Ngelinye ilanga ngesikhathi uJesu eseSiriya, isifundazwe saseRoma, kweza owesifazane ongumGreki ezocela usizo kuye. Lapho uJesu ekhuluma nalo wesifazane, waqhathanisa abantu abangewona amaJuda ‘nezinjana.’ UMthetho KaMose wawuthi izinja ziyizilwane ezingcolile. (Levitikusi 11:27) Ingabe uJesu wayeqonde ukudelela lo wesifazane nabantu abangewona amaJuda?

Cha, akunjalo. Njengoba uJesu achazela abafundi bakhe, iphuzu lakhe laliwukuthi umsebenzi wakhe oyinhloko ngaleso sikhathi, kwakuwukusiza amaJuda hhayi abangewona amaJuda. Ukuze acacise lelo phuzu, wenza lo mfanekiso: “Akulungile ukuthatha isinkwa sabantwana usiphonse ezinjaneni.” (Mathewu 15:21-26; Marku 7:26) AmaGreki namaRoma ayekuthanda ukufuya izinja. Zazihlala ezindlini zabo, zidlale nezingane zabo. Ngakho, kungenzeka ukuthi okwashiwo uJesu akumphathanga kabi lona wesifazane. Lona wesifazane ongumGreki waphendula wathi: “Yebo, Nkosi; kodwa empeleni izinjana zidla imvuthuluka ewa etafuleni lamakhosi azo.” UJesu wakuncoma ukuba nokholo kwalo wesifazane, wayilapha indodakazi yakhe.—Mathewu 15:27, 28.

Umkhumbi uPawulu ayehamba ngawo eya e-Italiya wawubhekene neziphepho ezinzima. Ngesikhathi umkhumbi usamile kwenye indawo, uPawulu wasikisela ukuthi baluhlehlise uhambo. (IzEnzo 27:9-12) Kungani uPawulu asho kanjalo?

Amatilosi ayeshayela imikhumbi ayazi ukuthi ukuhamba olwandle iMedithera kwakuyingozi ebusika. Kusukela phakathi kukaNovemba kuya phakathi noMashi, imikhumbi yayingahambi olwandle. Kodwa oPawulu babezohamba ngoSepthemba noma ngo-Okthoba. Encwadini yakhe i-Epitome of Military Science, umbhali ongumRoma uVegetius (wangekhulu lesine C.E.) washo lokhu mayelana nokuhamba olwandle iMedithera: “Izikhathi zokuhamba kulolu lwandle azifani, ngezinye kuhambeka kahle, ngezinye kuyingozi kanti ngezinye akuhambeki nhlobo.” UVegetius wathi kwakuphephile ukuhamba ngoMeyi 27 kuya kuSepthemba 14 kodwa kwakuyingozi ukuhamba ngoSepthemba 15 kuya kuNovemba 11 nangoMashi 11 kuya kuMeyi 26. UPawulu wayejwayele ukuhamba olwandle, ngakho wayekwazi lokhu. Cishe umshayeli nomnikazi womkhumbi nabo babekwazi lokhu, kodwa abasilalelanga iseluleko sikaPawulu. Umkhumbi wagcina uphahlazekile.—IzEnzo 27:13-44.