Incwadi YeBhayibhile 52—1 Tesalonika

Umbhali: NguPawulos

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: EKorinte

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-50 C.E.

1. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze kubhalwe eyokuQala kwabaseTesalonika? (b) Yabhalwa nini, yaye ngaloo ndlela le ncwadi yahluke ngantoni?

KWAKUMALUNGA nonyaka wama-50 C.E. awathi umpostile uPawulos, ebudeni bokhenketho lwakhe lwesibini lokushumayela, watyelela isixeko saseTesalonika eMakedoni waza apho waseka ibandla lamaKristu. Kwithuba elingangonyaka, ngoxa eseKorinte ekunye noSilvano (uSilas ekuthethwa ngaye kwincwadi yeZenzo) noTimoti, uPawulos washukunyiselwa ukuba abhale incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseTesalonika ukubathuthuzela nokubakha elukholweni. Kwakusenokwenzeka ukuba kwakusekupheleni kowama-50 C.E. Ngokucacileyo le ncwadi yahlukile njengoko isiba yeyokuqala kwiincwadi zikaPawulos ukuba ibe yinxalenye yeZibhalo ezingcwele yaye, mhlawumbi ngaphandle kwencwadi yeVangeli kaMateyu, iyincwadi yokuqala ukubhalwa kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike.

2. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bombhali wayo nobesibakala sokuba eyokuQala kwabaseTesalonika iyinyaniso?

² Ubungqina obuxhasa ubunyaniso nokuthembeka kwale ncwadi buninzi gqitha. UPawulos uzibiza ngegama njengombhali wayo, yaye le ncwadi ivisisana ngokupheleleyo nalo lonke iLizwi eliphefumlelweyo. (1 Tes. 1:1; 2:18) Le ncwadi ikhankanywe ngegama kwiincwadi ezininzi zamandulo zoludwe lweZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo, kuquka iMuratorian Fragment.a EyokuQala kwabaseTesalonika icatshuliwe okanye kubhekiselwe kuyo ngababhali abaninzi beencwadi zonqulo bamandulo, kuquka uIrenaeus (wenkulungwane yesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo), oyikhankanya ngegama. IChester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P⁴⁶), yamalunga nowama-200 C.E., iqulethe eyokuQala kwabaseTesalonika, kwaye omnye umbhalo-ngqangi wenkulungwane yesithathu (P³⁰), ngoku oseGhent, eBelgium, uqulethe iziqwenga zeyokuQala neyesiBini kwabaseTesalonika.b

3, 4. Yintoni eyaba ngumphumo ngenxa yempumelelo yangaphambili yobulungiseleli bukaPawulos eTesalonika?

³ Ukukrwaqula kwimbali emfutshane yebandla eliseTesalonika, ngaphambi kokubhalwa kwale ncwadi, kunikela isizathu senkxalabo enzulu kaPawulos ngabazalwana ababekweso sixeko. Kwasekuqaleni nje, ibandla latyhubela intshutshiso nenkcaso ekrakra. KwiZenzo isahluko 17, uLuka unikela ingxelo yokufika kukaPawulos noSilas eTesalonika, “apho yayikhona indlu yesikhungu yamaYuda.” IiSabatha ezintathu, uPawulos washumayela kuwo, eqiqa nawo ngeZibhalo, yaye kukho izizathu ezibonisa ukuba wahlala apho ixesha elide kuneli, kuba waba nexesha lokuzinzisa ishishini lakhe yaye, ngaphezu kwako konke, ukuseka nokulungelelanisa ibandla.—IZe. 17:1; 1 Tes. 2:9; 1:6, 7.

⁴ Ingxelo ekwiZenzo 17:4-7 ngokucacileyo ibalisa ngomphumo wokushumayela kwalo mpostile eTesalonika. Eqhutywa ngumona ngenxa yokuphumelela kobulungiseleli bobuKristu bukaPawulos, amaYuda ahlanganisana alihlokondiba aza abangela isidubedube kweso sixeko. Ayihlasela indlu kaYason aza yena nabanye abazalwana abarhuqela kubalawuli besixeko, enkqangaza esithi: “Aba baliqungaqungileyo elimiweyo, bona bafikile nalapha; athe uYason wabamkela ngobubele; baye bonke aba besenza okuchasene nemimiselo kaKesare, besithi, Kukho kumkani wumbi unguYesu.” UYason nabanye banyanzeleka ukuba bakhuphe isibambiso ngaphambi kokuba bakhululwe. Ngenxa yabazalwana abasebandleni, nangenxa yokhuseleko lwabo lobuqu, uPawulos noSilas bazinyeliswa ngobusuku basiwa eBhereya. Kodwa ibandla laseTesalonika ngoku lalisekiwe.

5. UPawulos wayibonakalisa njani inkxalabo nomdla wakhe wothando kwibandla laseTesalonika?

⁵ Intshutshiso ekrakra yamaYuda yamlandela uPawulos naseBhereya yaza yasongela ukuwuvala umsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela apho. Wandula ke wadlulela eAtene, eGrisi. Sekunjalo wayelangazelela ukwazi ngendlela abaqhuba ngayo abazalwana bakhe baseTesalonika phantsi kobo bunzima. Kabini wazama ukubuyela kubo, kodwa sihlandlo ngasinye ‘uSathana wambambezela.’ (1 Tes. 2:17, 18) Exhalabe ngokunzulu ngenxa yeli bandla liselitsha yaye esiva ubuhlungu ngobunzima ababetyhubela kubo, uPawulos wathumela uTimoti ukuba abuyele eTesalonika ukuya kuthuthuzela abazalwana aze abomeleze ngakumbi elukholweni. Xa uTimoti wabuyayo nengxelo yakhe eyayifudumez’ intliziyo, wavuyiswa gqitha uPawulos ziindaba zokugcina kwabo ingqibelelo phakathi kwaloo ntshutshiso inogonyamelo. Ngeli thuba ingxelo yabo yayingumzekelo kumakholwa kulo lonke elaseMakedoni nelaseAkaya. (1:6-8; 3:1-7) UPawulos wayenombulelo kuYehova uThixo ngokunyamezela kwabo ngentembeko, kodwa wayekwaqonda ukuba njengoko beqhubela kwelokukhula, babeza kufuna ukhokelo noqeqesho olungakumbi. Ngoko ke, ngoxa wayeseKorinte ekunye noTimoti noSilvano, uPawulos wabhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseTesalonika.

OKUQULETHWE YEYOKUQALA KWABASETESALONIKA

6. UPawulos ubancoma ngasiphi isizathu abaseTesalonika?

⁶ Umzekelo wabaseTesalonika kwamanye amakholwa (1:1-10). UPawulos uyiqalisa incwadi yakhe eya kwabaseTesalonika ngokubancoma ngokufudumeleyo ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo wokuthembeka, nokubulaleka kwabo ngothando nokunyamezela kwabo benethemba. Iindaba ezilungileyo ezashunyayelwa phakathi kwabo azizange zibe yintetho nje kuphela kodwa ‘zabakho nangamandla nangenkoloseko enkulu.’ Bexelisa umzekelo ababewumiselwe, abaseTesalonika balamkela ilizwi ‘benovuyo lomoya oyingcwele’ baza bangumzekelo kubo bonke abakholwayo kwelaseMakedoni, eAkaya nakwezinye iindawo. Babezilahlile ngokupheleleyo izithixo zabo, ‘ukuze bakhonze uThixo ophilileyo oyinyaniso, belinde uNyana wakhe evela emazulwini.’—1:5, 6, 9, 10.

7. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo uPawulos namaqabane akhe ababesibonakalisile ngoxa babephakathi kwabaseTesalonika, yaye babebabongoze ukuba benze ntoni?

⁷ Inkxalabo enothando kaPawulos ngabaseTesalonika (2:1–3:13). Emva kokuphathwa kakubi eFilipi, uPawulos namaqabane akhe bahlanganisana baza bashumayela ngokungafihlisiyo kwabaseTesalonika. Oku bakwenza bengakholisi bantu okanye bekhohlisa okanye befuna uzuko ebantwini. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uPawulos uthi, “thina ke sisuke sathantamisa phakathi kwenu njengomdlezana osukuba ebagcinile abakhe abantwana; ngokunjalo sinilangazelela nje, kwakholeka kuthi ukuba singaneli kunabela iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo nje kodwa, sinabele nobomi bethu, ngenxa enokuba naba ziintanda kuthi.” (2:7, 8) Baqhubeka bebabongoza abaseTesalonika, njengoko ubawo esenjenjalo kubantwana bakhe, ukuze bahambe ngokumfaneleyo uThixo, owayebabizele eBukumkanini naseluzukweni lwakhe.

8. AbaseTesalonika baba liqhayiya njani kuPawulos, yaye yintoni ayithandazelayo ngenxa yabo?

⁸ UPawulos uyabancoma ngokuzamkela ngentumekelelo iindaba ezilungileyo njengokuba, ‘zililizwi likaThixo.’ Ababodwa ekutshutshisweni ngabantu belizwe labo kuba, amakholwa okuqala elakwaYuda eva intlungu efanayo yokutshutshiswa ngamaYuda. Enenkxalabo ngenxa yempilo-ntle yabo, uPawulos, kangangezihlandlo ezibini, wayefuna ukuza kubo ngokwakhe kodwa wathintelwa nguSathana. KuPawulos nakwabo wayesebenza nabo, abazalwana baseTesalonika basisithsaba soqhayiso, ‘uzuko novuyo’ lwabo. (2:13, 20) Xa waziva engakwazi ukunyamezela ngakumbi akungaziva iindaba ezingabo uPawulos wathumela uTimoti eTesalonika ukuze abomeleze elukholweni nokuze abathuthuzele. Ngoku uTimoti usandul’ ukubuya neendaba ezilungileyo zenkqubela yabo engokomoya nothando, yaye oku kuye kwabangela intuthuzelo novuyo kulo mpostile. UPawulos ubulela kuThixo aze athandazele ukuba ngamana iNkosi ingabandisa, ukuze bakhule ngakumbi eluthandweni omnye komnye, ukuze iintliziyo zabo “zingabi nakusoleka, zibe ngcwele” phambi koThixo uBawo ekufikeni kweNkosi uYesu.—3:13.

9. UPawulos ubayala esithini mayela nobungcwele nokuthandana?

⁹ Ukukhonza ngobungcwele nangembeko (4:1-12). UPawulos uyabancoma abaseTesalonika ngokuhamba ngendlela yokumkholisa uThixo, yaye uyababongoza ukuba baqhubeke besenjenjalo ngokuzele ngakumbi. Ngamnye wabo, ufanele “akwazi ukusizuza asiphathe esakhe isitya enobungcwalisa, enembeko; angathabatheki yinkanuko.” Ngenxa yoku, akukho namnye ofanele aphazamisane namalungelo omzalwana wakhe. Kuba uThixo akababizelanga, ‘ekungcoleni; ubabizele ebungcwaliseni. Ngoko ke, lowo ugibayo, akagibi mntu, ugiba uThixo.’ (4:4, 5, 7, 8) UPawulos uyabancoma abaseTesalonika kuba bebonakalisa uthando omnye komnye, yaye uyababongoza ukuba baqhubeke bekwenza oku ngomlinganiselo ozele ngakumbi, bekwenza usukelo lwabo ukuhlala bezolile kwaye bengangeneleli emicimbini yabanye yaye basebenze ngezandla zabo. Kuba bafanele bahambe ngokuzibekileyo “ngakwabo bangaphandle.”—4:12.

10. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo abazalwana abafanele babe naso ngabo balele ukufa?

¹⁰ Ithemba lovuko (4:13-18). Ngokuphathelele abo balele ukufa, abazalwana bamele bangabi buhlungu njengabanye abangenathemba. Ukuba banokholo lokuba uYesu wafa waza waphinda wavuka, ngokukwanjalo, uThixo ngoYesu uya kubavusa abo balele ekufeni. Ekufikeni kweNkosi, iya kuhla ivela emazulwini inendanduluko, “baze abafele kuKristu bavuke kuqala.” Emva koko, abo babudlayo ubomi baya ‘kuxwilelwa emafini baye kuyikhawulela iNkosi esibhakabhakeni,’ ukuze basoloko bendawonye neNkosi.—4:16, 17.

11. Kutheni abaseTesalonika befanele bahlale bephaphile, yaye bafanele baqhubeke besenza ntoni?

¹¹ Ukuhlala siphaphile njengoko imini kaYehova isondela (5:1-28). “Imini yeNkosi [uYehova, NW], njengesela ebusuku, yenjenjalo ukuza kwayo.” Xenikweni abantu besithi “luxolo nokunqaba” baya kufikelwa yintshabalaliso ngebhaqo. Ngoko ke, abaseTesalonika mabahlale bephaphile ‘bengabokukhanya, abemini,’ bahlale bethe qwa yaye ‘mabanxibe isigcina-sifuba sokholo nothando, nesigcina-ntloko esilithemba losindiso.’ (5:2, 3, 8) Eli lixesha lokuba baqhubeke bethuthuzelana yaye besakhana. Mabathi bonke ‘bababeke ngokugqithiseleyo kakhulu ukubathanda’ abo basebenza nzima nabongamelayo phakathi kwabo. Kwelinye icala, abanxaxhayo mabalulekwe, basekelwe abathambileyo, yaye kumele kubonakaliswe ukuzeka kade umsindo kubo bonke. Ewe, uPawulos ubhala esithi, “hlalani niphuthuma okulungileyo omnye komnye, nakubantu bonke.”—5:13, 15.

12. Okokugqibela uPawulos unikela isiluleko ngayiphi imibandela ebalulekileyo, yaye uyiqukumbela njani incwadi yakhe eya kwabaseTesalonika?

¹² Okokugqibela, uPawulos unikela isiluleko ngemibandela eliqela ebalulekileyo: ‘Hlalani nivuya. Thandazani ningayeki, nibulele ezintweni zonke. Ningawucimi umlilo womoya. Yibani nentlonelo ngeziprofeto. Zicikideni izinto zonke, nibambe leyo ilungileyo. Zinxwemeni kuko konke okungendawo.’ (5:16-22) Wandula ke athandazele ukuba uThixo woxolo abangcwalise ngokupheleleyo nokuze bahlale bengenakubekwa bala ngokomoya, ngokwasemphefumlweni, nangokomzimba ekufikeni kwayo iNkosi uYesu Kristu. Uyiqukumbela le ncwadi ngamazwi afudumeleyo okukhuthaza nomyalelo ongqongqo wokuba le ncwadi mayifundelwe bonke abazalwana.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

13. UPawulos namaqabane akhe bamisela wuphi umzekelo ofanelekileyo, yaye ukubonakaliswa ngokuvumayo kothando kunawuphi umphumo ebandleni?

¹³ Kule ncwadi uPawulos ubonakalisa umoya wenkxalabo enothando ngabazalwana bakhe. Yena nabalungiseleli abangoowabo baye bamisela umzekelo omhle wokuthantamisa, benikela kungekuphela nje iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo kodwa kwanemiphefumlo yabo ngenxa yabazalwana babo abathandekayo baseTesalonika. Bonke abaveleli mabazabalazele ukwakha amaqhina othando namabandla abakuwo! Imbonakaliso enjalo yothando iya kubakhuthaza bonke ukuba babonakalise uthando omnye komnye, kanye njengokuba uPawulos wathi: “Yanga ke iNkosi inganandisa, inityebise eluthandweni, omnye komnye nakubo bonke, kwanjengokuba nathi sisenjenjalo kuni.” Olu thando lubonakaliswa ngokuvumayo phakathi kwabo bonke abantu bakaThixo luyakha ngokwenene. Luzenza iintliziyo ‘zizimaseke, zingabi nakusoleka, zibe ngcwele phambi koThixo uBawo wethu, ekufikeni kweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu nabo bonke abangcwele.” Luwenza amaKristu ahluke kwihlabathi elonakeleyo neliziphethe kakubi ukuze ahambe ngobungcwele nangokuzibekileyo aze ngaloo ndlela akholise uThixo.—3:12, 13; 2:8; 4:1-8.

14. Kungayiphi indlela ethi eyokuQala kwabaseTesalonika ibe ngumzekelo obalaseleyo wesiluleko sobuchule nesothando?

¹⁴ Le ncwadi inikela umzekelo obalaseleyo wesiluleko sobuchule nesothando kwibandla lamaKristu. Nangona abazalwana baseTesalonika babenenzondelelo yaye bethembekile, kwakukho izinto ezazimele zilungiswe. Noko ke, kwimeko nganye, uPawulos uyabancoma abazalwana ngeempawu zabo ezintle. Ngokomzekelo, ekubalumkiseni nxamnye nokungacoceki okungokokuziphatha, uqala ngokubancoma kuba behamba ngendlela emkholisayo uThixo aze andule ababongoze ukuba bakwenze ‘oko ngakumbi,’ ngamnye wabo akwazi ukusiphatha esakhe isitya enobungcwele nembeko. Wandula ke, emva kokubancoma ngothando abanalo lobuzalwana, ababongoze ukuba bakwenze oku “ngakumbi,” bengangeneleli kwimicimbi yabanye kwaye bephila ubomi bokuzibeka ngakwabo bangaphandle. Ngobuchule uPawulos uyalela abazalwana bakhe ukuba ‘baphuthume okulungileyo omnye komnye nakubo bonke.’—4:1-7, 9-12; 5:15.

15. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uPawulos walishumayela ngenzondelelo ithemba loBukumkani ngoxa wayeseTesalonika, yaye sisiphi isiluleko esifanelekileyo awasinikelayo kule nkalo?

¹⁵ Kwizihlandlo ezine uPawulos ukhankanya ‘ukufika’ kukaYesu Kristu. Kubonakala ukuba amaKristu aseTesalonika awayesandul’ ukuguquka ayenomdla gqitha kule mfundiso. Ngoxa wayekwisixeko sawo, ngokungathandabuzekiyo uPawulos wayeshumayele ngokungafihlisiyo ngokuphathelele uBukumkani bukaThixo obulawulwa nguKristu, njengoko oko kuboniswa sisityholo awatyholwa ngaso yena namaqabane akhe: “Baye bonke aba besenza okuchasene nemimiselo kaKesare, besithi, Kukho kumkani wumbi unguYesu.” (IZe. 17:7; 1 Tes. 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23) Abazalwana baseTesalonika babethembele eBukumkanini, yaye, ekubeni babenokholo kuThixo, babelindele “uNyana wakhe evela emazulwini, awamvusayo kwabafileyo, kwauYesu,” ukuba abahlangule kwingqumbo ezayo. Ngokukwanjalo, bonke abo bathembele kuBukumkani bukaThixo namhlanje bafanele basiphulaphule isiluleko esifanelekileyo esikweyokuQala kwabaseTesalonika sokuba baphuphume eluthandweni, iintliziyo zabo zizimasekile yaye zingabi nakusoleka, ukuze ‘bahambe ngokumfaneleyo uThixo, obabizeleyo kobakhe ubukumkani nobuqaqawuli.’—1 Tes. 1:8, 10; 3:12, 13; 2:12.

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