1, 2. Yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba uPetros wayeyinqwenela ngoxa uYesu wayethetha eKapernahum, kodwa kwenzeka ntoni?

UPETROS wayekhangele kubantu ababephulaphule uYesu exhalabile. Babekwindlu yesikhungu eKapernahum. Ikhaya likaPetros lalikule dolophu; ishishini lakhe lokuloba lalikunxweme loLwandle lwaseGalili; abahlobo bakhe abaninzi, izalamane noogxa bakhe kwezoshishino babehlala apha. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uPetros wayefuna abantu bedolophu yakowabo bambone uYesu ngendlela yena awayembona ngayo, baze bakuvuyele njengaye ukufunda ngoBukumkani bukaThixo koyena mfundisi ubalaseleyo. Kodwa ke yayingazukwenzeka loo nto.

² Abantu abaninzi abazange baphulaphule. Abanye babembombozela, bephikisa isigidimi sikaYesu. Eyona nto yamkhathaza kakhulu uPetros yindlela abasabela ngayo abanye abafundi bakaYesu. Babengasakuvuyeli ukufunda inyaniso. Babebonakala becaphukile. Abanye bade balikhupha latsola elokuba intetho kaYesu yayisothusa. Bemka kuloo ndlu yesikhungu kuba bengasafuni ukuphulaphula—baza bayeka ukulandela uYesu.—Funda uYohane 6:60, 66.

3. Ukholo lukaPetros lwamnceda wenza ntoni kumatyeli amaninzi?

³ Elo yaba lixesha elinzima kuPetros nabanye abapostile. UPetros wayengayiqondi kakuhle into eyafundiswa nguYesu ngaloo mini. Wayesiqonda isizathu sokuba intetho kaYesu ibonakale ikhubekisa xa uyikha phezulu. Wayeza kwenza ntoni yena? Esi yayingesosihlandlo sokuqala kuvavanywa ukunyaniseka kwakhe kwiNkosi yakhe, ingesiso nesokugqibela. Makhe sibone indlela olwamnceda ngayo ukholo lwakhe wakwazi ukumelana nokuvavanywa okunjalo waza wahlala enyanisekile.

4, 5. UYesu wazenza njani izinto ezahluke ngokupheleleyo kwezo abantu babezilindele?

⁴ UPetros wayesoloko emangaliswa nguYesu. Izihlandlo ezininzi iNkosi yakhe yayithetha ize yenze izinto ezahluke ngokupheleleyo  kwizinto ezazilindelwe ngabantu. Kusuku nje olungaphambi kolo, uYesu wondla amawaka abantu ngokungummangaliso. Ngenxa yoko bazama ukumenza ukumkani. Kodwa wamangalisa abaninzi xa wabaleka waza wayalela abafundi bakhe ukuba bakhwele isikhephe baye eKapernahum. Njengoko abafundi babebheqa isikhephe sabo ebusuku, uYesu wabamangalisa kwakhona ngokuhamba kuLwandle lwaseGalili olwalulwatyuza, efundisa uPetros isifundo esibalulekileyo ngokuba nokholo.

⁵ Ngentsasa elandelayo, bafumanisa ukuba ezo zihlwele zaziye zabalandela. Kuyacaca ukuba abantu babemlandela uYesu kuba befuna abenzele okunye ukutya ngokungummangaliso, kungekhona kuba befuna ukuva inyaniso. UYesu wabakhalimela ngenxa yokuthanda kwabo izinto eziphathekayo. (Yoh. 6:25-27) Loo ngxoxo yaqhubeka kwindlu yesikhungu eKapernahum, apho uYesu wathetha into ababengayilindelanga ukuze abafundise inyaniso ebalulekileyo kodwa ekunzima ukuyiqonda.

6. UYesu wenza wuphi umzekeliso, yaye basabela njani abo babemphulaphule?

⁶ UYesu wayefuna abo bantu bangamboni njengomthombo wokutya nje kuphela, kodwa njengelungiselelo lezinto zokomoya elivela kuThixo, lowo ubomi nokufa kwakhe kwakuza kuvulela abantu ithuba lokuphila ngonaphakade. Ngoko wabenzela umzekeliso ezithelekisa nemana, isonka somhla kaMoses esehla sivela ezulwini. Bathi abanye besakuphikisa, wasebenzisa umzekeliso owawusithi kwakufuneka batye inyama negazi lakhe ukuze bafumane ubomi. Hayi ke abantu bachasa nangakumbi. Abanye bathi: “Le ntetho iyothusa; ngubani na onako ukuyiphulaphula?” Uninzi lwabafundi bakhe lwayeka ukumlandela. *—Yoh. 6:48-60, 66.

7, 8. (a) Yintoni awayengekayiqondi uPetros ngendima kaYesu? (b) UPetros wawuphendula njani umbuzo kaYesu awawubuza abapostile?

⁷ Wayeza kwenza ntoni uPetros? Ufanele ukuba naye ayembhidile amazwi kaYesu. Wayengekayiqondi into yokuba uYesu kwakufuneka afe ukuze enze intando kaThixo. Kodwa ngaba naye walingeka ukuba ayeke ukulandela uYesu, njengaloo mawexu-wexu abafundi abashiya uYesu ngaloo mini? Akunjalo; uPetros wayenento ebalulekileyo eyayimenza ahluke kuloo madoda. Yayiyintoni leyo?

⁸ UYesu waphethukela kubafundi bakhe waza wathi: “Ngaba nani nifuna ukumka?” (Yoh. 6:67) Wayethetha nabapostile abali-12 kodwa kwaphendula uPetros. Phofu ke kwakusoloko kuphendula yena. Mhlawumbi wayengoyena mdala kubo. Nguye owayesoloko  ethetha kweloo qela, kuyabonakala ukuba wayengoyiki ukuthetha nantoni na esengqondweni yakhe. Kodwa ngesi sihlandlo wathetha amazwi amnandi esiya kuhlala siwakhumbula: “Nkosi, siya kumka siye kubani na? Nguwe onamazwi obomi obungunaphakade.”—Yoh. 6:68.

9. UPetros wabonisa njani ukuba unyanisekile kuYesu?

⁹ Ngaba loo mazwi akayichukumisi intliziyo yakho? Ukuba nokholo kukaPetros kuYesu kwamnceda wavelisa uphawu olubalulekileyo—ukunyaniseka. KuPetros, kwakucace mhlophe ukuba yayinguYesu kuphela umSindisi olungiselelwe nguYehova kwaye wayesindisa ngezinto awayezithetha—imfundiso yakhe ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. UPetros wayesazi ukuba enokuba kwakukho izinto awayengaziqondi kakuhle, yayingekho enye indawo awayenokuya kuyo ukuba wayefuna ukuthandwa nguThixo aze asikelelwe ngobomi obungunaphakade.

10. Singakuxelisa njani ukunyaniseka kukaPetros namhlanje?

¹⁰ Ngaba leyo yindlela ovakalelwa ngayo nawe? Okulusizi kukuba namhlanje abantu abaninzi abathi bayamthanda uYesu bayasilela kolu phawu lokunyaniseka. Ukuba sinyaniseke ngokwenene kuKristu kufuneka sibe nembono efanayo nekaPetros ngeemfundiso zikaYesu. Kufuneka sizifunde, siziqonde kakuhle size siphile ngazo nokuba zahlukile kwizinto esizilindeleyo okanye esizithandayo. Ubomi obungunaphakade afuna sibufumane uYesu, siya kubufumana kuphela xa sinyanisekile.—Funda  iNdumiso 97:10.

11. UYesu wabasa phi abafundi bakhe? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹¹ Kungekudala emva koko, uYesu wahamba nabapostile nabafundi bakhe baya ngasentla. Incopho enekhephu yeNtaba yeHermon, eyayisemantla eLizwe Lesithembiso, maxa wambi yayibonakala naxa ukuLwandle lwaseGalili. Loo ntaba yaya ibonakala ngathi iphakame kakhulu njengoko elo qela lalisiya lisondela lihamba ngendlela eyayidlula kwiidolophana ezingaseKesareya yaseFilipi. * Ekule ndawo iphakamileyo eyayimenza alibone kakuhle iLizwe Lesithembiso elisemazantsi, uYesu wabuza abalandeli bakhe umbuzo obalulekileyo.

12, 13. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu afune ukwazi ukuba izihlwele zithi ungubani? (b) Amazwi uPetros awawathetha kuYesu, asibonisa njani ukuba wayenokholo lokwenene?

¹² UYesu wababuza lo mbuzo: “Izihlwele zithi ndingubani na?”  Sinokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaPetros ekhangele uYesu emehlweni aze aphawule ububele nobulumko obungaqhelekanga beNkosi yakhe. UYesu wayenomdla wokwazi izigqibo abafikelela kuzo abantu ngenxa yezinto ababezibona nababeziva. Xa babephendula lo mbuzo, abafundi bakaYesu bacaphula izinto ezazidla ngokuthethwa ngabantu ngaye. Kodwa ke uYesu wayefuna ukwazi okungakumbi. Ngaba nabapostile bakhe babengamazi kakuhle? Wababuza wathi: “Ke nina nithi ndingubani na?”—Luka 9:18-20.

¹³ Kwakhona yaba nguPetros owakhawuleza waphendula. Wasichaza ngokucacileyo isigqibo ababefikelele kuso abaninzi babo. Wathi: “UnguKristu uNyana woThixo ophilayo.” Sinokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaYesu encunyiswa yimpendulo kaPetros aze amncome. UYesu wakhumbuza uPetros ukuba yayinguYehova uThixo—kungekhona umntu—owayeyenze yacaca gca le nyaniso ibalulekileyo. UPetros wancedwa waqonda enye yezona nyaniso zibalulekileyo kwezakha zachazwa nguYehova ngelo xesha—ukuqonda uMesiya okanye uKristu owayethenjiswe kudala!—Funda uMateyu 16:16, 17.

14. UYesu wamnika liphi ilungelo elibalulekileyo uPetros?

¹⁴ Lo Kristu ngulowo isiprofeto sakudala sasithe lilitye elaliya kugatywa ngabaninzi. (INdu. 118:22; Luka 20:17) Ecinga ngezo ziprofeto, uYesu wachaza ukuba uYehova wayeza kuseka ibandla kanye phezu kwelo litye okanye ulwalwa olwalusalathwa nguPetros. Emva koko wamnika amalungelo abalulekileyo kwelo bandla. Akazange amenze mkhulu kunabanye abapostile njengoko abanye becinga, kodwa wamnika iimbopheleleko. Wanika uPetros “izitshixo zobukumkani.” (Mat. 16:19) UPetros wayeza kuvulela iintlobo zabantu ezintathu umnyango wokungena kuBukumkani bukaThixo—amaYuda kuqala kuze kulandele amaSamariya ize ke ekugqibeleni ibe ngabantu beeNtlanga okanye abangengomaYuda.

15. Yintoni eyabangela uPetros ukuba akhalimele uYesu, yaye wathetha waphi amazwi?

¹⁵ Noko ke, uYesu wathi abo banikwe okuninzi kuya kufunwa okungakumbi kubo yaye ubunyaniso baloo mazwi bubonakala kakuhle kwimeko kaPetros. (Luka 12:48) UYesu waqhubeka etyhila iinyaniso ezibalulekileyo ngoMesiya, ezaziquka ukubandezeleka nokufa kwakhe okwakuza kwenzeka eYerusalem. UPetros wakhathazeka esakuva ezo zinto. Wambizela bucala uYesu waza wamkhalimela,  esithi, “Yiba nobubele kuwe, Nkosi; akuyi kuba nesi siphelo konke konke.”—Mat. 16:21, 22.

16. UYesu wamlungisa njani uPetros, yaye thina sifumana siphi isifundo kumazwi kaYesu?

¹⁶ Ngokuqinisekileyo uPetros wayeneenjongo ezintle, ngoko ke imele ikuba yamothusa impendulo kaYesu. Wamnikela umva uPetros, waza wakhangela kwabanye abafundi—mhlawumbi ababecinga kwangaloo ndlela—waza wathi: “Suka uye emva kwam, Sathana! Usisikhubekiso kum, ngenxa yokuba ucinga, kungekhona iingcamango zikaThixo, kodwa ezabantu.” (Mat. 16:23; Marko 8:32, 33) Amazwi kaYesu anesiluleko esinokuba luncedo kuthi sonke. Kulula ukuvumela indlela abacinga ngayo abantu yongamele indlela kaThixo yokucinga. Ukuba siyayivumela, nokuba sineenjongo ezintle, sinokuthi singaqondanga sisetyenziswe nguSathana kunokuba sixhase intando kaThixo. Wasabela njani uPetros?

17. Wayethetha ukuthini xa uYesu wathi kuPetros “suka uye emva kwam”?

¹⁷ UPetros umele ukuba wayesazi ukuba uYesu wayengathethi ukuba unguSathana uMtyholi. Kaloku uYesu akazange athethe noPetros ngendlela awathetha ngayo noSathana. UYesu wathi kuSathana: “Hamb’ umke”; ngoxa kuPetros wathi: “Suka uye emva kwam.” (Mat. 4:10) UYesu akazange amlahle lo mpostile awayebona iimpawu ezintle kuye, kunoko walungisa nje indlela awayecinga ngayo. Akukho nzima ukubona ukuba uPetros kwakufuneka ayeke ukuba ngumqobo phambi kweNkosi yakhe aze abe ngumlandeli wayo.

18. UPetros wakubonisa njani ukunyaniseka, ibe sinokumxelisa njani?

¹⁸ Ngaba uPetros waxambulisana naye okanye waba nomsindo? Akunjalo; wathobeka waza wamkela isiluleko. Kwakhona wabonisa ukunyaniseka. Bonke abalandeli bakaKristu kuye kufuneke balulekwe ngamaxesha athile. Siya kukwazi ukuqhubeka sisondela kuYesu Kristu nakuYise uYehova uThixo, kuphela xa siyamkela ngokuthobeka size sifunde kwingqeqesho.—Funda iMizekeliso 4:13.

19. UYesu wathetha waphi amazwi othusayo, ibe yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba uPetros wayezibuza yona?

¹⁹ Akuzange kube kudala uYesu wathetha enye into eyothusayo: “Inene ndithi kuni kukho abathile kwabo bemi apha abangayi  kungcamla kufa konke konke de kuqala bambone uNyana womntu esiza esebukumkanini bakhe.” (Mat. 16:28) Ngokuqinisekileyo umele ukuba waba nomdla kuloo mazwi uPetros. Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu? Mhlawumbi uPetros wayezibuza ukuba isiluleko esiqatha awayegqiba ukusifumana sasingazi kumenza aphoswe ngaloo malungelo kusini na.

20, 21. (a) Khawuchaze umbono owabonwa nguPetros. (b) Incoko eyayiphakathi kukaYesu kunye nabantu ababini yanceda njani ekulungiseni uPetros?

²⁰ Noko ke, mayela neveki kamva uYesu wathabatha uYakobi, uYohane noPetros baya ‘kwintaba ephakamileyo,’ mhlawumbi iNtaba yeHermon, eyayimalunga nomgama weekhilomitha ezimbalwa ukusuka apho. Inokuba kwakusebusuku, kuba la madoda mathathu ayesozela. Kodwa ke njengoko wayethandaza uYesu, kwenzeka into ethile eyenza kwaphela nobo buthongo.—Mat. 17:1; Luka 9:28, 29, 32.

 ²¹ UYesu wenziwa kumila kumbi phambi kwabo. Ubuso bakhe baqalisa ukuba nobuqaqawuli, babengezela ngathi lilanga. Nempahla yakhe yayimhlophe qhwa. Kwabonakala abantu ababini ababekunye noYesu, omnye wayemela uMoses omnye emela uEliya. Bathetha naye ‘ngokumka kwakhe okwakuza kwenzeka eYerusalem’—ngokuqinisekileyo yayikukufa nokuvuka kwakhe. Kwakucacile ukuba wayephazama uPetros xa wayecinga ukuba uYesu wayengazi kutyhubela kwezi ntlungu.—Luka 9:30, 31.

22, 23. (a) UPetros wakubonakalisa njani ukuba nehlombe nobubele? (b) UPetros, uYakobi noYohane bafumana wuphi omnye umvuzo ngobo busuku?

²² UPetros waziva enyanzelekile ukuba abe nenxaxheba ngandlela ithile kulo mbono ungaqhelekanga. Kwabonakala ngathi uMoses noEliya babemshiya uYesu. UPetros wathi: “Myaleli, kuhle ngathi ukuba sibe lapha, ngoko masimise iintente ezintathu, enye ibe yeyakho, enye ibe yekaMoses ize enye ibe yekaEliya.” Aba banquli bakaYehova babini ababefe kudala babengazifuni iintente. UPetros wayengaziva ukuba wayesithini. Ngaba awutsaleleki kule ndoda inehlombe nobubele?—Luka 9:33.

²³ UPetros, uYakobi noYohane bafumana omnye umvuzo ngobo busuku. Kwabakho ilifu elathi vu phezu kwentaba. Kwavakala ilizwi kulo—ilizwi likaYehova uThixo ngenkqu! Wathi: “Lo nguNyana wam, onyuliweyo. Mphulaphuleni yena.” Waphela loo mbono baza basala bodwa noYesu entabeni.—Luka 9:34-36.

24. (a) UPetros wangenelwa njani kukubona umbono wokwenziwa kumila kumbi? (b) Umbono wokwenziwa kumila kumbi unokusinceda njani?

²⁴ Loo mbono wawubalulekile kuPetros—usenjalo nakuthi! Emva kwamashumi eminyaka kamva wabhala ngelungelo awalixhamlayo ngobo busuku lokuba ngomnye ‘wamangqina okuzibonela ubungangamela bayo,’ ebona kwangaphambili uzuko lukaYesu lokuba nguKumkani wasezulwini. Lo mbono waqinisekisa iziprofeto ezininzi zeLizwi likaThixo waza womeleza ukholo lukaPetros kwizilingo awayeza kujamelana nazo. (Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 1:16-19.) Unokwenza into efanayo nakuthi ukuba njengoPetros, siza kuqhubeka sinyanisekile kwiNkosi ayimisele phezu kwethu uYehova, sifunde kuyo, samkele uqeqesho nesiluleko sayo size siyilandele yonke imihla.