UPetru wenziwa nguNkulunkulu ukuba abe yisibonelo sokulingiswa abantu, umuntu oqavile owayaziwa yibo bonke abantu. Kungani umuntu onganakekile kanjalo abekwe nguNkulunkulu njengesibonelo, futhi adunyiswe yizizukulwane ezilandelanayo? Kusobala ukuthi lokhu akunakuhlukaniswa nokukhombisa kwakhe ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nokuzimisela ukuthanda uNkulunkulu. Uma sifuna ukwazi indlela okwabonakaliswa ngayo indlela inhliziyo kaPetru eyayithanda ngayo uNkulunkulu, nokuthi kwakunjani ngempela lokho ayehlangane nakho ekuphileni, kumele sibuyele eNkathini Yomusa ukuze siphinde sibuke amasiko angaleso sikhathi bese sibheka uPetru wangaleyo nkathi.

UPetru wazalelwa emndenini ojwayelekile wabalimi abangamaJuda. Abazali bakhe babondla wonke umndeni ngokulima, futhi nguye owayemdala ezinganeni zakubo, enabafowabo nodadewabo abane. Lokhu, ngokusobala, akuyona ingxenye ewumgogodla wendaba yethu; uPetru uwumlingiswa wethu ophambili. Lapho eseneminyaka eyisihlanu ubudala, abazali bakaPetru baqala ukumfundisa ukufunda. Ngaleso sikhathi, amaJuda ayefunde kakhulu impela, futhi ayenolwazi oluningi kakhulu emkhakheni wezolimo, kwezezimboni kanye nezentengiselwano. Ngenxa yesimo sabo senhlalo, bobabili abazali bakaPetru babefunde imfundo ephakeme. Nakuba babedabuka emaphandleni, babefundisiwe futhi babefana nabafundi baseyunivesithi abavamile banamuhla. Ngokusobala, uPetru wayebusisekile ngokuzalelwa ezimweni zenhlalo ezinhle kanjalo. Ngenxa yokuthi wayehlakaniphile futhi ezibamba kalula izinto, wayesheshe ayibambe imiqondo emisha. Ngemva kokuqala izifundo zakhe, wakwazi ukuqonda izinto kalula ngenkathi kufundwa. Abazali bakhe babeziqhenya ngokuba nendodana ehlakaniphe kanjalo, ngakho benza wonke umzamo wokumvumela ukuba aye esikoleni, benethemba lokuthi uzozakhela igama futhi akwazi ukuzitholela umsebenzi othile osemthethweni emphakathini. Enganakile, uPetru waqala ukuthanda uNkulunkulu, okwaholela ekuthini, lapho eneminyaka eyishumi nane, ngenkathi esesesikoleni samabanga aphakeme, aqale ukukhathala yizifundo Zamasiko Asendulo AmaGreki ayezifunda, wayenyanya ikakhulukazi abantu abangekho nezigameko eziqanjiwe ezisemlandweni wasendulo wamaGreki. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uPetru—owayesanda kungena enkathini yobungqabavu bobusha bakhe—waqala ukuzama ukwazi ngokwengeziwe mayelana nokuphila komuntu nomhlaba ngobubanzi bawo. Unembeza wakhe awuzange umphoqe ukuba abuyisele abazali bakhe ngalokho ababemenzele khona ngenxa yokuthi wayebona ngokucacile ukuthi bonke abantu babephila esimweni sokuzikhohlisa, bonke babephila ukuphila okuyize, bonakalisa ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yokulwela umcebo nokwaziwa. Ukwazi kwakhe kwakuphathelene ikakhulu nesimo senhlalo ayehlala kuso. Lapho lwanda ulwazi kubantu, buba yinkimbinkimbi nakakhulu ubudlelwane phakathi kwabo, futhi liba yinkimbinkimbi nakakhulu ingaphakathi labo, ngakho bahlala ngokwengeziwe endaweni engenalutho. Ngaphansi kwalezi zimo, uPetru wayechitha isikhathi ayekhululeke ngaso evakasha kaningi, ikakhulu evakashela abantu bezenkolo. Enhliziyweni yakhe kwakunomuzwa ongacacile owawuthi inkolo yayingase ikwazi ukuchaza konke okwakungachazeki emhlabeni wabantu, ngakho wayehlale eya ezinkonzweni zasesinagogeni elaliseduze kwakubo. Abazali bakhe babengazi ngalokhu, futhi kungakabiphi uPetru, owayekade ehlala eziphethe kahle futhi ehlakaniphile ezifundweni, waqala ukungafuni ukuya esikoleni. Isikole samabanga aphakeme wasiqeda ngenxa yokuqondiswa abazali bakhe kuphela. Lapho ephumela osebeni ephuma olwandle lolwazi, wadonsa umoya kakhulu; kusukela lapho, akekho owayesengamfundisa noma ambekele imingcele.

Ngemva kokuqeda isikole, waqala ukufunda zonke izinhlobo zezincwadi, kodwa eseneminyaka eyishumi nesikhombisa, wayelokhu engakawazi ngokutheni umhlaba. Ngemva kokuphothula esikoleni, waziphilisa ngokulima ngenkathi futhi ezinika isikhathi esiningi ngokwanele ukuze afunde izincwadi futhi aye ezinkonzweni zenkolo. Abazali bakhe, ababekade benamathemba amakhulu ngaye, babehlale beqalekisa iZulu ngale “ndodana yabo edlubulundelayo,” kodwa nakho lokhu akukuvimbanga ukulambela nokomela kwakhe ukulunga. UPetru wahlangabezana nezithiyo eziningi ekuphileni kwakhe, kodwa wayenenhliziyo enelukuluku, ngakho wakhulisa okotshani ngemva kwemvula. Kungekudala waba “nenhlanhla” yokuhlangana nabantu abaphezulu enkolweni, futhi ngenxa yokuthi ilukuluku lakhe lalilikhulu, waqala ukuxhumana nabo kaningi, kwaze kwafika ezingeni lapho wayesechitha cishe sonke isikhathi sakhe nabo. Ngesikhathi ecwile enjabulweni yokwaneliseka, wathola kungazelelwe ukuthi, iningi lalaba bantu lalikholwa ngomlomo, futhi babengazinikele izinhliziyo zabo ekukholweni kwabo. UPetru, owayenenhliziyo eqotho nehlanzekile, wayengakumela kanjani lokhu kudumala? Wabona ukuthi cishe bonke abantu ayezihlanganisa nabo babeyizilwane ezigqokise okwabantu—babeyizilwane ezinobuso bomuntu. Ngaleso sikhathi, uPetru wayengakahlakaniphi nhlobo, ngakho ezikhathini eziningana wabancenga ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Kodwa laba baholi benkolo, ababengamaqola namaqili babengakulalela kanjani ukunxusa komfana oshiswa yinhliziyo? UPetru wabuzwa ngaleso sikhathi ubuze bangempela bempilo yomuntu: Wayehlulekile esinyathelweni sokuqala sesigaba sempilo…. Ngemva konyaka, waphuma esinagogeni waqala ukuphila ngokuzimela.

Isithiyo senza ukuthi uPetru owayeneminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalombili avuthwe futhi abe nolwazi ngezinto zomhlaba. Konke ukungazi kwakhe kwasebusheni kwase kunyamalele; bonke ubumsulwa nokunganaki kobusha bakhe kwase kugqitshwe isithiyo abhekana naso, wayeseqala impilo yokuba ngumdobi. Ngemva kwalokho, kwakubonakala abantu bemlalele eshumayela esikebheni sakhe. Ngenkathi edoba, wayesabalalisa umyalezo noma kuphi lapho ayehamba khona, futhi bonke ayebashumayeza babesala bengawuvali umlomo ngezintshumayelo zakhe, ngoba izinto ayezikhuluma zazizithinta kakhulu izinhliziyo zabantu abavamile, futhi babethintwa ukwethembeka kwakhe. Wayevame ukufundisa abantu ukuphatha abanye ngokusuka enhliziyweni, ukubiza iNkosi yamazulu nomhlaba nazo zonke izinto, nokuthi bangabashayi indiva onembeza babo bese benza izinto ezingamahlazo, kodwa banelise uNkulunkulu abamthandayo ezinhliziyweni zabo kuzo zonke izinto…. Abantu babevame ukuthinteka ngokujulile ngemva kokulalela izintshumayelo zakhe; bonke babekhuthazwa nguye futhi babevame ukukhala izinyembezi. Ngaleso sikhathi, wayethandwa kakhulu yibo bonke abalandeli bakhe, bonke ababempofu, futhi ngokulindelekile, ngenxa yesimo somphakathi ngaleso sikhathi, bembalwa kakhulu. UPetru wayephinde ashushiswe yizingxenye zomphakathi wenkolo ngaleso sikhathi. Konke lokhu kwaholela ekuthini angahlali endaweni eyodwa futhi abe yinkomo edla yodwa iminyaka emibili. Kule minyaka emibili ayiphila ezimweni ezingavamile, wazuza ulwazi oluningi futhi wafunda izinto eziningi kakhulu ayekade engazazi, okwenza abe ngumuntu ohluke kakhulu kumuntu ayenguye eseneminyaka eyi-14, okwakubonakala sengathi akukho ababefana ngakho. Kuleyo minyaka emibili wahlangana nazo zonke izinhlobo zabantu futhi wabona zonke izinhlobo zamaqiniso mayelana nomphakathi, okwamenza waqala ukuzihlukanisa kancane kancane nazo zonke izinhlobo zemikhuba enemicikilisho yenkolo. Wathintwa ngokujule kakhulu futhi yilokho okwakwenzeka emsebenzini kaMoya oNgcwele ngaleso sikhathi; ngaleso sikhathi uJesu wayesesebenze iminyaka eminingi, ngakho umsebenzi kaPetru wawusuthonywe umsebenzi kaMoya oNgcwele ngaleso sikhathi, nakuba wayengakahlangani noJesu. Ngenxa yalokho, ngenkathi uPetru eshumayela, wazuza izinto eziningi izizukulwane zabangcwele ezingaphambili ezazingakaze zibe nazo. Ngokusobala, ngaleso sikhathi wayesazi kancane ngoJesu kodwa wayengakalitholi ngempela ithuba lokuhlangana Naye ubuso nobuso. Wayethemba futhi elangazelela kuphela ukubona lowo muntu wasezulwini owayezalwe ngoMoya oNgcwele.

UPetru wayedoba esikebheni sakhe sekuhwalele ngobunye ubusuku (eduze kogu lwalokho okwakwaziwa ngokuthi uLwandle LwaseGalile ngaleso sikhathi). Wayephethe udobo esandleni sakhe, kodwa wayenezinye izinto engqondweni yakhe. Ilanga elishonayo lakhanyisa amanzi sengathi ulwandle olubanzi lwegazi. Ukukhanya kwakhanyisa ubuso bensizwa enguPetru obusha kodwa obuzothile; wayebonakala ecabanga ngokujulile. Ngalowo mzuzu, kwaphephetha umoya, wayesezwa ngokushesha isizungu sokuphila kwakhe, okwenza ukuthi ngokushesha azizwe enokugodola. Ngenkathi amagagasi olwandle ecwebezela ekukhanyeni, kwaba sobala ukuthi wayengasenayo inhliziyo yokudoba. Njengoba nje ayezicabangela okuthile, wezwa izwi angalilindele lomuntu okhuluma emva kwakhe ethi: “Simoni Ndodana kaJona ongumJuda, izinsuku zokuphila kwakho zinesizungu. Uzongilandela na?” Ethukile, uPetru walahla udobo ayeluphethe, olwacwila ngokushesha phansi ekujuleni kolwandle. UPetru waphenduka ngokushesha wabona indoda imi esikebheni sakhe. Wayibuka phansi naphezulu: Izinwele zale ndoda, ezazilenga emahlombe ayo zithi azibe phuzi ngokuyigolide ekukhanyeni kwelanga, yayigqoke izingubo ezimpunga, ingeyinde futhi ingemfushane, futhi igqoke kusuka ekhanda kuya ozwanini njengendoda yomJuda. Ekukhanyeni okufiphalayo, ingubo yendoda empunga yayibonakala imnyama kancane, futhi ubuso bayo babubonakala bunokucwebezela okuncane. UPetru wayekade efuna ukuhlangana noJesu izikhathi eziningi, kodwa engakaze aphumelele. Ngalowo mzuzu, phakathi ekujuleni komphefumulo wakhe, uPetru wakholwa ukuthi lo muntu kufanele abe ngongcwele owayefunwa yinhliziyo yakhe, ngakho wakhothama esikebheni sakhe wathi, “Kungenzeka yini ukuthi uyiNkosi ezele ukuzoshumayela ivangeli lombuso wezulu? Ngizwile ngemisebenzi Yakho kodwa angikaze ngikubone. Bengifuna ukukulandela kodwa ngingakwazi ukukuthola.” Ngaleso sikhathi, uJesu wayesengene phakathi esikebheni sakhe, lapho ayesehleli khona ngokuzotha. Wathi: “Sukuma uhlale eduze Kwami. Ngize ngokuqondile ukuzofuna labo abangithanda ngempela, nokusabalalisa ivangeli lombuso wezulu, futhi ngizohamba kuzo zonke izindawo ukuze ngifune labo abamqondo munye Nami. Ingabe uyathanda yini?” UPetru waphendula: “Kumele ngilandele lowo othunywe uBaba osezulwini. Kumele ngimamukele lowo okhethwe uMoya oNgcwele. Njengoba ngithanda uBaba osezulwini, kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi ngingathandi ukukulandela?” Nakuba amazwi kaPetru ayegcwele imibono yenkolo, uJesu wamomotheka futhi wanqekuzisa ikhanda ngokwaneliseka. Ngalowo mzuzu, lwakhula uthando olunobubaba ngoPetru ngaphakathi Kuye.

UPetru walandela uJesu iminyaka eminingi futhi wabona izinto eziningi Kuye ezazingekho kwabanye abantu. Ngemva kokumlandela unyaka, uPetru wakhethwa uJesu phakathi kwabaphostoli abayishumi nambili. (Ngokusobala, uJesu akakuphimisanga lokhu, futhi abanye babengakwazi nhlobo.) Ekuphileni, uPetru wayezilinganisa ngakho konke okwakwenziwa uJesu. Okugqame kakhulu, izintshumayelo zikaJesu zaziqophekile enhliziyweni yakhe. Wayezinikele futhi emlalelisisa kakhulu uJesu, futhi akazange alokothe akhononde ngoJesu. Ngenxa yalokho waba umngane kaJesu othembekile noma kuphi lapho ayeya khona. UPetru wayezinaka izimfundiso zikaJesu, amazwi Akhe anomusa, nalokho ayekudla, ekugqoka, indawo ayekhosela kuyo, nezindawo ayezihamba. Walandela isibonelo sikaJesu kukho konke, kodwa walahla zonke izinto ezase ziphelelwe isikhathi, walandela isibonelo sikaJesu ngokukhuluma nangokwenza. Kulapho uPetru aba khona nomuzwa wokuthi amazulu nomhlaba nazo zonke izinto kwakusezandleni zikaSomandla nokuthi, ngenxa yalesi sizathu, wayengenakho ukuzikhethela. UPetru wabamba konke uJesu ayeyikho wayesekusebenzisa njengesibonelo. Impilo kaJesu ikhombisa ukuthi wayengaqhoshi kulokho ayekwenza; esikhundleni sokuziqhayisa, wayekhuthaza abantu ngothando. Izinto ezehlukene zazikhombisa lokhu uJesu ayeyikho, futhi ngenxa yalokhu, uPetru walingisa konke okukaJesu. Izinto uPetru ahlangana nazo zamnikeza umuzwa owawulokhu ukhula mayelana nobuhle bukaJesu, waze washo izinto ezifana nokuthi, “Ngifune uSomandla emhlabeni wonke, ngabona izimanga zamazulu nomhlaba nazo zonke izinto, futhi ngalokhu ngizuze umuzwa ojulile wobuhle bukaSomandla. Kodwa angikaze ngibe nothando lwangempela enhliziyweni yami, futhi angikaze ngibubone ngamehlo ami ubuhle bukaSomandla. Namuhla, emehlweni kaSomandla, Yena ungibheke ngomusa futhi ekugcineni sengize ngabuzwa ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu. Ekugcineni ngithole ukuthi akukhona kuphela ukudala kukaNkulunkulu zonke izinto okwenza ukuthi isintu simthande; ekuphileni kwami kwansuku zonke, ngibutholile ubuhle Bakhe obungenamkhawulo. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi buphelele kulobu obubonakala njengamanje?” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, okuningi okwakukuhle kwaphinde kwavela kuPetru. Wayemlalela kakhulu uJesu, futhi ngokulindelekile, wabhekana nezithiyo ezimbalwa. Lapho uJesu ehamba naye beya ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene beyoshumayela, uPetru wayehlale ezithoba futhi elalela izintshumayelo zikaJesu. Akazange azithwale ngenxa yeminyaka ayeselandele ngayo uJesu. Ngemva kokutshelwa uJesu ukuthi emhlabeni wayezele ukubethelwa ukuze aqede umsebenzi Wakhe, wahlala elusizi enhliziyweni futhi ekhala yedwa ekusithekeni. Nokho, lwaze lwafika lolo suku “olubi.” Ngemva kokuboshwa kukaJesu, uPetru wakhala yedwa esikebheni sakhe sokudoba futhi wathandaza kaningi ngalokhu. Kodwa enhliziyweni yakhe wayazi ukuthi kwakuyintando kaNkulunkulu uBaba, futhi akekho owayengakushintsha. Wayehlale elusizi futhi elila ngenxa yothando ayenalo kuphela. Lobu ubuthakathaka bomuntu, ngokusobala. Ngakho ngesikhathi ezwa ukuthi uJesu uzobethelwa esiphambanweni, wabuza kuJesu, “Uma usuhambile, ingabe uzobuya uzoba nathi usiqaphe? Ingabe sisazokwazi ukukubona?” Nakuba la mazwi ayenobuwula aphinde agcwale imizwelo yomuntu, uJesu wayabazi ubuhlungu bokuhlupheka kukaPetru, ngakho ngothando Lwakhe wayebucabangela ubuthakathaka bukaPetru: “Petru, ngikuthandile. Uyakwazi lokho? Nakuba ungekho umqondo kulokhu okushoyo, uBaba uthembise ukuthi ngemva kokuvuka Kwami ngizobonakala kubantu izinsuku ezingamashumi amane. Awukholwa yini ukuthi uMoya Wami uzohlale ubeka umusa phezu kwenu nonke?” Nakuba uPetru wathi ukukhululeka kancane, wayezwa sengathi kusekhona into eyodwa eyayisele, ngakho, ngemva kokuvuka, uJesu wavela kuye ngokusobala okokuqala. Ukuze anqande uPetru ekuqhubekeni nokubambelela emibonweni yakhe, nokho, uJesu wasenqaba isidlo esimnandi uPetru ayemlungiselele sona futhi wanyamalala ngokuphazima kweso. Kusuka kulowo mzuzu, ekugcineni uPetru waba nokuqonda okunzulu ngeNkosi uJesu, futhi wayithanda ngokwengeziwe. Ngemva kokuvuka Kwakhe, uJesu wayehlale ebonakala kuPetru. Wabuye wabonakala izikhathi ezintathu kuPetru emva kokuphela kwezinsuku ezingamashumi amane futhi esenyukele ezulwini. Ukubonakala ngakunye kwakuba lapho umsebenzi kaMoya oNgcwele usuzoqedwa futhi sekuzoqala umsebenzi omusha.

Kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe, uPetru wayephila ngokudoba, kodwa ngaphezu kwalokho, wayephilela ukushumayela. Eminyakeni yakhe eyalandela, wabhala incwadi yokuqala neyesibili kaPetru, kanye nezincwadi eziningi azibhalela ibandla laseFiladefiya langaleso sikhathi. Wabathinta kakhulu abantu bangaleso sikhathi. Kunokushumayeza abantu esebenzisa ulwazi lwakhe, wabanika ukuphila okufaneleyo. Akazange azikhohlwe izimfundiso zikaJesu ngaphambi kokuba ahambe futhi zamkhuthaza konke ukuphila kwakhe. Ngesikhathi elandela uJesu, wanquma ukubuyisela uthando lweNkosi ngokufa kwakhe nokulandela isibonelo Sakhe kuzo zonke izinto. UJesu wakuvuma lokhu, ngakho ngesikhathi eneminyaka engama-53 ubudala (sekuphele iminyaka engama-20 kwahamba uJesu), uJesu wabonakala kuye ukuze amsize ekugcwaliseni isifiso sakhe. Eminyakeni eyisikhombisa ngemva kwalokho, uPetru wachitha ukuphila kwakhe efunda ukuzazi. Ngelinye ilanga, ekugcineni kwale minyaka eyisikhombisa, wabethelwa ebheke phansi, waqeda ukuphila kwakhe okungajwayelekile ngale ndlela.