Wayengumanduleli KaMesiya

IBHANDE elikhulu lesikhumba laligqamisa umbala wesikhumba sakhe esishiswe ilanga. Egqoke ingubo eyenziwe ngoboya bekamela, ngempela wayebukeka njengomprofethi. Iningi ladonsekela kuye emfuleni iJordani. Lomuntu okhangayo wamemezela ngesibindi lapho ukuthi wayekulungele ukubhapathiza izoni eziphendukayo.

Abantu bamangala! Wayengubani lomuntu? Yayiyini injongo yakhe?

UJesu Kristu wathi ngalomuntu: “Naphumelani ngempela? Ukuyobona umprofethi? Yebo, ngiyanitshela, futhi okungaphezulu kakhulu kunomprofethi. . . . Phakathi kwalabo abazelwe abesifazane akuzange kuvezwe omkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi.” (Mathewu 11:9-11) Kungani uJohane ayengumuntu ohluke ngaleyondlela? Ngenxa yokuthi wayengumanduleli kaMesiya.

Ukuthunywa Kwakhe Kwabikezelwa

Eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-700 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJohane, uJehova wamemezela ukuthi lona wayeyomemeza esehlane: ‘Lungisani indlela kaJehova, nihlelembe oqwathuleni umgwaqo kaNkulunkulu wethu.’ (Isaya 40:3; Mathewu 3:3) Eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-400 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJohane, uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke wamemezela: “Bhekani, ngiyakuthuma kini uEliya umprofethi, lungakafiki usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo.” (Malaki 4:5) Ukuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi wazalwa ezinyangeni ezicishe zibe yisithupha ngaphambi kukaJesu kwakungeyona nje ingozi, futhi lokhu akuzange nje kwenzeke ngezinqubo ezingokwemvelo. Njengokuzalwa kwengane ethenjisiwe u-Isaka, ukuzalwa kukaJohane kwakuyisimangaliso, ngenxa yokuthi bobabili abazali bakhe, uZakariya no-Elisabethe, base bedlulile eminyakeni evamile yokuba nezingane.—Luka 1:18.

Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uJohane abe sesizalweni sikanina, ukuthunywa kwakhe, umsebenzi, nendlela yokuphila kwembulwa ingelosi uGabriyeli. Enentshiseko nomoya ka-Eliya, uJohane wayezonqanda abangalaleli endleleni yokufa futhi abalungiselele ukuba bamukele uJesu njengoMesiya. Kusukela ezalwa, uJohane wayezoba umNaziri, ozinikele ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu, futhi kwakungamelwe athinte iwayini noma uphuzo olunamandla. Empeleni, ukudla kwakhe ehlane kwakuhlanganisa “izinkumbi noju lwasendle.” (Marku 1:6; Numeri 6:2, 3; Luka 1:13-17) NjengoSamuweli, kusukela eyingane uJohane wahlukaniselwa inkonzo engcwele kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke.—1 Samuweli 1:11, 24-28.

Ngisho negama elithi Johane lakhethwa uNkulunkulu. Igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwa ngokuthi “Johane” lisho ukuthi “UJehova Ubonise Umusa; UJehova Uye Waba Nomusa.”

Lapho lengane isokwa ngosuku lwesi-8, uyise, uZakariya, waphefumulelwa ngokwaphezulu ukuba amemezele: “Wena, mntwana omncane, uyobizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke, ngoba uyohamba phambili phambi kukaJehova ukuba ulungise izindlela zakhe, ukuze unike ulwazi lwensindiso kubantu bakhe ngokuthethelelwa kwezono zabo, ngenxa yobubele besisa bukaNkulunkulu wethu. Ngalobububele siyohanjelwa ukuntwela kokusa kuvela phezulu.” (Luka 1:76-78) Inkonzo kaJohane yasobala yayizoba ebaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Uma ziqhathaniswa nayo, zonke ezinye izinto zazingabalulekile. Ngenxa yalokho, imiBhalo ihlanganisa iminyaka yokuqala engu-30 yokuphila kukaJohane evesini elilodwa: “Umntwana omncane waqhubeka ekhula futhi eqina emoyeni, futhi waqhubeka esezingwadule kwaze kwaba usuku lokuziveza kwakhe obala ku-Israyeli.”—Luka 1:80.

Izwi Ehlane

Ngonyaka we-15 wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Kesari, lapho uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi waseJudiya, uJohane uMbhapathizi wabonakala ehlane nalesisigijimi esimangalisayo: “Phendukani, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.” (Mathewu 3:2; Marku 1:4; Luka 3:1, 2) Abantu baso sonke lesisifunda baphaphanyiswa. Lokhukumemezela ngesibindi kwazithinta izinhliziyo zabantu abalangazelela ithemba eliqinisekile. Isimemezelo sikaJohane sabuye savivinya ukuthobeka komuntu ngoba sasibizela ukuphenduka okusuka enhliziyweni. Ubuqotho nokuqiniseka kwakhe kwashukumisela uquqaba lwabantu abathembekile nabaqotho ekubeni lumbheke njengomuntu owayethunywe uNkulunkulu.

Udumo lukaJohane lwasakazeka njengokuntwela kokusa. Njengomprofethi kaJehova, wayebonakala kalula ngokugqoka nokuzinikela kwakhe. (Marku 1:6) Ngisho nabapristi namaLevi bathatha uhambo olusuka eJerusalema ukuze bathole ukuthi yini eyayibangela sonke lesisithakazelo. Ukuphenduka? Ngani, futhi kuphi? Wayengubani lomuntu? Babefuna ukwazi. UJohane wachaza: “‘Angiyena uKristu.’ Futhi bambuza: ‘Khona-ke, ungubani? Ingabe ungu-Eliya?’ Futhi wathi: ‘Angiyena.’ ‘Ingabe unguye umProfethi?’ Waphendula futhi wathi: ‘Cha!’ Ngakho-ke bathi kuye: ‘Ungubani? ukuze sibanike impendulo labo abasithumile. Uthini ngawe ngokwakho?’ Wathi: ‘Mina ngiyizwi lothile okhamuluka ehlane ethi, “Yenzani indlela kaJehova iqonde,” njengoba nje umprofethi u-Isaya asho.’ Manje labo abathunyiwe babevela kubaFarisi. Ngakho bambuza bathi kuye: ‘Khona-ke, kungani ubhapathiza uma wena ungeyena uKristu noma u-Eliya noma umProfethi?’”—Johane 1:20-25.

Ukuphenduka nokubhapathizwa kwakuyizinyathelo ezidingekile kulabo ababezongena eMbusweni. Ngakho-ke, uJohane waphendula: ‘Ngibhapathiza izoni eziphendukayo ngamanzi, kodwa emva kwami lowo onamandla kunami uzonibhapathiza ngomoya ongcwele nangomlilo. Phela, angikufanelekele ngisho nokuthukulula izimbadada zakhe. Futhi qaphelani! Uphethe ifosholo lokwela esandleni sakhe futhi uyobuthela ukolweni enqolobaneni yakhe kodwa amakhoba uyowashisa futhi awabhubhise ngomlilo.’ (Luka 3:15-17; IzEnzo 1:5) Ngempela, umoya ongcwele wawuzothululelwa kubalandeli bakaMesiya, kodwa izitha zakhe zaziyohlangabezana nomlilo wembubhiso.

“Abantu Bazo Zonke Izinhlobo” Bayaxwayiswa

AmaJuda amaningi anhliziyo-ziqotho ashukunyiswa ngokujulile amazwi kaJohane futhi avuma obala izono zawo zokungathembeki esivumelwaneni soMthetho. Akubonakalisa phambi kweningi ukuphenduka kwawo ngokuvumela uJohane ukuba awabhapathize eMfuleni iJordani. (Mathewu 3:5, 6) Ngenxa yalokho, izinhliziyo zawo zazisesimweni esifanele sokwamukela uMesiya. Eqeda ukomela kwawo ulwazi lwezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga, uJohane wawayala ngenjabulo njengabafundi bakhe, ewafundisa ngisho nendlela yokuthandaza.—Luka 11:1.

Ngokuphathelene nalomanduleli kaMesiya, umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Lomuntu weza ngenjongo yobufakazi, ukuze afakaze ngokukhanya, ukuze abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo bakholwe ngaye.” (Johane 1:7) Ngakho abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo beza ukuze bezwe uJohane uMbhapathizi njengoba ‘ayeshumayela obala kubo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli ngobhapathizo njengesibonakaliso sokuphenduka.’ (IzEnzo 13:24) Waxwayisa abathelisi ukuba bagweme ukuphendukela ekuphangeni. Waxwayisa amasosha ukuba agweme ukuhlukumeza noma ubani noma ukwenza ukumangalela kwamanga. Futhi watshela abaFarisi nabaSadusi abayizimbulu nabangabazenzisi: “Nina nzalo yezinyoka ezinesihlungu, ubani onazisé ukuba nibalekele ulaka oluzayo? Ngakho-ke thelani izithelo ezifanela ukuphenduka; futhi ningagabadeli nizitshele ukuthi, ‘Ubaba wethu u-Abrahama.’ Ngoba ngithi kini uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuvezela u-Abrahama abantwana kulamatshe.”—Mathewu 3:7-9; Luka 3:7-14.

Njengesigaba, abaholi benkolo bosuku lukaJohane benqaba ukumkholelwa futhi bammangalela ngamanga ngokuthi unedemoni. Benqaba indlela yokulunga eholela ekuphileni okuphakade. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abathelisi nezifebe ezinesono ababukholelwa ubufakazi bukaJohane baphenduka futhi babhapathizwa. Ngesikhathi esifanele bamamukela uJesu Kristu njengoMesiya.—Mathewu 21:25-32; Luka 7:31-33.

UMesiya Uyethulwa

Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha—ukusuka entwasahlobo kuya ekupheleni kuka-29 C.E.—ufakazi othembekile kaNkulunkulu uJohane waqondisa ukunakekela kwamaJuda kuMesiya owayeza. Kwakuyisikhathi sokuba iNkosi enguMesiya ibonakale. Kodwa lapho ibonakala, yehlela kuwo kanye lawomanzi aseJordani futhi yacela ukubhapathizwa. Ekuqaleni uJohane wenqaba, kodwa kamuva wavuma. Cabanga ngenjabulo aba nayo lapho umoya ongcwele wehlela phezu kukaJesu futhi kuzwakala izwi likaJehova lizwakalisa ukwamukela iNdodana yaKhe.—Mathewu 3:13-17; Marku 1:9-11.

UJohane waba ngowokuqala ukuphawula ukuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya, futhi wethula abafundi bakhe kuloMuntu Ogcotshiwe. “Bhekani,” kusho uJohane, “iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa isono sezwe!” Wabuye wamemezela: “Lona nguye engasho ngaye ukuthi, Emva kwami kuza umuntu oye wadlulela phambi kwami, ngoba waba khona ngaphambi kwami. Ngisho nami bengingamazi, kodwa isizathu sokuba ngize ngibhapathize emanzini sasiwukuba abonakaliswe ku-Israyeli.”—Johane 1:29-37.

Umsebenzi kaJohane waqhubeka ngesikhathi esifanayo naleso uJesu ayenza ngaso inkonzo yakhe cishe izinyanga eziyisithupha. Ngamunye wabo wayewuqonda umsebenzi owawenziwa ngomunye. UJohane wayezibheka njengomngane woMyeni futhi wakujabulela ukubona uKristu anda kuyilapho yena nomsebenzi wakhe ayencipha.—Johane 3:22-30.

UJesu wachaza uJohane njengomanduleli wakhe, owafanekiselwa u-Eliya. (Mathewu 11:12-15; 17:12) Ngesinye isikhathi, uJesu wathi: “UMthetho nabaProfethi kwakukhona kwaze kwaba kuJohane. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke umbuso kaNkulunkulu umenyezelwa njengezindaba ezinhle, futhi yonke inhlobo yabantu iphikelela phambili kuwo.”—Luka 16:16.

Wathembeka Kwaze Kwaba Sekupheleni

UJohane waboshwa futhi wagqunywa ejele ngenxa yokuthi wamemezela iqiniso ngesibindi. Akazange awugweme umthwalo wakhe wemfanelo wokudalula ngisho nesono seNkosi uHerode. Iphula umthetho kaNkulunkulu, leyonkosi yayiphinga nomkamfowabo, uHerodiya. UJohane wakhuluma ngesibindi ukuze lendoda iphenduke futhi ithole isihe sikaNkulunkulu.

Yeka isibonelo sokholo nothando uJohane ayeyiso! Edela inkululeko yakhe siqu, wabonakalisa ukwethembeka kwakhe kuJehova uNkulunkulu nothando lwakhe ngabantu ayephila nabo. Ngemva kokugqunywa ejele isikhathi esingangonyaka, uJohane wanqunywa ikhanda ngenxa yecebo eliphefumulelwe uDeveli elalishoshozelwa uHerodiya omubi, ‘owayembambele igqubu.’ (Marku 6:16-19; Mathewu 14:3-12) Kodwa umanduleli kaMesiya walondoloza ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova futhi ngokushesha uzovuswa kwabafile ukuze ajabulele ukuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga.—Johane 5:28, 29; 2 Petru 3:13.