Isahluko 17

Ukufundisa UNikodemu

LAPHO esePhasikeni lika-30 C.E., uJesu wenza izibonakaliso, noma izimangaliso eziphawulekayo. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu abaningi baba nokholo kuye. UNikodemu, ilungu leSanhedrin, inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda, uhlabeka umxhwele futhi ufuna ukuzwa okwengeziwe. Ngakho uvakashela uJesu ebumnyameni bobusuku, cishe esaba ukuthi idumela lakhe kwabanye abaholi abangamaJuda lizokonakala uma ebonwa.

“Rabi,” esho, “siyazi ukuthi ungumfundisi ovelé kuNkulunkulu, ngokuba akakho ongenza lezizibonakaliso ozenzayo, uma uNkulunkulu engenaye.” Ephendula, uJesu utshela uNikodemu ukuthi ukuze umuntu angene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu, kumelwe ‘azalwe ngokusha.’

Nokho, umuntu angazalwa kanjani ngokusha? “Angangena ngokwesibili esiswini sikanina, azalwe, na?” kubuza uNikodemu.

Cha, lokho akukhona okushiwo ukuzalwa ngokusha. “Uma  umuntu engazalwa ngamanzi nangoMoya,” kuchaza uJesu,  “angengene   embusweni ka Nkulunkulu.”  Lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa futhi umoya ongcwele wehlela kuye, ngaleyondlela wayezalwa “ngamanzi nangoMoya.” Ngesimemezelo esahambisana nakho esivela ezulwini esithi, ‘Lo uyiNdodana yami engiyamukele,’ uNkulunkulu wayememezela ukuthi wayelethe indodana engokomoya enethemba lokungena eMbusweni wasezulwini. Kamuva, ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E., abanye abazobhapathizwa bazothola umoya ongcwele futhi kanjalo nabo bazozalwa ngokusha njengamadodana kaNkulunkulu angokomoya.

Kodwa indima yeNdodana kaNkulunkulu engumuntu ekhethekile ibalulekile. “Njengokuba uMose waphakamisa inyoka ehlane,” uJesu utshela uNikodemu, “kanjalo iNdodana yomuntu imelwe ukuphakanyiswa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” Yebo, njengoba lawomaIsrayeli ayeshaywe izinyoka ezinobuthi kwakumelwe abheke inyoka yethusi ukuze asinde, kanjalo bonke abantu kudingeka babe nokholo eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu ukuze basindiswe esimweni sabo sokufa.

Egcizelela indima kaJehova yothando kulokhu, uJesu ngokulandelayo utshela uNikodemu: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” Kanjalo, lapha eJerusalema ezinyangeni nje eziyisithupha ngemva kokuqalisa inkonzo yakhe, uJesu ukwenza kucace ukuthi uyindlela kaJehova uNkulunkulu yokusindisa isintu.

UJesu uyaqhubeka futhi echazela uNikodemu: “UNkulunkulu kayithumelanga iNdodana ezweni ukuba yahlulele izwe,” okuwukuthi, hhayi ukulahlulela kabi, noma ukulilahla, egweba uhlanga lwesintu ukuba lubhujiswe. Kunalokho, njengoba uJesu esho, wathunyelwa “ukuba lisindiswe nga[ye].”

UNikodemu ufike kuJesu enokwesaba ebumnyameni. Ngakho kuyathakazelisa ukuthi uJesu uphetha lengxoxo yakhe naye ngokuthi: “Ukwahlulela kuyilokhu ukuba ukukhanya [uJesu akufanekisela ekuphileni nasezimfundisweni zakhe] kufikile ezweni, kepha abantu bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngokuba imisebenzi yabo ibimibi. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo owenza okubi uzonda ukukhanya, akezi ekukhanyeni ukuba imisebenzi yakhe ingasolwa. Kepha owenza iqiniso uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakaliswe ukuthi yenziwe kuNkulunkulu.” Johane 2:23–3:21; Mathewu 3:16, 17; IzEnzo 2:1-4; Numeri 21:9.

▪ Yini ebangela ukuba uNikodemu avakashe, futhi kungani efika ebusuku?

▪ Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuzalwa ngokusha’?

▪ UJesu uyibonisa kanjani indima yakhe ekusindisweni kwethu?

▪ Kusho ukuthini ukuthi uJesu akazelanga ukwahlulela izwe?