Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-49—Kwabase-Efesu

Umlobi: UPawulu

Yalotshelwa: ERoma

Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-60–61 C.E.

1. UPawulu wayiloba nini futhi ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo incwadi eya kwabase-Efesu?

ZICABANGE usejele. Ulapho ngoba ushushiselwa umsebenzi wakho wentshiseko njengesithunywa sevangeli esingumKristu. Manje njengoba ungasenakukwazi ukuhamba futhi uvakashele amabandla ukuze uwaqinise, yini ozoyenza? Awunakubabhalela yini izincwadi labo abaye baba amaKristu ngenxa yomsebenzi wakho wokushumayela? Ingabe akunakwenzeka ukuthi bayazibuza ukuthi unjani, futhi ingabe mhlawumbe abasidingi isikhuthazo? Yiqiniso bayasidinga! Ngakho uqala ukubhala. Manje wenza lokho kanye umphostoli uPawulu akwenza lapho eboshwe eRoma okokuqala, cishe ngo-59-61 C.E. Wayedlulisele icala lakhe kuKesari, futhi nakuba ayesalindele ukuquliswa futhi eqashiwe, wayekhululekile ukwenza izinto ezithile. UPawulu wabhala incwadi yakhe eya “Kwabase-Efesu” eseRoma, cishe ngo-60 noma ngo-61 C.E., futhi wayithumela ngoThikhiku, owaphelezelwa uOnesimu.​—⁠Efe. 6:21; Kol. 4:​7-⁠9.

2, 3. Yini ekufakazela ngokungenakuphikwa ukuthi uPawulu owaloba, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, ifakazele ubuqiniso bencwadi yabase-Efesu?

² UPawulu uziveza njengomlobi walencwadi khona kanye emazwini okuqala futhi izikhathi ezine uzibiza ngokuthi ‘isiboshwa eNkosini.’ (Efe. 1:1; 3:​1, 13; 4:1; 6:20) Amaphuzu aphikisa ukuba kukaPawulu umlobi walencwadi aye aba yize. IChester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P⁴⁶), okukholelwa ukuthi ingeka-200 C.E., inamakhasi angu-86 avela kuyicodex equkethe izincwadi zikaPawulu. Phakathi kwazo kukhona incwadi eya kwabase-Efesu, kanjalo kubonisa ukuthi yayifakwa phakathi kwezincwadi zakhe ngalesosikhathi.

³ Ababhali bakuqala bezincwadi zenkolo bayavuma ukuthi uPawulu wayiloba lencwadi nokuthi yayiya “Kwabase-Efesu.” Ngokwesibonelo, uIrenaeus, wekhulu lesibili leminyaka C.E., wacaphuna abase-Efesu 5:​30 kanje: “Njengoba uPawulu obusisiwe esho encwadini eya kwabase-Efesu, ukuthi singamalungu omzimba wakhe.” UClement waseAlexandria, wenkathi efanayo, wacaphuna abase-Efesu 5:​21 lapho ebika: “Futhi ngalesosizathu, encwadini eya kwabase-Efesu uyabhala, Thobelanani ekwesabeni uNkulunkulu.” UOrigen, ebhala engxenyeni yokuqala yekhulu lesithathu leminyaka C.E., wacaphuna eyabase-Efesu 1:⁠4 lapho ethi: “Kodwa nomphostoli encwadini eya kwabase-Efesu, usebenzisa ulimi olufanayo lapho ethi, Owasikhetha ngaphambi kokusekelwa kwezwe.”a UEusebius, esinye isazi sakuqala somlando wamaKristu (owaphila cishe ngo-260-342 C.E.), ufaka incwadi yabase-Efesu ohlwini lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli, futhi nabaningi abanye ababhali bakuqala bezincwadi zenkolo babhekisela encwadini yabase-Efesu njengengxenye yemiBhalo ephefumlelwe.b

4. Yini eye yaholela ukuba abanye bacabange ukuthi incwadi yabase-Efesu yayiya kwenye indawo, kodwa ibuphi ubufakazi obusekela ukuthi yayiya e-Efesu?

⁴ IChester Beatty Papyrus, umBhalo Wesandla iVatican No. 1209, nomBhalo Wesandla iSinaitic ziyawakhipha amazwi athi “e-Efesu” esahlukweni 1, ivesi 1, kanjalo azibonisi ukuthi lencwadi yayiyaphi. Leliqiniso, kanye nokungabikho kwemikhonzo eya kubantu abahlukahlukene e-Efesu (nakuba uPawulu ayesebenze khona iminyaka emithathu), liye laholela abanye ukuba bacabange ukuthi kungenzeka lencwadi yayiya kwenye indawo noma okungenani kungenzeka ukuthi yayiya kuwo wonke amabandla aseAsia Minor, kuhlanganise ne-Efesu. Nokho, imibhalo eminingi yesandla iyalifaka igama elithi “e-⁠Efesu,” futhi njengoba sibonile ngenhla, ababhali bakuqala bezincwadi zenkolo bayamukela njengencwadi eyayiya kwabase-Efesu.

5. Yini eyayiphawuleka nge-Efesu yosuku lukaPawulu?

⁵ Ukwaziswa okuthile ngesimo sezinto kuzosisiza ukuba siqonde injongo yalencwadi. Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka leSikhathi Esivamile, iEfesu yayaziwa ngokuthakatha, ukwenza imilingo, ukufunda izinkanyezi, nokukhulekela kwayo unkulunkulukazi wenzalo uDiyana (Athemisi).c Eduze nesithombe salonkulunkulukazi, kwakumiswe ithempeli elihle elalibhekwa njengesinye sezimangaliso eziyisikhombisa zezwe lasendulo. Ngokokuvubukula okwenziwa kulesiza ngekhulu leminyaka le-19, lelithempeli lalakhiwe phezu kwepulatifomu engamamitha angu-73 ububanzi namamitha angu-127 ubude. Ithempeli ngokwalo lalicishe libe ngamamitha angu-50 ububanzi namamitha angu-105 ubude. Lalinezinsika zemabula eziyikhulu ezingaba amamitha angu-17 ukuphakama iyinye. Uphahla lwalumbozwe ngokhethe lwemabula emhlophe. Kuthiwa kwakusetshenziswe igolide esikhundleni sikakhonkolo lapho kuhlangana khona amabhuloki emabula. Lelithempeli lalikhanga izivakashi ezivela kuwo wonke umhlaba, futhi kwakugcwala izivakashi ezifinyelela emakhulwini ezinkulungwane kulomuzi ngezikhathi zemikhosi. Abakhi bezinto zesiliva base-Efesu babeqhuba ibhizinisi elinemali ngokuthengisela ababezokhuleka amathempeli amancane esiliva kaDiyana njengezikhumbuzo.

6. Wawungakanani umsebenzi kaPawulu e-Efesu?

⁶ UPawulu wayehlale isikhashana e-Efesu ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lobuthunywa bevangeli ukuze ashumayele wayeseshiya uAkwila noPrisila lapho ukuba baqhubeke nomsebenzi. (IzE. 18:​18-21) Wabuyela khona ngohambo lwakhe lwesithathu lobuthunywa bevangeli futhi wahlala iminyaka emithathu, eshumayela efundisa ‘iNdlela’ kwabaningi. (IzE. 19:​8-10; 20:​31) UPawulu wasebenza kanzima ngesikhathi ese-Efesu. Encwadini yakhe ethi Daily Life in Bible Times, uA. E. Bailey uyabhala: “Umkhuba kaPawulu kwakuwukwenza umsebenzi wakhe wokuziphilisa kusukela ekuphumeni kwelanga kuze kushaye u-11:​00 a.m. (IzEnzo 20:​34, 35) okuyisikhathi uTiranu ayesuke eseqedile ngaso ukufundisa; khona-ke kusukela ngo-11:​00 a.m. kuya ku-⁠4:​00 p.m. ashumayele ehholo, abambe imihlangano nabasizi bakhe, . . . khona-ke ekugcineni wayefuna abalandeli ngevangeli endlini ngendlu kusukela ngo-⁠4:​00 p.m. kuze kube sebusuku impela. (IzEnzo 20:​20, 21, 31) Umuntu uyazibuza ukuthi wayesithola nini isikhathi sokudla nesokulala.”​—⁠1943, ikhasi 308.

7. Waba yini umphumela wokushumayela kukaPawulu kwentshiseko?

⁷ Phakathi nalokhu kushumayela kwentshiseko, uPawulu wadalula ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhulekeleni. Lokhu kwabathukuthelisa labo ababezenza futhi bezithengisa, njengomkhandi wesiliva uDemetriyu, futhi kulesosiphithiphithi ekugcineni uPawulu kwadingeka ukuba ahambe kulomuzi.​—⁠IzE. 19:​23–20:⁠1.

8. Incwadi kaPawulu eya kwabase-Efesu yayifike ngesikhathi ngokuqondene namaphi amaphuzu?

⁸ Manje, njengoba esejele, uPawulu ucabanga ngezinkinga ibandla lase-Efesu elibhekene nazo, njengoba lizungezwe abakhulekeli abangamaqaba futhi bephansi kwethunzi lethempeli likaDiyana elisabekayo. Ngokungangabazeki lamaKristu agcotshiwe ayewudinga umfanekiso ofanelekayo uPawulu manje awanika wona, ebonisa ukuthi akha “ithempeli elingcwele,” uJehova ahlala kulo ngomoya wakhe. (Efe. 2:​21) “Imfihlakalo engcwele” eyambulelwa abase-Efesu, eqondene nokuphatha kukaNkulunkulu (indlela yakhe yokusingatha izindaba zendlu yakhe) ayobuyisela ngakho ubunye nokuthula ngoJesu Kristu, ngokungangabazeki yayiyisikhuthazo nenduduzo enkulu kubo. (1:⁠9, 10, qhathanisa neNW.) UPawulu ugcizelela ubunye bamaJuda nabeZizwe kuKristu. Unxusela ubunye. Kanjalo, manje singayiqonda injongo, usizo, nokuphefumlelwa okusobala kwalencwadi.

OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YABASE-EFESU

9. UNkulunkulu uye walwenza kanjani uthando lwakhe lwaba lukhulu, futhi yini uPawulu ayithandazelayo?

⁹ Injongo kaNkulunkulu yokwakha ubunye ngoKristu (1:1–2:22). UPawulu umphostoli uthumela imikhonzo. UNkulunkulu kumelwe adunyiswe ngomusa wakhe okhazimulayo ongasifanele. Lomusa uhlangene nokubakhetha kwaKhe ukuba babe sebunyeni noJesu Kristu, abakhululwa ngaye ngesihlengo segazi lakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu uye wenza uthando lwakhe ngabo lwaba lukhulu ngokuyenza yaziwe imfihlakalo engcwele yentando yakhe. Ngoba uye wahlosa indlela yokuphatha, ‘ukuhlanganisela konke ndawonye kuKristu,’ ebunyeni kanye nalowo ababelwa ukuba izindlalifa kanye naye futhi. (1:​10) Njengesibonakaliso salokhu, baye babekwa uphawu ngomoya ongcwele. UPawulu uthandazela ukuba baqiniseke ngokuqinile ngethemba ababizelwe kulo futhi baqaphele ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosebenzisa kubo wona lawomandla awasebenzisa ekuvuseni uKristu nasekumbekeni phezu kwabo bonke ohulumeni namagunya nasekumenzeni iNhloko phezu kwazo zonke izinto ebandleni.

10. Abase-Efesu babe kanjani “munye nabangcwele”?

¹⁰ UNkulunkulu, ngobuningi bobubele bakhe nangothando lwakhe olukhulu, ubaphilisile, nakuba babefile emaphutheni nasezonweni zabo, futhi uye wabahlalisa ndawonye “embusweni wezulu kuKristu Jesu.” (2:⁠6) Konke lokhu kube ngenxa yomusa ongabafanele nokholo futhi akungenxa yanoma imiphi imisebenzi yabo siqu. UKristu ungukuthula kwabo oye wadiliza udonga, uMthetho wemiyalo, olwaluhlukanise abeZizwe kumaJuda. Manje bonke labantu bangasondela kuBaba ngoKristu. Ngakho abase-Efesu abasebona abafokazi, kodwa ‘sebembuso munye nabangcwele’ futhi bakhulela ekubeni ithempeli elingcwele lokuba uJehova ahlale kulo ngomoya.​—⁠2:⁠19.

11. Iyini ‘imfihlakalo engcwele,’ futhi yini uPawulu ayithandazelayo ngabase-Efesu?

¹¹ ‘Imfihlakalo engcwele kaKristu’ (3:​1-21, qhathanisa neNW.). Manje uNkulunkulu uye wambulela abaphostoli abangcwele nabaprofethi bakhe ‘imfihlakalo engcwele kaKristu . . . ukuthi abezizwe bayizindlalifa kanye nathi, nokuthi bamzimba munye nathi, nokuthi bangabahlanganyeli besithembiso kanye nathi kuKristu Jesu ngevangeli.’ (3:​4, 6) Ngomusa kaNkulunkulu ongamfanele, uPawulu uye waba isikhonzi salokhu, ukumemezela ingcebo kaKristu engaphenyekiyo nokwenza abantu babone indlela imfihlakalo engcwele eqondiswa ngayo. Inhlakanipho kaNkulunkulu ehlukahlukene kakhulu yenziwa yaziwe ngebandla. Ngenxa yalokhu, uPawulu uthandazela ukuba benziwe babe namandla ngomoya kaNkulunkulu ukuze balwazi ngokugcwele uthando lukaKristu, oludlula ulwazi, futhi baqaphele ukuthi uNkulunkulu ‘angenza okukhulu kakhulu kunakho konke esikucelayo nesikuqondayo.’​—⁠3:⁠20.

12. (a) AmaKristu kufanele ahambe kanjani, futhi ngani? (b) Iziphi izipho uKristu azinikezile, futhi ngayiphi injongo? (c) Yini ehileleke ekwembatheni “ubuntu obusha”?

¹² Ukwembatha “ubuntu obusha” (4:1–5:​20, qhathanisa neNW.). AmaKristu kufanele ahambe njengokufanele ubizo lwawo, ngokuthobeka, ngokubhekakade nangothando, nasesibophweni esihlanganisayo sokuthula. Ngoba kukhona umoya owodwa, ithemba elilodwa, ukholo olulodwa, ‘noNkulunkulu oyedwa, uYise wabo bonke, ophezu kwabo bonke, okubo bonke, ophakathi kwabo bonke.’ (4:⁠6) Ngakho uKristu, ‘iNkosi eyodwa,’ ulungiselele abaprofethi, abavangeli, abelusi, nabafundisi, “ukuze abangcwele bapheleliselwe umsebenzi wokukhonza, kwakhiwe umzimba kaKristu.” Ngakho, kubhala uPawulu, ‘sikhuluma iqiniso ngothando, masikhulele ngakho konke kuye oyinhloko, uKristu,’ njengomzimba ohlanganiswe ndawonye ngokuzwana ilungu ngalinye libambisana namanye. (4:​5, 12, 15) Izindlela zokuziphatha okubi, ezingenanzuzo, nezokungazi zobuntu obudala kumelwe zilahlwe; umuntu ngamunye kufanele enziwe musha emandleni ashukumisa ingqondo yakhe futhi “embathe [ubuntu obusha oba]dalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.” Ngenxa yokuthi yilowo nalowo usengowomunye, kumelwe bakhulume iqiniso futhi balahle ulaka, ukweba, izinkulumo ezibolile, nenzondo eyingozi​—⁠bangawudabukisi umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. Esikhundleni salokho, ‘mabaphathane ngobumnene, bahawukelane, bathethelelane, njengoba noNkulunkulu abathethelela ngoKristu.’​—⁠4:​24, 32.

13. Ukuze umuntu abe umlingisi kaNkulunkulu, yini okumelwe ayenze?

¹³ Bonke kufanele babe abalingisi bakaNkulunkulu. Ubufebe, ukungcola nokuhaha akufanele kuphathwe ngisho nokuphathwa phakathi kwabo, ngoba abenza izinto ezinjalo abanalo ifa eMbusweni. UPawulu uyala abase-Efesu: “Hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya.” “Bhekisisani” ukuthi nihamba kanjani, nithengisisa isikhathi, “ngokuba izinsuku zimbi.” Yebo, kumelwe ‘baqonde okuyintando yeNkosi’ futhi bakhulume ngezindumiso zikaNkulunkulu ngendlela yokubonga.​—⁠5:​8, 15-⁠17.

14. Iyini imithwalo yemfanelo amadoda nabafazi abanayo?

¹⁴ Ukuzithoba okufanele; impi yobuKristu (5:​21–6:​24). Abafazi kufanele bathobele amadoda abo, njengoba ibandla lithobela uKristu, futhi amadoda kufanele aqhubeke ethanda omkawo, “njengalokho noKristu ulithandile ibandla.” Ngokufanayo, “umfazi makahloniphe indoda yakhe.”​—⁠5:​25, 33.

15. Siyini iseluleko sikaPawulu ngokuqondene nabantwana nabazali, izigqila namakhosi, nezikhali zobuKristu?

¹⁵ Abantwana kufanele bahlale ngobunye nabazali babo, ngokulalela nangokusabela ekuyalweni kwaphezulu. Izigqila namakhosi kufanele baziphathe ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu, ngoba iNkosi yabo bonke “isezulwini, [futhi] ukukhetha umuntu akukho ku[yo].” Ekugcineni, bonke ‘mabaqine eNkosini nasemandleni ayo amakhulu,’ bahlome zonke izikhali ezivela kuNkulunkulu ukuze bakwazi ukumelana noDeveli beqinile. “Kukho konke nithathe isihlangu sokukholwa,” “nenkemba kaMoya eyizwi likaNkulunkulu.” Qhubekani nithandaza, futhi nihlale niphapheme. UPawulu ucela ukuba naye bamthandazele, ukuze ngenkululeko yonke yokukhuluma ‘ashumayele ngesibindi imfihlakalo yevangeli.’​—⁠6:​9, 10, 16, 17, 19.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO

16. Imiphi imibuzo enezimpendulo eziwusizo encwadini yabase-Efesu, futhi yini eshiwoyo ngobuntu obujabulisa uNkulunkulu?

¹⁶ Incwadi eya kwabase-Efesu ithinta cishe zonke izici zokuphila komKristu. Ngenxa yokwanda okusheshayo kwezinkinga ezicindezelayo nokungalaleli emhlabeni, iseluleko sikaPawulu esinengqondo nesiwusizo sinenzuzo yangempela kulabo abafisa ukuphila ukuphila kokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Abantwana kufanele baziphathe kanjani kubazali babo, nabazali kubantwana babo? Iyini imithwalo yemfanelo yendoda kumkayo, neyomfazi endodeni yakhe? Yini abantu ngabanye ebandleni okumelwe bayenze ukuze balondoloze ubunye othandweni nobumsulwa bobuKristu phakathi kwezwe elibi? Iseluleko sikaPawulu sihlanganisa yonke lemibuzo, futhi uyaqhubeka ebonisa lokho okuhilelekile ekwembatheni ubuntu obusha bobuKristu. Ngokutadisha incwadi yabase-Efesu, wonke umuntu angakwazi ukuluqonda ngempela uhlobo lobuntu oluthokozisa uNkulunkulu nalolo ‘oludalwe ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.’​—⁠4:​24-32; 6:​1-4; 5:​3-5, 15-20, 22-⁠33.

17. Incwadi yabase-Efesu ibonisani ngokuphathelene nokuhambisana namalungiselelo ebandleni?

¹⁷ Lencwadi futhi ibonisa injongo yokumiswa ezikhundleni nezabelo ebandleni. Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuba “abangcwele bapheleliselwe umsebenzi wokukhonza, kwakhiwe umzimba kaKristu,” ngenjongo yokuvuthwa. Ngokubambisana ngokugcwele nalamalungiselelo ebandla, umKristu ‘ngothando angakhulela ngakho konke kuye oyinhloko, uKristu.’​—⁠4:​12, 15.

18. Yini ecaciswayo ngokuqondene ‘nemfihlakalo engcwele’ nethempeli elingokomoya?

¹⁸ Incwadi yabase-Efesu yalizuzisa kakhulu ibandla lokuqala ekuloleni ukuqonda kwalo ‘imfihlakalo engcwele kaKristu.’ Lapha kwenziwe kwacaca ukuthi kanye namaJuda akholwayo, “abezizwe” babebizwa ukuba babe ‘yizindlalifa nawo, babe mzimba munye nawo, futhi babe abahlanganyeli besithembiso kanye nawo kuKristu Jesu ngevangeli.’ Udonga oluhlukanisayo, “umthetho wemiyalo,” olwaluhlukanise abeZizwe kumaJuda lwase lususiwe, futhi manje ngegazi likaKristu, bonke base beyizakhamuzi zandawonye ezingcwele futhi bengamalungu endlu kaNkulunkulu. Ngokuphambene kakhulu nethempeli lobuqaba lika-Athemisi, laba babakhiwa kanyekanye ebunyeni noKristu Jesu benziwa indawo kaNkulunkulu yokuhlala ngomoya​—⁠“ithempeli elingcwele likaJehova.”​—⁠3:​4, 6; 2:​15, 21, NW.

19. Iliphi ithemba nesikhuthazo incwadi yabase-Efesu eqhubeka ikunikeza kuze kube yilolusuku?

¹⁹ Ngokuqondene ‘nemfihlakalo engcwele,’ uPawulu wakhuluma futhi ‘ngehlelo lokuba kuhlanganiselwe ndawonye kuKristu konke okusezulwini [labo abakhethelwe ukuba seMbusweni wasezulwini] nokusemhlabeni [labo abazophila emhlabeni ngaphansi koMbuso].’ Kanjalo kuqokonyiswa injongo enhle kaNkulunkulu yokubuyisela ukuthula nobunye. Ngokuqondene nalokhu uPawulu wathandazela abase-Efesu, abamehlo ezinhliziyo zabo aye akhanyiselwa, ukuze baliqonde ngokugcwele ithemba uNkulunkulu ababizele kulo futhi babone “ingcebo yenkazimulo yefa lakhe kubo abangcwele.” Kumelwe ukuba lamazwi abakhuthaza kakhulu ethembeni labo. Futhi lencwadi ephefumlelwe eya kwabase-Efesu iyaqhubeka ilakha ibandla kulolusuku, ukuze ‘sigcwaliswe kube-ngukugcwala konke kukaNkulunkulu.’​—⁠1:​9-11, 18; 3:⁠19.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]