Abantu basala betshe amathe ngesimangaliso esenziwe nguJesu sokupha izinkulungwane ukudla. Baphetha ngokuthi uJesu “nguye sibili umPhrofethi okwakuthiwa uzabuya emhlabeni,” uMesiya, njalo bayabona ukuthi engaba yinkosi ebabusa kuhle sibili. (UJohane 6:14; UDutheronomi 18:18) Ngakho abantu sebefuna ukumbamba ukuze bamenze inkosi.

Kodwa uJesu uyakwazi ukuthi abantu laba sebefuna ukwenzani. Uvalelisa ixuku atshele labafundi bakhe ukuthi babuyele esikepeni sabo. Kumele baqale baye eBhethisayida besebedlula besiya eKhaphenawume. UJesu yena uya entabeni afike akhuleke eyedwa.

Kuthi sekuzakuba semadabukakusa uJesu abone isikepe khatshana le, ekhanyiselwa yinyanga. Amagagasi olwandle aya le lale ngoba kulomoya omkhulu njalo abaphostoli ‘bayasadalala ukugwedla njengoba umoya uphambana labo.’ (UMakho 6:48) UJesu uyehla entabeni abeseqalisa ukuhamba phezu kwamagagasi la eqonda kubo. Khathesi “sebegwedle okwamakhilomitha angaba mahlanu kumbe ayisithupha.” (UJohane 6:19) Abafundi bathi bembona esengathi usebadlula bayaklabalala besesaba, besithi: “Yinto bani le?”​—UMakho 6:49.

UJesu uyabaqinisa athi: “Wobani lesibindi! Yimi, lingesabi.” UPhetro uthi: “Nkosi, nxa kunguwe, wothi ngize kuwe ngihamba phezu kwamanzi.” UJesu uthi kuye: “Woza!” Esizwa lelo uPhetro uyaphuma esikepeni abesehamba phezu kwamanzi eqonda kuJesu. Kodwa uthi ekhangela isiphepho esabe abeseqalisa ukucwila. Umemeza athi: “Nkosi, ngisindisa bo!” UJesu welula isandla sakhe abesebamba uPhetro athi: “Wena olokholo oluncane, kungani ukhulelwe yikuthandabuza?”​—UMathewu 14:27-31.

UPhetro loJesu bayangena esikepeni, isiphepho siphele. Abafundi bayamangala, kodwa kumele kubamangalise yini lokhu? UJesu usanda kwenza isimangaliso sokupha abantu abayizinkulungwane ukudla. Aluba bebekuzwisisile ukuthi ‘isimangaliso sezinkwa sibafundisani’ bekungasoze kubamangalise ukuthi angahamba phezu kwamanzi njalo athulise lomoya. Khathesi bayamkhothamela besebesithi: “Wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu sibili.”​—UMakho 6:52; UMathewu 14:33.

Masinyane nje bayafika endaweni enhle yaseGenesaretha, eningizimu yeKhaphenawume. Bafika bamise isikepe khonapho baye ekhunjini. Abantu bayamnanzelela uJesu besebebuya labagulayo njalo labasezindaweni eziseduze labo benza njalo. Nxa abantu laba bethinta umphetho nje wesembatho sakhe sangaphandle, bayasila baqine saka.

Kusenjalo, ixuku labantu elibone uJesu esenza isimangaliso sokupha izinkulungwane ukudla liyananzelela ukuthi usesukile. Izikepe ezincane zaseThibheriya zithi zifika, abantu laba bangene kuzo baye eKhaphenawume besiyadinga uJesu. Bathi sebemtholile bambuze bathi: “Rabi, kanti ufike nini lapha?” (UJohane 6:25) UJesu uyabakhuza futhi ulesizatho esihle sokwenza njalo njengoba sizabona.