UYohane UmBhaptizi Ulungisa Indlela

Sekugqithe iminyaka ephaa kweyi-17 emva kokuba uYesu ebuze imibuzo abafundisi etempileni. Ngoku kungo-29 C.E. ngentwasahlobo. Abantu abaninzi bathetha ngoYohane ozalana noYesu noshumayela ngakwintshona yoMlambo iYordan.

Abantu bayamqaphela uYohane ngenxa yendlela akhangeleka nathetha ngayo. Unxiba iimpahla ezenziwe ngoboya benkamela aze afake ibhanti lesikhumba esinqeni sakhe. Utya iintethe nobusi basendle. Uthini umyalezo wakhe? Uthi: “Guqukani kuba sele buza kufika uBukumkani bamazulu.”​—Mateyu 3:2.

Umyalezo kaYohane uyabavuyisa abantu abamameleyo. Abantu abaninzi bayaqonda ukuba kufuneka baguquke, into ethetha ukuba batshintshe indlela abazenza ngayo izinto. Abantu abaza kuye bavela “eYerusalem kwelakwaYuda nakwiilali ezikufutshane neYordan.” (Mateyu 3:5) Abaninzi kubantu abaza kuYohane bayaguquka. Uyababhaptiza ebantywilisela kumanzi aseYordan. Ngoba?

Ubhaptiza abantu ukuze babonise ukuba baguquke ngokusuka entliziyweni kwizono ebebezenza. (IZenzo 19:4) Kodwa ayinguye wonke umntu okufanelekelayo ukubhaptizwa. Xa abanye abaFarisi nabaSadusi besiza kuye, uYohane uthi ‘bayinzala yamarhamba.’ Uthi: “Yenzani izinto ezibonisa ukuba niguqukile. Sanukufane nithi, ‘Utata wethu nguAbraham.’ Kuba ndithi kuni, uThixo angamvelisela abantwana nakula matye uAbraham. Izembe selikulungele ukuyigawula ezingcanjini imithi. Ngoko ke, yonke imithi engavelisi ziqhamo zihle iza kugawulwa ize iphoswe emlilweni.”​—Mateyu 3:7-10.

Ngenxa yokuba uYohane esaziwa, enomyalezo onamandla, ebhaptiza abantu abaninzi, kuthunywa ababingeleli nabaLevi ukuba bambuze bathi: “Ungubani?”

UYohane uthi: “Andinguye uKristu.”

Baphinda bambuze bathi: “Ungubani ke? UnguEliya?”

Yena uthi: “Andinguye.”

Bathi: “UngumProfeti?” bethetha ngomprofeti omkhulu awayethe uMoses uza kufika.​—Duteronomi 18:15, 18.

Uphendula athi: “Hayi!”

Bayaqhubeka bembuza besithi: “Ungubani ke? Siphendule ukuze siyokuxelela abo basithumileyo. Uthi ungubani?” UYohane uthi: “Ndililizwi lalowo ukhwaza esentlango esithi, ‘Lungisani indlela kaYehova,’ njengokuba umprofeti uIsaya watshoyo.”​—Yohane 1:19-23.

Baphinda bambuze bathi: “Kutheni ke ubhaptiza ukuba awungoKristu, awungoEliya, ungenguye nomProfeti?” Ubaphendula kakuhle athi: “Mna ndibhaptiza emanzini. Kodwa phakathi kwenu kukho umntu eningamaziyo, lowo uza emva kwam.”​—Yohane 1:25-27.

UYohane uyavuma ukuba umsebenzi wakhe kukunceda abantu bacinge kakuhle ukuze bakwazi ukwamkela uMesiya oza kuba nguKumkani. Uthi uYohane ngaye: “Lowo uza emva kwam ungaphezu kwam, kangangokuba andifaneleki nokukhulula iimbadada ezi zakhe.” (Mateyu 3:11) UYohane ude athi: “Lowo uza emva kwam uye wadlulela phambi kwam, kuba wabakho ngaphambi kwam.”​—Yohane 1:15.

Yiloo nto ufaneleka kangaka umyalezo kaYohane othi, “Guqukani kuba sele buza kufika uBukumkani bamazulu.” (Mateyu 3:2) Unceda bonke abantu bayazi ukuba uKumkani ozayo kaYehova, uYesu Kristu, seza kuqalisa ukushumayela.