1-2. (a) Xa umpostile uPawulos wabhalela amaKristu angamaYuda ileta, ayephila njani kwaYuda? (b) Kutheni sisithi ileta kaPawulos yafika ngexesha elifanelekileyo kumaKristu angamaYuda?

 EYERUSALEM nakwaYuda amaKristu angamaYuda aphila kabuhlungu emva kokufa kukaYesu. AmaKristu ebandla elalisand’ ukubakho ngelo xesha aphathwa kakubi kakhulu. (IZe. 8:1) Kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-20 emva koko, abalandeli bakaKristu baba nengxaki yemali, mhlawumbi ngenxa yendlala eyayisand’ ukubakho. (IZe. 11:​27-30) Kodwa kangangexesha elithile malunga nonyaka ka-61 C.E., amaKristu ayephila kamnandi, eseluxolweni. Kodwa izinto zaziseza kutshintsha. Ngelo xesha uYehova waphefumlela umpostile uPawulos ukuba awabhalele ileta. Ayeyidinga nyhani loo leta kuba izinto ezazibhalwe kuyo zaziza kuwanceda alungele izinto ezaziseza kwenzeka.

² Yafika ngexesha elifanelekileyo nyhani loo leta kuba kaloku ayengazukuhlala eseluxolweni. UPawulos wawanika amacebiso awayeza kuwanceda akwazi ukunyamezela iingxaki awayeza kuba nazo. Lalisondela ixesha lokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem netempile yayo awaprofeta ngalo uYesu. (Luka 21:20) Kodwa uPawulos naloo maKristu akwaYuda ayengazi ukuba loo nto yayiza kwenzeka nini kanye kanye. Kwakufuneka loo maKristu asebenzise ixesha elalisashiyekile  ukuze aqinise ukholo lwawo, akwazi nokunyamezela.​—Heb. 10:25; 12:​1, 2.

3. Kutheni ileta eyayisiya kumaKristu angamaYuda ibaluleke kakhulu kuthi namhlanje?

³ Selisondele ixesha lokuba sifumane ubunzima obungaphezulu lee kobo bafunyanwa ngamaKristu angamaYuda. (Mat. 24:21; ISityhi. 16:​14, 16) Makhe sithethe ngezinye izinto uYehova awawanceda ngazo loo maKristu, nezinokusinceda nathi namhlanje.

‘SEBENZELANI EKUBENI NIQOLE’

4. Zeziphi iingxaki awayenazo amaKristu angamaYuda? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

⁴ AmaYuda awaba ngamaKristu aba nengxaki enkulu. Ekuqaleni amaYuda ayeluhlanga olwalukhethwe nguYehova. Kangangeminyaka, iYerusalem yayiyindawo eyayibaluleke ngendlela ekhethekileyo. Ukumkani owayemela uYehova wayelawula ehlala apho, nabantu ababefuna ukukhonza uYehova babemkhonza kwitempile eyayiseYerusalem. Onke amaYuda athembekileyo ayelandela uMthetho owawubhalwe nguMoses awayewufundiswa ngabefundisi. Kuloo Mthetho ayefundiswa ngokutya, ulwaluko nangendlela yokuphatha abantu abangengomaYuda. Kodwa emva kokufa kukaYesu uYehova wayengasayamkeli imibingelelo eyayisenziwa ngamaYuda. Loo nto yaba yingxaki kumaKristu angamaYuda awayeqhele ukuthobela uMthetho. (Heb. 10:​1, 4, 10) KwanakumaKristu anokholo olomeleleyo afana nompostile uPetros, kwakunzima ukutshintsha ezinye izinto. (IZe. 10:​9-14; Gal. 2:​11-14) Ngenxa yezinto ezintsha awayekholelwa kuzo, loo maKristu aphathwa kakubi ngabefundisi bamaYuda.

5. Yintoni ekwakufuneka ayilumkele amaKristu?

⁵ AmaKristu angamaYuda ayephikiswa ngamaqela amabini. Abefundisi bamaYuda babewaphatha njengabawexuki. Kanti abanye ababezibiza ngokuba bangamaKristu babesithi abalandeli bakaKristu bamele baqhubeke bezenza ezinye izinto ezikuMthetho  owawubhalwe nguMoses ukuze bangaphathwa kakubi. (Gal. 6:12) Yintoni eyayiza kunceda amaKristu athembekileyo abambelele enyanisweni?

6. UPawulos wabakhuthaza ukuba benze ntoni abazalwana bakhe? (Hebhere 5:14–6:1)

⁶ Kwileta awayibhalela amaKristu angamaYuda, uPawulos wawakhuthaza ukuba aphande nzulu ngeLizwi LikaThixo. (Funda amaHebhere 5:14–6:1.) Esebenzisa iZibhalo zesiHebhere, wacacisela abazalwana bakhe ukuba indlela abamkhonza ngayo uYehova ngoku ibhetele kakhulu kunaleyo amkhonza ngayo amaYuda. a Wayesazi ukuba, ukuba nolwazi nokuyiqonda kakuhle inyaniso kwakuzowanceda loo maKristu aziqonde iimfundiso zobuxoki, ahambele kude kuzo ukuze zingawalahlekisi.

7. Zeziphi iingxaki esinazo namhlanje?

⁷ NjengamaKristu angamaYuda, siphila nabantu abasasaza iimfundiso eziphikisana nemithetho kaYehova. Aba bantu bahlala bephikisa izinto esizikholelwayo esizifundiswa yiBhayibhile ngendlela yokuziphatha. Bathi sikhohlakele futhi asibanyamezeli abantu abaziphethe kakubi ngesondo. Indlela abacinga ngayo abantu behlabathi iya isahluka mpela kwindlela uThixo acinga ngayo. (IMize. 17:15) Ngoko kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba siyazi indlela abacinga ngayo size sihambele kude kuyo. Ukuba asiyenzi loo nto siza kutyhafa okanye side siphume endleleni.​—Heb. 13:9.

8. Yintoni enokusinceda ukuze siqole?

⁸ Senza kakuhle xa sisebenzisa icebiso uPawulos awalinika amaKristu angamaYuda, esithi mawasebenzele ekubeni aqole. Loo nto ithetha ukuba kufuneka silifundisise kakuhle iLizwi LikaThxo ukuze simazi size sicinge njengaye. Le nto kuza kufuneka siqhubeke siyenza nasemva kokuba sibhaptiziwe. Nokuba sinexesha elingakanani sisenyanisweni, sonke kufuneka silifundisise yonke imihla iLizwi LikaThixo. (INdu. 1:2) Loo nto iza kusinceda someleze uphawu olulukholo, awathi uPawulos amele abe nalo amaKristu angamaYuda.​—Heb. 11:​1, 6.

‘YIBANI NOKHOLO UKUZE NIHLALE NIPHILA’

9. Kutheni kwakubalulekile ukuba amaKristu angamaYuda abe nokholo olomeleleyo?

⁹ Ukuze amaKristu angamaYuda asinde kubunzima awayeza kuba kubo amaYuda, kwakufuneka lomelele ukholo lwawo. (Heb. 10:​37-39) UYesu walumkisa abalandeli bakhe esithi xa iYerusalem ijikelezwe ngumkhosi wamajoni, kwakuza kufuneka babalekele ezintabeni. Onke amaKristu kwakuza kufuneka ayenze le nto, nokuba ahlala edolophini okanye ezilalini. (Luka 21:​20-24) Ngaloo maxesha, abantu abahlaselwa ngumkhosi wamajoni babedla ngokubalekela kwidolophu ekhuselwe ziindonga efana neYerusalem. Ukubalekela ezintabeni kwakusenokubonakala kungenakuwakhusela loo maKristu, ngoko kwakufuneka abe nokholo olomeleleyo.

10. Ukuba nokholo olomelelyo kwakuza kuwanceda njani amaKristu? (Hebhere 13:17)

¹⁰ Enye into eyayifuneka kumaKristu angamaYuda yayikukuba awathembe amadoda asetyenziswa nguYesu ukuze akhokele ibandla. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba loo madoda anika ibandla imiyalelo eyayiza kulinceda liyenze ngexesha nangendlela efanelekileyo into elayiyalelwa nguYesu. (Funda amaHebhere 13:17.) Igama lesiGrike elikumaHebhere 13:17 eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “bathobeleni,”  lithetha ngabantu abathobela imiyalelo abayinikwa ngumntu abamthembayo. Lo mntu abamthobeli nje kuba enegunya. Ngoko amaKristu angamaYuda kwakufuneka awathobele amadoda akhokelayo ngaphambi kokuba kufike ixesha elinzima. Ukuba ayewathobela ngoxa kwakusemnandi, kwakuza kuba lula ukuwathobela naxa kunzima.

11. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba kule mihla amaKristu abe nokholo olomeleleyo?

¹¹ NjengamaKristu angamaYuda nathi sidinga ukuba nokholo. Abantu abaninzi abayikholelwa into ethethwa yiBhayibhile yokuba eli hlabathi seliza kutshatyalaliswa. Bade bahlekise nokuhlekisa ngayo. (2 Pet. 3:​3, 4) Nangona iBhayibhile isixelela ngezinye izinto eziza kwenzeka ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo, zininzi esingazaziyo. Kufuneka siyikholelwe nyhani into yokuba isiphelo seli hlabathi siza kufika ngexesha elifanelekileyo, siqiniseke nokuba xa sifika, uYehova uza kusikhathalela.​—Hab. 2:3.

12. Yintoni eza kusinceda sisinde ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo?

¹² Kufuneka silithembe kakhulu ‘nekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ alisebenzisayo uYehova ukuze asikhokele. (Mat. 24:45) Xa umkhosi wamaRoma wawujikeleze iYerusalem, amaKristu angamaYuda afumana imiyalelo eyayiza kusindisa ubomi bawo. Kusenokuba njalo ke nakuthi xa kuqalisa intlungu engathethekiyo. Ngoku lixesha lokuba siye siyithemba imiyalelo esiyinikwa ngabazalwana abakhokelayo kwintlangano kaYehova. Ukuba ngoku kunzima ukuyithobela imiyalelo abasinika yona, asinakucinga ukuba kuza kuba lula ukuyithobela ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo.

13. Kutheni lalifanelekile icebiso elikumaHebhere 13:5?

¹³ Ngoxa amaKristu angamaYuda ayelindele ukubona umkhosi wamajoni ujikeleze iYerusalem, kwakufuneka aphile ubomi obabuza kuwenza akwazi ukukhonza uYehova, angabi ‘ngobathandi bemali.’ (Funda amaHebhere 13:5.) Amanye awo ayekhe anyamezela indlala nokusokola. (Heb. 10:​32-34) Nangona ayekade ekulungele ukunyamezela ubunzima ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo, kungenzeka ukuba amanye awo ayesele eqalise ukufuna imali eninzi ukuze angaphindi asokole. Kodwa nokuba ayenokuba nemali eninzi kangakanani, yayingasoze iwakhusele xa kutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem. (Yak. 5:3) Kaloku kwakuza kuba nzima kakhulu kubantu abathanda ukuba nezinto ezininzi ukubaleka bashiye imizi yabo nezinto abanazo.

14. Ukuba siqinisekile ukuba eli hlabathi seliza kutshatyalaliswa, yintoni esiza kuyenza?

¹⁴ Xa siqiniseke nyhani ukuba eli hlabathi seliza kutshatyalaliswa, asizukufuna ukuleqana nemali okanye nokuba nezinto ezininzi. Ngexesha lentlungu engathethekiyo imali ayizukuba naxabiso. IBhayibhile ithi abantu ‘baza kuyiphosa ezitratweni isilivere yabo,’ ngenxa yokuba yona “negolide yabo ayizukukwazi ukubasindisa ngemini yokuvutha komsindo kaYehova.” (Hez. 7:19) Kunokuba sizimisele ukuba nemali eninzi, kufuneka senze izigqibo ngento eza kusinceda sikwazi ukuhoya thina neentsapho zethu, singayeki nokukhonza uYehova. Loo nto ithetha ukuba kufuneka sikulumkele ukuzenzela amatyala angenamsebenzi, okanye ukuchitha ixesha elininzi sihoye izinto esinazo. Simele siyilumkele nento yokuba izinto esinazo zibe zezona zibalulekileyo kuthi. (Mat. 6:​19, 24) Njengoko isiphelo seli hlabathi sisondela, kuza kufuneka sikhethe phakathi kokuthemba uYehova nokuthemba izinto esinazo.

 “KUFUNEKA NINYAMEZELE”

15. Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke amaKristu angamaYuda anyamezele?

¹⁵ Njengoko izinto zazisiya zisiba mbi kwaYuda, amaKristu kwakuza kufuneka anyamezele izinto ezaziza kwenzeka kuwo. (Heb. 10:36) Ngoxa amanye ayekhe aphathwa kakubi kakhulu, amaninzi angena enyanisweni sekumnandi kwaYuda. UPawulos wathi ngoxa ayenyamezele izinto ezinzima ngenxa yokholo lwawo, ayengekaphathwa kabuhlungu de afe njengoYesu. (Heb. 12:4) Njengoko amaKristu ayesiya esanda, amaYuda awayengayifuni loo nto aya esiba nomsindo aza awaphatha kakubi. Kwiminyaka nje embalwa ngaphambi koko, ubukho bukaPawulos eYerusalem benza kwabakho isiphithiphithi. AmaYuda angaphezu kwayi-40 “enza isifungo sokuba awazukutya yaye awazukusela de abe ambulele uPawulos.” (IZe. 22:22; 23:​12-14) Ngoxa amaKristu ayecatshukelwa ngolo hlobo futhi ephethwe kakubi, kwakuza kufuneka aqhubeke edibana ukuze akhonze uYehova, ashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo, angayeki nokuqinisa ukholo lwawo.

16. Ileta eyayibhalelwe amaKristu angamaYuda inokusinceda njani sibone indlela esinokuncedakala ngayo xa siye sanyamezela? (Hebhere 12:7)

¹⁶ Yintoni eyayiza kunceda amaKristu anyamezele ukungafunwa ngamaYuda? UPawulos wayefuna ukuwanceda abone indlela okwakuza kuwanceda ngayo ukunyamezela. Ngoko wawaxelela ukuba uThixo wayenokusebenzisa ezo ngxaki ayenazo ukuze awaqeqeshe. (Funda amaHebhere 12:7.) Olo qeqesho lunokumnceda umKristu asebenzele ukuba neempawu ezifunekayo kumaKristu, okanye zicace ezo sele enazo. Kwakuza kuba lula kumaKristu angamaYuda ukunyamezela xa ayenokucinga ngendlela okwakuza kuwanceda ngayo.​—Heb. 12:11.

17. UPawulos wafunda ukuba yintoni umntu amele ayenze ukuze akwazi ukunyamezela ukuphathwa kakubi?

¹⁷ UPawulos wakhuthaza amaKristu angamaYuda  ukuba abe nesibindi, anganikezeli xa eneengxaki. Ngoyena wayenokuwacebisa kakuhle ngendlela yokunyamezela ukuphathwa kakubi. Ekubeni naye wayekhe wawatshutshisa amaKristu, wayeyazi indlela awayeza kuphathwa kakubi ngayo. Wayekwazi nokunyamezela. Kaloku naye wayekhe waphathwa kakubi ngeendlela ezininzi emva kokuba engumKristu. (2 Kor. 11:​23-25) Ngoko wayeyazi kakuhle into eyayifuneka ukuze umntu akwazi ukunyamezela. Wakhumbuza loo maKristu ukuba xa enyamezele ubunzima, kwakufuneka angazithembi kodwa athembele kuYehova. UPawulos wayenokuwathetha eqinisekile la mazwi: “UYehova ungumncedi wam; andizukoyika.”​—Heb. 13:6.

18. Yintoni enokusinceda sikwazi ukunyamezela xa siphethwe kakubi?

¹⁸ Abanye abazalwana bethu banyamezele ukuphathwa kakubi kanye ngoku sithethayo. Sinokubonisa ukuba siyabathanda ngokubathandazela nangokubanceda ngezinto abazidingayo. (Heb. 10:33) Kodwa iBhayibhile itsho ngokucacileyo ukuba “wonke umntu ofuna ukukhonza uThixo engumlandeli kaKristu Yesu, naye uza kutshutshiswa.” (2 Tim. 3:12) Ngoko sonke kufuneka sizilungele izinto eziseza kwenzeka. Masiqhubeke sithembele kuYehova ngeentliziyo zethu zonke, siqinisekile ukuba uza kusinceda sikwazi ukunyamezela nokuba yeyiphi ingxaki esinayo. Ngexesha lakhe, uza kubakhulula bonke abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo.​—2 Tes. 1:​7, 8.

19. Zeziphi izinto ezinokusinceda silungele intlungu engathethekiyo? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁹ Ngokuqinisekileyo ileta uPawulos awayibhalela amaKristu angamaYuda yawanceda amaKristu okuqala alungela ubunzima awayeza kubufumana. UPawulos wakhuthaza abazalwana bakhe ukuba basebenzele ukuzazi kakuhle nokuziqonda bhetele iZibhalo. Loo nto yayiza kubenza bakwazi ukuzibona baze baziphephe iimfundiso ezaziza kubenza baphelelwe lukholo. Wabakhuthaza ukuba bomeleze ukholo lwabo ukuze bakhawuleze bayenze into abayiyalelwa nguYesu nangabazalwana abakhokelayo ebandleni. Ukuze bakwazi ukunyamezela, wababonisa ukuba xa besebunzimeni uTata wabo obathandayo ufumana ithuba lokubaqeqesha. Nathi simele silisebenzise eli cebiso liseBhayibhileni. Loo nto iza kusenza sikwazi ukunyamezela de kube sekupheleni.​—Heb. 3:14.