Abasebenzi Ababengamadlelane Nopawulos Babengoobani?
KWINCWADI yeBhayibhile yeZenzo nakwiincwadi zikaPawulos kukhankanywe abantu abamalunga nekhulu, amalungu ebandla lamaKristu lenkulungwane yokuqala awaba nento yokwenza ‘nompostile weentlanga.’ (Roma 11:13) Kuninzi okwaziwayo ngabathile abaninzi kubo. Mhlawumbi uqhelene nemisebenzi ka-Apolo, uBharnabhas noSilas. Kwelinye icala, mhlawumbi uya kukufumanisa kunzima ukuncokola ngoArkipo, uKlawodiya, uDamari, uLino, uPersi, uPudo, noSopatro.
Baninzi abantu abaphumeza indima ebonakalayo ekuxhaseni ubulungiseleli bukaPawulos ngamaxesha ahlukeneyo naphantsi kweemeko ezahlukeneyo. Abathile abanjengo-Aristarko, uLuka noTimoti babekhonza nalo mpostile kangangeminyaka emininzi. Bambi babeba kunye naye xa esentolongweni okanye xa esendleleni, mhlawumbi bempheleka okanye bemamkela njengondwendwe. Okulusizi kukuba, abanye abanjengoAleksandire, uDemas, uHermogene noFigelo, abazange baqhubeke bengamaKristu.
Kuninzi lwabanye abahlobo bakaPawulos phakathi kwabo esingabala uAsinkrito, uHerma, uYuliya, okanye uFilologo, sazi amagama nje kuphela. Hayi ke yena udade boNereyo okanye unina kaRufo okanye abendlu kaKlowe, asazi kwa-amagama lawo. (Roma 16:13-15; 1 Korinte 1:11) Noko ke, xa sihlola inkcazelo encinane esinayo ngaba bantu balikhulu okanye ababalwa kufutshane nalo sitsho sicacelwe yindlela umpostile uPawulos awayesebenza ngayo. Sitsho sifunde nto ithile ngeengenelo zokuba phakathi kwamanye amakholwa nokusebenza ngokusondeleneyo nawo.
Ababempheleka Kunye Nababemamkela Njengondwendwe
Kubulungiseleli bakhe umpostile uPawulos wayehambahamba gqitha. Omnye umbhali uthi umgama awawuhambayo emhlabeni naselwandle obhalwe kwiZenzo kuphela wawubetha kufutshane neekhilomitha ezili-16 000. Ngaloo mihla ukuthabatha uhambo kwakungeyondinisa nje kuphela kodwa kwakuyingozi. Phakathi kwamanzithinzithi ajamelana nawo singabala ukwaphukelwa yinqanawa, iingozi zemilambo nezezihange, iingozi entlango neengozi elwandle. (2 Korinte 11:25, 26) Ngokufanelekileyo ke, uPawulos wayengafane abe yedwa xa esuka kwindawo ethile esiya kwenye.
Abo babepheleka uPawulos babesiba ngamaqabane akhe, bemkhuthaza yaye benikela uncedo oluyimfuneko kubulungiseleli. Ngamanye amaxesha, uPawulos wayebashiya ukuze banyamekele iintswelo zokomoya zababesandul’ ukuba ngamakholwa. (IZenzo 17:14; Tito 1:5) Kodwa kusenokwenzeka ukuba ubukho bamaqabane babumnceda ukuze akhuseleke nokuze akwazi ukumelana namahla-ndinyuka ohambo. Ngoko abantu abanjengoSopatro, uSekundo, uGayo noTrofimo, esaziyo ukuba babepheleka uPawulos, basenokuba baphumeza indima ebalulekileyo kwimpumelelo yakhe kubulungiseleli.—IZenzo 20:4.
Olunye uncedo awalwamkela ngezandla ezishushu lolwabo babemamkela njengondwendwe emakhayeni abo. Xa uPawulos efika kwisixeko awayefuna ukuqalisa iphulo lokushumayela okanye efuna nje ukulalisa kuso, into yokuqala awayeyenza kukufumana indawo yokufak’ intloko. Nabani na owayehamba umgama omde njengoPawulos kwakuya kufuneka alale kwintarhantarha yeebhedi ezahlukahlukeneyo. Wayenako ukuhlala kwihotele, kodwa ke ababhali-mbali bathi “zaziziindawo ezinobungozi nezinezothe,” ngoko ke, mhlawumbi xa iimeko zivuma, uPawulos wayehlala namanye amakholwa.
Siyawazi amanye amagama abo bamkela uPawulos njengondwendwe emakhayeni abo—uAkwila noPriska, uGayo, uYason, uLidiya, uMnason, uFilemon, noFilipu. (IZenzo 16:14, 15; 17:7; 18:2, 3; 21:8, 16; Roma 16:23; Filemon 1, 22) EFilipi, eTesalonika naseKorinte, iindawo awayehlala kuzo uPawulos zaziba sisazulu awayelungiselela kuso imisebenzi yakhe yobuvangeli. EKorinte, uTitiyo Yusto wamamkela lo mpostile ekhayeni lakhe ukuze ahlale kulo ngoxa eqhubeka eshumayela.—IZenzo 18:7.
Abahlobo Abaninzi
Njengoko usenokuba ulindele, abantu awayeqhelene nabo uPawulos babekhunjulwa ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo ngenxa yeemeko ezingafaniyo awayedibene nabo bekuzo. Ngokomzekelo uMariya, uPersi, uFibhi, uTrifena, noTrifosa yayingoodade abanconywayo ngenxa yokubulaleka nokusebenza nzima kwabo. (Roma 16:1, 2, 6, 12) NguPawulos owabhaptiza uKrispo, uGayo kunye nendlu kaStefana. UDiyonisiyo noDamari basamkela kuye isigidimi senyaniso eAthene. (IZenzo 17:34; 1 Korinte 1:14, 16) UAndroniko noYuniya, “abantu abaphawulekayo phakathi kwabapostile” nababa ngamakholwa ngaphambi koPawulos, babizwa ngokuba ‘ngabathinjwa abangamadlelane’ akhe. Mhlawumbi babekhe baba sentolongweni kunye naye. NjengakuHerodiyon, uYason, uLukiyo noSosipatro, uPawulos ubiza la madoda mabini ngokuthi ‘zizalamane’ zakhe. (Roma 16:7, 11, 21) Ngoxa igama lesiGrike elisetyenziswe apha linokuthetha “amawabo,” intsingiselo eyintloko yalo yethi “izalamane zegazi zesizukulwana esinye.”
Uninzi lwabahlobo bakaPawulos lwaluhambahamba ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo. Phakathi kwawona maqabane akhe aziwayo, kwakukho uAkhayiko, uFortunato noStefana, abasuka eKorinte besinge e-Efese beye kucebisana noPawulos ngemeko yokomoya yebandla ababekulo. UArtemas noTikiko babekulungele ukuthabatha uhambo baye kudibana noTito, owayekhonza kwisiqithi saseKrete, yaye uZenas wayeza kuya noApolo.—1 Korinte 16:17; Tito 3:12, 13.
Bakho abo uPawulos asithela thsuphe iinkcukacha ezibangel’ umdla ngabo. Ngokomzekelo, sixelelwa ukuba uEpeneto ‘wayeyintlahlela eAsiya,’ uErasto ‘wayeligosa lesixeko’ saseKorinte, uLuka wayengugqirha, uLidiya wayethengisa ezimfusa, nokuba nguTertiyo owasetyenziswa nguPawulos ukubhala incwadi yakhe eyayisiya kwabaseRoma. (Roma 16:5, 22, 23; IZenzo 16:14; Kolose 4:14) Ezi nkcukachana zibangel’ umdla kuye nabani na ongathanda ukwazi okungakumbi ngaba bantu.
Amanye amaqabane kaPawulos afumana imiyalezo eya kuwo ngokungqalileyo, ngoku ebhalwe eBhayibhileni. Ngokomzekelo, kwincwadi yakhe eya kwabaseKolose, uPawulos wabongoza uArkipo esithi: “Hlala ubuphaphele ubulungiseleli owabamkelayo eNkosini, ukuze ubuzalisekise.” (Kolose 4:17) Kubonakala ukuba uWodiya noSintike babexabene. Ngaloo ndlela, uPawulos wababongoza esebenzisa ‘idlelane edyokhweni’ elingachazwanga ngagama awalithumela eFilipi esithi ‘mababe nengqondo efanayo eNkosini.’ (Filipi 4:2, 3) Ngokuqinisekileyo, eso sisiluleko esihle kuthi sonke.
Amxhasa Ngokunyaniseka Xa Wayesentolongweni
UPawulos wavalelwa entolongweni kangangezihlandlo eziliqela. (2 Korinte 11:23) Ngezo zihlandlo, amaKristu asekuhlaleni, ukuba ayekho kuloo ndawo, amele ukuba azama ukwenza konke okusemandleni awo ukumnceda anyamezele obo bunzima. Xa uPawulos wayebanjwa okokuqala eRoma, wavunyelwa ukuba aziqeshele indlu awayeza kuhlala kuyo iminyaka emibini ibe wayenokutyelelwa ngabahlobo bakhe. (IZenzo 28:30) Ebudeni belo xesha, wabhala iincwadi ezazisiya kwibandla lase-Efese, eFilipi, eKolose kunye neyayisiya kuFilemon. Ezi ncwadi zisixelela lukhulu ngabo babesondelelene noPawulos ngexesha awayesentolongweni ngalo.
Ngokomzekelo, sifumanisa ukuba uOnesimo, ikhoboka elaqhwesha kuFilemon, ladibana noPawulos eRoma, njengoTikiko, owayeza kupheleka uOnesimo xa ebuyela kwinkosi yakhe. (Kolose 4:7-9) Omnye yayinguEpafrodito, owahamba umgama omde esuka eFilipi esisa isipho esasivela kwibandla lakhe waza wagula. (Filipi 2:25; 4:18) UAristarko, uMarko noYesu owayebizwa ngokuba nguYusto babesebenza ngokusondeleyo noPawulos eRoma, ibe uPawulos wathetha wenjenje ngabo: “Ngaba kuphela abangabasebenzi abangamadlelane am ngenxa yobukumkani bukaThixo, yaye bona kanye aba baye baluncedo olomelezayo kum.” (Kolose 4:10, 11) Phakathi kwabo bonke aba bathembekileyo, kwakukho uTimoti noLuka ababesaziwa kakhulu, kunye noDemas owathi kamva, ngenxa yokuthanda ihlabathi, wamshiya uPawulos.—Kolose 1:1; 4:14; 2 Timoti 4:10; Filemon 24.
Kucacile ukuba akukho namnye kubo owayengowaseRoma, ukanti babekunye noPawulos ukuze bamkhuthaze. Mhlawumbi abanye babeye ngokukhethekileyo ukuze bamncede ngexesha esentolongweni. Ngokuqinisekileyo abanye babemenzela izinto, abanye bethunywa kwiindawo ezikude yaye abanye babesetyenziswa nguPawulos ukubhala iincwadi. Hayi indlela obubonakala ngokucacileyo ngayo ubunzulu bobuhlobo nendlela ababenyaniseke ngayo kuPawulos nakumsebenzi kaThixo!
Kumqukumbelo wezinye zeencwadi zikaPawulos, sifumanisa ukuba wayengqongwe ngabazalwana noodade abangamaKristu abangaphezulu lee kunabo sibazi ngamagama. Ngezinye izihlandlo, wayebhala athi: “Bonke abo bangcwele banithumelela imibuliso yabo” aze athi, “Bonke abo bakunye nam bakuthumelela imibuliso yabo.”—2 Korinte 13:13; Tito 3:15; Filipi 4:22.
Ebudeni besihlandlo esinzima sokuvalelwa okwesibini kukaPawulos eRoma yaye kubonakala ukuba uza kubulawelwa ukholo lwakhe, uPawulos wayecinga nzulu ngabasebenzi abangamadlelane naye. Ubuncinane umsebenzi wabanye babo wawusalathiswa yaye usonganyelwa nguye. UTito noTikiko babethunyiwe, uKreskens wayeye eGalati, uErasto wayeseKorinte, uTrofimo wayelele ngandletyana-nye eMileto, kodwa uMarko noTimoti babeza kuya kuye. Noko ke, uLuka wayekunye noPawulos, ibe xa lo mpostile wabhala incwadi yakhe yesibini eyayisiya kuTimoti, kwakukho namanye amakholwa amaninzi awathumela imibuliso yawo, aquka uYubhulo, uPudens, uLino noKlawudiya. Ngokuqinisekileyo ayesenza konke anako ukunceda uPawulos. Kwangaxeshanye, uPawulos wathumela imibuliso kuPriska noAkwila nakwabendlu kaOnesiforo. Noko ke, okulusizi kukuba ebudeni belo xesha lamanzithinzithi, uDemas wamshiya, yaye uAleksandire wamenza ububi obuninzi.—2 Timoti 4:9-21.
“Singabasebenzi Abangamadlelane KaThixo”
UPawulos wayengafane ahambe yedwa kumsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela. Umhlalutyi uE. Earle Ellis uthi: “Umfanekiso esiwuzotyelwayo ngowomvangeli owayenezinxulumani ezininzi. Okunene, kunqabile ukufumana uPawulos engekho kunye namaqabane akhe.” Ngolwalathiso lomoya oyingcwele kaThixo, uPawulos wakwazi ukugaya abantu abaninzi waza walungiselela amaphulo okuhambisa ivangeli awaba nemiphumo emihle. Wayengqongwe ngamaqabane asenyongweni, abo babemnceda okwexeshana, abanye bengqwabalala, yaye kukho neqela labakhonzi abathobekileyo. Ukanti, aba yayingengobantu nje awayesebenza nabo kuphela. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba babesebenza kangakanani na okanye benxulumene kangakanani na noPawulos, iqhina elaliyilwe luthando lobuKristu kunye nobuhlobo obusenyongwe laliqinile.
Umpostile uPawulos wayenento apha ebizwa ngokuba “bubuchule ekwakheni ubuhlobo.” Kuninzi awakwenzayo ukuze ase iindaba ezilungileyo kwiintlanga, kodwa akazange azame ukuwenza yedwa loo msebenzi. Wasebenzisana waza walisebenzisa ngokuzeleyo ibandla elilungelelanisiweyo lamaKristu. UPawulos akazange azingomb’ isifuba ngemiphumo eyabakho kodwa wavuma ngokuthobeka esithi ulikhoboka yaye lonke uzuko lufanele luye kuThixo kuba inguye okhulise oko.—1 Korinte 3:5-7; 9:16; Filipi 1:1.
Ixesha esiphila kulo lahlukile kwelikaPawulos, kodwa akukho namnye okwibandla lamaKristu namhlanje ofanele acinge ukuba unako yaye kufuneka azimele geqe. Kunoko, ngalo lonke ixesha sifanele sisebenze nentlangano kaThixo, nebandla lethu, kunye namanye amakholwa. Siyalufuna uncedo, inkxaso kunye nentuthuzelo yawo enoba sisebumnandini okanye sisebunzimeni. Sinikwe ilungelo lokuba yinxalenye ‘yomanyano lwabazalwana luphela ehlabathini.’ (1 Petros 5:9) Ukuba sisebenzisana nabo bonke ngokuthembeka nangothando, njengoPawulos, siya kukwazi ukuthi “singabasebenzi abangamadlelane kaThixo.”—1 Korinte 3:9.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 31]
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