U-Ephafrodithu—Isithunywa SabaseFilipi — I-ONLINE LIBRARY YeBhayibheli

U-Ephafrodithu—Isithunywa SabaseFilipi

“MAMUKELENI njengokujwayelekile eNkosini ngenjabulo yonke; futhi niqhubeke nibheka amadoda alolohlobo njengathandekayo,” kubhala uPawulu, ebhalela abaseFilipi. Akungabazeki ukuthi besingajabula uma umbonisi ongumKristu ubengasincoma ngamazwi anjalo. (Filipi 2:29) Kodwa uPawulu wayekhuluma ngobani? Futhi wayenzeni lomuntu ukuze afanelwe yilokho kutuswa okufudumele?

Impendulo yombuzo wokuqala ithi ngu-Ephafrodithu. Ukuze siphendule umbuzo wesibili, ake sicabangele izimo ezashukumisela uPawulu ukuba abhale lamazwi.

Cishe ngo-58 C.E., abaseFilipi bezwa ukuthi uPawulu wayehudulelwe ngaphandle kwethempeli wabe eseshaywa isixuku esinonya eJerusalema, waboshwa iziphathimandla, kwathi singakakhishwa nesigwebo, wadluliselwa eRoma eboshwe ngamaketanga. (IzEnzo 21:27-33; 24:27; 27:1) Bekhathazekile ngenhlalakahle yakhe, kumelwe ukuba bazibuza ukuthi yini ababengamenzela yona. Babempofu futhi bekude noPawulu, ngakho lwaluluncane usizo ababengalunikeza. Nokho, umuzwa wothando owawushukumise abaseFilipi ukuba basekele inkonzo yakhe esikhathini esidlule wawusabashukumisa; futhi wawubashukumisa ngisho nakakhulu, njengoba ayesesimweni esibucayi.—2 Korinte 8:1-4; Filipi 4:16.

Kumelwe ukuba abaseFilipi bacabangela ukuthi kungenzeka yini omunye wabo avakashele uPawulu ayomnikeza isipho futhi amsize uma edinga okuthile. Kodwa kwakuwuhambo olude nolukhathazayo, futhi ukumsiza kwakungase kube yingozi! UJoachim Gnilka uyaphawula: “Kwakudinga isibindi ukuvakashela isiboshwa, futhi ikakhulukazi uma kuwumuntu ‘onecala’ okubonakala lingacacile kahle.” Umbhali uBrian Rapske uthi: “Kwakunenye ingozi yokumane nje usondelane kakhulu noma uzwelane nesiboshwa noma imibono yaso. . . . Ukushelela kolimi noma isenzo esingahlosiwe sasingase singaholeli ekufeni kwesiboshwa nje kuphela kodwa nasekufeni komsizi waso.” Babengathuma bani abaseFilipi?

Kufanelekile ukuba sicabange ukuthi uhambo olunjena lwalungase lubangele ukukhathazeka nokungaqiniseki, kodwa u-Ephafrodithu (akufanele aphanjaniswe no-Ephafra waseKolose) wayezimisele ukufeza lokho kuthunywa okunzima. Uma sibheka igama lakhe, elihlobene nelika-Aphrodite, kungenzeka ukuthi wayengoweZizwe oguqukele ebuKristwini—indodana yabazali abazinikele kulowo nkulunkulukazi wothando nenzalo. Lapho uPawulu ebhalela abaseFilipi ebabonga ngomoya wabo wokupha, wayengamchaza ngokufanele u-Ephafrodithu ngokuthi “isithunywa senu nenceku yami siqu yesidingo sami.”—Filipi 2:25.

Ngokwalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngo-Ephafrodithu, siyakwazi ukuqonda ukuthi naphezu kokuzimisela kwakhe okutusekayo ukuzinikela ekukhonzeni uPawulu nebandla lakubo, u-Ephafrodithu wayenezinkinga ezifana nalezo esingase sibe nazo. Ake sicabangele isibonelo sakhe.

‘Inceku Yami Siqu Yesidingo Sami’

Asiyazi imininingwane, kodwa singacabanga ukuthi u-Ephafrodithu wafika eRoma ekhathele ngenxa yohambo lwakhe. Kungenzeka wahamba nge-Via Egnatia, umgwaqo waseRoma owawudabula eMakedoniya. Kungenzeka wawela i-Adriatic “esithendeni” senhlonhlo yase-Italy wabe esekhuphuka nge-Appian Way eya eRoma. Kwakuwuhambo olukhathazayo (ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-1 200) okungenzeka lwathatha isikhathi esingaphezu kwenyanga.—Bheka ibhokisi elisekhasini 29.

U-Ephafrodithu waqala lolu hambo enasiphi isimo sengqondo? Wayethunywe ukuba enzele uPawulu “inkonzo yomuntu siqu,” noma i-lei·tour·giʹa. (Filipi 2:30) Leli gama lesiGreki ekuqaleni lalibhekisela emsebenzini woMbuso owenziwa isakhamuzi ngokuzithandela. Kamuva, lasho inkonzo enjalo uMbuso owawuyifuna ngempoqo ikakhulukazi ezakhamuzini ezazikufanelekela ukuyenza. Ngokuphathelene nokusetshenziswa kwaleli gama emiBhalweni YesiGreki, esinye isazi sithi: “UmKristu umuntu osebenzela uNkulunkulu nabantu, okokuqala, ngenxa yokuthi ufisa ukwenza kanjalo ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke, futhi okwesibili, ngenxa yokuthi uphoqelekile, ngoba uthando lukaKristu luyambopha.” Yebo, yeka isimo sengqondo esihle u-Ephafrodithu asibonisa!

‘Waneka Umphefumulo Wakhe Engozini’

Esebenzisa igama elibolekwe olimini lokugembula, uPawulu uthi u-Ephafrodithu ‘wayeneke [pa·ra·bo·leu·saʹme·nos] umphefumulo wakhe engozini,’ noma ngokwezwi nezwi “wagembula” ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yenkonzo kaKristu. (Filipi 2:30) Akudingeki sicabange ukuthi u-Ephafrodithu wenza ubuwula; kunalokho, ukufeza inkonzo yakhe engcwele kwakuhilela ingozi ethile. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi wazama ukuthatha uhambo lokuyosiza phakathi nesikhathi esibi sonyaka? Ingabe waphikelela ezama ukuluphothula lolu hambo ngemva kokugula endleleni? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yikuphi, u-Ephafrodithu “wagula kwaze kwacishe kwaba seqophelweni lokufa.” Mhlawumbe kwakumelwe ahlale noPawulu ukuze amkhonze, ngakho kusobala ukuthi lomphostoli wayefuna ukuchaza isizathu sokubuya kwakhe ngaphambi kwesikhathi.—Filipi 2:27.

Nakuba kunjalo, u-Ephafrodithu wayengumuntu onesibindi owayezimisele ukuzineka ngokungenabugovu ukuze asize labo abanesidingo.

Singase sizibuze, ‘Ngingazikhandla ngezinga elingakanani ukuze ngisize abafowethu abangokomoya abasezimweni ezinzima?’ AmaKristu awazikhetheli ukuba nomoya onjalo wokulungela ukusiza abanye. UJesu wathi: “Ngininika umyalo omusha, wokuba nithandane; njengoba nje nami nginithandile, ukuba nani nithandane.” (Johane 13:34) U-Ephafrodithu wafeza inkonzo yakhe “kwaze kwacishe kwaba seqophelweni lokufa.” Khona-ke, u-Ephafrodithu wayeyisibonelo somuntu ‘owayenesimo sengqondo’ uPawulu akhuthaza abaseFilipi ukuba babe naso. (Filipi 2:5, 8, 30, Kingdom Interlinear) Ingabe singakulungela ukufika kulelo zinga?

Noma kunjalo, u-Ephafrodithu wacindezeleka. Ngani?

Ukucindezeleka Kwakhe

Zibeke esimweni sika-Ephafrodithu. UPawulu wabika: ‘Ulangazelela ukunibona nonke futhi ucindezelekile ngoba nezwa ukuthi wayegula.’ (Filipi 2:26) U-Ephafrodithu wayazi ukuthi abazalwane basebandleni lakubo babazi ukuthi uyagula nokuthi wayengakwazanga ukusiza uPawulu ngendlela ababethemba ukuthi uzomsiza ngayo. Eqinisweni, kungase kubonakale sengathi u-Ephafrodithu wabangela uPawulu ukukhathazeka okwengeziwe. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi kwadingeka ukuba udokotela uLuka, owayesebenza noPawulu, ayeke ezinye izinto ukuze anakekele u-Ephafrodithu?—Filipi 2:27, 28; Kolose 4:14.

Kungenzeka ukuthi ngenxa yalokhu, u-Ephafrodithu wacindezeleka. Mhlawumbe wayecabanga ukuthi abazalwane ebandleni lakubo babembheka njengongafaneleki. Mhlawumbe wayenomuzwa wecala futhi “elangazelela” ukubabona ukuze abaqinisekise ngokukholeka kwakhe. UPawulu wasebenzisa igama lesiGreki elinamandla kakhulu, elithi a·de·mo·neʹo, “ukucindezeleka,” ukuze achaze isimo sika-Ephafrodithu. Ngokwesazi uJ. B. Lightfoot, leli gama lingabonisa “isimo sokudideka, ukungabi nokuthula kwengqondo, nesokulahlekelwa ukucabanga, esibangelwa ukuphazamiseka okungokomzimba, noma ukucindezeleka okungokwengqondo, njengosizi, amahloni, ukudumazeka, njll.” Enye indawo ewukuphela kwayo lapho leli gama lisetshenziswa khona emiBhalweni YesiGreki ihlobene nobuhlungu obukhulu obazwiwa uJesu ensimini yaseGetsemane.—Mathewu 26:37.

UPawulu waphetha ngokuthi into engcono kakhulu kwakuyoba ukuphindisela u-Ephafrodithu emuva kwabaseFilipi nencwadi echaza ukubuya okungalindelekile kwesithunywa sabo. Lapho ethi, “Ngikubheka njengokudingekile ukuthumela u-Ephafrodithu kini,” uPawulu uveza ukuthi nguye obangele ukubuya kwakhe, ngaleyo ndlela esusa noma yiziphi izinsolo ezazingaba khona zokuthi u-Ephafrodithu wayehlulekile. (Filipi 2:25) Ngokuphambene, u-Ephafrodithu wayecishe walahlekelwa ukuphila kwakhe ukuze afeze ukuthunywa kwakhe! Ngothando uPawulu utusa ukuba ‘bamamukele njengokujwayelekile eNkosini ngenjabulo yonke; futhi baqhubeke bebheka amadoda alolohlobo njengathandekayo, ngoba ngenxa yomsebenzi weNkosi wasondela impela ekufeni, eneka umphefumulo wakhe engozini, ukuze asivale ngokugcwele isikhala sokungabikho kwabo lapha ukuba bamnikeze inkonzo yomuntu siqu.’—Filipi 2:29, 30.

“Niqhubeke Nibheka Amadoda Alolohlobo Njengathandekayo”

Abesilisa nabesifazane abanesimo sengqondo esifana nesika-Ephafrodithu kumelwe baziswe ngempela. Bayazidela ukuze bakhonze abanye. Cabanga ngalabo abaye bazinikela ukuba bakhonze kude nasemakhaya njengezithunywa zevangeli, ababonisi abajikelezayo, noma kwelinye lamahhovisi egatsha e-Watch Tower Society. Uma iminyaka yobudala noma impilo ewohlokayo manje isivimbela abathile ukuba benze ababekwenza ngaphambili, bakufanele ukuhlonishwa nokwaziswa ngenxa yeminyaka yabo yenkonzo yokwethembeka.

Noma kunjalo, ukugula okuqeda amandla kungase kubangele ukucindezeleka noma imizwa yecala. Umuntu usuke ethanda ukwenza okwengeziwe. Yeka ukuthi kukhungathekisa kanjani! Noma yibaphi abazithola besesimweni esinjalo bangafunda ku-Ephafrodithu. Kakade, kwakuyiphutha lakhe yini ukuthi wagula? Phinde! (Genesise 3:17-19; Roma 5:12) U-Ephafrodithu wayefisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu nabafowabo, kodwa ukugula kwambekela imingcele.

UPawulu akazange amsole u-Ephafrodithu ngenxa yokungaphatheki kahle kwakhe kodwa watshela abaseFilipi ukuthi basondelane naye. Ngokufanayo, kufanele siduduze abafowethu lapho bedangele. Ngokuvamile singabancoma ngesibonelo sabo sokukholeka enkonzweni. Ukuthi uPawulu wamazisa u-Ephafrodithu, wakhuluma kahle kangaka ngaye, kumelwe ukuba kwamduduza, kwanciphisa ukucindezeleka kwakhe. Nathi singaqiniseka ukuthi ‘uNkulunkulu akayena ongalungile ukuba akhohlwe umsebenzi wethu nothando esalubonisa kulo igama lakhe, ngoba siye sakhonza abangcwele futhi siyaqhubeka sibakhonza.’—Heberu 6:10.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 29]

Okwenza Uhambo Lube Nzima

Kulezi zinsuku uhambo phakathi kwamadolobha amabili abalulekile aseYurophu, olufana nalolo olwathathwa u-Ephafrodithu, lungase lungadingi mzamo omkhulu. Lolu hambo lungaphothulwa ngendiza ngehora elilodwa noma amabili kalula nje. Ukuthatha uhambo olunjalo ekhulwini lokuqala kwakuyindaba ehluke ngokuphelele. Emuva ngaleso sikhathi, ukusuka endaweni ethile uya kwenye kwakunzima. Umuntu ohamba ngezinyawo wayengathatha ibanga eliphakathi kwamakhilomitha angu-30 nangu-35 ngosuku, kuyilapho ezichaya ezimweni zezulu nasezingozini ezihlukahlukene, kuhlanganise ‘nasezinswelaboyeni.’—2 Korinte 11:26.

Kuthiwani ngezindawo zokulala nokudla?

Isazi-mlando uMichelangelo Cagiano de Azevedo siphawula ukuthi eceleni kwemigwaqo yaseRoma, “kwakunama-mansiones, amahhotela anakho konke, anezimpahla ezigciniwe, izitebele, nezindawo zokuhlala zezisebenzi zakhona; phakathi kwama-mansiones amabili alandelanayo, kwakunama-mutationes amaningana, noma izindawo zokuma, lapho umuntu ayengashintsha khona amahhashi noma izinqola futhi athole impahla ayidingayo.” Lezi zinkantini zazinedumela elibi njengoba zazivame ukuhanjelwa izichaka. Ngaphandle kokuphanga izihambi, abanikazi bamahhotela babevame ukwenezela imali yabo ngemali ababeyizuza ezifebeni. Imbongi yaseLatin ebhinqayo uJuvenal yaphawula ukuthi noma obani ababezithola bebophekile ukuba bahlale enkantini enjalo babengase bazithole “belele eduze kwezinswelaboya, bephakathi kwabakhuthuzi, amasela, nezigqila ezeqile, beseduze nabantu abalengisa abanye nabenza amabhokisi omngcwabo . . . Wonke umuntu usebenzisa inkomishi eyodwa; akekho onombhede wakhe, noma itafula elihlukile kwelabanye.” Abanye abalobi basendulo babekhala ngamanzi angahlanzekile namakamelo aminyene, axathukayo, anomswakama, nagcwele izimbungulu.

[Ibalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 27]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

IRoma

[Isithombe]

Umhambi ngezikhathi zaseRoma

[Imithombo]