UThimothewu Uthola Iseluleko Endodeni Endala

EMINYAKENI emibalwa edlule abadala bebandla loFakazi BakaJehova banamuhla bamukela incwadi eyayivela komunye umKristu eyayinalamazwi: “Ningisize kakhulu futhi ngifuna ukuba nazi ukuthi ngibonga kangakanani ngakho konke enikwenzile. Namuhla ngingomunye wabantu abajabula kakhulu emhlabeni. Uthando lwenu nosizo kuye kwangisiza ukuba kungenze ngibe yilokhu engiyikho. Ngiyabonga kakhulu.”

Ungaqiniseka ukuthi lencwadi yenza lababadala bajabula. Abadala abathembekile ngaso sonke isikhathi baye bajabulela ukwazisa kwabazalwane babo nodade abangamaKristu. Futhi abadala asebekhulile ezikhathini eziningi baye banikeza abadala abancane nabanokuhlangenwe nakho okuncane iseluleko esihle ngendlela abangazibonakalisa ngayo befanelwe ukwazisa okunjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPawulu wenza kanjalo ezincwadini zakhe ezimbili komunye umdala osemncane owayekanye naye uThimothewu.

Benzeka kanjani ubuhlobo bothando obabukhona phakathi kukaPawulu noThimothewu? Yini esingayifunda eselulekweni sikaPawulu?

Ubuhlobo BukaPawulu NoThimothewu

UThimothewu ngokusobala wahlangana noPawulu cishe ngo-47-48 C.E. lapho uPawulu efika eListra ohambweni lwakhe lokuqala lwezithunywa zevangeli. Ngalesosikhathi uThimothewu kungenzeka ukuthi wayesevile eshumini elinambili. Phakathi nalokhu kuvakasha uThimothewu, unina uEvnike, noninakhulu uLowisi baba amaKristu. Nokho, uyise kaThimothewu wayengumGreki ongakholwa. UPawulu kungenzeka wayenesithakazelo esikhethekile enhlalakahleni kaThimothewu ngenxa yalesosizathu. Noma kunjalo, uThimothewu wathuthuka kahle futhi waba nokukholwa “okungazenzisiyo.” (1 Thimothewu 1:5) Kwakulapho uPawulu ebuyela eListra ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli, cishe eminyakeni emibili kamuva, lapho uPawulu akhetha uThimothewu njengomngane wakhe ekujikelezeni.

Kwalandela iminyaka eyi-15 ehambisana nomphostoli uPawulu. Kwakungesikhathi ekhonza esikhundleni sokuba umdala e-Efesu lapho uThimothewu ethola incwadi yokuqala kaPawulu. Yayibhalwe ngesikhathi esithile ngemva kokukhululwa kukaPawulu ejele eRoma ngo-61 C.E ngaphambi kokuboshwa kwakhe kwesibili ngo-64 C.E. Incwadi yesibili cishe yabhalwa ngo-65 C.E., ngaphambi nje kokufa kukaPawulu.—2 Thimothewu 4:6-8.

Uthando uPawulu ayenalo ngoThimothewu lusobala, ngoba umbiza ngokuthi “umntanami ngesiminya ekukholweni,” nangokuthi “umntwana othandekayo.” Ngakho iseluleko sikaPawulu sobubaba esasithi “phuza iwayini eliyingcosana ngenxa yesisu sakho nobuthakathaka bakho obuvamileyo,” asibonakali singesingalungile. Futhi lapho uPawulu azi ukuthi ukufa kwakhe kuseduze kakhulu, yeka ukuthi kufaneleke kanjani ngaye ukuba abhale: “Shesha uze kimi masinyane!” Isithakazelo sikaPawulu kuThimothewu siboniswe ngokukhethekile encwadini yakhe yesibili, lapho izabizwana “wena,” “zakho,” “kuwe” nezinye zivela amaphesenti angama-25 ngaphezu kwasencwadini yakhe yokuqala. Ngokusobala lomdala osekhulile wayenothando lweqiniso ngomngane wakhe osemncane futhi enesithakazelo ngenhlalakahle yakhe siqu.—1 Thimothewu 1:2; 5:23; 2 Thimothewu 1:2; 4:9.

Ngokungaphezulu, futhi ngokubaluleke ngokwengeziwe, uPawulu wafuna ukuba uThimothewu akhonze kahle izithakazelo zebandla lobuKristu. Azi ukungapheleli kukaThimothewu okungokomzimba nokungokwengqondo, futhi eqaphela ukuthi ubusha bakhe bamenza athambekele ‘ngasezinkanukweni zobusha,’ uPawulu waluleka: “Nakekela lezozinto, ume kuzo, ukuze ukuqhubeka kwakho kuqhame kubo bonke.” (2 Thimothewu 2:22; 1 Thimothewu 4:16) Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba wajabula kanjani uThimothewu ekutholeni iseluleko saphezulu somdala osekhulile futhi onokuhlangenwe nakho okwengeziwe kunaye! Abadala abasebasha namuhla nabo bayalwazisa usizo olunjalo nokuqondiswa. Kodwa iseluleko sikaPawulu kuThimothewu sihlanganisani?

“Yima Kulokho Okufundile”

Enkambweni yokwethembeka njengomKristu—njengomdala noma okunye—kufuneka ukwethembela okuphelele kuNkulunkulu. Akumelwe umuntu athembele kakhulu emandleni obusha noma ekhonweni. Ukubaluleka komthandazo kumelwe kungalulazwa nhlobo. Ngakho-ke, sasifanelekile iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Ngalokho ngithanda ukuba amadoda akhuleke ezindaweni zonke, ephakamisa izandla ezingcwele, engenalulaka nokuphikisana.” (1 Thimothewu 2:8) Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba abadala, lapho behlangana ndawonye ukuba baxoxe ngezindaba zebandla, bacele ukuqondisa kwaphezulu! Lokhu kuboniswa kokwethembeka kuJehova kuvikela izimpikiswano ezingapheliyo nokuqhuma kolaka okungase kwenzeke.

Ukuze abekezele, amaKristu kumelwe anamathele ebandleni futhi abe nesithakazelo enhlalakahleni yalo. Ngenxa yalokhu, uPawulu waluleka ukuba kuthandazelwe “amakhosi nabo bonke abakhulu.” Yebo, uThimothewu waqaphela ukuthi lena kwakungeyona imithandazo yokubusisa ezombangazwe njengaleyo eyenziwa abefundisi banamuhla. Kunalokho, kwakuwukunxusa kuNkulunkulu ukuba ashukumise iziphathimandla zohulumeni bezwe ukuba zivumele amaKristu aqhubeke ahlale “kahle nangokuthula,” eshumayela isigijimi soMbuso “ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu nangesizotha esipheleleyo.”—1 Thimothewu 2:1, 2.

Umphostoli uPawulu wayazi ukuthi ukucabangela inkambo yokwethembeka yabanye kwakuyomsiza uThimothewu ukuba ‘ame ezintweni azifundile.’ Ngakho uPawulu wabhala: “Kepha wena wa landela isifundiso sami nokuziphatha, nomgomo, nenkolo, nokubhekakade, nothandó, nokubekezela, nokuzingelwa, nezinhlupheko.” (2 Thimothewu 3:14, 10, 11) Izinkulungwane zabadala asebekhulile namuhla zibeka isibonelo esihle esifanayo naleso uPawulu asibeka, lokhu kuhlanganisa izindlela zabo zokufundisa.—1 Korinte 4:17.

‘Namathela Esibonelweni Samazwi Aphilayo’

“Yonke imibhalo iphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu ilungele ukufundisa, nokusola, nokuqondisa, nokuyala ekulungeni.” Iyisigijimi esimsulwa seqiniso elingokomBhalo elenza umKristu “aphelele, apheleliselwe yonke imisebenzi emihle.”—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.

Amanye amaKristu ase-Efesu, nokho, ayengasavumelani nalokho uPawulu akubiza ngokuthi “isibonelo samazwi aphilayo.” (2 Thimothewu 1:13) Babethanda “ukubuzana nokuphikisana ngamazwi.” Abanye bahileleka ‘ekuxabaneni okukhulu ngezinto ezincane.’ (1 Thimothewu 6:4, 5, NW) Ngakho iseluleko sikaPawulu sasithi “ukuphikisana kobuwula nokungazi ukunqabe, wazi ukuthi kuzala ukulwa.” (2 Thimothewu 2:23) Ngokufanayo namuhla, abadala kumelwe banakekele ukuba bagxile ezintweni ezibaluleke ngempela, lezo eziyosiza amaKristu a“bambelele ekuphileni okuphakade.” Ziyini lezizinto ezibalulekile? UMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe, umsebenzi wokushumayela nendlela yokuphila yobuKristu.—1 Thimothewu 6:11, 12.

Osukwini lukaThimothewu oHimenewu noFiletu, futhi mhlawumbe nabanye, babesakaza izimfundiso ezingamanga, “bechitha ukukholwa kwabanye.” Ngenxa yokuchezuka okunjalo eqinisweni, uPawulu wathi, “ngibanikele kuSathane.” Ngokusobala babesusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni nebandla. (2 Thimothewu 2:17, 18; 1 Thimothewu 1:20) Akumelwe silindele isimo esihlukile namuhla. UPawulu waxwayisa ngokuthi “ngezikhathi zokugcina abanye bayakuhlubuka ekukholweni, benaka omoya abadukisayo nezifundiso zamademoni.” (1 Thimothewu 4:1) Umdala osemusha, ongenakho okuhlangenwe nakho angakhathazeka ngokungafanele ngalokhu, kodwa akumelwe kube njalo. Ukuhlubuka kwabanye akuliguquli nakancane iqiniso. Kumane kuphawula izihlubuki njengabantu ‘ngokwezinkanuko zabo . . . abafulathelisa izindlebe zabo eqinisweni.’—2 Thimothewu 4:3, 4.

Okuhlanganisiwe ‘[ekunamatheleni] esibonelweni samazwi aphilayo,’ noma ‘ekuvumeni isifundiso esiphilayo,’ kuwukuphila ukuphila okuqotho nokuqondile. (2 Thimothewu 1:13; 4:3) Abanye abadala abasebasha bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi kumelwe bathathe ukuma kwesimanje, okuyekelela ngokwengeziwe nge“sono,” noma kulokho okubizwa ngokuthi indaba kanembeza. Kodwa izimpikiswano ezihlakaniphile ngokwezwe ekuvikeleni ububi ziyefana noku“khuluma okuyize” okuphambene nobungcwele. Dedani ekuhlakanipheni kwezwe, kunxusa uPawulu, “nokuphikisana kwalokho okuthiwa ukwazi kungesikho.”—1 Thimothewu 6:20, 21.

Ulwazi lweqiniso lutholakala ngokutadisha komuntu siqu ngaphansi kokuqondisa komoya kaNkulunkulu nenhlangano. Lokhu kwenza umdala, noma imuphi omunye umKristu, akwazi ukuba abe “isisebenzi esingenamahloni, esiqondisa kahle izwi leqiniso.” Akayikuba njengabaholi benkolo yamanga abathi “befunda njalo, kepha bengeke bakwazi ukufika ekulazini iqiniso.”—2 Thimothewu 2:15; 3:7.

“Phatha Kahle”

Ukuze umdala ongumKristu “aphathe kahle” ‘kumelwe abe mnene kubo bonke, abe nesu lokufundisa, . . . ayale ngomoya omnene.’ (1 Thimothewu 5:17; 2 Thimothewu 2:24, 25) Ilungu ngalinye lebandla kumelwe kusetshenzelwane nalo ngalinye. Iminyaka kaPawulu yokuhlangenwe nakho yayimfundise ukuhlakanipha kokuphatha amadoda amadala njengobaba, ‘izinsizwa njengabafowabo, abesifazane abadala njengawomama, nabesifazane abasha njengawodadewabo ngenhlanzeko epheleleyo.’—1 Thimothewu 5:1, 2.

Njengoba umuntu ekhula ngokuhlangenwe nakho uthuthukisa umbono oqondile ngezinkinga nangezidingo zabanye. UThimothewu kwakudingeka aqaphele izimo ezithile ezazingadinga ukunakekela kwakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe kwakukhona abafelokazi abangenazihlobo eziseduze, ababedinga ukunakekelwa? Ingabe zikhona izigqila ezingamaKristu nabaphathi abangamaKristu (njengomqashi ongumKristu nesisebenzi sakhe esingumKristu namuhla) ababenombono ongalungile ngobuhlobo babo owawungadinga ukuqondiswa? Njengoba babehlala e-Efesu, indawo eyayinothile yezentengiselwano, ingabe abanye babedinga ukukhunjuzwa ukuthi “abafuna ukuceba bayela ekulingweni, nasesihibeni, nasezinkanukweni eziningi zobuwula ezilimazayo”? Ingabe amaKristu ayecebile ayedinga ukwelulekwa ukuba “angakhukhumali, angathembeli engcebweni engemiyo, kepha athembele kuNkulunkulu”?—1 Thimothewu 5:3-16; 6:1, 2, 9, 17-19.

Ingabe abanye ebandleni babeye bezwa, futhi babona, isenzo esibi salabo ababengafuni ukunamathela emithethweni kaNkulunkulu? “Abonayo ubasole phambi kwabo bonke [ababonayo],” kweluleka uPawulu, “ukuze nabanye [abaziyo ngesento] besabe.” Futhi kuthiwani ngabesifazane abangamalungu ebandla? Ingabe babe’nesizotha, bengahlebi, bezithiba, bethembeka ezintweni zonke’? Noma ingabe abanye babengalinaki ilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu elalinga”mvumeli owesifazane ukuba afundise, nokuba abuse phezu kwendoda” ebandleni?—1 Thimothewu 5:20; 3:11; 2:11, 12.

Ingabe amadoda ayekhethwe ukuba akhonze njengabadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo ayekhethwe ngokunakekela nangokuqaphela okufanele? UPawulu waluleka, “ungasheshi ubeke izandla noma kubani.” Ukumiswa kwabadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo akumelwe kwenziwe, ngesisekelo semizwa yomuntu siqu, kodwa ngokukhanyiselwa izimfuneko zaphezulu. Ekuxoxeni ngokumiswa okunjalo, abadala abasebancane bayobe benza kahle ngokucabangela ngokunakekela ukuphawula okwenziwa abadala asebekhulile futhi abanokuhlangenwe nakho okwengeziwe kunabo.—1 Thimothewu 5:22; 3:1-10.

“Yiba-yisibonelo Kwabakholwayo”

UThimothewu ngokusobala wayengumuntu onamahloni nonovalo. Kungenzeka wayeba manqikanqika ekusebenziseni igunya. Kodwa kwakungamelwe enze kanjalo. “Makungabikho-muntu odelela ubusha bakho,” etshelwa uPawulu. “Kepha yiba-yisibonelo kwabakholwayo.” Kanjani? “Ngezwi, nangenkambo, nangothando, nangokukholwa, nangokuhlanzeka.”—1 Thimothewu 4:12.

Umdala ongumKristu namuhla angase azizwe engakhululekile futhi enamahloni ngenxa yobuncane bakhe. Angase anqikaze ukukhuluma emihlanganweni yabadala. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, angase athande ukuvelela kakhulu, ebonisa ukuntula ukuthobeka. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukukhumbula ukuthi noma iliphi ilungelo lobuKristu esingase sinikezwe lona ‘akungenxa yemisebenzi yethu kepha ngokwelakhe [uNkulunkulu] icebo nomusa’!—2 Thimothewu 1:9.

Ngokomzimba, abadala abasebasha bangase bakwazi ukuhola kangcono kunabanye ekwenzeni “umsebenzi womvangeli.” (2 Thimothewu 4:5) Uma kunjalo, kumelwe benze kanjalo. Kuwumsebenzi OKUMELWE wenziwe, ngoba uJehova “othanda ukuba abantu bonke basindiswe, bafinyelele ekulazini iqiniso.” Ukuzijabulisa, imisebenzi yokuzilibazisa, izikhathi zokuphumula noma imidlalo kumelwe kungavunyelwa ukuba kweqe esikhathini esibekelwe ngokufanele inkonzo yethu yobuKristu.—1 Thimothewu 2:4; 4:8.

Ngokuhambisana neseluleko sikaPawulu kuThimothewu, abadala abasebasha akumelwe bavumele ukwesaba abantu kubavimbele. UPawulu wakhumbuza uThimothewu ukuthi “uNkulunkulu akasiphanga umoya wobugwala, kepha owamandla, nowothando, nowokuzikhuza.” Umdala ongumKristu, noma imuphi omunye umKristu, kumelwe a“ngabinamahloni ngobufakazi ngeNkosi yethu.” Eqinisweni, wonke amaKristu kumelwe azimisele ukuhlanganyela “ukuhluphekela ivangeli.”—2 Thimothewu 1:7, 8.

Ngenxa yokukhuluma ngesibindi ekulweleni ukukhulekela kweqiniso, umdala osemusha uThimothewu nomunye umdala owayesekhulile uPawulu bathandwa futhi baziswa ngabazalwane babo bobuKristu. Ngokulingisa isibonelo salabo babonisi bekhulu lokuqala, abadala balelikhulu lama-20 nabo bayojabulela uthando nokwazisa kwabazalwane babo bobuKristu nodade. Yebo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bancane noma badala, ‘amadoda akhonza kahle azizuzela ukuma kahle.’—1 Thimothewu 3:13.

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Abadala kumelwe bazimisele ukufunda kulabo abadala kunabo nabanokuhlangenwe nakho okwengeziwe kunabo