Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Waba Qotho Lapho Ebhekene Novivinyo

AMEHLO kaPetru ayezibheke ngelikhulu isasasa izilaleli zikaJesu njengoba zazibuthanele esinagogeni laseKapernawume. UPetru wayehlala kulo muzi; ibhizinisi lakhe lokudoba lalisogwini loLwandle LwaseGalile; abangane bakhe abaningi, izihlobo nabantu ayesebenza nabo ayebajwayele nabo babehlala lapha. Akubuzwa ukuthi uPetru wayefisa kabi ukuba amadoda omuzi wakubo abheke uJesu ngendlela yena ayembheka ngayo nokuba azizwele injabulo yokufunda ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kumfundisi omkhulu kunabo bonke. Lokhu kwakungabonakali kuzokwenzeka ngalolo suku.

Abaningi base beyekile ukulalela. Abanye babebubula ngokuzwakalayo, bengavumelani nokwakushiwo uJesu. Nokho, into eyayikhathaza uPetru kakhulu kwakuyindlela abanye abafundi bakaJesu abasabela ngayo. Ubuso babo babungasenayo leya njabulo yokwembulelwa okuthile, injabulo yokufunda into entsha, injabulo yokufunda iqiniso. Babebukeka becasukile, benyukubele imbala. Abanye bathi amazwi kaJesu ayashaqisa. Bengasafuni nhlobo ukulalela okwengeziwe, baphuma esinagogeni—bayeka nokumlandela.

Lesi kwakuyisikhathi esinzima kuPetru nakubaphostoli ayekanye nabo. UPetru akakuqondanga ngokuphelele okwashiwo uJesu ngalolo suku. Akungabazeki ukuthi wakwazi ukubona ukuthi kungani amazwi kaJesu ayengase ezwakale ecasula uma ungawaqondanga. Nokho, uPetru wayezokwenzenjani? Kwakungekhona okokuqala ukuba ubuqotho bakhe eNkosini yakhe buvivinywe futhi kwakungagcini. Ake sibone ukuthi ukholo lukaPetru lwamsiza kanjani ukuba abhekane nezinselele ezinjengalezi futhi ahlale eqotho.

Waqhubeka Eqotho Nalapho Abanye Behlamuka UJesu

UPetru wayehlale emangazwa uJesu. Izikhathi eziningi, iNkosi yakhe yayenza futhi ikhulume ngendlela abantu ababengayilindele. Ngayizolo, uJesu wayesuthise izinkulungwane zabantu ngokuyisimangaliso. Labo bantu basabela ngokuthi bazame ukumbeka inkosi. Nokho, wamangaza abaningi ngokubaleka nangokutshela abafundi bakhe ukuba bagibele isikebhe baye eKapernawume. Njengoba abafundi babehamba ngesikebhe ebusuku, uJesu wabamangaza futhi ngokuhamba phezu koLwandle LwaseGalile olugubhayo, efundisa uPetru isifundo esibalulekile sokuba nokholo. *

Ekuseni, basheshe bathola ukuthi lezo zixuku ziye zabalandela. Nokho, kusobala ukuthi abantu babeqhutshwa isifiso sokuphinde babone uJesu enza ukudla ngokuyisimangaliso, hhayi esokulambela amaqiniso angokomoya. UJesu wabasola ngokuba nomoya wokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. Le ngxoxo yaqhubeka nasesinagogeni  laseKapernawume, lapho uJesu aphinde enza okungalindelwe ngesikhathi ezama ukufundisa iqiniso elibalulekile kodwa elinzima.

UJesu wayefuna ukuba labo bantu bangambheki njengomthombo wokudla okungokwenyama kuphela, kodwa nanjengomthombo wokudla okungokomoya okuvela kuNkulunkulu. Wayefuna nokuba bambheke njengomuntu owayeyonikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuze abanye bathole ukuphila phakade. Ngakho wenza umfanekiso lapho azifanisa khona nemana, isinkwa esehla sivela ezulwini ngosuku lukaMose. Lapho abanye bemphikisa, wasebenzisa umfanekiso ocacile, echaza ukuthi kwakudingeka badle inyama yakhe baphuze negazi lakhe ukuze bathole ukuphila. Ngokusho la mazwi kwabe iwuchithile umuthi inkonyane. Abanye bathi: “Le nkulumo iyashaqisa; ubani ongayilalela na?” Abaningi kubafundi bakhe bakhetha ukuyeka ukumlandela. *—Johane 6:48-60, 66.

UPetru wayezokwenzenjani? Kumelwe ukuthi kwayena ayemdidile amazwi kaJesu. Wayengakaqondi ukuthi uJesu kwakumelwe afe ukuze akwazi ukufeza intando kaNkulunkulu. Yize kunjalo, ingabe uPetru walingeka ukuba ayeke ukulandela uJesu njengoba kwakwenze abanye abafundi ngalolo suku? Cha; kunokuthile okubalulekile okwakwenza uPetru ahluke kulawo madoda. Kwakuyini lokho?

UJesu waphendukela kubaphostoli bakhe, wababuza: “Nifuna ukuhamba yini nani?” (Johane 6:67) Wabuza bonke abafundi abangu-12, kodwa nguPetru owaphendula. Kwakuvamile ukuthi aphendule kuqala. Kungenzeka ukuthi uyena owayemdala kunabo bonke. Kunoma yikuphi, nguyena owayekhuluma kakhulu; kubonakala sengathi uPetru wayengavamile ukuthula angakusho okusengqondweni yakhe. Kulokhu, okwakusengqondweni yakhe kwakuyila mazwi amnandi nangenakulibaleka: “Nkosi, ubani esizoya kuye? Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade.”—Johane 6:68.

Awakuthinti yini inhliziyo la mazwi? Ukholo uPetru ayenalo kuJesu lwalumsize ukuba akhe imfanelo enhle kakhulu—ubuqotho. UPetru wabona ngokucacile ukuthi wayengekho omunye uMsindisi ngaphandle kukaJesu nokuthi uJesu wayesindisa ngamazwi akhe—izimfundiso zakhe ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. UPetru wayazi ukuthi nakuba zazikhona izinto ezazimdida, kodwa yayingekho enye indawo ayengaya kuyo uma efuna ukuthandwa uNkulunkulu nokuthola izibusiso zokuphila okuphakade.

Ingabe yileyo indlela ozizwa ngayo? Kuyadabukisa ukuthi abaningi namuhla bathi bayamthanda uJesu kodwa bayahluleka lapho ubuqotho babo buvivinywa. Ubuqotho bangempela kuKristu budinga sibe nombono ofana nokaPetru ngezimfundiso zikaJesu. Sidinga ukuzifunda, siqonde ukuthi zisho ukuthini futhi siphile ngazo—ngisho noma zisimangaza ngoba zihlukile kulokho esikulindele noma okuthandwa yithina. Ukuzibonakalisa siqotho yikona okuyosinika ithemba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade, uJesu asifunela kona.

 Waqhubeka Eqotho Nalapho Elulekwa

Ngemva nje kwaleso sikhathi esimatasa, uJesu wahola abaphostoli bakhe nabanye abafundi ohambweni oluya ngasenyakatho. Isiqongo seNtaba iHermoni esilele iqhwa esasingasemaphethelweni enyakatho yeZwe Lesithembiso, ngezinye izikhathi sasibonakala ngisho nasemanzini aluhlaza oLwandle LwaseGalile. Njengoba besondela, leyo ntaba yayibukeka isendaweni ephakeme, futhi kancane kancane baqala ukubona imizi eseduze kwaseKhesariya Filipi. * Njengoba babedlula izindawo ezinhle futhi manje sebeyibona kahle ingxenye enkulu yeZwe Lesithembiso kuze kube seningizimu, uJesu wabuza abalandeli bakhe umbuzo obalulekile.

Efuna ukwazi, wababuza, “Izixuku zithi ngingubani?” Singambona ngeso lengqondo uPetru ebheke amehlo kaJesu anokuqonda, ewubona futhi umusa weNkosi yakhe nokuhlakanipha kwayo okuphakeme. UJesu wayefisa ukwazi ukuthi izilaleli zakhe ziphetha ngokuthini uma zibona izinto ayezenza futhi zizwa izinto ayezikhuluma. Abafundi bakaJesu baphendula lowo mbuzo ngokumtshela izinto ezingelona iqiniso abantu ababezisho ngaye. Kodwa uJesu wayesafuna ukuthola okwengeziwe. Ingabe nalaba bangane bakhe babesenalokho kucabanga okuyiphutha? Wababuza, “Nina-ke nithi ngingubani?”—Luka 9:18-22.

Nalapha futhi, uPetru waphendula kuqala. Wakusho kwezwakala lokho okwakusezinhliziyweni zabaningi ababelapho. Wathi: “UnguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.” Singambona ngamehlo engqondo uJesu emomotheka kancane njengoba ebuka uPetru futhi emncoma ngokufudumele. UJesu wakhumbuza uPetru ukuthi kwakunguJehova uNkulunkulu—hhayi umuntu—owayenze leli qiniso elibaluleke kangaka labakhanyela labo abanokholo lweqiniso. UPetru wasizwa ukuba aqonde elinye lamaqiniso abaluleke kakhulu uJehova ake wawembula—ukuthi wayengubani uMesiya noma uKristu okwase kuyisikhathi eside athenjiswa!—Mathewu 16:16, 17.

Lo Kristu nguyena isiprofetho sasendulo esambiza ngokuthi yitshe elaliyokwaliwa abakhi. (IHubo 118:22; Luka 20:17) Ecabanga ngaleso siprofetho, uJesu wembula ukuthi uJehova wayezosungula ibandla kulelo tshe, noma idwala, uPetru ayesanda kulibalula. * Wabe esephathisa uPetru amalungelo athile abalulekile kulelo bandla. Akazange anike uPetru igunya ngaphezu kwabanye abaphostoli, njengoba abanye becabanga, kodwa wamphathisa imithwalo yemfanelo. Wanika uPetru “izihluthulelo zombuso.” (Mathewu 16:19) Kwakuyoba umsebenzi kaPetru ukuvulela izinhlobo ezintathu zabantu—amaJuda kuqala, kulandele amaSamariya bese kugcina abeZizwe—ithuba lokungena eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.

 Nokho, kamuva uJesu wathi labo abanikwe okuningi kuyofunwa okuningi kubo, futhi iqiniso lalawo mazwi libonakala kahle endabeni kaPetru. (Luka 12:48) UJesu waqhubeka embula amaqiniso abalulekile ngoMesiya, kuhlanganise nokuhlushwa kwakhe okwakusondela nokufa eJerusalema. UPetru zamphatha kabi lezi zinto ezazikhulunywa uJesu. Wabe esembizela eceleni wamkhuza, wathi: “Yiba nomusa kuwe, Nkosi; ngeke neze ube nalesi siphetho.”—Mathewu 16:21, 22.

UPetru wayengaqonde bubi, ngakho kumelwe ukuba impendulo kaJesu yamethusa. UJesu wafulathela uPetru, wabe esebabuka bonke abafundi—nabo cishe ababecabanga okufanayo—wathi: “Yana emva kwami, Sathane! Uyisikhubekiso kimi, ngoba awucabangi imicabango kaNkulunkulu, kodwa eyabantu.” (Mathewu 16:23; Marku 8:32, 33) Amazwi kaJesu aqukethe iseluleko esiwusizo kithi sonke. Kulula kakhulu ukuvumela ukucabanga kwabantu kube yikona okuthatha indawo yokuqala kunokucabanga okunjengokukaNkulunkulu. Uma senza kanjalo, ngisho nalapho siqonde ukusiza, singase sizithole sesingamathuluzi kaSathane kunokuba sibe amathuluzi kaNkulunkulu. Nokho, uPetru wasabela kanjani?

Ngokuqinisekile, wayazi ukuthi uJesu wayengasho ukuthi unguSathane uDeveli. UJesu akazange akhulume noPetru ngendlela akhuluma ngayo noSathane. UJesu wathi kuSathane: “Hamba, Sathane!”; kodwa kuPetru wathi: “Yana emva kwami.” (Mathewu 4:10) UJesu akazange amxoshe lo mphostoli ngoba wayebona lukhulu kuye, kodwa wamane walungisa ukucabanga kwakhe okuphambene kule ndaba. Kuyacaca ukuthi kwakudingeka uPetru ayeke ukuphazamisa iNkosi yakhe, kunalokho aye emva kwayo ayisekele.

Ingabe uPetru wamphikisa, wafuthelana, noma wanyukubala? Cha; wasamukela ngokuthobeka iseluleko. Ngaleyo ndlela, waphinde wabonisa ubuqotho. Bonke labo abalandela uKristu bayodinga ukwelulekwa ngezinye izikhathi. Ukuphela kwento eyosisiza siqinise ubuhlobo bethu noJesu Kristu kanye noYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu, ukwamukela isiyalo ngokuthobeka futhi sifunde kuso.—IzAga 4:13.

Ubuqotho Bakhe Bavuzwa

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uJesu washo amanye amazwi amangazayo: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini kukhona abanye kulaba abemi lapha abangeke bakunambithe nhlobo ukufa baze babone iNdodana yomuntu kuqala iza embusweni wayo.” (Mathewu 16:28) Akungabazeki ukuthi lawo mazwi enza uPetru walangazelela ukwazi okwengeziwe. Ingabe wayeqonde ukuthini uJesu? Kungenzeka uPetru wayezibuza futhi ukuthi njengoba ayesanda kwelulekwa ngokuqinile lokho kwakusho ukuthi wayengeke aphinde awathole amalungelo akhethekile.

Nokho, ngemva kwesonto, uJesu wathatha uJakobe, uJohane noPetru waya nabo “entabeni ephakeme”—mhlawumbe eNtabeni iHermoni, eyayiqhele ngamakhilomitha ambalwa. Kungenzeka ukuthi kwakusebusuku ngoba la madoda amathathu ayozela. Ngesikhathi uJesu ethandaza, kunokuthile okwenzeka okwawenza aphaphama.—Mathewu 17:1; Luka 9:28, 29, 32.

UJesu waqala ukuguquka phambi kwawo. Ubuso bakhe baqala ukucwebezela, bakhazimula kwaze kwaba yilapho sebuxhopha njengelanga. Izambatho zakhe nazo zaba mhlophe ngokukhazimulayo. Kwabe sekubonakala amadoda amabili emi noJesu, enye imelele uMose, enye u-Eliya. Akhuluma naye “ngokumuka kwakhe okwakuzokwenzeka eJerusalema”—ngokusobala okwakuwukufa nokuvuka kwakhe. Yeka ukuthi kwacaca kanjani ukuthi uPetru wayenephutha ngokuphika ukuthi uJesu wayelindelwe ubunzima!—Luka 9:30, 31.

UPetru wafisa sengathi naye angaba yingxenye yalo mbono ongavamile. Lapho kubonakala sengathi uMose no-Eliya bayahamba, uPetru wathi: “Mfundisi, kuhle ukuba lapha, ngakho masimise amatende amathathu, elinye libe ngelakho, elinye libe ngelikaMose elinye libe ngelika-Eliya.” Yiqiniso, la madoda amabili ayemelele izinceku zikaJehova ezimbili ezase zinesikhathi zafa ayengawadingi amatende. UPetru wayengakwazi lokho ayekusho. Noma kunjalo,  awuzizwa yini uyithanda le ndoda ngenxa yomusa wayo nokusukumela kwayo izinto phezulu?—Luka 9:33.

UJakobe, uJohane naye uPetru bathola omunye umvuzo ngalobo busuku. Ngesikhathi besentabeni basibekelwa ifu futhi kulelo fu kwezwakala izwi—izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu! Lathi: “Lo yiNdodana yami ekhethiweyo. Mlaleleni.” Khona manjalo, umbono waphela futhi bazibona sebebodwa noJesu entabeni.—Luka 9:34-36.

Yeka ukuthi lowo mbono waba yisibusiso kanjani kuPetru—nakithi! Ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka wabhala ngelungelo alithola ngalobo busuku lokuba omunye ‘wofakazi bokuzibonela,’ ebona ngokoqobo kusengaphambili uJesu njengeNkosi yasezulwini ekhazimulayo. Lowo mbono wafakazela iziprofetho eziningi eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu futhi waqinisa ukholo lukaPetru, umqinisela uvivinyo oluningi ayesazobhekana nalo. (2 Petru 1:16-19) Nathi ungasiqinisa uma njengoPetru sihlala siqotho eNkosini uJehova ayibeke phezu kwethu, sifunde kuyo, samukele izeluleko zayo futhi siyilandele ngokuthobeka usuku nosuku.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 28]

 Ubani Idwala?

“Mina ngithi kuwe, Wena unguPetru, phezu kwaleli dwala ngizokwakha ibandla lami.” (Mathewu 16:18) Lawo mazwi uJesu awasho kumphostoli wakhe, uPetru, avame ukuqondwa ngokuthi uPetru wayeyoba yisisekelo sebandla lobuKristu. ISonto LamaKatolika lifundisa ukuthi uJesu wayenikeza uPetru igunya lokuba ngaphezu kwabanye abaphostoli, ngaleyo ndlela emenza upapa wokuqala. Yingakho isonto iSaint Peter’s Basilica eseRoma ibhalwe la mazwi kaJesu ngokugqamile ngolimi lwesiLatini ngaphakathi engxenyeni eyisiyingi.

Ingabe uJesu wayesho ukuthi uPetru wayeyidwala ayezokwakhela kulo ibandla lakhe? Cha. Cabangela izizathu ezintathu zokuthi kungani singaqiniseka ngalokhu. Esokuqala, babekhona abanye abaphostoli ngesikhathi uJesu esho la mazwi, futhi abazange bafike kuleso siphetho. Uma uJesu abeka uPetru waba ngaphezu kwabo bonke, pho kungani kamuva baphinde baphikisana izikhathi eziningi ngokuthi ubani kubo obonakala emkhulu? (Marku 9:33-35; Luka 22:24-26) Esesibili, umphostoli uPawulu kamuva wabonisa ukuthi uPetru wayengelona idwala, kodwa kwakunguJesu Kristu. (1 Korinte 3:11; 10:4) Esesithathu, ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka kamuva uPetru uqobo wabonisa ukuthi wayengazibheki njengedwala. Kunalokho, wabhala ukuthi uJesu ‘wayeyigumbi lesisekelo’ elabikezelwa elakhethwa nguNkulunkulu uqobo.—1 Petru 2:4-8.

[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

UPetru wahlala eqotho ngisho nalapho elulekwa

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Ubuqotho bukaPetru bavuzwa ngokuboniswa umbono ovusa amadlingozi