Incwadi YeBhayibhile 46—1 Korinte

Umbhali: NguPawulos

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: E-Efese

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-55 C.E.

 1. IKorinte yayiluhlobo olunjani lwesixeko ngemihla kaPawulos?

IKORINTE “yayisisixeko esasidume kunene nesasithanda iziyolo, apho kwakudibana khona amahenyukazi aseMpuma nawaseNtshona.”a Njengoko imi kwisiqwenga somhlaba esiphakathi kwePeloponnesus nelizwekazi laseGrisi, iKorinte yeyona ndlela yokufikelela kwilizwekazi. Ngemihla yompostile uPawulos, abemi bayo abamalunga nama-400 000 babesodlulwa ngabaseRoma, abakwa-Alesandire nabakwa-Antiyokwe eSiriya kuphela. Ngasempuma yeKorinte kukho uLwandle lweAegean, yaye ngasentshona kukho iNyoba yeKorinte noLwandle lwaseIonia. Ngoko iKorinte, ikomkhulu lephondo laseAkaya, namachweba ayo amabini elaseKenkreya nelaseLekayume, yayibaluleke kunene kwezorhwebo. Yayikwasisazulu semfundo yamaGrike. Kuye kwathiwa, “ubutyebi bayo babudume kangangokuba kwakuzekeliswa ngabo; kwakukwanjalo ke nangokuziphatha okubi novulazibhuqe wabemi bayo.”b Phakathi kwezenzo zayo zonqulo lobuhedeni kwakukho unqulo luka-Afrodite (isithixo esifana noVenus wamaRoma). Ukuthanda iziyolo kwakubangelwa lunqulo lwaseKorinte.

 2. Ibandla laseKorinte lasekwa njani, yaye ngenxa yoko luluphi ulwalamano elalinalo noPawulos?

² Yayisesi sixeko silikomkhulu lobukhosi baseRoma esasinenkqubela kodwa sibolile ngokokuziphatha eso umpostile uPawulos wayesikhenketha malunga nowama-50 C.E. Ebudeni bokuhlala kwakhe iinyanga ezili-18, kwasekwa ibandla lamaKristu apho. (IZe. 18:1-11) Olunjani lona uthando uPawulos awayenalo ngala makholwa awaqala kuwo ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu! Ngale ncwadi wawakhumbuza ngolwalamano lokomoya olwalukho, esithi: “Ningafanelana ninabakhaphi bemawaka alishumi kuKristu, ababaninzi bona ooyihlo; kuba kuKristu Yesu nizelwe ndim lo, ngazo iindaba ezilungileyo.”—1 Kor. 4:15.

 3. Yintoni eyashukumisa uPawulos ukuba abhale incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte?

³ Ukuyixhalabela ngokunzulu impilo-ntle yokomoya yamaKristu aseKorinte kwamshukumisela ukuba uPawulos awabhalele incwadi yakhe yokuqala ngoxa wayekukhenketho lwakhe lwesithathu lobuvangeli basemazweni. Kwakusele kudlule iminyaka embalwa ukususela ekubeni wayehleli eKorinte. Ngoku kwakumalunga nowama-55 C.E., ibe uPawulos wayese-Efese. Kubonakala ukuba wayefumene incwadi eyayivela kweli bandla lisandul’ ukusekwa eKorinte, yaye kwakufuneka eyiphendule. Ngokubhekele phaya, uPawulos weva iingxelo eziphazamisayo. (7:1; 1:11; 5:1; 11:18) Ezi ngxelo zaziphazamisa gqitha kangangokuba umpostile akazange athethe nokuthetha ngencwadi awayembhalele yona enemibuzo ethile de kwaba kwindinyana yokuqala yesahluko 7 sencwadi yakhe. UPawulos waziva enyanzelekile ukuba awabhalele amaKristu angoowabo aseKorinte ngokukodwa ngenxa yeengxelo awayezivile.

 4. Yintoni engqina ukuba uPawulos wayibhalela e-Efese eyokuQala kwabaseKorinte?

⁴ Kodwa sazi njani ukuba uPawulos wayibhala incwadi yakhe yokuQala kwabaseKorinte ese-Efese? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, ekuqukumbeleni le ncwadi ngemibuliso, umpostile uthi bayabulisa ooAkwila noPriska (uPrisila). (16:19) IZenzo 18:18, 19 zibonisa ukuba babefudukile eKorinte baya e-Efese. Ekubeni uAkwila noPrisila babehlala apho kwaye uPawulos wabaqukayo kwimibuliso yokuqukumbela eyokuQala kwabaseKorinte, kumelwe ukuba wayese-Efese xa wabhala loo ncwadi. Phofu ke, ingongoma engashiyi mathandabuzo, ngamazwi kaPawulos kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 16:8: “Ndiya kuhlala ke e-Efese kude kubekho iPentekoste.” Ngoko eyokuQala kwabaseKorinte yabhalwa nguPawulos ese-Efese, ekubonakala ukuba kwakungasekupheleni kwexesha lokuhlala kwakhe apho.

 5. Yintoni emisela ubunyaniso beencwadi eziya kwabaseKorinte?

⁵ Ubunyaniso beyokuQala kwabaseKorinte, kwaneyesiBini kwabaseKorinte, abuthandabuzeki. Ezi ncwadi kuthiwa zabhalwa nguPawulos yaye zamkelwa njengeziyinxalenye yemibhalo engcwele ngamaKristu okuqala, awaziqukayo kwingqokelela yawo. Enyanisweni, kuthiwa eyokuQala kwabaseKorinte ikhankanywa yaye icatshulwa ubuncinane izihlandlo ezithandathu kwincwadi eyadluliselwa eKorinte ivela eRoma eyayibhalwe malunga nowama-95 C.E. yaye ibizwa ngokuthi First Clement. Ngokucacileyo ebhekisela kweyokuQala kwabaseKorinte, umbhali wabongoza abantu abafumana le ncwadi esithi “yamkeleni incwadi yompostile uPawulos ongcwele.”c EyokuQala kwabaseKorinte ikwacatshulwa ngokungqalileyo nguJustin Martyr, uAthenagoras, uIrenaeus noTertullian. Kukho ubungqina obomeleleyo bokuba icorpus, okanye intlanganisela, yeencwadi zikaPawulos, kuquka eyokuQala neyesiBini kwabaseKorinte, “yayilwa yaza yapapashwa kwishumi leminyaka lokugqibela lenkulungwane yokuqala.”d

 6. Ziziphi iingxaki ezazikho kwibandla laseKorinte, kwaye yintoni uPawulos awayenomdla kuyo ngokukhethekileyo?

⁶ Incwadi yokuqala kaPawulos eya kwabaseKorinte isinika ithuba lokuhlolisisa eli bandla laseKorinte. La maKristu ayeneengxaki awayemele ajamelane nazo, kwaye ayenemibuzo ekwakufuneka iphendulwe. Kwakukho iiyantlukwano ebandleni, kuba wambi ayelandela abantu. Kwakuphakame umbandela owothusayo wokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. Wambi ayephila kumakhaya ahluleleneyo ngokonqulo. Ngaba ayefanele ahlale namaqabane awo angakholwayo okanye ahlukane nawo? Yaye kuthekani ngokutya inyama ebingelelwe kwizithixo? Ngaba ayefanele ayidle? AbaseKorinte babefuna icebiso ngokuphathelele ukuqhuba iintlanganiso zabo, kuquka ukukhumbuza iSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa. Kwakufanele kube yintoni ukuma kwamabhinqa ebandleni? Kwakhona ke, kwakukho abathile phakathi kwabo ababelukhanyela uvuko. Kwakukho iingxaki ezininzi. Noko ke, umpostile wayenomdla ngokukhethekileyo ekubuyiseleni ubumoya kwabaseKorinte.

 7. Sifanele siyijonge ngasiphi isimo sengqondo eyokuQala kwabaseKorinte, yaye ngoba?

⁷ Ngenxa yokuba iimeko ezazikho ngaphakathi ebandleni nemekobume eyayingaphandle kwiKorinte yamandulo, nempumelelo nokuba nguvula-zibhuqe kwayo, zinezinto ezinokuthelekiswa nazo namhlanje, isiluleko sikaPawulos esibalulekileyo esabhalwa phantsi kwempefumlelo yobuthixo kufuneka sisinikele ingqalelo yethu. Oko uPawulos wakuthethayo kunentsingiselo epheleleyo yomhla wethu kangangokuba ukuqwalaselwa okucingisisiweyo kwencwadi yakhe yokuqala awayibhalela abazalwana noodade bakhe abathandekayo baseKorinte kuya kungqineka kukokwengenelo ngenene. Ngoku khumbula umoya welo xesha naloo ndawo. Ngoxa sihlolisisa amazwi ahlaba umxhelo, axhokonxa iingcinga naphefumlelweyo uPawulos awawabhalela amakholwa angoowabo kwiKorinte yamandulo, cinga ngokuzigocagoca, njengokuba amaKristu aseKorinte amele ukuba enjenjalo.

OKUQULETHWE YEYOKUQALA KWABASEKORINTE

 8. (a) UPawulos ububhenca njani ubuyatha bokubakho kwamahlelo ebandleni? (b) UPawulos ubonisa ukuba yintoni efunekayo ukuze kuqondwe izinto zikaThixo?

⁸ UPawulos ubhenca ukubakho kwamahlelo, ukhuthaza umanyano (1:1–4:21). UPawulos ubanqwenelela okuhle abantu baseKorinte. Kodwa kuthekani ngeeyantlukwano, iimpikiswano ezikhoyo phakathi kwabo? “UKristu wahlukahlukene.” (1:13, NW) Umpostile uyabulela kuba eye wabhaptiza abambalwa gqitha kubo, ngoko abanakuthi babhaptizelwe egameni lakhe. UPawulos ushumayela uKristu owabethelelwayo. Oku kuyawakhubekisa amaYuda yaye kububudenge kuzo iintlanga. Kodwa uThixo wanyula izinto ezibubudenge nezingenamandla zeli hlabathi ukuze azidanise izilumko nezinto ezomeleleyo. Ngoko uPawulos akasebenzisi intetho engaqhelekanga kodwa uvumela ukuba abazalwana babone umoya namandla kaThixo ngamazwi akhe, ukuze ukholo lwabo lungasekelwa kubulumko babantu koko kumandla kaThixo. UPawulos uthi, sithetha izinto esizityhilelwe ngomoya kaThixo, “kuba umoya uphengulula zonke izinto, neenzulu zikaThixo.” Ezi azinakuqondwa ngumntu wokwenyama koko ziqondwa kuphela ngumntu wokomoya.—2:10.

 9. UPawulos ubonisa ngawaphi amazwi ukuba akukho mntu ufanele aqhayise ngabantu?

⁹ Balandela abantu—bambi balandela uApolo, bambi balandela uPawulos. Kodwa bayintoni ke aba? Ngabalungiseleli nje kuphela ekwathi ngabo abaseKorinte baba ngamakholwa. Abo bahlwayelayo nabankcenkceshelayo abalutho, kuba “ke nguThixo owahlumisayo,” yaye bona ‘bangabasebenzisi’ bakhe. Ukucikidwa ngomlilo kuya kungqina ukuba yimisebenzi kabani na ehlala ihleli. UPawulos ubaxelela oku, “Niyitempile kaThixo,” ekuhlala kuyo umoya Wakhe. “Ubulumko beli hlabathi bubudenge kuye uThixo.” Ngenxa yoko, makungabikho namnye uqhayisa ngabantu, kuba eneneni zonke izinto zezikaThixo.—3:6, 9, 16, 19.

10. Kutheni le nto ukuqhayisa kwabaseKorinte kungeyomfuneko, yaye ngawaphi amanyathelo uPawulos awathabathayo ukuze alungise le meko?

¹⁰ UPawulos noApolo bangamagosa athobekileyo eemfihlelo ezingcwele zikaThixo, kwaye ke amagosa afanele afunyanwe ethembekile. Bangoobani na ke abazalwana baseKorinte ukuba bangade baqhayise, kwaye yintoni abanayo abangayamkeliswanga? Ngaba baye baba zizityebi, baqalisa ukulawula njengookumkani, yaye baye baba ziingqondi baza bomelela, ngoxa abapostile, abathi baba yintlekisa kwizithunywa zezulu nakubantu, babe baseziziyatha kwaye bebuthathaka, beyinkuthu yezinto zonke? UPawulos ubathumelela uTimoti ukuze abakhumbuze iindlela zakhe ezinxibelelene noKristu nokuba baxelise yena. Ukuba uYehova uyathanda, uPawulos uza kubatyelela kungekudala aze anganeli kukwazi nje kuphela intetho yabo bakhukhumeleyo kodwa namandla abo.

11. Kukuphi ukuziphatha okubi okuye kwavela phakathi kwabo, kumele kwenziwe ntoni ngako, kwaye ngoba?

¹¹ Ngokugcina ibandla licocekile (5:1–6:20). Kuye kwanikelwa ingxelo ngombandela okhwankqisayo wokuziphatha okubi phakathi kwabaseKorinte! Indoda ethile ithathe umfazi kayise. Imele inikelwe kuSathana kuba igwele elincinane libilisa intlama iphela. Bamele bayeke ukuzidibanisa naye nabani na obizwa ngokuthi ungumzalwana kodwa engongendawo.

12. (a) UPawulos uthini ngokumangalelana kwabo ezinkundleni? (b) Kutheni uPawulos esithi, “Wubalekeni umbulo”?

¹² Ewe, abaseKorinte babede bamangalelane nasezinkundleni! Kwakungayi kuba kokulunge ngakumbi ukuzivumela baqhathwe kusini na? Ekubeni beza kugweba ihlabathi nezithunywa zezulu, ngaba abanakufumana mntu phakathi kwabo ukuze agwebe abazalwana? Ngaphezu koko, bafanele bacoceke, kuba abenza umbulo, abakhonzi bezithixo nabanjalo abayi kubudla ilifa uBukumkani bukaThixo. Yayinjalo ke inxenye yabo, kuloko bahlanjululwayo baza bangcwaliswa. “Wubalekeni umbulo,” utsho njalo uPawulos. “Kuba nathengwa ngexabiso. Mzukiseni ke uThixo ngomzimba wenu.”—6:18, 20.

13. (a) Kutheni le nto uPawulos eluleka abanye ukuba batshate? Kodwa bakuba betshatile, yintoni abafanele bayenze? (b) Umntu ongatshatanga ‘utyapha njani ngokwenjenjalo’?

¹³ Isiluleko ngokungatshati nangomtshato (7:1-40). UPawulos uphendula umbuzo ongomtshato. Ngenxa yokwesamela kohenyuzo, kusenokucebiseka ukuba indoda okanye ibhinqa litshate, yaye abo batshatileyo abafanele bakwale ukuhlangana. Kuyinto entle ngabangatshatanga nabahlolokazi ukuba bahlale benjalo, njengoPawulos; kodwa ukuba abanakuzeyisa, mabatshate. Bakuba ke betshatile, bafanele bahlale kunye. Nokuba iqabane lomnye alilokholwa, ikholwa alifanele lahlukane, kuba ngaloo ndlela ikholwa lisenokumsindisa ongakholwayo. Mayela nolwaluko nobukhoboka, ngamnye makaneliswe kukuhlala kwimeko awabizwa ekuyo. Ngokuphathelele umntu otshatileyo, unengqondo ebethabethanayo kuba ufuna ukukholiseka kwiqabane lakhe, ngoxa umntu ongatshatanga exhalela izinto zeNkosi kuphela. Abo batshatayo aboni, kodwa abo bangatshatiyo ‘bayatyapha ukwenjenjalo.’—7:38.

14. UPawulos uthini ‘ngoothixo nangeenkosi,’ ukanti kuxa kutheni ekuthi kube bubulumko ukuzinxwema kukutya okubingelelwe kwizithixo?

¹⁴ Ukwenza izinto zonke ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo (8:1–9:27). Kuthekani ngokutya okubingelelwe kwizithixo? Isithixo asinto! Kukho “oothixo” abaninzi “neenkosi” ezininzi ehlabathini, kodwa kumKristu kukho ‘uThixo omnye uYise’ kwaye “inye iNkosi, uYesu Kristu.” (8:5, 6) Ukanti omnye usenokuphazamiseka ukuba ukubona usitya inyama ebingelelwe kwisithixo. UPawulos ucebisa ukuba, kwiimeko ezinje kuphephe ukwenjenjalo ukuze ungakhubekisi umzalwana wakho.

15. UPawulos uziphatha njani kubulungiseleli?

¹⁵ UPawulos uzibandeza izinto ezininzi ngenxa yobulungiseleli. Njengompostile, unelungelo ‘lokuphila ngeendaba ezilungileyo ezi,’ kodwa akafunanga kwenjenjalo. Noko ke, kuyimfuneko ukuba ashumayele; enyanisweni, uthi, “Yeha ke mna, ukuba ndisuka ndingazishumayeli iindaba ezilungileyo!” Ngoko uye wazikhonzisa kubo bonke, ‘wesuka waba zinto zonke kubo bonke’ ukuze ‘ngeendlela zonke asindise inxenye,’ esenza zonke izinto “ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo.” Ukuze aluphumelele ugqatso nokuze azuze isithsaba esingenakonakala, uyawuqoba umzimba wakhe ukuze angathi emva kokushumayela kwabanye, yena abe ‘ngumlahlelwa phandle.’—9:14, 16, 19, 22, 23, 27.

16. (a) Sisiphi isilumkiso amaKristu afanele asithabathe ‘koobawo’? (b) Ngokuphathelele unqulo-zithixo, amaKristu anokuzenzela uzuko lukaThixo zonke izinto njani?

¹⁶ Isilumkiso nxamnye nezinto ezimbi (10:1-33). Kuthekani ke ‘ngoobawo’? Aba babephantsi kwelifu yaye babhaptizelwa kuMoses. Inkoliso yabo ayizange ikholiseke kuThixo yaye yathiwa waca entlango apho. Kwakutheni? Yakhanuka izinto ezimbi. Oku kufanele kuwalumkise amaKristu yaye afanele azinxweme kunqulo-zithixo nakuhenyuzo, angamlingi uYehova yaye angakrokri. Lowo ucinga ukuba umile ufanele alumke angawi. Isilingo siya kuza, kodwa uThixo akayi kubavumela abakhonzi bakhe balingwe ngaphezu kwabanokukuthwala; uya kuvelisa ithuba lokuphuma kuso ukuze babenako ukuthwala. UPawulos ubhala enjenje, “Kubalekeni ukubusa izithixo.” (10:1, 14) Asinakuba nesabelo kwisithebe sikaYehova nakwisithebe seedemon. Phofu ke, ukuba uyadla ekhayeni lothile, musa ukubuza ukuba yeyantoni na loo nyama. Noko ke, ukuba uthile uyakuxelela ukuba ibingelelwe kwizithixo, musa ukudla ngenxa yesazela somnye umntu. UPawulos ubhala esithi, “Zenzeleni uzuko lukaThixo into zonke.”—10:31.

17. (a) Nguwuphi umgaqo uPawulos awumiselayo mayela nobuntloko? (b) Umbandela wezahlukahlukano ebandleni uwunxibelelanisa njani nengxubusho yeSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa?

¹⁷ Ubuntloko; iSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa (11:1-34). “Yibani ngabaxelisa mna, njengokuba nam ndixelisa uKristu,” uPawulos uvakalisa oko, aze andule ke ahlabele mgama emisela umgaqo wobuthixo wobuntloko: Intloko yomfazi yindoda, intloko yendoda nguKristu, intloko kaKristu nguThixo. Ngoko ke, umfazi ufanele abe “nomqondiso wegunya” phezu kwentloko yakhe xa ethandaza okanye eprofeta ebandleni. UPawulos akanakubancoma abaseKorinte, kuba kukho izahlukahlukano phakathi kwabo xa behlangana ndawonye. Xa kunje, banokusidla njani ngokufanelekileyo iSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa? Uhlolisisa okwenzekayo xa uYesu wasungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe. Ngamnye umele azicikide ngaphambi kokudla, hleze azizisele umgwebo ngenxa yokusilela kwakhe ukuwucalula “umzimba.”—11:1, 10, 29.

18. (a) Ngoxa kukho izipho nobulungiseleli obahlukahlukeneyo, kutheni kungafanele kubekho ukwahlukana emzimbeni? (b) Kutheni uthando lubalasele nje?

¹⁸ Izipho zomoya; uthando nezinto oluzifunayo (12:1–14:40). Kukho izipho ezahlukahlukeneyo ezizezomoya, ukanti umoya mnye; kukho izabelo ngezabelo zobulungiseleli nezentsebenzo, ukanti inye iNkosi kwaye mnye noThixo. Ngokunjalo kukho amalungu amaninzi kumzimba omnye nomanyeneyo kaKristu, elinye ilungu liyalifuna elinye, njengakumzimba womntu. UThixo uye wamisa onke amalungu emzimbeni njengoko ethanda, yaye ngalinye linomsebenzi alabele wona, ukuze “kungabikho kwahlukahlukana emzimbeni.” (12:25) Abantu abasebenzisa izipho ezizezomoya abayonto ukuba abanaluthando. Uthando luzeka kade umsindo yaye lunobubele, alunamona, alukhukhumali. Luvuyisana nenyaniso kuphela. “Uthando aluze lutshitshe.” (13:8) Izipho ezizezomoya, njengokuprofeta nokuthetha ngeelwimi, ziya kutshitshiswa, kodwa ukholo, ithemba nothando ziya kuhlala zikho. Eyona inkulu kwezi luthando.

19. Sisiphi isiluleko uPawulos asinikelayo sokwakhiwa kwebandla nokwenziwa kwezinto ngolungelelwano?

¹⁹ UPawulos ululeka esenjenje, “Phuthumani uthando.” Izipho ezizezomoya zimele zisetyenziswe ngothando ukuze kwakhiwe ibandla. Ngenxa yesi sizathu, kumele kukhethwe ukuprofeta kunokuthetha ngeelwimi. Kulunge ngakumbi ukuba athethe amazwi amahlanu aqondakalayo ukuze afundise abanye kunokuthetha angamawaka alishumi ngentetho engaziwayo. Iilwimi zingumqondiso kwabangakholwayo, kodwa ukuprofeta kulungiselelwe amakholwa. Abafanele babe “ngabantwana” ekuqondeni le micimbi. Ke bona abafazi, bafanele balulame ebandleni. “Zonke izinto mazenziwe ngokubekekileyo, nangolungelelwano.”—14:1, 20, 40.

20. (a) Bubuphi ubungqina abunikelayo uPawulos ngokuvuka kukaKristu? (b) Uvuko luya kwenzeka ngokwaziphi izintlu, yaye ziziphi iintshaba ezimele zithotywe?

²⁰ Ukuqiniseka kwethemba lovuko (15:1–16:24). UKristu ovusiweyo wabonakala kuKefas, wabonakala kwabali-12, wabonwa ngaxa linye ngabazalwana abangaphezu kwama-500, wabonwa nguYakobi, ngabo bonke abapostile, kwaye ekugqibeleni kubo bonke wabonwa nguPawulos. UPawulos ubhala oku, ‘Ukuba ke uKristu akavukanga, koba ukushumayela nokholo lwethu ziyalambatha.’ (15:14) Elowo uvuswa ngokolwakhe uluhlu, uKristu eyintlahlela, kwandule ke kamva ibe ngabo bangabakhe ebudeni bobukho bakhe. Ekugqibeleni unikela uBukumkani kuYise zakuba zonke iintshaba zibekwe ngaphantsi kweenyawo zakhe. Kwanokufa, utshaba lokugqibela, kuyabhangiswa. Kumnceda ntoni na uPawulos ukuba aqhubeke ebeka ubomi bakhe emngciphekweni ukuba akukho luvuko?

21. (a) Abo baza kudla ilifa loBukumkani bukaThixo bavuswa njani? (b) Yiyiphi imfihlelo engcwele uPawulos ayityhilayo, yaye uthini ngokoyiswa kokufa?

²¹ Kodwa bathini na ukuvuka abafileyo? Ukuze isiqu sesityalo sikhule, ukhozo oluhlwayelweyo lumele lufe. Kunjalo ke nangovuko lwabafileyo. “Kuhlwayelwa umzimba ongowemvelo, kuvuka umzimba ongowomoya. . . . Inyama negazi azinako ukubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” (15:44, 50) UPawulos uxela imfihlelo engcwele: Asingabo bonke abaya kulala ekufeni, kodwa ngexilongo lokugqibela, baya kwenziwa kumila kumbi ngephanyazo. Xa oku kufayo kusambatha ukungafi, ukufa kuya kufincelwa eloyisweni ngonaphakade. “Kufa, luphi na uloyiso lwakho? Kufa, luphi na ulwamvila lwakho?” UPawulos uyadanduluka ngokusuk’ entliziyweni esithi: “Kodwa makubulelwe kuThixo, kuba usinika uloyiso ngayo iNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu!”—15:55, 57, NW.

22. Sisiphi isiluleko nokhuthazo lokuqukumbela uPawulos alunikelayo?

²² Ekuqukumbeleni uPawulos ululeka ngelithi makubekho ulungelelwano ekubuthweni kweminikelo eza kuthunyelwa eYerusalem ukuze kuncedwe abazalwana abasweleyo. Uxela utyelelo lwakhe oluzayo oluza kudlula eMakedoni yaye ubonisa ukuba uTimoti noApolo nabo basenokutyelela. UPawulos uyabayala esithi, “Phaphani, yimani elukholweni; yibani ngamadoda; yomelelani. Zonke izinto zenu mazenziwe ninothando.” (16:13, 14) UPawulos uthumela imibuliso evela kumabandla aseAsiya, aze andule ke abhale umbuliso wokugqibela ngesandla sakhe, edlulisela uthando lwakhe.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

23. (a) UPawulos uyizekelisa njani imiphumo eyintlekele yeminqweno emibi nokuzithemba? (b) UPawulos usebenzisa liphi igunya ukuze aluleke ngeSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa nangokudla okufanelekileyo?

²³ Le ncwadi yompostile uPawulos iyingenelo gqitha ekukhuliseni ukuqonda kwethu iZibhalo zesiHebhere, ecaphule kanobom kuzo. Kwisahluko seshumi, uPawulos ubonisa ukuba amaSirayeli awayekhokelwa nguMoses asela kwiliwa elilelomoya, elo linguKristu. (1 Kor. 10:4; Num. 20:11) Wandula ke ahlabele mgama ethetha ngemiphumo eyintlekele yokukhanuka izinto ezimbi, njengoko kubonwa kumzekelo wamaSirayeli awayekhokelwa nguMoses, aze ongezelele oku: “Zonke ke ezo zinto, zabahlelayo bona, beziyimifuziselo; zabhalelwa ke ukululeka thina aba, bafikelweyo ziziphelo zawo amaphakade.” Masingaze sikholose ngeziqu zethu, sicinge ukuba asinakuwa! (1 Kor. 10:11, 12; Num. 14:2; 21:5; 25:9) Kwakhona, wenza umzekeliso ngoMthetho. Ubhekisela kumadini eminikelo kwaSirayeli ukuze abonise indlela abo badla iSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa abafanele badle ngokufaneleke ngayo kwisithebe sikaYehova. Ngoko, ukuze axhase ingxoxo yakhe yokuba kufanelekile ukutya nantoni na ethengiswa kwindawo yentengiso yenyama, ucaphula kwiNdumiso 24:1 esithi, “Umhlaba lo ngoweNkosi [uYehova, NW] nenzaliseko yawo.”—1 Kor. 10:18, 21, 26; Eks. 32:6; Lev. 7:11-15.

24. Ziziphi ezinye iimbekiselo uPawulos azisebenzisayo kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere ukuze axhase iingxoxo zakhe?

²⁴ Ukuze abonise ukubaluleka ‘kwezinto uThixo azilungiselele abamthandayo’ nokuba lilize ‘kwezicamango zezilumko’ zeli hlabathi, kwakhona uPawulos ucaphula kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere. (1 Kor. 2:9; 3:20; Isa. 64:4; INdu. 94:11) Njengegunya lemiyalelo yakhe ekwisahluko 5 engokushenxiswa kubudlelane komenzi-bubi, ucaphula umthetho kaYehova othi ‘tshayela ububi obuphakathi kwakho.’ (Dut. 17:7) Ekuxubusheni ilungelo lakhe lokuphila ngobulungiseleli, kwakhona uPawulos ubhekisela kuMthetho kaMoses, owawusithi izilwanyana ezisebenzayo zazingamele zifakwe isicheme ukuze zingadli nokuthi abaLevi ababesebenza etempileni babemele bafumane inxalenye yabo esibingelelweni.—1 Kor. 9:8-14; Dut. 25:4; 18:1.

25. Ziziphi ezinye zeengongoma ezibalaseleyo zemfundo eyingenelo ekweyokuQala kwabaseKorinte?

²⁵ Ezinjani zona iingenelo zemfundo ephefumlelweyo esiye sazifumana kwincwadi kaPawulos yokuQala awayibhalela amaKristu aseKorinte! Camngca ngesiluleko esinikelweyo ngokuchasa ukwahlukahlukana nokulandela abantu. (Isahluko 1-4) Khumbula umbandela wokuziphatha okubi nendlela uPawulos awagxininisa ngayo kwimfuneko yobunyulu nokucoceka kwebandla. (Isahluko 5, 6) Qwalasela icebiso lakhe eliphefumlelweyo mayela nokungatshati, ukutshata nokwahlukana. (Isahluko 7) Cinga ngengxubusho yompostile ngokudla okubingelelwe kwizithixo kwanangendlela awayibalaselisa ngayo imfuneko yokulumkela ukukhubekisa abanye nokuwela kunqulo-zithixo. (Isahluko 8-10) Isiluleko mayela nokuzithoba okufanelekileyo, ukuqwalaselwa kwezipho ezizezomoya, laa ngxubusho eyeyona isengqiqweni yokubalasela kophawu oluhlala luhleli nolungatshitshiyo lothando—kwanezi zinto ziye zahlolisiswa. Ibe hayi indlela umpostile awayibethelela kakuhle ngayo imfuneko yokulungelelana kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu! (Isahluko 11-14) Okunjani kona ukumangalisa ukukhusela kwakhe uvuko awakubhala ngaphantsi kwempefumlelo! (Isahluko 15) Konke oku nokunye kuye kwabonwa ngeliso lengqondo—yaye kuxabiseke gqitha kumaKristu omhla wethu!

26. (a) Nguwuphi umsebenzi ekwakukudala waxelwa kwangaphambili uKristu ovusiweyo awufezayo xa elawula njengoKumkani? (b) Ngesizinzi sethemba lovuko, luluphi ukhuthazo olunamandla uPawulos alunikelayo?

²⁶ Le ncwadi ifak’ isandla ngokuphawulekayo ekuqondeni kwethu umxholo obalaseleyo weBhayibhile woBukumkani bukaThixo. Inikela isilumkiso esicacileyo sokuba abantu abangemalungisa abayi kungena eBukumkanini, yaye idwelisa izinto ezininzi ezimbi eziya kubangela ukuba umntu angangeni. (1 Kor. 6:9, 10) Kodwa okona kubalulekileyo kukuba, icacisa ulwalamano phakathi kovuko noBukumkani bukaThixo. Ibonisa ukuba uKristu, “intlahlela” yovuko, umele “alawule, ade [uThixo] azibeke phantsi kweenyawo zakhe zonke iintshaba.” Ngoko, xa athe wazibeka phantsi zonke iintshaba, kuquka nokufa, ‘unikela ubukumkani kuye uThixo uYise, ukuze uThixo abe zizinto zonke kubo bonke.’ Ekugqibeleni, kwinzaliseko yedinga loBukumkani elenziwa e-Eden, uKristu uya kuyityumza ngokupheleleyo intloko yeNyoka, ekunye nabazalwana Bakhe bokomoya abavusiweyo. Eneneni, ithemba lovuko lwabo baza kuba nesabelo ekungonakalini kunye noKristu Yesu kuBukumkani basezulwini lizukile. Lisekelwe kwithemba lovuko kangangokuba uPawulos uyaluleka esenjenje: “Ngoko ke, bazalwana bam abaziintanda, qinani, ningabi nakushukuma; nihlale niphuphuma umsebenzi weNkosi, nisazi nje ukuba ukubulaleka kwenu akulambathi eNkosini.”—1 Kor. 15:20-28, 58; Gen. 3:15; Roma 16:20.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]