1, 2. (a) Yini abanye abaholi benkolo ababefuna ukuyazi, futhi uPetru wabaphendula kanjani? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Yini eyenza uPetru waba nesibindi kuleso senzakalo?

NGEMVA nje kwezinsuku ezimbalwa uJesu efile, umphostoli uPetru wabhekana neqembu labantu abesabekayo nabanenzondo. Babengabaholi benkolo bamaJuda abanamandla—bona kanye abahlela ukufa kukaJesu. Bafuna ukuba abachazele ngesenzo sakhe. UPetru wayephulukise indoda eyayizalwe ilunyonga, futhi babefuna ukwazi ukuthi wayeyiphulukise ngamandla noma ngegama likabani. Lo mphostoli wabaphendula ngesibindi: “Ngegama likaJesu Kristu umNazaretha, enambethela kodwa uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, kungaye le ndoda imi lapha phambi kwenu iphilile.”—IzE. 4:5-10.

² Ngaphambilini, uPetru wayephike uJesu izikhathi ezintathu ngenxa yokwesaba. (Marku 14:66-72) Manje njengoba ayesephambi kwabaholi benkolo, yini eyamenza waba nesibindi? Wasizwa kakhulu umoya ongcwele, kodwa nokuqiniseka kwakhe ukuthi uJesu wayevusiwe kwaba nomthelela omkhulu. Yini eyayenza lo mphostoli aqiniseke kangaka ukuthi uJesu uyaphila? Kungani nathi singaqiniseka njengaye?

3, 4. (a) Yiluphi uvuko olwenzeka bengakazalwa nakuzalwa abaphostoli bakaJesu? (b) Obani uJesu abavusa?

³ Abaphostoli bakaJesu babengakweshwami ukuthi abafileyo  bangaphinde baphile; kunabantu abavuswa bona bengakazalwa. Babazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayenike abaprofethi u-Eliya no-Elisha amandla okuvusa abantu ngokuyisimangaliso. (1 AmaKh. 17:17-24; 2 AmaKh. 4:32-37) Kunanomuntu owayefile owaphila lapho isidumbu sakhe siphonswa ethuneni lika-Elisha futhi sithinta amathambo akhe. (2 AmaKh. 13:20, 21) AmaKristu okuqala ayezikholelwa lezi zindaba ezilandiswe eBhayibhelini ngendlela nathi esikholelwa ngayo ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyiqiniso.

⁴ Cishe sonke siye sathinteka kakhulu lapho sifunda izindaba zabantu uJesu abavusa. Lapho evusa indodana yomfelokazi eyayinguzinyo-bulala, kumelwe ukuba lo mfelokazi wabamba ongezansi. (Luka 7:11-15) Kwesinye isenzakalo, uJesu wavusa intombazanyana eneminyaka engu-12. Cabanga ngenjabulo nokumangala abazali bayo ababegajwe usizi ababa nakho lapho indodakazi yabo ivuswa! (Luka 8:49-56) Cabanga nangendlela okumelwe ukuba abantu ababebukele bajabula ngayo lapho bebona uLazaru ephuma ethuneni ephila futhi engumqemane!—Joh. 11:38-44.

5. Uvuko lukaJesu lwaluhluke kanjani kolwabantu ababevuswe ngaphambi kwakhe?

⁵ Abaphostoli babazi ukuthi uvuko lukaJesu lwaluhlukile kolwabantu ababevuswe ngaphambi kwakhe. Abantu ababevuswe ngaphambi kukaJesu bavuswa ngemizimba yenyama futhi baphinde bafa. UJesu wavuswa ngomzimba womoya ongenakonakala. (Funda izEnzo 13:34.) UPetru wabhala ukuthi uJesu ‘wabulawa enyameni, kodwa waphiliswa emoyeni.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, “ungakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, ngoba waya ezulwini; futhi izingelosi namagunya namandla kwenziwa kwamthobela.” (1 Pet. 3:18-22) Uvuko olwenzeka ngaphambili lwaluluhle kakhulu futhi luyisimangaliso, kodwa alukho olwalusondela kulesi simangaliso esiyingqayizivele.

6. Uvuko lukaJesu lwabathonya kanjani abafundi bakhe?

⁶ Uvuko lukaJesu lwaba nethonya elinamandla kubafundi bakhe. Wayesephila yize izitha zakhe zazicabanga ukuthi ziqedile ngaye. Wayephila njengomuntu womoya onamandla ongenakulinyazwa muntu. Uvuko lwakhe lwafakazela ukuthi wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, futhi ukwazi lokhu kwaqeda usizi olwalugabhe abafundi bakhe, kwabenza bajabula kakhulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwesaba ababenakho kwaphela, bama isibindi. Uvuko lukaJesu lwalubaluleke kakhulu enjongweni kaJehova nasezindabeni ezinhle ababezimemezela ngesibindi yonke indawo.

7. UJesu wenzani namuhla, futhi imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?

⁷ Njengezinceku zikaJehova, sazi kahle ukuthi uJesu wayengeyena nje umuntu omkhulu. Namuhla uyaphila futhi uqondisa umsebenzi ohilela wonke umuntu emhlabeni. NjengeNkosi ebusayo yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu omiswe ezulwini, maduze uJesu Kristu uzoqeda bonke ububi emhlabeni futhi awuguqule ube ipharadesi abantu abazohlala kulo phakade. (Luka 23:43) Konke lokhu bekungeke kwenzeke ukube uJesu akavuswanga. Ngakho-ke, sinaziphi izizathu zokukholelwa ukuthi wavuswa kwabafileyo? Ngempela, uvuko lwakhe lusho ukuthini kithi?

8, 9. (a) Kungani abaholi benkolo bamaJuda bacela ukuba ithuna likaJesu liqashwe? (b) Kwenzekani lapho abesifazane abathile befika ethuneni lakhe?

⁸ Ngemva kokuba uJesu esebulewe, abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi beza kuPilatu bathi: “Mnumzane, siye sakhumbula ukuthi lowaya mkhohlisi esaphila wathi,  ‘Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu ngizovuswa.’ Ngakho-ke yala ukuba ithuna livikeleke kuze kube usuku lwesithathu, ukuze abafundi bakhe bangalokothi bafike bamebe bese bethi kubantu, ‘Uvusiwe kwabafileyo!’ kuthi le nkohliso yokugcina ibe yimbi kakhulu kuneyokuqala.” UPilatu wabaphendula: “Ninabo abaqaphi. Hambani nilivikele ngokubona kwenu.” Benza lokho kanye.—Math. 27:62-66.

⁹ Isidumbu sikaJesu sasibekwe ethuneni elaliqoshwe edwaleni lase livalwa ngetshe elikhulu. Yilapho abaholi benkolo bamaJuda ababefuna ukuba uJesu aphelele khona—eyinto engaphili kulelo thuna. Kodwa uJehova wayecabanga okuhluke ngokuphelele. Lapho uMariya Magdalena nomunye uMariya befika ethuneni ngosuku lwesithathu, bathola itshe ligingqiwe nengelosi ihlezi phezu kwalo. Ingelosi yatshela laba besifazane ukuba babheke ngaphakathi ethuneni babone ukuthi akunamuntu. Yathi: “Akekho lapha, ngoba uvusiwe.” (Math. 28:1-6) Yebo, uJesu wayephila!

10. Ibuphi ubufakazi bokuvuswa kukaJesu uPawulu abunikeza?

¹⁰ Izenzakalo zangezinsuku ezingu-40 ezalandela zakuqeda konke ukungabaza kokuthi uJesu wayevusiwe. Efingqa lobu bufakazi, umphostoli uPawulu walobela abaseKorinte: “Ngadlulisela kini, phakathi kwezinto zokuqala, lokho nami engakwamukela, ukuthi ngokwemiBhalo uKristu wafela izono zethu; nokuthi wangcwatshwa, yebo, ukuthi ngokwemiBhalo uvusiwe ngosuku lwesithathu; nokuthi wabonakala kuKhefase, kwase kuba kwabayishumi nambili. Ngemva kwalokho wabonakala kubazalwane abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu ngesikhathi esisodwa, abaningi kubo abasekhona namanje, kodwa abanye sebelele. Ngemva kwalokho wabonakala kuJakobe, kwase kuba kubo bonke abaphostoli; kodwa ekugcineni kwabo bonke wabonakala nakimi njengokungathi kozelwe ngaphambi kwesikhathi.”—1 Kor. 15:3-8.

11. Kungani kuthiwa uvuko lukaJesu lwenzeka “ngokwemiBhalo”?

¹¹ Isizathu sokuqala esenza sazi ukuthi uJesu wavuswa kwabafileyo ukuthi uvuko lwakhe lwenzeka “ngokwemiBhalo.” IZwi likaNkulunkulu lalubikezela uvuko lwakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, uDavide waloba ukuthi lo muntu kaNkulunkulu “oqotho” kunabo bonke wayengeke ashiywe ethuneni. (Funda iHubo 16:10.) Ngosuku lwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., umphostoli uPetru wabonisa ukuthi leli vesi eliyisiprofetho lalisebenza kuJesu, wathi: “[UDavide] wabona kusengaphambili futhi wakhuluma ngokuphathelene nokuvuka kukaKristu, ukuthi akashiywanga eHayidesi futhi inyama yakhe ayikubonanga ukonakala.”—IzE. 2:23-27, 31.

12. Obani ababona uJesu ovusiwe?

¹² Isizathu sesibili esenza sazi ukuthi uJesu wavuswa ukuthi sinobufakazi bofakazi abaningi. Phakathi nezinsuku ezingu-40, uJesu ovusiwe wabonakala kubafundi bakhe ensimini ithuna lakhe elalikuyo nasendleleni eya e-Emawuse nakwezinye izindawo. (Luka 24:13-15) Ngalezo zikhathi, wakhuluma nabantu ngabanye, kuhlanganise noPetru kanye nabanye ababengamaqembu. Phela, ngesinye isikhathi wabonakala esixukwini sabantu abangaphezu kuka-500! Akekho ongaphika ubufakazi bofakazi bokuzibonela abaningi kangaka.

13. Intshiseko yabafundi yabonisa kanjani ukuthi babeqiniseka ukuthi uJesu uvusiwe?

¹³ Isizathu sesithathu esenza sazi ukuthi uJesu wavuswa yintshiseko abafundi abayibonisa ekumemezeleni uvuko lwakhe. Ukufakaza ngentshiseko ngovuko lukaKristu kwabachaya ekushushisweni,  ekuhlushweni nasekufeni. Ukube uJesu wayengavusiwe—ukube kwakumane nje kungamanga—uPetru wayengakufakelani ukuphila kwakhe engozini ngokumemezela ukuvuswa kukaKristu kubaholi benkolo, ababemzonda uJesu futhi abakha uzungu lokumbulala? Yingoba uPetru nabanye abafundi babeqiniseka ukuthi uJesu wayephila nokuthi wayeqondisa umsebenzi uNkulunkulu ayefuna ukuba wenziwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uvuko lukaJesu lwabaqinisekisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi nabo babezovuswa. Ngokwesibonelo, uStefanu wafa eqiniseka ukuthi kwakuyoba novuko lwabafileyo.—IzE. 7:55-60.

14. Kungani ukholelwa ukuthi uJesu uyaphila?

¹⁴ Isizathu sesine esenza sazi ukuthi uJesu wavuswa ukuthi sinobufakazi bokuthi manje uyabusa njengeNkosi futhi uyiNhloko yebandla lobuKristu. Ngenxa yalokho, ubuKristu beqiniso buyachuma. Bekungenzeka yini lokhu ukube uJesu wayengavuswanga kwabafileyo? Eqinisweni, ukube wayengavusiwe mhlawumbe ngabe asazi ngisho nakwazi ngaye. Kodwa sinezizathu eziqinile zokukholelwa ukuthi uJesu uyaphila nokuthi manje uyasihola futhi uyasiqondisa njengoba simemezela izindaba ezinhle emhlabeni wonke.

15. Kungani uvuko lukaJesu lusenza sibe nesibindi sokushumayela?

¹⁵ Uvuko lukaKristu lusenza sibe nesibindi sokushumayela. Sekuyiminyaka engu-2 000 izitha zikaNkulunkulu zisebenzisa zonke izinhlobo zezikhali ukuqeda umsebenzi wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle—izihlubuki, ukuhleka usulu, ukuhlasela kwezixuku, imithetho ewuvimbelayo, ukuhlukumeza nokubulala. Noma kunjalo, ‘asikho isikhali esiye sakhiwa ngokumelene nathi’—yebo akukho lutho oluye lwawumisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi. (Isaya 54:17) Asizesabi izincelebana noma izigqila zikaSathane. UJesu unathi, uyasisekela njengoba nje athembisa. (Math. 28:20) Asinaso nesisodwa isizathu sokwesaba, ngoba ngisho noma izitha zethu zingazama zizamile, azisoze zasithulisa!

16, 17. (a) Uvuko lukuqinisekisa kanjani lokho uJesu akufundisa? (b) NgokukaJohane 11:25, imaphi amandla uNkulunkulu awanike uJesu?

¹⁶ Uvuko lukaJesu luqinisekisa konke akufundisa. UPawulu waloba ukuthi uma uKristu engavuswanga kwabafileyo, ukholo lwamaKristu nokushumayela kwawo kuyize. Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sabhala: “Uma uKristu engavuswanga, . . . amaKristu aba iziphukuphuku zokudatshukelwa, ezikhohliswe ngobuqili obukhulu.” Ngaphandle kovuko lukaJesu, ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kumane kube indaba edabukisayo yomuntu olungile nohlakaniphile owabulawa izitha zakhe. Kodwa uKristu wavuka ngempela, okuqinisekisa ukuthi konke akufundisa kuyiqiniso, kuhlanganise nalokho akusho ngokuphathelene nesikhathi esizayo.—Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:14, 15, 20.

¹⁷ UJesu wathi: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila. Lowo obonisa ukholo kimi, ngisho noma efa, uyophila.” (Joh. 11:25) Lawo mazwi amangalisayo ayogcwaliseka nakanjani. UJehova unike uJesu amandla okuvusa hhayi kuphela labo abayophila ezulwini njengezidalwa zomoya kodwa nezigidigidi zabantu abafile abayovuswa benethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu novuko lwakhe kusho ukuthi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona. Ingabe ukwazi lokho akukuqinisi ukuba ukhuthazelele noma iluphi uvivinyo ngisho nokuba ubhekane nokufa ngesibindi?

18. Uvuko lukaJesu lusiqinisekisa ngani?

¹⁸ Uvuko lukaJesu lusiqinisekisa ngokuthi abakhileyo emhlabeni bayokwahlulelwa  ngezindinganiso zikaJehova zothando. Ekhuluma neqembu lamadoda nabesifazane e-Athene yasendulo, uPawulu wathi: “[UNkulunkulu ujonge] ukwahlulela . . . umhlaba owakhiwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisile, futhi unikeze isiqinisekiso kubo bonke abantu njengoba eye wamvusa kwabafileyo.” (IzE. 17:31) Yebo, uJesu unguMahluleli omiswe uNkulunkulu, futhi singaqiniseka ukuthi uyokwahlulela ngendlela engenzeleli nenothando.—Funda u-Isaya 11:2-4.

19. Ukukholelwa ovukweni lukaKristu kusithinta kanjani?

¹⁹ Ukukholelwa ovukweni lukaJesu kusishukumisela ukuba senze intando kaNkulunkulu. Ukube bekungengenxa yokufa kwakhe komhlatshelo nokuvuswa kwakhe, ngabe sisengaphansi kwesiqalekiso sesono nokufa. (Roma 5:12; 6:23) Uma uJesu engavuswanga, nathi singasho ukuthi: “Masidle siphuze, ngoba kusasa sizokufa.” (1 Kor. 15:32) Kodwa asigxili ezinjabulweni zokuphila kwaleli zwe. Kunalokho, sibheka ithemba lovuko njengeliyigugu futhi sinezizathu zokulalela isiqondiso sikaJehova ezintweni zonke.

20. Uvuko lukaJesu lubufakazela kanjani ubukhulu bukaNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Uvuko lukaKristu lubufakazela buthule, nokho ngendlela ecacile ubukhulu bukaJehova, “[oba] umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” (Heb. 11:6) Yeka amandla nokuhlakanipha uJehova akusebenzisa ukuze avusele uJesu ekuphileni kwasezulwini okungenakufa! Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokumvusa, uNkulunkulu wabonisa ukuthi unamandla okugcwalisa zonke izithembiso zaKhe. Zihlanganisa nesithembiso saKhe esiyisiprofetho esabonisa ukuthi “inzalo” ekhethekile yayiyofeza indima ebalulekile ekuqedeni impikiswano yobukhosi bendawo yonke. Ukuze leso sithembiso sigcwaliseke, kwakudingeka ukuba uJesu afe abuye avuswe.—Gen. 3:15.

21. Ithemba lovuko lisho ukuthini kuwe?

²¹ Awumbongi yini uJehova osinike ithemba eliqinisekile lovuko? ImiBhalo isinikeza lesi siqinisekiso: “Bheka! Itende likaNkulunkulu likanye nabantu, uyohlala nabo, babe ngabantu bakhe. UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyoba nabo. Uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.” Lelo themba elimangalisayo ladluliselwa kumphostoli othembekile uJohane, owatshelwa: “Loba, ngoba la mazwi athembekile ayiqiniso.” UJohane wasinikezwa ubani lesi sambulo esiphefumulelwe? Wasinikezwa ngoJesu Kristu ovusiwe.—IsAm. 1:1; 21:3-5.