Incwadi YeBhayibhile 47—2 Korinte
Umbhali: NguPawulos
Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: EMakedoni
Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-55 C.E.
1, 2. (a) Yintoni eyakhokelela uPawulos ekubhaleni incwadi yesibini eya kwabaseKorinte? (b) UPawulos wabhala ephi, ibe wayexhalabele ntoni?
MHLAWUMBI ngoku kwakusekupheleni kwehlobo okanye ekuqaleni kokwindla lowama-55 C.E. Kwakusekho imibandela ethile kwibandla lamaKristu laseKorinte eyayisamxhalabisile umpostile uPawulos. Kwakungekadluli zinyanga zingaphi ukususela ekubhaleni incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte. Ukususela ngelo xesha kwakuthunyelwe uTito eKorinte ukuba aye kuncedisa ekubuthweni kwezinto okwakusenziwa ukuze kuncedwe abangcwele bakwaYuda aze mhlawumbi aqwalasele kwanendlela abasabela ngayo abaseKorinte kwincwadi yokuqala. (2 Kor. 8:1-6; 2:13) Babeyamkele njani? Enjani yona intuthuzelo awaba nayo uPawulos ngokwazi ukuba yayibashukumisele ekubeni babe buhlungu baze baguquke! UTito wayebuyele kuPawulos eMakedoni ephethe le ngxelo ikhuthazayo, yaye ngoku intliziyo yompostile yayiphuphuma luthando awayenalo ngamakholwa angoowabo nathandekayo aseKorinte.—7:5-7; 6:11.
2 Ngoko uPawulos wababhalela kwakhona abaseKorinte. Le ncwadi yesibini efudumez’ intliziyo nenamandla yabhalelwa eMakedoni yaye kubonakala ukuba yahanjiswa nguTito. (9:2, 4; 8:16-18, 22-24) Omnye wemibandela exhalabisayo eyashukumisa uPawulos ukuba abhale yayibubukho babona “bapostile baziincamisa” phakathi kwamaKorinte, awathi kwakhona wabachaza ‘njengabapostile bobuxoki, abasebenzi abakhohlisayo.’ (11:5, 13, 14) Impilo-ntle yokomoya yebandla eliselitsha ngokwentelekiso yayisengozini, kwaye igunya likaPawulos njengompostile lalihlaselwa. Ngaloo ndlela incwadi yakhe yesibini eya kwabaseKorinte yazalisa intswelo enkulu.
3, 4. (a) Ngawaphi amatyelelo uPawulos awawenza ngokwakhe eKorinte? (b) EyesiBini kwabaseKorinte iyeyengenelo njani kuthi ngoku?
3 Kusenokuphawulwa ukuba uPawulos wathi: “Sendilungele ukuza kuni okwesithathu.” (2 Kor. 12:14; 13:1) Wayecebe ukubatyelela okwesihlandlo sesibini xa wababhalela incwadi yakhe yokuqala, kodwa nangona walungiselelayo, olu ‘babalo lwesibini’ aluzange luphumelele. (1 Kor. 16:5; 2 Kor. 1:15) Ngoko, eneneni uPawulos wayelapho isihlandlo esinye kuphela, ehleli iinyanga ezili-18 ngowama-50-52 C.E., xa kwakusekwa ibandla lamaKristu eKorinte. (IZe. 18:1-18) Phofu ke, kamva uPawulos wayibona inzaliseko yomnqweno wakhe wokutyelela eKorinte kwakhona. Ngoxa wayeseGrisi kangangeenyanga ezintathu, ngokunokwenzeka ngowama-56 C.E., ubuncinane inxalenye yelo xesha wayichithela eKorinte, kwaye wayibhala elapho incwadi eya kwabaseRoma.—Roma 16:1, 23; 1 Kor. 1:14.
4 EyesiBini kwabaseKorinte kwakunye neyokuQala kwabaseKorinte nezinye iincwadi zikaPawulos bezisoloko zigqalwa njengenxalenye eyinyaniso yeZibhalo ezingcwele. Kwakhona siyancedwa ukuba siqwalasele eli bandla laseKorinte size singenelwe kumazwi aphefumlelweyo kaPawulos awawanikela ukululeka bona kwakunye nathi.
OKUQULETHWE YEYESIBINI KWABASEKORINTE
5. (a) Yintoni ayibhalayo uPawulos ngokuphathelele intuthuzelo? (b) Yintoni eye yenzeka ngoKristu nesisiqinisekiso esingakumbi?
5 Uncedo oluvela ‘kuThixo onako konke ukuthuthuzela’ (1:1–2:11). UPawulos uquka uTimoti kumbuliso wakhe oyintshayelelo. UPawulos uthi, ‘Makabongwe uThixo, uSozimfefe, uThixo onako konke ukuthuthuzela, osithuthuzelayo kuyo yonke imbandezelo yethu,’ ukuze nathi, ngembuyekezo sibe nako ukubathuthuzela abanye. Nangona uPawulos namaqabane akhe bebexineke ngokuncamisileyo yaye ubomi babo busengozini, uThixo uye wabahlangula. AbaseKorinte banokunceda nabo, ngokubathandazela. Ubabhalela enenkoloseko ekunyanisekeni kwakhe nangobabalo lukaThixo. Amadinga kaThixo aye aba “nguewe” ngoYesu, kwaye Yena uye wabathambisa abo bangabakaKristu waza wabanika “isinyaniso somoya” esisezintliziyweni zabo.—1:3, 4, 20, 22.
6. UPawulos ululeka ukuba kufanele kwenziwe ntoni ngomenzi bubi owasuswayo kubudlelane ngoku oguqukileyo?
6 Kubonakala ukuba umntu uPawulos awayethetha ngaye kwisahluko sesihlanu sencwadi yakhe yokuqala wayegxothiwe ebandleni. Uguqukile kwaye ubonisa ukuba buhlungu. Ngoko ke uPawulos uxelela abaseKorinte ukuba bamxolele ngokunyanisekileyo nokuba bazinzise uthando lwabo kulowo uguqukileyo.
7. UPawulos uzichaza njani yena nabaseKorinte, ibe yintoni ayiqinisekisayo?
7 Ukukulingana ukuba ngabalungiseleli bomnqophiso omtsha (2:12–6:10). UPawulos uthi yena namaKristu aseKorinte bakumngcelele woloyiso kunye noKristu. (AbaseKorinte babeqhelene nevumba lesiqhumiso esimnandi esasitshiswa kwindlela yemingcelele yemikhosi eyoyisileyo yaloo mihla.) Kukho umahluko omkhulu phakathi ‘kwevumba’ lomKristu kwabo baza kuzuza ubomi ‘nevumba’ kwabo batshabalalayo. UPawulos uqinisekisa ngelithi, ‘Asilingxengeleli ilizwi likaThixo.’—2:16, 17.
8. (a) Ziziphi iziqinisekiso uPawulos nabasebenzi abangoowabo ababenazo njengabalungiseleli? (b) Ubulungiseleli bomnqophiso omtsha bubalasele ngayiphi indlela?
8 UPawulos nabasebenzi abangoowabo abafuni zincwadi, iincwadi ezibhaliweyo zoncomelo, eziya okanye ezivela kwabaseKorinte. Amakholwa aseKorinte wona ngokwawo aziincwadi zoncomelo, ‘ezalungiselelwa sithi’ nezabhalwa, kungekhona emacwecweni amatye, kodwa “emacwecweni angawenyama entliziyo,” utsho njalo uPawulos. UThixo ubenze nokubenza bakulingana abalungiseleli bomnqophiso omtsha oko. Ulungiselelo olubhaliweyo lwalusebenza ukubulala, lunozuko olubunayo, yaye lwalulolokwexeshana. Noko ke, ulungiselelo lomoya lukhokelela ebomini, luhlala luhleli, ibe lulolobuqaqawuli obandayo. Xa “kuleswa uMoses,” kubakho isigqubuthelo ezintliziyweni zoonyana bakaSirayeli, kodwa xa kubuyelwa kuYehova, isigqubuthelo siyasuswa, yaye benziwa ‘bamilise okwaloo mfanekiso, uvela ebuqaqawulini usinge ebuqaqawulini.’—3:3, 15, 18.
9. UPawulos ubuchaza njani ubutyebi bobulungiseleli?
9 Wandula ke uPawulos ahlabele mgama esithi: ‘Sinalo olu lungiselelo ngenxa yenceba eyaboniswa kuthi. Sizilahlile izinto ezifihlakeleyo kwaye asilingxengeleli ilizwi likaThixo, kodwa siye sazincomela ngokuyibonakalalisa inyaniso. Ukuba isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo sigqutyuthelwe, kungenxa yokuba uthixo weli hlabathi uye wazimfamekisa iingqiqo zabangakholwayo. Noko ke, iintliziyo zethu zikhanyiselwe kukwaziwa okuzukileyo kukaThixo ebusweni bukaKristu. Hayi indlela obuyimfumba ngayo obu butyebi sinabo! Bukwizitya zodongwe ukuze amandla ayincamisa abe ngakaThixo. Sitshutshiwa yaye sicinezelwa, ewe, sijamelene nokufa ngokwako, siba nokholo kwaye asincami, kuba imbandezelo yokomzuzwana isebenza kuthi uzuko oluncamise kwaphela ngobukhulu nolungunaphakade. Ngoko sigcina amehlo ethu exunele kwizinto ezingabonwayo.’—4:1-18.
10. (a) UPawulos uthini ngabo bakuKristu? (b) UPawulos uzincomela njani njengomlungiseleli kaThixo?
10 UPawulos ubhala esenjenje, ‘siyazi ukuba indlu yethu yasemhlabeni iya kushenxela engunaphakade emazulwini. Okwangoku sihamba ngokholo yaye somelele. Nangona sikude noKristu, sifuna ukwamkeleka kuye.’ (5:1, 7-9) Abo bakuKristu ‘basisidalwa esitsha’ kwaye banobulungiseleli boxolelwaniso. ‘Bazizigidimi ngenxa kaKristu.’ (5:17, 20) Ngazo zonke iindlela uPawulos uyazincomela njengomlungiseleli kaThixo. Njani? ‘Ngokunyamezela okukhulu ezimbandezelweni, ukubethwa, ukubulaleka, ukungalali ebusuku; ngobunyulu, ngokwazi, ngokuzeka kade umsindo, ngobubele, ngomoya oyingcwele, ngothando olungahanahanisiyo, ngelizwi lenyaniso, ngamandla kaThixo, ngokuba ngathi lihlwempu ukanti utyebisa abaninzi, ngokuba njengongenanto, ukanti uhlala enezinto zonke.’—6:4-10.
11. Sisiphi isiluleko nesilumkiso uPawulos asinikelayo?
11 ‘Ukufeza ubungcwele ngokoyika uThixo’ (6:11–7:16). UPawulos uxelela abaseKorinte oku: ‘Intliziyo yethu yenziwe banzi ukuze yamkele nina.’ Nabo bafanele babe banzi eluthandweni lwabo. Kodwa ngoku kuza isilumkiso! “Musani ukunxulumana nabolunye uhlobo, abangakholwayo.” (6:11, 14) Kunabudlelane buni na ke ukukhanya nobumnyama, okanye uKristu noBheliyali? Njengetempile yoThixo ophilileyo, bamele bazahlule baze bangachukumisi nto ingcolileyo. UPawulos uthi: “Masizihlambulule kuko konke ukudyobheka kwenyama nokomoya sibufeza ubungcwele, sisoyika uThixo.”—7:1.
12. Kwakutheni ukuze ingxelo evela eKorinte imvuyise uPawulos?
12 Ngokubhekele phaya uPawulos uthi: “Ndizele yintuthuzelo, ndiphuphuma uvuyo kakhulu kuyo yonke imbandezelo yethu.” (7:4) Kungani? Kungekuphela nje ngenxa yobukho bukaTito kodwa kwanangenxa yengxelo entle evela eKorinte, yokuba bayamlangazelela, bayamlilela yaye bayamzondelela uPawulos. Uyaqonda ukuba incwadi yakhe yokuqala yabangela ubuhlungu obuthile bokwexeshana, kodwa uyayivuyela into yokuba abaseKorinte benziwa buhlungu ukwenzela inguquko ukuze basindiswe. Uyabancoma ngokusebenzisana kwabo noTito.
13. (a) Yiyiphi imizekelo yobubele uPawulos ayikhankanyayo? (b) Yiyiphi imigaqo uPawulos axubusha ngayo ephathelele ukupha?
13 Ububele buya kuvuzwa (8:1–9:15). Mayela neminikelo yokulungiselela “abangcwele” abasweleyo, uPawulos ukhankanya umzekelo wabaseMakedoni, ababonisa ububele obungaphaya kwamandla abo ngenene phezu kwabo nje ubuhlwempu obendeleyo; yaye ngoku unethemba lokubona uhlobo olunjalo lokupha kwabaseKorinte njengembonakaliso yokunyaniseka kothando lwawo ngeNkosi uYesu Kristu, eyathi yaba lihlwempu ukuze babe zizityebi. Oku kupha ngokoko banako kuya kubangela ukuba kubekho ukulingana, ukuze lowo unako angabi nako ngokugqithiseleyo, nalowo unokuncinane, angabi nokuncinane gqitha. Bathunyelelwa uTito nabanye mayela nesi sipho sobubele. UPawulos ebeqhayisa ngobubele nokuthumekelela kwabaseKorinte, yaye akafuni baphoxeke ngokusilela ukuzalisa le ntsikelelo. Ewe, “lowo uhlwayela ngesisa wovuna kwangesisa.” Makube kokuphuma entliziyweni, kuba “uThixo uthanda umphi ochwayitileyo.” Kwakhona uyakwazi ukubaphuphumisela ubabalo lwakhe nokubatyebisa ngazo zonke iinkalo zobubele. “Makubulelwe ke kuThixo ngenxa yesipho sakhe singenambali.”—9:1, 6, 7, 15.
14. Ziziphi iingongoma aziphuhlisayo uPawulos ukuze axhase ubupostile bakhe?
14 UPawulos uthethelela ubupostile bakhe (10:1– 13:14). UPawulos uyavuma ukuba uthobekile ngembonakalo. Kodwa amaKristu akalwi imfazwe ngokwenyama; izixhobo zawo zezokomoya, “kuye uThixo zinamandla” okuwisa iingqiqo ezichasene nokumazi uThixo. (10:4) Bambi, bebona izinto ngokwembonakalo yazo yangaphandle, bathi iincwadi zalo mpostile zinamandla kodwa intetho yakhe ayinto yanto. Mabazi ukuba imisebenzi kaPawulos iya kufana kanye nelizwi lakhe ngencwadi. AbaseKorinte bafanele baqonde ukuba uPawulos akaqhayisi ngezinto ezifezwe kummandla womnye umntu. Wazishumayela ngokwakhe iindaba ezilungileyo kubo. Ngokungakumbi, ukuba kukho nabani na oqhayisayo, makaqhayise ngoYehova.
15. (a) UPawulos uthetha ngayiphi imizekeliso ngokuchasene nabapostile bobuxoki? (b) Ithini ingxelo yobuqu kaPawulos?
15 UPawulos uziva enembopheleleko yokudlulisela ibandla laseKorinte kuKristu liyintombi enyulu. Kanye njengokuba uEva walukuhlwa bubuqhetseba beNyoka, ngoko kukho ingozi yokuba iingqiqo zabo zisenokonakaliswa. Ngoko ke, ngokuqatha uPawulos uthetha nxamnye ‘nabapostile abaziincamisa’ bebandla laseKorinte. (11:5) Bangabapostile bobuxoki. USathana ngokwakhe uhlala ezimilisa okwesithunywa sokukhanya, ngoko akumangalisi ukuba abalungiseleli bakhe benjenjalo. Kodwa xa kufikelelwa ekubeni ngabalungiseleli bakaKristu, injani ingxelo yabo xa ithelekiswa nengxelo kaPawulos? Uye wanyamezela izinto ezininzi: ukuphoswa entolongweni, ukubethwa, ukwaphukelwa ngumkhombe kathathu, iingozi ezininzi, ukungabi nakulala okanye ukulamba ngokufuthi. Ukanti ukutyhubela konke oku akazange azilibale iintswelo zamabandla kwaye wayesoloko eziva ekhathazekile xa uthile ekhutyekisiwe.
16. (a) Yintoni asenokuqhayisa ngayo uPawulos, kodwa kutheni ekhetha ukuthetha ngobuthathaka bakhe? (b) UPawulos ubuvelise njani ubungqina bokuba ungumpostile?
16 Ngoko ukuba kukho nabani na onesizathu sokuqhayisa, lowo nguPawulos. Ngaba abanye ekwakufane kuthiwe ngabapostile eKorinte babenokubalisa ngokuxwilelwa kwabo eparadisi, ukuze beve izinto ezingenakuthethwa? Kanti uPawulos uthetha ngobuthathaka bakhe. Ukuze angaziphakamisi ngokungaphezulu, wanikwa “uviko enyameni.” UPawulos wacela ukuba lususwe kodwa waxelelwa oku: “Ubabalo lwam lukwanele.” Kunoko uPawulos wayenokuqhayisa ngobuthathaka bakhe, ukuze “amandla kaKristu” abe nokuhlala phezu kwakhe njengentente. (12:7, 9) Hayi, uPawulos akangqinekanga engaphantsi ‘kwabapostile abo baziincamisa,’ yaye abaseKorinte babubonile ubungqina awabuvelisayo bokuba ungumpostile phakathi kwabo “ngokunyamezela konke, nemiqondiso, nezimanga nemisebenzi yamandla.” Akafuni zinto zabo ziphathekayo, kanye njengokuba uTito nabanye abasebenzi abangoowabo awabathumayo bengazange babaxhaphaze.—12:11, 12.
17. Sisiphi isiluleko sokugqibela uPawulos asinika abaseKorinte?
17 Zonke izinto zilungiselelwe ukwakheka kwabo. Noko ke, uPawulos uthi unoloyiko lokuba xa efika eKorinte, uya kufumana abathile abangaguqukanga kwimisebenzi yenyama. Ulumkisa aboni kusengaphambili ukuba uya kuthabatha inyathelo elifanelekileyo yaye akayi kuconga namnye, kwaye ucebisa bonke abasebandleni ukuba bahlale bezicikida enoba baselukholweni kuYesu Kristu kusini na. UPawulos noTimoti baya kubathandazela kuThixo. Ubaxelela ukuba bavuye yaye bahlale bemanyene, ukuze uThixo wothando noxolo abe nabo, kwaye uqukumbela ngokuthumela imibuliso evela kwabangcwele neyona minqweno yakhe mihle yokuba basikelelwe ngokomoya.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO
18. Yiyiphi imbono efanelekileyo amaKristu afanele abe nayo ngobulungiseleli?
18 Hayi indlela oluvuselela nolukhuthaza ngayo uxabiso lukaPawulos ngobulungiseleli bamaKristu njengoko kubonakaliswa kweyesiBini kwabaseKorinte! Masibujonge ngendlela awabujonga ngayo. Umlungiseleli ongumKristu okulinganiswe nguThixo ukubufanelekela akalingxengeleli iLizwi kodwa ukhonza ngokunyanisekileyo. Unconyelwa, kungekhona yincwadi ethile ebhaliweyo, kodwa sisiqhamo asivelisayo kubulungiseleli. Phofu ke, ngoxa ubulungiseleli eneneni buzukile, esi ayisosizathu sokuba azikhukhumalise. Abakhonzi bakaThixo njengabantu abangafezekanga baphathiswe obu butyebi benkonzo kwizitya eziethe-ethe zodongwe, ukuze amandla abonakale ngokucacileyo ukuba ngakaThixo. Ngoko oku kufuna ukuthobeka ukuze samkele ilungelo elizukileyo lokuba ngabalungiseleli bakaThixo, yaye olunjani lona ubabalo oluvela kuThixo okululo ukusebenza ‘njengezigidimi ngenxa kaKristu’! Ngoko, hayi indlela olwalufaneleke ngayo ukhuthazo lukaPawulos lokuba ‘singamkeli ubabalo lukaThixo size siyiphose injongo yalo’!—2:14-17; 3:1-5; 4:7; 5:18-20; 6:1, NW.
19. Kungaziphi iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo awathi uPawulos wanika abalungiseleli abangamaKristu umzekelo obalaseleyo namhlanje, ngokukodwa abaveleli?
19 Ngokuqinisekileyo uPawulos wabanikela umzekelo omhle wokuxeliswa abalungiseleli abangamaKristu. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, wayezixabisa kwaye ezifundisisa iZibhalo zesiHebhere eziphefumlelweyo, ecaphula ngokuphindaphindiweyo kuzo, ebhekisela kuzo kwaye ezisebenzisa. (2 Kor. 6:2, 16-18; 7:1; 8:15; 9:9; 13:1; Isa. 49:8; Lev. 26:12; Isa. 52:11; Hez. 20:41; 2 Sam. 7:14; Hos. 1:10) Ngaphezu koko, njengomveleli, wabonisa inkxalabo enzulu ngomhlambi, esithi: “Mna ke, kuya kuba mnandi kakhulu ukuba ndichithe, ndidleke kuphele, ngenxa yemiphefumlo yenu.” Wazinikela ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yabazalwana, njengokuba ingxelo ikubonisa ngokucacileyo oko. (2 Kor. 12:15; 6:3-10) Wayengatyhafi kwimigudu yakhe njengoko wayefundisa, eyala kwaye elungisa izinto ebandleni laseKorinte. Walumkisa ngokucacileyo nxamnye nokudlelana nobumnyama, exelela abaseKorinte oku: “Musani ukunxulumana nabolunye uhlobo, abangakholwayo ke.” Ngenxa yokuba wayebaxhalabele ngokunothando, wayengafuni ukubona iingqiqo zabo zisonakaliswa, “njengokuba inyoka yamlukuhlayo uEva ngobuqhetseba bayo,” kwaye ngoko ngokusuk’ entliziyweni wabaluleka esithi: “Zilingeni, ukuba niselukholweni olu na; zicikideni ngokwenu.” Wabashukumisa ukuba babonise ububele bobuKristu, ebabonisa ukuba “uThixo uthanda umphi ochwayithileyo,” kwaye naye ngokwakhe wambulela ngokungazenzisiyo uThixo ngenxa yobabalo Lwakhe olungenakubaliswa. Liyinyaniso elokuba abazalwana bakhe baseKorinte babebhalwe ngothando kwicwecwe lenyama lentliziyo kaPawulos, yaye inkonzo yakhe engenasiphelo ngenxa yezilangazelelo zabo yayiyinto yonke efanele iphawule umveleli onenzondelelo nophaphileyo. Onjani wona ukubalasela umzekelo esinokuwulandela namhlanje!—6:14; 11:3; 13:5; 9:7, 15; 3:2.
20. (a) UPawulos uzimilisela njani iingqondo zethu kwicala elifanelekileyo? (b) EyesiBini kwabaseKorinte yalatha kweliphi ithemba elizukileyo?
20 Umpostile uPawulos umilisela iingqondo zethu kwicala elifanelekileyo ngokwalatha ‘kuSozimfefe noThixo onako konke ukuthuthuzela’ njengomthombo wokwenene wamandla ngexesha lovavanyo. Nguye “osithuthuzelayo kuyo yonke imbandezelo yethu” ukuze sibe nokunyamezela ukuze sisindiselwe kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha. UPawulos ukwalatha kwithemba elizukileyo ‘lesakhiwo esiphuma kuThixo, indlu yona emazulwini, engenakwenziwa ngazandla, engunaphakade,’ aze athi: “Ngoko ke, ukuba ubani ukuKristu, usisidalwa esitsha; izinto ezindala zidlule; bonani ke, zisuke zaba ntsha izinto zonke zakhe.” Eneneni eyesiBini kwabaseKorinte iqulethe amazwi amangalisayo esiqinisekiso kwabo, njengoPawulos, baya kubudl’ ilifa uBukumkani basezulwini.—1:3, 4; 5:1, 17.