UTimoti “Umntwana Wokwenene Elukholweni”

NGOKWENTELEKISO wayesemncinane uTimoti xa umpostile ongumKristu uPawulos wamkhetha njengeqabane lakhe elihambahambayo. Oku kwaba kukuqalisa kobuqabane obabuza kuqhubeka kangangeminyaka enokuba li-15. Ulwalamano olwakhulayo phakathi kwala madoda mabini lwada lwabangela ukuba uPawulos akwazi ukubiza uTimoti ngokuthi “umntwana wam oyintanda nothembekileyo eNkosini” yaye athi “umntwana wokwenene elukholweni.”​—⁠1 Korinte 4:​17; 1 Timoti 1:⁠2.

Yintoni awayenayo uTimoti kubuntu bakhe, le yabangela ukuba athandwe kangaka nguPawulos? Kwenzeka njani ukuze uTimoti abe sisinxulumani esixabiseke kangaka? Yaye ziziphi izinto eziyingenelo esinokuzifunda kwingxelo ephefumlelweyo yoko kwenziwa nguTimoti?

Ukhethwa NguPawulos

UPawulos wafumana lo mfundi uselula uTimoti xa lo mpostile wayetyelele eListra (kule mihla eyiTurkey) kuhambo lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli malunga nowama-50 C.E. Kusenokuba wayesele eza kugqiba iminyaka yeshumi elivisayo okanye esebutsheni beyama-20, uTimoti kwanikelwa ingxelo entle ngaye ngamaKristu aseListra naseIkoniyo. (IZenzo 16:​1-⁠3) Waphila ngokuvisisana negama lakhe, elithetha ukuthi “Lowo Uhlonela UThixo.” Ukususela ebusaneni, uTimoti wafundiswa iZibhalo Ezingcwele nguninakhulu uLoyisi nonina uYunike. (2 Timoti 1:⁠5; 3:​14, 15) Mhlawumbi babamkela ubuKristu ebudeni botyelelo lokuqala lukaPawulos kweso sixeko sabo kwiminyaka eliqela ngaphambili. Ngoku, ngenxa yokusebenza komoya oyingcwele, okuthile okwaxelwa kwangaphambili kwabonisa indlela elaliya kuba yiyo ikamva likaTimoti. (1 Timoti 1:​18) Ngokuvumelana nolo lwalathiso, uPawulos namadoda amakhulu ebandla balibeka izandla eli tyendyana, ngaloo ndlela belimisela ngokukhethekileyo kwinkonzo ethile, yaye umpostile wamkhetha njengeqabane lakhe kubuvangeli.​—⁠1 Timoti 4:​14; 2 Timoti 1:⁠6.

Ekubeni uyise wayengumGrike ongakholwayo, uTimoti wayengaluswanga. Kakade ke, oku kwakungeyomfuneko kumaKristu. Noko ke, ukuze asuse oko kwakungumqobo kuloo maYuda babeza kuwatyelela, uTimoti wazincama kuloo nkqubo ibuhlungu.​—⁠IZenzo 16:⁠3.

Ngaba uTimoti wayegqalwa njengomYuda ngaphambili? Bambi abaphengululi bathi ngokwegunya loorabhi, “ubume bomntwana womtshato phakathi kweentlanga ezahlukeneyo babumiselwa ngonina, kungekhona uyise.” Nto leyo ethetha ukuthi, “ibhinqa elingumYuda lizala abantwana abangamaYuda.” Sekunjalo, umbhali uShaye Cohen uyathandabuza ukuba loo “mthetho unjalo woorabhi wawusele ukho kwinkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo” kwanokuba wawusetyenziswa na ngamaYuda aseAsia Minor. Emva kokuqwalasela ubungqina bembali, wagqiba kwelokuba xa amadoda eeNtlanga etshate namabhinqa angamaSirayeli, “abantwana baloo mitshato babegqalwa njengamaSirayeli kuphela xa loo ntsapho ihlala phakathi kwamaSirayeli. Umlibo wokuzalwa wawuba ngokanina xa behlala kwilizwe lakowabo. Xa ibhinqa elingumSirayeli lifudukele kwilizwe lomyeni walo weeNtlanga, abantwana balo babegqalwa njengabeeNtlanga.” Enoba imeko iyintoni na, ukuba nabazali abangumxube kukaTimoti kumele ukuba kwaba yingenelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Wayengayi kuba nangxaki ekuzayamaniseni namaYuda okanye nabeeNtlanga, mhlawumbi oko kwamnceda ekuvaleni umsantsa owawukho phakathi kwabo.

Utyelelo lukaPawulos eListra lwabangela inguqulelo enkulu kubomi bukaTimoti. Ukuvuma kweli tyendyana ukulandela ukhokelo lomoya oyingcwele nokusebenzisana ngentobeko nabadala abangamaKristu kwalikhokelela kwiintsikelelo ezinkulu namalungelo enkonzo. Enoba wayekuqonda oko ngelo xesha okanye akunjalo, ngaphantsi kolwalathiso lukaPawulos uTimoti kamva wayeza kusetyenziswa kwisabelo esibalulekileyo sobuthixo, ahambe naye baye kude beshiya ikhaya eliseRoma, isixeko esilikomkhulu sobu bukhosi.

UTimoti Wahambisela Phambili Izilangazelelo ZoBukumkani

Sinenxalenye nje kuphela yengxelo yomsebenzi kaTimoti, kodwa wahambahamba ngokubanzi ehambisela phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani. Uhambo lokuqala lukaTimoti noPawulos noSilas ngowama-50 C.E. lwamtyhubelisa iAsia Minor ukuya kungena eYurophu. Apho waba nesabelo kwiphulo lokushumayela eFilipi, eTesalonika naseBhereya. Emva kwenkcaso eyabangela ukuba uPawulos adlule aye eAthene, uTimoti noSilas basala ngasemva eBhereya ukuze banyamekele iqela labafundi elalisandul’ ukusekwa apho. (IZenzo 16:⁠6–17:​14) Kamva, uPawulos wamthumela eTesalonika uTimoti ukuze omeleze ibandla elitsha elalilapho. UTimoti weza neendaba ezimnandi eziphathelele inkqubela yalo xa wadibana noPawulos eKorinte.​—⁠IZenzo 18:⁠5; 1 Tesalonika 3:​1-⁠7.

IZibhalo azisichazeli ukuba uTimoti wahlala ixesha elingakanani nabaseKorinte. (2 Korinte 1:​19) Noko ke, mhlawumbi malunga nowama-55 C.E., uPawulos wagqiba ekubeni amthumele kubo kwakhona ngenxa yeendaba ezimbi awazivayo ngemeko yabo. (1 Korinte 4:​17; 16:​10) Kamva, ehamba noErasto, uTimoti wathunyelwa eMakedoniya esuka e-Efese. Yaye xa uPawulos wayebhalela abaseRoma eseKorinte, uTimoti wayesel’ ephinde wakunye naye.​—⁠IZenzo 19:​22; Roma 16:⁠21.

UTimoti nabanye bayishiya iKorinte noPawulos xa wayesiya eYerusalem, yaye bampheleka lo mpostile ubuncinane ukuya kutsho eTrowa. Akwaziwa enoba uTimoti waqhubeka waya kufika eYerusalem kusini na. Kodwa ukhankanyiwe kwintshayelelo yeencwadi ezintathu zikaPawulos awazibhala esentolongweni eRoma malunga nowama-60-61 C.E.a (IZenzo 20:⁠4; Filipi 1:⁠1; Kolose 1:⁠1; Filemon 1) UPawulos wayeceba ukuba amthumele uTimoti esuka eRoma aye eFilipi. (Filipi 2:​19) Yaye emva kokukhululwa kukaPawulos entolongweni, uTimoti wasala e-Efese ngokolwalathiso lwalo mpostile.​—⁠1 Timoti 1:⁠3.

Ekubeni ukuhambahamba kwinkulungwane yokuqala kwakungeyonto ilula netofotofo, ukuvuma kukaTimoti ukuthabatha olo hambo kaninzi ngenxa yamabandla kwakuncomeka ngokwenene. (Bona ibhokisi, kwiMboniselo ka-Agasti 15, 1996, iphepha 29.) Khawucinge nje ngolunye uhambo lwakhe olunye olwaba yingenelo noko kusixelela kona oku ngoTimoti.

Ukuqonda Ubuntu BukaTimoti

UTimoti wayeseRoma noPawulos xa lo mpostile wayesentolongweni ebhalela amaKristu awayetshutshiswa eFilipi yaye wathi: “Ndithemba eNkosini uYesu ukuthumela uTimoti kuni kwakamsinya, ukuze ndibe ngumphefumlo ochwayitileyo xa ndithe ndazazi izinto eziphathelele nina. Kuba andinabani ungomnye onotyekelo olunjengolwakhe oya kuzinyamekela ngokwenene izinto eziphathelele nina. Kuba bonke abanye bafuna izilangazelelo zabo, kungekhona ezo zikaKristu Yesu. Kodwa niyabazi ubungqina awabunikelayo ngaye siqu, ukuba njengomntwana okunye noyise waba likhoboka kunye nam ekuhambiseleni ngokubhekele phaya iindaba ezilungileyo.”​—⁠Filipi 1:​1, 13, 28-30; 2:​19-⁠22.

Loo mazwi abethelela into yokuba uTimoti wayebaxhalabele abo akholwa nabo. Ngaphandle kokuba wayehamba ngesikhephe, olo hambo lwaluthabatha iintsuku ezingama-40 ngeenyawo ukusuka eRoma ukusa eFilipi, kwindlela emfutshane enqumla kuLwandle lweAdriatic, kwanezinye iintsuku ezingama-40 ukubuyela eRoma. UTimoti wayekulungele ukwenza konke oko ukuze akhonze abazalwana noodade.

Nangona uTimoti wayehambahamba ngokubanzi, maxa wambi wayekhathazwa yimpilo. Kubonakala ukuba wayenengxaki ethile yesisu yaye wayesiba “nezihlandlo zokugula . . . ngokufuthi.” (1 Timoti 5:​23) Sekunjalo wayezibhokoxa ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo. Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba uPawulos abe wayenolwalamano olusenyongweni ngolo hlobo naye!

Phantsi kolwalathiso lwalo mpostile namava abawatyhubela kunye, kuyacaca ukuba uTimoti waba nobuntu obufana nobukaPawulos. Ngaloo ndlela, uPawulos wayenokukwazi ukuthi kuye: “Wena uyilandele ngokusondeleyo imfundiso yam, ikhondo lam lobomi, injongo yam, ukholo lwam, ukuzeka kade umsindo kwam, uthando lwam, unyamezelo lwam, iintshutshiso zam, iimbandezelo zam, uhlobo lwezinto ezenzeka kum kwa-Antiyokwe, eIkoniyo, eListra, uhlobo lweentshutshiso endizinyamezeleyo.” UTimoti wayelila kunye noPawulos, ethandaza naye yaye elikhoboka naye ekuhambiseleni phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani.​—⁠2 Timoti 1:​3, 4; 3:​10, 11.

UPawulos wakhuthaza uTimoti ukuba angavumeli ‘mntu ukuba abujongele phantsi ubutsha bakhe.’ Oku kusenokubonisa ukuba uTimoti wayeneentloni ngandlela ithile, ethandabuza ukusebenzisa igunya lakhe. (1 Timoti 4:​12; 1 Korinte 16:​10, 11) Noko ke, wayekwazi ukuzimela ngenkqay’ elangeni, yaye ngentembelo uPawulos wayemthuma kuthumo oluneembopheleleko. (1 Tesalonika 3:​1, 2) Xa uPawulos waphawula ukuba kukho intswelo yolwalathiso lobuthixo olomeleleyo kwibandla lase-Efese, wabongoza uTimoti ukuba asale apho ukuze ‘ayalele abathile ukuba bangafundisi imfundiso eyahlukileyo.’ (1 Timoti 1:⁠3) Noko ke, nakuba wayephathiswe iimbopheleleko ezininzi, uTimoti wayethozamile. Yaye phezu kwako nakuphi na ukuba neentloni kwakhe, wayenenkalipho. Ngokomzekelo, waya eRoma ukuze ancedise uPawulos owayeseluvavanyweni ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Enyanisweni, kwanoTimoti wakha waphoswa ngaphaya kwezitshixo, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba kwakungenxa yesizathu esifanayo.​—⁠Hebhere 13:⁠23.

Ngokungathandabuzekiyo uTimoti wafunda okuninzi kuPawulos. Uxabiso awayenalo lo mpostile ngalo msebenzi ulidlelane lakhe luboniswa ngokuphandle sisibakala sokumbhalela kwakhe iincwadi ezimbini eziphefumlelwe nguThixo ezifumaneka kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Malunga nowama-65 C.E., xa uPawulos wayeqonda ukuba ukufela ukholo kwakhe kwakusondele, kwakhona wabiza uTimoti. (2 Timoti 4:​6, 9) IZibhalo azisichazeli enoba uTimoti wakwazi kusini na ukumbona uPawulos ngaphambi kokuba abulawe.

Zenze Ufumaneke!

Kuninzi okunokufundwa kumzekelo omhle kaTimoti. Wangenelwa ngokungathethekiyo kunxulumano lwakhe noPawulos, wakhula esuka ekubeni ngumntu oneentloni waza waba ngumveleli. Amadoda namabhinqa angamaKristu aselula anokungenelwa kunxulumano olufanayo namhlanje. Yaye ukuba inkonzo kaYehova ayenza usukelo lwawo, aya kuba nokuninzi kokwenza kulo msebenzi uvuzayo. (1 Korinte 15:​58) Asenokuba ngoovulindlela, okanye abashumayeli bexesha elizeleyo kumabandla awo, okanye asenokukwazi ukukhonza apho kukho imfuneko enkulu khona yabavakalisi boBukumkani. Phakathi kwezinye izinto anokuzenza ngumsebenzi wobuvangeli kwelinye ilizwe okanye inkonzo kwikomkhulu lehlabathi leWatch Tower Society okanye kwelinye lamaSebe alo. Kakade ke, onke amaKristu anokubonisa umoya ofana nalowo waboniswa nguTimoti, ngokunikela inkonzo yomphefumlo uphela kuYehova.

Ngaba unqwenela ukuqhubeka ukhula ngokomoya, ukuze usebenziseke kwintlangano kaYehova ngawo nawuphi na umkhamo asenokuwugqala ukufanele? Ngoko ke yenza njengokuba uTimoti wenzayo. Zenze ufumaneke kangangoko kunokwenzeka. Ngubani owaziyo amalungelo enkonzo asenokukuvulelekela kwixesha elizayo?

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

“Andinabani ungomnye onotyekelo olunjengolwakhe”