Ingabe Ungumlingisi KaKristu Noma UngumKristu-Mbumbulu?

—Imiyalezo KaPawulu KwabaseThesalonika

UMPHOSTOLI uPawulu wayengumKristu oyisibonelo. Ngenxa yokuthi wayelandela isibonelo sikaJesu ngentshiseko ngokufanelekile wayengenza lokhukutusa kwababenaye ekukholweni: “Yibani-ngabalingisi bami, njengokuba nami ngilingisa uKristu.” (1 Korinte 11:1) Inkambo kaPawulu yokuphila nokufundisa kwakhe kwasiza abaningi ababenaye ukuthola nokugcina “leyoNdlela” yobuKristu beqiniso.—IzEnzo 9:2.

UPawulu wazizwa enokukhathalela kothando ngabanye. Ngokufanelekile, lapho uNkulunkulu etshela uPawulu noSila ukuba bashiye indawo yaseAsiya futhi bathathe umsebenzi wobuvangeli eMakedoniya, WANIKA uPawulu umbono wendoda ethile yalapho imncenga ithi: “Welela eMakedoniya, usisize.” Ngokholo nangozwela ngabanye, uPawulu noSila ngokuzithandela balalela, bahamba ngomkhumbi besuka eTrowa.—IzEnzo 16:6-10.

Sebefikile eNeyapholi, uPawulu nayekanye nabo okokuqala bahambela iFilipi. Ukusuka lapho baqhubeka ngomgwaqo omkhulu iVia Egnatia waseRoma odlula eAmfipholi naseApholoniya uya eThesalonika, isilinganiso samakhilomitha ayi-121. (IzEnzo 16:11, 12; 17:1) EThesalonika uPawulu wasebenzisa imibuthano yamaJuda yeSabatha esinagogeni lakhona ukufundisa “izindaba ezinhle.” Ngenxa yalokho, “abanye” kumaJuda, kuhlanganise “nesixuku esikhulu samaGreki,” baba abakholwayo.—IzEnzo 17:2-4.

Ngenxa yomona ngokuphumelela kukaPawulu, amaJuda ayengakholwa akha isixuku futhi abanga isiphithiphithi edolobheni laseThesalonika, abazalwane bathumela uPawulu noSila eBereya. Isigijimi soMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu sabonakala siyitshe lokukhubekisa kumaJuda. Baze ngisho basola oPawulu noSila nabaseThesalonika ababezihlanganise nabo, bethi: “Laba benza okuphambene nezimiso zikaKesari bethi kukhona enye inkosi, nguJesu.”—IzEnzo 17:5-10.

Ukukhathalela KukaPawulu NgamaKristu AseThesalonika

Ekufinyeleleni eKorinte, uPawulu wathumela emuva uThimothewu omncane ayesebenza naye ukuba athintane nebandla elalisanda kwakhiwa eThesalonika. Lapho uThimothewu ebuyela kuPawulu, wamtshela izindaba ezinhle zokuthi lawomaKristu ayesanda kubhapathizwa ayeqinile okholweni futhi anda, naphezu kokushushiswa okwakuqhubeka. Aba ngabalingisi bamanye amaKristu ayethembekile ayebekezelela ukushushiswa. (1 Thesalonika 2:14-16; 3:6, 7) UPawulu wayeshisekela ukuba abaseThesalonika bazi imizwa yakhe ngabo nokubanika isikhuthazo esengeziwe neseluleko. Ngakho wabhalela ibandla izincwadi ezimbili. Kungenzeka, lezi kwakuyizincwadi zikaPawulu zokuqala eziphefumlelwe, ezabhalwa eminyakeni u-50 no-51 C.E. Zichaza kahle ukuthi yini ehilelekile ebuKristwini beqiniso.

Nokho, ingabe umbiko kaLuka kuzEnzo 17:11, 12 awukhulumi yini kabi ngalabo baseThesalonika, njengalabo abangazange bamukele izwi ngentshiseko njengabaseBereya? Qha, ngoba lapha uLuka akabhekiseli kumaKristu, kodwa kumaJuda. Ngokuphambene nemiphumela emincane yokushumayela kukaPawulu noSila phakathi kwamaJuda eThesalonika, “abaningi” abaya esinagogeni lamaJuda eBereya baba abakholwayo.

AmaKristu ayesanda kukholwa eThesalonika atadisha futhi anamathela eZwini likaNkulunkulu. UPawulu uyawancoma encwadini yakhe yokuqala ngenxa yokulingisa yena kanye neNkosi ngokwamukela “izwi ekukhathazekeni okukhulu ngokuthokoza kukaMoya oNgcwele.” (1 Thesalonika 1:6) Amukela “izindaba ezinhle” njenge“zwi likaNkulunkulu,” futhi manje la“lisebenza,” okungukuthi, liveza izithelo zobuKristu kwabakholwayo. (1 Thesalonika 2:3-5, 13) Babengesiwo amaKristumbumbulu nangayiphi indlela.

UPawulu ngokwakhe wayengumlingisi kaKristu okhuthele. Nakuba ukuhambela kwakhe kokuqala kwabaseThesalonika kwakukufushane, isibonelo sakhe sokuzidela sagcizeleleka ngokungenakusuleka ezingqondweni zamalungu ebandla lakhona. Base bekuyekile ukukhonza kwabo izithombe kwangaphambili “ukuba [ba]khonze uNkulunkulu ophilayo oweqiniso” futhi esikhundleni salokho, baba isibonelo sokholo kubo bonke abakholwayo eMakedoniya naseAkhaya. (1 Thesalonika 1:7, 9) Phakathi kwabo kwakukhona ababonisi abajikelezayo ‘ababekhandleka’ ukuba banakekele izidingo zomhlambi, njengoba kumelwe kube njalo kuwo wonke amabandla amaKristu eqiniso.—1 Thesalonika 5:12; 1 Petru 5:2, 3.

Yebo, uPawulu nayekanye nabo banikela konke okwabo ngenxa yabaseThesalonika, besebenza ubusuku nemini, ngokungesabi benza ukuba iqiniso laziwe futhi bondla ibandla ngomusa “njengokuba umdlezane ondla abantwana bakhe.” (1 Thesalonika 2:3-11; 2 Thesalonika 3:7, 8) Benayiphi injongo engqondweni? Ukuze labazalwane abasha okholweni ba“hambe ngokufaneleyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu” futhi “kunganyakaziswa-muntu ngalezozinhlupheko.” UPawulu wayefuna ukubashukumisela ukuba ‘baqwashe’ ngokomoya, ukuze aba“qinise emisebenzini yonke nasemazwini onke amahle.” Wayefuna ukuba ‘babekezelelwe uKristu,’ ukuze “bangadinwa ukwenza okuhle.”—1 Thesalonika 2:12; 3:3; 5:6; 2 Thesalonika 2:17; 3:5, 13.

Ukukhathalela kukaPawulu okujulile ngalabo baseThesalonika kubhalelwe ukusikhuthaza nathi namuhla, ukuze siqhubeke sihamba noNkulunkulu futhi simjabulisa. (Amose 3:3) Ngalowo ozibiza ngomKristu ukwenza okunye kungasho ukuthi uyefana nomKristu-mbumbulu ongenalusizo.—1 Thesalonika 4:1.

Ukusongela Okuvela Ngaphakathi!

AmaJuda ayengakholwa aletha ushushiso olwaluvela ngaphandle phezu kwebandla elincane, kodwa manje kwakusongela ingozi enkulu ngaphakathi! Ngokusobala abathile ebandleni babesakaza imibono esontekile ngosuku lukaJehova njengokungathi luseduze kakhulu. UPawulu waphuthuma ukuqondisa izinto, ethi maqondana nalolo“suku”: “Makungabikho-muntu onikhohlisayo nangayiphi indlela; ngokuba aluyikufika, kungakaveli kuqala ukuhlubuka, kwambulwe umuntu ongenamthetho, indodana yokulahlwa.”—2 Thesalonika 2:1-3.

Lapho uPawulu, encwadini yakhe yesibili kwabaseThesalonika, exwayisa ibandla “ngomuntu ongenamthetho” ozayo, imininingwane yenkambo yakhe yokungabi namthetho yayiseyi“mfihlakalo” noma imfihlo yenkolo. Nokho, umphostoli uyaphawula ukuthi nalapho esenabo wayevame ukuba“tshela” ngalokuhlubuka okuzayo noku“bambezelayo.”—2 Thesalonika 2:5-7.

Uma thina kuleliphuzu sivula amaBhayibheli ethu kweyesi-2 Thesalonika 2:3-12 futhi sihlole okuqukethwe amazwi kaPawulu, nathi, ngokufanayo, singaqonda lokho uPawulu ayecabanga ngakho. “Ukuhlubuka” okwakuzofika kwakuzochithwa ngenxa yokuntula “ukuthanda iqiniso.” Kwakuzobangelwa ‘ukukholwa ngamanga’ nokunamela “ukungalungi.” Kwakuzobonakala kakhulu ngokushesha ngemva kokudediswa “kobambezelayo” owashiwo uPawulu. Kwakuzoqhubeka njalo kuze ‘kubonakale ukufika’ kukaJesu Kristu, ngalesosikhathi uKristu uzohlala futhi achithe “lomumtu ongenamthetho,” amenze angabibikho.—Qhathanisa eye-2 Thesalonika 2:8 noIsaya 11:4; nesAmbulo 19:11, 14, 15.

Ukubonakalisa “Umuntu Ongenamthetho”

Ngokubheka ubude besikhathi “somuntu ongenamthetho,” kusukela osukwini lukaPawulu kuze kube sekufikeni kukaKristu kwakumelwe kungabi umuntu oyedwa kodwa kube iqembu labantu. Njengoba lona ongenamthetho ezi“khukhumeza phezu kwakho konke okuthiwa onkulunkulu noma into ekhonzwayo,” ukusetshenziswa kwalenkulumo kubhekisela kubaholi bokuhlubuka. Bayohlanganiswa nemisebenzi ya“mandla” edukisayo eyenziwa egameni likaKristu. (Qhathanisa eyesi-2 Thesalonika 2:9 noMathewu 7:22, 23.) Izixuku zaziyozihlanganisa nabo njengendlela elula yenkolo, ejabulisa unembeza kodwa engacindezeli endleleni yokuphila yobugovu, yezwe, ngisho neyokuziphatha okubi. Labo bobuKristu-mbumbulu kakade base “besebenza” phakathi kwamaKristu okuzisholo ngosuku lukaPawulu.—1 Thesalonika 4:3-8; 5:6-9, 14, 15, 19-22; 2 Thesalonika 3:6-15; qhathanisa noMathewu 25:41-46.

UPawulu nabanye abaphostoli namadoda amadala ebandla lobuKristu basebenza njengaba“bambezelayo” emandleni anjalo, belusa umhlambi ngokwesibonelo sikaKristu. Ngenxa yokuhlubuka okusongelayo uPawulu wayala abaseThesalonika ngalamazwi: “Ngalokho-ke, bazalwane, yimani niqinile, nibambelele kuwo amasiko enawafundiswa.” Ngemva kokufa kukaPawulu nabanye abaphostoli, amadoda ayezifunela okwawo asunduzela iqiniso eceleni azibeka ngokwawo njengabaholi adukisa umhlambi. Kuphela yilabo abasabela eselulekweni sikaPawulu aba“qiniswa emisebenzini yonke nasemazwini onke amahle.” “Umuntu ongenamthetho” wabonakaliswa njengomfundisi wobuKristu-mbumbulu.—2 Thesalonika 2:15-17; qhathanisa noMathewu 13:24-30, 37-43.a

Ukulindela Usuku LukaJehova

UPawulu kwadingeka axwayise amaKristu aseThesalonika ngenye futhi ingozi: Leyo yokunganaki noma yokozela ngokomoya maqondana nosuku lukaJehova. Abanye abalobi bezenkolo bezikhathi zethu baye bazama ukululaza ukubaluleka nokuphuthuma kwesigijimi esingokomBhalo maqondana no“kubakhona kukaJesu . . . nesiphelo salesi simiso sezinto” ngokubhekisela emazwini kaPawulu amuva: “Kepha siyanxusa, . . . ukuba ningasheshi ninyakaziswe engqondweni yenu, ningethuswa noma ngomoya, noma ngezwi, noma ngencwadi . . . sengathi usuku lukaKristu selufikile.”—Mathewu 24:3; 2 Thesalonika 2:1, 2.

Manje, ingabe ngempela kwakungaba isifiso sikaPawulu ukuba amaKristu aqotho abe nokukhathalela okuncane ngokuba khona kweNkosi yawo nosuku lukaJehova? Noma ingabe, esikhundleni salokho, wayefuna ukuba babe nokulinganisela kulendaba, ukuba ‘baqonde’ ngoku“vivinya konke”? Khona-ke, babengeke badukiswe imibiko engenasisekelo ngosuku lukaJehova njengokungathi luseduze futhi babengeke babe abangazilungiselele, abanganakile nabangenandaba nalo.—1 Thesalonika 5:8, 21; qhathanisa no-2 Petru 3:3, 10-12 no-1 Johane 4:1.

Lapha kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi labo baseThesalonika babeqonda kahle ukuthi usuku lukaJehova “luza njengesela ebusuku.” Kunokuba kube isizathu sokunganaki, lokhu kwasho ukuthi kwakufanele “baqwashe,” njengabantu abanga“miselwanga ulaka, kepha ukuba bazuze ukusindiswa.” Ngemva kokuba ukuhlubuka kubonakele ngokusobala, usuku lukaJehova lwaluzofika. Lokhu kwakuyoba ngesikhathi lapho labo abamelene noMbuso kaJehova—ngokungangabazeki kuhlanganise no“muntu ongenamthetho”—babeyothi: “Ukuthula nokulondeka!” Lokhu kwakuyoba uphawu lokubhujiswa kwabo, okusheshayo. (1 Thesalonika 5:1-11) Ngalolosuku lokukhishwa kwesahlulelo esilungileyo, bayojabula labo ‘abamaziyo uNkulunkulu nabalalela ivangeli leNkosi uJesu’!—2 Thesalonika 1:8.b

Abalingisi Noma Abazenzisi?

Izincwadi zikaPawulu zokukhathalela kothando ebandleni lamaKristu eThesalonika, zibonisa ukuthi yini abalandeli bakaKristu Jesu namuhla okufanele babe yikho, nalokho okufanele bakukholelwe futhi bakwenze. Kodwa kuthiwani ngabantu namaqembu azisholo ukuba amaKristu kodwa angamlingisi uKristu, uPawulu nabaseThesalonika abathembekile? Laba bavela obala njengamaKristu-mbumbulu! (2 Thesalonika 3:6, 7; 2 Petru 2:1-3) UPawulu ugcizelela ukuthi kuphela labo “abalalela ivangeli” bayobalwa njenga“balungele umbuso kaNkulunkulu.” UJesu wakhuluma ngendlela efanayo maqondana ne“zimvu” ezilungileyo ezizodla ifa loMbuso emhlabeni.—2 Thesalonika 1:4-10; qhathanisa noMathewu 7:21 no-25:31-34.

Izindaba ezinhle, njengoba uPawulu enza ukuba zaziwe ezincwadini zakhe kwabaseThesalonika, kufanele zisishukumisele ukuba sisebenze kanzima enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, ukuba sibe nezimiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha, yebo, sikhuthazele ekuphileni ukuphila kobuKristu okujabulisayo, okomthandazo, okokwazisa, okungokomoya, nokungenabala okuyosenza sibe abatusekayo kwabanye ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwebandla labantu bakaJehova. (1 Thesalonika 5:16-23) Sengathi ukuzindla okuqotho ngesibonelo sikaPawulu nezincwadi kanye nokholo lwamaKristu aseThesalonika kungabonakala kunenzuzo kini, ukuze “nivame kakhulu” ekulingiseni isibonelo sikaKristu. Sengathi lokhu, ngokufanayo, kunganilethela ukukhululeka “olakeni oluzayo” nokusindela ekuphileni okuphakade ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu okhazimulayo.—1 Thesalonika 1:10; 4:1; Heberu 12:2, 3; IsAmbulo 21:1, 3, 4.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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UPawulu ubhala ngokuvela ko“muntu ongenamthetho” wobufundisi