“Uthando Lwakho Lwakuqala”
“Kepha nginalokhu ngawe ukuthi uluyekile uthando lwakho lwakuqala; ngakho khumbula lapho uwé khona, uphenduke.”—ISAMBULO 2:4, 5.
1, 2. (a) Yimaphi amazwi eseluleko uJesu awaqondisa ebandleni lase-Efesu? (b) Yini eyayingabangelwa yilamazwi?
INGABE ungufakazi kaJehova oseneminyaka eminingi yenkonzo yokwethembeka? Uma kunjalo, ubungazizwa kanjani uma othile omhloniphayo ekhuluma kuwe ngendlela engenhla? Ingabe ubungacunuka? Noma ubungacabanga ukuthi wenze iphutha wakhuluma kumuntu okungeyena?
2 Nokho, cishe eminyakeni eyi-1 900 edlule ibandla, lase-Efesu eAsia Minor latshelwa lawomazwi ngesigijimi esasiqondiswe kulo nguJesu Kristu ovusiwe. Amazwi akhe kufanele ukuba abathusa. LawomaKristu e-Efesu abekezela egameni likaJesu futhi amelana nethonya lezihlubuki iminyaka engaphezu kwama-40. (IzEnzo 18:18, 19; Efesu 1:1, 2) “Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho,” kusho uJesu, “nemizamo yakho, nokubekezela kwakho, nokuthi kawunakubamela ababi; wabavivinya abazisho ukuthi bangabaphostoli bengesibo, wabafumana beqamba amanga.” (IsAmbulo 2:2) Babese “qinisweni,” ngokwendlela esikhuluma ngayo. Khona-ke yayiyini inkinga?
3. Yayiyini inkinga yamaKristu ase-Efesu?
3 Balahlekelwa ‘uthando lwabo lwakuqala.’ Babengasakhonzi ngentshiseko efanayo yothando lobuKristu ngoJehova njengasekuqaleni. Ngenxa yalokho, intshiseko yabo yancipha. Ngakho, uJesu wabaxwayisa: “Ngakho khumbula lapho uwé khona, uphenduke, wenze imisebenzi yakho yakuqala.”—IsAmbulo 2:5.
4. Isiphi isixwayiso esingasithatha kokuhlangenwe nakho kwabase-Efesu?
4 Kukhona isixwayiso lapha ngezikhonzi zikaJehova namuhla. Kusobala ukuthi kungenzeka ngisho ngalabo abanokuningi okuhlangenwe nakho njengamaKristu ashisekayo ukuba baphole. Ngaphandle bangabonakala beqinile, kodwa ngaphakathi kungenzeka balahlekelwe uthando olujulile ababenalo ngoJehova. Encwadini eyayiya kwabaseKorinte, uPawulu waxwayisa: “Ngakho-ke osuka ethi umi, akaqaphele ukuba angawi.” (1 Korinte 10:12) Ukuze sisizakale kulokhu, make sibone ukuthi abase-Efesu baluthola kanjani uthando lwabo nokuthi basizwa kanjani ukuba balulondoloze.
UbuKristu E-Efesu
5, 6. Izindaba ezinhle zashunyayelwa kanjani futhi nini e-Efesu?
5 Ekhulwini lokuqala lesiKhathi sethu Esivamile, umuzi wase-Efesu wawuyidolobha elicebile nelichumayo futhi uyisikhungo senkolo yobuqaba kankulunkulukazi uDiyana. Imfundiso ngoJesu njengoMesiya kaJehova yazwakala okokuqala lapho okungenani ngo-52 C.E. lapho uPawulu efika evela eKorinte ehamba nombhangqwana oshadile uAkwila noPrisila. UPawulu ngokwakhe wayengenakuhlala, kodwa uAkwila noPrisila bahlala. Lapho isikhulumi esivelele, uApholo, eqala ukufundisa ‘izindaba eziqondene’ noJesu, lombhangqwana ongamaKristu wasiza ekulungiseni ukungaqondi ayenakho ngobhapathizo. UApholo waqhubeka waba isisebenzi esishisekayo ebandleni lekhulu lokuqala.—IzEnzo 18:24-28.
6 Ezinyangeni ezithile kamuva, uPawulu wabuyela e-Efesu futhi wathola iqembu labafundi cishe abayi-12 ababebhapathizwe ngobhapathizo lukaJohane. Besabela emazwini kaPawulu, babhapathizwa futhi. Khona-ke, washumayela izinyanga ezintathu esinagogeni. Kodwa lapho iningi lamaJuda lingasabeli, uPawulu nabafundi abasha baya ehholo lesikole sikaTiranu lapho aqala ukufundisa khona nsuku zonke.—IzEnzo 19:8-10.
7, 8. Iziphi izehlakalo ezivelele ezaphawula ukukhula kwakuqala kwebandla lase-Efesu?
7 Manje kwaqala isikhathi esiqabulayo e-Efesu. UJehova wenza imisebenzi enamandla yokuphulukisa ngoPawulu. Abantu ababemane bathinte ingubo yakhe babephulukiswa, futhi izwi lokushumayela kwakhe landa kuso sonke isifunda. (IzEnzo 19:11-17) Encwadini ayibhala ngaleso sikhathi, uPawulu watshela ibandla laseKorinte, ngakolunye uhlangothi loLwandle iAegean: “Kepha ngizakuhlala e-Efesu, kuze kufike iPhentekoste; ngokuba ngivulelwe umnyango omkhulu wethuba lokusebenza; nabamelene nami baningi.”—1 Korinte 16:8, 9.
8 UPawulu wahlala e-Efesu iminyaka engaphezu kwemibili. Abaningi bezwa ngothando olukhulu uJehova alubonisa ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuze labo ababenokholo babe nokuphlla okuphakade. Balamukela iqiniso, futhi nothando abalubonisa ngoJehova neNdodana yakhe lwaluqinile. Ababenza imilingo “babuthela ndawonye izincwadi zabo, bazishisa phambi kwabo bonke; bahlanganisa amanani azo, bafumana ukuthi ayizinhlamvu zesiliva eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisihlanu. Kanjalo izwi landa ngamandla eNkosi, lanqoba.” (IzEnzo 19:19, 20) Ake ucabange nje ukuthi kwakuwubufakazi obukhulu kanjani lobo!
9. Ukuqina kothando lwebandla elisha kwavivinywa kanjani?
9 Ngokushesha, ukujula kothando lwabase-Efesu kwavivinywa. E-Efesu, abakhandi besiliva abaningi babephila ngokwenza amathempelana esiliva kaDiyana. Bebona ibandla elincane lamaKristu njengesithiyo ekuphileni kwabo, omunye wabo, uDemetriyu, waqoqa abakhandi besiliva anabo futhi wasusa isiphithiphithi. Ukuphila kwamaKristu lapho kwakusengozini kwaze kwaba yilapho umbhali womuzi ethulisa isixuku. (IzEnzo 19:23-41) Kungenzeka kukhona ukuvivinywa okufanayo okungazange kubhalwe eBhayibhelini, ngoba uPawulu wabhekisela ‘ekulweni nezilo e-Efesu.’ (1 Korinte 15:32) Noma kunjalo, uthando lwentshiseko abase-Efesu ababenalo ngoJehova lwabasiza ukuba babekezele.
10. UPawulu wazama kanjani ngokulandelayo ukukhuthaza abadala base-Efesu?
10 Ekugcineni, uPawulu wahamba e-Efesu. Kodwa ngo-56 C.E., lapho eya eJerusalema, wazithola eseMilethu, ekude ngamakhilomitha angama-48 nje kuphela lapho. Khona-ke wabiza umhlangano wabadala base-Efesu futhi wabakhuthaza ukuba balandele isibonelo sakhe futhi baluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu owawungaphansi kokunakekelwa yibo. Wabaxwayisa ngokukhethekile ‘ngezimpisi ezihahayo’ ezazizovuka phakathi kwabo futhi zidukise abafundi. Waveza futhi ukuthi kwakungenzeka angaphinde ababone ubuso nobuso. Ngalokho “bakhala kakhulu bonke, bamgona uPawulu ngentamo, bamanga.”—IzEnzo 20:17-38.
11. Yini uPawulu ayizwa ngabase-Efesu lapho eseRoma?
11 Lapho uPawulu efika eJerusalema waboshwa ekugcineni wathunyelwa eRoma njengesiboshwa. Elapho, imicabango yakhe yabuyela futhi kubazalwane bakhe e-Efesu, futhi wabhala incwadi eseBhayibhelini ethi “Kwabase-Efesu.” Uthando ngoJehova neNdodana yakhe lwalusaqinile kumaKristu ase-Efesu ngaleso sikhathi, ngoba uPawulu wathi kuwo: “Sengizwile ngokukholwa okukini eNkosini uJesu nothando kubo bonke abangcwele, angiyeki ukubonga ngenxa yenu.”—Efesu 1:15-17.
12. Isiphi iseluleko uPawulu asibhala eRoma esasingasiza abase-Efesu ukuba bagcine ‘uthando lwabo lwakuqala’?
12 Encwadini yakhe, uPawulu wanikeza iseluleko esenzelwe ukubasiza ukuba bagcine uthando lwabo luphilile. Wabakhumbuza ukuthi babephila phakathi nezinsuku ezimbi, khona-ke, kumelwe ‘bathengisise isikhathi,’ bangavumeli ezinye izinto zicinanise ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. (Efesu 5:15-17) UPawulu wakhumbuza futhi abase-Efesu ukuthi izitha zoqobo zazingebona abantu ababezama ukuphikisana nabo. Kunalokho, wathi, “Sibambene . . . nabawomoya bobubi emkhathini.” Ngakho, wabakhuthaza ngokuqinile ukuba bafake isivikelo esingokomoya futhi basondelane noNkulunkulu ngomthandazo.—Efesu 6:11-18.
13. UThimothewu wakwazi kanjani ukusiza abase-Efesu?
13 UPawulu wabhala incwadi yakhe eya kwabase-Efesu cishe ngo-60 noma 61 eSikhathini sethu esiVamile. (Efesu 1:1) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho uThimothewu wahambela e-Efesu, futhi ngesikhathi elapho, wathola incwadi kaPawulu esiyibiza ngokuthi uThimothewu Wokuqala. Kuyo uPawulu wakhuthaza lensizwa ukuba ihlale e-Efesu ukuze “uyale abathile ngokuthi bangafundisi okwahlukileyo, futhi banganaki izinganekwane nezindaba zolibo olokuzalana ezingapheliyo.” (1 Thimothewu 1:3, 4) Ngokungangabazeki ukuba khona kukaThimothewu kulomuzi kwasiza amaKristu ase-Efesu amaningi ukuba agcine uthando lwawo lwentshiseko ngoJehova kungakhathaliseki ithonya elibi elaliwazungezile.
14. (a) UJehova wabaqinisa kanjani abase-Efesu? (b) Naphezu kwalokhu, yini eyenzeka kubo?
14 Cishe ngo-65 C.E., uPawulu wabhala incwadi yakhe yesibili kuThimothewu. Kuyona waphawula ukuthi wayethumele esinye isithunywa e-Efesu, uThikhiku. (2 Thimothewu 4:12) Yilapho sigcina khona ukufunda nge-Efesu kuze kube ilapho uJesu ethumela isigijimi sakhe esibhalwe encwadini yesAmbulo. AmaKristu ase-Efesu ayeyizithelo zokushumayela kukamphostoli uPawulu. Ayezuzile ekuhanjelweni kwamuva ngamaKristu avelele anjengoThimothewu, athola iseluleko ngencwadi ephefumlelwe ngomoya ongcwele futhi ayeyingxenye ‘yomzimba munye.’ (Efesu 4:4) Nokho alahla ‘uthando ayenalo kuqala.’
Iseluleko Esiqinile Siyadingeka
15, 16. (a) Kungani abanye bengaba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakungalindeleka ukuba abase-Efesu balahlekelwe intshiseko ethile yothando ababenalo ekuqaleni? (b) Ingabe uJesu wazizwa ngaleyondlela ngakho?
15 Abanye bangabheka isilinganiso esithile sokuphola kwentshiseko yothando lwabase-Efesu njengesiqondakalayo. Kakade, kwasekunebandla e-Efesu iminyaka engaphezu kwama-40 lapho uJesu ethumela isigijimi sakhe ngoJohane. Abaningi, ngokungangabazeki, abazange basikhumbule isibonelo esihle sika-Akwila noPrisila noma ukushumayela okushukumisayo kuka-Apholo. Umphostoli uPawulu wayesefe iminyaka engama-30. IJerusalema laliye labhujiswa iminyaka engamashumi amabili nengxenye ngaphambili. Ngakho kwakungase kulindelwe ukuba amaKristu ase-Efesu ahlale ngokunethezeka, alahlekelwe umuzwa wawo wokuphuthuma nentshiseko.
16 Nokho, uJesu akazange asithethelele isimo esinjalo. Abanye ababengamaKristu isikhathi eside njengabase-Efesu noma ngaphezulu abazange balahle ‘uthando lwabo lwakuqala.’ Umphostoli uJohane, owabhala isigijimi sikaJesu esiya kwabase-Efesu, kakade wayengumlandeli kaKristu iminyaka engaphezu kwama-20 lapho uPawulu eletha izindaba ezinhle e-Efesu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, labo bebandla laseFiladelfiya banikeza ubufakazi obuqinile bokuthi abazange balulahle ‘uthando lwabo lwakuqala.’—IsAmbulo 3:7-11.
17. Sasiyini iseluleko sikaJesu kumaKristu ase-Efesu?
17 Ngakho-ke, uJesu wayengeqisi lapho ngokuqinile etshela abase-Efesu ukuthi uma bengaphenduki futhi bengaluvuseleli uthando lwabo, cishe babeyolahlekelwa. Wathi: “Ngilususe uthi lwesibani sakho endaweni yalo, uma ungaphenduki.” (IsAmbulo 2:5) Lokhu kwakungekhona ukuwasongela lawomaKristu kodwa kwakuwukuwanikeza isixwayiso sothando, ewakhuthaza ukuba asebenze ngokuhlakanipha ukuze angalahlekelwa amalungelo awo.
Isizathu Sokulahleka ‘Kothando Lwakuqala’
18, 19. (a) Iyiphi intshiseko amaIsrayeli ayenayo lapho ekhululwa eGibithe? (b) Kungani alahlekelwa yileyontshiseko?
18 Kungani abantu belahlekelwa uthando lwabo lwakuqala ngoJehova nentshiseko yokwenza intando yakhe? IBhayibheli alisitsheli okwenzeka kwabase-Efesu. Kodwa kukhona ezinye izibonelo eBhayibhelini zokuthile okufanayo okwenzeka. Khumbula amaIsrayeli ayeholwa uMose ewakhipha eGibithe. Ngemva kokubona ubufakazi bemisebenzi kaJehova yamandla eyafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngokubhujiswa kukaFaro nempi yakhe oLwandle Olubomvu, abantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhululiwe babenentshiseko enkulu. “Ngubani onjengawe Jehova phakathi kwawonkulunkulu?” behlabelela ngokwesasa. (Eksodusi 15:11; IHubo 136:1, 15) Kamuva, lapho uJehova enza isivumelwano nabo, bamemeza ngazwi linye: “Konke akukhulumileyo uJehova siyakukwenza, silalele.”—Eksodusi 24:7.
19 Nokho isimo samaIsrayeli sashintsha ngokushesha. Ukuntuleka kwamanzi kwesikhashana, ukuntuleka kwezinhlobo zokudla, ukwesaba amaKhanani nezinye izinkinga kwawenza akhohlwa izenzo zikaJehova zamandla nesivumelwano ayesenze nawo. Phela, ngisho neGibithe elalikude laphaya, izwe lawo lobugqila, laqala ukubukeka likhanga! Akhohlwa unya olulukhuni lwabaseGibithe futhi acabanga kuphela ‘izinhlanzi, amakukamba, amakhabe, amaliki, ohanyanisi nesweli’ ake akudla lapho.—Numeri 11:5.
20, 21. (a) Iziphi izindaba ezijabulisayo amaJuda azizwa ngosuku lukaKoresi, futhi zaba namuphi umphumela? (b) Yini eyabangela ukuba intshiseko yawo inciphe?
20 Khumbula, futhi, amaJuda abuya ekuthunjweni iBabiloni ngo-537 B.C.E. Cabanga nje injabulo yawo lapho ezwa isimemezelo sikaKoresi: “UJehova . . . ungiyalile ukumakhela indlu eJerusalema lakwaJuda. Noma [yi]muphi phakathi kwenu kubo bonke abantu bakhe, uNkulunkulu wakhe makabe-naye, akhuphukele eJerusalema lakwaJuda, akhe indlu kaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.” (Ezra 1:2, 3) Amashumi ezinkulungwane asabela, futhi kwakukhona injabulo enkulu lapho isisekelo sethempeli elisha sibekwa ekugcineni.—Ezra 2:64; 3:10-13.
21 Nokho, leyontshiseko ngokushesha yancipha. Izitha ezingomakhelwane zaphikisa futhi zakhipha isimemezelo esingokomthetho sokuba kumiswe umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwethempeli. (Ezra, isahluko 4) AmaJuda aqala ukuzakhela izindlu ezinhle. (Hagayi 1:4) Eqinisweni, ayelokhu ezicabanga njengabaqhubi benkolo yobuJuda. Ayengalulahlile ukholo lwawo. Kodwa ayelahle uthando olushisayo ayenalo ngaphambili ngoJehova nezithakazelo zokukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngokungangabazeki, ayecabanga ukuthi ayelinganisela futhi kunengqondo lokho ayekwenza. Kodwa uJehova akazange avume. Wathumela abaprofethi uHagayi noZakariya ukuba bashukumise intshiseko yawo futhi bawakhuthaze ukuba aqede ukwakha indlu kaJehova.—Ezra 5:1, 2
22, 23. (a) Yini engabangela amaKristu namuhla ukuba alahlekelwe uthando lwawo lwakuqala? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esalele ukuba siyicabangele?
22 Okufanayo nalokhu kungenzeka kumaKristu esikhathini sethu. Izinkinga zansuku zonke zokuphila ezweni elingelona elobuKristu zingafiphaza injabulo yawo. Njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka, iqiniso lingapheza ukuba ngeliqabulayo nelishukumisayo. Kungenzeka ngisho nokuba, njengoba isikhathi sicima inkumbulo yokuthi kwakunjani ukuba sezweni, umKristu abheke ngokulangazelela lokho okuthiwa inkululeko, ukungakhathali ngezinto, lokho abantu bezwe abanakho. (Efesu 2:11, 12) Noma amaKristu angakhathazwa isimo sabantu abawazungezile. Angase avumele umqondo wokuthi kuwukulinganisela ukungayishisekeli kakhulu inkonzo kaNkulunkulu, ukunciphisa intshiseko kancane.—Jeremiya 17:9.
23 Okuthile okunjengalokhu kumelwe ukuba kwenzeka kumaKristu ase-Efesu, kodwa uJesu ngokukhanyayo waba nomuzwa wokuthi ayengavuseleleka. Eqinisweni, ngomphostoli uPawulu kakade ayethole iseluleko esiningi, okwakungathi, uma sisetshenziswa, sisize ekubuyiseleni ‘uthando lwawo lwakuqala.’ Sasiyini lesiseluleko esibalulekile? Ingabe singasisiza ukuba sigcine ‘uthando lwethu lwakuqala’ namuhla? Sizoxoxa ngalokhu esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula—
□ Iyiphi inkinga eyayikhona ebandleni lase-Efesu?
□ Yiluphi usizo uJehova abanika lona?
□ Kungani amaIsrayeli ngosuku lukaMose alahlekelwa intshiseko yawo?
□ Yini eyabangela amaIsrayeli esikhathi sikaEzra ukuba alahlekelwe intshiseko yawo?
□ Yini engasiholela ukuba silahlekelwe ‘uthando esasinalo lwakuqala’?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
Mhlawumbe ngenxa yezizathu zezinto ezibonakalayo, amalungu ebandla lase-Efesu ayeka uthando ayenalo kuqala
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
UHagayi wabuza amaJuda: ‘Ingabe kuyisikhathi sokuba nihlale ezindlini zenu ezembesiweyo, indlu kaJehova iseyize na?’