Incwadi YeBhayibhile 50—Filipi
Umbhali: NguPawulos
Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: ERoma
Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-60–61 C.E.
1. (a) AbaseFilipi baziva njani iindaba ezilungileyo? (b) Yiyiphi imvelaphi engokwembali eyiyeyomdla ngesixeko saseFilipi?
XA UMPOSTILE uPawulos wafumana ubizo embonweni lokuya kushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo eMakedoni, yena namaqabane akhe, uLuka, uSilas noTimoti oselula, bathobela ngokukhawuleza. Ukusuka eTrowa eseAsiya Mayina, bahamba ngomkhombe besinge eNeyapoli yaye bakuba belapho banduluka besinge eFilipi, ekumgama omalunga ne-15 leekhilomitha kumhlaba owomileyo kwindlela esezintabeni. Esi sixeko sichazwa nguLuka ‘njengesixeko esiyintloko kummandla waseMakedoni.’ (IZe. 16:12) Sathiywa ngokuba yiFilipi ngegama lokumkani waseMakedoni uPhilip II (uyise ka-Alesandire Omkhulu), owathimba esi sixeko ngowama-356 B.C.E. Kamva sathinjwa ngamaRoma. Ngowama-42 B.C.E. sasilithafa lamadabi ekwakubakho icala eloyiswayo kuwo elathi lafak’ isandla ekoyiseni kukaOctavian, owathi kamva waba nguKesare Awugusto. Ebhiyozela olu loyiso, wayenza iFilipi yaba lithanga laseRoma.
2. Yiyiphi inkqubela awayenzayo uPawulos ngokushumayela kwakhe eFilipi, ibe ziziphi iziganeko ezabakho ekusekweni kwebandla lalapho?
2 Yayilisiko likaPawulos xa wayefika kwisixeko esitsha ukushumayela kumaYuda kuqala. Phofu ke, ekufikeni kwakhe okokuqala eFilipi malunga nowama-50 C.E., wafumanisa ukuba ayembalwa ngenani yaye kubonakala ukuba ayengenayo indlu yesikhungu, kuba xa ethandaza ayedla ngokuhlanganisana ngaselunxwemeni lomlambo ngaphandle kwedolophu. Ukushumayela kukaPawulos kwavelisa iziqhamo ngokukhawuleza, iguquka lokuqala inguLidiya, usomashishinikazi nowayeguqukele ebuYudeni, owayamkela ngokukhawuleza inyaniso engoKristu waza wabongoza ezo ndwendwe ukuba zihlale endlwini yakhe. ULuka ubhala athi, “Yasithundeza ke ukuba siye.” (TE) Phofu ke, kungekudala kwakuza kuhlanganwa nenkcaso, yaye uPawulos noSilas babethwa ngeentonga baza ke baphoswa entolongweni. Ngoxa beselapho entolongweni, kwabakho inyikima, yaye umgcini-mabanjwa nentsapho yakhe, bakuba bephulaphule uPawulos noSilas, baba ngamakholwa. Ngosuku olulandelayo uPawulos noSilas bakhululwa entolongweni, kwaye batyelela abazalwana kwikhaya likaLidiya baza babakhuthaza ngaphambi kokusishiya eso sixeko. UPawulos wayezikhumbula kakuhle iimbandezelo ezabakho ekusekweni kwebandla elitsha laseFilipi.—IZe. 16:9-40.
3. Yiyiphi indlela kamva uPawulos awanxibelelana ngayo nebandla laseFilipi?
3 Kwiminyaka embalwa kamva, ebudeni bokhenketho lwakhe lwesithathu lobuvangeli basemazweni, kwakhona uPawulos wakwazi ukutyelela ibandla laseFilipi. Ngoko, malunga neshumi leminyaka emva kokusekwa kwelo bandla okokuqala, imbonakaliso ehlab’ umxhelo yothando lwabazalwana baseFilipi yamshukumisela uPawulos ukuba ababhalele incwadi ephefumlelweyo eye yalondolozwa kwiZibhalo Ezingcwele nebizwa ngegama lelo bandla lithandekayo.
4. Yintoni efanisa umbhali wencwadi yabaseFilipi, ibe yintoni engqina ubunyaniso bale ncwadi?
4 Into yokuba uPawulos wayibhala le ncwadi, njengokuba kusitshiwo kwindinyana yayo yokuqala, yamkelwa jikelele ngabahlalutyi beBhayibhile, yaye banesizathu esifanelekileyo sokwenjenjalo. Kwincwadi yakhe eya kwabaseFilipi uPolycarp (69?-155? C.E.) ukhankanya ukuba uPawulos wayebabhalele. Le ncwadi icatshulwa njengevela kuPawulos ngabahlalutyi bokuqala beBhayibhile abanjengoIgnatius, uIrenaeus, uTertullian noClement wakwa-Alesandire. Icatshuliwe kwiMuratorian Fragment yenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo nakuyo yonke imibhalo engcwele yangaphambili, yaye iyabonakala phakathi kwezinye iincwadi ezisibhozo zikaPawulos kwiChester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P46), ekukholelwa ukuba yasungulwa malunga nowama-200 C.E.
5. Yintoni eyalatha ukuba le ncwadi yabhalelwa eRoma?
5 Kunokuqinisekwa ngokusengqiqweni ngendawo eyabhalelwa kuyo nexesha eyabhalwa ngalo. Ngexesha lokubhalwa kwayo, uPawulos wayengumbanjwa owayegcinwe ngumlindi womlawuli waseRoma, kwaye amaKristu ayeshumayela ngamandla kuloo ngingqi. Waqukumbela incwadi yakhe ngemibuliso evela kwabathembekileyo abakwindlu kaKesare. Xa ezi zibakala zidityaniswa zalatha ukuba le ncwadi yathunyelwa ivela eRoma.—Fil. 1:7, 13, 14; 4:22; IZe. 28:30, 31.
6. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo obubonisa ixesha lokubhalwa kweyabaseFilipi?
6 Kodwa yabhalwa nini le ncwadi? Kubonakala ukuba uPawulos wayesele eseRoma ithuba elide kangangokuba iindaba zokuvalelwa kwakhe nezizathu zoko njengomKritu zazisasazeke zada zaya kufikelela kuMlindi wePraetorian womlawuli nakwabanye abaninzi. Kwakhona, kwabakho ixesha lokuba uEpafrodito asuke eFilipi (umgama onokuba li-1 000 leekhilomitha) ephathele uPawulos isipho, nelokuba iindaba zokugula kukaEpafrodito eRoma zifikelela eFilipi kwakhona, nethuba lokuba amazwi abonakalisa uvelwano ngenxa yoku asuke eFilipi esiza eRoma. (Fil. 2:25-30; 4:18) Ekubeni uPawulos wavalelwa okokuqala eRoma malunga nowama-59-61 C.E., kusenokwenzeka ukuba le ncwadi wayibhala malunga nowama-60 okanye owama-61 C.E., unyaka okanye ngaphezulu emva kokufika kwakhe okokuqala eRoma.
7. (a) Luluphi ulwalamano olwalukho phakathi koPawulos nabaseFilipi, ibe yintoni eyamshukumisela ukuba ababhalele? (b) EyabaseFilipi iluhlobo olunjani lwencwadi?
7 Inimba awaba nayo ekuzaleni aba bantwana baseFilipi ngelizwi lenyaniso, uthando nobubele babaseFilipi ngezipho zezinto ezaziyimfuneko ezazithunyelwa kuPawulos ukutyhubela iihambo neenzima zakhe ezininzi, neentsikelelo zikaYehova ezazibonakala kwimigudu yokuqala yokushumayela eMakedoni zonke xa zidityanisiwe zabangela intambo eqinileyo yothando phakathi koPawulos nabazalwana baseFilipi. Ngoku isipho sabo sobubele, nokufuna kwabo ngenkxalabo ukwazi ngoEpafrodito nenkqubela yeendaba ezilungileyo eRoma, kwashukumisela uPawulos ukuba ababhalele incwadi efudumeleyo neyothando yokhuthazo olwakhayo.
OKUQULETHWE YEYABASEFILIPI
8. (a) UPawulos uyivakalisa njani intembelo nothando analo ngabazalwana baseFilipi? (b) Uthini uPawulos ngeentambo zokuvalelwa kwakhe, ibe sisiphi isiluleko asinikelayo?
8 Ukukhusela nokuhambisela phambili iindaba ezilungileyo (1:1-30). UPawulos noTimoti bathumela imibuliso, yaye uPawulos uyambulela uThixo ngenxa yokuba abaseFilipi baye bafak’ isandla kwiindaba ezilungileyo “kususela kwimini yokuqala kude kube ngoku.” Unentembelo yokuba baya kuwufeza baze bawugqibe umsebenzi wabo omhle, kuba bangamadlelane naye ngobabalo, kuquka “ukukhusela nokumisela ngokusemthethweni iindaba ezilungileyo.” (NW) Uyabalangazelela bonke ngenxa yemfesane aze athi: “Oku ndiyakuthandazela, ukuba uthando lwenu lube kukhona luya luphuphuma ngokuphuphuma . . . ukuze nizicikide izinto eziziincamisa.” (1:5, 7, 9, 10) UPawulos ufuna bazi ukuba ‘izinto ezimehleleyo zibethe kwakukhona zihambayo iindaba ezilungileyo,’ ekubeni iintambo zokuvalelwa kwakhe ziye zaziwa ekuhleni yaye abazalwana beye bakhuthazwa ukuba balithethe ilizwi likaThixo ngokungenaloyiko. Ngoxa kuyinzuzo kuPawulos ukufa kwakhe ngoku, sekunjalo uyazi ukuba ukuze benze inkqubela baze bavuye, kuyimfuneko ngakumbi ngaye ukuba ahlale. Uyabaluleka ukuba baziphathe ngokufanele iindaba ezilungileyo, kuba enoba uyeza okanye akezi kubo, ufuna ukuva ukuba bayazabalaza ngemvisiswano yaye ‘abothuswa nantweni-nye ngabo bachasayo.’—1:12, 28.
9. AbaseFilipi banokuyigcina njani ingcinga efana nekaKristu?
9 Ukuba nengcinga efana nekaKristu (2:1-30). UPawulos ukhuthaza abaseFilipi ukuba babe nokuthobeka kwentliziyo, ‘bangaxuneli izilangazelelo zeyabo imicimbi kuphela, koko babe nomdla wobuqu nakwezabanye.’ Bafanele babe nengcinga efanayo nekaKristu Yesu, owathi, nangona wayesebumeni bukaThixo, wazihluba ukuze abe ngumntu waza wazithoba, elulamile kwada kwasekufeni, ekuthe ngoko uThixo wamphakamisa waza wamnika igama elingaphezu kwawo onke amagama. UPawulos uyababongoza esithi: “Lusebenzeni nilufeze olwenu usindiso, ninokuzoyikela nokungcangcazela.” “Izinto zonke zenzeni ningenakukrokra, ningenakuthandabuza,” nize nihlale “nibambelele elizwini lobomi.” (2:4, 12, 14, 16) Unethemba lokubathumelela uTimoti yaye uqinisekile ukuba naye uya kuza kwakamsinya. Okwangoku, basenokuvuyiswa kwakhona kukuba, ebathumelela uEpafrodito, oye wachacha kwisigulo sakhe.
10. UPawulos uye waphuthuma njani ngokuxunela umvuzo, ibe ubaluleka ukuba benze ntoni abanye?
10 ‘Ukuphuthuma ngokuxunela umvuzo’ (3:1–4:23). ‘Thina bolwaluko lwenene, simele silumkele izinja, abo barhunula inyama,’ utsho njalo uPawulos. Ukuba kukho nabani na onezizathu zokuba nentembelo ngokwasenyameni, uPawulos unezizathu ezingakumbi zokwenjenjalo, ibe ingxelo yakhe njengomYuda owalukileyo nomFarisi iyakungqinela oko. Sekunjalo konke oku uye wakujonga njengenkunkuma ‘ngenxa yexabiso elibalaseleyo lokumazi uYesu Kristu iNkosi yakhe.’ Ngobulungisa obungokokholo, unethemba “lokufumana uvuko lokuqala kwabafileyo.” (3:2, 3, 8, 11, NW) Ngoko ke, uPawulos uthi, “ndizilibala izinto ezisemva, ndisolulela kweziphambili, ndiphuthume ngokoxunele umvuzo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaThixo kuKristu Yesu.” Mabathi ke bonke abagqibeleleyo babe nesimo sengqondo esifanayo. Kukho abo bathixo usisisu sabo, abamilisele iingqondo zabo kwizinto zomhlaba, nabasiphelo sabo siyintshabalalo, kodwa “thina ikowethu lisemazulwini,” ubaqinisekisa ngelitshoyo uPawulos.—3:13, 14, 20.
11. (a) Ziziphi izinto ezifanele zithelekelelwe zize zenziwe? (b) Uthini uPawulos ngokuphathelele ububele babaseFilipi?
11 UPawulos uyababongoza esithi, ‘Vuyani eNkosini, yaye ukuthantamisa kwenu makwazeke kubantu bonke. Qhubekani nizithelekelela izinto zonke eziyinene nezindilekileyo, izinto ezibubulungisa, ezinyulu, ezithandekayo, eziludumo lulungileyo, ezinesidima nezidunyiswayo. Yenzani izinto enazifundayo naza nazamkela nenazivayo naza nazibona kum, yaye uThixo woxolo uya kuba nani.’ (4:4-9) UPawulos uzivuyela gqitha iingcinga zobubele zabaseFilipi ngakuye, nangona enamandla okwenza zonke izinto ‘ekulowo umomelezayo.’ Ubabulela ngokungazenzisiyo ngesipho sabo. Ukususela ekuqaleni kwakhe ukuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo eMakedoni, baye babalasela ngokupha. Ngembuyekezo, uThixo uya kukuzalisa ngokupheleleyo ‘ukuswela kwabo ngokobutyebi bakhe, ngokozuko olukuKristu Yesu.’ (4:13, 19) Ubathumelela imibuliso evela kubo bonke abangcwele, kuquka abo bendlu kaKesare.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO
12. Njengabazalwana baseFilipi, sinokukholeka njani kuThixo namhlanje size sivuyise abazalwana bethu?
12 Hayi indlela eyingenelo ngayo incwadi yabaseFilipi kuthi! Ngokuqinisekileyo sinqwenela ukukholiseka kuYehova nokunconywa ngabaveleli bethu abangamaKristu ngendlela efanayo naleyo ibandla laseFilipi lanconywa ngayo nguPawulos. Nathi sinokufumana ingenelo efanayo ukuba silandela umzekelo omhle wabaseFilipi nesiluleko sothando sikaPawulos. NjengabaseFilipi, sifanele sibonakalise ububele, sikuxhalabele ukunceda abazalwana bethu xa besebunzimeni, size sibe nesabelo ekukhuseleni nasekumiseleni ngokusemthethweni iindaba ezilungileyo. (1:3-7) Sifanele siqhubeke ‘simi moyeni mnye, ngamphefumlo mnye, silwela inkolo yeendaba ezilungileyo,’ sikhanya “njengezikhanyiso” phakathi kwesizukulwana esigoso nesigwenxa. Njengokuba sisenza ezi zinto yaye siqhubeka sithelekelela izinto ezindilekileyo, sisenokubavuyisa abazalwana bethu ngendlela efanayo naleyo abaseFilipi abamvuyisa ngayo umpostile uPawulos.—1:27; 2:15; 4:1, 8.
13. Kungaziphi iindlela esinokuthi ngokumanyeneyo sixelise uPawulos?
13 UPawulos uthi, “Yibani ngabaxelisa mna.” Axeliswe ngayiphi indlela? Enye indlela kungokuba ngabanelisekayo phantsi kwazo zonke iimeko. Enoba uPawulos wayenentabalala yezinto okanye eswele, wafunda ukuzilungelelanisa neemeko engakhalazi, khon’ ukuze aqhubeke ngenzondelelo kwaye enovuyo kubulungiseleli bukaThixo. Sonke sifanele sibe njengoPawulos ekuboniseni imfesane kubazalwana abathembekileyo. Olunjani lona uvuyo oluqhutywa luthando awaba nalo xa wayethetha ngobulungiseleli bukaTimoti nobukaEpafrodito! Kwaye enjani yona indlela awaziva esondele ngayo kubazalwana bakhe baseFilipi, awabhekisela kubo ‘njengabaziintanda nabalangazelelwayo, abaluvuyo lwakhe nabasisithsaba sakhe’!—3:17; 4:1, 11, 12; 2:19-30.
14. Sisiphi isiluleko esihle incwadi yabaseFilipi esinikelayo ngokuphathelele usukelo lobomi noloBukumkani, ibe le ncwadi ibhalelwe oobani ngokukhethekileyo?
14 Yiyiphi enye indlela uPawulos asenokuxeliswa ngayo? ‘Ngokuphuthuma ngokuxunela umvuzo’! Bonke abo bamisele iingqiqo zabo ‘kwizinto ezindilekileyo’ banomdla omkhulu kwilungiselelo likaYehova elizukileyo ezulwini nasemhlabeni, apho ‘zonke iilwimi ziya kuthi zixele ukuba uYesu Kristu uyiNkosi ukuze kuzukiswe uThixo uYise.’ Isiluleko esihle esikwabaseFilipi sikhuthaza bonke abo banethemba lobomi obungunaphakade kuBukumkani bukaThixo ukuba bawuxunele loo mvuzo. Phofu ke, incwadi eya kwabaseFilipi ibhalelwe ubukhulu becala abo ‘ikowabo lisemazulwini’ nabalindele ngolangazelelo ukuba ‘benziwe kumila kumbi ngomzimba wozuko kaKristu.’ ‘Bezilibala izinto ezisemva yaye besolulela kweziphambili,’ bonke aba mabaxelise umpostile uPawulos ‘ngokuphuthuma ngokwabaxunele umvuzo wobizo lwaphezulu,’ ilifa labo elizukileyo kuBukumkani basemazulwini!—4:8; 2:10, 11; 3:13, 14, 20, 21.