1-3. Nguwuphi umbono ofunyanwa nguPetros, ibe kutheni simele sikuqonde nje oko ukuthethayo?

 NGONYAKA ka-36 C.E. uPetros wayekwisixeko saseYopa. Apho wahlala iintsuku ezininzi elundwendwe lwendoda ekuthiwa nguSimon. USimon lo wayehlala ngaselwandle futhi wayesenza izinto zofele ngesikhumba sezilwanyana. AmaYuda ayebacingela kakubi abantu ababesenza lo msebenzi futhi amaninzi ayengenakuhlala nale ndoda. a Kodwa uPetros wayengacingi njengawo. Kodwa ke, uYehova wayefuna ukunceda uPetros aqonde indlela yena Yehova angenamkhethe ngayo. Ngoko xa uPetros waya kuthandaza phezu kwendlu, uYehova wamfundisa isifundo esibalulekileyo.

² Wathi uPetros esathandaza, uThixo wamenza wabona kusihla ezulwini ilaphu elikhulu eliphethe izilwanyana. Ezi yayizizilwanyana amaYuda awayengavumelekanga ukuzitya futhi ukuzibona kwakunokumothusa nawuphi na umYuda. Kuvakala ilizwi elivela ezulwini lixelela uPetros ukuba makaxhele atye. Kodwa uphendula athi: “Zange ndayitya nantoni na engcolileyo.” Uxelelwa kude kube kathathu ukuba: “Sukuthi zingcolile izinto uThixo azicocileyo.” (IZe. 10:14-16) UPetros ushiyeka exakiwe, kodwa akubi kudala uYehova amcacisele ukuba ithetha ukuthini yonke le nto.

³ Wawutheth’ ukuthini umbono kaPetros? Kubalulekile ukuba siwuqonde kakuhle lo mbono kuba usinceda sazi eyona ndlela uYehova abajonga ngayo abantu. NjengamaKristu okwenyaniso, asinakukwazi ukushumayela ngokucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, ukuba abantu asibajongi ngendlela uThixo abajonga ngayo. Ukuze siqonde oko kuthethwa ngumbono kaPetros, makhe siqwalasele iziganeko ezenzekayo eziphathelele wona.

4, 5. Wayengubani uKorneli, futhi yintoni eyenzekayo xa wayethandaza?

⁴ UPetros wayengayazi into eyenzekileyo kusuku olungaphambi kolo eKesareya, eyayimalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-50 ukusuka eYopa. Kwakukho  indoda enguKorneli, nayo eyafumana umbono ovela kuThixo. Wayeligosa lomkhosi waseRoma kodwa ‘wayezinikele kuThixo.’ b Wayeyikhathalele kakhulu intsapho yakhe futhi ‘yena nendlu yakhe babemoyika uThixo.’ UKorneli wayengengomYuda futhi wayengakhonzi namaYuda. Kodwa wayenobubele kumaYuda adinga uncedo futhi wayedla ngokuwapha imali okanye ezinye izipho. Le ndoda inyanisekileyo ‘yayihlala ithandaza kuThixo.’​—IZe. 10:2.

⁵ Wathi uKorneli ethandaza malunga nentsimbi yesi-3 emva kwemini, wabona umbono apho ingelosi yathi kuye: “Imithandazo yakho iye yaviwa nguThixo, wayibona nemisebenzi yakho yokunceda amahlwempu.” (IZe. 10:4) Ingelosi yathi kuKorneli makathume amadoda akhe ukuba aye kulanda umpostile uPetros. UKorneli wayeza kuba ngumntu wokuqala kubantu beentlanga ukuba ngumKristu.

6, 7. (a) Balisa ibali elibonisa ukuba uThixo uyayiphendula imithandazo yabantu abafuna nyhani ukumazi. (b) Asixelela ntoni la mabali?

⁶ Ngaba uThixo uyayiphendula imithandazo yabantu abanyanisekileyo namhlanje abafuna ukwazi inyaniso ngaye? Khawuve eli bali. Omnye umama waseAlbania wafumana IMboniselo eyayinenqaku elithetha ngokukhulisa abantwana. c Wathi kwiNgqina elafika endlini yakhe: “Ungacinga ukuba ndiyaxoka xa ndisithi kuwe bendigqiba kuthandaza ndicela uThixo andincede ndikwazi ukukhulisa iintombi zam. Uthunywe nguye! Le nto uze kuthetha ngayo, yile kanye bendiyifuna!” Lo mama neentombi zakhe baqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile, futhi nomyeni wakhe waqalisa ukuba khona xa kufundwa.

⁷ Amabali anjengeli axhaphakile kwiindawo ezininzi, futhi awazenzekeli. Asixelela ntoni? Okokuqala, asixelela ukuba uYehova uyayiphendula imithandazo yabantu abafuna nyhani ukumazi. (1 Kum. 8:41-43; INdu. 65:2) Okwesibini, sikhokelwa ziingelosi kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela.​—ISityhi. 14:6, 7.

8, 9. Yintoni uThixo awaxelela uPetros ukuba ayenze, futhi wenza ntoni uPetros?

⁸ UPetros wayesephezu kwendlu ‘ebhidekile’ nguloo mbono xa kwafika amadoda awayethunywe nguKorneli kwaSimon. (IZe. 10:17) Ukuba uPetros wala kwada kwakathathu ukutya ukutya okwakungavumelekanga ukuba amaYuda akutye, ngaba wayeza kuvuma ukuhamba nala madoda aye kumzi womntu ongengomYuda? Esebenzisa umoya wakhe oyingcwele, uThixo wamenza wayazi uPetros into afuna ayenze. Kwathiwa kuPetros: “Jonga! Kukho amadoda amathathu akufunayo. Phakama uye kuwo, ungathandabuzi kuba athunyelwe ndim.” (IZe. 10:19, 20) Umbono awawubonayo uPetros wamenza wavuma ukukhokelwa ngumoya kaThixo.

⁹ Xa uPetros wevayo ukuba yingelosi eyaxelela uKorneli ukuba athumele la madoda, wawangenisa endlini ‘aza ahlala naye.’ (IZe. 10:23a) UPetros wayesele eqalisile ukutshintsha indlela awayecinga ngayo njengoko wayeyibona into efunwa nguThixo.

10. UYehova ubakhokela njani abantu bakhe, futhi yeyiphi imibuzo ekusenokufuneka sizibuze yona?

¹⁰ Nanamhlanje, uYehova ubanceda abantu bakhe ngokuba baye bekuqonda kancinci kancinci ukuthanda kwakhe. (IMize. 4:18) Ukhokela ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele. (Mat. 24:45) Ngamany’ amaxesha kusenokutshintshwa indlela esiyiqonda ngayo into ekwiLizwi likaThixo okanye kutshintshwe indlela esizenza ngayo izinto kwintlangano. Kuhle sizibuze: ‘Ngaba nam ndiye ndizimisele ukuyitshintsha indlela endicinga ngayo? Ngaba ndiye ndizivumele ukuba ndikhokelwe ngumoya kaThixo?’

11, 12. Yintoni awayenzayo uPetros ukufika kwakhe eKesareya, futhi yintoni awayifundayo?

¹¹ Ngosuku olulandelayo, uPetros namanye amadoda asithoba, amathathu ingala awayethunyelwe nguKorneli kunye ‘nabazalwana abathandathu’ abangamaYuda abasuka eYopa, bangena endleleni eya eKesareya. (IZe. 11:12) Ekubeni wayelindele ukufika kukaPetros, uKorneli wayebize “izalamane nabahlobo bakhe abasondeleyo,” ekucacayo ukuba bonke babengabantu beentlanga. (IZe. 10:24) Ekufikeni kwakhe, uPetros wenza into awayengazange ayicinge ukuba angayenza: Ukungena emzini womntu weentlanga ongalukanga! Wathi: “Niyazi kakuhle ukuba akukho semthethweni ngomYuda ukuba ahlale okanye andwendwele umntu wolunye uhlanga, kodwa uThixo undibonisile ukuba akukho mntu ndimele ndithi akacocekanga.” (IZe. 10:28) Ngoku uPetros wayeqonda ukuba umbono awawubona phezu kwendlu wawungesosifundo nje sokuba kokuphi ukutya anokukutya. Kodwa ‘akukho mntu [nkqu noweentlanga] wayemele athi akacocekanga.’

¹² Wonk’ umntu owayelapho wayenomdla wokuva uPetros. UKorneli wathi: “Silapha . . . phambi koThixo ukuze sive zonke izinto athe uYehova zithethe.”  (IZe. 10:33) Yiba nombono wendlela onokuvakalelwa ngayo xa usiva umntu onomdla ethetha ngolo hlobo! UPetros wavula umlomo ngala mazwi achukumisayo: “Ndiyiqonda kakuhle ngoku into yokuba uThixo akakhethi, kodwa kuzo zonke iintlanga wamkela nabani na omoyikayo nowenza izinto ezilungileyo.” (IZe. 10:34, 35) UPetros wayefundile ukuba uThixo akakhethi abantu belinye ilizwe ngaphezu kwabantu belinye, okanye abantu bohlanga okanye ibala elithile ngaphezu kwabantu belinye. UPetros wabashumayeza ngomsebenzi uYesu awayewenza apha emhlabeni, ngokufa nangokuvuswa kwakhe.

13, 14. (a) Kwakuthetha ntoni ukuguquka kukaKorneli nabanye abantu beentlanga ngo-36 C.E.? (b) Kutheni singafanelanga sigwebe abantu esishumayela kubo?

¹³ Kwavele kwenzeka into engazange yenzeka: “Wathi uPetros esathetha,” kwathululwa umoya oyingcwele phezu kwabo ‘bantu beentlanga.’ (IZe. 10:44, 45) Leli lodwa ixesha elichaziweyo eZibhalweni apho umoya oyingcwele wathululelwa ebantwini ngaphambi kokuba babhaptizwe. UPetros waqonda ukuba le nto ithetha ukuba uThixo uyabamkela ukuba babe ngabakhonzi bakhe. Ngoko “wayalela ukuba [abo bantu beentlanga] babhaptizwe.” (IZe. 10:48) Ukuguquka kwaba bantu beentlanga ngo-36 C.E. kwabonisa ukuba liphelile ixesha apho uThixo wayesamkela ngokukhethekileyo amaYuda. (Dan. 9:24-27) Ngelo xesha, uPetros wasebenzisa esesithathu nesisesokugqibela ‘kwizitshixo zoBukumkani.’ (Mat. 16:19) Esi sitshixo savulela abantu beentlanga abangalukanga ithuba lokuba babe ngamaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya.

¹⁴ Xa sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo namhlanje, siyaqonda ukuba “uThixo akakhethi buso.” (Roma 2:11) Kukuthanda kwakhe ukuba “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe.” (1 Tim. 2:4) Ngoko asifanelanga sibagwebe abantu ngenxa yendlela ababonakala ngayo. UYesu wasiyalela ukuba sishumayele ngokucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, futhi loo nto iquka ukuba sishumayele kubo bonke abantu, nokuba ngaboluphi uhlanga, ilizwe, babonakala benjani, okanye bakhonza phi.

15, 16. Kwakutheni ukuze amanye amaKristu angamaYuda aphikisane noPetros, futhi wathi kwakutheni ukuze ababhaptize abo bantu beentlanga?

¹⁵ UPetros wafuna ukuya eYerusalem enomdla wokuxelela abazalwana into eyenzekileyo. Kodwa ezo ndaba zokuba abantu beentlanga abangalukanga “babelamkele ilizwi likaThixo” zafika kuqala kunaye eYerusalem. Kungekudala efikile uPetros, “abantu abaxhasa ulwaluko bamgxeka.” Babephazanyiswe yinto yokuba wayengene “endlini yamadoda angalukanga, watya nawo.” (IZe. 11:1-3) Babengacatshukiswa kukuba abo bantu beentlanga baye bangamaKristu. Kodwa, abo bafundi bangamaYuda babemi ngelithi abantu beentlanga babemele bathobele uMthetho, owawuquka ukwaluka, ukuze babe ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abamkelekileyo. Kuyacaca ukuba, kwakunzima kwabanye abafundi abangamaYuda ukwamkela into yokuba uMthetho kaMoses uphelelwe.

¹⁶ UPetros wathi kwakutheni ukuze ababhaptize abo bantu beentlanga?  Ngokutsho kweZenzo 11:4-16, wachaza izizathu ezine ezamenza waqiniseka ukuba yayikukuthanda kukaThixo: (1) umbono uThixo awambonisa wona (Ivesi 4-10); (2) umyalelo awawunikwa ngumoya kaThixo (Ivesi 11, 12); (3) ukufikelwa kukaKorneli yingelosi (Ivesi 13, 14); (4) nokuthululwa komoya oyingcwele kubantu beentlanga. (Ivesi 15, 16) UPetros waqukumbela ngamazwi anamandla wathi: “Ukuba ke uThixo ubanike [abantu beentlanga abakholwayo] isipho [somoya oyingcwele] sasimahla awasinika sona nathi [maYuda] thina bakholelwa kwiNkosi uYesu Kristu, bendingubani ke ukuba ndingade ndikwazi ukunqanda uThixo?”​—IZe. 11:17.

17, 18. (a) AmaKristu angamaYuda kwafuneka enze esiphi isigqibo emva kokuva into eyathethwa nguPetros? (b) Yintoni enokwenza kube nzima ukuhlala simanyene ebandleni, futhi yeyiphi imibuzo ekukuhle ukuba sizibuze yona?

¹⁷ Emva kokuva into eyathethwa nguPetros, loo maKristu angamaYuda kwafuneka enze isigqibo. Ngaba ayeza kuyeka ukuba nomkhethe aze abamkele njengabazalwana bawo abo bantu beentlanga babesanda kubhaptizwa? IBhayibhile ithi: “Xa [abapostile namanye amaKristu angamaYuda], beva ezi zinto bayeka ukumgxeka baza bazukisa uThixo, besithi: ‘Kuyacaca ke ukuba uThixo unike nabantu beentlanga ithuba lokuguquka ukuze bafumane ubomi.’” (IZe. 11:18) Ngenxa yokuvuma kwawo ukutshintsha indlela acinga ngayo ibandla lahlala limanyene.

¹⁸ Nanamhlanje, kunokuba nzima ukuba abakhonzi bakaYehova bahlale bemanyene kuba baphuma “kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi.” (ISityhi. 7:9) Kumabandla amaninzi, kukho abantu abavela kwiindawo ngeendawo, futhi bakhule ngeendlela ezingafaniyo bekhulela nakwiimeko ezingafaniyo. Kuhle sizibuze: ‘Ngaba ndiyakhawuleza ukungabathandi abantu kuba nje bohlukile? Ngaba ndizimisele ukuba abazalwana noodade ndingaze ndibaphathe ngokungathi ndingaba bantu behlabathi abaziva bebakhulu kunabanye?’ Khumbula into eyenzekayo kuPetros (uKefas) kwiminyaka emva kokuguquka kokuqala kwabantu beentlanga. Wazivumela ukuba alawulwe ngumkhethe abanye ababenawo, “wazahlula” kumaKristu eentlanga kwaza kwafuneka ukuba uPawulos amlungise. (Gal. 2:11-14) Sifanele sihlale sizigadile, singazibhaqi sesinomkhethe.

19. AmaKristu angamaYuda akwa-Antiyokwe aqalisa ukushumayela koobani, futhi yintoni eyenzekayo ngenxa yaloo nto?

¹⁹ Ngaba abalandeli bakaYesu baqalisa ukushumayela kubantu beentlanga abangalukanga? Jonga into eyenzekayo kamva kwiAntiyokwe yaseSiriya. d Kwakuhlala amaYuda amaninzi kweso sixeko, kodwa ayevana kakuhle nabantu beentlanga. Ngenxa yoko kwakulula ukushumayela kubantu beentlanga bakwa-Antiyokwe. Kwakulapha apho abanye abafundi abangamaYuda baqalisa khona ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ‘kubantu abathetha isiGrike.’ (IZe. 11:20) Babengashumayeli kumaYuda athetha isiGrike kuphela kodwa nakubantu beentlanga abangalukanga. UYehova wawusikelela loo msebenzi, futhi “baninzi ababa ngamakholwa.”​—IZe. 11:21.

20, 21. UBharnabhas wabonisa njani ukuba uthobekile, futhi thina singakulinganisa njani ukuthobeka kwakhe kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?

²⁰ Ukuze kushunyayelwe kwabo bantu babenomdla, ibandla laseYerusalem lathumela uBharnabhas kwa-Antiyokwe. Lo yayingengomsebenzi womntu omnye, ndlela le babebaninzi ngayo abantu ababenomdla. Ngubani ke omnye owayefaneleka bhetele ukuba angancedisa ngaphandle koSawule, owayeza kuba ngumpostile ezintlangeni? (IZe. 9:15; Roma 1:5) Ngaba uBharnabhas wayeza koyika ukuba uSawule usenokufundisa bhetele kunaye aze ngenxa yaloo nto angamceli ukuba amncedise? Tu ke khona. UBharnabhas wathobeka, waziqonda ukuba uyaludinga uncedo. Ngoko waya eTarso esiya kufuna uSawule, weza naye kwa-Antiyokwe ukuze amncedise. Bahlala unyaka apho bekhuthaza abafundi bebandla lalapho.​—IZe. 11:22-26a.

²¹ Thina namhlanje singakulinganisa njani ukuthobeka kukaBharnabhas kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela? Sonke sinamandla nobuchule obungafaniyo. Ngokomzekelo, abanye basenokuba nobuchule bokushumayela ngokungacwangciswanga okanye kwindlu ngendlu kodwa kube nzima ukubuyela okanye ukuqalisa izifundo zeBhayibhile. Ukuba ungathanda ukuphucula noba yeyiphi kwezi zinto, kutheni ungaceli uncedo kwabanye? Ngokwenza loo nto, uza kuba ngumfundisi weBhayibhile obhetele futhi ukuvuyise kakhulu umsebenzi wokushumayela.​—1 Kor. 9:26.

22, 23. Enza ntoni amaKristu akwa-Antiyokwe ukuze abonise ukuba ayabathanda abazalwana noodade bawo, futhi abantu bakaThixo namhlanje bawalinganisa njani?

²² Kwaqala kwa-Antiyokwe ukuba “abafundi babizwe ngokuba ngamaKristu, ngokomyalelo kaThixo.” (IZe. 11:26b) Eli gama uThixo awabanika lona libachaza kakuhle abantu abafuna ukulandela uKristu. Njengoko abantu beentlanga babesiba ngamaKristu, ngaba laye laba khona uthando phakathi kwabo namaKristu angamaYuda? Cinga ngento eyenzekayo xa kwabakho  indlala enkulu malunga no-46 C.E. e Kudala, abantu abasokolayo babechanwa kakhulu yindlala kuba babengenayo imali esecaleni okanye ukutya ababenokuthatha kuko. Ngexesha lale ndlala, amaKristu amaninzi angamaYuda ahlala kwaYuda ayehlupheka, edinga ukutya nezinye izinto. Besakuva ngaloo ngxaki, abazalwana bakwa-Antiyokwe, kuquka amaKristu eentlanga, bathumela “izinto abazidingayo abazalwana ababehlala kwelakwaYuda.” (IZe. 11:29) Babenzela uthando olukhulu nyani abazalwa noodadewabo!

²³ Kusenjalo nakubantu bakaThixo banamhlanje. Xa sisiva ukuba abazalwana bethu, abakwelinye ilizwe okanye abakufutshane nathi, badinga uncedo, siye sizame iindlela zokubanceda. IiKomiti zamaSebe zikhawuleza zilungiselele IiKomiti Zokunceda Ngexesha Lentlekele eziza kukhathalela abazalwana bethu abaye behlelwa ziintlekele, ezinjengeenkanyamba, iinyikima neetsunami. Xa sinceda abazalwana bethu abadinga uncedo, sibabonisa ukuba sibathanda nyhani nyhani.​—Yoh. 13:34, 35; 1 Yoh. 3:17.

24. Singabonisa njani ukuba nathi siyayiqonda into uYehova awayifundisa uPetros?

²⁴ NjengamaKristu okwenyaniso, siyayazi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba sifunde kumbono uPetros awawubonayo phezu kophahla lwendlu yaseYopa. Sikhonza uThixo ongenamkhethe. Kukuthanda kwakhe ukuba sishumayele ngokucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bakhe, nto leyo equka ukuba sishumayele ebantwini noba bavela phi okanye bajongwa njani ngabany’ abantu. Ngoko, masizimisele ukushumayela kubo bonke abantu abasimamelayo ukuze bafumane ithuba lokufunda ngoYehova.​—Roma 10:11-13.