UJesu Uyakhula, Kodwana UJwanisi Uyancipha

Ngemva kokugidinga iPhasika ngetwasahlobo yomnyaka ka-30 eJerusalema, uJesu nabafundi bakhe bayakhamba. Nokho, ababuyeli emakhabo eGalile. Kunalokho baya eendaweni ezisemaphandleni weJudiya, begodu lapho babhabhadisa abantu abanengi. Pheze sekumnyaka noJwanisi uMbhabhadisi enza umsebenzi ofanako, nabanye babafundi bakhe basasebenza naye, mhlamunye emrhobeni woMlambo iJordani.

UJesu akabhabhadisi muntu​—kodwana unqophisa abafundi bakhe bona bababhabhadise. Okwanje, uJesu noJwanisi bafundisa amaJuda atjhuguluke ezonweni azenze emThethweni kaZimu wesivumelwano.​—IzEnzo 19:4.

Lokhu kwenza abafundi bakaJwanisi babe nomona, yeke banghonghoyila ngoJesu bathi: “Umuntu loya [uJesu] obekanawe . . . uyabhabhadisa, begodu boke abantu baya kuye.” (Jwanisi 3:26) Nokho, uJwanisi akanamona. Imthabisa khulu ipumelelo kaJesu begodu ufuna nabafundi bakhe bathabe. UJwanisi uyabakhumbuza uthi: “Nani ngokwenu nibofakazi bokuthi ngathi, ‘AngisinguKrestu, kodwana ngithunyelwe ngaphambi kwakhe.’ ” Uhlathulula indaba le ngokwenza isibonelo boke abazosizwisisa: “Loyo onomakoti mkhwenyana. Kodwana umngani womkhwenyana, nakajama eduze kwakhe amuzwe, uthaba khulu ngokuzwa iphimbo lakhe. Nje-ke ithabo lami liphelelisiwe.”​—Jwanisi 3:28, 29.

Njengomngani womkhwenyana, uJwanisi wathaba khulu eenyangeni ezidlulileko nakethula abafundi bakhe kuJesu. Abanye babafundaba balandela uJesu begodu ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bazokuzeswa ngommoya ocwengileko. UJwanisi ufuna bona nalaba abasele naye balandele uJesu. Kuhlekuhle, umnqopho kaJwanisi kulungiselela umsebenzi kaKrestu indlela. UJwanisi uyahlathulula: “Yena kufuze akhule, kodwana mina nginciphe.”​—Jwanisi 3:30.

Omunye uJwanisi, ongomunye wabafundi bokuthoma bakaJesu, ngemva kwesikhathi utlola malungana nemvelaphi kaJesu nendimakhe ekusindisweni kwabantu, uthi: “Loyo ovela phezulu ungaphezu kwabo boke abanye. . . . UBaba uyayithanda iNdodana begodu unikele zoke izinto esandleni sayo. Loyo otjengisa ukukholwa eNdodaneni unokuphila okungapheliko; loyo ongalaleli iNdodana angekhe akubona ukuphila, kodwana ilaka lakaZimu lizokuhlala liphezu kwakhe.” (Jwanisi 3:31, 35, 36) Leli liqiniso eliqakatheke khulu abantu ekufuze balazi!

Kungakadluli isikhathi eside uJwanisi uMbhabhadisi ahlathulule ukuthi indimakhe nomsebenzakhe kufuze zinciphe, ubotjhwa yiKosi uHerode. UHerode uthethe uHerodiya, umfazi kaFlebhe ongumfowabo ngakuyise, wamtjhada. UJwanisi nakabuveza emtarini ubufebe bakaHerode, uHerode umfaka ejele. Nakezwa ngokubotjhwa kwakaJwanisi, uJesu nabafundi bakhe bayakhamba eJudiya ‘baya eGalile.’​—Matewu 4:12; Markosi 1:14.