Ukukhumbula Izinsuku Zokugcina ZikaJesu Esemhlabeni

NGUSUKU lwesikhombisa lwenyanga yamaJuda u-Nisan ngonyaka ka-33 C.E. Ake uzicabange ubona izenzakalo ezenzeka esifundeni saseRoma iJudiya. Eshiya iJeriko nendawo yalo eluhlaza, uJesu Kristu nabafundi bakhe bakhuphuka ngomgwaqo owubhuqu nomazombezombe. Kunabanye abantu abaningi nabo abasohambweni belibangise eJerusalema ekugujweni komkhosi wePhasika waminyaka yonke. Nokho, kunokunye abafundi bakaKristu abacabanga ngakho ngaphandle kwalowo mqansa okhathazayo.

AmaJuda ebelokhu elangazelela uMesiya ongakwazi ukuwakhulula ejokeni lamaRoma. Abaningi bayakholelwa ukuthi uJesu waseNazaretha uyilowo Msindisi osekukudala elindelwe. Useneminyaka emithathu nengxenye ekhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Uye waphulukisa abagulayo futhi wapha abalambile ukudla. Yebo, uye waletha induduzo kubantu. Kodwa abaholi benkolo bathukuthele bathelwa ngamanzi ngenxa yokulahlwa ngokuqinile uJesu futhi bafuna ngentshiseko ukuba abulawe. Nokho, nangu manje, ekhuphuka ngokuzimisela ngomgwaqo owubhuqu ehola abafundi bakhe.—Marku 10:32.

Njengoba ilanga seliyoshona ngemva kweNtaba Yeminqumo lé phambili, uJesu nalabo ahamba nabo bafika emzaneni waseBethaniya, lapho bezolala khona izinsuku eziyisithupha ezilandelayo. Lapho, bahlangatshezwa abangane babo abathandekayo uLazaru, uMariya noMarta. Ukuhlwa kubapholisa kamnandi ngemva kokuhamba elangeni elishisayo futhi kuqala iSabatha lika-Nisan 8.—Johane 12:1, 2.

Ngo-Nisan 9

Ngemva kweSabatha, iJerusalema liyaphithizela. Izinkulungwane zezivakashi sezibuthanele iPhasika kulo muzi. Kodwa umsindo esiwuzwayo ungaphezu kovamile ngalesi sikhathi sonyaka. Izixuku ezinelukuluku lokwazi ziyaphuthuma zehla ngemigwaqo emincane ziya emasangweni omuzi. Njengoba zisunduzana ziphuma ngamasango, yeka umbukwane ezizithela phezu kwawo! Abantu abaningi abahalalisayo behla ngomgwaqo waseNtabeni Yeminqumo bevela eBetfage. (Luka 19:37) Kusho ukuthini konke lokhu?

Bheka! UJesu waseNazaretha uza egibele ithole lembongolo. Abantu bendlala izingubo emgwaqweni ngaphambi kwakhe. Abanye bavayizisa amagatsha esundu asanda kukhiwa futhi bamemeza ngenjabulo bethi: “Ubusisiwe oza egameni likaJehova, yebo inkosi yakwa-Israyeli!”—Johane 12:12-15.

Njengoba lesi sixuku sisondela eJerusalema, uJesu ubheka umuzi futhi uthinteka ngokujulile. Uqala ukukhala, futhi siyamuzwa ebikezela ukuthi lo muzi uyochithwa. Lapho uJesu efika ethempelini ngemva nje kwalokho, ufundisa izixuku aphulukise nabantu abayizimpumputhe nabayizinyonga abeza kuye.—Mathewu 21:14; Luka 19:41-44, 47.

Abapristi abakhulu nababhali bayakuqaphela lokhu. Yeka indlela abacasuke ngayo njengoba bebona izinto ezimangalisayo ezenziwa uJesu kanye nokuhalalisa kwezixuku! Behluleka ukufihla intukuthelo yabo, abaFarisi bayayala: “Mfundisi, khuza abafundi bakho.” UJesu uphendula athi: “Ngiyanitshela, Uma laba bebengahlala bethule, amatshe abeyokhamuluka.” Ngaphambi kokuba ahambe, uJesu uphawula ukuhwebelana okwenzelwa ethempelini.—Luka 19:39, 40; Mathewu 21:15, 16; Marku 11:11.

Ngo-Nisan 10

UJesu uyashesha ukufika ethempelini. Izolo, uthukutheliswe ukuphendulwa kokukhulekelwa kukaYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu, kube ezohwebo. Ngakho-ke, ngentshiseko enkulu, uqala ukuxosha abathengayo nabathengisa ethempelini. Ngemva kwalokho ugumbuqela amatafula abashintshi bemali abanobugovu namabhentshi alabo abathengisa amajuba. UJesu uyamemeza: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi, ‘Indlu yami iyobizwa ngokuthi indlu yomthandazo,’ kodwa nina niyenza umhume wabaphangi.”—Mathewu 21:12, 13.

Abapristi abakhulu, ababhali namadoda avelele abanakuzibekezelela izenzo zikaJesu nokufundisa kwakhe obala. Yeka ukuthi bakulangazelela kanjani ukumbulala! Kodwa bavinjelwa isixuku ngoba abantu bakhexiswa ukufundisa kukaJesu futhi ‘banamathela kuye ukuze bamuzwe.’ (Luka 19:47, 48) Njengoba sekuqala ukuhlwa, uJesu nalabo ahamba nabo bajabulela uhambo olumnandi bebuyela eBethaniya ukuze baphumule kahle ebusuku.

Ngo-Nisan 11

Kusekuseni ngovivi, futhi uJesu nabafundi bakhe sebesendleleni banqamula iNtaba Yeminqumo baya eJerusalema. Njengoba befika ethempelini, abapristi abakhulu namadoda amadala baya kuJesu ngokushesha. Basacabanga ngesenzo sakhe sokumelana nabashintshi bemali nabahwebi basethempelini. Lezi zitha zakhe zibuza ngonya: “Uzenza ngagunya lini lezizinto? Futhi ubani okuniké leligunya?” UJesu ephendula uthi: “Nami ngizonibuza into eyodwa. Uma ningitshela yona, nami ngizonitshela ukuthi ngizenza ngagunya lini lezizinto: Ubhapathizo lukaJohane, lwaluvela kumuphi umthombo? Ezulwini noma kubantu?” Abaphikisi bahlanganisa amakhanda bese bebonisana: “Uma sithi, ‘Ezulwini,’ uzothi kithi, ‘Khona-ke, kungani ningamkholelwanga?’ Nokho, uma sithi, ‘Kubantu,’ siyasesaba isixuku, ngoba sonke sibheka uJohane njengomprofethi.” Bebindekile, banikeza impendulo engenasisindo, bathi: “Asazi.” UJesu ubaphendula ngokuzola: “Nami anginitsheli ukuthi ngizenza ngagunya lini lezizinto.”—Mathewu 21:23-27.

Izitha zikaJesu manje zizama ukumfaka ogibeni lokukhuluma okuthile ezingambopha ngakho. Ziyabuza: “Ingabe kungokomthetho ukukhokha intela yekhanda kuKesari noma cha?” UJesu ephendula uthi: “Ngiboniseni uhlamvu lwemali yentela yekhanda.” Uyabuza: “Okabani lomfanekiso nombhalo oqoshiwe?” Bathi: “OkaKesari.” Ebakhungathekisa, uJesu usho ngokucacile ukuze kuzwe wonke umuntu: “Ngakho-ke, buyiselani izinto zikaKesari kuKesari, kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.”—Mathewu 22:15-22.

Njengoba esethulise izitha zakhe ngamazwi angenakuphikiswa, uJesu manje ulahla izitha zakhe phambi kwezixuku nabafundi bakhe. Lalela njengoba ebalahla ngesibindi ababhali nabaFarisi. “Ningenzi ngokwezenzo zabo,” esho, “ngoba bayakhuluma kodwa bangenzi.” Ngesibindi, umemezela omaye abalandelanayo kubo, ethi bangabaqondisi abayizimpumputhe nabazenzisi. “Zinyoka, nzalo yezinyoka ezinesihlungu,” kusho uJesu, “nizokubalekela kanjani ukwahlulelwa kwaseGehena?”—Mathewu 23:1-33.

Lokhu kubalahla okunamandla akusho ukuthi uJesu akaziqapheli izimfanelo ezinhle zabanye. Kamuva, ubona abantu bekhalakathelisela imali emabhokisini engcebo yethempeli. Yeka ukuthi kuthinta inhliziyo kanjani ukubona umfelokazi osweleyo ekhalakathelisa konke aziphilisa ngakho—izinhlamvu zemali ezimbili ezincane zenani elincane kakhulu! Enokwazisa kothando, uJesu uveza ukuthi, eqinisweni, ukhalakathelisele okungaphezu kakhulu kwabo bonke abenze iminikelo emikhulu ‘evela ensaleleni yabo.’ Ngenxa yobubele bakhe besisa, uJesu uyazisa ngokujulile noma yini umuntu akwazi ukuyenza.—Luka 21:1-4.

Manje uJesu ulishiya okokugcina ithempeli. Abanye babafundi bakhe bakhuluma ngobukhazikhazi balo, ukuthi ‘lihlotshiswe ngamatshe amahle nangezinto ezinikezelwe.’ UJesu uphendula ngendlela ebamangazayo, uthi: “Kuzofika izinsuku okungeke kushiywe ngazo lapha itshe phezu kwetshe lingadilizelwa phansi.” (Luka 21:5, 6) Njengoba abaphostoli belandela uJesu bephuma emzini ominyene, bayazibuza ukuthi kazi ubesho ukuthini.

Ngemva nje kwalokho uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe bahlala phansi futhi bajabulele ukuthula nokuzola kwaseNtabeni Yeminqumo. Njengoba belibuka kahle iJerusalema kanye nethempeli uPetru, uJakobe, uJohane no-Andreya bafuna ukucaciselwa ngesibikezelo sikaJesu esithusayo. Bathi: “Sitshele, Ziyokwenzeka nini lezizinto, futhi siyoba yini isibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?”—Mathewu 24:3; Marku 13:3, 4.

Ephendula, lo Mfundisi Oyingcweti unikeza isiprofetho esiphawuleka ngempela. Ubikezela izimpi ezinkulu, ukuzamazama komhlaba, ukuswelakala kokudla nezifo eziwumshayabhuqe. UJesu ubikezela nokuthi izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke. Uyaxwayisa: “Ngalesosikhathi kuyoba khona usizi olukhulu olungakaze lwenzeke kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe kuze kube manje, cha, futhi olungasayikuphinde lwenzeke.”—Mathewu 24:7, 14, 21; Luka 21:10, 11.

Abaphostoli abane bayalalelisisa njengoba uJesu ekhuluma ngezinye izici ‘zesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe.’ Ugcizelela isidingo ‘sokuhlala belindile.’ Ngani? Uthi: “Ngoba anazi ukuthi iNkosi yenu iza ngaluphi usuku.”—Mathewu 24:42; Marku 13:33, 35, 37.

Lolu kubé usuku uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe abangenakululibala. Eqinisweni, luwusuku lokugcina lwenkonzo yasobala kaJesu ngaphambi kokuboshwa kwakhe, ukuquliswa icala nokubulawa. Njengoba kuhlwa, bayasuka bahambe ibanga elifushane benqamula igquma bebuyela eBethaniya.

Ngo-Nisan 12 No-13

UJesu uchitha u-Nisan 12 buthule nabafundi bakhe. Uyaqaphela ukuthi abaholi benkolo bakufuna ngentshiseko ukumbulala, futhi akafuni ukuba baphazamise ukugubha kwakhe umkhosi wePhasika ngobusuku obulandelayo. (Marku 14:1, 2) Ngosuku olulandelayo, ngo-Nisan 13, abantu bamatasa benza amalungiselelo okugcina ePhasika. Lapho kuqala ukuba ntambama, uJesu uthuma uPetru noJohane ukuba bayobalungiselela iPhasika ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema. (Marku 14:12-16; Luka 22:8) Ngaphambi nje kokushona kwelanga, uJesu nabanye abaphostoli abayishumi bahlangana nabo lapho ukuze bagubhe umkhosi wePhasika.

Ngo-Nisan 14, Ngemva Kokushona Kwelanga

EJerusalema kunonyezi njengoba inyanga ephelele iphakama ngenhla kweNtaba Yeminqumo. Egunjini elikhulu elinefenisha, uJesu nabangu-12 bahlezi-bulala etafuleni elilungisiwe. Uthi: “Bengifisa kakhulu ukulidla nani leliphasika ngaphambi kokuba ngihlupheke.” (Luka 22:14, 15) Ngemva kwesikhashana abaphostoli bamangazwa ukubona uJesu esukuma ebekela eceleni izingubo zakhe zangaphandle. Ethatha ithawula nesitsha esinamanzi, uqala ukugeza izinyawo zabo. Yeka isifundo esingenakulitshalwa senkonzo yokuthobeka!—Johane 13:2-15.

Nokho, uJesu uyazi ukuthi enye yalawa madoda—uJuda Iskariyothe—seyihlele ukumkhaphela kubaholi benkolo. Ngokuqondakalayo, ucindezeleka kakhulu. Embula lokho uthi: “Omunye kini uzongikhaphela.” Abaphostoli baba lusizi kakhulu ngalokhu. (Mathewu 26:21, 22) Ngemva kokugubha iPhasika, uJesu utshela uJuda: “Lokho okwenzayo, kwenze masinyane kakhulu.”—Johane 13:27.

Lapho uJuda esehambile, uJesu uqala isidlo sokukhumbula ukufa kwakhe okusondelayo. Uthatha isinkwa esingavutshelwe, uyathandaza ebonga, uyasihlephula abese eyala abangu-11 ukuba badle. Uthi: “Lokhu kusho umzimba wami ozonikelwa ngenxa yenu. Qhubekani nikwenza lokhu ningikhumbula.” Ube esethatha indebe yewayini elibomvu. Ngemva kokubonga, udlulisela indebe kubo, ebatshela ukuba baphuze okukuyo. UJesu uyenezela: “Lokhu kusho ‘igazi’ lami ‘lesivumelwano,’ elizothululwa ngenxa yabaningi ngenjongo yokuthethelelwa kwezono.”—Luka 22:19, 20; Mathewu 26:26-28.

Ngalobo busuku obunzima, uJesu ufundisa abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile izifundo eziningi eziwusizo, esinye sazo ukubaluleka kothando lobuzalwane. (Johane 13:34, 35) Uyabaqinisekisa ukuthi bazothola “umsizi,” umoya ongcwele. Uzobakhumbuza zonke izinto abatshele zona. (Johane 14:26) Kamuva ebusuku, kumelwe ukuba kubakhuthaza kakhulu ukuzwa uJesu ebathandazela ngobuqotho. (Johane, isahluko 17) Ngemva kokuhlabelela izingoma zokudumisa, bayaphuma ekamelweni eliphezulu futhi balandela uJesu bephumela emoyeni opholile wasezinzulwini zobusuku.

Benqamula eSigodini saseKidroni, uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe baqonda kwenye yezindawo abazithandayo, insimu yaseGetsemane. (Johane 18:1, 2) Eshiya abaphostoli bakhe belindile, uJesu uhamba ibanga elifushane eyothandaza. Ukucindezeleka kwakhe akunakuchazeka ngamazwi njengoba ethandazela usizo lukaNkulunkulu ngobuqotho. (Luka 22:44) Khona kanye ukucabanga ngesihlamba esinganqwatshelaniswa egameni likaYise wasezulwini othandekayo uma ehluleka kubanga usizi kakhulu.

UJesu akakaqedi ngisho nokuthandaza lapho kufika uJuda Iskariyothe nesixuku esiphethe izinkemba, imishiza nezimbaqa. “Sawubona, Rabi!” kusho uJuda futhi wanga uJesu ngesisa. Lolu uphawu olunikwa amadoda ayezobopha uJesu. Kungazelelwe, uPetru ugenca asuse indlebe yesigqila sompristi ophakeme ngenkemba yakhe. “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo,” kusho uJesu njengoba elapha indlebe yaleyo ndoda. “Bonke labo abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba.”—Mathewu 26:47-52.

Konke kwenzeka ngokushesha okukhulu! UJesu uyabanjwa aboshwe. Bethukile futhi bedidekile, abaphostoli bashiya iNkosi yabo babaleke. UJesu uyaqhutshwa ayiswe ku-Anase, owayengumpristi ophakeme ngaphambili. Ngemva kwalokho uyiswa kuKayafase umpristi ophakeme manje, ukuze aquliswe icala. Ekuseni ngovivi, iSanhedrini ibeka uJesu icala elingamanga lokuhlambalaza. Ngemva kwalokho, uKayafase uthi makayiswe kumbusi waseRoma uPontiyu Pilatu. Lo mbusi uthumela uJesu kuHerode Antipase, umbusi waseGalile. UHerode nonogada bakhe bagcona uJesu. Ngemva kwalokho ubuyiselwa kuPilatu. UHerode uyabufakazela ubumsulwa bukaJesu. Kodwa abaholi benkolo yamaJuda bamcindezelela ukuba anike uJesu isigwebo sokufa. Ngemva kokumchapha nokumhlukumeza ngokuphawulekayo, uJesu uyiswa eGolgotha lapho ebethelwa khona ngokungenaluzwela esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa futhi ufa kalusizi.—Marku 14:50–15:39; Luka 23:4-25.

Kwakuyoba inhlekelele enkulu kunazo zonke emlandweni ukube uJesu wayefe phakade. Ngokujabulisayo, akubanga njalo. Ngo-Nisan 16, 33 C.E., abafundi bakhe bamangazwa ukuthola ukuthi wayevusiwe kwabafileyo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abantu abangaphezu kuka-500 bakwazi ukuqinisekiswa ukuthi uJesu wayephila futhi. Futhi ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-40 evusiwe, iqembu labalandeli bakhe abathembekile lambona enyukela ezulwini.—IzEnzo 1:9-11; 1 Korinte 15:3-8.

Ukuphila KukaJesu Nawe

Kukuthinta kanjani lokhu wena—yebo, sonke? Phela, inkonzo kaJesu, ukufa nokuvuka kwakhe kudumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu futhi kubalulekile ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo yaKhe enkulu. (Kolose 1:18-20) Kubaluleke kakhulu kithi ngoba izono zethu zingathethelelwa ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu futhi ngaleyo ndlela umuntu ngamunye angaba nobuhlobo noJehova uNkulunkulu.—Johane 14:6; 1 Johane 2:1, 2.

Ngisho nalabo asebafa ohlangeni lwesintu bayathinteka. Ukuvuswa kukaJesu kuvula indlela yokubabuyisela ekuphileni ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elithenjiswe uNkulunkulu. (Luka 23:39-43; 1 Korinte 15:20-22) Uma ufuna ukwazi okwengeziwe ngalezi zindaba, sikumema ukuba ube khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu ngo-April 11, 1998, eHholo LoMbuso LoFakazi BakaJehova langakini.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

“Umhume Wabaphangi”

UJESU wayenesizathu esizwakalayo sokuthi abathengisi abanobugovu babephendule ithempeli likaNkulunkulu balenza “umhume wabaphangi.” (Mathewu 21:12, 13) Ukuze akhokhe intela yethempeli, amaJuda namaproselithe avela kwamanye amazwe kwakudingeka ashintshe imali yawo yakwamanye amazwe ukuze athole imali eyamukelekayo. Encwadini yakhe ethi The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, u-Alfred Edersheim uchaza ukuthi abashintshi bemali babevame ukumisa amabhizinisi abo ezifundeni zaseRoma ngo-Adar 15, inyanga engaphambi kwePhasika. Kusukela ngo-Adar 25, babethuthela ethempelini eJerusalema ukuze bazuze lapho amaJuda namaproselithe ethutheleka ngobuningi. Laba bahwebi babenebhizinisi elichumayo, bebiza inkokhiso ngohlamvu ngalunye lwemali abalushintshayo. Ukuthi uJesu wababiza ngokuthi abaphangi kusikisela ukuthi inkokhiso yabo yayinkulu kangangokuba, eqinisweni, babekhwabanisa imali kwabampofu.

Abanye babengenakukwazi ukuza nezilwane zabo zemihlatshelo. Noma ubani oza nesilwane kwakumelwe asiyise kumhloli osethempelini ukuze asihlole—ngenkokhiso. Bengafuni ukuzibeka engozini yokungamukelwa kwesilwane ngemva kokusuka naso kude, abaningi babeletha “ezigunyazwe” amaLevi ezazithengiswa abathengisi basethempelini abonakele. Esinye isazi sithi: “Ezikhathini eziningi abalimi abampofu babephundlisiswa lapho.”

Kunobufakazi bokuthi ngesikhathi esithile umpristi ophakeme u-Anase nomkhaya wakhe babenengxenye ebhizinisini labathengisi basethempelini. Imibhalo yorabi ikhuluma ‘ngeZitolo [zasethempelini] zamadodana ka-Anase.’ Intela evela kubashintshi bemali nasekuthengisweni kwezilwane emagcekeni ethempeli kwakungenye yezindlela eziyinhloko ababethola ngayo imali. Esinye isazi sithi isenzo sikaJesu sokuxosha abathengisi “sasingaqondisiwe ekuhlaseleni isikhundla esiphezulu sabapristi kuphela kodwa namaphakethe abo.” Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungasiphi isizathu, izitha zakhe zazifuna ngempela ukumbulala!—Luka 19:45-48.

[Ishadi ekhasini 4]

Izinsuku Zokugcina Zokuphila KukaJesu Kobuntu

Ngo-Nisan 33 C.E. Izenzakalo Umuntu Omkhulu*

16 NgeSonto UJesu uvusiwe 128

* Lolu uhlu lwezinombolo ezibonisa izahluko encwadini Umuntu Omkhulu Kunabo Bonke Owake Waphila. Ukuze uthole ishadi elinezikhombo zemiBhalo eziningiliziwe zenkonzo yokugcina kaJesu, bheka ethi “Yonke ImiBhalo Iphefumlelwe UNkulunkulu Futhi Inenzuzo,” ikhasi 290. Lezi zincwadi zinyatheliswa i-Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.