Ngemva kokutjhugululwa kwakaJesu nokulatjhwa komsana onedimoni esifundeni seKhesariya Filipi, uJesu utjhinga eKapernawumi. Ukhamba nabafundi bakhe ngemsitheleni, ukuze iinqubuthu ‘zingazi ngakho.’ (Markosi 9:30) Lokhu kumnikela ithuba elihle lokulungiselela abafundi bakhe ngokufa kwakhe nangomsebenzi abazowenza ngemva kwalokho. Uyahlathulula: “INdodana yomuntu izokukghatjhelwa ezandleni zabantu, bazoyibulala, kodwana ngelanga lesithathu izokuvuswa.”​—Matewu 17:22, 23.

Lokhu akukafuzi kube yintwetja ebafundini bakhe. UJesu khewakhuluma phambilini ngokubulawa kwakhe, nanyana uPitrosi ala ukukholwa ukuthi kuzokwenzeka. (Matewu 16:21, 22) Abapostoli abathathu bambona uJesu nakatjhugululwako bezwa nengcoco emalungana ‘nokukhamba’ kwakhe. (Lukasi 9:31) Abalandeli bakhe “baba lisizi khulu” ngalokhu uJesu akutjhoko, ngitjho nanyana bangazwisisi kuhle bona uthini. (Matewu 17:23) Kodwana basaba ukumbuzisisa.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bafika eKapernawumi, lapho uJesu azinze khona, nokuyindawo abapostoli abanengana abahlala kiyo. Nabalapho, kuvela amadoda abuthelela umthelo wethempeli atjhinga kuPitrosi. Mhlamunye alinga ukumangalela uJesu ngokungabhadeli umthelo, ayambuza: “Umfundisenu uyawubhadela na umthelo wethempeli?”​—Matewu 17:24.

UPitrosi uthi, “Iye.” UPitrosi nakabuyela ngendlini, uJesu sekazi koke okwenzekileko. Kunokobana alindele uPitrosi amtjele bona kwenzekeni, uJesu uyambuza: “Ucabangani, Simoni? Amakhosi wephasi awufumana kuphi umthelo wepahla yerhwebo namkha umthelo womuntu ngamunye? Emadodanenawo namkha kwabanye abantu?” UPitrosi uthi: “Kwabanye abantu.” Nje-ke uJesu uthi kuye: “Nakunjalo-ke, amadodana awawubhadeli umthelo.”​—Matewu 17:25, 26.

UYise kaJesu uyiKosi yezulu nephasi begodu nguye olotjhwa ethempelini. Ngalokho, iNdodana kaZimu akutlhogeki bona ibhadele umthelo wethempeli. UJesu uthi: “Kodwana bona singavusi umguruguru, iya elwandle, uphosele isithiyahlambi sakho, uthathe ihlambi yokuthoma ozoyibamba, nawuvula umlomayo, uzokufumana isipaparwana sesiliva [istateri, namkha amadrakhma amane]. Sithathe ubanikele sona, ubhadalele mina nawe.”​—Matewu 17:27.

Msinyana abafundi bayahlangana, babuza uJesu ngokuthi ngubani ozokuba mkhulu emBusweni. La, madoda lawa mvanje ebekasaba ukubuza uJesu ngokufa azokuqalana nakho, kodwana nje awasabi ukumbuza ngengomuso lawo. UJesu uyazi bona acabangani. Yinto ebebaphikisana ngayo ngemva kwakhe nebasendleleni ebuyela eKapernawumi. Uyababuza: “Beniphikisana ngani endleleni?” (Markosi 9:33) Baphethwe ziinhloni, abafundi bayathula, ngombana bebaphikisana ngokuthi ngubani omkhulu hlangana nabo. Ekugcineni, batjela uJesu ngombuzo ebebacoca ngawo: “Ngubani omkhulu kunabo boke emBusweni wezulu?”​—Matewu 18:1.

Kubonakala kurara ukuthi abafundi bangaphikisana ngalokho pheze ngemva kweminyaka emithathu balalele uJesu begodu babona nalokho akwenzako. Nokho nabo banesono. Bakhulele ekolweni ekhuthaza khulu isikhundla nobukhulu.  Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu mvanje uthembise ukunikela uPitrosi “iinlodlhelo” zomBuso. Kghani kungenzeka uzizwa amkhulu? UJakopo noJwanisi kungenzeka nabo bazizwa ngendlela efanako, ngombana babone uJesu atjhugululwa.

Kinanyana ngikuphi, uJesu ulungisa ukucabanga kwabo. Ubiza umntwana, umjamisa hlangana nabo, uthi ebafundini bakhe: “Ngaphandle kokobana nitjhuguluke nifane nabantwana abancani, angekhe ningene emBusweni wezulu. Ngalokho, ozozithoba njengomntwana lo, nguye omkhulu kunabo boke emBusweni wezulu; nanyana ngubani owamukela umntwana onjengalo, ngebanga lebizo lami, uyangamukela nami.”​—Matewu 18:3-5.

Kwamambala yindlela ehle khulu yokufundisa le! UJesu akabathukutheleli abafundi bakhe athi bamarhamaru namkha bathanda iinkhundla. Kunalokho, ubafundisa isifundo ngesibonelo abakghona ukusibona. Abantwana abanawo umqondo wokuba mkhulu namkha wokuvelela. UJesu utjengisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi kutlhogeka babe nombono lo. UJesu uphetha isifundwesi ngokuthi ebalandelini bakhe: “Oziphatha njengomncani phakathi kwenu nguye omkhulu.”​—Lukasi 9:48.