UPetru Uphika UJesu

Ngaphezu kokuba uJesu eboshiwe ensimini yaseGetsemane, abaphostoli bayamshiya, babaleke ngenxa yokwesaba. Kodwa ababili bayayeka ukubaleka babuyele emuva. Laba ababili, uPetru “nomunye umfundi,” ngokusobala umphostoli uJohane. (Johane 18:15; 19:35; 21:24) Kungenzeka bamfice uJesu njengoba eyiswe emzini ka-Anase. Njengoba u-Anase eyisa uJesu kuMpristi Ophakeme uKayafase, uPetru noJohane bayalandela bekude. Kungenzeka basabela ukuphila kwabo futhi bakhathazekile ngalokho okuzokwenzeka eNkosini yabo.

Umpristi ophakeme uyamazi uJohane, ngakho uyayithola imvume yokungena egcekeni elisemzini kaKayafase. UPetru usala ngaphandle kuze kube yilapho uJohane ebuya, amcelele entombazaneni eyisikhonzi egade esangweni. Ngakho bayamvumela uPetru ukuba angene.

Amakhaza ashubisa umnkatsha kulobu busuku, ngakho laba abasegcekeni botha umlilo. UPetru uhlala nabo othe ukuze afudumale njengoba elinde ‘ukubona isiphetho’ secala likaJesu. (Mathewu 26:58) Manje, njengoba kukhanya umlilo, intombazane engenise uPetru imbukisisa kahle. Iyambuza: “Awuyena yini omunye wabafundi balo muntu?” (Johane 18:17) Akuyona kuphela ebona uPetru futhi emsola ngokuthi ubenoJesu.—Mathewu 26:69, 71-73; Marku 14:70.

Lokhu kumcasula kakhulu uPetru. Uyacasha azame ngisho nokuphuma. UPetru uyaphika ukuthi ubenoJesu, aze athi: “Angimazi futhi angazi ukuthi ukhuluma ngani.” (Marku 14:67, 68) Uqala “ukuqalekisa nokufunga,” okubonisa ukuthi uzimisele ukuzibophezela ukuthi amazwi akhe ayiqiniso nokuthi uzimisele ukubhekana nomphumela uma engelona.—Mathewu 26:74.

Kusenjalo, icala likaJesu liyaqhubeka engxenyeni yendlu kaKayafase engaphezu kwegceke. UPetru nabanye abalinde ngezansi bayakwazi ukubona abantu abazonikeza ubufakazi bephuma bengena.

Indlela kaPetru yokukhuluma njengowaseGalile, iyamveza ukuthi unamanga. Ngaphezu kwalokho, oyedwa kuleli qembu uhlobene noMalkusi, lowo uPetru amsuse indlebe. Ngakho bayaqhubeka nokumsola uPetru bathi: “Ngikubonile ensimini ukanye naye, akunjalo?” Lapho uPetru ephika uJesu okwesithathu, iqhude liyakhala, njengoba kwakubikezelwe.—Johane 13:38; 18:26, 27.

Njengoba lokhu kwenzeka, cishe uJesu umi kuvulandi ubuka lokhu okwenzekayo egcekeni. INkosi iyaphenduka, ibuke ngqo uPetru emehlweni, kuphele nasozwaneni kuye. Ukhumbula lokho okushiwo uJesu emahoreni ambalwa edlule lapho besekamelweni eliphezulu. Cabanga indlela uPetru okumqeda ngayo amandla lapho ebona ukuthi sekwenzeka lokho uJesu akushilo! UPetru uphumela ngaphandle akhale ezimathonsi.—Luka 22:61, 62.

Yenzeke kanjani lento? Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uPetru—owayeqiniseka kangaka ukuthi unokholo oluqinile futhi uqotho—aphike iNkosi yakhe? Iqiniso liyaphendukezelwa, futhi uJesu uvezwa njengomgulukudu wesigebengu. UPetru ujikele Lowo “onamazwi okuphila okuphakade” esikhundleni sokumvikela njengongenacala.—Johane 6:68.

Le ndaba kaPetru ebuhlungu iveza ukuthi nomuntu onokholo oluqinile nozinikele angawa uma engakulungele kahle ukubhekana novivinyo noma izilingo. Kwangathi okwenzeka kuPetru kungaba yisixwayiso kuzo zonke izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu!