Isahluko 18
UJohane Uyancipha, UJesu Uyakhula
NGEMVA kwePhasika entwasahlobo ka-30 C.E., uJesu nabafundi bakhe bayasuka eJerusalema. Nokho, ababuyeli emakhaya abo eGalile kodwa baya ezweni laseJudiya, lapho bebhapathiza khona. Sekuyisikhathi esingangonyaka manje uJohane uMbhapathizi enza umsebenzi ofanayo, futhi usenabo abafundi abazihlanganisa naye.
Eqinisweni, uJesu akabhapathizi yena ngokwakhe, kodwa abafundi bakhe bakwenza ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwakhe. Ukubhapathiza kwabo kunokubaluleka okufanayo nalokho okwenziwa uJohane, kuyisibonakaliso sokuphenduka komJuda ekoneni isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu soMthetho. Nokho, ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu uyala abafundi bakhe ukuba benze ukubhapathiza okunokubaluleka okuhlukile. Ubhapathizo lobuKristu namuhla luyisibonakaliso sokuzinikezela komuntu ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu.
Nokho, kuleliqophelo lokuqala lenkonzo kaJesu, bobabili yena noJohane, nakuba besebenza ngokwahlukana, bafundisa futhi babhapathiza abaphendukile. Kodwa abafundi bakaJohane baba nomona futhi bayakhononda kuye ngoJesu: “Rabi, . . . bheka, uyabhapathiza, bonke beza kuye.”
Kunokuba abe nomona, uJohane uyakujabulela ukuphumelela kukaJesu futhi ufuna nabafundi bakhe bajabule. Uyabakhumbuza: “Nina ngokwenu niyangifakazela ukuba ngathi: Angisiye uKristu mina, kodwa ngithunyiwe ngaphambi kwakhe.” Khona-ke usebenzisa umfanekiso omuhle: “Onomlobokazi ungumyeni, kepha umhlobo womyeni omiyo emuzwa uthokoza nokuthokoza ngezwi lomyeni. Lentokozo yami isiphelele.”
UJohane, njengomngane woMyeni, wajabula ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngaphambili lapho ethula abafundi bakhe kuJesu. Abathile kubo baba amalungu ayelindelekile esigaba somlobokazi kaKristu ongokwasezulwini esasiyokwakhiwa amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. UJohane ufuna ukuba abafundi bakhe anabo manje nabo balandele uJesu, njengoba injongo yakhe iwukulungiselela inkonzo kaKristu ephumelelayo. Njengoba uJohane uMbhapathizi echaza: “Umelwe ukukhula yena, nginciphe mina.”
Umfundi omusha kaJesu uJohane, lowo futhi ngaphambili owayengumfundi kaJohane uMbhapathizi, uyabhala ngokuqondene nemvelaphi kaJesu nendima yaKhe ebalulekile ekusindeni kwesintu, ethi: “Ovela phezulu uphezu kwakho konke. . . . UYise uyayithanda iNdodana, wanikela konke esandleni sayo. Okholwa yiNdodana unokuphila okuphakade; kepha ongakholwa yiNdodana kayikubona ukuphila, kodwa intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu ihlezi phezu kwakhe.”
Esikhathini esingeside ngemva kokuba uJohane uMbhapathizi ekhulume ngokuncipha komsebenzi wakhe siqu, uboshwa iNkosi uHerode. UHerode uthathe uHerodiya, umkaFiliphu umfowabo, njengowakhe, futhi lapho uJohane ezidalula obala izenzo zakhe njengezingalungile, uHerode umfaka ejele. Lapho uJesu ezwa ngokuboshwa kukaJohane, uyasuka eJudiya nabafundi bakhe uya eGalile. Johane 3:22–4:3; IzEnzo 19:4; Mathewu 28:19; 2 Korinte 11:2; Marku 1:14; 6:17-20.
▪ Lusho ukuthini ubhapathizo olwenziwa ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaJesu ngaphambi kokuvuswa kwakhe? Nangemva kokuvuswa kwakhe?
▪ UJohane ubonisa kanjani ukuthi ukukhononda kwabafundi bakhe akudingekile?
▪ UJohane ufakelwani ejele?