ISAHLUKO 55
Amazwi KaJesu Ashaqisa Abaningi
UKUDLA INYAMA YAKHE NOKUPHUZA IGAZI LAKHE
ABANINGI BAYAKHUBEKA BESE BEYEKA UKUMLANDELA
Esinagogeni eliseKapernawume, uJesu ufundisa ngokuthi yena uyisinkwa sangempela esivela ezulwini. Ngokusobala amazwi akhe anezela kulokho akutshele abantu abebesohlangothini olusempumalanga yoLwandle LwaseGalile, labo abebedla izinkwa nezinhlanzi.
UJesu uqhubeka nengxoxo yakhe, uthi: “Okhokho benu badla imana ehlane, noma kunjalo bafa.” Ube esenza ukuqhathanisa ngokuchaza: “Mina ngiyisinkwa esiphilayo esehle ezulwini. Uma umuntu esidla lesi sinkwa uyophila kuze kube phakade; futhi ngempela isinkwa engizosinikela ngenxa yokuphila kwezwe siyinyama yami.”—Johane 6:48-51.
Entwasahlobo ka-30 C.E., uJesu watshela uNikhodemu ukuthi uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe njengoMsindisi. UJesu ube esegcizelela isidingo sokudla inyama yakhe nokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni azowenza. Leyo iyona ndlela yokuthola ukuphila okuphakade.
Nokho, abantu abawezwisisi amazwi kaJesu. Bayabuza: “Lo muntu angasinika kanjani inyama yakhe ukuba siyidle?” (Johane 6:52) UJesu ufuna baqonde ukuthi inkulumo yakhe ingokomfanekiso. Amazwi akhe alandelayo ayakubonisa lokhu.
“Ngaphandle kokuba nidle inyama yeNdodana yomuntu niphuze negazi layo, ngeke nikuthole ukuphila. Noma ubani odla inyama yami, aphuze negazi lami uyothola ukuphila okuphakade, . . . ngoba inyama yami iwukudla kwangempela, negazi lami liyisiphuzo sangempela. Noma ubani odla inyama yami aphuze negazi lami, uhlala emunye nami.”—Johane 6:53-56.
Cabanga indlela okungase kuwacasule ngayo amaJuda lokho! Angase acabange ukuthi uJesu uthi awabe amazimuzimu noma ephule umthetho kaNkulunkulu owenqabela ukudla igazi. (Genesise 9:4; Levitikusi 17:10, 11) Kodwa uJesu akakhulumi ngokudla inyama noma ngokuphuza igazi ngokoqobo. Ubonisa ukuthi wonke umuntu ofuna ukuphila okuphakade, kumelwe abonise ukholo emhlatshelweni azowenza lapho enikela ngomzimba wakhe ongenasono nangegazi lakhe. Nokho, ngisho nabafundi bakhe abaningi abayiqondi le mfundiso. Abanye bathi: “Le nkulumo iyashaqisa; ubani ongayilalela?”—Johane 6:60.
Njengoba uJesu ephawula ukuthi abanye babafundi bakhe bayakhononda, uyabuza: “Kuyanikhuba yini lokhu? Manje kuyothiwani uma ningabona iNdodana yomuntu inyukela lapho yayikhona ngaphambili? . . . Amazwi engiwakhulume kini angumoya futhi awukuphila. Kodwa bakhona abanye kini abangakholwa.” Ngenxa yalokho, abafundi abaningi bayahamba bangabe besamlandela.—Johane 6:61-64.
Ngakho uJesu ubuza abaphostoli bakhe abangu-12: “Nifuna ukuhamba yini nani?” UPetru uyaphendula: “Nkosi, ubani esizoya kuye? Nguwe onamazwi okuphila okuphakade. Siye sakholwa futhi sesiyazi ukuthi ungoNgcwele kaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 6:67-69) Amazwi kaPetru abonisa ubuqotho ngempela, nakuba yena nabanye abaphostoli bengakakuqondi ngokugcwele lokho okufundiswa uJesu ngale ndaba!
Nakuba impendulo kaPetru imjabulisa uJesu, uyaphawula: “Nganikhetha mina nina eniyishumi nambili, akunjalo? Nokho omunye kini ungumnyundeli.” (Johane 6:70) UJesu ukhuluma ngoJuda Iskariyothe. Kungenzeka ukuthi manje uJesu uyaqaphela ukuthi uJuda useqala ukunqotshwa izifiso ezimbi.
Kodwa, nakanjani kuyamjabulisa uJesu ukwazi ukuthi uPetru nabanye abaphostoli abayeki ukumlandela nokwenza umsebenzi awenzayo osindisa ukuphila.