1. UPhetro lamadoda ayelawo bathi benanzelela ukuthi sebebambe inhlanzi ngendlela eyisimangaliso benzani?

 UPHETRO wayesebenze ubusuku bonke egola inhlanzi wangabambi lutho. Kumele ukuthi wamangala esizwa uJesu esithi kuye: “Gwedlani liye endaweni etshonayo beselisehlisa amanethi enu libambe inhlanzi.” (Luk. 5:4) UPhetro wayethandabuza ukuthi angabamba inhlanzi kodwa wakwenza lokho uJesu ayemtshele khona. Yena lamadoda ayelawo bathi sebehlise amanethi abo babamba inhlanzi ezinengi kakhulu, amanethi abo aze aqalisa ukudabuka. Bathi benanzelela ukuthi lesi kwakuyisimangaliso “baphelelwa.” UPhetro wathi kuJesu: “Suka kimi Nkosi ngoba ngingumuntu oyisoni.” (Luk. 5:6-9) Kukhanya uPhetro wayesezibona engasafanelanga ukuthi abe seduze loJesu.

2. Ukufunda ngoPhetro kungasinceda njani?

² UPhetro wayeqinisile sibili ngesikhathi esithi ‘ungumuntu oyisoni.’ IMibhalo itshengisa ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi wayekhuluma futhi enze izinto ayecina ezisola ngazo. Lawe uyake wenze njengoPhetro yini? Kulobuntu ongabuthandiyo yini ofisa ukubulungisisa kumbe umkhuba omubi olwisana lawo? Nxa kunjalo, ukubala ngoPhetro kungakukhuthaza. Njani? Phela uJehova wayengenza ukuthi amaphutha kaPhetro angabhalwa eBhayibhilini kodwa abhalwa ukuze sifunde kuwo. (2 Thim. 3:16, 17) Ukufunda ngendoda le eyayisenza amaphutha njengathi futhi ilokunengi okwakumele ilwisane lakho, kuzasinceda sibone ukuthi uJehova kakhangelelanga ukuthi singaphambanisi. Ufuna singakhalali kodwa siqhubeke sizama ukwenza okuhle lanxa siphambanisa.

3. Kungani kungamelanga sikhalale?

³ Kungani kumele siphikelele singakhalali? Phela nxa ungaphrakthiza ukwenza into ethile ungacina usuyingcitshi yokuyenza.  Ngokwesibonelo, kungathatha iminyaka eminengi ukuthi umuntu afundele ukutshaya ikatali. Ngesikhathi efundela angaphambanisa kanengi kodwa nxa angaqhubeka ephrakthiza angacina esekwazi ukuyitshaya. Angaze abe yingcitshi, kwezinye izikhathi angaphambanisa ukuyitshaya. Lanxa kunjalo kakhalali, uyaqhubeka ephrakthiza. Ngendlela efananayo lathi singabona angathi sesikunqobile okubi ebesilwisana lakho kodwa siqabuke sesikwenzile futhi. Lanxa kunjalo asikhalali siyaqhubeka sizama ukwenza okuhle. Sonke siyake sikhulume kumbe senze izinto esicina sizisola ngazo. Kodwa nxa singakhalali uJehova uzasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sizama. (1 Phet. 5:10) Ake sixoxe ngokuthi uPhetro waphikelela njani. Lanxa wayephambanisa, uJesu waba lesihawu kuye. Lokhu kuyasikhuthaza ukuthi lathi singakhalali ukukhonza uJehova.

4. KuLukha 5:5-10 uPhetro wathi ungumuntu onjani, kodwa uJesu wamncedisa njani?

⁴ IMibhalo ayisitsheli ukuthi kungani uPhetro wathi ‘ungumuntu oyisoni’ kumbe ukuthi yiziphi izono ayecabanga ngazo. (Bala uLukha 5:5-10.) Kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi akhona amaphutha amakhulu ayeke wawenza. UJesu wakubona ukuthi uPhetro wayesesaba, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi wayezikhangelela phansi. Kodwa wayekwazi ukuthi wayengenelisa ukuqhubeka ethembekile. Ngakho wamkhuthaza wamtshela ukuthi ‘angesabi.’ UJesu watshengisa ukuthi uyamthemba uPhetro futhi lokho kwenza uPhetro watshintsha impilo yakhe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhetro lomfowabo u-Andreya batshiya umsebenzi wabo wokugola inhlanzi baba ngabalandeli bakaMesiya. Lokho kwenza bathola izibusiso ezinengi.—Mak. 1:16-18.

5. Yiziphi izibusiso uPhetro azitholayo ngenxa yokungakhalali lokuvuma ukuba ngumlandeli kaJesu?

⁵ Kunengi uPhetro akubonayo lakukholisayo ngesikhathi engumlandeli kaKhristu. Wabona uJesu esilisa abagulayo, ekhipha abantu amadimoni futhi evusa labafileyo. b (Mat. 8:14-17; Mak. 5:37, 41, 42) UPhetro waphinda wabona umbono owawutshengisa inkazimulo uJesu ayezakuba layo eseyiNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi lokho kazange akukhohlwe. (Mak. 9:1-8; 2 Phet. 1:16-18) Wabona izinto ezimangalisayo ayengasoze azibone aluba kazange abe ngumlandeli kaJesu. Kumele ukuthi kwamthokozisa kakhulu ukuthi kazange akhalale lanxa kwezinye izikhathi wayeke akhuthe ugatsha. Lokho kwamenza wathola izibusiso zonke lezi!

6. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uPhetro wayelokhu ephambanisa lanxa wayebone uJesu esenza izimangaliso?

 ⁶ UPhetro wayelokhu ephambanisa lanxa zizinengi izinto azibonayo lazizwayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wathi echasisa ukuthi wayezahlupheka njani futhi afe ukuze kugcwaliseke isiphrofetho, uPhetro wamkhuza. (Mak. 8:31-33) Yena labanye abaphostoli babehlala bephikisana ngokuthi ngubani owayemkhulu phakathi kwabo. (Mak. 9:33, 34) Ngobusuku uJesu abotshwa ngabo, uPhetro waqabuka esequme indlebe yenye indoda. (Joh. 18:10) Ngalobobusuku uPhetro wakhulelwa yikwesaba wasephika umngane wakhe uJesu kathathu. (Mak. 14:66-72) Ngemva kwalokho wakhala kabuhlungu.—Mat. 26:75.

7. UPhetro waphiwa ithuba lokwenzani ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu?

⁷ UJesu kazange amkhalale umphostoli wakhe owayesebona angathi sekuphelile ngaye. UJesu wathi esevusiwe wanika uPhetro ithuba lokuthi atshengise ukuthi wayelokhu emthanda. Wamnika umsebenzi wokuthi eluse izimvu zakhe. (Joh. 21:15-17) UPhetro wavuma ukwenza umsebenzi lo. Kanti njalo wayeseJerusalema ngelanga lePhentekhosti futhi waba ngomunye walabo ababa ngabokuqala ukugcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele.

8. Yiliphi iphutha elikhulu elenziwa nguPhetro e-Antiyokhi?

⁸ Lanxa uPhetro wayengumKhristu ogcotshiweyo wayelokhu ephambanisa. Wayekhona ngo-36 C.E. ngesikhathi uKhoneliya owayengowezizweni futhi engasokanga egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. Lokhu kwenza kwacaca ukuthi “uNkulunkulu kakhethi” lokuthi abantu bezinye izizwe basebengaba ngamaKhristu. (Imiseb. 10:34, 44, 45) Ngemva kwalokho uPhetro wayesezidlela labezinye izizwe ekhululekile, into ayengeke ayenze kuqala. (Gal. 2:12) Lanxa kunjalo amanye amaKhristu ayengamaJuda ayesithi amaJuda labezinye izizwe akumelanga badle ndawonye. Abanye ababelombono lo bathi befika e-Antiyokhi, uPhetro wayekela ukudla labazalwane bezinye izizwe mhlawumbe esesaba ukukhuba amaKhristu angamaJuda. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi ebona okwakusenziwa nguPhetro wamkhuza phambi kwabantu. (Gal. 2:13, 14) UPhetro kazange abeke izikhali phansi lanxa wayeyenze iphutha leli. Kuyini okwamncedayo?

9. UJohane 6:68, 69 utshengisa njani ukuthi uPhetro wayeqotho?

⁹ UPhetro wayeqotho, kazange avumele loba yini ukuthi imyekelise ukuqhubeka elandela uJesu. Watshengisa ukuthi uqotho ngesikhathi uJesu ekhuluma amazwi abafundi bakhe ababengawazwisisi. (Bala uJohane 6:68, 69.) Abanengi bahle bayekela ukulandela uJesu bengazange bake babuze ukuthi utshoni kumbe balindele ukuthi abachasisele. Kodwa uPhetro kazange enze njalo, wananzelela ukuthi uJesu nguye kuphela “olamazwi okuphila okungapheliyo.”

10. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uyamthemba uPhetro? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁰ UJesu kazange amlahle uPhetro. Ngobusuku bakhe bokucina esemhlabeni, uJesu wayekwazi ukuthi uPhetro labanye abaphostoli babezamtshiya. Lanxa kunjalo wakhuluma amazwi atshengisa ukuthi wayeqiniseka ukuthi uPhetro wayezaphenduka aqhubeke ethembekile. (Luk. 22:31, 32) UJesu wayezwisisa ukuthi ‘umoya uyafisa kodwa umzimba ubuthakathaka.’ (Mak. 14:38) Yikho lanxa uPhetro wamphika, kazange amlahle umphostoli wakhe. Wathi esevusiwe wabonakala kuPhetro njalo kungenzakala ukuthi uPhetro wayeyedwa ngalesosikhathi. (Mak. 16:7; Luk. 24:34; 1 Khor. 15:5) Kufanele ukuthi lokho kwamkhuthaza kakhulu uPhetro owayedaniswe yilokho ayekwenzile!

11. UJesu wamqinisekisa njani uPhetro ukuthi uJehova wayezamnakekela?

 ¹¹ UJesu waqinisekisa uPhetro ukuthi uJehova wayezamsekela. Wathi esevusiwe wenza ukuthi uPhetro labanye abaphostoli babambe inhlanzi ngendlela eyisimangaliso. (Joh. 21:4-6) Kumele ukuthi isimangaliso lesi senza uPhetro waqiniseka ukuthi uJehova ngeke kumthwalise nzima ukuthi amnike lokho akuswelayo. Mhlawumbe uPhetro wakhumbula amazwi kaJesu lapho ebatshela ukuthi uJehova wayezanakekela labo ‘abaqhubeka befuna kuqala uMbuso.’ (Mat. 6:33) Lokho kwamnceda ukuthi aqakathekise umsebenzi wokutshumayela ukwedlula umsebenzi wakhe wokugola inhlanzi. NgePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E. watshumayela ngesibindi wanceda izinkulungwane zabantu ukuthi zamukele izindaba ezinhle. (Imiseb. 2:14, 37-41) Ngemva kwalokho wancedisa amaSamariya labezinye izizwe ukuthi bafunde ngoKhristu futhi bamlandele. (Imiseb. 8:14-17; 10:44-48) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova wanika uPhetro umsebenzi omkhulu wokuncedisa abantu bemihlobo yonke ukuthi babe ngamaKhristu.

12. Kuyini okumele sikukhumbule nxa kulento esesilesikhathi eside silwisana layo?

¹² UJehova angasincedisa ukuthi siphikelele singakhalali. Kwezinye izikhathi kungaba nzima ukuthi siphikelele, ikakhulu nxa kulomkhuba omubi esesilesikhathi eside silwisana lawo. Ngezinye izikhathi lokho esilwisana lakho kungakhanya kunzima kakhulu ukwedlula lokho uPhetro ayelwisana lakho. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova angasinika amandla okuthi siqhubeke siphikelela singakhalali. (Hubo. 94:17-19) Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umzalwane wayeyisitabane okweminyaka eminengi engakafundi iBhayibhili kodwa watshintsha impilo yakhe wasetshiyana lomkhuba lo. Lanxa kunjalo izifiso ezimbi zazike zimthwalise nzima. Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi angakhalali? Wathi: “UJehova uyasiqinisa.” Waqhubeka wathi: ‘Sengifunde ukuthi nxa uJehova esinika umoya wakhe singenelisa ukuphila ngendlela ayifunayo. UJehova uqhubeka engisebenzisa futhi engiqinisa lanxa ngilokhu ngiwenza amaphutha.’

13. Singakulingisela njani lokho okwenziwa nguPhetro okubhalwe kumiSebenzi 4:13, 29, 31? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹³ Njengoba sibonile uPhetro wenza amaphutha amanengi ngenxa yokwesaba abantu. Kodwa wathandaza ecela ukuthi uJehova amnike  isibindi, lakanye waba laso. (Bala imiSebenzi 4:13, 29, 31.) Lathi singenelisa ukunqoba ukwesaba. Ake sixoxe ngalokho okwenzakala komunye umzalwane okuthiwa nguHorst owakhula ngesikhathi samaNazi eGermany. Ngalesosikhathi abantu kwakumele babingelelane besithi “Heil Hitler!,” okutsho ukuthi uHitler uzasisindisa. Lanxa uHorst wayekwazi ukuthi ukubingelela ngaleyondlela akuqondanga, kwezinye izikhathi wayekukhuluma esesaba ababalisi labanye ayefunda labo. Abazali bakhe abazange bamtshingele kodwa bathandaza laye bacela ukuthi uJehova amnike isibindi. Ekucineni uHorst waba lesibindi sokumela lokho akukholwayo ngenxa yokuncediswa ngabazali bakhe langokuthemba uJehova. Ngemva kwesikhathi wathi: “UJehova kazange angitshiye.” c

14. Abelusi abalothando bangabaqinisa njani labo abayabe sebefuna ukukhalala ukukhonza uJehova?

¹⁴ UJehova loJesu kabasoze basikhalale. UPhetro wathi esephike uKhristu, waba phakathi kobunzima ngoba kwasekumele enze isinqumo esiqakathekileyo. Wayezakhalala yini kumbe wayezaphikelela aqhubeke engumlandeli kaKhristu? UJesu wayethandaze kuJehova encenga ukuthi ukholo lukaPhetro lungapheli. Watshela uPhetro ukuthi wayemthandazele futhi wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uPhetro wayezawenza kuhle umsebenzi wokuqinisa abafowabo. (Luk. 22:31, 32) Kumele ukuthi kwamqinisa kakhulu uPhetro ukukhumbula amazwi kaJesu. Nxa lathi sekumele senze isinqumo esiqakathekileyo empilweni, uJehova angasebenzisa abelusi abalothando ukuthi basikhuthaze siqhubeke sithembekile. (Efe. 4:8, 11) Omunye umzalwane okuthiwa nguPaul oselesikhathi eside engumdala  uyakwenza lokho. Uyacela labo abayabe sebephele amandla sebefuna ukukhalala ukuthi bacabangisise ngokuthi uJehova wabadonsela njani kuye. Ngemva kwalokho uyabaqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova olothando oluqotho ngeke abalahle. Uphetha esithi: “Sengibone uJehova encedisa abantu abanengi ukuthi baqhubeke bemkhonza lanxa bayabe sebefuna ukukhalala.”

15. Okwenzakala kuPhetro lakuHorst kutshengisa njani ukuthi uMathewu 6:33 uliqiniso?

¹⁵ UJehova uzasinika lokho esikudingayo nxa singaqakathekisa inkonzo ukwedlula zonke izinto, njengoba nje wanika uPhetro labanye abaphostoli lokho ababekudinga. (Mat. 6:33) Ngemva kweMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili uHorst esike saxoxa ngaye wacabanga ukuthi abe liphayona. Ngalesosikhathi wayedubeka futhi ethandabuza ukuthi wayengenelisa ukuziphilisa ngapha ephayona. Manje wenzani? Ngeviki yombonisi wesiqinti watshumayela amalanga wonke efuna ukubona ukuthi uJehova wayezamsekela yini. Iviki isiphelile wasala ebambe owangaphansi umbonisi wesiqinti esemqhubele imvulophu kodwa engamtshelanga ukuthi yayivela ngaphi. Imvulophu leyo yayilemali eyayingamtshova okwezinyanga ezithile ephayona. Lokho kwenza uHorst wangathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wayezahlala emnakekela. Okwempilo yakhe yonke wayeqakathekisa izinto eziphathelane loMbuso ukwedlula konke.—Mal. 3:10.

16. Kuzasinceda ngani ukufunda ngalokho okwenziwa nguPhetro kanye lezincwadi azibhalayo?

¹⁶ Kumele ukuthi kwamthokozisa kakhulu uPhetro ukuthi uJesu kazange asuke kuye lanxa wayeke wamcela ukuthi enze njalo. UKhristu waqhubeka eqeqetsha uPhetro ukuthi abe ngumphostoli othembekileyo lokuthi abe yisibonelo esihle kwamanye amaKhristu. Singafunda okunengi kulokho amfundisa khona. UPhetro waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale izifundo lezo kanye lokunye okunengi ezincwadini ezimbili azibhalela amabandla ngesikhathi samaKhristu okuqala. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngezinye izifundo ezisezincwadini lezo kanye lokuthi singazisebenzisa njani lamuhla.