Iqiniso liwukuthi akekho umuntu namuhla owaziyo ukuthi uPawulu wayebukeka kanjani. Imidwebo nezithombe zikaPawulu ezisezincwadini zethu azisekelwe emivubukulweni yasendulo, zimane nje ziyimidwebo esuselwa ekhanda.

Nokho, zikhona izinkomba zokuthi wayebukeka kanjani uPawulu. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Zion’s Watch Tower kaMashi 1, 1902 yathi: “Ngokuphathelene nendlela uPawulu ayebukeka ngayo: . . . Encwadini ethi ‘Acts of Paul and Thecla’ eyabhalwa cishe ngo-A. D. 150, kukhona incazelo yendlela uPawulu ayebukeka ngayo okungenzeka ukuthi yiyo engcono kakhulu nenembile. Kule ncwadi uchazwa ngokuthi ‘unomzimba omncane, unempandla, amagwegwe, wakheke kahle, unamashiya ahlanganayo nekhala elide.’”

I-Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (uhlelo luka-1997) isho lokhu mayelana nalo mbhalo wasendulo: “Ngeke sithi akunakwenzeka ukuba ‘I-Acts of Paul and Thecla’ iqukethe imininingwane enembile ngokomlando.” Le ncwadi ethi Acts of Paul and Thecla yayihlonishwa kakhulu emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, njengoba lokho kuqinisekiswa ukuthi imibhalo yesandla yesiGreki engu-80 yale ncwadi isekhona nanamuhla futhi iyatholakala nangezinye izilimi. Ngakho indlela esimdweba ngayo uPawulu ivumelana nezinye izincazelo zasendulo zendlela ayebukeka ngayo.

Nokho, khumbula ukuthi kukhona izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu kunendlela uPawulu ayebukeka ngayo. Ngisho nangesikhathi uPawulu eqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe, abaphikisi babemgxeka bethi, “ukuba khona kwakhe ngesiqu kubuthakathaka nokukhuluma kwakhe kudelelekile.” (2 Kor. 10:10) Kodwa akufanele sikhohlwe ukuthi waba umKristu ngemva kokukhuluma noJesu ngokuyisimangaliso. Singacabanga nangezinto uPawulu azifeza ‘njengesitsha sikaKristu esikhethiweyo ukuba aphathe igama likaJesu ezizweni.’ (IzE. 9:3-5, 15; 22:6-8) Cabanga nangendlela esizuza ngayo ezincwadini zeBhayibheli uJehova aphefumulela uPawulu ukuba azibhale.

UPawulu akazange aziqhenye ngezinto azifeza ngaphambi kokuba abe umKristu futhi akazange ayichaze indlela ayebukeka ngayo. (IzE. 26:4, 5; Fil. 3:4-6) Nakhu akusho: “Ngoba ngingomncane kunabo bonke abaphostoli, futhi angifaneleki ukubizwa ngomphostoli.” (1 Kor. 15:9) Kamuva wabhala: “Lo musa ongafanelwe waphiwa mina, engingumuntu omncane kunomncane kunabo bonke abangcwele, ukuba ngimemezele ezizweni izindaba ezinhle zengcebo kaKristu engenakuqondakala.” (Efe. 3:8) Ngempela la mazwi abaluleke kakhulu kunanoma yikuphi ukukhathazeka esingaba nakho ngendlela uPawulu ayebukeka ngayo.