Zazingobani Izisebenzi Ezikanye NoPawulu?

ENCWADINI yeBhayibheli yezEnzo nasezincwadini zikaPawulu kubalwa abantu abangaba yikhulu, amalungu ebandla lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala ayesebenzelana nalo “mphostoli ezizweni.” (Roma 11:13) Kuningi okwaziwayo ngabaningana balaba. Cishe ujwayelene nemisebenzi ka-Apholo, uBarnaba noSila. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, cishe uyokuthola kunzima kakhulu ukusho okuningi kangako ngo-Arkiphu, uDamari, uKlawudiya, uLinu, uPersisi, uPhude noSophatru.

Ngezikhathi ezihlukene nangaphansi kwezimo ezihlukahlukene, kunabantu abaningi abahlanganyela ngentshiseko ekusekeleni inkonzo kaPawulu. Abanye abanjengo-Aristarku, uLuka noThimothewu basebenza nalo mphostoli iminyaka eminingi. Abanye babenaye lapho esejele noma esohambweni, behamba naye noma bemamukela. Ngokudabukisayo, abanye, njengo-Aleksandru, uDema, uHermogene noFigelu abazange bakhuthazele ebuKristwini.

Uma kuziwa kwabaningana babanye babangane bakaPawulu, njengo-Asinkiritu, uFilologu, uHerma noma uJuliya uma kubalwa abambalwa nje, cishe sazi amagama abo nje. Ngokuphathelene nodadewabo kaNerewu noma unina kaRufu noma abendlu kaKlowe, asazi ngisho namagama abo. (Roma 16:13-15; 1 Korinte 1:11) Noma kunjalo, ukuhlola lokho kwaziswa okuncane esinakho ngalaba bantu abangaba yikhulu kusikhanyisela indlela umphostoli uPawulu ayesebenza ngayo. Kusifundisa nokuthile ngokuphathelene nezinzuzo zokuba phakathi kwabantu abaningi esikholwa nabo nokusebenzelana nabo eduze.

Labo Ayehamba Nabo Nalabo Ababemamukela

Inkonzo yomphostoli uPawulu yayihilela ukuhamba kakhulu. Lapho ebala, omunye umlobi uthi ibanga elikuzEnzo kuphela uPawulu alihlanganisa ezweni nasolwandle lalithi alibe amakhilomitha angu-16 000. Ukuthatha uhambo emuva ngaleso sikhathi kwakungakhathazi nje kuphela kodwa futhi kwakuyingozi. Phakathi kwezingozi ezihlukahlukene abhekana nazo kwakunokuphihlizekelwa umkhumbi, izingozi emifuleni nasezinswelaboyeni, izingozi ehlane nezingozi olwandle. (2 Korinte 11:25, 26) Ngokufanelekile, uPawulu wayengavamile ukuba yedwa lapho esuka kwenye indawo eya kwenye.

Labo ababehamba noPawulu babemsiza ngokumphelekezela, bamkhuthaze futhi bamsize ngezindlela ezizuzisayo enkonzweni. Ngezikhathi ezithile, uPawulu wayebashiya ezindaweni ezithile ukuze banakekele izidingo ezingokomoya zalabo ababesanda kuba amakholwa. (IzEnzo 17:14; Thithu 1:5) Kodwa ukuba nabathile ahamba nabo cishe kwakubalulekile ngezizathu zokuphepha futhi bemsekela ekubhekaneni nobunzima bohambo. Ngakho abantu abanjengoSophatru, uSekhundu, uGayu noTrofimu, esibazi njengabanye ababehamba noPawulu, kungenzeka ukuthi bafeza indima ebalulekile ekuphumeleleni kwenkonzo yakhe.—IzEnzo 20:4.

Okunye okwakwamukeleka ngendlela efanayo kwakuwusizo olwalunikezwa yilabo ababemamukela. Lapho uPawulu efika emzini ayehlela ukushumayela kuwo noma ukulala kuwo lobo busuku, into yokuqala yayiba ukufuna indawo yokuhlala. Noma ngubani owayehamba kakhulu njengoPawulu kwakudingeka alale emibhedeni eminingi ehlukahlukene. Wayengahlala endlini yezihambi, kodwa lezi zichazwa yizazi-mlando ‘njengezindawo eziyingozi nezingathandeki,’ ngakho, lapho kungenzeka, uPawulu cishe wayehlala nalabo ayekholwa nabo.

Siyawazi amagama abanye balabo ababemamukela uPawulu—u-Akwila noPriska, uGayu, uJasoni, uLidiya, uMnasoni, uFilemoni noFiliphu. (IzEnzo 16:14, 15; 17:7; 18:2, 3; 21:8, 16; Roma 16:23; Filemoni 1, 22) EFilipi, eThesalonika naseKorinte, izindawo zokuhlala ezinjalo zanika uPawulu indawo ayengahlelela kuyo imisebenzi yakhe yezithunywa zevangeli. EKorinte, uThithiyu Justu waze wavula ikhaya lakhe ukuze libe indawo lo mphostoli ayengenzela kuyo umsebenzi wokushumayela.—IzEnzo 18:7.

Uquqaba Lwabangane

Njengoba kungase kulindeleke, abantu ababejwayelene noPawulu babekhunjulwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ngenxa yezimo ezingafani ahlangana nabo kuzo. Ngokwesibonelo, uMariya, uPersisi, uFebe, uTrifina noTrifosa bonke kwakungabesifazane ayekholwa nabo abatuswa ngemisebenzi yabo nangokusebenza kwabo kanzima. (Roma 16:1, 2, 6, 12) UPawulu wabhapathiza uKrispu, uGayu nendlu kaStefana. UDiyonisiyu noDamari basamukela kuye isigijimi seqiniso e-Athene. (IzEnzo 17:34; 1 Korinte 1:14, 16) U-Anidroniku noJuniya, “amadoda adumileyo phakathi kwabaphostoli” aba amakholwa ngaphambi kukaPawulu, babizwa ngokuthi ‘izithunjwa ezikanye naye.’ Mhlawumbe babeboshwe naye ngesikhathi esithile. Laba ababili, njengoHerodiyone, uJasoni, uLukiyu noSosiphatru, nabo uPawulu ukhuluma ngabo ‘njengezihlobo’ zakhe. (Roma 16:7, 11, 21) Nakuba igama lesiGreki elisetshenziswe lapha lingase lisho “izakhamuzi zezwe ezikanye naye,” incazelo yalo eyinhloko isho “izihlobo zegazi zesizukulwane esifanayo.”

Abangane bakaPawulu abaningi babehamba ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle. Ngaphandle kwalabo abajwayelekile kulabo ayehamba nabo, kukhona u-Akhayiku, uFortunatu noStefana, abasuka eKorinte baya e-Efesu beyobonisana noPawulu ngesimo esingokomoya sebandla labo. U-Arethema noThikhiku babekulungele ukuyohlangabeza uThithu, owayekhonza esiqhingini saseKrethe, futhi uZena wayezohamba no-Apholo.—1 Korinte 16:17; Thithu 3:12, 13.

Kunalabo uPawulu anikeza ukwaziswa okuncane nokuthakazelisayo ngabo. Ngokwesibonelo, sitshelwa ukuthi u-Ephenetu ‘wayelulibo lwase-Asiya,’ ukuthi u-Erastu ‘wayengumphathi womuzi’ eKorinte, uLuka engudokotela, uLidiya engumthengisi wokunsomi, futhi uTertiyu wasetshenziswa uPawulu ukuloba incwadi yakhe yabaseRoma. (Roma 16:5, 22, 23; IzEnzo 16:14; Kolose 4:14) Noma ngubani ongathanda ukwazi okwengeziwe ngalaba bantu, lezi ziqeshana zokwaziswa ziyathakazelisa nakuba zizimfushane.

Abanye balabo ababekanye noPawulu bathola imiyalezo eyayithunyelwe kubo uqobo, manje esilotshwe eBhayibhelini. Ngokwesibonelo, encwadini yakhe yabaseKolose, uPawulu wanxusa u-Arkiphu: “Qhubeka uqaphela inkonzo owayamukela eNkosini, ukuba uyifeze.” (Kolose 4:17) Kusobala ukuthi kwakunengxabano okwakufanele u-Evodiya noSintike bayixazulule. Ngakho, uPawulu wabanxusa ‘ngomngane woqobo ejokeni’ waseFilipi elingashiwongo igama lakhe ukuba “babe nomqondo ofanayo eNkosini.” (Filipi 4:2, 3) Ngokuqinisekile, lesi iseluleko esihle kithi sonke.

Ukusekelwa Ngokwethembeka Lapho Esejele

UPawulu waboshwa izikhathi eziningana. (2 Korinte 11:23) Ngalezo zikhathi kumelwe ukuba amaKristu endawo, uma ayekhona, azama ukwenza konke ayengakwenza ukumenza akwazi ukubhekana kangcono naleso simo. Lapho uPawulu eboshwa okokuqala eRoma, wavunyelwa ukuba aqashe indlu iminyaka emibili futhi wayekwazi ukuvakashelwa abangane bakhe. (IzEnzo 28:30) Phakathi naleso sikhathi, wabhala izincwadi ezaziya ebandleni lase-Efesu, eFilipi nakwelaseKolose kanye nencwadi eyayiya kuFilemoni. Le mithombo isitshela okuningi ngokuphathelene nalabo ababesondelene noPawulu phakathi nokuboshwa kwakhe.

Ngokwesibonelo, sifunda ukuthi u-Onesimu, isigqila esabaleka kuFilemoni, wahlangana noPawulu eRoma, njengoba kunjalo nangoThikhiku, owayezophelezela u-Onesimu lapho esebuyela enkosini yakhe. (Kolose 4:7-9) Kwakukhona no-Ephafrodithu owathatha uhambo olude esuka eFilipi ephethe isipho esivela ebandleni ayekulo, okwathi kamuva wagula. (Filipi 2:25; 4:18) Ababesebenzelana eduze noPawulu eRoma kwakungu-Aristarku, uMarku noJesu obizwa ngokuthi uJustu, uPawulu athi ngabo: “Yilaba kuphela abayizisebenzi ezikanye nami ngenxa yombuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi bona kanye laba babe usizo oluqinisayo kimi.” (Kolose 4:10, 11) Phakathi kwalaba abathembekile, kwakunoThimothewu noLuka abaziwa kakhulu, kanye noDema, kamuva owashiya uPawulu ngenxa yothando lwezwe.—Kolose 1:1; 4:14; 2 Thimothewu 4:10; Filemoni 24.

Ngokusobala, akekho kulaba okwakungowaseRoma, kodwa babenoPawulu lapho. Mhlawumbe abanye babeye lapho ngokukhethekile ukuze bamsize njengoba ayeboshiwe. Akungabazeki ukuthi abanye wayebathuma ezindaweni eziseduze, abanye ebathumela ukuyokwenza imisebenzi ezindaweni ezikude, kanti abanye uPawulu wayebasebenzisa njengababhali bezincwadi zakhe. Yeka ubufakazi obunamandla obufakazela ukusondelana nokwethembeka kwabo bonke laba kuPawulu nasemsebenzini kaNkulunkulu!

Ngokwesiphetho sezinye zezincwadi zikaPawulu, siyabona ukuthi wayengungwe isixuku esikhulu sabazalwane nodade abangamaKristu abangaphezu kwala magama ambalwa esiwaziyo. Ngezikhathi ezihlukahlukene, wabhala ukuthi: “Bonke abangcwele bayakhonza kini” nokuthi, “Bonke abanami bayakhonza kuwe.”—2 Korinte 13:13; Thithu 3:15; Filipi 4:22.

Phakathi nokuboshwa kwesibili kukaPawulu okunzima eRoma, lapho ayesezofela ukholo, uPawulu wayecabanga kakhulu ngezisebenzi ezikanye naye. Wayesematasa ekuqondiseni nasekuxhumaniseni imisebenzi yezinye zazo. UThithu noThikhiku babethunywe ukuyokwenza imisebenzi ethile, uKreske eye eGalathiya, u-Erastu esele eKorinte, uTrofimu eshiywe egula eMilethu, kodwa uMarku noThimothewu babezoza kuye. Nokho, uLuka wayenoPawulu, futhi lapho lo mphostoli ebhala incwadi yakhe yesibili eya kuThimothewu kwakukhona namanye amakholwa amaningana, kuhlanganise no-Evubulu, uPhude, uLinu noKlawudiya, njengoba athumela imikhonzo yabo. Akungabazeki ukuthi ayenza konke ayengakwenza ukusiza uPawulu. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uPawulu ngokwakhe wakhonza kuPriska naku-Akwila nasendlini ka-Onesiforu. Nokho, ngokudabukisayo, ngaleso sikhathi esinzima, uDema wamshiya, futhi u-Aleksandru wamenza okuningi okubi.—2 Thimothewu 4:9-21.

“Siyizisebenzi Ezikanye NoNkulunkulu”

Kwakungavamile ukuba uPawulu abe yedwa emisebenzini yakhe yokushumayela. Umhlaziyi u-E. Earle Ellis uthi: “Umbono oba khona owesithunywa sevangeli esinabangane abaningi. Ngempela, akuvamile ukuba uPawulu atholakale engenabantu.” Ngaphansi kokuqondisa komoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, uPawulu wakwazi ukwenza abaningi baba matasa futhi wayihlela ngokuphumelelayo imikhankaso yezithunywa zevangeli. Wayengungwe abantu ayesebenzelana nabo eduze, ababemsiza okwesikhashana, abathile abavelele kanye nezinceku eziningana ezithobekile. Nokho, laba kwakungezona nje izisebenzi ezikanye naye. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi basebenza futhi baba nobudlelwane ngezinga elingakanani noPawulu, kusobala ukuthi babenesibopho sothando lobuKristu nobungane.

Umphostoli uPawulu wayenalokho okuye kwabizwa ngokuthi “ubuhlakani [bokwakha] ubungane.” Wafeza okukhulu ekuyiseni izindaba ezinhle kwabezizwe, kodwa akazange azame ukukwenza yedwa. Wabambisana futhi walisebenzisa ngokugcwele ibandla lobuKristu elihlelekile. UPawulu akazange azigodlele yena udumo ngemiphumela eyayizuzwa kodwa wavuma ngokuthobeka ukuthi wayeyisigqila nokuthi lonke udumo kufanele luye kuNkulunkulu njengoba kunguye okhulisayo.—1 Korinte 3:5-7; 9:16; Filipi 1:1.

Isikhathi uPawulu ayephila ngaso sasihlukile kwesethu, kodwa noma kunjalo, akekho ebandleni lobuKristu namuhla okufanele acabange ukuthi angazimela noma kudingeka azimele. Kunalokho, kufanele sisebenze nenhlangano kaNkulunkulu, nebandla esikulo kanye nesikholwa nabo. Siyaludinga usizo lwabo, ukusekela kwabo nenduduzo yabo ngezikhathi ezimnandi nezinzima. Sinelungelo eliyigugu lokuba ingxenye ‘yayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu ezweni.’ (1 Petru 5:9) Uma sisebenza futhi sibambisana nabo bonke ngokwethembeka nangothando, khona-ke njengoPawulu, nathi singasho ukuthi “siyizisebenzi ezikanye noNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 3:9.

[Izithombe ekhasini 31]

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