1, 2. UPhetro loJohane benza simangaliso bani eduze legedi lethempeli?

 KUSEMINI ilanga lithe kla, amaJuda labafundi bakaJesu ngobunengi babo baqonda ethempelini ngoba ‘ihora lomthandazo’ selisiyatshaya. a (Imiseb. 2:46; 3:1) UPhetro loJohane baqonda egedini lethempeli elibizwa ngokuthi ligedi elihle. Lona lihle sibili ngoba iminyango yakhona ihuqwe ngensimbi efanana lekhopha. Khonapho phakathi kwexuku eliphithizelayo kuzwakala indoda eyazalwa igogekile imemeza icela uncedo.—Imiseb. 3:2; 4:22.

² UPhetro loJohane bathi besondela, indoda le ihle ikhulume labo icela uncedo njengalokho ejayele ukukwenza. Abaphostoli bayama bamkhangele uPhetro abesesithi: “Angilasiliva loba igolide kodwa ngizakunika lokho engilakho. Ngebizo likaJesu Khristu umNazaretha, sukuma uhambe!” Akucabange ukuthi abantu bamangala njani bebona uPhetro ebamba indoda le ngesandla eyisukumisa isima okokuqala empilweni yayo. (Imiseb. 3:6, 7) Akuyibone ngelihlo lengqondo indoda le ikhangela phansi ibuka inyawo zayo esezelatshiwe ibisiqalisa ukuhamba. Indoda le iqalisa ukweqa, ibisiphakamisa ilizwi idumisa uNkulunkulu!

3. Yisiphi isipho uPhetro akhuluma ngaso esasingatholwa yindoda eyayisilisiwe kanye lexuku labantu ababelapho?

³ Ixuku leli elingasela lankani liyagijima lisiya kuPhetro loJohane evurandini okuthiwa ngelikaSolomoni. Endaweni le kulapho uJesu ake wama khona efundisa abantu. UPhetro uyabachasisela abantu laba ukuthi lokho okwakusanda kwenzakala kuqakatheke ngani. (Joh. 10:23) Abantu laba kanye lendoda le esanda kusiliswa baphiwa isipho esiligugu ukwedlula isiliva legolide, sedlula ngitsho lokusiliswa komuntu abe lempilakahle. Ubanika ithuba lokuthi baphenduke, izono zabo zesulwe futhi babe ngabalandeli bakaJesu Khristu onguye okhethwe nguJehova ukuthi abe ‘nguMmeli Omkhulu wokuphila.’—Imiseb. 3:15.

4. (a) Yiluphi uhlupho olwabangelwa yikusiliswa kwendoda eyayigogekile? (b) Yiphi imibuzo emibili esizayiphendula?

 ⁴ Leli kwaba lilanga elalingasoze likhohlakale. Umuntu oyedwa wasiliswa futhi wayesesenelisa ukuhamba. Izinkulungwane zona zathola ithuba lokuzwisisa okutshiwo yimibhalo ukuze zenelise ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela emthokozisayo. (Kol. 1:9, 10) Kanti njalo okwenzakala mhlalokho kwabangela ukuthi iziphathamandla ziphikise abalandeli bakaKhristu abathembekileyo zizama ukuvimba ukuthi bangatshumayeli ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. (Imiseb. 1:8) Sifundani kulokho okwenziwa nguPhetro loJohane ngesikhathi bekhuluma lexuku labantu lanxa babeseyiswa kuthiwa ‘bangabantukazana abangafundanga’? b (Imiseb. 4:13) Singakulingisela njani okwenziwa nguPhetro loJohane labanye abafundi ngesikhathi bephikiswa?

5. Isifundisani indlela uPhetro akhuluma ngayo lexuku labantu?

⁵ UPhetro loJohane bama phambi kwexuku labantu bekwazi ukuthi abanye babo kungaba yibo ababememeza besithi uJesu kabethelwe. (Mak. 15:8-15; Imiseb. 3:13-15) UPhetro waba lesibindi wabatshela ukuthi indoda le yayisiliswe ngebizo likaJesu, kazange atshone eyithela amanzi indaba. Kazange atshone ebakhekheleza, wabatshela ukuthi labo babelesandla ekubulaweni kukaKhristu. Kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi uPhetro wayebabambele isikhwili abantu laba ngoba ‘babengakwazi abakwenzayo.’ (Imiseb. 3:17) Wababiza ngokuthi ngabafowabo njalo wakhuluma kakhulu ngalokho okwakuzathinta inhliziyo zabo. Nxa babengaphenduka babe lokholo kuKhristu, uJehova ‘wayezabavuselela.’ (Imiseb. 3:19) Lathi kumele singabakhekhelezi abantu futhi sibe lesibindi nxa sibatshela ngosuku lukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa akumelanga sikhulume labo ngokhahlo langolaka kumbe sibahlulele. Kumele silingisele uPhetro sikhulume labo ngomusa silethemba lokuthi kusasa bangaba ngabafowethu labodadewethu. Nxa sibatshela izindaba ezinhle kumele sigxile kulokho okuzathinta inhliziyo zabo.

6. UPhetro loJohane batshengisa njani ukuthi bathobekile?

⁶ Abaphostoli babethobekile, abazange bazitshaye izifuba ngokuthi yibo ababesilise indoda leyo. UPhetro watshela abantu ababelapho wathi: “Kungani lisikhangela angathi amandla ethu lokuzinikela kwethu kuNkulunkulu yikho okwenze indoda le yahamba?” (Imiseb. 3:12) UPhetro labanye abaphostoli babekwazi ukuthi okwakubenza baphumelele enkonzweni yikuthi uNkulunkulu wayebancedisa ngomoya wakhe ongcwele. Babengayenzi ngawabo amandla. Yikho bathobeka banika uJehova loJesu lonke udumo.

7, 8. (a) Yisiphi isipho esisinika abantu? (b) Isithembiso ‘sokubuyiselwa kwezinto zonke’ sigcwaliseka njani lamuhla?

⁷ Lathi kumele sithobeke nxa sitshumayela ngoMbuso. Sikwazi mhlophe ukuthi lamuhla umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu awusiniki amandla okwenza izimangaliso. Lanxa kunjalo siyenelisa ukunceda abantu ukuthi babe lokholo  kuNkulunkulu lakuKhristu njalo bathole isipho esifanana laleso uPhetro asinika ixuku labantu ayekhuluma labo. Isipho leso lithuba lokuthi izono zabo zithethelelwe futhi bavuselelwe nguJehova. Minyaka yonke abantu abanengi bayasamukela isipho lesi njalo babhabhathizwe babe ngabalandeli bakaKhristu.

⁸ Asithandabuzi ukuthi siphila esikhathini ‘sokubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto’ uPhetro akhuluma ngaso. UMbuso kaNkulunkulu waqalisa ukubusa ezulwini ngo-1914. Lokhu kwagcwalisa ilizwi ‘elakhulunywa nguNkulunkulu esebenzisa abaphrofethi bakhe abangcwele abakudala.’ (Imiseb. 3:21; Hubo. 110:1-3; Dan. 4:16, 17) Ngemva kwalokho uKhristu waqala ukukhokhela emsebenzini wokubuyisela ukukhonza kweqiniso emhlabeni. Umsebenzi lo usuncede amamiliyoni abantu ukuthi abuye ekukhonzeni kweqiniso abeyizizalwane zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Abantu laba sebetshiye ubuntu obudala obonakeleyo ‘bagqoka ubuntu obutsha obudalwe ngentando kaNkulunkulu.’ (Efe. 4:22-24) Ukuphumelela komsebenzi lo omkhulu kangaka akuyi ngamandla ethu, kodwa kwenziwa ngumoya kaNkulunkulu njengokusiliswa kwendoda leyana eyayigogekile. Kumele senze njengoPhetro sibe lesibindi njalo silisebenzise ngobungcitshi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nxa sifundisa abantu. Akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu yiwo osincedisayo ukuthi senelise ukufundisa abantu babe ngabalandeli bakaKhristu, asikwenzi ngawethu amandla.

9-11. (a) Abakhokheli bamaJuda benzani besizwa ukuthi uPhetro loJohane bayatshumayela? (b) Abaphostoli bona bazimisela ukwenzani?

⁹ Intshumayelo kaPhetro kanye lokwelatshwa kwendoda eyayigogekile kwabangela isiphithiphithi. Khonokho nje abaphristi abakhulu kanye lomkhokheli owayekhangele ithempeli bathutsha bengasadlanga nkotshana bezohlola ukuthi kwakusenzakalani. Kungenzakala ukuthi amadoda la ayengabaSadusi, amadoda ayenothile njalo eyiziphathamandla kwezombusazwe ezazilwela ukuthi umphakathi uhlale ulobudlelwano obuhle lamaRoma. Amadoda la ayephikisana lomthetho owawuthandwa ngabaFarisi futhi engakholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. c Kumele ukuthi acaphuka ethola uPhetro loJohane besethempelini befundisa abantu ukuthi uJesu wayesevusiwe.

¹⁰ Amadoda la azonda abila, abamba uPhetro loJohane abaphosela ejele. Ngelanga elilandelayo ayabamisa phambi komthethwandaba omkhulu wamaJuda. Iziphathamandla lezi zazikubona kungafanelanga ukuthi uPhetro loJohane bafundise ethempelini. Zazisithi ‘bangabantukazana abangafundanga’ ngoba babengayanga ezikolo zabafundisi ezazidumile ngalesosikhathi. Kodwa indlela uPhetro loJohane ababekhuluma ngayo lababeqiniseka ngayo yawumangalisa umthethwandaba. Kuyini okwenza abaphostoli laba babazingcitshi kangaka? Esinye isizatho yikuthi ‘babeke baba loJesu.’ (Imiseb. 4:13) Phela iNkosi yabo yayifundisa njengomuntu olamandla avela kuNkulunkulu, yayingafundisi njengababhali.—Mat. 7:28, 29.

 ¹¹ Umthethwandaba wabaqonqosela abaphostoli ukuthi bayekele ukutshumayela. Ngalesosikhathi ilizwi elalikhitshwe ngumthethwandaba kwakumele lihlonitshwe. Emavikini ayedlulile umthethwandaba lo yiwo owawugwebe uJesu wathi “kumele afe.” (Mat. 26:59-66) Kodwa uPhetro loJohane akuzange kubethuse lokhu. Baba lesibindi bama phambi kwamadoda la ayefundile futhi ehlonitshwa. Bakhuluma lawo ngenhlonipho bathi: “Yahlulelani lina ukuthi kuqondile yini phambi kukaNkulunkulu ukuthi silalele lina kulokuthi silalele uNkulunkulu. Kodwa thina kasisoze siyekele ukukhuluma ngezinto esizibonileyo lesizizwileyo.”—Imiseb. 4:19, 20.

12. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibe lesibindi futhi siqiniseke ngalokho esikutshoyo?

¹² Wena ulaso yini isibindi esinjengesabaphostoli? Ujayele ukuzwa njani nxa sekumele utshumayeze abantu abanothileyo, abafundileyo labahlonitshwayo emphakathini? Uyake uzwe usesaba yini nxa izihlobo zakho, osebenza labo loba ofunda labo bekuhleka ngenxa yalokho okukholwayo? Nxa kunjalo ungakhathazeki, ungenelisa ukuba lesibindi. Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni wafundisa abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi bangenzani ukuze babe lesibindi njalo bakhulume ngenhlonipho ukuze bavikele ukholo lwabo. (Mat. 10:11-18) Kanti njalo wathi esevusiwe wathembisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi uzaqhubeka elabo “kuze kube yisiphetho somumo lo wezinto.” (Mat. 28:20) “Inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo” ebekwe nguJesu iyasifundisa ukuthi singaluvikela njani ukholo lwethu. (Mat. 24:45-47; 1 Phet. 3:15) Inceku le isincedisa ngemfundo esiyithola emihlanganweni yebandla njengomhlangano Wempilo Lenkonzo kanye lezihloko ezitholakala ku-jw.org ezinjengesithi “Imibuzo YeBhayibhilini Iyaphendulwa.” Wena uyalusebenzisa yini ulwazi lolu? Nxa ulusebenzisa uzakuba lesibindi futhi uqiniseke ngalokho okukholwayo. Kanti njalo uzaba njengabaphostoli, awusoze uvumele loba yini ikwenze uyekele ukukhuluma ngeqiniso elimangalisayo osulifundile.

13, 14. Kuyini okumele sikwenze nxa siphikiswa futhi ukwenza njalo kuzasinceda njani?

¹³ UPhetro loJohane bathi besanda kukhululwa ejele bahle bayahlangana lebandla lonke. “Baphakamisela amazwi abo kuNkulunkulu” bemunye bathandaza becela ukuthi abanike isibindi sokuqhubeka betshumayela. (Imiseb. 4:24)  UPhetro wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi kuyibuthutha ukuzithemba ngoba umuntu ngeke enelise ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngawakhe amandla. Phela emavikini ayesanda kwedlula wayeke wazitshaya isifuba wathi kuJesu: “Lanxa bonke bengakhubeka ngenxa yakho, mina angisoze ngafa ngakhubeka!” Kodwa njengoba uJesu wayetshilo, uPhetro wakhulelwa yikwesaba abantu wacina emphika umngane wakhe. Lanxa kunjalo wafunda ephutheni lakhe.—Mat. 26:33, 34, 69-75.

¹⁴ Ukuzimisela ayisikho kodwa okungakwenza uphumelele emsebenzini wokufakaza esawuphiwa nguKhristu. Nxa abanye bekuphikisa befuna ukuxegisa ukholo lwakho kumbe befuna ukuthi uyekele ukutshumayela, lingisela isibonelo sikaPhetro loJohane. Thandaza kuJehova ucele ukuthi akunike amandla njalo ucele labanye ebandleni ukuthi bakuncedise. Tshela abadala labanye abaqinileyo ekukhonzeni ngobunzima ohlangana labo. Imithandazo yabanye ingakunceda ukuthi uqinisele.—Efe. 6:18; Jak. 5:16.

15. Kungani labo abake bama ukutshumayela kungamelanga balahle ithemba?

¹⁵ Nxa wake waphikiswa waze wama ukutshumayela ungalahli ithemba. Khumbula ukuthi bonke abaphostoli bake bama ukutshumayela ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, kodwa masinyane nje basebewubambile futhi umsebenzi. (Mat. 26:56; 28:10, 16-20) Kulokuthi uvumele amaphutha akho akutshiye ubhazalele funda kuwo futhi usebenzise lokho okufundileyo ukuze uqinise abanye.

16, 17. Sifundani emkhulekweni owenziwa ngabalandeli bakaKhristu eJerusalema?

¹⁶ Kuyini okumele sikuthandazele nxa sihlukuluzwa yiziphathamandla? Uzananzelela ukuthi abafundi abazange bacele ukuthi uJehova asuse inhlupho ababekhangelane lazo. Babelokhu bewakhumbula amazwi kaJesu athi: “Nxa bengihlukuluzile lani bazalihlukuluza.” (Joh. 15:20) Okwacelwa ngabafundi laba abathembekileyo yikuthi uJehova ‘alalele’ ukusongela kwezitha zabo. (Imiseb. 4:29) Abafundi laba babelombono obanzi, benanzelela ukuthi ukuhlukuluzwa kwabo kwakugcwalisa isiphrofetho. Babekwazi ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu leyo uJesu ayethe bayithandazele izakwenzakala emhlabeni kungelani lokuthi izitha zabo zithini.—Mat. 6:9, 10.

¹⁷ Abafundi laba bathandaza kuJehova becela ukuthi abancedise benze intando yakhe. Bathi, ‘Nika izinceku zakho amandla ukuthi ziqhubeke zikhuluma ilizwi lakho ngesibindi esikhulu.’ Lakanye uJehova wabaphendula  ngoba “indawo ababebuthene kuyo yazamazama njalo bonke ngobunengi babo bagcwala umoya ongcwele bakhuluma ilizwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi.” (Imiseb. 4:29-31) Asithandabuzi ukuthi akulalutho olungavimba ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu yenzakale. (Isaya. 55:11) Ngezinye izikhathi kungakhanya kumnyama emuva laphambili kumbe sizibone sikhangelane lesitha esesabekayo. Kodwa nxa singaphakamisa amazwi ethu sikhuleke kuNkulunkulu asithandabuzi ukuthi uzasinika amandla okuthi siqhubeke sikhuluma ilizwi lakhe ngesibindi.

18. Abazalwane ababesebandleni leJerusalema babencedisana njani?

¹⁸ Ibandla leli elalisanda kubunjwa eJerusalema lakhula masinyane laba labantu abedlula 5 000. d Lanxa abafundi laba babevela endaweni ezitshiyeneyo “babenhliziyonye futhi bengqondonye.” Babemanyene kukho konke ababekwenza. (Imiseb. 4:32; 1 Khor. 1:10) Kayisikho ukuthi babekhuthalele ukuthandaza kuphela becela ukuthi uJehova ababusise kulokho abakwenzayo. Kodwa babencedisana lasezintweni eziphathelane lokukhonza futhi bencedana langezinto zokuziphilisa. (1 Joh. 3:16-18) Ngokwesibonelo, umfundi okuthiwa nguJosefa lowo abaphostoli abambiza ngokuthi nguBhanabha, wathengisa insimu yakhe wasenikela ngemali yakhona yonke ukuze kuncedwe abafundi ababevela endaweni ezikhatshana abakhetha ukusala eJerusalema ukuze bafunde okunengi ngokholo lwabo olutsha.

19. Kungani uJehova wabulala u-Ananiya loSafira?

¹⁹ U-Ananiya lomkakhe uSafira bathengisa insimu yabo ukuze banikele ngemali yakhona. Kodwa baqamba amanga bathi balethe yonke imali bona bekwazi ukuthi ‘eyinye bayifihlile.’ (Imiseb. 5:2) UJehova wabubona ubuqili babo wasebabulala. Babengafeli ukuthi imali yabo yayilutshwana kodwa okwenza bafa yikuthi inhloso yabo yayimbi. U-Ananiya loSafira ‘abaqambelanga abantu amanga kodwa baqambela uNkulunkulu.’ (Imiseb. 5:4) Benza njengabazenzisi abasolwa nguJesu, ababezidingela udumo ebantwini kulokuthi baqakathekise ukwamukelwa nguNkulunkulu.—Mat. 6:1-3.

20. Sifundani endabeni yokupha uJehova?

²⁰ Lamuhla amamiliyoni aboFakazi alingisela lokho okwakusenziwa ngamaKhristu akuqala ayeseJerusalema. Banikela ngokuzithandela ukuze basekele umsebenzi wokutshumayela owenziwa emhlabeni wonke. Kakho obanjwa ngamandla ukuthi asebenzise isikhathi sakhe loba imali yakhe ukuze asekele umsebenzi lo. UJehova kafuni ukuthi umuntu amkhonze ekhonona kumbe ebanjwa ngenkani. (2 Khor. 9:7) Nxa sinikela, uJehova ukhangela kakhulu inhloso yethu hatshi ukuthi sinikele okunganani. (Mak. 12:41-44) Asifuni kuba njengo-Ananiya loSafira sicine sisenza imisebenzi yenkonzo ngenxa yokuthi sifuna ukuthola udumo kumbe ukubukwa ngabantu. Sifisa ukuba njengoPhetro loJohane loBhanabha senze konke esingakwenza ekukhonzeni, sifuqwa yikuthi siyamthanda uJehova kanye lomakhelwane.—Mat. 22:37-40.