“Ngidlulisela Icala KuKesari!”

ISIXUKU sibamba indoda evathazelayo bese siyishaya. Sicabanga ukuthi ifanelwe ukufa. Lapho nje sekubonakala ukuthi sizoyibulala nakanjani, qhamukiyani amasosha afike ahlwithe lesi sisulu kanzima esisusa esixukwini esasivuke indlobane. Le ndoda umphostoli uPawulu. Abahlaseli bakhe ngamaJuda amelene ngokuqinile nokushumayela kukaPawulu futhi ambeka icala lokungcolisa ithempeli. Abamhlengayo ngamaRoma aholwa umlawuli wawo wamabutho, uKlawudiyu Lisiya. Kuleso siyaluyalu, uPawulu uyaboshwa njengomuntu okusolwa ukuthi wenze ububi obuthile.

Izahluko zokugcina eziyisikhombisa zencwadi yezEnzo zilandisa ngecala elaqala ngalokhu kuboshwa. Ukuqonda umlando kaPawulu kwezomthetho, amacala abekwa wona, ukuzilwela kwakhe nezici ezithile eziphathelene nenqubo yokugweba yamaRoma kusenza siziqonde lezi zahluko.

Evalelwe KwaKlawudiyu Lisiya

Imisebenzi kaKlawudiyu Lisiya yayihlanganisa ukugcina iJerusalema linokuthula. Owayemphethe, umbusi ongumRoma waseJudiya wayehlala eKesariya. Okwenziwa uLisiya ecaleni likaPawulu kungabhekwa njengokuvikela umuntu ebudloveni nanjengokuboshwa komuntu ophazamisa ukuthula. Ukusabela kwamaJuda kwenza uLisiya ukuba athathe lesi siboshwa asigqume ekamu lamasosha eMbhoshongweni Wase-Antonia.—IzEnzo 21:27–22:24.

ULisiya kwakufanele athole ukuthi wayenzeni uPawulu. Wayengazange athole lutho phakathi nalesiya siyaluyalu. Ngakho-ke, ngaphandle kokuchitha isikhathi, wayaleza ukuba uPawulu ‘aphenywe ngokubhaxabulwa, ukuze azi ukuthi kungasizathu sini kwakunokumemeza ngokumelene noPawulu.’ (IzEnzo 22:24) Lena kwakuyinqubo evamile ukuze kutholakale ubufakazi  ezigebengwini, ezigqileni nakwabanye ababesezingeni eliphansi. Kungenzeka ukuthi (i-flagrum) yayisetshenziswa lapho, kodwa leso kwakuyisiswebhu esibuhlungu kakhulu. Ezinye zalezi ziswebhu zazifakwa amabhola ensimbi alenga emaketangeni. Ezinye zazinemichilo ethungelwe amathambo acijile nezingcezu zensimbi. Zazibanga amanxeba amabi kakhulu, zidabule inyama ziyishiye imichilochilo.

Ngaleso sikhathi, uPawulu wembula ukuthi wayeyisakhamuzi saseRoma. UmRoma ongalahlwanga icala wayengenakubhaxabulwa, ngakho-ke, ukuveza kukaPawulu amalungelo akhe kwaba nomphumela osheshayo. Ukuxhaphaza noma ukujezisa isakhamuzi saseRoma kwakungalahlekisela isikhulu saseRoma isikhundla saso. Kuyaqondakala-ke ukuthi kungani kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, uPawulu aphathwa njengesiboshwa esihlukile esasingaba nezivakashi.—IzEnzo 22:25-29; 23:16, 17.

Engaqiniseki ngamacala abekwe wona, uLisiya wayisa uPawulu phambi kweSanhedrini ukuze athole isizathu sesiyaluyalu. Kodwa uPawulu wavusa impikiswano lapho ethi wayahlulelwa ngenxa yendaba yovuko. Ukungezwani kwaba kukhulu uLisiya waze waba novalo lokuthi uPawulu wayezodwengulwa abe yizicucu, uLisiya waphinde wabopheka ukuba amhlwithe phakathi kwamaJuda ayengqangqa.—IzEnzo 22:30–23:10.

ULisiya wayengafuni ukuba kube nomRoma ofela ezandleni zakhe. Lapho ezwa ngozungu olwaluboshiwe lokubulala isiboshwa sakhe, masinyane wahlela ukuba sehliselwe eKesariya. Kwakuyimfuneko yezomthetho ukuba kubhalwe imibiko echaza ngecala futhi ihambe neziboshwa iyiswe ezikhulwini eziphakeme zezomthetho. Leyo mibiko yayihlanganisa imiphumela yokuphenya kokuqala, izizathu zesinyathelo esithathiwe, nombono womphenyi ngecala. ULisiya wabika ukuthi uPawulu ‘wayebekwe icala ngezindaba zoMthetho wamaJuda, kodwa engamangalelwa nangento eyodwa eyenza afanelwe ukufa noma izibopho,’ futhi wayala ababeka uPawulu icala ukuba bethule izikhalo zabo kumbusi wesifunda, uFeliksi.—IzEnzo 23:29, 30.

UMbusi UFeliksi Uyehluleka Ukumgweba

Ukubuswa kwesifundazwe kwakusekelwe emandleni nasegunyeni likaFeliksi. Uma ethanda, wayengalandela isiko lendawo noma alandele umthetho wombuso ngezigebengu—osetshenziswa kubantu abavelele emphakathini nezikhulu zikahulumeni. Lowo mthetho wawaziwa ngokuthi i-ordo, noma uhide. Wayengasebenzisa futhi amandla okubusa i-extra ordinem, inqubo eyayingase isetshenziswe ekusingatheni noma yibuphi ubugebengu. Kwakulindeleke ukuba umbusi wesifundazwe ‘angacabangeli lokho okwenziwe eRoma, kodwa lokho okufanele kwenziwe ezimweni ezivamile.’ Ngaleyo ndlela, okuningi kwakushiyelwa ekwahluleleni kwakhe.

Ayaziwa yonke imininingwane yomthetho waseRoma wasendulo, kodwa icala likaPawulu libhekwa “njengendaba eyisibonelo yenqubo yokugweba yesifundazwe i-extra ordinem.” Umbusi, esizwa abeluleki, wayelalela abantu ngabanye bebeka izikhalazo zabo. Ummangalelwa wayevela phambi kwalowo ommangalelayo ukuze akwazi ukuzikhulumela ezivikela, kodwa umthwalo wokuveza ubufakazi wawuba owommangali. Imantshi yayikhipha noma isiphi isijeziso eyayisibona sifaneleka. Yayingakhipha isinqumo khona lapho noma ihlehlise isahlulelo isikhathi esingaziwa, uma kuba njalo ummangalelwa wayeyoqhubeka eboshiwe. Isazi uHenry Cadbury sithi: “Akumangazi ukuthi ngenxa yala mandla ayengawasebenzisa ngokuthanda, umbusi wesifunda wayengavumela ‘ukuthonywa ngokungafanele’ futhi afumbathiswe—ukuze ummangalelwa aphume phambili ecaleni noma limlahle, noma lihlehliswe.”

Ngaphambili, umPristi Ophakeme u-Ananiya, amadoda amadala amaJuda benoTertulu babebeke uPawulu icala phambi kukaFeliksi lokuthi ‘ungumuntu owuhlupho nobhebhezela ukuvukela umbuso phakathi kwamaJuda.’ Bathi wayengubhongoza “wehlelo lamaNazaretha” nokuthi walinga ukungcolisa ithempeli.—IzEnzo 24:1-6.

Abahlaseli bakaPawulu bokuqala babecabanga ukuthi wayengene nomuntu weZizwe onguTrofimu egcekeni elalingelamaJuda kuphela. * (IzEnzo 21:28, 29) Empeleni, nguTrofimu lona owayemangalelwa  ngokungena endaweni engamfanele. Kodwa uma amaJuda ayengahumusha isenzo sikaPawulu njengokulekelela noma ukuvuna ukona, nakho lokho kwakungabhekwa njengecala lokulengiswa. Futhi kubonakala sengathi iRoma ibikuvumela ukuthola isigwebo sentambo ngaleli cala. Ngakho-ke, ukube uPawulu wayebanjwe amaphoyisa ethempeli lamaJuda kungabanga uLisiya, iSanhedrini ngabe yamqulisa yona futhi yamgweba kwangaba ndaba zalutho.

AmaJuda ayecabanga ukuthi okwakufundiswa uPawulu kwakungebona ubuJuda noma inkolo engokomthetho (religio licita). Kunalokho, kwakufanele kubhekwe njengokungekho emthethweni futhi okuphendukezelayo.

Aphinda futhi athi uPawulu ‘wayebhebhezela ukuvukela umbuso phakathi kwawo wonke amaJuda emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe.’ (IzEnzo 24:5) UMbusi uKlawudiyu wayesanda kusola amaJuda ase-Aleksandriya ‘ngokubhebhezela ukhukhulela-ngoqo womqedazwe kuwo wonke umhlaba.’ Kukhona okushaya amanzi ngokufana okunje. Isazi somlando, u-A. N. Sherwin-White sithi: “Yilona kanye icala owawungalibeka umJuda phakathi nokuBusa kukaKlawudiyu noma eminyakeni yokuqala kaNero. AmaJuda ayezama ukunxenxa umbusi ukuba aqonde ukushumayela kukaPawulu njengokwakuphazamisa inhlalakahle yomphakathi wabo bonke abantu abangamaJuda balowo Mbuso. Ayazi ukuthi ababusi babengakuthandi ukulahla umuntu ngecala ngesimanga nje samacala angokwenkolo, yingakho azama ukulisonta leli cala elingokwenkolo laba elezombangazwe.”

UPawulu waziphendulela kuwo wonke la macala. ‘Angibanganga siyaluyalu. Yiqiniso, ngiyilungu lalokho abakubiza ngokuthi “ihlelo,” kodwa lokhu kusho ukuthi ngiyayihlonipha imithetho yobuJuda. NgamaJuda athile ase-Asiya abangela lesi siyaluyalu. Uma enesikhalo, kufanele abe lapha azosifaka.’ Empeleni uPawulu wawachitha wonke la macala kwahlaluka ukuthi kwakuyimpikiswano engokwenkolo phakathi kwamaJuda, amaRoma ayengangeni ndawo kuyo. Egwema ukuwathukuthelisa amaJuda ayevele eseyobayoba, uFeliksi walihlehlisa icala, empeleni elivala. UPawulu akazange anikelwe kumaJuda, ayethi yiwo ayekufanelekela ukuliqula, futhi akazange ahlulelwe ngomthetho wamaRoma kanti futhi akazange adedelwe. UFeliksi wayengenakucindezelwa ukuba akhiphe isigwebo, futhi ngaphandle nje kokufuna ukuzenzela ugazi kumaJuda, wayenesinye futhi isisusa sokulihlehlisa—wayethemba ukuthi uPawulu wayeyomfumbathisa.—IzEnzo 24:10-19, 26. *

Ukujika Kwezinto Ngaphansi KukaPorkiyu Festu

AmaJuda azivuselela izimangalo zawo eminyakeni emibili kamuva eJerusalema lapho kufika uPorkiyu Festu, owayengumbusi omusha eJerusalema, emcela ukuba uPawulu anikelwe esandleni sawo. Kodwa uFestu waphendula ngokuqinile: “Akuyona inqubo yamaRoma ukuzenza uthandwe ngokunikela noma imuphi umuntu ngaphambi kokuba obekwe icala abhekane ubuso nobuso nalabo abambeke icala futhi athole ithuba lokukhuluma azivikele ngokuphathelene nesikhalo.” Isazimlando uHarry W. Tajra siyaphawula: “UFestu washeshe waqaphela ukuthi kwakuhloswe inkantolo yasehlathini lapha ngokumelene nesakhamuzi saseRoma lingakathethwa icala.” Ngakho-ke, amaJuda atshelwa ukuba aye eKesariya asethule khona isimangalo sawo.—IzEnzo 25:1-6, 16.

Lapho, amaJuda agomela ngokuthi uPawulu ‘kwakungasafanele aphile,’ kodwa awavezanga bufakazi, noFestu waqonda ukuthi uPawulu wayengenzanga lutho olumenza afanelwe ukufa. UFestu wachazela esinye isikhulu wathi, ‘Bamane nje banokuphikisana okuthile naye ngokuphathelene nokukhulekela kwabo siqu unkulunkulu nangokuphathelene noJesu othile owafa kodwa uPawulu aqhubeka egomela ngokuthi uyaphila.’—IzEnzo 25:7, 18, 19, 24, 25.

Kuyacaca ukuthi uPawulu wayemsulwa ngokuphelele emacaleni ezombangazwe, kodwa endabeni engokwenkolo, amaJuda cishe ayephikisa ngelithi yinkantolo yawo eyayikufanelekela ukusingatha lolu daba. Ingabe uPawulu wayengathanda ukuya eJerusalema ukuze ayokwahlulelwa  khona ngalezi zindaba? UFestu wabuza uPawulu ukuthi wayengethande yini ukuya khona, kodwa ngempela kwakuyisicelo esingafanele. Ukubuyisela icala eJerusalema lapho ababemmangalela babeyoba abahluleli, kwakusho ukuthi uPawulu wayeyonikelwa kumaJuda. UPawulu wathi: “Ngimi phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela sikaKesari, lapho kufanele ngahlulelwe khona. Angonanga lutho kumaJuda . . . Akukho muntu ongazenza athandwe ngokunginikela kubo. Ngidlulisela icala kuKesari!”—IzEnzo 25:10, 11, 20.

Ukukhuluma komRoma la mazwi kwakusiphuca wonke amandla isifundazwe. Ilungelo lakhe lokudlulisa icala ‘laliyisiminya, libanzi futhi liwujuqu.’ Ngakho-ke, ngemva kokubonisana nabeluleki bakhe ngokwakushiwo yila mazwi, uFestu wamemezela: “Udlulisele icala kuKesari; uzoya kuKesari.”—IzEnzo 25:12.

Ayesephume nobovu kuFestu njengoba esehlukene nodaba lukaPawulu. Njengoba avuma kuHerode u-Agripha II ezinsukwini ezithile kamuva, leli cala lalimxakile. Kwabe sekudingeka ukuba uFestu abhalele umbusi umbiko wecala, kodwa kuFestu leli cala lalihilela imicikilisho engaqondakali yomthetho wamaJuda. Nokho, u-Agripha wayengungqondongqondo ezindabeni ezinjalo, ngakho-ke lapho ebonisa isithakazelo, wacelwa ngaso leso sikhathi ukuba asize ekubhaleni le ncwadi. Engayiqondi incazelo kaPawulu eyalandela esephambi kuka-Agripha, uFestu wababaza: “Uyahlanya, Pawulu! Ukufunda kakhulu kuyakuhlanyisa!” Kodwa u-Agripha wayeqonda kahle-hle. Wathi: “Ngesikhathi esifushane ubuyongithonya ukuba ngibe umKristu.” Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi babezizwa kanjani ngokwakushiwo uPawulu, uFestu no-Agripha bavuma ukuthi uPawulu wayemsulwa futhi ngabe ukhululiwe ukube wayengalidluliselanga icala kuKesari.—IzEnzo 25:13-27; 26:24-32.

Ukuphela Kwecala Elase Lihambe Ibanga Elide

Lapho efika eRoma, uPawulu wabutha amadoda ayinhloko amaJuda, engahlosile nje kuphela ukuwashumayeza kodwa nokuthola ukuthi yini ayeyazi ngaye. Lokho kwakungase kwembule okuthile ngezinhloso zabashushisi bakhe. Kwakuyinto evamile ngezikhulu zaseJerusalema ukufuna usizo lwamaJuda aseRoma lapho kuqulwa icala, kodwa uPawulu wezwa ukuthi ayengatholanga ziqondiso ngaye. Lapho esalindele icala, uPawulu wavunyelwa ukuqasha indlu nokushumayela ngokukhululekile. Lokhu kuxegiselwa kwakungase kusho ukuthi emehlweni amaRoma, uPawulu wayemsulwa.—IzEnzo 28:17-31.

UPawulu wahlala egadiwe iminyaka emibili. Ukuthi kungani, iBhayibheli alinikezi mininingwane. Ngokuvamile, umuntu odlulise icala wayebanjwa kuze kube yilapho abashushisi bakhe bevela bezoqinisekisa amacala, kodwa mhlawumbe amaJuda aseJerusalema lapho eqaphela ukuthi isimangalo sawo sibuthaka, awazange nhlobo afike. Mhlawumbe indlela engcono kakhulu yokuvala uPawulu umlomo isikhathi eside ngangokunokwenzeka kwakuwukuvele angezi. Kunoma yikuphi, kubonakala sengathi uPawulu wema phambi kukaNero watholakala engenacala futhi ekugcineni wadedelwa ukuba aqhubeke nomsebenzi wakhe wezithunywa zevangeli—cishe eminyakeni emihlanu ngemva kokuboshwa kwakhe.—IzEnzo 27:24.

Kade izitha zeqiniso zaqala ‘ukusebenza okubi kungathi ngomthetho’ ukuze zithiye umsebenzi wamaKristu wokushumayela. Akumelwe kusimangaze lokhu. UJesu wathi: “Uma beye bangishushisa mina, bayonishushisa nani.” (IHubo 94:20; Johane 15:20) Nokho, uJesu uphinde futhi asiqinisekise ngenkululeko yokutshela wonke umhlaba izindaba ezinhle. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngakho, njengoba nje uPawulu alwisana noshushiso nokuphikiswa, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla ‘bavikela futhi bamise ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle.’—Filipi 1:7.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]