KwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike siva kaninzi ngabaphathi-mkhosi baseRoma. Igosa lomkhosi elalijongene nokubulawa kukaYesu lalikwesi sigxina, ngokunjalo noKorneli owaba ngumntu wokuqala weeNtlanga ukuba ngumKristu. Abanye abaphathi-mkhosi esifunda ngabo, yayiligosa lomkhosi elalijongene nokutyakatywa nokukatswa kukampostile uPawulos, noYuliyo owasa uPawulos eRoma.—Marko 15:39; IZenzo 10:1; 22:25; 27:1.

Igosa lomkhosi laliphatha amajoni aphakathi kwe-50 ne-100 ahamba ngeenyawo. Umsebenzi walo wawuquka ukuwaqeqesha, ukuhlola isinxibo nezixhobo zawo, nokuwayalela xa besemfazweni.

Ukuba ligosa lomkhosi yayisesona sigxina siphezulu esasinokufunyanwa lijoni nje eliqhelekileyo. Kwakukhethwa amajoni azimiseleyo, anokuba ngoomakhwekhwetha ekuphatheni umkhosi. Ukuphumelela komkhosi waseRoma kwakuxhomekeke kula magosa. Ngokutsho kwenye incwadi, “amagosa omkhosi ayengawona anamava emkhosini ibe ayengooqal’ azive.”

Izipili ezazisetyenziswa ngexesha lokubhalwa kweBhayibhile azifani nesizisebenzisayo namhlanje. Zazidla ngokwenziwa ngentsimbi yobhedu eyenziwe yabengezela, kanti maxa wambi yayiba sisinyithi, isilivere, igolide okanye umxube wegolide nesilivere. Siva okokuqala ngezipili eBhayibhileni xa kwakusakhiwa umnquba, owawuyindawo yokuqala yamaSirayeli yokunqula. Abafazi banikela ngezipili ukuze kubunjwe isitya sobhedu nesiphatho saso. (Eksodus 38:8) Kodwa kumele ukuba zazinyibilikiswa kuqala.

Izipili ezafunyanwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala kwaSirayeli nakwindawo ezikufuphi apho zazidla ngokufunyanwa ndawonye nobucwebecwebe bezinto zokuhomba zabafazi. Ngokuqhelekileyo ezi zipili zazidla ngokuba ngqukuva, ze umqheba wazo wenziwe ngekhuni elihonjisiweyo, intsimbi okanye uphondo lwendlovu olumiliswe okwentombi. Icala umntu angazibuki kulo lalingahonjiswa.

Izipili zamandulo zazingabonisi kakuhle njengezanamhlanje. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umpostile uPawulos wayethetha ngazo xa wayesithi: “Okwangoku sibona luzizi ngesipili sesinyithi.”—1 Korinte 13:12.