“Izwi LikaJehova Laqhubeka Likhula”

1-4. Yisiphi isimo esinzima abhekene naso uPetru, futhi ubungazizwa kanjani ukube ubusesimweni sakhe?

KUZWAKALA umsindo wokugaklazeka kwesango elikhulu lensimbi njengoba livalela uPetru ngaphakathi. Uboshelwe kubaqaphi ababili abangamaRoma futhi bamyisa esitokisini. Ngemva kwalokho ulinda amahora amaningi, mhlawumbe izinsuku eziningi, elindele ukuzwa ukuthi iyozala nkomoni. Akukho okunye angakubuka ngaphandle kwezindonga nezinsimbi zejele, amaketanga ambophile kanye nabaqaphi.

² Kufika izindaba ezibuhlungu. INkosi uHerode Agripha I imfuna efile uPetru.a Empeleni, uPetru uzoyiswa kubantu ngemva kwePhasika, isigwebo sokuba abulawe siyoba yisipho sokujabulisa izixuku. Akukona ukumethusa ngenyoka efile lokhu. Omunye owayengumphostoli kanye noPetru—uJakobe—usanda kubulawa nguye lo mbusi.

³ Lobu ubusuku bangaphambi kokuba abulawe. Ucabangani uPetru njengoba esesitokisini esimnyama? Ingabe ukhumbula ukuthi eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili, uJesu wembula ukuthi uPetru wayeyoboshwa ayiswe lapho engathandi khona—ayobulawa? (Joh. 21:18, 19) Mhlawumbe uPetru uyazibuza ukuthi sesifikile yini leso sikhathi.

⁴ Ukube ubusesimweni sikaPetru, ubungazizwa kanjani? Abaningi bebengaphelelwa yithemba. Kepha kumlandeli oqotho kaJesu Kristu, sikhona yini isimo esiqeda ithemba ngempela? Singafundani endleleni uPetru namanye amaKristu asabela ngayo lapho eshushiswa? Asibone.

5, 6. (a) Kungani iNkosi uHerode Agripha I yahlasela ibandla lobuKristu futhi yalihlasela kanjani? (b) Kungani ukufa kukaJakobe kwakuwuvivinyo ebandleni?

⁵ Njengoba sifundile esahlukweni esandulele sale ncwadi, ukuguquka kukaKorneliyu ongumuntu weZizwe nomndeni wakhe kwalithokozisa kakhulu ibandla lobuKristu. Kodwa kumelwe ukuba amaJuda angakholwa ashaqeka uma ezwa ukuthi amaKristu amaningi angamaJuda ayesekhulekela ngenkululeko nabangemaJuda.

⁶ UHerode, isazi sezombusazwe esiyiqili, wabona ithuba lokuzincengela kumaJuda, ngakho waqala ukuphatha kabi amaKristu. Cishe wayezwile ukuthi umphostoli uJakobe wayekade esondelene kakhulu noJesu Kristu. Ngakho, uHerode “wabulala uJakobe umfowabo kaJohane ngenkemba.” (IzE. 12:2) Yeka ukuvivinywa kwebandla! UJakobe wayengomunye wabathathu ababebone ukuguqulwa kukaJesu isimo nezinye izimangaliso abangakhulumi ngazo abanye abaphostoli. (Math. 17:1, 2; Marku 5:37-42) UJesu wayebize uJakobe nomfowabo uJohane ngokuthi “amaDodana Okuduma” ngenxa yentshiseko yabo evuthayo. (Marku 3:17) Ngakho ibandla lalahlekelwa umphostoli othandekayo ongufakazi othembekile nonesibindi.

7, 8. Ibandla lasabela kanjani ekuboshweni kukaPetru?

⁷ Ukubulawa kukaJakobe kwawajabulisa amaJuda, njengoba nje ayehlosile u-Agripha. Esethole isibindi, wafuna uPetru. Njengoba kuchazwe ekuqaleni, wayala ukuba uPetru aboshwe. Kodwa cishe u-Agripha wayekhumbula ukuthi amatilongo ayebuye ahluleke ukugcina abaphostoli bengaphakathi, njengoba kuphawulwe eSahlukweni 5 sale ncwadi. UHerode akazange avule ntuba yokuphunyuka, wathi uPetru makaboshelwe kubaqaphi ababili, kunabaqaphi abangu-16 ababezomqapha bededelana ubusuku nemini ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi akaphunyuki lo mphostoli. Uma ayengaphunyuka, labo baqaphi babezothola isigwebo sikaPetru. Njengoba isimo sasibucayi kangaka, yini eyayingenziwa amaKristu ayekanye noPetru?

⁸ Ibandla lalikwazi kahle okwakumelwe likwenze. IzEnzo 12:5 zithi: “Ngakho uPetru wayegcinwe ejele, kodwa ibandla lalimthandazela kakhulu kuNkulunkulu.” Yebo, imithandazo yalo lithandazela umfowabo elimthandayo yayisuka ezinhliziyweni. Ukufa kukaJakobe kwakungabathenanga amandla; kungabenzanga nokuba babheke umthandazo njengento engabalulekile. Imithandazo isho lukhulu kuJehova. Uma ivumelana nentando yakhe, uyoyiphendula. (Heb. 13:18, 19; Jak. 5:16) Lesi yisifundo amaKristu namuhla okumelwe asifunde.

 9. Singafundani esibonelweni esabekwa amaKristu akanye noPetru endabeni yomthandazo?

⁹ Ingabe akhona amakholwa owaziyo akhungethwe yizilingo? Kungenzeka ukuthi akhuthazelela ukushushiswa, ukuvinjelwa ohulumeni, noma izinhlekelele zemvelo. Kungani ungawafaki emithandazweni yakho esuka enhliziyweni? Kungase kube nabanye obaziyo ababhekene nobunzima obungasheshi bubonakale, njengezinkinga zomndeni, ukudikibala, noma inselele ethile okholweni lwabo. Uma uzindla ngaphambi kokuthandaza, ungase ucabange ngabantu abaningana ongababiza ngamagama lapho ukhuluma noJehova, “olalela imithandazo.” (IHu. 65:2) Angithi nawe uyafuna ukuba abafowenu nodadewenu bakwenzele okufanayo lapho ubhekene nezikhathi ezinzima.

10, 11. Chaza indlela ingelosi kaJehova eyakhulula ngayo uPetru etilongweni.

¹⁰ Ingabe uPetru wayekhathazekile ngengozi ayelengela kuyo? Asiqiniseki, kodwa kulobo busuku bokugcina esetilongweni, wayelele zwi phakathi kwabaqaphi ababili ababengalele. Nakanjani le ndoda yokholo yayazi ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani ngakusasa, yayilondekile kuJehova. (Roma 14:7, 8) UPetru wayengazazi nhlobo izenzakalo ezimangalisayo ezase zizokwenzeka. Kungazelelwe, kwakhanya ukukhanya okuxhophayo esitokisini. Ingelosi yayimi lapho futhi yavusa uPetru ngokushesha, cishe abaqaphi babengayiboni. Amaketanga ayembophe izandla amane aqathaka—amaketanga ayebonakale engenakugqashuka!

¹¹ Ingelosi yanikeza uPetru imiyalo emifushane: “Vuka masinyane! . . . Gqoka ufake izimbadada zakho. . . . Gqoka ingubo yakho yangaphandle.” UPetru wakwenza ngokushesha lokhu. Ekugcineni, ingelosi yathi: ‘Ngilandele,’ uPetru wayilandela. Baphuma esitokisini, badlula phambi kwabaqaphi ababemi ngaphandle, baqonda kubhazabhaza wesango lensimbi bengabangi msindo. Babezophuma kanjani? Uma wamfikela lowo mbuzo uPetru, washeshe waphenduleka. Njengoba besondela esangweni, isango “lazivulekela ngokwalo.” Wathi ethi phapha uPetru, base bedlulile esangweni sebesemgwaqweni, ingelosi yayisinyamalala. Wasala lapho uPetru, kwaba yima kusa engqondweni ukuthi konke lokhu kwenzeke ngokoqobo. Kwakungewona umbono. Wayekhululeke ngempela!—IzE. 12:7-11.

12. Kungani kungasiduduza ukucabanga ngokukhulula kukaJehova uPetru?

¹² Akududuzi yini ukucabanga ngamandla kaJehova angenamkhawulo okusindisa izinceku zakhe? UPetru wayeboshwe inkosi eyayisekelwa uhulumeni onamandla kunayo yonke eyayike yaba khona emhlabeni. Noma kunjalo, uPetru waphuma etilongweni! Kuyavunywa, uJehova akazenzeli zonke izinceku zakhe izimangaliso ezinjalo. Akamenzelanga isimangaliso uJakobe; engamenzelanga noPetru kamuva lapho amazwi kaJesu ngalo mphostoli egcwaliseka. AmaKristu namuhla awalindeli ukukhululwa ngokuyisimangaliso. Yize kunjalo, siyakhumbula ukuthi uJehova akashintshile. (Mal. 3:6) Futhi maduze nje uzosebenzisa iNdodana yakhe ukuba ikhulule izigidigidi zabantu kuleliya tilongo elingadeli, ukufa. (Joh. 5:28, 29) Izithembiso ezinjalo zingaba induduzo enkulu lapho sibhekene nezilingo namuhla.

13-15. (a) Amalungu ebandla ayebuthene endlini kaMariya asabela kanjani ekufikeni kukaPetru? (b) Incwadi yezEnzo ibe isigxilaphi, kodwa uPetru waqhubeka eba naliphi ithonya kubafowabo nodadewabo abangokomoya?

¹³ UPetru wama emgwaqweni omnyama esacabanga ukuthi uzoyaphi. Wanquma. Eduze kwalapho, kwakuhlala owesifazane ongumKristu ogama lakhe nguMariya. Cishe uMariya wayengumfelokazi owayephila kahle, enendlu enkulu ngokwanele ukuba isetshenziswe yibandla. Wayengunina kaJohane Marku, okukhulunywa ngaye okokuqala encwadini yezEnzo futhi owagcina esefana nendodana kuPetru. (1 Pet. 5:13) Ngalobu busuku, abaningi kulelo bandla babesendlini kaMariya bethandaza ngobuqotho nakuba kwase kuhlwile impela. Akungabazeki ukuthi babethandazela ukuba uPetru akhululwe—kodwa babengayilindele impendulo kaJehova!

¹⁴ UPetru wangqongqoza emnyango wesango eliholela egcekeni eliphambi komuzi. Kweza intombazane eyinceku egama layo nguRoda—igama elijwayelekile lesiGreki elisho ukuthi “Rose.” Ayizange ikukholwe eyakuzwa. Kwakuyizwi likaPetru! Esikhundleni sokuvula isango, le ntombazane ejabulile yashiya uPetru emi emgwaqweni, yagijimela endlini, yazama ukuqinisekisa ibandla ukuthi nangu uPetru. Bathi iyahlanya, kodwa yayingeyona intombazane esheshe idele. Yagomela yathi kunjalo. Abanye, becabanga ukuthi iqinisile, basikisela ukuthi hleze yingelosi eyayimelela uPetru. (IzE. 12:12-15) Kwenzeka konke lokhu nje uPetru ulokhu engqongqoza, kwaze kwathi ekugcineni baya esangweni balivula.

¹⁵ Sebesesangweni, “bambona futhi bamangala”! (IzE. 12:16) Kwadingeka ukuba uPetru anqamule ubuwelewele babo benjabulo ukuze abalandise okwenzekile, abatshele ukuba bakudlulisele kumfundi uJakobe nabazalwane, abese ehamba ngaphambi kokuba amasosha kaHerode ambambe. UPetru wahamba waqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe yokwethembeka endaweni ephephile. Ngaphandle kweqhaza aba nalo ekuxazululweni kodaba lokusoka, njengoba kuvezwe encwadini yezEnzo isahluko 15, akube kusakhulunywa ngaye. Incwadi yezEnzo ibe isigxila emsebenzini nasohambweni lukamphostoli uPawulu. Nokho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uPetru waqinisa ukholo lwabafowabo nodadewabo nomaphi lapho ayehamba khona. Lapho eshiya lelo qembu elalisendlini kaMariya, akungatshazwa ukuthi lalijabule.

16. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi siyoba nezikhathi eziningi zokujabula esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁶ Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova unikeza izinceku zakhe okungaphezu kwezingakucabanga, zisale zeqiwa injabulo. Bazizwa kanjalo abafowabo nodadewabo bakaPetru abangokomoya ngalobo busuku. Nathi singazizwa kanjalo ngezikhathi ezithile lapho sithola izibusiso zikaJehova namuhla. (IzAga 10:22) Esikhathini esizayo siyobona zonke izithembiso zikaJehova zigcwaliseka embulungeni yonke. Ukugcwaliseka kwazo okukhazimulayo kuyoyedlula nakanjani noma yini esingase siyicabange namuhla. Ngakho, uma nje sihlala sithembekile, siyojabulela izikhathi eziningi ezimnandi esikhathini esizayo.

17, 18. Yini eyenza isixuku sathopha uHerode?

¹⁷ Ukuphunyuka kukaPetru kwamethusa noHerode—kepha-ke yena akumjabulisanga. Masinyane wakhipha umyalo wokuba acingwe, wayesethi abaqaphi bakaPetru abaphenywe. ‘Bathathwa bayojeziswa,’ cishe babulawa. (IzE. 12:19) UHerode Agripha wayengenaso neze isihawu nesihe. Ingabe yajeziswa kodwa le ndoda enonya olungaka?

¹⁸ Kungenzeka ukuthi u-Agripha wazizwa ehlazekile ngokwehluleka kwakhe ukubulala uPetru, kodwa kwasheshe kwabuya ukuqhosha kwakhe. Kwaba nomcimbi okwakuzothi kuwo izitha zakhe ezithile zicele ukuthula, futhi cishe wayejahile ukwethula inkulumo phambi kwezindimbane zabantu. ULuka wabika ukuthi lapho kulungiselelwa lokhu, “uHerode wagqoka izingubo zasebukhosini.” Isazimlando esingumJuda uJosephus sithi isembatho sikaHerode sasenziwe ngesiliva, okwakwenza ukuba lapho inkosi ihlatshwa ukukhanya, kube sengathi iyakhazimula. Lesi sazi sezombusazwe esiqhoshayo sabe sesethula inkulumo yaso. Isixuku esizama ukuzincengela samemeza: “Yizwi likankulunkulu, akulona elomuntu!”—IzE. 12:20-22.

19, 20. (a) Kungani uJehova ajezisa uHerode? (b) Indaba yokufa kukaHerode Agripha ngokuzumayo isiduduza kanjani?

¹⁹ Inkazimulo enjalo kwakungekaNkulunkulu, futhi uNkulunkulu wayebukele! UHerode wayenalo ithuba lokugwema inhlekelele. Wayengasikhuza isixuku noma okungenani asiphikise. Esikhundleni salokho, lesi saga sagcwaliseka ngokoqobo kuye: “Ukuzidla kwandulela ukuphahlazeka.” (IzAga 16:18) “Ngaso leso sikhathi ingelosi kaJehova yamshaya,” lafa ngendlela enyanyekayo leli govu elizikhukhumezayo. UHerode “wadliwa izibungu wafa.” (IzE. 12:23) UJosephus waphawula nokuthi u-Agripha washaywa kungalindelekile, wabe esenezela nokuthi inkosi yaphetha ngokuthi yayifa ngoba yamukelé ukuthopha kwesixuku. UJosephus wabhala ukuthi kwaphela izinsuku ezinhlanu u-Agripha ekulesi simo ngaphambi kokuba afe.b

²⁰ Ngezinye izikhathi kungase kubonakale sengathi abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu benza zonke izinhlobo zobubi kepha bangajeziswa. Akufanele kusimangaze lokhu ngoba “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Joh. 5:19) Noma kunjalo, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngezinye izikhathi ziyakhathazeka lapho ababi bebonakala bephunyuka esijezisweni. Lokhu kungesinye sezizathu ezenza kududuze ukulandisa okunjengalokhu. Kunjengokungathi sibona uJehova engenela, ekhumbuza zonke izinceku zakhe ukuthi ungumthandi wobulungisa. (IHu. 33:5) Ubulungisa bakhe buzogcina bunqobile.

21. Yisiphi isifundo esiyinhloko esisencwadini yezEnzo isahluko 12, futhi kungani singase sisiduduze namuhla?

²¹ Lokhu kulandisa kuphetha ngesifundo esikhuthaza ngisho nakakhulu: “Izwi likaJehova laqhubeka likhula futhi lisakazeka.” (IzE. 12:24) Lo mbiko wentuthuko yokusakazeka komsebenzi wokushumayela ungase usikhumbuze indlela uJehova awubusise ngayo lo msebenzi ezikhathini zanamuhla. Ngokusobala, ukulandisa okusencwadini yezEnzo isahluko 12 akukona nje kuphela okokufa komphostoli othile nokokuphunyuka komunye. Kuphathelene noJehova nokubhuntshisa kwakhe imizamo kaSathane yokuchitha ibandla lobuKristu nokumisa umsebenzi walo wokushumayela ngentshiseko. Leyo mizamo yabhuntsha, njengoba nje wonke amaqhinga anjalo ezobhuntsha. (Isaya 54:17) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abantu abangakuJehova noJesu Kristu bayingxenye yomsebenzi ongasoze wabhuntsha. Akukhuthazi yini lokho? Yeka ilungelo esinalo lokusiza ekusakazeni “izwi likaJehova” namuhla!