42—Uhambo Elwandle Nokuqhekeka Kwenqanawa

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 27 neZenzo 28:1-10]

Ekugqibeleni uPawulos wabasendleleni yakhe esinga eRoma. “Ke kaloku, kwakugqitywa,” uyabhala uLuka, “kwelokuba sisuke ngomkhombe siye kwelase-Itali, bamnikela uPawulos kwanabanye ababanjwa abathile kumthetheli-khulu, ogama linguYuliyo, webutho loMhlekazi. Singenile emkhombeni waseAdramita, sisiza kudlula ngakwimimandla yelaseAsiya, sanduluka, kwakubon’ ukuba uAristarko, umMakedoni waseTesalonika, unathi.”IZ 439.1

Ngenkulungwane yokuqala ngeXesha likaKristu ukuhamba ngolwandle kwakukholisa ngokuba nobunzima obukhulu kunye nomngcipheko. Oomatrose babeyikhokela indlela yabo kakhulu ngokulandela ilanga kunye neenkwenkwezi; kuthi xa zingabonakali, kube kukho iimpawu zesaqhwithi, abanini mikhombe boyike ukungena kulwandle oluvulekileyo. Ngexesha elithile enyakeni, ukuhamba ngokukhuselekileyo kwakuba nzima.IZ 439.2

Umpostile uPawulos kwakufuneka ngoku anyamezele amava amvavanyayo ababeza kuba nawo njengoko wayelibanjwa elisemixokelelwaneni kuhambo olude noludinisayo ukuya eItali. Esinye isiganeko sabenza khaphukhaphu ubunzima beqela lakhe—wavunyelwa ukuba aphelekwe nguLuka no-Aristarko. Kwileta yakhe eya kwabaseKolose, wathetha ngoAristarko njengalowo “ongumbanjwa kunye nam” (Kolose 4:10); kodwa kwakungokuzithandela ukuba uAristarko abelane noPawulos amakhamandela kaPawulos, ukuze alungiselele kuye kwiimbandezelo zakhe.IZ 439.3

Uhambo lwaqala ngempumelelo. Ngemini elandelayo baphosaiankile kunxweme lweSidon. Apha, uYuliyo, umthetheli-khulu, “wamphatha uPawulos ngobubele,” wathi, akuba exelelwe ukuba akho amaKristu kuloo ndawo, “wamvumela ukuba aye ezihlotyeni zakhe, ongiwe [azihlaziye].” Wayivuyela kakhulu umpostile le mvume, kuba wayebuthakathaka empilweni.IZ 440.1

Bakuba bendulukile eSidon, umkhombe wahlangana nomoya oza ngaphambili; wathi kuba uqhutyelwa kwindlela ejongene nawo, inkqubela yayecothayo. EMira, kummandla waseLiki, umthetheli-khulu wafumana umkhombe omkhulu wakwa-Alesandire usiya eItali, waza ngokukhawuleza wawakhuphela kuyo amabanjwa akhe. Umoya wona wa wusabachasa, kwaza kwanzima kumkhombe ukubheka phambili. ULuka ubhala athi, “Ke kaloku iintsuku zanela sihamba kancinane, kwaba ngenkankulu ukuba sifike ngaseKinido. Uthe wakuba umoya ungasivumelli ukuba sisondele, Sabetha ezantsi kweKrete ngaseSalimone. Saza sadlula kuyo ngenkankulu, safika ndaweni ithile kuthiwa ngamaChweba aMahle.”IZ 440.2

EmaChweba aMahle, banyanzeleka ukuba bahlale ixesha elithile, belindele imimoya eya kubavumela. Ubusika babusondela ngokukhawuleza; “nokuhamba ngomkhombe kunengozi;” babe nabo bongamele umkhombe bephelelwa lithemba lokufika apho baya khona lingekavalwa ixesha lokuhamba ngolwandle enyakeni. Esona sigqibo ekwakufuneka sithathiwe ngoko yayikukuba, bayahlala na emaChweba aMahle, okanye bazame ukufika endaweni enokubaphatha kakuhle ebusika.IZ 440.3

Le ndaba yaxoxwa ngokwenene, waza ekugqibeleni umthetheli-khulu wawubhekisa kuPawulos, owayesele efumene ukuhlonitshwa ngoomatrose kunye namasoldati. Umpostile akazange alibazise ukucebisa ukuba bahlale kuloo ndawo babe kuyo. “Ndiyabona,” watsho, “ukuba uhambo olu luza kuba nenkxwaleko nokonakala okukhulu, kungekwamthwalo namkhombe wodwa, kukokobomi bethu nabo.” Sekunjalo, umqhubi nomnini- mkhombe, kunye nesininzi sabakhweli nabasebenzi emkhombeni, babengenantumekelelo ukulamkelaeli cebiso. Ngenxa yokuba ichweba ababemise kulo “lingakulungele nje ukuba kudluliswe busika kulo, abona baninzi kubo bacela ukuba kundulukwe khona, ukuba mhlawumbi banganokufikelela badlulise ubusika eFinikis, eli chweba laseKrete, elibheke kwintshonalanga engasezantsi, nakwintshonalanga engasentla.”IZ 441.1

Umthetheli-khulu wagqiba ukuba alandele isigqibo sesininzi. Ngenxa yoko, “wakubetha impepho umoya wasezantsi,” besuka emaChweba aMahle, ngethemba lokuba baya kufika kwakamsinyane kwizibuko ababejonge lona. “Kodwa kungekabi mzuzu, kwagaleleka khona umoya osisaqhwithi;” “uthiwe hlasi umkhombe, awaba nako ukumelana nomoya.”IZ 441.2

Kwathi ngokuqhutywa sisaqhwithi, umkhombe wasondela kwisiqithana iKlawuda, baza bathi bese ngaphantsi kokhuseleko lwaso, oomatrose bazilungiselela elona xesha libi. Iphenyana, eyonanto ekuphela kwayo ababenokusinda ngayo xa umkhombe utshona, lalikho litsalwa kodwa lalinokubetheka libe ziingceba nangawuphi umzuzu. Umsebenzi wabo wokuqala yayikukuxhoma eli phenyana apha emkhombeni. Emva koko, kwenziwa konke okwakunokwenziwa ukuqinisa umkhombe ukuba umelane nesaqhwithi. Ukhuseleko olungengako olwalufumaneka kwisiqithana aluzange luthabathe thuba lide, baza kungekudala basesichengeni sobubi obupheleleyo besaqhwithi.IZ 441.3

Ubusuku bonke sabhudla isaqhwithi, kwathi nangona ayethatyathwe onke amanyathelo kwangaphambili, lavuza iphenyane. Ngemini elandelayo “bawenza khaphukhaphu umkhombe.” Baphinda bafika ubusuku, kodwa awathotha umoya. Umkhombe obethwe sisaqhwithi, iintsika neseyile zivuthulukile, wantlithwa ubheka ngapha nangapha kukugqutha koqhwithela. Umzuzu ngamnye ayengathi anganikezela amaplanga akrikrizayo njengoko umkhonjana wawusiwa ngapha nangapha ungcangcazela phantsi koqhwithelo oluvuthuzayo. Kwaya kukhula ngokukhawuleza ukuvuza, abakhweli nabasebenzi bahlalela ukusebenza iimpompo. Kwakungekho thuba lakuphumla nakubani owayekhwele apho. “Nangowesithathu,” uthi uLuka, “Sayilahla ngezandla zethu impahla yomkhombe. Kuthe ke kwakubon’ ukuba akubonakali langa nankwenkwezi iintsuku ezininzi, kucinezele neliqhwa elingelincinane, laphela kwathi tu lonke ithemba lokuba singasindiswa.”IZ 442.1

Kwaba lishumi elinesine leentsuku beqhutywaqhutywa phantsi kwesibhakabhaka esingenalanga nazinkwenkwezi. Umpostile, nangona naye wayengaphilanga ngokwasemzimbeni, waba namazwi ethemba ngelixa lobumnyama, isandla esincedayo ngexesha lentlekele. Ngokholo wabamba ingalo yaMandla angaPheliyo, yaza intliziyo yakhe yalindela kuThixo. Wayengazoyikeli yena; wayesazi ukuba uThixo uya kumgcina ukuze angqine eRoma ngenyaniso kaKristu. Intliziyo yakhe yayizele luvelwano yimiphefumlo elusizi eyayinaye, inesono, ithotyiwe, ingakulungelanga ukufa. Wathi ebambene noThixo ukuba abusindise ubomi babo, watyhilelwa ukuba umthandazo wakhe wamkelekile.IZ 442.2

Wathi esebenzisa ithuba lokuthotha kwesaqhwithi, uPawulos wesuka wema emgangathweni, eliphakamisa ilizwi lakhe, wathi: “Hina madoda, ninge naniphulaphule kum, ananduluka eKrete, nizuzane nale nkxwaleko noku konakala. Nangoku ndiyaniluleka ukuba nibe nomxhelo owonwabileyo; kuba kuni aba, akukho uya kulahlekelwa bubomi bakhe, yoba ngumkhombe wodwa. Kuba ngobu busuku bekumi ngakum isithunywa sikaThixo, endingowakhe, endimkhonzayo, sisithi, Musa ukoyika, Pawulos, umelwe kukuma phambi koKesare; uyabona, uThixo ukubabale ngabo bonke abasemkhombeni nawe. Kungoko ndithi, Yibani nomxhelo owonwabileyo, madoda kuba ndiyakholwa nguThixo, ukuba kuya kuba njalo ngolo hlobo athethe ngalo kum. Kodwa simelwe kukuphoseka siqithini sithile.”IZ 443.1

La mazwi alivuselela ithemba. Abakhweleyo nabasebenzi bavuka ekungakhathalini kwabo. Kwakukuninzi ekusafuneka kwenziwe, kwaye yonke imizamo abanokufikelela kuyo kufuneka yenziwe ukunqanda intshabalalo.IZ 443.2

Kwakungobusuku beshumi elinesine beqhutywaqhutywa kumaza amnyama agqumayo, ekwathi “ezinzulwini zobusuku,” oomatrose, bakuva isandi samaza, “bazindla ukuba kukho mhlaba uthile basondelayo kuwo. Baza bakuba beyiphosile ilothe, bafumana ukuba ziifatom ezimashumi mabini; bethe tyi ke kancinane, baphinda bayiphosa ilothe, bafumana ukuba ziifatom ezilishumi elinantlanu. Baza, besoyika,” ngokutsho kukaLuka, “ukuthi bangaphoseka ezindaweni ezibugqagala, baphosa iankile zane esinqeni somkhombe, banga kungasa.”IZ 443.3

Kwakuthi qheke ukusa, yabonakala kaluzizi imida yonxweme olunoqhwithela, kodwa akwabakho zinto kungaphawulwa ngazo ukuba kusemhlabeni. Kwakumfiliba kakhulu kangangokuba oomatrose ababengabahedeni baphelelwa sisibindi, bangxamela “ukubaleka baphumeemkhombeni,“bathi,besenza ngathi balungiselela ukuziphosa iiankile ngaphambili,” sebelihlisile iphenyane, uPawulos eliqonda iqhinga labo, wathi kumthetheli-khulu nakumasoldati, “Ukuba aba abathanga bahlale emkhombeni, aninakusindiswa nina.” Ngokukhawuleza, amasoldati “azinqamla iintsontelo zomkhonjana, awuyeka wawa” elwandle.IZ 443.4

Elona lixa linzima kakhulu lalise phambi kwabo. Waphinda umpostile wathetha amazwi enkuthazo, ebacenga bonke, oomatrose kunye nababekhwele, ukuba batye, esithi, “Namhla ngumhla weshumi elinesine nilinda, nimana nizila ukudla, ningafaki nto emlonyeni; ke ngoko ndiyanibongoza ukuba nidle ukudla; kuba oko kuyelelene nokusindiswa kwenu; kuba akuyi kuwa nalunwele lwentloko kabani kuni.”IZ 444.1

“Ke kaloku, akuba etshilo, wathabatha isonka, wabulela kuThixo emehlweni abo bonke; waqhekeza, waqala wadla.” Lathi elo qela lixhwalekileyo nelityhafileyo lamakhulu amabini anamashumi asixhenxe anesihlanu emiphefumlo, engelaliselincamile ukuba bekungengaye uPawulos, laqala ukutya kunye nompostile. “Bathe ke, bakuhlutha, bawenza khaphukhaphu umkhombe, beyiphosa elwandle ingqolowa.”IZ 444.2

Ukukhanya kwemini kwakusele kuphelele, kodwa abazange bakwazi ukubona nto ababenokuthi ngayo baxele ukuba bandawoni. Noko kunjalo, “babona ichwetyana elithile linonxweme, babhunga ukuwutyhalela kulo umkhombe. Ukuba bangaba nako. Baza, bezinqumla zonke ii-ankile, baziyekela elwandle, bezikhulule kunye nezibophelelo zemithi yokujika; bayitwabulula iseyilana ngasemoyeni, babhekisa elunxwemeni. Bakuba ke begaxeleke endaweni enolwandle ngeenxa zombini,wangqubeka khonaumkhombe;umphambili wagxumekeka khona, wahlala awashukuma; ke sona isinqe saqhekeka ngamandla amaza.”IZ 444.3

UPawulos namanye amabanjwa bajongana nenkathazo eyayimbi kakhulu ngaphezu kokuqhekeka komkhombe. Amasoldati abona ukuba, ngexesha kuzanywa ukufika emhlabeni, kuya kuba nzima ukuwagcina amabanjwa egcinakele. Wonke umntu kwakuza kufuneka ukuba enze oko anako ukuzisindisa. Ukuba, ke ngoko, amabanjwa angalahleka, ubomi babo babenomthwalo wawo babuya kulahleka. Kungoko amasoldati alangazelela ukuwabulala onke amabanjwa. Umthetho waseRoma wawuyivumela le nkqubo yesi senzo sikhohlakeleyo, kwaye eli cebo ngelalenziwe kwangoko, ukuba kwakungengayo lowo bonke babexhomekeke kakhulu kuye. UYuliyo umthetheli-khulu wayesazi ukuba uPawulos wayenegalelo ekusindiseni ubomi babo bonke abo babekhwele, kwaye ngaphezu koko, oyisakele ukuba iNkosi yayinaye, waza woyika ukumenza into embi. Kungoko wayalela ukuba “abo banako ukudada mabaziphose kuqala baphumele emhlabeni; bathi abaseleyo, inxenye ikhwele eziplangeni, inxenye ikhwele kwezinye izinto zomkhombe. Kwaza kwathi ngokunjalo bafika emhlabeni, basinda bonke.” Kwathi kwakubizwa bonke ngamagama, akwakho ungekhoyo.IZ 445.1

Abasebenzi bomkhombe bamkelwa ngobubele ngamabharibhari aseMelita. “Aphemba umlilo,” utsho uLuka, “asamkela sonke ngenxa yemvula esifikeleyo, nangenxa yokubanda.” UPawulos wayephakathi kwabo babesebenza ukulungiselela ukonwaba kwabanye. Wathi akuba etheze “inyanda yeentsasa, wayibeka phezu komlilo, kwaphuma inyoka ebushushwini obo, yanamathela esandleni sakhe.” Bothuka kakhulu abo babekufuphi; babona ngetyathanga ukuba wayelibanjwa, bathethana omnye komnye bathi, “Okwenene lo mntu ungumbulali; nakuba esindile elwandle, impindezelo ayivumi ukuba adle ubomi.” UPawulos wasivuthululela emlilweni isilwanyana akeva ntlungu. Bathi ngokwazi ubungozi betyhefu yayo [inyoka], abantu bakhangela belindele ukumbona esiwa esentlungwini nanini. “Bakulinda futhi ke, bakubona engahliwa nto imbi, bajika bathi unguthixo.”IZ 445.2

Kwiinyanga ezintathu ezachithwa liqela lomkhombe eMelita, uPawulos kunye nabo wayesebenza nabo bawakhulisa amathuba amaninzi okushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Ngendlela emangalisayo iNkosi yasebenza ngabo. Ngenxa kaPawulos, iqela elalophukelwe ngumkhombe laphathwa ngobubele obukhulu; zanezwa zonke iimfuno zabo, kwathi, naxa beyishiya iMelita, benzelwa isisa sokunikwa konke okwakufuneka kuhambo lwabo. Iziganeko eziphambili zokuhlala kwabo zichazwa ngokufutshane nguLuka:IZ 446.1

“Ke kaloku, kuloo mmandla bekukho imihlaba yomntu omkhulu wesiqithi, ogama linguPubliyo; owasamkela ngobubele, wasenza undwendwe lwakhe iintsuku zantathu. Kwathi ke, uyise kaPubliyo walala phantsi, ebanjwe yicesina nokuxaxazaigazi; awathi uPawulos, engene kuye, wathandaza; wabeka izandla phezu kwakhe, wamphilisa. Kuthe ke kwakwenzeka oko, bathi nabanye ababenezifo esiqithini apho, beza baphiliswa; bathi bona basenzela iimbeko ezininzi; bathi, xa sindulukayo, basithwesa ngezinto esizisweleyo.”IZ 446.2