UYesu, Umzekelo Wokulandelwa Ngokusondeleyo
“Kuba nabizelwa oko; ngokuba noKristu weva ubunzima ngenxa yethu, esishiya nomzekelo, ukuze silandele emkhondweni wakhe.”—1 PETROS 2:21.
1, 2. UPetros wayeluhlobo olunjani lomfundi ebudeni bobulungiseleli bakhe noYesu?
EBUDENI bethuba leminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha, uSimon, owathi waziwa ngokuba nguKefas, okanye uPetros, waba nelungelo lokunandipha unxulumano olusenyongweni noKristu Yesu. (Yohane 1:35-42) Emva kwethuba elimalunga nonyaka lokuba ngumfundi, wamiselwa njengomnye wabapostile abali-12. (Marko 3:13-19) Iingxelo zeVangeli zibonisa ukuba uPetros wayengafihlisi, esenza izigqibo ngokungxama yaye eqhutywa ziimvakalelo. Wayengulowo wathi wayengayi kumkhanyela uKristu, nokuba sekumnyam’ entla. Kanti, phantsi kwengcinezelo, wamkhanyela kathathu, kwananjengokuba uYesu waprofetayo.—Mateyu 26:31-35; Marko 14:66-72.
2 UPetros wayengumpostile owathi kuYesu, “Akusayi kuzihlamba iinyawo zam, naphakade.” Ke xa uYesu wamlulekayo, wagabadela waza wathi, “Nkosi, mazingabi ziinyawo zam zodwa, mazibe zizandla nentloko.” (Yohane 13:1-17) Yayikwangulo Simon Petros owathi, xa uYesu wayebanjiwe, wenza ngobugagu ngokurhola ikrele lakhe waza wanqumla indlebe yasekunene kaMalko, owayengumkhonzi wombingeleli omkhulu. Nako oko kwabangela ukuba uYesu amkhalimele athi: “Lifake ikrele lakho esingxotyeni salo; indebe andinikileyo uBawo andisayi kuyisela na?”—Yohane 18:10, 11.
3. Sinokufunda ntoni kumzekelo kaPetros?
3 Yintoni ezi ziganeko nezinye eziyibonisayo ngoPetros? Zibonisa ukuba ngokufuthi wayengacingi aze aqiqe njengoYesu. Ngokubhekele phaya, zibonisa ukuba wayengasoloko enengqiqo kaKristu. Ngokufuthi oko kunjalo nakwimeko yethu. Siyasilela ukuyijonga imicimbi ngokuvisisana nendlela kaYesu yokucinga. Iindlela esisabela ngazo zenziwe zanesiphako yimvelo yethu yobuntu engafezekanga.—Luka 9:46-50; Roma 7:21-23.
4. Ziziphi iziganeko ezathi kamva zachaphazela indlela awayecinga ngayo uPetros? (Bona amaGalati 2:11-14.)
4 Phofu ke, izinto zaqalisa ukuguquka kuPetros ukususela ngePentekoste ukusa phambili. Eshukunyiswe ngumoya oyingcwele, wakhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela phakathi kwamaYuda eYerusalem. (IZenzo, isahluko 2-5) Phantsi kokukhanyiselwa ngumoya oyingcwele, kwakhona ukucinga kwakhe wakuhlengahlengisa ukuze kuvisisane nengqiqo kaKristu ngokubhekisele kwabeeNtlanga. (IZenzo, isahluko 10) UPetros wabonakalisa ukuthobeka, uphawu olufunekayo kuthi ukuba sifuna ukuvisisana noKristu.—Mateyu 18:3; 23:12.
Wayengenakubonwa Kodwa Esaziwa
5, 6. Ngaba isibakala sokuba singazange simbone uKristu sisisithintelo ekulandeleni umzekelo wakhe?
5 Ngexesha uPetros awabhala ngalo incwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumlelweyo, malunga nowama-62-64 C.E., kwakukho ixesha lokuba acinge ngobulungiseleli bakhe noYesu nelokuyiqonda kakuhle ingqiqo kaYesu kwimicimbi. Ekuqaleni kwale ncwadi umpostile wamkela isibakala esicacileyo—sokuba inkoliso yabazalwana baseAshiya Mayina ayizange imazi ngokobuqu uYesu njengokuba yena wayemazi. Kodwa ngaba oko kwakungumqobo ekubeni nengqiqo kaKristu nokuxelisa umzekelo wakhe? UPetros uthi: “Enithe, ningambonanga nje, namthanda; enithi ke nikholwa kuye, noko ngoku ningamboniyo, nigcobe ngovuyo olungathethekiyo, oluzukisiweyo; nisamkela isiphelo sokholo lwenu, usindiso ke Iwemiphefumlo yenu.”—1 Petros 1:8, 9.
6 Amazwi kaPetros afanele asebenze ngokulinganayo kubo bonke abantu bakaYehova namhlanje. Asikhange simazi ngokobuqu uKristu, kodwa ukuba ‘siyabuzisa’ size ‘sihlale siphengulula’ njengokuba benzayo abaprofeti, ngoko sinokuthi, ngokomlinganiselo omkhulu ngakumbi, siyizuze ingqiqo kaKristu.—1 Petros 1:10, 11.
UYesu, Umzekelo Ogqibeleleyo
7, 8. (a) Sisiphi isiluleko uPetros awasinikela kuwonke wonke kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala? (b) Iyintoni intsingiselo esisiseko yegama elithi hy·po·gram·mosʹ? UPetros ulisebenzisa njani?
7 Ekuqonda ngokucacileyo ukucinga kuka-Yesu yaye ekhokelwa ngumoya oyingcwele, uPetros wayenokunikela isiluleko kumakhoIwa angoowabo ngendlela yokubonakalisa ingqiqo kaKristu kwiimeko zawo ezahlukeneyo. (2 Timoti 3:16) Ngaloo ndlela, ubongoza onke amaKristu “njengabaphambukeli nabasemzini” ukuba azinxweme kwiinkanuko zenyama. Uyawakhuthaza, nangona ebandezeleka ngenxa yobulungisa, ukuba agcine ihambo entle kubomi bawo bemihla ngemihla.—1 Petros 2:11, 12.
8 Kwimigca embalwa emva koko uPetros uvakalisa umzekelo ochuliweyo, esithi: “Ke ukuba nithi, nisenza okulungileyo, nive ubunzima, nize ninyamezele, oko kuyabuleleka kuThixo. Kuba nabizelwa oko; ngokuba noKristu weva ubunzima ngenxa yethu, esishiya nomzekelo, ukuze silandele emkhondweni wakhe.” (1 Petros 2:20, 21) Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umzekelo,” kwezinye iinguqulelo ezininzi, linguhy·po·gram·mosʹ. Oku ngokoqobo kuthetha “umbhalo ongaphantsi,” okanye “umbhalo okhutshelweyo, kuquka bonke oonobumba boluhlu loonobumba abalandelelanayo, abanikwa abasaqalayo ukufunda njengoncedo lokufunda ukubabhala.” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, nguJ. H. Thayer) Ngaloo ndlela, abantwana besikolo maxa wambi babenikwa amacwecwe okubhalela enziwe ngekhandlela umfundisi-ntsapho awayebhale kuwo oonobumba kumbhalo ongumzekelo ngepensile. Umfundi kwakufuneka alandele lo mzekelo aze azame ukwenza umbhalo ofanayo ngaphantsi. Apha uPetros ubethelela ingongoma enamandla, kuba nguye kuphela umbhali wezibhalo zesiGrike osebenzisa igama elithi hy·po·gram·mosʹ. Ngaloo ndlela ubalaselisa isibakala sokuba uYesu wabashiya nomzekelo ofezekileyo abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawuxelise.
9. Yintoni ethethwa ligama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ingcingane”? (Thelekisa uMateyu 20:28.)
9 Kamva, uPetros usinika isifundo ngokunyamezela kukaKristu ukubandezeleka. “Ekubeni ngoko uKristu eve ubunzima ngenxa yethu esenyameni, xhobani nani kwaloo ngcingane [enʹnoi·an, ngesiGrike].” (1 Petros 4:1) Kwakhona apha usebenzisa igama elingaqhelekanga, uenʹnoi·a, elifunyanwa kabini kuphela kwiZibhalo zesiGrike. (Bona amaHebhere 4:12, The Kingdom Interlinear Translation.) Ngokutsho kukaJ. H. Thayer, uenʹnoi·a uthetha “ingqiqo, ukuqonda, ukuzimisela; indlela yokucinga nokuvakalelwa.” Ngoko ke, sifanele sizenze silungelelane nendlela kaKristu yokucinga neyokuvakalelwa. Kodwa sinokuzilungelelanisa njani nayo? Simele oko sikwenze ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo?
10. Uthetha ukuthini uPetros ngebinzana elithi “xhobani”?
10 UPetros usebenzisa isenzi sesiGrike esikwisinye uho·pliʹsa·sthe, esithetha ‘ukuzixhobisa kukabani njengejoni.’ Naliphi na ijoni elingazixhobisi ngokupheleleyo kunokwenzeka ukuba lingasindi edabini. Ngoko ke, amazwi kaPetros akabangeli ukuba indlela kaYesu yokucinga ixeliswe ngokungaphelelanga. Ngomphefumlo opheleleyo simele sibe nomnqweno wokuba “nengcingane” kaKristu. (1 Petros 4:1) Oku kusikhumbuza ngendlela uPawulos awayibethelela ngayo into yokuba umKristu umele ‘axhobe sonke isikrweqe sikaThixo’ ukuze akwazi ukuma ngokuqinileyo nxamnye noSathana nehlabathi lakhe.—Efese 6:11-18.
Ingcingane KaKristu Kubafazi
11. Sisiphi isiluleko uPetros asinikelayo kubafazi abangamaKristu?
11 Phakathi kwincwadi yakhe, uPetros uphethulela ingqalelo yakhe kubafazi nakumadoda. Kwelo hlabathi lamandulo lobuhedeni, apho abafazi babenamalungelo ambalwa gqitha, kwakunzima gqitha ngomfazi ongumKristu ukuba alondoloze ingqibelelo yakhe ukuba wayenendoda engakholwayo. Wayelixhoba lokutshabhiswa, lokubandezeleka yaye kwenzeke nokuba aqhawulwe umtshato ngenxa yokuba ezishiyile izithixo zeminyanya. Le meko ayahlukanga kangako kumaxesha anamhlanje. Kodwa kwakhona uPetros ubethelela ukubaluleka kokuba nengcingane kaKristu, uvuma ukubandezeleka ngenxa yobulungisa. Uthi: “Ngokunjalo [ngendlela kaKristu, njengokuba ichazwe kwiindinyana ezingaphambilana], nina bafazi, wathobeleni awenu amadoda, ukuze kuthi, nokuba kukho kuwo angalivayo ilizwi, athi ngehambo yabafazi, lingekho ilizwi, azuzeke; ebonela ihambo yenu enyulu, enoloyiko.”—1 Petros 3:1, 2.
12. (a) Umoya wobulali nowokuzithoba komfazi uwubonakalisa njani umzekelo kaYesu? (1 Korinte 11:3) (b) Umoya wakhe wobulali ujongwa njani nguThixo, yaye mhlawumbi nayindoda yakhe?
12 Ewe, iqabane elingakholwayo maxa wambi linokuzuzeka, kungekhona ngokuyimfuneko ngobuchule obuzingisileyo bokushumayela, kodwa “ngentlonelo enzulu” nangomzekelo ‘wokuthembeka nokuba nenkathalo’ komfazi othobelayo. (1 Petros 3:2, The Jerusalem Bible) ‘Ukuzola nomoya wakhe wobulali, oxabiso likhulu emehlweni kaThixo,’ ukwanokuyinceda indoda yakhe ukuba iyibone imiphumo yokuba nengqiqo kaKristu kubomi bemihla ngemihla. (1 Petros 3:4) Kutheni le nto umoya wobulali onjalo ubonakalisa ingcingane kaYesu? Kungenxa yokuba uYesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Thabathani idyokhwe yam niyithwale, nifunde kum; ngokuba ndinobulali, ndithobekile ngentliziyo; noyifumanela ukuphumla imiphefumlo yenu.”—Mateyu 11:29.
Ingcingane KaKristu Kumadoda
13. Amadoda afanele abaphathe njani abafazi bawo? (Efese 5:28, 29, 33)
13 Ngokukwanjalo amadoda amele abonakalise ingcingane kaKristu njengokuba ebonakalisa uthando lokwenyaniso ngabafazi bawo. Kwakhona uPetros uyabongoza esithi: “Ngokunjalo, nina madoda, hlalani nabo ngokokwazi, nimbeka umfazi, njengesona sitya siethe-ethe.” (1 Petros 3:7) Kwelo hlabathi lamandulo lobuhedeni, esi siluleko sasimangalisa—ukubeka umfazi! Kodwa ibandla lamaKristu kwafuneka lahluke ehlabathini. Kumtshato wamaKristu, kwakumele kubekho isidima nentlonelo elinganayo.—1 Petros 4:3, 4.
14. Indoda inokuyibonisa njani intlonelo noveIwano ngomfazi wayo?
14 UKristu wayesoloko enovelwano ngabafundi bakhe nangezihlwele ezazimlandela. (Marko 6:30-44) Oku kunxibelelana kakuhle nesiluleko sikaPetros kumadoda sokuba ayithabathele engqalelweni imeko yobufazi babafazi bawo. Inguqulelo yeSpanish oku ikuvakalisa ngale ndlela: “Nina madoda: yibani nobuchule kubomi benu enabelana ngabo, nibonisa ulwazelelelo kumfazi, ngenxa yokuba wakheke ngokuethe-ethe.” (Nueva Biblia Española) Ukuba indoda ilandela umzekelo kaKristu, iya kunikela ingqalelo kubuethe-ethe bobomi bomfazi wayo. Oko kuquka imihla yobunzima xa efuna kubonakaliswe ububele, umonde nolwazelelelo olungakumbi. Ngokuqinisekileyo indoda enothando iya kuqhelisela ukuzeyisa yaye ayiyi kufuna izinto ngegunya kwizihlandlo ezinjalo. Uthando lokwenyaniso luyazincama.—Thelekisa iLevitikus 15:24; 20:18; 1 Korinte 7:3-6.
15. Nguwuphi umzekelo uYesu awawumiselayo kwimicimbi yobuntloko?
15 Kuyinyaniso ukuba “indoda le iyintloko yomfazi.” Kodwa ngubani umzekelo wayo ekusebenziseni obu buntloko? UPawulos uyakucacisa oku ngokongezelela athi, “njengokuba naye uKristu eyintloko yebandla eli.” (Efese 5:23) La mazwi achazayo awabangeli kubekho ubuzwilakhe nenkohlakalo kuIwalamano lomtshato wobuKristu. Ekuqhubaneni kwakhe nabafundi, uKristu akazange alisebenzise kakubi igunya lakhe (ubuntloko bakhe) kodwa, kunoko, igunya lakhe walisebenzisa ngokuvisisana nemigaqo yeBhayibhile.—Thelekisa uMateyu 16:13-17, 20; Luka 9:18-21.
Umzekelo KaKristu Kubantu
16. (a) Kutheni le nto uPetros wayeyiphaphele gqitha imfuneko yokuthobeka? (b) Ngubani ngokukhethekileyo omele abonakalise olu phawu?
16 Kubulungiseleli bakhe uYesu wayesoloko ebalaselisa uphawu lokuthobeka. Kumzekeliso wakhe wabo babemenyelwe emsithweni, wathi: “Ngokuba wonke umntu oziphakamisayo, uya kuthotywa; nozithobayo uya kuphakanyiswa.” (Luka 14:11) UPetros wayeyiphaphele gqitha ingcingane kaYesu kule nkalo. Ngaba wayengenakuwukhumbula umzekelo kaYesu wokuhlamba iinyawo zabafundi? (Yohane 13:4-17) Ngoko ke, kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala ubongoza amadoda amakhulu namancinane ukuba abonakalise isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka. Abadala ‘abamele baligagamele ibandla kodwa bamele babe yimizekelo kumhlambi.’ Amadodana afanele abathobele abadala. Kodwa ke bonke, abancinane nabakhulu, bafanele ‘banxibe ukuthobeka kwentliziyo; ngokuba uThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, abababale ke abazithobileyo.’—1 Petros 5:1-5.
17. Isenzi sesiGrike esithi “ninxibe” siyibalaselisa njani inkonzo yokuthobeka?
17 Kwakhona apha uPetros usebenzisa elinye igama ngokungaqhelekanga ukuze abethelele ingongoma yokuthobeka. Uthi: “Ninxibe [eg·kom·boʹsa·sthe, ngesiGrike] ukuthobeka kwentliziyo.” Esi senzi siphuma kwigama eliyingcambu elithetha ukubophelela, yaye intsingiselo yaso ihlobene “nesikhafu esimhlophe okanye ifaskoti yamakhoboka, esasibotshelelwa kwibhanti . . . yaye sasisahlula amakhoboka kubantu abakhululekileyo; ngenxa yoko, . . . nxibani ukuthobeka njengesambatho senu sobukhoboka . . . oko kukuthi, ngokunxiba ukuthobeka niyazithoba omnye komnye.”—A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, nguJ. H. Thayer.
18. (a) Yintoni amadoda azahluleleyo amele abe nayo engqondweni ngokubhekisele kwintshukumisa yawo? (b) Kungayiphi indlela ekhethekileyo oodade abaninzi abangumzekelo wokuthobeka ngayo?
18 Amadoda azahluleleyo anokusisebenzisa njani eso siluleko namhlanje? Anokusisebenzisa ngokuqonda ukuba nasiphi na isikhundla sembopheleleko kwibandla lamaKristu sisisabelo senkonzo yokuzithoba. Bambi ngempazamo banokucinga ukuba ukuba sisicaka solungiselelo, ukuba ngumdala webandla, ukuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka, wesithili, okanye waseBheteli kukufumana isikhundla sewonga negunya. Xa benjalo abanayo ingqiqo kaKristu ngalo mcimbi. Ukuba sinengcingane kaKristu akufuneki bhongo lokuzingca. Intshukumisa yethu yokukhonza uThixo nabazalwana bethu imele ibe nyulu. Ngokomzekelo, oodade bethu abaninzi abangamaKristu bayakhokela kwinkonzo yobuvulindlela neyobuvangeli basemazweni. Abanye bangabavakalisi abanenzondelelo beendaba ezilungileyo phezu kwayo nje intshutshiso nenkcaso yasekhaya. Ibe konke oku bakwenza ngaphandle kwentshukumisa yokuba baya kuze babe zizicaka zolungiselelo okanye abaveleli!
Uthando—Isiseko Somzekelo KaKristu
19. Siyintoni isiseko somzekelo kaKristu? Sikwazi njani oko?
19 Ngaphezu kwako konke yintoni uPetros ayibethelelayo ngokubhekisele kwingqiqo kaKristu? Ubhala oku: “Ngaphezu kweento zonke ke, yibani nothandano olunyamekileyo, ngokuba uthando luya kugubungela inkitha yezono.” (1 Petros 4:8) UYesu walubonakalisa njani olo thando? Wafundisa oku: “Nguwo lo umthetho wam, wokuba nithandane, njengoko ndanithandayo nina. Akukho namnye unalo uthando olungaphezu kolu, lokuba ubomi bakhe abuncamele izihlobo zakhe.” (Yohane 15:12, 13) Kamsinya nje emva koko, uYesu wabuncama ubomi bakhe ngenxa yoluntu. Ibe ngokuqinisekileyo uthando lwakhe lugubungele inkitha yezono! Ngoko ke, ukuba ngokwenene sinengcingane ekwanye nawayenayo uYesu, nathi, siya kubonakalisa “uthandano olunyamekileyo” size sixolelane.—Kolose 3:12-14; IMizekeliso 10:12.
20. Ukuba sifuna ukulandela umzekelo kaKristu ngokusondeleyo, yintoni thina sonke esimele siyenze?
20 Umzekelo kaKristu ushwankathelwa ngegama elinye—uthando. Ukuba ngokwenyaniso umzekelo kaYesu siwulandela ngokusondeleyo kuko konke esikucingayo, esikuthethayo nesikwenzayo, kwakhona siya kuqhelisela uthando. Kunjengokuba uPetros wathi: “Elokugqiba, cingani nto-nye nonke, velanani, thandanani njengabazalwana, yibani nemfesane kakhulu, yibani nobubele. Ningabuyekezi ububi ngokubi, nokutshabhisa ngokutshabhisa; kanye ke sikelelani nisazi ukuba nabizelwa oku, ukuze niyidle ilifa intsikelelo.”—1 Petros 3:8, 9.
Uyakhumbula Na?
◻ Sifanele siwulandele njani umzekelo uKristu awasishiya nawo?
◻ Amadoda angamaKristu afanele ababeke njani abafazi bawo?
◻ UPetros wakubethelela njani ukuthobeka?
◻ Siyintoni isiseko somzekelo kaYesu?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Umfundisi-ntsapho wabhala la magama akwimigca engasentla; umfundi wazama ukwenza umbhalo ogqibeleleyo wawo (hy·po·gram·mosʹ)