Incwadi YeBhayibhile 51—Kolose

Umbhali: NguPawulos

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: ERoma

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-60–61 C.E

1. Yayimi phi idolophu yaseKolose?

ESHIYA iEfese ngasemva, amadoda amabini asinge ngasempuma ukutyhubela iAsiya Mayina egudle uMlambo iMaeander (iMenderes). Akufika ngakwintlambo ekuthiwa yiLycus, kwilizwe laseFrigi, abhekisa imibombo ngasemzantsi-mpuma ukuze anyuse umlambo ehamba kuloo ntlambo iphakathi kweentaba. Phambi kwawo abona umbono omhle: amadlelo aluhlaza naqhamileyo ekunyakazela kuwo imihlambi emikhulu yeegusha. (Imveliso yoboya yayingowona mthombo wengeniso kulo mmandla.a) Benyusa intlambo, ngasekunene kwabo, aba bahambi badlula kwisixeko esifumileyo saseLawodike, esilikomkhulu lorhulumente waseRoma kuloo mmandla. Ngakwesokhohlo sabo, ngaphesheya komlambo, babenokubona iHirapoli, edume kunene ngeetempile zayo nentwasahlobo eshushu. Kwakukho amabandla amaKristu kuzo zozibini ezi zixeko nakwidolophu encinane yaseKolose, ekumgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezili-16 ukunyusa intlambo.

2. (a) Yayingoobani abathunywa ababini uPawulos awabathuma eKolose? (b) Yintoni eyaziwayo ngebandla laseKolose?

² Aba bahambi babesinge eKolose. Bobabini babengamaKristu. Ubuncinane, omnye wabo wayewazi kakuhle loo mmandla, njengoko wayengowaseKolose. Igama lakhe lalinguOnesimo, ibe wayelikhoboka elalibuyela enkosini yalo, eyayililungu lebandla apha. Iqabane likaOnesimo yayinguTikiko, yena owayengelokhoboka, yaye bobabini babethunywe ngumpostile uPawulos, ebaphathise incwadi eyayisiya ‘kubazalwana abathembekileyo abakuKristu eKolose.’ Ngokokwazi kwethu, uPawulos akazange atyelele eKolose. Elo bandla, elalibunjwe ubukhulu becala ngabangemaYuda, kusenokwenzeka ukuba lasekwa nguEpafra, owayesebenze nzima phakathi kwawo yaye ngoku owayeseRoma kunye noPawulos.—Kol. 1:2, 7; 4:12.

3. Incwadi yabaseKolose ityhila ntoni ngombhali wayo, kwanangexesha nendawo eyabhalelwa kuyo?

³ Umpostile uPawulos wayengumbhali wale ncwadi, njengoko esitsho kwintshayelelo yakhe nakumazwi okuqukumbela. (1:1; 4:18) Kwakhona umqukumbelo wakhe uyayikhankanya into yokuba wayibhala esentolongweni. Kumele ukuba ngoko kwakungexesha lokuvalelwa kwakhe okokuqala eRoma, ngowama-59-61 C.E., xa wabhala iincwadi ezininzi zokhuthazo, yona incwadi yabaseKolose ithunyelwa ngaxesha-nye nekaFilemon. (Kol. 4:7-9; Filem. 10, 23) Kubonakala ukuba yabhalwa malunga nexesha ekwabhalwa ngalo incwadi yabase-Efese, njengoko zineengcamango namabinzana amaninzi afanayo.

4. Yintoni engqinela ubunyaniso beyabaseKolose?

⁴ Akukho zizathu zivakalayo zakubuthandabuza ubunyaniso bencwadi yabaseKolose. Ubukho bayo phakathi kwezinye iincwadi zikaPawulos kwiChester Beatty Papyrus No. 2. (P⁴⁶) eyabakho malunga nowama-200 C.E. bubonisa ukuba yayisamkelwa ngamaKristu okuqala njengenye yeencwadi zikaPawulos. Ubunyaniso bayo bungqinelwa ngababhali abafanayo bangaphambili abangqinela ubunyaniso bezinye iincwadi zikaPawulos.

5. (a) Yintoni eyashukumisela uPawulos ukuba abhalele abaseKolose? (b) Le ncwadi ibethelela ntoni?

⁵ Yintoni eyashukumisela uPawulos ukuba abhale incwadi eya kwabaseKolose? Isizathu esiyintloko sasikukuba, uOnesimo wayebuyela eKolose. UEpafra wayesandul’ ukuthelela uPawulos, yaye ngokungathandabuzekiyo ingxelo yakhe ngemeko yaseKolose yaba sisizathu esingakumbi sokubhalwa kwale ncwadi. (Kol. 1:7, 8; 4:12) Ibandla lamaKristu apho lalisongelwa yingozi ethile. Iinkonzo ezazikho ngelo xesha zazisiya ziwohloka ngokuwohloka, yaye kwakusoloko kusekwa iinkonzo ezintsha ngokumanyanisa iinxalenye zezo zindala. Kwakukho iintanda-bulumko zobuhedeni ezazibandakanya ukuzinikela ngokugqithiseleyo elunqulweni, ukusebenzelana nemimoya, neenkolo zonqulo lwezithixo, yaye ezi ntanda-bulumko, zidibene nokuzila ukudla kwamaYuda nokugcina kwawo imihla ethile, zisenokuba zabaphembelela abathile ebandleni. Enoba yayiyintoni na ingxaki, kubonakala ukuba yayinkulu ngokwaneleyo ukuba ide ikhokelele uEpafra ekubeni athabathe uhambo olude esinge eRoma ukuya kubona uPawulos. Noko ke, into yokuba ibandla xa lilonke lalingekho kwingozi enzulu iboniswa yingxelo kaEpafra ekhuthazayo ngothando nokomelela kwabo. Akuba eve le ngxelo, uPawulos wesuka ngamandla ukuba akhusele ulwazi oluchanileyo nonqulo olunyulu ngokubhalela ibandla laseKolose le ncwadi. Yayibethelela ulongamo lukaKristu alunikwe nguThixo nxamnye nentanda-bulumko yobuhedeni, ukunqula izithunywa zezulu nezithethe zamaYuda.

OKUQULETHWE YEYABASEKOLOSE

6. (a) UPawulos ubathandazela esithini abaseKolose? (b) Yintoni uPawulos ayixubushayo ngesikhundla nangobulungiseleli bukaYesu ngokuphathelele elo bandla?

⁶ Yiba nokholo kuKristu, intloko yebandla (1:1–2:12). Emva kwemibuliso yokuvula evela kuTimoti nakuye, uPawulos uyababulela abaseKolose ngenxa yokholo lwabo kuKristu nangenxa yothando lwabo. Baye bafunda ngobabalo lukaThixo ngenxa yokuba uEpafra washumayela iindaba ezilungileyo phakathi kwabo. Ukususela ekubeni eve loo ngxelo ngabo, uPawulos akazange ayeke ukubathandazela ukuba bazaliswe ‘kukukwazi kakuhle ukuthanda kwakhe, benokulumka nokuqonda konke okukokomoya, ukuze bahambe ngokuyifaneleyo iNkosi’ baze ‘base kuko konke ukunyamezela nokuzeka kade umsindo benovuyo.’ (1:9-11) UYise wabafudusela “ebukumkanini boNyana wothando lwakhe,” ongumfanekiselo woThixo ongenakubonwa, nalowo zonke izinto zadalwa ngaye yaye zidalelwa yena. UyiNtloko yebandla yaye ungowamazibulo ukuvuka kwabafileyo. Ngegazi likaYesu, uThixo wakubona kulungile ukuzixolelanisa naye kwakhona zonke izinto, ewe, kuquka nabaseKolose ababefudula betyekile, ‘ukuba nje bahlala behleli elukholweni.’—1:13, 23.

7. Yintoni uPawulos ayishumayelayo, yaye ngayiphi injongo?

⁷ UPawulos uyakuvuyela ukuzalisa iimbandezelo zikaKristu ngenxa yebandla, awathi waba ngumlungiseleli walo. Oku kwenzelwa ukuze alishumayele ngokupheleleyo kubo ilizwi likaThixo eliphathelele ‘imfihlelo engcwele, ubutyebi bozuko athe uThixo wathanda ukubazisa kwabangcwele bakhe.’ UPawulos uthi, ‘NguKristu lo simazisayo, siluleka yaye sifundisa ngobulumko bonke, ukuze simise wonke umntu egqibelele kuKristu.’—1:26-28.

8. Kutheni uPawulos exolele ukutsala nzima ngenxa yabazalwana bakhe?

⁸ Ukutsala nzima kukaPawulos ngenxa yabaseKolose, abaseLawodike kwanabanye kwenzelwa ukuze babe nokuthuthuzeleka baze bamanyane eluthandweni, ukuze babe nokuzuza ‘ulwazi oluchanileyo lwemfihlelo engcwele kaThixo, eyile, uKristu, ekufihlwe ngenyameko kuye bonke ubutyebi bobulumko nobokwazi.’ Akafuni ukubabona belukuhlwa ngentetho egudileyo, kodwa, kunoko, bafanele bahlale bemanyene noKristu, ‘bendele yaye bakhelwe baze baqiniswe ngokholo.’ Ngoku uPawulos uvakalisa isilumkiso. “Lumkani, kungabikho bani unithimbayo ngayo intanda-bulumko, nangokulukuhla okungento yanto, ngokwesithethe sabantu.”—2:2, 3, 7, 8.

9. UPawulos ulumkisa nxamnye naluphi uhlobo lonqulo, yaye kutheni le nto abaseKolose bengafanele bazithobe kuwo uMthetho?

⁹ Ukubhubhisa imisebenzi yenyama kodwa uphile kuKristu (2:13–3:17). Nangona babefile nje ziziphoso zabo nakukungaluki kwenyama yabo, uThixo ubadlise ubomi ndawonye noKristu, ewucimile umbhalo woMthetho owabhalwa ngesandla, owawuchasene namaYuda. ‘Ngoko ke makungabikho mntu ubagwebayo’ ngoMthetho okanye ukugcinwa kwemimiselo yawo, mimiselo leyo esisithunzi somntu wokwenene, uKristu. Kwakhona, ukuba bafe ndawonye noKristu ngakuzo iziqalelo zeli hlabathi, yini na ukuba bathobele imimiselo enjengokuthi: “Musa ukuphatha, musa ukungcamla, musa ukuchukumisa,” ngokwemithetho neemfundiso zabantu? Uhlobo oluthile lonqulo lokuzigwagwisa, ukuthobeka kwenkohliso, ukubandeza umzimba—ezi zinto azibalulekanga ekulweni neenkanuko zenyama.—2:16, 21.

10. Umntu unokuqhubeka njani efuna izinto zaphezulu aze ambathiswe ngobuntu obutsha?

¹⁰ Kunoko, uPawulos ululeka esithi: “Funani izinto zaphezulu, apho akhona uKristu, ehleli ngasekunene kukaThixo. Nyamekelani izinto zaphezulu, zingabi zezasemhlabeni.” Oku kunokwenziwa ngokuhluba ubuntu obudala kuze kwambathwe ubuntu obutsha, obuthi ngolwazi oluchanileyo bungabi nalucalucalulo lokwenyama phakathi komYuda nomGrike, kuba “uKristu waba zizinto zonke, waba kubo bonke.” Kuthetha ukwambathiswa “njengabanyulwa bakaThixo” ngeemfesane zeemfefe, ububele, ukuthobeka kwentliziyo, ubulali nokuzeka kade umsindo. Umpostile uthi: “Njengokuba naye [“uYehova,” NW] wanixolelayo, yenjani njalo nani. Ke, phezu kwazo zonke ezo zinto, yalekani uthando, oluyintambo yogqibelelo.” Ngamazwi okanye ngemisebenzi, zonke izinto zifanele zenziwe ‘egameni leNkosi uYesu, kubulelwa ngayo kuye uThixo uYise.’—3:1, 2, 11-14, 17.

11. (a) Sisiphi isiluleko esinikelwayo ngokuphathelele ulwalamano lwentsapho nolwabanye abantu? (b) Yiyiphi imibuliso edluliselwayo ekuqukumbeleni?

¹¹ Ulwalamano nabanye (3:18–4:18). Mayela nolwalamano lwentsapho, abafazi mabalulamele amadoda namadoda abathande abafazi bawo, abantwana babathobele abazali yaye oobawo bangabacaphukisi abantwana babo. Abakhonzi bamele bazithobele iinkosi zabo ngokoyika uYehova, yaye iinkosi zimele zibaphathe ngobulungisa abakhonzi bazo. Bonke mabazingise emthandazweni baze baqhubeke behamba ngobulumko ngakwabo bangaphandle. UTikiko no-Onesimo baya kubabalisela ngokobuqu izinto ezingoPawulos nabasebenzi abadlelana naye ngenxa yoBukumkani bukaThixo. Babaphathisa imibuliso eya kwabaseKolose, yaye uPawulos ukwabulisa nabazalwana baseLawodike, ebacela ukuba bathumelelane ezi ncwadi wayezithumela. UPawulos ubhala umbuliso wokuqukumbela ngesandla sakhe: “Yikhumbuleni imixokelelwane yam. Ubabalo malube nani.”—4:18.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

12. Ziziphi iinyaniso ezihlaziyayo ezinikelwa kwincwadi kaPawulos eya kwabaseKolose, yaye ibandla lingenelwa njani kuyo?

¹² Sinokuyithelekelela indlela ezanwenwa ngokukhawuleza ngayo phakathi kwabazalwana baseKolose iindaba zokufika kwaba bazalwana babini bevela eRoma. Ngolindelo olukhulu babehlanganisana, mhlawumbi endlwini kaFilemon, ukuze baphulaphule njengoko kufundwa incwadi kaPawulos. (Filem. 2) Ezinjani zona ukuhlaziya iinyaniso eyazinikelayo ngesimo sengqondo esisiso ngoKristu nangemfuneko yolwazi oluchanileyo! Hayi indlela eyacaciswa kakuhle ngayo indawo yeentanda-bulumko zabantu nezithethe zamaYuda, nendlela olwaphakanyiswa ngayo uxolo nelizwi likaKristu! Esi yayisisiluleko esakhayo kubo bonke abasebandleni—abaveleli, amadoda, abafazi, oobawo, abantwana, iinkosi nabakhonzi. Ngokuqinisekileyo eli yayilicebiso elihle kuFilemon no-Onesimo njengoko kwakhona babebuyela kulwalamano lwabo njengenkosi nomkhonzi. Olunjani lona ukuba luhle ukhokelo olwanikelwa kubaveleli lokuba babuyisele umhlambi kwimfundiso efanelekileyo! Hayi indlela amazwi kaPawulos awalukhulisa ngayo uxabiso lwabaseKolose ngelungelo ababenalo lokumsebenzela ngomphefumlo uphela uYehova! Yaye isiluleko esakhayo esiya kwabaseKolose sokuba bahlukane neengcamango nezenzo ezikhobokisayo zehlabathi sisesisigidimi esakhayo samabandla namhlanje.—Kol. 1:9-11, 17, 18; 2:8; 3:15, 16, 18-25; 4:1.

13. UPawulos ululeka esithini ngokuphathelele amazwi amnandi, umthandazo nonxulumano lwamaKristu?

¹³ Icebiso elibalaseleyo eliya kumlungiseleli ongumKristu landlalwe kwabaseKolose 4:6: “Ukuthetha kwenu makuhlale kumnandi, kuvakaliswe ngetyuwa, ukuze nazi ukuba nimelwe kukuthini na ukuphendula bonke ngabanye.” Amazwi amnandi enyaniso aya kungqineka enomtsalane kubantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo yaye aya kubazisela iingenelo zikanaphakade. Kwakhona, umthandazo ofudumeleyo womKristu, osuka kwintliziyo enoxabiso, uya kusikelelwa ngokutyebileyo nguYehova: “Zingisani ukuthandaza, niphaphamile kuko, ninombulelo.” Yaye olunjani lona uvuyo novuselelo olwakhayo olufumaneka kunxulumano lwamaKristu! UPawulos uthi, ‘Hlalani nifundisana kwaye nilulekana kamnandi, nimvumela ngokusuka ezintliziyweni zenu [“uYehova,” NW].’ (4:2; 3:16) Njengoko uphengulula le ncwadi yabaseKolose, uya kufumana ezinye iinkalo ezininzi zemfundiso esengqiqweni nesebenzisekayo.

14. (a) Bubuphi ubukho bokwenene obubalaseliswa kweyabaseKolose? (b) Ithemba loBukumkani libethelelwa njani?

¹⁴ Ngokuphathelele ukugcinwa kwemimiselo yoMthetho, le ncwadi ithi: ‘Ezo zinto zisisithunzi nje sezinto eziza kuza, kodwa sona isiqu sesikaKristu.’ (2:17) Bobu bukho bokwenene bukaKristu obubalaseliswa kweyabaseKolose. Le ncwadi ibhekisela ngokufuthi kwithemba elizukileyo elibekelwe abo bakuKristu emazulwini. (1:5, 27; 3:4) Abo banjalo banokuba nombulelo gqitha ekubeni uYise sele ebahlangule kwigunya lobumnyama waza wabafudusela “ebukumkanini boNyana wothando lwakhe.” Ngaloo ndlela baye baba ngabalawulwa baLowo ‘ungumfanekiselo kaThixo ongenakubonwa, owamazibulo kwindalo yonke; ngokuba zadalwa ngaye zonke ezinye izinto emazulwini nasemhlabeni, izinto ezibonakalayo nezinto ezingenakubonwa, kungakhathaliseki enoba ziitrone okanye bubukhosi okanye zizilawuli okanye ngamagunya.’ Lo Yena ukufanelekele gqitha ukulawula ngobulungisa kuBukumkani bukaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, kungenxa yoko uPawulos eluleka amaKristu athanjisiweyo esithi: “Ukuba ngoko navuswa kunye noKristu, funani izinto zaphezulu, apho akhona uKristu, ehleli ngasekunene kukaThixo.”—1:12-16; 3:1.

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