Baphikisana Ngokuthi Ngubani Omkhulu

UJesu uthe esidla isidlo santambama sokucina labaphostoli bakhe, wabafundisa isifundo esihle sokuthobeka ngokubagezisa inyawo. Ubafundise lokhu ngenxa yokuthi bebesehluleka ukuba ngabathobekileyo. Bayamthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa lokhu bekhathazeka ngokuthi ngubani omkhulu phakathi kwabo. (UMakho 9:33, 34; 10:35-37) Lalamuhla ntambama indaba le iyavuka futhi.

Abaphostoli ‘baphikisana kuthunqe uthuli, bebanga ukuthi ngubani omkhulu kulabo bonke phakathi kwabo.’ (ULukha 22:24) Kumele ukuthi kuyamdanisa uJesu ukubabona bexabana futhi. Wenzani ngalokho?

UJesu kabakhuzi ngolaka ngalokhu abakwenzayo kodwa uyabonisana labo kuhle athi: “Amakhosi ezizwe azenzela umathanda phezu kwezizwe lezo, leziphathamandla zazo zibizwa ngokuthi ngabantu abanceda uzulu. Kodwa lina akumelanga libe njalo. . . . Kanti omkhulu ngohlezi etafuleni kumbe ngosebenzayo?” Ubakhumbuza ngalokhu ahlala ekwenza okumele bakulingisele, uthi: “Kodwa phakathi kwenu mina nginjengalowo osebenzayo.”​—ULukha 22:25-27.

Abaphostoli ngabantu abalesono njalo bekungaba lula ukuthi bamlahle uJesu izinto sezinzima kodwa kabazange bamtshiye. Yikho uthi: “Ngenza lani isivumelwano sokuthi libuse embusweni, njengoba uBaba enze lami isivumelwano.” (ULukha 22:29) Amadoda la angabalandeli bakaJesu abathembekileyo. Uyawaqinisekisa ukuthi isivumelwano esiphakathi kwakhe lawo sizakwenza abe seMbusweni njalo abuse laye.

Lanxa abaphostoli bezathola isibusiso esihle kangaka balokhu bengabantu benyama njalo bayaphambanisa. UJesu uthi kubo: “USathane uthi uyalifuna lonke ukuze alenze lokho okwenziwa ngumuntu owehlukanisa ingqoloyi lamakhoba.” (ULukha 22:31) Uphinda abaxwayise athi: “Lonke lizakhubeka ngenxa yami ngalobubusuku ngoba kubhaliwe ukuthi: ‘Ngizatshaya umelusi izimvu ezisemhlambini zisabalale zigcwale indawo yonke.’”​—UMathewu 26:31; UZekhariya 13:7.

UPhetro ukhuluma elesibindi athi: “Lanxa bonke abanye bengakhubeka ngenxa yakho, mina kangisoze ngafa ngakhubeka!” (UMathewu 26:33) UJesu utshela uPhetro ukuthi uzamphika iqhude lingakakhali kabili ngalobobusuku. Kodwa uphinda athi: “Sengikuthandazele ngikuncengela ukuthi ukholo lwakho lungapheli, njalo nxa usuphendukile uqinise abafowenu.” (ULukha 22:32) UPhetro yena abesekhuluma ezithemba athi: “Lanxa sekumele ngife lawe, angisoze ngikuphike loba sekutheni.” (UMathewu 26:35) Labanye abaphostoli batsho njalo.

UJesu utshela abafundi bakhe athi: “Ngiseselani okwesikhatshana. Lizangidinga, futhi njengoba ngatshela amaJuda ngathi, ‘Lapho engiyakhona lingeke libuye,’ lani ngilitshela khonokho.” Uphinda athi: “Ngilinika umlayo omutsha wokuthi lithandane. Thandanani ngendlela lami engilithande ngayo. Nxa lithandana, abantu bonke bazakwazi ukuthi lingabafundi bami.”​—UJohane 13:33-35.

UPhetro uthi esizwa uJesu esithi useselabo okwesikhatshana, abuze athi: “Nkosi uyangaphi?” UJesu uphendula athi: “Lapho engiyakhona ungeke ungilandele khathesi, kodwa uzalandela ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.” UPhetro uyamangala abesesithi: “Nkosi, kungani ngingeke ngikulandele khathesi? Ngizanikela ngokuphila kwami ngenxa yakho.”​—UJohane 13:36, 37.

Khathesi uJesu ukhuluma ngesikhathi lapha ake athuma khona abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi bayetshumayela eGalile bengelasikhwama semali loba esokudla. (UMathewu 10:5, 9, 10) Ubuza athi: “Kulolutho elake laluswela yini?” Bona baphendula besithi: “Hatshi!” Kodwa kuyini okuzamele bakwenze ensukwini ezilandelayo? UJesu uthi kubo: “Olesikhwama semali kasithathe, lalowo olesokudla kenze njalo, futhi ongelankemba kathengise isembatho sakhe sangaphandle ayithenge, ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi kufanele kugcwaliseke okwabhalwa mayelana lami, ukuthi, ‘Laye kwathiwa ngomunye wezephulamthetho.’ Amazwi la ayagcwaliseka kimi.”​—ULukha 22:35-37.

UJesu ukhuluma ngesikhathi lapho azabethelwa khona esigodweni, ephahlwe yizephulamthetho. Ngemva kwalokhu abalandeli bakhe bazahlukuluzwa kakhulu. Bona bacabanga ukuthi sebelungiselele yikho besithi: “Nkosi, khangela! Nanzi izinkemba ezimbili.” Yena uphendula athi: “Zanele.” (ULukha 22:38) UJesu uzabafundisa isifundo esiqakathekileyo esebenzisa izinkemba ezimbili abalazo.