Incwadi YeBhayibhile 49—Efese

Umbhali: NguPawulos

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: ERoma

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-60–61 C.E.

 1. UPawulos wayibhala nini yaye phantsi kwaziphi iimeko incwadi eya kwabase-Efese?

KHAWUZITHELEKELELE usentolongweni. Ulapho kuba utshutshiselwa ukusebenza kwakho ngenzondelelo njengomvangeli wasemazweni ongumKristu. Ngoku ekubeni ungasenakuhambahamba uze utyelele amabandla ukuze uwomeleze, uza kwenza ntoni? Ngaba akunakubabhalela iincwadi abo baye baba ngamaKristu ngenxa yomsebenzi wakho wokushumayela? Ngaba mhlawumbi abazibuzi ukuba unjani, ibe ngaba akunakwenzeka ukuba babe bayalufuna ukhuthazo? Ngokuqinisekileyo bayalufuna! Ngoko uqalisa ukubhala. Ngoku wenza kanye oko umpostile uPawulos wakwenzayo xa wayesentolongweni eRoma okwesihlandlo sokuqala, malunga nowama-59-61 C.E. Ekubeni wayebhenele kuKesare, ekwalindele nokuthethwa kwetyala kukwakho nomlindi omgcinileyo, wayekhululekile ukuba angayenza eminye imisebenzi ethile. UPawulos wayibhalela eRoma incwadi yakhe eya “Kwabase-Efese,” mhlawumbi ngowama-60 okanye ngowama-61 C.E., waza wayithumela ngoTikiko, owayephelekwa nguOnesimo.—Efe. 6:21; Kol. 4:7-9.

 2, 3. Yintoni engqina ngokupheleleyo ukuba nguPawulos owabhala le ncwadi yaye, kwangaxeshanye, engqina ukuba eyabase-Efese yinxalenye yemibhalo engcwele?

² Kwakumazwi nje okuqala uPawulos uzichaza njengombhali wayo yaye kangangezihlandlo ezine ubhekisela kuye ‘njengombanjwa eNkosini.’ (Efe. 1:1; 3:1, 13; 4:1; 6:20) Iingxoxo zokuphikisa into yokuba uPawulos wayengumbhali wayo ziye zaphelela emoyeni. IChester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P⁴⁶), ekukholelwa ukuba yabhalwa malunga nowama-200 C.E., njengombhalo-ngqangi inamaphepha angama-86 aqulethe iincwadi zikaPawulos. Phakathi kwazo kukho incwadi eya kwabase-Efese, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba yayiqukwa phakathi kweencwadi zakhe ngelo xesha.

³ Ababhali bamandulo beencwadi zonqulo bayangqina ukuba uPawulos wayibhala ngokwakhe le ncwadi nokuba yayisiya “Kwabase-Efese.” Ngokomzekelo, uIrenaeus, wenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wacaphula eyabase-Efese 5:30 ngokuthi: “Njengoko noPawulos ongcwele esitsho kwincwadi eya kwabase-Efese, ukuthi singamalungu omzimba wakhe.” UClement wakwa-Alesandire, owayephila kwangelo xesha wacaphula eyabase-Efese 5:21 xa wayevakalisa oku: “Kwakhona, ngenxa yeso sizathu, kwincwadi eya kwabase-Efese ubhala oku, Nilulamelana ngokoyika uThixo.” UOrigen, owayebhala kwisiqingatha sokuqala senkulungwane yesithathu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, wacaphula eyabase-Efese 1:4 xa wayesithi: “Kodwa kwanompostile kwincwadi eya kwabase-Efese, usebenzisa intetho efanayo xa esithi, Lowo wasinyulayo ngaphambi kokusekwa kwehlabathi.”a UEusebius, omnye umbhali kwimbali yamaKristu okuqala (malunga nowama-260-342 C.E.), uquka eyabase-Efese kuludwe lweencwadi zeBhayibhile, yaye inkoliso yabanye ababhali bamandulo beencwadi zonqulo ibhekisela kweyabase-Efese njengenxalenye yeZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo.b

 4. Yintoni eye yakhokelela abanye ekucingeni ukuba eyabase-Efese yayibhalelwa enye indawo, kodwa bubuphi ubungqina obubonisa ukuba yayibhalelwe abase-Efese?

⁴ IChester Beatty Papyrus, uMbhalo-ngqangi iVatican No. 1209, noMbhalo-ngqangi waseSinayi ziyawashiya amazwi athi “abase-Efese” kwisahluko 1, indinyana 1, yaye ngaloo ndlela azibonisi ukuba le ncwadi yayisiya phi. Esi sibakala, nokungabikho kwemibuliso ethunyelwa kubantu abathile e-Efese (nangona uPawulos wayesebenze nzima apho kangangeminyaka emithathu), siye sakhokelela abanye ekucingeni ukuba le ncwadi isenokuba yayibhalelwa enye indawo okanye ubuncinane isenokuba yincwadi eyayijikeleziswa kumabandla aseAsiya Mayina, kuquka elase-Efese. Noko ke, eminye imibhalo-ngqangi emininzi iyawaquka amazwi athi “abase-Efese,” yaye njengoko sesiphawulile ngasentla, ababhali bangaphambili bezinto zecawa bayamkela le ncwadi njengeyayibhalelwe abase-Efese.

 5. Yintoni eyayidume ngayo iEfese yomhla kaPawulos?

⁵ Inkcazelo ethile engemvelaphi iya kusinceda siqonde injongo yale ncwadi. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, iEfese yayidume ngobugqwirha, ngokusebenzisa umlingo, ukujong’ iinkwenkwezi, nokunqula kwayo uthixokazi wenzala uArtemis.c Kufuphi nomfanekiso oqingqiweyo walo thixokazi, kwakwakhiwe itempile enkulu eyayigqalwa njengenye yezinto ezisixhenxe ezazibukeka ngokumangalisayo kwihlabathi lamandulo. Ngokwezinto eziye zavunjululwa kweso siza kwinkulungwane ye-19, le tempile yayakhiwe kwisiza esasinesiseko esimalunga nama-73 eemitha ububanzi neemitha ezili-127 ubude. Itempile yona yayimalunga neemitha ezingama-50 ububanzi neemitha ezili-105 ubude. Yayineentsika ezili-100 ezenziwe ngelitye eligudileyo (marble), nganye kuyo imalunga ne-17 leemitha ukuphakama. Uphahla lwalwenziwe ngeethayile ezinkulu ezimhlophe zelitye eligudileyo. Kuthiwa kwakusetyenziswe igolide kunodaka ukudibanisa izitena zelitye eligudileyo. Le tempile yayinomtsalane kubakhenkethi abaphuma kuwo wonke umhlaba, kwaye iindwendwe ezazifikelela kumakhulu amawaka zazithontelana kwesi sixeko ebudeni bemithendeleko. Abakhandi besilivere base-Efese babeqhuba ishishini elinemveliso bethengisela iindwendwe ezikuhambo lwezonqulo iitempile ezincinane zika-Artemis ezenziwe ngesilivere njengezikhumbuzo.

 6. Wawumkhulu kangakanani umsebenzi kaPawulos e-Efese?

⁶ Kuhambo lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni uPawulos wamisa e-Efese kutyelelo olufutshane lokushumayela apho waza ke washiya uAkwila noPrisila apho ukuba baqhubeke nomsebenzi. (IZe. 18:18-21) Kuhambo lwakhe lwesithathu lokushumayela wabuyela apho waza wahlala kangangeminyaka emithathu, eshumayela kwaye efundisa abaninzi ngayo “iNdlela.” (IZe. 19:8-10; 20:31) UPawulos wasebenza nzima ngoxa wayese-Efese. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Daily Life in Bible Times, uA. E. Bailey ubhala oku: “Ngokuqhelekileyo uPawulos wayesebenza kumsebenzi wakhe wokuziphilisa ukususela ekuphumeni kwelanga de kubethe eye-11 ngentlazane (IZe. 20:34, 35) lixa elo uTirano wayegqiba ngalo ukufundisa; andule ke ukususela ngeye-11 kusasa kuse kweyesi-4 ngenjikalanga ashumayele eholweni, abe nentlanganiso nabafundi bakhe, . . . andule ke ekugqibeleni aqalise iphulo lokushumayela kwindlu ngendlu awayeliqalisa ngeyesine malanga de kube sezinzulwini zobusuku. (IZe. 20:20, 21, 31) Ubani usenokuzibuza ukuba wayelifumana nini na ixesha lokutya nelokulala.”—Eyowe-1943, iphepha 308.

 7. Waba yintoni umphumo wokushumayela kukaPawulos ngenzondelelo?

⁷ Ngoxa wayeshumayela ngenzondelelo, uPawulos wakubhenca ukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso ekunquleni. Oku kwaxhokonxa ingqumbo yabo babeyenza baze bayithengise, njengoDemetriyo owayengumkhandi wesilivere, yaye ngenxa yesaqunge esasilapho ekugqibeleni uPawulos kwafuneka esishiyile eso sixeko.—IZe. 19:23–20:1.

 8. Ziziphi iingongoma zencwadi kaPawulos eya kwabase-Efese ezayenza yaba yefike ngexesha elililo?

⁸ Ngoku, ngoxa esentolongweni, uPawulos ucinga ngeengxaki ibandla lase-Efese elijamelene nazo, njengoko lingqongwe ngabanquli abangabahedeni nabo babenqula kwitempile enesithunzi ka-Artemis. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo umzekeliso ofanelekileyo uPawulos ngoku awenzayo wawuyimfuneko kula maKristu athanjisiweyo, ebonisa ukuba ayila ‘itempile engcwele,’ ekuhlala kuyo uYehova ngomoya wakhe. (Efe. 2:21) “Imfihlelo engcwele” etyhilelwa abase-Efese, ngokuphathelele ulawulo lukaThixo (indlela yokuphatha imicimbi yendlu yakhe) awayeya kuthi ngayo abuyisele umanyano noxolo ngoYesu Kristu, ngokungathandabuzekiyo yayilukhuthazo olukhulu kwaye yabathuthuzela. (1:9, 10, NW) UPawulos ubethelela ukumanyana komYuda noweeNtlanga kuKristu. Ukhuthaza ubunye, umanyano. Ngaloo ndlela, ngoku sinokuyiqonda injongo, uxabiso nokuphefumlelwa okuphawulekayo kwale ncwadi.

OKUQULETHWE YEYABASE-EFESE

 9. UThixo uye walubonakalisa njani uthando olukhulu, ibe uthandazela ntoni uPawulos?

⁹ Injongo kaThixo yokubamanyanisa ngoKristu (1:1–2:22). Umpostile uPawulos uyabulisa. Makabongwe uThixo ngenxa yobabalo lwakhe oluzukileyo. Oku kunokuthanani nokubanyula Kwakhe ukuba bamanyane noYesu Kristu, abathe ngaye bakhululwa esonweni ngentlawulelo ngegazi lakhe. Ukongezelela, uThixo uye wabonakalisa uthando lwakhe olukhulu kubo ngokuyenza yaziwe imfihlelo engcwele yokuthanda kwakhe. Ngokuba ucebe ukuhlela okuthile, “ukuba azihlanganisele zonke izinto kuye uKristu,” zimanyaniswe nalowo zaziya kuba ziindlalifa kunye naye. (1:10) Njengembonakaliso yoku kusengaphambili, baye batywinwa ngomoya oyingcwele. Umthandazo kaPawulos ngowokuba balibambe baliqinise ithemba ababizelwa kulo baze baqonde ukuba uThixo uya kusebenzisa kwaloo mandla afanayo kubo nalawo wawasebenzisayo ekuvuseni uKristu nokumphakamisela ngaphezu kwalo lonke ulawulo negunya yaye emenza iNtloko phezu kwazo zonke izinto zebandla.

10. Kwenzeke njani ukuba abase-Efese babe ‘ngamakhaya kubo abangcwele’?

¹⁰ UThixo, ngenxa yobukhulu benceba nothando lwakhe, uye wabadlisa ubomi, nangona babefile ziziphoso nazizono zabo, yaye uye wababeka ‘kwezasemazulwini iindawo bekunye noKristu Yesu.’ (2:6) Konke oku kungenxa yobabalo nokukholwa ibe kungengayo nayiphi na imisebenzi yabo. Bazuze uxolo ngoKristu othe wawudiliza, uMyalelo wemithetho, owawusahlula iiNtlanga kumaYuda. Ngoku omabini la maqela asenokusondela kuBawo ngoKristu. Ngoko ke abase-Efese abasengabo abasemzini, koko ‘bangamakhaya kubo abangcwele’ yaye bakhulela ekubeni yitempile engcwele kuYehova ahlala kuyo ngomoya.—2:19.

11. Iyintoni “imfihlelo engcwele,” ibe yintoni uPawulos ayithandazelayo ngenxa yabase-Efese?

¹¹ ‘Imfihlelo engcwele kaKristu’ (3:1-21). Ngoku uThixo ubatyhilele abapostile nabaprofeti bakhe abangcwele “imfihlelo engcwele kaKristu . . . yokuba abantu beentlanga bafanele babe ziindlalifa nathi namalungu akunye nathi omzimba baze babelane nathi ngedinga simanyene kuKristu Yesu ngazo iindaba ezilungileyo.” (3:4, 6, NW) Ngobabalo lukaThixo, uPawulos uye waba ngumlungiseleli woku, ukuba avakalise ubutyebi obungalandekiyo bukaKristu aze ababonise abantu indlela ephathwa ngayo imfihlelo engcwele. Ubulumko bukaThixo obuziintlobo ezininzi baziswa ngebandla. Ngenxa yoku, uPawulos uthandazela ukuba bomelezwe ngamandla omoya kaThixo ukuze babe nokulwazi ngokupheleleyo uthando lukaKristu, olugqithe konke ukwazi, baze baqonde ukuba uThixo unako “ukwenza okungaphezu kweento zonke ngokugqithiseleyo kakhulu, ngaphezu kwesikucelayo nesinokukuqiqa.”—3:20.

12. (a) AmaKristu afanele ahambe njani, kwaye ngoba? (b) Ziziphi izipho uKristu aye wabapha zona, yaye ukwenzela yiphi injongo? (c) Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekwambatheni ‘umntu omtsha’?

¹² Ukwambatha ‘umntu omtsha’ (4:1–5:20). AmaKristu afanele ahambe ngokulufaneleyo ubizo lwawo, enokuthobeka kwentliziyo, enokuzeka kade umsindo nothando, noxolo oluwamanyanisayo. Kuba umoya mnye, linye ithemba, lunye ukholo, yaye “mnye uThixo, uYise wabo bonke, ophezu kwabo bonke, okubo bonke, ophakathi kwenu nonke.” (4:6) Ngoko ke uKristu, ‘iNkosi enye,’ uye wabapha bangabaprofeti, abavangeli, abalusi nabafundisi, “ukuze abangcwele basulungekiselwe umsebenzi wolungiselelo, ukwakhiwa ke komzimba kaKristu.” UPawulos ubhala esithi, masithi ngoko “sinyanisekile eluthandweni, sikhulele, ngeendawo zonke, kuye lo uyintloko, uKristu,” njengomzimba ohlanganiswe kakuhle kwaye onke amalungu esebenzisana. (4:5, 12, 15) Iindlela zokuziphatha okubi, ezingamampunge nezokungazi zomntu omdala zimele zilahlwe; mntu ngamnye ufanele ahlaziywe kuwo umoya wengqiqo yakhe aze ‘ambathe umntu omtsha othe ngokukaThixo wadalelwa ebulungiseni nasebungcweleni benyaniso.’ Ngenxa yokuba bonke bengamalungu omnye elelomnye, bamele bathethe inyaniso baze balahle ingqumbo, ubusela, iintetho ezibolileyo, ubukrakra—bangamenzi buhlungu umoya oyingcwele kaThixo. Kunoko, mababe ‘nobubele omnye komnye, babe nemfesane kakhulu, bexolelana, njengokuba naye uThixo wabaxolelayo ekuKristu.’—4:24, 32.

13. Ukuze umntu abe ngoxelisa uThixo, yintoni amele ayenze?

¹³ Bonke bafanele babe ngabaxelisa uThixo. Umbulo, ukungcola nokubawa akufanele kukhankanywe nokukhankanywa phakathi kwabo, kuba abo bazenzayo izinto ezinjalo abanalifa eBukumkanini. UPawulos ululeka abase-Efese esithi: “Hambani ke ngokwabantwana bokukhanya.” “Hlalani niyiphaphele” indlela enihamba ngayo, nizongela ixesha, “ngenxa yokuba le mihla ingendawo.” Ewe, bamele ‘baqhubeke bekuqonda oko kukuko ukuthanda kukaYehova’ baze bathethe ngeendumiso zikaThixo benombulelo.—5:8, 15-17, NW.

14. Ziziphi iimbopheleleko zamadoda kubafazi nezabafazi kumadoda?

¹⁴ Ukuzithoba okufanelekileyo; imfazwe yamaKristu (5:21–6:24). Abafazi bafanele bawalulamele amadoda, kwanjengokuba ibandla limlulamela uKristu, yaye amadoda afanele aqhubeke ebathanda abafazi bawo, “njengokuba naye uKristu walithandayo ibandla.” Ngokukwanjalo, “umfazi ke makayoyike indoda.”—5:25, 33.

15. UPawulos unikela siphi isiluleko ngabantwana nabazali, abakhonzi neenkosi, nangesikrweqe samaKristu?

¹⁵ Abantwana bafanele bahlale ngemvisiswano nabazali, bethobela yaye besabela kuqeqesho lokuhlonel’ uThixo. Abakhonzi neenkosi nabo bafanele baziphathe ngendlela ekholisa uThixo, kuba iNkosi yabo bonke “isemazulwini, nokuba akukho kukhetha buso kuyo.” Elokuqukumbela, bonke ‘mabomelele eNkosini, nasekuqineni kokomelela kwayo,’ benxibe sonke isikrweqe sikaThixo, ukuze babe nako ukumisa babuchase ubuqhinga bukaMtyholi. “Ngaphezu kwezo zinto zonke, qubulani ikhaka lokholo,” nalo “ikrele lomoya, elililizwi likaThixo.” Zingisani emthandazweni, nize nihlale niphaphile. UPawulos uyabacela ukuba naye bamthandazele, ukuze ngako konke ukungafihlisi ukuthetha ‘ayazise imfihlelo engcwele yeendaba ezilungileyo.’—6:9, 10, 16, 17, 19.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

16. Yiyiphi imibuzo ephendulwa ngendlela esebenzisekayo kwabase-Efese, kwaye kuthiwani ngomntu omkholisayo uThixo?

¹⁶ Incwadi eya kwabase-Efese ifikelela phantse zonke iinkalo zobomi bomKristu. Ngenxa yokwanda kweengxaki nobunjubaqa obunxunguphalisayo ehlabathini namhlanje, isiluleko sikaPawulos esisengqiqweni nesisebenzisekayo siyingenelo yokwenene kwabo banqwenela ukuphila ubomi bokuhlonel’ uThixo. Abantwana bafanele baziphathe njani ngakubazali, nabazali ngakubantwana? Ziziphi iimbopheleleko zendoda ngasemfazini wayo, nezo zomfazi endodeni yakhe? Yintoni abantu ngabanye ebandleni abamele bayenze ukuze bahlale bemanyene eluthandweni benobunyulu bobuKristu kweli hlabathi lingendawo? Isiluleko sikaPawulos sigubungela yonke le mibuzo, kwaye uhlabela mgama ebonisa okubandakanyekileyo ekwambatheni umntu omtsha wobuKristu. Ngokufundisisa eyabase-Efese, bonke baya kuluqonda ngokwenene uhlobo lomntu akholiswayo nguye uThixo nothe “ngokukaThixo wadalelwa ebulungiseni, nasebungcweleni benyaniso.”—4:24-32; 6:1-4; 5:3-5, 15-20, 22-33.

17. Eyabase-Efese ibonisa ntoni ngokusebenzisana namalungiselelo ebandleni?

¹⁷ Le ncwadi ikwabonisa injongo yokuba kubekho izigxina ezithile nezabelo emabandleni. Oku kwenzelwa “ukuze abangcwele basulungekiselwe umsebenzi wolungiselelo, ukwakhiwa ke komzimba kaKristu,” ngenjongo yokuba ngabakhulileyo. Ngokusebenzisana ngokupheleleyo namalungiselelo ebandla, umKristu unokuthi ‘enyanisekile eluthandweni akhulele ngeendawo zonke, kuye lo uyintloko, uKristu.’—4:12, 15.

18. Yintoni eyenziwa icace ngokuphathelele “imfihlelo engcwele” netempile yokomoya?

¹⁸ Incwadi eya kwabase-Efese yaba yeyingenelo kakhulu kwibandla lokuqala ekulenzeni liyiqonde ngokuchanileyo ‘imfihlelo engcwele kaKristu.’ Apha kuyo lenziwa lacaca elokuba “iintlanga” ndawonye namaYuda akholwayo, zazibizelwa ukuba zibe ‘ziindlalifa nawo, zikwamzimba mnye namahlulelana nawo ngedinga lakhe, bekuye nje uKristu ngazo iindaba ezilungileyo.’ Udonga olwahlulayo, “umyalelo wemithetho,” olwalusahlula iiNtlanga kumaYuda lwaludiliziwe, yaye ngoku ngegazi likaKristu, bonke babengamakhaya kubo abangcwele yaye bengamalungu endlu kaThixo. Ngokwahluke ngokuphawulekayo kwitempile yobuhedeni ka-Artemis, aba babesakhiwa bemanyene kuKristu Yesu kwindawo uThixo ahlala kuyo ngomoya—“itempile engcwele eNkosini.”—3:4, 6; 2:15, 21.

19. Liliphi ithemba nokhuthazo eyabase-Efese eqhubeka izibalaselisa ukuza kuthi ga kulo mhla?

¹⁹ Ngokuphathelele ‘imfihlelo engcwele,’ uPawulos wakwathetha ‘ngokuhlela ukuze kuhlanganiselwe zonke izinto kuye uKristu, izinto ezisemazulwini [abo banyulelwe ukuba kuBukumkani basezulwini] kwanezisemhlabeni [abo baya kuhlala emhlabeni kummandla woBukumkani].’ Ngaloo ndlela injongo ezukileyo kaThixo yokubuyisela uxolo nomanyano iyabalaseliswa. Ngokuphathelele oku uPawulos wathandazela abase-Efese, abo amehlo eentliziyo zabo ayekhanyiselwe, ukuze babe nokuliqonda ngokuzeleyo ithemba uThixo awayebabizele kulo baze babone “into obuyiyo ubutyebi bobuqaqawuli belifa lakhe phakathi kwabo abangcwele.” La mazwi amele ukuba alomeleza gqitha ithemba labo. Kwaye incwadi ephefumlelweyo eya kwabase-Efese iyaqhubeka iyeyakhayo ebandleni namhlanje, ukuze ‘siye sizala ngako konke ukuzala kukaThixo.’—1:9-11, 18; 3:19.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]