1. UPetru wazizwa kanjani ngemva kokubamba izinhlanzi ngokuyisimangaliso?

 UPETRU wayechithe ubusuku bonke edoba kodwa wangabamba lutho. Kungalindelekile uJesu wathi kuye: “Masiye lapho kujule khona, nehlise amanethi enu ukuze nibambe.” (Luka 5:4) UPetru wayengabaza ukuthi zikhona izinhlanzi azozibamba, kodwa wenza njengoba ayetsheliwe. Amanethi ababewehlisile aqala ukudabuka ngenxa yesisindo sezinhlanzi ababezibambile. Lapho beqaphela ukuthi babebone isimangaliso, uPetru nalabo ayesebenza nabo “bamangala.” UPetru wamemeza wathi: “Suka kimi Nkosi ngoba ngiyisoni.” (Luka 5:​6-9) Kubonakala sengathi uPetru wayezibona engafaneleki ngisho nokuba seduze kukaJesu.

2. Kungani kuzoba usizo ukuxoxa ngesibonelo sikaPetru?

² UPetru wayeqinisile—‘wayeyisoni’ ngempela. ImiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi wayesho noma enze izinto ayezisola ngazo kamuva. Kuke kwenzeke yini uzizwe njengoPetru? Ikhona yini into ethile ebuntwini bakho olwa kanzima ukuyilungisa noma ubuthaka obuthile osulwe nabo isikhathi eside? Uma kunjalo, ukufunda ngesibonelo sikaPetru kungakunika ithemba. Kanjani? Cabanga ngalokhu: UJehova wayengakhetha ukuba amaphutha kaPetru angafakwa eBhayibhelini. Nokho, waphefumulela ukuba afakwe ukuze sifunde kuwo. (2 Thim. 3:​16, 17) Ukufunda ngale ndoda eyeyinobuthaka nemizwa efana neyethu kungasisiza sibone ukuthi uJehova akalindele ukuba singawenzi amaphutha. Ufuna siphikelele—siqhubeke sizama—naphezu kobuthaka bethu.

3. Kungani kudingeka siphikelele ekukhonzeni uJehova?

 ³ Kungani kubalulekile ukuphikelela ekukhonzeni uJehova? Lapho into siyenza ngokuphindaphindiwe, sivame ukuthuthuka kuyo. Ake sifanekise: Umculi angachitha iminyaka eminingi ezama ukuba uchwepheshe ekudlaleni insimbi ethile yomculo. Phakathi naleso sikhathi maningi amaphutha angase awenze, kodwa uma elokhu eprakthiza uzothuthuka. Nokho, ngisho noma esekwazi ukuyidlala kahle leyo nsimbi yomculo, ngezinye izikhathi angase alenze iphutha. Noma kunjalo akayeki. Uyaqhubeka eprakthiza ukuze athuthuke. Ngokufanayo, ngisho noma sinomuzwa wokuthi sesibunqobile ubuthaka obuthile, singase sizithole sesiphindela entweni efanayo. Kodwa siyaqhubeka sizama ukuthuthuka. Sonke kuyenzeka sisho noma senze izinto esizisola ngazo kamuva; noma kunjalo, uma singapheli amandla uJehova uzosisiza siqhubeke sithuthuka. (1 Pet. 5:10) Masixoxe ngesibonelo sikaPetru sokuphikelela ekukhonzeni uJehova. Uzwela uJesu ambonisa lona naphezu kwamaphutha akhe lungasikhuthaza ukuba siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova.

4. NgokukaLuka 5:​5-10, uPetru wazichaza kanjani kodwa uJesu wamqinisekisa ngani?

⁴ ImiBhalo ayichazi ukuthi kungani uPetru azibiza ngokuthi ‘uyisoni’ nokuthi yiziphi izono ayekhuluma ngazo. (Funda uLuka 5:​5-10.) Kodwa kungenzeka wayenze amaphutha amakhulu. UJesu wabona ukuthi uPetru wayesaba, okungenzeka kwakubangelwa ukuzizwa engafaneleki. Wayazi nokuthi uPetru wayengahlala ethembekile. Ngakho, ngomusa uJesu wathi kuye ‘akayeke ukwesaba.’ Kwamthinta ngempela uPetru ukuthi uJesu wayemethemba. Kamuva uPetru nomfowabo u-Andreya bashiya ibhizinisi labo lokudoba baba abalandeli bakaMesiya, okuyisinqumo esaholela ezibusisweni.—Marku 1:​16-18.

5. Yiziphi izibusiso uPetru azithola ngenxa yokuthi akavumelanga imizwa yakhe engemihle imvimbe ekubeni umlandeli kaJesu?

⁵ Ziningi izinto ezinhle uPetru azijabulela njengoba ayengumlandeli kaKristu. Wabona uJesu elapha abagulayo, exosha amademoni, evusa ngisho nabafile. b (Math. 8:​14-17; Marku 5:​37, 41, 42) Wabona nombono wenkazimulo yoMbuso kaJesu wesikhathi esizayo, isenzakalo esamthinta kakhulu. (Marku 9:​1-8; 2 Pet. 1:​16-18) Ngempela, uPetru wabona izinto ayengeke azibone ukube akabanga umlandeli kaJesu. Kumele ukuba wajabula kakhulu ngokuthi akazange avumele noma yimiphi imizwa  engemihle ngaye imenze aphunyukwe ithuba lokuthola lezi zibusiso!

6. Ingabe uPetru wabunqoba ngokushesha ubuthakathaka bakhe? Chaza.

⁶ Naphezu kwezinto uPetru ayezibonile nayezizwile, bukhona ubuthakathaka ayesalwa nabo. Cabanga ngalezi zibonelo ezimbalwa. Ngesikhathi uJesu echaza ukuthi wayezohlupheka futhi afe kanjani ukuze kugcwaliseke iziprofetho zeBhayibheli, uPetru wamkhuza. (Marku 8:​31-33) Kaningi uPetru nabanye abaphostoli baphikisana ngokuthi ubani omkhulu kunabanye. (Marku 9:​33, 34) Ngobusuku bokugcina ngaphambi kokufa kukaJesu, ngamawala uPetru wahlasela umuntu wamsusa indlebe. (Joh. 18:10) Ngobusuku obufanayo uPetru wesaba, waphika kathathu ukuthi uyamazi umngani wakhe uJesu. (Marku 14:​66-72) Lokho kwenza uPetru wakhala kalusizi.—Math. 26:75.

7. Ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu, uPetru wanikwa ithuba lokwenzani?

⁷ UJesu akazange amdikile umphostoli wakhe owayedumele kakhulu. Ngemva kokuba uJesu esevusiwe, wanika uPetru ithuba lokuba aphinde amqinisekise ukuthi usamthanda. UJesu watshela uPetru ukuba eluse izimvu zakhe. (Joh. 21:​15-17) UPetru wakwenza lokho uJesu akusho. WayeseJerusalema ngosuku lwePhentekoste futhi wayephakathi kwabokuqala abagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele.

8. Yiliphi iphutha elikhulu elenziwa uPetru e-Antiyokiya?

⁸ Ngisho nangemva kokuba umKristu ogcotshiwe, uPetru kwadingeka alwe nobuthakathaka bakhe. Ngo-36 C.E., uPetru wayekhona lapho uKorneliyu, oweZizwe ongasokile, egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele, okwakuwubufakazi obucacile bokuthi “uNkulunkulu akakhethi” nokuthi abeZizwe bangaba ingxenye yebandla lobuKristu. (IzE. 10:​34, 44, 45) Ngemva kwalokho, uPetru wayesekhululekile ukudla nabo, into ayengeke alokothe ayenze ngaphambili. (Gal. 2:12) Noma kunjalo, amanye amaKristu angamaJuda ayenomuzwa wokuthi amaJuda nabeZizwe akufanele badle ndawonye. Ngesikhathi amanye alawo maKristu ayezizwa ngaleyo ndlela efika e-Antiyokiya, uPetru wayeka ukudla nabafowabo abangabeZizwe, cishe ngenxa yokwesaba ukukhuba amaKristu angamaJuda. Umphostoli uPawulu wabubona lobu buzenzisi, wakhuza uPetru phambi kwabo bonke. (Gal. 2:​13, 14) Naphezu kwalelo phutha, uPetru waphikelela ekukhonzeni uJehova. Yini eyamsiza?

9. UJohane 6:​68, 69 ukubonisa kanjani ukuba qotho kukaPetru?

⁹ UPetru wayeqotho, akavumelanga lutho lumyekise ukuba umlandeli kaJesu. Ngesinye isikhathi wazibonisa ukuthi uqotho lapho uJesu esho into abafundi bakhe abangazange bayiqonde. (Funda uJohane 6:​68, 69.) Abaningi bayeka ukulandela uJesu, bangalinda ukuba achaze. Kodwa uPetru akakwenzanga lokho. Waqaphela ukuthi nguJesu kuphela “onamazwi okuphila okuphakade.”

10. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyamethemba uPetru? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁰ UJesu akazange amlahle uPetru. Ngobusuku bakhe bokugcina emhlabeni, uJesu wayazi ukuthi uPetru nabanye abaphostoli babezomshiya. Noma kunjalo, uJesu washo amazwi abonisa ukuthi wayeqiniseka ukuthi uPetru wayezobuya aqhubeke ethembekile. (Luka 22:​31, 32) UJesu wayeqonda ukuthi “umoya uyafisa, kodwa inyama ibuthakathaka.” (Marku 14:38) Ngakho, ngisho nangemva kokuba uPetru emphikile, uJesu akazange amlahle lo mphostoli wakhe. Ngemva kokuba uJesu evusiwe wabonakala kuPetru—ngokusobala ngesikhathi uPetru eyedwa. (Marku  16:7; Luka 24:34; 1 Kor. 15:5) Kumele ukuba lokho kwamkhuthaza kakhulu lo mphostoli owayedangele!

11. UJesu wamqinisekisa kanjani uPetru ukuthi uJehova wayezomsekela?

¹¹ UJesu waqinisekisa uPetru ngokuthi uJehova wayezomsekela. UJesu ovusiwe wenzela uPetru nabanye abaphostoli esinye isimangaliso sokubamba izinhlanzi. (Joh. 21:​4-6) Akungabazeki ukuthi lesi simangaliso saqinisekisa uPetru ukuthi kwakuzoba lula ngoJehova ukuba amnike izinto azidingayo. Mhlawumbe lo mphostoli wabe esekhumbula amazwi kaJesu athi uJehova wayeyobanika abakudingayo labo ‘abafuna kuqala uMbuso.’ (Math. 6:33) Ngenxa yalokho uPetru akenzanga ibhizinisi lokudoba leza kuqala ekuphileni kwakhe, wenza inkonzo yeza kuqala. Wafakaza ngesibindi ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., wasiza izinkulungwane zamukela izindaba ezinhle. (IzE. 2:​14, 37-41) Ngemva kwalokho, wasiza amaSamariya nabeZizwe ukuba bamukele uKristu. (IzE. 8:​14-17; 10:​44-48) Ngokuqinisekile, uJehova wamsebenzisa kakhulu impela uPetru ukuba alethe zonke izinhlobo zabantu ebandleni.

12. Sicabanga ngesibonelo sikaPetru, yini okufanele siyikhumbule uma silwa nobuthakathaka osebudonse isikhathi eside?

¹² UJehova angasisiza siphikelele ekumkhonzeni. Kungase kube nzima ukuqhubeka sikhonza uJehova, ikakhulukazi uma silwa nobuthakathaka osebudonse isikhathi eside. Ngezinye izikhathi, ubuthakathaka bethu bungase bubonakale bunzima kakhulu kunalobo uPetru abhekana nabo. Kodwa uJehova angasinika amandla okuba singayeki ukumkhonza. (IHu. 94:​17-19) Ngokwesibonelo, kwase kuphele iminyaka eminingana omunye umzalwane eyisitabane ngaphambi kokuba afunde iqiniso. Wakuyeka ngokuphelele ukuba yisitabane. Noma kunjalo, ngezinye izikhathi wayehlushwa izifiso ezingafanele. Yini eyamsiza waphikelela ekukhonzeni uJehova? Uyachaza: “UJehova usipha amandla.” Uyenezela: “Ngosizo lomoya kaJehova . . . , ngifundile ukuthi umuntu angakwazi ukuqhubeka ehamba endleleni yeqiniso . . . UJehova ukwazile ukungisebenzisa futhi naphezu kwamaphutha ami uyaqhubeka engipha amandla.”

13. Singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaPetru njengoba sibhalwe encwadini yezEnzo 4:​13, 29, 31? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹³ Njengoba sibonile, uPetru wanqotshwa ukwesaba abantu izikhathi ezingaphezu  kwesisodwa. Ngenxa yokuthi wathandazela ukuba angesabi, uPetru wakwazi ukubonisa isibindi. (Funda izEnzo 4:​13, 29, 31.) Nathi singakwazi ukunqoba ukwesaba. Cabanga ngokwenzeka kuHorst, umzalwane osemusha owayehlala eJalimane elalibuswa amaNazi. Ngenxa yokwesaba othisha nabafundi, washo izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa ukuthi “Heil Hitler!” Kunokuba bamthethise, abazali bakaHorst bathandaza naye, bacela uJehova ukuba amuphe isibindi. Ngosizo lwabazali bakhe nangokuthembela kuJehova, uHorst wagcina ekwazile ukuma aqine. Kamuva wathi: “UJehova akazange angilahle.” c

14. Abelusi abanothando bangabakhuthaza kanjani abadikibele?

¹⁴ UJehova noJesu ngeke basilahle. UPetru kwadingeka enze isinqumo esibalulekile ngemva kokuphika uKristu. Ingabe wayezoshiya phansi noma wayezoqhubeka engumfundi kaKristu? UJesu wayenxuse uJehova ukuba asize uPetru ukuba ukholo lwakhe lungapheli. UJesu watshela uPetru ukuthi wayemthandazele, wamtshela nokuthi wayeqiniseka ukuthi uPetru kamuva wayezokwazi ukuqinisa abafowabo. (Luka 22:​31, 32) Kumele ukuba kwamqinisa ngempela uPetru ukukhumbula amazwi kaJesu! Lapho kudingeka senze izinqumo ezibalulekile ekuphileni kwethu, uJehova angase asebenzise abelusi abanothando ukuba basinikeze isikhuthazo esisidingayo ukuze sihlale sithembekile. (Efe. 4:​8, 11) UPaul, umzalwane osenesikhathi eside engumdala, uyazama ukukwenza lokho. Ucela labo asebecabanga ukuyeka ukukhonza uJehova ukuba bacabange ngendlela uJehova abadonsela ngayo eqinisweni ekuqaleni. Ube esebaqinisekisa ngokuthi uthando lukaJehova oluqotho  ngeke lumvumele ukuba abashiye. Uphetha ngokuthi: “Ngibone abaningi abadikibele bephikelela ngosizo lukaJehova.”

15. Isibonelo sikaPetru nesikaHorst sikubonisa kanjani ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi akuMathewu 6:33?

¹⁵ Njengoba nje uJehova azinakekela izidingo zikaPetru nezabanye abaphostoli, uyozinakekela nezethu uma sibeka kuqala inkonzo ekuphileni kwethu. (Math. 6:33) Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe Yesibili, uHorst okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, wacabanga ngokuba yiphayona. Kodwa wayehlupheka kakhulu, engabaza ukuthi wayezokwazi ukuzinakekela aqhubeke esenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Wayezokwenzenjani? Wanquma ukuvivinya uJehova, wachitha isonto lonke enkonzweni yasensimini ngesikhathi behanjelwe umbonisi wesigodi. Ekupheleni kwesonto, wethuka lapho umbonisi wesigodi emnika imvilophu engabhaliwe ukuthi ivela kubani. Yayinemali eyayingamqhuba izinyanga eziningana enkonzweni yokuphayona. UHorst wabheka lesi sipho njengesiqinisekiso sokuthi uJehova uzomnakekela. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, wabeka uMbuso kuqala ekuphileni kwakhe.—Mal. 3:10.

16. Kungani kufanele sifunde ngesibonelo sikaPetru nangezincwadi azibhala?

¹⁶ Kumele ukuba uPetru wajabula kakhulu ngokuthi uJesu akazange asuke kuye njengoba uPetru ayemcelile! UKristu waqhubeka emqeqesha ukuba abe umphostoli othembekile nesibonelo esivelele kumaKristu. Ziningi izifundo sonke esingazuza kuzo kulokho kuqeqeshwa okwatholwa uPetru. Wakhuluma ngalezo zifundo azifunda kuJesu kanye nezinye ezincwadini zakhe ezimbili eziphefumulelwe azithumela emabandleni ngekhulu lokuqala. Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngezikhumbuzo ezimbalwa ezivela kulezi zincwadi nendlela esingazisebenzisa ngayo namuhla.