Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-55—2 Thimothewu
Umlobi: UPawulu
Yalotshelwa: ERoma
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-65 C.E.
1. Yiluphi ushushiso olwaqubuka eRoma cishe ngo-64 C.E., futhi ngenxa yani ebonakala iyisizathu?
UPAWULU wayesephindile futhi waba yisiboshwa eRoma. Nokho, izimo zalokhu kuboshwa kwesibili zazinzima kakhulu kunezokuqala. Cishe kwakungu-65 C.E. IRoma laliqothulwe umlilo omkhulu ngoJuly 64 C.E., owabangela umonakalo omkhulu ezifundeni ezingu-10 kwezingu-14 zalomuzi. Ngokwesazi-mlando esingumRoma uTacitus, uMbusi uNero akakwazanga “ukunqanda inkolelo yamanga yokuthi lomlilo wawuwumphumela womyalo. Ngakho-ke, ukuze azikhulule kulombiko, uNero wabhaceka icala eqenjini elalizondwa ngenxa yezenzo zalo ezenyanyekayo, umphakathi owawulibiza ngokuthi amaKristu, futhi walishushisa kabuhlungu ngokwedlulele. . . . Amaningi kakhulu aboshwa, hhayi nje ngenxa yecala lokuthungela umuzi ngomlilo, kodwa ikakhulukazi nangenxa yokuthi azonda isintu. Ukufa kwawo kwahambisana nezigcono zalo lonke uhlobo. Embozwe ngezikhumba zezilwane, ayedephulwa yizinja futhi afe, noma abethelwe eziphambanweni, noma aphonswe emalangabini futhi ashe, ukuze abe yinkanyiso yasebusuku, lapho ukukhanya kwemini kungasekho. UNero wanikela ngezingadi zakhe ukuba kwenzelwe kuzo lombukwane . . . Kwase kuba nomuzwa wozwela; ngoba babengasabulawa ukuze kuzuze umphakathi njengoba kwakubonakalala kunjalo, kodwa ukuze kwaneliswe unya lomuntu oyedwa.”a
2. UPawulu wayiloba ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo incwadi yesiBili KuThimothewu, futhi kungani ekhuluma ngokwazisa ngo-Onesiforu?
2 Ngokunokwenzeka cishe kwakuphakathi naleligagasi loshushiso lobudlova lapho uPawulu aphinda wazithola eyisiboshwa eRoma. Okwamanje wayeboshwe ngamaketanga. Wayengalindele ukukhululwa kodwa wayemane elindele isahlulelo sokugcina nokubulawa. Izivakashi zazimbalwa. Ngempela, nganoma ubani ukuba azibonakalise obala njengomKristu kwakuwukuzifaka engozini yokubulawa nokufa ngokuhlushwa. Kungakho uPawulu wayengabhala ngokwazisa ngesivakashi sakhe esasivela e-Efesu: “INkosi mayinike indlu kaOnesiforu umusa, ngokuba wangihlumelela kaningi, wayengenamahloni ngeketanga lami, kepha esefikile eRoma wangifunisisa, wangifumana.” (2 Thim. 1:16, 17) Ebhala ngaphansi kwethunzi lokufa, uPawulu uzibiza ngokuthi “umphostoli kaKristu Jesu ngentando kaNkulunkulu ngokwesithembiso sokuphila okukuKristu Jesu.” (1:1) UPawulu wayazi ukuthi wayelindelwe ukuphila kanye noKristu. Wayeshumayele emizini eminingi emikhulu yezwe elalaziwa, kusukela eJerusalema kuya eRoma, futhi mhlawumbe kuze kufike eSpaniya. (Roma 15:24, 28) Wayegijimile ibanga ngokwethembeka waze waliqeda.—2 Thim. 4:6-8.
3. Yalotshwa nini incwadi yesiBili KuThimothewu, futhi iye yawazuzisa kanjani amaKristu phakathi neminyaka?
3 Lencwadi yalotshwa cishe ngo-65 C.E., ngokushesha ngaphambi kokufel’ ukholo kukaPawulu. Ngokunokwenzeka uThimothewu wayesese-Efesu, ngoba uPawulu wayemkhuthaze ukuba ahlale lapho. (1 Thim. 1:3) Manje, kabili uPawulu unxusa uThimothewu ukuba eze kuye ngokushesha, futhi umcela ukuba eze noMarku, kanye nejazi nezincwadi uPawulu akushiya eTrowa. (2 Thim. 4:9, 11, 13, 21) Njengoba yalotshwa ngesikhathi esibucayi kanjalo, lencwadi yayiqukethe isikhuthazo esinamandla kuThimothewu, futhi kusukela ngalesosikhathi iye yaqhubeka inikeza isikhuthazo esinenzuzo kumaKristu eqiniso abo bonke ubudala.
4. Yini ebonisa ukuthi incwadi yesiBili KuThimothewu iyiqiniso futhi iyingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli?
4 Incwadi yesiBili KuThimothewu iyiqiniso futhi iyingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli ngezizathu osekuxoxwe ngazo kakade encwadini yokuQala KuThimothewu. Yaqashelwa futhi yasetshenziswa abalobi nabahlaziyi bokuqala, kuhlanganise noPolycarp ekhulwini lesibili leminyaka C.E.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YESIBILI KUTHIMOTHEWU
5. Luhlobo luni lokholo oluhleli kuThimothewu, futhi yini okumelwe aqhubeke eyenza?
5 ‘Ukubamba isibonelo samazwi aphilileyo’ (1:1–3:17). UPawulu utshela uThimothewu ukuthi akamkhohlwa nakanye emikhulekweni yakhe nokuthi ulangazelela ukumbona. Ukhumbula “ukukholwa okungenakuzenzisa” uThimothewu anakho uninakhulu uLowisi nonina uEvnike ababa nalo kuqala. UThimothewu kumelwe avuselele njengomlilo isipho esikuye, ‘ngoba uNkulunkulu akaphanga umoya wobugwala, kepha owamandla, nowothando, nowokuzikhuza.’ Ngakho-ke makangabi namahloni ngokufakaza nokuhluphekela ivangeli ngoba umusa kaNkulunkulu ongasifanele uye wenziwa waba sobala ngokukhanyayo ngokubonakala koMsindisi, uKristu Jesu. UThimothewu kumelwe ‘aqhubeke ebamba isibonelo samazwi aphilileyo’ awezwa kuPawulu, awalonde njengokuhle okubekwe kuye.—1:5, 7, 13, qhathanisa neNW.
6. Yisiphi iseluleko uPawulu asinikezayo ngokufundisa, futhi uThimothewu angaba kanjani isisebenzi esithembekile nesitsha esihloniphekayo?
6 UThimothewu kumelwe abeke izinto azifunda kuPawulu “kubantu abathembekileyo abazakuba-namandla okufundisa nabanye.” UThimothewu kumelwe azibonakalise eyisosha elihle likaKristu Jesu. Isosha liyakugwema ukuhileleka kakhulu eminakweni yokuphila. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umuntu oqheliswayo emidlalweni uncintisana ngokuvumelana nemithetho. Ukuze azuze ukuqonda, uThimothewu kumelwe awaqonde amazwi kaPawulu. Izinto ezibalulekile okumelwe zikhunjulwe nokumelwe kukhunjuzwe abanye ngazo ziwukuthi ‘uJesu Kristu wavuswa kwabafileyo, futhi wayengowembewu kaDavide’ nokuthi insindiso nenkazimulo yaphakade kanye noKristu, ukubusa njengamakhosi kanye naye, kuyimivuzo yabakhethiweyo abakhuthazelayo. UThimothewu kumelwe akhuthalele ukuziveza eyisisebenzi esithembekile kuNkulunkulu, esigwema ukukhuluma okuyize okungcolisa okungcwele, okubhibha njengesilonda esibhucukayo. Njengoba nje endlini enkulu isitsha esihloniphekayo singahlanganiswa nesingahloniphekiyo, kanjalo uPawulu uyala uThimothewu ukuba ‘abalekele izinkanuko zobusha, ajonge ukulunga, nokukholwa, nothando, nokuthula kanye nabakhuleka eNkosini ngenhliziyo ehlambulukileyo.’ Inceku yeNkosi kumelwe ibe-mnene kubo bonke, ibe nesu lokufundisa, iyale ngomoya omnene.—2:2, 8, 22.
7. Kungani imiBhalo ephefumlelwe kumelwe ibe nenzuzo ngokukhethekile “ezinsukwini zokugcina”?
7 “Ezinsukwini zokugcina,” kuyoba nezikhathi ezinzima nabantu abambuluzayo ekuboniseni kwabo ukumesaba uNkulunkulu, “befunda njalo, kepha bengeke bakwazi ukufika ekulazini iqiniso.” Kodwa uThimothewu uye walandela eduze esifundisweni sikaPawulu, ekuziphatheni kwakhe, nasekuzingelweni kwakhe, iNkosi eyamkhulula kukho. “Yebo,” uyanezela, “bonke abathanda ukuhamba ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu kuKristu Jesu bayakuzingelwa.” Nokho, uThimothewu kumelwe aqhubeke ezintweni azifunda kusukela ebuntwaneni, ezimhlakaniphisayo kube yinsindiso, ngoba “yonke imiBhalo iphefumlelwe uNkulunkulu futhi inenzuzo.”—3:1, 7, 12, 16, qhathanisa neNW.
8. Yini uPawulu anxusa uThimothewu ukuba ayenze, futhi uPawulu ujabula kanjani ngalokhu?
8 Ukufeza inkonzo ngokugcwele (4:1-22). UPawulu uyala uThimothewu ukuba ‘ashumayele izwi’ ngokuphuthuma. (4:2) Kuyofika isikhathi lapho abantu bengayikusivuma isifundiso esiphilayo futhi beyophendukela kubafundisi bamanga, kodwa uThimothewu makaqonde, ‘enze umsebenzi womvangeli, afeze ngokugcwele inkonzo yakhe.’ Eqaphela ukuthi ukufa kwakhe sekuseduze, uPawulu uyajabula ngokuthi ukulwile ukulwa okuhle, ngokuthi uqedile ibanga nokuthi ukugcinile ukukholwa. Manje ubheke ngesibindi phambili emvuzweni, “umqhele wokulunga.”—4:5, 8.
9. Yiliphi ithemba emandleni eNkosi uPawulu alibonisayo?
9 UPawulu unxusa uThimothewu ukuba eze kuye ngokushesha futhi umnikeza iziyalezo eziphathelene nohambo. Lapho uPawulu eziphendulela okokuqala wonke umuntu wamshiya, kodwa iNkosi yamupha amandla ukuba intshumayelo ipheleliswe phakathi kwabezizwe. Yebo, unethemba lokuthi iNkosi iyomkhulula kuyo yonke imisebenzi emibi futhi imsindisele uMbuso waYo wasezulwini.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
10. (a) Iyiphi inzuzo ekhethekile yayo “yonke imiBhalo” egcizelelwa encwadini yesiBili KuThimothewu, futhi yini amaKristu okumelwe alwele ukuba yiyo? (b) Yiliphi ithonya okumelwe ligwenywe, futhi lokhu kungenziwa kanjani? (c) Yisiphi isidingo esiqhubeka sikhona?
10 “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumlelwe uNkulunkulu futhi inenzuzo.” Inenzuzo yani? UPawulu uyasitshela encwadini yakhe yesibili eya kuThimothewu: “Inenzuzo yokufundisa, yokusola, yokuqondisa izinto, yokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu afaneleke ngokugcwele, ayihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle.” (3:16, 17, NW) Ngakho inzuzo “yokufundisa” iyagcizelelwa kulencwadi. Bonke abathandi bokulunga namuhla bayofuna ukulalela iseluleko esihlakaniphile salencwadi ekulweleni ukuba abafundisi beZwi nasekwenzeni okusemandleni abo ukuba babe izisebenzi ezamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, ‘eziqondisa kahle izwi leqiniso.’ Njengase-Efesu losuku lukaThimothewu, kanjalo kulenkathi yanamuhla, kunalabo abazikhathaza “[ngo]kuphikisana kobuwula nokokungazi,” “[aba]funda njalo, kepha bengeke bakwazi ukufika ekulazini iqiniso,” nabenqaba “isifundiso esiphilayo” bekhetha abafundisi njengokubatshwa kwezindlebe zabo ngendlela abafuna ngayo ngobugovu. (2:15, 23; 3:7; 4:3, 4) Ukuze sigweme lelithonya lezwe elingcolisayo, kudingekile ukuba ‘sibambe njalo isibonelo samazwi aphilileyo’ ngokholo nothando. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunesidingo esiphuthumayo sokuba abantu abaningi ngokwengeziwe babe “namandla okufundisa nabanye” kokubili ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwebandla, njengoThimothewu, “umuntu kaNkulunkulu.” Bayajabula bonke abathwala lomthwalo wemfanelo, babe ‘abafanelekayo ukufundisa ngomoya omnene,’ nabashumayela izwi “ngakho konke ukubekezela nokufundisa”!—1:13, qhathanisa neNW; 2:2, 24, 25; 4:2.
11. Yisiphi iseluleko esinikezwayo entsheni?
11 Njengoba uPawulu asho, uThimothewu wayazi imibhalo engcwele “kusukela ebuntwaneni” ngenxa yokufundisa kothando kukaLowisi noEvnike. Ukuthi “kusukela ebuntwaneni” kubonisa futhi isikhathi sokuqalisa imfundo yeBhayibheli yabantwana namuhla. Kodwa kuthiwani uma, eminyakeni yakamuva, imililo yokuqala yentshiseko iqala ukucima? Iseluleko sikaPawulu siwukuba lowomlilo uphinde uvuselelwe ngomoya “wamandla, nowothando, nowokuzikhuza,” kugcinwe ukholo ngokungazenzisi. Wathi “ezinsukwini zokugcina” kuyoba nezikhathi ezinzima, nezinkinga zobuhlongandlebe nezimfundiso zamanga. Kungakho kubaluleke kangaka ngentsha ngokukhethekile, nangabo bonke abanye, ukuba ‘baqonde ezintweni zonke, futhi bafeze inkonzo yabo.’—3:15; 1:5-7; 3:1-5; 4:5.
12. (a) UPawulu wakuletha kanjani ukunakekela eMbewini yoMbuso, futhi yiliphi ithemba alizwakalisa? (b) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla zingaba kanjani nesimo sengqondo esifana nesikaPawulu?
12 Umklomelo ufanele ukuncintisana. (2:3-7) Kulokhu, uPawulu uletha ukunakekela eMbewini yoMbuso, ethi: “Khumbula uJesu Kristu ovukile kwabafileyo, [wembewu, NW] kaDavide ngokwevangeli.” Ithemba likaPawulu laliwukuhlala esebunyeni naleyoMbewu. Kamuva ukhuluma ngokubulawa kwakhe okusondelayo ngamazwi okunqoba: “Sengibekelwe umqhele wokulunga eyakungipha wona ngalolosuku iNkosi, umahluleli olungileyo, kungeyimi ngedwa, kepha bonke abathandile ukubonakala kwayo.” (2:8; 4:8) Yeka indlela abajabula ngayo bonke labo abangabheka emuva eminyakeni eminingi yenkonzo yokwethembeka futhi basho okufanayo! Nokho, lokhu kudinga ukukhonza ngobuqotho manje, ngothando ekubonakaleni kukaJesu Kristu, nokubonakalisa ithemba elifanayo nelikaPawulu lapho ebhala: “INkosi iyakungikhulula kuyo yonke imisebenzi emibi, ingisindise, ngize ngifike embusweni wayo osezulwini; makube-kuyo inkazimulo kuze kube-phakade naphakade. Amen.”—4:18.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a The Complete Works of Tacitus, 1942, eyahlelwa uMoses Hadas, amakhasi 380-1.