Isahluko 17

Ukufundisa UNikodemo

NGOXA eze kwiPasi-ka yowama-30 C.E., uYesu wenza imiqondiso, okanye imimangaliso emikhulu. Ngenxa yoko, abantu abaninzi bayakholwa kuye. UNikodemo, ilungu leNtlanganiso Yamatyala, inkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda, uyachukumiseka yaye ufuna ukufunda okungakumbi. Ngoko uya kuYesu ebudeni bobusuku, ngokunokwenzeka esoyika hleze ajongelwe phantsi zezinye iinkokeli zamaYuda ukuba unokubonwa.

Uthi, “Rabhi, siyazi ukuba ungumfundisi ovela kuThixo; kuba akukho namnye unako ukuyenza le miqondiso uyenzayo wena, ukuba uThixo akanaye.” Emphendula, uYesu uxelela uNikodemo ukuba ukuze angene eBukumkanini bukaThixo umntu umele “azalwe ngokutsha.”

Kodwa, angathini na umntu ukuzalwa kwakhona? UNikodemo uyabuza: “Anga-ba nako yini na ukungena okwesibini esizalweni sonina azalwe?”

Akunjalo, ukuzalwa ngokutsha akuthethi oko. U-Yesu ucacisa esithi, “Ukuba umntu akathanga azalwe ngamanzi nanguMoya, akanakungena ebukumkanini bukaThixo.” Xa uYesu wabhaptizwayo waza umoya oyingcwele wehlela phezu kwakhe, ngaloo ndlela wazalwa “ngamanzi nanguMoya.” Ngelizwi elaliphuma ezulwini lisithi, ‘Lo nguNyana wam oyintanda endikholisiweyo nguye,’ uThixo wavakalisa ukuba wayezele unyana wokomoya owayenethemba lokungena kuBukumkani basezulwini. Kamva, ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., abanye ababhaptiziweyo baya kwamkela umoya oyingcwele baze ngaloo ndlela nabo bazalwe ngokutsha njengoonyana bakaThixo bokomoya.

Kodwa indima yoNyana kaThixo ongumntu okhethekileyo ibalulekile. UYesu exelela uNikodemo uthi, “Njengokuba ke uMoses wayiphakamisayo inyoka entlango, umelwe kukuphakanyiswa ngokunjalo uNyana woMntu; ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” Ewe, njengoko loo maSirayeli awayelunywa ziinyoka ezinobuhlungu kwakumele akhangele kwinyoka yobhedu ukuze asinde, ngoko bonke abantu kufuneka babe nokholo kuNyana kaThixo ukuze basindiswe kwimeko yabo yokufa.

Egxininisa indima kaYehova yothando koku, ngokulandelayo uYesu uxelela uNikodemo oku: “Wenjenje uThixo ukulithanda kwakhe ihlabathi, ude wancama uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” Ngaloo ndlela, apha eYerusalem kwiinyanga nje ezintandathu emva kokuqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu uyenza icace into yokuba ulilungiselelo likaYehova uThixo lokusindisa uluntu.

UYesu uhlabela mgama emcacisela ngokubhekele phaya uNikodemo esithi: “Kuba uThixo akamthumanga uNyana wakhe ehlabathini, ukuze aligwebe ihlabathi,” oko kukuthi, aligwebe qatha, okanye aligwebele intshabalaliso, egwebela uluntu kwintshabalalo. Kunoko, njengoko uYesu esitsho, wayethunywe “ukuze ihlabathi lisindiswe ngaye.”

UNikodemo uthe kuba esoyika weza kuYesu ngobumnyama. Ngoko kubangela umdla ukuba uYesu aqukumbele incoko yabo ngokuthi: “Umgwebo nguwo lo, ukuba ukhanyiso [uYesu awalubonakalisayo kubomi nakwiimfundiso zakhe] lufikile ehlabathini, baza abantu bathanda ubumnyama ngaphezu kokhanyiso; kuba imisebenzi yabo ingendawo. Kuba bonke abenza okubi, bayaluthiya ukhanyiso, bangezi elukhanyisweni, ukuze imisebenzi yabo ingohlwaywa. Ke lowo uyenzayo inyaniso uyeza elukhanyisweni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakalaliswe; ngokuba isetyenzelwe kuThixo.” Yohane 2:23–3:21; Mateyu 3:16, 17; IZenzo 2:1-4; Numeri 21:9.

▪ Yintoni etyhalela ukuba uNikodemo enze olu tyelelo, yaye kutheni esiza ngobusuku nje?

▪ Kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukuzalwa ngokutsha’?

▪ UYesu uyibonakalisa njani indima yakhe ekusindisweni kwethu?

▪ Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthi uYesu wayengezanga kuligweba ihlabathi?