UThimothewu—“Umntwana Woqobo Okholweni”

UTHIMOTHEWU wayesemncane uma kuqhathaniswa, lapho umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu emkhetha ukuba ahambe naye. Lokhu kwaqala ubuhlobo bokusebenza ndawonye obabuzoqhubeka iminyaka engaba ngu-15. Ubuhlobo obaba khona phakathi kwala madoda amabili babuqine kangangokuthi uPawulu wayengabiza uThimothewu ngokuthi “umntanami othandekayo nokholekileyo eNkosini” nangokuthi “umntwana woqobo okholweni.”—1 Korinte 4:17; 1 Thimothewu 1:2.

Yini ngokuphathelene nobuntu bukaThimothewu eyenza uPawulu wamthanda kangaka? Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uThimothewu abe umhlobo owusizo kangaka? Futhi yiziphi izifundo ezizuzisayo esingazifunda embhalweni ophefumulelwe wemisebenzi kaThimothewu?

Wakhethwa UPawulu

UPawulu wathola lo mfundi osemusha uThimothewu lapho ehambele eListra (eTurkey yanamuhla) ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli cishe ngo-50 C.E. Cishe lapho esezohlanganisa noma esanda kuyihlanganisa iminyaka engu-20 ubudala, uThimothewu wayekhulunyelwa kahle amaKristu aseListra nawase-Ikoniyu. (IzEnzo 16:1-3) Waphila ngokuvumelana negama lakhe, elisho “Umuntu Ohlonipha UNkulunkulu.” Kusukela esemncane, uThimothewu wayefundiswe imiBhalo Engcwele ugogo wakhe uLowisi nawunina, u-Evnike. (2 Thimothewu 1:5; 3:14, 15) Kungenzeka ukuthi babamukele ubuKristu phakathi nokuhambela kokuqala kukaPawulu edolobheni lakubo eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambili. Manje, ngokusebenza komoya ongcwele, isibikezelo esithile sabonisa ukuthi ikusasa likaThimothewu liyoba njani. (1 Thimothewu 1:18) Ngokuvumelana naleso siqondiso, uPawulu namadoda amadala ebandla bayibeka izandla le nsizwa, ngaleyo ndlela beyihlukanisela inkonzo ethile, futhi umphostoli wayikhetha ukuze ahambe nayo emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli.—1 Thimothewu 4:14; 2 Thimothewu 1:6.

Njengoba uyise ayengumGreki ongakholwa, uThimothewu wayengasokiwe. Yiqiniso, lokho kwakungeyona indingeko yobuKristu. Nokho, ukuze asuse isikhubekiso kumaJuda ayezowahambela, uThimothewu wayamukela leyo nqubo ebuhlungu.—IzEnzo 16:3.

Ingabe uThimothewu wayebhekwa njengomJuda ngaphambili? Ezinye izazi zithi ngokwamagunya orabi, “ukuthi ingane ezalwe abantu bezizwe ezihlukene abashadile ingeyasiphi isizwe kunqunywa ngonina, hhayi ngoyise.” Okusho ukuthi, “owesifazane ongumJuda uzala izingane ezingamaJuda.” Nokho, umlobi uShaye Cohen uyakungabaza ukuthi lowo “mthetho worabi ophathelene nabantu wawusukhona ngekhulu lokuqala C.E.” nokuthi amaJuda ase-Asia Minor ayewuqaphela. Ngemva kokucabangela ubufakazi obungokomlando, uphetha ngokuthi lapho abesilisa beZizwe beshada nabesifazane bama-Israyeli, “izingane zalowo mshado zazibhekwa njengama-Israyeli kuphela uma lowo mkhaya wawuhlala phakathi kwama-Israyeli. Kwakuthathwa ubuzwe bukamama uma kwakuyindawo yesizwe sakhe. Lapho owesifazane ongumIsrayeli ethuthela kwelinye izwe ayohlala nomyeni wakhe wabeZizwe, izingane zakhe zazibhekwa njengezabeZizwe.” Kunoma yikuphi, ukuba kukaThimothewu nabazali bezizwe ezihlukene kumelwe ukuba kwasiza emsebenzini wokushumayela. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayengenayo inkinga yokuqonda amaJuda nabeZizwe, mhlawumbe okwakwenza akwazi ukuvala igebe elaliphakathi kwabo.

Ukuhambela kukaPawulu eListra kwaba isikhathi soshintsho ekuphileni kukaThimothewu. Ukuzimisela kwale nsizwa ukulandela isiqondiso somoya ongcwele nokubambisana ngokuthobeka nabadala abangamaKristu kwaholela ezibusisweni ezinkulu nasemalungelweni enkonzo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayekuqonda lokho ngaleso sikhathi noma cha, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaPawulu kamuva uThimothewu wayeyosetshenziswa ezabelweni ezibalulekile ezingokwasezulwini, ezaziyomyisa kude nasekhaya, aze ayofika eRoma, inhloko-dolobha yombuso.

UThimothewu Wathuthukisa Izithakazelo ZoMbuso

Nakuba sinengxenye nje yomlando wemisebenzi yakhe, uThimothewu wahamba kakhulu ukuze athuthukise izithakazelo zoMbuso. Uhambo lokuqala lukaThimothewu noPawulu noSila ngo-50 C.E. lwamdabulisa elase-Asia Minor wayongena eYurophu. Lapho, wahlanganyela emikhankasweni yokushumayela eFilipi, eThesalonika naseBereya. Ngemva kokuba ukuphikiswa kubangele uPawulu ukuba aqhubekele e-Athene, uThimothewu noSila basala eBereya ukuze banakekele iqembu labafundi elalimiswe lapho. (IzEnzo 16:6–17:14) Kamuva, uPawulu wathumela uThimothewu eThesalonika ukuyoqinisa ibandla elisha lapho. UThimothewu waletha izindaba ezinhle ngentuthuko yalo lapho ehlangana noPawulu eKorinte.—IzEnzo 18:5; 1 Thesalonika 3:1-7.

ImiBhalo ayisho ukuthi uThimothewu wahlala isikhathi eside kangakanani nabaseKorinte. (2 Korinte 1:19) Nokho, cishe ngo-55 C.E., uPawulu wayecabangela ukuphinde amthumele kubo ngenxa yokuthi wayethole izindaba eziphazamisayo ngokuphathelene nesimo sabo. (1 Korinte 4:17; 16:10) Kamuva, eno-Erastu, uThimothewu wathunyelwa eMakedoniya esuka e-Efesu. Futhi lapho uPawulu ebhalela abaseRoma yena eseKorinte, uThimothewu wayesenaye futhi.—IzEnzo 19:22; Roma 16:21.

UThimothewu nabanye bahamba noPawulu lapho esuka eKorinte eya eJerusalema, futhi baphelezela lo mphostoli okungenani kwaze kwaba seTrowa. Akwaziwa ukuthi uThimothewu waqhubeka yini waze wayofika eJerusalema. Kodwa kukhulunywa ngaye ezingenisweni zezincwadi ezintathu zikaPawulu azibhalela ejele eRoma cishe ngo-60-61 C.E.a (IzEnzo 20:4; Filipi 1:1; Kolose 1:1; Filemoni 1) UPawulu wayehlela ukuthumela uThimothewu eFilipi esuka eRoma. (Filipi 2:19) Futhi ngemva kokukhululwa kukaPawulu ejele, uThimothewu waqhubeka ese-Efesu ngokuqondisa kwalo mphostoli.—1 Thimothewu 1:3.

Njengoba ukuhamba ngekhulu lokuqala kwakungelula futhi kunganethezekile, ukuzimisela kukaThimothewu ukuhamba kakhulu kangaka ngenxa yamabandla kwakuncomeka ngempela. (Bheka INqabayokulinda ka-August 15, 1996, ikhasi 29, ibhokisi.) Cabangela uhambo olulodwa nje kulokhu kuhamba kwakhe kakhulu kanye nalokho lokhu okusitshela kona ngoThimothewu.

Ukukhanyiselwa Ngobuntu BukaThimothewu

UThimothewu wayenoPawulu eRoma lapho lo mphostoli owayeboshiwe ebhalela amaKristu ayeshushiswa eFilipi ethi: “Ngithemba eNkosini uJesu ukuthumela kini uThimothewu ngokushesha, ukuze ngibe umphefumulo owenamileyo lapho ngizwa ngezinto eziphathelene nani. Ngoba anginaye omunye onesimo esinjengesakhe oyozinakekela ngobuqotho izinto eziphathelene nani. Ngoba bonke abanye bazifunela izinzuzo zabo siqu, hhayi ezikaKristu Jesu. Kodwa niyabazi ubufakazi abunikeza ngaye ngokwakhe, ukuthi njengomntwana ekanye noyise waba isigqila kanye nami ekuqhutshekiselweni phambili kwezindaba ezinhle.”—Filipi 1:1, 13, 28-30; 2:19-22.

Lawo mazwi agcizelela ukukhathalela kukaThimothewu labo akholwa nabo. Ngaphandle uma ayehamba ngomkhumbi, ohambweni olunjalo kwakudingeka ahambe ngezinyawo izinsuku ezingu-40 esuka eRoma eya eFilipi, anqamule indawo emfushane ye-Adriatic Sea, abese ehamba ezinye izinsuku ezingu-40 esebuyela eRoma. UThimothewu wayezimisele ukwenza konke lokho ukuze akhonze abafowabo nodadewabo.

Nakuba uThimothewu ayehamba kakhulu, ngezinye izikhathi wayesuke engaphilile kahle. Kusobala ukuthi wayekhathazwa uhlobo oluthile lwesisu futhi ‘egula kaningi.’ (1 Thimothewu 5:23) Nokho wazikhandla ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle. Akumangazi ukuthi uPawulu wayesondelene kakhulu kangaka naye!

Ngokunakekelwa yilo mphostoli nokuba kwabo ndawonye, kusobala ukuthi uThimothewu waba nobuntu bukaPawulu. Ngakho, uPawulu wayengathi kuye: “Wena uye wayilandela eduze imfundiso yami, inkambo yami yokuphila, injongo yami, ukholo lwami, ukubhekakade kwami, uthando lwami, ukukhuthazela kwami, ukushushiswa kwami, izinhlupheko zami, uhlobo lwezinto ezenzeka kimi e-Antiyokiya, e-Ikoniyu, eListra, uhlobo lokushushiswa engilubekezelele.” UThimothewu wayekhala noPawulu futhi uPawulu wayemthandazela, futhi waba isigqila kanye naye ukuze athuthukise izithakazelo zoMbuso.—2 Thimothewu 1:3, 4; 3:10, 11.

UPawulu wakhuthaza uThimothewu ukuba ‘kungabikho muntu nanini obukela phansi ubusha bakhe.’ Lokhu kungase kubonise ukuthi uThimothewu wayenamahloni ngandlela-thile, engabaza ukugcizelela igunya lakhe. (1 Thimothewu 4:12; 1 Korinte 16:10, 11) Nokho, wayekwazi ukuzimela, futhi uPawulu wayengamthuma ngokuqiniseka emisebenzini enemithwalo yemfanelo. (1 Thesalonika 3:1, 2) Lapho uPawulu eqaphela isidingo sokwengamela okungokwasezulwini okuqinile ebandleni lase-Efesu, wanxusa uThimothewu ukuba ahlale lapho ukuze ‘ayale abathile ukuba bangafundisi imfundiso ehlukile.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:3) Nokho, nakuba ayephathiswa imithwalo yemfanelo eminingi, uThimothewu wayethobekile. Futhi naphezu kwanoma imaphi amahloni okungenzeka wayenawo, wayenesibindi. Ngokwesibonelo, waya eRoma ukuyosiza uPawulu, owayequliswa icala ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. Eqinisweni, naye ngokwakhe uThimothewu wake waboshwa, cishe ngesizathu esifanayo.—Heberu 13:23.

Ngokungangabazeki, uThimothewu wafunda okuningi kuPawulu. Ukwazisa kwalo mphostoli lesi sisebenzi esikanye naye kufakazelwa kakhulu iqiniso lokuthi wasibhalela izincwadi ezimbili eziphefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu ezitholakala emiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki. Cishe ngo-65 C.E., lapho uPawulu eqaphela ukuthi wayesezofela ukholo, waphinde wabiza uThimothewu. (2 Thimothewu 4:6, 9) ImiBhalo ayikwembuli ukuthi uThimothewu waphumelela yini ukubona uPawulu ngaphambi kokuba abulawe.

Zenze Utholakale!

Kuningi okungafundwa esibonelweni esihle sikaThimothewu. Wazuza kakhulu ngokuba nobudlelwane noPawulu, wakhula esuka ekubeni osemusha onamahloni waze waba umbonisi. Abesilisa nabesifazane abasebasha abangamaKristu bangazuza kakhulu ebudlelwaneni obunjalo namuhla. Futhi uma benza inkonzo kaJehova ibe umsebenzi wabo wasikhathi sonke, bayokwazi ukwenza umsebenzi omningi ozuzisayo. (1 Korinte 15:58) Bangase babe amaphayona, noma abashumayeli besikhathi esigcwele, ebandleni lakubo, noma bangase bakwazi ukukhonza lapho isidingo sabamemezeli boMbuso sisikhulu khona. Phakathi kokuningi abangakwenza, bangenza umsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli kwelinye izwe noma bakhonze endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke ye-Watch Tower Society noma kwelinye lamagatsha ayo. Kanti empeleni, wonke amaKristu angabonisa umoya ofana nalowo owaboniswa uThimothewu ngokunikela inkonzo yomphefumulo wonke kuJehova.

Ingabe uyafisa ukuqhubeka ukhula ngokomoya, ube usizo enhlanganweni kaJehova kunoma iyiphi indawo ayibona ifaneleka? Khona-ke yenza njengoba kwenza uThimothewu. Zenze utholakale ngangokunokwenzeka. Kwazi bani ukuthi yimaphi amalungelo enkonzo angase akuvulekele ngesikhathi esizayo?

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 31]

“Anginaye omunye onesimo esinjengesakhe”