1-3. Kuyini uJesu akwenzayo okwabonwa nguPhetro, njalo kwenzakalani ebusuku sebeselwandle?

UPHETRO wayeselume owangaphansi egwedla isikepe. Wayedukuza ebumnyameni, kodwa wathi esithi jeqe ngale ngasempumalanga wabona angani sekuthe nwe, wazi ukuthi kwasekusisa. Iqolo laselitshisa, amahlombe esefutha ngenxa yokuthi wayeselesikhathi eside egwedla. Kwakuphenquke isiphepho eLwandle lwaseGalile. Kwakungasimagagasi nje futhi lamanzi ayeqanda mo! UPhetro wayesemanzi te lomoya uphephula inwele zakhe. Kodwa waqhubeka egwedla.

² UPhetro labangane bakhe babetshiye uJesu ngale ngasekhunjini. Ngalelolanga, babembone eqeda iphango lexuku labantu ngezinkwa ezilutshwana kanye lokuzinhlanzi. Abantu bathi sebebone isimanga leso, bahle bathi sebezitholele inkosi. Kodwa uJesu wala ngoba wayengafuni ukuzingena ezombangazwe. Wayefuna lokufundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bangaqali ukuthanda ezombusazwe. Watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi baye phetsheya kolwandle ngesikepe, yena wasesithi nyelele esiyakhuleka entabeni.—Mak. 6:35-45; bala uJohane 6:14-17.

³ Inyanga yayingathi ihlangene. Bathi besuka yayibanga enkanda, kodwa khathesi yayisisobela ngale ngasentshonalanga. Lanxa kunjalo, babehambe okungumangwana nje. Umsindo wawubambile ngenxa yamagagasi kanye lomoya owawuvunguza usenza ukuthi bangezwani nxa bekhuluma. Kumele ukuthi uPhetro wayecabanga khatshana.

4. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi silingisele uPhetro?

⁴ Kunengi kakhulu okwakungabe kusekhanda likaPhetro. Phela kwasekudlule iminyaka emibili esazana loJesu waseNazaretha. Wayesefunde okunengi kuye, kodwa kunengi okwakusamele akufunde. Wayezimisele ukulwisana lokuthandabuza kanye lokwesaba ukuze kungambuyiseli emuva. Yikho kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi simlingisele. Ake sibone ukuthi kungasinceda ngani.

5, 6. Chaza ukuthi yayinjani impilo kaPhetro.

⁵ UPhetro wayengasoze wafa walikhohlwa ilanga aqala ukubona ngalo uJesu. Umfowabo u-Andreya wayemphathele indaba ezihlabusayo. Wambikela wathi: “Sesimfumene uMesiya.” Amazwi la ayintshintsha impilo kaPhetro. Wayesezanyathela ngolutsha.—Joh. 1:41.

⁶ UPhetro wayehlala eKhaphenawume, idolobho elalisenyakatho yoLwandle lwaseGalile. Wayesenza ibhizimusi lokugola inhlanzi elo-Andreya lamadodana kaZebedi, uJakhobe kanye loJohane. Wayehlala lomkakhe, loninazala kanye lomnewabo u-Andreya. Yikho-ke ukuze ondle imuli yakhe, kwakumele asebenze nzima futhi abe lamasu atshiyeneyo emsebenzini wakhe wokugola inhlanzi. Kumele ukuthi wayejayele ukusebenza ubusuku bonke. Akuwabone amadoda la esezikepeni zawo ezimbili esehlisa amambule awo, abesewadonsa engafuni lokuthi kuphunyuke leyodwa inhlanzi. Kusisa abesetshona esebenza kuze kuswelakale esokwelula iqolo ngoba inhlanzi kwakufanele zilungiswe zingakathengiswa. Lamanethi kwakumele ageziswe futhi athungwathungwe.

7. UPhetro wezwani mayelana loJesu, njalo kungani lezi kwakuyizindaba ezimnandi?

⁷ IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi u-Andreya wayengumfundi kaJohane uMbhaphathizi. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uPhetro wayethiya indlebe nxa umnewabo emchathekela ayekuzwe kuJohane. Ngelinye ilanga u-Andreya wazibonela ngawakhe uJohane ekhombela uJesu waseNazaretha esithi: “Khangelani, nansi iMvana kaNkulunkulu!” U-Andreya wahle waba ngumlandeli kaJesu waphanga wayatshela uPhetro ukuthi uMesiya wayesefikile! (Joh. 1:35-40) Lezi kwakuyizindaba ezimnandi sibili. Ngemva kokuhlamuka kwabantu e-Edeni, uJehova uNkulunkulu wayethembise ukuthi kwakuzakuba lomuntu owayezahlenga abantu. (Gen. 3:15) Kwasekudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-4 000 ekutshilo lokhu. U-Andreya wayesethe ngqwa loMhlengi lo, uMesiya sibi sakhe! UPhetro laye wahle wahuba sakhozi esiyabona uJesu.

8. Lalisitshoni ibizo uJesu alinika uPhetro, njalo kungani abanye bebona angani lalingamfanelanga?

⁸ UPhetro wayesaziwa ngokuthi nguSimoni. Kodwa uJesu wathi embona mhlalokho wathi kuye: ‘“UnguSimoni indodana kaJohane. Usuzathiwa unguKhefase!” (okuthi nxa kuchasiswa, nguPhetro).’ (Joh. 1:42) Ibizo elithi ‘Khefase’ lijayelekile njalo litsho “ilitshe” kumbe “idwala.” Kufanele ukuthi amazwi kaJesu ayeyisiphrofetho. Wayevele wakubona ukuthi uPhetro wayezaqina njengedwala, angantshintshantshintshi futhi abe ngumuntu othenjwa ngabalandeli bakaKhristu. Kodwa uPhetro yena wayezibona enjalo yini? Kukhanya angani wayekuthandabuza lokhu. Lalamuhla, abantu ababala amaVangeli kabakuboni ukuba lidwala kukaPhetro. Abanye baze bathi iBhayibhili  litshengisa ukuthi wayengumajikeduze, engumuntu oguquguqukayo futhi engenelisi ukuma entweni eyodwa.

9. Nxa uJehova leNdodana yakhe besikhangele babonani kithi, njalo ubona angathi kungani kungamelanga sikuthandabuze lokho?

⁹ UPhetro wayewenza amaphutha. UJesu wayewabona kodwa wayehlala ekhangela okuhle ebantwini njengoYise uJehova. Wayebona ukuthi uPhetro wayelobuntu obuhle futhi wayefuna ukumbumba ukuze enze okunengi ebandleni. UJehova kanye leNdodana yakhe bakhangela okuhle esikwenzayo. Kwezinye izikhathi singabona angani akula okuhle abangakubona kithi. Kodwa akumelanga sithandabuze ukuthi bayakubona okuhle esikwenzayo njalo kufanele silingisele uPhetro, sivume ukuthi basiqeqetshe futhi basibumbe.—Bala u-1 Johane 3:19, 20.

10. Kumele ukuthi uPhetro wabona uJesu esenzani, kodwa yena wenzani?

¹⁰ Kumele ukuthi uJesu wayehamba loPhetro kwezinye izindawo ayetshumayela kuzo. Ngakho-ke engxenye uPhetro wambona esenza isimangaliso sakhe sokuqala, entshintsha amanzi esiba liwayini edilini lomtshado elaliseKhana. Kodwa okwakuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi wezwa izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ezazinika abantu ithemba. Lanxa kunjalo, uPhetro wabuyela ebhizimusini lakhe lokugola inhlanzi. Kwathi sekwedlule izinyanga ezithile waphinda watshayisana loJesu. Khathesi-ke uJesu wamcela ukuthi amlandele, asebenze laye okwesikhathi esigcweleyo.

11, 12. (a) Kwenzakalani ebusuku uPhetro egola inhlanzi? (b) Kuyini uPhetro ayengabe ecabanga ngakho ngesikhathi esizwa uJesu efundisa?

¹¹ Ngalobobusuku uPhetro wayesebenze nzima, ezama esazama ukubamba inhlanzi elabanye bakhe, kodwa amambule ayephuma engela yona eyodwa. Kufanele ukuthi uPhetro wasebenzisa konke ukukhalipha lobungcitshi bakhe, edinga lapho ezazingabe zizinengi khona. Mhlawumbe yena labosowabo babeze bafise ukuthi bathi bhudlu emanzini la amnyama, bantsheze bayezibamba ngezabo izandla inhlanzi, baziphosele emanethini. Kodwa konke lokhu kwakuyizifiso nje, kubenza bakhathazeke kakhulu. Phela kuPhetro lokhu kwakungasimdlalo wokuzilibazisa. Kwakumele azigole inhlanzi ukuze ondle imuli yakhe. Kodwa ekucineni waphuma elwandle elengise izandla. Babephume ijumo likamabuyaze. Kwasekumele bagezise amambule abo. Ngakho-ke uPhetro wayephakathi komsebenzi lo ngesikhathi uJesu efika kuye.

¹² Kwakuyisiminyeminye abantu benyathelana izithende, begombolozele uJesu bemlalele efundisa. Yikho uJesu wangena esikepeni sikaPhetro wamcela ukuthi ake athi gudlu kancane ekhunjini. Wabafundisa-ke, ilizwi lakhe lizwakala kuhle ngenxa yokuthi isikepe sasisemanzini. UPhetro wamlalelisisa uJesu njalo labantu ababesekhunjini labo  babethiye indlebe. Kwakungamdaki ukulalela uJesu efundisa ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, owawuyisiqokoqela sezintshumayelo zakhe. Engxenye wayecabanga ngokuthi kwakungaba yisibusiso sibili ukuphathisa uKhristu emsebenzini wokutshumayela izindaba lezi ezinhle endaweni yonke. Kodwa wayeyabe engasaxotshanisi impala ezimbili na? Wayezayinakekela njani imuli yakhe? Kungenzakala ukuthi wacabanga langokuthi kwakuze kwasa esebenzela ize nje.—Luk. 5:1-3.

13, 14. Yisiphi isimangaliso uJesu asenzela uPhetro, njalo uPhetro kwamphatha njani lokhu?

¹³ UJesu wathi eqeda intshumayelo yakhe watshela uPhetro wathi: “Gwedla ungene emanzini atshonayo ucwilise amambule akho ukuze ubambe inhlanzi.” Mhlawumbe uPhetro wayethandabuza ukuthi uzaphuma lolutho. Yikho waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, sisebenze gadalala ubusuku bonke kodwa kasibambanga lutho. Kodwa njengoba usitsho njalo sengizawehlisa amambule.” Amazwi akhe atshengisa ukuthi wayedonda ukwenza lokhu ngoba wayesanda kuwagezisa amanethi. Kanti njalo ngesikhathi leso inhlanzi zaziyabe sezithe tsaha, zingasekho endaweni eyodwa. Lanxa kunjalo, walalela. Engxenye wahle wazama ukubiza labanye bakhe ababekwesinye isikepe ukuthi balandele.—Luk. 5:4, 5.

¹⁴ UPhetro waphosa amanethi, wasesithi uyadonsa wezwa esesinda. Kwakungathi uyaphupha! Wadonsa ngamandla, wathi esithi qaqabu wabona kungasinhlanzi enethini. Wasememeza-ke ebiza amadoda ayekwesinye isikepe ukuthi aphangise azobancedisa. Badonsa besadonsa, bacina bezibonela ukuthi izinhlanzi lezo zazingeke zenele esikepeni esisodwa. Bazigcwalisa phamu zombili izikepe, zaqala ukucwila. UPhetro wamangala wabamba owangaphansi. Wayeseke wambona sibili uJesu esenza izimangaliso, kodwa lesi sasiqondane laye mathupha. Kwakummangalisa kakhulu ukuthi indoda le yayisenelisa lokwenza ukuthi inhlanzi zingene emanethini. UPhetro waqalisa ukwesaba. Waguqa ngamadolo wasesithi: “Suka kimi, Nkosi; ngingumuntu oyisoni!” Engxenye wayesezibuza ukuthi kanti umuntu lo owayephiwe amandla angaka nguNkulunkulu wayeboneni kuye yena enguPhetro nje.—Bala uLukha 5:6-9.

15. UJesu wamncedisa njani uPhetro ukuthi angathandabuzi lokuthi angesabi?

¹⁵ UJesu wamqinisa wathi kuye: “Ungesabi; kusukela manje usuzagola abantu.” (Luk. 5:10, 11) Lesi kwakungayisiso sikhathi sokuthi uPhetro athandabuze loba esabe. Kwakungamelanga athandabuze ukuthi wayengenelisa ukondla imuli yakhe ngapha etshumayela, kumbe  esabe ukuba ngumlandeli kaJesu evika ngelokuthi yena wayengumuntu olesono. UJesu wayefuna ukuthi enze umsebenzi omkhulu wokutshumayela owawuzakwenza ukuthi abantu babe lekusasa elihle. Kanti njalo uNkulunkulu ‘wayezamthethelela ngesihle’ uPhetro. (Isaya. 55:7) Wayezamsiza lokuthi ondle imuli yakhe njalo atshumayele.—Mat. 6:33.

16. UPhetro, uJakhobe kanye loJohane benzani uJesu esebacele ukuthi babe ngabalandeli bakhe, njalo kungani lesi kwakuyisinqumo esihle kakhulu?

¹⁶ UPhetro wenzani? Yena loJakhobe kanye loJohane bahle ‘badonsela izikepe zabo okhunjini batshiya konke bamlandela.’ (Luk. 5:11) Lokhu kwaveza ukuthi wayelokholo kuJesu lakulowo owayemthumile njalo kwakuyisinqumo esihle kulazo zonke ayengazenza empilweni. Lalamuhla amanye amaKhristu alwisana lokuthandabuza lokwesaba  ukuze akhonze uNkulunkulu. Lokhu kuveza ukuthi alokholo lokuthi ayamthemba. UJehova ngeke awabambise ilitshe.—Hubo. 22:4, 5.

17. UPhetro wayekhumbula ziphi izinto ezazenziwe nguJesu?

¹⁷ Esikhulume ngakho kundima yakuqala kwenzakala sekwedlule iminyaka engaba mibili uPhetro ebonane loJesu. Wayehamba ngesikepe eLwandle lwaseGalile. Kwakusebusuku futhi kulomoya. Kasazi ukuthi kwakugijima micabango bani engqondweni yakhe. Kunengi ayenganakana ngakho. Phela uJesu wayesilise uninazala kaPhetro waphinda watshumayeza abantu eseNtabeni. Kanti njalo izimangaliso ayezenza lezinto ayezifundisa abantu zazitshengisa ukuthi wayenguMesiya owayekhethwe nguJehova. UPhetro wayeqale engumuntu othandabuzayo kakhulu njalo owesabayo, kodwa kumele ukuthi khathesi kwasekunganeno njengoba wayeselesikhathi eloJesu. UJesu wayesemkhethe lokuthi abe ngomunye wabaphostoli abangu-12! Loba kunjalo, ukwesaba kwakhe lokuthandabuza kwakungakapheli du. Ngemva kwesikhatshana laye wakunanzelela lokhu.

18, 19. (a) Chasisa ukuthi uPhetro wabonani eLwandle lwaseGalile. (b) UJesu wathini ngesicelo sikaPhetro?

¹⁸ Kwathi sekuphakathi komlindo wesine ebusuku, phakathi kuka-3 ekuseni kusiya ekuphumeni kwelanga, kwenzakala isimanga. UPhetro wathi esithi mehlo suka wabona nanso into ihamba phezu kwamanzi. Wathi khwimilili, wama ukugwedla esethithibele. Mhlawumbe wayezibuza ukuthi kwakungamagagasi olwandle yini ayekhanyiswe yinyanga. Kodwa khona kwakukude kuqondile, kungafanani lamagagasi ayesithi wolokohlo. Kwathi dlwe ekhanda, wananzelela ukuthi kwakungumuntu owayehamba phezu kwamanzi, esondela kubo kungathi uzadlula phezu kwesikepe sabo aye ngale kwaso. Abafundi besaba bathwala amaphaphu sebecabanga ukuthi yisipoko. Umuntu lo wathi kubo: “Bekani amaphaphu phansi! Yimi. Lingesabi.” KwakunguJesu sibisakhe!—Mat. 14:25-28.

¹⁹ UPhetro waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, uma kunguwe, tshono ukuba ngize kuwe phezu kwamanzi.” UPhetro waqala waba lesibindi. Wayethabe efile esebone isimanga leso, wasecela ukuhamba phezu kwamanzi njengoJesu ukuze angathandabuzi ukuthi ayekubona kwakuliqiniso. Lakanye uJesu wambiza. UPhetro waphanga wehla esikepeni, wathi jithi elwandle lolu olwalulamagagasi. Akucabange ukuthi wezwa njani esizwa kuqinile angani kusenhlabathini! Nango eqonda kuJesu emangele engaselankani. Kodwa zukuzuku, izinto zantshintsha.—Bala uMathewu 14:29.

20. (a) Kwasekutheni uPhetro aze asuse amehlo akhe kuJesu, futhi kwenzakalani ngemva kwalokho? (b) UJesu wamfundisa siphi isifundo uPhetro?

²⁰ UPhetro kwakumele awathi nhlo amehlo akhe kuJesu. UJesu nguye owayesebenzisa amandla kaJehova ukuze amsize ukuthi  angaginywa ngamagagasi la. Kanti njalo wayemncedisa ngoba wayetshengise ukuthi ulokholo. Kodwa uPhetro kazange aqhubeke ekhangele uJesu. Wakhangela amagagasi la ayetshaya isikepe esizunguza sisiya le lale, lamanzi ayekhaphazela yonke indawo! IBhayibhili lithi: “Wathi ebona umoya wesaba.” Waqhuqha waba ngumhlanga uphetshulwa ngumoya. Engxenye wayesezibona esegalula. Lwamhaqaza uvalo, ukholo lwakhe lwaswaba. Indoda le yayiphiwe ibizo elitsho iDwala kusitsho ukuthi yayingenelisa ukumelana lobunzima. Kodwa yaqala ukutshona salitshe eliphoswe emanzini ngoba yayisithandabuza. UPhetro wayeyingcitshi yokutshaya ibhamu, kodwa kazange azame ukuzihlenga ngamandla akhe. Wakhala wathi: “Nkosi, akungisize!” UJesu wamgxavuna ngesandla, wamdonsa. Belokhu bephezu kwamanzi uJesu wamfundisa isifundo esiqakatheke kakhulu, wathi kuye: “Wena olokholo oluncinyane, kungani uthandabuzile?”—Mat. 14:30, 31.

21. Kungani ukuthandabuza kuyingozi, njalo singalwisana lakho njani?

²¹ Lamuhla banengi abantu abathandabuzayo. Ukuthandabuza kunjengempehlane, kuyaluphehla ukholo kuluqede du! Nxa lathi kungasihlasela, singacina sesiphambuka. Ngakho-ke kumele silwise ngamandla wonke ukuthi sihlale silokholo. Njani? Akufanelanga sihlale sicabanga ngezinto ezisikhathazayo loba ezisiqeda amandla, size sicine singasamnaki uJehova leNdodana yakhe. Kodwa kumele siqhubeke sinakana ngoJehova langeNdodana yakhe, sicabangisise ngalokho asebekwenzile, abakwenzayo khathesi kanye lalokho abazakwenzela abantu ababathandayo. Lokhu kuzasisiza ukuthi siqhubeke silokholo oluqinileyo.

22. Kungani kumele silingisele ukholo lukaPhetro?

²² UPhetro walandela uJesu baya esikepeni. Wabona isiphepho sithula. Kwasekuthe cwaka eLwandle lwaseGalile. Yena labanye abafundi bababaza bathi: “Ngempela uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” (Mat. 14:33) Kwasa inhliziyo kaPhetro igcwele intokozo, ebona kusithi nwe ngale ngasempumalanga yolwandle. Wayelwisane lokwesaba kanye lokuthandabuza. UJesu wayetshilo ukuthi uPhetro wayezakuba ngumKhristu onjengedwala, kodwa wayeseselomango. Loba kunjalo, wayezimisele ukuqhubeka ethuthuka. Wena uzimisele na? Nxa kunjalo, lingisela ukholo lukaPhetro.