U-Apholo—Ummemezeli Weqiniso LobuKristu Oqephuzayo

KUNGAKHATHALISEKI ukuthi sebeye baba amalungu ebandla lobuKristu iminyaka eminingi noma embalwa nje, bonke abamemezeli boMbuso kufanele babe nesithakazelo sokwenza intuthuko njengabashumayeli bezindaba ezinhle. Lokhu kusho ukwandisa ulwazi lwethu lweZwi likaNkulunkulu nekhono lethu lokulifundisa abanye. Kwabanye, kungase kusho ukubhekana nezinselele, ukunqoba ubunzima obuthile, noma ukuzenza batholakalele umsebenzi owengeziwe.

IBhayibheli liqukethe izibonelo eziningana zabesilisa nabesifazane abazinikele bezikhathi zasendulo, abaphumelela ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ukwenza intuthuko enkulu engokomoya futhi bathola imivuzo ngenxa yemizamo yabo. Omunye wabo kwakungu-Apholo. Lapho imiBhalo imethula kithi, ungumuntu onokuqonda okungaphelele ngezimfundiso zobuKristu; nokho, eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, usebenza njengommeleli ojikelezayo webandla lekhulu lokuqala. Yini eyamenza wakwazi ukwenza intuthuko enjalo? Wayenezimfanelo sonke esiyobe senza kahle uma sizilingisa.

“Wayeyazi Kahle ImiBhalo”

Cishe ngonyaka ka-52 C.E., ngokomlobi weBhayibheli uLuka, “umJuda othile ogama lakhe lingu-Apholo, ongowokuzalwa e-Aleksandriya, indoda eqephuzayo, wafika e-Efesu; futhi wayeyazi kahle imiBhalo. Lomuntu wayefundiswe ngomlomo indlela kaJehova, futhi njengoba ayevutha ngomoya, waqala ukukhuluma nokufundisa ngokuqondile izinto eziphathelene noJesu, kodwa ejwayelene nobhapathizo lukaJohane kuphela. Futhi lomuntu waqala ukukhuluma ngesibindi esinagogeni.”—IzEnzo 18:24-26.

I-Aleksandriya, eseGibithe, yayiyidolobha lesibili elikhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni ngemva kweRoma futhi yayingesinye sezikhungo zamasiko ezibaluleke kunazo zonke ngaleso sikhathi kokubili kumaJuda nakumaGreki. Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Apholo waba nolwazi oluhle lwemiBhalo yesiHeberu futhi wayeqephuza ngezinga elithile ngenxa yemfundo ayithola emphakathini omkhulu wamaJuda wakulelo dolobha. Ukuthi u-Apholo wayelutholephi ulwazi ngoJesu kunzima kakhulu ukukuqonda. “Kusobala ukuthi wayengumhambi wamazwe—mhlawumbe umhwebi ojikelezayo,” kusikisela isazi uF. F. Bruce, “futhi kungenzeka ukuthi wahlangana nabashumayeli abangamaKristu kwenye yezindawo eziningi ayezihambela.” Nokho, nakuba ayekhuluma futhi efundisa ngokuqondile ngoJesu, kubonakala sengathi washunyayezwa ngaphambi kwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., ngoba ‘wayejwayelene nobhapathizo lukaJohane kuphela.’

Njengomanduleli kaJesu, uJohane uMbhapathizi wayenikeze ubufakazi obunamandla kuso sonke isizwe sama-Israyeli, futhi abaningi babhapathizwa nguye njengophawu lokuphenduka. (Marku 1:5; Luka 3:15, 16) Ngokwezazi-mlando ezithile, phakathi kwamaJuda oMbuso waseRoma, ulwazi lwabantu abaningi ngoJesu lwalugcina kulokho okwakushunyayelwe ezingwini zeJordani. “UbuKristu babo babusezingeni obabukulo ekuqaleni kwenkonzo yeNkosi yethu,” kusho uW. J. Conybeare noJ. S. Howson. “Babengayazi incazelo ephelele yokufa kukaKristu; kungenzeka ukuthi babengazi ngisho nangokuvuswa kwaKhe.” Kubonakala sengathi u-Apholo wayengazi nangokuthululwa komoya ongcwele ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Noma kunjalo, wayethole ukwaziswa okuthile okuqondile ngoJesu, futhi akazange akugodle. Empeleni, ngesibindi wafuna amathuba okukhuluma ngalokho ayekwazi. Nokho, intshiseko yakhe yayingakabi ngokolwazi olunembile.

Wayeshiseka Kodwa Ethobekile

Ukulandisa kukaLuka kuyaqhubeka: “Lapho oPrisila no-Akwila bemuzwa, bamfaka phakathi kwabo base bemchasisela indlela kaNkulunkulu ngokuqonde ngokwengeziwe.” (IzEnzo 18:26) Kumelwe ukuba u-Akwila noPrisila baqaphela ukuthi ukholo luka-Apholo lwalufana ngezindlela eziningi nolwabo, kodwa ngokuhlakanipha abazange bazame ukulungisa ukuqonda kwakhe okungaphelele obala. Kungenzeka ukuthi baba nezingxoxo eziningana zangasese no-Apholo, ngenjongo yokumsiza. Wasabela kanjani u-Apholo, indoda “enamandla . . . emiBhalweni”? (IzEnzo 18:24, Kingdom Interlinear) Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Apholo wayesenesikhathi esithile eshumayela isigijimi sakhe esingaphelele obala ngaphambi kokuba ahlangane no-Akwila noPrisila. Umuntu ozidlayo wayengakwenqaba kalula ukwamukela noma ikuphi ukulungiswa, kodwa u-Apholo wayethobekile futhi wakujabulela ukukwazi ukuphelelisa ulwazi lwakhe.

Isimo sengqondo esifanayo sokungaqhoshi sika-Apholo sibonakala nasekuzimiseleni kwakhe ukwamukela incwadi yokutusa evela kubazalwane base-Efesu eya ebandleni laseKorinte. Ukulandisa kuyaqhubeka: “Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngenxa yokuthi wayefisa ukuwelela e-Akhaya, abafowethu balobela abafundi, bebanxusa ukuba bamamukele ngomusa.” (IzEnzo 18:27; 19:1) U-Apholo akazange afune ngenkani ukwamukelwa ngenxa yezimfanelo zakhe kodwa ngokuthobeka walandela ilungiselelo lebandla lobuKristu.

EKorinte

Imiphumela yokuqala yenkonzo ka-Apholo eKorinte yayimihle kakhulu. Incwadi yezEnzo iyabika: “Lapho efika khona, wabasiza kakhulu labo ababekholiwe ngenxa yomusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu; ngoba ngamandla wabonisa ngokuphelele obala ukuthi amaJuda ayenephutha, kuyilapho ebonisa ngemiBhalo ukuthi uJesu unguKristu.”—IzEnzo 18:27, 28.

U-Apholo wazenza watholakala ukuze akhonze ibandla, ekhuthaza abazalwane ngokulungiselela kwakhe nentshiseko. Sasiyini isihluthulelo sempumelelo yakhe? Ngokuqinisekile u-Apholo wayenekhono elingokwemvelo futhi wayenesibindi ekusekeleni inkulumo-mpikiswano yasobala namaJuda. Kodwa okubaluleke nakakhulu, wayebonisana nabo esebenzisa imiBhalo.

Nakuba u-Apholo ayenethonya elinamandla kwabaseKorinte, ngeshwa ukushumayela kwakhe kwaveza imiphumela emibi engalindelekile. Kanjani? Bobabili uPawulu no-Apholo babenze okuningi okuhle ekutshaleni nasekuniseleni imbewu yeqiniso loMbuso eKorinte. UPawulu wayeshumayele lapho cishe ngo-50 C.E., okungaba iminyaka emibili ngaphambi kokufika kuka-Apholo. Ngesikhathi uPawulu ebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte, cishe ngo-55 C.E., kwase kwakheke amaqembu. Abanye babebheka u-Apholo njengomholi wabo, kuyilapho abanye bethanda uPawulu noma uPetru noma bebambelela kuKristu kuphela. (1 Korinte 1:10-12) Abanye babethi: “Mina ngingoka-Apholo.” Ngani?

Isigijimi esasishunyayelwa uPawulu no-Apholo sasifana, kodwa babenobuntu obungafani. UPawulu ngokwakhe wavuma ukuthi ‘wayengenalo ikhono ekukhulumeni’; ngakolunye uhlangothi, u-Apholo ‘wayeqephuza.’ (2 Korinte 10:10; 11:6) Wayenamakhono ayemenza alalelwe amanye amalungu omphakathi wamaJuda eKorinte. Waphumelela ‘ekuboniseni ngokuphelele ukuthi amaJuda ayenephutha,’ nakuba uPawulu, ngaphambidlana nje, alishiya isinagoge.—IzEnzo 18:1, 4-6.

Ingabe yileso sizathu esabangela ukuba abathile bathambekele ngaku-Apholo? Abakhulumeli abathile bacabanga ukuthi isifiso esinamandla sengxoxo yefilosofi kumaGreki kungenzeka saholela abathile ekubeni bathande indlela yokukhuluma ka-Apholo eshukumisa ngokwengeziwe. UGiuseppe Ricciotti usikisela ukuthi “ulimi [luka-Apholo] olukhangayo nemifanekiso yakhe yobugagu kwenza ukuba athandwe abaningi ababemazisa kunoPawulu, isikhulumi esiphansi nesingaqephuzi.” Uma ngempela abathile bavumela ngokungafanele ukuba ukukhetha okunjalo komuntu siqu kwakhe ukuhlukana phakathi kwabazalwane, kulula ukuqonda ukuthi kungani uPawulu akugxeka ngokuqinile ukuphakanyiswa ‘kokuhlakanipha kwabantu.’—1 Korinte 1:17-25.

Nokho, ukugxeka okunjalo akusho ukuthi kwakukhona ukungezwani phakathi kukaPawulu no-Apholo. Nakuba abanye beye bacabangela ukuthi laba bashumayeli ababili babeyizitha ezinkulu ezibanga ukuzuza uthando lwabaseKorinte, imiBhalo ayisho lutho olunjalo. Kunokuba azame ukuzenza umholi weqembu, u-Apholo wahamba eKorinte, wabuyela e-Efesu, futhi wayenoPawulu lapho ebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kulelo bandla elalihlukene phakathi.

Kwakungekho ukuhlukana noma umbango phakathi kwabo; kunalokho, ngokobufakazi obutholakalayo laba ababili babebambisene ekuxazululeni izinkinga zaseKorinte ngokwethembana. Mhlawumbe uPawulu wayenokungabaza ngabathile eKorinte kodwa ngokuqinisekile wayengenakho ngo-Apholo. Umsebenzi walamadoda amabili wawuvumelana ngokuphelele; izimfundiso zabo zaziphelelisana. UPawulu ngokwakhe uthi: “Mina ngatshala, u-Apholo wanisela,” ngoba bobabili ‘babeyizisebenzi ezikanye noNkulunkulu.’—1 Korinte 3:6, 9, 21-23.

NjengoPawulu, abantu baseKorinte babemazisa kakhulu u-Apholo, befisa ukuba aphinde abahambele. Kodwa lapho uPawulu ecela u-Apholo ukuba abuyele eKorinte, lomuntu wase-Aleksandriya akazange avume. UPawulu uthi: ‘Manje ngokuphathelene no-Apholo umfowethu, ngamncenga kakhulu ukuba eze kini, nokho kwakungeyona nhlobo intando yakhe ukuza manje; kodwa uzokuza lapho eba nethuba.’ (1 Korinte 16:12) Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Apholo wayengathandi ukubuyela ngenxa yokwesaba ukubangela ukuhlukana okwengeziwe, noma ngenxa nje yokuthi wayematasa kwenye indawo.

Lapho kukhulunywa ngo-Apholo okokugcina emiBhalweni, wayesendleleni eya eKrethe noma mhlawumbe ngaphambidlana kwayo. Nalapha uPawulu ubonisa ukukhathalela okukhethekile ngomngane wakhe nesisebenzi esikanye naye, ecela uThithu ukuba anikeze u-Apholo nalowo ayehamba naye, uZena, konke ababengase bakudinge ohambweni lwabo. (Thithu 3:13) Ngalesi sikhathi, cishe ngemva kweminyaka eyishumi yokuqeqeshwa kobuKristu, u-Apholo wayesenze intuthuko eyanele ukuba asebenze njengommeleli ojikelezayo webandla.

Izimfanelo Zokuhlonipha UNkulunkulu Ezenza Kube Lula Ukukhula Ngokomoya

Lomshumayeli wase-Aleksandriya wabekela bonke abamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle banamuhla isibonelo esihle, yebo, nabo bonke abafisa ukwenza intuthuko engokomoya. Singase singaqephuzi njengaye, kodwa ngokuqinisekile singalwela ukulingisa isibonelo sakhe sokuba nolwazi nekhono lokusebenzisa imiBhalo, ngaleyo ndlela sisize abafuni beqiniso abaqotho. Ngesibonelo sakhe sokusebenza ngentshiseko, u-Apholo “wabasiza kakhulu labo ababekholiwe.” (IzEnzo 18:27) U-Apholo wayethobekile, ezidela, futhi ezimisele ukukhonza abanye. Wayekuqonda kahle ukuthi akumelwe kube nombango noma isifiso sokuvelela ebandleni lobuKristu, ngoba sonke “siyizisebenzi ezikanye noNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 3:4-9; Luka 17:10.

Njengo-Apholo, nathi singenza intuthuko engokomoya. Ingabe sizimisele ukuthuthukisa noma ukwandisa inkonzo yethu engcwele, sizibeke esimweni sokuba sisetshenziswe ngokugcwele uJehova nenhlangano yakhe? Uma senza kanjalo siyoba abafundi nabamemezeli beqiniso lobuKristu abashisekayo.