Isahluko 102
Ukungena KukaKristu Kokunqoba EJerusalema
EKUSENI ngosuku olulandelayo, ngeSonto, ngoNisan 9, uJesu uyahamba eBethaniya nabafundi bakhe ulibangisa ngalé kweNtaba yemiNqumo ngaseJerusalema. Ngesikhashana, basondela eBetfage, eseNtabeni yemiNqumo. UJesu uyala ababili babafundi bakhe:
“Hambani niye emzaneni obhekene nani, nizakufumana masinyane imbongolo ikhulekiwe nethole linayo; zithukululeni, nizilethe kimi. Uma umuntu esho utho kini, anothi: INkosi iyazidinga; uyakuzithumela masinyane.”
Nakuba ekuqaleni abafundi bengaqondi ukuthi leziyalezo zihlangene nokugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli, kamuva bayaqaphela ukuthi zihlangene nakho. Umprofethi uZakariya wabikezela ukuthi iNkosi kaNkulunkulu ethenjisiwe yayiyongena eJerusalema igibele imbongolo, yebo, “inkonyane yembongolokazi.” Ngokufanayo iNkosi uSolomoni ekugcotshweni kwayo yayigibele inzalo yembongolo.
Lapho abafundi bengena eBetfage futhi bethatha inkonyane nonina, abanye balabo ababemi eduze bathi: “Nenzani?” Kodwa lapho betshelwa ukuthi lezilwane zifunwa iNkosi, lamadoda avumela abafundi ukuba baziyise kuJesu. Abafundi babeka izingubo zabo zangaphandle phezu kwembongolokazi naphezu kwenzalo yayo, kodwa uJesu ugibela ithole.
Njengoba uJesu egibele eya eJerusalema, isixuku siyanda. Iningi labantu lindlala izingubo zalo zangaphandle endleleni, kuyilapho abanye begawula amagatsha emithini futhi bewandlala phansi. “Ubusisiwe uMbusi ozayo egameni leNkosi,” bememeza. “Ukuthula ezulwini nenkazimulo kweliphezulu.”
Abanye abaFarisi esixukwini bacasulwa yilezimemezelo futhi bayakhononda kuJesu: “Mfundisi, bakhuze abafundi bakho.” Kodwa uJesu uyaphendula: “Ngithi kini: Uma bethula laba, amatshe azakumemeza.”
Njengoba uJesu esondela eJerusalema, ubheka umuzi abese eqala ukuwukhalela, ethi: “Sengathi nga wazi nawe ngalolusuku okokuthula. Kepha kalokhu kufihlakele emehlweni akho.” Ngenxa yokungalaleli kwalo kwangamabomu, iJerusalema kumelwe likhokhe, njengoba uJesu ebikezela:
“Izitha [amaRoma angaphansi kukaJenene Titus] ziyakukukaka ngodonga lwempi, zikuhaqe, zikuvimbezele nxazonke, zikuwise phansi, wena nabantwana abakuwe, zingashiyi itshe phezu kwetshe phakathi kwakho.” Lokhu kubhujiswa kweJerusalema okwabikezelwa uJesu eqinisweni kwenzeka eminyakeni engu-37 kamuva, ngonyaka ka-70 C.E.
Emasontweni ambalwa nje ngaphambili, abaningi esixukwini babebone uJesu evusa uLazaru. Manje laba balokhu betshela abanye ngalesosimangaliso. Ngakho lapho uJesu engena eJerusalema, wonke umuzi uba sesiphithiphithini. “Ngubani lo?” abantu bafuna ukwazi. Futhi izixuku zilokhu zisho: “Lo ungumprofethi, uJesu waseNazaretha laseGalile.” Bebona lokho okwenzekayo, abaFarisi bayakhala ngokuthi abaphumeleli neze, ngoba, njengoba besho: “Izwe lonke liyamlandela.”
Njengoba kuwumkhuba wakhe lapho evakashela eJerusalema, uJesu uya ethempelini uyofundisa. Lapho izimpumputhe nezinyonga ziza kuye, futhi uyaziphilisa! Lapho abapristi abakhulu nababhali bebona izinto ezimangalisayo uJesu azenzayo nalapho bezwa abafana ethempelini bememeza, “Hosiyana kuyo iNdodana kaDavide,” bayathukuthela. “Uyakuzwa lokhu abakushoyo laba na?” bekhononda.
“Yebo,” kuphendula uJesu. “Anizange nifunde yini ukuthi: Emlonyeni wezingane nowabancelayo uzilungisele indumiso, na?”
UJesu uyaqhubeka efundisa, futhi uqalaza zonke izinto ezisethempelini. Ngokushesha sekuhlwile. Ngakho uyahamba, kanye nabangu-12, futhi uhamba cishe amakhilomitha amathathu ephindela eBethaniya. Lapho uchitha khona ubusuku bangeSonto, cishe kubo kamngane wakhe uLazaru. Mathewu 21:1-11, 14-17; Marku 11:1-11; Luka 19:29-44; Johane 12:12-19; Zakariya 9:9.
▪ UJesu ungena nini futhi kanjani eJerusalema njengeNkosi?
▪ Kubaluleke kangakanani ukuthi izixuku zidumisa uJesu?
▪ UJesu uzizwa kanjani lapho ebheka iJerusalema, futhi isiphi isiprofetho asishoyo?
▪ Yini eyenzekayo lapho uJesu eya ethempelini?