ISAHLUKO 24
“Yiba Nesibindi!”
UPawulos usinda kwiyelenqe lokubulawa ngama Yuda aze aye kuzithethelela phambi koFeliks
Sisekelwe kwiZenzo 23:11–24:27
1, 2. Kutheni uPawulos engamangaliswa yintshuthiso ajamelene nayo eYerusalem?
EMVA kokuxhwilwa kwihlokondiba elinomsindo eYerusalem, uPawulos uphinde wasesiseleni. Lo mpostile unenzondelelo akamangaliswa yile ntshutshiso ajamelene nayo eYerusalem. Wayexelelwe ukuba umele alindele ‘ijele nezinto ezibuhlungu’ kwesi sixeko. (IZe. 20:22, 23) Nakuba engazi ncam ukuba ulindelwe yintoni ngaphambili, uyazi ukuba useza kubandezeleka ngenxa yegama likaYesu.—IZe. 9:16.
2 Nabaprofeti abangamaKristu balumkisa ngelithi uPawulos wayeza kubotshwa aze ‘anikelwe kubantu beentlanga.’ (IZe. 21:4, 10, 11) Kutshanje, isihlwele samaYuda sikhe sazama ukumbulala, ibe kungekudala emva koko, kukhe kwabonakala ukuba ‘uza kubulawa’ ngamalungu eSanhedrin njengoko ayephikisana ngoko akuthethileyo. Ngoku lo mpostile useluvalelweni lwamajoni aseRoma yaye ujamelene nezilingo nezityholo ezingakumbi. (IZe. 21:31; 23:10) Umpostile uPawulos ulufuna ngokwenene ukhuthazo nentuthuzelo.
3. Silufumana phi ukhuthazo ukuze siqhubeke nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?
3 Kweli xesha lesiphelo, siyazi ukuba “wonke umntu ofuna ukukhonza uThixo engumlandeli kaKristu Yesu, naye uza kutshutshiswa.” (2 Tim. 3:12) Nathi sisoloko sifuna ukhuthazo ukuze siqhubeke nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Sinombulelo gqitha ngamazwi akhuthazayo nathuthuzelayo afika ngexesha esiwafumana kwiimpapasho neentlanganiso ezilungiselelwa ‘likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mat. 24:45) UYehova usithembise ukuba azikho iintshaba zeendaba ezilungileyo eziya kuphumelela. Aziyi kubatshabalalisa abakhonzi bakhe njengeqela, zingayi kukwazi nokuthintela umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela. (Isa. 54:17; Yer. 1:19) Kuthekani ke, ngompostile uPawulos? Ngaba wafumana ukhuthazo ukuze aqhubeke enikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo phezu kwayo nje loo nkcaso? Ukuba walufumana, wakhuthazwa ngubani waza yena wasabela njani?
Ukusilela ‘Kweqhinga Elifungelweyo’ (IZenzo 23:11-34)
4, 5. Luluphi ukhuthazo olwafunyanwa nguPawulos, ibe kutheni lafika ngexesha elifanelekileyo?
4 Umpostile uPawulos wafumana ukhuthazo awayelulangazelela ngobusuku obulandela ukuhlangulwa kwakhe kwiSanhedrin. Le ngxelo iphefumlelweyo ithi: “INkosi yema ngakuye, yathi: ‘Yiba nesibindi! Kuba njengokuba uye washumayela ngokucokisekileyo ngam eYerusalem, kusafuneka ushumayele naseRoma.’” (IZe. 23:11) Loo mazwi kaYesu akhuthazayo aqinisekisa uPawulos ukuba wayeza kuhlangulwa. Watsho wazi ukuba wayeza kusinda de aye kufika eRoma ukuze anikele ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngoYesu apho.
“Amadoda angaphezu kwayi-40 amlalele.”—IZenzo 23:21
5 Olo khuthazo lwafika ngexesha elifanelekileyo. Kusuku olulandelayo, amaYuda angaphezu kwayi-40 “aceba iqhinga aza enza isifungo sokuba awazukutya yaye awazukusela de abe ambulele uPawulos.” Eli ‘qhinga lifungelweyo’ lalibonisa indlela awayezimisele ngayo loo maYuda ukubulala lo mpostile. Ayekholelwa ukuba xa liwe phantsi elo yelenqe lawo, oko kwakuya kuthetha isiqalekiso kuwo. (IZe. 23:12-15) Icebo lawo elamkelwa ngababingeleli abaziintloko namadoda amakhulu yayikukuba uPawulos abuyiselwe kwiSanhedrin ukuze ancinwe ngakumbi, ngokungathi ifuna ukucacelwa kakuhle zizinto eziphathelele yena. Kodwa endleleni eya khona, loo maYuda ayeza kumlalela aze ambulale uPawulos.
6. Latyhilwa njani iyelenqe lokubulala uPawulos, ibe nguwuphi umzekelo omhle onokufundwa ngabaselula kule ngxelo?
6 Kwathi kanti umtshana kaPawulos uvile ngelo yelenqe waza waxelela uPawulos ngalo. UPawulos waba sele eyalela loo mfana ukuba aye kuxelela umphathi-mkhosi waseRoma, uKlawudiyo Lisiya, ngeli yelenqe. (IZe. 23:16-22) UYehova uyabathanda abaselula, abathi njengalo mtshana kaPawulos ungachazwa ngegama, babe nesibindi sokuzincama besindisa abantu bakaThixo yaye ngokuthembeka benze konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bahambisele phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani.
7, 8. Ngawaphi amalungiselelo awenziwa nguKlawudiyo Lisiya ukuze akhusele uPawulos?
7 Ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba uKlawudiyo Lisiya owayephethe umkhosi wamadoda ayi-1 000 exelelwe ngelo yelenqe, wakhupha umkhosi wamadoda ayi-470—amajoni, ababinzi nabakhweli-mahashe—ukuba ngobo busuku baphume eYerusalem base uPawulos ekhuselekile eKesareya. Apho, wayeza kufika anikelwe kwiRhuluneli uFeliks. a Nakuba iKesareya, ikomkhulu lolawulo lwaseRoma lakwaYuda, yayineqela lamaYuda ahlala apho, abona bantu baninzi ababehlala apho yayingabantu beeNtlanga. EKesareya kwakukho ucwangco, ngokungafaniyo naseYerusalem apho abantu abaninzi babesoloko benomsindo ngenxa yokuthiya abantu bolunye unqulo yaye bethanda ukuvusa uqhushululu. Kwakhona iKesareya yayilikomkhulu lemikhosi yaseRoma kwelekwaYuda.
8 Ethobela umthetho waseRoma, uLisiya wathumela incwadi kuFeliks ecacisa ngemeko kaPawulos. ULisiya wachaza ukuba emva kokuva ukuba uPawulos wayengummi waseRoma, wamhlangula ‘xa wayeza kubulawa’ ngamaYuda. ULisiya wathi akazange afumane tyala ‘elenza afanelwe kukufa okanye kukuphoswa ejele,’ kodwa ngenxa yeyelenqe lokumbulala uPawulos, wamdlulisela kuFeliks ukuze loo rhuluneli izivele kubamangaleli bakhe khon’ ukuze ikwazi ukudlulisela isigwebo.—IZe. 23:25-30.
9. (a) Yiyiphi indlela awanyathelelwa phantsi ngayo amalungelo kaPawulos njengommi waseRoma? (b) Kuxa kutheni apho sinokukhetha ukusebenzisa amalungelo esinawo njengabemi belizwe?
9 Ngaba uLisiya wayenyanisile koko wakubhalayo? Akunjalo. Kubonakala ukuba wayezama ukuzenza mhle kuFeliks. Enyanisweni akazange amhlangule uPawulos kuba eve ukuba lo mpostile wayengummi waseRoma. Ukongezelela koko, uLisiya akazange ayichaze into yokuba wayekhe wayalela ukuba uPawulos “abotshwe ngamatsheyini amabini” kwanokuba kamva wagunyazisa ukuba “makancinwe ebethwa.” (IZe. 21:30-34; 22:24-29) Ngokwenjenjalo uLisiya wayenyathelela phantsi amalungelo kaPawulos njengommi waseRoma. Namhlanje, uSathana usebenzisa inzondelelo yempambano ngonqulo yabo bachasayo ukuze bavuse intshutshiso, ibe sisenokubona sele kunyathelelwa phantsi amalungelo ethu okuzikhethela. Noko ke, njengoPawulos, abantu bakaThixo basoloko besebenzisa amalungelo abanawo njengabemi belizwe baze bafune ukukhuselwa ngumthetho.
“Ndikulungele Ukuzithethelela Kuwe” (IZenzo 23:35–24:21)
10. Ziziphi izityholo ezinzulu ezatyatyekwa uPawulos?
10 EKesareya, uPawulos ‘wagcinwa ngoonogada kwindlu elikomkhulu eyakhiwa nguHerode,’ ukuze alindele abamangaleli bakhe abavela eYerusalem. (IZe. 23:35) Bafika emva kweentsuku ezintlanu—uMbingeleli Omkhulu uAnaniyas, isithethi sasesidlangalaleni uTertulo, neqela lamadoda amakhulu. UTertulo waqala ngokumqhwabel’ izandla uFeliks ngezinto awayezenzele amaYuda, phofu kucaca ukuba wayezithandisa ezama ukuthambisa intliziyo yakhe. b Emva koko, uTertulo wabhekisela kuPawulos ngokuthi ‘yindoda ehluphayo, eyenza amaYuda asemhlabeni wonke angalawuleki, neyinkokheli yelaa qela lamaNazarete. Iye yazama nokungcolisa itempile, sayibamba.’ Namanye amaYuda “angenelela, engqina ukuba ziyinyani zonke ezo zinto.” (IZe. 24:5, 6, 9) Ukuxhokonxa iziphendu, ukuba yinkokeli yehlelo, nokuhlambela itempile—ezo yayizizityholo ezinzulu ezazinokuphumela kwisigwebo sokufa.
11, 12. UPawulos wazikhaba njani izityholo awayetyatyekwa zona?
11 Emva koko uPawulos wanikwa ithuba lokuzithethelela. Wavul’ umlomo wathi: “Ndikulungele ukuzithethelela kuwe.” Wazikhaba izityholo abekwa zona. Lo mpostile akazange ahlambele tempile, engazange azame nokuvusa isiphendu. Wachaza ukuba enyanisweni wayengekho eYerusalem ‘kangangeminyaka emininzi’ yaye waza ‘nezipho’—iminikelo eyayiphiwe amaKristu awayengamahlwempu ngenxa yendlala nentshutshiso. UPawulos wema ngelithi ngaphambi kokuba angene etempileni, ‘wayezicocile’ yaye wayekuphaphele ukuba “nesazela esicocekileyo phambi koThixo nabantu.”—IZe. 24:10-13, 16-18.
12 Noko ke, uPawulos wavuma ukuba, wayenikela inkonzo engcwele kuThixo wookhokho bakhe “le nto bona bathi liqela lamaNazarete.” Kodwa wema ngelithi wayezikholelwa “zonke izinto ezibhalwe eMthethweni nakwiincwadi zabaProfeti.” Yaye ngokufanayo nabo babemtyhola, wayenethemba lokuba ‘kuzovuswa abantu abangamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.’ Emva koko uPawulos wabacel’ umngeni abo babemtyhola wathi: “La madoda alapha mawatsho ngokwawo ukuba leliphi ityala alifumeneyo kum xa bendikwiNkundla Ephakamileyo YamaYuda, ngaphandle kwale nto inye endayikhwazayo phambi kwabo ndisithi: ‘Ndigwetywa kuba ndikholelwa ukuba abantu abafileyo baza kuvuswa!’”—IZe. 24:14, 15, 20, 21.
13-15. Kutheni sinokujonga uPawulos njengomzekelo ofanelekileyo wokunikela ubungqina ngenkalipho kwabasemagunyeni?
13 UPawulos wasimisela umzekelo omhle esimele siwuxelise nanini na sisisiwa phambi kwabasemagunyeni ngenxa yonqulo lwethu ngoxa sityholwa ngokuvusa iziphendu, uqhushululu okanye kusithiwa singamalungu “ehlelo eliyingozi.” UPawulos akazange alalanise ezama ukuzithandisa kuloo rhuluneli, njengoTertulo. Wahlala ezolile yaye enentlonelo. Ekhetha amazwi ngobuchule, wanikela ubungqina obucacileyo nobuyinyaniso. Wakhankanya into yokuba “amaYuda avela kwiphondo laseAsiya” awayemtyhole ngokuhlambela itempile ayengekho apho enkundleni, yaye ayemele abekho ukuze azivele ukuba amtyhola ngelithini.—IZe. 24:18, 19.
14 Eyona nto ibalasele ngamandla kukuba, uPawulos akazange agungqe ekunikeleni ubungqina ngeenkolelo zakhe. Ngesibindi, lo mpostile waphinda wakhankanya ukholo analo ngovuko lwabafileyo, umbandela kanye owawuvuse loo ngxushungxushu xa wayephambi kweSanhedrin. (IZe. 23:6-10) Ekuzithetheleleni kwakhe, wagxininisa kwithemba analo lovuko. Kwakutheni ukuze enjenjalo? Kungenxa yokuba wayenikela ubungqina ngoYesu nangokuvuswa kwakhe ekufeni—nto leyo babengafuni nokuva ngayo abo babesilwa naye. (IZe. 26:6-8, 22, 23) Ewe, eyona mbambano yaloo mbhodamo yayiluvuko lwabafileyo, ingakumbi ukukholelwa kuYesu nasekuvusweni kwakhe.
15 NjengoPawulos, sinokunikela ubungqina ngenkalipho size somelezwe koko uYesu wakuxelela abafundi bakhe esithi: “Niza kucatshukelwa ngumntu wonke ngenxa yegama lam, kodwa lowo unyamezele kwada kwasekupheleni uza kusindiswa.” Ngaba simele sikuxhalabele oko siza kukuthetha? Nakanye, kuba uYesu wasiqinisekisa wathi: “Xa besiya kunibambisa, ningabi naxhala lokuba niza kuzithethelela nithini, kodwa nantoni eniyinikwayo ukuba niyithethe ngelo xesha, yithetheni, kuba iza kube ingenini abathethayo, kodwa ingumoya oyingcwele.”—Marko 13:9-13.
“UFeliks Wothuka” (IZenzo 24:22-27)
16, 17. (a) UFeliks walisingatha njani ityala likaPawulos? (b) Yintoni esenokuba yothusa uFeliks, ukanti sisiphi isizathu esabangela ukuba aqhubeke ebona uPawulos?
16 Esi yayingesosihlandlo sokuqala iRhuluneli uFeliks isiva ngobuKristu. Le ngxelo ithi: “UFeliks, owayeyazi kakuhle iNdlela YeNkosi wawamisa la madoda, wathi: ‘Ndiza kugqiba ngeli tyala lenu xa kufike uLisiya umphathi-mkhosi.’ Emva koko wayalela igosa lomkhosi ukuba ivalelwe le ndoda kodwa ke ibe nayo inkululeko, baze bavunyelwe nabantu bayo ukuba bayinike izinto ezidingayo.”—IZe. 24:22, 23.
17 Kwiintsuku ezithile kamva, uFeliks kunye nomfazi wakhe uDrusila, owayengumYudakazi, wathumela ukuba kuziswe uPawulos ibe “wammamela ethetha ngokukholwa kuKristu Yesu.” (IZe. 24:24) Noko ke, wathi uPawulos akuthetha “ngobulungisa, ngokuzibamba nangomgwebo oza kuza, uFeliks wothuka,” mhlawumbi etyiwa sisazela ngenxa yezinto ezimbi awayezenza. Wamsusa uPawulos phambi kwakhe, esithi: “Khawube uhamba okwangoku, ndiza kukubiza xa ndiphinde ndafumana ithuba.” UFeliks wambona izihlandlo ezininzi uPawulos emva koko, kungekhona ngenxa yokuba wayefuna ukuva inyaniso, kodwa ngenxa yokuba wayenethemba lokuba wayeya kunyotywa nguPawulos.—IZe. 24:25, 26.
18. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos axelele uFeliks nomfazi wakhe “ngobulungisa, ngokuzibamba nangomgwebo oza kuza”?
18 Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos axelele uFeliks nomfazi wakhe “ngobulungisa, ngokuzibamba nangomgwebo oza kuza”? Khumbula ukuba, babefuna ukwazi “ngokukholwa kuKristu Yesu.” UPawulos owayeyazi imvelaphi yabo yokuziphatha okubi, inkohlakalo nokuthanda kwabo okungekho sesikweni, wayezama ukucacisa oko kwakufuneka kubo bonke abantu ukuze babe ngabalandeli bakaYesu. Oko kwathethwa nguPawulos kwenza wacaca umahluko phakathi kwemilinganiselo yobulungisa kaThixo nendlela ababephila ngayo uFeliks nomfazi wakhe. Oku kwakufanele kubancede babone ukuba bonke abantu baya kuziphendulela kuThixo ngoko bakucingayo, bakutshoyo, baze bakwenze yaye okona kubaluleke ngaphezu komgwebo ababeza kuwunika uPawulos ngumgwebo ababeza kuwufumana kuThixo. Ngoko siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba uFeliks ‘othuke.’
19, 20. (a) Kubulungiseleli bethu, simele sibaphathe njani abantu ababonakala benomdla enyanisweni ngoxa beqhutywa zizilangazelelo zabo zokuzingca? (b) Sazi njani ukuba uFeliks wayengengomhlobo kaPawulos?
19 Kubulungiseleli bethu, sisenokufumana abantu abafana noFeliks. Ekuqaleni, basenokubonakala benomdla kwinyaniso, kodwa babe beqhutywa zizilangazelelo zabo zokuzingca. Simele sibalumkele abantu abanjalo. Ukanti, njengoPawulos, ngobuchule sinokubaxelela ngemilinganiselo yobulungisa kaThixo. Mhlawumbi inyaniso inokuchukumisa iintliziyo zabo. Noko ke, ukuba kuyacaca ukuba abananjongo zakulishiya ikhondo labo lesono, siyabashiya siye kufuna abo bafuna inyaniso ngokwenene.
20 Kwimeko kaFeliks, intliziyo yakhe yatyhilwa ngala mazwi: “Emva kweminyaka emibini, kwangena uPorkiyo Festo endaweni kaFeliks; yaye kuba uFeliks wayefuna ukuzithandisa kumaYuda, wamshiya evalelwe uPawulos.” (IZe. 24:27) UFeliks wayengengomhlobo kaPawulos. Wayesazi ukuba abalandeli bale “Ndlela YeNkosi” babengelohlelo bengengabo nabavukeli. (IZe. 19:23) Wayesazi nokuba uPawulos wayengaphulanga namnye kwimithetho yamaRoma. Sekunjalo, wamgcina eluvalelweni ukuze ‘azithandise kumaYuda.’
21. Kwenzeka ntoni kuPawulos emva kokuba uPorkiyo Festo eyirhuluneli, ibe yintoni esingathandabuziyo ukuba yayisoloko imnika amandla?
21 Njengokuba kuboniswe kwindinyana yokugqibela yeZenzo isahluko 24, uPawulos wayesesentolongweni ukungena kukaPorkiyo Festo ezihlangwini zerhuluneli uFeliks. Yaqala phantsi ke into yokuba amane esiya kuzithethelela kumagunya ahlukahlukeneyo. Enyanisweni, lo mpostile unenkalipho ‘wamiswa phambi kookumkani nabalawuli.’ (Luka 21:12) Njengokuba siza kubona, kamva wayeza kunikela ubungqina koyena mlawuli mkhulu owayekho ngomhla wakhe. Kuyo yonke loo nto, uPawulos akazange agungqe elukholweni. Akuthandabuzeki ukuba wayesoloko efumana amandla kumazwi kaYesu athi: “Yiba Nesibindi!”
a Funda ibhokisi ethi “ UFeliks—Irhuluneli YelakwaYuda.”
b UTertulo wambulela uFeliks ‘ngoxolo’ awaluzisa kwisizwe sabo. Noko ke, eyona nyaniso kukuba kwakungekho luxolo kwaYuda ngoxa uFeliks wayeyirhuluneli kunaxa kwakulawula ezinye iirhuluneli ezazingaphambi kwakhe de kwakho imvukelo nxamnye neRoma. Enye into eyayibubuvuvu kukuba athi ‘sibulela kakhulu’ ngenxa yeenguqulelo ezazenziwe nguFeliks. Enyanisweni, uFeliks wayethiywe gqitha yinkoliso yamaYuda ngenxa yokuwacinezela kwakhe nokuphelisa iinzame zawo zokuvukela.—IZe. 24:2, 3.
