1-3. (a) Nguwuphi umbandela owalibeka esichengeni lokwahlukana ibandla lamaKristu? Sinokuzuza njani ngokufunda ngale ngxelo kwincwadi yeZenzo?

 BECHULUMANCILE, uPawulos noBharnabhas babesandul’ ukubuyela kwisixeko saseSiriya yakwa-Antiyokwe bevela kuhambo lwabo lokuqala njengabathunywa bevangeli. Babevuyiswa kukuba uYehova “wayevulele abantu beentlanga ithuba lokuba babe ngamakholwa.” (IZe. 14:26, 27) Ukongezelela, iindaba ezilungileyo zashunyayelwa kulo lonke elakwa-Antiyokwe, yaye ‘abaninzi’ baya kwibandla elalilapho.​—IZe. 11:20-26.

² Ngokukhawuleza ezi ndaba zimnandi zaya kufikelela nakwaYuda. Azizange zibachulumancise bonke abantu balapho kodwa kunoko zavusa imbambano yolwaluko. Lwalufanele lube njani ulwalamano phakathi kwamakholwa angamaYuda nangengomaYuda yaye babeza kuwujonga njani uMthetho kaMoses? Lo mbandela wolwaluko wabangela ingxwabangxwaba eyade yalibeka esichengeni lokwahlukana ibandla lamaKristu. Yayiza kuconjululwa njani le ngxubakaxaka?

³ Njengokuba siza kuyihl’ amahlongwane le ngxelo ikwincwadi yeZenzo, siza kufunda izinto ezininzi ezibalulekileyo. Ezo zinto zisenokusinceda senze ngobulumko xa kusibakho iyantlukwano kwixesha lethu.

4. Ziziphi iingcamango eziphosakeleyo ezazikhuthazwa ngamanye amakholwa, yaye oku kuphakamisa wuphi umbuzo?

⁴ Umfundi uLuka wabhala wathi: “Kweza amanye amadoda evela kwelakwaYuda [aya kwa-Antiyokwe] aza afundisa abazalwana esithi: ‘Ukuba anoluki ngokwesiko likaMoses, aninakusindiswa.’” (IZe. 15:1) Akukho nto isichazelayo enoba la ‘madoda ayevela kwelakwaYuda’ ayengabaFarisi kusini na ngaphambi kokuba aguqukele kubuKristu. Noko ke, kuyabonakala ukuba babephenjelelwe yindlela yokucinga yehlelo lamaYuda yokunamathela ngokungqongqo emthethweni. Kwakhona kusenokwenzeka ukuba baxoka besithi bamela abapostile nabadala baseYerusalem. (IZe. 15:23, 24) Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba amakholwa angamaYuda aqhubeke ekhuthaza ulwaluko emva kweminyaka eyi-13 umpostile uPetros owayesalathiswa ngumoya kaThixo ke phofu, amkele abeeNtlanga abangalukanga kwibandla lamaKristu? a​—IZe. 10:24-29, 44-48.

5, 6. (a) Yintoni esenokuba yayibangela ukuba amanye amaKristu angamaYuda afune ukubambelela kulwaluko? (b) Ngaba umnqophiso wolwaluko wawuyinxalenye yomnqophiso ka-Abraham? Cacisa. (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

 ⁵ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba zazininzi izizathu. Enye into, nguYehova owayengumsunguli wolwaluko yaye lwalungumqondiso wolwalamano olukhethekileyo kunye naye. Ulwaluko olwasungulwa ngaphambi komnqophiso woMthetho kodwa olwaba yinxalenye yawo kamva lwaqala kuAbraham nendlu yakhe. b (Lev. 12:2, 3) Ngaphantsi koMthetho kaMoses, kwanabantu basemzini babefanele baluke ngaphambi kokuba banandiphe amalungelo athile anjengokudla iPasika. (Eks. 12:43, 44, 48, 49) Ewe, engqondweni yomYuda indoda engalukanga yayingahlambulukanga yaye isenyanyeka.​—Isa. 52:1.

⁶ Ukuze amkele le mfundiso intsha, amakholwa angamaYuda kwakufuneka abe nokholo aze athobeke. Umnqophiso woMthetho wathatyathelw’ indawo ngumnqophiso omtsha, ngoko ke umntu wayengabi yinxalenye yabantu bakaThixo kuba nje ezalwa ngamaYuda. Kwakufuna inkalipho ngamaKristu angamaYuda awayehlala kwimimandla yamaYuda​—njengokuba kwakunjalo ngamakholwa akwelakwaYuda​—ukushumayela ngoKristu nokwamkela amakholwa eeNtlanga angalukanga.​—Yer. 31:31-33; Luka 22:20.

7. Ziziphi iinyaniso awayengaziqondi ‘amadoda awayevela kwelakwaYuda?’

⁷ Kakade ke, imilinganiselo kaThixo yayingatshintshanga. Ubungqina boku kukuba, umongo womnqophiso omtsha wawufana nowoMthetho kaMoses. (Mat. 22:36-40) Ngokomzekelo, uPawulos wabhala ngolwaluko wathi: “[UmYuda] uba ngumYuda ngaphakathi, yaye woluke entliziyweni ngomoya oyingcwele, kungekhona ngomthetho obhaliweyo.” (Roma 2:29; Dut. 10:16) La ‘madoda awayevela kwelakwaYuda’ ayengaziqondi ezi nyaniso kodwa ayesithi uThixo wayengawubhangisanga umthetho wolwaluko. Ngaba babeza kuphulaphula xa beqiqiswa?

8. Kwakutheni ukuze umbandela wolwaluko usiwe eYerusalem kwiqumrhu elilawulayo?

⁸ ULuka waqhubeka esithi: “Emva kokuba loo madoda [awayevela kwelakwaYuda] ephikisene kakhulu noPawulos noBharnabhas, kwathunyelwa uPawulos, uBharnabhas nabanye abafundi ukuba benyuke baye kubuza ngale nto kubapostile nakubadala eYerusalem.” c (IZe. 15:2) ‘Ukuphikisana  kakhulu’ kwakubonisa ukuba omabini la maqela ayebambelele ngokuqinileyo kwiimbono zawo yaye ibandla lakwa-Antiyokwe lalingakwazi ukuyicombulula le ngxaki. Ukuze kubekho uxolo nomanyano, ngobulumko ibandla lagqiba ekubeni lo mba usiwe “kubapostile nakubadala eYerusalem” ababebumba iqumrhu elilawulayo. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kubadala bakwa-Antiyokwe?

9, 10. Nguwuphi umzekelo omhle abasimisela wona abazalwana bakwa-Antiyokwe, uPawulos noBharnabhas namhlanje?

⁹ Esinye isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifundayo kukuba sifanele siyithembe intlangano kaThixo. Khawuyicinge lento: Abazalwana bakwa-Antiyokwe babesazi ukuba iqumrhu elilawulayo lalibunjwa ngamaKristu anemvelaphi yobuYuda kuphela. Nakuba kwakunjalo, babenentembelo yokuba laliza kuwuzinzisa ngeZibhalo umba wolwaluko. Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba balithembe? Ibandla laliqinisekile ukuba uYehova wayeza kwalathisa izinto ngomoya wakhe nangeNtloko yebandla lamaKristu, uYesu Kristu. (Mat. 28:18, 20; Efe. 1:22, 23) Xa kuvela imibandela entununtunu namhlanje, masixelise umzekelo wamakholwa akwa-Antiyokwe ngokuyithemba intlangano kaThixo neQumrhu layo Elilawulayo lamaKristu athanjisiweyo.​—Mat. 24:45.

¹⁰ Kwakhona sikhunjuzwa ngokubaluleka kokuthobeka nokuba nomonde. UPawulos noBharnabhas bamiselwa ngumoya oyingcwele ukuba baye ezintlangeni kodwa abazange basebenzise elo gunya ukuze bayizinzise ngoko nangoko imbambano yolwaluko kwa-Antiyokwe. (IZe. 13:2, 3) Ukongezelela, kamva uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Ndaya [eYerusalem] kuba ndandithunywe nguYesu”​—nto leyo ebonisa ukuba lo mbandela wawusalathiswa ngumoya kaThixo. (Gal. 2:2) Nanamhlanje abadala balwela ukuba nesimo sengqondo esifanayo sokuthobeka nokuba nomonde xa kuvela iingxwabangxwaba ezinokubangela iiyantlukwano. Kunokuba basukuzane, bakhangela kuYehova besebenzisa iZibhalo nemiyalelo nokhokelo oludluliselwa likhoboka elithembekileyo.​—Fil. 2:2, 3.

11, 12. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba silindele kuYehova?

 ¹¹ Kwezinye iimeko kusenokufuneka silindele kuYehova ukuba asikhanyisele ngombandela othile. Khumbula ukuba abazalwana bexesha likaPawulos kwafuneka balinde de kube malunga no-49 C.E.​—iminyaka eyi-13 ukususela ngexesha lokuthanjiswa kukaKorneli ngo-36 C.E.—​ngaphambi kokuba uYehova awuzinzise umbandela wokuba babefanele boluke kusini na abantu beeNtlanga. Kwakutheni ukuze awuyeke ixesha elide kangaka? Mhlawumbi uYehova wayefuna ukunika amaYuda anyanisekileyo ithuba elaneleyo lokwenza utshintsho olukhulu kwiimbono zawo. Ukongezelela, kwakungeyonto ilula ukubhangiswa komnqophiso omdala wolwaluko owawuneminyaka eyi-1 900 ukho, nowawenziwe nokhokho wawo othandekayo uAbraham!​—Yoh. 16:12.

¹² Lilungelo elingenakuthelekiswa nanto ukuyalelwa nokuxonxwa nguBawo wethu osemazulwini onomonde nonothando! Imiphumo isoloko iyingenelo kuthi. (Isa. 48:17, 18; 64:8) Ngoko ke, masingaze sifune ukunyanzelisa izimvo zethu ngekratshi okanye sigxeke utshintsho okanye indlela entsha ezicaciswa ngayo izibhalo. (INtshu. 7:8) Ukuba uphawula ukuba unaloo ngxaki, enoba incinane kangakanani na, camngca ngemigaqo efike ngexesha elifanelekileyo ekwiZenzo isahluko 15 uze uthandazele uncedo. d

13. Singawubonisa njani umonde kaYehova kubulungiseleli bethu?

¹³ Kusenokufuneka sibe nomonde xa sifunda iBhayibhile nomntu ekunzima kuye ukwahlukana neemfundiso zobuxoki okanye izithethe ezingasekelwanga eBhayibhileni ebezithanda. Kwiimeko ezinjalo, kusenokufuneka sivumele ixesha elaneleyo lokuba umoya kaThixo usebenze entliziyweni yaloo mfundi. (1 Kor. 3:6, 7) Kwakhona kuhle ukuba siyithandazele loo nto. Ngendlela ethile nangexesha elifanelekileyo, uThixo uya kusenza siyazi into esifanele siyenze.​—1 Yoh. 5:14.

14, 15. Ibandla lakwa-Antiyokwe layibonisa njani imbeko kuPawulos, kuBharnabhas nakwabanye ababehamba nabo, yaye oku kwaba yiyo njani intsikelelo njani kwamanye amaKristu?

¹⁴ Ibali likaLuka liyaqhubeka: “Emva kokuba ibandla libakhaphile lajika endleleni, badlulela eFenike naseSamariya, bebalisa ngokweenkcukacha ngendlela abantu beentlanga abaguquke ngayo, ibe loo nto yabavuyisa kakhulu bonke abazalwana.” (IZe. 15:3) Ukukhatshwa ngokuyinxenye libandla kukaPawulos noBharnabhas nabanye ababehamba nabo kwakubonisa uthando lobuKristu nembeko kubo, yaye kubonisa ukuba ibandla lalibanqwenelela intsikelelo kaThixo. Kwakhona abazalwana bakwa-Antiyokwe basimisela umzekelo omhle. Ngaba ubonisa imbeko kubazalwana noodade abangamaKristu ‘ingakumbi abadala abasebenza nzima ekuthetheni nasekufundiseni’?​—1 Tim. 5:17.

 ¹⁵ Endleleni, abathunywa baba yintsikelelo kumaKristu aseFenike naseSamariya kuba bawabalisela “ngokweenkcukacha” amava entsimi yeeNtlanga. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye abantu ababephulaphule yayingamakholwa angamaYuda awayebaleke kuloo mimandla emva kokuba uStefano ebulewe ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, iingxelo zentsikelelo kaYehova kumsebenzi wokwenza abafundi ziyabakhuthaza abazalwana, ngokukodwa abo bajamelene novavanyo. Ngaba uyazuza kwezi ngxelo ngokubakho kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, kwiindibano ezinkulu nezincinane nangokufunda amava namabali obomi akwiincwadi zethu eziprintiweyo okanye ezikwi-jw.org?

16. Yintoni eyayibonisa ukuba ulwaluko lwalungumbandela onzima?

¹⁶ Emva kokuhamba umgama omalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-550 ukuya emazantsi, ekugqibeleni abathunywa bakwa-Antiyokwe bade bafika apho babesiya khona. ULuka wabhala wathi: “Ukufika kwabo eYerusalem, bamkelwa ngobubele libandla, ngabapostile nangabadala, yaye babalisa ngezinto ezininzi ezazenziwe nguThixo esebenzisa bona.” (IZe. 15:4) Noko ke, “abanye ababekade bekwiqela labaFarisi baza baba ngamakholwa, baphakama ezitulweni zabo bathi: ‘Kuza kufuneka boluke baze baxelelwe ukuba bathobele uMthetho KaMoses.’” (IZe. 15:5) Kuyacaca ukuba, imbambano yolwaluko lwamaKristu angengomaYuda yayingumbandela onzima yaye wawumele uzinziswe.

17. Yayingoobani ababebumba iqumrhu elilawulayo laseYerusalem, yaye inokuba yintoni eyabangela ukuba kuqukwe ‘nabadala’?

¹⁷ IMizekeliso 13:10 ithi: “Ubulumko bobabantu abafuna amacebiso.” Ngokuvumelana nalo mgaqo usengqiqweni, “abapostile nabadala badibana ukuze bathethe [ngalo mcimbi wolwaluko].” (IZe. 15:6) “Abapostile nabadala” babemela lonke ibandla lamaKristu kanye njengokuba iQumrhu Elilawulayo lisenza namhlanje. Kwakutheni ukuze “abadala” basebenze ngokusondeleyo kunye nabapostile? Khumbula kaloku ukuba umpostile uYakobi wayebulewe yaye umpostile uPetros wayekhe wavalelwa okwethutyana. Ngaba kwakunokwenzeka into efanayo nakwabanye abapostile? Ukubakho kwamanye amadoda athanjisiweyo afanelekayo kwakuza kuqinisekisa ukuba izinto ziqhubeka zisenziwa ngendlela elungeleleneyo.

18, 19. Ngawaphi amazwi anamandla awathethwa nguPetros, yaye abaphulaphuli babefanele bafikelele kwesiphi isigqibo?

 ¹⁸ ULuka uthi: “Emva kokuba bexoxe ixesha elide, uPetros waphakama wathi: ‘Madoda, bazalwana, niyazi kakuhle into yokuba kwasekuqaleni uThixo wakhetha mna phakathi kwenu ukuba ndishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo kubantu beentlanga ukuze bakholwe. UThixo, oyaziyo intliziyo, wabonisa ukuba uyabamkela ngokubanika umoya oyingcwele, kanye njengokuba wenzayo nakuthi. Akazange enze kubekho mahluko phakathi kwethu nabo, kodwa wazicoca iintliziyo zabo ngenxa yokholo abanalo.’” (IZe. 15:7-9) Ngokutsho kwenye imbekiselo, igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “bexoxe ixesha elide” kwindinyana yesixhenxe likwathetha “ukufuna; ukubuza.” Kuyabonakala ukuba abazalwana babeneembono ezahlukahlukeneyo abazichaza ngokuphandle.

¹⁹ Amazwi kaPetros anamandla akhumbuza bonke abantu ukuba wayekho xa abeeNtlanga abangolukanga bokuqala​—uKorneli nendlu yakhe​—bathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele ngo-36 C.E. Ngoko ke, ukuba uYehova wayengasacaluli phakathi kwamaYuda neeNtlanga, ngubani owayeza kuba nobuganga bokucalula. Ngaphezu koko, intliziyo yekholwa ihlanjululwa lukholo kuKristu kungekhona kukunamathela kuMthetho kaMoses.​—Gal. 2:16.

20. Abakhuthazi bolwaluko ‘babemvavanya njani uThixo’?

²⁰ Ngenxa yobungqina obungenakuphikiswa obabuvela kwilizwi likaThixo nomoya oyingcwele, uPetros wagqiba ngelithi: “Kutheni ke ngoku nimvavanya uThixo ngokuthwalisa abafundi idyokhwe eyaboyisayo ookhokho bethu yasoyisa nathi? Endaweni yaloo nto, siyakholelwa ukuba siza kusindiswa ngenxa yobubele beNkosi uYesu kanye njengabo.” (IZe. 15:10, 11) Enyanisweni abakhuthazi bolwaluko ‘babemvavanya uThixo’ okanye ngokutsho kwenye inguqulelo ‘babemlinga.’ Babezama ukunyanzela abeeNtlanga ukuba babambelele kumthetho bona maYuda ababengakwazanga ukuwuthobela ngokupheleleyo, ngaloo ndlela bebagwebela ukufa. (Gal. 3:10) Kunokuba bakhuthaze ulwaluko, abaphulaphuli bakaPetros abangamaYuda babefanele babe nombulelo ngobubele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo obabonakaliswa ngoYesu.

21. UBharnabhas noPawulos bongezelela ntoni kwingxubusho?

²¹ Kuyabonakala ukuba uPetros wathetha kwavakala kuba “kwathi cwaka.” Emva koko, uBharnabhas noPawulos babalisa “ngemimangaliso nezinto ezinkulu aye uThixo wazenzela abantu beentlanga esebenzisa bona.” (IZe. 15:12) Ekugqibeleni abapostile nabadala babenokukwazi ukubuhlolisisa bonke ubungqina baze benze isigqibo esasibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuthanda kukaThixo kumbandela wolwaluko.

22-24. (a) IQumrhu Elilawulayo lanamhlanje liwulandela njani umzekelo wequmrhu elilawulayo langaphambili? (b) Abadala banokuyibonisa njani intlonelo ngelungiselelo lobuthixo?

²² Nanamhlanje, xa iQumrhu Elilawulayo linentlanganiso, amalungu alo  afuna ukhokelo kwiLizwi likaThixo aze athandazele umoya oyingcwele. (INdu. 119:105; Mat. 7:7-11) Ukuze enze izigqibo ezamkelekileyo kuThixo, lungu ngalinye leQumrhu Elilawulayo lifumana uludwe lweengongoma eziza kuxutyushwa kusengaphambili ukuze lizicingisise lize lithandaze ngazo. (IMize. 15:28) Entlanganisweni, aba bazalwana bathanjisiweyo bathetha ngokukhululekileyo nangentlonelo. Basoloko besebenzisa iBhayibhile kwiingxubusho zabo.

²³ Abadala bebandla bafanele bawuxelise lo mzekelo. Ukuba kukho umbandela onzulu abangakwaziyo ukuwucombulula banokubhalela iofisi yesebe yasekuhlaleni okanye abameli bayo abamiselweyo, njengabaveleli beziphaluka. Yona ke iofisi yesebe, inokubhalela iQumrhu Elilawulayo, ukuba kuyimfuneko.

²⁴ Ewe, uYehova uyabasikelela abo balihlonelayo ilungiselelo lobuthixo nabo bathobekileyo, banyanisekileyo nabanomonde. Njengokuba siza kubona kwisahluko esilandelayo, uThixo ubavuza ngoxolo, ngenkqubela yokomoya nangomanyano lobuKristu.