1. Kwasekutheni uPhetro aze abone angathi umhlaba usumhlanekele?

UPHETRO wayengeke alikhohlwe ilanga leliya amehlo akhe etshayisana lawenkosi yakhe. Yamkhangela ngelihlo elaliveza ukudana yini kumbe elalimsola? Asingeke sitsho ngoba iBhayibhili liphonguthi ‘iNkosi yaphenduka yamkhangela nta uPhetro.’ (Luk. 22:61) Kodwa uJesu wathi emuthi jeqe, uPhetro wahle wazibonela ukuthi wayeseyipheke ilempondo. Wananzelela ukuthi wayesanda kwenza yona kanye into uJesu ayeyitshilo, eseyihlinzele ezibini njengengcuba iNkosi yakhe ayeyithanda. Okwakubuhlungu yikuthi wayephike wemba phansi esithi wayengeke wafa wakwenza lokho. Mhlalokho wezwa angathi umhlaba umhlanekele, wamlahlela le!

2. Yisiphi isifundo uPhetro okwakumele asifunde, njalo indaba yakhe ingasisiza ngani thina?

² Kodwa kayize yathi ingakhaba isiganu ibulawe. Phela uPhetro wayeyindoda eyayilokholo oluqinileyo. Yikho wayeseselalo ithuba lokuthi alungisise amaphutha akhe njalo afunde isifundo esiqakathekileyo kuJesu. Isifundo leso sasiphathelane lokuthethelela. Sonke kumele sifunde ukuthethelela. Ngakho-ke kasiyilondeni indaba kaPhetro sibone imiqanso lemigoqo ahlangana layo.

3, 4. (a) UPhetro wambuza wathini uJesu, njalo kungenzeka wayecabangani? (b) UJesu wakuveza njani ukuthi uPhetro wayesengenwe ngumkhuhlane owawusumemethekile ngalezonsuku?

³ Kusasele izinyanga eziyisithupha ukuthi kwenzakale okukhulunywe endimeni yokuqala, uPhetro wayekibo eKhaphenawume. Walanda uJesu wambuza wathi: “Nkosi, umfowethu ngizamthethelela kangaki nxa elokhu engona na? Kuze kube kakhombisa na?” Kumele ukuthi uPhetro wayecabanga ukuthi yena wayelenhliziyo ende. Phela abakhokheli benkolo bangalesosikhathi babefundisa ukuthi umuntu uxolelwa kathathu kuphela. Kodwa uJesu wathi: “Ngithi, hatshi kakhombisa, kodwa okwezikhathi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lesikhombisa.”—Mat. 18:21, 22.

⁴ Kambe wayesitsho ukuthi uPhetro kwasekumele ahlale ebala  ukuthi umuntu umonele kangaki? Hatshi. Nxa wayesithi ka-77 hatshi ka-7, wayetshengisa ukuthi umuntu olothando kabali ukuthi usexolele kangaki. (1 Khor. 13:4, 5) Abantu abanengi ngalezonsuku babelenhliziyo ezilukhuni bengathetheleli, kungathi babhala ebhukwini lezikwelede nxa umuntu ebaphambanisa. UJesu waveza ukuthi loPhetro wayesengenwe ngumkhuhlane lo. Kodwa umuntu olingisela uNkulunkulu uhlala ethethelela ngenhliziyo yonke.—Bala u-1 Johane 1:7-9.

5. Singakuzwisisa sekutheni ukuthi ukuthethelela kuqakathekile?

⁵ UPhetro kazange abambe inkani. Kodwa lokho ayesekufundile wayekuzwisisile yini? Phela kwezinye izikhathi sikuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi ukuxolela kuqakathekile nxa lathi sesenze isono esikhulu, sesifuna ukuthi abanye basithethelele. Yikho-ke ake sibuyele lapho indaba yethu eqale khona, sizwe ukuthi kwenzakalani uJesu esezabulawa. UPhetro wenza amaphutha amanengi iNkosi yakhe okwakumele imthethelele wona lanxa yayisebunzimeni.

6. UPhetro wenzani lapho uJesu efuna ukufundisa abaphostoli ukuthi kwakumele bathobeke, kodwa uJesu wamphatha njani?

⁶ Kwasekuhlwile, uJesu elabafundi bakhe. Kwakusesekunengi okwakumele abafundise khona njengoba kusisa wayezabulawa. Okunye abafundisa khona yikuthi kwakufanele bathobeke. Wathi kahle abagezise izinyawo, umsebenzi owawujayele ukwenziwa yizichaka. UPhetro waqala wakusola lokhu, ngemva kwalokho wala ukugeziswa izinyawo, kodwa wacina esithi kamgezise konke lezandla kanye lekhanda. UJesu kazange aphelelwe yisineke. Wamchasisela kuhlekuhle ukuthi ayefuna ukukwenza kwakuqakatheke ngani njalo kusitshoni.—Joh. 13:1-17.

7, 8. (a) UPhetro waphinda wamonela njani uJesu? (b) UJesu waqhubeka etshengisa njani ukuthi wayelomusa futhi ethethelela?

⁷ Kusanda nje kwenzakala lokho, uPhetro waphinda wagxanguza. Kwavuka ingxabano kwathunqa uthuli yena labo bonke abaphostoli bephikisana ngokuthi ngubani owayemkhulu phakathi kwabo. Lokhu kwakuyikuzikhukhumeza okuyangisayo sibili. Loba kunjalo, uJesu wabakhuza ngesineke waze wabancoma ngokuthi babengazange bamlahle kumnyama kubomvu. Kodwa wabatshela lokuthi babezamtshiya. UPhetro wala esithi wayezakuthi nama kuye loba ukufa ekukhangele kusiza. Kodwa uJesu waphrofetha ukuthi iqhude lingakakhali kabili ngalobobusuku, uPhetro wayezamphika kathathu. UPhetro wamphikisa, waze wazitshaya isifuba esithi kwakuzakhanya ukuthi yena wayethembekile kulabanye abaphostoli!—Mat. 26:31-35; Mak. 14:27-31; Luk. 22:24-28; Joh. 13:36-38.

⁸ UJesu wacaphuka yini wamthela umoya? Hatshi. Lanxa wayesebunzimeni  waqhubeka ekhangela okuhle kubaphostoli bakhe ababesenza amaphutha. Wayekwazi ukuthi uPhetro wayezamphekela ezilamatshe, kodwa wathi kuye: “Kodwa sengikukhulekele wena, Simoni, ukuthi ukholo lwakho lungehluleki. Akubokuthi nxa usubuyile kimi uqinise abafowenu.” (Luk. 22:32) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi wayengakuthandabuzi ukuthi lanxa uPhetro wayezakuwa, wayezavuka aqhubeke ekhonza uNkulunkulu ethembekile. UJesu wayelomusa njalo ethethelela sibili!

9, 10. (a) UPhetro wakhuzwa sekutheni ngesikhathi besesivandeni saseGetsemane? (b) Amaphutha kaPhetro asikhumbuzani?

⁹ Sebesesivandeni saseGetsemane, uPhetro waphinda wakhuzwa kanengi. UJesu wacela ukuthi uPhetro loJakhobe kanye loJohane bahlale belindile ngesikhathi yena ethandaza. Wayedabuke kakhulu enhliziyweni efuna abantu abangamsekela, kodwa uPhetro labosowabo bajunywa yibuthongo kanengi. UJesu wabazwisisa wabaxolela, wasesithi: “Umoya uyathanda, kodwa umzimba ubuthakathaka.”—Mak. 14:32-41.

¹⁰ Ngesikhatshana nje kwatheleka ixuku lingasadlanga nkotshana lithwele izibane, lihlome ngezinkemba langezinduku. Abafundi kwakumele bahlakaniphe bangawalazeli. Lanxa kunjalo, uPhetro wathanca, watsho egalela inceku yomphristi omkhulu ngenkemba ekhanda, wadlula lendlebe. UJesu wamkhuza kuhle, welapha inceku le okwakuthiwa nguMalikhusi wasechasisa isimiso lathi okufanele sisilandele esokuthi abalandeli bakhe akumelanga balwe. (Mat. 26:47-55; Luk. 22:47-51; Joh. 18:10, 11) UJesu wayesemxolele kanengi uPhetro. Lokhu kusikhumbuza ukuthi sonke sihlala siphambanisa. (Bala uJakhobe 3:2.) Kambe ukhona ongathi yena kakudingi ukuthethelelwa nguJehova nsuku zonke? Kodwa okukaPhetro kwakungakapheli. Yayikhona isazowuchitha umuthi inkonyane.

11, 12. (a) UJesu esebotshiwe, kwakhanya njani ukuthi uPhetro wayengayisilo gwala? (b) UPhetro wakwenza yini ayekutshilo? Chaza.

¹¹ UJesu wabonisana lexuku lelo walitshela ukuthi nxa babedinga yena, kwakumele bayekele abaphostoli bakhe bazihambele. UJesu wabotshwa uPhetro ebukele kungelanto angayenza. Yena labanye abaphostoli bahle bathi nyawo mbeletha, basibathela.

¹² UPhetro loJohane bama endleleni, mhlawumbe sebeseduze komuzi ka-Anasi owayekade enguMphristi Omkhulu, lapho uJesu aqala wayathonisiswa khona. Kwathi sebemqhuba bemsusa lapho, uPhetro loJohane balandela ‘behambela kude.’ (Mat. 26:58; Joh. 18:12, 13) UPhetro wayengayisilo gwala. Wayelesibindi, kwazise kayilandelwa emlindini wayo. Phela ixuku labantu ayelilandela lalihlome liphelele njalo wayeselimaze omunye wabo. Lanxa walandela,  kazange abe lesibindi sokwenza ayekutshilo. Wayethe wayezakuba lothando oluqotho, afe leNkosi yakhe nxa sekumele kufiwe.—Mak. 14:31.

13. Kumele simlandele njani uKhristu?

¹³ Lalamuhla abanengi besaba amehlo abantu. Balandela uKhristu ‘behambela kude’ njengoPhetro. Kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi, uPhetro waloba ukuthi umuntu ofuna ukulandela uKhristu kumele ahambele eduze kwakhe, amlingisele kukho konke lanxa kunzima.—Bala u-1 Phetro 2:21.

14. UPhetro wayesenzani ebusuku ngesikhathi uJesu ethonisiswa?

¹⁴ Walandela-ke uPhetro ebucwala waze wayafika esangweni lenkalakatha yomuzi eJerusalema. Kwakungumuzi kaKhefase, umphristi omkhulu owayenothile futhi engumhlonitshwa. Imizi emikhulu njengale yayisiba legceke phakathi, elalingenwa ngesango. UPhetro wathi efika esangweni lomuzi, bamalisa ukungena. Kodwa uJohane yena wayesephakathi ngoba wayesazana loKhefase. Yikho wacela umlindi ukuthi angenise loPhetro. Kukhanya angathi uPhetro esengenile, wehlukana loJohane njalo kazange angene endlini lapho iNkosi yakhe eyayithonisiswa khona. Wahlala egumeni lapho izinceku lezincekukazi ezazikhona zibase umlilo wekhanka ngoba kwakuqanda kusebusuku. Wababukela-ke abantu ababezofakaza amanga ngoJesu bengena bephuma lapho ayethonisiswa khona kungathi zimpolompolo.—Mak. 14:54-57; Joh. 18:15, 16, 18.

15, 16. Chasisa ukuthi sagcwaliseka njani isiphrofetho sikaJesu sokuthi uPhetro wayezamphika kathathu.

¹⁵ Incekukazi eyayingenise uPhetro esangweni yamnanzelela ngoba khathesi basebesemlilweni, sekukhanya. Intombazana le yathi kuye ngelensolo: “Lawe njalo wawuloJesu waseGalile.” Wethuka uPhetro, wala walandula esithi kamazi lowo Jesu, waze wathi kezwa lokuthi yayikhuluma ngani. Wasuka-ke wayakuma duze lesango, ezama ukucatsha. Kodwa wabonwa ngenye futhi intombazana, layo yathi: “Umfokazi lo wayeloJesu waseNazaretha.” UPhetro wala wafunga wathi: “Kangiyazi indoda leyo!” (Mat. 26:69-72; Mak. 14:66-68) Mhlawumbe ngesikhathi leso walizwa iqhude likhala, kodwa wayesephithene ikhanda okokuthi kazange akukhumbule ukuthi ngalelolanga uJesu wayetshilo ukuthi uzamphika.

¹⁶ UPhetro wayelokhu enqwethanqwetha engafuni bambone. Loba kunjalo, walandwa lihlekana labantu ababesegcekeni lomuzi. Omunye wabo wayeyisinini sikaMalikhusi, inceku leya uPhetro ayeyilimazile. Umuntu lo wathi kuye: “Kangikubonanga yini ulaye esivandeni sama-oliva na?” UPhetro wabona ukuthi impilo yakhe yayisilenga ngomnxeba. Yikho wala efunga, mhlawumbe esithi yena uqalekisiwe nxa kuyikuthi wayehutshuza amanga. Wayesemphike  kathathu uJesu. Esanda nje kulithi nkente lelo, wezwa iqhude selikhala okwesibili.—Joh. 18:26, 27; Mak. 14:71, 72.

17, 18. (a) UPhetro wenzani esenanzelele ukuthi wayeseyilahlisile iNkosi yakhe? (b) UPhetro wayengabe esecabangani?

¹⁷ UJesu wayesanda kuphuma endlini, esesevulandini elalikhangelane legceke lomuzi. Kulapho-ke okwenzakala esikhulume ngakho kundima yokuqala. Amehlo akhe atshayisana lakaPhetro. Kwasa gelekenqe kuPhetro, wananzelela ukuthi wayeseyilahlisile iNkosi yakhe. Waphuma egcekeni lomuzi simhwahwatha isazela, nango eqonda emgwaqweni. Phandle inyanga yayigcwele, kukhanya lanxa yayisisiyatshona. Wabuzwa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni kwala ukuthi azibambe, inyembezi sezisenkopheni. Zathi wohlo zodwa, wasiqhinqa isililo.—Mak. 14:72; Luk. 22:61, 62.

¹⁸ Nxa umuntu esewonile, angacabanga ukuthi isono sakhe sikhulu kakhulu okokuthi kasoze wafa wathethelelwa. Engxenye loPhetro yikho ayesekucabanga. Pho uJesu wamxolela yini?

19. Kumele ukuthi uPhetro wayesizwa njani ngephutha ayelenzile, kodwa sikwazi njani ukuthi kazange alahle ithemba?

¹⁹ Kwasa uPhetro esenzikini yosizi. Akucabange ukuthi wayesizwa ubuhlungu obunganani ebona okwakusenzakala kuJesu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wazithonisisa esazithonisisa ebona iNkosi yakhe isifa ngemva kokuhlukuluzwa okwamahora amanengi. Kufanele ukuthi yafutha inhliziyo ecabanga ngobuhlungu ayebuzwise iNkosi yakhe yona ivele iphakathi kosizi njengoba yayisizabulawa. Lanxa uPhetro wayesembeswe yinkungu yosizi, kazange alahle ithemba. Sikwazi njani? IBhayibhili lithi kungakabi lesikhathi eside kwenzakale umonakalo lo, wabuthana labanye abafundi bakaJesu. (Luk. 24:33) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi bonke abaphostoli babeduduzana futhi bezisola ngababekwenzile ngobusuku uJesu abotshwa ngabo.

20. Okuhle uPhetro akwenzayo kusifundisani?

²⁰ Siyabona-ke ukuthi kukhona okuhle uPhetro akwenzayo. Sifunda ukuthi nxa inceku kaNkulunkulu ingenza loba yisiphi isono, okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi ingabhazalali kodwa ivuke ilwise ukulungisa iphutha layo. (Bala iZaga 24:16.) Kwakhanya ukuthi uPhetro wayelokholo oluqinileyo ngoba wahlala eseduze labazalwane bakhe lanxa wayehlulukelwe. Nxa umuntu esosizini kumbe  edliwa yisazela, angabona angathi kungcono ukuba ngunkomo idla yodwa kodwa lokhu kuyingozi. (Zaga. 18:1, NW) Kumele sihlale siseduze labazalwane bethu ukuze sithole amandla okuqhubeka sikhonza.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

21. Yiziphi indaba uPhetro azizwa ngesikhathi elabazalwane bakhe?

²¹ UPhetro wathi elokhu elabazalwane bakhe, wezwa indaba ezatshiya bonke bethithibele. Batshelwa ukuthi isidumbu sikaJesu sasingasekho ethuneni. UPhetro loJohane bagijima besiya engcwabeni lelo elalikade livalwe ngelitshe. UJohane wafika kuqala ngoba kukhanya yena wayesesemutsha. Wathola ithuna lithe gengelezi, wathikaza ukungena. UPhetro-ke? Lanxa wayesekhefuzela edinwe efile, wazithela phakathi. Lakanye kwakubetha umoya!—Joh. 20:3-9.

22. Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uPhetro atshwaphuluke lanxa ekuqaliseni wayedanile njalo ethandabuza?

²² Abanye abesifazana ababethembekile babika kuPhetro labanye abafundi ukuthi babebone izingilosi zabatshela ukuthi uJesu wayesevusiwe. (Luk. 23:55–24:11) UPhetro wakukholwa yini lokho? Kukhanya waqala ethandabuza. Kodwa lathi selisiyatshona elamhlalokho, konke ukudana lokuthandabuza kwakhe kwasekunyamalele samazolo azwe ilanga. UJesu wayesevukile, eseyisidalwa somoya esilamandla! Wabonakala kubaphostoli bakhe bonke. Kodwa waqala wabonakala kuPhetro. Kumele ukuthi umphostoli lo wayeyedwa. Ngalelolanga abaphostoli bathi: “Kuliqiniso! INkosi isivukile yabonakala kuSimoni.” (Luk. 24:34) USimoni kwakungelinye ibizo likaPhetro. Ngemva kweminyaka umphostoli uPhawuli laye waloba ukuthi uJesu ‘wabonakala kuPhetro, njalo muva kwabalitshumi lambili.’—1 Khor. 15:5.

23. Kungani kufanele umKhristu akhumbule indaba kaPhetro nxa angenza isono?

²³ IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi kwenzakalani sibisibili lapho uJesu ebonana loPhetro. Engxenye uPhetro wayesengathi lithole elimunyayo libona unina. Phela wayeselethuba lokuyixolisa iNkosi yakhe ayeyithanda, ibone ukuthi wayezisola. Ayekufuna ukwedlula konke yikuthethelelwa. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJesu wamxolela ngenhliziyo emhlophe. Nxa umKhristu angenza isono kumele akhumbule indaba kaPhetro. Akumelanga azitshele ukuthi wone kakhulu okokuthi uNkulunkulu ngeke amthethelele. UJesu ulingisela uYise ‘othethelela ngesihle.’—Isaya. 55:7.

24, 25. (a) Chaza ukuthi kwenzakalani ebusuku uPhetro egola inhlanzi eLwandle lwaseGalile. (b) UPhetro wenzani ebona isimangaliso uJesu asenza kusisa?

²⁴ UJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi baye eGalile lapho ayezabathola khona. Bathi befika uPhetro wathi kahle ayegola inhlanzi  eLwandle LwaseGalile. Abanye bahamba laye. UPhetro wayesesendaweni ayesebenze kuyo okweminyaka. Kufanele ukuthi nxa wayebambabamba amanetha njalo ebona lamagagasi ekhwela esehla, wayechelesa akhumbule kudala kwakhe. Bazama ukuzigola inhlanzi ngalobobusuku kodwa bakha phansi.—Mat. 26:32; Joh. 21:1-3.

²⁵ Sekusemathathakusa, babona nanguya umuntu ekhunjini lolwandle. Wabamemeza wathi kabaphosele amanetha abo kwelinye icele lesikepe. Lakanye benza njalo, babamba inhlanzi ezingu-153! UPhetro wahle wananzelela ukuthi umuntu lo kwakunguJesu. Yikho waphanga wehla esikepeni, wabhukutsha esiya ekhunjini. Labanye  abafundi bathi sebefikile ekhunjini, uJesu wabapha inhlanzi ayezipheke emalahleni. Kodwa umuntu axoxa laye kakhulu nguPhetro.—Joh. 21:4-14.

26, 27. (a) Kuyini uJesu akubuza uPhetro kathathu? (b) Kuyini okwatshengisa ukuthi uJesu wayemthethelele uPhetro?

²⁶ UJesu wabuza uPhetro ukuthi wayemthanda yini “ukwedlula lezi,” mhlawumbe ekhombela inhlanzi ezinengi ezazilapho. Ayekubuza yikuthi wayethanda ibhizimusi lakhe yini ukwedlula yena. UPhetro wayemphike kathathu uJesu, yikho laye wamnika ithuba lokuthi akutsho kathathu phambi kwabanye ukuthi wayemthanda sibili. Wavuma ukuthi wayemthanda, uJesu wasemtshela ukuthi kwakumele akuveze njani lokho. Wathi kwakufanele aqakathekise inkonzo ukwedlula konke, ondle izimvu esitsho abalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo, abaqinise njalo abeluse.—Luk. 22:32; Joh. 21:15-17, NW.

²⁷ UJesu wakucacisa ukuthi uPhetro wayelokhu eligugu kuye lakuYise. Wamnika umsebenzi oqakathekileyo okwakufanele awenze ebandleni. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi wayemthethelele sibili. Kufanele ukuthi uPhetro wathokoza, wahlala ekhumbula ukuthi iNkosi yakhe yayimzwele isihawu.

28. Lalimfanele yini ibizo uPhetro alinikwa nguJesu? Chaza.

²⁸ UPhetro waqhubeka esenza umsebenzi ayewuphathisiwe okweminyaka eminengi. Wenza khona kanye iNkosi yakhe eyayimlaye khona ngelanga izavuka ibulawa, waqinisa abafowabo. Wabelusa ngesineke abalandeli bakaKhristu njalo wabondla. UJesu wayevele emnike ibizo elithi Phetro elitsho iDwala. Lalimfanele sibili ngoba ukholo lwakhe lwaluqine sadwala, ethembekile futhi esiza ababesebandleni ukuthi benze okulungileyo. Izincwadi ezimbili eziseBhayibhilini azibhalela abafowabo ziyakuveza ukuthi wayebakhathalela. Zitshengisa lokuthi kazange asilibale isifundo uJesu amfundisa sona esasiphathelane lokuthethelela.—Bala u-1 Phetro 3:8, 9; 4:8.

29. Singamlingisela njani uPhetro kanye leNkosi yakhe eyayilesihawu?

²⁹ Indaba le isifundisani ngokuthethelela? Kuqakathekile ukuthi simcele nsuku zonke uNkulunkulu ukuthi asixolele njengoba sihlala sisona. Nxa esesithethelele, akufanelanga siqhubeke sizithonisisa njalo kumele singathandabuzi ukuthi uyasamukela. Kanti njalo kumele sibaxolele abanye. Nxa sisenza konke lokhu, siyabe silingisela uPhetro kanye leNkosi yakhe eyayilesihawu.