Isahluko 120

Ukuphika Kaningi Egcekeni

NGEMVA kokushiya uJesu ensimini yaseGetsemane nokubaleka nabanye abaphostoli ngenxa yokwesaba, uPetru noJohane bayama. Mhlawumbe bafica uJesu lapho eyiswa emzini ka-Anase. Lapho uAnase emthumela kumPristi Omkhulu uKayafase, uPetru noJohane bayalandela beqhele ngokwanele, ngokusobala basabela ukuphila kwabo ngesikhathi esifanayo banokukhathazeka okujulile ngalokho okuzokwenzeka eNkosini yabo.

Lapho befika emzini omkhulu kaKayafase, uJohane uyaphumelela ukungena egcekeni, njengoba aziwa yilompristi omkhulu. Nokho, uPetru usele emi ngaphandle emnyango. Kodwa ngokushesha uJohane uyabuya futhi ukhuluma nomlindi-mnyango, oyincekukazi, futhi uPetru uyavunyelwa ukuba angene.

Sekumakhaza manje, futhi izikhonzi zendlu nezikhulu zompristi omkhulu zibase umlilo wamalahle. UPetru wotha kanye nazo kuyilapho esalinde umphumela wokuthethwa kwecala likaJesu. Lapho, ekukhanyeni komlilo, umlindi-mnyango ongenise uPetru umbona kahle. “Nawe ubunoJesu waseGalile,” ememeza.

Ecasulwe ukudalulwa, uPetru ukuphika phambi kwabo bonke ukuthi uyamazi uJesu. “ [Angimazi], yebo, angikuzwisisi okushoyo,” esho.

Kulokho, uPetru uphumela ngaphandle eduze kwesango. Lapho, enye intombazane iyamphawula futhi nayo ithi kulabo abami lapho: “Lona ubenoJesu waseNazaretha.” UPetru uyaphinda uyaphika, efunga: “Angimazi lowomuntu.”

UPetru uhlala egcekeni, ezama ukungabonakali ngangokunokwenzeka. Mhlawumbe kulomzuzu wethuswa ukukhala kweqhude ekuthatheni kokusa. Phakathi nalesosikhathi, ukuthethwa kwecala likaJesu kuyaqhubeka, ngokusobala kwenzelwa engxenyeni yendlu ephezu kwegceke. Akungabazeki ukuthi uPetru nabanye abalinde ngezansi bayababona ofakazi abahlukahlukene abalethwa ukuba bazofakaza bephuma bengena.

Sekuphele cishe ihora kusukela ekudalulweni kwamuva kukaPetru njengowayekade enoJesu. Manje idlanzana labami lapho liza kuye lithi: “Nempela nawe ungomunye wabo, ngokuba nokukhuluma kwakho kuyakudalula.” Omunye waleliqembu uyisihlobo sikaMalkusi, ondlebe yakhe uPetru ayinqumile. “Angikubonanga yini mina ensimini unaye na?” esho.

“Angimazi lowomuntu,” kusho uPetru efunga egomela. Eqinisweni, ngokuthuka nokufunga ngalendaba, empeleni eziqalekisa yena siqu uma engakhulumi iqiniso, uzama ukubabonisa ukuthi bonke banephutha.

Lapho nje uPetru ephika okwesithathu, iqhude liyakhala. Futhi kulowomzuzu, uJesu, lowo ngokusobala ophumele obala emphemeni ophezu kwegceke, uyaphenduka ambheke. Ngokushesha, uPetru ukhumbula lokho uJesu akushilo emahoreni ambalwa nje ngaphambili ekamelweni eliphezulu: “Iqhude lingakakhali kabili, uzakungiphika kathathu.” Esindwa umthwalo wesono sakhe, uPetru uphumela ngaphandle akhale kamunyu.

Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu? Ngemva kokuba eqiniseke kangaka ngokuqina kwakhe ngokomoya, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uPetru aphike iNkosi yakhe kathathu izikhathi ezilandelana eduze? Ngokungangabazeki izimo zimzumile uPetru. Iqiniso liyahlanekezelwa, futhi uJesu uvezwa njengeselelesi esibi. Okulungile kwenziwa kubonakale kungalungile, ongenacala wenziwa onecala. Ngakho-ke ngenxa yokucindezela kwalesikhathi, uPetru uyakhubeka. Ngokushesha umqondo wakhe ofanele wokwethembeka uyaphazamiseka; kuyamdabukisa ukuthi wehlulwe ukwesaba umuntu. Kwangathi lokho kungenzeke kithi! Mathewu 26:57, 58, 69-75; Marku 14:30, 53, 54, 66-72; Luka 22:54-62; Johane 18:15-18, 25-27.

▪ UPetru noJohane baphumelela kanjani ukungena egcekeni lompristi omkhulu?

▪ Ngesikhathi uPetru noJohane besegcekeni, kwenzekani endlini?

▪ Iqhude likhala kangaki, futhi uPetru ukuphika kangaki ukuthi uyamazi uKristu?

▪ Kusho ukuthini ukuthi uPetru uyathuka futhi afunge?

▪ Yini ebangela uPetru ukuba aphike ukuthi uyamazi uJesu?