Ababona Abathengisi BeZwi LikaNkulunkulu

“SASITHENGISA intshumayelo yethu ngemali.” Lawo amazwi alowo “owayengumfundisi oshumayela emsakazweni” okwakhulunywa naye engxoxweni eshubile yabashumayeli bethelevishini baseMelika ngasekupheleni kuka-1991.

Loluhlelo lwalugxile kubefundisi abathathu abashumayela kuthelevishini eUnited States. Lwembula ukuthi abantu baphundlwa amashumi ezigidi zamarandi unyaka ngamunye yilaba abathathu nje. Omunye “umfundisi” wachazwa “njengefekthri yeminikelo esithuthuke kakhulu.” Bonke babehileleke ekukhwabaniseni okuningi. Ingabe lokhu kuyakushaqisa?

Inkolo Iyahlolisiswa

Akukhona ukushumayela kuthelevishini kuphela kodwa ngisho nezinkolo zobuorthodox, ezingathathi-hlangothi zibhekwe ngeso elibukhali ohulumeni, izinhlangano zokuvimbela ukwephulwa komthetho, nabantu abavamile. Ngezinye izikhathi ukuba kwesonto nezabelo zezimali ezimbonini, izithakazelo ezingokwezombangazwe ezixhaswa yinkolo ngokwezimali, nokuphila ngokutamasa kwabefundisi abakhokhelwa imali eningi kuye kwaphakamisa imibuzo ngokufaneleka kwenkolo.

Abanye abaholi benkolo bafanelana kanjani nencazelo enhle yenkonzo yobuKristu eyanikezwa umphostoli uPawulu cishe eminyakeni engu-2 000 edlule? Wabhala: “Asinjengabaningi abonakalisa izwi likaNkulunkulu ngenxa yenzuzo, [asibona abathengisi bezwi likaNkulunkulu, NW] kodwa njengabaqotho, njengabavela kuNkulunkulu sikhuluma phambi kukaNkulunkulu sikuKristu.” (2 Korinte 2:17) Obani abafanela leyoncazelo namuhla?

Ukuze sikusize ukuba uqhathanise izinto, ake sihlole indlela inkonzo yobuKristu kaPawulu nabangane bakhe eyayisekelwa ngayo ngokwezimali. Yayihluke ngayiphi indlela kweyabanye bosuku lwakhe?

Abashumayeli Abajikelezayo Bekhulu Lokuqala

Kwakungeyena yedwa uPawulu owayengumshumayeli ojikelezayo. Ngalesosikhathi abaningi babejikeleza ukuze baqhubekisele phambili imibono yabo ngenkolo nefilosofi. Umlobi weBhayibheli uLuka ukhuluma ‘ngabathile kubaJuda abayizinzulane ababekhipha amademoni.’ (IzEnzo 19:13) Lapho uJesu Kristu elahla abaFarisi, wanezela: “Nihamba ulwandle nomhlaba ukuba nithole nokuba iproselite lilinye.” (Mathewu 23:15) UJesu ngokwakhe wayeyisikhonzi esijikelezayo. Waqeqesha abaphostoli nabafundi bakhe ukuba bamlingise ngokushumayela hhayi nje eJudiya naseSamariya kuphela kodwa “kuze kube-sekugcineni komhlaba.”—IzEnzo 1:8.

Phakathi nokujikeleza kwabo, abalandeli bakaJesu bahlangana nabashumayeli abangewona amaJuda. EAthene, uPawulu waphikisana nezazi zefilosofi zamaEpikuru namaStoyiku. (IzEnzo 17:18) Kuwo wonke uMbuso waseRoma, amaCynic ayeshukumisa abantu ngokumemeza lapho ekhuluma. Abashisekeli bakaIsis noSerapis bakhulisa ithonya labo phezu kwabesifazane nezigqila ngezithembiso zokulingana ngokwenkolo nangokwenhlalo namadoda akhululekile. Ukukhulekelwa kwenzalo kwaseMpumalanga kwanikeza isiqalo sezinkolo eziningi eziyimfihlakalo zezwe lamaGreki namaRoma. Isithembiso sokuhlawulwa esonweni nesifiso sokuhlanganyela izimfihlakalo zaphezulu kwadonsela abalandeli konkulunkulu bamanga uDemeter, uDionysus, noCybele.

Kwakuhlangatshezwana Kanjani Nezindleko?

Nokho, ukujikeleza kwakubiza. Ngaphandle kwezindleko zokuthuthwa kwempahla, intela yendlela, nokuhamba ngemikhumbi, abajikelezi babedinga ukudla, indawo yokuhlala, izinkuni, izembatho, nokunakekela impilo. Abashumayeli, abafundisi, izazi zefilosofi, nabalumbi babenelisa lezidingo ngezindlela ezinhlanu eziyinhloko. (1) Babefundisa ukuze bakhokhelwe; (2) babesebenza benza imisebenzi ebukelwa phansi nemisebenzi yezandla; (3) babemukela umoya wokuphana neminikelo yokuzithandela; (4) babezihlanganisa namakhosi acebile, ngokuvamile befundisa abantwana bawo; futhi (5) babenxiba. Sizifaka ehlazweni isinxibi esaziwayo esingumCynic uDiogenes sanxiba ngisho nemifanekiso eqoshiwe engaphili njengezipho kwabasweleyo.

UPawulu wayazi abashumayeli abathile ababethi bayizikhonzi ezingamaKristu, kodwa njengezazi ezithile zamaGreki, ababehlakulela ubuhlobo nabacebile futhi bebela abampofu. Wasola ibandla laseKorinte, ethi: “Niyabekezela, uma umuntu . . . enidla, uma enibamba, [ephanga lokho eninakho, NW].” (2 Korinte 11:20) UJesu Kristu akazange aphange noma yini, ngisho noPawulu nezisebenzi ayekanye nazo. Kodwa abashumayeli baseKorinte abahahayo ‘babengabaphostoli bamanga, izisebenzi ezikhohlisayo,’ nezikhonzi zikaSathane.—2 Korinte 11:13-15.

Iziyalezo zikaJesu kubafundi bakhe zazikwenqabela ukufundisa ngenjongo yokukhokhelwa. “Namukelisiwe ngesihle, yiphani ngesihle.” (Mathewu 10:8) Nakuba ukunxiba kwakuvamile, kwakubukelwa phansi ngalezozinsuku. Komunye wemifanekiso yakhe, uJesu uveza umphathi othile ethi, “nginamahloni ukunxiba.” (Luka 16:3) Ngakho, akukho ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli lapho sithola khona abafundi bakaJesu abathembekile becela imali noma izimpahla. Babephila ngalesimiso: “Uma umuntu engathandi ukusebenza, makangadli.”—2 Thesalonika 3:10.

UJesu wakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuba banakekele izidingo zabo ngezindlela ezimbili. Okokuqala, njengoba uPawulu akubeka, ‘babengaphila ngevangeli.’ Kanjani? Ngokwamukela umoya wokuphana oboniswa ngokuzithandela. (1 Korinte 9:14; Luka 10:7) Okwesibili, babengazondla ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo.—Luka 22:36.

Izimiso Ezasetshenziswa UPawulu

UPawulu wazisebenzisa kanjani izimiso ezandulelayo? Nokho, ngokuqondene nohambo lwesibili lwalomphostoli lokushumayela, uLuka wabhala: “Samuka eTrowa ngomkhumbi, saqonda eSamotrake, ngangomuso safika eNeyapholi. Sisuka lapho saya eFilipi elingumuzi oyikhanda lesifunda saseMakedoniya, ikoloni. Kulowomuzi sahlala izinsuku ezithile.” Konke okwakuhilelekile, uhambo, ukudla, nendawo yokuhlala kwanakekelwa yibona siqu.—IzEnzo 16:11, 12.

Ekugcineni, owesifazane okuthiwa uLidiya wakwamukela “okwakhulunywa nguPawulu. Kuthé esebhapathiziwe kanye nendlu yakhe, wasincenga wathi: Uma nithi ngikholekile eNkosini, ngenani endlini yami, nihlale khona; wasicindezela.” (IzEnzo 16:13-15) Mhlawumbe okungenani ngokwengxenye ngenxa yomoya wokuphana kaLidiya, uPawulu wayengabhalela akholwa kanye nabo eFilipi: “Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami ekunikhumbuleni kwami konke ngezikhathi zonke ekunxuseni kwami konke ngani nonke, nginxusa ngokuthokoza, ngenxa yokuhlanganyela kwenu evangelini, kusukela osukwini lokuqala kuze kube-manje.”—Filipi 1:3-5.

ULuka ucaphuna izibonelo eziningi zabantu ababemukela lezisebenzi ezingamaKristu ezijikelezayo. (IzEnzo 16:33, 34; 17:7; 21:7, 8, 16; 28:2, 7, 10, 14) Ezincwadini zakhe eziphefumlelwe, uPawulu wawuqaphela futhi wawubonga umoya wokuphana nezipho ayezamukele. (Roma 16:23; 2 Korinte 11:9; Galathiya 4:13, 14; Filipi 4:15-18) Nokho, akazange yena noma abangane bakhe basikisele ukuthi kufanele banikezwe izipho noma ukusekelwa okungokwezimali. OFakazi BakaJehova bangasho ukuthi lesimo sengqondo esihle sisabonakala phakathi kwababonisi babo abajikelezayo.

Wayengathembele Ekuphiweni

UPawulu wayengathembele ekuphiweni. Wayefunde umsebenzi wezandla owawudinga ukuzikhandla namahora amaningi kodwa owawunikeza iholo eliphansi. Lapho lomphostoli efika eKorinte njengesithunywa sevangeli, “wafumana khona umJuda othile ogama lakhe linguAkwila . . . enoPrisila umkakhe; . . . weza kubo; lokhu wayemsebenzi munye nabo, wahlala nabo, basebenza. Ngokuba umsebenzi wabo kwakungukuthunga amatende.”—IzEnzo 18:1-3.

Kamuva, e-Efesu, uPawulu wayesazikhandla kulomsebenzi. (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 20:34; 1 Korinte 4:11, 12.) Kungenzeka wayechwepheshile ekusebenzeni ngecilicium indwangu yamatende emaholo, yoboya bembuzi yasendaweni yakubo. Singamcabanga uPawulu ehlezi esitulweni, ekhothamele ebhentshini lakhe asebenzela kulo, esika futhi ethunga kuze kube sebusuku kakhulu. Njengoba kungenzeka umsindo wendlu yokusebenzela wawumncane, wenza kube lula ukukhuluma kuyilapho usebenza, kungenzeka uPawulu wayelithola ithuba lokufakaza kumnikazi wendlu yokusebenzela, abaqashwa bakhe, izinceku, amakhasimende, nabangane.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:9.

UPawulu oyisithunywa sevangeli wakwenqaba ukwenza inkonzo yakhe ibhizinisi noma ukunikeza nganoma iyiphi indlela umbono wokuthi wayesebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze athole inzuzo engokwezimali. Watshela abaseThesalonika: “Nani niyazi ngokwenu ukuthi kufanele nisilingise kanjani, ngokuba asihambanga ngokungafanele phakathi kwenu, asidlanga-sinkwa samuntu ngesihle, kodwa sadla ngokukhandleka nangokukhathazeka, sisebenza ubusuku nemini ukuba singasindi-muntu kini, kungengokuba singenalo ilungelo, kodwa ukuze sizinikele sibe-yisibonelo kini sokuba nisilingise.”—2 Thesalonika 3:7-9.

Abalingisi Bangekhulu Lamashumi Amabili Leminyaka

Nanamuhla oFakazi BakaJehova balandela isibonelo esihle sikaPawulu. Abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo abatholi-holo noma ngisho imali yokukhokhela izindleko zabo emabandleni abawakhonzayo. Kunalokho bondla imikhaya yabo njengawo wonke umuntu, abaningi babo ngokungenela umsebenzi wokuziphilisa. Izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezingamaphayona nazo ziyazondla, eziningi zisebenza nje ngokwanele ukuze zanelise izidingo eziyisisekelo. Unyaka ngamunye abanye oFakazi bahamba ngezindleko zabo siqu ukuyoshumayela ezindaweni ezikude ezifinyelelwa ngokwethukela ngezindaba ezinhle. Uma imikhaya yalezozindawo ibamema ukuba bahlanganyele nayo ukudla noma indawo yokuhlala, bayakwazisa lokhu kodwa abawusebenzisi kabi umoya onjalo wokuphana.

Konke ukushumayela nokufundisa okwenziwa oFakazi BakaJehova kungokokuzithandela, futhi abalokothi bafune inkokhelo ngenkonzo yabo. Nokho, iminikelo yesizotha emsebenzini wabo wokushumayela womhlaba wonke iyamukelwa bese idluliselwa eWatch Tower Society ukuze ifeze leyonjongo. (Mathewu 24:14) Inkonzo yoFakazi ayilona ibhizinisi nganoma iyiphi indlela. NjengoPawulu ngamunye wabo angathi eqinisile: “Nganishumayeza ngesihle ivangeli likaNkulunkulu.” (2 Korinte 11:7) OFakazi BakaJehova ababona ‘abathengisi bezwi likaNkulunkulu.’

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INDLELA ABANYE ABENZA NGAYO IMINIKELO EMSEBENZINI WOKUSHUMAYELA NGOMBUSO

◻ IZIPHO: Iminikelo yokuzithandela yemali ingase ithunyelwe ngokuqondile eWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York 11201, noma ehhovisi legatsha lendawo leNhlangano. Amatshe ayigugu noma ezinye izinto eziyigugu nakho kunganikelwa. Incwadi emfushane ebonisa ukuthi okunjalo kuyisipho esiqondile kufanele ihambisane naleminikelo.

◻ ILUNGISELELO LOMNIKELO ONOMBANDELA: Imali ingase inikwe iWatch Tower Society ngendlela yokuyigcina kuze kufe umniniyo, ngelungiselelo lokuthi uma kuphakama isidingo somuntu siqu, iyobuyiselwa kumniniyo.

◻ UMSHUWALENSE: IWatch Tower Society ingabhaliswa njengendlalifa yomshwalense kungaba owokuphila noma owomhlala-phansi/wokuguga. INhlangano kumelwe yaziswe nganoma yimaphi amalungiselelo anjalo.

◻ IZIMPAHLA NEMALI EBANJISIWE: Izimpahla nemali ebanjisiwe kunganikelwa eWatch Tower Society njengesipho esiqondile noma ngaphansi kwelungiselelo lapho imali engenayo iqhubeka ikhokhelwa umniniyo.

◻ IZINDLU NEZINDAWO: Izindlu nezindawo ezisesimweni esifanelekile zinganikelwa eWatch Tower Society ngokwenza isipho esiqondile noma ngokuthi indawo igcinelwe umniniyo, ongaqhubeka ehlala kuyo phakathi nesikhathi sokuphila kwakhe. Umuntu kumelwe athinte iNhlangano ngaphambi kokuba enze noma yimuphi umnikelo wendlu nendawo eNhlanganweni.

◻ IZINCWADI ZEFA: Impahla noma imali ingabhaliswa ngeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania njengefa ngokusebenzisa incwadi yefa ebhalwe ngokomthetho. Ikhophi yencwadi yefa kumelwe ithunyelwe eNhlanganweni. (ENingizimu Afrika izincwadi zefa kumelwe zibhaliswe ngeJehovah’s Witnesses of South Africa.)

Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwengeziwe ngokuphathelene nezindaba ezinjalo, bhalela iTreasurer’s Office, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Private Bag X2067, Krugersdorp, 1740, noma ubhalele ihhovisi legatsha lendawo leNhlangano.

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WAYEFUNA UKUSIZA

UTIFFANY oneminyaka eyishumi nanye ubudala uyintombazane efunda isikole eBaton Rouge, eLouisiana, eU.S.A. Muva nje, loFakazi kaJehova osemusha waloba indaba ngesihloko esithi “Imfundo EMelika.” Ngenxa yalokhu, abazali bakhe abangoFakazi bathola lencwadi evela kuthisha-nhloko wesikole:

“Phakathi nesonto okuthiwa eleMfundo YaseMelika, kufundwa indaba eyodwa ephuma phambili yebanga ngalinye ngesimiso sangaphakathi sokuxhumana. Ngibe nenjabulo yokusebenzisa indaba kaTiffany ekuseni namuhla. Uyintombazane ephawuleka ngempela. Unesizotha, ukuzethemba, ikhono, nomusa. Kuyethukela ukuba ngibone umfundi webanga lesine onalezimfanelo eziningi kangaka. UTiffany uwusizo esikoleni sethu.”

UTiffany waphuma phambili emncintiswaneni wendaba elotshwayo. Ngemva kwalokho wabhalela iWatch Tower Society futhi wathi: “Mhlawumbe ngimane ngawina lomncintiswano ngenxa yencwadi ethi Intsha Iyabuza—Izimpendulo Ezisebenzayo. . . . Ngisebenzise izahluko ezikhuluma ngemfundo. . . . Nginibonga kakhulu ngokunyathelisa lencwadi ewusizo neshukumisayo. Ngenxa yokuphumelela kwami endabeni elotshwayo, ngizuze amadollar ayisikhombisa. Nginikela lamadollar angu-7 nangu-13 engeziwe, okwenza ingqikithi yamadollar angu-20 emsebenzini wokushumayela womhlaba wonke. . . . Lapho sengikhulile, nami nginethemba lokungenela inkonzo yaseBethel.”

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Ngezinye izikhathi, uPawulu wayeziphilisa ngokwenza amatende