Xelisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wahlala Ethembekile Xa Wayevavanywa

UPETROS wayekhangele ngomdla kubantu ababephulaphule uYesu. Babekwindlu yesikhungu eKapernahum. Ikhaya likaPetros lalikule dolophu, ishishini lakhe lokuloba lalikunxweme lwaseGalili; abahlobo bakhe abaninzi, izalamane nogxa bakhe kwezamashishini babehlala apha. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uPetros wayefuna abantu bedolophu yakowabo bambone uYesu ngendlela yena awayembona ngayo, baze bakuvuyele njengaye ukufunda ngoBukumkani bukaThixo koyena mfundisi ubalaseleyo. Kodwa ke yayingazukwenzeka loo nto.

Abantu abaninzi abazange baphulaphule. Abanye babembombozela, bephikisa isigidimi sikaYesu. Kodwa ke, eyona nto yamkhathaza kakhulu uPetros yayiyindlela abasabela ngayo abanye abafundi bakaYesu. Babengasakuvuyeli ukufunda inyaniso, kodwa babebonakala becaphukile. Abanye bade balikhupha latsola elokuba intetho kaYesu yayisothusa. Bemka kuloo ndlu yesikhungu kuba bengasafuni ukuphulaphula—baza bayeka ukulandela uYesu.

Elo yaba lixesha elinzima kuPetros nabanye abapostile. UPetros wayengayiqondi kakuhle into eyafundiswa nguYesu ngaloo mini. Yaye wayesiqonda isizathu sokuba intetho kaYesu ibonakale ikhubekisa xa uyikha phezulu. Kodwa ke wayeza kwenza ntoni yena? Kwakungesosihlandlo sokuqala kuvavanywa ukunyaniseka kwakhe kwiNkosi yakhe yaye kwakungazukuba kokokugqibela. Makhe sibone indlela olwamnceda ngayo ukholo lwakhe wakwazi ukumelana nokuvavanywa okunjalo waza wahlala enyanisekile.

Wanyaniseka Xa Abanye Bengazange Banyaniseke

UPetros wayesoloko emangaliswa nguYesu. Izihlandlo ezininzi iNkosi yakhe yayithetha ize yenze izinto ezazahluke ngokupheleleyo kwizinto ezazilindelwe ngabantu. Kusuku nje olungaphambi kolo, uYesu wondla amawaka abantu ngokungummangaliso. Ngenxa yoko bazama ukumenza ukumkani. Kodwa wamangalisa abaninzi xa wabaleka waza wayalela abafundi bakhe ukuba bakhelwe isikhephe baye eKapernahum. Njengoko abafundi babebheqa isikhephe sabo ebusuku, uYesu wabamangalisa kwakhona ngokuhamba kuLwandle lwaseGalili olwalulwatyuza, efundisa uPetros isifundo esibalulekileyo ngokuba nokholo.a

Ngentsasa elandelayo, bafumanisa ukuba ezo zihlwele zaziye zabalandela. Kuyacaca ukuba abantu babemlandela uYesu kuba befuna abenzele okunye ukutya ngokungummangaliso kungekhona kuba befuna ukuva inyaniso. UYesu wabakhalimela ngenxa yokuthanda kwabo izinto eziphathekayo. Lo ngxoxo yaqhubeka kwindlu yesikhungu eKapernahum, apho uYesu wathetha into ababengayilindelanga ukuze abafundise inyaniso ebalulekileyo kodwa ekunzima ukuyiqonda.

UYesu wayefuna abo bantu bangamboni njengomthombo wokutya nje kuphela, kodwa njengelungiselelo lezinto zokomoya elivela kuThixo, lowo ubomi nokufa kwakhe kwakuza kuvulela abantu ithuba lokuphila ngonaphakade. Ngoko wabenzela umzekeliso ezithelekisa nemana, isonka somhla kaMoses esehla sivela ezulwini. Bathi abanye besakuphikisa, wasebenzisa umzekeliso owawusithi kwakufuneka batye inyama negazi lakhe ukuze bafumane ubomi. Hayi ke abantu bachasa nangakumbi. Abanye bathi: “Le ntetho iyothusa; ngubani na onako ukuyiphulaphula?” Uninzi lwabafundi bakhe lwayeka ukumlandela.b—Yohane 6:46-60, 64-66.

Wayeza kwenza ntoni uPetros? Ufanele ukuba naye ayembhidile amazwi kaYesu. Wayengekayiqondi into yokuba uYesu kwakufuneka afe ukuze enze intando kaThixo. Kodwa ngaba naye walingeka ukuba ayeke ukulandela uYesu, njengaloo mawexu-wexu abafundi abashiya uYesu ngaloo mini? Akunjalo; uPetros wayenento ebalulekileyo eyayimenza ahluke kuloo madoda. Yayiyintoni leyo?

UYesu waphethukela kubafundi bakhe waza wathi: “Ngaba nani nifuna ukumka?” (Yohane 6:67) Wayethetha nabapostile abali-12 kodwa kwaphendula uPetros. Phofu ke kwakusoloko kuphendula yena. Mhlawumbi wayengoyena mdala kubo. Nguye owayesoloko ethetha kweloo qela, kuyabonakala ukuba wayengoyiki ukuthetha nantoni na esengqondweni yakhe. Kodwa ngesi sihlandlo wathetha amazwi amnandi esiya kuhlala siwakhumbula: “Nkosi, siya kumka siye kubani na? Nguwe onamazwi obomi obungunaphakade.”—Yohane 6:68.

Ngaba loo mazwi akayichukumisi intliziyo yakho? Ukuba nokholo kukaPetros kuYesu kwamnceda wavelisa uphawu olubalulekileyo—ukunyaniseka. KuPetros, kwakucace gca ukuba wayengekho omnye umSindisi ngaphandle kukaYesu kwaye wayesindisa ngezinto awayezithetha—imfundiso yakhe ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. UPetros wayesazi ukuba enokuba kwakukho izinto awayengaziqondi kakuhle, yayingekho enye indawo awayenokuya kuyo ukuba wayefuna ukuthandwa nguThixo aze asikelelwe ngobomi obungunaphakade.

Ngaba leyo yindlela ovakalelwa ngayo nawe? Okulusizi kukuba namhlanje abantu abaninzi abathi bayamthanda uYesu bayasilela kolu phawu lokunyaniseka. Ukuba sinyaniseke ngokwenene kuKristu kufuneka sibe nembono efanayo nekaPetros ngeemfundiso zikaYesu. Kufuneka sizifunde, siziqonde kakuhle size siphile ngazo nokuba zahlukile kwizinto esizilindeleyo okanye esizithandayo. Ubomi obungunaphakade afuna sibufumane uYesu, siya kubufumana kuphela xa sinyanisekile.

Wanyaniseka Xa Wayelulekwa

Kungekudala emva koko, uYesu wahamba nabapostile nabafundi bakhe baya ngasentla. Incopho enekhephu yeNtaba yeHermon, eyayisemantla eLizwe Lesithembiso, maxa wambi yayibonakala naxa ukuLwandle lwaseGalili. Loo ntaba yaya ibonakala ngathi iphakame kakhulu njengoko elo qela lalisiya lisondela lihamba ngendlela eyayidlula kwiidolophana ezingaseKesareya yaseFilipi.c Ekule ndawo iphakamileyo eyayimenza alibone kakuhle iLizwe Lesithembiso elisemazantsi, uYesu wabuza abalandeli bakhe umbuzo obalulekileyo.

“UYesu wababuza lo mbuzo “Izihlwele zithi ndingubani na?” Sinokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaPetros ekhangele uYesu emehlweni aze aphawule ububele nobulumko obungaqhelekanga beNkosi yakhe. UYesu wayenomdla wokwazi izigqibo abafikelela kuzo abantu ngenxa yezinto ababezibona nababeziva. Xa babephendula lo mbuzo, abafundi bakaYesu bacaphula izinto ezazidla ngokuthethwa ngabantu ngaye. Kodwa ke uYesu wayefuna ukwazi okungakumbi. Ngaba nabapostile bakhe babengamazi kakuhle? Wababuza wathi: “Ke nina nithi ndingubani na?”—Luka 9:18-22.

Kwakhona yaba nguPetros owakhawuleza waphendula. Wasichaza ngokucacileyo isigqibo ababefikelela kuso abaninzi babo. Wathi: “UnguKristu uNyana woThixo ophilayo.” Sinokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaYesu encoma uPetros ngempendulo yakhe. UYesu wakhumbuza uPetros ukuba yayinguYehova uThixo—kungekhona umntu—owayeyenze yacaca gca le nyaniso ibalulekileyo. Wancedwa waqonda enye yezona nyaniso zakhe zabaluleka kwezakha zachazwa nguYehova ngelo xesha—ukuqonda uMesiya okanye uKristu owayethenjiswe kudala!—Mateyu 16:16, 17.

Lo Kristu ngulowo isiprofeto sakudala sasithe lilitye elaliya kugatywa ngabaninzi. (INdumiso 118:22; Luka 20:17) Ecinga ngezo ziprofeto, uYesu wachaza ukuba uYehova wayeza kuseka ibandla kanye phezu kwelo litye okanye ulwalwa olwalusalathwa nguPetros.d Emva koko wamnika amalungelo abalulekileyo kwelo bandla. Akazange amenze mkhulu kunabanye abapostile njengoko abanye becinga, kodwa wamnika iimbopheleleko. Wanika uPetros “izitshixo zobukumkani.” (Mateyu 16:19) UPetros wayeza kuvulela iintlobo zabantu ezintathu umnyango wokungena kuBukumkani bukaThixo—amaYuda kuqala kuze kulandele amaSamariya ize ke ekugqibeleni ibe ngabantu beeNtlanga okanye abangengomaYuda.

Noko ke, uYesu wathi abo banikwe okuninzi kuya kufunwa okungakumbi kubo yaye ubunyaniso baloo mazwi bubonakala kakuhle kwimeko kaPetros. (Luka 12:48) UYesu waqhubeka etyhila iinyaniso ezibalulekileyo ngoMesiya, ezaziquka ukubandezeleka nokufa kwakhe okwakuza kwenzeka eYerusalem. UPetros wakhathazeka esakuva ezo zinto. Wambizela bucala uYesu waza wamkhalimela, esithi, “Yiba nobubele kuwe, Nkosi; akuyi kuba nesi siphelo konke konke.” (Mateyu 16:21, 22)

Ngokuqinisekileyo uPetros wayeneenjongo ezintle, ngoko ke imele ikuba yamothusa impendulo kaYesu. Wamnikela umva uPetros, waza wakhangela kwabanye abafundi—mhlawumbi ababecinga kwangaloo ndlela—waza wathi: “Suka uye emva kwam, Sathana! Usisikhubekiso kum, ngenxa yokuba ucinga, kungekhona iingcamango zikaThixo, kodwa ezabantu.” (Mateyu 16:23; Marko 8:32, 33) Amazwi kaYesu anesiluleko esinokuba luncedo kuthi sonke. Kulula ukuvumela indlela abacinga ngayo abantu yongamele indlela kaThixo yokucinga. Ukuba siyayivumela, enokuba sineenjongo ezintle sinokuthi singaqondanga sisetyenziswe nguSathana kunokuba sixhase intando kaThixo. Wasabela njani uPetros?

Umele ukuba wayesazi ukuba uYesu wayengathethi ukuba unguSathana uMtyholi. Kaloku uYesu akazange athethe noPetros ngendlela awathetha ngayo noSathana. UYesu wathi kuSathana: “Hamb’ umke”; ngoxa kuPetros wathi: “Suka uye emva kwam, Sathana.” (Mateyu 4:10) UYesu akazange amlahle lo mpostile awayebona iimpawu ezintle kuye, kunoko walungisa nje indlela awayecinga ngayo. Akukho nzima ukubona ukuba uPetros kwakufuneka ayeke ukuba ngumqobo phambi kweNkosi yakhe aze abe ngumlandeli wayo.

Ngaba uPetros waxambulisana nayo okanye waba nomsindo? Akunjalo; wathobeka waza wamkela isiluleko. Kwakhona wabonisa ukunyaniseka. Bonke abalandeli bakaKristu kuye kufuneke balulekwe ngamaxesha athile. Siya kukwazi ukuqhubeka sisondela kuYesu Kristu nakuYise uYehova uThixo, kuphela xa siyamkela ngokuthobeka size sifunde kwingqeqesho.—IMizekeliso 4:13.

Ukunyaniseka Kwakhe Kuyavuzwa

Akuzange kube kudala uYesu wathetha enye into eyothusayo: “Inene ndithi kuni kukho abathile kwabo bemi apha abangayi kungcamla kufa konke konke de kuqala bambone uNyana womntu esiza esebukumkanini bakhe.” (Mateyu 16:28) Ngokuqinisekileyo umele ukuba waba nomdla kuloo mazwi uPetros. Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu? Mhlawumbi uPetros wayezibuza ukuba isiluleko esiqatha awayegqiba ukusifumana sasingazi kumenza aphoswe ngaloo malungelo kusini na.

Noko ke, mayela neveki kamva uYesu wathabatha uYakobi, uYohane noPetros baya ‘kwintaba ephakamileyo,’ mhlawumbi iNtaba yeHarmon, eyayimalunga nomgama weekhilomitha ezimbalwa. Inokuba kwakusebusuku yaye la madoda mathathu esozela. Kodwa ke njengoko wayethandaza uYesu, kwenzeka into ethile eyenza kwaphela nobo buthongo.—Mateyu 17:1; Luka 9:28, 29, 32.

UYesu wenziwa kumila kumbi phambi kwabo. Ubuso bakhe baqalisa ukuba nobuqaqawuli, babengezela ngathi lilanga. Nempahla yakhe yayimhlophe qhwa. Kwabonakala abantu ababini ababekunye noYesu, omnye wayemela uMoses omnye emela uEliya. Bathetha naye ‘ngokumka kwakhe okwakuza kwenzeka eYerusalem’—ngokuqinisekileyo yayikukufa nokuvuka kwakhe. Kwakucacile ukuba wayephazama uPetros xa wayecinga ukuba uYesu wayengazi kutyhubela kwezi ntlungu.—Luka 9:30, 31.

UPetros waziva enyanzelekile ukuba abe nenxaxheba ngandlela thile kulo mbono ungaqhelekanga. Kwabonakala ngathi uMoses noEliya babemshiya uYesu. UPetros wathi: “Myaleli, kuhle ngathi ukuba sibe lapha, ngoko masimise iintente ezintathu, enye ibe yeyakho, enye ibe yekaMoses ize enye ibe yekaEliya.” Aba banquli bakaYehova babini ababefe kudala babengazifuni iintente. UPetros wayengaziva ukuba wayesithini. Ngaba awutsaleleki kule ndoda inehlombe nobubele?—Luka 9:33.

Yena, uYakobi noYohane bafumana omnye umvuzo ngobo busuku. Kwabakho ilifu laza lathi vu phezu kwentaba. Kwavakala ilizwi kulo—ilizwi likaYehova uThixo ngenkqu! Wathi: “Lo nguNyana wam, onyuliweyo. Mphulaphuleni yena.” Waphela loo mbono baza basala bodwa noYesu entabeni.—Luka 9:34-36.

Loo mbono wawubalulekile kuPetros yaye usenjalo nakuthi. Emva kwamashumi eminyaka kamva wabhala ngelungelo awalixhamlayo ngobo busuku lokuba ngomnye ‘wamangqina okuzibonela ubungangamela bayo,’ ebona kwangaphambili uzuko lukaYesu lokuba nguKumkani wasezulwini. Lo mbono waqinisekisa iziprofeto ezininzi zeLizwi likaThixo waza womeleza ukholo lukaPetros kwizilingo awayeza kujamelana nazo. (2 Petros 1:16-19) Unokwenza into efanayo nakuthi ukuba njengoPetros, siza kuqhubeka sinyanisekile kwiNkosi ayimisele phezu kwethu uYehova, sifunde kuyo, samkele uqeqesho nesiluleko sayo size siyilandele yonke imihla.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Ngubani Ulwalwa?

“Ndithi kuwe, UnguPetros wena, yaye ndiza kulakhela phezu kolu lwalwa ibandla lam.” (Mateyu 16:18) Loo mazwi awathethwa nguYesu kumpostile uPetros, kudla ngokucingwa ukuba athetha ukuba uPetros wayeza kuba sisiseko sebandla lamaKristu. ICawa yamaKatolika ifundisa ukuba uYesu wayenika uPetros igunya phezu kwabanye abapostile, ngaloo ndlela emmisela njengopopu wokuqala. Ngenxa yoko, kwiSaint Peter’s Basilica eRome, la mazwi kaYesu abhalwe ngokucacileyo ngesiLatin ngaphakathi kule Basilica, ngoonobumba abade kunomntu.

Ngaba uYesu wayethetha ukuba uPetros wayelulwalwa awayeza kulakhela phezu kwalo ibandla? Akunjalo. Khawuqwalasele izizathu ezithathu ezisenza siqiniseke ngaloo nto. Okokuqala, babekho abanye abapostile yaye abazange bawaqonde ngaloo ndlela amazwi kaYesu. Ukuba uYesu wayemvave ngelo wonga uPetros phambi kwabo bonke, kwakutheni ukuze kamva baxambulisane ngokuba ngubani owayemkhulu phakathi kwabo? (Marko 9:33-35; Luka 22:24-26) Okwesibini, umpostile uPawulos kamva wabonisa ukuba ulwalwa, yayingengoPetros, kodwa yayinguYesu Kristu. (1 Korinte 3:11; 10:4) Okwesithathu, emva kwamashumi eminyaka uPetros wachaza ukuba wayengacingi ukuba nguye ulwalwa. Kunoko wabhala wathi uYesu ‘wayelilitye lembombo’ elalixelwe kwangaphambili nelalikhethwe nguThixo.—1 Petros 2:4-8.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24, 25]

UPetros wanyaniseka naxa wayelulekwa

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Ukunyaniseka kukaPetros kwavuzwa ngombono omangalisayo