1-4. Yeyiphi imeko enzima akuyo uPetros, futhi wawuza kuvakalelwa njani ukuba yayinguwe okuloo meko?

 KUVAKALA umbakra wocango olukhulu lwentsimbi, kuvalelwa uPetros etrongweni. Ubotshelelwe ngamatsheyini koonogada ababini baseRoma, bamsa kwisisele sakhe. Emva koko ugqiba iiyure ezininzi, mhlawumbi ezide zibe ziintsuku, elindele ukuva into eza kwenzeka kuye. Ayikho enye into ayibonayo ngaphandle kweendonga neentsimbi zetrongo, amatsheyini noonogada bakhe.

² Kuthi kusenjalo eve into yokuba ufumene isigwebo esiqatha. UKumkani uHerode Agripa I uzimisele ukumbulala. a Phofu, uza kuziswa phambi kwabantu abaninzi emva kwePasika ukuze bonwatyiswe kukumbona ebulawa. UHerode wayengamothusi ngenyoka efileyo uPetros. Bekungekho kudala xa uHerode ebebulala omnye umpostile, uYakobi.

³ Bubusuku obungaphambi kokubulawa kwakhe. Yintoni ecingwa nguPetros kweso sisele simnyama setrongo? Ngaba ukhumbula into eyathethwa nguYesu kwiminyaka engaphambili xa wachaza ukuba ngenye imini uPetros wayeza kubanjwa asiwe apho angafuni kuya khona, ekufeni? (Yoh. 21:18, 19) Mhlawumbi uPetros uyazibuza ukuba akulilo na elo xesha ngoku.

⁴ Wawuza kuziva njani ukuba wawunguPetros? Abaninzi babeza kuphelelwa ngamandla, bacinge ukuba akusekho themba. Kodwa ke, ngaba ikho imeko enganikisi themba kumlandeli wokwenene kaYesu Kristu? Sinokufunda ntoni kwindlela awenza ngayo uPetros namanye amaKristu xa babetshutshiswa? Makhe sibone.

5, 6. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uKumkani uHerode Agripa I ahlasele ibandla lamaKristu futhi wayenza njani loo nto? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze ukufa kukaYakobi kulenze libe buhlungu ibandla?

⁵ Njengokuba siye seva kwisahluko sale ncwadi esingaphambi kwesi, ukuguquka komntu weentlanga uKorneli nentsapho yakhe kwabangel’ umdla gqitha kwibandla lamaKristu. Kodwa amaYuda angakholwayo amele ukuba othuka gqitha akuva ukuba amaYuda amaninzi angamaKristu ayesele enqula ngokukhululekileyo kunye nabantu abangengomaYuda.

 ⁶ Oku kwaveza ithuba lokuba uHerode, isikhohlakali sezopolitiko azithandise kumaYuda, ngoko waqalisa ukuwaphatha kakubi amaKristu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayevile ukuba umpostile uYakobi wayesondele ngokukhethekileyo kuYesu Kristu. Ngenxa yoko, “wabulala uYakobi umntakwabo Yohane ngekrele.” (IZe. 12:2) Ibandla laba buhlungu kakhulu. UYakobi wazibonela ngawakhe amehlo xa uYesu wenziwa wamila ngenye indlela neminye imimangaliso engazange ibonwe ngabanye abapostile. (Mat. 17:1, 2; Marko 5:37-42) UYesu wathiya uYakobi nomntakwabo uYohane ngokuthi “ooNyana Bendudumo” ngenxa yokutshiseka kakhulu kwabo. (Marko 3:17) Ngoko ibandla lalilahlekelwe lingqina elinesibindi, elithembekileyo nangumpostile othandekayo.

7, 8. Yintoni elayenzayo ibandla emva kokubanjwa kukaPetros?

⁷ Kwenzeka kanye ngendlela awayefuna ngayo uAgripa, kuba ukubulawa kukaYakobi kwawavuyisa amaYuda. Loo nto yamkhuthaza ukuba agqithele nakuPetros. Njengokuba kuchaziwe kwiziqendu zokuqala zesi sahluko, wayalela ukuba kubanjwe uPetros. Kodwa ke, uAgripa umele ukuba wakhumbula ukuba abapostile babekhe bakhululwa ngendlela engummangaliso etrongweni, njengokuba kuchaziwe kwiSahluko 5 sale ncwadi. Efuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba uPetros akaphuncuki, uHerode wayalela ukuba abotshelelwe ngamatsheyini koonogada abayi-2, baze oonogada abayi-16 batshintshane ngokumgada imini nobusuku. Ukuba wayenokuphuncula, kwakuza kubulawa abo nogada endaweni yakhe. Kwimeko enzima ngolo hlobo, amanye amaKristu ayenokumnceda njani uPetros?

⁸ Ibandla laliyazi kakuhle eyona nto limele liyenze. IZenzo 12:5 zithi: “Ngoko uPetros wayegcinwe ejele, kodwa ibandla laqhubeka limthandazela kakhulu kuThixo.” Lamthandazela kakhulu umzalwana walo elimthandayo, limcelela ngokusuka entliziyweni. Ukufa kukaYakobi akuzange kulenze liphelelwe lithemba; zange kulenze licinge ukuba ukuthandaza akubalulekanga nganto.  Umthandazo ubaluleke kakhulu kuYehova. Ukuba umthandazo uhambisana nokuthanda kwakhe, uyawuphendula. (Heb. 13:18, 19; Yak. 5:16) Yinto ebaluleke kakhulu le ekufuneka ayifunde amaKristu namhlanje.

 9. Yintoni esinokuyifunda malunga nomthandazo kwindlela engumzekelo awenza ngayo amaKristu awayekhonza noPetros?

⁹ Ngaba akho amaKristu owaziyo ahlelwe zizilingo ezininzi? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ayatshutshiswa, ayekisiwe ukubhaliswa ngokusemthethweni ngoorhulumente, okanye ehlelwe ziintlekele zemvelo. Kutheni ungawathandazeli ngokusuka entliziyweni? Mhlawumbi akho amanye amaKristu owaziyo anezinye izilingo, ezinjengokuchaswa yintsapho, ukutyhafa, okanye ezinye ezivavanya ukholo. Ukuba uyacingisisa ngaphambi kokuba uthandaze, usenokucinga ngabantu abaninzi onokubabiza ngamagama xa uthetha noYehova, ‘yena omamela imithandazo.’ (INdu. 65:2) Kaloku nawe yiloo nto odinga ukuba abazalwana noodade bakho bayenze xa usebunzimeni.

10, 11. Chaza indlela uPetros awahlangulwa ngayo ejele yingelosi kaYehova.

¹⁰ Ngaba uPetros wayesoyika ukubulawa? Asinakuqiniseka ngaloo nto, kodwa ngobo busuku bokugqibela ejele, wayelele yoyi phakathi kwabo nogada babethe qwa. Ekubeni wayethembekile, ngokuqinisekileyo wayesazi ukuba nokuba kwenzeka ntoni kusuku olulandelayo, uYehova wayeza kumkhumbula. (Roma 14:7, 8) Kodwa kumele ukuba uPetros wayengazange azicinge nokuzicinga izinto ezaziza kwenzeka kungekudala. Ngesiquphe, kwavele kwakho ukukhanya okuqaqambileyo okwakhanyisa sonke isisele sakhe. Kwakume ingelosi, ekucacayo ukuba yayingabonwa ngoonogada, yaza yamvusa ngokukhawuleza. Amatsheyini awayesezandleni zakhe, awayebonakala engenakuqhawuka, avele aziwela!

¹¹ Ingelosi yamnika imiyalelo emifutshane engqalileyo: “Khawuleza uvuke! . . . Nxiba  iimpahla neembadada zakho. . . . Nxiba isambatho sakho sangaphezulu.” Naye ke uPetros akazange abe ebuza, wenza loo nto ayixelelwayo. Ingelosi yagqibelisa ngokuthi: “Uze undilandele,” uPetros akasokolisa. Baphuma esiseleni, badlula bethe cwaka kumajoni awayengaphandle egade isisele, baya ngqo kwigeyithi enkulu yentsimbi. Babeza kuphuma njani kuyo? Ukuba yakha yathi qatha loo nto engqondweni kaPetros, akuzange kube kudala waphenduleka loo mbuzo. Bathi xa befika egeyithini, yasuka “yazivulekela.” Ngexesha nje elifutshane, babesele bengaphaya kwegeyithi, besesitratweni, yaza ingelosi yanyamalala. UPetros washiyeka yedwa apho, waza waqonda ukuba akaphuphi. Wayengaboni mbono. Wayekhululekile!​—IZe. 12:7-11.

12. Kutheni sinokuthuthuzeleka xa sicinga ngendlela uYehova awamhlangula ngayo uPetros?

¹² Kuthuthuzela nyhani ukucinga ngamandla kaYehova angenakunqandwa nto okuhlangula abakhonzi bakhe. UPetros wayebanjwe wavalelwa ngukumkani owayexhaswa lelona gunya lehlabathi elinamandla elalikhe lakho ukuza kutsho ngelo xesha. Sekunjalo, waphuma nje lula etrongweni! Yinyani ukuba, uYehova akasoloko ebakhusela ngokungummangaliso bonke abakhonzi bakhe. Zange amkhusele uYakobi angabulawa; engazange amkhusele noPetros kamva, xa ade azaliseka amazwi awayethethwe nguYesu ngalo mpostile. Namhlanje amaKristu akalindelanga kuhlangulwa ngendlela engummangaliso. Kodwa, sihlala sikhumbula ukuba uYehova akatshintshanga. (Mal. 3:6) Kungekudala uza kusebenzisa uNyana wakhe ukuze akhulule iimiliyoni zabantu kweyona jele ekubonakala kungenakuphuncuka mntu kuyo, ukufa. (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Ezi zithembiso zinokusinceda sibe nesibindi kakhulu xa sisehlelwa zizilingo namhlanje.

13-15. (a) Enza ntoni amalungu ebandla awayesendlini kaMariya xa kwafika uPetros? (b) Yintoni elandelayo ethetha ngayo incwadi yeZenzo, kodwa yintoni awaqhubeka eyenza uPetros kubazalwana noodade abangamaKristu?

¹³ UPetros wayemi kwisitrato esimnyama, ecinga indawo awayeza kuya kuyo. Kwathi kusenjalo, wayazi indawo amakaye kuyo. Kwakukho umama ongumKristu owayehlala kufutshane nalapho, uMariya. Kuyabonakala ukuba uMariya lo wayengumhlolokazi omi kakuhle, kuba wayenendlu eyayinkulu kangangokuba yayisanela ibandla lonke. Wayengumama kaYohane Marko, Yohane lowo iZenzo ezithetha ngaye okokuqala apha nowathi kamva wanjengonyana kuPetros. (1 Pet. 5:13) Nakuba kwakusele kusebusuku, abantu bebandla abaninzi babekuloo ndlu kaMariya bethandaza ngokusuka entliziyweni. Ngokuqinisekileyo babethandazela ukukhululwa kukaPetros, kodwa babengayilindelanga indlela awabaphendula ngayo uYehova!

¹⁴ UPetros wankqonkqoza kwigeyithi engena kwibala eliphambi kwendlu. Kweza egeyithini isicakakazi salapho esinguRoda, igama eliqhelekileyo lesiGrike elithetha “intyatyambo iRose.” Zange ayikholelwe into awayivayo ngeendlebe zakhe. Yayililizwi likaPetros! Endaweni yokuba avule igeyithi, wavele wonwaba kakhulu washiya uPetros emi apho esitratweni, wabaleka wabuyela endlini, wazama ukuqinisekisa loo maKristu ukuba uPetros ukhona. Bathi  kuye uyaxoka, kodwa zange ancame. Waqhubeka ebaxelela into ayivileyo. Abanye bayikholelwa into yokuba mhlawumbi ikhona into ayivileyo, kodwa bathi inoba yingelosi emela uPetros. (IZe. 12:12-15) Lonke elo xesha, uPetros waqhubeka enkqonkqoza, ekugqibeleni bade baya egeyithini baza bavula.

¹⁵ Ukufika kwabo egeyithini, “bambona baza bothuka”! (IZe. 12:16) Ndlela le babevuya ngayo kwada kwafuneka ukuba uPetros abathulise ukuze ababalisele into eyenzekileyo. Wabacela nokuba babalisele umfundi uYakobi nabazalwana into eyenzekileyo, waza wahamba engekafunyanwa ngamajoni kaHerode. Wemka waya kuqhubeka ekhonza ngokuthembeka kwenye indawo ekhuselekileyo. Ekuphela kwendawo ekuphinda kuthethwe ngaye kuyo kwiZenzo kukwisahluko 15, apho kuchazwa ukuba wancedisa ekusombululeni ingxaki yolwaluko. Ngoku into elandelayo ethetha ngayo incwadi yeZenzo ngumsebenzi wokushumayela nokuhambahamba kukampostile uPawulos. Kodwa ke, sinokuqiniseka ukuba uPetros walomeleza ukholo lwabazalwana noodade naphi na apho waya khona. Ngokuqinisekileyo walishiya livuya kakhulu elo qela lalisendlini kaMariya.

16. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba siza kuba namaxesha amaninzi okonwaba kwixesha elizayo?

¹⁶ Ngamany’ amaxesha uYehova ubanika izinto ezingaphaya kokuba bebelindele abakhonzi bakhe, bashiyeke bevuya bengakholelwa. Yiloo ndlela kanye ababevakalelwa ngayo abazalwana noodade bakaPetros ngobo busuku. Sinokuziva ngolo hlobo nathi namhlanje ngamanye amaxesha xa sisikelelwe nguYehova. (IMize. 10:22) Kwixesha elizayo, siza kuzibona zisenzeka emhlabeni wonke izinto ezithenjiswa nguYehova. Iintsikelelo ezimangalisayo esiza kuzifumana ziza kuba bhetele kunayo nantoni na esinokuyicingela namhlanje. Ngoko ukuba sihlala sithembekile, sinokuqiniseka ukuba siza konwaba kwixesha elizayo.

17, 18. Yintoni eyabangela ukuba isihlwele sifune ukumvisa kamnandi uHerode?

¹⁷ Ukuphuncuka kukaPetros kwamshiya ebamb’ ongezantsi naye uHerode, kodwa zange ihle kamnandi loo nto kuye. Ngokukhawuleza wayalela ukuba akhangelwe ngokucokisekileyo, bona oonogada bakaPetros bahlatywe imibuzo. “Wayalela ukuba bohlwaywe,” ekusenokwenzeka ukuba loo nto yenzeka ngokuthi babulawe. (IZe. 12:19) UHerode Agripa wayengayazi le nto kuthiwa luvelwano okanye inceba. Ngaba sasikhe sohlwaywa esi sikhohlakali sendoda?

¹⁸ Kumele ukuba uAgripa waziva ehlazekile ngokungakwazi ukubulala uPetros, kodwa wakhawuleza wafumana into eyamenza waba nekratshi kwakhona. Ezinye iintshaba zakhe zeza kuye zifuna ukwakha uxolo kunye naye. Loo nto yamnika ithuba lokuba athethe phambi kwesihlwele. ULuka uchaza ukuba ukulungiselela loo ntetho, “uHerode wanxiba iimpahla zakhe zasebukhosini.” Umbhali wembali ongumYuda uJosephus wathi iimpahla zikaHerode zazenziwe ngesilivere, ukuze xa kufika ukukhanya kule kumkani, ibengezele ngohlobo lokuba abantu bacinge ukuba nguthixo. Esi sikhukhumali  esingumntu wepolitiki senza intetho yaso. Isihlwele, esasifuna ukumvisa kamnandi, sakhwaza sathi: “Asingomntu tu lo uthetha apha, nguthixo!”​—IZe. 12:20-22.

19, 20. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova amohlwaye uHerode? (b) Kutheni linokusithuthuzela ibali elingokufa kukaHerode Agripa?

¹⁹ NguThixo kuphela ofanele adunyiswe ngolo hlobo, futhi uThixo wayejongile! UHerode wayenalo ithuba lokuphepha isohlwayo. Wayenokubalungisa abo bantu okanye ke angavumelani nabo. Endaweni yaloo nto, yabonakala kakuhle kuye into ethethwa ngumzekeliso othi: “Ikratshi liphambi kwentlekele.” (IMize. 16:18) “Ingelosi kaYehova yambetha ngoko nangoko,” yaza loo ndoda ingamboniyo omnye umntu nekhukhumele likratshi yafa ngendlela embi nelihlazo. UHerode “watyiwa ziimpethu wafa.” (IZe. 12:23) Naye uJosephus watsho ukuba uAgripa wabethwa ngoko nangoko nokuba lo kumkani wazigqibela ukuba ufa ngenxa yokwamkela ukuviswa kamnandi sisihlwele. UJosephus wabhala ukuba uAgripa watyiwa zezi mpethu kangangeentsuku ezintlanu ngaphambi kokuba afe. b

²⁰ Ngamanye amaxesha kusenokubonakala ngathi abantu abangamoyikiyo uThixo bayaphumelela kwiindlela zabo ezimbi. Loo nto ayifanelanga isothuse, kuba “lonke ihlabathi lilawulwa nguSathana.” (1 Yoh. 5:19) Sekunjalo, abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo bakhe baphazamiseke xa kubonakala ngathi abantu abenza izinto ezimbi abafumani sohlwayo. Leyo yenye yezinto eyenza ukuba amabali anjengala asithuthuzele. La mabali abonisa ukuba uYehova uyabagweba abantu abenza izinto ezimbi, futhi loo nto ikhumbuza bonke abakhonzi bakhe ukuba uyabuthanda ubulungisa. (INdu. 33:5) Ekugqibeleni uza kuzisa ubulungisa.

21. Yintoni eyona ibalulekileyo esiyifunda kwiZenzo isahluko 12, futhi kutheni isithuthuzela namhlanje?

²¹ Eli bali liqukumbela ngesifundo esikhuthaza nakakhulu: “Baya besanda abantu abeva ilizwi likaYehova nabakholwayo.” (IZe. 12:24) Le ngxelo ibonisa ukuba umsebenzi wokushumayela waqhubeka usanda. Loo nto inokusikhumbuza ngendlela uYehova aye wawusikelela ngayo lo msebenzi namhlanje. Kucacile ukuba, kwiZenzo isahluko 12 asixelelwa nje ngokuba omnye umpostile wabulawa omnye wahlangulwa ejele. Sixelelwa ngoYehova nangendlela awayichitha ngayo imizamo kaSathana yokutshayela ibandla lamaKristu nokulinqanda ekukhuthaleleni ukushumayela. USathana wakha phantsi isitya sigcwele, futhi nabani ozama ukunqanda umsebenzi wokushumayela soze alunge. (Isa. 54:17) Kodwa abantu abakhetha ukunqula uYehova nokulandela uYesu Kristu benza umsebenzi ongasoze woyiswe. Ikhuthaza nyhani loo nto! Yinyhweba enkulu nyhani le sinayo yokushumayela “ilizwi likaYehova” namhlanje!