UPhilathu Umemeza Athi: “Khangelani! Nansi Indoda!”

UPhilathu utshele ixuku elifuna ukubulala uJesu wathi: ‘Kangisitholanga isizatho sokumbeka icala ngalokho elimmangalela ngakho. UHerodi laye katholanga lutho.’ (ULukha 23:14, 15) Khathesi uPhilathu uzama elinye icebo ukuze akhulule uJesu, uthi ebantwini: “Lijayele ukuthi ngilikhululele umuntu ngePhasika. Manje liyafuna yini ukuthi ngilikhululele iNkosi yamaJuda?”​—UJohane 18:39.

UPhilathu uyakwazi ukuthi kulendoda eyisibotshwa okuthiwa nguBharabha. Indoda le iyisigebenga njalo ilecala lokuvukela umbuso lokubulala. Yikho uPhilathu ubuza athi: “Lifuna ngilikhululele bani, uBharabha kumbe uJesu lowo abamuthi nguKhristu?” Abantu laba abatshotshozelwe ngabaphristi abakhokhelayo bathi kukhululwe uBharabha kulokuthi kukhululwe uJesu. UPhilathu uyabuza futhi athi: “Ngubani phakathi kwalaba ababili elifuna ngilikhululele yena?” Ixuku limemeza lisithi: “NguBharabha.”​—UMathewu 27:17, 21.

UPhilathu uyadana abesesithi: “Manje ngenzeni ngoJesu lo abamuthi nguKhristu?” Abantu bayavungama bathi: “Kabethelwe esigodweni!” (UMathewu 27:22) Kabalanhloni zokuthi bacela ukuthi kubulawe umuntu ongelacala. UPhilathu uncenga athi: “Ngenxa yani? Kuyini okubi okwenziwe yindoda le? Mina kangisitholanga isizatho sokuthi ibulawe, yikho ngizayijezisa besengiyikhulula.”​—ULukha 23:22.

Lanxa uPhilathu esezame wazama ixuku leli elidla amahabula limemeza kanye kanye lisithi: “Kabethelwe esigodweni!” (UMathewu 27:23) Abakhokheli benkolo sebebaphambanisile abantu laba ngoba sebeze befuna kuchitheke igazi. Bafuna igazi lomuntu ongelacala hatshi elesigebenga loba umbulali. Emalangeni amahlanu adlulileyo umuntu lo ongelacala ungene eJerusalema waphathwa njengeNkosi. Nxa kuyikuthi abafundi bakaJesu bakhona khonapho, baqhubeka bezithulele njalo bezifihla.

UPhilathu uyabona ukuthi akuzamayo kufanana lokuthela amanzi emhlane wedada. Sekuqalisa ukuba lesiphithiphithi, yikho uthatha amanzi ageze izandla phambi kwexuku. Uthi kulo: “Mina kangilacala ngegazi lendoda le. Ziboneleni elingakwenza.” Kodwa akuthi thiki kulo, lithi: “Igazi lakhe kalibe phezu kwethu laphezu kwabantwabethu.”​—UMathewu 27:24, 25.

Usibalukhulu uyakwazi okuqondileyo okumele akwenze, kodwa yena ufuna ukuthabisa abantu. Yikho wenza lokho abafuna akwenze, amkhulule uBharabha. Uthi uJesu akhitshwe impahla zakhe abesebhaxabulwa.

UJesu uthi esetshaywe kabuhlungu, amasotsha amhambise esigodlweni sikasibalukhulu. Lonke ibutho liyabuthana beselimhlukuluza. Leluka umqhele wameva beseliwubeka ekhanda lakhe. Amasotsha aphinda abambise uJesu umhlanga ngesandla sakhe sokudla amembathise lejazi eliyibubende elinjengalelo eligqokwa ngabesikhosini. Amenza inhlekisa athi: “Sakubona, wena Nkosi yamaJuda!” (UMathewu 27:28, 29) Aphinda amkhafulele, elokhu emtshaya ngamampama. Athatha umhlanga abembambise wona amtshaye ngawo ekhanda, ameva omqhele angene atshone.

Lanxa uJesu ehlukuluzwe kabuhlungu kangaka uqhubeka ezibamba njalo elesibindi. Lokhu kuyammangalisa uPhilathu aze aphinde azame ukwenza ukuthi ukufa kukaJesu kungabi ngumlandu wakhe, uthi: “Khangelani! Sengimletha phandle kini ukuze likwazi ukuthi kangiboni lutho aluphambanisileyo.” Kambe uPhilathu engabe ecabanga ukuthi nxa ixuku lingabona uJesu esemanxebanxeba futhi evuza igazi, lingantshintsha ingqondo? UJesu uthi esemi phambi kwexuku leli elingelazwelo, uPhilathu amemeze esithi: “Khangelani! Nansi indoda!”​—UJohane 19:4, 5.

Lanxa uJesu etshaywe kabuhlungu futhi elimele, kaphindiseli njalo uqhubeka ezithiba. Kumele ukuthi uPhilathu uyakunanzelela lokhu ngoba kukhanya angani amazwi akhe atshengisa ukuthi uyamhlonipha futhi uyamzwela.