Isahluko 117

Usizi Ensimini

LAPHO uJesu eqeda ukuthandaza, yena nabaphostoli bakhe abathembekile abangu-11 bahlabelela izingoma zokudumisa uJehova. Khona-ke bayehla ekamelweni eliphezulu, baphumele ebumnyameni obubandayo bobusuku, babuyele ngaphesheya koMfudlana iKedroni ngaseBethaniya. Kodwa endleleni, bama endaweni abayithandayo, insimu yaseGetsemane. Lensimu iseNtabeni yemiNqumo noma eduze kwayo. UJesu uvame ukuhlangana nabaphostoli bakhe lapha phakathi kwemithi yeminqumo.

Eshiya abayisishiyagalombili babaphostoli—mhlawumbe ngasekungeneni kwensimu—uyabayala: “Hlalani lapha, ngisaya kukhuleka laphaya.” Khona-ke uthatha abanye abathathu—uPetru, uJakobe, noJohane—aqhubekele phambidlana ensimini. UJesu uba lusizi futhi ukhathazeka kakhulu. “Umphefumulo wami ulusizi kakhulu kuze kube-sekufeni,” ebatshela. “Hlalani lapha, nilinde kanye nami.”

Eqhubeka kancane, uJesu uwela phansi futhi ebhekisé ubuso bakhe phansi uqala ukuthandaza ngobuqotho: “Baba, uma kungenzeka, akudlule kimi lesisitsha; nokho kungabi-njengokuba ngithanda mina, kodwa njengokuba uthanda wena.” Usho ukuthini? Kungani ‘elusizi, kuze kube sekufeni?’ Ingabe uyahoxa esinqumweni sakhe sokufa abe isihlengo?

Lutho neze! UJesu akaceli ukuba asindiswe ekufeni. Ngisho nomcabango wokugwema ukufa okuwumhlatshelo, owake wasikiselwa uPetru, awamukeleki kuyena. Kunalokho, ulusizi ngoba wesaba ukuthi indlela azofa ngayo ngokushesha—njengesigebengu esidelelekile—izoletha isihlamba egameni likaYise. Manje uyezwa ukuthi emahoreni ambalwa uzobethelwa esigxotsheni njengohlobo lomuntu olubi kunabo bonke—umhlambalazi kaNkulunkulu! Yikho lokhu okumkhathaza kakhulu.

Ngemva kokuthandaza isikhathi eside, uJesu uphindela kubaphostoli abathathu abafica belele. Ebhekisela kuPetru, uthi: “Beningelinde nami ihora libe-linye na? Lindani, nikhuleke ukuba ningangeni ekulingweni.” Nokho, ebona ubunzima abebengaphansi kwabo nokuthi kusebusuku kakhulu, uthi: “Umoya uyavuma, kepha inyama ibuthakathaka.”

Khona-ke uJesu uyahamba okwesibili futhi ucela ukuba uNkulunkulu asuse kuye “lesisitsha,” okungukuthi, ingxenye ayabelwe uJehova, noma intando yakhe ngaye. Uma ebuya, uphinda ufumana laba abathathu belele kuyilapho bekufanele ngabe bathandazela ukuba bangangeni ekulingweni. Lapho uJesu ekhuluma nabo, abazi ukuthi baphendule bathini.

Ekugcineni, okwesithathu, uJesu uya buqamamana, futhi eguqe ngamadolo nangokudazuluka okukhulu nezinyembezi, uyathandaza: “Baba, uma uthanda, susa lesisitsha kimi.” UJesu ngempela uzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu ngenxa yesihlamba ukufa kwakhe njengesigebengu okuzosiletha egameni likaYise. Phela, ukumangalelwa njengohlambalazayo—othuka uNkulunkulu—cishe akubekezeleleki!

Noma kunjalo, uJesu uyaqhubeka ethandaza: “Makungenziwa intando yami kodwa eyakho.” Ngokulalela uJesu uzithoba entandweni kaNkulunkulu. Kulokhu, kuqhamuka ingelosi ivela ezulwini imqinise ngamazwi akhuthazayo. Cishe, lengelosi itshela uJesu ukuthi uYise uyathokoza ngaye.

Nokho, yeka ubunzima obusemahlombe kaJesu! Ukuphila kwakhe okuphakade nokwalo lonke uhlanga lwesintu kusengozini. Ubunzima obungokomzwelo bukhulu kakhulu. Ngakho uJesu uyaqhubeka ethandaza ngobuqotho ngokwengeziwe, izithukuthuku zakhe zize ziba njengamathonsi egazi njengoba econsela emhlabathini. “Nakuba lokhu kungavamile,” kuphawula i Journal of the American Medical Association, “izithukuthuku eziyigazi . . . zingase zivele ezimweni ezinzima kakhulu ngokomzwelo.”

Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu ubuyela kubaphostoli bakhe ngokwesithathu, abafumane futhi belele. Bakhathele ngenxa yokudabuka ngobuqotho. “Nisalele namanje niphumula,” ebabaza. “Kwanele, ihora lifikile; bhekani, iNdodana yomuntu isiyakhashelwa ezandleni zezoni. Sukumani sihambe. Bhekani, ongikhaphelayo usesondele.”

Esakhuluma, uJuda Iskariyothe uyasondela, enesixuku esikhulu siphethe izihlanti nezibani nezikhali. Mathewu 26:30, 36-47; 16:21-23; Marku 14:26, 32-43; Luka 22:39-47; Johane 18:1-3; Heberu 5:7.

▪ Ngemva kokuphuma ekamelweni elingenhla, uJesu ubaholelaphi abaphostoli, futhi wenzani lapho?

▪ Lapho uJesu esathandaza, abaphostoli benzani?

▪ Kungani uJesu esosizini, futhi yisiphi isicelo asenzayo kuNkulunkulu?

▪ Yini eboniswa ukuba kwezithukuthuku zikaJesu njengamathonsi egazi?

Isahluko 118

Ukukhashelwa Nokuboshwa

SEKUNGEMVA kwaphakathi kwamabili njengoba uJuda eholela isixuku esikhulu samasosha, abapristi abakhulu, abaFarisi, nabanye ensimini yaseGetsemane. Abapristi bavumile ukukhokhela uJuda izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-30 ukuze akhaphele uJesu.

Ngaphambidlana, lapho uJuda exoshwa esidlweni sePhasika, ngokusobala uye waqonda ngqo kubapristi abakhulu. Laba ngokushesha bahlanganisa abaphathi babo, kanye neviyo lamasosha. Mhlawumbe uJuda uye wabaholela lapho uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe bebegubhela khona iPhasika. Lapho sithola ukuthi sebehambile, isixuku esikhulu esiphethe izikhali futhi esithwele izibani nezihlanti silandelé uJuda saphuma eJerusalema saya ngaphesheya koMfudlana iKedroni.

Njengoba uJuda ehola udwendwe bekhuphukela eNtabeni yemiNqumo, uzizwa eqiniseka ukuthi uyazi ukuthi bazomtholaphi uJesu. Esontweni elidlule, njengoba uJesu nabaphostoli babehla benyuka phakathi kweBethaniya neJerusalema, ngokuvamile babema ensimini yaseGetsemane ukuze baphumule futhi baxoxe. Kodwa, manje, njengoba ngokunokwenzeka uJesu engabonakali ebumnyameni phansi kwemithi yeminqumo, amasosha azombona kanjani? Kungenzeka awakaze ambone ngaphambili. Ngakho-ke uJuda unikeza isibonakaliso, ethi: “Lowo engiyakumanga nguye; mbambeni yena.”

UJuda uholela isixuku esikhulu ensimini, ubona uJesu enabaphostoli bakhe, abese eqonda kuye. “E Rabi! ” esho abese emanga ngomusa omkhulu.

“Mngane, ubabeleni na?” kubuza uJesu. Khona-ke, eziphendula, uthi: “Juda, uyayikhaphela iNdodana yomuntu ngokuyanga na?” Kepha akasafuni ukukhuluma nomkhapheli wakhe! UJesu uphumela ekukhanyeni kwezihlanti ezivuthayo nezibani abese ebuza: “Nifuna ubani na?”

“UJesu waseNazaretha,” bephendula.

“Yimina,” kuphendula uJesu, njengoba ema phambi kwabo bonke ngesibindi. Bemangaliswa isibindi sakhe futhi bengazi ukuthi kuzolandelani, labantu bayahlehla futhi bawela phansi.

“Nginitshelile ukuthi yimina,” uJesu uyaqhubeka ngomoya ophansi. “Uma-ke nifuna mina, bayekeni laba, bahambe.” Ngaphambidlana besekamelweni eliphezulu, uJesu uye watshela uYise emthandazweni ukuthi uye wabagcina abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile akwalahleka ngisho noyedwa ‘ngaphandle kwendodana yokulahlwa.’ Ngakho, ukuze akushilo kugcwaliseke, ucela ukuba abafundi bakhe bavunyelwe bahambe.

Njengoba amasosha ephinda ethola isibindi, ayasukuma, aqale ukubopha uJesu, abaphostoli bayaqaphela ukuthi sekuzokwenzekani. “Nkosi, sigadle ngenkemba na?” bebuza. Ngaphambi kokuba uJesu aphendule, uPetru, esebenzisa enye yezinkemba ezimbili abaphostoli abebeze nazo, uhlasela uMalkusi, inceku yompristi omkhulu. Igalelo likaPetru liyaligeja ikhanda lenceku kodwa linquma indlebe yayo yesokudla.

“Musani; sekwanele,” kusho uJesu elamula. Ethinta indlebe kaMalkusi, upholisa inxeba. Khona-ke ufundisa isifundo esibalulekile, eyala uPetru: “Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngokuba bonke abaphatha inkemba bayakubhubha ngenkemba. Ingabe uthi ngingecele kuBaba angithumele manje amalegiyona ezingelosi adlula ishumi nambili na?”

UJesu uzimisele ukuboshwa, ngoba uyachaza: “Pho-ke ingagcwaliseka kanjani imibhalo yokuthi kumelwe ukuba kube njalo na?” Futhi uyanezela: “Angiyikusiphuza kanti isitsha enginiké sona uBaba na?” Uvumelana ngokuphelele nentando kaNkulunkulu ngaye!

Khona-ke uJesu ukhuluma nesixuku. “Niphumile kungathi nizé kumphangi, niphethe izinkemba nezinduku ukungibamba, na?” ebuza. “Bengihlezi ethempelini imihla ngemihla ngifundisa, anangibamba. Kepha konke lokho kwenzekile ukuba kugcwaliseke imibhalo yabaprofethi.”

Kulokho iviyo lamasosha nomqondisi wempi nabaphathi bamaJuda babamba uJesu bayambopha. Uma bebona lokhu, abaphostoli bayamshiya uJesu bayabaleka. Nokho, insizwa ethile—mhlawumbe umfundi uMarku—isala phakathi kwesixuku. Kungenzeka ukuthi ibisemzini lapho uJesu agubhele khona iPhasika futhi kamuva yase ilandela isixuku. Nokho, manje, iyabonakala, futhi kwenziwa umzamo wokuyibamba. Kodwa ishiya ingubo yayo yelineni iyabaleka. Mathewu 26:47-56; Marku 14:43-52; Luka 22:47-53; Johane 17:12; 18:3-12.

▪ Kungani uJuda eqiniseka ukuthi uJesu uzomthola ensimini yaseGetsemane?

▪ UJesu ukubonisa kanjani ukukhathalela abafundi bakhe?

▪ UPetru uthatha siphi isinyathelo sokuvikela uJesu, kodwa uJesu uthini kuPetru ngaso?

▪ UJesu wembula kanjani ukuthi uvumelana ngokuphelele nentando kaNkulunkulu ngaye?

▪ Lapho abaphostoi beshiya uJesu, ubani osalayo, futhi kwenzekani kuye?

Isahluko 119

Ukuyiswa KuAnase, Kamuva KuKayafase

UJESU, eboshwe njengeselelesi esivamile, uyiswa kuAnase, owayengumpristi omkhulu ohlonishwayo. UAnase wayengumpristi omkhulu lapho uJesu esengumfanyana oneminyaka engu-12 ubudala emangaza abafundisi abangorabi ethempelini. Amaningana emadodeneni ka-Anase kamuva akhonza njengabapristi abakhulu, futhi okwamanje umkhwenyana wakwakhe uKayafase uphethe lesosikhundla.

UJesu cishe uyiswa emzini ka-Anase kuqala ngenxa yokuvelela isikhathi eside kwalowompristi omkhulu ekuphileni okungokwenkolo kwamaJuda. Lokhu kuphambukela kuAnase kunikeza umPristi Omkhulu uKayafase isikhathi sokuhlanganisa iSanhedrin, inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda enamalungu angu-71, kanye nokuqoqa ofakazi bamanga.

Manje umpristi omkhulu uAnase uphenya uJesu ngabafundi bakhe nangemfundiso yakhe. Nokho, ephendula, uJesu uthi: “Ngikhulumile obala ezweni. Ngezikhathi zonke bengifundisa esinagogeni nasethempelini, lapho abaJuda bonke bebuthana khona; angikhulumanga-lutho ngasese. Ubuzelani kimi na? Buza kulabo abezwile lokho engakukhuluma kubo; bheka, bona bayakwazi engakushoyo.”

Kulokhu, omunye wezikhonzi owayemi eduze kukaJesu ummukula ebusweni, ethi: “Uphendula umpristi omkhulu kanjalo na?”

“Uma ngikhulumé kabi,” kuphendula uJesu, “fakaza ngalobobubi; kodwa uma kukuhle, ungishayelani na? ” Ngemva kwalokhu kuphendulana, uAnase uthumela uJesu kuKayafase eboshiwe.

Manje bonke abapristi abakhulu namalunga nababhali, yebo, yonke iSanhedrin, isiqala ukuhlangana. Indawo yayo yokuhlangana ngokusobala iwumuzi kaKayafase. Ukuthethwa kwecala okunjalo ngobusuku bePhasika ngokucacile kuphambene nomthetho wamaJuda. Kodwa lokhu akubaphazamisi labaholi bamaJuda enjongweni yabo embi.

Emasontweni athile ngaphambili, lapho uJesu evusa uLazaru, iSanhedrin yayisinqumile kakade phakathi kwayo ukuthi kumelwe afe. Futhi ezinsukwini ezimbili nje ngaphambili, ngoLwesithathu, izikhulu zenkolo zaceba ukubamba uJesu ngendlela yobuqili ukuze zimbulale. Cabanga nje, eqinisweni usegwetshiwe ngaphambi kokuthethwa kwecala lakhe!

Manje kwenziwa imizamo yokuthola ofakazi abazonikeza ubufakazi bamanga ukuze kwakhiwe icala ngokumelene noJesu. Nokho, abatholakali ofakazi abavumelanayo ngobufakazi babo. Ekugcineni, ababili beza ngaphambili futhi bayagomela: “Thina simzwile ethi: Ngiyakulidiliza lelithempeli elenziwe ngezandla, ngakhe ngezinsuku ezintathu elinye elingenziwe ngezandla.”

“Awuphenduli-lutho na?” kubuza uKayafase. “Kuyini abakufakaza ngawe laba na?” Kodwa uJesu uyazithulela. Ngisho nakulokhu kumangalelwa kwamanga, okuhlazisa iSanhedrin ukuthi ofakazi bayahluleka ukwenza izindaba zabo zivumelane. Ngakho umpristi omkhulu uzama icebo elihlukile.

UKayafase uyazi ukuthi amaJuda azwela kanjani nganoma ubani othi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Ezikhathini ezimbili ngaphambidlana, baye bakhahlameza uJesu bembiza ngokuthi ungohlambalazayo ofanelwe ukufa, ngesinye isikhathi becabanga ngokungeyikho ukuthi uthi ulingana noNkulunkulu. UKayafase uyala ngobuqili: “Ngikufungisa uNkulunkulu ophilayo ukuba usitshele uma unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi amaJuda acabangani, ngempela uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Futhi ukuzithulela kungabhekwa njengokuphika ukuba kwakhe uKristu. Ngakho uJesu uphendula ngesibindi: “Nginguye. Niyakubona iNdodana yomuntu ihlezi ngakwesokunene saMandla, iza ngamafu ezulu.”

Kulokhu, uKayafase, ngendlela engumbukwane, uklebhula izingubo zakhe abese ememeza: “Usehlambalazile; sisaswelelani ofakazi na? Bheka, kalokhu nikuzwile ukuhlambalaza kwakhe. Nithini na?”

“Ufanele ukufa,” kumemeza iSanhedrin. Khona-ke baqala ukumbhuqa, futhi basho izinto eziningi zokumhlambalaza. Bammukula ebusweni futhi babukhafulele. Abanye bamboza ubuso bakhe bamshaye ngezibhakela bathi ngokubhuqa: “Siprofethele, Kristu; ngubani okushayileyo na?” Lokhu kuziphatha kokuhlambalaza, okungekho emthethweni kwenzeka phakathi nokuthethwa kwecala ebusuku. Mathewu 26:57-68; 26:3, 4; Marku 14:53-65; Luka 22:54, 63-65; Johane 18:13-24; 11:45-53; 10:31-39; 5:16-18.

▪ UJesu uyiswaphi kuqala, futhi kwenzekani kuye lapho?

▪ UJesu uyiswaphi ngokulandelayo, futhi ngayiphi injongo?

▪ UKayafase uphumelela kanjani ukwenza iSanhedrin imemezele ukuthi uJesu ufanelwe ukufa?

▪ Yikuphi ukuziphatha kokuhlambalaza, okungekho emthethweni okwenzeka phakathi nokuthethwa kwecala?

Isahluko 120

Ukuphika Kaningi Egcekeni

NGEMVA kokushiya uJesu ensimini yaseGetsemane nokubaleka nabanye abaphostoli ngenxa yokwesaba, uPetru noJohane bayama. Mhlawumbe bafica uJesu lapho eyiswa emzini ka-Anase. Lapho uAnase emthumela kumPristi Omkhulu uKayafase, uPetru noJohane bayalandela beqhele ngokwanele, ngokusobala basabela ukuphila kwabo ngesikhathi esifanayo banokukhathazeka okujulile ngalokho okuzokwenzeka eNkosini yabo.

Lapho befika emzini omkhulu kaKayafase, uJohane uyaphumelela ukungena egcekeni, njengoba aziwa yilompristi omkhulu. Nokho, uPetru usele emi ngaphandle emnyango. Kodwa ngokushesha uJohane uyabuya futhi ukhuluma nomlindi-mnyango, oyincekukazi, futhi uPetru uyavunyelwa ukuba angene.

Sekumakhaza manje, futhi izikhonzi zendlu nezikhulu zompristi omkhulu zibase umlilo wamalahle. UPetru wotha kanye nazo kuyilapho esalinde umphumela wokuthethwa kwecala likaJesu. Lapho, ekukhanyeni komlilo, umlindi-mnyango ongenise uPetru umbona kahle. “Nawe ubunoJesu waseGalile,” ememeza.

Ecasulwe ukudalulwa, uPetru ukuphika phambi kwabo bonke ukuthi uyamazi uJesu. “ [Angimazi], yebo, angikuzwisisi okushoyo,” esho.

Kulokho, uPetru uphumela ngaphandle eduze kwesango. Lapho, enye intombazane iyamphawula futhi nayo ithi kulabo abami lapho: “Lona ubenoJesu waseNazaretha.” UPetru uyaphinda uyaphika, efunga: “Angimazi lowomuntu.”

UPetru uhlala egcekeni, ezama ukungabonakali ngangokunokwenzeka. Mhlawumbe kulomzuzu wethuswa ukukhala kweqhude ekuthatheni kokusa. Phakathi nalesosikhathi, ukuthethwa kwecala likaJesu kuyaqhubeka, ngokusobala kwenzelwa engxenyeni yendlu ephezu kwegceke. Akungabazeki ukuthi uPetru nabanye abalinde ngezansi bayababona ofakazi abahlukahlukene abalethwa ukuba bazofakaza bephuma bengena.

Sekuphele cishe ihora kusukela ekudalulweni kwamuva kukaPetru njengowayekade enoJesu. Manje idlanzana labami lapho liza kuye lithi: “Nempela nawe ungomunye wabo, ngokuba nokukhuluma kwakho kuyakudalula.” Omunye waleliqembu uyisihlobo sikaMalkusi, ondlebe yakhe uPetru ayinqumile. “Angikubonanga yini mina ensimini unaye na?” esho.

“Angimazi lowomuntu,” kusho uPetru efunga egomela. Eqinisweni, ngokuthuka nokufunga ngalendaba, empeleni eziqalekisa yena siqu uma engakhulumi iqiniso, uzama ukubabonisa ukuthi bonke banephutha.

Lapho nje uPetru ephika okwesithathu, iqhude liyakhala. Futhi kulowomzuzu, uJesu, lowo ngokusobala ophumele obala emphemeni ophezu kwegceke, uyaphenduka ambheke. Ngokushesha, uPetru ukhumbula lokho uJesu akushilo emahoreni ambalwa nje ngaphambili ekamelweni eliphezulu: “Iqhude lingakakhali kabili, uzakungiphika kathathu.” Esindwa umthwalo wesono sakhe, uPetru uphumela ngaphandle akhale kamunyu.

Kungenzeka kanjani lokhu? Ngemva kokuba eqiniseke kangaka ngokuqina kwakhe ngokomoya, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uPetru aphike iNkosi yakhe kathathu izikhathi ezilandelana eduze? Ngokungangabazeki izimo zimzumile uPetru. Iqiniso liyahlanekezelwa, futhi uJesu uvezwa njengeselelesi esibi. Okulungile kwenziwa kubonakale kungalungile, ongenacala wenziwa onecala. Ngakho-ke ngenxa yokucindezela kwalesikhathi, uPetru uyakhubeka. Ngokushesha umqondo wakhe ofanele wokwethembeka uyaphazamiseka; kuyamdabukisa ukuthi wehlulwe ukwesaba umuntu. Kwangathi lokho kungenzeke kithi! Mathewu 26:57, 58, 69-75; Marku 14:30, 53, 54, 66-72; Luka 22:54-62; Johane 18:15-18, 25-27.

▪ UPetru noJohane baphumelela kanjani ukungena egcekeni lompristi omkhulu?

▪ Ngesikhathi uPetru noJohane besegcekeni, kwenzekani endlini?

▪ Iqhude likhala kangaki, futhi uPetru ukuphika kangaki ukuthi uyamazi uKristu?

▪ Kusho ukuthini ukuthi uPetru uyathuka futhi afunge?

▪ Yini ebangela uPetru ukuba aphike ukuthi uyamazi uJesu?