1-3. UYesu wemka njani kubafundi bakhe, ibe loo nto iphakamisa yiphi imibuzo?

 KUNZIMA, abapostile abafuni kwahlukana noYesu. Indlela ebekumnandi ngayo kubapostile kwezi veki zidlulileyo! Ukuvuswa kwakhe ekufeni kuye kwaluvuselela uvuyo lwabo. Ngoku, sele iziintsuku eziyi-40 uYesu emana ebonakala kubalandeli bakhe, ebafundisa aze abakhuthaze. Kodwa ke, kolu usuku ubonakala okokugqibela.

² Bemi kunye kwiNtaba Yeminquma, abapostile bakaYesu abafuni kuphoswa nayinto le encinci ayithethayo. Akuba egqibile ngoxa besalindele ukuva okungakumbi, uphakamisa izandla zakhe aze abasikelele. Emva koko uyawushiya umhlaba! Abalandeli bakhe bamthe ntshoo njengoko enyukela ezulwini. Ekugqibeleni usithwa lilifu bangabi sambona. Umkile, kodwa bona basajonge esibhakabhakeni.​—Luka 24:50; IZe. 1:9, 10.

 ³ Esi siganeko sithetha isiqalo esitsha kubomi babapostile bakaYesu. Baza kuthini ngoku ekubeni iNkosi yabo uYesu Kristu inyukele ezulwini? Ngokuqinisekileyo iNkosi yabo iye yabaqeqesha kakuhle ukuze batyhalele phambili nomsebenzi eyawuqalayo. Yabaxhobisela njani lo msebenzi ubalulekileyo futhi benza ntoni emva kokuxhotyiswa? AmaKristu namhlanje anokufunda ntoni kweli bali? Isahluko sokuqala sencwadi yeZenzo sinazo kanye ezo mpendulo.

4. ULuka uyiqalisa njani ingxelo yakhe ekwincwadi yeZenzo?

⁴ ULuka uqalisa ingxelo yakhe ngokuthetha noTiyofilo, indoda ebeyibhalele yona incwadi yakhe yeVangeli. a Esenza kucace ukuba ingxelo yakhe uyiqala apho ebeyiyeke khona, uLuka ugabul’ izigcawu ngokushwankathela iziganeko ebethethe ngazo xa ebegqibezela incwadi yakhe yeVangeli kodwa ngoku esebenzisa amazwi ahlukileyo neenkcukacha ezingakumbi.

5, 6. (a) Yintoni enokunceda abalandeli bakaYesu bahlale benokholo olomeleleyo? (b) Ukholo lwamaKristu anamhlanje lusekelwe njani ‘kwizinto ezininzi eziwashiya engathandabuzi’?

⁵ Yintoni enokunceda abalandeli bakaYesu bahlale benokholo olomeleleyo? KwiZenzo 1:3, sifunda le nto ngoYesu: “Wababonisa ukuba uyaphila ngezinto ezininzi ezabashiya bengathandabuzi.” EBhayibhileni, ‘ngugqirha othandekayo’ uLuka kuphela owasebenzisa igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ezabashiya bengathandabuzi.” (Kol. 4:14) Yayiligama elalibhalwa kwizinto zonyango, futhi lithetha ubungqina obucacileyo nobunamandla. UYesu wabunika obo bungqina. Wabonakala kubalandeli bakhe kaninzi, ngamanye amaxesha komnye okanye kwababini, ngamanye kubo bonke abapostile bakhe, kanti wakha wabonakala nakumakholwa angaphezu kwe-500. (1 Kor. 15:3-6) Nyhani, loo nto yabashiya bengathandabuzi!

⁶ Ngokufanayo namhlanje ukholo lwamaKristu okwenyaniso lusekelwe ‘kwizinto ezininzi eziwashiya engathandabuzi.’ Ngaba bukho ubungqina bokuba uYesu waphila emhlabeni, wafela izono zethu waza wavuswa? Ewe, bukho! Bufumaneka kwiingxelo zamangqina okuzibonela ezinokuthenjwa ezikwiLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. Ukufunda ezi ngxelo nokuthandaza kunokulomeleza gqitha ukholo lwethu. Khumbula ukuba, ubungqina obubambekayo bunokwenza umahluko phakathi kokholo lwenene nolomntu nje okholelwa kwinto yonke. Simele sibe nokholo lwenene ukuze sizuze ubomi obungunaphakade.​—Yoh. 3:16.

7. UYesu wabonisa ukuba bafanele bafundise futhi bashumayele njani abalandeli bakhe?

⁷ Kwakhona, uYesu ‘wayethetha ngoBukumkani BukaThixo.’ Ngokomzekelo, wacacisa iziprofeto ezazibonisa ukuba uMesiya wayeza kuva ubuhlungu futhi  wayeza kufa. (Luka 24:13-32, 46, 47) Xa wayecacisa indima yakhe njengoMesiya wathetha ngoBukumkani bukaThixo kuba wayeza kuba nguKumkani. UBukumkani babusoloko bungumxholo awayeshumayela ngayo uYesu, ibe nabalandeli bakhe banamhlanje basashumayela ngaloo myalezo ubalulekileyo.​—Mat. 24:14; Luka 4:43.

8, 9. (a) Zeziphi iingcinga ezimbini ezingachananga ababenazo abapostile bakaYesu? (b) UYesu wazilungisa njani izinto ababezicinga abapostile bakhe, ibe loo nto iwafundisa ntoni amaKristu namhlanje?

⁸ Xa abapostile babehlanganisene kwiNtaba Yeminquma, kwakukokokugqibela bekunye noYesu emhlabeni. Befun’ ukwazi, bambuza: “Nkosi, ububuyisela ngeli xesha na ubukumkani kuSirayeli?” (IZe. 1:6) Lo mbuzo watyhila ukuba babecinga izinto ezimbini ezingachananga. Eyokuqala, babecinga ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo babuza kubuyiselwa kuSirayeli wokwemvelo. Eyesibini, babelindele ukuba obo Bukumkani buthenjisiweyo buqalise ukulawula ngoko nangoko, “ngeli xesha.” UYesu wazilungisa njani ezo ngcinga zabo?

⁹ UYesu wayesazi ukuba le yokuqala into ababeyicinga kwakusele kukufutshane ukuba ilungiswe. Phofu, kwiintsuku nje ezilishumi abalandeli bakhe babesele beza kubona ukuzalwa kohlanga olutsha, uSirayeli kaThixo. Emva koko, uhlanga lwamaSirayeli lwaluza kuyeka ukuba ngabantu bakaThixo abakhethekileyo. Kule yesibini into ababeyicinga, uYesu wabakhumbuza le nto: “Akukho mfuneko yokuba nazi amaxesha uTata awabeke ngegunya lakhe.” (IZe. 1:7) NguYehova kuphela onegunya lokugqiba ukuba makwenzeke nini ukuthanda kwakhe. Ngaphambi kokufa kukaYesu, wachaza ukuba naye njengoNyana wayengayazi ‘imini naloo yure’ esiya kufika ngayo isiphelo kodwa “nguTata kuphela” owayesazi. (Mat. 24:36) Nanamhlanje, xa amaKristu ezikhathaza ngokungeyomfuneko ngokufika kwesiphelo seli hlabathi aza kuba azikhathaza ngento engafuni wona.

10. Yeyiphi ingqondo entle ababenayo abapostile, futhi kutheni nathi sifanele sizame ukuba nayo?

¹⁰ Ayikho into esimele sibagxeke ngayo aba bapostile bakaYesu kuba babengamadoda okholo. Bathobeka bakwamkela ukulungiswa. Nakuba umbuzo wabo wawubangelwa ziingcinga ezingachananga, eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba wawuveza ingqondo entle ababenayo. UYesu wayemana eyiphindaphinda kubafundi bakhe into ethi: “Hlalani nithe qwa.” (Mat. 24:42; 25:13; 26:41) Babethe qwa ke nyhani, bekhangela ubungqina bokuba uYehova sele eza kwenza into. Yingqondo ekufuneka sibe nayo nathi leyo namhlanje. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba sihlale sithe qwa kuba siphila ‘kwimihla yokugqibela.’​—2 Tim. 3:1-5.

11, 12. (a) Nguwuphi umsebenzi uYesu awawunika abalandeli bakhe? (b) Kutheni yayifanelekile nje into yokuba uYesu athethe ngomoya oyingcwele xa wayethetha ngomsebenzi wokushumayela?

¹¹ UYesu wakhumbuza abapostile ngeyona nto bamele bazikhathaze ngayo. Wathi: “Niza kuba namandla xa nifumana umoya oyingcwele, ibe niza kuba ngamangqina am eYerusalem, kulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya, de niyokufika  nakwezona ndawo zikude emhlabeni.” (IZe. 1:8) Iindaba zokuvuswa kukaYesu zaziza kuqala zishunyayelwe eYerusalem, apho wayebulawelwe khona. Emva koko, lo myalezo wawuza kudlulela kulo lonke elakwaYuda, naseSamariya kude kuse nakwezona ndawo zikude.

¹² Ngaphambi kokuba uYesu athumele abafundi bakhe ukuba baye kushumayela, waqala wabakhumbuza ukuba wayeza kuthumela umoya oyingcwele ukuba ubancede. Le yenye yeendawo ezingaphezu kweziyi-40 avela kuzo amagama athi “umoya oyingcwele” kwincwadi yeZenzo. Le ncwadi yeBhayibhile ebangel’ umdla ineendawo ezininzi ezenza kucace ukuba asinakukufeza ukuthanda kukaYehova ngaphandle kokuncedwa ngumoya oyingcwele. Ngoko, kubaluleke gqitha ukuba sihlale siwuthandazela! (Luka 11:13) Ngoku ufuneka ngakumbi kunangaphambili.

13. Mkhulu kangakanani umsebenzi wokushumayela onikwe abantu bakaThixo namhlanje, ibe kutheni sifanele sihlale sixakeke nguwo?

¹³ Intsingiselo yala mazwi athi “nakwezona ndawo zikude emhlabeni” iye yatshintsha ukususela ngaloo mihla. Njengokuba kuye kwaboniswa kwisahluko esandulela esi, amaNgqina kaYehova aye awamkela ngeentliziyo ezivumayo lo msebenzi wokungqina esazi ukuba uThixo ufuna zonke iintlobo zabantu zive iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) Ngaba uxakeke ngulo msebenzi usindis’ ubomi? Soze uwufumane naphi na umsebenzi onenjongo nowanelisa njengalo! UYehova uya kukunika amandla ukuze uwenze. Incwadi yeZenzo iza kukuchazela ngakumbi ngeendlela ezifanelekileyo nengqondo ofanele ube nayo ukuze uphumelele kulo msebenzi.

14, 15. (a) Yintoni eyathethwa ziingelosi ngokubuya kukaKristu, ibe zazitheth’ ukuthini? (Jonga nombhalo osemazantsi) (b) Ukubuya kukaYesu kwafana njani ‘nendlela’ awahamba ngayo?

¹⁴ Njengokuba kuye kwatshiwo ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko, uYesu wenyukela emazulwini akabi sabonakala emhlabeni. Kanti abapostile bakhe abayi-11 babesamile bethe ntshoo bejonge esibhakabhakeni. Kusenjalo, kwavela iingelosi ezimbini zaza zathi kubo: “Madoda aseGalili, kutheni nimile nje nijonge esibhakabhakeni? Lo Yesu uthathiweyo kuni, wanyuselwa esibhakabhakeni, uza kuza ngale ndlela nimbone esiya ngayo esibhakabhakeni.” (IZe. 1:11) Ngaba iingelosi zazithetha ukuba uYesu wayeza kubuya enalo mzimba wayenawo njengokuba besitsho kwezinye iicawa? Zazingathethi loo nto. Kutheni sisitsho nje?

¹⁵ Ezi ngelosi azizange zithi uYesu wayeza kubuya ekwimo efanayo, kodwa zathi “ngale ndlela.” b Yeyiphi indlela awemka ngayo? Wayengasabonakali xa ezi ngelosi zazithetha la mazwi. Ngabo bapostile bambalwa kuphela ababesazi ukuba uYesu uwushiyile umhlaba esiya kuTata wakhe ezulwini. UKristu wayeza kubuya kwangaloo ndlela. Kuye kwanjalo ke nyhani. Namhlanje, ngabo baziqondayo iZibhalo kuphela ababonayo ukuba uYesu sele ekho elawula njengokumkani. (Luka 17:20) Simele sibuqonde ubungqina bokubakho kwakhe size sincede nabanye baqonde ukuba kufuneka bekhonze uThixo ngoku.

16-18. (a) Yintoni esiyifunda kwiZenzo 1:13, 14 ngokuhlanganisana kwamaKristu ukuze anqule? (b) Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo kaMariya, umama kaYesu? (c) Zibaluleke ngantoni iintlanganiso zamaKristu namhlanje?

¹⁶ Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba abapostile “babuyela eYerusalem bevuya kakhulu.” (Luka 24:52) Kodwa babeza kwenza ntoni ngezikhokelo nemiyalelo kaKristu? Kwivesi ye-13 neye-14 zesahluko sokuqala sencwadi yeZenzo sixelelwa ukuba babehlanganisene “kwigumbi eliphezulu,” futhi zininzi izinto ezibangel’ umdla esizivayo ngezo ntlanganiso. Ngelo xesha, izindlu zasePalestina zazidla ngokuba namagumbi aphezulu kusetyenziswa iziteps ezingaphandle ukuya kuwo. Ngaba eli ‘gumbi liphezulu’ yayilelendlu kamama kaMarko ekuthethwa ngalo kwiZenzo 12:12? Noba kwakuphi na, kuyabonakala ukuba abalandeli bakaKristu babehlanganisana apho. Kodwa ngoobani ababehlanganisana apho futhi babesenza ntoni?

¹⁷ Phawula ukuba le ntlanganiso yayingeyoyabapostile okanye amadoda kuphela. Kwakukho “nabafazi abathile” kuquka umama kaYesu, uMariya. Le yindawo yokugqibela ekuthethwa kuyo ngegama likaMariya eBhayibhileni. Kuyakhuthaza ukucinga ngaye ekuloo ntlanganiso, ethobekile ekhonza namanye amaKristu engazami ukuwenza acinge ukuba ubalulekile. Kumele ukuba kwamthuthuzela gqitha ukubona abanye oonyana bakhe, ababengazange bakholelwe kuYesu esaphila, bekunye naye. (Mat. 13:55; Yoh. 7:5) Emva kokufa nokuvuswa komntakwabo uYesu, baguquka.​—1 Kor. 15:7.

¹⁸ Nasi esinye isizathu sokuhlanganisana kwaba bafundi: “Bonke baqhubeka bethandaza, benenjongo enye.” (IZe. 1:14) Ukuhlanganisana kunye bekusoloko kuyeyona nto ibalulekileyo kunqulo lwamaKristu. Sihlanganisana kunye ukuze sikhuthazane, sifundiswe size silulekwe, ibe ngaphezu kwako konke, ukuze sinqule uBawo wethu wasezulwini, uYehova. Uvuyiswa gqitha kukuva umthandazo neengoma esizivumayo kwezo ntlanganiso ibe kunjalo nakuthi. Kwanga singangaze siyeke ukuya kwezi ntlanganiso zingcwele nezisakhayo!​—Heb. 10:24, 25.

19-21. (a) Yintoni esiyifundayo kwinto yokuba yaba nguPetros okhokelayo ekulungisweni kwengxaki ebalulekileyo? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke umntu oza kungena endaweni kaYudas, ibe sinokufunda ntoni kwindlela awakhethwa ngayo?

¹⁹ Ngoku kukho ingxaki ebalulekileyo ekufuneka bayilungise aba balandeli bakaKristu ibe umpostile uPetros nguye ohamba phambili ekuzeni neqhinga layo. (Ivesi 15-26) Kuyakhuthaza ukubona uPetros esetyenziswa kwakhona nguYehova nangona ebephike uYesu kathathu! (Marko 14:72) Sonke singabantu abakekelele kwicala lokona ibe kufuneka sikhunjuzwe ukuba uYehova “ulungile yaye ukulungele ukuxolela” abo baguquka ngokunyanisekileyo.​—INdu. 86:5.

²⁰ UPetros waqonda ukuba kumele kubekho omnye umntu oza kungena endaweni kaYudas, umpostile owangcatsha uYesu. Kodwa ibe ngubani? Loo mpostile mtsha umele abe ngumntu owayelandela uYesu ngalo lonke ixesha lomsebenzi wakhe wasemhlabeni nowakubonayo ukuvuswa kwakhe. (IZe. 1:21, 22) Loo nto ihambelana nento eyathenjiswa nguYesu esithi: “Nina eniye  nandilandela niza kuhlala kwiitrone eziyi-12, nigwebe izizwe zakwaSirayeli eziyi-12.” (Mat. 19:28) Kuyabonakala ukuba uYehova wayenenjongo yokuba abapostile abayi-12 ababelandela uYesu kumsebenzi wakhe wasemhlabeni, ibe ngabo ababumba “amatye esiseko ayi-12” eYerusalem Entsha. (ISityhi. 21:2, 14) Ngoko, uThixo wanceda uPetros waqonda ukuba sasisebenza kuYudas isiprofeto esithi, “masithathwe ngomnye umntu isikhundla sakhe.”​—INdu. 109:8.

²¹ Wayeza kukhethwa njani loo mpostile? Ngokwenza amaqashiso, into eyayiqhelekile ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. (IMize. 16:33) Kodwa ke, apha kokokugqibela iBhayibhile ithetha ngokwenziwa kwamaqashiso. Kuyacaca ukuba ukuthululwa komoya oyingcwele kwayiphelisa le nkqubo. Kodwa, phawula isizathu sokusetyenziswa kwamaqashiso. Abapostile bathandaza bathi: “Owu Yehova, wena uzaziyo iintliziyo zabantu bonke, sibonise ukuba ukhethe eyiphi kula madoda mabini.” (IZe. 1:23, 24) Babefuna ibe nguYehova okhethayo. Kwakhethwa uMatiya, ekubonakalayo ukuba wayekho kubafundi abayi-70 ababethunywe ukuyoshumayela nguYesu. Ngoko, uMatiya waba ngomnye wabapostile “Abalishumi Elinesibini.” c​—IZe. 6:2.

22, 23. Kutheni simele sibathobele abo bakhokela ibandla namhlanje??

²² Le nto isikhumbuza ukuba uThixo ufuna abantu bakhe bahlelwe kakuhle. Nanamhlanje, kusakhethwa amadoda akwaziyo ukuthwala imisebenzi ukuba abe ngabaveleli ebandleni. Abadala bahlolisisa iimfaneleko zeZibhalo abamele babe nazo abo baveleli, baze bathandazele ukukhokelwa ngumoya oyingcwele. Ngenxa yaloo nto, ibandla liwathatha la madoda njengamiselwe ngumoya oyingcwele. Into elindeleke kuthi kukuba siwathobele ukuze kubekho intsebenziswano ebandleni.​—Heb. 13:17.

²³ Abafundi bakaYesu baqiniswa kukumbona emva kokuba evusiwe nazizinto ezatshintshwayo ukuze umsebenzi uhleleke. Ngoko babeyixhobele into eyayiza kulandela. Isahluko esilandelayo siza kuthetha ngayo loo ntw’ ibangel’ umdla.