UKhristu Uyathengiswa Abesebotshwa

Khathesi sekusebusuku sibili, isikhathi sesihambile. Abaphristi bavumelane ukuthi babhadale uJudasi inhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-30 ukuze athengise uJesu. Yikho uJudasi ukhokhela iqembu elikhulu labaphristi abakhokhelayo labaFarisi besiyadinga uJesu. Bahamba leqembu lamasotsha eRoma elihlomileyo kanye lenduna yamabutho.

Kusegcekeni ukuthi uJudasi uhle waqonda kubaphristi abakhokhelayo ngesikhathi uJesu esithi asuke esidlweni sePhasika. (UJohane 13:27) Abaphristi abakhokhelayo laba babiza abalindi babo lamasotsha. Kumele ukuthi uJudasi uqala abase endlini lapho uJesu labaphostoli bakhe abananze khona iPhasika. Kodwa bayamswela uJesu besebechapha iSigodi SaseKhidroni beqonda esivandeni. Bathwele izikhali lezibane futhi bamdinga phansi phezulu.

UJudasi ukhwela iNtaba Yama-Oliva labantu ahamba labo njalo kathandabuzi ukuthi uzamthola ngaphi uJesu. Ngeviki ephelileyo uJesu labaphostoli bebesiya eJerusalema laseBhethani futhi bebejayele ukuphumula esivandeni seGetsemane. Khathesi sekusebusuku njalo kumele ukuthi uJesu usezihlahleni zama-oliva esivandeni lesi. Pho amasotsha azamazi njani uJesu njengoba kungenzeka ukuthi kawakaze ambone? UJudasi uzawanika isibonakaliso. Uthi: “Loba ngubani engizamqabuza, kuyabe kunguye; limthathe limbophe beselihamba laye limlindile.”​—UMakho 14:44.

UJudasi ungena lexuku labantu esivandeni abone uJesu elabaphostoli bakhe, ahle aqonde kuye. Uthi kuye, “Sakubona Rabi!” abesemqabuza. UJesu uthi kuye: “Ndoda ulandeni lapha?” (UMathewu 26:49, 50) UJesu kalindeli ukuthi uJudasi aphendule, uqhubeka esithi: “Judasi, kambe uthengisa iNdodana yomuntu ngokuyiqabuza?” (ULukha 22:48) Kodwa okukaJesu loJudasi sekuphelile.

UJesu uziveza phambi kwabantu abaphethe izibane abesebabuza athi: “Lidinga bani?” Bamphendula bathi: “UJesu umNazaretha.” UJesu ukhuluma engesabi athi: “Yimi.” (UJohane 18:4, 5) Amadoda la awela phansi njengoba engakwazi ukuthi uJesu uzakwenzani.

UJesu kathi nyawo mbeletha anyamalale emnyameni, kodwa uphinda ababuze ukuthi badinga bani. Bathi sebephinde bathi badinga “uJesu umNazaretha,” yena angethuki, abatshele athi: “Ngilitshelile ukuthi yimi. Nxa lidinga mina, yekelani amadoda la ahambe.” Lanxa uJesu eselandwe ngabantu abafuna ukumbopha, ulokhu esakhumbula ukuthi wayeke wathi kasoze alahlekelwe langoyedwa wabaphostoli bakhe. (UJohane 6:39; 17:12) UJesu ubagcinile abaphostoli bakhe abathembekileyo futhi kakho loyedwa olahlekileyo “ngaphandle kwendodana yokubhujiswa,” uJudasi. (UJohane 18:7-9) Yikho khathesi esecela ixuku ukuthi liyekele abalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo bahambe.

Abaphostoli bathi bebona amasotsha esondela kuJesu bananzelele ukuthi asefuna ukumbopha. Babuza bathi: “Nkosi, sigadle ngenkemba yini?” (ULukha 22:49) UJesu uthi engakaphenduli, uPhetro ahwatshe enye inkemba kwezimbili abaphostoli abalazo. Ugalela uMalikhusi oyinceku yomphristi omkhulu amqume indlebe yesokudla.

UJesu uthinta indlebe kaMalikhusi amelaphe. Ngemva kwalokho ufundisa isifundo esiqakathekileyo, uthi kuPhetro: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo ngoba bonke abasebenzisa inkemba bazakufa ngenkemba.” UJesu uzimisele ukuthi abotshwe njalo uchasisa athi: “Izagcwaliseka njani iMibhalo ethi lokhu kufanele kwenzakale?” (UMathewu 26:52, 54) Uphinda athi: “Akufanelanga ngiyinathe yini inkomitsho uBaba anginike yona?” (UJohane 18:11) UJesu uzimisele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu lanxa kumele afe.

Ubuza ixuku athi: “Kambe lilande ukuzongibopha lithwele izinkemba lezinduku angani ngiyisigebenga? Bengijayele ukuhlala ethempelini nsuku zonke ngifundisa kodwa kalizange lingibophe. Lanxa kunjalo, konke lokhu kwenzakele ukuze kugcwaliseke okwabhalwa ngabaphrofethi.”​—UMathewu 26:55, 56.

Amasotsha lenduna yamabutho, labalindi bamaJuda bayambamba uJesu bambophe. Abaphostoli bathi bebona lokhu babaleke. Kodwa “elinye ijaha” okungenzakala ukuthi ngumfundi uMakho, liyasala exukwini lifuna ukulandela uJesu. (UMakho 14:51) Abasexukwini bayalibona ijaha leli besebezama ukulibamba, lona licele ezinyaweni litshiye isembatho salo selineni.