Ingabe Bewazi?

NGEZIKHATHI zeBhayibheli, umphathi wayephatha umuzi noma impahla yomunye umuntu. Amagama esiHebheru nesiGreki ahunyushwe ngokuthi “mphathi” ngezinye izikhathi abhekisela kumuntu ophethe umuzi.

Ngesikhathi uJosefa, indodana kaJakobe, eyisigqila eGibhithe, waba umphathi wendlu yenkosi yakhe. Empeleni, inkosi yakhe engumGibhithe ‘yashiya zonke izinto zayo esandleni sikaJosefa.’ (Gen. 39:2-6) Kamuva, lapho uJosefa naye esengumbusi onamandla eGibhithe wakhetha indoda ethile ukuba ibe umphathi wendlu yakhe.—Gen. 44:4.

Ngosuku lukaJesu, abantu ababenamapulazi babehlala emadolobheni akude namapulazi abo. Ngakho, babekhetha abaphathi ukuze banakekele imisebenzi eyayenziwa izisebenzi zasepulazini nsuku zonke.

Umuntu onjani owayefanelekela ukuba umphathi? UColumella umbhali ongumRoma wangekhulu lokuqala wathi isigqila esasikhethwa ukuba sibe umphathi, kwakufanele sibe “umuntu osewazi kahle umsebenzi.” Kwakufanele kube umuntu “owayeyoqiniseka ngokuthi izisebenzi ziyawenza umsebenzi kodwa angazihlukumezi.” Wanezela: “Nakhu okunye okubaluleke kunakho konke okwakudingeka—kwakungamelwe acabange ukuthi wazi yonke into futhi kwakumelwe azimisele ukufunda izinto ezintsha.”

IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisebenzisa isibonelo somphathi nomsebenzi ayewenza ukuze lifanekise eminye imisebenzi eyenzeka ebandleni lobuKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPetru wakhuthaza amaKristu ukuba asebenzise amakhono ayewathole kuNkulunkulu “ekukhonzaneni njengabaphathi abahle bomusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Pet. 4:10.

UJesu naye wasisebenzisa isibonelo somphathi emfanekisweni wakhe okuLuka 16:1-8. Ngaphezu kwalokho, esiprofethweni esikhuluma ngesibonakaliso sokuba khona kweNkosi, uJesu waqinisekisa abalandeli bakhe ngokuthi wayeyomisa “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo,” noma “umphathi othembekile.” Umsebenzi oyinhloko walowo mphathi wawuyoba ukunikeza abalandeli bakaKristu konke ukudla okungokomoya abakudingayo phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela. (Math. 24:45-47; Luka 12:42) Ave sijabula ngokuba phakathi kwalabo abathola izincwadi namavidiyo aqinisa ukholo esiwalungiselelwe umphathi othembekile emhlabeni wonke.