1, 2. (a) Yintoni ezazifuna ukuyazi ezinye iinkokeli zonqulo, ibe uPetros waziphendula wathini? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Yintoni eyenza uPetros waba nesibindi ngeso sihlandlo?

KWIINTSUKU nje ezimbalwa uYesu efile, umpostile uPetros wadibana neqela eloyikekayo lamadoda anomsindo. Yayiziinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda ezinamandla—kanye eziya zazenze iyelenqe lokubulala uYesu. La madoda ayefun’ intw’ apha. Kaloku uPetros wayephilise indoda eyayisisiqhwala ukususela ekuzalweni kwayo, ibe ngoku ayefuna ukwazi ukuba uPetros uyiphilise ngamandla okanye ngegama likabani. Lo mpostile waphendula ngesibindi wathi: “Egameni likaYesu Kristu umNazarete, enambethelelayo kodwa uThixo wamvusa kwabafileyo, kungaye lo athe lo mntu wema apha phambi kwenu ephilile.”—IZe. 4:5-10.

² Ngaphambilana, uPetros wayeye wakhanyela uYesu kathathu ngenxa yokoyika. (Marko 14:66-72) Yintoni ngoku eyamenza waba nesibindi phambi kwezi nkokeli zonqulo? Ewe kona umoya oyingcwele wamnceda, kodwa ke noPetros wayeqinisekile ukuba uYesu uvusiwe. Yintoni eyayimenza aqiniseke kangaka lo mpostile ukuba uYesu uyaphila? Ibe yintoni enokusenza nathi siqiniseke?

3, 4. (a) Ziziphi iziganeko zokuvuswa kwabantu ezenzeka ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwabapostile bakaYesu? (b) Ngoobani abavuswa nguYesu?

³ Into yokuba abafi bayakwazi ukuphinda bavuke yayingekho  ntsha kubapostile bakaYesu; bakho abantu abavuswayo kwangaphambi kokuba bona bazalwe. Babesazi ukuba uThixo wakha wanika umprofeti uEliya noElisha amandla okwenza imimangaliso elolo hlobo. (1 Kum. 17:17-24; 2 Kum. 4:32-37) Eny’ indoda eyayifile yavuka xa isidumbu sayo saphoswa engcwabeni saza sachukumisa amathambo kaElisha. (2 Kum. 13:20, 21) AmaKristu okuqala ayezikholelwa ezi ngxelo ziseZibhalweni, njengokuba nathi sikholelwa ukuba iLizwi likaThixo liyinyaniso.

⁴ Nathi siyakhuthazeka xa sifunda iingxelo zabantu abavuswa nguYesu. Xa wavusa unyana womhlolokazi ekuphela kwakhe, umele ukuba loo mhlolokazi wamangaliswa. (Luka 7:11-15) Ngesiny’ isihlandlo, uYesu wavusa intwazana eyayineminyaka eyi-12. Khawuthelekelele nje indlela abavuya nabamangaliseka ngayo abazali xa intombi yabo yavuswayo! (Luka 8:49-56) Ibe bamele ukuba bachukumiseka nyhani abantu ababebukele xa uLazaro waphuma engcwabeni ephila kwaye engabikwa hlaba!—Yoh. 11:38-44.

5. Uvuko lukaYesu lwalahluke njani kuvuko lwabantu bangaphambi kwakhe?

⁵ Abapostile babesazi ukuba uvuko lukaYesu lwalahlukile kwiziganeko zovuko ezingaphambili. Abantu ababevuswe ngaphambili babevuke benemizimba yenyama baza baphinda bafa. UYesu wavuswa enomzimba womoya ongenakufa. (Funda iZenzo 13:34.) UPetros wathi uYesu ‘wabulawa esenyameni, kodwa wenziwa waphila esemoyeni.’ Ngaphezu koko, “ungasekunene kukaThixo, kuba wemka waya ezulwini; zaza iingelosi namagunya namandla zathotyelwa phantsi kwakhe.” (1 Pet. 3:18-22) Izihlandlo zokuvuswa kwabantu bexesha langaphambi kukaYesu zazimangalisa, kodwa uvuko lukaYesu lwaba ngowona mmangaliso mkhulu.

6. Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kwabanceda njani abafundi bakhe?

⁶ Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kwaba negalelo elikhulu kubafundi bakhe. Wayengasenguye umfi, njengoko zazicinga iintshaba zakhe. UYesu wayesisidalwa esingumoya esinamandla nesasingenakwenzakaliswa mntu. Ukuvuswa kwakhe kwangqina ukuba unguNyana kaThixo, ibe ukwazi loo nto kwenza abafundi bakhe bayeka ukugxwal’ emswaneni baza bachulumanca. Ukongezelela koko, endaweni yokuba boyike, baba nesibindi. Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kwakubaluleke kakhulu ekuzalisekeni kwenjongo kaYehova nakwiindaba ezilungileyo ababezivakalisa kuyo yonk’ indawo.

7. Wenza ntoni uYesu ngoku, ibe yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?

⁷ Ekubeni singabakhonzi bakaYehova, siyaqonda ukuba uYesu wayengeyondoda nje ebalaseleyo. Uyaphila namhlanje ibe nguye okhokelayo kumsebenzi obandakanya bonke abantu kulo mhlaba. Ekubeni enguKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo, kungekudala uYesu Kristu uza kubususa ububi obukhoyo emhlabeni aze awenze ube yiparadesi ekuza kuphilwa kuyo ngonaphakade. (Luka 23:43) Yonke le nto ibingenakwenzeka ukuba uYesu wayengavuswanga. Yintoni esiqinisekisayo ukuba wavuswa ekufeni? Ukuvuswa kwakhe kuthetha ntoni kuthi?

8, 9. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze iinkokeli zonqulo ezingamaYuda zicele ukuba ingcwaba likaYesu linqatyiswe? (b) Kwenzeka ntoni xa kwafika amabhinqa engcwabeni?

⁸ Emva kokuba uYesu ebulewe, ababingeleli abaziintloko nabaFarisi beza kuPilato baza bathi: “Mnumzana, siye sakhumbula ukuba elaa bhedengu ngoxa lalisaphila  lathi, ‘Emva kweentsuku ezintathu ndiza kuvuswa.’ Ngoko ke yalela ukuba linqatyiswe ingcwaba de kube lusuku lwesithathu, hleze abafundi bakhe beze, bambe baze bathi ebantwini, ‘Uvusiwe kwabafileyo!’ buze obu bubhedengu bokugqibela bube bubi ngakumbi kunobokuqala.” UPilato wabaphendula wathi: “Nineqela labalindi. Hambani niye kulinqabisa ngokokwazi kwenu.” Benza kanye loo nto.—Mat. 27:62-66.

⁹ Isidumbu sikaYesu sasingcwatywe kwingcwaba elingumqolomba laza lavalwa ngelitye elikhulu. Iinkokeli zonqulo ezingamaYuda zazifuna uYesu ahlale apho ngonaphakade. Kodwa yena uYehova wayecinga ngeny’ indlela. Xa uMariya Magadala nomnye uMariya beza kuloo mqolomba ngosuku lwesithathu, bafika ilitye liqengqiwe, kukho ingelosi phezu kwalo. Ingelosi yabongoza la mabhinqa ukuba ajonge ngaphakathi emqolombeni ukuze abone ukuba awunanto. Ingelosi yathi: “Akakho apha, kuba uvusiwe.” (Mat. 28:1-6) UYesu wayephila!

10. Bubuphi ubungqina obeza noPawulos bokuba uYesu wavuswa?

¹⁰ Iziganeko ezenzeka kwiintsuku eziyi-40 ezalandelayo zenza kwacaca ukuba uYesu uvusiwe. Eshwankathela obu bungqina, umpostile uPawulos wabhalela abaseKorinte wathi: “Ndanikezela kuni, phakathi kwezinto zokuqala, oko nam ndakwamkelayo, okokuba uKristu wafela izono zethu, ngokutsho kweZibhalo; wangcwatywa, waza wavuswa ngomhla wesithathu, ngokutsho kweZibhalo; wabonakala kuKefas, nakwabalishumi elinesibini. Emva koko wabonakala kubazalwana abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu ngexesha elinye, inkoliso yabo esahleliyo nangoku, kodwa bambi balele ekufeni. Emva koko wabonakala kuYakobi, nakubapostile bonke; kodwa ekugqibeleni kwabo bonke wabonakala nakum ngokungathi kukulowo uzelwe ngaphambi kwexesha.”—1 Kor. 15:3-8.

11. Sitsho njani ukuba uvuko lukaYesu lwenzeka “ngokutsho kweZibhalo”?

¹¹ Isizathu sokuqala esenza sazi ukuba uYesu wavuswa ekufeni kukuba wavuswa “ngokutsho kweZibhalo.” ILizwi likaThixo laliprofetile ukuba uza kuvuswa. Ngokomzekelo, uDavide wathi oyena ‘unyanisekileyo’ kaThixo akayi kuphelela engcwabeni. (Funda iNdumiso 16:10.) NgePentekoste ka-33 C.E., umpostile uPetros wabonisa ukuba eso siprofeto sasithetha ngoYesu, esithi: “[UDavide] wabona kwangaphambili waza wathetha ngovuko lukaKristu, okokuba engazange ashiywe eHadesi nenyama yakhe ingazange ibone konakala.”—IZe. 2:23-27, 31.

12. Ngoobani ababona uYesu evusiwe?

¹² Isizathu sesibini esenza sazi ukuba uYesu wavuswa kukuba kukho amangqina amaninzi. Kwisithuba esingaphezu kweentsuku eziyi-40, uYesu ovusiweyo wabonakala kubafundi bakhe kumyezo owawunalaa mqolomba awayengcwatywe kuwo, kwindlela eya e-Emawusi nakwezinye iindawo. (Luka 24:13-15) Ngezo zihlandlo, wathetha nabantu abathile, kuquka uPetros namaqela abantu. Kaloku, uYesu ovusiweyo wade wabonakala nakwisihlwele sabantu abangaphezu kwe-500! Ngubani onokuphikisa ubungqina babantu abaninzi kangaka abazibonela ngawabo amehlo?

13. Ukukhuthala kwabafundi kubonisa njani ukuba babeqinisekile ukuba uYesu uvusiwe?

¹³ Isizathu sesithathu esenza sazi ukuba uYesu wavuswa kukukhuthala kwabafundi bakhe bevakalisa ukuba uvusiwe. Ukukhuthalela ukushumayela ngokuvuswa kukaKristu kwakubabeka engozini yokutshutshiswa, yokuphathwa kakubi neyokubulawa. Ukuba yayibubumenemene  into yokuba uYesu wavuswa, yintoni eyayinokwenza ukuba uPetros azibeke esichengeni ngokuthi uvusiwe kwezo nkokeli zonqulo ezazimthiyile uYesu nezazenze iyelenqe lokumbulala? UPetros nabanye abafundi babeqinisekile ukuba uYesu uyaphila ibe uyakhokela kumsebenzi kaThixo. Ngaphezu koko, ukuvuswa kukaYesu kwaqinisekisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba nabo babeza kuvuswa. Ngokomzekelo, uStefano wafa eqinisekile ukuba abafi baza kuvuswa.—IZe. 7:55-60.

14. Yintoni ekwenza ukholelwe ukuba uYesu uyaphila?

¹⁴ Isizathu sesine esenza sazi ukuba uYesu wavuswa kukuba, sinobungqina bokuba ngoku unguKumkani olawulayo ibe uyiNtloko yebandla lamaKristu. Ngenxa yoko, amaKristu okwenene ayanda. Ngaba ibinokwenzeka le nto ukuba uYesu wayengavuswanga? Inyaniso kukuba, ngesingazange sive nokuva ngomntu ekuthiwa nguYesu ukuba wayengavuswanga. Ngoku sinezizathu ezinamandla zokukholelwa ukuba uYesu uyaphila, ibe kungoku nje uyakhokela kumsebenzi wokuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo emhlabeni wonke.

15. Kutheni ukuvuswa kukaYesu kusinika isibindi sokushumayela?

¹⁵ Ukuvuswa kukaKristu kusenza sibe nesibindi sokushumayela. Kangangeminyaka eyi-2 000, iintshaba zikaThixo ziye zazama ngandlela zonke ukuwuphelisa umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo—ngowexuko, ngokugculela, ngogonyamelo, ngokuvala umsebenzi wokushumayela, ngokungcungcuthekisa nangokubulala. Sekunjalo akukho nokuba sibe sinye ‘kwizixhobo eziyilwe nxamnye nathi’ esiye sawuphelisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ngoBukumkani nowokwenza abafundi. (Isa. 54:17) Asizoyiki iingqeqe okanye amakhoboka kaSathana. UYesu ukunye nathi, uyasixhasa, kanye njengokuba wayethembisile. (Mat. 28:20) Asinasizathu sakoyika, kuba nokuba iintshaba zethu zingazama kangakanani na, soze zisival’ umlomo!

16, 17. (a) Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kuqinisekisa njani ukuba izinto awazifundisayo ziyinyaniso? (b) Ngokutsho kukaYohane 11:25, uThixo umnike amandla okwenza ntoni uYesu?

¹⁶ Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kwaqinisekisa ukuba zonke izinto awazifundisayo ziyinyaniso. UPawulos wathi ukuba uKristu zange avuswe ekufeni, ukuba nokholo nokushumayela kwamaKristu kwakuya kuba lilize. Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile wathi: “Ukuba uKristu akavuswanga, . . . amaKristu aba ngoothonqo abakholelwa ubuxoki.” Ngaphandle kovuko lukaYesu, iingxelo ezikwiincwadi zeVangeli ziba libali nje elibuhlungu lendoda elungileyo nelumkileyo eyabulawa ziintshaba zayo. Kodwa uKristu wavuswa, nto leyo eyaqinisekisa ukuba yonke into awayifundisayo iyinyaniso, kuquka nezinto awathi ziza kwenzeka kwixesha elizayo.—Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 15:14, 15, 20.

¹⁷ UYesu wathi: “Ndim uvuko nobomi. Lowo ubonisa ukholo kum, nokuba uyafa, uya kubuyela ebomini.” (Yoh. 11:25) Loo mazwi anamandla aza kuzaliseka nakanjani. UYehova unike uYesu amandla okuvusa kungekhona abo baza kuphila ezulwini nje kuphela, kodwa nezigidi zabantu eziza kuvuswa zinethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. Idini lokucamagushela likaYesu nokuvuswa kwakhe zithetha ukuba ukufa akusayi kuphinda kubekho. Ngaba ukwazi loo nto akukukhuthazi ukuba unyamezele nasiphi na isilingo uze ube nesibindi kwanaxa ujongene nokufa?

18. Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kusiqinisekisa ngantoni?

¹⁸ Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kusiqinisekisa  ukuba uYehova uza kubagweba ngothando abemi bomhlaba. Ethetha nabantu baseAthene, uPawulos wathi uThixo unenjongo “yokuba agwebe umhlaba omiweyo ngobulungisa ngendoda ayimiseleyo, yaye ubanike isiqinisekiso bonke abantu ngokuba eye wayivusa kwabafileyo.” (IZe. 17:31) UYesu ungumgwebi omiselwe nguThixo, ibe sinokuqiniseka ukuba uza kugweba ngobulungisa nangothando.—Funda uIsaya 11:2-4.

19. Ukukholelwa ukuba uKristu wavuswa kusikhuthaza ukuba senze ntoni?

¹⁹ Ukukholelwa ukuba uYesu wavuswa kusikhuthaza ukuba senze ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngaphandle kokufa kwakhe okulidini nokuvuswa kwakhe, ngesisephantsi kwesigwebo sesono nokufa. (Roma 5:12; 6:23) Ukuba uYesu ebengavuswanga, besinokusuka nje sithi: “Masidle size sisele, kuba ngomso siza kufa.” (1 Kor. 15:32) Kodwa asithanga phithi ziziyolo. Kunoko, siyalixabisa ithemba lovuko ibe sinezizathu ezininzi zokuthobela uYehova kuyo yonk’ into.

20. Ukuvuswa kukaYesu kungqina njani ukuba uThixo mkhulu?

²⁰ Ukuvuswa kukaKristu bubungqina obungenakuphikiswa bokuba uYehova mkhulu, ibe “ungumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngenyameko.” (Heb. 11:6) UYehova wasebenzisa amandla nobulumko ukuze avusele uYesu kubomi bokungafi ezulwini. Ngaphezu koko, uThixo wabonisa nokuba uyakwazi ukuzalisekisa zonke izithembiso zakhe. Oku kuquka isiprofeto sikaThixo esithembisa ukuba ‘imbewu’ ekhethekileyo yayiza kuba nendima ebalulekileyo ekuzinziseni imbambano yokuba ngubani onelungelo lokulawula. Ukuze kuzaliseke eso sithembiso, kwafuneka ukuba uYesu afe aze aphinde avuswe.—Gen. 3:15.

21. Lithetha ntoni kuwe ithemba lovuko?

²¹ Ngaba awumbuleli uYehova ngokusinika ithemba eliqinisekisiweyo lovuko? IZibhalo zithi xa zisiqinisekisa: “Khangela! Intente kaThixo iphakathi koluntu, yaye uya kuhlala nalo, lube ngabantu bakhe. Naye abe nguThixo walo. Uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, kungabi sabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho kuzila nakukhala nantlungu kwakhona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlule.” Elo themba limangalisayo ladluliselwa ngompostile othembekileyo, uYohane, ekwathiwa kuye: “Bhala, kuba la mazwi athembekile yaye ayinyaniso.” UYohane wasifumana kubani esi sityhilelo siphefumlelweyo? Sasivela kuYesu Kristu ovusiweyo.—ISityhi. 1:1; 21:3-5.