ISAHLUKO 19
“Qhubeka Ukhuluma, Ungathuli”
UPawulu uyazisekela kodwa uyibeka kuqala inkonzo yakhe
Isekelwe encwadini yezEnzo 18:1-22
1-3. Kungani umphostoli uPawulu eseKorinte, futhi yiziphi izinselele abhekene nazo?
KUSEKUPHELENI kuka-50 C.E. Umphostoli uPawulu useKorinte, isikhungo sezohwebo esinothile esinamaGreki, amaRoma namaJuda amaningi. a UPawulu akezelanga ukuzothenga noma ukuzodayisa noma ukuzofuna umsebenzi wokuziphilisa. Uze lapha eKorinte ngesizathu esibaluleke kakhulu—ukunikeza ubufakazi ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, uyayidinga indawo yokuhlala, futhi uzimisele ukungabi umthwalo ngokwezimali kwabanye. Akafuni ukwenza noma ubani acabange ukuthi ulindele ukondliwa ngoba esenkonzweni. Uzokwenzenjani?
2 UPawulu uyakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wezandla—wenza amatende. Ukwenza amatende akulula, kodwa uzimisele ukusebenza ngezandla ukuze azondle. Ingabe uzowuthola umsebenzi kuleli dolobha eliphithizelayo? Uzoyithola yini indawo yokuhlala ekahle? Nakuba ebhekene nalezi zinselele, akakhohlwa umsebenzi wakhe oyinhloko, inkonzo.
3 UPawulu wahlala eKorinte isikhathi esithile futhi inkonzo yakhe yathela izithelo eziningi. Yini esingayifunda ezintweni ezenziwa uPawulu eKorinte ezosisiza sinikeze ubufakazi obuphelele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ensimini yethu?
“Umsebenzi Wabo Kwakuwukwenza Amatende” (IzEnzo 18:1-4)
4, 5. (a) Wahlalaphi uPawulu ngesikhathi eseKorinte, futhi wayeziphilisa ngani? (b) Kungenzeka kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uPawulu enze amatende?
4 Ngemva kwesikhashana eseKorinte, uPawulu watholana nendoda nomkayo abakuthandayo ukwamukela abanye ngomusa—umJuda wokuzalwa ogama lakhe ngu-Akhwila nomkakhe, uPrisila, noma uPriska. Le ndoda nomkayo bahlala eKorinte ngenxa yomyalo woMbusi uKlawudiyu owawuyala “wonke amaJuda ukuba ahambe eRoma.” (IzE. 18:1, 2) U-Akhwila noPrisila abagcinanga ngokwamukela uPawulu emzini wabo kuphela kodwa nasebhizinisini labo. Siyafunda: “Ngenxa yokuthi babenza umsebenzi ofanayo, [uPawulu] wahlala emzini wabo, wasebenza nabo, umsebenzi wabo kwakuwukwenza amatende.” (IzE. 18:3) UPawulu wahlala emzini wale ndoda nomkayo abanenhliziyo enhle phakathi nenkonzo yakhe eKorinte. Ngesikhathi ehlala nabo, kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu waloba ezinye zezincwadi kamuva ezaba ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli. b
5 Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba umsebenzi kaPawulu, ‘owayefundiswe nguGamaliyeli,’ kube ukwenza amatende? (IzE. 22:3) Ngokusobala amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala ayengakubheki njengokuzehlisa ukufundisa izingane zawo umsebenzi wezandla, noma ngabe lezo zingane zaziyitholile nemfundo eyengeziwe. Njengoba ayevela eTarsu laseKhilikhiya, indawo edume ngendwangu ebizwa ngokuthi i-cilicium okwakwenziwa ngayo amatende, kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayefunde lo msebenzi esemncane. Kwakuhilelani ukwenza amatende? Cishe kwakuhilela ukwaluka indwangu noma ukusika nokuthunga indwangu eqinile ukuze kwenziwe amatende. Noma ngabe yikuphi, kwakungumsebenzi onzima.
6, 7. (a) UPawulu wayekubheka kanjani ukwenza amatende, futhi yini ebonisa ukuthi u-Akhwila noPrisila babenombono ofanayo? (b) AmaKristu namuhla asilandela kanjani isibonelo sikaPawulu, u-Akhwila noPrisila?
6 UPawulu akazange abheke ukwenza amatende njengomsebenzi wakhe oyinhloko. Wayewenza kuphela ukuze azisekele enkonzweni, ememezela izindaba ezinhle “ngaphandle kwenkokhiso.” (2 Kor. 11:7) U-Akhwila noPrisila bona babewubheka kanjani umsebenzi wabo wezandla? NjengamaKristu, ngokungangabazeki babewubheka njengoPawulu. Empeleni, lapho uPawulu ehamba eKorinte ngo-52 C.E., u-Akhwila noPrisila bamlandela baya e-Efesu, lapho umuzi wabo wafike wasetshenziselwa imihlangano yebandla lendawo. (1 Kor. 16:19) Kamuva, baphindela eRoma babuye babuyela e-Efesu. Le ndoda nomkayo abashisekayo babeka uMbuso kuqala futhi bazinikela ngokuzithandela ekukhonzeni abanye, ngokwenza kanjalo babongwa yiwo “wonke amabandla ezizwe.”—Roma 16:3-5; 2 Thim. 4:19.
7 AmaKristu osuku lwanamuhla alandela isibonelo sikaPawulu, u-Akhwila noPrisila. Izikhonzi ezishisekayo namuhla zisebenza kanzima ‘ukuze zingathwesi muntu umthwalo oyizindleko ezinkulu.’ (1 Thes. 2:9) Kuyancomeka ukuthi abamemezeli boMbuso abaningi besikhathi esigcwele babamba amatoho noma benze imisebenzi eyenziwa ngezinkathi ezithile zonyaka ukuze bazisekele emsebenzini wabo oyinhloko, inkonzo yobuKristu. Njengo-Akhwila noPrisila, izinceku zikaJehova eziningi ezinezinhliziyo ezinhle zivulela ababonisi besigodi imizi yazo. Labo ‘abamukela abanye ngomusa’ bayazi ukuthi kukhuthaza futhi kwakha kangakanani ukwenza kanjalo.—Roma 12:13.
“Abaningi KwabaseKorinte . . . Bakholwa” (IzEnzo 18:5-8)
8, 9. UPawulu wasabela kanjani lapho ephikiswa ngenxa yokushumayela kwakhe ngenkuthalo kumaJuda, futhi waya koshumayelaphi?
8 Ukuthi uPawulu wayebheka umsebenzi wokuziphilisa njengowusizo ekufezeni inkonzo yakhe kwacaca lapho kufika uSila noThimothewu bevela eMakedoniya bephethe izipho eziningi. (2 Kor. 11:9) Ngokushesha uPawulu “waba matasa kakhulu ngezwi.” (IzE. 18:5) Nokho, ngenxa yalokhu kushumayela kwakhe ngenkuthalo kumaJuda, waphikiswa kakhulu. Ebonisa ukuthi akasenalo icala ngokwenqaba kwabo isigijimi esiphathelene noKristu esisindisa ukuphila, uPawulu wathuntutha izingubo zakhe watshela abaphikisi abangamaJuda: “Igazi lenu malibe semakhanda enu. Ngimsulwa. Kusukela manje kuqhubeke ngizoya kubantu bezizwe.”—IzE. 18:6; Hez. 3:18, 19.
9 Wayesezoshumayelaphi uPawulu manje? Indoda ebizwa ngokuthi uThithiyu Justu, cishe eyayingumJuda ongumproselithe eyayinendlu eyayiseceleni kwesinagoge, yamukela uPawulu emzini wayo. Ngakho uPawulu wasuka esinagogeni waya endlini kaJustu. (IzE. 18:7) UPawulu waqhubeka ehlala emzini ka-Akhwila noPrisila ngesikhathi eseKorinte, kodwa umuzi kaJustu waba iziko lomsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela.
10. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uPawulu wayengazimisele ukushumayeza abantu bezizwe bodwa?
10 Ingabe amazwi kaPawulu athi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke wayezokuya kubantu bezizwe ayesho ukuthi akabange esawanaka nhlobo amaJuda namaJuda angamaproselithe, ngisho nalawo ayesabela kahle? Akunjalo neze. Ngokwesibonelo, “uKrispu, isikhulu esengamele sesinagoge, wakholwa yiNkosi, kanye nawo wonke umndeni wakhe.” Ngokusobala, abaningi ababesesinagogeni bazihlanganisa noKrispu, ngoba iBhayibheli lithi: “Abaningi kwabaseKorinte abezwa izindaba ezinhle, bakholwa futhi babhapathizwa.” (IzE. 18:8) Ngakho umuzi kaThithiyu Justu waba indawo yokuhlangana yaleli bandla lobuKristu elalisanda kumiswa eKorinte. Uma ukulandisa kwencwadi yezEnzo kwethulwe ngendlela uLuka alandisa ngayo—ngokulandelana kwezenzakalo—kusho ukuthi ukuguquka kwalawo maJuda noma amaproselithe kwenzeka ngemva kokuba uPawulu ethuntuthe izingubo zakhe. Uma kunjalo, lesi sigameko sisho lukhulu ngokukwazi kukaPawulu ukuvumelana nezimo.
11. OFakazi BakaJehova namuhla bamlingisa kanjani uPawulu ekufuneni abantu abakweLobukholwa?
11 Emazweni amaningi namuhla, amasonto eLobukholwa asenezimpande futhi anethonya elikhulu emalungeni awo. Kwamanye amazwe naseziqhingini zolwandle izithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa ziguqule abantu abaningi. Abantu abathi bangamaKristu ngokuvamile babanjwe amasiko, njengoba kwakunjalo ngamaJuda aseKorinte lekhulu lokuqala. Noma kunjalo, nathi boFakazi BakaJehova, njengoPawulu, siya ngentshiseko kubantu abanjalo, sakhele kunoma yiluphi ulwazi lwemiBhalo okungenzeka banalo. Ngisho noma besiphikisa noma abaholi babo benkolo besishushisa, asipheli amandla. Phakathi kwalabo ‘abanentshiseko ngoNkulunkulu, kodwa hhayi ngokolwazi olunembile,’ kungenzeka kunabaningi abamnene okudingeka bacingwe futhi batholwe.—Roma 10:2.
“Nginabantu Abaningi Kuleli Dolobha” (IzEnzo 18:9-17)
12. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso uPawulu asithola embonweni?
12 Uma uPawulu ayengabaza ukuqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe eKorinte, kumelwe ukuba kwaphela ngobusuku iNkosi uJesu eyavela ngabo kuye embonweni ithi: “Ungesabi, kodwa qhubeka ukhuluma, ungathuli, ngoba nginawe, akekho umuntu ozokuhlasela akulimaze; ngoba nginabantu abaningi kuleli dolobha.” (IzE. 18:9, 10) Yeka umbono okhuthazayo! INkosi uqobo lwayo yaqinisekisa uPawulu ngokuthi uzovikelwa angalimali nokuthi babebaningi abafanelekayo kuleli dolobha. Wasabela kanjani uPawulu kulo mbono? Siyafunda: “Wahlala lapho unyaka nezinyanga eziyisithupha, efundisa izwi likaNkulunkulu phakathi kwabo.”—IzE. 18:11.
13. Yisiphi isenzakalo okungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayecabanga ngaso njengoba esondela esihlalweni sokwahlulela, kodwa yisiphi isizathu esasingamenza alindele okwehlukile?
13 Ngemva kokuhlala isikhathi esingangonyaka eKorinte, uPawulu wathola ubufakazi obengeziwe bokusekelwa iNkosi. “AmaJuda abambisana ahlasela uPawulu amyisa esihlalweni sokwahlulela,” esibizwa ngokuthi i-beʹma. (IzE. 18:12) Abanye bacabanga ukuthi i-beʹma yayiyisiteji semabula eluhlaza nemhlophe sigcwele imihlobiso eqoshiwe futhi kungenzeka sasiseduze nendawo emaphakathi yesigcawu saseKorinte. Indawo evulekile ephambi kwe-beʹma yayinkulu ngokwanele ukuba isixuku esikhudlwana sihlangane khona. Imivubukulo isikisela ukuthi lesi sihlalo sokwahlulela sasiqhele ngezinyathelo ezimbalwa esinagogeni nasendlini kaJustu. Njengoba uPawulu ayesondela kuyi-beʹma, kungenzeka wacabanga ngokukhandwa ngamatshe kukaStefanu, lowo ngezinye izikhathi obizwa ngokuthi umfel’ ukholo wokuqala ongumKristu. UPawulu, ngaleso sikhathi owayaziwa ngelikaSawulu, wayekwamukele “ukubulawa kwakhe.” (IzE. 8:1) Ingabe manje kwase kuzokwenzeka okufanayo nakuPawulu? Cha, ngoba wayethenjisiwe: ‘Akekho umuntu ozokulimaza.’—IzE. 18:10.
“Ngemva kwalokho wawaxosha esihlalweni sokwahlulela.”—IzEnzo 18:16
14, 15. (a) AmaJuda ammangalela ngani uPawulu, futhi kungani uGaliyu alichitha icala? (b) Kwenzekani kuSostene, futhi kungenzeka wagcinaphi?
14 Kwenzekani lapho uPawulu efika esihlalweni sokwahlulela? Bafica kuhleli imantshi eyayingumphathi-sifundazwe sase-Akhaya, egama layo nguGaliyu—umfowabo omdala wesazi sefilosofi esingumRoma uSeneca. AmaJuda ammangalela kanje uPawulu: “Lo muntu ugqugquzela abantu ukuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngendlela ephambene nomthetho.” (IzE. 18:13) AmaJuda ayesikisela ukuthi uPawulu wayeguqula abantu ngokungemthetho. Kepha uGaliyu wabona ukuthi uPawulu wayengenzanga ‘bubi’ nokuthi wayengenalo “icala elibi.” (IzE. 18:14) UGaliyu wayengafuni ukuzigaxa ezingxabanweni zamaJuda. Kwathi uPawulu engakawuvuli nakuwuvula umlomo azikhalele, uGaliyu walichitha icala! Abamangali bathukuthela bangqangqa. Babhodlela kuSostene, okungenzeka ukuthi wayethathe isikhundla sikaKrispu njengesikhulu esengamele isinagoge. Bambamba uSostene ‘bamshaya phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela.’—IzE. 18:17.
15 Kungani uGaliyu engasinqandanga isixuku singamshayi uSostene? Mhlawumbe uGaliyu wayecabanga ukuthi uSostene wayengubhongoza walesi sixuku esase sivukele uPawulu futhi ngenxa yalokho wayethola okwakumfanele. Noma ngabe yikuphi, cishe lesi sigameko saba nemiphumela emihle. Encwadini yakhe yokuqala eya ebandleni laseKorinte, ayibhala eminyakeni eminingana kamuva, uPawulu ubhekisela kuSostene othile njengomzalwane. (1 Kor. 1:1, 2) Ingabe kwakunguyena lo Sostene owayeshaywe eKorinte? Uma kunguyena, lesi sigameko esibuhlungu kungenzeka samsiza uSostene wamukela ubuKristu.
16. Amazwi eNkosi athi, “ungesabi, kodwa qhubeka ukhuluma, ungathuli, ngoba nginawe,” ahlobana kanjani nenkonzo yethu?
16 Khumbula ukuthi kwakungemva kokuba amaJuda enqabe ukushumayela kukaPawulu lapho iNkosi uJesu yamqinisekisa khona: “Ungesabi, kodwa qhubeka ukhuluma, ungathuli, ngoba nginawe.” (IzE. 18:9, 10) Kuhle siwakhumbule la mazwi, ikakhulukazi lapho isigijimi sethu senqatshwa. Ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi uJehova ufunda izinhliziyo futhi ubadonsela kuye abanhliziyo ziqotho. (1 Sam. 16:7; Joh. 6:44) Yeka indlela okusikhuthaza ngayo lokhu ukuba siqhubeke simatasa enkonzweni! Minyaka yonke kubhapathizwa amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu—amakhulu abantu nsuku zonke. Kulabo abalalela umyalo ‘wokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi,’ uJesu unikeza lesi siqinisekiso: “Nginani zonke izinsuku kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.”—Math. 28:19, 20.
“Uma UJehova Ethanda” (IzEnzo 18:18-22)
17, 18. Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayecabanga ngani njengoba ayeya e-Efesu?
17 Asikho isiqinisekiso sokuthi isimo sikaGaliyu ngabamangaleli bakaPawulu saphumela enkathini yokuthula yini ebandleni lamaKristu aseKorinte elalisanda kumiswa. Nokho, uPawulu wahlala “izinsuku eziningana” ngaphambi kokuvalelisa kubafowabo baseKorinte. Entwasahlobo ka-52 C.E., wenza amalungiselelo okuya eSiriya esuka ethekwini laseKenikreya, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-11 empumalanga yeKorinte. Kodwa engakasuki eKenikreya, uPawulu ‘wagunda izinwele zakhe zaba mfushane ngoba wayenze isifungo.’ c (IzE. 18:18) Ngemva kwalokho, wathatha u-Akhwila noPrisila bawela uLwandle i-Aegean baya e-Efesu, e-Asia Minor.
18 Njengoba uPawulu esuka eKenikreya, cishe wayecabanga ngesikhathi asichitha eKorinte. Wayenezinkumbulo eziningi ezimnandi nesizathu sokwaneliseka ngokujulile. Inkonzo yakhe yezinyanga ezingu-18 yayithelile. Kwakumiswe ibandla lokuqala eKorinte, lihlanganela emzini kaJustu. Phakathi kwalabo ababa amakholwa kwakunoJustu, uKrispu nomndeni wakhe kanye nabanye abaningi. UPawulu wayewathanda la makholwa amasha ngoba wayewasizile aba amaKristu. Kamuva wawabhalela wawachaza njengayincwadi yokutusa elotshwe enhliziyweni yakhe. Nathi sizizwa sisondelene nabantu esiye saba nelungelo lokubasiza bamukele ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Yeka ukuthi kwanelisa kanjani ukubona “izincwadi ezisethula kini” ezinjalo eziphilayo!—2 Kor. 3:1-3.
19, 20. Wenzani uPawulu lapho efika e-Efesu, futhi sifundani kuye ngokuphishekela imigomo engokomoya?
19 Lapho efika e-Efesu, uPawulu akapholisanga maseko. “Wangena esinagogeni wabonisana namaJuda.” (IzE. 18:19) Kulesi siwombe uPawulu wahlala isikhashana nje kuphela e-Efesu. Nakuba acelwa ukuba ahlale isikhathi esijana, “akavumanga.” Lapho evalelisa, watshela abase-Efesu: “Ngiyophinde ngibuyele kini uma uJehova ethanda.” (IzE. 18:20, 21) Cishe uPawulu wayeqaphela ukuthi wawusemningi umsebenzi wokushumayela e-Efesu. Lo mphostoli wayehlose ukubuya, kodwa wakhetha ukuyishiyela ezandleni zikaJehova le ndaba. Akusona yini isibonelo esihle sokukhunjulwa lesi? Lapho siphishekela imigomo engokomoya, kudingeka sithathe isinyathelo kuqala. Nokho, kumelwe ngaso sonke isikhathi sincike esiqondisweni sikaJehova futhi sifune ukwenza ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe.—Jak. 4:15.
20 UPawulu washiya u-Akhwila noPrisila e-Efesu, wahamba ngomkhumbi wehlela eKhesariya. Ngokusobala ‘wakhuphukela’ eJerusalema wayobingelela ibandla lakhona. (IzE. 18:22) Ngemva kwalokho uPawulu waya e-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya, indawo ayesukela kuyo lapho eyokwenza inkonzo yakhe. Uhambo lwakhe lwesibili eyisithunywa sevangeli lwaluphothulwe ngempumelelo. Wayelindelwe yini ohambweni lwakhe lokugcina eyisithunywa sevangeli?
a Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ IKorinte—Inkosi Yezilwandle Ezimbili,” ekhasini 149.
b Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Izincwadi Eziphefumulelwe Ezanikeza Isikhuthazo,” ekhasini 150.
c Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Isifungo SikaPawulu,” ekhasini 152.
