Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Walwa Nokwesaba Nokungabaza

UPETRU usesikebheni futhi ubona ukukhanya kulokoza emkhathizwe ngasempumalanga. Ingabe kwase kuzosa? Imisipha yomhlane namahlombe kwakungasafuni lutho ngenxa yokugwedla amahora amaningi. Umoya owawuphephetha izinwele zakhe wase ubangele ukuba uLwandle LwaseGalile, noma ichibi, luthukuthele. Amagagasi ayelokhu ebelesele ngokushaya ingaphambili lesikebhe, naye esemanzi té, kodwa waqhubeka nokugwedla.

UPetru nabangane bakhe babeshiye uJesu ndawana-thile ogwini. Ngalolo suku, babembone esuthisa izinkulungwane zabantu ezilambile ngezinkwa nezinhlanzi ezimbalwa. Ngenxa yalokho abantu base befuna ukumbeka inkosi, kodwa wayengafuni ukuzihlanganisa nezombusazwe. Wayefuna nokuba abalandeli bakhe benze njengaye. Ukuze agweme lezo zixuku, watshela abafundi bakhe ukuba bagibele umkhumbi bawelele ngaphesheya kogu, yena wabe esekhuphukela entabeni yedwa ukuze ayothandaza.—Marku 6:35-45; Johane 6:14, 15.

Ngesikhathi abafundi begibela umkhumbi kwakunonyezi; kodwa manje inyanga yase iyosithela emkhathizwe ongasentshonalanga. Nokho, bakwazi ukuqhubeka amakhilomitha ambalwa. Umsindo wamagagasi agubhayo ngenxa yomoya, wawuphazamisa ingxoxo yabo. Kumelwe ukuba ngaleso sikhathi uPetru wayedla amathambo engqondo.

Kuningi okwakusengqondweni yakhe. Kwakwenzeke izinto eziningi eminyakeni engaphezu kwemibili elandela uJesu waseNazaretha. Wayefunde nezinto eziningi, kodwa kwakusekuningi ayesazokufunda. Ukuzimisela kwakhe ukwenza kanjalo—ukulwa nezithikamezo ezinjengokungabaza nokwesaba—kumenza abe yisibonelo sethu esivelele sokulingiswa. Ake sibone ukuthi kanjani.

“Simtholile UMesiya”!

UPetru wayengasoze alukhohlwa usuku ahlangana ngalo noJesu waseNazaretha. Umfowabo u-Andreya wamlethela izindaba ezithakazelisayo ezithi: “Simtholile uMesiya.” Ngalawo mazwi, ukuphila kukaPetru kwaqala ukushintsha.—Johane 1:41.

UPetru wayehlala eKapernawume, umuzi ongasogwini loLwandle LwaseGalile olunamanzi acwebile. Yena no-Andreya babesebenza noJakobe kanye noJohane, amadodana kaZebedewu ebhizinisini lokudoba. UPetru wayehlala nomkakhe, umkhwekazi wakhe nomfowabo u-Andreya. Ukunakekela izidingo zomkhaya ongako ngokudoba ngokuqinisekile kwakudinga ukuzikhandla, amandla nokucabanga okuhluzekile. Singacabanga nje ngezikhathi eziningi zokusebenza kanzima ebusuku. La madoda ayehamba ngezikebhe ezimbili ayephonsa amanetha, bese edonsa noma yini akwazi ukuyibamba. Singakwazi futhi ukuwabona ngeso lengqondo esebenza kanzima ilanga libalele, ehlukanisa izinhlanzi ezizodayiswa, ethunga amanetha futhi ewahlanza.

IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi u-Andreya wayengumfundi kaJohane uMbhapathizi. Ngokuqinisekile uPetru wawulalela ngelikhulu isasasa umbiko owafika nomfowabo ophathelene nesigijimi sikaJohane. Ngaphambidlana, u-Andreya wayebone uJohane ekhomba uJesu waseNazaretha futhi ethi: “Bhekani, iWundlu likaNkulunkulu!” Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, u-Andreya waba umlandeli kaJesu wabe esetshela uPetru ngentshiseko lezi zindaba  ezimangalisayo: Usefikile uMesiya! (Johane 1:35-40) Eminyakeni engaba ngu-4 000 ngaphambili, ngemva kokuhlubuka kwase-Edene, uJehova uNkulunkulu wathembisa ukuthi umuntu othile okhethekile wayezofika ezolethela isintu ithemba langempela. (Genesise 3:15) U-Andreya wayebone yena kanye lowo Mkhululi, uMesiya uqobo lwakhe! UPetru naye waphuthuma wayohlangana noJesu.

Kuze kube yilolo suku, igama likaPetru kwakunguSimoni noma uSimeyoni. Kodwa uJesu wambheka wathi: “‘Wena unguSimoni indodana kaJohane; uzobizwa ngokuthi uKhefase’ (okuhunyushwa ngokuthi Petru).” (Johane 1:42) Igama elijwayekile elithi “Khefase” lisho “itshe” noma “idwala.” Kusobala ukuthi la mazwi kaJesu ayeyisiprofetho. Wabona kusengaphambili ukuthi uPetru wayezoba nezimfanelo ezifana nezedwala—umuntu ongantengantengi, ogxilile owayeyoba yithonya angalethemba phakathi kwabalandeli bakhe. Ingabe noPetru wayezibheka kanjalo? Akubonakali kanjalo. Ngisho nabanye abafundi banamuhla bamaVangeli bathi zincane kabi izimfanelo zedwala kuPetru. Abanye baye basikisela nokuthi wayengumuntu ophamazelayo noshintshashintsha umqondo njalo.

UPetru wayenabo ubuthaka futhi uJesu wayebazi kahle kamhlophe. Nokho, uJesu wayehlale ebheka okuhle kubantu, njengoyise uJehova. UJesu wambona enethuba lokuthuthuka uPetru futhi wayefuna ukumsiza ukuze athuthukise lezo zimfanelo zakhe ezinhle. UJehova neNdodana yakhe babheka okuhle nakithi namuhla. Kungenzeka akulula ngathi ukukholelwa ukuthi kukhona okuhle kithina abangakuthola. Nokho, kudingeka sibethembe, sibavumele ukuba basiqeqeshe futhi basilolonge njengoba benza kuPetru.—1 Johane 3:19, 20.

“Yekani Ukwesaba”

Cishe uPetru wahamba noJesu ohambweni lokuyoshumayela aluthatha ngemva kwalokho. Ngakho, kungenzeka wambona enza isimangaliso sakhe sokuqala lapho eguqula amanzi eba yiwayini edilini laseKhana. Okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi wasizwa isigijimi esimangalisayo sethemba esiphathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yize kunjalo, wamshiya waphindela ebhizinisini lakhe lokudoba. Nokho, ngemva kwezinyangana, uPetru waphinde wahlangana noJesu—kulokhu uJesu wamcela ukuba abe ngumlandeli wakhe ukuphila kwakhe konke.

UPetru nabanye abadobi babesebenze kanzima ngalobo busuku bedoba. Base bewaphonse izikhathi eziningi amanetha emanzini, kodwa ayephuma enjalo. Ngokuqinisekile, uPetru wayeselusebenzise lonke ulwazi namakhono akhe, ezama ukudoba ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene zolwandle lapho izinhlanzi zaziqoqelene khona. Njengabo bonke abadobi, akungabazeki ukuthi kunezikhathi lapho ayefisa khona ukuthi ukube wayekwazi ukubona ngaphansi kwamanzi ukuthi zikuphi izinhlanzi bese evele ephonsa amanetha akhe lapho. Yiqiniso, imicabango enjalo yayingavele yenezele obunye ubunzima. Lo msebenzi wayengawenzeli ukuchitha isizungu; kwakunabantu ayebondla ngomsebenzi wakhe wokudoba. Ekugcineni, waphuma olwandle elambatha. Yize kunjalo, kwakusafanele ahlanze amanetha. UJesu waqhamuka ngaleso sikhathi esematasa.

UJesu wayengungwe yisixuku, silalelisise konke ayekusho. Njengoba ayexinwe yilesi sinyokotho sabantu, wangena esikebheni sikaPetru wathi ukuqhela ogwini, wasifundisela elapho isixuku ngezwi lakhe elicacile. Njengabo bonke abanye ababesogwini, uPetru naye wayelalelisisile. Wayekujabulela njalo ukuzwa uJesu ekhuluma ngesici esiyinhloko sokushumayela  kwakhe—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi kwakuyoba ilungelo elikhulu kangakanani ukusiza uKristu ekusakazeni lesi sigijimi sethemba kulo lonke izwe! Kodwa ingabe wayezokwazi ukukwenza lokho? Babezophila ngani? Mhlawumbe uPetru waphinde wacabanga ngobusuku ababebuchithele ize olwandle.—Luka 5:1-3.

Lapho uJesu eqeda ukukhuluma, wathi kuPetru: “Sukani niye lapho kujule khona, nehlise amanetha enu ukuze nibambe.” UPetru wayengabaza. Wabe esethi: “Mfundisi, sikhandleke ubusuku bonke kodwa asibambanga lutho, kodwa ngoba usho kanjalo ngizowehlisa amanetha.” Akubuzwa ukuthi wayengasafuni ukuphinde aphonse amanetha—ikakhulukazi manje njengoba izinhlanzi zase zihlakazekile! Nakuba kunjalo, walalela, mhlawumbe waqhweba abangane bakhe ababekwesinye isikebhe ukuba babalandele.—Luka 5:4, 5.

UPetru wezwa isisindo eyengasilindele ngesikhathi ethi udonsa amanetha. Engakholwa, wadonsa ngamandla futhi wabona izinhlanzi eziningi ziphiqilika ngaphakathi kwamanetha! Ngokutatazela, wabiza amadoda ayekwesinye isikebhe ukuba azosiza. Njengoba babezilayisha, kwasheshe kwabakhanyela ukuthi isikebhe esisodwa ngeke sikwazi ukuthwala zonke lezo zinhlanzi. Bazigcwalisa zombili, kodwa kwakusekhona nezinye—izikebhe zaqala ukuzika ngenxa yesisindo. UPetru wayemangele engazi nokuthi athini. Wayeseke wawabona amandla kaKristu esikhathini esidlule, kodwa lesi simangaliso sasimthinta ngokuthe ngqo! Wayemi phambi kwendoda ekwazi nokubangela izinhlanzi ukuba zingene emanetheni! UPetru wagajwa ukwesaba. Wawela emadolweni akhe wabe esethi: “Suka kimi, ngoba ngingumuntu onesono, Nkosi.” Yini nje ayengayenza ukuze afanelekele ukuba nobuhlobo naLowo onegunya lokusebenzisa amandla kaNkulunkulu ngalezi zindlela?—Luka 5:6-9.

Ngomusa, uJesu wathi: “Yeka ukwesaba. Kusukela manje kuqhubeke uzobe udoba abantu bephila.” (Luka 5:10,11) Lesi kwakungesona isikhathi sokungabaza noma sokwesaba. Ukungabaza kukaPetru ngento ayeyenza nsuku zonke njengokudoba kwakungenasisekelo; ukwesaba ngenxa yamaphutha nobuthakathaka bakhe nakho kwakungenasisekelo. UJesu wayenomsebenzi omkhulu okwakufanele awenze, inkonzo eyayiyothinta ikusasa laso sonke isintu. Wayekhonza uNkulunkulu ‘othethelela ngendlela enkulu.’ (Isaya 55:7) UJehova wayeyozinakekela izidingo zabo, ezingokwenyama nezingokomoya.—Mathewu 6:33.

UPetru wasabela ngokushesha, benza okufanayo oJakobe noJohane. “Babuyisela izikebhe ezweni, bashiya konke bamlandela.” (Luka 5:11)  UPetru waba nokholo kuJesu nakuLowo omthumileyo. Wathatha isinqumo esihle kakhulu. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, uma amaKristu enqoba ukungabaza nokwesaba ukuze angenele inkonzo kaNkulunkulu asuke ebonisa ukholo. Ukuthembela kuJehova okunjalo akukaze kube yiphutha.—IHubo 22:4, 5.

“Kungani Uhlulwé Ukungabaza?”

Cishe ngemva kweminyaka emibili ahlangana noJesu, uPetru wazithola ephakathi kwesivunguvungu ebusuku oLwandle LwaseGalile okukhulunywe ngalo ekuqaleni. Yebo, asazi ukuthi yini ayeyicabanga ngoba kuningi okwakusengqondweni yakhe. UJesu wayephulukise umkhwekazi wakhe. Wayethule iNtshumayelo YaseNtabeni. Wayesebonise ngokuphindaphindiwe ngezimfundiso nangemisebenzi yakhe yamandla ukuthi ungoKhethiweyo kaJehova, uMesiya. Njengoba kwakudlula izinyanga, ubuthaka bukaPetru, njengokuthatha ngamawala uma esaba noma engabaza kwancipha ngezinga elithile. UJesu wayeseze wamkhetha nokuba abe ngomunye wabaphostoli abangu-12! Yize kunjalo, ukwesaba nokungabaza kwakhe kwakungakapheli nya, njengoba ayezobona maduzane kwesinye isenzakalo.

Phakathi nomlindo wesine wangalobo busuku, noma cishe ngezikhathi eziphakathi kwehora lesithathu ekuseni nelokuphuma kwelanga, kungazelelwe uPetru wayeka ukugwedla wahlala waqonda. Laphaya—ngaphesheya kwamagagasi—kwakunokuthile okunyakazayo! Ingabe kwakungamagagasi akhanyiswa wunyezi? Cha, kwakuyinto emile, enganyakazi. Kwakungumuntu! Yebo, umuntu, futhi wayehamba phezu kolwandle! Njengoba le ndoda yayisondela, yayibonakala sengathi iqonde ngakubo. Bethukile, abafundi bacabanga ukuthi babebona uhlobo oluthile lombono. Le ndoda yathi: “Yimani isibindi, yimi; ningesabi.” KwakunguJesu!—Mathewu 14:25-28.

UPetru wathi: “Nkosi, uma kunguwe, ngiyale ukuba ngize kuwe phezu kwamanzi.” Ekuqaleni waba nesibindi. Ehlatshwe umxhwele yilesi simangaliso esingavamile, uPetru wayefuna ukuphinde aluqinisekise ukholo lwakhe. Wayefuna ukuba yingxenye yalesi simangaliso. Ngomusa, uJesu wathi makeze. UPetru waphuma esikebheni, wagxumela olwandle oluzolile. Cabanga ukuthi wazizwa kanjani njengoba amathe ezinyawo zakhe enyathela futhi ema phezu kwamanzi. Kumelwe ukuba wayegcwele ukumangala njengoba eqonde kuJesu. Nokho, kungakabiphi waphinde wahlulwa obunye ubuthakathaka.—Mathewu 14:29.

UPetru kwakudingeka aqhubeke ebheke futhi egxile kuJesu. Esebenzisa amandla kaJehova, uJesu wakwazi ukumenza ahambe phezu kwamagagasi. Lokhu wakwenza ngenxa yokholo  uPetru ayelubonise kuye. Kodwa uPetru wabe esephazamiseka. Siyafunda: “Ebheka isivunguvungu, wesaba.” Wabheka lawo magagasi ayeshaya isikebhe eya ngapha nangapha ngenxa yomoya, wabe esesaba. Mhlawumbe wazibona esezika futhi ecwila. Njengoba ukwesaba kwakugcwala enhliziyweni yakhe, ukholo lwakhe lwancipha. Indoda eyase yethiwe ngokuthi iDwala ngenxa yokubonakala inethuba lokuba engantengantengi yaqala ukucwila njengetshe ngenxa yokholo lwayo oluntengantengayo. UPetru weyeyingcweti yombhukudi, kodwa akabange esathembela kulelo khono lakhe. Wamemeza: “Nkosi, ngisindise!” UJesu wambamba wamphakamisa. Khona-ke, lapho esemi phezu kwamanzi, uJesu wagcizelela kuye lesi sifundo esibalulekile: “Wena onokholo oluncane, kungani uhlulwé ukungabaza?”—Mathewu 14:30, 31.

‘Ukuhlulwa ukungabaza’—yeka amazwi ashaya emhlolweni! Ukungabaza kungalimaza kakhulu, futhi uma sikuvumela kungonakalisa ukholo lwethu bese kubangela ukuba sicwile ngokomoya. Kudingeka siwakhiphe wonke amangwevu! Kanjani? Ngokuba ngabagxilile. Uma sigxila ezintweni esizesabayo, ezisidumazayo, ezisiqhelisa kuJehova naseNdodaneni yakhe, ukungabaza kwethu kuyokhula. Kodwa uma sigxila kuJehova naseNdodaneni yakhe, kulokho abasenzele khona, abasenzela khona kwamanje, nabazokwenzela labo ababathandayo, siyokwazi ukunqoba ukungabaza.

Njengoba uPetru ayelandela uJesu bephindela esikebheni, wabona isishingishane sidamba. Kwathula cwaka oLwandle LwaseGalile. UPetru nabanye abafundi bathi, “Ngempela wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 14:33) Njengoba kwase kuqala ukuntwela ezansi, inhliziyo kaPetru yagcwala ukubonga. Wafunda ukunganqotshwa ukungabaza nokwesaba. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ziningi izinto okwakusafanele azenze ngaphambi kokuba abe umKristu onjengedwala uJesu abona kusengaphambili ukuthi wayengaba nguye. Kodwa wayezimisele ukuqhubeka ezama futhi ethuthuka. Ingabe nawe uzimisele ukwenza okufanayo? Ngokuqinisekile, uyozibonela ukuthi ukholo lukaPetru luyakufanelekela ukulingiswa.

[Isithombe ekhasini 22, 23]

UJesu wabheka lo mdobi othobekile njengonethuba elikhulu lokuthuthuka

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

“Ngingumuntu onesono, Nkosi”

[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

“Ebheka isivunguvungu, wesaba”