Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-47—2 Korinte
Umlobi: UPawulu
Yalotshelwa: EMakedoniya
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-55 C.E.
1, 2. (a) Yini eyaholela uPawulu ukuba alobe incwadi yakhe yesibili eya kwabaseKorinte? (b) UPawulu wayiloba ekuphi, futhi yini ayekhathazeke ngayo?
MHLAWUMBE manje kwakusekupheleni kwehlobo noma ekuqaleni kwekwindla ka-55 C.E. Kwakusenezindaba ebandleni lobuKristu eKorinte ezazibangela ukukhathazeka kumphostoli uPawulu. Kwakungakadluli izinyanga eziningi kusukela aloba incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi uThithu wayethunywe eKorinte ukuba ayosiza ekuqoqeni iminikelo eyayenzelwa abangcwele eJudiya futhi ngokunokwenzeka nokuba abheke ukusabela kwabaseKorinte encwadini yokuqala. (2 Kor. 8:1-6; 2:13) Babeyithathe kanjani? Yeka induduzo okwamlethela yona uPawulu ukwazi ukuthi yayibabangele ukudabuka nokuphenduka! UThithu wayebuyele kuPawulu eMakedoniya nalombiko omuhle, futhi manje inhliziyo yomphostoli yayichichima uthando ngamakholwa athandekayo akanye nawo aseKorinte.—7:5-7; 6:11.
2 Ngakho uPawulu waphinde walobela abaseKorinte. Lencwadi yesibili efudumeza inhliziyo nenamandla yalotshelwa eMakedoniya futhi ngokusobala yahanjiswa uThithu. (9:2, 4; 8:16-18, 22-24) Enye yezindaba ezikhathazayo ezazibangele uPawulu ukuba alobe kwakuwukuba khona ‘kwabaphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu’ phakathi kwabaseKorinte, abachaza ngokuthi futhi “abaphostoli bamanga, izisebenzi ezikhohlisayo.” (11:5, 13, 14) Inhlala-kahle engokomoya yalelibandla elisha ngokuqhathaniswa yayisengozini, futhi igunya likaPawulu njengomphostoli lalihlaselwa. Kanjalo incwadi yakhe yesibili eya kwabaseKorinte yagcwalisa isidingo esikhulu.
3, 4. (a) Ikuphi ukuhambela eKorinte uPawulu akwenza yena ngokwakhe? (b) Incwadi yesiBili KwabaseKorinte isizuzisa kanjani manje?
3 Kungaphawulwa ukuthi uPawulu wathi: “Sekungokwesithathu ngilungele ukuza kini.” (2 Kor. 12:14; 13:1) Wayecebe ukubahambela okwesibili ngesikhathi ebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala, kodwa noma akulungela, alizange libe khona ‘lelithuba lesibili lenjabulo.’ (1 Kor. 16:5; 2 Kor. 1:15, NW) Khona-ke, eqinisweni uPawulu wayebe lapho kanye kuphela ngaphambili, izinyanga ezingu-18 ngo-50-52 C.E., ngesikhathi kumiswa ibandla lobuKristu eKorinte. (IzE. 18:1-18) Nokho, kamuva sagcwaliseka isifiso sikaPawulu sokuphinde avakashele eKorinte. Ngesikhathi eseGrisi izinyanga ezintathu, cishe ngo-56 C.E., wachitha okungenani ingxenye yalesosikhathi eseKorinte, futhi wayiloba elapho incwadi yakhe eya kwabaseRoma.—Roma 16:1, 23; 1 Kor. 1:14.
4 Ngaso sonke isikhathi incwadi yesiBili KwabaseKorinte ibicatshangelwa njengengxenye efanelekile yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli kanye neyokuQala KwabaseKorinte nezinye izincwadi zikaPawulu. Siyakwazi futhi ukubheka phakathi ebandleni laseKorinte futhi sizuze emazwini kaPawulu aphefumlelwe ashiwo ngenjongo yokuyala bona kanye nathi.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YESIBILI KWABASEKORINTE
5. (a) Yini uPawulu ayilobayo ngokuqondene nenduduzo? (b) Yini eye yenzeka ngenxa kaKristu eqinisekisa ngokwengeziwe?
5 Usizo oluvela ‘kuNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke’ (1:1–2:11). UPawulu uhlanganisa noThimothewu esibingelelweni. UPawulu uthi: “Makabongwe . . . uYise wobubele, uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke, osiduduza osizini lwethu lonke,” ukuze nathi sikwazi ukududuza abanye. Nakuba uPawulu nabangane bakhe beye baba ngaphansi kokucindezeleka okukhulu futhi ukuphila kwabo kwaba sengozini, uNkulunkulu ubasindisile. NabaseKorinte bangasiza ngokubathandazela. Ubalobela ngokuqiniseka ngobuqotho bakhe nangomusa kaNkulunkulu ongamfanele. Izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zibé “nguYebo” ngoJesu, futhi uye wagcoba labo abangabakaKristu futhi wabanika “isibambiso esinguMoya” ezinhliziyweni zabo.—1:3, 4, 20, 22.
6. Yini uPawulu aluleka ukuba yenzelwe umoni osusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni manje ophendukayo?
6 Kubonakala sengathi indoda ayebhekiswe kuyo amazwi kaPawulu esahlukweni sesihlanu sencwadi yakhe yokuqala yaxoshwa ebandleni. Isiphendukile futhi isibonisa ukudabuka. Ngakho uPawulu utshela abaseKorinte ukuba bayithethelele ngobuqotho futhi baqinisekise uthando lwabo ngalona ophendukayo.
7. UPawulu uziveza kanjani yena nabaseKorinte, futhi yini ayiqinisekisayo?
7 Benziwe bafaneleka njengezikhonzi zesivumelwano esisha (2:12–6:10). UPawulu uziveza yena kanye namaKristu aseKorinte njengabasodwendweni lokunqoba kanye noKristu. (AbaseKorinte babejwayelene nephunga lempepho emnandi eyayishiswa endleleni yodwendwe lwamabutho anqobile ngalolosuku.) Kunomahluko omkhulu phakathi ‘kwephunga’ lamaKristu kulabo abayozuza ukuphila ‘nephunga’ lawo elizwiwa ilabo ababhubhayo. ‘Asilonakalisi izwi likaNkulunkulu ngenxa yenzuzo,’ kuvuma uPawulu.—2:16, 17.
8. (a) Iziphi izincwadi zokubancoma uPawulu nayesebenza nabo ababenazo njengezikhonzi? (b) Iphakeme kanjani inkonzo yesivumelwano esisha?
8 UPawulu kanye nasebenza nabo abazidingi izincwadi ezibhaliwe zokubancoma, eziya noma ezivela kwabaseKorinte. Amakholwa aseKorinte ngokwawo ayizincwadi zokubancoma, ezibhalwe “yithi njengezikhonzi” futhi ezingabhalwanga ezibhebheni zamatshe, kodwa “ezibhebheni eziyizinhliziyo zenyama,” kusho uPawulu. UNkulunkulu uye wazenza zafaneleka ngokwanele izikhonzi zesivumelwano esisha. Umthetho obhaliwe wawuwukukhishwa kokufa, unenkazimulo ephelayo, futhi wawungowesikhashana. Nokho, ukuthululwa komoya kuholela ekuphileni, kuhlala njalo, futhi kunenkazimulo echichimayo. Lapho “kufundwa uMose,” indwangu imboza izinhliziyo zabantwana bakwaIsrayeli, kodwa lapho bephendukela kuJehova, indwangu iyasuswa, futhi ‘baguqulwa babe njengalowomfanekiso besuka kwenye inkazimulo beya kwenye.’—3:3, 15, 18, qhathanisa neNW.
9. UPawulu uyichaza kanjani ingcebo yenkonzo?
9 Khona-ke uPawulu uyaqhubeka: ‘Sinalenkonzo ngenxa yokuhawukelwa. Sizilahlile izinto ezifihliwe futhi asiliphambanisanga izwi likaNkulunkulu, kepha sizincomé ngokuveza obala iqiniso. Uma ivangeli lethu lifihlakele, kungenxa yokuthi unkulunkulu walelizwe uphuphuthekise izingqondo zabangakholwa. Nokho, izinhliziyo zethu zikhanyiswe ulwazi olukhazimulayo ngoNkulunkulu ebusweni bukaKristu. Yeka ukuthi inkulu kangakanani lengcebo esinayo! Isezitsheni zobumba ukuze amandla amakhulu kakhulu abe ngakaNkulunkulu. Lapho sibhekene noshushiso nokucindezeleka, yebo, nalapho sibhekene nokufa imbala, sibonisa ukholo futhi asidangali, ngoba usizi lwethu olungolomzuzwana lusizuzela isilinganiso esikhulu kakhulu senkazimulo emiyo phakade. Ngakho sibheka okungabonwayo.’—4:1-18.
10. (a) Yini uPawulu ayishoyo ngalabo abamunye noKristu? (b) UPawulu uzincoma kanjani njengesikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu?
10 UPawulu uyabhala, ‘siyazi ukuthi idokodo lethu lasemhlabeni liyodedela elaphakade emazulwini. Okwamanje siqhubekela phambili ngokholo futhi simi isibindi. Nakuba sihlukene noKristu, sifuna ukuba abamukelekayo kuye.’ (5:1, 7-9) Labo abakanye noKristu ‘bayindalo entsha’ futhi banenkonzo yokubuyisana. ‘Bangamanxusa kaKristu.’ (5:17, 20, qhathanisa neNW.) Ngazo zonke izindlela uPawulu uyazitusa njengesikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu. Kanjani? ‘Ngokubekezelela kakhulu usizi, ukushaywa, ukukhandleka, ukuqwasha; ngenhlanzeko, ngolwazi, ngokubekezela, ngobumnene, ngomoya ongcwele, ngothando olungazenzisi, ngenkulumo eyiqiniso, ngamandla kaNkulunkulu, njengompofu kepha ecebisa abaningi, njengongenalutho kanti unakho konke.’—6:4-10.
11. UPawulu unikeza siphi iseluleko nesixwayiso?
11 ‘Ukuphelelisa ubungcwele ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu’ (6:11–7:16). UPawulu utshela abaseKorinte: ‘Inhliziyo yethu yanulekile ukuba sinamukele.’ Nabo futhi kufanele banabise imizwelo yabo yothando. Kodwa manje kuza isixwayiso! “Maningaboshelwa ejokeni linye nabangakholwayo.” (6:11, 14) Ukukhanya kunabudlelwane buni nobumnyama, noma uKristu noBeliyali? Njengethempeli likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, kumelwe bazehlukanise futhi bangayithinti into engcolile. UPawulu uthi: “Masizihlambulule ekungcoleni konke kwenyama nokomoya, siphelelise ubungcwele ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu.”—7:1.
12. Kungani uPawulu ajabula ngombiko owawuvela eKorinte?
12 UPawulu uthi ngokuqhubekayo: “Ngigcwele induduzo, nginentokozo enkulu kakhulu phezu kosizi lonke esinalo.” (7:4) Ngani? Hhayi kuphela ngenxa yokuba khona kukaThithu kodwa nangenxa yombiko omuhle ovela eKorinte, wokulangazelela kwabo, ukulila kwabo, nokushisekela kwabo uPawulu. Uyaqaphela ukuthi incwadi yakhe yokuqala yabangela ukudabuka kwesikhashana, kodwa uyajabula ngokuthi abaseKorinte badabuka baphenduka ukuze basindiswe. Uyabatusa ngokubambisana kwabo noThithu.
13. (a) Iziphi izibonelo zokuphana uPawulu aziphawulayo? (b) Iziphi izimiso uPawulu axoxa ngazo ngokuqondene nokupha?
13 Ukuphana kuyovuzwa (8:1–9:15). Ngokuqondene neminikelo eyenzelwa ‘abangcwele’ abaswele uPawulu uphawula isibonelo sabaseMakedoniya, abakuphana kwabo naphezu kobumpofu obukhulu ngempela kwakungaphezu kwababengakwenza; futhi manje uthemba ukubona uhlobo olufanayo lokuphana kwabaseKorinte njengesibonakaliso sobuqotho bothando lwabo ngeNkosi uJesu Kristu, owaba mpofu ukuze bacebe. Lokhu kupha ngokwalokho abanakho kuyophumela ekulinganeni, ukuze kuthi lowo onokuningi angabi nokuningi kakhulu, nalowo onokuncane, angabi nokuncane kakhulu. Kuthunyelwa kubo uThithu kanye nabanye ngokuqondene nalesipho somusa. UPawulu ubeqhosha ngokuphana nangokusabela ngokushesha kwabaseKorinte, futhi akafuni ukuba bahlaziswe ngokuhluleka ukuphelelisa lesipho esiyinala. Yebo, “ohlwanyela kakhulu uyakuvuna kakhulu.” Makube okusuka enhliziyweni, ngoba “uNkulunkulu uyamthanda onikelayo ethokoza.” Uyakwazi futhi ukwenza umusa wakhe ongabafanele ube mningi ngakubo nokubacebisa ngenxa yakho konke ukuphana. “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu ngenxa yesipho sakhe esingakhulumekiyo.”—9:1, 6, 7, 15.
14. Imaphi amaphuzu uPawulu awavezayo ekusekeleni ubuphostoli bakhe?
14 UPawulu uveza ubufakazi bokuba kwakhe umphostoli (10:1–13:14). UPawulu uyavuma ukuthi ubukeka engelutho. Kodwa amaKristu awalwi ngokwenyama; izikhali zawo zingokomoya, “ngaye uNkulunkulu zinamandla” okuchitha imibono ephambene nolwazi ngoNkulunkulu. (10:4) Abanye, bebona izinto ngaphandle kuphela, bathi izincwadi zomphostoli zinamandla kodwa inkulumo yakhe idelelekile. Mabazi ukuthi izenzo zikaPawulu ziyofana namazwi akhe asencwadini. AbaseKorinte kufanele baqaphele ukuthi uPawulu akaqhoshi ngakufeze ensimini yomunye umuntu. Waziletha yena siqu izindaba ezinhle kubo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma kuqhoshwa, makuqhoshwe ngoJehova.
15. (a) Imiphi imifanekiso uPawulu ayisebenzisayo ekukhulumeni ngokumelene nabaphostoli bamanga? (b) Uthini umlando kaPawulu?
15 UPawulu uzizwa enomthwalo wemfanelo wokuyisa ibandla laseKorinte kuKristu liyintombi emsulwa. Njengoba nje noEva ayengwa ubuqili beNyoka, kunengozi yokuthi izingqondo zabo zingase zonakaliswe. Ngakho, uPawulu ukhuluma ngokunamandla ngokumelene ‘nabaphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu’ bebandla laseKorinte. (11:5) Bangabaphostoli bamanga. USathane ngokwakhe ulokhu eziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya, ngakho akumangalisi ukuthi izikhonzi zakhe zenza okufanayo. Noma kunjalo ngokuqondene nokuba izikhonzi zikaKristu, banjani uma beqhathaniswa nomlando kaPawulu? Ukhuthazelele okuningi: ukuboshwa, ukushaywa, ukufelwa umkhumbi izikhathi ezintathu, izingozi eziningi, ukuqwasha noma ukungabi nakudla kaningi. Nokho kukho konke akazange akhohlwe izidingo zamabandla futhi ngazo zonke izikhathi wayezizwa ethukuthele lapho othile ekhutshiwe.
16. (a) Yini uPawulu angase aqhoshe ngayo, kodwa kungani esikhundleni salokho ekhetha ukukhuluma ngobuthaka bakhe? (b) UPawulu ubuveze kanjani ubufakazi bobuphostoli bakhe?
16 Ngakho uma kukhona onesizathu sokuqhosha, uPawulu. Ingabe abanye ababizwa ngokuthi abaphostoli eKorinte bangakhuluma ngokuhlwithelwa epharadesi, ukuba bezwe izinto ezingakhulumeki? Kodwa uPawulu ukhuluma ngobuthaka bakhe. Ukuze angazizwa ephakeme ngokweqile, wanikwa ‘iva enyameni.’ UPawulu wanxusa ukuba lisuswe kodwa watshelwa: “Umusa wami ukwanele.” Kunalokho uPawulu angaqhosha ngobuthaka bakhe, ukuze “amandla kaKristu” ahlale phezu kwakhe njengetende. (12:7, 9) Cha, uPawulu akabanga ngaphansi ‘kwabaphostoli abaqhamileyo kakhulu,’ futhi abaseKorinte babubonile ubufakazi bokuba kwakhe umphostoli abuvezile phakathi kwabo “ngokukhuthazela konke, nangezibonakaliso, nangezimangaliso, nangemisebenzi yamandla.” Akafuni impahla yabo, njengoba nje noThithu nezinye izisebenzi akanye nazo azithumela zingazange zisizakale ngabo.—12:11, 12.
17. Isiphi isiyalo sokugcina uPawulu asinika abaseKorinte?
17 Konke kungokokwakha bona. Nokho, uPawulu uzwakalisa ukwesaba ukuthi lapho efika eKorinte, uzothola abathile abangaphendukanga emisebenzini yabo yenyama. Uxwayisa izoni ukuthi uyothatha isinyathelo esifanele futhi angayeki namunye, futhi ululeka bonke ebandleni ukuba baqhubeke bezihlola ukuthi basesokholweni yini, bemunye noJesu Kristu. UPawulu noThimothewu bazobathandazela kuNkulunkulu. Ubayala ukuba bathokoze futhi babuyiselwe ebunyeni, ukuze uNkulunkulu wothando nokuthula abe nabo, abese ephetha ngokuthumela imikhonzo evela kwabangcwele kanye nezifiso zakhe ezinhle zokuba babusiswe ngokomoya.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
18. Imuphi umbono oqondile amaKristu okufanele abe nawo ngenkonzo?
18 Yeka ukuthi kuqabula futhi kukhuthaza kanjani ukwazisa kukaPawulu ngenkonzo yobuKristu njengoba kuboniswe encwadini yesiBili KwabaseKorinte! Masiyibheke njengoba enza. Isikhonzi esingumKristu esenziwe nguNkulunkulu ukuba sifaneleke ngokwanele asilonakalisi iZwi ngenxa yenzuzo kodwa sikhonza ngobuqotho. Okusincomayo, akuyona incwadi ethile elotshiwe, kunalokho isithelo esisithelayo enkonzweni. Nokho, nakuba ngempela inkonzo ikhazimula, lokhu akusona isizathu sokuba sikhukhumale. Njengabantu abangaphelele izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziphethe lengcebo eyinkonzo ezitsheni zobumba ezibuthaka, ukuze kubonakale ngokucacile ukuthi amandla angakaNkulunkulu. Ngakho lokhu kudinga ukuzithoba ekwamukeleni ilungelo elikhazimulayo lokuba izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu, futhi yeka umusa ongasifanele okuyiwo ovela kuNkulunkulu ukukhonza ‘njengamanxusa kaKristu’! Khona-ke, yeka ukuthi sasifaneleka kanjani isiyalo sikaPawulu ‘sokungawamukelel’ ize umusa kaNkulunkulu’!—2:14-17; 3:1-5; 4:7; 5:18-20; 6:1.
19. UPawulu wazinikeza isibonelo esivelele ngaziphi izindlela ezihlukahlukene izikhonzi ezingamaKristu namuhla, ikakhulukazi ababonisi?
19 Ngokuqinisekile uPawulu wazinikeza isibonelo esihle kakhulu izikhonzi ezingamaKristu okumelwe zisithathe. Phakathi kokunye, wayazisa futhi wayitadisha imiBhalo YesiHeberu ephefumlelwe, eyicaphuna, ebhekisela kuyo, futhi eyisebenzisa ngokuphindaphindiwe. (2 Kor. 6:2, 16-18; 7:1; 8:15; 9:9; 13:1; Isaya 49:8; Lev. 26:12; Isaya 52:11; Hez. 20:41; 2 Sam. 7:14; Hos. 1:10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengombonisi, wabonisa ukuwukhathalela okujulile umhlambi, ethi: “Kepha ngokujabula okukhulu ngiyakunikela konke, yebo, ngizinikele mina ngenxa yemiphefumulo yenu.” Wazinikela ngokuphelele ngenxa yabazalwane, njengoba nomlando ubonisa ngokucacile. (2 Kor. 12:15; 6:3-10) Wayengakhathali ekukhandlekeni kwakhe njengoba ayefundisa, eyala, futhi eqondisa izinto ebandleni laseKorinte. Waxwayisa ngokucacile ngokuhlanganyela nobumnyama, etshela abaseKorinte: “Maningaboshelwa ejokeni linye nabangakholwayo.” Ngenxa yokubakhathalela kwakhe kothando, wayengafuni ukubona izingqondo zabo zonakaliswa, “njengalokho inyoka yamkhohlisa uEva ngobuqili bayo,” ngakho wabayala ngokusuka enhliziyweni: “Zihloleni nina, nibone ukuba nisekukholweni yini, nizivivinye nina.” Wabashukumisela ekupheni kobuKristu, ebabonisa ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uyamthanda onikelayo ethokoza,” futhi yena ngokwakhe wazwakalisa ukubonga okunokwazisa okukhulu kuNkulunkulu ngesipho saKhe somusa esingachazeki. Ngempela abafowabo baseKorinte babebhalwe ngothando esibhebheni senyama esiyinhliziyo kaPawulu, futhi inkonzo yakhe engabekelwe mingcele ngenxa yezithakazelo zabo yayiwuphawu olwanele okufanele umbonisi oshisekayo nophapheme abe nalo. Yeka isibonelo esivelele kithi namuhla!—6:14; 11:3; 13:5; 9:7, 15; 3:2.
20. (a) UPawulu uzibhekisa kanjani izingqondo zethu endaweni efanele? (b) Incwadi yesiBili KwabaseKorinte ibhekisela kuliphi ithemba elikhazimulayo?
20 Umphostoli uPawulu ubhekisa izingqondo zethu endaweni efanele ngokubhekisela ‘kuYise wobubele, uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke’ njengomthombo woqobo wamandla ngezikhathi zokulingwa. Uyena “osiduduza osizini lwethu lonke” ukuze sikhuthazele ngenjongo yokusindela ezweni lakhe elisha. UPawulu ubhekisela futhi ethembeni elikhazimulayo ‘lesakhiwo esivela kuNkulunkulu, indlu engenziwanga ngezandla, eyaphakade, ezulwini,’ abese ethi: “Kanjalo uma umuntu ekuKristu, uyisidalwa esisha; okwakuqala kudlulile; bheka, sekuvelé okusha.” Ngempela incwadi yesiBili KwabaseKorinte iqukethe amazwi amahle kakhulu okuqinisekisa kulabo, njengoPawulu, abayodla ifa loMbuso wasezulwini.—1:3, 4; 5:1, 17.