‘Ukukhula Nokunqoba’

1, 2. (a) UPawulu nabangane bakhe babhekana nayiphi ingozi e-Efesu? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sahluko?

EMIGWAQWENI yase-Efesu kunomsindo wokumemeza, ukuklabalasa nokuxokozela kwabantu abaningi abagijimayo. Sekuhlangene izixuku zabantu futhi sekusuke esikhulu isidumo! Abangane ababili bakamphostoli uPawulu bathathwa ngendluzula bahudulelwe esixukwini. Imigwaqo evulekile, enohide lwezinsika lapho kukhona khona izitolo, ngokushesha isikhala ibhungane njengoba lesi sixuku esinobudlova silokhu sanda futhi singena ngendlov’ iyangena enkundleni yemidlalo yeshashalazi, inkundla engathatha izibukeli ezingu-25 000. Iningi labantu alazi nokuthi yini edale lesi siphithiphithi, kodwa linomuzwa wokuthi ithempeli nonkulunkulukazi wabo u-Arthemisi kuyahlanjalazwa. Ngakho liqala ukumemeza liphindelela: “Mkhulu u-Arthemisi wabase-Efesu!”—IzE. 19:34.

² Lapha sibona uSathane ephinde ezama ukusebenzisa ubudlova bezixuku ukuze anqande ukusakazeka kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yiqiniso, uSathane akasebenzisi ubudlova bodwa. Kulesi sahluko, sizoxoxa ngezindlela eziningana uSathane azisebenzisa ukuze aphazamise umsebenzi nobunye balawo maKristu ekhulu lokuqala. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, sizobona ukuthi wonke amacebo akhe abhuntsha ngoba “izwi likaJehova laqhubeka likhula futhi linqoba ngendlela enamandla.” (IzE. 19:20) Kungani anqoba lawo maKristu? Kungenxa yezizathu ezifanayo nezethu namuhla. Yiqiniso, ukunqoba kungokukaJehova akukona okwethu. Nokho, njengamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala, nathi kumelwe sifeze indima yethu. Ngosizo lomoya kaJehova singakwazi ukuba nezimfanelo ezingasisiza siphumelele enkonzweni yethu. Ake siqale sifunde ngesibonelo sika-Apholo.

3, 4. Yini u-Akhwila noPrisila abayiphawula ku-Apholo, futhi bamsiza kanjani?

³ Lapho uPawulu efika e-Efesu phakathi nohambo lwakhe lwesithathu njengesithunywa sevangeli, kwafika umJuda ogama lakhe lingu-Apholo kuleli dolobha. Wayedabuka edolobheni elidumile lase-Aleksandriya, eGibhithe. U-Apholo wayenezimfanelo ezinhle kakhulu futhi eyisikhulumi esihle. Ngaphandle kokuba igagu, ‘wayenolwazi oluhle lwemiBhalo.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘wayevutha emoyeni.’ Egcwele intshiseko, u-Apholo wakhuluma ngesibindi phambi kwamaJuda esinagogeni.—IzE. 18:24, 25.

⁴ U-Akhwila noPrisila bamuzwa u-Apholo ekhuluma. Akungabazeki ukuthi bahlabeka umxhwele lapho bemuzwa efundisa “ngokunembile izinto eziphathelene noJesu.” Lokho ayekusho ngoJesu kwakuyiqiniso. Nokho, kungakabiphi, le ndoda nomkayo abangamaKristu baqaphela ukuthi kukhona u-Apholo ayengakwazi kahle. “Wayejwayelene nobhapathizo lukaJohane kuphela.” Le ndoda nomkayo abathobekile futhi abenza amatende abazange besatshiswe ubugagu noma imfundo ka-Apholo. Kunalokho, “bamthatha base bemchazela indlela kaNkulunkulu ngokunembe nakakhulu.” (IzE. 18:25, 26) Yasabela kanjani le ndoda eyisikhulumi esihle nefundile? Ngokusobala, yabonisa enye yezimfanelo ezibaluleke kakhulu umKristu angalwela ukuba nazo—ukuthobeka.

5, 6. Yini eyenza ukuba u-Apholo asetshenziswe uJehova, futhi singafundani esibonelweni sakhe?

⁵ Ngenxa yokuthi u-Apholo walwamukela usizo luka-Akhwila noPrisila, waba isikhonzi sikaJehova esiphumelela ngokwengeziwe. Waya e-Akhaya lapho ‘asiza kakhulu’ khona amakholwa. Ukushumayela kwakhe kwaphumelela nakumaJuda akuleso sifunda ayegomela ngokuthi uJesu wayengeyena uMesiya owayethenjisiwe. ULuka uyabika: “Wabonisa ngentshiseko ukuthi amaJuda ayenephutha futhi wakwenza obala lokho, ebonisa ngemiBhalo ukuthi uJesu unguKristu.” (IzE. 18:27, 28) Yeka isibusiso u-Apholo aba yiso! Empeleni waba esinye sezizathu ezenza “izwi likaJehova” laqhubeka linqoba. Singafundani esibonelweni sika-Apholo?

⁶ Ukuthobeka yimfanelo wonke amaKristu okufanele alwele ukuba nayo. Ngamunye wethu ubusiswe ngeziphiwo ezihlukahlukene—kungaba amakhono esazalwa nawo, amakhono esiwatholile noma ulwazi. Nokho, ukuthobeka kwethu yikona okufanele kuvelele kakhulu kuneziphiwo zethu. Uma kungenjalo, iziphiwo zethu zingaba ubuthakathaka bethu. Singafana nenhlabathi evundile okungamila kuyo ukhula oluyingozi, ukuziphakamisa. (1 Kor. 4:7; Jak. 4:6) Uma sithobeke ngempela, sizozama ukubheka abanye njengabakhulu kunathi. (Fil. 2:3) Ngeke sikucasukele ukulungiswa noma ukufundiswa abanye. Ngeke neze sinamathele ngokuqhosha emibonweni yethu lapho sizwa ukuthi ayisahambisani nokuqondisa komoya ongcwele kwamanje. Uma nje sihlala sithobekile, uJehova neNdodana yakhe bayosisebenzisa.—Luka 1:51, 52.

 7. UPawulu no-Apholo basibeka kanjani isibonelo sokuthobeka?

⁷ Ukuthobeka kubhula nemibango. Ungacabanga ukuthi uSathane wayezimisele kangakanani ukubangela ukwehlukana phakathi kwalawo maKristu okuqala? Yeka indlela ayeyojabula ngayo ukube laba bantu ababili abashisekayo, u-Apholo nomphostoli uPawulu babangisana, mhlawumbe bafuna ukuvelela emabandleni! Kwakungaba lula ngabo ukwenza kanjalo. Amanye amaKristu eKorinte ayesethi, “Mina ngingokaPawulu,” amanye ethi, “Mina ngingoka-Apholo.” Ingabe uPawulu no-Apholo bayikhuthaza le mibono ehlukanisayo? Cha! Ngokuthobeka uPawulu waqaphela iqhaza u-Apholo ayenalo enkonzweni futhi wamnikeza namalungelo angokomoya. U-Apholo naye wasilalela isiqondiso sikaPawulu. (1 Kor. 1:10-12; 3:6, 9; Thithu 3:12, 13) Yeka isibonelo esihle sokuba nathi namuhla sisebenzisane ngokuthobeka!

 8. UPawulu wabuyela ngayiphi indlela e-Efesu, futhi ngani?

⁸ UPawulu wayethembise ukuthi uzobuyela e-Efesu, nangempela wabuyela.a (IzE. 18:20, 21) Nokho, phawula indlela abuya ngayo. Simgcine ese-Antiyokiya, eSiriya. Ukuze afike e-Efesu, wayenganqamulela aye eSelukiya, afike agibele umkhumbi aqonde ngqó lapho ayeya khona. Kunalokho, “wadabula izifunda ezimaphakathi nezwe.” Kulinganiselwa ukuthi uhambo lukaPawulu okukhulunywa ngalo encwadini yezEnzo 18:23 no-19:1 lwalungaba amakhilomitha angu-1 600! Kungani uPawulu athathela kangaka? Kungoba wayefuna ‘ukuqinisa bonke abafundi.’ (IzE. 18:23) Uhambo lwakhe lwesithathu njengesithunywa sevangeli lwaluzomkhandla njengolokuqala nolwesibili, kodwa wakubona luwufanele umzamo. Namuhla, ababonisi besigodi nomkabo babonisa umoya ofanayo. Asilwazisi yini uthando lwabo lokuzidela?

 9. Kungani kwadingeka iqembu labafundi abathile liphinde libhapathizwe, futhi yini esingayifunda kubo?

⁹ Lapho efika e-Efesu, uPawulu wathola abafundi bakaJohane uMbhapathizi abangaba ngu-12. Babebhapathizwe ngobhapathizo lukaJohane olwalungasasebenzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, babazi okuncane ngomoya ongcwele noma bengazi lutho. UPawulu wabachazela ngobhapathizo lukaJesu, futhi njengo-Apholo, bathobeka, bazimisela ukulalela. Ngemva kokubhapathizwa egameni likaJesu, bamukela umoya ongcwele nezipho ezithile eziyisimangaliso. Kusobala-ke ukuthi ukuhambisana nenhlangano kaJehova ethuthukayo kuletha izibusiso.—IzE. 19:1-7.

10. Kungani uPawulu asuka esinagogeni waya ehholo, futhi wasibekela siphi isibonelo enkonzweni?

¹⁰ Kwalandela esinye isibonelo sentuthuko. UPawulu washumayela ngesibindi esinagogeni izinyanga ezintathu. Nakuba ‘ayebonisana nabantu ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngendlela ekholisayo,’ abanye baqinisa amakhanda futhi bamphikisa impela. Kunokuba achithe isikhathi nalabo ‘ababekhuluma kabi ngeNdlela,’ uPawulu wahlela ukunikeza izinkulumo ehholo lesikole. (IzE. 19:8, 9) Abantu ababefuna ukuthuthuka ngokomoya kwadingeka basuke esinagogeni baye ehholo. NjengoPawulu, uma sibona ukuthi umninikhaya akafuni ukulalela noma umane nje ufuna siqophisane, singayinqamula ingxoxo. Basebaningi abanjengezimvu okusadingeka bezwe isigijimi sethu esikhuthazayo!

11, 12. (a) UPawulu waba kanjani isibonelo somuntu okhuthele nozivumelanisa nezimo? (b) OFakazi BakaJehova baye bazama kanjani ukuba abakhuthele nabazivumelanisa nezimo enkonzweni yasobala?

¹¹ Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayefundisa kuleli hholo lesikole nsuku zonke kusukela ngo-11:00 ekuseni kuze kube ngu-4:00 ntambama. (IzE. 19:9) Lezo kwakuyizikhathi ezithule kodwa ezishisa kakhulu zosuku lapho abaningi babeyeka ukusebenza ukuze badle futhi baphumule. Cabanga nje ukuthi ukube uPawulu wakwenza ngokwethembeka iminyaka emibili lokhu, wayezobe echithe amahora angaphezu kuka-3 000 efundisa.b Lesi esinye isizathu esenza izwi likaJehova laqhubeka likhula futhi linqoba. UPawulu wayekhuthele futhi ezivumelanisa nezimo. Wahlela izimo zakhe ukuze inkonzo yakhe ivumelane nezidingo zabantu kuleyo ndawo. Waba yini umphumela? “Bonke ababehlala esifundazweni sase-Asiya balizwa izwi leNkosi, amaJuda namaGreki.” (IzE. 19:10) Yeka ubufakazi obuphelele abunikeza!

¹² Nanamuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova bakhuthele futhi bazivumelanisa nezimo. Sizama ukuxoxa nabantu nomaphi nanoma nini lapho betholakala khona. Sishumayela emigwaqweni, ezimakethe nasezindaweni zokupaka. Singakhuluma nabantu ngocingo noma sibabhalele izincwadi. Enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu, senza imizamo yokuya kubantu ngesikhathi esingabathola ngaso emakhaya.

13, 14. (a) UJehova wabangela uPawulu ukuba enzeni? (b) Yiliphi iphutha elenziwa amadodana kaSkeva, futhi iliphi iphutha elifanayo elenziwa abaningi kweLobukholwa?

¹³ ULuka usazisa ngenkathi ephawulekayo eyalandela, lapho uJehova ebangela uPawulu ukuba enze “izimangaliso ezinkulu.” Ngisho nezindwangu namaphinifa ayewagqoka ayenikezwa abagulayo, baphulukiswe. Kwakukhishwa nemimoya emibi ngale ndlela.c (IzE. 19:11, 12) Lokho kunqotshwa okubabazekayo kwamandla kaSathane kwadonsa amehlo abaningi, nakuba abanye babemelene nakho.

¹⁴ “Abanye kumaJuda ayehamba ezulazula ekhipha amademoni” bazama ukulingisa izimangaliso zikaPawulu. Abanye kulawo maJuda bazama ukukhipha amademoni ngegama likaJesu nelikaPawulu. ULuka unikeza isibonelo samadodana kaSkeva ayisikhombisa—ayengawasemndenini wabapristi—azama ukwenza lokhu. Idemoni lathi kuwo: “Ngiyamazi uJesu futhi ngijwayelene noPawulu; nina-ke ningobani?” Indoda eyayinedemoni yabahlasela labo bakhohlisi, yagxumela kubo kuhle kwesilo sasendle, yibo labaya bebhembuluka sebelimele futhi behamba-ze. (IzE. 19:13-16) “Izwi likaJehova” lanqoba ngempela ngoba wabonakala ngokucacile umehluko phakathi kwamandla ayenikwe uPawulu nokungabi namandla kwalawo malungu enkolo yamanga. Kunezigidi namuhla ezenza iphutha lokucabanga ukuthi ukubiza igama likaJesu noma ukuzibiza ngomKristu kwanele. Kepha njengoba uJesu abonisa, yilabo kuphela abenza intando kaYise abanethemba langempela ngekusasa.—Math. 7:21-23.

15. Uma kuziwa ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya noma ezintweni ezihlobene nemimoya, singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sabase-Efesu?

¹⁵ Ukuthotshiswa kwamadodana kaSkeva kwaphumela ekwesabeni uNkulunkulu, kwenza abaningi baba amakholwa futhi balahla imikhuba yokusebenzelana nemimoya. Abantu base-Efesu babengene shí ekwenzeni imilingo. Iziphonso nezigqizo zaziyinsakavukela, kuhlanganise namazwi okuloya, ngokuvamile ayebhalwe phansi. Abantu abaningi base-Efesu manje bashukumiseleka ukuba bakhiphe izincwadi zabo zemilingo futhi bazishise phambi kwawo wonk’ umuntu—nakuba zazibiza ama-dollar angamashumi ezinkulungwane ngokwezibalo zanamuhla.d ULuka uyabika: “Ngakho izwi likaJehova laqhubeka likhula futhi linqoba ngendlela enamandla.” (IzE. 19:17-20) Yeka ukunqoba okuphawulekayo kweqiniso linqoba amanga nobudemoni! Labo bantu abathembekile basibekela isibonelo esihle namuhla. Nathi siphila ezweni elicwile ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya. Uma kwenzeka sithola ukuthi sinokuthile okuhlobene nemimoya, sizokwenza njengoba kwenza abase-Efesu—sizohlukana nako ngaso leso sikhathi! Asizigcine sikude nale mikhuba enyanyekayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini ezosilahlekela.

16, 17. (a) Chaza indlela uDemetriyu asusa ngayo uthuthuva e-Efesu. (b) Abase-Efesu bayibonisa kanjani intshiseko eyeqile ngenkolo?

¹⁶ Manje sizofunda ngeqhinga likaSathane elachazwa uLuka lapho ethi “kwavela ukuphazamiseka okukhulu ngokuqondene neNdlela.” Wayengenzi neze ihaba.e (IzE. 19:23) Umkhandi wesiliva ogama lakhe linguDemetriyu nguyena owasusa uthuthuva. Waqale wakhumbuza abanye abakhandi besiliva ukuthi babechume ngenxa yokuthengisa izithombe. Waqhubeka wathi isigijimi sikaPawulu sasizoliwisa ibhizinisi labo ngoba amaKristu awazikhulekeli izithombe. Wayesesebenzisa ukuqhosha kwabo ngedolobha nangobuzwe babo, wabaxwayisa ngokuthi unkulunkulukazi wabo u-Arthemisi nethempeli lakhe elidume izwe lonke kwakusengozini ‘yokuphelelwa ubukhazikhazi balo.’—IzE. 19:24-27.

¹⁷ Amazwi kaDemetriyu akufeza lokho ayekuhlosile. Abakhandi besiliva baqala ukumemeza bethi “Mkhulu u-Arthemisi wabase-Efesu!” futhi kwaba nesiyaluyalu edolobheni esaholela esenzakalweni esichazwe ekuqaleni kwalesi sahluko.f Ngenxa yokuthi uPawulu wayezidela, wafuna ukungena enkundleni ukuze akhulume nesixuku kodwa abafundi bathi akangangeni. U-Aleksandru othile wama phambi kwesixuku wazama ukukhuluma naso. Ngenxa yokuthi wayengumJuda, kungenzeka wayefuna ukuchaza umehluko phakathi kwamaJuda nala maKristu. Ukuchazela leso sixuku lokho kwakuzofana nokuthela amanzi emhlane wedada. Lapho isixuku sibona ukuthi ungumJuda, samthulisa, sakhamuluka cishe amahora amabili sithi “Mkhulu u-Arthemisi wabase-Efesu!” Ukushisekela inkolo ngokweqile kusenjalo nanamuhla. Kusenza abantu bangabi nangqondo.—IzE. 19:28-34.

18, 19. (a) Umgcini-mibhalo wedolobha wasithulisa kanjani isixuku e-Efesu? (b) Iziphathimandla ziye zabavikela kanjani abantu bakaJehova ngezinye izikhathi, futhi yini thina esingayenza ukuze sithole leso sivikelo?

¹⁸ Ekugcineni, umgcini-mibhalo wedolobha wasithulisa isixuku. Njengendoda ehluzekile engqondweni, lesi sikhulu saqinisekisa isixuku ukuthi amaKristu awalisongeli ithempeli nonkulunkulukazi waso, ukuthi uPawulu nabangane bakhe abenzanga cala ngokumelene nethempeli lika-Arthemisi nokuthi kunendlela efanele yokusingatha izindaba ezinjalo. Mhlawumbe isixuku savuleka izingqondo lapho esikhumbuza ukuthi sasizibeka engozini yokujeziswa amaRoma ngalo mbuthano ongekho emthethweni nongalawulekile. Ngalawo mazwi, wasihlakaza isixuku. Nakuba sasivutha yintukuthelo, yabe seyibohla ngenxa yala mazwi ahluzekile nanengqondo.—IzE. 19:35-41.

¹⁹ Kwakungaqali ukuba umuntu ohluzekile nosegunyeni avikele abalandeli bakaJesu, futhi kwakungagcini. Empeleni, umphostoli uJohane wabona embonweni ukuthi kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, izingxenye ezizinzile zaleli zwe, ezimelelwe umhlaba, zazizogwinya isikhukhula samanzi esiwukushushiswa kwabalandeli bakaJesu okuvela kuSathane. (IsAm. 12:15, 16) Kuye kwaba iqiniso lokhu. Ezimweni eziningi, abahluleli abanobulungisa baye bavikela amalungelo oFakazi BakaJehova okuhlangana ukuze bakhulekele nawokuxoxa nabanye ngezindaba ezinhle. Yiqiniso, ukuziphatha kwethu kungaba neqhaza ekunqobeni okunjalo. Kubonakala sengathi ukuziphatha kukaPawulu kwenza ababusi abathile base-Efesu bamhlonipha, ngakho babengafuni lutho ngaye. (IzE. 19:31) Kwangathi ukuziphatha kwethu ngokwethembeka nokuhloniphekile kunganikeza umbono omuhle nakulabo esihlangana nabo. Asazi ukuthi imiphumela yokwenza kanjalo ingahamba ibanga elingakanani.

20. (a) Uzizwa kanjani ngendlela izwi likaJehova elanqoba ngayo ekhulwini lokuqala neliqhubeka linqoba ngayo namuhla? (b) Yini ozimisele ukuyenza mayelana nokunqoba kukaJehova esikhathini sethu?

²⁰ Akujabulisi yini ukubona indlela ‘izwi likaJehova elaqhubeka likhula futhi linqoba’ ngayo ekhulwini lokuqala? Kuyathokozisa ukubona indlela uJehova aye wabangela ngayo ukunqoba okufanayo esikhathini sethu. Ungathanda yini ukuba nelungelo lokuba nengxenye, ngisho nencane, kulokhu kunqoba? Uma kunjalo, funda ezibonelweni esixoxe ngazo. Hlala uthobekile, hambisana nenhlangano kaJehova eqhubekela phambili, qhubeka uzikhandla, shiya ukusebenzelana nemimoya futhi wenze konke okusemandleni akho ekunikezeni ubufakazi obuhle ngokuziphatha kwakho ngokwethembeka nokuhloniphekile.