37—Upawulos Esiya Okokugqibela Eyerusalem

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 20:4-38; nama-21:1-16]

UPawulos wayelangazelela kakhulu ukuya kufika eYerusalem phambi kwePasika njengoko wayenga anganethuba lokuhlangana nabo babeya kuvela kuzo zonke iindawo zehlabathi ukuza esidlweni. Wayesoloko enethemba lokuba ngandlela ithile wayenokuba sisixhobo sokususa intiyo kumawabo angakholwayo, ukuze akhokelelwe ekwamkeleni ukukhanya okuxabisekileyo kweendaba ezilungileyo. Waye- kwalangazelela ukuhlangana nebandla laseYerusalem abaphathele izipho ezithunyelwe ngamabandla abeeNtlanga kubazalwana abangamahlwempu baseJudeya. Wayethemba ukuba ngolu tyelelouya kuzisa umanyano oluqinileyo phakathi kwabaguqukele enkolweni bamaYuda namaGrike.IZ 389.1

Akuba ewugqibile umsebenzi wakhe eKorinte, wazimisela ukuhamba ngenqanawa ukusuka kunxweme lasePalestina. Ayesele enziwe onke amalungiselelo, naye sele eza kungena enqanaweni, ukuxelelwa kwakhengeyelenqelokumbulalaelenziwengamaYuda.Kwixesha elidlulileyo aba bachasi benkolo basilela kuyo yonke imizamo yabo yokuwuphelisa umsebenzi kampostile.IZ 389.2

Impumelelo eyahamba nokushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo yawuvuselela ngokutsha umsindo wamaYuda. Kuyo yonke indawo kwakuphuma iingxelo zokusasazeka kwemfundiso entsha eyayiwakhulula amaYuda ekugcineni izithethe zenkonzo yamasiko, nokuba abeeNtlanga babefakwa kumalungelo alinganayo nawamaYuda njengabantwana baka-Abraham. UPawulos, kwintshumayelo yakhe yaseKorinte, wabeka kwa-ezo ngxoxo awayezikhuthaza ngamandla kwiileta zakhe. Intetho yakhe enyanzelisayo, “[Akukho] mGrike namYuda, kwaluka nokungaluki” (Kolose 3:11), yathatyathwa zintshaba zakhe njengesinyeliso esinesibindi, zaza zazimisela ukuba ilizwi lakhe lithuliswe.IZ 390.1

Akuba efumene isilumkiso ngecebo, uPawulos wagqiba ekubeni ajikele ngendlela yelaseMakedoni. Icebo lakhe lokufika eYerusalem ngexesha leenkonzo zePasika, walincama, kodwa wathembaukuba uya kubakho ePasikeni.IZ 390.2

Ababekhapha uPawulos kunye noLuka, yayingoo“Sopatro waseBhereya; kumaTesalonika ke yangu-Aristarko noSekundo; noGayo waseDerbe, noTimoti; kwabelase-Asiya yanguTikiko noTrofimo.” UPawulos wayenemfumba yemali awayeyiphathiswe ngamabandla abeeNtlanga, awayezimisele ukuyibeka ezandleni zabazalwana abongamele umsebenzi eJudeya; kwathi ngenxa yale nto, wenza amalungiselelo aba bazalwana bangabameli abaphuma kumabandla ahlukahlukeneyo awanikelayo, ukuba bamkhaphe ukuya eYerusalem.IZ 390.3

EFilipi, uPawulos wakha walibala ukuze afumane isidlo sePasika khona. NguLuka kuphela owasala naye, amanye amalungu eqela adlulela eTrowa ukuya kumlindela khona. Abantu baseFilipi babengabona banothando nabantliziyo inyanisekileyo kubo bonke abaguqulwa ngumpostile, waza ngethuba leentsuku ezisibhozo zesidlo wakonwabela ukuba nabo beseluxolweni naseluvuyweni.IZ 391.1

Ukusuka kwabo eFilipi, uPawulos noLuka baya kubafumana eTrowa abo babebapheleka emva kweentsuku ezintlanu, baza bahlala khona namakholwa alapho iintsuku ezisixhenxe.IZ 391.2

Ngorhatya lokugqibela lokuhlala kwakhe nabazalwana baye “[be]hlanganisene ukuba baqhekeze isonka.” Le nto yokuba ititshala yabo abayithandayo yayiza kuhamba, yenza ukuba kuhlangane iqela elikhulu kunesiqhelo. Babehlangene “egumbini eliphezulu” kumgangatho wesithathu. Intshumayelo kampostile eyayishushu luthando nenkathalo, yaqhuba kwada kwasezinzulwini zobusuku.IZ 391.3

Kwenye ifestile evuliweyo, kwakuhleli indodana egama linguYutiko. Waya wozela walala ehleli kulo mngcipheko waza waya kuwa ezantsi. Kwangoko kwabakho ukothuka nesiphithiphithi. Wasuswa apho efile umfana, bamngqonga abaninzi bekhala benosizi. UPawulos wanqumla kwelo qela lothukileyo, wamthabatha, wathandaza ngenene ukuba uThixo ambuyisele ebomini lowo wayefile. Waphendulwa umthandazo wakhe. Ngaphaya kwengxolo yesikhalo nesingqala, lavakala ilizwi likampostile lisithi, “Musani ukwenza isiphithiphithi, kuba umphefumlo wayo ukuyo.” Aphinda ahlangana amakholwa kwigumbi eliphezulu. Bathabatha isidlo soMthendeleko, waza uPawulos “waxoxa ngokwaneleyo kwada kwasa.”IZ 391.4

Inqanawa ababeza kuhamba ngayo uPawulos nabaphelekileyo yayisele iza kuhamba, baza bakhawuleza abazalwana ukukhwela. Umpostileyena wathabatha indlela emfutshane yasemhlabeni phakathi kweTrowa[ ne-Aso, wahlangana nabo babemkhapha kwisixeko esilandelayo. Oku kwamnika ithutyana lokucamngca nokuthandaza. Iinzima neengozi ezazihlangene nokutyelela kwakhe eYerusalem, umoya webandla ngakuye nomsebenzi wakhe, kunye nemeko yamabandla kuhlangene nokwenzeka kumsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo kwezinye iindawo ekusetyenzwa kuzo, zaziyixinile ziyihlupha ingcinga, waza wathabatha eli thuba lilodwa ukucela uThixo ukuba amomeleze, amkhokele.IZ 391.5

Kuhambo lwabo oluhlayo ukusuka e-Aso, abahambi badlula kwisixeko sase-Efese, indawo awasebenza kakhulu kuyo umpostile. UPawulos wayelangazelela kakhulu ukulityelela ibandla apho, kuba wayenemfundiso nengcebiso awayefuna ukubanika zona. Wayicinga nje le nto kodwa wanezinye iingqondo, kuba wayezimisele ukukhawuleza abheke phambili, kuba ulangazelelo lwakhe yayikukuba, “ukuba unako, awenze umhla wePentekoste eYerusalem.” Wathi akufika eMelito, isithuba samashumi amathathu eemayile ukusuka e-Efese, wafumanisa ukuba angakwazi ukuthetha nebandla phambi kokuba isuke inqanawa. Kwangoko wathumela isigidimi kubadala, ebakhuthaza ukuba bakhawuleze baye eMileto, ukuze babonane apho phambi kokuba aqhubeke nohambo lwakhe.IZ 392.1

Ukusabela kubizo lwakhe beza, waza wathetha nabo amazwi alukhuni nachukumisayo okubaluleka nokuvalelisa. “Niyazi kakuhle nina,” watsho, “kususela kwimini yokuqala endathi qatha ngayo kwelase-Asiya, ukuba ndathini na ukuhlala kwam nani lonke ixesha, ndikhonza eNkosini, ndinako konke ukuthobeka kwentliziyo, neenyembezi ezininzi, nokulingwa okwandihlelayo ngamayelenqe amaYuda: okokuba andinifihlelanga nto, ndanityela onke amalungelo; ndanifundisa ekuhleni nakwizindlu ngezindlu, ndiqononondisa kumaYuda nakumaGrike ukuguqukela kuThixo, nokukholwa kuyo iNkosi yethu, uYesu Kristu.”IZ 392.2

UPawulos wayehleli ewuphakamisa umthetho wezulu. Wabonisa ukuba umthetho awunawo amandla okusindisa abantu kwisono sokungathobeli. Abenzi bokungalungileyo kufuneka baguquke ezonweni zabo bazithobe phambi kukaThixo, ongqumbo yaKhe ifanelekileyo abazizuzele yona ngokwaphula umthetho waKhe, kwaye kufuneka babe nokholo kwigazi likaYesu njengendlela ekuphela kwayo yokuxolelwa. UNyana kaThixo wafa elucamagushelo lwabo, waza wenyukela ezulwini ukuba eme phambi koYise njengomthetheleli wabo. Ngokuguquka kunye nokholo, banako ukukhululwa ekugwetyweni kwesono ukuze kuthi, ngobabalo lukaKristu, bakwazi ukuwuthobela umthetho kaThixo ukususela ngoko.IZ 393.1

“Nangoku, yabonani,” waqhubeka uPawulos, “ndiya mna eYerusalem, ndibotshiwe nguMoya, ndingazazi izinto eziya kundihlela khona; ndanele ukwazi ukuba uMoya Oyingcwele uqononondisa kwimizi ngemizi, esithi ndilindwe ngamakhamandela naziimbandezelo. Andikhathalele nanye yezi zinto; kanjalo nobomi bam obu andinqabe nabo, ukuze ndilufeze uhambo lwam ngovuyo, nolungiselelo endalwamkelayo eNkosini uYesu, lokuqononondisa iindaba ezilungileyo zobabalo lukaThixo. Nangoku, yabonani, ndiyazi mna, ukuba nina nonke ndahambayo phakathi kwenu, ndibuvakalisa ubukumkani bukaThixo, anisayi kuba sabubona ubuso bam.”IZ 393.2

UPawulos wayengakulungiselelanga ukunika obu bungqina; kodwa, ngexesha athethayo, uMoya weMpefumlelo wamfikela, eqinisekisa uloyiko lwakhe lokuba lo uya kuba ngumhlangano wakhe wokugqibela nabazalwana bakhe base-Efese.IZ 393.3

“Kungoko ndingqinayo kuni ngayo le mini yanamhla, ukuba mna ndimsulwaegazinilabo bonke; kuba andinifihlelanga nto; ndanityela ndanityela lonke icebo likaThixo.” Kwakungekho koyika ukukhubekisa, kungekho lulangazelelo lobuhlobo okanye ukunconywa, okwakunokumenza uPawulos ukuba awarhoxise amazwi uThixo awamnika wona ukuba, ngawo balulekwe, balunyukiswe, okanye balungiswe. Namhlanje, kubakhonzi baKhe, uThixo ufuna ukungoyiki ekushunyayelweni kwelizwi nasekwenzeni imithetho yalo. Umlungiseleli kaKristu akufuneki abanike abantu kuphela ezo nyaniso zibakholisayo, aziyeke ezinye ezinokubenza beve kabuhlungu. Kufuneka akuqaphele ngenkathalo enkulu ukuphuhlisa isimilo. Ukuba ubona nawuphina kumhlambi wakhe wonwabele isono, kufuneka, njengomalusi onyanisekileyo, anike umyalelo ophuma elizwini likaThixo elingqale kulo meko. Ukuba angabavumela baqhubeke ngokuzithemba kwabo bengalunyukiswanga, uya kuphendula ngemiphefumlo yabo. Umfundisi owufezekisayo umsebenzi wakhe waphezulu, kufuneka abanike abantu bakhe imfundiso enyanisekileyo ngazo zonke iingongoma zenkolo yobuKristu, ebabonisa ukuba bamelwe kukuba yintoni nokuba benze ntoni ukuze bame befezekile ngemini kaThixo. Ngulowo kuphela oyititshala ethembekileyo yenyaniso oya kuthi ekupheleni komsebenzi wakhe athi, kunye noPawulos, “Ndimsulwa egazini labo bonke.”IZ 393.4

“Zilumkeleni ngoko,” wabalumkisa watsho umpostile abazalwana bakhe, “nawo wonke umhlambi, athe uMoya Oyingcwele wanimisa ukuba ngabaveleli bawo, ukuba nilaluse ibandla likaThixo, awazizuzelayo ngelilelakhe igazi.” Ukuba abalungiseleli beendaba ezilungileyo bebenokugcina engqondweni yabo lonke ixesha into yokuba basebenza [nabantu] abathengwe ngegazi likaKristu, bebeya kuba nombono onzulu wokubalulekakomsebenzi wabo.Bebeyakuzilumkelabonakunye nomhlambi wabo. Umzekelo wabo kukuzibonakalalisa nokuzinyanzelisa iimfundiso zabo. Njengeetitshala zendlela yobomi, akufuneki bavule ithuba lokuba kuthethwe kakubi ngenyaniso. Njengabameli bakaKristu, kufuneka bakugcine ukuhlonipheka kwegama laKhe. Ngokuzinikela kwabo, ubunyulu bobomi babo, incoko yabo engcwele, kufuneka bakubonakalise ukulufanela kwabo ubizo lwaphezulu.IZ 394.1

Iingozi ezaziza kuza kwibandla lase-Efese zatyhilwa kumpostile. “Ndiyakwazi oku,” watsho, “ukuba emva kokumka kwam, kuya kungena phakathi kwenu iingcuka ezibawayo, zingawucongi umhlambi. Nakuni ngokwenu kuya kuvela amadoda athetha izinto ezigwenxa, ukuba abarhole abafundi emva kwawo.” UPawulos wayeloyikela ibandla njengoko, xa wayekhangele kwixesha elizayo, wayebona ukuhlaselwa elaliza kukufumana kwiintshaba zangaphandle nezangaphakathi. Ngesidima esinyanisekileyo, wabayalela abazalwana bake ukuba baphaphamele ukugcina oko kungcwele bakuphathisiweyo. Ngokomzekelo, wabolathisa ekusebenzeni kwakhe angadinwa phakathi kwabo: “Phaphani, nikhumbula ukuba iminyaka emithathu, ubusuku nemini, andiyekanga ukululeka bonke ngabanye, ndineenyembezi.IZ 395.1

“Kungoko, bazalwana,” uyaqhubeka, “ndiyaniyaleza kuThixo nakwilizwi lobabalo lwakhe, onako ukunakha, aninike ilifa phakathi kwabo bonke abangcwalisiweyo. Andinqwenelanga silivere nagolide nangubo kabani.” Abanye babazalwana base-Efese babezizityebi, kodwa uPawulos akazange wafuna ukufumana nzuzo kubo. Yayingeyonto yakhe ukubizela ingqalelo kwezakhe iimfuno. “Ezi zandla,” watsho, “zazisebenzela iintswelozam, nezababenam.” Phakathikokusebenza nzimakwakhe neehambo ezininzi ngenxa yomsebenzi kaKristu, waba nokukwazi, kungekuphela ukwanelisa ezakhe iimfuno, kodwa nokuba nento ayibekayo ukuxhasa abasebenza kunye naye nokunceda amahlwempu afanele ukuba ancedwe. Wakwazi ukukwenza oku kuphela ngokukhuthala okungenakutyhafa kunye noqoqosho olungqongqo. Kungoko wakwazi ukwalatha kumzekelo wakhe xa wayesithi, “Ndinibonisa zonke izinto, ukuba ngokwenjenjalo ukubulaleka nimelwe kukuthi niyisize imilwelwe, nikhumbule namazwi eNkosi uYesu; ngokuba yena wathi, “Ukupha kunoyolo ngaphezu kokuphiwa.IZ 395.2

“Akutsho, waguqa ngamadolo, wathandaza nabo bonke. Basitsho ke isililo esikhulu bonke, bawa phezu kwentamo kaPawulos, bamanga kakhulu, bebuhlungu kakhulu, ngokukodwa lilizwi alithethileyo lokuthi, abasayi kubuya babubone ubuso bakhe. Bamphekelela ke, baya emkhombeni.”IZ 396.1

Ukusuka eMileto bahamba ngomkhombe, athi, “see ngqo seza eKos; ngomhla olandelayo ke seza eRodo, sesuka apho seza ePatara,” kunxweme lwasemzantsi-ntshona weAsia Minor apho “sifumene umkhombe uwelela kwelaseFenike, sangena kuwo sanduluka.” ETire, apho wathulwa khona umthwalo womkhombe, bafumana iqela labafundi, abaya bavunyelwa ukuba bahlale nabo iintsuku ezisixhenxe. NgoMoya Oyingcwele, aba bafundi babelunyukisiwe ngeentlekele ezimlindele uPawulos eYerusalem, baza bamkhuthaza ukuba “makangenyuki aye eYerusalem.” Umpostile akazange avumele ukuba ukoyika ingcikivo nokuvalelwa kumjike kwinjongo yakhe.IZ 396.2

Ekupheleni kweveki abayichithe eTire, bonke abazalwana, kunye nabafazi nabantwana babo, baya noPawulos emkhombeni, wathi phambi kokuba akhwele, baguqa elunxwemeni bathandaza, yena ethandazela bona, bona bethandazela yena.IZ 396.3

Bahambela phambili nohambo lwabo olusinga emazantsi, bada bafika eKesareya “sangena endlwini kaFilipu, umshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo, obengowabaya basixhenxe, sahlala kuye.” Apha uPawulos wahlala iintsuku ezimbalwa eseluxolweni, onwabile—inkululeko epheleleyo yokugqibela awayixhamla ixesha elide.IZ 397.1

Ngexesha uPawulos elibele eKesareya, “kwehla kwelakwaYuda mprofeti uthile, ugama linguAgabho. Wathi akufika kuthi,” uthi uLuka, “wathabatha umbhinqo kaPawulos, wazibopha izandla neenyawo, wathi, Utsho ke uMoya Oyingcwele ukuthi, Indoda ongowayo lo mbhinqo, aya kwenjenje amaYuda ukuyibopha eYerusalem ayinikele ezandleni zeentlanga.”IZ 397.2

“Ke kaloku,” uyaqhuba uLuka, “sakukuva oku, sambongoza thina, kwanabakuloo ndawo, ukuba angenyuki aye eYerusalem.” Noko kunjalo, uPawulos akazange aphambuke endleleni yomsebenzi. Wayeya kumlandela uKristu, ukuba kuyadingeka, kuse entolongweni nasekufeni. “Nenzani na ukulila niyityumze intliziyo yam? Wadanduluka watsho; “kuba mna ndingalungele kubotshwa kodwa; ndilungele nokufa eYerusalem, ngenxa yegama leNkosi uYesu.” Bathi bakubona ukuba bamenze buhlungu waye engayitshintshi injongo yakhe, bakuyeka abazalwana ukumkhathaza, besithi kuphela, “Makwenzeke ukuthanda kweNkosi.”IZ 397.3

Laphela kwakamsinyane ixesha elifutshane lokuhlala eKesareya, wathi, ephelekwa ngabanye babazalwana, uPawulos neqela lakhe basuka basinga eYerusalem, iintliziyo zabo zisethunzini elingqingqwa kukuxhaliswa bububi obabusiza.IZ 397.4

Akazange wakha waya eYerusalem umpostile enentliziyo elusizi njengangoko.Wayesaziukuba uyakufumanaabahloboabambalwa neentshaba ezininzi. Wayesondela kwisixeko esamala sambulala uNyana kaThixo, nekulengalenga phezu kwaso ukutyityinjiselwa umnwe wengqumbo yezulu. Wathi akukhumbula indlela eyayikrakra ngayo eyakhe intiyo ngakubalandeli bakaKristu, waziva enosizi olunzulu ngakubantu bakubo abalahlekisiweyo. Hayi ke ukuba kuncinane kwethemba kuye lokukwazi ukubanceda! Obu bumfama kanye bengqumbo awayevutha yiyo kweyakhe intliziyo, ngoku yayivutha kwiintliziyo zaso sonke isizwe ukuchasa yena.IZ 397.5

Wayengenako nokuthembela kuvelwano nenkxaso yabakhe abazalwana enkolweni. AmaYuda angaguqukanga awayemlandele apho wayesukuba esiya khona, ayengalibazisanga ukusasaza iingxelo ezingentle eYerusalem, wona iziqu nangeleta, ethetha ngaye nangomsebenzi wakhe; baye abanye, abapostile nabadala, bazamkela ezi ngxelo njengeziyinyaniso, bengazami ukuziphikisa, bengabonisi lulangazelelo lokusebenzisana naye.IZ 398.1

Phakathi kwazo zonke izidaniso, umpostile wayengancamanga. Wayethembe ukuba iLizwi elathetha kweyakhe intliziyo lalisaya kuthetha kwiintliziyo zabantu bakubo, nokuba iNkosi eyayithandwa, isetyenzelwa ngabangafundi kunye naye, iya kuzimanya iintliziyo zabo kunye neyakhe emsebenzini weendaba ezilungileyo.IZ 398.2