Kubulawa Umntu Kwipati KaHerode

Njengokuba abafundi bakaYesu beshumayela eGalili, umntu owachaza uYesu njengeMvana kaThixo akanayo loo nyhweba. Sele kuza kuphela iminyaka emibini ngoku uYohane umBhaptizi evalelwe ejele.

UYohane wagxeka uKumkani uHerode Antipas phambi kwabantu wathi irongo into ayenzileyo yokutshata uHerodiya umfazi kaFilipu umntakwabo. UHerode wadivosa umfazi wakhe ukuze atshate uHerodiya. UMthetho KaMoses, lo athi uHerode uyawuthobela, uthi le nto ayenzileyo kukukrexeza ibe ayikho mthethweni. UHerode wayalela ukuba uYohane aphoswe ejele mhlawumbi kuba kutsho uHerodiya.

UHerode akayazi ukuba amthini uYohane kuba abantu bathi “ngumprofeti.” (Mateyu 14:5) Yena uHerodiya uyazi kakuhle into ayifunayo. ‘Uyamzonda’ uYohane ibe ude afune nokuba abulawe. (Marko 6:19) Ekugqibeleni lide livele ithuba.

Ngaphambi nje kwePasika ka-32 C.E., uHerode wenza ipati enkulu yomhla wakhe wokuzalwa. Kule pati kumenywe abantu abalawula phantsi koHerode, amagosa omkhosi kunye nezikhulu zaseGalili. Njengoko ipati iqhubeka, uSalome, intombi kaHerodiya noFilipu owayengumyeni wakhe, iyangena izokudanisa. Amadoda ayithanda kakhulu indlela adanisa ngayo.

NoHerode uvuya kakhulu aze athi kwintombi kaHerodiya: “Cela nantoni na oyifunayo, ndiza kukunika.” Ude afunge athi: “Ndiza kukunika nantoni na oyicelayo, ukuyokutsho kwihafu yobukumkani bam.” Ngaphambi kokuba aphendule, uSalome uyaphuma aye kumama wakhe athi: “Ndicele ntoni?”​—Marko 6:22-24.

Eli lithuba ekudala elilindile uHerodiya! Ukhawuleza aphendule athi: “Intloko kaYohane umBhaptizi.” Ngoko nangoko uSalome uya kuHerode aze athi: “Ndinike ngoku intloko kaYohane umBhaptizi ngesitya.”​—Marko 6:24, 25.

Imkhathaza kakhulu uHerode le nto kodwa ke iindwendwe zakhe zimvile efungela uSalome. Uza kuhlazeka ukuba akayenzi le nto nokuba loo nto ithetha ukubulala umntu ongenatyala. Ngenxa yaloo nto uHerode uthumela unogada emyalela ukuba kwenziwe eli sikizi. Emva kwexeshana lo nogada uyabuya ephethe intloko kaYohane ngesitya. Uyinika uSalome, yena ayinike umama wakhe.

Ukuyiva kwabo le nto, abafundi bakaYohane bayeza baze bathathe umzimba wakhe bawungcwabe. Emva koko, baya kuYesu baze bamxelele.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uHerode uyaphazamiseka xa esiva ukuba uYesu uphilisa abantu aza akhuphe iidemon. Uyazibuza ukuba lo Yesu wenza zonke ezi zinto ayingoYohane umBhaptizi ‘ovusiweyo’ na. (Luka 9:7) Ngenxa yaloo nto uHerode Antipas ufuna nyhani ukubona uYesu. Akanamdla wokuva izinto ezifundiswa nguYesu. Kodwa ufuna ukuqiniseka ukuba unguYohane na okanye akanguye.