1, 2. Yintoni ebangela ukuba uPawulos eze eYerusalem, yaye ziziphi iingxaki aza kujamelana nazo?

 KUSEYERUSALEM! UPawulos uphinde wakwizitrato zayo ezincinane neziphithizelayo. Asikho isixeko emhlabeni esikhetheke njengesi ngokuphathelele imbali kaYehova nabantu bakhe. Inkoliso yabantu balapha izingca gqitha ngozuko esasinalo esi sixeko. UPawulos uyazi ukuba amaKristu amaninzi apha abeke ithemba lawo kwizinto zangaphambili, ngoko akenzi lutshintsho kubomi bawo nasemva kokuba eye aqonda ukuba uYehova uyitshintshile indlela asebenzisana ngayo nabantu bakhe. UPawulos uphawula ukuba ukongezelela kwintswelo yezinto eziphathekayo eyabangela ukuba abuye e-Efese eze kwesi sixeko, ngoku kukho nentswelo yokomoya. (IZe. 19:21) Nakubeni oko kwakumbeka esichengeni, akazange agungqe kwisigqibo sakhe sokubuyela eYerusalem.

² Yiyiphi imeko aza kujamelana nayo uPawulos eYerusalem? Enye ingxaki iza kubangelwa ngabalandeli bakaKristu, kuba abanye babo baye baphazanyiswa ngamarhe abawevayo ngoPawulos. Kodwa ezona ngxaki zinkulu ziza kubangelwa ziintshaba zikaKristu. Ziza kuyila izityholo zobuxoki nxamnye naye, zimbethe zize zimsongele ngokumbulala. Ezi zidubedube ziza kumnceda uPawulos afumane ithuba lokuzithethelela. Ukuthobeka kwakhe, inkalipho nokholo alubonisayo kwindlela asingatha ngayo ezi ngxaki zingumzekelo omhle gqitha kumaKristu namhlanje. Makhe sibone indlela okwenzeka ngayo oko.

3-5. (a) Yiyiphi intlanganiso awaya kuyo uPawulos eYerusalem, ibe ziziphi izinto ekwaxutyushwa ngazo apho? (b) Yintoni esiyifundayo kuloo ntlanganiso kaPawulos nabadala baseYerusalem?

³ Emva kosuku befikile eYerusalem, uPawulos noogxa bakhe baya kubonana nabadala bebandla. Kubapostile abasaphilayo akukho namnye okhankanywayo kule ngxelo; mhlawumbi ngelo xesha bonke babesele beye kukhonza kwamanye amabandla. Kodwa, uYakobi umntakwaboYesu wayeselapho. (Gal. 2:9) Kuyacaca ukuba, nguye owongamela loo ntlanganiso xa ‘babekhona bonke abadala’ kunye noPawulos.​—IZe. 21:18.

⁴ UPawulos wabulisa amadoda amakhulu “wabachazela zonke izinto uThixo azenzileyo kubantu beentlanga, esebenzisa yena kumsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela.” (IZe. 21:19) Kumele ukuba kwabakhuthaza gqitha abazalwana ukuva oko. Nathi namhlanje isivuyisa gqitha inkqubela yomsebenzi eyenziwa kwamanye amazwe.​—IMize. 25:25.

⁵ UPawulos umele ukuba wayikhankanya neminikelo awayeze nayo ivela  eYurophu. Inkxalabo eyaboniswa ngabazalwana abakwiindawo ezikude kangako imele ukuba yabatsho banombulelo ngokwenene abo uPawulos wayethetha nabo. Ngenxa yoko kwakuthethwe nguPawulos le ngxelo ithi, ‘abadala bamzukisa uThixo’! (IZe. 21:20a) Ngokufanayo, abaninzi abehlelwa ziintlekele okanye izigulo ezinzulu namhlanje bachukumiseka gqitha xa befumana uncedo namazwi okhuthazo kubazalwana.

6. Yiyiphi ingxaki awaxelelwa ngayo uPawulos?

⁶ Emva koko aba badala bachazela uPawulos ngengxaki eyayibangelwa ngamarhe aphathelele yena kwaYuda. Bathi kuye: “Uyabona mzalwana, kukho amawakawaka amakholwa angamaYuda, ibe onke awukhuthalele uMthetho. Kodwa eve kusithiwa wena ufundisa onke amaYuda asezintlangeni ukuba angawuthobeli umthetho kaMoses, uwaxelela ukuba angabalusi abantwana bawo nokuba angawalandeli amasiko.” a​—IZe. 21:20b, 21.

7, 8. (a) Yiyiphi ingcamango ephosakeleyo awayenayo amaKristu amaninzi kwaYuda? (b) Kutheni loo ngcamango yamaKristu athile angamaYuda yayingenakude ifaniswe nowexuko?

⁷ Kwakutheni ukuze kubekho amaKristu amaninzi kangako asabambelele kuMthetho kaMoses, ngoxa kwakusele kudlule iminyaka engaphezu kwama-20 emva kokuba uphelisiwe? (Kol. 2:14) Ngo-49 C.E., abapostile nabadala ababehlanganisene eYerusalem bathumela ileta emabandleni becacisa ukuba kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba amakholwa abo bavela ezintlangeni aluswe yaye abe phantsi koMthetho kaMoses. (IZe. 15:23-29) Noko ke, loo leta ayizange ithethe nto ngamaKristu angamaYuda, ekwakukho amaninzi kuwo awayengaqondi ukuba uMthetho kaMoses wawusele uphelelwe lixesha.

⁸ Ngaba loo ngcamango iphosakeleyo yayisenza amaKristu angamaYuda angakufanelekeli  ukuba ngamaKristu? Nakanye. Kwakungenakuba ngathi ayekade enqula oothixo babahedeni yaye ngoku aqhubeka namasiko olo nqulo lwawo lwangaphambili. UMthetho owawubalulekile kuloo maKristu angamaYuda wawuvela kuYehova. Kwakungekho nto inakuthanani needemon okanye iphosakeleyo kuwo. Kodwa wawuphathelele umnqophiso omdala, ngoxa ngoku amaKristu ayesele ephantsi komnqophiso omtsha. Ukuthobela umnqophiso woMthetho kwakungaseyomfuneko ngokuphathelele unqulo olunyulu. AmaKristu angamaHebhere awayenenzondelelo ngoMthetho ayengaqondi yaye engenantembelo kwibandla lamaKristu. Kwakufuneka alungise indlela acinga ngayo ukuze ivisisane nokuthanda kukaThixo ngokuphathelele uMthetho. b​—Yer. 31:31-34; Luka 22:20.

9. Yintoni eyafundiswa nguPawulos ngokuphathelele uMthetho kaMoses?

⁹ Kuthekani ngamarhe athi uPawulos wayefundisa amaYuda ahlala phakathi kweentlanga ukuba “angabalusi abantwana bawo nokuba angawalandeli amasiko”? UPawulos wayengumpostile eziNtlangeni, ibe kuzo wabambelela kwisigqibo sokuba kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba abantu beeNtlanga bagcine uMthetho. Wayibhenca phandle impazamo yabo babezama ukweyisela amaKristu eeNtlanga ukuba aluswe njengembonakaliso yokuthobela uMthetho kaMoses. (Gal. 5:1-7) Kwakhona, uPawulos washumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nakumaYuda awayekwezo zixeko wayetyelela kuzo. Ngokuqinisekileyo wabacacisela abo bamphulaphulayo ukuba ukufa kukaYesu kwawutshitshisa uMthetho kwanokuba ubulungisa bufumaneka ngokuba nokholo, kungekhona imisebenzi yoMthetho.​—Roma 2:28, 29; 3:21-26.

10. Yiyiphi imbono elungeleleneyo awayenayo uPawulos ngokuphathelele uMthetho nolwaluko?

 ¹⁰ Sekunjalo, uPawulos wabonisa ukuqonda kwabo babevakalelwa kukuba bamele bagcine amasiko amaYuda, njengokuhlala bangasebenzi ngeSabatha okanye bangatyi izinto ezithile. (Roma 14:1-6) Enye into akazange amisele mithetho ngokuphathelele ulwaluko. Enyanisweni, uPawulos wamalusa uTimoti ukuze amaYuda angamkrokreli, ekubeni uyise wayengumGrike. (IZe. 16:3) Ulwaluko yayingumbandela wobuqu. UPawulos wabaxelela oku abaseGalati: “Ukoluka nokungoluki akubalulekanga, kodwa into ebalulekileyo kukuba nokholo, uqhutywa luthando.” (Gal. 5:6) Noko ke, kwakuya kuba yinto ephosakeleyo ukwaluka ngenjongo yokuthobela uMthetho okanye ukucinga ukuba kwakuyimfuneko ukuze ukholise uYehova. Oko kwakuya kubonisa ukuswela ukholo.

11. Abadala bamxelela ukuba enze ntoni uPawulos, ibe yintoni eyayiza kubandakanyeka ekuyenzeni? (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹¹ Nakuba la marhe ayebubuvuvu, amaKristu angamaYuda ayesaphazamisekile ngawo. Ngenxa yoko, abadala bamxelela oku uPawulos: “Ngoko yenza le nto: Sinamadoda amane aye enza isifungo. Hamba nawo, nizicoce, uwabhatalele neendleko zawo, ukuze achetywe iintloko. Wonke umntu uza kutsho azi ukuba bubuxoki into ayivileyo ngawe, nokuba wena wenza izinto kakuhle yaye uyawuthobela uMthetho.” c​—IZe. 21:23, 24.

12. UPawulos wakubonisa njani ukuba bhetyebhetye nokuba nentsebenziswano kwindlela awasabela ngayo kwicebiso labadala baseYerusalem?

 ¹² UPawulos ngewayeyiphikisile into yokuba eyona ngxaki yayingengomarhe athethwe ngaye kodwa yayiyinzondelelo yaloo maKristu angamaYuda ngoMthetho kaMoses. Sekunjalo wakhetha ukuba bhetyebhetye, kuba kwakungekho mgaqo kaThixo awaphulayo. Ngaphambili, wayebhale oku: “Kwabaphantsi komthetho ndaba phantsi komthetho, nakuba ndingekho phantsi komthetho.” (1 Kor. 9:20) Kwesi isihlandlo, uPawulos wavumelana nabadala baseYerusalem waba “njengophantsi komthetho.” Ngokwenjenjalo, wasimisela umzekelo omhle wokusebenzisana nabadala kunokuba sibambelele kwindlela esibona ngayo.​—Heb. 13:17.

13. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze amaYuda athile enze isidubedube etempileni? (b) UPawulos wasindiswa njani ekufeni?

¹³ Izinto azizange zihambe kakuhle etempileni. Njengoko zazisiya esiphelweni iintsuku zesibhambathiso, amaYuda avela eAsiya athi akumbona uPawulos, amtyhola ngokuzisa abantu beeNtlanga etempileni, aza avusa uqhushululu. Ukuba kwakungangenelelanga umphathi-mkhosi waseRoma apho, uPawulos ngewayebethwe wafa. Naye phofu, loo mphathi-mkhosi wamthabatha uPawulos waya kumphosa ngaphaya kwezitshixo. Ukususela ngolo suku, kwakuza kudlula iminyaka engaphezu kwemine ngaphambi kokuba uPawulos aphinde angcamle le nto kuthiwa yinkululeko. UPawulos wayesesengozini. Xa loo mphathi-mkhosi wabuza amaYuda isizathu sokuba ahlasele uPawulos, amemeza emtyabeka ezinye izityholo. Isidubedube sawo sabangela ukuba loo mphathi-mkhosi angeva naloo nto ayeyithetha. Le meko yaba nzima kangangokuba kwafuneka uPawulos asuswe apho. Xa uPawulos namajoni aseRoma babesele beza kungena kwindawo ehlala amajoni, wathi kumphathi-mkhosi: “Ndiyakucela, ndivumele ndithethe naba bantu.” (IZe. 21:39) Lo mphathi-mkhosi wavuma, waza uPawulos waqhubeka ethethelela ukholo lwakhe ngenkalipho.

14, 15. (a) UPawulos wawacacisela ntoni amaYuda? (b) Ngawaphi amanyathelo awathatyathwa ngumphathi-mkhosi waseRoma ukuze afumanise isizathu sokuba lugcwabevu kwamaYuda?

¹⁴ UPawulos wathi: “Khanimamele ndizithethelele.” (IZe. 22:1) UPawulos wathetha neso sihlwele ngolwimi lwesiHebhere, satsho sathi tu. Wacacisa ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba kwakwenzeke njani ukuba abe ngoku ngumlandeli kaKristu. Ukuze enjenjalo, ngobuchule uPawulos wakhankanya iingongoma amaYuda awayenokuzingqina xa ethanda. UPawulos wayefundiswe ezinyaweni zikaGamaliyeli odumileyo yaye wayebatshutshisa abalandeli bakaKristu, njengokuba abanye kwabo babekho babekwazi oko. Noko ke, endleleni eya eDamasko, wabona umbono kaKristu ovusiweyo, owathetha naye. Abo babehamba noPawulos bakubona ukukhanya, baliva ilizwi, kodwa abazange bakuve oko kwakuthethwa. (IZe. 9:7; 22:9) Emva koko, uPawulos kwafuneka akhokelwe ngaloo madoda wayehamba nawo amse eDamasko, kuba loo mbono wamshiya engaboni. Apho wancedwa yindoda eyayisaziwa ngamaYuda aloo mmandla, uAnaniyas, yamenza wabona ngokungummangaliso.

¹⁵ UPawulos waqhubeka echaza ukuba emva kokuba ebuyele eYerusalem, uYesu wabonakala kuye ngoxa wayesetempileni. Kwesi isihlandlo, amaYuda aphazamiseka gqitha, aza ngomsindo amemeza esithi: “Makabulawe umntu onje, kuba akafanelanga aphile!” (IZe. 22:22) Ukuze asindise uPawulos, umphathi-mkhosi wayalela  ukuba aye kuvalelwa kwindawo ehlala amajoni. Ezimisele ukufumana isizathu sokuba amaYuda abe nomsindo kangako kuPawulos, lo mphathi-mkhosi wayalela ukuba ancinwe ngokutyakatywa. Noko ke, uPawulos wasebenzisa ilungelo lakhe elisemthethweni wazichaza ukuba ungummi waseRoma. Nanamhlanje, abanquli bakaYehova benza okufanayo. Basebenzisa amalungelo asemthethweni akhoyo ukuze bathethelele ukholo lwabo. (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi “ Umthetho WeRoma Kubemi Bayo”, kunye nengezantsi kweli phepha ethi: “ Amadabi Omthetho Aliwayo Namhlanje.”) Wathi akuva ukuba uPawulos wayengummi waseRoma, umphathi-mkhosi waqonda ukuba kwakuza kufuneka axoze mphini wumbi ukuze afumane inkcazelo awayeyifuna. Kusuku olulandelayo, wazisa uPawulos kwintlanganiso ebizwe ngokukhethekileyo yeSanhedrin, inkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda.

16, 17. (a) Chaza oko kwenzekayo xa uPawulos wayethetha neSanhedrin. (b) Xa wabethwayo, uPawulos wawubonisa njani umzekelo omhle wokuzithoba?

¹⁶ Xa wayezithethelela kwiSanhedrin, uPawulos wavula umlomo ngala mazwi: “Madoda, bantakwethu, izinto ndizenze ngesazela esikhululekileyo phambi koThixo kwada kwanamhlanje.” (IZe. 23:1) Akazange akwazi ukudlula kuloo mazwi. Le ngxelo ithi: “Ngoko umbingeleli omkhulu uAnaniyas wayalela abo babemi ngakuye ukuba bambethe emlonyeni.” (IZe. 23:2) Asikho isithuko esodlula eso. Oko kwakutyhila ikhethe enalo  loo jaji, yaye kumtyabeka njengexoki uPawulos ngaphambi kokuba kuviwe nabuphi na ubungqina. Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba uPawulos aphendule athi: “UThixo uza kukubetha menemenendini. Ngaba uhlalele ukundigweba ngoMthetho, ube kwawena uwophula ngokuthi mandibethwe?”​—IZe. 23:3.

¹⁷ Bambi ababemi kufuphi bothuka​—bengothuswa ngulowo wayebetha uPawulos, kodwa yindlela awasabela ngayo uPawulos! Bathi kuPawulos: “Ngaba uthuka umbingeleli omkhulu kaThixo?” Ephendula uPawulos wabafundisa isifundo esithile ngokuphathelele ukuhlonela uMthetho. Wathi: “Bantakwethu, bendingazi ukuba lo ngumbingeleli omkhulu. Kuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, ‘Uze ungathethi kakubi ngomlawuli wabantu bakowenu.’” d (IZe. 23:4, 5; Eks. 22:28) Emva koko uPawulos wathetha ngenye into. Ekhumbula ukuba iSanhedrin yayibunjwe ngabaFarisi nabaSadusi, wathi: “Madoda, bantakwethu, ndingumFarisi, unyana wabaFarisi. Ndigwetywa kuba ndikholelwa ukuba abafileyo baza kuvuswa.”​—IZe. 23:6.

18. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos azibize ngokuba ungumFarisi, ibe sinokuyisebenzisa njani thina loo ndlela yokuqiqa kwiimeko ezithile?

¹⁸ Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos azibize ngokuba ngumFarisi? Kungenxa yokuba ‘wayengunyana wabaFarisi’ ezalwa yintsapho ekwelo hlelo. Ngoko, abantu abaninzi babemgqala njengomFarisi. e Kodwa yenzeka njani into yokuba abe nenkolo yabaFarisi ngovuko lwabafileyo? Kuthiwa abaFarisi bebekholelwa ukuba umphefumlo awufi xa umntu esifa yaye imiphefumlo yamalungisa yayiphinda iphile kwimizimba  yabanye abantu. Kakade ke, uPawulos wayengakholelwa kwezo zinto. Wayekholelwa kuvuko lwabafileyo awafundisa ngalo uYesu. (Yoh. 5:25-29) Sekunjalo, uPawulos wayevumelana nabaFarisi ukuba kwakukho ithemba lokuba abantu baya kubuyiselwa ebomini emva kokuba befile​—nto leyo ababengayamkeli abaSadusi, kuba babengakholelwa ukuba abantu baya kuphinda baphile. Nathi sinokuqiqa ngendlela efanayo xa sixubusha namaKatolika okanye amaProtestanti. Sisenokuchaza ukuba njengawo, siyakholelwa kuThixo. Yinyaniso ukuba, asenokuba akholelwa kuBathathu Emnye ngoxa thina sikholelwa kuThixo weBhayibhile. Sekunjalo, sonke sikholelwa ukuba uThixo ukho.

19. Yintoni eyabangela isiphithiphithi kwintlanganiso yeSanhedrin?

¹⁹ Amazwi kaPawulos ayiqhekeza phakathi iSanhedrin. Ingxelo ithi: “Ngoko kwabakho isiphithiphithi yaye abanye ababhali ababekwiqela labaFarisi baphikisa benomsindo besithi: ‘Asifumani tyala kule ndoda, kodwa ukuba kukho umoya okanye ingelosi ethethe naye​—.’” (IZe. 23:9) Kwaloo nto yokuba ingelosi yayithethe noPawulos yayingamkelekanga kwaphela kubaSadusi, ababengakholelwa kwiingelosi! (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ AbaSadusi NabaFarisi.”) Eso siphithiphithi saba sikhulu kangangokuba umphathi-mkhosi wamaRoma waphinda wamhlangula lo mpostile. (IZe. 23:10) Sekunjalo, uPawulos wayesesengozini. Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka kulo mpostile ngoku? Siza kufunda okungakumbi kwisahluko esilandelayo.