ISAHLUKO 7
Ukumemezela “Izindaba Ezinhle NgoJesu”
UFiliphu ubeka isibonelo njengomvangeli
Isekelwe encwadini yezEnzo 8:4-40
1, 2. Imizamo yokuthulisa izindaba ezinhle yaba kanjani nomphumela ohlukile ekhulwini lokuqala?
SEKUQUBUKE igagasi elibi loshushiso futhi uSawulu uqala “ukuphatha” ibandla “ngesihluku”—okuyigama elichaza unya olunesihluku ngolimi lokuqala. (IzE. 8:3) Abafundi bayabaleka, futhi kwabanye kungase kubonakale sengathi uzofezeka umgomo kaSawulu wokuqeda ubuKristu. Kodwa ukuhlakazeka kwamaKristu kuba nomphumela ongalindelekile. Oyini?
2 Abahlakazekile baqala ‘ukumemezela izindaba ezinhle zezwi’ emazweni ababalekele kuwo. (IzE. 8:4) Cabanga nje! Akukona nje kuphela ukuthi ushushiso luhlulekile ukuthulisa abantu bangazishumayeli izindaba ezinhle, kodwa eqinisweni lusizile ekusakazeni isigijimi! Ngokuhlakaza abafundi, abashushisi baye benza ukuba umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso usakazekele ezindaweni ezikude bengahlosile. Njengoba sizobona, kuye kwenzeka okufanayo ezikhathini zanamuhla.
“Labo Ababehlakazekile” (IzEnzo 8:4-8)
3. (a) Wayengubani uFiliphu? (b) Kungani iningi labantu eSamariya lalingashunyayeziwe, nokho yini uJesu ayeyibikezele ngaleyo nsimu?
3 Omunye ‘walabo ababehlakazekile’ kwakunguFiliphu. a (IzE. 8:4; bheka ibhokisi elithi “ UFiliphu ‘Umvangeli,’” ekhasini 53.) Waya eSamariya, lapho iningi labantu lalingashunyayeziwe khona ngoba uJesu wayekade eyale abaphostoli: “Ningangeni kunoma yiliphi idolobha lamaSamariya; kodwa kunalokho, yanini njalo ezimvwini ezilahlekile zendlu ka-Israyeli.” (Math. 10:5, 6) Nokho, uJesu wayazi ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi iSamariya laliyothola ubufakazi obuphelele, ngoba ngaphambi kokuba enyukele ezulwini, wathi: “Nizoba ofakazi bami eJerusalema, kulo lonke elaseJudiya naseSamariya, nasezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.”—IzE. 1:8.
4. AmaSamariya asabela kanjani ekushumayeleni kukaFiliphu, futhi yini okungenzeka yabangela lokho?
4 UFiliphu wathola ukuthi iSamariya ‘limhlophe lilungele ukuvunwa.’ (Joh. 4:35) Isigijimi sakhe sasibaqabula abantu bakhona, futhi kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani. AmaJuda ayengadlelani namaSamariya, amaningi eweyisa nokuweyisa. Ngokuphambene, amaSamariya athola ukuthi isigijimi sezindaba ezinhle asihlukanisi abantu ngezigaba, futhi ngenxa yalokho, sihluke kakhulu ekucabangeni okungenangqondo kwabaFarisi. Ngokufakaza kumaSamariya ngentshiseko nangokungakhethi, uFiliphu watshengisa ukuthi wayengonakalisiwe ubandlululo lwalabo ababewabukela phansi. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi amaSamariya amaningi alalela uFiliphu, ‘anakisisa.’—IzE. 8:6.
5-7. Nikeza izibonelo zendlela ukuhlakazwa kwamaKristu okuye kwaholela ngayo ekusakazekeni kwezindaba ezinhle.
5 Namuhla, njengasekhulwini lokuqala, ukushushiswa kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu akuzange kubayekise ukushumayela. Njalo nje ukuxoshwa kwamaKristu endaweni ethile ayiswe kwenye—kungaba sejele noma kwenye indawo—kuye kwasiza kwaletha isigijimi soMbuso kubantu endaweni entsha. Ngokwesibonelo, phakathi neMpi Yezwe II oFakazi BakaJehova bakwazi ukunikeza ubufakazi obuhle kakhulu emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi. UmJuda owatholana noFakazi lapho, uyalandisa: “Amandla eziboshwa ezazingoFakazi BakaJehova okubhekana nobubi ngesibindi angiqinisekisa ukuthi ukholo lwabo lwalusekelwe emiBhalweni—futhi nami ngaba uFakazi.”
6 Kwezinye izimo, ngisho nabashushisi bathola ubufakazi futhi babamukela. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uFakazi ogama lakhe linguFranz Desch eyiswa ekamu lokuhlushwa laseGusen e-Austria, waqhubela iphoyisa lama-SS isifundo seBhayibheli. Cabanga ngentokozo ababa nayo lapho bebonana ngemva kweminyaka, emhlanganweni omkhulu woFakazi BakaJehova futhi bobabili bengabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle!
7 Kwenzeka okufanayo lapho ukushushiswa kwenza amaKristu ukuba abalekele kwelinye izwe. Ngokwesibonelo, ngawo-1970 kwanikezwa ubufakazi obukhulu eMozambique ngesikhathi oFakazi baseMalawi bephoqeleka ukuba babalekele khona. Ngisho nalapho kuqubuka ukuphikiswa kamuva eMozambique, umsebenzi wokushumayela waqhubeka. “Yiqiniso, abanye bethu babanjwa futhi baboshwa kaningana ngenxa yomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela,” kusho uFrancisco Coana. “Noma kunjalo, lapho abaningi besamukela isigijimi soMbuso, saqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasisiza, njengoba nje ayesize amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala.”
8. Ushintsho kwezombusazwe nakwezomnotho luwuthinte kanjani umsebenzi wokushumayela?
8 Yiqiniso, ushushiso alusona ukuphela kwesizathu sokwanda kobuKristu kwezinye izindawo. Eminyakeni yamuva, ukushintsha kwezombusazwe nezomnotho nako kuye kwavula amathuba okuba isigijimi soMbuso sisakazekele kubantu bezilimi nezizwe eziningi. Abanye abavela ezindaweni okulwiwa kuzo nezikhungethwe ubuphofu baye babalekela ezindaweni ezingcono futhi baqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli ezweni abathuthele kulo. Ukutheleka kwababaleki kuye kwavula amasimu ezinye izilimi. Ingabe uyazama ukufakaza kubantu bazo “zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi” ensimini yakini?—IsAm. 7:9.
“Nami Nginikeni Leli Gunya” (IzEnzo 8:9-25)
“Lapho uSimoni ebona ukuthi umoya unikezwa ngokubekwa izandla ngabaphostoli, wathembisa ukubanika imali.”—IzEnzo 8:18
9. Wayengubani uSimoni, futhi ngokusobala yini eyamdonsela kuFiliphu?
9 UFiliphu wenza izimangaliso eziningi eSamariya. Ngokwesibonelo, waphulukisa abakhubazekile waze wakhipha ngisho nemimoya emibi. (IzE. 8:6-8) Kunomuntu owahlabeka umxhwele ngokukhethekile ngezipho zikaFiliphu zokwenza izimangaliso. WayenguSimoni, umenzi wemilingo owayehlonishwa kakhulu kangangokuba abantu bathi ngaye: “Lo muntu ungaMandla kaNkulunkulu.” Manje uSimoni wayesezibonele ngawakhe amandla angempela kaNkulunkulu, njengoba kufakazelwa izimangaliso ezenziwa uFiliphu, ezaholela ekubeni uSimoni abe ikholwa. (IzE. 8:9-13) Kodwa-ke, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izisusa zikaSimoni zavivinywa. Kanjani?
10. (a) Yini eyenziwa uPetru noJohane eSamariya? (b) USimoni wenzani lapho ebona ukuthi abafundi abasha bamukela umoya ongcwele ngemva kokuba uPetru noJohane bebabeke izandla?
10 Lapho abaphostoli bezwa ngokwanda eSamariya, bathumela uPetru noJohane. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ UPetru Usebenzisa ‘Izihluthulelo ZoMbuso.’”) Lapho befika, laba baphostoli ababili babeka abafundi abasha izandla, ngemva kwalokho ngamunye wamukela umoya ongcwele. b Lapho uSimoni ekubona lokhu, wahlabeka umxhwele. Watshela abaphostoli: “Nami nginikeni leli gunya ukuze kuthi noma ubani engimbeka izandla amukele umoya ongcwele.” USimoni waze wathi uzobanika imali, enethemba lokuthenga leli lungelo elingcwele!—IzE. 8:14-19.
11. UPetru umeluleka athini uSimoni, futhi uSimoni usabela kanjani?
11 Impendulo kaPetru kuSimoni yayidle ngokuqina. Wathi: “Kwangathi isiliva lakho lingashabalala kanye nawe, ngoba ucabange ukuthi ungasithola ngemali isipho sesihle sikaNkulunkulu. Awunangxenye nasabelo kule ndaba, ngoba inhliziyo yakho ayiqondile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.” UPetru wabe esenxusa uSimoni ukuba aphenduke futhi athandazele intethelelo. UPetru wathi: ‘Nxusa uJehova ukuba, uma kungenzeka, akuthethelele ngenxa yomcabango omubi osenhliziyweni yakho.’ Ngokusobala, uSimoni wayengeyena umuntu omubi; wayefuna ukwenza okulungile, kodwa wayesadidekile okwesikhashana. Ngakho wancenga abaphostoli: “Nginxuseleni nina kuJehova ukuze ngingehlelwa yinto eniyishilo.”—IzE. 8:20-24.
12. Buyini “ubusimoni,” futhi buye baba kanjani ugibe kweLobukholwa?
12 Ukusola kukaPetru uSimoni kuyisixwayiso kumaKristu namuhla. Empeleni, igama lesiNgisi elithi “simony” (ubusimoni) laqanjwa ngenxa yalesi senzakalo. “Ubusimoni” bubhekisela ekuthengeni nasekuthengiseni izikhundla, ikakhulukazi emasontweni. Umlando weLobukholwa eliyisihlubuki ugcwele izibonelo zalo mkhuba. I-Encyclopædia Britannica (1878), uhlelo lwesi-9, yaphawula: “Ukufunda umlando wemihlangano yoPapa kushiya umfundi eqiniseka ukuthi alukho ukhetho olwake lwenziwa olungangcolisiwe ubusimoni, futhi ezimweni eziningi izenzo zobusimoni ezenziwa kule mihlangano ziye zaba ezimbi ngokwedlulele, zaba ezihlazisa ngokwedlulele nezisobala kakhulu.”
13. AmaKristu kumelwe abuqaphe ngaziphi izindlela ubusimoni?
13 AmaKristu kumelwe asiqaphe isono sobusimoni. Ngokwesibonelo, akufanele azame ukuzakhela igama ngokubagixabeza ngezipho noma ngokubancoma ngokweqile labo abangase bawanike amalungelo engeziwe ebandleni. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, labo okucatshangwa ukuthi bangakwazi ukunikeza abanye amalungelo engeziwe, kufanele baqaphe bangakhethi abantu abacebile. Zombili lezi zimo ziwubusimoni. Ngempela, zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu kufanele ziziphathe ‘njengabancane,’ zilindele umoya kaJehova ukuba uzinike amalungelo enkonzo. (Luka 9:48) Enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu ayikho indawo yabantu abazama ‘ukuzifunela eyabo inkazimulo.’—IzAga 25:27.
“Uyakwazi Ngempela Lokho Okufundayo?” (IzEnzo 8:26-40)
14, 15. (a) Wayengubani “umthenwa ongumTopiya,” futhi uFiliphu wamthola kanjani? (b) UmTopiya wasabela kanjani esigijimini sikaFiliphu, futhi kungani ukubhapathizwa kwakhe kwakungesona isenzo sokuthatheka? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)
14 Ingelosi kaJehova yabe isiyala uFiliphu ukuba ahambe ngomgwaqo osuka eJerusalema uya eGaza. Uma uFiliphu ayezibuza ukuthi kungani kufanele aye lapho, washeshe wayithola impendulo ngemva kokutholana nomthenwa ongumTopiya ‘owayefunda ngokuzwakalayo u-Isaya umprofethi.’ (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ ‘Umthenwa’ Noma ‘Isikhulu Segceke’?” ekhasini 57.) Umoya ongcwele kaJehova washukumisa uFiliphu ukuba aye enqoleni yalo muntu. Wabuza lo mTopiya njengoba ayegijima eceleni kwenqola yakhe: “Uyakwazi ngempela lokho okufundayo?” UmTopiya waphendula: “Ngingakwazi kanjani nje ngempela ngaphandle kokuba othile angiqondise?”—IzE. 8:26-31.
15 UmTopiya wathi uFiliphu akagibele enqoleni yakhe. Cabanga nje ngengxoxo eyalandela! Kwase kuyisikhathi eside kungaziwa ukuthi ubani ‘imvu,’ noma “inceku,” yesiprofetho sika-Isaya. (Isaya 53:1-12) Kodwa njengoba behamba, uFiliphu wachazela umthenwa ongumTopiya ukuthi lesi siprofetho sagcwaliseka kuJesu Kristu. Njengalabo ababebhapathizwe ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., lo mTopiya—kakade owayesengumJuda ongumproselithe—wavele wabona ukuthi yini okufanele ayenze. Watshela uFiliphu: “Bheka! Nanka amanzi; yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe?” UmTopiya akapholisanga maseko, wabhapathizwa uFiliphu! c (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ukubhapathizwa ‘Emanzini.’”) Ngemva kwalokho, uFiliphu waqondiswa esabelweni esisha e-Ashidodi, lapho aqhubeka khona ememezela izindaba ezinhle.—IzE. 8:32-40.
16, 17. Izingelosi zihileleke kanjani emsebenzini wokushumayela namuhla?
16 AmaKristu namuhla anelungelo lokwenza umsebenzi ofana nokaFiliphu. Ngokuvamile, ayakwazi ukuxoxa ngesigijimi soMbuso nalabo ahlangana nabo ngokwethukela, njengalapho esohambweni. Ezikhathini eziningi, kuba sobala ukuthi ukuhlangana kwawo nomuntu onenhliziyo eqotho kusuke kungazenzakalelanga. Kulindelekile lokhu ngoba iBhayibheli likwenza kucace ukuthi izingelosi ziqondisa umsebenzi wokushumayela ukuze isigijimi sifinyelele “zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nezilimi nabantu.” (IsAm. 14:6) Isiqondiso sezingelosi emsebenzini wokushumayela siyilokho kanye uJesu akubikezela. Emfanekisweni wakhe kakolweni nokhula, uJesu wathi ngesikhathi sokuvuna—okuyisiphelo sesimiso sezinto—“abavuni yizingelosi.” Wathi futhi lezi zidalwa zomoya ‘ziyobutha zikhiphe zonke izinto ezikhubekisayo eMbusweni wayo nabantu abenza okuphambene nomthetho.’ (Math. 13:37-41) Ngesikhathi esifanayo, izingelosi zaziyobutha izindlalifa zoMbuso wasezulwini—kamuva zibuthe “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’—lezo uJehova afuna ukuzidonsela enhlanganweni yakhe.—IsAm. 7:9; Joh. 6:44, 65; 10:16.
17 Njengobufakazi bokuthi lokhu kuyenzeka, abanye babantu esikhuluma nabo enkonzweni yethu baye bathi bebekade bethandazela isiqondiso esingokomoya. Cabanga ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwabamemezeli boMbuso ababili ababehamba nengane. Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni, lab’ oFakazi ababili base bezoshayisa ensimini, kepha ingane yona yayisha amashushu isafuna ukungena emzini olandelayo. Eqinisweni, yazihambela yodwa yafike yangqongqoza! Lapho intokazi ivula umnyango, lab’ oFakazi ababili abadala basondela baxoxa nayo. Bamangala lapho ithi ibisanda kuthandaza icela ukuba kufike umuntu ozoyisiza iqonde iBhayibheli. Kwahlelwa isifundo seBhayibheli!
“Nkulunkulu, noma ngabe ungubani, ngicela ungisize”
18. Kungani kungafanele neze siyithathe kalula inkonzo yethu?
18 Njengengxenye yebandla lobuKristu, unelungelo lokusebenza nezingelosi njengoba umsebenzi wokushumayela wanamuhla wenziwa ngezinga ongakaze wenziwe ngalo. Ungalokothi ulithathe kalula lelo lungelo. Ngokuphikelela emizamweni yakho, uyothola injabulo enkulu njengoba uqhubeka umemezela “izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu.”—IzE. 8:35.
a Lona akuyena umphostoli uFiliphu. Njengoba kuboniswe eSahlukweni 5 sale ncwadi, lona uFiliphu owayephakathi ‘kwamadoda ayisikhombisa akhulunyelwa kahle’ ayemiselwe ukuba ahlele ukwabiwa kokudla nsuku zonke phakathi kwabafelokazi abangamaKristu abakhuluma isiGreki nabakhuluma isiHebheru eJerusalema.—IzE. 6:1-6.
b Ngokusobala, abafundi abasha ngaleso sikhathi babevame ukugcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele, noma bawamukele, lapho bebhapathizwa. Lokhu kwakubabeka ethubeni lokuba ngesikhathi esizayo babuse noJesu ezulwini njengamakhosi nabapristi. (2 Kor. 1:21, 22; IsAm. 5:9, 10; 20:6) Kodwa kule ndaba, abafundi abasha abagcotshwanga ngesikhathi bebhapathizwa. Ukwamukela umoya ongcwele—kanye nezipho eziyisimangaliso ezazihlobene nako—kwenzeka kuphela ngemva kokuba uPetru noJohane bebeke izandla kumaKristu asanda kubhapathizwa.
c Kwakungesona isenzo sokuthatheka lesi. Njengoba ayengumJuda ongumproselithe, lo mTopiya wayenalo ulwazi lwemiBhalo, kuhlanganise neziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya. Manje njengoba ayesenolwazi ngendima kaJesu enjongweni kaNkulunkulu, wayesengabhapathizwa ngaphandle kokulibala.
