1-3. Yini uPetru ayeyibonile phakathi nosuku olugcwele izenzakalo, futhi manje wayesebhekene nobusuku obunjani?

KWAKUSEBUSUKU, uPetru egwedla kanzima futhi amehlo akhe ethe njo phambili. Ingabe lokhuya kukhanya okuncane okwakulokoza emkhathizwe empumalanga kwakusho ukuthi sekuyantwela? Kwase kubuhlungu iqolo namahlombe ngoba wayesegwedle isikhathi eside. Umoya owawumphephula izinwele wawenze uLwandle LwaseGalile lwayaluza. Amagagasi abandayo ayefuqeka ashayeke ekhaleni lesikebhe sokudoba ayesemthele waba manzi té. Waqhubeka nokugwedla.

² UPetru nabangane bakhe babeshiye uJesu yedwa ndawana-thile ogwini. Ngalolo suku babembone esuthisa isixuku sabantu abafinyelela ezinkulungwaneni ngezinkwa nezinhlanzi ezimbalwa. Lokhu kwenza abantu bafuna ukumenza inkosi, kodwa wayengafuni ukuba nengxenye kwezombusazwe. Wayezimisele nokusiza abalandeli bakhe bangabi nesifiso esinjalo. Efuna ukugwema izixuku, wathi abafundi bakhe mabangene esikebheni bawelele ngaphesheya, yena wenyukela entabeni yedwa eyothandaza.—Marku 6:35-45; funda uJohane 6:14-17.

³ Inyanga eyayicishe igcwale yayiphezulu esibhakabhakeni lapho abafundi beqala lolu hambo; manje yayisibonakala kancane emkhathizwe entshonalanga. Noma kunjalo, babesahambe amakhilomitha ambalwa kuphela. Kwakungelula nokuxoxa ngenxa yokukhandleka nomsindo womoya namagagasi. Cishe uPetru wayejulile ngomcabango.

4. Iziphi izithiyo ezenza uPetru abe isibonelo esivelele sokusilingisa?

⁴ Kwakungeve kukuningi ayengakucabanga! UPetru wayehlangane okokuqala noJesu waseNazaretha eminyakeni emibili ngaphambili, iminyaka eyayibe nezenzakalo eziningi. Wayefunde okuningi,  kodwa kwakusekuningi futhi ayesazokufunda. Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukwenza kanjalo—ukulwa nezithiyo ezinjengokungabaza nokwesaba—kumenza abe isibonelo esivelele sokusilingisa. Ake sibone ukuthi kungani kunjalo.

5, 6. UPetru wayephila ukuphila okunjani?

⁵ UPetru wayengasoze alukhohlwa usuku abona ngalo uJesu okokuqala. Kwakuqale kwafika umfowabo, u-Andreya, nezindaba ezimangalisayo: “Simtholile uMesiya.” Ngemva kokuzwa lawo mazwi, ukuphila kukaPetru kwaqala ukushintsha. Kwakungeke kuphinde kufane nasekuqaleni.—Joh. 1:41.

⁶ UPetru wayehlala eKapernawume, umuzi owawusogwini olusenyakatho lwechibi elinamanzi angenasawoti elibizwa ngokuthi uLwandle LwaseGalile. Yena nomfowabo u-Andreya babebambisene noJakobe noJohane, amadodana kaZebedewu, ebhizinisini lokudoba. Wayehlala nomkakhe nomkhwekazi wakhe kanye nomfowabo, u-Andreya. Ngokuqinisekile, ukondla umkhaya ongaka ngokudoba kwakudinga ukuzikhandla, amandla namacebo. Singawabona ngeso lengqondo la madoda efukuza izinsuku eziningi ubusuku bonke—ehlisa amanetha phakathi kwezikebhe ezimbili futhi ehudulela ogwini izinhlanzi asezibambile. Singawabona futhi ezikhandla ngokufanayo emini ehlunga izinhlanzi, ezidayisa abuye ahlanze amanetha futhi awachibiyele.

7. Yini uPetru ayizwa ngoJesu, futhi kungani kwakuyizindaba ezivusa amadlingozi?

⁷ IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi u-Andreya wayengumfundi kaJohane uMbhapathizi. Akungabazeki ukuthi uPetru wayeyilalela ngesikhulu isithakazelo imibiko umfowabo ayemtshela yona ngesigijimi esasishunyayelwa uJohane. Ngolunye usuku u-Andreya wabona uJohane ekhomba uJesu waseNazaretha wayesethi: “Bhekani, iWundlu likaNkulunkulu!” Akapholisanga maseko u-Andreya waba umlandeli kaJesu futhi ngelikhulu isasasa watshela uPetru lezi zindaba ezijabulisayo: UMesiya wayesefikile! (Joh. 1:35-40) Ngemva kokuhlubuka kwase-Edene okwakwenzeke eminyakeni engaba ngu-4 000 ngaphambili, uJehova uNkulunkulu wayethembise ukuthi kwakuzofika umuntu okhethekile anikeze isintu ithemba langempela. (Gen. 3:15) U-Andreya wayesembonile lo Mkhululi, uMesiya uqobo lwakhe! UPetru naye wahamba ngokushesha wayobona uJesu.

8. Lalisho ukuthini igama uJesu alinika uPetru, futhi kungani abanye bekhala ngaleli gama?

⁸ Kuze kube ngalolo suku, uPetru wayaziwa ngegama elithi Simoni, noma Simeyoni. Kodwa uJesu wambheka wathi: “Wena unguSimoni indodana kaJohane; uzobizwa ngokuthi uKhefase (okuhunyushwa ngokuthi Petru).” (Joh. 1:42) Igama elithi “Khefase” yigama  elivamile elisho “itshe,” noma “idwala.” Kusobala ukuthi amazwi kaJesu ayeyisiprofetho. Wabona kusengaphambili ukuthi uPetru wayeyoba njengedwala—ithonya eligxilile, eliqinile nelinokwethenjelwa phakathi kwabalandeli bakaKristu. Ingabe noPetru wayezibheka ngaleyo ndlela? Akubonakali kunjalo. Ngisho nabanye abafundi bamaVangeli namuhla ababoni lutho olunjengedwala kuPetru. Abanye baye bathi ubuntu bakhe obembulwe eBhayibhelini bumveza engumuntu ongagxilile, oguquguqukayo nontengantengayo.

9. Yini uJehova neNdodana yakhe abayibhekayo kumuntu, futhi kungani ucabanga ukuthi kufanele siwethembe umbono wabo?

⁹ UPetru wayenawo amaphutha. UJesu wayewabona. Kodwa uJesu, njengoYise uJehova, wayebheka okuhle njalo kubantu. Wabona ukuthi kwakunezimfanelo ezinhle ezazingavela kuPetru, futhi wayefuna ukumsiza ukuba akhele kuzo. UJehova neNdodana yakhe babheka okuhle nakithi namuhla. Singase singakholelwa ukuthi kukhona okuhle abangakuthola kithi. Nokho, kudingeka siwethembe umbono wabo futhi sizibonakalise sikulungele ukuqeqeshwa nokulolongwa njengoba uPetru enza.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 3:19, 20.

10. Cishe yini uPetru ayibona, noma kunjalo yini aphindela kuyo?

¹⁰ Cishe uPetru wahamba noJesu emsebenzini wokushumayela owalandela. Ngakho kumelwe ukuba wambona uJesu lapho enza isimangaliso sakhe sokuqala, sokuphendula amanzi abe iwayini emshadweni owawuseKhana. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, wezwa isigijimi sikaJesu esimangalisayo esasinikeza ithemba esiphathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, wahamba wabuyela ebhizinisini lakhe lokudoba. Kepha ezinyangeni ezithile kamuva, uPetru wabuye wahlangana noJesu—futhi kulokhu uJesu wammema ukuba abe umlandeli wakhe ukuphila kwakhe konke.

11, 12. (a) UPetru wayebe nobusuku obunjani? (b) Ukulalela uJesu cishe kwenza uPetru wacabanga ngamiphi imibuzo?

¹¹ UPetru wayesanda kusebenza ubusuku bonke kodwa wangabamba lutho. Laba badobi babehlise amanetha abo bephindelela, kodwa lutho izinhlanzi. Akungabazeki ukuthi uPetru wasebenzisa lonke ulwazi nobuhlakani bakhe ekulungiseni leyo nkinga, ezama izindawo ezihlukahlukene echibini ukuze athole lapho izinhlanzi zidla khona. Akungabazeki ukuthi, njengabanye abadobi abaningi, kwakuba nezikhathi ayefisa ngazo sengathi angakwazi ukubona ngisho nasemanzini adungekile ukuthi izinhlanzi ziningi kuphi noma azenze zingene emanetheni ngandlela-thize. Kodwa-ke imicabango enjalo yayingamqeda amandla nakakhulu. UPetru wayengadobeli ukuzilibazisa; kunabantu ayebondla ngokudoba. Ekugcineni, waphumela ogwini engaphethe neyokubika. Kwakudingeka bahlanze amanetha. Ngakho wayematasa ngesikhathi uJesu eza kubo.

 ¹² Kunesixuku esasingunge uJesu simcindezele, sibamba igama negama ayelisho. Njengoba ayengasakwazi nokunyakaza, uJesu wagibela esikebheni sikaPetru wayesemcela ukuba aqhele kancane ogwini. Njengoba amanzi ayenza izwi lakhe lizwakale ngokucacile, uJesu wafundisa isixuku elapho. UPetru wamlalelisisa, njengoba nje babemlalelisisile nalabo ababesogwini. Akuzange kumcike ukuzwa uJesu ekhuluma ngesihloko esisemqoka sokushumayela kwakhe—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi kwakungaba ilungelo elikhulu kangakanani ukusiza uKristu ekusakazeni lesi sigijimi sethemba kulo lonke izwe! Kodwa kwakuyoba nengqondo yini ukwenza kanjalo? Wayezowondla kanjani umkhaya wakhe? Mhlawumbe uPetru waphinde wacabanga nangokukhandlekela kwakhe ize ngalobo busuku.—Luka 5:1-3.

13, 14. Isiphi isimangaliso uJesu asenzela uPetru, futhi uPetru wasabela kanjani?

¹³ Lapho uJesu eqeda ukukhuluma, watshela uPetru: “Sukani niye lapho kujule khona, nehlise amanetha enu ukuze nibambe.” UPetru wangabaza ukwenza kanjalo. Wathi: “Mfundisi, sikhandleke ubusuku bonke kodwa asibambanga lutho, kodwa ngoba usho kanjalo ngizowehlisa amanetha.” Wayesanda kuwahlanza amanetha. Ukuwehlisa futhi kwakuyinto yokugcina ayefisa ukuyenza—ikakhulukazi manje njengoba kwakungesona nesikhathi izinhlanzi ezazidla ngaso! Noma kunjalo, walalela, mhlawumbe waqhweba nayesebenza nabo ababesesikebheni sesibili ukuba babalandele.—Luka 5:4, 5.

¹⁴ Lapho eqala ukudonsa amanetha, uPetru wawezwa esinda ngendlela ayengayilindele. Engakholwa, watibila wadonsa ngamandla, wayesebona inqwaba yezinhlanzi zipaquza emanetheni! Watatazela waqhweba amadoda ayesesikebheni sesibili ukuba eze azolekelela. Lapho sebedonsa bonke kwaba sobala ukuthi isikebhe esisodwa ngeke sanele ukuthwala zonke lezo zinhlanzi. Bazigcwalisa zombili izikebhe, kodwa izinhlanzi zaziningi kakhulu—izikebhe zaqala ukucwila zisindwa yilezo zinhlanzi. UPetru wamangala kakhulu. Wayeke wawabona amandla kaKristu, kodwa kulokhu ayezozuzisa yena. Habe, uJesu wayekwazi ngisho nokwenza izinhlanzi zingene emanetheni! UPetru wafikelwa ukwesaba. Waguqa ngamadolo wathi: “Suka kimi, ngoba ngingumuntu onesono, Nkosi.” Wayengakufanelekela kanjani nje nempela ukuba nobudlelwano nomuntu owayesebenzisa amandla kaNkulunkulu ngalezi zindlela?—Funda uLuka 5:6-9.

15. UJesu wamfundisa kanjani uPetru ukuthi wayengenasizathu sokungabaza noma sokwesaba?

¹⁵ Ngomusa uJesu wathi: “Yeka ukwesaba. Kusukela manje  kuqhubeke uzobe udoba abantu bephila.” (Luka 5:10, 11) Kwakungesona isikhathi sokungabaza noma sokwesaba lesi. UPetru wayengenasizathu sokungabaza ngokuqondene nezindaba ezinjengokudoba; engenasizathu sokukhathazeka nangamaphutha noma ukushiyeka kwakhe. Wawumkhulu umsebenzi okwakumelwe uJesu awenze, inkonzo eyayizoshintsha umlando. Wayekhonza uNkulunkulu ‘othethelela ngendlela enkulu.’ (Isaya 55:7) UJehova wayeyozinakekela izidingo zikaPetru, ezingokwenyama nezingokomoya.—Math. 6:33.

16. UPetru, uJakobe noJohane basabela kanjani esimemweni sikaJesu, futhi kungani kwakuyisinqumo esihle kunazo zonke?

¹⁶ UPetru wasabela masinyane, benza okufanayo noJakobe noJohane. “Babuyisela izikebhe ezweni, bashiya konke bamlandela.” (Luka 5:11) UPetru waba nokholo kuJesu nakuLowo owayemthumile.  Kwakuyisinqumo esihle kunazo zonke ayengasenza. Namuhla, amaKristu anqoba ukungabaza nokwesaba ukuze angenele inkonzo kaNkulunkulu, nawo asuke ebonisa ukholo. Ukwethembela kuJehova ngaleyo ndlela akusoze kwaba ubuwula.—IHu. 22:4, 5.

17. Iziphi izinto uPetru ayengacabanga ngazo ezazenzeke eminyakeni emibili kusukela ahlangana noJesu?

¹⁷ Njengoba kushiwo ekuqaleni kwalesi sahluko, ngemva kweminyaka cishe emibili ehlangene noJesu, uPetru wagwedla ubusuku bonke kunesiphepho oLwandle LwaseGalile. Yebo, ngeke sakwazi ayekucabanga. Kuningi ayengacabanga ngakho! UJesu wayephulukise umkhwekazi wakhe. Wayenikeze iNtshumayelo YaseNtabeni. Ngokufundisa kwakhe nemisebenzi yamandla, wayebonise ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi ungoKhethiweyo kaJehova, uMesiya. Ngokuqinisekile njengoba izinyanga zazidlula, amaphutha kaPetru anjengokuthambekela kokuvumela ukwehlulwa ukwesaba noma ukungabaza ayesenciphile ngezinga elithile. UJesu wayeseze wamkhetha nokuba abe phakathi kwabaphostoli abangu-12! Noma kunjalo, uPetru wayengakakunqobi ngokuphelele ukwesaba nokungabaza njengoba sizobona manje.

18, 19. (a) Chaza okwabonwa uPetru oLwandle LwaseGalile. (b) UJesu wasabela kanjani esicelweni sikaPetru?

¹⁸ Ngomlindo wesine walobo busuku, noma esikhathini esithile phakathi kwehora lesithathu ekuseni nokuphuma kwelanga, uPetru wayeka ukugwedla wahlala waqonda. Laphaya—ngaphesheya kwamagagasi—kunento eyayihamba! Ingabe kwakumane kungamagagasi ayekhanyiswa unyezi? Cha, kwakunganyamalali futhi kwakulokhu kumile mpo. Kwakungumuntu! Yebo, kwakungumuntu futhi wayehamba phezu kolwandle! Njengoba esondela, kwakubonakala sengathi wayezodlula ngakubo impela. Bethukile, abafundi bacabanga ukuthi babona umungcwi. Lo muntu wakhuluma: “Yimani isibindi, yimi; ningesabi.” KwakunguJesu!—Math. 14:25-28.

¹⁹ UPetru wathi: “Nkosi, uma kunguwe, ngiyale ukuba ngize kuwe phezu kwamanzi.” Waqale waba nesibindi. Ejatshuliswe yilesi simangaliso esiyingqayizivele, uPetru wafuna ukuba ukholo lwakhe luqiniswe ngokwengeziwe. Naye wafuna ukuhamba emanzini. Ngomusa uJesu wambiza. UPetru wehla esikebheni wangena olwandle olunamagagasi. Cabanga indlela azizwa ngayo njengoba izinyawo zakhe zingacwili futhi ekwazi ukuma phezu kwamanzi. Kumelwe ukuba wayemangele njengoba eya kuJesu. Nokho, washeshe wafikelwa omunye futhi umuzwa.—Funda uMathewu 14:29.

20. (a) Yini eyabangela ukuba uPetru asuse amehlo akhe kuJesu, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela? (b) Isiphi isifundo uJesu asigxilisa kuPetru?

²⁰ Kwakudingeka uPetru agxilise amehlo kuJesu. NguJesu  owayesebenzisa amandla kaJehova, owayemgcina ehamba phezu kwamagagasi ayedudulwa umoya. UJesu wenza kanjalo ngoba uPetru wayebonise ukholo kuye. Kodwa uPetru wathikamezeka. Siyafunda: “Ebheka isivunguvungu, wesaba.” UPetru wabheka lawo magagasi ayeshayeka esikebheni, amanzi apheshulwe umoya, wayeseba netwetwe. Cishe wazicabanga ecwila kulelo chibi futhi eminza. Njengoba uvalo lukhula enhliziyweni yakhe, ukholo lwakhe lwancipha. Le ndoda eyayiqanjwe ngeDwala ngenxa yokuthi yayibonakala igxilile, yaqala ukucwila njengetshe ngenxa yokholo lwayo oluntengantengayo. UPetru wayeyinhlambi, kodwa ngalowo mzuzu akazange athembele kulelo khono lakhe. Wamemeza: “Nkosi, ngisindise!” UJesu wambamba ngesandla wamkhuphula. Beselapho phezu kwamanzi, uJesu wagxilisa lesi sifundo esibalulekile kuPetru: “Wena onokholo oluncane, kungani uhlulwé ukungabaza?”—Math. 14:30, 31.

21. Kungani ukungabaza kuyingozi, futhi singalwa kanjani nako?

²¹ ‘Ukwehlulwa ukungabaza’—yeka ukuthi le nkulumo ifaneleka kanjani! Ukungabaza kungaba ithonya elinamandla elibulalayo. Uma sikuvumela, kungaluqeda ukholo lwethu kusenze sicwile ngokomoya. Kudingeka silwe nakho ngawo wonke amandla! Kanjani? Ngokugxilisa amehlo ethu kokufanele. Uma siwagxilisa kulokho okusesabisayo, okusidangalisayo nokusithikamezayo hhayi kuJehova neNdodana yakhe, ukungabaza kuyokhula. Uma sigxila kuJehova naseNdodaneni yakhe, kulokho abakwenzile, abakwenzayo nabasazokwenzela labo ababathandayo, siyokugcina kukude nathi ukungabaza okonakalisayo.

22. Kungani ukholo lukaPetru lukufanelekela ukulingiswa?

²² Njengoba uPetru elandela uJesu bengena esikebheni, wabona isivunguvungu sidamba. Kwaba nokuthula oLwandle LwaseGalile. UPetru nabanye abafundi bathi: “Ngempela wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” (Math. 14:33) Njengoba kuntwela, kumelwe ukuba inhliziyo kaPetru yagcwala ukubonga. Wakulahla ukungabaza nokwesaba. Yiqiniso, yayiseyinde indlela okwakumelwe ayihambe ngaphambi kokuba abe umKristu onjengedwala uJesu ayembone kusengaphambili. Kodwa wayezimisele ukuqhubeka ezama, ukuqhubeka ekhula. Ingabe unakho ukuzimisela okunjalo? Uzothola ukuthi ukholo lukaPetru luyakufanelekela ukulingiswa.