Ngemva kokuguqulwa isimo nokwelapha umfana onedemoni esifundeni saseKhesariya Filiphi, uJesu uya eKapernawume. Uhamba nabafundi bakhe kuphela ukuze isixuku ‘singazi ngakho.’ (Marku 9:30) Lokhu kumnika ithuba elengeziwe lokulungiselela abafundi bakhe ngokufa kwakhe nomsebenzi abazowenza ngemva kwalokho. Uyachaza: “INdodana yomuntu izonikelwa ezandleni zabantu, futhi bazoyibulala, ngosuku lwesithathu ivuswe.”—Mathewu 17:22, 23.

Akufanele kubamangaze abafundi bakhe ukuzwa lokhu. UJesu useke wakhuluma ngokubulawa kwakhe, nakuba uPetru engavumanga ukukukholelwa lokho. (Mathewu 16:21, 22) Kanti futhi abaphostoli abathathu bakubonile ukuguqulwa kwakhe isimo bezwa nengxoxo emayelana ‘nokuhamba’ kukaJesu. (Luka 9:31) Manje abalandeli bakaJesu baba lusizi kakhulu ngenxa yamazwi akhe, nakuba bengaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi asho ukuthini. (Mathewu 17:23) Nakuba kunjalo, bayesaba ukumbuza eminye imibuzo ngako.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bayafika eKapernawume, indawo umsebenzi kaJesu ogxile kuyo neyikhaya labanye babaphostoli. Lapho, amadoda aqoqa intela yethempeli eza kuPetru. Mhlawumbe ezama ukumangalela uJesu ngokungayikhokhi intela, ayabuza: “Umfundisi wenu akayikhokhi yini intela [yethempeli] yamadrakma amabili?”—Mathewu 17:24.

UPetru uyaphendula: “Yebo, uyayikhokha.” Lapho bengena endlini, uJesu useyakwazi kakade okwenzekile. Ngakho, esikhundleni sokulinda uPetru ukuba akhulume ngale ndaba, uJesu uyabuza: “Ucabangani, Simoni? Amakhosi omhlaba ayamukela kobani intela yempahla noma intela yekhanda? Emadodaneni awo noma ezihambini?” UPetru uyaphendula: “Ezihambini.” UJesu ube esephawula: “Khona-ke, ngempela amadodana awayikhokhi intela.”—Mathewu 17:25, 26.

UYise kaJesu uyiNkosi yamazulu nomhlaba futhi kukhulekelwa Yena ethempelini. Ngakho, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ayibophekile ukuba ikhokhe intela yethempeli. UJesu uthi: “Kodwa ukuze singabakhubi, hamba uye olwandle, uphonse udobo, bese ubamba inhlanzi ephuma kuqala, futhi lapho uvula umlomo wayo, uzothola uhlamvu lwesiliva [itetradrakma]. Luthathe ubanike lona ukhokhele mina nawe.”—Mathewu 17:27.

Ngokushesha abafundi sebendawonye, kunombuzo abafuna ukuwubuza uJesu mayelana nokuthi ubani omkhulu kunabo bonke eMbusweni. Esikhathini esingesingakanani esidlule, wona la madoda abesaba ukubuza uJesu mayelana nokufa kwakhe okusondelayo, kodwa manje awesabi ukuzombuza ngekusasa lawo. UJesu uyazi ukuthi acabangani. Yinto vele abebephikisana ngayo njengoba bebehamba emva kwakhe besendleleni bebuyela eKapernawume. Ngakho uyababuza: “Beniphikisana ngani endleleni?” (Marku 9:33) Benamahloni, abafundi bayathula ngoba bebephikisana ngokuthi ubani omkhulu kunabo bonke phakathi kwabo. Ekugcineni, abaphostoli bayambuza uJesu umbuzo abebexoxa ngawo, bathi: “Ubani ngempela omkhulu kunabo bonke eMbusweni wamazulu?”—Mathewu 18:1.

Kubonakala kumangaza ukuthi abafundi basenale mpikiswano emva kweminyaka ecishe ibe mithathu bebuka indlela uJesu enza ngayo futhi bemlalela. Nokho, bangabantu abanamaphutha.  Kanti futhi bakhulele enkolweni eqhakambisa izikhundla nokuvelela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPetru usanda kuzwa uJesu emthembisa “izihluthulelo” ezithile zoMbuso. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi uzizwa emkhulu ngenxa yalokho? UJakobe noJohane nabo bangase bazizwe ngendlela efanayo njengoba bezibonele ngawabo ukuguqulwa isimo kukaJesu.

Kunoma yikuphi, uJesu uthatha isinyathelo sokulungisa indlela yabo yokucabanga. Ubiza umntwana ammise phakathi kwabo bese ethi kubafundi: “Ngaphandle kokuba niguquke futhi nibe njengabantwana, anisoze nangena eMbusweni wamazulu. Ngakho-ke, noma ubani oyozithoba njengalo mntwana nguye omkhulu kunabo bonke eMbusweni wamazulu; futhi noma ubani owamukela umntwana oyedwa njengalo egameni lami uyangamukela nami.”—Mathewu 18:3-5.

Yaze yayinhle leyo ndlela yokufundisa! UJesu akabathukutheleli abafundi bakhe ababize ngamagovu noma athi bathanda ukuvelela. Kunalokho, ubafundisa ngesibonelo. Abantwana abancane abanazo izikhundla futhi abavelele nhlobo. Ngalokho, uJesu ubonisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi kudingeka bazibheke ngale ndlela. UJesu ube esephetha isifundo asinikeza abalandeli bakhe ngokuthi: “Lowo oziphatha njengomncane phakathi kwenu nonke nguye omkhulu.”—Luka 9:48.