12—Ukusuka Kubutshutshisi Ukuya Kubufundi

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 9:1-18]

Indoda eyayinodumo kakhulu kwiinkokeli zamaYuda neyaphaphanyiswa kakhulu yimpumelelo yokuvakaliswa kweendaba ezilungileyo yayinguSawule waseTarso. Waye ngummi waseRoma ngokuzalwa, kodwa yena engowomnombo wamaYuda, owafundiswa eYerusalem ngoyena wayebaluleke ukudlula bonke abanye oorabhi. Uthi, “Ndingowenzala kaIsrayeli, ndingo wesizwe sikaBhenjamin, umHebhere wamaHebhere; ngokomthetho ndingumFarisi, ngokwenzondelelo ndilitshutshisa ibandla; ngokobulungisa obo basemthethweni ndingongenakusoleka.” Filipu 3:5, 6. Abafundisi babemthabatha njengegatyana elithembisayo kakhulu, kwaza kwalindelwa lukhulu kuye njengonamandla nenzondelelo yokukhusela inkolo yakudala. Ukunyuselwa kwakhe kwiqumrhu iSanhedrin kwambeka kwisikhundla samandla.IZ 112.1

USawule wayethabathe inxaxheba ebaluleke kakhulu etyaleni nasekugwetyweni kukaStefano, baza ubungqina obothusayo bobukho bukaThixoengakuStefano bamkhokelela uSawule ukuba abuthandabuze ubulungisa bendlela awayilandelayo ukuchasa abalandeli bakaYesu. Ingqondo yakhe yayiphazamisekile kakhulu. Ekubhidekeni kwakhe, wabhenela kubantu awayethembele kakhulu ekubeni nobulumko kunye nokuba nombono kwabo. Izizathu ezabekwa ngababingeleli nabaphathi, ekugqibeleni, zamoyisela ekuthini, uStefano wayengumnyelisi, nokuba, uKristu owayeshunyayelwa ngumfundi owabulawayo wayelibhedengu, nokuba abo babebambe izikhundla ezingcwele ngokwenene babenyanisile.IZ 112.2

USawule akazange afike ngaphandle kwemigudu nokuvavanyeka okukhulu kwesi sigqibo. Ekugqibeleni imfundo yakhe nokukhawuleza agwebe, intlonipho yakhe kwiititshala zakhe zangaphambili, kunye nekratshi lakhe lokuthand’ udumo, kukonke, kwamenza ukuba avukelane nelizwi lesazela sakhe kunye nobabalo lukaThixo. Ukusebenzela kwakhe ukuba amadoda nabafazi abangcwele bagwetyelwe ukuvalelwa entolongweni, abanye bade babulawe, kuphela ngenxa yokholo lwabo kuYesu, kwazisa usizi nentlugu kwibandla elaliselitsha, kwabenza ukuba abaninzi babhace befuna ukhuseleko.IZ 113.1

Abo babaleka eYerusalem ngenxa yentshutshiso yakhe “batyhutyha ilizwe, beshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo.” Zenzo 8:4. Phakathi kwezixeko abaya kuzo kwakukho neDamasko, apho inkolo entsha yazuza amakholwa amaninzi.IZ 113.2

Ababingeleli nabaphathi bathemba ukuba baya kuthi ngemizamo yokuhlala beqaphele nangentshutshiso engqongqo baya kulunyhasha ukreqo. Bagqibaukubabawahambisele phambili nakwezinye iindawo amanyathelo abawathabathe eYerusalem okulwa nemfundiso entsha. Ukuqinisekisa ukuba umsebenzi owodwa abagqibe ngawo eDamasko uyenzeka, uSawule wazibingelela ukuba awenze. Wathi “esabafuthela ngeentsongelo neembulalo abafundi beNkosi, waya kumbingeleli omkhulu; wacela kuye iincwadi zokuya eDamasko ezindlwini zesikhungu, ukuze athi, ethe wafumana abathile bale Ndlela, amadoda kwanabafazi, abazise bekhonkxiwe eYerusalem.” Wathi, ke ngoko, “[e]negunya nemvume kubabingeleli abakhulu” (Zenzo 26:12), uSawule waseTarso, enamandla nokomelela kwendoda, evutha lulangazelelo oluphum’ ecaleni, waluqala olo hambo lungenakuze lulibaleke, oluziganeko zalo zaziza kuwuguqula wonke umsinga wobomi bakhe.IZ 113.3

Ngomhla wokugqibela wohambo lwakhe, “emini enkulu”, xa abahambi abanxaphileyo besondela eDamasko, bafika kwindawo enomhlaba otyebileyo, amathafa ethe tyaba phambi kwabo, kukho izitiya ezihle namabhoma agcwele ziziqhamo, iyindawo enkcenkceshelwa yimijelo emanzi apholileyo, asuka kwiintaba ezijikelezileyo. Emva kohambo olude olwalunqumla kwiindawo eziyinkqantosi, imibono enje ngale iphambi kwabo yayihlaziya ngokwenene. Bathi, uSawule namahlakani akhe, besamangele bebuka amathafa azele iziqhamo, kulele isixeko esihle phaya ezantsi, “ngequbuliso” ngokutsho kwakhe (uSawule) kamva, ndabona “ngenxa zonke, nabo babehamba nam,” “ukukhanya kuvela ezulwini okungaphezu kokuqaqamba kwelanga,” (Zenzo 26:14), kubengezela kakhulu ukuba kungajongwa ngeliso lomntu. Emfamekile, othukile, uSawule wawa waguqa emhlabeni.IZ 114.1

Ngeli xesha, ukukhanya kwakubabanekela ngenxa zonke, uSawule weva “izwi lithetha naye ngentetho yesiHebhere” (Zenzo 26:14), “lisithi kuye, Sawule, Sawule, unditshutshiselani na? Wathi ke yena, Ungubani na Nkosi? Ithe ke iNkosi, Mna ndinguye uYesu omtshutshisayo wena; wenzakala ukhaba iimviko nje.”IZ 114.2

Athi ezaliswe luloyiko, ephantse aphanyazwa kukukhanya, amahlakani kaSawule aliva ilizwi, kodwa akabona mntu. USawule wawaqonda amazwi ayethethwa, wamtyhilelwa ngokucacileyo yena Lowo wayewathetha — uNyana kaThixo. Kweso siQu sibengezelayo sasimi phambi kwakhe, wabona Lowo wayeBethelelwe. Emphefumlweni walo mYuda ubethiweyo, kwakrolwa imbonakalo yomfanekiso woMsindisi ngonaphakade. Amazwi awathethwayo abetheleleka entliziyweni yakhe ngamandla amangalisayo. Kumagumbi amnyama engqondo yakhe kwangena umsinga wokukhanya, kutyhila ukungazi nemposiso yobomi bakhe bangaphambili kunye nesidingo anaso sokukhanyiselwa nguMoya Oyingcwele.IZ 115.1

Wabona uSawule ngoko ukuba, ekutshutshiseni abalandeli bakaYesu, kwathi kanti ngokwenene wenza umsebenzi kaSathana. Wabona ukuba iimbono anazo zokulungileyo nezomsebenzi ongowakhe, zazakhelwe kakhulu phezu kwethemba eliqinisekileyo analo kubabingeleli nabaphathi. Wabakholelwa xa besithi kuye ibali lokuvuka laliyintsomi eyakhiwa bubuchopho babafundi. Kuthe akuba uYesu ebonakala etyhiliwe, uSawule woyisakala bubunyaniso bamabango awayesenziwa ngabafundi.IZ 115.2

Ngeyure yokukhanya kwasezulwini, ingqondo kaSawule yasebenza ngokukhawuleza okumangalisayo. Amazwi esiprofeto esiBhalo esiNgcwele athi avuleka ukuba awaqonde. Wakubona ukuba ukwaliwa kukaYesu ngamaYuda, ukubethelelwa kwaKhe, ukuvuka, nokunyuka, zizinto ezazixelwe ngenx’ engaphambili ngabaprofeti, zamngqina ukuba unguMesiya ekwakuthenjiswe ngaYe. Intshumayelo kaStefano ngexesha lokufela kwakhe inkolo yaziswa ngamandla engqondweni kaSawule, wayiqonda into yokuba ifela-nkolo ngokwenene labubona “ubuqaqawuli bukaThixo” xa lalisithi, “Yabonani, ndiwabona amazulu evulekile, ndimbona uNyana woMntu emi ngasekunene kukaThixo.” Zenzo 7:55, 56. Ababingeleli bathi la mazwi ayekukunyelisa, kodwa ngoku uSawule wawazi ukuba ayeyinyaniso.IZ 115.3

Athi intyilelo enjalo kumtshutshisi! Ngoku uSawule wathi wazi ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba uMesiya ekwakuthenjiswe ngaYe wafika kulo mhlaba enguYesu waseNazarete waza waliwa wabethelelwa emnqamlezweni ngabo wayeze ukuba abasindise. Wayesazi nokuba uMsindisi wavuswa enoloyiso engcwabeni waza wenyukela emazulwini. Ngaloo mzuzu wentyilelo yezulu, uSawule wakhumbula enokoyika ukuba uStefano, owayenika ubungqina ngoMsindisi owabethelelwayo wabuya wavuka, wabingelelwa ngokuvuma kwakhe [yena Sawule], nokuba kwathi kamva, ngaye njengesixhobo, abalandeli abaninzi abaxabisekileyo bakaYesu bahlangana nokufa ngentshutshiso ekhohlakeleyo.IZ 116.1

UMsindisi wayethethe noSawule ngoStefano, okuzathuza kwakhe kwakungenako ukuphikiswa. Imfundimani yomYuda yabubona ubuso befela-nkolo butyhila ukukhanya kobuqaqawuli bukaKristu — bubonakala ngokungathi “bubuso besithunywa sezulu.” Zenzo 6:15. Wakubona ukuba nomonde kukaStefano ngakwiintshaba zakhe kwanokuzixolela kwakhe. Wayekwakubonile ukuqina nokuzinikela ngokonwaba kwabaninzi awayethe wabangcungcuthekisa wabantlitha. Wababona abanye bencama ubomi babo ngovuyo ngenxa yenkolo yabo.IZ 116.2

Zonke ezi zinto zaba nentsingiselo evakalayo kakhulu kuSawule kwathi ngamathuba athile zafaka engqondweni yakhe ingcamango eyayiphantse ukumgubungela yokuba uYesu wayenguye uMesiya ekwakuthenjiswe ngaYe. Bekusithi ngamaxesha anjalo, azamazameesilwanalengcinga, kodwa aphele evumelana nenkolo ethi uYesu wayengenguye uMesiya, nto nje abafundi babe nobushushu babantu abalahlekisiweyo.IZ 116.3

UKristu wayethethe noSawule ngelaKhe ilizwi, esithi, “Sawule, Sawule, unditshutshisela ni na?” Umbuzo owawusithi, “Ungubani na, Nkosi?” waphendulwa kwalelo lizwi linye, “Mna ndinguye uYesu omtshutshisayo wena.” UKristu apha uzibandakanya nabantu baKhe. Ekutshutshiseni abalandeli bakaYesu, uSawule waye betha kanye iNkosi yezulu. Ngokubatyhola ngobuxoki nokungqina ngokuchasene nabo, wayetyhola ngobuxoki engqina ngokuchasene noMsindisi wehlabathi.IZ 117.1

Akuzange kubekho ntandabuzo engqondweni kaSawule ukuba Lowo wayethetha naye yayinguYesu waseNazarete, uMesiya owaye kade elindelwe, uMthuthuzeli noMkhululi kaIsrayeli. “Waza egubha, eqhiphuke umbilini, wathi, Nkosi, ufuna ukuba ndenze ntoni na? Yathi iNkosi kuye, Vuka uye kungena emzini lowo; woyixelelwa into omelwe kukuyenza.”IZ 117.2

Bathi bakususwa ubuqaqawuli, uSawule waphakama, wazifumana engenako konke ukukhanya emehlweni akhe. Ukubengezela kobuqaqawuli bukaKristu kwaye kukukhulu kakhulu kumehlo akhe omntu onokufa; kwathi kwakususwa, wafikelwa emehlweni akhe sisithokothoko sobumnyama. Wakholelwa ukuba obo bumfama busisohlwayo esivela kuThixo ngenxa yenkohlakalo yentshutshiso abe eyenza kubalandeli bakaYesu. Waphuthaphutha njengempumputhe kobo bumnyama, baza abo babehamba naye, benoloyiko nokumangaliswa, “bamrhola ke ngesandla, baza kumngenisa eDamasko.”IZ 117.3

Ngentsasa yale mini inesiganeko, uSawule wayesondele eDamasko eziva anelisekileemphefumlweni ngenxa yokuthenjwa kwakhe ngumbingeleli omkhulu. Bekunikelwe kuye uxanduva olukhulu. Wayeyalelwe ukuba aqhubele phambili iinjongo zenkolo yobuYuda ngokuthintela, ukuba unako, ukusasazwa kwenkolo entsha eDamasko. Wayezimisele ukuba umsebenzi wakhe uya kugqityezelwa ngempumelelo, waye ekhangele phambili, engxamele amava aphambi kwakhe alindele ukuwazuza.IZ 117.4

Kwakunjani ngoku ukungena kwakhe esixekweni ngendlela engafaniyo naleyo wayeyilindele? Ebethwe ngobumfama, engenakuzinceda, ethwaxwa kukuzisola, engazi ukuba nguwuphi omnye umgwebo ongaphezulu omlindeleyo, walifuna ikhaya lo mfundi ongumYuda, apho wathi, eyedwa, waba nethuba elaneleyo lokucingisisa (okwenzekayo) nokuthandaza.IZ 118.1

Kwaba ziintsuku ezintathu uSawule “engaboni, engadli, engaseli nokusela.” Ezi ntsuku zentlungu yomphefumlo kuye zaba njengeminyaka. Waphinda-phinda ukukhumbula, ngentliziyo ebuhlungu, inxaxheba awayithabathayo ekufeni kukaStefano. Waziva ezaliswe luloyiko nokungazithandi akucinga ngobutyala anabo ngokuziyekela ekulawulweni yinkohlakalo nokugweba kungahlolisiswanga kwababingeleli nabaphathi, naxa ubuso bukaStefano sebubengezela kukukhanya kwezulu. Ngosizi nokophuka komoya, wawabala amathuba awathi wavala amehlo neendlebe ngakubungqina obucacileyo, waza, endaweni yokwamkela, waqina akajika ekutshutshiseni abo bakholelwa kuYesu waseNazarete.IZ 118.2

Ezi ntsuku zokuzihlolisisa nokutyumka kwentliziyo yachithelwa ekuzikhwebuleni bucala umntu eyedwa. Amakholwa, enikwe isilumkiso ngenjongo kaSawule yokuya eDamasko, oyika hleze kuthi kanti uyazenzisa ukuze awafumane engalindele nto; yaza loo nto yenza ukuba azigcine kude, angafuni kuvelana naye. Wayengalangazeleli kubhenela kumaYuda angaguqukanga, awayeceba ukuzimanya nawo ekutshushiseni amakholwa; kuba wayesazi ukuba awasayi kuze alimamele ibali lakhe. Ngolo hlobo wathi wakude novelwano lwabantu. Ithemba lakhe laba kuphela kuThixo onenceba, waza wabhenela kuye aphuke intliziyo.IZ 118.3

Ngeli xesha lide awayezivalele noThixo ngalo eyedwa uSawule, wakhumbula iindawo eziliqela leziBhalo ezazibhekisa ekufikeni kokuqala kukaKristu. Ngononophelo olukhulu, wazilanda iziprofeto, enengqondo ebukhali ngokwenziwa kukukholwa okwathi kwabakho engqondweni yakhe. Xa ezicingisisa ezi ziprofeto, wamangaliswa bubumfama awaye nabo ngaphambili ekuziqondeni nasebumfameni bamaYuda jikelele, okwakhokelela ekwaliweni kukaYesu njengoMesiya ekwakuthenjiswe ngaYe. Kumbono wakhe okhanyiselweyo, yonke le nto yabonakala icace gca. Wayesazi ukuba ukugweba kwakhe kwangaphambili kunye nokungakholwa kwayisibekela imbono yakhe yasemoyeni yamthintela ukuba abone uMesiya wesiprofeto kuYesu waseNazarete.IZ 119.1

Wathi uSawule akuzinikela ngokupheleleyo ekuthinjweni ngamandla kaMoya Oyingcwele, wazibona iimpazamo zobomi bakhe wabuqonda ububanzi bamabango omthetho kaThixo. Lo wayengumFarisi onekratshi, eqinisekile ukuba ugwetyelwa ngemisebenzi elungileyo, wathi wawa phambi koThixo ngokuzithoba nobulula bomntwana, evuma ukungafaneleki kwakhe ebhena ngokulunga koMsindisi owabethelelwayo wabuya wavuka.USawule wafuna ukufikelela kubunye obupheleleyo nobudlelwane bukaYise noNyana; waza wathi, ekuqineni kolu langazelelo lokuxolelwa nokwamkelwa, wenza izikhungo ngokuzingisa, eziya kwitrone yobabalo.IZ 119.2

Imithandazo yomFarisi oguqukayo yayingelolize. Ezona ngcinga zinzulu nemizwa yentliziyo yayiguqulwe lubabalo lwezulu; zaza ezona ziphiwo zakhe zamandla engqondo eziphakamileyo zenziwa zahambelana nenjongo engunaphakade kaThixo. KuSawule, uKristu nobulungisa baKhe waba ngaphezu kwento yonke ehlabathini liphela.IZ 120.1

Ukuguquka kukaSawule kububungqina obubonakala kakhulu bamandla amangalisayo kaMoya Oyingcwele ukugweba isono. Wayekholelwe ngokwenene ukuba uYesu waseNazarete akazange awuhloniphe umthetho kaThixo, nokuba wafundisa abafundi baKhe ukuba awunantsingiselo. Emva kokuguquka kwakhe, uSawule wamamkela uYesu njengowayeze emhlabeni ngenjongo eyodwa yokuza kuwungqinela umthetho kaYise. Wayeqinisekile ukuba uYesu wayengumqali wayo yonke inkqubo yenkonzo yamadini amaYuda. Wabona ukuba ekubethelelweni, umfuziselo wahlangana noqobo, nokuba uYesu wayezizalisekisile iziprofeto zeTestamente eNdala ezingoMkhululi kaIsrayeli.IZ 120.2

Kwingxelo yokuguquka kukaSawule, sinikwe imithetho-siseko ebalulekileyo, ekufuneka siyigcine ezingqondweni ngamaxesha onke. USawule waziswa ngqo phambi kukaKristu. Ungomnye umntu uKristu awayemjongele umsebenzi obalulekileyo, owayeza kuba “sisitya esikhethiweyo” kuYe; ukanti iNkosi ayizange imxelele zisuka ngomsebenzi abekelwe wona. Wambamba esendleleni yakhe wamgweba ngesono sakhe; kodwa wathi uSawule akubuza, “Ufuna ndenze ntoni na?” uMsindisi wambeka lo mYuda ubuzayo ebandleni, ukuze apho azuze ukwazi ngentando kaThixo ngaye.IZ 120.3

Ukukhanya okumangalisayo okwabengezela kubumnyama bukaSawule yayingumsebenzi weNkosi; kodwa kwaye kukho umsebenzi ekufuneka ewenzelwe [uSawule] ngabafundi. UKristu wayewenzile umsebenzi wentyilelo nentimbo; ngoku lowo uguqukayo wayekwimeko yokufunda kwabo uThixo ababekele bucala ukuba bafundise inyaniso yaKhe.IZ 121.1

Ngexesha uSawule eyedwa endlwini kaJuda, eqhubeka nokuthandaza nokubongoza, iNkosi yavela embonweni “[ku]mfundi uthile eDamasko, ugama linguHananiya” yamxelela ukuba uSawule waseTarso wayethandaza efuna uncedo. “Phakama, uye esitratweni ekuthiwa sesithe Tye,” satsho isithunywa sezulu, “ubuzise endlwini kaYuda umntu ogama linguSawule waseTarso; kuba nanko ethandaza; waye ebone embonweni indoda enguHananiya ingena ibeka izandla phezu kwakhe, ukuze abuye abone.”IZ 121.2

Kwakunzima kuHananiya ukuwamkela amazwi engelosi; kuba iingxelo ezazingentshutshiso embi eyenziwa nguSawule kwabangcwele eYerusalem zazisasazwe kwilizwe lonke. Waba nobuganga bokululeka ngelithi, “Nkosi ndivile kwabaninzi ngale ndoda, ukuba zinkulu kwazo izinto ezimbi ezenze kwabangcwele bakho eYerusalem; nalapha, ikho nje, inegunya kubabingeleli abakhulu lokukhonkxa bonke abo balinqulayo igama lakho.” Sekunjalo, umyalelo wona wanyanzelisa, “Yiya, ngokuba lowo usisitya esinyuliweyo ndim, sokuphatha igama lam emehlweni eentlanga, nookumkani, kwanoonyana bakaIsrayeli.”IZ 121.3

Ngokuthobela inkokhelo yengelosi, uHananiya wayifuna wayifumana indoda eyayisanda kubafuthela bonke abakholelwa kwigama likaYesu; waza, ebeke izandla phezu kwalo uguqukayo esezintlungwini, wathi, “Mzalwana uSawule, iNkosi uYesu, ebonakele kuwe endleleni oze ngayo, indithumile ukuze ubuye ubone uzaliswe nguMoya Oyingcwele. (NKJV).IZ 121.4

“Kwa-oko kwawa emehlweni akhe izinto ezingathi ziinkwethu; wabuya wabona kwa-oko, wavuka, wabhaptizwa.”IZ 122.1

UYesu wanikela imvume kwigunya lebandla lakhe eliqulunqiweyo wabeka uSawule ukuba ahlangane nabathunywa baKhe emhlabeni. UKristu ngoku waye nebandla njengommeli waKhe emhlabeni, elithe lanikwa umsebenzi wokukhokelela umoni oguqukayo endleleni yobomi.IZ 122.2

Abaninzi banengqondo yokuba baxhomekeke kuKristu kuphela ngokukhanya kwabo kunye namava abo, bangabi nanto yakwenza nabalandeli baKhe ababekiweyo emhlabeni. UYesu ungumhlobo waboni, kwaye intliziyo yaKhe iyachukumiseka ziingxaki zabo. Unawo onke amandla, ezulwini nasemhlabeni; kodwa uyazihlonipha iindlela azimiseleyo zokukhanyisela nokusindisa abantu; ubathumela aboni ebandleni, alenze ukuba libelijelo lokukhanya okuya ehlabathini.IZ 122.3

Uthe ephakathi kobumfama bemposiso kunye nekratshi lakhe, uSawule wanikwa umbono kaKristu awayemtshutshisa, wenziwa waqhagamshelana ngqo nebandla, elikukukhanya ehlabathini. Kule meko, uHananiya umele uKristu, ekwamele nabalungiseleli bakaKristu emhlabeni, athe [uKristu] wabanyula ukuba basebenze endaweni yaKhe. Endaweni kaKristu, uHananiya uchukumisa amehlo kaSawule, ukuba abone. Endaweni kaKristu, ubeka izandla zakhe phezu kwakhe [uSawule], aze athi ethandaza [uHananiya] egameni likaKristu, uSawule azuze uMoya Oyingcwele. Konke kwenziwa egameni kunye negunya likaKristu. UKristu ungumthombo; ibandla lilijelo loqhagamshelwano.IZ 122.4