Izenzo Zabapostile

26—Uapolo Ekorinte

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 18:18-28]

Emva kokuyishiya kwakhe iKorinte, indawo elandelayo yokusebenza kukaPawulos yaba yiEfese. Wayesendleleni esinga eYerusalem kuba kwakusondele ixesha lemibhiyozo, kwaye ukuhlala kwakhe e-Efese kwakubalulekile. Waxoxa namaYuda endlwini yesikhungu, watyala umbono omhle kakhulu kuwo ada amcela ukuba aqhubeke esebenza phakathi kwawo. Isicwangciso sokutyelela eYerusalem samalela ukuba ahlale ngelo xesha, waza wathembisa ukubuya “ukuba uThixo uyavuma.” UAkwila noPrisila bamkhapha ukuya e-Efese, waza wabashiya khona ukuba baqhubeke nomsebenzi awayewuqalile. IZ 269.1

Kungeli xesha apho “umYuda othile, ogama linguApolo, wakwa-Alesandire ngokuzalwa, umfo oliciko, wehla waya e-Efese, enobunkunkqele ezibhalweni.” Wayevile ngokushumayela kukaYohane umBhaptizi, elwamkele ubhaptizo lwenguquko, elingqinaeliphilayo lokuba umsebenzi womprofeti wawungelilo ilize. Ingxelo yesiBhalo ithi, “wayefundisiwe ngomlomo indlela yeNkosi; waza evutha ngumoya wathetha, wafundisa ngokucokisekileyo izinto ezingayo iNkosi, esazi kakuhle ubhaptizo lukaYohane lodwa.” IZ 269.2

Ngexesha wayese-Efese, uApolo waya “waqala ukuthetha ngokungafihlisiyo endlwini yesikhungu.” Phakathi kwabo babemphulaphule kwakukho uAkwila noPrisila, abathi, ngokubona ukuba wayengekakufumani ukukhanya okupheleleyo kweendaba ezilungileyo, “bamthabathela kubo, bamtyhilela ngokucokisekileyo ngakumbi indlela kaThixo.” Ngemfundiso yabo, waba nokuziqonda ngokucace ngakumbi iziBhalo waza waba ngummeli ofanelekileyo wenkolo yobuKristu. IZ 270.1

UApolo wayelangazelela ukudlulela eAkaya, baza abazalwana base-Efese “babhala bebayala abafundi ukuba bamamkele” njengetitshala ehambisana ngokupheleleyo nebandla likaKristu. Waya eKorinte, apho wathi esebenza ekuhleni nakumakhaya ngamakhaya, “wawancamisa . . . amaYuda, ebonakalisa ngazo izibhalo ukuba uYesu lo unguye uKristu.” UPawulos wayetyale imbewu yenyaniso; uApolo ngoku wayeyinkcenkcesha. Impumelelo eyazuzwa kukushumayela kuka-Apolo iindaba ezilungileyo yakhokelela ukuba amanye amakholwa akuphakamise ukusebenza kwakhe ngaphezu kokukaPawulos. Oku kuthelekiswa komntu nomntu kwazisa umoya weyantlukwano ebandleni owabonakala unokuwudodobalisa umsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo. IZ 270.2

Ngethuba lonyaka onesiqingatha awalichitha eKorinte, uPawulos, wathi ngenjongo, wazivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo ngendlela ezinokuqondakala ngayo ngokulula. “Kube kungangamazwi oyisa ngobulumko” awathi weza ngabo eKorinte; kodwa kungokoyika nokungcangcazela, “ngokuqondakalisa koMoya nokwamandla,” awavakalisa “ubungqina bukaThixo,” “ukuze ukholo [lwabo] lungabi sebulumkweni babantu, lube semandleni kaThixo.” 1 Korinte 2:1, 4, 5. IZ 270.3

Kwanyanzeleka ukuba uPawulos ayilungiselele ukulungela imeko yebandla indlela yakhe yokufundisa. Wathetha wathi, “Nam ke, bazalwana, bendingenakuthetha kuni njengakwaboMoya wachaza watsho kamva, “bendinokuthetha njengakwabenyama, njengakwabaziintsana kuKristu. Ndaniseza amasi, andaninika kudla kuqinileyo; kuba nibe ningekabi nakomelela, unangoku anikabi nako.” 1 Korinte 3:1, 2. Abaninzi kumakholwa aseKorinte babebamba kade ukufunda izifundo awayezama ukubafundisa. Ukuhambela phambili kwabo kulwazi lwasemoyeni kwakungahambelani namalungelo namathuba abanawo. Ngexesha babemele ukuba phambili kakhulu kumava obuKristu, babe nokuziqonda nokuziphila iinyaniso ezinzulu zelizwi, babemi kula ndawo babemi kuyo abafundi xa uKristu wayesithi kubo, “Ndinezinto ezininzi zokuthetha kuni, kodwa aninako ukuzithwala ngoku.” Yohane 16:12. Umona, ukucingelana kakubi, nokutyholana kwazivala iintliziyo zamakholwa amaninzi aseKorinte ngasekusebenzeni okupheleleyo kukaMoya Oyingcwele, lowo “uphengulula zonke izinto, neenzulu zikaThixo.” 1 Korinte 2:10. Nokuba babenobulumko obungakanani ngakulwazi lwehlabathi, kodwa babeziintsana ngasekumazini uKristu. IZ 271.1

Yayingumsebenzi kaPawulos ukufundisa abaguqukileyo baseKorinte iziseko, okona kubhaliweyo, kwenkolo yobuKristu. Wayenyanzelekile kuba abafundise njengoko babengenalo ulwazi ngokusebenza kwamandla angcwele entliziyweni. Ngelo xesha babengenako ukuziqonda iimfihlelo zosindiso; kuba “owemvelo umntu akazamkeli izinto zoMoya kaThixo;kuba zibubudenge kuye; kanjalo akanakuzazi, ngokuba ziphicothwa ngokoMoya.” Indima ye-14. UPawulos wakwazi ukutyala imbewu, ekwakufuneka abanye bayinkcenkceshe. Abo babelandela emva kwakhe kwakufuneka baqhubele phambili umsebenzi ukusuka apho wayeshiye khona, banike ukukhanya kwasemoyeni nolwazi ngexesha elililo, kangangoko ibandla linako ukukuthwala. IZ 271.2

Ekuqaleni kukampostile umsebenzi eKorinte, waqaphela ukuba kufuneka aziveze ngobunono obukhulu iinyaniso ezinkulu awayenqwenela ukuzifundisa. Wayesazi ukuba phakathi kwabo babemphulaphule kuya kubakho amakholwa anekratshi abambe iimfundiso zabantu, nabaxhasa iindlela zonqulo olugwenxa, abampampatha ebumnyameni bamehlo angaboniyo, bethembe ukuzuza encwadini yendalo iimfundiso ezichasene nokuqiniseka kobukho bobomi basemoyeni, nobungenakufa njengoko zityhila iziBhalo. Wayesazi kananjalo ukuba abachasi baya kuzama ukuphikisana nendlela yobuKristu yokulichaza ilizwi elityhiliweyo, kwanezaphuselane ezaziya kuziphatha iindaba ezilungileyo zikaKristu ngokugculela nokuhlekisa. IZ 272.1

Ekuzameni kwakhe ukukhokelela imiphefumlo elunyaweni lomnqamlezo, uPawulos akazange angene ekungxoliseni, ngokuthe ngqo, abo babengabarheletyi, okanye abonise ububi besono sabo emehlweni kaThixo ongcwele. Wasuka wamisa phambi kwabo eyona njongo yobomi, wazama ukuzisa ezingqondweni zabo izifundo zeTitshala eNgcwele, ekunokuthi ukuba yamkelwe, ibaphakamise ibakhuphe ekuthandeni ihlabathi nesono, ibase ekuhlambulukeni nasebulungiseni. Wahlala ngakumbi kubuthixo obuphathekayo nobungcwele ekufuneka kufikelelwe kubo ngabo abafanele ukubalelwa ekuthini bayifanele indawo ebukumkanini bukaThixo. Walangazelela ukubona ukukhanya kweendaba ezilungileyo zikaKristu zigqobhoza kubumnyama beengqondo zabo, ukuze bayibone indlela ezithiyeke ngayo emehlweni kaThixo izenzo zabo zokungaziphathi kakuhle. Kungoko umthwalo wemfundisoyakhe phakathi kwabo yayinguKristu, naYeebethelelwe emnqamlezweni. Wafuna ukubabonisa ukuba, esona sifundo sibaluleke kakhulu, nolona luvuyo lukhulu, kufuneka ibe yinyaniso emangalisayo yosindiso ngokuguqukela kuThixo nokukholwa eNkosini uYesu Kristu. IZ 272.2

Isilumko sakubekela bucala ukuthetha ngokukhanya kosindiso, kuba kuzihlazisa iimfundiso zabanekratshi; umthandi wehlabathi akwale ukukwamkela, kuba kuya kumahlula nezithixo zakhe zehlabathi. UPawulos wabona ukuba isimilo sikaKristu kumele ukuba siqondwe phambi kokuba abantu bamthande [uKristu] okanye bawukhangele ngeliso lokholo umnqamlezo. Kulapha apho kufuneka siqale khona isifundo esiya kuba sesobunzululwazi kunye nengoma yabasindisiweyo kuye wonke unaphakade. Kungokukhanya komnqamlezo kuphela elinokuthi laziwe ixabiso lomphefumlo womntu. IZ 273.1

Impembelelo ecokisisayo yobabalo lukaThixo iyayiguqula imo yendalo yomntu. Izulu alingeke linqweneleke kwingqondo yenyama; indawo yabo, iintliziyo ezingahlambulukanga azinako ukutsaleleka kwindawo enyulu nengcwele, kwaye ukuba bekunokwenzeka ukuba bangene, bebengayi kufumana khona into abavumelana nayo. Izinto ekekelele kuzo intliziyo kufuneka ziqotywe lubabalo lukaKristu phambi kokuba umntu owe esonweni alungele ukungena ezulwini, axhamle ubumnandi bokuhlala kunye neengelosi ezinyulu nezingcwele. Uthi umntu akufa ngasesonweni avuselwe ebomini obutsha kuKristu, uthando olungcwele luzalisa intliziyo yakhe, ingqiqo yakhe ingcwaliswe; usela kumthombo ongatshiyo wovuyo nolwazi, kuze ukukhanya kwemini engenasiphelo kubengezele endleleni yakhe kuba ehlala ehleli ekuKhanyeni kobomi. IZ 273.2

UPawulos wayefuna ukufaka ezingqondweni zabazalwana bakhe baseKorinteukuba yenanabafundisiasebenzanabobabengabantu abathunywe nguThixo ukuba bafundise inyaniso, nokuba bonke babesebenza umsebenzi omnye, baye bonke, ngokufanayo, bexhomekeke kuThixo ngempumelelo ekusebenzeni kwabo. Ingxoxo eyayikho ebandleni ngezakhono abakhangeleka benazo abafundisi abahlukeneyo yayingahambelani nendlela kaThixo, kodwa yayiziziphumo zokuvuyisana ngeempawu zentliziyo yendalo. “Kuba xa uthile athi, Mna ndingokaPawulos, athi wumbi, Mna ndingoka-Apolo, aningabenyama na ke? Ungubani na yena uPawulos? engubani na yena uApolo? Ingabalugiseleli nje kuphela, enakholwa ngabo, njengokuba iNkosi yamnikayo ulowo nalowo. Mna ndatyala, uApolo wankcenkcesha, ke nguThixo ohlumisayo.” 1 Korinte 3:4-7. IZ 273.3

NguPawulos owashumayela kuqala iindaba ezilungileyo eKorinte, nowamisela ibandla khona apho. Lowo yayingumsebenzi awayewunikwe yiNkosi. Kamva, ngokuyalelwa nguThixo, kwaziswa abanye abasebenzi ukuba beme kolwabo uluhlu nendawo. Imbewu eyayihlwayelwe kufuneka inkcenkceshwe, nto leyo awayenzayo u-Apolo. Walandela uPawulos ekusebenzeni kwakhe, ukuze loo mfundiso inye ayise kwinqanaba elingaphezulu nokunceda ukuba imbewu ehlwayelweyo ize ikwazi ukuhluma. Abantu bamamkela bamthanda, kodwa yayinguThixo owawukhulisayo umsebenzi. Asingumntu, kodwa ngamandla kaThixo asebenza inguquko esimilweni. Abo batyalayo kunye nabo bankcenkceshayo abayenzi ukuba ikhule imbewu, basebenza phantsi kukaThixo, njengabathunywa abanyuliweyo, abasebenzisana naYe emsebenzini waKhe. Ukunikwa imbeko nokuphakanyiswa okuza nempumelelo kokoMsebenzi oyiNtloko. IZ 274.1

Abakhonzi bakaThixo abanazipho zifanayo bonke, kodwa bonke bangabasebenzibaKhe.ElowokufunekaafundekuTitshala oyiNtloko, ukuze akwazi ukugqithisa oko akufundileyo. UThixo unike ngamnye kubathunywa baKhe umsebenzi owodwa. Kukho izipho ezahlukeneyo, kodwa bonke abasebenzi kufuneka badibane ngemvisiswano, belawulwa yimpembelelo engcwalisayo kaMoya Oyingcwele. Njengokuba behambisa ukwaziwa kweendaba ezilungileyo, baninzi abaya kubambeka baguquke ngamandla kaThixo. Izixhobo ezingabantu zifihlakele kunye noKristu kuye uThixo, aze uKristu abonakale engoYena umkhulu kumawaka alishumi, engOyena othandeka ngokupheleleyo. IZ 274.2

“Lowo utyalayo ke, nalowo unkcenkceshayo, banto-nye; kodwa elowo uya kwamkela owakhe umvuzo ngokukokwakhe ukubulaleka. Kuba thina singabasebenzisi bakaThixo; nina niyintsimi kaThixo nisisakhiwo sikaThixo.” Iindima 8, 9. Kwesi siBhalo, umpostile uthelekisa ibandla nentsimi elinyiweyo, aye ayisebenze umniniyo, ejonge umdiliya otyalwe yiNkosi, kunye nesakhiwo esiza kukhula sibe yitempile engcwele yeNkosi. UThixo nguMsebenzi oyiNtloko, kwaye unike umntu ngamnye umsebenzi wakhe. Bonke kufuneka basebenze phantsi kweliso laKhe [uThixo], bemvumela ukuba abasebenzele, futhi asebenze ngabo abasebenzi baKhe. Ubanika ukukwazi ukuziphatha kakuhle nobuchule, ekunokuthi ngazo ezo zixhobo, ukuba imfundiso yaKhe iye yathotyelwa, imizamo yabo ithwale intshinga yempumelelo. IZ 275.1

Abasebenzi bakaThixo kufuneka basebenze kunye, ngendlela evumelanayo enobubele nembeko, “mayela nembeko leyo, [ba]phangelane.” Roma 12:10. Akufuneki kubekho ukugxekana okungenanceba, kungabikho ukusingelwa phantsi komsebenzi womnye; kungabikho maqela ahlukeneyo. Wonke umntu uThixo amgosise isigidimi saKhe unomsebenzi wakhe oqinisekileyo. Umntu ngamnye unobuyena bakhe,ekungafuneki ukuba abungcwabe kobomnye umntu. Kanti ke, umntu ngamnye kufuneka asebenzisane ngokuvumelana nabazalwana bakhe. Ekusebenzeleni kwabo uThixo kufuneka ngokuqinisekileyo babe banye. Akufuneki kubekho ozibeka njengomzekelo, athethe ngokungenantlonipho ngabanye asebenza nabo, okanye abaphathe njengabangaphantsi kuye. Phantsi kukaThixo, elowo umele ukwenza umsebenzi obekelwe yena, ehlonitshwa, ethandwa, ekhuthazwa ngabanye abasebenzi. Bebambene, kufuneka bawuthwale bawuse phambili umsebenzi ude ugqitywe. IZ 275.2

Le mithetho-siseko, uhleli kakhulu kuyo uPawulos kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwibandla laseKorinte. Umpostile ubhekisa ku“bakhonzi bakaKristu” nje“ngamagosa eemfihlelo zikaThixo,” aze athethe athi ngomsebenzi wawo, “kufuneka kuwo amagosa, ukuba ulowo kuwo afumaneke ethembekile. Kum ke yeyona nto incinanana, ukuba ndincinwe nini, nayimini yamatyala yabantu; ke andizincini nam ngokwam, kuba andizazeleli nto; noko andigwetyelwe koko; ondincinayo ke yiNkosi. Ngoko ke, musani ukugweba nto phambi kwelona xesha, ide ifike iNkosi, eya kuthi izikhanyise nokuzikhanyisa izinto ezifihlakeleyo zobumnyama, iwabonakalalise amacebo entliziyo; andule ke ulowo nalowo abe nodumo oluvela kuThixo.” 1 Korinte 4:1-5. IZ 276.1

Akunikelwanga mntwini ukugweba phakathi kwabakhonzi bakaThixo. YiNkosi kuphela engumgwebi womsebenzi womntu, kwaye iya kunika elowo umvuzo ofanelekileyo. IZ 276.2

Umpostile, eqhubeka, wathetha ngqo ngokuthelekiswa kokusebenza kwakhe noko kuka-Apolo: “Ezi zinto ke, bazalwana, ndizilinganisele ngam noApolo, ngenxa yenu; ukuze nifunde kuthi aba, ukuba ningazicingeli ngaphezu koko kubhaliweyo, ukuze kungabikho namnye uzikhukhumalisa ngakomnye ngenxa yomnye. Kuba ngubani na okubalulayo kwabanye? Yintoni na ke onayo ongayamkeliswanga? Phofu ke, ukuba wamkelisiwe, uqhayiselani na, ngathi akwamkeliswanga?” Iindima 6, 7. IZ 276.3

UPawulos wabeka ngokucacileyo phambi kwebandla iintlekele nobunzima abathi, yena nabo asebenza nabo, bazinyamezela ngomonde ekusebenzeleni kwabo uKristu. Watsho esithi, “Kude kwaleli lixa langoku silamba, sinxanwa, sihamba ze, sintlithwa, singenasikhundla sibulaleka, sisebenza ngezethu izandla; sithi, sitshabhiswa, sibe sisikelela; sithi sitshutshiswa, sibe siyala; sixeliswa inkunkuma yehlabathi, inkuthu yezinto zonke, kude kube ngoku. Ezo zinto andizibhaleli ukuba nidane; ndiyaniluleka njengabantwana bam abathandekayo. Kuba ningafanelana nibakhaphi bemawaka alishumi kuKristu, ababaninzi bona ooyihlo; kuba kuKristu Yesu nizelwe ndim lo, ngazo iindaba ezilungileyo.” Iindima 11-15. IZ 277.1

Lowo uthuma abasebenzi beendaba ezilungileyo njengabameli baKhe, akazukiswa xa kuthi kwabo baphulaphuleyo kuboniswe ukwayama okukhulu kumfundisi othile othandwayo kude kusweleke ukulungela ukwamkela umsebenzi womnye ofundisayo. INkosi ithumela uncedo ebantwini baYo, kungengayo indlela abayithandayo, kodwa ngokwezidingo zabo; kuba abantu babona kufutshane bangayiqondi eyona nto ibalungele kakhulu. Kunqabile ukuba umfundisi omnye abe nazo zoke izakhono ezifunekayo ukugqibelelisa ibandla kuzo zonke izinto ezifuneka ebuKristwini; ngenxa yoko uThixo ukholisa ukuthumela kubo abanye abafundisi, elowo ethiwe jize ngezakhono abanye abasilelayo kuzo. IZ 277.2

Ibandla limele ukuba libamkele ngombulelo aba basebenzi bakaKristu, kanye njengoko bebeya kwamkela iNkosi ngokwaYo. Kufuneka bazimisele ukufunxa konke okuyinzuzo enokufumaneka kwimfundiso abayinikwa ngumfundisi ngamnye. Iinyaniso eziza nabakhonzi bakaThixo eziphuma elizwini likaThixo kufuneka zamkelwe zixatyiswe ngobulali bentobeko, kodwa kungathatyathwa mfundisi ngokwesithixo. IZ 278.1

Ngobabalo lukaKristu, abafundisi bakaThixo benziwe abathunywa bokukhanya nentsikelelo. Bathi ngokuthandaza bezimisele, bezingisa, bazuze ukuzaliswa nguMoya Oyingcwele, bahambe besindwa ngumthwalo wokusindisa imiphefumlo, intliziyo yabo izaliswe yinzondelelo yokwandisa uloyiso lomnqamlezo, baze basibone isiqhamo somsebenzi wabo. Ukuba bathe bagqiba ukuba bakwale ukubonisa ubulumko bomntu okanye ukuphakamisa u-mna, baya kufeza umsebenzi oya kumelana nohlaselo lukaSathana. Imiphefumlo emininzi iya kubuyiswa ebumnyameni ize ekukhanyeni, kumiselwe amabandla amaninzi. Abantu baya kuguquka, bengayi kwizixhobo ezingabantu, koko besiya kuKristu. Umna uya kutyhalelwa emva; uYesu kuphela, iNdoda yaseKalvari, abonakale. IZ 278.2

Abo basebenzela uKristu namhlanje, bangazityhila ezi mpawu zibaluleke kangaka njengoko zazityhilwe ngabo bathi, ngexesha labapostile, bazivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo. UThixo ukulungele ngoku ukunika abakhonzi baKhe amandla njengoko wabanikayo uPawulos noApolo, uSilas noTimoti, uPetros noYakobi noYohane. IZ 278.3

Ngemihla yabapostile yayikho imiphefumlo eyayizizaphuselane ezazibanga ukuthi ziyakholwa kuKristu, ukanti zazikwala ukunika imbeko abameli baKhe. Babesithi, bona abalandelanga zititshala zingabantu, kuba bona bafundiswa nguKristu ngokwakhe ngaphandle kokuncedwa ngabafundisi beendaba ezilungileyo. Babezimele geqe emoyeni bengavumi ukuzithoba phantsi kwelizwi lebandla. Abantu abanjalo babesengozini enkulu yokukhohliswa. IZ 278.4

UThixo ubeke ebandleni, njengabancedisi baKhe abanyuliweyo, amadoda aneetalente ezahlukeneyo, ukuze kuthi ngokuhlangana kobulumko babaninzi, kuhlanganwe nengqondo kaMoya. Abantu abahamba ngokweembono zeempawu zezimilo zabo eziqinileyo, besala ukutsala nabanye abanamava amaninzi ngomsebenzi kaThixo, baya kumfamekiswa kukuzithemba, bangakwazi ukwahlula phakathi kobuxoki nenyaniso. Akukhuselekanga ukunyula abantu abanjalo njengeenkokeli zebandla; kuba baya kulandela ezabo iimbomo nawabo amacebo, bangazihoyi iimbono zabazalwana babo. Kulula ukuba utshaba lusebenze ngabo bathi, bedinga ukucetyiswa kwinyathelo ngalinye, basuke babe ngabelusi bemiphefumlo ngawabo amandla, bengakufundanga ukuthobeka kukaKristu. IZ 279.1

Iimbono nje zizodwa azisiso isikhokelo esifanelekileyo ekusebenzeni. Utshaba lukholisa ngokuboyisela abantu ekubeni bakholwe kukuthi nguThixo obakhokelayo, kanti eyona nto sebelandela nje imizwa yobuntu. Ukuba siyaqaphelisisa, sicebisane nabazalwana bethu, siya kunikwa ukuyazi intando yeNkosi; kuba isithembiso sithi, “Abafundise abalulamileyo indlela yakhe.” Ndumiso 25:9. IZ 279.2

Ebandleni lobuKristu lokuqala, kwakukho abathile ababesala ukwamkela, mhlawumbi uPawulos okanye u-Apolo, koko babebambe ukuthi, uPetroswayeyinkokeliyabo. BaqinisekisaukubauPetros wayengoyena usondelelene kakhulu noKristu ngexesha iNkosi yayilapha emhlabeni, kanti yena uPawulos wayengumtshutshisi wamakholwa. Iimbono zabo nemizwa yabo yayiqanyangelwe kukugweba bengabuzanga. Abazange babonise sisa, nabuntu, nabubele, izinto ezityhila ukuba uYesu ukho entliziyweni. IZ 279.3

Yayikho ingozi yokuba umoya wamaqela unganeziphumo ezibi ebandleni lobuKristu, waza uPawulos wayalelwa yiNkosi ukuba athethe amazwi esilumkiso senene, nokukhalima ngesidima. Kwabo babesithi, “Mna ndingokaPawulos; omnye ke athi, Mna ndingoka-Apolo; omnye ke athi, Mna ndingokaKefas; omnye ke athi, Mna ndingokaKristu,” umpostile wabuza wathi, “Wahlukahlukene na uKristu? Kwabethelelwa uPawulos yini na emnqamlezweni ngenxa yenu? Nabhaptizelwa egameni likaPawulos, kusini na?” “Ngoko ke makungabikho namye uqhayisa ngabantu,” wabacenga, “kuba izinto zonke zezenu; nokuba nguPawulos, nokuba nguApolo, nokuba nguKefas, nokuba lihlabathi, nokuba bubomi, nokuba kukufa, nokuba zizinto ezingeneyo, nokuba zezizayo; zonke zezenu. Nina ke ningabakaKristu, uKristu ke ngokaThixo.” 1 Korinte 1:12, 13; 3:21-23. IZ 280.1

UPawulos noApolo babevumelana ngendlela epheleleyo. UApolo wadaniswa, wababuhlungu yiyantlukwano eyayisebandleni laseKorinte; akakuthabatha njengexhoba ukukhethwa kwakhe, engazange akukhuthaze, kodwa wakhawuleza wemka kuloo ndawo inembambano. Kwathi kamva, akucengwa nguPawulos ukuba abuyele eKorinte, wala, akaphinda asebenze apho kwada kwakudala, emva kokuba ibandla lifikelele ekukhuleni ngokwemo yasemoyeni. IZ 280.2