1, 2. Khuyini okungenzeka uPitrosi bekayilindele njengombana uJesu akhuluma eKapernomi, nokho yini eyenzekako?

 UPITROSI waqalisisa ubuso babantu ebebalalele uJesu. Gade kusesinagogeni eKapernomi. UPitrosi bekahlala edorobhaneneli; irhwebo lakhe lokuthiya iimfesi belikhona la, eligwini elisetlhagwini yeLwandle leGaleliya; abanengi babangani bakhe, iinhlobo nasebenza nabo bebahlala khonapho. UPitrosi bekanethemba lokobana abantu beKapernomi bebazokuqala uJesu njengozokuba nguMesiya begodu bakuthabele ukufunda ngoMbuso kaZimu emfundisini omkhulu kunabo boke. Kodwana akhenge kube njalo.

² Abanengi balisa ukulalela. Abanye babubula ngokuzwakalako, bangavumelani nalokho uJesu ebekakutjho. Nokho, into egade itshwenya uPitrosi khulu, yindlela abanye abafundi bakaJesu abasabela ngayo. Ubuso babo bebubonakala bungasawathabeli amaqiniso amatjha la uJesu abafundisa wona. Kwanje, babonakala badanile begodu basilingekile. Abanye bathi indaba uJesu akhuluma ngayo ibudisi. Azange basamlalela, bakhamba esinagogeni—balisa nokuba balandeli Bakhe.—Funda uJwanisi 6:60, 66.

3. Ikholo lakaPitrosi lamsiza bona enzeni eenkhathini ezinengi?

³ Bekusikhathi esibudisi ngoPitrosi nabapostoli akunye nabo. UPitrosi akhenge akuzwisise ngokuzeleko lokho okwatjhiwo nguJesu mhlokho. Ngaphandle kokuzaza bekabona bonyana kubayini amezwi kaJesu bekangazwakala kumbi nengabe athathwa njengombana anjalo. Bekazokwenzani uPitrosi? Bekungasi ngekokuthoma ukuthembeka kwakhe eKosinakhe kulingwa; begodu kungasi ngekokukgcina. Akhe sibone bonyana ikholo lakaPitrosi lamsiza njani bona ahlale athembekile eentjhijilweni ezinjengalezi.

4, 5. UJesu wenza njani ngokuhlukileko kilokho abantu ebebakulindele kuye?

⁴ Kanengi uPitrosi bekumrara lokho uJesu akutjhoko nakwenzako. Kanengi, iKosakhe beyenza begodu ikhulume ngendlela ebeyitjhayisana nalokho abantu ebebakulindele Kiyo. Ngayizolo, uJesu  bekasuthise abantu abangaba ziinkulungwana ngokusimangaliso. Ngemva kwalokho, bafuna ukumbeka ikosi. Nokho, warara abanengi ngombana wasuka kibo, watjela abafundi bakhe bona bakhwele eskepeni baye eKapernomi. Njengombana abafundi bakhamba ngemanzini ebusuku, uJesu wabarara godu ngokukhamba phezu kweLwandle leGaleliya elinelaka, anikela uPitrosi isifundo esiqakathekileko sekholo.

⁵ Ekuseni, msinyana bafumana bona iwoma labantwelo libalandele. Nokho, ngokukhanyako, kwabonakala bona abantwaba bamlandela kwaphela ngombana bebafuna abasuthise ngokusimangaliso, ingasi ngombana bebalambile ngokomoya. UJesu wabakhalima ngokuthanda kwabo izinto eziphathekako. (Jwa. 6:25-27) Indaba leyo yaragela phambili esinagogeni eKapernomi, lapho uJesu afundisa khona iqiniso eliqakathekileko kodwana elibudisi abantu ebebangakalilindeli.

6. UJesu wanikela muphi umfanekiso, begodu labo ebebamlalele basabela njani?

⁶ UJesu bekangafuni abantu beze kuye ngombana bekanekghono lokubasuthisa; bekafuna babone ukuthi uZimu uzobanikela ukuphila okungapheliko kwaphela nengabe banekholo emhlatjelwenakhe begodu bazokulandela isibonelo sakhe. Ngalokho wenza umfanekiso azifanisa nemana, uburotho obehla ezulwini ngesikhathi sakaMosisi. Abanye nebaphikisako, wenza umfanekiso okhanyako, ahlathulula bona bekufuze badle inyama neengazi zakhe bona bafumane ukuphila okungapheliko. Nekatjho njalo, basilingeka khulu. Abanye bathi: “Ifundiso le ibudisi, ngubani ongayamukela na?” Abanengi babafundi bakaJesu bakhetha ukungasamlandeli. a—Jwa. 6:48-60, 66.

7, 8. (a) Khuyini uPitrosi angazange ayizwisise ngendima kaJesu? (b) UPitrosi wawuphendula njani umbuzo uJesu awubuza abapostoli?

⁷ UPitrosi bekazokwenzani? Naye kungenzeka bona amezwi kaJesu amrara. Bekangakazwisisi bona uJesu kufuze afe khona kuzokuzaliseka intado kaZimu. Kghani uPitrosi walingeka bona angasalandela uJesu njengabafundi abangazaziko bona bajamephi abamtjhiyako? Awa; uPitrosi bekanento emenza ahluke emadodeni layo. Yintobani leyo?

⁸ UJesu waqala abapostoli bakhe wathi: ‘Nani nifuna ukukhamba na?’ (Jwa. 6:67) Wabuza abapostoli aba-12, kodwana nguPitrosi owaphendulako. Kanengi bekunguye ophendula ntanzi. Kungenzeka uPitrosi bekamdala kibo boke. Kinanyana ngikuphi, ngokuqinisekileko bekunguye obekakhuluma khulu hlangana nabo;  kanengi kubonakala kwanga uPitrosi bekangazazi ukuveza lokho akucabangako. Endabeni le, egade kusengqondwenakhe bekumamezwi amahle nakhumbulekako la: “Kosi, singaya kubani na? Ngubani onamezwi wokuphila okungapheliko.”—Jwa. 6:68.

9. UPitrosi wakutjengisa njani ukuthembeka kuJesu?

⁹ Amezwi layo akuthinta ihliziyo na? Ikholo lakaPitrosi kuJesu lamsiza bona akhe ifanelo eqakatheke khulu—ukuthembeka. UPitrosi wabona ngokukhanyako bona uJesu bekakuphela komSindisi obekathunyelwe nguJehova nokuthi uJesu wasindisa ngamezwakhe—iimfundiso zakhe ngomBuso kaZimu. UPitrosi bekazi bona nanyana bekunezinto ezimphambaniselako, bekungekho lapho angaya khona nengabe ufuna umusa kaZimu neembusiso zokuphila okungapheliko.

10. Namhlanje, singakulingisa njani ukuthembeka kwakaPitrosi?

¹⁰ Yindlela ozizwa ngayo leyo? Ngokudanisako, abanengi ephasini namhlanje bathi bayamthanda uJesu kodwana abakathembeki kuye. Bona sithembeke kuKrestu, kufuze sithande iimfundiso zakhe, njengombana kwenza uPitrosi. Kufuze sizifunde, sizwisise lokho ezikutjhoko, begodu siphile ngazo—nanyana zingasirara ngokungakhambisani nalokho thina esikufunako namtjhana esikuthandako. Kungokuzibonakalisa sithembekile kwaphela nesizakufumana ukuphila okungapheliko lokho uJesu asifunela khona.—Funda IRhalani 97:10. 

11. UJesu wabasaphi abalandeli bakhe? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

¹¹ Kungasikade ngemva kwesikhathi esimajadweso, uJesu wathatha ikhambo elide nabapostoli bakhe nabanye abafundi baya ngetlhagwini. Isiqongolo seNtaba yeHermoni esilele ilothe, esisemaphethelweni wetlhagwini yeNarha yesiThembiso, ngezinye iinkhathi besibonakala ngitjho nangemanzini ahlaza weLwandle leGaleliya. Kancani kancani, intaba leyo beyibonakala iba yide njengombana isiqhemesi sitjhidela, uJesu nabafundi bakhe bebaya emizini ehlanu kweKhesariya-Filipi. b Endaweni ehle le, njengombana bayibona kuhle pheze yoke iNarha yesiThembiso ukutjhinga esewula, uJesu wabuza abalandeli bakhe umbuzo oqakathekileko.

12, 13. (a) Kubayini uJesu afuna ukwazi bona inengi licabanga bona ungubani? (b) Emezwinakhe kuJesu, uPitrosi walitjengisa njani ikholo lamambala?

¹² Afuna ukwazi wabuza, “Abantu bathi ngingubani na?” Singambona  ngelihlo lengqondo uPitrosi aqale amehlo kaJesu anelemuko, godu abona amandla nomusa weKosakhe nokuhlakanipha okukhulu. UJesu bekafuna ukwazi bona abantu bacabanga ukuthi ungubani. Abafundi bakaJesu baphendula umbuzo loyo ngokumtjela izinto ezingasilo iqiniso abantu ebebazitjho Ngaye. Kodwana uJesu bekafuna ukwazi okungeziweko. Kghani nabalandeli bakhe abaseduze bebenza umtjhapho ofanako? Wababuza: “Alo-ke nina nithi ngingubani na?”—Luka 9:18-20.

¹³ Godu uPitrosi waphendula msinyana. Wakutjho kwazwakala obekuseenhliziyweni zabanengi ebebalapho. Wathi, ‘UnguKrestu indodana kaZimu ophilako.’ Singambona uJesu amomotheka ngalokho okutjhiwo nguPitrosi begodu wambuka khulu. UJesu wakhumbuza uPitrosi bona bekunguJehova uZimu—ingasi umuntu—owenza amaqiniso aqakathekileko la aba lula kilabo abanekholo lamambala. UPitrosi wakghona ukulemuka elinye lamaqiniso amakhulu uJehova awavezako—ukubonakala kwakaMesiya osele kusikhathi athenjiswa namtjhana uKrestu!—Funda uMatewu 16:16, 17.

14. UJesu wamnikela maphi amalungelo akhethekileko uPitrosi?

¹⁴ UKrestu lo nguye isiporofido sekadeni ebesimbiza ngelitje abakhi abalininako. (Rha. 118:22; Luka 20:17) Acabanga ngesiporofidweso, uJesu wathi uJehova uzokwakha ibandla phezu kwelitjelo, namtjhana idwala uPitrosi aqeda ukukhuluma ngalo. Ngemva kwalokho wanikela uPitrosi amanye amalungelo aqakathekileko ebandlenelo. Azange anikele uPitrosi igunya phezu kwabanye abapostoli, njengombana abanye bacabanga, kodwana wamphathisa umthwalo. Wanikela uPitrosi “iinhluthulelo zombuso.” (Mat. 16:19) Bekuzokuba lilungelo lakaPitrosi ukuvulela imihlobo emithathu yabantu ithemba lokungena eMbusweni kaZimu—kokuthoma amaJuda, amaSamariya bese kuba ngabatjhili.

15. Yini eyenza uPitrosi akhalime uJesu, begodu wathini kuye?

¹⁵ Nokho, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uJesu wathi labo abaphathiswe okunengi kulindeleke okunengi kibo, uPitrosi bekangomunye walabo. (Luka 12:48) UJesu waragela phambili ngokuveza amaqiniso aqakathekileko ngoMesiya, kuhlanganise nokuhlunguphazwa kwakhe ebekutjhidela nokufa eJerusalema. UPitrosi watshwenyeka ngokuzwa izinto ezinjalo. Wadosela uJesu eqadi wamkhalima wathi: “Kosi, sengathi uZimu angakukhandela lokhu akungenzeki kuwe!”—Mat. 16:21, 22.

16. UJesu wamlungisa njani uPitrosi, begodu ngisiphi isifundo soke esingasifumana emezwini kaJesu?

 ¹⁶ UPitrosi bekacabanga bona usiza uJesu, ngalokho kungezeka bonyana ipendulwakhe yamrara. Wafulathela uPitrosi, waqala abanye abafundi—okungenzeka bebacabanga okufanako—wathi: “Iya ngemva kwami, Sathana! Usiqabo endleleni yami, ngombana imikhumbulo yakho le ayiveli kuZimu, ivela emuntwini.” (Mat. 16:23; Mar. 8:32, 33, NW.) Amezwi kaJesu asifundisa soke. Kulula ukuvumela imicabango yabantu ize qangi kuneyakaZimu. Nengabe senza njalo, ngitjho nanyana silinga ukusiza, singakanqophi singakhuthaza umuntu bona enze into ethabisa uSathana ingasi uZimu. Nokho, uPitrosi wasabela njani?

17. Bekatjho ukuthi uJesu nekatjela uPitrosi ukuthi ‘aye ngemva’ kwakhe?

¹⁷ Kungezeka uPitrosi watjheja bona uJesu bekangambizi ngoSathana uDeveli kwamambala. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu azange akhulume noPitrosi njengombana akhuluma noSathana. KuSathana, uJesu wathi: “Suka kimapha”; kodwana kuPitrosi, wathi: “Iya ngemva kwami.” (Mat. 4:10) UJesu akhenge aqothe umpostoli ebekabona okuhle lo kuye, kodwana wamane walungisa umbonwakhe ongasiwo kwaphela. Akusibudisi ukubona bona uPitrosi bekufuze alise ukuba siqabo phambi kweKosakhe, kunalokho bekufuze aye ngemva kwayo njengomlandeli osekelako.

18. UPitrosi wakutjengisa njani ukuthembeka, thina singamlingisa njani?

¹⁸ Kghani uPitrosi wamphikisa, wasilingeka namtjhana wadubhula umlomo? Awa; ngokuthobeka wamukela ukulungiswa. Godu watjengisa ukuthembeka. Boke abalandela uKrestu ngezinye iinkhathi kuzokutlhogeka balungiswe. Nengabe samukela ukulaywa ngokuthobeka begodu sifunde kikho, kulapho kwaphela la singaragela khona phambili sitjhidela kuJesu Krestu noYise, uJehova uZimu.—Funda IzAga 4:13.

19. Ngiwaphi amezwi ararako atjhiwo nguJesu, begodu khuyini okungenzeka uPitrosi wayicabanga?

¹⁹ Msinyana ngemva kwalokho uJesu watjho amezwi ararako naka: “Kwamambala ngiyanitjela-yi bona kukhona abanye lapha abangekhe bafa bangakaboni iNdodana yoMuntu isiza ngombuso wayo.” (Mat. 16:28) Akunakuzaza bona amezwi la enza uPitrosi  waba nelulukelo. Kungenzeka bekatjho ukuthini uJesu? Mhlamunye kungenzeka uPitrosi bekazibuza bona njengombana bekaqeda ukulungiswa kghani lokho bekutjho bona angekhe asawathola amalungelo akhethekileko.

20, 21. (a) Hlathulula umbono owabonwa nguPitrosi. (b) Ikulumiswano ebeyihlangana namadoda amabili embonweni yamsiza njani uPitrosi?

²⁰ Nokho, ngemva kweveke, uJesu wathatha uJakobosi, uJwanisi noPitrosi banyukela “entabeni”—mhlamunye iNtaba iHermoni, ebeyilikhambo lamakhilomitha ama-25. Kungenzeka bekusebusuku, njengombana amadoda amathathu la bewalwisana nobuthongo. Kodwana njengombana uJesu athandaza, kunento eyenzekako eyaqotha ubuthongo babo.—Mat. 17:1; Luka 9:28, 29, 32.

²¹ UJesu wathoma ukutjhuguluka phambi kwabo. Ubuso bakhe bathoma ukuphazimula, bameruza, bekwaba kulapho buphazimula njengelanga. Nezembatho zakhe bezimhlophe okumeruzelako.  Ngemva kwalokho babona abantu ababili bajame noJesu, omunye bekajamele uMosisi, omunye u-Elija. Bakhuluma naye ‘ngokukhamba kwakhe ebekufuze kuzaliseke eJerusalema’—ngokuqinisekileko ukufa nokuvuka kwakhe. UPitrosi watjheja bona bekayilahlile nekacabanga bona uJesu bekangekhe atlhoriswe abe abulawe.—Luka 9:30, 31.

22, 23. (a) UPitrosi wayitjengisa njani itjiseko nomusa? (b) UPitrosi, uJakobosi noJwanisi bafumana muphi godu umtlomela ngobusukobo?

²² UPitrosi wazizwa atjhukumiseleka bona azibandakanye embonweni ongakajayelekiko lo—mhlamunye abe awunabise. Bekubonakala ngasuthi uMosisi no-Elija bamtjhiya uJesu. Ngalokho uPitrosi wathi: ‘Kosi! Maye, kuhle kangangani bona sibe lapha! Yeke sizakwakha amatende amathathu, elilodwa libe ngelakho, elilodwa libe ngelakaMosisi, elilodwa libe ngelaka-Elija.’ Kwamambala, amadoda amabili la ebekasembonweni ajamele iinceku zakaJehova ezimbili ezahlongakala kade bekangawatlhogi amatende. Eqinisweni uPitrosi bekangayazi into ayitjhoko. Nokho, itjiseko nomusa wendoda le akukukari na?—Luka 9:33.

²³ UPitrosi, uJakobosi noJwanisi bafumana omunye umtlomela godu ngobusukobo. Njengombana basentabeni, kwavela ilifu labagubuzesa. Kwazwakala iliZwi kilo—iliZwi lakaJehova uZimu! Wathi: ‘Le, yiNdodana yami engiyikhethileko, ilaleleni.’ Umbono lo wasithela, godu baba bodwa noJesu entabeni.—Luka 9:34-36.

24. (a) Umbono owenzekako wamzuzisa njani uPitrosi? (b) Thina singazuza njani embonweni loyo namhlanje?

²⁴ Qala bona umbono loyo waba sibusiso esihle kangangani kuPitrosi—nakithi! Ematjhumini weminyaka ngemva kwalokho watlola ngelungelo aba nalo ngobusukobo lokubona uJesu kusengaphambili ayiKosi yezulwini ephazimulako nelokuba ngomunye walabo “ababona ngamehlo amandla wobukhosi bakhe.” Umbono loyo waqinisekisa iimporofido zeliZwi lakaZimu ezinengi begodu waqinisa ikholo lakaPitrosi bona akwazi ukukghodlhelelela iintjhijilo ezinengi ezisezako. (Funda 2 Pitrosi 1:16-19.) Lingenza okufanako nakithi nengabe njengoPitrosi sihlale sithembekile eKosini uJehova ayibeke phezu kwethu, sifunde kiyo, samukele ukulaywa nokulungiswa ngiyo begodu ngokuzithoba siyilandele qobe langa.