49—Incwadi Kapawulos Yokugqibela

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwileta yesi-2 Timoti]

Ukusuka kwinkundla yokugweba kaKesare, uPawulos wabuyela esiseleni sakhe, eqonda ukuba ufumene nje ukurhoxiswa kwesigwebo okwexeshana. Wayesazi ukuba iintshaba zakhe azisayi kuze ziphumle zide zibe zikufezekisile ukufa kwakhe. Wayesazi kananjalo ukuba okwexeshana inyaniso yoyisile. Ukumvakalisa uMsindisi owabethelelwayo wabuya wavuka phambi kwesihlwele esikhulu esasimphulaphule, nako yayiluloyiso. Ngaloo mini kwakuqale umsebenzi owawuza kukhula womelele, naya kuthi uNero nazo zonke ezinye iintshaba zikaKristu zifune zingaphumeleli ukuwuthintela okanye ukuwutshabalalisa.IZ 498.1

Wathi ehleli imihla ngemihla kwisisele sakhe esimnyama, esazi ukuba ngelizwi nje okanye ukunqwala kukaNero ubomi bakhe bungabingelelwa, uPawulos wacinga ngoTimoti waza wazimisela ukuba uza kuthi makabizwe eze. UTimoti wayenikwe umsebenzi wokujonga amabandla ase-Efese, ngenxa yaloo nto eshiywe yedwa ngasemva ngexesha uPawulos ekuhambo lokugqibela olusinga eRoma. UPawulos noTimotibabeqamangelwe kunye luthando olungaqhelekanga ngobunzulu nokuqina. Kususela ekuguqukeni kwakhe, uTimoti wabelana noPawulos ngokusebenza neembulaleko, baza ubuhlobo phakathi kwabo bobabini baqina, banzulu, bangcwele ngakumbi nangakumbi, bafikelela apho konke unyana anokuba kuko kuyise othandwayo nohloniphekayo, waba kuko uTimoti kwingwevu, eqotywe ngumsebenzi, umpostile [uPawulos]. Akumangalisi ke ngoko, ukuba athi xa esesithukuthezini eyedwa, uPawulos alangazelele ukumbona.IZ 498.2

Phantsi kwezona meko zilungileyo, kwakumele ukuba kumthabathe iinyanga eziliqela uTimoti ukuyakufika eRoma xa esuka e-Asiya. UPawulos wayesazi ukuba ubomi bakhe abuqinisekanga, waza wanoloyiko hleze uTimoti afike kade ukuba ambone. Wayenecebiso elibalulekileyo nomyalelo kule ndodana, eyayinikwe umthwalo omkhulu; waza wathi ngeli lixa ezama ukukhuthaza ukuba akhawuleze ukufika, waba ebizela [kubhalwa] ubungqina obungumyolelo ekwakusenokwenzeka ukuba angabi nalo ithuba lokuwuthetha. Umphefumlo wakhe wawuzaliswe luthando lwenkathalo kunyana wakhe weendaba ezilungileyo kunye nebandla awayelalusa, waza uPawulos wafuna ukubethelela kuTimoti ngokubaluleka kokunyaniseka emsebenzini ongcwele awuphathisiweyo.IZ 499.1

UPawulos wayiqala ileta yakhe eya kuTimoti unyana wakhe oyintanda ngombuliso: “Makube lubabalo, nenceba,noxolo oluvela kuThixo uYise, noKristu Yesu iNKosi yethu. Ndinokubulela kuye uThixo, endamkhonzayo kwakoomawokhulu ndinesazela esihlambulukileyo, ndikukhumbula njengokungapheliyo, ekukhungeni kwam ubusuku nemini.”IZ 499.2

Umpostile wamkhuthaza uTimoti ngokubaluleka kokuma aqine elukholweni. Wabhala wathi, “[Ma]ndikukhumbuze, ukuba usikhwezele isipho sokubabalwa kwakho nguThixo, esikhoyo kuwe ngokubekwa kwezandla zam phezukwakho.KubeuThixo akasinikanga moya wabugwala; wasinika owamandla, nawothando nawesidima. Ngoko ke musa ukuba nazintloni ngabo ubungqina beNkosi yethu, nangam mna mbanjwa wayo; suka uve ububi kunye nam ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo, ngokwamandla kaThixo.” Wabuya wamkhuthaza kwakhona ukuba akhumbule ukuba wabizwa “ngobizo olungcwele” ukuba avakalise amandla aLowo “wabukhanyisa ubomi nokungonakali, ngazo iindaba ezilungileyo ezi; endamiselwa zona mna, ndaba ngumvakalisi nompostile nomfundisi weentlanga; endithi kananjalo ngenxa yeli thuba ndive obu bunzima. Noko ke andinazintloni, kuba ndiyamazi endikholiweyo nguye; kanjalo ndithi, ndeyisekile ukuba unako ukuyigcina into endimphathisileyo, ese kuloo mini.”IZ 499.3

Ngalo lonke ixesha lenkonzo yakhe ende, uPawulos akazange wagqwidiza ekunyanisekeni kuMsindisi wakhe. Naphina apho wayekhona — phambi kwabaFarisi abajamayo, okanye kumagunya aseRoma; phambi koomatiloshe abazaliswe luloyiko kwinqanawa eqhekekayo, okanye emi yedwa phambi kukaNero ekhusela ubomi bakhe — akazange waneentloni ngomsebenzi awayewumele. Injongo ekuphela kwayo enkulu ngobomi bakhe bobuKristu yayikukusebenzela Lowo ogama laKhe ngaphambili lalimzalise ngendelelo; kwathi ngenxa yale njongo akwabikho nkcaso okanye ntshutshiso eyaba nokumkhupha endleleni. Ukholo lwakhe, olwalomelezwe ngumzamo, lwenziwa nyulu ngumbingelelo, konke kwamxhasa kwamomeleza.IZ 500.1

UPawulos waqhubeka wathi, “Wena ngoko, mntwana wam, yomelela elubabalweni olukuKristu Yesu;uthi nezinto owazivayo kum ngamangqina amaninzi, ezo uzibeke phambi kwabantu abathembekileyo, bona baya kukulingana ukufundisa nabanye. Wena ngoko bunyamezele ububi, njengomphumi-mkhosi olungileyo kaKristu Yesu.”IZ 500.2

Umlungiseleli onyanisekileyo kaThixo akasayi kubuphepha ubunzima okanye umthwalo. Uwafumana amandla okuqubisana nokoyisa ukulingwa, kwiThende elingasayi kuze limphoxe lowo uwafuna ngokunyaniseka amandla ezulu, nokwenza imisebenzi uThixo ayibeka phezu kwakhe. Ngokwemvelo yalo olu babalo, lwandisa isakhono sokumazi uThixo noNyana waKhe. Umphefumlo wakhe uphumela kulangazelelo lokwenza umsebenzi owamkelekileyo eNkosini. Ngexesha ebheka phambili endleleni yobuKristu, uya “esomelela elubabalweni olukuYesu Kristu.” Olu babalo lumenza ukuba akwazi ukubalingqina elithembekileyo. Akaludeleli okanye alutyeshele ulwazi alufumene kuThixo, kodwa ulunikela olu lwazi kubantu abathembekileyo, abathi nabo ngelabo ixesha bafundise abanye.IZ 501.1

Kule leta yakhe yokugqibela eya kuTimoti, uPawulos waphakamisa phambi kwalo msebenzi uselula umgangatho ophezulu, esalatha imisebenzi exhomekeke kuye njengomlungiseleli kaKristu. “Kukhuthalele ukuzimisa phambi koThixo ucikidekile,” wabhala watsho umpostile, “ungumsebenzi ongenazintloni, ulungisa ukulahlula ilizwe lenyaniso.” “Ke zibaleke iinkanuko zobutsha; phutuma ke ubulungisa, ukholo, uthando, uxolo nabo bayinqulayo iNkosi ngokwasentliziyweni ehlambulukileyo. Yinxweme imibuzwana yobudenge engenangqeqesho, usazi ukuba izala imfazwe. Ke umkhonzi weNkosi akamele kulwa; umele ukuba nokuthantamisakubantubonke, enokufundisa, enyamezela ububi, ebaqeqesha ngobulali abo baphikayo; ukuba akangethi na kanti uThixo abaphe inguquko esa ekuyazini inyaniso.IZ 501.2

UPawulos wamlumkisa uTimoti ngeetitshala zobuxoki ezaziya kufuna ukungena ebandleni. Watsho esithi, “Ke, kwazi oku, ukuba ngemihla yokugqibela kuya kufika amaxesha anomngcipheko. Kuba abantu baya kuba ngabazithandayo, abathandi bemali, abaqhankqalazi, abakratshi, abanyelisi, abangeva bazali, abangabuleliyo, abangengcwele; . . . benokumila kokuhlonela uThixo, ukanti bayawakhanyela amandla ako. Kwabo ke khwebuka.”IZ 502.1

“Ke bona abantu abangendawo noosiyazi, kukhona baya kuhambela phambili ebubini,” waqhubeka, “belahlekisa, belahlekiswa. Ke wena yima ezintweni owazifundayo, waqiniselwa kuzo, umazi owazifunda kuye; nokuba uzaze kwasebuntwaneni izibhalo ezingcwele, ezinako ukukulumkisela elusindisweni. . . . Sonke isibhalo, siphefumlelwe nguThixo nje, sikwancedela ukufundisa, ukohlwaya, ukululeka, ukuqeqesha okusebulungiseni, ukuze umntu kaThixo afaneleke, exhobele wonke umsebenzi olungileyo.” UThixo usibekele imfumba yezixhobo zokulwa siliphumelele idabi lokuchasana nobubi kweli hlabathi. IBhayibhile inguvimba wezixhobo apho sinokuzixhobisela idabi khona. Amanqe ethu mawabhinqe inyaniso. Isigcina sifuba masibe bubulungisa. Ikhaka lokholo malibe sesandleni sethu, umnqwazi wosindiso ube sebunzi; ukuze ngekrele likaMoya, elililizwi likaThixo, sikrazule sivule indlela yethu kwizithintelo neziqamangelo zesono.IZ 502.2

UPawulos wayesazi ukuba ibandla lalimelwe lixesha lengozi enkulu ngaphambili. Wayesazi ukuba umsebenzi wokunyaniseka, nokuzimisela kufuneka wenziwe ngabo bashiywe ukuba bongamele ibandla; waza wabhalela uTimoti wathi, “Ndiyaqononondisa mna ngoko emehlweni kaThixo, neNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu, oza kugweba abaphilileyo nabafileyo, kwanangokubonakala kwakhe nobukumkani bakhe: livakalise ilizwi; zingisa ukwenjenjalo ngamathuba alungileyo naxakileyo; yohlwaya, khalimela, vuselela, unako konke ukuzeka kade umsindo, nokufundisa.”IZ 502.3

Lo mngeni undilisekileyo oya kowayenenzondelelo nonyaniseke njengoTimoti, ububungqina obunamandla bokubaluleka kwanoxanduva lomsebenzi womlungiseleli weendaba ezilungileyo. Ukumemela uTimoti phambi kwenkundla kaThixo, uPawulos umyalela ukuba ashumayele ilizwi, kungabi ziintetho nezithethe zabantu; alungele ukungqina ngoThixo ngalo lonke ixesha ithuba livela — phambi kwezihlwele ezikhulu nakwiindawo ezifihlakeleyo, endleleni nakwabotha umlilo, kubahlobo nazesintshabeni, nokuba kukhuselekile okanye kujongenwe nobunzima kunye nengozi, ukugculelwa nelahleko.IZ 503.1

Wathi ngokoyikela ukuba ukululama nokuvuma lula kukaTimoti kungamkhokelela ekuyiphepheni indawo efunekayo emsebenzini wakhe, uPawulos wamthethela ukuba anyaniseke ekukhalimeleni isono, ade akhalimele kabukhali abo banobutyala bobubi obukhulu. Sekunjalo, kwakufuneka akwenze oko, “ukuzeka kade umsindo, nokufundisa.” Kwakuza kufuneka abonakalise umonde nothando lukaKristu, achase aqinisekise ukukhalima kwakhe ngeenyaniso zelizwi.IZ 503.2

Ukusithiya nokusikhalimela isono, kwangelo xesha linye ubonakalise uvelwano nokuthantamisa kumoni, kuyinto enzima kakhulu. Okona imizamo yethu izimisele ukufikelela kubungcwele bentliziyo nobomi, okona kuya kuba kukhulu kuthi ukusiqonda isono nokona siba nesigqibo sokungasuki siphambuke kokulungileyo. Kufuneka sikulumkele ukuba ngqongqo okungafanelekanga ngakuboni, kodwa kukwafuneka sikulumkele ukulahlekwa ngumbono wobubi obukhulu besono. Sikho isidingo sokubonisa umonde, nothando olufana nolukaKristu kulowo wonayo, kodwa kukwakho nengozi yokubonisa unyamezelo olukhulu kwisiphoso sakhe ade azibone engakufanelanga ukuthethiswa, asuke akwale njengokungafunekiyo nokungalunganga.IZ 503.3

Ngamanye amaxesha, abalungiseleli beendaba ezilungileyo benza umonakalo omkhulu ngokuvumela ukunyamezela kwabo abo bonayo, kuhle kuye ekunyamezeleni izono bade nabo [abalungiseleli] baxhamle kuzo. Ngolo hlobo, baye bakhokelelwe ekusixoleleni nasekuyekeleleni kwinto ayigwebayo uThixo nabayalela ukuba bayikhalimele, kuthi emva kwexesha bamfamekiseke kangangokuba bancome abo kanye uThixo abayalela ukuba babathethise. Lowo uzenza buthuntu iimbono zakhe zasemoyeni ngokuyekelela ngendlela yesono ngakwabo uThixo abagwebayo, uya kuthi, kungekudala, enze isono esikhulu ngokuba ngqongqo nokuba lukhuni ngakwabo uThixo abavumelayo [okanye abaxhasayo].IZ 504.1

Ngekratshi lobulumko bomntu, ngokudelela impembelelo kaMoya Oyingcwele, kwanokungazonwabeli iinyaniso zelizwi likaThixo, abaninzi abazibiza ngobuKristu, nabaziva bekufanele ukufundisa abanye, baya kukhokelelwa kude koko kufunwa nguThixo. UPawulos wathetha wathi kuTimoti, “Kuya kubakho ixesha abangayi kuyinyamezela imfundiso ephilileyo; baya kusuka ngokweenkanuko zabo bazifumbele abafundisi, bebaba iindlebe; babeya kuzisonga zimke iindlebe kuyo inyaniso, baphambukele ke kuzo iintsomi.”IZ 504.2

Umpostile apha akabhekisi kubantu abangakholwayo, kodwa kwabathi bangamaKristu abaziyekela ekukhokelweni ngumnqweno wabo, baze babengamakhoboka eziqu zabo.Abanjalobanentumekelelo yokumamela kuphela iimfundisoezingakhalimeliizono zabo, okanye zigwebe indlela yabo yokuthanda iziyolo. Bakhutyekiswa ngamazwi acacileyo aphuma kubakhonzi abanyanisekileyo bakaKristu, basuke bazikhethele abafundisi ababancomayo babakhohlise. Phakathi kwabo bathi bangabafundisi kukho abo bashumayela iimbono zabantu endaweni yelizwi likaThixo. Ngokunganyaniseki koko bagciniswe kona, bayabalahlekisa abo balindele kubo kwinkokelo yasemoyeni.IZ 504.3

Kwimiyalelo yomthetho waKhe ongcwele, uThixo unike umgaqo ogqibeleleyo wobomi; ukwavakalise nokuba koda kube sekupheleni kwexesha lo mthetho ungaguqukanga nokuba liganyana okanye isuntwana, uya kuhlala unegunya phezu koluntu. UKristu weza ukuze awenze mkhulu umthetho uhlonipheke. Wabonisa ukuba umiselwe phezu kwesiseko esibanzi esiluthando lukaThixo nothando ngakubantu, nokuba ukuthobela imiyalelo yawo kuyiyo yonke imfanelo yomntu. Ngobomi baKhe [uYesu] wanika umzekelo wokuwuthobela umthetho kaThixo. KwiNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni wabonisa indlela amabango awo anabele ngayo ngaphaya kwezenzo zangaphandle, uqaphele iingcinga neenjongo zentliziyo.IZ 505.1

Umthetho, xa uthotyelwe, ubakhokelela abantu ekukulanduleni “ukukhanuka okukokwehlabathi, “[ba]hlale ngokunesidima, nangokubulungisa, nangokuhlonela uThixo, kweli phakade langoku.” Tito 2:12. Ke lona utshaba labo bonke ubulungisa lulikhobokisile ihlabathi, lwakhokelela amadoda nabafazi ekungawuthobeleni umthetho. Njengoko uPawulos wabonayo kwangaphambili, izihlwele zazishiya iinyaniso ezicacileyo nezizingelayo zelizwi likaThixo, zakhetha iititshala ezizinika iintsomi ezizilangazelelayo. Baninzi phakathi kwabafundisi kunye nabantu abanyathelela ngaphantsi kweenyawo zabo imithetho kaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela uMdali womhlaba uyanyeliswa, aze uSathana ehleke ngoloyiso lwempumelelo yamacebo akhe.IZ 505.2

Ngokukhula kokudelwa komthetho kaThixo, kwanda ukungathandeki kwenkolo, ukunyuka kwekratshi, ukuthandwa kweziyolo, ukungathotyelwa kwabazali, ukuziyekelela; kanti ke iingqondo ezicingayo, kuyo yonke indawo, zibuza zixhalabile, Yintoni enokwenziwa ukulungisa obu bubi boyikekayo? Impendulo ifunyanwa kumyalelo uPawulos awunika uTimoti, “Lishumayele ilizwi.” EBhayibhileni kufumaneka kuphela imithetho-siseko ekhuselekileyo yokwenza. Ikukukhutshelwa [ngokubhalwa] kwentando kaThixo, ukuxelwa kobulumko obungcwele. Yenza ukuba umntu aziqonde iingxaki ezinkulu zobomi, kuthi kubo bonke abayithobelayo imiyalelo yayo, ifumaneke isisikhokelo esingaphazamiyo, sibagcine bangalahli ubomi babo ngomzamo ongabheki ndawo.IZ 506.1

UThixo uyazisile intando yaKhe, kwaye bubuyatha ukuba umntu aphikisane nento ephume emilebeni yaKhe [uThixo]. Emva kokuba kuthethe uBulumko obungenasiphelo, akumele kubakho imibuzo yentandabuzo amakazanelise ngayo umntu, kungabikho zinto zigexayo anokuzenza ekufuneka ezilungisile. Okufunekayo kuye kuphela kukuvumelana okuphandle, nokunyanisekileyo nentando ebekiweyo kaThixo. Ukuthobela kungowona myalelo uphezulu wengcinga kunye nesazela.IZ 506.2

UPawulos waqhubeka nesiyalo sakhe: “Ke wena yiba yingcathu ezintweni zonke, nyamezela ububi, umsebenzi womshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo wenze, buzalise ubulungiseleli bakho.” UPawulos wayekufuphi nokulugqiba uhambo lwakhe, waza walangazelela ukuba uTimoti athabathe indawo yakhe, alaluse ibandla kuzo iintsomi nolahlekiso lotshaba, ngeendlela ezininzi, azingise ukubakhokela ethabathela kubulula beendaba ezilungileyo. Wamlumkisa ukuba akubaleke konke okufunwa lihlabathi okwexeshana, nokuziqamangela okuya kumenza angakwazi ukuzinikela ngokupheleleyo emsebenzini kaThixo;nokuba ayinyamezele ngochulumanco inkcaso,ukugculelwa, nentshutshiso izinto okuza kumzisela zona ukunyaniseka kwakhe; akuqinisekise ngokupheleleyo ukulungiselela kwakhe ngokusebenzisa konke awayenokufikelela kuko ekwenzeni okulungileyo kwabo uKristu wabafelayo.IZ 506.3

Ubomi bukaPawulos babungumzekelo weenyaniso awayezifundisa, aye elapho ke amandla akhe. Intliziyo yakhe yayizaliswe ngumthwalo wengcamango enzulu nezinzileyo, eyamenza ukuba asebenze enolwalamano olusondele kakhulu kuLowo ongumthombo wobulungisa, nenceba, kunye nenyaniso. Watshela emnqamlezweni kaKristu njengesiqinisekiso ekuphela kwaso sempumelelo yakhe. Uthando loMsindisi lwaluyinkuthazo engafiyo eyamphakamisayo kumadabi akhe no-mna, kunye nokuchasana nobubi, njengoko wayexunele phambili emsebenzini kaKristu engqubana nehlabathi elingenabuhlobo kunye nenkcaso yeentshaba.IZ 507.1

Into edingwa libandla kule mihla yomngcipheko, ngumkhosi wabasebenzi othe, njengoPawulos, wazifundisela ukubalulutho, onamava anzulu kwizinto zikaThixo, nozaliswe kukunyaniseka nolangazelelo. Amadoda angcwalisiweyo, azibingelelayo ayadingeka; amadoda angayi kukunxwema ukulingwa nomthwalo; amadoda akhaliphileyo nanyanisekileyo; amadoda ezintliziyweni zawo kukhula uKristu “ithemba lozuko,” namilebe yawo ichukunyiswe ngumlilo ongcwele aze “ashumayele ilizwi.” Ngokungabikho kwabasebenzi abanjalo, umsebenzi kaThixo uyasadalala, iziphoso eziyingozi, ngokwetyhefu ebulalayo, ziyayidyobha indlela yokuziphatha, zinike nempembelelo embi kuninzi lohlanga loluntu.IZ 507.2

Xa abathwali bebhanile abanyanisekileyo nabaqotywe ngumsebenzi benikela ubomi babo ngenxa yenyaniso, ngoobani abaya kuza ngaphambili bathabathe indawo yabo? Ingaba ulutsha olungoonyana bethu lungakwamkela na oko kulilifa elingcwele ezandleni zooyise? Ingababayakulungiselela ukuvala izikhewu ezibangwa kukufa kwabathembekileyo? Ingaba umngeni wompostile uya kuthotyelwa, kuviwe ukubizelwa emsebenzini, phakathi kovukelo lokuzithandela nebhongo eliloba ulutsha?IZ 507.3

UPawulos wayigqibezela ileta yakhe ngesakhe isigidimi esiya kubantu abahlukeneyo, ekwaphinda isicelo esikhawulezileyo sokuba uTimoti aze kuye ngokukhawuleza, ukuba kunokwenzeka, phambi kobusika. Wathetha ngokuba nesithukuthezi kwakhe, okubangwa kukushiywa ngabanye babahlobo bakhe kwanokunyanzeleka kokungabikho kwabanye; esithi, mhlawumbi kungenzeka ukuba uTimoti azizilize, kuba esoyikela ukuba kungenzeka ibandla lase-Efese lifune ukusetyenzwa nguye, waxela uPawulos ukuba sele emthumele uTikiko ukuba athabathe indawo yakhe.IZ 508.1

Emva kokuthetha kwakhe kwindawo yetyala lakhe phambi kukaNero, ukushiywa kwakhe ngabazalwana bakhe, nokunikwa amandla nguThixo ongumgcini womnqophiso, wayivala uPawulos ileta yakhe ngokuncomela uTimoti ukukhokelwa nguMalusi oyiNtloko, othi, nangona abalusi balapha emhlabeni maxa wambi belahlelwa phantsi [babulawe], Yena ahlale ewukhathalele umhlambi waKhe.IZ 508.2