Isahluko 51
Ukubulala Phakathi Nomkhosi Wosuku Lokuzalwa
NGEMVA kokunikeza abaphostoli bakhe iziyalezo, uJesu ubathumela ensimini ngababili. Mhlawumbe uPetru uhamba noAndreya umfowabo, ngokufanayo uJakobe noJohane, uFiliphu noBartolomewu, uTomase noMathewu, uJakobe noThadewu, futhi uSimoni noJuda Iskariyothe. Lamaqembu ayisithupha abavangeli amemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso futhi enza ukuphulukisa okuyisimangaliso kwabagulayo kuyo yonke indawo abaya kuyo.
Ngalesikhathi, uJohane uMbhapathizi usesejele. Cishe manje useneminyaka emibili elapho. Kungenzeka uyakhumbula ukuthi uJohane wayememezele obala ukuthi kwakungalungile ukuba uHerode Antipase athathe uHerodiya, umkaFiliphu umfowabo, amenze umkakhe. Njengoba uHerode Antipase ayezisholo ukuthi ulandela uMthetho kaMose, uJohane wayebudalule ngokufanelekile lobuhlobo bokuphinga. Ngakho uHerode wayala ukuba uJohane afakwe ejele, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokushoshozela kukaHerodiya.
UHerode Antipase uyaqaphela ukuthi uJohane uyindoda elungile futhi umlalela ngenjabulo. Ngakho-ke akazi ukuthi kumelwe enzeni ngaye. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uHerodiya uyamzonda uJohane futhi uyaqhubeka efuna indlela yokumbulala. Ekugcineni, ithuba abelilindile liyafika.
Ngokushesha ngemva kwePhasika lika-32 C.E., uHerode uhlela umkhosi omkhulu wokugujwa kosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa. Kukhona zonke izikhulu zikaHerode nezinduna zempi, kanye nezakhamuzi eziphambili zaseGalile. Njengoba ubusuku buqhubeka, uSalome, indodakazi encane kaHerodiya kumyeni wakhe wokuqala uFiliphu, uthunyelwa ukuba asinele izivakashi. Izibukeli zesilisa ziyayijabulela indlela asina ngayo.
UHerode ujabula kakhulu ngoSalome. “Cela kimi noma yini okuthandayo, ngizakukunika,” esho. Uyafunga nokufunga: “Noma yini ongakucela kimi ngizakukunika, nakuba kungaze kube-yingxenye yombuso wami.”
Ngaphambi kokuba aphendule, uSalome uyaphuma uyokhuluma nonina. “Ngizakucelani na?” ebuza.
Laze lafika ithuba ekugcineni! “Ikhanda likaJohane uMbhapathizi,” kuphendula uHerodiya ngokungangabazi.
Ngokushesha uSalome uphindela kuHerode futhi uyacela: “Ngithanda ukuba ungiphe khona-manje ngoqwembe ikhanda likaJohane uMbhapathizi.”
UHerode udabuka kakhulu. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi izivakashi zakhe zisizwile isifungo sakhe, unamahloni ukuba angavumi, ngisho nakuba lokhu kusho ukubulala indoda engenacala. Ngokushesha kuthunywa umbulali ejele neziyalezo zakhe ezithusayo. Ngokushesha ubuya nekhanda likaJohane oqwembeni, futhi ulinika uSalome. Yena uliyisa kunina. Lapho abafundi bakaJohane bezwa okwenzekile, bayafika basusa isidumbu sakhe futhi bayasingcwaba, bese bebika lendaba kuJesu.
Kamuva, lapho uHerode ezwa ngokuphulukisa kukaJesu abantu nokukhipha amademoni, uyathuka, esaba ukuthi empeleni uJesu unguJohane ovuswe kwabafileyo. Ngemva kwalokho, ufisa kakhulu ukubona uJesu, hhayi ukuba ezwe ukushumayela kwakhe, kodwa ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi ukwesaba kwakhe kunezisekelo noma cha. Mathewu 10:1-5; 11:1; 14:1-12; Marku 6:14-29; Luka 9:7-9.
▪ Kungani uJohane esejele, futhi kungani uHerode engafuni ukumbulala?
▪ UHerodiya uphumelela kanjani ekugcineni ukwenza ukuba uJohane abulawe?
▪ Ngemva kokufa kukaJohane, kungani uHerode efuna ukubona uJesu?