Jezu na anyakupfunza wace adafika ku Betsaida. Kumweko wanthu adamubweresera munthu omwe akhali zimola, acikumbira kuti amupoze.

Jezu adaphata boko la munthuyo, aciyenda naye kunja kwa mudziyo, ndipo adakamupsipira m’maso, acimubvunza kuti: ‘Unkuwona cinthu ciri-cense?’ Zimolayo adati: ‘Ndinkuwona wanthu, tsono iwo ankuwoneka ninga miti yomwe inkufamba.’ (Marko 8:23, 24) Jezu adamukhuya maso yace, ndipo munthuyo adayamba kuwona. Adamuuza kuti ayende ku mui kwace, nakuti aleke kupita pomwe m’mudzimo.

Jezu na anyakupfunza wace adayenda na kumpoto, mpaka ku Kaesarea wa ku Firipo. Deralo likhali lakudzusika, ndipo ulendobo bukhali butali makilometro 40. Munthu akakhala ali kumweko, akhakwanisa kuwona na patali phiri la Herimoni lakumpsinkhidwa na nkhungu. Bzingacitike kuti ulendo bwakuyenda ku Kaesareako bukhatenga nsiku zizinji.

Ali pa ulendobo, Jezu adapambuka kuti akapembe. Pa nthaweyi pakhadasala minyezi mipfemba ayai khumi kuti aphedwe, tsono iye akhacita thupo kwene-kwene na anyakupfunza wace. Anyakupfunza wace azinji akhadaleka kumbafamba naye, ndipo winango akhadasunama ayai akhabvesesa lini bzomwe Jezuyo akhadacita. Pinango iwo akhabvesesa lini bzomwe bzidacitisa Jezuyo kulamba kuikhidwa mambo, ne thangwe lomwe lidamucitisa kulamba kucita bzizindikiro kuti wanthu amuzindikire.

Anyakupfunzawo adayenda komwe kukhana Jezuko, ndipo iye adawabvunza kuti: ‘Kodi wanthu ambati Mwana wa Munthu mbani?’ Iwo adati: ‘Winango ambati ni Juwau Batista, winango ambati ni Eliya, ndipo winangombo ambati ni Jeremiya ayai m’bodzi wa apolofeta.’ Wanthu akhakumbuka kuti Jezu akhali m’bodzi wa wanthu amwewa ndipo akhadamuka kwa anyakufa. Pakufuna kudziwa bzomwe anyakupfunza wacewo akhakumbukambo, Jezu adawabvunza kuti: ‘Tsono imwepo mumbati inepano ndine yani?’ Pedru mwakamkulumize adatawira kuti: ‘Imwepo ndimwe Kristu, Mwana wa Mulungu wamoyo!’—Mateu 16:13-16.

Jezu adauza Pedru kuti akondwe pakuti Mulungu ndiye omwe akhadamuzimbulira bzimwebzo. Ndipo adalewambo kuti: ‘Inepano ndin’kuuza kuti: Iwepo ndiwe Pedru, ndipo pa tsendwa limweri inepano ndin’dzamanga gwere langu, ndipo bzipata bza ku Thenje bzin’dzakwanisa lini kulikunda.’ Na mafalaya, Jezu akhathandauza kuti angadadzayambisa gwere, ndipo wanthu omwe angadadzakhala m’gwerelo angadadzakhala lini m’Thenje mpaka muyaya, akakhulupirika. Ndipo adauzambo Pedru kuti: ‘Inepano ndin’dzakupasa mifungulo ya Umambo bwa kudzulu.’—Mateu 16:18, 19.

Pakulewa mafalaya, Jezu akhathandauza lini kuti akhapasa Pedru udindo bwapadzulu kuposa apostolo winangowo, ayai kuti Pedruyo angadakhala aliserse ya gwere. Jezu ndiye akhali Tsendwa lomwe lingadamangidwira gwere. (1 Wakolinto 3:11; Wayefezo 2:20) Tsono Pedru akhadikhira kupasidwa mifungulo mitatu, yomwe angadafungulira  nayo mipata yakuti magulu matatu ya wanthu yapite mu Umambo bwakudzulu.

Pedru adadzaphatisa basa mfungulo wakuyamba pa cikondweso ca Pentekosite mu gole la 33 EC, pomwe adafotokozera Ajuda pabodzi na anyakutembenukira kucijuda bzomwe akhafunikira kucita kuti apulumusidwe. Mfungulo waciwiri adauphatisa basa pomwe adathandiza Asamariya kuti nawombo akhale na mwayi wa kupita mu Umambo bwa Mulungu. Ndipo m’gole la 36 EC, Pedru adaphatisa basa mfungulo wacitatu pomwe adathandiza Korneliyo na anzace, omwe akhali wanthu wa mitundu inango kuti akhalembo na mwayi wa kupita mu Umambo.—Mabasa 2:37, 38; 8:14-17; 10:44-48.

Apostolo wa Jezu adasunama pomwe iye adawauza kuti ikhadasala pang’ono nthawe yakuti akaboneresedwe na kuphedwa ku Jeruzalemu. Ndipo, thangwe ra kusaya kubvesesa kuti Jezu angadadzalamusidwa acikhala pomwe na moyo kudzulu, Pedru adayenda na Jezu pa mphunzo, acikamutsimula kuti: ‘Bzibvereni nsisi Mbuya. Bzinthu bzimwebzi bzin’dzakucitikirani lini.’ Tsono Jezu adazungunuka, aciuza Pedru kuti: ‘Bwera kumbuyo kwangu, Sathani! Iwepo ndiwe mwala wakukhukhumudwisa kwa inepano, pakuti ulibe makumbukidwe ya Mulungu, koma makumbukidwe ya wanthu.’—Mateu 16:22, 23.

Ndipo Jezu adacemera wanthu winango kuthumizira pa apostolo wace wale, aciwafotokozera kuti bzingadakhala lini bzakupusa kuti munthu akhale mteweri wace. Iye adati: ‘Munthu ali-wense akafuna kunditewera, abzirambe yekha acitenga muti wace wakuzunzidwira ndipo anditewere nthawe zense. Pakuti omwe an’funa kupulumusa moyo wace, an’dzauluza, tsono omwe an’luza moyo wace thangwe ra inepano na thangwe ra bzipsa bzabwino, an’dzaupulumusa.’—Marko 8:34, 35.

Tenepo, kuti ambafunidwe na Jezu, anyakupfunzawo akhafunika kukhala wakulimba mtima na wakubzipereka. Jezu adalewa kuti: ‘ali-wense omwe an’cita manyazi na inepano, pabodzi na mafala yanguya, pakati pa mbadwo wa upombo na wapikadoyu, Mwana wa Munthu an’dzacitambo naye manyazi akadzabwera mu mbiri ya Babace, pabodzi na wanjo wakucena.’ (Marko 8:38) Tenepo, Jezu akadzabwera, ‘an’dzabaira munthu ali-wense mwakubverana na bzicito bzace.’—Mateu 16:27.