Isahluko 90

Ithemba Lovuko

EKUGQIBELENI uYesu ufika kwimimandla engaphandle nje kweBhetani, idolophana emalunga neekhilomitha ezintathu ukusuka eYerusalem. Kusadlule iintsuku nje ezimbalwa ukususela ekufeni nasekungcwatyweni kukaLazaro. Oodade wabo uMariya noMarta basamlilela, yaye abantu abaninzi beze ekhayeni labo ukuze babathuthuzele.

Ngoxa besalila, uthile wazisa uMarta ukuba uYesu uyeza. Ngoko uyahamba aze akhawuleze ukuya kumkhawulela, ngokucacileyo engamxelelanga udade wabo. Akudibana noYesu, uMarta uphinda oko kunokwenzeka ukuba yena nodade wabo bebethetha ngako izihlandlo ezininzi kwiintsuku ezine ezidluleyo esithi: “Ukuba ubulapha, umnakwethu ange engafanga.”

Noko ke, uMarta uvakalisa ukuba nethemba, ebonisa ukuba uYesu usenokwenza okuthile ngomntakwabo. Utsho esithi: “Ndiyazi ukuba, ongathi ukucele kuThixo, oko wokunika uThixo.”

UYesu uthembisa esithi: “Umnakwenu uya kubuye avuke.”

UMarta uyaqonda ukuba uYesu uthetha ngovuko lwasemhlabeni lwexesha elizayo, olo uAbraham nabanye abakhonzi bakaThixo babekhangele phambili kulo. Ngoko uphendula esithi: “Ndiyazi ukuba uya kubuya avuke eluvukweni, ngomhla wokugqibela.”

Noko ke, uYesu unikela ithemba lento eza kwenzeka kwangoku ephendula esithi: “Ndim uvuko, ndim ubomi.” Ukhumbuza uMarta ukuba uThixo umnike igunya phezu kokufa, esenjenje: “Lowo ukholwayo kum, nokuba ubethe wafa, wodla ubomi. Bonke abadla ubomi bekholwa kum, abasayi kufa naphakade.”

UYesu akazami kuthi kuMarta abathembekileyo ababebephila ngelo xesha babengasokuze bafe. Hayi, kodwa ingongoma azama ukuyivelisa yeyokuba ukuba nokholo kuye kunokukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade. Ubomi obunjalo buya kunanditshwa ngabantu abaninzi ngenxa yokuba beya kuba bevusiwe ngomhla wokugqibela. Kodwa abanye abathembekileyo baya kusinda ekuphelisweni kwale nkqubo yezinto esemhlabeni, kwaye amazwi kaYesu aya kuba yinyaniso ngokwengqiqo yokoqobo kwaba. Abasayi kufa naphakade! Emva kokuba uYesu ethethe la mazwi aphawulekayo, ubuza uMarta esithi: “Uyakholwa na koko?”

Uphendula athi: “Ewe, Nkosi, mna ndiyakholwa ukuba wena unguye uKristu, uNyana kaThixo, lowo uzayo ehlabathini.”

Wandula ke uMarta agoduke ngokukhawuleza esiya kubiza udade wabo, aze amxelele ngasese esithi: “UMfundisi ukho, uyakubiza.” Ngokukhawuleza uMariya uyahamba. Xa abanye bembona ehamba, bayamlandela, becinga ukuba mhlawumbi uya engcwabeni.

Efikile kuYesu, uMariya uwa ezinyaweni zakhe elila. Uthi kuye: “Nkosi, ukuba ubulapha, ange engafanga umnakwethu.” UYesu uchukumiseka ngokunzulu xa ebona uMariya nezihlwele zabantu ezimlandelayo belila. Uyababuza esithi: “Nimbeke phi na?”

Bayaphendula besithi: “Nkosi, yiza ubone.”

UYesu naye uyalila, ebangela amaYuda ukuba athi: “Yabonani ke ukumthanda kwakhe!”

Abanye bakhumbula ukuba kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ngaphambilana, ebudeni boMthendeleko weMinquba, uYesu waphilisa indoda eyayizelwe iyimfama, baze babuze besithi: “Ubengenako na lo, wawavulayo amehlo emfama, ukwenza ukuba nalo angafi?” Yohane 5:21; 6:40; 9:1-7; 11:17-37.

▪ Kungaliphi ixesha athi uYesu ekugqibeleni afike kufuphi naseBhetani, yaye injani imeko apho?

▪ UMarta unasiphi isizinzi sokukholelwa eluvukweni?

▪ Ukufa kukaLazaro kumchaphazela njani uYesu?