Ko Timoteo—‘Ko He Fanau Mooni i Te Tui’

NEʼE kei tūpulaga ia Timoteo ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe fili ia ia e te ʼapositolo ko Paulo ke kaugā fagona mo ia. Neʼe kamata ai tanā kaugā gāue lolotoga taʼu e 15. Neʼe makehe te felogoi ʼa te ʼu tagata ʼaia e lua, pea neʼe fakahigoaʼi e Paulo ia Timoteo “ko taku fanau ofaina mo agatonu i te Aliki” pea mo “taku fanau mooni i te tui.”​—1 Kolonito 4:​17; 1 Timoteo 1:2.

Koteā te ʼu kalitate ʼa Timoteo ʼaē neʼe tupu ai te ʼofa mamahi ʼa Paulo kia ia? Neʼe liliu feafeaʼi ia Timoteo ko he kaugā gāue lelei? Pea ʼe ʼaoga feafeaʼi kia tatou te ʼu fakamatala ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu gāue ʼa Timoteo?

Neʼe Filifili Ia Ia e Paulo

Neʼe maʼu e Paulo te tisipulo ko Timoteo ʼaē neʼe kei tūpulaga, ʼi tana ʼaʼahi te kolo ʼo Lisitala (ʼaē ʼe tuʼu ʼi Tulukia ia ʼaho nei) lolotoga tana lua folau faka misionea ʼi te taʼu 50 ʼo totatou temi. Neʼe ko te lagi teitei taʼu 20 ʼaia ʼa Timoteo, pea neʼe lau tona lelei e te kau Kilisitiano ʼo Lisitala pea mo Ikoniume. (Gaue 16:​1-3) Neʼe ina fakahoko te ʼuhiga ʼo tona higoa, ʼaē ko tona faka ʼuhiga ʼaenī, “Ko He Tahi ʼe Fakavikiviki Ki Te ʼAtua.” Talu mai tana kei veliveli, neʼe akoʼi kia Timoteo te ʼu Tohi Taputapu e tana kui fafine ko Loisa pea mo tana faʼe ko Eunise. (2 Timoteo 1:5; 3:​14, 15) Neʼe lagi nā tafoki ki te Lotu Faka Kilisitiano ʼi te ʼuluaki ʼaʼahi e Paulo tonā kolo, ia taʼu e lua ʼi muʼa atu. Kae ʼi te temi leva ʼaenī, ʼe fakahā e te laumālie maʼoniʼoni kia Paulo peʼe feafeaʼi anai te ka haʼu ʼa Timoteo. (1 Timoteo 1:​18) ʼO mulimuli ki te meʼa ʼaia neʼe hā age ki ai, ko Paulo pea mo te kau tagata ʼāfea ʼo te kokelekasio neʼe nātou hilifaki ʼonatou nima ki te tūpulaga, ʼo nātou hinoʼi ia ia ki he gāue makehe, pea neʼe fili ia ia e te ʼapositolo ke nā kaugā gāue misionea.​—1 Timoteo 4:​14; 2 Timoteo 1:6.

Neʼe mole silikosisioʼi ia Timoteo, he ko tana tāmai neʼe ko te tagata Keleka neʼe mole tui. ʼE tou ʼiloʼi neʼe mole fakamaʼua te faʼahi ʼaia ki te kau Kilisitiano. Kae neʼe tali e Timoteo ke faitoʼo, ke mole ina fakatupu tūkia ki te kau Sutea ʼaē ka ina ʼaʼahi.​—Gaue 16:3.

Kae ʼi muʼa atu, neʼe faka ʼuhiga koa ia Timoteo ko he Sutea? ʼE fefihiʼaki te hahaʼi sivi Tohi-Tapu heʼe ʼui e te kau lapi, “ko te ʼuhiga moʼoni ʼo te fānau ʼe fakalogo ki te faʼe, ka mole ki te tāmai.” Ko tona faka ʼuhiga, “ko he fafine Sutea ʼe ina fānauʼi he ʼu tamaliki Sutea.” Kae ʼe mole ʼiloʼi papau e te tagata faitohi ko Shaye Cohen pe “neʼe kua fakatuʼu ʼi te ʼuluaki sēkulō ʼo totatou temi te ʼu lao ʼaia ʼa te kau lapi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te hahaʼi,” pea mo fakalogo kiai te kau Sutea ʼo te Asie Mineure. Neʼe mahino kia ia ʼi tana ʼosi vakaʼi te ʼu fakamoʼoni faka hisitolia, ka ʼohoana he tagata Senitile pea mo he fafine Iselaelite, pea “ko te ʼu fānau ʼo te ʼu taumatuʼa ʼaia neʼe hoki lau ko te kau Iselaelite mo kapau neʼe nātou nonofo mo te kau Iselaelite. Neʼe fakalogo tonatou ʼuhiga ki tanatou faʼe mo kapau neʼe nofo tanatou faʼe ʼi tonatou fenua. Kapau neʼe mavae te fafine Iselaelite ʼi tona fenua ke ʼohoana mo he tagata Senitile, pea neʼe faka ʼuhiga tana fānau ko he kau Senitile.” Tatau aipe peʼe moʼoni peʼe kailoa, kae ko te ʼu ʼuhiga ʼaia e lua ʼaē neʼe maʼu e Timoteo mai tana ʼu mātuʼa neʼe ʼaoga ki tana gāue fai faka mafola. ʼE faigafua anai tana felogoi mo te kau Sutea pea mo te kau Senitile, ʼo lagi feala ai tana mahino ki te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe nātou kehekehe ai.

Ko te ʼaʼahi ʼa Paulo ki Lisitala neʼe tupu ai te fetogi lahi ʼi te maʼuli ʼa Timoteo. Neʼe fia fakalogo te tūpulaga ʼaia ki te takitaki ʼo te laumālie maʼoniʼoni pea mo fia lagolago ʼaki he agavaivai ki te kau tagata ʼāfea Kilisitiano, koia neʼe lahi ai te ʼu tapuakina ʼaē neʼe ina maʼu pea mo tana ʼu pilivilesio ʼi te minisitelio. Neʼe lagi mole heʼeki mahino kia Timoteo, ʼi te takitaki ʼa Paulo, ʼe fakaʼaogaʼi anai ia ia ki te ʼu gāue faka Kilisitiano maʼuhiga, pea ʼe ʼalu anai ʼo aʼu ki Loma, te kolo muʼa ʼaia ʼo te puleʼaga.

Neʼe Fakamuʼamuʼa e Timoteo Te ʼu Meʼa ʼo Te Puleʼaga

ʼE mole tou maʼu katoa te fakamatala ʼo te ʼu gāue ʼa Timoteo, kae neʼe lahi tana fai folau moʼo fakahaʼele ki muʼa te ʼu meʼa ʼo te Puleʼaga. ʼI tana ʼuluaki folau mo Paulo pea mo Silasi ʼi te taʼu 50 ʼo totatou temi, neʼe ʼalu ia Timoteo ki Asie Mineure pea mo Eulopa. Neʼe kau ʼi te fai faka mafola ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi Filipe, mo Tesalonika, pea mo Pelea. ʼI te kua mavae ʼa Paulo ki Ateni ʼuhi ko te fakafeagai ʼaē neʼe fai kia ia, neʼe nofo leva ia Timoteo pea mo Silasi ʼi Pelea ke nā tokaga ki te kau tisipulo ʼaē neʼe faʼufaʼu ai. (Gaue 16:6–17:14) Ki muli age, neʼe fekauʼi e Paulo ia Timoteo ke ʼalu ki Tesalonika moʼo fakaloto mālohiʼi te kokelekasio foʼou ʼaia. Neʼe fakamatala e Timoteo he ʼu logo lelei ʼo ʼuhiga mo te kokelekasio ʼaia ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe felāveʼi ai mo Paulo ʼi Kolonito.​—Gaue 18:​5; 1 Tesalonika 3:​1-7.

ʼE mole fakahā mai e te Tohi-Tapu pe neʼe fualoa feafeaʼi te nofo ʼa Timoteo mo te kau Kilisitiano. (2 Kolonito 1:​19) Kae ʼi te lagi taʼu 55 ʼo totatou temi, neʼe fakatuʼutuʼu ai e Paulo ke toe fekauʼi ia ia kia nātou, he neʼe ina maʼu mai ai te ʼu logo fakatupu tuʼania. (1 Kolonito 4:​17; 16:10) Ki muli age, neʼe fekauʼi ia Timoteo pea mo Elasato mai Efeso ki Masetonia. Pea ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe faitohi ai Paulo ki te kau Loma mai Kolonito, neʼe kua toe kaugā nonofo pe mo Timoteo.​—Gaue 19:​22; Loma 16:21.

Ko Timoteo pea mo ʼihi neʼe nātou mavae ʼi Kolonito ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe ʼalu ai Paulo ki Selusalemi, pea neʼe nātou kaugā ʼolo mo te ʼapositolo ʼo aʼu ki Toloasi. ʼE mole tou ʼiloʼi pe neʼe ʼalu ia Timoteo ʼo aʼu ki Selusalemi. Kae ʼe hā tona higoa ʼi te ʼu ʼuluaki palalau ʼo te ʼu tohi ʼaē e tolu neʼe tohi e Paulo ʼi te fale pilisoni ʼi Loma ʼi te taʼu 60 ki te 61 ʼo totatou temi.a (Gaue 20:4; Filipe 1:1; Kolose 1:1; Filemone 1) Neʼe fakatuʼutuʼu e Paulo ke fekauʼi ia Timoteo mai Loma ki Filipe. (Filipe 2:​19) ʼI te ʼosi mavae ʼa Paulo mai te pilisoni, neʼe nofo ia Timoteo ʼi Efeso ʼi te fakatotonu ʼa te ʼapositolo.​—1 Timoteo 1:3.

ʼI te mole faigafua ʼo te fai folau ʼi te ʼuluaki sēkulō, ʼe tonu ai ke vikiʼi ia Timoteo ʼi tana lotolelei ʼaē ke ina fai he ʼu ʼaʼahi kehekehe maʼa te ʼu kokelekasio. (Vakaʼi Te Tule Leʼo ʼo te ʼaho 15 ʼo ʼAukusito 1996, ʼi te pasina 29, te kiʼi talanoa.) Tou vakaʼi te tahi fagona ʼaē neʼe tonu ke ina fai pea mo te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe tou ako mai ai ʼo ʼuhiga mo Timoteo.

Ko He Fakamatala ʼo Te ʼUlugaaga ʼo Timoteo

Neʼe nofo ia Timoteo mo Paulo ʼi Loma ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe kei pilisoniʼi ai te ʼapositolo, pea neʼe faitohi ki te kau Kilisitiano ʼaē neʼe fakatagaʼi ʼi Filipe, ʼo ina ʼui fēnei: “Kua vave’pe taku amanaki fekaui atu kia koutou, i te Aliki Sesu, ia Timoteo, ke au fimalie ai mo au i taku iloi te u logo o uhiga mo koutou. E mole au mau he tahi e hage ko ia, e tatau oma loto, pea e tokaga mooni anai kia mea o uhiga mo koutou. He ko natou fuli e natou tahi faiga ki onatou lelei, e mole faiga natou ki te u lelei o Kilisito Sesu. Kae e koutou iloi tona mooni, pea, o hage pe he fanau e tauhi ki tana tamai, nee fakatahi ia mo au o kaugana ki te Evaselio.”​—Filipe 1:​1, 13, 28-​30; 2:​19-​22.

Neʼe fakahā e te ʼu palalau ʼaia te tokaga ʼa Timoteo ki tona ʼu tēhina mo tuagaʼane ʼi te tui. Kapau neʼe mole folau vaka, pea neʼe tonu ke ʼalu lalo lolotoga ʼaho e 40 mai Loma ki Filipe, pea foimo fakalaka ʼi te Tai Adriatique, pea toe fagona ʼaho e 40 ke liliu ki Loma. Neʼe lotolelei Timoteo ke ina fai te faʼahi ʼaia moʼo tauhi tona ʼu tēhina mo tuagaʼane.

Logola te lahi ʼo te fai folau ʼa Timoteo, kae ʼi ʼihi temi neʼe mahamahaki ai. ʼE hā mai, neʼe mamahi tona kete pea neʼe ‘gaegae putuputu tona sino.’ (1 Timoteo 5:​23) Kae neʼe faiga mālohi ke gāue maʼa te logo lelei. Koia ʼe mole tou punamaʼuli ai ki tana felogoi lelei mo Paulo!

ʼI te takitaki ʼo Timoteo e te ʼapositolo pea mo tanā gāue fakatahi, neʼe hoko ia Timoteo ki te ʼulugaaga ʼa Paulo. Koia, neʼe feala ai ke ʼui fēnei age e Paulo: “Nee ke muliʼi mo te agatonu taku akonaki, taku aga, taku tuutuuni, taku tui, taku kataki, toku ofa, taku faafai, te u fakataga, mo te u mamahi nee tau mo au i Atioke, i Ikoniume mo Lisitala. Ko te u fakataga aia nee au tali.” Neʼe ʼi ai te ʼu temi neʼe fetāgihi fakatahi ai ia Timoteo pea mo Paulo, pea neʼe hūfaki ia ia e te ʼapositolo, pea neʼe gāue fakatahi mo ia ohage ko he tagata kaugana, moʼo fakahaʼele ki muʼa te ʼu meʼa ʼo te Puleʼaga.​—2 Timoteo 1:​3, 4; 3:​10, 11.

Neʼe fakaloto mālohiʼi e Paulo ia Timoteo ke ina vakaʼi ‘naa fehia he tahi ki tona kei tupulaga.’ ʼO hā mai kia tatou, neʼe lagi umiuminoa ia Timoteo, pea neʼe tuʼania ʼi tana takitaki te kokelekasio. (1 Timoteo 4:​12; 1 Kolonito 16:​10, 11) Kae neʼe lava gāue tokotahi, pea neʼe falala ia Paulo kia ia ʼo ina fekauʼi ki he ʼu gāue maʼuhiga. (1 Tesalonika 3:​1, 2) ʼI te mahino ʼa Paulo neʼe ʼaoga ke fai he takitaki mālohi ki te kokelekasio ʼo Efeso, neʼe ina fakatotonu kia Timoteo ke nofo ai ke ina “fakatotonu ihi ke taofi tanatou fai he akonaki e kehe.” (1 Timoteo 1:3) Logola te lahi ʼo te ʼu gāue ʼaē neʼe tuku age kia ia, kae neʼe agavaivai ia Timoteo. Pea logola tona umiuminoa, kae neʼe lototoʼa. Ohage la, neʼe ʼalu ki Loma ʼo lagolago kia Paulo, ʼaē neʼe fakamāuʼi ʼuhi ko tana tui. ʼI tona fakahagatonu, neʼe toe pilisoniʼi mo Timoteo lolotoga he temi ʼuhi pe ko te faʼahi ʼaia.​—Hepeleo 13:23.

ʼE mahino papau ia, neʼe lahi te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe ako e Timoteo mai ia Paulo. Ko te ʼofa ʼa te ʼapositolo ki tona kaugā gāue, ʼe fakamoʼoni kiai te ʼu tohi e lua ʼaē neʼe ina fai age kia ia, pea ʼe tuʼu ʼi te Tauhi Foou. ʼI te lagi taʼu 65 ʼo totatou temi, ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe mahino ai kia Paulo ʼe matehi anai, neʼe ina toe fai ai he ʼu fakatokaga kia Timoteo. (2 Timoteo 4:​6, 9) ʼE mole fakahā mai e te Tohi-Tapu pe neʼe lava felāveʼi ia Timoteo pea mo Paulo ʼi muʼa ʼo te matehi ʼo te ʼapositolo.

Koutou Tuku Ke Fakaʼaogaʼi Koutou e Sehova!

ʼE lahi te ʼu meʼa ʼe feala ke tou ako ʼi te faʼifaʼitaki ʼa Timoteo. Neʼe fua lelei kia ia tana fakatahi mo Paulo, pea ko te tūpulaga umiuminoa ʼaia neʼe liliu ko te tagata taupau. Ko te kau talavou pea mo te kau finemui Kilisitiano, ʼe feala mo nātou ke nātou maʼu he ʼu fua lelei ʼi tanatou fai te faʼahi ʼaia. Kapau ʼe nātou fili ke nātou tauhi kia Sehova ʼi te temi katoa, pea ʼe lahi anai tanatou gāue. (1 Kolonito 15:58) ʼE lagi nātou liliu anai ko he ʼu pionie ʼi tonatou kokelekasio, peʼe lagi nātou ʼolo anai ʼo gāue ʼi te ʼu fenua ʼaē ʼe ʼaoga ke ʼi ai he kau fai faka mafola ʼo te Puleʼaga. ʼE feala hanatou gāue misionea ʼi he fenua matāpule peʼe gāue ʼi te ʼu nofoʼaga tāfito ʼo te Sosiete Watch Tower pe ʼi tana ʼu filiale. Pea ʼe mahino ia, ʼe feala ki te kau Kilisitiano fuli ke nātou maʼu te faʼahiga manatu ʼa Timoteo, ʼo nātou tauhi ʼaki he loto katoa kia Sehova.

ʼE koutou fakaʼamu koa ke koutou haga tuputupu ʼi te faʼahi fakalaumālie, pea ke fakaʼaogaʼi koutou e Sehova ʼi tona kautahi, ke koutou fai he faʼahiga gāue pe ʼaē ʼe ina tuku atu ke koutou fai? Kapau koia ʼaia, pea koutou faʼifaʼitaki kia Timoteo. Kapau ʼe feala, pea koutou tuku ke fakaʼaogaʼi koutou e Sehova. Lagi ʼe foaki atu anai kia koutou he ʼu pilivilesio lahi ʼi te ka haʼu.

[Nota ʼi te lalo pasina]

[Paki ʼo te pasina 31]

“E mole au mau he tahi e hage ko ia”