INkosi Ingena EJerusalema Igade Ithole Likababhemi

Ngelanga elilandelayo kuyiSonto ngoNisani 9, uJesu usuka eBhethani elabafundi bakhe aye eJerusalema. Bathi sebefika eduzane leNtaba Yama-Oliva eBhethifage, uJesu atshele abafundi bakhe ababili athi:

“Hambani esigabeni lesiya elisikhangeleyo, lizakuthi lifika lihle libone ubabhemi ebotshelwe lethole lakhe. Khululani ubabhemi lowo lethole lakhe beselikuletha kimi. Kungaba lomuntu olibuzayo lithi kuye, ‘INkosi iyabafuna obabhemi laba.’ Lingatsho njalo uzahle alivumele ukuthi libuye labo.”​—UMathewu 21:2, 3.

Abafundi kabananzeleli ukuthi lokho uJesu abatshela khona yisiphrofetho esiseBhayibhilini. Kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi bacina bezwisisa ukuthi akutshoyo kugcwalisa isiphrofetho sikaZekhariya. Wayephrofethe ukuthi iNkosi leyo uNkulunkulu ayethe izakuba khona izangena eJerusalema “imnene, ihamba ikhwele ubabhemi, iphezu kwethole, inkonyane kababhemi.”​—UZekhariya 9:9.

Abafundi bafika eBhethifage bathathe ubabhemi lethole lakhe eliduna, abantu abami lapho besebesithi: “Kanti lenzani lithukulula ithole likababhemi?” (UMakho 11:5) Kodwa bathi sebezwe ukuthi obabhemi laba bafunwa nguJesu, bayekele abafundi bahambe labo. Abafundi bafaka izembatho zabo zangaphandle phezu kwabobabhemi laba kodwa uJesu ugada ithole lakhona.

Abantu balokhu besiba banengi ngesikhathi uJesu eqonda eJerusalema. Abanengi bakhona bendlala izembatho zabo emgwaqweni. Abanye bagamula “izingatsha zezihlahla eceleni komgwaqo” bazendlale. Bamemeza bathi: “Sicela umsindise! Ubusisiwe lowo oza ngebizo likaJehova! Ubusisiwe uMbuso ozayo, okababa wethu uDavida!” (UMakho 11:8-10) AbaFarisi abakhonapho bayacaphuka besizwa lokhu. Bathi kuJesu: “Mfundisi, khuza abafundi bakho.” Yena ubaphendula athi: “Ngilitshela ukuthi nxa laba bangathula, amatshe azamemeza.”​—ULukha 19:39, 40.

UJesu ukhangela idolobho leJerusalema alikhalele esithi: “Aluba nje ubuzizwisisile lamuhla izinto eziphathelane lokuthula—kodwa khathesi sezifihliwe emehlweni akho.” IJerusalema izajeziswa ngenxa yokungalaleli. UJesu uthi: ‘Izitha zakho zizafaka uthango lwezigodo ezicijileyo, zikugombolozele njalo zikuvalele uswele lesikhala sokuphunyuka. Zizakutaklazela phansi wena labantwabakho bonke, zingatshiyi ilitshe phezu kwelinye phakathi kwakho.’ (ULukha 19:42-44) Lakanye iJerusalema iyabhujiswa ngomnyaka ka-70 C.E. njengokutsho kukaJesu.

UJesu uthi engena eJerusalema ‘idolobho lonke lixokozele, abantu besithi: “Kanti ngubani lo?”’ Amaxuku abantu lawo aqhubeka esithi: “Lo ngumphrofethi uJesu odabuka eNazaretha yaseGalile!” (UMathewu 21:10, 11) Abantu abasexukwini ababona uJesu evusa uLazaro baxoxela abanye ngesimangaliso lesi. AbaFarisi bayabona ukuthi kabayindawo ngento abafuna ukuyenza. Bakhuluma bebodwa besithi: “Umhlaba wonke usumlandela.”​—UJohane 12:18, 19.

UJesu uhamba ayefundisa ethempelini njengoba ejayele ukwenza njalo nxa eseJerusalema. Uthi elapho asilise abayiziphofu labagogekileyo. Abaphristi abakhokhelayo lababhali bayazonda bebona akwenzayo futhi besizwa labafana bememeza ethempelini besithi, “Sicela uyisindise iNdodana kaDavida!” Abakhokheli benkolo babuza uJesu bathi: “Uyabezwa yini ukuthi bathini abantwana laba?” UJesu ubaphendula athi: “Kanti kalikaze liwabale yini amazwi athi, ‘Usubangele ukuthi imilomo yabantwana leyezinsane ikudumise’?”​—UMathewu 21:15, 16.

Ngemva kwalokho uJesu ukhangela izinto ezisethempelini. Isikhathi sesihambile khathesi, yikho uyasuka labaphostoli. Ubuyela eBhethani uNisani 10 engakaqalisi afike alale khona kungeSonto.