‘Ukuqinisa Amabandla’

1-3. (a) UPawulu usehamba nobani manje, futhi ungumuntu onjani? (b) Sizofundani kulesi sahluko?

NJENGOBA bedabula ezindaweni ezimazombezombe eziphakathi kwemizi, umphostoli uPawulu ucabangisisa ngale nsizwa ahamba nayo. Igama layo nguThimothewu. UThimothewu usemusha, ugcwele ubungqabavu, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi usezohlanganisa iminyaka engu-20 noma usanda kweva kuyo. Isinyathelo ngasinye salolu hambo simqhelisa kude nekhaya. Njengoba usuku luqhubeka, baya besishiya ngemuva isifunda saseListra nesase-Ikoniyu. Balindelwe yini ngaphambili? UPawulu uyazi ngoba lolu uhambo lwakhe lwesibili eyisithunywa sevangeli. Uyazi ukuthi balindelwe izingozi nezinkinga eziningi. Le nsizwa ahamba nayo izobhekana kanjani nazo?

² UPawulu uyamethemba uThimothewu, mhlawumbe ngaphezu kwezinga le nsizwa ethobekile ezethemba ngalo. Izigigaba ezisanda kwenzeka zenze uPawulu waqiniseka kunanini ngaphambili ukuthi uyamdinga umuntu ofanelekayo azohamba naye. Uyazi ukuthi umsebenzi azowenza—ukuhambela amabandla nokuwaqinisa—uzodinga ukuzimisela okungantengi nokucabanga ngokuvumelana ezikhonzini ezijikelezayo. Yini eyayenza ukuba uPawulu azizwe ngale ndlela? Kungenzeka yingxabano eyayibangele ukuba bahlukane noBarnaba.

³ Kulesi sahluko sizofunda okuningi ngendlela engcono kakhulu yokusingatha ukungezwani. Sizofunda nokuthi kungani uPawulu akhetha ukuhamba noThimothewu futhi sizoqonda indima ebaluleke kakhulu yalabo abakhonza njengababonisi besigodi namuhla.

“Masibuyele Emuva Sihambele Abafowethu” (IzEnzo 15:36)

4. Yini uPawulu ayehlose ukuyenza ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli?

⁴ Esahlukweni esandulele, sibone indlela abazalwane abane—uPawulu, uBarnaba, uJuda noSila—abalakha ngayo ibandla lase-Antiyokiya ngesinqumo sendikimba ebusayo mayelana nokusoka. Wenzani uPawulu ngemva kwalokho? Wakhuluma noBarnaba ngolunye uhambo, ethi: “Masibuyele emuva sihambele abafowethu kuwo wonke amadolobha esamemezela kuwo izwi likaJehova, ukuze sibone ukuthi banjani.” (IzE. 15:36) UPawulu wayengakhulumi ngokuvakashela la maKristu amasha okungenanjongo. Incwadi yezEnzo yembula injongo yangempela yohambo lwesibili lukaPawulu lwezithunywa zevangeli. Okokuqala, wayezoqhubeka enikeza izinqumo ezazivela endikimbeni ebusayo. (IzE. 16:4) Okwesibili, njengombonisi ojikelezayo, uPawulu wayezimisele ukwakha amabandla ngokomoya, awasize aqine okholweni. (Roma 1:11, 12) Inhlangano yoFakazi BakaJehova yanamuhla isilingisa kanjani isibonelo esabekwa abaphostoli?

5. INdikimba Ebusayo yanamuhla isidlulisela kanjani isiqondiso nesikhuthazo emabandleni?

⁵ Namuhla, uKristu usebenzisa iNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova ekuqondiseni ibandla lakhe. Esebenzisa izincwadi ezibhalelwa amabandla, izinto ezitholakala kuyi-inthanethi nezinyathelisiwe, imihlangano nezinye izindlela okuxhunyanwa ngazo, la madoda athembekile agcotshiwe adlulisela iziqondiso nesikhuthazo kuwo wonke amabandla emhlabeni wonke. INdikimba Ebusayo ilwela nokuba ihlale isondelene nebandla ngalinye. Ngakho isebenzisa ababonisi besigodi. Imise izinkulungwane zabadala abafanelekayo emhlabeni wonke ukuba bakhonze njengababonisi besigodi.

6, 7. Yiziphi ezinye izinto ezenziwa ababonisi besigodi?

⁶ Ababonisi besigodi banamuhla bagxila ekunakekeleni nasekunikezeni isikhuthazo esingokomoya kuwo wonke amabandla abawahambelayo. Kanjani? Ngokulingisa isibonelo esabekwa amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala, njengoPawulu. Wanxusa umbonisi ayekanye naye: “Shumayela izwi; ukwenze unomuzwa wokuphuthuma ngenkathi evumayo nangenkathi enzima; usole, ukhuze, ukhuthaze, ngaso sonke isineke nekhono lokufundisa. . . . Wenze umsebenzi womvangeli.”—2 Thim. 4:2, 5.

⁷ Ngokuvumelana nalawo mazwi, umbonisi wesigodi—nomkakhe uma eshadile—uhlanganyela nabamemezeli bebandla ezicini ezihlukahlukene zenkonzo yasensimini. Laba bashumayeli abajikelezayo bayayishisekela inkonzo futhi bangabafundisi abanekhono—izimfanelo ezinethonya elihle emhlambini. (Roma 12:11; 2 Thim. 2:15) Baziwa kahle ngothando lwabo lokuzidela. Bazinikela ngokungazigodli, behamba esimweni sezulu esibi nasezindaweni eziyingozi. (Fil. 2:3, 4) Ababonisi besigodi bayakhuthaza, bafundise futhi beluleke ibandla ngalinye ngezinkulumo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Bonke ebandleni bayazuza ngokucabangisisa ngokuziphatha kwalezi zikhonzi ezijikelezayo nangokulingisa ukholo lwazo.—Heb. 13:7.

“Kwaqhuma Intukuthelo Enkulu” (IzEnzo 15:37-41)

8. Wasabela kanjani uBarnaba esimemweni sikaPawulu?

⁸ UBarnaba wasamukela isicelo sikaPawulu ‘sokuhambela abafowethu.’ (IzE. 15:36) Babesebenze kahle ndawonye njengababonisi besigodi futhi bobabili base bezazi izifundazwe nabantu ababezobahambela. (IzE. 13:2–14:28) Ngakho umqondo wokuba basebenze ndawonye kulesi sabelo wawubonakala unengqondo futhi uhlakaniphile. Kodwa kwaphakama inkinga. IzEnzo 15:37 ziyalandisa: “UBarnaba wayezimisele ukuthatha uJohane, owayebizwa ngokuthi uMarku, ukuba bahambe naye.” UBarnaba wayengamane nje esikisela. “Wayezimisele” ukuhamba nomzala wakhe uMarku kulolu hambo lwezithunywa zevangeli.

9. Kungani uPawulu engavumelananga noBarnaba?

⁹ UPawulu wenqaba. Kungani? Ukulandisa kuthi: “UPawulu wayengathandi ukumthatha [uMarku] bahambe naye, ngenxa yokuthi wayebashiyile ePhamfiliya akayanga nabo emsebenzini.” (IzE. 15:38) UMarku wayehambe noPawulu noBarnaba ohambweni lwabo lokuqala lwezithunywa zevangeli kodwa wabuye wabashiya. (IzE. 12:25; 13:13) Ekuqaleni kohambo, besesePhamfiliya, uMarku wayesishiyile isabelo sakhe wabuyela ekhaya eJerusalema. IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi wahambelani, kodwa kusobala ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wabheka ukuhamba kwakhe njengokuwubuwula. Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayengasamethembi uMarku.

10. Ukungavumelani kukaPawulu noBarnaba kwaholelaphi, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁰ Noma kunjalo, uBarnaba wayezimisele ukuhamba noMarku. UPawulu yena wayengafuni nakuyizwa leyo. “Kwaqhuma intukuthelo enkulu, baze bahlukana,” kusho izEnzo 15:39. UBarnaba wahamba noMarku waya esiqhingini sakubo eKhupro. UPawulu waqhubeka ngendlela ayehlele ngayo. Ukulandisa kuthi: “UPawulu wakhetha uSila wahamba ngemva kokuba abazalwane sebemnikele kuJehova ukuze ambonise umusa omkhulu.” (IzE. 15:40) Bahamba ndawonye ‘badabula iSiriya neKhilikhiya, beqinisa amabandla.’—IzE. 15:41.

11. Yiziphi izimfanelo ezidingekayo ezingavimbela ingxabano engapheli phakathi kwethu nomuntu osonile?

¹¹ Lokhu kulandisa kungase kusikhumbuze okwethu ukungapheleli. UPawulu noBarnaba babekade bemiswe njengabameleli abakhethekile bendikimba ebusayo. Cishe uPawulu ngokwakhe waba yilungu layo. Noma kunjalo, kulesi sehlakalo ukuba nesono kwabanqoba oPawulu noBarnaba. Ingabe basivumela lesi simo sabangela ingxabano engapheli phakathi kwabo? Nakuba babenesono, uPawulu noBarnaba babengamadoda athobekile, anomqondo kaKristu. Akungabazeki ukuthi ngemva kwesikhathi, babonisa umoya wobuzalwane bobuKristu nokuthethelela. (Efe. 4:1-3) Kamuva, uPawulu noMarku basebenza ndawonye kwezinye izabelo zenkonzo.a—Kol. 4:10.

12. NjengoPawulu noBarnaba, yiziphi izimfanelo abadala namuhla okufanele bazibonise?

¹² Lokhu kuqhuma kwentukuthelo kwakuphambene nobuntu bukaPawulu noBarnaba. UBarnaba wayaziwa njengomuntu onemfudumalo nonomusa—kangangokuthi kunokuba bambize ngegama lakhe elithi Josefa, abaphostoli bamnikeza isibongo esithi Barnaba, okusho ukuthi “iNdodana Yenduduzo.” (IzE. 4:36) UPawulu naye wayaziwa ngokuphatha abanye ngobubele nesisa. (1 Thes. 2:7, 8) NjengoPawulu noBarnaba, bonke ababonisi abangamaKristu namuhla, kuhlanganise nabesigodi, ngaso sonke isikhathi kufanele balwele ukubonisa ukuthobeka, baphathe abanye abadala nawo wonke umhlambi ngobubele.—1 Pet. 5:2, 3.

“Babekhuluma Kahle Ngaye” (IzEnzo 16:1-3)

13, 14. (a) Wayengubani uThimothewu, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wahlangana kanjani naye? (b) Yini eyenza uPawulu waqaphela uThimothewu? (c) Yisiphi isabelo esanikezwa uThimothewu?

¹³ Ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili njengesithunywa sevangeli, uPawulu waya esifundazweni saseRoma, iGalathiya, lapho kwase kukhona khona amabandla ambalwa. Ekugcineni “wafika eDerbe naseListra.” Ukulandisa kuthi: “Kwakukhona umfundi ogama lakhe linguThimothewu, indodana yowesifazane okholwayo ongumJuda kodwa uyise engumGreki.”—IzE. 16:1.b

¹⁴ Kubonakala sengathi uPawulu wayebonene nomndeni wakubo kaThimothewu lapho eqala ukuhambela le ndawo cishe ngonyaka ka-47 C.E. Manje ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili eminyakeni emibili noma emithathu kamuva, uPawulu wayiqaphela ngokukhethekile insizwa enguThimothewu. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi “abazalwane. . . babekhuluma kahle ngaye.” Wayengathandwa abazalwane basendaweni akhulela kuyo kuphela kodwa idumela lakhe lalaziwa nakwamanye amabandla. Ukulandisa kubonisa ukuthi abazalwane eListra nase-Ikoniyu, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-30, babesho izinto ezinhle ngaye. (IzE. 16:2) Beholwa umoya ongcwele, abadala banikeza uThimothewu osemusha isabelo esibalulekile —ukusiza uPawulu noSila njengombonisi ojikelezayo.—IzE. 16:3.

15, 16. Yini eyenza uThimothewu waba nedumela elihle kangaka?

¹⁵ Yini eyenza uThimothewu waba nedumela elihle kangaka esemusha? Ingabe kwakuwukuhlakanipha, ukubukeka noma amakhono akhe emvelo? Ngokuvamile abantu bakhangwa ubuntu obunjalo. Ngisho nomprofethi uSamuweli wake wathonywa kakhulu ukubukeka komuntu. Kodwa uJehova wamkhumbuza: “Indlela umuntu abona ngayo akuyona indlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo, ngoba umuntu ubona okubonakala emehlweni, kodwa uJehova ubona okusenhliziyweni.” (1 Sam. 16:7) Abazalwane babemthanda uThimothewu ngenxa yobuntu bakhe obuhle hhayi ngenxa yamakhono emvelo ayenawo.

¹⁶ Ngemva kweminyaka ethile, umphostoli uPawulu wakhuluma ngezinto eziningi ezinhle ezazenziwa uThimothewu. UPawulu wachaza isimo sikaThimothewu esihle, uthando lokuzidela nenkuthalo ayibonisa ekufezeni izabelo zenkonzo. (Fil. 2:20-22) UThimothewu wayaziwa nangokuba nokholo “olungenabo ubuzenzisi.”—2 Thim. 1:5.

17. Intsha namuhla ingamlingisa kanjani uThimothewu?

¹⁷ Namuhla, intsha eningi ilingisa uThimothewu ngokulwela ukwenza izinto ezithandwa uNkulunkulu. Ngokwenza kanjalo izakhela igama elihle noJehova nabantu bakhe ngisho isencane. (IzAga 22:1; 1 Thim. 4:15) Ibonisa ukholo olungenabo ubuzenzisi, yenqabe ukuphila okumbaxa-mbili. (IHu. 26:4) Ngenxa yalokho, njengoThimothewu, ifeza indima ebalulekile ebandleni. Yeka indlela eyisikhuthazo ngayo kubo bonke abathanda uJehova emabandleni lapho iba abamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle, futhi ngesikhathi esifanele, izinikezela kuJehova futhi ibhapathizwe!

‘Aqiniswa Okholweni’ (IzEnzo 16:4, 5)

18. (a) UPawulu noThimothewu bathola ziphi izabelo njengababonisi abajikelezayo? (b) Abusiswa kanjani amabandla?

¹⁸ UPawulu noThimothewu basebenza iminyaka ndawonye. Njengababonisi abajikelezayo, bafeza izabelo eziningi ezivela endikimbeni ebusayo. IBhayibheli lithi: “Njengoba behamba bedabula amadolobha, babedlulisela kubazalwane lokho okwakunqunywe abaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema ukuze bakugcine.” (IzE. 16:4) Kusobala ukuthi amabandla asilalela isiqondiso esivela kubaphostoli nakubadala eJerusalema. Ngenxa yalokho, “amabandla aqhubeka eqiniswa okholweni futhi anda ngesibalo usuku nosuku.”—IzE. 16:5.

19, 20. Kungani amaKristu kufanele alalele “abaholayo”?

¹⁹ Ngokufanayo, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla bathola izibusiso ngokulalela isiqondiso esivela kulabo “abaholayo” phakathi kwabo. (Heb. 13:17) Ngenxa yokuthi isimo sezwe sishintsha njalo, kusemqoka ngamaKristu ukuba azondle ngokudla okungokomoya okulungiselelwa ‘yinceku ethembekile neqondayo.’ (Math. 24:45; 1 Kor. 7:29-31) Ukwenza kanjalo kungasivikela singakhukhuleki ngokomoya futhi kusisize sizigcine singenabala ezweni.—Jak. 1:27.

²⁰ Yiqiniso, ababonisi abangamaKristu namuhla, kuhlanganise namalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo, banesono njengoba kwakunjalo ngoPawulu, uBarnaba, uMarku nabanye abadala abagcotshiwe bekhulu lokuqala. (Roma 5:12; Jak. 3:2) Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi iNdikimba Ebusayo ililalela ngokucophelela iZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi inamathele esibonelweni sabaphostoli, izibonakalisa inokwethenjelwa. (2 Thim. 1:13, 14) Ngenxa yalokho, amabandla ayakhuthazwa futhi aqiniswe okholweni.