Usuku Lokugqibela Lobomi BukaYesu Basemhlabeni

Kuxa libantu bahle ngoLwesihlanu, ngo- Nisan 14, ngowama-33 C.E. Iqela lamadoda namabhinqa liza kungcwaba umhlobo walo. Enye yala madoda, uNikodemo, uze neziqholo ukuze aqhole umzimba ukuze ungcwatywe. Indoda egama linguYosefu inikele ngezithandelo ezicocekileyo ukuze zisongele esi sidumbu sinamanxeba nesenzakeleyo.

NGOOBANI aba bantu, yaye ngubani lo bamngcwabayo? Ngaba konke oku kunento yokwenza nawe? Ukuze siphendule le mibuzo, masibuyele emva ekuqaleni kolu suku lubalulekileyo.

Ngokuhlwa NgoLwesine, NgoNisan 14

Kuphuma inyanga eqaqambileyo ngokuthe ngcembe eYerusalem. Isixeko esixineneyo siyazola ngoku emva kosuku oluxakekileyo. Ngale ngokuhlwa impepho izaliswe livumba lemvu eyojiwayo. Ewe, amawaka abantu alungiselela isiganeko esikhethekileyo​—⁠ukubhiyozelwa kwaminyaka le kwePasika.

Kwigumbi eliphezulu labahambi, sifumana uYesu Kristu ekunye nabapostile bakhe abali-12 kwitafile elungisiweyo. Phulaphula! UYesu uyathetha. Uthi: “Ndikunqwenele kakhulu ukuyidla kunye nani le pasika ngaphambi kokuba ndibandezeleke.” (Luka 22:​15) UYesu uyazi ukuba iintshaba zakhe zonqulo zizimisele ukumbulala. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke oko, kuza kwenzeka into ebaluleke gqitha ngale ngokuhlwa.

Emva kokuba kugqityiwe ukubhiyozelwa iPasika, uYesu uthi: “Omnye wenu uya kundingcatsha.” (Mateyu 26:​21) Oku kuyabanxunguphalisa abapostile. Ingangubani bethu? Emva kwengxubusho ethile, uYesu uthi kuYudas Skariyoti: “Oko ukwenzayo kwenze ngokukhawuleza ngakumbi.” (Yohane 13:​27) Nangona abanye bengakuqondi nje oku, uYudas nguye ongumngcatshi. Uyahamba esiya kwenza iyelenqe lakhe kweli cebo linxamnye noYesu.

Isikhumbuzo Esikhethekileyo

Ngoku uYesu usungula isikhumbuzo esikhetheke ngokwenene​—⁠eso sokukhumbula ukufa kwakhe. Ethabatha isonka, uYesu uyathandaza aze asiqhekeze. Uyabayalela: “Thabathani, nidle. Oku kuthetha umzimba wam oza kunikelwa ngenxa yenu.” Xa bonke besidlile isonka, uthabatha indebe yewayini ebomvu aze ayithandazele. UYesu uyabaxelela, aze abacacisele esithi: “Selani kuyo, nonke. Le ndebe ithetha umnqophiso omtsha ongegazi lam, eliza kuphalala ngenxa yenu.” Uyalela abapostile abali-11 abathembekileyo abaseleyo: “Hlalani nisenza oku nindikhumbula.”​—⁠Mateyu 26:​26-28; Luka 22:​19, 20; 1 Korinte 11:​24, 25.

Ngaloo ngokuhlwa ngobubele uYesu ulungisa iingqondo zabapostile bakhe abathembekileyo ngoko kuza kwenzeka aze abaqinisekise ngokuba uyabathanda. Uyabacacisela: “Akukho bani unothando olukhulu ngakumbi kunolu, lokuba uthile anikezele umphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe. Ningabahlobo bam ukuba nenza oko ndiniyalela kona.” (Yohane 15:​13-15) Ewe, abapostile abali-11 baye bazingqina bengabahlobo bokwenene ngokunamathela kuYesu ebudeni bokulingwa kwakhe.

Ebusuku kakhulu​—⁠mhlawumbi emva kwasezinzulwini zobusuku​—⁠uYesu wenza umthandazo ongenakulibaleka, emva koko bavuma iingoma bedumisa uYehova. Emva koko, bekhanyiselwe yinyanga epheleleyo, bayahamba baphumele ngaphandle kwesixeko bewela iNtlambo iKidron.​—⁠Yohane 17:⁠1–18:⁠1.

KuMyezo WaseGetsemane

Kwithuba elingelide kamva, uYesu nabapostile bakhe bafika kumyezo waseGetsemane. Eshiya abapostile abasibhozo ekungeneni komyezo, uYesu uhamba noPetros, uYakobi kunye noYohane angene phakathi kwimithi yeminquma. Ubaxelela oku abo bathathu: “Umphefumlo wam ubuhlungu ngokunzulu, de kuse ekufeni. Hlalani apha yaye nihlale nilindile.”​—⁠Marko 14:​33, 34.

Abapostile abathathu balindile ngoxa uYesu engena nzulu emyezweni esiya kuthandaza. Edanduluka kwaye eneenyembezi, uyabongoza: “Bawo, ukuba uyanqwena, yishenxise le ndebe kum.” UYesu unembopheleleko enkulu ajamelene nayo. Hayi indlela anxunguphala ngayo xa ecinga ngento eza kuthethwa ziintshaba zikaYehova xa uNyana Wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ebethelelwa njengesaphuli-mthetho! Okona kumdandathekisa ngakumbi uYesu kukucinga ngogculelo oluya kuziswa kuYise wasezulwini ukuba akaluphumeleli olu vavanyo lubuhlungu kangaka. UYesu uyazingisa emthandazweni aze athuthunjelwe kangangokuba ukubila kwakhe kuba ngamathontsi egazi awela emhlabeni.​—⁠Luka 22:​42, 44.

UYesu wayesandul’ ukugqiba ukuthandaza okwesithathu. Ngoku kuthi gqi amadoda aphethe iitotshi nezibane. Le ihamba phambili nguYudas Skariyoti, oza ngqo kuYesu. Emanga ngofefe olukhulu uthi: “Bhota, Rabhi!” uYesu uyaphendula: “Yudas, umngcatsha ngolwango na uNyana womntu?”​—⁠Mateyu 26:​49; Luka 22:​47, 48; Yohane 18:⁠3.

Ngesiquphe, abapostile bayakuqonda oko kwenzekayo. INkosi engumhlobo wabo wokwenene sele iza kubanjwa! Ngoko uPetros uthabatha ikrele aze axabele indlebe yesicaka sombingeleli omkhulu. UYesu ukhawuleza athi: “Kwanele ukuza kufikelela apha.” Esondela, uphilisa esi sicaka aze athi kuPetros: “Buyisela ikrele lakho endaweni yalo, kuba bonke abo bathabatha ikrele baya kutshabalala ngekrele.” (Luka 22:​50, 51; Mateyu 26:​52) Abaphathi namajoni babamba uYesu baze bambophelele. Besoyika yaye bedidekile, abapostile bayamshiya uYesu baze babaleke ebusuku.​—⁠Mateyu 26:​56; Yohane 18:⁠12.

Ekuseni NgoLwesihlanu, NgoNisan 14

Kukwiiyure zasekuseni ngaphambi kokuthi qheke kokusa ngoLwesihlanu. UYesu usiwa kwikhaya lowayesakuba nguMbingeleli Omkhulu uAnas, osenempembelelo enkulu negunya. UAnas umbuza imibuzo aze ayalele ukuba bamse kwikhaya loMbingeleli Omkhulu uKayafa apho kuhlanganisene khona iSanhedrin.

Ngoku iinkokeli zonqulo zizama ukufumana amangqina ukuze zimbeke ityala uYesu. Noko ke, kwanala mangqina obuxoki akavumelani kubungqina bawo. Ngalo lonke eli xesha, uYesu uthule. Etshintsha amaqhinga akhe, uKayafa uthi: “NgoThixo ophilayo ndiyakufungisa ukuba usixelele enoba unguKristu uNyana kaThixo kusini na!” Le yinyaniso engenakukhanyelwa, ngoko ngenkalipho uYesu uphendula athi: “Ndinguye; yaye nina bantu niya kumbona uNyana womntu ehleli ngakwisandla sasekunene samandla ibe esiza namafu ezulu.”​—⁠Mateyu 26:​63; Marko 14:​60-⁠62.

UKayafa udanduluka esithi: “Unyelisile! Sisawafunelani na amangqina abhekele phaya?” Bambi ngoku bamqhwaba ngempama uYesu baze bamtshicele. Abanye bambetha ngamanqindi yaye bayamthuka. (Mateyu 26:​65-68; Marko 14:​63-65) Kungekudala emva kokuba kusile ngoLwesihlanu, iSanhedrin iphinda idibane, mhlawumbi ngenjongo yokubonisa ukuba semthethweni kokuvavanywa kwetyala ubusuku bonke nto leyo eyayingekho mthethweni. Ngenkalipho uYesu uphinda abonise ukuba unguKristu, uNyana kaThixo.​—⁠Luka 22:​66-⁠71.

Emva koko, ababingeleli abakhulu namadoda amakhulu bayamrhuqa uYesu ukuze aye kuvavanywa nguPontiyo Pilato, irhuluneli yamaRoma yakwaYuda. Batyhola uYesu ngokubhukuqa uhlanga, esalela ukuhlawulwa kwerhafu kuKesare, abe “esithi yena ngokwakhe unguKristu ukumkani.” (Luka 23:⁠2; thelekisa uMarko 12:​17.) Emva kokubuza imibuzo ethile kuYesu, uPilato uthi: “Andifumani lwaphulo-mthetho kulo mntu.” (Luka 23:⁠4) Xa uPilato esiva ukuba uYesu ungummi waseGalili, ucela ukuba athunyelwe kuHerode Antipas, umlawuli waseGalili, oye kwiPasika eYerusalem. UHerode akanamdla wokubona kusenziwa ubulungisa. Ufuna nje ukubona uYesu esenza ummangaliso. Ekubeni uYesu engayenzi le nto alangazelela ukuyibona kunoko uhlala nje ethule, uHerode namajoni akhe bahlekisa ngaye baze baphinde bamthumele kuPilato.

UPilato uphinda abuze: “Yintoni embi ayenzileyo lo mntu? Andifumananga nto ifanelwe kukufa kuye; Ndiza kumbetha ke ngoko ndize ndimkhulule.” (Luka 23:​22) Ngoko uyalela ukuba uYesu atyatyulwe ngesabhokhwe esinemitya emininzi esimkrazula Ok for Xoumqolo. Emva koko amasoldati aluka isithsaba sameva aze asibeke phezu kwentloko yakhe. Ayamgculela aze ambethe ngengcongolo, enyanzela ameva abukhali esithsaba kukakayi lwakhe. Kuyo yonke le ntlungu ingenakuchazwa nokuxhatshazwa, uYesu ugcina isidima sakhe esingummangaliso aze ahlale eqinile.

UPilato​—⁠mhlawumbi ecinga ukuba indlela abamtyabule ngayo uYesu iya kubangela ukuba asizelwe​—⁠uphinda ambuyisele kwisihlwele. UPilato udanduluka athi: “Yabonani! Ndimzisa ngaphandle kuni ukuze nazi ukuba andifumani siphoso kuye.” Kodwa ababingeleli abakhulu bakhwaza besithi: “Mbethelele! Mbethelele!” (Yohane 19:​4-⁠6) Njengokuba isihlwele sigxininisa ngakumbi, uPilato uyayekelela aze anikezele uYesu ukuba abethelelwe.

Ukufa Okungcungcuthekisayo

Ngoku intsasa sele ihambile, mhlawumbi sele kusondele imini emaqanda. UYesu uyakhutshwa eYerusalem aze asiwe kwindawo ebizwa ngokuba yiGolgotha. Kubethelelwa izikhonkwane ezikhulu ezandleni nasezinyaweni zikaYesu kwisibonda sentuthumbo. Ayichazeki intlungu njengokuba ubunzima bomzimba wakhe bukrazula amanxeba ezikhonkwane xa kuphakanyiswa umthi wentuthumbo. Isihlwele sibukela uYesu nezaphuli-mthetho ezibini xa bebethelelwa. Abaninzi banyelisa uYesu. Ababingeleli abakhulu nabanye bamgculela besithi: “Abanye wabasindisa, yena akanako ukuzisindisa!” Kwanamasoldati nezaphuli-mthetho ezibini ezibethelelweyo ziyamnyelisa uYesu.​—⁠Mateyu 27:​41-⁠44.

Ngesiquphe emin’ emaqanda, emva kokuba uYesu esemthini kangangexesha elithile, uThixo ubangela ukuba kube mnyama ngendlela eyoyikekayo kulo mmandla kangangeeyure ezintathu.a Mhlawumbi yiloo nto ebangela ukuba umenzi wobubi amkhalimele omnye. Emva koko, ephethukela kuYesu, uyabongoza: “Uze undikhumbule xa uthe wangena ebukumkanini bakho.” Olunjani lona ukumangalisa ukholo ngoxa ejamelene nokufa! UYesu uphendula ngelithi: “Enyanisweni ndiyakuxelela namhlanje, Uya kuba nam eParadesi.”​—⁠Luka 23:​39-⁠43.

Malunga nentsimbi yesithathu emva kwemini, uYesu uvakalelwa kukuba ixesha lakhe sele liza kuphela. Uthi: “Ndinxaniwe.” Emva koko udanduluka ngezwi elikhulu, athi: “Thixo wam, Thixo wam, undishiyeleni na?” UYesu uyaqonda ukuba uYise uye, ngokungathi kunjalo, wayeka ukumkhusela ukuze avumele ukuba ingqibelelo yakhe ivavanywe ukusa kumlinganiselo wokugqibela, yaye ucaphula amazwi kaDavide. Umntu othile ubeka isiponji esimanziswe ngewayini emuncu emilebeni kaYesu. Emva kokuba esele loo wayini, uYesu uthi: “Kufeziwe!” Emva koko udanduluka esithi, “Bawo, ndiwuyekela ezandleni zakho umoya wam,” waqubuda intloko, waza wafa.​—⁠Yohane 19:​28-30; Mateyu 27:​46; Luka 23:​46; INdumiso 22:⁠1.

Ekubeni ixesha sele lihambile emva kwemini, kwenziwa amalungiselelo akhawulezileyo okungcwaba uYesu ngaphambi kokuba iSabatha (ngoNisan 15) iqalise ekutshoneni kwelanga. UYosefu waseArimati, ilungu elaziwayo leSanhedrin ebelingumfundi ofihlakeleyo kaYesu, unikwa imvume yokuba amngcwabe. UNikodemo, naye olilungu leSanhedrin oye wabonisa ukholo kuYesu ngasese, uncedisa ngeekhilogram ezingama-33 zemore nekhala. Ngononophelo, umzimba kaYesu bawufaka kwingcwaba elitsha elikufuphi.

Uyaphila Kwakhona!

Kusemnyama ngentsasa yangeCawa xa uMariya waseMagadala namanye amabhinqa besondela engcwabeni likaYesu. Kodwa khangela! Ilitye eliphambi kwengcwaba lisusiwe. Tyhini, ingcwaba alinanto! UMariya waseMagadala ukhawuleza aye kuchazela uPetros kunye noYohane. (Yohane 20:​1, 2) Kungekudala emva kokuba ehambile ingelosi iya kwamanye amabhinqa. Ithi: “Musani ukoyika.” Kwakhona yongezelela isithi: “Hambani ngokukhawuleza nize nixelele abafundi bakhe ukuba uvusiwe kwabafileyo.”​—⁠Mateyu 28:​2-⁠7.

Njengokuba bekhawuleza behamba, badibana noYesu! Uthi kubo: “Hambani, niye kuxela kubazalwana bam.” (Mateyu 28:​8-10) Kamva, uMariya waseMagadala usengcwabeni uyakhala aze uYesu abonakale kuye. Akakwazi ukuzibamba luvuyo yaye ubaleka aye kuxelela abanye abafundi ezi ndaba zivuyisayo. (Yohane 20:​11-18) Eneneni, izihlandlo ezihlanu ngaloo Cawa ingenakulibaleka, uYesu ovusiweyo ubonakala kubafundi abahlukahlukeneyo, engashiyi mathandabuzo okuba ngokwenene, uyaphila kwakhona!

Indlela Ochaphazeleka Ngayo

Kunokwenzeka njani ukuba iziganeko ezenzeka kwiminyaka eli-1 966 eyadlulayo zikuchaphazele ngoku ekubeni sisemnyango wenkulungwane yama-21? Ingqina lokuzibonela lezo ziganeko licacisa lisithi: “Ngako oku uthando lukaThixo lwenziwa lwabonakala kwimeko yethu, ngenxa yokuba uThixo wathumela uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ehlabathini ukuze sizuze ubomi ngaye. Uthando lukule nkalo, kungekhona eyokuba siye samthanda uThixo, kodwa eyokuba yena wasithanda waza wathumela uNyana wakhe njengombingelelo wokucamagushela izono zethu.”​—⁠1 Yohane 4:​9, 10.

Ukufa kukaKristu ‘kunjengombingelelo wokucamagusha’ ngayiphi indlela? Ngowokucamagusha ngenxa yokuba wenza sibe nolona lwalamano lukhethekileyo noThixo. Umntu wokuqala, uAdam, wamvukela uThixo yaye eso sono wasidlulisela kwinzala yakhe njengendlalifa yesono nokufa. Kwelinye icala, uYesu wanikela ngobomi bakhe njengentlawulelo yokukhulula uluntu esonweni nasekufeni, ngaloo ndlela enikela isiseko sokuba uThixo adlulisele inceba. (1 Timoti 2:​5, 6) Ngokuqhelisela ukholo kwidini likaYesu elicamagushela isono, unokukhululwa kwisiqalekiso osifumene njengelifa kwisono sika-Adam. (Roma 5:​12; 6:​23) Kamva, oku kuvula ithuba elibalulekileyo lokuba nolwalamano olusondeleyo noBawo wakho wasezulwini, uYehova uThixo. Ngamafutshane, elona dini lentlawulelo libalaseleyo likaYesu linokuthetha ubomi obungasokuze buphele kuwe.​—⁠Yohane 3:​16; 17:⁠3.

Le mibandela neminye enxulumene nayo iya kuxutyushwa ngengokuhlwa yangoLwesine, ngoAprili 1, kwiindawo ezininzi ehlabathini ngokubanzi xa izigidi zabantu ziya kuhlanganisana ukuze zibhiyozele ukufa kukaYesu Kristu. Uyamenywa ukuba ubekho. AmaNgqina kaYehova kummandla okuwo aya kukuvuyela ukukuxelela indawo esiza kuqhutyelwa kuyo nendawo onokuya kuyo. Alithandabuzeki elokuba ukubakho kwakho kuya kulomeleza ngakumbi uxabiso lwakho ngento awayenzayo uThixo onothando noNyana wakhe oyintanda ngosuku lokugqibela lobomi bukaYesu.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]