Usuku Lokugcina Lokuphila KukaJesu Kobuntu

KungoLwesihlanu ngaphambi nje ko- kuba kuhlwe, ngo-Nisan 14, 33 C.E. Iqembu labesilisa nabesifazane selizongcwaba umngane walo othandekayo. Omunye kulabo besilisa, uNikodemu, ulethé iziqholo zokulungisa isidumbu silungiselelwa ukungcwatshwa. Indoda okuthiwa uJosefa iye yaletha ilineni elihlanzekile lokusonga isidumbu esinamanxeba nesishaywe kakhulu.

BANGOBANI laba bantu futhi bangcwaba bani? Ingabe konke lokhu kuyakuthinta? Ukuze siphendule le mibuzo, ake sihlehlele emuva ekuqaleni kwalolu suku olubalulekile.

NgoLwesine Kusihlwa, Ngo-Nisan 14

Inyanga ephelele ekhanya bhá, iya iphakama ngaphezu kweJerusalema. Lo muzi ominyene usuya ngokuya uzola ngemva kosuku olumatasa. Ngalokhu kuhlwa umoya ugcwele iphunga lenyama yemvu eyosiwayo. Yebo, izinkulungwane zabantu zilungiselela isenzakalo esikhethekile—ukugujwa kwePhasika kwaminyaka yonke.

Egunjini elikhulu lezivakashi, sithola uJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe abangu-12 besetafuleni elilungisiwe. Lalela! Kukhuluma uJesu. “Bengifisa kakhulu ukulidla nani leliphasika ngaphambi kokuba ngihlupheke,” esho. (Luka 22:15) UJesu uyazi ukuthi izitha zakhe zenkolo zihlose ukuba abulawe. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba lokho kwenzeke, kuzokwenzeka okuthile okubaluleke kakhulu ngalokhu kuhlwa.

Ngemva kokuba seligujiwe iPhasika, uJesu uthi: “Omunye kini uzongikhaphela.” (Mathewu 26:21) Lokhu kwenza abaphostoli babe lusizi. Kungaba ngubani? Ngemva kwengxoxo ethile, uJesu utshela uJuda Iskariyothe: “Lokho okwenzayo, kwenze masinyane kakhulu.” (Johane 13:27) UJuda uyimbuka, nakuba abanye bengaqaphele. Uyaphuma eyofeza indima yakhe eyenyanyekayo yokwakhela uJesu ugobe.

Ukugujwa Kwesenzakalo Esikhethekile

UJesu manje umisa umkhosi omusha ngokuphelele—oyoba isikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe. Ethatha isinkwa, uJesu uyathandaza, ebonga, abese esihlukanisa. Uyabayala: “Thathani, yidlani. Lokhu kusho umzimba wami ozonikelwa ngenxa yenu.” Lapho ngamunye wabo esesidlile isinkwa, uthatha indebe yewayini elibomvu abese elibusisa. UJesu uyabatshela: “Phuzani kuyo, nonke,” ube esechaza: “Lendebe isho isivumelwano esisha esenziwa ngegazi lami, elizothululwa ngenxa yenu.” Uyala abaphostoli abangu-11 abathembekile abasele: “Qhubekani nikwenza lokhu ningikhumbula.”—Mathewu 26:26-28; Luka 22:19, 20; 1 Korinte 11:24, 25.

Ngalokho kuhlwa, ngomusa uJesu ulungiselela abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile lokho okuzayo futhi ubaqinisekisa ngothando lwakhe olujulile ngabo. Uyachaza: “Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe. Ningabangane bami uma nenza lokho enginiyala ngakho.” (Johane 15:13-15) Yebo, abaphostoli abangu-11 baye babonisa ukuthi bangabangane beqiniso ngokuba noJesu phakathi nokulingwa kwakhe.

Ebusuku kakhulu—mhlawumbe ngemva kwelamabili—uJesu uthandaza umthandazo odumile, okuthi ngemva kwawo bahlabelele izingoma zokudumisa uJehova. Khona-ke, ngonyezi, bayaphuma emzini bawelele phesheya kweSigodi SaseKidroni.—Johane 17:1–18:1.

Ensimini YaseGetsemane

Ngemva kwesikhashana, uJesu nabaphostoli bafika ensimini yaseGetsemane. Eshiya abaphostoli abangu-8 esangweni lale nsimu, uJesu uthatha uPetru, uJakobe noJohane aqhubekele nabo phambili, bangene phakathi kwemithi yeminqumo. Uthi kulaba abathathu: “Umphefumulo wami ulusizi kakhulu, kuze kube sekufeni. Hlalani lapha nilinde.”—Marku 14:33, 34.

Laba baphostoli abathathu bayalinda njengoba uJesu engena phakathi ensimini eyothandaza. Ngokukhala okukhulu nangezinyembezi, uyanxusa: “Baba, uma uthanda, susa lendebe kimi.” Kunomthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu kakhulu osemahlombe kaJesu. Yeka ukuthi kumenza acindezeleke kanjani ukucabanga ngalokho izitha zikaJehova ezizokusho lapho iNdodana yaKhe ezelwe yodwa ibethelwa njengokungathi iyiselelesi! Okwakumenza lusizi nakakhulu uJesu kwakuwukucabanga ngesihlamba esasiyonqwatshelaniswa kuYise wasezulwini othandekayo uma ehluleka kulolu vivinyo olubuhlungu ngokwesabekayo. UJesu uthandaza ngobuqotho obukhulu futhi uba nomunyu kangangokuba umjuluko wakhe uba njengamathonsi egazi awela emhlabathini.—Luka 22:42, 44.

UJesu usanda kuqeda ukuthandaza okwesithathu. Manje kusondela amadoda aphethe izimbaqa nezibani. Ohamba phambili nguJuda Iskariyothe uqobo, uqonda ngqó kuJesu. “Sawubona, Rabi!” esho anga uJesu ngesisa esikhulu. “Juda,” kusabela uJesu, “ingabe ukhaphela iNdodana yomuntu ngokwanga?”—Mathewu 26:49; Luka 22:47, 48; Johane 18:3.

Ngokushesha, abaphostoli bayaqaphela ukuthi kwenzekani. INkosi yabo nomngane wabo omkhulu usezoboshwa! Ngakho uPetru uhosha inkemba agence indlebe yesigqila sompristi ophakeme. “Makugcine lapha,” kumemeza uJesu ngokushesha. Uya phambili, aphulukise leso sigqila abese eyala uPetru: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngoba bonke labo abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba.” (Luka 22:50, 51; Mathewu 26:52) Izikhulu namasosha babamba uJesu bambophe. Bengenwe ukwesaba futhi bedidekile, abaphostoli bayamshiya uJesu babaleke banyamalale ebumnyameni bobusuku.—Mathewu 26:56; Johane 18:12.

NgoLwesihlanu Ekuseni, Ngo-Nisan 14

Kusentathakusa ngoLwesihlanu, selidlulile impela kwelamabili. UJesu uqale ayiswe ekhaya lowayekade engumPristi Ophakeme u-Anase, osenethonya elikhulu namandla. U-Anase uyamphenya abese ethi akayiswe ekhaya lomPristi Ophakeme uKayafase lapho iSanhedrini ibuthene khona.

Abaholi benkolo manje bazama ukuthola ofakazi ukuze bakhe icala abangambeka lona uJesu. Nokho, ngisho nabo ngokwabo ofakazi bamanga abavumelani ngobufakazi ababunikezayo. Phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi, uJesu ulokhu ethule. Eza nelinye isu, uKayafase uyayala: “Ngikufungisa uNkulunkulu ophilayo ukuba usitshele ukuthi unguye yini uKristu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu!” Leli iqiniso elingenakuphikwa, ngakho uJesu uphendula ngesibindi: “Nginguye; futhi nina bantu nizobona iNdodana yomuntu ihlezi ngakwesokunene samandla futhi iza namafu ezulu.”—Mathewu 26:63; Marku 14:60-62.

“Uhlambalazile!” kumemeza uKayafase. “Isiphi esinye isidingo sofakazi esinaso?” Abanye manje bamukula uJesu futhi bayamkhafulela. Abanye bamshaya ngezibhakela futhi bamchapha ngamazwi ahlambalazayo. (Mathewu 26:65-68; Marku 14:63-65) Ngokushesha lapho sekusile ngoLwesihlanu, iSanhedrini iphinde iyahlangana, cishe ukuze yenze ukuqulwa kwecala okungemthetho kwasebusuku kubonakale kungokomthetho. UJesu uyaphinda ubonisa ngesibindi ukuthi unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.—Luka 22:66-71.

Ngemva kwalokho, abapristi abakhulu namadoda amadala bayisa uJesu kuPontiyu Pilatu, umbusi ongumRoma waseJudiya, ukuba ayoquliswa nguye. Babeka uJesu icala lokugwengula isizwe, ukwenqabela ukukhokhwa kwezintela kuKesari nelokuthi “[uthi] yena ngokwakhe unguKristu inkosi.” (Luka 23:2; qhathanisa noMarku 12:17.) Ngemva kokuphenya uJesu, uPilatu ukhipha isimemezelo: “Angitholi cala kulomuntu.” (Luka 23:4) Lapho uPilatu ezwa ukuthi uJesu ungowaseGalile, uthi akathunyelwe kuHerode Antipase, umbusi waseGalile, oseJerusalema ePhasikeni. Injongo kaHerode ayikona ukuba aqiniseke ukuthi kwenziwa ubulungisa. Umane nje ufuna ukubona uJesu enza isimangaliso. Njengoba uJesu enganelisi ukulangazela kwakhe futhi eqhubeka ethule, uHerode namasosha akhe benza inhlekisa ngaye bese bembuyisela kuPilatu.

UPilatu uyaphinda uyabuza: “Iyiphi into embi lomuntu ayenzile? Angitholanga lutho kuye olumenza afanelwe ukufa; ngakho-ke ngizomshaya futhi ngimkhulule.” (Luka 23:22) Ngakho uthi uJesu ashaywe ngesiswebhu esinemichilo eminingi eyayidabula kabuhlungu umhlane kaJesu. Amabutho abe esecindezela umqhele wameva ekhanda lakhe. Ayamklolodela, amshaye ngomhlanga oqinile, ecindezela kakhulu umqhele wameva ukuba ungene ujule esikhunjeni sekhanda lakhe. Kubo bonke lobu buhlungu obungachazeki nokuphathwa kabi, uJesu uyaqhubeka enesizotha namandla aphawulekayo.

UPilatu—mhlawumbe enethemba lokuthi isimo sikaJesu sangemva kokushaywa sasiyoshukumisa uzwela—uyaphinda umletha esixukwini. “Bhekani!” kumemeza uPilatu, “ngimkhiphela ngaphandle kini ukuze nazi ukuthi angitholi phutha kuye.” Kodwa abapristi abakhulu bayamemeza: “Mbethele! Mbethele!” (Johane 19:4-6) Njengoba isixuku siphikelela, uPilatu uyayeka ukumkhulumela abese enikezela uJesu ukuba abethelwe.

Ukufa Okubuhlungu

Manje kusemini yasekuseni, cishe sekuya emini bebade. UJesu uyiswa ngaphandle kweJerusalema endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi iGolgotha. Izandla nezinyawo zikaJesu zishayelelwa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa ngezipikili ezinkulu. Amazwi awanakubuchaza ubuhlungu abuzwayo njengoba isisindo somzimba wakhe sidabula amanxeba ezipikili lapho isigxobo sokuhlushwa siphakanyiswa. Kubuthana isixuku sizobona uJesu ebethelwa nezelelesi ezimbili. Abaningi bakhuluma ngokuchaphayo ngoJesu. Abapristi abakhulu nabanye bamhleka usulu, bethi: “Abanye wabasindisa; yena ngokwakhe akakwazi ukuzisindisa!” Ngisho namasosha nezelelesi ezimbili nabo bayamklolodela uJesu.—Mathewu 27:41-44.

Kungazelelwe emini bebade, ngemva kokuba uJesu ebé sesigxotsheni isikhashana, ubumnyama obukhulu baphezulu busibekela izwe amahora amathathu.a Mhlawumbe yilokhu okushukumisela omunye umenzi wokubi ukuba akhuze omunye. Khona-ke, ephendukela kuJesu, uyacela: “Ngikhumbule lapho ungena embusweni wakho.” Yeka ukholo olumangalisayo oluboniswa ngaphambi nje kokufa! UJesu uyaphendula: “Ngiqinisile ngiyakutshela namuhla, Uyoba nami ePharadesi.”—Luka 23:39-43.

Cishe ngehora lesithathu ntambama, uJesu uba nomuzwa wokuthi ukufa kwakhe sekuseduze. Uthi: “Ngomile.” Ngemva kwalokho, umemeza ngezwi elikhulu: “Nkulunkulu wami, Nkulunkulu wami, ungishiyeleni?” UJesu uyezwa ukuthi kusengathi uYise ususe isivikelo sakhe ukuze avumele ukuba ubuqotho bakhe buvivinywe kuze kube sekugcineni, futhi ucaphuna amazwi kaDavide. Othile ubeka isiponji esicwiliswe ewayinini elimuncu ezindebeni zikaJesu. Ngemva kokuphuza lelo wayini, uJesu uphefumulela phezulu, athi: “Kufeziwe!” Khona-ke uyakhamuluka ethi, “Baba, ezandleni zakho ngiyawubeka umoya wami,” akhothamise ikhanda lakhe, afe.—Johane 19:28-30; Mathewu 27:46; Luka 23:46; IHubo 22:1.

Njengoba sekuntambama kakhulu, kwenziwa amalungiselelo okungcwaba uJesu ngokushesha ngaphambi kokuba iSabatha (u-Nisan 15) liqale ekushoneni kwelanga. UJosefa wase-Arimatheya, ilungu elaziwayo leSanhedrini ebeliwumfundi wangasese kaJesu, uthola imvume yokumngcwaba. UNikodemu, naye oyilungu leSanhedrini eliye lavuma ngasese ukuthi linokholo kuJesu, usiza ngokuletha amakhilogremu angu-33 emure nenhlaba. Ngokucophelela, babeka isidumbu sikaJesu ethuneni lesikhumbuzo elisha eliseduze nalapho.

Uyaphila Futhi!

Kusemnyama ekuseni kakhulu ngeSonto lapho uMariya Magdalena nabanye besifazane besondela ethuneni likaJesu. Kodwa bheka! Itshe ebeliphambi kwethuna ligingqiwe lasuswa. Hawu, ithuna alinalutho! UMariya Magdalena uyaphuthuma eyotshela uPetru noJohane. (Johane 20:1, 2) Ngemva nje kokuhamba kwakhe, ingelosi ibonakala kulaba abanye besifazane. Ithi: “Ningesabi nina.” Futhi iyabanxusa: “Hambani masinyane nitshele abafundi bakhe ukuthi uvusiwe kwabafileyo.”—Mathewu 28:2-7.

Njengoba bephuthuma, bahlangana naye ngokwakhe uJesu! Uyabatshela: “Hambani, niyobikela abafowethu.” (Mathewu 28:8-10) Kamuva, uMariya Magdalena usethuneni uyakhala lapho uJesu ebonakala kuye. Uhluleka nokuzibamba ngenxa yenjabulo futhi uyahamba ngokushesha eyotshela abanye abafundi lezi zindaba ezinhle. (Johane 20:11-18) Eqinisweni, uJesu ovusiwe ubonakala izikhathi ezinhlanu kubafundi abahlukahlukene ngalolo suku lwangeSonto olungenakulitshalwa, ekwenza kungabi nakungabazeka ukuthi ngempela useyaphila futhi!

Indlela Othinteka Ngayo

Izenzakalo ezenzeka eminyakeni engu-1 966 edlule zingakuthinta kanjani wena osuseduze nokuqala kwekhulu lama-21 leminyaka? Owazibonela ngawakhe lezo zenzakalo uyachaza: “Ngalokhu uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwabonakaliswa ngokuqondene nathi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ezweni ukuze sizuze ukuphila ngayo. Uthando lukulesisici, akukhona ukuthi thina siye samthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuthi yena wasithanda futhi wathumela iNdodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo oyisihlawulelo wezono zethu.”—1 Johane 4:9, 10.

Ukufa kukaKristu ‘kuwumhlatshelo oyisihlawulelo’ ngayiphi indlela? Kuyisihlawulelo ngoba kwenza kube nokwenzeka ukuba nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu. Umuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu, wahlubuka kuNkulunkulu futhi ngalokho wadlulisela enzalweni yakhe ifa lesono nokufa. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe kwaba yisihlengo sokukhokha inani lesono nokufa kwesintu, ngaleyo ndlela enikeza isisekelo sokuba uNkulunkulu abonise isihe nomusa. (1 Thimothewu 2:5, 6) Ngokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu ohlawulela izono, ungakhululwa ekulahlweni oye wakuthola njengefa esonini esingu-Adamu. (Roma 5:12; 6:23) Lokhu kube sekukuvulela ithuba elimangalisayo lokuba ube nobuhlobo noYihlo wasezulwini onothando, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Kafushane nje, umhlatshelo ophakeme kaJesu ungasho ukuba ube nokuphila okungenakuphela.—Johane 3:16; 17:3.

Lokhu nokunye okuhlobene nakho kuzoxoxwa ngakho ngoLwesine kusihlwa, ngo-April 1, ezindaweni ezingamashumi ayizinkulungwane emhlabeni wonke lapho izigidi zabantu zizohlangana khona ukuze zigubhe ukufa kukaJesu Kristu. Uyamenywa ukuba ube khona. OFakazi BakaJehova endaweni yakini bazokujabulela ukukutshela ukuthi ungaya kuphi nokuthi ngasiphi isikhathi. Ukuba khona ngokungangabazeki kuzokwenza ukuba ukwazise ngokujulile lokho uNkulunkulu wethu onothando neNdodana yakhe ethandekayo abakwenza ngosuku lokugcina lokuphila kukaJesu kobuntu.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ishadi/Izithombe ekhasini 7]

UKUFA NOKUVUKA KUKAJESU

NGO-NISAN 33 C.E. IZENZAKALO UMUNTU OMKHULU KUNABO BONKEb

NgoMgqibelo UPilatu uyavuma ukuba kuqashwe ithuna likaJesu 127, izig. 8-9

[Umbhalo waphansi]