UJesu uze eJerusalema eMnyanyeni wokuHlanjululwa kwethempeli (namkha i-Hanukkah). Ngomnyanya lo kugidingwa ukunikelwa kabutjha kwethempeli kuZimu. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwelikhulu edlulileko, iKosi yeSiriya, u-Antiochus IV Epiphanes wakha i-aldara labozimu bamala phezu kwe-aldara elikhulu elisethempelini lakaZimu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, amadodana womphristi othileko omJuda athumba iJerusalema godu, anikela kabutjha ithempeli kuJehova. Kusukela mhlokho, kunomgidi obanjwa qobe mnyaka ngo-Chislev 25, namhlanjesi okuyinyanga ethoma ekupheleni kwakaNovemba iphele ekuthomeni kwakaDisemba.

Kusebusika. UJesu ukhamba ethempelini emathurini kaSolomoni. Nakalapho amaJuda ayambungelela amkgharameje athi: “Uzosenza sizibuze bekube nini? Nangabe unguKrestu, sitjela ngokunqophileko.” (Jwanisi 10:22-24) UJesu uzowaphendula njani? Uthi kiwo: “Nginitjelile, kodwana anikholwa.” UJesu akakawatjeli ngokunqophileko ukuthi unguKrestu, njengombana atjela umfazi womSamariya epetsini. (Jwanisi 4:25, 26) Kodwana wembulile ukuthi ungubani nakathi: “Ngaphambi kokuthi u-Abrahama abekhona, bengisolo ngikhona.”—Jwanisi 8:58.

UJesu ufuna abantu bazibonele ukuthi unguKrestu ngokuthi bamadanise lokho akwenzako nalokho okwaphorofidwa ukuthi uKrestu uzokwenza. Kungakho ngezinye iinkhathi bekatjela abafundi bakhe bona bangatjeli muntu ukuthi unguMesiya. Kodwana nje uwatjela emehlweni amaJuda anenturhu la, uthi: “Imisebenzi engiyenza ebizweni lakaBaba, iyangifakazela. Kodwana anikholwa.”—Jwanisi 10:25, 26.

Kubayini bangakholwa ukuthi uJesu unguKrestu? Uthi: “Anikholwa, ngombana anisizizimvu zami. Izimvu zami ziyalilalela ilizwi lami, ngiyazazi, begodu ziyangilandela. Ngizinikela ukuphila okungapheliko, angeze zatjhatjalaliswa, begodu akunamuntu ongazihluthula esandleni sami. Lokho uBaba anginikele khona kukhulu kunazo zoke ezinye izinto.” Ngemva kwalokho uJesu ubatjela ukuthi yena noYise bazwana kangangani, uthi: “Mina noBaba simunye.” (Jwanisi 10:26-30) UJesu ulapha ephasini begodu uYise usezulwini, nje-ke akatjho ukuthi yena noYise bamumuntu munye. Kunalokho, utjho ukuthi banomnqopho munye.

Amezwi kaJesu asilinga amaJuda kangangobana enza into akhe ayenza phambilini, adobha amatje afuna ukumbulala. Kodwana lokhu akumthusi uJesu. Uthi kiwo, “Nginitjengise imisebenzi eminengi emihle evela kuBaba. Ngimuphi wemisebenzi le eningikghadlhela wona?” AmaJuda athi kuye: “Asikukghadlheli umsebenzi omuhle owenzako, kodwana ukuhlambalaza; ngombana . . . uzenza uzimu.” (Jwanisi 10:31-33) UJesu azange khekathi yena unguzimu, alo kubayini amangalelwa ngalokho?

Phela uJesu uthi yena unamandla wokwenza izinto amaJuda akholelwa ukuthi zingenziwa nguZimu kwaphela. Ngokwesibonelo, malungana ‘nezimvu’ uthe: “Ngizinikela ukuphila okungapheliko,” okuyinto umuntu angeze akghona ukuyenza. (Jwanisi 10:28) AmaJuda ayeqisela amehlo indaba yokuthi uJesu uvume tjhatjhalazi ukuthi amandla uwafumana kuYise.

Nakaphikisa ukummangalela kwawo okumamanga, uJesu uyabuza: “Akukatlolwa na emThethwenenu [kuRhubo 82:6] ukuthi, ‘Ngathi: “Nibozimu”’? UZimu nakabize labo abalahlwa lilizwi lakhe ngokuthi ‘bozimu’ . . . nithi kimi, mina uBaba amcwengisileko wamthumela ephasini, ‘Uyahlambalaza,’ ngombana ngithe, ‘NgiyiNdodana kaZimu’?”—Jwanisi 10:34-36.

Kwamambala, imiTlolo ibiza nabagwebi abababantu abanganabulungiswa ngokuthi “bozimu.” Nje-ke amaJuda la angambona njani uJesu iphoso nakathi “NgiyiNdodana kaZimu”? Uveza okuthileko okufuze kuwenze amkholwe: “Nangabe angenzi imisebenzi kaBaba, musani ukungikholwa.  Kodwana nangabe ngiyayenza, ngitjho nanyana ningangikholwa, kholwani imisebenzi, bona nazi begodu niragele phambili nazi ukuthi uBaba umunye nami nokuthi mina ngimunye noBaba.”—Jwanisi 10:37, 38.

Nawezwa lokho, amaJuda alinga ukubamba uJesu kodwana uyaphunyurha godu. Uyakhamba eJerusalema atjhinge ngaphetjheya koMlambo iJordani, endaweni uJwanisi athoma ukubhabhadisela kiyo pheze eminyakeni emine edlulileko. Kubonakala ngasuthi indawo le ayisikude namaphethelo angesewula weLwandle leGalile.

Iinqubuthu ziza kuJesu zithi: “UJwanisi khenge enze isibonakaliso nasinye, kodwana koke uJwanisi akukhulumileko ngomuntu lo kuliqiniso.” (Jwanisi 10:41) Ngalokho-ke, amaJuda amanengi ayakholwa kuJesu.