UJohane uMbhabhathizi ulokhu esejele kusukela ngesikhathi uJesu evela ePhasikeni lika-30 C.E. Wayefuna ukuthi abafundi bakhe babe ngabalandeli bakaJesu kodwa ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile uJohane ebotshiwe, abanye balokhu bengakamlandeli uJesu.

Khathesi sekuzakuba liPhasika lika-31 C.E. futhi abanye abafundi bakaJohane baya kuJesu bafike bambuze besithi: “Kungani thina labaFarisi sizila ukudla kodwa abafundi bakho bona bengazili?” (UMathewu 9:14) AbaFarisi bazila ukudla belandela ukholo lwesiJuda. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJesu ulandisa umzekeliso lapho akhuluma khona ngomFarisi oziphakamisayo. UmFarisi lo uthandaza esithi: “O Nkulunkulu, ngiyabonga ukuthi angifanani labanye bonke . . . Ngizila ukudla kabili ngeviki.” (ULukha 18:11, 12) Kungenzeka ukuthi abafundi bakaJohane labo balomkhuba wokuzila ukudla kumbe bazila ngenxa yokuthi uJohane ubotshiwe. Bayamangala ukuthi kungani abafundi bakaJesu bengazili, mhlawumbe ukuze labo batshengise ukuthi bezwa ubuhlungu ngokubotshwa kukaJohane.

UJesu ubaphendula esebenzisa umzekeliso. Uthi kubo: “Kambe sikhona yini isizatho sokuthi abangane bomyeni balile yena umyeni eseselabo? Kodwa zizafika insuku lapho abazathathelwa khona umyeni. Yikho lapho abazazila khona ukudla.”​—UMathewu 9:15.

UJohane wake wafanisa uJesu lomyeni. (UJohane 3:28, 29) Yikho nxa uJesu esesekhona akulasidingo sokuthi abafundi bakhe bazile ukudla. Kodwa nxa esefile abafundi bakhe bazalila lezinhliziyo zabo zibe mnyama. Esevusiwe bazathokoza kakhulu futhi kuyabe kungaselasidingo sokuqhubeka bedanile lesokuzila ukudla.

Ngemva kwalokho uJesu ubalandisela imizekeliso emibili. Uthi: “Kakho othungela isichibi esitsha phezu kwesembatho sangaphandle esidala ngoba isichibi esitsha siyafinyela sidonse lesosembatho, besesidabuka ukwedlula kuqala. Kanti njalo abantu kabafaki iwayini elitsha emigodleni yesikhumba emidala. Nxa bangenza njalo, izikhumba ziyadabuka iwayini lichitheke, lemigodla yesikhumba yonakale. Kodwa abantu bafaka iwayini elitsha emigodleni yesikhumba emitsha.” (UMathewu 9:16, 17) UJesu utshoni ngamazwi la?

UJesu unceda abafundi bakaJohane uMbhabhathizi bazwisise ukuthi akulamuntu okumele akhangelele ukuthi abalandeli bakhe benze imikhuba yamaJuda yakudala enjengokuzila. Wayengalandanga ukulungisa lokuvuselela indlela endala yokukhonza okwasekumele itshiywe.  UJesu ukhuluma ngokukhonza okungafanani lokwenziwa ngamaJuda alandela imikhuba yabantu. Kazami ukuthungela isichibi esitsha esembathweni esidala loba ukuthela iwayini elitsha emgodleni wesikhumba omdala.