Bashushiswa Ngenxa Yokulunga

“Bayajabula abaye bashushiswa ngenxa yokulunga.”—MATHEWU 5:10.

1. Kungani uJesu ayephambi kukaPontiyu Pilatu, futhi yini uJesu ayisho?

“NGIZALELWE lokhu, futhi ngizele lokhu ezweni, ukuba ngifakazele iqiniso.” (Johane 18:37) Ngesikhathi uJesu esho lawo mazwi, wayephambi kukaPontiyu Pilatu, uMbusi ongumRoma waseJudiya. UJesu wayengekho lapho ngokuthanda kwakhe noma ngokumenywa uPilatu. Kunalokho, wayelapho ngoba abaholi benkolo abangamaJuda babemmangalele ngamanga bethi ungumenzi wobubi ofanelwe ukufa.—Johane 18:29-31.

2. UJesu wathatha siphi isinyathelo, esaholela kuphi?

² UJesu wayazi kahle ukuthi uPilatu wayenegunya lokumkhulula noma ukumbulala. (Johane 19:10) Kodwa lokho akumvimbanga ukukhuluma ngesibindi noPilatu ngoMbuso. Nakuba ukuphila kukaJesu kwakusengozini, wasebenzisa lelo thuba ukufakaza esikhulwini esiphakeme sikahulumeni wendawo. Naphezu kwalobo bufakazi, uJesu walahlwa ngecala futhi wabulawa, wafa kabuhlungu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa njengomfel’ ukholo.—Mathewu 27:24-26; Marku 15:15; Luka 23:24, 25; Johane 19:13-16.

Wayengufakazi Noma Umfel’ ukholo?

3. Lalisho ukuthini igama elithi “umfel’ ukholo” ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, kodwa lisho ukuthini namuhla?

³ Kubantu abaningi namuhla, umfel’ ukholo ucishe afane nomuntu oshiseka ngokweqile. Labo abazimisele ukufela inkolelo yabo, ikakhulu inkolelo engokwenkolo, bavame ukusolwa ngokuba amaphekula noma okungenani ukuba usongo emphakathini. Nokho, igama lesiNgisi elisho umfel’ ukholo livela kwelesiGreki (marʹtys) ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli elalisho “ufakazi,” umuntu onikeza ubufakazi, mhlawumbe ekuqulweni kwecala enkantolo, ngokuba iqiniso kwalokho akukholelwayo. Kwaba kamuva lapho leli gama lasho “umuntu odela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yokufakaza,” noma ngisho ukufakaza ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe.

4. Ngokuyinhloko uJesu waba umfel’ ukholo ngokwayiphi incazelo?

⁴ Ngokuyinhloko uJesu waba umfel’ ukholo ngokwencazelo yaleli gama yangezikhathi zeBhayibheli. Njengoba atshela uPilatu, wazela ‘ukufakazela iqiniso.’ Ukufakaza kwakhe kwashukumisa imizwelo yabantu ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene kakhulu. Abanye kubantu abavamile kwabathinta ngokujulile abakuzwa nabakubona base beba nokholo kuJesu. (Johane 2:23; 8:30) Izixuku nabaholi benkolo ikakhulukazi, basabela ngendlela enamandla—kodwa embi. UJesu wathi ezihlotsheni zakhe ezingakholwa: “Izwe alinaso isizathu sokunizonda nina, kodwa mina liyangizonda, ngoba ngifakaza ngalo ukuthi imisebenzi yalo mibi.” (Johane 7:7) Ngenxa yokufakazela iqiniso, uJesu wazibangela ulaka lwabaholi besizwe okwaholela ekufeni kwakhe. Ngempela, ‘wayengufakazi (marʹtys) othembekile noqinisile.’—IsAmbulo 3:14.

“Niyoba Yizinto Zokuzondwa”

5. Ngasekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe, uJesu wathini ngokushushiswa?

⁵ UJesu akagcinanga ngokuba yena ngokwakhe abhekane nokushushiswa ngonya, kodwa futhi waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe kusengaphambili ngokuthi nabo babeyovelelwa into efanayo. Ngasekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe, uJesu watshela izilaleli zakhe eNtshumayelweni yakhe YaseNtabeni: “Bayajabula abaye bashushiswa ngenxa yokulunga, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ungowabo. Niyajabula lapho abantu benihlambalaza, benishushisa futhi besho yonke inhlobo yento embi ngani, beniqambela amanga ngenxa yami. Jabulani nigxumagxume ngenjabulo, ngoba umvuzo wenu mkhulu emazulwini.”—Mathewu 5:10-12.

6. Isiphi isixwayiso uJesu asinika abaphostoli abangu-12 lapho ebathuma?

⁶ Kamuva, lapho ethuma abaphostoli abangu-12, uJesu wabatshela: “Qaphelani abantu; ngoba bayoninikela ezinkantolo zendawo, futhi banibhaxabule emasinagogeni abo. Phela, niyohudulelwa phambi kwababusi namakhosi ngenxa yami, ngenjongo yobufakazi kubo nasezizweni.” Kodwa kwakungeke kube izikhulu zenkolo kuphela ezaziyoshushisa abafundi. UJesu wathi futhi: “Umuntu uyonikela umfowabo ekufeni, noyise umntanakhe, nabantwana bayovukela abazali benze ukuba babulawe. Niyoba yizinto zokuzondwa abantu bonke ngenxa yegama lami; kodwa lowo okhuthazele kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.” (Mathewu 10:17, 18, 21, 22) Umlando wamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala uwubufakazi bokuba iqiniso kwalawo mazwi.

Umlando Wokukhuthazela Ngokwethembeka

7. Yini eyaholela ekubeni kukaStefanu umfel’ ukholo?

⁷ Ngokushesha ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, uStefanu waba umKristu wokuqala ukufa ngenxa yokufakazela iqiniso. ‘Wayegcwele umusa namandla, enza nezimangaliso ezinkulu nezibonakaliso phakathi kwabantu.’ Izitha zakhe zenkolo ‘azikwazanga ukuma ziqine zimelane nokuhlakanipha nomoya ayekhuluma ngawo.’ (IzEnzo 6:8, 10) Zigcwele umona, zahudulela uStefanu phambi kweSanhedrini, inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda, lapho abhekana khona nabamangaleli bakhe bamanga, wanika nobufakazi obunamandla. Nokho, ekugcineni izitha zikaStefanu zambulala lo fakazi othembekile.—IzEnzo 7:59, 60.

8. Abafundi eJerusalema basabela kanjani ekushushisweni okwabehlela ngemva kokufa kukaStefanu?

⁸ Ngemva kokubulawa kukaStefanu, “kwavela ukushushiswa okukhulu kwebandla elaliseJerusalema; bonke ngaphandle kwabaphostoli bahlakazekela kuzo zonke izifunda zaseJudiya naseSamariya.” (IzEnzo 8:1) Ingabe ukushushiswa kwawayekisa amaKristu ukufakaza? Cha, kunalokho ukulandisa kusitshela ukuthi “labo ababehlakazekile badabula izwe bememezela izindaba ezinhle zezwi.” (IzEnzo 8:4) Kumelwe ukuba bazizwa ngendlela efanayo neyomphostoli uPetru lapho ngaphambili ethi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.” (IzEnzo 5:29) Naphezu kokushushiswa, labo bafundi ababethembekile nababenesibindi banamathela emsebenzini wokufakazela iqiniso, yize babazi ukuthi lokho kwakuzoholela ebunzimeni obengeziwe.—IzEnzo 11:19-21.

9. Ikuphi ukushushiswa okwaqhubeka kwehlela abalandeli bakaJesu?

⁹ Yebo, ubunzima babungazibekile phansi. Okokuqala, sifunda ukuthi uSawulu—indoda eyazibonela ngawayo futhi yakwamukela ukukhandwa ngamatshe kukaStefanu—“esonga futhi eshabashekela ukubulala abafundi beNkosi, waya kumpristi ophakeme wacela kuye izincwadi zokuya emasinagogeni eDamaseku, ukuze abalethe eJerusalema beboshiwe noma yibaphi abatholayo abangabaleyo Ndlela, kokubili amadoda nabesifazane.” (IzEnzo 9:1, 2) Kamuva, cishe ngonyaka ka-44 C.E., “uHerode inkosi, ngezandla zakhe, waphatha kabi abanye bebandla. Wabulala uJakobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba.”—IzEnzo 12:1, 2.

10. Imuphi umlando wokushushiswa esiwuthola encwadini yezEnzo neyesAmbulo?

¹⁰ Ingxenye esele yencwadi yezEnzo iqukethe umlando ongenakucimeka wokulingwa, ukuboshwa, nokushushiswa okwakhuthazelelwa abantu ababethembekile abafana noPawulu, owayekade engumshushisi waphenduka waba umphostoli, nokungenzeka wabulawelwa ukholo ngomyalo woMbusi waseRoma uNero cishe ngo-65 C.E. (2 Korinte 11:23-27; 2 Thimothewu 4:6-8) Ekugcineni, encwadini yesAmbulo, eyabhalwa ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala, sithola ukuthi umphostoli uJohane osemdala uboshwe esiqhingini esiyijele sasePhatmose “ngenxa yokukhuluma ngoNkulunkulu nangenxa yokufakaza ngoJesu.” IsAmbulo sikhuluma ‘nango-Antipase, ufakazi wami othembekileyo, owabulawa’ ePhergamu.—IsAmbulo 1:9; 2:13.

11. Inkambo yamaKristu okuqala yakufakazela kanjani ukuba iqiniso kwamazwi kaJesu mayelana nokushushiswa?

¹¹ Konke lokhu kwabonisa ukuba iqiniso kwamazwi kaJesu kubafundi bakhe: “Uma beye bashushisa mina, bayonishushisa nani.” (Johane 15:20) AmaKristu okuqala ayethembekile ayekulungele ukubhekana novivinyo olukhulu, oluwukufa—ngokuhlukunyezwa, ngokuphonswa ezilwaneni zasendle, ngisho noma ngayiphi enye indlela—ukuze afeze umyalo ayewunikwe iNkosi uJesu Kristu: “Nizoba ofakazi bami eJerusalema nakulo lonke elaseJudiya neSamariya nasezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.”—IzEnzo 1:8.

12. Kungani ukushushiswa kwamaKristu kungagcini nje ngokuba indaba yasendulo?

¹² Uma kukhona ocabanga ukuthi lokho kuphathwa ngonya kwabalandeli bakaJesu kwenzeka esikhathini esidlule kuphela, wenza iphutha elikhulu. UPawulu, owakhuthazelela ubunzima obukhulu njengoba sesibonile, wabhala: “Bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kanye noKristu Jesu nabo futhi bayoshushiswa.” (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Ngokuqondene nokushushiswa, uPetru wathi: “Eqinisweni, nabizelwa kule nkambo, ngoba ngisho noKristu wahlupheka ngenxa yenu, enishiyela isibonelo sokuba nilandele izinyathelo zakhe eduze.” (1 Petru 2:21) Kuze kube kulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina’ zalesi simiso sezinto, abantu bakaJehova basalokhu beyizinto zokuzondwa. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Emhlabeni wonke, ngaphansi kwemibuso yomashiqela nasemazweni abusa ngentando yeningi, oFakazi BakaJehova ngezinye izikhathi baye bashushiswa, bengabantu ngabanye nanjengeqembu.

Kungani Bezondwa Futhi Beshushiswa?

13. Yini izinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla okufanele ziyikhumbule ngokuqondene nokushushiswa?

¹³ Nakuba abaningi bethu namuhla bejabulela inkululeko ethile yokushumayela nokuhlangana ndawonye ngokuthula, kumelwe silalelisise lapho iBhayibheli lisikhumbuza ukuthi “isimo saleli zwe siyashintsha.” (1 Korinte 7:31) Izinto zingashintsha ngokuphazima kweso kangangokuthi uma singakulungele lokho ngengqondo, ngokomzwelo, nangokomoya, singakhubeka kalula. Ngakho-ke, yini esingayenza ukuze sizivikele? Indlela ephumelela kakhulu yokuzivikela iwukusigcina sicacile engqondweni isizathu sokuzondwa nokushushiswa kwamaKristu azithandela ukuthula nazinamathelela emthethweni.

14. UPetru wathi sasiyini isizathu sokushushiswa kwamaKristu?

¹⁴ Umphostoli uPetru waphawula ngalolu daba encwadini yakhe yokuqala, ayibhala cishe ngo-62 kuya ku-64 C.E., ngesikhathi amaKristu ebhekene nokulingwa nokushushiswa kuwo wonke uMbuso WaseRoma. Wathi: “Bathandekayo, ningakhungathekiswa ukusha enikuzwayo, okwenzeka kini ngenjongo yokunivivinya, njengokungathi nehlelwa yinto eyinqaba.” Ukuze achaze ukuthi wayekhuluma ngani, uPetru waqhubeka: “Makungabikho noyedwa kini ohlupheka ngoba engumbulali noma eyisela noma engumenzi wokubi noma ngoba engugaxekile ezindabeni zabanye abantu. Kodwa uma ehlupheka ngoba engumKristu, makangabi namahloni, kodwa makaqhubeke ekhazimulisa uNkulunkulu kuleli gama.” UPetru waveza ukuthi babehlupheka ngenxa yokuba kwabo amaKristu, hhayi ngenxa yokwenza kwabo noma yini embi. Ukube nabo babehuquza “echibini elifanayo eliphansi lokuzitika ngamanyala” njengabantu ababebazungezile, babeyokwamukeleka kulabo bantu. Kodwa eqinisweni bahlupheka ngoba babezama ukuphila ngokuvumelana nokuba kwabo abalandeli bakaKristu. Isimo siyefana nakumaKristu eqiniso namuhla.—1 Petru 4:4, 12, 15, 16.

15. Ikuphi ukungqubuzana okubonakala endleleni oFakazi BakaJehova abaphathwa ngayo namuhla?

¹⁵ Ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, oFakazi BakaJehova badunyiswa obala ngenxa yobunye nokubambisana abakubonisa emihlanganweni yabo emikhulu nasezakhiweni, ukwethembeka nokukhuthala kwabo, isimilo nokuphila kwemikhaya yabo okuyisibonelo, ngisho nokuhlanzeka kwangaphandle nokuziphatha kwabo.a Ngakolunye uhlangothi, njengoba kubhalwa lesi sihloko umsebenzi wabo uvinjelwe noma ubekelwe imingcele emazweni angengaphansi kwangu-28, kuyilapho oFakazi abaningi behlukunyezwa emzimbeni futhi belahlekelwa ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Kungani kunokungqubuzana okunjalo okusobala? Futhi kungani uNkulunkulu ekuvumela?

16. Isiphi isizathu esiyinhloko sokuvumela kukaNkulunkulu ukuba abantu bakhe bashushiswe?

¹⁶ Ngokuyinhloko, kufanele sikhumbule amazwi ezAga 27:11: “Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, wenze inhliziyo yami ijabule, ukuze ngimphendule ongiklolodelayo.” Yebo, kungenxa yempikiswano endala yobukhosi bendawo yonke. Naphezu kwenqwaba yobufakazi obuye banikezwa yibo bonke abaye babonisa ubuqotho babo kuJehova phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, uSathane akakayeki ukuklolodela uJehova njengoba enza ezinsukwini zendoda elungile uJobe. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Akungatshazwa ukuthi uSathane usephiyazela nakakhulu emizamweni yakhe yokugcina yokufakazela lokho akusho, njengoba manje uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usumiswe ngokuqinile, unezikhonzi nabameleli abathembekile emhlabeni wonke. Ingabe laba bayohlala bethembekile kuNkulunkulu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ikuphi ukuhlupheka nobunzima okungase kubehlele? Lona umbuzo okumelwe inceku kaJehova ngayinye iziphendulele wona.—IsAmbulo 12:12, 17.

17. Wayesho ukuthini uJesu ngamazwi athi “kuyophumela ethubeni lokuba ninikeze ubufakazi”?

¹⁷ Lapho etshela abafundi bakhe ngezenzakalo ezaziyokwenzeka phakathi “nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,” uJesu waveza esinye isizathu sokuvumela kukaJehova ukuba izinceku zakhe zishushiswe. Wabatshela: ‘Niyohudulelwa phambi kwamakhosi nababusi ngenxa yegama lami. Kuyophumela ethubeni lokuba ninikeze ubufakazi.’ (Mathewu 24:3, 9; Luka 21:12, 13) UJesu ngokwakhe wafakaza phambi kukaHerode noPontiyu Pilatu. Umphostoli uPawulu naye ‘wahudulelwa phambi kwamakhosi nababusi.’ Eqondiswa iNkosi uJesu Kristu, uPawulu wafuna ukufakaza kumbusi owayenamandla kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi lapho ethi: “Ngidlulisela icala kuKhesari!” (IzEnzo 23:11; 25:8-12) Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, kuye kwavama ukuthi izimo ezinzima ziphumele ekufakazeni kuziphathimandla nasemphakathini.b

18, 19. (a) Kuyosizuzisa ngani ukubhekana ngokuphumelelayo nokulingwa? (b) Kuzohlolwa miphi imibuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Okokugcina, ukubhekana ngokuphumelelayo nokulingwa nosizi kungasizuzisa ngabanye. Kanjani? Umfundi uJakobe wakhumbuza amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Kubhekeni njengenjabulo yodwa, bazalwane, lapho nihlangabezana nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene, njengoba nazi ukuthi lesi simo esivivinyiwe sokholo lwenu siveza ukukhuthazela.” Yebo, ukushushiswa kungacwengisisa ukholo lwethu kuqinise nokukhuthazela kwethu. Ngakho, asikwesabi ukushushiswa, singafuni nokukugwema noma ukukuqeda ngezindlela ezingavumelani nemiBhalo. Kunalokho, silalela isiyalo sikaJakobe: “Vumelani ukukhuthazela kuphelelise umsebenzi wako, ukuze nibe abaphelele nabaphilile ezicini zonke, abangantuli lutho.”—Jakobe 1:2-4.

¹⁹ Nakuba iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisisiza siqonde isizathu sokushushiswa kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile nesokukuvumela kukaJehova, lokho akwenzi ngempela ukushushiswa kubekezeleleke kalula. Yini engasiqinisa sibhekane nako? Singenzani lapho sishushiswa? Sizohlola lezi zindaba esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

• Ngokuyinhloko uJesu waba umfel’ ukholo ngokwayiphi incazelo?

• AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala kwawathinta kanjani ukushushiswa?

• Njengoba uPetru achaza, kungani amaKristu okuqala ashushiswa?

• Kungaziphi izizathu uJehova evumela izinceku zakhe zishushiswe?

[Izithombe ekhasini 10, 11]

AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ahlupheka ngenxa yokuba kwawo amaKristu, hhayi ngenxa yokwenza noma yini embi

UPAWULU

UJAKOBE

UJOHANE

U-ANTIPASE

USTEFANU