22—Itesalonika

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 17:1-10]

Bakuba bendulukile eFilipi, uPawulos noSilas basinga eTesalonika. Apha banikwa ilungelo lokuthetha nebandla elikhulu endlwini yesikhungu yamaYuda. Ukubonakala kwabo phambi kwabantu kwatyhila indlela ebuhlungu abaphathwa ngayo apho babevela khona, nto leyo eyenza ukuba banike inkcazo ngoko kwakwenzekile. Oku bakwenza bengaziphakamisanga phofu bona, koko bebabaza Lowo waya wabahlangula.IZ 221.1

Ekushumeyeleni eTesalonika, uPawulos wacaphula kwiziprofeto zeTestamente eNdala ezingoMesiya. Ekusebenzeni kwaKhe, uKristu wayezivulile iingqondo zabafundi baKhe kwezi ziprofeto; “Uqalele ke kuMoses nakubo bonke abaprofeti, wabachazela kuzo zonke izibhalo iindawo ezingaye.” Luka 24:27. UPetros, xa wayeshumayela uKristu, waveza ubungqina kwiTestamente eNdala. UStefano naye walandela kwa elo khondo. Naye uPawulos ekusebenzenikwakhe, wabhenela kuzo iziBhalo ezaxela ngenx’ engaphambili ngokuzalwa, ukuphatheka kakubi, ukufa, ukuvuka, nokunyuka kukaKristu. Ngobungqina obuphefumlelweyo bukaMoses kunye nabaprofeti, wangqinisisa ngokuba mnye kukaYesu waseNazarete noMesiya ebonisa ukuba kususela kwimihla ka-Adam yayililizwi likaKristu elalithetha ngamanyange nangabaprofeti.IZ 221.2

Iziprofeto ezingaLowo kwakuthenjiswe ngaYe zanikezwa ngokucacileyo nangokuthe gca. UAdam wanikwa ingqiniseko yoMhlanguli owayeza kuza. Isigwebo esanikwa uSathana, “Ndiya kumisa ubutshaba phakathi kwakho nomfazi, naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe; yona iya kukutyumza intloko, wena uya kuyityumza isithende,” kubazali bethu bokuqala yayisisithembiso sokuhlangulwa okwenzeka ngoKristu.IZ 222.1

KuAbraham kwenziwa idinga lokuba ngomnombo wakhe uMsindisi wehlabathi uya kubakho: “Zisikelelwe ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zehlabathi.” “Akathi, nakuzo iimbewu, ngathi uthetha ezininzi; usuka ngathi uthetha naye, athi, Nakuyo imbewu yakho: nguKristu kelowo.” Genesis 22:18; Galati 3:16.IZ 222.2

UMoses, sewufikelela esiphelweni umsebenzi wakhe njengenkokeli netitshala kuIsrayeli, waprofeta ngokucacileyo ngoMesiya oya kuza. “UYehova uThixo wakho,” wavakalisa kwizihlwele zebandla lakwaIsrayeli, “uya kunivelisela umprofeti ophuma phakathi kwenu, kubazalwana benu, onjengam; ize niphulaphule yena.” UMoses wamqinisekisa uIsrayeli ukuba uThixo ngokwaKhe uyityhilile kuye le nto ngexesha esentabeni yeHorebhe, esithi, “Ndiya kubavelisela umprofeti ephuma phakathi kwabazalwana babo, onjengawe; ndiwabeke amazwi am emlonyeni wakhe, athethe kubo konke endiyakubawisela umthetho ngako.” Duteronomi 18:15, 18.IZ 222.3

UMesiya wayeza kuba ngowomnombo wobukumkani, kuba, kwisiprofeto esathethwa nguYakobi, uYehova wathi, “Intonga ayiyi kumka kuYuda, intonga yommisi-mthetho ayiyi kumka phakathi kweenyawo zakhe, ade afike uShilo, zimlulamele izizwe.” Genesis 49:10.IZ 223.1

UIsaya waprofeta wathi: “Kophuma igatya esiphunzini sikaYese, kuqhame ihlumelo ezingcanjini zakhe.” “Thobani iindlebe zenu, nize kum; yivani, uphile umphefumlo wenu; ndenze umnqophiso ongunaphakade nani, iinceba zikaDavide ezinyanisekileyo. Yabona, ndimenze ingqina ezizweni, inganga nomwisi-mithetho ezizweni. Yabona, uya kubiza uhlanga ongalwaziyo, uhlanga olungakwaziyo wena lugidimele kuwe, ngenxa kaYehova uThixo wakho, ngenxa yOyingcwele kaIsrayeli, kuba ekuhombisile.” Isaya 11:1; 55:3-5.IZ 223.2

NoYeremiya wabunika ubungqina ngoMhlanguli oliTshawe lendlu kaDavide: “Yabonani, iyeza imihla, utsho uYehova, endiya kummisela uDavide iHlumelo elililungisa, libe nguKumkani ongukumkani, enze yena ngengqiqo enze okusesikweni nobulungisa ehlabathini. Ngemihla yakhe uya kusindiswa uYuda, UIsrayeli ahlale ekholosile; negama lakhe, aya kubizwa ngalo, leli lokuba, UYehova-ububulungisa-bethu.” Uphinda athi: “ngokuba utsho uYehova ukuthi, uDavide akayi kunqunyukelwa ndoda yakuhlala etroneni yendlu kaIsrayeli; banganqunyukelwa ndoda ababingeleli abangabaLevi, yakunyusa amadini anyukayo ebusweni bam, iqhumisele ngeminikelo yokudla, yenze imibingelelo imihla yonke.” Yeremiya 23:5, 6; 33:17, 18.IZ 223.3

Kanti ke, indawo yokuzalelwa kukaMesiya yaxelwa kwangaphambili: “Ke wena, Bhetelehem-efrata, umncinane kunokuba ubekho emawakeni akwaYuda, kuya kuphuma kuwe, eze ngenxa yam, oya kuba ngumlawuli kwaIsrayeli, oziphumo zakhe zisusela kumandulo kwimihla yasephakadeni.” Mika 5:2.IZ 224.1

Umsebenzi awayeza kuwenza emhlabeni uMsindisi wawuzotywe ngokupheleleyo: “Ahle ahlale phezu kwalo uMoya kaYehova, umoya wobulumko nowengqondo, umoya wecebo nowobugorha, umoya wokwazi nowokoyika uYehova. Ivumba elithozamisayo kuye likukoyika uYehova” Lowo wayeya kuthanjiswa ngolo hlobo, wayeza kuthi “[a]shumayeze abalulamileyo iindaba ezilungileyo; . . . ukubopha abantliziyo ezaphukileyo, ukumemeza inkululeko kwabathinjiweyo, ukuvulwa kwamehlo kwabakhonkxiweyo; ukumemeza umnyaka wetarhu likaYehova, nomhla wempindezelo yoThixo wethu: ukuthuthuzela bonke abanesijwili; ukubamisela abanesijwili baseZiyon, ukubanika isihombo sentloko esikhundleni somoya odakumbayo; ukubizwa kwabo kuthiwe yimiterebhinti yobulungisa, isityalo sikaYehova sokuhomba.” Isaya 11:2, 3; 61:1-3.IZ 224.2

“Mboneni ke umkhonzi wam endimxhasayo; umnyulwa wam, okholwa nguye umphefumlo wam. Ndibeke uMoya wam phezu kwakhe; uya kukuphumelelisa okusesikweni ezintlangeni. Akayi kunkqangaza, aliphakamise, alivakalise ezitratweni ilizwi lakhe. Ingcongolo evikivekileyo akayi kuyaphula, umsonto oqhumayo akayi kuwucima; uya kukuphumelelisa okusesikweni ngokwenyaniso. Akayi kuba nakucinywa, akayi kuvikiveka, ade akumise okusesikweni ehlabathini, zilindele isiyalo sakhe iziqithi.” Isaya 42:1-4.IZ 224.3

Ethetha ngegunya eloyisayo, uPawulos waxoxa ethabatha eziBhalweni zeTestamente eNdala esithi,: “UKristu ubemelwe kukuva ubunzima, aze avuke kwabafileyo.” Ebengaprofetanga na uMika wathi, “ba[yaku]betha ngentonga esidleleni nakumgwebi wakwaIsrayeli”? Mika 5:1. Yena lo kuthenjiswe ngaye akathanga na ngomprofeti u-Isaya, eprofeta ngaYe, “Ndawunikela umhlana wam kubabethi, nezidlele zam kubadlathuli beendevu; andibusithelisanga ubuso bam ehlazweni nasekutshicelweni”? Isaya 50:6. UKristu wayixela ngoMdumisi kwangaphambili impatho awayeza kuyifumana ebantwini: “Ndisisingcikivo soluntu, into edelekileyo ebantwini. Bonke abandibonayo bayandigculela; bayasineka, bahlunguzela intloko; bathi, Makazilahlele kuYehova, amsize, amhlangule kaloku, ngokuba emthandile.” “Ndinokuwabala onke amathambo am; bona bayandijonga, bayandibonela, babelana ngeengubo zam, isambatho sam basenzela amaqashiso.” “Ndingowasemzini kubazalwana bam; Ndingowolunye uhlanga kubantwana bakama: ngokuba lindidlile ikhwele ngenxa yendlu yakho. Ingcikivo zabakungcikivo ziwe phezu kwam.” “Ingcikivo yaphula intliziyo yam, ndaphantsa ukufa; ndathemba ukukhuzwa, akwabakho; nokuthuthuzelwa, andakufumana.” Indumiso 22:6-8, 17, 18; 69:8, 8, 20.IZ 225.1

Hay’ ukucaca ngendlela engenakuphazanywa kweziprofeto zika-Isaya ngokuphatheka kakubi nokufa kukaKristu! “Ngubanina okholiweyo ludaba lwethu?” uyabuza umprofeti, “nengalo kaYehovaityhilekekubani na? Kuba yena umkhonzi unyuka njengegatya phambi kwakhe, njengehlumelo eliphuma ezweni elingumqwebedu, engenasithomo nabungangamela; sakukhangela, akwabakho kubonakala ukuba masimnqwenele. Udeliwe, ushiyiwe ngabantu; yindoda enomvandedwa, eqhelene nesifo; wanga ngulowo kusitheliswa kuye ubuso, udeliwe, thina asambeka.IZ 225.2

“Okwenene, uzithabathele phezu kwakhe izifo zethu, wathwala umvandedwa wethu, ke thina besiba ungobandezelwayo nguThixo, ungocinezelwa nguye. Kanti yena uhlatywe ngenxa yezikreqo zethu, watyunyuzwa ngenxa yezenzo zethu ezigwenxa; ubetho lube luphezu kwakhe; siphiliswe ngemivumbo yakhe.IZ 226.1

“Thina sonke salahleka njengeegusha, sabheka elowo endleleni yakhe, waza uYehova wamwela ngobugwenxa bethu sonke. Wakhandaniswa, [wangcungcuthekiswa — (NKJV)], wazithoba, engawuvuli umlomo wakhe, njengemvana esiwa ekuxhelweni; nanjengegusha esisidenge phambi kwabachebi bayo, akawuvula umlomo wakhe. Uthatyathwe ekuxinweni nasematyaleni; esizukulwaneni sakhe ngubani na owathelekelela ukuthi, unqanyulwe ezweni labaphilileyo, ubandezelwe ngenxa yesikreqo sabantu bakowethu.” Isaya 53:1-8.IZ 226.2

Nendlela yokufa kwaKhe ibonisiwe. Njengenyoka yobhedu eyayiphakanyisiwe entlango, kuya kuba njalo nokuphakanyiswa kukaMhlanguli, “ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” Yohane 3:16.IZ 226.3

“Kothiwa kuye, ayini na la manxeba asezandleni zakho? Athi, Ngendangxwelerhwa ngawo endlwini yabazizihlobo zam.” Zekariya 13:6.IZ 226.4

“Lamiswa nawaboni ingcwaba lakhe — ke laba nosisityebi, akuba efile; ekubeni engenzanga lugonyamelo, kungabangakho nkohliso emlonyeni wakhe. UYehova ke wathanda ukumtyumza nokumvisa isifo.” Isaya 53:9, 10.IZ 227.1

Kanti ke, Lowo wayeza kufa ezandleni zabantu abakhohlakeleyo wayeza kuvuka kwakhona esoyisile isono nengcwaba. Phantsi kwempefumlelo yOnamandla onke, iMvumi yakwaIsrayeli etsho ngoncuthu yabungqina ubuqaqawuli bentsasa yovuko. “Nenyama yam,” ubabaza ngovuyo, “iya kuhlala ikholosile. Ngokuba akuyi kuwushiya umphefumlo wam kwelabafileyo [engcwabeni]; akuyi kumyekela owakho wenceba ukuba abonane nesihogo.” Ndumiso 16:9, 10.IZ 227.2

UPawulos wabonisa indlela uThixo ayihlanganise ngayo inkonzo yombingelelo neziprofeto ezibhekise kuLowo wayeza kuziswa “njengemvana esiwa ekuxhelweni.” UMesiya wayeza kubunikela ubomi baKhe abe “[li]dini letyala.” Ekhangele phambili ezinkulungwaneni kwimibono yocamagushelo loMsindisi, umprofeti uIsaya wangqina ukuba Lowo uyiMvana kaThixo waye “ewuminyele ekufeni umphefumlo wakhe, wavuma ukubalelwa kubakreqi, akubon’ ukuba usithabathile phezu kwakhe isono sabaninzi, ebathandazele abakreqi.” Isaya 53::7, 10, 12.IZ 227.3

UMsindisi wesiprofeto wayeza kuza, hayi njengokumkani wethutyana, owayeza kuhlangula isizwe samaYuda kubacinezeli basemhlabeni, kodwa njengomntu ebantwini, ukuba aphile ubomi bobuhlwempu nokuthobeka, ukuze ekugqibeleni adelwe, aliwe, abulawe. UMsindisi owaxelwa kwangaphambili kwiziBhalo zeTestamente eNdala wayezakuzinikela abe ngumbingelelo ngenxa yohlanga oluwileyo, abe uzalisekisa konke okufunekayongomthetho owaphulweyo. Kuye imibingelelo eyayisisithunzi yayizakuhlangananaLowouluqobo,ukuze okwaKhe ukufa emnqamlezweni kuyenze ihlonipheke yonke inkonzo yobuYuda. UPawulos wawaxelela amaYuda aseTesalonika ngenzondelelo awayenayo ngaphambili ngomthetho wamadini kunye namava akhe amangalisayo kumasango aseDamasko. Phambi kokuguquka kwakhe wayeqinisekile ngobungcwele awayenabo njengelifa, kunye nethemba elingaphethe nto. Ukholo lwakhe lwalungamilanga kuKristu; wayethembele kwiindlela zokukhonza kunye nenkonzo. Inzondelelo yakhe yomthetho yayahlukene nokukholwa kuKristu, ngenxa yoko ililize. Nangona wayezibabaza ngokungabi nakusoleka ekwenzeni izenzo zomthetho, wayemalile Lowo wenza ukuba umthetho ube nexabiso.IZ 227.4

Kwathi ke, ngexesha lokuguquka kwakhe, konke oko kwatshintsha. UYesu waseNazarete Lowo wayemtshutshisa kubantu baKhe abangcwele, wabonakala kuye njengoMesiya owayethenjisiwe. Umtshutshisi wambona uNyana kaThixo, owayeze emhlabeni ukuza kuzalisekisa iziprofeto nawathi, ebomini baKhe, wafikelela kuyo yonke imininingwane yemiBhalo eNgcwele.IZ 228.1

Wathi uPawulos, enesibindi esingcwele, evakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo endlwini yesikhungu eTesalonika, wafikelwa kukukhanya okukhulu ngentsingiselo yamatiletile neenkonzo ezihlangene nenkonzo yasemnqubeni. Wazithabatha iingqondo zabaphulaphuleyo wazisa ngaphaya kwenkonzo yasemhlabeni kunye nomsebenzi kaKristu kwingcwele yasezulwini, wafika kwixesha uKristu eyakuba ewugqibile umsebenzi wokuthethelela, xa eya kuthi esemandleni nasebuqaqawulini obukhulu, abuye kwakhona amise ubukumkani baKhe emhlabeni. UPawulos wayekholelwa ekubuyeni kwesibini kukaKristu; waza wazivakalisaiinyaniso zeso siganeko ngokucace kakhulu nangamandla, kangangokuba kwiingqondo zabaninzi abevayo wenza umda ongazange ucime.IZ 228.2

KwiiSabatha ezintathu ezilandelelanayo, uPawulos washumayela kumaTesalonika, ezathuza ekhupha eziBhalweni ngobomi, ukufa, ukuvuka, umsebenzi wesikhundla akuso, kunye nozuko lwexesha elizayo ngoKristu, “iMvana, exheliweyo kususela ekusekweni kwehlabathi.” IsiTyhilelo 13:8. Wamphakamisa uKristu, njengoko ukuwazi kakuhle umsebenzi wakhe kusisitshixo esivula iziBhalo zeTestamente eNdala, ukuze kufikelelwe kubutyebi bazo.IZ 229.1

Ukuvakaliswa kweenyaniso zeendaba ezilungileyo ngamandla amakhulu, waba nokuthinjwa umdla wamabandla amakhulu aseTesalonika. “Inxenye kuwo yoyiseka, yazibandakanya noPawulos noSilas, kwanenkitha enkulu yamaGrike amhlonelayo uThixo; nakubafazi abaziintloko ababa mbalwa.”IZ 229.2

Njengakwiindawo ababengene kuzo ngaphambili, abapostile bahlangana nenkcaso eqinileyo. “AmaYuda angoyisekileyo” aba“nomsindo.” Ngelo xesha la maYuda ayengavumelani negunya laseRoma, kuba, kungekudala ngaphambi koko, ayevuse uqhushululu eRoma. Ayengabantu abakrokrelwayo, yaza, ngandlela ithile, yacuthwa inkululeko yawo. Kwathi kule meko [yokuguquka kwabantu], wona abona ithuba lokuzithandisa [kumaRoma] aza ngelo xesha abagculela abapostile kunye nabo baguqukele ebuKristwini.IZ 229.3

Konke oku kwenziwa ngokusuka azimanye namadoda “athile angendawo, angamahilihili” awathi ngawo aphumelela “ukuwuphithizelisa umzi.” Ngethemba lokubafumana abapostile, “ayifikela nendlu kaYason;” kodwa ababafumana uPawulos noSilas. “Akuba engabafumananga,” kwimpambano yawo nesihlwele esidanileyo, “amrholela uYason nabazalwana abathile kubaphathi bomzi, ebhomboloza esithi, Aba baliqungaqungileyo elimiweyo, bona bafikile nalapha; athe uYason wabamkela ngobubele; baye bonke aba besenza okuchasene nemimiselo kaKesare, besithi, kukho kumkani wumbi unguYesu.”IZ 229.4

Njengoko uPawulos noSilas bengazange bafumaneke, abaphathi bomzi bawabamba bawafungisa amakholwa ukuba aya kugcina uxolo. Bathi ngokoyika ukuba kungabuya kubekho ingxwabangxwaba, “abazalwana kwaoko bamndulula uPawulos noSilas ngobusuku, ukuba baye eBhereya.”IZ 230.1

Abo namhlanje bashumayela iinyaniso ezingathandekiyo, abamele kutyhafa ukuba ngamaxesha athile baye bangamkeleki, nakubantu abazibiza ngokuba bangamaKristu, njengoko kwakunjalo kuPawulos nakwabo wayesebenza nabo kubantu ababesebenza phakathi kwabo. Abathunywa bomnqamlezo kufuneka bazixhobise ngokuhlala bephaphamile nangomthandazo, babheke phambili ngokholo nesibindi, behleli besebenza egameni likaYesu. Kufuneka bamphakamise uKristu njengomthetheleli wabantu kwingcwele yasezulwini, Lowo zazijolise kuYe iinkonzo zexesha leTestamente eNdala, nokunokuthi ngombingelelo wocamagushelo lwaKhe, abophuli bomthetho kaThixo babe nokufumana uxolo nokuxolelwa.IZ 230.2