Incwadi YeBhayibhile 60—1 Petros

Umbhali: NguPetros

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: EBhabheli

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-62–64 C.E.

1. Kwakutheni ukuze amaKristu kufuneke ajamelane nezilingo, yaye kwakutheni ukuze incwadi yokuqala kaPetros ibe yayifike ngexesha elililo?

NJENGOKO amaKristu okuqala avakalisa ngokubanzi uzuko lukaThixo, umsebenzi woBukumkani waba nempumelelo waza wanda ukutyhubela uBukhosi baseRoma. Noko ke, kwabakho ukungaqondani okuthile kweli qela likhutheleyo. Okokuqala, unqulo lwalo lwaluvela eYerusalem yaye phakathi kwamaYuda, yaye bambi bawabhidanisa namaYuda awayenenzondelelo gqitha elunqulweni awayesoloko ecinga ngezobupolitika nawatsala nzima ngaphantsi kobukhoboka bamaRoma nawayesoloko ebangela inkathazo kwiirhuluneli zasekuhlaleni. Ngaphezu koko, amaKristu ayahlukile kuba ayengavumi ukubingelela kumlawuli okanye ukungenelela kwimibhiyozo yaloo mhla yonqulo lobuhedeni. Kwakuthethwa kakubi ngawo yaye kwafuneka atyhubele izilingo ezininzi ngenxa yokholo. Ngexesha elifanelekileyo, nangokusebenzisa ingqiqo nto leyo eyabonisa impefumlelo kaThixo, uPetros wabhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala, ekhuthaza amaKristu ukuba ahlale eqinile ewaluleka kananjalo ngendlela amele ahambe ngayo phantsi koNero, uKesare welo xesha. Le ncwadi yangqineka ifike ngelona xesha lifanelekileyo ngenxa yentshutshiso eyayikrakra eyaqhambuka kanye kungekudala emva koko.

2. Yintoni engqina ukuba uPetros wayengumbhali wencwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe, yaye le ncwadi yayibhalelwe oobani?

² Ukuba nguPetros owabhala le ncwadi oko kufunyaniswa kumazwi akhe okuvula. Ngaphezu koko, uIrenaeus, uClement wakwa-Alesandire, uOrigen noTertullian bebonke bacaphula le ncwadi, besithi yabhalwa nguPetros.a Isibakala sokuba eyokuQala kaPetros iyinyaniso sikwangqinwa kakuhle njengazo naziphi na ezinye iincwadi eziphefumlelweyo. UEusebius usixelela ukuba abadala bebandla bayisebenzisa le ncwadi ngokukhululekileyo; kwakungekho mathandabuzo ngobunyaniso bayo ngexesha lakhe (malunga nowama-260-342 C.E.). UIgnatius, uHermas noBarnabas, basekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesibini, bebonke babhekisela kuyo.b EyokuQala kaPetros ivisisana ngokupheleleyo nazo zonke ezinye iZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo yaye ikwadlulisela isigidimi esinamandla kumaKristu angamaYuda nangengomaYuda awayehlala ‘njengabaphambukeli kwiintsali ezikwelasePonto, kwelaseGalati, kwelaseKapadoki, kwelaseAsiya, nakwelaseBhitini’—imimandla yaseAsiya Mayina.—1 Pet. 1:1.

3. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo obungexesha lokubhalwa kweyokuQala kaPetros?

³ Yabhalwa nini le ncwadi? Amazwi ayo alatha ukuba amaKristu ayephantsi kweemvavanyo, enoba zazivela kubahedeni okanye kumaYuda angaguqukanga, kodwa iphulo lentshutshiso kaNero, elaqalisa ngowama-64 C.E., lalingekaqalisi. Kuyacaca ukuba uPetros wayibhala le ncwadi ngaphambi koku, ngokunokwenzeka phakathi kowama-62 nowama-64 C.E. Isibakala sokuba uMarko wayesekunye noPetros siyasomeleza esi sigqibo. Ebudeni bokuvalelwa kukaPawulos entolongweni okwesihlandlo sokuqala eRoma, (malunga nowama-59-61 C.E.), uMarko wayekunye noPawulos kodwa wayesele eza kuhamba ukuya eAsiya Mayina; yaye ngexesha lokuvalelwa kukaPawulos entolongweni okwesihlandlo sesibini (malunga nowama-65 C.E.), uMarko wayesele eza kuba noPawulos kwakhona eRoma. (1 Pet. 5:13; Kol. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11) Phakathi kweli thuba wayenokuba nalo ithuba lokuba kunye noPetros eBhabheli.

4, 5. (a) Yintoni echasene nokuba uPetros wayibhala le ncwadi yakhe yokuqala eseRoma? (b) Yintoni eyalatha ukuba wayibhala ekwiBhabheli yokoqobo?

⁴ Yabhalelwa phi eyokuQala kaPetros? Nangona abahlalutyi beBhayibhile bebuvuma ubunyaniso bayo, ukuba yinxalenye yemibhalo engcwele kwayo, nombhali wayo, kwanoqikelelo lwexesha lokubhalwa kwayo, bayahlukana ngendawo eyabhalelwa kuyo. Ngokutsho kwengxelo kaPetros, wayibhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala ngoxa wayeseBhabheli. (1 Pet. 5:13) Kodwa bambi bathi wayibhala eseRoma, besithi ‘iBhabheli’ yayiligama elalingaziwa leRoma. Noko ke, ubungqina abuyixhasi imbono enjalo. Akukho ndawo eBhayibhileni ebonisa ukuba igama elithi Bhabheli ngokukhethekileyo lalibhekisela kwiRoma. Ekubeni uPetros incwadi yakhe eyibhalela abo bakwelasePonto, kwelaseGalati, kwelaseKapadoki, kwelaseAsiya nakwelaseBhitini engokoqobo, ngokusengqiqweni kuvisisana nokubhekisela kwakhe kwiBhabheli ukuba yayiyindawo yokoqobo eyayibizwa ngelo gama. (1:1) Kwakukho isizathu esifanelekileyo sokuba uPetros abe seBhabheli. Wayephathiswe ‘iindaba ezilungileyo ngokusingisele kwabo bolwaluko,’ yaye kwakukho abemi abaninzi abangamaYuda eBhabheli. (Gal. 2:7-9) IEncyclopaedia Judaica, xa ixubusha ngokuveliswa kweTalmud yaseBhabheli, ibhekisela kubuYuda ‘njengeyona mfundo eyayiphambili yelaseBhabheli’ ebudeni beXesha Eliqhelekileyo.c

⁵ IZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo, kuquka iincwadi ezimbini ezibhalwe nguPetros, aziyikhankanyi nakancinane into yokuya kwakhe eRoma. UPawulos uthetha ngokuba seRoma kwakhe kodwa akakhe akhankanye ukuba uPetros wayelapho. Nangona uPawulos ekhankanya amagama angama-35 kwincwadi yakhe eya kwabaseRoma aze athumele imibuliso kubantu abangama-26 ababiza ngamagama, kutheni engamkhankanyi uPetros? Kungenxa yokuba nje uPetros wayengekho apho ngelo xesha! (Roma 16:3-15) ‘IBhabheli’ uPetros awayibhalela kuyo incwadi yakhe yokuqala ngokucacileyo iyiBhabheli yokoqobo eyayiselunxwemeni loMlambo umEfrati eMesopotami.

OKUQULETHWE YEYOKUQALA KAPETROS

6. UPetros ubhala ngaliphi ithemba, yaye kungasiphi isizinzi ekuthi ‘ukuzalwa okutsha’ kube kunokwenzeka kweli themba?

⁶ Ukuzalwa ngokutsha kwithemba eliphilileyo ngoKristu (1:1-25). Kwintshayelelo yakhe uPetros walathisela ingqalelo yabo bafunda iincwadi zakhe ‘ekuzalweni ngokutsha kwithemba eliphilileyo’ nakwilifa elingenakonakala abaligcinelwe emazulwini. Oku kungenxa yenceba kaThixo ngokuvuswa kukaYesu Kristu. Ngoko ke “abanyuliweyo” bavuya gqitha, nangona behlungiswa zizilingo ngezilingo, ukuze ukucikideka kokholo lwabo “kufunyanwe . . . kuse kuyo indumiso nembeko nozuko ekutyhilekeni kukaYesu Kristu.” Abaprofeti bamandulo, kwanezithunywa zezulu zazifuna ukwazi ngolu sindiso. Ngenxa yoko, bafanele abanyuliweyo bazilungise iingqondo zabo ukuze zilungele umsebenzi baze babeke ithemba labo kolu babalo, babe ngcwele kuyo yonke ihambo yabo. Ngaba oku akufanelekanga xa kucingwa ngokusindiswa kwabo, okungekuko okwezinto ezinokonakala, kodwa ‘okungegazi elinqabileyo likaKristu, njengelemvana engenasiphako, engenabala?’ ‘Ukuzalwa kwabo ngokutsha’ kungelizwi loThixo ophilileyo nongunaphakade, uYehova lona lihleliyo ngonaphakade nelavakaliswa kubo njengeendaba ezilungileyo.—1:1, 3, 7, 19, 23, thelekisa neNW.

7. (a) AmaKristu akhiwa njengantoni, yaye ngayiphi injongo? (b) Njengabaphambukeli, afanele aziphathe njani?

⁷ Ukulondoloza ihambo entle phakathi kweentlanga (2:1–3:22). Njengamatye aphilileyo, amaKristu akhiwe ayindlu yokomoya, enyusa amadini angokomoya amkelekileyo kuThixo ngoYesu Kristu, ilitye lembombo elisisiseko, owaba lilitye lokukhubeka kwabo bangathobeliyo. Abo banokholo baye baba ‘sisibingeleli esibukumkani, uhlanga olungcwele, ukuze bavakalise isidima salowo wababizayo ukuba baphume ebumnyameni, bangene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’ Njengabaphambukeli phakathi kweentlanga, mabazinxweme ezinkanukweni zenyama baze balondoloze ihambo entle. Mabawuthobele ‘wonke ummiso ongowomntu,’ enoba ngowokumkani okanye ngowabalawuli babo. Ewe, ‘mabababeke abantu bonke. Mabathande isizalwana. Mabamoyike uThixo. Ukumkani bambeke.’ Ngokukwanjalo, izicaka mazizithobele iinkosi zazo, zinesazela esilungileyo, zinyamezela ukuphathwa okungekho sikweni. NoKristu, nangona wayengenasono, wazithoba kunyeliso nasekuphathweni kabuhlungu, esishiya “nomzekelo” ukuze kulandelwe ngokusondeleyo emanyathelweni akhe.—2:9, 13, 17, 21.

8. (a) Sisiphi isiluleko esifanelekileyo esinikelwa kubafazi nakumadoda? (b) Yintoni efunekayo ukuze ubani abe nesazela esilungileyo phambi koThixo?

⁸ Ngokunjalo ukuthobela kuyafuneka nasebafazini, bona banokuthi ngehambo yabo enyulu ndawonye nentlonelo enzulu bawazuze amadoda abo angakholwayo lingekho ilizwi. Abafanele baxhalabele ukuhomba kwangaphandle. Kufanele kube njengoko kukaSara owayelulamile, oko “komntu ofihlakeleyo wentliziyo, ovethe ukungonakali, umoya onobulali, ozolileyo, oxabiso likhulu emehlweni kaThixo.” Amadoda afanele ababeke abafazi ‘njengezona zitya ziethe-ethe nanjengeendlalifa kunye nawo zobabalo lobomi.’ Onke amaKristu afanele abonakalise uthando lobuzalwana. “Lowo unga angathanda ubomi . . . , makaphambuke ebubini, enze okulungileyo; makafune uxolo, aluphuthume. Ngokuba amehlo eNkosi aphezu kwamalungisa.” Kunokoyika abantu, afanele esoloko ekulungele ukuziphendulela ngethemba elikuwo. Kuhle ukuva ubunzima usenza okulungileyo, ukuba oko kukuthanda kukaThixo, kunokuva ubunzima usenza ububi. “Ngokuba noKristu wabuva kwakanye ubunzima ngenxa yezono, ilungisa lisiva ubunzima ngenxa yabangemalungisa, ukuze asisondeze kuye uThixo; ebulewe okunene esenyameni, kodwa edliswe ubomi ekuwo umoya.” Ukholo lukaNowa, olwabonakaliswa ngokwakha kwakhe umkhombe, lwaphumela ekusindisweni kwakhe nentsapho yakhe. Ngendlela efanayo, abo, ngesizinzi sokholo ekuvusweni kukaKristu, baye bazahlulela kuThixo, babhaptizwa njengomfuziselo wolo kholo, baza baqhubeka besenza ukuthanda kukaThixo bayasindiswa yaye uThixo ubazuzisa isazela esilungileyo.—3:4, 7, 10-12, 18.

9. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo amaKristu afanele abe naso? Oku kunjalo naphezu kwantoni?

⁹ Ukuvuyiswa kukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo njengomKristu, phezu kwabo nje ubunzima (4:1–5:14). AmaKristu afanele abe nesimo sengqondo esinjengesikaKristu, aphilele kuphela ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo yaye kungekhona okweentlanga, nangona iintlanga zithetha kakubi ngawo ngenxa yokuba engasabaleki nazo “ukuya kwakuwo loo melelo wokuzibhubhisa.” Ekubeni ukuphela kwezinto zonke kusondele, afanele abe nesidima, athandaze, aze abe nothando olunyamekileyo omnye komnye, esenza zonke izinto ukuze kuzukiswe uThixo. Njengoko izilingo zisiya zithabath’ unyawo phakathi kwawo, awafanele akuthele nqa oku, kodwa afanele akuvuyele njengamadlelane eentlungu zikaKristu. Noko ke, makungabikho namnye ova ubunzima njengomenzi wobubi. Ekubeni umgwebo uqala endlwini kaThixo, “abo babuvayo ubunzima ngokokuthanda kukaThixo, mabayiyaleze kuye imiphefumlo yabo, enguMdali othembekileyo ekwenzeni okulungileyo.”—4:4, 19.

10. Sisiphi isiluleko esinikelwa kumadoda amakhulu namadoda amanci, yaye kungasiphi isiqinisekiso esinamandla equkunjelwa ngaso eyokuQala kaPetros?

¹⁰ Amadoda amakhulu afanele awaluse umhlambi kaThixo kungengakunyanzelwa, ewe, ngokuzithandela. Ukuba ngumzekelo kumhlambi kuya kuwaqinisekisa ngesithsaba esingenakonakala sozuko ekubonakaleni koMalusi Omkhulu. Abafana mabawathobele amadoda amakhulu onke, benokuthobeka kwentliziyo, “ngokuba uThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, abababale ke abazithobileyo.” Mabomelele elukholweni baze bayilumkele ‘loo ngonyama igqumayo,’ uMtyholi. Kwakhona, uPetros uqinisekisa ngamandla njengoko equkumbela isiluleko sakhe: “Ke kaloku uThixo walo lonke ubabalo, owasibizelayo eluzukweni lwakhe olungunaphakade, sikuKristu Yesu, wanga angathi ngokwakhe, nakuba nive ubunzima umzuzwana, anilungise nigqibelele, anizimase, anomeleze, anisekele. Kuye makubekho uzuko namandla, kuse emaphakadeni asemaphakadeni. Amen.”—5:5, 8, 10, 11.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

11. UPetros usilandela njani isiluleko sikaYesu nesikaPawulos ekunikeleni icebiso kubaveleli?

¹¹ Incwadi yokuqala kaPetros iqulethe isiluleko esifanelekileyo kubaveleli. Esongezelela kwisiluleko sikaYesu esikuYohane 21:15-17 neso sikaPawulos esikwiZenzo 20:25-35, kwakhona uPetros uwubonisa umsebenzi wabaveleli njengomsebenzi wokwalusa, ukuba wenziwe ngokungazingci, ngentumekelelo nangokuzithandela. Umveleli ungumalusi ongaphantsi, ekhonza phantsi “komalusi omkhulu,” uYesu Kristu, yaye uya kuphendula kuye ngomhlambi kaThixo, amele azinyamekele izilangazelelo zawo njengomzekelo nangako konke ukuthobeka.—5:2-4.

12. (a) Kukuphi ukuthobela okusikelwe umda okumele kunikelwe kubalawuli nakwabo baziinkosi zamakhoboka? (b) Ululeka esithini uPetros mayela nokuthobela kwabafazi nobuntloko bendoda? (c) Luluphi uphawu lobuKristu olugxininiswa kuyo yonke le ncwadi?

¹² Ezinye iinkalo ezininzi zokuthobela kwamaKristu zikhankanyiwe kwincwadi kaPetros, yaye kunikelwa isiluleko esihle. Kweyoku-1 kaPetros 2:13-17, kuye kwanikelwa isiluleko esifanelekileyo sokuthobela abalawuli, abanjengokumkani nabasemagunyeni. Noko ke, oku kumele kube kukuthobela okusikelwe umda, kuthotyelwa ngenxa yeNkosi yaye kundawonye ‘nokoyika uThixo,’ amaKristu angabakhonzi bakhe. Izicaka zilulekwa ukuba zibathobele abo baziinkosi zazo zize zinyamezele ukuba kufuneka zive ubunzima “ngenxa yokumazi uThixo.” Kwangokunjalo abafazi banikwe isiluleko esixabisekileyo ngokuphathelele ukuwathobela amadoda abo, kuquka nalawo angakholwayo, ekuye kwaboniswa ukuba ihambo yabo enyulu, nenentlonelo ‘ilixabiso elikhulu emehlweni kaThixo,’ kwaye inokubenza bawazuzele enyanisweni amadoda abo. Apha uPetros usebenzisa umzekelo kaSara wokumlulamela okunyanisekileyo uAbraham ukugxininisa le ngongoma. (1 Pet. 2:17-20; 3:1-6; Gen. 18:12) Ngokukwanjalo, amadoda, afanele abusebenzise ubuntloko bawo ngolwazelelelo olufanelekileyo ‘ngokwesona sitya siethe-ethe.’ Kwakule ncoko, uPetros uyaluleka: “Ngokunjalo, nina manci, wathobeleni amadoda amakhulu.” Wandula ke agxininise imfuneko yokuthobeka kwentliziyo, ukululama, uphawu lobuKristu olugxininiswa kuyo yonke le ncwadi.—1 Pet. 3:7-9; 5:5-7; 2:21-25.

13. (a) UPetros uyicacisa njani injongo kaThixo yobizo lwebandla lamaKristu? (b) Liliphi ilifa elivuyisayo uPetros alatha phambili kulo, yaye ngoobani abalizuzayo?

¹³ Ngelo xesha laxa izilingo eziqatha neentshutshiso zaziqalisa ukubakho kwakhona, uPetros wanikela ukhuthazo olomelezayo, yaye le ncwadi yakhe ixabiseke ngokwenene kubo bonke abajamelana nezilingo ezinjalo namhlanje. Phawula indlela acaphula ngayo kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere ngoxa ecaphula amazwi kaYehova: “Yibani ngcwele, ngokuba ndingcwele mna.” (1 Pet. 1:16; Lev. 11:44) Wandula kwakhona, kumhlathi onenkcazelo eninzi yeembekiselo ezalatha kwezinye izibhalo eziphefumlelweyo, abonise indlela ibandla lamaKristu elakhiwe ngayo njengendlu yokomoya yamatye aphilileyo phezu kwesiseko sikaKristu. Yaye ngayiphi injongo? UPetros uyaphendula: “Ke nina nisisizukulwana esinyuliweyo, isibingeleli esibukumkani, uhlanga olungcwele, abantu abayinqobo, ukuze nivakalise isidima salowo wanibizayo ukuba niphume ebumnyameni, ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.” (1 Pet. 2:4-10; Isa. 28:16; INdu. 118:22; Isa. 8:14; Eks. 19:5, 6; Isa. 43:21; Hos. 1:10; 2:23) Kukwesi “sibingeleli sibukumkani,” ububingeleli ngokubanzi obubunjwa lulo lonke uhlanga lukaThixo olungcwele, athi uPetros adlulisele kuso idinga loBukumkani ‘lelifa elingenakonakala nelingadyobhekanga,’ “isithsaba salo uzuko esingabuniyo,” ‘uzuko lwakhe olungunaphakade kuKristu.’ Ngaloo ndlela, aba bakhuthazwa gqitha ukuba baqhubeke bevuya ngokokude ‘bavuye; ukuze, nasekutyhilekeni kobuqaqawuli bakhe, bavuye begcoba.’—1 Pet. 1:4; 5:4, 10; 4:13.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]