Ukuphila NeNkonzo KaJesu

Wangcwatshwa NgoLwesihlanu, Ithuna Elingenalutho NgeSonto

MANJE sekuntambama kakhulu ngoLwesihlanu, futhi iSabatha likaNisan 15 lizoqala ekushoneni kwelanga. Isidumbu sikaJesu silenga esigxotsheni, kodwa izelelesi ezimbili eziseceleni kwakhe zisaphila. ULwesihlanu ntambama lubizwa ngokuthi uSuku Lokulungisela ngoba yisikhathi abantu abalungiselela ngaso izidlo futhi baqede noma yimuphi omunye umsebenzi ocindezelayo ongenakulinda kuze kube ngemva kweSabatha.

ISabatha elizoqala ngokushesha alilona nje kuphela iSabatha (usuku lwesikhombisa lwesonto) elivamile kodwa futhi liyiSabatha elikabili, noma ‘elikhulu.’ Libizwa kanjalo ngoba uNisan 15, okuwusuku lokuqala loMkhosi wezinsuku eziyisikhombisa weZinkwa Ezingenamvubelo (futhi luhlala luyiSabatha, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lufika ngaluphi usuku lwesonto), uba ngosuku olufanayo nolweSabatha elivamile.

Ngokomthetho kaNkulunkulu, izidumbu akumelwe zishiywe zilenga esigxotsheni ebusuku. Ngakho amaJuda acela uPilatu ukuba ukufa kwalabo abagwetshiwe kusheshiswe ngokuphula imilenze yabo. Ngakho-ke, amasosha aphula imilenze yezelelesi ezimbili. Kodwa njengoba uJesu ebonakala efile, imilenze yakhe ayiphulwa. Lokhu kugcwalisa umbhalo othi: “Akuyikwaphulwa-thambo lakhe.”

Nokho, ukuze aqede noma yikuphi ukungabaza kokuthi uJesu ufe ngempela, elinye lamasosha limgwaza ohlangothini ngomkhonto. Umkhonto ufinyelela ngasenhliziyweni yakhe, futhi ngokushesha kuphuma igazi namanzi. Umphostoli uJohane, ongufakazi wokuzibonela, ubika ukuthi lokhu kugcwalisa omunye umbhalo othi: “Bayakumbheka abamgwazileyo.”

UJosefa wasemzini waseArimatheya, ilunga elidumile lomphakathi [iSanhedrin], naye ukhona ngalesikhathi sokubulala. Wenqaba ukuvumela isenzo esingalungile senkantolo ephakeme ngoJesu. UJosefa eqinisweni ungumfundi kaJesu, nakuba ebelokhu esaba ukuzichaza njengowuye. Nokho, manje uqunga isibindi futhi uya kuPilatu eyocela isidumbu sikaJesu. UPilatu uyala induna yekhulu ephethe, futhi ngemva kokuba lenduna iqinisekise ukuthi uJesu ufile, uPilatu uyala ukuba anikezwe isidumbu.

UJosefa uthatha isidumbu futhi usisonga ngendwangu enhle ehlanzekile elungiselela ukusingcwaba. Usizwa uNikodemu, elinye ilungu leSanhedrin. UNikodemu naye uye wehluleka ukuvuma ukukholelwa kwakhe kuJesu ngenxa yokwesaba ukulahlekelwa isikhundla sakhe. Kodwa manje uletha umfuma oqukethe amaphawondi ayikhulu ngokwesilinganiso samaRoma (amakhilogremu angu-33) enhlaka namakha abizayo. Isidumbu sikaJesu sisongwa ngezindwangu ezinalamakha, ngayo kanye indlela amaJuda anesiko alungiselela ngayo izidumbu ukungcwatshwa.

Khona-ke isidumbu sifakwa ethuneni elisha likaJosefa eliqoshwe edwaleni ensimini eseduze. Ekugcineni, kugingqwa itshe elikhulu livale ithuna. Ukuze kuqedwe ukungcwaba ngaphambi kweSabatha, ukulungiswa kwesidumbu kuyaphuthuma. Ngakho-ke, uMariya Magdalena noMariya unina kaJakobe Omncane, mhlawumbe abebekade besiza ekulungiseleleni, baphuthuma ekhaya beyolungisa amakha engeziwe namafutha anephunga elimnandi. Ngemva kweSabatha, bahlela ukuyosebenza isidumbu sikaJesu ngokuqhubekayo ukuze basilondoloze isikhathi esijana.

Ngosuku olulandelayo, oluwuMgqibelo (iSabatha), abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi baya kuPilatu futhi bathi: “Nkosi, sikhumbula ukuthi lowomkhohlisi esekhona wathi: Emva kwezinsuku ezintathu ngizakuvuka. Ngakho yala ukuba iliba ligcinwe kuze kube-lusuku lwesithathu ukuba abafundi bakhe bangaze bafike bamebe, bathi kubantu: Uvukile kwabafileyo; kuthi inkohliso yokugcina ibembi kuneyokuqala.”

“Nampa abalindi,” kuphendula uPilatu. “Hambani niligcine njengokubona kwenu.” Ngakho bayahamba futhi bagcina ithuna ngokubeka uphawu etsheni nangokubeka amasosha amaRoma njengabalindi.

Ekuseni kakhulu ngeSonto uMariya Magdalena, uMariya unina kaJakobe, kanye noSalome, uJowana, nabanye abesifazane, baletha amakha ethuneni ukuze basebenze isidumbu sikaJesu. Endleleni bathi komunye nomunye: “Ngubani oyakusigingqela itshe, lisuke emnyango wethuna na?” Kodwa lapho befika, bathola ukuthi kuye kwazamazama umhlaba futhi ingelosi kaJehova iligingqile itshe yalisusa. Abalindi abekho, futhi ithuna alinalutho! Mathewu 27:57–28:2; Marku 15:42–16:4; Luka 23:50–24:3, 10; Johane 19:31–20:1; 19:14; 12:42; Levitikusi 23:5-7; Duteronomi 21:22, 23; IHubo 34:20; Zakariya 12:10.

◆ Kungani uLwesihlanu lubizwa ngokuthi uSuku Lokulungisela, futhi liyini iSabatha ‘elikhulu’?

◆ Yimiphi imibhalo egcwalisekayo ngokuqondene nesidumbu sikaJesu?

◆ UJosefa noNikodemu benzani ngokungcwatshwa kukaJesu, futhi bahlobene kanjani noJesu?

◆ Yisiphi isicelo abapristi abasenzayo kuPilatu, futhi usabela kanjani?

◆ Kwenzekani ekuseni kakhulu ngeSonto?