1, 2. (a) Yini labanye baholi benkholo lebebafuna kuyati, futsi Phetro wabaphendvula njani? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.) (b) Yini leyabangela Phetro kutsi abe nesibindzi ngaleso sikhatsi?

KUNGAKAPHELI malanga mangakhi Jesu afile, umphostoli Phetro wabhekana nesicumbi semadvodza labetfukutsele agane lunwabu. Bekabaholi labahlonishwako benkholo yemaJuda—labo lebebahlele kubulawa kwaJesu. Lamadvodza abefuna inchazelo. Phetro bekelaphe indvodza lebeyisishosha kusukela yatalwa futsi lamadvodza bekafuna kwati kutsi loko ukwente ngemandla abani nobe egameni labani. Lomphostoli wawaphendvula ngesibindzi watsi: “Lendvodza leseyime lapha embikwenu iphiliswe ngelibito laJesu Khristu waseNazaretha, loyo lenambetsela, kodvwa Nkulunkulu wamvusa ekufeni.”—Imis. 4:5-10.

² Ekucaleni, Phetro bekaphike Jesu tikhatsi letintsatfu ngenca yekwesaba. (Mak. 14:66-72) Yini leyambangela kutsi abe nesibindzi nyalo njengobe bekeme embikwebaholi benkholo? Umoya longcwele wadlala indzima lebalulekile, kodvwa naPhetro abeciniseka kutsi Jesu uvusiwe ekufeni. Yini leyenta lomphostoli waciniseka mbamba kutsi Jesu uyaphila? Kungani natsi singaciniseka ngendlela lefanako?

3, 4. (a) Ngukuphi kuvuswa kwebantfu lokwenteka ngaphambi kwekutsi baphostoli baJesu batalwe? (b) Bobani labavuswa nguJesu?

³ Kutsi bantfu labafile bangaphindze baphile bekungasiyo  intfo lensha kubaphostoli baJesu; bakhona bantfu lebebake bavuswa ngesikhatsi basengakatalwa labaphostoli. Bebati kutsi Nkulunkulu waniketa umphrofethi Elija na-Elisha emandla ekwenta timangaliso. (1 Khos. 17:17-24; 2 Khos. 4:32-37) Lenye indvodza lefile yaphila ngesikhatsi sidvumbu sayo sijikwa ethuneni la-Elisha futsi sitsintsana nematsambo akhe. (2 Khos. 13:20, 21) EmaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala abekukholelwa lokulandzisa kweliBhayibheli, njengobe natsi sikholelwa kutsi liVi laNkulunkulu liliciniso.

⁴ Kungenteka kutsi sonkhe siyatsintseka nasifundza kulandzisa lokukhuluma ngebantfu labavuswa nguJesu. Ngesikhatsi avusa indvodzana yemfelokati lekuphela kwayo, akungabateki kutsi lomfelokati wamangala kakhulu. (Luk. 7:11-15) Ngalesinye sikhatsi, Jesu wavusa intfombatana leneminyaka lengu-12 budzala. Cabanga ngendlela batali bayo labebadzabukile labajabula futsi bamangala ngayo ngesikhatsi indvodzakati yabo ivuswa ekufeni! (Luk. 8:49-56) Cabanga futsi nangendlela labajabula ngayo labo lebebabukele ngesikhatsi Lazaro avuswa futsi aphuma ethuneni aphile saka!—Joh. 11:38-44.

5. Kuvuswa kwaJesu kwehluke njani ekuvusweni kwebantfu lokwenteka ngaphambi kwakhe?

⁵ Baphostoli bebati kutsi kuvuswa kwaJesu bekwehlukile kunaloko lobekwentekile esikhatsini lesendlulile. Bantfu lebebavuswe ekucaleni bebavuka banemitimba yenyama futsi bebaphindze bafe. Jesu wavuswa anemtimba wemoya lobewungeke ufe. (Fundza Imisebenti 13:34.) Phetro wabhala watsi Jesu “wabulawa ayinyama, kodvwa wavuswa angumoya.” Ngetulu kwaloko, “ungesekudla saNkulunkulu ngobe waya ezulwini, futsi tingilosi, emagunya nemandla ato, kwabekwa ngephansi kwakhe.” (1 Phet. 3:18-22) Kuvuswa kwebantfu lobekwenteke ngaphambili kwakujabulisa futsi kumangalisa, kodvwa kute lobekungafananiswa nekuvuswa kwaJesu.

6. Kuvuswa kwaJesu kwabatsintsa njani bafundzi bakhe?

⁶ Kuvuswa kwaJesu kwabatsintsa kakhulu bafundzi bakhe. Abengasekho ethuneni, njengobe titsa takhe betetsemba kanjalo. Jesu besekaphila njengesidalwa semoya lesinemandla, futsi kute labebangamlimata. Kuvuswa kwakhe kwafakazela kutsi abeyiNdvodzana yaNkulunkulu, futsi ngekwati lelo ciniso bafundzi bakhe badvudvuteka, lusizi lwabo lwagucuka lwaba yinjabulo lenkhulu. Ngetulu kwaloko, kwesaba kwabo kwaphela futsi baba nesibindzi. Kuvuswa kwaJesu kwakubalulekile enjongweni yaJehova nasetindzabeni letimnandzi labebatimemetela ngesibindzi etindzaweni letidvute naletikhashane.

7. Yini Jesu layentako lamuhla, futsi ngumiphi imibuto lephakamako?

⁷ Njengobe sitinceku taJehova, sati kahle kutsi Jesu abengasiyo nje indvodza ledvumile. Lamuhla uyaphila futsi ucondzisa umsebenti lotsintsa bonkhe bantfu emhlabeni. Njengobe ayiNkhosi lebusako yeMbuso waNkulunkulu losezulwini, ngekushesha Jesu Khristu utawucedza bubi emhlabeni futsi awente ube lipharadisi lapho bantfu batawuhlala khona kuze kube phakadze. (Luk. 23:43) Loku bekungeke kwenteke kube Jesu akazange avuswe ekufeni. Ngako-ke, ngutiphi tizatfu lesinato tekukholelwa kutsi wavuswa? Vele kuvuswa kwakhe kusho kutsini kitsi?

8, 9. (a) Yini leyenta baholi benkholo yemaJuda bacela kutsi lithuna laJesu ligadvwe? (b) Yini leyenteka ngesikhatsi bafati baya ethuneni?

⁸ Ngemuva kwekutsi Jesu abulewe, baphristi  labakhulu nebaFarisi baya kuPilatu futsi batsi: “Mnumzane, sesikhumbula kutsi ngesikhatsi asaphila, lomkhohlisi watsi: ‘Ngemuva kwemalanga lamatsatfu ngitawuvuswa.’ Ngako sicela ukhiphe ligama lekutsi lithuna lakhe ligadvwe kudzimate kwendlule lilanga lesitsatfu, kute bafundzi bakhe bangafiki bamebe bese batsi kubantfu: ‘Uvusiwe ekufeni!’ Ngobe lamanga atawuba makhulu kunalawa ekucala.” Pilatu watsi kubo: “Tsatsani naba bogadzi kute bayewuligadza.” Nguloko kanye labakwenta.—Mat. 27:62-66.

⁹ Sidvumbu saJesu sangcwatjwa ethuneni lebelimbiwe edvwaleni, livalwe ngelitje lelikhulu. Ngulapho-ke baholi benkholo yemaJuda bebafuna Jesu ahlale khona kuze kube phakadze—achubeke asidvumbu. Kodvwa Jehova abenembono lowehluke ngalokuphelele. Ngesikhatsi Mariya waseMagdala nalolomunye Mariya baya ethuneni laJesu ngelilanga lesitsatfu, bakhandza lelitje ligicitiwe futsi ingilosi ihleti etikwalo. Lengilosi yatjela labafati kutsi babuke ngekhatsi kute batibonele kutsi lelithuna lite lutfo. Yatsi: “Akekho lapha, ngobe uvusiwe.” (Mat. 28:1-6) Jesu abevusiwe!

10. Ngubuphi bufakazi Pawula labuniketa mayelana nekuvuswa kwaJesu?

¹⁰ Tintfo letenteka ngemalanga langu-40 lalandzela takucedza kungabata kwekutsi Jesu uvusiwe. Afishanisa lobufakazi, umphostoli Pawula wabhalela baseKhorinte watsi: “Emkhatsini wetintfo tekucala lenganinika tona kwaba naloko nami lengakwemukela, kutsi Khristu wafela tono tetfu ngekusho kwemiBhalo, wangcwatjwa, wavuswa ngelilanga lesitsatfu njengobe imiBhalo isho, nekutsi wabonakala kuKhefase, wase ubonakala nakulabalishumi nakubili. Ngemuva kwaloko wabonakala ngesikhatsi sinye kubazalwane labangetulu kwemakhulu lasihlanu, linyenti labo lelisaphila nanobe labanye babo sebafa. Ngemuva kwaloko wabonakala kuJakobe, wase ubonakala nakubo bonkhe baphostoli; kodvwa ekugcineni wabonakala nakimi kwaba shengatsi kukumuntfu lotelwe sisengakefiki sikhatsi.”—1 Khor. 15:3-8.

11. Kwenteka njani kutsi kuvuswa kwaJesu kube njengobe ‘kusho imiBhalo’?

¹¹ Sizatfu sekucala lesisenta sati kutsi Jesu wavuswa ekufeni, kutsi kuvuswa kwakhe kwenteka njengobe ‘kusho imiBhalo.’ LiVi laNkulunkulu lasho kutsi utawuvuswa. Sibonelo saloko kutsi Davide wabhala kutsi “lotsandzekako” waNkulunkulu ngeke ashiywe eThuneni. (Fundza Tihlabelelo 16:10.) Ngelilanga leliPhentekhoste la-33 C.E., umphostoli Phetro wakhuluma ngalelivesi lelisiphrofetho abhekisele kuJesu, watsi: “[Davide] wakubona kusengakenteki futsi wakhuluma ngekuvuswa kwaKhristu, kutsi abengeke ashiywe eThuneni, nekutsi inyama yakhe beyingeke ibole.”—Imis. 2:23-27, 31.

12. Bobani lababona Jesu lovusiwe?

¹² Sizatfu sesibili lesisenta sati kutsi Jesu wavuswa, bufakazi lobushiwo bantfu labanyenti labatibonela ngewabo. Emalangeni langu-40, Jesu lovusiwe wabonakala kubafundzi bakhe ensimini lapho kwakunelithuna lakhe khona waphindze wabonakala endleleni leya e-Emawusi nakuletinye tindzawo. (Luk. 24:13-15) Ngaleto tikhatsi, wakhuluma nalabatsite lokufaka ekhatsi Phetro neticumbi tebantfu. Ngalesinye sikhatsi, Jesu lovusiwe wabonakala esicumbini sebantfu labangetulu kwa-500. Kute longabuphika bufakazi lobushiwo bantfu labanyenti labatibonela ngewabo.

13. Umdlandla bafundzi baJesu lebebanawo wakhombisa njani kutsi bebaciniseka kutsi uvusiwe?

¹³ Sizatfu sesitsatfu lesisenta sati kutsi Jesu wavuswa, yindlela bafundzi bakhe lebebakumemetela  ngayo ngemdlandla kuvuswa kwakhe. Kukumemetela ngemdlandla kuvuswa kwaKhristu kwabenta baphatfwa kabi, bahlupheka, futsi babulawa. Kube Jesu akazange avuswe ekufeni futsi kube konkhe loku kwakungemanga, kungani Phetro bekangadzela kuphila kwakhe kute amemetele kuvuswa kwaKhristu kubaholi benkholo, labebamenyanya Jesu futsi labahlela kutsi abulawe? Kungobe Phetro nalaba labanye bafundzi bebaciniseka kutsi Jesu uvusiwe futsi ucondzisa umsebenti Nkulunkulu labekafuna wentiwe. Ngetulu kwaloko, kuvuswa kwaJesu kwacinisekisa balandzeli bakhe kutsi nabo batawuvuswa. Sibonelo saloko kutsi Stefano wafa anelitsemba lekutsi kutawuba neluvuko lwalabafile.—Imis. 7:55-60.

14. Kungani ukholelwa kutsi Jesu uyaphila?

¹⁴ Sizatfu sesine lesisenta sati kutsi Jesu wavuswa kutsi sinebufakazi bekutsi nyalo uyabusa njengeNkhosi futsi uyiNhloko yelibandla lebuKhristu. Umphumela waloko kutsi buKhristu beliciniso buyandza. Bekungenteka yini loko kube Jesu akavuswanga ekufeni? Ecinisweni, kungenteka besingeke sive ngaye kube akavuswanga. Kodvwa sinetizatfu leticinile tekukholelwa kutsi Jesu uyaphila futsi nyalo uyasicondzisa njengobe simemetela tindzaba letimnandzi etindzaweni letisedvute naletikhashane.

15. Kungani kuvuswa kwaJesu kusiniketa sibindzi sekushumayela?

¹⁵ Kuvuswa kwaKhristu kusiniketa sibindzi sekushumayela. Sekuphele iminyaka lengu-2 000 titsa tebantfu baNkulunkulu tisebentisa tonkhe tinhlobo tetilimato kute ticedze umsebenti wekushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi—loku kufaka ekhatsi kuhlubuka, kuhlekwa, kuhlaselwa ticumbi tebantfu letinelulaka, kuvinjelwa emsebentini wekushumayela, kuhlushwa kanye nekubulawa. Nobe kunjalo, ‘kute sikhali lesilolelwa kulwa natsi’ lesikhonile kuvimbela umsebenti wetfu wekushumayela ngeMbuso nekwenta bafundzi. (Isa. 54:17) Asibesabi balandzeli baSathane nobe tigcili takhe. Jesu unatsi, futsi uyasisekela njengobe etsembisa. (Mat. 28:20) Sinato tonkhe tizatfu tekungesabi, ngisho nobe titsa tetfu tingasihlasela kangakanani, ngeke tisente sithule!

16, 17. (a) Kuvuswa kwaJesu kukufakazela njani loko lakufundzisa? (b) Ngekusho kwaJohane 11:25, ngumaphi emandla Nkulunkulu lawanike Jesu?

¹⁶ Kuvuswa kwaJesu kufakazela konkhe loko lakufundzisa. Pawula wabhala kutsi kube Khristu akavuswanga kulabafile, kukholwa kwemaKhristu nekushumayela bekungaba lite. Lesinye sati seliBhayibheli sabhala satsi: “Kube Khristu akavuswanga, . . . emaKhristu bekangaba bantfu bekulilelwa labayengwe kakhulu.” Kube Jesu akavuswanga, kulandzisa kwemaVangeli bekungamane nje kube yindzaba lebuhlungu yendvodza lelungile nalehlakaniphile leyabulawa titsa tayo. Kodvwa Khristu wavuswa, lokwakufakazela kutsi konkhe lakufundzisa kuliciniso, lokufaka ekhatsi loko lakusho ngelikusasa.—Fundza 1 Khorinte 15:14, 15, 20.

¹⁷ Jesu watsi: “Mine ngikuvuka nekuphila. Loyo lokholwa ngimi, ngisho nobe angafa, utawubuye avuke.” (Joh. 11:25) Lamavi lamnandzi atawufezeka mbamba. Jehova unikete Jesu emandla ekutsi angagcini nje ngekuvusa labo labatawuvuswa banekuphila lokungumoya kwasezulwini, kodvwa nalabo labatigidzigidzi labatawuvuselwa ekuphileni lokuphakadze emhlabeni. Umhlatjelo waJesu loyinhlawulo kanye nekuvuswa kwakhe kusho kutsi kufa ngeke kusaba khona. Kwati loku akukucinisi yini kutsi ubeketelele nome nguluphi luvivinyo futsi uze ubhekane nekufa ngesibindzi?

18. Kuvuswa kwaJesu kusicinisekisa ngani?

 ¹⁸ Kuvuswa kwaJesu kusicinisekisa ngekutsi bantfu labasemhlabeni batawehlulelwa ngekuvumelana netimiso taJehova telutsandvo. Akhuluma nemadvodza nebafati e-Athene yasendvulo, Pawula watsi: ‘Nkulunkulu utakwehlulela umhlaba ngekulunga asebentisa loyo lamkhetsa. Unike bonkhe bantfu sicinisekiso saloku ngekutsi amvuse ekufeni.’ (Imis. 17:31) Ecinisweni, Jesu unguMehluleli lobekwe nguNkulunkulu, futsi singaciniseka kutsi kwehlulela kwakhe kutawuba kwekulunga nelutsandvo.—Fundza Isaya 11:2-4.

19. Kukholelwa ekuvusweni kwaKhristu kusitsintsa njani?

¹⁹ Kukholelwa kutsi Jesu wavuswa kwenta kutsi sente intsandvo yaNkulunkulu. Kube akafanga futsi wavuswa, besitawuchubeka singephansi kwesigwebo sesono nekufa. (Rom. 5:12; 6:23) Kube Jesu akazange avuswe, natsi besitawutsi: “Asidleni sinatse, ngobe kusasa sitawufa.” (1 Khor. 15:32) Kodvwa-ke, asinaki kakhulu kutijabulisa ekuphileni. Kunaloko, siyalijabulela litsemba lekuvuswa futsi sinesizatfu lesicinile sekulalela sicondziso saJehova kuto tonkhe tintfo.

20. Kuvuswa kwaJesu kubufakazela njani bukhulu baNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Kuvuswa kwaKhristu kubufakazela ngalokucacile bukhulu baJehova, ‘lobanika umvuzo labo labamfuna ngekutimisela.’ (Heb. 11:6) Jehova wakhombisa emandla nekuhlakanipha kwakhe ngesikhatsi avusela Jesu ekuphileni kwekungafi kwasezulwini. Ngetulu kwaloko, Nkulunkulu wakhombisa emandla akhe ekufeza tonkhe tetsembiso takhe. Loku kufaka ekhatsi setsembiso saNkulunkulu lesisiphrofetho lesiveta kutsi ‘intalo’ lekhetsekile itawufeza indzima lebalulekile ekucatululeni insayeya yebukhosi bakhe. Kufezeka kwaleso setsembiso bekudzinga kutsi Jesu afe aphindze avuswe.—Gen. 3:15.

21. Lisho kutsini kuwe litsemba leluvuko?

²¹ Awumbongi yini Jehova, losinikete litsemba lelicinisekisiwe leluvuko? ImiBhalo isinika nasi sicinisekiso: “Buka, lithende laNkulunkulu likanye nebantfu, futsi utawuhlala nabo, bona babe bantfu bakhe. NaNkulunkulu utawuba nabo. Utawesula tonkhe tinyembeti emehlweni abo, kufa ngeke kusaba khona, nekulila, nekukhala kanye nebuhlungu, ngeke kusaba khona. Tintfo letindzala setendlulile.” Lelitsemba lelimangalisako latjelwa umphostoli Johane lowetsembekile, kwatsiwa: “Bhala ngobe lamavi etsembekile futsi aliciniso.” Johane wasitfola kubani lesembulo lesiphefumulelwe? Wasitfola kuJesu Khristu lovusiwe.—Semb. 1:1; 21:3-5.