Isahluko 67

Bayahluleka Ukumbamba

LAPHO uMkhosi wamaDokodo usaqhubeka, abaholi benkolo bathuma izikhonzi ezingamaphoyisa ukuba ziyobamba uJesu. Akazami ukucasha. Kunalokho, uJesu uyaqhubeka efundisa obala, ethi: “Kuseyisikhashana ngikhona kini, besengimuka, ngiye kongithumileyo. Niyakungifuna, ningangifumani, nalapho ngikhona, ningeze nina.”

AmaJuda awaqondi, ngakho-ke abuzana wodwa: “Uzakuya ngaphi lo lapho singayikumthola na? Uyakuya kwabahlakazekileyo kumaGreki, afundise amaGreki, na? Lizwi lini leli alishoyo lokuthi: ‘Niyakungifuna, ningangifumani, nokuthi: Lapho ngikhona, ningeze nina, na?” Yebo, uJesu ukhuluma ngokufa kwakhe okusondelayo nangokuvukela ekuphileni ezulwini, lapho izitha zakhe zingenakulandela khona.

Usuku lwesikhombisa lomkhosi olungolokugcina luyafika. Usuku ngalunye ekuseni phakathi nomkhosi, umpristi ubethulula amanzi, ayewakhe eChibini laseSilowama, ukuze agelezele esisekelweni sealtare. Ngokunokwenzeka ekhumbuza abantu ngalenqubo yansuku zonke, uJesu uyamemeza: “Uma ekhona owomileyo, akeze kimi, aphuze. Okholwa yimi, njengokusho kombhalo, esiswini sakhe kuyakugobhoza imifula yamanzi aphilayo.”

Empeleni, lapha uJesu ukhuluma ngemiphumela emihle eyayizoba khona lapho kuthululwa umoya ongcwele. Ngonyaka olandelayo lokhu kuthululwa komoya ongcwele kwenzeka ngePentekoste. Lapho, imifula yamanzi aphilayo iyagobhoza lapho abafundi abangu-120 beqala ukushumayela kubantu. Kodwa kuze kube yilesosikhathi, awukho umoya ngomqondo wokuthi akekho kubafundi bakaKristu ogcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele nobizelwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini.

Besabela ekufundiseni kukaJesu, abanye baqala ukuthi: “Lo ungumprofethi isibili,” ngokusobala bebhekisela kumprofethi omkhulu kunoMose okwathenjiswa ukuthi wayezofika. Abanye bathi: “Lo unguKristu.” Kodwa abanye baphikisa ngokuthi: “Kanti uKristu uvela eGalile na? Awushongo yini umbhalo ukuthi uKristu uvela enzalweni kaDavide naseBetlehema, emzaneni lapho wayekhona uDavide na?”

Ngakho kuba khona ukwahlukana phakathi kwesixuku. Abanye bafuna uJesu ebanjiwe, kodwa akekho omthintayo. Lapho izikhonzi ezingamaphoyisa zingabuyi noJesu, abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi bayabuza: “Animlethanga ngani na?”

“Akuzange kukhulume-muntu njengokuba kukhuluma lowomuntu,” kuphendula lezikhonzi.

 Begcwele intukuthelo, labaholi benkolo bayagoba ukuze bahleke usulu, babhece ngamanga, futhi basebenzise amazwi ayiziswana. Bayakloloda: “Kanti nani nidukisiwe na? Ukhona yini ezikhulwini nakubaFarisi oké wakholwa nguye na? Kodwa lesisixuku esingawazi umthetho siqalekisiwe.”

Kulokhu, uNikodemu, ongumFarisi nombusi wamaJuda (okungukuthi, ilungu leSanhedrin), uqunga isibindi akhulumele uJesu. Uzokhumbula ukuthi eminyakeni emibili nengxenye ngaphambili, uNikodemu weza kuJesu ebusuku futhi wabonisa ukholo kuye. Manje uNikodemu uthi: “Konje umthetho wakithi uyamlahla yini umuntu ungakamuzwa kuqala, uze wazi akwenzayo, na?”

AbaFarisi bathukuthela ngisho nangokwengeziwe ngokuthi omunye wabo uvikela uJesu. “Kanti nawe ungowaseGalile na?” bephawula ngokubhuqa. “Phenyisisa, ubone ukuthi akuveli-mprofethi eGalile.”

Nakuba imiBhalo ingasho ngokuqondile ukuthi umprofethi wayeyovela eGalile, iyamphawula uJesu njengowayeyovela khona, ithi “ukukhanya okukhulu” kwakuyobonakala kulesisifunda. Naphezu kwalokho, uJesu wazalelwa eBetlehema, futhi wayeyinzalo kaDavide. Nakuba abaFarisi ngokunokwenzeka bekuqaphela lokhu, kungenzeka yibo abasakaza imibono engeyiyo abantu abanayo ngoJesu. Johane 7:32-52; Isaya 9:1, 2; Mathewu 4:13-17.

▪ Kwenzekani nsuku zonke ekuseni phakathi nomkhosi, futhi kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi uJesu udonsela ukunakekela kulokhu?

▪ Kungani izikhonzi zihluleka ukubamba uJesu, futhi abaholi benkolo basabela kanjani?

▪ Ubani uNikodemu, siyini isimo sakhe sengqondo ngoJesu, futhi uphathwa kanjani ngabaFarisi akanye nabo?

▪ Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi uKristu wayeyovela eGalile?