1. Khuyini okungenzeka yaba sikhathi esimbi epilweni kaPitrosi?

 UPITROSI angeze asilibala isikhathi abahlangana ngaso ngamehlo noJesu. Kghani wabona ukudana okuthileko kuJesu nekamqalako? Asiqiniseki kangako ngalokho; kodwana okukuphela komlando ophefumulelweko uthi “iKosi uJesu yaphenduka yaqala poro kuPitrosi.” (Luka 22:61) Kodwana ngokumrhedlula kwakhe kanye kwaphela, uPitrosi wabona bonyana gade one kangangani. Wabona bonyana wenze kanye into uJesu ayibikezela, into uPitrosi athe angeze ayenza—waphika iKosakhe ayithandako. Bekusikhathi esibudisi khulu kuPitrosi, mhlamunye ilanga elimbi khulu akhe abanalo epilwenakhe.

2. Ngisiphi isifundo uPitrosi ebekutlhogeka asifunde, begodu thina singazuza njani emlandwenakhe?

² Nokho, lesi bekungasiso isikhathi sokulahla itewu. Ngombana uPitrosi bekayindoda enekholo elikhulu, bekasese nethuba lokulungisa imitjhaphwakhe abe afunde nesinye seemfundo ezikulu kuJesu. Lokho bekukulibalela. Ngamunye wethu kutlhogeka afunde isifundo esifanako, ngalokho akhe sibone bonyana uPitrosi wasifunda njani isifundweso.

3, 4. (a) Ngiwuphi umbuzo uPitrosi awubuza uJesu, begodu kungenzeka bona yini uPitrosi ebekayicabanga? (b) UJesu watjengisa njani bona uPitrosi bekalingisa abantu ebekaphila nabo?

³ Pheze eenyangeni ezisithandathu ngaphambilini edorobheni langekhabo eKapernomi, uPitrosi waya kuJesu wambuza wathi: “Kosi, nengabe umfowethu uphikelela ukungona, ngimlibalele kangaki na? Ngokubuyelelwe kakhomba?” Kungenzeka bona uPitrosi bekacabanga bona sekabonise umusa omkhulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abarholi bekolo bangesikhatheso bebafundisa bonyana umuntu ulitjalelwa kathathu kwaphela! UJesu waphendula: ‘Awa, ingasi ngokubuyelelwe ngekhomba, kodwana ngokubuyelelwe amatjhumi alikhomba nekhomba.’—Mat. 18:21, 22.

⁴ Inga-kghani uJesu bekatjho bona uPitrosi bekufuze atlole phasi yoke imitjhapho abamenzela yona? Awa; kunalokho, ngokubuyelela  ikhomba ngeenkhathi ezimatjhumi alikhomba nekhomba kuPitrosi, bekatjho bona ithando alisivumeli bona sibeke isilinganiso nesilibalelako. (1Kor . 13:4, 5) UJesu watjengisa uPitrosi bona bekalingisa abantu ebekaphila nabo ngeenkhathezo ebebanganamusa begodu bangakazimiseli ukulibalela abanye. Nokho, labo abafuna ukulingisa uZimu kufuze bazimisele ukulibalela abanye ngokubuyelelweko.—Funda 1 uJwanisi 1:7-9.

5. Kunini lapho singafunda khona khulu ngokulibalela?

⁵ UPitrosi akhenge aphikisane noJesu. Kodwana inga-kghani isifundo sakaJesu samthinta ehliziyweni? Ngezinye iinkhathi sifunda okunengi ngokulibalela nesilemuka bona thina sikutlhoga kangangani. Kwanje akhe sibuyele ezenzakalweni ezirholela ekufeni kwakaJesu. Ema-awareni abudisi layo, uPitrosi wenza imitjhapho eminengi iKosakhe ebekufuze imlibalele yona.

6. UPitrosi wasabela njani uJesu nekalinga ukufundisa abapostoli ngokuthobeka, khonapho uJesu wamphatha njani?

⁶ Gade kubusuku obuqakathekileko—ubusuku bokugcina bakaJesu asephasini. UJesu bekasesenokunengi okufuze akufundise abafundi bakhe, ngokwesibonelo, ukuthobeka. UJesu wabeka isibonelo sokuthobeka ngokuhlanza iinyawo zabo, umsebenzi kanengi owabelwa iinceku eziphasi. Ekuthomeni, uPitrosi wabuza uJesu bona uzomhlambisa iinyawo na. Ngalokho wala bona uJesu amhlambise iinyawo. Ngokulandelako wakatelela bona uJesu angamhlambisi iinyawo kwaphela kodwana izandla nehloko! UJesu akhenge amphelele ihliziyo kodwana ngomoya ophasi wamhlathululela ukuqakatheka kwalokho nokobana bekakwenzelani.—Jwa. 13:1-17.

7, 8. (a) Ngiziphi ezinye iindlela uPitrosi alinga ngazo ukubekezela kwakaJesu? (b) UJesu waragela njani phambili atjengisa umoya wokulibalela onomusa?

⁷ Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, uPitrosi walinga ukukghodlhelela kwakaJesu godu. Abapostoli bathoma ukuphikisana ngokuthi ngubani omkhulu hlangana nabo, akunakuzaza bona uPitrosi waba nengcenye ekuphikisaneni okulihlazokho. Nanyana kunjalo, uJesu wabalungisa ngomusa begodu wababuka ngalokho abakwenze kuhle; batjengisa ukuthembeka ngokunamathela eKosinabo. Nokho, wathi boke bazomtjhiya. UPitrosi waphendula wathi uzakufa noJesu nengabe lokho bekutlhogeka. UJesu waporofida okuhlukileko ngalokho, bonyana uPitrosi uzakuphika iKosakhe kathathu khona ngobusukobo umkukurumbu ungakalili kabili. UPitrosi akhenge aphikise uJesu kwaphela kodwana wazikhakhazisa wathi uzokuthembeka ukudlula abanye abapostoli!—Mat. 26:31-35; Mar. 14:27-31; Luka 22:24-28; Jwa. 13:36-38.

⁸ Kghani bekusele kancani bona uJesu aphelelwe sineke ngoPitrosi? Eqinisweni, naphezu kwasosoke isikhathi esibudisesi, uJesu bekasolo  aqale okuhle kwaphela ebapostolini bakhe abanesono. Bekazi bona uPitrosi uzomlandula, nanyana kunjalo Wathi: ‘Ngikuthandazele Simoni, khona ikholo lingazukuwa. Yeke, kuthi wena nawuphendukela ngakimi, uqinise abazalwana bakho.’ (Luka 22:32) Ngalokhu, uJesu bekatjengisa bona bekanethemba kuPitrosi bonyana uzokutjhentjha emtjhaphwenakhe begodu aragele phambili akhonze uZimu ngokuthembeka. Qala bona bekumumusa ongangani wokulibalela!

9, 10. (a) Esimini yeGetsemani, uPitrosi bekatlhoga kuphi ukulungiswa? (b) Imitjhapho kaPitrosi isikhumbuzani?

⁹ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi esimini yeGetsemani, uPitrosi watlhoga ukulungiswa ngokubuyelelweko. UJesu wabawa uPitrosi, uJakobosi noJwanisi bona bahlale balindile nekasayokuthandaza. UJesu gade atlhuwe khulu begodu atlhoga nomsekeli, kodwana uPitrosi nabangani bakhe bebadudla ubuthongo. UJesu bekazwisisa bona kubayini abapostoli bebenza ngendlela le begodu wabalibalela, ngikho athi: “Umoya uyavuma, kodwana inyama ibuthakathaka.”—Mar. 14:32-38.

¹⁰ Kungasikade, kwafika isiqubuthu siphethe imililo sihlome ngeensabula neembhuku. Lesi bekusikhathi sokwenza ngokutjheja nangokuhlakanipha. Kusesenjalo, uPitrosi wathatha igadango angakacabangi, warhwatjhula isabulakhe warharhabula indlebe kaMalkusi. Ngomoya ophasi uJesu walungisa uPitrosi, wapholisa inceba bewahlathulula ikambisolawulo yokungazibandakanyi enturhwini esasebenzako ebalandelini bakhe bekube namhlanjesi. (Mat. 26:47-55; Luka 22:47-51; Jwa. 18:10, 11) UPitrosi besele enze imitjhapho eminengi etlhoga ukulitjalelwa yiKosakhe. Imitjhapho kaPitrosi ingasikhumbuza bona soke ngaso soke sikhathi siyona. (Funda uJakobosi 3:2.) Soke sitlhoga bona uZimu asilibalele qobe langa. Nokho, ubusuku bebusesebude kuPitrosi. Bekasazokwenza eminye imitjhapho emikhulu.

11, 12. (a) UPitrosi wasitjengisa njani isibindi ngezinga elithileko ngemva kokubotjhwa kwakaJesu? (b) UPitrosi wabhalelwa njani ukwenza lokho athi uzokwenza?

¹¹ UJesu waphendula isiqubuthu wathi nengabe sifuna yena, asilise abapostoli bakhe bakhambe. Angananto angayenza, uPitrosi waqala iwoma njengombana libopha uJesu. UPitrosi wabaleka njengombana kwenza abapostoli akunye nabo.

¹² UPitrosi noJwanisi bajama, mhlamunye hlanu kwendlu yogade amPristi omKhulu u-Anasi, lapho basa khona uJesu kokuthoma bona bambuze imibuzo. Njengombana bamusa lapho, uPitrosi noJwanisi bamlandela kodwana “kudanyana.” (Mat. 26:58; Jwa. 18:12, 13) UPitrosi bekangasilo itjhatjha. Bekutlhoga isibindi esikhulu ukulandela uJesu lapho bamusa khona. Iwoma belihlomile, begodu  uPitrosi besele alimaze omunye walo. Nanyana kunjalo, bekanganaso isibindi esaneleko sokuhlala athembekile kuJesu njengombana atjho—ukuzimisela ukufa eqadi kweKosakhe nekutlhogekako—Mar. 14:31.

13. Ngiyiphi okukuphela kwendlela esingalandela ngayo uKrestu ngokufaneleko?

¹³ NjengoPitrosi, abanengi namhlanjesi bafuna ukulandela uKrestu “kudanyana”—ngendlela yokobana kungabi nomuntu obabonako. Kodwana njengombana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uPitrosi ngokwakhe atlola, okukuphela kwendlela yokulandela uKrestu kuhle kuhlala hlanu Kwakhe ngendlela esingakghona ngayo, silingise isibonelo Sakhe kizozoke izinto, nanyana imiphumela ingaba njani.—Funda 1 Pitrosi 2:21.

14. UPitrosi bamkhambela njani ubusuku hlangana nokumangalelwa kwakaJesu?

¹⁴ UPitrosi walandela uJesu bekwaba sendlini ekulu eJerusalema. Bekumumuzi kaKhayifasi, umpristi omkhulu onjingileko nonamandla. Imizi enjalo beyakhiwa ngesirhodlweni, ibe nehege ngaphambili. UPitrosi wafika lapho begodu walelwa bona angene. UJwanisi obekazana nompristi omkhulu besele angaphakathi, weza kunogada bona avulele uPitrosi angene. Kubonakala kwanga uPitrosi akhenge ahlale hlanu kwakaJwanisi; kunalokho wazama ukungena ngendlini bona ajame ngehlangothini leKosakhe. Wahlala ngesirhodlweni, lapho ezinye iingqila neenceku beziqotha amakhaza webusuku ngokotha umlilo aqalile njengombana abofakazi bamala beza balandelana ukuzokumangalela uJesu.—Mar. 14:54-57; Jwa. 18:15, 16, 18.

15, 16. Hlathulula bona isiporofido sakaJesu ngokuphika kathathu sazaliseka njani.

¹⁵ Umntazana ongenise uPitrosi eyegeni wakghona ukumbona kuhle njengombana umlilo bewukhanyisile. Wamkhumbuza. Wammangalela wathi: “Nawe, gade unoJesu weGaleliya!” Ararekile, uPitrosi waphika bona uyamazi uJesu—nofana bona umntazana lo ukhuluma ngani. Wakhamba wayokujama hlanu kweyege, azama ukuzifihla, kodwana omunye umntazana wambona bewamkhomba watjho into efanako: “Naye lo gade anoJesu weNazareda.” UPitrosi wafunga wathi: “Ngiyafunga bona angimazi umuntu loyo!” (Mat. 26:69-72; Mar. 14:66-68) Mhlamuye gade kungemva kokulandula kwakhe kwesibilokhu lapho uPitrosi ezwa umkukurumbu ulila, kodwana gade ahlangahlangene khulu bona angakhumbula isiporofido uJesu asitjho ema-awareni ambalwa adlulileko.

¹⁶ Ngemva kwesikhatjhana, uPitrosi bekalinga ngamandla ukubaleka bona angabonwa. Kodwana isiqhema sabantu egade sijame ngesirhodlweni seza kuye. Omunye waso gade ahlobene noMalkusi, isigqila uPitrosi asilimazako. Wathi kuPitrosi: “Azange khengikubone naye esimini na?” UPitrosi wafuna ukubaqinisekisa bona bebanamala. Ngalokho wafunga malungana nendaba le, wathi akathuweleliswe  nengabe bekaleya amala. Lokho bekukuphika kwakaPitrosi kwesithathu. Msinyana ngemva kokutjho lokho umkukurumbu walila—wesibili uPitrosi awuzwa ngobusukobo.—Jwa. 18:26, 27; Mar. 14:71, 72.

17, 18. (a) Wenzani uPitrosi nekalemuka bona udanise iKosakhe khulu? (b) Kungezeka uPitrosi bekacabangani?

¹⁷ UJesu bekasanda ukukhitjhelwa ethurini aqale ngesirhodlweni. Ngesikhatheso, amehlwakhe ahlangana newakaPitrosi njengombana kuhlathululwe ekuthomeni kwesahlukwesi. Ngesikhatheso uPitrosi walemuka bona bekadanise iKosakhe kangangani. UPitrosi wasuka ngesirhodlweni adane kwamambala ngebanga lokuzibona amlandu. Waya eentradeni zomuzi, akhanyiselwe yinyezi esele isithela njengombana gade sele kuzokusa. Kwehla iminyembezi. Azange asabona kuhle. Wasirhidla.—Mar. 14:72; Luka 22:61, 62.

¹⁸ Umuntu nekayelela bona wenze iphoso ekulu, kubulula ngaye ukucabanga bona wenze isono esikhulu engeze salitjalelwa. Kungenzeka uPitrosi bekacabanga bona uJesu angekhe amlibalela ngesono asenzileko. Inga-kghani bekaqinisile?

19. Kungezeka uPitrosi wazizwa njani ngokubhalelwa kwakhe, nokho sazi njani bona azange avumele amatlhuwo amhlule?

¹⁹ Kungezeka uPitrosi wadana khulu ngelanga elilandelako nekabona bona kwenzekeni kuJesu. Qala bona wazinyenya kangangani ngokukhamba kwesikhathi khona mhlokho uJesu nekafako ngemva kwama-awara wokuhlunguphazwa! Kungenzeka uPitrosi bekahlengezela nekacabanga bona ungezelele ebuhlungwini beKosakhe okwenzeka kwaba lilanga Layo lokugcina lokuphila njengomuntu. Naphezu kobuhlungu obukhulu abuzwako, uPitrosi akhenge avumele ukuhlulwa matlhuwo. Siyazi ngalokhu ngombana umlando lo usitjela bona msinyana wahlangana nabanye abafundi godu. (Luka 24:33) Akunakuzaza bona boke abapostoli bazisola ngendlela abenza ngayo ngobusuku bamatlhuwobo, begodu baduduzana.

20. Singafundani ngezenzo zikaPitrosi izinto nezimkhambela kuhle?

²⁰ La, sibona uPitrosi enza isiqunto esihle. Nengabe umkhulekeli kaZimu wenza koke angakwenza ukulungisa umtjhaphwakhe, uZimu angamlibalela ngitjho nanyana isonweso sisikhulu kangangani. (Funda IzAga 24:16.) UPitrosi watjengisa ikholo lamambala ngitjho nanyana bekadane khulu. Nengabe omunye uzisola ngokudephileko,  angacabanga ukuzihlukanisa, kodwana lokho kungaba yingozi. (IzA. 18:1) Into ehle ongayenza kuhlala useduze nokholwa nabo begodu ufumane amandla owatlhogako bona uragele phambili ukhonza uZimu.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

21. Ngombana bekanabanakwabo abangokomoya, khuyini uPitrosi ayizwako?

²¹ Ngombana bekanabanakwabo abangokomoya, uPitrosi wezwa iindaba ezithusako bona isidumbu sakaJesu besingekho ethuneni. UPitrosi noJwanisi bagijimela ethuneni lapho uJesu bekabulungwe khona begodu bekuvaliwe. Kungenzeka bona uJwanisi osesemutjha wafika qangi. Wafumana ithuna livuliwe, wazaza ukungena. Kodwana ingasi uPitrosi. Ngitjho nanyana bekaphefumulela phezulu ngebanga lokugijima, waziphosa ngaphakathi. Bekunganalitho!—Jwa. 20:3-9.

22. Khuyini ebeyibangela koke ukudana nokuzaza ehliziyweni kaPitrosi?

²² Inga-kghani uPitrosi bekakholwa bona uJesu uvukile? Ingasi ekuthomeni, ngitjho nanyana abafazi abathemekileko babika bona iingilozi zivele kibo ukuzobatjela bona uJesu uvusiwe kwabafileko. (Luka 23:55–24:11) Ekupheleni kwelanga, koke ukudana nokuzaza kwaphela ezihliziyweni kaPitrosi. UJesu uyaphila, kwanje njengomoya onamandla! Wabonakala kibo boke abapostoli. Nokho, ngaphambi kobana abonakale kibo boke abanye abapostoli, wabonakala kuPitrosi. Ngelangelo abapostoli bathi: “IKosi ivukile kwamambala! Izibonakalisile kuSimoni.” (Luka 24:34) Ngokufanako, umpostoli uPowula ngokukhamba kwesikhathi watlola ngelanga elihle lapho uJesu “abonakala kuKhefasi nebapostolini abalitjhumi nambili.” (1 Kor. 15:5) UKhefasi noSimoni ngamanye wamabizo kaPitrosi. UJesu wavela kuye mhlokho—uPitrosi nekayedwa.

23. Kubayini amaKrestu awela esonweni namhlanje atlhoga ukukhumbula indaba kaPitrosi?

²³ Imininingwana ethintako le yokuhlangana kwabo ayikakatlolwa eBhayibhilini. Yaba yindaba yabo bobabili. Singacabanga bona uPitrosi wathinteka kangangani ukubona iKosakhe ethandekako iphila begodu nokobana afumane ithuba lokuveza amazizwakhe wokuzisola nokuphenduka. Ukudlula nanyana yini ekuphileni kwakhe, uPitrosi bekafuna ukulitjalelwa. Ngaphandle kokuzaza siyaqiniseka bona uJesu wamlibalela. AmaKrestu awela esonweni namhlanje kufuze akhumbule indaba kaPitrosi. Akukafuzi sicabange bona uZimu angekhe asilibalele. UJesu umbonakalise ngopheleleko uYise, ‘ozokulibalela ngendlela ekulu.’—Isa. 55:7.

24, 25. (a) Hlathulula ubusuku bakaPitrosi bokuthiya iimfesi eLwandle leGaleliya. (b) UPitrosi wasabela njani ngekarisomraro uJesu ayenzako ngamathathakusa alandelako?

²⁴ UJesu watjela abapostoli bakhe bona baye eGaleliya, lapho bazokuhlangana  khona godu. Nebafikako, uPitrosi wakhetha ukuyokuthiya iimfesi eLwandle leGaleliya. Nabanye bakhamba naye. Godu uPitrosi wazifumana aselitsheni lapho ahlala khona isikhathi eside sokuphila kwakhe. Ukuphadlhuka kweskepe, amagagasi abethako, nokuqina kwamanede ezandleni zabo bekuyinto abayijayeleko. Amadoda la azange abambe ubusuku boke.—Mat. 26:32; Jwa. 21:1-3.

²⁵ Ngamathathakusa, umuntu wabiza akhamba magega nelwandle begodu wabawa abathiyi beemfesi bona baphosele amaneda ngakelinye ihlangothi lesikebhe. Bahlangana, badosa iimfesi abazibambileko ezili-153! UPitrosi bekazi bona ngubani umuntu loyo. Weqa eskepeni waduda waya magega nelwandle. Eligwini, uJesu  wanikela abangani bakhe abathembekileko ifesi ebaswe ngamalahle. Waqala uPitrosi ngokukhethekileko.—Jwa. 21:4-14.

26, 27. (a) Ngiliphi ithuba uJesu alinikela uPitrosi iinkhathi eentathu? (b) Ngibuphi ubufakazi bokulibalela ngokupheleleko uJesu abutjengisa uPitrosi?

²⁶ UJesu wabuza uPitrosi bona uyayithanda iKosakhe ‘ngaphezu kwalezi na’—ngokukhanyako akhomba iimfesi ezinengi. Ehliziyweni kaPitrosi, ithando ngerhwebo lokuthiya lingadlula ithando analo ngoJesu na? Njengombana uPitrosi aphika iKosakhe kathathu, kwanje uJesu wamnikela ithuba lokuqinisekisa ithando lakhe phambi kwabangani bakhe kathathu. Ngaso soke isikhathi uPitrosi nekathi uyamthanda uJesu, uJesu bekamtjela bona kufuze alitjengise njani ithando, watjela uPitrosi bona into eqakatheke khulu ekuphileni kwakhe kukwenza lokho uJesu akufunako, egade kukufundisa nokutlhogomela abalandeli bakaKrestu.—Luka 22:32; Jwa. 21:15-17.

²⁷ Ngalokho uJesu waqinisekisa uPitrosi bona bekaqakathekile kuye noYise. UPitrosi bekazokudlala indima eqakathekileko ebandleni ngaphasi kokunqotjhiswa nguKrestu. Qala ubufakazi obunamandla kangangani bokulibalela kwakaJesu ngokupheleleko! Kwamambala umusa wathinta ihliziyo kaPitrosi begodu wafunda emtjhaphwenakhe.

28. UPitrosi waliphilela njani ibizo lakhe?

²⁸ Ngokuthembeka uPitrosi wenza isabelo sakhe iminyaka eminengi. Waqinisa abanakwabo njengombana uJesu atjho ngelanga lokufa Kwakhe. UPitrosi wasebenza ngomusa nesineke ukutlhogomela nokondla abalandeli bakaKrestu. Indoda ebizwa ngokuthi nguSimoni yaliphilela ibizo uJesu amthiya lona—uPitrosi namtjhana iDwala—ngokunzinza, ngokuba namandla nangokuba nokuthenjelwa eentweni ezilungileko zebandla. Ubufakazi obunengi balokho ngilobo obufumaneka eencwadini ezimbili zakaPitrosi ezaba ziincwadi zeBhayibhili eziqakathekileko. Godu iincwadezo zitjengisa bona uPitrosi akhenge asikhohlwe isifundo asifunda kuJesu malungana nokulibalela.—Funda 1 Pitrosi 3:8, 9; 4:8.

29. Singalilingisa njani ikholo lakaPitrosi nomusa weKosakhe?

²⁹ Kwanga nathi singafunda isifundweso. Inga-kghani qobe langa siyambawa uZimu bona asilibalele imitjhaphwethu eminengi? Siyakwamukela ukulitjalelokho na begodu sikholwe emandlenakho wokusihlanza? Siyabalibalela na labo abasibhodileko? Nengabe senza njalo, sizabe silingisa ikholo lakaPitrosi—nomusa weKosakhe.