Kubulawa Umuntu Emcimbini Wosuku Lokuzalwa

Njengoba abaphostoli bakaJesu beqhubeka nenkonzo yabo eGalile, umuntu owethula uJesu njengewundlu likaNkulunkulu akanayo leyo nkululeko. Sekuphele cishe iminyaka emibili uJohane uMbhapathizi elokhu esejele.

UJohane wayekudalule obala ukuthi kwakuyisenzo esingalungile ukuba iNkos’ uHerode Antipase ithathe uHerodiya, umkamfowabo uFiliphu, ukuba abe umkayo. UHerode wayedivose inkosikazi yakhe yokuqala ukuze ashade noHerodiya. Ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose, uHerode athi uyawugcina, lo mshado ungowokuphinga futhi awukho emthethweni. Lapho esolwa uJohane, uHerode uyala ukuba uJohane afakwe ejele, mhlawumbe egqugquzelwa uHerodiya.

UHerode akazi ukuthi kufanele enzeni ngoJohane, ngoba abantu ‘bambheka njengomprofethi.’ (Mathewu 14:5) Nokho, uHerodiya akadidekile neze. ‘Umbambele igqubu’ uJohane, empeleni ulokhu efuna indlela yokuba abulawe. (Marku 6:19) Ekugcineni, liyavela ithuba.

Ngaphambi nje kwePhasika lika-32 C.E., uHerode uhlela umcimbi omkhulu wosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa. Zonke izikhulu eziphakeme zikaHerode, izikhulu zebutho kanye nezicukuthwane zaseGalile ziyeza kulo mcimbi. Njengoba umcimbi uqhubeka kungena uSalome, indodakazi encane kaHerodiya ayithola kumyeni wakhe wokuqala uFiliphu, uzodansela izimenywa. La madoda ayachazeka kakhulu!

Ejabule kakhulu ngendodakazi yakhe, uHerode uthi kuyo: “Cela kimi noma yini oyifunayo, ngizokunika yona.” Uze afunge athi: “Noma yini oyicelayo kimi, ngizokunika yona, ngingaze ngikunike ngisho nohhafu wombuso wami.” Ngaphambi kokuba acele, uSalome uyaphuma aye kunina athi kuye: “Ngiceleni?”—Marku 6:22-24.

Leli, yilo kanye ithuba uHerodiya abelokhu elilindile! Uphendula ngokushesha athi: “Ikhanda likaJohane uMbhapathizi.” Ngokushesha uSalome ubuyela kuHerode, asho isicelo sakhe: “Ngifuna unginike khona manje ngoqwembe ikhanda likaJohane uMbhapathizi.”—Marku 6:24, 25.

Lokhu kumkhathaza kakhulu uHerode, kodwa izimenywa zakhe zimzwile lapho efunga kuSalome. Kuzomthela ngehlazo ukungasivumi lesi sicelo, ngisho noma lokhu kusho ukubulala umuntu ongenacala. Ngakho uHerode uthumela unogada wakhe ejele neziqondiso ezihlasimulisayo. Ngokushesha, unogada uyabuya ephethe ikhanda likaJohane ngoqwembe. Ulinika uSalome, yena obe eselinika unina.

Lapho abafundi bakaJohane bezwa ngalokhu okwenzekile, bayeza bathathe isidumbu sakhe baye kosingcwaba. Ngemva kwalokho, babikela uJesu.

Kamuva lapho uHerode ezwa ukuthi uJesu welapha abantu akhiphe namademoni, uyethuka. Uyazibuza ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuthi le ndoda eyenza zonke lezi zinto, uJesu, empeleni nguJohane uMbhapathizi ‘osevusiwe kwabafile.’ (Luka 9:7) Ngakho uHerode Antipase ufisa kakhulu ukubona uJesu. Kodwa inhloso yakhe ayikona neze ukuba ezwe uJesu eshumayela. Kunalokho, uHerode ufuna ukubona uJesu ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi ukhathazeke ngento ekhona yini noma cha.