UPetru umuntu oyisibonelo uNkulunkulu amethula esintwini, futhi ungumuntu owaziwayo. Kungani umuntu ophansi kanjalo uNkulunkulu ambeka njengesibonelo, futhi wadunyiswa yizizukulwane ezizayo? Empeleni, akudingeki nokuthi kuze kushiwo ukuthi lokhu akunakuhlukaniswa nombono wakhe nesinqumo sakhe sokuthanda uNkulunkulu. Mayelana nokuzwakaliswa kothando olusuka enhliziyweni lukaPetru ngoNkulunkulu nokuthi empeleni zazinjani izimo zakhe ekuphileni, kumele sibuyele eNkathini Yomusa ukuze siphinde sibone amasiko angaleso sikhathi, sibone uPetru wangaleyo nkathi.
UPetru wazalelwa emndenini ojwayelekile wabalimi ongamaJuda. Abazali bakhe beseka wonke umndeni ngokulima, futhi nguye owayemdala ezinganeni zakubo; wayenabafowabo nodadewabo abane. Yiqiniso, lena akuyona into ewumgogodla esingaxoxa ngayo kule ndaba—uPetru umane uwumlingiswa wethu owumgogodla. Lapho eneminyaka engu-5 ubudala, abazali bakhe baqala ukumfundisa ukufunda. Ngaleso sikhathi abantu abangamaJuda babeyizifundiswa—babenolwazi oluningi kakhulu emkhakheni wezolimo, kwezamabhizinisi kanye nezentengiselwane. Ngaphansi kwethonya lalezo zimo zenhlalo, bobabili abazali bakaPetru bafunda imfundo ephakeme. Nakuba babedabuka emaphandleni, babenolwazi oluningi kakhulu, olungaqhathaniswa nolomfundi ovamile osenyuvesi namuhla. Kusobala ukuthi uPetru waba nenhlanhla enkulu ngokuzalelwa ezimweni ezinhle kanjalo zenhlalo. Wayehlakaniphe kakhulu futhi ezibamba kalula izinto ezintsha. Ngemva kokuqala isikole, ezifundweni zakhe wayekwazi ukuqagela kahle izinto esusela kokunye ngaphandle kokusebenza kanzima. Abazali bakhe babeziqhenya ngokuba nendodana ehlakaniphe kanjalo, ngakho benza wonke umzamo wokumyisa esikoleni, benethemba lokuthi uzoqhubekela phambili, akwazi ukuzitholela umsebenzi omuhle emphakathini wangaleso sikhathi. Enganakile, uPetru waqala ukuthanda uNkulunkulu, ngakho lapho eneminyaka engu-14 futhi esesesikoleni samabanga aphakeme, zaqala ukumcika izifundo Zamasiko Asendulo AmaGreki ayezifunda, wayenyanya ikakhulukazi abantu abengekho ngokoqobo nezinto ezisemlandweni wasendulo wamaGreki. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uPetru, owayesanda kungena enkathini yobungqabavu bobusha bakhe, waqala ukuhlolisisa ukuphila kwesintu futhi waxhumana nomphakathi. Akazange abuyise izinhlungu ezazwiwa ngabazali bakhe ngenxa yokuthi wayebona ngokucacile ukuthi abantu babephila enkathini yokuzikhohlisa, bonke babephila ukuphila okuyize, bonakalisa ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yokulwela udumo nomcebo. Isizathu esamenza wabona lokhu sasihlobene kakhulu nezimo zenhlalo ayekuzo. Lapho lwanda ulwazi olutholwa abantu, buba yinkimbinkimbi nakakhulu ubudlelwane babo, futhi aba yinkimbinkimbi nakakhulu amazwe angaphakathi, ngakho iba yize nakakhulu indawo okunabantu kuyo. Ngaphansi kwalezi zimo, uPetru waqala ukubuza ngezinto kuzo zonke izindawo ngesikhathi sakhe, futhi izikhulu zenkolo zazilandisa ngeningi ayebuza ngalo. Kubonakala sengathi wayenombono oyinqaba enhliziyweni yakhe wokuthi zonke izinto ezididayo ezweni labantu zingacaciswa ezweni lenkolo, ngakho wayehlale eya enkonzweni eyayiba sesontweni eliseceleni kwakubo. Abazali bakhe babengazi ngalokhu, futhi kungakabiphi uPetru, owayehlale eziphethe kahle futhi ehlakaniphile ezifundweni, waqala ukungafuni ukuya esikoleni. Isikole samabanga aphakeme wasiqeda ngenxa yesiqondiso sabazali bakhe kuphela. Waphuma olwandle lolwazi, waphefumula kakhulu, futhi kusukela lapho akekho owamfundisa noma wambekela imingcele.
Ngemva kokuqeda isikole, waqala ukufunda zonke izinhlobo zezincwadi, kodwa eseneminyaka engu-17, wayengakabi nedumela elitheni. Ngemva kokuthola iziqu nokushiya isikole, wayezisekela ngokulima kuyilapho futhi ayezenzela isikhathi esiningi ukuze afunde izincwadi futhi aye ezinkonzweni zenkolo. Abazali bakhe, ababemethemba kakhulu, babehlale beqalekisa iZulu ngale “ndodana edlubulundayo.” Kodwa ngaphandle kwalokhu, inhliziyo yakhe eyayilambele futhi yomele ukulunga yayingeke inqandeke. Ziningi izinto ezazivimba inqubekela phambili ekuphileni kwakhe, kodwa wayenenhliziyo enelukuluku, ngakho wahlumisa okotshani ngemva kwemvula. Kungekudala waba “nenhlanhla” yokwazana nezicukuthwane ezweni lenkolo, futhi ngenxa yokuthi inhliziyo yakhe enelukuluku yayinamandla, wayexhumana njalo futhi kaningi, cishe wayechitha sonke isikhathi sakhe nabo. Ngesikhathi nje ecwile enjabulweni yokwaneliseka kwakhe, wathola kungazelelwe ukuthi phakathi kwalabo bantu, iningi lalinokholo ezwini kuphela, akekho kubo owayezinikele enhliziyweni yakhe. Ngenhliziyo yakhe eqotho, nelula, wayengayimela kanjani uPetru leyo nkinga? Wathola ukuthi cishe bonke abantu asebenzelana nabo babeyizilwane ezesabekayo ezigqokise okomuntu—babeyizilwane ezinobuso bomuntu. Ngaleso sikhathi uPetru wayengakahlakaniphi nhlobo, ngakho izikhathi eziningana wanxusa kanye nabo enhliziyweni, kodwa abaholi benkolo abangamaqola nabakhohlisi babengakulalela kanjani ukunxusa komfana omncane ogcwele intshiseko nogqozi? UPetru wabuzwa ngaleso sikhathi ubuqiniso bokuba yize kwempilo yomuntu, njengokungathi wayethatha igxathu lokuqala eliya esigabeni sempilo, kodwa ahluleke…. Ngemva konyaka, waphuma esontweni waqala ukuphila kwakhe ezimele.
Ngemva kokuba uPetru oneminyaka engu-18 ebhekane naleyo nkinga eyodwa, wavuthwa futhi waba nolwazi oluningi. Konke ukugabavula kwakhe kwasebusheni kwavele kwanyamalala, nabo bonke ubumsulwa nokwethembeka kwakhe kwasebusheni kwavele kwadlula naleyo nkinga. Kusukela lapho waqala ukuphila njengomdobi. Ngemva kwalokho, kwabonakala abantu esikebheni sakhe sokudoba belalela intshumayelo yakhe; wayedoba abaphilayo futhi eshumayela kuyo yonke indawo. Wonke umuntu ayeshumayela kuye wayesala ebambe ongezansi ngezintshumayelo zakhe ngoba izinto ayekhuluma ngazo zazihambisana kakhulu nezinhliziyo zabantu abavamile bangaleso sikhathi. Bonke abantu bakhuthazwa ukwethembeka kwakhe, futhi wayevamise ukufundisa abantu ukusebenzelana nabanye ngokusuka enhliziyweni nokubiza iNkosi yamazulu nomhlaba kuzo zonke izinto, futhi bangabashayi indiva onembeza babo benze lezo zinto ezingafanele, kodwa banelise uNkulunkulu abamthandayo ezinhliziyweni zabo kuzo zonke izinto…. Abantu babevamise ukukhuthazeka ngokujulile ngemva kokulalela izintshumayelo zakhe. Bonke babekhuthazwa nguye futhi babevame ukukhala kabuhlungu. Ngaleso sikhathi, wonke umuntu owayemlandela wayemazisa kakhulu. Bonke babempofu, futhi ngenxa yamathonya endawo angaleso sikhathi, ngempela wayenabalandeli abambalwa; wayephinde ashushiswe inkolo ayenayo emphakathini ngaleso sikhathi. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu wayehlale ezulazula, waphila njengonkom’ idla yodwa iminyaka emibili. Wathola ukuqonda okuthe xaxa kuleyo minyaka emibili ayiphila ezimweni ezingavamile, futhi wafunda izinto eziningi kakhulu ayengakaze azazi. Ngemva kwalokho uPetru wayesengumuntu ohluke ngokugcwele kulowo ayenguye eseneminyaka engu-14—kubonakala sengathi akukho ababefana ngakho. Kuleyo minyaka emibili wahlangabezana nazo zonke izinhlobo zabantu futhi wabona zonke izinhlobo zamaqiniso ngomphakathi; kusukela lapho wazihlukanisa kancane kancane nazo zonke izinhlobo zamasiko enkolo. Ngenxa yokusabalala emsebenzini woMoya Ongcwele ngaleso sikhathi, wathinteka kakhulu. Ngaleso sikhathi uJesu naye wayesesebenze iminyaka eminingi, nomsebenzi wakhe wawusuthonywe umsebenzi woMoya Ongcwele ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa wayengakahlangani noJesu. Ngenxa yaleso sizathu, lapho eshumayela, wazuza izinto eziningi isizukulwane sosanta esasingakaze sibe nazo. Ngempela, ngaleso sikhathi wayesemazi kahle uJesu kodwa wayengakaze abe nethuba lokuhlangana Naye ubuso nobuso. Wayegcina ngokuba nethemba futhi enhliziyweni yakhe wayomele ukubona isikhulu sasezulwini esizalwe ngoMoya Oyingcwele.
Wayedoba esikebheni sakhe sekuhwalele ngobunye ubusuku (eceleni kogu loLwandle LwaseGalile okukhulunywe ngalo ngaleso sikhathi), futhi nakuba ayephethe udobo esandleni sakhe, wayenezinye izinto engqondweni yakhe. Ubumnyama bakusihlwa base bugcwele ebusweni bamanzi njengomfula wegazi olwandle. Kwaba nokukhanya ensizweni enguPetru, kodwa wazola futhi ubuso bakhe banganyakaza, njengokungathi wayenomcabango ojulile. Ngalowo mzuzu kwavunguza umoya, ngokushesha wezwa sengathi ukuphila kwakhe kwakusele dengwane, kungazelelwe wazizwa engenathemba. Amanzi asolwandle ayekhipha ukukhanya kwegagasi emva kwelinye igagasi, futhi kwaba sobala ukuthi wayengasenayo inhliziyo yokudoba. Njengoba nje ayelahlekile emicabangweni yakhe yazo zonke izinhlobo zezinto, wezwa izwi angalilindele lomuntu okhuluma emva kwakhe ethi: “Simoni ongumJuda, ndodana kaJona, ukuphila kwakho kusele dengwane. Uzongilandela yini?” Ngesikhathi uPetru ezwa lokhu washaqeka, futhi wawisa udobo olwalusezandleni zakhe, ngokushesha lwacwila ekujuleni kwamanzi. UPetru waphenduka ngokushesha, futhi wabona indoda imi esikebheni sakhe. Wayibuka phansi naphezulu: Izinwele zayo, zazilenga emahlombe ayo, zazinombala osagolide ngokuphuzi uma zibheke elangeni nezimpahla zayo zimpunga. Yayingeyinde futhi ingemfushane futhi ingubo yayo yayingeyamaJuda ngokugcwele. Ekukhanyeni kokuhwalala, ingubo yayo empunga yayibonakala imnyama kancane, futhi ubuso bayo babubonakala bubushelelezi kancane. UPetru wayefuna ukubona uJesu izikhathi eziningi kodwa ehluleka isikhathi ngasinye. Ngalowo mzuzu wayekholelwa emoyeni wakhe ukuthi nakanjani leyo ndoda yayingoNgcwele enhliziyweni yakhe, ngakho wakhothama esikebheni sakhe: “Kungenzeka yini ukuthi uyiNkosi ezele ukuzoshumayela ivangeli lombuso wezulu? Ngizwile ngemisebenzi yaKho kodwa angikaze ngikubone. Bengifuna ukukulandela kodwa angikaze ngikuthole.” UJesu wayesengene phakathi esikebheni sakhe futhi wahlala phansi ngaphandle kokubanga umsindo. Wathi:[a] “Sukuma uhlale eduze Kwami. Ngizele ukuzofuna labo abangithanda ngempela, nokusakaza ivangeli lombuso wasezulwini. Ngihamba zonke izindawo ukuze ngifune labo abamunye Nami enhliziyweni. Ungathanda yini wena?” UPetru waphendula: “Kumele ngilandele lowo othunywe uBaba. Kumele ngazi lowo okhethwe uMoya Ongcwele. Njengoba ngithanda uBaba osezulwini, kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi ngingazimiseli ukukulandela?” Nakuba imibono yenkolo yayinamandla ngaphakathi kuPetru, uJesu wamomotheka futhi wanqekuzisa ikhanda anelisekile. Ngalowo mzuzu, lwakhula uthando lukababa ngoPetru ngaphakathi Kuye.
UPetru walandela uJesu iminyaka eminingi futhi wabona izinto eziningi kuJesu abantu abangenazo. Ngemva kokumlandela unyaka, uJesu wamkhetha waba inhloko yabaphostoli abayishumi nambili. (Yiqiniso, lena kwakuyindaba yenhliziyo kaJesu, futhi abantu babengakwazi ngokuphelele ukuyibona.) Zonke izenzo zikaJesu zaba yisibonelo ekuphileni kwakhe, futhi izintshumayelo zikaJesu zazikhumbuleka ngokukhethekile enhliziyweni yakhe. Wayemlalelisisa futhi ezinikele kuJesu, futhi akazange alokothe akhononde ngoJesu. Yingakho aba umngani kaJesu othembekile nomaphi lapho ayeya khona. UPetru wayezinaka izimfundiso zikaJesu, amazwi Akhe anomusa, nalokho ayekudla, ekugqoka, ukuphila Kwakhe kwamihla yonke, nezindawo ayezihamba. Walandela isibonelo sikaJesu ngazo zonke izindlela. Wayengazitsheli ukuthi ulungile, kodwa wahlubula zonke izinto zakhe ezindala ezase ziphelelwe isikhathi walandela isibonelo sikaJesu ngezwi nangesenzo. Kulapho lapho aba nomuzwa wokuthi amazulu nomhlaba nazo zonke izinto kwakusezandleni zikaSomandla, futhi ngenxa yalesi sizathu, akazikhethelanga, kodwa wagxila kuyo yonke into eyayenziwa uJesu njengesibonelo sakhe. Wayebona ekuphileni kwakhe ukuthi wayengenabo ubugovu kulokho ayekwenza, futhi wayengaqhoshi, kodwa esikhundleni salokho, wayekhuthaza abantu ngothando. Ezimweni ezihlukahlukene uPetru wayekubona lokhu uJesu ayeyikho. Yingakho yonke into ekuJesu yaphenduka isibonelo uPetru asilandela. Ekuphileni kwakhe, waluzwa kaningi uthando lukaJesu. Washo into efana nalena: “Ngifune uSomandla kuyo yonke indawo, ngabona izimanga zamazulu nomhlaba nazo zonke izinto, kodwa ngiluzwe ngokujulile uthando lukaSomandla. Kodwa angikaze ngibe nothando lwangempela enhliziyweni yami, angikaze ngilubone ngamehlo ami uthando lukaSomandla. Namuhla, emehlweni kaSomandla, Yena ungiqaphe ngomusa futhi ekugcineni sengize ngaluzwa uthando lukaNkulunkulu, futhi ekugcineni ngakuthola lokho ngoNkulunkulu, akukhona nje ukuthi wadala zonke izinto okwenza isintu simthande. Ekuphileni kwami, ngilutholile uthando Lwakhe olungapheli; kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi luphelele kulesi simo sanamuhla kuphela?” Njengoba isikhathi sihamba, izinto eziningi ezithandekayo zaphinde zatholakala kuPetru. Wayemlalela kakhulu uJesu, futhi ngempela wadlula ezinkingeni ezimbalwa. Lapho uJesu emhambisa ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene beyoshumayela, wayehlale ezithoba futhi elalela izintshumayelo zikaJesu. Akazange abe nenkani ngenxa yeminyaka ayesemlandele ngayo. Ngemva kokuba uJesu emtshele ukuthi emhlabeni wayezele ukuzobulawa esiphambanweni ukuze aqede umsebenzi Wakhe, wayehlale eqhath’usizi futhi ekhala yedwa ekusithekeni. Nokho, lwafika lolo suku “olubi.” Ngemva kokuboshwa kukaJesu, uPetru wakhala yedwa esikebheni sakhe sokudoba futhi wathandaza kakhulu ngalokhu, kodwa enhliziyweni yakhe wayazi ukuthi kwakuyintando kaNkulunkulu uBaba futhi akekho owayengashintsha lokho. Wayehlale elusizi futhi elila ngenxa yothando ayenalo—ngempela, lobu ubuthaka bomuntu, ngakho ngesikhathi azi ukuthi uJesu uzolengiswa esiphambanweni, wabuza uJesu: “Uma usuhambile ingabe uzobuya uzoba nathi usiqaphe? Ingabe sisazokwazi ukukubona?” Nakuba la mazwi ayenobuwula, ayephinde agcwale imizwelo yomuntu, uJesu wayazi ukuthi kunjani ukuhlupheka kukaPetru, ngakho ngothando Lwakhe wayebucabangela ubuthakathaka bakhe: “Petru, ngikuthandile. Uyakwazi lokho? Nakuba singekho isizathu kulokho okushoyo, uBaba uthembise ukuthi ngemva kokuvuswa Kwami ngizobonakala esintwini izinsuku ezingu-40. Awukholwa yini ukuthi uMoya Wami uzohlale ubeka umusa phezu kwenu?” Ngemva kwalokho, uPetru wathi ukukhululeka kancane, kodwa wayehlale ecabanga ukuthi kunokusilela kulokhu okwakubuye kuphelele. Ngakho, ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu, wavela kuye ngokusobala okokuqala, kodwa ukuze anqande uPetru ekuqhubekeni ebambelele emibonweni yakhe, uJesu wasenqaba isidlo esimnandi uPetru ayemlungiselele sona futhi wanyamalala ngokuphazima kweso. Ngalowo mzuzu ekugcineni uPetru waba nokuqonda okunzulu ng0Jesu, futhi wayithanda nakakhulu iNkosi uJesu. Ngemva kokuvuswa Kwakhe, uJesu wayehlale ebonakala kuPetru. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-40 lapho enyukela ezulwini, wabonakala izikhathi ezintathu kuPetru. Ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho ebonakala, kwakulapho umsebenzi woMoya Ongcwele usuzoqedwa, sekuzoqala umsebenzi omusha.
Kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe, uPetru wayephila ngokudoba, kodwa ngaphezu kwalokho, wayephilela ukushumayela. Eminyakeni yakhe eyalandela, wabhala iNcwadi yokuqala neyesibili kaPetru, futhi ziningi izincwadi azibhalela ibandla laseFiladefiya langaleso sikhathi. Wabakhuthaza kakhulu abantu bangaleso sikhathi. Akazange ashumayeze abantu ngolwazi lwakhe, kodwa wabanika ukuphila okwanelisayo nokondleka. Ekuphileni kwakhe, akazange azikhohlwe izimfundiso zikaJesu phakathi nokuphila Kwakhe—wayehlale ekhuthazekile. Ngesikhathi elandela uJesu wanquma ukubuyisela uthando lukaJesu ngokufa kwakhe futhi wayeyolandela isibonelo sikaJesu kuzo zonke izinto. UJesu wamthembisa lokhu, ngakho ngesikhathi eneminyaka engu-53 ubudala (sekuphele iminyaka engu-20 ehlukene noJesu), uJesu wabonakala kuye ukuze amqaphelise isinqumo sakhe. Eminyakeni eyisikhombisa ngemva kwalokho, uPetru wachitha ukuphila kwakhe ezazi yena. Ngelinye ilanga ngemva kweminyaka eyisikhombisa, wabethelwa ebheke phansi, waqeda ukuphila kwakhe okungajwayelekile.
Imibhalo yaphansi:
a. Umbhalo wokuqala awunawo amazwi athi “Wathi.”
Umthombo: IBandla LikaNkulunkulu USomandla
Awekho amazwana:
Thumela amazwana