ISAHLUKO 19
“Qhubeka Ukhuluma Ungathuli”
UPhawuli uyasebenza ukuze athole okokuziphilisa kodwa akuqakathekisa kakhulu yinkonzo yakhe
Isihloko lesi sisekelwe kumiSebenzi 18:1-22
1-3. Umphostoli uPhawuli ulandeni eKhorinte futhi kuyini okumhluphayo?
UMNYAKA ka-50 C.E. suzaphela. Umphostoli uPhawuli useKhorinte, idolobho elinothileyo elaziwa ngezokuthengiselana futhi elilabantu abanengi abangamaGrikhi lamaRoma lamaJuda. a UPhawuli yena kalandanga ukuzothenga loba ukuthengisa kumbe ukudinga umsebenzi. Akulande lapha kuqakatheke ukwedlula konke lokhu. Uzofakaza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Lanxa kunjalo kumele athole indawo yokuhlala futhi kafuni ukuthwalisa abazalwane nzima ngezimali. Kafuni ukuthi abantu bacabange ukuthi njengoba esenza inkonzo kaNkulunkulu abantu sokumele bamncedise ngezimali. Manje uzakwenzani?
2 UPhawuli uyakwazi ukwenza amatende. Akulula ukwenza amatende kodwa uzimisele ukusebenza nzima ukuze athole imali yokuziphilisa. Uzakwenelisa yini ukwenza umsebenzi lo edolobheni leli eliphithizelayo? Uzayithola yini indawo yokuhlala? Lanxa ecabanga ngakho konke lokhu, uPhawuli kakhohlwa ukuthi okuqakatheke kulakho konke lokhu ngumsebenzi wakhe wokutshumayela.
3 UPhawuli wahlala eKhorinte okwesikhathi esithile futhi inkonzo yakhe yaphumelela kakhulu edolobheni leli. Kuyini esingakufunda kulokho okwenziwa nguPhawuli okungasinceda ukuthi sifakaze ngokugcweleyo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu?
“Babesenza Umsebenzi Wokwenza Amatende” (Imiseb. 18:1-4)
4, 5. (a) UPhawuli wayehlala ngaphi ngesikhathi eseKhorinte futhi yiwuphi umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ayewenza? (b) UPhawuli angabe wakufundela ngaphi ukwenza amatende?
4 Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile uPhawuli eseKhorinte wahlangana lendoda engumJuda okuthiwa ngu-Akhwila lomkayo okuthiwa nguPrisila kumbe Priska. Imuli le yayilomusa futhi yacina isihlala eKhorinte ngoba umbusi uKlawudiyu wayekhiphe umlayo wokuthi “wonke amaJuda asuke eRoma.” (Imiseb. 18:1, 2) U-Akhwila loPrisila bamamukela uPhawuli emzini wabo baphinda basebenza laye kubhizinesi yabo. Indaba yakhona ithi: “Wahlala emzini wabo njalo wasebenza labo ngoba babesenza umsebenzi wokwenza amatende njengaye.” (Imiseb. 18:3) UPhawuli wahlala lemuli le elomusa waze wasuka eKhorinte. Kungenzeka ukuthi ngesikhathi ehlala labo wabhala ezinye incwadi ezacina ziyingxenye yeBhayibhili. b
5 Kwahamba njani ukuthi uPhawuli, indoda ‘eyafundiswa nguGamaliyeli ngokwakhe’ ibonakale isisenza amatende? (Imiseb. 22:3) Kukhanya amaJuda esikhathi samaKhristu akuqala ayengeyisi imisebenzi yezandla yikho ayefundisa abantwabawo imisebenzi le lanxa babengathola imfundo ephezulu. UPhawuli wayekhulele eThasu, eKhilikhiya indawo eyayisaziwa ngelembu okuthiwa yi-cilicium okwakusenziwa ngalo amatende yikho kumele ukuthi wafundela ukwenza amatende esakhula. Ayesenziwa njani amatende? Kungenzeka babeluka umnxeba wakhona ukuze ube lilembu, besika njalo bethunga ilembu leli eliqinileyo besenza amatende. Kungelani lokuthi yikuphi ababekwenza, umsebenzi wakhona wawunzima.
6, 7. (a) UPhawuli wayewubona njani umsebenzi wokwenza amatende njalo kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi u-Akhwila loPrisila babewubona ngendlela efananayo? (b) AmaKhristu amlingisela njani uPhawuli lo-Akhwila loPrisila lamuhla?
6 Umsebenzi wokwenza amatende ayisiwo uPhawuli ayewuqakathekisa. Wayewenza nje ukuze aqhubeke esenza inkonzo yakhe yokumemezela izindaba ezinhle ‘engabhadalisi.’ (2 Khor. 11:7) U-Akhwila loPrisila babewubona njani umsebenzi wokwenza amatende? Njengoba babengamaKhrisu akuthandabuzwa ukuthi babewubona ngendlela uPhawuli ayewubona ngayo. Phela uPhawuli wathi esesuka eKhorinte ngo-52 C.E., u-Akhwila loPrisila bamlandela e-Efesu futhi ibandla ababekulo e-Efesu lalingenela imihlangano emzini wabo. (1 Khor. 16:19) Ngemva kwesikhathi baya eRoma baphinda babuyela e-Efesu. Imuli le eyayikhuthele yayiqakathekisa izinto eziphathelane loMbuso futhi yayizinikele ukunceda abanye okokuthi ‘amabandla wonke abezinye izizwe’ ayeyibonga.—Rom. 16:3-5; 2 Thim. 4:19.
7 Lamuhla amaKhristu alingisela uPhawuli lo-Akhwila loPrisila. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zisebenza nzima ‘ukuze zingathwalisi abanye nzima ngezindleko.’ (1 Thes. 2:9) Abanengi abasenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke basebenza amalanga amalutshwane iviki ngayinye kumbe ngezinye izikhathi nje ukuze bathole imali ebanceda ukuthi benze umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Abanye batshengisa ukuthi balomusa njengo-Akhwila loPrisila ngokwamukela ababonisi beziqinti emizini yabo. Labo ‘abalomkhuba wokwamukela kuhle abanye’ bayazibonela ukuthi ukwenza njalo kuyabakhuthaza kakhulu.—Rom. 12:13.
‘Abantu BeKhorinte Abanengi Bakholwa’ (Imiseb. 18:5-8)
8, 9. UPhawuli wenzani esephikiswe ngamaJuda njalo watshumayela ngaphi ngemva kwalokho?
8 Kwathi uSila loThimothi sebefike eKhorinte belezipho kwacaca ukuthi uPhawuli wayesebenza ukuze enelise ukwenza inkonzo yakhe kuphela. (2 Khor. 11:9) UPhawuli wahle “waqalisa ukusebenzisa isikhathi sakhe esinengi etshumayela ilizwi.” (Imiseb. 18:5) Kodwa amaJuda ayewatshumayeza amphikisa. Njengoba ayengafuni ukulalela izindaba ezinhle ezisindisa ukuphila ezimayelana loKhristu, yena wayengelacala legazi yikho wathintitha izembatho zakhe, wasekhuluma lamaJuda ayemphikisa wathi: “Igazi lenu alibe phezu kwamakhanda enu. Mina ngimsulwa. Kusukela khathesi sengizakuya ebantwini bezinye izizwe.”—Imiseb. 18:6; Hez. 3:18, 19.
9 Manje uPhawuli wayesezatshumayela ngaphi? Indoda okuthiwa nguThithiyu Justu eyayingabe ingowezizweni owaphendukela enkolweni yesiJuda njalo eyayilendlu eyayiseduze kwesinagogi yamamukela endlini yayo. Yikho uPhawuli watshiya isinagogi wasebenzisa indlu kaJustu. (Imiseb. 18:7) Waqhubeka ehlala lo-Akhwila loPrisila ngesikhathi eseKhorinte kodwa izinto eziphathelane lomsebenzi wokutshumayela wayesezenzela endlini kaJustu.
10. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uPhawuli wayengahlosanga ukutshumayeza abezinye izizwe kuphela?
10 Amazwi kaPhawuli okuthi wayesesiya ebantwini bezinye izizwe ayesitsho ukuthi wayengelandaba lamaJuda lamaphroselithe ayelalela yini? Ngitsho. Ngokwesibonelo, “uKhrispu umphathi wesinagogi wakholwa eNkosini kanye labo bonke ayehlala labo.” Kukhanya kulabanengi ababekhonza esinagogi abalandela uKhrispu ngoba iBhayibhili lithi: “Abantu beKhorinte abanengi abalizwayo ilizwi bakholwa babhabhathizwa.” (Imiseb. 18:8) Ibandla leKhorinte elalisanda kubunjwa lalihlangana endlini kaThithiyu Justu. ULukha wayejayele ukulandisa izinto ngokulandelana kwazo. Yikho nxa wenza njalo lasebhukwini lemiSebenzi kutsho ukuthi uKhrispu labanye baba ngamakholwa uPhawuli esethintithe izembatho zakhe. Nxa kunjalo lokhu kuyabe kutshengisa ukuthi uPhawuli wayevumelana lezimo.
11. OFakazi bakaJehova bamlingisela njani uPhawuli ukuze bancede abasenkolweni yamanga?
11 Emazweni amanengi inkolo yamanga seyamila impande futhi abalandeli bayo balandela konke ebatshela khona. Kwamanye amazwe lasezihlengeni, abafundisi bamasonto la sebedonsele abantu abanengi emasontweni abo. Abantu abanengi abazithi bangamaKhristu balandela amasiko enkolo njengalokho okwakusenziwa ngamaJuda eyeseKhorinte. Lanxa kunjalo, oFakazi bakaJehova balingisela uPhawuli ngokukhuthala ekutshumayezeni abantu abanjalo bebancedisa ukuthi bayizwisise ngendlela eqondileyo iMibhalo. Asililahli ithemba lanxa besiphikisa loba abakhokheli babo besihlasela. Phakathi kwalabo ‘abakhuthalele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa lokhu bekwenza bengelalwazi oluqondileyo,’ bangabe bekhona abafuna ukulalela yikho kumele sibadinge sibathole.—Rom. 10:2.
“Ngilabantu Abanengi Edolobheni Leli” (Imiseb. 18:9-17)
12. UPhawuli waqinisekiswa ngani embonweni?
12 Nxa uPhawuli wayengabe ethandabuza ukuqhubeka ngenkonzo yakhe eKhorinte, kumele ukuthi lokho kwaphela ngobunye ubusuku iNkosi uJesu ize ibonakale kuye embonweni isithi: “Ungesabi, qhubeka ukhuluma ungathuli ngoba ngilawe njalo kakho ozakuhlasela akulimaze. Ngilabantu abanengi edolobheni leli.” (Imiseb. 18:9, 10) Umbono lo wawukhuthaza sibili! INkosi ngokwayo yaqinisekisa uPhawuli ukuthi yayizamvikela ukuze angalinyazwa lokuthi banengi ababezalalela edolobheni lelo. UPhawuli wenzani ngemva kwalokho? IBhayibhili lithi: “Wahlala lapho okomnyaka lenyanga eziyisithupha efundisa abantu ilizwi likaNkulunkulu.”—Imiseb. 18:11.
13. UPhawuli angabe wacabangani ngesikhathi esondela esihlalweni sokwahlulela kodwa kungani lokho kwakungasoze kwenzeke kuye?
13 Ngemva komnyaka eseKhorinte, uPhawuli wabona obunye ubufakazi bokuthi iNkosi yayimsekela. “AmaJuda amanyana ahlasela uPhawuli asemqhuba amusa esihlalweni sokwahlulela,” okwakuthiwa yi-beʹma. (Imiseb. 18:12) Abanye bathi kwakuyisigcawu esiphakemeyo esasenziwe ngamatshe aluhlaza lamhlophe abazwe imiceciso njalo ingabe yayiphose ibe phakathi laphakathi kwemakethe yeKhorinte. Kwakulendawo evulekileyo eyayiphambi kwe-beʹma futhi yayinkulu okokuthi kwakungabuthana ixukwana labantu. Okwagejwa ngabezembali kutshengisa ukuthi isihlalo sokwahlulela lesi singabe sasiseceleni kwesinagogi yikho lokho kutsho ukuthi sasiseduze kwendlu kaJustu. Ngesikhathi esondela e-beʹma uPhawuli wayengabe ecabanga ngokugongodwa kukaStefane okujayele ukuthiwa ngumKhristu wakuqala owafela ukholo lwakhe. UPhawuli wayesaziwa ngokuthi nguSawuli futhi ‘wayevumelane’ lokubulawa kukaStefane. (Imiseb. 8:1) Kambe ukuthi laye wayesezabulawa? Ngitsho. Phela wayethenjisiwe ukuthi: “Kakho ozakuhlasela akulimaze.”—Imiseb. 18:10.
“Ngemva kwalokho wabatshela ukuthi basuke esihlalweni sokwahlulela.”—ImiSebenzi 18:16
14, 15. (a) AmaJuda ammangalela ngani uPhawuli njalo kungani uGaliyo wathi uPhawuli kalacala? (b) Kwenzakalani kuSosithene futhi angabe wenzani ngemva kwalokho?
14 Kwenzakalani uPhawuli esefike phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela? Umantshi owayehlezi esihlalweni sokwahlulela kwakunguGaliyo owayengumbusi wesabelo se-Akhaya njalo engumnewabo kaSenekha umRoma owayesaziwa ngezefilosofi. AmaJuda amangalela uPhawuli athi: “Indoda le ihuga abantu ukuthi bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngendlela ephikisana lomthetho.” (Imiseb. 18:13) AmaJuda ayesithi uPhawuli uguqula abantu okungekho emthethweni. Kodwa uGaliyo wabona ukuthi uPhawuli wayengenzanga lutho ‘olubi’ kumbe ‘icala elikhulu.’ (Imiseb. 18:14) UGaliyo wayengafuni ukungenela impikiswano zamaJuda. Phela uGaliyo kazange acele lokuthi uPhawuli azivikele phambi kwakhe, wahle wathi kalacala. Ababemmangalela bazonda okuzwayo. Baqedela ulaka lwabo kuSosithene okungenzeka wayesethethe isikhundla sikaKhrispu sokukhokhela isinagogi. Bambamba “baqalisa ukumtshaya bephambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela.”—Imiseb. 18:17.
15 Yindaba uGaliyo engazange amvikele uSosithene? Engxenye uGaliyo wacabanga ukuthi uSosithene wayekhokhela iqembu elalimangalele uPhawuli yikho kwakufanele ajeziswe. Nxa kwakunjalo kukhanya lokho kwaba lesiphetho esihle. Encwadini yakuqala ayibhalela ibandla leKhorinte sekudlule iminyaka ethile, uPhawuli wakhuluma ngoSosithene owayengumzalwane. (1 Khor. 1:1, 2) Kambe ukuthi umzalwane ayemutsho nguye uSosithene owatshaywa ngamaJuda eKhorinte? Nxa kunguye kutsho ukuthi ukutshaywa lokhu kwamenza wafuna ukuba ngumKhristu.
16. Amazwi eNkosi athi, “Qhubeka ukhuluma ungathuli ngoba ngilawe,” asinceda njani enkonzweni yethu?
16 Khumbula ukuthi iNkosi uJesu yaqinisekisa uPhawuli ngemva kokutshumayeza amaJuda lanxa engazange amlalele. INkosi yathi: “Ungesabi, qhubeka ukhuluma ungathuli ngoba ngilawe.” (Imiseb. 18:9, 10) Kumele sihlale siwakhumbula amazwi la ikakhulu nxa abantu bengafuni ukulalela izindaba ezinhle. Ungakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova uhlola inhliziyo futhi nguye obadonsela kuye labo abalesifiso sokufunda ngaye. (1 Sam. 16:7; Joh. 6:44) Lokhu kuyasikhuthaza ukuthi sikhuthale emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Kubhabhathizwa amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu umnyaka ngamunye, okutsho ukuthi ilanga ngalinye kubhabhathizwa abantu abangamakhulu. UJesu uqinisekisa labo abalalela umlayo wakhe ‘wokwenza abantu bezizwe zonke babe ngabafundi’ esithi: “Ngizabe ngilani kuze kube yisiphetho somumo lo wezinto.”—Mat. 28:19, 20.
“Nxa UJehova Ethanda” (Imiseb. 18:18-22)
17, 18. UPhawuli angabe wayecabanga ngani ngesikhathi esiya e-Efesu?
17 Asikwazi ukuthi indlela uGaliyo aphatha ngayo abaphikisi bakaPhawuli yenza ibandla elalisanda kubunjwa eKhorinte laba lokuthula yini. Kodwa uPhawuli wahlala “okwensuku ezithile” wasevalelisa abazalwane bakhe beKhorinte. Entwasa ka-52 C.E., wahlela ukugada isikepe ekhunjini leKhenikhreya elubangise eSiriya okungaba ngamakhilomitha angu-11 empumalanga yeKhorinte. Engakasuki eKhenikhreya, “wagela inwele zaba zimfitshane ngenxa yesifungo ayesenzile.” c (Imiseb. 18:18) Ngemva kwalokho yena lo-Akhwila loPrisila bachapha uLwandle lwe-Aegean baya e-Efesu ese-Asia Minor.
18 Phakathi kohambo kungenzeka uPhawuli wayecabanga ngokwakwenzakale ngesikhathi eseKhorinte. Kwakulezinto ezinengi ezinhle ezazenzakele ezazimenza asuthiseke. Wenza okunengi ngesikhathi eseKhorinte okwenyanga ezingu-18. Ibandla lakuqala eKhorinte laselibunjiwe futhi lalihlangana endlini kaJustu. Abanye ababekholwe izindaba ezinhle nguJustu, loKhrispu lalabo ayehlala labo labanye abanengi. UPhawuli wayewathanda amaKhristu la amatsha ngoba wayewancedile ukuthi afunde iqiniso. Ngemva kwesikhathi wawabhalela esithi ayenjengencwadi emkhulumelayo loba emfakazelayo ebhalwe enhliziyweni yakhe. Lathi siyabathanda kakhulu abantu esibancedise ukuthi balamukele iqiniso. Kuyasithokozisa sibili ukubona ‘incwadi lezi zokusikhulumela.’—2 Khor. 3:1-3.
19, 20. UPhawuli wenzani esefike e-Efesu njalo sifundani ngokwenza esiyabe sikuhlelile ekukhonzeni?
19 UPhawuli wahle waqalisa umsebenzi wakhe efika nje e-Efesu. IBhayibhili lithi “wangena esinagogeni wabonisana lamaJuda.” (Imiseb. 18:19) Kuloluhambo wahlala isikhathi esifitshane e-Efesu. Lanxa babemncenga ukuthi angahambi “kazange avume.” Esebavalelisa wathi kubo: “Ngizaphinda ngiphenduke kini nxa uJehova ethanda.” (Imiseb. 18:20, 21) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uPhawuli wayebona ukuthi kwakusamele izindaba ezinhle zitshunyayelwe kakhulu e-Efesu. Yikho wayefisa ukuphenduka e-Efesu kodwa watshiya indaba le ezandleni zikaJehova. Lesi yisibonelo esihle okumele sisilingisele. Kumele senze okuthile ukuze senelise ukwenza izinto esiyabe sihlele ukuzenza ekukhonzeni. Lanxa kunjalo kumele sihlale sithembele kuJehova ukuthi asiqondise njalo senze izinto ngendlela evumelana lentando yakhe.—Jak. 4:15.
20 UPhawuli watshiya u-Akhwila loPrisila e-Efesu wagada umkhumbi waya eKhesariya. ‘Kukhanya waya eJerusalema’ wabingelela ibandla khonale. (Imiseb. 18:22; amabala angaphansi.) Esuka lapho waya e-Antiyokhi yeSiriya lapho ayejayele ukuhlala khona. Uhambo lwakhe lwesibili engumnali lwaluphumelele sibili. Uhambo lwakhe lwesithathu lona lwaluzakuba njani?
a Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ IKhorinte—Idolobho Eliphahlwe Lulwandle”.
b Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Incwadi Eziphefumulelweyo Ezikhuthazayo”.
c Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Isifungo SikaPhawuli”.
