Yintoni Enokusinceda Siliphathe Ngokufanelekileyo Ilizwi Lenyaniso?

UMHLALUTYI wemidlalo yeqonga wephephandaba elithile wakha waya kubukela omnye umdlalo. Akazange awuthande kangangokuba emva koko wabhala esithi: “Ukuba ufuna ukubukela imfitshimfitshi, ndikukhuthaza ukuba uye kubukela lo mdlalo.” Kamva, abaququzeleli balo mdlalo bapapasha isibhengezo esasicaphula kumazwi alo mhlalutyi. La mazwi ayesithi: “Ndikukhuthaza ukuba uye kubukela lo mdlalo”! Esi sibhengezo sawacaphula ngokuchanileyo amazwi alo mhlalutyi, kodwa sawasebenzisa kwindawo engafanelekanga yaye ngaloo ndlela sathetha into etenxe lee kwimbono yakhe.

Loo mzekelo wawubonisa indlela osenokuba ubaluleke ngayo umongo wamazwi athile. Ukusebenzisa amazwi ungawazi umongo kusenokuyifihla intsingiselo yawo, kanye njengokuba uSathana wayigqwetha intsingiselo yeZibhalo xa wayezama ukukhohlisa uYesu. (Mateyu 4:1-11) Kwelinye icala, ukuphawula umongo wamazwi athile kusinceda siyiqonde ngokuchanileyo intsingiselo yawo. Ngenxa yoku, xa sifunda indinyana yeBhayibhile, kusoloko kububulumko ukuphawula umongo ukuze sikuqonde kakuhle oko kwakuthethwa ngumbhali.

Ukuliphatha Ngenyameko

Esinye isichazi-magama sichaza umongo “njengenxalenye yamazwi abhaliweyo okanye athethwayo aphambi okanye alandela igama okanye umhlathi othile, ngokuqhelekileyo umongo ochaphazela intsingiselo yawo.” Kwakhona umongo usenokuba “ziimeko ezithile okanye izibakala ezinxulumene nesiganeko esithile, imeko nezinye izinto.” Ngokwale ntsingiselo yamva, isithetha-ntonye segama elithi “umongo” ligama elithi “imvelaphi.” Ukuqwalasela umongo wesibhalo kubaluleke gqitha xa sicinga ngoko umpostile uPawulos wakubhalela uTimoti esithi: “Yenza unako-nako ukuba uzinikele ukholekile kuThixo, ungumsebénzi ongenazintloni nganto, uliphatha ngokufanelekileyo ilizwi lenyaniso.” (2 Timoti 2:15) Ukuze siliphathe iLizwi likaThixo ngokufanelekileyo, sifanele siliqonde ngokupheleleyo size silicacise ngokunyanisekileyo nangokuchanileyo kwabanye. Ukuba nentlonelo ngoMbhali weBhayibhile, uYehova, kuya kusenza sizame ukwenjenjalo, yaye ukuqwalasela umongo kuya kusinceda gqitha.

Iinkcukacha NgeyeSibini KuTimoti

Ngokomzekelo, makhe siqwalasele incwadi yeBhayibhile yeSibini kuTimoti.a Okokuqala, makhe sizame ukufumanisa iinkcukacha ezithile ngale ncwadi. Ngubani owabhala eyeSibini kuTimoti? Wayibhala nini? Wayibhala phantsi kwaziphi iimeko? Sinokwandula ke sizibuze, “uTimoti,” ethiywe ngaye le ncwadi wayekwiyiphi imeko? Yayiza kumnceda ngantoni inkcazelo ekule ncwadi? Iimpendulo kule mibuzo ziya kusenza siyixabise gqitha le ncwadi zize zisincede sibone indlela esinokuzuza ngayo kuyo namhlanje.

Iindinyana zokuqala zeyeSibini kuTimoti zibonisa ukuba le ncwadi yileta eyabhalwa ngumpostile uPawulos isiya kuTimoti. Ezinye iindinyana zibonisa ukuba xa uPawulos wayeyibhala, wayekhonkxiwe ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo. Eshiywe ngabaninzi, uPawulos wavakalelwa kukuba wayesele eza kufa. (2 Timoti 1:15, 16; 2:8-10; 4:6-8) Ngenxa yoko, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayibhala le ncwadi ngoxa wayesentolongweni eRoma okwesihlandlo sesibini, mhlawumbi ngowama-65 C.E. Kungekudala emva koko, kubonakala ukuba uNero wamgwebela ukufa.

Leyo ke yimvelaphi yeyeSibini kuTimoti. Sifanele siphawule ukuba uPawulos akazange abhalele uTimoti ukuze akhalaze ngeengxaki zakhe. Kunoko, wayelumkisa uTimoti ngamaxesha anzima awayeza kujamelana nawo waza wakhuthaza lo mhlobo wakhe ukuba aziphephe iziphazamiso, aze aqhubeke ‘ezuza amandla,’ aze adlulisele le miyalelo kaPawulos nakwabanye. Nabo abo, babeya kukufanelekela ngokupheleleyo ukunceda abanye. (2 Timoti 2:1-7) Lo ngumzekelo omhle wokubonakalisa ukuxhalabela abanye kwanakumaxesha anzima! Yaye esi sisiluleko esihle nakuthi namhlanje!

UPawulos umbiza uTimoti ngokuthi “umntwana oyintanda.” (2 Timoti 1:2) KwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike kusoloko kuthethwa ngalo mfana njengomhlobo othembekileyo kaPawulos. (IZenzo 16:1-5; Roma 16:21; 1 Korinte 4:17) Xa uPawulos wayembhalela le leta, kubonakala ukuba uTimoti wayekwiminyaka yakhe engama-30 ubudala—esagqalwa njengomntu oselula. (1 Timoti 4:12) Sekunjalo, wayesele enengxelo entle yokuthembeka, waba ‘likhoboka kunye noPawulos’ mhlawumbi iminyaka eli-14. (Filipi 2:19-22) Nangona uTimoti wayeselula, uPawulos wamyalela ukuba aluleke abanye abadala “ukuba bangalwi ngamazwi” kodwa banikele ingqalelo kwizinto ezibalulekileyo, njengokholo nonyamezelo. (2 Timoti 2:14) Kwakhona uTimoti wanikwa igunya lokumisela abaveleli bamabandla nezicaka zolungiselelo. (1 Timoti 5:22) Noko ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayeba mathidala ukusebenzisa eli gunya lakhe.—2 Timoti 1:6, 7.

Lo mdala uselula wayejamelene nocelomngeni olukhulu. Olunye lwalo yayikukuba, uHimenayo noFileto, ‘babelubhukuqa ukholo lwabathile,’ befundisa ukuba ‘uvuko lwalusele lufikile.’ (2 Timoti 2:17, 18) Ngokucacileyo, babecinga ukuba yayiluvuko lokomoya kuphela olwalukho kwaye amaKristu ayesele elufumene. Mhlawumbi babengawazi umongo wamazwi kaPawulos abawacaphulayo okuba amaKristu aye afa kwizono zawo kodwa enziwa aphila ngomoya kaThixo. (Efese 2:1-6) UPawulos walumkisa esithi impembelelo enjalo yabawexuki yayiza kwanda. Wabhala esithi: “Kuba kuya kubakho ixesha laxa bengayi kuyinyamezela imfundiso ephilileyo, . . . baya kuyifulathela inyaniso, baphambukele kumabali obuxoki.” (2 Timoti 4:3, 4) Ukumlumkisa kukaPawulos kusengaphambili kwambonisa uTimoti ukubaluleka kokusiphulaphula isiluleko salo mpostile.

Ukuxabiseka Kwale Ncwadi Namhlanje

Kwasekuqaleni, siyabona ukuba uPawulos wabhala eyeSibini kuTimoti ubuncinane ngezi zizathu zilandelayo: (1) Wayesazi ukuba wayesele eza kufa, yaye wayefuna uTimoti alilungele ixesha xa yena wayengasekho ukuze amxhase. (2) Wayefuna ukuxhobisa uTimoti ukuze akwazi ukukhusela amabandla awayewanyamekela kuwexuko nakwezinye iimpembelelo eziyingozi. (3) Wayefuna ukukhuthaza uTimoti ukuba ahlale exakekile kwinkonzo kaYehova aze athembele kulwazi oluchanileyo lweZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo ukuze akwazi ukuzichasa iimfundiso zobuxoki.

Ukuzazi ezi nkcukacha kwenza eyeSibini kuTimoti ibe nentsingiselo engakumbi kuthi. Nanamhlanje, kukho abawexuki abanjengoHimenayo noFileto abakhuthaza iingcamango zabo yaye bafuna ukutshabalalisa ukholo lwethu. Ngapha koko, siphila ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo’ uPawulos awaprofeta ngawo. Abaninzi baye babona indlela esiyinyaniso ngayo isilumkiso sikaPawulos esithi: “Bonke abo banqwenela ukuphila ngozinikelo lobuthixo ngokunxulumene noKristu Yesu, nabo baya kutshutshiswa.” (2 Timoti 3:1, 12) Sinokuhlala njani siqinile? NjengoTimoti, sifanele siphulaphule isiluleko sabo baye bakhonza uYehova iminyaka emininzi. Yaye ngofundisiso lobuqu, umthandazo, nokunxulumana namanye amaKristu, ‘sizuza amandla’ kububele obungasifanelanga bukaYehova. Ngaphezu koko, xa sithembele kumandla olwazi oluchanileyo, siya kusithobela isibongozo sikaPawulos esithi: “Bambelela emazwini aphilileyo.”—2 Timoti 1:13.

‘Amazwi Aphilileyo’

Yintoni ‘amazwi aphilileyo’ uPawulos athetha ngawo? Usebenzisa elo binzana ukubhekisela kwimfundiso eyinyaniso yamaKristu. Kwileta yakhe yokuqala eya kuTimoti, uPawulos wachaza ukuba ‘amazwi aphilileyo’ ngokusisiseko ‘ngaweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.’ (1 Timoti 6:3) Ukuxelisa lo mzekelo wamazwi aphilileyo kunokwenza ubani ahluzeke engqondweni, abe nothando nolwazelelelo ngabanye. Ekubeni ubulungiseleli neemfundiso zikaYesu zivisisana nazo zonke iimfundiso ezifumaneka kwiBhayibhile iphela, ibinzana elithi ‘amazwi aphilileyo’ lisenokubhekisela kuzo zonke iimfundiso zeBhayibhile.

KuTimoti, njengabo bonke abadala abangamaKristu, amazwi aphilileyo yinto ‘awayeyiphathisiwe’ awayefanele ayilondoloze. (2 Timoti 1:13, 14) Kwakufanele ukuba uTimoti ‘ashumayele ilizwi ngokungxamisekileyo, ngexesha elilungileyo nangexesha lenkathazo, ohlwaye, akhalimele, abongoze, ngako konke ukuzeka kade umsindo nobugcisa bokufundisa.’ (2 Timoti 4:2) Xa siqonda ukuba iimfundiso zabawexuki zazisanda ngomhla kaTimoti, siyasiqonda isizathu sokuba uPawulos agxininise ukubaluleka kokufundisa amazwi aphilileyo. Kwakhona siyaqonda ukuba uTimoti wayefanele akhusele umhlambi ‘ngokuwohlwaya, ukuwukhalimela, nokuwubongoza’ ezeka kade umsindo yaye enobugcisa bokufundisa.

Kwakuza kufuneka uTimoti alishumayele kubani ilizwi? Umongo ubonisa ukuba uTimoti, njengomdala, wayeza kushumayela ilizwi kwibandla lamaKristu. Ngenxa yeengcinezelo ezazibangelwa ngabachasi, uTimoti wayefanele ahlale ephilile ngokomoya, aze ashumayele ilizwi likaThixo ngenkalipho, kungekhona iintanda-bulumko zabantu, iingcinga zakhe okanye amazwi ayintelekelelo angeloncedo. Liyinyaniso elokuba, oku kwakunokuzisa inkcaso evela kwabathile ekusenokwenzeka ukuba babeneenjongo ezimbi. (2 Timoti 1:6-8; 2:1-3, 23-26; 3:14, 15) Noko ke, ngokulandela isiluleko sikaPawulos, uTimoti wayeza kuqhubeka ethintela uwexuko, kanye njengokuba uPawulos wenjenjalo.—IZenzo 20:25-32.

Ngaba amazwi kaPawulos okushumayela ilizwi ayasebenza nangaphandle kwebandla? Ewe, ayasebenza, njengoko umongo ubonisa. UPawulos uqhubeka esithi: “Ke wena, hlala uthe qwa, nyamezela ububi, yenza umsebenzi womvangeli, bufeze ngokupheleleyo ubulungiseleli bakho.” (2 Timoti 4:5) Ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zosindiso kwabangakholwayo kubalulekile kubulungiseleli bamaKristu. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Yaye kanye njengokuba ilizwi likaThixo lishunyayelwa ebandleni “nangexesha lenkathazo,” ngoko ke nathi siyazingisa ekushumayeleni ilizwi kwabo bangaphandle kwebandla naphantsi kweemeko ezinzima.—1 Tesalonika 1:6.

Ngokuyintloko, xa sishumayela naxa sifundisa sisebenzisa iLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. Sithembele ngokupheleleyo eBhayibhileni. UPawulos wathi kuTimoti: “Sonke iSibhalo siphefumlelwe nguThixo kwaye siyingenelo ekufundiseni, ekohlwayeni, ekulungelelaniseni izinto, ekuqeqesheleni ebulungiseni.” (2 Timoti 3:16) Loo mazwi asoloko ecatshulwa ngokuchanileyo ukubonisa ukuba iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. Kodwa yayiyintoni injongo kaPawulos yokubhala la mazwi?

UPawulos wayethetha nomdala, owayenembopheleleko ‘yokohlwaya, yokulungelelanisa izinto, yokuqeqesha ebulungiseni,’ ebandleni. Ngenxa yoko, wayekhumbuza uTimoti ukuba athembele kubulumko beLizwi eliphefumlelweyo, awayefundiswe ngalo eselusana. NjengoTimoti, maxa wambi abadala bamele bohlwaye abenzi bobubi. Xa besenjenjalo, bafanele bahlale bethembele eBhayibhileni. Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni iZibhalo ziphefumlelwe nguThixo, sonke isohlwayo esisekelwe kuzo ngokwenene sisohlwayo esivela kuThixo. Nabani na osigatyayo isohlwayo esisekelwe eBhayibhileni ugatya, kungekhona iingcamango zabantu, kodwa isiluleko esiphefumlelweyo esivela kuYehova.

Le ncwadi yeSibini kuTimoti inobulumko obuvela kuThixo! Yaye iba nentsingiselo engakumbi xa siqwalasela umongo wesiluleko sayo! Kweli nqaku, siye sanithela gqaba-gqaba nje ngenkcazelo entle nephefumlelweyo ekule ncwadi, kodwa oku kwanele ukubonisa indlela okuluncedo ngayo ukuqwalasela umongo woko sikufunda eBhayibhileni. Oko kuya kusinceda siqiniseke ukuba eneneni ‘siliphatha kakuhle ilizwi lenyaniso.’

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

UPawulos wayefuna ukumxhobisa uTimoti ukuze akwazi ukukhusela amabandla

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]

UPawulos wakhumbuza uTimoti ukuba athembele kubulumko beLizwi eliphefumlelweyo