31. Efesu

Imvithi yenkundla yamaGriki ese-Efesu, lapho umPhostoli uPawulu ashumayela khona. Ngezikhathi zeTestamente eliSha, i-Efesu yayaziwa kakhulu emhlabeni owaziwayo ngenxa yethempeli layo elalilihle kakhulu elalakhiwe ukuze kuhlonishwe isithixokazi sabahedeni bamaRoma uDiyana. Manje esiyonakele, i-Efesu yake yaba yikomkhulu lesifunda saseRoma sase-Asiya futhi nemaphakathi elikhulu lentengiso. Abakhandisiliva bedolobha baba nomsebenzi ochumayo bethengisa imifanekiso kaDiyana.

Izehlakalo Ezibalulekile: UmPhostoli uPawulu wahambela e-Efesu ngasekupheleni kohambo lwakhe lwesibili lobufundisi (IzE. 18:18–19). Ohambeni lwakhe lwesithathu wahlala kulelidolobha iminyaka emibili. Waphoqeleka ukuba ahambe ngenxa yomsindo owawubangwa ngabakhandisiliva ababelahlekelwa wumsebenzi ngesikhathi uPawulu eshumayela ngokumelene nokukhonza isithixokazi samanga uDiyana (IzE. 19:1, 10, 23–41; 20:1). Inkundla yase-Efesu kwakungenkulu eyake yakhiwa ngamaGriki futhi kwakuyindawo lapho ababekanye noPawulu ababhekana khona noquqaba lwezichwensi (IzE. 19:29–31). UPawulu wabhalela amalungu eBandla ayese-Efesu incwadi yokuthunyelwa ngesikhathi sokuthunjwa kwakhe eRoma. Elinye lamagatsha ayisikhombisa eBandla ayese-Asiya incwadi yesaMbulo ebhalelwe lona lalitholakala Efesu (IsAmb. 1:10–11; 2:1).