Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-51—KwabaseKolose
Umlobi: UPawulu
Yalotshelwa: ERoma
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-60–61 C.E.
1. Lalikuphi idolobhana laseKolose?
ESHIYA umuzi wase-Efesu ngemuva, amadoda amabili ahamba abheka empumalanga edabula iAsia Minor egudla uMfula iMaeander (Menderes). Lapho efika emfuleni ongumngenela obizwa ngokuthi iLycus, ezweni laseFrigiya, aphenduka abheka eningizimu-mpumalanga alandela umfula ekhuphuka edabula isigodi esikakwe izintaba. Phambi kwawo kwakukhona indawo enhle: amadlelo aluhlaza avundile nemihlambi emikhulu yezimvu. (Imikhiqizo kavolo yayiwumthombo oyinhloko womnotho kulendawo.a) Ziqhubeka zenyusa isigodi, ngakwesokunene sazo, lezihambi zadlula umuzi ocebile waseLawodikeya, isikhungo saseRoma sokuphatha lesifunda. Ngakwesobunxele sazo, ngaphesheya komfula, zazingabona iHiyerapholi, edume ngamathempeli ayo neziphethu ezishisayo. Kwakunamabandla obuKristu kulemizi yomibili nasedolobhaneni elincane laseKolose, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba yishumi nesithupha ukuya enhla nesigodi.
2. (a) Zazingobani izithunywa ezimbili ezazithunywe uPawulu eKolose? (b) Yini eyaziwayo ngebandla laseKolose?
2 Lezihambi zaziya eKolose. Zombili zazingamaKristu. Esinye sazo, okungenani, sasiyazi kahle lendawo, njengoba sasingesaseKolose. Igama laso kwakunguOnesimu, futhi sasiyisigqila esasibuyela enkosini yaso, eyayiyilungu lebandla lalapho. Owayehambisana no-Onesimu kwakunguThikhiku, umuntu ongesona isigqila, futhi bobabili babethunywe umphostoli uPawulu, bephethe incwadi evela kuye iya ‘kubazalwane baseKolose abakholwayo kuKristu.’ Ngokwazi kwethu, uPawulu akazange avakashele eKolose. Lelibandla, elalakhiwa ikakhulukazi abangewona amaJuda, ngokunokwenzeka lamiswa uEphafra, owakhandleka phakathi kwalo futhi manje owayesenoPawulu eRoma.—Kol. 1:2, 7; 4:12.
3. Yini incwadi yabaseKolose ngokwayo eyembulayo ngomlobi, nangendawo nesikhathi eyalotshwa ngaso?
3 Umphostoli uPawulu wayengumlobi walencwadi, njengoba esho emazwini ayo okuqala nawokuphetha. (1:1; 4:18) Isiphetho sakhe siyasho futhi ukuthi wayiloba esetilongweni. Lokhu kungaba ngesikhathi sokuboshwa kwakhe kokuqala eRoma, ngo-59-61 C.E., okuyisikhathi aloba ngaso izincwadi eziningana zesikhuthazo, incwadi yabaseKolose yona ithunyelwa kanye neyayiya kuFilemoni. (Kol. 4:7-9; Filem. 10, 23) Kubonakala sengathi yabhalwa ngesikhathi esifanyo nencwadi yabase-Efesu, njengoba imiqondo namazwi amaningi kufana.
4. Yini efakazela ubuqiniso bencwadi yabaseKolose?
4 Azikho izizathu zokungabaza ubuqiniso bencwadi eya kwabaseKolose. Ukuba kwayo phakathi kwezinye izincwadi zikaPawulu kuyiChester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P46) yango-200 C.E. kubonisa ukuthi yayamukelwa amaKristu akuqala njengenye yezincwadi zikaPawulu. Ubuqiniso bayo bufakazelwa izazi ezifanayo ezifakazela ukuba yiqiniso kwezinye izincwadi zikaPawulu.
5. (a) Yini eyashukumisela uPawulu ukuba alobele abaseKolose? (b) Lencwadi igcizelelani?
5 Yini eyashukumisela uPawulu ukuba alobe incwadi eya kwabaseKolose? Phakathi kokunye, uOnesimu wayephindela eKolose. UEphafra wayesanda kujoyina uPawulu, futhi ngokungangabazeki umbiko wakhe ngezimo eKolose wanikeza isizathu esengeziwe sokuba kulotshwe lencwadi. (Kol. 1:7, 8; 4:12) Kwakunengozi ethile eyayisongela ibandla lobuKristu lapho. Izinkolo zangalesosikhathi zazinyamalala, futhi kwakulokhu kwakhiwa izinkolo ezintsha ngokuhlanganisa izingxenye zezindala. Kwakunamafilosofi obuhedeni ayehilela ukuzila, ukusebenzisa imimoya, izinkolelo-ze zokukhonza izithombe, futhi lezi, zihlangene nokuzila kwamaJuda ukudla nokugcina izinsuku, kungenzeka zathonya abathile ebandleni. Noma ngabe yayiyini inkinga, kubonakala ukuthi yayiyisizathu esanele sokuba uEphafra athathe uhambo olude oluya eRoma ayobonana noPawulu. Nokho, ukuthi lelibandla lilonke lalingekho engozini enkulu kuboniswa umbiko kaEphafra okhuthazayo wothando nobuqotho balo. Lapho ezwa umbiko, uPawulu waluvikela ngokuqinile ulwazi oluqondile nokukhulekela okuhlanzekile ngokuloba lencwadi yakhe eya ebandleni laseKolose. Yagcizelela ubukhulu bukaKristu abunikwe uNkulunkulu naphezu kwamafilosofi obuhedeni, ukukhulekelwa kwezingelosi, namasiko obuJuda.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YABASEKOLOSE
6. (a) Yini uPawulu ayithandazelayo ngabaseKolose? (b) Yini uPawulu axoxa ngayo ngokuqondene nesikhundla nenkonzo kaJesu ngokuphathelene nebandla?
6 Yibani nokholo kuKristu, inhloko yebandla (1:1–2:12). Ngemva kokubingelela okuvela kuThimothewu nakuye, uPawulu uyabonga ngokholo lwabaseKolose kuKristu nangothando lwabo. Bafundé ngomusa kaNkulunkulu ongabafanele ngenxa yokushumayela kukaEphafra phakathi kwabo izindaba ezinhle. Selokhu ezwe umbiko ophathelene nabo, uPawulu akayekanga ukuthandazela ukuba bagcwaliswe ‘ngolwazi [oluqondile, NW] lwentando yakhe ngokuhlakanipha konke nokuqonda okungomoya, bahambe ngokufanele iNkosi’ nokuba ‘babe nokubekezela konke nokubhekakade ngokujabula.’ (1:9-11) UYise uye wabakhululela “embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe,” ewumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongabonakali, okwadalwa ngayo zonke izinto futhi zadalelwa yona. IyiNhloko yebandla nezibulo labafileyo. Ngegazi likaJesu, uNkulunkulu wakubona kukuhle ukuphinde ahlanganisele zonke izinto kuye, yebo, kuhlanganise nabaseKolose ababehlukanisiwe, ‘uma kambe behlala ekukholweni.’—1:13, 23.
7. Yini uPawulu ayishumayelayo, futhi ngayiphi injongo?
7 UPawulu uyajabula ngokuthola izinhlupheko zikaKristu ngenxa yalelibandla, aba isikhonzi salo. Lokhu kwakungenjongo yokuba ashumayele ngokugcwele izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokuphathelene ‘nemfihlakalo, ingcebo ekhazimulayo uNkulunkulu athandile ukubazisa yona abangcwele’ ukuze kuzuze bona. ‘Sishumayela uKristu,’ kusho uPawulu, ‘siluleka, sifundisa ngokuhlakanipha konke, ukuze simise wonke umuntu ephelele kuKristu.’—1:26-28.
8. Kungani uPawulu eshikashikeka ngenxa yabafowabo?
8 Ukushikashikeka kukaPawulu ngenxa yabaseKolose, abaseLawodikeya, nabanye kwenzelwa ukuba baduduzeke futhi bahlanganiswe ngokuzwana othandweni, ngenjongo yokuba bazuze ‘ukwazisisa imfihlakalo kaNkulunkulu enguKristu okufihlwé kuye amagugu onke okuhlakanipha nawokwazi.’ Akafuni ukubabona bedukiswa izimpikiswano, kunalokho kufanele baqhubeke behamba ebunyeni noKristu, ‘begxilile, bakhiwe kuye, beqinisiwe ekukholweni.’ Manje uPawulu uyaxwayisa. “Xwayani funa kube-khona onithumbayo ngokuhlakanipha nangenkohliso eyize njengokwemvelo yabantu.”—2:2, 3, 7, 8.
9. UPawulu uxwayisa ngaluphi uhlobo lokukhulekela, futhi kungani abaseKolose kungafanele bazithobe ngaphansi koMthetho?
9 Yifani emisebenzini yenyama kodwa niphile kuKristu (2:13–3:17). Nakuba babefile ezonweni zabo nasekungasokini kwabo, uNkulunkulu ubenze baphila kanye noKristu, esula incwadi yoMthetho ebhalwe ngesandla, eyayimelene namaJuda. ‘Ngakho makungabikho-muntu obalahlayo’ ngokuqondene noMthetho noma izici zawo okumelwe zigcinwe, okumane nje kuyisithunzi sokungokoqobo, uKristu. Futhi, uma bafa kanye noKristu ngokuphathelene nezinto eziphansi zezwe, kungani bezibeka ngaphansi kwemithetho ethi: “Ungaphathi, ungezwa ngolimi, ungathinti,” ngokwemiyalo nezimfundiso zabantu? Uhlobo lokukhulekela lokubukisa abazimisele lona, ukuzithoba kokuzenzisa, ukuphatha umzimba ngonya—lokhu akusizi ngalutho ekulweni nezinkanuko zenyama.—2:16, 21.
10. Umuntu angaqhubeka kanjani efuna izinto zaphezulu futhi embathe ubuntu obusha?
10 Kunalokho, kweluleka uPawulu: “Funani okwaphezulu, lapho ekhona uKristu, ehlezi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu; nakani okwaphezulu, ninganaki okusemhlabeni.” Lokhu kungenziwa ngokukhumula ubuntu obudala nangokwembatha ubuntu obusha, lobo, ngolwazi oluqondile, obungenzi mahluko wenyama phakathi komJuda nomGreki, ngoba “uKristu uyikho konke, ukubo bonke.” Kusho ukwembatha imizwa efudumele yesihawu, umusa, ukuthobeka, ubumnene, nokubekezela “njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu.” Umphostoli uthi: “Njengokuba neNkosi yanithethelela, yenzani njalo nani. Kepha phezu kwakho konke lokho yembathani uthando oluyisibopho sokuphelela.” Ngezwi noma ngomsebenzi, konke kumelwe kwenziwe “egameni leNkosi uJesu, nimbonge uNkulunkulu uYise ngaye.”—3:1, 2, 11-14, 17.
11. (a) Isiphi iseluleko esinikezwayo ngokuqondene nobuhlobo bomkhaya nobunye ubuhlobo? (b) Imiphi imikhonzo ethunyelwayo ekuphetheni?
11 Ubuhlobo nabanye (3:18–4:18). Ngokuqondene nobuhlobo emikhayeni, abafazi mabathobele amadoda futhi amadoda mawathande abafazi bawo, abantwana mabalalele abazali babo futhi oyise mabangabacunuli abantwana babo. Izigqila kumelwe zilalele amakhosi azo ngokwesaba uJehova, futhi amakhosi kumelwe asebenzelane ngokulunga nezigqila zawo. Bonke mabakhuthazele emthandazweni futhi baqhubeke behamba ngokuhlakanipha ngokuqondene nabangaphandle. UThikhiku no-Onesimu bazobalandisa bona siqu ngezinto eziphathelene noPawulu nalabo akanye nabo ekusebenzeleni uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Bathumela imikhonzo eKolose, futhi uPawulu ukhonza kubazalwane eLawodikeya, ecela ukuba bashintshane ngezincwadi azithumelayo. UPawulu ubhala umkhonzo wokuphetha ngesandla sakhe siqu: “Khumbulani izibopho zami. Umusa mawube-nani.”—4:18.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
12. Imaphi amaqiniso aqabulayo incwadi kaPawulu eya kwabaseKolose eyawanikeza, futhi ibandla lazuza kanjani?
12 Singacabanga ukuthi izindaba zokufika kwabazalwane ababili bevela eRoma zafinyelela ngokushesha kangakanani kubo bonke abazalwane baseKolose. Ngokulangazela okukhulu babezohlangana, ngokunokwenzeka ekhaya likaFilemoni, ukuzokuzwa ukufundwa kwencwadi kaPawulu. (Filem. 2) Yeka amaqiniso aqabulayo eyayiwanikeza ngokuqondene nesikhundla sikaKristu okuyisonasona kanye nesidingo solwazi oluqondile! Yeka ukuthi amafilosofi abantu namasiko obuJuda kwabekwa endaweni yakho ngokucace kanjani, futhi kwaphakanyiswa ukuthula nezwi likaKristu! Lokhu kwakuwukudla okunomsoco kwengqondo nenhliziyo kwabo bonke ebandleni—ababonisi, amadoda, abafazi, obaba, abantwana, amakhosi, izigqila. Ngokuqinisekile kwakunesiyalo esihle esiya kuFilemoni no-Onesimu njengoba babephindela ebuhlotsheni benkosi nesigqila. Yeka isiqondiso esihle esanikezwa ababonisi ekubuyiseleni umhlambi emfundisweni eqondile! Yeka indlela amazwi kaPawulu akulola ngayo ukwazisa kwabaseKolose ngelungelo labo lokusebenza ngomphefumulo wonke kungathi basebenzela uJehova! Futhi iseluleko esakhayo esiya kwabaseKolose sokukhululeka emicabangweni nasezenzweni zezwe ezigqilazayo silokhu siyisigijimi esiphilayo ebandleni namuhla.—Kol. 1:9-11, 17, 18; 2:8; 3:15, 16, 18-25; 4:1.
13. Yini uPawulu ayala ngayo ngokuqondene namazwi omusa, umthandazo, nobungane bobuKristu?
13 Kunikezwe iseluleko esihle kakhulu esiya ezikhonzini ezingamaKristu kwabaseKolose 4:6: “Ukukhuluma kwenu makube-nomusa njalo, kuyolisiwe ngosawoti, ukuze nazi enifanele ukubaphendula ngakho bonke abantu.” Amazwi eqiniso omusa ayoba mnandi kubantu abanhliziyo ziqotho futhi ayobazuzisa njalo. Futhi, umthandazo ophapheme womKristu, ovela enhliziyweni enokwazisa, uyoletha izibusiso ezicebile ezivela kuJehova: “Qiniselani ekukhulekeni, nilinde kukho ninokubonga.” Futhi yeka injabulo nokuqabuleka okwakhayo okutholakala ebunganini bobuKristu! “Nifundisane, . . . niyalane,” kusho uPawulu, “nimhubele uNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zenu.” (4:2; 3:16) Uyothola amanye amagugu amaningi ayimfundiso enengqondo newusizo njengoba ufunisisa encwadini eya kwabaseKolose.
14. (a) Yini lena engokoqobo eqokonyiswa encwadini yabaseKolose? (b) Ithemba loMbuso ligcizelelwa kanjani?
14 Ngokuqondene nokugcina uMthetho, lencwadi ithi: “Kuyisithunzi nje salokhu obekuzakuza; kepha umzimba [“okungokoqobo,” NW] ngokaKristu.” (2:17) Yilokhu kuba ngokoqobo kukaKristu okuqokonyiswayo encwadini yabaseKolose. Lencwadi ibhekisela ngokuphindaphindiwe ethembeni elikhazimulayo elisemazulwini elibekelwe labo abamunye noKristu. (1:5, 27; 3:4) Abanjalo bangabonga kakhulu ngokuthi uYise uye wabakhulula kakade emandleni obumnyama wabayisa “embusweni weNdodana yothando lwakhe.” Kanjalo baye baba ngaphansi kwaLowo ‘ongumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongenakubonwa, izibulo lezidalwa zonke, ngokuba kwadalelwa kuye konke okusezulwini nasemhlabeni, okubonwayo nokungabonwa nokuba kuyizihlalo zobukhosi, nokuba kuyimibuso, nokuba kuyizikhulu.’ Lona ukufanelekele ngokuvelele ukubusa ngokulunga eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. Kanjalo, uPawulu uyala amaKristu agcotshiwe: “Ngakho uma navuswa kanye noKristu, funani okwaphezulu, lapho ekhona uKristu, ehlezi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.”—1:12-16; 3:1.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, 1970, ikhasi 181.