18—Ukushumayela Phakathi Kwabangakholwayo

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 14:1-26]

Ukusuka kwa-Antiyokwe ePisidi, uPawulos noBharnabhas baya e-Ikoniya. Apha, njengakwa-Antiyokwe, baqala ukusebenza endlwini yesikhungu sabantu babo. Baba nempumelelo; “kukholwe inkitha enkulu yamaYuda, kwanamaGrike.” E-Ikoniyo, njengakwezinye iindawo apho babesebenze khona abapostile, “amaYuda angavumiyo ukuva, ayenza yamibi imiphefumlo yabeentlanga ngakubo abazalwana.”IZ 177.1

Abapostile abazange, noko, batyhalelwe ecaleni kumsebenzi wabo, kuba babebaninzi abazamkelayo iindaba ezilungileyo. Nangona babejongene nenkcaso, umona, nokusolwa, baqhubeka nomsebenzi wabo, “bethetha ngokungafihlisiyo ngeNkosi, “nanjengoko uThixo “[wa]lingqinelayo ilizwi lobabalo lwayo, inika nokuba kwenzeke imiqondiso nezimanga ngezandla zabo.” Ezi zibonakaliso zokuvunywa lizulu zaba nempembelelo enkulu kwabo bangqondo zabo zazivulekile enkolweni, baza banda abaguqukela kwindaba ezilungileyo.IZ 177.2

Ukwanda kokuthandwa kwesigidimi esasithwelwe ngabapostile kwawazalisa amaYuda angakholwayo ngomona kunye nentiyo, aza azimisela ukukuphelisa ukusebenza kukaPawulos noBharnabhas ngokukhawuleza. Ngokusebenzisa iingxelo ezibubuxoki nezibaxiweyo akhokelela abasemagunyeni ukuba boyike hleze isixeko sonke sibe sengozini yokukhokelelwa ekuvukeleni. Athi abantu abaninzi bazayamanisa nabapostile atsho esithi kwakungenxa yamacebo asemfihlakalweni nayingozi.IZ 178.1

Isiphumo sezi zityholo zaba kukuthi rhoqo kurhuqelwa abafundi phambi kwasemagunyeni; kodwa ukuzikhusela kwabo kwakucace kakhulu kuvakala, kwaye nentetho yento ababeyifundisa yayizolile ilandeleka, kangangokuba yaba nkulu impembelelo yokuyixhasa. Nangona abomthetho babenendawo ngakubo ngenxa yeentetho ezibubuxoki, abazange bakwazi ukubagweba. Bakwazi kodwa ukungqina ukuba iimfundiso zikaPawulos noBharnabhas zazibakha abantu, babe ngabemi abathobela umthetho, nokuba ukuziphatha nocwangco esixekweni zizinto eziya kuphuhlisa inyaniso efundiswe ngabapostile ukuba ithe yamkelwa.IZ 178.2

Ngenkcaso abaya bahlangana nayo abafundi, isigidimi senyaniso saba nokusasazeka kakhulu; amaYuda abona ukuba amalinge awo okuwuthintela umsebenzi wabafundisi abatsha uye wanesiphumo sokongezeka kwamanani aphindwe kakhulu kwinkolo entsha. “Yaahlulelana ke inkoliso yomzi; inxenye yangakumaYuda, inxenye yangakubapostile.”IZ 178.3

Yabankulu ingqumbo phakathi kwamaYuda ngendlela izinto ezazihamba ngayo adaagqibaekubeni yenzeke intando yawo ngobubhovubhovu. Ngokuvusa eyona mibi imizwa kubantu abangazinto, isixuku esinengxolo, aphumelela ukudala isiphithiphithi, awathi sibangwa yimfundiso yabafundi. Ngesi sityholo sobuxoki, ayethembe ukuba aya kuzuza uncedo lwemantyi ekwenzeni ngokweminqweno yawo. Azimisela ukuba abapostile bangalifumani ithuba lokuziphindezela, nokuba isihlwele kufuneka siphazamise ngokubaxuluba ngamatye uPawulos noBharnabhas, kutsho kuphele ukusebenza kwabo.IZ 178.4

Abahlobo babapostile, nangona bengakholwa, babalumkisa ngobubi obucetywayo bebanyanzela ukuba bangazibeki ngaphandle kwesizathu kwingqumbo yesihlwele, kodwa basindise ubomi babo. UPawulos noBharnabhas benza njengoko, bemka e-Ikoniyo emfihlakalweni, beshiya amakholwa ukuba aqhubele phambili nomsebenzi okwethuba elithile. Noko kunjalo, nakanjani, bengemki umphelo; bazimisela ukuba, wakuba udambile lo moya, babuye ukuze bagqibezele umsebenzi oqaliweyo.IZ 179.1

Kuzo zonke izizukulwana kuzo zonke iindawo, abathunywa bakaThixo babizelwa ukuba bahlangane nenkcaso embi kwabo bathi ngabom bazikhethele ukukwala ukukhanya kwezulu. Kuyakholisa ukuba kuthi, ngobugqwetha nobuxoki, iintshaba zegospile zibe ngathi ziyoyisa, kuvaleke iingcango abathi ngazo abathunywa bakaThixo bakwazi ukungena baye ebantwini. Ezi ngcango azisayi kuvaleka ngonaphakade, kuba kuye kuthi, amaxesha amaninzi, abakhonzi bakaThixo, babuye bawuqalise umsebenzi wabo ize iNkosi yenze okukhulu ngabo, ibenze bakwazi ukumisa izikhumbuzo zozuko lwegama laYo.IZ 179.2

Bathi bakugxothwa yintshutshiso eIkoniyo, abapostile baya eListra naseDerbhe,eLikoniya.Ezidolophuzazimiwekakhulu ngabahedeni, abantu abaneenkolo kodwa phakathi kwabo babekho abanentumekelelo yokuva baze bamkele isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo. Kwezi ndawo nakwilizwe elingqongileyo, abapostile bagqiba kwelokuba besebenze, benethemba lokuphepha ukuthiywa nentshutshiso.IZ 179.3

EListra yayingekho indlu yesikhungu yamaYuda, nangona lalikho iqaqobana lamaYuda awayehlala apho edolophini. Abaninzi kubemi baseListra babenqula etempileni enikelwe kuJupita. Bathi bakufika, uPawulos noBharnabhas, apho edolophini, bakuba bebahlanganisele ngakubo abaseListra, bachaza inyaniso elula yeendaba ezilungileyo, abaninzi babefuna ukuhlanganisa ezi mfundiso kunye neenkolo zabo ekukhonzeni uJupita.IZ 180.1

Abapostile bazama ukwabelana naba bakhonzi bezithixo ngolwazi lukaThixo uMdali noNyana waKhe, uMsindisi wohlanga loluntu. Baqala ngokuqwalasela imisebenzi emangalisayo kaThixo — ilanga, inyanga, neenkwenkwezi, ubuhle bokulandelelana kwamaxesha onyaka, iintaba ezinde ezigutyungelwe likhephu, imithi emide, neminye imimangaliso yendalo, ebonisa ubuchule obudlula ngaphaya kokuqonda komntu. Ngale misebenzi yOnamandla onke, abapostile bazikhokelela iingqondo zabahedeni ekucingisiseni ngoMlawuli omkhulu weyunivesi.IZ 180.2

Bakuba bezicacisile ezi nyaniso zisisiseko ngoMdali, abapostile babaxelela abantu baseListra ngoNyana kaThixo, owehla ephuma ezulwini weza kweli lizwe lethu kuba wathanda abantwana babantu. Bathetha ngobomi baKhe nomsebenzi waKhe, ukwaliwa kwaKhe ngabo weza kubasindisa, ukuvavanywa nokubethelelwa kwaKhe, ukuvuka kwaKhe, nokunyukela kwaKhe ezulwini, apho waya kusebenza njengommeli womntu. Ngokoke, eseMoyeninasemandlenikaThixo, uPawulos noBharnabhas bazishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo eListra.IZ 180.3

Kwathi ngelinye ixesha, uPawulos esaxelela abantu ngomsebenzi kaKristu wokuphilisa abagulayo nabangcungcuthekayo, wabona phakathi kwabo babemphulaphule, nanko ethiwe ntshoo ngamehlo sisiqhwala esawamkelayo sawakholelwa amazwi akhe. Intliziyo kaPawulos yazaliswa luvelwano ngale ndoda ibandezelekileyo, awathi akuyikhangela wabona ukuba ungumntu “[o]nokholo lokusindiswa.” Phambi kweso sihlwele esingabanquli bezithixo, uPawulos wasiyalela isiqhwala ukuba siphakame sime ngeenyawo zaso. Ukuza kuthi ga kweli xesha, le ndoda yayikwazi ukuhlala phantsi kuphela, kodwa kuba yawuthobela ngoko nangoko umyalelo kaPawulos, yathi, okukuqala ebomini bayo yasuka yema ngeenyawo. Afika amandla nalo mzamo wokholo, yathi le ndoda ibisisiqhwala “yesuka umtsi yahambahamba.”IZ 181.1

“Ke kaloku, iindimbane, zakukubona oko akwenzileyo uPawulos, zaphakamisa izwi lazo ngokwesiLikawoni, zisithi, Oothixo bahlile beza kuthi, bafana nabantu.” Le ntetho yayihambelana nesithethe sabo esithi ngamaxesha athile oothixo baya bahambela emhlabeni. UBharnabhas bambiza ngokuba unguJupita, uyise wezithixo, ngenxa yembonakalo yakhe ehloniphekileyo, ukuba nesidima kwakhe, nokuzola nobubele obubonakala kwinkangeleko yakhe. Babekholelwa ukuba uPawulos nguMercury, “ekubeni ke ibinguye obesisithethi,” enyanisekile ekhuthele, eliciko ngamazwi okululeka nokucebisa.IZ 181.2

Abantu baseListra, ngolangazelelo lokubonisa umbulelo wabo, bakwazi ukoyisela umbingeleli kaJupita ukuba abanike intlonipho abapostile, waza “wazisa iinkunzi zeenkomo nezidanga zeentyatyambo emasangweni, wafuna ukubingelela, kunye nendimbane.” UPawulosnoBharnabhas,ababefunaukuthigu bucala baphumle, bengawaqondi la malungiselelo. Kwangoko, umdla wabo watsalwa sisandi sengoma nokukhwaza kwemigcobo kwesihlwele esikhulu esasisiza kwindlu ababehlala kuyo.IZ 181.3

Bathi abapostile bakuqinisekisa ngolu tyelelo novuyokazi oluhamba nalo, “bazikrazula iingubo zabo, batsiba phakathi kwendimbane” ngethemba lokuthintela ukuqhubela phambili kwesi siganeko. Ngelizwi elikhulu, nelihlokomayo elavakala ngaphaya sokukhwaza kwabantu, uPawulos wabanyanzelisa ukuba bamphulaphule; yaza yathi yakudamba ngesiquphe ingxolo, wathi, Madoda, yini na ukuba nenjenje? Nathi singabantu abeva enikuvayo nina; sinishumayeza iindaba ezilungileyo zokuba nibuye kwaba thixo banento, nibuyele kuThixo ophilileyo, owenza izulu nomhlaba nolwandle, neento zonke ezikwezo zinto; owathi ezizukulwaneni ezadlulayo waziyeka zonke iintlanga, ukuba zihambe ngezazo iindlela; kanti ke noko akayekanga ukuzingqinela, esenza okulungileyo, esinika imvula evela ezulwini, namaxesha aneendyebo ezanelisa iintliziyo zethu ngokudla nangemihlali.”IZ 182.1

Nangona abapostile babeyibeke yacaca into yokuba abangabo oothixo, nangona imizamo kaPawulos yokwalathisa iingqondo zabantu kuThixo wenyaniso njengokuphela kwaKhe ofanele ukudunyiswa, kwakunzima kakhulu ukubajika abahedeni kwinjongo yabo yokwenza umbingelelo. Babeqine kakhulu kwinkolo yabo yokuba la madoda ngokwenene ayengabo oothixo, inkulu kakhulu nenzondelelo yabo, kangangokuba babekucekisa ukusivuma isiphoso sabo. Ingxelo ithi, “kwaba ngenkankulu ukuzidambisa” [kwinjongo yazo izihlwele].IZ 182.2

Abantu baseListra babebeka izizathu ezibonisa ukuba bawabona ngawaboamehloamandla emimangaliso eyayisenziwa ngabapostile. Babeyibonile indoda esisiqhwala engazange yahamba ngaphambili, yenziwe yanovuyo isempilweni nasemandleni ngokupheleleyo. Kwaba semva kokucenga okukhulu kukaPawulos, nokucacisa ngocoselelo ngomsebenzi wakhe noBharnabhas njengabameli boThixo wezulu kunye noNyana waKhe, uMphilisi omkhulu, ukuze abantu aboyisele ukuba banikezele kwinjongo yabo.IZ 182.3

Ukusebenza kukaPawulos noBharnabhas eListra kwakhawuleza kwathintelwa kukusuka kufike “amaYuda evela kwa-Antiyokwe nase-Ikoniyo,” awathi, ngokuva ngempumelelo yomsebenzi wabapostile phakathi kwamaLikawoni azimisela ukubalandela abatshutshise. Athi akufika eListra, la maYuda aphumelela ukuphembelela abantu ngokukrakra obufanayo bomoya owawuqhuba ezawo iingqondo. Ngamazwi obugqwetha nokunyelisa, abo babesanda kuthabatha uPawulos noBharnabhas njengoothixo, boyiselwa ekuthini, okuyinene kukuba abapostile bebebabi kunababulali kwaye befanelwe kukufa.IZ 183.1

Udano lwabantu baseListra ababa nalo, ngokwalelwa ilungelo lokunikela umbingelelo kubapostile, lwabalungiselela ukuba babajikele noBharnabhas ngenzondelelo ephantsa ukulingana naleyo babebamkela ngayo njengoothixo. Bevuswe umnyele ngamaYuda, baceba ukubahlasela ngetshova abapostile. AmaYuda abanyanzela ukuba bangamniki uPawulos ithuba lokuthetha, esithi, ukuba akhe amnika elo thuba, uya kubathakatha abantu.IZ 183.2

Ngokukhawuleza, baqalisa ukwenziwa ubuqhophololo beentshaba bokubulala. Ngokuziyekela kwimpembelelo ekhohlakeleyo, abantubaseListra bathinjwa yingqumbo yenkohlakalo, bamthi hlasiuPawulos, bamxuluba ngamatye ngokungenanceba. Umpostile wacinga ukuba isiphelo sakhe sifikile. Ukufela inkolo kukaStefano, nendawo ekhohlakeleyo awathi yena wayidlala kweso siganeko, ezo zinto zathi thaa ngokucacileyo engqondweni yakhe. Wathi ezele ngamanxeba, eyoba ziintlungu, wawa emhlabeni, [aza la maYuda] enesihlwele esicaphukileyo, “amrholela ngaphandle komzi, eba ufile.”IZ 183.3

Ngeli xesha lobumnyama nokulingwa, iqela lamakholwa aseListra awayeguqukele enkolweni kaYesu ngokushumayela kukaPawulos noBharnabhas, lahlala lithembekile linyanisekile. Inkcaso engenangqiqo nentshutshiso enenkohlakalo yeentshaba zabo zaba nokuluqinisa ngakumbi ukholo lwaba bazalwana bazinikeleyo; baza bathi, bejongene nengozi nokugculelwa, bakubonisa ukunyaniseka kwabo ngokuthi, besentlungwini, bawuthabathe umzimba walowo babekholelwa ukuba ufile.IZ 184.1

Into eyawamangalisayo yeyokuba, kuthe besephakathi kokumbambazela kwabo, wasuka umpostile ngesiquphe waphakamisa intloko waphakama wema ngeenyawo edumisa uThixo ngomlomo wakhe. Ngokwakumakholwa, oku kuvuswa kungalindelekanga komkhonzi kaThixo, kwathatyathwa njengommangaliso wamandla ezulu, awafana nokubekwa kwetywina ekutshintsheni kwabo inkolo. Bavuya ngovuyo olungathethekiyo bemdumisa uThixo ngokholo oluhlaziyekileyo.IZ 184.2

Phakathi kwabo babeguquke eListra, nababengamangqina okubulaleka kukaPawulos, kwakukho nowayeya kuthi kamva abe ngumsebenzi obalulekileyo kaKristu owayeza kwabelana nabapostile ngembandezelo novuyo lomsebenzi wokuvul’ indlela kwiindawo ezinzima. Lo yayingumfana oselula, ogama linguTimoti. Ngexesha uPawulos wayerholelwa ngaphandle, eli gatya lomfana laliphakathi kwabantu abaya bema ngasemzimbeni wakhe[uPawulos] owawukhangeleka ungenabomi, nowambonayo evuka, egruzukile, enamanxeba, egqunywe ligazi, kodwa enokudumisa emilebeni yakhe kuba evunyelwe ukuba aphatheke kakubi ngenxa kaKristu.IZ 184.3

Ngemini elandela eyokuxulutywa kukaPawulos, abapostile bandulukela eDerbhe, apho yasikelelekayo imisebenzi yabo, yathi imiphefumlo emininzi yakhokelelwa ekwamkeleni uKristu njengoMsindisi. “Bewushumayezile loo mzi, iindaba ezilungileyo, benze nabafundi abaneleyo,” uPawulos noBharnabhas abazange baneliseke kukuqala umsebenzi kwenye indawo bengakhange baluqinisekise ukholo lwabaguqukileyo, abo banyanzeleka ukuba babashiye bodwa okwethutyana apho babesebenze khona. Bathi, bengoyikiswa yingozi, “babuya beza eListra, nase-Ikoniyo, nakwa-Antiyokwe, besomeleza imiphefumlo yabafundi ukuba bahlale behleli elukholweni.” Baninzi ababezamkele iindaba zovuyo zeendaba ezilungileyo ngokwenjenjalo bazibeka esichengeni sokungcikivwa nenkcaso. Yayingabo abo abapostile bafuna ukubamilisela elukholweni ukuze umsebenzi owenziweyo uhlale uhleli.IZ 185.1

Njengenqaku elibalulekileyo ekukhuleni kwamakholwa amatsha, abapostile bakulumkela ukuzibhijela ngezikhuselo zocwangcwiso lweendaba ezilungileyo. Amabandla amiselwa ngokufanelekileyo kuzo zonke indawo zaseLikoniyo nasePisidi apho kwakukho khona amakholwa. Kwanyulwa abaphathi kwibandla ngalinye, kwamiselwa indlela eyiyo yenkqubo nolungelelwano ekuqhutyweni kwayo yonke imicimbi esingisa kwintlalo-ntle yasemoyeni yamakholwa.IZ 185.2

Oku kwakuhambelana necebo leendaba ezilungileyo lokumanya njengomzimba omnye kaKristu onke amakholwa, kwaye uPawulos wayeqinisekisa ukuba uyalilandela kuwo wonke umsebenzi wakhe. Abo, nakweyiphi indawo bathi bakholelwa ukuba bamkele uKristu njengoMsindisi, bathi ngexesha elililo bamiselwa njengebandla. Naxa amakholwa ayembalwa ngokwamanani, oku kwenziwa. AmaKristu, ke ngoko, afundiswa ukuncedana, kukhunjulwa idinga elithi, “apho bahlanganisene khona egameni lam, nokuba babini nokuba bathathu, ndikho mna apho phakathi kwabo.” Mateyu 18:20.IZ 185.3

UPawulos akazange awalibale amabandla awayesele emiselwe. Ukukhathalela kwala mabandla kwakuhleli engqondweni njengomthwalo oya ukhula. Nokuba lalilincinane kangakanani iqela, lalingumthwalo wenkathalo yakhe. Wayewalusa ngobubele amabandla amancinane, esazi ukuba adinga inkathalo eyodwa ukuze abonakalise imizamo yokuzimisela nengenamona kwabo babangqongileyo.IZ 186.1

Kuwo wonke amalinge abo okuvangela, uPawulos noBharnabhas bafuna ukulandela umzekelo kaYesu wokuzibingelela ngentumekelelo, nangokusebenzela imiphefumlo ngokuthembeka nokuzimisela. Bephaphamile, benenzondelelo, bengadinwa, abazange baziyekele kwabakunqwenelayo okanye kubomi bokuphola kwabo, kodwa bathi ngokuxhalaba, besemthandazweni, besebenza bengaphumli, bayihlwayela imbewu yokholo. Kunye nokuhlwayelwa kwembewu, abapostile bakunonophela ukuba, bonke abathe bema kuzo iindaba ezilungileyo, babanike imfundiso ephathekayo enexabiso elingenakubaliswa. Lo moya wokuzimisela noloyiko olungcwele, wenza ezingqondweni zabafundi abatsha umbhalo ongunaphakade ngokubaluleka kwesigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo.IZ 186.2

Athi aguquka amadoda esithembiso nesakhono, njengakwimeko kaTimoti,uPawulos noBharnabhasbazama ngokuzimiselaokukhulu ukuwabonisa isidingo sokusebenza esidiliyeni. Babesithi xa abapostile besiya kwenye indawo, ukholo lwala madoda lwalungasileli koko lwalusiya lukhula. Ayefundiswe ngokunyanisekileyo ngendlela yeNkosi, ekwafundiswe nendlela yokusebenza ngokuzilahlela, ngokuzimiseleyo, ngenzondelelo ukuba kusindiswe abantu babo. Olu qeqesho lwamakholwa amatsha lucokisekileyo lwaluyinto ebalulekileyo kwimpumelelo eyaba nkulu ababa nayo uPawulos noBharnabhas njengoko babeshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kwiindawo zabahedeni.IZ 186.3

Uhambo lokuqala lovangelo lwalusondela ekupheleni ngokukhawuleza. Benikela amabandla amatsha amiselweyo eNkosini, abapostile baya ePamfili, bathi bakuba “belithethile ilizwi ePerga, behla baya kwa-Atali, besuka khona apho ngomkhombe, baya kwa-Antiyokwe.”IZ 187.1