Ukuphila NeNkonzo KaJesu

Lapho Kuvuswa ULazaru

UJESU, kanye nalabo abamphelezelayo, manje ufika ethuneni likaLazaru. Empeleni, lingumhume ovalwe ngetshe. “Susani itshe,” kusho uJesu.

UMarta uyenqaba, engakaqondi ukuthi uJesu uhlose ukwenzani. “Nkosi,” esho, “usenuka; ngokuba sezizine.”

Kodwa uJesu uyabuza: “Angishongo yini kuwe ukuthi uma ukholwa, uzakubona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, na?”

Ngakho itshe liyasuswa. Khona-ke uJesu uphakamisa amehlo akhe abesethandaza: “Baba, ngiyakubonga ngokuba ungizwile. Bengazi mina ukuthi ungizwa njalo, kodwa ngenxa yesixuku esingiphahlileyo ngishilo lokho, ukuze bakholwe ukuthi nguwena ongithumileyo.” UJesu uthandaza obala ukuze abantu bazi ukuthi lokho asezokwenza kuzofezwa ngamandla avela kuNkulunkulu. Khona-ke umemeza ngezwi elikhulu: “Lazaru, phuma.”

Kulokho, uLazaru uyaphuma. Izandla zakhe nezinyawo zisaboshwe ngendwangu yokusonga izidumbu, nobuso bakhe bumbozwe ngendwangu. “Mthukululeni, nimyeke ahambe,” kusho uJesu.

Libona lesisimanga, iningi lamaJuda alalize ukuzoduduza uMariya noMarta liba nokholo kuJesu. Nokho, amanye ayahamba ayotshela abaFarisi okwakwenzekile. Bona nabapristi abakhulu ngokushesha bahlela umhlangano wenkantolo enkulu yamaJuda, iSanhedrin.

ISanhedrin ihlanganisa abaFarisi nabaSadusi, nabapristi abakhulu, umpristi omkhulu okhona, uKayafase, nabapristi abaphakeme bangaphambili. Bayakhala bathi: “Siyakwenze-njani na? Lomuntu wenza izibonakaliso eziningi; uma simyeka njalo, bazakukholwa nguye bonke; amaRoma ayakufika, asamuke indawo nesizwe.”

Nakuba labaholi benkolo bevuma ukuthi uJesu “wenza izibonakaliso eziningi,” into nje abakhathazeka ngayo isikhundla sabo siqu negunya. Ukuvuswa kukaLazaru kuyigalelo elinamandla ikakhulukazi kubaSadusi, ngoba abakholelwa ovukweni.

UKayafase, mhlawumbe ongumSadusi, manje uyakhuluma, ethi: “Anazi-lutho nina; aniqondi futhi ukuthi kunilungele ukuba umuntu oyedwa afele abantu, isizwe sonke singabhubhi.”

UNkulunkulu washukumisela uKayafase ukuba akusho lokhu, ngoba umphostoli uJohane kamuva wabhala: “Lokho [uKayafase] kakushongo ngokwakhe.” Lokho okwakushiwo uKayafase ngempela kwakuwukuthi uJesu kufanele abulawe ukuze avinjelwe ukuba angaqhubeki elulaza izikhundla zabo zegunya nethonya. Nokho, ngokukaJohane, ‘uKayafase waprofetha ukuthi uJesu kwakumelwe afe kungengenxa yesizwe kuphela, kepha ukuze abantwana bakaNkulunkulu babuthelwe ndawonye.’ Futhi, ngempela, kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba iNdodana yakhe ife njengesihlengo sabo bonke.

UKayafase manje uyaphumelela ekuthonyeni iSanhedrin ukuba yakhe amacebo okubulala uJesu. Kodwa uJesu, ngokunokwenzeka ezwa ngalamacebo ngoNikodemu, ilungu leSanhedrin elibonisa ubungane, uyemuka lapho. Johane 11:38-54.

◆ Kungani uJesu ethandaza obala ngaphambi kokuvusa uLazaru?

◆ Labo ababona loluvuko basabela kanjani kulo?

◆ Yini embula ububi bamalungu eSanhedrin?

◆ Yayiyini inhloso kaKayafase, kodwa uNkulunkulu wamsebenzisa ukuba aprofetheni?