1. Yini eyathabisa uPowula ngamaKrestu weKorinte?

BEKUMNYAKA ka-55 C.E. Umpostoli uPowula bekasedoyelweni leenkepe edorobheni leTrowasi, kodwana bekangalisi ukucabanga ngeKorinte. Ekuthomeni komnyaka loyo, bekumzwisa ubuhlungu ukuzwa bona abazalwana lapho bebanghwarana. Ngalokho atshwenyeke ngabo njengobaba, wathumela incwadi bona abalungise. (1 Kor. 1:11; 4:15) Godu wabathumela isisebenzi akunye naso uTitosi, wahlela nokobana abuyise umbiko kuye eTrowasi. Kwanje uPowula ulinde uTitosi eTrowasi, alulukela ukuzwa bona abantu beKorinte baraga njani. Kodwana okwadanisa uPowula khulu kukobana uTitosi khenge afike. Bekangenzani uPowula? Wakhamba ngesikepe waya eMasedoniya, okwamthabisako kukobana bahlangana. UTitosi walandisa bona abazalwana beKorinte basabela kuhle encwadini kaPowula begodu bebalulukela ukumbona. UPowula nekezwa umbiko omuhle loyo, ‘wathokoza khulu.’—2 Kor. 2:12, 13; 7:5-9.

2. (a) Khuyini uPowula ayitlolela abantu beKorinte ngekholo nethabo? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo esizokucoca ngayo?

² Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, uPowula watlolela abantu beKorinte incwadi yesibili. Wathi kibo: “Asilingi ukuzenza amakhosi phezu kwekholo lenu, siyazi bona ngekholo nidzimelele, siziinsebenzi ezikunye nani bona nithabe.” (2 Kor. 1:24, NW.) Bekatjho ukuthini uPowula ngalokho? Amezwi lawo kufuze abathinte njani abadala abamaKrestu namhlanjesi?

3 (a) Bekatjho ukuthini uPowula nekatlola athi: ‘Ngekholo lenu nidzimelele’? (b) Abadala namhlanjesi basilandela njani isibonelo sakaPowula?

³ UPowula wakhuluma ngezinto eembili eziqakathekileko zokukhulekela kwethu—ikholo nethabo. Khumbula bona malungana nekholo, watlola: “Asilingi ukuzenza  amakhosi phezu kwekholo lenu, siyazi bona ngekholo nidzimelele.” Ngamezwi la, uPowula wavuma bona abazalwana beKorinte bajama baqina, ingasi ngebanga lakhe namtjhana lomunye umuntu, kodwana ngebanga lekholo labo kuZimu. Ngalokho, uPowula khenge abone kutlhogeka bona alawule ikholo labanakwabo, begodu bekanganasifiso sokwenza njalo. Bekaqiniseka bona bamaKrestu athembekileko afuna ukwenza okulungileko. (2 Kor. 2:3) Namhlanjesi, abadala balandela isibonelo sakaPowula ngokutjengisa ukuqiniseka ngekholo labanakwabo neminqopho yokukhonza uZimu. (2 Tes. 3:4) Kunokobana babekele ibandla imithetho eqinileko, abadala bathembela eenkambiswenilawulo ezingokomTlolo nesinqophisweni esivela ehlanganweni kaJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abadala besikhathini sanjesi abazenzi amakhosi phezu kwekholo labanakwabo.—1 Pit. 5:2, 3.

4. (a) Bekatjho ukuthini uPowula nekatlola athi: “Siziinsebenzi ezikunye nani bona nithabe”? (b) Abadala basilingisa njani isibonelo sakaPowula namhlanjesi?

⁴ Godu uPowula wathi: “Siziinsebenzi ezikunye nani bona nithabe.” Ngamezwi lawo, waqalisela kuye nakholwa kunye nabo. Kubayini sifikelela esiphethweneso? Nokho, encwadini efanako, uPowula wakhumbuza beKorinte ngabangani babo ababili nekatlola athi: ‘UJesu . . . watjhumayela kini ngathi, okungukuthi ngami, uSilvanu noThimothi.’ (2 Kor. 1:19) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPowula nekasebenzisa ibizo elithi ‘iinsebenzi ezikunye nani’ eencwadini zakhe, ngaso soke isikhathi bekaqalisela ebantwini atjhidelene nabo abanjengo-Apholosi, u-Akhwila, uPeresila, uThimothi, uTitosi nabanye. (Rom. 16:3, 21; 1 Kor. 3:6-9; 2 Kor. 8:23) Ngalokho ngokuthi: “Siziinsebenzi ezikunye nani bona nithabe,” uPowula waqinisekisa beKorinte bona yena nabadala akunye nabo gade bafuna ukwenza koke abangakwenza ukuthuthukisa ithabo lawo woke amalunga webandla. Nanamhlanjesi, abadala abamaKrestu banesifiso esifanako. Bafuna ukwenza koke abangakwenza ukusiza abanakwabo ‘bakhonze uJehova ngethabo.’—Rha. 100:2; Fil. 1:25.

5. Sizokucoca ngeempendulo zamuphi umbuzo begodu ngikuphi okufuze sikutjengise?

⁵ Mva nje, isiqhema esitjhisekako sabazalwana nabodade esihlala eendaweni ezihlukahlukeneko zephasi, samenywa bona siphendule umbuzo othi, “Ngimaphi amezwi nezenzo zomdala ezingezelele ethabweni lakho?” Njengombana sicabangela okutjhiwo siqhemesi samakholwa esikunye nawo, tjheja bona wena bewungaba namuphi umbono ngokumadanisa nalokho esikutjhoko. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akhe siqale bona soke singaba njani nesandla emoyeni wethabo webandla esikilo. *

6, 7. (a) Ngiyiphi indlela abadala abangalingisa ngayo uJesu, uPowula, nezinye iinceku zakaZimu? (b) Kubayini ukukhumbula amabizo wabanakwethu kungezelela ethabweni labo?

⁶ Inengi labanakwethu nabodadwethu lithi ithabo labo lithuthuka lokha abadala nebatjengisa ikareko kibo. Indlela eyihloko umdala enza lokho ngayo kulandela isibonelo esabekwa nguDavidi, u-Elihu noJesu ngokwakhe. (Funda 2 Samuweli 9:6; Jobhi 33:1; Luka 19:5.) Ngayinye yeenceku zakaJehova yatjengisa ikareko yamambala komunye umuntu ngokusebenzisa ibizo lakhe. UPowula naye wakwazisa ukuqakatheka kokukhumbula nokusebenzisa amabizo wamakholwa akunye nawo. Waphetha enye yeencwadi zakhe ngokulotjhisa abazalwana nabodade abangaphezu kwa-25 ngamabizo, kuhlanganise uPhersisi, udade omKrestu uPowula athi ngaye: “Nilotjhise emnganini wami uPhersisi.”—Rom. 16:3-15.

 ⁷ Abadala abanye bakufumana kubudisi ukukhumbula amabizo. Nanyana kunjalo, nebenza umzamo wokuwakhumbula, kuba njengokungasuthi bathi kilabo abakholwa kunye nabo, ‘Uqakathekile kimi.’ (Eks. 33:17) Abadala bazokungezelela ethabweni labanakwabo nebakhumbula amabizwabo nebabakhombako bona baphendule esiFundweni se-Sithalasokulinda nanyana kweminye imihlangano.—Madanisa noJwanisi 10:3.

8. Gade kungiyiphi indlela eqakathekileko uPowula alandela ngayo isibonelo esabekwa nguJehova noJesu?

⁸ Godu uPowula watjengisa ikarekwakhe kwabanye ngokubabuka kwamambala okungenye yeendlela eziyihloko zokuthuthukisa ithabo lamakholwa esikunye nawo. Ngalokho, encwadini efanako lapho athi isifiso sakhe sokusebenzela ithabo labanakwabo, uPowula watlola: ‘Ngiyazikhakhazisa ngani.’ (2 Kor. 7:4) Amezwi wokubuka kufuze bona athabisa iinhliziyo zabazalwana beKorinte. UPowula waveza amazizo afanako ngamanye amabandla. (Rom. 1:8; Fil. 1:3-5; 1 Tes. 1:8) Eqinisweni, ngemva kokukhuluma ngoPhersisi encwadinakhe ayitlolela ibandla leRoma, uPowula wangezelela: “Omsikazi owasebenzela iKosi.” (Rom. 16:12) Qala bona ukubukokho kwamthinta ihliziyo kangangani udade othembekileko lo! Nekabuka abanye, uPowula walandela isibonelo esabekwa ngibo bobabili uJehova noJesu.—Funda uMarkosi 1:9-11; Jwanisi 1:47; IsAm. 2:2, 13, 19.

9. Kubayini ukubuka nokubukwa kungezelela umoya wethabo ebandleni?

⁹ Godu abadala namhlanjesi babona ukuqakatheka kokubeka amazizo wabo wokwazisa abanakwabo ngamezwi. (IzA. 3:27; 15:23) Umdala nekakwenzako lokhu, kuba ngasuthi utjela abanakwabo: ‘Ngiyakutjheja okwenzako. Ngiyakukhathalela.’ Okholwa nabo bayakutlhoga kwamambala ukuzwa amezwi akhuthazako avela kubadala. Udade oseminyakeni ehlangana kwema-50 wakhulumela abanengi nekathi: “Emsebenzini kanengi angikufumani ukubukwa. Ubuntu abukho begodu kurhagele umoya wokuphalisana. Ngalokho nengabe umdala uyangibuka ngengikwenzele ibandla, kuyaqabula, kungipha amandla! Kungenza ngizizwe ngithandwa nguBaba wezulwini.” Umzalwana ombelethi oyedwana ukhulisa abantwana ababili naye wazizwa ngendlela efanako. Mva-nje umdala umbuke ngokusuka ehliziyweni. Kwamthinta njani umzalwana lokhu? Uthi: “Amezwi womdala angiqinisa!” Kwamambala, ngokubuka amakholwa akunye nawo, umdala uvuselela umoyabo begodu wandisa ithabo labo. Ngalokho, lokho kuzobanikela amandla angeziweko wokukhamba endleleni eya ekuphileni ‘begodu bangadinwa.’—Isa. 40:31.

10, 11. (a) Abadala bangasilandela njani isibonelo sakaNehemiya? (b) Khuyini ezokusiza umdala bona adlulisele isipho esingokomoya nekenza ukukhambela kokulusa?

¹⁰ Ngiyiphi indlela eqakatheke ngokukhethekileko abadala abangatjengisa ngayo ikareko kubanakwabo begodu bangezelele ethabweni lebandla? Ngokuthatha amagadango wokufikelela labo abatlhoga isikhuthazo. (Funda IzEnzo 20:28.) Abadala nebenza njalo, balingisa abelusi abangokomoya bekadeni. Ngokwesibonelo, tjheja okwenziwa mbonisi othembekileko uNehemiya nekabona bona abanye abanakwabo abamaJuda gade sele babuthaka ngokomoya. Ukulandisa kuthi wasikima khonokho wabakhuthaza. (Neh. 4:14) Nanamhlanjesi, abadala bafuna ukwenza okufanako. ‘Bayasikima’—bathatha igadango kokuthoma—ukusiza amakholwa abakunye nawo bona aqine ekholweni. Bona bakhuthaze umuntu mathupha, bavakatjhela abazalwana nabodade emakhaya nengabe ubujamo buyavuma. Hlangana nokukhambela kokwelusokho,  bafuna ‘ukubabela isipho esingokomoya.’ (Rom. 1:11) Khuyini engasiza abadala ukwenza lokho?

¹¹ Ngaphambi kokukhambela kokulusa, umdala kufuze ahlale phasi acabange ngomuntu azomvakatjhela. Ngiziphi iintjhijilo zakhe? Ngimaphi amaphuzu angamakha? Ngimuphi umtlolo namtjhana okuhlangabezanwe nakho okuseBhayibhilini okungasebenza ebujamweni bakhe? Ukucabanga ngezinto ezinjalo kusesengaphambili kuzokusiza umdala bona abe nengcoco eyakhako, ingasi engazuzisi ngalitho. Hlangana nokukhambela kokulusa, umdala uvumela abanakwabo nabodade baveze amazizwabo kukulapho alalelisise kuhle. (Jak. 1:19) Omunye udade wathi: “Kuyaduduza umdala nekalalela ngokusuka ehliziyweni.”—Luka 8:18.

12. Bobani abatlhoga isikhuthazo ebandleni, begodu kubayini?

¹² Bobani abazokuzuza ekukhambeleni kokulusa? UPowula wakhuthaza abadala abamaKrestu akunye nabo bona ‘batjheje . . . woke umhlambi.’ Kwamambala, woke amalunga webandla atlhoga isikhuthazo, kubandakanye abarhuweleli namaphayona abenza ikonzwabo ngokuthembeka qobe mnyaka. Kubayini batlhoga isekelo labelusi abangokomoya? Ngombana ngezinye iinkhathi ngitjho nabaqinilekwaba ngokomoya bapheze baphelelwe mamandla ngebanga legandelelo elisephasini elimbeli. Ukubonisa bona kubayini ngitjho nenceku kaZimu eqinileko ingatlhoga isizo elivela emnganini, akhe sicoce ngesenzakalo esithileko ekuphileni kweKosi uDavidi.

13. (a) U-Ishibhi-bhenobi wasizakala ngabuphi ubujamo bakaDavidi? (b) Kwenzeka bunjani bona u-Abhishayi akwazi ukusiza uDavidi?

¹³ Msinyana ngemva kobana uDavidi osesemutjha akhethwe bona abe yikosi, waqalana ubuso nobuso noGoliyadi, omunye wamaRefimi, isitjhaba seenkakaramba. UDavidi onesibindi wayibulala ikakaramba leyo. (1 Sam. 17:4, 48-51; 1 Mil. 20:5, 8) Ngokukhamba kweminyaka, neyibambene ngeenhluthu  namaFilisti, uDavidi godu waqalana ubuso nobuso nekakaramba. Ibizo layo bekungu Ishibhi-bhenobi, nayo engeyesitjhaba samaRefimi. (2 Sam. 21:16) Nokho kilokhu, ikakaramba leyo yapheze yabulala uDavidi. Kubayini? Akusingebanga lokobana uDavidi bekangasanasibindi kodwana kungombana besele aphelelwe mamandla. Umtlolo uthi: “UDavidi wadinwa.” Msinyana u-Ishibhi-bhenobi nekabona bonyana uDavidi ubuthakathaka, “wacabanga ukubulala uDavidi.” Kodwana ngaphambi kobana ikakaramba leyo ihlabe uDavidi ngesikhali sayo, “khonokho, u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya wamsiza [uDavidi] wadula umfilisti phasi wambulala.” (2 Sam. 21:15-17) Waphunyurha emlonyeni wengwenyama! Akunakuzaza bona uDavidi wathokoza khulu bona u-Abhishayi bakamtjhejile begodu wamsiza msinyana lokha ukuphila kwakhe nekusengozini! Ngiziphi iimfundo esingazifumana ekulandisenokhu?

14. (a) Sikghona njani ukuhlula iintjhijilo ezifana noGoliyadi? (b) Abadala bangabasiza njani abanye bona baqine bathabe godu? Nikela isibonelo.

¹⁴ Ephasini mazombe, thina njengabantu bakaZimu senza ikonzwethu nanyana uSathana neensebenzi zakhe basivalele indlela ngeentjhijilo. Abanye bethu baqalana neentjhijilo, kodwana ngokuthembela kuJehova, siqalana ‘naboGoliyadabo’ begodu sibahlule. Nokho, ngezinye iinkhathi, ipi engapheliko negandeleleko lephasi elimbeli lisitjhiya sidiniwe begodu singasanamandla. Ebujamweni obubuthakathakobo, silimala bulula begodu sisengozini ‘yokudulwa phasi’ kugandeleleka ebesingaqalana nakho ngokuphumelelako. Ngeenkhathi ezinjalo, isikhuthazo esifike ngesikhathi esifaneleko esivela kumdala singasisiza sivuselele ithabo namandlethu godu. Iphayona elineminyaka ema-65 lathi: “Esikhathini esithileko esadlulako, bengingazizwa kuhle, begodu ikonzo yesimini beyingitjhiya ngidiniwe. Umdala wakutjheja ukungabi nomfutho kwami weza kimi. Saba nengcoco ekhuthazako esekelwe eBhayibhilini. Ngazisebenzisa iimphakamiso anginikela zona begodu ngazuza.” Langezelela: “Qala bona gade kukutjengisa ithando kangangani ngomdala loyo ngokubona ubuthakathaka bami bese angisize!” Kwamambala, kuyathabisa bona sinabadala abasitjheja ngethando begodu njengo-Abhishayi wekadeni, abahlala bakulungele ‘ukusisiza.’

15, 16. (a) Kubayini uPowula bekathandwa makholwa akunye nawo? (b) Kubayini sibathanda abadala bebandla lethu abatlhogomelako?

¹⁵ Ukuba ngumelusi kumsebenzi obudisi. Ngezinye iinkhathi abadala abalali benza imithandazo ngebanga lomhlambi kaZimu namtjhana banikela isekelo elingokomoya emakholweni abakunye nawo. (2 Kor. 11:27, 28) Nokho, abadala benza imithwalwabo yefanelo ngokuzeleko begodu ngokuthaba, njengombana uPowula enza. Watlolela beKorinte wathi: “Ngingathaba ukunikela koke, nami ngizinikele ngokwami ngebanga lenu.” (2 Kor. 12:15) Kwamambala, ngebanga lokuthanda abanakwabo, uPowula wazinikela ngokupheleleko ekubaqiniseni. (Funda 2 Korinte 2:4; Fil. 2:17; 1 Tes. 2:8) Kungakho abazalwana bebamthanda kangaka uPowula!—IzE. 20:31-38.

¹⁶ Njengeenceku zakaZimu zanamhlanje siyabathanda abadala abamaKrestu abatlhogomelako begodu sithokoza uJehova emithandazwenethu mathupha ngokusinikela bona. Bangezelela ethabweni lethu ngokutjengisa ikareko emntwini ngamunye. Sizizwa sinothile ngokukhambela kokulusa abakwenzako. Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyathokoza bona bahlala bakulungele ukusisiza nesizizwa siphelelelwa mamandla ngebanga lokugandeleleka esikufumana ephasineli. Liqiniso, abadala abamaKrestu abatjhejakwaba ‘baziinsebenzi ezikunye nathi bona sithabe.’