1-4. (a) UPhetro uzithola ephakathi kwabuphi ubunzima futhi kunguwe wawuzakwenzani?

 UPHETRO ungeniswa ejele futhi kuzwakala umsindo omkhulu ngesikhathi igedi lensimbi elikhulu livalwa. Ubotshwe ngamaketane futhi uqhutshwa ngabalindi abangamaRoma ababili bemusa esitokisini. Ulindele isigwebo sakhe esesitokisini futhi kungenzeka ulinda okwamalanga athile emelele ukuzwa ukuthi kuzakwenzakalani kuye. Ekhonapho, akukho okunye akubonayo ngaphandle kwemiduli yejele, amaketane abotshwe ngawo kanye labalindi abamlindileyo.

² UPhetro ucina ezwile ngesigwebo sakhe esilukhuni. INkosi uHerodi Agripha Wokuqala imfuna efile. a Kuhlelwe ukuthi uPhetro amiswe phambi kwabantu iPhasika selenziwe abesebulawa, kusenzelwa nje ukuthabisa abantu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uHerodi uzakwenza sibili lokhu ngoba usanda kubulala uJakhobe omunye wabaphostoli.

³ Khathesi sekusebusuku futhi uPhetro uyakwazi ukuthi uzabulawa kusasa. Kuyini angabe ekucabanga ehlezi emnyameni esitokisini? Kambe ukuthi ukhumbula amazwi akhulunywa nguJesu eminyakeni eyadlulayo atshengisa ukuthi kwelinye ilanga uPhetro wayezabotshwa abeseqhutshwa ngenkani esiyabulawa? (Joh. 21:18, 19) Kungenzakala uPhetro uyazibuza ukuthi sokuyiso yini lesosikhathi.

⁴ Kunguwe uPhetro wawuzakwenzani? Abanengi bebengathwala imikhono ekhanda, bazitshele ukuthi asechithekile kawasabutheki. Kodwa abalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso abalilahli ithemba loba sekutheni. Ake sibone ukuthi singathola zifundo bani kulokho okwenziwa nguPhetro lamanye amaKhristu ngesikhathi behlukuluzwa.

5, 6. (a) Kuyini okwenza iNkosi uHerodi Agripha Wokuqala wahlasela amaKhristu futhi wakwenza njani lokhu? (b) Kungani ukufa kukaJakhobe kwalinyikinya ibandla?

⁵ KuSahluko 9 sibonile ukuthi amaKhristu athokoza kakhulu ngesikhathi indoda yezizweni okuthiwa nguKhoneliya lemuli yayo besiba ngamaKhristu. Kodwa amaJuda ayengayisiwo maKhristu aphelelwa esizwa ukuthi amaKhristu angamaJuda ayesekhonza labantu bezinye izizwe.

⁶ Umbusi oliqili uHerodi wahle waqalisa ukuhlukuluza amaKhristu esenzela ukuthi athandwe ngabantu. Kufanele ukuthi wayezwile ukuthi umphostoli uJakhobe wayengumngane kaJesu Khristu oseduze. Yikho uHerodi ‘wabulala uJakhobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba.’ (Imiseb. 12:2) Lokhu kwawethusa sibili amanye amaKhristu. Phela uJakhobe ngomunye wabafundi abathathu ababebone uJesu eguquka isimo njalo wayebone lezinye izimangaliso azenzayo ezingabonwanga ngabanye abaphostoli. (Mat. 17:1, 2; Mak. 5:37-42) UJesu wake wathi uJakhobe lomfowabo uJohane ‘Ngamadodana Omdumo’ ngenxa yokuthi babetshiseka. (Mak. 3:17) Yikho amaKhristu ayelahlekelwe sibili ngoba ayemthanda kakhulu uJakhobe indoda eyayilesibindi futhi ithembekile.

7, 8. Ibandla lenzani ngemva kokubotshwa kukaPhetro?

⁷ AmaJuda athaba aze athinta amayezi ebona uJakhobe esebulewe futhi lokhu yikho u-Agripha ayekufuna. Wathi ebona lokhu wahle waba lesibindi sokubamba uPhetro. Yikho sibone ekuqaliseni kwesahluko lesi uPhetro ebotshwa futhi efakwa esitokisini. Kodwa kufanele ukuthi u-Agripha wakhumbula ukuthi ukufaka abaphostoli ejele kwesinye isikhathi kwakungancedi ngoba babeke baphuma ngendlela eyisimangaliso njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 5 sebhuku leli. UHerodi wenza konke ayengakwenza ukuze uPhetro angaphunyuki. Waba leqiniso lokuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi uPhetro ulindwe ngabalindi ababili ebotshelwe kubo ngamaketane. Kwakulabalindi abangu-16 ababesebenza betshintshana ubusuku lemini  ukuze uPhetro angaphunyuki. Phela nxa wayengaphunyuka nje abalindi labo yibo ababezabulawa. Pho kuyini okwakungenziwa ngamanye amaKhristu izinto sezinzima kangaka?

⁸ AmaKhristu la ayekwazi khona kanye okwakumele akwenze. ImiSebenzi 12:5 ithi: “Ngakho uPhetro wayevalelwe ejele kodwa ibandla laqhubeka limthandazela kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo yonke.” AmaKhristu la athandaza encengela uPhetro ngenhliziyo yonke. Ukufa kukaJakhobe akuzange kuwaqede amandla futhi awazange athandabuze ukuthi ukuthandaza kuyanceda. UJehova uyayiqakathekisa kakhulu imithandazo yethu. Nxa imithandazo yethu ivumelana lentando yakhe kasoze ayekele ukuyiphendula. (Heb. 13:18, 19; Jak. 5:16) Lesi yisifundo esiqakathekileyo amaKhristu okumele ahlale esikhumbula.

9. Okwenziwa ngamaKhristu ayekhonza loPhetro kusifundisani?

⁹ Ukhona yini umfowethu loba udadewethu omaziyo osebunzimeni? Abanye abafowethu labodadewethu bayahlukuluzwa, abanye abavunyelwa ukuthi bakhonze bekhululekile ikanti abanye behlelwa zingozi zemvelo. Kuhle ukuthi ubathandazele ngenhliziyo yonke. Engxenye kulabanye futhi obaziyo abahlangana lenhlupho ezingaziwa ngabantu abanengi. Abanye balenhlupho emulini zabo, abanye badanile futhi abanye bahlangana lenhlupho ezingaxegisa ukholo lwabo. Ukucabangisisa ungakathandazi kungakunceda ukuthi ukhumbule abantu abanjalo ubusubaqamba ngamabizo ngesikhathi uthandaza kuJehova onguye “olalela imithandazo.” (Hubo. 65:2) Phela lawe uyabe uzayidinga imithandazo yabafowenu labodadewenu nxa usuphakathi kobunzima.

10, 11. Ingilosi kaJehova yamkhulula njani uPhetro ejele?

¹⁰ UPhetro wayekhathazekile yini ngokwakuzamehlela? Asingeke sitsho ukuthi  wayesizwa njani kodwa ngobusuku bokucina esejele, wayebuthuza ubuthongo ephahlwe ngamasotsha amabili ayemlindile. Wayengathandabuzi ukuthi kungelani lokuthi kwakuzakwenzakalani, uJehova wayengasoze amlahle. (Rom. 14:7, 8) Lanxa wayelokholo oluqine kangako, kwenzakala izinto ezimangalisayo ayengazikhangelelanga. Ngesikhatshana nje kwaba lokukhanya okukhulu esitokisini. Kwasekufike ingilosi yamvusa kodwa abalindi abayibonanga. Amaketane aqine nko ayebophe izandla zakhe ahle awela phansi!

¹¹ Ingilosi yatshela uPhetro okwakumele akwenze. Yathi, ‘Vuka masinyane! Gqoka, ufake lamanyathela akho. Gqoka isembatho sakho sangaphandle.’ UPhetro wahle wathi lothu. Ngemva kwalokho ingilosi yathi: ‘Ngilandela,’ uPhetro wayilandela. Baphuma esitokisini, badlula eceleni kwabalindi ababephandle baqonda egedini lensimbi elikhulu. Babezaphuma njani egedini leli? Nxa wazibuza lokho, impendulo wayithola masinyane. Bathi sebezafika, igedi “lazivulekela lodwa.” Uthe esazibuza ukuthi kwenzakalani wabona sebephumile igedi sebesemgwaqweni, ingilosi yasinyamalala. Wasala emi yedwa khonapho kwasekusithi dlwe ukuthi ubengaphuphi, wayesekhululekile sibili!—Imiseb. 12:7-11.

12. Ukucabangisisa ngendlela uJehova akhulula ngayo uPhetro kusiqinisa njani?

¹² Kuyasiduduza sibili ukwazi ukuthi uJehova ulamandla angelamkhawulo futhi uyawasebenzisa ukuze asindise izinceku zakhe. UPhetro wayebotshwe yinkosi eyayisekelwa nguhulumende owayelamandla kulabo bonke ngalesosikhathi. Lanxa kunjalo uPhetro waziphumela nje kungathi akula balindi ejele. Kodwa siyakwazi ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi uJehova kazikhululi ngendlela eyisimangaliso izinceku zakhe. Kazange akwenze lokho kuJakhobe futhi kazange amkhulule uPhetro ngesikhathi kugcwaliseka amazwi akhulunywa nguJesu. Khathesi amaKhristu kawakhangelelanga ukuthi uJehova awakhulule ngendlela eyisimangaliso. Lanxa kunjalo kumele sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova katshintshi. (Mal. 3:6) Sokuseduze ukuthi asebenzise iNdodana yakhe ukuze akhulule amamiliyoni abantu ekufeni. (Joh. 5:28, 29) Izithembiso ezinjengalezi zenza sibe lesibindi sokumelana laloba yibuphi ubunzima esihlangana labo lamuhla.

13-15. (a) AmaKhristu ayesemzini kaMariya enzani esizwa ukuthi uPhetro usegedini? (b) Yiluphi utshintsho olwenzakalayo ebhukwini lemiSebenzi kusahluko 12 futhi uPhetro uqhubeka esenzani?

¹³ Kumnyama phandle futhi uPhetro ulokhu emile emgwaqweni, ezibuza ukuthi aqonde ngaphi. Ukhetha ukuya emzini womunye umKhristu okuthiwa nguMariya ohlala khonapho eduze. Kukhanya angathi wayengumfelokazi ozimele kuhle futhi wayelendlu enkulu, okokuthi ibandla lalingenela kuyo imihlangano. Wayengunina kaJohane owayebizwa ngokuthi nguMakho. Ibhuku lemiSebenzi liqala lapha ukukhuluma ngoMakho. Ngokuya kwesikhathi uPhetro wayesephatha uMakho njengendodana yakhe. (1 Phet. 5:13) Lanxa kwasekuphakathi kobusuku abanengi ebandleni lelo babelokhu bebuthene koMariya bethandaza ngenhliziyo yonke. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi babethandazela ukuthi uPhetro akhululwe kodwa impendulo kaJehova yabamangalisa!

¹⁴ UPhetro waqoqoda egedini lomuzi kaMariya. Kwabuya intombazana okwakuthiwa  nguRoda eyayisebenza khonapho. Yathi isizwa ilizwi likaPhetro yatsha amathe! Kulokuthi imvulele angene, yathaba yathathela ngesiqubu ibuyela endlini isiyabatshela ukuthi uPhetro wayemi phandle emgwaqweni. Yathwala nzima izama ukubachasisela kodwa bona bengayikholwa, babesithi isiphambene. Yona yama ngelokuthi uPhetro ukhona phandle. Abanye basebesithi mhlawumbe ibone ingilosi kaPhetro. (Imiseb. 12:12-15) UPhetro wayelokhu eqoqoda baze bacina besiyamvulela.

¹⁵ Bathe bevula igedi “bambona bamangala kakhulu.” (Imiseb. 12:16) UPhetro wacina ebathulisa ukuze enelise ukubatshela okwakwenzakele, wabalayela lokuthi bayetshela umfundi uJakhobe labanye abakhokhelayo. Ngemva kwalokho uPhetro wasuka masinyane ukuze amasotsha kaHerodi angamtholi khonapho. Waqhubekela phambili ngenkonzo yakhe esekweyinye indawo. Lapha yikho ibhuku lemiSebenzi elicina khona ukukhuluma ngenkonzo kaPhetro. Size sizwe ngaye kusahluko 15 ngesikhathi kulungiswa indaba yokusokwa. Ibhuku lemiSebenzi liqalisa ukukhuluma kakhulu ngomsebenzi owenziwa ngumphostoli uPhawuli ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo. Lanxa kunjalo asithandabuzi ukuthi uPhetro waqhubeka eluqinisa ukholo lwabafowabo labodadewabo loba ngaphi lapho ayekhona. Phela kumele ukuthi ngesikhathi esuka endlini kaMariya amaKhristu ayelapho asala evuselelwe futhi ethokoza.

16. Kuyini okwenza ungathandabuzi ukuthi uzathokoza esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁶ Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova uyazincedisa izinceku zakhe ngendlela emangalisayo, enze okwedlula khatshana lokho eziyabe zikukhangelele. AmaKhristu ayekhonza loPhetro akubona lokho futhi asala ethokoza kakhulu. Lathi sisala sizizwa njalo nxa singathola izibusiso zikaJehova ezimangalisayo. (Zaga. 10:22) Maduzane nje sizazibona zonke izithembiso zikaJehova zigcwaliseka emhlabeni wonke. Izibusiso ezimangalisayo esizazithola ngalesosikhathi zizakwedlula khatshana loba yikuphi okuhle esingaba lakho khathesi. Yikho nxa singahlala sithembekile akuthandabuzwa ukuthi sizakholisa impilo emnandi ngesikhathi esizayo.

17, 18. Kuyini okwenza ixuku labantu ladumisa uHerodi?

¹⁷ UHerodi waphelelewa esizwa ukuthi uPhetro kasekho ejele futhi kumele ukuthi lokhu kwamzondisa kakhulu. Wahle wathi kadingwe yonke indawo futhi abalindi bakubona okukhulu. Wathi abalindi labo “bayejeziswa” futhi kungenzeka ukuthi babulawa. (Imiseb. 12:19) Kuyazicacela ukuthi uHerodi wayeyindoda engelazwelo. Indoda le elesihluku kangaka yayizajeziswa yini?

¹⁸ Kumele ukuthi uHerodi wayangeka ngoba icebo lakhe lokubulala uPhetro alizange liphumelele, kodwa kungakayingaphi wathola elinye ithuba lokuthi azenze oqakathekileyo. Kwaba lombuthano lapho izitha zikaHerodi ezazifuna khona ukwenza ukuthula laye. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wayekulindele ngabomvu ukukhuluma phambi kwexuku labantu. ULukha wabhala ukuthi “uHerodi wagqoka izigqoko zesikhosini” esiya embuthwaneni lo. Lesazi sembali yamaJuda okuthiwa nguJosephus sabhala ukuthi isigqoko sikaHerodi sasenziwe ngesiliva okwakusenza ukuthi engama ekukhanyeni kube sengathi uyakhazimula. Inkosi le ezigqajayo yasiqalisa ukukhuluma labantu. Abantu ababebuthene lapho bamemeza befuna ukumthabisa bathi: “Leli lilizwi likaNkulunkulu hatshi elomuntu!”—Imiseb. 12:20-22.

19, 20. (a) Kungani uJehova wajezisa uHerodi? (b) Ukubala ngalokhu okwenzakala kuHerodi Agripha kungasiduduza njani?

 ¹⁹ Abantu labo banika uHerodi udumo okwakumele lunikwe uNkulunkulu futhi uNkulunkulu wayekhangele. UHerodi wayengalilungisa iphutha lelo. Wayengabakhuza abantu angavumelani labo. Kodwa okwenzakala kuHerodi ngemva kwalokho kwaveza egcekeni ukuthi “nxa umuntu eziphakamisa okulandelayo yikuphahlazeka.” (Zaga. 16:18) “Ingilosi kaJehova yahle yamtshaya” futhi indoda le eyayiziphakamisa njalo izikhukhumeza yafa kabuhlungu. UHerodi “wadliwa zimpethu wafa.” (Imiseb. 12:23) UJosephus laye wabhala ukuthi u-Agripha waphongubanjwa ngumkhuhlane futhi uthi inkosi le yavuma ukuthi yayisigulela ukufa ngenxa yokuthi yayivumile ukuthi ixuku labantu liyidumise. UJosephus wabhala lokuthi u-Agripha wadliwa ngumkhuhlane lo okwamalanga amahlanu wasesifa. b

²⁰ Kwezinye izikhathi kungakhanya angathi abantu ababi bazenzela umathanda bengajeziswa. Lokhu akusimangalisi ngoba “umhlaba ungaphansi kwamandla kaSathane.” (1 Joh. 5:19) Lanxa kunjalo izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekileyo kwezinye izikhathi kuzizwisa ubuhlungu ukubona abantu ababi beyekelwa nje bengajeziswa. Lokhu yikho okwenza siduduzeke nxa sibala indaba ezinjengalezi. Zitshengisa ukuthi uJehova angangenela alungise indaba futhi lokhu kusikhumbuza ukuthi uyakuthanda ukwahlulela okuhle. (Hubo. 33:5) Iqiniso elikhona yikuthi loba sokutheni uJehova uzabahlulela abantu ababi.

21. Yisiphi isifundo esiqakathekileyo esisithola kumiSebenzi isahluko 12 futhi lokhu kusikhuthaza njani?

²¹ Isahluko 12 siphetha ngamazwi akhuthazayo athi: “Ilizwi likaJehova laqhubeka lisabalala futhi abanengi baba ngamakholwa.” (Imiseb. 12:24) Umbiko wokuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela waqhubeka usabalala usikhumbuza indlela uJehova abusise ngayo umsebenzi wokutshumayela esikhathini sethu. Kuyacaca ukuthi kumiSebenzi isahluko 12 akukhulunywa ngokufa komphostoli othile lokuphunyuka komunye kuphela. Indaba eqakathekileyo okukhulunywa ngayo lapha yindlela uJehova anqoba ngayo uSathane ngesikhathi ezama ukutshabalalisa ibandla lamaKhristu lomsebenzi wokutshumayela. Yonke imizamo kaSathane ayiphumelelanga futhi ayisoze yafa yaphumelela. (Isaya. 54:17) Kodwa labo abasekela uJehova loJesu Khristu bazahlala bephumelela emsebenzini abawenzayo. Lokhu kuyasikhuthaza sibili futhi kuyisibusiso ukuncedisa emsebenzini lo wokusabalalisa “ilizwi likaJehova.”