“UNkulunkulu Wenduduzo Yonke” Unathi
“Makabongwe . . . uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke, osiduduza osizini lwethu lonke.”—2 KORINTE 1:3, 4.
1, 2. Kwabesi-2 Korinte 1:3-7, yini umphostoli uPawulu ayisho ngenduduzo ngezikhathi zosizi?
UJEHOVA “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke.” Umphostoli uPawulu wakwazi lokhu ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe siqu. Kanjalo, ukuze akhuthaze amanye amaKristu, wabhala lamazwi anikeza isibindi:
2 “Makabongwe . . . uYise wobubele, uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke, osiduduza osizini lwethu lonke, . . . Kepha noma sikhathazeka, kungenxa yokududuzwa nokusindiswa kwenu, noma siduduzeka, kungenxa yokududuzwa kwenu okusebenza ukukhuthazela ezinhluphekweni zona lezi esihlupheka ngazo nathi. Nethemba lethu ngani liqinile, sazi ukuthi njengalokhu ningabahlanganyeli bezinhlupheko, kanjalo ningabahlanganyeli nabenduduzo.”—2 Korinte 1:3-7.
3. (a) Kungani uPawulu amazi uJehova njengo“Nkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke”? (b) OFakazi esikanye nabo bangaduduzwa futhi bakhuthazwe ngokwasiphi isisekelo ukuba babekezelele usizi?
3 Yebo, uPawulu wayemazi uJehova ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke.” Wayebone ukusebenzelana kwakhe noYise osezulwini okududuzayo nokunomusa, ikakhulukazi lapho ehlupheka “ngenxa yokulunga.” (Qhathanisa noMathewu 5:10.) Ngakho-ke, umphostoli wayengaduduza abanye futhi abakhuthaze ukuba babekezelele usizi. Ngokuqinisekile, ngesibonelo sabo sokwethembeka nangamazwi abo okwethembela kuJehova, ofakazi bakaJehova abangamaKristu abaye babekezelela usizi banikeza isikhuthazo esishukumisa abakholwa nabo ukuba bahlale bethembekile kuNkulunkulu. Futhi ngokubekezelela ukuhlushwa uPawulu wayeyisibonelo.
Umbhalo Wokubekezela Ngokwethembeka
4, 5. (a) UPawulu wayibhala nini eyabaseKorinte besiBili? (b) UPawulu wayelingana kanjani na“baphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu” baseKorinte, kodwa wayemkhulu kanjani kubo?
4 Cishe ngo-55 C.E. uPawulu wabhala incwadi yakhe yesibili ephefumlelwe eya kumaKristu emzini waseKorinte. Lapho waphikiswa yilabo ababiza ngokubhinqa ngokuthi “abaphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu.” Wasivikela ngesibindi isikhundla sakhe sobuphostoli, hhayi ngenxa yakhe, kodwa “ngenxa kaNkulunkulu,” okungukuthi, ukuze kusindiswe ibandla likaJehova. (2 Korinte 11:5, 12-14; 12:11; 5:12, 13) Umphostoli wabonisa ukuthi wayelingana nabaphikisi bakhe ngokwezizukulwane zozalo wasebonisa ukuthi wayemkhulu kunazo ekukhandlekeni, ekuhluphekeni, ekuhambeni, ezingozini nasebunzimeni njenge‘sikhonzi sikaKristu.’ Wabhala:
5 “Bayizikhonzi [abaphikisi bakhe] zikaKristu na? Ngikhulumisa okohlanya—ngiyiso kakhulu kunabo: ekukhandlekeni kakhulu kunabo, nasekuboshweni kaningi kunabo, nasekushayweni okukhulu impela, nasezingozini zokufa ngezikhathi eziningi. KubaJuda ngathola kahlanu imivimbo, kushiywa munye emashumini amane; ngashaywa kathathu ngezinduku, ngakhandwa kanye ngamatshe, kathathu ngalinyalelwa umkhumbi, ngabasemanzini olwandle ubusuku bunye nemini; ngangisekuhambeni kaningi, nasezingozini zemifula, nasezingozini zabaphangi, nasezingozini kwabakithi, nasezingozini kwabezizwe, nasezingozini emzini, nasezingozini ehlane, nasezingozini elwandle, nasezingozini kubazalwane bamanga, ngokukhandleka nangokukhathazeka, kaningi ngokuqwasha ebusuku, ngokulamba nangokoma, kaningi ngokuzila ukudla, nasemakhazeni nangokuhambaze.”—2 Korinte 11:21-27.
6. (a) Siwuthola kuphi umbhalo wezici ezithile zokuphila kukaPawulu kobuKristu ngaphambi kokubhala kwakhe abaseKorinte besiBili? (b) Singazuza kanjani ngokucabanga ngombhalo kaPawulu wokubekezela ngokwethembeka?
6 Incwadi yeBhayibheli yezEnzo Zabaphostoli (9:3 kuya ku-IzE 9:3–20:4) iphawula ezinye zezici ezithintiwe zokuphila kukaPawulu kusukela esikhathini eba ngumKristu kuze kube ilapho ebhala abaseKorinte besiBili. Manje ake sizindle ngombhalo wakhe wokubekezela ngokwethembeka. Ngokungangabazeki lokhu kuzosikhuthaza ukuba sibekezelele usizi ngokuqiniseka kokuthi “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke” unathi.
‘Umsebenzi Omningi Ngokwengeziwe Nokuboshwa’
7. (a) Msebenzi muni oshiwo uPawulu ngokuthi “ekukhandlekeni kakhulu kunabo”? (b) Ngokwamazwi omphostoli ‘kumadoda amadala’ ebandla lase-Efesu, waqhubeka kanjani nenkonzo yakhe? (c) Yini eyashukumisa uPawulu ukuba akhandlekele ngentshiseko izindaba ezinhle nezithakazelo zoMbuso?
7 Ekukhandlekeni kakhulu kunabo: Njengommemezeli we“zindaba ezinhle,” uPawulu “wasebenza kanzima” kunabaphikisi bakhe. (2 Korinte 11:23, Today’s English Version) Yebo, wayekade ematasatasa emsebenzini wokushumayela isikhathi eside futhi ngokuvamile ensimini elukhuni kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, e-Efesu, lapho unkulunkulukazi wamaqaba uDiyana ayekhulekelwa khona futhi uPawulu ayeyisisulu sezichwensi, imizamo yakhe enkonzweni futhi ngenxa yamakholwa akanye nawo yayikhandla kakhulu, ngezinye izikhathi yayize idabukise. Kodwa kwaphumela esithelweni esihle somoya. Kamuva, wayengasho ngokufanelekile ‘kumadoda amadala’ ebandla lase-Efesu: “Angigwemanga ukunitshela okusizayo nokunifundisa phambi kwabantu nakuzo izindlu ngezindlu, ngifakaza kubaJuda nakumaGreki ukuphendukela kuNkulunkulu nokukholwa yiNkosi yethu uJesu.” (IzEnzo 20:17, 20, 21, 31; 19:1-40) Ngakho-ke, ngaphambi kokuba lamadoda manje ayengabadala abe ngamaKristu, umphostoli uPawulu wayewafundise amaqiniso ayisisekelo obuKristu emsebenzini wokushumayela ‘endlini ngendlu.’ Kwakuwukusebenza kweZwi likaJehova nomoya ongcwele enhliziyweni kaPawulu okwamshukumisela ukuba akhandleke ngentshiseko ekusakazeni izindaba ezinhle nokuthuthukisa izithakazelo zoMbuso. (Isaya 61:1, 2; Roma 10:8-10) Ngomsebenzi wentshiseko enjalo umphostoli wabekela amaKristu ekhulu lama-20 isibonelo esihle kakhulu.
8. (a) Kungani uPawulu ayengathi wayese“kuboshweni kaningi” kuna“baphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu”? (b) Ngokungangabazeki, uPawulu noSila bakuthola kuphi ukududuzeka lapho beboshwe eFilipi, futhi yini abayenza lapho bekhululwa ukuzamazama komhlaba? (c) Isiphi isikhuthazo esingatholwa kokuhlangenwe nakho kokuboshwa kukaPawulu eFilipi?
8 Ekuboshweni kaningi kunabo: UClement waseRoma, ebhala ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E., uthi uPawulu wayekade eboshwe izikhathi eziyisikhombisa. Ngaphambi kokubhalwa kwabaseKorinte besiBili wayeke waba sejele izikhathi eziningi kunaba“phostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu.” Incwadi yezEnzo isitshela ngokuboshwa okukodwa okunjalo—eMakedoniya umuzi waseFilipi. Ngokusobala uPawulu noSila bakujabulela ukuhlupheka “ngenxa yokulunga,” ngoba ngenkathi beboshwe lapho bathandaza kuNkulunkulu futhi bamdumisa ngengoma. Bathola induduzo ekucabangeni ngemiBhalo nokuqaphela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayizwa imithandazo yabo futhi wayeyiphendula. (IHubo 65:2; 119:52) Lapho bekhululwa ukuzamazama komhlaba, abaphumanga bephulukundlela, kodwa, kunalokho, “base bemshumayeza izwi likaNkulunkulu, yena [umgcini ziboshwa] nabo bonke ababesendlini yakhe.” Umphumela? Phela, umgcini ziboshwa nabo bonke abendlu yakhe baba ngamaKristu! (IzEnzo 16:16-40) Ngokuqinisekile, lendaba ikhuthaza ofakazi bakaJehova ababoshiwe namuhla ukuba bamukele ukushushiswa ngokujabula kokwesaba uNkulunkulu, bathandaze, bazindle ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi bakhulume ngalo ngesibindi—IzEnzo 4:29-31.
Ukungesatshiswa Ukushaywa Nezingozi Zokufa
9. Yini eboniswa ngamazwi “nasekushayweni okukhulu impela”?
9 Ekushayweni okukhulu impela: UPawulu wayekade eshaywe ngokweqile. Kuthiwa futhi ezikhathini eziningi waye“semnyango wokufa.” (2Ko 11 Ivesi 23, The Twentieth Century New Testament) Lokhu kungase kubonise ukuthi phakathi nokushaywa okuthile imivimbo yayimibi kangangokuba empeleni washayelwa ukuba afe.
10. (a) UPawulu wayehlangabezane kanjani ‘nezingozi zokufa izikhathi eziningi’? (b) Ngokusobala yini eyaqinisa umphostoli lapho “esemnyango wokufa”?
10 Ezingozini zokufa ngezikhathi eziningi: Lokhu akunakuphathelana kuphela nokushaywa okuthile. Ngaphambili encwadini efanayo uPawulu wayethe: “Sithwele njalonjalo emzimbeni wethu ukufa kukaJesu.” (2 Korinte 4:10, 11) Umphostoli wayekade esengozini esongela ukuphila noma ebuhlungwini bokufa eDamaseku, eAntiyokiya, ePhisidiya, eIkoniyu, eListra, eThesalonika naseBereya. (IzEnzo 9:23-25; 13:49-51; 14:1-6, 19, 20; 17:1, 5-9, 13, 14) Eqinisweni, kungenzeka wayesengozini yokubulawa izilwane zaseRoma, ngenxa yokubhekisela kwakhe ‘ekulweni nezilo e-Efesu.’ (1 Korinte 15:32; qhathanisa nezEnzo 19:23-40; 2 Korinte 1:8-11.) Ngenxa yokuthi ukuphila kwakhe kwakusengozini ngaso sonke isikhathi, umphostoli ngokuqinisekile wayengathi: “Ngiyafa mihla yonke.” (1 Korinte 15:31) Ngokungangabazeki, usizo lomoya ongcwele kaJehova nokholo lukaPawulu ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu eziyigugu kwamqinisa umphostoli lapho ezikhathini eziningi ayese“mnyango wokufa.”—2 Korinte 1:20-22.
11. Kwakuluhlobo luni ukushaywa kukaPawulu ngamaJuda?
11 KubaJuda ngathola kahlanu imivimbo, kushiywa munye emashumini amane: UPawulu wabonisa ukuthi ukushaywa kahlanu “ngenxa yokulunga” kwakwenziwa amaJuda, mhlawumbe emasinagogeni awo. (2Ko 11 Ivesi 24; Mathewu 10:17) UMthetho kaMose walungiselela ukushaya ngoswazi noma ngenduku, nabahluleli benquma inani lemivimbo kuye ngecala. Kodwa ukujezisa kobuntu kwakungeqi emivimbweni engama-40, futhi amaJuda ayinciphisa yaba ngama-39 ukuze agweme ukweqa isilinganiso somthetho ngephutha. (Duteronomi 25:1-3) Ukushaywa okunjalo kwakubuhlungu kakhulu. Kodwa “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke” wamqinisa uPawulu ukuba abekezelele lokhu kuphathwa kabi ngokubekezela kokwethembeka.
12. (a) Ngokusobala, hlobo luni lokuphathwa kabi umphostoli ayebhekisela kulo uma ethi “ngashaywa kathathu ngezinduku”? (b) Ukushaywa “ngenxa yokulunga” kungabekezelelwa ngaluphi usizo?
12 Ngashaywa kathathu ngezinduku: Ngokusobala lokhu kushaywa kathathu okubuhlungu kwakuqondiswa izikhulu zamaRoma ezazishaya. (2Ko 11 Ivesi 25) Lokhu kushaya ngenduku kwakwenziwa ngemva kokuba isisulu sesikhunyulwe izingubo zangaphandle. Njengesakhamuzi saseRoma, uPawulu ngokomthetho wayekhululekile ekushayweni okunjalo. Nokho, lokhu akuzange kumsindise yena noSila ekutholeni “imivimbo eminingi” ngaphambi kokuboshwa kwabo njengabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle eFilipi. (IzEnzo 16:19-24, 33, 35-40) Ukushaywa okunjalo ngokuqinisekile kwakungaba okonya, kodwa ngosizo lomoya kaNkulunkulu uPawulu wakubekezelela ngokwethembeka lokhu kuphathwa okunonya “ngenxa yokulunga.” Futhi ngokusekelwa okufanayo kwasezulwini, amaKristu amaningi anamuhla aye agcina ubuqotho kuNkulunkulu naphezu kokuphathwa ngonya okukhulu.
13. Kukuphi lapho uPawulu akhandwa ngamatshe khona, kodwa ingabe lokho kwayimisa inkonzo yakhe?
13 Ngakhandwa kanye ngamatshe: EListra amaJuda ashisekayo ‘amkhanda ngamatshe uPawulu, amhudulela ngaphandle komuzi ethi usefile.’ Yebo, lokhu kukhandwa ngamatshe kwakungenjongo yokubulala. (Qhathanisa noLevitikusi 20:2; IzEnzo 7:58-60.) Kodwa “kwathi abafundi bembunganyele, wavuka, wangena emzini,” eqalisa futhi uhambo lwakhe lwenkonzo ngosuku olulandelayo.—IzEnzo 14:19-22.
Ukuphukelwa Umkhumbi Nengozi Yasolwandle
14. Ikuphi ukuphukelwa umkhumbi okwaphawulwa uPawulu, futhi imuphi umphumela okwaba nawo ohambweni lwakhe ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle?
14 Kathathu ngalinyalelwa umkhumbi: Incwadi yezEnzo ibika okukodwa nje ukuphukelwa umkhumbi, futhi lokho kwenzeka ngemva kokuba uPawulu ebhalele abaseKorinte. Kwenzeka lapho uPawulu esohambweni lwakhe lokuya eRoma. (IzEnzo, isahluko 27) Nokho, ngaphambi kwalokho umphostoli izikhathi eziningi wayehambe ngemikhumbi yasolwandle, futhi kwakungekhona okungajwayelekile ukuphuka kwemikhumbi phakathi nohambo ogwini. Ngakho-ke, nakuba imiBhalo inganikezi mininingwane ngokuqondene nokuphuka komkhumbi kathathu okuvezwe lapha, kusobala ukuthi izingozi zohambo eMedithera azizange zibangele uPawulu afinyeze uhambo lwakhe ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle.
15. (a) Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu uma ethi “ngaba-semanzini olwandle ubusuku bunye nemini”? (b) “UNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke” wamsiza kanjani uPawulu kulesisimo esesishiwo, futhi kuqiniseka kuni okumelwe lokhu kusinikeze khona?
15 Ngaba-semanzini olwandle ubusuku bunye nemini: Yebo, umphostoli akashongo ukuthi wabekezela ngokuyisimangaliso isikhathi samahora angama-24 ngaphansi kwamanzi. Njengesisulu sokuphukelwa umkhumbi, kungenzeka wayechithe lawomahora esengozini ezama ukuhlamba emanzini anolaka noma ebambelele ogodweni oluntantayo noma ezingcezwini zomkhumbi owawuphahlazekile. Ngisho noma ngabe wayehamba ngesihlenga samapulangwe, lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho okubanga umunyu (okungaphawulwa kwenye indawo emiBhalweni) kwakufuna ukubekezela ngesibindi kuze kube yilapho umphostoli ekhishwa noma efinyelela ngaphandle. Ngokuqinisekile, uPawulu ‘wakhala kuJehova ekuhluphekeni kwakhe, wakhululwa uNkulunkulu ezinsizini zakhe.’ (Qhathanisa amaHubo 107:23-31.) Ofanayo “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke” angayiphendula neyethu imithandazo.—Qhathanisa no-1 Johane 5:13-15.
UNkulunkulu Wethu Ulungiselela Induduzo Engahluleki
16, 17. Kungani kungathiwa usizo lomoya ongcwele kaJehova lungolungenakulinganiswa uma sihlushwa “ngenxa yokulunga”?
16 Siye saphawula imithombo ethile yenduduzo eyasiza uPawulu ukuba ahlale ethembekile kuJehova naphezu kosizi. Lokhu kufanele kugcizelelwe, ngoba kuyosiza ofakazi bakaJehova banamuhla ukuba babekezelele ukuhlushwa “ngenxa yokulunga.”
17 Usizo lomoya ongcwele kaJehova alunakulinganiswa. Ikakhulukazi phakathi nosizi kumelwe sithandazele umoya, sivumele ukusebenza kwawo futhi sibonakalise izithelo zawo. (Luka 11:13; IHubo 143:10; Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ukusebenza komoya kaJehova ezinhliziyweni zethu kusenza sibe nesithakazelo ngothando lwakhe, futhi lesisiqinisekiso esiduduzayo siyosisiza ukuba sibekezelele usizi.—Roma 5:3-5; 8:35-39; 2 Thesalonika 3:5.
18. Phakathi kosizi njengamaKristu, ukholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu eziyigugu lungasiduduza kanjani?
18 Ukholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu eziyigugu, njengoba zibekwe emiBhalweni, ziyosiduduza nazo. (Roma 15:4) Khumbulani, “esikhundleni sentokozo ayibekelweyo [uJesu Kristu] wathwala isigxobo sokuhlushwa.” (Heberu 12:1, 2) Ngisho nakuba singakhathazeka kuze kube seqophelweni lokudlula “emnyango wokufa,” kunethemba elimangalisayo lovuko nokuphila njalonjalo ohlelweni olusha lukaNkulunkulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi amathemba ethu awasezulwini noma awasemhlabeni. (Mathewu 10:28; Luka 23:43; Johane 5:28, 29; 17:3; 1 Korinte 15:53; 2 Petru 3:13) Yeka ukuthi usizi luba “olululana olungolomzuzwana” kanjani uma sinombono waphakade!—2 Korinte 4:16-18.
19. Umthandazo usinikeza kanjani induduzo phakathi nezinsizi?
19 Ukusilungiselela kukaNkulunkulu ukuthula kwengqondo namandla empendulweni yemithandazo yethu nakho kuwumthombo omkhulu wenduduzo phakathi nosizi. (Bheka uLuka 22:32; IzEnzo 4:23-31; Jakobe 5:16-18.) UJesu wakhuleka ngobuqotho futhi wanxusa uJehova “yena onamandla okumsindisa ekufeni, wezwiwa ngenxa yokumesaba uNkulunkulu.” Yebo, uJehova wathumela ingelosi ukuba iqinise uJesu ngesikhathi sokuvivinywa. (Heberu 5:7; Luka 22:43) Ngokuqinisekile, lapho sibona ukuthi uJehova uphendula imithandazo yethu phakathi nezinsizi, siyaduduzeka.
20. Ngokulandelayo sizocabangela ziphi ezinye izindlela uPawulu ayedlula ngazo “abaphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu” baseKorinte?
20 Uma sizama ngobuqotho ukubekezela ngokwethembeka njengofakazi bakaJehova abangamaKristu, “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke” uyoba nathi, njengoba ayenomphostoli uPawulu. Kuze kube manje, siye sacabangela ukukhandleka nokuhlupheka kukaPawulu. Kodwa ukuzivikela kwakhe njenge‘sikhonzi sikaKristu’ kubonisa ukuthi wabedlula futhi “abaphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu” baseKorinte, ekuhambeni, ezingozini nasebunzimeni. Yini esingayifunda kulokhu okuhlangenwe nakho?
Ingabe uyawakhumbula lamaphuzu?
□ Kungani umphostoli uPawulu wayazi ukuthi uJehova “uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke”?
□ AmaKristu aye abekezelela usizi angase awakhuthaze kanjani amanye akholwa nawo ukuba ahlale ethembekile kuJehova?
□ Uyini umsebenzi owahlanganiswa ‘emisebenzimi eminingi ngokwengeziwe’ yomphostoli?
□ Singazuza kanjani kokuhlangenwe nakho kokuboshwa kukaPawulu?
□ Ziyini ezinye izindlela uJehova uNkulunkulu alungiselela ngazo induduzo engahluleki?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
UPawulu waboshwa izikhathi eziningi, njengoba kwenzeka kuye noSila eFilipi
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Izikhathi ezine ohambweni lwenkonzo yakhe uPawulu waphukelwa umkhumbi