1, 2. Ngowuphi ummangaliso owenziwa nguPetros noYohane kufutshane negeyithi yetempile?

 ILANGA lasemva kwemini lithe thaa kwisihlwele. AmaYuda azinikeleyo nabafundi bakaKristu bayaphokoka bengena etempileni. Selisondele ‘ixesha lomthandazo.’ a (IZe. 2:46; 3:1) UPetros noYohane bahamba phakathi kwezo zihlwele besiya ngakwigeyithi yetempile ebizwa ngokuthi Omhle. Kuvakala ingxolo apho kuba abantu baya lee nalee futhi bayancokola. Kukho nendoda eyazalwa isisiqhwala ecela imali ebantwini. Yindoda noko eseyigqithile kwiminyaka eyi-40.​—IZe. 3:2; 4:22.

² Xa uPetros noYohane bekufutshane nale ndoda isisiqhwala, itsho kalusizi ibacela imali. Abapostile bayema, ize le ndoda ibe nethemba. UPetros uthi: “Andinayo isilivere negolide, kodwa ndiza kukunika into endinayo. Egameni likaYesu Kristu umNazarete, phakama uhambe!” Yiba nombono wendlela esimangaliswa ngayo isihlwele xa uPetros ebamba loo ndoda isisiqhwala ngesandla ize okokuqala ngqa ebomini bayo ime nkqo ngeenyawo zayo! (IZe. 3:6, 7) Yiba ngathi uyayibona xa ijonga imilenze yayo ize iqalise ukuhamba ingaqinisekanga! Yayifanele ukuxhumaxhuma nokukhwaza idumisa uThixo!

3. Sesiphi isipho esimangalisayo eyanikwa sona indoda eyaphiliswayo nesihlwele?

³ Isihlwele esigcwele luvuyo siya kuPetros noYohane ababekwiveranda kaSolomon sibaleka. Kanye kule ndawo, apho uYesu wakha wama khona wafundisa, uPetros ucacisela esi sihlwele ukuba wenzeke njani lo mmangaliso. (Yoh. 10:23) Unika isihlwele nale ndoda iphilisiweyo isipho esixabiseke ngaphezu kwesilivere okanye igolide. Sona sibaluleke kakhulu kunokuphiliswa. Silithuba lokuguquka, lokuxolelwa kwezono zabo, nelokuba ngabalandeli bakaYesu Kristu, “uMmeli Oyintloko wobomi” omiselwe nguYehova.​—IZe. 3:15.

4. (a) Emva kokuba uPetros noYohane bephilise umntu, abantu abasezikhundleni bazama ukwenza ntoni? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo emibini esiza kuyiphendula?

⁴ Yayilusuku olukhulu nyhani olo! Kwaphiliswa umntu watsho wakwazi  ukuhamba. Kwaphiliswa nabantu abaninzi ngokuthi banikwe ithuba lokuqonda ukuthanda kukaThixo ukuze bamkhonze ngendlela eyamkelekileyo. (Kol. 1:9, 10) Phezu kwaloo nto, ngenxa yento eyenzekayo ngaloo mini, abantu abasezikhundleni bazama ukubanqanda abafundi abathembekileyo bakaKristu ukuba bangayenzi into eyayiyalelwe nguYesu, ukushumayela ngoBukumkani. (IZe. 1:8) Abo bantu babecinga ukuba uPetros noYohane “bangabantu abangafundanga nabaqhelekileyo.” Kodwa yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela la madoda mabini awashumayela ngayo kwesa sihlwele? b (IZe. 4:13) UPetros, uYohane, nabanye abafundi baba nesibindi xa babetshutshiswa. Sinokubalinganisa njani?

5. Yintoni esiyifundayo kwindlela uPetros awathetha ngayo nesihlwele?

⁵ UPetros noYohane bema phambi kwesihlwele besazi ukuba kungenzeka kukho abantu apho ababenyanzelise ukuba uYesu abulawe. (Marko 15:8-15; IZe. 3:13-15) Kucacile ukuba uPetros wayenesibindi nyhani xa wathi le ndoda yayisisiqhwala yayiphiliswe ngegama likaYesu. UPetros akazange oyike ukutheth’ inyani. Wayithetha phandle into yokuba eso sihlwele sasinesandla ekubulaweni kukaKristu. Kodwa uPetros wayengenamsindo kwesi sihlwele, kuba wayesazi ukuba ‘sasingayazi into esiyenzayo.’ (IZe. 3:17) Wasibiza ngokuthi bazalwana waza wathetha kakhulu ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Ukuba sasinokuguquka size sibe nokholo kuKristu, uYehova wayeza ‘kusihlaziya.’ (IZe. 3:19) Nathi kufuneka sibe nesibindi size singqale xa sishumayela ngomgwebo kaThixo ozayo. Kodwa singabi krwada okanye sibagwebe abanye. Endaweni yaloo nto, abantu esishumayela kubo kufuneka sibajonge njengabazalwana bethu bangomso, futhi njengoPetros, sithethe kakhulu ngezinto ezintle zoBukumkani.

6. UPetros noYohane babonakala njani ukuba bathobekile?

⁶ Abapostile babengamadoda athobekileyo. Abazange bathi laa ndoda bayiphilisa ngawabo amandla. UPetros wathi kwesinye isihlwele: “Kutheni inimangalisa le nto, ibe kutheni nisijonge ngathi le ndoda siyenze yahamba ngamandla ethu okanye ngokuzinikela kwethu kuThixo?” (IZe. 3:12) UPetros nabanye abapostile babesazi ukuba nantoni na entle abayenzileyo kumsebenzi wabo, babeyenze ngamandla kaThixo, hayi awabo. Loo nto ke yabenza bathobeka baza bafuna ukuba abantu badumise uYehova noYesu.

7, 8. (a) Sisiphi isipho esinokusipha abantu? (b) Sifezeka njani namhlanje isithembiso ‘sokubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto’?

⁷ Nathi kufuneka sithobeke xa sikumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani. Ewe kona, umoya kaThixo namhlanje awuniki amaKristu amandla okwenza imimangaliso yokuphilisa. Kodwa, sinokubanceda abantu babe nokholo kuThixo nakuKristu baze nabo bafumane isipho esifanayo neso uPetros wasinika abanye, isipho esilithuba lokuba baxolelwe izono zabo nokuba bahlaziywe nguYehova. Nyaka ngamnye, bangamawaka abantu abasamkelayo esi sipho baze babe ngabafundi ababhaptiziweyo bakaKristu.

 ⁸ Ewe, siphila kwixesha ‘lokubuyiselwa kwazo zonke izinto’ awathetha ngalo uPetros. Ngo-1914, kwamiselwa uBukumkani emazulwini kufezeka ilizwi ‘awalithethayo uThixo esebenzisa abaprofeti bakhe abangcwele bakudala.’ (IZe. 3:21; INdu. 110:1-3; Dan. 4:16, 17) Kungabanga kudala, uKristu wanceda abafundi bakhe ukuba babuyisele indlela eyiyo yokukhonza uThixo emhlabeni. Loo nto incede iimiliyoni zabantu zaba phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo futhi ngoku zikhonza uYehova ziseluxolweni futhi zimanyene. Ziye zabukhulula ubuntu obudala obonakeleyo zaza ‘zanxiba ubuntu obutsha, obenziwa baba butsha ngokokuthanda kukaThixo.’ (Efe. 4:22-24) Isiqhwala esasicela amancedo saphiliswa ngumoya kaThixo. Ikwanguloo moya kaThixo oncede abantu batshintsha baza bamnqula, hayi amandla abantu. NjengoPetros, nathi simele sibe nesibindi size silisebenzise kakuhle iLizwi likaThixo xa sifundisa abanye. Xa sincede umntu waba ngumfundi kaKristu, kusube kungamandla kaThixo hayi awethu.

9-11. (a) Iinkokeli zamaYuda zenza ntoni ngenxa yento eyayishunyayelwa nguPetros noYohane? (b) Yintoni ababezimisele ukuyenza abapostile?

⁹ Isihlwele sasivuya singxola ngenxa yento eyayithethwe nguPetros nangenxa yokuba indoda eyayiphilisiwe yayixhumaxhuma futhi ikhwaza. Ngenxa yaloo nto, umphathi wetempile, owayenomsebenzi wokuqinisekisa ukuba abantu bakhuselekile etempileni, nababingeleli abaziintloko bathi gqi ngokukhawuleza bezojonga ukuba kuqhubeka ntoni. Kumele ukuba la madoda ayengabaSadusi, ihlelo lepolitiki elalisisityebi nelalinegunya elalikhuthaza imvisiswano namaRoma. Lalingafani nabaFarisi, ababekulumkele kakhulu ukuthobela umthetho. AbaSadusi babengafuni nokuva ngomthetho ongabhalwanga phantsi futhi babengakholelwa tu eluvukweni. c Umphathi wetempile nababingeleli abaziintloko bacaphuka bakufumana uPetros noYohane etempileni, befundisa ngesibindi ukuba uYesu uvusiwe.

¹⁰ Abo bachasi ababenomsindo baphosa uPetros noYohane entolongweni baza babasa kwinkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda ngosuku olulandelayo. Kweli qela labalawuli ababeziphakamisa, uPetros noYohane babebonakala ‘bengabantu abangafundanga nabaqhelekileyo’ ababengenalungelo lakufundisa etempileni. Zange bafunda nakwesinye isikolo sonqulo esaziwayo. Kodwa ukuthetha phandle kwabo nokuthetha beqinisekile kwabatsho bamangala ababekulo nkundla. Kwakutheni ukuze uPetros noYohane bakwazi ukuthetha ngolo hlobo? Esinye isizathu kukuba “babekade bekunye noYesu.” (IZe. 4:13) INkosi yabo yayifundisa ngegunya, hayi njengababhali.​—Mat. 7:28, 29.

¹¹ Inkundla yayalela aba bapostile ukuba bayeke ukushumayela. Loo nkundla yayinegunya kakhulu. Kaloku amalungu ayo athi uYesu “ufanele abulawe” xa wayevele phambi kwayo kwiiveki nje ezimbalwa ngaphambilana. (Mat. 26:59-66) Sekunjalo uPetros noYohane abazange boyike ngokoyikiswa. Bemi apho phambi kwezo zityebi, izifundiswa, namadoda anegunya, uPetros noYohane bathetha bengangcangcazeli kodwa benembeko besithi: “Ukuba ilungile emehlweni kaThixo  into yokumamela nina kunokumamela yena, zigqibeleni ngokwenu. Kodwa thina asinakuyeka ukuthetha ngezinto esizibonileyo nesizivileyo.”​—IZe. 4:19, 20.

12. Yintoni enokusinceda siqiniseke futhi sibe nesibindi ngakumbi?

¹² Ngaba unaso wena eso sibindi? Uvakalelwa njani xa kuvela ithuba lokushumayela kwizityebi, kwizifundiswa, okanye ebantwini abasezikhundleni eziphezulu ekuhlaleni? Wenza ntoni xa kowenu, abantwana ofunda nabo, okanye abantu osebenza nabo behlekisa ngezinto ozikholelwayo? Ngaba uye woyike? Ukuba kunjalo, ungakwazi ukuyeka ukoyika. Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu wafundisa abapostile indlela yokuthethelela iinkolelo zabo ngokuzithemba nangembeko. (Mat. 10:11-18) Emva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uYesu wathembisa abafundi bakhe ukuba wayeza kuqhubeka ekunye nabo “yonke imihla de kube sekuphelisweni kweli hlabathi.” (Mat. 28:20) ‘Ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,’ elikhokelwa nguYesu, lisifundisa indlela yokumela izinto esikholelwa kuzo. (Mat. 24:45-47; 1 Pet. 3:15) Loo nto liyenza ngeentlanganiso zebandla, ezifana neyoBomi BamaKristu Nomsebenzi Wokushumayela, nangeempapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni, ezinjengamanqaku akwi-jw.org athi “Imibuzo YeBhayibhile Iyaphendulwa.” Ngaba uyaya kwezi ntlanganiso futhi uyazifunda ezi mpapasho? Ukuba uyayenza loo nto, uza kuqiniseka ngakumbi ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile futhi ube nesibindi ngakumbi. Njengabapostile, awuzuvumela nantoni na ikuyekise ukuthetha ngeenyaniso zeBhayibhile ezimangalisayo ozibonileyo nozivileyo.

13, 14. Yintoni esifanele siyenze xa sichaswa, futhi kutheni sifanele siyenze?

¹³ Kamsinya nje emva kokukhululwa kwabo, uPetros noYohane baya kudibana nabanye abazalwana bebandla. Bekunye nabo “bathandaza kuThixo” baza bathandazela isibindi sokuqhubeka beshumayela. (IZe. 4:24) UPetros wayeyazi kakuhle indlela ekungebobulumko ngayo ukuthembela kumandla akho xa uzama ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Kwiiveki ezimbalwa ngaphambili, wazithemba kakhulu wathi kuYesu: “Nokuba bangakushiya bonke, soze mna ndikushiye!” Kodwa njengokuba uYesu wayetshilo, uPetros wakhawuleza woyika abantu waza wamphika umhlobo nomfundisi wakhe. Kodwa ke, uPetros wafunda kwimpazamo yakhe.​—Mat. 26:33, 34, 69-75.

 ¹⁴ Ukuba ufuna ukuhlala uwuthobela umyalelo wokungqina ngoKristu, kufuneka ukuzimisela kwakho ukushumayela kungahambi kodwa. Xa abachasi bezama ukuphelisa ukholo lwakho okanye ukuba uyeke ukushumayela, yenza njengoPetros noYohane. Cela uYehova akunike amandla. Cela uncedo ebandleni. Chazela abadala nabanye abantu abaqolileyo iingxaki ezinzima onazo. Ukwazi ukuba kukho abantu abakuthandazelayo kunokukunika amandla kakhulu.​—Efe. 6:18; Yak. 5:16.

15. Ngowuphi umzekelo onokukukhuthaza ukuba wakha wayeka ukushumayela kangangexesha elithile?

¹⁵ Ukuba wakha wacinezeleka de wayeka ukushumayela kangangexesha elithile, ungaphel’ amandla. Khumbula ukuba, bonke abapostile bakha bayeka kancinci ukushumayela emva kokufa kukaYesu. Kodwa bakhawuleza baqala apho bebeyeke khona. (Mat. 26:56; 28:10, 16-20) Ungavumi utyhafiswe ziimpazamo zexesha elidlulileyo. Endaweni yaloo nto, qinisa abanye ngezifundo ozifundileyo.

16, 17. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumthandazo owenziwa ngabalandeli bakaKristu eYerusalem?

¹⁶ Yintoni esifanele siyithandazele xa sicinezelwa ngabasemagunyeni? Nceda uphawule ukuba abafundi abazange bacele ukuba bangafumani zilingo. Babewakhumbula kakuhle amazwi kaYesu athi: “Ukuba banditshutshisile mna, baza kunitshutshisa nani.” (Yoh. 15:20) Kunokucela loo nto, aba bafundi banyanisekileyo bacela ukuba uYehova ‘amamele’ izigrogriso zeentshaba zabo. (IZe. 4:29) Abafundi babesazi ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kwakuyeyona nto ebalulekileyo. Babeqonda ukuba ukutshutshiswa kwabo kwakufezekisa isiprofeto. Njengokuba uYesu wabafundisayo ukuthandaza, babesazi ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kwakuza ‘kwenzeka emhlabeni,’ noba bathini na abalawuli abangabantu.​—Mat. 6:9, 10.

¹⁷ Ukuze benze ukuthanda kukaThixo, abafundi bathandaza kuYehova bathi: “Uze uncede amakhoboka akho ahlale elithetha ngesibindi ilizwi lakho.” UYehova wabaphendula njani? “Indawo ababeqokelelene kuyo yagungqiswa, baza bonke bafumana umoya oyingcwele, balithetha ngesibindi ilizwi likaThixo.” (IZe. 4:29-31) Ayikho into enokunqanda ukuthanda kukaThixo kungenzeki. (Isa. 55:11) Noba kungabonakala kungenakwenzeka, zibe neentshaba zethu zinamandla, ukuba siphakamisa amazwi ethu sithandaze kuThixo, uza kusinika amandla okuba siqhubeke silithetha ngesibindi ilizwi lakhe.

18. Ziintoni awayesenzelana zona amalungu ebandla laseYerusalem?

¹⁸ Elo bandla litsha laseYerusalem lakhula ngokukhawuleza laya kufika ngaphaya kwamalungu ayi-5 000. d Abafundi babevela kwiindawo ezingafaniyo, kodwa “babemanyene entliziyweni nasemphefumlweni.” Babecinga ngendlela efanayo futhi beneembono ezifanayo. (IZe. 4:32; 1 Kor. 1:10) Abafundi abazange baphelele ekuthandazeleni ukuba uYehova asikelele imizamo yabo. Babeqinisana elukholweni futhi babencedana xa kukho abadinga uncedo. (1 Yoh. 3:16-18) Ngokomzekelo, umfundi uYosefu, owanikwa ifani enguBharnabhas ngabapostile, wathengisa ngomhlaba wakhe waza wanikela ngayo yonke loo mali ukuze kuncedwe abo babevela kude bakwazi ukuhlala ixesha elidana eYerusalem ukuze bafunde izinto ezingakumbi ngokholo lwabo olutsha.

19. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova ababulale uAnaniyas noSafira?

¹⁹ Isibini esitshatileyo uAnaniyas noSafira naso sathengisa ngomhlaba waso saza sanikela ngemali. Kodwa ke, sona senza ngathi sinikele ngayo yonke loo mali, ngoxa ‘sayifihlayo enye imali esayifumanayo.’ (IZe. 5:2) UYehova wasibetha safa esi sibini, hayi kuba incinci imali esanikela ngayo, kodwa ngenxa yokuba sanikela ngeenjongo ezimbi futhi zange sithethe nyani. ‘Sasingaxokisanga abantu, kodwa sasixokise uThixo.’ (IZe. 5:4) Kanye njengabahanahanisi abagxekwa nguYesu, uAnaniyas noSafira babefuna ukuzukiswa ngabantu endaweni yokufuna ukwamkela nguThixo.​—Mat. 6:1-3.

20. Ziintoni esizifundayo malunga nokunikela kuYehova?

²⁰ Iimiliyoni zamaNgqina namhlanje sinomoya wokupha ofanayo nowabafundi abathembekileyo baseYerusalem bexesha labapostile. Zinikela ngokuzithandela zixhasa umsebenzi wokushumayela owenziwa emhlabeni wonke. Akukho mntu onyanzelwayo ukuba anikele ngexesha okanye ngemali yakhe ukuze axhase lo msebenzi. Nyhani, uYehova akafuni simkhonze sinesikrokro okanye siziva sinyanzelwa. (2 Kor. 9:7) KuYehova ayibalulekanga into yokuba sinikela ngamalini. Into anomdla kuyo sisizathu esisiqhuba ukuba sinikele. (Marko 12:41-44) Asifuni kufana noAnaniyas noSafira. Asifuni kumkhonza uThixo kuba sifuna ukuzukiswa okanye kukho into esiza kuyifumana. Endaweni yaloo nto, kwanga ukukhonza kwethu uYehova kungasoloko kuqhutywa kukuthanda uThixo nabanye abantu, njengoPetros, uYohane noBharnabhas.​—Mat. 22:37-40.