UJesu kamfihleli uPhilathu ukuthi uyinkosi. Lanxa kunjalo uMbuso wakhe kawuncintisani loweRoma. Uthi: “UMbuso wami kawusiwo walo umhlaba. Aluba uMbuso wami ubungowalumhlaba, izinceku zami bezizakulwa ukuze nginganikelwa kumaJuda. Kodwa uMbuso wami wona kawuveli lapha.” (UJohane 18:36) UJesu ulawo sibili uMbuso, kodwa kawusiwo walumhlaba.

UPhilathu uphinda abuze uJesu esithi: “Uyinkosi yini?” Impendulo kaJesu iveza ukuthi uPhilathu utshaye khona nxa esithi uyinkosi. Uthi kuye: “Njengoba nje usitsho ukuthi ngiyinkosi. Ngazalelwa ukuthi ngizofakaza iqiniso futhi lokho yikho engakulandayo emhlabeni. Wonke umuntu osekela iqiniso uyalilalela ilizwi lami.”​—UJohane 18:37.

UJesu wayeke watshela uTomasi wathi: “Mina ngiyindlela leqiniso kanye lokuphila.” Khathesi loPhilathu usekwazi ukuthi uJesu walanda ukuzofakaza “iqiniso” ngoMbuso wakhe. UJesu uzimisele ukulisekela iqiniso lelo lanxa lingamenza abulawe. UPhilathu umbuza athi: “Liyini iqiniso?” Kodwa kameleli mpendulo ngoba asekuzwile kwanele ukuthi ahlulele uJesu.​—UJohane 14:6; 18:38.

UPhilathu uyabuyela exukwini eliphandle kwesigodlo. Kukhanya uJesu useceleni kwakhe ngesikhathi etshela abaphristi abakhokhelayo labanye abakhonapho esithi: “Mina kangiliboni icala elenziwe yindoda le.” Ixuku liyazonda lisizwa lokhu, liphikelele lisithi: “Imfundiso yakhe yenza ukuthi kube lokuxokozela kulo lonke elaseJudiya, kusukela eGalile kuze kufike lapha.”​—ULukha 23:4, 5.

Kumele ukuthi uPhilathu uyamangala ebona ukuthi indlela amaJuda acabanga ngayo inxele. Abaphristi abakhokhelayo lamadoda amadala bathi belokhu bememeza, uPhilathu abuze uJesu athi: “Kanti awuzizwa izinto lezi abakumangalela ngazo?” (UMathewu 27:13) UJesu uyazithulela zwi njalo uPhilathu uyamangala embona engethuswa yilokho amangalelwa ngakho.

AmaJuda athe uJesu ‘wasukela eGalile.’ Lokhu kwenza uPhilathu abone ukuthi uJesu ngoweGalile. Uhle abe lecebo lokuthi uzakwenzani ukuze angabi lomlandu wokwahlulela uJesu. Uhambisa uJesu kuHerodi Antiphasi (indodana kaHerodi Omkhulu) umbusi waseGalile, olande umkhosi wePhasika eJerusalema. UHerodi Antiphasi nguye owathi uJohane uMbhabhathizi aqunywe ikhanda. Ngemva kwesikhathi wathi esizwa ukuthi uJesu wenza izimangaliso wakhathazeka esecabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe kwakunguJohane osevukile kwabafileyo.​—ULukha 9:7-9.

UHerodi uyathaba esizwa ukuthi uJesu uza kuye. Kodwa lokhu akubangelwa yikuthi ufisa ukunceda uJesu loba ukuthi ufuna ukuzwisisa ukuthi indaba amangalelwa ngayo iliqiniso yini. Yena ufuna ukumbona nje futhi ‘ufisa ukumbona esenza isimangaliso.’ (ULukha 23:8) Kodwa uJesu kakwenzi lokho uHerodi akhangelele ukuthi akwenze. Uyazithulela ngesikhathi uHerodi embuza imibuzo. UHerodi lamasotsha akhe bayadana ‘besebechothoza’ uJesu. (ULukha 23:11) Bamgqokisa isembatho esibucwazicwazi bamenze inhlekisa. Ngemva kwalokho uHerodi ubuyisela uJesu kuPhilathu. UHerodi loPhilathu bebeyizitha kodwa khathesi sebengabangane.

UJesu uthi esephendukile uPhilathu abize abaphristi abakhokhelayo lababusi bamaJuda kanye labantu. Uthi kubo: ‘Ngimthonisise phambi kwenu kodwa kangisitholanga isizatho sokumbeka icala ngalokho elimmangalela ngakho. UHerodi laye katholanga lutho,  nanko phela usemphendukisile kithi. Indoda le kayenzanga lutho olungenza ibulawe. Yikho ngizayijezisa besengiyikhulula.’​—ULukha 23:14-16.

UPhilathu uyafuna sibili ukukhulula uJesu ngoba uyananzelela ukuthi abaphristi balomona yikho bemlethe kuye. Kusenjalo, kuba lokunye okumenza azimisele kakhulu ukumkhulula. Uthi esahlezi esihlalweni sakhe sokwahlulela, umkakhe amthumele umbiko esithi: “Ungayingeni indaba yendoda le elungileyo ngoba ngiyiphuphile lamuhla futhi iphupho lelo [okungenzeka livele kuNkulunkulu] lingihluphe kakhulu.”​—UMathewu 27:19.

UPhilathu uyakwazi okumele akwenze. Kodwa uzayikhulula njani indoda le engelacala?