1-3. Wabona ntoni uPetros kolu suku lwaluzaliswe ziziganeko, yaye lwalunjani uhambo lwakhe ebusuku?

UPETROS wayebheqa ngesibonda sokubheqa isikhephe ngobo busuku. Njengoko wayekhangele enkalweni wabona ukukhanya okuluzizi mhlawumbi okomsobomvu. Wayedinwe eyimfe emva kokubheqa isikhephe ubusuku bonke. Umoya owawuvuthuza wawulwenze lwalwa uLwandle lwaseGalili. Wayemanzi tixi emva kokuba isikhephe sabo sintlithwe ubusuku bonke ngamaza olwandle. Kodwa waqhubeka ebheqa.

² UPetros nabanye abafundi babeshiye uYesu elunxwemeni. Ngaloo mini babembone esondla amawaka abantu ngezonka neentlanzi nje ezimbalwa. Loo nto yenza abantu bafuna ukumenza ukumkani uYesu, kodwa ke wabe engenamdla kwiipolitiki zabo. Wayefuna ukufundisa nabalandeli bakhe ukuba bangangeni kwiipolitiki. Washiya ezo zihlwele waza waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba bangene esikhepheni, bawelele kwelinye icala ngoxa yena esaya kuthandaza yedwa entabeni.—Marko 6:35-45; funda uYohane 6:14-17.

³ Inyanga eyayikhanyise kwasemini ukusuka kwabo elunxwemeni; ngoku yayisele iza kutshona. Kodwa babengahambanga kuyaphi. Kangangendlela ababemaxhaphetshu ngayo ngenxa yokulwatyuza kolwandle kwakunzima nokuncokola oku. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uPetros wayekude ngeengcinga.

4. Yintoni eyenza uPetros abe ngumzekelo omhle esinokuwuxelisa?

⁴ Zininzi izinto awayenokucinga ngazo! UPetros wayehambe noYesu waseNazarete ngaphezu kweminyaka emibini. Wayefunde izinto  ezininzi, yaye wayeseza kufunda ezingakumbi. Ukukulungela kwakhe ukulwa namathandabuzo noloyiko kumenza abe ngumzekelo esimele siwuxelise. Makhe sibone isizathu soko.

5, 6. Wayephila ubomi obunjani uPetros?

⁵ UPetros wayengenakuze ayilibale imini awadibana ngayo noYesu. Kaloku umntakwabo uAndreya wamxelela ezi ndaba zimnandi esithi: “Simfumene uMesiya.” Loo mazwi abutshintsha ubomi bukaPetros. Batshintsha umphelo.—Yoh. 1:41.

⁶ UPetros wayehlala eKapernahum, isixeko esigudle uLwandle lwaseGalili. Yena noAndreya babengabalobi kunye noYakobi noYohane oonyana bakaZebhedi. UPetros wayehlala nomfazi wakhe, umkhwekazi wakhe kunye noAndreya umntakwabo. Umele ukuba wayezibhokoxa ngamandla kwishishini lokuloba yaye ezama namanye amacebo ukuze akwazi ukondla intsapho enkulu ngolo hlobo. Sinokuyicingela indlela awayechitha ubusuku esebenza nzima ngayo loo madoda—esaneka iminatha yawo phakathi kwezikhephe ezibini ukuze abambise nantoni na efumanekayo. Kwakhona kufanele ukuba la madoda ayesebenza nzima imini yonke ekhetha iintlanzi aza kuzithengisa elungisa yaye ecoca neminatha yawo.

7. Weva ntoni uPetros ngoYesu, yaye yintoni eyayisenza ezi ndaba zivuyise?

⁷ IBhayibhile ithi uAndreya wayengumfundi kaYohane umBhaptizi. Ngokuqinisekileyo uPetros wayeba nomdla xa umntakwabo embalisela izinto ezazifundiswa nguYohane. Ngenye imini uAndreya wabona uYohane esalatha uYesu waseNazarete waza wathi: “Khangelani, iMvana kaThixo!” Ngoko nangoko uAndreya waba ngumlandeli kaYesu waza wazichazela uPetros ezi ndaba zichulumancisayo zokuba: UMesiya ufikile! (Yoh. 1:35-40) Emva kwemvukelo yase-Eden eyayenzeke malunga neminyaka engama-4 000 ngaphambi koko, uYehova uThixo wayethembise ukuba kwakuza kufika umntu obalulekileyo owayeza kwenza uluntu lube nethemba. (Gen. 3:15) Ngoku uAndreya wayezibonele ngawakhe loo Mhlanguli, uMesiya ngenkqu! NoPetros akazange aphozise maseko, wathi khwasu esiya kubona uYesu.

8. Lalithetha ukuthini igama uYesu awalinika uPetros, yaye kutheni abanye belithandabuza?

⁸ De kwayiloo mini, uPetros wayebizwa ngokuba nguSimon okanye uSimeyon. Kodwa uYesu wathi akumbona wathi kuye: “‘Wena unguSimon unyana kaYohane; uya kubizwa ngokuba unguKefas’ (eliguqulelwa ngokuthi Petros).” (Yoh. 1:42) “UKefas” sisibizo esithetha “ilitye,” okanye “ulwalwa.” Kucacile ukuba uYesu wayeprofeta ngala mazwi. Wabona kwangaphambili ukuba uPetros wayeza kuba njengolwalwa—oluzinzileyo, olomeleleyo noluza kuba nempembelelo  entle kubalandeli bakhe. Ngaba yena uPetros wayezazi ukuba unjalo? Kuyathandabuzeka. Kaloku nkqu nabanye abantu abafunda iincwadi zeVangeli namhlanje abamboni efana nolwalwa uPetros. Abanye bathi kwingxelo yeBhayibhile ubonakala engazinzanga, kungekho nto ayimelayo.

9. Yintoni ayikhangelayo uYehova noNyana wakhe kuthi, yaye kutheni ucinga ukuba simele siyithembe imbono yabo?

⁹ Ewe kona, zikho izinto awayebuthathaka kuzo uPetros. NoYesu wayezazi ezo zinto. Kodwa njengoYise, uYehova, uYesu wayesoloko ekhangela iimpawu ezintle ebantwini. Wabona ukuba wayenokumsebenzisa uPetros waza wamnceda ekuphuhliseni ezo mpawu zakhe zintle. Nanamhlanje uYehova noNyana wakhe bakhangela iimpawu ezintle kuthi. Sisenokucinga ukuba akukho zimpawu zintle banokuzifumana kuthi. Kodwa ke, kufuneka siyithembe indlela abazijonga ngayo izinto size sivume ukuba basiqeqeshe njengoPetros.—Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 3:19, 20.

10. Yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba uPetros wayibona, ibe nangona kunjalo, wabuyela entwenini?

¹⁰ UPetros umele ukuba wayepheleka uYesu xa wayesiya kushumayela. Umele ukuba wayekho kumtshato owawuseKana xa uYesu wenza ummangaliso wakhe wokuqala, wokujika amanzi abe yiwayini. Okona kubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba wasiva isigidimi sikaYesu esasinika abantu ithemba elimangalisayo loBukumkani bukaThixo. Sekunjalo wamshiya uYesu wabuyela kwishishini lakhe lokuloba. Noko ke, emva kweenyanga ezithile uPetros waphinda wadibana noYesu—kwesi sihlandlo uYesu wambiza ukuze amlandele ubomi bakhe bonke.

11, 12. (a) Wayesenza wuphi umsebenzi uPetros ebudeni bobusuku? (b) Njengoko ephulaphule uYesu efundisa, yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba uPetros wayecinga ngayo?

¹¹ UPetros wayetyhafile emva kokuba elobe ubusuku bonke engabambisanga nto. Kaloku ngobo busuku aba balobi babebuye nemband’ esikhova. Umel’ ukuba uPetros wayezame onke amaqhinga akhe okuloba ngobo busuku. Njengabo bonke abanye abalobi, akuthandabuzeki ukuba akho amaxesha awayekhe anqwenele ukusuka nje aphose umnatha abuye nentaphane yeentlanzi. Kakade ke, iminqweno enjalo yayingayi kumnceda nganto ngaphandle nje kokuba imdimaze. UPetros wayengalobeli ukuzonwabisa kodwa kwakukho abantu ababexhomekeke ekubambiseni kwakhe iintlanzi. Ekugqibeleni wancama waza wabuyel’ elunxwemeni ephaca. Kwakusafuneka ahlambe iminatha. Wayexakeke yiloo nto ukufika kukaYesu.

¹² UYesu wayengqongwe sisihlwele esasimphulaphule ngenyameko.  Ebaleka oko kungqongwa, uYesu wakhwela kwisikhephe sikaPetros waza wamcela ukuba angene emanzini kancinane. Ukuma emanzini kwamenza wavakala kakuhle uYesu. Naye uPetros wamphulaphula ngenyameko. Wayengakruquki kukuva uYesu eshumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Wayeza kufumana ilungelo elingathethekiyo lokuncedisa uKristu njengoko wayeshumayela esi sigidimi sinik’ ithemba kulo lonke elo! Kodwa ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukuyenza loo nto? Babeza kuphila ngantoni? Mhlawumbi uPetros waphinda wacinga ngobusuku awayebuchithe eloba kodwa engabambisanga nto.—Luka 5:1-3.

13, 14. Wenza wuphi ummangaliso uYesu phambi kukaPetros, yaye wasabela njani uPetros?

¹³ Ukugqiba kwakhe ukuthetha, uYesu wathi kuPetros: “Shenxela apho kunzulu khona, nize nithobe iminatha yenu ukuba nibambise.” UPetros wayethandabuza. Wathi: “Myaleli, sibulaleke ubusuku bonke, asabambisa nto, kodwa ngokutsho kwakho ndiza kuyihlisa iminatha.” UPetros wayesandula ukuhlamba iminatha. Ngokuqinisekileyo uPetros wayemadolw’ anzima ukuphinda athobe iminatha ngakumbi ekubeni ngelo xesha iintlanzi zazisele ziyekile ukuzingela ukutya. Kodwa ke wathobela, mhlawumbi ebiza namaqabane akhe awayekwesinye isikhephe ukuba abalandele.—Luka 5:4, 5.

¹⁴ UPetros wothuswa kukusinda komnatha ngendlela awayengayilindelanga. Wathi akutsala wamangaliswa kukubona inyambalala yeentlanzi izalise umnatha! Wabiza abanye abalobi ababekwisikhephe sesibini ukuba baze kumncedisa. Kwakhawuleza kwacaca ukuba ezo ntlanzi zazingenakwanela kwisikhephe esinye. Bazizalisa zozibini izikhephe zabo kodwa ke iintlanzi zazininzi kangangokuba izikhephe zaqalisa ukuzika. UPetros wayengayikholelwa into awayeyibona. Wayengaqali ukubona uKristu esebenzisa amandla akhe, kodwa kwesi sihlandlo uYesu wayewasebenzise ukuze ancede uPetros nentsapho yakhe. Kaloku le ndoda yayikwazi nokufak’ iintlanzi emnatheni. UPetros waqalisa ukoyika. Waguqa ngamadolo waza wathi: “Mka kum, ngenxa yokuba ndiyindoda enesono, Nkosi.” Mhlawumbi wayezibuza ukuba wayengubani yena ukuba angade anxulumane noMntu ophiwe amandla angako nguThixo.—Funda uLuka 5:6-9.

15. UYesu wamfundisa njani uPetros ukuba amathandabuzo noloyiko lwakhe lwalungenasihlahla?

¹⁵ UYesu wathi kuye: “Musa ukoyika. Ukususela ngoku uya kubambisa abantu bephila.” (Luka 5:10, 11) Eli yayingeloxesha lokuthandabuza okanye ukoyika. Sasingekho isizathu sokuba uPetros abe  namathandabuzo ngezinto zemihla ngemihla ezifana nokuloba, nokungafaneleki kwakhe. UYesu wayenomsebenzi omkhulu awayemele awenze, ubulungiseleli obabuza kutshintsha imbali yabantu. Wayekhonza uThixo ‘oxolela ngokukhulu.’ (Isa. 55:7) UYehova wayeza kubanika izinto abazidingayo, kokubini ezokwenyama nezokomeleza ukholo lwabo.—Mat. 6:33.

16. UPetros, uYakobi noYohane basabela njani kwisimemo sikaYesu, yaye kutheni eso isesona sigqibo sobulumko babenokusenza?

¹⁶ UPetros, uYakobi noYohane bamlandela ngoko nangoko uYesu. “Babuyisela izikhephe emhlabeni, bashiya yonk’ into baza bamlandela.” (Luka 5:11) UPetros waba nokholo kuYesu nakuLowo wayemthumile. Yayisesona sigqibo sobulumko awakhe wasenza. Nanamhlanje amaKristu ayekayo ukuthandabuza nokoyika aze akhonze uThixo,  abonisa ukholo. Awaphazami xa emthemba ngolo hlobo uYehova.—INdu. 22:4, 5.

17. Ziziphi izinto uPetros awayezikhumbula kwiminyaka emibini awayekunye noYesu kuyo?

¹⁷ Kwiminyaka emibini emva kokudibana kwakhe noYesu, uPetros wayebheqa isikhephe ebusuku kuLwandle lwaseGalili, njengokuba kuchaziwe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku. Kakade ke, asinakuze sazi yonke into awayeyicinga. Zininzi kakhulu izinto ezenzeka kubomi bakhe! UYesu wayephilise umkhwekazi wakhe, wenza neNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni. Izihlandlo ezininzi wayebonakalise ngemfundiso nemisebenzi yakhe yamandla ukuba wayenguMesiya, Lowo Unyuliweyo kaYehova. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba iimpazamo zikaPetros njengokoyika nokuthandabuza zadamba ngomlinganiselo othile njengoko ixesha lalihamba. UYesu wayede wamkhetha uPetros ukuba abe ngomnye wabapostile bakhe abali-12! Sekunjalo uPetros wayengekayeki ukuthandabuza nokoyika, njengokuba kwakusele kumbovu ukuba ayiqonde loo nto.

18, 19. (a) Khawuchaze oko wakubonayo uPetros kuLwandle lwaseGalili. (b) UYesu wasiphendula njani isicelo sikaPetros?

¹⁸ Xa kuthi qheke ukusa, malunga nentsimbi yesithathu ekuseni, uPetros wathi khwasu wahlala nkqo ejong’ enkalweni. Wabona ngaphaya kwamaza kukho umthinzi wento ehambayo. Ngaba bethu wayeqhathwa sisithunzi senyanga? Yayingesiso kuba into awayeyibona yayimi nkqo. Yayingumntu! Wayehamba kanye phezu kwamanz’ olwandle! Njengoko lo mntu wayesondela wabonakala ngathi uza kudlula ngakubo. Loo madoda awayengcangcazela luloyiko acinga ukuba ayebona umbono. Kodwa ke loo mntu wathi kubo: “Yomelelani, ndim; musani ukoyika.” Kwathi kanti nguYesu!—Mat. 14:25-28.

¹⁹ UPetros wathi: “Nkosi, ukuba nguwe, ndiyalele ndize kuwe phezu kwamanzi.” Waqala ngokukhalipha. UPetros owayethabathekile ngulo mmangaliso, wayefuna ukuqiniseka ukuba nguYesu ngokwenene lo babembona. Naye wayefuna ukuhamba phezu kwamanzi. UYesu wathi makeze. UPetros wehla esikhepheni wahamba phezu kwaloo manz’ olwandle. Khawuthelekelele indlela afanele ukuba wavakalelwa ngayo uPetros xa wayehamba phezu kwamanzi engatshoni. Inokuba wayemangalisiwe njengoko wayesondela kuYesu. Noko ke, kungekudala yatshintsha yonke loo nto.—Funda uMateyu 14:29.

20. (a) UPetros waphazanyiswa yintoni, ibe waba yintoni umphumo? (b) UYesu wamfundisa siphi isifundo uPetros?

²⁰ UPetros wayefanele ondele kuYesu. UYesu wasebenzisa amandla awayewanikwe nguYehova ukuze enze uPetros akwazi  ukuhamba phezu kwamanzi. UYesu wayenza loo nto ngenxa yokuba uPetros wayenokholo. Kodwa uPetros waphazamiseka. Sifunda oku: “Akukhangela kwisaqhwithi somoya, woyika.” UPetros wabona amaza alwatyuzayo emana ukuntlaleka esikhepheni, waza woyika. Mhlawumbi wazibona naye etshona apho. Wathi esakoyika lwaphela ukholo. Indoda ekwakuthiwe luLwalwa ngenxa yokuba yayibonakala iza kuma yomelele yazika oku kwelitye ngenxa yokuphelelwa lukholo. UPetros wayekwazi ukudada, kodwa ngesi sihlandlo akazange abhenele kuko. Wadanduluka wathi: “Nkosi, ndisindise!” UYesu wambamba ngesandla wamtsala. Kwaza kwathi ke ngoxa besephezu kwamanzi uYesu wafundisa uPetros esi sifundo sibalulekileyo: “Wena ulukholo luncinane, kutheni uthandabuza nje?”—Mat. 14:30, 31.

21. Yintoni eyenza ukuthandabuza kube yingozi, yaye singakulwa njani?

²¹ “Kutheni uthandabuza nje?”—ngumbuzo omhle lowo. Ukuthandabuza kunokusenzakalisa. Ukuba siyakuvumela, kunokulutshabalalisa ngokuthe ngcembe ukholo lwethu. Kufuneka silwe nalo mkhwa! Njani? Ngokunikela ingqalelo kwizinto ezifanelekileyo. Ukuthandabuza kwethu kuya kukhula ukuba sizixhalabisa gqitha ngezinto ezisidimazayo, esizoyikayo nezisenza singahlali sijonge kuYehova noNyana wakhe. Asisayi kuthandabuza ukuba sijonga kuYehova noNyana wakhe, izinto abazenzileyo, abazenzayo nabaseza kuzenzela abantu ababathandayo.

22. Kutheni ukholo lukaPetros lufanele kukuxeliswa?

²² Njengoko uPetros wayelandela uYesu ukuya kukhwela esikhepheni wabona uqhwithela luzola. Lwazola noLwandle lwaseGalili. Emva koko uPetros wathelela abanye abafundi bakaYesu besithi: “Ngokwenene unguNyana kaThixo.” (Mat. 14:33) Kumel’ ukuba waba nombulelo uPetros njengoko kwakusithi qheke ukusa. Wayefunde ukuba angaluvumeli uloyiko lumenze angamthembi uYehova noYesu. Yinyaniso ukuba kwakusekude ukuba abe ngumKristu ofana nolwalwa olwalubonwe nguYesu. Kodwa wayezimisele ukuqhubeka ezama yaye ekhula. Ngaba nawe uzimisele ngaloo ndlela? Ukuba uyayenza loo nto uya kubona ukubaluleka kokuxelisa ukholo lukaPetros.