Ukuphila NeNkonzo KaJesu
UJohane Uyancipha, UJesu Uyakhula
NGEMVA kwePhasika entwasahlobo ka-30 C.E., uJesu nabafundi bakhe bayasuka eJerusalema. Nokho, ababuyeli emakhaya abo eGalile kodwa baya ezweni laseJudiya lapho beyobhapathiza khona. UJohane uMbhapathizi ubekade enza umsebenzi ofanayo isikhathi esingangonyaka manje, futhi usenabo abafundi abazihlanganisa naye.
Eqinisweni, uJesu akabhapathizi yena ngokwakhe, kodwa abafundi bakhe abakwenzayo ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwakhe. Ukubhapathiza kwabo kunokubaluleka okufanayo nalokho okwenziwa uJohane, kuyisibonakaliso sokuphenduka kwamaJuda ekoneni kwawo isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu soMthetho. Nokho, ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uJesu utshela abafundi bakhe ukuba benze ukubhapathiza okunokubaluleka okuhlukile. Ubhapathizo lobuKristu luyisibonakaliso sokuzinikezela komuntu ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu.
Nokho, kuleliqophelo lokuqala lenkonzo kaJesu, bobabili uJohane naye, nakuba besebenza ngokwahlukana, bafundisa futhi babhapathiza abaphendukile. Kodwa abafundi bakaJohane baba nomona futhi bakhononda kuye ngoJesu: “Rabi, . . . bheka, uyabhapathiza, bonke beza kuye.”
Kunokuba abe nomona, uJohane uyakujabulela ukuphumelela kukaJesu futhi ufuna nabafundi bakhe bajabule. Uyabakhumbuza: “Nina ngokwenu niyangifakazela ukuba ngathi: Angisiye uKristu mina, kodwa ngithunyiwe ngaphambi kwakhe.“ Khona-ke usebenzisa umfanekiso omuhle: “Onomlobokazi ungumyeni, kepha umhlobo woMyeni omiyo emuzwa uthokoza nokuthokoza ngezwi lomyeni. Lentokozo yami isiphelele.”
UJohane, njengomngane womyeni, wajabula ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngaphambili lapho ethula abafundi bakhe kuJesu. Futhi abathile kubo balindeleka ukuba babe amalungu esigaba somlobokazi ongokwasezulwini kaKristu esasiyokwenziwa amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. UJohane ufuna abafundi bakhe anabo manje ukuba nabo balandele uJesu, njengoba injongo yakhe iwukulungiselela indlela ukuze inkonzo kaKristu iphumelele. Njengoba uJohane echaza: “Umelwe ukukhula yena, nginciphe mina.”
Esikhathini esingeside ngemva kwalokhu, uJohane uboshwa inkosi uHerode. UHerode wayethathe uHerodiya, umkaFiliphu umfowabo, njengowakhe, futhi lapho uJohane ezembula obala izenzo zakhe njengezingalungile, uHerode wamfaka etilongweni. Lapho uJesu ezwa ngokuboshwa kukaJohane, uyasuka eJudiya nabafundi bakhe uya eGalile. Johane 3:22–4:3; IzEnzo 19:4; Mathewu 28:19; 2 Korinte 11:2; Marku 1:14; 6:17-20.
◆ Lusho ukuthini ubhapathizo olwenziwa ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaJesu ngaphambi kokuvuswa kwakhe? Nangemva kokuvuswa kwakhe?
◆ UJohane ubonisa kanjani ukuthi ukukhononda kwabafundi bakhe akudingekile?
◆ UJohane ufakelwani etilongweni?