Isahluko 11

UYohane Ulungisa Indlela

SEKUDLULE iminyaka elishumi elinesixhenxe ukususela oko uYesu wayengumntwana oneminyaka eli-12 ebuza abafundisi etempileni. Kusentwasahlobo yonyaka wama-29 C.E., yaye kubonakala ngathi, wonke umntu uthetha ngomza kaYesu onguYohane, oshumayela kulo lonke ilizwe elijikeleze uMlambo iYordan.

Ngokwenene uYohane uyindoda enomtsalane, ngokwembonakalo nangokwentetho. Iimpahla zakhe zezoboya benkamela, yaye unombhinqo wofele esinqeni sakhe. Ukutya kwakhe zizinambuzane eziziinkumbi nobusi basendle. Yaye sithini isigidimi sakhe? Sithi: “Guqukani, kuba ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.”

Esi sigidimi sibangela umdla kwabo bamphulaphulayo. Abaninzi bayayibona imfuneko yokuba baguquke, oko kukuthi, baguqule isimo sabo sengqondo baze balichase ikhondo labo lobomi bexa elidluleyo njengelinganqwenelekiyo. Ngoko besuka kuwo wonke ummandla ojikeleze iYordan, kwanaseYerusalem, abantu beza kuYohane bezizihlwele, yaye uyababhaptiza, ebantywilisela ngaphantsi kwamanzi aseYordan. Ngoba?

UYohane ubhaptiza abantu njengomfuziselo, okanye imbonakaliso yokuguquka ngokusuka entliziyweni kwizono ezichasene nomnqophiso woMthetho kaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, xa abaFarisi abathile nabaSadusi bonqulo besiza eYordan, uYohane uyabagweba. Uthi, “Nzalandini yamarhamba, . . . Velisani ngoko iziqhamo eziyifaneleyo inguquko; ize ningabi nithi phakathi kwenu, Thina sinobawo uAbraham; kuba ndithi kuni, Unako uThixo kuwo la matye ukumvelisela abantwana uAbraham. Kananjalo izembe selibekiwe engcanjini yemithi; ngoko yonke imithi engavelisi siqhamo sihle, iyagawulwa iphoswe emlilweni.”

Ngenxa yalo lonke olu dumo lufunyanwa nguYohane, amaYuda athumela ababingeleli nabaLevi kuye. Bayambuza: “Ungubani na?”

UYohane uyavuma esithi: “Andinguye mna uKristu.”

Befun’ ukuqonda bayambuza: “Untoni na ke? UnguEliya na?”

Uyaphendula esithi: “Andinguye.”

“Unguye na umprofeti lowo?”

“Hayi.”

Ngoko bayakhondoza bembuza: “Ungubani na ke? ukuze sibaphendule abo basithumileyo. Uthini na wena ngawe ngokwakho?”

UYohane ucacisa esithi: “Mna ndililizwi lodandulukayo entlango, lisithi, Yityenenezeni indlela yeNkosi, njengoko watshoyo uIsaya umprofeti.”

Bafuna ukuqonda, “Ubhaptizelani na phofu, ukuba wena akunguye uKristu, noEliya, nomprofeti lowo?”

Uyabaphendula: “Mna ndibhaptiza ngamanzi; ke phakathi kwenu kumi eningamaziyo nina. Yena ngothe, esiza emva kwam.”

UYohane ulungisa indlela ngokulungisa iintliziyo zabantu ukuze zikulungele ukwamkela uMesiya, oza kuba nguKumkani. NgaLowo, uYohane uthi: “Lowo uzayo emva kwam unamandla kunam, ozimbadada ndingakulingeneyo ukuziphatha.” Enyanisweni, uYohane ukwathi: “Lowo uzayo emva kwam, usuke waba phambi kwam, ngokuba waye etanci kum.”

Ngaloo ndlela, isigidimi sikaYohane, esithi: “Ubukumkani bamazulu busondele,” sisebenza njengomqondiso kawonke wonke wokuba ubulungiseleli boKumkani omiselwe nguYehova, uYesu Kristu, sele buza kuqalisa. Yohane 1:6-8, 15-28; Mateyu 3:1-12; Luka 3:1-18; IZenzo 19:4.

▪ UYohane uluhlobo olunjani lomntu?

▪ UYohane ubabhaptizelani abantu?

▪ Kutheni uYohane enokuthi uBukumkani busondele?