Ukuphila NeNkonzo KaJesu

UJesu Ungubani Ngempela?

LAPHO umkhumbi othwele uJesu nabafundi bakhe ungena eBetsayida, abantu baletha kuye indoda eyimpumputhe futhi bamcela ukuba ayithinte lendoda futhi ayiphulukise. UJesu uyibamba ngesandla ayiholele ngaphandle komuzi, futhi, ngemva kokuba eyiphimisele ngamathe emehlweni ayo, uyayibuza: “Ubona utho na?”

Indoda yaphendula yathi: “Ngibona abantu, ngibabona behamba; kungathi yizihlahla.” Ebeka izandla zakhe emehlweni alendoda, uJesu ubuyisela ukubona kwayo ukuze ibone ngokucacile. Khona-ke uJesu uthumela lendoda ekhaya nesiyalezo sokuba ingangeni emzini.

UJesu manje uyahamba nabafundi bakhe baya ngasemizini yaseKesariya Filipi, enyakatho ekude yePalestina. Indlela ende eyenyukelayo ehlanganisa cishe amakhilomitha angama-48 ukuya kulomuzi omuhle waseKesariya Filipi, ophakeme ngamamitha angaba ngama-350 ngaphezu kogu lolwandle. Uhambo ngokunokwenzeka luthatha izinsuku ezimbili.

Endleleni, uJesu uyaphambuka ukuba ayothandaza eyedwa. Kusele cishe izinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye noma eziyishumi ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, futhi ukhathazekile ngabafundi bakhe. Abaningi kakade sebeyekile ukumlandela. Abanye ngokusobala badidekile futhi badumazekile ngoba wayenqaba imizamo yabantu yokumenza inkosi nangenxa yokuthi lapho izitha zimcela inselele, akazange asenze isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini ukuze afakazele ukuba kwakhe inkosi. Abaphostoli bakhe bakholelwa ukuthi ungubani? Lapho beza lapho ayethandaza khona, uJesu uyababuza: “Abantu bathi ngingubani na?”

Baphendula bathi: “Abanye basho uJohane uMbhapathizi; abanye basho uEliya; abanye basho uJeremiya noma omunye wabaprofethi.” Yebo, bacabanga ukuthi uJesu ungomunye walamadoda avuswe kwabafileyo!

“Nina-ke nithi ngingubani na?” kubuza uJesu.

UPetru uphendula ngokushesha: “Wena unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.”

Ngemva kokuba ebonise ukuvumelana nempendulo kaPetru, uJesu uthi: “Nami-ke ngithi kuwe: Wena unguPetru; phezu kwalelidwala ngiyakulakha ibandla lami; amasango eHayidese awayikulahlula.” Lapha uJesu umemezela ngokokuqala ngqá ukuthi uzokwakha ibandla nokuthi ngisho nokufa ngeke kuthumbe amalungu alo ngemva kwenkambo yawo yokwethembeka emhlabeni. Khona-ke utshela uPetru: “Ngiyakukunika izihluthulelo zombuso wezulu.”

Kanjalo uJesu wembula ukuthi uPetru uzokwamukela amalungelo akhethekile. Cha, uPetru akanikezwa indawo yokuqala phakathi kwabaphostoli, futhi akenziwa isisekelo sebandla. UJesu ngokwakhe uyiDwala lelo ibandla lakhe elizokwakhiwa phezu kwalo. Kodwa uPetru uzonikwa izihluthulelo ezintathu ayezovula ngazo, ithuba ngamaqembu abantu ukuba bangene eMbusweni wezulu.

UPetru wasebenzisa isihluthulelo sokuqala ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E. lapho ebonisa amaJuda aphendukile lokho okwakumelwe akwenze ukuze asindiswe. Wasebenzisa esesibili ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho lapho evulela amaSamariya akholwayo ithuba lokungena eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, ngo-36 C.E. wasebenzisa isihluthulelo sesithathu ngokuvulela abeZizwe abangasokile, uKorneliyu nabangane bakhe, ithuba elifanayo.

UJesu uqhuba ingxoxo yakhe nabaphostoli bakhe. Uyabadumaza ngokubatshela ngezinhlupheko nokufa azobhekana nakho ngokushesha eJerusalema. Ehluleka ukuqonda ukuthi uJesu uzovuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini, uPetru ubizela uJesu eceleni. Uthi kuye: “Musa, Nkosi, lokho akusoze kwenziwa kuwe.” Emfulathela, uJesu uyaphendula: “Buyela emva kwami, Sathane; uyisikhubekiso kimi, ngokuba awuqondi okukaNkulunkulu kepha okwabantu.”

Ngokusobala abanye ngaphandle kwabaphostoli bahamba noJesu, ngakho manje uyababiza ukuze abachazele ukuthi ngeke kube lula ukuba umlandeli wakhe. Uthi kubo: “Uma umuntu ethanda ukuza emva kwami, makazidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, angilandele. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyakulahlekelwa yikho; kepha olahlekelwa ngukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami nangenxa yevangeli uyakukusindisa.”

Yebo, abalandeli bakaJesu kumelwe babe nesibindi futhi bazidele uma bezozibonakalisa bewufanelekele umusa wakhe, njengoba elandisa: “Ngokuba yilowo nalowo onezinhloni ngami nangamazwi ami kulesisizukulwane esiphingayo nesonakeleyo, neNdodana yomuntu iyakuba-nezinhloni ngaye, lapho iza ngenkazimulo kaYise kanye nezingelosi ezingcwele.” Marku 8:22-38; Mathewu 16:13-28; Luka 9:18-27.

◆ Kungani uJesu ekhathazekile ngabafundi bakhe?

◆ Yimiphi imibono abantu abanayo mayelana nokuthi uJesu ungubani?

◆ Yiziphi izihluthulelo ezanikezwa uPetru, futhi zasetshenziswa kanjani?

◆ Yikuphi ukuqondiswa uPetru akuthola, futhi ngani?