1, 2. Yiliphi ithemba okungenzeka uPetru wayenalo njengoba uJesu ayekhuluma eKapernawume, kodwa kunalokho kwenzekani?

UPETRU wagqolozela izilaleli zikaJesu ekhathazekile. Kwakusesinagogeni eKapernawume. Kubo kaPetru kwakukulo muzi; ibhizinisi lakhe lokudoba lalilapha, ogwini olusenyakatho loLwandle LwaseGalile; abangane bakhe abaningi, izihlobo nabantu ayesebenza nabo ebhizinisini babehlala lapha. Akungabazeki ukuthi uPetru wayenethemba lokuthi abantu bakule ndawo yakubo babezobheka uJesu ngendlela ayembheka ngayo futhi bajabulele ukufundiswa umfundisi omkhulu kunabo bonke ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Abonakala efiphele amathuba okuba lokho kwenzeke ngalolo suku.

² Abaningi base beyekile ukulalela. Abanye babevungama, bephikisa lokho okwakushiwo uJesu. Nokho, okwakhathaza uPetru nakakhulu, ukusabela kwabanye babafundi bakaJesu. Babebonakala bengasajabule ngokukhanyiselwa ababekutholile, ukwambulelwa nokufunda iqiniso. Manje, base bebonakala bedumazekile, becasukile imbala. Abanye bathi inkulumo kaJesu iyashaqisa. Bengasafune kuzwa lutho, baphuma esinagogeni—bayeka nokuba abalandeli bakaJesu.—Funda uJohane 6:60, 66.

3. Ukholo lukaPetru lwamsiza ukuba enzeni izikhathi eziningi?

³ Kwakuyisikhathi esinzima kuPetru nakubaphostoli ayekanye nabo. Akazange akuqonde ngokugcwele okwashiwo uJesu ngalelo langa. Akungatshazwa ukuthi wabona ukuthi kungani amazwi kaJesu ayengase abonakale ecasula uma ethathwa njengoba enjalo. Wayezokwenzenjani uPetru? Kwakungaqali ukuba ubuqotho bakhe eNkosini yakhe buvivinywe; futhi kwakungagcini. Ake sibone indlela ukholo lukaPetru olwamsiza ngayo ukuba abhekane nalezi zinselele futhi ahlale eqotho.

4, 5. Yiziphi izenzo zikaJesu ezaziphambene nalokho abantu ababekulindele kuye?

⁴ UJesu wayevamile ukumshiya emangele uPetru. Kwakuvamile ukuba iNkosi yakhe yenze futhi ikhulume ngendlela abantu abebengayilindele.  Ngayizolo nje, uJesu wayesuthise isixuku esibalelwa ezinkulungwaneni ngokuyisimangaliso. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu bazama ukumbeka inkosi. Nokho uJesu wamangaza abaningi ngokubaleka futhi athi abafundi bakhe mabangene esikebheni baye eKapernawume. Njengoba abafundi babehamba olwandle ebusuku, uJesu waphinde wabamangaza ngokuhamba phezu koLwandle LwaseGalile olwaluthukuthele, efundisa uPetru isifundo esibalulekile sokuba nokholo.

⁵ Lapho kusa nje, bathola ukuthi lezo zixuku zaziye zabalandela. Nokho, kusobala ukuthi abantu babeqhutshwa isifiso sokubona uJesu enza ukudla okuningi ngokuyisimangaliso, hhayi ukuthi babelambele amaqiniso angokomoya. UJesu wabasola ngenxa yomoya wabo wokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. (Joh. 6:25-27) Leyo ngxoxo yaqhubeka esinagogeni eKapernawume, lapho uJesu ephinda enza okungalindelekile efundisa iqiniso elibalulekile kodwa elishaqisayo.

6. Imuphi umfanekiso owenziwa uJesu, futhi izilaleli zakhe zasabela kanjani?

⁶ UJesu wayengafuni ukuba labo bantu bambheke njengomuntu ongabanika ukudla nje okungokwenyama, kodwa wayefuna bambheke njengongabanika amalungiselelo angokomoya avela kuNkulunkulu, umuntu okuphila nokufa kwakhe kwakuyovulela abanye ithuba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. Ngakho wenza umfanekiso azifanisa kuwo nemana, isinkwa esehla sivela ezulwini ngosuku lukaMose. Lapho abanye bemphikisa, wasebenzisa umfanekiso ocacile, echaza ukuthi kwakudingekile ukuba abantu badle inyama yakhe futhi baphuze igazi lakhe ukuze bathole ukuphila. Kwabe uyinyathele emsileni. Abanye bathi: “Le nkulumo iyashaqisa; ubani ongayilalela na?” Abaningi kubafundi bakhe banquma ukuyeka ukumlandela. *—Joh. 6:48-60, 66.

7, 8. (a) Yini uPetru ayengakayiqondi ngendima kaJesu? (b) UPetru wawuphendula wathini umbuzo uJesu ayewubuza abaphostoli?

⁷ Wayezokwenzenjani uPetru? Kumelwe ukuba naye yayimdidile le nkulumo kaJesu. Wayengaqondi ukuthi uJesu kwakumelwe afe ukuze afeze intando kaNkulunkulu. Ingabe uPetru walingeka ukuba ashiye phansi njengoba kwakwenze labo bafundi abangamaxoki ababeshiye uJesu ngalolo suku? Phinde; kunokuthile okubalulekile okwakwenza uPetru ehluke kulawo madoda. Kwakuyini?

⁸ UJesu waphendukela kubaphostoli bakhe wathi: “Nifuna ukuhamba yini nani?” (Joh. 6:67) Wayekhuluma nabo bonke abangu-12, kodwa nguPetru owaphendula. Kwakuvamile ukuba  kuphendule yena. Kungenzeka nguye owayemdala kunabo bonke. Kunoma ikuphi, ngokuqinisekile nguye owayekhuluma kakhulu kunabanye eqenjini; kubonakala kwakuqabukela ukuba uPetru angabaze ukusho akucabangayo. Kulokhu, ayekucabanga yila mazwi amnandi angalibaleki: “Nkosi, ubani esizoya kuye? Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade.”—Joh. 6:68.

9. UPetru wabubonisa kanjani ubuqotho kuJesu?

⁹ Awakuthinti yini inhliziyo lawo mazwi? Ukholo lukaPetru kuJesu lwamsiza ukuba ahlakulele imfanelo ebaluleke kakhulu—ubuqotho. UPetru wabona ngokucacile ukuthi uJesu wayewukuphela koMsindisi uJehova ayemlethile nokuthi uJesu wayesindisa ngamazwi akhe—izimfundiso zakhe ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. UPetru wayazi ukuthi nakuba kwakunezinto ezimdidayo, ayikho enye indawo ayengaya kuyo ukuze athole umusa kaNkulunkulu nesibusiso sokuphila okuphakade.

10. Singabulingisa kanjani ubuqotho bukaPetru namuhla?

¹⁰ Ingabe nawe uzizwa kanjalo? Ngokudabukisayo, abaningi ezweni lanamuhla bathi bayamthanda uJesu kodwa bayehluleka ukubonisa ubuqotho. Ukuze sibonise ubuqotho bangempela kuKristu kudingeka sibe nombono onjengokaPetru ngezimfundiso zikaJesu. Kudingeka sizifunde, siqonde incazelo yazo futhi siphile ngokuvumelana nazo—ngisho nalapho zisimangaza ngokwehluka kulokho esikulindele noma esikuthandayo. Ukuzibonakalisa siqotho kuphela okungasenza sibe nethemba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade uJesu asifunela kona.—Funda iHubo 97:10.

11. UJesu wabahola kuluphi uhambo abalandeli bakhe ? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹¹ Ngemva nje kwaleso sikhathi esimatasa, uJesu wahola abaphostoli bakhe nabanye abafundi ohambweni olude oluya enyakatho. Isiqongo esilele iqhwa seNtaba iHermoni, eyayisemaphethelweni asenyakatho yeZwe Lesithembiso, ngezinye izikhathi sasibonakala ngisho noma ungasemanzini acwebile oLwandle LwaseGalile. Leyo ntaba yaya ngokuya ibonakala iphakama njengoba leli qembu lisondela, likhuphuka umqansa libheke emizini eseduze kwaseKhesariya Filipi. * Bekule ndawo enhle, eyibonisa kahle ingxenye enkulu eseningizimu yeZwe Lesithembiso, uJesu wabuza abalandeli bakhe umbuzo obalulekile.

12, 13. (a) Kungani uJesu ayefuna ukwazi ukuthi izixuku zithi ungubani? (b) UPetru walubonisa kanjani ukholo lwangempela ngamazwi awasho kuJesu?

¹² Wafuna ukwazi: “Izixuku zithi ngingubani?” Ungathi siyambona  uPetru egqolozele uJesu emehlweni akhe aqaphelayo, ebona umusa weNkosi yakhe nokuhlakanipha kwayo okuphakeme. UJesu wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi izilaleli zakhe zaziphetha ngokuthini ngalokho ezazikubona nezazikuzwa. Abafundi bakaJesu bawuphendula lowo mbuzo, becaphuna imibono eyayandile kodwa eyiphutha mayelana nokuthi uJesu ungubani. Kodwa uJesu wayefuna ukwazi okwengeziwe. Ingabe nabalandeli bakhe abaseduze babenza iphutha elifanayo? Wabuza: “Nina-ke nithi ngingubani?”—Luka 9:18-20.

¹³ Nalapha futhi uPetru waphendula kuqala. Wakubeka kwacaca okwakusezinhliziyweni zabaningi ababelapho. Wathi: “UnguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.” Singambona ngeso lengqondo uJesu emomotheka kancane ebuka uPetru njengoba emncoma ngokufudumele. UJesu wakhumbuza uPetru ukuthi nguJehova uNkulunkulu—hhayi umuntu—owayenze ukuba leli qiniso elibalulekile libe sobala kulabo abanokholo lwangempela. UPetru wayenziwe waqonda elinye lamaqiniso abaluleke kakhulu uJehova ayesewambulile—ukuthi ungubani uMesiya noma uKristu okwase kuyisikhathi eside athenjiswa!—Funda uMathewu 16:16, 17.

14. Imaphi amalungelo abalulekile uJesu awaphathisa uPetru?

¹⁴ Lo Kristu yilowo esiprofethweni sasendulo owabizwa ngetshe elaliyokwaliwa abakhi. (IHu. 118:22; Luka 20:17) Ecabanga ngalezo ziprofetho, uJesu wembula ukuthi uJehova wayezomisa ibandla kulo kanye lelo tshe noma idwala uPetru ayesanda kulichaza. Wabe esephathisa uPetru amalungelo abaluleke kakhulu kulelo bandla. Akazange amphakamise uPetru ngaphezu kwabanye abaphostoli, njengoba abanye becabanga kanjalo, kodwa wamnikeza imisebenzi ethile. Wamnika “izihluthulelo zombuso.” (Math. 16:19) UPetru wayeyoba nelungelo lokuvulela izinhlobo ezintathu zabantu ithuba lokungena eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu—okokuqala amaJuda, kulandele amaSamariya bese kuba abeZizwe noma abangewona amaJuda.

15. Yini eyenza uPetru wakhuza uJesu, futhi wathini?

¹⁵ Nokho, kamuva uJesu wathi labo abaphathiswe okuningi kuyoba nokuningi abayolandisa ngakho, futhi ukuba yiqiniso kwalawo mazwi kufakazelwa yindaba kaPetru. (Luka 12:48) UJesu waqhubeka embula amaqiniso asemqoka ngoMesiya, kuhlanganise nesiqiniseko sokuhlupheka nokufa okwakusazomehlela eJerusalema. Kwamphatha kabi uPetru ukuzwa izinto ezinjalo. Wabizela uJesu  eceleni wamkhuza ethi: “Yiba nomusa kuwe, Nkosi; ngeke neze ube nalesi siphetho.”—Math. 16:21, 22.

16. UJesu wamlungisa kanjani uPetru, futhi isiphi iseluleko esiwusizo sonke esisithola emazwini kaJesu?

¹⁶ UPetru wayengaqonde bubi, ngakho kumelwe ukuba impendulo kaJesu yamethusa. UJesu wafulathela uPetru, wabheka ngakubo bonke abanye abaphostoli—okungenzeka nabo babecabanga okufanayo—wayesethi: “Yana emva kwami, Sathane! Uyisikhubekiso kimi, ngoba awucabangi imicabango kaNkulunkulu, kodwa eyabantu.” (Math. 16:23; Marku 8:32, 33) Amazwi kaJesu aqukethe iseluleko esiwusizo kithi sonke. Akuve kulula ukuvumela ukucabanga kwabantu kuze kuqala kunokucabanga kukaNkulunkulu. Uma senza kanjalo, ngisho noma sihlose ukusiza, singanakile singase sizithole sesisekela izinjongo zikaSathane esikhundleni sokusekela ezikaNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, wasabela kanjani uPetru?

17. Wayesho ukuthini uJesu lapho etshela uPetru ukuba ‘aye emva’ kwakhe?

¹⁷ Kumelwe ukuba uPetru waqonda ukuthi uJesu wayengambizi ngoSathane uDeveli ngomqondo ongokoqobo. UJesu akazange akhulume noPetru ngendlela ayekhulume ngayo noSathane. KuSathane, uJesu wayethe: “Hamba”; kuPetru wathi: “Yana emva kwami.” (Math. 4:10) UJesu akazange amxoshe lo mphostoli ayembona enezimfanelo ezinhle, kodwa wamane walungisa ukucabanga kwakhe okuyiphutha kule ndaba. Akunzima ukubona ukuthi uPetru kwakudingeka ayeke ukuma phambi kweNkosi yakhe njengesikhubekiso nokuthi kwakudingeka abuyele emva kwayo njengomlandeli oyisekelayo.

18. UPetru wabubonisa kanjani ubuqotho, futhi singamlingisa kanjani?

¹⁸ Ingabe uPetru waqophisana naye, wathukuthela noma wanyukubala? Cha; wakwamukela ngokuthobeka ukulungiswa. Ngaleyo ndlela waphinda wabonisa ubuqotho. Bonke abalandela uKristu bayokudinga ukulungiswa ngezinye izikhathi. Ubuhlobo bethu noJesu Kristu noYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu, bungaqhubeka bukhula kuphela uma samukela isiyalo futhi sifunde kuso.—Funda izAga 4:13.

19. Imaphi amazwi amangazayo ashiwo uJesu, futhi yini okungenzeka uPetru wayicabanga?

¹⁹ Ngokushesha uJesu washo amanye amazwi amangazayo lapho ethi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini kukhona abanye kulaba abemi lapha  abangeke bakunambithe nhlobo ukufa baze babone iNdodana yomuntu kuqala iza embusweni wayo.” (Math. 16:28) Akungabazeki ukuthi lawo mazwi avusa ilukuluku kuPetru. Wayesho ukuthini uJesu? Mhlawumbe uPetru wacabanga ukuthi ukulungiswa ayesanda kukuthola kwakusho ukuthi wayengeke esalithola ilungelo elikhulu njengalelo.

20, 21. (a) Chaza umbono owabonwa uPetru. (b) Ingxoxo eyayiphakathi kwamadoda ayesembonweni yasiza kanjani ekulungiseni uPetru?

²⁰ Nokho, ngemva kwesonto uJesu wathatha uJakobe, uJohane noPetru wakhuphukela nabo “entabeni ephakeme”—okungenzeka ukuthi kwakuyiNtaba iHermoni, eyayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-25. Kungenzeka kwakusebusuku ngoba la madoda ayozela. Kodwa njengoba uJesu ayethandaza, kwenzeka okuthile okwabuqeda nya ubuthongo.—Math. 17:1; Luka 9:28, 29, 32.

²¹ UJesu waqala ukushintsha phambi kwabo. Ubuso bakhe baqala ukukhazimula, baze bakhanya njengelanga. Izembatho zakhe  nazo zaba mhlophe ngokukhazimulayo. Kwabe sekubonakala amadoda amabili emi noJesu, enye imelele uMose, enye imelele u-Eliya. Axoxa naye “ngokumuka kwakhe okwakuzokwenzeka eJerusalema”—ngokusobala ukufa nokuvuka kwakhe. Yeka indlela okwaba sobala ngayo ukuthi uPetru wayenze iphutha ngokuphika ukuthi uJesu wayesazobhekana nobuhlungu obunjengalobo!—Luka 9:30, 31.

22, 23. (a) UPetru wayibonisa kanjani intshiseko nomusa? (b) Imuphi omunye umvuzo owatholwa uPetru, uJakobe noJohane ngalobo busuku?

²² UPetru wazizwa eshukumiseleka ukuba ngandlela-thile abe nengxenye kulo mbono ongavamile—mhlawumbe futhi awenze uqhubeke. Kwabonakala sengathi uMose no-Eliya base bemshiya uJesu. Ngakho uPetru wathi: “Mfundisi, kuhle ukuba lapha, ngakho masimise amatende amathathu, elinye libe ngelakho, elinye libe ngelikaMose elinye libe ngelika-Eliya.” Yiqiniso, la madoda amabili ayesembonweni emelele izinceku zikaJehova ezase zinesikhathi eside zafa ayengawadingi amatende. Ngempela uPetru wayengazi ukuthi uthini. Noma kunjalo, awukukhangi yini umusa nentshiseko yakhe?—Luka 9:33.

²³ UPetru, uJakobe noJohane bathola omunye umvuzo ngalobo busuku. Njengoba besentabeni, kwaba nefu futhi labasibekela. Kwezwakala izwi kulo—izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu! Lathi: “Lo yiNdodana yami ekhethiweyo. Mlaleleni.” Ngemva kwalokho umbono wanyamalala, futhi baba bodwa noJesu entabeni.—Luka 9:34-36.

24. (a) Umbono wokuguqulwa isimo wamzuzisa kanjani uPetru? (b) Namuhla ungasisiza kanjani?

²⁴ Yeka indlela lowo mbono wokuguqulwa isimo owaba isibusiso ngayo kuPetru—nakithi! Emashumini eminyaka kamuva wabhala ngelungelo aba nalo ngalobo busuku lokubona uJesu kusengaphambili eyiNkosi yasezulwini ekhazimulayo nelokuba ngomunye ‘wofakazi bokuzibonela bobukhazikhazi bakhe.’ Lowo mbono wafakazela iziprofetho eziningi zeZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi waqinisa ukholo lukaPetru ukuze akwazi ukukhuthazelela uvivinyo ayesazobhekana nalo. (Funda eyesi-2 Petru 1:16-19.) Nathi ungasisiza ngendlela efanayo uma, njengoPetru, sihlala siqotho eNkosini emiswe uJehova, sifunde kuyo, samukele isiyalo nokulungiswa okuvela kuyo futhi ngokuzithoba siyilandele usuku nosuku.