Abapostile Baphinda Bafune Ukubaluleka

Njengokuba uYesu nabafundi bakhe beqhubeka besihla ePereya besiya eYerusalem, banqumla uMlambo iYordan ngaseYeriko. Bakhona nabanye abantu ahamba nabo ukuya kwiPasika ka-33 C.E.

Uhamba phambi kwabafundi bakhe, kuba ufuna ukufika ngexesha kwiPasika. Kodwa abafundi bakhe bayoyika. Ngoku bekusweleke uLazaro, ibe uYesu eza kumka ePereya aye kwaYuda, uTomas ebethe kwabanye: “Nathi masihambeni, ukuze sife naye.” (Yohane 11:16, 47-53) Ngenxa yaloo nto, ukuya eYerusalem kuyingozi, ibe siyasiqonda isizathu sokuba abafundi boyike.

Ukuze uYesu abancede abapostile bakhe bayilungele into eza kwenzeka, ubabizela ecaleni aze athi kubo: “Ngoku siya eYerusalem, ibe uNyana womntu uza kunikelwa kubabingeleli abaziintloko nababhali. Baza kuwisa isigwebo sokuba makabulawe, bamnikele kubantu beentlanga ukuze bahlekise ngaye, bamkatse kanobom, bambulalele esibondeni; aze avuswe ngosuku lwesithathu.”​—Mateyu 20:18, 19.

Kokwesithathu ngoku uYesu exelela abafundi bakhe ukuba uza kubulawa aze aphinde evuswe. (Mateyu 16:21; 17:22, 23) Kodwa ngoku uthi uza kubulawelwa esibondeni. Bammamele kodwa abayiqondi eyona nto ayithethayo. Mhlawumbi bacinga ukuba kuza kubuyiselwa ubukumkani bakwaSirayeli apha emhlabeni, mhlawumbi bafumane inyhweba yokuba kubukumkani bukaKristu obuza kube bulapha emhlabeni.

Omnye wabantu abahamba noYesu nguSalome, ekubonakala ukuba ngumama wabanye abapostile bakaYesu ababini, uYakobi noYohane. Aba bapostile uYesu ubathiye igama elithetha ukuba “ooNyana Bendudumo” kuba bekhawuleza ukuyibonakalisa indlela abaziva ngayo. (Marko 3:17; Luka 9:54) Sekumzuzu ngoku aba babini befuna ukubaluleka kuBukumkani BukaKristu. Nomama wabo uyayazi le nto. Ubayela kuYesu, aze aqubude kuye enesicelo. UYesu uthi kuye: “Ufuna ntoni?” Yena uthi: “Ndicela ukuba aba nyana bam babini bahlale ecaleni kwakho xa unguKumkani, omnye ngasekunene, omnye ngasekhohlo.”​—Mateyu 20:20, 21.

Le nto ayicelayo isuka kuYakobi noYohane. Ekubeni esandokubaxelela indlela aza kuhlaziswa ngayo, uYesu uthi kubo: “Aniyazi le nto niyicelayo. Ningakwazi na ukusela kwindebe endiza kusela kuyo?” Bona bathi: “Ewe singakwazi.” (Mateyu 20:22) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba nangoku abakayiqondi ukuba le nto ithetha ntoni kubo.

Nangona bengayiqondi, uYesu uthi kubo: “Kakade niza kusela kwindebe endiza kusela kuyo, kodwa ayindim ogqibayo ukuba ngubani ohlala ekunene okanye ekhohlo kwam; kuza kuhlala abo balungiselelwe nguTata.”​—Mateyu 20:23.

Xa besiva into ecelwe nguYakobi noYohane, abanye abapostile abayi-10 bayacaphuka. Ngaba naye uYakobi noYohane bebethethile ngaphambilana ngoku bebephikisana ukuba ngubani oyena umkhulu phakathi kwabapostile? (Luka 9:46-48) Nokuba bebethethile okanye khange bathethe, esi sicelo sibonisa ukuba aba bapostile bayi-12 khange balisebenzise icebiso likaYesu lokuziphatha njengomncinci. Basafuna ukubaluleka kunabanye.

UYesu uqonda ukuba makayilungise nale ingxaki nokucingelana kakubi okunokuvela. Uyababiza abafundi bakhe aze athethe nabo ngendlela ebonisa ukuba uyabathanda. Uthi: “Niyazi ukuba abalawuli beentlanga babatsalisa nzima abantu, ibe babalawula ngegqudu. Mayingenzeki loo nto phakathi kwenu; kodwa nabani na ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu mayibe nguye osebenzela abanye, yaye nabani na ofuna ukuba ngoyena uphambili phakathi kwenu, makabe likhoboka lenu.”​—Marko 10:42-44.

Ubaxelela ngomzekelo abamele bawulinganise, umzekelo wakhe. Uthi: “UNyana womntu akezanga ukuze asetyenzelwe, kodwa uzele ukuba ibe nguye osebenzayo, aze anikele ngobomi bakhe ukuze kuhlawulelwe abaninzi.” (Mateyu 20:28) Sekuyiminyaka emalunga nemithathu ngoku uYesu esebenzela abanye, ibe uza kude abafele abantu. Nabafundi kufuneka bacinge njengoKristu, bafune ukukhonza kunokukhonzwa, bangafuni ukubaluleka kunabanye.