UJesu Uvusa ULazaro

UJesu wayelabangane abangu-3 ababehlala eBhethani njalo wayebathanda. Amabizo abo kwakunguLazaro, uMatha loMariya. Ngelinye ilanga uJesu engaphetsheya komfula uJodani wathola umlayezo ovela kuMariya loMatha owawusithi: ‘Buya ngoba uLazaro uyagula.’ Kodwa uJesu wahlala izinsuku ezimbili engayanga eBhethani. Ngemva kwalokho wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Umngane wethu uLazaro uselele kodwa ngiya khona ukuze ngiyemvusa.” Abaphostoli bathi: “Nxa elele kutsho ukuthi uzasila.” Wasebatshela ephumela egcekeni wathi: “ULazaro usefile.”

Ngesikhathi uJesu efika eBhethani, uLazaro wayeselamalanga amane engcwatshiwe. Kwakulabantu abanengi ababezoduduza uMariya loMatha. UMatha wagijima wayahlangabeza uJesu ngesikhathi esizwa ukuthi usefikile. Wathi kuye: “Nkosi, aluba ubukhona ngabe umfowethu kafanga.” UJesu wathi kuye: ‘Umnewenu uzavuka, uyakukholwa yini lokhu?’ Yena waphendula wathi: ‘Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uzavuka nxa sokuvuswa abafileyo.’ UJesu wathi: “Mina ngiyikuvuka kwabafileyo lokuphila.”

UMatha waya kuMariya wamnyenyezela wathi: ‘UJesu usefikile.’ UMariya wagijima waya kuJesu njalo abantu bamlandela. Waguqa phambi kwakhe waqhubeka ekhala. Wathi: ‘Nkosi, aluba ubulapha ngabe umfowethu kafanga.’ UJesu wabona ukuthi wayesizwa ubuhlungu laye waqalisa ukukhala. Abantu bathi bekubona lokhu bathi: “Liyabona ukuthi ubemthanda njani!” Kodwa abanye bazibuza bathi: ‘Kanti wehluleke njani ukwenza ukuthi uLazaro angafi?’ Ake sibone ukuthi uJesu wenzani.

UJesu waya engcwabeni likaLazaro elalilubhalu njalo livalwe ngelitshe elikhulu. Wathi: ‘Lisuseni ilitshe.’ UMatha waphendula wathi: “Kumele ukuthi usenuka ngoba sekungamalanga amane.” Lanxa kunjalo balisusa ilitshe, uJesu wasekhuleka esithi: “Baba, ngiyabonga ukuthi ungizwile. Bengikwazi sibili ukuthi uhlala ungizwa. Kodwa ngikhulume ngenxa yabantu abalapha ukuze bakholwe ukuthi ungithumile.” Wasememeza ngelizwi elikhulu wathi: “Lazaro phuma!” Kwenzakala isimanga: ULazaro waphuma engcwabeni ethandelwe ngamalembu. UJesu wasesithi: “Mthukululeni limyekele ahambe.”

Abanengi ababona lokhu bakholwa kuJesu. Kodwa abanye bahamba bayatshela abaFarisi. Kusukela lapho abaFarisi basebefuna ukubabulala bobabili uJesu loLazaro. Omunye wabaphostoli okuthiwa nguJudasi Iskariyothi waya kubaFarisi wababuza wathi: ‘Nxa ngingalincedisa ukuthi libambe uJesu lizanginika malini?’ AbaFarisi bathi bazamnika izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-30. Kusukela khonapho uJudasi wahle waqalisa ukudinga ithuba lokuthengisa uJesu kubaFarisi.