Thuthuka Ngokomoya Ngokulingisa Isibonelo SikaPawulu
“Ngikulwile ukulwa okuhle, ngiligijimile ibanga ngaze ngayoqeda, ngilugcinile ukholo.”—2 THIM. 4:7.
1, 2. Iziphi izinguquko uSawulu waseTarsu azenza ekuphileni kwakhe, futhi imuphi umsebenzi obalulekile awamukela?
LE NDODA yayihlakaniphile futhi ingazindeli. Kodwa ‘yayiziphatha ngokuvumelana nezifiso zenyama yayo.’ (Efe. 2:3) Kamuva yazichaza ngokuthi ‘yayingumhlambalazi nomshushisi nomuntu oweyisayo.’ (1 Thim. 1:13) Leyo ndoda kwakunguSawulu waseTarsu.
2 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uSawulu wenza izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Washiya izindlela zakhe zangaphambili futhi walwa kanzima ukuze ‘angafuni inzuzo yakhe kodwa eyabaningi.’ (1 Kor. 10:33) Waba mnene futhi wabonisa uthando kulabo ayebahlukumeza. (Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8.) Wabhala: “Ngaba isikhonzi.” Wabe esenezela: “Lo musa ongafanelwe waphiwa mina, engingumuntu omncane kunomncane kunabo bonke abangcwele, ukuba ngimemezele ezizweni izindaba ezinhle zengcebo kaKristu engenakuqondakala.”—Efe. 3:7, 8.
3. Kungasisiza kanjani ukutadisha izincwadi zikaPawulu nokulandisa kwenkonzo yakhe?
3 USawulu, owayaziwa nangokuthi uPawulu, wenza intuthuko ephawulekayo ngokomoya. (IzE. 13:9) Enye indlela eqinisekile esingathuthuka ngayo ngokushesha eqinisweni iwukutadisha izincwadi zikaPawulu nokulandisa kwenkonzo yakhe, bese silingisa isibonelo sakhe sokholo. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 11:1; Hebheru 13:7.) Ake sibone ukuthi ukwenza lokhu kuyosishukumisela kanjani ukuba sibe nesimiso esihle sesifundo somuntu siqu, sihlakulele uthando lwangempela ngabantu futhi sizibheke ngendlela efanele.
Isimiso SikaPawulu Sokutadisha
4, 5. Ukutadisha kwamzuzisa kanjani uPawulu?
4 NjengomFarisi owayefundiswe “ezinyaweni zikaGamaliyeli, owafundiswa ngendlela eqinile yoMthetho wokhokho,” kakade uPawulu wayenolwazi oluthile lwemiBhalo. (IzE. 22:1-3; Fil. 3:4-6) Ngemva nje kokubhapathizwa kwakhe, ‘waya e-Arabhiya’—mhlawumbe oGwadule LwaseSiriya noma endaweni ethile ethule eNhlonhlweni Yase-Arabhiya—eyindawo ekahle yokuzindla. (Gal. 1:17) Kusobala ukuthi uPawulu wayefuna ukuzindla ngemiBhalo eyayifakazela ukuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wayefuna ukuzilungiselela umsebenzi owawumlindile. (Funda izEnzo 9:15, 16, 20, 22.) UPawulu wazinika isikhathi sokuzindla ngezinto ezingokomoya.
5 Ulwazi nokuqonda imiBhalo uPawulu akuthola ngokutadisha kwamenza wakwazi ukufundisa iqiniso ngokuphumelelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, esinagogeni lase-Antiyokiya ePhisidiya, uPawulu wacaphuna ngokuqondile okungenani izindinyana ezinhlanu zemiBhalo YesiHebheru ukuze afakazele ukuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya. Kanti futhi wabhekisela emibhalweni engcwele izikhathi eziningana. Amazwi akhe asekelwe eBhayibhelini ayekholisa kakhulu kangangokuthi “abaningi kumaJuda nakumaproselithe ayekhulekela uNkulunkulu babalandela oPawulu noBarnaba” ukuze bafunde okwengeziwe. (IzE. 13:14-44) Eminyakeni ethile kamuva lapho iqembu lamaJuda aseRoma liza endaweni ayehlala kuyo, uPawulu walichazela izinto ‘ngokunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngombuso kaNkulunkulu nangokusebenzisa ikhono lokukholisa kulo ngoJesu esusela emthethweni kaMose nakubaProfethi.’—IzE. 28:17, 22, 23.
6. Yini eyasiza uPawulu ukuba ahlale eqinile ngokomoya lapho esebunzimeni?
6 Lapho esebunzimeni, uPawulu waqhubeka ehlola imiBhalo futhi ethola amandla esigijimini sayo esiphefumulelwe. (Heb. 4:12) Ngesikhathi eboshiwe eRoma ngaphambi kokuba anqunywe, uPawulu wacela uThimothewu ukuba amlethele “imiqulu” kuhlanganise ‘neyesikhumba.’ (2 Thim. 4:13) Cishe lezo zincwadi zaziyizingxenye zemiBhalo YesiHebheru uPawulu ayezisebenzisa lapho etadisha ngokujulile. Ukuthola ulwazi lwemiBhalo ngokuba nesimiso sokutadisha iBhayibheli kwakubalulekile kuPawulu ukuze ahlale egxilile.
7. Yisho izinzuzo ongazithola ngokutadisha iBhayibheli njalo.
7 Ukutadisha iBhayibheli njalo kanye nokuzindla okunenjongo kuyosisiza ukuba sithuthuke ngokomoya. (Heb. 5:12-14) Mayelana nenzuzo yeZwi likaNkulunkulu, umhubi wahlabelela: “Umthetho womlomo wakho muhle kimi, wedlula izinkulungwane zezinhlamvu zegolide nezesiliva. Umyalo wakho ungenza ngihlakaniphe kunezitha zami, ngoba ungowami kuze kube nini nanini. Ngiluvimbele unyawo lwami kuzo zonke izindlela ezimbi, ngenjongo yokuba ngigcine izwi lakho.” (IHu. 119:72, 98, 101) Ingabe unaso isimiso sesifundo somuntu siqu seBhayibheli? Ingabe ulungiselela izabelo zesikhathi esizayo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu ngokufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke nangokuzindla ngalokho okufundayo?
USawulu Wafunda Ukuthanda Abantu
8. USawulu wayebaphatha kanjani labo ababengekho enkolweni yobuJuda?
8 Ngaphambi kokuba abe umKristu, uSawulu wayeyishisekela inkolo yakhe, kodwa wayengabakhathaleli kangako abantu ababengekho enkolweni yobuJuda. (IzE. 26:4, 5) Ngesikhathi amaJuda athile ekhanda uStefanu ngamatshe, uSawulu wayebukele futhi ekwamukela okwakwenzeka. Kumelwe ukuba ayekubona kwamnika amandla, mhlawumbe ebheka ukubulawa kukaStefanu njengesijeziso esasimfanele. (IzE. 6:8-14; 7:54–8:1) Ukulandisa okuphefumulelwe kuthi: “USawulu waqala ukuphatha ibandla ngendlovula. Ehlasela indlu ngemva kwenye, futhi ehudulela ngaphandle kokubili amadoda nabesifazane, ebanikela etilongweni.” (IzE. 8:3) Waze ‘wabashushisa ngisho nasemizini engaphandle.’—IzE. 26:11.
9. Yini eyenzeka kuSawulu eyamenza ukuba aphinde ahlole indlela ayephatha ngayo abantu?
9 Ngesikhathi iNkosi uJesu ibonakala kuye, uSawulu wayesendleleni eya eDamaseku eyoshushisa abafundi bakaKristu. Inkazimulo engaphezu kwevamile yeNdodana kaNkulunkulu yenza uSawulu waba impumputhe futhi wadinga usizo lwabanye. Ngesikhathi uJehova esebenzisa u-Ananiya ukuba enze uSawulu aphinde abone, isimo sengqondo sikaSawulu ngabantu sase sishintshe unomphela. (IzE. 9:1-30) Lapho eba umlandeli kaKristu, wasebenza kanzima ukuze asebenzelane nabo bonke abantu njengoba kwenza uJesu. Lokho kwakusho ukuyeka ubudlova nokuba “nokuthula nabantu bonke.”—Funda amaRoma 12:17-21.
10, 11. UPawulu walubonisa kanjani uthando lweqiniso ngabantu?
10 UPawulu akazange aneliswe nje ukuba nokuthula nabanye. Wafuna ukubabonisa uthando lweqiniso, futhi inkonzo yobuKristu yamnikeza lelo thuba. Ohambweni lwakhe lokuqala lwezithunywa zevangeli, washumayela izindaba ezinhle e-Asia Minor. Naphezu kokuphikiswa kanzima, uPawulu nabangane bakhe bagxila ekusizeni abamnene ukuba bamukele ubuKristu. Baphinde baya eListra nase-Ikoniyu, nakuba abaphikisi kuleyo mizi babezame ukubulala uPawulu.—IzE. 13:1-3; 14:1-7, 19-23.
11 Kamuva, uPawulu neqembu lakhe bafuna ababethambekele ngokufanele emzini waseFilipi, eMakedoniya. ULidiya, umJuda ongumproselithe, walalela izindaba ezinhle futhi waba umKristu. Iziphathimandla zashaya uPawulu noSila ngezinduku, zabaphonsa etilongweni. Nokho, uPawulu washumayeza umgcini wejele, futhi yena nomkhaya wakhe babhapathizwa baba abakhulekeli bakaJehova.—IzE. 16:11-34.
12. Yini eyashukumisa uSawulu oweyisayo ukuba abe umphostoli onothando kaJesu Kristu?
12 Kungani uSawulu owayengumshushisi amukela ukholo lwabantu ayebashushisa? Yini eyashukumisa lowo muntu oweyisayo ukuba abe umphostoli onomusa nonothando, owayekulungele ukufaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze abanye bakwazi ukufunda iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu nangoKristu? Yena ngokwakhe uyachaza: ‘UNkulunkulu, owangibiza ngomusa wakhe ongafanelwe, wakucabangela njengokuhle ukuba ambule iNdodana yakhe ngami.’ (Gal. 1:15, 16) Ebhalela uThimothewu, wathi: “Ngiboniswe isihe [ukuze] uKristu Jesu angisebenzise njengesibonelo esiphambili, ekuboniseni konke ukubekezela kwakhe njengesiboniso kulabo abayoba nokholo kuye ukuze bathole ukuphila okuphakade.” (1 Thim. 1:16) UJehova wamthethelela uPawulu, futhi ukuthola lowo musa ongafanelwe nesihe kwamshukumisela ukuba abonise uthando kwabanye ngokubashumayeza izindaba ezinhle.
13. Yini okufanele isishukumise ukuba sibonise uthando kwabanye, futhi singalubonisa kanjani?
13 UJehova uzithethelela ngokufanayo izono namaphutha ethu. (IHu. 103:8-14) Umhubi wabuza: “O Jah, ukube ububheka iziphambeko, Jehova ubani obengama?” (IHu. 130:3) Ngaphandle kwesihe sikaNkulunkulu, akekho kithi obengaba nelungelo lenkonzo engcwele, futhi besingeke sibe nethemba lokuphila okuphakade. Umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu ube mkhulu kithi sonke. Ngakho-ke, njengoPawulu, kufanele sifune ukubonisa uthando kwabanye ngokubashumayeza, ngokubafundisa iqiniso nangokuqinisa esikholwa nabo.—Funda izEnzo 14:21-23.
14. Singakwazi kanjani ukwandisa inkonzo yethu?
14 UPawulu wayefuna ukuthuthuka njengesikhonzi sezindaba ezinhle, futhi isibonelo sikaJesu samthinta inhliziyo. Inkonzo yasobala ingenye yezindlela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu eyabonisa ngayo uthando olungenakuqhathaniswa ngabantu. UJesu wathi: “Ukuvuna kukhulu, kodwa izisebenzi zimbalwa. Ngakho-ke, ncengani iNkosi yokuvuna ukuba ithumele izisebenzi ekuvuneni kwayo.” (Math. 9:35-38) Ngokuba isisebenzi esishisekayo, uPawulu wayenza ngokuvumelana nanoma isiphi isicelo sezisebenzi ezengeziwe okungenzeka wayesenzile. Kuthiwani ngawe? Ungalithuthukisa yini izinga lenkonzo yakho? Noma ingabe ungayandisa inkonzo yakho emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso, mhlawumbe uze uhlele ukuphila kwakho ukuze ungenele inkonzo yamaphayona? Masibonise uthando lwangempela kwabanye ngokubasiza ukuba ‘balibambe ngokuqinile izwi lokuphila.’—Fil. 2:16.
Indlela UPawulu Ayezibheka Ngayo
15. Imuphi umbono uPawulu ayenawo ngaye uma eziqhathanisa namanye amaKristu?
15 Njengesikhonzi esingumKristu, uPawulu wasibekela isibonelo esivelele nangenye indlela. Nakuba athola amalungelo amaningi ebandleni lobuKristu, wayazi kahle ukuthi akuzona izinto azifeza ezazimenza afanelekele lezo zibusiso futhi akukhona ukuthi wayezikweletwa ngenxa yamakhono akhe. Waqaphela ukuthi zaziwukubonakaliswa komusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu. Wayazi ukuthi namanye amaKristu ayeyizikhonzi eziphumelelayo zezindaba ezinhle. Naphezu komthwalo wemfanelo ayenawo phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu, wahlala ethobekile.—Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:9-11.
16. UPawulu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka nesizotha endabeni yokusoka?
16 Cabanga ngendlela uPawulu ayisingatha ngayo inkinga eyaphakama emzini wase-Antiyokiya eSiriya. Ibandla lobuKristu lalihlukene phakathi ngendaba yokusoka. (IzE. 14:26–15:2) Njengoba uPawulu ayemiswe ukuba ahole ekushumayezeni abeZizwe abangasokile, wayengase acabange ukuthi ukwazi kangcono ukusebenzelana nabangewona amaJuda futhi ngenxa yalokho ukufanelekela kahle ukuxazulula le nkinga. (Funda eyabaseGalathiya 2:8, 9.) Nokho, lapho kubonakala ukuthi imizamo yakhe ayiyixazululi inkinga, ngokuthobeka nangesizotha, wahambisana namalungiselelo okuba kuyiwe endikimbeni ebusayo eJerusalema ukuze kuxoxwe ngalolo daba. Wabambisana nayo ngokugcwele njengoba amalungu ayo ayelalele udaba, efinyelela isinqumo futhi emabela ukuba abe omunye wezithunywa zayo. (IzE. 15:22-31) Ngaleyo ndlela, uPawulu ‘wahola ekuboniseni’ izinceku ezikanye naye “udumo.”—Roma 12:10b.
17, 18. (a) UPawulu wayezizwa kanjani ngabantu abasemabandleni? (b) Indlela abadala base-Efesu abasabela ngayo lapho kuhamba uPawulu isitshelani ngaye?
17 UPawulu othobekile wayengazihlukanisi kubafowabo nodadewabo emabandleni. Kunalokho, wanamathelana nabo. Lapho ephetha incwadi ayibhalela abaseRoma, wakhonza kubantu abangaphezu kuka-20, ebabiza ngamagama abo. Abaningi babo akukhulunywa ngabo kwezinye izindawo emiBhalweni futhi bambalwa ababenamalungelo akhethekile. Kodwa babeyizinceku zikaJehova eziqotho futhi uPawulu wayebathanda kakhulu.—Roma 16:1-16.
18 Ukuthobeka nokuba nobungane kukaPawulu kwawakha amabandla. Ngemva komhlangano wokugcina aba nawo nabadala base-Efesu, “bawela entanyeni kaPawulu bamanga ngothando, ngoba babezwa ubuhlungu ikakhulukazi ngezwi ayelikhulumile lokuthi babengeke besabubona ubuso bakhe.” Laba badala babengeke basabele ngale ndlela ukube kwakuhamba indoda eqhoshayo nezahlukanisayo.—IzE. 20:37, 38.
19. Singakubonisa kanjani ‘ukuthobeka kwengqondo’ lapho sisebenzelana namanye amaKristu?
19 Bonke abafisa ukuthuthuka ngokomoya kumelwe babonise umoya wokuthobeka owaboniswa uPawulu. Wanxusa amaKristu akanye nawo ukuba ‘angenzi lutho ngombango noma ngokuzazisa, kodwa ngokuthobeka kwengqondo abheke abanye njengabakhulu kunawo.’ (Fil. 2:3) Singasisebenzisa kanjani leso seluleko? Enye indlela iwukubambisana nabadala emabandleni esikuwo, silandele isiqondiso futhi sisekele izinqumo zokwahlulela abazenzayo. (Funda amaHebheru 13:17.) Enye indlela iwukubazisa kakhulu bonke abafowethu nodadewethu esikholwa nabo. Ngokuvamile amabandla abantu bakaJehova akhiwa abantu bobuzwe, amasiko nezinhlanga ezihlukahlukene. Ngakho, akufanele yini sifunde ukuphatha bonke abantu ngothando futhi singakhethi, njengoba kwenza uPawulu? (IzE. 17:26; Roma 12:10a) Sikhuthazwa ukuba ‘samukelane, njengoba nje noKristu asamukela, ngombono wokuba kube yinkazimulo kuNkulunkulu.’—Roma 15:7.
“Ugijime Ngokukhuthazela” Umncintiswano Wokuphila
20, 21. Yini eyosisiza ukuba siwugijime ngokuphumelelayo umncintiswano wokuphila?
20 Ukuphila komKristu kungafaniswa nomncintiswano wokugijima webanga elide. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngiligijimile ibanga ngaze ngayoqeda, ngilugcinile ukholo. Kusukela manje kuqhubeke ngigcinelwe umqhele wokulunga, lowo iNkosi, umahluleli olungileyo, eyonginika wona njengomvuzo ngalolo suku, nokho kungemina ngedwa, kodwa futhi nabo bonke labo abakuthandile ukubonakaliswa kwayo.”—2 Thim. 4:7, 8.
21 Ukulingisa isibonelo sikaPawulu kuyosisiza ukuba siwugijime ngokuphumelelayo umncintiswano wokuphila okuphakade. (Heb. 12:1) Ngakho-ke, masiqhubeke sithuthuka ngokomoya ngokuba nesimiso esihle sesifundo somuntu siqu, ngokuhlakulela uthando olujulile ngabantu nangokuhlala sinesimo sengqondo sokuthobeka.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Ukutadisha imiBhalo njalo kwamzuzisa kanjani uPawulu?
• Kungani kubalulekile ngamaKristu eqiniso ukuba abe nothando olujulile ngabantu?
• Iziphi izimfanelo eziyokusiza ukuba ungakhethi endleleni ophatha ngayo abanye?
• Isibonelo sikaPawulu singakusiza kanjani ukuba ubambisane nabadala ebandleni lakini?
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Thola amandla emiBhalweni, njengoba kwenza uPawulu
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Bonisa uthando ngokuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle nabanye
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Ingabe uyakwazi okwenza ukuba uPawulu athandwe abafowabo?