Uyafundisa Njengoba Esendleleni Eya EJerusalema

Sekuyisikhathi uJesu egxilise umsebenzi wakhe eGalile, lapho abantu bemlalela khona kangcono kunaseJudiya. Ngaphandle kwalokho, lapho eseJerusalema elapha indoda ngeSabatha, “amaJuda afuna nakakhulu ukumbulala.”—Johane 5:18; 7:1.

Manje sekusekwindla ka-32 C.E., uMkhosi WamaTabernakele (noma Wamadokodo) ususeduze. Lo mkhosi ugujwa izinsuku eziyisikhombisa bese ulandelwa umhlangano onesizotha ngosuku luka-8. Lo mkhosi uba sekupheleni konyaka wezolimo, futhi uba yisikhathi senjabulo enkulu nesokubonga uNkulunkulu.

Abafowabo bakaJesu—uJakobe, uSimoni, uJosefa noJuda—bayamkhuthaza bathi: “Suka lapha uye eJudiya.” IJerusalema liyindawo yokukhulekela yezwe lonke. Phakathi nemikhosi emithathu yaminyaka yonke, leli dolobha lisuke liphithizela. Abafowabo bakaJesu babonisana naye bathi: “Akekho owenza noma yini ekusithekeni kuyilapho efuna ukwaziwa obala. Uma wenza lezi zinto, ziveze ezweni.”—Johane 7:3, 4.

Eqinisweni, laba bafowabo abane ‘abanalo ukholo kuye’ lokuthi unguMesiya. Noma kunjalo, bafuna labo abasemkhosini bambone enza imisebenzi yamandla. Eqaphela ingozi, uJesu uthi kubo: “Izwe alinaso isizathu sokunizonda, kodwa mina liyangizonda, ngoba ngifakaza ngalo ukuthi imisebenzi yalo mibi. Hambani nina niye emkhosini; mina angiyi kulo mkhosi njengamanje, ngoba isikhathi sami asikafiki ngokugcwele.”—Johane 7:5-8.

Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngemva kokuba abafowabo bakaJesu behambe kanye nabantu abaningi abaya emkhosini, uJesu nabafundi bakhe bayalandela bengabonwa muntu. Bathatha indlela enqamulelayo edlula eSamariya, esikhundleni sendlela ejwayelekile edlula ngaseMfuleni iJordani. UJesu nabafundi bakhe bazodinga indawo yokulala eSamariya, ngakho uthumela izithunywa ukuba ziyolungisa indawo. Abantu kwenye indawo bayenqaba ukubamukela noma ukubangenisa ngoba uJesu uya eJerusalema emkhosini wamaJuda. UJakobe noJohane bayabuza bethukuthele bathi: “Nkosi, ingabe ufuna sibize umlilo wehle ezulwini ubaqothule?” (Luka 9:54) UJesu uyabakhuza ngalokho abakushoyo futhi bayaqhubeka nohambo lwabo.

Njengoba besendleleni umbhali othile uthi kuJesu: “Mfundisi, ngizokulandela nomaphi lapho uya khona.” UJesu uyaphendula: “Izimpungushe zinemigodi nezinyoni zezulu zinezidleke kodwa iNdodana yomuntu yona ayinandawo yokubeka ikhanda.” (Mathewu 8:19, 20) Uqonde ukuthi lo mbhali uzobhekana nobunzima uma eba umlandeli kaJesu. Kubonakala sengathi lo mbhali uzibona ephakeme kakhulu ukuba angamukela le ndlela yokuphila. Ngakho ngamunye wethu angazibuza, ‘Ngizimisele kangakanani ukulandela uJesu?’

UJesu uthi kwenye indoda: “Yiba umlandeli wami.” Le ndoda iyaphendula: “Nkosi, ngivumele ngihambe ngiyongcwaba ubaba kuqala.” Ezazi izimo zale ndoda, uJesu uthi: “Yeka abafile bangcwabe abafile babo, kodwa wena hamba umemezele kabanzi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 9:59, 60) Ngokusobala uyise wayengakafi. Ukube wayeshonile, mancane amathuba okuthi indodana yakhe yayingaba lapho ikhulume noJesu. Le ndodana ayikulungele ukubeka uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwayo.

Njengoba behla ngendlela beya eJerusalema, enye indoda ithi kuJesu: “Ngizokulandela, Nkosi, kodwa ngivumele kuqala ngiyovalelisa emndenini wami.” UJesu uyayiphendula: “Akukho muntu othi esebeke isandla sakhe egejeni abuye abheke izinto ezingemuva owufanelekela kahle uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.”—Luka 9:61, 62.

Labo abafuna ukuba abalandeli bakaJesu bangempela, kumelwe bagxilise amehlo abo emsebenzini woMbuso. Uma umuntu obambe igeja engabheki phambili, cishe umsele uyogwegwa. Uma ebeka igeja phansi ukuze abheke okungemuva, umsebenzi ensimini uzophazamiseka. Ngokufanayo, noma ubani obheka emuva kuleli zwe elidala angase akhubeke aphume endleleni eholela ekuphileni okuphakade.