Yesu yavuye i Yeriko yerekeza i Betaniya. Urwo rwari urugendo ruvunanye kuko yari gukora ibirometero bigera kuri 20 ahantu haterera. Yeriko yari ku butumburuke bwa metero 250 munsi y’inyanja, naho Betaniya ikaba ku butumburuke bwa metero 610 hejuru y’inyanja. Lazaro na bashiki be babiri bari batuye mu mudugudu muto wa Betaniya, uri nko ku birometero bitatu uvuye i Yerusalemu mu ibanga ry’iburasirazuba ry’umusozi w’Imyelayo.

Abayahudi benshi bari bamaze kugera i Yerusalemu baje kwizihiza Pasika. Bari bahageze hakiri kare “kugira ngo bakore umuhango wo kwihumanura” mu gihe baba bakoze ku ntumbi cyangwa bakoze ku kindi kintu kikabahumanya (Yohana 11:55; Kubara 9:6-​10). Bamwe muri abo bari bahageze kare bari bateraniye mu rusengero. Bibazaga niba Yesu yari buze muri Pasika.​—Yohana 11:56.

Bagiye impaka zikomeye ku bihereranye na Yesu. Abayobozi b’idini bamwe bashakaga kumufata ngo bamwice. Bari banategetse ko umuntu wese wari kumenya aho Yesu aherereye yari kubibamenyesha “kugira ngo bamufate” (Yohana 11:57). Abo bayobozi b’idini bari baragerageje kwica Yesu igihe yari amaze kuzura Lazaro (Yohana 11:49-​53). Birumvikana rero ko hari bamwe bashidikanyaga niba Yesu yari gutinyuka kwigaragaza muri iyo mbaga y’abantu.

Yesu yageze i Betaniya kuwa gatanu, “hasigaye iminsi itandatu ngo Pasika ibe” (Yohana 12:1). Umunsi mushya (ku Isabato yo ku itariki ya 8 Nisani) wari gutangira izuba rirenze. Bityo rero, yarangije urugendo yakoraga mbere y’uko Isabato itangira. Ntiyari gukora urugendo ngo ave i Yeriko ku Isabato, ni ukuvuga kuva kuwa gatanu izuba rirenze kugeza kuwa gatandatu izuba rirenze, kubera ko amategeko y’Abayahudi yabuzanyaga gukora urugendo nk’urwo. Uko bigaragara Yesu yagiye kwa Lazaro nk’uko yari yarabikoze mbere yaho.

Simoni, na we wari utuye i Betaniya, yatumiye Yesu n’abo bari kumwe hakubiyemo na Lazaro, ngo basangire amafunguro yo kuwa gatandatu nimugoroba. Simoni yitwaga “umubembe,” wenda bitewe nuko yari yarigeze kurwara ibibembe maze Yesu akamukiza. Kubera ko Marita yarangwaga n’umwete, yarimo yakira abashyitsi. Mariya we yitaye kuri Yesu mu buryo bwihariye, icyakora icyo gihe bwo bikaba byarazamuye impaka.

Mariya yapfunduye icupa ryarimo nk’ “igice cya litiro y’amavuta ahumura neza y’agati kitwa narada, amavuta y’umwimerere” (Yohana 12:3). Ayo mavuta yari ahenze cyane, ku buryo yari afite agaciro kangana hafi n’umushahara w’umwaka w’umukozi (amadenariyo 300)! Mariya yasutse ayo mavuta mu mutwe wa Yesu no ku birenge bye maze abihanaguza umusatsi we. Impumuro y’ayo mavuta ahumura neza itama mu nzu hose.

Abigishwa bararakaye maze baravuga bati “aya mavuta apfushirijwe iki ubusa” (Mariko 14:4)? Yuda Isikariyota yaravuze ati “kuki aya mavuta ahumura neza atagurishijwe amadenariyo magana  atatu ngo ahabwe abakene” (Yohana 12:5)? Mu by’ukuri Yuda ntiyari ahangayikiye abakene. Yajyaga yiba mu gasanduku k’amafaranga y’abigishwa yabikaga.

Yesu yavuganiye Mariya agira ati “uyu mugore muramuhora iki? Ankoreye igikorwa cyiza. Abakene muri kumwe na bo iteka ryose, ariko jye ntituzahorana iteka. Uyu mugore asize umubiri wanjye amavuta ahumura neza, kugira ngo antegurire guhambwa. Ndababwira ukuri ko aho ubutumwa bwiza buzabwirizwa ku isi hose, icyo uyu mugore akoze na cyo kizavugwa kugira ngo bamwibuke.”​—Matayo 26:10-​13.

Yesu yari amaze umunsi urenga ari i Betaniya kandi inkuru yahise isakara hose ko yari ahari. Abayahudi benshi baje mu rugo kwa Simoni batazanywe no kureba Yesu gusa ahubwo nanone bazanywe no kureba Lazaro, “uwo yari yarazuye mu bapfuye” (Yohana 12:9). Nuko abakuru b’abatambyi bajya inama yo kwica Yesu na Lazaro. Abo bayobozi b’idini bumvaga ko kuba Lazaro yari yarongeye kuba muzima ari byo byatumaga abantu benshi bizera Yesu. Mbega ukuntu abo bayobozi b’idini bari abagome!