Incwadi YeBhayibhile 54—1 Timoti

Umbhali: NguPawulos

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: EMakedoni

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-61–64 C.E.

1, 2. (a) Kukuphi ukungavisisani okubonwa phakathi kwenkcazelo kaPawulos yokuvalelwa kwakhe entolongweni kwiZenzo nakweyesiBini kuTimoti? (b) Kubonakala ukuba eyokuQala kuTimoti yabhalwa nini, yaye kwakutheni?

INGXELO kaLuka engobomi bukaPawulos kwincwadi yeZenzo iqukunjelwa uPawulos eseRoma elindele umphumo wesibheno sakhe kuKesare. UPawulos uboniswa ehlala kwindlu yakhe ayiqeshileyo, eshumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo kubo bonke ababesiza kuye, kwaye ekwenza oko “ngako konke ukungafihlisi, engalelwa bani.” (IZe. 28:30, 31) Kodwa kwincwadi yakhe yesibini eya kuTimoti, uPawulos ubhala esithi, “ndiva ububi ngenxa yazo, kude kuse ezintanjeni, njengomenzi wobubi,” yaye uthetha ngokusondela kokufa kwakhe. (2 Tim. 2:9; 4:6-8) Enjani yona inguqulelo! Ekuqaleni, wayephethwe njengebanjwa elihloniphekileyo, okwesibini, wayephethwe njengesihange. Yintoni eyayenzekile phakathi kwexesha lengxelo kaLuka ngemeko kaPawulos ngowama-61 C.E., ekupheleni kweminyaka emibini eseRoma, nengxelo ebhalwe nguPawulos ngemeko yakhe kuTimoti, ekubonakala ukuba yabhalwa kungekudala ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe?

² Ubunzima bokunxulumanisa ukubhalwa kweencwadi zikaPawulos zisiya kuTimoti nakuTito phakathi kwexesha eligutyungelwe yincwadi yeZenzo kuye kwakhokelela abanye abahlalutyi beBhayibhile ekubeni bagqibe kwelokuba uPawulos waphumelela kwisibheno sakhe kuKesare waza wakhululwa malunga nowama-61 C.E. IThe New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible ithi: “Indinyana yokugqibela yeZenzo ivisisana kakuhle nale ngcamango [yokuba uPawulos wakhululwa emva kokuvalelwa iminyaka emibini] kunentelekelelo yokuba ukuvalelwa kwakhe entolongweni okuchaziweyo kwaphelela ekugwetyweni nokubulawa kwalo mpostile. ULuka uyasigxininisa isibakala sokuba akukho namnye owawuthintelayo umsebenzi wakhe, ngaloo ndlela ngokuqinisekileyo enikela ingcamango yokuba ukupheliswa komsebenzi wakhe kwakungekasondeli.”a Ngoko ke, eyokuQala kuTimoti ibhalwe ngexesha eliphakathi kokukhululwa kwakhe okokuqala ekuvalelweni eRoma nasekuvalelweni kwakhe okokugqibela apho, okanye malunga nowama-61-64 C.E.

3, 4. (a) Akukhululwa entolongweni, ngokucacileyo yintoni awayenzayo uPawulos? (b) EyokuQala kuTimoti wayibhala ephi?

³ Ekukhululweni kwakhe entolongweni, ngokucacileyo uPawulos waphinda wawuqalisa umsebenzi wakhe wobuvangeli basemazweni ekunye noTimoti noTito. Enoba uPawulos wada wafikelela eSpeyin, njengokuba abanye becinga njalo, akuqinisekwanga ngako. UClement waseRoma wabhala (malunga nowama-95 C.E.) esithi uPawulos weza “nasekupheleni kwelaseN[tshona],” okwakunokuquka nelaseSpeyin.b

⁴ UPawulos wayibhala ephi incwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kuTimoti? EyokuQala kuTimoti 1:3 ibonisa ukuba uPawulos walungiselela uTimoti ukuba alungise imicimbi ethile yebandla e-Efese ngoxa yena wayehamba indlela yakhe ukuya eMakedoni. Ngokusuka apha, kubonakala ukuba wambhalela uTimoti le ncwadi ese-Efese.

5. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo besibakala sokuba iincwadi ezazisiya kuTimoti ziyinyaniso?

⁵ Ezi ncwadi zimbini ziya kuTimoti ziye zamkelwa kwakumaxesha angaphambili njengezazibhalwe nguPawulos neziyinxalenye yeZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo. Ababhali bangaphambili abangamaKristu, kuquka uPolycarp, uIgnatius noClement waseRoma, bonke bayavumelana ngako oku, yaye ezi ncwadi ziqukiwe kuludwe lwemibhalo engcwele yeenkulungwane ezimbalwa zokuqala njengeencwadi zikaPawulos. Omnye umthombo ubhala usithi: “Imbalwa imibhalo yeT[estamente] E[ntsha] engqinelwa ngokunamandla ngaphezu kwale . . . Ngoko ke ukukhanyelwa kobunyaniso bayo kumelwe kugqalwe njengengcamango yakutshanje ngokuchasene nobungqina obomeleleyo obuvela kwicawa yokuqala.”c

6. (a) Ziziphi izizathu eziliqela ezabangela uPawulos abhale eyokuQala kuTimoti? (b) Yayinjani imvelaphi kaTimoti, yaye yintoni ebonisa ukuba wayengumsébenzi okhulileyo?

⁶ UPawulos wayibhala le ncwadi eyeyokuqala kuTimoti ukuze acacise imigaqo ethile engokwentlangano ebandleni. Kwakhona kwakukho imfuneko yokuba amlumkise uTimoti ukuba azilumkele iimfundiso zobuxoki aze omeleze abazalwana ukuba bazigatye iimfundiso ezinjalo ‘zolwazi lobuxoki.’ (1 Tim. 6:20, NW) Kwakhona isixeko sorhwebo sase-Efese sasiya kuzisa isilingo sokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo ‘nokuthanda imali,’ yaye ngoko kwakuya kuba lixesha elifanelekileyo lokunikela icebiso elithile kwanangako oku. (6:10) Ngokuqinisekileyo uTimoti wayenemvelaphi yamava noqeqesho oluhle olwaluza kusetyenziswa kuloo msebenzi. Wayezalwa ngubawo ongumGrike nomama ongumYuda owayemoyika uThixo. Akwaziwa ngokuthe ngqo ukuba uTimoti wahlangana nini nobuKristu okokuqala. Xa uPawulos watyelela elaseListra kukhenketho lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni, ekunokwenzeka ukuba kwakusekupheleni kowama-49 C.E., okanye ekuqaleni kowama-50 C.E., uTimoti (mhlawumbi owayesele esondele okanye ekwiminyaka yakhe yama-20) wayesele “engqinelwe kakuhle ngabazalwana baseListra naseIkoniyo.” Ngoko uPawulos walungiselela uTimoti ukuba ahambe naye noSilas. (IZe. 16:1-3) UTimoti ukhankanywe ngegama kwiincwadi ezili-11 kwezili-14 zikaPawulos kuquka nakwincwadi yeZenzo. UPawulos wayesoloko ebonakalisa umdla onjengokabawo kuye yaye kwizihlandlo eziliqela emabela ukuba atyelele aze akhonze amabandla awahlukahlukeneyo—nto leyo ebubungqina bokuba uTimoti wayenze umsebenzi omhle gqitha kwintsimi yobuvangeli basemazweni yaye wayefanelekile ukuba asingathe iimbopheleleko ezinzima.—1 Tim. 1:2; 5:23; 1 Tes. 3:2; Fil. 2:19.

OKUQULETHWE YEYOKUQALA KUTIMOTI

7. Kutheni uPawulos ekhuthaza uTimoti ukuba ahlale e-Efese?

⁷ Isiyalo sokuba nokholo nesazela esihle (1:1-20). Emva kokumbulisa uTimoti ‘njengomntwana wakhe kanye ngokwaselukholweni,’ uPawulos umkhuthaza ukuba ahlale e-Efese. Ufanele alungise abo bafundisa “mfundiso yimbi,” ekhokelela kwimibuzo elambathayo kunokuba ihambisele phambili ukholo. UPawulos uthi intsingiselo yolu yalo “iluthando oluphuma entliziyweni ehlambulukileyo, nasesazeleni esilungileyo, naselukholweni olungahanahanisiyo.” Wongezelela ngokuthi: “Abathe abathile, beziphosile ezo zinto, baphambukela ekuthetheni okungento yanto.”—1:2, 3, 5, 6.

8. Ukwenzelwa inceba kukaPawulos kwakugxininisa ntoni, yaye nguwuphi umlo omhle akhuthaza uTimoti ukuba awulwe?

⁸ Nangona ngaphambili uPawulos wayengumnyelisi nomtshutshisi, sekunjalo, ubabalo lweNkosi “lwanda ngokuncamisileyo . . . lunokholo nothando olukuKristu Yesu,” kangangokuba wenzelwa inceba. Wayengomkhulu kubo aboni; yaye ngaloo ndlela waba yimbonakaliso yokuzeka kade umsindo kukaKristu Yesu, owathi “weza ehlabathini ukuba asindise aboni.” Hayi indlela ekufaneleke ngayo ukuba uKumkani wamaphakade azuze imbeko nozuko ngonaphakade! UPawulos uyalela uTimoti ukuba alwe ukulwa okuhle, ‘enokholo nesazela esilungileyo.’ Akamele abe njengabo baye ‘baphukelwa ngumkhombe mayela nokholo,’ abanjengoHimenayo noAlesandire, aye uPawulos wabaqeqesha ngenxa yokunyelisa.—1:14, 15, 19.

9. (a) Yiyiphi imithandazo emele yenziwe, yaye ngoba? (b) Yintoni ethethwayo ngabafazi ebandleni?

⁹ Imiyalelo mayela nonqulo nolungelelwano ebandleni (2:1–6:2). Kufanele kuthandazelwe zonke iindidi zabantu, kuquka nabo basekongameni, ukuze amaKristu ahlale ngoxolo enokuhlonela uThixo. Oku kukuthanda kukaThixo, uMsindisi, ukuba “bangasindiswa bonke abantu, bafikelele ekuyazini inyaniso. Kuba mnye uThixo; mnye nomlamli phakathi koThixo nabantu, umntu uKristu Yesu, lowo wazinikelayo ukuba abe yintlawulelo yokukhulula abantu bonke.” (2:4-6) UPawulos wayenyulelwe ukuba abe ngumpostile nomfundisi wezi zinto. Ngoko ubongoza amadoda ukuba anga angathandaza ngokunyaniseka baze abafazi banxibe ngokundilisekileyo beneentloni, njengoko kubafaneleyo abo bahlonela uThixo. Umfazi umele afunde ezolile, angayilawuli indoda, “kuba kwabunjwa uAdam kuqala, kwandula ke ukubunjwa uEva.”—2:13.

10. Ziziphi iimfaneleko zabaveleli nezicaka zolungiselelo, yaye kutheni uPawulos ebhala ezi zinto nje?

¹⁰ Indoda engxamele ubuveleli ingxamele umsebenzi omhle. Wandula ke uPawulos adwelise iimfaneleko zabaveleli nezicaka zolungiselelo. Umveleli umele abe “ngongenakukhalazelwa, eyindoda yamfazi mnye, eyingcathu, enesidima, ezibekile, ebuka iindwendwe, enokufundisa; engageziswa yiwayini, engembethi, engemngxameli wanzuzo imbi. Makabe ngothantamisayo, engalwi, engemthandi wamali; eyongamele kakuhle eyakhe indlu, abantwana bakhe bemthobele, benokundileka konke . . . , angabi ngosandula ukungeniswa . . . Kanjalo ke umelwe kukuthi abe nobungqina obuhle obuvela kwabangaphandle.” (3:2-7) Kukho iimfuneko ezifanayo kwizicaka zolungiselelo, yaye zifanele zicikidwe ngaphambi kokulungiselela. UPawulos uzibhala ezi zinto ukuze uTimoti azi ukuba umele aziphathe njani na kwibandla likaThixo lona ‘liyintsika nesiseko sayo inyaniso.’—3:15.

11. (a) Ziziphi iingxaki eziza kuvela kamva? (b) UTimoti ufanele anikele ingqalelo entwenini, yaye ngoba?

¹¹ Kumaxesha asemva bambi baya kukhukuliseka elukholweni ngenxa yeemfundiso zeedemon. Abantu abangabahanahanisi abathetha ubuxoki baya kwala ukuba kutshatwe baze bayalele abantu ukuba bangakutyi ukutya uThixo akudalileyo ukuba kwamkelwe ngombulelo. Njengomlungiseleli ofanelekileyo, uTimoti umele awasingele phantsi amabali obuxoki ‘neentsomi zamaxhegokazi.’ Kwelinye icala, ufanele aziqeqeshele ukuhlonela uThixo njengosukelo lwakhe. UPawulos uthi, “kuba sibulalekela, singcikivelwe oko; ngokuba sithembele kuThixo ophilileyo, onguMsindisi wabantu bonke, ngokukodwa owabakholwayo.” Ngoko ke uTimoti umele ahlale ebayala yaye ebafundisa. Ufanele angavumeli namnye umntu ukuba amdele ngenxa yobuncinane bakhe kodwa, ngokwahlukileyo koko, makabe ngumzekelo kwihambo nakwinkonzo yokuhlonela uThixo. Umele ahlale kwezi zinto aze ahlale ezilumkele yena nemfundiso yakhe, kuba ngokuhlala kwezo zinto, uya ‘kuzisindisa yena nabo bamvayo.’—4:7, 10, 16.

12. Sisiphi isiluleko esinikelweyo ngendlela yokuqhubana nabahlolokazi nabanye ebandleni?

¹² UPawulos ululeka uTimoti ngendlela yokuqhubana nabantu ngabanye: amadoda amakhulu njengooyise, amadoda aselula njengabazalwana, abafazi abakhulu njengoonina, abafazi abaselula njengoodade. Kufanele kwenziwe ilungiselelo elifanelekileyo labo bangabahlolokazi bokwenene. Noko ke, intsapho yomhlolokazi lowo ifanele imnyamekele ukuba kunokwenzeka. Ukusilela koku bekuya kuba kukulukhanyela ukholo. Ubuncinane xa eneminyaka engama-60 ubudala, umhlolokazi usenokubalelwa kwabanjalo ukuba ‘ungqinelwa ngemisebenzi emihle.’ (5:10) Kwelinye icala, abahlolokazi abaselula, abavumela ukuba inkanuko yabo yesini ibalawule, bafanele bangabalelwa enanini. Kunokuba bathungelane nezindlu behleba, mabatshate baze babe nabantwana, ukuze bangamvuleli ithuba umchasi.

13. Yiyiphi ingqalelo efanele ibonakaliswe kumadoda amakhulu, abantu abenza isono bamele baphathwe njani, yaye yiyiphi imbopheleleko ephezu kwamakhoboka?

¹³ Amadoda amakhulu awongamela kakuhle afanelwe yimbeko ephindwe kabini, “ngokukodwa lawo abulalekayo elizwini nasekufundiseni.” (5:17) Ukumangalelwa kwendoda enkulu akumele kwamkelwe kungabangakho bungqina bamangqina amabini okanye amathathu. Abo bonayo mabohlwaywe emehlweni abantu bonke, kodwa akumele kubekho ukugweba kusengaphambili okanye ukukhetha ubuso kwimicimbi enjalo. Amakhoboka afanele abahlonele abo baziinkosi zawo, enikela inkonzo entle, ngokungakumbi ‘kubazalwana abangamakholwa, nabaziintanda.’—6:2.

14. Yintoni uPawulos ekuye kwafuneka ayithethe malunga nekratshi nokuthanda imali ngokunxulumene ‘nokuhlonela uThixo ndawonye nokwanela’?

¹⁴ Isiluleko ‘esingokuhlonela uThixo ndawonye nokwanela’ (6:3-21). Umntu ongavumelaniyo namazwi aphilileyo uthiwe lwale likratshi yaye ufa kukukhanuka iimbuzwano, okukhokelela kwiimpikiswano ezinogonyamelo ngezinto ezingenamsebenzi. Kwelinye icala, “ukuhlonela uThixo, ndawonye nokwanela” kuyinzuzo enkulu. Ubani ufanele aneliswe yinto edliwayo nento yokwambatha. Ukuzimisela ukufuna ubutyebi kungumgibe okhokelela entshabalalweni, yaye ukuthanda imali ‘kuyingcambu yeento zonke ezimbi.’ UPawulos ubongoza uTimoti, njengomntu kaThixo, ukuba azibaleke ezi zinto, aphuthume iimpawu zobuKristu, awulwe umlo omhle wokholo, aze ‘abubambe ubomi obungunaphakade.’ (6:6, 10, 12) Umele awugcine umthetho ‘angabi nabala, angabi nakukhalazelwa’ de kufike ukubonakala kweNkosi uYesu Kristu. Abo bazizityebi bafanele “bangathembeli butyebini bungagqalekiyo; mabathembele kuThixo,” ukuze babubambe ngokuthe nkqi ubomi obububo. Ekuqukumbeleni, uPawulos ukhuthaza uTimoti ukuba ayigcine imfundiso ayiphathisiweyo aze aphambuke kwiintetho ezingezizo “nakwiinkcaso zokwazi, okubizwa njalo kuxokwa.”—6:14, 17, 20.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

15. Sisiphi isilumkiso esinikelwa nxamnye noko kuqikelelwayo neempikiswano?

¹⁵ Kule ncwadi bayalwa ngokungqongqo abo bazixakekisa ngokungeyomfuneko ngezinto eziqikelelwayo neempikiswano zentanda-bulumko. “Amaphike amazwi” ayanxulunyaniswa nekratshi yaye amele aphetshwe, kuba uPawulos usixelela ukuba athintela ukukhula okungokobuKristu, izinto kuphela ezibangela “iimbuzwano, zingahambisi lona ulwakho lukaThixo olungokholo.” (6:3-6; 1:4) Ndawonye nemisebenzi yenyama, ezi mpikiswano ‘zichasene nemfundiso ephilileyo; ngokweendaba ezilungileyo zozuko lukaThixo osikelelekileyo [owonwabileyo, NW].’—1:10, 11.

16. Sisiphi isiluleko uPawulos asinikela ngokuphathelele ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo?

¹⁶ Ngokucacileyo amaKristu kwiEfese eyayithandwa gqitha imali ayesifuna isiluleko sokuba alwe nxamnye nokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo neziphazamiso zako. UPawulos wasinikela eso siluleko. Ihlabathi liye ngokukhululekileyo lamcaphula esithi, ‘Ukuthanda imali kuyingcambu yazo zonke izinto ezimbi,’ kodwa hayi indlela abambalwa ngayo abawathobelayo loo mazwi! Ngokuchasene noko, amaKristu okwenyaniso afanele aliphulaphule eli cebiso ngamaxesha onke. Lithetha ubomi kuwo. Amele awuphephe umgibe owenzakalisayo wokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, ‘engathembeli kubutyebi obungagqalekiyo; kodwa kuThixo ophilileyo, obeka phambi kwethu izinto zonke ngokobutyebi.’—6:6-12, 17-19.

17. Liliphi icebiso elinikelwa kuTimoti elifike ngexesha elifanelekileyo kubo bonke abalungiseleli abaselula nabanenzondelelo namhlanje?

¹⁷ Incwadi kaPawulos ibonisa ukuba uTimoti wayengumzekelo omhle woko umKristu oselula afanele abe kuko. Nangona ngokwentelekiso wayelula ngeminyaka, wayekhulile ngokomoya. Wayesele efikelele kwinqanaba lokuba afanelekele ukuba ngumveleli yaye wasikelelwa ngokutyebileyo ngamalungelo awayewanandipha. Kodwa njengabo bonke abalungiseleli abaselula abanenzondelelo namhlanje, kwakufuneka aqhubeke ezinyamekela ezi zinto kwaye ahlale kuzo ukuze aqhubeke ehambela phambili. Icebiso likaPawulos lifike ngexesha elifanelekileyo kubo bonke abo bafuna ukuhlala bevuya ngokwenza inkqubela engokobuKristu: “Zilumkele wena nemfundiso yakho; hlala uhleli kwezo zinto; kuba ngokwenza oko, wozisindisa wena, ubasindise nabo bakuvayo.”—4:15, 16.

18. Ngawaphi amalungiselelo anocwangco ebandleni aye achazwa ngendlela ecacileyo, yaye uPawulos uzisebenzisa njani iZibhalo zesiHebhere njengegunya?

¹⁸ Le ncwadi iphefumlelweyo ibethelela uxabiso ngamalungiselelo kaThixo anocwangco. Ibonisa indlela amadoda nabafazi abamele bayifeze ngayo indima yabo ekulondolozeni ulungelelwano lolawulo lobuthixo ebandleni. (2:8-15) Yandula ke ihlabele mgama ixubusha ngeemfaneleko zabaveleli nezicaka zolungiselelo. Ngaloo ndlela umoya oyingcwele walatha iimfuneko abamele bazifikelele abo bakhonza kwizigxina ezikhethekileyo. Le ncwadi ikwakhuthaza bonke abalungiseleli abazahluleleyo ukuba bafikelele le milinganiselo, isithi: “Ukuba ubani ungxamele ubuveleli, unqwenela umsebenzi omhle.” (3:1-13) Isimo sengqondo esifanelekileyo somveleli kubantu abakubudala bonke nabesini esahlukileyo ebandleni kuxutyushwa ngaso kakuhle kwanjengokuba kunjalo ngendlela yokusingatha izimangalo phambi kwamangqina. Egxininisa kwelokuba amadoda amakhulu asebenza nzima ekuthetheni nasekufundiseni afanelwe yimbeko ephindwe kabini, uPawulos ubhekisela izihlandlo ezibini kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere njengegunya esithi: “Kuba sitsho isibhalo ukuthi, Uze ungayibophi umlomo inkomo ibhula; nokuthi, Umsébenzi uwufanele umvuzo wakhe.”—1 Tim. 5:1-3, 9, 10, 19-21, 17, 18; Dut. 25:4; Lev. 19:13.

19. Liziswa njani ekukhanyeni ithemba loBukumkani, yaye sisiphi isiluleko esinikelwa ngokwesi sizinzi?

¹⁹ Emva kokunikela sonke esi siluleko esihle, uPawulos wongezelela ngelithi umthetho ufanele ugcinwe ngendlela engenabala nengenakukhalazelwa ‘kude kufike ukubonakala kweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu njengoKumkani wabo balawula njengookumkani neNkosi yabo balawula njengeenkosi.’ Ngesizinzi sethemba lobu Bukumkani, le ncwadi iqukunjelwa ngesiluleko esinamandla esiya kumaKristu ‘ukuba enze okulungileyo, abe zizityebi zemisebenzi emihle, abe nokwaba kakuhle, abe nobudlelane; aziqwebele isiseko esihle, ase exesheni eliza kuza, ukuze abubambe ubomi obungunaphakade.’ (1 Tim 6:14, 15, 18, 19) Enyanisweni ziyingenelo zonke iziluleko ezihle ezikweyokuQala kuTimoti!

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]