UJesu nabafundi bakhe nabaqeda ikhambo labo esewula ePhereya baya eJerusalema, bayama uMlambo iJordani eduze neJerikho. Abanye bakhamba nabo, baya ePhasikeni langomnyaka ka-33.

UJesu ukhamba phambi kwabafundi, uzimisele ukufika ePhasikeni ngesikhathi. Kodwana abafundi bathukiwe. Ngaphambilini nakuhlongakala uLazaru, noJesu sele azokusuka ePhereya aye eJudiya, uTomasi watjela abanye wathi: “Asikhambeni nathi, ukwenzela bona sife kunye noJesu.” (Jwanisi 11:16, 47-53) Nje-ke, ukuya eJerusalema kuyingozi begodu akurari ukuthi abafundi bangenwa mamanzi emadolweni.

Bona abalungiselele lokho okusezako, uJesu udosela abapostoli ngeqadi, uthi kibo: “Sikhuphukela eJerusalema, iNdodana yomuntu izokunikelwa ebaphristini abakhulu nebatlolini. Bazoyigwebela ukufa bayinikele ebantwini beentjhaba ukuthi bahlekise ngayo, bayirithe, beyibulawelwe esigodweni; bese iyavuswa ngelanga lesithathu.”—Matewu 20:18, 19.

Sekulihlandla lesithathu uJesu atjela abafundi bakhe ngokufa nokuvuswa kwakhe. (Matewu 16:21; 17:22, 23) Kodwana nje uthi uzokubulawelwa esigodweni. Bayamlalela kodwana abazwisisi bona utjho ukuthini. Mhlamunye balindele ukubuyiselwa kombuso wakwa-Israyeli ephasini, bafuna ukuthabela iphazimulo nedumo kunye noKrestu embusweni wephasini.

Unina labapostoli uJakopo noJwanisi, okungenzeka nguSalome, uphakathi kwalabo abakhamba nabo. UJesu uthiye abapostoli ababilaba ibizo elitjho ukuthi “Amadodana Womdumo,” ngebanga lokutjhiseka kwabo khulu. (Markosi 3:17; Lukasi 9:54) Sekusikhathi abapostoli ababilaba bafisa isikhundla emBusweni kaKrestu.  Unina uyakulemuka lokho. Nje-ke uguqa phambi kwakaJesu bona abakhulumele. UJesu uthi kuye: “Ufunani?” Uphendula uthi: “Ngibawa ukhiphe ilizwi lokobana amadodanami amabili la ahlale nawe emBuswenakho, enye ngesidleni sakho enye ngesinceleni sakho.”—Matewu 20:20, 21.

Kuhlekuhle isibawesi sivela kuJakopo noJwanisi. Njengombana asand’ ukuveza indlela azokuhlaziswa ngayo, uJesu uthi kibo: “Aniyazi into eniyibawako le. Ningayisela na ikapho engiyiselako?” Bathi kuye: “Iye.” (Matewu 20:22) Nanyana kunjalo, kungenzeka abazwisisi bona lokho kutjho ukuthini ngabo.

UJesu uthi kibo: “Kwamambala nizoyisela ikaphami, kodwana ukuhlala ngesidleni sami namkha ngesinceleni sami akusingekwami bona ngingaphisana ngakho, kungekwalabo abakulungiselelwe nguBaba.”—Matewu 20:23.

Abanye abapostoli abalitjhumi nabezwa ngesibawo sakaJakopo noJwanisi, bayasilingeka. Kghani kungenzeka bona uJakopo noJwanisi ngibo ebebakhuluma khulu epikiswaneni egade ihlangana nabapostoli, emalungana nokuthi ngubani omkhulu ukubadlula boke? (Lukasi 9:46-48) Kinanyana ngikuphi, isibawo samvesi sitjengisa bona abapostoli abaliTjhumi namBilaba akhenge basisebenzise iseluleko sakaJesu sokuthi baziphathe njengabancani. Isifiso sabo sokuzifunela isikhundla sisesekhona.

UJesu uqunta ukuyilungisa ipikiswano le nehloyo eyibangako. Ubiza abaliTjhumi namBili, ubaluleka ngomusa uthi, “Niyazi ukuthi labo abaqalwa njengababusi beentjhaba bakatelela ubukhosi babo phezu kwazo namadoda aveleleko anelawulo phezu kwazo. Akukafaneli kube njalo phakathi kwenu; kodwana nanyana ngubani ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu kufuze abe sisebenzi senu, nanyana ngubani ofuna ukuba ngewokuthoma phakathi kwenu kufuze abe sisebenzi senu noke.”—Markosi 10:42-44.

UJesu uveza isibonelo ekufuze basilingise—okusibonelo sakhe. Uyahlathulula uthi: ‘INdodana yomuntu ayikazeli ukwenzelwa, kodwana izele ukwenzela abanye nokunikela ngokuphila kwayo bona kube sihlengo sabanengi.’ (Matewu 20:28) Sekuminyaka emithathu uJesu enzela abantu izinto. Uzokwenza njalo bekube sezingeni lokubafela! Abafundi kufuze babe nesifiso esinjalo esifana nesakaKrestu sokwenzela abantu kunokobana benzelwe, babe ngabancani kunokobana babe seenkhundleni eziphezulu.