Ufundisa UNikhodemu Ebusuku

UJesu wenza izimangaliso ngesikhathi eseJerusalema ePhasikeni lika-30 C.E. Lokhu kwenza abantu abanengi bakholwe kuye. Okwenziwa nguJesu kumangalisa uNikhodemu ongumFarisi futhi olilunga lomthethwandaba omkhulu wamaJuda obizwa ngokuthi yiSanihedrini. Yikho uvakatshela uJesu efuna ukuzwa okunengi. Kodwa uhamba sekumnyama ngoba kumele ukuthi uyesaba ukuthi abakhokheli bamaJuda bangathini nxa bengambona.

UNikhodemu uthi: “Rabi, siyakwazi ukuthi ungumfundisi ovela kuNkulunkulu ngoba kakho ongenza izimangaliso lezi ozenzayo engazange ancediswe nguNkulunkulu.” UJesu yena abesemtshela ukuthi nxa umuntu efuna ukungena eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu kumele “azalwe kutsha.”​—UJohane 3:2, 3.

Pho kungenzakala njani ukuthi umuntu azalwe kutsha? UNikhodemu uthi: “Kambe angabuyela esibelethweni sikanina abesezalwa kutsha?”​—UJohane 3:4.

Hatshi, akwenzakali njalo. UJesu uyamchasisela athi: “Ngaphandle kokuthi umuntu azalwe ngamanzi langomoya, ngeke angene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.” (UJohane 3:5) Ngesikhathi uJesu ebhabhathizwa njalo umoya ongcwele usehlela phezu kwakhe, wazalwa “ngamanzi langomoya.” Ngalesosikhathi kwezwakala ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi: “Le yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo futhi engiyamukelayo.” (UMathewu 3:16, 17) Lapha uNkulunkulu wayetshengisa ukuthi uJesu usebe yindodana yakhe egcotshwe ngomoya lokuthi uselethemba lokuyangena eMbusweni wasezulwini. NgePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E., umoya ongcwele wawuzathululelwa kulabo ababebhabhathiziwe njalo labo bazalwe kutsha, babe ngamadodana kaNkulunkulu agcotshwe ngomoya.​—ImiSebenzi 2:1-4.

UNikhodemu kakuzwisisi lokho uJesu amfundisa khona ngoMbuso, yikho uJesu uyamchasisela ngokunye okuqakathekileyo uNkulunkulu amthume ukuthi akwenze. Uthi: “Njengoba nje uMosi waphanyeka inyoka esenkangala, iNdodana yomuntu layo kumele iphanyekwe phezulu, ukuze wonke umuntu okholwa kuyo abe lokuphila okungapheliyo.”​—UJohane 3:14, 15.

Kudala kulama-Israyeli alunywa zinyoka ezilobuhlungu obubi okwasekumele akhangele inyoka yethusi ukuze angafi. (AmaNani 21:9) Lamuhla abantu bonke kumele batshengise ukuthi bayayikholwa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ukuze basindiswe esonweni lasekufeni njalo bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo. UJesu utshengisa uNikhodemu ukuthi uNkulunkulu wabathanda kakhulu abantu ngokwenza ukuthi benelise ukusindiswa. Uthi: “UNkulunkulu wawuthanda kakhulu umhlaba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu otshengisa ukuthi ulokholo kuyo angabhujiswa, kodwa abe lokuphila okungapheliyo.” (UJohane 3:16) Yikho-ke eselezinyanga ezingaba yisithupha eqalise inkonzo yakhe uJesu uhle acacise ukuthi nguye ozakwenza abantu basindiswe.

Uthi kuNikhodemu: “UNkulunkulu kathumanga iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni ukuthi izokwahlulela umhlaba.” Lokhu kutsho ukuthi kalandanga ukuzokwahlulela abantu bonke ukuthi baye ekubhujisweni. Kodwa wathunyelwa ‘ukuthi umhlaba usindiswe ngaye.’​—UJohane 3:17.

UNikhodemu ubuye kuJesu sekumnyama ngoba ubesesaba. Kodwa nanzelela ukuthi uJesu uphetha ingxoxo yakhe ekhuluma ngokukhanya. Uthi: “Nanku abantu abazakwahlulelwa ngakho: ukuthi ukukhanya [okutsho uJesu ngenxa yalokho akufundisayo langendlela aphila ngayo] kufikile emhlabeni, kodwa bona bathanda ubumnyama kulokukhanya ngoba imisebenzi yabo mibi. Lowo owenza izinto ezimbi uzonda ukukhanya njalo kezi ekukhanyeni ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ingasolwa. Kodwa lowo owenza okuliqiniso uyabuya ekukhanyeni ukuze kubonakale ukuthi imisebenzi yakhe ivumelana lentando kaNkulunkulu.”​—UJohane 3:19-21.

Khathesi uNikhodemu usefundile ngalokho uJesu azakwenza ukuze lokho uNkulunkulu akuhlosileyo kugcwaliseke. Sekumele acabangisise ngamazwi kaJesu abesekhetha ukuthi uzakwenzani.