“Lelicala Ngilendlulisela KuKhesari!”

1, 2. (a) Pawula utitfola akusiphi simo? (b) Ngumuphi umbuto lophakamako ngekwendlulisela kwaPawula licala kuKhesari?

PAWULA ugadvwe ngemasotja lamanyenti eKhesariya. Eminyakeni lemibili leyendlulile ngesikhatsi abuyela eJudiya, emaJuda beseketame kumbulala tikhatsi letintsatfu ngemalanga lambalwa nje. (Imis. 21:27-36; 23:10, 12-15, 27) Kuze kube ngunyalo, titsa takhe atikakhoni kumbulala kodvwa atipheli mandla. Pawula watsi nakabona kutsi angahle anikelwe kuletitsa takhe, watsi kuMbusi wesifundza saseRoma Festusi: “Lelicala ngilendlulisela kuKhesari!”​—Imis. 25:11.

² Jehova wasisekela yini lesincumo saPawula sekwendlulisela lelicala kumbusi waseRoma? Imphendvulo yalombuto ibalulekile kitsi, tsine lesifakaza ngalokuphelele ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu kulamalanga ekugcina. Sifuna kwati kutsi loko Pawula lakwenta kusibonelo lekufanele sisilandzele yini “ekuvikeleni tindzaba letimnandzi nasekuticaliseni ngalokusemtsetfweni.”​—Fil. 1:7.

“Ngime Embikwesihlalo Sekwehlulela SaKhesari” (Imisebenti 25:1-12)

3, 4. (a) Yini leyenta emaJuda acela kutsi Pawula aletfwe eJerusalema, futsi wasindza njani ekufeni? (b) Jehova uticinisa njani tikhonti takhe lamuhla njengobe enta kuPawula?

³ Ngemuva kwemalanga lamatsatfu Festusi abekwe kutsi abe ngumbusi waseJudiya sifundza saseRoma, waya eJerusalema.a Lapho wefike walalela njengobe baphristi labakhulu kanye nemadvodza langemaJuda lasetikhundleni amangalela Pawula ngemacala lamabi kakhulu. LamaJuda bekati kutsi lombusi lomusha bekabophekile kugcina kuthula nawo kanye nawo onkhe emaJuda. Ngako bacela Festusi kutsi aletse Pawula eJerusalema kuze lamacala akhe atekelwe khona. Letitsa taPawula betinenhloso lembi ngalesicelo sato. Betifuna kumbulala nakasendleleni lesuka eKhesariya iya eJerusalema. Festusi akasivumanga lesicelo sawo, watsi: “Tiphatsimandla tenu . . . atehle nami [eKhesariya] tiyommangalela nangabe vele kukhona lokubi lomuntfu lakwentile.” (Imis. 25:5) Ngako, Pawula waphindze wasindza ekufeni.

⁴ Jehova asebentisa iNkhosi Jesu Khristu, wamcinisa Pawula kukokonkhe kutekwa kwemacala akhe. Khumbula kutsi embonweni, Jesu watsi kulomphostoli: “Bani nesibindzi!” (Imis. 23:11) Nalamuhla, tikhonti taNkulunkulu tibhekana nebumatima kanye nekusongelwa. Jehova akasivikeli kubo bonkhe bumatima kodvwa usiniketa kuhlakanipha kanye nemandla ekubeketela. Ngako, singawetsemba “emandla lamakhulu kakhulu” lesiwaniketwa nguNkulunkulu wetfu lonelutsandvo.​—2 Khor. 4:7.

5. Festusi wayisingatsa njani indzaba yaPawula?

⁵ Ngemuva kwemalanga latsite, Festusi “wahlala esihlalweni sekwehlulela” eKhesariya.b Embikwakhe bekume Pawula nebamangaleli bakhe. Ngesikhatsi aphendvula kulamacala lete bufakazi lebekabekwe wona, Pawula watsi: “Kute lokubi lengikwentile lokushayisana neMtsetfo wemaJuda, nalokushayisana nelithempeli, nobe naKhesari.” Lomphostoli bekete licala futsi bekufanele akhululwe. Festusi bekatawutsatsa siphi sincumo? Njengobe bekafuna kutsandvwa ngemaJuda, wabuta Pawula: “Uyafuna yini kuya eJerusalema kuze wehlulelwe ngaletintfo embikwami?” (Imis. 25:6-9) Lombuto bewungenangcondvo! Kube lamacala aPawula atekelwa eJerusalema, kusho kutsi labamangaleli bakhe bebatawuba ngemajaji futsi loko bekutawusho kufa kwakhe. Kulesimo, Festusi wakhetsa kutsi tintfo timhambele kahle kutepolitiki kunekutsi ehlulele ngekulunga. Umbusi wesifundza wangesikhatsi lesendlulile, Pontiyusi Pilatu, wenta intfo lefanako nakutekwa licala lelibalulekile laJesu. (Joh. 19:12-16) Nalamuhla, emajaji angatenta tincumo letite bulungisa kuze nje ajabulise bantfu. Ngako, akukafaneli simangale tinkantolo natenta tincumo letingavumelani nebufakazi emacaleni labekwe bantfu baNkulunkulu.

6, 7.  Pawula walendluliselelani licala lakhe kuKhesari, futsi ngusiphi sibonelo lasibekela emaKhristu eliciniso lamuhla?

⁶ Kufuna kwaFestusi kujabulisa emaJuda, kwacishe kwabulalisa Pawula. Ngako, Pawula wasebentisa lilungelo lakhe lekuba nebuve baseRoma, watsi kuFestusi: “Ngime embikwesihlalo sekwehlulela saKhesari, futsi ngulapha lakufanele ngehlulelwe khona. Kute lokubi lengikwente kumaJuda njengobe nje nawe utibonela. . . . lelicala ngilendlulisela kuKhesari!” Bekungesimelula kutsi sicelo sekwendlulisa licala sishintjwe. Ngako Festusi wagcizelela loku ngekutsi atsi: “Licala lakho ulendlulisele kuKhesari, ngaleso sizatfu utakuya kuye.” (Imis. 25:10-12) Ngekwendlulisela lelicala egunyeni leliphakeme, Pawula wabekela emaKhristu alamuhla sibonelo. Baphikisi nabetama kwakha “emacebo lamabi,” BoFakazi BaJehova basebentisa umtsetfo kuze bavikele tindzaba letimnandzi.c​—Hla. 94:20.

⁷ Ngako, ngemuva kweminyaka lemibili Pawula aboshelwe emacala langakawenti, waniketwa litfuba lekutsi ayotivikela eRoma. Ngaphambi kwekutsi ahambe kwaba nalomunye umbusi wesifundza lowafuna kumbona.

“Ngakwenta Loko Lengatjelwa Kona” (Imisebenti 25:13–26:23)

8, 9. Yini leyenta iNkhosi Agripha yaya eKhesariya?

⁸ Ngemuva kwemalanga lambalwa Festusi eve kutsi Pawula ufuna kwendlulisela licala lakhe kuKhesari, iNkhosi Agripha kanye nadzadze wayo Bhenise “beta . . . batohalalisela” lombusi wesifundza lomusha.d Ngesikhatsi kusabusa iRoma, bekwetayelekile kutsi bantfu labasemagunyeni bavakashele umbusi losandza kubekwa. Asingabati kutsi ngekuhalalisela Festusi kulokubekwa kwakhe, Agripha bekakha budlelwane betepolitiki kanye nebungani lebebutamsita esikhatsini lesitako.​—Imis. 25:13.

⁹ Festusi watjela lenkhosi ngaPawula, futsi Agripha waveta sifiso sakhe sekuva lendzaba yaPawula. Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, lababusi lababili bahlala esihlalweni sekwehlulela. Emandla abo kanye nesitfunti lebebanaso bekungesilutfo nakucatsaniswa nemavi lebekatoshiwo ngulesiboshwa lebesisembikwabo.​—Imis. 25:22-27.

10, 11. Pawula wakhombisa njani kutsi uyamhlonipha Agripha, futsi ngumiphi imininingwane ngekuphila kwakhe layiveta kulenkhosi?

¹⁰ Ngenhlonipho Pawula wayibonga iNkhosi Agripha ngalelitfuba lekutsi ativikele embikwayo, futsi wavuma kutsi lenkhosi beyiwati kahle emasiko kanye netintfo lebetikhatsata emaJuda. Pawula wabese uchaza indlela lebekaphila ngayo esikhatsini lesendlulile watsi: “BengingumFarisi, ngiphila ngekuvumelana netimfundziso leticinile tenkholo yetfu.” (Imis. 26:5) Njengobe bekangumFarisi, Pawula bekanelitsemba lekufika kwaMesiya. Nyalo njengobe besekangumKhristu, bekanesibindzi sekutsi Jesu Khristu bekanguloMesiya lebekalindzelwe. Sizatfu lesenta Pawula wamangalelwa ngalelolanga bekuyinkholelo yena kanye nalabo lebebammangalele lebebanayo, lokulitsemba lekutsi kugcwaliseke setsembiso Nkulunkulu lasenta kubokhokhobabo. Indlela Pawula lachazela ngayo Agripha yamenta wafuna kwati lokunyenti.e

¹¹ Akhumbula indlela bekaphatsa kabi ngayo emaKhristu, Pawula watsi: “Nami bengiciniseka kutsi kufanele ngente konkhe lokusemandleni ami kuze ngimelane neligama laJesu waseNazaretha. . . njengobe bengibatfukutselele kakhulu [balandzeli baKhristu], bengize ngibaphatse kabi ngisho nakulamanye emadolobha.” (Imis. 26:9-11) Pawula bekangazami kwenta tintfo tibonakale titimbi kakhulu; vele betitimbi kakhulu. Bantfu labanyenti bebati ngebudlova labenta kumaKhristu. (Gal. 1:13, 23) Kungenteka Agripha bekatibuta kutsi, ‘Yini leyente lendvodza yashintja?’

12, 13. (a) Pawula wakuchaza njani kuphendvuka kwakhe? (b) Pawula ‘bekatikhahlela ngayiphi indlela tindvuku leticijile’?

¹² Lamavi aPawula lalandzelako aniketa imphendvulo: “Ngalelinye lilanga, bengiya eDamaseko kuze nakhona ngente lokufanako njengobe bengitfunywe baphristi labakhulu. Bekukusemini Nkhosi ngesikhatsi ngibona kukhanya lobekwendlula kwelilanga kumanyata kuvela ezulwini, futsi kwatungeleta mine nalabo lebengihamba nabo. Sonkhe sawa phansi, ngabese ngiva livi likhuluma nami ngelulwimi lwesiHebheru litsi: ‘Sawula, Sawula, ungihluphelani? Lokuchubeka ukhahlela tindvuku leticijile kutakulimata.’ Kodvwa mine ngatsi: ‘Ungubani wena Nkhosi?’ INkhosi yatsi: ‘NginguJesu, loyo lomhluphako.’”f​—Imis. 26:12-15.

¹³ Ngaphambi kwekutsi abone lombono, ngekwemfanekiso Pawula ‘bekakhahlela tindvuku leticijile.’ Njengobe nje nesilwane lesitfwala umtfwalo besingatilimata nasikhahlela ngalokungenasidzingo tindvuku leticijile, naPawula bekalimata buhlobo bakhe naNkulunkulu ngekutsi amelane nentsandvo yakhe. Ngekutsi abonakale kuPawula endleleni leya eDamaseko, Jesu lovusiwe wabangela lendvodza lecotfo kodvwa leyengiwe kutsi ishintje indlela lebeyicabanga ngayo.​—Joh. 16:1, 2.

14, 15. Yini Pawula layisho mayelana nelushintjo lalwenta ekuphileni kwakhe?

¹⁴ Pawula wenta lushintjo lolukhulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Nakakhuluma na-Agripha, watsi: “Ngakwenta loko lengatjelwa kona kulombono lovela ezulwini, futsi ngacale ngaya kubantfu baseDamaseko, ngase ngiya kulabo labaseJerusalema nalabasetindzaweni taseJudiya kanye nakubetive, ngimemetela umlayeto wekutsi kufanele baphendvuke babuyele kuNkulunkulu ngekutsi bente imisebenti lekhombisa kuphendvuka.” (Imis. 26:19, 20) Besekuphele iminyaka Pawula afeza loko Jesu Khristu lamtfuma kona ngaleya mini abona umbono. Waba yini umphumela? Labo labalalela tindzaba letimnandzi Pawula lebekatishumayela, baphendvuka emikhubeni yabo lengcolile nasetentweni letikhombisa kungetsembeki, futsi bakhonta kuNkulunkulu. Labantfu labaphendvuka bakhombisa kuba takhamuti letikahle ngekutsi bahlonipha umtsetfo.

¹⁵ Nobe kunjalo letinzuzo atishongo lutfo kulabaphikisi baPawula labangemaJuda. Pawula watsi: “Ngaleso sizatfu-ke emaJuda angibamba ethempelini, etama kungibulala. Kodvwa ngenca yekutsi bengisitwa nguNkulunkulu, nalamuhla ngisafakaza kulabo lababonakala baphansi nakulabanemagunya.”​—Imis. 26:21, 22.

16. Singamlingisa njani Pawula nasikhuluma nemajaji kanye nebabusi ngaloko lesikukholelwako?

¹⁶ Njengobe singemaKhristu eliciniso, kufanele ‘sihlale sikulungele kutiphendvulela’ ngekukholwa kwetfu. (1 Phet. 3:15) Nasikhuluma nemajaji nobe babusi ngaloko lesikukholelwako, ingasisita indlela Pawula lakhuluma ngayo na-Agripha kanye naFestusi. Nasibatjela ngenhlonipho indlela emaciniso eliBhayibheli lakushintje ngayo kuphila kwetfu kanye nekwalabo labalalela umlayeto wetfu, singatitsintsa tinhlitiyo taletiphatsimandla.

“Ungangenta Ngibe NgumKhristu” (Imisebenti 26:24-32)

17. Yini Festusi layenta nakeva Pawula ativikela, futsi ngusiphi simo sengcondvo lesisibonako lamuhla?

¹⁷ Njengobe lababusi lababili balalele Pawula aniketa bufakazi lobutsintsa inhlitiyo, behluleka kutibamba. Naka naku lokwabese kuyenteka: “Njengobe Pawula bekasho letintfo kuze ativikele, Festusi wamemeta watsi: ‘Uyahlanya Pawula! Kufundza kakhulu kuyakuhlanyisa!’” (Imis. 26:24) Lokuphahluka kwaFestusi kuveta simo sengcondvo lesisibonako nalamuhla. Kubantfu labanyenti, labo labafundzisa liciniso ngeliBhayibheli babonakala bashiseka ngalokwecile. Labo labahlakaniphile ngekwembono walelive bakutfola kumatima kwemukela loko lokufundziswa liBhayibheli ngekuvuswa kwebantfu labafile.

18. Pawula wamphendvula njani Festusi, lokwenta Agripha watsini?

¹⁸ Pawula wamphendvula watsi lombusi: “Angihlanyi Mhlonishwa Festusi, kodvwa ngikhuluma emavi laliciniso nalanengcondvo. Ecinisweni, ngikhuluma ngekukhululeka nenkhosi ngobe itati kahle letintfo, . . . Nkhosi Agripha, uyakholelwa yini kubaPhrofethi? Ngiyati kutsi uyakholelwa.” Kodvwa Agripha watsi kuPawula: “Ngesikhashana nje ungangenta ngibe ngumKhristu.” (Imis. 26:25-28) Kungakhatsaliseki kutsi lamavi a-Agripha bekasuka enhlitiyweni nobe cha, akhombisa kutsi bufakazi Pawula labuniketa bayitsintsa inhlitiyo yalenkhosi.

19. Ngusiphi sincumo lesentiwa boFestusi na-Agripha mayelana naPawula?

¹⁹ Bo-Agripha naFestusi base bayasukuma kuze bakhombise kutsi lokutekwa kwalelicala bese kuphelile. “Njengobe bahamba, bakhuluma bodvwa batsi: ‘Kute intfo lomuntfu layentile lementa afanelwe kufa nobe kuboshwa.’ Agripha wabese utsi kuFestusi: ‘Lomuntfu bekatawukhululwa kube akazange endlulisele licala lakhe kuKhesari.’” (Imis. 26:31, 32) Bebati kutsi lendvodza lebeyitekiswa emacala beyingakenti lutfo lolubi. Kungenteka nyalo besebatawaphatsa kahle emaKhristu.

20. Kufakaza kwaPawula embikwetiphatsimandla kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

²⁰ Kubonakala shengatsi kute kulababusi labanemandla lowemukela tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso waNkulunkulu. Kukhona yini lokwafezwa kuvela kwaPawula embikwalamadvodza lamabili? Imphendvulo nguyebo. Kumiswa kwaPawula “embikwemakhosi nasembikwebabusi” eJudiya kwenta kutsi kufakazwe nakuhulumende wemaRoma, lokungenteka bekungesimelula kufakaza kuwo. (Luk. 21:12, 13) Loko lokwenteka kuPawula kanye nekwetsembeka kwakhe nakalingwa kwabakhutsata bazalwane bakhe nabodzadze.​—Fil. 1:12-14.

21. Ngumiphi imiphumela lemihle lesingayibona nasichubeka nemsebenti weMbuso?

²¹ Kwenteka lokufanako nalamuhla. Nasichubeka nemsebenti weMbuso ngetulu kwekuphikiswa, singabona imiphumela leminyenti lemihle. Singashumayela tiphatsimandla lokungenteka bekumatima kutitfola. Kwetsembeka kanye nekubeketela kwetfu kungabakhutsata bazalwane kanye nabodzadzewetfu, kubente babe nesibindzi lesikhulu sekufakaza ngalokuphelele ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu.