ngako babese bayambamba.’ Nalamanye emaJuda “angenela futsi ammangalela, agomela atsi letintfo tiliciniso.” (Imis. 24:5, 6, 9) Kususa siphitsiphitsi, kuba ngumholi welicembu leliyingoti kanye nekungcolisa lithempeli, bekungemacala lamakhulu futsi lebekangaholela ekutseni umuntfu agwetjelwe kufa.
11, 12. Pawula wativikela njani kulamacala bekabekwe wona?
11 Pawula wase uyavunyelwa kutsi akhulume. Wacala ngemavi latsi: “Ngiyajabula kutfola lelitfuba lekutsi ngitiphendvulele.” Pawula wawaphika ngalokuphelele lamacala. Lomphostoli bekangakaze wangcolisa lithempeli futsi angakaze wasusa nesiphitsiphitsi. Waveta kutsi ‘besekaneminyaka letsite’ angekho eJerusalema futsi bekaletse “tipho” lebetingumnikelo loya kumaKhristu leswele, lokungenteka ngenca yendlala kanye nekuhlushwa. Pawula wakwenta kwacaca kutsi ‘bekatihlambululile’ ngaphambi kwekutsi angene ethempelini kanye nekutsi bekatimisele kuchubeka ananembeza “lomsulwa embikwaNkulunkulu nasembikwebantfu.”—Imis. 24:10-13, 16-18.
12 Pawula wavuma kutsi bekenta umsebenti longcwele kuNkulunkulu wabokhokho bakhe ngekwalendlela “labayibita ngekutsi ‘lihlelo.’” Wakwenta kwacaca kutsi bekakholelwa “tonkhe tintfo letiseMtsetfweni naletibhalwe baPhrofethi.” Njengalabamangaleli bakhe, naye bekanelitsemba lekutsi “labalungile nalabangakalungi batawuvuswa ekufeni.” Pawula wase utsi kulabamangaleli bakhe: “Nalamadvodza lalapha akatikhulumele wona asho kutsi ngubuphi bubi labutfole kimi ngesikhatsi ngime embikweNkantolo YemaJuda. Kuphela kwentfo lengiyishito njengobe bengime emkhatsini wawo ngunayi: ‘Lamuhla, sizatfu lesenta kutsi ngehlulelwe kutsi ngikholelwa ekuvusweni kwalabafile!’”—Imis. 24:14, 15, 20, 21.
13-15. Yini lesenta silingise sibonelo saPawula lesihle sekuniketa bufakazi ngesibindzi nasime embikwetiphatsimandla?
13 Pawula usibekela sibonelo lesihle lesingasilandzela nakungenteka siletfwe embikwebabusi ngenca yekukholwa kwetfu nobe ngenca yekumangalelwa ngemanga ngekutsi sibantfu labahluphako, lababanga siphitsiphitsi nobe singemalunga “elihlelo leliyingoti.” Pawula akazange afune kutsandvwa ngulombusi ngekutsi akhulume emavi latsenga emehlo akhe njengobe kwenta Thethulusi. Pawula wakhombisa kuba nemoya lophansi kanye nenhlonipho. Ngekuhlakanipha, waniketa bufakazi lobucacile nalobuliciniso. “EmaJuda lebekasuka esifundzeni sase-Asiya,” lebekammangalele ngekutsi ungcolisa lithempeli bekangekho, kantsi ngekwemtsetfo bekufanele abe khona kuze Pawula eve lamacala bewambeke wona.—Imis. 24:18, 19.
14 Lokubaluleke kakhulu kutsi Pawula waniketa bufakazi lobuphelele mayelana netinkholelo takhe. Ngesibindzi, lomphostoli waphindze wakhuluma ngekukholelwa kwakhe ekuvusweni kwebantfu labafile, lebekuyindzaba leyabanga umsindvo ngalesikhatsi asembikweNkantolo YemaJuda. (Imis. 23:6-10) Nakativikela, Pawula wagcizelela litsemba lekuvuswa kwebantfu labafile. Leni? Ngobe bekaniketa bufakazi ngaJesu kanye nekuvuswa kwakhe ekufeni, lokuyintfo labaphikisi bakhe bebangayemukeli. (Imis. 26:6-8, 22, 23) Lendzaba yekuvuswa kwalabafile, ikakhulukati yekuvuswa kwaJesu ekufeni, ngiyo leyabangela lenkinga kusukela ekucaleni.
15 NjengaPawula, natsi singatfola sibindzi sekufakaza kanye nemandla emavini Jesu lawatjela bafundzi bakhe, latsi: “Nitawutondvwa bantfu bonkhe ngenca yelibito lami. Kodvwa loyo lotawucinisela kuze kube sekugcineni, utawusindziswa.” Kufanele yini sikhatsateke ngekutsi sitawutsini? Cha, ngobe Jesu wasiniketa nasi sicinisekiso: “Nabaniyisa etinkantolo, ningakhatsateki ngekutsi nitawutsini, kodvwa nibokhuluma loko lenitawunikwa kona ngaleso sikhatsi, ngobe kutawube kungakhulumi nine kodvwa kutawube kukhuluma umoya longcwele.”—Mak. 13:9-13.
“Feliksi Wesaba” (Imisebenti 24:22-27)
16, 17. (a) Yini Feliksi layenta nalayisho nakutekwa licala laPawula? (b) Yini leyenta Feliksi wesaba, futsi ngusiphi sizatfu lesamenta wachubeka akhuluma naPawula?
16 Lesi bekungesiso sikhatsi sekucala uMbusi Feliksi eva ngetinkholelo temaKhristu. LiBhayibheli litsi: “Feliksi bekawati kahle emaciniso lamayelana naleNdlela [ligama lebelisetjentiswa nakukhulunywa ngemaKhristu ekucala], wabekhuta labantfu wase utsi: ‘Nasekafikile Lisiyasi indvuna yemphi, ngitawubese ngikhipha sijubo ngalendzaba yenu.’ Ngako wayala indvuna yelibutfo kutsi itsatse Pawula imbophe, kodvwa anikwe inkhululeko letsite, nekutsi bangani bakhe bavunyelwe kutsi bamsite nganobe yini layidzingako.”—Imis. 24:22, 23.
17 Ngemuva kwemalanga latsite, Feliksi kanye nemkakhe Drusila, lebekangumJuda, batfumela kutsi kubitwe Pawula futsi base bayamlalela “nakakhuluma ngekukholwa kwakhe kuKhristu Jesu.” (Imis. 24:24) Nobe kunjalo, ngesikhatsi Pawula asakhuluma mayelana “nekulunga, nekutibamba, kanye nekwehlulelwa lebekutawufika, Feliksi wesaba,” mhlawumbe ngenca yekutsi bekahlushwa ngunembeza ngenca yemphilo lebekayiphila. Ngako wase ukhulula Pawula watsi: “Kwanyalo hamba, ngitawuphindze ngikubite nangitfola sikhatsi.” Feliksi wabona Pawula tikhatsi letinyenti ngemuva kwaloko, hhayi ngobe afuna kufundza liciniso, kodvwa ngobe bekacabanga kutsi Pawula utamfumbatsisa.—Imis. 24:25, 26.
18. Yini leyenta Pawula wakhuluma naFeliksi nemkakhe ‘ngekulunga, kutibamba, kanye nekwehlulelwa lebekutawufika’?
18 Yini leyenta Pawula wakhuluma naFeliksi kanye nemkakhe ‘ngekulunga, kutibamba, kanye nekwehlulelwa lebekutawufika’? Khumbula kutsi bebafuna kwati kutsi kufaka ekhatsi ini ‘kukholwa kuKhristu Jesu.’ Pawula, lebekati kutsi bebatiphatsa kabi, banelunya futsi bete bulungisa, wakwenta kwacaca kutsi yini lebeyidzingeka kumuntfu lofuna kuba ngumlandzeli waJesu. Loko Pawula lakusho kwawuveta ngalokucacile umehluko lokhona emkhatsini wetimiso taNkulunkulu letilungile kanye nemphilo lebeyiphilwa nguFeliksi nemkakhe. Loku bekufanele kubente babone kutsi wonkhe muntfu utawulandzisa kuNkulunkulu ngaloko lakucabangako, lakushoko kanye nalakwentako. Lebekubaluleke kakhulu kunendlela Feliksi bekatawehlulela ngayo Pawula, bekuyindlela yena nemkakhe lebebatawehlulelwa ngayo nguNkulunkulu. Akumangalisi-ke kutsi Feliksi “wesaba”!
19, 20. (a) Nasishumayela, yini lokufanele siyente nangabe labo lesibashumayelako benta shengatsi bayakutsandza kufundza kodvwa babe bangafuni kushintja indlela yabo yekuphila kuze ivumelane neliciniso? (b) Sati njani kutsi Feliksi bekangasuye umngani waPawula?
19 Natsi singabatfola bantfu labafana naFeliksi emsebentini wetfu wekushumayela. Bangacale bente shengatsi bayalitsandza liciniso, kodvwa bangafuni kushintja kuphila kwabo kuze kuvumelane nalo. Kufanele sicaphele nasetama kusita bantfu labanjalo. Ngekuhlakanipha singabatjela ngetimiso taNkulunkulu tekulunga, mhlawumbe liciniso lingatsintsa tinhlitiyo tabo. Nobe kunjalo, nasibona kutsi abakatimiseli kushiya indlela yabo lembi, siyabashiya sihambe siyofuna labalifuna mbamba liciniso.
20 Simo senhlitiyo yaFeliksi sivetwa ngulamavi: “Kwatsi nasekwendlule iminyaka lemibili, kwangena Phokhiyusi Festusi esikhundleni saFeliksi. Ngenca yekutsi Feliksi bekafuna kutsandvwa ngemaJuda, akazange amkhiphe Pawula ejele.” (Imis. 24:27) Feliksi bekangasuye umngani sibili kuPawula. Feliksi bekati kutsi balandzeli ‘baleNdlela’ bebangasibo bantfu lababanga siphitsiphitsi nobe labavukelako. (Imis. 19:23) Bekati nekutsi kute ngisho namunye umtsetfo wemaRoma Pawula lebekawephulile. Nobe kunjalo, wagcina Pawula ejele ngobe “bekafuna kutsandvwa ngemaJuda.”
21. Yini leyenteka kuPawula ngemuva kwekutsi Phokhiyusi Festusi abe ngumbusi, futsi siciniseka kutsi Pawula wachubeka awatfola kuphi emandla?
21 Njengobe kuvetiwe evesini lekugcina encwadzini yeMisebenti sehluko 24, Pawula bekasolo asiboshwa ngesikhatsi Phokhiyusi Festusi angena esikhundleni saFeliksi. Kwase kucala kutekwa kwemacala ngekulandzelana, futsi Pawula wemiswa embikwetiphatsimandla letehlukahlukene. Nembala, vele lomphostoli wemiswa “embikwemakhosi nasembikwebabusi.” (Luk. 21:12) Njengobe sitawubona, ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi utawuniketa bufakazi kumbusi lonemandla kakhulu lowaphila ngesikhatsi sakhe. Kuko konkhe loku, kukholwa kwaPawula akuzange kuntengantenge. Siyaciniseka kutsi watfola emandla emavini aJesu latsi: “Bani nesibindzi!”
a Buka libhokisi lelitsi “ Feliksi—UMbusi WaseJudiya Sifundza SaseRoma.”
b Thethulusi wabonga Feliksi ngekuthula lokukhulu lebekakuletsele sive. Nobe kunjalo, liciniso likutsi kuthula bekukuncane eJudiya ngesikhatsi sekubusa kwaFeliksi kunanobe ngusiphi lesinye sikhatsi, kwaze kwaba ngulapho kuvukelwa iRoma. Lokunye lokungasilo liciniso kutsi Thethulusi wakhuluma “ngenjabulo lenkhulu” emaJuda lebekanayo ngenca yelushintjo Feliksi bekalwentile. Nobe kunjalo, liciniso likutsi emaJuda lamanyenti bewamzonda Feliksi ngenca yekuwahluphekisa nekucedza kuvukela kwawo ngesihluku.—Imis. 24:2, 3.
