1. Yintoni eyenza uPawulos wanemihlali ngamaKristu aseKorinte?

KWAKUNGOWAMA-55 C.E., umpostile uPawulos ekwisixeko esikwizibuko iTrowa, kodwa esacinga ngeKorinte. Ekuqaleni kwaloo nyaka, wayekhathazwe kukuva ukuba abazalwana balapho babexambulisana. Ngoko ke, njengobawo oxhalabileyo, wayebathumelele ileta ebalungisa. (1 Kor. 1:11; 4:15) Wathumela umsebenzi olidlelane lakhe uTito waza wacela ukuba abuyele kuye eTrowa nengxelo. UPawulos wayelindele ukufika kukaTito apho eTrowa, elangazelela ukuva okwenzeka eKorinte. Kodwa uPawulos wadana, kuba uTito akazange afike. Wayeza kuthini uPawulos? Wanduluka ngesikhephe esiya eMakedoni, ibe wavuya gqitha bakudibana apho. UTito wamxelela ukuba abazalwana baseKorinte babesamkele kakuhle isiluleko sakhe yaye babelangazelela ukumbona. Wathi akuva ezo ndaba zimnandi uPawulos, waba “nemihlali ngakumbi.”—2 Kor. 2:12, 13; 7:5-9.

2. (a) Yintoni eyabhalelwa abaseKorinte nguPawulos ngokholo novuyo? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuxubusha ngayo?

² Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, uPawulos wabhalela abaseKorinte ileta yesibini. Wathi kubo: “Asikuko ukuba siziinkosi phezu kokholo lwenu, kodwa singabasebenzi abangamadlelane ukuze nibe novuyo, kuba nimi ngokholo lwenu.” (2 Kor. 1:24) Wayethetha ukuthini xa esitsho? Yintoni enokufundwa ngabadala bebandla kula mazwi?

3. (a) Wayetheth’ ukuthini uPawulos xa esithi: “Nimi ngokholo lwenu”? (b) Namhlanje abadala bamxelisa njani uPawulos?

³ UPawulos wakhankanya iimpawu ezimbini ezibalulekileyo  amele abe nazo amaKristu—ukholo novuyo. Ethetha ngokholo, wathi: “Asikuko ukuba siziinkosi phezu kokholo lwenu, . . . kuba nimi ngokholo lwenu.” Ngala mazwi, uPawulos wayevuma ukuba abazalwana baseKorinte bamkhonza ngokunyaniseka uThixo ngenxa yokholo abanalo, kungekhona olwakhe okanye lwabanye abantu. Ngoko, uPawulos akazange ayibone imfuneko yokulawula ukholo lwabazalwana bakhe yaye engakunqweneli nokwenjenjalo. Wayeqinisekile ukuba bathembekile yaye bafuna ukwenza okulungileyo. (2 Kor. 2:3) Nanamhlanje, abadala baxelisa uPawulos ngokubathemba abazalwana ukuba banokholo neenjongo ezintle zokukhonza uThixo. (2 Tes. 3:4) Kunokumisela ibandla imithetho engqongqo, abadala bathembela kwimigaqo yeZibhalo nakulwalathiso oluvela kwintlangano kaYehova. Kakade ke, abadala abazizo iinkosi phezu kokholo lwabazalwana babo.—1 Pet. 5:2, 3.

4. (a) Wayetheth’ ukuthini uPawulos xa esithi: “Singabasebenzi abangamadlelane ukuze nibe novuyo”? (b) Abadala namhlanje bamxelisa njani uPawulos?

⁴ UPawulos waphinda wathi: “Singabasebenzi abangamadlelane ukuze nibe novuyo.” Ngaloo mazwi, wayethetha ngaye nabazalwana ababezibhokoxa ekuncedeni abaseKorinte. Kutheni sisitsho? Kwakule leta, uPawulos wakhumbuza abaseKorinte ngabazalwana ababini kwaba esithi: “UYesu, esashumayela ngaye phakathi kwenu, oko kukuthi, mna noSilvano noTimoti.” (2 Kor. 1:19) Ngapha koko, nanini na uPawulos esithi “abasebenzi abangamadlelane” kwiileta zakhe, wayethetha abo asebenza nabo nzima kumsebenzi wokushumayela, uApolo,uAkwila, uPriska, uTimoti, uTito, nabanye. (Roma 16:3, 21; 1 Kor. 3:6-9; 2 Kor. 8:23) Ngoko xa esithi: “Singabasebenzi abangamadlelane ukuze nibe novuyo,” wayeqinisekisa abaseKorinte ukuba yena naloo madlelane babesenza konke okusemandleni ukuze bancede onke amalungu ebandla akhonze uThixo ngovuyo. Nanamhlanje, lowo isengumnqweno wabadala. Bazimisele ukwenza okusemandleni ukunceda abazalwana babo ‘bakhonze uYehova benemihlali.’—INdu. 100:2; Fil. 1:25.

5. Nguwuphi umbuzo esiza kuwuxubusha, ibe yintoni esimele sicinge ngayo?

⁵ Kutshanje, iqela labazalwana noodade abanenzondelelo abahlala kumazwe ahlukahlukeneyo babuzwa lo mbuzo, “Ngawaphi amazwi nezenzo zomdala eziye zakwenza wavuya?” Njengoko sixubusha ngeempendulo zabo, cinga ngamazwi abadala okanye izinto abaye bazenza eziye zabangela ukuba uvuye. Ngapha koko, sonke simele sicinge ngendlela esinokufak’ isandla ngayo ukuze kubekho uvuyo kwibandla esikulo. *

6, 7. (a) Yiyiphi enye indlela abadala abanokumxelisa ngayo uYesu, uPawulos nabanye abakhonzi kaThixo? (b) Kutheni abazalwana bevuya nje xa bebizwa ngamagama abo?

⁶ Abazalwana noodadewethu abaninzi bathi bavuya ngakumbi xa bekhathalelwe ngabadala. Enye indlela abakwenza ngayo oku abadala kukuxelisa umzekelo kaDavide, kaElihu, nokaYesu ngenkqu. (Funda eyesi-2 kaSamuweli 9:6; uYobhi 33:1; uLuka 19:5.) Ngamnye kwaba bakhonzi bakaYehova wabonisa inkathalo kwabanye ngokubabiza ngamagama abo. Naye uPawulos wayekuqonda ukubaluleka kokukhumbula nokubabiza ngamagama abazalwana bakhe.  Waqukumbela enye yeeleta zakhe, ngokubulisa abazalwana noodade abangaphezu kwama-25 ngamagama abo, kuquka udade onguPersi awathi ngaye: “Bulisani kuPersi oyintanda yethu.”—Roma 16:3-15.

⁷ Kwabanye abadala iba ngumnqantsa ukukhumbula amagama abantu. Kodwa xa besenza umgudu, iba ngathi bathi kubazalwana babo, ‘Ndimele ndikwazi kuba ubalulekile kum.’ (Eks. 33:17) Abazalwana bayavuya xa abadala bewazi amagama abo yaye bebabiza ngawo xa begqabaza kwiSifundo seMboniselo okanye kwezinye iintlanganiso.—Thelekisa uYohane 10:3.

8. Yiyiphi enye indlela uPawulos awawuxelisa ngayo umzekelo kaYehova noYesu?

⁸ UPawulos waphinda wabonisa inkathalo kwabanye ngokubancoma ngokunyanisekileyo, nto leyo ebenza bakhonze uThixo bevuya. Ngenxa yoko, kwakuloo leta, uPawulos wabachazela ukuba wayezidla ngabo, wathi: “Ndiqhayisa kakhulu ngani.” (2 Kor. 7:4) La mazwi, amele ukuba abenza baziva bethandwa abazalwana baseKorinte. UPawulos wawancoma ngolo hlobo namanye amabandla. (Roma 1:8; Fil. 1:3-5; 1 Tes. 1:8) Enyanisweni, emva kokukhankanya uPersi kwileta eya kwibandla laseRoma, uPawulos wathi: “Wasebenza kakhulu eNkosini.” (Roma 16:12) Amele ukuba amkhuthaza gqitha uPersi loo mazwi! Ngokubancoma abanye uPawulos wayexelisa uYehova noYesu.—Funda uMarko 1:9-11; uYohane 1:47; ISityhi. 2:2, 13, 19.

9. Kutheni bonke ebandleni bevuya xa benconywa?

⁹ Nanamhlanje abadala bayakuqonda ukubaluleka kokubaxelela indlela abaxabiseke ngayo abazalwana babo. (IMize. 3:27; 15:23) Enyanisweni, eyona nto ayitshoyo umdala xa encoma umzalwana wakhe yile: ‘Ndiyayibona imigudu yakho, kuba ndikukhathalele.’ Abazalwana noodade bayakuthanda ukuva amazwi okhuthazo abadala. Njengabanye abaninzi, omnye udade oneminyaka engaphezu kwama-50 wathi: “Emsebenzini akukho mntu undincomayo. Akukho mntu unexesha lomnye ngaphandle kokukhuphisana. Ngoko xa umdala endincoma ngento endiye ndayenza ebandleni, ndiye ndivuye gqitha, ndizive ndinamandla. Ndiye ndizive ndithandwa nguBawo wam wasezulwini.” Nomnye umzalwana ongenaqabane okhulisa abantwana ababini yedwa uvakalelwa ngolo hlobo. Kutshanje ukhe wanconywa ngomnye umdala. Waziva njani? Uthi: “Ngekhe ayiqonde indlela andikhuthaze ngayo!” Enyanisweni, xa umdala encoma abanye ngokunyaniseka uyabomeleza batsho bavuye ngakumbi. Kucacile ukuba xa abadala bencoma abanye ngokunyaniseka, babanceda baqhubeke bekhonza uThixo ngovuyo baze “bangadinwa.”—Isa. 40:31.

10, 11. (a) Abadala banokumxelisa njani uNehemiya? (b) Umdala unokulomeleza njani ukholo lwabazalwana xa ebatyelele?

¹⁰ Yiyiphi enye indlela ebalulekileyo abadala ababonisa ngayo ukuba bayabathanda abazalwana yaye bafuna ukubanceda bakhonze uThixo ngovuyo? Bakhawuleza babancede bonke abafuna ukhuthazo. (Funda iZenzo 20:28.) Xa besenjenjalo, baxelisa abelusi bamandulo bezimvu zikaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile ithi xa uNehemiya wabona ukuba amanye amaYuda adimazekile, wenza okuthile ukuze awakhuthaze. (Neh. 4:14) Nanamhlanje abadala benza okufanayo. Xa bebona abazalwana bedimazekile, benza unako-nako ukuze  babomeleze. Oko bakwenza ngokutyelela abazalwana noodade wabo emakhayeni abo xa iimeko zivuma. Kolo tyelelo lokwalusa, bafuna ukubanika “isiphiwo esithile sokomoya.” (Roma 1:11) Yintoni eya kunceda abadala benjenjalo?

¹¹ Ngaphambi kokuya kutyelela, kufuneka umdala acingisise ngaloo mntu aya kuye. Ziziphi iingxaki ajamelene nazo? Ngawaphi amazwi anokumkhuthaza? Sisiphi isibhalo okanye ibali lomntu oseBhayibhileni eliza kumkhuthaza? Ukucinga kusengaphambili kuya kunceda umdala athethe into evakalayo neyakhayo. Xa efikile, umdala umele abaphulaphule ngenyameko abazalwana xa bethetha. (Yak. 1:19) Omnye udade wathi: “Kuyathuthuzela ukubona umdala ephulaphule ngenyameko.”—Luka 8:18.

12. Ngoobani ebandleni abafuna ukhuthazo, yaye ngoba?

¹² Ngoobani abanokutyelelwa ngabadala? UPawulos wabongoza abadala ukuba ‘banikele ingqalelo kuwo wonke umhlambi.’ Enyanisweni, onke amalungu ebandla ayalufuna ukhuthazo, kuquka abavakalisi noovulindlela abaye bakhonza ngokuthembeka kangangeminyaka. Kutheni befuna ukukhuthazwa ngabadala? Nakuba benokholo olomeleleyo, maxa wambi kuba nzima ukunyamezela iingxaki zeli hlabathi lingendawo. Nabakhonzi bakaThixo abomeleleyo bakhe balufune ukhuthazo njengokuba kwakunjalo kuKumkani uDavide.

13. (a) Liliphi ithuba elasetyenziswa nguIshbhi-bhenobhi ukuze ahlasele uDavide? (b) Yintoni eyanceda uAbhishayi wakwazi ukuhlangula uDavide ngexesha elifanelekileyo?

¹³ Emva nje kokuthanjiselwa ukuba ngukumkani, ityendyana uDavide lalwa noGoliyati, inzalelwane yeengxilimbela zamaRefa. Igorha uDavide wayibulala loo ngxilimbela. (1 Sam. 17:4, 48-51; 1 Kron. 20:5, 8) Kwiminyaka kamva, xa uSirayeli wayesilwa namaFilisti, uDavide waphinda wagagana nenye  ingxilimbela. Le yayinguIshbhi-bhenobhi, nayo izalwa ngamaRefa. (2 Sam. 21:16.) Noko ke, kwesi isihlandlo yaphantse yambulala uDavide. Ngoba? Nakuba uDavide wayeselilo igorha, kodwa ngoku wayetyhafile. IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba wayediniwe. Wathi uIshbhi-bhenobhi akubona ukuba uDadive udiniwe, ‘wacinga ngokumxabela.’ Kodwa wathi xa eza kumxabela, “kwaoko, uAbhishayi unyana kaTseruya weza kumnceda [uDavide] wamxabela umFilisti waza wambulala.” (2 Sam. 21:15-17) Wasinda ngaloo ndlela ekufeni! Umele ukuba uDavide wambulela gqitha uAbhishayi ngokubeka iliso lakhe kuye aze enze amatshe ukumhlangula ekufeni! Sifunda ntoni kule ngxelo?

14. (a) Yintoni esincedayo soyise iingxaki ezingathi ngooGoliyati? (b) Abadala banokubanceda njani abanye bahlale bethembekile baphinde bavuye? Yenza umzekelo.

¹⁴ Ehlabathini lonke, thina maNgqina kaYehova siqhubeka sikhonza uThixo nangona uSathana namahlakani akhe besitsalisa nzima. Abanye kuthi baye baqubisana neengxaki ezifana neengxilimbela, kodwa ngokuthembela kuYehova, baboyisa abo ‘Goliyati.’ Kodwa, maxa wambi ukusoloko sisilwa nengcinezelo yeli hlabathi kusishiya sidiniwe yaye sidimazekile. Xa sikuloo meko, siba sesichengeni nakwingozi ‘yokuxatyelwa’ yingcinezelo ebesinokuyoyisa kwiimeko eziqhelekileyo. Kulapho kwezo zihlandlo, apho ukhuthazo lomdala olufika ngexesha elifanelekileyo luye lusincede sibe namandla size sivuye. Udade onguvulindlela oneminyaka engaphezu kwama-60 uthi: “Ngenye imini, ndandingaziva mnandi, amandla ephele tu yinkonzo yasentsimini. Omnye umdala wabona ukuba nditsala nzima waza wasondela. Sancokola ngombandela okhuthazayo oseBhayibhileni. Ndalisebenzisa icebiso lakhe ibe landinceda.” Wongeza athi: “Luthando analo olwabangela ukuba lo mdala ayibone imeko endikuyo aze andincede!” Kuvuyisa gqitha ukwazi ukuba sinabadala abasibek’ esweni, nabasikhathalelayo abahlala bekulungele ‘ukuza kusinceda,’ kanye njengoAbhishayi owanceda uDavide.

15, 16. (a) Yintoni eyayisenza uPawulos athandwe gqitha ngabazalwana bakhe? (b) Kutheni sibathanda kangaka nje abadala bethu abanenyameko?

¹⁵ Umsebenzi wabadala awuyonto nje incinane. Maxa wambi, bancama ubuthongo bethandazela umhlambi kaThixo okanye benceda abazalwana babo. (2 Kor. 11:27, 28) Sekunjalo, baphumeza imbopheleleko yabo bevuya, kanye njengoPawulos. Wathi kwabaseKorinte: “Ndiya kuchulumanca kakhulu ukuba ndinokudleka ndize ndisetyenziswe ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yemiphefumlo yenu.” (2 Kor. 12:15) Ngenxa yokubathanda kwakhe, uPawulos wadleka ngokupheleleyo ukuze abomeleze. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 2:4; Fil. 2:17; 1 Tes. 2:8) Yiloo nto uPawulos wayethandwa kangaka nje ngabazalwana bakhe!—IZe. 20:31-38.

¹⁶ Nathi siyabathanda abadala bethu yaye xa sithandaza siyambulela uYehova ngokusilungiselela bona. Basenza sivuye ngakumbi ngokusikhathalela kwabo. Siyahlaziyeka xa beze kusityelela. Sinombulelo ngenxa yokuba behlala bekulungele ukuza kusinceda xa kanye siphele tu, kucaca ukuba ingcinezelo yeli hlabathi iyasongamela. Ngokwenene, abadala abangamaKristu abaneliso ngolo hlobo ‘bangabasebenzi abangamadlelane ukuze sibe novuyo.’