1-3. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze umpostile uPawulos aphazamiseke gqitha eAthene? (b) Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo kaPawulos?

 UPAWULOS uphazamiseke gqitha. UseAthene, eGrisi, iziko lemfundiso apho uSocrates, uPlato noAristotle bakha bafundisa khona. Abantu baseAthene baluzondelele gqitha unqulo. Kuyo yonk’ indawo aphos’ iliso kuyo​—kwiitempile, iindawo zembutho nasezitratweni—​kuthe thande izithixo, kuba kaloku abantu balapha banqula yonk’ into ekuthiwa sisithixo. UPawulos uyayazi indlela alujonga ngayo unqulo lwezithixo uYehova, uThixo oyinyaniso. (Eks. 20:4, 5) Naye lo mpostile uthembekileyo uvakalelwa ngolo hlobo​—uzithiy’ egazini izithixo!

² Le meko kaPawulos iba mandundu ngakumbi akungena kwindawo yemarike. Kuthe rhwelele imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yesithixo uHermes kwimbombo esemntla-ntshona, kufuphi nesango elikhulu. Le marike izaliswe ziindawo zokunqula izithixo. Lo mpostile unenzondelelo uza kushumayela njani kubantu abathe phithi zizithixo ngolu hlobo? Ngaba uza kuzibamba aze afumane izinto aza kuvumelana ngazo nabo? Ngaba uza kuphumelela kwiinzame zakhe zokunceda abantu bafune uThixo oyinyaniso baze bamfumane?

³ Intetho kaPawulos efumaneka kwiZenzo 17:22-31, ingumzekelo omhle wobuciko, ubuchule nokuqonda kwizifundiswa zaseAthene. Ngokufunda kumzekelo kaPawulos, sinokubona indlela esinokuvumelana ngayo nabantu esithetha nabo, size sibancede baqiqe.

4, 5. Yiyiphi indawo awashumayela kuyo uPawulos eAthene, ibe luhlobo olunjani lwabantu awayeza kuthetha nalo?

⁴ Malunga no-50 C.E., kuhambo lwakhe lwesibini njengomthunywa wevangeli, uPawulos watyelela eAthene. a Ngoxa wayesalinde ukufika kukaSilas noTimoti bevela eBhereya, uPawulos ngokwesiko lakhe “waqalisa ukuxoxa ngeZibhalo namaYuda, kwindlu awayekhonzela kuyo amaYuda.” Waya nalapho wayeza kudibana khona nabantu baseAthene abangengawo amaYuda​—“kwindawo ekuthengiswa kuyo.” (IZe. 17:17) Indawo yemarike yaseAthene yayikumntla-ntshona weAcropolis yaye igubungela ummandla oziihektare  ezintlanu nangaphezulu. Le ndawo yayingaphelelanga nje ekubeni yeyentengiso; yayikwayindawo yembutho yeso sixeko. Enye incwadi ithi le ndawo “yayiyeyona iphambili kwezoqoqosho, ezopolitiko nezithethe kweso sixeko.” Abantu baseAthene babedibana apho baze badl’ imbadu.

⁵ UPawulos wadibana nabantu ekunzima ukuthetha nabo apho kuloo ndawo yemarike. Phakathi kwabo kwakukho amaEpikure namaStoyike, amalungu aqeqeshwe kwizikolo ezahlukeneyo ezazikruthakruthana. b AmaEpikure ayekholelwa ukuba ubomi basuka nje bazivelela. Indlela awayebujonga ngayo ubomi yayinokushwankathelwa ngokuthi: “Akukho sizathu sakoyika uThixo; Akukho zintlungu ekufeni; Umntu unako ukufumana okulungileyo; Ubungendawo bunokunyanyezelwa.” Wona amaStoyike ayegxininisa ekusebenziseni ingqiqo yaye engakholelwa kwinto yokuba uThixo unguMntu wokoqobo. Omabini la maqela ayengalukholelwa uvuko olwalufundiswa ngabafundi bakaKristu. Kucacile ukuba, iimbono zeentanda-bulumko zala maqela mabini zazingqubana nenyaniso yokwenene engenakuthelekiswa nanto yobuKristu eyayishunyayelwa nguPawulos.

6, 7. Ezinye izilumko zamaGrike zasabela njani kwimfundiso kaPawulos, ibe yiyiphi indlela efanayo abanokusabela ngayo kuthi abantu namhlanje?

⁶ Izilumko zamaGrike zasabela njani kwimfundiso kaPawulos? Ezinye zambiza ngokuthi ‘lipholopholo,’ okanye “umqokeleli weendaba.” (IZe. 17:18) Ethetha ngeli gama lesiGrike, omnye umphengululi uthi: “Eli gama lalisetyenziswa kwintaka encinane ehamba icholachola iinkozo, laza kamva labhekisela kubantu abaqokelela ukutya nezinye izinto ezichithakele endleleni baze bazibone sele beye kufika kwindawo yemarike. Kamva laye lasetyenziswa kuye nabani na ohamba echolachola inkcazelo engaphelelanga, ngakumbi ukuba loo mntu akakwazi kuyidibanisa.” Eyona nto yayithethwa zezo zifundiswa kukuba uPawulos wayebhuda into angayaziyo nayive nje ithethwa. Kodwa njengokuba siza kubona, uPawulos akazange oyikiswe zezo zibizo.

⁷ Kusenjalo ke nanamhlanje. NjengamaNgqina kaYehova, sihlala sibizwa ngamagama, sithukwa ngenxa yeenkolelo zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni. Ngokomzekelo, abanye ootitshala bafundisa ukuba ayinakuphikiswa into yokuba indalo yazivelela, beme ngelithi ukuze ube krelekrele umele ukukholelwe oko. Enyanisweni bathi zizidenge kuphela ezingakholelwayo kule ngcamango. Ezo zifundiswa beziya kwenza abantu bacinge ukuba ‘singabaqokeleli beendaba’ xa sichaza oko iBhayibhile ikutshoyo naxa sibonisa ubungqina bokuba indalo yadalwa. Noko ke, oko akusingcangcazelisi. Kunoko, asithandabuzi xa sithethelela iinkolelo zethu zokuba ubomi obusemhlabeni benziwa nguMenzi okrelekrele, uYehova uThixo.​—ISityhi. 4:11.

8. (a) Basabela njani abanye abantu ababesiva intshumayelo kaPawulos? (b) Yintoni esenokuba yabangela ukuba uPawulos asiwe kwiAreyopago? (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi kwiphepha 142.)

⁸ Abanye abamvayo uPawulos eshumayela kwindawo yemarike basabela ngendlela eyahlukileyo. Bona bathi: “Ubonakala engumshumayeli wezithixo  zasemzini.” (IZe. 17:18) Ngaba ngokwenene uPawulos wayesiza noothixo abatsha kubantu baseAthene? Esi yayisisityholo esinzulu esifanayo neso wamangalelwa ngaso waza wabulawa uSocrates kwiinkulungwane ngaphambili. Ayimangalisi ke into yokuba uPawulos wasiwa kwiAreyopago kwaza kwathiwa makacacise ezo mfundiso zazingaqondakali kubantu baseAthene. c UPawulos wayeza kusithethelela njani isigidimi sakhe kubantu ababengazazi iZibhalo?

9-11. (a) UPawulos wazama njani ukufumana izinto aza kuvumelana ngazo nabantu awayethetha nabo? (b) Sinokuwuxelisa njani thina umzekelo kaPawulos xa sishumayela?

⁹ Khumbula ukuba uPawulos waphazamiseka gqitha xa ebona unqulo-zithixo. Kunokusuka ahlasele oko kunqulwa kwezithixo, wazola. Esebenzisa  ubuchule, wazama ukufumana izinto aza kuvumelana ngazo nabo bantu. Wathi: “Madoda aseAthene, ndiyabona ukuba kuzo zonke izinto nibonakala ngathi nizinikele kwizithixo ngaphezu kokuba abanye benjalo.” (IZe. 17:22) Eyona nto yayithethwa nguPawulos yile, ‘Ndiyabona ukuba niluzondelele gqitha unqulo.’ Ngobuchule, wabancoma ngokutyekela kwabo elunqulweni. Wayeqonda ukuba bambi ababemfanyekiswe ziinkolelo zobuxoki babenokuguquka. Enye into, wayesazi mhlophe ukuba naye wakha ‘wenza izinto ngokungazi, ibe wayengenalukholo.’​—1 Tim. 1:13.

¹⁰ Esakhela phezu kwezinto ababevumelana ngazo, uPawulos wakhankanya ukuba ubone into ebubungqina bokwenene bokuba abantu baseAthene baluzondelele unqulo​—isibingelelo esasinikezelwe ‘Kuthixo abangamaziyo.’ Ngokutsho kwenye incwadi, “kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo ukuba amaGrike nezinye iintlanga anikele izibingelelo ‘koothixo abangaziwayo,’ esoyika ukuba kunokwenzeka ukuba kukho thixo uthile aye amtyeshela waza wakhubeka.” Ngenxa yeso sibingelelo, abantu baseAthene babevuma ukuba ukho uThixo ababengamazi. UPawulos waqalisa ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ngeso sibingelelo. Wathi: “Lo thixo nimkhonzayo ningamaziyo, nguye lo ndishumayela ngaye.” (IZe. 17:23) UPawulos waqiqa ngendlela echuliweyo kodwa enamandla. Wayengashumayeli into yokuba kukho uthixo omtsha okanye ongaqhelekanga, njengokuba abanye besitsho. Wayebacacisela ngoThixo ababengamazi​—uThixo oyinyaniso.

¹¹ Sinokuwuxelisa njani lo mzekelo kaPawulos xa sishumayela? Ukuba sihlala siphaphile sinokukwazi ukubona xa umntu ezinikele elunqulweni, mhlawumbi ngezinto ezithile zonqulo kwisinxibo sakhe okanye ezibekwe kwikhaya lakhe. Sisenokuthi: ‘Ndiyabona ukuba ungumntu wonqulo. Bendilangazelela ukuncokola nomntu othanda unqulo.’ Ngokuyivuma ngobuchule indlela avakalelwa ngayo umntu ngonqulo, sinokukwazi ukufumana isiseko esiza kwakhela kuso. Khumbula ukuba asiyonjongo yethu ukucalucalula abantu ngenxa yeenkolelo zabo. Phakathi kwabazalwana bethu kukho abo babekade bekholelwa kwiimfundiso zonqulo lobuxoki.

12. UPawulos wayilungelelanisa njani intshayelelo yakhe?

¹² UPawulos wakwazi ukufumana izinto avumelana ngazo nabantu, kodwa ngaba wayeza kubambelela kuzo xa enikela ubungqina? Esazi kakuhle ukuba abantu awayethetha nabo babefunde intanda-bulumko yamaGrike nokuba babengaqhelananga neZibhalo, wayilungelelanisa ngeendlela ezininzi intshayelelo yakhe. Okokuqala, waveza iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ngaphandle kokucaphula ngokuthe ngqo eZibhalweni. Okwesibini, wazifanisa nabo, maxa wambi eziquka xa ethetha. Okwesithathu, wacaphula iincwadi zesiGrike ukubonisa ukuba ezinye izinto awayefundisa ngazo zazikho kwiincwadi zabo. Ngoku makhe siqwalasele intetho yakhe enamandla. Yiyiphi inyaniso ebalulekileyo awabatyhilela yona ngokuphathelele uThixo ababengamazi abantu baseAthene?

13. Yintoni awayicacisayo uPawulos ngokuphathelele isiqalo sendalo, ibe yiyiphi eyona ngongoma yamazwi akhe?

 ¹³ Yonk’ indalo yadalwa nguThixo. UPawulos wathi: “UThixo owadala umhlaba nazo zonke izinto ezikuwo yiNkosi yezulu nomhlaba, ngoko akahlali kwiitempile ezakhiwe ngezandla.” d (IZe. 17:24) Indalo ayizange izivelele. UThixo oyinyaniso nguye uMdali wezinto zonke. (INdu. 146:6) Ngokwahlukileyo kuAthena okanye ezinye izithixo ezixhomekeke kwiitempile, izindlu zenkonzo nezibingelelo, iNkosi enguMongami wezulu nomhlaba ayinakuhlala kwiitempile ezakhiwe ngezandla zabantu. (1 Kum. 8:27) Ingongoma kaPawulos yayicace gca: UThixo oyinyaniso uzuke ngakumbi kunaso nasiphi na isithixo esihlala kwiitempile ezenziwe ngabantu.​—Isa. 40:18-26.

14. UPawulos wabonisa njani ukuba uThixo akaxhomekekanga ebantwini?

¹⁴ UThixo akaxhomekekanga ebantwini. Abanquli-zithixo babedla ngokuvathisa izithixo zabo ngezambatho zodidi, bazijizeke ngezipho zexabiso, okanye izidlo neziselo​—ngokungathi ziyazifuna ezo zinto! Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezinye zeentanda-bulumko ezaziphulaphule uPawulos zazikholelwa ukuba uthixo akamele afune nto ebantwini. Ukuba kunjalo, akuthandabuzeki ukuba zavumelana noPawulos xa esithi uThixo akuyomfuneko ukuba ‘ahoywe ngabantu ngokungathi kukho into ayidingayo.’ Enyanisweni, ayikho into abantu abanokuyipha uMdali. Kunoko, nguye onika abantu oko bakusweleyo​—“ ubomi, umoya abawuphefumlayo nazo zonke izinto,” kuquka ilanga, imvula nomhlaba ovelisa ukutya. (IZe. 17:25; Gen. 2:7) Ngoko ke, uThixo, uMphi, akaxhomekekanga kubantu abaphiwa nguye izinto.

15. UPawulos wayisingatha njani inkolelo ababenayo abantu baseAthene yokuba bona bongamile kunezinye iintlanga ezingengomaGrike, ibe sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifumana kulo mzekelo wakhe?

¹⁵ UThixo wenza abantu. Abantu baseAthene babekholelwa ukuba bongamile kunezinye iintlanga ezingengomaGrike. Kodwa ukuzingca ngobuzwe okanye uhlanga kunxamnye nenyaniso yeBhayibhile. (Dut. 10:17) UPawulos  wayisingatha ngobuchule le nkalo inobuzaza. Amazwi akhe amele ukuba abenza bacinga abo wayethetha nabo xa wathi, “[UThixo] iintlanga wazenza ezikhupha emntwini omnye.” (IZe. 17:26) Wayebhekisela kwingxelo yeGenesis ephathelele uAdam, eliphuma kuye lonke uhlanga lwabantu. (Gen. 1:26-28) Ekubeni bonke abantu bephuma kumntu omnye, alukho uhlanga okanye isizwe esongamileyo kunesinye. Akukho namnye kwabo bantu owayenokungayiva eyona ngongoma kaPawulos. Sifunda lukhulu kumzekelo wakhe. Ngoxa sifuna ukusebenzisa ubuchule nengqiqo xa sishumayela, asifuni kuyigalela amanzi inyaniso yeBhayibhile kuba nje sifuna abanye bayamkele.

16. Yintoni injongo yoMdali ngabantu?

¹⁶ UThixo wayenenjongo yokuba abantu basondele kuye. Kwanokuba izithandi zobulumko awayethetha nazo uPawulos kwakukudala zishukuxa ngenjongo yobukho bomntu, zimele ukuba zazingekaze ziyicacise ngolo hlobo. Kodwa yena uPawulos wayichaza ngokucacileyo injongo yoMdali ngabantu, leyo yokuba “bafune uThixo, bamphuthaphuthe baze bamfumane, abe phofu yena engekho kude kuthi sonke.” (IZe. 17:27) Into yokuba uThixo wayengaziwa ngabantu baseAthene yayingathethi ukuba akanakwaziwa. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, akakude kwabo bakufuna ngokunyanisekileyo ukumfumana nokufunda ngaye. (INdu. 145:18) Phawula ukuba uPawulos wasebenzisa igama elithi “wethu,” ngaloo ndlela eziquka phakathi kwabo babemele “bafune” baze ‘bamphuthaphuthe’ uThixo.

17, 18. Kutheni abantu bemele bazive besondele kuThixo, ibe yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela uPawulos awayifikelela ngayo intliziyo yabaphulaphuli bakhe?

¹⁷ Abantu bamele bazive besondele kuThixo. UPawulos wathi, kuba ngenxa yakhe “sinobomi siyashukuma yaye sikho.” Bambi abaphengululi  bathi uPawulos wayebhekisela kumazwi kaEpimenides, imbongi yaseKrete yenkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ‘nowayehlonelwa gqitha kunqulo lwaseAthene.’ UPawulos wachaza nesinye isizathu sokuba abantu bemele basondele kuThixo wathi: “ezinye iimbongi zenu zithi, ‘Kuba nathi singabantwana bakhe.’” (IZe. 17:28) Abantu bamele babe nolwalamano noThixo; wadala indoda ezivela kuyo zonke iintlanga zabantu. Ukuze achukumise abo wayethetha nabo, ngobulumko uPawulos wayicaphula ngokuthe ngqo imibhalo yamaGrike ababeyihlonela. e Sixelisa lo mzekelo kaPawulos, maxa wambi sinokucaphula nje nokuba kukancinane kwiincwadi zembali, iintyilalwazi, okanye ezinye ezaziwayo. Ngokomzekelo, ingcaphulo efanelekileyo evela kumthombo ohlonelwayo inokunceda ukweyisela umntu ongeloNgqina ngemvelaphi yezinto ezithile ezenziwa kunqulo lobuxoki.

¹⁸ Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, kule ntetho yakhe uPawulos wayesele edlulisele inyaniso engundoqo ngoThixo, ebeka ngobuchule amazwi akhe ukuze alungele abaphulaphuli bakhe. Yintoni lo mpostile awayefuna abantu baseAthene bayenze ngale nkcazelo ibalulekileyo? Akazange aphozise maseko, wabaxelela.

19, 20. (a) UPawulos wabubhenca njani ngobuchule ubudenge bokunqula izithixo ezenziwe ngabantu? (b) Liliphi inyathelo ababemele balithabathe abo bantu wayethetha nabo?

¹⁹ UPawulos wayesele elungele ukubongoza abo bantu ukuba bathabath’ inyathelo. Ebuyela kwingcaphulo yemibhalo yesiGrike, wathi: “Ngoko ekubeni singabantwana bakaThixo, asimele sicinge ukuba uThixo ufana negolide, isilivere okanye ilitye, imifanekiso eyenziwe ngabantu.” (IZe. 17:29) Enyanisweni ke, ukuba abantu benziwe nguThixo, inokwenzeka njani into yokuba uThixo afane nezithixo, zona ezenziwe kwangabantu? Ngokuqiqa kwakhe ngobuchule uPawulos wabubhenca ubudenge bokunqula izithixo ezenziwe ngabantu. (INdu. 115:4-8; Isa. 44:9-20) Ngokuthi “asimele” uPawulos wayezama ukungxenga amazwi akhe angahlabi.

²⁰ Lo mpostile wenza kwacaca ukuba kwakufuneka kuthatyathw’ inyathelo: “uThixo uye wawayeka loo maxesha okungazi, kodwa ngoku uxelela bonke abantu abakuzo zonke iindawo ukuba mabaguquke.” (IZe. 17:30) Bambi kwabo bantu basenokuba bothuswa sisicelo sikaPawulos sokuba baguquke. Kodwa intetho yakhe enamandla yabonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba ubomi babo babuxhomekeke kuThixo ibe ngenxa yoko babeza kuphendula kuye. Babemele bafune uThixo, bafunde inyaniso ngaye baze baphile ngokupheleleyo ngokuvisisana naloo nyaniso. Kubantu baseAthene, oko kwakuthetha ukuba babemele basiqonde baze basishiye isono sokunqula izithixo.

21, 22. Ngawaphi amazwi anamandla uPawulos awayiqukumbela ngawo intetho yakhe, ibe anayiphi intsingiselo kuthi loo mazwi?

 ²¹ UPawulos waqukumbela intetho yakhe ngala mazwi anamandla: “[UThixo] ubeke usuku aza kugweba ngalo umhlaba wonke ngobulungisa esebenzisa indoda ayikhethileyo, ibe uye wabaqinisekisa abantu ukuba luza kufika olo suku ngokuyivusa le ndoda ekufeni.” (IZe. 17:31) IMini Yomgwebo ezayo​—eso sisizathu esivakalayo sokumfuna nokumfumana uThixo oyinyaniso! UPawulos akazange alichaze igama loMgwebi omiselweyo. Kunoko, wathetha into eyayiza kuvuselela umdla ngaloo Mgwebi: Uye waphila njengomntu, wafa waza wavuswa kwabafileyo nguThixo!

²² Loo mqukumbelo uvusa umdla unentsingiselo ebalulekileyo kuthi namhlanje. Siyazi ukuba uMgwebi omiselwe nguThixo nguYesu Kristu ovusiweyo. (Yoh. 5:22) Siyazi nokuba iMini Yomgwebo iya kugqiba iminyaka eliwaka yaye sele kumbovu iqalise. (ISityhi. 20:4, 6) Asinkwantyiswa yile Mini Yomgwebo, kuba siyazi ukuba iya kuzisa iintsikelelo kwabo bafunyenwe bethembekile. Ukuzaliseka kwethemba esinalo lekamva eliqaqambileyo kuqinisekiswa ngowona mmangaliso mkhulu​—ukuvuswa kukaYesu Kristu!

23. Ziziphi iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo abasabela ngazo abantu kwintetho kaPawulos?

²³ Abantu basabela ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo kwintetho kaPawulos. “abanye bahlekisa ngaye, kodwa abanye bathi: “Siza kuphinda sikumamele ngelinye ixesha” besakuva ethetha ngovuko. Bambi bakubetha ngoyaba oko bengafuni kuguquka, bathi: “Siza kukuva ngale nto nangelinye ixesha.” (IZe. 17:32) Kodwa bambalwa abasabela kakuhle: “Abanye abantu bamlandela baza baba ngamakholwa. Abanye babo, yayinguDiyonisiyo owayeyijaji kwinkundla yaseAreyopago, ibhinqa elinguDamari nabanye.” (IZe. 17:34) Basabela ngendlela efanayo nakuthi abantu esishumayela kubo. Bambi basenokuhlekisa ngathi, ngoxa abanye benokuzenza ngathi bayasiva. Noko ke, sivuya gqitha xa abanye besamkela isigidimi soBukumkani baze babe ngamakholwa.

24. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwintetho kaPawulos awayinikela kwiAreyopago?

²⁴ Njengoko sicinga ngentetho kaPawulos, sinokufunda lukhulu ngendlela yokuqalisa incoko esengqiqweni, seyisele abantu size silungelelanise isigidimi sethu nabantu esithetha nabo. Ukongezelela, sinokufunda ngemfuneko yokuba nomonde nobuchule kwabo bamfanyekiswe ziinkolelo zonqulo lobuxoki. Nasi esinye isifundo esibalulekileyo: Asimele singxenge inyaniso yeBhayibhile kuba nje sifuna ukukholisa abantu. Ngokuxelisa umzekelo kampostile uPawulos, sinokuba ngabafundisi abaphumelelayo kubulungiseleli bethu. Ngaphezulu, abaveleli banokutsho bakufanelekele ngakumbi ukufundisa ebandleni. Siya kutsho ke sikuxhobele ngakumbi ukunceda abanye ‘bafune uThixo baze bamfumane.’​—IZe. 17:27.