Isahluko 12

Ukubhapathizwa KukaJesu

CISHE ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngemva kokuba uJohane eqalise ukushumayela, uJesu, manje oseneminyaka engu-30 ubudala, uza kuye eJordani. Ngasiphi isizathu? Ukuze amvakashele njengomngane? Ingabe uJesu umane nje unesithakazelo endleleni umsebenzi kaJohane othuthuka ngayo? Cha, uJesu ucela uJohane ukuba ambhapathize.

Zisuka nje uJohane uyenqaba: “ Yimi engiswela ukubhapathizwa nguwe; wena uza kimi na?” UJohane uyazi ukuthi umzala wakhe uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ekhethekile. Phela, uJohane wagxuma ngenjabulo esiswini sikanina lapho uMariya, ekhulelwe uJesu, ebavakashela! Akungabazeki ukuthi unina kaJohane, uElisabethe wamtshela ngalokhu kamuva. Futhi kungenzeka ukuthi wamtshela ngesimemezelo sengelosi sokuzalwa kukaJesu nangokubonakala kwezingelosi kubelusi ngobusuku uJesu azalwa ngabo.

Ngakho uJesu akayena umfokazi kuJohane. Futhi uJohane uyazi ukuthi ukubhapathiza kwakhe akumfaneli uJesu. Kungokwalabo abaphenduka ezonweni zabo, kodwa uJesu akanasono. Nokho, naphezu kokwenqaba kukaJohane, uJesu uyaphikelela: “Vuma kalokhu, ngokuba kusifanele ukugcwalisa kanjalo ukulunga konke.”

Kungani kulungile ngoJesu ukuba abhapathizwe? Ngoba ukubhapathizwa kukaJesu akulona uphawu lokuphenduka ezonweni, kodwa olokuziletha kwakhe ekwenzeni intando kaYise. UJesu ubengumbazi, kodwa manje isikhathi sesifikile sokuba aqalise inkonzo uJehova uNkulunkulu amthuma emhlabeni ukuba ayifeze. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi uJohane ulindele noma yini engajwayelekile ukuba yenzeke lapho ebhapathiza uJesu?

Nokho, uJohane kamuva uyabika: “ Owangithuma ukubhapathiza ngamanzi wathi kimi: Lowo oyakubona uMoya ehla ahlale phezu kwakhe, nguyena obhapathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele.” Ngakho uJohane ulindele ukuba umoya kaNkulunkulu uze kothile azombhapathiza. Ngakho-ke, mhlawumbe akamangali ngempela lapho, njengoba uJesu ekhuphuka emanzini, uJohane ebona ‘umoya kaNkulunkulu onjengejuba wehlela phezu kwakhe.’

Kodwa njengoba uJesu ebhapathizwa kwenzeka okungaphezu kwalokho. ‘Amazulu ayamvulekela.’ Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Ngokusobala kusho ukuthi lapho ebhapathizwa, ukhumbula ukuphila kwakhe ezulwini ngaphambi kokuba abe umuntu. Ngaleyondlela, uJesu manje ukukhumbula ngokugcwele ukuphila kwakhe njengendodana yomoya kaJehova uNkulunkulu, kuhlanganise nazo zonke izinto uNkulunkulu azikhuluma kuye ezulwini ekuphileni kwakhe kwangaphambi kokuba abe umuntu.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngesikhathi sokubhapathizwa kwakhe, izwi elivela ezulwini liyamemezela: “Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo engithokozile ngayo.” Elikabani lelozwi? Ingabe yizwi likaJesu ngokwakhe? Lutho neze! ElikaNkulunkulu. Ngokusobala, uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, hhayi uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe, njengoba abanye abantu besho.

Nokho, uJesu uyindodana kaNkulunkulu engumuntu, ngisho nanjengomuntu wokuqala, uAdamu. Umfundi uLuka, ngemva kokuchaza ukubhapathizwa kukaJesu, uyabhala: “ Yena uJesu ukuqala kwakhe, wayeneminyaka engaba-ngamashumi amathathu, eyindodana, njengokushiwoyo, kaJosefa kaEli . . . kaDavide . . . ka-Abrahama . . . kaNowa . . . ka-Adamu kaNkulunkulu.”

Njengoba uAdamu ‘ayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu’ engumuntu, kanjalo noJesu. UJesu ungumuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke abake baba khona, okuba sobala lapho sihlola ukuphila kukaJesu. Nokho, lapho ebhapathizwa, uJesu ungena ebuhlotsheni obusha noNkulunkulu, eba futhi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu engokomoya. Manje kunjengokungathi uNkulunkulu umbizela ezulwini, ngokumqalisa inkambo eyoholela ekubekeni kwakhe phansi ukuphila kwakhe kobuntu phakade njengomhlatshelo ngenxa yesintu esilahliwe. Mathewu 3:13-17; Luka 3:21-38; 1:34-36, 44; 2:10-14; Johane 1:32-34; Heberu 10:5-9.

▪ Kungani uJesu engeyena umfokazi kuJohane?

▪ Njengoba engenzanga izono, kungani uJesu ebhapathizwa?

▪ Ngenxa yalokho uJohane akwaziyo ngoJesu, kungani engase angamangali lapho umoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kukaJesu?