Ufundisa UNikhodemu Ebusuku

Lapho eseJerusalema ngePhasika lika-30 C.E., uJesu wenza izibonakaliso ezinkulu noma izimangaliso. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu abaningi baba nokholo kuye. UNikhodemu, ongumFarisi nelungu lenkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda ebizwa ngokuthi yiSanhedrini, uyathinteka lapho ebona lokhu. Efuna ukwazi okwengeziwe, uya kuJesu lapho sekuhwalele, mhlawumbe ngoba esaba ukuthi uma engabonakala, abanye abaholi abangamaJuda ngeke besamhlonipha.

UNikhodemu uthi, “Rabi, siyazi ukuthi ungumfundisi ovela kuNkulunkulu, ngoba akekho ongenza lezi zibonakaliso ozenzayo ngaphandle kokuba uNkulunkulu enaye.” Ephendula, uJesu utshela uNikhodemu ukuthi ukuze umuntu angene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu kumelwe “aphinde azalwe.”—Johane 3:2, 3.

Kodwa kungenzeka kanjani ukuba umuntu aphinde azalwe? UNikhodemu uyabuza: “Akakwazi ukungena esibelethweni sikanina okwesibili futhi azalwe, akunjalo?”—Johane 3:4.

Cha, ukuphinde uzalwe akusho lokho. UJesu uyachaza: “Ngaphandle kokuba umuntu azalwe ngamanzi nomoya, akakwazi ukungena eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 3:5) UJesu wazalwa “ngamanzi nomoya” ngesikhathi ebhapathizwa futhi umoya ongcwele wehlela phezu kwakhe. Ngaleso sikhathi kwezwakala izwi elivela ezulwini lithi: “Lo yiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engiyamukele.” (Mathewu 3:16, 17) Ngale ndlela, uNkulunkulu wayememezela ukuthi uJesu useyindodana yakhe ezophila ezulwini njengesidalwa somoya, futhi enethemba lokungena eMbusweni wasezulwini. Kamuva ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., umoya ongcwele wawuzothululelwa nakwabanye ababhapathiziwe, ngakho babeyophinde bazalwe babe amadodana kaNkulunkulu azelwe ngomoya.—IzEnzo 2:1-4.

Kunzima ukuba uNikhodemu akuqonde lokho uJesu amfundisa kona ngoMbuso. Ngakho uJesu umtshela okwengeziwe mayelana nendima yakhe ekhethekile njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu engumuntu. UJesu uthi: “Njengoba nje uMose aphakamisa inyoka ehlane, kanjalo iNdodana yomuntu kumelwe iphakanyiswe, ukuze wonke umuntu okholwa yiyo abe nokuphila okuphakade.”—Johane 3:14, 15.

Esikhathini eside esidlule, ama-Israyeli ayelunywe yizinyoka ezinobuthi, kwakudingeka abuke inyoka yethusi ukuze asinde. (Numeri 21:9) Ngokufanayo, bonke abantu kudingeka babonise ukholo eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu ukuze bakhululwe esonweni nasekufeni futhi bathole ukuphila okuphakade. Ukuze aqokomise uthando lukaJehova kule ndaba, uJesu ube esetshela uNikhodemu: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa athole ukuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Ngaleyo ndlela, njengoba elapha eJerusalema ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha eqale inkonzo yakhe, uJesu ukwenza kucace ukuthi nguye oyindlela yokuba abantu basindiswe.

UJesu ube esetshela uNikhodemu: “UNkulunkulu akayithumelanga iNdodana yakhe ezweni ukuba yahlulele izwe.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi wayengathunyelwe ukuba akhiphe isahlulelo esibuhlungu, sokuthi bonke abantu kufanele babhujiswe. Kunalokho, njengoba uJesu esho, wayethunyelwe ‘ukuba izwe lisindiswe ngaye.’—Johane 3:17.

Ngenxa yokwesaba, uNikhodemu uze kuJesu sekuhwalele. Ngakho, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi uJesu uphetha ingxoxo yakhe noNikhodemu ngala mazwi: “Manje yilesi isisekelo sokwahlulela: ukuthi ukukhanya [okunguJesu, ngokuphila kwakhe nangezimfundiso zakhe] kufikile ezweni, kodwa abantu baye bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngoba imisebenzi yabo ibimibi. Noma ubani owenza izinto ezimbi uyakuzonda ukukhanya futhi akezi ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ingadalulwa. Kodwa noma ubani owenza okulungile uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakaliswe njengeyenziwe ngokuvumelana noNkulunkulu.”—Johane 3:19-21.

Manje sekusemahlombe kaNikhodemu, ongumFarisi nomfundisi kwa-Israyeli, ukuba acabange ngalokho asanda kukuzwa mayelana nendima kaJesu enjongweni kaNkulunkulu.