Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wafunda Isifundo Sokuthethelela ENkosini Yakhe

Lesi sikhathi sasinzima kakhulu kuPetru futhi wayengasoze asikhohlwa. Amehlo akhe ahlangana nakaJesu. Ingabe amehlo kaJesu amtshela ukuthi wayedumazekile noma ukuthi wayemthukuthelele? Asinakugomela ngalokho; ukulandisa okuphefumulelwe kumane nje kuthi “iNkosi yaphenduka yambheka uPetru.” (Luka 22:61) Kodwa kulokho kuhlangana nje kwamehlo, uPetru wavele wazibonela ukuthi wayenze iphutha elikhulu kakhulu. Waqaphela ukuthi wayenze yona kanye into uJesu ayethe uzoyenza kodwa wamphikisa—wayephike iNkosi yakhe ayithandayo. Cishe uPetru wayeqala ukuzizwa kabi kangaka.

Nokho, lokho kwakungasho neze ukuthi wayeseyinto yokulahlwa. Ngenxa yokuthi wayeyindoda enokholo oluqinile, wayesenalo ithuba lokulungisa amaphutha akhe futhi afunde esinye sezifundo zikaJesu esibaluleke kakhulu—isifundo sokuthethelela. Ngamunye wethu kufanele asifunde lesi sifundo. Ngakho, ake sihambe noPetru sibone ukuthi wasifunda kanjani lesi sifundo esinzima.

Indoda Okwakusadingeka Ifunde Okuningi

Ngesikhathi ekubo eKapernawune cishe ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngaphambidlana, uPetru waya kuJesu wambuza: “Nkosi, umfowethu kumelwe angone kangaki ngimthethelela? Kuze kube kasikhombisa na?” Kungenzeka ukuthi wayecabanga ukuthi wayesuke ebonise umusa omkhulu kabi uma ethethelele kasikhombisa. Phela abaholi benkolo bangaleso sikhathi babefundisa ukuthi umuntu kwakufanele athethelele kathathu kuphela! UJesu wamphendula: “Angisho kuwe ukuthi, Kuze kube kasikhombisa, kodwa, Kuze kube izikhathi ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa.”—Mathewu 18:21, 22.

Ingabe uJesu wayesikisela ukuba uPetru azibale noma azibhale phansi izeqo zomuntu omonile? Cha; ngokumtshela ukuthi angathetheleli kasikhombisa kodwa athethelele izikhathi ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa, uJesu wayebonisa ukuthi asikho isilinganiso sokuthethelela. UJesu wabonisa ukuthi uPetru wayethonywe umoya wokuba nenhliziyo elukhuni nokubamba amagqubu owawuvamile ngalezo zikhathi. Nokho, ukuthethelela okusekelwe ezimisweni zikaNkulunkulu kubanzi, akunamkhawulo.

UPetru akazange aqophisane noJesu. Kodwa ingabe isifundo sikaJesu sayifinyelela ngempela inhliziyo yakhe? Ngezinye izikhathi silithola kahle iphuzu lokuthethelela lapho siqaphela ukuthi nathi sikudinga kangakanani. Manje masixoxe ngezenzakalo ezaholela ekufeni kukaJesu. Phakathi nalawo mahora anzima, kwadingeka ukuba iNkosi ithethelele uPetru ezicini eziningi.

Wakudinga Kaningi Ukuthethelelwa

Ubusuku bukaJesu bokugcina emhlabeni babubaluleke kakhulu. Kwakusekuningi ayefuna ukukufundisa abaphostoli bakhe—ngokwesibonelo, wayesafisa ukubafundisa ngemfanelo yokuthobeka. UJesu wababekela isibonelo sokuthobeka ngokubageza izinyawo, umsebenzi owawuvame ukwenziwa isisebenzi esiphansi kunazo zonke. Ekuqaleni, uPetru akazange ahambisane nokwakwenziwa uJesu. Ngemva kwalokho, wenqaba ukugezwa izinyawo. Khona manjalo, wathi uJesu angagcini nje ngokumgeza izinyawo,  kodwa futhi amgeze izandla nekhanda! UJesu akazange acasuke, kodwa ngomoya ophansi, wachaza ukuthi lokho ayekwenza kwakusho ukuthini nokuthi kwakubaluleke kangakanani.—Johane 13:1-17.

Nokho, ngemva nje kwalokho, abaphostoli baphikisana ngokuthi ubani omkhulu kunabo bonke. Kumelwe ukuba noPetru wayekhona kulowo mhiliziswano oyihlazo wokuzazisa. Nokho, uJesu wabeluleka ngomusa, waze wabancoma ngesici ababenza kahle kuso—ukunamathela eNkosini yabo ngokwethembeka. Nokho, wabikezela ukuthi bonke babeyomhlamuka. UPetru waphendula wathi yena wayengasoze amshiya, ngisho nalapho ukuphila kwakhe kusongelwa. Kodwa uJesu waprofetha wathi uPetru wayeyophika iNkosi yakhe kathathu ngabo kanye lobo busuku ngaphambi kokuba iqhude likhale kabili. UPetru wamphikisa wathi ngeke akwenze lokho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wazishaya isifuba wathi yena wayeyohlala ethembekile kunabo bonke abanye abaphostoli!—Mathewu 26:31-35; Marku 14:27-31; Luka 22:24-28.

Ingabe uJesu wazizwa ephelelwa isineke ngoPetru? Cha. Eqinisweni, phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi esinzima, waqhubeka efuna okuhle kubaphostoli bakhe abangaphelele. Wayazi ukuthi uPetru wayezomphika, ngakho wathi: “Ngikunxusele ukuba ukholo lwakho lungapheli; futhi wena, lapho nje usubuyile, uqinise abafowenu.” (Luka 22:32) Ngala mazwi, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uPetru wayeyolilungisa iphutha lakhe, aqhubeke nenkonzo yakhe yokwethembeka. Yeka umoya omuhle wobumnene nokuthethelela!

Kamuva, ensimini yaseGetsemane, kwadingeka ukuba uJesu akhuze uPetru izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa. UJesu wacela uPetru, uJakobe noJohane ukuba bahlale belindile ngesikhathi yena ethandaza. UJesu wayelusizi kakhulu futhi edinga ukusekelwa, kodwa uPetru nabanye babelokhu bezumeka. UJesu washo la mazwi abonisa ukuthi wayesiqonda isimo futhi ebathethelela: “Umoya uzimisele, kodwa inyama ibuthakathaka.”—Marku 14:32-38.

Masinyane, kwafika isixuku siphethe izinkemba nemishiza. Lesi kwakungesona isikhathi sokuxhamazela, kunalokho kwakufanele benze ngokuhlakanipha. Kodwa ngokuphamazela, uPetru wahosha inkemba wagalela uMalkusi, inceku yompristi ophakeme, wasusa indlebe yakhe. UJesu wakhuza uPetru ngomoya ophansi, waphulukisa indlebe yenceku futhi wachaza isimiso sokugwema ubudlova esisasebenza nakubalandeli bakhe namuhla. (Mathewu 26:47-55; Luka 22:47-51; Johane 18:10, 11) UPetru wayesenze amaphutha amaningi adinga intethelelo yeNkosi yakhe. Indaba yakhe ingase isikhumbuze ukuthi “sonke siyakhubeka izikhathi eziningi.” (Jakobe 3:2) Ubani nje kithi ongayidingi intethelelo kaNkulunkulu usuku nosuku? Nokho, kuningi uPetru ayesazobhekana nakho ngalobo busuku. Empeleni wayesazokwenza iphutha elibi nakakhulu.

Iphutha LikaPetru Elibi Kakhulu

UJesu watshela isixuku esasizombopha ukuthi uma sasifuna yena, kwakufanele siyeke abaphostoli bakhe bahambe. UPetru wavele waphelelwa amaqhinga njengoba isixuku sibamba uJesu, wabe esebaleka njengabanye abaphostoli.

UPetru noJohane babaleka, mhlawumbe baze bayofika eduze kwendlu ka-Anase owayengumPristi Ophakeme lapho uJesu aqale ayiswa khona ukuze ahlonywe imibuzo. Ngesikhathi uJesu ephuma kuleyo ndlu, uPetru noJohane bamlandela, kodwa ‘bekujana impela.’ (Mathewu 26:58; Johane 18:12, 13) UPetru wayengelona igwala. Phela kwakona nje ukulandela kwakudinga isibindi ngezinga elithile. Isixuku sasihlomile futhi uPetru wayeseke walimaza omunye kuso. Noma kunjalo, izinto ayesezenzile azibonisi nhlobo ukuthi wayenothando oluqotho ayethé unalo—ukuzimisela ukufa neNkosi yakhe uma kudingeka.—Marku 14:31.

Baningi abafana noPetru namuhla, abafuna ukulandela uKristu ‘bekujana impela’—ukuze bangabonwa muntu. Kodwa kamuva, uPetru ngokwakhe  wathi ukuphela kwendlela yokulandela uKristu ngokunembile iwukulandela izinyathelo zakhe eduze, silingise isibonelo sakhe ezintweni zonke, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuphakama ziphi izimo.—1 Petru 2:21.

Ezama ukungabonwa, uPetru walandela njengoba isixuku sasihamba noJesu waze wafika esangweni lomuzi othile waseJerusalema oyisithabathaba. Lo muzi kwakungokaKayafase, umpristi ophakeme, ocebile nonegunya elikhulu. Le mizi yayivame ukuba negceke nesango elikhulu. UPetru wafika kulelo sango, kodwa akavunyelwanga ukungena. UJohane, owayesengaphakathi kakade, weza wakhuluma nomgcinisango ukuba angenise uPetru. Kubonakala sengathi uPetru wayebuye alahlekelane noJohane; futhi kubonakala sengathi wakugwema ukungena endlini ukuze asekele iNkosi yakhe. Wahlala egcekeni lapho ezinye izigqila nezinceku zazotha khona umlilo ngenxa yamakhaza, zibuka ofakazi bamanga abamelene noJesu bephuma bengena endlini okwakuqulelwa kuyo icala.—Marku 14:54-57; Johane 18:15, 16, 18.

Njengoba umlilo wawukhanyisa, intombazane eyayingenise uPetru esangweni yakwazi ukumbona kahle, futhi yaqaphela ukuth yayimazi. Yathi kuye: “Nawe, futhi, ubunoJesu waseGalile!” UPetru wayengakulindele lokhu, ngakho waphika ukuthi uyamazi uJesu—waze wathi akazi ukuthi le ntombazane ikhuluma ngani. Wahamba wayokuma ngasesangweni ezama ukucasha, kodwa enye intombazane yambona, nayo yasho okufanayo: “Lo muntu ubenoJesu umNazaretha.” UPetru wafunga: “Angimazi lo muntu!” (Mathewu 26:69-72) Mhlawumbe kwakungemva kokuphika uJesu okwesibili lapho uPetru ezwa iqhude likhala, kodwa ingqondo yakhe yayiphazamiseke kakhulu ukuba akhumbule isiprofetho uJesu ayesiprofethe emahoreni ambalwa adlule.

Kwadlula isikhashana futhi uPetru wayesalokhu ezama ngakho konke okusemandleni ukungabonwa. Kodwa iqenjana labantu elalimi egcekeni leza kuye. Omunye kulelo qenjana wayeyisihlobo sikaMalkusi, isigqila uPetru ayesigence indlebe. Wathi kuPetru: “Ngikubonile ensimini ukanye naye, akunjalo?” UPetru waphikelela ezama ukubakholisa ukuthi babekhuluma iphutha. Ngakho wafunga, mhlawumbe wathi makaqalekiswe uma kuwukuthi uqamba amanga. Engakaligwinyi nokuligwinya lelo lase lishilo okwesibili iqhude.—Johane 18:26, 27; Marku 14:71, 72.

UJesu wayesanda kuphuma endlini, emi phezulu ebheke egcekeni. Njengoba kuchazwe ekuqaleni, amehlo kaJesu ahlangana nakaPetru. Kwahlaluka kuPetru ukuthi wayeyidumaze kakhulu iNkosi yakhe. Edliwa unembeza, wajokola ebheke ezitaladini zomuzi njengoba kwase kuntwela ezansi. Wehluleka ukubamba izinyembezi, waqhumuka wakhala kamunyu.—Marku 14:72; Luka 22:61, 62.

Lapho umuntu eqaphela ukuthi wenze iphutha elikhulu kangakanani, ngokuvamile kulula  ukuba afike esiphethweni sokuthi akanakuthethelelwa. Kungenzeka noPetru wakucabanga lokho. Ingabe ngempela wayengenakuthethelelwa?

Ingabe UPetru Wayengenakuthethelelwa?

Kunzima ukuqonda ubuhlungu uPetru ayebuzwa njengoba kwase kusile nokuthi wazizwa kanjani ngezinto ezenzeka ngalolo suku. Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba wazizonda ngayo ngesikhathi uJesu ebulawa ngalolo suku ntambama ngemva kokuhlukunyezwa amahora amaningi! Cishe kwakumqeda nya uPetru ukucabanga ukuthi naye wanezela ebuhlungwini beNkosi yakhe ngosuku eyafa ngalo. Nakuba ayedangele kakhulu, akazange avumele ukunqotshwa yileyo mizwa. Lokhu sikwazi ngoba kamuva waphinde waya kubafowabo wayohlangana nabo. (Luka 24:33) Akungabazeki ukuthi bonke abaphostoli babezisola ngezenzo zabo zangalobo busuku obunzima, futhi kumelwe ukuba baduduzana.

Ngomqondo othile, lapha sibona uPetru enza isinqumo esihle kakhulu. Inceku kaNkulunkulu ingase yenze isono esikhulu, kodwa into ebaluleke kunazo zonke ukuzimisela kwayo ukuvuka, ilungise izinto. (IzAga 24:16) UPetru wabonisa ukholo loqobo ngokuphinde azihlanganise nabafowabo naphezu kokucindezeleka okukhulu. Lapho umuntu egajwe ubuhlungu noma ukuzisola, angase athambekele ekuzihlukaniseni nabanye, kodwa lokho kuyingozi. (IzAga 18:1) Inkambo ewukuhlakanipha iwukuba azigcine esondelene namanye amaKristu ukuze aphinde athole amandla angokomoya.—Hebheru 10:24, 25.

Ngenxa yokuthi uPetru wayesenabafowabo abangokomoya, wakwazi ukuzwa umbiko othusayo othi umzimba kaJesu wawungasekho ethuneni. Yena noJohane bagijimela ethuneni likaJesu elalivalwe umnyango. UJohane, okungenzeka ukuthi wayemusha ngeminyaka, wafika kuqala. Lapho ethola umnyango wethuna uvuliwe wanqikaza ukungena. Nakuba uPetru ayehefuzela ngenxa yokugijima, wanele wafika washo phakathi. Ngempela uJesu wayengekho ethuneni!—Johane 20:3-9.

Ingabe uPetru wayekholelwa ukuthi uJesu wayesevusiwe? Akubanga njalo ekuqaleni,  nakuba abesifazane abathembekile babebike ukuthi izingelosi zazibonakale kubo zabatshela ukuthi uJesu uvusiwe. (Luka 23:55–24:11) Kodwa ngasekupheleni kwalolo suku, konke ukudangala nokungabaza ayenakho kwase kuphele nya. UJesu wayephila futhi eyisidalwa esingumoya esinamandla! Wazibonakalisa kubo bonke abaphostoli bakhe. Nokho, kukhona akwenza kuqala ngasese. Abaphostoli bathi ngalolo suku: “Ngempela iNkosi ivusiwe futhi ibonakele kuSimoni!” (Luka 24:34) Kamuva, nomphostoli uPawulu wabhala ngalolo suku olumangalisayo uJesu ‘abonakala ngalo kuKhefase, kwase kuba kwabayishumi nambili.’ (1 Korinte 15:5) Amanye amagama kaPetru uKhefase noSimoni. UJesu wabonakala kuye ngalolo suku—ngesikhathi eyedwa.

IBhayibheli alisitsheli imininingwane yalokho kuhlangana okuthinta inhliziyo, yaziwa uJesu noPetru kuphela. Kodwa singabona ngamehlo engqondo indlela uPetru ajabula ngayo ngokuphinde abone iNkosi yakhe ayithandayo iphila nokuthola ithuba lokuyibonisa indlela ayedabuke ngayo nokuthi wayephendukile. Ayikho into ayeyifuna ngaphezu kokuthola intethelelo. Asingabazi ukuthi uJesu wamthethelela ngenhliziyo emhlophe. Namuhla, amaKristu awela esonweni kudingeka akhumbule indaba kaPetru. Akufanele nanini sicabange ukuthi asinakuyithola intethelelo kaNkulunkulu. UJesu wamlingisa ngokuphelele uYise ‘othethelela ngendlela enkulu.’—Isaya 55:7.

Obunye Ubufakazi Bokuthi Wathethelelwa

UJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe ukuba baye eGalile, lapho ayeyohlangana nabo khona. Lapho befika, uPetru wanquma ukuyodoba izinhlanzi oLwandle LwaseGalile, nabanye abafundi bahamba naye. Manje uPetru wayesesechibini ayechithe kulo iminyaka yakhe eminingi esemusha. Ukuzwa umsindo onswininizayo wesikebhe, ukushaya kwamagagasi, namanetha ahwayayo, kumelwe ukuba wayekujwayele futhi kumqabula. Ingabe ngalobo busuku wacabanga yini ngalokho okwakufanele akwenze ngokuphila kwakhe njengoba inkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni yayisifinyelela esiphelweni? Ingabe ukuphila okulula komdobi yikona okwakukhanga kakhudlwana? Kunoma ikuphi, ababambanga lutho ngalobo busuku.—Mathewu 26:32; Johane 21:1-3.

Lapho nje sekusa, babona umuntu emi ogwini ememeza ethi mabaphonse amanetha ngakolunye uhlangothi lwesikebhe. Benza kanjalo futhi babamba izinhlanzi ezingu-153! UPetru wavele wazi ukuthi lowo muntu ngubani. Waziphonsa olwandle wabhukuda waqonda ogwini. Ngesikhathi sebehlezi ogwini, uJesu wabosela izinhlanzi ngamalahle. Phakathi nalesi sikhathi wagxila kuPetru.

UJesu wambuza ukuthi uyayithanda yini iNkosi yakhe “ngaphezu kwalezi?”—ngokusobala ekhomba leyo nqwaba yezinhlanzi. Enhliziyweni kaPetru, ingabe uthando ayenalo ngomsebenzi wokudoba lwalucishe lulingane nothando ayenalo ngoJesu? Ngenxa yokuthi wayephike iNkosi yakhe kathathu, uJesu wamnikeza ithuba lokuqinisekisa uthando lwakhe kathathu phambi kwabanye abafundi. Njengoba uPetru ayelokhu ethi uyamthanda, uJesu wamtshela ukuthi kufanele alubonise kanjani lolo thando: ngokubeka inkonzo engcwele ngaphambi kwanoma yini enye, ngokondla nangokwalusa umhlambi kaKristu—abalandeli baKhe abathembekile.—Johane 21:4-17.

Amazwi kaJesu ayeqinisekisa ukuthi yena  noYise babesazomsebenzisa. UPetru wayezofeza indima ebalulekile ebandleni eqondiswa uKristu. Yeka ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi uJesu wayemthethelele ngokuphelele! Ngokuqinisekile, leso sihe samthinta inhliziyo futhi samthonya kakhulu.

Phakathi neminyaka eminingi eyalandela, uPetru wasifeza ngokwethembeka isabelo sakhe. Waqinisa abafowabo, njengoba nje uJesu ayemyalile ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwaKhe. Waba nesineke futhi wabaphatha ngomusa abalandeli bakaKristu lapho ebalusa futhi ebondla. USimoni walilandela ngempela igama uJesu ayemethe lona—uPetru, noma iDwala—ngokuba indoda ezinzile nengantengantengi ibandla elalingathembela kuyo. Ubufakazi obuningi balokhu sibuthola ezincwadini ezimbili ezinothando azibhalela abathile futhi kamuva ezaba ingxenye ebalulekile yeBhayibheli. Lezo zincwadi zibonisa nokuthi uPetru akazange asikhohlwe isifundo sokuthethelela asifunda kuJesu.—1 Petru 3:8, 9; 4:8.

Kwangathi nathi singasifunda lesi sifundo. Ingabe siyathandaza nsuku zonke sicele ukuba uNkulunkulu asithethelele izono zethu eziningi? Ingabe siyayamukela leyo ntethelelo futhi sikholelwe emandleni ayo okusihlanza? Ingabe nathi siyabathethelela abanye? Uma sibathethelela, siyobe silingisa ukholo lukaPetru—futhi sibonisa isihe seNkosi yakhe.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 22]

UPetru wenza amaphutha amaningi adinga intethelelo yeNkosi yakhe. Nathi sidinga intethelelo usuku nosuku.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

“INkosi yaphenduka yambheka uPetru”

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

‘INkosi yabonakala kuSimoni!’