1, 2. (a) Khuyini abanye babadosiphambili ebebafuna ukuyazi, begodu uPitrosi wabaphendula njani? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Yini eyasiza uPitrosi bona abe nesibindi sokubaphendula esehlakalwenesi?

NGEMVA kwamalangana uJesu ahlongakele, umpostoli uPitrosi waphikiswa kabuhlungu siqhema samadoda anekani. Bekubadosiphambili bekolo yamaJuda abanamandla, okungibo ababulala uJesu. Amadoda la bekafuna ihlathululo. UPitrosi bekaqeda ukulapha umuntu ebekarholophele kusukela ebuntwaneni, begodu amadoda la bekafuna nokwazi bona lokhu ukwenze ngamaphi amandla namkha ngaliphi ibizo. Umpostoli uPitrosi wawaphendula ngesibindi wathi: “Umuntu lo ujame phambi kwenwapha athabulukile aphilile ngamandla webizo lakaJesu Krestu weNazaretha, loyo enambethelako [‘esigodweni’ NW], uZimu wamvusa kabafileko.”—IzE. 4:5-10.

² Uzokukhumbula ukuthi ngaphambilini uPitrosi bekaphike uJesu amahlandla amathathu. (Mar. 14:66-72) Alo-ke yini eyamsiza waba nesibindi sokukhuluma nabadosiphambili bekolwaba? Mumoya ocwengileko owamsiza. Khuyini eyenza umpostoli lo waqiniseka bona uJesu uvusiwe? Begodu kubayini nathi kufuze sikholelwe ukuthi uJesu uvusiwe?

3, 4. (a) Ngibaphi abantu abavuswa ngaphambi kobana abapostoli bakaJesu babelethwe? (b) Ngibaphi abantu abavuswa nguJesu?

³ Ukuthi abantu abahlongakeleko bangavuswa, bekungasiyinto etja kubafundi bakaJesu, ngombana kunabantu abavuswako  ngaphambi kobana abafundi bakaJesu babelethwe. Bebazi bona uZimu wanikela abaporofidi abanjengo-Eliya no-Elitjha amandla wokwenza imikarisomraro efana nale. (1 Kho. 17:17-24; 2 Kho. 4:32-37) Ngikho nenye indoda yavuka seyingethuneni laka-Elitjha, ngemva kokuthi ithinte amathambo wakhe. (2 Kho. 13:20, 21) AmaKrestu wekadeni bekazikholelwa iindaba ezisemTlolwenezi, njengombana nathi sikholelwa bona iliZwi lakaZimu liliqiniso.

⁴ Kuyasithabisa soke ukufunda ngabantu abavuswa nguJesu kwabafileko. Ngesikhathi uJesu avusa indodana yomhlolokazi okukuphela kwayo, umhlolokazi lo akhenge akholwe amehlwakhe. (Luk. 7:11-15) Kwesinye isehlakalo, uJesu wavusa umntazinyana oneminyaka eli-12. Akhucabange ngendlela ababelethi bomntazanyana lo ebebathabe ngayo nebambona aphila! (Luk. 8:49-56) Cabanga nangendlela iimbukeli ebezithabe ngayo nezibona uLazaru avuswa emazindleni!—Jwa. 11:38-44.

5. Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kuhluke njani nekumadaniswa nekwalabo abavuswa ngaphambi kwakhe?

⁵ Abapostoli bebazi bona ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kuhluke khulu kunokuvuswa kwabantu abafileko bangaphambi kwesikhathi sakhe. Abantu abavuswa ngaphambilini bavuka ngemizimbabo yenyama, kwathi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bafa godu. Kodwana uJesu wavuswa anomzimba womoya ongonakaliko. (Funda izEnzo 13:34.) UPitrosi watlola wathi uJesu “wabulawa ngokwenyama, kodwana wavuswa ngomoya,” begodu ngaphezu kwalokho, “uhlezi ngesidleni sakaZimu,” ngaphasi kwakhe kubekwe “iingilozi, iimphathimandla nemibuso.” (1 Pit. 3:18-22) Ukuvuswa kwabo boke abantwabo bekukarisa begodu kusimangaliso, kodwana ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kwabafileko bekukhamba kodwa.

6. Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kwabathinta njani abafundi bakhe?

⁶ Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kwaba nomthelela omkhulu kubafundi bakhe. Kibo bekangakafi njengombana amanabakhe bekacabanga njalo. Kodwana bekaphila njengomuntu womoya onamandla okunganamuntu ongamlimaza. Ukuvuswa kwakhe kwatjengisa bona uyiNdodana kaZimu, begodu ukwazi lokho kwabaqinisa abafundi bakhe esizini egade baqalene nalo, baba nethabo elikhulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akhange basathukwa, kodwana baba nesibindi. Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu bekukhambisana kuhle nomnqopho kaJehova neendaba ezimnandi ezitjhunyayelwa ngesibindi kizo zoke iindawo.

7. UJesu wenzani namhlanjesi, begodu ngimuphi umbuzo ophakamako?

⁷ Njengeenceku zakaJehova, siyalemuka bona uJesu bekangasi mumuntu omkhulu kwaphela. Usaphila nanamhlanjesi begodu unqophisa umsebenzi obandakanya woke umuntu ephasini. NjengeKosi yomBuso kaZimu wezulwini, uJesu Krestu uzobuqeda msinya ubumbi ephasini, alenze ipharadesi lapho abantu bazokuphila khona unomphela. (Luk. 23:43) Bekungeze kwenzeke lokhu ngathana uJesu akhenge avuswe. Alo-ke, ngimaphi amabanga esinawo wokukholelwa bona wavuswa ekufeni? Eqinisweni, kutjho ukuthini ukuvuswa kwakhe kithi?

8, 9. (a) Kubayini abadosiphambili bekolo yamaJuda babawa bona ithuna lakaJesu livalwe ngelitje elikhulu? (b) Kwathi abafazi ababili nebafika ethuneni, kwenzekani?

⁸ Ngemva kobana uJesu ahlongakele, abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi beza kuPilatu bathi: “Kosi, siyakhumbula bona umkhohlisi loya nasaphilako wathi, ‘Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu ngizakuvuka.’ Yeke, khupha umyalo bonyana ithuneli lizokulindwa kufikela elangeni lesithathu.  Nakungasinjalo, abafundi bakhe bangahle beze bazokweba isidumbu sakhe, bese batjela abantu bona uvukile ekufeni. Amala wokugcina la azakudlula waphambilini.” UPilatu wabaphendula wathi: “Thathani umlindi nikhambe niyokuqinisekisa bona ithunelo liyavikeleka ngendlela eningakghona ngayo.” Benza njengombana abalayele.—Mat. 27:62-66.

⁹ Isidumbu sakaJesu besibekwe ethuneni ebelikghedlhwe edwaleni, livalwe ngelitje elikhulu. Kuhlekuhle lokhu ngilokho ebekufunwa badosiphambili bekolo yamaJuda bona isidumbu sakaJesu sihlale lapho unomphela. Kodwana uJehova bekanomnqopho ohlukileko ngalokhu. Kwathi lokha uMariya Magdalina nomunye uMariya nabafika ethuneni lakaJesu ngelanga lesithathu, bafunyana ilitje lisunduziwe, ingilozi ihlezi phezu kwalo. Kwathi abantu ebebagade ithuna nabasatjhayisana ngeenhloko ngebanga levalo, ingilozi yabawa abafazaba bona bahlole ngethuneni, babone ukuthi ithuna alinamuntu. Ingilozi naseyibaqinisekisa, yathi kibo: “Akakho lapha; uvukile.” (Mat. 28:1-6) UJesu uyaphila!

10. UPowula watjho buphi ubufakazi ngokuvuswa kwakaJesu?

¹⁰ Izinto ezenzeka ngemva kwamalanga ama-40, zabaqinisekisa abantu ukuthi nangambala uJesu uvusiwe. Nekaveza ubufakazi bokuvuswa kwakaJesu, umpostoli uPowula watlolela beKorinte wathi: “Engikwamukelako ngakudlulisela kini ngombana kuyinto yokuthoma eqakathekileko kobana uKrestu wafela izono zethu ukuya ngokwemitlolo, wabulungwa, wavuka kabafileko ngelanga lesithathu, njengombana imitlolo isitjho. Wabonakala kuPitrosi, godu wabonakala kubapostoli abalitjhumi nambili. Ngemva kwalapho, wabonakala kubazalwana abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu ngesikhathi esisodwa, inengi labo elisaphilako, nanyana-ke abanye sebalala nje. Godu wabonakala kuJakopo, ngemva kwalapho wabonakala kibo boke abapostoli. Ekugcineni wabonakala nakimi mina onjengaloyo obelethwe ngendlela engakajayeleki.”—1 Kor. 15:3-8.

11. Kubayini kuthiwa uJesu wavuswa ‘ngokuya ngokwemiTlolo’?

¹¹ Elinye ibanga elisenza sikholelwe bona uJesu wavuswa kwabahlongakeleko kukuthi wavuswa ‘ngokuya ngokwemiTlolo.’ IliZwi lakaZimu labikezela ngokuvukokhu. Ngokwesibonelo, uDavida watlola wathi “othembekileko” ikosi kaZimu ngekhe ahlale eThuneni. (Funda iRhubo 16:10.) Ngelanga lePentekoste laka-33, umpostoli uPitrosi wadzubhula ivesi elisiphorofidweli elikhuluma ngoJesu lithi: ‘[UDavida] wabona okungaphambili, wakhuluma ngokuvuka kwakaKrestu bonyana akhange atjhiywe endaweni yabafileko namkha umzimbakhe ubone ukubola.’—IzE. 2:23-27, 31.

12. UJesu wabonwa bobani ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe?

¹² Ibanga lesibili elisenza sikholelwe ekuvusweni kwakaJesu, kukuthi sinobufakazi babantu abanengi. Ngemva kweminyaka ema-40, uJesu ovusiweko wabonakala kubafundi bakhe esimini egade inethuna lakhe ngendleleni eya-Emawuse nakezinye iindawo. (Luk. 24:13-15) Eendaweni abonakala kizo, uJesu wakhuluma nabantu abahlukahlukeneko, okufaka hlangana noPitrosi nesiqubuthu. Kubayini uJesu ovusiweko abonakala nesiqubuthwini sabantu esingaphezu kwama-500? Ubufakazi babantu abanengi kangaka angekhe baphikiswa.

13. Itjiseko yabafundi bakaJesu yatjengisa njani bona bebaqiniseka ukuthi uJesu uvusiwe?

¹³ Ibanga lesithathu elenza sikholelwe bona uJesu wavuswa kubona itjiseko eyatjengiswa bafundi bakhe yokutjhumayela ngevuko lakhe. Njengombana  bebakhuthele ekutjhumayeleni ngokuvuswa kwakaKrestu lokho kwenza inengi labo latjhutjhiswa, latlhoriswa belabulawa. Nengabe uJesu akhenge avuswe nofana lokhu bekumamala—kubayini uPitrosi afaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ngokutjhumayela ngokuvuswa kwakaKrestu kubadosiphambili bekolo egade bahloya uJesu ebenza namano wokumbulala? Kungebanga lokobana uPitrosi nabanye abafundi bebaqiniseka bona uJesu uvusiwe begodu unqophisa umsebenzi uZimu egade afuna wenziwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kwaqinisekisa abafundi bakhe bona nabo bazokuvuswa. Ngokwesibonelo, uStefani wafa anethemba lokobana uzokuvuswa kwabahlongakeleko.—IzE. 7:55-60.

14. Khuyini ekwenza ukholelwe bona uJesu uvusiwe?

¹⁴ Ibanga lesine elisenza sikholelwe bona uJesu wavuswa, kungombana siyaqiniseka ukuthi ubusa njengeKosi begodu ubusa njengeHloko yebandla lobuKrestu. Umphumela uba kukuthi sebanengi abantu abalotjha uZimu ngeqiniso. Bekuzokwenzeka lokhu na ngathana uJesu akakavuswa? Eqinisweni, kungenzeka besingekhe sezwa nokuzwa ngaye ngathana akhenge avuswe. Nje-ke, sesinamabanga amahle wokukholelwa bona uJesu uyaphila nokobana uyasinqophisa njengombana sitjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi eendaweni ezikude neziseduze.

15. Kubayini ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kusinikela isibindi sokutjhumayela?

¹⁵ Ukuvuswa kwakaKrestu kusinikela isibindi sokutjhumayela. Sekuphele iminyaka ezi-2 000 amanaba kaZimu asebenzisa zoke iindlela bona aqede ukutjhunyayelwa kweendaba ezimnandi—asebenzise iinhlubuki, abatjhutjhisi, iinqhema ezinenturhu, ukuvinjelwa komsebenzi wokutjhumayela, ukutlhoriswa nokubulala. Nanyana kunjalo, akunanto namkha ‘isikhali esibekelwe thina’ esingajamisa umsebenzethu wokutjhumayela ngomBuso nokwenza abafundi. (Isa. 54:17) Asibasabi abalandeli nofana iingqila zakaSathana. UJesu unathi, uyasisekela njengombana asithembisile. (Mat. 28:20) Sinamabanga amanengi wokuragela phambili nomsebenzethu ngaphandle kokusaba amanabethu njengombana angekhe asithulisa!

16, 17. (a) Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kwakuqinisekisa njani akufundisako? (b) Ngokuya kwakaJwanisi 11:25, ngimaphi amandla uZimu awanikela uJesu?

¹⁶ Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kwaqinisekisa koke akufundisako. UPowula watlola bona ngathana uJesu khenge avuswe, ukukholwa kobuKrestu nokutjhumayela bekuzokuba lilize. Esinye isazi seBhayibheli satlola: “Ukube uKrestu akhenge avuswe, . . . amaKrestu bekazozibona ngasuthi akhohlisiwe.” Ngaphandle kokuvuswa kwakaJesu, ukulandisa kwamaVangeli bekuzokuba yindaba edanisako yendoda elungileko nehlakaniphileko eyabulawa manabayo. UKrestu wavuswa, aqinisekisa bona koke akufundisileko, nalokho akutjhoko ngengomuso kuliqiniso.—Funda yoku-1 Korinte 15:14, 15, 20.

¹⁷ UJesu wathi: “Ngingukuvuka nokuphila, loyo okholwa kimi uzakuphila, ngitjho nanyana angafa.” (Jwa. 11:25) Amezwi amnandi la azokuzaliseka ngaphandle kokuzaza. UJehova wanikela uJesu amandla wokuvusa abantu, ingasi labo abazokuvuselwa ezulwini kwaphela, kodwana nawo woke umuntu ozokuvuselwa ephasini. Umhlatjelo kaJesu nokuvuswa kwakhe kutjho bona ukufa angeze kusaba khona. Inga-kghani ilwazelo alikuqinisi na bona ukghodlhelele nanyana ngisiphi isilingo, ube nesibindi sokuqalana nokufa?

18. Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kuqinisekisa ini?

¹⁸ Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kuyasiqinisekisa bona boke abantu bazokugwetjwa ngokwemithetho kaJehova yokulunga. Akhuluma nesiqhema samadoda nabafazi  bekadeni e-Athene, uPowula wathi: “[UZimu] sele abeke ilanga azokugweba ngalo iphasi ngokulunga ngaloyo amkhethileko. Ngalokho ukukhombisile ngokwenza isiqiniseko sokumvusa kabafileko.” (IzE. 17:31) UJesu nguMahluleli obekwe nguZimu, singaqiniseka bona uzokwahlulela ngethando nangokulunga.—Funda u-Isaya 11:2-4.

19. Ukukholelwa evukweni lakaKrestu kuqakatheke kangangani kithi?

¹⁹ Ukukholelwa ekuvusweni kwakaJesu kusikhuthaza bona senze intando kaZimu. Ngaphandle kokufa kwakaJesu okumhlatjelo nokuvuswa kwakhe, besizokuba ngaphasi kwesono nokufa. (Rom. 5:12; 6:23) Ukube uJesu khenge avuswe, besizokuthi: “Asigomeni, sisele ngombana ngomuso siyokufa.” (1 Kor. 15:32) Kodwana asifuni ukudzimelela ekuzithabiseni. Kunalokho, siyalithabela ithemba levuko begodu sinamabanga wokulandela isinqophiso sakaJehova kizo zoke izinto.

20. Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu kufakazela ubukhulu bakaZimu?

²⁰ Ukuvuswa kwakaKrestu kusinikela ubufakazi obupheleleko obutjengisa amandla kaJehova ‘obavuzako labo abamfunako.’ (Heb. 11:6) Mamandla nokuhlakanipha okukhulu uJehova akusebenzisileko bona avuse uJesu, amnikele nomzimba ongafiko! Ngaphezu kwalokho, uZimu watjengisa amandlakhe ukufeza zoke iinthembiso zakhe. Lokhu kuhlanganisa isithembiso sakhe esisiphorofido esitjengisa bona ‘inzalo’ ekhethekileko izokuba nendima eqakathekileko ekulungiseni ipikiswano yokuthi uZimu uyakufaneleka na ukubusa yoke indawo. Bona kuzaliseke isithembisweso bekutlhoga bona uJesu afe begodu avuswe.—Gen. 3:15.

21. Ithemba lokuvuswa litjho ukuthini kuwe?

²¹ Awumthokozi na uJehova, okunguye osiqinisekisa bona ukuvuswa kwabantu kuzokwenzeka nakanjani? ImiTlolo inikela isiqinisekiswesi: “Qala indlu kaZimu seyihlangana nabantu. Uyokuhlala nabo njengoZimu wabo bona babe sisizwe sakhe, iye, uZimu ngokwakhe uzakuba nabo abe nguZimu wabo. Uzokwesula zoke iinyembezi emehlwenabo. Ukufa angekhe kusaba khona, ngitjho nokulila nobuhlungu angekhe kusaba khona ngombana izinto zokuthoma zidlulile.” Ithemba elikarisakweli latjelwa umpostoli othembekileko uJwanisi, kwathiwa kuye: “Kutlole lokhu ngombana amezwi la athembekile begodu aliqiniso.” UJwanisi wasifumana kubani isambulo esiphefumulelwekwesi? Seza ngoJesu Krestu ovusiweko.—IsAm. 1:1; 21:3-5.