13—Imihla Yokulungiselela

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 9:19-30]

Emva kokubhaptizwa, uPawulos wafikelela esiphelweni sokuzila kwakhe, “wabanemihla ethile kubafundi abaseDamasko. Waye kwa-oko, ezindlwini zesikhungu, emvakalisa uYesu, ukuba lowo unguye uNyana kaThixo.” Ngesibindi, wavakalisa ukuba uYesu waseNazarete wayenguMesiya owayelindelwe ixesha elide, “wazifela izono zethu ngokwesibhalo; wangcwatywa, . . . wavuka ngomhla wesithathu,” waza emva koko wabonwa ngabaliShumi elinamBini nangabanye. “Ekugqibeleni ke kwabo bonke,” wongeza watsho uPawulos, “kwanga kukwinto ezelwe lingekabi lilixa layo, wabonwa nandim.” 1 Korinte 15:3, 4, 8. Ingxoxo yakhe ephuma esiprofetweni yayinamandla, amalinge akhe ecacile ngokupheleleyo ukuba akhatshwa ngamandla kaThixo, kangangokuba amaYuda adideka awakwazi ukumphendula.IZ 123.1

Iindaba zokuguquka kukaPawulos zafika kumaYuda zikhwankqisa kakhulu. Lo wayesinga eDamasko “[e]negunya nemvume kubabingeleli abakhulu” (Zenzo 26:12) ukuba abambe atshutshise amakholwa, ngoku ushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zokubethelelwa nokuvuka koMsindisi, esomeleza izandla zabo babese bengabafundi, eqhubeka nokuzisa abaguqukileyo abatsha kwinkolo awayeyichase ngokukhulu ngaphambili.IZ 123.2

Ngaphambili, uPawulos wayesaziwa ngokuba nenzondelelo yokukhusela inkolo yobuYuda nokuba ngumtshutshisi ongenamikhinkqi wabalandeli bakaYesu. Ngesibindi, ukungadingi kuxhaswa, nokuzingisa, iitalente zakhe nokuqeqesheka kwakhe kwakunokumenza ukuba enze nawuphina umsebenzi. Wayezathuza ngeyona ndlela ichubekileyo, ekwazi, ngoburharha bakhe obunempoxo, ukumenza arhwaqele ozama ukumelana naye. AmaYuda alikhangela ngoku eli gatyana lalithembisa ngendlela engaqhelekanga lizibandakanya nabo lalifudula libatshutshisa, selishumayela lingoyiki nto egameni likaYesu.IZ 124.1

Injengele ebulewe edabini iyilahleko kumkhosi wayo, kodwa ukufa kwayo akongezi mandla elutshabeni. Xa indoda yodumo izimanya nomkhosi ochasayo, akulahleki kuphela imisebenzi yayo, kodwa abo izimanya nabo bazuza okukhulu kokuba luncedo kubo. USawule waseTarso, esendleleni esinga eDamasko, wayenokubethwa abulawe ngokulula yiNkosi, nto leyo eyayiya kuphungula amandla amaninzi kulawo atshutshisayo. UThixo akenzanga njalo, koko uthe, ngobuThixo baKhe, akanela kubusindisa ubomi bukaSawule, kodwa wamguqula, ngokwenza njalo esusa ubuntshatsheli kwicala lotshaba ebusa kwicala likaKristu. Indoda eyayiliciko, neyayikwazi ukucalula, uPawulos, enenjongo eme nkqi kunye nesibindi esingothuswa nto, wayeneempawu kanye ezazifuneka kwibandla lokuqala.IZ 124.2

Xa uPawulos eshumayela eDamasko, bonke abamvayo bamangaliswa bathi, “Ngaba le ndoda asiyiyo na leya yayibatshutshisa eJerusalem bonke abathetha ngeli gama? Kanene, andithi nangoku ilapha nje, izele ukuze ibambe abantu, ibase kubabingeleli abaziintloko?” [IBHAYIBHILE]. UPawulos wavakalisa ukuba ukutshintsha inkolo akususwanga kukuthabatheka kokuziva okanye inzondelelo egqithisileyo, kodwa iziswe bubungqina obungaphaya kokuqonda. Kwintetho yakhe ngegospile wafuna ukucacisa iziprofeto ezihambelana nokufika kokuqala kukaKristu. Wabonisa ngokufezekileyo ukuba ezi ziprofeto zazaliseka ekuhleni, abantu bejongile, kuYesu waseNazarete. Isiseko senkolo yakhe yayililizwi eliqinisekileyo lesiprofeto.IZ 124.3

Wathi xa uPawulos eqhubeka nokubhena kubaphulaphuli abakhwankqisiweyo “ukuba baguquke babuyele kuThixo, benze imisebenzi efanele inguquko” (Zenzo 26:20), “kwaba kukhona womelelayo . . .; wabetha adubadubeka amaYuda abemi eDamasko, ebonakalisa ukuba lo nguye uKristu.” Sekunjalo, abaninzi bazenza lukhuni iintliziyo zabo, bala ukusabela kwisigidimi sakhe, kwathi, kungekudala, ukukhwankqiswa kwabo kukuguquka kwakhe kwatshintsha kwayintiyo enkulu efana naleyo babeyibonise kuYesu.IZ 125.1

Inkcaso yaya ikhula ngobubi kangangokuba uPawalos akazange avunyelwe ukuba aqhube nomsebenzi wakhe eDamasko. Isithunywa sasezulwini samyalela ukuba ashiye okwethutyana, wahamba “[wa]ya kwelase-Arabhi” (Galati 1:17) apho wafumana khona indawo yokuphumla.IZ 125.2

Elapha, kubulolo basentlango, uPawulos wayenexesha elininzi lokufunda nokucamngca ngokuzolileyo. Wathi, epholile, wabuyisela enkumbulweni yakhe amava akhe adlulileyo waqinisekisa umsebenzi wokuguquka. Wayemfuna uThixo ngentliziyo yakhe yonke, engaphumli ade azi ukuba ngokuqinisekileyo inguquko yakhe yayamkelekile, nokuba isono sakhe sixolelwe. Walangazelela ingqinisekiso yokuba uYesu uya kuba naye kumsebenzi ophambi kwakhe.Waqongqotha umphefumlo wakhe, ekhupha yonke intiyo okanye ukugweba engabuzanga kunye nezithethe ezazibubumbile ubomi bakhe ukuza kuthi ga ngeli xesha, wamkela imfundiso ephuma kwiThende lenyaniso. UYesu waxhumana naye wamomeleza enkolweni, ekwamzalisa ngomlinganiselo otyebileyo wobulumko nobabalo.IZ 125.3

Xa ingqondo yomntu inikelwe ekusebenzisaneni nengqondo kaThixo, enokufa nengenako ukufa, igalelo loko emzimbeni nasengqondweni nasemphefumlweni lidlula ngaphaya kokucinga. Kuqhagamshelwano olunjalo kufumaneka eyona mfundo iphezulu. Leyo yindlela kaThixo kuphela yokuphuhlisa. “Khawenze ubuhlobo naye” (Yobhi 22:21), eso sisigidimi saKhe esiya eluntwini.IZ 126.1

Umngeni ozukileyo onikwe uPawulos ngexesha lesiganeko sokuhlangana kwakhe noHananiya, wathi zinzi ngesisindo esiya sikhula entliziyweni yakhe. Okwenzekayo emva kwamazwi athi, “Sawule, mzalwana, buya ubone,” uPawulos wakhangelana ebusweni okokuqala nale ndoda izinikeleyo, waza uHananiya, ephantsi kwempembelelo kaMoya Oyingcwele wathi kuye, “UThixo woobawo bethu ukumisile wena ukuba ukwazi ukuthanda kwakhe, umbone lowo uliLungisa, uve ilizwi eliphuma emlonyeni wakhe; ngokuba uya kuba lingqina lakhe kubo bonke abantu, lezinto ozibonileyo nozivileyo. Nakaloku usalibele yini na? Suk’ ume, ubhaptizwe, uhlambulule izono zakho, unqula igama leNkosi.” Zenzo 22:13-16.IZ 126.2

La mazwi ayehambelana namazwi kaYesu ngokwaKhe, owathi, xa ebamba uSawule kuhambo oluya eDamasko, wamthethela esithi; “Ndibonakele kuwe ngenxa yoku, ukuba ndikumise ube ngumkhonzi nengqinalezi zintouzibonileyo,nendiyakubonakalakuwengazo; ndikunyothule ebantwini naseziNtlangeni, endikuthuma kuzo ngokunje; ukuba uvule amehlo abo, ukuze babuye ebumnyameni, beze ebumhlotsheni; babuye egunyeni likaSathana, beze kuThixo; ukuze bamkele uxolelo lwezono, nelifa phakathi kwabangcwalisiweyo, ngokukholwa kum.” Zenzo 26:16-18.IZ 126.3

Wathi xa eziguquguqula ezi zinto entliziyweni, uPawulos wayiqonda ngakumbi nangakumbi intsingiselo yobizo lwakhe ukuba abe [ngu]mpostile kaYesu Kristu obizwe ngokuthanda kukaThixo.” 1 Korinte 1:1. Ubizo lwakhe lufike “kungengamntu, kungaye uYesu Kristu, noThixo uYise.” Galati 1:1. Ubukhulu bomsebenzi owawuphambi kwakhe bamkhokelela ukuba azifunde kakhulu iziBhalo eziNgcwele, ukuze azishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo “kungabi ngabulumko bakuthetha, ukuze umnqamlezo kaKristu ungalanjathiswa,” koko kube “ngokuqondakalisa koMoya nokwamandla,” ukuze ukholo lwabo bonke abevayo “lungabi sebulumkweni babantu, lube semandleni kaThixo.”1 Korinte 1:17; 2:4, 5.IZ 127.1

Ekuphengululeni kwakhe iziBhalo, uPawulos wafunda ukuba, kuwo onke amaphakade, “azizininzi izilumko ngokwenyama, akamaninzi amanene. UThixo usuke wanyula izinto ezibudenge zehlabathi ukuze azidanise izilumko; nezinto ezingenamandla zehlabathi usuke uThixo wazinyula, ukuze azidanise izinto ezomeleleyo; nezinto zehlabathi ezingenabuntu, nezingento yanto, wazinyula uThixo, nezingathi zazikho, ukuze aziphuthise izinto ezikhoyo; ukuze kungaqhayisi namnye umntu emehlweni akhe.” 1 Korinte 1:26-29. Ngoko ke, xa ekhangelwa ubulumko behlabathi ngokukhanya komnqamlezo,uPawulosuthi,“Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndingazi nto, . . . ingenguYesu Kristu, naye ebethelelwe emnqamleweni.” 1 Korinte 2:2.IZ 127.2

Kuwo wonke umsebenzi wakhe wamva, uPawulos akazange alahlekane nokubonana neThende lobulumko namandla. Mve xa athi, sekuyiminyaka kamva, “Kuba kum mna, ukudla ubomi kunguKristu, ukufa kuyinzuzo.” Filipu 1:21. Uphinda athi, “Ndisuka izinto zonke ndizibalele ekuthini ziyinkxwaleko, ngenxa yokongama kokumazi uKristu Yesu iNkosi yam: endithe ngenxa yakhe ndonakalelwa zezi zinto zonke, . . . ukuze ndimzuze uKristu, ndifunyanwe ndikuye, ndingenabo obam ubulungisa, obo basemthethweni; ndinobo bungokukholwa kuKristu, ubulungisa ke obuphuma kuThixo ngalo ukholo; ukuba ndimazi, kwanamandla ovuko lwakhe, nokuba ndibe nobudlelane naye ngeentlungu zakhe.” Filipu 3:8-10.IZ 128.1

Ukusuka kwelase-Arabhi, uPawulos waphinda [wa]buyela eDamasko” (Galati 1:17), “[wa]lishumayela . . . ngesibindi igama likaYesu.” [IBHAYIBHILE]. Ngenxa yokungakwazi ukumelana nobulumko bengxoxo zakhe, “amaJuda ahlanganisana, afutha amacebo okumbulala.” [IBHAYIBHILE]. Amasango esixeko ayejongwe ngokukhuthala imini nobusuku ukunqanda ukuzimela kwakhe. Le ntlekele yakhokelela ekubeni abafundi bafune uThixo ngokunyanisekileyo, baza ekugqibeleni “bamthabatha . . . ebusuku, bamhlisa ngodonga, bemthoba ngengobozi.” Zenzo 9:25.IZ 128.2

Emva kokuzimela kwakhe eDamasko, uPawulos waya eYerusalem, sekusisithuba seminyaka emithathu emva kokuguquka kwakhe. Eyona njongo yakhe inkulu kolu tyelelo, ngokutsho kwakhe, “yayikukubona uPetros.” [Galati 1:18, R.V.). Wathi akufika esixekweni, apho wayesakwaziwa ngokuba ungu“Sawule umtshutshisi,” “wamanaelingaukuzibandakanyanabafundi;kodwabamoyikabonke,bengakholwa ukuba ungumfundi.” Kwakunzima kubo ukuba bakholwe ukuba umFarisi onenkani njengaye, owada wenza okuninzi kakhulu ukutshabalalisa ibandla, angaba ngumlandeli kaYesu onyanisekileyo. “UBharnabhas ke wamthabatha wamsa kubapostile, wabacacisela ukuyibona kwakhe iNkosi endleleni, nokuba yathetha naye, nokuthetha kwakhe nokungafihlisiyo eDamasko egameni likaYesu.”IZ 128.3

Bathi bakuva oku, abafundi bamamkela njengomnye wenani labo. Kwakamsinyane baba nobungqina obuninzi ngokunyaniseka kwamava che obuKristu. Owayeza kuba ngumpostile weeNtlanga ngexesha elizayo, ngoku wayesesixekweni apho abaninzi awayephila nabo ngaphambili babehlala khona, waye elangazelela ukucacisa kwezi nkokeli zobuYuda iziprofeto ezingoMesiya, ezazaliseka ngokufika koMsindisi. UPawulos waziva eqinisekile ukuba ezi titshala zakwaIsrayeli, awayefudula eqhelene nazo kakhulu, zazinyaniseke zikwathembeke njengokuba naye waye njalo. Kwathi kanti akawazanga umoya wabazalwana bamaYuda, wathi enethemba lokuba bangaguquka msinyane, wafumana ukudaniswa okukhulu. Nangona “wayethetha ngokungafihlisiyo egameni leNkosi uYesu, . . . ephikisana namaYuda esiGrike,” abo bema bekhokele ibandla lamaYuda bala ukukholwa, endaweni yoko “baphuma ukuba bambulale.” Intliziyo yakhe yazaliswa lusizi. Wayengabuncama ngokulula ubomi bakhe ukuba ngokwenza njalo ebengazisa abanye ekwazini inyaniso. Wathi eneentloni, wacinga ngenxaxheba awaba nayo ekubulaweni kukaStefano, waza wathi, enonxunguphalo walisusa elo bala labekwa phezu komntu owatyholwa kuxokwa, wafuna ukuyiphindezela inyaniso awanikela ubomi bakhe ngayo uStefano.IZ 129.1

Enomthwalo ngabo babesala ukukholwa, uPawulos wayethandaza etempileni, ngokutsho kwakhe enika ubungqina, ngokungena kwakhe embonweni; apho isithunywa sezulu savela phambi kwakhe sathi, “Ngxama uphume kamsinya eYerusalem; ngokokuba bengayi kubamkela ubungqina bakho ngam.” Zenzo 22:18.IZ 130.1

UPawulos wayenomnqweno wokuhlala eYerusalem, apho waye nokujongana nenkcaso. Kuye kwaye ibubugwala ukubaleka, ukuba ngokuhlala wayenakho ukoyisela abanye kumaYuda azingqola enyanisweni yesigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo, nokuba oko bekuya kuthetha ukuba ulahlekana nobomi bakhe. Yamenza loo nto ukuba aphendule athi, “Nkosi, bayazi kakuhle bona ukuba mna ndandibafaka entolongweni, ndibatyabula kuzo zonke izindlu zesikhungu abo bakholwayo kuwe; naxeshikweni laphalazwayo igazi likaStefano, ingqina lakho, ndaye ndimi kufuphi nam, ndikuthakazela ukusikwa kwakhe, ndizigcinile iingubo zabo babemsika. Yathi kum, Hamba; ngokuba mna ndiya kukuthuma kude kwiintlanga.” Zenzo 22:19-21.IZ 130.2

Bathi bakuva ngalo mbono, abazalwana bakuphangisa ukumzimelisa uPawulos eYerusalem, besoyikela ukugwintwa kwakhe. “Bamhlisela eKesareya, bamthumela eTarso.” Ukuhamba kukaPawulos kwayimisa okwethutyana inkcaso endlongondlongo yamaYuda, laza ibandla lanethuba lophumlo, ekwathi ngalo kongezwa abaninzi kwinani labakholwayo.IZ 130.3