“Selifikile Ihora”

“Ihora lakhe lase lifikile ukuba ahambe kulelizwe aye kuYise.”—JOHANE 13:1.

1. Njengoba kusondela iPhasika lika-33 C.E., yiziphi izinkulumo zokuqagela ezigcwele eJerusalema, futhi kungani?

LAPHO ebhapathizwa ngo-29 C.E., uJesu waqala inkambo eyayiyoholela ‘ehoreni’ lokufa, ukuvuka nokukhazinyuliswa kwakhe. Manje kusentwasahlobo ka-33 C.E. Kusaphele amasonto ambalwa inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda, iSanhedrini, icebisene ngokubulala uJesu. Lapho esezwe ngecebo layo, mhlawumbe ngoNikodemu, oyilungu leSanhedrini ebelilokhu linobungane naye, uJesu uye waphuma eJerusalema waya emaphandleni ngaphesheya koMfula iJordani. Njengoba uMkhosi WePhasika usondela, abantu abaningi basuka emaphandleni baye eJerusalema, futhi umuzi ugcwele izinkulumo zokuqagela ngoJesu. “Uyini umbono wenu?” abantu bebuzana. “Ingabe uwukuthi ngeke nhlobo eze emkhosini?” Abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi baye banezela kuleli sasasa ngokukhipha imiyalo yokuthi noma ubani obona uJesu kufanele ababikele ukuthi ukuphi.—Johane 11:47-57.

2. Yisiphi isenzo sikaMariya esivusa impikiswano, futhi impendulo kaJesu emkhulumela ibonisani ngokuqaphela kwakhe ‘ihora lakhe’?

² Ngo-Nisan 8, ezinsukwini  eziyisithupha ngaphambi kwePhasika, uJesu usebuyele eJerusalema. Ufika eBethaniya—umuzana okuhlala kuwo abangane bakhe abathandekayo uMarta, uMariya noLazaru—indawo engamakhilomitha amathathu ngaphandle kwaseJerusalema. Kukusihlwa ngoLwesihlanu, futhi uJesu ulapho ngeSabatha. Ngakusasa kusihlwa lapho uMariya emkhonza esebenzisa amafutha ayigugu anamakha, abafundi abakwenameli lokhu. UJesu uyaphendula: “Myeke, ukuba agcine lelisiko ngokucabangela usuku lokungcwatshwa kwami. Ngoba abampofu ninabo ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa mina ngeke nibe nami ngaso sonke isikhathi.” (Johane 12:1-8; Mathewu 26:6-13) UJesu uyazi ukuthi ‘ihora lakhe selifikile ukuba ahambe kulelizwe aye kuYise.’ (Johane 13:1) Ngemva kwezinsuku ezinhlanu uzonikela ‘umphefumulo wakhe ube isihlengo esenana abaningi.’ (Marku 10:45) Kusukela lapho, yonke into ayenzayo nayifundisayo ithonywa umuzwa wokuphuthuma. Yeka isibonelo esihle kithi njengoba silindele ngokulangazela ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto! Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kuJesu ngakusasa.

Usuku Lokungena KukaJesu Kokunqoba

3. (a) UJesu ungena kanjani eJerusalema ngeSonto, ngo-Nisan 9, futhi lisabela kanjani iningi labantu elimzungezile? (b) Iyiphi impendulo uJesu ayinika abaFarisi abakhononda ngesixuku?

³ NgeSonto ngo-Nisan 9, uJesu uza eJerusalema ngokunqoba. Njengoba esondela emzini—egibele ithole lembongolo okugcwalisa uZakariya 9:9—iningi labantu ababuthanele kuye lendlala izingubo zalo zangaphandle emgwaqweni, kanti abanye bahlephula amagatsha ezihlahleni bawandlale. “Ubusisiwe Lowo oza njengeNkosi egameni likaJehova!” bememeza. Abanye babaFarisi esixukwini bafuna uJesu akhuze abafundi bakhe. Nokho, uJesu uyaphendula: “Ngiyanitshela, Uma laba bebengahlala bethule, amatshe abeyokhamuluka.”—Luka 19:38-40; Mathewu 21:6-9.

4. Kungani iJerusalema lichwaza lapho uJesu engena emzini?

⁴ Emasontweni ambalwa ngaphambili, abaningi esixukwini bambone evusa uLazaru. Manje laba balokhu betshela abanye ngaleso simangaliso. Ngakho njengoba uJesu engena eJerusalema, wonke umuzi uyachwaza. “Ubani lona?” kubuza abantu. Futhi izixuku zilokhu zithi: “Lona umprofethi uJesu, ovela eNazaretha laseGalile!” Bebona okwenzekayo, abaFarisi bayabalisa: “Izwe limlandele.”—Mathewu 21:10, 11; Johane 12:17-19.

5. Kwenzekani lapho uJesu engena ethempelini?

⁵ Njengenkambiso yakhe lapho ezé eJerusalema, uJesu, uMfundisi Omkhulu, uya ethempelini eyofundisa. Lapho, abayizimpumputhe nabayizinyonga beza kuye futhi uyabaphulukisa. Lapho abapristi abakhulu nababhali bebona lokhu futhi bezwa abafana bememeza ethempelini, bethi, “Siyanxusa, sindisa iNdodana kaDavide!” bayathukuthela. “Uyakuzwa yini lokho laba abakushoyo?” besho. “Yebo,” kuphendula uJesu. “Anizange yini nikufunde lokhu, ‘Emilonyeni yezingane nabasancela ulungiselele indumiso’?” Njengoba uJesu eqhubeka efundisa, ukubhekisisa  kahle lokho okwenzeka ethempelini.—Mathewu 21:15, 16; Marku 11:11.

6. Indlela kaJesu yokwenza ihluke kanjani manje kunangaphambili, futhi ngani?

⁶ Yeka ukuthi ihluke kanjani indlela uJesu eza ngayo manje kunasezinyangeni eziyisithupha ezidlule! Ngaleso sikhathi wangena eJerusalema “hhayi obala kodwa njengokungathi ekusithekeni,” eze eMkhosini Wamadokodo. (Johane 7:10) Futhi njalo wayethatha izinyathelo zokuphunyula ukuze aphephe lapho ukuphila kwakhe kusongelwa. Manje ungena emzini obala lapho kukhishwé khona imiyalo yokuba abanjwe! Kwakungeyona futhi inkambiso kaJesu ukuziveza njengoMesiya. (Isaya 42:2; Marku 1:40-44) Wayengafuni zimemezelo ezinomsindo noma ukuba kudluliswe ngomlomo kumuntu ngamunye imibiko enganembile ngaye. Manje izixuku zimbiza obala ngeNkosi noMsindisi—uMesiya—futhi akazinaki izicelo zabaholi benkolo zokuba azithulise! Kungani sekunoshintsho? Kungoba “selifikile ihora lokuba iNdodana yomuntu ikhazinyuliswe,” njengoba esho ngakusasa.—Johane 12:23.

Isinyathelo Sesibindi—Bese Kuba Imfundiso Esindisa Ukuphila

7, 8. Izenzo zikaJesu ngo-Nisan 10, 33 C.E., zikufuze kanjani lokho akwenza ethempelini ngePhasika lika-30 C.E.?

⁷ Lapho efika ethempelini ngoMsombuluko, ngo-Nisan 10, uJesu uthatha isinyathelo ngalokho akubone ngayizolo ntambama. Uqala ‘ukuxosha labo abathengisayo nabathengayo ethempelini, futhi ugumbuqela amatafula abashintshi bemali namabhentshi alabo abathengisa amajuba; futhi akavumeli muntu ukuba athwale isitsha anqamule naso ethempelini.’ Elahla abenzi bokubi, uthi: “Akulotshiwe yini ukuthi, ‘Indlu yami iyobizwa ngokuthi indlu yomthandazo yazo zonke izizwe’? Kodwa nina niyenzé umhume wabaphangi.”—Marku 11:15-17.

⁸ Izenzo zikaJesu zifuze lokho akwenza eminyakeni emithathu ngaphambili lapho eze ethempelini ngePhasika lika-30 C.E. Nokho, indlela abalahla ngayo kulokhu ihlaba ngokwengeziwe. Abathengisa ethempelini usebabiza ‘ngabaphangi.’ (Luka 19:45, 46; Johane 2:13-16) Bayibo ngoba babiza amanani amba eqolo kulabo okudingeka bathenge izilwane zemihlatshelo. Abapristi abakhulu, ababhali nabaholayo kubantu bayezwa ngalokho uJesu akwenzayo bese bephinda befuna izindlela zokuba abulawe. Nokho, abazi ukuthi bamgudluze kanjani uJesu, ngoba bonke abantu bathe mbó kuye bazomlalela behlatshwa umxhwele ukufundisa kwakhe.—Marku 11:18; Luka 19:47, 48.

9. Yisiphi isifundo uJesu asifundisayo, futhi izilaleli zakhe ethempelini uzimema ukuba zenzeni?

⁹ Njengoba uJesu eqhubeka efundisa ethempelini, uthi: “Selifikile ihora lokuba iNdodana  yomuntu ikhazinyuliswe.” Yebo, uyazi ukuthi usesalelwe yizinsuku ezimbalwa ephila njengomuntu. Ngemva kokulandisa ukuthi uhlamvu lukakolweni kumelwe lufe ukuze luthele—okuhambelana nokufa kwakhe abe yindlela yokunika abanye ukuphila okumi phakade—uJesu umema izilaleli zakhe, ethi: “Uma noma ubani eyongikhonza, makangilandele, futhi lapho ngikhona yilapho nesikhonzi sami siyoba khona. Uma noma ubani eyongikhonza, uBaba uyomdumisa.”—Johane 12:23-26.

10. UJesu uzizwa kanjani ngokufa okubuhlungu okumlindele?

¹⁰ Ecabanga ngokufa kwakhe okubuhlungu osekusele izinsuku ezine kufike, uJesu uyaqhubeka: “Manje umphefumulo wami ukhathazekile, futhi ngizothini? Baba, ngisindise kulelihora.” Kodwa okulindele uJesu akunakugwenywa. “Noma kunjalo,” esho, “kungakho ngize kulelihora.” Ngempela, uJesu uvumelana nalo lonke uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu. Uzimisele ukuvumela intando yaphezulu iqondise izenzo zakhe kuze kube sekufeni kwakhe okuwumhlatshelo. (Johane 12:27) Yeka isibonelo asibekela sona—sokuzithoba ngokugcwele entandweni yaphezulu!

11. Yiziphi izimfundiso uJesu azidlulisela esixukwini esisanda kuzwa izwi livela ezulwini?

¹¹ Ekhathazeke ngokujulile ngendlela ukufa kwakhe okuzolithinta ngayo idumela likaYise, uJesu uyathandaza: “Baba, khazimulisa igama lakho.” Isixuku esibuthene ethempelini siyamangala lapho kuvela izwi ezulwini, lithi: “Ngilikhazimulisile futhi ngizophinde ngilikhazimulise.” UMfundisi Omkhulu usebenzisa leli thuba ukuze atshele isixuku isizathu sokuzwakala kwezwi, nokuthi izoba yini imiphumela yokufa kwakhe nokuthi kungani kudingeka sibonise ukholo. (Johane 12:28-36) Ezinsukwini ezimbili ezidlule uJesu uye wabhekana nezigigaba ngempela. Kodwa usuku olubucayi yimá luseza.

Usuku Lokulahlwa

12. NgoLwesibili, ngo-Nisan 11, abaholi benkolo bamaJuda bazama kanjani ukucupha uJesu, futhi kuba namuphi umphumela?

¹² NgoLwesibili, ngo-Nisan 11, uJesu uphinda angene ethempelini eyofundisa. Kunezilaleli ezingenabungane. Bebhekisela ezenzweni zikaJesu zangayizolo, abapristi abakhulu namadoda amadala abantu bayambuza: “Uzenza ngagunya lini lezizinto? Futhi ubani okuniké leligunya?” INgcweti YoMfundisi ibadida amakhanda ngempendulo yayo, bese ilandisa imifanekiso emithathu ekhanyayo—emibili yayo emayelana nesivini kanti omunye omayelana nedili lomshado—edalula indlela abaphikisi bakhe abababi ngayo. Becasulwe yilokho abakuzwayo, abaholi benkolo bafuna ukumbamba. Kodwa besaba izixuku, ezibheka uJesu njengomprofethi. Ngakho bazama ukumcupha ukuze asho okuthile abangambophisa ngako. Izimpendulo zikaJesu zibavala imilomo.—Mathewu 21:23–22:46.

13. Yisiphi iseluleko uJesu asinika izilaleli zakhe mayelana nababhali nabaFarisi?

¹³ Njengoba ababhali nabaFarisi bethi bafundisa  uMthetho KaNkulunkulu, uJesu manje unxusa izilaleli zakhe: “Zonke izinto abanitshela zona, zenzeni futhi nizigcine, kodwa ningenzi ngokwezenzo zabo, ngoba bayakhuluma kodwa bangenzi.” (Mathewu 23:1-3) Yeka ukulahlwa obala okunamandla! Kodwa uJesu akakaqedi ngabo. Lolu usuku lwakhe lokugcina ethempelini, futhi ngesibindi usho ngokulandelana amazwi adalulayo njengokuqeqebula kwezulu.

14, 15. Yimaphi amazwi okubalahla nantinyelayo uJesu awasho kubabhali nabaFarisi?

¹⁴ “Maye kini, babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi!” kusho uJesu kasithupha. Bayibo ngoba, njengoba echaza, bavala umbuso wamazulu phambi kwabantu, bangabavumeli abayongena ukuba bangene. Laba bazenzisi badabula ulwandle nezwe elomile ukuba benze umproselithe oyedwa, kodwa bamenze isisulu sokubhujiswa phakade. Bathi ‘bengazinaki izindaba zoMthetho ezinesisindo esikhudlwana, okuwukuthi, ubulungisa nesihe nokukholeka,’ babe bekunaka kakhulu ukukhokha okweshumi. Ngalokho bahlanza “ingaphandle lendebe nelesitsha, kodwa ngaphakathi kugcwele impango nokungalinganiseli” ngoba ukonakala nokubola kwabo ngaphakathi kufihlwe ngukubukisa kokuzishaya abakholiwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bazimisele ukwakhela abaprofethi amathuna futhi bawahlobise ukuze badonsele ukunaka ezenzweni zabo zomusa, yize ‘bengamadodana alabo ababulala abaprofethi.’—Mathewu 23:13-15, 23-31.

¹⁵ Elahla ukuntula kwabaphikisi bakhe izindinganiso ezingokomoya, uJesu uthi: “Maye kini, baqondisi abayizimpumputhe.” Bayizimpumputhe ngokokuziphatha ngoba bagcizelela kakhulu ukubaluleka kwegolide lethempeli kunokubaluleka okungokomoya kwaleyo ndawo yokukhulekela. Eqhubeka, uJesu usho amazwi anamandla kunawo wonke okubalahla. “Zinyoka, nzalo yezinyoka ezinesihlungu,” esho, “nizokubalekela kanjani ukwahlulelwa kwaseGehena?” Yebo, uJesu ubatshela ukuthi ngenxa yokuphishekela inkambo yabo embi, bayobhujiswa phakade. (Mathewu 23:16-22, 33) Kwangathi nathi singabonisa isibindi ekumemezeleni isigijimi soMbuso, ngisho nalapho kusho ukudalula inkolo yamanga.

16. Yisiphi isiprofetho esibalulekile uJesu asisho kubafundi bakhe lapho ehlezi eNtabeni Yeminqumo?

¹⁶ UJesu manje uyahamba ethempelini. Elangeni lantambama eseliyozilahla, ukhuphuka iNtaba Yeminqumo nabaphostoli bakhe. Ehlezi lapho, uJesu unikeza isiprofetho mayelana nokubhujiswa kwethempeli nesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto. Ukubaluleka kwala mazwi angokwesiprofetho kufinyelela esikhathini sethu. Ngalobo busuku, uJesu utshela abafundi bakhe: “Niyazi ukuthi ezinsukwini ezimbili kusukela manje kuzoba yiphasika, futhi iNdodana yomuntu izonikelwa ukuba ibethelwe.”—Mathewu 24:1-14; 26:1, 2.

UJesu ‘Uthanda Abakhe Siqu Kuze Kube Sekupheleni’

17. (a) Yisiphi isifundo uJesu asifundisa abangu-12 phakathi nePhasika lika-Nisan 14? (b) Yimuphi umkhosi uJesu awumisayo ngemva kokuxosha uJuda Iskariyothe?

¹⁷ Ezinsukwini ezimbili ezilandelayo—u-Nisan 12 no-13—uJesu akazivezi obala ethempelini. Abaholi benkolo bafuna ukumbulala, futhi akafuni lutho oluzophazamisa ukugubha kwakhe iPhasika nabaphostoli bakhe. Ukushona kwelanga ngoLwesine kusho ukuqala kuka-Nisan 14—usuku lokugcina lokuphila kukaJesu emhlabeni njengomuntu. Ngalobo busuku, uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe bandawonye endlini ethile eJerusalema lapho kwenziwe khona amalungiselelo okuba bagubhe iPhasika. Njengoba bejabulela iPhasika ndawonye, ufundisa abangu-12 isifundo esihle sokuzithoba ngokugeza izinyawo zabo. Ngemva kokuxosha uJuda Iskariyothe, ovumé ukukhaphela iNkosi yakhe ngezinhlamvu ezingu-30 zesiliva—inani lesigqila ngokoMthetho KaMose—uJesu wethula isiKhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe.—Eksodusi 21:32; Mathewu 26:14, 15, 26-29; Johane 13:2-30.

18. Yiziphi izimfundiso ezengeziwe uJesu azidlulisela ngothando kubaphostoli bakhe abathembekile abangu-11, futhi ubalungiselela kanjani ukuhamba kwakhe osekuseduze?

¹⁸ Ngemva kokwethulwa kweSikhumbuzo, abaphostoli baba nengxabano evuthayo ngokuthi ubani omkhulu kunabo bonke. Kunokuba abathethise, uJesu ubafundisa ngesineke ukubaluleka kokukhonza abanye. Eqonda ukuthi baye  banamathela kuye phakathi nokulingwa kwakhe, wenza isivumelwano sombuso nabo. (Luka 22:24-30) UJesu futhi ubayala ukuba bathandane njengoba nje naye ebathandile. (Johane 13:34) Njengoba esesekulelo kamelo, uJesu ubalungiselela ngothando ukuhamba kwakhe osekuseduze. Uyabaqinisekisa ukuthi ungumngane wabo, abakhuthaze ukuba babonise ukholo futhi abathembise usizo lomoya ongcwele. (Johane 14:1-17; 15:15) Ngaphambi kokuba aphume endlini, uJesu unxusa uYise: “Ihora selifikile; khazimulisa indodana yakho, ukuze indodana yakho ikukhazimulise.” UJesu uye wabalungiselela ngempela abaphostoli bakhe ukuhamba kwakhe, futhi ngokuqinisekile ‘ubathanda kuze kube sekupheleni abakhe siqu.’—Johane 13:1; 17:1.

19. Kungani uJesu ezwa izinhlungu ensimini yaseGetsemane?

¹⁹ Kungenzeka sekungalé kwamabili lapho uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe abathembekile abangu-11 befika ensimini yaseGetsemane. Kukaningi eya khona nabaphostoli bakhe. (Johane 18:1, 2) Emahoreni ambalwa, uJesu uzokufa njengokungathi uyiselelesi esidelelekile. Ubuhlungu bokulindela lesi senzakalo nendlela esingase silethe ngayo isihlamba kuYise bukhulu kangangokuthi lapho esathandaza, umjuluko kaJesu uba njengamathonsi egazi awela emhlabathini. (Luka 22:41-44) “Ihora selifikile!” kusho uJesu kubaphostoli. “Bhekani! Umkhapheli wami usesondele.” Esakhuluma, kufika uJuda Iskariyothe ehamba nesixuku esikhulu esiphethe izimbaqa nezibani nezikhali. Bazobopha uJesu. Akadazi nkani. “Uma kuba njalo,” echaza, “imiBhalo ibiyogcwaliseka kanjani ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwenzeke ngalendlela?”—Marku 14:41-43; Mathewu 26:48-54.

Ukukhazinyuliswa KweNdodana Yomuntu!

20. (a) Yisiphi isihluku uJesu abhekana naso ngemva kokuboshwa kwakhe? (b) Ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, kungani uJesu ekhamuluka ethi: “Kufeziwe”?

²⁰ Ngemva kokuboshwa, uJesu umangalelwa ofakazi bamanga, alahlwe amajaji achemile, agwetshwe nguPontiyu Pilatu, aklolodelwe abapristi nezixuku, ahlekwe usulu futhi ahlukunyezwe amasosha. (Marku 14:53-65; 15:1, 15; Johane 19:1-3) NgoLwesihlanu emini, uJesu ubethelwa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa futhi uzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu lapho isisindo somzimba wakhe sivula amanxeba ezipikili ezandleni nasezinyaweni zakhe. (Johane 19:17, 18) Cishe ngo-3 ntambama, uJesu uyakhamuluka: “Kufeziwe!” Yebo, usekuphothulile konke ayezele ukuzokwenza emhlabeni. Ephathisa uNkulunkulu umoya wakhe, ugebisa ikhanda afe. (Johane 19:28, 30; Mathewu 27:45, 46; Luka 23:46) Osukwini lwesithathu kamuva, uJehova uyayivusa iNdodana yakhe. (Marku 16:1-6) Ezinsukwini ezingu-40 evukile, uJesu ukhuphukela emazulwini futhi uyakhazinyuliswa.—Johane 17:5; IzEnzo 1:3, 9-12; Filipi 2:8-11.

21. Singamlingisa kanjani uJesu?

²¹ ‘Singazilandela kanjani izinyathelo zikaJesu eduze’? (1 Petru 2:21) Njengaye, masizikhandle emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi futhi sibe nesibindi ekukhulumeni izwi likaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 4:29-31; Filipi 1:14) Masingalokothi sikhohlwe ukuthi sikuphi nohlelo lwezikhathi noma sehluleke ukuvuselelana othandweni nasemisebenzini emihle. (Marku 13:28-33; Heberu 10:24, 25) Kwangathi yonke inkambo yethu ingalawulwa yintando kaJehova uNkulunkulu nokuqaphela ukuthi siphila “esikhathini sokugcina.”—Daniyeli 12:4.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Ukwazi kukaJesu ukuthi ukufa kwakhe kwase kusondele kwaba namuphi umphumela enkonzweni yakhe yokugcina ethempelini eJerusalema?

• Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJesu ‘wabathanda abakhe siqu kwaze kwaba sekupheleni’?

• Izenzakalo zamahora ambalwa okugcina okuphila kukaJesu zibonisani ngaye?

• Singamlingisa kanjani uKristu Jesu enkonzweni yethu?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

UJesu “wabathanda kwaze kwaba sekupheleni”