“Ihora Lakhe Lalingakafiki”
“Akekho owabeka isandla kuye, ngoba ihora lakhe lalingakafiki.”—JOHANE 7:30.
1. Yiziphi izici ezimbili ezazilawula inkambo kaJesu?
UJESU KRISTU watshela abaphostoli bakhe: “INdodana yomuntu [ayizelanga] ukukhonzwa, kodwa ukukhonza nokunikela umphefumulo wayo ube isihlengo esenana abaningi.” (Mathewu 20:28) Kumbusi waseRoma uPontiyu Pilatu, wathi: “Ngizalelwe lokhu, futhi ngizele lokhu ezweni, ukuba ngifakazele iqiniso.” (Johane 18:37) UJesu wayazi kahle ukuthi kungani ayezokufa nokuthi yimuphi umsebenzi okwakudingeka awenze ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe. Wayazi futhi ukuthi wayenesikhathi esingakanani sokufeza umsebenzi wakhe. Inkonzo yakhe emhlabeni njengoMesiya yayizokuba yiminyaka emithathu nengxenye kuphela. Yaqala lapho ebhapathizwa ngamanzi eMfuleni iJordani (ngo-29 C.E.) ekuqaleni kwesonto lama-70 elingokomfanekiso elalibikezelwe, yaphela lapho efa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa phakathi nalelo sonto (ngo-33 C.E.). (Daniyeli 9:24-27; Mathewu 3:16, 17; 20:17-19) Ngakho, yonke inkambo kaJesu emhlabeni yayilawulwa yizici ezimbili ngokuyinhloko: injongo yokuza kwakhe nomuzwa onamandla wesikhathi.
2. UJesu Kristu uvezwa kanjani emaVangelini, futhi wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayewazi umsebenzi wakhe?
2 Ukulandisa kwamaVangeli kuveza uJesu Kristu njengendoda ekhuthele eyadabula lonke elasePalestina, imemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi yenza imisebenzi eminingi yamandla. Ngasekuqaleni kwenkonzo kaJesu yenkuthalo, kuthiwa ngaye: “Ihora lakhe lalingakafiki.” UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “isikhathi sami esifanele asikafiki ngokugcwele.” Ngasekupheleni kwenkonzo yakhe, wasebenzisa amazwi athi “selifikile ihora.” (Johane 7:8, 30; 12:23) Ukuqaphela kukaJesu ihora, noma isikhathi somsebenzi ayewabelwe, kuhlanganise nokufa kwakhe komhlatshelo, kumelwe ukuba kwathonya ayekusho nayekwenza. Ukuqonda lokhu kungasenza siqonde ubuntu bakhe nendlela yakhe yokucabanga, kusisize ‘silandele izinyathelo zakhe’ eduze kakhudlwana.—1 Petru 2:21.
Wayezimisele Ukwenza Intando KaNkulunkulu
3, 4. (a) Kwenzekani edilini lomshado eKhana? (b) Kungani iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ingahambisani nokusikisela kukaMariya ukuba yenze okuthile ngokuphela kwewayini, futhi yini esingayifunda kulokhu?
3 Ngunyaka ka-29 C.E. Kusaphele izinsuku ezimbalwa nje uJesu ezikhethele mathupha abafundi bakhe bokuqala. Bonke manje sebefike edolobhaneni laseKhana esifundeni saseGalile beze edilini lomshado. Kukhona nonina kaJesu, uMariya. Kuphela iwayini. Esikisela ukuthi mayenze okuthile, uMariya utshela indodana yakhe: “Abanalo iwayini.” Kodwa uJesu uyaphendula: “Ngihlangene ngani nawe, sifazane? Ihora lami alikafiki.”—Johane 1:35-51; 2:1-4.
4 Impendulo kaJesu ethi, “Ngihlangene ngani nawe, sifazane?” iwuhlobo lwasendulo lombuzo obonisa ukungahambisani nalokho okusikiselwayo. Kungani uJesu engahambisani namazwi kaMariya? Phela, manje useneminyaka engu-30 ubudala. Emasontweni ambalwa nje ngaphambili, ubhapathiziwe, wagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele wayesethulwa nguJohane umBhapathizi ‘njengeWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa isono sezwe.’ (Johane 1:29-34; Luka 3:21-23) Manje isiqondiso kumelwe nakanjani asithole eGunyeni Eliphakeme elimthumile. (1 Korinte 11:3) Akukho muntu, ngisho nelungu lomkhaya eliseduze, owayengavunyelwa ukuba aphazamise umsebenzi uJesu ayezele ukuzowenza emhlabeni. Yeka ukuzimisela ukwenza intando kaYise okubonakala empendulweni kaJesu kuMariya! Kwangathi singazimisela ngokufanayo ukufeza “sonke isibopho” sethu kuNkulunkulu.—UmShumayeli 12:13, NW.
5. Yisiphi isimangaliso uJesu asenza eKhana, futhi sibathinta kanjani abanye?
5 Elithola iphuzu lamazwi endodana yakhe, ngokushesha uMariya uyagudluka abese eyala abalindi: “Noma yini anitshela yona, yenzeni.” Futhi uJesu uyayixazulula inkinga. Utshela abalindi ukuba bagcwalise izimbiza ngamanzi, futhi iphendula amanzi abe yiwayini lekhethelo. Lokhu kuba yisethulo samandla kaJesu okwenza izimangaliso, kunikeze uphawu lokuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu ukuye. Lapho abafundi abasebasha bebona lesi simangaliso, ukholo lwabo luyaqina.—Johane 2:5-11.
Washisekela Indlu KaJehova
6. Kungani kumthukuthelisa uJesu lokhu akubona ethempelini eJerusalema, futhi yisiphi isinyathelo asithathayo?
6 Ngokushesha sekuyintwasahlobo ka-30 C.E., futhi uJesu nabangane bakhe balibangise eJerusalema beyogubha iPhasika. Belapho, abafundi bakhe babona uMholi wabo enza ngendlela mhlawumbe abangakaze bambone enza ngayo. Abathengisi abahahayo abangamaJuda bathengisa izilwane nezinyoni zemihlatshelo phakathi ethempelini. Futhi babiza amanani amba eqolo kubakhulekeli abathembekile abangamaJuda. Egcwele intukuthelo, uJesu uthatha isinyathelo. Wenza isiswebhu sezindophi abese exosha laba bathengisi. Uchitha uhlweza lwabashintshi bemali, agumbuqele amatafula abo. “Susani lezizinto lapha!” etshela labo abathengisa amajuba. Lapho abafundi bembona ethatha isinyathelo sentshiseko engaka, bakhumbula isiprofetho esimayelana neNdodana kaNkulunkulu: “Intshiseko ngendlu yakho iyongidla.” (Johane 2:13-17; IHubo 69:9) Nathi kumelwe siqaphe ngentshiseko ukuba singavumeli ukuthambekela kokungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu kungcolise ukukhulekela kwethu.
7. (a) Yini eshukumisela uNikodemu ukuba avakashele uMesiya? (b) Sifundani ekufakazeni kukaJesu kowesifazane waseSamariya?
7 EseseJerusalema, uJesu wenza izibonakaliso ezimangalisayo, futhi abantu abaningi baba nokholo kuye. Ngisho noNikodemu, ilungu leSanhedrini, noma inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda, uhlabeka umxhwele ngoJesu futhi uza kuye ebusuku ezofunda okwengeziwe. UJesu nabafundi bakhe babe sebehlala “ezweni laseJudiya” izinyanga ezingaba yisishiyagalombili, beshumayela futhi benza abafundi. Nokho, ngemva kokuboshwa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi, bayasuka eJudiya baye eGalile. Lapho bedabula esifundeni saseSamariya, uJesu usebenzisa ithuba lokufakaza ngokungashwampuluzi kowesifazane ongumSamariya. Lokhu kuvulela amaSamariya amaningi indlela yokuba abe amakholwa. Nathi masiwaphaphamele amathuba okukhuluma ngoMbuso.—Johane 2:23; 3:1-22; 4:1-42; Marku 1:14.
Ukufundisa Kabanzi EGalile
8. Yimuphi umsebenzi uJesu awuqala eGalile?
8 Ngaphambi ‘kwehora’ lokufa kwakhe, uJesu unokuningi asazokwenza enkonzweni kaYise wasezulwini. EGalile, uJesu uqala inkonzo enkulu kunaneyaseJudiya naseJerusalema. Uhamba kulo “lonke elaseGalile, efundisa emasinagogeni abo futhi eshumayela izindaba ezinhle zombuso futhi elapha yonke inhlobo yesifo nayo yonke inhlobo yobuthakathaka phakathi kwabantu.” (Mathewu 4:23) Amazwi akhe ayinselele athi: “Phendukani, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele,” ezwakala kuso sonke isifunda. (Mathewu 4:17) Ngezinyanga ezimbalwa, lapho kufika abafundi ababili bakaJohane uMbhapathizi bezozitholela mathupha umbiko ngoJesu, uyabatshela: “Hambani, bikelani uJohane lokho enikubonile nenikuzwile: izimpumputhe ziyabona, izinyonga ziyahamba, abanochoko bayahlanzwa nezithulu ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, abampofu batshelwa izindaba ezinhle. Futhi uyajabula ongakhubekanga ngami.”—Luka 7:22, 23.
9. Kungani izixuku zithuthelekela kuKristu Jesu, futhi singafundani kulokhu?
9 ‘Izinkulumo ezinhle ngokuphathelene noJesu zisakazekela kulo lonke izwe elizungezile,’ futhi izixuku ezinkulu zithuthelekela kuye—zisuka eGalile, eDekapoli, eJerusalema, eJudiya nangaphesheya koMfula iJordani. (Luka 4:14, 15; Mathewu 4:24, 25) Azizi kuye ngenxa nje yokuphulukisa kwakhe okuyisimangaliso kodwa futhi nangenxa yezimfundiso zakhe ezimangalisayo. Umyalezo wakhe uyakhanga futhi uyakhuthaza. (Mathewu 5:1–7:27) Amazwi kaJesu ayakhanga futhi amnandi. (Luka 4:22) Izixuku ‘ziyakhexa ngendlela yakhe yokufundisa,’ ngoba ukhuluma ngegunya ngokusuka emiBhalweni. (Mathewu 7:28, 29; Luka 4:32) Ubani ongeke akhangwe umuntu onjalo? Kwangathi nathi singahlakulela ubuciko bokufundisa ukuze abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho badonseleke eqinisweni.
10. Kungani abantu bomuzana waseNazaretha bezama ukubulala uJesu, futhi kungani bengaphumeleli?
10 Nokho, akubona bonke abalalele uJesu abasabelayo. Ngisho nasekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe, lapho efundisa esinagogeni lomuzana wakubo eNazaretha, kwenziwa umzamo wokumbulala. Nakuba ‘amazwi akhe akhangayo’ ebamangaza, abantu bendawo bafuna ukubona izimangaliso. Nokho, kunokuba enze imisebenzi eminingi yamandla lapho, uJesu udalula ubugovu babo nokuntula ukholo. Begcwele intukuthelo, abasesinagogeni bayasukuma, bambambe uJesu, bamkhiphe baye naye entabeni ngokushesha beyomphonsa eweni ngekhanda. Kodwa uyaphunyuka anyamalale ngokuphepha. “Ihora” lokufa kwakhe alikakafiki.—Luka 4:16-30.
11. (a) Kungani abanye abaholi benkolo bezolalela uJesu? (b) Kungani uJesu ebekwa icala lokwephula iSabatha?
11 Abaholi benkolo—ababhali, abaFarisi, abaSadusi nabanye—bavame ukuba khona nabo lapho uJesu eshumayela khona. Abaningi babo ababi khona ukuze balalele futhi bafunde, kodwa ukuze bathole iphutha futhi bazame ukumcupha. (Mathewu 12:38; 16:1; Luka 5:17; 6:1, 2) Ngokwesibonelo, lapho ezele iPhasika lika-31 C.E. eJerusalema, uJesu uphulukisa indoda esineminyaka engu-38 igula. Abaholi benkolo bamaJuda babeka uJesu icala lokwephula iSabatha. Uyaphendula: “UBaba uye waqhubeka esebenza kuze kube manje, nami ngiyaqhubeka ngisebenza.” Manje amaJuda ammangalela ngokuhlambalaza ngokuzibiza ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu ngokumbiza ngokuthi uBaba. Bafuna ukumbulala uJesu, kodwa uyahamba eJerusalema aye eGalile nabafundi bakhe. Ngokufanayo, senza ngokuhlakanipha ukugwema ukuphikisana okungadingekile nabaphikisi njengoba sinikela amandla ethu emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi.—Johane 5:1-18; 6:1.
12. UJesu uyihlanganisa kakhulu kangakanani insimu yaseGalile?
12 Esikhathini esingaba unyaka nengxenye kamuva, uJesu ugxilisa inkonzo yakhe eGalile, eya eJerusalema kuphela lapho eya emikhosini emithathu yaminyaka yonke yamaJuda. Sekukonke, usethathe izinkambo ezintathu zokushumayela eGalile: olokuqala enabafundi abane abasha, olwesibili enabaphostoli abangu-12 nolunye olude athuma kulo nabaphostoli asebeqeqeshiwe. Yeka ubufakazi obunamandla beqiniso obunikezwa eGalile!—Mathewu 4:18-25; Luka 8:1-3; 9:1-6.
Ukufakaza Ngesibindi EJudiya NasePhereya
13, 14. (a) AmaJuda afuna ukumbamba kusiphi isenzakalo uJesu? (b) Kungani amasosha ehluleka ukubopha uJesu?
13 Kusekwindla ka-32 C.E., futhi “ihora” likaJesu liseza. UMkhosi Wamadokodo useduze. Abafowabo bakaJesu ngamzali munye manje bayamnxusa: “Dlula lapha ungene eJudiya.” Bafuna uJesu abonise amandla akhe ayisimangaliso kubo bonke ababuthanele umkhosi eJerusalema. Nokho, uJesu uyayiqaphela ingozi. Ngakho uthi kubafowabo: “Angikakhuphukeli kulomkhosi njengamanje, ngoba isikhathi sami esifanele asikafiki ngokugcwele.”—Johane 7:1-8.
14 Ngemva kokuzindela isikhathi esithile eGalile, uJesu ukhuphukela eJerusalema “hhayi obala kodwa njengokungathi ekusithekeni.” Nebala amaJuda ayamfuna emkhosini, ethi: “Uphi lowayamuntu?” Lapho umkhosi usuya ngasekupheleni, uJesu ungena ethempelini futhi aqale ukufundisa ngesibindi. Bazama ukumbamba, mhlawumbe ukuze bamfake ejele noma bambulale. Kodwa abaphumeleli ngoba ‘ihora lakhe alikafiki.’ Abaningi manje baba nokholo kuJesu. Ngisho namasosha abethunywe abaFarisi ukuba azombamba abuya evathazela, ethi: “Akukaze kukhulume omunye umuntu kanje.”—Johane 7:9-14, 30-46.
15. Kungani amaJuda ecosha amatshe ejikijela uJesu, futhi yimuphi umkhankaso wokushumayela uJesu abe esewuqala?
15 Ukungqubuzana phakathi kukaJesu nabaphikisi bakhe abangamaJuda kuyaqhubeka njengoba efundisa ngoYise ethempelini phakathi nomkhosi. Ngosuku lokugcina lomkhosi, ethukutheliswe amazwi kaJesu mayelana nokuphila kwakhe kwangaphambi kobuntu, amaJuda acosha amatshe amjikijele ngawo. Kodwa uyacasha abaleke engenamyocu. (Johane 8:12-59) Ehlala ngaphandle kweJerusalema, uJesu uqala umkhankaso omkhulu wokushumayela eJudiya. Ukhetha abafundi abangu-70, futhi ngemva kokubayala, ubathuma ngababili ukuba bayosebenza insimu. Bayamandulela kuzo zonke izindawo nemizi uJesu ahlela ukuya kuyo nabaphostoli bakhe.—Luka 10:1-24.
16. Iyiphi ingozi uJesu aphunyula kuyo phakathi noMkhosi Wokunikezela, futhi yimuphi umsebenzi aphinda abe matasa kuwo?
16 Ebusika buka-32 C.E., “ihora” likaJesu liyasondela. Ufika eJerusalema eMkhosini Wokunikezela. AmaJuda asafuna ukumbulala. Lapho uJesu ehamba emphemeni wethempeli, ayamhaqa. Ephinda emmangalela ngokuhlambalaza, acosha amatshe ukuze ambulale. Kodwa uJesu uyaphunyula njengoba enzile ngaphambili. Ngokushesha usesemgwaqweni uyafundisa, kulokhu uhamba umuzi ngomuzi nomuzana ngomuzana esifundeni sasePhereya, ngaphesheya kweJordani uma useJudiya. Futhi abaningi baba nokholo kuye. Kodwa isigijimi esiphuthumayo esiphathelene noLazaru umngane wakhe amthandayo simbizela emuva eJudiya.—Luka 13:33; Johane 10:20-42.
17. (a) Yimuphi umyalezo ophuthumayo uJesu awuthola eshumayela ePhereya? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJesu uyayiqaphela injongo yesinyathelo okumelwe asithathe kanye nezikhathi zezenzakalo?
17 Umyalezo ophuthumayo uvela kuMarta noMariya, odadewabo bakaLazaru, abahlala eBethaniya eJudiya. “Nkosi, bheka! lowo osondelene naye ngokomzwelo uyagula,” kusho isithunywa. “Injongo yalokhu kugula ayikhona ukufa, kodwa iyinkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, ukuze iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ikhazinyuliswe ngakho,” kuphendula uJesu. Ukuze afeze le njongo, uJesu uhlala ngamabomu lapho ekhona izinsuku ezimbili. Ngemva kwalokho uthi kubafundi bakhe: “Masingene eJudiya futhi.” Bengakholwa, bathi: “Rabi, muva nje abaseJudiya bebefuna ukukukhanda ngamatshe, kodwa uya khona futhi?” Kodwa uJesu uyaqaphela ukuthi ‘amahora emini,’ noma isikhathi uNkulunkulu asibekele inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, sifushane. Ukwazi kahle okumelwe akwenze nokuthi ngani.—Johane 11:1-10.
Isimangaliso Esasingenakushalazelwa Muntu
18. Sinjani isimo lapho uJesu efika eBethaniya, futhi kwenzekani ngemva kokuba efikile?
18 EBethaniya, uMarta ungowokuqala ukuhlangabeza uJesu, ethi: “Nkosi, ukuba ubulapha umfowethu ngabe akafanga.” UMariya nalabo ababeze kubo bayalandela. Bonke bayakhala. “Nimbekephi,” kubuza uJesu. Bayaphendula: “Nkosi, woza uzobona.” Lapho befika ethuneni eliyisikhumbuzo—umhume okuncike itshe emnyango wawo—uJesu uthi: “Susani itshe.” Engaqondi ukuthi uJesu uhlose ukwenzani, uMarta uyenqaba: “Nkosi, ngalesisikhathi kumelwe ukuba useyanuka, ngoba sekuyizinsuku ezine.” Kodwa uJesu uyabuza: “Angikutshelanga yini ukuthi uma ungase ukholwe uyobona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu?”—Johane 11:17-40.
19. Kungani uJesu ethandaza obala ngaphambi kokuvusa uLazaru?
19 Njengoba kususwa itshe elivale umnyango wethuna likaLazaru, uJesu uthandaza ngokuzwakalayo ukuze abantu bazi ukuthi lokho asezokwenza kufezwa ngamandla kaNkulunkulu. Ube esekhamuluka ngezwi elikhulu: “Lazaru, phuma!” ULazaru uyaphuma esaboshwe izinyawo nezandla ngezindwangu zokungcwaba nobuso bakhe bugubuzelwe ngendwangu. “Mthukululeni nimyeke ahambe,” kusho uJesu.—Johane 11:41-44.
20. Basabela kanjani labo ababona uJesu evusa uLazaru?
20 Lapho ebona lesi simangaliso, amaJuda amaningi abezoduduza uMarta noMariya aba nokholo kuJesu. Amanye ayahamba ayotshela abaFarisi okwenzekile. Basabela kanjani? Ngokushesha, bona nabapristi abakhulu babiza umhlangano ophuthumayo weSanhedrini. Benovalo, bayabalisa: “Sizokwenzenjani, ngoba lomuntu wenza izibonakaliso eziningi? Uma simyeka ngalendlela, bonke bazobeka ukholo kuye, futhi amaRoma azofika athathe kokubili indawo yethu nesizwe sethu.” Kodwa umPristi Ophakeme uKayafase uthi kubo: “Anicabangi ukuthi kungokwenzuzo yenu ukuba umuntu oyedwa afe ngenxa yabantu, hhayi ukuba kubhujiswe sonke isizwe.” Ngakho-ke, kusukela ngalolo suku bacebisana ngokuba babulale uJesu.—Johane 11:45-53.
21. Isimangaliso sokuvuswa kukaLazaru siyisandulela sani?
21 Kwenzeka kanjalo-ke ukuba ngokuzindela ngaphambi kokufika eBethaniya, uJesu akwazi ukwenza isimangaliso esingenakushalazelwa muntu. Enikwe amandla nguNkulunkulu, uJesu uvusa umuntu osenezinsuku ezine efile. Ngisho neSanhedrini yodumo iyaphoqeleka ukuba iqaphele futhi uMenzi Wezimangaliso imgwebela ukufa! Ngakho lesi simangaliso siba yisandulela soshintsho olubalulekile enkonzweni kaJesu—ushintsho kusukela enkathini lapho ‘ihora lakhe lingakafiki’ kuya lapho “selifikile ihora.”
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayewuqaphela umsebenzi wakhe awabelwe nguNkulunkulu?
• Kungani uJesu engahambisani nokusikisela kukanina ngokuphathelene newayini?
• Yini esingayifunda endleleni uJesu ayevame ukubasingatha ngayo abaphikisi?
• Kungani uJesu ezindela ngaphambi kokusabela ekuguleni kukaLazaru?
[Izithombe ekhasini 12]
UJesu wanikela amandla akhe emsebenzini ayewabelwe nguNkulunkulu